Organization of Self-Assembled Peptide-Polymer Nanofibers in Solution

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• 作者：Hans G. B&ouml ; rner ; Bernd M. Smarsly ; Jens Hentschel ; Anja Rank ; Rolf Schubert ; Yan Geng ; Dennis E. Discher ; Thomas Hellweg ; Astrid Brandt
• 刊名：Macromolecules
• 出版年：2008
• 出版时间：February 26, 2008
• 年：2008
• 卷：41
• 期：4
• 页码：1430 - 1437
• 全文大小：1672K
• 年卷期：v.41,no.4(February 26, 2008)
• ISSN：1520-5835

文摘

The solution structure and the aggregation behavior of stiff polymer-peptide nanofibers, self-assembled from well-defined poly(ethylene oxide)-peptide conjugates are described. Aqueous solutions at differentconcentrations of core-shell nanofibers were investigated by cryo-fixation transmission electron microscopy(cryoTEM) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Both methods show the presence of stiff, extendednanofibers in dilute solution, providing nanodimensions for the fiber cross section, which are in good agreementwith previously shown investigations on dried and deposited fibers. Moreover the previously suggested core-shell character of the fiber cross section could be verified by SANS density profiles. In concentrated solutionsexceeding 2 mg/mL, the nanofibers tended to further organize into nematic "bundles". Polarized optical microscopy(POM) indeed shows birefringence of the solutions and typical Schlieren textures in shear oriented films, consistentwith high aspect ratio nanofibers. The results of this investigation are discussed in the context of the Flory theoryof rigid rods.