Study on pivot-point vibration of molecular bond-rupture events by quartz crystal microbalance for biomedical diagnostics

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Yuan YJ

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Yong J Yuan, Renjie JiaLaboratory of Biosensing and MicroMechatronics, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of ChinaAbstract: Bond-rupture scanning for biomedical diagnostics is examined using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM experiments and microparticle mechanics modeling calculations. Specific and nonspecific interactions between a microparticle and its binding QCM surface can be distinguished by gradually increasing the amplitude of driving voltage applied to QCM and monitoring its frequency changes. This research proposes a mechanical model of interactions between biological molecules and a QCM substrate surface. The mechanical force required to break a biotin–streptavidin bond was calculated through a one-pivot-point bottom-up vibration model. The bond-rupture force increases with an increase of the microparticle radius, the QCM resonant frequency, and the amplitude of driving voltage applied to the QCM. The significance of the research on biological molecular bond rupture is extremely important in characterizing microbial (such as cells and virus specificity, due to the force magnitude needed to break bonds using a transducer.Keywords: bond rupture, mechanical force, biomolecular binding energy spectra, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM

A hybrid humidity sensor using optical waveguides on a quartz crystal microbalance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shinbo, Kazunari; Otuki, Shunya; Kanbayashi, Yuichi; Ohdaira, Yasuo; Baba, Akira; Kato, Keizo; Kaneko, Futao; Miyadera, Nobuo

2009-01-01

In this study, slab and ridge optical waveguides (OWGs) made of fluorinated polyimides were deposited on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), and hybrid sensors using OWG spectroscopy and the QCM technique were prepared. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film with CoCl 2 was deposited on the OWGs, and the characteristics of humidity sensing were investigated. A prism coupler was used to enter a He-Ne laser beam (λ = 632.8 nm) to the slab OWG. The output light intensity markedly changed due to chromism of the CoCl 2 as a result of humidity sorption, and this change was dependent on the incident angle of the laser beam to the slab OWG. During the measurement of output light, the QCM frequency was simultaneously monitored. The humidity dependence of the sensor with the slab OWG was also investigated in the range from 15 to 85%. For the sensor with the ridge OWG, white light was entered by butt-coupling, and the characteristics of humidity sensing were investigated by observing the output light spectrum and the QCM frequency.

A sensitive molecularly imprinted polymer based quartz crystal microbalance nanosensor for selective determination of lovastatin in red yeast rice.

Science.gov (United States)

Eren, Tanju; Atar, Necip; Yola, Mehmet Lütfi; Karimi-Maleh, Hassan

2015-10-15

Lovastatin (LOV) is a statin, used to lower cholesterol which has been found as a hypolipidemic agent in commercial red yeast rice. In present study, a sensitive molecular imprinted quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor was prepared by fabricating a self-assembling monolayer formation of allylmercaptane on QCM chip surface for selective determination of lovastatin (LOV) in red yeast rice. To prepare molecular imprinted quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) nanosensor, LOV imprinted poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-methacryloylamidoaspartic acid) [p(HEMA-MAAsp)] nanofilm was attached on the modified gold surface of QCM chip. The non-modified and improved surfaces were characterized by using contact angle, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The imprinted QCM sensor was validated according to the ICH guideline (International Conference on Harmonisation). The linearity range was obtained as 0.10-1.25 nM. The detection limit of the prepared material was calculated as 0.030 nM. The developed QCM nanosensor was successfully used to examine red yeast rice. Furthermore, the stability and repeatability of the prepared QCM nanosensor were studied. The spectacular long-term stability and repeatability of the prepared LOV-imprinted QCM nanosensor make them intriguing for use in QCM sensors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Alcohol vapours sensor based on thin polyaniline salt film and quartz crystal microbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayad, Mohamad M; Torad, Nagy L

2009-06-15

A sensor based on the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique was developed for detection of a number of primary aliphatic alcohols such as ethanol, methanol, 1-propanol, and 2-propanol vapours. Detection was based on a sensitive and a thin film of polyaniline, emeraldine salt (ES), coated the QCM electrode. The frequency shifts (Delta f) of the QCM were increased due to the vapour absorption into the ES film. The values of Delta f were found to be linearly correlated with the concentrations of alcohols vapour in mg L(-1). The changes in frequency are due to the hydrophilic character of the ES and the electrostatic interaction as well as the type of the alcohol. The sensor shows a good reproducibility and reversibility. The diffusion and diffusion coefficient (D) of different alcohols vapour were determined. It was found that the sensor follows Fickian kinetics.

Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber-Based Quartz Crystal Microbalance for Sensitive Detection of Safrole

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Aditya Rianjanu

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Safrole is the main precursor for producing the amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS drug, N-methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDMA, also known as ecstasy. We devise a polyacrylonitrile (PAN nanofiber-based quartz crystal microbalance (QCM for detecting safrole. The PAN nanofibers were fabricated by direct electrospinning to modify the QCM chips. The PAN nanofiber on the QCM chips has a diameter of 240 ± 10 nm. The sensing of safrole by QCM modified with PAN nanofiber shows good reversibility and an apparent sensitivity of 4.6 Hz·L/mg. The proposed method is simple, inexpensive, and convenient for detecting safrole, and can be an alternative to conventional instrumental analytical methods for general volatile compounds.

Polyacrylonitrile nanofiber as polar solvent N,N-dimethyl formamide sensor based on quartz crystal microbalance technique

Science.gov (United States)

Rianjanu, A.; Julian, T.; Hidayat, S. N.; Suyono, E. A.; Kusumaatmaja, A.; Triyana, K.

2018-04-01

Here, we describe an N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) vapour sensor fabricated by coating polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber structured on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The PAN nanofiber sensors with an average diameter of 225 nm to 310 nm were fabricated via electrospinning process with different mass deposition on QCM substrate. The nanostructured of PAN nanofiber offers a high specific surface area that improved the sensing performance of nanofiber sensors. Benefiting from that fine structure, and high polymer-solvent affinity between PAN and DMF, the development of DMF sensors presented good response at ambient temperature. Since there is no chemical reaction between PAN nanofiber and DMF vapour, weak physical interaction such absorption and swelling were responsible for the sensing behavior. The results are indicating that the response of PAN nanofiber sensors has more dependency on the nanofiber structure (specific surface area) rather than its mass deposition. The sensor also showed good stability after a few days sensing. These findings have significant implications for developing DMF vapour sensor based on QCM coated polymer nanofibers.

Quartz Crystal Microbalance: A tool for analyzing loss of volatile compounds, gas sorption, and curing kinetics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bajric, Sendin [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-03-16

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has recently procured a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Current popular uses are biological sensors, surface chemistry, and vapor detection. LANL has projects related to analyzing curing kinetics, measuring gas sorption on polymers, and analyzing the loss of volatile compounds in polymer materials. The QCM has yet to be employed; however, this review will cover the use of the QCM in these applications and its potential.

Batch fabrication of polymer microfluidic cartridges for QCM sensor packaging by direct bonding

Science.gov (United States)

Sandström, Niklas; Zandi Shafagh, Reza; Gylfason, Kristinn B.; Haraldsson, Tommy; van der Wijngaart, Wouter

2017-12-01

Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensing is an established technique commonly used in laboratory based life-science applications. However, the relatively complex, multi-part design and multi-step fabrication and assembly of state-of-the-art QCM cartridges make them unsuited for disposable applications such as point-of-care (PoC) diagnostics. In this work, we present the uncomplicated manufacturing of QCMs in polymer microfluidic cartridges. Our novel approach comprises two key innovations: the batch reaction injection molding of microfluidic parts; and the integration of the cartridge components by direct, unassisted bonding. We demonstrate molding of batches of 12 off-stoichiometry thiol-ene epoxy polymer (OSTE+) polymer parts in a single molding cycle using an adapted reaction injection molding process; and the direct bonding of the OSTE+  parts to other OSTE+  substrates, to printed circuit boards, and to QCMs. The microfluidic QCM OSTE+  cartridges were successfully evaluated in terms of liquid sealing as well as electrical properties, and the sensor performance characteristics are on par with those of a commercially available QCM biosensor cartridge. The simplified manufacturing of QCM sensors with maintained performance potentializes novel application areas, e.g. as disposable devices in a point of care setting. Moreover, our results can be extended to simplifying the fabrication of other microfluidic devices with multiple heterogeneously integrated components.

Scanning tunneling microscope-quartz crystal microbalance study of temperature gradients at an asperity contact.

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Pan, L; Krim, J

2013-01-01

Investigations of atomic-scale friction frequently involve setups where a tip and substrate are initially at different temperatures. The temperature of the sliding interface upon contact has thus become a topic of interest. A method for detecting initial tip-sample temperature differences at an asperity contact is described, which consists of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) tip in contact with the surface electrode of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The technique makes use of the fact that a QCM is extremely sensitive to abrupt changes in temperature. In order to demonstrate the technique's capabilities, QCM frequency shifts were recorded for varying initial tip-substrate temperature differences as an STM tip was brought into and out of contact. The results are interpreted within the context of a recent model for thermal heat conduction at an asperity contact, and it is concluded that the transient frequency response is attributable to small changes in temperature close to the region of contact rather than a change in the overall temperature of the QCM itself. For the assumed model parameters, the results moreover reveal substantial temperature discontinuities at the boundary between the tip and the sample, for example, on the order of 10-15 °C for initial temperature differences of 20 °C.

Investigation of the interaction between liquid and micro/nanostructured surfaces during condensation with quartz crystal microbalance

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Junwei

Dropwise condensation (DWC) on hydrophobic surfaces is attracting attention for its great potential in many industrial applications, such as steam power plants, water desalination, and de-icing of aerodynamic surfaces, to list a few. The direct dynamic characterization of liquid/solid interaction can significantly accelerate the progress toward a full understanding of the thermal and mass transport mechanisms during DWC processes. The research focuses on the development of a novel acoustic-based technique for analyzing the liquid/solid interactions of different condensations on micro- and nanostructured surfaces including DWC. hi addition. the newly developed technology was demonstrated for quantitatively sensing different wetting states of liquid on rough surfaces. First, different micro/nanostructures were fabricated on the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), which serves as acoustic sensor. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) micropillars, with varying heights from 6.03 to 25.02 microm, were fabricated on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) substrate by thermal nanoimprinting lithography to form pillar-based QCM (QCM-P). For nanostructured QCM. a copper layer was deposited on the QCM surface and then nanostructures of copper oxide (CuO) films were formed via chemical oxidation in an alkaline solution. Then, these surfaces were treated to make them superhydrophilic or superhydrophobic using oxygen plasma treatment or with coating of 1H,1 H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl-trichlorosilane (PFOTS). Based on the geometry of these micro/nanostructures, the relationship between the frequency responses of QCM and the wetting states of these surfaces was theoretically investigated. Different theoretical models were established to describing the frequency shift of the micro- and nanostructured QCM in different wetting states. For the microstructured surface, the cantilever based model and a two-degree-of-freedom dynamic model were applied to predict the frequency shift of the QCM-P in

Highly sensitive heavy metal ion detection using AlQ3 microwire functionalized QCM

Science.gov (United States)

Can, Nursel; Aǧar, Meltem; Altındal, Ahmet

2016-03-01

Tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) microwires was successfully synthesized for the fabrication of Alq3 microwires-coated QCM sensors to detect the heavy metal ions in aqueous solution. AT-cut quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) of 10 MHz fundamental resonance frequency having gold electrodes were used as transducers. Typical measuring cycle consisted of repeated flow of target measurands through the flow cell and subsequent washing to return the baseline. The QCM results indicated that the Alq3 microwires exhibit excellent sensitivity, stability and short response-recovery time, which are much attractive for the development of portable and highly sensitive heavy metal ion sensors in water samples.

In situ measurement of the mass concentration of flame-synthesized nanoparticles using quartz-crystal microbalance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hevroni, A; Golan, H; Fialkov, A; Tsionsky, V; Markovich, G; Cheskis, S; Rahinov, I

2011-01-01

A novel in situ method for measurement of mass concentration of nanoparticles (NPs) formed in flames is proposed. In this method, the deposition rate of NPs collected by a molecular beam sampling system is measured by quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM). It is the only existing method which allows direct measurement of NP mass concentration profiles in flames. The feasibility of the method was demonstrated by studying iron oxide NP formation in low-pressure methane/oxygen/nitrogen flames doped with iron pentacarbonyl. The system was tested under fuel-lean and fuel-rich flame conditions. Good agreement between measured QCM deposition rates and their estimations obtained by the transmission electron microscopy analysis of samples collected from the molecular beam has been demonstrated. The sensitivity of the method is comparable to that of particle mass spectrometry (PMS). Combination of the QCM technique with PMS and/or optical measurements can provide new qualitative information which is important for elucidation of the mechanisms governing the NP flame synthesis

Low-cost scalable quartz crystal microbalance array for environmental sensing

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Anazagasty, Cristain [University of Puerto Rico; Hianik, Tibor [Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia; Ivanov, Ilia N [ORNL

2016-01-01

Proliferation of environmental sensors for internet of things (IoT) applications has increased the need for low-cost platforms capable of accommodating multiple sensors. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) crystals coated with nanometer-thin sensor films are suitable for use in high-resolution (~1 ng) selective gas sensor applications. We demonstrate a scalable array for measuring frequency response of six QCM sensors controlled by low-cost Arduino microcontrollers and a USB multiplexer. Gas pulses and data acquisition were controlled by a LabVIEW user interface. We test the sensor array by measuring the frequency shift of crystals coated with different compositions of polymer composites based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) while films are exposed to water vapor and oxygen inside a controlled environmental chamber. Our sensor array exhibits comparable performance to that of a commercial QCM system, while enabling high-throughput 6 QCM testing for under $1,000. We use deep neural network structures to process sensor response and demonstrate that the QCM array is suitable for gas sensing, environmental monitoring, and electronic-nose applications.

Measurement of Total Condensation on a Shrouded Cryogenic Surface using a Single Quart Crystal Microbalance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haid, B.J.; Malsbury, T.N.; Gibson, C.R.; Warren, C.T.

2008-01-01

A single quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) is cooled to 18 K to measure condensation rates inside of a retractable ''shroud'' enclosure. The shroud is of a design intended to minimize condensate on fusion targets to be fielded at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The shroud has a double-wall construction with an inner wall that may be cooled to 75-100 K. The QCM and the shroud system were mounted in a vacuum chamber and cooled using a cryocooler. Condensation rates were measured at various vacuum levels and compositions, and with the shroud open or closed. A technique for measuring total condensate during the cooldown of the system with an accuracy of better than 1.0 x 10 -6 g/cm 2 was also demonstrated. The technique involved a separate measurement of the condensate-free crystal frequency as a function of temperature that was later applied to the measurement of interest

Respiratory Monitoring by Porphyrin Modified Quartz Crystal Microbalance Sensors

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Seung-Woo Lee

2011-01-01

Full Text Available A respiratory monitoring system based on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM sensor with a functional film was designed and investigated. Porphyrins 5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(4-sulfophenyl-21H,23H-porphine (TSPP and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(4-sulfophenyl-21H, 23H-porphine manganese (III chloride (MnTSPP used as sensitive elements were assembled with a poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride (PDDA. Films were deposited on the QCM resonators using layer-by-layer method in order to develop the sensor. The developed system, in which the sensor response reflects lung movements, was able to track human respiration providing respiratory rate (RR and respiratory pattern (RP. The sensor system was tested on healthy volunteers to compare RPs and calculate RRs. The operation principle of the proposed system is based on the fast adsorption/desorption behavior of water originated from human breath into the sensor films deposited on the QCM electrode.

Application of Kevin-Voigt Model in Quantifying Whey Protein Adsorption on Polyethersulfone Using QCM-D

Science.gov (United States)

The study of protein adsorption on the membrane surface is of great importance to cheese-making processors that use polymeric membrane-based processes to recover whey protein from the process waste streams. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) is a lab-scale, fast analytical techniq...

In-Line Measurement of Water Contents in Ethanol Using a Zeolite-Coated Quartz Crystal Microbalance

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Byoung Chul Kim

2015-10-01

Full Text Available A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM was utilized to measure the water content in ethanol. For the improvement of measurement sensitivity, the QCM was modified by applying zeolite particles on the surface with poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA binder. The measurement performance was examined with ethanol of 1% to 5% water content in circulation. The experimental results showed that the frequency drop of the QCM was related with the water content though there was some deviation. The sensitivity of the zeolite-coated QCM was sufficient to be implemented in water content determination, and a higher ratio of silicon to aluminum in the molecular structure of the zeolite gave better performance. The coated surface was inspected by microscopy to show the distribution of zeolite particles and PMMA spread.

Study on pivot-point vibration of molecular bond-rupture events by quartz crystal microbalance for biomedical diagnostics.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Yong J; Jia, Renjie

2012-01-01

Bond-rupture scanning for biomedical diagnostics is examined using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) experiments and microparticle mechanics modeling calculations. Specific and nonspecific interactions between a microparticle and its binding QCM surface can be distinguished by gradually increasing the amplitude of driving voltage applied to QCM and monitoring its frequency changes. This research proposes a mechanical model of interactions between biological molecules and a QCM substrate surface. The mechanical force required to break a biotin-streptavidin bond was calculated through a one-pivot-point bottom-up vibration model. The bond-rupture force increases with an increase of the microparticle radius, the QCM resonant frequency, and the amplitude of driving voltage applied to the QCM. The significance of the research on biological molecular bond rupture is extremely important in characterizing microbial (such as cells and virus) specificity, due to the force magnitude needed to break bonds using a transducer.

A quartz crystal microbalance dew point sensor without frequency measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Guohua; Zhang, Weishuo; Wang, Shuo; Sun, Jinglin

2014-11-01

This work deals with the design of a dew point sensor based on Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) without measuring the frequency. This idea is inspired by the fact that the Colpitts oscillation circuit will stop oscillating when the QCM works in the liquid media. The quartz crystal and the electrode are designed through the finite element simulation and the stop oscillating experiment is conducted to verify the sensibility. Moreover, the measurement result is calibrated to approach the true value. At last a series of dew points at the same temperature is measured with the designed sensor. Results show that the designed dew point sensor is able to detect the dew point with the proper accuracy.

Determination of thermodynamic parameters for enolization reaction of malonic and metylmalonic acids by using quartz crystal microbalance

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Minoru Yoshimoto

2016-06-01

Full Text Available We investigated the process of a bromination reaction of malonic acid and methylmalonic acid in the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction by using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM. The process involves an enolization reaction as a rate-determining step. We found that, in the step, the variation of Br2 concentration induced an exactly quantitative shift of a resonant frequency of the QCM, based on the change of the surface mass on the QCM and the solution viscosity and density. This new finding enabled us to estimate the reaction rate constants and the thermodynamic parameters of the enolization reaction due to a QCM measurement. The values measured by the QCM were in good agreement with those measured by a UV-spectrophotometer. As a result, we succeeded to develop a new measurement method of a nonlinear chemical reaction.

Hydrogel based QCM aptasensor for detection of avian influenza virus.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ronghui; Li, Yanbin

2013-04-15

The objective of this study was to develop a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) aptasensor based on ssDNA crosslinked polymeric hydrogel for rapid, sensitive and specific detection of avian influenza virus (AIV) H5N1. A selected aptamer with high affinity and specificity against AIV H5N1 surface protein was used, and hybridization between the aptamer and ssDNA formed the crosslinker in the polymer hydrogel. The aptamer hydrogel was immobilized on the gold surface of QCM sensor using a self-assembled monolayer method. The hydrogel remained in the state of shrink if no H5N1 virus was present in the sample because of the crosslinking between the aptamer and ssDNA in the polymer network. When it exposed to target virus, the binding reaction between the aptamer and H5N1 virus caused the dissolution of the linkage between the aptamer and ssDNA, resulting in the abrupt swelling of the hydrogel. The swollen hydrogel was monitored by the QCM sensor in terms of decreased frequency. Three polymeric hydrogels with different ratio (100:1 hydrogel I, 10:1 hydrogel II, 1:1 hydrogel III) of acrylamide and the aptamer monomer were synthesized, respectively, and then were used as the QCM sensor coating material. The results showed that the developed hydrogel QCM aptasensor was capable of detecting target H5N1 virus, and among the three developed aptamer hydrogels, hydrogel III coated QCM aptasensor achieved the highest sensitivity with the detection limit of 0.0128 HAU (HA unit). The total detection time from sampling to detection was only 30 min. In comparison with the anti-H5 antibody coated QCM immunosensor, the hydrogel QCM aptasensor lowered the detection limit and reduced the detection time. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Real-time monitoring of peptic and tryptic digestions of bovine {beta}-casein using quartz crystal microbalance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huenerbein, Andreas [Institute of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale) (Germany)]. E-mail: andreas.huenerbein@pharmazie.uni-halle.de; Schmelzer, Christian E.H. [Institute of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale) (Germany); Neubert, Reinhard H.H. [Institute of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Str. 4, 06120 Halle (Saale) (Germany)

2007-02-12

In this study peptic and tryptic digestions of bovine {beta}-casein were investigated using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). {beta}-Casein, which was used as a model protein, was immobilized on the surface of the QCM sensor where its degradation caused shifts in the resonant frequency. Atomic force microscopy was applied for the characterization of the protein layer. Different pH-values for peptic or tryptic digestions were chosen to visualize their effect on enzyme activity. Lower frequency shifts were observed at pH-values deviating from those at the maximum enzyme activity. In the case of the peptic digestion the frequency shift at pH 4 was more than 10 times smaller than those at pH 2. The frequency shifts for tryptic digestions at pH 5.4 and pH 6.4 were about two thirds compared to that obtained for the digestion at pH 7.4. The identification of peptides using MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry was used for verification of the proteolyses of the immobilized protein. Furthermore, it was shown that the QCM technique allows close observation of the effect of different pH-values on the immobilized casein layer. All in all, QCM facilitates the monitoring of the progress of enzymatic reactions in real-time.

Real-time monitoring of peptic and tryptic digestions of bovine β-casein using quartz crystal microbalance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huenerbein, Andreas; Schmelzer, Christian E.H.; Neubert, Reinhard H.H.

2007-01-01

In this study peptic and tryptic digestions of bovine β-casein were investigated using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). β-Casein, which was used as a model protein, was immobilized on the surface of the QCM sensor where its degradation caused shifts in the resonant frequency. Atomic force microscopy was applied for the characterization of the protein layer. Different pH-values for peptic or tryptic digestions were chosen to visualize their effect on enzyme activity. Lower frequency shifts were observed at pH-values deviating from those at the maximum enzyme activity. In the case of the peptic digestion the frequency shift at pH 4 was more than 10 times smaller than those at pH 2. The frequency shifts for tryptic digestions at pH 5.4 and pH 6.4 were about two thirds compared to that obtained for the digestion at pH 7.4. The identification of peptides using MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry was used for verification of the proteolyses of the immobilized protein. Furthermore, it was shown that the QCM technique allows close observation of the effect of different pH-values on the immobilized casein layer. All in all, QCM facilitates the monitoring of the progress of enzymatic reactions in real-time

Effective antibodies immobilization and functionalized nanoparticles in a quartz-crystal microbalance-based immunosensor for the detection of parathion.

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Bartolomeo Della Ventura

Full Text Available Biosensor-based detection provides a rapid and low-cost alternative to conventional analytical methods for revealing the presence of the contaminants in water as well as solid matrices. Although important to be detected, small analytes (few hundreds of Daltons are an issue in biosensing since the signal they induce in the transducer, and specifically in a Quartz-Crystal Microbalance, is undetectable. A pesticide like parathion (M = 292 Da is a typical example of contaminant for which a signal amplification procedure is desirable.The ballasting of the analyte by gold nanoparticles has been already applied to heavy target as proteins or bacteria to improve the limit of detection. In this paper, we extend the application of such a method to small analytes by showing that once the working surface of a Quartz-Crystal Microbalance (QCM has been properly functionalized, a limit of detection lower than 1 ppb is reached for parathion. The effective surface functionalization is achieved by immobilizing antibodies upright oriented on the QCM gold surface by a simple photochemical technique (Photonic Immobilization Technique, PIT based on the UV irradiation of the antibodies, whereas a simple protocol provided by the manufacturer is applied to functionalize the gold nanoparticles. Thus, in a non-competitive approach, the small analyte is made detectable by weighing it down through a "sandwich protocol" with a second antibody tethered to heavy gold nanoparticles. The immunosensor has been proved to be effective against the parathion while showing no cross reaction when a mixture of compounds very similar to parathion is analyzed.The immunosensor described in this paper can be easily applied to any small molecule for which polyclonal antibodies are available since both the functionalization procedure of the QCM probe surface and gold nanoparticle can be applied to any IgG, thereby making our device of general application in terms of target analyte.

Epoxy Resin Modified Quartz Crystal Microbalance Sensor for Chemical Warfare Agent Sulfur Mustard Vapor Detection

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Rajendra BUNKAR

2010-02-01

Full Text Available An epoxy resin polymer coated quartz crystal microbalance (PC-QCM is used for detection of sulfur mustard vapor (SM. When SM vapor is exposed to PC-QCM sensor frequency shift is observed. The response of the sensor in ambient condition is 554 Hz with ±10 % variation upon exposure of 155 ppm of the SM concentration. The observed response loss is nearly 40 % over the period of 15 months. The response of the sensor is higher for SM than compare to structurally similar chloroethyl ether (CEE and other interferences.

Studies of jet fuel additives using the quartz crystal microbalance and pressure monitoring at 140 C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zabarnick, S.; Grinstead, R.R. [Univ. of Dayton Research Institute, OH (United States)

1995-05-01

The quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and pressure monitoring are used for the evaluation of jet fuel additives for the improvement of jet fuel thermal stability. The mechanisms of additive behavior are determined by measuring the time dependent deposition with the QCM and oxidation by pressure measurements. Studies at various additive concentrations permits the determination of optimum additive concentrations. Additive packages made of mixtures of antioxidants, detergent/dispersants, and metal deactivators are shown to yield good improvements in thermal stability over a wide range of jet fuel types.

Development of a highly sensitive MIP based-QCM nanosensor for selective determination of cholic acid level in body fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gültekin, Aytaç; Karanfil, Gamze; Sönmezoğlu, Savaş; Say, Rıdvan

2014-01-01

Determination of cholic acid is very important and necessary in body fluids due to its both pharmaceutical and clinical significance. In this study, a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) nanosensor, which is imprinted cholic acid, has been developed for the assignation of cholic acid. The cholic acid selective memories have been generated on QCM electrode surface by using molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) based on methacryloylamidohistidine-copper (II) (MAH-Cu(II)) pre-organized monomer. The cholic acid imprinted nanosensor was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and then analytical performance of the cholic acid imprinted QCM nanosensor was studied. The detection limit was found to be 0.0065 μM with linear range of 0.01–1000 μM. Moreover, the high value of Langmuir constant (b) (7.3 * 10 5 ) obtained by Langmuir graph showed that the cholic acid imprinted nanosensor had quite strong binding sites affinity. At the last step of this procedure, cholic acid levels in body fluids were determined by the prepared imprinted QCM nanosensor. - Graphical abstract: QCM responses of the cholic acid imprinted and non-imprinted nanosensors (C CA = 0.1 μM). - Highlights: • The purpose is to synthesize a new cholic acid imprinted QCM nanosensor by MIP. • Analytical applications of QCM nanosensor were investigated. • The cholic acid levels in body fluids were determined by prepared QCM nanosensor

Label-Free QCM Immunosensor for the Detection of Ochratoxin A

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Şerife Şeyda Pirinçci

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Ochratoxin A (OTA is a potent mycotoxin that poses a risk in food and feed moieties and subject to worldwide regulation. Laboratory-based analytical methods are traditionally employed for reliable OTA quantification, but these methods cannot provide rapid and on-site analysis, where biosensors fill this gap. In this study a label-free quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-based immunosensor for the detection of OTA, which is one of the most important small molecule contaminants, was developed by direct immobilization of OTA to amine-bearing sensor surfaces using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl carbodiimide (EDC/N-Hydroxysuccinimide (NHS chemistry. The protein-free sensor surface enabled regeneration of sensor surface with 50 mM NaOH and 1% SDS up to 13 times without loss of performance, which would disrupt a protein-containing sensor surface. We developed a QCM immunosensor using the developed sensor surface with a 17.2–200 ng/mL detection range which can be used for on-site detection of feedstuffs.

