Recent Advances in Applications of Sorted Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) exhibit outstanding properties that make them appealing in a wide range of applications. However, their properties are variable depending on the tube helicity (chirality), which has been a challenge for a long time and needs to be effectively controlled. In recent years, tremendous efforts have been made to control the electrical type/chirality of nanotubes through both direct controlled synthesis and postsynthesis separation methods. Driven by these breakthroughs, the applications of separated families of SWCNTs in various fields have emerged as a new topic of research. In this Review, an overview of recent advances in the use of highly purified and well-separated SWCNTs in a comprehensive range of applications is presented including photovoltaics, transistors, batteries, sensors, light emitters, biological/medical fields, and others. Finally, important future directions for the utilization of separated SWCNTs in these fields are provided.