Virus-mediated FCC iron nanoparticle induced synthesis of uranium dioxide nanocrystals.

A reducing system involving M13 virus-mediated FCC Fe nanoparticles was employed to achieve uranium reduction and synthesize uranium dioxide nanocrystals. Here we show that metastable face-centered cubic (FCC) Fe nanoparticles were fabricated around the surface of the M13 virus during the specific adsorption of the virus towards Fe ions under a reduced environment. The FCC phase of these Fe nanoparticles was confirmed by careful TEM characterization. Moreover, this virus-mediated FCC Fe nanoparticle system successfully reduced contaminable U(VI) into UO(2) crystals with diameters of 2-5 nm by a green and convenient route.