Ordering surfaces on the nanoscale to control protein binding

摘要

Monolayer-protected metal nanoparticles (MPMNs) are composed of self-assembled hydrophobic and hydrophilic ligands, well ordered into parallel alternating stripes circumscribing the metal core. Their surface structures can be manipulated by altering the composition and width of the stripes, rendering the MPMNs uniquely suited to systematic studies of the role of surface nanoscale structure in biomolecule adsorption, a phenomenon of paramount importance in the design of novel materials for tissue engineering, biosensors and drug delivery technologies.