Japan Science and Technology Agency

Takeshi Akasaka

Yutaka Maeda

Disclosed is a novel method for the selective molecular conversion of raw material carbon nanotubes containing a mixture of metallic carbon nanotubes and semiconductive carbon nanotubes in a manner that is based on the electrical properties or diameter of the carbon nanotubes. The present invention causes a photoreaction of raw material carbon nanotubes containing a mixture of metallic carbon nanotubes and semiconductive carbon nanotubes with a disulfide or a sulfide of the following formula (I) or (II) (wherein Rand Reach independently represent a hydrocarbon group that may have a substituent) in an organic solvent that contains the raw material carbon nanotubes and the disulfide of the formula (I) or the sulfide of the formula (II), so as to selectively functionalize the metallic carbon nanotubes, or functionalize the carbon nanotubes diameter selectively.

Method for producing selectively functionalized carbon nanotubes

A process for producing functionalized carbon nanotubes, which can organically modify carbon nanotubes with high efficiency, and in particular, can introduce different organic groups into carbon nanotubes with high efficiency through a series of chemical reactions, is provided. Carbon nanotubes are allowed to react with at least one reagent selected from a silyl-substituted organometallic compound and an organometallic compound to obtain a functionalized carbon nanotube reductant, and this functionalized carbon nanotube reductant is then allowed to react with at least one reagent selected from a silyl halide compound and an organohalogen compound to obtain functionalized carbon nanotubes.

Process for producing functionalized carbon nanotubes

Provided are a transparent electroconductive thin film of single-walled carbon nanotubes and its production method capable of further enhancing the electroconductivity and the light transmittance of the film and capable of simplifying the thin film formation process. The method comprises: dispersing single-walled carbon nanotubes of mixed metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes (m-SWNTs) and semiconductor single-walled carbon nanotubes (s-SWNTs) in an amine solution containing an amine having a boiling point of from 20 to 400&#xb0; C. as a dispersant; centrifuging or filtering the resulting dispersion to concentrate m-SWNTs, thereby giving a dispersion rich in m-SWNTs; and applying the resulting dispersion rich in m-SWNTs onto a substrate to form a thin film thereon.

Growing community of inventors

Ibaraki, Japan

Takeshi Akasaka