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Sample records for functionalized nanoporous silica

  1. Enhanced microcontact printing of proteins on nanoporous silica surface

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blinka, Ellen; Hu Ye; Gopal, Ashwini; Hoshino, Kazunori; Lin, Kevin; Zhang, John X J [Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78758 (United States); Loeffler, Kathryn; Liu Xuewu; Ferrari, Mauro, E-mail: John.Zhang@engr.utexas.edu [Department of Nanomedicine and Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas Health Science Service, Houston, TX 77031 (United States)

    2010-10-15

    We demonstrate porous silica surface modification, combined with microcontact printing, as an effective method for enhanced protein patterning and adsorption on arbitrary surfaces. Compared to conventional chemical treatments, this approach offers scalability and long-term device stability without requiring complex chemical activation. Two chemical surface treatments using functionalization with the commonly used 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and glutaraldehyde (GA) were compared with the nanoporous silica surface on the basis of protein adsorption. The deposited thickness and uniformity of porous silica films were evaluated for fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled rabbit immunoglobulin G (R-IgG) protein printed onto the substrates via patterned polydimethlysiloxane (PDMS) stamps. A more complete transfer of proteins was observed on porous silica substrates compared to chemically functionalized substrates. A comparison of different pore sizes (4-6 nm) and porous silica thicknesses (96-200 nm) indicates that porous silica with 4 nm diameter, 57% porosity and a thickness of 96 nm provided a suitable environment for complete transfer of R-IgG proteins. Both fluorescence microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used for protein layer characterizations. A porous silica layer is biocompatible, providing a favorable transfer medium with minimal damage to the proteins. A patterned immunoassay microchip was developed to demonstrate the retained protein function after printing on nanoporous surfaces, which enables printable and robust immunoassay detection for point-of-care applications.

  2. Nanoporous silica membranes with high hydrothermal stability

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boffa, Vittorio; Magnacca, Giualiana; Yue, Yuanzheng

    to improve the stability of nanoporous silica structure. This work is a quantitative study on the impact of type and concentration of transition metal ions on the microporous structure and stability of amorphous silica-based membranes, which provides information on how to design chemical compositions...

  3. Basic evaluation of typical nanoporous silica nanoparticles in being drug carrier: Structure, wettability and hemolysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jing; Guo, Yingyu

    2017-04-01

    Herein, the present work devoted to study the basic capacity of nanoporous silica nanoparticles in being drug carrier that covered structure, wettability and hemolysis so as to provide crucial evaluation. Typical nanoporous silica nanoparticles that consist of nanoporous silica nanoparticles (NSN), amino modified nanoporous silica nanoparticles (amino-NSN), carboxyl modified nanoporous silica nanoparticles (carboxyl-NSN) and hierachical nanoporous silica nanoparticles (hierachical-NSN) were studied. The results showed that their wettability and hemolysis were closely related to structure and surface modification. Basically, wettability became stronger as the amount of OH on the surface of NSN was higher. Both large nanopores and surface modification can reduce the wettability of NSN. Furthermore, NSN series were safe to be used when they circulated into the blood in low concentration, while if high concentration can not be avoided during administration, high porosity or amino modification of NSN were safer to be considered. It is believed that the basic evaluation of NSN can make contribution in providing scientific instruction for designing drug loaded NSN systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Function of membrane protein in silica nanopores: incorporation of photosynthetic light-harvesting protein LH2 into FSM.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oda, Ippei; Hirata, Kotaro; Watanabe, Syoko; Shibata, Yutaka; Kajino, Tsutomu; Fukushima, Yoshiaki; Iwai, Satoshi; Itoh, Shigeru

    2006-01-26

    A high amount of functional membrane protein complex was introduced into a folded-sheet silica mesoporous material (FSM) that has nanometer-size pores of honeycomb-like hexagonal cylindrical structure inside. The photosynthetic light-harvesting complex LH2, which is a typical membrane protein, has a cylindrical structure of 7.3 nm diameter and contains 27 bacteriochlorophyll a and nine carotenoid molecules. The complex captures light energy in the anoxygenic thermophilic purple photosynthetic bacterium Thermochromatium tepidum. The amount of LH2 adsorbed to FSM was determined optically and by the adsorption isotherms of N2. The FSM compounds with internal pore diameters of 7.9 and 2.7 nm adsorbed LH2 at 1.11 and 0.24 mg/mg FSM, respectively, suggesting the high specific affinity of LH2 to the interior of the hydrophobic nanopores with a diameter of 7.9 nm. The LH2 adsorbed to FSM showed almost intact absorption bands of bacteriochlorophylls, and was fully active in the capture and transfer of excitation energy. The LH2 complex inside the FSM showed increased heat stability of the exciton-type absorption band of bacteriochlorophylls (B850), suggesting higher circular symmetry. The environment inside the hydrophobic silica nanopores can be a new matrix for the membrane proteins to reveal their functions. The silica-membrane protein adduct will be useful for the construction of new probes and reaction systems.

  5. Alumina plate containing photosystem I reaction center complex oriented inside plate-penetrating silica nanopores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamidaki, Chihiro; Kondo, Toru; Noji, Tomoyasu; Itoh, Tetsuji; Yamaguchi, Akira; Itoh, Shigeru

    2013-08-22

    The photosynthetic photosystem I reaction center complex (PSI-RC), which has a molecular diameter of 21 nm with 100 pigments, was incorporated into silica nanopores with a 100-nm diameter that penetrates an alumina plate of 60-μm thickness to make up an inorganic-biological hybrid photocell. PSI-RCs, purified from a thermophilic cyanobacterium, were stable inside the nanopores and rapidly photoreduced a mediator dye methyl viologen. The reduced dye was more stable inside nanopores suggesting the decrease of dissolved oxygen. The analysis by a cryogenic electron spin paramagnetic resonance indicated the oriented arrangement of RCs inside the 100-nm nanopores, with their surface parallel to the silica wall and perpendicular to the plane of the alumina plate. PSI RC complex in the semicrystalline orientation inside silica nanopores can be a new type of light energy conversion unit to supply strong reducing power selectively to other molecules inside or outside nanopores.

  6. Polarization-induced local pore-wall functionalization for biosensing: from micropore to nanopore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jie; Pham, Pascale; Haguet, Vincent; Sauter-Starace, Fabien; Leroy, Loïc; Roget, André; Descamps, Emeline; Bouchet, Aurélie; Buhot, Arnaud; Mailley, Pascal; Livache, Thierry

    2012-04-03

    The use of biological-probe-modified solid-state pores in biosensing is currently hindered by difficulties in pore-wall functionalization. The surface to be functionalized is small and difficult to target and is usually chemically similar to the bulk membrane. Herein, we demonstrate the contactless electrofunctionalization (CLEF) approach and its mechanism. This technique enables the one-step local functionalization of the single pore wall fabricated in a silica-covered silicon membrane. CLEF is induced by polarization of the pore membrane in an electric field and requires a sandwich-like composition and a conducting or semiconducting core for the pore membrane. The defects in the silica layer of the micropore wall enable the creation of an electric pathway through the silica layer, which allows electrochemical reactions to take place locally on the pore wall. The pore diameter is not a limiting factor for local wall modification using CLEF. Nanopores with a diameter of 200 nm fabricated in a silicon membrane and covered with native silica layer have been successfully functionalized with this method, and localized pore-wall modification was obtained. Furthermore, through proof-of-concept experiments using ODN-modified nanopores, we show that functionalized nanopores are suitable for translocation-based biosensing.

  7. Multimodal nanoporous silica nanoparticles functionalized with aminopropyl groups for improving loading and controlled release of doxorubicin hydrochloride.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xin; Li, Chang; Fan, Na; Li, Jing; He, Zhonggui; Sun, Jin

    2017-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop amino modified multimodal nanoporous silica nanoparticles (M-NSNs-NH 2 ) loaded with doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX), intended to enhance the drug loading capacity and to achieve controlled release effect. M-NSNs were functionalized with aminopropyl groups through post-synthesis. The contribution of large pore sizes and surface chemical groups on DOX loading and release were systemically studied using transmission electron microscope (TEM), nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurement, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), zeta potential analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ultraviolet spectrophotometer (UV). The results demonstrated that the NSNs were functionalized with aminopropyl successfully and the DOX molecules were adsorbed inside the nanopores by the hydrogen bonding. The release performance indicated that DOX loaded M-NSNs significantly controlled DOX release, furthermore DOX loaded M-NSNs-NH 2 performed slower controlled release, which was mainly attributed to its stronger hydrogen bonding forces. As expected, we developed a novel carrier with high drug loading capacity and controlled release for DOX. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Ordered nanoporous silica as carriers for improved delivery of water insoluble drugs: a comparative study between three dimensional and two dimensional macroporous silica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Y

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Ying Wang, Qinfu Zhao, Yanchen Hu, Lizhang Sun, Ling Bai, Tongying Jiang, Siling WangDepartment of Pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Liaoning Province, People’s Republic of ChinaAbstract: The goal of the present study was to compare the drug release properties and stability of the nanoporous silica with different pore architectures as a matrix for improved delivery of poorly soluble drugs. For this purpose, three dimensional ordered macroporous (3DOM silica with 3D continuous and interconnected macropores of different sizes (200 nm and 500 nm and classic mesoporous silica (ie, Mobil Composition of Matter [MCM]-41 and Santa Barbara Amorphous [SBA]-15 with well-ordered two dimensional (2D cylindrical mesopores were successfully fabricated and then loaded with the model drug indomethacin (IMC via the solvent deposition method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM, N2 adsorption, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, and X-ray diffraction (XRD were applied to systematically characterize all IMC-loaded nanoporous silica formulations, evidencing the successful inclusion of IMC into nanopores, the reduced crystallinity, and finally accelerated dissolution of IMC. It was worth mentioning that, in comparison to 2D mesoporous silica, 3DOM silica displayed a more rapid release profile, which may be ascribed to the 3D interconnected pore networks and the highly accessible surface areas. The results obtained from the stability test indicated that the amorphous state of IMC entrapped in the 2D mesoporous silica (SBA-15 and MCM-41 has a better physical stability than in that of 3DOM silica. Moreover, the dissolution rate and stability of IMC loaded in 3DOM silica was closely related to the pore size of macroporous silica. The colorimetric 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT and Cell Counting Kit (CCK-8 assays in combination with direct morphology observations demonstrated the good biocompatibility of nanoporous

  9. Nanoporous Silica-Based Protocells at Multiple Scales for Designs of Life and Nanomedicine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jie Sun

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Various protocell models have been constructed de novo with the bottom-up approach. Here we describe a silica-based protocell composed of a nanoporous amorphous silica core encapsulated within a lipid bilayer built by self-assembly that provides for independent definition of cell interior and the surface membrane. In this review, we will first describe the essential features of this architecture and then summarize the current development of silica-based protocells at both micro- and nanoscale with diverse functionalities. As the structure of the silica is relatively static, silica-core protocells do not have the ability to change shape, but their interior structure provides a highly crowded and, in some cases, authentic scaffold upon which biomolecular components and systems could be reconstituted. In basic research, the larger protocells based on precise silica replicas of cells could be developed into geometrically realistic bioreactor platforms to enable cellular functions like coupled biochemical reactions, while in translational research smaller protocells based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles are being developed for targeted nanomedicine. Ultimately we see two different motivations for protocell research and development: (1 to emulate life in order to understand it; and (2 to use biomimicry to engineer desired cellular interactions.

  10. Preparation of resveratrol-loaded nanoporous silica materials with different structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popova, Margarita; Szegedi, Agnes; Mavrodinova, Vesselina; Novak Tušar, Natasa; Mihály, Judith; Klébert, Szilvia; Benbassat, Niko; Yoncheva, Krassimira

    2014-11-01

    Solid, nanoporous silica-based spherical mesoporous MCM-41 and KIL-2 with interparticle mesoporosity as well as nanosized zeolite BEA materials differing in morphology and pore size distribution, were used as carriers for the preparation of resveratrol-loaded delivery systems. Two preparation methods have been applied: (i) loading by mixing of resveratrol and mesoporous carrier in solid state and (ii) deposition in ethanol solution. The parent and the resveratrol loaded carriers were characterized by XRD, TEM, N2 physisorption, thermal analysis, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The influence of the support structure on the adsorption capacity and the release kinetics of this poorly soluble compound were investigated. Our results indicated that the chosen nanoporous silica supports are suitable for stabilization of trans-resveratrol and reveal controlled release and ability to protect the supported compound against degradation regardless of loading method. The solid-state dry mixing appears very effective for preparation of drug formulations composed of poorly soluble compound.

  11. CO_2 capture by amine-functionalized nanoporous materials: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Chao; Kim, Jun; Ahn, Wha-Seung

    2014-01-01

    Amine-functionalized nanoporous materials can be prepared by the incorporation of diverse organic amine moieties into the pore structures of a range of support materials, such as mesoporous silica and alumina, zeolite, carbon and metal organic frameworks (MOFs), either by direct functionalization or post-synthesis through physical impregnation or grafting. These hybrid materials have great potential for practical applications, such as dry adsorbents for postcombustion CO_2 capture, owing to their high CO_2 capture capacity, high capture selectivity towards CO_2 compared to other gases, and excellent stability. This paper summarizes the preparation methods and CO_2 capture performance based on the equilibrium CO_2 uptake of a range of amine-functionalized nanoporous materials

  12. Controlling pore morphology and properties of nanoporous silica films using the different architecture PS-b-P2VP as a template.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Yang-Yen; Chien, Wen-Chen; Chen, Shih-Ting

    2010-07-01

    Nanoporous silica films were prepared through the templating of amphiphilic block copolymer, poly(styrene-2-vinyl pyridine) (PS-b-P2VP), and monodispersed colloidal silica nanoparticles. The experimental and theoretical studies suggested that the intermolecular hydrogen bonding existes between the colloidal silica nanoparticles and PS-b-P2VP. The effects of the loading ratio and P2VP chain length on the morphology and properties of the prepared nanoporous silica films were investigated. TEM and AFM studies showed that the uniform pore size could be achieved and the pore size increased with increasing porogen loading. The refractive index and dielectric constant of the prepared nanoporous films decreased with an increase in PS-b-P2VP loading. On the other hand, the porosity increased with an increasing PS-b-P2VP loading. This study demonstrated a methodology to control pore morphology and properties of the nanoporous silica films through the templating of PS-b-P2VP.

  13. Hexadecane trapped in nano-pores of silica-aerogel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Slavikova, B.; Jesenak, K.; Iskrova, M.; Majernik, V.; Sausa, O.; Kristiak, J.

    2009-01-01

    Ways of filling of the high-porous silica-aerogel with hydrocarbon C 16 H 34 and its efficient removal from the pores by physical method of the Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy were studied. As the most effective way to fill the SiO 2 aerogel appears through the implementation of a liquid phase, while the most appropriate way of removing of hexadecane is firing at an elevated temperature. Molecular system of hexadecane closed in nano-pores of silica-aerogel behaves otherwise than volume system of the same molecules. In the case of pure hexadecane phase transition was observed at 291 K, while solidification process is gradual with decrease of temperature in cetane trapped in pores of silica-aerogel. The results of the periods of life of o-Ps indicate greater turbidity in the pores of the molecular system compared to the volume sample of hexadecane.

  14. Preparation of resveratrol-loaded nanoporous silica materials with different structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Popova, Margarita; Szegedi, Agnes; Mavrodinova, Vesselina; Novak Tušar, Natasa; Mihály, Judith; Klébert, Szilvia; Benbassat, Niko; Yoncheva, Krassimira

    2014-01-01

    Solid, nanoporous silica-based spherical mesoporous MCM-41 and KIL-2 with interparticle mesoporosity as well as nanosized zeolite BEA materials differing in morphology and pore size distribution, were used as carriers for the preparation of resveratrol-loaded delivery systems. Two preparation methods have been applied: (i) loading by mixing of resveratrol and mesoporous carrier in solid state and (ii) deposition in ethanol solution. The parent and the resveratrol loaded carriers were characterized by XRD, TEM, N2 physisorption, thermal analysis, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The influence of the support structure on the adsorption capacity and the release kinetics of this poorly soluble compound were investigated. Our results indicated that the chosen nanoporous silica supports are suitable for stabilization of trans-resveratrol and reveal controlled release and ability to protect the supported compound against degradation regardless of loading method. The solid-state dry mixing appears very effective for preparation of drug formulations composed of poorly soluble compound. - Graphical abstract: trans-Resveratrol was stabilized in the pores of BEA zeolite, MCM-41and KIL2 mesoporous silicas. - Highlights: • BEA, KIL-2 and MCM-41 materials were used as carriers for resveratrol loading. • Resveratrol encapsulation in ethanol solution and solid state procedure were applied. • The solid-state preparation appears very effective for stabilization of trans-resveratrol

  15. Preparation of resveratrol-loaded nanoporous silica materials with different structures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Popova, Margarita, E-mail: mpopova@orgchem.bas.bg [Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Szegedi, Agnes [Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1117 Budapest, Magyar tudósok körútja 2. (Hungary); Mavrodinova, Vesselina [Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Novak Tušar, Natasa [National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana (Slovenia); Mihály, Judith; Klébert, Szilvia [Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1117 Budapest, Magyar tudósok körútja 2. (Hungary); Benbassat, Niko; Yoncheva, Krassimira [Faculty of Pharmacy, 2 Dunav Str., 1000 Sofia (Bulgaria)

    2014-11-15

    Solid, nanoporous silica-based spherical mesoporous MCM-41 and KIL-2 with interparticle mesoporosity as well as nanosized zeolite BEA materials differing in morphology and pore size distribution, were used as carriers for the preparation of resveratrol-loaded delivery systems. Two preparation methods have been applied: (i) loading by mixing of resveratrol and mesoporous carrier in solid state and (ii) deposition in ethanol solution. The parent and the resveratrol loaded carriers were characterized by XRD, TEM, N2 physisorption, thermal analysis, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The influence of the support structure on the adsorption capacity and the release kinetics of this poorly soluble compound were investigated. Our results indicated that the chosen nanoporous silica supports are suitable for stabilization of trans-resveratrol and reveal controlled release and ability to protect the supported compound against degradation regardless of loading method. The solid-state dry mixing appears very effective for preparation of drug formulations composed of poorly soluble compound. - Graphical abstract: trans-Resveratrol was stabilized in the pores of BEA zeolite, MCM-41and KIL2 mesoporous silicas. - Highlights: • BEA, KIL-2 and MCM-41 materials were used as carriers for resveratrol loading. • Resveratrol encapsulation in ethanol solution and solid state procedure were applied. • The solid-state preparation appears very effective for stabilization of trans-resveratrol.

  16. Persistent superhydrophilicity of sol-gel derived nanoporous silica thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ganjoo, S; Azimirad, R; Akhavan, O; Moshfegh, A Z

    2009-01-01

    In this investigation, sol-gel synthesized nanoporous silica thin films, annealed at different temperatures, with long time superhydrophilic property have been studied. Two kinds of sol-gel silica thin films were fabricated by dip-coating of glass substrates in two different solutions; with low and high water. The transparent coated films were dried at 100 deg. C and then annealed in a temperature range of 200-500 deg. C. The average water contact angle of the silica films prepared with low water content and annealed at 300 deg. C measured about 5 deg. for a long time (6 months) without any UV irradiation. Instead, adding water into the sol resulted in silica films with an average water contact angle greater than 60 deg. Atomic force microscopic analysis revealed that the silica films prepared with low water had a rough surface (∼30 nm), while the films prepared with high water had a smoother surface (∼2 nm). Using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, we have shown that with a decrease in the surface water on the film, its hydrophilicity increases logarithmically.

  17. Application of 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol-modified nanoporous silica as a technique in simultaneous trace monitoring and removal of toxic heavy metals in food and water samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abolhasani, Jafar; Behbahani, Mohammad

    2015-01-01

    Solid-phase extraction is one the most useful and efficient techniques for sample preparation, purification, cleanup, preconcentration, and determination of heavy metals at trace levels. In this paper, functionalized MCM-48 nanoporous silica with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol was applied for trace determination of copper, lead, cadmium, and nickel in water and seafood samples. The experimental conditions such as pH, sample and eluent flow rate, type, concentration and volume of the eluent, breakthrough volume, and effect of coexisting ions were optimized for efficient solid-phase extraction of trace heavy metals in different water and seafood samples. The content of solutions containing the mentioned heavy metals was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), and the limits of detection were 0.3, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.9 ng mL(-1) for cadmium, copper, nickel, and lead, respectively. Recoveries and precisions were >98.0 and adsorption capacity of the modified nanoporous silica was 178 mg g(-1) for cadmium, 110 mg g(-1) for copper, 98 mg g(-1) for nickel, and 210 mg g(-1) for lead, respectively. The functionalized MCM-48 nanoporous silica with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol was characterized by thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), elemental analysis (CHN), and N2 adsorption surface area measurement.

  18. Pore fabrication in various silica-based nanoparticles by controlled etching

    KAUST Repository

    Zhao, Lan

    2010-07-20

    A novel method based on controlled etching was developed to fabricate nanopores on preformed silica nanoparticles (<100 nm in diameter). The obtained monodisperse nanoporous particles could form highly stable homogeneous colloidal solution. Fluorescent silica nanoparticles and magnetic silica-coated γ-Fe 2O 3 nanoparticles were investigated as examples to illustrate that this strategy could be generally applied to various silica-based functional nanoparticles. The results indicated that this method was effective for generating pores on these nanoparticles without altering their original functionalities. The obtained multifunctional nanoparticles would be useful for many biological and biomedical applications. These porous nanoparticles could also serve as building blocks to fabricate three-dimensionally periodic structures that have the potential to be used as photonic crystals. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

  19. Application of nanoporous silicas as adsorbents for chlorinated aromatic compounds. A comparative study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moritz, Michał, E-mail: michal.moritz@put.poznan.pl [Poznan University of Technology, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Institute of Chemistry and Technical Electrochemistry, Piotrowo 3, 60-965 Poznań (Poland); Adam Mickiewicz University, Faculty of Chemistry, Umultowska 89b, 61-614 Poznań (Poland); Geszke-Moritz, Małgorzata, E-mail: Malgorzata.Geszke-Moritz@amu.edu.pl [NanoBioMedical Centre, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 85, 61-614 Poznań (Poland)

    2014-08-01

    The removal of two selected environmental pollutants such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and Triclosan (TC) was examined by adsorption experiments on the modified SBA-15 and MCF mesoporous silicas. Mesoporous adsorbents were modified by a grafting process with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) and 1-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]urea (TMSPU). Mesoporous materials were synthesized and characterized by N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption experiment, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), elemental analysis and adsorption studies. The results show that both APTES-functionalized SBA-15 and MCF nanoporous carriers are potentially good adsorbents for the removal of 2,4-D in a wide range of concentrations from 0.1 to 4 mg/cm{sup 3}. Maximum adsorption capacity of as-modified adsorbents for 2,4-D estimated from the Langmuir model was ∼ 280 mg/g. The ionic interaction between the adsorbent and 2,4-D seems to play a key role in the adsorption process of the pollutant on APTES-modified siliceous matrices. The efficiency of TC sorption onto all prepared mesoporous adsorbents was significantly lower as compared to the entrapment of 2,4-D. Experimental data were best fitted by the Langmuir isotherm model. The results of this study suggest that mesoporous silica-based materials are promising adsorbents for the removal of selected organic pollutants. - Graphical abstract: Adsorption of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and Triclosan inside 3-amino-functionalized mesoporous channel.

  20. Nanoporous microbead supported bilayers: stability, physical characterization, and incorporation of functional transmembrane proteins.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Davis, Ryan W. (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM); Brozik, James A. (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM); Brozik, Susan Marie; Cox, Jason M. (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM); Lopez, Gabriel P. (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM); Barrick, Todd A. (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM); Flores, Adrean (University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM)

    2007-03-01

    The introduction of functional transmembrane proteins into supported bilayer-based biomimetic systems presents a significant challenge for biophysics. Among the various methods for producing supported bilayers, liposomal fusion offers a versatile method for the introduction of membrane proteins into supported bilayers on a variety of substrates. In this study, the properties of protein containing unilamellar phosphocholine lipid bilayers on nanoporous silica microspheres are investigated. The effects of the silica substrate, pore structure, and the substrate curvature on the stability of the membrane and the functionality of the membrane protein are determined. Supported bilayers on porous silica microspheres show a significant increase in surface area on surfaces with structures in excess of 10 nm as well as an overall decrease in stability resulting from increasing pore size and curvature. Comparison of the liposomal and detergent-mediated introduction of purified bacteriorhodopsin (bR) and the human type 3 serotonin receptor (5HT3R) are investigated focusing on the resulting protein function, diffusion, orientation, and incorporation efficiency. In both cases, functional proteins are observed; however, the reconstitution efficiency and orientation selectivity are significantly enhanced through detergent-mediated protein reconstitution. The results of these experiments provide a basis for bulk ionic and fluorescent dye-based compartmentalization assays as well as single-molecule optical and single-channel electrochemical interrogation of transmembrane proteins in a biomimetic platform.

  1. Expanding the functionality and applications of nanopore sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venta, Kimberly E.

    Nanopore sensors have developed into powerful tools for single-molecule studies since their inception two decades ago. Nanopore sensors function as nanoscale Coulter counters, by monitoring ionic current modulations as particles pass through a nanopore. While nanopore sensors can be used to study any nanoscale particle, their most notable application is as a low cost, fast alternative to current DNA sequencing technologies. In recent years, signifcant progress has been made toward the goal of nanopore-based DNA sequencing, which requires an ambitious combination of a low-noise and high-bandwidth nanopore measurement system and spatial resolution. In this dissertation, nanopore sensors in thin membranes are developed to improve dimensional resolution, and these membranes are used in parallel with a high-bandwidth amplfier. Using this nanopore sensor system, the signals of three DNA homopolymers are differentiated for the first time in solid-state nanopores. The nanopore noise is also reduced through the addition of a layer of SU8, a spin-on polymer, to the supporting chip structure. By increasing the temporal and spatial resolution of nanopore sensors, studies of shorter molecules are now possible. Nanopore sensors are beginning to be used for the study and characterization of nanoparticles. Nanoparticles have found many uses from biomedical imaging to next-generation solar cells. However, further insights into the formation and characterization of nanoparticles would aid in developing improved synthesis methods leading to more effective and customizable nanoparticles. This dissertation presents two methods of employing nanopore sensors to benet nanoparticle characterization and fabrication. Nanopores were used to study the formation of individual nanoparticles and serve as nanoparticle growth templates that could be exploited to create custom nanoparticle arrays. Additionally, nanopore sensors were used to characterize the surface charge density of anisotropic

  2. Energy absorption behaviors of nanoporous materials functionalized (NMF) liquids

    OpenAIRE

    Kim, Tae Wan

    2011-01-01

    For many decades, people have been actively investigating high-performance energy absorption materials, so as to develop lightweight and small-sized protective and damping devices, such as blast mitigation helmets, vehicle armors, etc. Recently, the high energy absorption efficiency of nanoporous materials functionalized (NMF) liquids has drawn considerable attention. A NMF liquid is usually a liquid suspension of nanoporous particles with large nanopore surface areas (100 - 2,000 m²/g). The ...

  3. Nanoporous aerogel as a bacteria repelling hygienic material for healthcare environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Jun Kyun; Kohli, Nandita; Zhang, Yuanzhong; Min, Younjin; Jayaraman, Arul; Cisneros-Zevallos, Luis; Akbulut, Mustafa

    2016-02-26

    Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) caused by pathogenic bacteria are a worldwide problem and responsible for numerous cases of morbidity and mortality. Exogenous cross-contamination is one of the main mechanisms contributing to such infections. This work investigates the potential of hydrophobically modified nanoporous silica aerogel as an antiadhesive hygienic material that can inhibit exogenous bacterial contamination. Nanoporous silica aerogels were synthesized via sol-gel polymerization of tetraethyl orthosilicate and hydrophobized using trimethylsilyl chloride. Bacterial adhesion characteristics were evaluated via dip-inoculation in suspensions of Gram-negative Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. The attachment of E. coli O157:H7 and S. aureus to hydrophobic nanoporous silica aerogel (HNSA) was found to be significantly lower than that to hydrophilic and hydrophobic nonporous silica materials: 99.91% (E. coli O157:H7) and 99.93% (S. aureus) reduction in comparison to hydrophilic nonporous silica, and 82.95% (E. coli O157:H7) and 84.90% (S. aureus) reduction in comparison to hydrophobic nonporous silica. These results suggest that the use of HNSA as surfaces that come into contact with bacterial pathogens in the healthcare environment can improve bacterial hygiene, and therefore may reduce the rate of HAIs.

  4. Nanoporous aerogel as a bacteria repelling hygienic material for healthcare environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Jun Kyun; Akbulut, Mustafa; Kohli, Nandita; Jayaraman, Arul; Zhang, Yuanzhong; Min, Younjin; Cisneros-Zevallos, Luis

    2016-01-01

    Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) caused by pathogenic bacteria are a worldwide problem and responsible for numerous cases of morbidity and mortality. Exogenous cross-contamination is one of the main mechanisms contributing to such infections. This work investigates the potential of hydrophobically modified nanoporous silica aerogel as an antiadhesive hygienic material that can inhibit exogenous bacterial contamination. Nanoporous silica aerogels were synthesized via sol–gel polymerization of tetraethyl orthosilicate and hydrophobized using trimethylsilyl chloride. Bacterial adhesion characteristics were evaluated via dip-inoculation in suspensions of Gram-negative Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. The attachment of E. coli O157:H7 and S. aureus to hydrophobic nanoporous silica aerogel (HNSA) was found to be significantly lower than that to hydrophilic and hydrophobic nonporous silica materials: 99.91% (E. coli O157:H7) and 99.93% (S. aureus) reduction in comparison to hydrophilic nonporous silica, and 82.95% (E. coli O157:H7) and 84.90% (S. aureus) reduction in comparison to hydrophobic nonporous silica. These results suggest that the use of HNSA as surfaces that come into contact with bacterial pathogens in the healthcare environment can improve bacterial hygiene, and therefore may reduce the rate of HAIs. (paper)

  5. Enzyme specific activity in functionalized nanoporous supports

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lei Chenghong; Soares, Thereza A; Shin, Yongsoon; Liu Jun; Ackerman, Eric J

    2008-01-01

    Here we reveal that enzyme specific activity can be increased substantially by changing the protein loading density (P LD ) in functionalized nanoporous supports so that the enzyme immobilization efficiency (I e , defined as the ratio of the specific activity of the immobilized enzyme to the specific activity of the free enzyme in solution) can be much higher than 100%. A net negatively charged glucose oxidase (GOX) and a net positively charged organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) were entrapped spontaneously in NH 2 - and HOOC-functionalized mesoporous silica (300 A, FMS) respectively. The specific activity of GOX entrapped in FMS increased with decreasing P LD . With decreasing P LD , I e of GOX in FMS increased from 150%. Unlike GOX, OPH in HOOC-FMS showed increased specific activity with increasing P LD . With increasing P LD , the corresponding I e of OPH in FMS increased from 100% to>200%. A protein structure-based analysis of the protein surface charges directing the electrostatic interaction-based orientation of the protein molecules in FMS demonstrates that substrate access to GOX molecules in FMS is limited at high P LD , consequently lowering the GOX specific activity. In contrast, substrate access to OPH molecules in FMS remains open at high P LD and may promote a more favorable confinement environment that enhances the OPH activity

  6. Potentiometric detection of silver (I) ion based on carbon paste electrode modified with diazo-thiophenol-functionalized nanoporous silica gel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Ting; Chai Yaqin; Yuan Ruo; Guo Junxiang

    2012-01-01

    For the first time, triazene compound functionalized silica gel was incorporated into carbon paste electrode for the potentiometric detection of silver (I) ion. A novel diazo-thiophenol-functionalized silica gel (DTPSG) was synthesized, and the presence of DTPSG acted as not only a paste binder, but also a reactive material. The electrode with optimum composition, exhibited an excellent Nernstian response to Ag + ion ranging from 1.0 × 10 −6 to 1.0 × 10 −1 M with a detection limit of 9.5 × 10 −7 M and a slope of 60.4 ± 0.2 mV dec −1 over a wide pH range (4.0–9.0) with a fast response time (50 s) at 25 °C. The electrode also showed a long-time stability, high selectivity and reproducibility. The response mechanism of the proposed electrode was investigated by using AC impedance. Moreover, the electrode was successfully applied for the determination of silver ions in radiology films, and for potentiometric titration of the mixture solution of Cl − and Br − ions. - Highlights: ► Functionalized silica gels have become promising materials. ► This work is the first attempt to apply triazene functionalized silica gel. ► The Functionalized silica gels were used to detect silver. ► The response of the previously reported papers are compared with this work. ► The result indicates the proposed electrode is better than reported Ag + electrodes.

  7. Controlled Release from Core-Shell Nanoporous Silica Particles for Corrosion Inhibition of Aluminum Alloys

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xingmao Jiang

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Cerium (Ce corrosion inhibitors were encapsulated into hexagonally ordered nanoporous silica particles via single-step aerosol-assisted self-assembly. The core/shell structured particles are effective for corrosion inhibition of aluminum alloy AA2024-T3. Numerical simulation proved that the core-shell nanostructure delays the release process. The effective diffusion coefficient elucidated from release data for monodisperse particles in water was 1.0×10−14 m2s for Ce3+ compared to 2.5×10−13 m2s for NaCl. The pore size, pore surface chemistry, and the inhibitor solubility are crucial factors for the application. Microporous hydrophobic particles encapsulating a less soluble corrosion inhibitor are desirable for long-term corrosion inhibition.

  8. Potentiometric detection of silver (I) ion based on carbon paste electrode modified with diazo-thiophenol-functionalized nanoporous silica gel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang Ting; Chai Yaqin, E-mail: yqchai@swu.edu.cn; Yuan Ruo; Guo Junxiang

    2012-07-01

    For the first time, triazene compound functionalized silica gel was incorporated into carbon paste electrode for the potentiometric detection of silver (I) ion. A novel diazo-thiophenol-functionalized silica gel (DTPSG) was synthesized, and the presence of DTPSG acted as not only a paste binder, but also a reactive material. The electrode with optimum composition, exhibited an excellent Nernstian response to Ag{sup +} ion ranging from 1.0 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -6} to 1.0 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -1} M with a detection limit of 9.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -7} M and a slope of 60.4 {+-} 0.2 mV dec{sup -1} over a wide pH range (4.0-9.0) with a fast response time (50 s) at 25 Degree-Sign C. The electrode also showed a long-time stability, high selectivity and reproducibility. The response mechanism of the proposed electrode was investigated by using AC impedance. Moreover, the electrode was successfully applied for the determination of silver ions in radiology films, and for potentiometric titration of the mixture solution of Cl{sup -} and Br{sup -} ions. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Functionalized silica gels have become promising materials. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This work is the first attempt to apply triazene functionalized silica gel. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The Functionalized silica gels were used to detect silver. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The response of the previously reported papers are compared with this work. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The result indicates the proposed electrode is better than reported Ag{sup +} electrodes.

  9. Hierarchical nanoporous metals as a path toward the ultimate three-dimensional functionality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujita, Takeshi

    2017-01-01

    Nanoporous metals prepared via dealloying or selective leaching of solid solution alloys and compounds represent an emerging class of materials. They possess a three-dimensional (3D) structure of randomly interpenetrating ligaments/nanopores with sizes between 5 nm and several tens of micrometers, which can be tuned by varying their preparation conditions (such as dealloying time and temperature) or additional thermal coarsening. As compared to other nanostructured materials, nanoporous metals have many advantages, including their bicontinuous structure, tunable pore sizes, bulk form, good electrical conductivity, and high structural stability. Therefore, nanoporous metals represent ideal 3D materials with versatile functionality, which can be utilized in various fields. In this review, we describe the recent applications of nanoporous metals in molecular detection, catalysis, 3D graphene synthesis, hierarchical pore formation, and additive manufacturing (3D printing) together with our own achievements in these areas. Finally, we discuss possible ways of realizing the ultimate 3D functionality beyond the scope of nanoporous metals.

  10. Omega-3 PUFA concentration by a novel PVDF nano-composite membrane filled with nano-porous silica particles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghasemian, Samaneh; Sahari, Mohammad Ali; Barzegar, Mohsen; Ahmadi Gavlighi, Hasan

    2017-09-01

    In this study, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and nano-porous silica particle were used to fabricate an asymmetric nano-composite membrane. Silica particles enhanced the thermal stability of PVDF/SiO 2 membranes; increasing the decomposition temperature from 371°C to 408°C. Cross sectional morphology showed that silica particles were dispersed in polymer matrix uniformly. However, particle agglomeration was found at higher loading of silica (i.e., 20 by weight%). The separation performance of nano-composite membranes was also evaluated using the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) concentration at a temperature and pressure of 30°C and 4bar, respectively. Silica particle increased the omega-3PUFA concentration from 34.8 by weight% in neat PVDF to 53.9 by weight% in PVDF with 15 by weight% of silica. Moreover, PVDF/SiO 2 nano-composite membranes exhibited enhanced anti-fouling property compared to neat PVDF membrane. Fouling mechanism analysis revealed that complete pore blocking was the predominant mechanism occurring in oil filtration. The concentration of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is important in the oil industries. While the current methods demand high energy consumptions in concentrating the omega-3, membrane separation technology offers noticeable advantages in producing pure omega-3 PUFA. Moreover, concentrating omega-3 via membrane separation produces products in the triacylglycerol form which possess better oxidative stability. In this work, the detailed mechanisms of fouling which limits the performance of membrane separation were investigated. Incorporating silica particles to polymeric membrane resulted in the formation of mixed matrix membrane with improved anti-fouling behaviour compared to the neat polymeric membrane. Hence, the industrial potential of membrane processing to concentrate omega-3 fatty acids is enhanced. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  11. Ordered cubic nanoporous silica support MCM-48 for delivery of poorly soluble drug indomethacin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeleňák, Vladimír; Halamová, Dáša; Almáši, Miroslav; Žid, Lukáš; Zeleňáková, Adriána; Kapusta, Ondrej

    2018-06-01

    Ordered MCM-48 nanoporous silica (SBET = 923(3) m2·g-1, VP = 0.63(2) cm3·g-1) with cubic Ia3d symmetry was used as a support for drug delivery of anti-inflammatory poorly soluble drug indomethacin. The delivery from parent, unmodified MCM-48, and 3-aminopropyl modified silica carrier was studied into the simulated body fluids with the pH = 2 and pH = 7.4. The studied samples were characterized by thermal analysis (TG/DTG-DTA), N2 adsorption/desorption, infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), powder XRD, SEM, HRTEM methods, measurements of zeta potential (ζ) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The determined content of indomethacin in pure MCM-48 was 21 wt.% and in the amine-modified silica MCM-48A-I the content was 45 wt.%. The release profile of the drug, in the time period up to 72 h, was monitored by TLC chromatographic method. It as shown, that by the modification of the surface, the drug release can be controlled. The slower release of indomethacin was observed from amino modified sample MCM-48A-I in the both types of studied simulated body fluids (slightly alkaline intravenous solution with pH = 7.4 and acidic gastric fluid with pH = 2), which was supported and explained by zeta potential and DLS measurements. The amount of the released indomethacin into the fluids with various pH was different. The maximum released amount of the drug was 97% for sample containing unmodified silica, MCM-48-I at pH = 7.4 and lowest released amount, 57%, for amine modified sample MCM-48A-I at pH = 2. To compare the indomethacin release profile four kinetic models were tested. Results showed, that that the drug release based on diffusion Higuchi model, mainly governs the release.

  12. Functional Nanoporous Polymers from Block Copolymer Precursors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Guo, Fengxiao

    Abstract Self-assembly of block copolymers provides well-defined morphologies with characteristic length scales in the nanometer range. Nanoporous polymers prepared by selective removal of one block from self-assembled block copolymers offer great technological promise due to their many potential...... functionalities remains a great challenge due to the limitation of available polymer synthesis and the nanoscale confinement of the porous cavities. The main topic of this thesis is to develop methods for fabrication of functional nanoporous polymers from block copolymer precursors. A method has been developed......, where living anionic polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) are combined to synthesize a polydimethylsiloxane-b-poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-b-polystyrene (PDMS-b-PtBA-b-PS) triblock copolymer precursor. By using either anhydrous hydrogen fluoride or trifluoroacetic acid, PtBA block...

  13. Selective oxidation with nanoporous silica supported sensitizers: An environment friendly process using air and visible light

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saint-Cricq, Philippe; Pigot, Thierry; Blanc, Sylvie [Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physicochimie pour l' Environnement et les Materiaux, Universite de Pau et des Pays de l' Adour, Helioparc-2 Av. du President Angot, F-64053 Pau Cedex 09 (France); Lacombe, Sylvie, E-mail: sylvie.lacombe@univ-pau.fr [Institut des Sciences Analytiques et de Physicochimie pour l' Environnement et les Materiaux, Universite de Pau et des Pays de l' Adour, Helioparc-2 Av. du President Angot, F-64053 Pau Cedex 09 (France)

    2012-04-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Photo-sensitizers were covalently grafted on silica matrices. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Grafted powdered silica was characterized by diffuse reflectance and emission spectroscopy. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Selective solvent-free photo-oxygenation was carried out with air under visible light. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Singlet generation and reactivity at the gas-solid interface was demonstrated. - Abstract: Transparent and porous silica xerogels containing various grafted photosensitizers (PSs) such as anthraquinone derivatives, Neutral Red, Acridine Yellow and a laboratory-made dicyano aromatics (DBTP) were prepared. In most cases, the xerogels were shown to be mainly microporous by porosimetry. The PSs were characterized in the powdered monoliths (form, aggregation, concentration) by electronic spectroscopy which also proved to be a useful tool for monitoring the material evolution after irradiation. These nanoporous xerogels were used as microreactors for gas/solid solvent-free photo-oxygenation of dimethylsulfide (DMS) using visible light and air as the sole reactant. All these PSs containing monoliths were efficient for gas-solid DMS oxidation, leading to sulfoxide and sulfone in varying ratios. As these polar oxidation products remained strongly adsorbed on the silica matrix, the gaseous flow at the outlet of the reactor was totally free of sulfide and odorless. The best results in term of yield and initial rate of degradation of DMS were obtained with DBTP containing xerogels. Moreover, as these materials were reusable without loss of efficiency and sensitizer photobleaching after a washing regeneration step, the concept of recyclable sensitizing materials was approved, opening the way to green process.

  14. Uranyl adsorption kinetics within silica gel: dependence on flow velocity and concentration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dodd, Brandon M.; Tepper, Gary

    2017-09-01

    Trace quantities of a uranyl dissolved in water were measured using a simple optical method. A dilute solution of uranium nitrate dissolved in water was forced through nanoporous silica gel at fixed and controlled water flow rates. The uranyl ions deposited and accumulated within the silica gel and the uranyl fluorescence within the silica gel was monitored as a function of time using a light emitting diode as the excitation source and a photomultiplier tube detector. It was shown that the response time of the fluorescence output signal at a particular volumetric flow rate or average liquid velocity through the silica gel can be used to quantify the concentration of uranium in water. The response time as a function of concentration decreased with increasing flow velocity.

  15. A Three-Dimensional Nanoporous Silicon Anode for High-Energy Density Lithium-ion Batteries, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This SBIR phase I program is directed toward the development of novel, nanoporous silica anodes for low-earth-orbiting (LEO) spacecraft power applications. Silica...

  16. Development of a 3D origami multiplex electrochemical immunodevice using a nanoporous silver-paper electrode and metal ion functionalized nanoporous gold-chitosan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Weiping; Li, Long; Li, Meng; Yu, Jinghua; Ge, Shenguang; Yan, Mei; Song, Xianrang

    2013-10-25

    A simple and sensitive 3D microfluidic origami multiplex electrochemical immunodevice was developed for the first time using a novel nanoporous silver modified paper working electrode as a sensor platform and different metal ion functionalized nanoporous gold-chitosan as a tracer.

  17. Nanoporous Glasses for Nuclear Waste Containment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thierry Woignier

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Research is in progress to incorporate nuclear waste in new matrices with high structural stability, resistance to thermal shock, and high chemical durability. Interactions with water are important for materials used as a containment matrix for the radio nuclides. It is indispensable to improve their chemical durability to limit the possible release of radioactive chemical species, if the glass structure is attacked by corrosion. By associating high structural stability and high chemical durability, silica glass optimizes the properties of a suitable host matrix. According to an easy sintering stage, nanoporous glasses such as xerogels, aerogels, and composite gels are alternative ways to synthesize silica glass at relatively low temperatures (≈1,000–1,200°C. Nuclear wastes exist as aqueous salt solutions and we propose using the open pore structure of the nanoporous glass to enable migration of the solution throughout the solid volume. The loaded material is then sintered, thereby trapping the radioactive chemical species. The structure of the sintered materials (glass ceramics is that of nanocomposites: actinide phases (~100 nm embedded in a vitreous silica matrix. Our results showed a large improvement in the chemical durability of glass ceramic over conventional nuclear glass.

  18. Effect of the nature of the surface on the reactivity of nanoporous silica under irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Caer, S.; Alam, M.S.; Chatelain, C.; Brunet, F.; Charpentier, T.; Renault, J.P.; Brodie-Linder, N.; Alba-Simionesco, C.

    2011-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows. Materials such as concrete, clays and zeolites which embed radioactive wastes adsorb in their pores significant amounts of water that can be decomposed under ionizing radiation leading to the formation of H 2 which is potentially explosive. It is well established that the H 2 production arises from chemi- or physi-sorbed OH groups at the surface of oxides. In this context, we have studied the behaviour of water confined in nanoporous silica. To distinguish the behavior of the two kinds of OH, we have performed different thermal treatments on SBA-15 materials prior to their irradiation. The IR analysis and H 2 measurements have proven that in the radiolysis of SBA-15 materials, silanol groups are only attacked when they are in the majority with respect to adsorbed water. However they are much less efficient at producing H 2 . The comparison between water content before and after electron irradiation and the corresponding H 2 production indicates that water desorption is the main route to adsorbed water loss. On the other hand, surface silanol groups are more susceptible to attack, leading to H 2 production when SBA-15 samples have undergone extensive thermal treatment. The surface of nanoporous glasses were then grafted using chloroaklyldimethylsilane. The effect of irradiation on these grafted surfaces was studied by means of mass spectrometry and NMR experiments. These different techniques reveal an original reactivity of the surface under irradiation.

  19. Selective porous gates made from colloidal silica nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberto Nisticò

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Highly selective porous films were prepared by spin-coating deposition of colloidal silica nanoparticles on an appropriate macroporous substrate. Silica nanoparticles very homogenous in size were obtained by sol–gel reaction of a metal oxide silica precursor, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS, and using polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide (PS-b-PEO copolymers as soft-templating agents. Nanoparticles synthesis was carried out in a mixed solvent system. After spin-coating onto a macroporous silicon nitride support, silica nanoparticles were calcined under controlled conditions. An organized nanoporous layer was obtained characterized by a depth filter-like structure with internal porosity due to interparticle voids. Permeability and size-selectivity were studied by monitoring the diffusion of probe molecules under standard conditions and under the application of an external stimulus (i.e., electric field. Promising results were obtained, suggesting possible applications of these nanoporous films as selective gates for controlled transport of chemical species in solution.

  20. Application of sulfonic acid functionalized nanoporous silica (SBA-Pr-SO3H in the green one-pot synthesis of triazoloquinazolinones and benzimidazoquinazolinones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ghodsi Mohammadi Ziarani

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Sulfonic acid functionalized SBA-15 (SBA-Pr-SO3H with a pore size of 6 nm was proven to be an efficient heterogeneous nanoporous solid acid catalyst in the green one-pot synthesis of triazoloquinazolinones and benzimidazoquinazolinones from the reaction of aromatic aldehydes with 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (or 2-aminobenzimidazole and dimedone under solvent free conditions.

  1. Drag reduction in silica nanochannels induced by graphitic wall coatings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wagemann, Enrique; Walther, Jens Honore; Zambrano, Harvey

    . In this work, we propose the use of graphitic materials as wall coatings in hydrophilic silica nanopores. Specifically, by conducting atomistic simulations, we investigate the flow inside slit and cylindrical silica channels with walls coated with graphene (GE) layers and carbonnanotubes (CNTs), respectively...

  2. Stability and Catalytic Kinetics of Horseradish Peroxidase Confined in Nanoporous SBA-15

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ikemoto, Hediki; Chi, Qijin; Ulstrup, Jens

    2010-01-01

    We have synthesized nanoporous silica, SBA-15 in the 1 m size range with the pore diameter of 7.6 nm. The redox enzyme horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was entrapped in the pores to form nanostructured hybrid materials. The catalytic activity of free and immobilized enzyme was first compared at room...... likely due to different hydrogen bonding of water and increased hydration strength of the protein inside the nanopores....

  3. Fabrication and textural characterization of nanoporous carbon electrodes embedded with CuO nanoparticles for supercapacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prasad, Kumaresa P S; Dhawale, Dattatray S; Ariga, Katsuhiko; Vinu, Ajayan [International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), World Premier International (WPI) Research Center, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan); Sivakumar, Thiripuranthagan [Department of Chemical Engineering, Anna University, Gundy, Chennai 600025 (India); Aldeyab, Salem S [Department of Chemistry, Petrochemicals Research Chair, Faculty of Science, King Saud University, PO Box 2455 Riyadh 11451 (Saudi Arabia); Zaidi, Javaid S M, E-mail: vinu.ajayan@nims.go.jp [Department of Chemical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia)

    2011-08-15

    We introduce a novel strategy of fabricating nanoporous carbons loaded with different amounts of CuO nanoparticles via a hard templating approach, using copper-containing mesoporous silica as the template and sucrose as the carbon source. The nature and dispersion of the CuO nanoparticles on the surface of the nanoporous carbons were investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). XRD results reveal that nanoporous carbons with embedded CuO nanoparticles exhibit a well-ordered mesoporous structure, whereas the nitrogen adsorption measurements indicate the presence of excellent textural characteristics such as high surface area, large pore volume and uniform pore size distribution. The amount of CuO nanoparticles in the nanochannels of the nanoporous carbon could be controlled by simply varying the Si/Cu molar ratio of the mesoporous silica template. Morphological characterization by SEM and TEM reveals that high-quality CuO nanoparticles are distributed homogeneously within the nanoporous carbon framework. The supercapacitance behavior of the CuO-loaded nanoporous carbons was investigated. The material with a small amount of CuO in the mesochannels and high surface area affords a maximum specific capacitance of 300 F g{sup -1} at a 20 mV s{sup -1} scan rate in an aqueous electrolyte solution. A supercapacitor containing the CuO-loaded nanoporous carbon is highly stable and exhibits a long cycle life with 91% specific capacitance retained after 1000 cycles.

  4. Fabrication and textural characterization of nanoporous carbon electrodes embedded with CuO nanoparticles for supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prasad, Kumaresa P. S.; Dhawale, Dattatray S.; Sivakumar, Thiripuranthagan; Aldeyab, Salem S.; Zaidi, Javaid S. M.; Ariga, Katsuhiko; Vinu, Ajayan

    2011-08-01

    We introduce a novel strategy of fabricating nanoporous carbons loaded with different amounts of CuO nanoparticles via a hard templating approach, using copper-containing mesoporous silica as the template and sucrose as the carbon source. The nature and dispersion of the CuO nanoparticles on the surface of the nanoporous carbons were investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). XRD results reveal that nanoporous carbons with embedded CuO nanoparticles exhibit a well-ordered mesoporous structure, whereas the nitrogen adsorption measurements indicate the presence of excellent textural characteristics such as high surface area, large pore volume and uniform pore size distribution. The amount of CuO nanoparticles in the nanochannels of the nanoporous carbon could be controlled by simply varying the Si/Cu molar ratio of the mesoporous silica template. Morphological characterization by SEM and TEM reveals that high-quality CuO nanoparticles are distributed homogeneously within the nanoporous carbon framework. The supercapacitance behavior of the CuO-loaded nanoporous carbons was investigated. The material with a small amount of CuO in the mesochannels and high surface area affords a maximum specific capacitance of 300 F g-1 at a 20 mV s-1 scan rate in an aqueous electrolyte solution. A supercapacitor containing the CuO-loaded nanoporous carbon is highly stable and exhibits a long cycle life with 91% specific capacitance retained after 1000 cycles.

  5. Fabrication and textural characterization of nanoporous carbon electrodes embedded with CuO nanoparticles for supercapacitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kumaresa P S Prasad, Dattatray S Dhawale, Thiripuranthagan Sivakumar, Salem S Aldeyab, Javaid S M Zaidi, Katsuhiko Ariga and Ajayan Vinu

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available We introduce a novel strategy of fabricating nanoporous carbons loaded with different amounts of CuO nanoparticles via a hard templating approach, using copper-containing mesoporous silica as the template and sucrose as the carbon source. The nature and dispersion of the CuO nanoparticles on the surface of the nanoporous carbons were investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM. XRD results reveal that nanoporous carbons with embedded CuO nanoparticles exhibit a well-ordered mesoporous structure, whereas the nitrogen adsorption measurements indicate the presence of excellent textural characteristics such as high surface area, large pore volume and uniform pore size distribution. The amount of CuO nanoparticles in the nanochannels of the nanoporous carbon could be controlled by simply varying the Si/Cu molar ratio of the mesoporous silica template. Morphological characterization by SEM and TEM reveals that high-quality CuO nanoparticles are distributed homogeneously within the nanoporous carbon framework. The supercapacitance behavior of the CuO-loaded nanoporous carbons was investigated. The material with a small amount of CuO in the mesochannels and high surface area affords a maximum specific capacitance of 300 F g-1 at a 20 mV s-1 scan rate in an aqueous electrolyte solution. A supercapacitor containing the CuO-loaded nanoporous carbon is highly stable and exhibits a long cycle life with 91% specific capacitance retained after 1000 cycles.

  6. Corrugation of Phase-Separated Lipid Bilayers Supported by Nanoporous Silica Xerogel Surfaces

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Goksu, E I; Nellis, B A; Lin, W; Satcher Jr., J H; Groves, J T; Risbud, S H; Longo, M L

    2008-10-30

    Lipid bilayers supported by substrates with nanometer-scale surface corrugations holds interest in understanding both nanoparticle-membrane interactions and the challenges of constructing models of cell membranes on surfaces with desirable properties, e.g. porosity. Here, we successfully form a two-phase (gel-fluid) lipid bilayer supported by nanoporous silica xerogel. Surface topology, diffusion, and lipid density in comparison to mica-supported lipid bilayers were characterized by AFM, FRAP, FCS, and quantitative fluorescence microscopy, respectively. We found that the two-phase lipid bilayer follows the xerogel surface contours. The corrugation imparted on the lipid bilayer results in a lipid density that is twice that on a flat mica surface. In direct agreement with the doubling of actual bilayer area in a projected area, we find that the lateral diffusion coefficient (D) of lipids on xerogel ({approx}1.7 {micro}m{sup 2}/s) is predictably lower than on mica ({approx}4.1 {micro}m{sup 2}/s) by both FRAP and FCS techniques. Furthermore, the gel-phase domains on xerogel compared to mica were larger and less numerous. Overall, our results suggest the presence of a relatively defect-free continuous two-phase bilayer that penetrates approximately midway into the first layer of {approx}50 nm xerogel beads.

  7. Configuration of organic dye excimers in nanoporous SiO2 matrices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sorokin, A.V.; Gnap, B.A.; Bespalova, I.I.; Yefimova, S.L.; Malyukin, Yu.V.

    2016-01-01

    The effect of cyanine dye 3,3′-dioctadecyloxacarbocyanine perchlorate (DiO) and benzimidazole dye 4-dimethylamino-1,8-naphthoylene-1′,2′-benzimidazole (DNBI) accumulation in nanoporous silica matrices on the dyes luminescence properties has been studied. For both dyes, ground state dimer formation with perpendicular transition dipoles at high dye concentrations has been considered as a result of restricted geometry of the nanoscale pores. The dimer excitation leads to excimer formation revealing by appearance of new long-wavelength luminescence band and shortening the dye luminescence lifetime. In the excimer luminescence excitation spectra two additional bands have been observed, one of which is bathochromically shifted relatively to the absorption band and another one is hypsocromically shifted. Using the Kasha exciton model it was shown that the excimers possess oblique transition dipoles configuration. - Highlights: • Organic dye molecules are efficiently accumulated in nanoporous silica matrices. • Restricted geometry of SiO 2 nanopores provokes excimerization of both cyanine and benzimidazole dyes. • The excimers reveal configuration of oblique dimers. • The excimers are originated from ground state dimers with a perpendicular arrangement of transition dipoles.

  8. Fluoride-induced modulation of ionic transport in asymmetric nanopores functionalized with "caged" fluorescein moieties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Mubarak; Ahmed, Ishtiaq; Ramirez, Patricio; Nasir, Saima; Cervera, Javier; Niemeyer, Christof M; Ensinger, Wolfgang

    2016-04-28

    We demonstrate experimentally and theoretically a nanofluidic fluoride sensing device based on a single conical pore functionalized with "caged" fluorescein moieties. The nanopore functionalization is based on an amine-terminated fluorescein whose phenolic hydroxyl groups are protected with tert-butyldiphenylsilyl (TBDPS) moieties. The protected fluorescein (Fcn-TBDPS-NH2) molecules are then immobilized on the nanopore surface via carbodiimide coupling chemistry. Exposure to fluoride ions removes the uncharged TBDPS moieties due to the fluoride-promoted cleavage of the silicon-oxygen bond, leading to the generation of negatively charged groups on the fluorescein moieties immobilized onto the pore surface. The asymmetrical distribution of these groups along the conical nanopore leads to the electrical rectification observed in the current-voltage (I-V) curve. On the contrary, other halides and anions are not able to induce any significant ionic rectification in the asymmetric pore. In each case, the success of the chemical functionalization and deprotection reactions is monitored through the changes observed in the I-V curves before and after the specified reaction step. The theoretical results based on the Nernst-Planck and Poisson equations further demonstrate the validity of an experimental approach to fluoride-induced modulation of nanopore current rectification behaviour.

  9. Nanoporous Polymeric Grating-Based Biosensors

    KAUST Repository

    Gao, Tieyu; Hsiao, Vincent; Zheng, Yue Bing; Huang, Tony Jun

    2012-01-01

    We demonstrate the utilization of an interferometrically created nanoporous polymeric gratings as a platform for biosensing applications. Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES)-functionalized nanoporous polymeric gratings was fabricated by combining holographic interference patterning and APTES-functionalization of pre-polymer syrup. The successful detection of multiple biomolecules indicates that the biofunctionalized nanoporous polymeric gratings can act as biosensing platforms which are label-free, inexpensive, and applicable as high-throughput assays. Copyright © 2010 by ASME.

  10. Nanoporous Polymeric Grating-Based Biosensors

    KAUST Repository

    Gao, Tieyu

    2012-05-02

    We demonstrate the utilization of an interferometrically created nanoporous polymeric gratings as a platform for biosensing applications. Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES)-functionalized nanoporous polymeric gratings was fabricated by combining holographic interference patterning and APTES-functionalization of pre-polymer syrup. The successful detection of multiple biomolecules indicates that the biofunctionalized nanoporous polymeric gratings can act as biosensing platforms which are label-free, inexpensive, and applicable as high-throughput assays. Copyright © 2010 by ASME.

  11. Self-assembly of supramolecular triarylamine nanowires in mesoporous silica and biocompatible electrodes thereof

    Science.gov (United States)

    Licsandru, Erol-Dan; Schneider, Susanne; Tingry, Sophie; Ellis, Thomas; Moulin, Emilie; Maaloum, Mounir; Lehn, Jean-Marie; Barboiu, Mihail; Giuseppone, Nicolas

    2016-03-01

    Biocompatible silica-based mesoporous materials, which present high surface areas combined with uniform distribution of nanopores, can be organized in functional nanopatterns for a number of applications. However, silica is by essence an electrically insulating material which precludes applications for electro-chemical devices. The formation of hybrid electroactive silica nanostructures is thus expected to be of great interest for the design of biocompatible conducting materials such as bioelectrodes. Here we show that we can grow supramolecular stacks of triarylamine molecules in the confined space of oriented mesopores of a silica nanolayer covering a gold electrode. This addressable bottom-up construction is triggered from solution simply by light irradiation. The resulting self-assembled nanowires act as highly conducting electronic pathways crossing the silica layer. They allow very efficient charge transfer from the redox species in solution to the gold surface. We demonstrate the potential of these hybrid constitutional materials by implementing them as biocathodes and by measuring laccase activity that reduces dioxygen to produce water.Biocompatible silica-based mesoporous materials, which present high surface areas combined with uniform distribution of nanopores, can be organized in functional nanopatterns for a number of applications. However, silica is by essence an electrically insulating material which precludes applications for electro-chemical devices. The formation of hybrid electroactive silica nanostructures is thus expected to be of great interest for the design of biocompatible conducting materials such as bioelectrodes. Here we show that we can grow supramolecular stacks of triarylamine molecules in the confined space of oriented mesopores of a silica nanolayer covering a gold electrode. This addressable bottom-up construction is triggered from solution simply by light irradiation. The resulting self-assembled nanowires act as highly conducting

  12. Solid phase extraction and trace monitoring of cadmium ions in environmental water and food samples based on modified magnetic nanoporous silica

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Omidi, Fariborz [Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahroud University of Medical Sciences, Shahroud (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Behbahani, Mohammad, E-mail: mohammadbehbahai89@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, Shahid Beheshti University, Evin, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Kalate Bojdi, Majid [Faculty of Chemistry, Kharazmi (Tarbiat Moallem) University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shahtaheri, Seyed Jamaleddin [Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Public Health and Institute for Environmental Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2015-12-01

    A new method has been developed for trace separation/preconcentration of cadmium ions using pyridine-functionalized magnetic nanoporous silica material (called Py-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@MCM-41) as a new magnetic sorbent and their determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). The Py-Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@MCM-41 sorbent was characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and X-ray diffraction. The modified Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@MCM-41 can be easily separated from an aqueous solution by applying an external magnetic field. Effects of pH, amount of functionalized Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@MCM-41, extraction time, type and quantity of eluent, desorption time, and interfering ions on the extraction efficiency were evaluated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the detection limit and relative standard deviation was 0.04 μg L{sup –1} and 2.9%, respectively and the maximum adsorption capacity of the synthesized sorbent for cadmium ions was 154 mg g{sup −1}. The proposed method has been applied to the determination of Cd ions at trace levels in real samples such as, rice, onion, carrot, lettuce, parsley, basil, tap water, river water and seawater with satisfactory results. - Highlights: • The introducing of modified magnetic mesoporous silica as a novel magnetic sorbent. • Trace monitoring of cadmium ions. • The limit of detection (LOD) by the proposed solid phase extraction method was 0.04 ng mL{sup −1} for the cadmium ions. • High surface areas and magnetic characteristic of the sorbent. • Maximum adsorption capacity of the sorbent was 154 mg g{sup −1}.

  13. A methodology for the preparation of nanoporous polyimide films with low dielectric constants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang Lizhong; Liu Jiugui; Wu Dezhen; Li Hangquan; Jin Riguang

    2006-01-01

    A method to generate nanoporous polyimide films with low dielectric constants was proposed. The preparation consisted of two steps. Firstly, a polyimide/silica hybrid film was prepared via sol-gel process. Secondly, the hybrid film was treated with hydrofluoric acid to remove the dispersed silica particles, leaving pores with diameters between 20 and 120 nm, depending on the size of silica particles. Both hybrid and porous films were subjected to a variety of characterizations including transmission electron microscopy observation, dielectric constant measurement and tensile strength measurement

  14. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy on laser-engineered ruthenium dye-functionalized nanoporous gold

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schade, Lina; Franzka, Steffen; Biener, Monika; Biener, Jürgen; Hartmann, Nils

    2016-06-01

    Photothermal processing of nanoporous gold with a microfocused continuous-wave laser at λ = 532 nm provides a facile means in order engineer the pore and ligament size of nanoporous gold. In this report we take advantage of this approach in order to investigate the size-dependence of enhancement effects in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Surface structures with laterally varying pore sizes from 25 nm to ≥200 nm are characterized using scanning electron microscopy and then functionalized with N719, a commercial ruthenium complex, which is widely used in dye-sensitized solar cells. Raman spectroscopy reveals the characteristic spectral features of N719. Peak intensities strongly depend on the pore size. Highest intensities are observed on the native support, i.e. on nanoporous gold with pore sizes around 25 nm. These results demonstrate the particular perspectives of laser-fabricated nanoporous gold structures in fundamental SERS studies. In particular, it is emphasized that laser-engineered porous gold substrates represent a very well defined platform in order to study size-dependent effects with high reproducibility and precision and resolve conflicting results in previous studies.

  15. Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Membranes for CO2 Separation Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyung-Ju Kim

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Mesoporous silica molecular sieves are emerging candidates for a number of potential applications involving adsorption and molecular transport due to their large surface areas, high pore volumes, and tunable pore sizes. Recently, several research groups have investigated the potential of functionalized mesoporous silica molecular sieves as advanced materials in separation devices, such as membranes. In particular, mesoporous silica with a two- or three-dimensional pore structure is one of the most promising types of molecular sieve materials for gas separation membranes. However, several important challenges must first be addressed regarding the successful fabrication of mesoporous silica membranes. First, a novel, high throughput process for the fabrication of continuous and defect-free mesoporous silica membranes is required. Second, functionalization of mesopores on membranes is desirable in order to impart selective properties. Finally, the separation characteristics and performance of functionalized mesoporous silica membranes must be further investigated. Herein, the synthesis, characterization, and applications of mesoporous silica membranes and functionalized mesoporous silica membranes are reviewed with a focus on CO2 separation.

  16. Fabrication and textural characterization of nanoporous carbon electrodes embedded with CuO nanoparticles for supercapacitors

    OpenAIRE

    Kumaresa P S Prasad, Dattatray S Dhawale, Thiripuranthagan Sivakumar, Salem S Aldeyab, Javaid S M Zaidi, Katsuhiko Ariga and Ajayan Vinu

    2011-01-01

    We introduce a novel strategy of fabricating nanoporous carbons loaded with different amounts of CuO nanoparticles via a hard templating approach, using copper-containing mesoporous silica as the template and sucrose as the carbon source. The nature and dispersion of the CuO nanoparticles on the surface of the nanoporous carbons were investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). XRD r...

  17. Nanoporous thermosetting polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raman, Vijay I; Palmese, Giuseppe R

    2005-02-15

    Potential applications of nanoporous thermosetting polymers include polyelectrolytes in fuel cells, separation membranes, adsorption media, and sensors. Design of nanoporous polymers for such applications entails controlling permeability by tailoring pore size, structure, and interface chemistry. Nanoporous thermosetting polymers are often synthesized via free radical mechanisms using solvents that phase separate during polymerization. In this work, a novel technique for the synthesis of nanoporous thermosets is presented that is based on the reactive encapsulation of an inert solvent using step-growth cross-linking polymerization without micro/macroscopic phase separation. The criteria for selecting such a monomer-polymer-solvent system are discussed based on FTIR analysis, observed micro/macroscopic phase separation, and thermodynamics of swelling. Investigation of resulting network pore structures by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering following extraction and supercritical drying using carbon dioxide showed that nanoporous polymeric materials with pore sizes ranging from 1 to 50 nm can be synthesized by varying the solvent content. The differences in the porous morphology of these materials compared to more common free radically polymerized analogues that exhibit phase separation were evident from SEM imaging. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the chemical activity of the nanoporous materials obtained by our method could be tailored by grafting appropriate functional groups at the pore interface.

  18. Modeling the self-assembly of ordered nanoporous materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Monson, Peter [Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States); Auerbach, Scott [Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States)

    2017-11-13

    This report describes progress on a collaborative project on the multiscale modeling of the assembly processes in the synthesis of nanoporous materials. Such materials are of enormous importance in modern technology with application in the chemical process industries, biomedicine and biotechnology as well as microelectronics. The project focuses on two important classes of materials: i) microporous crystalline materials, such as zeolites, and ii) ordered mesoporous materials. In the first case the pores are part of the crystalline structure, while in the second the structures are amorphous on the atomistic length scale but where surfactant templating gives rise to order on the length scale of 2 - 20 nm. We have developed a modeling framework that encompasses both these kinds of materials. Our models focus on the assembly of corner sharing silica tetrahedra in the presence of structure directing agents. We emphasize a balance between sufficient realism in the models and computational tractibility given the complex many-body phenomena. We use both on-lattice and off-lattice models and the primary computational tools are Monte Carlo simulations with sampling techniques and ensembles appropriate to specific situations. Our modeling approach is the first to capture silica polymerization, nanopore crystallization, and mesopore formation through computer-simulated self assembly.

  19. Drag reduction in silica nanochannels induced by graphitic wall coatings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagemann, Enrique; Walther, J. H.; Zambrano, Harvey A.

    2017-11-01

    Transport of water in hydrophilic nanopores is of significant technological and scientific interest. Water flow through hydrophilic nanochannels is known to experience enormous hydraulic resistance. Therefore, drag reduction is essential for the development of highly efficient nanofluidic devices. In this work, we propose the use of graphitic materials as wall coatings in hydrophilic silica nanopores. Specifically, by conducting atomistic simulations, we investigate the flow inside slit and cylindrical silica channels with walls coated with graphene (GE) layers and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), respectively. We develop realistic force fields to simulate the systems of interest and systematically, compare flow rates in coated and uncoated nanochannels under different pressure gradients. Moreover, we assess the effect that GE and CNT translucencies to wettability have on water hydrodynamics in the nanochannels. The influence of channel size is investigated by systematically varying channel heights and nanopore diameters. In particular, we present the computed water density and velocity profiles, volumetric flow rates, slip lengths and flow enhancements, to clearly demonstrate the drag reduction capabilities of graphitic wall coatings. We wish to thank partial funding from CRHIAM Conicyt/ Fondap Project 15130015 and computational support from DTU and NLHPC (Chile).

  20. Pore structure and function of synthetic nanopores with fixed charges: tip shape and rectification properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    RamIrez, Patricio [Departament de Fisica Aplicada, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, E-46022 Valencia (Spain); Apel, Pavel Yu [Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Joliot-Curie street 6, 141980 Dubna (Russian Federation); Cervera, Javier; Mafe, Salvador [Departament de Fisica de la Terra i Termodinamica, Universitat de Valencia, E-46100 Burjassot (Spain)], E-mail: patraho@fis.upv.es

    2008-08-06

    We present a complete theoretical study of the relationship between the structure (tip shape and dimensions) and function (selectivity and rectification) of asymmetric nanopores on the basis of previous experimental studies. The theoretical model uses a continuum approach based on the Nernst-Planck equations. According to our results, the nanopore transport properties, such as current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, conductance, rectification ratio, and selectivity, are dictated mainly by the shape of the pore tip (we have distinguished bullet-like, conical, trumpet-like, and hybrid shapes) and the concentration of pore surface charges. As a consequence, the nanopore performance in practical applications will depend not only on the base and tip openings but also on the pore shape. In particular, we show that the pore opening dimensions estimated from the pore conductance can be very different, depending on the pore shape assumed. The results obtained can also be of practical relevance for the design of nanopores, nanopipettes, and nanoelectrodes, where the electrical interactions between the charges attached to the nanostructure and the mobile charges confined in the reduced volume of the inside solution dictate the device performance in practical applications. Because single tracks are the elementary building blocks for nanoporous membranes, the understanding and control of their individual properties should also be crucial in protein separation, water desalination, and bio-molecule detection using arrays of identical nanopores.

