title: Protein self-assembly onto nanodots leads to formation of conductive bio-based hybrids.
abstract: The next generation of nanowires that could advance the integration of functional nanosystems into synthetic applications from photocatalysis to optical devices need to demonstrate increased ability to promote electron transfer at their interfaces while ensuring optimum quantum confinement. Herein we used the biological recognition and the self-assembly properties of tubulin, a protein involved in building the filaments of cellular microtubules, to create stable, free standing and conductive sulfur-doped carbon nanodots-based conductive bio-hybrids. The physical and chemical properties (e.g., composition, morphology, diameter etc.) of such user-synthesized hybrids were investigated using atomic and spectroscopic techniques, while the electron transfer rate was estimated using peak currents formed during voltammetry scanning. Our results demonstrate the ability to create individually hybrid nanowires capable to reduce energy losses; such hybrids could possibly be used in the future for the advancement and implementation into nanometer-scale functional devices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, West Virginia University, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, West Virginia University, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Chenbo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Rigu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, West Virginia University, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Cerasela Zoica
authors.initials: CZ
authors.lastname: Dinu
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D006046:Gold; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D053770:Nanowires / Q000737:chemistry*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013455:Sulfur / Q000737:chemistry; D014404:Tubulin / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014404:Tubulin; D013455:Sulfur; D002244:Carbon; D006046:Gold; D048271:Chitosan