Size separation of single-wall carbon nanotubes by flow-field flow fractionation

Flow-field flow fractionation (flow-FFF) is used to separate single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) dispersed in aqueous medium by the use of DNA. Online measurements are made of SWNT concentration, molar mass, and size by using UV-vis absorption and multiangle light scattering (MALS). Separations are made of both unfractionated SWNTs and SWNT fractions made by use of size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The SEC fractions are well resolved by flow-FFF. SWNT hydrodynamic volume from calibrations with polymer latex particles in flow-FFF are compared to calibrations of hydrodynamic volume from the SEC fractions derived from dissolved polymers. Rod lengths of the SWNTs are calculated from online measurements of MALS and those are compared to rod lengths from hydrodynamic models based on latex sphere calibrations. Samples with varied sizes were prepared by fracturing SWNTs through extended sonication. Flow-FFF of these fractured samples shows very broad size distributions compared to the original SEC and flow-FFF fractions.