Dispersion of carbon nanotubes by photo- and thermal-responsive polymers containing azobenzene unit in the backboneThis article is part of the 'Carbon Nanostructures' web-theme issue for ChemComm.Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details, absorption spectra of the azobenzene polymers before and after photo- and thermal-isomerization and their composites with SWNTs, AFM and TEM images, optimized structures of azobenzene polymers, electric properties of SWNT-polyme

Photo- and thermal-responsive polymers containing azobenzene units in the main chain have been utilized as removable dispersants for single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in organic solvents. Intermolecular interactions between SWNTs and the polymers are reversibly controllable by tuning the trans - cis composition. Stimuli-responsive polymers containing azobenzene units in the main chain have been utilized as removable dispersants for single-walled carbon nanotubes.