Preparation of amyloid-like materials functionalized with hydrophobic molecules

• When exposed to acid and heat, insulin is known to self into fibril-like structures known as amyloid. These nanowires can be used as templates in materials science applications. We have developed methods that allow us to functionalize such nanowires with phosphorescent metal-complexes (Chem. Eur. J. 2010, 16, 4190). The method involves mixing the metal complex and the protein in the solid state, followed by self assembly of the resulting composite material. We were able to succesfully incorporate these materials into white OLEDs (Nano Lett. 2010, 10, 2225). We have now developed the method further to include various types of materials and molecules. We have also found that certain molecules might have dramatic effect on the self-assembly process, resulting in novel amyloid-based materials.

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