  1. Pore structure and function of synthetic nanopores with fixed charges: tip shape and rectification properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    RamIrez, Patricio; Apel, Pavel Yu; Cervera, Javier; Mafe, Salvador

    2008-01-01

    We present a complete theoretical study of the relationship between the structure (tip shape and dimensions) and function (selectivity and rectification) of asymmetric nanopores on the basis of previous experimental studies. The theoretical model uses a continuum approach based on the Nernst-Planck equations. According to our results, the nanopore transport properties, such as current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, conductance, rectification ratio, and selectivity, are dictated mainly by the shape of the pore tip (we have distinguished bullet-like, conical, trumpet-like, and hybrid shapes) and the concentration of pore surface charges. As a consequence, the nanopore performance in practical applications will depend not only on the base and tip openings but also on the pore shape. In particular, we show that the pore opening dimensions estimated from the pore conductance can be very different, depending on the pore shape assumed. The results obtained can also be of practical relevance for the design of nanopores, nanopipettes, and nanoelectrodes, where the electrical interactions between the charges attached to the nanostructure and the mobile charges confined in the reduced volume of the inside solution dictate the device performance in practical applications. Because single tracks are the elementary building blocks for nanoporous membranes, the understanding and control of their individual properties should also be crucial in protein separation, water desalination, and bio-molecule detection using arrays of identical nanopores

  2. Pore structure and function of synthetic nanopores with fixed charges: tip shape and rectification properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramírez, Patricio; Apel, Pavel Yu; Cervera, Javier; Mafé, Salvador

    2008-08-06

    We present a complete theoretical study of the relationship between the structure (tip shape and dimensions) and function (selectivity and rectification) of asymmetric nanopores on the basis of previous experimental studies. The theoretical model uses a continuum approach based on the Nernst-Planck equations. According to our results, the nanopore transport properties, such as current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, conductance, rectification ratio, and selectivity, are dictated mainly by the shape of the pore tip (we have distinguished bullet-like, conical, trumpet-like, and hybrid shapes) and the concentration of pore surface charges. As a consequence, the nanopore performance in practical applications will depend not only on the base and tip openings but also on the pore shape. In particular, we show that the pore opening dimensions estimated from the pore conductance can be very different, depending on the pore shape assumed. The results obtained can also be of practical relevance for the design of nanopores, nanopipettes, and nanoelectrodes, where the electrical interactions between the charges attached to the nanostructure and the mobile charges confined in the reduced volume of the inside solution dictate the device performance in practical applications. Because single tracks are the elementary building blocks for nanoporous membranes, the understanding and control of their individual properties should also be crucial in protein separation, water desalination, and bio-molecule detection using arrays of identical nanopores.

  3. Functionalized silica materials for electrocatalysis

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    To increase the efficiency of the electrocatalytic process and to increase the electrochemical accessibility of the immobilized electrocatalysts, functionalized and non-functionalized mesoporous organo-silica (MCM41-type-materials) are used in this study. These materials possess several suitable properties to be durable ...

  4. Cooperative catalysis by silica-supported organic functional groups

    OpenAIRE

    Margelefsky, Eric L.; Zeidan, Ryan K.; Davis, Mark E.

    2008-01-01

    Hybrid inorganic–organic materials comprising organic functional groups tethered from silica surfaces are versatile, heterogeneous catalysts. Recent advances have led to the preparation of silica materials containing multiple, different functional groups that can show cooperative catalysis; that is, these functional groups can act together to provide catalytic activity and selectivity superior to what can be obtained from either monofunctional materials or homogeneous catalysts. This tutorial...

  5. Fractal dimensions of silica gels generated using reactive molecular dynamics simulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhattacharya, Sudin; Kieffer, John

    2005-01-01

    We have used molecular dynamics simulations based on a three-body potential with charge transfer to generate nanoporous silica aerogels. Care was taken to reproduce the sol-gel condensation reaction that forms the gel backbone as realistically as possible and to thereby produce credible gel structures. The self-similarity of aerogel structures was investigated by evaluating their fractal dimension from geometric correlations. For comparison, we have also generated porous silica glasses by rupturing dense silica and computed their fractal dimension. The fractal dimension of the porous silica structures was found to be process dependent. Finally, we have determined that the effect of supercritical drying on the fractal nature of condensed silica gels is not appreciable

  6. Determination of picomolar silver concentrations by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry at a carbon paste electrode modified with phenylthiourea-functionalized high ordered nanoporous silica gel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Javanbakht, Mehran; Divsar, Faten; Badiei, Alireza; Fatollahi, Fatemeh; Khaniani, Yeganeh; Ganjali, Mohammad Reza; Norouzi, Parviz; Chaloosi, Marzieh; Ziarani, Ghodsi Mohammadi

    2009-01-01

    This study introduces the design of an anodic stripping voltammetric (ASV) method for the silver ion determination at a carbon paste electrode (CPE), chemically modified with phenylthiourea-nanoporous silica gel (Tu-SBA-15-CPE). The electroanalytical pro includes two steps: preconcentration of metal ions at an electrode surface, followed by quantification of the accumulated species by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetric methods. Factors affecting the performance of the anodic stripping were investigated, including the modifier quantity in the paste, the electrolyte concentrations, the solution pH and the accumulation potential or time. The most sensitive and reliable electrode contained 10% Tu-SBA-15 and 90% carbon paste. The accumulation potential and time were set at, -200 mV and 300 s, respectively, and the scan rate at 50 mV s -1 in the scan range of -200 to 700 mV. The resulting electrode demonstrated a linear response over range of silver ion concentration of 8.0-80 pmol/L with detection limit (S/N = 3) of 5 pmol/L. The prepared electrodes were used for the silver determination in sea and tap water samples and very good recovery results were obtained. The accuracy was assessed through recovery experiments and independent analysis by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.

  7. Determination of picomolar silver concentrations by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry at a carbon paste electrode modified with phenylthiourea-functionalized high ordered nanoporous silica gel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Javanbakht, Mehran [Department of Chemistry, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Nano Science and Technology Research Center, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)], E-mail: mehranjavanbakht@gmail.com; Divsar, Faten [Department of Chemistry, University of Tarbiat Moallem, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Badiei, Alireza [School of Chemistry, University College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Fatollahi, Fatemeh [Department of Chemistry, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Khaniani, Yeganeh [School of Chemistry, University College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ganjali, Mohammad Reza; Norouzi, Parviz [Center of Excellence in Electrochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Chaloosi, Marzieh [Department of Chemistry, University of Tarbiat Moallem, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ziarani, Ghodsi Mohammadi [Department of Chemistry, University of Alzahra, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2009-09-30

    This study introduces the design of an anodic stripping voltammetric (ASV) method for the silver ion determination at a carbon paste electrode (CPE), chemically modified with phenylthiourea-nanoporous silica gel (Tu-SBA-15-CPE). The electroanalytical pro includes two steps: preconcentration of metal ions at an electrode surface, followed by quantification of the accumulated species by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetric methods. Factors affecting the performance of the anodic stripping were investigated, including the modifier quantity in the paste, the electrolyte concentrations, the solution pH and the accumulation potential or time. The most sensitive and reliable electrode contained 10% Tu-SBA-15 and 90% carbon paste. The accumulation potential and time were set at, -200 mV and 300 s, respectively, and the scan rate at 50 mV s{sup -1} in the scan range of -200 to 700 mV. The resulting electrode demonstrated a linear response over range of silver ion concentration of 8.0-80 pmol/L with detection limit (S/N = 3) of 5 pmol/L. The prepared electrodes were used for the silver determination in sea and tap water samples and very good recovery results were obtained. The accuracy was assessed through recovery experiments and independent analysis by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.

  8. Functionalization of silica nanoparticles for polypropylene nanocomposites applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bracho, Diego; Palza, Humberto; Quijada, Raul; Dougnac, Vivianne

    2011-01-01

    Synthetic silica nanospheres of different diameters produced via the sol-gel method were used in order to enhance the barrier properties of the polypropylene-silica nanocomposites. Modification of the silica surface by reaction with organic chlorosilanes was performed in order to improve the particles interaction with the polypropylene matrix and its dispersion. Unmodified and modified silica nanoparticles were characterized using electronic microscopy (TEM), elemental analysis, thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Preliminary permeability tests of the polymer-silica nanocomposite films showed no significant change at low particles load (3 wt%) regardless its size or surface functionality, mainly because of the low aspect ratio of the silica nanospheres. However, it is expected that at a higher concentration of silica particles differences will be observed. (author)

  9. Functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles for oral delivery of budesonide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoncheva, K., E-mail: krassi.yoncheva@gmail.com [Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia, 2 Dunav Str., 1000 Sofia (Bulgaria); Popova, M. [Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia (Bulgaria); Szegedi, A.; Mihaly, J. [Institute of Nanochemistry and Catalysis, Chemical Research Center, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Pusztaszeri út. 59-67, 1025 Budapest (Hungary); Tzankov, B.; Lambov, N.; Konstantinov, S.; Tzankova, V. [Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia, 2 Dunav Str., 1000 Sofia (Bulgaria); Pessina, F.; Valoti, M. [Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Universita di Siena, via Aldo Moro 2, Siena (Italy)

    2014-03-15

    Non-functionalized and amino-functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticle were loaded with anti-inflammatory drug budesonide and additionally post-coated with bioadhesive polymer (carbopol). TEM images showed spherical shape of the nanoparticles and slightly higher polydispersity after coating with carbopol. Nitrogen physisorption and thermogravimetic analysis revealed that more efficient loading and incorporation into the pores of nanoparticles was achieved with the amino-functionalized silica carrier. Infrared spectra indicated that the post-coating of these nanoparticles with carbopol led to the formation of bond between amino groups of the functionalized carrier and carboxyl groups of carbopol. The combination of amino-functionalization of the carrier with the post-coating of the nanoparticles sustained budesonide release. Further, an in vitro model of inflammatory bowel disease showed that the cytoprotective effect of budesonide loaded in the post-coated silica nanoparticles on damaged HT-29 cells was more pronounced compared to the cytoprotection obtained with pure budesonide. -- Graphical abstract: Silica mesoporous MCM-41 particles were amino-functionalized, loaded with budesonide and post-coated with bioadhesive polymer (carbopol) in order to achieve prolonged residence of anti-inflammatory drug in GIT. Highlights: • Higher drug loading in amino-functionalized mesoporous silica. • Amino-functionalization and post-coating of the nanoparticles sustained drug release. • Achievement of higher cytoprotective effect with drug loaded into the nanoparticles.

  10. Grafting of [(64)Cu]-TPPF20 porphyrin complex on Functionalized nano-porous MCM-41 silica as a potential cancer imaging agent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fazaeli, Yousef; Feizi, Shahzad; Jalilian, Amir R; Hejrani, Ali

    2016-06-01

    Mesoporous silica, MCM-41, functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) was investigated as a potential drug delivery system, using [(64)Cu]-5, 10, 15, 20-tetrakis penta fluorophenyl porphyrin complex. [(64)Cu]-TPPF20 complex was grafted on functionalized MCM-41. The product was characterized by paper chromatography, FTIR spectroscopy, low angle X-ray diffraction, CHN and TGA/DTA analyses and atomic force microscopy. The biological evaluations of the grafted complex, [(64)Cu]-TPPF20@NH2-MCM-41, were done in Fibrosarcoma tumor-bearing Sprague-Dawley rats using scarification studies and Sopha DST-XL Dual-Head SPECT system. The actual loading amount of aminopropyl groups was found about 1.6mmol per gram of final silica. The specific activity of the final compound was found to be 3Ci/g. Amine functionalized MCM-41 was found to be a good platform for theranostic radiopharmaceuticals such as copper-64 complexes. Considering the accumulation of the tracer in tumor cells, fast wash-out from normal tissues, the short half-life copper-64 and less imposed radiation doses to patients, [(64)Cu]-TPPF20@NH2-MCM-41 can potentially be a suitable candidate for tumor imaging applications and future PET studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Controlled release of astaxanthin from nanoporous silicified-phospholipids assembled boron nitride complex for cosmetic applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hye Sun; Sung, Dae Kyung; Kim, Sung Hyun; Choi, Won Il; Hwang, Ee Tag; Choi, Doo Jin; Chang, Jeong Ho

    2017-12-01

    Nanoporous silicified-phospholipids assembled boron nitride (nSPLs@BN) powder was prepared and demonstrated for use in controlled release of anti-oxidant astaxanthin (AX) as a cosmetic application. The nanoporous silicified phospholipids (nSPLs) were obtained by the silicification with tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) of the hydrophilic region of phospholipid bilayers. This process involved the co-assembly of chemically active phospholipid bilayers within the porous silica matrix. In addition, nSPLs@BN was characterized using several analytical techniques and tested to assess their efficiency as drug delivery systems. We calculated the maximum release amounts as a function of time and various pH. The release rate of AX from the nSPLs@BN for the initial 24 h was 10.7 μmol/(h mg) at pH 7.4. Furthermore, we determined the antioxidant activity (KD) for the released AX with DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl) radical and the result was 34.6%.

  12. Highly active thermally stable nanoporous gold catalyst

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Biener, Juergen; Wittstock, Arne; Biener, Monika M.; Bagge-Hansen, Michael; Baeumer, Marcus; Wichmann, Andre; Neuman, Bjoern

    2016-12-20

    In one embodiment, a system includes a nanoporous gold structure and a plurality of oxide particles deposited on the nanoporous gold structure; the oxide particles are characterized by a crystalline phase. In another embodiment, a method includes depositing oxide nanoparticles on a nanoporous gold support to form an active structure and functionalizing the deposited oxide nanoparticles.

  13. Effect of occupational silica exposure on pulmonary function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hertzberg, Vicki Stover; Rosenman, Kenneth D; Reilly, Mary Jo; Rice, Carol H

    2002-08-01

    To assess the effect of occupational silica exposure on pulmonary function. Epidemiologic evaluation based on employee interview, plant walk-through, and information abstracted from company medical records, employment records, and industrial hygiene measurements. Drawn from 1,072 current and former hourly wage workers employed before January 1, 1986. Thirty-six individuals with radiographic evidence of parenchymal changes consistent with asbestosis or silicosis were excluded. In addition, eight individuals whose race was listed as other than white or black were excluded. Analysis of spirometry data (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC) only using the test results that met American Thoracic Society criteria for reproducibility and acceptability shows decreasing percent-predicted FVC and FEV1 and decreasing FEV1/FVC in relationship to increasing silica exposure among smokers. Logistic regression analyses of abnormal FVC and abnormal FEV1 values (where abnormal is defined as OSHA)-allowable level of 0.1 mg/m3. Longitudinal analyses of FVC and FEV1 measurements show a 1.6 mL/yr and 1.1 mL/yr, respectively, decline per milligram/cubic meter mean silica exposure (p = 0.011 and p = 0.001, respectively). All analyses were adjusted for weight, height, age, ethnicity, smoking status, and other silica exposures. Systematic problems leading to measurement error were possible, but would have been nondifferential in effect and not related to silica measurements. There is a consistent association between increased pulmonary function abnormalities and estimated measures of cumulative silica exposure within the current allowable OSHA regulatory level. Despite concerns about the quality control of the pulmonary function measurements use in these analyses, our results support the need to lower allowable air levels of silica and increase efforts to encourage cessation of cigarette smoking among silica-exposed workers.

  14. DNA Origami-Graphene Hybrid Nanopore for DNA Detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barati Farimani, Amir; Dibaeinia, Payam; Aluru, Narayana R

    2017-01-11

    DNA origami nanostructures can be used to functionalize solid-state nanopores for single molecule studies. In this study, we characterized a nanopore in a DNA origami-graphene heterostructure for DNA detection. The DNA origami nanopore is functionalized with a specific nucleotide type at the edge of the pore. Using extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we computed and analyzed the ionic conductivity of nanopores in heterostructures carpeted with one or two layers of DNA origami on graphene. We demonstrate that a nanopore in DNA origami-graphene gives rise to distinguishable dwell times for the four DNA base types, whereas for a nanopore in bare graphene, the dwell time is almost the same for all types of bases. The specific interactions (hydrogen bonds) between DNA origami and the translocating DNA strand yield different residence times and ionic currents. We also conclude that the speed of DNA translocation decreases due to the friction between the dangling bases at the pore mouth and the sequencing DNA strands.

  15. In vitro effects of cisplatin-functionalized silica nanoparticles on chondrocytes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bhowmick, Tridib Kumar; Yoon, Diana [University of Maryland, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (United States); Patel, Minal; Fisher, John [University of Maryland, Fischell Department of Bioengineering (United States); Ehrman, Sheryl, E-mail: sehrman@umd.ed [University of Maryland, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (United States)

    2010-10-15

    In this study, we evaluated the combined effect of a known toxic molecule, cisplatin, in combination with relatively nontoxic nanoparticles, amorphous fumed silica, on chondrocyte cells. Cisplatin was attached to silica nanoparticles using aminopropyltriethoxy silane as a linker molecule, and characterized in terms of size, shape, specific surface area, as well as the dissolution of cisplatin from the silica surface. The primary particle diameter of the as-received silica nanoparticles ranged from 7.1 to 61 nm, estimated from measurements of specific surface area, and the primary particles were aggregated. The effects of cisplatin-functionalized silica particles with different specific surface areas (41, 85, 202, 237, and 297 m{sup 2}/g) were compared in vitro on chondrocytes, the parenchymal cell of hyaline cartilage. The results show that adverse effects on cell function, as evidenced by reduced metabolic activity measured by the MTT assay and increased membrane permeability observed using the Live/Dead stain, can be correlated with specific surface area of the silica. Cisplatin-functionalized silica nanoparticles with the highest specific surface area incited the greatest response, which was almost equivalent to that induced by free cisplatin. This result suggests the importance of particle specific surface area in interactions between cells and surface-functionalized nanomaterials.

  16. In vitro effects of cisplatin-functionalized silica nanoparticles on chondrocytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhowmick, Tridib Kumar; Yoon, Diana; Patel, Minal; Fisher, John; Ehrman, Sheryl

    2010-10-01

    In this study, we evaluated the combined effect of a known toxic molecule, cisplatin, in combination with relatively nontoxic nanoparticles, amorphous fumed silica, on chondrocyte cells. Cisplatin was attached to silica nanoparticles using aminopropyltriethoxy silane as a linker molecule, and characterized in terms of size, shape, specific surface area, as well as the dissolution of cisplatin from the silica surface. The primary particle diameter of the as-received silica nanoparticles ranged from 7.1 to 61 nm, estimated from measurements of specific surface area, and the primary particles were aggregated. The effects of cisplatin-functionalized silica particles with different specific surface areas (41, 85, 202, 237, and 297 m2/g) were compared in vitro on chondrocytes, the parenchymal cell of hyaline cartilage. The results show that adverse effects on cell function, as evidenced by reduced metabolic activity measured by the MTT assay and increased membrane permeability observed using the Live/Dead stain, can be correlated with specific surface area of the silica. Cisplatin-functionalized silica nanoparticles with the highest specific surface area incited the greatest response, which was almost equivalent to that induced by free cisplatin. This result suggests the importance of particle specific surface area in interactions between cells and surface-functionalized nanomaterials.

  17. Functionalized mesoporous silica materials for molsidomine adsorption: Thermodynamic study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alyoshina, Nonna A.; Parfenyuk, Elena V.

    2013-01-01

    A series of unmodified and organically modified mesoporous silica materials was prepared. The unmodified mesoporous silica was synthesized via sol–gel synthesis in the presence of D-glucose as pore-forming agent. The functionalized by phenyl, aminopropyl and mercaptopropyl groups silica materials were prepared via grafting. The fabricated adsorbent materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, N 2 adsorption/desorption and elemental analysis methods. Then their adsorption properties for mesoionic dug molsidomine were investigated at 290–313 K and physiological pH value. Thermodynamic parameters of molsidomine adsorption on the synthesized materials have been calculated. The obtained results showed that the adsorption process of molsidomine on the phenyl modified silica is the most quantitatively and energetically favorable. The unmodified and mercaptopropyl modified silica materials exhibit significantly higher adsorption capacities and energies for molsidomine than the aminopropyl modified sample. The effects are discussed from the viewpoint of nature of specific interactions responsible for the adsorption. - Graphical abstract: Comparative analysis of the thermodynamic characteristics of molsidomine adsorption showed that the adsorption process on mesoporous silica materials is controlled by chemical nature of surface functional groups. Molsidomine adsorption on the phenyl modified silica is the most quantitatively and energetically favorable. Taking into account ambiguous nature of mesoionic compounds, it was found that molsidomine is rather aromatic than dipolar. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Unmodified and organically modified mesoporous silica materials were prepared. • Molsidomine adsorption on the silica materials was studied. • Phenyl modified silica shows the highest adsorption capacity and favorable energy. • Molsidomine exhibits the lowest affinity to aminopropyl modified silica

  18. Silver nanoprisms self-assembly on differently functionalized silica surface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pilipavicius, J; Chodosovskaja, A; Beganskiene, A; Kareiva, A

    2015-01-01

    In this work colloidal silica/silver nanoprisms (NPRs) composite coatings were made. Firstly colloidal silica sols were synthesized by sol-gel method and produced coatings on glass by dip-coating technique. Next coatings were silanized by (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES), N-[3-(Trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine (AEAPTMS), (3- Mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPTMS). Silver NPRs where synthesized via seed-mediated method and high yield of 94±15 nm average edge length silver NPRs were obtained with surface plasmon resonance peak at 921 nm. Silica-Silver NPRs composite coatings obtained by selfassembly on silica coated-functionalized surface. In order to find the most appropriate silanization way for Silver NPRs self-assembly, the composite coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), water contact angle (CA) and surface free energy (SFE) methods. Results have showed that surface functionalization is necessary to achieve self-assembled Ag NPRs layer. MPTMS silanized coatings resulted sparse distribution of Ag NPRs. Most homogeneous, even distribution composite coatings obtained on APTES functionalized silica coatings, while AEAPTMS induced strong aggregation of Silver NPRs

  19. Chitosan-silica complex membranes from sulfonic acid functionalized silica nanoparticles for pervaporation dehydration of ethanol-water solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ying-Ling; Hsu, Chih-Yuan; Su, Yu-Huei; Lai, Juin-Yih

    2005-01-01

    Nanosized silica particles with sulfonic acid groups (ST-GPE-S) were utilized as a cross-linker for chitosan to form a chitosan-silica complex membranes, which were applied to pervaporation dehydration of ethanol-water solutions. ST-GPE-S was obtained from reacting nanoscale silica particles with glycidyl phenyl ether, and subsequent sulfonation onto the attached phenyl groups. The chemical structure of the functionalized silica was characterized with FTIR, (1)H NMR, and energy-dispersive X-ray. Homogeneous dispersion of the silica particles in chitosan was observed with electronic microscopies, and the membranes obtained were considered as nanocomposites. The silica nanoparticles in the membranes served as spacers for polymer chains to provide extra space for water permeation, so as to bring high permeation rates to the complex membranes. With addition of 5 parts per hundred of functionalized silica into chitosan, the resulting membrane exhibited a separation factor of 919 and permeation flux of 410 g/(m(2) h) in pervaporation dehydration of 90 wt % ethanol aqueous solution at 70 degrees C.

  20. Fabrication of beta-PVDF membranes by track etching and specific functionalization of nano-pores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cuscito, O.

    2008-01-01

    Poly(vinylidene fluoride)(β-PVDF) nano-porous membranes were made by chemical revealing of tracks induced from swift heavy ions irradiation. Pore opening and radii can be varied in a controllable manner with the etching time. nano-pores size in nano-meter scale (from 12 nm to 50 nm) appears to be linearly dependent to the etching time. It was then necessary to adapt the characterization tools to these membranes. Consequently, we resorted to the use of structural analysis methods (Scanning Electron Microscopy, Small Angle Neutron Scattering) and developed evaluation methods of the membranes transport properties like gas permeation and ionic diffusion. Results obtained confirm the pores opening (break through) and the hydrophobicity of material, which we have modified with hydrophilic molecules. In this precise case, the grafting of acrylic acid was initiated by the radicals still remains after track-etching (called radio-grafting). This key result was obtained by a study of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance. The labelling of introduced chemical functionalities with fluorescent probes was a very effective mean to visualize very few amounts of molecules by confocal microscopy. The radio-grafting was found specifically localized inside etched tracks. The protocol offers the possibility to create a double functionality, the one localized inside the nano-pores and the other on the surface of membranes. The modification of radio-grafting parameters (the acrylic acid concentration, solvent nature, use of transfer agent) and the chemical properties of the nano-pore walls have a direct incidence on the transport properties. (author) [fr

  1. Fabrication and electrocatalytic application of functionalized nanoporous carbon material with different transition metal oxides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samiee, L.; Shoghi, F.; Vinu, A.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Fabrication of highly ordered functionalized nanoporous carbon material with different types of transition metal oxides. ► Novel electrocatalytic activity of functionalized nanoporous carbon material. ► Simultaneous effect of surface area and surface reactivity parameters on electrocatalytic activity. - Abstract: In the work presented here, an attempt is made to study the effect of functionalization with different transition metal oxides on the mesostructural properties as well as electrochemical behavior of Pt/nanoporous carbon supports. In this respect, the functionalized samples have been synthesized by using CMK-3 and metallocene as transition metal sources. The platinum catalysts (5 wt% Pt) obtained through a conventional wet impregnation method. All the materials have been characterized by XRD (low and high), N 2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution field emission scanning electron, EDX mapping images and cyclic voltammetry (CV) and rotating disk electrode (RDE) techniques. The results showed that the mesostructural order has been destroyed by functionalization of CMK-3 with CoO, whereas it is not that much affected in NiO and CuO functionalized samples. EDX image mapping exhibited the good and uniform dispersion of functionalizing elements (Ni, Cu, Fe and Co), Pt in the carbon supports. Moreover, XRD studies revealed the formation of smaller platinum crystallite sizes in NiO and CuO functionalized samples in relative to other functionalized supports. Electrochemical measurements were performed using CV and RDE method. Kinetic analysis revealed an activity increases in the following order: CMK-3-NiO-Pt > CMK-3-CuO-Pt > CMK-3-CoO-Pt > CMK-3-Fe 2 O 3 -Pt which is showing of simultaneous effect of surface area and surface reactivity parameters.

  2. Fabrication and electrocatalytic application of functionalized nanoporous carbon material with different transition metal oxides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Samiee, L., E-mail: Leila.Samiee83@gmail.com [Development and Optimization of Energy Technologies Research Division, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), West Boulevard, Near Azadi Sports Complex, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shoghi, F. [Development and Optimization of Energy Technologies Research Division, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), West Boulevard, Near Azadi Sports Complex, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Vinu, A., E-mail: a.vinu@uq.edu.au [Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology(AIBN), University of Queensland, Corner College and Cooper Roads (Bld75), Brisbane, Qld 4072 (Australia)

    2013-01-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Fabrication of highly ordered functionalized nanoporous carbon material with different types of transition metal oxides. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Novel electrocatalytic activity of functionalized nanoporous carbon material. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Simultaneous effect of surface area and surface reactivity parameters on electrocatalytic activity. - Abstract: In the work presented here, an attempt is made to study the effect of functionalization with different transition metal oxides on the mesostructural properties as well as electrochemical behavior of Pt/nanoporous carbon supports. In this respect, the functionalized samples have been synthesized by using CMK-3 and metallocene as transition metal sources. The platinum catalysts (5 wt% Pt) obtained through a conventional wet impregnation method. All the materials have been characterized by XRD (low and high), N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption isotherms, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution field emission scanning electron, EDX mapping images and cyclic voltammetry (CV) and rotating disk electrode (RDE) techniques. The results showed that the mesostructural order has been destroyed by functionalization of CMK-3 with CoO, whereas it is not that much affected in NiO and CuO functionalized samples. EDX image mapping exhibited the good and uniform dispersion of functionalizing elements (Ni, Cu, Fe and Co), Pt in the carbon supports. Moreover, XRD studies revealed the formation of smaller platinum crystallite sizes in NiO and CuO functionalized samples in relative to other functionalized supports. Electrochemical measurements were performed using CV and RDE method. Kinetic analysis revealed an activity increases in the following order: CMK-3-NiO-Pt > CMK-3-CuO-Pt > CMK-3-CoO-Pt > CMK-3-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Pt which is showing of simultaneous effect of surface area and surface reactivity parameters.

  3. Polymer-Silica Nanocomposites: A Versatile Platform for Multifunctional Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiu, Chi-Kai

    was ground into two different sizes of powder followed by powder pressing, heat-treating and etching. A new robust porous silver foam was then successfully made. By combining the results from room temperature and high temperature processes, we further study the patterned silver nanoparticles arrays in order to examine how mobility of silver can be controlled on a quantifiable scale. Furthermore, we have identified a thiolcontaining sol-gel precursor to control the affinity between silver and silica matrix. Lastly, the effects of interfacial interactions between sol-gel silica and other nanocomposite components and the effect of thickness of the sol-gel layer on mechanical properties were investigated. These studies were applied to the biomimetic hydroxyapatite-gelatin system. We have found that by limiting the thickness while maintaining interfacial interactions of the sol-gel layer, a unique moldable property and short hardening time from these nanocomposites can be achieved without compromising its biocompatibility. Their biocompatibility has been proven based on the in vitro and in vivo testing of these materials. In conclusion, the present study has demonstrated that polymer-silica nanocomposite is a versatile platform to carry out applications in nanocrystal growth, nanoporous metals, metal-ceramic composites, nano-imprint thin film, and bone grafts. These important findings not only provide new insights into nanocomposites but also give new meanings to the previously functional-limited sol-gel materials.

  4. Functionalized mesoporous silica materials for molsidomine adsorption: Thermodynamic study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alyoshina, Nonna A.; Parfenyuk, Elena V., E-mail: evp@iscras.ru

    2013-09-15

    A series of unmodified and organically modified mesoporous silica materials was prepared. The unmodified mesoporous silica was synthesized via sol–gel synthesis in the presence of D-glucose as pore-forming agent. The functionalized by phenyl, aminopropyl and mercaptopropyl groups silica materials were prepared via grafting. The fabricated adsorbent materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, N{sub 2} adsorption/desorption and elemental analysis methods. Then their adsorption properties for mesoionic dug molsidomine were investigated at 290–313 K and physiological pH value. Thermodynamic parameters of molsidomine adsorption on the synthesized materials have been calculated. The obtained results showed that the adsorption process of molsidomine on the phenyl modified silica is the most quantitatively and energetically favorable. The unmodified and mercaptopropyl modified silica materials exhibit significantly higher adsorption capacities and energies for molsidomine than the aminopropyl modified sample. The effects are discussed from the viewpoint of nature of specific interactions responsible for the adsorption. - Graphical abstract: Comparative analysis of the thermodynamic characteristics of molsidomine adsorption showed that the adsorption process on mesoporous silica materials is controlled by chemical nature of surface functional groups. Molsidomine adsorption on the phenyl modified silica is the most quantitatively and energetically favorable. Taking into account ambiguous nature of mesoionic compounds, it was found that molsidomine is rather aromatic than dipolar. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Unmodified and organically modified mesoporous silica materials were prepared. • Molsidomine adsorption on the silica materials was studied. • Phenyl modified silica shows the highest adsorption capacity and favorable energy. • Molsidomine exhibits the lowest affinity to aminopropyl modified silica.

  5. Nanopores formed by DNA origami: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Nicholas A W; Keyser, Ulrich F

    2014-10-01

    Nanopores have emerged over the past two decades to become an important technique in single molecule experimental physics and biomolecule sensing. Recently DNA nanotechnology, in particular DNA origami, has been used for the formation of nanopores in insulating materials. DNA origami is a very attractive technique for the formation of nanopores since it enables the construction of 3D shapes with precise control over geometry and surface functionality. DNA origami has been applied to nanopore research by forming hybrid architectures with solid state nanopores and by direct insertion into lipid bilayers. This review discusses recent experimental work in this area and provides an outlook for future avenues and challenges. Copyright © 2014 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Transparent Nanoporous Glass-Polymer Composite for U.S. Army Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-10-01

    material is created by infiltrating nanoporous glass (Vycor, Corning Inc.) with different polymers. The Vycor pores (4–6 nm) are much smaller than the...glass-polymer composite to a carbon-silica composite through pyrolysis . Sotomayor et al. (12) used polyanaline-infused Vycor to produce a pH sensor...Vycor is a registered trademark of Corning , Inc., Corning , NY. 3 In this report, we will explore the processing and mechanical behavior of

  7. A nanoporous alumina microelectrode array for functional cell–chip coupling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wesche, Manuel; Hüske, Martin; Yakushenko, Alexey; Brüggemann, Dorothea; Mayer, Dirk; Offenhäusser, Andreas; Wolfrum, Bernhard

    2012-01-01

    The design of electrode interfaces has a strong impact on cell-based bioelectronic applications. We present a new type of microelectrode array chip featuring a nanoporous alumina interface. The chip is fabricated in a combination of top-down and bottom-up processes using state-of-the-art clean room technology and self-assembled generation of nanopores by aluminum anodization. The electrode characteristics are investigated in phosphate buffered saline as well as under cell culture conditions. We show that the modified microelectrodes exhibit decreased impedance compared to planar microelectrodes, which is caused by a nanostructuring effect of the underlying gold during anodization. The stability and biocompatibility of the device are demonstrated by measuring action potentials from cardiomyocyte-like cells growing on top of the chip. Cross sections of the cell–surface interface reveal that the cell membrane seals the nanoporous alumina layer without bending into the sub-50 nm apertures. The nanoporous microelectrode array device may be used as a platform for combining extracellular recording of cell activity with stimulating topographical cues. (paper)

  8. Grafting of a novel gold(III) complex on nanoporous MCM-41 and evaluation of its toxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fazaeli, Yousef; Amini, Mostafa M; Ashourion, Hamed; Heydari, Homayoun; Majdabadi, Abbas; Jalilian, Amir Reza; Abolmaali, Shamsozoha

    2011-01-01

    The goal of this research was to investigate the potential of newly synthesized gold complex trichloro(2,4,6-trimethylpyridine)Au(III) as an anticancer agent. The gold(III) complex was synthesized and grafted on nanoporous silica, MCM-41, to produce AuCl(3)@PF-MCM- 41 (AuCl(3) grafted on pyridine-functionalized MCM-41). The toxicity of trichloro(2,4,6- trimethylpyridine)Au(III) and AuCl(3)@PF-MCM-41 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (as a model system) was studied. The gold(III) complex showed a mid cytotoxic effect on yeast viability. Using the drug delivery system, nanoporous MCM-41, the gold(III) complex became a strong inhibitor for growth of yeast cells at a very low concentration. Furthermore, the animal tests revealed a high uptake of AuCl(3)@PF-MCM-41 in tumor cells. The stability of the compound was confirmed in human serum.

  9. Thiol-functionalized silica colloids, grains, and membranes for irreversible adsorption of metal(oxide) nanoparticles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Claesson, E.M.; Philipse, A.P.

    2007-01-01

    Thiol-functionalization is described for silica surfaces from diverging origin, including commercial silica nanoparticles and St¨ober silica as well as silica structures provided by porous glasses and novel polymer-templated silica membranes. The functionalization allows in all cases for the

  10. Preparation and spectroscopic properties of Yb-doped and Yb-Al-codoped high silica glasses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qiao Yanbo; Wen Lei; Wu Botao; Ren Jinjun; Chen Danping; Qiu Jianrong

    2008-01-01

    Yb-doped and Yb-Al-codoped high silica glasses have been prepared by sintering nanoporous glasses. The absorption, fluorescent spectra and fluorescent lifetimes have been measured and the emission cross-section and minimum pump intensities were calculated. Codoping aluminum ions enhanced the fluorescence intensity of Yb-doped high silica glass obviously. The emission cross-sections of Yb-doped and Yb-Al-codoped high silica glasses were 0.65 and 0.82 pm 2 , respectively. The results show that Yb-Al-codoped high silica glass has better spectroscopic properties for a laser material. The study of high silica glass doped with ytterbium is helpful for its application in Yb laser systems, especially for high-power and high-repetition lasers

  11. Nanoporous Mo2C functionalized 3D carbon architecture anode for boosting flavins mediated interfacial bioelectrocatalysis in microbial fuel cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Long; Lu, Zhisong; Huang, Yunhong; Long, Zhong-er; Qiao, Yan

    2017-08-01

    An efficient microbial electrocatalysis in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) needs both high loading of microbes (biocatalysts) and robust interfacial electron transfer from microbes to electrode. Herein a nanoporous molybdenum carbide (Mo2C) functionalized carbon felt electrode with rich 3D hierarchical porous architecture is applied as MFC anode to achieve superior electrocatalytic performance. The nanoporous Mo2C functionalized anode exhibits strikingly improved microbial electrocatalysis in MFCs with 5-fold higher power density and long-term stability of electricity production. The great enhancement is attributed to the introduction of rough Mo2C nanostructural interface into macroporous carbon architecture for promoting microbial growth with great excretion of endogenous electron shuttles (flavins) and rich available nanopores for enlarging electrochemically active surface area. Importantly, the nanoporous Mo2C functionalized anode is revealed for the first time to have unique electrocatalytic activity towards redox reaction of flavins with more negative redox potential, indicating a more favourable thermodynamic driving force for anodic electron transfer. This work not only provides a promising electrode for high performance MFCs but also brings up a new insight into the effect of nanostructured materials on interfacial bioelectrocatalysis.

  12. Assessment of Methods to Consolidate Iodine-Loaded Silver-Functionalized Silica Aerogel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matyas, Josef; Engler, Robert K.

    2013-09-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy is currently investigating alternative sorbents for the removal and immobilization of radioiodine from the gas streams in a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant. One of these new sorbents, Ag0-functionalized silica aerogels, shows great promise as a potential replacement for Ag-bearing mordenites because of its high selectivity and sorption capacity for iodine. Moreover, a feasible consolidation of iodine-loaded Ag0-functionalized silica aerogels to a durable SiO2-based waste form makes this aerogel an attractive choice for sequestering radioiodine. This report provides a preliminary assessment of the methods that can be used to consolidate iodine-loaded Ag0-functionalized silica aerogels into a final waste form. In particular, it focuses on experimental investigation of densification of as prepared Ag0-functionalized silica aerogels powders, with or without organic moiety and with or without sintering additive (colloidal silica), with three commercially available techniques: 1) hot uniaxial pressing (HUP), 2) hot isostatic pressing (HIP), and 3) spark plasma sintering (SPS). The densified products were evaluated with helium gas pycnometer for apparent density, with the Archimedes method for apparent density and open porosity, and with high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) for the extent of densification and distribution of individual elements. The preliminary investigation of HUP, HIP, and SPS showed that these sintering methods can effectively consolidate powders of Ag0-functionalized silica aerogel into products of near-theoretical density. Also, removal of organic moiety and adding 5.6 mass% of colloidal silica to Ag0-functionalized silica aerogel powders before processing provided denser products. Furthermore, the ram travel data for SPS indicated that rapid consolidation of powders can be performed at temperatures below 950°C.

  13. Controlled growth of silica-titania hybrid functional nanoparticles through a multistep microfluidic approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiba, K; Sugiyama, T; Takei, T; Yoshikawa, G

    2015-11-11

    Silica/titania-based functional nanoparticles were prepared through controlled nucleation of titania and subsequent encapsulation by silica through a multistep microfluidic approach, which was successfully applied to obtaining aminopropyl-functionalized silica/titania nanoparticles for a highly sensitive humidity sensor.

  14. Synthesis and nonlinear optical properties of zirconia-protected gold nanoparticles embedded in sol-gel derived silica glass

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Rouge, A.; El Hamzaoui, H.; Capoen, B.; Bernard, R.; Cristini-Robbe, O.; Martinelli, G.; Cassagne, C.; Boudebs, G.; Bouazaoui, M.; Bigot, L.

    2015-05-01

    A new approach to dope a silica glass with gold nanoparticles (GNPs) is presented. It consisted in embedding zirconia-coated GNPs in a silica sol to form a doped silica gel. Then, the sol-doped nanoporous silica xerogel is densified leading to the formation of a glass monolith. The spectral position and shape of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) reported around 520 nm remain compatible with small spherical GNPs in a silica matrix. The saturable absorption behavior of this gold/zirconia-doped silica glass has been evidenced by Z-scan technique. A second-order nonlinear absorption coefficient β of about -13.7 cm GW-1 has been obtained at a wavelength near the SPR of the GNPs.

  15. Influence of Nanopore Shapes on Thermal Conductivity of Two-Dimensional Nanoporous Material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Cong-Liang; Huang, Zun; Lin, Zi-Zhen; Feng, Yan-Hui; Zhang, Xin-Xin; Wang, Ge

    2016-12-01

    The influence of nanopore shapes on the electronic thermal conductivity (ETC) was studied in this paper. It turns out that with same porosity, the ETC will be quite different for different nanopore shapes, caused by the different channel width for different nanopore shapes. With same channel width, the influence of different nanopore shapes can be approximately omitted if the nanopore is small enough (smaller than 0.5 times EMFP in this paper). The ETC anisotropy was discovered for triangle nanopores at a large porosity with a large nanopore size, while there is a similar ETC for small pore size. It confirmed that the structure difference for small pore size may not be seen by electrons in their moving.

  16. Quantitative analysis of silica aerogel-based thermal insulation coatings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kiil, Søren

    2015-01-01

    containing intact hollow glass or polymer spheres showed that silica aerogel particles are more efficient in an insulation coating than hollow spheres. In a practical (non-ideal) comparison, the ranking most likely cannot be generalized. A parameter study demonstrates how the model can be used, qualitatively......A mathematical heat transfer model for a silica aerogel-based thermal insulation coating was developed. The model can estimate the thermal conductivity of a two-component (binder-aerogel) coating with potential binder intrusion into the nano-porous aerogel structure. The latter is modelled using...... a so-called core–shell structure representation. Data from several previous experimental investigations with silica aerogels in various binder matrices were used for model validation. For some relevant cases with binder intrusion, it was possible to obtain a very good agreement between simulations...

  17. Molecular sieving through a graphene nanopore: non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Chengzhen Sun; Bofeng Bai

    2017-01-01

    Two-dimensional graphene nanopores have shown great promise as ultra-permeable molecular sieves based on their size-sieving effects.We design a nitrogen/hydrogen modified graphene nanopore and conduct a transient non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation on its molecular sieving effects.The distinct time-varying molecular crossing numbers show that this special nanopore can efficiently sieve CO2 and H2S molecules from CH4 molecules with high selectivity.By analyzing the molecular structure and pore functionalization-related molecular orientation and permeable zone in the nanopore,density distribution in the molecular adsorption layer on the graphene surface,as well as other features,the molecular sieving mechanisms of graphene nanopores are revealed.Finally,several implications on the design of highly-efficient graphene nanopores,especially for determining the porosity and chemical functionalization,as gas separation membranes are summarized based on the identified phenomena and mechanisms.

  18. Soft matter in hard confinement: phase transition thermodynamics, structure, texture, diffusion and flow in nanoporous media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huber, Patrick

    2015-03-01

    Spatial confinement in nanoporous media affects the structure, thermodynamics and mobility of molecular soft matter often markedly. This article reviews thermodynamic equilibrium phenomena, such as physisorption, capillary condensation, crystallisation, self-diffusion, and structural phase transitions as well as selected aspects of the emerging field of spatially confined, non-equilibrium physics, i.e. the rheology of liquids, capillarity-driven flow phenomena, and imbibition front broadening in nanoporous materials. The observations in the nanoscale systems are related to the corresponding bulk phenomenologies. The complexity of the confined molecular species is varied from simple building blocks, like noble gas atoms, normal alkanes and alcohols to liquid crystals, polymers, ionic liquids, proteins and water. Mostly, experiments with mesoporous solids of alumina, gold, carbon, silica, and silicon with pore diameters ranging from a few up to 50 nm are presented. The observed peculiarities of nanopore-confined condensed matter are also discussed with regard to applications. A particular emphasis is put on texture formation upon crystallisation in nanoporous media, a topic both of high fundamental interest and of increasing nanotechnological importance, e.g. for the synthesis of organic/inorganic hybrid materials by melt infiltration, the usage of nanoporous solids in crystal nucleation or in template-assisted electrochemical deposition of nano structures.

  19. Nanopore wall-liquid interaction under scope of molecular dynamics study: Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsukanov, A. A.; Psakhie, S. G.

    2017-12-01

    The present review is devoted to the analysis of recent molecular dynamics based on the numerical studies of molecular aspects of solid-fluid interaction in nanoscale channels. Nanopore wall-liquid interaction plays the crucial role in such processes as gas separation, water desalination, liquids decontamination, hydrocarbons and water transport in nano-fractured geological formations. Molecular dynamics simulation is one of the most suitable tools to study molecular level effects occurred in such multicomponent systems. The nanopores are classified by their geometry to four groups: nanopore in nanosheet, nanotube-like pore, slit-shaped nanopore and soft-matter nanopore. The review is focused on the functionalized nanopores in boron nitride nanosheets as novel selective membranes and on the slit-shaped nanopores formed by minerals.

  20. Radiation hardening in sol-gel derived Er3+-doped silica glasses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hari Babu, B.; León Pichel, Mónica; Ollier, Nadège; El Hamzaoui, Hicham; Bigot, Laurent; Savelii, Inna; Bouazaoui, Mohamed; Poumellec, Bertrand; Lancry, Matthieu; Ibarra, Angel

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the present paper is to report the effect of radiation on the Er 3+ -doped sol-gel silica glasses. A possible application of these sol-gel glasses could be their use in harsh radiation environments. The sol-gel glasses are fabricated by densification of erbium salt-soaked nanoporous silica xerogels through polymeric sol-gel technique. The radiation-induced attenuation of Er 3+ -doped sol-gel silica is found to increase with erbium content. Electron paramagnetic resonance studies reveal the presence of E′ δ point defects. This happens in the sol-gel aluminum-silica glass after an exposure to γ-rays (kGy) and in sol-gel silica glass after an exposure to electrons (MGy). The concentration levels of these point defects are much lower in γ-ray irradiated sol-gel silica glasses. When the samples are co-doped with Al, the exposure to γ-ray radiation causes a possible reduction of the erbium valence from Er 3+ to Er 2+ ions. This process occurs in association with the formation of aluminum oxygen hole centers and different intrinsic point defects

  1. Adiabatic burst evaporation from bicontinuous nanoporous membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ichilmann, Sachar; Rücker, Kerstin; Haase, Markus; Enke, Dirk

    2015-01-01

    Evaporation of volatile liquids from nanoporous media with bicontinuous morphology and pore diameters of a few 10 nm is an ubiquitous process. For example, such drying processes occur during syntheses of nanoporous materials by sol–gel chemistry or by spinodal decomposition in the presence of solvents as well as during solution impregnation of nanoporous hosts with functional guests. It is commonly assumed that drying is endothermic and driven by non-equilibrium partial pressures of the evaporating species in the gas phase. We show that nearly half of the liquid evaporates in an adiabatic mode involving burst-like liquid-to-gas conversions. During single adiabatic burst evaporation events liquid volumes of up to 107 μm3 are converted to gas. The adiabatic liquid-to-gas conversions occur if air invasion fronts get unstable because of the built-up of high capillary pressures. Adiabatic evaporation bursts propagate avalanche-like through the nanopore systems until the air invasion fronts have reached new stable configurations. Adiabatic cavitation bursts thus compete with Haines jumps involving air invasion front relaxation by local liquid flow without enhanced mass transport out of the nanoporous medium and prevail if the mean pore diameter is in the range of a few 10 nm. The results reported here may help optimize membrane preparation via solvent-based approaches, solution-loading of nanopore systems with guest materials as well as routine use of nanoporous membranes with bicontinuous morphology and may contribute to better understanding of adsorption/desorption processes in nanoporous media. PMID:25926406

  2. Optical and morphological properties of infrared emitting functionalized silica nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iovino, G. [Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università di Palermo, Via Archirafi 36, I-90123 Palermo (Italy); Malvindi, M.A. [Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Bio-Molecular Nanotechnologies@Unile, Via Barsanti, Arnesano, I-73010 Lecce (Italy); Agnello, S., E-mail: simonpietro.agnello@unipa.it [Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università di Palermo, Via Archirafi 36, I-90123 Palermo (Italy); Buscarino, G.; Alessi, A. [Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università di Palermo, Via Archirafi 36, I-90123 Palermo (Italy); Pompa, P.P. [Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Bio-Molecular Nanotechnologies@Unile, Via Barsanti, Arnesano, I-73010 Lecce (Italy); Gelardi, F.M. [Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Università di Palermo, Via Archirafi 36, I-90123 Palermo (Italy)

    2013-11-01

    The loading process of functionalized silica nanoparticles was investigated in order to obtain nanoparticles having functional groups on their surface and Near-Infrared (NIR) emission properties. The NIR emission induced by O{sub 2} loading was studied in silica nanoparticles, produced by pyrogenic and microemulsion methods, with size ranging from 20 to 120 nm. Loading was carried out by thermal treatments in O{sub 2} atmosphere up to 400 °C and 90 bar. The effects of the thermal treatments on the NIR emission and on the structural properties were studied by luminescence and Raman techniques, whereas the morphological features were investigated by Transmission Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy. Our data show that silica nanoparticles produced by pyrogenic technique can be loaded with O{sub 2} at lower temperature than the ones obtained by microemulsion and have a higher luminescence intensity due to the internal porosity of the latter. The treatments do not affect the nanosize of the microemulsion particles and provide NIR emitting probes of selected size. Post-processing surface functionalization of the pyrogenic nanoparticles does not affect their emission properties and provides high efficiency NIR emitters with functionalized surface. - Highlights: • Pyrogenic and microemulsion silica nanoparticles with near infrared emission. • Functionalization of nanoparticles does not change the NIR emission. • Porosity limits the emission properties of nanoparticles.

  3. Porous silica nanoparticles as carrier for curcumin delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartono, Sandy Budi; Hadisoewignyo, Lannie; Irawaty, Wenny; Trisna, Luciana; Wijaya, Robby

    2018-04-01

    Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) with large surface areas and pore volumes show great potential as drug and gene carriers. However, there are still some challenging issues hinders their clinical application. Many types of research in the use of mesoporous silica material for drug and gene delivery involving complex and rigorous procedures. A facile and reproducible procedure to prepare combined drug carrier is required. We investigated the effect of physiochemical parameters of mesoporous silica, including structural symmetry (cubic and hexagonal), particles size (micro size: 1-2 µm and nano size: 100 -300 nm), on the solubility and release profile of curcumin. Transmission Electron Microscopy, X-Ray Powder Diffraction, and Nitrogen sorption were used to confirm the synthesis of the mesoporous silica materials. Mesoporous silica materials with different mesostructures and size have been synthesized successfully. Curcumin has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammation and anti-virus properties which are beneficial to fight various diseases such as diabetic, cancer, allergic, arthritis and Alzheimer. Curcumin has low solubility which minimizes its therapeutic effect. The use of nanoporous material to carry and release the loaded molecules is expected to enhance curcumin solubility. Mesoporous silica materials with a cubic mesostructure had a higher release profile and curcumin solubility, while mesoporous silica materials with a particle size in the range of nano meter (100-300) nm also show better release profile and solubility.

  4. Electrodeposition of zinc–silica composite coatings: challenges in incorporating functionalized silica particles into a zinc matrix

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tabrisur Rahman Khan, Andreas Erbe, Michael Auinger, Frank Marlow and Michael Rohwerder

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Zinc is a well-known sacrificial coating material for iron and co-deposition of suitable particles is of interest for further improving its corrosion protection performance. However, incorporation of particles that are well dispersible in aqueous electrolytes, such as silica particles, is extremely difficult. Here, we report a detailed study of Zn–SiO2 nanocomposite coatings deposited from a zinc sulfate solution at pH 3. The effect of functionalization of the silica particles on the electro-codeposition was investigated. The best incorporation was achieved for particles modified with SiO2–SH, dithiooxamide or cysteamine; these particles have functional groups that can strongly interact with zinc and therefore incorporate well into the metal matrix. Other modifications (SiO2–NH3+, SiO2–Cl and N,N-dimethyldodecylamine of the silica particles lead to adsorption and entrapment only.

  5. Morphology conserving aminopropyl functionalization of hollow silica nanospheres in toluene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobó, Dorina G.; Berkesi, Dániel; Kukovecz, Ákos

    2017-07-01

    Inorganic nanostructures containing cavities of monodisperse diameter distribution find applications in e.g. catalysis, adsorption and drug delivery. One of their possible synthesis routes is the template assisted core-shell synthesis. We synthesized hollow silica spheres around polystyrene cores by the sol-gel method. The polystyrene template was removed by heat treatment leaving behind a hollow spherical shell structure. The surface of the spheres was then modified by adding aminopropyl groups. Here we present the first experimental evidence that toluene is a suitable alternative functionalization medium for the resulting thin shells, and report the comprehensive characterization of the amino-functionalized hollow silica spheres based on scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, N2 adsorption, FT-IR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and electrokinetic potential measurement. Both the presence of the amino groups and the preservation of the hollow spherical morphology were unambiguously proven. The introduction of the amine functionality adds amphoteric character to the shell as shown by the zeta potential vs. pH function. Unlike pristine silica particles, amino-functionalized nanosphere aqueous sols can be stable at both acidic and basic conditions.

  6. Orthogonal functionalization of nanoporous substrates: control of 3D surface functionality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lazzara, Thomas D; Kliesch, Torben-Tobias; Janshoff, Andreas; Steinem, Claudia

    2011-04-01

    Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with aligned, cylindrical, nonintersecting pores were selectively functionalized in order to create dual-functionality substrates with different pore-rim and pore-interior surface functionalities, using silane chemistry. We used a two-step process involving an evaporated thin gold film to protect the underlying surface functionality of the pore rims. Subsequent treatment with oxygen plasma of the modified AAO membrane removed the unprotected organic functional groups, i.e., the pore-interior surface. After gold removal, the substrate became optically transparent, and displayed two distinct surface functionalities, one at the pore-rim surface and another at the pore-interior surface. We achieved a selective hydrophobic functionalization with dodecyl-trichlorosilane of either the pore rims or the pore interiors. The deposition of planar lipid membranes on the functionalized areas by addition of small unilamellar vesicles occurred in a predetermined fashion. Small unilamellar vesicles only ruptured upon contact with the hydrophobic substrate regions forming solid supported hybrid bilayers. In addition, pore-rim functionalization with dodecyl-trichlorosilane allowed the formation of pore-spanning hybrid lipid membranes as a result of giant unilamellar vesicle rupture. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was employed to identify the selective spatial localization of the adsorbed fluorescently labeled lipids. The corresponding increase in the AAO refractive index due to lipid adsorption on the hydrophobic regions was monitored by optical waveguide spectroscopy. This simple orthogonal functionalization route is a promising method to control the three-dimensional surface functionality of nanoporous films. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  7. Sugar and pH dual-responsive mesoporous silica nanocontainers based on competitive binding mechanisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yilmaz, M. Deniz; Xue, Min; Ambrogio, Michael W.; Buyukcakir, Onur; Wu, Yilei; Frasconi, Marco; Chen, Xinqi; Nassar, Majed S.; Stoddart, J. Fraser; Zink, Jeffrey I.

    2014-12-01

    A sugar and pH dual-responsive controlled release system, which is highly specific towards molecular stimuli, has been developed based on the binding between catechol and boronic acid on a platform of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs). By grafting phenylboronic acid stalks onto the silica surface, catechol-containing β-cyclodextrins can be attached to the orifices of the MSNs' nanopores through formation of boronate esters which block access to the nanopores. These esters are stable enough to prevent cargo molecules from escaping. The boronate esters disassociate in the presence of sugars, enabling the molecule-specific controlled-release feature of this hybrid system. The rate of release has been found to be tunable by varying both the structures and the concentrations of sugars, as a result of the competitive binding nature associated with the mechanism of its operation. Acidification also induces the release of cargo molecules. Further investigations show that the presence of both a low pH and sugar molecules provides cooperative effects which together control the rate of release.A sugar and pH dual-responsive controlled release system, which is highly specific towards molecular stimuli, has been developed based on the binding between catechol and boronic acid on a platform of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs). By grafting phenylboronic acid stalks onto the silica surface, catechol-containing β-cyclodextrins can be attached to the orifices of the MSNs' nanopores through formation of boronate esters which block access to the nanopores. These esters are stable enough to prevent cargo molecules from escaping. The boronate esters disassociate in the presence of sugars, enabling the molecule-specific controlled-release feature of this hybrid system. The rate of release has been found to be tunable by varying both the structures and the concentrations of sugars, as a result of the competitive binding nature associated with the mechanism of its operation

  8. Discriminating Bacteria with Optical Sensors Based on Functionalized Nanoporous Xerogels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabine Crunaire

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available An innovative and low-cost method is proposed for the detection and discrimination of indole-positive pathogen bacteria. The method allows the non-invasive detection of gaseous indole, released by bacteria, with nanoporous colorimetric sensors. The innovation comes from the use of nanoporous matrices doped with 4-(dimethylamino-cinnamaldehyde, which act as sponges to trap and concentrate the targeted analyte and turn from transparent to dark green, long before the colonies get visible with naked eyes. With such sensors, it was possible to discriminate E. coli from H. alvei, two indole-positive and negative bacteria after seven hours of incubation.

  9. Improving the performance of water desalination through ultra-permeable functionalized nanoporous graphene oxide membrane

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosseini, Mostafa; Azamat, Jafar; Erfan-Niya, Hamid

    2018-01-01

    Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the water desalination performance of nanoporous graphene oxide (NPGO) membranes. The simulated systems consist of a NPGO as a membrane with a functionalized pore in its center immersed in an aqueous ionic solution and a graphene sheet as a barrier. The considered NPGO membranes are involved four types of pore with different size and chemistry. The results indicated that the NPGO membrane has effective efficiency in salt rejection as well as high performance in water flux. For all types of pore with the radius size of 2.9-4.5 Å, the NPGO shows salt rejection of >89%. Functional groups on the surface and edge of pores have a great effect on water flux. To precisely understand the effect of functional groups on the surface of nanostructured membranes, nanoporous graphene was simulated under the same condition for comparison. Hydrophilic groups on the surface make the NPGO as an ultra-permeable membrane. As a result, the obtained water flux for NPGO was about 77% greater than graphene. Also, it was found that the water flux of NPGO is 2-5 orders of magnitude greater than other existing reverse osmosis membranes. Therefore, the investigated systems can be recommended as a model for the water desalination.

  10. Altering the concentration of silica tunes the functional properties of collagen-silica composite scaffolds to suit various clinical requirements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perumal, Sathiamurthi; Ramadass, Satiesh Kumar; Gopinath, Arun; Madhan, Balaraman; Shanmugam, Ganesh; Rajadas, Jayakumar; Mandal, Asit Baran

    2015-12-01

    The success of a tissue engineering scaffold depends on a fine balance being achieved between the physicochemical and biological properties. This study attempts to understand the influence of silica concentration on the functional properties of collagen-silica (CS) composite scaffolds for soft tissue engineering applications. Increasing the ratio of silica to collagen (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25, 1.5 and 2.0 w/w) gave a marked advantage in terms of improving the water uptake and compressive modulus of the CS scaffolds, while also enhancing the biological stability and the turnover time. With increase in silica concentration the water uptake and compressive modulus increased concurrently, whereas it was not so for surface porous architecture and biocompatibility which are crucial for cell adhesion and infiltration. Silica:collagen ratio of ≤1 exhibits favourable surface biocompatibility, and any further increase in silica concentration has a detrimental effect. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Surface functionalization of microwave plasma-synthesized silica nanoparticles for enhancing the stability of dispersions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sehlleier, Yee Hwa; Abdali, Ali; Schnurre, Sophie Marie; Wiggers, Hartmut; Schulz, Christof

    2014-08-01

    Gas phase-synthesized silica nanoparticles were functionalized with three different silane coupling agents (SCAs) including amine, amine/phosphonate and octyltriethoxy functional groups and the stability of dispersions in polar and non-polar dispersing media such as water, ethanol, methanol, chloroform, benzene, and toluene was studied. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that all three SCAs are chemically attached to the surface of silica nanoparticles. Amine-functionalized particles using steric dispersion stabilization alone showed limited stability. Thus, an additional SCA with sufficiently long hydrocarbon chains and strong positively charged phosphonate groups was introduced in order to achieve electrosteric stabilization. Steric stabilization was successful with hydrophobic octyltriethoxy-functionalized silica nanoparticles in non-polar solvents. The results from dynamic light scattering measurements showed that in dispersions of amine/phosphonate- and octyltriethoxy-functionalized silica particles are dispersed on a primary particle level. Stable dispersions were successfully prepared from initially agglomerated nanoparticles synthesized in a microwave plasma reactor by designing the surface functionalization.

  12. 4He adsorbed in cylindrical silica nanopores: Effect of size on the single-atom mean kinetic energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andreani, C.; Senesi, R.; Pantalei, C.

    2007-01-01

    This paper reports a study of the short-time dynamics of helium confined in silica nanopores (xerogel powder), with average pore diameters of 24 and 160 A. The longitudinal momentum distribution of helium adsorbed in xerogels has been determined via deep inelastic neutron scattering (DINS) measurements performed on the VESUVIO spectrometer at the ISIS spallation source. DINS measurements, in the attosecond time scale (i.e., 10 -16 -10 -15 s), were performed at a temperature of T=2.5 K and saturated vapor pressure conditions, with 95% pore volume filling. The average wave-vector transfer q was about 130 A -1 . For confined helium, significant changes in the values of the single-particle mean kinetic energies K > are found in the bulk phase. These are 32.6±8.7 K for the 24 A and 24.4±5.3 K for the 160 A pore diameters, remarkably higher than K >=16.2±0.4 K, the value of normal liquid 4 He at T=2.5 K and saturated vapor pressure conditions. The results are interpreted in terms of a model where 4 He atoms are arranged in concentric annuli along the cylindrical pore axis, with K > mainly dependent on the ratio between the atomic 'effective' diameter and the pore diameter. The number of solid layers close to pore surface is found to be strongly pore-size dependent with one single solid layer for 24 A diameter pore and three solid layers for 160 A diameter pore

  13. Nanoporous Polymeric Grating-Based Optical Biosensors (Preprint)

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Hsiao, Vincent K; Waldeisen, John R; Lloyd, Pamela F; Bunning, Timothy J; Huang, Tony J

    2007-01-01

    .... The fabrication process of the nanoporous polymeric grating involves holographic interference patterning and a functionalized pre-polymer syrup that facilitates the immobilization of biomolecules...

  14. Photoresponsive Release from Azobenzene-Modified Single Cubic Crystal NaCl/Silica Particles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xingmao Jiang

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Azobenzene ligands were uniformly anchored to the pore surfaces of nanoporous silica particles with single crystal NaCl using 4-(3-triethoxysilylpropylureidoazobenzene (TSUA. The functionalization delayed the release of NaCl significantly. The modified particles demonstrated a photocontrolled release by trans/cis isomerization of azobenzene moieties. The addition of amphiphilic solvents, propylene glycol (PG, propylene glycol propyl ether (PGPE, and dipropylene glycol propyl ether (DPGPE delayed the release in water, although the wetting behavior was improved and the delay is the most for the block molecules with the longest carbon chain. The speedup by UV irradiation suggests a strong dependence of diffusion on the switchable pore size. TGA, XRD, FTIR, and NMR techniques were used to characterize the structures.

  15. Substrate Dependent Ad-Atom Migration on Graphene and the Impact on Electron-Beam Sculpting Functional Nanopores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freedman, Kevin J; Goyal, Gaurav; Ahn, Chi Won; Kim, Min Jun

    2017-05-10

    The use of atomically thin graphene for molecular sensing has attracted tremendous attention over the years and, in some instances, could displace the use of classical thin films. For nanopore sensing, graphene must be suspended over an aperture so that a single pore can be formed in the free-standing region. Nanopores are typically drilled using an electron beam (e-beam) which is tightly focused until a desired pore size is obtained. E-beam sculpting of graphene however is not just dependent on the ability to displace atoms but also the ability to hinder the migration of ad-atoms on the surface of graphene. Using relatively lower e-beam fluxes from a thermionic electron source, the C-atom knockout rate seems to be comparable to the rate of carbon ad-atom attraction and accumulation at the e-beam/graphene interface (i.e., R knockout ≈ R accumulation ). Working at this unique regime has allowed the study of carbon ad-atom migration as well as the influence of various substrate materials on e-beam sculpting of graphene. We also show that this information was pivotal to fabricating functional graphene nanopores for studying DNA with increased spatial resolution which is attributed to atomically thin membranes.

  16. Nanoporous polymer electrolyte

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Brian [Wheat Ridge, CO; Nguyen, Vinh [Wheat Ridge, CO

    2012-04-24

    A nanoporous polymer electrolyte and methods for making the polymer electrolyte are disclosed. The polymer electrolyte comprises a crosslinked self-assembly of a polymerizable salt surfactant, wherein the crosslinked self-assembly includes nanopores and wherein the crosslinked self-assembly has a conductivity of at least 1.0.times.10.sup.-6 S/cm at 25.degree. C. The method of making a polymer electrolyte comprises providing a polymerizable salt surfactant. The method further comprises crosslinking the polymerizable salt surfactant to form a nanoporous polymer electrolyte.

  17. Swelling, Functionalization, and Structural Changes of the Nanoporous Layered Silicates AMH-3 and MCM-22

    KAUST Repository

    Kim, Wun-gwi

    2011-06-21

    Nanoporous layered silicate materials contain 2D-planar sheets of nanoscopic thickness and ordered porous structure. In comparison to porous 3D-framework materials such as zeolites, they have advantages such as significantly increased surface area and decreased diffusion limitations because the layers can potentially be exfoliated or intercalated into polymers to form nanocomposite materials. These properties are particularly interesting for applications as materials for enhancing molecular selectivity and throughput in composite membranes. In this report, the swelling and surface modification chemistry of two attractive nanoporous layered silicate materials, AMH-3 and MCM-22, were studied. We first describe a method, using long-chain diamines instead of monoamines, for swelling of AMH-3 while preserving its pore structure to a greater extent during the swelling process. Then, we describe a stepwise functionalization method for functionalizing the layer surfaces of AMH-3 and MCM-22 via silane condensation reactions. The covalently attached hydrocarbon chain molecules increased the hydrophobicity of AMH-3 and MCM-22 layer surfaces and therefore allow the possibility of effectively dispersing these materials in polymer matrices for thin film/membrane applications. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

  18. Hydrophobic and optical characteristics of graphene and graphene oxide films transferred onto functionalized silica particles deposited glass surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yilbas, B. S.; Ibrahim, A.; Ali, H.; Khaled, M.; Laoui, T.

    2018-06-01

    Hydrophobic and optical transmittance characteristics of the functionalized silica particles on the glass surface prior and after transfer of graphene and graphene oxide films on the surface are examined. Nano-size silica particles are synthesized and functionalized via chemical grafting and deposited onto a glass surface. Graphene film, grown on copper substrate, was transferred onto the functionalized silica particles surface through direct fishing method. Graphene oxide layer was deposited onto the functionalized silica particles surface via spin coating technique. Morphological, hydrophobic, and optical characteristics of the functionalized silica particles deposited surface prior and after graphene and graphene oxide films transfer are examined using the analytical tools. It is found that the functionalized silica particles are agglomerated at the surface forming packed structures with few micro/nano size pores. This arrangement gives rise to water droplet contact angle and contact angle hysteresis in the order of 163° and 2°, respectively, and remains almost uniform over the entire surface. Transferring graphene and depositing graphene oxide films over the functionalized silica particles surface lowers the water droplet contact angle slightly (157-160°) and increases the contact angle hysteresis (4°). The addition of the graphene and graphene oxide films onto the surface of the deposited functionalized silica particles improves the optical transmittance.

  19. Phosphoryl functionalized mesoporous silica for uranium adsorption

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xue, Guo; Yurun, Feng; Li, Ma; Dezhi, Gao; Jie, Jing; Jincheng, Yu; Haibin, Sun; Hongyu, Gong; Yujun, Zhang

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Phosphoryl functionalized mesoporous silica (TBP-SBA-15) is synthesized. • The amino and phosphoryl groups are successfully grafted on SBA-15. • TBP-SBA-15 has high and rapid uranium adsorption capacity in broad pH range. • The U(VI) adsorption of TBP-SBA-15 is spontaneous and belongs to chemical adsorption. - Abstract: Phosphoryl functionalized mesoporous silica (TBP-SBA-15) was synthesized by modified mesoporous silica with γ-amino propyl triethoxy silane and tributyl phosphate. The obtained samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXRD), thermo-gravimetric/differential thermalanalyzer (TG/DTA), N_2 adsorption–desorption (BET) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques. Results showed that TBP-SBA-15 had large surface areas with ordered channel structure. Moreover, the effects of adsorption time, sorbent dose, solution pH, initial uranium concentration and temperature on the uranium adsorption behaviors were investigated. TBP-SBA-15 showed a high uranium adsorption capacity in a broad range of pH values. The U(VI) adsorption rate of TBP-SBA-15 was fast and nearly achieved completion in 10 min with the sorbent dose of 1 g/L. The U(VI) adsorption of TBP-SBA-15 followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Freundlich isotherm model, indicating that the process was belonged to chemical adsorption. Furthermore, the thermodynamic parameters (ΔG"0, ΔH"0 and ΔS"0) confirmed that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous.

  20. Phosphoryl functionalized mesoporous silica for uranium adsorption

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xue, Guo; Yurun, Feng; Li, Ma; Dezhi, Gao; Jie, Jing; Jincheng, Yu; Haibin, Sun [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution & Processing of Materials of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Key Laboratory of Special Functional Aggregated Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Hongyu, Gong, E-mail: gong_hongyu@163.com [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution & Processing of Materials of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Key Laboratory of Special Functional Aggregated Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Yujun, Zhang, E-mail: yujunzhangcn@163.com [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution & Processing of Materials of Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Key Laboratory of Special Functional Aggregated Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China)

    2017-04-30

    Highlights: • Phosphoryl functionalized mesoporous silica (TBP-SBA-15) is synthesized. • The amino and phosphoryl groups are successfully grafted on SBA-15. • TBP-SBA-15 has high and rapid uranium adsorption capacity in broad pH range. • The U(VI) adsorption of TBP-SBA-15 is spontaneous and belongs to chemical adsorption. - Abstract: Phosphoryl functionalized mesoporous silica (TBP-SBA-15) was synthesized by modified mesoporous silica with γ-amino propyl triethoxy silane and tributyl phosphate. The obtained samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXRD), thermo-gravimetric/differential thermalanalyzer (TG/DTA), N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption (BET) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques. Results showed that TBP-SBA-15 had large surface areas with ordered channel structure. Moreover, the effects of adsorption time, sorbent dose, solution pH, initial uranium concentration and temperature on the uranium adsorption behaviors were investigated. TBP-SBA-15 showed a high uranium adsorption capacity in a broad range of pH values. The U(VI) adsorption rate of TBP-SBA-15 was fast and nearly achieved completion in 10 min with the sorbent dose of 1 g/L. The U(VI) adsorption of TBP-SBA-15 followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Freundlich isotherm model, indicating that the process was belonged to chemical adsorption. Furthermore, the thermodynamic parameters (ΔG{sup 0}, ΔH{sup 0} and ΔS{sup 0}) confirmed that the adsorption process was endothermic and spontaneous.

