A molecular scale full adder based on controlled intramolecular electron and energy transfer

Electron and electronic energy transfer processes are ways by which different molecules can signal their state from one (the Donor, D) to the other (the Acceptor, A). This transfer is often studied as an intermolecular process but it can also occur intramolecularly, that is between two bridged parts of a bichromophoric molecule.We show that the donor part of a bichromophore molecule can communicate its logic output as input to the acceptor part of the bichromophoric molecule. Such transfer is achieved through electronic energy transfer between the chromophores. We discuss a specific pair, the rhodamine 6G-azulene, for which there is considerable data, but the scheme is general enough to allow a wide choice of D–A pairs. We present preliminary results pertaining to a newly synthesized bichromophoric molecule based on this pair, in which a full adder is implemented, utilizing intramolecular electronic energy transfer between the two moieties.     

A low-voltage Penning cell for vacuum measurement and vacuum technology

This paper presents new results on the performance of a special cold-cathode gauge. The use of an AC and DC voltage simultaneously as the power source makes it possible to ignite and sustain a discharge at a significantly lower voltage than normal over a wide pressure range (from 5 to 3×10⁻⁶ Pa). The Penning discharge voltage can be as low as 20 V at a pressure of 0.3 Pa and 300 V in high vacuum. For low values of pressure, the discharge current has a monotonously increasing dependence on the gas pressure. If a low RF voltage is applied to a high-voltage DC discharge, the discharge current increases in many times. These discharge properties can be used to improve the performance of devices that use the Penning and other magnetic discharges (total and partial pressure gauges, leak detectors, ion pumps, ion sources and hot plasma sources). A vacuum gauge of this type combines the best features of magnetic discharge and hot cathode ionization gauges.     

A micromachined carbon nanotube film cantilever-based energy cell

This paper reports a new type of energy cell based on micromachined carbon nanotube film (CNF)-lead zirconate titanate cantilevers that is fabricated on silicon substrates. Measurements found that this type of micro-energy cell generates both AC voltages due to the self-reciprocation of the microcantilevers and DC voltages due to the thermoelectric effect upon exposure to light and thermal radiation, resulting from the unique optical and thermal properties of the CNF. Typically the measured power density of the micro-energy cell can be from 4 to 300?μW?cm(-2) when it is exposed to sunlight under different operational conditions. It is anticipated that hundreds of integrated micro-energy cells can generate power in the range of milliwatts, paving the way for the construction of self-powered micro-?or nanosystems.     

A spiking neuron circuit based on a carbon nanotube transistor

A spiking neuron circuit based on a carbon nanotube (CNT) transistor is presented in this paper. The spiking neuron circuit has a crossbar architecture in which the transistor gates are connected to its row electrodes and the transistor sources are connected to its column electrodes. An electrochemical cell is incorporated in the gate of the transistor by sandwiching a hydrogen-doped poly(ethylene glycol)methyl ether (PEG) electrolyte between the CNT channel and the top gate electrode. An input spike applied to the gate triggers a dynamic drift of the hydrogen ions in the PEG electrolyte, resulting in a post-synaptic current (PSC) through the CNT channel. Spikes input into the rows trigger PSCs through multiple CNT transistors, and PSCs cumulate in the columns and integrate into a 'soma' circuit to trigger output spikes based on an integrate-and-fire mechanism. The spiking neuron circuit can potentially emulate biological neuron networks and their intelligent functions.     

Glucose biosensor based on carbon nanotube epoxy composites

A novel glucose biosensor based on a rigid and renewable carbon nanotube (CNT) based biocomposite is reported. The biosensor was based on the immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx) within the CNT epoxy-composite matrix prepared by dispersion of multi-wall CNT inside the epoxy resin. The use of CNT, as the conductive part of the composite, ensures better incorporation of enzyme into the epoxy matrix and faster electron transfer rates between the enzyme and the transducer. Experimental results show that the CNT epoxy composite biosensor (GOx-CNTEC) offers an excellent sensitivity, reliable calibration profile, and stable electrochemical properties together with significantly lower detection potential (+0.55 V) than GOx-graphite epoxy composites (+0.90 V; difference deltaE = 0.35 V). The results obtained favorably compare to those of a glucose biosensor based on a graphite epoxy composite (GOx-GEC).     

