TMV-templated formation of metal and polymer nanotubes

Abstract

Metals and polymers are probably the most important construction materials, but also have many more functions, e.g., for electronics. The interaction of metal ions with tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was originally used for the preparation of heavy metal isomorphic replacement for structural analysis. Metal ions can also be the precursors for metal clusters, particles, and layers. Various strategies have been developed, which allow the creation of metal layers on the external surface of TMV. Such layers can be made as metal tubes, enveloping a complete virion. An alternative strategy is adsorption of metal nanoparticles. If a dense coating of TMV is achieved, again a tube results. Nanoscale tubes have various physical properties that depend on size, crystallinity, uniformity, but especially on the nature of the metal. Polymer coatings are as yet rarely investigated, though they can be prepared quite easily. Here, a series of exemplary protocols is provided, which covers all of these different concepts.