Controlled Mineralization with Protein-Functionalized Peptoid Nanotubesmics of Proteins on Surfaces
October 25, 2022
Conceptual illustration (top) and outcomes (bottom) of the biomimetic mineralization process.
Scientific Achievement
Developed a modular approach to controlling biomimetic mineralization and fabricating functional nanocomposites on peptoid scaffolds derivatized with solid-binding proteins.
Significance and Impact
Results show that both repetitive display and conformational flexibility of inorganic-binding segments are important in regulating mineralization and creating hierarchical materials.
Research Details
-
Used thiol-maleimide chemistry to conjugate proteins engineered to present one or more materials-specific solid-binding peptides to self-assembled peptoid nanotubes.
-
Showed that protein occupancy and solid-binding peptide sequence and valency systematically regulate the size of mineralized anatase nanocrystals in the 1.4 to 4.4 nm range through modulation of particle capping efficiency.
-
Extended the concept of Au mineralization and to the successive mineralization of TiO₂ and Au to produce nanotubes that are photocatalytically active under visible light illumination.