Laser structuring of carbon nanotubes in the albumin matrix for the creation of composite biostructures.

This paper presents the composite biostructures created by laser structuring of the single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in an albumin matrix. Under the exposure of femtosecond laser radiation, the heating of the albumin aqueous solution causes liquid water to evaporate. As a result, we obtained a solid-state composite in the bulk or film form. Using the molecular dynamic method, we showed the formation of a framework from SWCNTs by the example of splicing of the open end of one nanotube with the defect region of another nanotube under the action of the laser heating. Laser heating of SWCNTs up to a temperature of 80°C to 100°C causes the C ? C bond formation. Raman spectra measured for the composite biostructures allowed us to describe the binding of oxygen atoms of amino acid residues of the albumin with the carbon atoms of the SWCNTs. It is found that the interaction energy of the nanotube atoms and albumin atoms amounts up to 580 ?? kJ / mol . We used atomic force microscopy to investigate the surface of the composite biostructures. The pore size is in the range of 30 to 120 nm. It is proved that the proliferation of the fibroblasts occurred on the surface of the composite biostructures during 72 h of incubation.