BIONANOMATERIALS AND THEIR SYNTHESIS

• US 20090029441A1
• Filed: 11/01/2006
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of South Carolina
• Original Assignee: University of South Carolina
• Inventors: Niu, Zhongwel, Wang, Qian
• Granted Patent: US 7,820,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/235.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 5/00 Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2770/00023 Virus like particles [VLP]
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 7/00 Viruses; Bacteriophages; Compositions thereof; Preparation or purification thereof preparing medicinal viral antigen or antibody compositions, e.g. virus vaccines, A61K39/00
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 1/10 Other agents for modifying properties
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/76 from other polycondensation products
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/762 Nanowire or quantum wire, i.e. axially elongated structure having two dimensions of 100 nm or less

Abstract

The use of biomaterials, such as viruses and virus-like particles, to form nanostructures is generally disclosed. For instance, rod-like viruses can be used to form composite nanofibers that are fixed together in a head-to-tail assembly by a polymer. Also, 2-dimensional nanostructures formed from crosslinked viruses assembled in a single, film-like layer are generally disclosed. Porous gels having controllable pore size through the use of virus particles are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A 1-dimensional composite nanofiber comprising:

a plurality of rod-like viruses, wherein each rod-like virus defines a head and a tail, and wherein said plurality of rod-like viruses are assembled in a head-to-tail arrangement to form a wire-like structure such that the head of one rod-like virus is adjacent to the tail of an adjacent virus; and

a polymer surrounding said wire-like structure to fix said plurality of rod-like viruses together in said head-to tail arrangement.

2. A 1-dimensional composite nanofiber as in claim 1, wherein said rod-like viruses comprise tobacco mosaic viruses.

3. A 1-dimensional composite nanofiber as in claim 1, wherein said rod-like viruses are functionalized.

4. A 1-dimensional composite nanofiber as in claim 1, wherein said wire-like structure is functionalized.

5. A 1-dimensional composite nanofiber as in claim 1, wherein said polymer comprises polyaniline.

6. A method of making a composite nanofiber comprising:

providing a plurality of rod-like viruses, wherein each rod-like virus defines a head and a tail;

assembling the rod-like viruses in a head-to-tail arrangement to form a wire-like structure such that the head of one rod-like virus is adjacent to the tail of an adjacent virus; and

polymerizing a plurality of monomers about the wire-like structure to fix the plurality of rod-like viruses together in the head-to tail arrangement.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein the rod-like viruses comprise tobacco mosaic viruses.

8. A method as in claim 6, further comprising the step of functionalizing the rod-like viruses.

9. A method as in claim 6, further comprising the step of functionalizing the wire-like structure.

10. A method as in claim 6, wherein the plurality of monomers comprises aniline.

11. A method as in claim 6, wherein the rod-like viruses self-assemble.

12. A 2-dimensional nanostructure comprising:

a plurality of viruses assembled in a single layer, wherein said plurality of viruses are crosslinked to fix the single layer into the 2-dimensional nanostructure.

13. A 2-dimensional nanostructure as in claim 12, wherein said plurality of viruses comprises rod-like viruses.

14. A 2-dimensional nanostructure as in claim 12, wherein said plurality of viruses comprises icosahedral viruses.

15. A 2-dimensional nanostructure as in claim 12, wherein said plurality of viruses are crosslinked with glutaraldehyde to fix the single layer into the 2-dimensional nanostructure.

16. A method of forming a 2-dimensional nanostructure comprising

providing a plurality of viruses;

assembling the plurality of viruses into a film-like layer; and

crosslinking the plurality of viruses assembled into a film-like layer to fix the 2-dimensional nanostructure.

17. A method as in claim 16, wherein the plurality of viruses comprises rod-like viruses.

18. A method as in claim 16, wherein the plurality of viruses comprises icosahedral viruses.

19. A method as in claim 16, wherein the plurality of viruses are self-assembled into a film-like layer.

20. A method as in claim 16, wherein the plurality of viruses are crosslinked with glutaraldehyde to fix the film-like layer into the 2-dimensional nanostructure.

21. A method of making a porous gel comprising

providing a gel-forming material;

dispersing a plurality of viruses into the gel-forming material; and

calcinating the gel-forming material.

22. A method as in claim 21, wherein the plurality of viruses comprises rod-like viruses.

23. A method as in claim 21, wherein the plurality of viruses comprises icosahedral viruses.

24. A method as in claim 21, wherein the gel-forming material comprises silica-sol gel.