  1. Functionalized diatom silica microparticles for removal of mercury ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Yang; Addai-Mensah, Jonas; Losic, Dusan

    2012-01-01

    Diatom silica microparticles were chemically modified with self-assembled monolayers of 3-mercaptopropyl-trimethoxysilane (MPTMS), 3-aminopropyl-trimethoxysilane (APTES) and n-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl-trimethoxysilane (AEAPTMS), and their application for the adsorption of mercury ions (Hg(II)) is demonstrated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses revealed that the functional groups (–SH or –NH 2 ) were successfully grafted onto the diatom silica surface. The kinetics and efficiency of Hg(II) adsorption were markedly improved by the chemical functionalization of diatom microparticles. The relationship among the type of functional groups, pH and adsorption efficiency of mercury ions was established. The Hg(II) adsorption reached equilibrium within 60 min with maximum adsorption capacities of 185.2, 131.7 and 169.5 mg g -1 for particles functionalized with MPTMS, APTES and AEAPTMS, respectively. The adsorption behavior followed a pseudo-second-order reaction model and Langmuirian isotherm. These results show that mercapto- or amino-functionalized diatom microparticles are promising natural, cost-effective and environmentally benign adsorbents suitable for the removal of mercury ions from aqueous solutions.

  2. Structure of poly(di-n-hexylsilane) in nanoporous materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Korotkova, I.; Sakhno, T.; Drobit'ko, I.; Sakhno, Yu.; Ostapenko, N.

    2010-01-01

    Graphical abstract: On the basis of theoretical calculations using TD/CEP-31G method we found and interpreted the complexation mechanism of poly(di-n-hexylsilane) incorporated in nanoporous materials. - Abstract: In this work the effects of solvent polarity and conformation changing on the electronic characteristics of poly(di-n-hexylsilane) incorporated in the nanoporous materials are calculated. The dependence of energy levels of electronic-excited states of investigated compounds is analyzed as a function of the Si-Si-Si-Si twist angle and length of Si-Si and Si-C bonds. The possibility of complex formation between silicon atom of polymer and oxygen ions of nanoporous materials is shown.

  3. Water Contact Angle Dependence with Hydroxyl Functional Groups on Silica Surfaces under CO2 Sequestration Conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Cong; Zhang, Ning; Li, Weizhong; Song, Yongchen

    2015-12-15

    Functional groups on silica surfaces under CO2 sequestration conditions are complex due to reactions among supercritical CO2, brine and silica. Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed to investigate the effects of hydroxyl functional groups on wettability. It has been found that wettability shows a strong dependence on functional groups on silica surfaces: silanol number density, space distribution, and deprotonation/protonation degree. For neutral silica surfaces with crystalline structure (Q(3), Q(3)/Q(4), Q(4)), as silanol number density decreases, contact angle increases from 33.5° to 146.7° at 10.5 MPa and 318 K. When Q(3) surface changes to an amorphous structure, water contact angle increases 20°. Water contact angle decreases about 12° when 9% of silanol groups on Q(3) surface are deprotonated. When the deprotonation degree increases to 50%, water contact angle decreases to 0. The dependence of wettability on silica surface functional groups was used to analyze contact angle measurement ambiguity in literature. The composition of silica surfaces is complicated under CO2 sequestration conditions, the results found in this study may help to better understand wettability of CO2/brine/silica system.

  4. Amine-functionalized magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles for DNA separation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sheng, Wei; Wei, Wei; Li, Junjian; Qi, Xiaoliang; Zuo, Gancheng; Chen, Qi; Pan, Xihao; Dong, Wei, E-mail: weidong@njust.edu.cn

    2016-11-30

    Highlights: • Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@SiO{sub 2}@EDPS with uniform size and good dispersity is prepared. • We fabricated MMSN@EDPS with distinct core-shell–shell triple-layer composition. • DNA adsorption capacity of MMSN@EDPS is considerable. - Abstract: We report a modified approach for the functionalized magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MMSN) using polymer microspheres incorporated with magnetic nanoparticles in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and the core-shell magnetic silica nanoparticles (MSN). These particles were functionalized with amino groups via the addition of aminosilane directly to the particle sol. We then evaluate their DNA separation abilities and find the capacity of DNA binding significantly increased (210.22 μg/mg) compared with normal magnetic silica spheres (138.44 μg/mg) by using an ultraviolet and visible spectrophotometer (UV). The morphologies, magnetic properties, particle size, pore size, core-shell structure and Zeta potential are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). This work demonstrates that our MMSN own an excellent potential application in bioseparation and drug delivery.

  5. Nanoporous cerium oxide thin film for glucose biosensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saha, Shibu; Arya, Sunil K; Singh, S P; Sreenivas, K; Malhotra, B D; Gupta, Vinay

    2009-03-15

    Nanoporous cerium oxide (CeO(2)) thin film deposited onto platinum (Pt) coated glass plate using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) has been utilized for immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOx). Atomic force microscopy studies reveal the formation of nanoporous surface morphology of CeO(2) thin film. Response studies carried out using differential pulsed voltammetry (DPV) and optical measurements show that the GOx/CeO(2)/Pt bio-electrode shows linearity in the range of 25-300 mg/dl of glucose concentration. The low value of Michaelis-Menten constant (1.01 mM) indicates enhanced enzyme affinity of GOx to glucose. The observed results show promising application of the nanoporous CeO(2) thin film for glucose sensing application without any surface functionalization or mediator.

  6. Nanofluidic Device with Embedded Nanopore

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yuning; Reisner, Walter

    2014-03-01

    Nanofluidic based devices are robust methods for biomolecular sensing and single DNA manipulation. Nanopore-based DNA sensing has attractive features that make it a leading candidate as a single-molecule DNA sequencing technology. Nanochannel based extension of DNA, combined with enzymatic or denaturation-based barcoding schemes, is already a powerful approach for genome analysis. We believe that there is revolutionary potential in devices that combine nanochannels with nanpore detectors. In particular, due to the fast translocation of a DNA molecule through a standard nanopore configuration, there is an unfavorable trade-off between signal and sequence resolution. With a combined nanochannel-nanopore device, based on embedding a nanopore inside a nanochannel, we can in principle gain independent control over both DNA translocation speed and sensing signal, solving the key draw-back of the standard nanopore configuration. We demonstrate that we can detect - using fluorescent microscopy - successful translocation of DNA from the nanochannel out through the nanopore, a possible method to 'select' a given barcode for further analysis. We also show that in equilibrium DNA will not escape through an embedded sub-persistence length nanopore until a certain voltage bias is added.

  7. Dual-function beam splitter of a subwavelength fused-silica grating.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Jijun; Zhou, Changhe; Zheng, Jiangjun; Cao, Hongchao; Lv, Peng

    2009-05-10

    We present the design and fabrication of a novel dual-function subwavelength fused-silica grating that can be used as a polarization-selective beam splitter. For TM polarization, the grating can be used as a two-port beam splitter at a wavelength of 1550 nm with a total diffraction efficiency of 98%. For TE polarization, the grating can function as a high-efficiency grating, and the diffraction efficiency of the -1st order is 95% under Littrow mounting. This dual-function grating design is based on a simplified modal method. By using the rigorous coupled-wave analysis, the optimum grating parameters can be determined. Holographic recording technology and inductively coupled plasma etching are used to manufacture the fused-silica grating. Experimental results are in agreement with the theoretical values.

  8. Nanoporous ionic organic networks: from synthesis to materials applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Jian-Ke; Antonietti, Markus; Yuan, Jiayin

    2016-11-21

    The past decade has witnessed rapid progress in the synthesis of nanoporous organic networks or polymer frameworks for various potential applications. Generally speaking, functionalization of porous networks to add extra properties and enhance materials performance could be achieved either during the pore formation (thus a concurrent approach) or by post-synthetic modification (a sequential approach). Nanoporous organic networks which include ion pairs bound in a covalent manner are of special importance and possess extreme application profiles. Within these nanoporous ionic organic networks (NIONs), here with a pore size in the range from sub-1 nm to 100 nm, we observe a synergistic coupling of the electrostatic interaction of charges, the nanoconfinement within pores and the addressable functional units in soft matter resulting in a wide variety of functions and applications, above all catalysis, energy storage and conversion, as well as environment-related operations. This review aims to highlight the recent progress in this area, and seeks to raise original perspectives that will stimulate future advancements at both the fundamental and applied level.

  9. Hydrophilic nanoporous materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2010-01-01

    The present application discloses a method for preparing and rendering hydrophilic a nanoporous material of a polymer matrix which has a porosity of 0.1-90 percent (v/v), such that the ratio between the final water absorption (percent (w/w)) and the porosity (percent (v/v)) is at least 0.05, the ......The present application discloses a method for preparing and rendering hydrophilic a nanoporous material of a polymer matrix which has a porosity of 0.1-90 percent (v/v), such that the ratio between the final water absorption (percent (w/w)) and the porosity (percent (v/v)) is at least 0.......05, the method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a precursor material comprising at least one polymeric component and having a first phase and a second phase; (b) removal of at least a part of the first phase of the precursor material prepared in step (a) so as to leave behind a nanoporous material...... of the polymer matrix; (c) irradiating at least a part of said nanoporous material with light of a wave length of in the range of 250-400 nm (or 200-700 nm) in the presence of oxygen and/or ozone. Corresponding hydrophilic nanoporous materials are also disclosed. L...

  10. Nanopore formation on Au coated pyramid under electron beam irradiations (plasmonic nanopore on pyramid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seong Soo Choi

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available There have been tremendous interests about the single molecule analysis using a sold-state nanopore. The solid-state nanopore can be fabricated either by drilling technique, or diffusion technique by using electron beam irradiations. The solid-state SiN nanopore device with electrical detection technique recently fabricated, however, the solid-state Au nanopore with optical detection technique can be better utilized as the next generation single molecule sensor. In this report, the nanometer size openings with its size less than 10 nm on the diffused membrane on the 200 nm Au pyramid were fabricated by using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM electron beam irradiations, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, etc. After the sample was being kept under a room environment for several months, several Au (111 clusters with ~6 nm diameter formed via Ostwald ripening are observed using a high resolution TEM imaging. The nanopore with Au nanoclusters on the diffused membrane can be utilized as an optical nanopore device. Keywords: Electron beam irradiation, Surface diffusion, Carbon contamination, Au cluster, Ostwald ripening

  11. Study of Catalyst, Aging Time and Surfactant Effects on Silica Inorganic Polymer Characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Pakizeh

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available In the present study the sol-gel method is used for synthesis of amorphous nanostructure silica polymer using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS as silicon source. This polymer can be used in manufacturing of nanoporous asymmetricmembranes. The effect of catalyst on silica particle size has been studied under acidic and basic conditions.زAcid-catalyzed reaction leads to the formation of fine particles while the base-catalyzed reaction produceslarger particles. The presence of cationic template surfactant namely cetyl pyridinium bromide (CPBزdirects the structural formation of the polymer by preventing the highly branched polymeric clusters. This will increase the effective area of the produced silica membrane. Nitrogen physisorption tests by Brunaver- Emmett-Teller (BET and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH methods revealed that the surface area of the membrane increases significantly around 5-folds when acid-catalyzed reaction is used. 29Si-NMR test is also used to study the aging time effect on the level of silica polymer branching. The results show that in acidic condition, aging time up to three weeks can still affect branching. The calcinations process in which the organic materials and CPB (surfactant are burned and released from the silica particles, is studied on template free silica materials as well as templated silica materials using TGA and DTA techniques.

  12. Nanoporous ionic organic networks: from synthesis to materials applications

    OpenAIRE

    Sun, Jian-Ke; Antonietti, Markus; Yuan, Jiayin

    2016-01-01

    The past decade has witnessed rapid progress in the synthesis of nanoporous organic networks or polymer frameworks for various potential applications. Generally speaking, functionalization of porous networks to add extra properties and enhance materials performance could be achieved either during the pore formation (thus a concurrent approach) or by post-synthetic modification (a sequential approach). Nanoporous organic networks which include ion pairs bound in a covalent manner are of specia...

  13. Nanostructural control of the release of macromolecules from silica sol–gels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radin, Shula; Bhattacharyya, Sanjib; Ducheyne, Paul

    2013-01-01

    The therapeutic use of biological molecules such as growth factors and monoclonal antibodies is challenging in view of their limited half-life in vivo. This has elicited the interest in delivery materials that can protect these molecules until released over extended periods of time. Although previous studies have shown controlled release of biologically functional BMP-2 and TGF-β from silica sol–gels, more versatile release conditions are desirable. This study focuses on the relationship between room temperature processed silica sol–gel synthesis conditions and the nanopore size and size distribution of the sol–gels. Furthermore, the effect on release of large molecules with a size up to 70 kDa is determined. Dextran, a hydrophilic polysaccharide, was selected as a large model molecule at molecular sizes of 10, 40 and 70 kDa, as it enabled us to determine a size effect uniquely without possible confounding chemical effects arising from the various molecules used. Previously, acid catalysis was performed at a pH value of 1.8 below the isoelectric point of silica. Herein the silica synthesis was pursued using acid catalysis at either pH 1.8 or 3.05 first, followed by catalysis at higher values by adding base. This results in a mesoporous structure with an abundance of pores around 3.5 nm. The data show that all molecular sizes can be released in a controlled manner. The data also reveal a unique in vivo approach to enable release of large biological molecules: the use more labile sol–gel structures by acid catalyzing above the pH value of the isoelectric point of silica; upon immersion in a physiological fluid the pores expand to reach an average size of 3.5 nm, thereby facilitating molecular out-diffusion. PMID:23643607

  14. Quaternary ammonium-functionalized silica sorbents for the solid-phase extraction of aromatic amines under normal phase conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vidal, Lorena; Robin, Orlane; Parshintsev, Jevgeni; Mikkola, Jyri-Pekka; Riekkola, Marja-Liisa

    2013-04-12

    Quaternary ammonium-functionalized silica materials were synthesized and applied for solid-phase extraction (SPE) of aromatic amines, which are classified as priority pollutants by US Environmental Protection Agency. Hexamethylenetetramine used for silica surface modification for the first time was employed as SPE sorbent under normal phase conditions. Hexaminium-functionalized silica demonstrated excellent extraction efficiencies for o-toluidine, 4-ethylaniline and quinoline (recoveries 101-107%), while for N,N-dimethylaniline and N-isopropylaniline recoveries were from low to moderate (14-46%). In addition, the suitability of 1-alkyl-3-(propyl-3-sulfonate) imidazolium-functionalized silica as SPE sorbent was tested under normal phase conditions. The recoveries achieved for the five aromatic amines ranged from 89 to 99%. The stability of the sorbent was evaluated during and after 150 extractions. Coefficients of variation between 4.5 and 10.2% proved a high stability of the synthesized sorbent. Elution was carried out using acetonitrile in the case of hexaminium-functionalized silica and water for 1-alkyl-3-(propyl-3-sulfonate) imidazolium-functionalized silica sorbent. After the extraction the analytes were separated and detected by liquid chromatography ultraviolet detection (LC-UV). The retention mechanism of the materials was primarily based on polar hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions. Comparison made with activated silica proved the quaternary ammonium-functionalized materials to offer different selectivity and better extraction efficiencies for aromatic amines. Finally, 1-alkyl-3-(propyl-3-sulfonate) imidazolium-functionalized silica sorbent was successfully tested for the extraction of wastewater and soil samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Nanopore sensors for DNA analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Solovyeva, Vita; Venkatesan, B.M.; Shim, Jeong

    2012-01-01

    Solid-state nanopore sensors are promising devices for single DNA molecule detection and sequencing. This paper presents a review of our work on solid-state nanopores performed over the last decade. In particular, here we discuss atomic-layer-deposited (ALD)-based, graphene-based, and functionali......Solid-state nanopore sensors are promising devices for single DNA molecule detection and sequencing. This paper presents a review of our work on solid-state nanopores performed over the last decade. In particular, here we discuss atomic-layer-deposited (ALD)-based, graphene...

  16. Preparation of sponge-reinforced silica aerogels from tetraethoxysilane and methyltrimethoxysilane for oil/water separation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ming; Jiang, Hongyi; Xu, Dong

    2018-04-01

    Polyurethane sponge-reinforced silica aerogels based on tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) were fabricated by a facile method through sol-gel reaction followed by ambient pressure drying. In sponge-reinforced silica aerogels, nanoporous aerogel aggregates fill in the pores of polyurethane sponge. The sponge-reinforced aerogels are hydrophobic and oleophilic and show extremely high absorption for machine oil (10.6 g g‑1 for TEOS-based aerogel and 9.2 g g‑1 for MTMS-based aerogel). In addition, the sponge-reinforced aerogel composites exhibit notable improvements with regards to mechanical properties. The compressive strength was enhanced obviously up to about 349 KPa for TEOS-based aerogel and 60 KPa for MTMS-based aerogel. Specially, sponge-reinforced silica aerogels based on MTMS drastically shrank upon loading and then recovered to the original size when unloaded. The property differences of the sponge-reinforced silica aerogels caused by the two precursors were discussed in terms of morphologies, pore size distributions and chemical structure.

  17. Synthesis of N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles and their enhanced antibacterial activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dong, Alideertu; Wang Tao; Xiao Linghan; Wang Weiwei; Zhao Tianyi; Zheng Xin; Liu Fengqi; Gao Ge; Huang Jinfeng; Chen Yuxin; Lan Shi

    2011-01-01

    N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles with enhanced antibacterial activity were synthesized through the encapsulation of silica nanoparticles as support with polymeric N-halamine. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDX), dynamic light scattering (DLS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). These N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles displayed powerful antibacterial performance against both Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria, and their antibacterial activities have been greatly improved compared with their bulk counterparts. Therefore, these N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles have the potential for various significant applications such as in medical devices, healthcare products, water purification systems, hospitals, dental office equipment, food packaging, food storage, household sanitation, etc.

  18. Synthesis of N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles and their enhanced antibacterial activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dong, Alideertu; Wang Tao; Xiao Linghan; Wang Weiwei; Zhao Tianyi; Zheng Xin; Liu Fengqi; Gao Ge [College of Chemistry, Jilin University and MacDiarmid Laboratory, Changchun 130021 (China); Huang Jinfeng; Chen Yuxin [Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China); Lan Shi, E-mail: gaoge@jlu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University for the Nationalities, Tongliao 028000 (China)

    2011-07-22

    N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles with enhanced antibacterial activity were synthesized through the encapsulation of silica nanoparticles as support with polymeric N-halamine. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDX), dynamic light scattering (DLS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). These N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles displayed powerful antibacterial performance against both Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria, and their antibacterial activities have been greatly improved compared with their bulk counterparts. Therefore, these N-halamine-functionalized silica-polymer core-shell nanoparticles have the potential for various significant applications such as in medical devices, healthcare products, water purification systems, hospitals, dental office equipment, food packaging, food storage, household sanitation, etc.

  19. Strategy and method for nanoporous cladding formation on silica optical fiber

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Chen, H.; Tian, F.; Liu, K.; Kaňka, Jiří; Du, H.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 41, č. 12 (2016), s. 2831-2834 ISSN 0146-9592 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP205/12/G118 Institutional support: RVO:67985882 Keywords : Fabrication strategies * Optical fiber fabrication * Silica Subject RIV: JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering Impact factor: 3.416, year: 2016

  20. Nanoporous ceramic hybrid materials synthesized by organically modified ceramic precursor with terminal amine group

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Velikova, Nina E.; Vueva, Yuliya E.; Abdallah, Mohammed E.; Ivanova, Yordanka Y.; Dimitriev, Yanko B. [Department of Silicate Technology, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, Sofia (Bulgaria); Salvado, Isabel M.; Fernandes, Maria H. [Ceramic and Glass Engineering Department CICECO, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, (Portugal)

    2013-07-01

    Nanoporous ceramic materials was functionalized by co-condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and different 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) amounts in the presence of amphiphilic triblock copolymer poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (EO{sub 20}PO{sub 70}EO{sub 20} ), who was previously dissolved in acid solution with different acid concentrations. Pluronic P123 was used as structure-directing agent and xylene as a swelling agent. Inorganic salt was introduced in order to improve structure ordering and to tailor framework porosity. The synthesized materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction, nuclear magnetic resonance ( {sup 29}Si MAS NMR and {sup 13}C CP MAS NMR), Fourier –transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and elemental analysis. The results from NMR and FT-IR show that the organic functional group is successfuly incorporated in the silica framework and P123 was successfully extracted. The results from all analyzes prove that the acid concentration has significant influence on the materials morphology and properties. Kay words: sol-gel, mesoporous materials, hybrid materials, as structure-directing agent.

  1. Designing robust alumina nanowires-on-nanopores structures: superhydrophobic surfaces with slippery or sticky water adhesion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Shan; Tian, Dong; Miao, Xinrui; Yang, Xiaojun; Deng, Wenli

    2013-11-01

    Hierarchical alumina surfaces with different morphologies were fabricated by a simple one-step anodization method. These alumina films were fabricated by a new raw material: silica gel plate (aluminum foil with a low purity of 97.17%). The modulation of anodizing time enabled the formation of nanowires-on-nanopores hybrid nanostructures having controllable nanowires topographies through a self-assembly process. The resultant structures were demonstrated to be able to achieve superhydrophobicity without any hydrophobic coating layer. More interestingly, it is found that the as-prepared superhydrophobic alumina surfaces exhibited high contrast water adhesion. Hierarchical alumina film with nanowire bunches-on-nanopores (WBOP) morphology presents extremely slippery property which can obtain a sliding angle (SA) as low as 1°, nanowire pyramids-on-nanopores (WPOP) structure shows strongly sticky water adhesion with the adhesive ability to support 15 μL inverted water droplet at most. The obtained superhydrophobic alumina surfaces show remarkable mechanical durability even treated by crimping or pressing without impact on the water-repellent performance. Moreover, the created surfaces also show excellent resistivity to ice water, boiling water, high temperature, organic solvent and oil contamination, which could expand their usefulness and efficacy in harsh conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Lyophilized silica lipid hybrid (SLH) carriers for poorly water-soluble drugs: physicochemical and in vitro pharmaceutical investigations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasmin, Rokhsana; Tan, Angel; Bremmell, Kristen E; Prestidge, Clive A

    2014-09-01

    Lyophilization was investigated to produce a powdery silica-lipid hybrid (SLH) carrier for oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs. The silica to lipid ratio, incorporation of cryoprotectant, and lipid loading level were investigated as performance indicators for lyophilized SLH carriers. Celecoxib, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, was used as the model poorly soluble moiety to attain desirable physicochemical and in vitro drug solubilization properties. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal fluorescence imaging verified a nanoporous, homogenous internal matrix structures of the lyophilized SLH particles, prepared from submicron triglyceride emulsions and stabilized by porous silica nanoparticles (Aerosil 380), similar to spray-dried SLH. 20-50 wt % of silica in the formulation have shown to produce nonoily SLH agglomerates with complete lipid encapsulation. The incorporation of a cryoprotectant prevented irreversible aggregation of the silica-stabilized droplets during lyophilization, thereby readily redispersing in water to form micrometre-sized particles (water-soluble therapeutics is confirmed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

  3. Threading DNA through nanopores for biosensing applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fyta, Maria

    2015-01-01

    This review outlines the recent achievements in the field of nanopore research. Nanopores are typically used in single-molecule experiments and are believed to have a high potential to realize an ultra-fast and very cheap genome sequencer. Here, the various types of nanopore materials, ranging from biological to 2D nanopores are discussed together with their advantages and disadvantages. These nanopores can utilize different protocols to read out the DNA nucleobases. Although, the first nanopore devices have reached the market, many still have issues which do not allow a full realization of a nanopore sequencer able to sequence the human genome in about a day. Ways to control the DNA, its dynamics and speed as the biomolecule translocates the nanopore in order to increase the signal-to-noise ratio in the reading-out process are examined in this review. Finally, the advantages, as well as the drawbacks in distinguishing the DNA nucleotides, i.e., the genetic information, are presented in view of their importance in the field of nanopore sequencing. (topical review)

  4. Synthesis and characterization of sulfur-functionalized silica nanocapsules as mercury adsorbents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palaniappan, Thenappan; Saman, Norasikin; Mat, Hanapi; Johari, Khairiraihanna

    2017-12-01

    Sulfur functionalized silica nanocapsules (S-SiNC) was successfully synthesized and characterized as a potential adsorbent for industrial applications. The synthesis of S-SiNC was carried out using the mircoemulsion templating method using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as cationic surfactant, toluene as co-solvent, ammonia solution as catalyst, and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as the silica base. The S-SiNC adsorbent was characterized using Transmission Electron Microscope, Fourier Transformed Infra Red spectroscopy and nitrogen adsorption/desorption analysis. The physical and chemical properties of the SiNC changed as a result of the functionalization, hence affecting the extent of Hg(II) adsorption. The S-SiNCs were also tested in mercury ion [Hg(II)] adsorption via batch adsorption process with variation in initial Hg (II) concentration. It was found that there is a significant improvement in Hg(II) adsorption performance after being functionalized with elemental sulfur. The highest Hg(II) adsorption capacity was obtained for S-SiNC (107.875 mg/g), which significantly outperformed the blank SiNC. The experimental data obtained was found to be fitting well to the Langmuir isotherm model (R2= 0.979) compared to Freundlich isotherm model. Thus, the results demonstrated the potential application of sulfur functionalized silica nanocapsules as adsorbent in industrial applications.

  5. Osseointegration properties of titanium dental implants modified with a nanostructured coating based on ordered porous silica and bioactive glass nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Covarrubias, Cristian, E-mail: ccovarrubias@odontologia.uchile.cl [Laboratory of Nanobiomaterials, Institute for Research in Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago (Chile); Mattmann, Matías [Laboratory of Nanobiomaterials, Institute for Research in Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago (Chile); Von Marttens, Alfredo [Department of Prosthesis, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago (Chile); Caviedes, Pablo; Arriagada, Cristián [Laboratory of Cell Therapy, ICBM, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile (Chile); Valenzuela, Francisco [Laboratory of Nanobiomaterials, Institute for Research in Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago (Chile); Rodríguez, Juan Pablo [Laboratory of Cell Biology, INTA, University of Chile, Santiago (Chile); Corral, Camila [Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Chile, Santiago (Chile)

    2016-02-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The fabrication of a coating for osseointegration of titanium implant is presented. • The coating consists of nanoporous silica loaded with bioactive glass nanoparticles. • Coating accelerates the in vitro formation of apatite in simulated body fluid. • Coating promotes the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. • Coating accelerates the formation of bone tissue in the periphery of the implant. - Abstract: The fabrication of a nanoporous silica coating loaded with bioactive glass nanoparticles (nBG/NSC) on titanium dental implant surface and its in vitro and in vivo evaluation is presented. The coating was produced by a combined sol–gel and evaporation induced self-assembly process. In vitro bioactivity was assessed in simulated body fluid (SBF) and investigating the osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). A rat tibial model was employed to analyze the bone response to nBG/NSC-modified titanium implant surface in vivo. The nBG/NSC coating was confirmed at nano level to be constituted by a highly ordered nanoporous silica structure. The coating nanotopography in conjunction with the bioactivity of the BG particles accelerate the in vitro apatite formation and promote the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs in absence of osteogenic supplements. These properties accelerate the formation of bone tissue in the periphery of the implant after 3 weeks of implantation. Backscattered scanning electron microscopy images revealed the presence of gaps and soft tissue in the unmodified implant after 6 weeks, whereas the nBG/NSC-modified implant showed mature bone in intimate contact with the implant surface. The nBG/NSC coating appears promising for accelerating the osseointegration of dental implants.

  6. Osseointegration properties of titanium dental implants modified with a nanostructured coating based on ordered porous silica and bioactive glass nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Covarrubias, Cristian; Mattmann, Matías; Von Marttens, Alfredo; Caviedes, Pablo; Arriagada, Cristián; Valenzuela, Francisco; Rodríguez, Juan Pablo; Corral, Camila

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The fabrication of a coating for osseointegration of titanium implant is presented. • The coating consists of nanoporous silica loaded with bioactive glass nanoparticles. • Coating accelerates the in vitro formation of apatite in simulated body fluid. • Coating promotes the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. • Coating accelerates the formation of bone tissue in the periphery of the implant. - Abstract: The fabrication of a nanoporous silica coating loaded with bioactive glass nanoparticles (nBG/NSC) on titanium dental implant surface and its in vitro and in vivo evaluation is presented. The coating was produced by a combined sol–gel and evaporation induced self-assembly process. In vitro bioactivity was assessed in simulated body fluid (SBF) and investigating the osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). A rat tibial model was employed to analyze the bone response to nBG/NSC-modified titanium implant surface in vivo. The nBG/NSC coating was confirmed at nano level to be constituted by a highly ordered nanoporous silica structure. The coating nanotopography in conjunction with the bioactivity of the BG particles accelerate the in vitro apatite formation and promote the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs in absence of osteogenic supplements. These properties accelerate the formation of bone tissue in the periphery of the implant after 3 weeks of implantation. Backscattered scanning electron microscopy images revealed the presence of gaps and soft tissue in the unmodified implant after 6 weeks, whereas the nBG/NSC-modified implant showed mature bone in intimate contact with the implant surface. The nBG/NSC coating appears promising for accelerating the osseointegration of dental implants.

  7. Protein sequencing via nanopore based devices: a nanofluidics perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chinappi, Mauro; Cecconi, Fabio

    2018-05-01

    Proteins perform a huge number of central functions in living organisms, thus all the new techniques allowing their precise, fast and accurate characterization at single-molecule level certainly represent a burst in proteomics with important biomedical impact. In this review, we describe the recent progresses in the developing of nanopore based devices for protein sequencing. We start with a critical analysis of the main technical requirements for nanopore protein sequencing, summarizing some ideas and methodologies that have recently appeared in the literature. In the last sections, we focus on the physical modelling of the transport phenomena occurring in nanopore based devices. The multiscale nature of the problem is discussed and, in this respect, some of the main possible computational approaches are illustrated.

  8. Characteristic of Hybrid Cellulose-Amino Functionalized POSS-Silica Nanocomposite and Antimicrobial Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sivalingam Ramesh

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Recently, cellulose has much attention as an emerging renewable nanomaterial which holds promising properties having unique piezoelectricity, insulating, and biodegradable nature for various applications. Also, the modified properties of cellulose by appropriate chemical modifications in various functional groups with outstanding properties or significantly improved physical, chemical, biological, and electronic properties will widen the way for it to be utilized in different usages. Therefore, in this paper, cellulose-functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS based materials were considered an important class of high-performance hybrid nanocomposite materials. To functionalize the regenerated cellulose, amino functionalized POSS material was synthesized via sol-gel covalent crosslinking process in presence of amino coupling agent. In this reaction, tetraethoxsilane (TEOS and γ-aminopropyltriethoxy silane (γ-APTES as coupling agent for metal precursors were selected. The chemical structure of cellulose-amine functionalized bonding and covalent crosslinking hybrids was confirmed by FTIR and 1H NMR spectral analysis. From the TEM results, well-dispersed hybrid cellulose-functionalized POSS-silica composites are observed. The resulting cellulose-POSS-silica hybrid nanocomposites materials provided significantly improved the optical transparency, and thermal and morphological properties to compare the cellulose-silica hybrid materials. Further, antimicrobial test against pathogenic bacteria was carried out.

  9. Radiation hardening of sol gel-derived silica fiber preforms through fictive temperature reduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hari Babu, B; Lancry, Matthieu; Ollier, Nadege; El Hamzaoui, Hicham; Bouazaoui, Mohamed; Poumellec, Bertrand

    2016-09-20

    The impact of fictive temperature (Tf) on the evolution of point defects and optical attenuation in non-doped and Er3+-doped sol-gel silica glasses was studied and compared to Suprasil F300 and Infrasil 301 glasses before and after γ-irradiation. To this aim, sol-gel optical fiber preforms have been fabricated by the densification of erbium salt-soaked nanoporous silica xerogels through the polymeric sol-gel technique. These γ-irradiated fiber preforms have been characterized by FTIR, UV-vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, and photoluminescence measurements. We showed that a decrease in the glass fictive temperature leads to a decrease in the glass disorder and strained bonds. This mainly results in a lower defect generation rate and thus less radiation-induced attenuation in the UV-vis range. Furthermore, it was found that γ-radiation "hardness" is higher in Er3+-doped sol-gel silica compared to un-doped sol-gel silica and standard synthetic silica glasses. The present work demonstrates an effective strategy to improve the radiation resistance of optical fiber preforms and glasses through glass fictive temperature reduction.

  10. A nanoporous gold membrane for sensing applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Swe Zin Oo

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Design and fabrication of three-dimensionally structured, gold membranes containing hexagonally close-packed microcavities with nanopores in the base, are described. Our aim is to create a nanoporous structure with localized enhancement of the fluorescence or Raman scattering at, and in the nanopore when excited with light of approximately 600 nm, with a view to provide sensitive detection of biomolecules. A range of geometries of the nanopore integrated into hexagonally close-packed assemblies of gold micro-cavities was first evaluated theoretically. The optimal size and shape of the nanopore in a single microcavity were then considered to provide the highest localized plasmon enhancement (of fluorescence or Raman scattering at the very center of the nanopore for a bioanalyte traversing through. The optimized design was established to be a 1200 nm diameter cavity of 600 nm depth with a 50 nm square nanopore with rounded corners in the base. A gold 3D-structured membrane containing these sized microcavities with the integrated nanopore was successfully fabricated and ‘proof of concept’ Raman scattering experiments are described. Keywords: Nanopore, Polymer sphere, Gold membrane, Plasmons, Sensing, SERS

  11. Research Update: Triblock copolymers as templates to synthesize inorganic nanoporous materials

    OpenAIRE

    Yunqi Li; Bishnu Prasad Bastakoti; Yusuke Yamauchi

    2016-01-01

    This review focuses on the application of triblock copolymers as designed templates to synthesize nanoporous materials with various compositions. Asymmetric triblock copolymers have several advantages compared with symmetric triblock copolymers and diblock copolymers, because the presence of three distinct domains can provide more functional features to direct the resultant nanoporous materials. Here we clearly describe significant contributions of asymmetric triblock copolymers, especially p...

  12. Combined Spectroscopic and Calorimetric Studies to Reveal Absorption Mechanisms and Conformational Changes of Protein on Nanoporous Biomaterials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saharnaz Ahmadi

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available In this study the effect of surface modification of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs on its adsorption capacities and protein stability after immobilization of beta-lactoglobulin B (BLG-B was investigated. For this purpose, non-functionalized (KIT-6 and aminopropyl-functionalized cubic Ia3d mesoporous silica ([n-PrNH2-KIT-6] nanoparticles were used as nanoporous supports. Aminopropyl-functionalized mesoporous nanoparticles exhibited more potential candidates for BLG-B adsorption and minimum BLG leaching than non-functionalized nanoparticles. It was observed that the amount of adsorbed BLG is dependent on the initial BLG concentration for both KIT-6 and [n-PrNH2-KIT-6] mesoporous nanoparticles. Also larger amounts of BLG-B on KIT-6 was immobilized upon raising the temperature of the medium from 4 to 55 °C while such increase was undetectable in the case of immobilization of BLG-B on the [n-PrNH2-KIT-6]. At temperatures above 55 °C the amounts of adsorbed BLG on both studied nanomaterials decreased significantly. By Differential scanning calorimetry or DSC analysis the heterogeneity of the protein solution and increase in Tm may indicate that immobilization of BLG-B onto the modified KIT-6 results in higher thermal stability compared to unmodified one. The obtained results provide several crucial factors in determining the mechanism(s of protein adsorption and stability on the nanostructured solid supports and the development of engineered nano-biomaterials for controlled drug-delivery systems and biomimetic interfaces for the immobilization of living cells.

  13. Silica Nanoparticles Functionalized with Zwitterionic Sulfobetaine Siloxane for Application as a Versatile Antifouling Coating System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knowles, Brianna R; Wagner, Pawel; Maclaughlin, Shane; Higgins, Michael J; Molino, Paul J

    2017-06-07

    The growing need to develop surfaces able to effectively resist biological fouling has resulted in the widespread investigation of nanomaterials with potential antifouling properties. However, the preparation of effective antifouling coatings is limited by the availability of reactive surface functional groups and our ability to carefully control and organize chemistries at a materials' interface. Here, we present two methods of preparing hydrophilic low-fouling surface coatings through reaction of silica-nanoparticle suspensions and predeposited silica-nanoparticle films with zwitterionic sulfobetaine (SB). Silica-nanoparticle suspensions were functionalized with SB across three pH conditions and deposited as thin films via a simple spin-coating process to generate hydrophilic antifouling coatings. In addition, coatings of predeposited silica nanoparticles were surface functionalized via exposure to zwitterionic solutions. Quartz crystal microgravimetry with dissipation monitoring was employed as a high throughput technique for monitoring and optimizing reaction to the silica-nanoparticle surfaces. Functionalization of nanoparticle films was rapid and could be achieved over a wide pH range and at low zwitterion concentrations. All functionalized particle surfaces presented a high degree of wettability and resulted in large reductions in adsorption of bovine serum albumin protein. Particle coatings also showed a reduction in adhesion of fungal spores (Epicoccum nigrum) and bacteria (Escherichia coli) by up to 87 and 96%, respectively. These results indicate the potential for functionalized nanosilicas to be further developed as versatile fouling-resistant coatings for widespread coating applications.

  14. Multiply Surface-Functionalized Nanoporous Carbon for Vehicular Hydrogen Storage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pfeifer, Peter [Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States). Dept. of Physics; Gillespie, Andrew [Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States). Dept. of Physics; Stalla, David [Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States). Dept. of Physics; Dohnke, Elmar [Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States). Dept. of Physics

    2017-02-20

    The purpose of the project “Multiply Surface-Functionalized Nanoporous Carbon for Vehicular Hydrogen Storage” is the development of materials that store hydrogen (H2) by adsorption in quantities and at conditions that outperform current compressed-gas H2 storage systems for electric power generation from hydrogen fuel cells (HFCs). Prominent areas of interest for HFCs are light-duty vehicles (“hydrogen cars”) and replacement of batteries with HFC systems in a wide spectrum of applications, ranging from forklifts to unmanned areal vehicles to portable power sources. State-of-the-art compressed H2 tanks operate at pressures between 350 and 700 bar at ambient temperature and store 3-4 percent of H2 by weight (wt%) and less than 25 grams of H2 per liter (g/L) of tank volume. Thus, the purpose of the project is to engineer adsorbents that achieve storage capacities better than compressed H2 at pressures less than 350 bar. Adsorption holds H2 molecules as a high-density film on the surface of a solid at low pressure, by virtue of attractive surface-gas interactions. At a given pressure, the density of the adsorbed film is the higher the stronger the binding of the molecules to the surface is (high binding energies). Thus, critical for high storage capacities are high surface areas, high binding energies, and low void fractions (high void fractions, such as in interstitial space between adsorbent particles, “waste” storage volume by holding hydrogen as non-adsorbed gas). Coexistence of high surface area and low void fraction makes the ideal adsorbent a nanoporous monolith, with pores wide enough to hold high-density hydrogen films, narrow enough to minimize storage as non-adsorbed gas, and thin walls between pores to minimize the volume occupied by solid instead of hydrogen. A monolith can be machined to fit into a rectangular tank (low pressure, conformable tank), cylindrical tank

  15. Polyhydroxy glucose functionalized silica for the dehydration of bio-ethanol distillate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Baokun; Bi, Wentao; Row, Kyung Ho

    2014-07-01

    Although most of the water in a bio-ethanol fermentation broth can be removed by distillation, a small amount of water remains in the bio-ethanol distillate as the water-ethanol azeotrope. To improve the use of ethanol as a fuel, glucose-modified silica, as an adsorbent, was prepared using a facile method and applied to the dehydration of bio-ethanol distillate. The factors affecting the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent, such as the particle size, initial concentration of water in the samples, adsorption temperature and adsorbent dose, were examined by measuring the adsorption kinetics and equilibrium. The Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherms were used to evaluate the adsorption efficiency. Of these, the Freundlich and Temkin isotherms showed a good correlation with the experimental data. The Langmuir isotherm showed some deviation from the experimental results, and indicated that adsorption in this case was not a simple monolayer adsorption. The property of the adsorbent was attributed to functionalized silica with many hydroxyl groups on its surface. An examination of the separation factors of water/ethanol revealed the modified silica to have preferential selectivity for water. Compared to activated carbon and silica, glucose-modified silica exhibited higher adsorption capacity for water under the same adsorption conditions. In addition, the glucose-modified silica adsorbent exhibited a relatively constant adsorption capacity for five adsorption/desorption cycles.

  16. Synthesis of internally functionalized silica nanoparticles for theranostic applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walton, Nathan Isaac

    This thesis addresses the synthesis and characterization of novel inorganic silica nanoparticle hybrids. It focuses in large part on their potential applications in the medical field. Silica acts as a useful carrier for a variety of compounds and this thesis silica will demonstrate its use as a carrier for boron or gadolinium. Boron-10 and gadolinium-157 have been suggested for the radiological treatment of tumor cells through the process called neutron capture therapy (NCT). Gadolinium is also commonly used as a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) contrast agent. Particles that carry it have potential theranostic applications of both imaging and treating tumors. Chapter 1 presents a background on synthetic strategies and usages of silica nanoparticles, and NCT theory. Chapter 2 describes a procedure to create mesoporous metal chelating silica nanoparticles, mDTTA. This is achieved via a co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and 3-trimethoxysilyl-propyl diethylenetriamine (SiDETA) followed by a post-synthesis modification step with bromoacetic acid (BrAA). These particles have a large surface area and well-defined pores of ~2 nm. The mDTTA nanoparticles were used to chelate the copper(II), cobalt(II) and gadolinium(III). The chelating of gadolinium is the most interesting since it can be used as a MRI contrast agent and a neutron capture therapeutic. The synthetic procedure developed also allows for the attachment of a fluorophore that gives the gadolinium chelating mDTTA nanoparticles a dual imaging modality. Chapter 3 presents the synthetic method used to produce two classes of large surface area organically modified silica (ORMOSIL) nanoparticles. Condensating the organosilane vinyltrimethoxysilane in a micellar solution results in nanoparticles that are either surface rough (raspberry-like) or mesoporous nanoparticles, which prior to this thesis has not been demonstrated in ORMOSIL chemistry. Furthermore, the vinyl functionalities are modified, using

  17. Surface functionalized hollow silica particles and composites

    KAUST Repository

    Rodionov, Valentin

    2017-05-26

    Composition comprising hollow spherical silica particles having outside particle walls and inside particle walls, wherein the particles have an average particle size of about 10 nm to about 500 nm and an average wall thickness of about 10 nm to about 50 nm; and wherein the particles are functionalized with at least one organic functional group on the outside particle wall, on the inside particle wall, or on both the outside and inside particle walls, wherein the organic functional group is in a reacted or unreacted form. The organic functional group can be epoxy. The particles can be mixed with polymer precursor or a polymer material such as epoxy to form a prepreg or a nanocomposite. Lightweight but strong materials can be formed. Low loadings of hollow particles can be used.

  18. Surface functionalized hollow silica particles and composites

    KAUST Repository

    Rodionov, Valentin; Khanh, Vu Bao

    2017-01-01

    Composition comprising hollow spherical silica particles having outside particle walls and inside particle walls, wherein the particles have an average particle size of about 10 nm to about 500 nm and an average wall thickness of about 10 nm to about 50 nm; and wherein the particles are functionalized with at least one organic functional group on the outside particle wall, on the inside particle wall, or on both the outside and inside particle walls, wherein the organic functional group is in a reacted or unreacted form. The organic functional group can be epoxy. The particles can be mixed with polymer precursor or a polymer material such as epoxy to form a prepreg or a nanocomposite. Lightweight but strong materials can be formed. Low loadings of hollow particles can be used.

  19. Nanoporous metals for advanced energy technologies

    CERN Document Server

    Ding, Yi

    2016-01-01

    This book covers the state-of-the-art research in nanoporous metals for potential applications in advanced energy fields, including proton exchange membrane fuel cells, Li batteries (Li ion, Li-S, and Li-O2), and supercapacitors. The related structural design and performance of nanoporous metals as well as possible mechanisms and challenges are fully addressed. The formation mechanisms of nanoporous metals during dealloying, the microstructures of nanoporous metals and characterization methods, as well as miscrostructural regulation of nanoporous metals through alloy design of precursors and surface diffusion control are also covered in detail. This is an ideal book for researchers, engineers, graduate students, and government/industry officers who are in charge of R&D investments and strategy related to energy technologies.

  20. Functionalized Nanoporous Track Etched {beta}-PVDF Membrane Electrodes for Lead (II) Determination by Square Wave Anodic Stripping Voltammetry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bessbousse, H [Laboratoire des Solides Irradies, CEA-CNRS-Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau (France); Nadhakumar, I [School of Chemistry, University of Southampton, University Road, Southampton S017 1BJ (United Kingdom); Decker, M; Clochard, M -C; Wade, T L [Laboratoire des Solides Irradies, CEA-CNRS-Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau (France); Barsbay, M [Hacettepe University, Department of Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry Division, 06800 Beytepe Ankara (Turkey)

    2012-09-15

    Track etched functionalized nanoporous {beta}-PVDF membrane electrodes, or functionalized membrane electrodes (FME), are thin-layer cells made from poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) functionalized nanoporous {beta}-poly(vinylidene fluoride) ({beta}-PVDF) membranes with thin Au films sputtered on each side as electrodes. The Au film is thin enough that the pores of the membranes are not completely covered. The PAA functionalization is specifically localised in the walls of the nanoporous {beta}-PVDF membrane by grafting. The PAA is a cation exchange polymer that adsorbs metal ions, such as Pb{sup 2+}, from aqueous solutions concentrating the ions into the membrane. After a time the FME is transferred to an electrochemical cell for analysis. A negative potential is applied to the Au film of the FME for a set time to reduce the adsorbed ions onto the Au film working electrode. The other metalized side of the FME functions as a counter electrode. Finally, square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SW-ASV) is performed on the FME to determine the metal ion concentrations in the original solution. The calibration curve of charge versus log concentration has a Temkin isotherm form. The FME membranes are 9 {mu}m thick and have 40 nm diameter pores with a density of 10{sup 10} pores/cm{sup 2}. This high pore density provides a large capacity for ion adsorption. Au ingress in the pores during sputtering forms a random array of nanoelectrodes. Like surface modified electrodes for adsorptive stripping voltammetry, the pre-concentration step for the FME is performed at open circuit. The zero current intercept of the calibration for Pb{sup 2+} is 0.13 ppb ({mu}g/L) and a detection limit of 0.050 ppb based on 3S/N from blank measurements. Voltammetry (CV) and chronoapmerometry (CA) were used to characterize the system. The apparent diffusion coefficient (D) for Pb{sup 2+} in the PAA functionalized pores was determined to be 2.44 x 10{sup -7} cm{sup 2}/s and the partition coefficient (p

  1. Theoretical investigation of gas separation in functionalized nanoporous graphene membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yong; Yang, Qingyuan; Zhong, Chongli; Li, Jinping

    2017-06-01

    Graphene has enormous potential as a membrane-separation material with ultrahigh permeability and selectivity. The understanding of mass-transport mechanism in graphene membranes is crucial for applications in gas separation field. We computationally investigated the capability and mechanisms of functionalized nanoporous graphene membranes for gas separation. The functionalized graphene membranes with appropriate pore size and geometry possess excellent high selectivity for separating CO2/N2, CO2/CH4 and N2/CH4 gas mixtures with a gas permeance of ∼103-105 GPU, compared with ∼100 GPU for typical polymeric membranes. More important, we found that, for ultrathin graphene membranes, the gas separation performance has a great dependence not only with the energy barrier for gas getting into the pore of the graphene membranes, but also with the energy barrier for gas escaping from the pore to the other side of the membranes. The gas separation performance can be tuned by changing the two energy barriers, which can be realized by varying the chemical functional groups on the pore rim of the graphene. The novel mass-transport mechanism obtained in current study may provide a theoretical foundation for guiding the future design of graphene membranes with outstanding separation performance.

  2. 2-Hydroxy-naphthyl functionalized mesoporous silica for fluorescence sensing and removal of aluminum ions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Trisha; Roy, Ankita; Uyama, Hiroshi; Roy, Partha; Nandi, Mahasweta

    2017-06-06

    Mesoporous silica functionalized with a 2-hydroxy-naphthyl moiety has been synthesized and characterized by standard techniques like powder X-ray diffraction, N 2 adsorption/desorption studies, transmission electron microscopy and spectral studies like FT-IR, UV-visible, fluorescence and 13 C and 29 Si solid state NMR. The functionalized silica material showed significant enhancement in its emission intensity in the presence of Al 3+ ions whereas other metal ions could not bring about any increase in its emission intensity. They either quench the emission or do not alter the intensity significantly making the functionalized material a fluorescence chemosensor for Al 3+ . The sensitivity of the probe towards Al 3+ has been determined to be high with a low limit of detection value. As functionalized silica is not soluble in common solvents, it has been effectively used to bind and remove Al 3+ from a solution. Theoretical calculations on a model system have been performed to investigate the electronic spectral transitions.

  3. Pt–Al2O3 dual layer atomic layer deposition coating in high aspect ratio nanopores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pardon, Gaspard; Gatty, Hithesh K; Stemme, Göran; Wijngaart, Wouter van der; Roxhed, Niclas

    2013-01-01

    Functional nanoporous materials are promising for a number of applications ranging from selective biofiltration to fuel cell electrodes. This work reports the functionalization of nanoporous membranes using atomic layer deposition (ALD). ALD is used to conformally deposit platinum (Pt) and aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) on Pt in nanopores to form a metal–insulator stack inside the nanopore. Deposition of these materials inside nanopores allows the addition of extra functionalities to nanoporous materials such as anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes. Conformal deposition of Pt on such materials enables increased performances for electrochemical sensing applications or fuel cell electrodes. An additional conformal Al 2 O 3 layer on such a Pt film forms a metal–insulator–electrolyte system, enabling field effect control of the nanofluidic properties of the membrane. This opens novel possibilities in electrically controlled biofiltration. In this work, the deposition of these two materials on AAO membranes is investigated theoretically and experimentally. Successful process parameters are proposed for a reliable and cost-effective conformal deposition on high aspect ratio three-dimensional nanostructures. A device consisting of a silicon chip supporting an AAO membrane of 6 mm diameter and 1.3 μm thickness with 80 nm diameter pores is fabricated. The pore diameter is reduced to 40 nm by a conformal deposition of 11 nm Pt and 9 nm Al 2 O 3 using ALD. (paper)

  4. Pt-Al2O3 dual layer atomic layer deposition coating in high aspect ratio nanopores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pardon, Gaspard; Gatty, Hithesh K.; Stemme, Göran; van der Wijngaart, Wouter; Roxhed, Niclas

    2013-01-01

    Functional nanoporous materials are promising for a number of applications ranging from selective biofiltration to fuel cell electrodes. This work reports the functionalization of nanoporous membranes using atomic layer deposition (ALD). ALD is used to conformally deposit platinum (Pt) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) on Pt in nanopores to form a metal-insulator stack inside the nanopore. Deposition of these materials inside nanopores allows the addition of extra functionalities to nanoporous materials such as anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes. Conformal deposition of Pt on such materials enables increased performances for electrochemical sensing applications or fuel cell electrodes. An additional conformal Al2O3 layer on such a Pt film forms a metal-insulator-electrolyte system, enabling field effect control of the nanofluidic properties of the membrane. This opens novel possibilities in electrically controlled biofiltration. In this work, the deposition of these two materials on AAO membranes is investigated theoretically and experimentally. Successful process parameters are proposed for a reliable and cost-effective conformal deposition on high aspect ratio three-dimensional nanostructures. A device consisting of a silicon chip supporting an AAO membrane of 6 mm diameter and 1.3 μm thickness with 80 nm diameter pores is fabricated. The pore diameter is reduced to 40 nm by a conformal deposition of 11 nm Pt and 9 nm Al2O3 using ALD.

  5. Functionalized magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles for U removal from low and high pH groundwater

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Dien, E-mail: dien.li@srs.gov [Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken, SC 29808 (United States); Egodawatte, Shani [Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 (United States); Kaplan, Daniel I. [Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken, SC 29808 (United States); Larsen, Sarah C. [Department of Chemistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 (United States); Serkiz, Steven M. [Savannah River National Laboratory, Aiken, SC 29808 (United States); Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634 (United States); Seaman, John C. [Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC 29802 (United States)

    2016-11-05

    Highlights: • Magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles were functionalized with organic molecules. • The functionalized nanoparticles had high surface areas and consistent pore sizes. • The functionalized nanoparticles were easily separated due to their magnetism. • They exhibited high capacity for uranium removal from low- or high-pH groundwater. - Abstract: U(VI) species display limited adsorption onto sediment minerals and synthetic sorbents in pH <4 or pH >8 groundwater. In this work, magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MMSNs) with magnetite nanoparticle cores were functionalized with various organic molecules using post-synthetic methods. The functionalized MMSNs were characterized using N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption isotherms, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), {sup 13}C cross polarization and magic angle spinning (CPMAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), which indicated that mesoporous silica (MCM-41) particles of 100–200 nm formed around a core of magnetic iron oxide, and the functional groups were primarily grafted into the mesopores of ∼3.0 nm in size. The functionalized MMSNs were effective for U removal from pH 3.5 and 9.6 artificial groundwater (AGW). Functionalized MMSNs removed U from the pH 3.5 AGW by as much as 6 orders of magnitude more than unfunctionalized nanoparticles or silica and had adsorption capacities as high as 38 mg/g. They removed U from the pH 9.6 AGW as much as 4 orders of magnitude greater than silica and 2 orders of magnitude greater than the unfunctionalized nanoparticles with adsorption capacities as high as 133 mg/g. These results provide an applied solution for treating U contamination that occurs at extreme pH environments and a scientific foundation for solving critical industrial issues related to environmental stewardship and nuclear power production.

  6. On the specific surface area of nanoporous materials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Detsi, E.; De Jong, E.; Zinchenko, A.; Vukovic, Z.; Vukovic, I.; Punzhin, S.; Loos, K.; ten Brinke, G.; De Raedt, H. A.; Onck, P. R.; De Hosson, J. T. M.

    2011-01-01

    A proper quantification of the specific surface area of nanoporous materials is necessary for a better understanding of the properties that are affected by the high surface-area-to-volume ratio of nanoporous metals, nanoporous polymers and nanoporous ceramics. In this paper we derive an analytical

  7. Selective oxidation of cyclohexene through gold functionalized silica monolith microreactors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alotaibi, Mohammed T.; Taylor, Martin J.; Liu, Dan; Beaumont, Simon K.; Kyriakou, Georgios

    2016-04-01

    Two simple, reproducible methods of preparing evenly distributed Au nanoparticle containing mesoporous silica monoliths are investigated. These Au nanoparticle containing monoliths are subsequently investigated as flow reactors for the selective oxidation of cyclohexene. In the first strategy, the silica monolith was directly impregnated with Au nanoparticles during the formation of the monolith. The second approach was to pre-functionalize the monolith with thiol groups tethered within the silica mesostructure. These can act as evenly distributed anchors for the Au nanoparticles to be incorporated by flowing a Au nanoparticle solution through the thiol functionalized monolith. Both methods led to successfully achieving even distribution of Au nanoparticles along the length of the monolith as demonstrated by ICP-OES. However, the impregnation method led to strong agglomeration of the Au nanoparticles during subsequent heating steps while the thiol anchoring procedure maintained the nanoparticles in the range of 6.8 ± 1.4 nm. Both Au nanoparticle containing monoliths as well as samples with no Au incorporated were tested for the selective oxidation of cyclohexene under constant flow at 30 °C. The Au free materials were found to be catalytically inactive with Au being the minimum necessary requirement for the reaction to proceed. The impregnated Au-containing monolith was found to be less active than the thiol functionalized Au-containing material, attributable to the low metal surface area of the Au nanoparticles. The reaction on the thiol functionalized Au-containing monolith was found to depend strongly on the type of oxidant used: tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) was more active than H2O2, likely due to the thiol induced hydrophobicity in the monolith.

  8. A patch-clamp ASIC for nanopore-based DNA analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jungsuk; Maitra, Raj; Pedrotti, Kenneth D; Dunbar, William B

    2013-06-01

    In this paper, a fully integrated high-sensitivity patch-clamp system is proposed for single-molecule deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) analysis using a nanopore sensor. This system is composed of two main blocks for amplification and compensation. The amplification block is composed of three stages: 1) a headstage, 2) a voltage-gain difference amplifier, and 3) a track-and-hold circuit, that amplify a minute ionic current variation sensed by the nanopore while the compensation block avoids the headstage saturation caused by the input parasitic capacitances during sensing. By employing design techniques novel for this application, such as an instrumentation--amplifier topology and a compensation switch, we minimize the deleterious effects of the input-offset voltage and the input parasitic capacitances while attaining hardware simplicity. This system is fabricated in a 0.35 μm 4M2P CMOS process and is demonstrated using an α-hemolysin protein nanopore for detection of individual molecules of single-stranded DNA that pass through the 1.5 nm-diameter pore. In future work, the refined system will functionalize single and multiple solid-state nanopores formed in integrated microfluidic devices for advanced DNA analysis, in scientific and diagnostic applications.

  9. Pore-Confined Carriers and Biomolecules in Mesoporous Silica for Biomimetic Separation and Targeting

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Shanshan

    pores to achieve effective delivery of dsRNA to insects for RNA interference (RNAi). The mobility of dsRNA in the nanopores of the pSNPs is expected to have a functional effect on delivery of dsRNA to insects. The importance of pores to a mobile dsRNA network is demonstrated by the lack of measurable mobility for both lengths of RNA on nonporous materials. In addition, when the dsRNA could not penetrate the pores, dsRNA mobility is also not measurable at the surface of the particle. Thus, the pores seem to serve as a "sink" in providing a mobile network of dsRNA on the surface of the particle. This work successfully demonstrates the loading of RNA on functionalized pSNPs and identified factors that affects RNA loading and releasing, which provides basis for the delivery of RNA-loaded silica particles in vivo.

  10. Spectroscopy of nanosized composites silicon-organic polymer/nanoporous silicas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ostapenko, N.; Kozlova, N.; Suto, S.; Watanabe, A.

    2006-01-01

    Fluorescence and excitation spectra (T=5-290 K) of nanosized silicon-organic polymers poly(di-n-hexylsilane) and poly(methyl(phenyl)silane) incorporated into porous silica materials MCM-41 and SBA-15 have been studied with varying pore diameter from 2.8 to 10 nm. The controlled variation of the pore diameter in a wide range (2.8-10 nm) permitted us, for the first time, to investigate the optical properties of the polymers on their transition from isolated macromolecules to a film. It is found that this transition depends on polymer type and occurs via the formation of new spatially independent structures of the polymers not observed in the spectra of the film, namely, via the formation of disordered and (or) ordered conformations of polymer chains and clusters

  11. Ultra-Thin Solid-State Nanopores: Fabrication and Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuan, Aaron Tzeyang

    Solid-state nanopores are a nanofluidic platform with unique advantages for single-molecule analysis and filtration applications. However, significant improvements in device performance and scalable fabrication methods are needed to make nanopore devices competitive with existing technologies. This dissertation investigates the potential advantages of ultra-thin nanopores in which the thickness of the membrane is significantly smaller than the nanopore diameter. Novel, scalable fabrication methods were first developed and then utilized to examine device performance for water filtration and single molecule sensing applications. Fabrication of nanometer-thin pores in silicon nitride membranes was achieved using a feedback-controlled ion beam method in which ion sputtering is arrested upon detection of the first few ions that drill through the membrane. Performing fabrication at liquid nitrogen temperatures prevents surface atom rearrangements that have previously complicated similar processes. A novel cross-sectional imaging method was also developed to allow careful examination of the full nanopore geometry. Atomically-thin graphene nanopores were fabricated via an electrical pulse method in which sub-microsecond electrical pulses applied across a graphene membrane in electrolyte solution are used to create a defect in the membrane and controllably enlarge it into a nanopore. This method dramatically increases the accuracy and reliability of graphene nanopore production, allowing consistent production of single nanopores down to subnanometer sizes. In filtration applications in which nanopores are used to selectively restrict the passage of dissolved contaminants, ultra-thin nanopores minimize the flow resistance, increasing throughput and energy-efficiency. The ability of graphene nanopores to separate different ions was characterized via ionic conductance and reversal potential measurements. Graphene nanopores were observed to conduct cations preferentially over

  12. Fluorescent Functionalized Mesoporous Silica for Radioactive Material Extraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Juan; Zhu, Kake; Shang, Jianying; Wang, Donghai; Nie, Zimin; Guo, Ruisong; Liu, Chongxuan; Wang, Zheming; Li, Xiaolin; Liu, Jun

    2012-01-01

    Mesoporous silica with covalently bound salicylic acid molecules incorporated in the structure was synthesized with a one-pot, co-condensation reaction at room temperature. The as-synthesized material has a large surface area, uniform particle size, and an ordered pore structure as determined by characterization with transmission electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, and infrared spectra, etc. Using the strong fluorescence and metal coordination capability of salicylic acid, functionalized mesoporous silica (FMS) was developed to track and extract radionuclide contaminants, such as uranyl (U(VI)) ions encountered in subsurface environments. Adsorption measurements showed a strong affinity of the FMS toward U(VI) with a Kd value of 105 mL/g, which is four orders of magnitude higher than the adsorption of U(VI) onto most of the sediments in natural environments. The new materials have a potential for synergistic environmental monitoring and remediation of the radionuclide U(VI) from contaminated subsurface environments.

  13. The influence of silica functionalized with silanes on migration of heavy metals in soil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grzesiak Piotr

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available 3-Mercaptopropyl-trimethoxysilane and [3-(2-aminoethylaminopropyl]trimethoxysilane were used to functionalize the surface of silica from Piotrowice in Poland to stabilize heavy metals (HMs and arsenic in soil. The soil for the study was sampled from the impact zone of Głogów Copper Smelter and Refinery. The soil samples were exposed to five-step Tessier sequential extraction. The speciation studies were limited to five sequentially defined fractions in which metal content was determined. The addition of unmodified silica did not affect significantly the concentration of metals in individual fractions. Significant changes were noted upon introduction of functionalized silica in the soil. The hybrid formulations obtained significantly reduce the release of heavy metals and arsenic from soil sorption complex. The results indicate the potential use of functional formulations for reduction of metal migration in soil in the areas of exceeded concentration of heavy metals and arsenic in the soil, caused by industrial activity.

  14. Recent Advances in Nanoporous Membranes for Water Purification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhuqing Wang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Nanoporous materials exhibit wide applications in the fields of electrocatalysis, nanodevice fabrication, energy, and environmental science, as well as analytical science. In this review, we present a summary of recent studies on nanoporous membranes for water purification application. The types and fabrication strategies of various nanoporous membranes are first introduced, and then the fabricated nanoporous membranes for removing various water pollutants, such as salt, metallic ions, anions, nanoparticles, organic chemicals, and biological substrates, are demonstrated and discussed. This work will be valuable for readers to understand the design and fabrication of various nanoporous membranes, and their potential purification mechanisms towards different water pollutants. In addition, it will be helpful for developing new nanoporous materials for quick, economic, and high-performance water purification.

  15. Amphotericin B channels in phospholipid membrane-coated nanoporous silicon surfaces: implications for photovoltaic driving of ions across membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yilma, Solomon; Liu, Nangou; Samoylov, Alexander; Lo, Ting; Brinker, C Jeffrey; Vodyanoy, Vitaly

    2007-03-15

    The antimycotic agent amphotericin B (AmB) functions by forming complexes with sterols to form ion channels that cause membrane leakage. When AmB and cholesterol mixed at 2:1 ratio were incorporated into phospholipid bilayer membranes formed on the tip of patch pipettes, ion channel current fluctuations with characteristic open and closed states were observed. These channels were also functional in phospholipid membranes formed on nanoporous silicon surfaces. Electrophysiological studies of AmB-cholesterol mixtures that were incorporated into phospholipid membranes formed on the surface of nanoporous (6.5 nm pore diameter) silicon plates revealed large conductance ion channels ( approximately 300 pS) with distinct open and closed states. Currents through the AmB-cholesterol channels on nanoporous silicon surfaces can be driven by voltage applied via conventional electrical circuits or by photovoltaic electrical potential entirely generated when the nanoporous silicon surface is illuminated with a narrow laser beam. Electrical recordings made during laser illumination of AmB-cholesterol containing membrane-coated nanoporous silicon surfaces revealed very large conductance ion channels with distinct open and closed states. Our findings indicate that nanoporous silicon surfaces can serve as mediums for ion-channel-based biosensors. The photovoltaic properties of nanoporous silicon surfaces show great promise for making such biosensors addressable via optical technologies.

  16. Recent advances in nanopore-based nucleic acid analysis and sequencing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi, Jidong; Fang, Ying; Hou, Junfeng

    2016-01-01

    Nanopore-based sequencing platforms are transforming the field of genomic science. This review (containing 116 references) highlights some recent progress on nanopore-based nucleic acid analysis and sequencing. These studies are classified into three categories, biological, solid-state, and hybrid nanopores, according to their nanoporous materials. We begin with a brief description of the translocation-based detection mechanism of nanopores. Next, specific examples are given in nanopore-based nucleic acid analysis and sequencing, with an emphasis on identifying strategies that can improve the resolution of nanopores. This review concludes with a discussion of future research directions that will advance the practical applications of nanopore technology. (author)

  17. Thermal conductivity model for nanoporous thin films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Congliang; Zhao, Xinpeng; Regner, Keith; Yang, Ronggui

    2018-03-01

    Nanoporous thin films have attracted great interest because of their extremely low thermal conductivity and potential applications in thin thermal insulators and thermoelectrics. Although there are some numerical and experimental studies about the thermal conductivity of nanoporous thin films, a simplified model is still needed to provide a straightforward prediction. In this paper, by including the phonon scattering lifetimes due to film thickness boundary scattering, nanopore scattering and the frequency-dependent intrinsic phonon-phonon scattering, a fitting-parameter-free model based on the kinetic theory of phonon transport is developed to predict both the in-plane and the cross-plane thermal conductivities of nanoporous thin films. With input parameters such as the lattice constants, thermal conductivity, and the group velocity of acoustic phonons of bulk silicon, our model shows a good agreement with available experimental and numerical results of nanoporous silicon thin films. It illustrates that the size effect of film thickness boundary scattering not only depends on the film thickness but also on the size of nanopores, and a larger nanopore leads to a stronger size effect of the film thickness. Our model also reveals that there are different optimal structures for getting the lowest in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivities.

  18. Nanoporous biomaterials for uremic toxin adsorption in artificial kidney systems: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheah, Wee-Keat; Ishikawa, Kunio; Othman, Radzali; Yeoh, Fei-Yee

    2017-07-01

    Hemodialysis, one of the earliest artificial kidney systems, removes uremic toxins via diffusion through a semipermeable porous membrane into the dialysate fluid. Miniaturization of the present hemodialysis system into a portable and wearable device to maintain continuous removal of uremic toxins would require that the amount of dialysate used within a closed-system is greatly reduced. Diffused uremic toxins within a closed-system dialysate need to be removed to maintain the optimum concentration gradient for continuous uremic toxin removal by the dialyzer. In this dialysate regenerative system, adsorption of uremic toxins by nanoporous biomaterials is essential. Throughout the years of artificial kidney development, activated carbon has been identified as a potential adsorbent for uremic toxins. Adsorption of uremic toxins necessitates nanoporous biomaterials, especially activated carbon. Nanoporous biomaterials are also utilized in hemoperfusion for uremic toxin removal. Further miniaturization of artificial kidney system and improvements on uremic toxin adsorption capacity would require high performance nanoporous biomaterials which possess not only higher surface area, controlled pore size, but also designed architecture or structure and surface functional groups. This article reviews on various nanoporous biomaterials used in current artificial kidney systems and several emerging nanoporous biomaterials. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 1232-1240, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Computational and experimental study of nanoporous membranes for water desalination and decontamination.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hickner, Michael A. (Penn State University, University Park, PA); Chinn, Douglas Alan (Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM); Adalsteinsson, Helgi; Long, Kevin R. (Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX); Kent, Michael Stuart (Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM); Debusschere, Bert J.; Zendejas, Frank J.; Tran, Huu M.; Najm, Habib N.; Simmons, Blake Alexander

    2008-11-01

    Fundamentals of ion transport in nanopores were studied through a joint experimental and computational effort. The study evaluated both nanoporous polymer membranes and track-etched nanoporous polycarbonate membranes. The track-etched membranes provide a geometrically well characterized platform, while the polymer membranes are more closely related to ion exchange systems currently deployed in RO and ED applications. The experimental effort explored transport properties of the different membrane materials. Poly(aniline) membranes showed that flux could be controlled by templating with molecules of defined size. Track-etched polycarbonate membranes were modified using oxygen plasma treatments, UV-ozone exposure, and UV-ozone with thermal grafting, providing an avenue to functionalized membranes, increased wettability, and improved surface characteristic lifetimes. The modeling effort resulted in a novel multiphysics multiscale simulation model for field-driven transport in nanopores. This model was applied to a parametric study of the effects of pore charge and field strength on ion transport and charge exclusion in a nanopore representative of a track-etched polycarbonate membrane. The goal of this research was to uncover the factors that control the flux of ions through a nanoporous material and to develop tools and capabilities for further studies. Continuation studies will build toward more specific applications, such as polymers with attached sulfonate groups, and complex modeling methods and geometries.

  20. Functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles for stimuli-responsive and targeted

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Knezevic, Nikola [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    2009-12-15

    Construction of functional supramolecular nanoassemblies has attracted great deal of attention in recent years for their wide spectrum of practical applications. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) in particular were shown to be effective scaffolds for the construction of drug carriers, sensors and catalysts. Herein, we describe the synthesis and characterization of stimuli-responsive, controlled release MSN-based assemblies for drug delivery.

