A compound of Formula (0): where Ar is one or more substituted or unsubstituted aromatic units, R is independently H, F, CN, a C.sub.1-C.sub.20 linear or branched aliphatic group or a C.sub.1-C.sub.20 linear or branched aliphatic acyl group, and n is an integer 3 or greater, is useful for sorting and dispersing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and for producing printed electronic devices (e.g. CO.sub.2 sensors, TFTs) in which the CNTs are functionalized with the compound.

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The invention has for its object to provide an aqueous solution for structural separation capable of acting on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) having a specific structure thereby separating them with high accuracy, a separation and recovery method capable of allowing the aqueous solution to act on CNTs having a specific structure thereby separating and recovering them, and CNTs obtained by the separation and recovery method. According to the invention, it is possible to separate CNTs having a specific structure with high accuracy by solubilizing lithocholic acid or a lithocolic acid isomer that has high hydrophobicity and is insoluble in water by itself, and a carbon nanotube obtained by using an aqueous solution containing lithocholic acid or a lithocholic acid isomer, each solubilized, as an aqueous solution for structural separation of CNTs.

The invention has for its object to provide an aqueous solution for structural separation capable of acting on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) having a specific structure thereby separating them with high accuracy, a separation and recovery method capable of allowing the aqueous solution to act on CNTs having a specific structure thereby separating and recovering them, and CNTs obtained by the separation and recovery method. According to the invention, it is possible to separate CNTs having a specific structure with high accuracy by solubilizing lithocholic acid or a lithocolic acid isomer that has high hydrophobicity and is insoluble in water by itself, and a carbon nanotube obtained by using an aqueous solution containing lithocholic acid or a lithocholic acid isomer, each solubilized, as an aqueous solution for structural separation of CNTs.

A method for producing a semiconducting SWCNT dispersion of the present invention comprises: a step A of preparing a to-be-separated SWCNT dispersion that includes a SWCNT mixture, an aqueous medium, and a polymer including a structural unit A derived from a monomer represented by Formula (1), and a step B of centrifuging the to-be-separated SWCNT dispersion and subsequently collecting a supernatant including the semiconducting SWCNT from the centrifuged to-be-separated SWCNT dispersion. The weight-average molecular weight of the polymer is 1,000 or more and 100,000 or less.

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A method for producing a semiconducting SWCNT dispersion of the present invention comprises: a step A of preparing a to-be-separated SWCNT dispersion that includes a SWCNT mixture, an aqueous medium, and a polymer including a structural unit A derived from a monomer represented by Formula (1), and a step B of centrifuging the to-be-separated SWCNT dispersion and subsequently collecting a supernatant including the semiconducting SWCNT from the centrifuged to-be-separated SWCNT dispersion. The weight-average molecular weight of the polymer is 1,000 or more and 100,000 or less.

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The present teachings provide methods for providing populations of single-walled carbon nanotubes that are substantially monodisperse in terms of diameter, electronic type, and/or chirality. Also provided are single-walled carbon nanotube populations provided thereby and articles of manufacture including such populations.

The present teachings provide methods for providing populations of single-walled carbon nanotubes that are substantially monodisperse in terms of diameter, electronic type, and/or chirality. Also provided are single-walled carbon nanotube populations provided thereby and articles of manufacture including such populations.

The disclosed method includes a separation step wherein composite particles are transferred to a vicinity of an inlet of a fibrous carbon nanostructure path configured to recover fibrous carbon nanostructures by allowing the fibrous carbon nanostructures to pass therethrough, and a fluid flowing toward the inlet of the path and an external force including a component of a direction opposite to the direction in which the fluid flows are applied to the composite particles to separate the fibrous carbon nanostructures and a particulate ceramic support substrate; and a recovery step wherein the separated fibrous carbon nanostructures are transferred to an interior of the path for recovery by a flow of the fluid, with the separated substrate transferred away from the fibrous carbon nanostructure path for recovery, wherein, in the separation step, the external force applied to the substrate is greater than that applied to the fibrous carbon nanostructures.

The disclosed method includes a separation step wherein composite particles are transferred to a vicinity of an inlet of a fibrous carbon nanostructure path configured to recover fibrous carbon nanostructures by allowing the fibrous carbon nanostructures to pass therethrough, and a fluid flowing toward the inlet of the path and an external force including a component of a direction opposite to the direction in which the fluid flows are applied to the composite particles to separate the fibrous carbon nanostructures and a particulate ceramic support substrate; and a recovery step wherein the separated fibrous carbon nanostructures are transferred to an interior of the path for recovery by a flow of the fluid, with the separated substrate transferred away from the fibrous carbon nanostructure path for recovery, wherein, in the separation step, the external force applied to the substrate is greater than that applied to the fibrous carbon nanostructures.

A manufacturing method for carbon nanotube composite film is disclosed. The method comprises steps of: providing a substrate; coating a first aqueous solution dissolved with a charged polymer on a substrate to form a polymer film; dispersing a single-wall carbon nanotube powder into a second aqueous solution dissolved with a charged compound in order to obtain a semiconductor-type single-wall carbon nanotube aqueous solution, and charge properties of the charged compound and the charged polymer are opposite; coating the semiconductor-type single-wall carbon nanotube aqueous solution on the polymer film; after standing for a predetermined period of time, washing with a deionized water to remove an unabsorbed semiconductor-type single-wall carbon nanotube and excess charged polymer; and air drying, forming a carbon nanotube film on the polymer film. A manufacturing method for carbon nanotube TFT and a carbon nanotube TFT are also disclosed. The carbon nanotubes can be well tiled onto the substrate.