KCS

A novel means of incorporating ordered bio-functional viral assemblies into an electrostatic thin film nano-assembly and its application to anode material of lithium ion battery have been demonstrated. We used negatively-charged engineered M13 bacteriophage (virus) as the adsorbant species on a weak polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) support consisting of a cationic linear polyethylenimine (LPEI) and anionic polyacrylic acid (PAA). Due to a unique phenomenon of interdiffusion, the LPEI/PAA multilayer provides full mobility to the M13 virus, and the adsorption process drive self-assembly and entropically-driven ordering. The resulting monolayer formation of M13 virus can be tuned for its packing density and directional alignment. We also demonstrate the two-dimensional biomineralization from this monolayer template of M13 virus for nanoparticles and nanowires self-assembly. For an application, furthermore, we demonstrate the virus enabled synthesis and assembly of nanowires as negative-electrode materials for lithium ion batteries. The expression of cobalt ion binding peptides on the filamentous coat of M13 bacteriophage viruses facilitates the fabrication of homogenous Co3O4 nanowires at room temperature. Combining the virus templated synthesis at the peptide level and our methods for the control of two dimensional assembly of viruses on PEM provides a useful tool for integrating these nanomaterials to form thin, flexible Li ion batteries. Additionally, we presented that assembled virus structure can be patterned via non-conventional nano-lithographic methods and utilized as a biological sensor that can capture the specific proteins. Overall, this system represents an interface that provides a general platform for the systematic incorporation and assembly of organic, biological and inorganic materials, which can be a basis for the fabrication and integration of two-dimensional device structures.