Combined atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) studies of glucose oxidase (GOx) immobilised onto self-assembled monolayer on the gold film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Losic, D.; Shapter, J.; Gooding, J.; Erokin, P.; Short, K.

1999-01-01

In fabrication of biosensors, self-assembled monolayers (SAM) are an attractive method of immobilising enzymes at electrode surface since it allows precise control over the amount and spatial distribution of the immobilized enzyme. The covalent attachment of glucose oxidase (GOx) to a carboxylic terminated SAM chemisorbed onto gold films was achieved via carbodiimide activation of the carboxylic acids to a reactive intermediate susceptible to nucleophilic attack by amines on free lysine chains of the enzyme. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements were used for characterisation of GOx modified gold surfaces. Tapping mode AFM studies have revealed that GOx molecules form slightly disordered arrays of pentagonal or hexagonal clusters. Observed features of immobilised GOx are distributed as a submonolayer on the SAM surface which has allowed visualisation of native and unfolded enzyme structure. The presence of the SAM and enzyme on the gold surface was detected by XPS spectroscopy. Spectra show typical peaks for the C 1s, O 1s and N 1s regions. A kinetic study of the adsorption of GOx onto activated SAM using in-situ QCM allowed determination the amount of immobilised GOx on the layer and consequently the optimal immobilisation conditions. Performance parameters of the biosensor such as sensitivity to glucose concentration as a function of enzyme loading were evaluated amperometrically using the redox mediator p-benzoquinone

Note: A dual-channel sensor for dew point measurement based on quartz crystal microbalance

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ning; Meng, Xiaofeng; Nie, Jing

2017-05-01

A new sensor with dual-channel was designed for eliminating the temperature effect on the frequency measurement of the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) in dew point detection. The sensor uses active temperature control, produces condensation on the surface of QCM, and then detects the dew point. Both the single-channel and the dual-channel methods were conducted based on the device. The measurement error of the single-channel method was less than 0.5 °C at the dew point range of -2 °C-10 °C while the dual-channel was 0.3 °C. The results showed that the dual-channel method was able to eliminate the temperature effect and yield better measurement accuracy.

Resonant characteristics and sensitivity dependency on the contact surface in QCM-micropillar-based system of coupled resonator sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kashan, M A M; Kalavally, V; Ramakrishnan, N; Lee, H W

2016-01-01

We report the characteristics and sensitivity dependence over the contact surface in coupled resonating sensors (CRSs) made of high aspect ratio resonant micropillars attached to a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Through experiments and simulation, we observed that when the pillars of resonant heights were placed in maximum displacement regions the resonance frequency of the QCM increased following the coupled resonance characteristics, as the pillar offered elastic loading to the QCM surface. However, the same pillars when placed in relatively lower displacement regions, in spite of their resonant dimension, offered inertial loading and resulted in a decrease in QCM resonance frequency, as the displacement amplitude was insufficient to couple the vibrations from the QCM to the pillars. Accordingly, we discovered that the coupled resonance characteristics not only depend on the resonant structure dimensions but also on the contact regions in the acoustic device. Further analysis revealed that acoustic pressure at the contact surface also influences the resonance frequency characteristics and sensitivity of the CRS. To demonstrate the significance of the present finding for sensing applications, humidity sensing is considered as the example measurand. When a sensing medium made of resonant SU-8 pillars was placed in a maximum displacement region on a QCM surface, the sensitivity increased by 14 times in comparison to a resonant sensing medium placed in a lower displacement region of a QCM surface. (paper)

Real-time mass measurement of dust particles deposited on vessel wall in a divertor simulator using quartz crystal microbalances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tateishi, Mizuki; Koga, Kazunori; Katayama, Ryu; Yamashita, Daisuke; Kamataki, Kunihiro; Seo, Hyunwoong; Itagaki, Naho; Shiratani, Masaharu; Ashikawa, Naoko; Masuzaki, Suguru; Nishimura, Kiyohiko; Sagara, Akio

2015-01-01

We are developing a dust monitoring method using quartz crystal microbalances (QCMs) equipped with a dust eliminating filter. Here we report a dust eliminating ratio of the filter and first measurement results of the QCMs in a divertor simulator. The volume of spherical dust in unit area on the filter and QCM under the filter were 2.09 × 10 −9 and 1.22 × 10 −10 m 3 m −2 , respectively. Thus, the dust eliminating ratio of the filter is 94.2%. The QCM without the filter gives deposition rate due to radicals and dust particles, whereas the QCM with the filter gives deposition rate predominantly due to radicals. From the results, we deduce information of mass fraction of dust particles in deposits

Separate density and viscosity measurements of unknown liquid using quartz crystal microbalance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Tan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Aqueous liquids have a wide range of applications in many fields. Basic physical properties like the density and the viscosity have great impacts on the functionalities of a given ionic liquid. For the millions kinds of existing liquids, only a few have been systematically measured with the density and the viscosity using traditional methods. However, these methods are limited to measure the density and the viscosity of an ionic liquid simultaneously especially in processing micro sample volumes. To meet this challenge, we present a new theoretical model and a novel method to separate density and viscosity measurements with single quartz crystal microbalance (QCM in this work. The agreement of experimental results and theocratical calculations shows that the QCM is capable to measure the density and the viscosity of ionic liquids.

Protein Adsorption to Titanium and Zirconia Using a Quartz Crystal Microbalance Method

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You Kusakawa

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Protein adsorption onto titanium (Ti or zirconia (ZrO2 was evaluated using a 27 MHz quartz crystal microbalance (QCM. As proteins, fibronectin (Fn, a cell adhesive protein, and albumin (Alb, a cell adhesion-inhibiting protein, were evaluated. The Ti and ZrO2 sensors for QCM were characterized by atomic force microscopy and electron probe microanalysis observation, measurement of contact angle against water, and surface roughness. The amounts of Fn and Alb adsorbed onto the Ti and ZrO2 sensors and apparent reaction rate were obtained using QCM measurements. Ti sensor showed greater adsorption of Fn and Alb than the ZrO2 sensor. In addition, amount of Fn adsorbed onto the Ti or ZrO2 sensors was higher than that of Alb. The surface roughness and hydrophilicity of Ti or ZrO2 may influence the adsorption of Fn or Alb. With regard to the adsorption rate, Alb adsorbed more rapidly than Fn onto Ti. Comparing Ti and ZrO2, Alb adsorption rate to Ti was faster than that to ZrO2. Fn adsorption will be effective for cell activities, but Alb adsorption will not. QCM method could simulate in vivo Fn and Alb adsorption to Ti or ZrO2.

Preparation of a molecularly imprinted sensor based on quartz crystal microbalance for specific recognition of sialic acid in human urine.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Xiuzhen; Xu, Xian-Yan; Chen, Xuncai; Wu, Yiyong; Guo, Huishi

2018-05-08

A novel molecularly imprinted quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor was successfully prepared for selective determination of sialic acid (SA) in human urine samples. To obtain the QCM sensor, we first modified the gold surface of the QCM chip by self-assembling of allylmercaptane to introduce polymerizable double bonds on the chip surface. Then, SA molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) nanofilm was attached to the modified QCM chip surface. For comparison, we have also characterized the nonmodified and improved surfaces of the QCM sensor by using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. We then tested the selectivity and detection limit of the imprinted QCM sensor via a series of adsorption experiments. The results show a linear response in the range of 0.025-0.50 μmol L -1 for sialic acid. Moreover, the limit of detection (LOD) of the prepared imprinted QCM sensor was found to be 1.0 nmol L -1 for sialic acid, and high recovery values range from 87.6 to 108.5% with RSD sensor was developed and used to detect sialic acid in human urine samples. Graphical abstract Specific recognition of sialic acid by the MIP-QCM sensor system.

Preparation and ion sensing property of the self-assembled microgels by QCM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cao Zheng

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The polyanion polystyrene sulfonate (PSS, the polycation poly (allylamine hydrochloride (PAH, and the anionic poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid [P(NIPAM-co-AA] microgels were self-assembled onto the polyethylene imine (PEI adsorbed gold surfaces of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM because of the electrostatic attractions. The interactions of various metal particles including Ca2+, Bi3+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Sn2+, Co2+, and Cd2+ with the obtained PEI/PSS/PAH/microgel layer in aqueous solutions were evaluated by QCM. The PEI/PSS/PAH/Microgel covered QCM sensor demonstrates the lowest detection limit of 0.1 ppm in aqueous solutions and the obviously linear connection between the frequency response and Ni2+ concentration from 0.1 to 20 ppm, which is due to the complexation of Ni2+ with the carboxyl groups of microgels. Atomic force microscopy (AFM was used to reveal the morphology and stability of the self-assembled polyelectrolyte/microgel layer before and after adsorbing heavy metal ions. These self-assembled materials of polyelectrolyte/microgel layer will be helpful for manufacturing ion-selective materials for separation and identification purposes.

Solvent effect on polystyrene surface roughness on top of QCM sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sakti, Setyawan P., E-mail: sakti@ub.ac.id; Rahmawati, Eka; Robiandi, Fadli [Advanced System and Material Technology, Laboratory of Instrumentation and Measurement Department of Physics, Brawijaya University (Indonesia)

2016-03-11

Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) has been used as a basis for many chemical sensors and biosensor. Its sensitivity to mass change which can detect a mass change on its surface down to sub ng/cm2 is one of its interesting aspects. Another interesting feature is its ability to work in liquid environment. However, there are many aspects which influence QCM sensor properties in contact with liquid. One of the aspects is surface roughness of the matrix layer where on top of it a biological sensitive layer will be immobilized. One of matrix layers in the immobilizing biological sensitive layer was polystyrene. Polystyrene was coated on the QCM sensor by using the spin coating method. During the coating process, polystyrene was solved using non-polar solvent. It is known that the physical and chemical properties of the solvent affect a transition process from soluble polymer becoming rigid polymer layer. In this work, we show that polystyrene solved in chloroform has a higher surface roughness compare to one solved in toluene, xylene, or tetrahydrofuran. Surface roughness of the polystyrene coating were measured using a non-contact profilometer. However, we also found that there is no difference on the electrical impedance of the QCM sensor coated with polystyrene resulted from differing solvent when the sensor was in contact with air and water. Thus, all of the mentioned solvent can be used to solve the polystyrene as a coating material for QCM sensor without affecting the electrical performance of the sensor, but the choice of the solution can be used as a simple method to control the difference roughness of the polystyrene coating.

Gravimetric Viral Diagnostics: QCM Based Biosensors for Early Detection of Viruses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adeel Afzal

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Viruses are pathogenic microorganisms that can inhabit and replicate in human bodies causing a number of widespread infectious diseases such as influenza, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, meningitis, pneumonia, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS etc. A majority of these viral diseases are contagious and can spread from infected to healthy human beings. The most important step in the treatment of these contagious diseases and to prevent their unwanted spread is to timely detect the disease-causing viruses. Gravimetric viral diagnostics based on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM transducers and natural or synthetic receptors are miniaturized sensing platforms that can selectively recognize and quantify harmful virus species. Herein, a review of the label-free QCM virus sensors for clinical diagnostics and point of care (POC applications is presented with major emphasis on the nature and performance of different receptors ranging from the natural or synthetic antibodies to selective macromolecular materials such as DNA and aptamers. A performance comparison of different receptors is provided and their limitations are discussed.

Adsorption Analysis of Lactoferrin to Titanium, Stainless Steel, Zirconia, and Polymethyl Methacrylate Using the Quartz Crystal Microbalance Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eiji Yoshida

2016-01-01

Full Text Available It is postulated that biofilm formation in the oral cavity causes some oral diseases. Lactoferrin is an antibacterial protein in saliva and an important defense factor against biofilm development. We analyzed the adsorbed amount of lactoferrin and the dissociation constant (Kd of lactoferrin to the surface of different dental materials using an equilibrium analysis technique in a 27 MHz quartz crystal microbalance (QCM measurement. Four different materials, titanium (Ti, stainless steel (SUS, zirconia (ZrO2 and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA, were evaluated. These materials were coated onto QCM sensors and the surfaces characterized by atomic force microscopic observation, measurements of surface roughness, contact angles of water, and zeta potential. QCM measurements revealed that Ti and SUS showed a greater amount of lactoferrin adsorption than ZrO2 and PMMA. Surface roughness and zeta potential influenced the lactoferrin adsorption. On the contrary, the Kd value analysis indicated that the adsorbed lactoferrin bound less tightly to the Ti and SUS surfaces than to the ZrO2 and PMMA surfaces. The hydrophobic interaction between lactoferrin and ZrO2 and PMMA is presumed to participate in better binding of lactoferrin to ZrO2 and PMMA surfaces. It was revealed that lactoferrin adsorption behavior was influenced by the characteristics of the material surface.

Using Quartz Crystal Microbalance for Field Measurement of Liquid Viscosities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qingsong Bai

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The field measurement of liquid viscosities, especially the high viscous liquids, is challenging and often requires expensive equipment, long processing time, and lots of reagent. We use quartz crystal microbalances (QCMs operating in solution which are also sensitive to the viscosity and density of the contacting solution. QCMs are typically investigated for sensor applications in which one surface of QCM completely immersed in Newtonian liquid, but the viscous damping in liquids would cause not only large frequency shifts but also large losses in the quality factor Q leading to instability and even cessation of oscillation. A novel mass-sensitivity-based method for field measurement of liquid viscosities using a QCM is demonstrated in this paper and a model describing the influence of the liquid properties on the oscillation frequency is established as well. Two groups of verified experiments were performed and the experimental results show that the presented method is effective and possesses potential applications.

Quantitative analyses of Streptococcus mutans biofilms with quartz crystal microbalance, microjet impingement and confocal microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kreth, J; Hagerman, E; Tam, K; Merritt, J; Wong, D T W; Wu, B M; Myung, N V; Shi, W; Qi, F

2004-10-01

Microbial biofilm formation can be influenced by many physiological and genetic factors. The conventional microtiter plate assay provides useful but limited information about biofilm formation. With the fast expansion of the biofilm research field, there are urgent needs for more informative techniques to quantify the major parameters of a biofilm, such as adhesive strength and total biomass. It would be even more ideal if these measurements could be conducted in a real-time, non-invasive manner. In this study, we used quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and microjet impingement (MJI) to measure total biomass and adhesive strength, respectively, of S. mutans biofilms formed under different sucrose concentrations. In conjunction with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and the COMSTAT software, we show that sucrose concentration affects the biofilm strength, total biomass, and architecture in both qualitative and quantitative manners. Our data correlate well with previous observations about the effect of sucrose on the adherence of S. mutans to the tooth surface, and demonstrate that QCM is a useful tool for studying the kinetics of biofilm formation in real time and that MJI is a sensitive, easy-to-use device to measure the adhesive strength of a biofilm.

Humidity scanning quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring setup for determination of sorption-desorption isotherms and rheological changes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Björklund, Sebastian, E-mail: sebastianbjorklund@gmail.com; Kocherbitov, Vitaly [Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö (Sweden); Biofilms—Research Center for Biointerfaces, Malmö University, Malmö (Sweden)

2015-05-15

A new method to determine water sorption-desorption isotherms with high resolution in the complete range of water activities (relative humidities) is presented. The method is based on quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). The QCM-D is equipped with a humidity module in which the sample film is kept in air with controlled humidity. The experimental setup allows for continuous scanning of the relative humidity from either dry to humid conditions or vice versa. The amount of water sorbed or desorbed from the sample is determined from the resonance frequencies of the coated quartz sensor, via analysis of the overtone dependence. In addition, the method allows for characterization of hydration induced changes of the rheological properties from the dissipation data, which is closely connected to the viscoelasticity of the film. The accuracy of the humidity scanning setup is confirmed in control experiments. Sorption-desorption isotherms of pig gastric mucin and lysozyme, obtained by the new method, show good agreement with previous results. Finally, we show that the deposition technique used to coat the quartz sensor influences the QCM-D data and how this issue can be used to obtain further information on the effect of hydration. In particular, we demonstrate that spin-coating represents an attractive alternative to obtain sorption-desorption isotherms, while drop-coating provides additional information on changes of the rheological properties during hydration.

Simultaneous measurement of the maximum oscillation amplitude and the transient decay time constant of the QCM reveals stiffness changes of the adlayer.

Science.gov (United States)

Marxer, C Galli; Coen, M Collaud; Bissig, H; Greber, U F; Schlapbach, L

2003-10-01

Interpretation of adsorption kinetics measured with a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) can be difficult for adlayers undergoing modification of their mechanical properties. We have studied the behavior of the oscillation amplitude, A(0), and the decay time constant, tau, of quartz during adsorption of proteins and cells, by use of a home-made QCM. We are able to measure simultaneously the frequency, f, the dissipation factor, D, the maximum amplitude, A(0), and the transient decay time constant, tau, every 300 ms in liquid, gaseous, or vacuum environments. This analysis enables adsorption and modification of liquid/mass properties to be distinguished. Moreover the surface coverage and the stiffness of the adlayer can be estimated. These improvements promise to increase the appeal of QCM methodology for any applications measuring intimate contact of a dynamic material with a solid surface.

Amplified QCM biosensor for type IV collagenase based on collagenase-cleavage of gold nanoparticles functionalized peptide.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Zong-Mu; Jin, Xin; Zhao, Guang-Chao

2018-05-30

The present study develops a rapid, simple and efficient method for the determination of type IV collagenase by using a specific peptide-modified quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). A small peptide (P1), contains a specific sequence (Pro-Gly) and a terminal cysteine, was synthetized and immobilized to the surface of QCM electrode via the reaction between Au and thiol of the cysteine. The peptide bond between proline and glycine can be specific hydrolyzed cleavage by type IV collagenase, which enabled the modified electrode with a high selectivity toward type IV collagenase. The cleaving process caused a frequency change of QCM to give a signal related to the concentration of type IV collagenase. The morphologies of the modified electrodes were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the specific hydrolyzed cleavage process was monitored by QCM. When P1 was modified with gold nanoparticles (P1-Au NPs), the signal could be amplified to further enhance the sensitivity of the designed sensor due to the high-mass of the modified Au NPs. Compared the direct unamplified assay, the values obtained for the limit of detection for type IV collagenase was 0.96 ng mL -1 , yielding about 6.5 times of magnitude improvement in sensitivity. This signal enhanced peptide based QCM biosensor for type IV collagenase also showed good selectivity and sensitivity in complex matrix. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecularly imprinted polymer based quartz crystal microbalance sensor system for sensitive and label-free detection of synthetic cannabinoids in urine.

Science.gov (United States)

Battal, Dilek; Akgönüllü, Semra; Yalcin, M Serkan; Yavuz, Handan; Denizli, Adil

2018-07-15

Herein, we prepared a novel quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor for synthetic cannabinoids (JWH-073, JWH-073 butanoic acid, JWH-018 and JWH-018 pentanoic acid,) detection. Firstly, the synthetic cannabinoid (SCs) imprinted (MIP) and non-imprinted (NIP) nanoparticles were synthesized by mini-emulsion polymerization system. The SCs-imprinted nanoparticles were first characterized by SEM, TEM, zeta-size and FTIR-ATR analysis and then were dropped onto the gold QCM surface. The SCs-imprinted QCM sensor was characterized by an ellipsometer, contact angle, and AFM. The limit of detection was found as 0.3, 0.45, 0.4, 0.2 pg/mL JWH-018, JWH-073, JWH-018 pentanoic acid and JWH-073 butanoic acid, respectively. The selectivity of the SCs-imprinted QCM sensor was shown by using JWH-018, JWH-018 pentanoic acid, JWH-073 and JWH-073 butanoic acid. According to the results, the SCs-imprinted QCM sensors show highly selective and sensitive in a broad range of synthetic cannabinoid concentrations (0.0005-1.0 ng/mL) in both aqueous and synthetic urine solutions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A sensor of alcohol vapours based on thin polyaniline base film and quartz crystal microbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayad, Mohamad M; El-Hefnawey, Gad; Torad, Nagy L

2009-08-30

Thin films of polyaniline base, emeraldine base (EB), coating on the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) electrode were used as a sensitive layer for the detection of a number of primary aliphatic alcohols such as ethanol, methanol, 2-propanol and 1-propanol vapours. The frequency shifts (Deltaf) of the QCM were increased due to the vapour adsorption into the EB film. Deltaf were found to be linearly correlated with the concentrations of alcohols vapour in part per million (ppm). The sensitivity of the sensor was found to be governed by the chemical structure of the alcohol. The sensor shows a good reproducibility and reversibility. The diffusions of different alcohols vapour were studied and the diffusion coefficients (D) were calculated. It is concluded that the diffusion of the vapours into the EB film follows Fickian kinetics.

Study of quartz crystal microbalance NO2 sensor coated with sputtered indium tin oxide film

Science.gov (United States)

Georgieva, V.; Aleksandrova, M.; Stefanov, P.; Grechnikov, A.; Gadjanova, V.; Dilova, T.; Angelov, Ts

2014-12-01

A study of NO2 gas sorption ability of thin indium tin oxide (ITO) deposited on 16 MHz quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) is presented. ITO films are grown by RF sputtering of indium/tin target with weight proportion 95:5 in oxygen environment. The ITO films have been characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. The ITO surface composition in atomic % is defined to be: In-40.6%, Sn-4.3% and O-55%. The thickness and refractive index of the films are determined by ellipsometric method. The frequency shift of QCM-ITO is measured at different NO2 concentrations. The QCM-ITO system becomes sensitive at NO2 concentration >= 500 ppm. The sorbed mass for each concentration is calculated according the Sauerbrey equation. The results indicated that the 1.09 ng of the gas is sorbed into 150 nm thick ITO film at 500 ppm NO2 concentration. When the NO2 concentration increases 10 times the calculated loaded mass is 5.46 ng. The sorption process of the gas molecules is defined as reversible. The velocity of sorbtion /desorption processes are studied, too. The QCM coated with thin ITO films can be successfully used as gas sensors for detecting NO2 in the air at room temperature.

Study of quartz crystal microbalance NO2 sensor coated with sputtered indium tin oxide film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgieva, V; Gadjanova, V; Angelov, Ts; Aleksandrova, M; Acad. Georgi Bonchev str.bl. 11, 1113, Sofia (Bulgaria))" data-affiliation=" (Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev str.bl. 11, 1113, Sofia (Bulgaria))" >Stefanov, P; Acad. Georgi Bonchev str.bl. 11, 1113, Sofia (Bulgaria))" data-affiliation=" (Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev str.bl. 11, 1113, Sofia (Bulgaria))" >Dilova, T; Grechnikov, A

2014-01-01

A study of NO 2 gas sorption ability of thin indium tin oxide (ITO) deposited on 16 MHz quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) is presented. ITO films are grown by RF sputtering of indium/tin target with weight proportion 95:5 in oxygen environment. The ITO films have been characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. The ITO surface composition in atomic % is defined to be: In-40.6%, Sn-4.3% and O-55%. The thickness and refractive index of the films are determined by ellipsometric method. The frequency shift of QCM-ITO is measured at different NO 2 concentrations. The QCM-ITO system becomes sensitive at NO 2 concentration ≥ 500 ppm. The sorbed mass for each concentration is calculated according the Sauerbrey equation. The results indicated that the 1.09 ng of the gas is sorbed into 150 nm thick ITO film at 500 ppm NO 2 concentration. When the NO 2 concentration increases 10 times the calculated loaded mass is 5.46 ng. The sorption process of the gas molecules is defined as reversible. The velocity of sorbtion /desorption processes are studied, too. The QCM coated with thin ITO films can be successfully used as gas sensors for detecting NO 2 in the air at room temperature

Superior environment resistance of quartz crystal microbalance with anatase TiO2/ZnO nanorod composite films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiang, Wei; Wei, Li; Shaodan, Wang; Yu, Bai

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: ZnO nanorod array being prepared by an in situ method on the QCM coated with Au film via hydrothermal process and surface modification with coated TiO 2 by sol–gel methods to form a superhydrophobic TiO 2 /ZnO composite film the anatase TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod composite film with a sharp, pencil-like structure exhibiting excellent superhydrophobicity (water contact angle of 155°), non-sticking water properties, and an autonomous cleaning property under UV irradiation. The anatase TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod composite film facilitates the precise measurement and extended lifetime of the QCM for the detection of organic gas molecules. - Highlights: • This work combines, for the first time, the advantage of the TiO 2 /ZnO composite film on photocatalysis and reversible super-hydrophobic and super-hydrophilic transition, and puts forward a solution to satisfy weatherability of quartz crystal microbalance in long-term application. • The anatase TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod composite film with pencil structure exhibit excellent super-hydrophobicity (water contact angle can reach 155°), no-sticking water properties and self-cleaning property under UV irradiation. • The photocatalysis and reversible super-hydrophobic and super-hydrophilic transition of the TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod composite film is stable in long-term application. - Abstract: The precise measurement of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) in the detection and weighing of organic gas molecules is achieved due to excellent superhydrophobicity of a deposited film composite. Photocatalysis is utilized as a method for the self-cleaning of organic molecules on the QCM for extended long-term stability in the precision of the instrument. In this paper, ZnO nanorod array is prepared via in situ methods on the QCM coated with Au film via hydrothermal process. Subsequently, a TiO 2 /ZnO composite film is synthesized by surface modification with TiO 2 via sol–gel methods. Results show the anatase TiO 2 /ZnO nanorod

The quest for highly sensitive QCM humidity sensors: the coating of CNT/MOF composite sensing films as case study

KAUST Repository

Chappanda, Karumbaiah. N.

2017-11-01

The application of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as a sensing layer has been attracting great interest over the last decade, due to their uniform properties in terms of high porosity and tunability, which provides a large surface area and/or centers for trapping/binding a targeted analyte. Here we report the fabrication of a highly sensitive humidity sensor that is based on composite thin films of HKUST-1 MOF and carbon nanotubes (CNT). The composite sensing films were fabricated by spin coating technique on a quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) and a comparison of their shift in resonance frequencies to adsorbed water vapor (5 to 75% relative humidity) is presented. Through optimization of the CNT and HKUST-1 composition, we could demonstrate a 230% increase in sensitivity compared to plain HKUST-1 film. The optimized CNT-HKUST-1 composite thin films are stable, reliable, and have an average sensitivity of about 2.5×10−5 (Δf/f) per percent of relative humidity, which is up to ten times better than previously reported QCM-based humidity sensors. The approach presented here is facile and paves a promising path towards enhancing the sensitivity of MOF-based sensors.

