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Supported lipid bilayer/carbon nanotube hybrids

Nature Nanotechnology volume 2, pages 185–190 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Carbon nanotube transistors combine molecular-scale dimensions with excellent electronic properties, offering unique opportunities for chemical and biological sensing. Here, we form supported lipid bilayers over single-walled carbon nanotube transistors. We first study the physical properties of the nanotube/supported lipid bilayer structure using fluorescence techniques. Whereas lipid molecules can diffuse freely across the nanotube, a membrane-bound protein (tetanus toxin) sees the nanotube as a barrier. Moreover, the size of the barrier depends on the diameter of the nanotube—with larger nanotubes presenting bigger obstacles to diffusion. We then demonstrate detection of protein binding (streptavidin) to the supported lipid bilayer using the nanotube transistor as a charge sensor. This system can be used as a platform to examine the interactions of single molecules with carbon nanotubes and has many potential applications for the study of molecular recognition and other biological processes occurring at cell membranes.

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Figure 1: Representation of the SLB/carbon nanotube (NT) hybrids.
Figure 2: Test of lipid diffusion near SWNTs.
Figure 3: Fluorescence intensity distribution around the SWNTs.
Figure 4: Driving ganglioside-bound toxins near SWNTs with flow.
Figure 5: Detection of biotin–streptavidin binding with SWNT FETs.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Nanobiotechnology Center (NBTC), an STC Program of the National Science Foundation under Agreement No. ECS-9876771. J.M.M. thanks CONACyT for support through its graduate fellowship programme. Sample fabrication was performed at the Cornell Nanoscale Science & Technology Facility, a member of the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network, which is supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant ECS 03-35765).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Atomic and Solid-State Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA

    Xinjian Zhou & Paul L. McEuen

  2. Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA

    Jose M. Moran-Mirabal & Harold G. Craighead

Authors
  1. Xinjian Zhou
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  2. Jose M. Moran-Mirabal
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  3. Harold G. Craighead
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  4. Paul L. McEuen
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Contributions

X.Z. and J.M. performed the experiments and analysed the data. All the authors discussed the results and co-wrote the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Xinjian Zhou or Paul L. McEuen.

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Zhou, X., Moran-Mirabal, J., Craighead, H. et al. Supported lipid bilayer/carbon nanotube hybrids. Nature Nanotech 2, 185–190 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2007.34

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