Isolation of the (6,5) single-wall carbon nanotube enantiomers by surfactant-assisted aqueous two-phase extraction

Sorting single-chirality enantiomers is the ultimate goal for single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) separation. In this work, aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE) is used to obtain highly purified (>80%) left- and right-handed (6,5) SWCNTs with limited experimental steps. The optimized surfactant conditions are presented, and analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) and near-infrared photoluminescence (PL) measurements are used to examine the surfactant wrapping and partition coefficient change conditions (PCCCs) required for separation. Our study provides valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms behind surfactant-assisted SWCNT separations and facilitates the use of SWCNT enantiomers in fundamental studies and applications in the future.

Automated summary

In this study, highly purified (>80%) left- and right-handed (6,5) single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were separated using aqueous two-phase extraction (ATPE), with limited experimental steps. The optimized surfactant conditions were determined, and analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) and near-infrared photoluminescence (PL) measurements were used to examine the required conditions for surfactant wrapping and partition coefficient change (PCCCs). This study provides valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms behind surfactant-assisted SWCNT separations and promotes the future use of SWCNT enantiomers in fundamental studies and applications.