Resolution in QCM sensors for the viscosity and density of liquids: application to lead acid batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao-Paz, Ana María; Rodríguez-Pardo, Loreto; Fariña, José; Marcos-Acevedo, Jorge

2012-01-01

In battery applications, particularly in automobiles, submarines and remote communications, the state of charge (SoC) is needed in order to manage batteries efficiently. The most widely used physical parameter for this is electrolyte density. However, there is greater dependency between electrolyte viscosity and SoC than that seen for density and SoC. This paper presents a Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) sensor for electrolyte density-viscosity product measurements in lead acid batteries. The sensor is calibrated in H(2)SO(4) solutions in the battery electrolyte range to obtain sensitivity, noise and resolution. Also, real-time tests of charge and discharge are conducted placing the quartz crystal inside the battery. At the same time, the present theoretical "resolution limit" to measure the square root of the density-viscosity product [Formula: see text] of a liquid medium or best resolution achievable with a QCM oscillator is determined. Findings show that the resolution limit only depends on the characteristics of the liquid to be studied and not on frequency. The QCM resolution limit for [Formula: see text] measurements worsens when the density-viscosity product of the liquid is increased, but it cannot be improved by elevating the work frequency.

Fabrication, characterization and sensing properties of Cu(II) ion imprinted sol–gel thin film on QCM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su, Pi-Guey; Hung, Fang-Chieh; Lin, Po-Hung

2012-01-01

Cu(II)-molecularly imprinted sol–gel films (Cu(II)-MISGF), coated on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) chip, were fabricated using a sol–gel procedure. Co-hydrolysis and co-condensation of Cu(II) (templates), 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTS, functional monomer) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS, cross-linking agent) were performed with acid and base catalysis. The properties of the Cu(II)-MISGF were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the electrochemical methods of cyclic voltammetry (CV). Microstructural observations revealed that the acid-catalyzed system yielded more mechanically stable thin films. A combined Cu(II)-MISGF-QCM with flow injection analysis (FIA) method was utilized to investigate the sensing performance of the Cu(II)-MISGF, with special emphasis on the most important properties of sensitivity, selectivity and response time. The Cu(II)-MISGF-QCM sensor, at a TEOS/APTS molar ratio of 10, exhibited excellent selectivity and rapidly responded to Cu(II) ions. - Highlights: ► A Cu(II)-molecularly imprinted sol–gel thin film on chip was fabricated. ► The thin film had mechanical stability using acidic catalyst. ► The thin film had good selectivity and response time for Cu(II) ions.

Detection of trace microcystin-LR on a 20 MHz QCM sensor coated with in situ self-assembled MIPs.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Hao; Zhou, Lianqun; Wang, Yi; Li, Chuanyu; Yao, Jia; Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Qingwen; Li, Mingyu; Li, Haiwen; Dong, Wen-fei

2015-01-01

A 20 MHz quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor coated with in situ self-assembled molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) was presented for the detection of trace microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in drinking water. The sensor performance obtained using the in situ self-assembled MIPs was compared with traditionally synthesized MIPs on 20 MHz and normal 10 MHz QCM chip. The results show that the response increases by more than 60% when using the in situ self-assembly method compared using the traditionally method while the 20 MHz QCM chip provides four-fold higher response than the 10 MHz one. Therefore, the in situ self-assembled MIPs coated on a high frequency QCM chip was used in the sensor performance test to detect MC-LR in tap water. It showed a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.04 nM which is lower than the safety guideline level (1 nM MC-LR) of drinking water in China. The low sensor response to other analogs indicated the high specificity of the sensor to MC-LR. The sensor showed high stability and low signal variation less than 2.58% after regeneration. The lake water sample analysis shows the sensor is possible for practical use. The combination of the higher frequency QCM with the in situ self-assembled MIPs provides a good candidate for the detection of other small molecules. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Frequency-shift vs phase-shift characterization of in-liquid quartz crystal microbalance applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montagut, Y. J.; Garcia, J. V.; Jimenez, Y.; Arnau, A.; March, C.; Montoya, A.

2011-01-01

The improvement of sensitivity in quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) applications has been addressed in the last decades by increasing the sensor fundamental frequency, following the increment of the frequency/mass sensitivity with the square of frequency predicted by Sauerbrey. However, this sensitivity improvement has not been completely transferred in terms of resolution. The decrease of frequency stability due to the increase of the phase noise, particularly in oscillators, made impossible to reach the expected resolution. A new concept of sensor characterization at constant frequency has been recently proposed. The validation of the new concept is presented in this work. An immunosensor application for the detection of a low molecular weight contaminant, the insecticide carbaryl, has been chosen for the validation. An, in principle, improved version of a balanced-bridge oscillator is validated for its use in liquids, and applied for the frequency shift characterization of the QCM immunosensor application. The classical frequency shift characterization is compared with the new phase-shift characterization concept and system proposed.

Gold clusters sliding on graphite: a possible quartz crystal microbalance experiment?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pisov, S; Tosatti, E; Tartaglino, U; Vanossi, A

2007-01-01

A large measured two-dimensional (2D) diffusion coefficient of gold nanoclusters on graphite has been known experimentally and theoretically for about a decade. When subjected to a lateral force, these clusters should slide with an amount of friction that can be measured. We examine the hypothetical possibility of measuring by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) the phononic sliding friction of gold clusters in the size range around 250 atoms on a graphite substrate between 300 and 600 K. Assuming the validity of Einstein's relations of ordinary Brownian motion and making use of the experimentally available activated behaviour of the diffusion coefficients, we can predict the sliding friction and slip times as a function of temperature. It is found that a prototypical deposited gold cluster could yield slip times at the standard measurable size of 10 -9 s for temperatures around 450-500 K, or 200 0 C. Since gold nanoclusters may also melt at around these temperatures, QCM could offer the additional chance of observing this phenomenon through a frictional change

Electrochemistry, surface plasmon resonance, and quartz crystal microbalance: an associative study on cytochrome c adsorption on pyridine tail-group monolayers on gold.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulo, Tércio de F; de Sousa, Ticyano P; de Abreu, Dieric S; Felício, Nathalie H; Bernhardt, Paul V; Lopes, Luiz G de F; Sousa, Eduardo H S; Diógenes, Izaura C N

2013-07-25

Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and electrochemistry techniques were used to study the electron-transfer (ET) reaction of cytochrome c (Cyt c) on gold surfaces modified with thionicotinamide, thioisonicotinamide, 4-mercaptopyridine, 5-(4-pyridyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-thiol, 5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-thiol, 4,4'-bipyridine, and 4,4'-dithiopyridine. The electrochemical results showed that the ET process is complex, being chiefly diffusional with steps depending on the orientation of the pyridine or phenyl tail group of the modifiers. The correlation between the electrochemical results and those acquired by SPR and QCM indicated the presence of an adlayer of Cyt c adsorbed on the thiolate SAMs. This adlayer, although being not electroactive, is essential to assess the ET reaction of Cyt c in solution. The results presented in this work are consistent with the statement (Feng, Z. Q.; Imabayashi, S.; Kakiuchi, T.; Niki, K. J. Electroanal. Chem. 1995, 394, 149-154) that the ET reaction of Cyt c can be explained in terms of the through-bond tunneling mechanism.

Determination of functionalized gold nanoparticles incorporated in hydrophilic and hydrophobic microenvironments by surface modification of quartz crystal microbalance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Tsui-Hsun [Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC (China); Institute of Medical Mechatronics, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan, ROC (China); Liao, Shu-Chuan [Center of Thin Film Technologies and Applications, Mingchi University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC (China); Chen, Ying-Fang [Department of Dentistry, Yun-Lin Branch, National Taiwan University Hospital, Dou-Liu, Yun-Lin, Taiwan, ROC (China); Huang, Yi-You [Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC (China); Wei, Yi-Syuan [Department of Materials Engineering, Tatung University, 40 Zhongshan North Road, 3rd Section, Taipei 104, Taiwan, ROC (China); Tu, Shu-Ju, E-mail: sjt@cgu.edu.tw [Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen-Hwa, 1st Road, Kwei-Shan, Tao-Yuan 133, Taiwan, ROC (China); Chen, Ko-Shao, E-mail: kschen@ttu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Engineering, Tatung University, 40 Zhongshan North Road, 3rd Section, Taipei 104, Taiwan, ROC (China)

2013-06-01

In this study, plasma deposition methods were used to immobilize Au electrode of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) to create different microenvironments for mass measurement of various modified Au nanoparticles (AuNPs). AuNPs were modified by 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) and 1-decanethiol (DCT) for potential applications to drug release, protective coatings, and immunosensors. We aimed to develop a highly sensitive and reliable method to quantify the mass of various modified AuNPs. The surface of AuNPs and Au electrode was coated with polymer films, as determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Measurements obtained for various AuNPs and the plasma-treated surface of the Au electrode were compared with those obtained for an untreated Au electrode. According to the resonant frequency shift of QCM, a linear relationship was observed that significantly differed for AuNPs, MUA-AuNPs, and DCT-AuNPs (R{sup 2} range, 0.94–0.965, 0.934–0.972, and 0.874–0.9514, respectively). Compared to inductively coupled plasma and micro-computerized tomography, the QCM method with plasma treatment has advantages of real-time monitoring, greater sensitivity, and lower cost. Our results demonstrate that surface modifications measured by a QCM system for various modified AuNPs were reliable.

Determination of functionalized gold nanoparticles incorporated in hydrophilic and hydrophobic microenvironments by surface modification of quartz crystal microbalance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Tsui-Hsun; Liao, Shu-Chuan; Chen, Ying-Fang; Huang, Yi-You; Wei, Yi-Syuan; Tu, Shu-Ju; Chen, Ko-Shao

2013-01-01

In this study, plasma deposition methods were used to immobilize Au electrode of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) to create different microenvironments for mass measurement of various modified Au nanoparticles (AuNPs). AuNPs were modified by 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) and 1-decanethiol (DCT) for potential applications to drug release, protective coatings, and immunosensors. We aimed to develop a highly sensitive and reliable method to quantify the mass of various modified AuNPs. The surface of AuNPs and Au electrode was coated with polymer films, as determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Measurements obtained for various AuNPs and the plasma-treated surface of the Au electrode were compared with those obtained for an untreated Au electrode. According to the resonant frequency shift of QCM, a linear relationship was observed that significantly differed for AuNPs, MUA-AuNPs, and DCT-AuNPs (R 2 range, 0.94–0.965, 0.934–0.972, and 0.874–0.9514, respectively). Compared to inductively coupled plasma and micro-computerized tomography, the QCM method with plasma treatment has advantages of real-time monitoring, greater sensitivity, and lower cost. Our results demonstrate that surface modifications measured by a QCM system for various modified AuNPs were reliable.

Determination of functionalized gold nanoparticles incorporated in hydrophilic and hydrophobic microenvironments by surface modification of quartz crystal microbalance

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Tsui-Hsun; Liao, Shu-Chuan; Chen, Ying-Fang; Huang, Yi-You; Wei, Yi-Syuan; Tu, Shu-Ju; Chen, Ko-Shao

2013-06-01

In this study, plasma deposition methods were used to immobilize Au electrode of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) to create different microenvironments for mass measurement of various modified Au nanoparticles (AuNPs). AuNPs were modified by 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) and 1-decanethiol (DCT) for potential applications to drug release, protective coatings, and immunosensors. We aimed to develop a highly sensitive and reliable method to quantify the mass of various modified AuNPs. The surface of AuNPs and Au electrode was coated with polymer films, as determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Measurements obtained for various AuNPs and the plasma-treated surface of the Au electrode were compared with those obtained for an untreated Au electrode. According to the resonant frequency shift of QCM, a linear relationship was observed that significantly differed for AuNPs, MUA-AuNPs, and DCT-AuNPs (R2 range, 0.94-0.965, 0.934-0.972, and 0.874-0.9514, respectively). Compared to inductively coupled plasma and micro-computerized tomography, the QCM method with plasma treatment has advantages of real-time monitoring, greater sensitivity, and lower cost. Our results demonstrate that surface modifications measured by a QCM system for various modified AuNPs were reliable.

Data analysis for lidar and quartz crystal microbalance systems

Science.gov (United States)

Kent, G. S.; Deepak, A.

1985-01-01

Results are presented of the analysis of data taken on the stratospheric aerosol, using lidar, Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM), and the SAGE and SAM II satellite systems. The main objective of the work reported has been to use the data, taken with the NASA-LaRC instruments to study the stratospheric effects of volcanic eruptions during the period between the launch of the SAGE and SAM II satellite systems and October 1980. Four significant volcanic eruptions, for which data are available, occurred during this period--Soufriere, Sierra Negra, Mt. St. Helens, and Ulawun. Data on these have been analyzed to determine the changes in stratospheric mass loading produced by the eruptions, and to study the dispersion of the newly injected material.

Sensing Conformational Changes in DNA upon Ligand Binding Using QCM-D. Polyamine Condensation and Rad51 Extension of DNA Layers

KAUST Repository

Sun, Lu

2014-10-16

© 2014 American Chemical Society. Biosensors, in which binding of ligands is detected through changes in the optical or electrochemical properties of a DNA layer confined to the sensor surface, are important tools for investigating DNA interactions. Here, we investigate if conformational changes induced in surface-attached DNA molecules upon ligand binding can be monitored by the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) technique. DNA duplexes containing 59-184 base pairs were formed on QCM-D crystals by stepwise assembly of synthetic oligonucleotides of designed base sequences. The DNA films were exposed to the cationic polyamines spermidine and spermine, known to condense DNA molecules in bulk experiments, or to the recombination protein Rad51, known to extend the DNA helix. The binding and dissociation of the ligands to the DNA films were monitored in real time by measurements of the shifts in resonance frequency (Δf) and in dissipation (ΔD). The QCM-D data were analyzed using a Voigt-based model for the viscoelastic properties of polymer films in order to evaluate how the ligands affect thickness and shear viscosity of the DNA layer. Binding of spermine shrinks all DNA layers and increases their viscosity in a reversible fashion, and so does spermidine, but to a smaller extent, in agreement with its lower positive charge. SPR was used to measure the amount of bound polyamines, and when combined with QCM-D, the data indicate that the layer condensation leads to a small release of water from the highly hydrated DNA films. The binding of Rad51 increases the effective layer thickness of a 59bp film, more than expected from the know 50% DNA helix extension. The combined results provide guidelines for a QCM-D biosensor based on ligand-induced structural changes in DNA films. The QCM-D approach provides high discrimination between ligands affecting the thickness and the structural properties of the DNA layer differently. The reversibility of the film

1-Butyl-3-Methylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate Film as a Highly Selective Sensing Material for Non-Invasive Detection of Acetone Using a Quartz Crystal Microbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Wenyan; Lin, Peng; Liu, Sili; Xie, Qingji; Ke, Shanming; Zeng, Xierong

2017-01-20

Breath acetone serves as a biomarker for diabetes. This article reports 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF₄]), a type of room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL), as a selective sensing material for acetone. The RTIL sensing layer was coated on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) for detection. The sensing mechanism is based on a decrease in viscosity and density of the [bmim][BF₄] film due to the solubilization of acetone leading to a positive frequency shift in the QCM. Acetone was detected with a linear range from 7.05 to 750 ppmv. Sensitivity and limit of detection were found to be 3.49 Hz/ppmv and 5.0 ppmv, respectively. The [bmim][BF₄]-modified QCM sensor demonstrated anti-interference ability to commonly found volatile organic compounds in breath, e.g., isoprene, 1,2-pentadiene, d -limonene, and dl -limonene. This technology is useful for applications in non-invasive early diabetic diagnosis.

SHORT COMMUNICATION: Recognition of supercooled dew in a quartz crystal microbalance dew-point sensor by slip phenomena

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Su-Yong; Kim, Jong-Chul; Choi, Byung-Il

2007-10-01

Distinguishing between a supercooled dew and frost below 0 °C in dew/frost-point measurements is an important and challenging problem that has not yet been completely solved. This study presents a new method for the recognition of a supercooled dew in a dew/frost-point sensor. A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor was used as a dew/frost-point sensor to detect a dew and a supercooled dew as well as frost. The slip phenomenon occurring at an interface between the water droplet and the surface of the quartz crystal resonator of the QCM sensor gives a simple and accurate way of distinguishing between a supercooled dew and frost below 0 °C. This method can give a highly accurate measurement of the dew or the frost point without misreading in the dew-point sensor at temperatures below 0 °C.

Resolution in QCM Sensors for the Viscosity and Density of Liquids: Application to Lead Acid Batteries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Marcos-Acevedo

2012-08-01

Full Text Available In battery applications, particularly in automobiles, submarines and remote communications, the state of charge (SoC is needed in order to manage batteries efficiently. The most widely used physical parameter for this is electrolyte density. However, there is greater dependency between electrolyte viscosity and SoC than that seen for density and SoC. This paper presents a Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM sensor for electrolyte density-viscosity product measurements in lead acid batteries. The sensor is calibrated in H₂SO₄ solutions in the battery electrolyte range to obtain sensitivity, noise and resolution. Also, real-time tests of charge and discharge are conducted placing the quartz crystal inside the battery. At the same time, the present theoretical “resolution limit” to measure the square root of the density-viscosity product ( of a liquid medium or best resolution achievable with a QCM oscillator is determined. Findings show that the resolution limit only depends on the characteristics of the liquid to be studied and not on frequency. The QCM resolution limit for  measurements worsens when the density-viscosity product of the liquid is increased, but it cannot be improved by elevating the work frequency.

Development of a Quartz Crystal Microbalance Sensor Modified by Nano-Structured Polyaniline for Detecting the Plasticizer in Gaseous State

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui XU

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM modified by a film of nano-structured polyaniline (nano-PANI is developed as a gas sensor for detecting the presence of the plasticizer, such as dibutyl phthalate (DBP in the ambient. Nano-PANI is prepared using a non-template method and the films are deposited using physical coating method. Scanning electron microscopy is used to characterize the nano-PANI film. The sensor response towards DBP is tested in a sealed gas chamber. The QCM resonant frequency shift is measured due to the absorption of DBP with different concentration ranging from 0.04 to 1.2 ppm. The experiment results show that the variation of the frequency is a linear function of DBP concentration and the sensitivity up to 54 Hz/ppm could be achieved by using the researched nano-PANI on QCM. To investigate the selectivity, the potential interfering analytes such as acetone, ethanol, acetaldehyde and formaldehyde are tested. And the mechanism hypothesis of the nano-PANI sensitive to the plasticizer is analyzed.

1-Butyl-3-Methylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate Film as a Highly Selective Sensing Material for Non-Invasive Detection of Acetone Using a Quartz Crystal Microbalance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenyan Tao

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Breath acetone serves as a biomarker for diabetes. This article reports 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF4], a type of room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL, as a selective sensing material for acetone. The RTIL sensing layer was coated on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM for detection. The sensing mechanism is based on a decrease in viscosity and density of the [bmim][BF4] film due to the solubilization of acetone leading to a positive frequency shift in the QCM. Acetone was detected with a linear range from 7.05 to 750 ppmv. Sensitivity and limit of detection were found to be 3.49 Hz/ppmv and 5.0 ppmv, respectively. The [bmim][BF4]-modified QCM sensor demonstrated anti-interference ability to commonly found volatile organic compounds in breath, e.g., isoprene, 1,2-pentadiene, d-limonene, and dl-limonene. This technology is useful for applications in non-invasive early diabetic diagnosis.

Towards vibrational spectroscopy on surface-attached colloids performed with a quartz crystal microbalance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diethelm Johannsmann

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Colloidal spheres attached to a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM produce the so-called “coupled resonances”. They are resonators of their own, characterized by a particle resonance frequency, a resonance bandwidth, and a modal mass. When the frequency of the main resonator comes close to the frequency of the coupled resonance, the bandwidth goes through a maximum. A coupled resonance can be viewed as an absorption line in acoustic shear-wave spectroscopy. The known concepts from spectroscopy apply. This includes the mode assignment problem, selection rules, and the oscillator strength. In this work, the mode assignment problem was addressed with Finite Element calculations. These reveal that a rigid sphere in contact with a QCM displays two modes of vibration, termed “slipping” and “rocking”. In the slipping mode, the sphere rotates about its center; it exerts a tangential force onto the resonator surface at the point of contact. In the rocking mode, the sphere rotates about the point of contact; it exerts a torque onto the substrate. In liquids, both axes of rotation are slightly displaced from their ideal positions. Characteristic for spectroscopy, the two modes do not couple to the mechanical excitation equally well. The degree of coupling is quantified by an oscillator strength. Because the rocking mode mostly exerts a torque (rather than a tangential force, its coupling to the resonator's tangential motion is weak; the oscillator strength consequently is small. Recent experiments on surface-adsorbed colloidal spheres can be explained by the mode of vibration being of the rocking type. Keywords: Quartz crystal microbalance, Coupled resonance, Biocolloids, Adsorption

Study of a QCM Dimethyl Methylphosphonate Sensor Based on a ZnO-Modified Nanowire-Structured Manganese Dioxide Film

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guang Li

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Sensitive, selective and fast detection of chemical warfare agents is necessary for anti-terrorism purposes. In our search for functional materials sensitive to dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP, a simulant of sarin and other toxic organophosphorus compounds, we found that zinc oxide (ZnO modification potentially enhances the absorption of DMMP on a manganese dioxide (MnO2 surface. The adsorption behavior of DMMP was evaluated through the detection of tiny organophosphonate compounds with quartz crystal microbalance (QCM sensors coated with ZnO-modified MnO2 nanofibers and pure MnO2 nanofibers. Experimental results indicated that the QCM sensor coated with ZnO-modified nanostructured MnO2 film exhibited much higher sensitivity and better selectivity in comparison with the one coated with pure MnO2 nanofiber film. Therefore, the DMMP sensor developed with this composite nanostructured material should possess excellent selectivity and reasonable sensitivity towards the tiny gaseous DMMP species.

Particle Characterization for a Protein Drug Product Stored in Pre-Filled Syringes Using Micro-Flow Imaging, Archimedes, and Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Songyan; Puri, Aastha; Li, Jinjiang; Jaiswal, Archana; Adams, Monica

2017-01-01

Micro-flow imaging (MFI) has been used for formulation development for analyzing sub-visible particles. Archimedes, a novel technique for analyzing sub-micron particles, has been considered as an orthogonal method to currently existing techniques. This study utilized these two techniques to investigate the effectiveness of polysorbate (PS-80) in mitigating the particle formation of a therapeutic protein formulation stored in silicone oil-coated pre-filled syringes. The results indicated that PS-80 prevented the formation of both protein and silicone oil particles. In the case of protein particles, PS-80 might involve in the interactions with the hydrophobic patches of protein, air bubbles, and the stressed surfaces of silicone oil-coated pre-filled syringes. Such interactions played a role in mitigating the formation of protein particles. Subsequently, quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) was utilized to characterize the interactions associated with silicone oil, protein, and PS-80 in the solutions. Based on QCM-D results, we proposed that PS-80 likely formed a layer on the interior surfaces of syringes. As a result, the adsorbed PS-80 might block the leakage of silicone oil from the surfaces to solution so that the silicone oil particles were mitigated at the presence of PS-80. Overall, this study demonstrated the necessary of utilizing these three techniques cooperatively in order to better understand the interfacial role of PS-80 in mitigating the formation of protein and silicone oil particles.

Accurate dew-point measurement over a wide temperature range using a quartz crystal microbalance dew-point sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Su-Yong; Kim, Jong-Chul; Choi, Buyng-Il

2008-11-01

Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) dew-point sensors are based on frequency measurement, and so have fast response time, high sensitivity and high accuracy. Recently, we have reported that they have the very convenient attribute of being able to distinguish between supercooled dew and frost from a single scan through the resonant frequency of the quartz resonator as a function of the temperature. In addition to these advantages, by using three different types of heat sinks, we have developed a QCM dew/frost-point sensor with a very wide working temperature range (-90 °C to 15 °C). The temperature of the quartz surface can be obtained effectively by measuring the temperature of the quartz crystal holder and using temperature compensation curves (which showed a high level of repeatability and reproducibility). The measured dew/frost points showed very good agreement with reference values and were within ±0.1 °C over the whole temperature range.

Accurate dew-point measurement over a wide temperature range using a quartz crystal microbalance dew-point sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Su-Yong; Kim, Jong-Chul; Choi, Buyng-Il

2008-01-01

Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) dew-point sensors are based on frequency measurement, and so have fast response time, high sensitivity and high accuracy. Recently, we have reported that they have the very convenient attribute of being able to distinguish between supercooled dew and frost from a single scan through the resonant frequency of the quartz resonator as a function of the temperature. In addition to these advantages, by using three different types of heat sinks, we have developed a QCM dew/frost-point sensor with a very wide working temperature range (−90 °C to 15 °C). The temperature of the quartz surface can be obtained effectively by measuring the temperature of the quartz crystal holder and using temperature compensation curves (which showed a high level of repeatability and reproducibility). The measured dew/frost points showed very good agreement with reference values and were within ±0.1 °C over the whole temperature range

Quantitative Rheometry of Thin Soft Materials Using the Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadman, Kazi; Wiener, Clinton G; Weiss, R A; White, Christopher C; Shull, Kenneth R; Vogt, Bryan D

2018-03-20

In the inertial limit, the resonance frequency of the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) is related to the coupled mass on the quartz sensor through the Sauerbrey expression that relates the mass to the change in resonance frequency. However, when the thickness of the film is sufficiently large, the relationship becomes more complicated and both the frequency and damping of the crystal resonance must be considered. In this regime, a rheological model of the material must be used to accurately extract the adhered film's thickness, shear modulus, and viscoelastic phase angle from the data. In the present work we examine the suitability of two viscoelastic models, a simple Voigt model ( Physica Scripta 1999, 59, 391-396) and a more realistic power-law model ( Langmuir 2015, 31, 4008-4017), to extract the rheological properties of a thermoresponsive hydrogel film. By changing temperature and initial dry film thickness of the gel, the operation of QCM was traversed from the Sauerbrey limit, where viscous losses do not impact the frequency, through the regime where the QCM response is sensitive to viscoelastic properties. The density-shear modulus and the viscoelastic phase angle from the two models are in good agreement when the shear wavelength ratio, d/λ n , is in the range of 0.05-0.20, where d is the film thickness and λ n is the wavelength of the mechanical shear wave at the n th harmonic. We further provide a framework for estimating the physical properties of soft materials in the megahertz regime by using the physical behavior of polyelectrolyte complexes. This provides the user with an approximate range of allowable film thicknesses for accurate viscoelastic analysis with either model, thus enabling better use of the QCM-D in soft materials research.

