A novel biomimetic amphiphilic polymer

cholesterol-end-capped-poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (CPMPC)

was used as surfactant to achieve water soluble and biocompatible carbon nanotubes (CNTs).Crude CNTs were facilely dispersed in aqueous media by ultrasonication with the help of CPMPC

with cholesterol-end-capped PEG (CPEG) and lecithin as controls.The ability of the novel biomimetic amphiphile to solubilize and stabilize the CNTs was investigated by UV spectra.The solubility of CNTs in 1 mg/mL CPMPC and CPEG aqueous solutions was found to be 1.705 mg/mL and 1.468 mg/mL

respectively.The solubility of CNTs

in 0.8 mg/mL lecithin was

however

only 0.326 mg/mL.Furthermore

CPMPC coated CNTs precipitated quite slowly compared with CPEG coated CNTs

which indicated better stabilizing ability of CPMPC.Cell culture was used to evaluate the biocompatibility of the amphiphiles stabilized CNTs using MTT assay and cell morphology observation.While CPEG coated CNTs showed obviously detrimental effect on the growth of HUVEC304 cells

CPMPC coated CNTs did not exhibit obvious toxicity.The biocompatible CPMPC coated CNTs represent an excellent nano-object for potential biomedical applications.