Organic solvent dispersions of single-walled carbon nanotubes: Toward solutions of pristine nanotubes

A systematic study has been performed in order to find an appropriate medium for solubilization/dispersion of pristine single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Five solvents, all featuring high electron pair donicity (beta) and low hydrogen bond parameter (alpha) have demonstrated the ability to readily form stable dispersions. The best dispersions have been characterized by UV/visible-NIR spectra, ESR spectra, and atomic force microscopy (AFM).