Peptide‐Induced Synthesis of Graphene‐Supported Au/Pt Bimetallic Nanoparticles for Electrochemical Biosensor Application

Abstract

AbstractUnderstanding the self‐assembly behavior of peptides is crucial for the design and synthesis of functional peptide‐based nanomaterials for various applications. In this study, a bifunctional peptide molecule with a sequence of KIIIIKYWYAF is designed, which reveals multiple functions for self‐assembling formation of peptide nanofibers (PNFs), noncovalent graphene oxide (GO) binding, and biomimetic metallization of nanoparticles (NPs). Well‐defined PNFs are obtained through the optimization of experimental conditions, which are further utilized to bind with GO to form GO/PNF nanohybrids via noncovalent interactions. Ascribed to the biomimetic function of peptide molecules, bimetallic gold‐platinum NPs (Au‐Pt NPs) are created along the PNFs by metallic ion adsorption and subsequent chemical reduction. The synthesized GO/PNF/Au‐Pt nanohybrids reveal improved electrochemical activity compared to Au, Pt, and Au‐Pt NPs, indicating potential contributions of both GO and PNFs to the final electrochemical sensing performance of the GO/PNF/Au‐Pt‐based electrodes. The fabricated electrochemical non‐enzymatic biosensors exhibit a detection limit of 0.379 µm and linear detection ranges of 1 µm–1 mm and 1–20 mm. The current study provides a facile strategy for the creation of peptide‐based superstructures with multiple functions and will inspire the design and synthesis of graphene‐peptide based nanomaterials for biomedicine, tissue engineering, and bioanalysis applications.