NER: Asymmetric End-functionalization of Nonaligned Carbon Nanotubes For DNA-directed Self-assembling

该提案是响应纳米科学与工程倡议NSF 06-595，类别NER而收到的。 目的是发展一种通用的化学修饰方法，用不同的化学试剂对非取向碳纳米管进行不对称末端官能化。该方法利用DNA双螺旋的可逆配对和变性形成DNA刷，其支持非对齐的碳纳米管用于顺序末端官能化。研究重点包括不同碱基序列的DNA链的末端连接化学、末端功能化的碳纳米管通过DNA配对作用的仿生自组装;和控制的自组装结构，使其有效地纳入功能系统。这个项目的完成不仅将导致一个强大的基本理解的DNA化学剪裁纳米管自组装结构，而且还开发了可用于光电和许多其它应用的新的基于碳纳米管的功能系统，以潜在地加速纳米管电子和光学器件的商业化。不对称末端官能化的碳纳米管也可以用作纳米级构建块，用于开发协同地联合收割机结合碳纳米管和DNA链的独特性质的新材料。该项目将通过将研究成果纳入本科和研究生课程，加强学生的培训和学习。该项目的成果将通过期刊出版物和会议介绍进一步传播，以使多学科领域的一般科学界受益。

This proposal was received in response to Nanoscale Science and Engineering initiative NSF 06-595, category NER. The objective is to develop a general chemical modification method to asymmetrically end-functionalize nonaligned carbon nanotubes with different chemical reagents. The approach takes advantage of the reversible paring and denaturing of DNA double helices to form DNA brushes that support nonaligned carbon nanotubes for sequential end-functionalization. The research will focus on the chemistry for end-attachment of DNA chains of different base sequences; biomimetic self-assembling of the end-functionalized carbon nanotubes through the DNA pairing interactions; and control of the self-assembled structures for their effective incorporation into functional systems.The accomplishment of this project will lead to not only a strong fundamental understanding of DNA chemistries for tailoring nanotube self-assembled structures, but also developing new carbon nanotube-based functional systems useful for optoelectronic and many other applications to potentially accelerate the commercialization of nanotube electronic and optical devices. The asymmetrically end-functionalized carbon nanotubes can also be used as nanoscale building blocks for developing new materials that synergistically combine the unique properties of carbon nanotubes and DNA chains. This project will enhance student training and learning by incorporating the research results into undergraduate and graduate courses. The results of this project will be further disseminated through journal publications and conference presentations to benefit the general scientific community in the multidisciplinary field.