A green access to highly pure single-walled carbon nanotubes by taurocholate-assistant dispersion and centrifugation

Raw single-walled carbon nanotubes produced by arc discharge were oxidized in the air to eliminate amorphous carbon, and then dispersed in the aqueous solution of sodium taurocholate supersonically. Thus obtained stable dispersion was subjected to centrifugation, and the metal catalysts and varying carbon impurities were separated with carbon nanotubes. The efficiency of the above procedure was confirmed by scanning electron microscope observation, thermogravimetry, and optical absorption and Raman spectroscopic analyses. The advantage of this procedure lies in easiness, high purity, and no pollution to environment.