Work from a group of scientists has recently been introduced, an important step towards understanding and controlling metal nanoparticle shape and developing advanced materials with tunable properties.
A Phys.org report specified that researchers from the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the University of Washington, in particular, have designed a bio-inspired molecule that can direct gold atoms "to form perfect nanoscale stars."
Chun-Long Chen, a PNNL senior research scientist, UW affiliate professor of chemical engineering and chemistry, and a Faculty Fellow at UW-PNNL, metallic nanomaterials have interesting optical properties called "plasmonic properties."
Specifically, star-shaped metallic nanomaterials are already known to show distinctive enhancements that help detect pathogenic microbes, among other national and health applications.
Stunning Nanoparticles Developed
The research team carefully tuned sequences of peptoids to develop these stunning nanoparticles, a kind of programmable protein-like synthetic polymer. Chen explained, peptoids provide a unique advantage in achieving molecular-level controls. In this circumstance, the peptoids are guiding tiny gold particles to attach and relax to form more massive five-fold twinned ones, while stabilizing the facets as well, as the crystal construction.
As specified in the Angewandte Chemie journal, the study authors' approach was inspired by nature, where proteins can regulate the creation of materials with advanced functionalities.
Jim De Yoreo and Biao Jin employed advanced in situ transmission electron microscopy or TEM, to see the formation of stars in solution at the nanoscale.
The approach offered in-depth mechanistic insight into how peptoids are guiding the process. The technique revealed the roles of particle attachment and facet stabilization in controlling the shape.
Star-Shaped Particle
Having assembled their nanoscale constellation, the researchers then employed molecular dynamic simulations to catch a level of detail that cannot be gleaned from investigations, not to mention, to illuminate the reason specific peptoids controlled the perfect stars formation.
Chemical engineering postdoctoral researcher in professor Jim Pfaendtner's group Xin Qi led this research at UW. He used the Hyak supercomputer cluster of Hyak to model interfacial phenomena between numerous different peptoids and particle surfaces.
Such simulations play a crucial role in learning how to design plasmonic nanomaterials that absorb and scatter light in unique ways. On the other hand, Chen said, "You need to have a molecular-level understanding" to form such a nice star-shaped particle with interesting plasmonic properties. Simulations can develop theoretical insight around the reason certain peptoids are creating certain shapes.
Peptoid-Based Approach
In a similar report, Genius Interactive specified that the researchers work toward the future where simulations are guiding experimental design, in a cycle the team is hoping will result in the predictive synthesis of nanomaterials with "desired plasmonic enhancements."
The team would like to use computational mechanisms to determine peptoid side chains and sequences with desired facet selectivity in this aspect. They then would use state-of-the-art in situ imaging approaches like liquid-cell TEM, to monitor and direct facet expression, stabilization, and particle attachment.
This means, continued Chen, if an individual can tell that such a structure of plasmonic nanomaterials has interesting optical properties, "can we employ a peptoid-based approach to make that predictably? Even though they are not to that point, this successful investigational, computational work gets them closer.
Moreover, the ability of the team to synthesize nice star shapes is an essential step, more homogeneous particles are translating into more-predictably optical properties.
Related information about gold nanoparticles is shown on Luiz Fernando Group's YouTube video below:
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