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Published Online November 26, 2003
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1092048

Reports

Submitted on September 9, 2003
Accepted on November 17, 2003

Aligned Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Membranes

Bruce J. Hinds 1*, Nitin Chopra 2, Terry Rantell 3, Rodney Andrews 3, Vasilis Gavalas 4, Leonidas G. Bachas 4

1 Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY 40506, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY 40506, USA.
2 Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY 40506, USA.
3 Center for Applied Energy Research, 2540 Research Park Drive, Lexington, KY 40511, USA.
4 Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY 40506, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: bjhinds{at}engr.uky.edu.

An array of aligned carbon nanotubes was incorporated across a polymer film to form a well-ordered nanoporous membrane structure. This membrane structure was confirmed by electron microscopy, anisotropic electrical conductivity, gas transport and ionic transport studies. The measured nitrogen permeance was consistent with the flux calculated by Knudsen diffusion through nanometer-scale tubes of the observed microstructure. Transport data of Ru(NH3)63+ across the membrane in aqueous solution was also indicative of transport through the core of carbon nanotubes with observed microstructure. The lengths of the nanotubes within the polymer film have been reduced by selective electrochemical oxidation, allowing for tunable pore lengths. Oxidative trimming processes result in carboxylate end groups that are readily functionalized at the entrance of CNT inner-cores. Membranes with carbon nanotube tips that were functionalized with biotin showed a reduction in Ru(NH3)63+ flux by a factor of 15 when bound with streptavidin, thereby demonstrating the ability to gate molecular transport through carbon nanotube cores for potential application in chemical separations and sensing.


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)