DNA-based functionalization of single walled carbon nanotubes for directed assembly

A method of orienting a carbon nanotube comprising:

• obtaining a nucleic acid, a carbon nanotube, and a substrate comprising a plurality of material phases;
• functionalizing the nucleic acid with functional groups having affinity for some of said plurality of material phases so that a distance between said functional groups differs from an average distance between the plurality of material phases by an amount of up to about 40%;
• optionally functionalizing the carbon nanotube with at least one functional group;
• forming a nucleic acid-carbon nanotube molecular composite by performing at least one of the following:
• i) disposing the functionalized nucleic acid on an unfunctionalized carbon nanotube;
• and
• ii) disposing the functionalized nucleic acid on the functionalized carbon nanotube;
• adsorbing the nucleic acid-carbon nanotube molecular composite upon the substrate;
• wherein functional groups of the nucleic acid-carbon nanotube molecular composite have an affinity for at least one of the plurality of material phases of the substrate;
• and
• orienting the nucleic acid-carbon nanotube molecular composite so that it contacts two or more identical material phases by selective contact of the functional groups having the affinity for the identical material phases.