Single-walled carbon nanotubes induces oxidative stress in rat lung epithelial cells

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) show unique properties find applications in micro devices; electronics to biological systems specially drug delivery and gene therapy. However the manufacture and extensive use of nanotubes raises concern about its safe use and human health. Very few studies have been carried out on toxicity of carbon nanotubes in experimental animals and humans, thus resulted in limiting their use. The extensive toxicological studies using in vitro and in vivo models are necessary and are required to establish safe manufacturing guidelines and also the use of SWCNT. These studies also help the chemists to prepare derivative of SWCNT with less or no toxicity. The present study was undertaken to determine the toxicity exhibited by SWCNT in rat lung epithelial cells as a model system. Lung epithelial cells (LE cells) were cultured with or without SWCNT and reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced were measured by change in fluorescence using dichloro fluorescein (DCF). The results show increased ROS on exposure to SWCNT in a dose and time dependent manner. The decrease in glutathione content suggested the depletion and loss of protective mechanism against ROS in SWCNT treated cells. Use of rotenone, the inhibitor of mitochondrial function have no effect on ROS levels suggested that mitochondria is not involved in SWCNT induced ROS production. Studies carried out on the effect of SWCNT on superoxide dismutase (SOD-1 and SOD-2) levels in LE cells, indicates that these enzyme levels decreased by 24 hours. The increased ROS induced by SWCNT on LE cells decreased by treating the cells with 1 mM of glutathione, N-Acetyl Cysteine, and Vitamin C. These results further prove that SWCNT induces oxidative stress in LE cells and shows loss of antioxidants.     

Single-walled carbon nanotube network with bimodal pore structures of uniform microporosity and mesoporosity

We characterized single-walled carbon nanotubes before and after HNO3/H2SO4 treatments for different times by scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and N2 adsorption at 77 K. Single-walled carbon nanotube assembly revealed a bimodal pore structure of microporosity (surface area of 476 m2 g(-1)) and mesoporosity (surface area of 476 m2 g(-1)) with a high total surface area of 1048 m2g(-1). The microporosity increased prominently after HNO3/H2SO4 treatments, whereas the mesoporosity decreased progressively with the treatment time. The HNO3/H2SO4 treatment of nanotubes induced an aggregation and alignment that should transform larger mesopores of nanotube assemblies into smaller ones, and smaller mesopores into micropores, resulting in the decrease of external surface area. This effect was attributed to the presence of abundant defects on the tube wall that were saturated by functional groups during the acid treatment of the single-walled carbon nanotubes.     

Silica nanoparticle induces oxidative stress and provokes inflammation in human lung cells

Amorphous silica has been used in a wide variety of industrial and consumer applications. Nanosized silica is being considered a potentially ideal nanomaterial for biomedical and biotechnological applications. In the present study, hierarchical oxidative stress paradigms of nanoparticle toxicity were assumed to evaluate the toxicity of amorphous silica nanoparticle in human healthy lung cells, L-132. The cells were exposed to varied concentrations viz. 0, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 μg/ml of silica nanoparticle for 24 h. Different parameters of cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory markers were assessed. Silica nanoparticle exposure showed concentration-dependent decrease in cell viability, increase in reactive oxygen species with depletion of antioxidant enzyme activity, induction of inteleukin-8 and cyclooxygenase-2 expression and subsequent DNA damage in L-132 cells. The results indicated that amorphous silica nanoparticle followed hierarchical oxidative stress model and generated oxidative stress which provoked the pro-inflammatory response and caused necrosis in human lung cells.     

The role of NADPH oxidase in multi-walled carbon nanotubes-induced oxidative stress and cytotoxicity in human macrophages

Recent studies suggest reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced in mammalian cells exposed to multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) could mediate the cytotoxicity. This study was conducted to determine the mechanisms responsible for MWCNTs-induced ROS production in human primary macrophages. Our results showed that superoxide levels were significantly increased in a time-dependent manner in blood monocyte-derived macrophages treated with 100 microg/ml MWCNTs for 12 h. Concomitantly, MWCNTs induced membrane translocation of the NADPH oxidase subunits p47phox and p67phox, a signature event for NADPH oxidase activation. Pre-incubation with apocynin, a selective inhibitor of NADPH oxidase, prevented both membrane translocation of p47phox and superoxide production. Treatment with MWCNTs also resulted in an increased cytotoxicity in human primary macrophages that was significantly attenuated by both apocynin and antioxidants. These findings demonstrate that MWCNTs activate NADPH oxidase in human macrophages, which may contribute to ROS generation in MWCNTs treated-macrophages.     

