Solubilization of single-walled carbon nanotubes by using polycyclic aromatic ammonium amphiphiles in water--strategy for the design of high-performance solubilizers

CO2 Responsive Thin-Film Transistors Using Conjugated Polymer Complexes with Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Introduction of amidine groups within the side chains of a conjugated polyfluorene was carried out using copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition. The resulting polymer was shown to form strong supramolecular interactions with the sidewalls of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), forming polymer-nanotube complexes that exhibited solubility in various organic solvents. It was shown that the polymer-SWNT complexes were responsive to CO2, where the amidine groups formed amidinium bicarbonate salts upon CO2 exposure, causing the polymer-SWNT complexes to precipitate. This reaction could be reversed by bubbling N2 through the solution, which caused the polymer-SWNT complexes to redissolve. Incorporation of the polymer-SWNT complexes within thin-film transistor (TFT) devices as the active layer resulted in a CO2-responsive TFT sensor. It was found that the sensory device underwent a reversible shift in its threshold voltage from 5 to -1 V as well as a 1 order of magnitude decrease in its on-current upon exposure to CO2. This work shows that conjugated polymer-wrapped SWNTs having sensory elements within the polymer side chain can be used as the active layer within functional SWNT-based TFT sensors.

Decoration of Polyfluorene-Wrapped Carbon Nanotubes with Photocleavable Side-Chains

Functionalizing polyfluorene-wrapped carbon nanotubes without damaging their properties is effective via Copper-Catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition (CuAAC). However, the length and nature of polymer side-chains can impact the conductivity of polyfluorene-SWNT films by preventing close contact between the nanotubes. Here, we investigate the functionalization of a polyfluorene-SWNT complex using photocleavable side-chains that can be removed post-processing. The cleavage of the side-chains containing an ortho-nitrobenzyl ether derivative is efficient when exposed to a UV lamp at 365 nm. The photoisomerization of the o-nitrobenzyl ether linker into the corresponding o-nitrosobenzaldehyde was first monitored via UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy and 1H-NMR spectroscopy on the polymer, which showed efficient cleavage after 2 h. We next investigated the cleavage on the polyfluorene-SWNT complex via UV-Vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy. The precipitation of the nanotube dispersion and the broad absorption peaks after overnight irradiation also indicated effective cleavage. In addition, Raman spectroscopy post-irradiation showed that the nanotubes were not damaged upon irradiation. This paper reports a proof of concept that may find applications for SWNT-based materials in which side-chain removal could lead to higher device performance.

Recent Advances in Structure Separation of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes and Their Application in Optics, Electronics, and Optoelectronics

Structural control of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with uniform properties is critical not only for their property modulation and functional design but also for applications in electronics, optics, and optoelectronics. To achieve this goal, various separation techniques have been developed in the past 20 years through which separation of high-purity semiconducting/metallic SWCNTs, single-chirality species, and even their enantiomers have been achieved. This progress has promoted the property modulation of SWCNTs and the development of SWCNT-based optoelectronic devices. Here, the recent advances in the structure separation of SWCNTs are reviewed, from metallic/semiconducting SWCNTs, to single-chirality species, and to enantiomers by several typical separation techniques and the application of the corresponding sorted SWCNTs. Based on the separation procedure, efficiency, and scalability, as well as, the separable SWCNT species, purity, and quantity, the advantages and disadvantages of various separation techniques are compared. Combined with the requirements of SWCNT application, the challenges, prospects, and development direction of structure separation are further discussed.

Biosensing with Fluorescent Carbon Nanotubes

Biosensors are powerful tools for modern basic research and biomedical diagnostics. Their development requires substantial input from the chemical sciences. Sensors or probes with an optical readout, such as fluorescence, offer rapid, minimally invasive sensing of analytes with high spatial and temporal resolution. The near-infrared (NIR) region is beneficial because of the reduced background and scattering of biological samples (tissue transparency window) in this range. In this context, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have emerged as versatile NIR fluorescent building blocks for biosensors. Here, we provide an overview of advances in SWCNT-based NIR fluorescent molecular sensors. We focus on chemical design strategies for diverse analytes and summarize insights into the photophysics and molecular recognition. Furthermore, different application areas are discussed-from chemical imaging of cellular systems and diagnostics to in vivo applications and perspectives for the future.

