Functionalization of carbon nanotubes with proteins and quantum dots in aqueous buffer solutions

We report here on a method of suspending carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in aqueous buffer solutions and functionalizing CNTs with a molecule that is ``sticky'' to proteins. The specific bifunctional molecule used in this study is 1-pyrene butanoic acid succidymidyl ester (1-pbase). We report successful protein and quantum dot functionalization of the CNTs, using 1-pbase as a linking agent