| AVS 58th Annual International Symposium and Exhibition | |
| Applied Surface Science Division | Wednesday Sessions |
| Session AS+BI+NS-WeM |
| Session: | Advances in Scanning Probe Microscopy |
| Presenter: | Jessica Remmert, Air Force Research Laboratory |
| Authors: | J.L. Remmert, Air Force Research Laboratory M.C. Vasudev, Air Force Research Laboratory L. Eliad, Tel Aviv University, Israel E. Gazit, Tel Aviv University, Israel T.J. Bunning, Air Force Research Laboratory R.R. Naik, Air Force Research Laboratory A.A. Voevodin, Air Force Research Laboratory |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
This work investigates the properties of aromatic dipeptides, which are of interest due to their ability to self-assemble into nanotubes and nanowires. Peptide nanotubes have been used to template inorganic materials1 and construct nanochannels in microfluidic devices2. The mechanical, thermal, and electronic transport properties of these nano-structures are desired to evaluate their potential use for biomolecular electronics3 and other applications. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) offers multiple modes to interrogate the response of discrete nanotubes. For instance, AFM with dry sample heating has established the thermal stability of peptide nanotubes up to 100 °C4 with a spring constant of 160 N/m at room temperature5. A separate study targeting a single nanowire bridging two electrodes revealed semiconductor characteristics under repeated bias cycling6. We have similarly sampled detached nanotubes among peptide bundles and vertically aligned 3D arrays. Peptide nanotubes were synthesized by either Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) or solvent phase growth in 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3 Hexafluoroisopropanol (HFP), using approaches similar to that described by Reches et al1. The nanotubes were observed by SEM to vary between 85-100 nm in diameter and up to 50 µm in length. Sample density was controlled by suspension and dilution in various solvents, including HFP and water, prior to deposition on a variety of substrates. AFM studies have revealed details of the tubular outer shell with tapping and electrostatic force modes (EFM), while also probing the mechanical integrity and thermal response to localized tip-side heating.
1M. Reches, E. Gazit, “Casting Metal Nanowires within Discrete Self-Assembled Peptide Nanotubes”, Science 300 625 (2003)
2N. Sopher, Z. Abrams, M. Reches, E. Gazit, Y. Hanein, “Integrating peptide nanotubes in micro-fabrication processes”, J Micromech Microeng 17 2360 (2007)
3V. Dinca, E. Kasotakis, J. Catherine, A. Mourka, A. Ranella, A. Ovsianikov, B. Chichkov, M. Farsari, A. Mitraki, C. Fotakis, “Directed Three-Dimensional Patterning of Self-Assembled Peptide Fibrils”, Nano Lett 8 538 (2008)
4V. Sedman, L. Adler-Abramovich, S. Allen, E. Gazit, S. Tendler, “Direct Observation of the Release of Phenylalanine from Diphenylalanine Nanotubes”, J Am Chem Soc 128 6903 (2006)
5N. Kol, L. Adler-Abramovich, D. Barlam, R. Shneck, E. Gazit, I. Rousso, “Self-Assembled Peptide Nanotubes Are Uniquely Rigid Bioinspired Supramolecular Structures”, Nano Lett 5 1343 (2005)
6J. Lee, I. Yoon, J. Kim, H. Ihee, B. Kim, C. Park, “Self-Assembly of Semiconducting Photoluminescent Peptide Nanowires in the Vapor Phase”, Angew Chem Int Edit 50 1164 (2011)