The stress transfer efficiency of a single-walled carbon nanotube in epoxy matrix

This paper investigates the effects of tube length and diameter on the distributions of tensile stress and interfacial shear stress of a single-walled carbon nanotube in epoxy matrix. It was shown that a smaller tube diameter has a more effective reinforcement and there exists an optimal tube length at which reinforcement is maximized. It was also found that a carbon nanotube has a greater stress transfer efficiency than a solid fibre, providing flexibility for toughness and tensile strength optimization.     

Compressive relaxation of the stress and resistance for carbon nanotube filled silicone rubber composite

The changes in the stress and the electrical resistance of carbon nanotube filled silicone rubber composite during compressive stress relaxation are researched quantitatively. The changing tendency of the electrical resistance is similar to that of the stress. The experimental data of the electrical resistance and the stress over time can be fitted by the spring–dashpot model based on the viscoelastic theory. Both the final relative resistance and the final relative stress increase with the increase of the loading speed and decrease with the increase of the carbon nanotube concentration. Both the resistance relaxation time and the stress relaxation time decrease with the increase of the loading speed. The similarity between the compressive resistance relaxation and the compressive stress relaxation is explained by analyzing the correlation between the changes in the conductive network and the disorientation of the polymer macromolecules.     

Internal stress induced metallization of single-walled carbon nanotubes in a nanotube/glass conducting composite

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) have been incorporated into a (Pb, Zn)-phosphate glass host by a melt-quenching technique. Studies of the optical and electronic properties show that the nanotubes in the composite have suffered conformational deformations and attained a band structure of quasimetallic type, making the composite a good electrical conductor. Possible strains in the nanotubes of the composite such as radial compression, torsion and bending have been considered and their role in modulating the band structures has been analyzed by judging the change in band gap energies (ΔE) of the deformed SWCNTs using an equation which is based on the π-electron tight binding model. The effect of σ*-π* hybridization due to the radial compression in generating the metallicity is also discussed. The carrier transport in the composite above room temperature has been shown to be dominated by fluctuation induced tunneling.     

Non-linear and resonance effects in carbon nanotube structures

In this paper, we report on Raman scattering and Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) studies of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and carbon nanotube/conjugated polymers composites. We demonstrate that under SERS conditions we induce an abnormal anti-Stokes Raman emission, that can be interpreted as being due to a “single-beam pumped” Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) effect. We also investigate in detail the anti-Stokes/Stokes (aS/S) intensity ratios of the radial breathing modes (RBMs) of SWNTs as a function of several parameters. From calculations, we show that resonance phenomena mostly explain the aS/S intensity ratio anomalies, but only at low frequencies. In addition, we describe results obtained with polymers like poly(bithiophene) (PBTh) polymerized on carbon nanotube thin films which exhibit also an amplification of its high frequency Raman modes in the anti-Stokes branch, generated by the plasmon excitation of metallic tubes. This phenomenon occurs in several other materials such as composites based on SWNTs and conjugated polymers such as poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) and polyparaphenylene-vinylene (PPV) for modes located around 1500 cm⁻¹.     

Single-walled carbon nanotubes in the intact organism: near-IR imaging and biocompatibility studies in Drosophila

The ability of near-infrared fluorescence imaging to detect single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in organisms and biological tissues has been explored using Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies). Drosophila larvae were raised on food containing approximately 10 ppm of disaggregated SWNTs. Their viability and growth were not reduced by nanotube ingestion. Near-IR nanotube fluorescence was imaged from intact living larvae, and individual nanotubes in dissected tissue specimens were imaged, structurally identified, and counted to estimate a biodistribution.     

Novel electrical switching behaviour and logic in carbon nanotube Y-junctions

Carbon-nanotube-based electronics offers significant potential as a nanoscale alternative to silicon-based devices for molecular electronics technologies. Here, we show evidence for a dramatic electrical switching behaviour in a Y-junction carbon-nanotube morphology. We observe an abrupt modulation of the current from an on- to an off-state, presumably mediated by defects and the topology of the junction. The mutual interaction of the electron currents in the three branches of the Y-junction is shown to be the basis for a potentially new logic device. This is the first time that such switching and logic functionalities have been experimentally demonstrated in Y-junction nanotubes without the need for an external gate. A class of nanoelectronic architecture and functionality, which extends well beyond conventional field-effect transistor technologies, is now possible.     

Bipolar conduction and drain-induced barrier thinning in carbon nanotube FETs

The drain current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of Schottky-barrier carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (FETs) are computed via a self-consistent solution to the two-dimensional potential profile, the electron and hole charges in the nanotube, and the electron and hole currents. These out-of-equilibrium results are obtained by allowing splitting of both the electron and hole quasi-Fermi levels to occur at the source and drain contacts to the tube, respectively. The interesting phenomena of bipolar conduction in a FET, and of drain-induced barrier thinning (DIBT) are observed. These phenomena are shown to add a breakdown-like feature to the drain I-V characteristic. It is also shown that a more traditional, saturating-type characteristic can be obtained by workfunction engineering of the source and drain contacts.     

