Virus crystals as nanocomposite scaffolds.
The generation of long-range three-dimensional nanoscopic patterns is a major goal in materials chemistry. Here we report a strategy for creating such systems using virus crystals as scaffolds which can be infiltrated with metal specifically palladium and platinum. The inorganic component effectively packs within the porous macromolecular crystal architecture, providing a route for patterning these materials on the nanometer length scale. To verify the quality of the metal infiltration, SEM-EDX was used to determine the homogeneous distribution of metal across the crystal, and TEM was used to confirm that the metal was confined within the porous structure of the crystal.
Falkner
Joshua C
JC
Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, USA.
Turner
Mary E
ME
Bosworth
Joan K
JK
Trentler
Timothy J
TJ
Johnson
John E
JE
Lin
Tianwei
T
Colvin
Vicki L
VL
D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry; D017798:Comovirus / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010165:Palladium / Q000737:chemistry*; D010984:Platinum / Q000737:chemistry*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D014965:X-Rays
D003102:Colloids; D010984:Platinum; D010165:Palladium