T4 virus-based toolkit for the direct synthesis and 3D organization of metal quantum particles

One of the challenges in building superstructures based on small metal particles is producing stable interparticle separation. Herein, we present a novel assembly method based on the use of the T4 bacteriophage capsid as a scaffold for the construction of 3D monodisperse metal-particle arrays. The highly regular and symmetrical protein surface of the T4 capsid allows the site-directed adsorption and subsequent reduction of metal ions, thus permitting the growth of metal particles in situ to enable them to exist at a quantum size with a high degree of monodispersity. Both these characteristics contribute to a great improvement in the electrocatalytic activity of the patterned noble-metal particles. Organized magnetic particles as small as 2-4 nm still maintain an observable ferromagnetic behavior, which makes them promising for a variety of possible biomedical applications.