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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Formation of Ordered Biomolecular Structures by the Self-assembly of Short Peptides
Published on: November 21, 2013
Supramolecular self-assembly of lipid derivatives on carbon nanotubes
Cyrille Richard1, Fabrice Balavoine, Patrick Schultz
1CEA-Saclay, Service de Marquage Moléculaire et de Chimie Bioorganique, Bât 547, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France.
Abstract:
Images of the assembly of surfactants and synthetic lipids on the surface of carbon nanotubes were obtained by transmission electron microscopy. Above the critical micellar concentration, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) forms supramolecular structures made of rolled-up half-cylinders on the nanotube surface. Depending on the symmetry and the diameter of the carbon nanotube, we observed rings, helices, or double helices. Similar self-assemblies were also obtained with several synthetic single-chain lipids designed for the immobilization of histidine-tagged proteins. At the nanotube-water interface, permanent assemblies were produced from mixed micelles of SDS and different water-insoluble double-chain lipids after dialysis of the surfactant. Such arrangements could be further exploited for the development of new biosensors and bioelectronic nanomaterials.
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