Method for sorting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and device for CNTs sorting
View Patent ↗A method for sorting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for sorting CNTs of the present disclosure comprises providing to a surface of a substrate, the surface modified with a trans isomer of photo-isomerization-reactive diazo compound, a dispersion containing a mixture of conducting CNTs and semiconducting CNTs; removing CNTs which are not associated with the modified surface from the surface; and irradiating the modified surface to detach the CNTs associated with the modified surface.
1. A method for sorting carbon nanotubes (CNTs), comprising:
providing to a surface of a substrate, the surface modified with a trans isomer of a photo-isomerization-reactive diazo compound, a dispersion containing a mixture of conducting CNTs and semiconducting CNTs;
removing CNTs of the conducting CNTs and the semiconducting CNTs which are not associated with the modified surface; and
irradiating the modified surface to detach CNTs of the conducting CNTs and the semiconducting CNTs associated with the modified surface.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein irradiating the modified surface causes a trans isomer of the photo-isomerization-reactive diazo compound to transform to a cis isomer.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the irradiation of the modified surface comprises applying UV energy on the modified surface.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising regenerating the modified surface which has been irradiated.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein regenerating the modified surface which has been irradiated causes a cis isomer of the photo-isomerization-reactive diazo compound to transform to a trans isomer.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein regenerating the modified surface comprises applying visible light on the modified surface.
7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
providing to the regenerated modified surface a dispersion containing the detached CNTs or a mixture of conducting CNTs and semiconducting CNTs;
removing CNTs of the conducting CNTs and the semiconducting CNTs which are not associated with the regenerated modified surface; and
irradiating the regenerated modified surface to detach CNTs of the conducting CNTs and the semiconducting CNTs associated with the regenerated modified surface.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the photo-isomerization-reactive diazo compound is an aryl-terminated photo-isomerization-reactive diazo compound or an amine-terminated photo-isomerization-reactive diazo compound.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the photo-isomerization-reactive diazo compound is an aryl-terminated photo-isomerization-reactive diazo compound having in the molecule thereof an skeleton represented by the following chemical formula (I) at one of the terminal ends thereof:
—Ar 1 —N═N—Ar 2 (I)
wherein, Ar 1 and Ar 2 may be the same or different, and independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the photo-isomerization-reactive diazo compound is an amine-terminated photo-isomerization-reactive diazo compound having in the molecule thereof an skeleton represented by the following chemical formula (III) at one of the terminal ends thereof:
—Ar 1 —N═N—Ar 2 —[(CH 2 ) p —N—R 1 R 2 ] q (III)
wherein, Ar 1 and Ar 2 may be the same or different, and independently represent an substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; R 1 and R 2 may be the same or different, and independently represent a hydrogen atom or a C 1-5 alkyl group; p represents an integer of 0-5; and q represents an integer of 1-5.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the provision of the dispersion to the surface of the substrate is performed by immersing the surface of the substrate in the dispersion.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dispersion is an aqueous dispersion.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising drying the modified surface to remove CNTs of the conducting CNTs and the semiconducting CNTs which are not associated with the modified surface.