Reversible positioning at submicrometre scale of carbon nanotubes mediated by pH-sensitive poly(amino-methacrylate) patterns.

The selective adsorption of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on a pH-reversible PDMAEMA patterned gold surface is presented. In acidic conditions, a selective CNTs adsorption onto the polymer brushes is obtained due to ammonium-π interactions. The reversible behavior was shown by successive treatments in both alkaline and acidic solutions with CNTs.