Hierarchical carbon nanotube assemblies created by sugar–boric or boronic acid interactions

We previously found that polysaccharide "schizophyllan (SPG)" can entrap as-grown and cut single-walled carbon nanotubes (as-SWNTs and c-SWNTs, respectively): we here reported that the c-SWNT-s-SPG (single stranded SPG) composites thus obtained can be aligned regularly using the covalent bond formation between boric acid or boronic acid derivatives and the 4,6-dihydroxyl group of the glucose side-chain unit.