@article{CuiXiaMitzscherlingetal.2015,
  author    = {Cui, Qianling and Xia, Bihua and Mitzscherling, Steffen and Masic, Admir and Li, Lidong and Bargheer, Matias and Moehwald, Helmuth},
  title     = {Preparation of gold nanostars and their study in selective catalytic reactions},
  series = {Colloids and surfaces : an international journal devoted to the principles and applications of colloid and interface science ; A, Physicochemical and engineering aspects},
  volume    = {465},
  journal   = {Colloids and surfaces : an international journal devoted to the principles and applications of colloid and interface science ; A, Physicochemical and engineering aspects},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Amsterdam},
  issn      = {0927-7757},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.colsurfa.2014.10.028},
  pages     = {20 -- 25},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {In this work, gold nanostars (AuNSs) with size around 90 nm were prepared through an easy one-step method. They show excellent catalytic activity and large surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity at the same time. Surprisingly, they exhibited different catalytic performance on the reduction of aromatic nitro compounds with different substituents on the para position. To understand such a difference, the SERS spectra were recorded, showing that the molecular orientation of reactants on the gold surface were different. We anticipate that this research will help to understand the relationship of the molecular orientation with the catalytic activity of gold nanoparticles.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{SchmittWinterBertinettietal.2015,
  author    = {Schmitt, Clemens Nikolaus Zeno and Winter, Alette and Bertinetti, Luca and Masic, Admir and Strauch, Peter and Harrington, Matthew J.},
  title     = {Mechanical homeostasis of a DOPA-enriched biological coating from mussels in response to metal variation},
  series = {Interface : journal of the Royal Society},
  volume    = {12},
  journal   = {Interface : journal of the Royal Society},
  number    = {110},
  publisher = {Royal Society},
  address   = {London},
  issn      = {1742-5689},
  doi       = {10.1098/rsif.2015.0466},
  pages     = {8},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Protein metal coordination interactions were recently found to function as crucial mechanical cross-links in certain biological materials. Mussels, for example, use Fe ions from the local environment coordinated to DOPA-rich proteins to stiffen the protective cuticle of their anchoring byssal attachment threads. Bioavailability of metal ions in ocean habitats varies significantly owing to natural and anthropogenic inputs on both short and geological spatio-temporal scales leading to large variations in byssal thread metal composition; however, it is not clear how or if this affects thread performance. Here, we demonstrate that in natural environments mussels can opportunistically replace Fe ions in the DOPA coordination complex with V and Al. In vitro removal of the native DOPA metal complexes with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and replacement with either Fe or V does not lead to statistically significant changes in cuticle performance, indicating that each metal ion is equally sufficient as a DOPA cross-linking agent, able to account for nearly 85\% of the stiffness and hardness of the material. Notably, replacement with Al ions also leads to full recovery of stiffness, but only 82\% recovery of hardness. These findings have important implications for the adaptability of this biological material in a dynamically changing and unpredictable habitat.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{VacogneBrosnanMasicetal.2015,
  author    = {Vacogne, Charlotte D. and Brosnan, Sarah M. and Masic, Admir and Schlaad, Helmut},
  title     = {Fibrillar gels via the self-assembly of poly(L-glutamate)-based statistical copolymers},
  series = {Polymer Chemistry},
  volume    = {6},
  journal   = {Polymer Chemistry},
  number    = {28},
  publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry},
  address   = {Cambridge},
  issn      = {1759-9954},
  doi       = {10.1039/c5py00491h},
  pages     = {5040 -- 5052},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Polypeptides having secondary structures often undergo self-assembly which can extend over multiple length scales. Poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PBLG), for example, folds into a-helices and forms physical organogels, whereas poly(L-glutamic acid) (PLGA at acidic pH) or poly(L-glutamate) (PLG at neutral/basic pH) do not form hydrogels. We explored the gelation of modified PBLG and investigated the deprotection of the carboxylic acid moieties in such gels to yield unique hydrogels. This was accomplished through photo-crosslinking gelation of poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate-co-allylglycine) statistical copolymers in toluene, tetrahydrofuran, and 1,4-dioxane. Unlike most polymer-based chemical gels, our gels were prepared from dilute solutions (<20 g L-1, i.e., <2\% w/v) of low molar mass polymers. Despite such low concentrations and molar masses, our dioxane gels showed high mechanical stability and little shrinkage; remarkably, they also exhibited a porous fibrillar network. Deprotection of the carboxylic acid moieties in dioxane gels yielded pH responsive and highly absorbent PLGA/PLG-based hydrogels (swelling ratio of up to 87), while preserving the network structure, which is an unprecedented feature in the context of crosslinked PLGA gels. These outstanding properties are highly attractive for biomedical materials.},
  language  = {en}
}