Strong piezoelectricity in bioinspired peptide nanotubes.
We show anomalously strong shear piezoelectric activity in self-assembled diphenylalanine peptide nanotubes (PNTs), indicating electric polarization directed along the tube axis. Comparison with well-known piezoelectric LiNbO(3) and lateral signal calibration yields sufficiently high effective piezoelectric coefficient values of at least 60 pm/V (shear response for tubes of approximately 200 nm in diameter). PNTs demonstrate linear deformation without irreversible degradation in a broad range of driving voltages. The results open up a wide avenue for developing new generations of "green" piezoelectric materials and piezonanodevices based on bioactive tubular nanostructures potentially compatible with human tissue.
Department of Ceramics and Glass Engineering , University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal. gilr@eng.tau.ac.il
Andrei
A
Kholkin
Nadav
N
Amdursky
Igor
I
Bdikin
Ehud
E
Gazit
Gil
G
Rosenman
D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D004151:Dipeptides; D004560:Electricity; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D012399:Rotation; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
D004151:Dipeptides; C026650:phenylalanylphenylalanine; D010649:Phenylalanine