Hierarchical assembly-dynamic gel-nanoparticle hybrid soft materials based on biologically derived building blocks

TY - JOUR

T1 - Hierarchical assembly-dynamic gel-nanoparticle hybrid soft materials based on biologically derived building blocks

AU - Coates, Ian A.

AU - Smith, David K.

PY - 2010/8/28

Y1 - 2010/8/28

N2 - This article reports the interaction between cysteine-functionalised organogelators and gold nanoparticles. It is clearly demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy that for these gelators, where S-Au interactions can form, the nanoparticles align directly on top of, inside, and along the gel fibres. On the other hand, for a tryptophan functionalised gelator, which cannot form direct interactions with gold nanoparticles, the nanoparticles tend instead to simply cluster loosely around the fibrillar objects as a consequence of sample drying effects. Dependent on the ligand initially present as a stabiliser on the nanoparticle surface, some rearrangement of the nanoparticles on exposure to the gelator and sonication conditions can be observed. On thermal treatment, the nanoparticle-doped xerogel undergoes significant rearrangement: the gel fibres become smaller in diameter and the gold nanoparticles undergo enlargement by Ostwald ripening. This demonstrates how supramolecular nanohybrid assembled materials can evolve in response to stimulus as a consequence of the non-covalent interactions which underpin them, and their resulting dynamic nature.

AB - This article reports the interaction between cysteine-functionalised organogelators and gold nanoparticles. It is clearly demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy that for these gelators, where S-Au interactions can form, the nanoparticles align directly on top of, inside, and along the gel fibres. On the other hand, for a tryptophan functionalised gelator, which cannot form direct interactions with gold nanoparticles, the nanoparticles tend instead to simply cluster loosely around the fibrillar objects as a consequence of sample drying effects. Dependent on the ligand initially present as a stabiliser on the nanoparticle surface, some rearrangement of the nanoparticles on exposure to the gelator and sonication conditions can be observed. On thermal treatment, the nanoparticle-doped xerogel undergoes significant rearrangement: the gel fibres become smaller in diameter and the gold nanoparticles undergo enlargement by Ostwald ripening. This demonstrates how supramolecular nanohybrid assembled materials can evolve in response to stimulus as a consequence of the non-covalent interactions which underpin them, and their resulting dynamic nature.

KW - FUNCTIONALIZED GOLD NANOPARTICLES

KW - METAL NANOPARTICLES

KW - SILVER NANOPARTICLES

KW - SUPRAMOLECULAR GELS

KW - INORGANIC MATERIALS

KW - PHYSICAL GELS

KW - CAPPING AGENT

KW - SHORT-PEPTIDE

KW - QUANTUM DOTS

KW - GELATORS

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77955401102&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1039/c0jm01166e

DO - 10.1039/c0jm01166e

M3 - Article

SN - 0959-9428

VL - 20

SP - 6696

EP - 6702

JO - Journal of Materials Chemistry

JF - Journal of Materials Chemistry

IS - 32

ER -