Extraction of semiconducting CNTs by repeated dielectrophoretic filtering

We have separated semiconducting carbon nanotubes from as-grown batch material (HiPco production). A special configuration of electrodes which generates a 3-dimensional electric field gradient was used to filter out and deposit metallic carbon nanotubes by the dielectrophoretic method, leaving the remaining dispersion enriched in semiconducting nanotubes. The efficiency of filtering was determined by Raman spectroscopy. Using repeated deposition cycles, the ratio of semiconducting to metallic tubes was increased. After seven cycles, the proportion of semiconducting tubes in the remaining dispersion reached 94%.

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