title: Supramolecular assemblies of nucleoside functionalized carbon nanotubes: synthesis, film preparation, and properties.
abstract: Nucleoside-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (N-MWCNTs) were synthesized and characterized. A self-organization process using hydrogen bonding interactions was then used for the fabrication of self-assembled N-MWCNTs films free of stabilizing agents, polymers, or surfactants. Membranes were produced by using a simple water-dispersion-based vacuum-filtration method. Hydrogen-bond recognition was confirmed by analysis with IR spectroscopy and TEM images. Restoration of the electronic conduction properties in the N-MWCNTs membranes was performed by removing the organic portion by thermal treatment under an argon atmosphere to give d-N-MWCNTs. Electrical conductivity and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements confirmed the efficiency of the annealing process. Finally, oxidative biodegradation of the films N-MWCNTs and d-N-MWCNTs was performed by using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and low concentrations of H2 O2 . Our results confirm that functional groups play an important role in the biodegradation of CNT by HRP: N-MWCNTs films were completely biodegraded, whereas for d-N-MWCNTs films no degradation was observed, showing that the pristine CNT undergoes minimal enzyme-catalyzed oxidation This novel methodology offers a straightforward supramolecular strategy for the construction of conductive and biodegradable carbon nanotube films.
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence for Nanostructured Materials (CENMAT), INSTM UdR di Trieste, Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, University of Trieste, Piazzale Europa 1, 34127 Trieste (Italy).
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Micoli
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turco
authors.forename: Elsie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Araujo-Palomo
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Encinas
authors.forename: Mildred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quintana
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prato
mesh_terms: D004553:Electric Conductivity; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009705:Nucleosides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D009705:Nucleosides; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase
keywords: biodegradable; carbon nanotubes; conductive films; covalent functionalization; nucleosides; supramolecular assemblies