Nanotube solutions with high concentration and low contamination and methods for purifiying nanotube solutions
First Claim
1. A method for producing a nanotube solution, comprising:
- dispersing functionalized nanotube;
materials in a liquid medium in a first operation, wherein at least a portion of said functionalized nanotube materials have surface carboxylic acid functional groups bound with binary metal counter ions;
mixing at least one complexing agent with the liquid medium to complex and remove said binary metal counter ions from said functional groups of said functionalized nanotube materials in a second operation; and
performing a filtration process to the liquid medium so as to remove the complexed binary metal ions in the liquid medium in a third operation;
wherein said second operation is performed subsequent to said first operation and prior to said third operation.
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Abstract
Solutions of carbon nanotubes and methods for purifying the solutions are provided. The methods include mixing, for example, at least one complexing agents, at least one ionic species, and/or at least one buffer oxide etch (BOE) with a liquid medium containing carbon nanotubes and different types of contaminants, such as metal impurities, amorphous carbon, and/or silica particles, and performing a filtration process to the liquid medium so as to remove or reduce the contaminants in the liquid medium. As a result, carbon nanotube solutions of low contaminants are produced. In some embodiments, the solutions of this disclosure include a high concentration of carbon nanotubes and are substantially free from metal, amorphous carbon, and/or silica impurities.
34 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for producing a nanotube solution, comprising:
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dispersing functionalized nanotube;
materials in a liquid medium in a first operation, wherein at least a portion of said functionalized nanotube materials have surface carboxylic acid functional groups bound with binary metal counter ions;mixing at least one complexing agent with the liquid medium to complex and remove said binary metal counter ions from said functional groups of said functionalized nanotube materials in a second operation; and performing a filtration process to the liquid medium so as to remove the complexed binary metal ions in the liquid medium in a third operation; wherein said second operation is performed subsequent to said first operation and prior to said third operation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A solution, comprising:
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a liquid medium; and a plurality of functionalized nanotubes dispersed in the liquid medium, wherein at least a portion of said functionalized nanotubes have surface carboxylic acid functional groups, whereby binary metal counter ions on said functional groups have been complexed with a complexing agent and removed from the functional groups; wherein the liquid medium comprises composite molecules of said complexed binary metals complexed with said complexing agent. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification