Effect of Morphogenesis of the Surface of Peptide Nanocomposites on their Structure and Properties

Abstract

The synthesis of peptide nanocomposites from water-soluble components has many advantages. However, this raises the question of maintaining the functional properties and chemical structure of composites solid layers during long-term storage at ambient conditions. The processes of structural transformations during different stages of crystallization of hectapeptide composites with silver and gold nanoparticles in humid atmosphere were studied. The influence of temperature, humidity, nature of the substrate, its wetting, conformation of peptide molecules on the structure and electrophysical properties of the composites was considered also. Similarly to polymers two stages of crystallization were found: the initial fast and the subsequent slow. Unlike polymers, an increase in temperature does not affect this process, but even slows it down. Despite significant changes in the surface morphology of composites their electrophysical properties and conformation of molecules do not change. An increase in humidity accelerates the processes of the structural transitions. The results show that the changes in the surface morphology of PT composites under the influence of humidity relate only to the PT matrix itself and not to their locations or conformation of molecule.