Generation of Scalable, Metallic High-Aspect Ratio Nanocomposites in a Biological Liquid Medium.
The goal of this protocol is to describe the synthesis of two novel biocomposites with high-aspect ratio structures. The biocomposites consist of copper and cystine, with either copper nanoparticles (CNPs) or copper sulfate contributing the metallic component. Synthesis is carried out in liquid under biological conditions (37 °C) and the self-assembled composites form after 24 hr. Once formed, these composites are highly stable in both liquid media and in a dried form. The composites scale from the nano- to micro- range in length, and from a few microns to 25 nm in diameter. Field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) demonstrated that sulfur was present in the NP-derived linear structures, while it was absent from the starting CNP material, thus confirming cystine as the source of sulfur in the final nanocomposites. During synthesis of these linear nano- and micro-composites, a diverse range of lengths of structures is formed in the synthesis vessel. Sonication of the liquid mixture after synthesis was demonstrated to assist in controlling average size of the structures by diminishing the average length with increased time of sonication. Since the formed structures are highly stable, do not agglomerate, and are formed in liquid phase, centrifugation may also be used to assist in concentrating and segregating formed composites.
Biophysics Department, Centenary College of Louisiana.
Kinsey
K
Cotton Kelly
Department of Chemistry, Louisiana Tech University.
Jessica R
JR
Wasserman
Department of Integrative Physiology, University of North Texas Health Sciences Center.
Sneha
S
Deodhar
Biomedical Engineering, Louisiana Tech University.
Justin
J
Huckaby
Biomedical Engineering, Louisiana Tech University; Institute for Micromanufacturing, Louisiana Tech University; decoster@latech.edu.
Mark A
MA
DeCoster
D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D019327:Copper Sulfate / Q000737:chemistry; D003553:Cystine / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D013010:Sonication
D003553:Cystine; D003300:Copper; D019327:Copper Sulfate