Issue 25, 2017

Conducting microhelices from self-assembly of protein fibrils

Abstract

Herein we utilize insulin to prepare amyloid based chiral helices with either right or left handed helicity. We demonstrate that the helices can be utilized as structural templates for the conducting polymer alkoxysulfonate poly(ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT-S). The chirality of the helical assembly is transferred to PEDOT-S as demonstrated by polarized optical microscopy (POM) and Circular Dichroism (CD). Analysis of the helices by conductive atomic force microscopy (c-AFM) shows significant conductivity. In addition, the morphology of the template structure is stabilized by PEDOT-S. These conductive helical structures represent promising candidates in our quest for THz resonators.

Graphical abstract: Conducting microhelices from self-assembly of protein fibrils

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
11 Jan 2017
Accepted
25 May 2017
First published
30 May 2017
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Soft Matter, 2017,13, 4412-4417

Conducting microhelices from self-assembly of protein fibrils

F. G. Bäcklund, A. Elfwing, C. Musumeci, F. Ajjan, V. Babenko, W. Dzwolak, N. Solin and O. Inganäs, Soft Matter, 2017, 13, 4412 DOI: 10.1039/C7SM00068E

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