Nanoscaling ordering of hybrid materials using genetically engineered mesoscale virus

• US 20030073104A1
• Filed: 05/29/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: Belcher, Angela M., Lee, Seung-Wuk
• Application Number:
  US10/157,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20030073104A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/6
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 5/00 Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/58 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 7/00 Single-crystal growth from solutions using solvents which are liquid at normal temperature, e.g. aqueous solutions from molten solvents C30B9/00; by normal or gradient freezing C30B11/00; under a protective fluid C30B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 7/005 Epitaxial layer growth
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/588 with semiconductor nanocrystal label, e.g. quantum dots
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02 Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/045 by their particular orientation of crystalline planes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/191 characterised by provisions for the orientation or alignment of the layer to be deposited
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/761 Biomolecules or bio-macromolecules, e.g. proteins, chlorophyl, lipids or enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 Composite [nonstructural laminate]

Abstract

The present invention includes methods for producing nanocrystals of semiconductor material that have specific crystallographic features such as phase and alignment by using a self-assembling biological molecule that has been modified to possess an amino acid oligomer that is capable of specific binding to semi-conductor material. One form of the present invention is a method to construct ordered nanoparticles within the liquid crystal of the self-assembling biological molecule.

Claims

1. A method of making a film comprising the steps of:

amplifying a self-assembling biological molecule comprising a portion that binds a specific semiconductor surfaces to high concentrations; and

contacting a semiconductor material precursor with the self-assembling biological molecule to form a crystal.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the self-assembling biological molecule has been engineered to expose one or more amino acid oligomers on its surface.

3. The method recited in claim 2 wherein the oligomer is between 7 and 15 amino acids long.

4. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the selection of self-assembling biological molecule is accomplished by combinatorial library screening.

5. The method recited in claim 4 wherein the screening comprising the steps of eluting the bound self-assembling biological molecule from the crystal.

6. The method recited in claim 5 further comprising the step of contacting the eluted amino acid oligomer with the semiconductor material;

and

repeating the eluting step.

7. The method recited in claim 6 wherein the binding and eluting is repeated up to five times.

8. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the self-assembling biological molecule is amplified up to liquid crystal concentrations.

9. The method recited in claim 8 wherein the amplification is accomplished using the polymerase chain reaction.

10. The method recited in claim 1 wherein the semiconductor material comprises II-IV semiconductor material.

24. A film made by the method of claim 1.

11. A method of controlling the cholesteric pitch of a nanoparticle comprising the steps of:

amplifying a self-assembling viral particle comprising a portion that binds a specific semiconductor surfaces to high concentrations; and

contacting a semiconductor material precursor with the self-assembling viral particle to form a crystal.

12. The method recited in claim 11 wherein the self-assembling viral particle has been engineered to expose one or more amino acid oligomers on its surface.

13. The method recited in claim 12 wherein the oligomer is between 7 and 15 amino acids long.

14. The method recited in claim 12 wherein the selection of the self-assembling viral particle is accomplished by combinatorial library screening.

15. The method recited in claim 14 wherein the screening comprises the steps of:

contacting the self-assembling viral particle containing the amino acid oligomer to one or more crystals of the semiconductor material so that the one or more crystals may bind.

16. The method recited in claim 15 further comprising the step of contacting the eluted amino acid oligomer with the semiconductor material;

and

repeating the eluting step.

17. The method recited in claim 16 wherein the binding and eluting is repeated up to five times.

18. The method recited in claim 12 wherein the self-assembling viral particle is amplified up to liquid crystal concentrations.

19. The method recited in claim 18 wherein the amplification is accomplished using the polymerase chain reaction.

20. The method recited in claim 12 wherein the semiconductor material comprises II-IV semiconductor material.

21. The method recited in claim 12 wherein the method is used to control the smectic alignment of the nanoparticle.

22. The method recited in claim 12 wherein the method is used to impart nemetic phase to the nanoparticle.

23. The method recited in claim 12 wherein the method is used to produce a casting film.

25. A film made by the method of claim 11.

26. A method of making a nanoparticle comprising the steps of:

fixing a semiconductor binding peptide to a substrate;

contacting one or more semiconductor material precursors with the semiconductor binding peptide; and

forming a semiconductor crystal on the semiconductor binding peptide.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the semiconductor binding peptide further comprises a chimeric protein that exposes one or more amino acid oligomers on its surface.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the semiconductor binding peptide comprises between about 7 and 15 amino acids.

29. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of eluting the semiconductor crystal from the semiconductor binding.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the semiconductor binding peptide is linked chemically to the substrate.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the semiconductor binding peptide comprises a chimeric protein with a self-assembling viral particle.

32. The method of claim 26, wherein the semiconductor material comprises a Group II-IV semiconductor material.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein the semiconductor binding peptide controls the smectic alignment of a nanoparticle.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein the semiconductor binding peptide controls the nemetic phase of a nanoparticle.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein the method is used to produce a film.

36. A polymer made by the method of claim 26.