  1. Acid-base equilibria inside amine-functionalized mesoporous silica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaguchi, Akira; Namekawa, Manato; Kamijo, Toshio; Itoh, Tetsuji; Teramae, Norio

    2011-04-15

    Acid-base equilibria and effective proton concentration inside a silica mesopore modified with a trimethyl ammonium (TMAP) layer were studied by steady-state fluorescence experiments. The mesoporous silica with a dense TMAP layer (1.4 molecules/nm(2)) was prepared by a post grafting of N-trimethoxysilylpropyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium at surfactant-templated mesoporous silica (diameter of silica framework =3.1 nm). The resulting TMAP-modified mesoporous silica strongly adsorbed of anionic fluorescence indicator dyes (8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonate (pyranine), 8-aminopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonate (APTS), 5,10,15,20-tetraphenyl-21H,23H-porphinetetrasulfonic acid disulfuric acid (TPPS), 2-naphthol-3,6-disulfonate (2NT)) and fluorescence excitation spectra of these dyes within TMAP-modified mesoporous silica were measured by varying the solution pH. The fluorescence experiments revealed that the acid-base equilibrium reactions of all pH indicator dyes within the TMAP-modified silica mesopore were quite different from those in bulk water. From the analysis of the acid-base equilibrium of pyranine, the following relationships between solution pH (pH(bulk)) and the effective proton concentration inside the pore (pH(pore)) were obtained: (1) shift of pH(pore) was 1.8 (ΔpH(pore)=1.8) for the pH(bulk) change from 2.1 to 9.1 (ΔpH(bulk)=7.0); (2) pH(pore) was not simply proportional to pH(bulk); (3) the inside of the TMAP-modified silica mesopore was suggested to be in a weak acidic or neutral condition when pH(bulk) was changed from 2.0 to 9.1. Since these relationships between pH(bulk) and pH(pore) could explain the acid-base equilibria of other pH indicator dyes (APTS, TPPS, 2NT), these relationships were inferred to describe the effective proton concentration inside the TMAP-modified silica mesopore. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  2. Enhancing the platinum atomic layer deposition infiltration depth inside anodic alumina nanoporous membrane

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vaish, Amit, E-mail: anv@udel.edu; Krueger, Susan; Dimitriou, Michael; Majkrzak, Charles [National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Center for Neutron Research, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8313 (United States); Vanderah, David J. [Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research, NIST, Rockville, Maryland 20850 (United States); Chen, Lei, E-mail: lei.chen@nist.gov [NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8313 (United States); Gawrisch, Klaus [Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 (United States)

    2015-01-15

    Nanoporous platinum membranes can be straightforwardly fabricated by forming a Pt coating inside the nanopores of anodic alumina membranes (AAO) using atomic layer deposition (ALD). However, the high-aspect-ratio of AAO makes Pt ALD very challenging. By tuning the process deposition temperature and precursor exposure time, enhanced infiltration depth along with conformal coating was achieved for Pt ALD inside the AAO templates. Cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and small angle neutron scattering were employed to analyze the Pt coverage and thickness inside the AAO nanopores. Additionally, one application of platinum-coated membrane was demonstrated by creating a high-density protein-functionalized interface.

  3. Research Update: Triblock copolymers as templates to synthesize inorganic nanoporous materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunqi Li

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available This review focuses on the application of triblock copolymers as designed templates to synthesize nanoporous materials with various compositions. Asymmetric triblock copolymers have several advantages compared with symmetric triblock copolymers and diblock copolymers, because the presence of three distinct domains can provide more functional features to direct the resultant nanoporous materials. Here we clearly describe significant contributions of asymmetric triblock copolymers, especially polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine-block-poly(ethylene oxide (abbreviated as PS-b-P2VP-b-PEO.

  4. Solid-State Nanopore

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhishan Yuan

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Solid-state nanopore has captured the attention of many researchers due to its characteristic of nanoscale. Now, different fabrication methods have been reported, which can be summarized into two broad categories: “top-down” etching technology and “bottom-up” shrinkage technology. Ion track etching method, mask etching method chemical solution etching method, and high-energy particle etching and shrinkage method are exhibited in this report. Besides, we also discussed applications of solid-state nanopore fabrication technology in DNA sequencing, protein detection, and energy conversion.

  5. Silica functionalized Cu(II) acetylacetonate Schiff base complex: An efficient catalyst for the oxidative condensation reaction of benzyl alcohol with amines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anbarasu, G.; Malathy, M.; Karthikeyan, P.; Rajavel, R.

    2017-09-01

    Silica functionalized Cu(II) acetylacetonate Schiff base complex via the one pot reaction of silica functionalized 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane with acetyl acetone and copper acetate has been reported. The synthesized material was well characterized by analytical techniques such as FT-IR, UV-DRS, XRD, SEM-EDX, HR-TEM, EPR, ICP-AES and BET analysis. The characterization results confirmed the grafting of Cu(II) Schiff base complex on the silica surface. The catalytic activity of synthesized silica functionalized Cu(II) acetylacetonate Schiff base complex was evaluated through the oxidative condensation reaction of benzyl alcohol to imine.

  6. Phase diagram of supercooled water confined to hydrophilic nanopores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Limmer, David T.; Chandler, David

    2012-07-01

    We present a phase diagram for water confined to cylindrical silica nanopores in terms of pressure, temperature, and pore radius. The confining cylindrical wall is hydrophilic and disordered, which has a destabilizing effect on ordered water structure. The phase diagram for this class of systems is derived from general arguments, with parameters taken from experimental observations and computer simulations and with assumptions tested by computer simulation. Phase space divides into three regions: a single liquid, a crystal-like solid, and glass. For large pores, radii exceeding 1 nm, water exhibits liquid and crystal-like behaviors, with abrupt crossovers between these regimes. For small pore radii, crystal-like behavior is unstable and water remains amorphous for all non-zero temperatures. At low enough temperatures, these states are glasses. Several experimental results for supercooled water can be understood in terms of the phase diagram we present.

  7. Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Activity of Pd(II Salen-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rotcharin Sawisai

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Salen ligand synthesized from 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde was used as a palladium chelating ligand for the immobilization of the catalytic site. Mesoporous silica supported palladium catalysts were prepared by immobilizing Pd(OAc2 onto a mesoporous silica gel through the coordination of the imine-functionalized mesoporous silica gel. The prepared catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX, inductivity couple plasma (ICP, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR spectroscopy. The solid catalysts showed higher activity for the hydroamination of C-(tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-galactopyranosylallene with aromatic amines compared with the corresponding homogenous catalyst. The heterogeneous catalytic system can be easily recovered by simple filtration and reused for up to five cycles with no significant loss of catalytic activity.

  8. Controlling the role of nanopore morphology in capillary condensation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Casanova, Fèlix; Chiang, Casey E; Ruminski, Anne M; Sailor, Michael J; Schuller, Ivan K

    2012-05-01

    The effect of pore morphology on capillary condensation and evaporation in nanoporous silicon is studied experimentally. A variety of cooperative and local effects are observed in tailored nanopores with well-defined regions by directly probing gas adsorption in each region using optical interferometry. All observations are ascribed to the ability of the nanopore region to access the gas reservoir directly and the nucleation of liquid bridges at local heterogeneities within the nanopore region. These assumptions, consistent with recent simulations, can be extended to any real nanoporous system.

  9. COOH-functionalisation of silica particles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Majewski, Peter, E-mail: peter.majewski@unisa.edu.au [School of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering, Mawson Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide (Australia); Albrecht, Trent [Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide (Australia); Weber, Siegfried [Department of Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim (Germany)

    2011-09-01

    In this study COOH-functionalised silica is synthesised using phosphonateN-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid (PMIDA) in an aqueous solution. The presence of PMIDA on the silica particles was verified using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and titration. Experimentally, surface concentrations of COOH functional groups of up to about 3 mmol/g{sub silica} were achieved, whereas theoretical calculation of the maximum COOH functional group concentration gave about 1 mmol/g{sub silica}. The discrepancy may be caused by PMIDA multilayer formation on the particle.

  10. Silica encapsulation of fluorescent nanodiamonds for colloidal stability and facile surface functionalization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bumb, Ambika; Sarkar, Susanta K; Billington, Neil; Brechbiel, Martin W; Neuman, Keir C

    2013-05-29

    Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) emit in the near-IR and do not photobleach or photoblink. These properties make FNDs better suited for numerous imaging applications compared with commonly used fluorescence agents such as organic dyes and quantum dots. However, nanodiamonds do not form stable suspensions in aqueous buffer, are prone to aggregation, and are difficult to functionalize. Here we present a method for encapsulating nanodiamonds with silica using an innovative liposome-based encapsulation process that renders the particle surface biocompatible, stable, and readily functionalized through routine linking chemistries. Furthermore, the method selects for a desired particle size and produces a monodisperse agent. We attached biotin to the silica-coated FNDs and tracked the three-dimensional motion of a biotinylated FND tethered by a single DNA molecule with high spatial and temporal resolution.

  11. Pt-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} dual layer atomic layer deposition coating in high aspect ratio nanopores

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pardon, Gaspard; Gatty, Hithesh K; Stemme, Goeran; Wijngaart, Wouter van der; Roxhed, Niclas [KTH Royal Institute of Technology, School of Electrical Engineering, Micro and Nanosystems, Osquldas Vaeg 10, SE-10044 Stockholm (Sweden)

    2013-01-11

    Functional nanoporous materials are promising for a number of applications ranging from selective biofiltration to fuel cell electrodes. This work reports the functionalization of nanoporous membranes using atomic layer deposition (ALD). ALD is used to conformally deposit platinum (Pt) and aluminum oxide (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) on Pt in nanopores to form a metal-insulator stack inside the nanopore. Deposition of these materials inside nanopores allows the addition of extra functionalities to nanoporous materials such as anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes. Conformal deposition of Pt on such materials enables increased performances for electrochemical sensing applications or fuel cell electrodes. An additional conformal Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer on such a Pt film forms a metal-insulator-electrolyte system, enabling field effect control of the nanofluidic properties of the membrane. This opens novel possibilities in electrically controlled biofiltration. In this work, the deposition of these two materials on AAO membranes is investigated theoretically and experimentally. Successful process parameters are proposed for a reliable and cost-effective conformal deposition on high aspect ratio three-dimensional nanostructures. A device consisting of a silicon chip supporting an AAO membrane of 6 mm diameter and 1.3 {mu}m thickness with 80 nm diameter pores is fabricated. The pore diameter is reduced to 40 nm by a conformal deposition of 11 nm Pt and 9 nm Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} using ALD. (paper)

  12. Mesoporous silica nanotubes hybrid membranes for functional nanofiltration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Safty, Sherif A; Shahat, Ahmed; Mekawy, Moataz; Nguyen, Hoa; Warkocki, Wojciech; Ohnuma, Masato

    2010-01-01

    The development of nanofiltration systems would greatly assist in the production of well-defined particles and biomolecules with unique properties. We report a direct, simple synthesis of hexagonal silica nanotubes (NTs), which vertically aligned inside anodic alumina membranes (AAM) by means of a direct templating method of microemulsion phases with cationic surfactants. The direct approach was used as soft templates for predicting ordered assemblies of surfactant/silica composites through strong interactions within AAM pockets. Thus, densely packed NTs were successfully formed in the entirety of the AAM channels. These silica NTs were coated with layers of organic moieties to create a powerful technique for the ultrafine filtration. The resulting modified-silica NTs were chemically robust and showed affinity toward the transport of small molecular particles. The rigid silica NTs inside AAM channels had a pore diameter of ≤ 4 nm and were used as ultrafine filtration systems for noble metal nanoparticles (NM NPs) and semiconductor nanocrystals (SC NCs) fabricated with a wide range of sizes (1.0-50 nm) and spherical/pyramidal morphologies. Moreover, the silica NTs hybrid membranes were also found to be suitable for separation of biomolecules such as cytochrome c (CytC). Importantly, this nanofilter design retains high nanofiltration efficiency of NM NPs, SC NCs and biomolecules after a number of reuse cycles. Such retention is crucial in industrial applications.

  13. Improved Stabilities of Immobilized Glucoamylase on Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Synthesised using Decane as Swelling Agent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reni George

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Ordered mesoporous silica, with high porosity was used to immobilize glucoamylase via adsorption and covalent binding. Immobilization of glucoamylase within mesoporous silica was successfully achieved, resulting in catalytically high efficiency during starch hydrolysis. In this study, mesoporous silica was functionalized by co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS with organosilane (3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES in a wide range of molar ratios of APTES: TEOS in the presence of triblock copolymer P123 under acidic hydrothermal conditions. The prepared materials were characterized by Small angle XRD, Nitrogen adsorption – desorption and 29Si MAS solid state NMR. N2 desorption studies showed that pore size distribution decreases due to pore blockage after functionalization and enzyme immobilization. Small angle XRD and 29Si MAS NMR study reveals mesophase formation and Si environment of the materials. The main aim of our work was to study the catalytical activity, effect of pH, temperature storage stability and reusability of covalently bound glucoamylase on mesoporous silica support. The result shows that the stability of enzyme can be enhanced by immobilization.  © 2013 BCREC UNDIP. All rights reservedReceived: 3rd December 2012; Revised: 4th April 2013; Accepted: 20th April 2013[How to Cite: George, R., Gopinath, S., Sugunan, S. (2013. Improved Stabilities of Immobilized Glucoamyl-ase on Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Synthesized using Decane as Swelling Agent. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering & Catalysis, 8 (1: 70-76. (doi:10.9767/bcrec.8.1.4208.70-76][Permalink/DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.8.1.4208.70-76] | View in  |

  14. Synthesis and characterization of ruthenium-decorated nanoporous platinum materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peng Xinsheng; Koczkur, Kallum; Chen, Aicheng

    2007-01-01

    We report on the synthesis of novel three-dimensional nanoporous Pt-Ru bimetallic networks by decorating nanoporous Pt networks with Ru using a hydrothermally assisted precipitating process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to characterize the morphology and the composition of the nanoporous Pt-Ru networks formed. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that, after protected annealing treatment, Pt-Ru bimetallic material was formed. The electrocatalytic activity of the synthesized nanoporous Pt-Ru networks was characterized using electrochemical oxidation of methanol as a probe. The electrocatalytic activity of the nanoporous Pt networks significantly increases with the increments of decorated Ru and reaches the highest value with 41% of Ru. The peak current of methanol oxidation on the nanoporous Pt-Ru(41%) bimetallic networks is over 180% higher than that on the nanoporous Pt networks without Ru decoration. This is very desirable for fuel cell development and electrochemical sensor design

  15. Origin of the electrophoretic force on DNA in solid-state nanopores

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Dorp, Stijn; Keyser, Ulrich F.; Dekker, Nynke H.; Dekker, Cees; Lemay, Serge G.

    2009-05-01

    Despite gel electrophoresis being one of the main workhorses of molecular biology, the physics of polyelectrolyte electrophoresis in a strongly confined environment remains poorly understood. Theory indicates that forces in electrophoresis result from interplay between ionic screening and hydrodynamics, but these ideas could so far be addressed only indirectly by experiments based on macroscopic porous gels. Here, we provide a first direct experimental test by measuring the electrophoretic force on a single DNA molecule threading through a solid-state nanopore as a function of pore size. The stall force gradually decreases on increasing the nanopore diameter from 6 to 90nm, inconsistent with expectations from simple electrostatics and strikingly demonstrating the influence of the hydrodynamic environment. We model this process by applying the coupled Poisson-Boltzmann and Stokes equations in the nanopore geometry and find good agreement with the experimental results.

  16. Gyroid nanoporous scaffold for conductive polymers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Guo, Fengxiao; Schulte, Lars; Zhang, Weimin

    2011-01-01

    Conductive nanoporous polymers with interconnected large surface area have been prepared by depositing polypyrrole onto nanocavity walls of nanoporous 1,2-polybutadiene films with gyroid morphology. Vapor phase polymerization of pyrrole was used to generate ultrathin films and prevent pore blocking...

  17. Side-gated ultrathin-channel nanopore FET sensors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yanagi, Itaru; Haga, Takanobu; Ando, Masahiko; Yamamoto, Jiro; Mine, Toshiyuki; Ishida, Takeshi; Hatano, Toshiyuki; Akahori, Rena; Yokoi, Takahide; Anazawa, Takashi; Oura, Takeshi

    2016-01-01

    A side-gated, ultrathin-channel nanopore FET (SGNAFET) is proposed for fast and label-free DNA sequencing. The concept of the SGNAFET comprises the detection of changes in the channel current during DNA translocation through a nanopore and identifying the four types of nucleotides as a result of these changes. To achieve this goal, both p- and n-type SGNAFETs with a channel thicknesses of 2 or 4 nm were fabricated, and the stable transistor operation of both SGNAFETs in air, water, and a KCl buffer solution were confirmed. In addition, synchronized current changes were observed between the ionic current through the nanopore and the SGNAFET’s drain current during DNA translocation through the nanopore. (paper)

  18. Elaboration of colloidal silica sols in aqueous medium: functionalities, optical properties and chemical detection of coating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Guevel, X.

    2006-03-01

    The aim of this work was to study surface reactivity of silica nanoparticles through physical and chemical properties of sols and coatings. Applications are numerous and they are illustrated in this work by optical coating preparation for laser components and chemical gas sensor development for nitroaromatics detection. On one hand, protocol synthesis of colloidal silica sols has been developed in water medium using sol-gel process (0 to 100 w%). These sols, so-called BLUESIL, are time-stable during at least one year. Homogeneous coatings having thickness fixed to 200 nm, have been prepared on silica substrate and show high porosity and high transparence. Original films have been developed using catalytic curing in gas atmosphere (ammonia curing) conferring good abrasive resistance to the coating without significant properties modification. In order to reduce film sensitivity to molecular adsorption (water, polluting agents... ), specific BLUESIL coatings have been prepared showing hydrophobic property due to apolar species grafting onto silica nanoparticles. Using this route, coatings having several functional properties such as transparence, hydrophobicity, high porosity and good abrasive resistance have been elaborated. On the other hand, we show that colloidal silica is a material specifically adapted to the detection of nitro aromatic vapors (NAC). Indeed, the use of colloidal silica as chemical gas sensor reveals very high sensitivity, selectivity to NAC compared to Volatile Organic Compound (V.O.C) and good detection performances during one year. Moreover, chemical sensors using functionalized colloidal silica have exhibited good results of detection, even in high humidity medium (≥70 %RH). (author)

  19. Fabrication and characterization of a flow-through nanoporous gold nanowire/AAO composite membrane

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, L; Lee, W; Huang, Z; Scholz, R; Goesele, U [Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics, Weinberg 2, D-06120 Halle (Germany)

    2008-08-20

    The fabrication of a composite membrane of nanoporous gold nanowires and anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) is demonstrated by the electrodeposition of Au-Ag alloy nanowires into an AAO membrane, followed by selective etching of silver from the alloy nanowires. This composite membrane is advantageous for flow-through type catalytic reactions. The morphology evolution of the nanoporous gold nanowires as a function of the diameter of the Au-Ag nanowire 'precursors' is also investigated.

  20. Fabrication and characterization of a flow-through nanoporous gold nanowire/AAO composite membrane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, L; Lee, W; Huang, Z; Scholz, R; Goesele, U

    2008-01-01

    The fabrication of a composite membrane of nanoporous gold nanowires and anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) is demonstrated by the electrodeposition of Au-Ag alloy nanowires into an AAO membrane, followed by selective etching of silver from the alloy nanowires. This composite membrane is advantageous for flow-through type catalytic reactions. The morphology evolution of the nanoporous gold nanowires as a function of the diameter of the Au-Ag nanowire 'precursors' is also investigated

  1. Fabrication and characterization of a flow-through nanoporous gold nanowire/AAO composite membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, L; Lee, W; Huang, Z; Scholz, R; Gösele, U

    2008-08-20

    The fabrication of a composite membrane of nanoporous gold nanowires and anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) is demonstrated by the electrodeposition of Au-Ag alloy nanowires into an AAO membrane, followed by selective etching of silver from the alloy nanowires. This composite membrane is advantageous for flow-through type catalytic reactions. The morphology evolution of the nanoporous gold nanowires as a function of the diameter of the Au-Ag nanowire 'precursors' is also investigated.

  2. Catalytic reduction of organic dyes at gold nanoparticles impregnated silica materials: influence of functional groups and surfactants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Azad, Uday Pratap; Ganesan, Vellaichamy; Pal, Manas

    2011-01-01

    Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in three different silica based sol–gel matrixes with and without surfactants are prepared. They are characterized by UV–vis absorbance and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies. The size and shape of Au NPs varied with the organo-functional group present in the sol–gel matrix. In the presence of mercaptopropyl functionalized organo-silica, large sized (200–280 nm) spherical Au NPs are formed whereas in the presence of aminopropyl functionalized organo-silica small sized (5–15 nm) Au NPs are formed inside the tube like organo-silica. Further, it is found that Au NPs act as efficient catalyst for the reduction of organic dyes. The catalytic rate constant is evaluated from the decrease in absorbance of the dye molecules. Presence of cationic or anionic surfactants greatly influences the catalytic reaction. The other factors like hydrophobicity of the organic dyes, complex formation of the dyes with anionic surfactants, repulsion between dyes and cationic surfactant, adsorption of dyes on the Au NPs also play important role on the reaction rate.

  3. Catalytic reduction of organic dyes at gold nanoparticles impregnated silica materials: influence of functional groups and surfactants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Azad, Uday Pratap; Ganesan, Vellaichamy, E-mail: velganesh@yahoo.com; Pal, Manas [Banaras Hindu University, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science (India)

    2011-09-15

    Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in three different silica based sol-gel matrixes with and without surfactants are prepared. They are characterized by UV-vis absorbance and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) studies. The size and shape of Au NPs varied with the organo-functional group present in the sol-gel matrix. In the presence of mercaptopropyl functionalized organo-silica, large sized (200-280 nm) spherical Au NPs are formed whereas in the presence of aminopropyl functionalized organo-silica small sized (5-15 nm) Au NPs are formed inside the tube like organo-silica. Further, it is found that Au NPs act as efficient catalyst for the reduction of organic dyes. The catalytic rate constant is evaluated from the decrease in absorbance of the dye molecules. Presence of cationic or anionic surfactants greatly influences the catalytic reaction. The other factors like hydrophobicity of the organic dyes, complex formation of the dyes with anionic surfactants, repulsion between dyes and cationic surfactant, adsorption of dyes on the Au NPs also play important role on the reaction rate.

  4. Poly(ethyleneimine) infused and functionalized Torlon®-silica hollow fiber sorbents for post-combustion CO2 capture

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Fuyue Stephanie

    2014-03-01

    Organic-inorganic hybrid materials functionalized with amine-containing reagents are emerging as an important class of materials for capturing carbon dioxide from flue gas. Polymeric silica hollow fiber sorbents are fabricated through the proven dry-jet/wet-quench spinning process. In our study, a new technique for functionalizing polymeric silica hollow fiber sorbents with poly(ethyleneimine), followed by a post-spinning infusion step was studied. This two step process introduces a sufficient amount of poly(ethyleneimine) to the polymeric silica hybrid material support to improve the CO2 sorption capacity due to the added amine groups. The poly(ethyleneimine) infused and functionalized hollow fiber sorbents are also characterized by a thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA) to assess their CO2 sorption capacities. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Antibacterial activity of zinc oxide-coated nanoporous alumina

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Skoog, S.A. [Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University, Box 7115, Raleigh, NC 27695-7115 (United States); Bayati, M.R. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Box 7907, Raleigh, NC 27695-7907 (United States); Petrochenko, P.E. [Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University, Box 7115, Raleigh, NC 27695-7115 (United States); Division of Biology, Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993 (United States); Stafslien, S.; Daniels, J.; Cilz, N. [Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, North Dakota State University, 1805 Research Park Drive, Fargo, ND 58102 (United States); Comstock, D.J.; Elam, J.W. [Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States); Narayan, R.J., E-mail: roger_narayan@msn.com [Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University, Box 7115, Raleigh, NC 27695-7115 (United States); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Box 7907, Raleigh, NC 27695-7907 (United States)

    2012-07-25

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Atomic layer deposition was used to deposit ZnO on nanoporous alumina membranes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Scanning electron microscopy showed continuous coatings of zinc oxide nanocrystals. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Activity against B. subtilis, E. coli, S. aureus, and S. epidermidis was shown. - Abstract: Nanoporous alumina membranes, also known as anodized aluminum oxide membranes, are being investigated for use in treatment of burn injuries and other skin wounds. In this study, atomic layer deposition was used for coating the surfaces of nanoporous alumina membranes with zinc oxide. Agar diffusion assays were used to show activity of zinc oxide-coated nanoporous alumina membranes against several bacteria found on the skin surface, including Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. On the other hand, zinc oxide-coated nanoporous alumina membranes did not show activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, and Candida albicans. These results suggest that zinc oxide-coated nanoporous alumina membranes have activity against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria that are associated with skin colonization and skin infection.

  6. A Thin Film Nanocomposite Membrane with MCM-41 Silica Nanoparticles for Brackish Water Purification

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Kadhom

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Thin film nanocomposite (TFN membranes containing MCM-41 silica nanoparticles (NPs were synthesized by the interfacial polymerization (IP process. An m-phenylenediamine (MPD aqueous solution and an organic phase with trimesoyl chloride (TMC dissolved in isooctane were used in the IP reaction, occurring on a nanoporous polysulfone (PSU support layer. Isooctane was introduced as the organic solvent for TMC in this work due to its intermediate boiling point. MCM-41 silica NPs were loaded in MPD and TMC solutions in separate experiments, in a concentration range from 0 to 0.04 wt %, and the membrane performance was assessed and compared based on salt rejection and water flux. The prepared membranes were characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, contact angle measurement, and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR analysis. The results show that adding MCM-41 silica NPs into an MPD solution yields slightly improved and more stable results than adding them to a TMC solution. With 0.02% MCM-41 silica NPs in the MPD solution, the water flux was increased from 44.0 to 64.1 L/m2·h, while the rejection virtually remained the same at 95% (2000 ppm NaCl saline solution, 25 °C, 2068 kPa (300 psi.

  7. A Thin Film Nanocomposite Membrane with MCM-41 Silica Nanoparticles for Brackish Water Purification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadhom, Mohammed; Yin, Jun; Deng, Baolin

    2016-12-06

    Thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes containing MCM-41 silica nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by the interfacial polymerization (IP) process. An m -phenylenediamine (MPD) aqueous solution and an organic phase with trimesoyl chloride (TMC) dissolved in isooctane were used in the IP reaction, occurring on a nanoporous polysulfone (PSU) support layer. Isooctane was introduced as the organic solvent for TMC in this work due to its intermediate boiling point. MCM-41 silica NPs were loaded in MPD and TMC solutions in separate experiments, in a concentration range from 0 to 0.04 wt %, and the membrane performance was assessed and compared based on salt rejection and water flux. The prepared membranes were characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), contact angle measurement, and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) analysis. The results show that adding MCM-41 silica NPs into an MPD solution yields slightly improved and more stable results than adding them to a TMC solution. With 0.02% MCM-41 silica NPs in the MPD solution, the water flux was increased from 44.0 to 64.1 L/m²·h, while the rejection virtually remained the same at 95% (2000 ppm NaCl saline solution, 25 °C, 2068 kPa (300 psi)).

  8. Synthesis of ordered large-scale ZnO nanopore arrays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ding, G.Q.; Shen, W.Z.; Zheng, M.J.; Fan, D.H.

    2006-01-01

    An effective approach is demonstrated for growing ordered large-scale ZnO nanopore arrays through radio-frequency magnetron sputtering deposition on porous alumina membranes (PAMs). The realization of highly ordered hexagonal ZnO nanopore arrays benefits from the unique properties of ZnO (hexagonal structure, polar surfaces, and preferable growth directions) and PAMs (controllable hexagonal nanopores and localized negative charges). Further evidence has been shown through the effects of nanorod size and thermal treatment of PAMs on the yielded morphology of ZnO nanopore arrays. This approach opens the possibility of creating regular semiconducting nanopore arrays for the application of filters, sensors, and templates

  9. Toward Anhydrous Proton Conductivity Based on Imidazole Functionalized Mesoporous Silica/Nafion Composite Membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amiinu, Ibrahim Saana; Li, Wei; Wang, Guangjin; Tu, Zhengkai; Tang, Haolin; Pan, Mu; Zhang, Haining

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Imidazole-functionalized mesoporous silica/Nafion composite is formed. • Electrostatic interaction between ionic clusters leads to enhanced molecular rigidity and T g . • Charge transfer resistance decreases with increase in temperature up to 130 °C. • The composite membrane exhibited considerable stability over 70 h at 130 °C. - Abstract: Although Nafion is regarded as the most preferred electrolyte membrane and often used as a benchmark for comparative evaluation of other electrolyte membranes, its wide spread for commercial PEM fuel cells is limited by the poor electrochemical properties at elevated temperatures and low relative humidity conditions. Herein, sol–gel synthesized mesoporous silica functionalized with a protogenic molecule (imidazole) is introduced into the Nafion matrix via a colloid mediated process. The formation of a stable colloid enables homogeneous dispersion of the silica-imidazole nanoparticles without aggregation. Under non-humidified conditions, the amphoteric and self-dissociative character of the tethered imidazole within the matrix functions as a transporting medium to facilitate proton conductivity. The structural and chemical phases are characterized, and qualitatively evaluated by XRD, TEM, FT-IR, TGA, and DMA. The results show that the average proton conductivity of the composite membrane with the optimal amount of functionalized nanoparticles increases progressively to 1.06 × 10 −2 S cm −1 at 130 °C, corresponding to an activation energy of 6.95 kJ mol −1 under non-humidified conditions. The mechanism governing the dynamics of proton conductivity and structural limitations as a function of temperature is discussed

  10. Polyelectrolyte layer-by-layer deposition in cylindrical nanopores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lazzara, Thomas D; Lau, K H Aaron; Abou-Kandil, Ahmed I; Caminade, Anne-Marie; Majoral, Jean-Pierre; Knoll, Wolfgang

    2010-07-27

    Layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition of polyelectrolytes within nanopores in terms of the pore size and the ionic strength was experimentally studied. Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes, which have aligned, cylindrical, nonintersecting pores, were used as a model nanoporous system. Furthermore, the AAO membranes were also employed as planar optical waveguides to enable in situ monitoring of the LbL process within the nanopores by optical waveguide spectroscopy (OWS). Structurally well-defined N,N-disubstituted hydrazine phosphorus-containing dendrimers of the fourth generation, with peripherally charged groups and diameters of approximately 7 nm, were used as the model polyelectrolytes. The pore diameter of the AAO was varied between 30-116 nm and the ionic strength was varied over 3 orders of magnitude. The dependence of the deposited layer thickness on ionic strength within the nanopores is found to be significantly stronger than LbL deposition on a planar surface. Furthermore, deposition within the nanopores can become inhibited even if the pore diameter is much larger than the diameter of the G4-polyelectrolyte, or if the screening length is insignificant relative to the dendrimer diameter at high ionic strengths. Our results will aid in the template preparation of polyelectrolyte multilayer nanotubes, and our experimental approach may be useful for investigating theories regarding the partitioning of nano-objects within nanopores where electrostatic interactions are dominant. Furthermore, we show that the enhanced ionic strength dependence of polyelectrolyte transport within the nanopores can be used to selectively deposit a LbL multilayer atop a nanoporous substrate.

  11. Ion distributions, exclusion coefficients, and separation factors of electrolytes in a charged cylindrical nanopore: a partially perturbative density functional theory study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Bo; Yu, Yang-Xin

    2009-10-07

    The structural and thermodynamic properties for charge symmetric and asymmetric electrolytes as well as mixed electrolyte system inside a charged cylindrical nanopore are investigated using a partially perturbative density functional theory. The electrolytes are treated in the restricted primitive model and the internal surface of the cylindrical nanopore is considered to have a uniform charge density. The proposed theory is directly applicable to the arbitrary mixed electrolyte solution containing ions with the equal diameter and different valences. Large amount of simulation data for ion density distributions, separation factors, and exclusion coefficients are used to determine the range of validity of the partially perturbative density functional theory for monovalent and multivalent counterion systems. The proposed theory is found to be in good agreement with the simulations for both mono- and multivalent counterion systems. In contrast, the classical Poisson-Boltzmann equation only provides reasonable descriptions of monovalent counterion system at low bulk density, and is qualitatively and quantitatively wrong in the prediction for the multivalent counterion systems due to its neglect of the strong interionic correlations in these systems. The proposed density functional theory has also been applied to an electrolyte absorbed into a pore that is a model of the filter of a physiological calcium channel.

  12. UV Defined Nanoporous Liquid Core Waveguides

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christiansen, Mads Brøkner; Gopalakrishnan, Nimi; Ndoni, Sokol

    2011-01-01

    Nanoporous liquid core waveguides, where both core and cladding are made from the same material, are presented. The nanoporous polymer used is intrinsically hydrophobic, but selective UV exposure enables it to infiltrate with an aqueous solution, thus raising the refractive index from 1.26 to 1...

  13. Nanoparticle mechanics: deformation detection via nanopore resistive pulse sensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darvish, Armin; Goyal, Gaurav; Aneja, Rachna; Sundaram, Ramalingam V. K.; Lee, Kidan; Ahn, Chi Won; Kim, Ki-Bum; Vlahovska, Petia M.; Kim, Min Jun

    2016-07-01

    Solid-state nanopores have been widely used in the past for single-particle analysis of nanoparticles, liposomes, exosomes and viruses. The shape of soft particles, particularly liposomes with a bilayer membrane, can greatly differ inside the nanopore compared to bulk solution as the electric field inside the nanopores can cause liposome electrodeformation. Such deformations can compromise size measurement and characterization of particles, but are often neglected in nanopore resistive pulse sensing. In this paper, we investigated the deformation of various liposomes inside nanopores. We observed a significant difference in resistive pulse characteristics between soft liposomes and rigid polystyrene nanoparticles especially at higher applied voltages. We used theoretical simulations to demonstrate that the difference can be explained by shape deformation of liposomes as they translocate through the nanopores. Comparing our results with the findings from electrodeformation experiments, we demonstrated that the rigidity of liposomes can be qualitatively compared using resistive pulse characteristics. This application of nanopores can provide new opportunities to study the mechanics at the nanoscale, to investigate properties of great value in fundamental biophysics and cellular mechanobiology, such as virus deformability and fusogenicity, and in applied sciences for designing novel drug/gene delivery systems.Solid-state nanopores have been widely used in the past for single-particle analysis of nanoparticles, liposomes, exosomes and viruses. The shape of soft particles, particularly liposomes with a bilayer membrane, can greatly differ inside the nanopore compared to bulk solution as the electric field inside the nanopores can cause liposome electrodeformation. Such deformations can compromise size measurement and characterization of particles, but are often neglected in nanopore resistive pulse sensing. In this paper, we investigated the deformation of various

  14. Controlling Ionic Transport for Device Design in Synthetic Nanopores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalman, Eric Boyd

    Polymer nanopores present a number of behaviors not seen in microscale systems, such as ion current rectification, ionic selectivity, size exclusion and potential dependent ion concentrations in and near the pore. The existence of these effects stems from the small size of nanopores with respect to the characteristic length scales of surface interactions at the interface between the nanopore surface and the solution within it. The large surface-to-volume ratio due to the nanoscale geometry of a nanopore, as well as similarity in scale between geometry and interaction demands the solution interact with the nanopore walls. As surfaces in solution almost always carry residual charge, these surface forces are primarily the electrostatic interactions between the charge groups on the pore surface and the ions in solution. These interactions may be used by the experimentalist to control ionic transport through synthetic nanopores, and use them as a template for the construction of devices. In this research, we present our work on creating a number of ionic analogs to seminal electronic devices, specifically diodes, and transistors, by controlling ionic transport through the electrostatic interactions between a single synthetic nanopore and ions. Control is achieved by "doping" the effective charge carrier concentration in specific regions of the nanopore through manipulation of the pore's surface charge. This manipulation occurs through two mechanisms: chemical modification of the surface charge and electrostatic manipulation of the local internal nanopore potential using a gate electrode. Additionally, the innate selectivity of the charged nanopores walls allows for the separation of charges in solution. This well-known effect, which spawns measureable quantities, the streaming potential and current, has been used to create nanoscale water desalination membranes. We attempt to create a device using membranes with large nanopore densities for the desalination of water

  15. Blocked-micropores, surface functionalized, bio-compatible and silica-coated iron oxide nanocomposites as advanced MRI contrast agent

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Darbandi, Masih; Laurent, Sophie; Busch, Martin; Li Zian; Yuan Ying; Krüger, Michael; Farle, Michael; Winterer, Markus; Vander Elst, Luce; Muller, Robert N.; Wende, Heiko

    2013-01-01

    Biocompatible magnetic nanoparticles have been found promising in several biomedical applications for tagging, imaging, sensing and separation in recent years. In this article, a systematic study of the design and development of surface-modification schemes for silica-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (IONP) via a one-pot, in situ method at room temperature is presented. Silica-coated IONP were prepared in a water-in-oil microemulsion, and subsequently the surface was modified via addition of organosilane reagents to the microemulsion system. The structure and the morphology of the as synthesized nanoparticles have been investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and measurement of N 2 adsorption–desorption. Electron diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopic (TEM) images of the nanoparticles showed the highly crystalline nature of the IONP structures. Nitrogen adsorption indicates microporous and blocked-microporous structures for the silica-coated and amine functionalized silica-coated IONP, respectively which could prove less cytotoxicity of the functionalized final product. Besides, the colloidal stability of the final product and the presence of the modified functional groups on top of surface layer have been proven by zeta-potential measurements. Owing to the benefit from the inner IONP core and the hydrophilic silica shell, the as-synthesized nanocomposites were exploited as an MRI contrast enhancement agent. Relaxometric results prove that the surface functionalized IONP have also signal enhancement properties. These surface functionalized nanocomposites are not only potential candidates for highly efficient contrast agents for MRI, but could also be used as ultrasensitive biological-magnetic labels, because they are in nanoscale size, having magnetic properties, blocked-microporous and are well dispersible in biological environment.

  16. Enhanced Strain in Functional Nanoporous Gold with a Dual Microscopic Length Scale Structure

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Detsi, Eric; Punzhin, Sergey; Rao, Jiancun; Onck, Patrick R.; De Hosson, Jeff Th. M.

    We have synthesized nanoporous Au with a dual microscopic length scale by exploiting the crystal structure of the alloy precursor. The synthesized mesoscopic material is characterized by stacked Au layers of submicrometer thickness. In addition, each layer displays nanoporosity through the entire

  17. Nanoporous hard data: optical encoding of information within nanoporous anodic alumina photonic crystals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Abel; Law, Cheryl Suwen; Pereira, Taj; Losic, Dusan

    2016-04-21

    Herein, we present a method for storing binary data within the spectral signature of nanoporous anodic alumina photonic crystals. A rationally designed multi-sinusoidal anodisation approach makes it possible to engineer the photonic stop band of nanoporous anodic alumina with precision. As a result, the transmission spectrum of these photonic nanostructures can be engineered to feature well-resolved and selectively positioned characteristic peaks across the UV-visible spectrum. Using this property, we implement an 8-bit binary code and assess the versatility and capability of this system by a series of experiments aiming to encode different information within the nanoporous anodic alumina photonic crystals. The obtained results reveal that the proposed nanosized platform is robust, chemically stable, versatile and has a set of unique properties for data storage, opening new opportunities for developing advanced nanophotonic tools for a wide range of applications, including sensing, photonic tagging, self-reporting drug releasing systems and secure encoding of information.

  18. Osseointegration properties of titanium dental implants modified with a nanostructured coating based on ordered porous silica and bioactive glass nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Covarrubias, Cristian; Mattmann, Matías; Von Marttens, Alfredo; Caviedes, Pablo; Arriagada, Cristián; Valenzuela, Francisco; Rodríguez, Juan Pablo; Corral, Camila

    2016-02-01

    The fabrication of a nanoporous silica coating loaded with bioactive glass nanoparticles (nBG/NSC) on titanium dental implant surface and its in vitro and in vivo evaluation is presented. The coating was produced by a combined sol-gel and evaporation induced self-assembly process. In vitro bioactivity was assessed in simulated body fluid (SBF) and investigating the osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). A rat tibial model was employed to analyze the bone response to nBG/NSC-modified titanium implant surface in vivo. The nBG/NSC coating was confirmed at nano level to be constituted by a highly ordered nanoporous silica structure. The coating nanotopography in conjunction with the bioactivity of the BG particles accelerate the in vitro apatite formation and promote the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs in absence of osteogenic supplements. These properties accelerate the formation of bone tissue in the periphery of the implant after 3 weeks of implantation. Backscattered scanning electron microscopy images revealed the presence of gaps and soft tissue in the unmodified implant after 6 weeks, whereas the nBG/NSC-modified implant showed mature bone in intimate contact with the implant surface. The nBG/NSC coating appears promising for accelerating the osseointegration of dental implants.

  19. Nanoporous Silica Templated HeteroEpitaxy: Final LDRD Report.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Burckel, David Bruce; Koleske, Daniel; Rowen, Adam M.; Williams, John Dalton; Fan, Hongyou; Arrington, Christian Lew

    2006-11-01

    This one-year out-of-the-box LDRD was focused on exploring the use of porous growth masks as a method for defect reduction during heteroepitaxial crystal growth. Initially our goal was to investigate porous silica as a growth mask, however, we expanded the scope of the research to include several other porous growth masks on various size scales, including mesoporous carbon, and the UV curable epoxy, SU-8. Use of SU-8 as a growth mask represents a new direction, unique in the extensive literature of patterned epitaxial growth, and presents the possibility of providing a single step growth mask. Additional research included investigation of pore viability via electrochemical deposition into high aspect ratio photoresist patterns and pilot work on using SU-8 as a DUV negative resist, another significant potential result. While the late start nature of this project pushed some of the initial research goals out of the time table, significant progress was made. 3 Acknowledgements This work was performed in part at the Nanoscience @ UNM facility, a member of the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network, which is supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant ECS 03-35765). Sandia is multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United Stated Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000. This work was supported under the Sandia LDRD program (Project 99405). 4

  20. Meso-/Nanoporous Semiconducting Metal Oxides for Gas Sensor Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nguyen Duc Hoa

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Development and/or design of new materials and/or structures for effective gas sensor applications with fast response and high sensitivity, selectivity, and stability are very important issues in the gas sensor technology. This critical review introduces our recent progress in the development of meso-/nanoporous semiconducting metal oxides and their applications to gas sensors. First, the basic concepts of resistive gas sensors and the recent synthesis of meso-/nanoporous metal oxides for gas sensor applications are introduced. The advantages of meso-/nanoporous metal oxides are also presented, taking into account the crystallinity and ordered/disordered porous structures. Second, the synthesis methods of meso-/nanoporous metal oxides including the soft-template, hard-template, and temple-free methods are introduced, in which the advantages and disadvantages of each synthetic method are figured out. Third, the applications of meso-/nanoporous metal oxides as gas sensors are presented. The gas nanosensors are designed based on meso-/nanoporous metal oxides for effective detection of toxic gases. The sensitivity, selectivity, and stability of the meso-/nanoporous gas nanosensors are also discussed. Finally, some conclusions and an outlook are presented.

  1. Monomer functionalized silica coated with Ag nanoparticles for enhanced SERS hotspots

    Science.gov (United States)

    Newmai, M. Boazbou; Verma, Manoj; Kumar, P. Senthil

    2018-05-01

    Mesoporous silica (SiO2) spheres are well-known for their excellent chromatographic properties such as the relatively high specific surface, large pore volume, uniform particle size, narrow pore size distribution with favorable pore connectivity; whereas the noble metal Ag nanoparticles have unique size/shape dependant surface plasmon resonance with wide ranging applications. Thus, the desire to synchronize both their properties for specific applications has naturally prompted research in the design and synthesis of core-shell type novel nanoAg@mesoSiO2 nanocomposites, which display potential utility in applications such as photothermal therapy, photocatalysis, molecular sensing, and photovoltaics. In the present work, SiO2 spheres were carefully functionalized with the monomer, N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP), which cohesively controls the uniform mass transfer of Ag+ metal ions, thereby enabling its sequential reduction to zerovalent Ag (in the presence of slightly excess NaOH) by electron transfer from nucleophilic attack of the NVP vinyl group by the water molecules even under ambient conditions. Complete metal nanoshell coverage of the silica surface was obtained after multiple Ag deposition cycles, as systematically confirmed from the BET, TEM, optical and FTIR characterization. Our present Ag-coated silica spheres were directly utilized as viable SERS substrates with high sensitivity in contrast with other long chain polymer/surfactant coated silica spheres, owing to the presence of significant number of nanogaps enhanced SERS 'hotspots', which were methodically analyzed utilizing two example analytes, such as crystal violet (CV) and calendula officinalis (CaF).

  2. Preparation and CO{sub 2} adsorption properties of aminopropyl-functionalized mesoporous silica microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Araki, S.; Doi, H.; Sano, Y.; Tanaka, S.; Miyake, Y. [Hitachi Zosen Corp., Osaka (Japan). Technical Research Institute

    2009-11-15

    Aminopropyl-functionalized mesoporous silica microspheres (AF-MSM) were synthesized by a simple one-step modified Stober method. Dodecylamine (DDA) was used as the catalyst for the hydrolysis and condensation of the silica source and as the molecular template to prepare the ordered mesopores. The mesoporous silica surfaces were modified to aminopropyl groups by the co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), up to a maximum of 20 mol.% APTES content in the silica source. The particle size, Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) specific surface area, and mesoporous regularity decreased with increasing APTES content. It is believed that this result is caused by a decreasing amount of DDA incorporated into AF-MSM with increasing APTES content. It was also confirmed that the spherical shape and the mesostructure were maintained even if 20 mol.% of APTES was added to the silica source. Moreover, AF-MSM was applied to the CO{sub 2} adsorbent. The breakthrough time of the CO{sub 2} and CO{sub 2} adsorption capacities increased with increasing APTES content. The adsorption capacity of CO{sub 2} for AF-MSM, prepared at 20 mol.% APTES, was 0.54 mmol g{sup -1}. Carbon dioxide adsorbed onto AF-MSM was completely desorbed by heating in a N{sub 2} purge at 423 K for 30 min.

  3. Mesostructured Au/C materials obtained by replication of functionalized SBA-15 silica containing highly dispersed gold nanoparticles

    KAUST Repository

    Kerdi, Fatmé

    2011-04-01

    The preparation and characterization of highly dispersed gold nanoparticles in ordered mesoporous carbons CMK-3 are reported. These carbons were obtained using gold-containing functionalized SBA-15 silicas as hard templates. Two series of Au/SiO2 templates were prepared, depending on the nature of the functionalization molecule. While ammonium-functionalized silicas gave gold particles with a size determined by the pores of the silica support, the use of mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane as grafting molecule afforded the possibility to control the particle size inside the mesopores. Both series gave highly ordered mesoporous carbons with gold particles incorporated in the carbon nanorods. However, the gold particle size in mesoporous carbons was the same for both series and apparently did not depend on the nature of the silica template. Both Au/SiO2 templates and their corresponding Au/CMK-3 materials have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption/desorption, chemical analysis, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance and transmission electron microscopy. They were also used as catalysts in the aerobic oxidation of cyclohexene and trans-stilbene in the liquid phase. © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Biomimetic Mineralization of Gold Nanoclusters as Multifunctional Thin Films for Glass Nanopore Modification, Characterization, and Sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Sumei; Ding, Shushu; Liu, Yingzi; Zhu, Anwei; Shi, Guoyue

    2017-08-01

    Hurdles of nanopore modification and characterization restrain the development of glass capillary-based nanopore sensing platforms. In this article, a simple but effective biomimetic mineralization method was developed to decorate glass nanopore with a thin film of bovine serum albumin-protected Au nanocluster (BSA-Au NC). The BSA-Au NC film emitted a strong red fluorescence whereby nondestructive characterization of Au film decorated at the inner surface of glass nanopore can be facilely achieved by a fluorescence microscopy. Besides, the BSA molecules played dual roles in the fabrication of functionalized Au thin film in glass nanopore: they not only directed the synthesis of fluorescent Au thin film but also provided binding sites for recognition, thus achieving synthesis-modification integration. This occurred due to the ionized carboxyl groups (-COO - ) of a BSA coating layer on Au NCs which can interacted with arginine (Arg) via guanidinium groups. The added Arg selectively led to the change in the charge and ionic current of BSA-Au NC film-decorated glass nanopore. Such ionic current responses can be used for quantifying Arg with a detection limit down to 1 fM, which was more sensitive than that of previous sensing systems. Together, the designed method exhibited great promise in providing a facile and controllable solution for glass nanopore modification, characterization, and sensing.

  5. Biological Nanopores: Confined Spaces for Electrochemical Single-Molecule Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Chan; Long, Yi-Tao

    2018-02-20

    Nanopore sensing is developing into a powerful single-molecule approach to investigate the features of biomolecules that are not accessible by studying ensemble systems. When a target molecule is transported through a nanopore, the ions occupying the pore are excluded, resulting in an electrical signal from the intermittent ionic blockade event. By statistical analysis of the amplitudes, duration, frequencies, and shapes of the blockade events, many properties of the target molecule can be obtained in real time at the single-molecule level, including its size, conformation, structure, charge, geometry, and interactions with other molecules. With the development of the use of α-hemolysin to characterize individual polynucleotides, nanopore technology has attracted a wide range of research interest in the fields of biology, physics, chemistry, and nanoscience. As a powerful single-molecule analytical method, nanopore technology has been applied for the detection of various biomolecules, including oligonucleotides, peptides, oligosaccharides, organic molecules, and disease-related proteins. In this Account, we highlight recent developments of biological nanopores in DNA-based sensing and in studying the conformational structures of DNA and RNA. Furthermore, we introduce the application of biological nanopores to investigate the conformations of peptides affected by charge, length, and dipole moment and to study disease-related proteins' structures and aggregation transitions influenced by an inhibitor, a promoter, or an applied voltage. To improve the sensing ability of biological nanopores and further extend their application to a wider range of molecular sensing, we focus on exploring novel biological nanopores, such as aerolysin and Stable Protein 1. Aerolysin exhibits an especially high sensitivity for the detection of single oligonucleotides both in current separation and duration. Finally, to facilitate the use of nanopore measurements and statistical analysis

  6. Amine functionalized cubic mesoporous silica nanoparticles as an oral delivery system for curcumin bioavailability enhancement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Budi Hartono, Sandy; Hadisoewignyo, Lannie; Yang, Yanan; Meka, Anand Kumar; Antaresti; Yu, Chengzhong

    2016-12-01

    In the present work, a simple method was used to develop composite curcumin-amine functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN). The nanoparticles were used to improve the bioavailability of curcumin in mice through oral administration. We investigated the effect of particle size on the release profile, solubility and oral bioavailability of curcumin in mice, including amine functionalized mesoporous silica micron-sized-particles (MSM) and MSN (100-200 nm). Curcumin loaded within amine functionalized MSN (MSN-A-Cur) had a better release profile and a higher solubility compared to amine MSM (MSM-A-Cur). The bioavailability of MSN-A-Cur and MSM-A-Cur was considerably higher than that of ‘free curcumin’. These results indicate promising features of amine functionalized MSN as a carrier to deliver low solubility drugs with improved bioavailability via the oral route.

  7. Preparation, characterization and photocatalytic applications of amine-functionalized mesoporous silica impregnated with transition-metal-monosubstituted polyoxometalates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Li; Liu, Chunming; Geng Aifang; Jiang Chunjie; Guo Yihang; Hu Changwen

    2006-01-01

    Amine-functionalized mesoporous silica materials impregnated with transition-metal-monosubstituted polyoxometalates, K 5 [M(H 2 O)PW 11 O 39 ]-(EtO) 3 SiCH 2 CH 2 CH 2 NH 2 -MCM-48 (M = Co/Ni), were prepared by coordination of nickel/cobalt centers in the clusters with the amine surface groups in amine-functionalized mesoporous silica supports. The materials obtained were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-vis-DR), infrared (IR) spectra, magic-angle spinning 31 P MAS NMR, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nitrogen adsorption measurements, indicating that the primary Keggin structures remained intact in as-prepared composites, and the composites possessed mesoporous structures. The composites exhibited UV-photocatalytic activity to degrade dye rhodamine B (RB), and the pesticides including hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and methylparathion (MPT). Leakage of K 5 [M(H 2 O)PW 11 O 39 ] from the support was hardly observed during the photocatalytic tests, attributed to strong coordination interactions between the Keggin units and the amine-functionalized silica surface. -- Graphical abstract: The K 5 [M(H 2 O)PW 11 O 39 ]-(EtO) 3 SiCH 2 CH 2 CH 2 NH 2 -SiO 2 composites were prepared by coordination of M centers in the Keggin units with the amine surface groups in amine-functionalized mesoporous silica supports, and the composites exhibited photocatalytic activity to degrade aqueous rhodamine B, hexachlorobenzene and methyl parathion

  8. Surface effects on the mechanical properties of nanoporous materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia Re; Li Xide; Feng Xiqiao; Qin Qinghua; Liu Jianlin

    2011-01-01

    Using the theory of surface elasticity, we investigate the mechanical properties of nanoporous materials. The classical theory of porous materials is modified to account for surface effects, which become increasingly important as the characteristic sizes of microstructures shrink to nanometers. First, a refined Timoshenko beam model is presented to predict the effective elastic modulus of nanoporous materials. Then the surface effects on the elastic microstructural buckling behavior of nanoporous materials are examined. In particular, nanoporous gold is taken as an example to illustrate the application of the proposed model. The results reveal that both the elastic modulus and the critical buckling behavior of nanoporous materials exhibit a distinct dependence on the characteristic sizes of microstructures, e.g. the average ligament width.

  9. Surface effects on the mechanical properties of nanoporous materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xia Re [School of Power and Mechanical Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Li Xide; Feng Xiqiao [AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Qin Qinghua [School of Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200 (Australia); Liu Jianlin, E-mail: fengxq@tsinghua.edu.cn [Department of Engineering Mechanics, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266555 (China)

    2011-07-01

    Using the theory of surface elasticity, we investigate the mechanical properties of nanoporous materials. The classical theory of porous materials is modified to account for surface effects, which become increasingly important as the characteristic sizes of microstructures shrink to nanometers. First, a refined Timoshenko beam model is presented to predict the effective elastic modulus of nanoporous materials. Then the surface effects on the elastic microstructural buckling behavior of nanoporous materials are examined. In particular, nanoporous gold is taken as an example to illustrate the application of the proposed model. The results reveal that both the elastic modulus and the critical buckling behavior of nanoporous materials exhibit a distinct dependence on the characteristic sizes of microstructures, e.g. the average ligament width.

  10. Hydrophilic nanoporous polystyrenes and 1,2-polybutadienes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Guo, Fengxiao; Jankova Atanasova, Katja; Vigild, Martin Etchells

    2008-01-01

    Nanoporous polymers from ordered block copolymers having hydrophilic cavity surfaces were successfully prepared by two methodologies: ' 1. Nanoporous polystyrenes fromPtBA-b-PS diblock or PDMS-b-PtBA-b-PS triblock copolymer precursors by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), or combination...... of living anionic polymerization~ and ATRP r~spectively. The one, PtBA block, can be modified to the hydrophilic PAA, where the dther, polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) block, can be fully degraded. Deprotection of the tert-butyl groups in PtBA and the selective etching of PDMS· chains were accomplished...... by applying HF or TFA in one step. Thus both the di- and triblock copolymers after such a treatment resulted. in nanoporous polystyrenes with hexagonal cavities of different nanosizes (6-11 nm, Figure 1). 2. Nanoporous I,2-polybutadienes (I,2-PB) by grafting various acrylic monomers onto the pore. surfaces...

  11. Nanopore Electrochemistry: A Nexus for Molecular Control of Electron Transfer Reactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-01

    Pore-based structures occur widely in living organisms. Ion channels embedded in cell membranes, for example, provide pathways, where electron and proton transfer are coupled to the exchange of vital molecules. Learning from mother nature, a recent surge in activity has focused on artificial nanopore architectures to effect electrochemical transformations not accessible in larger structures. Here, we highlight these exciting advances. Starting with a brief overview of nanopore electrodes, including the early history and development of nanopore sensing based on nanopore-confined electrochemistry, we address the core concepts and special characteristics of nanopores in electron transfer. We describe nanopore-based electrochemical sensing and processing, discuss performance limits and challenges, and conclude with an outlook for next-generation nanopore electrode sensing platforms and the opportunities they present. PMID:29392173

  12. Nanopore Electrochemistry: A Nexus for Molecular Control of Electron Transfer Reactions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaiyu Fu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Pore-based structures occur widely in living organisms. Ion channels embedded in cell membranes, for example, provide pathways, where electron and proton transfer are coupled to the exchange of vital molecules. Learning from mother nature, a recent surge in activity has focused on artificial nanopore architectures to effect electrochemical transformations not accessible in larger structures. Here, we highlight these exciting advances. Starting with a brief overview of nanopore electrodes, including the early history and development of nanopore sensing based on nanopore-confined electrochemistry, we address the core concepts and special characteristics of nanopores in electron transfer. We describe nanopore-based electrochemical sensing and processing, discuss performance limits and challenges, and conclude with an outlook for next-generation nanopore electrode sensing platforms and the opportunities they present.

  13. Dispersion of Functionalized Silica Micro- and Nanoparticles into Poly(nonamethylene Azelate by Ultrasonic Micro-Molding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angélica Díaz

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Ultrasound micro-molding technology has proved useful in processing biodegradable polymers with minimum material loss. This makes this technology particularly suitable for the production of biomedical microdevices. The use of silica (SiO2 nanoparticles is also interesting because of advantages like low cost and enhancement of final properties. Evaluation of the capacity to create a homogeneous dispersion of particles is crucial. Specifically, this feature was explored taking into account micro- and nano-sized silica particles and a biodegradable polyester derived from 1,9-nonanodiol and azelaic acid as a matrix. Results demonstrated that composites could be obtained with up to 6 wt. % of silica and that no degradation occurred even if particles were functionalized with a compatibilizer like (3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane. Incorporation of nanoparticles should have a great influence on properties. Specifically, the effect on crystallization was evaluated by calorimetric and optical microscopy analyses. The overall crystallization rate was enhanced upon addition of functionalized silica nanospheres, even at the low percentage of 3 wt. %. This increase was mainly due to the ability of nanoparticles to act as heterogeneous nuclei during crystallization. However, the enhancement of the secondary nucleation process also played a significant role, as demonstrated by Lauritzen and Hoffmann analysis.

  14. Enhanced adsorption of trivalent arsenic from water by functionalized diatom silica shells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianying Zhang

    Full Text Available The potential of porous diatom silica shells as a naturally abundant low-cost sorbent for the removal of arsenic in aqueous solutions was investigated in a batch study. The objective of this work was to chemically modify the silica shells of a diatom Melosira sp. with bifunctional (thiol and amino groups to effectively remove arsenic in its toxic As(III form (arsenite predominant in the aquatic environment. Sorption experiments with this novel sorbent were conducted under varying conditions of pH, time, dosage, and As(III concentration. A maximum adsorption capacity of 10.99 mg g-1 was achieved within 26 h for a solution containing 12 mg L-1 As(III at pH 4 and sorbent dosage of 2 g L-1. The functionalized diatom silica shells had a surface morphological change which was accompanied by increased pore size at the expense of reduced specific surface area and total pore volume. As(III adsorption was best fitted with the Langmuir-Freundlich model, and the adsorption kinetic data using pore surface diffusion model showed that both the external (film and internal (intraparticle diffusion can be rate-determining for As(III adsorption. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR indicated that the thiol and amino groups potentially responsible for As(III adsorption were grafted on the surface of diatom silica shells. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS further verified that this unique sorbent proceeded via a chemisorption mechanism through the exchange between oxygen-containing groups of neutral As(III and thiol groups, and through the surface complexation between As(III and protonated nitrogen and hydroxyl groups. Results indicate that this functionalized bioadsorbent with a high As(III adsorption capacity holds promise for the treatment of As(III containing wastewater.

  15. Nanoporous polymer liquid core waveguides

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gopalakrishnan, Nimi; Christiansen, Mads Brøkner; Ndoni, Sokol

    2010-01-01

    We demonstrate liquid core waveguides defined by UV to enable selective water infiltration in nanoporous polymers, creating an effective refractive index shift Δn=0.13. The mode confinement and propagation loss in these waveguides are presented.......We demonstrate liquid core waveguides defined by UV to enable selective water infiltration in nanoporous polymers, creating an effective refractive index shift Δn=0.13. The mode confinement and propagation loss in these waveguides are presented....

  16. Boronic acid functionalized silica microparticles for isolation of flavonoids from Hypericum perforatum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Onur Çetinkaya

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available We have selectively separated cis- and/or vicinal-diol-containing flavonoids from Hypericum perfaratum (HP by adsorption/desorption using aminophenylboronic acid (APBA functionalized uniform (1.6 μm silica microparticles (BASPs synthesized via the Stöber method. Silica particles were alkylated by its terminal –OH with 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APTS, glutaraldehyde (GA and APBA. The results from model adsorption studies indicated that these microparticles selectively adsorbed quercetin and rutin but partially apigenin. The antioxidant and antiradical activities of the desorption solution were slightly higher than that of the post-adsorption solution. These results indicated that the BASP selectively adsorbed the cis- and/or vicinal antioxidant and antiradical flavonoids.

  17. Bridging scales from molecular simulations to classical thermodynamics: density functional theory of capillary condensation in nanopores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neimark, Alexander V; Ravikovitch, Peter I; Vishnyakov, Aleksey

    2003-01-01

    With the example of the capillary condensation of Lennard-Jones fluid in nanopores ranging from 1 to 10 nm, we show that the non-local density functional theory (NLDFT) with properly chosen parameters of intermolecular interactions bridges the scale gap from molecular simulations to macroscopic thermodynamics. On the one hand, NLDFT correctly approximates the results of Monte Carlo simulations (shift of vapour-liquid equilibrium, spinodals, density profiles, adsorption isotherms) for pores wider than about 2 nm. On the other hand, NLDFT smoothly merges (above 7-10 nm) with the Derjaguin-Broekhoff-de Boer equations which represent augmented Laplace-Kelvin equations of capillary condensation and desorption

  18. Streaming current magnetic fields in a charged nanopore

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansouri, Abraham; Taheri, Peyman; Kostiuk, Larry W.

    2016-01-01

    Magnetic fields induced by currents created in pressure driven flows inside a solid-state charged nanopore were modeled by numerically solving a system of steady state continuum partial differential equations, i.e., Poisson, Nernst-Planck, Ampere and Navier-Stokes equations (PNPANS). This analysis was based on non-dimensional transport governing equations that were scaled using Debye length as the characteristic length scale, and applied to a finite length cylindrical nano-channel. The comparison of numerical and analytical studies shows an excellent agreement and verified the magnetic fields density both inside and outside the nanopore. The radially non-uniform currents resulted in highly non-uniform magnetic fields within the nanopore that decay as 1/r outside the nanopore. It is worth noting that for either streaming currents or streaming potential cases, the maximum magnetic field occurred inside the pore in the vicinity of nanopore wall, as opposed to a cylindrical conductor that carries a steady electric current where the maximum magnetic fields occur at the perimeter of conductor. Based on these results, it is suggested and envisaged that non-invasive external magnetic fields readouts generated by streaming/ionic currents may be viewed as secondary electronic signatures of biomolecules to complement and enhance current DNA nanopore sequencing techniques. PMID:27833119

  19. Electronic conductance model in constricted MoS{sub 2} with nanopores

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sarathy, Aditya [Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Leburton, Jean-Pierre, E-mail: jleburto@illinois.edu [Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Department of Physics, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States)

    2016-02-01

    We describe a self-consistent model for electronic transport in a molybdenum di-sulphide (MoS{sub 2}) layer containing a nanopore in a constricted geometry. Our approach is based on a semi-classical thermionic Poisson-Boltzmann technique using a two-valley model within the effective mass approximation to investigate perturbations caused by the nanopore on the electronic current. In particular, we show that the effect of the nanopore on the conductance is reduced as the nanopore is moved from the center to the layer edges. Our model is applied to the detection of DNA translocating through the nanopore, which reveals current features similar to those as predicted in nanopore graphene layers.

  20. Hemi-ordered nanoporous carbon electrode material for highly selective determination of nitrite in physiological and environmental systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Shenghai; Wu, Hongmin; Wu, Ying; Shi, Hongyan; Feng, Xun; Jiang, Shang; Chen, Jian; Song, Wenbo, E-mail: wbsong@jlu.edu.cn

    2014-08-01

    Hemi-ordered nanoporous carbon (HONC) was obtained from a mesoporous silica template through a nano-replication method using furfuryl alcohol as the carbon source. The structure and morphology of HONC were characterized and analyzed in detail by X-ray diffraction, N{sub 2}-sorption, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. HONC was then demonstrated as active electrode material for selective determination of nitrite in either physiological or environmental system. Well separated oxidation peaks of ascorbic acid, dopamine, uric acid and nitrite were observed in physiological system, and simultaneous discrimination of catechol, hydroquinone, resorcinol and nitrite in environmental system was also accomplished. Distinctly improved performances for selective determination of nitrite (such as significantly fast and sensitive current response with especially high selectivity) coexisted with ascorbic acid, dopamine and uric acid in the physiological system, as well as with catechol, hydroquinone and resorcinol in the environmental system were achieved at HONC electrode material. The excellent discriminating ability and high selectivity for NO{sub 2}{sup −} determination were ascribed to the good electronic conductivity, unique hemi-ordered porous structure, large surface area and large number of edge plane defect sites contained on the surface of nanopore walls of HONC. Results in this work demonstrated that HONC is one of the promising catalytic electrode materials for nitrite sensor fabrication. - Highlights: • Hemi-ordered nanoporous carbon as an active electrode material • Good discriminating ability towards NO{sub 2}{sup −} from physiological or environmental system • Highly selective determination of nitrite with fast and sensitive current response.

  1. UV patterned nanoporous solid-liquid core waveguides

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gopalakrishnan, Nimi; Sagar, Kaushal Shashikant; Christiansen, Mads Brøkner

    2010-01-01

    Nanoporous Solid-Liquid core waveguides were prepared by UV induced surface modification of hydrophobic nanoporous polymers. With this method, the index contrast (delta n = 0.20) is a result of selective water infiltration. The waveguide core is defined by UV light, rendering the exposed part...

  2. Nanopore sensors : From hybrid to abiotic systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kocer, Armagan; Tauk, Lara; Dejardin, Philippe

    2012-01-01

    The use of nanopores of well controlled geometry for sensing molecules in solution is reviewed. Focus is concentrated especially on synthetic track-etch pores in polymer foils and on biological nanopores, i.e. ion channels. After a brief section about multipore sensors, specific attention is

  3. Experimental proof of the existence of a Widom line based on peculiarities of the behavior of hydrogen in nanoporous silicate at -45°C and atmospheric pressure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bordonskii, G. S.; Gurulev, A. A.

    2017-04-01

    We have experimentally studied the thermal and microwave properties of a nanoporous medium (silica gel) with hydrogen-filled pores. On cooling down to about -45°C at atmospheric pressure, the system exhibited chemical transformations, a first-order phase transition with heat evolution, and a sharp change in the power of microwave radiation at 34 GHz transmitted through a sample. It is concluded that this point on the phase diagram corresponds to a point on the Widom line featuring sharp increase in fluctuations of the entropy and density of supercooled water formed during hydrogen interaction with the surface of pores in silica gel. These results confirm the existence of a second critical point of water, from which the Widom line originates.

  4. Influence of nanopore surface charge and magnesium ion on polyadenosine translocation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lepoitevin, Mathilde; Bechelany, Mikhael; Janot, Jean-Marc; Balme, Sebastien; Coulon, Pierre Eugène; Cambedouzou, Julien

    2015-01-01

    We investigate the influence of a nanopore surface state and the addition of Mg 2+ on poly-adenosine translocation. To do so, two kinds of nanopores with a low aspect ratio (diameter ∼3–5 nm, length 30 nm) were tailored: the first one with a negative charge surface and the second one uncharged. It was shown that the velocity and the energy barrier strongly depend on the nanopore surface. Typically if the nanopore and polyA exhibit a similar charge, the macromolecule velocity increases and its global energy barrier of entrance in the nanopore decreases, as opposed to the non-charged nanopore. Moreover, the addition of a divalent chelating cation induces an increase of energy barrier of entrance, as expected. However, for a negative nanopore, this effect is counterbalanced by the inversion of the surface charge induced by the adsorption of divalent cations. (paper)

  5. Gassmann Theory Applies to Nanoporous Media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gor, Gennady Y.; Gurevich, Boris

    2018-01-01

    Recent progress in extraction of unconventional hydrocarbon resources has ignited the interest in the studies of nanoporous media. Since many thermodynamic and mechanical properties of nanoscale solids and fluids differ from the analogous bulk materials, it is not obvious whether wave propagation in nanoporous media can be described using the same framework as in macroporous media. Here we test the validity of Gassmann equation using two published sets of ultrasonic measurements for a model nanoporous medium, Vycor glass, saturated with two different fluids, argon, and n-hexane. Predictions of the Gassmann theory depend on the bulk and shear moduli of the dry samples, which are known from ultrasonic measurements and the bulk moduli of the solid and fluid constituents. The solid bulk modulus can be estimated from adsorption-induced deformation or from elastic effective medium theory. The fluid modulus can be calculated according to the Tait-Murnaghan equation at the solvation pressure in the pore. Substitution of these parameters into the Gassmann equation provides predictions consistent with measured data. Our findings set up a theoretical framework for investigation of fluid-saturated nanoporous media using ultrasonic elastic wave propagation.

  6. Nanopore fabricated in pyramidal HfO2 film by dielectric breakdown method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yifan; Chen, Qi; Deng, Tao; Liu, Zewen

    2017-10-01

    The dielectric breakdown method provides an innovative solution to fabricate solid-state nanopores on insulating films. A nanopore generation event via this method is considered to be caused by random charged traps (i.e., structural defects) and high electric fields in the membrane. Thus, the position and number of nanopores on planar films prepared by the dielectric breakdown method is hard to control. In this paper, we propose to fabricate nanopores on pyramidal HfO2 films (10-nm and 15-nm-thick) to improve the ability to control the location and number during the fabrication process. Since the electric field intensity gets enhanced at the corners of the pyramid-shaped film, the probability of nanopore occurrence at vertex and edge areas increases. This priority of appearance provides us chance to control the location and number of nanopores by monitoring a sudden irreversible discrete increase in current. The experimental results showed that the probability of nanopore occurrence decreases in an order from the vertex area, the edge area to the side face area. The sizes of nanopores ranging from 30 nm to 10 nm were obtained. Nanopores fabricated on the pyramid-shaped HfO2 film also showed an obvious ion current rectification characteristic, which might improve the nanopore performance as a biomolecule sequencing platform.

  7. Impedance nanopore biosensor: influence of pore dimensions on biosensing performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kant, Krishna; Yu, Jingxian; Priest, Craig; Shapter, Joe G; Losic, Dusan

    2014-03-07

    Knowledge about electrochemical and electrical properties of nanopore structures and the influence of pore dimensions on these properties is important for the development of nanopore biosensing devices. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of nanopore dimensions (diameter and length) on biosensing performance using non-faradic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Nanoporous alumina membranes (NPAMs) prepared by self-ordered electrochemical anodization of aluminium were used as model nanopore sensing platforms. NPAMs with different pore diameters (25-65 nm) and lengths (4-18 μm) were prepared and the internal pore surface chemistry was modified by covalently attaching streptavidin and biotin. The performance of this antibody nanopore biosensing platform was evaluated using various concentrations of biotin as a model analyte. EIS measurements of pore resistivity and conductivity were carried out for pores with different diameters and lengths. The results showed that smaller pore dimensions of 25 nm and pore lengths up to 10 μm provide better biosensing performance.

