Comparison of characteristics of single-walled carbon nanotubes obtained by super-growth CVD and improved-arc discharge methods pertaining to interfacial film formation and nanohybridization with polymers

Recent advances in modification of novel carbon-based composites: Synthesis, properties, and biotechnological/ biomedical applications

Nowadays, carbon-based materials owing to great interest in biomedical science/biotechnology and applied for effective diagnosis and treatment of disease. To enhance the effectiveness of carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/graphene-based materials for bio-medical science/technology applications, different kinds of surface modification/functionalization were developed for the attachment of metal oxides nanostructures, biomolecules and polymers. The attachment of pharmaceutical agents with CNTs/graphene, make it a favorable candidate in research field of bio-medical science/technology applications. Surface modified/functionalized CNTs and graphene derivatives materials integrated with pharmaceutical agents has been developed for the purpose of cancer therapy, antibacterial action, pathogens bio detection, drug and gene delivery. Surface modification or functionalization of CNT/graphene materials provides good platform for pharmaceutical agents attachment with improved surface Raman scattering, fluorescence and its quenching capability. Graphene-based biosensing and bioimaging technologies are widely applied to identify numerous trace level analytes. These fluorescent and electrochemical sensors are utilized primarily for detecting organic, inorganic, and biomolecules. In this article, we highlights and summarized overview of the current research progress concerned on the CNTs/graphene-based materials as a new generation materials for detection and treatment of diseases.

Immobilization of Trypsin from the Subphase to the Langmuir Monolayer of Fluorocarbon-Modified Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube and Its Activity Maintenance

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) synthesized by the improved arc discharge method were modified with a fluorocarbon chain, and the maintenance of trypsin activity upon adsorption from the subphase to the interfacial monolayer of SWCNTs was evaluated. The adsorption of trypsin on the fluorocarbon-modified SWCNT monolayer was confirmed by morphological and spectroscopic evaluations. Fiber morphology studies revealed that the fluorocarbon-modified SWCNT monolayer was covered by trypsin, and a trypsin-derived amide band was detected in the infrared spectra of the multilayers. After adsorption onto the fluorocarbon-modified SWCNT film, the ability of trypsin to cleave the fluorescent casein chain was maintained even at 160 °C. Furthermore, circular dichroism (CD) spectra showed that the second-order structure of the activity of trypsin adsorbed on the fluorocarbon-modified SWCNT was maintained up to nearly 200 °C. At 200 °C, the enhancement of emission intensity by casein chain cleavage was negligible, and the CD signal resulting from the negative Cotton effect was completely altered at 250 °C.

The Past and the Future of Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett Films

The Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique, through which monolayers are transferred from the air/water interface onto a solid substrate, was the first method to allow for the controlled assembly of organic molecules. With its almost 100 year history, it has been the inspiration for most methods to functionalize surfaces and produce nanocoatings, in addition to serving to explore concepts in molecular electronics and nanoarchitectonics. This paper provides an overview of the history of Langmuir monolayers and LB films, including the potential use in devices and a discussion on why LB films are seldom considered for practical applications today. Emphasis is then given to two areas where these films offer unique opportunities, namely, in mimicking cell membrane models and exploiting nanoarchitectonics concepts to produce sensors, investigate molecular recognitions, and assemble molecular machines. The most promising topics for the short- and long-term prospects of the LB technique are also highlighted.