Chirality Pure Carbon Nanotubes: Growth, Sorting, and Characterization

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been attracting tremendous attention owing to their structure (chirality) dependent outstanding properties, which endow them with great potential in a wide range of applications. The preparation of chirality-pure SWCNTs is not only a great scientific challenge but also a crucial requirement for many high-end applications. As such, research activities in this area over the last two decades have been very extensive. In this review, we summarize recent achievements and accumulated knowledge thus far and discuss future developments and remaining challenges from three aspects: controlled growth, postsynthesis sorting, and characterization techniques. In the growth part, we focus on the mechanism of chirality-controlled growth and catalyst design. In the sorting part, we organize and analyze existing literature based on sorting targets rather than methods. Since chirality assignment and quantification is essential in the study of selective preparation, we also include in the last part a comprehensive description and discussion of characterization techniques for SWCNTs. It is our view that even though progress made in this area is impressive, more efforts are still needed to develop both methodologies for preparing ultrapure (e.g., >99.99%) SWCNTs in large quantity and nondestructive fast characterization techniques with high spatial resolution for various nanotube samples.

Ferrocenyl-Pyrenes, Ferrocenyl-9,10-Phenanthrenediones, and Ferrocenyl-9,10-Dimethoxyphenanthrenes: Charge-Transfer Studies and SWCNT Functionalization

The synthesis of 1-Fc- (3), 1-Br-6-Fc- (5 a), 2-Br-7-Fc- (7 a), 1,6-Fc₂ - (5 b), 2,7-Fc₂ -pyrene (7 b), 3,6-Fc₂ -9,10-phenanthrenedione (10), and 3,6-Fc₂ -9,10-dimethoxyphenanthrene (12; Fc=Fe(η⁵ -C₅ H₄ )(η⁵ -C₅ H₅ )) is discussed. Of these compounds, 10 and 12 form 1D or 2D coordination polymers in the solid state. (Spectro)Electrochemical studies confirmed reversible Fc/Fc⁺ redox events between -130 and 160 mV. 1,6- and 2,7-Substitution in 5 a (E°'=-130 mV) and 7 a (E°'=50 mV) influences the redox potentials, whereas the ones of 5 b and 7 b (E°'=20 mV) are independent. Compounds 5 b, 7 b, 10, and 12 show single Fc oxidation processes with redox splittings between 70 and 100 mV. UV/Vis/NIR spectroelectrochemistry confirmed a weak electron transfer between Fe^II /Fe^III in mixed-valent [5 b]⁺ and [12]⁺ . DFT calculations showed that 5 b non-covalently interacts with the single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) sidewalls as proven by, for example, disentangling experiments. In addition, CV studies of the as-obtained dispersions confirmed exohedral attachment of 5 b at the SWCNTs.

Effect of Organic Modification on Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Dispersions in Highly Concentrated Emulsions

Highly concentrated water-in-oil emulsions incorporating multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are prepared. Homogeneous and selective dispersions of MWCNTs throughout the oil phase of the emulsions are investigated. The practical insolubility of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in aqueous and organic media necessitates the disentanglement of CNT "agglomerates" through the utilization of functionalized CNTs. The design and synthesis of two tetra-alkylated pyrene derivatives, namely, 1,3,6,8-tetra(oct-1-yn-1-yl)pyrene (TOPy) and 1,3,6,8-tetra(dodec-1-yn-1-yl)pyrene (TDPy), for the noncovalent organic modification of MWCNTs are reported. The modifier molecules are designed in such a manner that they facilitate an improved dispersion of individualized MWCNTs in the continuous-oil phase of the highly concentrated emulsion (HCE). Transmission electron microscopic analyses suggest that the alkylated pyrene molecules are adsorbed on the MWCNT surface, and their adsorption eventually results in the debundling of MWCNT agglomerates. Fourier transform infrared, Raman, and fluorescence spectroscopic analyses confirm the π-π interaction between the alkylated pyrene molecules and MWCNTs. The noncovalent modification significantly improves the effective debundling and selective dispersion of MWCNTs in HCEs.

