Abstract
Herein, the generation of gold, silver, and silver–gold (Ag–Au) bimetallic nanoparticles was carried out in collagen (gelatin) solution. It first showed that the major ingredient in gelatin polypeptide, glutamic acid, acted as reducing agent to biomimetically synthesize noble metal nanoparticles at 80°C. The size of nanoparticles can be controlled not only by the mass ratio of gelatin to gold ion but also by pH of gelatin solution. Interaction between noble-metal nanoparticles and polypeptide has been investigated by TEM, UV–visible, fluorescence spectroscopy, and HNMR. This study testified that the degradation of gelatin protein could not alter the morphology of nanoparticles, but it made nanoparticles aggregated clusters array (opposing three-dimensional α-helix folding structure) into isolated nanoparticles stabilized by gelatin residues. This is a promising merit of gelatin to apply in the synthesis of nanoparticles. Therefore, gelatin protein is an excellent template for biomimetic synthesis of noble metal/bimetallic nanoparticle growth to form nanometer-sized device.
Highlights
Noble-metal nanocrystals with small uniform size have attracted more attentions for use in binding biomolecules including proteins, enzymes, DNA due to their huge accessible surface area
In this paper, we reported the generation of Au, Ag and Ag–Au bimetallic nanoparticles by using gelatin as reducing and stabilizing agent, the interaction between nanoparticles and gelatin polypeptides, and shape control of gold nanoparticles, against salt-induced (NaCl) and pH-induced aggregation
This study reveals that metal nanoparticles are stabilized by gelatin polypeptides chains and joined in the self-assembling activities of gelatin polypeptides upon cooling to room temperature
Summary
Noble-metal nanocrystals with small uniform size have attracted more attentions for use in binding biomolecules including proteins, enzymes, DNA due to their huge accessible surface area. As a result of these, biologic molecules such as proteins and DNA are an ideal type of matrix which acts as biotemplates in the direct chemical synthesis of nanometer-sized devices. Gelatin is an ideal natural protein for biotemplating nanoparticles into ideal engineering nanometer-sized devices. Little attention has been paid to the interaction between gelatin and noble-metal nanoparticles. This limits the wide use of gelatin polypeptide–mediated noblemetal nanoparticles, in biologic applications. This paper will be an ignited clue for gelatin polypeptide application in engineering nanometer-sized devices
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