Size reduction of 3D-polymer-coated single-walled carbon nanotubes by ultracentrifugation

We describe a novel single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) cutting method without introducing any structural defects on the tubes; namely, the finding that simple ultracentrifugation at 600 000g for the SWNTs coated with a cross-linked polymer formed by poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) or the polyethylene glycol-carrying PNIPAM copolymer provides shortened (<200 nm) SWNTs, which was revealed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. The Raman and absorption measurements of the obtained SWNTs indicated that the graphitic structure and optical properties, such as characteristic absorption and photoluminescence in the near-IR region of the SWNTs, were almost unchanged even after the cutting. The obtained shortened SWNTs were individually solubilized in water and buffer solution due to the remaining cross-linked polymer structures on the SWNTs. The present method is very simple (only ultracentrifugation) and the yield is very high, which are the advantages in the preparation of many shortened isolated SWNTs with specific properties and functions that are applicable in many fields including bioapplications in vivo, such as imaging, NIR-hyperthermic treatment, photodynamic therapy, etc.