Article abstract
Nature Nanotechnology 3, 356 - 362 (2008)
Published online: 30 May 2008 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2008.148
Subject Categories: Carbon nanotubes and fullerenes | Molecular self-assembly
Selection of carbon nanotubes with specific chiralities using helical assemblies of flavin mononucleotide
Sang-Yong Ju1, Jonathan Doll1, Ity Sharma2 & Fotios Papadimitrakopoulos1,2
Abstract
The chirality of single-walled carbon nanotubes affects many of their physical and electronic properties. Current production methods result in nanotubes of mixed chiralities, so facile extraction of specific chiralities of single-walled carbon nanotubes is an important step in their effective utilization. Here we show that the flavin mononucleotide, a common redox cofactor, wraps around single-walled carbon nanotubes in a helical pattern that imparts efficient individualization and chirality selection. The cooperative hydrogen bonding between adjacent flavin moieties results in the formation of a helical ribbon, which organizes around single-walled carbon nanotubes through concentric 
– interactions between the flavin mononucleotide and the underlying graphene wall. The strength of the helical flavin mononucleotide assembly is strongly dependent on nanotube chirality. In the presence of a surfactant, the flavin mononucleotide assembly is disrupted and replaced without precipitation by a surfactant micelle. The significantly higher affinity of the flavin mononucleotide assembly for (8,6)-single-walled carbon nanotubes results in an 85%
chirality enrichment from a nanotube sample with broad diameter distribution.
- Nanomaterials Optoelectronics Laboratory (NOEL), Polymer Program, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3136, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3136, USA
Correspondence to: Fotios Papadimitrakopoulos1,2 e-mail: papadim@mail.ims.uconn.edu
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