Photonic crystals in biology

Poster Session, Tuesday, June 15
Theme A1 - B702
Synthesis and Characterization of Peptidic One-Dimensiona l Inorganic Nanofibers for Functional
Materials
Handan Acar 1 , Mustafa Özgür Güler 1 *
1 UNAM-Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800, Turkey
Abstract— A new bottom-up approach including self-assembly of both organic and inorganic molecules was studied to obtain unique onedimensiona
l inorganic nanotubes.
Molecular programming enables molecules to form welldefined
nanoscale structures. Self-assembly process exploits
non-covalent interactions such as hydrogen bonding,
hydrophobic, electrostatic, metal-ligand, - and van der
Waals interactions [1]. Through the bottom-up approach
technique, it is possible to form functional nanostructures
through biomineralization [2]. Biomineralization is the process
by which living organisms produce minerals, often to harden
or stiffen existing tissues. Biomineralization encompasses
mineral-containing tissues formed by organisms to fulfil a
variety of different functions in shells, skeleton, teeth and the
like. There are examples of using biomineralization of selfassembled
nanostructures forming organic-inorganic hybrid
nanostrucutures [3-4].
functionalized peptide molecules to enhance their affinity for
metal ions. The amine groups were used on the peptide
scaffold to accumulate the metal ions on the self-assembled
peptidic nanofibers.
We designed the peptide molecule to mimic the amyloid
fibrils to form self-assembled peptide nanofibers. The peptide
molecules form alcogel containing 3-D network of nanofibers
with diameters ca. 10 nm and micrometers in length. The
amine groups on the periphery of the nanofibers were
exploited to act as seeds for accumulation of metal ions for
template directed synthesis of organic-inorganic hybrid
nanostructures. As a hard base, amine group has affinity to
hard acid minerals [5]. We used hard acid metal ions for
mineralization process. Titanium, silver, and gold ions are
some of the metal ions we are currently working. The solution
of mineral salts in ethanol were added into the alcogel and
studied mineralization process.
In summary, we showed a new bottom-up approach to
generate inorganic nanotubes from different minerals. This
new approach includes self-assembly of peptide molecules
forming organic nanofibers as templates. The formation of
metal layer around the peptide nanofibers occurs due to the
metal binding groups on the periphery of the peptide
nanofibers.
This work is partially supported by T
*Corresponding author: moguler@unam.bilkent.edu.tr
Figure 1. The functinalized peptide molecule, (a) self-assembly
of peptide into 1-D nanofibers in ethanol, (b) mineralization of
peptide nanofibers in the presence of metal ions in ethanol, (c)
elimination of peptide, and obtaining inorganic 1-D nanotube
[1]Lehn, J.-M., Supramolecular chemistry : concepts and
perspectives. A personal account built upon the George Fisher Baker
lectures in Chemistry at Cornell University ; Lezioni Lincee,
Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Roma. 1995, Weinheim [u.a.]:
VCH.
[2]Hartgerink, J.D., E. Beniash, and S.I. Stupp, Self-Assembly and
Mineralization o f Peptide-Amphiphile Nanofibers. Science, 2001.
294 (5547): p. 1684-1688.
[3]Zubarev, E.R., et al., Self-Assembly of Dendron Rodcoil Molecules
into Nanoribbons. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2001.
123 (17): p. 4105-4106.
[4]Yuwono, V.M. and J.D. Hartgerink, Peptide Amphiphile
Nanofibers Template and Catalyze Silica Nanotube Formation.
Langmuir, 2007. 23 (9): p. 5033-5038.
[5]Pearson, R.G., Hard and Soft Acids and Bases. Journal of the
American Chemical Society, 1963. 85 (22): p. 3533-3539.
Figure 2. The Scanning Electron M icroscope image of inor ganic
Titania nanotubes.
In this work, we studied the biomineralization of self
assembled peptidic nanostructures. We synthesized and
6th Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Conference, zmir, 2010 394