Hyunju Chang

Adsorption of NH3 and NO2 molecules on carbon nanotubes

Adsorption of NH3 and NO2 molecules on semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes is investigated using density functional theory. Both NH3 and NO2 molecules are found to bind to carbon nanotubes via physisorption. Electron charge transfer is found to be a major mechanism determining the conductivity change in carbon nanotubes upon exposure to NH3 and NO2 molecules. The calculated density of states is also considered to elucidate the differences in the NO2 and NH3 gas detection mechanism of carbon nanotubes.

Aptamers as molecular recognition elements for electrical nanobiosensors

AbstractRecent advances in nanotechnology have enabled the development of nanoscale sensors that outperform conventional biosensors. This review summarizes the nanoscale biosensors that use aptamers as molecular recognition elements. The advantages of aptamers over antibodies as sensors are highlighted. These advantages are especially apparent with electrical sensors such as electrochemical sensors or those using field-effect transistors. FigureFeeling proteins with aptamer-functionalized carbon nanotubes

In situ formation of two amorphous phases by liquid phase separation in Y–Ti–Al–Co alloy

The Y28Ti28Al24Co20 alloy undergoes metastable liquid phase separation in the under-cooled liquid state and subsequently solidifies into two different Y-rich and Ti-rich amorphous phases. Secondary phase separation occurs due to the supersaturation of the primary separated liquids as the temperature decreases. Depending on the degree of local undercooling, a wide range of length scale of the microstructure is observed. The characteristic length scale of the two amorphous phases is ∼250nm near the air side of the ribbon, and ∼25nm near the wheel side of the ribbon.

Investigation of the humidity effect on the electrical properties of single-walled carbon nanotube transistors

We investigated the effect of humidity on the electrical transport properties of single-walled carbon nanotube field effect transistors (SWNT-FETs). Water molecules are found to behave as electron donors to the nanotube: Current through the p-type carbon nanotube device is found to decrease under a modest humidity, and starts to increase as the humidity increases over 65%, which is believed to be due to the opening of electron channels. Through first principles calculations based on the density functional theory, we found that water molecules can donate electrons to the carbon nanotube. Moreover, a hydrogen-bonded water monolayer will be formed around the nanotube at fully covered conditions. We suggest that this result could provide a systematic understanding of the humidity effect on SWNT-FETs, which has been believed to be essential in the development of nanotube-based sensors.

The effect of metal cluster coatings on carbon nanotubes

The electrical transport and chemical sensing properties of single-walled carbon nanotube field effect transistors (SWNT-FETs) coated with metal clusters have been investigated. The source–drain current passing through an SWNT-FET coated with Pd nanoparticles showed no change over a range of gate voltages. Nevertheless, the magnitude of the current was still sensitive towards NO2, NH3 and H2 exposure. The Pd nanoparticles coating on the nanotube generated hole carriers, which either became diluted upon NH3 or H2 adsorption, or enhanced upon NO2 adsorption. Unlike the ohmic behaviour demonstrated by SWNT-FETs coated with Pd nanoparticles, the transfer characteristics of SWNT-FETs coated with Al nanoparticles revealed Schottky barrier formations at the metal–nanotube contacts. Here, the conductance through the nanotube decreased, while the device sensitivity towards NO2 and NH3 gases improved greatly. We suggest that coating SWNT-FETs with metal nanoparticles could be exploited for the development of highly sensitive nanotube-based molecular sensors.

Oriented Immobilization of Antibody Fragments on Ni-Decorated Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Devices

We herein demonstrate that Ni-decorated single-walled carbon nanotube field effect transistors (SWNT-FETs) combined with antibody fragments can be used as effective biosensing platforms. Nanoscales Ni particles 20 to 60 nm in diameter were formed on the sidewalls of SWNT-FETs using an electrochemical method. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-binding single chain variable fragments (scFvs) with a hexahistidine tag [(his)(6)] were synthesized using genetic engineering, and ordered immobilization of anti-CEA ScFvs on Ni nanoparticles was achieved by exploiting the specific interaction between hexahistidine and Ni. Whereas randomly oriented anti-CEA scFvs did not impart a noticeable change of conductance upon addition of CEA, a clear increase in conductance was observed using Ni-decorated SWNT-FETs functionalized with engineered scFvs.

