Carbon nanotube scanning probe for imaging in aqueous environment
Carbon nanotube scanning probe for imaging in aqueous environment
复制标题
用于水环境成像的碳纳米管扫描探针
DOI：
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发表时间：
2004
影响因子：
3.9
通讯作者：
M. Meyyappan
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
R. Stevens;C. Nguyen;M. Meyyappan
碳纳米管(CNTs)作为扫描探针显微镜的探针已经成为碳纳米管在科学研究和工业领域的许多潜在用途之一。有人提出，碳纳米管独特的机械屈曲特性将减少施加在样品上的成像力，从而使碳纳米管扫描探针成为成像软材料，包括液体环境中的生物样品的理想选择。碳纳米管石墨化侧壁的疏水性在化学上显然与某些生物成像应用中的水溶液要求不相容。在这篇文章中，我们提供了电子显微照片结果，证明了碳纳米管扫描探针在水溶液中时的不稳定性。此外，我们还介绍了一种新的方法来解决这种化学不相容问题。通过在碳纳米管探针上涂覆乙二胺，从而使碳纳米管探针不那么疏水，我们展示了处理后的碳纳米管探针的液体成像能力。给出了水溶液中成像的实验数据，包括超薄的Ir膜和云母表面的DNA分子。
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) used as a probe for scanning probe microscopy has become one of the many potential usages of CNTs that is finding real applications in scientific research and industrial communities. It has been proposed that the unique mechanical buckling properties of the CNT would lessen the imaging force exerted on the sample and, thus, make CNT scanning probes ideal for imaging soft materials, including biological samples in liquid environments. The hydrophobic nature of the CNT graphitic sidewall is clearly chemically incompatible with the aqueous solution requirements in some biological imaging applications. In this paper, we present electron micrograph results demonstrating the instability of CNT scanning probes when submerged in aqueous solution. Moreover, we also introduce a novel approach to resolve this chemical incompatibility problem. By coating the CNT probe with ethylenediamine, thus rendering the CNT probe less hydrophobic, we demonstrate the liquid imaging capability of treated CNT probes. Experimental data for imaging in aqueous solutions are presented, which include an ultrathin Ir film and DNA molecules on a mica surface.