A different point of view on the sensitivity of quartz crystal microbalance sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnau, Antonio; Montagut, Yeison; García, José V; Jiménez, Yolanda

2009-01-01

In this paper, the sensitivity of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor is analysed and discussed in terms of the phase change versus the surface mass change, instead of the classical sensitivity in terms of the resonant frequency change derived from the well-known Sauerbrey equation. The detection sensitivity derived from the Sauerbrey equation is a theoretical detection capability in terms of the frequency change versus the mass change, which increases with the square of frequency. However, when a specific application and measuring system are considered, the detection capability of the QCM sensor must be considered from a different point of view. A new equation is obtained, Δψ ≅ −Δm c /(m q + m L ), which quantifies the phase shift, Δψ, of a fixed frequency signal corresponding to the series resonant frequency of the sensor in a reference state versus a change in the coating mass, Δm c ; m q = η q π/2v q , where η q is the loss viscosity of the unperturbed sensor and v q is the wave propagation speed in quartz, is a parameter which only depends on the physical parameters of the unperturbed resonator and fixes the maximum sensitivity of the sensor and m L = ρ L δ L /2, where ρ L and δ L are, respectively, the liquid density and the wave penetration depth of the wave in the liquid, is the equivalent surface mass density associated with the oscillatory movement of the surface of the sensor in contact with a fluid medium. This equation is an approximate equation around the series resonance frequency of the sensor. The simulation results for 10, 50 and 150 MHz resonance frequency QCM sensors probe its validity. A new electronic system is proposed for QCM biosensor applications based on the equation introduced

A method of layer-by-layer gold nanoparticle hybridization in a quartz crystal microbalance DNA sensing system used to detect dengue virus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, S-H; Chuang, Y-C; Lu, Y-C; Lin, H-C; Yang, Y-L; Lin, C-S

2009-01-01

Dengue virus (DENV) is nowadays the most important arthropod-spread virus affecting humans existing in more than 100 countries worldwide. A rapid and sensitive detection method for the early diagnosis of infectious dengue virus urgently needs to be developed. In the present study, a circulating-flow quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) biosensing method combining oligonucleotide-functionalized gold nanoparticles (i.e. AuNP probes) used to detect DENV has been established. In the DNA-QCM method, two kinds of specific AuNP probes were linked by the target sequences onto the QCM chip to amplify the detection signal, i.e. oscillatory frequency change (ΔF) of the QCM sensor. The target sequences amplified from the DENV genome act as a bridge for the layer-by-layer AuNP probes' hybridization in the method. Besides being amplifiers of the detection signal, the specific AuNP probes used in the DNA-QCM method also play the role of verifiers to specifically recognize their target sequences in the detection. The effect of four AuNP sizes on the layer-by-layer hybridization has been evaluated and it is found that 13 nm AuNPs collocated with 13 nm AuNPs showed the best hybridization efficiency. According to the nanoparticle application, the DNA-QCM biosensing method was able to detect dengue viral RNA in virus-contaminated serum as plaque titers being 2 PFU ml -1 and a linear correlation (R 2 = 0.987) of ΔF versus virus titration from 2 x 10 0 to 2 x 10 6 PFU ml -1 was found. The sensitivity and specificity of the present DNA-QCM method with nanoparticle technology showed it to be comparable to the fluorescent real-time PCR methods. Moreover, the method described herein was shown to not require expensive equipment, was label-free and highly sensitive.

A method of layer-by-layer gold nanoparticle hybridization in a quartz crystal microbalance DNA sensing system used to detect dengue virus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, S-H; Chuang, Y-C; Lu, Y-C; Lin, H-C; Yang, Y-L; Lin, C-S [Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30068, Taiwan (China)], E-mail: lincs@mail.nctu.edu.tw

2009-05-27

Dengue virus (DENV) is nowadays the most important arthropod-spread virus affecting humans existing in more than 100 countries worldwide. A rapid and sensitive detection method for the early diagnosis of infectious dengue virus urgently needs to be developed. In the present study, a circulating-flow quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) biosensing method combining oligonucleotide-functionalized gold nanoparticles (i.e. AuNP probes) used to detect DENV has been established. In the DNA-QCM method, two kinds of specific AuNP probes were linked by the target sequences onto the QCM chip to amplify the detection signal, i.e. oscillatory frequency change ({delta}F) of the QCM sensor. The target sequences amplified from the DENV genome act as a bridge for the layer-by-layer AuNP probes' hybridization in the method. Besides being amplifiers of the detection signal, the specific AuNP probes used in the DNA-QCM method also play the role of verifiers to specifically recognize their target sequences in the detection. The effect of four AuNP sizes on the layer-by-layer hybridization has been evaluated and it is found that 13 nm AuNPs collocated with 13 nm AuNPs showed the best hybridization efficiency. According to the nanoparticle application, the DNA-QCM biosensing method was able to detect dengue viral RNA in virus-contaminated serum as plaque titers being 2 PFU ml{sup -1} and a linear correlation (R{sup 2} = 0.987) of {delta}F versus virus titration from 2 x 10{sup 0} to 2 x 10{sup 6} PFU ml{sup -1} was found. The sensitivity and specificity of the present DNA-QCM method with nanoparticle technology showed it to be comparable to the fluorescent real-time PCR methods. Moreover, the method described herein was shown to not require expensive equipment, was label-free and highly sensitive.

Oscilador para biosensores basado en microbalanza de cristal de cuarzo (QCM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yeison Javier Montagut Ferizzola

2011-01-01

Full Text Available El cristal de cuarzo generalmente es usado en aplicaciones como microbalanza, aprovechando la capacidad que presenta éste para variar su frecuencia de resonancia de acuerdo a los cambios de la densidad superficial de masa depositada en la superficie del resonador. De esta manera, un cristal de cuarzo puede ser utilizado como transductor en un sistema de inmunosensor piezoeléctrico, para detectar uniones antígeno - anticuerpo. En este artículo se presenta una interfaz para microbalanzasde cristal de cuarzo, QCM (del inglés Quartz Crystal Microbalance basado en una versión mejorada de oscilador en configuración diferencial equilibrado y su validación como sistema de caracterización para biosensores. El sistema fue probado con éxito en un inmunosensor piezoeléctrico para la detección del plaguicida Carbaryl.

Micro-balance sensor integrated with atomic layer deposition chamber

Science.gov (United States)

Martinson, Alex B. F.; Libera, Joseph A.; Elam, Jeffrey W.; Riha, Shannon C.

2018-01-02

The invention is directed to QCM measurements in monitoring ALD processes. Previously, significant barriers remain in the ALD processes and accurate execution. To turn this exclusively dedicated in situ technique into a routine characterization method, an integral QCM fixture was developed. This new design is easily implemented on a variety of ALD tools, allows rapid sample exchange, prevents backside deposition, and minimizes both the footprint and flow disturbance. Unlike previous QCM designs, the fast thermal equilibration enables tasks such as temperature-dependent studies and ex situ sample exchange, further highlighting the feasibility of this QCM design for day-to-day use. Finally, the in situ mapping of thin film growth rates across the ALD reactor was demonstrated in a popular commercial tool operating in both continuous and quasi-static ALD modes.

Adsorption characteristics of Au nanoparticles onto poly(4-vinylpyridine) surface revealed by QCM, AFM, UV/vis, and Raman scattering spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kwan; Ryoo, Hyunwoo; Lee, Yoon Mi; Shin, Kuan Soo

2010-02-15

In this work, we report that the adsorption and aggregation processes of Au nanoparticles on a polymer surface can be monitored by means of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. Specifically, we were able to analyze the adsorption process of citrate-stabilized Au nanoparticles onto a film of poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) by taking a series of SERS spectra, during the self-assembly of Au nanoparticles onto the polymer film. In order to better analyze the SERS spectra, we separately conducted quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), UV/vis spectroscopy, and atomic force microscope (AFM) measurements. The adsorption kinetics revealed by QCM under the in situ conditions was in fair agreement with that determined by the ex situ AFM measurement. The number of Au nanoparticles adsorbed on P4VP increased almost linearly with time: 265 Au nanoparticles per 1microm(2) were adsorbed on the P4VP film after 6h of immersion. The SERS signal measured in the ex situ condition showed a more rapid increase than that of QCM; however, its increasing pattern was quite similar to that of UV/vis absorbance at longer wavelengths, suggesting that Au nanoparticles actually became agglomerated on P4VP. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dissolution kinetics of metal coating in HNO3-scCO2 micro-emulsion using QCM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ju, Min Su; Koh, Moon Sung; Park, Kwang Heon; Kim, Hak Won; Kim, Hong Doo

2005-01-01

Radioactive contamination is rising because of an increasing number of nuclear facilities. Among the decontamination methods, the surface decontamination method is especially important. Conventional chemical decontamination methods for surface decontamination cause not only secondary radioactive wastes, but also corrosion and defects on the surface of equipment. Therefore, we require a new surface decontamination method. If CO 2 is used as a solvent for decontamination of radioactive contaminants, the wastes can be effectively reduced by recycling the CO 2 . Supercritical fluid has many good points as a process solvent, including low viscosity, negligible surface tension, and variable selectivity. And supercritical fluids have physical properties of both liquid and gas, such as good penetration with a high dissolution capability. A number of workers applied supercritical CO 2 solvent for cleaning precision devices and waste treatments. Since supercritical CO 2 has its mild critical point at 31 .deg. C and 73.8bar as well as low surface tension, it is a potentially suitable cleaning substance. The operational costs of CO 2 cleaning were estimated to be lower than other cleaning processes. However supercritical CO 2 has limited solubility about contaminated material. To tackle these problem, we researched various aspects of surfactants. Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) is a thickness-shear mode resonator in which the acoustic wave propagates in a direction perpendicular to the crystal surface. The use of QCM as a chemical sensor has its origins in the work of Sauerbrey and King who carried out micro-gravimetric measurements in the gas phase. It was assumed in their work that a thin film applied to a thickness-shear-mode device could be treated in sensor measurements, and a shift in the resonance frequency of an oscillating AT-cut crystal could be correlated quantitatively with a change in mass added to or removed from the surface of the device. Now, the QCM

Electronic Nose using Gas Chromatography Column and Quartz Crystal Microbalance

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Hari Agus Sujono

2011-08-01

Full Text Available The conventional electronic nose usually consists of an array of dissimilar chemical sensors such as quartz crystal microbalance (QCM combined with pattern recognition algorithm such as Neural network. Because of parallel processing, the system needs a huge number of sensors and circuits which may emerge complexity and inter-channel crosstalk problems. In this research, a new type of odor identification which combines between gas chromatography (GC and electronic nose methods has been developed. The system consists of a GC column and a 10-MHz quartz crystal microbalance sensor producing a unique pattern for an odor in time domain. This method offers advantages of substantially reduced size, interferences and power consumption in comparison to existing odor identification system. Several odors of organic compounds were introduced to evaluate the selectivity of the system. Principle component analysis method was used to visualize the classification of each odor in two-dimensional space. This system could resolve common organic solvents, including molecules of different classes (aromatic from alcohols as well as those within a particular class (methanol from ethanol and also fuels (premium from pertamax. The neural network can be taught to recognize the odors tested in the experiment with identification rate of 85 %. It is therefore the system may take the place of human nose, especially for poisonous odor evaluations.

Label Free QCM Immunobiosensor for AFB1 Detection Using Monoclonal IgA Antibody as Recognition Element

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Özlem Ertekin

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This study introduces the use of an IgA isotype aflatoxin (AF specific monoclonal antibody for the development of a highly sensitive Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM immunobiosensor for the detection of AF in inhibitory immunoassay format. The higher molecular weight of IgA antibodies proved an advantage over commonly used IgG antibodies in label free immunobiosensor measurements. IgA and IgG antibodies with similar affinity for AF were used in the comparative studies. Sensor surface was prepared by covalent immobilization of AFB1, using self assembled monolayer (SAM formed on gold coated Quartz Crystal, with 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl carbodiimide/N-hydroxy succinimide (EDC/NHS method using a diamine linker. Nonspecific binding to the surface was decreased by minimizing the duration of EDC/NHS activation. Sensor surface was chemically blocked after AF immobilization without any need for protein blocking. This protein free sensor chip endured harsh solutions with strong ionic detergent at high pH, which is required for the regeneration of the high affinity antibody-antigen interaction. According to the obtained results, the detection range with IgA antibodies was higher than IgG antibodies in QCM immunosensor developed for AFB1.

Hexamethyldisiloxane thin films as sensitive coating for quartz crystal microbalance based volatile organic compounds sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boutamine, M.; Bellel, A.; Sahli, S.; Segui, Y.; Raynaud, P.

2014-01-01

Hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) thin films coated quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) electrodes have been characterized for the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The sensitive coatings were plasma polymerized in pure vapor of HMDSO and HMDSO/O 2 mixture. The sensor sensitivity was evaluated by monitoring the frequency shift (∆f) of the coated QCM electrode exposed to different concentrations of VOC vapors, such as ethanol, methanol, benzene and chloroform. The isotherm response characteristics showed good reproducibility and reversibility. For all types of analyte, ∆f were found to be linearly correlated with the concentration of VOC vapor. It was shown that it is possible to tune the chemical affinity of the sensor by changing the oxygen ratio in the deposition gas mixture. Contact angle measurements (CA), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to study surface wettability, chemical composition and surface morphology of the coated QCM electrodes. ATR-FTIR analysis showed the presence of methyl groups around 840 cm −1 due to Si-(CH 3 ) 3 rocking vibration making the elaborated sensor surface hydrophobic. When the coating is performed in HMDSO/O 2 mixture, AFM and SEM images showed an increase in the effective specific surface area of the sensor due to the increase in surface roughness. Surface morphology combined with chemical composition significantly affects the sensitivity of the QCM-based sensor. - Highlights: • Hexamethyldisiloxane layers were evaluated for volatile organic compounds detection. • The kinetic response of the sensor showed good reproducibility and reversibility. • Hydrophobic coating and high specific surface area increase the sensor sensitivity. • Sensor affinity can be controlled by controlling oxygen proportion in the mixture

The use of a quartz crystal microbalance as an analytical tool to monitor particle/surface and particle/particle interactions under dry ambient and pressurized conditions: a study using common inhaler components.

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, N W; Bloxham, M; Piletsky, S A; Whitcombe, M J; Chianella, I

2016-12-19

Metered dose inhalers (MDI) and multidose powder inhalers (MPDI) are commonly used for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and asthma. Currently, analytical tools to monitor particle/particle and particle/surface interaction within MDI and MPDI at the macro-scale do not exist. A simple tool capable of measuring such interactions would ultimately enable quality control of MDI and MDPI, producing remarkable benefits for the pharmaceutical industry and the users of inhalers. In this paper, we have investigated whether a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) could become such a tool. A QCM was used to measure particle/particle and particle/surface interactions on the macroscale, by additions of small amounts of MDPI components, in the powder form into a gas stream. The subsequent interactions with materials on the surface of the QCM sensor were analyzed. Following this, the sensor was used to measure fluticasone propionate, a typical MDI active ingredient, in a pressurized gas system to assess its interactions with different surfaces under conditions mimicking the manufacturing process. In both types of experiments the QCM was capable of discriminating interactions of different components and surfaces. The results have demonstrated that the QCM is a suitable platform for monitoring macro-scale interactions and could possibly become a tool for quality control of inhalers.

Development of a QCM-D biosensor for Ochratoxin A detection in red wine.

Science.gov (United States)

Karczmarczyk, Aleksandra; Haupt, Karsten; Feller, Karl-Heinz

2017-05-01

Ochratoxin A (OTA), a highly toxic compound, is one of the most widely spread mycotoxins that contaminates a large variety of agricultural commodities. Due to its presence in the food chain, it imposes a hazard on both human and animal health. Therefore, there is a need for precise, fast and simple methods for toxin quantification. Herein, a novel sensor based on a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and antibodies for specific analyte recognition was developed for rapid and sensitive detection of OTA in red wine. The combination of indirect competitive assay with QCM-D gives a straightforward device, which can simultaneously measure frequency (Δf) and dissipation (ΔD) changes resulting in detailed information about the mass attached to the sensor surface as well as conformational changes, viscoelastic properties and the hydration state of the film. Small molecules (such as OTA) suffer from poor LOD due to the high concentration of primary antibody needed to generate adequate signal. In the present study, amplification of the QCM-D signal was obtained by applying secondary antibodies conjugated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Thanks to this, a linear detection range of 0.2-40ngmL -1 has been achieved with an excellent LOD of 0.16ngmL -1, which is one order of magnitude lower than LOD specified by European Union legislation concerning the limit of OTA in food. Moreover, a matrix effect (caused by the occurrence of polyphenols in wine) and associated non-specific interactions with the sensor surface was completely eliminated by a simple pre-treatment of the wine with the addition of 3% poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Whole-bacterium SELEX of DNA aptamers for rapid detection of E.coli O157:H7 using a QCM sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xiaofan; Chen, Fang; Wang, Ronghui; Li, Yanbin

2018-01-20

The rapid detection of foodborne pathogens is critical to ensure food safety. The objective of this study is to select aptamers specifically bound to Escherichia coli O157:H7 using the whole-bacterium SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment) and apply the selected aptamer to a QCM (quartz crystal microbalance) sensor for rapid and sensitive detection of target bacteria. A total of 19 rounds of selection against live E. coli O157:H7 and 6 rounds of counter selection against a mixture of Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella Typhimurium, were performed. The aptamer pool from the last round was cloned and sequenced. One sequence S1 that appeared 16 times was characterized and a dissociation constant (K d ) of 10.30nM was obtained. Subsequently, a QCM aptasensor was developed for the rapid detection of E. coli O157:H7. The limit of detection (LOD) and the detection time of the aptasensor was determined to be 1.46×10 3 CFU/ml and 50min, respectively. This study demonstrated that the ssDNA aptamer selected by the whole-bacterium SELEX possessed higher sensitivity than previous work and the potential use of the constructed QCM aptasensor in rapid screening of foodborne pathogens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The impact of water and hydrocarbon concentration on the sensitivity of a polymer-based quartz crystal microbalance sensor for organic compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pejcic, Bobby; Crooke, Emma; Doherty, Cara M.; Hill, Anita J.; Myers, Matthew; Qi, Xiubin; Ross, Andrew

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The response of a polymer coated QCM sensor is affected by water soaking time. → Polymer-water interfacial processes influence the QCM sensitivity for hydrocarbons. → The QCM sensitivity of high Tg polymer films is affected by plasticization processes. - Abstract: Long-term environmental monitoring of organic compounds in natural waters requires sensors that respond reproducibly and linearly over a wide concentration range, and do not degrade with time. Although polymer coated piezoelectric based sensors have been widely used to detect hydrocarbons in aqueous solution, very little information exists regarding their stability and suitability over extended periods in water. In this investigation, the influence of water aging on the response of various polymer membranes [polybutadiene (PB), polyisobutylene (PIB), polystyrene (PS), polystyrene-co-butadiene (PSB)] was studied using the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). QCM measurements revealed a modest increase in sensitivity towards toluene for PB and PIB membranes at concentrations above 90 ppm after aging in water for 4 days. In contrast, the sensitivity of PS and PSB coated QCM sensors depended significantly on the toluene concentration and increased considerably at concentrations above 90 ppm after aging in water for 4 days. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) showed that there is a change in the sorption mechanism at higher toluene levels for PS and PSB. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) studies were performed to investigate the free volume properties of all polymers and to monitor any changes in the free volume size and distribution due to water and toluene exposure. The PALS did not detect any considerable variation in the free volume properties of the polymer films as a function of solution composition and soaking time, implying that viscoelastic and/or interfacial processes (i.e. surface area changes) are probably responsible

Quartz-crystal microbalance study for characterizing atomic oxygen in plasma ash tools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srivastava, A.K.; Sakthivel, P.

2001-01-01

This article discusses the measurement of atomic oxygen (AO) concentrations in an oxygen discharge using a quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM). This is a device that has been previously used for monitoring thin-film deposition, among several other applications. The sensor consists of a silver-coated quartz crystal that oscillates at its specific resonant frequency (typically, at about 6 MHz), which is dependent on the mass of the crystal. When exposed to AO, the silver oxidizes rapidly, resulting in a change in its mass, and a consequent change in this frequency. The frequency change is measured with a counter, and when plotted versus time, it may be fit to a standard diffusion-limited oxide-growth model. This model is then used to determine the specific AO flux to the crystal, and by inference, to the wafer. Initial results of QCM measurements in the FusionGemini Plasma Asher (GPL TM -standard downstream microwave asher) and FusionGemini Enhanced Strip (GES TM -fluorine compatible enhanced strip asher) are presented in this article. The results indicate AO densities of the order of 10 12 cm -3 on the wafer. There is a marked increase in AO concentration with addition of nitrogen into the plasma, and a decrease in AO concentration with increasing pressure at constant flow. Effects of increasing the total plasma volume in the enhanced strip tool on AO production are discussed

40 CFR 86.1312-2007 - Filter stabilization and microbalance workstation environmental conditions, microbalance...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 19 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Filter stabilization and microbalance workstation environmental conditions, microbalance specifications, and particulate matter filter handling and... Particulate Exhaust Test Procedures § 86.1312-2007 Filter stabilization and microbalance workstation...

Development of a high-pressure microbalance for hydrogen storage materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestbø, Andreas Peter; Jensen, Jens Oluf; Bjerrum, Niels

2007-01-01

Pressure-composition isotherms (PCI's) help to determine thermodynamic properties related to hydrogen uptake of materials. PCI's are normally obtained volumetrically with a Sieverts type apparatus or gravimetrically with a microbalance. A potential problem with the gravimetric technique is that t......Pressure-composition isotherms (PCI's) help to determine thermodynamic properties related to hydrogen uptake of materials. PCI's are normally obtained volumetrically with a Sieverts type apparatus or gravimetrically with a microbalance. A potential problem with the gravimetric technique...... of an electromagnetic microbalance, pressure resistant casing for up to 100 bar hydrogen, a flow system for hydrogen and inert gas, heating elements for temperature control, and software for controlling the system. Thermal convection effects are observed and dampened by heating on both the sample and a counterweight...

Does the Sauerbrey equation hold true for binding of peptides and globular proteins to a QCM?

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Jean E. Sohna Sohna

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The term ‘microbalance’ arose after Sauerbrey showed a mass per unit area dependence on sensor frequency change for thin, solid films on a QCM. Others have extrapolated this relationship to interactions with biological ‘soft’ matter using acoustic wave devices. We rigorously examined the relationship between QCM frequency change and the molecular weight of protein and peptide analytes on a RAP♦id 4™ system using more than 120 individual assays. A series of amino acid, peptides and proteins with molecular weight from 372 to 150,000 Da constituting a molecular weight ladder were biotinylated with a target biotin/protein ratio close to one to minimize avidity effects. Analyte concentration and contact time were chosen so as to attain near saturation of an anti-biotin antibody surface. The series resistance and resonant frequency changes (dF and dR arising from a 5-parameter fit of the imaginary component of the impedance signal were analysed, giving a linear relationship (R2 = 0.98 between frequency response and analyte molecular weight, even down to level of a single amino-acid. As predicted by theory, there was also a linear relationship between the changes in density and viscosity of the liquid in contact with the sensor and both dF and dR. The resistance and resonance frequency changes recorded for mixtures of deuterium oxide and glycerol were the sum of changes induced by each individual liquid. Hence the Sauerbrey equation for mass per unit area dependence of QCM signal does hold true for peptides and proteins in a liquid. Keywords: Calibration, Quartz crystal microbalance, Thickness shear mode, Biosensor, Microfluidics, Resonant acoustic profiling

Detection of Stress Hormone in the Milk for Animal Welfare Using QCM Method

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Takeshi Ito

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We developed a rapid and sequential analysis system to determine stress marker in the milk. One of the famous stress markers, cortisol, was detected using our method. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM method with a twin sensor was used in this study. One channel detected stress marker corresponding to antigen-antibody interaction and the other channel was used as a reference to remove environmental influences. Although nonspecific adsorption was monitored on each channel, frequency difference between them was within a few Hz on the injection of sample solution. One determination cycle including regeneration step could be performed within 10 minutes. The system could detect the cortisol level from 0.1 pg/mL to 100 pg/mL. These results show that our system has a potential to check the daily feeding condition for cows in terms of animal welfare.

Quartz crystal microbalance sensor using ionophore for ammonium ion detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kosaki, Yasuhiro; Takano, Kosuke; Citterio, Daniel; Suzuki, Koji; Shiratori, Seimei

2012-01-01

Ionophore-based quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) ammonium ion sensors with a detection limit for ammonium ion concentrations as low as 2.2 microM were fabricated. Ionophores are molecules, which selectively bind a particular ion. In this study, one of the known ionophores for ammonium, nonactin, was used to detect ammonium ions for environmental in-situ monitoring of aquarium water for the first time. To fabricate the sensing films, poly(vinyl chloride) was used as the matrix for the immobilization of nonactin. Furthermore, the anionic additive, tetrakis (4-chlorophenyl) borate potassium salt and the plasticizer dioctyl sebacate were used to enhance the sensor properties. The sensor allowed detecting ammonium ions not only in static solution, but also in flowing water. The sensor showed a nearly linear response with the increase of the ammonium ion concentration. The QCM resonance frequency increased with the increase of ammonium ion concentration, suggesting a decreasing weight of the sensing film. The detailed response mechanism could not be verified yet. However, from the results obtained when using a different plasticizer, nitrophenyl octyl ether, it is considered that this effect is caused by the release of water molecules. Consequently, the newly fabricated sensor detects ammonium ions by discharge of water. It shows high selectivity over potassium and sodium ions. We conclude that the newly fabricated sensor can be applied for detecting ammonium ions in aquarium water, since it allows measuring low ammonium ion concentrations. This sensor will be usable for water quality monitoring and controlling.

Highly selective detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms using a quartz crystal microbalance biosensor based on the toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dingzhong; Tang, Wei; Wu, Xiaojie; Wang, Xinyi; Chen, Gengjia; Chen, Qiang; Li, Na; Liu, Feng

2012-08-21

Toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction (SDR) is first introduced to develop a simple quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) biosensor without an enzyme or label at normal temperature for highly selective and sensitive detection of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the p53 tumor suppressor gene. A hairpin capture probe with an external toehold is designed and immobilized on the gold electrode surface of QCM. A successive SDR is initiated by the target sequence hybridization with the toehold domain and ends with the unfolding of the capture probe. Finally, the open-loop capture probe hybridizes with the streptavidin-coupled reporter probe as an efficient mass amplifier to enhance the QCM signal. The proposed biosensor displays remarkable specificity to target the p53 gene fragment against single-base mutant sequences (e.g., the largest discrimination factor is 63 to C-C mismatch) and high sensitivity with the detection limit of 0.3 nM at 20 °C. As the crucial component of the fabricated biosensor for providing the high discrimination capability, the design rationale of the capture probe is further verified by fluorescence sensing and atomic force microscopy imaging. Additionally, a recovery of 84.1% is obtained when detecting the target sequence in spiked HeLa cells lysate, demonstrating the feasibility of employing this biosensor in detecting SNPs in biological samples.

Biomimetic Receptors for Bioanalyte Detection by Quartz Crystal Microbalances — From Molecules to Cells

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Usman Latif

2014-12-01

Full Text Available A universal label-free detection of bioanalytes can be performed with biomimetic quartz crystal microbalance (QCM coatings prepared by imprinting strategies. Bulk imprinting was used to detect the endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs known as estradiols. The estrogen 17β-estradiol is one of the most potent EDCs, even at very low concentrations. A highly sensitive, selective and robust QCM sensor was fabricated for real time monitoring of 17β-estradiol in water samples by using molecular imprinted polyurethane. Optimization of porogen (pyrene and cross-linker (phloroglucinol levels leads to improved sensitivity, selectivity and response time of the estradiol sensor. Surface imprinting of polyurethane as sensor coating also allowed us to generate interaction sites for the selective recognition of bacteria, even in a very complex mixture of interfering compounds, while they were growing from their spores in nutrient solution. A double molecular imprinting approach was followed to transfer the geometrical features of natural bacteria onto the synthetic polymer to generate biomimetic bacteria. The use of biomimetic bacteria as template makes it possible to prepare multiple sensor coatings with similar sensitivity and selectivity. Thus, cell typing, e.g., differentiation of bacteria strains, bacteria growth profile and extent of their nutrition, can be monitored by biomimetic mass sensors. Obviously, this leads to controlled cell growth in bioreactors.

