title: An investigation of the conductivity of peptide nanotube networks prepared by enzyme-triggered self-assembly.
abstract: We demonstrate that nanotubular networks formed by enzyme-triggered self-assembly of Fmoc-L3 (9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl-tri-leucine) show significant charge transport. FT-IR, fluorescence spectroscopy and wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) data confirm formation of beta-sheets that are locked together viapi-stacking interactions. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the pi-pi stacking distance between fluorenyl groups to be 3.6-3.8 A. Impedance spectroscopy demonstrated that the nanotubular xerogel networks possess minimum sheet resistances of 0.1 MOmega/sq in air and 500 MOmega/sq in vacuum (pressure: 1.03 mbar) at room temperature, with the conductivity scaling linearly with the mass of peptide in the network. These materials may provide a platform to interface biological components with electronics.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK M1 7HS.
authors.forename: Haixia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Apurba K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horie
authors.forename: Majeed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Shaik
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: Steven Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Liem
authors.forename: Aimin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Paul L A
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Popelier
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Ian A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Kinloch
authors.forename: Rein V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Ulijn
mesh_terms: D004553:Electric Conductivity; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000737:chemistry; D007930:Leucine / Q000737:chemistry*; D056004:Molecular Dynamics Simulation; D036103:Nanotechnology; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013696:Temperature; D014965:X-Rays
chemical_list: C496789:9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl; D005449:Fluorenes; D007930:Leucine