Biocidal nanotubes

Figure 16.5 Illustration of biocidal nanotubes absorbing onto and penetrating the wall of an . co// cell (A), and completely covering the surfaces of several E. coli cells (B). E. coli cells were used as model biological weapon agents. The mechanism of deactivation is not yet completely understood. From Lee eta/., [976], Copyright 2004, American Chemical Society.

There are a great many methods by which small molecules can be assembled to form nanotubes and other similar columnar aggregates [50]. Unlike the stacked disc methodology employed by Fenniri s group, Russell and co-workers took a completely different approach, which consisted of nanotubes made by way of rolled-up bilayers [48], Their study of biocidal nanotubes from a self-assembled diacetylene salt employed a hydrophobically driven bilayer type of self-assembly step. This bilayer formation was based on the alignment of the hydrophobic chains, including aligned Ji-systems of the acetylenes on the interior of the bilayer and the polar hydrobromide salts of an amine on the exterior of the bilayer (Fig. 7.6). 

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