Carbon nanotube sorting,i.e.,the separation of a mixture of tubes into different electronic types and further into species with a specifi c chirality,is a fascinating problem of both scientifi c and technological impo...Carbon nanotube sorting,i.e.,the separation of a mixture of tubes into different electronic types and further into species with a specifi c chirality,is a fascinating problem of both scientifi c and technological importance.It is one of those problems that are easy to describe but diffi cult to solve.Single-stranded DNA forms stable complexes with carbon nanotubes and disperses them effectively in water.A particular DNA sequence of alternating guanine(G)and thymine(T)nucleotides((GT)n,with n=10 to 45)self-assembles into an ordered supramolecular structure around an individual nanotube,in such a way that the electrostatic properties of the DNA-carbon nanotube hybrid depend on tube structure,enabling nanotube separation by anion-exchange chromatography.This review provides a summary of the separation of metallic and semiconducting tubes,and purification of single(n,m)tubes using the DNA-wrapping approach.We will present our current understanding of the DNA-carbon nanotube hybrid structure and separation mechanisms,and predict future developments of the DNA-based approach.展开更多
基金Work conducted in our lab is supported by DuPont and US National Science Foundation.
文摘Carbon nanotube sorting,i.e.,the separation of a mixture of tubes into different electronic types and further into species with a specifi c chirality,is a fascinating problem of both scientifi c and technological importance.It is one of those problems that are easy to describe but diffi cult to solve.Single-stranded DNA forms stable complexes with carbon nanotubes and disperses them effectively in water.A particular DNA sequence of alternating guanine(G)and thymine(T)nucleotides((GT)n,with n=10 to 45)self-assembles into an ordered supramolecular structure around an individual nanotube,in such a way that the electrostatic properties of the DNA-carbon nanotube hybrid depend on tube structure,enabling nanotube separation by anion-exchange chromatography.This review provides a summary of the separation of metallic and semiconducting tubes,and purification of single(n,m)tubes using the DNA-wrapping approach.We will present our current understanding of the DNA-carbon nanotube hybrid structure and separation mechanisms,and predict future developments of the DNA-based approach.
