Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene - Research and Applications

Researchers have removed the unwrapped double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) from the dsDNA-solubilized single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) aqueous solutions to obtain size-separated DNA/SWCNT hybrids (fr1-fr4). By using the re-injection procedure of the size-exclusion chromatography SEC-HPLC, researchers have discovered that, at the SEC chromatograph level, the fractionated dsDNA/SWCNT hybrids are highly stable without desorption from the hybrids to the unbound dsDNA for at least one month. The interaction of single-strand DNA (ssDNA) and SWCNTs is expected to be stronger than that of dsDNA and SWCNTs. Therefore, isolated ssDNA/SWCNTs hybrids should have similar stability. The present finding is important not only in the fundamental analysis of dsDNA/SWCNT hybrids, but also for their applications especially in biological areas.

Source: Chemical Physics Letters (2008), article in press