A size controlled synthesis of CuS nano-particles in the protein cage, apoferritin

CuS compound semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared in the 7 nm inner cavity of apoferritin, a cage-shaped protein composed of 24 subunits forming a cage-like structure, 12 nm in diameter. The average core diameter of the NPs synthesized in the apoferritin cavity was 5 nm with narrow size distribution. The synthesized NP cores were analyzed and confirmed by EDS, XRD and HR-TEM as hexagonal poly crystalline. The CuS NP core synthesis took 3 h and the synthesis manner was all-or-nothing core formation. This water-soluble and homogeneous CuS semiconductor NP has the potential to be used in the construction of nanostructures. (C) 2011 Elsevier BM. All rights reserved.