- Title
- Fabrication and characterisation of biomimetic silicate particles for biocatalysis
- Creator
- Neville, Frances; Murphy, Thomas; Webber, Grant B.; Wanless, Erica J.; Jameson, Graeme J.
- Relation
- Chemeca 2011: Engineering a Better World. CHEMECA 2011: Engineering a Better World (Sydney 18-21 September, 2011)
- Relation
- http://www.conference.net.au/chemeca2011
- Publisher
- Engineers Australia
- Resource Type
- conference paper
- Date
- 2011
- Description
- In nature, some peptides induce precipitation of silicic acid into silica nanoparticles such as is found in marine algae called diatoms. However, polybasic polymers can act as peptide mimics; one such polymer, polyethyleneimine (PEI) has the advantage that it is stable at room temperature and is inexpensive, in comparison to synthetic peptides. The method of silicate particle fabrication we have established is one which is based on natural silication. By investigating the molecular basis of this method, it will allow fabrication methods based on natural processes to be improved. This will in turn improve processes using particles such as in biocatalysis. The fabrication and characterisation of biomimetic silicate particles formed by using PEI to mimic silaffin peptides is presented. The alkoxysilanes used were trimethoxymethyl silane (TMOMS) and 3-mercaptopropylsilane (3mPTMOS). Scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering measurements were used to observe particle size and morphology. The data shown is for particles fabricated using PEI of two different molecular weights (25 and 750 kDa). The characterisation and comparison of particles produced with TMOMS is presented for the first time. In addition, the scanning electron microscopy results show that the higher molecular weight PEI produced particles with a very rough surface we refer to as raspberry-like aggregate particles when using both the TMOMS and 3mPTMOS alkoxysilanes. This is completely different to the smooth particles produced with PEIs of smaller molecular weights. However, there are some common particle characteristics when glucose oxidase enzyme was entrapped in the particles made with 3mPTMOS, as for both PEIs used a bimodal distribution of particle size was observed. This suggests that both the polymer and the enzyme have important influences on the characteristics of the particles that are produced.
- Subject
- biomimetic; silica nanoparticles; biocatalysis; polymers
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1036654
- Identifier
- uon:13338
- Identifier
- ISBN:9780858259225
- Language
- eng
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