Determining the Optimum Exposure and Recovery Periods for Efficient Operation of a QCM Based Elemental Mercury Vapor Sensor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. M. Mohibul Kabir

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, mass based transducers such as quartz crystal microbalance (QCM have gained huge interest as potential sensors for online detection of elemental mercury (Hg0 vapor from anthropogenic sources due to their high portability and robust nature enabling them to withstand harsh industrial environments. In this study, we determined the optimal Hg0 exposure and recovery times of a QCM based sensor for ensuring its efficient operation while monitoring low concentrations of Hg0 vapor (<400 ppbv. The developed sensor was based on an AT-cut quartz substrate and utilized two gold (Au films on either side of the substrate which functions as the electrodes and selective layer simultaneously. Given the temporal response mechanisms associated with mass based mercury sensors, the experiments involved the variation of Hg0 vapor exposure periods while keeping the recovery time constant following each exposure and vice versa. The results indicated that an optimum exposure and recovery periods of 30 and 90 minutes, respectively, can be utilized to acquire the highest response magnitudes and recovery rate towards a certain concentration of Hg0 vapor whilst keeping the time it takes to report an accurate reading by the sensor to a minimum level as required in real-world applications.

Bacterial interactions with proteins and cells relevant to the development of life-threatening endocarditis studied by use of a quartz-crystal microbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Krajewski, Stefanie; Rheinlaender, Johannes; Ries, Philip; Canjuga, Denis; Mack, Carmen; Scheideler, Lutz; Schäffer, Tilman E; Geis-Gerstorfer, Jürgen; Wendel, Hans-Peter; Rupp, Frank

2014-05-01

Implant-related infections are a major challenge in clinical routine because of severe complications, for example infective endocarditis (IE). The purpose of this study was to investigate the real-time interaction of S. gordonii with proteins and cells important in the development of IE, in a flow system, by use of a quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM). Acoustic sensors were biologically modified by preconditioning with sterile saliva, platelet-poor plasma (PPP), or platelet-rich plasma (PRP), followed then by perfusion of a bacterial suspension. After perfusion, additional fluorescence and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies were performed. The surface structure of S. gordonii was analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Compared with S. gordonii adhesion on the abiotic sensor surface following normal mass loading indicated by a frequency decrease, adhesion on saliva, PPP, or PRP-conditioned sensors resulted in an increase in frequency. Furthermore, adhesion induced slightly increased damping signals for saliva and PPP-coated sensors but a decrease upon bacterial adhesion to PRP, indicating the formation of a more rigid biofilm. Microscopic analysis confirmed the formation of dense and vital bacterial layers and the aggregation of platelets and bacteria. In conclusion, our study shows that the complex patterns of QCM output data observed are strongly dependent on the biological substrate and adhesion mechanisms of S. gordonii. Overall, QCM sheds new light on the pathways of such severe infections as IE.

Determination of the potentiostatic stability of PEMFC electro catalysts at elevated temperatures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dam, V.A.T.; Jayasayee, K.; Bruijn, de F.A.

2009-01-01

The electrochemical stability of platinum on carbon catalyst (Hispec TM 4000, Johnson Matthey) has been investigated predominantly at constant potentials ranging from 0.95 to 1.25 V at elevated temperatures. By combining a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) with electrochemical techniques, dynamic

Adsorption Device Based on a Langatate Crystal Microbalance for High Temperature High Pressure Gas Adsorption in Zeolite H-ZSM-5.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Wenjin; Baracchini, Giulia; Klumpp, Michael; Schwieger, Wilhelm; Dittmeyer, Roland

2016-08-25

We present a high-temperature and high-pressure gas adsorption measurement device based on a high-frequency oscillating microbalance (5 MHz langatate crystal microbalance, LCM) and its use for gas adsorption measurements in zeolite H-ZSM-5. Prior to the adsorption measurements, zeolite H-ZSM-5 crystals were synthesized on the gold electrode in the center of the LCM, without covering the connection points of the gold electrodes to the oscillator, by the steam-assisted crystallization (SAC) method, so that the zeolite crystals remain attached to the oscillating microbalance while keeping good electroconductivity of the LCM during the adsorption measurements. Compared to a conventional quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) which is limited to temperatures below 80 °C, the LCM can realize the adsorption measurements in principle at temperatures as high as 200-300 °C (i.e., at or close to the reaction temperature of the target application of one-stage DME synthesis from the synthesis gas), owing to the absence of crystalline-phase transitions up to its melting point (1,470 °C). The system was applied to investigate the adsorption of CO2, H2O, methanol and dimethyl ether (DME), each in the gas phase, on zeolite H-ZSM-5 in the temperature and pressure range of 50-150 °C and 0-18 bar, respectively. The results showed that the adsorption isotherms of these gases in H-ZSM-5 can be well fitted by Langmuir-type adsorption isotherms. Furthermore, the determined adsorption parameters, i.e., adsorption capacities, adsorption enthalpies, and adsorption entropies, compare well to literature data. In this work, the results for CO2 are shown as an example.

NCO-sP(EO-stat-PO Coatings on Gold Sensors—a QCM Study of Hemocompatibility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frank K. Gehring

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The reliability of implantable blood sensors is often hampered by unspecific adsorption of plasma proteins and blood cells. This not only leads to a loss of sensor signal over time, but can also result in undesired host vs. graft reactions. Within this study we evaluated the hemocompatibility of isocyanate conjugated star shaped polytheylene oxide—polypropylene oxide co-polymers NCO-sP(EO-stat-PO when applied to gold surfaces as an auspicious coating material for gold sputtered blood contacting sensors. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM sensors were coated with ultrathin NCO-sP(EO-stat-PO films and compared with uncoated gold sensors. Protein resistance was assessed by QCM measurements with fibrinogen solution and platelet poor plasma (PPP, followed by quantification of fibrinogen adsorption. Hemocompatibility was tested by incubation with human platelet rich plasma (PRP. Thrombin antithrombin-III complex (TAT, β-thromboglobulin (β-TG and platelet factor 4 (PF4 were used as coagulation activation markers. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM was used to visualize platelet adhesion to the sensor surfaces. Compared to uncoated gold sensors, NCO-sP(EO-stat-PO coated sensors revealed significant better resistance against protein adsorption, lower TAT generation and a lower amount of adherent platelets. Moreover, coating with ultrathin NCO-sP(EO-stat-PO films creates a cell resistant hemocompatible surface on gold that increases the chance of prolonged sensor functionality and can easily be modified with specific receptor molecules.

Immersion angle dependence of the resonant-frequency shift of the quartz crystal microbalance in a liquid: effects of longitudinal wave.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshimoto, Minoru; Kobirata, Satoshi; Aizawa, Hideo; Kurosawa, Shigeru

2007-06-19

We investigated the effects of the longitudinal wave on the immersion angle dependence of the resonant-frequency shift, deltaF, of the quartz crystal microbalance, QCM. In order to study exactly the effects, we employed the three types of cells: normal cell, cell with the glass beads and cell with sponge. The longitudinal wave exists in the normal cell. On the other hand, both the cell with the glass beads and the cell with sponge eliminate the longitudinal wave. As results, we have found that the tendencies of deltaF are the same in the three types of cells. That is, we conclude that the longitudinal wave does not have effects on the immersion angle dependence of deltaF.

Micro-ball lens structure fabrication based on drop on demand printing the liquid mold

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Xiaoyang, E-mail: zhuxy1026@163.com; Zhu, Li, E-mail: zhuli@njust.edu.cn; Chen, Hejuan; Yang, Lijun; Zhang, Weiyi

2016-01-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • The glycerol micro-ball droplet was introduced to be as liquid mold to fabricate micro-ball lens. • A molding process was used to fabricate the micro-ball lens and the scales of them can be controlled. • The accurate molding process is mainly attributed to the ultrahigh adhesion of the treated substrate. • The micro-ball lenses with contact angle of 120° and 150° were fabricated, analyzed and discussed. - Abstract: In this paper, we demonstrated a simple micro-ball lens array (MBLA) fabrication method using a drop-on-demand (DOD) droplet printing technique and liquid mold. The micro-ball droplet array on the hydrophobic surface is used as the liquid mold to fabricate the MBLA. The ultrahigh adhesion force between the micro-ball droplet and the substrate is ascribed to the Wenzel state of the micro-ball droplet, while the replication process with low position error is attributed to the ultrahigh adhesion force between the micro-ball droplet and the substrate and the high viscosity of the micro-ball droplet and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) liquid. The micro-ball lenses (MBLs) with a contact angle of 120° and 150° were fabricated and the important fabrication details were discussed. The optical performance and scanning electron microscope (SEM) data of the MBLs showed that the MBLs had high quality surface morphology and good optical performance.

Rapid Detection of Microorganisms Based on Active and Passive Modes of QCM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zdeněk Farka

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Label-free immunosensors are well suited for detection of microorganisms because of their fast response and reasonable sensitivity comparable to infection doses of common pathogens. Active (lever oscillator and frequency counter and passive (impedance analyzer modes of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM were used and compared for rapid detection of three strains of E. coli. Different approaches for antibody immobilization were compared, the immobilization of reduced antibody using Sulfo‑SMCC was most effective achieving the limit of detection (LOD 8 × 104 CFU·mL−1 in 10 min. For the passive mode, software evaluating impedance characteristics in real-time was developed and used. Almost the same results were achieved using both active and passive modes confirming that the sensor properties are not limited by the frequency evaluation method but mainly by affinity of the antibody. Furthermore, reference measurements were done using surface plasmon resonance. Effect of condition of cells on signal was observed showing that cells ruptured by ultrasonication provided slightly higher signal changes than intact microbes.

Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

2014-11-06

Hydroxyapatite , 10 nm, Sensors • Biotin Functionalized on Gold Sensors • His-tag Capturing Sensor QCM-D techniques provide answers about...mass and structural changes at the nanoscale level. The instrumentation was used to characterize the interaction between small molecules or polymers...The equipment was used mostly for the investigation of interfaces and processes involving silk or silk-based peptides and inorganic components, to

A Review of Interface Electronic Systems for AT-cut Quartz Crystal Microbalance Applications in Liquids.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnau, Antonio

2008-01-21

From the first applications of AT-cut quartz crystals as sensors in solutionsmore than 20 years ago, the so-called quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor isbecoming into a good alternative analytical method in a great deal of applications such asbiosensors, analysis of biomolecular interactions, study of bacterial adhesion at specificinterfaces, pathogen and microorganism detection, study of polymer film-biomolecule orcell-substrate interactions, immunosensors and an extensive use in fluids and polymercharacterization and electrochemical applications among others. The appropriateevaluation of this analytical method requires recognizing the different steps involved andto be conscious of their importance and limitations. The first step involved in a QCMsystem is the accurate and appropriate characterization of the sensor in relation to thespecific application. The use of the piezoelectric sensor in contact with solutions stronglyaffects its behavior and appropriate electronic interfaces must be used for an adequatesensor characterization. Systems based on different principles and techniques have beenimplemented during the last 25 years. The interface selection for the specific application isimportant and its limitations must be known to be conscious of its suitability, and foravoiding the possible error propagation in the interpretation of results. This article presentsa comprehensive overview of the different techniques used for AT-cut quartz crystalmicrobalance in in-solution applications, which are based on the following principles:network or impedance analyzers, decay methods, oscillators and lock-in techniques. Theelectronic interfaces based on oscillators and phase-locked techniques are treated in detail,with the description of different configurations, since these techniques are the most used inapplications for detection of analytes in solutions, and in those where a fast sensorresponse is necessary.

A Review of Interface Electronic Systems for AT-cut Quartz Crystal Microbalance Applications in Liquids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Arnau

2008-01-01

Full Text Available From the first applications of AT-cut quartz crystals as sensors in solutionsmore than 20 years ago, the so-called quartz crystal microbalance (QCM sensor isbecoming into a good alternative analytical method in a great deal of applications such asbiosensors, analysis of biomolecular interactions, study of bacterial adhesion at specificinterfaces, pathogen and microorganism detection, study of polymer film-biomolecule orcell-substrate interactions, immunosensors and an extensive use in fluids and polymercharacterization and electrochemical applications among others. The appropriateevaluation of this analytical method requires recognizing the different steps involved andto be conscious of their importance and limitations. The first step involved in a QCMsystem is the accurate and appropriate characterization of the sensor in relation to thespecific application. The use of the piezoelectric sensor in contact with solutions stronglyaffects its behavior and appropriate electronic interfaces must be used for an adequatesensor characterization. Systems based on different principles and techniques have beenimplemented during the last 25 years. The interface selection for the specific application isimportant and its limitations must be known to be conscious of its suitability, and foravoiding the possible error propagation in the interpretation of results. This article presentsa comprehensive overview of the different techniques used for AT-cut quartz crystalmicrobalance in in-solution applications, which are based on the following principles:network or impedance analyzers, decay methods, oscillators and lock-in techniques. Theelectronic interfaces based on oscillators and phase-locked techniques are treated in detail,with the description of different configurations, since these techniques are the most used inapplications for detection of analytes in solutions, and in those where a fast sensorresponse is necessary.

Conformational and mechanical changes of DNA upon transcription factor binding detected by a QCM and transmission line model.

Science.gov (United States)

de-Carvalho, Jorge; Rodrigues, Rogério M M; Tomé, Brigitte; Henriques, Sílvia F; Mira, Nuno P; Sá-Correia, Isabel; Ferreira, Guilherme N M

2014-04-21

A novel quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) analytical method is developed based on the transmission line model (TLM) algorithm to analyze the binding of transcription factors (TFs) to immobilized DNA oligoduplexes. The method is used to characterize the mechanical properties of biological films through the estimation of the film dynamic shear moduli, G and G, and the film thickness. Using the Saccharomyces cerevisiae transcription factor Haa1 (Haa1DBD) as a biological model two sensors were prepared by immobilizing DNA oligoduplexes, one containing the Haa1 recognition element (HRE(wt)) and another with a random sequence (HRE(neg)) used as a negative control. The immobilization of DNA oligoduplexes was followed in real time and we show that DNA strands initially adsorb with low or non-tilting, laying flat close to the surface, which then lift-off the surface leading to final film tilting angles of 62.9° and 46.7° for HRE(wt) and HRE(neg), respectively. Furthermore we show that the binding of Haa1DBD to HRE(wt) leads to a more ordered and compact film, and forces a 31.7° bending of the immobilized HRE(wt) oligoduplex. This work demonstrates the suitability of the QCM to monitor the specific binding of TFs to immobilized DNA sequences and provides an analytical methodology to study protein-DNA biophysics and kinetics.

Transient kinetic studies of pH-dependent hydrolyses by exo-type carboxypeptidase P on a 27-MHz quartz crystal microbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Furusawa, Hiroyuki; Takano, Hiroki; Okahata, Yoshio

2008-02-15

pH-Dependent kinetic parameters (k(on), k(off), and k(cat)) of protein (myoglobin) hydrolyses catalyzed by exo-enzyme (carboxypeptidase P, CPP) were obtained by using a protein-immobilized quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) in acidic aqueous solutions. The formation of the enzyme-substrate (ES) complex (k(on)), the decay of the ES complex (k(off)), and the formation of the product (k(cat)) could be analyzed by transient kinetics as mass changes on the QCM plate. The Kd (k(off)/k(on)) value was different from the Michaelis constant Km calculated from (k(off) + k(cat))/k(on) due to k(cat) > k(off). The rate-determining step was the binding step (k(on), and the catalytic rate k(cat) was faster than other k(on) and k(off) values. In the range of pH 2.5-5.0, values of k(on) gradually increased with decreasing pH showing a maximum at pH 3.7, values of k(off) were independent of pH, and k(cat) increased gradually with decreasing pH. As a result, the apparent rate constant (k(cat)/Km) showed a maximum at pH 3.7 and gradually increased with decreasing pH. The optimum pH at 3.7 of k(on) is explained by the optimum binding ability of CPP to the COOH terminus of the substrate with hydrogen bonds. The increase of k(cat) at the lower pH correlated with the decrease of alpha-helix contents of the myoglobin substrate on the QCM.

Establishing linear solvation energy relationships between VOCs and monolayer-protected gold nanoclusters using quartz crystal microbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chi-Lin; Lu, Chia-Jung

2009-08-15

Linear solvation energy relationships (LSERs) have been recognized as a useful model for investigating the chemical forces behind the partition coefficients between vapor molecules and absorbents. This study is the first to determine the solvation properties of monolayer-protected gold nanoclusters (MPCs) with different surface ligands. The ratio of partition coefficients/MPC density (K/rho) of 18 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for four different MPCs obtained through quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) experiments were used for the LSER model calculations. LSER modeling results indicate that all MPC surfaces showed a statistically significant (pattraction, 4-methoxythiophenol-capped MPCs can also interact with polar organics (s=1.04). Showing a unique preference for the hydrogen bond basicity of vapors (b=1.11), 2-benzothiazolethiol-capped MPCs provide evidence of an intra-molecular, proton-shift mechanism on surface of nano-gold.

Surface-Initiated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization and Electrografting Technique as a Means For Attaining Tailor-Made Polymer Coatings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chernyy, Sergey

2012-01-01

strategies for initiator grafting, physicochemical properties of polymer brushes and basic principles of quartz crystal microbalance technique (QCM) are discussed. In Chapter 2 various ATRP conditions are probed. The effects of solvent polarity, monomer concentration, initiator surface density, ligand nature......Atom transfer radical polymerization initiated from a surface of various substrates (SI-ATRP) has become a progressively popular technique for obtaining thin polymer films with predetermined properties. The present work addresses the main features of SI-ATRP with respect to the controllability...... and temperature on the kinetics of methyl methacrylate polymerization are elucidated. The strategy was based on the observation of dry polymer thickness versus time evolution by means of ellipsometry, profilometry and IR spectroscopy. An alternative approach, constituting Chapter 3, was based on optimization...

First results with the Microball and Gammasphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarantites, D.G.; Hua, P.F.; LaFosse, D.

1994-01-01

The Microball, an improved 4π multi-detector array, was used recently in conjunction with Gammasphere in three experiments. Highlights of the first results are presented here. The Microball consists of 95 CsI(T ell) scintillation detectors with individual Si photodiode readout, arranged in 9 rings. In these first experiments the Microball performed as designed, but the results in new physics exceeded the authors' expectations. They can say with certainty that by its powerful channel selection the Microball enhanced the performance of Gammasphere by one full coincidence fold. This was possible for all exit channels involving charged particle emission, with increasing performance benefit as one progressed to lighter reaction systems. They summarize the essential characteristics of the Microball and give some performance benchmarks. A detailed description of the Microball is given

In situ QCM and TM-AFM investigations of the early stages of degradation of silver and copper surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kleber, Ch.; Hilfrich, U.; Schreiner, M.

2007-01-01

The early stages of atmospheric corrosion of pure copper and pure silver specimens were investigated performing in situ tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TM-AFM), in situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The information obtained by TM-AFM is the change of the topography of the sample surfaces with emphasis on the shape and lateral distribution of the corrosion products grown within the first hours of weathering. The simultaneously performed in situ QCM measurements are indicating the mass changes due to possibly occurring corrosive processes on the surface during weathering and are therefore a valuable tool for the determination of corrosion rates. Investigations were carried out in synthetic air at different levels of relative humidity (RH) with and without addition of 250 ppb SO 2 as acidifying agent. On a polished copper surface the growth of corrosion products could be observed by TM-AFM analysis at 60% RH without any addition of acidifying gases [M. Wadsak, M. Schreiner, T. Aastrup, C. Leygraf, Surf. Sci. 454-456 (2000) 246-250]. On a weathered copper surface the addition of SO 2 to the moist air stream leads to the formation of additional features as already described in the literature [M. Wadsak, M. Schreiner, T. Aastrup, C. Leygraf, Surf. Sci. 454-456 (2000) 246-250; Ch. Kleber, J. Weissenrieder, M. Schreiner, C. Leygraf, Appl. Surf. Sci. 193 (2002) 245-253]. Exposing a silver specimen to humidity leads to the degradation of the surface structure as well as to a formation of corrosion products, which could be detected by in situ QCM measurements. After addition of 250 ppb SO 2 to the moist gas stream an increase of the formed feature's volume on the silver surface could be observed by TM-AFM measurements. The results obtained additionally from the in situ QCM measurements confirm the influence of SO 2 due to a further increase of the mass of the formed corrosion layer (and therefore an increase of the

A quick responding quartz crystal microbalance sensor array based on molecular imprinted polyacrylic acids coating for selective identification of aldehydes in body odor.

Science.gov (United States)

Jha, Sunil K; Hayashi, Kenshi

2015-03-01

In present work, a novel quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor array has been developed for prompt identification of primary aldehydes in human body odor. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) are prepared using the polyacrylic acid (PAA) polymer matrix and three organic acids (propenoic acid, hexanoic acid and octanoic acid) as template molecules, and utilized as QCM surface coating layer. The performance of MIP films is characterized by 4-element QCM sensor array (three coated with MIP layers and one with pure PAA for reference) dynamic and static responses to target aldehydes: hexanal, heptanal, and nonanal in single, binary, and tertiary mixtures at distinct concentrations. The target aldehydes were selected subsequent to characterization of body odor samples with solid phase-micro extraction gas chromatography mass spectrometer (SPME-GC-MS). The hexanoic acid and octanoic acid imprinted PAA exhibit fast response, and better sensitivity, selectivity and reproducibility than the propenoic acid, and non-imprinted PAA in array. The response time and recovery time for hexanoic acid imprinted PAA are obtained as 5 s and 12 s respectively to typical concentrations of binary and tertiary mixtures of aldehydes using the static response. Dynamic sensor array response matrix has been processed with principal component analysis (PCA) for visual, and support vector machine (SVM) classifier for quantitative identification of target odors. Aldehyde odors were identified successfully in principal component (PC) space. SVM classifier results maximum recognition rate 79% for three classes of binary odors and 83% including single, binary, and tertiary odor classes in 3-fold cross validation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fundamental study on dissolution behavior of poly(methyl methacrylate) by quartz crystal microbalance

Science.gov (United States)

Konda, Akihiro; Yamamoto, Hiroki; Yoshitake, Shusuke; Kozawa, Takahiro

2016-03-01

Ionizing radiations such as extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and electron beam (EB) are the most promising exposure source for next-generation lithographic technology. In the realization of high resolution lithography, it is necessary for resist materials to improve the trade-off relationship among sensitivity, resolution, and line width roughness (LWR). In order to overcome them, it is essential to understand basic chemistry of resist matrices in resist processes. In particular, the dissolution process of resist materials is a key process. Therefore, it is essential for next-generation resist design for ionizing radiation to clarify the dissolution behavior of the resist film into developer. However, the details in dissolution process of EUV and EB resist films have not been investigated thus far. In this study, main chain scission and dissolution behavior of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as main chain scission type resist was investigated using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) in order to understand the relationship between the degree of PMMA degradation and dissolution behavior. The relationship between the molecular weight after irradiation and the swelling behavior was clarified.

Use of the quartz crystal microbalance to determine the monomeric friction coefficient of polyimides

Science.gov (United States)

Bechtold, Mary M.

1995-01-01

When a thin film of polymer is coated on to a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), the QCM can be used to detect the rate of increase in weight of the polymer film as the volatile penetrant diffuses into the polymer. From this rate information the diffusion coefficient of the penetrant into the polymer can be computed. Calculations requiring this diffusion coefficient lead to values which approximate the monomeric friction coefficient of the polymer. This project has been concerned with the trial of crystal oscillating circuits suitable for driving polymer coated crystals in an atmosphere of penetrant. For these studies done at room temperature, natural rubber was used as an easily applied polymer that is readily penetrated by toluene vapors, qualities anticipated with polyimides when they are tested at T(g) in the presence of toluene. Three quartz crystal oscillator circuits were tested. The simplest circuit used +/- 5 volt dc and had a transistor to transistor logic (TTL) inverter chip that provides a 180 deg phase shift via a feed back loop. This oscillator circuit was stable but would not drive the crystal when the crystal was coated with polymer and subjected to toluene vapors. Removal of a variable resistor from this circuit increased stability but did not otherwise increase performance. Another driver circuit tested contained a two stage differential input, differential output, wide band video amplifier and also contain a feed back loop. The circuit voltage could not be varied and operated at +/- 5 volts dc; this circuit was also stable but failed to oscillate the polymer coated crystal in an atmosphere saturated with toluene vapors. The third oscillator circuit was of similar construction and relied on the same video amplifier but allowed operation with variable voltage. This circuit would drive the crystal when the crystal was submerged in liquid toluene and when the crystal was coated with polymer and immersed in toluene vapors. The frequency readings

Bovine serum albumin bioconjugated graphene oxide: Red blood cell adhesion and hemolysis studied by QCM-D

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Bing; Hu, Kebang; Li, Chunming; Jin, Jing; Hu, Yuexin

2015-11-01

Graphene oxide (GO) had great potential in various applications especial biomedical materials. In this study, we improved the hemocompatibility especial hemolysis properties of GO nanosheets by grafting bovine serum albumin (BSA). The hemocompatibility of GO-g-BSA was improved. The hemolysis ratio of GO-g-BSA was lower than 0.2% and no visible hemoglobin release was observed. In a flowed condition, the interaction between GO and RBC was monitored real time by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) and the hemolysis rates of eluted RBC solution was determined. The balance between the adsorption and degradation of RBC on the surface of GO was a linear process. The GO-g-BSA surface decreased the adhesion of RBC in a flowed condition, maintained the morphology of RBC and reduced the hemolysis rate in the most effective manner. The inert of BSA resisted GO interacting with the lipid bilayers of RBC and the negative charge on the surface of BSA repelled the approach of negative charged RBC. The excellent hemocompatibility of the BSA modified GO might confer its great potentials for various biomedical applications.

QCM gas sensor characterization of ALD-grown very thin TiO2 films

Science.gov (United States)

Boyadjiev, S.; Georgieva, V.; Vergov, L.; Szilágyi, I. M.

2018-03-01

The paper presents a technology for preparation and characterization of titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films suitable for gas sensor applications. Applying atomic layer deposition (ALD), very thin TiO2 films were deposited on quartz resonators, and their gas sensing properties were studied using the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method. The TiO2 thin films were grown using Ti(iOPr)4 and water as precursors. The surface of the films was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), coupled with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) used for a composition study. The research was focused on the gas-sensing properties of the films. Films of 10-nm thickness were deposited on quartz resonators with Au electrodes and the QCMs were used to build highly sensitive gas sensors, which were tested for detecting NO2. Although very thin, these ALD-grown TiO2 films were sensitive to NO2 already at room temperature and could register as low concentrations as 50 ppm, while the sorption was fully reversible, and the sensors could be fully recovered. With the technology presented, the manufacturing of gas sensors is simple, fast and cost-effective, and suitable for energy-effective portable equipment for real-time environmental monitoring of NO2.

The calibration of Andersen Mark-II and California measurements PC-2 QCM cascade impactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horton, K.D.; Mitchell, J.P.

1990-05-01

Andersen Mark-II and California Measurements PC-2 quartz-crystal (QCM) cascade impactors have been calibrated with monodisperse aerosol particles. Both the Andersen and QCM impactors were determined to be reliable instruments: the advantage of the QCM impactor is that real-time monitoring of aerosol behaviour is possible, using short measurement times. However, care is needed to interpret the QCM data if this instrument is used to sample aerosols that carry an unknown or significant electrostatic charge. (author)

Effect of iodine solutions on polyaniline films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayad, M.M.; Amer, W.A.; Stejskal, J.

