Carbon nanotube soluble supramolecular complexes

Figure 8.10 Soluble supramolecular complexes of carbon nanotubes, 0.01 M Na2S04, aqueous solution. Scan rate = 0.1 V/s T— 25°C working electrode is Pt disc (r — 0.05 cm). Potentials measured versus silver quasi-reference electrode (approximately —0.05 V versus SCE). Ref. 121, Reproduced by permission of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Other polysaccharides as well suit the formation of supramolecular structures with carbon nanotubes. For instance, a complex may be formed with schizophyl-lan. This (1-1,3-glucane exists as triple helix and winds around the SWNT accordingly. Functionalizing the termini of the glucane, for example, with ladosides, provides a compound that is soluble in water. Furthermore, it may confer to the product an increased affinity, for example, to lecture. 

Lee, Y, Geckeler, K. E. (2012). Cellular interactions of a water-soluble supramolecular polymer complex of carbon nanotubes with human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. Macromolecular Bioscience, 12, 1060-1067. 

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