Virus-Enabled Synthesis and Assembly of Nanowires for Lithium Ion Battery Electrodes

TLDR

The development of smaller, more flexible batteries hinges on material selection and assembly, with cobalt oxide noted for its excellent electrochemical cycling properties. The study aims to establish a systematic platform that combines virus‑templated synthesis and controlled 2D assembly of viruses on polyelectrolyte multilayers to produce thin, flexible lithium‑ion batteries. Viruses were employed to synthesize and assemble cobalt oxide nanowires at room temperature, with peptide‑level virus templating and polyelectrolyte multilayer‑directed 2D assembly guiding the process. Hybrid gold–cobalt oxide wires, created by integrating gold‑binding peptides into the viral filament coat, enhanced battery capacity.

Abstract

The selection and assembly of materials are central issues in the development of smaller, more flexible batteries. Cobalt oxide has shown excellent electrochemical cycling properties and is thus under consideration as an electrode for advanced lithium batteries. We used viruses to synthesize and assemble nanowires of cobalt oxide at room temperature. By incorporating gold-binding peptides into the filament coat, we formed hybrid gold–cobalt oxide wires that improved battery capacity. Combining virus-templated synthesis at the peptide level and methods for controlling two-dimensional assembly of viruses on polyelectrolyte multilayers provides a systematic platform for integrating these nanomaterials to form thin, flexible lithium ion batteries.