US Patent 7879309 - Preparation of metal containing fullerenes

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7879309.html

This patent from the Japan Science and Technology Agency teaches methods of peeling excess layers of carbon nanotubes to promote higher industrial yield of single walled nanotubes. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of making a functional nanomaterial utilizing endothermic reactions, comprising

heat-treating a metal containing monolayer nanotube in a gas or liquid containing an endothermic reactant to cut or disintegrate the metal containing monolayer nanotube into metal containing fullerenes, thereby forming a metal containing fullerene.