Because of their extraordinary electronic and mechanical properties, carbon nanotubes have great potential as materials for applications ranging from molecular electronics to ultrasensitive biosensors. Biological molecules interacting with carbon nanotubes provide them with specific chemical handles that would make several of these applications possible. Here we use phage display to identify peptides with selective affinity for carbon nanotubes. Binding specificity has been confirmed by demonstrating direct attachment of nanotubes to phage and free peptides immobilized on microspheres. Consensus binding sequences show a motif rich in histidine and tryptophan, at specific locations. Our analysis of peptide conformations shows that the binding sequence is flexible and folds into a structure matching the geometry of carbon nanotubes. The hydrophobic structure of the peptide chains suggests that they act as symmetric detergents.

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Single-domain microcrystals of LaC(2) encapsulated within nanoscale polyhedral carbon particles have been synthesized in a carbon arc. Typical particle sizes are on the order of 20 to 40 nanometers. The stoichiometry and phase of the La-containing crystals have been assigned from characteristic lattice spacings observed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). EDS spectra show that La and C are the only elements present. Characteristic interatomic distances of 3.39 and 2.78 angstroms identify the compound inside the nanoparticle cavities as alpha-LaC(2), the phase of LaC(2) that is stable at room temperature. Bulk alpha-LaC(2) is metallic and hydrolytic. Observation of crystals of pure encapsulated alpha-LaC(2) that were exposed to air for several days before analysis indicates that the LaC(2) is protected from degradation bythe carbon polyhedral shells of the nanoparticles. A high percentage of the carbon nanoparticles have encapsulated LaC(2) single crystals. These carbon-coated metal crystals form a new class of materials that can be protected in their pure or carbide forms and may have interesting and useful properties.