Direct Synthesis of Colorful Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Thin Films

In floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FC-CVD), tuning chirality distribution and obtaining narrow chirality distribution of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is challenging. Herein, by introducing various amount of CO₂ in FC-CVD using CO as a carbon source, we have succeeded in directly synthesizing SWCNT films with tunable chirality distribution as well as tunable colors. In particular, with 0.25 and 0.37 volume percent of CO₂, the SWCNT films display green and brown colors, respectively. We ascribed various colors to suitable diameter and narrow chirality distribution of SWCNTs. Additionally, by optimizing reactor temperature, we achieved much narrower (n,m) distribution clustered around (11,9) with extremely narrow diameter range (>98% between 1.2 and 1.5 nm). We propose that CO₂ may affect CO disproportionation and nucleation modes of SWCNTs, resulting in SWCNTs’ various diameter ranges. Our work could provide a new route for high-yield and direct synthesis of SWCNTs with narrow chirality distribution and offer potential applications in electronics, such as touch sensors or transistors.