title: Carbon nanotube-metal cluster composites: a new road to chemical sensors?
abstract: Novel carbon nanotube-metal cluster structures are proposed as prototype systems for molecular recognition at the nanoscale. Ab initio calculations show that already the bare nanotube cluster system displays some specificity because the adsorption of ammonia on a carbon nanotube-Al cluster system is easily detected electrically, while diborane adsorption does not provide an electrical signature. Since there are well-established procedures for attaching molecular receptors to metal clusters, these results provide a "proof-of-principle" for the development of novel, high-specificity molecular sensors.
authors.affiliation: Center for High Performance Simulation and Department of Physics, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8202, USA. zhao@nemo.physics.ncsu.edu
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Buongiorno Nardelli
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bernholc
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis*; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D001894:Borohydrides / Q000032:analysis*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D014159:Transducers
chemical_list: D001894:Borohydrides; D008670:Metals; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D000641:Ammonia; C024731:diborane