Method for preparing single walled carbon nanotubes from a metal layer

A method for producing a multiplicity of single walled carbon nanotubes with a narrow diameter distribution from a source of carbon, said method comprising:

• (a) preparing an arrangement comprising
• a metal layer,
• at least one layer of fullerenes in contact with one side of said metal layer, and
• a solid carbon source in contact with the other side of said metal layer;
• (b) heating said arrangement to a temperature below where said fullerenes sublime;
• (c) permitting said at lest one layer of fullerenes and said carbon source to dissolve into the metal layer;
• and
• (d) growing a multiplicity of single walled carbon nanotubes having a single raman peak in the RBM region.

A method for producing a multiplicity of single walled carbon nanotubes with a narrow diameter distribution from a source of carbon, said method comprising:

• (a) heating an arrangement to a temperature below where said fullerenes sublime, said arrangement comprising
• a metal layer,
• at least one layer of fullerenes in contact with one side of said metal layer, and
• a solid carbon source in contact with the other side of said metal layer,
• (b) permitting said at least one layer of fullerenes and said carbon source to dissolve into the metal layer;
• and
• (c) growing a multiplicity of single walled carbon nanotubes, wherein at least 80% of the single walled carbon nanotubes in said multiplicity have a diameter within ±5% of a single walled carbon nanotube diameter D present in said multiplicity, said diameter D being in the range between 0.6-2.2 nm.

A method for producing a multiplicity of single walled carbon nanotubes, said method comprising:

• (a) preparing an arrangement comprising
• a metal layer, and
• at least one layer of fullerenes in contact with one side of said metal layer,
• said metal layer further being in contact with a non-solid carbon source;
• (b) heating said arrangement to a temperature below where said fullerenes sublime;
• (c) permitting said at least one layer of fullerenes and said carbon source to dissolve into the metal layer;
• and
• (d) growing a multiplicity of single walled carbon nanotubes, wherein at least 80% of the single walled carbon nanotubes in said multiplicity have a diameter within ±5% of a single walled carbon nanotube diameter D present in said multiplicity, said diameter D being in the range between 0.6-2.2 nm.

A method for producing single walled carbon nanotubes, said method comprising:

• (a) preparing an arrangement comprising
• a metal layer, and
• at least one layer of fullerenes in contact with one side of said metal layer,
• wherein said metal layer is saturated with carbon atoms;
• (b) heating said arrangement to a temperature below where said fullerenes sublime;
• (c) permitting said at least one layer of fullerenes and said carbon source to dissolve into the metal layer;
• and
• (d) growing a multiplicity of single walled carbon nanotubes, wherein at least 80% of the single walled carbon nanotubes in said multiplicity have a diameter within ±5% of a single walled carbon nanotube diameter D present in said multiplicity, said diameter D being in the range between 0.6-2.2 nm.