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Efficient Sorting of Semiconducting Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Bio-Renewable Solvents Through Main-Chain Engineering of Conjugated Polymers.

En-Jia SuTing-Wei ChangFong-Yi LinShi-Ting LuYi-Ting TsaiShahid KhanYu-Ching WengChien-Chung Shih
Published in: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) (2024)
Conjugated polymer sorting is recognized as an efficient and scalable method for the selective extraction of semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (s-SWCNTs). However, this process typically requires the use of nonpolar and aromatic solvents as the dispersion medium, which are petroleum-based and carry significant production hazards. Moreover, there is still potential for improving the efficiency of batch purification. Here, this study presents fluorene-based conjugated polymer that integrates diamines containing ethylene glycol chains (ODA) as linkers within the main chain, to effectively extract s-SWCNTs in bio-renewable solvents. The introduction of ODA segments enhances the solubility in bio-renewable solvents, facilitating effective wrapping of s-SWCNTs in polar environments. Additionally, the ODA within the main chain enhances affinity to s-SWCNTs, thereby contributing to increased yields and purity. The polymer achieves a high sorting yield of 55% and a purity of 99.6% in dispersion of s-SWCNTs in 2-Methyltetrahydrofuran. Thin-film transistor arrays fabricated with sorted s-SWCNTs solution through slot-die coating exhibit average charge carrier mobilities of 20-23 cm 2  V⁻¹ s⁻¹ and high on/off current ratios exceeding 10 5 together with high spatial uniformity. This study highlights the viability of bio-renewable solvents in the sorting process, paving the way for the eco-friendly approach to the purification of SWCNTs.
Keyphrases
  • walled carbon nanotubes
  • ionic liquid
  • photodynamic therapy
  • oxidative stress
  • risk assessment
  • mass spectrometry