# US 8,470,611 B2 · Biologically self-assembled nanotubes

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- Number: US 8,470,611 B2
- Document ID: US8470611B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/044,748
- Filed: 2011-03-10
- Published: 2012-09-13
- Granted: 2013-06-25
- Earliest claimed: 2011-03-10
- Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Applicants: Xiangnan Dang; Hyunjung Yi; Angela M. Belcher; Paula T. Hammond
- Inventors: Xiangnan Dang; Hyunjung Yi; Angela M. Belcher; Paula T. Hammond
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8470611B2

## CPC

- H01G 9/2059: {comprising an organic dye as the active light absorbing material, e.g. adsorbed on an electrode or dissolved in solution}
- B82Y 10/00: Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
- B82Y 30/00: Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
- B82Y 40/00: Manufacture or treatment of nanostructures
- C01B 32/174: Derivatisation; Solubilisation; Dispersion in solvents
- H10K 85/225: {comprising substituents}
- H10K 85/761: {Biomolecules or bio-macromolecules, e.g. proteins, chlorophyl, lipids or enzymes}
- C12N 2795/14131: Uses of virus other than therapeutic or vaccine, e.g. disinfectant
- Y02E 10/542: Dye sensitized solar cells
- Y02E 10/549: Organic PV cells
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10)
- B82Y: SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A method of a general biological approach to synthesizing compact nanotubes using a biological template is described.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of making a composite material comprising:
providing a composition including a virus with binding affinity to nanotubes;
contacting the nanotubes to the virus, thereby forming a virus-nanotube complex; and
contacting a plurality of nanoparticles to the virus-nanotube complex, thereby forming a virus-nanotube-nanoparticle complex;
wherein the nanotubes include semiconductive nanotubes.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the pH of the composition to a predetermined pH, thereby dispersing the nanotubes along the virus.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the virus includes a template for nucleation and growth of nanoparticles.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising growing the nanoparticles of the virus-nanotube-nanoparticle complex.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the virus, thereby forming a nanotube-nanoparticle complex.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein contacting the nanotubes to the virus includes non-covalent binding of the nanotubes to the virus.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the virus is a genetically engineered virus.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the virus is M13.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of nanoparticles includes inorganic nanoparticles.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the inorganic nanoparticles include TiO2 nanoparticles.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the semiconductive nanotubes include single-walled carbon nanotubes.

### Claim 12

A method of making a composite material comprising:
providing a composition including a virus with binding affinity to carbon nanotubes;
contacting the carbon nanotubes to the virus, thereby forming a virus-carbon nanotube complex;
contacting a plurality of inorganic nanoparticles to the virus-carbon nanotube complex, thereby forming a virus-carbon nanotube-inorganic nanoparticle complex;
growing the inorganic nanoparticles of the virus-carbon nanotube-inorganic nanoparticle complex; and
removing the virus, thereby forming a carbon nanotube-inorganic nanoparticle complex;
wherein the nanotubes include semiconductive nanotubes.

### Claim 13

A method of making a composite material comprising:
providing a composition including a virus with binding affinity to nanotubes;
contacting the nanotubes to the virus, thereby forming a virus-nanotube complex; and
contacting a plurality of nanoparticles to the virus-nanotube complex, thereby forming a virus-nanotube-nanoparticle complex;
wherein the plurality of nanoparticles includes inorganic nanoparticles.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising adjusting the pH of the composition to a predetermined pH, thereby dispersing the nanotubes along the virus.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the virus includes a template for nucleation and growth of nanoparticles.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising growing the nanoparticles of the virus-nanotube-nanoparticle complex.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising removing the virus, thereby forming a nanotube-nanoparticle complex.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein contacting the nanotubes to the virus includes non-covalent binding of the nanotubes to the virus.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the virus is a genetically engineered virus.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the virus is M13.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the inorganic nanoparticles include TiO2 nanoparticles.

### Claim 22 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the nanotubes include semiconductive nanotubes.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the semiconductive nanotubes include single-walled carbon nanotubes.

### Claim 24

A method of making a composite material comprising:
providing a composition including a virus with binding affinity to carbon nanotubes;
contacting the carbon nanotubes to the virus, thereby forming a virus-carbon nanotube complex;
contacting a plurality of inorganic nanoparticles to the virus-carbon nanotube complex, thereby forming a virus-carbon nanotube-inorganic nanoparticle complex;
growing the inorganic nanoparticles of the virus-carbon nanotube-inorganic nanoparticle complex; and
removing the virus, thereby forming a carbon nanotube-inorganic nanoparticle complex;
wherein the plurality of nanoparticles includes inorganic nanoparticles.