title: Detecting the Biopolymer Behavior of Graphene Nanoribbons in Aqueous Solution.
abstract: Graphene nanoribbons (GNR), can be prepared in bulk quantities for large-area applications by reducing the product from the lengthwise oxidative unzipping of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT). Recently, the biomaterials application of GNR has been explored, for example, in the pore to be used for DNA sequencing. Therefore, understanding the polymer behavior of GNR in solution is essential in predicting GNR interaction with biomaterials. Here, we report experimental studies of the solution-based mechanical properties of GNR and their parent products, graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONR). We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study their mechanical properties in solution and showed that GNR and GONR have similar force-extension behavior as in biopolymers such as proteins and DNA. The rigidity increases with reducing chemical functionalities. The similarities in rigidity and tunability between nanoribbons and biomolecules might enable the design and fabrication of GNR-biomimetic interfaces.
authors: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors: Sithara S
authors: SS
authors: Wijeratne
authors: Department of Material Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors: Evgeni S
authors: ES
authors: Penev
authors: Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Lu
authors: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors: Jingqiang
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Department of Material Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors: Amanda L
authors: AL
authors: Duque
authors: Department of Material Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.|Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.|Richard E. Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science &Technology, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors: Boris I
authors: BI
authors: Yakobson
authors: Department of Material Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.|Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.|Richard E. Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science &Technology, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors: James M
authors: JM
authors: Tour
authors: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.|Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA.
authors: Ching-Hwa
authors: CH
authors: Kiang