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Detecting the Biopolymer Behavior of Graphene Nanoribbons in Aqueous Solution

Authors :
Boris I. Yakobson
Evgeni S. Penev
Amanda L. Duque
Ching-Hwa Kiang
James M. Tour
Jingqiang Li
Sithara S. Wijeratne
Wei Lu
Source :
Scientific Reports
Publication Year :
2016
Publisher :
Nature Publishing Group, 2016.

Abstract

Graphene nanoribbons (GNR), can be prepared in bulk quantities for large-area applications by reducing the product from the lengthwise oxidative unzipping of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT). Recently, the biomaterials application of GNR has been explored, for example, in the pore to be used for DNA sequencing. Therefore, understanding the polymer behavior of GNR in solution is essential in predicting GNR interaction with biomaterials. Here, we report experimental studies of the solution-based mechanical properties of GNR and their parent products, graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONR). We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study their mechanical properties in solution and showed that GNR and GONR have similar force-extension behavior as in biopolymers such as proteins and DNA. The rigidity increases with reducing chemical functionalities. The similarities in rigidity and tunability between nanoribbons and biomolecules might enable the design and fabrication of GNR-biomimetic interfaces.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20452322
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Scientific Reports
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....66246963a88d460e2d7f9652d017e9b3
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep31174