Influence of nickel hydroxide nanoparkets in self-assemble structure of fibroin microparticles

• Grant number: 18/16491-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: November 01, 2018
• End date: October 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Wendel Andrade Alves
• Grantee: Eduardo Ruben do Nascimento
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/02317-2 - Interfaces in materials: electronic, magnetic, structural and transport properties, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 21/13999-2 - Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) studies of catalytic processes involving silk fibroin and nickel-cobalt hydroxide nanoparticles, BE.EP.DD

Abstract

Among the strategies for structuring nanomaterials, self-assembly presents advantages such as efficiency and specificity in the organization of nanometric structures. In this field, the use of peptides and proteins has been drawing attention due to its inherent capacity to organize complex systems, in a following sequence and specific way, which can thus be used in the creation of inorganic nanostructures in a mimetic way to biological systems. Nickel hydroxide is a material known for a long time because of its electrocatalytic properties, but new routes for the synthesis of nanostructures of the material have been developed, potentializing its properties. Among the possible applications, its ability to electrocatalytically oxidize small molecules can be exploited in the construction of sensors and biosensors. The main challenges in these applications are the low electrical conductivity and low selectivity of nickel hydroxide, so several authors have investigated how the combination of nickel hydroxide with other materials can overcome these challenges. Fibroin is a protein extracted from silk, which has excellent mechanical properties, secure processing, and biocompatibility. Its features are directly related to its hierarchical structures, especially the formation of ²-sheet crystallites. Studies have shown that its mechanical and electrical properties can be modulated according to the manipulation of these structures by the introduction of external materials acting as nucleating agents of the crystals. In this way, the present work aims to study the influence that the introduction of nanoparticles of nickel hydroxide can have on the formation of the hierarchical structures of fibroin, as well as to explore the synergy between these materials in the construction of biosensors. Initially, glucose biosensors will be tested because they have a well-known and relatively inexpensive construction. However, it is expected that once the architecture is defined, it can be extrapolated to other types of modified electrodes. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DO NASCIMENTO, EDUARDO R.; GERBELLI, BARBARA B.; FERREIRA, FABIO F.; COSTA, FANNY N.; CHATER, PHILIP A.; ALVES, WENDEL A.. Interfacial Self-Assembly of Silk Fibroin Polypeptides and alpha-NiCo(OH)(2) Nanocrystals with Tunable Energy Storage Applications. ACS APPLIED ELECTRONIC MATERIALS, v. 4, n. 3, p. 11-pg., 2022-03-22. (18/16491-7, 18/05888-3, 14/50867-3, 17/02317-2)