In this study, a novel anthracene-tetrathiafulvalene derivative has been synthesized and immobilized on single-walled carbon nanotubes through non-covalent sidewall functionalization. The new anthracene-tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) derivative-encapsulated SWNT nanocomposites were characterized using SEM, TEM, and Raman spectra and were utilized for biomolecular recognition. Our observations demonstrate that the new anthracene-TTF derivative-encapsulated SWNT nanocomposites can readily facilitate the biosensing and sensitive detection of DNA, which could be further explored for promising applications in bioelectronics and biosensors. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.