Recent Advances in Structure Separation of Single‐Wall Carbon Nanotubes and Their Application in Optics, Electronics, and Optoelectronics

Abstract

Structural control of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with uniform properties is critical not only for their property modulation and functional design but also for applications in electronics, optics, and optoelectronics. To achieve this goal, various separation techniques have been developed in the past 20 years through which separation of high-purity semiconducting/metallic SWCNTs, single-chirality species, and even their enantiomers have been achieved. This progress has promoted the property modulation of SWCNTs and the development of SWCNT-based optoelectronic devices. Here, the recent advances in the structure separation of SWCNTs are reviewed, from metallic/semiconducting SWCNTs, to single-chirality species, and to enantiomers by several typical separation techniques and the application of the corresponding sorted SWCNTs. Based on the separation procedure, efficiency, and scalability, as well as, the separable SWCNT species, purity, and quantity, the advantages and disadvantages of various separation techniques are compared. Combined with the requirements of SWCNT application, the challenges, prospects, and development direction of structure separation are further discussed.

Prospects of Fluorescent Single-Chirality Carbon Nanotube-Based Biosensors

“…Although SWCNT synthesis has improved in recent years and specific diameters and chiralities , can be obtained, such SWCNT material is not available for the broader community. For this reason, SWCNT purification and separation of samples containing multiple chiralities are inevitable to obtain monochiral samples. ,− Most prominently, separation approaches such as density gradient centrifugation, , gel (size exclusion) chromatography, − ion exchange chromatography, , or aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) − are used. Moreover, SWCNT chiralities and certain macromolecules such as specific ssDNA sequences or polyfluorene (PFO) polymers interact specifically, preferentially solubilizing distinct chiralities.…”

Preparing high-concentration individualized carbon nanotubes for industrial separation of multiple single-chirality species

“…The diverse properties of an as-synthesized SWCNT mixture will definitely hinder their application. To overcome these challenges, the industrial production of single-chirality SWCNTs with identical properties has long been a goal in the field of carbon nanomaterials 6 , 7 . In recent decades, impressive progress in the structural separation of SWCNTs has been made.…”

Machine learning methods for aerosol synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes

“…In particular, a considerable effort has been devoted to research on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) due to their outstanding physical properties [4], including high electrical and thermal conductivity, giant Young modulus, and tensile strength, high specific surface area and chemical stability, etc. Thus, SWCNTs have inspired a significant number of prospective applications [5], especially in biotechnology [6], photonics [7], and electronics [8]. Besides, a variety of possible electronic structures results in diverse optical properties [9], while the unique quasi-1D structure makes SWCNTs an excellent model object for core science experiments [10,11].…”