This article examines the chemical functionalization and structural alteration of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). It describes the covalent functionalization of the SWCNT framework that is the covalent attachment of functional entities onto the CNT scaffold. In particular, it considers the chemical modification and reactivity of SWCNTs in the context of the reactivity of graphite and fullerenes. It also discusses the defect and sidewall functionalization of SWCNTs, along with various techniques used in the characterization ofSWCNTs upon functionalization, namely: thermogravimetric analysis, spectroscopic techniques such as UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy, and microscopic techniques like transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and scanning tunnelling microscopy.
Erratum: “Performing current versus voltage measurements of single-walled carbon nanotubes using scanning force microscopy” [Appl. Phys. Lett. 80, 1462 (2002)]
