A self-healing multispectral transparent adhesive peptide glass

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Finkelstein-Zuta, Gal; Arnon, Zohar A.; Vijayakanth, Thangavel; Messer, Or; Lusky, Orr Simon; Wagner, Avital; Zilberman, Galit; Aizen, Ruth; Michaeli, Lior; Rencus-Lazar, Sigal; Gilead, Sharon; Shankar, Sudha; Pavan, Mariela Jorgelina; Goldstein, Dor Aaron; Kutchinsky, Shira; Ellenbogen, Tal; Palmer, Benjamin A.; Goldbourt, Amir; Sokol, Maxim; Gazit, Ehud
• 署名单位: Tel Aviv University; Tel Aviv University; Tel Aviv University; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Elbit Systems; California Institute of Technology; Tel Aviv University; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Tel Aviv University; Columbia University
• 刊物名称: Nature
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0028-3933
• DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07408-x
• 发表日期: 2024-06-13
• 关键词: room-temperature; state; water; nanostructures; tyrosine

摘要

Despite its disordered liquid-like structure, glass exhibits solid-like mechanical properties1. The formation of glassy material occurs by vitrification, preventing crystallization and promoting an amorphous structure2. Glass is fundamental in diverse fields of materials science, owing to its unique optical, chemical and mechanical properties as well as durability, versatility and environmental sustainability3. However, engineering a glassy material without compromising its properties is challenging4-6. Here we report the discovery of a supramolecular amorphous glass formed by the spontaneous self-organization of the short aromatic tripeptide YYY initiated by non-covalent cross-linking with structural water7,8. This system uniquely combines often contradictory sets of properties; it is highly rigid yet can undergo complete self-healing at room temperature. Moreover, the supramolecular glass is an extremely strong adhesive yet it is transparent in a wide spectral range from visible to mid-infrared. This exceptional set of characteristics is observed in a simple bioorganic peptide glass composed of natural amino acids, presenting a multi-functional material that could be highly advantageous for various applications in science and engineering. A tyrosine tripeptide was discovered to unexpectedly form a supramolecular amorphous glassy material by constructing a non-specific hydrogen bonding network with structural water molecules.