Self-assembled carbon nanotube-DNA hybrids at the nanoscale: morphological and conductive properties probed by atomic force microscopy

Our research is focused on the engineering of novel, highly sensitive and miniaturized hybrid materials from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and DNA molecules for applications in biosensors and medical devices. These hybrid sensors allow for a high degree of miniaturization, a key factor in the design of lightweight components while maintaining the advantages of in-situ and real-time analysis capabilities. Here we present results on the nanoscale morphological and electrical properties of supramolecular complexes made of multiwalled CNTs (MWCNTs) and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and electron microscopy (SEM). Further, the MWCNTs-dsDNA films were investigated by conductive AFM using PeakForce TUNA configuration to assess the feasibility of this technique in determining the local conductive properties of the hybrid films.