Dispersion of Long and Isolated Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes by Using a Hydrodynamic Cavitation Method.

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are promising materials for electronic applications, such as transparent electrodes and thin-film transistors. However, the dispersion of isolated SWCNTs into solvents remains an important issue for their practical applications. SWCNTs are commonly dispersed in solvents via ultrasonication. However, ultrasonication damages SWCNTs, forming defects and cutting them into short pieces, which significantly degrade their electrical and mechanical properties. Herein, we demonstrate a novel approach toward the large-scale dispersion of long and isolated SWCNTs by using hydrodynamic cavitation. Considering the results of atomic force microscopy and dynamic light-scattering measurements, the average length of the SWCNTs dispersed via the hydrodynamic cavitation method is larger than that of the SWCNTs dispersed by using an ultrasonic homogenizer.