2009-01-01

Polyaniline (PANI) emeraldine-base films have been exposed to iodine solutions. The interaction between the films and the iodine solution was studied using the quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) technique and the UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. The iodine-treated film of emeraldine base was subjected to dedoping process using 0.1 M ammonia solution. The resulting film was exposed again to the previously used iodine solution. Iodine was found to play multiple roles: the ring-iodination of PANI film, the oxidation of PANI to pernigraniline base, and iodine doping to PANI salt. A sensor based on PANI-coated electrode of QCM was developed to monitor the presence of iodine in solution.

A survey of the 2001 to 2005 quartz crystal microbalance biosensor literature: applications of acoustic physics to the analysis of biomolecular interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Matthew A; Singleton, Victoria T

2007-01-01

The widespread exploitation of biosensors in the analysis of molecular recognition has its origins in the mid-1990s following the release of commercial systems based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR). More recently, platforms based on piezoelectric acoustic sensors (principally 'bulk acoustic wave' (BAW), 'thickness shear mode' (TSM) sensors or 'quartz crystal microbalances' (QCM)), have been released that are driving the publication of a large number of papers analysing binding specificities, affinities, kinetics and conformational changes associated with a molecular recognition event. This article highlights salient theoretical and practical aspects of the technologies that underpin acoustic analysis, then reviews exemplary papers in key application areas involving small molecular weight ligands, carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, viruses, bacteria, cells and lipidic and polymeric interfaces. Key differentiators between optical and acoustic sensing modalities are also reviewed. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Surface modification of poly (styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene) elastomer and its plasma protein adsorption by QCM-D

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Rui [Northeast Normal University, School of Physics, Changchun 130022 (China); Jin, Jing, E-mail: jjin@ciac.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022 (China); Sun, Yingchun, E-mail: sunyc149@nenu.edu.cn [Northeast Normal University, School of Physics, Changchun 130022 (China)

2014-05-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Grafting concentration of PEG was defined by the peak-area ratio of [C–O]/[C]. • Quantitatively investigated the adsorption processes of BSA and fibrinogen using QCM-D. • The inactivated BSA on SEBS surface could induce the subsequent fibrinogen adsorption. • SEBS-g-PEG with graft concentration of 0.207 has excellent protein resistance. - Abstract: Protein adsorption is a dynamic process and plays a major role in determining the hemocompatibility of biomaterials. We have obtained different poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) graft concentrations of SEBS-g-PEG and the surface chemical compositions are confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Graft concentration is defined by peak-area ratio of [C-O]/[C] on modified SEBS surface. With increasing graft concentration, water contact angles of the modified SEBS have significantly decreased. The platelet adhesion and static protein adsorption demonstrate that the hemocompatibility of copolymers films are improved effectively and SEBS-g-PEG-2 with larger graft concentration has more superior anticoagulation than that of SEBS-g-PEG-1. Moreover, we have quantitatively investigated the adsorption process of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and fibrinogen (Fib) on the surfaces of pristine SEBS and modified SEBS using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) in real time. The results indicate that the inactivated BSA on the pristine SEBS can continuously induce the subsequent Fib adsorption. The hemocompatibility of SEBS-g-PEG-2 with the graft concentration of 0.207 has excellent anti-protein property and the bio-inert BSA layer on the film can resist the subsequent Fib adsorption.

Pharmacokinetics of Chiral Dendrimer-Triamine-Coordinated Gd-MRI Contrast Agents Evaluated by in Vivo MRI and Estimated by in Vitro QCM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuka Miyake

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Recently, we developed novel chiral dendrimer-triamine-coordinated Gd-MRI contrast agents (Gd-MRI CAs, which showed longitudinal relaxivity (r1 values about four times higher than that of clinically used Gd-DTPA (Magnevist®, Bayer. In our continuing study of pharmacokinetic differences derived from both the chirality and generation of Gd-MRI CAs, we found that the ability of chiral dendrimer Gd-MRI CAs to circulate within the body can be directly evaluated by in vitro MRI (7 T. In this study, the association constants (Ka of chiral dendrimer Gd-MRI CAs to bovine serum albumin (BSA, measured and calculated with a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM in vitro, were found to be an extremely easy means for evaluating the body-circulation ability of chiral dendrimer Gd-MRI CAs. The Ka values of S-isomeric dendrimer Gd-MRI CAs were generally greater than those of R-isomeric dendrimer Gd-MRI CAs, which is consistent with the results of our previous MRI study in vivo.

Miniature quartz crystal-resonator-based thermogravimetric detector.

Science.gov (United States)

Sai, N; Tagawa, Y; Sohgawa, M; Abe, T

2014-09-01

In this work, a new design for a microheater combined with a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) array for thermogravimetric analysis is presented. Each QCM consists of two electrodes to excite thickness-shear-mode vibrations and one microheater to increase the temperature on the crystal backside. In addition, all the electrode pads are patterned on the crystal backside, making the design of the QCM compact and user-friendly. Finally, the proposed QCM array was employed to separate ethanol from methanol. This was successfully achieved via thermal desorption spectra calculated by differentiating the frequency changes.

Au-Interaction of Slp1 Polymers and Monolayer from Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-B53 - QCM-D, ICP-MS and AFM as Tools for Biomolecule-metal Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Suhr, Matthias; Raff, Johannes; Pollmann, Katrin

2016-01-01

In this publication the gold sorption behavior of surface layer (S-layer) proteins (Slp1) of Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-B53 is described. These biomolecules arrange in paracrystalline two-dimensional arrays on surfaces, bind metals, and are thus interesting for several biotechnical applications, such as biosorptive materials for the removal or recovery of different elements from the environment and industrial processes. The deposition of Au(0) nanoparticles on S-layers, either by S-layer directed synthesis 1 or adsorption of nanoparticles, opens new possibilities for diverse sensory applications. Although numerous studies have described the biosorptive properties of S-layers 2-5, a deeper understanding of protein-protein and protein-metal interaction still remains challenging. In the following study, inductively coupled mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for the detection of metal sorption by suspended S-layers. This was correlated to measurements of quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), which allows the online detection of proteinaceous monolayer formation and metal deposition, and thus, a more detailed understanding on metal binding. The ICP-MS results indicated that the binding of Au(III) to the suspended S-layer polymers is pH dependent. The maximum binding of Au(III) was obtained at pH 4.0. The QCM-D investigations enabled the detection of Au(III) sorption as well as the deposition of Au(0)-NPs in real-time during the in situ experiments. Further, this method allowed studying the influence of metal binding on the protein lattice stability of Slp1. Structural properties and protein layer stability could be visualized directly after QCM-D experiment using atomic force microscopy (AFM). In conclusion, the combination of these different methods provides a deeper understanding of metal binding by bacterial S-layer proteins in suspension or as monolayers on either bacterial cells or recrystallized surfaces. PMID:26863150

Classification of Multiple Chinese Liquors by Means of a QCM-based E-Nose and MDS-SVM Classifier.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qiang; Gu, Yu; Jia, Jing

2017-01-30

Chinese liquors are internationally well-known fermentative alcoholic beverages. They have unique flavors attributable to the use of various bacteria and fungi, raw materials, and production processes. Developing a novel, rapid, and reliable method to identify multiple Chinese liquors is of positive significance. This paper presents a pattern recognition system for classifying ten brands of Chinese liquors based on multidimensional scaling (MDS) and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms in a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM)-based electronic nose (e-nose) we designed. We evaluated the comprehensive performance of the MDS-SVM classifier that predicted all ten brands of Chinese liquors individually. The prediction accuracy (98.3%) showed superior performance of the MDS-SVM classifier over the back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) classifier (93.3%) and moving average-linear discriminant analysis (MA-LDA) classifier (87.6%). The MDS-SVM classifier has reasonable reliability, good fitting and prediction (generalization) performance in classification of the Chinese liquors. Taking both application of the e-nose and validation of the MDS-SVM classifier into account, we have thus created a useful method for the classification of multiple Chinese liquors.

Classification of Multiple Chinese Liquors by Means of a QCM-based E-Nose and MDS-SVM Classifier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiang Li

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Chinese liquors are internationally well-known fermentative alcoholic beverages. They have unique flavors attributable to the use of various bacteria and fungi, raw materials, and production processes. Developing a novel, rapid, and reliable method to identify multiple Chinese liquors is of positive significance. This paper presents a pattern recognition system for classifying ten brands of Chinese liquors based on multidimensional scaling (MDS and support vector machine (SVM algorithms in a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-based electronic nose (e-nose we designed. We evaluated the comprehensive performance of the MDS-SVM classifier that predicted all ten brands of Chinese liquors individually. The prediction accuracy (98.3% showed superior performance of the MDS-SVM classifier over the back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN classifier (93.3% and moving average-linear discriminant analysis (MA-LDA classifier (87.6%. The MDS-SVM classifier has reasonable reliability, good fitting and prediction (generalization performance in classification of the Chinese liquors. Taking both application of the e-nose and validation of the MDS-SVM classifier into account, we have thus created a useful method for the classification of multiple Chinese liquors.

In Situ Adsorption Studies at the Solid/Liquid Interface: Characterization of Biological Surfaces and Interfaces Using Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, and Quartz Crystal Microbalance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, D.C.

2006-01-01

Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) have been used to study the molecular surface structure, surface topography and mechanical properties, and quantitative adsorbed amount of biological molecules at the solid-liquid interface. The molecular-level behavior of designed peptides adsorbed on hydrophobic polystyrene and hydrophilic silica substrates has been examined as a model of protein adsorption on polymeric biomaterial surfaces. Proteins are such large and complex molecules that it is difficult to identify the features in their structure that lead to adsorption and interaction with solid surfaces. Designed peptides which possess secondary structure provide simple model systems for understanding protein adsorption. Depending on the amino acid sequence of a peptide, different secondary structures (α-helix and β-sheet) can be induced at apolar (air/liquid or air/solid) interfaces. Having a well-defined secondary structure allows experiments to be carried out under controlled conditions, where it is possible to investigate the affects of peptide amino acid sequence and chain length, concentration, buffering effects, etc. on adsorbed peptide structure. The experiments presented in this dissertation demonstrate that SFG vibrational spectroscopy can be used to directly probe the interaction of adsorbing biomolecules with a surface or interface. The use of well designed model systems aided in isolation of the SFG signal of the adsorbing species, and showed that surface functional groups of the substrate are sensitive to surface adsorbates. The complementary techniques of AFM and QCM allowed for deconvolution of the effects of surface topography and coverage from the observed SFG spectra. Initial studies of biologically relevant surfaces are also presented: SFG spectroscopy was used to study the surface composition of common soil bacteria for use in bioremediation of nuclear waste

In Situ Adsorption Studies at the Solid/Liquid Interface:Characterization of Biological Surfaces and Interfaces Using SumFrequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy,and Quartz Crystal Microbalance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phillips, Diana Christine [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2006-01-01

Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) have been used to study the molecular surface structure, surface topography and mechanical properties, and quantitative adsorbed amount of biological molecules at the solid-liquid interface. The molecular-level behavior of designed peptides adsorbed on hydrophobic polystyrene and hydrophilic silica substrates has been examined as a model of protein adsorption on polymeric biomaterial surfaces. Proteins are such large and complex molecules that it is difficult to identify the features in their structure that lead to adsorption and interaction with solid surfaces. Designed peptides which possess secondary structure provide simple model systems for understanding protein adsorption. Depending on the amino acid sequence of a peptide, different secondary structures (α-helix and β-sheet) can be induced at apolar (air/liquid or air/solid) interfaces. Having a well-defined secondary structure allows experiments to be carried out under controlled conditions, where it is possible to investigate the affects of peptide amino acid sequence and chain length, concentration, buffering effects, etc. on adsorbed peptide structure. The experiments presented in this dissertation demonstrate that SFG vibrational spectroscopy can be used to directly probe the interaction of adsorbing biomolecules with a surface or interface. The use of well designed model systems aided in isolation of the SFG signal of the adsorbing species, and showed that surface functional groups of the substrate are sensitive to surface adsorbates. The complementary techniques of AFM and QCM allowed for deconvolution of the effects of surface topography and coverage from the observed SFG spectra. Initial studies of biologically relevant surfaces are also presented: SFG spectroscopy was used to study the surface composition of common soil bacteria for use in bioremediation of nuclear waste.

Probing absorption of deuterium into palladium cathodes during D2O electrolysis with an in situ electrochemical microbalance technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oyama, Noboru; Yamamoto, Nobushige; Hatozaki, Osamu; Ohsaka, Takeo

1990-01-01

The in situ observation of the absorption of deuterium (or hydrogen) into the Pd cathode during D 2 O (or H 2 O) electrolysis was made by an electrochemical microbalance technique which is based on the quartz-crystal electrode. The resonant frequency of the Pd-coated quartz-crystal electrode decreased with increasing amount of charge passed during electrolysis, and the frequency change for the D 2 O electrolysis was about twice that for the H 2 O electrolysis. The atom ratios of H/Pd and D/Pd of the H-Pd and D-Pd compounds resulting from the electrolysis were estimated to be 0.59 and 0.57, respectively. (author)

Molecularly Imprinted Sol-Gel-Based QCM Sensor Arrays for the Detection and Recognition of Volatile Aldehydes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chuanjun Liu

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The detection and recognition of metabolically derived aldehydes, which have been identified as important products of oxidative stress and biomarkers of cancers; are considered as an effective approach for early cancer detection as well as health status monitoring. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM sensor arrays based on molecularly imprinted sol-gel (MISG materials were developed in this work for highly sensitive detection and highly selective recognition of typical aldehyde vapors including hexanal (HAL; nonanal (NAL and bezaldehyde (BAL. The MISGs were prepared by a sol-gel procedure using two matrix precursors: tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS and tetrabutoxytitanium (TBOT. Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APT; diethylaminopropyltrimethoxysilane (EAP and trimethoxy-phenylsilane (TMP were added as functional monomers to adjust the imprinting effect of the matrix. Hexanoic acid (HA; nonanoic acid (NA and benzoic acid (BA were used as psuedotemplates in view of their analogous structure to the target molecules as well as the strong hydrogen-bonding interaction with the matrix. Totally 13 types of MISGs with different components were prepared and coated on QCM electrodes by spin coating. Their sensing characters towards the three aldehyde vapors with different concentrations were investigated qualitatively. The results demonstrated that the response of individual sensors to each target strongly depended on the matrix precursors; functional monomers and template molecules. An optimization of the 13 MISG materials was carried out based on statistical analysis such as principle component analysis (PCA; multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA. The optimized sensor array consisting of five channels showed a high discrimination ability on the aldehyde vapors; which was confirmed by quantitative comparison with a randomly selected array. It was suggested that both the molecularly imprinting (MIP effect and the matrix

In Situ Real-Time Mechanical and Morphological Characterization of Electrodes for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion by Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Shpigel, Netanel; Levi, Mikhael D; Sigalov, Sergey; Daikhin, Leonid; Aurbach, Doron

2018-01-16

Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) generates surface-acoustic waves in quartz crystal plates that can effectively probe the structure of films, particulate composite electrodes of complex geometry rigidly attached to quartz crystal surface on one side and contacting a gas or liquid phase on the other side. The output QCM-D characteristics consist of the resonance frequency (MHz frequency range) and resonance bandwidth measured with extra-ordinary precision of a few tenths of Hz. Depending on the electrodes stiffness/softness, QCM-D operates either as a gravimetric or complex mechanical probe of their intrinsic structure. For at least 20 years, QCM-D has been successfully used in biochemical and environmental science and technology for its ability to probe the structure of soft solvated interfaces. Practical battery and supercapacitor electrodes appear frequently as porous solids with their stiffness changing due to interactions with electrolyte solutions or as a result of ion intercalation/adsorption and long-term electrode cycling. Unfortunately, most QCM measurements with electrochemical systems are carried out based on a single (fundamental) frequency and, as such, provided that the resonance bandwidth remains constant, are suitable for only gravimetric sensing. The multiharmonic measurements have been carried out mainly on conducting/redox polymer films rather than on typical composite battery/supercapacitor electrodes. Here, we summarize the most recent publications devoted to the development of electrochemical QCM-D (EQCM-D)-based methodology for systematic characterization of mechanical properties of operating battery/supercapacitor electrodes. By varying the electrodes' composition and structure (thin/thick layers, small/large particles, binders with different mechanical properties, etc.), nature of the electrolyte solutions and charging/cycling conditions, the method is shown to be operated in different application modes. A

Surface modification by cold-plasma technique for dental implants—Bio-functionalization with binding pharmaceuticals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masao Yoshinari

2011-08-01

At the bone tissue/implant interface, a thin calcium phosphate coating and rapid heating with infrared radiation were effective in controlling the dissolution without cracking the coating. These thin calcium phosphate coatings may directly promote osteogenisis, but also enable immobilization and subsequent drug delivery system (DDS of bisphosphonates. Simvastatin is also an effective candidate that is reported to increase the expression of BMP-2. The thin-film of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO was plasma-polymerized onto titanium, and then HMDSO surface was activated by O2-plasma treatment. A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D technique demonstrated that simvastatin was immobilized on the plasma-treated surfaces due to introduction of O2-functional groups. At the soft tissue/implant interface, multi-grooved surface topographies and utilizing the adhesive proteins such as fibronectin or laminin-5 may help in providing a biological seal around the implant. At the oral fluid/implant interface, an alumina coating, F+-implantation and immobilization of anti-microbial peptides were responsible for inhibiting the biofilm accumulation.

Relation between EPS adherence, viscoelastic properties, and MBR operation: Biofouling study with QCM-D.

Science.gov (United States)

Sweity, Amer; Ying, Wang; Ali-Shtayeh, Mohammed S; Yang, Fei; Bick, Amos; Oron, Gideon; Herzberg, Moshe

2011-12-01

Membrane fouling is one of the main constraints of the wide use of membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology. The biomass in MBR systems includes extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), metabolic products of active microbial secretion that adversely affect the membrane performance. Solids retention time (SRT) in the MBR is one of the most important parameters affecting membrane fouling in MBR systems, where fouling is minimized at optimal SRT. Among the operating parameters in MBR systems, SRT is known to strongly influence the ratio of proteins to polysaccharides in the EPS matrix. In this study, we have direct evidence for changes in EPS adherence and viscoelastic properties due to changes in the sludge removal rate that strongly correlate with the membrane fouling rate and EPS composition. EPS were extracted from a UF membrane in a hybrid growth MBR operated at sludge removal rates of 59, 35.4, 17.7, and 5.9 L day(-1) (corresponding SRT of 3, 5, 10, and 30 days, respectively). The EPS adherence and adsorption kinetics were carried out in a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) technology in several adsorption measurements to a gold sensor coated with Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF). EPS adsorption to the sensor surface is characterized by a decrease of the oscillation frequency and an increase in the dissipation energy of the sensor during parallel flow of aqueous media, supplemented with EPS, above the sensor surface. The results from these experiments were further modeled using the Voigt based model, in which the thickness, shear modulus, and shear viscosity values of the adsorbed EPS layers on the PVDF crystal were calculated. The observations in the QCM-D suggested that the elevated fouling of the UF membrane is due to higher adherence of the EPS as well as reduction in viscosity and elasticity of the EPS adsorbed layer and elevation of the EPS fluidity. These results corroborate with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) image

Prototypes of Newly Conceived Inorganic and Biological Sensors for Health and Environmental Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosanna Spera

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the optimal implementation of three newly conceived sensors for both health and environmental applications, utilizing a wide range of detection methods and complex nanocomposites. The first one is inorganic and based on matrices of calcium oxide, the second is based on protein arrays and a third one is based on Langmuir-Blodgett laccase multi-layers. Special attention was paid to detecting substances significant to the environment (such as carbon dioxide and medicine (drug administration, cancer diagnosis and prognosis by means of amperometric, quartz crystal microbalance with frequency (QCM_F and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM_D technologies. The resulting three implemented nanosensors are described here along with proofs of principle and their corresponding applications.

Quartz microbalance device for transfer into ultrahigh vacuum systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stavale, F.; Achete, C. A.; Niehus, H.

2008-01-01

An uncomplicated quartz microbalance device has been developed which is transferable into ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) systems. The device is extremely useful for flux calibration of different kinds of material evaporators. Mounted on a commercial specimen holder, the device allows fast quartz microbalance transfer into the UHV and subsequent positioning exactly to the sample location where subsequent thin film deposition experiments shall be carried out. After backtransfer into an UHV sample stage, the manipulator may be loaded in situ with the specimen suited for the experiment. The microbalance device capability is demonstrated for monolayer and submonolayer vanadium depositions with an achieved calibration sensitivity of less the 0.001 ML coverage.

40 CFR 92.110 - Weighing chamber and micro-balance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Weighing chamber and micro-balance. 92... Weighing chamber and micro-balance. (a) Ambient conditions—(1) Temperature. The temperature of the chamber... shall be 45±8 percent during all filter conditioning and weighing. The dew point shall be 6.4 to 12.4 °C...

Preconditioning of model biocarriers by soluble pollutants: a QCM-D study.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Hui; Ding, Li-li; Ren, Hong-qiang; Geng, Jin-ju; Xu, Ke; Zhang, Yan

2015-04-08

Preconditioning of a biocarrier surface is the first step in triggering biofilm formation in attached-growth bioreactors. However, the quantification and control of this step as influenced by solution conditions and biocarrier properties have been rarely explored. In this paper, deposition behaviors of soluble pollutants on the model biocarriers polystyrene (PS) and polyamide (PA) were performed using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). Three types of wastewater from municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants and 12 synthetic wastewaters with different configurations of model macromolecules (bovine serum albumin and sodium alginate) and ionic compositions (Na(+) and Ca(2+)) were prepared. Results showed that high organic contents (protein and humic acid) in real wastewater increased deposition compared to the impact of ions on the two types of carriers. For synthetic wastewater, an interesting phenomenon was observed in that the presence of Ca(2+) can transform a thin and rigid adlayer into a denser and viscoelastic one on the surface of PS with low organic contents, yet a viscoelastic adlayer can directly form on PS and an increase in the ionic strength hinders deposition in the presence of high organic contents. The deposition of solutes on PA produces a thicker and viscoelastic adlayer that is strengthened an elevated concentration of organic materials. Additionally, a weakening effect of Ca(2+) on deposition was revealed under high ionic strength. This is the first demonstration of control strategies for preconditioning hydrophilic and hydrophobic biocarriers under different water quality conditions and has important implications for the design of a start-up process for biofilm formation in attached-growth bioreactors.

Probing adsorption of polyacrylamide-based polymers on anisotropic Basal planes of kaolinite using quartz crystal microbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Alagha, Lana; Wang, Shengqun; Yan, Lujie; Xu, Zhenghe; Masliyah, Jacob

2013-03-26

Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) was applied to investigate the adsorption characteristics of polyacrylamide-based polymers (PAMs) on anisotropic basal planes of kaolinite. Kaolinite basal planes were differentiated by depositing kaolinite nanoparticles (KNPs) on silica and alumina sensors in solutions of controlled pH values. Adsorption of an in-house synthesized organic-inorganic Al(OH)3-PAM (Al-PAM) as an example of cationic hybrid PAM and a commercially available partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (MF1011) as an example of anionic PAM was studied. Cationic Al-PAM was found to adsorb irreversibly and preferentially on tetrahedral silica basal planes of kaolinite. In contrast, anionic MF1011 adsorbed strongly on aluminum-hydroxy basal planes, while its adsorption on tetrahedral silica basal planes was weak and reversible. Adsorption study revealed that both electrostatic attraction and hydrogen-bonding mechanisms contribute to adsorption of PAMs on kaolinite. The adsorbed Al-PAM layer was able to release trapped water overtime and became more compact, while MF1011 film became more dissipative as backbones stretched out from kaolinite surface with minimal overlapping. Experimental results obtained from this study provide clear insights into the phenomenon that governs flocculation-based solid-liquid separation processes using multicomponent flocculants of anionic and cationic nature.

Acoustical sensing of cardiomyocyte cluster beating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tymchenko, Nina; Kunze, Angelika [Dept. of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Göteborg (Sweden); Dahlenborg, Kerstin [Cellectis, 413 46 Göteborg (Sweden); Svedhem, Sofia, E-mail: sofia.svedhem@chalmers.se [Dept. of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Göteborg (Sweden); Steel, Daniella [Cellectis, 413 46 Göteborg (Sweden)

2013-06-14

Highlights: •An example of the application of QCM-D to live cell studies. •Detection of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte cluster beating. •Clusters were studied in a thin liquid film and in a large liquid volume. •The QCM-D beating profile provides an individual fingerprint of the hPS-CMCs. -- Abstract: Spontaneously beating human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes clusters (CMCs) represent an excellent in vitro tool for studies of human cardiomyocyte function and for pharmacological cardiac safety assessment. Such testing typically requires highly trained operators, precision plating, or large cell quantities, and there is a demand for real-time, label-free monitoring of small cell quantities, especially rare cells and tissue-like structures. Array formats based on sensing of electrical or optical properties of cells are being developed and in use by the pharmaceutical industry. A potential alternative to these techniques is represented by the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) technique, which is an acoustic surface sensitive technique that measures changes in mass and viscoelastic properties close to the sensor surface (from nm to μm). There is an increasing number of studies where QCM-D has successfully been applied to monitor properties of cells and cellular processes. In the present study, we show that spontaneous beating of CMCs on QCM-D sensors can be clearly detected, both in the frequency and the dissipation signals. Beating rates in the range of 66–168 bpm for CMCs were detected and confirmed by simultaneous light microscopy. The QCM-D beating profile was found to provide individual fingerprints of the hPS-CMCs. The presented results point towards acoustical assays for evaluation cardiotoxicity.

Thermo-mechanical design and testing of a microbalance for space applications

Science.gov (United States)

Scaccabarozzi, Diego; Saggin, Bortolino; Tarabini, Marco; Palomba, Ernesto; Longobardo, Andrea; Zampetti, Emiliano

2014-12-01

This work focuses on the thermo-mechanical design of the microbalance used for the VISTA (Volatile In Situ Thermogravimetry Analyzer) sensor. VISTA has been designed to operate in situ in different space environments (asteroids, Mars, icy satellites). In this paper we focus on its application on Mars, where the expected environmental conditions are the most challenging for the thermo-mechanical design. The microbalance holding system has been designed to ensure piezoelectric crystal integrity against the high vibration levels during launch and landing and to cope with the unavoidable thermo-elastic differential displacements due to CTE and temperature differences between the microbalance elements. The crystal holding system, based on three symmetrical titanium supports, provides also the electrical connections needed for crystal actuation, microbalance heating and temperature measurement on the electrode area. On the microbalance crystal surfaces the electrodes, a micro film heater (optimized to perform thermo-gravimetric analysis up to 400 °C) and a resistive thermometer are deposited through a vacuum sputtering process. A mockup of the system has been manufactured and tested at the expected vibration levels and the thermal control effectiveness has been verified in thermo-vacuum environment.

Real-time and label-free analysis of binding thermodynamics of carbohydrate-protein interactions on unfixed cancer cell surfaces using a QCM biosensor

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xueming; Song, Siyu; Shuai, Qi; Pei, Yihan; Aastrup, Teodor; Pei, Yuxin; Pei, Zhichao

2015-01-01

A novel approach to the study of binding thermodynamics and kinetics of carbohydrate-protein interactions on unfixed cancer cell surfaces using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) biosensor was developed, in which binding events take place at the cell surface, more closely mimicking a biologically relevant environment. In this study, colon adenocarcinoma cells (KM-12) and ovary adenocarcinoma cells (SKOV-3) grew on the optimized polystyrene-coated biosensor chip without fixation. The association and dissociation between the cell surface carbohydrates and a range of lectins, including WGA, Con A, UEA-I, GS-II, PNA and SBA, were monitored in real time and without label for evaluation of cell surface glycosylation. Furthermore, the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of the interaction between lectins and cell surface glycan were studied, providing detailed information about the interactions, such as the association rate constant, dissociation rate constant, affinity constant, as well as the changes of entropy, enthalpy and Gibbs free energy. This application provides an insight into the cell surface glycosylation and the complex molecular recognition on the intact cell surface, which may have impacts on disease diagnosis and drug discovery. PMID:26369583

Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Deposition on Model Environmental Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Deposition of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) on model environmental surfaces was investigated using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). Deposition behaviors of MWNTs on positively and negatively charged surfaces were in good agreement with Der...

