Growth of Cu2O nanoparticles decorated onto dendritic structured bacterial flagellin protein for potential enhancement of electrochemical conductivity

Abstract

Abstract Cuprous oxide nanoparticles (Cu2O NPs) were synthesized by a simple precipitation method using copper acetate as precursor and NaOH as reducing agent. Cu2O NPs possessed a cubic lattice structure with Pn-3m space group. The average crystallite size of the Cu2O NPs was found to be between 3 and 4 nm. A unique physical shearing method was used to decorate the synthesized Cu2O NPs onto bacterial flagellin protein (BFP). The dendritic-like morphology of Cu2O NPs decorated BFP was confirmed by electronic microscopy. The unique morphological structure of Cu2O NPs decorated onto BFP could deliver an efficient electrochemical conductivity for applications in the field of flexible and bio-nanoelectronic devices.