Biofunctionalization of carbon nanotubes with artificial chlorophyll-lipid membranes - spectral characterization

摘要

The development of new advanced biomaterials with interesting properties has attracted much more attention in the recent years. This paper presents a new bottom-up approach strategy to design noncovalent entities based on single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and artificial lipid membranes (liposomes), with potential biomedical applications (drug delivery systems).Small unilamellar liposomes (SUVs) were prepared by thin film hydration method. Chlorophyll a (Chla) extracted from fresh spinach leaves, was incorporated in liposomes (Chla/lipid molar ratio =1/100) and used as a molecular sensor to monitor the changes occurred in the artificial lipid bilayers. SWCNTs were added to a suspension of Chla-SUVs and then subjected to ultrasound treatment. These nanobiomaterials were investigated by different spectral methods (DLS, UV-VIS absorption and emission).The originality of this work lies in the way of design, preparation and characterization of new nanobiomaterials by CNT biofunctionalization. The use of Chla is also another element of novelty. The spectral properties of Chla were exploited by introducing specific spectral parameters in order to monitor the changes at molecular level and the bionanomaterial time evolution. The biofunctionalization of CNTs with Chla-liposomes could be an effective method to increase CNT biocompatibility and to reduce their toxicity, getting bionanocomposites with biomedical applications.