Bioassisted multi-nanoparticle patterning using single-layer peptide templates

Patterning of nanoparticles on solid substrates is one of the main challenges of current nanotechnology applications. The use of organic molecules as templates for the deposition of the nanoparticles makes it possible to utilize simple soft lithography techniques for patterning. Peptides appear to be powerful candidates for this job due to their versatility and design flexibility. In this work, we demonstrate the use of dual-affinity peptides, which bind both to the substrate and to the deposited nanoparticles, as single-layer linkers for the creation of multi-component nanoparticle patterns via microcontact printing processes. Controlled deposition and patterning of gold colloids or carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on silicon oxide surfaces and that of silicon oxide nanoparticles on gold surfaces have been achieved by the use of the corresponding dual-affinity peptides. Furthermore, patterning of both gold colloids and CNTs on a single substrate on predefined locations has been achieved. The suggested generic approach offers great flexibility by allowing binding of any material to a substrate of choice, provided that a peptide binding segment has been engineered for each of the inorganic components. Furthermore, the diversity of possible peptide sequences allows the formation of multi-component patterns, paving the way to fabricating complex functional structures based on peptide templates.