Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Mann, Florian A
• Galonska, Phillip
• Herrmann, Niklas
• Kruss, Sebastian

Titel

Quantum defects as versatile anchors for carbon nanotube functionalization

Ist Teil von

• Nature protocols, 2022-03, Vol.17 (3), p.727-747

Ort / Verlag

England: Nature Publishing Group

Erscheinungsjahr

2022

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are used in diverse applications that require chemical tailoring of the SWCNT surface, including optical sensing, imaging, targeted drug delivery and single-photon generation. SWCNTs have been noncovalently modified with (bio)polymers to preserve their intrinsic near-infrared fluorescence. However, demanding applications (e.g., requiring stability in biological fluids) would benefit from a stable covalent linkage between the SWCNT and the functional unit (e.g., antibody, fluorophore, drug). Here we present how to use diazonium salt chemistry to introduce sp quantum defects in the SWCNT carbon lattice to serve as handles for conjugation while preserving near-infrared fluorescence. In this protocol, we describe the straightforward, stable (covalent), highly versatile and scalable functionalization of SWCNTs with biomolecules such as peptides and proteins to yield near-infrared fluorescent SWCNT bioconjugates. We provide a step-by-step procedure covering SWCNT dispersion, quantum defect incorporation, bioconjugation, in situ peptide synthesis on SWCNTs, and characterization, which can be completed in 5-7 d.