title: Preparation and characterization of individual peptide-wrapped single-walled carbon nanotubes.
abstract: Two challenges for effectively exploiting the remarkable properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are the isolation of intact individual nanotubes from the raw material and the assembly of these isolated SWNTs into useful structures. In this study, we present atomic force microscopy (AFM) evidence that we can isolate individual peptide-wrapped SWNTs, possibly connected end-to-end into long fibrillar structures, using an amphiphilic alpha-helical peptide, termed nano-1. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and well-resolved absorption spectral features further corroborate nano-1's ability to debundle SWNTs in aqueous solution. Peptide-assisted assembly of SWNT structures, specifically in the form of Y-, X-, and intraloop junctions, was observed in the AFM and TEM images.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, NanoTech Institute, The University of Texas at Dallas, 2601 North Floyd Road, Richardson, Texas 75083-0688, USA.
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zorbas
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Acevedo
authors.forename: Alan B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Dalton
authors.forename: Mario Miki
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Gregg R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Dieckmann
authors.forename: Rockford K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Draper
authors.forename: Ray H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Baughman
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jose-Yacaman
authors.forename: Inga H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Musselman
mesh_terms: D006358:Hot Temperature; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D013010:Sonication
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D010455:Peptides