Quantification of carbon nanotube distribution and property correlation in nanocomposites

Quantification of the quality of distribution is essential in carbon nanotube (CNT) composites since it reflects the homogeneity of the properties. In this work, an attempt is made to quantify the quality of distribution of carbon nanotubes in a metal matrix composite by two methods. Two parameters have been proposed which are complimentary. The first one called Dispersion Parameter (DP) is based on the image analysis technique and is obtained based on the size of CNT cluster while the second one, named the Clustering Parameter (CP) is based on distances between centers of the nanotubes obtained by Delaunay triangulation. The method is applied to compare the level of distribution of nanotubes in three micrographs of CNT reinforced aluminum composite fabricated by cold spraying. A comparison between two quantification techniques is made. Carbon nanotube distribution obtained by image analysis technique is successfully utilized to correlate and account for experimentally obtained elastic modulus values of the nanocomposite by nanoindentation.     

Global and local charge trapping in carbon nanotube field-effect transistors

The influences of trapped charges on carrier transport in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are studied using CNT field-effect transistors with a partial top-gate and a global back-gate. Trapped charges induced by the global back-gate voltage sweeping (± 20?V) promote the device from 'ON' states to near 'OFF' states at zero gate voltage. The channel conductance and field-effect mobility of the device are significantly affected by the pre-trapped charges induced by global back-gate voltage pulses. When the partial top-gate is swept, the pre-trapped charges induced by the global back-gate voltage pulses change the conduction type of the device. In contrast, the pre-trapped charges induced by the partial top-gate voltage pulses could force the device to the 'ON' or 'OFF' state during the top-gate sweeping (± 4?V).     

Comparison of rheological and electrical percolation phenomena in carbon black and carbon nanotube filled epoxy polymers

Epoxy nanocomposite suspensions including multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and carbon black (CB) were produced and investigated by means of combined rheological and electrical analysis. The rheological percolation behaviour was compared to the electrical percolation behaviour. Due to similar dynamic agglomeration mechanisms the difference between the rheological and the electrical percolation threshold in the cured state is identical for MWCNT and CB filled systems. Non-covalent matrix–nanoparticle interactions in uncured epoxy suspensions are negligible since the onset of electrical and rheological percolation in the uncured state coincidence. Furthermore, the electrical percolation threshold in the cured state is always lower than in the uncured state because of the high tendency of CB and MWCNTs to form conductive networks during curing. The difference between rheological and electrical percolation threshold is dependent on the curing conditions. Thus, the rheological percolation threshold can be considered as an upper limit for the electrical percolation threshold in the cured state. Due to the formation of co-supporting networks multi-filler (MWCNTs and CB) suspensions exhibit a similar rheological behaviour as the binary MWCNT suspensions. For both types of suspensions a rheological percolation threshold of around 0.2 and 0.25 wt% was determined. Conversely, the binary CB nanocomposites exhibit a four-times higher percolation threshold of about 0.8 wt%. The difference between the binary MWCNT suspension and the ternary CB/MWCNT suspension in storage shear modulus at high filler concentrations (~0.8 wt%) turns out to be less than expected. Thus, synergistic effects in network formation are already present in the epoxy suspension and get more pronounced during curing.     

Exciton dissociation and stark effect in the carbon nanotube photocurrent spectrum

The field-dependent photocurrent spectrum of individual carbon nanotubes is measured using a displacement photocurrent technique. A series of peaks is observed in the photocurrent corresponding to both excitonic and free carrier transitions. The photocurrent peak corresponding to the ground state exciton increases by a factor of 200 beyond a critical electric field, and shows both red and blue shifts depending on the field regime. This provides evidence for field-induced mixing between excitonic and free carrier states.     

Correlated random telegraph signal and low-frequency noise in carbon nanotube transistors

A correlated random telegraph signal is observed from the interaction of two individual defects in a carbon nanotube transistor. It is shown that the amplitude fluctuation of one defect significantly depends on the state of the other defect. Moreover, statistics of the correlated switchings is shown to deviate from the ideal Poisson process. Physics of this random telegraph signal correlation is attributed to the fact that the two defects are located closer than the sum of their Fermi-Thomas screening lengths. This work brings new implications to the source of low frequency noise in nanodevices. Moreover, statistic studies provide a new avenue to study correlated effects due to particle interactions.