CARBON NANOTUBE USAGE IN MEDICAL APPLICATIONS – REVIEW

Bulk nanocomposites prepared from aqueous albumin dispersion with carbon nanotubes by removing the liquid component from the dispersion have been investigated. The composites were obtained by thermostating and exposure to LED and IR diode laser radiation. The nanocomposites obtained under laser irradiation retain their shape and properties for several years, in contrast to the composites fabricated in different ways (which decompose into small fragments immediately after preparation). The low density of the composites under study (~1200 kg/m³), which is close to the density of water, is due to their high porosity. The hardness of stable nanocomposites (~300 MPa) was found to be at the same level as the hardness of polymethylmethacrylate, aluminium, and iron and close to the hardness of human bone tissue. The cluster quasi ordering of the inner structure of nanocomposites revealed by atomic force microscopy indicates the possibility of forming a bulk nanotube framework in them, which can be caused by the effect of the electric field of laser radiation and ensure their stability and hardness. The presence of a framework in nanocomposites provides conditions for self-assembly of biological tissues and makes it possible to apply laser-prepared nanocomposites as a component of surgical implants.