The Removal of Metallic Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Using an Aqueous Two-Phase System

Authors

M.S.Y. Tang
T.J. Whitcher
K.H. Yeoh
C.L. Chua
K.L. WoonFollow
P.L. Show
Y.K. Lin
T.C. LingFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-1-2014

Abstract

Here we report our findings on the removal of metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes using an aqueous two-phase system. The aqueous two-phase system contained as received carbon nanotubes, polyethylene glycol, dextran, N-methylpyrrolidone, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, and water which phase separated into top and bottom phases. The top phase was dominated by polyethylene glycol whereas the bottom phase was dominated by dextran. The dextran-rich phase contained more semiconducting species while metallic species was more abundant in the polyethylene glycol rich-phase. It was found via Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy that cetyltrimethylammonium bromide only present in the dextran-rich phase. A selectivity mechanism is tentatively proposed and discussed.

Keywords

Metallic Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, Aqueous Two-Phase System

Divisions

Science

Publication Title

Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Volume

14

Issue

5

Publisher

American Scientific Publishers