Electronic Conductivity in Biomimetic α-Helical Peptide Nanofibers and Gels
| Autor: | Hung D. Nguyen, Son H Luong, Allon I. Hochbaum, Ryan K. Spencer, Nicole L. Ing |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2018 |
| Předmět: |
Models
Molecular Protein Conformation alpha-Helical Materials science Nanofibers General Physics and Astronomy Biocompatible Materials 02 engineering and technology Conductivity 010402 general chemistry Electrochemistry 01 natural sciences Electron Transport Biomimetic Materials Biomimetics General Materials Science Bioelectronics Aqueous solution business.industry Electric Conductivity General Engineering 021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology Thermal conduction Electron transport chain 0104 chemical sciences Semiconductor Chemical engineering Nanofiber Peptides 0210 nano-technology business |
| Zdroj: | ACS Nano. 12:2652-2661 |
| ISSN: | 1936-086X 1936-0851 |
| Popis: | Examples of long-range electronic conductivity are rare in biological systems. The observation of micrometer-scale electronic transport through protein wires produced by bacteria is therefore notable, providing an opportunity to study fundamental aspects of conduction through protein-based materials and natural inspiration for bioelectronics materials. Borrowing sequence and structural motifs from these conductive protein fibers, we designed self-assembling peptides that form electronically conductive nanofibers under aqueous conditions. Conductivity in these nanofibers is distinct for two reasons: first, they support electron transport over distances orders of magnitude greater than expected for proteins, and second, the conductivity is mediated entirely by amino acids lacking extended conjugation, π-stacking, or redox centers typical of existing organic and biohybrid semiconductors. Electrochemical transport measurements show that the fibers support ohmic electronic transport and a metallic-like temperature dependence of conductance in aqueous buffer. At higher solution concentrations, the peptide monomers form hydrogels, and comparisons of the structure and electronic properties of the nanofibers and gels highlight the critical roles of α-helical secondary structure and supramolecular ordering in supporting electronic conductivity in these materials. These findings suggest a structural basis for long-range electronic conduction mechanisms in peptide and protein biomaterials. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|