Selective interaction of a semiconjugated organic polymer with single-wallnanotubes

Hybrid systems of a semiconjugated organic polymer and single-wall nanotube s have been characterized by optical absorption spectroscopy, electron micr oscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. It is demonstrated that solutions of the po lymer are capable of suspending nanotubes indefinitely while the majority o f the accompanying amorphous graphite precipitates out of solution. Electro n microscopy and Raman scattering indicate that through an intercalation pr ocess, the ropes of nanotubes an destroyed, resulting in individual nanotub es being well dispersed within the polymer matrix. Moreover, Raman and abso rption studies suggest that the polymer interacts preferentially with nanot ubes of specific diameters or a range of diameters.