ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the efforts toward utilizing viral nanoparticles (VNPs) as scaffolds or templates for inorganic materials synthesis. The interior cavity of VNPs can also be utilized for spatially controlled synthesis of monodisperse nanocrystals that are trapped within the protein scaffold. The chapter discusses the utilization of the interior cavity of icosahedral VNPs for materials synthesis, material deposition on the exterior surface of icosahedral VNPs, mineralization of the exterior and interior surface of the rod Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), and nucleation of nanocrystal wires using genetically engineered M13 phages. It demonstrates the versatility of TMV as a biotemplate for fabrication of a range of nanotubular inorganic materials via metal deposition. Electroless deposition has been successfully applied to TMV nanostructures, and metals have been plated on the exterior and interior surface. Atomic layer deposition has been applied to TMV to yield aluminum oxide and titanium oxide nanostructures.
