We report a one-step and environment-friendly synthesis of platinum nanoparticles with controlled shapes and sizes using wood nanomaterials in aqueous phase without employing any other reductants, capping or dispersing agents. This green process affords an easy route to the production of shape-selective metal nanoparticles. The obtained spherical and cubic Pt nanoparticles and spherical Pt nanoclusters exhibit high activities in the catalytic reduction of pnitrophenol as a model reaction.

Efficient delivery of therapeutic proteins to a target site remains a challenge due to rapid clearance from the body. Here, we selected tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) as a model protein system to investigate the interactions between the protein and a nonionic block copolymer as a possible protecting agent for the protein. By varying the temperature, we were able to obtain core-shell structures based on hydrophobic interactions among PO blocks and noncovalent interactions between TMV and EO blocks. The protein-polymer interactions were characterized by dynamic light scattering and isothermal titration calorimetry. This study establishes principles for the possible design of clinically useful protein delivery systems.

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