Chemical approaches towards single-species single-walled carbon nanotubes

Small variations in diameter and chirality could bring striking changes in the electronic and optical properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Therefore, SWCNTs of a specific diameter/chirality are required for many applications. In this review we provide an overview of the recent progress in various chemical approaches towards producing specific nanotubes. Issues regarding the structure of SWCNTs, characterization tools and various separation techniques are presented in this article. The benefits and limits of current chemical approaches are discussed and the perspectives of emerging strategies for achieving identical single-walled carbon nanotubes are highlighted.