Arnold MS, Green AA, Hulvat JF, Stupp SI, Hersam MC. Sorting carbon nanotubes by electronic structure using density differentiation.
NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2006;
1:60-5. [PMID:
18654143 DOI:
10.1038/nnano.2006.52]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1019] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2006] [Accepted: 08/25/2006] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The heterogeneity of as-synthesized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) precludes their widespread application in electronics, optics and sensing. We report on the sorting of carbon nanotubes by diameter, bandgap and electronic type using structure-discriminating surfactants to engineer subtle differences in their buoyant densities. Using the scalable technique of density-gradient ultracentrifugation, we have isolated narrow distributions of SWNTs in which >97% are within a 0.02-nm-diameter range. Furthermore, using competing mixtures of surfactants, we have produced bulk quantities of SWNTs of predominantly a single electronic type. These materials were used to fabricate thin-film electrical devices of networked SWNTs characterized by either metallic or semiconducting behaviour.
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