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Updated: Dec 24, 2025

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Published on: August 23, 2012
Viral nano-hybrids for innovative energy conversion and storage schemes
D Vilona1, R Di Lorenzo, M Carraro
1CNR-ITM and Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, via F. Marzolo 1, 35131 Padova, Italy. marcella.bonchio@unipd.it mauro.carraro@unipd.it giulia.licini@unipd.it.
Abstract:
Typical rod-like viruses (the Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) and the Bacteriophage M13) are biological nanostructures that couple a 1D mono-dispersed morphology with a precisely defined topology of surface spaced and orthogonal reactive domains. These biogenic scaffolds offer a unique alternative to synthetic nano-platforms for the assembly of functional molecules and materials. Spatially resolved 1D arrays of inorganic-organic hybrid domains can thus be obtained on viral nano-templates resulting in the functional arrangement of photo-triggers and catalytic sites with applications in light energy conversion and storage. Different synthetic strategies are herein highlighted depending on the building blocks and with a particular emphasis on the molecular design of viral-templated nano-interfaces holding great potential for the dream-goal of artificial photosynthesis.
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