Characterization of Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWNTs) by combining Dynamic Light Scattering and Raman Spectroscopy

Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) is widely accepted as a method for determining the hydrodynamic radius of nanoscale particles in suspension. While the use of DLS to determine the size of non-spherical particles (such as nanotubes) presents unique challenges, analytical methods have been developed to extract this information from the data.

Raman spectroscopy collects detailed structural information through access to fundamental molecular vibrations. The positions, shapes and intensities of the resulting bands can provide insight into structural details of the species under investigation. A wealth of publications document the use of Raman spectroscopy to characterize carbon nanotubes, including chirality and quality parameters.