Imaging of conformational changes of biotinylated triamide molecules covalently bonded to a carbon nanotube surface

A diamide molecule bearing a biotin terminus was bonded via an amide linkage to the surface of an aminated single-walled carbon nanotube and examined by a high-resolution transmission electron microscope. The still and movie images allowed us to study not only the conformation of the molecule but also its time evolution. An iterative sequence of modeling and simulation allowed us to assign one plausible conformation out of >10(8) possibilities. The images also provide direct support for the accepted wisdom that the curved regions of pristine carbon nanotubes are chemically reactive.