Novel biomimetic approaches make it possible to recreate natural biomaterials by providing the flexibility to control the structure and the chemistry of these materials design. In this respect, self-assembling block copolymers play an important role in organic inorganic hybridization and have opened a novel bottom-up approach in the materials synthesis. Recently, we have shown that by the use of self- assembling thermo-reversible block copolymers gels, a bottom-up approach for inorganic synthesis could be achieved. Although successful templating was achieved by this bottom-up approach, the percentage of calcium phosphate precipitation in the final nanocomposite was low (～15%), compared to about 70% seen in Nature. In this study, to enhance site specific nucleation and growth and thereby the inorganic fraction in the nanocomposite, we have conjugated these polymers with specific peptides respective to the mineral of interest. A hydroxyapatite nucleating peptide (DSKSDSSKSESDSS) and titanium binding peptides (RKLPDAPGMHTW) were conjugated to the block copolymers using N-hydroxysuccinimide chemistry and the polymers were characterized using spectroscopy, small angle scattering and thermal characterization techniques.
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