Issue 6, 2011

Supramolecular self-assembly of biopolymers with carbon nanotubes for biomimetic and bio-inspired sensing and actuation

Abstract

Biopolymers are important natural multifunctional macromolecules for biomimetic and bio-inspired advanced functional material design. They are not only simple dispersants for carbon nanotube stabilization as they have been found to have specific interactions with carbon nanotubes. Their molecular activity, orientation and crystallization are influenced by the CNTs, which endow their composites with a variety of novel sensing and actuation performances. This review focuses on the progress in supramolecular self-assembly of biopolymers with carbon nanotubes, and their advances in sensing and actuation. To promote the development of advanced biopolymer/CNT functional materials, new electromechanical characteristics of biopolymer/CNT composites are discussed in detail based on the relationship between the microscopic biopolymer structures and the macroscopic composite properties.

Graphical abstract: Supramolecular self-assembly of biopolymers with carbon nanotubes for biomimetic and bio-inspired sensing and actuation

Article information

Article type
Feature Article
Submitted
29 Jan 2011
Accepted
25 Mar 2011
First published
27 Apr 2011

Nanoscale, 2011,3, 2412-2420

Supramolecular self-assembly of biopolymers with carbon nanotubes for biomimetic and bio-inspired sensing and actuation

L. Lu and W. Chen, Nanoscale, 2011, 3, 2412 DOI: 10.1039/C1NR10113G

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements