US Patent 7452452 - CNT nanoelectrode arrays

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7452452.html

Nanoelectrode arrays are useful to characterize proteins and complex biological molecules. This patent from Boston College teaches nanoelectrode arrays formed from vertically oriented carbon nanotube arrays including an adhesive layer to improve chemical and mechanical stability. Claim 1 reads:

1. A nanoelectrode array comprising:

a carbon nanotube material comprising an array of substantially linear carbon nanotubes each having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the carbon nanotubes are attached to a catalyst substrate material to form the array with a pre-determined site density, wherein the carbon nanotubes are aligned with respect to one another within the array;

an electrically insulating layer on the surface of the carbon nanotube material, whereby the distal end of the carbon nanotubes extend beyond the electrically insulating layer;

a second adhesive electrically insulating layer on the surface of the electrically insulating layer, whereby the distal end of the carbon nanotubes extend beyond the second adhesive electrically insulating layer; and

a metal wire attached to the catalyst substrate material.