Peptide mediated synthesis of metallic and magnetic materials

Abstract

The present invention includes methods for producing magnetic nanocrystals by using a biological molecule that has been modified to possess an amino acid oligomer that is capable of specific binding to a magnetic material.

1 . A method of making a magnetic material comprising the steps of:
 providing a molecule comprising a portion that binds specifically to the surface of a magnetic material; and   contacting one or more magnetic material precursors with the molecule under conditions that permit formation of the magnetic material.   
     
     
         2 . A method of making a magnetic material comprising the step of:
 contacting a molecule that initiates magnetic material formation with magnetic material precursor and a reducing agent.   
     
     
         3 . A method of making a magnetic material comprising the steps of:
 linking a magnetic material binding molecule to a substrate;   contacting one or more magnetic material precursors with the magnetic material binding molecule under conditions that form the magnetic material; and   forming the magnetic material.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the molecule comprises an amino acid oligomer as the portion that binds specifically to the surface of the magnetic material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the molecule is selected from a combinatorial library screen. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of isolating the magnetic material. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the molecule is defined further as peptide that comprises a portion of a self-assembling molecule. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the self-assembling molecule is a phage. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material is a nanoparticle. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the molecule comprises a chimeric protein that exposes one or more magnetic material binding amino acid oligomers on its surface. 
     
     
         11 . A magnetic material formed using a binding molecule and one or more magnetic material precursors. 
     
     
         12 . A magnetic material formed using a magnetic material specific binding molecule in the presence of a metal salt and a reducing agent. 
     
     
         13 . The magnetic material of  claim 11 , wherein the magnetic material comprises nanoparticles. 
     
     
         14 . A composition comprising peptide that binds specifically to ε-Co. 
     
     
         15 . A composition comprising peptide that binds specifically to CoPt. 
     
     
         16 . A composition comprising peptide that binds specifically to FePt. 
     
     
         17 . A composition comprising peptide that binds specifically to SmCo5. 
     
     
         18 . A composition comprising peptide that binds specifically to a ferromagnetic surface. 
     
     
         19 . A method of isolating a molecule that binds specifically to a magnetic material comprising the steps of:
 contacting a library of molecules with a magnetic material;   removing non-binding molecules from the library; and   eluting the bound molecules from the magnetic material.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the molecular library is further defined as comprising a phage display library. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the molecular library is further defined as comprising a combinatorial chemistry library. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the molecules comprise amino acid oligomers which specifically bind the magnetic material. 
     
     
         23 . A method of preparing a particle film comprising the steps of:
 adding a solution of particles to a surface; wherein the particles are synthesized with use of binding molecules;   evaporating the solution of nanoparticles on the surface; and   annealing the particles to the surface to create a film of particles.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the particles are nanoparticles. 
     
     
         25 . A method of making a metal material comprising the steps of:
 providing a molecule comprising a portion that binds specifically to a metal surface; and   contacting one or more metal material precursors with the molecule under conditions that permit formation of the metal material.   
     
     
         26 . A method of making a magnetic material comprising the step of contacting a molecule which binds specifically to the magnetic material with a magnetic material precursor at a temperature of 300° C. or below to form the magnetic material. 
     
     
         27 . A method of making a metallic material comprising the step of contacting a molecule which binds specifically to the metallic material with a metallic material precursor at a temperature of 300° C. or below to form the metallic material. 
     
     
         28 . A composition comprising an oligopeptide and a magnetic material, wherein the oligopeptide is specifically bound to the magnetic material. 
     
     
         29 . A composition comprising SmCo5 nanoparticles. 
     
     
         30 . A metal material comprising binding molecule-synthesized metal particles. 
     
     
         31 . A metal material comprised of a collection of binding molecule synthesized metal nanoparticles that are annealed from polycrystalline to single crystalline materials. 
     
     
         32 . A metal material comprising of a collection of binding molecule synthesized metal nanoparticles that are synthesized independently from viruses.