Deep eutectic solvents and carbon nanotubes: a new alliance in green nanotechnology

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are widely known as green solvents, due to their biodegradability, low vapour pressure and cost effectiveness. Their versatility and simple preparation make them suitable for a broad range of applications, including organic synthesis, electrochemistry, catalysis and material functionalization. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted a lot of attention these past years due to their outstanding properties (electronic, optical, thermal, chemical and mechanical). CNTs are being explored for numerous applications, including energy storage, electronics, water purification, and biomedical technologies. The integration of DESs and CNTs has recently emerged as a promising frontier in nanomaterials research, offering synergistic properties for a wide range of applications. This review presents, to the best of our knowledge, the first comprehensive overview of studies exploring the combination of DESs and CNTs, highlighting their physicochemical interactions, functionalization strategies, and performance enhancements in areas such as electrochemical sensing, catalysis, environmental remediation, and nanocomposite fabrication. The review identifies current challenges and outlines future perspectives for expanding the applicability of DES–CNTs systems in advanced technologies. • DESs and CNTs combine synergistically for enhanced electrochemical and catalytic properties. • Integration of DESs with CNTs improves environmental remediation and nanocomposites. • DES–CNT systems are challenging in advanced nanomaterials applications.