ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights the use of functionalized carbon nanotube (CNT) in sensing and biosensing applications. CNTs were discovered in 1991 by a Japanese scientist, Sumio Iijima. Iijima noticed CNTs formation in the soot of the arc discharge. CNT can be considered as a rolled-up graphene sheet and according to the number of graphene sheets; CNT is classified into single-walled, double-walled and multiple-walled CNT. CNT, in principal, is chemically inert and has very poor solubility as well as high tendency to form aggregates. Acid functionalization of CNTs is an example of covalent functionalization. Chemical functionalization of CNT with polymeric material usually proceeds by two techniques, either “grafting from-” or “grafting to-” techniques. CNT can cross the cell membrane easily, so it can be used in drug delivery or in the introducing of proteins, nucleic acids or peptides to the cell. Researchers from Stanford University have devised a transparent skin-like stretchable pressure sensor based on CNT.
