US Patent 7241496 - Non-wrapping polymer backbone for nanotube

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7241496.html

One problem with carbon nanotubes is their tendency to stick and clump together making solubility of the nanotubes difficulty. This problem is partially resolved by using polymers to wrap around the nanotubes. However the polymer wrapping is problematic with certain small diameter nanotubes. This patent co-owned by Zyvex and the University of Pittsburgh teaches how to form polymer bonds to the sidewall of nanotubes so as to achieve solubility of the nanotubes while avoiding problems with polymer wrapping. Claim 1 reads:

1. A polymer comprising: a backbone portion for noncovalently bonding with a nanotube in a non-wrapping fashion.