Patent ID: 8460711

Claim:
A method for synthesizing carbon nanotube drug carriers, comprising: mixing carbon nanotubes and at least one acid to oxidize the carbon nanotubes; mixing the oxidized carbon nanotubes and monohydrated citric acid to synthesize carbon nanotubes grafted with poly(citric acid); mixing the carbon nanotubes grafted with poly(citric acid) with a mixture comprising 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine and N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N′-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride; and adding a mixture comprising anhydrous dimethylformamide and a drug to the mixture of the carbon nanotubes grafted with poly(citric acid), 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine, and N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N′-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride to synthesize carbon nanotubes grafted with poly(citric acid) and the drug, wherein: the weight ratio of the carbon nanotubes grafted with poly(citric acid) to the drug is between 0.1:1 and 2:1, and the carbon nanotubes grafted with poly(citric acid) and the drug have a curved conformation.