What is it about?
Molecular modelling techniques have been used to investigate how carbon nanotubes interact with synthetic derivatives of the natural polysaccharide, chitosan (non-toxic to cells). Longer polymer chains are able to better wrap around the nanotubes. The level of binding could also be computationally determined. The coated nanotube diameters were measured using atomic force microscopy and the values were in agreement with the computationally determined diameters.
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Why is it important?
These studies provide structural insights into synthetic derivatives of chitosan that can be wrapped around carbon nanotubes for use as targeted drug delivery materials.
Perspectives
I particularly liked the way in which atomic force microscopy was used to experimentally confirm the calculated coating thicknesses on the nanotubes using molecular modelling.
Dr James R Smith
University of Portsmouth
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Novel biocompatible chitosan decorated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) for biomedical applications: theoretical and experimental investigations, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, January 2010, Royal Society of Chemistry,
DOI: 10.1039/c003767b.
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