System for bulk separation of single-walled tubular fullerenes using a channeled substrate

A system for bulk separation of single-walled tubular fullerenes (100) based on chirality is provided wherein an array of longitudinally directed channels (32) are formed on a crystalline substrate (30) to form a separation plate (300). At least one of the separation plate (300) and a solution or suspension of the single-walled tubular fullerenes (100) is displaced relative to the other for exposing at least a portion of the plurality of single-walled tubular fullerenes (100) to the channels (32). Each of the channels (32) exposes portions of the upper surface (38) of the crystalline substrate (30) and the longitudinal direction is selected to be an energetically favored "locking angle" for single-walled tubular fullerenes (100a) of one chiral angle to be adsorbed to the exposed is substrate surface (38). The adsorbed single-walled tubular fullerenes (100a) are subsequently removed from the separation plate (300).