Chirality Selective Synthesis and Enrichment of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Macroelectronics

Abstract

Single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) enriched with specific chirality are needed for various potential applications. Here we summarize the efforts in our lab toward obtaining such SWCNT samples. We have explored the following approaches: (1) novel catalysts which are selective to specific chiral species; (2) optimization of synthesis parameters that may alter chirality distributions in SWCNT samples; (3) theoretical calculations that provide fundamental understanding on chirality selectivity; (4) post-synthetic approaches which display chirality selectivity by molecular wrapping or covalent chemical reactions and (5) evaluation methods which are sensitive and accurate to monitor the chirality distribution or other changes.