Bioinspired functional materials through programmable self-assembly of organic semiconductor peptide hybrids

The proposed fundamental research project is located at the interface between (bio)organic synthetic chemistry, physical chemistry, and materials science and exploits self-assembling cyclic d,l-alternating peptides as scaffolds to establish tailored long-range order between organic electron donors and acceptors, enabling a new class of bioinspired materials. Selected cyclic peptides will be covalently functionalized with fine-tuned donor and acceptor moieties to adjust the extent of charge-transfer interactions within the self-assembled peptide nanotubes. The resulting materials shall provide for applications ranging from ferro- and piezoelectric functionality to photostriction and selective ion channels. The obtained fundamental results are expected to constitute a solid basis for translation into the hot areas of signal transduction and actuators in biologically relevant environments and soft robotics.

Schematic drawing of acceptor and donor subunits formed by modified peptides

Project lead: Prof. Dr. Milan Kivala, Prof. Dr. Franziska Thomas and Prof. dr. ir. Martijn Kemerink

Kivala

ThomasKemerink