Method for manufacturing nanoelectrodes using a virus-containing template

Low-Density Gold-Platinum Alloy Nanoelectrodes Based on Genetically Engineered M13 Virus Biotemplates

This technology is a method for manufacturing nanoelectrodes by creating a biotemplate composite—mixing M13 viruses engineered to express YEEE sequence peptides on their surface with an amine-functionalized silicate sol-gel matrix and reduced graphene oxide—coating this onto an electrode, and electrodepositing metal to form gold-platinum alloy nanostructures.

Direct methanol fuel cells have faced challenges such as the high cost and short lifespan of platinum catalysts, as well as reduced active sites due to surface poisoning and particle ripening. Even when using reduced graphene oxide as a support, issues like achieving high-dispersion, low-density metal loading, preventing sheet aggregation, and controlling the electrochemically active surface area remained unresolved.

This technology uses peptides on the virus's major coat protein as nucleation sites for alloy nanostructures, inducing low-density packing and preventing graphene aggregation. This results in high active surface area, mass activity, and CO poisoning resistance in alkaline methanol oxidation. Applicable to direct methanol fuel cells, batteries, supercapacitors, and sensor electrodes, it enables cost-effective production of high-activity bimetallic catalysts with reduced platinum usage, without requiring expensive synthetic peptides.

‍

‍

Key Features:

• Preparing M13 viruses engineered to express YEEE sequence peptides, consisting of one tyrosine and three glutamic acids, on the surface of the P8 major coat protein
• Synthesizing a bio-template composite by mixing the engineered M13 virus, an amine-functionalized silicate sol-gel matrix, and reduced graphene oxide
• Coating the bio-template composite onto the surface of an ITO electrode using a drop-casting method
• Forming gold-platinum alloy nanostructures on the coated electrode by electrodepositing metals from an electrolyte containing chloroauric acid and chloroplatinic acid

‍

This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Education for the development of electrochemical biosensors utilizing bacteriophages.

‍