Carbon nanotubes and dispersions containing carbon nanotubes are provided. Methods of processing carbon nanotubes and dispersions containing purified carbon nanotubes are provided.

Carbon nanotube fluid matrices, methods of producing carbon fluid matrices and the use of the carbon fluid matrices for printing. In accordance with certain embodiments, the carbon fluid matrices are free of surfactants, polymers and additives typically required for stable formulations.

The present invention provides soluble single wall nanotube (SWNT) constructs functionalized with a plurality of a targeting moiety and a plurality of one or more payload molecules attached thereto. The targeting moiety and the payload molecules may be attached to the soluble SWNT via a DNA or other oligomer platform attached to the SWNT. These soluble SWNT constructs may comprise a radionuclide or contrast agent and as such are effective as diagnostic and therapeutic agents. Methods provided herein are to diagnosing or locating a cancer, treating a cancer, eliciting an immune response against a cancer or delivering an anticancer drug in situ via an enzymatic nanofactory using the soluble SWNT constructs.

The present invention provides a carbon material dispersion in which a carbon material is contained at a high concentration in a liquid medium containing an organic solvent but is unlikely to reaggregate and is stably dispersed, and from which various products, such as an ink capable of forming a coating film having excellent electric conductivity, can be formed. This carbon material dispersion contains a carbon material, an organic solvent, and a polymeric dispersant, wherein the polymeric dispersant is a polymer having 3 to 55% by mass of a constituent unit (1) represented by the following formula (1), wherein R represents a hydrogen atom or the like, A represents O or NH, B represents an ethylene group or the like, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each independently represent a methyl group or the like, Ar represents a phenyl group or the like, X represents a chlorine atom or the like, and p represents an arbitrary number of repeating units, and the polymeric dispersant has an amine value of 100 mgKOH/g or less and a number average molecular weight of 5,000 to 20,000. ##STR00001##

A method for manufacturing an electrically-conductive paste includes: bringing carbon nanotubes (CNT) and a solvent into contact with each other so that a wetting rate is 25 to 125%; kneading, by using a planetary stirring machine, a mixture containing the CNT and the solvent obtained by impregnating the CNT with the solvent, to obtain a kneaded product in a paste state; and then performing dispersion processing on a dilution obtained by mixing a solvent into the obtained kneaded product.

Compounds are attached to carbon nanotubes (CNT) by a process which comprises: subjecting surface treated CNTs which have been treated to induce negatively charged surface groups thereon, to nucleophilic substitution reaction with a compound carrying a functional group capable of reacting with the negatively charged groups on the CNT surface, whereby the compound chemically bonds to the CNT. The surface CNT treatment may be reduction. The compounds which are bonded to the CNT may be epoxy resins, bonded directly or through a spacer group. Bi-functional CNTs, grafted to both epoxy resins and other polymers such as polystyrene, are also made by this process.

The present invention provides soluble single wall nanotube (SWNT) constructs functionalized with a plurality of a targeting moiety and a plurality of one or more payload molecules attached thereto. The targeting moiety and the payload molecules may be attached to the soluble SWNT via a DNA or other oligomer platform attached to the SWNT. These soluble SWNT constructs may comprise a radionuclide or contrast agent and as such are effective as diagnostic and therapeutic agents. Methods provided herein are to diagnosing or locating a cancer, treating a cancer, eliciting an immune response against a cancer or delivering an anticancer drug in situ via an enzymatic nanofactory using the soluble SWNT constructs.

Dispersion and method for the production of same. In one embodiment, the dispersion consists of a dispersing liquid and at least one solid substance that is distributed in the dispersing liquid. In order to obtain a dispersion with particularly good properties, it is provided that the dispersing liquid has an aqueous and/or non-aqueous base, that the at least one solid substance is formed of graphite and/or of carbon nanomaterial and/or of coke and/or of porous carbon, and that the at least one solid substance is distributed homogeneously and stably in the dispersing liquid. A method for the production of such a dispersion is provided such that the dispersion is produced by applying a strong accelerating voltage. In addition, various advantageous uses of such a dispersion are indicated.

Process for the preparation of stable suspensions and dispersions of carbon nanotubes, and dispersions prepared by the process.

In this invention, processes which can be used to achieve stable doped carbon nanotubes are disclosed. Preferred CNT structures and morphologies for achieving maximum doping effects are also described. Dopant formulations and methods for achieving doping of a broad distribution of tube types are also described.