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High-performance nanomaterials formed by rigid yet extensible cyclic ?-peptide polymers.


ABSTRACT: Organisms have evolved biomaterials with an extraordinary convergence of high mechanical strength, toughness, and elasticity. In contrast, synthetic materials excel in stiffness or extensibility, and a combination of the two is necessary to exceed the performance of natural biomaterials. We bridge this materials property gap through the side-chain-to-side-chain polymerization of cyclic ?-peptide rings. Due to their strong dipole moments, the rings self-assemble into rigid nanorods, stabilized by hydrogen bonds. Displayed amines serve as functionalization sites, or, if protonated, force the polymer to adopt an unfolded conformation. This molecular design enhances the processability and extensibility of the biopolymer. Molecular dynamics simulations predict stick-slip deformations dissipate energy at large strains, thereby, yielding toughness values greater than natural silks. Moreover, the synthesis route can be adapted to alter the dimensions and displayed chemistries of nanomaterials with mechanical properties that rival nature.

SUBMITTER: Fears KP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6173727 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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High-performance nanomaterials formed by rigid yet extensible cyclic β-peptide polymers.

Fears Kenan P KP   Kolel-Veetil Manoj K MK   Barlow Daniel E DE   Bernstein Noam N   So Christopher R CR   Wahl Kathryn J KJ   Li Xianfeng X   Kulp John L JL   Latour Robert A RA   Clark Thomas D TD  

Nature communications 20181005 1


Organisms have evolved biomaterials with an extraordinary convergence of high mechanical strength, toughness, and elasticity. In contrast, synthetic materials excel in stiffness or extensibility, and a combination of the two is necessary to exceed the performance of natural biomaterials. We bridge this materials property gap through the side-chain-to-side-chain polymerization of cyclic β-peptide rings. Due to their strong dipole moments, the rings self-assemble into rigid nanorods, stabilized by  ...[more]

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