ABSTRACT

Single-walled (carbon) nanotubes (SWNTs) are hollow carbon cylinders with one atomic-layer thick wall. Many potential applications of SWNTs rely on their unique chiral (n,m) structures. SWNT samples with well-defined (n,m) species are highly desired. However, current synthesis methods usually produce samples with random (n,m) distributions. In this review, we focus on (n,m) selective synthesis of SWNTs by highlighting (1) catalysts that are selective toward particular (n,m) species, (2) growth parameters that are capable of influencing the (n,m) selectivity, (3) current fundamental understandings of the (n,m) selectivity from both experimental and theoretical aspects, and (4) characterization methodologies that can evaluate the (n,m) abundance of bulk SWNT samples. This review aims to assist future research on (n,m) selective synthesis of SWNTs.