Surface Functionalization of Pure-Chirality Carbon Nanotubes by Covalent and Noncovalent Chemistry

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are one-dimensional cylindrical nanostructures with distinct electronic and optical properties. With all its atoms on the surface, SWCNTs have been widely explored for chemical modification through noncovalent and covalent chemistry, which can provide promising applications in bioimaging and sensing. Here we investigated surface functionalization of purechirality SWCNTs with various glycopolymers, surfactants, and RPMI cell culture media with and without fetal bovine serum (FBS). Raman, vis-NIR absorption, and vis-NIR fluorescence spectra of SWCNTs in various solvent environments were monitored over time. While nanotube aggregation was not observed for incubation in FBS containing RPMI for 8 hours, interactions of DNA-SWCNTs with biological media resulted in a PL intensity increase for (7,6) and (8,4), decrease for (10,3), (7,3), (8,3), (11,1), (9,1) and (6,4), and relatively stable for (6,5), and (9,4). Photochemistry with aryl azide chain-end functionalized glycopolymers introduces sp3 defect sites into the carbon lattice of SWCNTs. This defect-induced E11- emits light at a lower energy peak than the original E11 in the NIR region. Interestingly, an E11- peak formation was observed for (6,5) SWCNTs upon photo reaction with N-lactosyl, N-mannosyl, and NPolyacrylamide polymers.https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/u_poster_2018/1059/thumbnail.jp