Applications of peptides in noble metal nanoparticles (NMNPs) preparation

The preparations and applications of noble metal nanoparticles (NMNPs) have attracted much more interest because of remarkably distinct properties compared with bulky metallic solids. Because peptides have many compositions and active groups, and be degradable, biologically active, biocompatible, specific recognizable, could be used in biological and medical fields, scientists have been trying to prepare NMNPs with peptides in the hope of obtaining more functional and adjustable materials. The recent progress in the applications of peptides in NMNPs preparations is summarized from the following aspects in this review: peptides acting as reducing agents to reduce noble metal salt precursors; peptides acting as capping/modulating agents to prepare NMNPs with different sizes/morphologies; peptides acting as directors to array NMNPs to regular superstructures; peptides acting as templates to assemble NMNPs to low-dimensional assemblies. In addition, the adsorption of peptides on surfaces of noble metals, the peptides self-assembly and how to obtain desired peptides are also summarized. The applications of NMNPs prepared with peptides in nanometer/material technologies are also introduced briefly, such as acting as catalyst for Stille coupling reaction, magnetic & electrical materials through self-assembled nanowires, and optical materials with specific recognition, label, and detection. Finally, several directions to be studied in future are also prospected, such as the interaction between peptide and NMNPs, the control of size, morphology and composition of NMNPs during synthesis with peptide, the ordered self-assembly of NMNPs regulated with peptides, and the applications in more fields.