Functionalized carbon nanotubes

Abstract

Carbon nanotubes are grown on a first substrate. The CNTs grown on the first substrate are immersed in a biological solution at a predetermined depth to functionalize ends of the CNTs with a biological molecule. The functionalized CNTs are harvested from the first substrate. A second substrate is functionalized with a complementary biological modification, which is a complementary binding partner to the biological molecule functionalized to the ends of the CNTs. The functionalized CNTs are attached to the second substrate by way of the complementary binding partner.

1 . A method comprising:
 growing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on a first substrate;   immersing the CNTs grown on the first substrate in a biological solution at predetermined depth to functionalize ends of the CNTs with a biological molecule;   harvesting the functionalized CNTs from the first substrate;   functionalizing a second substrate with a complementary biological modification, which is a complementary binding partner to the biological molecule functionalized to the ends of the CNTs; and;   to attaching the functionalized CNTs to the second substrate by way of the complementary binding partner.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the biological solution comprises a protein. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the biological solution comprises DNA. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the biological solution comprises a carbohydrate. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the complementary biological modification comprises a protein. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the complementary biological modification comprises DNA. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the complementary biological modification comprises a carbohydrate. 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the CNTs gown on the first substrate have varying lengths, and only CNTs having lengths of at least a predetermined length are functionalized with the biological molecule. 
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 Positioning an anode a predetermined distance from the second substrate with the attached functionalized CNTs.   
     
     
         10 . A field emission device comprising a cathode comprising a substrate with functionalized CNTs attached thereto by way of biological complementary binding pairs. 
     
     
         11 . The field emission device as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising an anode positioned a predetermined distance from the cathode. 
     
     
         12 . The field emission device as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the anode further comprises a phosphor deposited on a substrate that emits light in response to bombardment of electrons emitted from the cathode under an influence of an electric field. 
     
     
         13 . The field emission device as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the biological complementary binding pairs comprise DNA. 
     
     
         14 . The field emission device as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the biological complementary binding pairs comprise biotin and streptavidin. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the biological solution comprises streptavidin, and the complementary binding partner comprises biotin. 
     
     
         16 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the biological solution comprises biotin, and the complementary binding partner comprises streptavidin.