Virus used to make nanoparticles

March 20, 2006 | Source: BBC News

UK scientists have used a plant virus as a scaffold to create nanoparticles that function as capacitors.

The bound ferrocene compounds to amino acids on the virus surface and attached approximately 240 organometallic compounds, each containing an electronically active iron atom.

This could lead to the particles being used in biosensors, nanoelectronic devices, or for electrocatalytic processes.