Aqueous two-polymer phase extraction (ATPE) is an effective, yet still developing, separation method for enriching or isolating single species of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). However, methods for rapidly determining the aqueous surfactant concentration conditions that yield upper or lower polymer phase extraction for specific (<i>n,m</i>) species SWCNTs in ATPE separations are a missing component limiting quicker development and optimization of the ATPE technique. Here, we demonstrate the use of near-infrared fluorescence emission from single-phase dispersions of multiple SWCNT specie mixtures to determine these partition coefficient conditions without performing ATPE separations. This new methodology enables rapid quantitative determination of partitioning conditions for individual (<i>n,m</i>) species and their handed enantiomers, while using dramatically less material and without ambiguity of mass transfer limitations or interfacial adsorption present when conducting the ATPE separation itself. Investigation of complicating factors such as temperature effects or polymer concentration are likewise enabled by this methodology and will also be described.

Determining single-wall carbon nanotube partition conditions in aqueous two-polymer phase extraction with near infrared fluorescence spectroscopy

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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