Dielectrophoretic manipulation of fluorescing single-walled carbon nanotubes

We investigate the behavior of fluorescing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) under dielectrophoretic conditions and demonstrate their collection with fluorescence microscopy. SWCNTs are dispersed in water with the aid of a nonionic surfactant, Triton X-100, and labeled through noncovalent binding with the dye 3,3'-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide (diOC(6)). The chromophore's affinity to the SWCNTs is due to pi-stacking interactions. Carbon nanotube (CNT) localization is clearly identified on the fluorescence images, showing that the nanotubes concentrate between the electrodes and align along the electric field lines.