Generation of composites from borides with tuneable electrical conductivities using peptides optimized by genetic engineering; characterization of the bio-solid interactions by modelling and AFM

与ITB小组合作，在硼化物和硼化物颗粒的化学生物复合物中产生无机材料与肽的相互作用。结合特性将通过基因工程进行优化，基因工程将采用基于生物淘选特异性肽的筛选系统，所述特异性肽具有对具有不同物理特性的不同硼化物的偏好。使用两个模型系统：1）首先是湿化学合成纳米颗粒形式的金属磁性硼化物2）随后是高温稳定且惰性的富硼陶瓷。决定这些肽对特定材料的偏好的关键因素应通过分子模拟来确定。在量子化学计算的帮助下，将开发固体表面和溶剂以及与这些表面接触的肽的力场。将通过原子力显微镜进行实验性定量。将分析肽修饰的硼化物的磁性和导电性以及热稳定性。这就需要对已建立的复合材料样品物理性能测量方法进行修改和调整。随后，该系统将针对陶瓷硼化物进行修改，并且还将为这些开发特定的肽。具有不同优化的肽的双功能复合材料可用于将不同的金属和半导体硼化物或金属和陶瓷无机物结合成具有不可预见性质的纳米和微米结构复合材料。我们还设想了由不同的肽序列组成的小蛋白质，每个肽序列针对特定的无机材料进行了优化。这样可以实现功能材料的明确定义的空间取向。从肽和硼化物材料之间的键合相互作用的联合实验和理论研究中获得的基础知识对于进一步开发基于非氧化物固体的智能材料至关重要。它可能为热电器件、场效应晶体管或生物医学系统等大量应用铺平道路。该项目建立在分子生物学研究人员和固态化学家以及理论工作组和原子力显微镜专家之间的强大互动基础上。

In collaboration with the ITB group, an interaction of inorganic materials with peptides shall be created in a chemobiological composite of phages and boride particles. Binding properties are to be optimized by genetic engineering which will employ a screening system based on biopanning specific peptides with preferences for different borides with different physical properties. Two model systems are used: 1) for a start a metallic, magnetic boride in form of wet-chemically synthesized nanoparticles 2) later on a boron-rich ceramic which is very high-temperature stable and inert.The key factors determining the preference of these peptides for a certain material shall be determined by molecular simulation. With the help of quantum chemical calculations, force fields for solid surfaces and solvents and peptides in contact with these surfaces are to be developed. Quantification will be performed experimentally by atomic force microscopy. The peptide-modified borides will be analysed for their magnetism and electrical conductivity, as well as thermal stability. This requires the modification and adjustment of established methods of physical properties measurements to composite samples. Later, the system will be modified for ceramic borides and specific peptides shall be developed for these as well. Bifunctional phages with differently optimized peptides might be used to combine different metallic and semiconducting borides or both metallic and ceramic inorganics into nano- and micro-structured composites with unforeseeable properties. We also envision small proteins consisting of different peptide sequences each optimized for a specific inorganic material. This way a well-defined spatial orientation of functional materials may be achieved. Basic knowledge gained from a joint experimental and theoretical study of bonding interactions between peptides and boride materials is crucial for further development of smart materials based on non-oxide solids. It can potentially pave the way for a wealth of applications such as thermoelectric devices, field effect transistors or biomedical systems. The project builds on the strong interaction between researchers from molecular biology and solid state chemists, as well as theoretically working groups and experts on atomic force microscopy.