Heat and light dual switching of a single-walled carbon nanotube/thermo-responsive helical polysaccharide complex: a new responsive system applicable to photodynamic therapy.

A thermo- and light-responsive system consisting of single-walled carbon nanotube and helical polysaccharide modified with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) side-chains has been developed through supramolecular polymer wrapping. Coagulation of the complex can be induced by the external stimuli, which leads to a catch-and-release action of a porphyrin derivative. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011