Dispersion and separation of nanostructured carbon in organic solvents

1. A dispersion of nanostructured carbon in an organic solvent, wherein the organic solvent comprises an alkyl amide compound having the structure:

wherein

R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, and phenyl, provided that R 1 and R 2 are not both H, and

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 6 alkyl, phenyl, and

wherein

Z is N or CH;

R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, and phenyl; and

n is an integer from 1 to 3.

2. The dispersion according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are independently selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl and phenyl.

3. The dispersion according to claim 2 , wherein the alkyl amide compound is selected from the group consisting of N,N-dimethylacetamide, N,N-dimethylpropanamide, and N,N-diethylacetamide.

4. The dispersion according to claim 3 , wherein the alkyl amide compound is N,N-dimethylacetamide.

5. The dispersion according to claim 1 , wherein

R 3 is

R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , and R 5 are independently selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl and phenyl.

6. The dispersion according to claim 5 , wherein

Z is N and

n is 1.

7. The dispersion according to claim 6 , wherein the alkyl amide compound is selected from the group consisting of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylmalonamide, N,N′-dibutyl-N,N′-dimethylmalonamide, N,N,N′,N′-tetra(isopropyl)malonamide, N,N,N′,N′-tetrahexylmalonamide, 2-methyl-N,N,N′,N′-tetrahexylmalonamide, and N,N,N′,N′-tetrahexyl-2,2-dimethylmalonamide.

8. The dispersion according to claim 7 , wherein the alkyl amide compound is N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylmalonamide.

9. The dispersion according to claim 5 , wherein

Z is CH,

n is 1, and

R 4 and R 5 are H.

10. The dispersion according to claim 9 , wherein the alkyl amide compound is N,N-dimethylacetoacetamide.

11. The dispersion according to claim 5 , wherein

Z is N and

n is 2.

12. The dispersion according to claim 11 , wherein the alkyl amide compound is N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylsuccinamide.

13. The dispersion according to claim 1 , wherein the nanostructured carbon is selected from the group consisting of raw nanostructured carbon soot, purified nanostructured carbon, and mixtures thereof.

14. The dispersion according to claim 1 , wherein the nanostructured carbon is selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, nano-onions, nano-horms, and fullerenes.

15. The dispersion according to claim 14 , wherein the nanostructured carbon comprises carbon nanotubes selected from the group consisting of single wall carbon nanotubes, double wall carbon nanotubes, and multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

16. The dispersion according to claim 15 , wherein the nanostructured carbon comprises single wall carbon nanotubes.

17. A method of mobilizing nanostructured carbon, said method comprising:

providing a dispersion of nanostructured carbon according to claim 1 and

applying an electrical field to the dispersion under conditions effective to mobilize the nanostructured carbon.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the nanostructured carbon comprises single wall carbon nanotubes.

19. The method according to claim 17 further comprising:

depositing the nanostructured carbon onto a substrate.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of a metal electrode and a doped semiconductor.

21. A method of dispersing nanostructured carbon in an organic solvent, said method comprising:

providing nanostructured carbon and

contacting the nanostructured carbon with an organic solvent comprising an alkyl amide compound having the structure:

wherein

R 1 and R 2 , are independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, and phenyl, provided that R 1 and R 2 are not both H, and

R 3 is selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, phenyl and

wherein

Z is N or CH;

R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , and R 7 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, C 1 to C 6 alkyl, and phenyl; and

n is an integer from 1 to 3

under conditions effective to disperse the nanostructured carbon in the organic solvent.

22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are independently selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl and phenyl.

23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the alkyl amide compound is selected from the group consisting of N,N-dimethylacetamide, N,N-dimethylpropanamide, and N,N-diethylacetamide.

24. The method according to claim 23 , wherein the alkyl amide compound is N,N-dimethylacetamide.

25. The method according to claim 21 , wherein

R 3 is

R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , and R 5 are independently selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl and phenyl.

26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein

Z is N and

n is 1.

27. The method according to claim 26 , wherein the alkyl amide compound is selected from the group consisting of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylmalonamide, N,N′-dibutyl-N,N′-dimethylmalonamide, N,N,N′,N′-tetra(isopropyl)malonamide, N,N,N′,N′-tetrahexylmalonamide, 2-methyl-N,N,N′,N′-tetrahexylmalonamide, and N,N,N′,N′-tetrahexyl-2,2-dimethylmalonamide.

28. The method according to claim 27 , wherein the alkyl amide compound is N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylmalonamide.

29. The method according to claim 25 , wherein

Z is CH,

n is 1, and

R 4 and R 5 are H.

30. The method according to claim 29 , wherein the alkyl amide compound is N,N-dimethylacetoacetamide.

31. The method according to claim 25 , wherein n is 2.

32. The method according to claim 31 , wherein the alkyl amide compound is N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylsuccinamide.

33. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the nanostructured carbon is selected from the group consisting of raw nanostructured carbon soot, purified nanostructured carbon, and mixtures thereof.

34. The method according to claim 21 , wherein the nanostructured carbon is selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, nano-onions, nano-horms, and fullerenes.

35. The method according to claim 34 , wherein the nanostructured carbon comprises carbon nanotubes selected from the group consisting of single wall carbon nanotubes, double wall carbon nanotubes, and multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

36. The method according to claim 35 , wherein the nanostructured carbon comprises single wall carbon nanotubes.