Tough supersoft sponge fibers with tunable stiffness from a DNA self-assembly technique.
Tough and soft: Highly porous, spongelike materials self-assemble by calcium ion condensation of DNA-wrapped carbon nanotubes (SWNTs-DNA; see picture, IL = ionic liquid). The toughness, modulus, and swellability of the electrically conductive sponges can be tuned by controlling the density and strength of interfiber junctions. The sponges have compliances similar to the softest natural tissue, while robust interfiber junctions give high toughness.
Lee
Chang Kee
CK
Center for Bio-Artificial Muscle, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
Shin
Su Ryon
SR
Mun
Ji Young
JY
Han
Sung-Sik
SS
So
Insuk
I
Jeon
Ju-Hong
JH
Kang
Tong Mook
TM
Kim
Sun I
SI
Whitten
Philip G
PG
Wallace
Gordon G
GG
Spinks
Geoffrey M
GM
Kim
Seon Jeong
SJ
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000737:chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D052578:Ionic Liquids / Q000737:chemistry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012474:Salmon / Q000235:genetics
D052578:Ionic Liquids; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D004247:DNA; D002118:Calcium