Résumé
This report deals with the "dissolution douce" or mild dissolution of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT), ix a gentle way to obtain concentrated true solutions of SWNTs without functionalization, strongly acidic treatment and /or sonication thus keeping full integrity of the SWNT samples. Chemical reduction of SWNTs yields polyelectrolyte alkali metal salts of nanotubes, spontaneously soluble in polar organic solvent. The resulting solutions are indefinitely stable if kept under inert atmosphere.