  8. Fabrication of Low Noise Borosilicate Glass Nanopores for Single Molecule Sensing.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jayesh A Bafna

    Full Text Available We show low-cost fabrication and characterization of borosilicate glass nanopores for single molecule sensing. Nanopores with diameters of ~100 nm were fabricated in borosilicate glass capillaries using laser assisted glass puller. We further achieve controlled reduction and nanometer-size control in pore diameter by sculpting them under constant electron beam exposure. We successfully fabricate pore diameters down to 6 nm. We next show electrical characterization and low-noise behavior of these borosilicate nanopores and compare their taper geometries. We show, for the first time, a comprehensive characterization of glass nanopore conductance across six-orders of magnitude (1M-1μM of salt conditions, highlighting the role of buffer conditions. Finally, we demonstrate single molecule sensing capabilities of these devices with real-time translocation experiments of individual λ-DNA molecules. We observe distinct current blockage signatures of linear as well as folded DNA molecules as they undergo voltage-driven translocation through the glass nanopores. We find increased signal to noise for single molecule detection for higher trans-nanopore driving voltages. We propose these nanopores will expand the realm of applications for nanopore platform.

  9. Compact Birefringent Waveplates Photo-Induced in Silica by Femtosecond Laser

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthieu Lancry

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Recently, we showed that femtosecond laser induced “nanogratings” consist of thin regions with a low refractive index (Δn = −0.15, due to the formation of nanoporous silica surrounded by regions with a positive index change. In this paper, we investigate a wide range of laser parameters to achieve very high retardance within a single layer; as much as 350 nm at λ = 546 nm but also to minimize the competing losses. We show that the total retardance depends on the number of layers present and can be accumulated in the direction of laser propagation to values higher than 1600 nm. This opens the door to using these nanostructures as refined building blocks for novel optical elements based on strong retardance.

  10. Information Dynamics of a Nonlinear Stochastic Nanopore System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claire Gilpin

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Nanopores have become a subject of interest in the scientific community due to their potential uses in nanometer-scale laboratory and research applications, including infectious disease diagnostics and DNA sequencing. Additionally, they display behavioral similarity to molecular and cellular scale physiological processes. Recent advances in information theory have made it possible to probe the information dynamics of nonlinear stochastic dynamical systems, such as autonomously fluctuating nanopore systems, which has enhanced our understanding of the physical systems they model. We present the results of local (LER and specific entropy rate (SER computations from a simulation study of an autonomously fluctuating nanopore system. We learn that both metrics show increases that correspond to fluctuations in the nanopore current, indicating fundamental changes in information generation surrounding these fluctuations.

  11. Study of polymer molecules and conformations with a nanopore

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golovchenko, Jene A.; Li, Jiali; Stein, Derek; Gershow, Marc H.

    2010-12-07

    The invention features methods for evaluating the conformation of a polymer, for example, for determining the conformational distribution of a plurality of polymers and to detect binding or denaturation events. The methods employ a nanopore which the polymer, e.g., a nucleic acid, traverses. As the polymer traverses the nanopore, measurements of transport properties of the nanopore yield data on the conformation of the polymer.

  12. The impact of framework organic functional groups on the hydrophobicity and overall stability of mesoporous silica materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smeulders, Geert; Meynen, Vera; Silvestre-Albero, Ana; Houthoofd, Kristof; Mertens, Myrjam; Silvestre-Albero, Joaquin; Martens, Johan A.; Cool, Pegie

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: The stability (hydrothermal, mechanical and chemical) of PMOs is studied in a systematic way and ranks them between classic and other hybrid mesoporous silica materials. Highlights: ► The stability (hydrothermal, mechanical and chemical) of PMOs is studied. ► Compared stability of PMOs with classic and other hybrid mesoporous silica materials. ► Immersion calorimetry to study the effect of hydrophobicity. ► PMOs show superior stability. - Abstract: The hydrothermal, mechanical and chemical stability of various mesoporous materials have been studied in detail, using X-ray diffraction and nitrogen sorption. Pure siliceous nanoporous powders (MCM-41 and SBA-15) are evaluated against their hybrid counterparts; namely 2 types of periodic mesoporous organosilicas (benzene and ethane bridged PMOs) and an organosilane grafted MCM-41 material. In primary tests, the stability of the hybrid materials is found to be superior compared to that of the pure siliceous ones. The stability of the materials was correlated to their hydrophobicity via immersion calorimetry, applied for the first time in this context. Based on these results, a clear correlation between the hydrophobicity of a material and its stability has been revealed. In addition, with 29 Si-MAS-NMR and vacuum experiments, the mechanism of the structural deterioration in the three different stability treatments could be unambiguously identified as the hydrolyzation of the siloxane bonds. The homogeneity of the hydrophobic groups throughout the entire network was found to be of great importance, irrespective of the hydrophobic nature at the surface as determined by calorimetric measurements. The results reveal that the most stable material can withstand (a) a pressure of 740 MPa during 5 min, (b) a 2 h stirring in a 2 M NaOH solution and (c) a 3 day steaming treatment at 393 K.

  13. The impact of framework organic functional groups on the hydrophobicity and overall stability of mesoporous silica materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smeulders, Geert, E-mail: geert.smeulders@ua.ac.be [University of Antwerpen (Ukraine), Laboratory of Adsorption and Catalysis, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Meynen, Vera [University of Antwerpen (Ukraine), Laboratory of Adsorption and Catalysis, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Silvestre-Albero, Ana [Universidad de Alicante, Laboratorio de Materiales Avanzados, Apartado 99, 03080 Alicante (Spain); Houthoofd, Kristof [KULeuven, Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, Kasteelpark Arenberg 23, 3001 Heverlee (Belgium); Mertens, Myrjam [Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO N.V.), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol (Belgium); Silvestre-Albero, Joaquin [Universidad de Alicante, Laboratorio de Materiales Avanzados, Apartado 99, 03080 Alicante (Spain); Martens, Johan A. [KULeuven, Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, Kasteelpark Arenberg 23, 3001 Heverlee (Belgium); Cool, Pegie [University of Antwerpen (Ukraine), Laboratory of Adsorption and Catalysis, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk (Belgium)

    2012-02-15

    Graphical abstract: The stability (hydrothermal, mechanical and chemical) of PMOs is studied in a systematic way and ranks them between classic and other hybrid mesoporous silica materials. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The stability (hydrothermal, mechanical and chemical) of PMOs is studied. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Compared stability of PMOs with classic and other hybrid mesoporous silica materials. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Immersion calorimetry to study the effect of hydrophobicity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PMOs show superior stability. - Abstract: The hydrothermal, mechanical and chemical stability of various mesoporous materials have been studied in detail, using X-ray diffraction and nitrogen sorption. Pure siliceous nanoporous powders (MCM-41 and SBA-15) are evaluated against their hybrid counterparts; namely 2 types of periodic mesoporous organosilicas (benzene and ethane bridged PMOs) and an organosilane grafted MCM-41 material. In primary tests, the stability of the hybrid materials is found to be superior compared to that of the pure siliceous ones. The stability of the materials was correlated to their hydrophobicity via immersion calorimetry, applied for the first time in this context. Based on these results, a clear correlation between the hydrophobicity of a material and its stability has been revealed. In addition, with {sup 29}Si-MAS-NMR and vacuum experiments, the mechanism of the structural deterioration in the three different stability treatments could be unambiguously identified as the hydrolyzation of the siloxane bonds. The homogeneity of the hydrophobic groups throughout the entire network was found to be of great importance, irrespective of the hydrophobic nature at the surface as determined by calorimetric measurements. The results reveal that the most stable material can withstand (a) a pressure of 740 MPa during 5 min, (b) a 2 h stirring in a 2 M NaOH solution and (c) a 3 day steaming treatment at 393 K.

  14. Morphological and textural characterization of functionalized particulate silica xerogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Miranda, Lazaro A.; Mohallem, Nelcy D. S.; de Magalhães, Welington F.

    2006-03-01

    The functionalization of xerogels for use in chromatography and catalysis was carried out by solubilization of amorphous silica using a soxhlet extractor. Xerogels were prepared by sol-gel method using tetraethoxysilane, TEOS, ethanol, and water in a 1/3/10 molar ratio with HCl and HF as catalysts. The samples were prepared in monolithic form and dried at 70 °C and 550 °C for 1 h each. After functionalization, changes in textural and morphological characteristics of xerogels were investigated by means of nitrogen gas adsorption, positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). As the analysis methods are based on different physical principles, the results are complementary, leading to a good knowledge of the texture of the samples studied.

  15. Morphological and textural characterization of functionalized particulate silica xerogels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miranda, Lazaro A. de; Mohallem, Nelcy D.S.; Magalhaes, Welington F. de

    2006-01-01

    The functionalization of xerogels for use in chromatography and catalysis was carried out by solubilization of amorphous silica using a soxhlet extractor. Xerogels were prepared by sol-gel method using tetraethoxysilane, TEOS, ethanol, and water in a 1/3/10 molar ratio with HCl and HF as catalysts. The samples were prepared in monolithic form and dried at 70 deg. C and 550 deg. C for 1 h each. After functionalization, changes in textural and morphological characteristics of xerogels were investigated by means of nitrogen gas adsorption, positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). As the analysis methods are based on different physical principles, the results are complementary, leading to a good knowledge of the texture of the samples studied

  16. Modulation of Molecular Flux Using a Graphene Nanopore Capacitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shankla, Manish; Aksimentiev, Aleksei

    2017-04-20

    Modulation of ionic current flowing through nanoscale pores is one of the fundamental biological processes. Inspired by nature, nanopores in synthetic solid-state membranes are being developed to enable rapid analysis of biological macromolecules and to serve as elements of nanofludic circuits. Here, we theoretically investigate ion and water transport through a graphene-insulator-graphene membrane containing a single, electrolyte-filled nanopore. By means of all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we show that the charge state of such a graphene nanopore capacitor can regulate both the selectivity and the magnitude of the nanopore ionic current. At a fixed transmembrane bias, the ionic current can be switched from being carried by an equal mixture of cations and anions to being carried almost exclusively by either cationic or anionic species, depending on the sign of the charge assigned to both plates of the capacitor. Assigning the plates of the capacitor opposite sign charges can either increase the nanopore current or reduce it substantially, depending on the polarity of the bias driving the transmembrane current. Facilitated by the changes of the nanopore surface charge, such ionic current modulations are found to occur despite the physical dimensions of the nanopore being an order of magnitude larger than the screening length of the electrolyte. The ionic current rectification is accompanied by a pronounced electro-osmotic effect that can transport neutral molecules such as proteins and drugs across the solid-state membrane and thereby serve as an interface between electronic and chemical signals.

  17. Enabling cell-cell communication via nanopore formation: structure, function and localization of the unique cell wall amidase AmiC2 of Nostoc punctiforme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Büttner, Felix M; Faulhaber, Katharina; Forchhammer, Karl; Maldener, Iris; Stehle, Thilo

    2016-04-01

    To orchestrate a complex life style in changing environments, the filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme facilitates communication between neighboring cells through septal junction complexes. This is achieved by nanopores that perforate the peptidoglycan (PGN) layer and traverse the cell septa. The N-acetylmuramoyl-l-alanine amidase AmiC2 (Npun_F1846; EC 3.5.1.28) in N. punctiforme generates arrays of such nanopores in the septal PGN, in contrast to homologous amidases that mediate daughter cell separation after cell division in unicellular bacteria. Nanopore formation is therefore a novel property of AmiC homologs. Immunofluorescence shows that native AmiC2 localizes to the maturing septum. The high-resolution crystal structure (1.12 Å) of its catalytic domain (AmiC2-cat) differs significantly from known structures of cell splitting and PGN recycling amidases. A wide and shallow binding cavity allows easy access of the substrate to the active site, which harbors an essential zinc ion. AmiC2-cat exhibits strong hydrolytic activity in vitro. A single point mutation of a conserved glutamate near the zinc ion results in total loss of activity, whereas zinc removal leads to instability of AmiC2-cat. An inhibitory α-helix, as found in the Escherichia coli AmiC(E. coli) structure, is absent. Taken together, our data provide insight into the cell-biological, biochemical and structural properties of an unusual cell wall lytic enzyme that generates nanopores for cell-cell communication in multicellular cyanobacteria. The novel structural features of the catalytic domain and the unique biological function of AmiC2 hint at mechanisms of action and regulation that are distinct from other amidases. The AmiC2-cat structure has been deposited in the Protein Data Bank under accession number 5EMI. © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  18. Nanoporous Pirani sensor based on anodic aluminum oxide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeon, Gwang-Jae; Kim, Woo Young; Shim, Hyun Bin; Lee, Hee Chul

    2016-09-01

    A nanoporous Pirani sensor based on anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) is proposed, and the quantitative relationship between the performance of the sensor and the porosity of the AAO membrane is characterized with a theoretical model. The proposed Pirani sensor is composed of a metallic resistor on a suspended nanoporous membrane, which simultaneously serves as the sensing area and the supporting structure. The AAO membrane has numerous vertically-tufted nanopores, resulting in a lower measurable pressure limit due to both the increased effective sensing area and the decreased effective thermal loss through the supporting structure. Additionally, the suspended AAO membrane structure, with its outer periphery anchored to the substrate, known as a closed-type design, is demonstrated using nanopores of AAO as an etch hole without a bulk micromachining process used on the substrate. In a CMOS-compatible process, a 200 μm × 200 μm nanoporous Pirani sensor with porosity of 25% was capable of measuring the pressure from 0.1 mTorr to 760 Torr. With adjustment of the porosity of the AAO, the measurable range could be extended toward lower pressures of more than one decade compared to a non-porous membrane with an identical footprint.

  19. Swelling, Functionalization, and Structural Changes of the Nanoporous Layered Silicates AMH-3 and MCM-22

    KAUST Repository

    Kim, Wun-gwi; Choi, Sunho; Nair, Sankar

    2011-01-01

    Nanoporous layered silicate materials contain 2D-planar sheets of nanoscopic thickness and ordered porous structure. In comparison to porous 3D-framework materials such as zeolites, they have advantages such as significantly increased surface area

  20. Cholesterol biosensor based on rf sputtered zinc oxide nanoporous thin film

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, S. P.; Arya, Sunil K.; Pandey, Pratibha; Malhotra, B. D.; Saha, Shibu; Sreenivas, K.; Gupta, Vinay

    2007-01-01

    Cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) has been immobilized onto zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoporous thin films grown on gold surface. A preferred c-axis oriented ZnO thin film with porous surface morphology has been fabricated by rf sputtering under high pressure. Optical studies and cyclic voltammetric measurements show that the ChOx/ZnO/Au bioelectrode is sensitive to the detection of cholesterol in 25-400 mg/dl range. A relatively low value of enzyme's kinetic parameter (Michaelis-Menten constant) ∼2.1 mM indicates enhanced enzyme affinity of ChOx to cholesterol. The observed results show promising application of nanoporous ZnO thin film for biosensing application without any functionalization

  1. Hole trapping at Al impurities in silica: A challenge for density functional theories

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lægsgaard, Jesper; Stokbro, Kurt

    2001-01-01

    The atomic geometry and electronic structure around a neutral substitutional Al impurity in silica is investigated using either the unrestricted Hartree-Fock (UHF) approximation, or Beckes three-parameter hybrid functional (B3LYP). It is found that the B3LYP functional fails to describe...... the structural distortions around the Al impurity, while the UHF results are consistent with experimental information. We argue that the failure of the B3LYP functional is caused by the incomplete self-interaction cancellation usually present in density functional theories....

  2. DNA and ion transport through solid-state nanopores

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smeets, R.M.M.

    2008-01-01

    This thesis describes experimental work on a novel type of devices capable of detecting single-(bio)molecules; nanometer-sized pores, or nanopores. Individual nanopores are placed in between two electrolyte-filled liquid compartments and (bio)molecules are electrophoretically driven through them.

  3. Tailoring of the Nanotexture of Mesoporous Silica Films and their Functionalized Derivatives for Selectively Harvesting Low Molecular Weight Protein

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Ye; Bouamrani, Ali; Tasciotti, Ennio; Li, Li; Liu, Xuewu; Ferrari, Mauro

    2010-01-01

    We present a fast, efficient and reliable system based on mesoporous silica chips to specifically fractionate and enrich the low molecular weight proteome. Mesoporous silica thin films with tunable features at the nanoscale were fabricated using the triblock copolymer template pathway. Using different templates and concentrations in the precursor solution, various pore size distributions, pore structures and connectivity were obtained and applied for selective recovery of low mass proteins. In combination with mass spectrometry and statistic analysis, we demonstrated the correlation between the nanophase characteristics of the mesoporous silica thin films and the specificity and efficacy of low mass proteome harvesting. In addition, to overcome the limitations of the pre-functionalization method in polymer selection, plasma ashing was used for the first time for the treatment of the mesoporous silica surface prior to chemical modification. Surface charge modifications by different functional groups resulted in a selective capture of the low molecular weight proteins from serum sample. In conclusion our study demonstrates that the ability to tune the physico-chemical properties of mesoporous silica surfaces, for a selective enrichment of the low molecular weight proteome from complex biological fluids, has the potential to promote proteomic biomarker discovery. PMID:20014864

  4. Characterization of nanoporous shales with gas sorption

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joewondo, N.; Prasad, M.

    2017-12-01

    The understanding of the fluid flow in porous media requires the knowledge of the pore system involved. Fluid flow in fine grained shales falls under different regime than transport regime in conventional reservoir due to the different average pore sizes in the two materials; the average pore diameter of conventional sandstones is on the micrometer scale, while of shales can be as small as several nanometers. Mercury intrusion porosimetry is normally used to characterize the pores of conventional reservoir, however with increasingly small pores, the injection pressure required to imbibe the pores becomes infinitely large due to surface tension. Characterization of pores can be expressed by a pore size distribution (PSD) plot, which reflects distribution of pore volume or surface area with respect to pore size. For the case of nanoporous materials, the surface area, which serves as the interface between the rock matrix and fluid, becomes increasingly large and important. Physisorption of gas has been extensively studied as a method of nanoporous solid characterization (particularly for the application of catalysis, metal organic frameworks, etc). The PSD is obtained by matching the experimental result to the calculated theoretical result (using Density Functional Theory (DFT), a quantum mechanics based modelling method for molecular scale interactions). We present the challenges and experimental result of Nitrogen and CO2 gas sorption on shales with various mineralogy and the interpreted PSD obtained by DFT method. Our result shows significant surface area contributed by the nanopores of shales, hence the importance of surface area measurements for the characterization of shales.

  5. Ion current rectification, limiting and overlimiting conductances in nanopores.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liesbeth van Oeffelen

    Full Text Available Previous reports on Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP simulations of solid-state nanopores have focused on steady state behaviour under simplified boundary conditions. These are Neumann boundary conditions for the voltage at the pore walls, and in some cases also Donnan equilibrium boundary conditions for concentrations and voltages at both entrances of the nanopore. In this paper, we report time-dependent and steady state PNP simulations under less restrictive boundary conditions, including Neumann boundary conditions applied throughout the membrane relatively far away from the nanopore. We simulated ion currents through cylindrical and conical nanopores with several surface charge configurations, studying the spatial and temporal dependence of the currents contributed by each ion species. This revealed that, due to slow co-diffusion of oppositely charged ions, steady state is generally not reached in simulations or in practice. Furthermore, it is shown that ion concentration polarization is responsible for the observed limiting conductances and ion current rectification in nanopores with asymmetric surface charges or shapes. Hence, after more than a decade of collective research attempting to understand the nature of ion current rectification in solid-state nanopores, a relatively intuitive model is retrieved. Moreover, we measured and simulated current-voltage characteristics of rectifying silicon nitride nanopores presenting overlimiting conductances. The similarity between measurement and simulation shows that overlimiting conductances can result from the increased conductance of the electric double-layer at the membrane surface at the depletion side due to voltage-induced polarization charges. The MATLAB source code of the simulation software is available via the website http://micr.vub.ac.be.

  6. Structural evolution of nanoporous silica thin films studied by positron annihilation spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patel, N; Mariazzi, S; Toniutti, L; Checchetto, R; Miotello, A; Dire, S; Brusa, R S

    2007-01-01

    Three series of silica thin films with thicknesses in the 300 nm range were deposited by spin coating on Si substrates using different compositions of the sol precursors. Film samples were thermally treated in static air at temperatures ranging from 300 to 900 deg. C. The effect of sol precursors and thermal treatment temperature on the film porosity was analysed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, depth profiling with positron annihilation spectroscopy (DP-PAS) and the analysis of the capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristic. The maximum of the total porosity was found to occur at a temperature of 600 deg. C when removal of porogen and OH groups was completed. Film densification due to the collapsing of the pores was observed after drying at 900 deg. C. DP-PAS provides evidence that the increase in the total porosity is related to a progressive increase in the pore size. The increase in the pore size never gives rise to the onset of connected porosity. In the silica film samples prepared using a low acidity sol precursor, the pore size is always lower than 1 nm. By increasing the acid catalyst ratio in the sol, larger pores are formed. Pores with size larger than 2.3 nm can be obtained by adding porogen to the sol. In each series of silica film samples the shift of the antisymmetric Si-O-Si transversal optical (TO 3 ) mode upon thermal treatment correlates with a change of the pore size as evidenced by DP-PAS analysis. The pore microstructure of the three series of silica films is different at all the examined treatment temperatures and depends on the composition of the precursor sol

  7. Structural evolution of nanoporous silica thin films studied by positron annihilation spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, N.; Mariazzi, S.; Toniutti, L.; Checchetto, R.; Miotello, A.; Dirè, S.; Brusa, R. S.

    2007-09-01

    Three series of silica thin films with thicknesses in the 300 nm range were deposited by spin coating on Si substrates using different compositions of the sol precursors. Film samples were thermally treated in static air at temperatures ranging from 300 to 900 °C. The effect of sol precursors and thermal treatment temperature on the film porosity was analysed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, depth profiling with positron annihilation spectroscopy (DP-PAS) and the analysis of the capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristic. The maximum of the total porosity was found to occur at a temperature of 600 °C when removal of porogen and OH groups was completed. Film densification due to the collapsing of the pores was observed after drying at 900 °C. DP-PAS provides evidence that the increase in the total porosity is related to a progressive increase in the pore size. The increase in the pore size never gives rise to the onset of connected porosity. In the silica film samples prepared using a low acidity sol precursor, the pore size is always lower than 1 nm. By increasing the acid catalyst ratio in the sol, larger pores are formed. Pores with size larger than 2.3 nm can be obtained by adding porogen to the sol. In each series of silica film samples the shift of the antisymmetric Si-O-Si transversal optical (TO3) mode upon thermal treatment correlates with a change of the pore size as evidenced by DP-PAS analysis. The pore microstructure of the three series of silica films is different at all the examined treatment temperatures and depends on the composition of the precursor sol.

  8. Nanopore biosensors for detection of proteins and nucleic acids

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maglia, Giovanni; Soskine, Mikhael

    2014-01-01

    Described herein are nanopore biosensors based on a modified cytolysin protein. The nanopore biosensors accommodate macromoiecules including proteins and nucleic acids, and may additionally comprise ligands with selective binding properties.

  9. Cyclodextrin-functionalized mesostructured silica nanoparticles for removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Topuz, Fuat; Uyar, Tamer

    2017-07-01

    Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the byproducts of the incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels, and have high affinity towards DNA strands, ultimately exerting their carcinogenic effects. They are ubiquitousenvironmental contaminants,and can accumulate on tissues due to their lipophilic nature. In this article, we describe a novel concept for PAH removal from aqueous solutions using cyclodextrin-functionalized mesostructured silica nanoparticles (CDMSNs) and pristine mesostructured silica nanoparticles (MSNs). The adsorption applications of MSNs are greatly restricted due to the absence of surface functional groups on such particles. In this regard, cyclodextrins can serve as ideal functional molecules with their toroidal, cone-type structure, capable of inclusion-complex formation with many hydrophobic molecules, including genotoxic PAHs. The CDMSNs were synthesized by the surfactant-templated, NaOH-catalyzed condensation reactions of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) in the presence of two different types of cyclodextrin (i.e. hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) and native β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)). The physical incorporation of CD moieties was supported by XPS, FT-IR, NMR, TGA and solid-state 13 C NMR. The CDMSNs were treated with aqueous solutions of five different PAHs (e.g. pyrene, anthracene, phenanthrene, fluorene and fluoranthene). The functionalization of MSNs with cyclodextrin moieties significantly boosted the sorption capacity (q) of the MSNs up to ∼2-fold, and the q ranged between 0.3 and 1.65mg per gram CDMSNs, of which the performance was comparable to that of the activated carbon. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Ion selection of charge-modified large nanopores in a graphene sheet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Shijun; Xue, Jianming; Kang, Wei

    2013-09-01

    Water desalination becomes an increasingly important approach for clean water supply to meet the rapidly growing demand of population boost, industrialization, and urbanization. The main challenge in current desalination technologies lies in the reduction of energy consumption and economic costs. Here, we propose to use charged nanopores drilled in a graphene sheet as ion exchange membranes to promote the efficiency and capacity of desalination systems. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate the selective ion transport behavior of electric-field-driven KCl electrolyte solution through charge modified graphene nanopores. Our results reveal that the presence of negative charges at the edge of graphene nanopore can remarkably impede the passage of Cl- while enhance the transport of K+, which is an indication of ion selectivity for electrolytes. We further demonstrate that this selectivity is dependent on the pore size and total charge number assigned at the nanopore edge. By adjusting the nanopore diameter and electric charge on the graphene nanopore, a nearly complete rejection of Cl- can be realized. The electrical resistance of nanoporous graphene, which is a key parameter to evaluate the performance of ion exchange membranes, is found two orders of magnitude lower than commercially used membranes. Our results thus suggest that graphene nanopores are promising candidates to be used in electrodialysis technology for water desalinations with a high permselectivity.

  11. Fabrication of an open Au/nanoporous film by water-in-oil emulsion-induced block copolymer micelles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koh, Haeng-Deog; Kang, Nam-Goo; Lee, Jae-Suk

    2007-12-18

    Water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion-induced micelles with narrow size distributions of approximately 140 nm were prepared by sonicating the polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) block copolymer in the toluene/water (50:1 vol %). The ordered nanoporous block copolymer films with the hydrophilic P2VP interior and the PS matrix were distinctly fabricated by casting the resultant solution on substrates, followed by evaporating the organic solvent and water. The porous diameter was estimated to be about 70 nm. Here, we successfully prepared the open nanoporous nanocomposites, the P2VP domain decorated by Au (5+/-0.4 nm) nanoparticles based on the methodology mentioned. We anticipate that this novelty enhances the specific function of nanoporous films.

  12. Magnetic core-shell silica particles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Claesson, E.M.

    2007-01-01

    This thesis deals with magnetic silica core-shell colloids and related functionalized silica structures. Synthesis routes have been developed and optimized. The physical properties of these colloids have been investigated, such as the magnetic dipole moment, dipolar structure formation and

  13. Detection of urea-induced internal denaturation of dsDNA using solid-state nanopores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singer, Alon; Kuhn, Heiko; Frank-Kamenetskii, Maxim; Meller, Amit

    2010-11-17

    The ability to detect and measure dsDNA thermal fluctuations is of immense importance in understanding the underlying mechanisms responsible for transcription and replication regulation. We describe here the ability of solid-state nanopores to detect sub-nanometer changes in DNA structure as a result of chemically enhanced thermal fluctuations. In this study, we investigate the subtle changes in the mean effective diameter of a dsDNA molecule with 3-5 nm solid-state nanopores as a function of urea concentration and the DNA's AT content. Our studies reveal an increase in the mean effective diameter of a DNA molecule of approximately 0.6 nm at 8.7 M urea. In agreement with the mechanism of DNA local denaturation, we observe a sigmoid dependence of these effects on urea concentration. We find that the translocation times in urea are markedly slower than would be expected if the dynamics were governed primarily by viscous effects. Furthermore, we find that the sensitivity of the nanopore is sufficient to statistically differentiate between DNA molecules of nearly identical lengths differing only in sequence and AT content when placed in 3.5 M urea. Our results demonstrate that nanopores can detect subtle structural changes and are thus a valuable tool for detecting differences in biomolecules' environment.

  14. Detection of urea-induced internal denaturation of dsDNA using solid-state nanopores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singer, Alon; Kuhn, Heiko; Frank-Kamenetskii, Maxim; Meller, Amit

    2010-01-01

    The ability to detect and measure dsDNA thermal fluctuations is of immense importance in understanding the underlying mechanisms responsible for transcription and replication regulation. We describe here the ability of solid-state nanopores to detect sub-nanometer changes in DNA structure as a result of chemically enhanced thermal fluctuations. In this study, we investigate the subtle changes in the mean effective diameter of a dsDNA molecule with 3-5 nm solid-state nanopores as a function of urea concentration and the DNA's AT content. Our studies reveal an increase in the mean effective diameter of a DNA molecule of approximately 0.6 nm at 8.7 M urea. In agreement with the mechanism of DNA local denaturation, we observe a sigmoid dependence of these effects on urea concentration. We find that the translocation times in urea are markedly slower than would be expected if the dynamics were governed primarily by viscous effects. Furthermore, we find that the sensitivity of the nanopore is sufficient to statistically differentiate between DNA molecules of nearly identical lengths differing only in sequence and AT content when placed in 3.5 M urea. Our results demonstrate that nanopores can detect subtle structural changes and are thus a valuable tool for detecting differences in biomolecules' environment.

  15. Physisorption of SDS in a Hydrocarbon Nanoporous Polymer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Li; Wang, Yanwei; Vigild, Martin Etchells

    2010-01-01

    Surface modification of nanoporous 1,2-polybutadiene of pore diameter similar to 15 nm was accomplished by physisorption of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in water. Loading of the aqueous solution and the accompanying physisorption of SDS into the hydrophobic nanoporous films were investigated in a...

  16. Synthesis, Processing, and Characterization of Inorganic-Organic Hybrid Cross-Linked Silica, Organic Polyimide, and Inorganic Aluminosilicate Aerogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Baochau N.; Guo, Haiquan N.; McCorkle, Linda S.

    2014-01-01

    As aerospace applications become ever more demanding, novel insulation materials with lower thermal conductivity, lighter weight and higher use temperature are required to fit the aerospace application needs. Having nanopores and high porosity, aerogels are superior thermal insulators, among other things. The use of silica aerogels in general is quite restricted due to their inherent fragility, hygroscopic nature, and poor mechanical properties, especially in extereme aerospace environments. Our research goal is to develop aerogels with better mechanical and environmental stability for a variety of aeronautic and space applications including space suit insulation for planetary surface missions, insulation for inflatable structures for habitats, inflatable aerodynamic decelerators for entry, descent and landing (EDL) operations, and cryotank insulation for advance space propulsion systems. Different type of aerogels including organic-inorganic polymer reinforced (hybrid) silica-based aerogels, polyimide aerogels and inorganic aluminosilicate aerogels have been developed and examined.

  17. Nanoporous carbon actuator and methods of use thereof

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biener, Juergen [San Leandro, CA; Baumann, Theodore F [Discovery Bay, CA; Shao, Lihua [Karlsruhe, DE; Weissmueller, Joerg [Stutensee, DE

    2012-07-31

    An electrochemically driveable actuator according to one embodiment includes a nanoporous carbon aerogel composition capable of exhibiting charge-induced reversible strain when wetted by an electrolyte and a voltage is applied thereto. An electrochemically driven actuator according to another embodiment includes a nanoporous carbon aerogel composition wetted by an electrolyte; and a mechanism for causing charge-induced reversible strain of the composition. A method for electrochemically actuating an object according to one embodiment includes causing charge-induced reversible strain of a nanoporous carbon aerogel composition wetted with an electrolyte to actuate the object by the strain.

  18. Silicon deposition in nanopores using a liquid precursor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masuda, Takashi; Tatsuda, Narihito; Yano, Kazuhisa; Shimoda, Tatsuya

    2016-11-01

    Techniques for depositing silicon into nanosized spaces are vital for the further scaling down of next-generation devices in the semiconductor industry. In this study, we filled silicon into 3.5-nm-diameter nanopores with an aspect ratio of 70 by exploiting thermodynamic behaviour based on the van der Waals energy of vaporized cyclopentasilane (CPS). We originally synthesized CPS as a liquid precursor for semiconducting silicon. Here we used CPS as a gas source in thermal chemical vapour deposition under atmospheric pressure because vaporized CPS can fill nanopores spontaneously. Our estimation of the free energy of CPS based on Lifshitz van der Waals theory clarified the filling mechanism, where CPS vapour in the nanopores readily undergoes capillary condensation because of its large molar volume compared to those of other vapours such as water, toluene, silane, and disilane. Consequently, a liquid-specific feature was observed during the deposition process; specifically, condensed CPS penetrated into the nanopores spontaneously via capillary force. The CPS that filled the nanopores was then transformed into solid silicon by thermal decomposition at 400 °C. The developed method is expected to be used as a nanoscale silicon filling technology, which is critical for the fabrication of future quantum scale silicon devices.

  19. Thiol-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica for Effective Trap of Mercury in Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Zhao

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The chance of exposure to heavy metal for human being rises severely today due to the increasing water contamination and air pollution. Here, we prepared a series of thiol-functionalized mesoporous silica as oral formulation for the prevention and treatment of heavy metal poisoning. The successful incorporation of thiol was verified by the FTIR spectra. SBA15-SH-10 was used for the study as it is of uniform mesopores and fine water dispersibility. In simulated gastrointestinal fluid, the thiol-functionalized mesoporous silica can selectively capture heavy metal, showing a very high affinity for inorganic mercury (II. The blood and urine mercury levels of rats fed with a diet containing Hg (II and material were significantly lower than those of rats fed with the metal-rich diet only. On the contrary, the mercury content in fecal excretion of the treatment group increased more than twice as much as that of the control group. This result indicated that SBA15-SH-10 could effectively remove mercury (II in vivo and the mercury loaded on SBA15-SH-10 would be excreted out. Hence, SBA15-SH-10 has potential application in preventing and treating heavy metal poisoning via digestive system.

  20. Optical Sensors for Biomolecules Using Nanoporous Sol-Gel Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Jonathan; Zhou, Jing C.; Lan, Esther H.; Dunn, Bruce; Gillman, Patricia L.; Smith, Scott M.

    2004-01-01

    An important consideration for space missions to Mars is the ability to detect biosignatures. Solid-state sensing elements for optical detection of biological entities are possible using sol-gel based biologically active materials. We have used these materials as optical sensing elements in a variety of bioassays, including immunoassays and enzyme assays. By immobilizing an appropriate biomolecule in the sol-gel sensing element, we have successfully detected analytes such as amino acids and hormones. In the case of the amino acid glutamate, the enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase was the immobilized molecule, whereas in the case of the hormone cortisol, an anti-cortisol antibody was immobilized in the sensing element. In this previous work with immobilized enzymes and antibodies, excellent sensitivity and specificity were demonstrated in a variety of formats including bulk materials, thin films and fibers. We believe that the sol-gel approach is an attractive platform for bioastronautics sensing applications because of the ability to detect a wide range of entities such as amino acids, fatty acids, hopanes, porphyrins, etc. The sol-gel approach produces an optically transparent 3D silica matrix that forms around the biomolecule of interest, thus stabilizing its structure and functionality while allowing for optical detection. This encapsulation process protects the biomolecule and leads to a more "rugged" sensor. The nanoporous structure of the sol-gel matrix allows diffusion of small target molecules but keeps larger, biomolecules immobilized in the pores. We are currently developing these biologically active sol-gel materials into small portable devices for on-orbit cortisol detection

  1. Theoretical and experimental studies on ionic currents in nanopore-based biosensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lei; Li, Chu; Ma, Jian; Wu, Yingdong; Ni, Zhonghua; Chen, Yunfei

    2014-12-01

    Novel generation of analytical technology based on nanopores has provided possibilities to fabricate nanofluidic devices for low-cost DNA sequencing or rapid biosensing. In this paper, a simplified model was suggested to describe DNA molecule's translocation through a nanopore, and the internal potential, ion concentration, ionic flowing speed and ionic current in nanopores with different sizes were theoretically calculated and discussed on the basis of Poisson-Boltzmann equation, Navier-Stokes equation and Nernst-Planck equation by considering several important parameters, such as the applied voltage, the thickness and the electric potential distributions in nanopores. In this way, the basic ionic currents, the modulated ionic currents and the current drops induced by translocation were obtained, and the size effects of the nanopores were carefully compared and discussed based on the calculated results and experimental data, which indicated that nanopores with a size of 10 nm or so are more advantageous to achieve high quality ionic current signals in DNA sensing.

  2. Role of aluminum doping on phase transformations in nanoporous titania anodic oxides

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bayata, Fatma [Istanbul Bilgi University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 34060, Eyup, Istanbul (Turkey); Ürgen, Mustafa, E-mail: urgen@itu.edu.tr [Istanbul Technical University, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, 34469, Maslak, Istanbul (Turkey)

    2015-10-15

    The role of aluminium doping on anatase to rutile phase transformation of nanoporous titanium oxide films were investigated. For this purpose pure and aluminum doped metal films were deposited on alumina substrates by cathodic arc physical deposition. The nanoporous anodic oxides were prepared by porous anodizing of pure and aluminum doped titanium metallic films in an ethylene glycol + NH{sub 4}F based electrolyte. Nanoporous amorphous structures with 60–80 nm diameter and 2–4 μm length were formed on the surfaces of alumina substrates. The amorphous undoped and Al-doped TiO{sub 2} anodic oxides were heat-treated at different temperatures in the range of 280–720 °C for the investigation of their crystallization behavior. The combined effects of nanoporous structure and Al doping on crystallization behavior of titania were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and micro Raman analysis. The results indicated that both Al ions incorporated into the TiO{sub 2} structure and the nanoporous structure retarded the rutile formation. It was also revealed that presence or absence of metallic film underneath the nanopores has a major contribution to anatase-rutile transformation. - Highlights: • Al-doped TiO{sub 2} nanopores were grown on alumina substrates using anodization method. • The crystallization behavior of nanoporous Al-doped TiO{sub 2} were investigated. • Al doping into nanoporous TiO{sub 2} retarded the anatase-rutile transformation. • Nanostructuring has significant role in controlling rutile formation temperature. • The absence of the metallic film under the nanopores delayed the rutile formation.

  3. Synthesis and electrochemical study of Pt-based nanoporous materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Jingpeng; Holt-Hindle, Peter; MacDonald, Duncan; Thomas, Dan F.; Chen Aicheng

    2008-01-01

    In the present work, a variety of Pt-based bimetallic nanostructured materials including nanoporous Pt, Pt-Ru, Pt-Ir, Pt-Pd and Pt-Pb networks have been directly grown on titanium substrates via a facile hydrothermal method. The as-fabricated electrodes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and electrochemical methods. The active surface areas of these nanoporous Pt-based alloy catalysts are increased by over 68 (Pt-Pd), 69 (Pt-Ru) and 113 (Pt-Ir) fold compared to a polycrystalline Pt electrode. All these synthesized nanoporous electrodes exhibit superb electrocatalytic performance towards electrochemical oxidation of methanol and formic acid. Among the five nanoporous Pt-based electrodes, the Pt-Ir shows the highest peak current density at +0.50 V, with 68 times of enhancement compared to the polycrystalline Pt for methanol oxidation, and with 86 times of enhancement in formic acid oxidation; whereas the catalytic activity of the nanoporous Pt-Pb electrode outperforms the other materials in formic acid oxidation at the low potential regions, delivering an enhanced current density by 280-fold compared to the polycrystalline Pt at +0.15 V. The new approach described in this study is suitable for synthesizing a wide range of bi-metallic and tri-metallic nanoporous materials, desirable for electrochemical sensor design and potential application in fuel cells

  4. Synthesis and electrochemical study of Pt-based nanoporous materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Jingpeng [Department of Chemistry, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 5E1 (Canada); Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 (Canada); Holt-Hindle, Peter; MacDonald, Duncan [Department of Chemistry, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 5E1 (Canada); Thomas, Dan F. [Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 (Canada); Chen Aicheng [Department of Chemistry, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 5E1 (Canada)], E-mail: aicheng.chen@lakeheadu.ca

    2008-10-01

    In the present work, a variety of Pt-based bimetallic nanostructured materials including nanoporous Pt, Pt-Ru, Pt-Ir, Pt-Pd and Pt-Pb networks have been directly grown on titanium substrates via a facile hydrothermal method. The as-fabricated electrodes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and electrochemical methods. The active surface areas of these nanoporous Pt-based alloy catalysts are increased by over 68 (Pt-Pd), 69 (Pt-Ru) and 113 (Pt-Ir) fold compared to a polycrystalline Pt electrode. All these synthesized nanoporous electrodes exhibit superb electrocatalytic performance towards electrochemical oxidation of methanol and formic acid. Among the five nanoporous Pt-based electrodes, the Pt-Ir shows the highest peak current density at +0.50 V, with 68 times of enhancement compared to the polycrystalline Pt for methanol oxidation, and with 86 times of enhancement in formic acid oxidation; whereas the catalytic activity of the nanoporous Pt-Pb electrode outperforms the other materials in formic acid oxidation at the low potential regions, delivering an enhanced current density by 280-fold compared to the polycrystalline Pt at +0.15 V. The new approach described in this study is suitable for synthesizing a wide range of bi-metallic and tri-metallic nanoporous materials, desirable for electrochemical sensor design and potential application in fuel cells.0.

  5. Synthesis and electrochemical study of Pt-based nanoporous materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Jingpeng [Department of Chemistry, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 5E1 (Canada); Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 (Canada); Holt-Hindle, Peter; MacDonald, Duncan; Chen, Aicheng [Department of Chemistry, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B 5E1 (Canada); Thomas, Dan F. [Department of Chemistry, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1 (Canada)

    2008-10-01

    In the present work, a variety of Pt-based bimetallic nanostructured materials including nanoporous Pt, Pt-Ru, Pt-Ir, Pt-Pd and Pt-Pb networks have been directly grown on titanium substrates via a facile hydrothermal method. The as-fabricated electrodes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and electrochemical methods. The active surface areas of these nanoporous Pt-based alloy catalysts are increased by over 68 (Pt-Pd), 69 (Pt-Ru) and 113 (Pt-Ir) fold compared to a polycrystalline Pt electrode. All these synthesized nanoporous electrodes exhibit superb electrocatalytic performance towards electrochemical oxidation of methanol and formic acid. Among the five nanoporous Pt-based electrodes, the Pt-Ir shows the highest peak current density at +0.50 V, with 68 times of enhancement compared to the polycrystalline Pt for methanol oxidation, and with 86 times of enhancement in formic acid oxidation; whereas the catalytic activity of the nanoporous Pt-Pb electrode outperforms the other materials in formic acid oxidation at the low potential regions, delivering an enhanced current density by 280-fold compared to the polycrystalline Pt at +0.15 V. The new approach described in this study is suitable for synthesizing a wide range of bi-metallic and tri-metallic nanoporous materials, desirable for electrochemical sensor design and potential application in fuel cells. (author)

  6. Facile synthesis of novel magnetic silica nanoparticles functionalized with layer-by-layer detonation nanodiamonds for secretome study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hong; Wang, Yi; Zhang, Lei; Lu, Haojie; Zhou, Zhongjun; Wei, Liming; Yang, Pengyuan

    2015-12-07

    Novel magnetic silica nanoparticles functionalized with layer-by-layer detonation nanodiamonds (dNDs) were prepared by coating single submicron-size magnetite particles with silica and subsequently modified with dNDs. The resulting layer-by-layer dND functionalized magnetic silica microspheres (Fe3O4@SiO2@[dND]n) exhibit a well-defined magnetite-core-silica-shell structure and possess a high content of magnetite, which endow them with high dispersibility and excellent magnetic responsibility. Meanwhile, dNDs are known for their high affinity and biocompatibility towards peptides or proteins. Thus, a novel convenient, fast and efficient pretreatment approach of low-abundance peptides or proteins was successfully established with Fe3O4@SiO2@[dND]n microspheres. The signal intensity of low-abundance peptides was improved by at least two to three orders of magnitude in mass spectrometry analysis. The novel microsphere also showed good tolerance to salt. Even with a high concentration of salt, peptides or proteins could be isolated effectively from samples. Therefore, the convenient and efficient enrichment process of this novel layer-by-layer dND-functionalized microsphere makes it a promising candidate for isolation of protein in a large volume of culture supernatant for secretome analysis. In the application of Fe3O4@SiO2@[dND]n in the secretome of hepatoma cells, 1473 proteins were identified and covered a broad range of pI and molecular weight, including 377 low molecular weight proteins.

  7. Inorganic Nanocrystals Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles: Fabrication and Enhanced Bio-applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tiancong Zhao

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Mesoporous SiO2 nanoparticles (MSNs are one of the most promising materials for bio-related applications due to advantages such as good biocompatibility, tunable mesopores, and large pore volume. However, unlike the inorganic nanocrystals with abundant physical properties, MSNs alone lack functional features. Thus, they are not sufficiently suitable for bio-applications that require special functions. Consequently, MSNs are often functionalized by incorporating inorganic nanocrystals, which provide a wide range of intriguing properties. This review focuses on inorganic nanocrystals functionalized MSNs, both their fabrication and bio-applications. Some of the most utilized methods for coating mesoporous silica (mSiO2 on nanoparticles were summarized. Magnetic, fluorescence and photothermal inorganic nanocrystals functionalized MSNs were taken as examples to demonstrate the bio-applications. Furthermore, asymmetry of MSNs and their effects on functions were also highlighted.

  8. ELECTROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF NANOPOROUS CARBON ELECTRODES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P.Nigu

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Electrical double layer and electrochemical characteristics at the nanoporous carbon | (C2H54NBF4 + acetonitrile interface have been studied by the cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy methods. The value of zero charge potential (0.23 V vs. SCE in H2O, the region of ideal polarizability and other characteristics have been established. Analysis of complex plane plots shows that the nanoporous carbon | x M (C2H54NBF4 + acetonitrile interface can be simulated by the equivalent circuit, in which the two parallel conduction parts in the solid and liquid phases are interconnected by the double layer capacitance in parallel with the complex admittance of hindered reaction of the charge transfer process. The values of the characteristic frequency depend on the electrolyte concentration and on the electrode potential, i.e. on the nature of ions adsorbed at the surface of nanoporous carbon electrode.

  9. Digitally encoded DNA nanostructures for multiplexed, single-molecule protein sensing with nanopores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bell, Nicholas A. W.; Keyser, Ulrich F.

    2016-07-01

    The simultaneous detection of a large number of different analytes is important in bionanotechnology research and in diagnostic applications. Nanopore sensing is an attractive method in this regard as the approach can be integrated into small, portable device architectures, and there is significant potential for detecting multiple sub-populations in a sample. Here, we show that highly multiplexed sensing of single molecules can be achieved with solid-state nanopores by using digitally encoded DNA nanostructures. Based on the principles of DNA origami, we designed a library of DNA nanostructures in which each member contains a unique barcode; each bit in the barcode is signalled by the presence or absence of multiple DNA dumbbell hairpins. We show that a 3-bit barcode can be assigned with 94% accuracy by electrophoretically driving the DNA structures through a solid-state nanopore. Select members of the library were then functionalized to detect a single, specific antibody through antigen presentation at designed positions on the DNA. This allows us to simultaneously detect four different antibodies of the same isotype at nanomolar concentration levels.

  10. Mechanical Properties of Nanoporous Au: From Empirical Evidence to Phenomenological Modeling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giorgio Pia

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The present work focuses on the development of a theoretical model aimed at relating the mechanical properties of nanoporous metals to the bending response of thick ligaments. The model describes the structure of nanoporous metal foams in terms of an idealized regular lattice of massive cubic nodes and thick ligaments with square cross-sections. Following a general introduction to the subject, model predictions are compared with Young’s modulus and the yield strength of nanoporous Au foams determined experimentally and available in literature. It is shown that the model provides a quantitative description of the elastic and plastic deformation behavior of nanoporous metals, reproducing to a satisfactory extent the experimental Young’s modulus and yield strength values of nanoporous Au.

  11. Optimized nanoporous materials.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Braun, Paul V. (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL); Langham, Mary Elizabeth; Jacobs, Benjamin W.; Ong, Markus D.; Narayan, Roger J. (North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC); Pierson, Bonnie E. (North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC); Gittard, Shaun D. (North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC); Robinson, David B.; Ham, Sung-Kyoung (Korea Basic Science Institute, Gangneung, South Korea); Chae, Weon-Sik (Korea Basic Science Institute, Gangneung, South Korea); Gough, Dara V. (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL); Wu, Chung-An Max; Ha, Cindy M.; Tran, Kim L.

    2009-09-01

    Nanoporous materials have maximum practical surface areas for electrical charge storage; every point in an electrode is within a few atoms of an interface at which charge can be stored. Metal-electrolyte interfaces make best use of surface area in porous materials. However, ion transport through long, narrow pores is slow. We seek to understand and optimize the tradeoff between capacity and transport. Modeling and measurements of nanoporous gold electrodes has allowed us to determine design principles, including the fact that these materials can deplete salt from the electrolyte, increasing resistance. We have developed fabrication techniques to demonstrate architectures inspired by these principles that may overcome identified obstacles. A key concept is that electrodes should be as close together as possible; this is likely to involve an interpenetrating pore structure. However, this may prove extremely challenging to fabricate at the finest scales; a hierarchically porous structure can be a worthy compromise.

  12. Colorimetric-based detection of TNT explosives using functionalized silica nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Idros, Noorhayati; Ho, Man Yi; Pivnenko, Mike; Qasim, Malik M; Xu, Hua; Gu, Zhongze; Chu, Daping

    2015-06-03

    This proof-of-concept study proposes a novel sensing mechanism for selective and label-free detection of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). It is realized by surface chemistry functionalization of silica nanoparticles (NPs) with 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane (APTES). The primary amine anchored to the surface of the silica nanoparticles (SiO2-NH2) acts as a capturing probe for TNT target binding to form Meisenheimer amine-TNT complexes. A colorimetric change of the self-assembled (SAM) NP samples from the initial green of a SiO2-NH2 nanoparticle film towards red was observed after successful attachment of TNT, which was confirmed as a result of the increased separation between the nanoparticles. The shift in the peak wavelength of the reflected light normal to the film surface and the associated change of the peak width were measured, and a merit function taking into account their combined effect was proposed for the detection of TNT concentrations from 10-12 to 10-4 molar. The selectivity of our sensing approach is confirmed by using TNT-bound nanoparticles incubated in AptamerX, with 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) and toluene used as control and baseline, respectively. Our results show the repeatable systematic color change with the TNT concentration and the possibility to develop a robust, easy-to-use, and low-cost TNT detection method for performing a sensitive, reliable, and semi-quantitative detection in a wide detection range.

  13. Temperature-modified photonic bandgap in colloidal photonic crystals fabricated by vinyl functionalized silica spheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deng Tiansong; Zhang Junyan; Zhu Kongtao; Zhang Qifeng; Wu Jinlei

    2011-01-01

    Graphical abstract: A thermal annealing procedure was described for fine modifying the photonic bandgap properties of colloidal photonic crystals, which were self-assembled from vinyl-functionalized silica spheres by a gravity sedimentation process. Highlights: → We described a thermal annealing procedure for fine modifying the photonic bandgap properties of colloidal photonic crystals. → The position of its stop band had more than 25% blue shift by annealing the sample from 60 to 600 deg. C. → The annealing temperature and the Bragg peak values have a linear relationship in the 120-440 deg. C range. → The effects provide a simple and controllable method for modifying the photonic bandgap properties of colloidal photonic crystals. - Abstract: A thermal annealing procedure for fine modifying the photonic bandgap properties of colloidal photonic crystals was described. The colloidal photonic crystals were assembled from monodisperse vinyl functionalized silica spheres by a gravity sedimentation process. The samples diffract light following Bragg's law combined with Snell's law. By annealing the sample at temperatures in the range of 60-600 deg. C, the position of its stop band shifted from 943 to 706 nm. It had more than 25% blue shift. In addition, the annealing temperature and the Bragg peak values have a linear relationship in the 120-440 deg. C range. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) curves of vinyl functionalized silica spheres confirmed the above results. The effects provide a simple and controllable method for modifying the photonic bandgap properties of colloidal photonic crystals.

  14. Modification of a Phenolic Resin with Epoxy- and Methacrylate-Functionalized Silica Sols to Improve the Ablation Resistance of Their Glass Fiber-Reinforced Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Hu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Functionalized silica sols were obtained by the hydrolytic condensation of (γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPMS, (γ-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPMS and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS. Three different sols were obtained: MPS (derived from MPMS and TEOS, GPS-MPS (derived from GPMS, MPMS and TEOS, and GPSD (derived from GPMS, TEOS and diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A, DGEBA. These silica sols were mixed with a phenolic resin (PR. Ethylenediamine was used as a hardener for epoxy-functionalized sols and benzoyl peroxide was used as an initiator of the free-radical polymerization of methacrylate-functionalized silica sols. Glass fiber-reinforced composites were obtained from the neat PR and MPS-PR, GPS-MPS-PR and GPSD-PR. The resulting composites were evaluated as ablation resistant materials in an acetylene-oxygen flame. A large increase in the ablation resistance was observed when the PR was modified by the functionalized silica sols. The ablation resistance of the composites decreased as follows: GPSD-PR > MPS-PR > GPS-MPS-PR > PR.

  15. Electrokinetic transport of nanoparticles to opening of nanopores on cell membrane during electroporation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Movahed, Saeid [University of Toronto, Department of Chemistry (Canada); Li Dongqing, E-mail: dongqing@mme.uwaterloo.ca [University of Waterloo, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering (Canada)

    2013-04-15

    Nanoparticle transport to the opening of the single nanopore created on the cell membrane during the electroporation is studied. First, the permeabilization of a single cell located in a microchannel is investigated. When the nanopores are created, the transport of the nanoparticles from the surrounding liquid to the opening of one of the created nanopores is examined. It was found that the negatively charged nanoparticles preferably move into the nanopores from the side of the cell membrane that faces the negative electrode. Opposite to the electro-osmotic flow effect, the electrophoretic force tends to draw the negatively charged nanoparticles into the opening of the nanopores. The effect of the Brownian force is negligible in comparison with the electro-osmosis and the electrophoresis. Smaller nanoparticles with stronger surface charge transport more easily to the opening of the nanopores. Positively charged nanoparticles preferably enter the nanopores from the side of the cell membrane that faces the positive electrode. On this side, both the electrophoretic and the electro-osmotic forces are in the same directions and contribute to bring the positively charged particles into the nanopores.

  16. Physical Model for Rapid and Accurate Determination of Nanopore Size via Conductance Measurement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Chenyu; Zhang, Zhen; Zhang, Shi-Li

    2017-10-27

    Nanopores have been explored for various biochemical and nanoparticle analyses, primarily via characterizing the ionic current through the pores. At present, however, size determination for solid-state nanopores is experimentally tedious and theoretically unaccountable. Here, we establish a physical model by introducing an effective transport length, L eff , that measures, for a symmetric nanopore, twice the distance from the center of the nanopore where the electric field is the highest to the point along the nanopore axis where the electric field falls to e -1 of this maximum. By [Formula: see text], a simple expression S 0 = f (G, σ, h, β) is derived to algebraically correlate minimum nanopore cross-section area S 0 to nanopore conductance G, electrolyte conductivity σ, and membrane thickness h with β to denote pore shape that is determined by the pore fabrication technique. The model agrees excellently with experimental results for nanopores in graphene, single-layer MoS 2 , and ultrathin SiN x films. The generality of the model is verified by applying it to micrometer-size pores.

  17. Electro-osmotic flow through nanopores in thin and ultrathin membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melnikov, Dmitriy V.; Hulings, Zachery K.; Gracheva, Maria E.

    2017-06-01

    We theoretically study how the electro-osmotic fluid velocity in a charged cylindrical nanopore in a thin solid state membrane depends on the pore's geometry, membrane charge, and electrolyte concentration. We find that when the pore's length is comparable to its diameter, the velocity profile develops a concave shape with a minimum along the pore axis unlike the situation in very long nanopores with a maximum velocity along the central pore axis. This effect is attributed to the induced pressure along the nanopore axis due to the fluid flow expansion and contraction near the exit or entrance to the pore and to the reduction of electric field inside the nanopore. The induced pressure is maximal when the pore's length is about equal to its diameter while decreasing for both longer and shorter nanopores. A model for the fluid velocity incorporating these effects is developed and shown to be in a good agreement with numerically computed results.

  18. Sugar-influenced water diffusion, interaction, and retention in clay interlayer nanopores probed by theoretical simulations and experimental spectroscopies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aristilde, Ludmilla; Galdi, Stephen M.; Kelch, Sabrina E.; Aoki, Thalia G.

    2017-08-01

    Understanding the hydrodynamics in clay nanopores is important for gaining insights into the trapping of water, nutrients, and contaminants in natural and engineered soils. Previous investigations have focused on the interlayer organization and molecular diffusion coefficients (D) of cations and water molecules in cation-saturated interlayer nanopores of smectite clays. Little is known, however, about how these interlayer dynamic properties are influenced by the ubiquitous presence of small organic compounds such as sugars in the soil environment. Here we probed the effects of glucose molecules on montmorillonite interlayer properties. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed re-structuring of the interlayer organization of the adsorptive species. Water-water interactions were disrupted by glucose-water H-bonding interactions. ;Dehydration; of the glucose-populated nanopore led to depletion in the Na solvation shell, which resulted in the accumulation of both Na ions (as inner-sphere complexes) and remaining hydrated water molecules at the mineral surface. This accumulation led to a decrease in both DNa and Dwater. In addition, the reduction in Dglucose as a function of increasing glucose content can be explained by the aggregation of glucose molecules into organic clusters H-bonded to the mineral surface on both walls of the nanopore. Experimental nuclear magnetic resonance and X-ray diffraction data were consistent with the theoretical predictions. Compared to clay interlayers devoid of glucose, increased intensities and new peaks in the 23Na nuclear magnetic resonance spectra confirmed increasing immobilization of Na as a function of increasing glucose content. And, the X-ray diffraction data indicated a reduced collapse of glucose-populated interlayers exposed to decreasing moisture conditions, which led to the maintenance of hydrated clay nanopores. The coupling of theoretical and experimental findings sheds light on the molecular to nanoscale mechanisms that

  19. Microtome Sliced Block Copolymers and Nanoporous Polymers as Masks for Nanolithography

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shvets, Violetta; Schulte, Lars; Ndoni, Sokol

    2014-01-01

    Introduction. Block copolymers self-assembling properties are commonly used for creation of very fine nanostructures [1]. Goal of our project is to test new methods of the block-copolymer lithography mask preparation: macroscopic pieces of block-copolymers or nanoporous polymers with cross...... PDMS can be chemically etched from the PB matrix by tetrabutylammonium fluoride in tetrahydrofuran and macroscopic nanoporous PB piece is obtained. Both block-copolymer piece and nanoporous polymer piece were sliced with cryomicrotome perpendicular to the axis of cylinder alignment and flakes...... of etching patterns appear only under the certain parts of thick flakes and are not continuous. Although flakes from block copolymer are thinner and more uniform in thickness than flakes from nanoporous polymer, quality of patterns under nanoporous flakes appeared to be better than under block copolymer...

  20. Dynamic crack propagation through nanoporous media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Thao; Wilkerson, Justin

    2015-06-01

    The deformation and failure of nanoporous metals may be considerably different than that of more traditional bulk porous metals. The length scales in traditional bulk porous metals are typically large enough for classic plasticity and buckling to be operative. However, the extremely small length scales associated with nanoporous metals may inhibit classic plasticity mechanisms. Here, we motivate an alternative nanovoid growth mechanism mediated by dislocation emission. Following an approach similar to Lubarda and co-workers, we make use of stability arguments applied to the analytic solutions of the elastic interactions of dislocations and voids to derive a simple stress-based criterion for emission activation. We then propose a dynamic nanovoid growth law that is motivated by the kinetics of dislocation emission. The resulting failure model is implemented into a commercial finite element software to simulate dynamic crack growth. The simulations reveal that crack propagation through a nanoporous media proceeds at somewhat faster velocities than through the more traditional bulk porous metal.

  1. Aminopropyl-functionalized mesoporous silicas as CO{sub 2} adsorbents

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Knowles, Gregory P.; Graham, Jeremy V.; Delaney, Seamus W.; Chaffee, Alan L. [School of Chemistry, PO Box 23, Monash University, Vic 3800 (Australia)

    2005-10-15

    A range of mesoporous silica substrates were functionalized with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane to form hybrid products suitable for carbon dioxide adsorption. A 'cylindrical pore' model was employed to characterize the extent of surface modification per unit substrate surface area and to permit its comparison on a common basis. The extent of surface functionalisation varied with substrate morphology. Combined DTA/TGA was used to characterise CO{sub 2} adsorption. Substantial reversible CO{sub 2} adsorption capacities were observed under anhydrous conditions (at 20 {sup o}C). In the presence of water, CO{sub 2} capacity was enhanced, but the rate of desorption was diminished. (author)

  2. Nonfaradaic nanoporous electrochemistry for conductometry at high electrolyte concentration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bae, Je Hyun; Kang, Chung Mu; Choi, Hyoungseon; Kim, Beom Jin; Jang, Woohyuk; Lim, Sung Yul; Kim, Hee Chan; Chung, Taek Dong

    2015-02-17

    Nanoporous electrified surfaces create a unique nonfaradaic electrochemical behavior that is sensitively influenced by pore size, morphology, ionic strength, and electric field modulation. Here, we report the contributions of ion concentration and applied ac frequency to the electrode impedance through an electrical double layer overlap and ion transport along the nanopores. Nanoporous Pt with uniform pore size and geometry (L2-ePt) responded more sensitively to conductivity changes in aqueous solutions than Pt black with poor uniformity despite similar real surface areas and enabled the previously difficult quantitative conductometry measurements at high electrolyte concentrations. The nanopores of L2-ePt were more effective in reducing the electrode impedance and exhibited superior linear responses to not only flat Pt but also Pt black, leading to successful conductometric detection in ion chromatography without ion suppressors and at high ionic strengths.

  3. Solid-state nanopores of controlled geometry fabricated in a transmission electron microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qian, Hui; Egerton, Ray F.

    2017-11-01

    Energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography were applied to in situ studies of the formation, shape, and diameter of nanopores formed in a silicon nitride membrane in a transmission electron microscope. The nanopore geometry was observed in three dimensions by electron tomography. Drilling conditions, such as probe current, beam convergence angle, and probe position, affect the formation rate and the geometry of the pores. With a beam convergence semi-angle of α = 22 mrad, a conical shaped nanopore is formed but at α = 45 mrad, double-cone (hourglass-shaped) nanopores were produced. Nanopores with an effective diameter between 10 nm and 1.8 nm were fabricated by controlling the drilling time.

  4. Gas Separation through Bilayer Silica, the Thinnest Possible Silica Membrane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Bowen; Mandrà, Salvatore; Curry, John O; Shaikhutdinov, Shamil; Freund, Hans-Joachim; Schrier, Joshua

    2017-12-13

    Membrane-based gas separation processes can address key challenges in energy and environment, but for many applications the permeance and selectivity of bulk membranes is insufficient for economical use. Theory and experiment indicate that permeance and selectivity can be increased by using two-dimensional materials with subnanometer pores as membranes. Motivated by experiments showing selective permeation of H 2 /CO mixtures through amorphous silica bilayers, here we perform a theoretical study of gas separation through silica bilayers. Using density functional theory calculations, we obtain geometries of crystalline free-standing silica bilayers (comprised of six-membered rings), as well as the seven-, eight-, and nine-membered rings that are observed in glassy silica bilayers, which arise due to Stone-Wales defects and vacancies. We then compute the potential energy barriers for gas passage through these various pore types for He, Ne, Ar, Kr, H 2 , N 2 , CO, and CO 2 gases, and use the data to assess their capability for selective gas separation. Our calculations indicate that crystalline bilayer silica, which is less than a nanometer thick, can be a high-selectivity and high-permeance membrane material for 3 He/ 4 He, He/natural gas, and H 2 /CO separations.

  5. 1/f noise in graphene nanopores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heerema, S J; Schneider, G F; Rozemuller, M; Vicarelli, L; Zandbergen, H W; Dekker, C

    2015-01-01

    Graphene nanopores are receiving great attention due to their atomically thin membranes and intrinsic electrical properties that appear greatly beneficial for biosensing and DNA sequencing. Here, we present an extensive study of the low-frequency 1/f noise in the ionic current through graphene nanopores and compare it to noise levels in silicon nitride pore currents. We find that the 1/f noise magnitude is very high for graphene nanopores: typically two orders of magnitude higher than for silicon nitride pores. This is a drawback as it significantly lowers the signal-to-noise ratio in DNA translocation experiments. We evaluate possible explanations for these exceptionally high noise levels in graphene pores. From examining the noise for pores of different diameters and at various salt concentrations, we find that in contrast to silicon nitride pores, the 1/f noise in graphene pores does not follow Hooge’s relation. In addition, from studying the dependence on the buffer pH, we show that the increased noise cannot be explained by charge fluctuations of chemical groups on the pore rim. Finally, we compare single and bilayer graphene to few-layer and multi-layer graphene and boron nitride (h-BN), and we find that the noise reduces with layer thickness for both materials, which suggests that mechanical fluctuations may be the underlying cause of the high 1/f noise levels in monolayer graphene nanopore devices. (paper)

  6. Electrically tunable solid-state silicon nanopore ion filter

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gracheva Maria

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available AbstractWe show that a nanopore in a silicon membrane connected to a voltage source can be used as an electrically tunable ion filter. By applying a voltage between the heavily doped semiconductor and the electrolyte, it is possible to invert the ion population inside the nanopore and vary the conductance for both cations and anions in order to achieve selective conduction of ions even in the presence of significant surface charges in the membrane. Our model based on the solution of the Poisson equation and linear transport theory indicates that in narrow nanopores substantial gain can be achieved by controlling electrically the width of the charge double layer.

  7. Preparation, purification, and characterization of aminopropyl-functionalized silica sol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pálmai, Marcell; Nagy, Lívia Naszályi; Mihály, Judith; Varga, Zoltán; Tárkányi, Gábor; Mizsei, Réka; Szigyártó, Imola Csilla; Kiss, Teréz; Kremmer, Tibor; Bóta, Attila

    2013-01-15

    A new, simple, and "green" method was developed for the surface modification of 20 nm diameter Stöber silica particles with 3-aminopropyl(diethoxy)methylsilane in ethanol. The bulk polycondensation of the reagent was inhibited and the stability of the sol preserved by adding a small amount of glacial acetic acid after appropriate reaction time. Centrifugation, ultrafiltration, and dialysis were compared in order to choose a convenient purification technique that allows the separation of unreacted silylating agent from the nanoparticles without destabilizing the sol. The exchange of the solvent to acidic water during the purification yielded a stable colloid, as well. Structural and morphological analysis of the obtained aminopropyl silica was performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential measurements, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), (13)C and (29)Si MAS nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies, as well as small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Our investigations revealed that the silica nanoparticle surfaces were partially covered with aminopropyl groups, and multilayer adsorption followed by polycondensation of the silylating reagent was successfully avoided. The resulting stable aminopropyl silica sol (ethanolic or aqueous) is suitable for biomedical uses due to its purity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Copper Ferrocyanide Functionalized Core-Shell Magnetic Silica Composites for the Selective Removal of Cesium Ions from Radioactive Liquid Waste.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyun Kyu; Yang, Da Som; Oh, Wonzin; Choi, Sang-June

    2016-06-01

    The copper ferrocyanide functionalized core-shell magnetic silica composite (mag@silica-CuFC) was prepared and was found to be easily separated from aqueous solutions by using magnetic field. The synthesized mag@silica-CuFC composite has a high sorption ability of Cs owing to its strong affinity for Cs as well as the high surface area of the supports. Cs sorption on the mag@silica-CuFC composite quickly reached the sorption equilibrium after 2 h of contact time. The effect of the presence of salts with a high concentration of up to 3.5 wt% on the efficiency of Cs sorption onto the composites was also studied. The maximum sorption ability was found to be maintained in the presence of up to 3.5 wt% of NaCl in the solution. Considering these results, the mag@silica-CuFC composite has great potential for use as an effective sorbent for the selective removal of radioactive Cs ions.

  9. Synthesis of self-detached nanoporous titanium-based metal oxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu, F.; Wen, Y.; Chan, K.C.; Yue, T.M.; Zhou, Y.Z.; Zhu, S.L.; Yang, X.J.

    2015-01-01

    In this study, self-detached nanoporous titanium-based metal oxide was synthesized for the first time by ultrafast anodization in a fluoride-free electrolyte containing 10% HNO 3 . The nanoporous oxide has through-holes with diameters ranging from 10 to 60 nm. The as-formed oxides are amorphous, and were transformed to crystalline structures by annealing. The performance of a dye sensitized solar cell using nanoporpous Ti–10Zr oxide (TZ10) was further studied. It was found that the TZ10 film could increase both the short-circuit current and the open-circuit photovoltage of the solar cell. The overall efficiency of the solar cell was 6.99%, an increase of 20.7% as compared to that using a pure TiO 2 (P25) film. - Graphical abstract: The nanoporous Ti–xZr(x=10, 30) oxide layers are fabricated by anodizing in a dilute nitric acid solvent. The power conversion efficiency of the DSSC by a covering of a Ti–10Zr thin film is increased by 20.7%, with an η of 7.69% , a short circuit current of 12.4 mA/cm 2 , a open circuit voltage of 0.833 V, and a fill factor of 0.679. - Highlights: • Self-detached nanoporous titanium-based metal (TiZr) oxide was synthesized. • The TiZr oxides have through-hole nanopores with diameters ranging from 10 to 60 nm. • The nanoporous Ti–10Zr oxide can improve the power conversion efficiency of a DSSC

  10. Synthesis of self-detached nanoporous titanium-based metal oxide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hu, F. [Advanced Manufacturing Technology Research Center, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Hong Kong); Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Advanced Ceramic Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, Jiangxi 343001 (China); Wen, Y. [Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Advanced Ceramic Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, Jiangxi 343001 (China); Chan, K.C., E-mail: mfkcchan@inet.polyu.edu.hk [Advanced Manufacturing Technology Research Center, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Hong Kong); Yue, T.M. [Advanced Manufacturing Technology Research Center, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Hong Kong); Zhou, Y.Z. [Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Advanced Ceramic Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute, Jiangxi 343001 (China); Zhu, S.L.; Yang, X.J. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China)

    2015-09-15

    In this study, self-detached nanoporous titanium-based metal oxide was synthesized for the first time by ultrafast anodization in a fluoride-free electrolyte containing 10% HNO{sub 3}. The nanoporous oxide has through-holes with diameters ranging from 10 to 60 nm. The as-formed oxides are amorphous, and were transformed to crystalline structures by annealing. The performance of a dye sensitized solar cell using nanoporpous Ti–10Zr oxide (TZ10) was further studied. It was found that the TZ10 film could increase both the short-circuit current and the open-circuit photovoltage of the solar cell. The overall efficiency of the solar cell was 6.99%, an increase of 20.7% as compared to that using a pure TiO{sub 2} (P25) film. - Graphical abstract: The nanoporous Ti–xZr(x=10, 30) oxide layers are fabricated by anodizing in a dilute nitric acid solvent. The power conversion efficiency of the DSSC by a covering of a Ti–10Zr thin film is increased by 20.7%, with an η of 7.69% , a short circuit current of 12.4 mA/cm{sup 2}, a open circuit voltage of 0.833 V, and a fill factor of 0.679. - Highlights: • Self-detached nanoporous titanium-based metal (TiZr) oxide was synthesized. • The TiZr oxides have through-hole nanopores with diameters ranging from 10 to 60 nm. • The nanoporous Ti–10Zr oxide can improve the power conversion efficiency of a DSSC.

