Responsive and structured silica-polypeptide composite particles and their components
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Blake, Alyssa M.
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Abstract
Nature can produce multifunctional particles by seamlessly combining a variety of molecules and components into a single system. No synthetic particle or collection of particles has approached this elegant combination of function. This dissertation discusses the beginning of building functional and structured particles. It describes a system that combines colloidal silica, known for its ability to assume different and stable shapes, and polypeptides, known for their chirality and ability to change shape. Throughout, the goal is to produce silica-polypeptide composite particles (PCPs) that can illuminate a path to multiple function. The focus is on creating these multi-functional particles and understanding their physical properties and behaviors. This work has presented detailed studies for increased understanding of the degradation and conformational transition of poly(carbobenzyloxy-L-lysine) (PCBL) both free in solution and attached to a core particle. It has also presented composite materials synthesized with varying responsive and physical properties. These findings provide understanding to continue expanding work with polypeptides and biomaterials for use in a variety of applications such as polycolloids, vesicles, and other responsive materials.
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2020-07-14
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Dissertation