[K BIZ] New Nanomaterial Synthesis Method

Nanomaterials (NMs) are any materials that have an average particle size of between 1 and 100 nanometers.

The synthesis of conventional biological nanomaterials by chemical and physical methods requires high energy consumption and environmentally hazardous conditions.

In an alternative way, methods of using microorganism to biologically synthesize nanomaterials have been under study, attracting attention.

In this context, a joint research team of South Korea's KAIST in Daejeon and Chung-Ang University in Seoul has developed a technology to biosynthesize 60 different nanomaterials by employing a recombinant Escherichia coli strain, which is all eco-friendly and biodegradable.

[Choi Yoo-Jin, Ph.D.researcher, KAIST]
"This technology employs a recombinant Escherichia coli strain coexpressing a metal-binding protein and peptide to synthesizes diverse nanomaterials into metallic nanomaterial particles."

The KAIST team said this technology will be useful for producing under mild conditions various single- and multi-element NMs for industrial use, particularly in the energy, medical and environmental business sectors.

The research also stood out with significance that it has contributed to broadening the category of nanomaterials which are difficult to be synthesized by chemical methods or have not yet been reported.