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Posted: April 9, 2007
Massive synthesis of organic nanotubes
(Nanowerk News) Researchers at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan have newly designed and synthesized amphiphilic molecules, and have developed a technique for the synthesis of various organic nanotubes of 40-200 nm in inner diameter, 70-500 nm in outer diameter, and several to hundreds Ám in length by self-assembling them in organic solvents.
This method needs less than one thousandth of the solvent used by conventional methods, enabling mass-production of organic nanotubes.
(Left) white powders (100g) consisting of organic nanotubes (mean outer diameter : 80nm, and mean inner diameter : 60nm), and (right) a scanning electron micrograph of the organic nanotubes. (Image: AIST)
Since they have excellent dispersibility in water, unlike carbon nanotubes, and can encapsulate guest substances of over 10 nm in size, such as proteins and nucleic acids, they are expected to be applied in various fields such as medicine, health, and nanobiotechnology.