Phototpolymerized macromolecules self-assembled around carbon nanotubes, a method of producing them, and their applications

Abstract

The invention relates to macromolecules auto-assembled and photopolymerised around carbon nanotubes. Said macromolecules are essentially formed from rings of lipid compounds, polymerised about the nanotubes, said polymerised compounds being obtained from lipid molecules with one or two chains A, bonded to a group Z where A is a chain, CH3—(CH2)m—C≡C—C≡C—(CH2)n—, where n and m, independently=whole numbers from 1 to 16 and Z is a polar head group embodied by a —COOH, —CO—NH—Y, —NH2 or N+(R)3, where R is an alkyl with C1, to C4 and Y is a —(CH2)4—C(R1)—N(CH2—COOH)2 group with R=H, or a COOH group, where A is a single lipid chain or a group of structure (I) or (II), where R2=a COOH, or —CO—NH—Y1 group with Y1=a —(CH2)4—C (R3)—N(CH2COOH)2 group with R3=H or a COOH group, where Z and R2 can also be neutral polar head groups of the sugar or polysaccharide type. The above is of application particularly to the protection and purification of nanotubes, as a hydrophobic molecule or membrane protein vector or as a molecular motor.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.