Electrochemical nanoneedle biosensor based on multiwall carbon nanotube

We report the fabrication and analytical functions of a biosensor based on a nanoneedle consisting of a multiwall carbon nanotube attached to the end of an etched tungsten tip. The devised electrode is the smallest needle-type biosensor reported to date. The nanoneedles prepared in this work are 30 nm in diameter and 2-3 microm in length. Dopamine and glutamate, which are physiologically important neurotransmitters, were successfully detected using these nanoneedles. Bare nanoneedles detected dopamine in the range from 100 to 1000 microM by differential pulse voltammetry, and enzyme-modified nanoneedles were able to respond to glutamate in the 100-500 microM range by potentiostatic amperometry.     

聚苯胺/碳纳米管复合物的制备及其工艺研究

以低温原位静置法制备了聚苯胺包覆碳纳米管复合物,考察了碳纳米管含量和掺杂酸种类2个工艺参数对复合物的形貌、热稳定性、吸波性能的影响。研究表明:碳纳米管含量为10%时,两者完全包覆出现类似玉米棒形貌,有机酸掺杂制备出针形的聚苯胺且随单体浓度降低直径变小针状更明显;酸种类参数对热稳定性的影响更大,10%碳纳米管含量对氨基苯磺酸掺杂的样品热稳定性最好;有机酸掺杂样的损耗正切远小于盐酸掺杂样的,以盐酸掺杂的碳管含量为10%的样品在低频处有很好的吸收。     

A carbon nanotube needle biosensor

A carbon nanotube needle biosensor was developed to provide fast, cost effective and highly sensitive electrochemical detection of biomolecules. The sensor was fabricated based on an array of aligned multi-wall carbon nanotubes synthesized by chemical vapor deposition. A bundle of nanotubes in the array was welded onto the tip of a tungsten needle under a microscope. The needle was then encased in glass and a polymer coating leaving only the tip of the needle exposed. Cyclic voltammetry was performed to examine the redox behavior of the nanotube needle. The cyclic voltammetry results showed a steady-state response attributable to radial diffusion with a high steady-state current density. An amperometric sensor was then developed for glucose detection by physically attaching glucose oxidase on the nanotube needle. The amperometric response of these nanotube needles showed a high sensitivity with a low detection limit. It is expected that the nanotube needle can be sharpened to increase the sensitivity to the point where the current is almost too small to measure. The simple manufacturing method should allow commodity level production of highly sensitive electronic biosensors.     

Investigation of nanotube length effect on the reinforcement efficiency in carbon nanotube based composites

The main goal of this research is to study the tensile behavior of embedded short carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a polymer matrix in presence of van der Waals (vdW) interaction as inter-phase region. A 3D finite element model of a unit cell consisting of capped carbon nanotubes, inter-phase and surrounding polymer is built. The unit cell is subjected to tensile load case to obtain longitudinal Young’s modulus of the investigated cell. A parametric study is carried out to investigate the effect of CNT’s length on reinforcement. It is observed that improvement in the Young’s modulus of CNT-composite is negligible for lengths smaller than 100 nm and saturation takes place in larger lengths on the order of 10 μm. Furthermore, a comparison between results obtained for short carbon nanotubes and long carbon nanotube is presented. The efficient length of CNT in form of (10, 10) is obtained at the order of 10 μm. Finally, it was shown that direct use of micromechanics equations for short fibers will overestimate the stiffness. However, employing effective stiffness of equivalent fiber comprising of CNT and its inter-phase instead of high modulus of CNT will lead us to more appropriate results, which are in an acceptable agreement with conventional semi-empirical micromechanics equations.     

