In this CAREER award, funded by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry and the Biomaterials programs of the Division of Materials Research, Professor Nathaniel Rosi proposes to develop a new synthetic strategy for simultaneously controlling both the synthesis and the assembly of inorganic nanoparticles. Nanoparticle properties depend intrinsically on their size, shape, and composition and also their local arrangement within an assembled nanoparticle superstructure. However, precisely controlling the structure of nanoparticle superstructures and precisely controlling the placement and registry of nanoparticles within these superstructures is a significant challenge. Synthetic methods capable of addressing this challenge would enable the design of nanoparticle superstructures with arbitrary structural complexity and highly specific and tunable physical properties. The proposed work focuses on the development of a new class of peptide conjugate molecules designed to simultaneously direct the nucleation, growth, and assembly of inorganic nanoparticle superstructures. The peptide conjugates will be programmed to control both the composition of the nanoparticles and the ultimate topology of the nanoparticle superstructure. This methodology will be optimized in order to allow for control over nanoparticle size, composition, and interparticle spacing. These factors will be systematically tuned to prepare nanoparticle superstructure-based substrates for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. The successful execution of the proposed work will lead to new methodology for precisely controlling the synthesis, assembly, and physical properties of nanoparticle superstructures.
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:
Nanoparticles are envisioned to be the structural and functional building blocks for next-generation materials and devices. The physical properties of nanoparticles depend largely on how they are arranged into a material or device. Therefore, in order to control the properties of these next-generation materials, it is important to be able to precisely control the arrangement and assembly of their constituent nanoparticles. The proposed work aims to address fundamental challenges associated with nanoparticle assembly, and it will lead to the development of new methodology for controlling the synthesis, assembly, and properties of nanoparticle superstructures. These basic research efforts will be coupled with outreach efforts aimed at attracting high-school students, especially minorities, to participate in university-based chemistry research. Undergraduate and graduate students will develop important mentoring skills while training high-school collaborators in a cutting-edge and highly interdisciplinary laboratory environment.
