Issue 12, 2018

Secondary structure-induced aggregation by hydrogen peroxide: a stimuli-triggered open/close implementation by recombination

Abstract

The fabrication of reactive aggregation nanomaterials through assemblies in a facile and cost-effective manner is much desired but remains to be well explored. Here we show that exquisite and ultra-long (>2 μm) hybrid polymer nanorods (NRs) can be formed by a simple self-assembly of a phenylboronic acid modified genistein crosslinker (Ge-di(HMPBA-pin)) and D-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 (TPGS). The obtained NRs exhibit quantitative and sensitive colorimetric detection of H2O2 with a remarkable detection limit for different stromal materials. More significantly, the presence of H2O2 triggers a distinct morphological transformation of the polymer NR assembly into the secondary structure of micelles via the oxidative deboronation of boronate moieties in HMPBA-pin-SA. It spontaneously induces the aggregation of metal nanoparticles (Au NPs), metal nanorods (Au NRs), quantum dots (MoS2 QDs), metal ions (Cu2+), protein (ferritin) and tetraphenylethene (TPE) molecules, giving rise to a dramatic stimuli-triggered open/close switchable complexation and apparent colorimetric transitions in vitro. This study, for the first time, showcases the fascinating advantages of such unprecedented secondary structure-induced aggregation and uncovers the immense potential to design a plethora of other sensing systems by virtue of the alternate trigger-specific, sacrifice-aggregated building moieties.

Graphical abstract: Secondary structure-induced aggregation by hydrogen peroxide: a stimuli-triggered open/close implementation by recombination

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
15 Dec 2017
Accepted
11 Feb 2018
First published
13 Feb 2018

Nanoscale, 2018,10, 5503-5514

Secondary structure-induced aggregation by hydrogen peroxide: a stimuli-triggered open/close implementation by recombination

G. Zhang, Q. Liao, Y. Liu, L. Wang, H. Gou, C. Ke, X. Huang, K. Xi and X. Jia, Nanoscale, 2018, 10, 5503 DOI: 10.1039/C7NR09356J

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