Electrochemically Triggered Selective Adsorption of Biotemplated Nanoparticles on Self‐Assembled Organometallic Diblock Copolymer Thin Films

Abstract

The controlled adsorption of the iron‐containing cage protein ferritin at the nanoscale using stimuli‐responsive self‐assembled diblock copolymer thin‐film templates is reported. The diblock copolymer used study consists of a cylinder‐forming polystyrene‐block‐polyferrocenylsilane (PS‐b‐PFS), with PFS as the minor block, and shows reversible redox properties. To prevent any spontaneous protein adsorption on either block, the electrolyte pH is selected to leave the ferritin negatively charged, and the protein concentration and solution ionic strength are carefully tuned. Selective adsorption of ferritin on the PFS domains of the self‐assembled thin films is then triggered in situ by applying a positive potential, simultaneously oxidizing the PFS and attracting the ferritin electrostatically.

Metalloblock Copolymers: New Functional Nanomaterials

“…Schwarzacher and co-workers applied a similar PS-b-PFEMS (φ PFEMS = 0.23) diblock copolymer to prepare a redox-active nanopatterned surface that can both direct and trigger ferritin adsorption. 88 When cast as a thin film on gold, the PFEMS formed hexagonally packed cylindrical domains that lie perpendicular to the substrate, as was observed on silicon. These can then act as charge carrying channels between the substrate and the electrolyte, thus enabling ferritin adsorption to be initiated by the application of a positive bias (Figure 8).…”

Fe3O4nanoparticles: protein-mediated crystalline magnetic superstructures

“…The structural and magnetic uniformity of Fe 3 O 4 -ferritin NPs could simplify the development and optimization of biomagnetic applications such as MRI contrast agents, and hyperthermia agents. As well as three-dimensional arrays, biologically-engineered ferritin can form two-dimensional crystals with dimensions up to several mm and their placement on a substrate controlled with precision [26,27]. Combined with the ability to make pure Fe 3 O 4 -ferritin, this could be useful for nanotechnology applications.…”

Polyferrocenylsilanes: synthesis, properties, and applications

“…318 A thin film with an orientation of the PFEMS cylinders perpendicular to the substrate was prepared. 318 A thin film with an orientation of the PFEMS cylinders perpendicular to the substrate was prepared.…”

“…The controlled adsorption of the iron-containing cage protein ferritin to stimuli-responsive self-assembled PS-b-PFEMS BCP thin films has also been studied. 318 A thin film with an orientation of the PFEMS cylinders perpendicular to the substrate was prepared. To prevent any spontaneous protein adsorption on either block, the electrolyte pH was selected to leave the ferritin negatively charged, and the protein concentration and solution ionic strength were carefully tuned.…”