Carbon-nanotube n-doping material and methods of manufacture thereof

Abstract

A compound containing at least two pyridinium derivatives in its molecular structure and being in a reduced form thereof may be used as a CNT n-doping material. The compound may donate electrons spontaneously to CNTs to n-dope the CNTs, while being oxidized into its stable state. An n-doped CNT that is doped with the CNT n-doping material may maintain a stable n-doped state for a long time without being dedoped even in the air and/or water. Further, the n-doped state may be easily controlled when using the CNT n-doping material.

1 . A carbon nano-tube n-doping material comprising a compound that comprises at least two pyridinium derivatives in its molecular structure, the compound being in a reduced form thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The carbon nano-tube n-doping material according to  claim 1 , wherein the reduced form of the compound is obtained by the reduction of the nitrogen atom on a benzene ring of at least one pyridinium derivative. 
     
     
         3 . The carbon nano-tube n-doping material according to  claim 1 , wherein the compound is viologen. 
     
     
         4 . The carbon nano-tube n-doping material according to  claim 3 , wherein the viologen is at least one selected from the group consisting of 1,1′-dibenzyl-4,4′-bipyridinium dichloride, methyl viologen dichloride hydrate, ethyl viologen diperchlorate, 1,1′-dioctadecyl-4,4′-bipyridinium dibromide, dioctyl bis(4-pyridyl)biphenyl viologen, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The carbon nano-tube n-doping material according to  claim 3 , wherein the viologen comprises a molecular structure capable of conjugation between bipyridyl structure. 
     
     
         6 . The carbon nano-tube n-doping material according to  claim 5 , wherein the molecular structure capable of conjugation comprises aryl, alkenyl, alkynyl or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A composition comprising:
 carbon nanotubes; and   a carbon nano-tube n-doping material comprising a compound that comprises at least two pyridinium derivatives in its molecular structure, the compound being in a reduced form thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7 , further comprising a solvent; the solvent being operative to dissolve the carbon nano-tube n-doping material. 
     
     
         9 . A composition comprising:
 a n-doped CNT; the n-doped CNT being doped with a CNT n-doping material comprising a compound containing at least two pyridinium derivatives in its molecular structure, the compound being in a reduced form thereof.   
     
     
         10 . The composition according to  claim 9 , wherein the CNT displays n-type doping behavior in air and/or water.