Recent Progress on the Chemical Reactions of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have received much attention because of their excellent mechanical and electronic properties. The structure of an SWNT, a tubular graphene sheet, is defined by the diameter and orientation of the carbon lattice. The electronic properties of SWNTs are strictly determined by their structure. The chemical functionalization of SWNTs has been widely studied to reveal the reactivity and property of their unique and new curved-π-electron system. Addition of new functionalities to SWNTs aids in enhancing their solubility in organic solvents. In the first part of this chapter, the three main SWNT characterization methods—Vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry—are presented. In the second subchapter, we focus on the reductive alkylation reactions of SWNTs. Methods for controlling the degree of functionalization by substituent effects in the two-step reductive alkylation are discussed in detail. Additionally, a method to estimate the ratio of two functional groups on the SWNT sidewall is described. The third subchapter is devoted to the photochemical reactions of SWNTs with organic compounds.