Prediction of crystallization of a colloid-protein complex by controlled complex self-assembly at the solution surface

Abstract

A solution mixed with colloidal particles and protein is applied in the fabrication of photonic crystals. In this study, the interaction between colloidal particles and protein molecules was investigated, and a structural model was proposed to describe how they combined. The crystallization conditions of the complex were estimated without the actual formation of the crystal but by using the kinetics of two-dimensional self-assembly. The kinetics included three processes: diffusion, penetration, and rearrangement. The characteristics of each step were acquired by measuring the surface tension. The coefficient of crystallization was then proposed after calculation, and this offered a creditable and efficient criterion for predicting the complex crystallization in solution containing protein and PS particles. © 2021 The Author(s)