CO₂ Responsive Nanoscopic and Macroscopic Materials Directed by Peptides

Abstract

Stimuli such as pH, light, and electromagnetic fields have enabled precise control over nanoscale interactions, yet gases remain relatively unexplored as regulators of material behavior despite their central roles in biology, energy, and climate. Here, we introduce carbon dioxide as a dynamic and reversible stimulus for controlling nanoscale and macroscale matter using sequence specific peptide design. Peptide-functionalized nanoparticles exhibit pronounced and tunable responses to CO2 across orders of magnitude changes in gas flow rate, with sensitivity governed by site-and sequence-specific changes in peptide structure. This gas-controlled response translates from colloidal nanoparticles to cm-scale biocompatible hydrogels that reversibly and colorimetrically respond to CO2. Leveraging this responsiveness, we further demonstrate spatial patterning of a hydrogel through a gas-permeable mask using CO2 as a lithographic stimulus. Consequently, this work establishes gas-mediated control as a general and scalable strategy for programming responsive materials across length scales.