Detection of tumor markers using single-walled carbon nanotube field effect transistors.

We have developed a biosensor capable of detecting carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) markers using single-walled carbon nanotube field effect transistors (SWNT-FETs). These SWNT-FETs were fabricated using nanotubes produced by a patterned catalyst growth technique, where the top contact electrodes were generated using conventional photolithography. For biosensor applications, SU-8 negative photoresist patterns were used as an insulation layer. CEA antibodies were employed as recognition elements to specific tumor markers, and were successfully immobilized on the sides of a single-walled carbon nanotube using CDI-Tween 20 linking molecules. The binding of tumor markers to these antibody-functionalized SWNT-FETs was then monitored continuously during exposure to dilute CEA solutions. The observed sharp decrease in conductance demonstrates the possibility of realizing highly sensitive, label-free SWNT-FET-based tumor sensors.

Electrical properties of polyaniline nanofibre synthesized with biocatalyst

Polyaniline (PANI) nanofibres were synthesized using a biocatalyst (recombinant Coprinus cinereus peroxidase) instead of toxic chemical oxidants. Relatively uniform nanofibres with 50?100?nm diameter were easily obtained with this method, and the doping state of the PANI nanofibre could be controlled either with 1N camphorsulfonic acid (CSA) or with 30% NH4OH. Doped (or dedoped) PANI nanofibres were deposited on pre-patterned Au electrodes for electrical characterization. Completely dedoped PANI behaves as an insulator, while a larger current, by more than four?orders of magnitude, was observed from doped PANI nanofibres. A?weak p-type gate effect was observed for PANI nanofibre devices as well. As one could expect from the easy doping nature of PANI, PANI nanofibre devices show high sensitivity toward dedoping (NH3) gases, thereby demonstrating the possibility of using enzyme-synthesized PANI nanofibre devices as sensitive chemical sensors.

Vertically aligned carbon nanotube electrodes directly grown on a glassy carbon electrode.

Three-dimensional microelectrodes were fabricated using glassy carbon electrodes combined with vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs). VACNTs were grown on various conducting electrode patterns including a carbon electrode fabricated by pyrolysis of a negative photoresist, with plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition using a bilayer Fe/Al catalyst. VACNT electrodes grown on the glassy carbon showed excellent electrochemical behavior, whereas VACNT electrodes grown on Pt showed poor electrochemical performance, presumably due to the poor contact between VACNTs and the Pt electrode. Electron microscopy showed that the VACNT layer was strongly bound to the carbon electrode, while that on Pt tended to peel away. The versatility of the all-carbon microelectrodes was also tested by using them for interfacing stem cells. Their superior mechanical properties and the electrical connectivity between the carbon electrode and the VACNTs, along with the simple fabrication process, suggest that glassy carbon may be a good conducting substrate for VACNT electrodes.

Role of minor addition of metallic alloying elements in formation and properties of Cu–Ti-rich bulk metallic glasses

The effect of minor addition (MA) of metallic alloying elements in Cu–Ti-rich Cu–Ti–Zr–Ni–Si bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) has been investigated. MA of elements having a relatively small positive enthalpy of mixing (partial substitution of Zr with Nb) leads to enhancement of compressive plasticity (up to about 5% of fracture strain) when the addition leads to improvement in glass-forming ability (GFA). If the GFA is reduced (partial substitution of Ni with Ag or Co), the plasticity is also reduced. On the one hand, the MA of elements having a relatively large positive enthalpy of mixing (partial substitution of Zr with Y) can lead to the liquid-state phase separation in Cu–Ti–Zr–Ni–Si(–Sn) BMGs, although the addition can lead to drastic deterioration in GFA and plasticity. This concept would be considered to be effective even in design of other BMG systems with tailored properties.