Silica-polypeptide composite particles: controlling shell growth.
A method is presented for preparing core-shell silica-polypeptide composite particles with variable and controllable shell growth. The procedure is demonstrated using poly(carbobenzoxy-L-lysine) and poly(benzyl-L-glutamate); after deprotection, these can lead to the most common basic and acidic homopolypeptides, poly(L-lysine) and poly(L-glutamic acid). Control over shell thickness is made possible by sequential addition of N-carboxyanhydride peptide monomer to surfaces that have been functionalized with an amino initiator combined with a surface passivation agent. This results in a series of particles having different shell thicknesses. Variation of shell thickness was evident both in light scattering and in thermogravimetric assays. The shells were visible by transmission electron microscopy; these images along with light scattering measurements suggest the polymers in the shells are highly solvated.
Soto-Cantu
Erick
E
Department of Chemistry and Macromolecular Studies Group, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803, USA.
Turksen-Selcuk
Sibel
S
Qiu
Jianhong
J
Zhou
Zhe
Z
Russo
Paul S
PS
Henk
Margaret C
MC
D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013818:Thermogravimetry
D010455:Peptides; D012822:Silicon Dioxide