Biologically modified carbon nanotubes: Synthesis, biochemical binding, and nanoscale assembly

COLL 70

Robert J. Hamers, Sarah Baker, and Tami Lasseter. Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin - Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706
The integration of cabon nanotubes with biological molecules opens up new opportunities in nanoscale assembly and in nanoscale biological sensing. We have explored the formation of covalently-bonded adducts of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with biological molecules, and the subsequent interactions of biologically-modified SWNTs with other biomolecules of interest. Our studies focus primarily on the use of DNA hybridization and the biotin-avidin interaction. SWNTs were chemically modified to produce amine-terminated SWNTs, which were then covalently linked to DNA or biotin. DNA-SWNT adducts reversibly hybridize to complementary sequences with little binding to non-complementary sequences, demonstrating that the binding is highly selective. Similar chemistry has been used to link SWNT's to biotin, which then exhibit strong interactions with avidin. The interactions of biologically-modified SWNTs with biomolecules in solution and on surfaces has been explored. Our results illustrate the utility of biomolecular recognition (DNA hybridization and biotin-avidin interactions) to control assembly of nanomaterials.
 

Surface Chemistry on Carbonaceous Materials

Division of Colloid and Surface Chemistry
The 225th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, March 23-27, 2003