Self-organization of hierarchical structures of peptide in solution in presence of metallic nanoparticles

Abstract

Research on self-organizing properties of peptides has emerged in recent years as an active and diversified field involving either fundamental analysis or applications in biotechnology and materials science. These materials exhibit intrinsic multi-level organization, and this structural multiplicity generates several types of intra- and intermolecular interactions making them very attractive as a model for the study of self-organization phenomena occurring in living arrangements and catalytic processes. Therefore, our objective in this BEPE-Research proposal is to study the self-assembling processes of amphiphilic peptides in the presence of metallic nanoparticles aiming their application in stereoselective catalysis. We focus exclusively on the roles peptides play as directing agents for the synthesis, growth, and assembly of nanostructured inorganic materials. We intend to evaluate the formation of these systems under different physicochemical conditions - e.g., ionic strength, pH, polarity, etc. - and contribute to elucidate the interactions appearing in their ordering process. Small-angle scattering techniques (X-rays and neutrons) will be used to probe structural aspects and provide insights on the mechanisms involved in the self-assembly. After determining the optimal conditions for obtaining the arrays, their respective catalytic activity will be determined from in silico experiments performed by collaborators. We expected to contribute towards elucidating basic mechanisms involved in the building of the nanostructures on asymmetric catalysis. To achieve this, techniques providing complementary information in both direct and reciprocal space will be used. Besides data on structure and morphology, these techniques will supply parameters on chemical and physical properties of the arrays. The goal is to obtain different supramolecular organizations with a range of potential catalytic applications. Furthermore, this hierarchical process could be followed in situ by using scattering techniques to probe the kinetics of self-assembly as well as its effect of the polymorphism on catalysis. (AU)