TEM—See Transmission electron microscopy

A second class of lipid derivatives that contained two hydrophobic chains and a NTA polar head group was synthesized the double lipidic chain contained 12 (DC-12), 14 (DC-14), 16 (DC-16), and 18 (DC-18) carbon atoms. Unlike the single-chained (sc) class of molecules, no supramolecular assembly was observed for the double-chained (dc) reagents upon direct sonication with CNTs. Moreover, unlike the SC class, these reagents were not water soluble and formed vesicles in aqueous solutions. To ascertain whether micelles were required for supramolecular assembly formation, MWNTs were sonicated in the presence of DC compounds and a 1% concentration of the surfactant SDS. A mixed micelle consisting of DC/SDS formed in the aqueous solution SDS was subsequently removed through dialysis. TEM (see Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Techniques) showed the formation of half-cylinder striations that were approximately 5.5-7.5nm, which was in agreement with the size of the different lipidic chains the striations were >4.5 nm, which implied that they were not due to SDS. Therefore, the formation of micelles appears to be the key step for the formation of noncovalent supramolecular assemblies on CNTs. 

---