Hydrophobic ZnO-TiO2 Nanocomposite with Photocatalytic Promoting Self-Cleaning Surface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiang Wei

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The hydrophobicity and self-cleaning are the important influence factors on the precision and environment resistance of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM in detecting organic gas molecules. In this paper, ZnO nanorod array is prepared via the in situ method on the QCM coated with Au film via hydrothermal process. ZnO nanorod array film on QCM is modified by β-CD in hydrothermal process and then decorated by TiO2 after being impregnated in P25 suspension. The results show that as-prepared ZnO-TiO2 nanocomposite exhibits excellent hydrophobicity for water molecules and superior self-cleaning property for organic molecules under UV irradiation.

In-situ investigation of adsorption of dye and coadsorbates on TiO 2 films using QCM-D, fluorescence and AFM techniques

KAUST Repository

Harms, Hauke A.; Té treault, Nicolas; Voitchovsky, Kislon; Stellacci, Francesco; Grä tzel, Michael

2013-01-01

Simultaneous adsorption of dye molecules and coadsorbates is important for the fabrication of high-efficiency dyesensitized solar cells, but its mechanism is not well understood. Herein, we use a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation

Odor Classification using Agent Technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sigeru OMATU

2014-03-01

Full Text Available In order to measure and classify odors, Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM can be used. In the present study, seven QCM sensors and three different odors are used. The system has been developed as a virtual organization of agents using an agent platform called PANGEA (Platform for Automatic coNstruction of orGanizations of intElligent Agents. This is a platform for developing open multi-agent systems, specifically those including organizational aspects. The main reason for the use of agents is the scalability of the platform, i.e. the way in which it models the services. The system models functionalities as services inside the agents, or as Service Oriented Approach (SOA architecture compliant services using Web Services. This way the adaptation of the odor classification systems with new algorithms, tools and classification techniques is allowed.

Formation and stability of manganese-doped ZnS quantum dot monolayers determined by QCM-D and streaming potential measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Oćwieja, Magdalena; Matras-Postołek, Katarzyna; Maciejewska-Prończuk, Julia; Morga, Maria; Adamczyk, Zbigniew; Sovinska, Svitlana; Żaba, Adam; Gajewska, Marta; Król, Tomasz; Cupiał, Klaudia; Bredol, Michael

2017-10-01

Manganese-doped ZnS quantum dots (QDs) stabilized by cysteamine hydrochloride were successfully synthesized. Their thorough physicochemical characteristics were acquired using UV-Vis absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The average particle size, derived from HR-TEM, was 3.1nm, which agrees with the hydrodynamic diameter acquired by DLS, that was equal to 3-4nm, depending on ionic strength. The quantum dots also exhibited a large positive zeta potential varying between 75 and 36mV for ionic strength of 10 -4 and 10 -2 M, respectively (at pH 6.2) and an intense luminescent emission at 590nm. The quantum yield was equal to 31% and the optical band gap energy was equal to 4.26eV. The kinetics of QD monolayer formation on silica substrates (silica sensors and oxidized silicon wafers) under convection-controlled transport was quantitatively evaluated by the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and the streaming potential measurements. A high stability of the monolayer for ionic strength 10 -4 and 10 -2 M was confirmed in these measurements. The experimental data were adequately reflected by the extended random sequential adsorption model (eRSA). Additionally, thorough electrokinetic characteristics of the QD monolayers and their stability for various ionic strengths and pH were acquired by streaming potential measurements carried out under in situ conditions. These results were quantitatively interpreted in terms of the three-dimensional (3D) electrokinetic model that furnished bulk zeta potential of particles for high ionic strengths that is impractical by other experimental techniques. It is concluded that these results can be used for designing of biosensors of controlled monolayer structure capable to bind various ligands via covalent as well as electrostatic interactions

Functional Durability of a Quartz Crystal Microbalance Sensor for the Rapid Detection of Salmonella in Liquids from Poultry Packaging

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Olsen, Eric

2000-01-01

.... A rapid, sensitive (350 +/- 150 cells ml/cm) quartz crystal microbalance biosensor, layered with heat-treated anti-Salmonella-phospholipid monolayers by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique, has been evaluated by immersion testing in chicken exudate...

Nafion as Cosurfactant: Solubilization of Nafion in Water in the Presence of Pluronics

KAUST Repository

Kelarakis, Antonios; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.

2011-01-01

destabilization induced by Nafion on one hand and the gelator nature of the Nafion on the other. Measurements using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D) show that aqueous solutions of Pluronics (even at very low concentration) can dissolve the Nafion coating

Caesium releases under the form of silicon micro-balls during the Fukushima-Daiichi accident. Information note

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

After having outlined that the most part (89 per cent) of radioactive cesium released in the atmosphere during the Fukushima accident was made under the form of silicon micro-balls which were more irradiating than other aerosols marked by cesium radioactive isotopes, this note first discusses whether these silicon micro-balls containing radioactive cesium were resulting from a specific phase of atmospheric release. It discusses the nature of these micro-balls, and discusses whether it is possible to quantitatively assess the contribution of these micro-balls to global releases and deposits. It discusses how these micro-balls could have formed, whether their formation can be associated with a specific phase of reactor degradation or with the degradation of a specific reactor. It discusses whether a specific behaviour of these micro-balls can be expected in the environment, and their possible impacts on radiological consequences

An asymmetric resonant coupling wireless power transmission link for Micro-Ball Endoscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Tianjia; Xie, Xiang; Li, Guolin; Gu, Yingke; Deng, Yangdong; Wang, Ziqiang; Wang, Zhihua

2010-01-01

This paper investigates the design and optimization of a wireless power transmission link targeting Micro-Ball Endoscopy applications. A novel asymmetric resonant coupling structure is proposed to deliver power to an endoscopic Micro-Ball system for image read-out after it is excreted. Such a technology enables many key medical applications with stringent requirements for small system volume and high power delivery efficiency. A prototyping power transmission sub-system of the Micro-Ball system was implemented. It consists of primary coil, middle resonant coil, and cube-like full-direction secondary receiving coils. Our experimental results proved that 200mW of power can be successfully delivered. Such a wireless power transmission capability could satisfy the requirements of the Micro-Ball based endoscopy application. The transmission efficiency is in the range of 41% (worst working condition) to 53% (best working condition). Comparing to conventional structures, Asymmetric Resonant Coupling Structure improves power efficiency by 13%.

Drinking-Straw Microbalance and Seesaw: Stability and Instability

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, Peter; Glasser, Leslie

2015-03-01

The mechanics of a beam balance are little appreciated and seldom understood. We here consider the conditions that result in a stable balance, with center of gravity below the fulcrum (pivot point), while an unstable balance results when the center of gravity is above the fulcrum. The highly sensitive drinking-straw microbalance, which uses a plastic drinking straw as a rigid beam, is briefly described with some slight convenient modifications. Different placements of the center of gravity are considered analytically to explain the equilibrium neutrality, stability, and instability of such beam balances as the microbalance, the playground "seesaw" or "teeter-totter," the "dipping bird," and other toys and magic tricks.

Transient effects during erosion of WN by deuterium ions studied with the quartz crystal microbalance technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berger, Bernhard M., E-mail: berger@iap.tuwien.ac.at [Institute of Applied Physics, TU Wien, Fusion@ÖAW, Wiedner Hauptstr. 8-10, 1040 Vienna (Austria); Stadlmayr, Reinhard [Institute of Applied Physics, TU Wien, Fusion@ÖAW, Wiedner Hauptstr. 8-10, 1040 Vienna (Austria); Meisl, Gerd [Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, Boltzmannstraße 2, 85748 Garching (Germany); Čekada, Miha [Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Eisenmenger-Sittner, Christoph [Institute of Solid State Physics, TU Wien, Wiedner Hauptstr. 8-10, 1040 Vienna (Austria); Schwarz-Selinger, Thomas [Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, Boltzmannstraße 2, 85748 Garching (Germany); Aumayr, Friedrich, E-mail: aumayr@iap.tuwien.ac.at [Institute of Applied Physics, TU Wien, Fusion@ÖAW, Wiedner Hauptstr. 8-10, 1040 Vienna (Austria)

2016-09-01

Transient effects during erosion of polycrystalline tungsten-nitride (WN) films by mono-energetic deuterium projectiles are studied using a quartz crystal microbalance technique. The evolution of the mass removal rate of a 360 nm thin WN film under 500 eV/D and 1000 eV/D bombardment is investigated at a temperature of 465 K in situ and in real-time as a function of the deuterium fluence. The measurements are performed at a typical flux of 10{sup 18} m{sup −2} s{sup −1}. A strong dependency of the observed mass change rate on the deuterium fluence is found. The mass loss is initially higher than for pure tungsten (W) and drops with fluence, finally reaching the same steady state value as for pure W sputtering. Steady state surface conditions are obtained at a fluence of about 0.2 × 10{sup 23} D/m{sup 2} for 500 eV/D and 0.6 × 10{sup 23} D/m{sup 2} for 1000 eV/D. SDTrimSP simulations indicate a preferential removal of N and a corresponding W enrichment of the surface.

Interactions of Graphene Oxide Nanomaterials with Natural Organic Matter and Metal Oxide Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Interactions of graphene oxide (GO) with silica surfaces were investigated using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). Both GO deposition and release were monitored on silica- and poly-l-lysine (PLL) coated surfaces as a function of GO concentration a...

Inhibition properties of self-assembled corrosion inhibitor talloil diethylenetriamine imidazoline for mild steel corrosion in chloride solution saturated with carbon dioxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jevremović, Ivana; Singer, Marc; Nešić, Srđan; Mišković-Stanković, Vesna

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Corrosion inhibitor talloil diethylenetriamine imidazoline effectively protects mild steel from CO 2 corrosion. •Quartz crystal microbalance measurements were used to the investigate kinetics of corrosion inhibitor adsorption. •Adsorption of talloil diethylenetriamine imidazoline can be described by Langmuir adsorption isotherm. -- Abstract: The inhibition effect of talloil diethylenetriamine imidazoline (TOFA/DETA imidazoline) on corrosion of mild steel in chloride solutions saturated with CO 2 was investigated by weight loss measurements (WL) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Adsorption mechanism and kinetics of self-assembled (TOFA/DETA imidazoline) monolayers formation on gold were studied using the quartz crystal microbalance measurements (QCM). WL and AFM results demonstrated that TOFA/DETA imidazoline can effectively protect mild steel surface from corrosion. QCM measurements shown that the adsorption of TOFA/DETA imidazoline onto gold follows Langmuir adsorption isotherm and further investigation of the adsorption process will be carried out on a corroding metal surface

A Versatile Star PEG Grafting Method for the Generation of Nonfouling and Nonthrombogenic Surfaces

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Pradeep Kumar Thalla

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Polyethylene glycol (PEG grafting has a great potential to create nonfouling and nonthrombogenic surfaces, but present techniques lack versatility and stability. The present work aimed to develop a versatile PEG grafting method applicable to most biomaterial surfaces, by taking advantage of novel primary amine-rich plasma-polymerized coatings. Star-shaped PEG covalent binding was studied using static contact angle, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D. Fluorescence and QCM-D both confirmed strong reduction of protein adsorption when compared to plasma-polymerized coatings and pristine poly(ethyleneterephthalate (PET. Moreover, almost no platelet adhesion was observed after 15 min perfusion in whole blood. Altogether, our results suggest that primary amine-rich plasma-polymerized coatings offer a promising stable and versatile method for PEG grafting in order to create nonfouling and nonthrombogenic surfaces and micropatterns.

Transport and Retention of Colloids in Porous Media: Does Shape Really Matter?

Science.gov (United States)

The effect of particle shape on its transport and retention in porous media was evaluated by stretching carboxylate-modified fluorescent polystyrene spheres into rod shapes with aspect ratios of 2:1 and 4:1. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation experiments (QCM-D) were c...

In situ NMR and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance techniques reveal the structure of the electrical double layer in supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Griffin, John M.; Forse, Alexander C.; Tsai, Wan-Yu; Taberna, Pierre-Louis; Simon, Patrice; Grey, Clare P.

2015-08-01

Supercapacitors store charge through the electrosorption of ions on microporous electrodes. Despite major efforts to understand this phenomenon, a molecular-level picture of the electrical double layer in working devices is still lacking as few techniques can selectively observe the ionic species at the electrode/electrolyte interface. Here, we use in situ NMR to directly quantify the populations of anionic and cationic species within a working microporous carbon supercapacitor electrode. Our results show that charge storage mechanisms are different for positively and negatively polarized electrodes for the electrolyte tetraethylphosphonium tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile; for positive polarization charging proceeds by exchange of the cations for anions, whereas for negative polarization, cation adsorption dominates. In situ electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance measurements support the NMR results and indicate that adsorbed ions are only partially solvated. These results provide new molecular-level insight, with the methodology offering exciting possibilities for the study of pore/ion size, desolvation and other effects on charge storage in supercapacitors.

Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy of Adsorbed Amino Acids, Peptides and Proteins of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Solid-Water Interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holinga IV, George Joseph [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2010-09-01

Sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy was used to investigate the interfacial properties of several amino acids, peptides, and proteins adsorbed at the hydrophilic polystyrene solid-liquid and the hydrophobic silica solid-liquid interfaces. The influence of experimental geometry on the sensitivity and resolution of the SFG vibrational spectroscopy technique was investigated both theoretically and experimentally. SFG was implemented to investigate the adsorption and organization of eight individual amino acids at model hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces under physiological conditions. Biointerface studies were conducted using a combination of SFG and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) comparing the interfacial structure and concentration of two amino acids and their corresponding homopeptides at two model liquid-solid interfaces as a function of their concentration in aqueous solutions. The influence of temperature, concentration, equilibration time, and electrical bias on the extent of adsorption and interfacial structure of biomolecules were explored at the liquid-solid interface via QCM and SFG. QCM was utilized to quantify the biological activity of heparin functionalized surfaces. A novel optical parametric amplifier was developed and utilized in SFG experiments to investigate the secondary structure of an adsorbed model peptide at the solid-liquid interface.

Data Acquisition System for Quartz Crystal Microbalances

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Kleber Romero Felizardo

2006-02-01

Full Text Available This work presents a data acquisition system used in a mass sensor: quartz crystal microbalance. This system reads the frequency of this sensor along the time and sends the collected data to the computer through a serial interface.

Orientating lipase molecules through surface chemical control for enhanced activity: A QCM-D and ToF-SIMS investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Paul; Kempson, Ivan; Prestidge, Clive A

2016-06-01

Bio-active materials consisting of lipase encapsulated within porous silica particles were engineered to control the adsorption kinetics and molecular orientation of lipase, which play critical roles in the digestion kinetics of triglycerides. The adsorption kinetics of Candida antartica lipase A (CalA) was monitored using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) and controlled by altering the hydrophobicity of a silica binding support. The extent of adsorption was 2-fold greater when CalA was adsorbed onto hydrophobic silica compared to hydrophilic silica. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) fragmentation patterns, in conjunction with multivariate statistics, demonstrated enhanced exposure of the lipase's catalytic domain, specifically the histidine group responsible for activity, when CalA was adsorbed on hydrophilic silica. Consequently, lipid digestion kinetics were enhanced when CalA was loaded in hydrophilic porous silica particles, i.e., a 2-fold increase in the pseudo-first-order rate constant for digestion when compared to free lipase. In contrast, digestion kinetics were inhibited when CalA was hosted in hydrophobic porous silica, i.e., a 5-fold decrease in pseudo-first-order rate constant for digestion when compared to free lipase. These findings provide valuable insights into the mechanism of lipase action which can be exploited to develop smarter food and drug delivery systems consisting of porous lipid-based materials. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adsorption effectiveness of β-lactoglobulin onto gold surface determined by quartz crystal microbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Jachimska, B; Świątek, S; Loch, J I; Lewiński, K; Luxbacher, T

2018-06-01

Bovine β-lactoglobulin (LGB) is a transport protein that can bind to its structure hydrophobic bioactive molecules. Due to the lack of toxicity, high stability and pH-dependent molecular binding mechanism, lactoglobulin can be used as a carrier of sparingly soluble drugs. Dynamic light scattering has confirmed LGB's tendency to create oligomeric forms. The hydrodynamic diameter of LGB molecules varies from 4 nm to 6 nm in the pH range of 2-10 and ionic strength I = 0.001-0.15 M, which corresponds to the presence of mono or dimeric LGB forms. The LGB zeta potential varies from 26.5 mV to -33.3 mV for I = 0.01 M and from 13.3 mV to -16 mV for I = 0.15 M in the pH range of 2-10. The isoelectric point is at pH 4.8. As a result of strong surface charge compensation, the maximum effective ionization degree of the LGB molecule is 35% for ionic strength I = 0.01 M and 22% for I = 0.15 M. The effectiveness of adsorption is linked with the properties of the protein, as well as those of the adsorption surface. The functionalization of gold surfaces with β-lactoglobulin (LGB) was studied using a quartz crystal microbalance with energy dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). The effectiveness of LGB adsorption correlates strongly with a charge of gold surface and the zeta potential of the molecule. The greatest value of the adsorbed mass was observed in the pH range in which LGB has a positive zeta potential values, below pH 4.8. This observation shows that electrostatic interactions play a dominant role in LGB adsorption on gold surfaces. Based on the adsorbed mass, protein orientation on gold surfaces was determined. The preferential side-on orientation of LGB molecules observed in the adsorption layer is consistent with the direction of the molecule dipole momentum determined by molecular dynamics simulations of the protein (MD). The use of the QCM-D method also allowed us to determine the effectiveness of adsorption of LGB on gold

Neutron Reflectometry and QCM-D Study of the Interaction of Cellulase Enzymes with Films of Amorphous Cellulose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halbert, Candice E.; Ankner, John Francis; Kent, Michael S.; Jaclyn, Murton K.; Browning, Jim; Cheng, Gang; Liu, Zelin; Majewski, Jaroslaw; Supratim, Datta; Michael, Jablin; Bulent, Akgun; Alan, Esker; Simmons, Blake

2011-01-01

Improving the efficiency of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose is one of the key technological hurdles to reduce the cost of producing ethanol and other transportation fuels from lignocellulosic material. A better understanding of how soluble enzymes interact with insoluble cellulose will aid in the design of more efficient enzyme systems. We report a study involving neutron reflectometry (NR) and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) of the interaction of a commercial fungal enzyme extract (T. viride), two purified endoglucanses from thermophilic bacteria (Cel9A from A. acidocaldarius and Cel5A from T. maritima), and a mesophilic fungal endoglucanase (Cel45A from H. insolens) with amorphous cellulose films. The use of amorphous cellulose is motivated by the promise of ionic liquid pretreatment as a second generation technology that disrupts the native crystalline structure of cellulose. NR reveals the profile of water through the film at nm resolution, while QCM-D provides changes in mass and film stiffness. At 20 C and 0.3 mg/ml, the T. viride cocktail rapidly digested the entire film, beginning from the surface followed by activity throughout the bulk of the film. For similar conditions, Cel9A and Cel5A were active for only a short period of time and only at the surface of the film, with Cel9A releasing 40 from the ∼ 700 film and Cel5A resulting in only a slight roughening/swelling effect at the surface. Subsequent elevation of the temperature to the Topt in each case resulted in a very limited increase in activity, corresponding to the loss of an additional 60 from the film for Cel9A and 20 from the film for Cel5A, and very weak penetration into and digestion within the bulk of the film, before the activity again ceased. The results for Cel9A and Cel5A contrast sharply with results for Cel45A where very rapid and extensive penetration and digestion within the bulk of the film was observed at 20 C. We speculate that the large differences are due

Humidity Detection Using Metal Organic Framework Coated on QCM

KAUST Repository

Kosuru, Lakshmoji; Bouchaala, Adam M.; Jaber, Nizar; Younis, Mohammad I.

2016-01-01

of a quartz crystal microbalance. The resonance frequencies of these sensors with varying relative humidity (RH) from 22% RH to 69% RH are measured using impedance analysis method. The sensitivity, humidity hysteresis, response, and recovery times

Recognition of Bread Key Odorants by Using Polymer Coated QCMs

Science.gov (United States)

Nakai, Takashi; Kouno, Shinji; Hiruma, Naoya; Shuzo, Masaki; Delaunay, Jean-Jacques; Yamada, Ichiro

Polyisobutylene (PIB) polymer and methylphenylsiloxane (25%) diphenylsiloxane (75%) copolymer (OV25) were coated on Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) sensors and used in recognition of bread key odorants. Representative compounds of key roasty odorants of bread were taken as 3-acetylpyridine and benzaldehyde, and representative key fatty odorants were hexanal and (E)-2-nonenal. Both OV25- and PIB-coated QCM fabricated sensors could detect concentration as low as 0.9 ppm of 3-acetylpyridine and 1.2 ppm of (E)-2-nonenal. The sensitivity to 3-acetylpyridine of the OV25-coated QCM was about 1000 times higher than that of ethanol, the major interference compound in bread key odorant analysis. Further, the OV25-coated QCM response was 5-6 times and 2-3 times larger than that of the PIB-coated QCM when exposed to roasty odorants and to fatty odorants, respectively. The difference in sensitivity of the OV25- and PIB-coated QCMs we fabricated made possible to discriminate roasty from fatty odorants as was evidenced by the odor recognition map representing the frequency shifts of the OV25-coated QCM against the frequency shift of the PIB-coated QCM. In conclusion, we found that the combination of an OV25-coated QCM and a PIB-coated QCM was successful in discriminating roasty odorants from fatty odorants at the ppm level.

Electrochemical and spectroscopic in situ techniques for the investigation of the phosphating of zinc coated steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomandl, A.

2003-05-01

In this work spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques were developed for the investigation of surface treatments used in steel industry. ICP-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), Raman spectroscopy and the Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) were applied to the investigation of the kinetics of phosphating as well as the properties of phosphate layers. Phosphating of zinc coated steel leads to the formation of a crystalline layer consisting of zinc phosphate and is employed to enhance paint adhesion and corrosion protection. For the high reaction rates necessary in industrial production lines, oxidation agents are added to the phosphating bathes to accelerate the reaction. The oxidation agents provide an additional reduction reaction beside the hydrogen formation and therefore decrease the number of gas bubbles, which would block the zinc surface and reduce the rate of phosphating. With addition of H2O2 or nitrates the rate of layer formation is distinctly increased. In a combined experiment of ICP-AES with QCM and potential transients, it was shown that the presence of these accelerators in the phosphating bath increases the rate of zinc dissolution and hence leads to a faster formation of the phosphate layer. In under paint corrosion of painted, zinc coated steel phosphate layers are exposed to a highly alkaline environment. The stability of a phosphate layer against alkaline attack is therefore essential for its performance in corrosion protection. To enhance the alkaline stability Mn and Ni are added to modern phosphating bathes. The incorporation of these elements reduces the dissolution rate in 0.1 M NaOH proportional to their concentration in the phosphate layer. The dissolution of Zn, P, Mn and Ni was determined quantitatively with ICP-AES. Raman spectroscopy showed the formation of a Mn-hydroxide layer during alkaline attack, which protects the phosphate layer and reduces further dissolution. On basis of these results the reaction of phosphate layers

A Simple Method for the Detection of Long-Chain Fatty Acids in an Anaerobic Digestate Using a Quartz Crystal Sensor

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Takuro Kobayashi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In anaerobic digestion (AD, long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs produced by hydrolysis of lipids, exhibit toxicity against microorganisms when their concentration exceeds several millimolar. An absorption detection system using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM was developed to monitor the LCFA concentration during an anaerobic digester’s operation treating oily organic waste. The dissociation of the LCFAs considerably improved the sensor response and, moreover, enabled it to specifically detect LCFA from the mixture of LCFA and triglyceride. Under alkaline conditions, the frequency-shift rates of the QCM sensor linearly increased in accordance with palmitic acid concentration in the range of 0–100 mg/L. Frequency changes caused by anaerobic digestate samples were successfully measured after removing suspended solids and adjusting the pH to 10.7. Finally, the QCM measurements for digestate samples demonstrated that frequency-shift rates are highly correlated with LCFA concentrations, which confirmed that the newly developed QCM sensor is helpful for LCFA monitoring in terms of rapidness and usability.

Phthalocyanine as Sensitive Coatings for QCM Sensors-Experimental and Computational Approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erbahar, D. D.; Harbeck, M.; Guerol, I.; Musluoglu, E.; Oeztuerk, Z. Z.; Berber, S.

2011-01-01

Sorption of organic compounds from aqueous phase into phthalocyanines (Pc) is studied using QCM sensors and Density Functional Theory (DFT) for the first time. The focus is set on the influence of substitution type and central metal atom on the liquid sensing properties of the Pcs.

Electrochemical lithiation of thin silicon based layers potentiostatically deposited from ionic liquid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vlaic, Codruta Aurelia; Ivanov, Svetlozar; Peipmann, Ralf; Eisenhardt, Anja; Himmerlich, Marcel; Krischok, Stefan; Bund, Andreas

2015-01-01

Thin silicon layers containing about 20% carbon and 20% oxygen were deposited on copper substrates by potentiostatic electroreduction from a 1 M SiCl 4 1-butyl-1-methyl-pyrrolidinium bis (trifluoromethyl) sulfonylimide [BMP][TFSI] electrolyte. The electrodeposition process was investigated by means of voltammetric techniques, coupled with in-situ microgravimetry (quartz crystal microbalance, QCM). The electrochemical and QCM data suggest a possible contribution of a partial Si 4+ to Si 2+ reduction and/or a restructuring of the metallic substrate. Considerable impact of side reactions parallel to the deposition process was indicated by QCM measurements performed under potentiostatic and potentiodynamic conditions. The deposition of silicon-based films was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). Analysis of the chemical composition of the deposit and its elemental distribution were achieved by depth profiling X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrodeposited silicon containing layers showed stable lithiation and delithiation with capacity values of about 1200 mAhg −1 and 80% capacity retention after 300 cycles in standard EC/DMC electrolytes. In ionic liquid (IL) the material displayed lower capacity of ca. 500 mAhg −1 , which can be attributed to the higher viscosity of this electrolyte and deposition of IL decomposition products during lithiation

A Novel Cell-Based Hybrid Acoustic Wave Biosensor with Impedimetric Sensing Capabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Fei; Li, Fang; Nordin, Anis Nurashikin; Voiculescu, Ioana

2013-01-01

A novel multiparametric biosensor system based on living cells will be presented. The biosensor system includes two biosensing techniques on a single device: resonant frequency measurements and electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS). The multiparametric sensor system is based on the innovative use of the upper electrode of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) resonator as working electrode for the ECIS technique. The QCM acoustic wave sensor consists of a thin AT-cut quartz substrate with two gold electrodes on opposite sides. For integration of the QCM with the ECIS technique a semicircular counter electrode was fabricated near the upper electrode on the same side of the quartz crystal. Bovine aortic endothelial live cells (BAECs) were successfully cultured on this hybrid biosensor. Finite element modeling of the bulk acoustic wave resonator using COMSOL simulations was performed. Simultaneous gravimetric and impedimetric measurements performed over a period of time on the same cell culture were conducted to validate the device's sensitivity. The time necessary for the BAEC cells to attach and form a compact monolayer on the biosensor was 35∼45 minutes for 1.5 × 104 cells/cm2 BAECs; 60 minutes for 2.0 × 104 cells/cm2 BAECs; 70 minutes for 3.0 × 104 cells/cm2 BAECs; and 100 minutes for 5.0 × 104 cells/cm2 BAECs. It was demonstrated that this time is the same for both gravimetric and impedimetric measurements. This hybrid biosensor will be employed in the future for water toxicity detection. PMID:23459387

A Novel Cell-Based Hybrid Acoustic Wave Biosensor with Impedimetric Sensing Capabilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ioana Voiculescu

2013-03-01

Full Text Available A novel multiparametric biosensor system based on living cells will be presented. The biosensor system includes two biosensing techniques on a single device: resonant frequency measurements and electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS. The multiparametric sensor system is based on the innovative use of the upper electrode of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM resonator as working electrode for the ECIS technique. The QCM acoustic wave sensor consists of a thin AT-cut quartz substrate with two gold electrodes on opposite sides. For integration of the QCM with the ECIS technique a semicircular counter electrode was fabricated near the upper electrode on the same side of the quartz crystal. Bovine aortic endothelial live cells (BAECs were successfully cultured on this hybrid biosensor. Finite element modeling of the bulk acoustic wave resonator using COMSOL simulations was performed. Simultaneous gravimetric and impedimetric measurements performed over a period of time on the same cell culture were conducted to validate the device’s sensitivity. The time necessary for the BAEC cells to attach and form a compact monolayer on the biosensor was 35~45 minutes for 1.5 × 104 cells/cm2 BAECs; 60 minutes for 2.0 × 104 cells/cm2 BAECs; 70 minutes for 3.0 × 104 cells/cm2 BAECs; and 100 minutes for 5.0 × 104 cells/cm2 BAECs. It was demonstrated that this time is the same for both gravimetric and impedimetric measurements. This hybrid biosensor will be employed in the future for water toxicity detection.