  11. Single molecule transistor based nanopore for the detection of nicotine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ray, S. J., E-mail: ray.sjr@gmail.com [Institute of Materials Science, Technical University of Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 2, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany)

    2014-12-28

    A nanopore based detection methodology was proposed and investigated for the detection of Nicotine. This technique uses a Single Molecular Transistor working as a nanopore operational in the Coulomb Blockade regime. When the Nicotine molecule is pulled through the nanopore area surrounded by the Source(S), Drain (D), and Gate electrodes, the charge stability diagram can detect the presence of the molecule and is unique for a specific molecular structure. Due to the weak coupling between the different electrodes which is set by the nanopore size, the molecular energy states stay almost unaffected by the electrostatic environment that can be realised from the charge stability diagram. Identification of different orientation and position of the Nicotine molecule within the nanopore area can be made from specific regions of overlap between different charge states on the stability diagram that could be used as an electronic fingerprint for detection. This method could be advantageous and useful to detect the presence of Nicotine in smoke which is usually performed using chemical chromatography techniques.

  12. Single molecule transistor based nanopore for the detection of nicotine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, S. J.

    2014-12-01

    A nanopore based detection methodology was proposed and investigated for the detection of Nicotine. This technique uses a Single Molecular Transistor working as a nanopore operational in the Coulomb Blockade regime. When the Nicotine molecule is pulled through the nanopore area surrounded by the Source(S), Drain (D), and Gate electrodes, the charge stability diagram can detect the presence of the molecule and is unique for a specific molecular structure. Due to the weak coupling between the different electrodes which is set by the nanopore size, the molecular energy states stay almost unaffected by the electrostatic environment that can be realised from the charge stability diagram. Identification of different orientation and position of the Nicotine molecule within the nanopore area can be made from specific regions of overlap between different charge states on the stability diagram that could be used as an electronic fingerprint for detection. This method could be advantageous and useful to detect the presence of Nicotine in smoke which is usually performed using chemical chromatography techniques.

  13. Synthesis and characterization of mesoporous silica core-shell particles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milan Nikolić

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Core-shell particles were formed by deposition of primary silica particles synthesized from sodium silicate solution on functionalized silica core particles (having size of ~0.5 µm prepared by hydrolysis and condensation of tetraethylortosilicate. The obtained mesoporous shell has thickness of about 60 nm and consists of primary silica particles with average size of ~21 nm. Scanning electron microscopy and zeta potential measurements showed that continuous silica shell exists around functionalized core particles which was additionally proved by FTIR and TEM results.

  14. Capacitance-Power-Hysteresis Trilemma in Nanoporous Supercapacitors

    OpenAIRE

    Lee, Alpha A; Vella, Dominic; Goriely, Alain; Kondrat, Svyatoslav

    2015-01-01

    Nanoporous supercapacitors are an important player in the field of energy storage that fill the gap between dielectric capacitors and batteries. The key challenge in the development of supercapacitors is the perceived trade-off between capacitance and power delivery. Current efforts to boost the capacitance of nanoporous supercapacitors focus on reducing the pore size so that they can only accommodate a single layer of ions. However, this tight packing compromises the charging dynamics and he...

  15. Organosulfonic acid-functionalized mesoporous composites based on natural rubber and hexagonal mesoporous silica

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nuntang, Sakdinun; Poompradub, Sirilux [Fuels Research Center, Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Butnark, Suchada [PTT Research and Technology Institute, PTT Public Company Limited, Wangnoi, Ayutthaya 13170 (Thailand); Yokoi, Toshiyuki; Tatsumi, Takashi [Chemical Resources Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan); Ngamcharussrivichai, Chawalit, E-mail: Chawalit.Ng@Chula.ac.th [Fuels Research Center, Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Center of Excellence on Petrochemical and Materials Technology (PETROMAT), Chulalongkorn University, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand)

    2014-10-15

    This study is the first report on synthesis, characterization and catalytic application of propylsulfonic acid-functionalized mesoporous composites based on natural rubber (NR) and hexagonal mesoporous silica (HMS). In comparison with propylsulfonic acid-functionalized HMS (HMS-SO{sub 3}H), a series of NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H composites were prepared via an in situ sol–gel process using tetrahydrofuran as the synthesis media. Tetraethylorthosilicate as the silica source, was simultaneously condensed with 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane in a solution of NR followed by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide to achieve the mesoporous composites containing propylsulfonic acid groups. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and {sup 29}Si MAS nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy results verified that the silica surfaces of the NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H composites were functionalized with propylsulfonic acid groups and covered with NR molecules. After the incorporation of NR and organo-functional group into HMS, the hexagonal mesostructure remained intact concomitantly with an increased framework wall thickness and unit cell size, as evidenced by the X-ray powder diffraction analysis. Scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated a high interparticle porosity of NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H composites. The textural properties of NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H were affected by the amount of MPTMS loading to a smaller extent than that of HMS-SO{sub 3}H. NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H exhibited higher hydrophobicity than HMS-SO{sub 3}H, as revealed by H{sub 2}O adsorption–desorption measurements. Moreover, the NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H catalysts possessed a superior specific activity to HMS-SO{sub 3}H in the esterification of lauric acid with ethanol, resulting in a higher conversion level. - Highlights: • Acidic NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H composites were prepared by in situ sol–gel process. • Propylsulfonic acid was functionalized onto HMS surface by direct co-condensation. • NR/HMS-SO{sub 3}H exhibited a hexagonal

  16. Antibacterial hemostatic dressings with nanoporous bioglass containing silver

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hu G

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Gangfeng Hu,1 Luwei Xiao,2 Peijian Tong,2 Dawei Bi,1 Hui Wang,1 Haitao Ma,1 Gang Zhu,1 Hui Liu21The First People’s Hospital of Xiaoshan, Hangzhou, China; 2Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, ChinaAbstract: Nanoporous bioglass containing silver (n-BGS was fabricated using the sol-gel method, with cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide as template. The results showed that n-BGS with nanoporous structure had a surface area of 467 m2/g and a pore size of around 6 nm, and exhibited a significantly higher water absorption rate compared with BGS without nanopores. The n-BGS containing small amounts of silver (Ag had a slight effect on its surface area. The n-BGS containing 0.02 wt% Ag, without cytotoxicity, had a good antibacterial effect on Escherichia coli, and its antibacterial rate reached 99% in 12 hours. The n-BGS’s clotting ability significantly decreased prothrombin time (PT and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT, indicating n-BGS with a higher surface area could significantly promote blood clotting (by decreasing clotting time compared with BGS without nanopores. Effective hemostasis was achieved in skin injury models, and bleeding time was reduced. It is suggested that n-BGS could be a good dressing, with antibacterial and hemostatic properties, which might shorten wound bleeding time and control hemorrhage.Keywords: antibacterial, bioglass, cytotoxicity, dressing, hemostasis, nanopore, silver

  17. Effects of pore design on mechanical properties of nanoporous silicon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Winter, Nicholas; Becton, Matthew; Zhang, Liuyang; Wang, Xianqiao

    2017-01-01

    Nanoporous silicon has been emerging as a powerful building block for next-generation sensors, catalysts, transistors, and tissue scaffolds. The capability to design novel devices with desired mechanical properties is paramount to their reliability and serviceability. In order to bring further resolution to the highly variable mechanical characteristics of nanoporous silicon, here we perform molecular dynamics simulations to study the effects of ligament thickness, relative density, and pore geometry/orientation on the mechanical properties of nanoporous silicon, thereby determining its Young's modulus, ultimate strength, and toughness as well as the scaling laws versus the features of interior ligaments. Results show that pore shape and pattern dictate stress accumulation inside the designed structure, leading to the corresponding failure signature, such as stretching-dominated, bending-dominated, or stochastic failure signatures, in nanoporous silicon. The nanostructure of the material is also seen to drive or mute size effects such as “smaller is stronger” and “smaller is ductile”. This investigation provides useful insight into the behavior of nanoporous silicon and how one might leverage its promising applications. - Graphical abstract: Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to study the effects of ligament thickness, relative density, and pore geometry/orientation on the mechanical properties of nanoporous silicon, thereby determining its Young's modulus, ultimate strength, and toughness as well as the scaling trends versus the features of interior ligaments.

  18. Nanoporous Ni with High Surface Area for Potential Hydrogen Storage Application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Xiaocao; Zhao, Haibo; Fu, Zhibing; Qu, Jing; Zhong, Minglong; Yang, Xi; Yi, Yong; Wang, Chaoyang

    2018-06-01

    Nanoporous metals with considerable specific surface areas and hierarchical pore structures exhibit promising applications in the field of hydrogen storage, electrocatalysis, and fuel cells. In this manuscript, a facile method is demonstrated for fabricating nanoporous Ni with a high surface area by using SiO₂ aerogel as a template, i.e., electroless plating of Ni into an SiO₂ aerogel template followed by removal of the template at moderate conditions. The effects of the prepared conditions, including the electroless plating time, temperature of the structure, and the magnetism of nanoporous Ni are investigated in detail. The resultant optimum nanoporous Ni with a special 3D flower-like structure exhibited a high specific surface area of about 120.5 m²/g. The special nanoporous Ni exhibited a promising prospect in the field of hydrogen storage, with a hydrogen capacity of 0.45 wt % on 4.5 MPa at room temperature.

  19. Understanding focused ion beam guided anodic alumina nanopore development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Bo; Lu, Kathy; Tian Zhipeng

    2011-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: → We study the effect of FIB patterning on pore evolution during anodization. → FIB patterned concaves with 1.5 nm depth can effectively guide nanopore growth. → The edge effect of FIB guided patterns causes nanopores to bend. → Anodization window is enlarged to 50-80 V for 150 nm interpore distance hexagonal arrays. - Abstract: Focused ion beam (FIB) patterning in combination with anodization has shown great promise in creating unique pore patterns. This work is aimed to understand the effect of the FIB patterned sites in guiding anodized pore development. Highly ordered porous anodic alumina has been created with the guidance of FIB created patterns on electropolished aluminum followed by oxalic acid anodization. Shallow concaves created by the FIB with only 1.5 nm depth can effectively guide the growth of ordered nanopore patterns. With the guidance of the FIB pattern, the anodization rate is much faster and the nanopore growth direction bends at the boundary of the FIB patterned and un-patterned regions. FIB patterning also enlarges the anodization window; ordered nanopore arrays with 150 nm interpore distances can be produced under an applied potential from 50 V to 80 V. The fundamental understanding of these unique processes is discussed.

  20. Fluid Behavior and Fluid-Solid Interactions in Nanoporous Media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, H.

    2015-12-01

    Although shale oil/gas production in the US has increased exponentially, the low energy recovery is a daunting problem needed to be solved for its sustainability and continued growth, especially in light of the recent oil/gas price decline. This is apparently related to the small porosity (a few to a few hundred nm) and low permeability (10-16-10-20 m2) of tight shale formations. The fundamental question lies in the anomalous behavior of fluids in nanopores due to confinement effects, which, however, remains poorly understood. In this study, we combined experimental characterization and observations, particularly using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), with pore-scale modeling using lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), to examine the fluid behavior and fluid-solid interactions in nanopores at reservoir conditions. Experimentally, we characterized the compositions and microstructures of a shale sample from Wolfcamp, Texas, using a variety of analytical techniques. Our analyses reveal that the shale sample is made of organic-matter (OM)-lean and OM-rich layers that exhibit different chemical and mineral compositions, and microstructural characteristics. Using the hydrostatic pressure system and gas-mixing setup we developed, in-situ SANS measurements were conducted at pressures up to 20 kpsi on shale samples imbibed with water or water-methane solutions. The obtained results indicate that capillary effect plays a significant role in fluid-nanopore interactions and the associated changes in nanopore structures vary with pore size and pressure. Computationally, we performed LBM modeling to simulate the flow behavior of methane in kerogen nanoporous structure. The correction factor, which is the ratio of apparent permeability to intrinsic permeability, was calculated. Our results show that the correction factor is always greater than one (non-continuum/non-Darcy effects) and increases with decreasing nanopore size, intrinsic permeability and pressure. Hence, the

  1. Direct laser writing for nanoporous liquid core laser sensors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grossmann, Tobias; Christiansen, Mads Brøkner; Peterson, Jeffrey

    2012-01-01

    We report the fabrication of nanoporous liquid core lasers via direct laser writing based on two-photon absorption in combination with thiolene-chemistry. As gain medium Rhodamine 6G was embedded in the nanoporous polybutadiene matrix. The lasing devices with thresholds of 19 µJ/mm2 were measured...

  2. Functional mesoporous silica nanoparticles for bio-imaging applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cha, Bong Geun; Kim, Jaeyun

    2018-03-22

    Biomedical investigations using mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have received significant attention because of their unique properties including controllable mesoporous structure, high specific surface area, large pore volume, and tunable particle size. These unique features make MSNs suitable for simultaneous diagnosis and therapy with unique advantages to encapsulate and load a variety of therapeutic agents, deliver these agents to the desired location, and release the drugs in a controlled manner. Among various clinical areas, nanomaterials-based bio-imaging techniques have advanced rapidly with the development of diverse functional nanoparticles. Due to the unique features of MSNs, an imaging agent supported by MSNs can be a promising system for developing targeted bio-imaging contrast agents with high structural stability and enhanced functionality that enable imaging of various modalities. Here, we review the recent achievements on the development of functional MSNs for bio-imaging applications, including optical imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), computed tomography (CT), ultrasound imaging, and multimodal imaging for early diagnosis. With further improvement in noninvasive bio-imaging techniques, the MSN-supported imaging agent systems are expected to contribute to clinical applications in the future. This article is categorized under: Diagnostic Tools > In vivo Nanodiagnostics and Imaging Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. One-pot synthesis of redox-responsive polymers-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles and their controlled drug release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Jiao-Tong; Piao, Ji-Gang; Wang, Long-Hai; Javed, Mohsin; Hong, Chun-Yan; Pan, Cai-Yuan

    2013-09-01

    A versatile one-pot strategy for the preparation of reversibly cross-linked polymer-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) via surface reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization is presented for the first time in this paper. The less reactive monomer oligo(ethylene glycol) acrylate (OEGA) and the more reactive cross-linker N,N'-cystaminebismethacrylamide (CBMA) are chosen to be copolymerized on the external surfaces of RAFT agent-functionalized MSNs to form the cross-linked polymer shells. Owing to the reversible cleavage and restoration of disulfide bonds via reduction/oxidation reactions, the polymer shells can control the on/off switching of the nanopores and regulate the drug loading and release. The redox-responsive release of doxorubicin (DOX) from this drug carrier is realized. The protein adsorption, in vitro cytotoxicity assays, and endocytosis studies demonstrate that this biocompatible vehicle is a potential candidate for delivering drugs. It is expected that this versatile grafting strategy may help fabricate satisfying MSN-based drug delivery systems for clinical application. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Gate modulation of proton transport in a nanopore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mei, Lanju; Yeh, Li-Hsien; Qian, Shizhi

    2016-03-14

    Proton transport in confined spaces plays a crucial role in many biological processes as well as in modern technological applications, such as fuel cells. To achieve active control of proton conductance, we investigate for the first time the gate modulation of proton transport in a pH-regulated nanopore by a multi-ion model. The model takes into account surface protonation/deprotonation reactions, surface curvature, electroosmotic flow, Stern layer, and electric double layer overlap. The proposed model is validated by good agreement with the existing experimental data on nanopore conductance with and without a gate voltage. The results show that the modulation of proton transport in a nanopore depends on the concentration of the background salt and solution pH. Without background salt, the gated nanopore exhibits an interesting ambipolar conductance behavior when pH is close to the isoelectric point of the dielectric pore material, and the net ionic and proton conductance can be actively regulated with a gate voltage as low as 1 V. The higher the background salt concentration, the lower is the performance of the gate control on the proton transport.

  5. Study of preparation and surface morphology of self-ordered nanoporous alumina

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodrigues, Elisa Marchezini; Martins, Maximiliano Delany; Silva, Ronald Arreguy

    2013-01-01

    Nanoporous alumina is a typical material that exhibits self-ordered nanochannels spontaneously organized in hexagonal shape. Produced by anodizing of metallic aluminum, it has been used as a template for production of materials at the nanoscale. This work aimed to study the preparation of nanoporous alumina by anodic anodizing of metallic aluminum substrates. The nanoporous alumina was prepared following the methodology proposed by Masuda and Fukuda (1995), a two-step method consisting of anodizing the aluminum sample in the potentiostatic mode, removing the layer of aluminum oxide (alumina) formed and then repeat the anodization process under the same conditions as the first anodization. This method produces nanoporous alumina with narrow pore diameter distribution and well-ordered structure. (author)

  6. Optical characterization of nanoporous AAO sensor substrate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kassu, Aschalew; Farley, Carlton W.; Sharma, Anup

    2014-05-01

    Nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) has been investigated as an ideal and cost-effective chemical and biosensing platform. In this paper, we report the optical properties of periodic 100 micron thick nanoporous anodic alumina membranes with uniform and high density cylindrical pores penetrating the entire thickness of the substrate, ranging in size from 18 nm to 150 nm in diameter and pore periods from 44 nm to 243 nm. The surface geometry of the top and bottom surface of each membrane is studied using atomic force microscopy. The optical properties including transmittance, reflectance, and absorbance spectra on both sides of each substrate are studied and found to be symmetrical. It is observed that, as the pore size increases, the peak resonance intensity in transmittance decreases and in absorbance increases. The effects of the pore sizes on the optical properties of the bare nanoporous membranes and the benefit of using arrays of nanohole arrays with varying hole size and periodicity as a chemical sensing platform is also discussed. To characterize the optical sensing technique, transmittance and reflectance measurements of various concentrations of a standard chemical adsorbed on the bare nanoporous substrates are investigated. The preliminary results presented here show variation in transmittance and reflectance spectra with the concentration of the chemical used or the amount of the material adsorbed on the surface of the substrate.

  7. Role of surface functionality on the formation of raspberry-like polymer/silica composite particles: Weak acid–base interaction and steric effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Lan; Song, LinYong; Chao, ZhiYin; Chen, PengPeng; Nie, WangYan; Zhou, YiFeng

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Core–shell structured polymer/SiO 2 was obtained with carboxylic-functionalized templates. • Raspberry-like structure was observed with carboxylic and poly(ethylene glycol) hybrid-functionalized polymer microspheres. • Carboxylic groups contributed to the nucleation and the poly(ethylene glycol) chains was used to control the growth of silica particles. • Super-hydrophobic surface was obtained and the contact angle of water on the dual-sized structured surface was up to 160°. - Abstract: The surface functionality of polymer microspheres is the crucial factor to determine the nucleation and growth of silica particles and to construct the organic/inorganic hierarchical structures. The objective of this work was to evaluate the surface functionality and hierarchical morphology relationship via in situ sol–gel reaction. Carboxylic-functionalized poly (styrene-co-maleic anhydride) [P(S-co-MA)], poly(ethylene glycol)-functionalized poly(styrene-co-poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) [P(S-co-PEGMA)], and hybrid functionalized poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride-co-poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) [P(S-co-MA-co-PEGMA)] microspheres were synthesized by emulsifier-free polymerization and used as templates. The morphologies of the composite particles were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that core–shell structure was obtained with P(S-co-MA) as templates; raspberry-like structure was observed by using P(S-co-MA-co-PEGMA) as templates; and no silica particles were attached onto the surface of P(S-co-PEGMA) microspheres. These results indicated that the carboxylic groups on the surface formed by hydrolysis of anhydride groups were the determinate factor to control the nucleation of silica nanoparticles, and the PEG chains on the surface can affect the growth of silica particles. In addition, the particulate films were constructed by assembling these

  8. Highly sensitive detection using microring resonator and nanopores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bougot-Robin, K.; Hoste, J. W.; Le Thomas, N.; Bienstman, P.; Edel, J. B.

    2016-04-01

    One of the most significant challenges facing physical and biological scientists is the accurate detection and identification of single molecules in free-solution environments. The ability to perform such sensitive and selective measurements opens new avenues for a large number of applications in biological, medical and chemical analysis, where small sample volumes and low analyte concentrations are the norm. Access to information at the single or few molecules scale is rendered possible by a fine combination of recent advances in technologies. We propose a novel detection method that combines highly sensitive label-free resonant sensing obtained with high-Q microcavities and position control in nanoscale pores (nanopores). In addition to be label-free and highly sensitive, our technique is immobilization free and does not rely on surface biochemistry to bind probes on a chip. This is a significant advantage, both in term of biology uncertainties and fewer biological preparation steps. Through combination of high-Q photonic structures with translocation through nanopore at the end of a pipette, or through a solid-state membrane, we believe significant advances can be achieved in the field of biosensing. Silicon microrings are highly advantageous in term of sensitivity, multiplexing, and microfabrication and are chosen for this study. In term of nanopores, we both consider nanopore at the end of a nanopipette, with the pore being approach from the pipette with nanoprecise mechanical control. Alternatively, solid state nanopores can be fabricated through a membrane, supporting the ring. Both configuration are discussed in this paper, in term of implementation and sensitivity.

  9. Self-ordered, controlled structure nanoporous membranes using constant current anodization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Kwan; Tang, Yun; Ouyang, Min

    2008-12-01

    We report a constant current (CC) based anodization technique to fabricate and control structure of mechanically stable anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with a long-range ordered hexagonal nanopore pattern. For the first time we show that interpore distance (Dint) of a self-ordered nanopore feature can be continuously tuned over a broad range with CC anodization and is uniquely defined by the conductivity of sulfuric acid as electrolyte. We further demonstrate that this technique can offer new degrees of freedom for engineering planar nanopore structures by fine tailoring the CC based anodization process. Our results not only facilitate further understanding of self-ordering mechanism of alumina membranes but also provide a fast, simple (without requirement of prepatterning or preoxide layer), and flexible methodology for controlling complex nanoporous structures, thus offering promising practical applications in nanotechnology.

  10. Biomimetic novel nanoporous niobium oxide coating for orthopaedic applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pauline, S. Anne; Rajendran, N.

    2014-01-01

    Niobium oxide was synthesized by sol-gel methodology and a crystalline, nanoporous and adherent coating of Nb2O5 was deposited on 316L SS using the spin coating technique and heat treatment. The synthesis conditions were optimized to obtain a nanoporous morphology. The coating was characterized using attenuated total reflectance-Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the formation of crystalline Nb2O5 coating with nanoporous morphology was confirmed. Mechanical studies confirmed that the coating has excellent adherence to the substrate and the hardness value of the coating was excellent. Contact angle analysis showed increased hydrophilicity for the coated substrate. In vitro bioactivity test confirmed that the Nb2O5 coating with nanoporous morphology facilitated the growth of hydroxyapatite (HAp). This was further confirmed by the solution analysis test where increased uptake of calcium and phosphorous ions from simulated body fluid (SBF) was observed. Electrochemical evaluation of the coating confirmed that the crystalline coating is insulative and protective in nature and offered excellent corrosion protection to 316L SS. Thus, this study confirmed that the nanoporous crystalline Nb2O5 coating conferred bioactivity and enhanced corrosion resistance on 316L SS.

  11. Biomimetic novel nanoporous niobium oxide coating for orthopaedic applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pauline, S. Anne; Rajendran, N., E-mail: nrajendran@annauniv.edu

    2014-01-30

    Niobium oxide was synthesized by sol–gel methodology and a crystalline, nanoporous and adherent coating of Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} was deposited on 316L SS using the spin coating technique and heat treatment. The synthesis conditions were optimized to obtain a nanoporous morphology. The coating was characterized using attenuated total reflectance-Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the formation of crystalline Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} coating with nanoporous morphology was confirmed. Mechanical studies confirmed that the coating has excellent adherence to the substrate and the hardness value of the coating was excellent. Contact angle analysis showed increased hydrophilicity for the coated substrate. In vitro bioactivity test confirmed that the Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} coating with nanoporous morphology facilitated the growth of hydroxyapatite (HAp). This was further confirmed by the solution analysis test where increased uptake of calcium and phosphorous ions from simulated body fluid (SBF) was observed. Electrochemical evaluation of the coating confirmed that the crystalline coating is insulative and protective in nature and offered excellent corrosion protection to 316L SS. Thus, this study confirmed that the nanoporous crystalline Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} coating conferred bioactivity and enhanced corrosion resistance on 316L SS.

  12. Gradient and alternating diameter nanopore templates by focused ion beam guided anodization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Bo; Lu, Kathy; Tian Zhipeng

    2010-01-01

    Ordered arrays of anodic alumina nanopores with uniform pore diameters have been fabricated by self-organized anodization of aluminum. However, gradient or alternating diameter nanopore arrays with designed interpore distances have not been possible. In this study, focused ion beam lithography is used to fabricate hexagonally arranged concaves with different diameters in designed arrangements on aluminum surfaces. The patterns are then used to guide the further growth of alumina nanopores in the subsequent oxalic acid anodization. Gradient and alternating nanopore arrangements have been attained by FIB patterning guided oxalic acid anodization. The fundamental understanding of the process is discussed.

  13. Controlled Release from Core-Shell Nano porous Silica Particles for Corrosion Inhibition of Aluminum Alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang, X.; Rathod, Sh.; Shah, P.; Brinker, C.J.; Jiang, X.; Jiang, Y.; Liu, N.; Xu, H.; Brinker, C.J.

    2011-01-01

    Cerium (Ce) corrosion inhibitors were encapsulated into hexagonally ordered nanoporous silica particles via single-step aerosol-assisted self-assembly. The core/shell structured particles are effective for corrosion inhibition of aluminum alloy AA2024-T3. Numerical simulation proved that the core-shell nanostructure delays the release process. The effective diffusion coefficient elucidated from release data for monodisperse particles in water was 1.0x10-14 m 2 s for Ce 3+ compared to 2.5x10-13 m 2 s for NaCl. The pore size, pore surface chemistry, and the inhibitor solubility are crucial factors for the application. Microporous hydrophobic particles encapsulating a less soluble corrosion inhibitor are desirable for long-term corrosion inhibition.

  14. Single-Molecule Sensing with Nanopore Confinement: from Chemical Reactions to Biological Interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yao; Ying, Yi-Lun; Gao, Rui; Long, Yi-Tao

    2018-03-25

    The nanopore can generate an electrochemical confinement for single-molecule sensing which help understand the fundamental chemical principle in nanoscale dimensions. By observing the generated ionic current, individual bond-making and bond-breaking steps, single biomolecule dynamic conformational changes and electron transfer processes that occur within pore can be monitored with high temporal and current resolution. These single-molecule studies in nanopore confinement are revealing information about the fundamental chemical and biological processes that cannot be extracted from ensemble measurements. In this concept, we introduce and discuss the electrochemical confinement effects on single-molecule covalent reactions, conformational dynamics of individual molecules and host-guest interactions in protein nanopores. Then, we extend the concept of nanopore confinement effects to confine electrochemical redox reactions in solid-state nanopores for developing new sensing mechanisms. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Engineering of Surface Chemistry for Enhanced Sensitivity in Nanoporous Interferometric Sensing Platforms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Law, Cheryl Suwen; Sylvia, Georgina M; Nemati, Madieh; Yu, Jingxian; Losic, Dusan; Abell, Andrew D; Santos, Abel

    2017-03-15

    We explore new approaches to engineering the surface chemistry of interferometric sensing platforms based on nanoporous anodic alumina (NAA) and reflectometric interference spectroscopy (RIfS). Two surface engineering strategies are presented, namely (i) selective chemical functionalization of the inner surface of NAA pores with amine-terminated thiol molecules and (ii) selective chemical functionalization of the top surface of NAA with dithiol molecules. The strong molecular interaction of Au 3+ ions with thiol-containing functional molecules of alkane chain or peptide character provides a model sensing system with which to assess the sensitivity of these NAA platforms by both molecular feature and surface engineering. Changes in the effective optical thickness of the functionalized NAA photonic films (i.e., sensing principle), in response to gold ions, are monitored in real-time by RIfS. 6-Amino-1-hexanethiol (inner surface) and 1,6-hexanedithiol (top surface), the most sensitive functional molecules from approaches i and ii, respectively, were combined into a third sensing strategy whereby the NAA platforms are functionalized on both the top and inner surfaces concurrently. Engineering of the surface according to this approach resulted in an additive enhancement in sensitivity of up to 5-fold compared to previously reported systems. This study advances the rational engineering of surface chemistry for interferometric sensing on nanoporous platforms with potential applications for real-time monitoring of multiple analytes in dynamic environments.

  16. Ion-Exchange-Induced Selective Etching for the Synthesis of Amino-Functionalized Hollow Mesoporous Silica for Elevated-High-Temperature Fuel Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jin; Liu, Jian; Lu, Shanfu; Zhu, Haijin; Aili, David; De Marco, Roland; Xiang, Yan; Forsyth, Maria; Li, Qingfeng; Jiang, San Ping

    2017-09-20

    As differentiated from conventional synthetic processes, amino-functionalized hollow mesoporous silica (NH 2 -HMS) has been synthesized using a new and facile strategy of ion-exchange-induced selective etching of amino-functionalized mesoporous silica (NH 2 -meso-silica) by an alkaline solution. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and in situ time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) reveal that ion-exchange-induced selective etching arises from the gradient distribution of OH - in the NH 2 -meso-silica nanospheres. Moreover, the ion-exchange-induced selective etching mechanism is verified through a successful synthesis of hollow mesoporous silica. After infiltration with phosphotungstic acid (PWA), PWA-NH 2 -HMS nanoparticles are dispersed in the poly(ether sulfone)-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PES-PVP) matrix, forming a hybrid PWA-NH 2 -HMS/PES-PVP nanocomposite membrane. The resultant nanocomposite membrane with an optimum loading of 10 wt % of PWA-NH 2 -HMS showed an enhanced proton conductivity of 0.175 S cm -1 and peak power density of 420 mW cm -2 at 180 °C under anhydrous conditions. Excellent durability of the hybrid composite membrane fuel cell has been demonstrated at 200 °C. The results of this study demonstrated the potential of the facile synthetic strategy in the fabrication of NH 2 -HMS with controlled mesoporous structure for application in nanocomposite membranes as a technology platform for elevated-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

  17. Functionalization of Silica Nanoparticles for Polypropylene Nanocomposite Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diego Bracho

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Synthetic silica nanospheres of 20 and 100 nm diameter were produced via the sol-gel method to be used as filler in polypropylene (PP composites. Modification of the silica surface was further performed by reaction with organic chlorosilanes in order to improve the particles interaction with the hydrophobic polyolefin matrix. These nanoparticles were characterized using transmission electronic microscopy (TEM, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR spectroscopy. For unmodified silica, it was found that the 20 nm particles have a greater effect on both mechanical and barrier properties of the polymeric composite. In particular, at 30 wt%, Young's modulus increases by 70%, whereas water vapor permeability (WVP increases by a factor of 6. Surface modification of the 100 nm particles doubles the value of the composite breaking strain compared to unmodified particles without affecting Young's modulus, while 20 nm modified particles presented a slight increase on both Young's modulus and breaking strain. Modified 100 nm particles showed a higher WVP compared to the unmodified particles, probably due to interparticle condensation during the modification step. Our results show that the addition of nanoparticles on the composite properties depends on both particle size and surface modifications.

  18. Characterization of the adsorption of water vapor and chlorine on microcrystalline silica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skiles, J. A.; Wightman, J. P.

    1979-01-01

    The characterization of water adsorption on silica is necessary to an understanding of how hydrogen chloride interacts with silica. The adsorption as a function of outgas temperatures of silica and as a function of the isotherm temperature was studied. Characterization of the silica structure by infrared analysis, X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry, surface area determinations, characterization of the sample surface by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), and determinations of the heat of immersion in water of silica were investigated. The silica with a scanning electron microscope was examined.

  19. Functionalized silica aerogels for gas-phase purification, sensing, and catalysis: A review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Amonette, James E.; Matyáš, Josef

    2017-09-01

    Silica aerogels have a rich history and a unique, fascinating gas-phase chemistry that has lent them to many diverse applications. This review starts with a brief discussion of the fundamental issues driving the movement of gases in silica aerogels and then proceeds to provide an overview of the work that has been done with respect to the purification of gases, sensing of individual gases, and uses of silica aerogels as catalysts for gas-phase reactions. Salient features of the research behind these different applications are presented, and, where appropriate, critical aspects that affect the practical use of the aerogels are noted. Specific sections under the gas-purification category focus on the removal of airborne nanoparticles, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds, sulfur gases and radioactive iodine from gas streams. The use of silica aerogels as sensors for humidity, oxygen, hydrocarbons, volatile acids and bases, various non-ammoniacal nitrogen gases, and viral particles is discussed. With respect to catalysis, the demonstrated use of silica aerogels as supports for oxidation, Fischer-Tropsch, alkane isomerization, and hydrogenation reactions is reviewed, along with a section on untested catalytic formulations involving silica aerogels. A short section focuses on recent developments in thermomolecular Knudsen compressor pumps using silica aerogel membranes. The review continues with an overview of the production methods, locations of manufacturing facilities globally, and a brief discussion of the economics before concluding with a few remarks about the present and future trends revealed by the work presented.

  20. Analysis of nanopore arrangement of porous alumina layers formed by anodizing in oxalic acid at relatively high temperatures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaraska, Leszek; Stępniowski, Wojciech J.; Jaskuła, Marian; Sulka, Grzegorz D.

    2014-06-01

    Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) layers were formed by a simple two-step anodization in 0.3 M oxalic acid at relatively high temperatures (20-30 °C) and various anodizing potentials (30-65 V). The effect of anodizing conditions on structural features of as-obtained oxides was carefully investigated. A linear and exponential relationships between cell diameter, pore density and anodizing potential were confirmed, respectively. On the other hand, no effect of temperature and duration of anodization on pore spacing and pore density was found. Detailed quantitative and qualitative analyses of hexagonal arrangement of nanopore arrays were performed for all studied samples. The nanopore arrangement was evaluated using various methods based on the fast Fourier transform (FFT) images, Delaunay triangulations (defect maps), pair distribution functions (PDF), and angular distribution functions (ADF). It was found that for short anodizations performed at relatively high temperatures, the optimal anodizing potential that results in formation of nanostructures with the highest degree of pore order is 45 V. No direct effect of temperature and time of anodization on the nanopore arrangement was observed.

  1. Synthesis and characterization of novel mesocomposites Co3O4 and CuO@OMS (ordered mesoporous silica) as active catalysts for hydrocarbon oxidation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comănescu, Cezar

    2014-03-01

    Novel metal nanoporous transition metal oxides M x O y (Co3O4, CuO) have been synthesized by thermal decomposition of inorganic salts precursors (acetates, nitrates) impregnated into hexagonal mesoporous silica (OMS, ordered mesoporous silica) of SBA-15 type (prepared in-house) at different precursor loadings, the mesocomposites thus obtained being monitored after each impregnation-calcination step by small and wide angle powder XRD. The pore size for the ordered silica host range from 5.08 to 7.06 nm. Retention of the hexagonal silica framework has been observed in spite of the temperatures up to 500 °C. Mesoporous Co3O4 has been obtained by leaching the silica through overnight HF dissolution, which partially preserved the small-range ordering found in the parent Co3O4@OMS composite prior to leaching. Both Co3O4 ( meso) and Co3O4@SBA-15 have been tested in methane oxidation and were found to be superior to the bulk Co3O4 performance, with mesoporous Co3O4 being able to fully oxidize methane to CO2 and H2O at 350 °C, while Co3O4@OMS exhibits a lower activity with 20 % conversion at 350 °C. CuO@OMS shows the lowest activity, with only 13 % conversion at 500 °C.

  2. The effect of foil purity on morphology of anodized nanoporous ZrO{sub 2}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wierzbicka, Ewa; Syrek, Karolina [Department of Physical Chemistry & Electrochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Ingardena 3, 30-060 Krakow (Poland); Sulka, Grzegorz D., E-mail: sulka@chemia.uj.edu.pl [Department of Physical Chemistry & Electrochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Ingardena 3, 30-060 Krakow (Poland); Pisarek, Marcin; Janik-Czachor, Maria [Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw (Poland)

    2016-12-01

    Highlights: • Anodization of Zr with different purities in an aqueous electrolyte was studied. • The structural parameters of formed anodic oxides were compared. • Effect of Zr foil purity on the hexagonal arrangement of pores and cells in anodic ZrO{sub 2} was investigated. • Current efficiency and rate of anodic oxide formation were estimated. - Abstract: A two-step electrochemical formation of nanoporous zirconium oxide layers on different zirconium foils (purity 99.2% and 99.8%) was investigated. Anodizations were carried out at 20 V in an electrolyte composed of 1 M (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}SO{sub 4} and 0.15 M NH{sub 4}F. It was found that the thickness of grown oxide layer, and consequently, the rate of oxide formation depend slightly on the Zr substrate purity. The pore nucleation and anodization process occur easier in the presence of higher concentration of impurities. From top view SEM images, the structural parameters of oxide layers such as pore diameter, interpore distance, pore density, wall thickness and porosity of anodic oxide layers were estimated for both types of used substrates. On the other hand, cell size, intercell distance and cell density were evaluated from the bottom side of anodic oxide layers. A special emphasis was put on the qualitative analysis of hexagonal arrangement of nanopores and cells. The nanopore and cells arrangements in formed oxides were evaluated using various approaches based on Delaunay triangulations, angular distribution functions (ADFs) and pair distribution functions (PDFs). These results were supported by calculations of percentage of defective pores and cells for both types of used Zr substrates. The use of low purity Zr for anodizing does not affect drastically the morphology of formed nanoporous zirconia and offers a promising perspective to reduce production costs and increase availability of this material.

  3. Anchoring selenido-carbonyl ruthenium clusters to functionalized silica xerogels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cauzzi, Daniele; Graiff, Claudia; Pattacini, Roberto; Predieri, Giovanni; Tiripicchio, Antonio

    2003-01-01

    Silica Xerogels containing carbonyl Ru 3 Se 2 nido clusters were prepared in three different ways. The simple dispersion of [Ru 3 (μ 3 -Se) 2 (CO) 7 (PPh 3 ) 2 ] via sol gel process produces an inhomogeneous material; by contrast, homogeneous xerogels were obtained by reaction of [Ru 3 (μ 3 -Se) 2 (CO) 8 (PPh 3 )] with functionalized xerogels containing grafted diphenylphosphine moieties and by reaction of [Ru 3 (CO) 12 ] with a xerogel containing grafted phosphine-selenide groups. The reaction between [Ru 3 (CO) 12 ] and dodecyl diphenylphosphine selenide led to the formation of four selenido carbonyl clusters, which are soluble in hydrocarbon solvents and can be deposited as thin films from their solution by slow evaporation. (author)

  4. Lithography-based fabrication of nanopore arrays in freestanding SiN and graphene membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verschueren, Daniel V.; Yang, Wayne; Dekker, Cees

    2018-04-01

    We report a simple and scalable technique for the fabrication of nanopore arrays on freestanding SiN and graphene membranes based on electron-beam lithography and reactive ion etching. By controlling the dose of the single-shot electron-beam exposure, circular nanopores of any size down to 16 nm in diameter can be fabricated in both materials at high accuracy and precision. We demonstrate the sensing capabilities of these nanopores by translocating dsDNA through pores fabricated using this method, and find signal-to-noise characteristics on par with transmission-electron-microscope-drilled nanopores. This versatile lithography-based approach allows for the high-throughput manufacturing of nanopores and can in principle be used on any substrate, in particular membranes made out of transferable two-dimensional materials.

  5. Cellular membrane trafficking of mesoporous silica nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fang, I-Ju [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    2012-01-01

    This dissertation mainly focuses on the investigation of the cellular membrane trafficking of mesoporous silica nanoparticles. We are interested in the study of endocytosis and exocytosis behaviors of mesoporous silica nanoparticles with desired surface functionality. The relationship between mesoporous silica nanoparticles and membrane trafficking of cells, either cancerous cells or normal cells was examined. Since mesoporous silica nanoparticles were applied in many drug delivery cases, the endocytotic efficiency of mesoporous silica nanoparticles needs to be investigated in more details in order to design the cellular drug delivery system in the controlled way. It is well known that cells can engulf some molecules outside of the cells through a receptor-ligand associated endocytosis. We are interested to determine if those biomolecules binding to cell surface receptors can be utilized on mesoporous silica nanoparticle materials to improve the uptake efficiency or govern the mechanism of endocytosis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles. Arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) is a small peptide recognized by cell integrin receptors and it was reported that avidin internalization was highly promoted by tumor lectin. Both RGD and avidin were linked to the surface of mesoporous silica nanoparticle materials to investigate the effect of receptor-associated biomolecule on cellular endocytosis efficiency. The effect of ligand types, ligand conformation and ligand density were discussed in Chapter 2 and 3. Furthermore, the exocytosis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles is very attractive for biological applications. The cellular protein sequestration study of mesoporous silica nanoparticles was examined for further information of the intracellular pathway of endocytosed mesoporous silica nanoparticle materials. The surface functionality of mesoporous silica nanoparticle materials demonstrated selectivity among the materials and cancer and normal cell lines. We aimed to determine

  6. Nanoporous carbon tunable resistor/transistor and methods of production thereof

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biener, Juergen; Baumann, Theodore F; Dasgupta, Subho; Hahn, Horst

    2014-04-22

    In one embodiment, a tunable resistor/transistor includes a porous material that is electrically coupled between a source electrode and a drain electrode, wherein the porous material acts as an active channel, an electrolyte solution saturating the active channel, the electrolyte solution being adapted for altering an electrical resistance of the active channel based on an applied electrochemical potential, wherein the active channel comprises nanoporous carbon arranged in a three-dimensional structure. In another embodiment, a method for forming the tunable resistor/transistor includes forming a source electrode, forming a drain electrode, and forming a monolithic nanoporous carbon material that acts as an active channel and selectively couples the source electrode to the drain electrode electrically. In any embodiment, the electrolyte solution saturating the nanoporous carbon active channel is adapted for altering an electrical resistance of the nanoporous carbon active channel based on an applied electrochemical potential.

  7. Water desalination with a single-layer MoS2 nanopore

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heiranian, Mohammad; Farimani, Amir Barati; Aluru, Narayana R.

    2015-10-01

    Efficient desalination of water continues to be a problem facing the society. Advances in nanotechnology have led to the development of a variety of nanoporous membranes for water purification. Here we show, by performing molecular dynamics simulations, that a nanopore in a single-layer molybdenum disulfide can effectively reject ions and allow transport of water at a high rate. More than 88% of ions are rejected by membranes having pore areas ranging from 20 to 60 Å2. Water flux is found to be two to five orders of magnitude greater than that of other known nanoporous membranes. Pore chemistry is shown to play a significant role in modulating the water flux. Pores with only molybdenum atoms on their edges lead to higher fluxes, which are ~70% greater than that of graphene nanopores. These observations are explained by permeation coefficients, energy barriers, water density and velocity distributions in the pores.

  8. Recent progress in molecular simulation of nanoporous graphene membranes for gas separation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fatemi, S. Mahmood; Baniasadi, Aminreza; Moradi, Mahrokh

    2017-07-01

    If an ideal membrane for gas separation is to be obtained, the following three characteristics should be considered: the membrane should be as thin as possible, be mechanically robust, and have welldefined pore sizes. These features will maximize its solvent flux, preserve it from fracture, and guarantee its selectivity. Graphene is made up of a hexagonal honeycomb lattice of carbon atoms with sp 2 hybridization state forming a one-atom-thick sheet of graphite. Following conversion of the honeycomb lattices into nanopores with a specific geometry and size, a nanoporous graphene membrane that offers high efficiency as a separation membrane because of the ultrafast molecular permeation rate as a result of its one-atom thickness is obtained. Applications of nanoporous graphene membranes for gas separation have been receiving remarkably increasing attention because nanoporous graphene membranes show promising results in this area. This review focuses on the recent advances in nanoporous graphene membranes for applications in gas separation, with a major emphasis on theoretical works. The attractive properties of nanoporous graphene membranes introduce make them appropriate candidates for gas separation and gas molecular-sieving processes in nanoscale dimensions.

  9. Double-Layer Surface Modification of Polyamide Denture Base Material by Functionalized Sol-Gel Based Silica for Adhesion Improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hafezeqoran, Ali; Koodaryan, Roodabeh

    2017-09-21

    Limited surface treatments have been proposed to improve the bond strength between autopolymerizing resin and polyamide denture base materials. Still, the bond strength of autopolymerizing resins to nylon polymer is not strong enough to repair the fractured denture effectively. This study aimed to introduce a novel method to improve the adhesion of autopolymerizing resin to polyamide polymer by a double layer deposition of sol-gel silica and N-2-(aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (AE-APTMS). The silica sol was synthesized by acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as silica precursors. Polyamide specimens were dipped in TEOS-derived sol (TS group, n = 28), and exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light under O 2 flow for 30 minutes. UV-treated specimens were immersed in AE-APTMS solution and left for 24 hours at room temperature. The other specimens were either immersed in AE-APTMS solution (AP group, n = 28) or left untreated (NT group, n = 28). Surface characterization was investigated by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Two autopolymerizing resins (subgroups G and T, n = 14) were bonded to the specimens, thermocycled, and then tested for shear bond strength with a universal testing machine. Data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's HSD (α = 0.05). FTIR spectra of treated surfaces confirmed the chemical modification and appearance of functional groups on the polymer. One-way ANOVA revealed significant differences in shear bond strength among the study groups. Tukey's HSD showed that TS T and TS G groups had significantly higher shear bond strength than control groups (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, bond strength values of AP T were statistically significant compared to controls (p = 0.017). Amino functionalized TEOS-derived silica coating is a simple and cost-effective method for improving the bond strength between the autopolymerizing resin and polyamide

  10. Functionally graded Nylon-11/silica nanocomposites produced by selective laser sintering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chung, Haseung; Das, Suman

    2008-01-01

    Selective laser sintering (SLS), a layered manufacturing-based freeform fabrication approach was explored for constructing three-dimensional structures in functionally graded polymer nanocomposites. Here, we report on the processing and properties of functionally graded polymer nanocomposites of Nylon-11 filled with 0-10% by volume of 15 nm fumed silica nanoparticles. SLS processing parameters for the different compositions were developed by design of experiments (DOE). The densities and micro/nanostructures of the nanocomposites were examined by optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The tensile and compressive properties for each composition were then tested. These properties exhibit a nonlinear variation as a function of filler volume fraction. Finally, two component designs exhibiting a one-dimensional polymer nanocomposite material gradient were fabricated. The results indicate that particulate-filled functionally graded polymer nanocomposites exhibiting a one-dimensional composition gradient can be successfully processed by SLS to produce three-dimensional components with spatially varying mechanical properties

  11. Multifunctional nanomedicine with silica: Role of silica in nanoparticles for theranostic, imaging, and drug monitoring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Fang; Hableel, Ghanim; Zhao, Eric Ruike; Jokerst, Jesse V

    2018-07-01

    The idea of multifunctional nanomedicine that enters the human body to diagnose and treat disease without major surgery is a long-standing dream of nanomaterials scientists. Nanomaterials show incredible properties that are not found in bulk materials, but achieving multi-functionality on a single material remains challenging. Integrating several types of materials at the nano-scale is critical to the success of multifunctional nanomedicine device. Here, we describe the advantages of silica nanoparticles as a tool for multifunctional nano-devices. Silica nanoparticles have been intensively studied in drug delivery due to their biocompatibility, degradability, tunable morphology, and ease of modification. Moreover, silica nanoparticles can be integrated with other materials to obtain more features and achieve theranostic capabilities and multimodality for imaging applications. In this review, we will first compare the properties of silica nanoparticles with other well-known nanomaterials for bio-applications and describe typical routes to synthesize and integrate silica nanoparticles. We will then highlight theranostic and multimodal imaging application that use silica-based nanoparticles with a particular interest in real-time monitoring of therapeutic molecules. Finally, we will present the challenges and perspective on future work with silica-based nanoparticles in medicine. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Solid-state nanopores for scanning single molecules and mimicking biology

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kowalczyk, S.W.

    2011-01-01

    Solid-state nanopores, nanometer-size holes in a thin synthetic membrane, are a versatile tool for the detection and manipulation of charged biomolecules. This thesis describes mostly experimental work on DNA translocation through solid-state nanopores, which we study at the single-molecule level.

  13. Ion transport by gating voltage to nanopores produced via metal-assisted chemical etching method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Toan, Nguyen; Inomata, Naoki; Toda, Masaya; Ono, Takahito

    2018-05-01

    In this work, we report a simple and low-cost way to create nanopores that can be employed for various applications in nanofluidics. Nano sized Ag particles in the range from 1 to 20 nm are formed on a silicon substrate with a de-wetting method. Then the silicon nanopores with an approximate 15 nm average diameter and 200 μm height are successfully produced by the metal-assisted chemical etching method. In addition, electrically driven ion transport in the nanopores is demonstrated for nanofluidic applications. Ion transport through the nanopores is observed and could be controlled by an application of a gating voltage to the nanopores.

  14. Preparation and Characterization of Highly Spherical Silica-titania Aerogel Beads with High Surface Area

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    YU Yu-xi

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The silica-titania aerogel beads were synthesized through sol-gel reaction followed by supercritical drying, in which TEOS and TBT as co-precursors, EtOH as solvents, HAC and NH3·H2O as catalysts. The as-prepared aerogel beads were characterized by SEM,TEM,XRD,FT-IR,TG-DTA and nitrogen adsorption-desorption. The results indicate that the diameter distribution of beads are between 1-8mm, the average diameter of beads is 3.5mm. The aerogel beads have nanoporous network structure with high specific surface area of 914.5m2/g, and the TiO2 particles are distributed in the aerogel uniformly, which keep the anatase crystal under high temperature.

  15. Silica sol as grouting material: a physio-chemical analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sögaard, Christian; Funehag, Johan; Abbas, Zareen

    2018-01-01

    At present there is a pressing need to find an environmentally friendly grouting material for the construction of tunnels. Silica nanoparticles hold great potential of replacing the organic molecule based grouting materials currently used for this purpose. Chemically, silica nanoparticles are similar to natural silicates which are essential components of rocks and soil. Moreover, suspensions of silica nanoparticles of different sizes and desired reactivity are commercially available. However, the use of silica nanoparticles as grouting material is at an early stage of its technological development. There are some critical parameters such as long term stability and functionality of grouted silica that need to be investigated in detail before silica nanoparticles can be considered as a reliable grouting material. In this review article we present the state of the art regarding the chemical properties of silica nanoparticles commercially available, as well as experience gained from the use of silica as grouting material. We give a detailed description of the mechanisms underlying the gelling of silica by different salt solutions such as NaCl and KCl and how factors such as particle size, pH, and temperature affect the gelling and gel strength development. Our focus in this review is on linking the chemical properties of silica nanoparticles to the mechanical properties to better understand their functionality and stability as grouting material. Along the way we point out areas which need further research.

  16. Ion transport in sub-5-nm graphene nanopores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suk, Myung E.; Aluru, N. R.

    2014-01-01

    Graphene nanopore is a promising device for single molecule sensing, including DNA bases, as its single atom thickness provides high spatial resolution. To attain high sensitivity, the size of the molecule should be comparable to the pore diameter. However, when the pore diameter approaches the size of the molecule, ion properties and dynamics may deviate from the bulk values and continuum analysis may not be accurate. In this paper, we investigate the static and dynamic properties of ions with and without an external voltage drop in sub-5-nm graphene nanopores using molecular dynamics simulations. Ion concentration in graphene nanopores sharply drops from the bulk concentration when the pore radius is smaller than 0.9 nm. Ion mobility in the pore is also smaller than bulk ion mobility due to the layered liquid structure in the pore-axial direction. Our results show that a continuum analysis can be appropriate when the pore radius is larger than 0.9 nm if pore conductivity is properly defined. Since many applications of graphene nanopores, such as DNA and protein sensing, involve ion transport, the results presented here will be useful not only in understanding the behavior of ion transport but also in designing bio-molecular sensors

  17. Stochastic nanopore sensors for the detection of terrorist agents: Current status and challenges

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu Aihua; Zhao Qitao [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019-0065 (United States); Guan Xiyun, E-mail: xguan@uta.edu [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019-0065 (United States)

    2010-08-24

    Nanopore stochastic sensor works by monitoring the ionic current modulations induced by the passage of analytes of interest through a single pore, which can be obtained from a biological ion channel by self-assembly or artificially fabricated in a solid-state membrane. In this minireview, we overview the use of biological nanopores and artificial nanopores for the detection of terrorist agents including explosives, organophosphorus nerve agents, nitrogen mustards, organoarsenic compounds, toxins, and viruses. We also discuss the current challenge in the development of deployable nanopore sensors for real-world applications.

  18. Aminopropyl-Silica Hybrid Particles as Supports for Humic Acids Immobilization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mónika Sándor

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A series of aminopropyl-functionalized silica nanoparticles were prepared through a basic two step sol-gel process in water. Prior to being aminopropyl-functionalized, silica particles with an average diameter of 549 nm were prepared from tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS, using a Stöber method. In a second step, aminopropyl-silica particles were prepared by silanization with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES, added drop by drop to the sol-gel mixture. The synthesized amino-functionalized silica particles are intended to be used as supports for immobilization of humic acids (HA, through electrostatic bonds. Furthermore, by inserting beside APTES, unhydrolysable mono-, di- or trifunctional alkylsilanes (methyltriethoxy silane (MeTES, trimethylethoxysilane (Me3ES, diethoxydimethylsilane (Me2DES and 1,2-bis(triethoxysilylethane (BETES onto silica particles surface, the spacing of the free amino groups was intended in order to facilitate their interaction with HA large molecules. Two sorts of HA were used for evaluating the immobilization capacity of the novel aminosilane supports. The results proved the efficient functionalization of silica nanoparticles with amino groups and showed that the immobilization of the two tested types of humic acid substances was well achieved for all the TEOS/APTES = 20/1 (molar ratio silica hybrids having or not having the amino functions spaced by alkyl groups. It was shown that the density of aminopropyl functions is low enough at this low APTES fraction and do not require a further spacing by alkyl groups. Moreover, all the hybrids having negative zeta potential values exhibited low interaction with HA molecules.

  19. Detection of DNA hybridizations using solid-state nanopores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balagurusamy, Venkat S K; Weinger, Paul; Sean Ling, Xinsheng

    2010-01-01

    We report an experimental study of using DNA translocation through solid-state nanopores to detect the sequential arrangement of two double-stranded 12-mer hybridization segments on a single-stranded DNA molecule. The sample DNA is a trimer molecule formed by hybridizing three single-stranded oligonucleotides. A polystyrene bead is attached to the end of the trimer DNA, providing a mechanism in slowing down the translocation and suppressing the thermal diffusion, thereby allowing the detection of short features of DNA by standard patch-clamp electronics. The electrical signature of the translocation of a trimer molecule through a nanopore has been identified successfully in the temporal traces of ionic current. The results reported here represent the first successful attempt in using a solid-state nanopore as an ionic scanning device in resolving individual hybridization segments (or 'probes') on a DNA molecule.

  20. Detection of DNA hybridizations using solid-state nanopores

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Balagurusamy, Venkat S K; Weinger, Paul; Sean Ling, Xinsheng, E-mail: Xinsheng_Ling@brown.edu [Department of Physics, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912 (United States)

    2010-08-20

    We report an experimental study of using DNA translocation through solid-state nanopores to detect the sequential arrangement of two double-stranded 12-mer hybridization segments on a single-stranded DNA molecule. The sample DNA is a trimer molecule formed by hybridizing three single-stranded oligonucleotides. A polystyrene bead is attached to the end of the trimer DNA, providing a mechanism in slowing down the translocation and suppressing the thermal diffusion, thereby allowing the detection of short features of DNA by standard patch-clamp electronics. The electrical signature of the translocation of a trimer molecule through a nanopore has been identified successfully in the temporal traces of ionic current. The results reported here represent the first successful attempt in using a solid-state nanopore as an ionic scanning device in resolving individual hybridization segments (or 'probes') on a DNA molecule.

  1. Electrochemically etched nanoporous silicon membrane for separation of biological molecules in mixture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burham, Norhafizah; Azlan Hamzah, Azrul; Yunas, Jumril; Yeop Majlis, Burhanuddin

    2017-07-01

    This paper presents a technique for separating biological molecules in mixture using nanoporous silicon membrane. Nanopores were formed using electrochemical etching process (ECE) by etching a prefabricated silicon membrane in hydrofluoric acid (HF) and ethanol, and then directly bonding it with PDMS to form a complete filtration system for separating biological molecules. Tygon S3™ tubings were used as fluid interconnection between PDMS molds and silicon membrane during testing. Electrochemical etching parameters were manipulated to control pore structure and size. In this work, nanopores with sizes of less than 50 nm, embedded on top of columnar structures have been fabricated using high current densities and variable HF concentrations. Zinc oxide was diluted with deionized (DI) water and mixed with biological molecules and non-biological particles, namely protein standard, serum albumin and sodium chloride. Zinc oxide particles were trapped on the nanoporous silicon surface, while biological molecules of sizes up to 12 nm penetrated the nanoporous silicon membrane. The filtered particles were inspected using a Zetasizer Nano SP for particle size measurement and count. The Zetasizer Nano SP results revealed that more than 95% of the biological molecules in the mixture were filtered out by the nanoporous silicon membrane. The nanoporous silicon membrane fabricated in this work is integratable into bio-MEMS and Lab-on-Chip components to separate two or more types of biomolecules at once. The membrane is especially useful for the development of artificial kidney.

  2. Biomimetic glass nanopores employing aptamer gates responsive to a small molecule†

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abelow, Alexis E.; Schepelina, Olga; White, Ryan J.; Vallée-Bélisle, Alexis

    2011-01-01

    We report the preparation of 20 and 65 nm radii glass nanopores whose surface is modified with DNA aptamers controlling the molecular transport through the nanopores in response to small molecule binding. PMID:20865192

  3. Size-dependent nonlinear bending of micro/nano-beams made of nanoporous biomaterials including a refined truncated cube cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahmani, S.; Aghdam, M. M.

    2017-12-01

    Morphology and pore size plays an essential role in the mechanical properties as well as the associated biological capability of a porous structure made of biomaterials. The objective of the current study is to predict the Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of nanoporous biomaterials including refined truncated cube cells based on a hyperbolic shear deformable beam model. Analytical relationships for the mechanical properties of nanoporous biomaterials are given as a function of the refined cell's dimensions. After that, the size dependency in the nonlinear bending behavior of micro/nano-beams made of such nanoporous biomaterials is analyzed using the nonlocal strain gradient elasticity theory. It is assumed that the micro/nano-beam has one movable end under axial compression in conjunction with a uniform distributed lateral load. The Galerkin method together with an improved perturbation technique is employed to propose explicit analytical expression for nonlocal strain gradient load-deflection curves of the micro/nano-beams made of nanoporous biomaterials subjected to uniform transverse distributed load. It is found that through increment of the pore size, the micro/nano-beam will undergo much more deflection corresponding to a specific distributed load due to the reduction in the stiffness of nanoporous biomaterial. This pattern is more prominent for lower value of applied axial compressive load at the free end of micro/nano-beam.

  4. Hydrothermal stability of silica, hybrid silica and Zr-doped hybrid silica membranes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    ten Hove, Marcel; Luiten-Olieman, Mieke W.J.; Huiskes, Cindy; Nijmeijer, Arian; Winnubst, Louis

    2017-01-01

    Hybrid silica membranes have demonstrated to possess a remarkable hydrothermal stability in pervaporation and gas separation processes allowing them to be used in industrial applications. In several publications the hydrothermal stability of pure silica or that of hybrid silica membranes are

  5. Fumed silica. Fumed silica

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sukawa, T.; Shirono, H. (Nippon Aerosil Co. Ltd., Tokyo (Japan))

    1991-10-18

    The fumed silica is explained in particulate superfineness, high purity, high dispersiveness and other remarkable characteristics, and wide application. The fumed silica, being presently produced, is 7 to 40nm in average primary particulate diameter and 50 to 380m{sup 2}/g in specific surface area. On the surface, there coexist hydrophilic silanol group (Si-OH) and hydrophobic siloxane group (Si-O-Si). There are many characteristics, mutually different between the fumed silica, made hydrophobic by the surface treatment, and untreated hydrophilic silica. The treated silica, if added to the liquid product, serves as agent to heighten the viscosity, prevent the sedimentation and disperse the particles. The highest effect is given to heighten the viscosity in a region of 4 to 9 in pH in water and alcohol. As filling agent to strengthen the elastomer and polymer, and powder product, it gives an effect to prevent the consolidation and improve the fluidity. As for its other applications, utilization is made of particulate superfineness, high purity, thermal insulation properties and adsorption characteristics. 2 to 3 patents are published for it as raw material of quartz glass. 38 refs., 16 figs., 4 tabs.

  6. Catalytic nanoporous membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pellin, Michael J; Hryn, John N; Elam, Jeffrey W

    2013-08-27

    A nanoporous catalytic membrane which displays several unique features Including pores which can go through the entire thickness of the membrane. The membrane has a higher catalytic and product selectivity than conventional catalysts. Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes serve as the catalyst substrate. This substrate is then subjected to Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), which allows the controlled narrowing of the pores from 40 nm to 10 nm in the substrate by deposition of a preparatory material. Subsequent deposition of a catalytic layer on the inner surfaces of the pores reduces pore sizes to less than 10 nm and allows for a higher degree of reaction selectivity. The small pore sizes allow control over which molecules enter the pores, and the flow-through feature can allow for partial oxidation of reactant species as opposed to complete oxidation. A nanoporous separation membrane, produced by ALD is also provided for use in gaseous and liquid separations. The membrane has a high flow rate of material with 100% selectivity. Also provided is a method for producing a catalytic membrane having flow-through pores and discreet catalytic clusters adhering to the inside surfaces of the pores.

  7. Nanochannel Device with Embedded Nanopore: a New Approach for Single-Molecule DNA Analysis and Manipulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yuning; Reisner, Walter

    2013-03-01

    Nanopore and nanochannel based devices are robust methods for biomolecular sensing and single DNA manipulation. Nanopore-based DNA sensing has attractive features that make it a leading candidate as a single-molecule DNA sequencing technology. Nanochannel based extension of DNA, combined with enzymatic or denaturation-based barcoding schemes, is already a powerful approach for genome analysis. We believe that there is revolutionary potential in devices that combine nanochannels with embedded pore detectors. In particular, due to the fast translocation of a DNA molecule through a standard nanopore configuration, there is an unfavorable trade-off between signal and sequence resolution. With a combined nanochannel-nanopore device, based on embedding a pore inside a nanochannel, we can in principle gain independent control over both DNA translocation speed and sensing signal, solving the key draw-back of the standard nanopore configuration. We demonstrate that we can optically detect successful translocation of DNA from the nanochannel out through the nanopore, a possible method to 'select' a given barcode for further analysis. In particular, we show that in equilibrium DNA will not escape through an embedded sub-persistence length nanopore, suggesting that the pore could be used as a nanoscale window through which to interrogate a nanochannel extended DNA molecule. Furthermore, electrical measurements through the nanopore are performed, indicating that DNA sensing is feasible using the nanochannel-nanopore device.

  8. Design of Stratified Functional Nanoporous Materials for CO2 Capture and Conversion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Johnson, J. Karl [Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Ye, Jingyun [Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

    2017-10-03

    The objective of this project is to develop novel nanoporous materials for CO2 capture and conversion. The motivation of this work is that capture of CO2 from flue gas or the atmosphere coupled with catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 into valuable chemicals and fuels can reduce the net amount of CO2 in the atmosphere while providing liquid transportation fuels and other commodity chemicals. One approach to increasing the economic viability of carbon capture and conversion is to design a single material that can be used for both the capture and catalytic conversion of CO2, because such a material could increase efficiency through process intensification. We have used density functional theory (DFT) methods to design catalytic moieties that can be incorporated into various metal organic framework (MOF) materials. We chose to work with MOFs because they are highly tailorable, can be functionalized, and have been shown to selectively adsorb CO2 over N2, which is a requirement for CO2 capture from flue gas. Moreover, the incorporation of molecular catalytic moieties into MOF, through covalent bonding, produces a heterogeneous catalytic material having activities and selectivities close to those of homogeneous catalysts, but without the draw-backs associated with homogeneous catalysis.

  9. Buckling Causes Nonlinear Dynamics of Filamentous Viruses Driven through Nanopores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMullen, Angus; de Haan, Hendrick W; Tang, Jay X; Stein, Derek

    2018-02-16

    Measurements and Langevin dynamics simulations of filamentous viruses driven through solid-state nanopores reveal a superlinear rise in the translocation velocity with driving force. The mobility also scales with the length of the virus in a nontrivial way that depends on the force. These dynamics are consequences of the buckling of the leading portion of a virus as it emerges from the nanopore and is put under compressive stress by the viscous forces it encounters. The leading tip of a buckled virus stalls and this reduces the total viscous drag force. We present a scaling theory that connects the solid mechanics to the nonlinear dynamics of polyelectrolytes translocating nanopores.

  10. Engineering of highly ordered TiO2 nanopore arrays by anodization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Huijie; Huang, Zhennan; Zhang, Li; Ding, Jie; Ma, Zhaoxia; Liu, Yong; Kou, Shengzhong; Yang, Hangsheng

    2016-07-01

    Finite element analysis was used to simulate the current density distributions in the TiO2 barrier layer formed at the initial stage of Ti anodization. The morphology modification of the barrier layer was found to induce current density distribution change. By starting the anodization with proper TiO2 barrier layer morphology, the current density distribution can be adjusted to favor the formation of either nanotube arrays or nanopore arrays of anodic TiO2. We also found that the addition of sodium acetate into the electrolyte suppressed both the field-assisted chemical dissolution of TiO2 and the TiF62- hydrolysis induced TiO2 deposition during anodization, and thus further favored the nanopore formation. Accordingly, highly ordered anodic TiO2 nanopore arrays, similar to anodic aluminum oxide nanopore arrays, were successfully prepared.

  11. Nanoporous Activated Carbon Derived from Rice Husk for High Performance Supercapacitor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huaxing Xu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Nanoporous activated carbon material was produced from the waste rice husks (RHs by precarbonizing RHs and activating with KOH. The morphology, structure, and specific surface area were investigated. The nanoporous carbon has the average pore size of 2.2 nm and high specific area of 2523.4 m2 g−1. The specific capacitance of the nanoporous carbon is calculated to be 250 F g−1 at the current density of 1 A g−1 and remains 80% for 198 F g−1 at the current density of 20 A g−1. The nanoporous carbon electrode exhibits long-term cycle life and could keep stable capacitance till 10,000 cycles. The consistently high specific capacitance, rate capacity, and long-term cycle life ability makes it a potential candidate as electrode material for supercapacitor.

  12. Nanotopography effects on astrocyte attachment to nanoporous gold surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurtulus, Ozge; Seker, Erkin

    2012-01-01

    Nanoporous gold, synthesized by a self-assembly process, is a new biomaterial with desirable attributes, including tunable nanotopography, drug delivery potential, electrical conductivity, and compatibility with conventional microfabrication techniques. This study reports on the effect of nanotopography in guiding cellular attachment on nanoporous gold surfaces. While the changes in topography do not affect adherent cell density, average cell area displays a non-monotonic dependence on nanotopography.

  13. Probe DNA-Cisplatin Interaction with Solid-State Nanopores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Zhi; Hu, Ying; Li, Wei; Xu, Zhi; Wang, Pengye; Bai, Xuedong; Shan, Xinyan; Lu, Xinghua; Nanopore Collaboration

    2014-03-01

    Understanding the mechanism of DNA-cisplatin interaction is essential for clinical application and novel drug design. As an emerging single-molecule technology, solid-state nanopore has been employed in biomolecule detection and probing DNA-molecule interactions. Herein, we reported a real-time monitoring of DNA-cisplatin interaction by employing solid-state SiN nanopores. The DNA-cisplatin interacting process is clearly classified into three stages by measuring the capture rate of DNA-cisplatin adducts. In the first stage, the negative charged DNA molecules were partially discharged due to the bonding of positive charged cisplatin and forming of mono-adducts. In the second stage, forming of DNA-cisplatin di-adducts with the adjacent bases results in DNA bending and softening. The capture rate increases since the softened bi-adducts experience a lower barrier to thread into the nanopores. In the third stage, complex structures, such as micro-loop, are formed and the DNA-cisplatin adducts are aggregated. The capture rate decreases to zero as the aggregated adduct grows to the size of the pore. The characteristic time of this stage was found to be linear with the diameter of the nanopore and this dynamic process can be described with a second-order reaction model. We are grateful to Laboratory of Microfabrication, Dr. Y. Yao, and Prof. R.C. Yu (Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) for technical assistance.

  14. Formation and evolution of nanoporous bimetallic Ag-Cu alloy by electrochemically dealloying Mg-(Ag-Cu)-Y metallic glass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Ran; Wu, Na; Liu, Jijuan; Jin, Yu; Chen, Xiao-Bo; Zhang, Tao

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Uniform nanoporous Ag-Cu alloy was fabricated by dealloying Mg-based metallic glass. • The nanoporous structure was built up with numerous Ag-Cu ligaments. • The nanoporous ligaments show two-stage coarsening behavior with dealloying time. • The formation and evolution mechanisms of the nanoporous structure were clarified. • It could provide new guidance to the synthesis of nanoporous multi-component alloys. - Abstract: A three-dimensional nanoporous bimetallic Ag-Cu alloy with uniform chemical composition has been fabricated by dealloying Mg_6_5Ag_1_2_._5Cu_1_2_._5Y_1_0 metallic glass in dilute (0.04 M) H_2SO_4 aqueous solution under free-corrosion conditions. The nanoporous Ag-Cu evolves through two distinct stages. First, ligaments of the nanoporous structure, consisting of supersaturated Ag(Cu) solid solution with a constant Ag/Cu mole ratio of 1:1, are yielded. Second, with excessive immersion, some Cu atoms separate from the metastable nanoporous matrix and form spherical Cu particles on the sample surface. Formation and evolution mechanisms of the nanoporous structure are proposed.

