Nano-gold corking and enzymatic uncorking of carbon nanotube cups.

ABSTRACT: Because of their unique stacked, cup-shaped, hollow compartments, nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube cups (NCNCs) have promising potential as nanoscale containers. Individual NCNCs are isolated from their stacked structure through acid oxidation and subsequent probe-tip sonication. The NCNCs are then effectively corked with gold nanoparticles (GNPs) by sodium citrate reduction with chloroauric acid, forming graphitic nanocapsules with significant surface-enhanced Raman signature. Mechanistically, the growth of the GNP corks starts from the nucleation and welding of gold seeds on the open rims of NCNCs enriched with nitrogen functionalities, as confirmed by density functional theory calculations. A potent oxidizing enzyme of neutrophils, myeloperoxidase (MPO), can effectively open the corked NC

SUBMITTER: Zhao Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4308760 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature