Multiwall carbon nanotube (MWNT) was grafted with polyacrylate-g-poly (ethylene glycol) via the following two steps. First, hydroxyl groups on the surface of acid-treated MWNT reacted with linear poly(acryloyl chloride) to generate graft on MWNT; secondly, the remaining acryloyl chloride groups were subjected to esterification with poly(ethylene glycol) leading the grafted chains on the surface of MWNTs. Thus obtained grafted MWNT was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the weight fraction of grafted polymers amounted to 80% of the modified MWNT. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.