  15. Noise and its reduction in graphene based nanopore devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Ashvani; Park, Kyeong-Beom; Kim, Hyun-Mi; Kim, Ki-Bum

    2013-01-01

    Ionic current fluctuations in graphene nanopore devices are a ubiquitous phenomenon and are responsible for degraded spatial and temporal resolution. Here, we descriptively investigate the impact of different substrate materials (Si and quartz) and membrane thicknesses on noise characteristics of graphene nanopore devices. To mitigate the membrane fluctuations and pin-hole defects, a SiN x membrane is transferred onto the substrate and a pore of approximately 70 nm in diameter is perforated prior to the graphene transfer. Comprehensive noise study reveals that the few layer graphene transferred onto the quartz substrate possesses low noise level and higher signal to noise ratio as compared to single layer graphene, without deteriorating the spatial resolution. The findings here point to improvement of graphene based nanopore devices for exciting opportunities in future single-molecule genomic screening devices. (paper)

  16. Multichannel detection of ionic currents through two nanopores fabricated on integrated Si3N4 membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yanagi, Itaru; Akahori, Rena; Aoki, Mayu; Harada, Kunio; Takeda, Ken-Ichi

    2016-08-16

    Integration of solid-state nanopores and multichannel detection of signals from each nanopore are effective measures for realizing high-throughput nanopore sensors. In the present study, we demonstrated fabrication of Si3N4 membrane arrays and the simultaneous measurement of ionic currents through two nanopores formed in two adjacent membranes. Membranes with thicknesses as low as 6.4 nm and small nanopores with diameters of less than 2 nm could be fabricated using the poly-Si sacrificial-layer process and multilevel pulse-voltage injection. Using the fabricated nanopore membranes, we successfully achieved simultaneous detection of clear ionic-current blockades when single-stranded short homopolymers (poly(dA)60) passed through two nanopores. In addition, we investigated the signal crosstalk and leakage current among separated chambers. When two nanopores were isolated on the front surface of the membrane, there was no signal crosstalk or leakage current between the chambers. However, when two nanopores were isolated on the backside of the Si substrate, signal crosstalk and leakage current were observed owing to high-capacitance coupling between the chambers and electrolysis of water on the surface of the Si substrate. The signal crosstalk and leakage current could be suppressed by oxidizing the exposed Si surface in the membrane chip. Finally, the observed ionic-current blockade when poly(dA)60 passed through the nanopore in the oxidized chip was approximately half of that observed in the non-oxidized chip.

  17. Poly(ethyleneimine) infused and functionalized Torlon®-silica hollow fiber sorbents for post-combustion CO2 capture

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Fuyue Stephanie; Labreche, Ying; Lively, Ryan P.; Lee, Jong Suk; Jones, Christopher W.; Koros, William J.

    2014-01-01

    -jet/wet-quench spinning process. In our study, a new technique for functionalizing polymeric silica hollow fiber sorbents with poly(ethyleneimine), followed by a post-spinning infusion step was studied. This two step process introduces a sufficient amount of poly

  18. Brittle-to-ductile transition of lithiated silicon electrodes: Crazing to stable nanopore growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Haoran; Wang, Xueju; Xia, Shuman; Chew, Huck Beng

    2015-09-14

    Using first principle calculations, we uncover the underlying mechanisms explaining the brittle-to-ductile transition of LixSi electrodes in lithium ion batteries with increasing Li content. We show that plasticity initiates at x = ∼ 0.5 with the formation of a craze-like network of nanopores separated by Si-Si bonds, while subsequent failure is still brittle-like with the breaking of Si-Si bonds. Transition to ductile behavior occurs at x ⩾ 1 due to the increased density of highly stretchable Li-Li bonds, which delays nanopore formation and stabilizes nanopore growth. Collapse of the nanopores during unloading of the LixSi alloys leads to significant strain recovery.

  19. Two choices for the functionalization of silica nanoparticles with gallic acid: characterization of the nanomaterials and their antimicrobial activity against Paenibacillus larvae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vico, Tamara A.; Arce, Valeria B.; Fangio, María F.; Gende, Liesel B.; Bertran, Celso A.; Mártire, Daniel O.; Churio, María S.

    2016-11-01

    Silica nanoparticles attached to gallic acid were synthesized from 7-nm diameter fumed silica particles by different functionalization methods involving the condensation of hydroxyl or carboxyl groups. The particles were characterized by thermal analyses and UV-vis, FTIR, NMR, and EPR spectroscopies. In comparison to free gallic acid, enhanced stability and increased antimicrobial activity against Paenibacillus larvae were found for the functionalized nanoparticles. Thus, both derivatization strategies result in improved properties of the natural polyphenol as antimicrobial agent for the treatment of honeybee pathologies.

  20. Two choices for the functionalization of silica nanoparticles with gallic acid: characterization of the nanomaterials and their antimicrobial activity against Paenibacillus larvae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vico, Tamara A.; Arce, Valeria B.; Fangio, María F.; Gende, Liesel B.; Bertran, Celso A.; Mártire, Daniel O.; Churio, María S.

    2016-01-01

    Silica nanoparticles attached to gallic acid were synthesized from 7-nm diameter fumed silica particles by different functionalization methods involving the condensation of hydroxyl or carboxyl groups. The particles were characterized by thermal analyses and UV–vis, FTIR, NMR, and EPR spectroscopies. In comparison to free gallic acid, enhanced stability and increased antimicrobial activity against Paenibacillus larvae were found for the functionalized nanoparticles. Thus, both derivatization strategies result in improved properties of the natural polyphenol as antimicrobial agent for the treatment of honeybee pathologies.

  1. Two choices for the functionalization of silica nanoparticles with gallic acid: characterization of the nanomaterials and their antimicrobial activity against Paenibacillus larvae

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vico, Tamara A. [Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Departamento de Química, FCEyN/IFIMAR, CONICET (Argentina); Arce, Valeria B. [CONICET La Plata—CIC—UNLP, Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas (CIOp) (Argentina); Fangio, María F., E-mail: mfangio@mdp.edu.ar [Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Departamento de Química, FCEyN/IFIMAR, CONICET (Argentina); Gende, Liesel B. [Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, FCEyN (Argentina); Bertran, Celso A. [University of Campinas, Chemistry Institute (Brazil); Mártire, Daniel O. [Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA), CONICET (Argentina); Churio, María S., E-mail: schurio@mdp.edu.ar [Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Departamento de Química, FCEyN/IFIMAR, CONICET (Argentina)

    2016-11-15

    Silica nanoparticles attached to gallic acid were synthesized from 7-nm diameter fumed silica particles by different functionalization methods involving the condensation of hydroxyl or carboxyl groups. The particles were characterized by thermal analyses and UV–vis, FTIR, NMR, and EPR spectroscopies. In comparison to free gallic acid, enhanced stability and increased antimicrobial activity against Paenibacillus larvae were found for the functionalized nanoparticles. Thus, both derivatization strategies result in improved properties of the natural polyphenol as antimicrobial agent for the treatment of honeybee pathologies.

  2. Dendritic silica nanomaterials (KCC-1) with fibrous pore structure possess high DNA adsorption capacity and effectively deliver genes in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Xiaoxi; Tao, Zhimin; Praskavich, John C; Goswami, Anandarup; Al-Sharab, Jafar F; Minko, Tamara; Polshettiwar, Vivek; Asefa, Tewodros

    2014-09-16

    The pore size and pore structure of nanoporous materials can affect the materials' physical properties, as well as potential applications in different areas, including catalysis, drug delivery, and biomolecular therapeutics. KCC-1, one of the newest members of silica nanomaterials, possesses fibrous, large pore, dendritic pore networks with wide pore entrances, large pore size distribution, spacious pore volume and large surface area--structural features that are conducive for adsorption and release of large guest molecules and biomacromolecules (e.g., proteins and DNAs). Here, we report the results of our comparative studies of adsorption of salmon DNA in a series of KCC-1-based nanomaterials that are functionalized with different organoamine groups on different parts of their surfaces (channel walls, external surfaces or both). For comparison the results of our studies of adsorption of salmon DNA in similarly functionalized, MCM-41 mesoporous silica nanomaterials with cylindrical pores, some of the most studied silica nanomaterials for drug/gene delivery, are also included. Our results indicate that, despite their relatively lower specific surface area, the KCC-1-based nanomaterials show high adsorption capacity for DNA than the corresponding MCM-41-based nanomaterials, most likely because of KCC-1's large pores, wide pore mouths, fibrous pore network, and thereby more accessible and amenable structure for DNA molecules to diffuse through. Conversely, the MCM-41-based nanomaterials adsorb much less DNA, presumably because their outer surfaces/cylindrical channel pore entrances can get blocked by the DNA molecules, making the inner parts of the materials inaccessible. Moreover, experiments involving fluorescent dye-tagged DNAs suggest that the amine-grafted KCC-1 materials are better suited for delivering the DNAs adsorbed on their surfaces into cellular environments than their MCM-41 counterparts. Finally, cellular toxicity tests show that the KCC-1-based

  3. BIOLOGICAL NANOPORES FOR BIOPOLYMER SENSING AND SEQUENCING BASED ON FRAC ACTINOPORIN

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maglia, Giovanni; Wloka, Carsten; Mutter, Natalie Lisa; Soskine, Misha; Huang, Gang

    2018-01-01

    The invention relates generally to the field of nanopores and the use thereof in various applications, such as analysis of biopolymer s and macromolecules, typically by making electrical measurements during translocation through a nanopores. Provided is a system comprising a funnel- shaped

  4. Rapid resistome mapping using nanopore sequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Helm, Eric; Imamovic, Lejla; Hashim Ellabaan, Mostafa M; van Schaik, Willem; Koza, Anna; Sommer, Morten O A

    2017-05-05

    The emergence of antibiotic resistance in human pathogens has become a major threat to modern medicine. The outcome of antibiotic treatment can be affected by the composition of the gut. Accordingly, knowledge of the gut resistome composition could enable more effective and individualized treatment of bacterial infections. Yet, rapid workflows for resistome characterization are lacking. To address this challenge we developed the poreFUME workflow that deploys functional metagenomic selections and nanopore sequencing to resistome mapping. We demonstrate the approach by functionally characterizing the gut resistome of an ICU (intensive care unit) patient. The accuracy of the poreFUME pipeline is with >97% sufficient for the annotation of antibiotic resistance genes. The poreFUME pipeline provides a promising approach for efficient resistome profiling that could inform antibiotic treatment decisions in the future. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  5. Hydroxylated crystalline edingtonite silica faces as models for the amorphous silica surface

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tosoni, S; Civalleri, B; Ugliengo, P [Dipartimento di Chimica IFM and NIS (Centre of Excellence), Universita di Torino, Via P. Giuria 7, 10125 Torino - ITALY (Italy); Pascale, F [Laboratoire de Cristallographie ed Modelisation des Materiaux Mineraux et Biologiques, UMR-CNRS-7036. Universite Henri Poincare - Nancy I, B.P. 239, 54506 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy Cedex 05 - FRANCE (France)], E-mail: piero.ugliengo@unito.it

    2008-06-01

    Fully hydroxylated surfaces derived from crystalline edingtonite were adopted to model the variety of sites known to exist at the amorphous silica surface, namely isolated, geminal and interacting silanols. Structures, energetics and vibrational features of the surfaces either bare or in contact with water were modelled at DFT level using the B3LYP functional with a GTO basis set of double-zeta polarized quality using the periodic ab-initio CRYSTAL06 code. Simulated infrared spectra of both dry and water wet edingtonite surfaces were in excellent agreement with the experimental ones recorded on amorphous silica. Water interaction energies were compared with microcalorimetric differential heats of adsorption data showing good agreement, albeit computed ones being slightly underestimated due to the lack of dispersive forces in the B3LYP functional.

  6. Synthesis of nanoporous carbons from mixtures of coal tar pitch and furfural and their application as electrode materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Petrova, B.; Tsyntsarski, B.; Budinova, T.; Petrov, N.; Ania, C.O.; Parra, J.B.; Mladenov, M.; Tzvetkov, P.

    2010-11-15

    Synthetic nanoporous carbons are prepared by polymerization of mixtures containing coal tar pitch and furfural in different proportions, followed by carbonization of obtained solid product and steam activation of the carbonizate. The chemical composition of the initial mixture significantly affects the physicochemical properties (surface area, pore structure, electro resistance and amount of oxygen-containing groups on the surface) of the obtained materials. The incorporation of oxygen in the precursor mixture by means of furfural, has a strong influence in the synthetic step; increasing the furfural content facilitates the formation of a solid product characterized by a large oxygen content. Moreover, the solid product is more reactive towards activation as the furfural content increases, giving rise to nanoporous carbons with large surface areas and unique chemical features (high density of oxygen functionalities of basic nature). These nanoporous carbons have been investigated as electrodes in electrochemical applications. (author)

  7. A novel input-parasitic compensation technique for a nanopore-based CMOS DNA detection sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jungsuk

    2016-12-01

    This paper presents a novel input-parasitic compensation (IPC) technique for a nanopore-based complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) DNA detection sensor. A resistive-feedback transimpedance amplifier is typically adopted as the headstage of a DNA detection sensor to amplify the minute ionic currents generated from a nanopore and convert them to a readable voltage range for digitization. But, parasitic capacitances arising from the headstage input and the nanopore often cause headstage saturation during nanopore sensing, thereby resulting in significant DNA data loss. To compensate for the unwanted saturation, in this work, we propose an area-efficient and automated IPC technique, customized for a low-noise DNA detection sensor, fabricated using a 0.35- μm CMOS process; we demonstrated this prototype in a benchtop test using an α-hemolysin ( α-HL) protein nanopore.

  8. In vitro extracellular recording and stimulation performance of nanoporous gold-modified multi-electrode arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Yong Hee; Kim, Gook Hwa; Kim, Ah Young; Han, Young Hwan; Chung, Myung-Ae; Jung, Sang-Don

    2015-12-01

    Nanoporous gold (Au) structures can reduce the impedance and enhance the charge injection capability of multi-electrode arrays (MEAs) used for interfacing neuronal networks. Even though there are various nanoporous Au preparation techniques, fabrication of MEA based on low-cost electro-codeposition of Ag:Au has not been performed. In this work, we have modified a Au MEA via the electro-codeposition of Ag:Au alloy, followed by the chemical etching of Ag, and report on the in vitro extracellular recording and stimulation performance of the nanoporous Au-modified MEA. Ag:Au alloy was electro-codeposited on a bilayer lift-off resist sputter-deposition passivated Au MEA followed by chemical etching of Ag to form a porous Au structure. The porous Au structure was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and tunneling electron microscopy and found to have an interconnected nanoporous Au structure. The impedance value of the nanoporous Au-modified MEA is 15.4 ± 0.55 kΩ at 1 kHz, accompanied by the base noise V rms of 2.4 ± 0.3 μV. The charge injection limit of the nanoporous Au-modified electrode estimated from voltage transient measurement is approximately 1 mC cm(-2), which is comparable to roughened platinum and carbon nanotube electrodes. The charge injection capability of the nanoporous Au-modified MEA was confirmed by observing stimulus-induced spikes at above 0.2 V. The nanoporous Au-modified MEA showed mechanical durability upon ultrasonic treatment for up to an hour. Electro-codeposition of Ag:Au alloy combined with chemical etching Ag is a low-cost process for fabricating nanoporous Au-modified MEA suitable for establishing the stimulus-response relationship of cultured neuronal networks.

  9. In vitro extracellular recording and stimulation performance of nanoporous gold-modified multi-electrode arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Yong Hee; Kim, Gook Hwa; Kim, Ah Young; Han, Young Hwan; Chung, Myung-Ae; Jung, Sang-Don

    2015-12-01

    Objective. Nanoporous gold (Au) structures can reduce the impedance and enhance the charge injection capability of multi-electrode arrays (MEAs) used for interfacing neuronal networks. Even though there are various nanoporous Au preparation techniques, fabrication of MEA based on low-cost electro-codeposition of Ag:Au has not been performed. In this work, we have modified a Au MEA via the electro-codeposition of Ag:Au alloy, followed by the chemical etching of Ag, and report on the in vitro extracellular recording and stimulation performance of the nanoporous Au-modified MEA. Approach. Ag:Au alloy was electro-codeposited on a bilayer lift-off resist sputter-deposition passivated Au MEA followed by chemical etching of Ag to form a porous Au structure. Main results. The porous Au structure was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and tunneling electron microscopy and found to have an interconnected nanoporous Au structure. The impedance value of the nanoporous Au-modified MEA is 15.4 ± 0.55 kΩ at 1 kHz, accompanied by the base noise V rms of 2.4 ± 0.3 μV. The charge injection limit of the nanoporous Au-modified electrode estimated from voltage transient measurement is approximately 1 mC cm-2, which is comparable to roughened platinum and carbon nanotube electrodes. The charge injection capability of the nanoporous Au-modified MEA was confirmed by observing stimulus-induced spikes at above 0.2 V. The nanoporous Au-modified MEA showed mechanical durability upon ultrasonic treatment for up to an hour. Significance. Electro-codeposition of Ag:Au alloy combined with chemical etching Ag is a low-cost process for fabricating nanoporous Au-modified MEA suitable for establishing the stimulus-response relationship of cultured neuronal networks.

  10. Recycling rice husks for high-capacity lithium battery anodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Dae Soo; Ryou, Myung-Hyun; Sung, Yong Joo; Park, Seung Bin; Choi, Jang Wook

    2013-07-23

    The rice husk is the outer covering of a rice kernel and protects the inner ingredients from external attack by insects and bacteria. To perform this function while ventilating air and moisture, rice plants have developed unique nanoporous silica layers in their husks through years of natural evolution. Despite the massive amount of annual production near 10(8) tons worldwide, so far rice husks have been recycled only for low-value agricultural items. In an effort to recycle rice husks for high-value applications, we convert the silica to silicon and use it for high-capacity lithium battery anodes. Taking advantage of the interconnected nanoporous structure naturally existing in rice husks, the converted silicon exhibits excellent electrochemical performance as a lithium battery anode, suggesting that rice husks can be a massive resource for use in high-capacity lithium battery negative electrodes.

  11. Protein Nanopore-Based Discrimination between Selected Neutral Amino Acids from Polypeptides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asandei, Alina; Rossini, Aldo E; Chinappi, Mauro; Park, Yoonkyung; Luchian, Tudor

    2017-12-19

    Nanopore probing of biological polymers has the potential to achieve single-molecule sequencing at low cost, high throughput, portability, and minimal sample preparation and apparatus. In this article, we explore the possibility of discrimination between neutral amino acid residues from the primary structure of 30 amino acids long, engineered peptides, through the analysis of single-molecule ionic current fluctuations accompanying their slowed-down translocation across the wild type α-hemolysin (α-HL) nanopore, and molecular dynamics simulations. We found that the transient presence inside the α-HL of alanine or tryptophan residues from the primary sequence of engineered peptides results in distinct features of the ionic current fluctuation pattern associated with the peptide reversibly blocking the nanopore. We propose that α-HL sensitivity to the molecular exclusion at the most constricted region mediates ionic current blockade events correlated with the volumes that are occluded by at least three alanine or tryptophan residues, and provides the specificity needed to discriminate between groups of neutral amino acids. Further, we find that the pattern of current fluctuations depends on the orientation of the threaded amino acid residues, suggestive of a conformational anisotropy of the ensemble of conformations of the peptide on the restricted nanopore region, related to its relative axial orientation inside the nanopore.

  12. Flexible 3D Nanoporous Graphene for Desalination and Bio-decontamination of Brackish Water via Asymmetric Capacitive Deionization

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    El-Deen, Ahmed G.; Boom, Remko M.; Kim, Hak Yong; Duan, Hongwei; Chan-Park, Mary B.; Choi, Jae Hwan

    2016-01-01

    Nanoporous graphene based materials are a promising nanostructured carbon for energy storage and electrosorption applications. We present a novel and facile strategy for fabrication of asymmetrically functionalized microporous activated graphene electrodes for high performance capacitive

  13. Nanoporous zinc oxide films prepared by magnetron sputtering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ghimpu, L.; Lupan, O.; Popescu, L.; Tiginyanu, I.M.

    2011-01-01

    In this paper we demonstrate an inexpensive approach for the fabrication of nanoporous zinc oxide films by using magnetron sputtering. Study of the structural properties proves the crystallographic perfection of porous nanostructures and the possibility of its controlling by adjusting the technological parameters in the growth process. The XRD pattern of nanoporous ZnO films exhibits high intensity of the peaks relative to the background signal which is indicative of the ZnO hexagonal phase and a good crystallinity of the samples grown by magnetron sputtering.

  14. Warming up human body by nanoporous metallized polyethylene textile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Lili; Song, Alex Y; Wu, Peilin; Hsu, Po-Chun; Peng, Yucan; Chen, Jun; Liu, Chong; Catrysse, Peter B; Liu, Yayuan; Yang, Ankun; Zhou, Chenxing; Zhou, Chenyu; Fan, Shanhui; Cui, Yi

    2017-09-19

    Space heating accounts for the largest energy end-use of buildings that imposes significant burden on the society. The energy wasted for heating the empty space of the entire building can be saved by passively heating the immediate environment around the human body. Here, we demonstrate a nanophotonic structure textile with tailored infrared (IR) property for passive personal heating using nanoporous metallized polyethylene. By constructing an IR-reflective layer on an IR-transparent layer with embedded nanopores, the nanoporous metallized polyethylene textile achieves a minimal IR emissivity (10.1%) on the outer surface that effectively suppresses heat radiation loss without sacrificing wearing comfort. This enables 7.1 °C decrease of the set-point compared to normal textile, greatly outperforming other radiative heating textiles by more than 3 °C. This large set-point expansion can save more than 35% of building heating energy in a cost-effective way, and ultimately contribute to the relief of global energy and climate issues.Energy wasted for heating the empty space of the entire building can be saved by passively heating the immediate environment around the human body. Here, the authors show a nanophotonic structure textile with tailored infrared property for passive personal heating using nanoporous metallized polyethylene.

  15. Hydrogen storage in nanoporous carbon materials: myth and facts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kowalczyk, Piotr; Hołyst, Robert; Terrones, Mauricio; Terrones, Humberto

    2007-04-21

    We used Grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation to model the hydrogen storage in the primitive, gyroid, diamond, and quasi-periodic icosahedral nanoporous carbon materials and in carbon nanotubes. We found that none of the investigated nanoporous carbon materials satisfy the US Department of Energy goal of volumetric density and mass storage for automotive application (6 wt% and 45 kg H(2) m(-3)) at considered storage condition. Our calculations indicate that quasi-periodic icosahedral nanoporous carbon material can reach the 6 wt% at 3.8 MPa and 77 K, but the volumetric density does not exceed 24 kg H(2) m(-3). The bundle of single-walled carbon nanotubes can store only up to 4.5 wt%, but with high volumetric density of 42 kg H(2) m(-3). All investigated nanoporous carbon materials are not effective against compression above 20 MPa at 77 K because the adsorbed density approaches the density of the bulk fluid. It follows from this work that geometry of carbon surfaces can enhance the storage capacity only to a limited extent. Only a combination of the most effective structure with appropriate additives (metals) can provide an efficient storage medium for hydrogen in the quest for a source of "clean" energy.

  16. Brittle-to-ductile transition of lithiated silicon electrodes: Crazing to stable nanopore growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Haoran; Chew, Huck Beng; Wang, Xueju; Xia, Shuman

    2015-01-01

    Using first principle calculations, we uncover the underlying mechanisms explaining the brittle-to-ductile transition of Li x Si electrodes in lithium ion batteries with increasing Li content. We show that plasticity initiates at x = ∼ 0.5 with the formation of a craze-like network of nanopores separated by Si–Si bonds, while subsequent failure is still brittle-like with the breaking of Si–Si bonds. Transition to ductile behavior occurs at x ⩾ 1 due to the increased density of highly stretchable Li–Li bonds, which delays nanopore formation and stabilizes nanopore growth. Collapse of the nanopores during unloading of the Li x Si alloys leads to significant strain recovery

  17. Brittle-to-ductile transition of lithiated silicon electrodes: Crazing to stable nanopore growth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Haoran; Chew, Huck Beng, E-mail: hbchew@illinois.edu [Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Wang, Xueju; Xia, Shuman [Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 (United States)

    2015-09-14

    Using first principle calculations, we uncover the underlying mechanisms explaining the brittle-to-ductile transition of Li{sub x}Si electrodes in lithium ion batteries with increasing Li content. We show that plasticity initiates at x = ∼ 0.5 with the formation of a craze-like network of nanopores separated by Si–Si bonds, while subsequent failure is still brittle-like with the breaking of Si–Si bonds. Transition to ductile behavior occurs at x ⩾ 1 due to the increased density of highly stretchable Li–Li bonds, which delays nanopore formation and stabilizes nanopore growth. Collapse of the nanopores during unloading of the Li{sub x}Si alloys leads to significant strain recovery.

  18. Plasmonic properties and enhanced fluorescence of gold and dye-doped silica nanoparticle aggregates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Nathaniel Scott

    The development of metal-enhanced fluorescence has prompted a great interest in augmenting the photophysical properties of fluorescent molecules with noble metal nanostructures. Our research efforts, outlined in this dissertation, focus on augmenting properties of fluorophores by conjugation with gold nanostructures. The project goals are split into two separate efforts; the enhancement in brightness of fluorophores and long distance non-radiative energy transfer between fluorophores. We believe that interacting dye-doped silica nanoparticles with gold nanoparticles can facilitate both of these phenomena. Our primary research interest is focused on optimizing brightness, as this goal should open a path to studying the second goal of non-radiative energy transfer. The two major challenges to this are constructing suitable nanomaterials and functionalizing them to promote plasmonically active complexes. The synthesis of dye-doped layered silica nanoparticles allows for control over the discrete location of the dye and a substrate that can be surface functionalized. Controlling the exact location of the dye is important to create a silica spacer, which promotes productive interactions with metal nanostructures. Furthermore, the synthesis of silica nanoparticles allows for various fluorophores to be studied in similar environments (removing solvent and other chemo-sensitive issues). Functionalizing the surface of silica nanoparticles allows control over the degree of silica and gold nanoparticle aggregation in solution. Heteroaggregation in solution is useful for producing well-aggregated clusters of many gold around a single silica nanoparticle. The dye-doped surface functionalized silica nanoparticles can than be mixed efficiently with gold nanomaterials. Aggregating multiple gold nanospheres around a single dye-doped silica nanoparticle can dramatically increase the fluorescent brightness of the sample via metal-enhanced fluorescence due to increase plasmonic

  19. Interconnected V2O5 nanoporous network for high-performance supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saravanakumar, B; Purushothaman, Kamatchi K; Muralidharan, G

    2012-09-26

    Vanadium pentoxide (V(2)O(5)) has attracted attention for supercapcitor applications because of its extensive multifunctional properties. In the present study, V(2)O(5) nanoporous network was synthesized via simple capping-agent-assisted precipitation technique and it is further annealed at different temperatures. The effect of annealing temperature on the morphology, electrochemical and structural properties, and stability upon oxidation-reduction cycling has been analyzed for supercapacitor application. We achieved highest specific capacitance of 316 F g(-1) for interconnected V(2)O(5) nanoporous network. This interconnected nanoporous network creates facile nanochannels for ion diffusion and facilitates the easy accessibility of ions. Moreover, after six hundred consecutive cycling processes the specific capacitance has changed only by 24%. A simple cost-effective preparation technique of V(2)O(5) nanoporous network with excellent capacitive behavior, energy density, and stability encourages its possible commercial exploitation for the development of high-performance supercapacitors.

  20. Properties of BaTiO.sub.3./sub. confined in nanoporous Vycor and artificial opal silica

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Nuzhnyy, Dmitry; Vaněk, Přemysl; Petzelt, Jan; Bovtun, Viktor; Kempa, Martin; Gregora, Ivan; Savinov, Maxim; Krupková, Radmila; Studnička, Václav; Buršík, Josef; Samoylovich, M.I.; Schranz, W.

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 4, č. 3 (2010), s. 215-223 ISSN 1820-6131 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KAN301370701 Grant - others:FWF(AT) P19284-N20 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100520; CEZ:AV0Z40320502 Keywords : nanocomposite * confined BaTiO 3 * porous silica * stiffened soft mode * effective dielectric properties Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism http://www.tf.uns.ac.rs/publikacije/PAC/pdf/PAC%2009%2013.pdf

  1. Silica scale prevention technology using organic additive, Geogard SX

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baltazar, Almario; Garcia, Serafin; Solis, Ramonito; Fragata, Jimmy; Ellseworth, Lucero; Llenarizas, Leonardo; Tabuena, Joseph Erwin (PNOC Energy Development Corporation, Makati City (Philippines))

    1998-09-15

    A field trial on the application of an organic additive, phosphino carboxylic acid copolymer, was conducted in a geothermal system to evaluate its effectiveness in preventing silica deposition from brine containing ultra high silica concentration (1000-1300 ppm). Low polymer concentration was applied for about five months, and treatment efficiency based on silica concentrations in various sampling points ranged from 64 to 98%. Treatment efficiency improved as a function of time. Massive silica scaling in the fluid collection and disposal system was minimized.

  2. Mercury Binding Sites in Thiol-Functionalized Mesostructured Silica

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Billinge, Simon J.L.; McKimmey, Emily J.; Shatnawi, Mouath; Kim, HyunJeong; Petkov, Valeri; Wermeille, Didier; Pinnavaia, Thomas J.

    2005-01-01

    Thiol-functionalized mesostructured silica with anhydrous compositions of (SiO 2 ) 1-x (LSiO 1.5 ) x , where L is a mercaptopropyl group and x is the fraction of functionalized framework silicon centers, are effective trapping agents for the removal of mercuric(II) ions from water. In the present work, we investigate the mercury-binding mechanism for representative thiol-functionalized mesostructures by atomic pair distribution function (PDF) analysis of synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and by Raman spectroscopy. The mesostructures with wormhole framework structures and compositions corresponding to x = 0.30 and 0.50 were prepared by direct assembly methods in the presence of a structure-directing amine porogen. PDF analyses of five mercury-loaded compositions with Hg/S ratios of 0.50-1.30 provided evidence for the bridging of thiolate sulfur atoms to two metal ion centers and the formation of chain structures on the pore surfaces. We find no evidence for Hg-O bonds and can rule out oxygen coordination of the mercury at greater than the 10% level. The relative intensities of the PDF peaks corresponding to Hg-S and Hg-Hg atomic pairs indicate that the mercury centers cluster on the functionalized surfaces by virtue of thiolate bridging, regardless of the overall mercury loading. However, the Raman results indicate that the complexation of mercury centers by thiolate depends on the mercury loading. At low mercury loadings (Hg/S (le) 0.5), the dominant species is an electrically neutral complex in which mercury most likely is tetrahedrally coordinated to bridging thiolate ligands, as in Hg(SBu t ) 2 . At higher loadings (Hg/S 1.0-1.3), mercury complex cations predominate, as evidenced by the presence of charge-balancing anions (nitrate) on the surface. This cationic form of bound mercury is assigned a linear coordination to two bridging thiolate ligands.

  3. One-step synthesis of zero-dimensional hollow nanoporous gold nanoparticles with enhanced methanol electrooxidation performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pedireddy, Srikanth; Lee, Hiang Kwee; Tjiu, Weng Weei; Phang, In Yee; Tan, Hui Ru; Chua, Shu Quan; Troadec, Cedric; Ling, Xing Yi

    2014-09-17

    Nanoporous gold with networks of interconnected ligaments and highly porous structure holds stimulating technological implications in fuel cell catalysis. Current syntheses of nanoporous gold mainly revolve around de-alloying approaches that are generally limited by stringent and harsh multistep protocols. Here we develop a one-step solution phase synthesis of zero-dimensional hollow nanoporous gold nanoparticles with tunable particle size (150-1,000 nm) and ligament thickness (21-54 nm). With faster mass diffusivity, excellent specific electroactive surface area and large density of highly active surface sites, our zero-dimensional nanoporous gold nanoparticles exhibit ~1.4 times enhanced catalytic activity and improved tolerance towards carbonaceous species, demonstrating their superiority over conventional nanoporous gold sheets. Detailed mechanistic study also reveals the crucial heteroepitaxial growth of gold on the surface of silver chloride templates, implying that our synthetic protocol is generic and may be extended to the synthesis of other nanoporous metals via different templates.

  4. Nonsymmetric gas transfer phenomena in nanoporous media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurchatov, I.M.

    2011-01-01

    The regularities of nonsymmetric gas (nitrogen, helium, hydrogen, carbon dioxide) transfer in nanoporous materials are investigated. The effects of anisotropy and hysteresis of permeability in nanoporous media with pore gradient and porosity in objects of various nature are found out. The following objects are studied: polyethylene terephthalate track membranes with asymmetric pore form, commercial polyvinyl trimethylsilane gas-separation membranes with continuous distribution of pores over the membrane thickness and porous composite membranes (born nitride, silicon carbide, aluminium oxide) prepared by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis with abrupt change of pore dimensions over the thickness. The possible mechanisms of nonsymmetric gas transfer effects are under consideration [ru

  5. Investigation of heterogeneous asymmetric dihydroxylation over OsO{sub 4}-(QN){sub 2}PHAL catalysts of functionalized bimodal mesoporous silica with ionic liquid

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qiu, Shenjie [College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China); Sun, Jihong, E-mail: jhsun@bjut.edu.cn [College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China); Li, Yuzhen; Gao, Lin [College of Environmental and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124 (China)

    2011-08-15

    Highlights: {yields} Functionalized bimodal mesoporous silica with MTMSPIm{sup +}Cl{sup -}. {yields} Mesoporous catalyst immobilized with OsO{sub 4}-(QN){sub 2}PHAL. {yields} Catalysts for asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction with high yield and enatioselectivity. {yields} Recyclable catalysts. -- Abstract: A novel synthesis of the functionalized bimodal mesoporous silica with ionic liquid (FBMMs) was performed. After grafting 1-methyl-3-(trimethoxysilyl)propylimidazolium chloride onto the surface of bimodal mesoporous silicas, 1,4-bis(9-O-quininyl)phthalazine ((QN){sub 2}-PHAL) and K{sub 2}Os(OH){sub 4}.2H{sub 2}O were immobilized onto the modified FBMMs by adsorption or ionic exchange methods, and then, the asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction was carried out by using solid catalysts. Techniques such as X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, N{sub 2} adsorption and desorption were employed to characterize their structure and properties. The results showed that the mesoporous ordering degree of bimodal mesoporous silica decreased after functionalization and immobilization of OsO{sub 4}-(QN){sub 2}PHAL. Being very effective in asymmetric dihydroxylation with high yield and enantioselectivity, the prepared heterogeneous solid catalyst could be recycled for five times with little loss of enantioselectivity, with comparison of those results obtained in homophase system. Moreover, the effect of Osmium catalyst on asymmetric dihydroxylation was investigated.

  6. Extraction of metal ions using chemically modified silica gel: a PIXE analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jal, P K; Dutta, R K; Sudarshan, M; Saha, A; Bhattacharyya, S N; Chintalapudi, S N; K Mishra, B

    2001-08-30

    Organic ligand with carboxyhydrazide functional group was immobilised on the surface of silica gel and the metal binding capacity of the ligand-embedded silica was investigated. The functional group was covalently bonded to the silica matrix through a spacer of methylene groups by sequential reactions of silica gel with dibromobutane, malonic ester and hydrazine in different media. Surface area value of the modified silica was determined. The changes in surface area were correlated with the structural change of the silica surface due to chemical modifications. A mixture solution of metal ions [K(I),Cr(III),Co(II),Ni(II),Cu(II),Zn(II),Hg(II) and U(VI)] was treated with the ligand-embedded silica in 10(-3) M aqueous solution. The measurement of metal extraction capacity of the silica based ligand was done by multielemental analysis of the metal complexes thus formed by using Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) technique.

  7. Fluid-mechanic model for fabrication of nanoporous fibers by electrospinning

    OpenAIRE

    Fan Chengxu; Sun Zhaoyang; Xu Lan

    2017-01-01

    A charged jet in the electrospinning process for fabrication of nanoporous fibers is studied theoretically. A fluid-mechanic model considering solvent evaporation is established to research the effect of solvent evaporation on nanopore structure formation. The model gives a powerful tool to offering in-depth physical under-standing and controlling over electrospinning parameters such as voltage, flow rate, and solvent evaporation rate.

  8. Coarsening by network restructuring in model nanoporous gold

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kolluri, Kedarnath; Demkowicz, Michael J.

    2011-01-01

    Using atomistic modeling, we show that restructuring of the network of interconnected ligaments causes coarsening in a model of nanoporous gold. The restructuring arises from the collapse of some ligaments onto neighboring ones and is enabled by localized plasticity at ligaments and nodes. This mechanism may explain the occurrence of enclosed voids and reduction in volume in nanoporous metals during their synthesis. An expression is developed for the critical ligament radius below which coarsening by network restructuring may occur spontaneously, setting a lower limit to the ligament dimensions of nanofoams.

  9. Adsorption and Recovery of Polyphenolic Flavonoids Using TiO_2-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, M. Arif; Wallace, William T.; Islam, Syed Z.; Nagpure, Suraj; Strzalka, Joseph

    2017-01-01

    Exploiting specific interactions with titania (TiO_2) has been proposed for the separation and recovery of a broad range of biomolecules and natural products, including therapeutic polyphenolic flavonoids which are susceptible to degradation, such as quercetin. Functionalizing mesoporous silica with TiO_2 has many potential advantages over bulk and mesoporous TiO_2 as an adsorbent for natural products, including robust synthetic approaches leading to high surface area, stable separation platforms. Here, TiO_2 surface functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) are synthesized and characterized as a function of TiO_2 content (up to 636 mg TiO2/g). The adsorption isotherms of two polyphenolic flavonoids, quercetin and rutin, were determined (0.05-10 mg/ml in ethanol), and a 100-fold increase in the adsorption capacity was observed relative to functionalized nonporous particles with similar TiO_2 surface coverage. An optimum extent of functionalization (approximately 440 mg TiO_2/g particles) is interpreted from characterization techniques including grazing incidence x-ray scattering (GIXS), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and nitrogen adsorption, which examined the interplay between the extent of TiO_2 functionalization and the accessibility of the porous structures. The recovery of flavonoids is demonstrated using ligand displacement in ethanolic citric acid solution (20% w/v), in which greater than 90% recovery can be achieved in a multistep extraction process. The radical scavenging activity (RSA) of the recovered and particle-bound quercetin as measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay demonstrates greater than 80% retention of antioxidant activity by both particle-bound and recovered quercetin. In conclusion, these mesoporous titanosilicate materials can serve as a synthetic platform to isolate, recover, and potentially deliver degradation-sensitive natural products to biological systems.

  10. Detecting a single molecule using a micropore-nanopore hybrid chip.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lei; Zhu, Lizhong; Ni, Zhonghua; Chen, Yunfei

    2013-11-21

    Nanopore-based DNA sequencing and biomolecule sensing have attracted more and more attention. In this work, novel sensing devices were built on the basis of the chips containing nanopore arrays in polycarbonate (PC) membranes and micropores in Si3N4 films. Using the integrated chips, the transmembrane ionic current induced by biomolecule's translocation was recorded and analyzed, which suggested that the detected current did not change linearly as commonly expected with increasing biomolecule concentration. On the other hand, detailed translocation information (such as translocation gesture) was also extracted from the discrete current blockages in basic current curves. These results indicated that the nanofluidic device based on the chips integrated by micropores and nanopores possessed comparative potentials in biomolecule sensing.

  11. Biomimetic silica encapsultation of living cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaroch, David Benjamin

    Living cells perform complex chemical processes on size and time scales that artificial systems cannot match. Cells respond dynamically to their environment, acting as biological sensors, factories, and drug delivery devices. To facilitate the use of living systems in engineered constructs, we have developed several new approaches to create stable protective microenvironments by forming bioinspired cell-membrane-specific silica-based encapsulants. These include vapor phase deposition of silica gels, use of endogenous membrane proteins and polysaccharides as a site for silica nucleation and polycondensation in a saturated environment, and protein templated ordered silica shell formation. We demonstrate silica layer formation at the surface of pluripotent stem-like cells, bacterial biofilms, and primary murine and human pancreatic islets. Materials are characterized by AFM, SEM and EDS. Viability assays confirm cell survival, and metabolite flux measurements demonstrate normal function and no major diffusion limitations. Real time PCR mRNA analysis indicates encapsulated islets express normal levels of genetic markers for β-cells and insulin production. The silica glass encapsulant produces a secondary bone like calcium phosphate mineral layer upon exposure to media. Such bioactive materials can improve device integration with surrounding tissue upon implantation. Given the favorable insulin response, bioactivity, and long-term viability observed in silica-coated islets, we are currently testing the encapsulant's ability to prevent immune system recognition of foreign transplants for the treatment of diabetes. Such hybrid silica-cellular constructs have a wide range of industrial, environmental, and medical applications.

  12. Nanopore arrays in a silicon membrane for parallel single-molecule detection: fabrication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, Torsten; Zhang, Miao; Sychugov, Ilya; Roxhed, Niclas; Linnros, Jan

    2015-08-01

    Solid state nanopores enable translocation and detection of single bio-molecules such as DNA in buffer solutions. Here, sub-10 nm nanopore arrays in silicon membranes were fabricated by using electron-beam lithography to define etch pits and by using a subsequent electrochemical etching step. This approach effectively decouples positioning of the pores and the control of their size, where the pore size essentially results from the anodizing current and time in the etching cell. Nanopores with diameters as small as 7 nm, fully penetrating 300 nm thick membranes, were obtained. The presented fabrication scheme to form large arrays of nanopores is attractive for parallel bio-molecule sensing and DNA sequencing using optical techniques. In particular the signal-to-noise ratio is improved compared to other alternatives such as nitride membranes suffering from a high-luminescence background.

  13. Effect of Pore Geometry on Resistive-Pulse Sensing of DNA Using Track-Etched PET Nanopore Membrane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaya, Dila; Dinler, Ali; San, Nevim; Kececi, Kaan

    2016-01-01

    We have investigated the effect of nanopore geometry on translocation properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) membranes. In order to vary the cone angles of the conically shaped nanopores, which were obtained by track-etch method, we have added different volume fractions of methanol to the alkali etching solution. We have confirmed through the characterization of PET membranes that methanol has a promoting effect on cone angle. Additionally, we have reported the positive influence of a higher cone angle for resistive pulse sensing of 50-bp DNA. We have also shown the change in electric field as a function of cone angle by using finite element simulations and confirmed a higher electric field with increasing cone angle.

  14. A New Approach to the Computer Modeling of Amorphous Nanoporous Structures of Semiconducting and Metallic Materials: A Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romero, Cristina; Noyola, Juan C.; Santiago, Ulises; Valladares, Renela M.; Valladares, Alexander; Valladares, Ariel A.

    2010-01-01

    We review our approach to the generation of nanoporous materials, both semiconducting and metallic, which leads to the existence of nanopores within the bulk structure. This method, which we have named as the expanding lattice method, is a novel transferable approach which consists first of constructing crystalline supercells with a large number of atoms and a density close to the real value and then lowering the density by increasing the volume. The resulting supercells are subjected to either ab initio or parameterized—Tersoff-based—molecular dynamics processes at various temperatures, all below the corresponding bulk melting points, followed by geometry relaxations. The resulting samples are essentially amorphous and display pores along some of the “crystallographic” directions without the need of incorporating ad hoc semiconducting atomic structural elements such as graphene-like sheets and/or chain-like patterns (reconstructive simulations) or of reproducing the experimental processes (mimetic simulations). We report radial (pair) distribution functions, nanoporous structures of C and Si, and some computational predictions for their vibrational density of states. We present numerical estimates and discuss possible applications of semiconducting materials for hydrogen storage in potential fuel tanks. Nanopore structures for metallic elements like Al and Au also obtained through the expanding lattice method are reported.

  15. Nonlinear primary resonance of micro/nano-beams made of nanoporous biomaterials incorporating nonlocality and strain gradient size dependency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sahmani, S.; Aghdam, M. M.

    2018-03-01

    A wide range of biological applications such as drug delivery, biosensors and hemodialysis can be provided by nanoporous biomaterials due to their uniform pore size as well as considerable pore density. In the current study, the size dependency in the nonlinear primary resonance of micro/nano-beams made of nanoporous biomaterials is anticipated. To accomplish this end, a refined truncated cube is introduced to model the lattice structure of nanoporous biomaterial. Accordingly, analytical expressions for the mechanical properties of material are derived as functions of pore size. After that, based upon a nonlocal strain gradient beam model, the size-dependent nonlinear Duffing type equation of motion is constructed. The Galerkin technique together with the multiple time-scales method is employed to obtain the nonlocal strain gradient frequency-response and amplitude-response related to the nonlinear primary resonance of a micro/nano-beam made of the nanoporous biomaterial with different pore sizes. It is indicated that the nonlocality causes to decrease the response amplitudes associated with the both bifurcation points of the jump phenomenon, while the strain gradient size dependency causes to increase them. Also, it is found that increasing the pore size leads to enhance the nonlinearity, so the maximum deflection of response occurs at higher excitation frequency.

  16. Precise fabrication of a 5 nm graphene nanopore with a helium ion microscope for biomolecule detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Yunsheng; Huang, Qimeng; Zhao, Yue; Zhou, Daming; Ying, Cuifeng; Wang, Deqiang

    2017-01-01

    We report a scalable method to fabricate high-quality graphene nanopores for biomolecule detection using a helium ion microscope (HIM). HIM milling shows promising capabilities for precisely controlling the size and shape, and may allow for the potential production of nanopores at wafer scale. Nanopores could be fabricated at different sizes ranging from 5 to 30 nm in diameter in few minutes. Compared with the current solid-state nanopore fabrication techniques, e.g. transmission electron microscopy, HIM is fast. Furthermore, we investigated the exposure-time dependence of graphene nanopore formation: the rate of pore expansion did not follow a simple linear relationship with exposure time, but a fast expansion rate at short exposure time and a slow rate at long exposure time. In addition, we performed biomolecule detection with our patterned graphene nanopore. The ionic current signals induced by 20-base single-stranded DNA homopolymers could be used as a basis for homopolymer differentiation. However, the charge interaction of homopolymer chains with graphene nanopores, and the conformations of homopolymer chains need to be further considered to improve the accuracy of discrimination.

  17. o-Vanillin functionalized mesoporous silica – coated magnetite nanoparticles for efficient removal of Pb(II) from water

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Culita, Daniela C., E-mail: danaculita@yahoo.co.uk [“Ilie Murgulescu” Institute of Physical Chemistry, Splaiul Independentei 202, Bucharest (Romania); Simonescu, Claudia Maria; Patescu, Rodica-Elena [Politehnica University, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, Bucharest (Romania); Dragne, Mioara [S.C. KEMCRISTAL S.R.L., Muncii Str., No. 51, Fundulea, Călăraşi (Romania); Stanica, Nicolae [“Ilie Murgulescu” Institute of Physical Chemistry, Splaiul Independentei 202, Bucharest (Romania); Oprea, Ovidiu [Politehnica University, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, Bucharest (Romania)

    2016-06-15

    o-Vanillin functionalized mesoporous silica – coated magnetite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@MCM-41-N-oVan) was synthesized and fully characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption technique and magnetic measurements. The capacity of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@MCM-41-N-oVan to adsorb Pb(II) from aqueous solutions was evaluated in comparison with raw mesoporous silica – coated magnetite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@MCM-41) and amino – modified mesoporous silica coated magnetite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@MCM-41-NH{sub 2}). The effect of adsorption process parameters such us pH, contact time, initial Pb(II) concentration was also investigated. The adsorption data were successfully fitted with the Langmuir model, exhibiting a maximum adsorption capacity of 155.71 mg/g at pH=4.4 and T=298 K. The results revealed that the adsorption rate was very high at the beginning of the adsorption process, 80–90% of the total amount of Pb(II) being removed within the first 60 min, depending on the initial concentration. The results of the present work suggest that Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@MCM-41-N-oVan is a suitable candidate for the separation of Pb(II) from contaminated water. - Graphical abstract: A novel magnetic adsorbent based on o-vanillin functionalized mesoporous silica – coated magnetite was synthesized and fully characterized and its adsorption capacity for Pb(II) ions in aqueous solutions was evaluated. The maximum adsorption capacity for Pb(II) ions was determined to be 155.71 mg g{sup −1}. The adsorption rate was very high at the beginning of the adsorption process, 90% of the total amount of Pb(II) being removed within the first 60 min. Display Omitted.

  18. o-Vanillin functionalized mesoporous silica – coated magnetite nanoparticles for efficient removal of Pb(II) from water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Culita, Daniela C.; Simonescu, Claudia Maria; Patescu, Rodica-Elena; Dragne, Mioara; Stanica, Nicolae; Oprea, Ovidiu

    2016-01-01

    o-Vanillin functionalized mesoporous silica – coated magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 @MCM-41-N-oVan) was synthesized and fully characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, N 2 adsorption–desorption technique and magnetic measurements. The capacity of Fe 3 O 4 @MCM-41-N-oVan to adsorb Pb(II) from aqueous solutions was evaluated in comparison with raw mesoporous silica – coated magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 @MCM-41) and amino – modified mesoporous silica coated magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 @MCM-41-NH 2 ). The effect of adsorption process parameters such us pH, contact time, initial Pb(II) concentration was also investigated. The adsorption data were successfully fitted with the Langmuir model, exhibiting a maximum adsorption capacity of 155.71 mg/g at pH=4.4 and T=298 K. The results revealed that the adsorption rate was very high at the beginning of the adsorption process, 80–90% of the total amount of Pb(II) being removed within the first 60 min, depending on the initial concentration. The results of the present work suggest that Fe 3 O 4 @MCM-41-N-oVan is a suitable candidate for the separation of Pb(II) from contaminated water. - Graphical abstract: A novel magnetic adsorbent based on o-vanillin functionalized mesoporous silica – coated magnetite was synthesized and fully characterized and its adsorption capacity for Pb(II) ions in aqueous solutions was evaluated. The maximum adsorption capacity for Pb(II) ions was determined to be 155.71 mg g −1 . The adsorption rate was very high at the beginning of the adsorption process, 90% of the total amount of Pb(II) being removed within the first 60 min. Display Omitted

  19. Degradability and Clearance of Silicon, Organosilica, Silsesquioxane, Silica Mixed Oxide, and Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

    KAUST Repository

    Croissant, Jonas G.

    2017-01-13

    The biorelated degradability and clearance of siliceous nanomaterials have been questioned worldwide, since they are crucial prerequisites for the successful translation in clinics. Typically, the degradability and biocompatibility of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have been an ongoing discussion in research circles. The reason for such a concern is that approved pharmaceutical products must not accumulate in the human body, to prevent severe and unpredictable side-effects. Here, the biorelated degradability and clearance of silicon and silica nanoparticles (NPs) are comprehensively summarized. The influence of the size, morphology, surface area, pore size, and surface functional groups, to name a few, on the degradability of silicon and silica NPs is described. The noncovalent organic doping of silica and the covalent incorporation of either hydrolytically stable or redox- and enzymatically cleavable silsesquioxanes is then described for organosilica, bridged silsesquioxane (BS), and periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) NPs. Inorganically doped silica particles such as calcium-, iron-, manganese-, and zirconium-doped NPs, also have radically different hydrolytic stabilities. To conclude, the degradability and clearance timelines of various siliceous nanomaterials are compared and it is highlighted that researchers can select a specific nanomaterial in this large family according to the targeted applications and the required clearance kinetics.

  20. Effect of silica nanoparticles with variable size and surface functionalization on human endothelial cell viability and angiogenic activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guarnieri, Daniela; Malvindi, Maria Ada; Belli, Valentina; Pompa, Pier Paolo; Netti, Paolo

    2014-02-01

    Silica nanoparticles could be promising delivery vehicles for drug targeting or gene therapy. However, few studies have been undertaken to determine the biological behavior effects of silica nanoparticles on primary endothelial cells. Here we investigated uptake, cytotoxicity and angiogenic properties of silica nanoparticle with positive and negative surface charge and sizes ranging from 25 to 115 nm in primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Dynamic light scattering measurements and nanoparticle tracking analysis were used to estimate the dispersion status of nanoparticles in cell culture media, which was a key aspect to understand the results of the in vitro cellular uptake experiments. Nanoparticles were taken up by primary endothelial cells in a size-dependent manner according to their degree of agglomeration occurring after transfer in cell culture media. Functionalization of the particle surface with positively charged groups enhanced the in vitro cellular uptake, compared to negatively charged nanoparticles. However, this effect was contrasted by the tendency of particles to form agglomerates, leading to lower internalization efficiency. Silica nanoparticle uptake did not affect cell viability and cell membrane integrity. More interestingly, positively and negatively charged 25 nm nanoparticles did not influence capillary-like tube formation and angiogenic sprouting, compared to controls. Considering the increasing interest in nanomaterials for several biomedical applications, a careful study of nanoparticle-endothelial cells interactions is of high relevance to assess possible risks associated to silica nanoparticle exposure and their possible applications in nanomedicine as safe and effective nanocarriers for vascular transport of therapeutic agents.

  1. An engineered ClyA nanopore detects folded target proteins by selective external association and pore entry.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Soskine, Mikhael; Biesemans, Annemie; Moeyaert, Benjamien; Cheley, Stephen; Bayley, Hagan; Maglia, Giovanni

    Nanopores have been used in label-free single-molecule studies, including investigations of chemical reactions, nucleic acid analysis, and applications in sensing. Biological nanopores generally perform better than artificial nanopores as sensors, but they have disadvantages including a fixed

  2. Wear resistance and electrical properties of functionally graded epoxy-resin/silica composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rihan, Y. A.; Abd El-Bary, B.

    2012-12-01

    In this paper graded Silica/Epoxy composite fabricated by controlled mold filling to obtain a stepwise graded structure. The generated graded structure was controlled by the w 1% content of silica particulates of size range from (45 μm-250 μm). Microstructural characterization was conducted using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Electrical properties were conducted in High Voltage-Lab using Sphere-Plate Electrode System and Insulating resistance equipment s. Wear characteristics were studied using Block-on-Ring wear testing machine for the different layers of the graded silica/epoxy composites, The prepared materials are used as coating materials for the floors of chemical laboratories. (Author)

  3. Multistep Current Signal in Protein Translocation through Graphene Nanopores

    KAUST Repository

    Bonome, Emma Letizia

    2015-05-07

    © 2015 American Chemical Society. In nanopore sensing experiments, the properties of molecules are probed by the variation of ionic currents flowing through the nanopore. In this context, the electronic properties and the single-layer thickness of graphene constitute a major advantage for molecule characterization. Here we analyze the translocation pathway of the thioredoxin protein across a graphene nanopore, and the related ionic currents, by integrating two nonequilibrium molecular dynamics methods with a bioinformatic structural analysis. To obtain a qualitative picture of the translocation process and to identify salient features we performed unsupervised structural clustering on translocation conformations. This allowed us to identify some specific and robust translocation intermediates, characterized by significantly different ionic current flows. We found that the ion current strictly anticorrelates with the amount of pore occupancy by thioredoxin residues, providing a putative explanation of the multilevel current scenario observed in recently published translocation experiments.

  4. Oriented Decoration in Metal-Functionalized Ordered Mesoporous Silicas and Their Catalytic Applications in the Oxidation of Aromatic Compounds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shijian Zhou

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Ordered mesoporous silicas (OMSs attract considerable attention due to their advanced structural properties. However, for the pristine silica materials, the inert property greatly inhibits their catalytic applications. Thus, to contribute to the versatile surface of OMSs, different metal active sites, including acidic/basic sites and redox sites, have been introduced into specific locations (mesoporous channels and framework of OMSs and the metal-functionalized ordered mesoporous silicas (MOMSs show great potential in the catalytic applications. In this review, we first present the categories of metal active sites. Then, the synthesized processes of MOMSs are thoroughly discussed, in which the metal active sites would be introduced with the assistance of organic groups into the specific locations of OMSs. In addition, the structural morphologies of OMSs are elaborated and the catalytic applications of MOMSs in the oxidation of aromatic compounds are illustrated in detail. Finally, the prospects for the future development in this field are proposed.

  5. Mechanisms of water infiltration into conical hydrophobic nanopores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Ling; Zhao, Jianbing; Yin, Chun-Yang; Culligan, Patricia J; Chen, Xi

    2009-08-14

    Fluid channels with inclined solid walls (e.g. cone- and slit-shaped pores) have wide and promising applications in micro- and nano-engineering and science. In this paper, we use molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the mechanisms of water infiltration (adsorption) into cone-shaped nanopores made of a hydrophobic graphene sheet. When the apex angle is relatively small, an external pressure is required to initiate infiltration and the pressure should keep increasing in order to further advance the water front inside the nanopore. By enlarging the apex angle, the pressure required for sustaining infiltration can be effectively lowered. When the apex angle is sufficiently large, under ambient condition water can spontaneously infiltrate to a certain depth of the nanopore, after which an external pressure is still required to infiltrate more water molecules. The unusual involvement of both spontaneous and pressure-assisted infiltration mechanisms in the case of blunt nanocones, as well as other unique nanofluid characteristics, is explained by the Young's relation enriched with the size effects of surface tension and contact angle in the nanoscale confinement.

  6. Monitoring tetracycline through a solid-state nanopore sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yuechuan; Chen, Yanling; Fu, Yongqi; Ying, Cuifeng; Feng, Yanxiao; Huang, Qimeng; Wang, Chao; Pei, De-Sheng; Wang, Deqiang

    2016-06-01

    Antibiotics as emerging environmental contaminants, are widely used in both human and veterinary medicines. A solid-state nanopore sensing method is reported in this article to detect Tetracycline, which is based on Tet-off and Tet-on systems. rtTA (reverse tetracycline-controlled trans-activator) and TRE (Tetracycline Responsive Element) could bind each other under the action of Tetracycline to form one complex. When the complex passes through nanopores with 8 ~ 9 nanometers in diameter, we could detect the concentrations of Tet from 2 ng/mL to 2000 ng/mL. According to the Logistic model, we could define three growth zones of Tetracycline for rtTA and TRE. The slow growth zone is 0-39.5 ng/mL. The rapid growth zone is 39.5-529.7 ng/mL. The saturated zone is > 529.7 ng/mL. Compared to the previous methods, the nanopore sensor could detect and quantify these different kinds of molecule at the single-molecule level.

  7. Fluid-mechanic model for fabrication of nanoporous fibers by electrospinning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fan Chengxu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available A charged jet in the electrospinning process for fabrication of nanoporous fibers is studied theoretically. A fluid-mechanic model considering solvent evaporation is established to research the effect of solvent evaporation on nanopore structure formation. The model gives a powerful tool to offering in-depth physical under-standing and controlling over electrospinning parameters such as voltage, flow rate, and solvent evaporation rate.

  8. Recent progress of ordered mesoporous silica-supported chiral metallic catalysts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LIU Rui

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Recently,ordered silica-based mesoporous chiral organometallics-functionalized heterogeneous catalysts have attracted extensive research interest due to their excellent properties,such as easy preparation,high activity and convenient recycle.This review mainly summarizesthe generally prepared strategy and the silica-based organometallics-functionalized heterogeneous catalysts reported in the literatures.

  9. A cost-effective nanoporous ultrathin film electrode based on nanoporous gold/IrO2 composite for proton exchange membrane water electrolysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Yachao; Guo, Xiaoqian; Shao, Zhigang; Yu, Hongmei; Song, Wei; Wang, Zhiqiang; Zhang, Hongjie; Yi, Baolian

    2017-02-01

    A cost-effective nanoporous ultrathin film (NPUF) electrode based on nanoporous gold (NPG)/IrO2 composite has been constructed for proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. The electrode was fabricated by integrating IrO2 nanoparticles into NPG through a facile dealloying and thermal decomposition method. The NPUF electrode is featured in its 3D interconnected nanoporosity and ultrathin thickness. The nanoporous ultrathin architecture is binder-free and beneficial for improving electrochemical active surface area, enhancing mass transport and facilitating releasing of oxygen produced during water electrolysis. Serving as anode, a single cell performance of 1.728 V (@ 2 A cm-2) has been achieved by NPUF electrode with a loading of IrO2 and Au at 86.43 and 100.0 μg cm-2 respectively, the electrolysis voltage is 58 mV lower than that of conventional electrode with an Ir loading an order of magnitude higher. The electrolysis voltage kept relatively constant up to 300 h (@250 mA cm-2) during the course of durability test, manifesting that NPUF electrode is promising for gas evolution.

  10. High-density nanopore array for selective biomolecule transport.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Patel, Kamlesh D.

    2011-11-01

    Development of sophisticated tools capable of manipulating molecules at their own length scale enables new methods for chemical synthesis and detection. Although nanoscale devices have been developed to perform individual tasks, little work has been done on developing a truly scalable platform: a system that combines multiple components for sequential processing, as well as simultaneously processing and identifying the millions of potential species that may be present in a biological sample. The development of a scalable micro-nanofluidic device is limited in part by the ability to combine different materials (polymers, metals, semiconductors) onto a single chip, and the challenges with locally controlling the chemical, electrical, and mechanical properties within a micro or nanochannel. We have developed a unique construct known as a molecular gate: a multilayered polymer based device that combines microscale fluid channels with nanofluidic interconnects. Molecular gates have been demonstrated to selectively transport molecules between channels based on size or charge. In order to fully utilize these structures, we need to develop methods to actively control transport and identify species inside a nanopore. While previous work has been limited to creating electrical connections off-channel or metallizing the entire nanopore wall, we now have the ability to create multiple, separate conductive connections at the interior surface of a nanopore. These interior electrodes will be used for direct sensing of biological molecules, probing the electrical potential and charge distribution at the surface, and to actively turn on and off electrically driven transport of molecules through nanopores.

  11. Surface functionalization of nanoporous alumina with bone morphogenetic protein 2 for inducing osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, Yuanhui; Ju, Yang; Morita, Yasuyuki; Xu, Baiyao; Song, Guanbin

    2014-01-01

    Many studies have demonstrated the possibility to regulate cellular behavior by manipulating the specific characteristics of biomaterials including the physical features and chemical properties. To investigate the synergistic effect of chemical factors and surface topography on the growth behavior of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), bone morphorgenic protein 2 (BMP2) was immobilized onto porous alumina substrates with different pore sizes. The BMP2-immobilized alumina substrates were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Growth behavior and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs cultured on the different substrates were investigated. Cell adhesion and morphological changes were observed with SEM, and the results showed that the BMP2-immobilized alumina substrate was able to promote adhesion and spreading of MSCs. MTT assay and immunofluorescence staining of integrin β1 revealed that the BMP2-immobilized alumina substrates were favorable for cell growth. To evaluate the differentiation of MSCs, osteoblastic differentiation markers, such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mineralization, were investigated. Compared with those of untreated alumina substrates, significantly higher ALP activities and mineralization were detected in cells cultured on BMP2-immobilized alumina substrates. The results suggested that surface functionalization of nanoporous alumina substrates with BMP2 was beneficial for cell growth and osteogenic differentiation. With the approach of immobilizing growth factors onto material substrates, it provided a new insight to exploit novel biofunctional materials for tissue engineering. - Highlights: • BMP2 was immobilized onto nanoporous alumina substrates with different pore sizes. • BMP2-immobilized substrates were able to promote adhesion and spreading of MSCs. • BMP2-immobilized substrates were favorable for cell growth of MSCs. • BMP2-immobilized substrates promoted osteogenic

  12. Novel spider-web-like nanoporous networks based on jute cellulose nanowhiskers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Xinwang; Wang, Xianfeng; Ding, Bin; Yu, Jianyong; Sun, Gang

    2013-02-15

    Cellulose nanowhiskers as a kind of renewable and biocompatible nanomaterials evoke much interest because of its versatility in various applications. Herein, for the first time, a novel controllable fabrication of spider-web-like nanoporous networks based on jute cellulose nanowhiskers (JCNs) deposited on the electrospun (ES) nanofibrous membrane by simple directly immersion-drying method is reported. Jute cellulose nanowhiskers were extracted from jute fibers with a high yield (over 80%) via a 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO)/NaBr/NaClO system selective oxidization combined with mechanical homogenization. The morphology of JCNs nanoporous networks/ES nanofibrous membrane architecture, including coverage rate, pore-width and layer-by-layer packing structure of the nanoporous networks, can be finely controlled by regulating the JCNs dispersions properties and drying conditions. The versatile nanoporous network composites based on jute cellulose nanowhiskers with ultrathin diameters (3-10 nm) and nanofibrous membrane supports with diameters of 100-300 nm, would be particularly useful for filter applications. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Surface tectonics of nanoporous networks of melamine-capped molecular building blocks formed through interface Schiff-base reactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xuan-He; Wang, Dong; Wan, Li-Jun

    2013-10-01

    Control over the assembly of molecules on a surface is of great importance for the fabrication of molecule-based miniature devices. Melamine (MA) and molecules with terminal MA units are promising candidates for supramolecular interfacial packing patterning, owing to their multiple hydrogen-bonding sites. Herein, we report the formation of self-assembled structures of MA-capped molecules through a simple on-surface synthetic route. MA terminal groups were successfully fabricated onto rigid molecular cores with 2-fold and 3-fold symmetry through interfacial Schiff-base reactions between MA and aldehyde groups. Sub-molecular scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) imaging of the resultant adlayer revealed the formation of nanoporous networks. Detailed structural analysis indicated that strong hydrogen-bonding interactions between the MA groups persistently drove the formation of nanoporous networks. Herein, we demonstrate that functional groups with strong hydrogen-bond-formation ability are promising building blocks for the guided assembly of nanoporous networks and other hierarchical 2D assemblies. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Influence of defects on the ordering degree of nanopores made from anodic aluminum oxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Wenhui; Fei Guangtao; Chen Xiaomeng; Xue Fanghong; Xu Xijin

    2006-01-01

    Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates with highly ordered nanoporous structure were fabricated by means of the electrochemical anodization under the constant anodic voltage and electrolyte temperature. The dependence of the ordering degree of nanopores on the point defects, dislocation configuration and grain boundary of aluminum is qualitatively analyzed. Experiment results show that the size of the ordered region of nanopores depends strongly on the point defects, dislocation cell configuration

  15. Rapid manufacturing of low-noise membranes for nanopore sensors by trans-chip illumination lithography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Janssen, Xander J A; Jonsson, Magnus P; Plesa, Calin; Soni, Gautam V; Dekker, Cees; Dekker, Nynke H

    2012-01-01

    In recent years, the concept of nanopore sensing has matured from a proof-of-principle method to a widespread, versatile technique for the study of biomolecular properties and interactions. While traditional nanopore devices based on a nanopore in a single layer membrane supported on a silicon chip can be rapidly fabricated using standard microfabrication methods, chips with additional insulating layers beyond the membrane region can provide significantly lower noise levels, but at the expense of requiring more costly and time-consuming fabrication steps. Here we present a novel fabrication protocol that overcomes this issue by enabling rapid and reproducible manufacturing of low-noise membranes for nanopore experiments. The fabrication protocol, termed trans-chip illumination lithography, is based on illuminating a membrane-containing wafer from its backside such that a photoresist (applied on the wafer’s top side) is exposed exclusively in the membrane regions. Trans-chip illumination lithography permits the local modification of membrane regions and hence the fabrication of nanopore chips containing locally patterned insulating layers. This is achieved while maintaining a well-defined area containing a single thin membrane for nanopore drilling. The trans-chip illumination lithography method achieves this without relying on separate masks, thereby eliminating time-consuming alignment steps as well as the need for a mask aligner. Using the presented approach, we demonstrate rapid and reproducible fabrication of nanopore chips that contain small (12 μm × 12 μm) free-standing silicon nitride membranes surrounded by insulating layers. The electrical noise characteristics of these nanopore chips are shown to be superior to those of simpler designs without insulating layers and comparable in quality to more complex designs that are more challenging to fabricate. (paper)

  16. Large Modulation of Charge Carrier Mobility in Doped Nanoporous Organic Transistors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Fengjiao [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Ave. Urbana IL 61801 USA; Dai, Xiaojuan [Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 P. R. China; Zhu, Weikun [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Ave. Urbana IL 61801 USA; Chung, Hyunjoong [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Ave. Urbana IL 61801 USA; Diao, Ying [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Ave. Urbana IL 61801 USA

    2017-05-10

    Molecular doping of organic electronics has shown promise to sensitively modulate important device metrics. One critical challenge is the disruption of structure order upon doping of highly crystalline organic semiconductors, which significantly reduces the charge carrier mobility. This paper demonstrates a new method to achieve large modulation of charge carrier mobility via channel doping without disrupting the molecular ordering. Central to the method is the introduction of nanopores into the organic semiconductor thin films via a simple and robust templated meniscus-guided coating method. Using this method, the charge carrier mobility of C8-benzothieno[3,2-b]benzothiophene transistors is boosted by almost sevenfold. This paper further demonstrates enhanced electron transport by close to an order of magnitude in a diketopyrrolopyrrole-based donor–acceptor polymer. Combining spectroscopic measurements, density functional theory calculations, and electrical characterizations, the doping mechanism is identified as partial-charge-transfer induced trap filling. The nanopores serve to enhance the dopant/organic semiconductor charge transfer reaction by exposing the π-electrons to the pore wall.

  17. Instrumentation for low noise nanopore-based ionic current recording under laser illumination

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roelen, Zachary; Bustamante, José A.; Carlsen, Autumn; Baker-Murray, Aidan; Tabard-Cossa, Vincent

    2018-01-01

    We describe a nanopore-based optofluidic instrument capable of performing low-noise ionic current recordings of individual biomolecules under laser illumination. In such systems, simultaneous optical measurements generally introduce significant parasitic noise in the electrical signal, which can severely reduce the instrument sensitivity, critically hindering the monitoring of single-molecule events in the ionic current traces. Here, we present design rules and describe simple adjustments to the experimental setup to mitigate the different noise sources encountered when integrating optical components to an electrical nanopore system. In particular, we address the contributions to the electrical noise spectra from illuminating the nanopore during ionic current recording and mitigate those effects through control of the illumination source and the use of a PDMS layer on the SiNx membrane. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our noise minimization strategies by showing the detection of DNA translocation events during membrane illumination with a signal-to-noise ratio of ˜10 at 10 kHz bandwidth. The instrumental guidelines for noise minimization that we report are applicable to a wide range of nanopore-based optofluidic systems and offer the possibility of enhancing the quality of synchronous optical and electrical signals obtained during single-molecule nanopore-based analysis.

