Properties of carbon nanotube fibers spun from DNA-stabilized dispersions

The fabrication of single-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers containing (salmon) DNA has been demonstrated. The DNA material has been found to be adequate for dispersing relatively large concentrations (up to 1% by weight) of carbon nanotubes. These dispersions are better suited for fiber spinning than previously studied dispersions based on conventional surfactants, such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The DNA containing fibers were less conductive than the fibers based on SDS, but they were significantly, stronger. Considerably increased conductivity was obtained by thermally annealing the CNT/DNA fibers, a process accompanied by a loss in mechanical strength. Smaller improvements in conductivity could be introduced by annealing the carbon nanotubes before fiber production, with no alteration of the fiber mechanical properties. Those CNT/DNA fibers that were mechanically strong and conductive also exhibited good electrochemical behavior and useful capacitance values (up to 7.2 Fg(-1)).