Dispersion Guide

Like single walled carbon nanotubes, MWCNT's are insoluble. For dispersing in aqueous solutions we recommend the use of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate if an ionic surfactant is suitable if a nonionic surfactant is needed we recommend surfactants with high molecular weights.

• Weigh out the desired amount of nanotubes.
• Mix together your solvent and surfactant of choice at the desired surfactant concentration. This should be below the critical micelle concentration of the surfactant.
• Add the solvent-surfactant mix to the dry powder and shake vigorously to mix.
• Either place an ultrasonic probe into the solution or place the solution into an ultrasonic bath. Be careful about the length of time and power used, as damage to the carbon nanotubes can occur, shortening their average length.
• The resulting solution will be a mixture of suspended nanotubes and bundles of nanotubes, further sonication will help break up the bundles.
• To separate out the individual nanotubes in solution from the bundles the solution should be placed within a centrifuge. If the solution is centrifuged for a longer time and/or at a higher the smaller bundles will be removed narrowing the distribution of suspended nanotubes.

For functionalised nanotubes it is possible to disperse them without the use of any surfactants. However, the total concentration of dispersed nanotubes will be lower.