title: True solutions of single-walled carbon nanotubes for assembly into macroscopic materials.
abstract: Translating the unique characteristics of individual single-walled carbon nanotubes into macroscopic materials such as fibres and sheets has been hindered by ineffective assembly. Fluid-phase assembly is particularly attractive, but the ability to dissolve nanotubes in solvents has eluded researchers for over a decade. Here, we show that single-walled nanotubes form true thermodynamic solutions in superacids, and report the full phase diagram, allowing the rational design of fluid-phase assembly processes. Single-walled nanotubes dissolve spontaneously in chlorosulphonic acid at weight concentrations of up to 0.5 wt%, 1,000 times higher than previously reported in other acids. At higher concentrations, they form liquid-crystal phases that can be readily processed into fibres and sheets of controlled morphology. These results lay the foundation for bottom-up assembly of nanotubes and nanorods into functional materials.
authors.affiliation: Richard E Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors.forename: Virginia A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: A Nicholas G
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Parra-Vasquez
authors.forename: Micah J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Pradeep K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Rai
authors.forename: Natnael
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Behabtu
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Booker
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Ellina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kesselman
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: W Wade
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Hauge
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Yachin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Yeshayahu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Talmon
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Smalley
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pasquali