Miniaturization of metal-biomolecule frameworks based on stereoselective self-assembly and potential application in water treatment and as antibacterial agents

Miniaturization of metal-biomolecule frameworks (MBioFs) to the nanometer scale represents a novel strategy for fabricating materials with tunable physical and chemical properties. Herein, we demonstrate a simple, low-cost, and completely organic solvent-free strategy for constructing a dl-glutamic acid-copper ion-based three-dimensional nanofibrous network structure. The building blocks used are available in large quantities and do not require any laborious synthesis or modification. Importantly, we demonstrate with an intriguing example, that the self-assembly ability of supramolecular nanofibers could be finely tuned with the ligands' chirality. This offers opportunities for obtaining one-dimensional hierarchical nanostructures and expands the investigation scope of stereoselective self-assembly. Furthermore, the material displays good ability in removing anionic dyes from water and inhibits the growth of both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, possibly through the contact-killing mechanism; this indicates potential applications in environmental issues and antimicrobial nanotherapeutics.