Adhesion, forces and the stability of interfaces

Weak molecular interactions (WMI) are responsible for processes such as physisorption; they are essential for the structure and stability of interfaces, and for bulk properties of liquids and molecular crystals. The dispersion interaction is one of the four basic interactions types – electrostatics, induction, dispersion and exchange repulsion – of which all WMIs are composed. The fact that each class of basic interactions covers a wide range explains the large variety of WMIs. To some of them, special names are assigned, such as hydrogen bonding or hydrophobic interactions. In chemistry, these WMIs are frequently used as if they were basic interaction types. For a long time, dispersion was largely ignored in chemistry, attractive intermolecular interactions were nearly exclusively attributed to electrostatic interactions. We discuss the importance of dispersion interactions for the stabilization in systems that are traditionally explained in terms of the “special interactions” mentioned above. System stabilization can be explained by using interaction energies, or by attractive forces between the interacting subsystems; in the case of stabilizing WMIs, one frequently speaks of adhesion energies and adhesive forces. We show that the description of system stability using maximum adhesive forces and the description using adhesion energies are not equivalent. The systems discussed are polyaromatic molecules adsorbed to graphene and carbon nanotubes; dimers of alcohols and amines; cellulose crystals; and alcohols adsorbed onto cellulose surfaces.

Pillar[5]arene-Decorated Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Control of single-walled carbon nanotube dispersion properties is of substantial interest to the scientific community. In this work, we sought to investigate the effect of a macrocycle, pillar[5]arene, on the dispersion properties of a polymer-nanotube complex. Pillar[5]arenes are a class of electron-rich macrocyclic hosts capable of forming inclusion complexes with electron-poor guests, such as alkyl nitriles. A hydroxyl-functionalized pillar[5]arene derivative was coupled to the alkyl bromide side chains of a polyfluorene, which was then used to coat the surface of single-walled carbon nanotubes. Noncovalent functionalization of carbon nanotubes with the macrocycle-containing conjugated polymer significantly enhanced nanotube solubility, resulting in dark and concentrated nanotube dispersions (600 μg mL-1), as evidenced by UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. Differentiation of semiconducting and metallic single-walled carbon nanotube species was analyzed by a combination of UV-vis-NIR, Raman, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy confirmed that the concentrated nanotube dispersion produced by the macrocycle-containing polymer was due to well-exfoliated nanotubes, rather than bundle formation. The polymer-nanotube dispersion was investigated using 1H NMR spectroscopy, and it was found that host-guest chemistry between pillar[5]arene and 1,6-dicyanohexane occurred in the presence of the polymer-nanotube complex. Utilizing the host-guest capability of pillar[5]arene, the polymer-nanotube complex was incorporated into a supramolecular organogel.

Functionalization of polyfluorene-wrapped carbon nanotubes via copper-mediated azide–alkyne cycloaddition

Copper-mediated azide–alkyne cycloaddition enables quantitative functionalization of polymer-nanotube complexes containing azide moieties in the polymer side chains.

Decoration of polyfluorene-wrapped carbon nanotube thin films via strain-promoted azide–alkyne cycloaddition

Latently reactive polymer–SWNT complexes were prepared by coating SWNTs with polyfluorene containing azide moieties in the side chain, allowing spatially resolved decoration of nanotube thin films with various functionalities.

Functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes: cellular uptake, biodistribution and applications in drug delivery

The unique properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) enable them to play important roles in many fields. One of their functional roles is to transport cargo into cell. SWNTs are able to traverse amphipathic cell membranes due to their large surface area, flexible interactions with cargo, customizable dimensions, and surface chemistry. The cargoes delivered by SWNTs include peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, as well as drug molecules for therapeutic purpose. The drug delivery functions of SWNTs have been explored over the past decade. Many breakthrough studies have shown the high specificity and potency of functionalized SWNT-based drug delivery systems for the treatment of cancers and other diseases. In this review, we discuss different aspects of drug delivery by functionalized SWNT carriers, diving into the cellular uptake mechanisms, biodistribution of the delivery system, and safety concerns on degradation of the carriers. We emphasize the delivery of several common drugs to highlight the recent achievements of SWNT-based drug delivery.

