Method for purification of as-produced single-wall carbon nanotubes
First Claim
1. A method for purifying a mixture comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes and amorphous carbon contaminate, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) heating said mixture under oxidizing conditions sufficient to remove the said amorphous carbon; and
(b) recovering a product comprising at least about 80% by weight of single-wall carbon nanotubes, wherein the product is washed with a solution comprising a surfactant.
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Abstract
This invention relates generally to a single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) purification process and more particularly to a purification process that comprises heating the SWNT-containing felt under oxidizing conditions to remove the amorphous carbon deposits and other contaminating materials. In a preferred mode of this purification procedure, the felt is heated in an aqueous solution of an inorganic oxidant, such as nitric acid, a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid, or a potassium permanganate. Preferably, SWNT-containing felts are refluxed in an aqueous solution of an oxidizing acid at a concentration high enough to etch away amorphous carbon deposits within a practical time frame, but not so high that the single-wall carbon nanotube material will be etched to a significant degree. When material having a high proportion of SWNT is purified, the preparation produced will be enriched in single-wall nanotubes, so that the SWNT are substantially free of other material.
180 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for purifying a mixture comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes and amorphous carbon contaminate, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) heating said mixture under oxidizing conditions sufficient to remove the said amorphous carbon; and
(b) recovering a product comprising at least about 80% by weight of single-wall carbon nanotubes, wherein the product is washed with a solution comprising a surfactant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method for purifying a mixture comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes and amorphous carbon contaminate, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) heating said mixture under oxidizing conditions sufficient to remove the said amorphous carbon; and
(b) recovering a product comprising at least about 80% by weight of single-wall carbon nanotubes. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for purifying a mixture comprising single-wall carbon nanotubes and amorphous carbon contaminate, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) heating said mixture under oxidizing conditions; and
(b) recovering a product comprising at least about 80% by weight of single-wall carbon nanotubes, wherein the product comprises fullerene torroids.
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Specification