Individualization of single-walled carbon nanotubes: is the solvent important?

The influence of different solvents on the individualization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) was investigated by several methods. A stable solution of individual SWNTs in o-dichlorobenzene was obtained by a combination of ultrasonication and ultracentrifugation. Atomic force microscopy height analysis confirmed that the final supernatant solution contained 85 % of individual tubes with a diameter equal to or less than 1.5 nm, which is consistent with the average diameter of arc-discharge tubes. Both the solvent and the ultracentrifugation speed are important parameters in determining the final degree of individualized SWNTs. Notably, the SWNTs were stable in o-dichlorobenzene for more than eight months. This technique for obtaining highly individualized SWNTs in an organic solvent is expected to have great potential in many applications, such as functional materials and nanoelectronics.