title: Self-assembled template-directed synthesis of one-dimensional silica and titania nanostructures.
abstract: Mineralized biological materials such as shells, skeleton, and teeth experience biomineralization. Biomimetic materials exploit the biomineralization process to form functional organic-inorganic hybrid nanostructures. In this work, we mimicked the biomineralization process by the de novo design of an amyloid-like peptide that self-assembles into nanofibers. Chemically active groups enhancing the affinity for metal ions were used to accumulate silicon and titanium precursors on the organic template. The self-assembly process and template effect were characterized by CD, FT-IR, UV-vis, fluorescence, rheology, TGA, SEM, and TEM. The self-assembled organic nanostructures were exploited as a template to form high-aspect-ratio 1-D silica and titania nanostructures by the addition of appropriate precursors. Herein, a new bottom-up approach was demonstrated to form silica and titania nanostructures that can yield wide opportunities to produce high-aspect-ratio inorganic nanostructures with high surface areas. The materials developed in this work have vast potential in the fields of catalysis and electronic materials.
authors.affiliation: UNAM-Institute of Materials Science and Nanotechnology, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey 06800.
authors.forename: Handan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Acar
authors.forename: Ruslan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Garifullin
authors.forename: Mustafa O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Guler
mesh_terms: D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D002942:Circular Dichroism; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D015394:Molecular Structure; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D036103:Nanotechnology; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D014025:Titanium