File(s) under permanent embargo
Controlled assembly of carbon nanotubes by designed amphiphilic Peptide helices
journal contribution
posted on 2003-02-19, 00:00 authored by G R Dieckmann, A B Dalton, P A Johnson, Joselito RazalJoselito Razal, J Chen, G M Giordano, E Muñoz, I H Musselman, R H Baughman, R K DraperCarbon nanotubes have properties potentially useful in diverse electrical and mechanical nanoscale devices and for making strong, light materials. However, carbon nanotubes are difficult to solubilize and organize into architectures necessary for many applications. In the present paper, we describe an amphiphilic alpha-helical peptide specifically designed not only to coat and solubilize carbon nanotubes, but also to control the assembly of the peptide-coated nanotubes into macromolecular structures through peptide-peptide interactions between adjacent peptide-wrapped nanotubes. The data presented herein show that the peptide folds into an amphiphilic alpha-helix in the presence of carbon nanotubes and disperses them in aqueous solution by noncovalent interactions with the nanotube surface. Electron microscopy and polarized Raman studies reveal that the peptide-coated nanotubes assemble into fibers with the nanotubes aligned along the fiber axis. Most importantly, the size and morphology of the fibers can be controlled by manipulating solution conditions that affect peptide-peptide interactions.
History
Journal
Journal of the American Chemical SocietyVolume
125Issue
7Pagination
1770 - 1777Publisher
American Chemical SocietyLocation
Washington, D.C.Publisher DOI
ISSN
0002-7863Language
engPublication classification
C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2003, American Chemical SocietyUsage metrics
Read the peer-reviewed publication
Categories
Keywords
Amino Acid SequenceCircular DichroismMicroscopy, Electron, Scanning TransmissionModels, MolecularMolecular Sequence DataNanotechnologyNanotubes, CarbonPeptidesProtein Structure, SecondarySpectrum Analysis, RamanScience & TechnologyPhysical SciencesChemistry, MultidisciplinaryChemistryGROWTHCRYSTALSPURIFICATIONTEMPERATUREPOLYMERBUNDLEMODES