Interfacial dynamics mediate surface binding events on supramolecular nanostructures.

ABSTRACT: The dynamic behavior of biological materials is central to their functionality, suggesting that interfacial dynamics could also mediate the activity of chemical events at the surfaces of synthetic materials. Here, we investigate the influence of surface flexibility and hydration on heavy metal remediation by nanostructures self-assembled from small molecules that are decorated with surface-bound chelators in water. We find that incorporating short oligo(ethylene glycol) spacers between the surface and interior domain of self-assembled nanostructures can drastically increase the conformational mobility of surface-bound lead-chelating moieties and promote interaction with surrounding water. In turn, we find the binding affinities of chelators tethered to the most flexible surfaces are more t

SUBMITTER: Christoff-Tempesta T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11377763 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature