Spatial Control of Bio-Materials by Suspended Carbon Nanotubes

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The purpose of this project is classified into two themes:(1) Control of carbon nanotube networks toward nano-integrated devices including semiconductors, carbon nanotube interconnections and bio-functional components.(2) Investigation of adsorption mechanism of bio-molecules onto carbon nanotubes toward bio- and medical-application of carbon nanotubes.For these goals, we have studied fabrication techniques of carbon nanotube three-dimensional networks and characterization of bio-molecules, such as proteins and DNAs, adsorbed on carbon nanotube surfaces.In carbon nanotube networks, we have developed a grafting technique using a chemical vapor deposition assisted with metal catalysts. In this technique, carbon nanotubes are grown from catalyst particle deposited on the pie-grown suspended carbon nanotubes. Using this technique, a three-dimensional carbon nanotube networks can be fabricated. It was found that the carbon nanotube grafting is powerful to observe the growth mechanism using … More a transmission electron microscopy because the catalyst particles and grown carbon nanotubes are fixed in a free space.Carbon nanotube sheets were fabricated by the chemical vapor deposition using a porous silica film as a supporting material for catalyst particles. DNAs were immobilized on the grown carbon nanotube sheets through chemical bonds. DNAs were labeled with fluorescent molecules and observed using fluorescence microscopy. We succeeded to observe adsorption of DNAs onto the carbon nanotube sheets and hybridization of DNAs.Adsorption properties of protein molecules are important in application of carbon nanotubes to bio-technology and medicine. We applied carbon nanotubes to adsorption materials in plasma exchange to remove bilirubin which causes liver disease. The adsorption behavior was analyzed by infrared vibration spectroscopy. We found that protein molecules, such as albumin and avidin, are adsorbed on carbon nanotube surfaces at a high efficiency.In conclusion, we have fabricated three-dimensional carbon nanotube networks and applied them to immobilization of protein and DNA molecules. Less