Photoenergy Transfer in SWCNT Mesomaterials

Individual single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have interesting optoelectronic properties that have shown potential uses in photovoltaics, transparent conducting films and sensing devices. However, due to the extreme sensitivity of their optoelectronic properties to environmental stimuli, engineering SWCNT materials is complex. The key ingredient is maintaining a relatively interaction-free local environment during the material synthesis. Toward this end, selection of the correct protective wrappings (i.e. surfactants, polymers, DNA, etc) and added materials (i.e. porphyrin, salts, acids, etc) to maintain or tune the tubes optoelectronic properties for a desire application is crucial. We will highlight some of our recent SWCNT mesomaterials and discuss the effects each of the matrixes has on SWCNT optoelectronic properties. We will introduce photoactive molecules and discuss the electronic interactions we observe with SWCNTs and how these various additives can be used to control the final material properties for targeted applications such as sensors and photovoltaics.