DNA-Controlled Carbon Nanotube Partition in Polymer Aqueous Two-Phase Systems

Published

June 28, 2014

Author(s)

Geyou Ao, Constantine Y. Khripin, Ming Zheng

Abstract

Sorting single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) of different chiralities is both scientifically interesting and technologically important. Recent studies have shown that polymer aqueous two-phase extraction is a very effective way to achieve nanotube sorting. However, published works so far have only demonstrated separation of surfactant-dispersed SWCNTs, and the mechanism of chirality dependent SWCNT partition is not well-understood. Here, we report a systematic study of spontaneous partition of DNA-wrapped SWCNTs in several polymer aqueous two-phase systems. We show that partition of DNA-SWCNT hybrids in a given polymer two-phase system is strongly sequence-dependent, and can be further modulated by salt and polymer additives. With proper combination of DNA sequence, polymer two-phase system, and partition modulators, as many as 15 single-chirality nanotube species have been effectively purified from a synthetic mixture. As an attempt to provide a unified partition mechanism of SWCNTs dispersed by surfactants and by DNA, we present a qualitative analysis of solvation energy for SWCNT colloids in a polymer-modified aqueous phase. Our observation and analysis highlight the sensitive dependence of hydration energy on the spatial distribution of hydrophilic functionalities.

Citation

Journal of the American Chemical Society

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

single-wall carbon nanotubes, separation, solvation energy

Citation

Ao, G. , Khripin, C. and Zheng, M. (2014), DNA-Controlled Carbon Nanotube Partition in Polymer Aqueous Two-Phase Systems, Journal of the American Chemical Society, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=916043 (Accessed October 11, 2025)