Elucidation of Peptide Surface Structural Effects on the Catalytic Activity of Bio-Inspired Pd Nanomaterials

1033334 knechtbio启发的策略已经成为制备和使用技术上重要的纳米材料作为催化剂的潜在方法，这些纳米材料使用环保和节能的反应条件。因此，利用这些技术可以开发出可持续和高效的催化方法。基于肽的制造策略已经成为合成方法的独特例子，因为序列具有组成特异性，能够产生20nm的纳米颗粒，并导致最终结构具有高活性。然而，这种活动的来源尚不清楚。肯塔基大学研究基金会的首席研究员Marc Knecht认为，一种独特的表面结构导致了这种活动。他打算阐明有关仿生钯纳米颗粒催化剂的肽表面配体的原子水平结构信息，以分离其在室温下对水中碳偶联反应的催化活性增强的基序。不幸的是，目前关于肽如何与催化剂颗粒表面协调的信息很少，因为这种相互作用可能是材料反应性增强的原因。PI认为，该序列以这样一种方式结合，它暴露了金属表面的很大一部分，从那里发生反应性。通过了解这种表面结构，PI将能够探索c偶联的催化机制，随后可以利用它来扩大这些高效催化剂材料的反应谱。通过了解表面结构和序列相互作用模式，合理设计肽和其他配体可以进一步开发增强的纳米催化结构。这是项目的更广泛的技术影响。这项工作有可能立即影响节能和环境友好的催化方案，用于提供“绿色”化学合成方法。该提案的更广泛的外展影响采用了催化研究的非常直观的性质，作为增加肯塔基州农村学生对STEM学科兴趣的机制。PI建议利用这项研究的视觉和丰富多彩的方面作为抓住和保持学生兴趣的机制，以期促进他们未来的教育发展。通过这个主题，学生可以接触到环保/节能催化、纳米技术和有机化学/分子。

1033334KnechtBio-inspired strategies have emerged as potential approaches to prepare and employ technologically important nanomaterials as catalysts that use eco-friendly and energy efficient reaction conditions. As a result, sustainable and efficient catalytic methods may be developed using these techniques. Peptide-based fabrication strategies have become unique examples of synthetic approaches as the sequences are composition specific, are able to generate nanoparticles of 20 nm, and result in final structures which are highly active. However, the source of this activity is not understood. Principal Investigator Marc Knecht through the University of Kentucky Research Foundation believes a unique surface architecture is established leading to the activity. He intends to elucidate atomic-level structural information concerning the peptide surface ligands of biomimetic Pd nanoparticulate catalysts to isolate the motifs responsible for their enhanced catalytic reactivity for carbon-coupling reactions in water at room temperature. Unfortunately, little information is presently known about how the peptides coordinate to the surface of the catalyst particle, as it is this interaction which is likely responsible for the enhanced reactivity of the materials. The PI believes that the sequence binds in such a manner that it exposes a significant fraction of the metallic surface, from which reactivity occurs. By understanding this surface structure, the PI will be able to explore the catalytic mechanism for C-coupling, which could subsequently be exploited to expand the reactivity spectrum of these efficient catalyst materials. By understanding the surface structure and mode of sequence interactions, the rational design of peptides and other ligands could be possible to develop further enhanced nanocatalytic architectures. This is the broader technical impact of the project. The work has immediate potential to impact energy efficient and environmentally friendly catalytic schemes for use in delivering "green" chemical synthetic methods.The broader outreach impact of the proposal employs the very visual nature of the catalytic research as a mechanism to increase interest in STEM disciplines in rural Kentucky students. The PI proposes to use the visual and colorful aspects of this research as a mechanism to grasp and maintain student interest in hopes of increasing their future educational development. From this topic, student exposure to eco-friendly/energy efficient catalysis, nanotechnology, and organic chemistry/molecules can occur.