Recent advances in design and development of protein nanocomposite

Due to the distinct and well-developed nanoscale structure, extensive chemical activity, outstanding mechanical characteristics, biocompatibility, and biodegradability; protein materials are interesting candidates for functional and high-performance nanocomposites. Targeted interfacial interactions between protein materials and synthetic organic and inorganic nanomaterials lead to synergistic enhancements in the features compared with the individual components. Protein biopolymers are interesting for practical applications because of their extensive availability and suitability for scale manufacture and are derived from plants, microbes, and animals. Protein materials can be easily processed into a variety of forms and architectures to achieve the desired structure, properties, and performance through careful control of their secondary and tertiary structures, thanks to the remarkable advancements in material manufacturing over the past 20 years. Such nanocomposites are intriguing candidates for cutting-edge and developing applications, such as environmental remediation, biomedicine, biosensors, and photonics; given the extra value of renewability, abundance, and ambient processability. This article examines current developments in protein-based nanocomposites, which use the distinctive structure and characteristics of proteins plus synthetic nanomaterials to create sophisticated materials with significantly improved capabilities. We will go through these protein nanocomposites' biotic-abiotic interactions, manufacturing processes, physical characteristics, and prospective uses.