基于层层自组装纳米碳管薄膜的应变传感器

以层层自组装单壁碳纳米管网状薄膜为敏感材料,在柔性基底上制作了应变传感器,并对薄膜和器件性能进行了测试。测试结果表明:薄膜组装均匀,电导性良好,电阻随组装层数增加呈指数态下降;器件对应变呈现较好的敏感特性、线性响应和可恢复性,灵敏度为4.25;通过添加防护层屏蔽外界湿度及光照影响,传感器稳定性显著提高。该传感器可用于弯曲表面的应力应变检测。     

Label-free protein biosensor based on aptamer-modified carbon nanotube field-effect transistors

We have fabricated label-free protein biosensors based on aptamer-modified carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNT-FETs) for the detection of immunoglobulin E (IgE). After the covalent immobilization of 5'-amino-modified 45-mer aptamers on the CNT channels, the electrical properties of the CNT-FETs were monitored in real time. The introduction of target IgE at various concentrations caused a sharp decrease in the source-drain current, and a gradual saturation was observed at lower concentrations. The amount of the net source-drain current before and after IgE introduction on the aptamer-modified CNT-FETs increased as a function of IgE concentration. The detection limit for IgE was determined as 250 pM. We have also prepared CNT-FET biosensors using a monoclonal antibody against IgE (IgE-mAb). The electrical properties of the aptamer- and antibody-modified CNT-FETs were compared. The performance of aptamer-modified CNT-FETs provided better results than the ones obtained using IgE-mAb-modified CNT-FETs under similar conditions. Thus, we suggest that the aptamer-modified CNT-FETs are promising candidates for the development of label-free protein biosensors.     

Scalable fabrication of immunosensors based on carbon nanotube polymer composites

In this work we present the fabrication and characterization of immunosensors based on polystyrene (PS)-multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites. The electrochemical properties of the sensors have been investigated and show that the surface area is increased upon addition of the MWCNT-PS layer. Furthermore, a plasma activation process is used to partially remove the PS and expose the MWCNTs. This results in a huge increase in the electrochemical area and opens up the possibility of binding biomolecules to the MWCNT wall. The MWCNTs have been functionalized covalently with a model antibody (rabbit IgG). The biosensors have been tested using amperometric techniques and show detection limits comparable to standard techniques such as ELISA.     

Novel photodetectors based on double-walled carbon nanotube film/TiO2 nanotube array heterodimensional contacts

A new kind of photodetector based on a double-walled carbon nanotube (DWCNT) film and a TiO₂ nanotube array with hetrodimensional non-ohmic contacts has been fabricated. Due to the dimensionality difference effect, the DWCNT film/TiO₂ nanotube array photodetector exhibits a much higher photocurrent-to-dark current ratio and photoresponse relative to an Au film/TiO₂ nanotube array device, even at small bias voltage. The photocurrent-to-dark current ratio reached four orders of magnitude and a high photoresponse of 2467 A/W was found upon irradiation at 340 nm. Furthermore, the photosensitive regions could be extended into the visible range. The photocurrent-to-dark current ratio reached approximately three orders of magnitude upon irradiation at 532 nm, where the photon energy is much lower than the band gap of TiO₂.      

A numerical study on carbon nanotube pullout to understand its bridging effect in carbon nanotube reinforced composites

Carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced polymeric composites provide a promising future in structural engineering. To understand the bridging effect of CNT in the events of the fracture of CNT reinforced composites, the finite element method was applied to simulate a single CNT pullout from a polymeric matrix using cohesive zone modelling. The numerical results indicate that the debonding force during the CNT pullout increases almost linearly with the interfacial crack initiation shear stress. Specific pullout energy increases with the CNT embedded length, while it is independent of the CNT radius. In addition, a saturated debonding force exists corresponding to a critical CNT embedded length. A parametric study shows that a higher saturated debonding force can be achieved if the CNT has a larger radius or if the CNT/matrix has a stronger interfacial bonding. The critical CNT embedded length decreases with the increase of the interfacial crack initiation shear stress.