Selection of carbon nanotubes with specific chiralities using helical assemblies of flavin mononucleotide.
The chirality of single-walled carbon nanotubes affects many of their physical and electronic properties. Current production methods result in nanotubes of mixed chiralities, so facile extraction of specific chiralities of single-walled carbon nanotubes is an important step in their effective utilization. Here we show that the flavin mononucleotide, a common redox cofactor, wraps around single-walled carbon nanotubes in a helical pattern that imparts efficient individualization and chirality selection. The cooperative hydrogen bonding between adjacent flavin moieties results in the formation of a helical ribbon, which organizes around single-walled carbon nanotubes through concentric pi-pi interactions between the flavin mononucleotide and the underlying graphene wall. The strength of the helical flavin mononucleotide assembly is strongly dependent on nanotube chirality. In the presence of a surfactant, the flavin mononucleotide assembly is disrupted and replaced without precipitation by a surfactant micelle. The significantly higher affinity of the flavin mononucleotide assembly for (8,6)-single-walled carbon nanotubes results in an 85% chirality enrichment from a nanotube sample with broad diameter distribution.
Ju
Sang-Yong
SY
Nanomaterials Optoelectronics Laboratory (NOEL), Polymer Program, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3136, USA.
Doll
Jonathan
J
Sharma
Ity
I
Papadimitrakopoulos
Fotios
F
D003198:Computer Simulation; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D005486:Flavin Mononucleotide / Q000737:chemistry*; D007536:Isomerism; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D013499:Surface Properties
D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D005486:Flavin Mononucleotide