Controlling the Direction of the Molecular Axis of Rod-Shaped Binuclear Ruthenium Complexes on Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

We report the synthesis of a mixed-valence ruthenium complex, bearing pyrene moieties on one side of the ligands as anchor groups. Composites consisting of mixed-valence ruthenium complexes and SWNTs were prepared by noncovalent π-π interactions between the SWNT surface and the pyrene anchors of the Ru complex. In these composites, the long axis of the Ru complexes was aligned in parallel to the principal direction of the SWNT. The optimized conformation of these complexes on the SWNT surface was calculated by molecular mechanics. The composites were examined by UV/Vis absorption and FT-IR spectroscopy, XPS, and SEM analysis. Furthermore, their electrochemical properties were evaluated. Cyclic voltammograms of the composites showed reversible oxidation waves at peak oxidation potentials (Epox ) = 0.86 and 1.08 V versus Fc(+) /Fc, which were assigned to the Ru(II) -Ru(II) /Ru(II) -Ru(III) and the Ru(II) -Ru(III) /Ru(III) -Ru(III) oxidation events of the dinuclear ruthenium complex, respectively. Based on these observations, we concluded that the electrochemical properties and mixed-valence state of the dinuclear ruthenium complexes were preserved upon attachment to the SWNT surface.

Functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes with thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide): effect of the polymer architecture

Star-shaped and linear thermo-responsive PNIPAM polymers were compared for the functionalization of SWNTs. The star-shaped polymer gave the SWNTs a higher solubility and more thermo-responsive properties than its linear counterpart.

Near infrared photoluminescence modulation of single-walled carbon nanotubes based on a molecular recognition approach

The molecular recognition approach has achieved near infrared photoluminescence modulation on locally-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Non-covalent polymer wrapping of carbon nanotubes and the role of wrapped polymers as functional dispersants

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been recognized as a promising material in a wide range of applications from biotechnology to energy-related devices. However, the poor solubility in aqueous and organic solvents hindered the applications of CNTs. As studies have progressed, the methodology for CNT dispersion was established. In this methodology, the key issue is to covalently or non-covalently functionalize the surfaces of the CNTs with a dispersant. Among the various types of dispersions, polymer wrapping through non-covalent interactions is attractive in terms of the stability and homogeneity of the functionalization. Recently, by taking advantage of their stability, the wrapped-polymers have been utilized to support and/or reinforce the unique functionality of the CNTs, leading to the development of high-performance devices. In this review, various polymer wrapping approaches, together with the applications of the polymer-wrapped CNTs, are summarized.

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes noncovalently functionalized by electro-active amphiphilic copolymer micelles for selective dopamine detection

We have synthesized an electro-active amphiphilic copolymer with carbazole side chains via free radical polymerization using 7-(4-vinylbenzyloxy)-4-methyl coumarin and 9-(4-vinylbenzyl)-9H-carbazole as the monomers.

Pyrene-based mechanically interlocked SWNTs

Pyrene serves as a recognition motif to template the synthesis of mechanically interlocked derivatives of SWNTs.

Aqueous graphene dispersions-optical properties and stimuli-responsive phase transfer

We demonstrate essentially complete exfoliation of graphene aggregates in water at concentrations up to 5% by weight (166-fold greater than previous high concentration report) using recently developed triblock copolymers and copolymeric nanolatexes based on a reactive ionic liquid acrylate surfactant. We demonstrate that the visible absorption coefficient in aqueous dispersion, 48.9 ± 1.3 cm(2)/mg at 500 nm, is about twice that currently accepted, and we show that this value is a greatest lower bound to extant macroscopic single sheet optical studies of graphene when one considers both fine structure constant and excitonic mechanisms of visible absorption. We also show that dilute and concentrated graphene dispersions are rheo-optical fluids that exhibit an isotropic to nematic transition upon application of a shear field, and we demonstrate stimuli-responsive phase transfer.

A study of planar anchor groups for graphene-based single-molecule electronics

To identify families of stable planar anchor groups for use in single molecule electronics, we report detailed results for the binding energies of two families of anthracene and pyrene derivatives adsorbed onto graphene. We find that all the selected derivatives functionalized with either electron donating or electron accepting substituents bind more strongly to graphene than the parent non-functionalized anthracene or pyrene. The binding energy is sensitive to the detailed atomic alignment of substituent groups over the graphene substrate leading to larger than expected binding energies for -OH and -CN derivatives. Furthermore, the ordering of the binding energies within the anthracene and pyrene series does not simply follow the electron affinities of the substituents. Energy barriers to rotation or displacement on the graphene surface are much lower than binding energies for adsorption and therefore at room temperature, although the molecules are bound to the graphene, they are almost free to move along the graphene surface. Binding energies can be increased by incorporating electrically inert side chains and are sensitive to the conformation of such chains.