  18. Controlled surface functionalization of silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles with terminal amino and carboxyl groups

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kralj, Slavko; Drofenik, Miha; Makovec, Darko

    2011-01-01

    General and versatile methods for the functionalization of superparamagnetic, silica-coated, maghemite nanoparticles by surface amino and/or carboxyl groups have been established. The nanoparticles were synthesized using co-precipitation from aqueous solutions and coated with a thin layer of silica using the hydrolysis and condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). For the amino functionalization, 3-(2-aminoethylamino)propylmethyldimethoxysilane (APMS) was grafted onto the nanoparticle surfaces in their aqueous suspensions. The grafting process was followed by measurements of the ζ-potential and a determination of the concentration of the surface amino groups with conductometric titrations. The surface concentration of the amino groups could be varied by increasing the amount of APMS in the grafting process up to approximately 2.3 –NH 2 groups per nm 2 . The carboxyl functionalization was obtained in two ways: (i) by a ring-opening linker elongation reaction of the surface amines at the functionalized nanoparticles with succinic anhydride (SA) in non-aqueous medium, and (ii) by reacting the APMS and SA first, followed by grafting of the carboxyl-terminated reagent onto the nanoparticle surfaces. Using the first method, the SA only reacted with the terminal primary amino groups (–NH 2 ) of the surface-grafted APMS molecules. Infra-red spectroscopy (ATR FTIR) and mass spectrometry (HRMS) showed that the second method enables the bonding of up to two SA molecules per one APMS molecule, since the SA reacted with both the primary (–NH 2 ) and secondary amino (–NH–) groups of the APMS molecule. When using both methods, the ratio between the surface amino and carboxyl groups can be controlled.

  19. Transport behavior of water molecules through two-dimensional nanopores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Chongqin; Li, Hui; Meng, Sheng

    2014-01-01

    Water transport through a two-dimensional nanoporous membrane has attracted increasing attention in recent years thanks to great demands in water purification and desalination applications. However, few studies have been reported on the microscopic mechanisms of water transport through structured nanopores, especially at the atomistic scale. Here we investigate the microstructure of water flow through two-dimensional model graphene membrane containing a variety of nanopores of different size by using molecular dynamics simulations. Our results clearly indicate that the continuum flow transits to discrete molecular flow patterns with decreasing pore sizes. While for pores with a diameter ≥15 Å water flux exhibits a linear dependence on the pore area, a nonlinear relationship between water flux and pore area has been identified for smaller pores. We attribute this deviation from linear behavior to the presence of discrete water flow, which is strongly influenced by the water-membrane interaction and hydrogen bonding between water molecules

  20. l-Cysteine-modified silver-functionalized silica-based material as an efficient solid-phase extraction adsorbent for the determination of bisphenol A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yuanyuan; Zhu, Nan; Li, Bingxiang; Chen, Tong; Ma, Yulong; Li, Qiang

    2018-02-01

    A new silver-functionalized silica-based material with a core-shell structure based on silver nanoparticle-coated silica spheres was synthesized, and silver nanoparticles were modified using strongly bound l-cysteine. l-Cysteine-silver@silica was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. Then, a solid-phase extraction method based on l-cysteine-silver@silica was developed and successfully used for bisphenol A determination prior to HPLC analysis. The results showed that the l-cysteine-silver@silica as an adsorbent exhibited good enrichment capability for bisphenol A, and the maximum adsorption saturation was 20.93 mg/g. Moreover, a short adsorption equilibrium time was obtained due to the presence of silver nanoparticles on the surface of the silica. The extraction efficiencies were then optimized by varying the eluents and pH. Under the optimized conditions, good linearity for bisphenol A was obtained in the range from 0.4 to 4.0 μM (R 2  > 0.99) with a low limit of detection (1.15 ng/mL). The spiked recoveries from tap water and milk samples were satisfactory (85-102%) with relative standard deviations below 5.2% (n = 3), which indicated that the method was suitable for the analysis of bisphenol A in complex samples. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. Applications of Synthetic Microchannel and Nanopore Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinkle, Thomas Preston

    This thesis describes research conducted on the physics and applications of micro- and nanoscale ion-conducting channels. Making use of the nanoscale physics that takes place in the vicinity of charged surfaces, there is the possibility that nanopores, holes on the order of 1 nm in size, could be used to make complex integrated ionic circuits. For inspiration on what such circuits could achieve we only need to look to biology systems, immensely complex machines that at their most basic level require precise control of ions and intercellular electric potentials to function. In order to contribute to the ever expanding field of nanopore research, we engineered novel hybrid insulator-conductor nanopores that behave analagously to ionic diodes, which allow passage of current flow in one direction but severely limit the current in the opposite direction. The experiments revealed that surface polarization of the conducting material can induce the formation of an electrical double layer in the same way static surface charges can. Furthermore, we showed that the hybrid device behaved similar to an ionic diode, and could see potential use as a standard rectifying element in ionic circuits. Another application based on ion conducting channels is resistive pulse sensing, a single particle detection and characterization method. We present three main experiments that expand the capacity of resistive pulse sensing for particle characterization. First, we demonstrate how resistive pulse sensing in pores with longitudinal irregularities can be used to measure the lengths of individual nanoparticles. Then, we describe an entirely new hybrid approach to resistive pulse sensing, whereby the electrical measurements are combined with simultaneous optical imaging. The hybrid method allows for validation of the resistive pulse signals and will greatly contribute to their interpretability. We present experiments that explore some of the possibilities of the hybrid method. Then, building

  2. Evaluation of functionalized silica's for the adsorptive recovery of homogeneous catalysts through interaction with the metal centre

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Djekic, T.; Ham, van der A.G.J.; Haan, de A.B.

    2007-01-01

    The goal of this paper is the evaluation of functionalized silica's for the recovery of homogeneous catalysts by adsorption via its metal centre. As model catalysts, we selected bis(triphenylphosphine)cobalt(II)dichloride (CoCl2(PPh3)2), bis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(II)dichloride (PdCl2(PPh3)2)

  3. Surface characterization of polyethylene terephthalate/silica nanocomposites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Parvinzadeh, Mazeyar, E-mail: mparvinzadeh@gmail.com [Department of Textile, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Moradian, Siamak [Department of Polymer and Color Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, P.O. Box 15875-4413, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Rashidi, Abosaeed [Department of Textile, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Yazdanshenas, Mohamad-Esmail [Department of Textile, Islamic Azad University, Yazd Branch, Yazd (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2010-02-15

    Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) based nanocomposites containing hydrophilic (i.e. Aerosil 200 or Aerosil TT 600) or hydrophobic (i.e. Aerosil R 972) nano-silica were prepared by melt compounding. Influence of nano-silica type on surface properties of the resultant nanocomposites was investigated by the use of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), contact angle measurement (CAM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and reflectance spectroscopy (RS). The possible interaction between nano-silica particles and PET functional groups at bulk and surface were elucidated by transmission FTIR and FTIR-ATR spectroscopy, respectively. AFM studies of the resultant nanocomposites showed increased surface roughness compared to pure PET. Contact angle measurements of the resultant PET composites demonstrated that the wettability of such composites depends on surface treatment of the particular nano-silica particles used. SEM images illustrated that hydrophilic nano-silica particles tended to migrate to the surface of the PET matrix.

  4. Oxadiazole telechelics immobilized on silica for proton conductive membranes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Treekamol, Yaowapa; Schieda, Mauricio [GKSS-Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH (Germany); Nunes, Suzana [King Abdullah Univ. of Science and Technology, Thuwal (Saudi Arabia); Schulte, Karl [Technische Univ. Hamburg-Harburg, Hamburg (Germany)

    2010-07-01

    Functionalized silica and layered silicates have been used in our group to prepare proton conductive membranes with applications to direct methanol fuel cells. We report recent results on the use of silica with amphoteric functionalization in proton conductive membranes working at low humidity levels. Aerosil silica was functionalized by reacting it subsequently with bromophenyltrimethoxysilane and with aromatic bishydroxy terminated oxadiazole oligomers. We have prepared proton conductive membranes including as fillers a series of different sulfonated and non-sulfonated telechelics, synthesized with diphenylsulfone, diphenylether and fluorinated oxadiazole segments. We will present a comparison between fillers with different functionalization and how they affect the conductivity of a proton conductive polymer matrix. The functionalized fillers present the possibility of improving water retention and increasing the maximum doping level with phosphoric acid. Furthermore, the oligomer segments, containing both basic nitrogen and acid sulfonic groups, give an amphoteric character to the membrane, improving the proton conductivity in low humidity conditions. (orig.)

  5. Electronic thermal conductivity of 2-dimensional circular-pore metallic nanoporous materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Cong-Liang; Lin, Zi-Zhen; Luo, Dan-Chen; Huang, Zun

    2016-01-01

    The electronic thermal conductivity (ETC) of 2-dimensional circular-pore metallic nanoporous material (MNM) was studied here for its possible applications in thermal cloaks. A simulation method based on the free-electron-gas model was applied here without considering the quantum effects. For the MNM with circular nanopores, there is an appropriate nanopore size for thermal conductivity tuning, while a linear relationship exists for this size between the ETC and the porosity. The appropriate nanopore diameter size will be about one times that of the electron mean free path. The ETC difference along different directions would be less than 10%, which is valuable when estimating possible errors, because the nanoscale-material direction could not be controlled during its application. Like nanoparticles, the ETC increases with increasing pore size (diameter for nanoparticles) while the porosity was fixed, until the pore size reaches about four times that of electron mean free path, at which point the ETC plateaus. The specular coefficient on the surface will significantly impact the ETC, especially for a high-porosity MNM. The ETC can be decreased by 30% with a tuning specular coefficient. - Highlights: • For metallic nanoporous materials, there is an appropriate pore size for thermal conductivity tuning. • ETC increases with increasing pore size until pore size reaches about four times EMFP. • The ETC difference between different directions will be less than 10%. • The ETC can be decreased by 30% with tuning specular coefficient.

  6. Ordered arrays of nanoporous gold nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dong Wang

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available A combination of a “top-down” approach (substrate-conformal imprint lithography and two “bottom-up” approaches (dewetting and dealloying enables fabrication of perfectly ordered 2-dimensional arrays of nanoporous gold nanoparticles. The dewetting of Au/Ag bilayers on the periodically prepatterned substrates leads to the interdiffusion of Au and Ag and the formation of an array of Au–Ag alloy nanoparticles. The array of alloy nanoparticles is transformed into an array of nanoporous gold nanoparticles by a following dealloying step. Large areas of this new type of material arrangement can be realized with this technique. In addition, this technique allows for the control of particle size, particle spacing, and ligament size (or pore size by varying the period of the structure, total metal layer thickness, and the thickness ratio of the as-deposited bilayers.

  7. Electrolytic charge inversion at the liquid-solid interface in a nanopore in a doped semiconductor membrane

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gracheva, Maria E [Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 (United States); Leburton, Jean-Pierre [Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 (United States)

    2007-04-11

    The electrostatics of a nanopore in a doped semiconductor membrane immersed in an electrolyte is studied with a numerical model. Unlike dielectric membranes that always attract excess positive ion charges at the electrolyte/membrane interface whenever a negative surface charge is present, semiconductor membranes exhibit more versatility in controlling the double layer at the membrane surface. The presence of dopant charge in the semiconductor membrane, the shape of the nanopore and the negative surface charge resulting from the pore fabrication process have competing influences on the double layer formation. The inversion of the electrolyte surface charge from negative to positive is observed for n-Si membranes as a function of the membrane surface charge density, while no such inversion occurs for dielectric and p-Si membranes.

  8. Nanopores creation in boron and nitrogen doped polycrystalline graphene: A molecular dynamics study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izadifar, Mohammadreza; Abadi, Rouzbeh; Nezhad Shirazi, Ali Hossein; Alajlan, Naif; Rabczuk, Timon

    2018-05-01

    In the present paper, molecular dynamic simulations have been conducted to investigate the nanopores creation on 10% of boron and nitrogen doped polycrystalline graphene by silicon and diamond nanoclusters. Two types of nanoclusters based on silicon and diamond are used to investigate their effect for the fabrication of nanopores. Therefore, three different diameter sizes of the clusters with five kinetic energies of 10, 50, 100, 300 and 500 eV/atom at four different locations in boron or nitrogen doped polycrystalline graphene nanosheets have been perused. We also study the effect of 3% and 6% of boron doped polycrystalline graphene with the best outcome from 10% of doping. Our results reveal that the diamond cluster with diameter of 2 and 2.5 nm fabricates the largest nanopore areas on boron and nitrogen doped polycrystalline graphene, respectively. Furthermore, the kinetic energies of 10 and 50 eV/atom can not fabricate nanopores in some cases for silicon and diamond clusters on boron doped polycrystalline graphene nanosheets. On the other hand, silicon and diamond clusters fabricate nanopores for all locations and all tested energies on nitrogen doped polycrystalline graphene. The area sizes of nanopores fabricated by silicon and diamond clusters with diameter of 2 and 2.5 nm are close to the actual area size of the related clusters for the kinetic energy of 300 eV/atom in all locations on boron doped polycrystalline graphene. The maximum area and the average maximum area of nanopores are fabricated by the kinetic energy of 500 eV/atom inside the grain boundary at the center of the nanosheet and in the corner of nanosheet with diameters of 2 and 3 nm for silicon and diamond clusters on boron and nitrogen doped polycrystalline graphene.

  9. Capillary condensation and evaporation in alumina nanopores with controlled modulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruschi, Lorenzo; Mistura, Giampaolo; Liu, Lifeng; Lee, Woo; Gösele, Ulrich; Coasne, Benoit

    2010-07-20

    Capillary condensation in nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide presenting not interconnected pores with controlled modulations is studied using adsorption experiments and molecular simulations. Both the experimental and simulation data show that capillary condensation and evaporation are driven by the smallest size of the nanopore (constriction). The adsorption isotherms for the open and closed pores are almost identical if constrictions are added to the system. The latter result implies that the type of pore ending does not matter in modulated pores. Thus, the presence of hysteresis loops observed in adsorption isotherms measured in straight nanopores with closed bottom ends can be explained in terms of geometrical inhomogeneities along the pore axis. More generally, these results provide a general picture of capillary condensation and evaporation in constricted or modulated pores that can be used for the interpretation of adsorption in disordered porous materials.

  10. Electrochemistry at the edge of a single graphene layer in a nanopore

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Banerjee, Sutanuka; Shim, Jeong; Rivera, J.

    2013-01-01

    We study the electrochemistry of single layer graphene edges using a nanopore-based structure consisting of stacked graphene and AlO dielectric layers. Nanopores, with diameters ranging from 5 to 20 nm, are formed by an electron beam sculpting process on the stacked layers. This leads to a unique...

  11. New strategy for surface functionalization of periodic mesoporous silica based on meso-HSiO1.5.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Zhuoying; Bai, Ling; Huang, Suwen; Zhu, Cun; Zhao, Yuanjin; Gu, Zhong-Ze

    2014-01-29

    Organic functionalization of periodic mesoporous silicas (PMSs) offers a way to improve their excellent properties and wide applications owing to their structural superiority. In this study, a new strategy for organic functionalization of PMSs is demonstrated by hydrosilylation of the recently discovered "impossible" periodic mesoporous hydridosilica, meso-HSiO1.5. This method overcomes the disadvantages of present pathways for organic functionalization of PMSs with organosilica. Moreover, compared to the traditional functionalization on the surface of porous silicon by hydrosilylation, the template-synthesized meso-HSiO1.5 is more flexible to access functional-groups-loaded PMSs with adjustable microstructures. The new method and materials will have wider applications based on both the structure and surface superiorities.

  12. Nucleation of polystyrene latex particles in the presence of gamma-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane: functionalized silica particles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourgeat-Lami, Elodie; Insulaire, Mickaelle; Reculusa, Stéphane; Perro, Adeline; Ravaine, Serge; Duguet, Etienne

    2006-02-01

    Silica/polystyrene nanocomposite particles with different morphologies were synthesized through emulsion polymerization of styrene in the presence of silica particles previously modified by gamma-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS). Grafting of the silane molecule was performed by direct addition of MPS to the aqueous silica suspension in the presence of an anionic surfactant under basic conditions. The MPS grafting density on the silica surface was determined using the depletion method and plotted against the initial MPS concentration. The influence of the MPS grafting density, the silica particles size and concentration and the nature of the surfactant on the polymerization kinetics and the particles morphology was investigated. When the polymerization was performed in the presence of an anionic surfactant, transmission electron microscopy images showed the formation of polymer spheres around silica for MPS grafting densities lower than typically 1 micromole x m(-2) while the conversion versus time curves indicated a strong acceleration effect under such conditions. In contrast, polymerizations performed in the presence of a larger amount of MPS moieties or in the presence of a non ionic emulsifier resulted in the formation of "excentered" core-shell morphologies and lower polymerization rates. The paper identifies the parameters that allow to control particles morphology and polymerization kinetics and describes the mechanism of formation of the nanocomposite colloids.

  13. Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS-Loaded Nanoporous Polymer as Anti-Biofilm Surface Coating Material

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sokol Ndoni

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Biofilms cause extensive damage to industrial settings. Thus, it is important to improve the existing techniques and develop new strategies to prevent bacterial biofilm formation. In the present study, we have prepared nanoporous polymer films from a self-assembled 1,2-polybutadiene-b-polydimethylsiloxane (1,2-PB-b-PDMS block copolymer via chemical cross-linking of the 1,2-PB block followed by quantitative removal of the PDMS block. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS was loaded into the nanoporous 1,2-PB from aqueous solution. The SDS-loaded nanoporous polymer films were shown to block bacterial attachment in short-term (3 h and significantly reduce biofilm formation in long-term (1 week by gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli. Tuning the thickness or surface morphology of the nanoporous polymer films allowed to extent the anti-biofilm capability.

  14. Multifunctional Silica Nanoparticles Modified via Silylated-Decaborate Precursors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatima Abi-Ghaida

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A new class of multifunctional silica nanoparticles carrying boron clusters (10-vertex closo-decaborate and incorporating luminescent centers (fluorescein has been developed as potential probes/carriers for potential application in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT. These silica nanoparticles were charged in situ with silylated-fluorescein fluorophores via the Stöber method and their surface was further functionalized with decaborate-triethoxysilane precursors. The resulting decaborate dye-doped silica nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, solid state NMR, DLS, nitrogen sorption, elemental analysis, and fluorescence spectroscopy.

  15. Co-delivery of ibuprofen and gentamicin from nanoporous anodic titanium dioxide layers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pawlik, Anna; Jarosz, Magdalena; Syrek, Karolina; Sulka, Grzegorz D

    2017-04-01

    Although single-drug therapy may prove insufficient in treating bacterial infections or inflammation after orthopaedic surgeries, complex therapy (using both an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory drug) is thought to address the problem. Among drug delivery systems (DDSs) with prolonged drug release profiles, nanoporous anodic titanium dioxide (ATO) layers on Ti foil are very promising. In the discussed research, ATO samples were synthesized via a three-step anodization process in an ethylene glycol-based electrolyte with fluoride ions. The third step lasted 2, 5 and 10min in order to obtain different thicknesses of nanoporous layers. Annealing the as-prepared amorphous layers at the temperature of 400°C led to obtaining the anatase phase. In this study, water-insoluble ibuprofen and water-soluble gentamicin were used as model drugs. Three different drug loading procedures were applied. The desorption-desorption-diffusion (DDD) model of the drug release was fitted to the experimental data. The effects of crystalline structure, depth of TiO 2 nanopores and loading procedure on the drug release profiles were examined. The duration of the drug release process can be easily altered by changing the drug loading sequence. Water-soluble gentamicin is released for a long period of time if gentamicin is loaded in ATO as the first drug. Additionally, deeper nanopores and anatase phase suppress the initial burst release of drugs. These results confirm that factors such as morphological and crystalline structure of ATO layers, and the procedure of drug loading inside nanopores, allow to alter the drug release performance of nanoporous ATO layers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Silica coating of nanoparticles by the sonogel process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Quan; Boothroyd, Chris; Tan, Gim Hong; Sutanto, Nelvi; Soutar, Andrew McIntosh; Zeng, Xian Ting

    2008-02-05

    A modified aqueous sol-gel route was developed using ultrasonic power for the silica coating of indium tin oxide (ITO) nanoparticles. In this approach, organosilane with an amino functional group was first used to cover the surface of as-received nanoparticles. Subsequent silica coating was initiated and sustained under power ultrasound irradiation in an aqueous mixture of surface-treated particles and epoxy silane. This process resulted in a thin but homogeneous coverage of silica on the particle surface. Particles coated with a layer of silica show better dispersability in aqueous and organic media compared with the untreated powder. Samples were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the zeta potential.

  17. Silica Nephropathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N Ghahramani

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Occupational exposure to heavy metals, organic solvents and silica is associated with a variety of renal manifestations. Improved understanding of occupational renal disease provides insight into environmental renal disease, improving knowledge of disease pathogenesis. Silica (SiO2 is an abundant mineral found in sand, rock, and soil. Workers exposed to silica include sandblasters, miners, quarry workers, masons, ceramic workers and glass manufacturers. New cases of silicosis per year have been estimated in the US to be 3600–7300. Exposure to silica has been associated with tubulointerstitial disease, immune-mediated multisystem disease, chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease. A rare syndrome of painful, nodular skin lesions has been described in dialysis patients with excessive levels of silicon. Balkan endemic nephropathy is postulated to be due to chronic intoxication with drinking water polluted by silicates released during soil erosion. The mechanism of silica nephrotoxicity is thought to be through direct nephrotoxicity, as well as silica-induced autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma and systemic lupus erythematosus. The renal histopathology varies from focal to crescentic and necrotizing glomerulonephritis with aneurysm formation suggestive of polyarteritis nodosa. The treatment for silica nephrotoxicity is non-specific and depends on the mechanism and stage of the disease. It is quite clear that further research is needed, particularly to elucidate the pathogenesis of silica nephropathy. Considering the importance of diagnosing exposure-related renal disease at early stages, it is imperative to obtain a thorough occupational history in all patients with renal disease, with particular emphasis on exposure to silica, heavy metals, and solvents.

  18. Chemical Reaction Equilibrium in Nanoporous Materials: NO Dimerization Reaction in Carbon Slit Nanopores

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Lísal, Martin; Brennan, J.K.; Smith, W.R.

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 124, č. 6 (2006), s. 64712.1-64712.14 ISSN 0021-9606 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA203/05/0725; GA AV ČR(CZ) 1ET400720507; GA AV ČR(CZ) 1ET400720409 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40720504 Keywords : nanopore * NO dimerization * reaction Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 3.166, year: 2006

  19. High-temperature nanoporous ceramic monolith prepared from a polymeric bicontinuous microemulsion template.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, Brad H; Lodge, Timothy P

    2009-02-11

    Nanoporous ceramic with a unique pore structure was derived from an all-hydrocarbon polymeric bicontinuous microemulsion (BmuE). The BmuE was designed to allow facile removal of one phase, resulting in a nanoporous polymer monolith with BmuE-like structure. The pores were filled with a commercially available, polymeric precursor to nonoxide, Si-based ceramics. Pyrolysis resulted in a monolith of nanoporous ceramic, stable to at least 1000 degrees C, with a BmuE-like pore structure. The pore structure is disordered and 3-D continuous. Microscopy and gas sorption measurements suggest a well-defined pore size distribution spanning roughly 60-100 nm, sizes previously unattainable through related techniques.

  20. DeepSimulator: a deep simulator for Nanopore sequencing

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Yu

    2017-12-23

    Motivation: Oxford Nanopore sequencing is a rapidly developed sequencing technology in recent years. To keep pace with the explosion of the downstream data analytical tools, a versatile Nanopore sequencing simulator is needed to complement the experimental data as well as to benchmark those newly developed tools. However, all the currently available simulators are based on simple statistics of the produced reads, which have difficulty in capturing the complex nature of the Nanopore sequencing procedure, the main task of which is the generation of raw electrical current signals. Results: Here we propose a deep learning based simulator, DeepSimulator, to mimic the entire pipeline of Nanopore sequencing. Starting from a given reference genome or assembled contigs, we simulate the electrical current signals by a context-dependent deep learning model, followed by a base-calling procedure to yield simulated reads. This workflow mimics the sequencing procedure more naturally. The thorough experiments performed across four species show that the signals generated by our context-dependent model are more similar to the experimentally obtained signals than the ones generated by the official context-independent pore model. In terms of the simulated reads, we provide a parameter interface to users so that they can obtain the reads with different accuracies ranging from 83% to 97%. The reads generated by the default parameter have almost the same properties as the real data. Two case studies demonstrate the application of DeepSimulator to benefit the development of tools in de novo assembly and in low coverage SNP detection. Availability: The software can be accessed freely at: https://github.com/lykaust15/DeepSimulator.

  1. Nanoindentation and micro-compression testing of nanoporous gold

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Epler, Eike; Volkert, Cynthia A. [Institut fuer Materialphysik, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen (Germany); Balk, T. John [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky (United States)

    2009-07-01

    Recent studies on materials such as nanoporous Au have shown that the strength of open-cell foams can be increased at a fixed porosity by decreasing the foam length scale (ligament diameter and length). This effect is attributed to the difficulty of activating dislocations in sub-micron crystal volumes. If high strength nanoporous materials are to be used to advantage in technical applications, the details of the parameters determining their strength need to be understood. In this study, the mechanical response of nanoporous Au fabricated by electrochemical dissolution from a Au-Ag alloy, is investigated by indentation using a cube corner tip as well as by micro-compression testing of columns fabricated by focused ion beam machining. The tests reveal a significant time-dependence or creep behavior in the 30% relative density foam that is not observed in fully dense gold. The origins of this effect will be probed by varying the length scale of the foam. In addition, a large scatter in mechanical behavior, particularly in the elastic response, is observed from position to position and sample to sample, which is attributed to small variations in the open cell structure.

  2. o-Vanillin functionalized mesoporous silica - coated magnetite nanoparticles for efficient removal of Pb(II) from water

    Science.gov (United States)

    Culita, Daniela C.; Simonescu, Claudia Maria; Patescu, Rodica-Elena; Dragne, Mioara; Stanica, Nicolae; Oprea, Ovidiu

    2016-06-01

    o-Vanillin functionalized mesoporous silica - coated magnetite (Fe3O4@MCM-41-N-oVan) was synthesized and fully characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, N2 adsorption-desorption technique and magnetic measurements. The capacity of Fe3O4@MCM-41-N-oVan to adsorb Pb(II) from aqueous solutions was evaluated in comparison with raw mesoporous silica - coated magnetite (Fe3O4@MCM-41) and amino - modified mesoporous silica coated magnetite (Fe3O4@MCM-41-NH2). The effect of adsorption process parameters such us pH, contact time, initial Pb(II) concentration was also investigated. The adsorption data were successfully fitted with the Langmuir model, exhibiting a maximum adsorption capacity of 155.71 mg/g at pH=4.4 and T=298 K. The results revealed that the adsorption rate was very high at the beginning of the adsorption process, 80-90% of the total amount of Pb(II) being removed within the first 60 min, depending on the initial concentration. The results of the present work suggest that Fe3O4@MCM-41-N-oVan is a suitable candidate for the separation of Pb(II) from contaminated water.

  3. Functionalization of mesoporous silica membrane with a Schiff base fluorophore for Cu(II) ion sensing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen Xiaotong [Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku 980-8578, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture (Japan); Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Yamaguchi, Akira [College of Science, Ibaraki University, Bunkyo 2-1-1, Mito, Ibaraki 310-8512 (Japan); Frontier Research Center for Applied Atomic Sciences, Ibaraki University, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1106 (Japan); Namekawa, Manato [Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku 980-8578, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture (Japan); Kamijo, Toshio [Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku 980-8578, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture (Japan); Tsuruoka National College of Technology, Aza-Sawada, Tsuruoka 997-8511 (Japan); Teramae, Norio, E-mail: teramae@m.tohoku.ac.jp [Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku 980-8578, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture (Japan); Tong, Aijun, E-mail: tongaj@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

    2011-06-24

    Graphical abstract: Highlights: > A hybrid mesoporous membrane (SB-HMM) functionalized by Schiff base fluorophores was fabricated. > SB-HMM showed strong fluorescence with aggregation-induced emission enhancement properties. > SB-HMM was applicable for the detection of Cu(II) in an aqueous solution with good reversibility and reproducibility. - Abstract: A Schiff base (SB) immobilized hybrid mesoporous silica membrane (SB-HMM) was prepared by immobilizing a Schiff base onto the pore surface of mesoporous silica (pore size = 3.1 nm) embedded in the pores of a porous anodic alumina membrane. In contrast to the non-fluorescent analogous SB molecule in homogeneous solutions, SB-HMM exhibited intense fluorescence due to emission enhancement caused by aggregation of SB groups on the pore surface. The high quantum efficiency of the surface SB groups allows SB-HMM to function as a fluorescent sensor for Cu(II) ions in an aqueous solution with good sensitivity, selectivity and reproducibility. Under the optimal conditions described, the linear ranges of fluorescence intensity for Cu(II) are 1.2-13.8 (M (R{sup 2} = 0.993) and 19.4-60 (R{sup 2} = 0.992) (M. The limit of detection for Cu(II) is 0.8 {mu}M on basis of the definition by IUPAC (C{sub LOD} = 3.3S{sub b}/m).

  4. A Dealloying Synthetic Strategy for Nanoporous Bismuth-Antimony Anodes for Sodium Ion Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Hui; Niu, Jiazheng; Zhang, Chi; Peng, Zhangquan; Zhang, Zhonghua

    2018-04-24

    Metal-based anodes have recently aroused much attention in sodium ion batteries (SIBs) owing to their high theoretical capacities and low sodiation potentials. However, their progresses are prevented by the inferior cycling performance caused by severe volumetric change and pulverization during the (de)sodiation process. To address this issue, herein an alloying strategy was proposed and nanoporous bismuth (Bi)-antimony (Sb) alloys were fabricated by dealloying of ternary Mg-based precursors. As an anode for SIBs, the nanoporous Bi 2 Sb 6 alloy exhibits an ultralong cycling performance (10 000 cycles) at 1 A/g corresponding to a capacity decay of merely 0.0072% per cycle, due to the porous structure, alloying effect and proper Bi/Sb atomic ratio. More importantly, a (de)sodiation mechanism ((Bi,Sb) ↔ Na(Bi,Sb) ↔ Na 3 (Bi,Sb)) is identified for the discharge/charge processes of Bi-Sb alloys by using operando X-ray diffraction and density functional theory calculations.

  5. Active sieving across driven nanopores for tunable selectivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marbach, Sophie; Bocquet, Lydéric

    2017-10-01

    Molecular separation traditionally relies on sieving processes across passive nanoporous membranes. Here we explore theoretically the concept of non-equilibrium active sieving. We investigate a simple model for an active noisy nanopore, where gating—in terms of size or charge—is externally driven at a tunable frequency. Our analytical and numerical results unveil a rich sieving diagram in terms of the forced gating frequency. Unexpectedly, the separation ability is strongly increased as compared to its passive (zero frequency) counterpart. It also points to the possibility of tuning dynamically the osmotic pressure. Active separation outperforms passive sieving and represents a promising avenue for advanced filtration.

  6. Characterization of Polycaprolactone and Rice Husk Silica Composite (PCL-SiO2) by E-Spinning to Apply Supporter for Drug Release

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Sinae; Hilonga, Askwar; Taik Kim, Hee

    2018-03-01

    Polycaprolactone (PCL) is an interesting material to apply biomedical field owing to its biodegradability and biocompatibility which is suitable for a specific site with longer healing times. Blending the polymer with other materials has degradation property improved with the effective and economic method. This study was conducted to fabricate supporter based on Polycaprolactone and Rice husk silica (PCL-SiO2) by using electrospinning. Nano-porous silica in the composite was synthesized from rice husk having properties of economic, eco-friendly and high surface area. It drew to enhance the amount of drug loading in the carrier. Electrospinning technique is used to fabricate fibrous component by optimization condition obtained from previous mechanical properties experiments. Release experiment was carried out by the degree of dye absorbance at 544nm by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, the RhB in SiO2 alternative drug for modelling of drug release was released for 1 ~ 20 days at 37°C in phosphate buffer. Furthermore, the Mechanical property was confirmed by DSC, TGA. Morphology and degree of biodegradation were shown as SEM images and EDS.

  7. Detecting single-abasic residues within a DNA strand immobilized in a biological nanopore using an integrated CMOS sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jungsuk; Maitra, Raj D; Pedrotti, Ken; Dunbar, William B

    2013-02-01

    In this paper, we demonstrate the application of a novel current-measuring sensor (CMS) customized for nanopore applications. The low-noise CMS is fabricated in a 0.35μm CMOS process and is implemented in experiments involving DNA captured in an α-hemolysin (α-HL) nanopore. Specifically, the CMS is used to build a current amplitude map as a function of varying positions of a single-abasic residue within a homopolymer cytosine single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) that is captured and held in the pore. Each ssDNA is immobilized using a biotin-streptavidin linkage. Five different DNA templates are measured and compared: one all-cytosine ssDNA, and four with a single-abasic residue substitution that resides in or near the ~1.5nm aperture of the α-HL channel when the strand is immobilized. The CMOS CMS is shown to resolves the ~5Å displacements of the abasic residue within the varying templates. The demonstration represents an advance in application-specific circuitry that is optimized for small-footprint nanopore applications, including genomic sequencing.

  8. Thermodynamics phase changes of nanopore fluids

    KAUST Repository

    Islam, Akand W.

    2015-07-01

    The van der Waals (vdW) equation (Eq.) is modified to describe thermodynamic of phase behavior of fluids confined in nanopore. Our aim is to compute pressures exerted by the fluid molecules and to investigate how they change due to pore proximity by assuming the pore wall is inert. No additional scaling of model parameters is imposed and original volume and energy parameters are used in the calculations. Our results clearly show the phase changes due to confinement. The critical shifts of temperatures and pressures are in good agreement compared to the laboratory data and molecular simulation. Peng-Robinson (PR) equation-of-state (EOS) has resulted in different effect than the vdW. This work delivers insights into the nature of fluid behavior in extremely low-permeability nanoporous media, especially in the tight shale reservoirs, below the critical temperatures. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.

  9. Thermodynamics phase changes of nanopore fluids

    KAUST Repository

    Islam, Akand W.; Patzek, Tadeusz; Sun, Alexander Y.

    2015-01-01

    The van der Waals (vdW) equation (Eq.) is modified to describe thermodynamic of phase behavior of fluids confined in nanopore. Our aim is to compute pressures exerted by the fluid molecules and to investigate how they change due to pore proximity by assuming the pore wall is inert. No additional scaling of model parameters is imposed and original volume and energy parameters are used in the calculations. Our results clearly show the phase changes due to confinement. The critical shifts of temperatures and pressures are in good agreement compared to the laboratory data and molecular simulation. Peng-Robinson (PR) equation-of-state (EOS) has resulted in different effect than the vdW. This work delivers insights into the nature of fluid behavior in extremely low-permeability nanoporous media, especially in the tight shale reservoirs, below the critical temperatures. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.

  10. Tuneable graphene nanopores for single biomolecule detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Dirini, Feras; Mohammed, Mahmood A; Hossain, Md Sharafat; Hossain, Faruque M; Nirmalathas, Ampalavanapillai; Skafidas, Efstratios

    2016-05-21

    Solid-state nanopores are promising candidates for next generation DNA and protein sequencing. However, once fabricated, such devices lack tuneability, which greatly restricts their biosensing capabilities. Here we propose a new class of solid-state graphene-based nanopore devices that exhibit a unique capability of self-tuneability, which is used to control their conductance, tuning it to levels comparable to the changes caused by the translocation of a single biomolecule, and hence, enabling high detection sensitivities. Our presented quantum simulation results suggest that the smallest amino acid, glycine, when present in water and in an aqueous saline solution can be detected with high sensitivity, up to a 90% change in conductance. Our results also suggest that passivating the device with nitrogen, making it an n-type device, greatly enhances its sensitivity, and makes it highly sensitive to not only the translocation of a single biomolecule, but more interestingly to intramolecular electrostatics within the biomolecule. Sensitive detection of the carboxyl group within the glycine molecule, which carries a charge equivalent to a single electron, is achieved with a conductance change that reaches as high as 99% when present in an aqueous saline solution. The presented findings suggest that tuneable graphene nanopores, with their capability of probing intramolecular electrostatics, could pave the way towards a new generation of single biomolecule detection devices.

  11. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and occupational exposure to silica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rushton, Lesley

    2007-01-01

    Prolonged exposure to high levels of silica has long been known to cause silicosis This paper evaluates the evidence for an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in occupations and industries in which exposure to crystalline silica is the primary exposure, with a focus on the magnitude of risks and levels of exposure causing disabling health effects. The literature suggests consistently elevated risks of developing COPD associated with silica exposure in several occupations, including the construction industry; tunneling; cement industry; brick manufacturing; pottery and ceramic work; silica sand, granite and diatomaceous earth industries; gold mining; and iron and steel founding, with risk estimates being high in some, even after taking into account the effect of confounders like smoking. Average dust levels vary from about 0.5 mg.m3 to over 10 mg.m3 and average silica levels from 0.04 to over 5 mg.m3, often well above occupational standards. Factors influencing the variation from industry to industry in risks associated with exposure to silica-containing dusts include (a) the presence of other minerals in the dust, particularly when associated with clay minerals; (b) the size of the particles and percentage of quartz; (c) the physicochemical characteristics, such as whether the dust is freshly fractured. Longitudinal studies suggest that loss of lung function occurs with exposure to silica dust at concentrations of between 0.1 and 0.2 mg.m3, and that the effect of cumulative silica dust exposure on airflow obstruction is independent of silicosis. Nevertheless, a disabling loss of lung function in the absence of silicosis would not occur until between 30 and 40 years exposure.

  12. Nanoporous gold microelectrode prepared from potential modulated electrochemical alloying–dealloying in ionic liquid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang, Junhua; Wang, Xinying; Zhang, Lei

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • A green chemistry method for producing nanoporous gold microelectrode was studied. • An ionic liquid plating bath was utilized for electrochemical alloying–dealloying. • Nanostructures of gold surface layers can be tuned by modulating potential. • Nanoporous gold microelectrode has high surface area and merit of a microelectrode. • Nitrite oxidation and reduction on nanoporous gold microelectrode were studied. -- Abstract: Nanoporous gold (NPG) microelectrodes with high surface area and open pore network were successfully prepared by applying modulated potential to a polycrystalline Au-disk microelectrode in ionic liquid electrolyte containing ZnCl 2 at elevated temperature. During cathodic process, Zn is electrodeposited and interacted with Au microdisk substrate to form a AuZn alloy phase. During subsequent anodic process, Zn is selectively dissolved from the alloy phase, leading to the formation of a NPG layer which can grow with repetitive potential modulation. Scanning-electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray microscope measurements show that the NPG microelectrodes possessing nanoporous structures can be tuned via potential modulation, and chemically contain a small amount of Zn whose presence has no obvious influence on electrochemical responses of the electrodes. Steady-state and cyclic voltammetric studies suggest that the NPG microelectrodes have high surface area and keep diffusional properties of a microelectrode. Electrochemical nitrite reduction and oxidation are studied as model reactions to demonstrate potential applications of the NPG microelectrodes in electrocatalysis and electroanalysis. These facts suggest that the potential-modulated electrochemical alloying/dealloying in ionic liquid electrolyte offers a convenient green-chemistry method for the preparation of nanoporous microelectrodes

  13. Folic acid-functionalized magnetic ZnFe2O4 hollow microsphere core/mesoporous silica shell composite particles: synthesis and application in drug release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Dandan; Wei, Kaiwei; Liu, Qi; Yang, Yong; Guo, Xue; Rong, Hongren; Cheng, Mei-Ling; Wang, Guoxiu

    2013-07-01

    A drug delivery system was designed by deliberately combining the useful functions into one entity, which was composed of magnetic ZnFe2O4 hollow microsphere as the core, and mesoporous silica with folic acid molecules as the outer shell. Amine groups coated magnetic ZnFe2O4 hollow microsphere core/mesoporous silica shell (MZHM-MSS-NH2) composite particles were first synthesized by a one-pot direct co-condensation method. Subsequently a novel kind of folic acid-functionalized magnetic ZnFe2O4 hollow microsphere core/mesoporous silica shell (MZHM-MSS-NHFA) composite particles were synthesized by conjugating folic acid as targeted molecule to MZHM-MSS-NH2. Ibuprofen, a well-known antiphlogistic drug, was used as a model drug to assess the loading and releasing behavior of the composite microspheres. The results show that the MZHM-MSS-NHFA system has the higher capacity of drug storage and good sustained drug-release property. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Proton Conductivity of Nafion/Ex-Situ Sulfonic Acid-Modified Stöber Silica Nanocomposite Membranes As a Function of Temperature, Silica Particles Size and Surface Modification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muriithi, Beatrice; Loy, Douglas A.

    2016-01-01

    The introduction of sulfonic acid modified silica in Nafion nanocomposite membranes is a good method of improving the Nafion performance at high temperature and low relative humidity. Sulfonic acid-modified silica is bifunctional, with silica phase expected to offer an improvement in membranes hydration while sulfonic groups enhance proton conductivity. However, as discussed in this paper, this may not always be the case. Proton conductivity enhancement of Nafion nanocomposite membranes is very dependent on silica particle size, sometimes depending on experimental conditions, and by surface modification. In this study, Sulfonated Preconcentrated Nafion Stober Silica composites (SPNSS) were prepared by modification of Stober silica particles with mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane, dispersing the particles into a preconcentrated solution of Nafion, then casting the membranes. The mercapto groups were oxidized to sulfonic acids by heating the membranes in 10 wt % hydrogen peroxide for 1 h. At 80 °C and 100% relative humidity, a 20%–30% enhancement of proton conductivity was only observed when sulfonic acid modified particle less than 50 nm in diameter were used. At 120 °C, and 100% humidity, proton conductivity increased by 22%–42% with sulfonated particles with small particles showing the greatest enhancement. At 120 °C and 50% humidity, the sulfonated particles are less efficient at keeping the membranes hydrated, and the composites underperform Nafion and silica-Nafion nanocomposite membranes. PMID:26828525

  15. Asymmetric Supercapacitors Using 3D Nanoporous Carbon and Cobalt Oxide Electrodes Synthesized from a Single Metal-Organic Framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salunkhe, Rahul R; Tang, Jing; Kamachi, Yuichiro; Nakato, Teruyuki; Kim, Jung Ho; Yamauchi, Yusuke

    2015-06-23

    Nanoporous carbon and nanoporous cobalt oxide (Co3O4) materials have been selectively prepared from a single metal-organic framework (MOF) (zeolitic imidazolate framework, ZIF-67) by optimizing the annealing conditions. The resulting ZIF-derived carbon possesses highly graphitic walls and a high specific surface area of 350 m(2)·g(-1), while the resulting ZIF-derived nanoporous Co3O4 possesses a high specific surface area of 148 m(2)·g(-1) with much less carbon content (1.7 at%). When nanoporous carbon and nanoporous Co3O4 were tested as electrode materials for supercapacitor application, they showed high capacitance values (272 and 504 F·g(-1), respectively, at a scan rate of 5 mV·s(-1)). To further demonstrate the advantages of our ZIF-derived nanoporous materials, symmetric (SSCs) and asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) were also fabricated using nanoporous carbon and nanoporous Co3O4 electrodes. Improved capacitance performance was successfully realized for the ASC (Co3O4//carbon), better than those of the SSCs based on nanoporous carbon and nanoporous Co3O4 materials (i.e., carbon//carbon and Co3O4//Co3O4). The developed ASC with an optimal mass loading can be operated within a wide potential window of 0.0-1.6 V, which leads to a high specific energy of 36 W·h·kg(-1). More interestingly, this ASC also exhibits excellent rate capability (with the highest specific power of 8000 W·kg(-1) at a specific energy of 15 W·h·kg(-1)) combined with long-term stability up to 2000 cycles.

  16. Hydrothermally formed three-dimensional nanoporous Ni(OH)2 thin-film supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yang; Li, Lei; Ruan, Gedeng; Fei, Huilong; Xiang, Changsheng; Fan, Xiujun; Tour, James M

    2014-09-23

    A three-dimensional nanoporous Ni(OH)2 thin-film was hydrothermally converted from an anodically formed porous layer of nickel fluoride/oxide. The nanoporous Ni(OH)2 thin-films can be used as additive-free electrodes for energy storage. The nanoporous layer delivers a high capacitance of 1765 F g(-1) under three electrode testing. After assembly with porous activated carbon in asymmetric supercapacitor configurations, the devices deliver superior supercapacitive performances with capacitance of 192 F g(-1), energy density of 68 Wh kg(-1), and power density of 44 kW kg(-1). The wide working potential window (up to 1.6 V in 6 M aq KOH) and stable cyclability (∼90% capacitance retention over 10,000 cycles) make the thin-film ideal for practical supercapacitor devices.

  17. Micropatterning of a nanoporous alumina membrane with poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogel to create cellular micropatterns on nanotopographic substrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyun Jong; Kim, Dae Nyun; Park, Saemi; Lee, Yeol; Koh, Won-Gun

    2011-03-01

    In this paper, we describe a simple method for fabricating micropatterned nanoporous substrates that are capable of controlling the spatial positioning of mammalian cells. Micropatterned substrates were prepared by fabricating poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) hydrogel microstructures on alumina membranes with 200 nm nanopores using photolithography. Because hydrogel precursor solution could infiltrate and become crosslinked within the nanopores, the resultant hydrogel micropatterns were firmly anchored on the substrate without the use of adhesion-promoting monolayers, thereby allow tailoring of the surface properties of unpatterned nanoporous areas. For mammalian cell patterning, arrays of microwells of different dimensions were fabricated. These microwells were composed of hydrophilic PEG hydrogel walls surrounding nanoporous bottoms that were modified with cell-adhesive Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides. Because the PEG hydrogel was non-adhesive towards proteins and cells, cells adhered selectively and remained viable within the RGD-modified nanoporous regions, thereby creating cellular micropatterns. Although the morphology of cell clusters and the number of cells inside one microwell were dependent on the lateral dimension of the microwells, adhered cells that were in direct contact with nanopores were able to penetrate into the nanopores by small extensions (filopodia) for all the different sizes of microwells evaluated. Copyright © 2010 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Evolution of Surface Nanopores in Pressurised Gyrospun Polymeric Microfibers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    U. Eranka Illangakoon

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The selection of a solvent or solvent system and the ensuing polymer–solvent interactions are crucial factors affecting the preparation of fibers with multiple morphologies. A range of poly(methylmethacrylate fibers were prepared by pressurised gyration using acetone, chloroform, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF, ethyl acetate and dichloromethane as solvents. It was found that microscale fibers with surface nanopores were formed when using chloroform, ethyl acetate and dichloromethane and poreless fibers were formed when using acetone and DMF as the solvent. These observations are explained on the basis of the physical properties of the solvents and mechanisms of pore formation. The formation of porous fibers is caused by many solvent properties such as volatility, solubility parameters, vapour pressure and surface tension. Cross-sectional images show that the nanopores are only on the surface of the fibers and they were not inter-connected. Further, the results show that fibers with desired nanopores (40–400 nm can be prepared by carefully selecting the solvent and applied pressure in the gyration process.

  19. Selective Electrochemical Detection of Epinephrine Using Gold Nanoporous Film

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dina M. Fouad

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Epinephrine (EP is one of the important catecholamine neurotransmitters that play an important role in the mammalian central nervous system. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the change of its concentrations. Nanoporous materials have wide applications that include catalysis, energy storages, environmental pollution control, wastewater treatment, and sensing applications. These unique properties could be attributable to their high surface area, a large pore volume, and uniform pore sizes. A gold nanoporous layer modified gold electrode was prepared and applied for the selective determination of epinephrine neurotransmitter at low concentration in the presence of several other substances including ascorbic acid (AA and uric acid (UA. The constructed electrode was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The resulting electrode showed a selective detection of epinephrine with the interferences of dopamine and uric acid over a wide linear range (from 50 μM to 1 mM. The coverage of gold nanoporous on the surface of gold electrode represents a promising electrochemical sensor with high selectivity and sensitivity.

  20. Surface effects on the mechanical properties of nanoporous materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Zixing; Zhang Cungang; Liu Qiang; Yang Zhenyu

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, surface effects on the mechanical behaviour of nanoporous materials are investigated using the theory of surface elasticity and Timoshenko beam theory based on the tetrakaidecahedron (or Kelvin) open-cell foam model. Meanwhile, the influence of surface elasticity and residual surface stress on the mechanical properties of nanoporous materials is discussed. In addition, the results derived from the theory of Euler-Bernoulli beam model are also provided for comparison. Theoretical results show that the effective Young's modulus of the nanoporous materials increases as the diameter of the strut decreases, but in contrast Poisson's ratio and the brittle collapse strength decrease with the diameter of the strut. The contribution of shear deformation to surface effects on elastic properties is more significant, while the surface effects on brittle collapse strength are not sensitive to shear deformation, and it can even be neglected. As the strut size increases, the present results can be reduced to the cases without considering surface effects, which verifies the efficiency of the present model to a certain extent.

  1. Nanoporous Cu-C composites based on carbon-nanotube aerogels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Charnvanichborikarn, S.; Shin, S. J.; Worsley, M. A.; Tran, I. C.; Willey, T. M.; van Buuren, T.; Felter, T. E.; Colvin, J. D.; Kucheyev, S. O. [LLNL; (Sandia)

    2013-11-22

    Current synthesis methods of nanoporous Cu–C composites offer limited control of the material composition, structure, and properties, particularly for large Cu loadings of ≳20 wt%. Here, we describe two related approaches to realize novel nanoporous Cu–C composites based on the templating of recently developed carbon-nanotube aerogels (CNT-CAs). Our first approach involves the trapping of Cu nanoparticles while CNT-CAs undergo gelation. This method yields nanofoams with relatively high densities of ≳65 mg cm-3 for Cu loadings of ≳10 wt%. Our second approach overcomes this limitation by filling the pores of undoped CNT-CA monoliths with an aqueous solution of CuSO4 followed by (i) freeze-drying to remove water and (ii) thermal decomposition of CuSO4. With this approach, we demonstrate Cu–C composites with a C matrix density of -25 mg cm-3 and Cu loadings of up to 70 wt%. These versatile methods could be extended to fabricate other nanoporous metal–carbon composite materials geared for specific applications.

  2. Sealing-free fast-response paraffin/nanoporous gold hybrid actuator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Xing-Long; Jin, Hai-Jun

    2017-09-01

    Paraffin-based actuators can deliver large actuation strokes and high actuation stress, but often suffer from a low response rate and leaking problems. Here, we report a new paraffin/metal hybrid actuator, which was fabricated by infiltrating nanoporous gold with paraffin. It exhibits a fast actuation rate owing to the high thermal conductivity of the inter-connected metal phase, and requires no external sealing because liquid paraffin can be well confined in nanoscale channels, due to the large capillarity. We found that in this hybrid actuator, the stress generated by actuation is negligibly small when the characteristic size of the nanoporous gold (L) is above ˜70 nm, and increases dramatically with a decreasing size when L paraffin wax—the paraffin in smaller pores can sustain larger tensile stress, and thus the contraction of paraffin during cooling can be translated into larger compression stress and strain energy in a metal framework, leading to a larger actuation stress and energy. We also demonstrate that complex actuation motions can be achieved by incorporating hierarchical-structured nanoporous metal with paraffin.

  3. Some Durability Characteristics of Micro Silica and Nano Silica Contained Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammed Salah Nasr

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to investigate the influence of replacement of cement with nano and micro silica admixtures on some durability properties of concrete such as water absorption, chloride content and pH tests. Three replacement ratios (5%,10%,15% of micro silica and four replacement proportions (0.5%,1.5%,3%,5% for nano silica were used in this study. Two exposure conditions were considered for chloride content test: wetting-drying and full immersing exposure in 6% of chloride ions solution, NaCl type. Results showed that mixes of %5 micro silica and 5% nano silica had lower content of chloride (about 0.19% and 0.18% for wetting-drying and full immersing exposure respectively. For water absorption test, all mixes incorporated micro and nano silica, except for %5 micro silica mix, showed lower absorption than control mixes. For pH test, results indicated that the adding of nano and micro silica didn’t affect adversely the alkalinity of concrete.

  4. Controllable Shrinking of Glass Capillary Nanopores Down to sub-10 nm by Wet-Chemical Silanization for Signal-Enhanced DNA Translocation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xiaolong; Li, Chuanping; Zhou, Ya; Jin, Yongdong

    2017-10-27

    Diameter is a major concern for nanopore based sensing. However, directly pulling glass capillary nanopore with diameter down to sub-10 nm is very difficult. So, post treatment is sometimes necessary. Herein, we demonstrate a facile and effective wet-chemical method to shrink the diameter of glass capillary nanopore from several tens of nanometers to sub-10 nm by disodium silicate hydrolysis. Its benefits for DNA translocation are investigated. The shrinking of glass capillary nanopore not only slows down DNA translocation, but also enhances DNA translocation signal and signal-to-noise ratio significantly (102.9 for 6.4 nm glass nanopore, superior than 15 for a 3 nm silicon nitride nanopore). It also affects DNA translocation behaviors, making the approach and glass capillary nanopore platform promising for DNA translocation studies.

  5. Adsorption stress changes the elasticity of liquid argon confined in a nanopore.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gor, Gennady Y

    2014-11-18

    Knowledge of the elastic properties of a fluid is crucial for predicting its flow under high pressure, particularly in porous media. However, when a fluid is confined to a nanopore, many of its thermodynamic properties change as compared to bulk. Here we study the effect of confinement on the bulk modulus of liquid argon adsorbed in mesopores using classical density functional theory. We show that, at pressures lower than the saturation pressure, high adsorption stress in the pore causes the lowering of the fluid bulk modulus, a phenomenon which was recently observed experimentally [ Schappert, K.; Pelster, R. Europhys. Lett. 2014 , 105 , 5600 ]. Furthermore, we find that the pore size has a strong effect on the fluid bulk modulus, so that even at saturation, the elastic properties of nanoconfined fluid differ from the bulk values. We show that this difference is also due to the adsorption stress. Our results provide a basis for a new method for characterization of porous materials and have implications for modeling fluids in nanoporous geological formations, such as coal or shale.

  6. Preparation and Characterization of Silica/Polyamide-imide Nanocomposite Thin Films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hwang Jong-Sun

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The functional silica/polyamide-imide composite films were prepared via simple ultrasonic blending, after the silica nanoparticles were modified by cationic surfactant—cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB. The composite films were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM, thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA and thermomechanical analysis (TMA. CTAB-modified silica nanoparticles were well dispersed in the polyamide-imide matrix, and the amount of silica nanoparticles to PAI was investigated to be from 2 to 10 wt%. Especially, the coefficients of thermal expansion (CET continuously decreased with the amount of silica particles increasing. The high thermal stability and low coefficient of thermal expansion showed that the nanocomposite films can be widely used in the enamel wire industry.

  7. Adsorption of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on silica and calcium carbonate sand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Yoonjee C; Paulsen, Jeffrey; Nap, Rikkert J; Whitaker, Ragnhild D; Mathiyazhagan, Vidhya; Song, Yi-Qiao; Hürlimann, Martin; Szleifer, Igal; Wong, Joyce Y

    2014-01-28

    Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles have the potential to be used in the characterization of porous rock formations in oil fields as a contrast agent for NMR logging because they are small enough to traverse through nanopores and enhance contrast by shortening NMR T2 relaxation time. However, successful development and application require detailed knowledge of particle stability and mobility in reservoir rocks. Because nanoparticle adsorption to sand (SiO2) and rock (often CaCO3) affects their mobility, we investigated the thermodynamic equilibrium adsorption behavior of citric acid-coated SPIO nanoparticles (CA SPIO NPs) and poly(ethylene glycol)-grafted SPIO nanoparticles (PEG SPIO NPs) on SiO2 (silica) and CaCO3 (calcium carbonate). Adsorption behavior was determined at various pH and salt conditions via chemical analysis and NMR, and the results were compared with molecular theory predictions. Most of the NPs were recovered from silica, whereas far fewer NPs were recovered from calcium carbonate because of differences in the mineral surface properties. NP adsorption increased with increasing salt concentration: this trend was qualitatively explained by molecular theory, as was the role of the PEG grafting in preventing NPs adsorption. Quantitative disagreement between the theoretical predictions and the data was due to NP aggregation, especially at high salt concentration and in the presence of calcium carbonate. Upon aggregation, NP concentrations as determined by NMR T2 were initially overestimated and subsequently corrected using the relaxation rate 1/T2, which is a function of aggregate size and fractal dimension of the aggregate. Our experimental validation of the theoretical predictions of NP adsorption to minerals in the absence of aggregation at various pH and salt conditions demonstrates that molecular theory can be used to determine interactions between NPs and relevant reservoir surfaces. Importantly, this integrated experimental and

  8. Deformation behavior of nano-porous polycrystalline silver. Part II: Simulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zabihzadeh, S.; Cugnoni, J.; Duarte, L.I.; Van Petegem, S.; Van Swygenhoven, H.

    2017-01-01

    Three-dimensional finite element simulations of nano-porous silver structures are performed to understand the correlation between the porous morphology and the mechanical behavior. The nanostructures have been obtained from ptychographic X-ray computed tomography. The simulations allow distinguishing between the interplay and role of the ligament size, the pore morphology and the porosity, and therefore provide a better comprehension of the experimental observations. We show that the proposed model has a predictive character for mechanical behavior of nano-porous silver.

  9. Water desalination with a single-layer MoS2 nanopore

    OpenAIRE

    Heiranian, Mohammad; Farimani, Amir Barati; Aluru, Narayana R.

    2015-01-01

    Efficient desalination of water continues to be a problem facing the society. Advances in nanotechnology have led to the development of a variety of nanoporous membranes for water purification. Here we show, by performing molecular dynamics simulations, that a nanopore in a single-layer molybdenum disulfide can effectively reject ions and allow transport of water at a high rate. More than 88% of ions are rejected by membranes having pore areas ranging from 20 to 60??2. Water flux is found to ...

  10. Where bio meets nano: The many uses for nanoporous aluminium oxide in biotechnology

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ingham, C.J.; Maat, ter J.; Vos, de W.M.

    2012-01-01

    Porous aluminum oxide (PAO) is a ceramic formed by an anodization process of pure aluminum that enables the controllable assembly of exceptionally dense and regular nanopores in a planar membrane. As a consequence, PAO has a high porosity, nanopores with high aspect ratio, biocompatibility and the

  11. Parametric study of thin film evaporation from nanoporous membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilke, Kyle L.; Barabadi, Banafsheh; Lu, Zhengmao; Zhang, TieJun; Wang, Evelyn N.

    2017-10-01

    The performance and lifetime of advanced electronics are often dictated by the ability to dissipate heat generated within the device. Thin film evaporation from nanoporous membranes is a promising thermal management approach, which reduces the thermal transport distance across the liquid film while also providing passive capillary pumping of liquid to the evaporating interface. In this work, we investigated the dependence of thin film evaporation from nanoporous membranes on a variety of geometric parameters. Anodic aluminum oxide membranes were used as experimental templates, where pore radii of 28-75 nm, porosities of 0.1-0.35, and meniscus locations down to 1 μm within the pore were tested. We demonstrated different heat transfer regimes and observed more than an order of magnitude increase in dissipated heat flux by operating in the pore-level evaporation regime. The pore diameter had little effect on pore-level evaporation performance due to the negligible conduction resistance from the pore wall to the evaporating interface. The dissipated heat flux scaled with porosity as the evaporative area increased. Furthermore, moving the meniscus as little as 1 μm into the pore decreased the dissipated heat flux by more than a factor of two due to the added resistance to vapor escaping the pore. The experimental results elucidate thin film evaporation from nanopores and confirm findings of recent modeling efforts. This work also provides guidance for the design of future thin film evaporation devices for advanced thermal management. Furthermore, evaporation from nanopores is relevant to water purification, chemical separations, microfluidics, and natural processes such as transpiration.

  12. Stabilization of silica nanoparticles dispersions by surface modification with silicon derivative of thiacalix[4]arene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gorbachuk, Vladimir V.; Ziatdinova, Ramilia V. [Kazan Federal University, A.M. Butlerov’ Chemical Institute (Russian Federation); Evtugyn, Vladimir G. [Kazan Federal University, Interdisciplinary Centre for Analytical Microscopy (Russian Federation); Stoikov, Ivan I., E-mail: ivan.stoikov@mail.ru [Kazan Federal University, A.M. Butlerov’ Chemical Institute (Russian Federation)

    2015-03-15

    For the first time, silica nanopowder functionalized with thiacalixarene derivatives was synthesized by ultrasonication of nanoparticles (diameter 23.7 ± 2.4 nm) with organosilicon derivative of thiacalixarene in glacial acetic acid. The protocol resulted in the formation of colloidal solution of low-disperse (polydispersity index of 0.11) submicron-sized (diameter 192.5 nm) clusters of nanoparticles according to the dynamic light scattering data. As defined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mean diameter of thiacalixarene-functionalized nanoparticles is equal to 25.5 ± 2.5 nm and the shape is close to spherical. SEM images confirm low aggregation of thiacalixarene-modified nanoparticle compared to initial silica nanopowder (mean diameter of aggregates 330 and 429 nm, correspondingly). According to the thermogravimetry/differential scanning calorimetry and elemental analysis of the nanoparticles obtained, 5 % of the powder mass was related to thiacalixarene units. The effect of thiacalixarene functionalization of silica nanoparticles on linear polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)—silica dispersions was modeled to achieve high resistance toward liquid media required for similar sol–gel prepared PDMS-based materials applied for solid-phase microextraction. In such a manner, the influence of thiacalixarene-modified nanofiller on thermal stability and resistance against polar organic solvents was estimated. Similarity of decomposition temperature of both thiacalixarene-functionalized nanoparticles and non-functionalized silica nanoparticles was found. Swelling/solubility behavior observed was related to partial dissolution of PDMS/silica (10 % mixture) in alcohols. Thiacalixarene-functionalized silica particles exerted significantly higher resistance of PDMS/silica composites toward alcohol solvents.

  13. Stabilization of silica nanoparticles dispersions by surface modification with silicon derivative of thiacalix[4]arene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gorbachuk, Vladimir V.; Ziatdinova, Ramilia V.; Evtugyn, Vladimir G.; Stoikov, Ivan I.

    2015-01-01

    For the first time, silica nanopowder functionalized with thiacalixarene derivatives was synthesized by ultrasonication of nanoparticles (diameter 23.7 ± 2.4 nm) with organosilicon derivative of thiacalixarene in glacial acetic acid. The protocol resulted in the formation of colloidal solution of low-disperse (polydispersity index of 0.11) submicron-sized (diameter 192.5 nm) clusters of nanoparticles according to the dynamic light scattering data. As defined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mean diameter of thiacalixarene-functionalized nanoparticles is equal to 25.5 ± 2.5 nm and the shape is close to spherical. SEM images confirm low aggregation of thiacalixarene-modified nanoparticle compared to initial silica nanopowder (mean diameter of aggregates 330 and 429 nm, correspondingly). According to the thermogravimetry/differential scanning calorimetry and elemental analysis of the nanoparticles obtained, 5 % of the powder mass was related to thiacalixarene units. The effect of thiacalixarene functionalization of silica nanoparticles on linear polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)—silica dispersions was modeled to achieve high resistance toward liquid media required for similar sol–gel prepared PDMS-based materials applied for solid-phase microextraction. In such a manner, the influence of thiacalixarene-modified nanofiller on thermal stability and resistance against polar organic solvents was estimated. Similarity of decomposition temperature of both thiacalixarene-functionalized nanoparticles and non-functionalized silica nanoparticles was found. Swelling/solubility behavior observed was related to partial dissolution of PDMS/silica (10 % mixture) in alcohols. Thiacalixarene-functionalized silica particles exerted significantly higher resistance of PDMS/silica composites toward alcohol solvents

  14. Improved Catalysts for Heavy Oil Upgrading Based on Zeolite Y Nanoparticles Encapsulated Stable Nanoporous Host

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Conrad Ingram; Mark Mitchell

    2007-09-30

    The objective of this project is to synthesize nanocrystals of highly acidic zeolite Y nanoclusters, encapsulate them within the channels of mesoporous (nanoporous) silicates or nanoporous organosilicates, and evaluate the 'zeolite Y/Nanoporous host' composites as catalysts for the upgrading of heavy petroleum feedstocks. In comparison to conventionally-used zeolite Y catalysts of micron size particles, the nanocrystals (< 100 nm particle size) which contain shorter path lengths, are expected to allow faster diffusion of large hydrocarbon substrates and the catalysis products within and out of the zeolite's channels and cages (<1 nm size). This is expected to significantly reduce deactivation of the catalyst and to prolong their period of reactivity. Encapsulating zeolite Y nanocrystals within the nanoporous materials is expected to protect its external surfaces and pore entrances from being blocked by large hydrocarbon substrates, since these substrates will initially be converted to small molecules by the nanoporous host (a catalyst in its own right). The project consisted of four major tasks as follows: (1) synthesis of the nanoparticles of zeolite Y (of various chemical compositions) using various techniques such as the addition of organic additives to conventional zeolite Y synthesis mixtures to suppress zeolite Y crystal growth; (2) synthesis of nanoporous silicate host materials of up to 30 nm pore diameter, using poly (alkylene oxide) copolymers which when removed will yield a mesoporous material; (3) synthesis of zeolite Y/Nanoporous Host composite materials as potential catalysts; and (4) evaluation of the catalyst for the upgrading of heavy petroleum feedstocks.

  15. Adsorption of surface functionalized silica nanoparticles onto mineral surfaces and decane/water interface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Metin, Cigdem O.; Baran, Jimmie R.; Nguyen, Quoc P.

    2012-01-01

    The adsorption of silica nanoparticles onto representative mineral surfaces and at the decane/water interface was studied. The effects of particle size (the mean diameters from 5 to 75 nm), concentration and surface type on the adsorption were studied in detail. Silica nanoparticles with four different surfaces [unmodified, surface modified with anionic (sulfonate), cationic (quaternary ammonium (quat)) or nonionic (polyethylene glycol (PEG)) surfactant] were used. The zeta potential of these silica nanoparticles ranges from −79.8 to 15.3 mV. The shape of silica particles examined by a Hitachi-S5500 scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) is quite spherical. The adsorption of all the nanoparticles (unmodified or surface modified) on quartz and calcite surfaces was found to be insignificant. We used interfacial tension (IFT) measurements to investigate the adsorption of silica nanoparticles at the decane/water interface. Unmodified nanoparticles or surface modified ones with sulfonate or quat do not significantly affect the IFT of the decane/water interface. It also does not appear that the particle size or concentration influences the IFT. However, the presence of PEG as a surface modifying material significantly reduces the IFT. The PEG surface modifier alone in an aqueous solution, without the nanoparticles, yields the same IFT reduction for an equivalent PEG concentration as that used for modifying the surface of nanoparticles. Contact angle measurements of a decane droplet on quartz or calcite plate immersed in water (or aqueous nanoparticle dispersion) showed a slight change in the contact angle in the presence of the studied nanoparticles. The results of contact angle measurements are in good agreement with experiments of adsorption of nanoparticles on mineral surfaces or decane/water interface. This study brings new insights into the understanding and modeling of the adsorption of surface-modified silica nanoparticles onto mineral surfaces and

  16. Silica uptake in aquatic and wetland macrophytes: a strategic choice between silica, lignin and cellulose?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoelynck, Jonas; Bal, Kris; Backx, Hans; Okruszko, Tomasz; Meire, Patrick; Struyf, Eric

    2010-04-01

    *Although silica (Si) is not an essential element for plant growth in the classical sense, evidence points towards its functionality for a better resistance against (a)biotic stress. Recently, it was shown that wetland vegetation has a considerable impact on silica biogeochemistry. However, detailed information on Si uptake in aquatic macrophytes is lacking. *We investigated the biogenic silica (BSi), cellulose and lignin content of 16 aquatic/wetland species along the Biebrza river (Poland) in June 2006 and 2007. The BSi data were correlated with cellulose and lignin concentrations. *Our results show that macrophytes contain significant amounts of BSi: between 2 and 28 mg BSi g(-1). This is in the same order of magnitude as wetland species (especially grasses). Significant antagonistic correlations were found between lignin, cellulose and BSi content. Interestingly, observed patterns were opposite for wetland macrophytes and true aquatic macrophytes. *We conclude that macrophytes have an overlooked but potentially vast storage capacity for Si. Study of their role as temporal silica sinks along the land-ocean continuum is needed. This will further understanding of the role of ecosystems on land ocean transport of this essential nutrient.

  17. Detecting and identifying small molecules in a nanopore flux capacitor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bearden, Samuel; Zhang, Guigen; McClure, Ethan

    2016-01-01

    A new method of molecular detection in a metallic-semiconductor nanopore was developed and evaluated with experimental and computational methods. Measurements were made of the charging potential of the electrical double layer (EDL) capacitance as charge-carrying small molecules translocated the nanopore. Signals in the charging potential were found to be correlated to the physical properties of analyte molecules. From the measured signals, we were able to distinguish molecules with different valence charge or similar valence charge but different size. The relative magnitude of the signals from different analytes was consistent over a wide range of experimental conditions, suggesting that the detected signals are likely due to single molecules. Computational modeling of the nanopore system indicated that the double layer potential signal may be described in terms of disruption of the EDL structure due to the size and charge of the analyte molecule, in agreement with Huckel and Debye’s analysis of the electrical atmosphere of electrolyte solutions. (paper)

  18. Modeling of 1D Anomalous Diffusion in Fractured Nanoporous Media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Albinali Ali

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Fractured nanoporous reservoirs include multi-scale and discontinuous fractures coupled with a complex nanoporous matrix. Such systems cannot be described by the conventional dual-porosity (or multi-porosity idealizations due to the presence of different flow mechanisms at multiple scales. More detailed modeling approaches, such as Discrete Fracture Network (DFN models, similarly suffer from the extensive data requirements dictated by the intricacy of the flow scales, which eventually deter the utility of these models. This paper discusses the utility and construction of 1D analytical and numerical anomalous diffusion models for heterogeneous, nanoporous media, which is commonly encountered in oil and gas production from tight, unconventional reservoirs with fractured horizontal wells. A fractional form of Darcy’s law, which incorporates the non-local and hereditary nature of flow, is coupled with the classical mass conservation equation to derive a fractional diffusion equation in space and time. Results show excellent agreement with established solutions under asymptotic conditions and are consistent with the physical intuitions.

  19. A protecting group approach toward synthesis of Au–silica Janus nanostars

    OpenAIRE

    D. Rodríguez-Fernández; T. Altantzis; H. Heidari; S. Bals; L.M. Liz-Marzán

    2013-01-01

    Abstract: The concept of protecting groups, widely used in organic chemistry, has been applied for the synthesis of Au-silica Janus stars, in which gold branches protrude from one half of Au-silica Janus spheres. This configuration opens up new possibilities to apply the plasmonic properties of gold nanostars, as well as a variety of chemical functionalizations on the silica component.

  20. A protecting group approach toward synthesis of Au-silica Janus nanostars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez-Fernández, Denis; Altantzis, Thomas; Heidari, Hamed; Bals, Sara; Liz-Marzán, Luis M

    2014-01-04

    The concept of protecting groups, widely used in organic chemistry, has been applied for the synthesis of Au-silica Janus stars, in which gold branches protrude from one half of Au-silica Janus spheres. This configuration opens up new possibilities to apply the plasmonic properties of gold nanostars, as well as a variety of chemical functionalizations on the silica component.