Collaborative Research: Scalable Separation of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes

合作研究：单壁碳纳米管的可扩展分离

• 批准号: 1264698
• 负责人: Lisa Pfefferle
• 金额: $ 24万
• 依托单位: Yale University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-04-01 至 2016-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1264698&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Scalable; Separation; Single

Pfefferle/Frey1264698 / 1264698The PIs propose a novel approach to the scalable, chiral separation of SWNT in which chirality-determined surface charge is introduced onto the SWNT; subsequently, liquid chromatography techniques are employed to resolve individual SWNT subtypes. The chemical processing procedures which prepare the SWNT for subsequent separation involve the application of functional groups to the nanotubes in a way that exploits differential chiral reactivity. This in turn leads to differential surface acidity/basicity for the functionalized nanotube subtypes as reflected in their different point of zero charge (PZC) values. Professor Pfefferle is an expert in SWNT synthesis and in producing narrow distributions of SWNT identities and functionalizing and characterizing them. She is also developing the concept of using SWNT surface charge as a chirality marker. Functionalized SWNT will be separated on the basis of their surface charge using high-resolution, high-throughput methods involving chromatofocusing that exploit electrostatic interactions. Methods of this type have been under development over the last several years by Dr. Frey at the UMBC for biotechnology applications and will be further adapted here so that they apply specifically to the case of SWNT separations. To accomplish this, the PIs will investigate the use of column packing materials that are likely to enhance the adsorption capacity for SWNT, such as tentacle-type column packings, where the ion-exchange functional groups are located on linear polymer chains extending outward from the particle surface. The PIs will also investigate the use of innovative elution strategies involving chromatofocusing focusing in combination with mobile phase modifiers that optimize the balance between electrostatic and hydrophobic forces during elution. Another line of investigation will be to evaluate novel methods to affect the behavior of SWNT during chromatography, such as the use of microwave radiation. Broader Impacts: The expected result of the proposed research will be a flexible method that can produce subtypes of purified SWNT from the laboratory scale to the industrial scale. The ability to take a mixed batch of SWNT and, in a scalable manner, obtain a highly selective separation of each component is an important goal in the carbon nanotube field. The current unavailability of inexpensive high purity SWNT is the major reason why SWNT-based electronics have not been practical to-date. By solving this key technical challenge, this project has the potential to be truly transformative. Despite their far-reaching potential, the methods to be investigated here are simple in concept and lend themselves well to projects involving both undergraduate and high school students. Many such students have participated in the past in the PIs? research both at Yale and UMBC. The PIs will expand this effort and include interactions between our groups, and thereby present an exceptional opportunity for students at all levels to participate in an interdisciplinary research program that exploits the complementary capabilities of the PIs.

Pfefferle/Frey1264698 / 1264698PI 提出了一种可扩展的 SWNT 手性分离的新方法，其中将手性确定的表面电荷引入到 SWNT 上；随后，采用液相色谱技术来解析各个单壁碳纳米管亚型。准备用于后续分离的单壁碳纳米管的化学处理程序涉及以利用差异手性反应性的方式将官能团应用于纳米管。这反过来又导致功能化纳米管亚型的表面酸度/碱度不同，这反映在它们不同的零电荷点 (PZC) 值上。 Pfefferle 教授是单壁碳纳米管合成、窄分布单壁碳纳米管特性及其功能化和表征方面的专家。她还在开发使用单壁碳纳米管表面电荷作为手性标记的概念。功能化的单壁碳纳米管将根据其表面电荷，使用高分辨率、高通量的方法进行分离，其中包括利用静电相互作用的色谱聚焦。 UMBC 的 Frey 博士在过去几年中一直在开发这种类型的方法，用于生物技术应用，并将在此进一步调整，以便它们专门适用于 SWNT 分离的情况。为了实现这一目标，PI 将研究使用可能增强 SWNT 吸附能力的柱填料，例如触手型柱填料，其中离子交换官能团位于从颗粒表面向外延伸的线性聚合物链上。 PI 还将研究创新洗脱策略的使用，包括色谱聚焦与流动相改性剂的结合，以优化洗脱过程中静电力和疏水力之间的平衡。另一条研究方向是评估在色谱过程中影响单壁碳纳米管行为的新方法，例如使用微波辐射。 更广泛的影响：拟议研究的预期结果将是一种灵活的方法，可以生产从实验室规模到工业规模的纯化单壁碳纳米管亚型。能够采用混合批次的单壁碳纳米管，并以可扩展的方式获得每种成分的高度选择性分离，是碳纳米管领域的一个重要目标。目前无法获得廉价的高纯度单壁碳纳米管是基于单壁碳纳米管的电子产品迄今为止尚未实用的主要原因。通过解决这一关键技术挑战，该项目有潜力实现真正的变革。尽管潜力深远，但这里要研究的方法概念简单，非常适合涉及本科生和高中生的项目。很多这样的学生参加过过去的PIs吗？在耶鲁大学和 UMBC 进行研究。 PI 将扩大这一努力，包括我们小组之间的互动，从而为各级学生提供一个绝佳的机会，参与利用 PI 互补能力的跨学科研究项目。