Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are proving to be versatile nanomaterials that exhibit superior and attractive electrical, optical, chemical, physical, and mechanical properties. Different kinds of CNTs exist, and their associated properties have been actively explored and widely exploited from fundamental studies to practical applications. Obtaining high-quality CNTs in large volumes is desirable, especially for scalable electronic, photonic, chemical, and mechanical systems. At present, abundant but random CNTs are synthesized by various growth methods including arc discharge, chemical vapor deposition, and molecular beam epitaxy. An economical way to secure pristine CNTs is to disperse the raw soot of CNTs in solutions, from which purified CNTs are collected via sorting methods. Individual CNTs are generally hydrophobic, not readily soluble, requiring an agent, known as a surfactant to facilitate effective dispersions. Furthermore, the combination of surfactants, polymers, DNA, and other additives can enhance the purity of specific types of CNTs in confidence dispersions. With highly-pure CNTs, designated functional devices are built to demonstrate improved performance. This review surveys and highlights the essential roles and significant impacts of surfactants in dispersing and sorting CNTs.

中文翻译：

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表面活性剂在碳纳米管分散和分选中的作用和影响

碳纳米管 (CNT) 被证明是一种多功能纳米材料，具有卓越且有吸引力的电学、光学、化学、物理和机械性能。存在不同种类的碳纳米管，其相关特性已被积极探索并广泛利用，从基础研究到实际应用。获得大量高质量的碳纳米管是可取的，特别是对于可扩展的电子、光子、化学和机械系统。目前，通过电弧放电、化学气相沉积和分子束外延等多种生长方法合成了丰富但随机的碳纳米管。确保原始碳纳米管的一种经济方法是将碳纳米管的原始烟灰分散在溶液中，通过分选方法从中收集纯化的碳纳米管。单个碳纳米管通常是疏水性的，不易溶解，需要一种称为表面活性剂的试剂来促进有效分散。此外，表面活性剂、聚合物、DNA 和其他添加剂的组合可以提高置信分散体中特定类型 CNT 的纯度。利用高纯度碳纳米管，构建指定的功能器件以展示改进的性能。本综述调查并强调了表面活性剂在分散和分选碳纳米管方面的重要作用和重大影响。