Abstract
Viral templates are highly versatile biotemplates used for the synthesis of nanostructured materials. Rotavirus VP6 self-assembles into nanotubular hollow structures with well-defined diameters and variable lengths, serving as a nucleic acid-free biotemplate to synthesize metal nanoparticles of controlled size, shape, and orientation. Molecular docking simulations show that exposed residues (H173-S240-D242 and N200-N310) of VP6 have the ability to specifically bind Pd(II) ions, which serve as nucleation sites for the growth and stabilization of palladium nanoclusters. Using VP6 nanotubes as biotemplates allows for obtaining small Pd particles of 1–5 nm in diameter. Advanced electron microscopy imaging and characterization through ultra-high-resolution field-emission scanning electron microscopy (UHR-FE-SEM) and spherical aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (Cs-STEM) at a low voltage dose (80 kV) reveals, with high spatial resolution, the structure of Pd nanoparticles attached to the macromolecular biotemplates.
Highlights
Noble metal nanoparticles and nanoclusters (Au, Ag, Pt, Pd) with sizes below 5 nm are a special type of nanoparticle due to their particular physical, structural, optical, and functional properties [1]
We report the study of palladium nanoparticles directly attached to recombinantly produced VP6 tubular assemblies, producing an integrative hybrid nanomaterial with high control over the Pd particle size and arrangement over the biotemplates
VP6 nanotubes with Pd particles were characterized by ultra-high-resolution field-emission scanning electron microscopy (UHR FE-SEM, HITACHI HighTech S-5500, Schaumburg, IL, USA) of samples mounted on ultra-flat silicon wafer chips (Ted Pella, Redding, CA, USA)
Summary
Noble metal nanoparticles and nanoclusters (Au, Ag, Pt, Pd) with sizes below 5 nm are a special type of nanoparticle due to their particular physical, structural, optical, and functional properties [1]. A variety of self-assembled biotemplates derived from synthetic peptides, proteins, or viruses have demonstrated their efficiency as adaptable and versatile stabilizing and structure-directing agents. For this strategy, in the initial reaction step, the metal ion precursors actively bind with correctly located reactive amino acid residues, which may cause partial reduction of precursors forming the nucleation sites. We report the study of palladium nanoparticles directly attached to recombinantly produced VP6 tubular assemblies, producing an integrative hybrid nanomaterial with high control over the Pd particle size and arrangement over the biotemplates. Cs-STEM was able to image single Pd atoms attached to the protein templates, which eventually may grow to form the nanoparticles, confirming the high affinity of VP6 for Pd
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