The Synthesis and Photocatalytic Performance of Peapod-Like One Dimensional Nanocomposites Composed of Au Nanoparticles and TiO2 Nanofibers.

Recently, material scientists have paid a lot of attention on the synthesis of one dimensional peapod-like nanostructures composed of metal nanoparticles and inorganic nanofibers due to their superior properties. In this work, we realized the synthesis of Au-TiO2 nanopeapods by using Au-bacteria cellulose nanofibers as templates in aqueous solution through a simple sol-gel method. Reaction conditions such as the Au contents in the gold-bacteria cellulose nanofibers, the reaction times and the calcination temperatures were investigated in detail for the synthesis of nanopeapods of Au-TiO2.

Bioinspired colloidal materials with special optical, mechanical, and cell-mimetic functions.

Biological materials are usually characterized by sophisticate structures and hierarchical organizations, leading to remarkable and multiple functions, which has been a source of inspiration for the fabrication of a wide variety of colloidal materials mimicking the structure and functions of biological systems. In this feature article, we summarize recent progress in the research on fabrication and applications of bioinspired colloidal materials with special optical, mechanical, and cell-mimetic functions. Three typical kinds of bioinspired colloidal materials are highlighted, which include bioinspired photonic structures based on colloidal crystals, colloidal assemblies with a nacre-like structure and novel mechanical properties, and colloidal cellular systems consisting of colloidal particles enclosed by lipid bilayers and possessing certain cellular functions.

Amperometric hydrogen peroxide biosensor based on the immobilization of heme proteins on gold nanoparticles-bacteria cellulose nanofibers nanocomposite.

A novel matrix, gold nanoparticles-bacterial cellulose nanofibers (Au-BC) nanocomposite was developed for enzyme immobilization and biosensor fabrication due to its unique properties such as satisfying biocompatibility, good conductivity and extensive surface area, which were inherited from both gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and bacterial cellulose nanofibers (BC). Heme proteins such as horseradish peroxidase (HRP), hemoglobin (Hb) and myoglobin (Mb) were successfully immobilized on the surface of Au-BC nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The immobilized heme proteins showed electrocatalytic activities to the reduction of H(2)O(2) in the presence of the mediator hydroquinone (HQ), which might be due to the fact that heme proteins retained the near-native secondary structures in the Au-BC nanocomposite which was proved by UV-vis and IR spectra.