Preparation and Separation of DNA‐Wrapped Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract Purification of single‐chirality single‐wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) from their synthetic mixture is a prerequisite for many applications. DNA‐controlled carbon nanotube (CNT) purification has evolved over a decade along with other separation techniques utilizing different types of dispersing agents such as surfactants and polymers. The size of single‐stranded DNA (ssDNA) libraries affords practically unlimited ways of coating SWCNTs. Recent developments in separating surfactant‐dispersed SWCNTs by polymer aqueous two‐phase (ATP) extraction has enabled rapid and efficient SWCNT separation on a larger volume scale. Applying the ATP separation method to DNA‐SWCNT hybrids opens a new route for effective sorting of nanotubes into each and every single‐chirality species. Here, we report protocols for purifying as many as 15 single‐chirality nanotube species from a synthetic mixture based on the separation of DNA‐SWCNTs by the aqueous two‐phase (ATP) method. © 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.