Patent ID: 7727504

Claim:
A method comprising the steps of: a) providing a spun SWNT fiber; b) cuffing the spun SWNT fiber substantially perpendicular to the fiber axis to yield a cut fiber; c) etching the cut fiber at its end with an inductively coupled RF plasma to yield an etched cut fiber; d) depositing a first metal catalyst on the end of the etched cut fiber; e) further etching the etched cut fiber by heating in an atmosphere comprising H 2 to form a further etched cut fiber; wherein the further etching step comprises removing surface oxides from the SWNTs; f) removing the first metal catalyst from the further etched cut fiber; wherein the removing step comprises placing the further etched cut fiber in an acid bath after the further etching step; g) depositing a second metal catalyst on the end of the further etched cut fiber after the removing step to form a continuous SWNT fiber precursor; and h) introducing feedstock gases to the continuous SWNT fiber precursor under SWNT growth conditions to grow the continuous SWNT fiber precursor into a continuous SWNT fiber.