'Cooking' Carbon Nanotubes Like Spaghetti

Roland Piquepaille writes "Scientists from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have developed a technique to force a variety of enzymes to self-assemble layer-by-layer on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with the help of noodle-like polymer molecules. In 'A biosensor layered like lasagna,' the researchers say that this technique can be applied to a wide range of applications. In particular, it will be possible to build other biosensors "that react specifically with other biological chemicals, environmental agents or even microbes." Read more for additional details and the most spectacular scientific image of the month."

Perhaps Not for Electronics

[biohack]

This particular method has more to do with processing bulk quantities of nanotubes, rather than producing them. The closest connection to advanced electronics applications of NTs, is that selectively coating NTs with polymers and/or biomolecules is considered a promising route for purification and separation [nanotechwire.com] between conducting and semiconducting ones (the former are good as connectors, but the latter are needed for diodes and transistors). Selective attachment of a few biomolecules can also be useful for making self-assembling circuits. This particular method, however, produces a rather thick (30-50 nm) coating and not very specific attachment sites for biomolecules, so it lacks the features that would make it useful for electronics applications. The thick polymer layers are also likely to degrade contacts either between NTs or NTs and CMOS devices, which of course will reduce the possible operational frequencies for such hypothetical electronic components. Just a couple of reasons why using thinner polymers and/or biomolecules, such as DNA [smalltimes.com], to wrap NTs is currently considered as a more promising approach for electronics applications.

On the other hand, using these coated NTs for biosensors is indeed promising. The requirements for biosensing are significantly different compared to those for electronic components, and having a relatively thick polymer layer, which can be functionalized with many biomolecules, is in fact an advantage.

For a mere $110

[Anonymous Coward]

For a mere $110 you can have your own copy of the paper. That's nuts. Their research was probably funded by us the taxpayers. I'm assuming the journal is refereed and that the referees don't get paid. The $110 goes to support an inefficient publishing model. Maybe science should get with the twenty-first century. Maybe science should become open source - like it used to be.
(Actually, the idea of Slashdot type moderation for scientific papers intrigues me.)

Re:Still very theoretical.

[erbmjw]

The article does not suggest that they are building carbon nanotubes in bulk.

Rather it mentions that this specific team of PNNL scientists are utlizing electrostatic attraction and completely manufactured carbon nanotubes to rapidly construct extremely small, very precise sensors.

The technique, described in the April Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, enables enzymes, with the help of a long, noodle-like polymer molecule, to self-assemble layer-by-layer on a single carbon nanotube.

Another money-making scheme

[Danny Rathjens]

Is there anything that can be done to divest ourselves of these parasites? This "blog" is simply extracts of text taken from other places, images taken from other places, a referral link charging $110 ! dollars for the abstract of the paper, and then advertisements at the bottom of the blog telling you "how to make money with a blog"!

Are we really, as a community, this simple-minded to be taken in by pyramid schemes like this?(pyramid in that; look, I am making money with a blog, give me money to tell you how to make money with a blog)

Please, please, please, pay attention people. We have to be vigilant and not give these scammers even more views/clicks/dollars.

And isn't this Roland guy the same one that has blatantly defrauded us in the past with similar linkfarm/scam advertisement stories? What is going on here? We need to stand up and take notice of the leeches on our backs and make use of the salt!