title: Self-organized inorganic nanoparticle arrays on protein lattices.
abstract: Cavities formed by proteins have been utilized as the reaction chamber for the fabrication of a range of inorganic nanoparticles, providing control of the size of particles by limiting growth and preventing agglomeration. In crystal form, proteins construct molecular arrays that can provide regularly arranged sites for nanoparticles. Here we report the fabrication of nanometric iron and indium particles using ferritin, an iron-storage protein. The indium nanoparticles thus formed have uniform spherical shape with diameter of 6.6 +/- 0.5 nm, while the iron nanoparticles are somewhat irregular in shape (5.8 +/- 1.0 nm). Regular two-dimensional arrays of these nanoparticles are successfully produced by crystallizing ferritin molecules on a water-air interface using the denatured protein film method. The lattice constant of these nanoparticle arrays is 13 nm with hexagonal packing, and arrays of more than 1 microm in area can be obtained by transfer onto silicon wafer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Meiji University, Higasimita, Tama-ku, Kawasaki, 214-8571, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.forename: Yusaku
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Kazuomi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Katsuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sonoda
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kondoh
authors.forename: Akitoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wagawa
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D005293:Ferritins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007204:Indium / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D007287:Inorganic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010316:Particle Size; D011485:Protein Binding
chemical_list: D007287:Inorganic Chemicals; D007204:Indium; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron