Patent ID: 7347981

Claim:
A method for bulk separation of single-walled tubular fullerenes based on helicity, comprising the steps of: providing in a fluid a plurality of single-walled tubular fullerenes being of a multiplicity of different helicities, each of said plurality of single-walled tubular fullerenes having a longitudinal axis; providing a crystalline substrate having an upper surface whose atomic lattice structure in a plane of said upper surface provides at least one energetically favored angular orientation of said longitudinal axis with respect to an axis of said lattice structure for single-walled tubular fullerenes of one helicity to be adsorbed thereto in preference to single-walled tubular fullerenes of other helicities; establishing a flow of said fluid for transporting said plurality of single-walled tubular fullerenes with said longitudinal axes thereof in substantially parallel relationship, one with respect to another, and substantially aligned with a direction of said flow of said fluid; directing said flow of said fluid containing said plurality of single-walled tubular fullerenes in parallel with said upper surface of said substrate and in contact therewith to pass into an effluent receiver disposed adjacent to a perimeter of said substrate, said flow being in said at least one energetically favored angular orientation to thereby preferentially adsorb and hold said single-walled tubular fullerenes of said one helicity to said upper surface of said substrate; and, removing said single-walled tubular fullerenes held to said upper surface of said substrate.