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Hexahistidine‐Tagged Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes (His 6 ‐tagSWNTs): A Multifunctional Hard Template for Hierarchical Directed Self‐Assembly and Nanocomposite Construction
Author(s) -
Baati Rachid,
Ihiawakrim Dris,
Mafouana Rodrigue R.,
Ersen Ovidiu,
Dietlin Céline,
Duportail Guy
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201200354
Subject(s) - carbon nanotube , nanotechnology , materials science , supramolecular chemistry , interfacing , self assembly , stacking , biomolecule , nanocomposite , molecular machine , molecule , chemistry , computer science , organic chemistry , computer hardware
While a hexahistidine affinity tag can be introduced at protein termini or internal sites by standard molecular biology procedures for purification, immobilization, or labeling of proteins, here the versatility of this concept is exploited for the chemical preparation of novel hexahistidine‐tagged single‐walled carbon nanotubes (His 6 ‐tagSWNTs), a novel hard template useful for solubilizing, assembling, processing, and interfacing SWNTs in aqueous conditions. Water‐soluble and exfoliated His 6 ‐tagSWNTs are prepared and fully characterized. This functional molecular module is able to interact via robust physisorption (π−π stacking) with the sidewall of SWNTs and combines the versatility of small, water‐soluble reporters (His 6 ) for hierarchical directed self‐assembly (HDSA) and construction of nanocomposites. It is demonstrated that metal coordination bonds with Ni(II) can be used for the supramolecular self assembly of His 6 ‐tagSWNTs, generating complex reticulated networks and architectures. The His 6 ‐tagSWNTs hard template nanohybrid is further utilized for directed self‐assembly with silica nanoparticles. The versatility of the novel hybrids opens a new era for the rational design, smart (bio)functionalization, processing, interfacing, and self assembling of carbon nanotubes for the construction of multicomposites and more complex systems with controllable spatial organization and programmable properties for a wide range of applications in biology, nanoelectronics, and catalysis.