Creation of novel nanomaterials utilizing biomaterials based on natural polysaccharide-conjugated polymer complex

It is already known that β-1,3-glucans form a hydrophobic cavity within the helical superstructure, which is surrounded by hydrophilic side-glucoses or primary OH groups. This unique core-shell structure resembles that of cyclodextrins, which are well-established hosts for C₆₀. Therefore, the fact encouraged us to pursue the possibility that β-1,3-glucans could act as a novel one-dimensional host for single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). As expected, β-1,3-glucans can interact with SWNTs to produce unique nanocomposites, in which SWNTs are entrapped within a one-dimensional hollow constructed by the helical superstructure of β-1,3-glucans. Moreover, various conductive polymers are also entrapped within the one-dimensional hollow to be arranged into the one-dimensional array. Since the surface is covered with β-1,3-glucans, the complex has potential to be bionanomaterials, where β-1,3-glucans act as an interface between the conjugated polymer and biologically important molecules. We tested this idea utilizing schizophyllan/conjugated polymer complex.