Non-covalent and reversible functionalization of carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been proposed and actively explored as multipurpose innovative nanoscaffolds for applications in fields such as material science, drug delivery and diagnostic applications. Their versatile physicochemical features are nonetheless limited by their scarce solubilization in both aqueous and organic solvents. In order to overcome this drawback CNTs can be easily non-covalently functionalized with different dispersants. In the present review we focus on the peculiar hydrophobic character of pristine CNTs that prevent them to easily disperse in organic solvents. We report some interesting examples of CNTs dispersants with the aim to highlight the essential features a molecule should possess in order to act as a good carbon nanotube dispersant both in water and in organic solvents. The review pinpoints also a few examples of dispersant design. The last section is devoted to the exploitation of the major quality of non-covalent functionalization that is its reversibility and the possibility to obtain stimuli-responsive precipitation or dispersion of CNTs.

Tailorable aqueous dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes using tetrachloroperylene-based bolaamphiphiles via noncovalent modification

The enhanced dispersing capability of these bolaamphiphiles can be attributed to the large aromatic perylene core. The aqueous dispersion efficiency of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is investigated by UV-vis absorption, fluorescence emission and Raman spectra, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. It is found that the tetrachloroperylene backbone moieties could interact with SWCNT via synergistic π-π and hydrophobic interactions, and the dispersing properties are closely related to the hydrophilic part of bolaamphiles. This study not only demonstrates tetrachloroperylene derivatives are able to stabilize SWCNTs, but also provides the possibility to understand the structure-property relationship between SWCNTs and tetrachloroperylene-based surfactants.

Surface Modification of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes with Engineered Self-Assembled RAFT Diblock Coatings

A facile method to modify the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) via electrostatic interactions between polyelectrolytes and oxidized MWCNTs was developed. Diblock copolymers containing poly[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyltrimethylammonium chloride] (PMETAC), a positively charged block, and poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA), a neutral block, with tailored molecular weights and low polydispersities were synthesized by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Acid treated-MWCNTs were coated with the RAFT diblock copolymers to improve their dispersibility in aqueous phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution. The short positively charged PMETAC block was designed to attach the block copolymers to the surface of MWCNTs via electrostatic interactions, whereas the PEGMA block improved dispersibility of the MWCNTs in aqueous solutions. Extensive screening of the diblock copolymers with different degrees of polymerization (DP) showed that the dispersion stability of the polymer-coated MWCNTs in PBS was greatly improved with increasing chain length of the PEGMA block. In particular, the MWCNTs coated with a diblock copolymer containing PEGMA (DP = 118, the longest block investigated) showed superior dispersion stability in both water and PBS solution.

Poly dimethyl diallyl ammonium coated CMK-5 for sustained oral drug release

A new oral sustained drug delivery system (DDS) involving a combination of inorganic mesoporous material (CMK-5) and organic polymer poly dimethyl diallyl ammonium (PDDA) was established to determine its general suitability for use with poorly water soluble drugs. Nimodipine, carvedilol and fenofibrate, three different drugs with acidic or alkaline properties, were selected as model drugs and loaded into carriers. The physicochemical properties of the drug carriers were systematically studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nitrogen adsorption. The structural body changes of the composites in release medium, with or without additional salts, were also studied using particle sizing systems, nitrogen adsorption and zeta potential measurement in order to investigate the sustained release mechanism of the drugs. The results obtained showed that sustained release of drug from the designed DDS was mainly due to the blockage effect arising from the strong swelling of the coated polymers when in contact with release medium. Additional salts, when they reached a certain level, allowed a dramatic burst release. We believe that our designed sustained DDS provide a new option for water insoluble drugs and can be considered as fundamental for those more sophisticated DDS increasingly required in modern medical treatments.

Molecular recognition at the nanoscale interface within carbon nanotube bundles

Molecular adsorption onto carbon nanotube surfaces is one of the important topics in the science and technology of carbon nanotubes due to their specific 1D structures with very high aspect ratios. In order to reveal the effect of bundles of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) on molecular adsorption at the molecular level, we introduce an HPLC system; namely, we fabricated HPLC columns coated with bundled-SWNTs, isolated-SWNTs or graphene as the stationary HPLC phase, and discovered that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons having a one-dimensional shape, such as p-terphenyl and anthracene, exhibit an unusually high affinity to the bundled SWNTs compared to that of the isolated SWNTs. In contrast, no such notable specificity was obtained on a graphene-coated HPLC column. These results indicated that grooves with one-dimensional structures formed by the SWNT-bundles provide a favorable spatial geometry for the specific molecular recognition of aromatic hydrocarbons.

