Bioinspired, Cytocompatible Mineralization of Silica–Titania Composites: Thermoprotective Nanoshell Formation for Individual <i>Chlorella</i> Cells

Abstract

Hard-shell case: Using a (RKK)4 D8 peptide allows mineralization to occur under cytocompatible conditions. Thus individual Chlorella cells could be encapsulated within a SiO2 -TiO2 nanoshell with high cell viability (87 %). The encapsulated Chlorella showed an almost threefold increase in their thermo-tolerance after 2 h at 45 °C.