Templating core–shell particles using metal ion-chelating biosurfactants

Designer biosurfactants can be used to stabilise and functionalise interfaces. One particularly promising use is the stabilisation of oil-in-water emulsions, enabling fine tuning physical, chemical biological surface properties. The ability emulsion systems carry high payloads makes them attractive for applications in medicine, food fragrances, cosmetics. However, they have limited long-term stability. Here we sought metal ion-chelating biosurfactant peptide, AM1, precipitate formation a gold shell on AM1-stabilised emulsions by electroless plating. We found that replacing commonly zinc(II) with palladium(II) coordination histidine residues adjacent AM1 peptides produced interfacial films maintained elasticity at acidic pH. Proton NMR suggested mechanism independent imidazole ring histidines. Nevertheless. low pH enabled deposition shell, albeit an unexpected mechanism. propose nanoparticles forming bulk are adsorbed onto peptide-stabilised interface, accumulating into particulate coating. resulting one-step method nanoparticle precipitation will useful creation biocompatible core–shell particles where large hydrophobic active compounds require stability over long time periods.