Short-peptide-based hydrogel: a template for the in situ synthesis of fluorescent silver nanoclusters by using sunlight

Adhikari, Bimalendu ; Banerjee, Arindam (2010) Short-peptide-based hydrogel: a template for the in situ synthesis of fluorescent silver nanoclusters by using sunlight Chemistry - A European Journal, 16 (46). pp. 13698-13705. ISSN 0947-6539

Full text not available from this repository.

Official URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/chem.20...

Related URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/chem.201001240

Abstract

N-terminally Fmoc-protected dipeptide, Fmoc-Val-Asp-OH, forms a transparent, stable hydrogel with a minimum gelation concentration of 0.2% w/v. The gelation property of the hydrogel was investigated by using methods such as transmission electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The silver-ion-encapsulating hydrogel can efficiently and spontaneously produce fluorescent silver nanoclusters under sunlight at physiological pH (7.46) by using a green chemistry approach. Interestingly, in the absence of any conventional reducing agent but in the presence of sunlight, silver ions were reduced by the carboxylate group of a gelator peptide that contains an aspartic acid residue. These clusters were investigated by using UV/Vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. Mass spectrometric analysis shows the presence of a few atoms in nanoclusters containing only Ag2. The reported fluorescent Ag nanoclusters show excellent optical properties, including a very narrow emission profile and large Stokes shift (>100 nm). The reported fluorescent Ag nanoclusters within hydrogel are very stable even after 6 months storage in the dark at 4°C. The as-prepared hydrogel-nanocluster conjugate could have applications in antibacterial preparations, bioimaging and other purposes.

Item Type:Article
Source:Copyright of this article belongs to John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
ID Code:99645
Deposited On:03 Nov 2016 09:50
Last Modified:03 Nov 2016 09:50

Repository Staff Only: item control page