Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
In this invited presentation, we report (1) the assembly of polymer surfactants at the single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) and water interface, which not only results in the dispersion of SWNTs in aqueous environments but also provides opportunities for controlled assembly of ternary complexes and the introduction of external stimuli-responsive SWNT dispersions; (2) the first experimental measurement of dc polarization of individual carbon nanotubes using modified scanning force microscopy techniques. The transverse dielectric constant of carbon nanotube is about 10, and this method could be used to distinguish metallic from semiconducting nanotubes.