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Hierarchical Analysis of Self‐Assembled PEGylated Hexaphenylalanine Photoluminescent Nanostructures
Author(s) -
Diaferia Carlo,
Sibillano Teresa,
Balasco Nicole,
Giannini Cinzia,
Roviello Valentina,
Vitagliano Luigi,
Morelli Giancarlo,
Accardo Antonella
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201604107
Subject(s) - nanostructure , photoluminescence , materials science , peptide , small angle x ray scattering , nanotechnology , aqueous solution , nanoscopic scale , self assembly , fluorescence , chemistry , scattering , physics , optoelectronics , biochemistry , optics , quantum mechanics
Despite the growing literature about diphenylalanine‐based peptide materials, it still remains a challenge to delineate the theoretical insight into peptide nanostructure formation and the structural features that could permit materials with enhanced properties to be engineered. Herein, we report the synthesis of a novel peptide building block composed of six phenylalanine residues and eight PEG units, PEG 8 ‐F6. This aromatic peptide self‐assembles in water in stable and well‐ordered nanostructures with optoelectronic properties. A variety of techniques, such as fluorescence, FTIR, CD, DLS, SEM, SAXS, and WAXS allowed us to correlate the photoluminescence properties of the self‐assembled nanostructures with the structural organization of the peptide building block at the micro‐ and nanoscale. Finally, a model of hexaphenylalanine in aqueous solution by molecular dynamics simulations is presented to suggest structural and energetic factors controlling the formation of nanostructures.