Title

Applicability of carbon and boron nitride nanotubes as biosensors: Effect of biomolecular adsorption on the transport properties of carbon and boron nitride nanotubes

Authors

Xiaoliang Zhong, Michigan Technological University
Saikat Mukhopadhyay, Michigan Technological University
Gowtham S, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow
Ravindra Pandey, Michigan Technological UniversityFollow
Shashi P. Karna, US Army Research Laboratory

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-5-2013

Abstract

The effect of molecular adsorption on the transport properties of single walled carbon and boron nitride nanotubes (CNTs and BNNTs) is investigated using density functional theory and nonequilibrium Green’s function methods. The calculated I-V characteristics predict noticeable changes in the conductivity of semiconducting BNNTs due to physisorption of nucleic acid base molecules. Specifically, guanine which binds to the side wall of BNNT significantly enhances its conductivity by introducing conduction channels near the Fermi energy of the bioconjugated system. For metallic CNTs, a large background current masks relatively small changes in current due to the biomolecular adsorption. The results therefore suggest the suitability of BNNTs for biosensing applications.

Publisher's Statement

© 2013 AIP Publishing LLC. Publisher's version of record: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4801442

Publication Title

Applied Physics Letters

Recommended Citation

Zhong, X., Mukhopadhyay, S., S, G., Pandey, R., & Karna, S. P. (2013). Applicability of carbon and boron nitride nanotubes as biosensors: Effect of biomolecular adsorption on the transport properties of carbon and boron nitride nanotubes. Applied Physics Letters, 102(13), 133705-1-133705-4. http://doi.org/10.1063/1.4801442
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/data-science-fp/7

Version

Publisher's PDF