Bio-Inspired Supramolecular Chemistry Provides Highly Concentrated Dispersions of Carbon Nanotubes in Polythiophene.

ABSTRACT: In this paper we report the first observation, through X-ray diffraction, of noncovalent uracil-uracil (U-U) dimeric ?-stacking interactions in carbon nanotube (CNT)-based supramolecular assemblies. The directionally oriented morphology determined using atomic force microscopy revealed highly organized behavior through ?-stacking of U moieties in a U-functionalized CNT derivative (CNT-U). We developed a dispersion system to investigate the bio-inspired interactions between an adenine (A)-terminated poly(3-adeninehexyl thiophene) (PAT) and CNT-U. These hybrid CNT-U/PAT materials interacted through ?-stacking and multiple hydrogen bonding between the U moieties of CNT-U and the A moieties of PAT. Most importantly, the U···A multiple hydrogen bonding interactions between CNT-U and PAT enhanced the dispersion of CNT-U in a high-polarity solvent (DMSO). The morphology of these hybrids, determined using transmission electron microscopy, featured grape-like PAT bundles wrapped around the CNT-U surface; this tight connection was responsible for the enhanced dispersion of CNT-U in DMSO.

SUBMITTER: Lin YT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5456781 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature