Conformation and Physical Properties of Single Wall Carbon Nanotube-Biomolecule Hybrids

Nano-sized materials have unique physical properties due to their small dimensions and are presently of major strategic concern for most industrialised countries. One such material that has attracted major attention during the last one-and-a half decade a re carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), which exhibit interesting physical properties, and promise new technological breakthroughs for a wide range of technologies. The interest in SWNTs stems from their unique structures and properties, possibility to be metallic a nd semiconducting, extremely high thermal conductivity, superior mechanical strength/weight ratio, etc. As an ideal one-dimensional system, SWNTs have attracted a great deal of attention for nano-science as well as for nano-electronics and nano-sensors a pplications. In addition, SWNTs are poised to be applied for cancer therapy and drug delivery. Hence, it is with high certainty that SWNTs will be part of our daily life affecting all off us within a few years. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate ho w bio molecules such as DNA and proteins (in particularly enzymes) interact with carbon nanotubes, how their mutual properties/structure are affected, and how these hybrids may be modified/controlled to take full advantage of their unique physical proper ties (due to their one dimensionality) for bio-applications. In addition, the results are also likely to be of importance for the toxicological knowledge of SWNTs. The methodology that will be used in this project is to combine in an integrated fashion atomic force microscopy (imaging technique) with Raman spectroscopy (in general sensitive to vibrations in molecules and in the case of SWNTs also to its electronic properties) in order to determine the conformation and interaction between SWNT and biomol ecules. The dependence of physical properties (of SWNT) on the conformation of DNA and proteins adsorbed on SWNT will be addressed using photoluminescence and Raman.