Fused porphyrin-single-walled carbon nanotube hybrids: efficient formation and photophysical characterization

A systematic study of the interaction between π-extended porphyrins and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) is reported here. Zinc porphyrins with 1-pyrenyl groups in the 5,15-meso positions, 1, as well as compounds where one or both of the pyrene groups have been fused at the meso and β positions of the porphyrin core, 2 and 3, respectively, have been examined. The strongest binding to SWNTs is observed for porphyrin 3, leading to debundling of the nanotubes and formation of stable suspensions of 3-SWNT hybrids in a range of common organic solvents. Absorption spectra of 3-SWNT suspensions are broad and continuous (λ=400-1400 nm), and the Q-band of 3 displays a significant bathochromic shift of 33 nm. The surface coverage of the SWNTs in the nanohybrids was estimated by spectroscopic and analytical methods and found to reach 64% for (7,6) nanotubes. The size and shape of π-conjugated porphyrins were found to be important factors in determining the strength of the π-π interactions, as the linear anti-3 isomer displays more than 90% binding selectivity compared to the bent syn-3 isomer. Steady-state photoluminescence measurements show quenching of porphyrin emission from the nanohybrids. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy reveals that this quenching results from ultrafast electron transfer from the photoexcited porphyrin to the SWNT (1/kCT=260 fs) followed by rapid charge recombination on a picosecond time scale. Overall, our data demonstrate that direct π-π interaction between fused porphyrins and SWNTs leads to electronically coupled stable nanohybrids.

Fuel cell electrocatalyst using polybenzimidazole-modified carbon nanotubes as support materials

Toward the next generation fuel cell systems, the development of a novel electrocatalyst for the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) is crucial to overcome the drawbacks of the present electrocatalyst. As a conductive supporting material for the catalyst, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have emerged as a promising candidate, and many attempts have been carried out to introduce CNT, in place of carbon black. On the other hand, as a polymer electrolyte, polybenzimidazoles (PBIs) have been recognized as a powerful candidate due to the high proton conductivity above 100 °C under non-humid conditions. In 2008, we found that these two materials have a strong physical interaction and form a stable hybrid material, in which the PBIs uniformly wrap the surfaces of the CNTs. Furthermore, PBIs serve as effective binding sites for the formation of platinum (Pt) nanoparticles to fabricate a ternary composite (CNT/PBIs/Pt). In this review article, we summarize the fundamental properties of the CNT/PBIs/Pt and discuss their potential as a new electrocatalyst for the PEFC in comparison with the conventional ones. Furthermore, potential applications of CNT/PBIs including use of the materials for oxygen reduction catalysts and reinforcement of PBI films are summarized.

CO(2) -responsive "smart" single-walled carbon nanotubes

A new type of "smart" single-walled carbon nanotubes is created by wrapping a pyrene-labeled CO(2) -responsive polymer via π-π stacking. The polymer/SWNT hybrids not only undergo a hydrophobic-hydrophilic transition upon CO(2) stimulus of CO(2) in a mixed solvent, but also exhibit switchable dispersion/aggregation states upon the alternate bubbling of CO(2) and N(2) in pure water.

Carbon Nanotubes: A Review on Structure and Their Interaction with Proteins

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are allotropes of carbon with a nanostructure that can have a length-to-diameter ratio greater than 1,000,000. Techniques have been developed to produce nanotubes in sizeable quantities, including arc discharge, laser ablation, and chemical vapor deposition. Developments in the past few years have illustrated the potentially revolutionizing impact of nanomaterials, especially in biomedical imaging, drug delivery, biosensing, and the design of functional nanocomposites. Methods to effectively interface proteins with nanomaterials for realizing these applications continue to evolve. The high surface-to-volume ratio offered by nanoparticles resulted in the concentration of the immobilized entity being considerably higher than that afforded by other materials. There has also been an increasing interest in understanding the influence of nanomaterials on the structure and function of proteins. Various immobilization methods have been developed, and in particular, specific attachment of enzymes on carbon nanotubes has been an important focus of attention. With the growing attention paid to cascade enzymatic reaction, it is possible that multienzyme coimmobilization would be one of the next goals in the future. In this paper, we focus on advances in methodology for enzyme immobilization on carbon nanotubes.