The invention relates to a process for sorting and separating a mixture of
(n, m) type single-wall carbon nanotubes according to (n, m) type. A
mixture of (n, m) type single-wall carbon nanotubes is suspended such
that the single-wall carbon nanotubes are individually dispersed. The
nanotube suspension can be done in a surfactant-water solution and the
surfactant surrounding the nanotubes keeps the nanotube isolated and from
aggregating with other nanotubes. The nanotube suspension is acidified to
protonate a fraction of the nanotubes. An electric field is applied and
the protonated nanotubes migrate in the electric fields at different
rates dependent on their (n, m) type. Fractions of nanotubes are
collected at different fractionation times. The process of protonation,
applying an electric field, and fractionation is repeated at increasingly
higher pH to separated the (n, m) nanotube mixture into individual (n, m)
nanotube fractions. The separation enables new electronic devices
requiring selected (n, m) nanotube types.