US Patent 7588941 - Nucleic acid dispersion of DNA

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7588941.html

This patent from DuPont has priority going back to 2002 and is basic to DNA wrapping of single walled carbon nanotubes to facilitate dispersion of the nanotubes into material composites. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for the production of a dispersed, carbon Nanotube—nucleic acid complex comprising:

a) providing a stabilized solution of single stranded nucleic acid molecules;

b) contacting a population of unfunctionalized, single walled carbon nanotubes with an effective amount of the stabilized nucleic acid solution of step (a) for a time sufficient for the single stranded nucleic acid molecules to associate with the carbon nanotubes by non-covalent means to form a dispersed, carbon nanotube—nucleic acid complex; and c) optionally recovering the dispersed, carbon nanotube—nucleic acid complex.