C10556: Soluble Self-Assembling Peptides for Organic Electronics
Value Proposition:
ADVANTAGES
• Novel methods for the solubility of pi-conjugated organic electronic units
• Novel methods for the assembly of these molecules into defined one-dimensional nanostructures
• Soluble nanostructures for biological and medical integration uses
• Functional nanostructures with cell adhesion properties for use in 3-D hydrogels and scaffolds
• pi-conjugated organic electronic units for use as:
• implantable medical device
• in vivo biological sensor
• in vivo electronic conduit
• molecule to stimulate tissue regeneration
Technical Details:
BACKGROUND
Self-assembling supramolecular objects with pi-electron functionality are of increasing interest for nanotechnology and have many useful physic-chemical properties. The use of these molecules would be of enormous use for biological and medical applications; however, limitations exist due to poor water solubility and toxicity which is caused by current assembly processes.
TECHNOLOGY
JHU scientists have developed a method to solubilize pi-conjugated organic electronic units and a method to aide in the assembly of these units into one-dimensional nanostructures. This invention provides a solution to the severe aqueous insolubilities generally associated with the hydrophobic pi-conjugated organic electronic materials, while at the same time, offers a method to assemble the structures in aqueous environments without toxic effects.
Looking for Partners:
The commercial potential for this technology include 3-D Hydrogel tissue scaffolds for tissue regeneration, optoelectronics as imaging agents for forming amyloid deposits as well as other applications utilizing pi-conjugated organic electronic units.
Publications/Associated Cases:
Diegelmann, S. R., Gorham, J. M., & Tovar, J. D. (2008). One-dimensional optoelectronic nanostructures derived from the aqueous self-assembly of ð-conjugated oligopeptides. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 130(42), 13840-13841.