Benzocyclobutene-based electric micromachines supported on microball bearings: Design, fabrication, and characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Modafe, Alireza

This dissertation summarizes the research activities that led to the development of the first microball-bearing-supported linear electrostatic micromotor with benzocyclobutene (BCB) low-k polymer insulating layers. The primary application of this device is long-range, high-speed linear micropositioning. The future generations of this device include rotary electrostatic micromotors and microgenerators. The development of the first generation of microball-bearing-supported micromachines, including device theory, design, and modeling, material characterization, process development, device fabrication, and device test and characterization is presented. The first generation of these devices is based on a 6-phase, bottom-drive, linear, variable-capacitance micromotor (B-LVCM). The design of the electrical and mechanical components of the micromotor, lumped-circuit modeling of the device and electromechanical characteristics, including variable capacitance, force, power, and speed are presented. Electrical characterization of BCB polymers, characterization of BCB chemical mechanical planarization (CMP), development of embedded BCB in silicon (EBiS) process, and integration of device components using microfabrication techniques are also presented. The micromotor consists of a silicon stator, a silicon slider, and four stainless-steel microballs. The aligning force profile of the micromotor was extracted from simulated and measured capacitances of all phases. An average total aligning force of 0.27 mN with a maximum of 0.41 mN, assuming a 100 V peak-to-peak square-wave voltage, was measured. The operation of the micromotor was verified by applying square-wave voltages and characterizing the slider motion. An average slider speed of 7.32 mm/s when excited by a 40 Hz, 120 V square-wave voltage was reached without losing the synchronization. This research has a pivotal impact in the field of power microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). It establishes the foundation for the

In-Line Measurement of Water Content in Ethanol Using a PVA-Coated Quartz Crystal Microbalance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Byoung Chul Kim

2014-01-01

Full Text Available An in-line device for measuring the water content in ethanol was developed using a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA-coated quartz crystal microbalance. Bio-ethanol is widely used as the replacement of gasoline, and its water content is a key component of its specifications. When the PVA-coated quartz crystal microbalance is contacted with ethanol containing a small amount of water, the water is absorbed into the PVA increasing the load on the microbalance surface to cause a frequency drop. The determination performance of the PVA-coated microbalance is examined by measuring the frequency decreases in ethanol containing 2% to 10% water while the ethanol flows through the measurement device. The measurements indicates that the higher water content is the more the frequency reduction is, though some deviation in the measurements is observed. This indicates that the frequency measurement of an unknown concentration of water in ethanol can be used to determine the water content in ethanol. The PVA coating is examined by microscopy and FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Highly selective piezoelectric sensor for lead(II) based on the lead-catalyzed release of gold nanoparticles from a self-assembled nanosurface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Yunfeng; Jin, Yulong; Huang, Yanyan; Liu, Guoquan; Zhao, Rui

2014-01-01

A novel quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor has been developed for highly selective and sensitive detection of Pb 2+ by exploiting the catalytic effect of Pb 2+ ions on the leaching of gold nanoparticles from the surface of a QCM sensor. The use of self-assembled gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) strongly enlarges the size of the interface and thus amplifies the analytical response resulting from the loss of mass. This results in a very low detection limit for Pb 2+ (30 nM). The high selectivity is demonstrated by studying the effect of potentially interfering ions both in the absence and presence of Pb 2+ ions. This simple and well reproducible sensor was applied to the determination of lead in the spiked drinking water. This work provides a novel strategy for fabricating QCM sensors towards Pb 2+ in real samples. (author)

Impact of substrate corrugation on the sliding friction levels of adsorbed films.

Science.gov (United States)

Coffey, T; Krim, J

2005-08-12

We report a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) study of sliding friction for solid xenon monolayers at 77 K on Cu(111), Ni(111), graphene/Ni(111), and C(60) substrates. Simulations have predicted a strong dependence of phononic friction coefficient (eta) on surface corrugation in systems with similar lattice spacing, eta approximately U(2)(0), but this has never before been shown experimentally. In order to make direct comparisons with theory, substrates with similar lattice spacing but varying amplitudes of surface corrugation were studied. QCM data reveal friction levels proportional to U(2)(0), validating current theoretical and numerical predictions. Measurements of Xe/C(60) are also included for comparison purposes.

Highly crystallized nanometer-sized zeolite a with large Cs adsorption capability for the decontamination of water.

Science.gov (United States)

Torad, Nagy L; Naito, Masanobu; Tatami, Junichi; Endo, Akira; Leo, Sin-Yen; Ishihara, Shinsuke; Wu, Kevin C-W; Wakihara, Toru; Yamauchi, Yusuke

2014-03-01

Nanometer-sized zeolite A with a large cesium (Cs) uptake capability is prepared through a simple post-milling recrystallization method. This method is suitable for producing nanometer-sized zeolite in large scale, as additional organic compounds are not needed to control zeolite nucleation and crystal growth. Herein, we perform a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) study to evaluate the uptake ability of Cs ions by zeolite, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time. In comparison to micrometer-sized zeolite A, nanometer-sized zeolite A can rapidly accommodate a larger amount of Cs ions into the zeolite crystal structure, owing to its high external surface area. Nanometer-sized zeolite is a promising candidate for the removal of radioactive Cs ions from polluted water. Our QCM study on Cs adsorption uptake behavior provides the information of adsorption kinetics (e.g., adsorption amounts and rates). This technique is applicable to other zeolites, which will be highly valuable for further consideration of radioactive Cs removal in the future. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A new method for the determination of vaporization enthalpies of ionic liquids at low temperatures.

Science.gov (United States)

Verevkin, Sergey P; Zaitsau, Dzmitry H; Emelyanenko, Vladimir N; Heintz, Andreas

2011-11-10

A new method for the determination of vaporization enthalpies of extremely low volatile ILs has been developed using a newly constructed quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) vacuum setup. Because of the very high sensitivity of the QCM it has been possible to reduce the average temperature of the vaporization studies by approximately 100 K in comparison to other conventional techniques. The physical basis of the evaluation procedure has been developed and test measurements have been performed with the common ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide [C(2)mim][NTf(2)] extending the range of measuring vaporization enthalpies down to 363 K. The results obtained for [C(2)mim][NTf(2)] have been tested for thermodynamic consistency by comparison with data already available at higher temperatures. Comparison of the temperature-dependent vaporization enthalpy data taken from the literature show only acceptable agreement with the heat capacity difference of -40 J K(-1) mol(-1). The method developed in this work opens also a new way to obtain reliable values of vaporization enthalpies of thermally unstable ionic liquids.

Protein adsorption at nanopatterned surfaces studied by QCM-D and SPR

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Stine; Pedersen, Gitte Albinus; Nejsum, Lene Niemann

2013-01-01

This paper presents the use of the quartz microbalance with dissipation combined with surface plasmon resonance to probe protein adsorption at nanopatterned surfaces. Three different types of adsorbing materials, representing rigid discrete nanoparticles, dense protein films and soft low density ...

Alcohol detection using carbon nanotubes acoustic and optical sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Penza, M.; Cassano, G.; Aversa, P.; Antolini, F.; Cusano, A.; Cutolo, A.; Giordano, M.; Nicolais, L.

2004-09-01

We demonstrate the integration of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) onto quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and standard silica optical fiber (SOF) sensor for alcohol detection at room temperature. Different transducing mechanisms have been used in order to outline the sensing properties of this class of nanomaterials, in particular the attention has been focused on two key parameters in sensing applications: mass and refractive index changes due to gas absorption. Here, Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films consisting of tangled bundles of SWCNTs without surfactant molecules have been successfully transferred onto QCM and SOF. Mass-sensitive 10MHz QCM SWCNTs sensor exhibited a resonant frequency decreasing upon tested alcohols exposure; also the normalized optoelectronic signal (λ=1310nm) of the refractive index-sensitive SOF SWCNTs sensor was found to decrease upon alcohols ambient. Highly sensitive, repeatable and reversible responses of the QCM and SOF SWCNTs sensors indicate that the detection, at room temperature, in a wide mmHg vapor pressures range of alcohols and potentially other volatile organic compounds is feasible.

Rational Design of QCM-D Virtual Sensor Arrays Based on Film Thickness, Viscoelasticity, and Harmonics for Vapor Discrimination.

Science.gov (United States)

Speller, Nicholas C; Siraj, Noureen; Regmi, Bishnu P; Marzoughi, Hassan; Neal, Courtney; Warner, Isiah M

2015-01-01

Herein, we demonstrate an alternative strategy for creating QCM-based sensor arrays by use of a single sensor to provide multiple responses per analyte. The sensor, which simulates a virtual sensor array (VSA), was developed by depositing a thin film of ionic liquid, either 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([OMIm][Br]) or 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate ([OMIm][SCN]), onto the surface of a QCM-D transducer. The sensor was exposed to 18 different organic vapors (alcohols, hydrocarbons, chlorohydrocarbons, nitriles) belonging to the same or different homologous series. The resulting frequency shifts (Δf) were measured at multiple harmonics and evaluated using principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant analysis (DA) which revealed that analytes can be classified with extremely high accuracy. In almost all cases, the accuracy for identification of a member of the same class, that is, intraclass discrimination, was 100% as determined by use of quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA). Impressively, some VSAs allowed classification of all 18 analytes tested with nearly 100% accuracy. Such results underscore the importance of utilizing lesser exploited properties that influence signal transduction. Overall, these results demonstrate excellent potential of the virtual sensor array strategy for detection and discrimination of vapor phase analytes utilizing the QCM. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on QCM VSAs, as well as an experimental sensor array, that is based primarily on viscoelasticity, film thickness, and harmonics.

Electrochemical characterization of electrolytes and electrodes for lithium-ion batteries. Development of a new measuring method for electrochemical investigations on electrodes with the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM); Elektrochemische Charakterisierung von Elektrolyten und Elektroden fuer Lithium-Ionen-Batterien. Entwicklung einer neuen Messmethode fuer elektrochemische Untersuchungen an Elektroden mit der EQCM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moosbauer, Dominik Johann

2010-11-09

In this work the conductivities of four different lithium salts, LiPF6, LiBF4, LiDFOB, and LiBOB in the solvent mixture EC/DEC (3/7) were investigated. Furthermore, the influence of eight ionic liquids (ILs) as additives on the conductivity and electrochemical stability of lithium salt-based electrolytes was studied. The investigated salts were the well-known lithium LiPF6 and LiDFOB. Conductivity studies were performed over the temperature range (238.15 to 333.15) K. The electrochemical stabilities of the solutions were determined at aluminum electrodes. The salt solubility of LiBF4 and LiDFOB in EC/DEC (3/7) was measured with the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), a method developed in our group. Moreover, a method to investigate interactions between the electrolyte and electrode components with the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) was developed. First, investigations of corrosion and passivation effects on aluminum with different lithium salts were performed and masses of deposited products estimated. Therefore, the quartzes were specially prepared with foils. Active materials of cathodes, in this work lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4), were also investigated with the EQCM by a new method. [German] In dieser Arbeit wurden die Leitfaehigkeiten von vier unterschiedlichen Salzen, LiPF6, LiBF4, LiDFOB und LiBOB in dem Loesemittelgemisch EC/DEC (3/7) untersucht. Des Weiteren wurde der Einfluss von acht Ionischen Fluessigkeiten (ILs) als Additive fuer Lithium-Elektrolyte auf die elektrochemische Stabilitaet und die Leitfaehigkeit studiert. Die untersuchten Salze waren LiPF6 und LiDFOB. Die Leitfaehigkeitsmessungen wurden in einem Temperaturbereich von (238,15 bis 333,15) K durchgefuehrt. Die elektrochemischen Stabilitaeten der Elektrolyte fanden an Aluminium statt. Mit einer an der Arbeitsgruppe entwickelten neuen Methode wurden zudem die Salzloeslichkeiten von LiBF4 und LiDFOB in EC/DEC (3/7) mit der Quarzmikrowaage (QCM) bestimmt. Weiterhin wurden

Preparation and characterization of ALD deposited ZnO thin films studied for gas sensors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boyadjiev, S.I., E-mail: boiajiev@gmail.com [MTA-BME Technical Analytical Chemistry Research Group, Szent Gellért tér 4, Budapest, H-1111 (Hungary); Georgi Nadjakov Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tzarigradsko Chaussee Blvd., 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Georgieva, V. [Georgi Nadjakov Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tzarigradsko Chaussee Blvd., 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Yordanov, R. [Department of Microelectronics, Technical University of Sofia, 8 Kliment Ohridski Blvd., 1756 Sofia (Bulgaria); Raicheva, Z. [Georgi Nadjakov Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tzarigradsko Chaussee Blvd., 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Szilágyi, I.M. [MTA-BME Technical Analytical Chemistry Research Group, Szent Gellért tér 4, Budapest, H-1111 (Hungary); Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Szent Gellért tér 4, Budapest, H-1111 (Hungary)

2016-11-30

Highlights: • For the first time the gas sensing towards NO{sub 2} of very thin ALD ZnO films is studied. • The very thin ALD ZnO films showed excellent sensitivity to NO{sub 2} at room temperature. • These very thin film ZnO-based QCM sensors very well register even low concentrations. • The sensors have fully reversible sorption and are able to be recovered in short time. • Described fast and cost-effective ALD deposition of ZnO thin films for QCM gas sensor. - Abstract: Applying atomic layer deposition (ALD), very thin zinc oxide (ZnO) films were deposited on quartz resonators, and their gas sensing properties were studied using the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method. The gas sensing of the ZnO films to NO{sub 2} was tested in the concentration interval between 10 and 5000 ppm. On the basis of registered frequency change of the QCM, for each concentration the sorbed mass was calculated. Further characterization of the films was carried out by various techniques, i.e. by SEM-EDS, XRD, ellipsometry, and FTIR spectroscopy. Although being very thin, the films were gas sensitive to NO{sub 2} already at room temperature and could register very well as low concentrations as 100 ppm, while the sorption was fully reversible. Our results for very thin ALD ZnO films show that the described fast, simple and cost-effective technology could be implemented for producing gas sensors working at room temperature and being capable to detect in real time low concentrations of NO{sub 2}.

Wavelet Based Hilbert Transform with Digital Design and Application to QCM-SS Watermarking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. P. Maity

2008-04-01

Full Text Available In recent time, wavelet transforms are used extensively for efficient storage, transmission and representation of multimedia signals. Hilbert transform pairs of wavelets is the basic unit of many wavelet theories such as complex filter banks, complex wavelet and phaselet etc. Moreover, Hilbert transform finds various applications in communications and signal processing such as generation of single sideband (SSB modulation, quadrature carrier multiplexing (QCM and bandpass representation of a signal. Thus wavelet based discrete Hilbert transform design draws much attention of researchers for couple of years. This paper proposes an (i algorithm for generation of low computation cost Hilbert transform pairs of symmetric filter coefficients using biorthogonal wavelets, (ii approximation to its rational coefficients form for its efficient hardware realization and without much loss in signal representation, and finally (iii development of QCM-SS (spread spectrum image watermarking scheme for doubling the payload capacity. Simulation results show novelty of the proposed Hilbert transform design and its application to watermarking compared to existing algorithms.

Use of the microball for studies of super- and hyper-deformation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarantites, D.G.

1995-01-01

The study of the many fascinating aspects of the highly deformed nuclei at high spin has become possible with multidetector arrays such as Gammasphere that are coming on line. However, the issues of superdeformation in light systems and of hyper-deformation can best be addressed by augmenting Gammasphere with other auxilliary devices such as the Microball. The recent discovery and characterization of a new island of superdeformation in the Z∼38 and N∼44 region, and attempts to observe hyper deformation with Gammasphere in conjunction with the Microball, a 4π charged particle multidetector array, will be reviewed. For light compound systems (A≤120) the Microball enhances considerably the resolving power of Gammasphere using the advantages of 'total spectroscopy' which allows (a) efficient exit channel selection, thus eliminating interfering transitions, (b) dramatic improvement of the energy resolution from event-by-event determination of the recoil direction, which makes possible precise Doppler shift corrections, and (c) selection of cascades originating from high spin states by gating on excitation energy and thus suppressing competing low spin γ cascades. Recent experiments to study the continuum and the discrete line structure of hyper-deformed nuclei (major to minor axis ratio 3:1) will be discussed. These structures appear to be formed only when a proton is emitted among the evaporated particles. Possible scenarios for the role played by this proton will be discussed

Piezoelectric sensor for sensitive determination of metal ions based on the phosphate-modified dendrimer

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, S. H.; Shen, C. Y.; Lin, Y. M.; Du, J. C.

2016-08-01

Heavy metal ions arising from human activities are retained strongly in water; therefore public water supplies must be monitored regularly to ensure the timely detection of potential problems. A phosphate-modified dendrimer film was investigated on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) for sensing metal ions in water at room temperature in this study. The chemical structures and sensing properties were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and QCM measurement, respectively. This phosphate-modified dendrimer sensor can directly detect metal ions in aqueous solutions. This novel sensor was evaluated for its capacity to sense various metal ions. The sensor exhibited a higher sensitivity level and shorter response time to copper(II) ions than other sensors. The linear detection range of the prepared QCM based on the phosphate-modified dendrimer was 0.0001 ∼ 1 μM Cu(II) ions (R2 = 0.98). The detection properties, including sensitivity, response time, selectivity, reusability, maximum adsorption capacity, and adsorption equilibrium constants, were also investigated.

Waveguide-coupled micro-ball lens array suitable for mass fabrication

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chang, Lantian; Dijkstra, Meindert; Ismail, Nur; Pollnau, Markus; de Ridder, René M; Wörhoff, Kerstin; Subramaniam, Vinod; Kanger, Johannes S

2015-01-01

We demonstrate a fabrication procedure for the direct integration of micro-ball lenses on planar integrated optical channel waveguide chips with the aim to reduce the divergence of light that arises from the waveguide in both horizontal and vertical directions. Fabrication of the lenses is based on

A high-performance micro electret power generator based on microball bearings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Zhaohui; Wang, Jing; Zhang, Jinwen

2011-01-01

In this paper, a high-performance micro electret power generator fabricated by simple bulk micromachining technology is presented. It has microballs as movable bearings for harvesting changing low-frequency vibration energy from the environment. The silicon V-grooves where the microballs slide have very smooth (1 1 1) planes, and so the device is sensitive to very slight vibration and almost has no resonant frequency. A plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition SiO 2 /Si 3 N 4 double layer was used as the electret. The device was fabricated by simple micromachining technology suitable for mass production except for microball assembly. The influence of various frequencies and accelerations on the performance was studied in detail. The measurement results of this electret micro power generator show that the optimal load is proportional to the frequency, and inversely proportional to the acceleration. The peak-to-peak output charge and output power were 72 nC and 5.9 µW respectively at 20 Hz and 0.7 g with the optimal resistive load 626 kΩ. The work frequencies range from 100 Hz to a lower frequency (1 Hz). 112 nW can still be obtained in the minimum acceleration of 0.05 g at 10 Hz with the optimal resistive load, indicating that this device has high sensitivity. The possible application of our device in scavenging energy from low-frequency irregular movements, such as human motion, was proved by a primary experiment

DEVELOPMENT OF RAPID TECHNIQUE FOR DETERMINATION OF THE TOTAL MINERALIZATION OF NATURAL WATERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. A. Kuchmenko

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A new approach has been proposed for rapid and easy evaluation of a indicator of quality and properties of natural water - soluble salt content (mineralization. The method of quartz crystal microbalance is employed at load of the mass-sensitive resonator electrode (BAW-type with investigated water. The degree of correlation between the various indicators related to the contents of salts and insoluble compounds and the level of mineralization obtained by the standard method (gravimetry has been studied. A procedure for salt weighing by single sensor at unilateral load with small sample of natural water has been developed. The optimal conditions for measurement is established using the design of experiment by model 23 . The possibilities of quartz crystal microbalance for determination of non-volatile compounds in the water are described. The calibration of piezosensor is produced by standard solution NaCl (c = 1.000 g / dm3 at optimal conditions of experiment. The adequacy and accuracy of proposed technique is assessed by the correlation between the results of quartz crystal microbalance and conductometry. The correlation between indicators of mineralization established by quartz crystal microbalance and gravimetry is found. It has been obtained an equation that can be used to calculate the standard indicator of the mineralization by the results of a quartz crystal microbalance using single sensor. The approaches to enhance the analytical capabilities of the developed technique for water with low and high mineralization are proposed. The metrological characteristics of quartz crystal microbalance of insoluble compounds in natural water are estimated. A new technique of determination of the mass concentration of the dry residue in water with a conductivity of 0.2 mS or above has been developed, which can be used for rapid analysis of the water at nonlaboratory conditions and in the laboratory for rapid obtaining the information about a sample.

Low cost biosensor-based molecular differential diagnosis of α-thalassemia (Southeast Asia deletion).

Science.gov (United States)

Wangmaung, Nantawan; Promptmas, Chamras; Chomean, Sirinart; Sanchomphu, Chularat; Ittarat, Wanida

2013-06-01

Thalassemias are genetic hematologic diseases which the homozygous form of α-thalassemia can cause either death in utero or shortly after birth. It is necessary to accurately identify high-risk heterozygous couples. We developed a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) to identify the abnormal gene causing the commonly found α-thalassemia1, [Southeast Asia (SEA) deletion]. This work is an improved method of our previous study by reducing both production cost and analysis time. A silver electrode on the QCM surface was immobilized with a biotinylated probe. The α-globin gene fragment was amplified and hybridized with the probe. Hybridization was indicated by changes of quartz oscillation. Each drying step was improved by using an air pump for 30 min instead of the overnight air dry. The diagnostic potency of the silver QCM was evaluated using 70 suspected samples with microcytic hypochromic erythrocytes. The silver QCM could clearly identify samples with abnormal α-globin genes, either homozygous or heterozygous, from normal samples. Thirteen out of 70 blood samples were identified as carrier of α-thalassemia1 (SEA deletion). Results were consistent with the standard agarose gel electrophoresis. Using silver instead of gold QCM could reduce the production expense 10-fold. An air pump drying the QCM surface could reduce the analysis time from 3 days to 4 h. The silver thalassemic QCM was specific, sensitive, rapid, cheap and field applicable. It could be used as a one-step definite diagnosis of α-thalassemia1 (SEA deletion) with no need for the preliminary screening test.

ASTM E 1559 method for measuring material outgassing/deposition kinetics has applications to aerospace, electronics, and semiconductor industries

Science.gov (United States)

Garrett, J. W.; Glassford, A. P. M.; Steakley, J. M.

1994-01-01

The American Society for Testing and Materials has published a new standard test method for characterizing time and temperature-dependence of material outgassing kinetics and the deposition kinetics of outgassed species on surfaces at various temperatures. This new ASTM standard, E 1559(1), uses the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) collection measurement approach. The test method was originally developed under a program sponsored by the United States Air Force Materials Laboratory (AFML) to create a standard test method for obtaining outgassing and deposition kinetics data for spacecraft materials. Standardization by ASTM recognizes that the method has applications beyond aerospace. In particular, the method will provide data of use to the electronics, semiconductor, and high vacuum industries. In ASTM E 1559 the material sample is held in vacuum in a temperature-controlled effusion cell, while its outgassing flux impinges on several QCM's which view the orifice of the effusion cell. Sample isothermal total mass loss (TML) is measured as a function of time from the mass collected on one of the QCM's which is cooled by liquid nitrogen, and the view factor from this QCM to the cell. The amount of outgassed volatile condensable material (VCM) on surfaces at higher temperatures is measured as a function of time during the isothermal outgassing test by controlling the temperatures of the remaining QCM's to selected values. The VCM on surfaces at temperatures in between those of the collector QCM's is determined at the end of the isothermal test by heating the QCM's at a controlled rate and measuring the mass loss from the end of the QCM's as a function of time and temperature. This reevaporation of the deposit collected on the QCM's is referred to as QCM thermogravimetric analysis. Isothermal outgassing and deposition rates can be determined by differentiating the isothermal TML and VCM data, respectively, while the evaporation rates of the species can be obtained as a

Edge transport and mode structure of a QCM-like fluctuation driven by the Shoelace antenna

Science.gov (United States)

Golfinopoulos, T.; LaBombard, B.; Brunner, D.; Terry, J. L.; Baek, S. G.; Ennever, P.; Edlund, E.; Han, W.; Burke, W. M.; Wolfe, S. M.; Irby, J. H.; Hughes, J. W.; Fitzgerald, E. W.; Granetz, R. S.; Greenwald, M. J.; Leccacorvi, R.; Marmar, E. S.; Pierson, S. Z.; Porkolab, M.; Vieira, R. F.; Wukitch, S. J.; The Alcator C-Mod Team

2018-05-01

The Shoelace antenna was built to drive edge fluctuations in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak, matching the wavenumber (k\\perp≈1.5 cm‑1) and frequency (30≲ f ≲ 200 kHz) of the quasi-coherent mode (QCM), which is responsible for regulating transport across the plasma boundary in the steady-state, ELM-free Enhanced D α (EDA) H-mode. Initial experiments in 2012 demonstrated that the antenna drove a resonant response in the edge plasma in steady-state EDA and transient, non-ELMy H-modes, but transport measurements were unavailable. In 2016, the Shoelace antenna was relocated to enable direct measurements of driven transport by a reciprocating Mirror Langmuir Probe, while also making available gas puff imaging and reflectometer data to provide additional radial localization of the driven fluctuation. This new data suggests a  ∼4 mm-wide mode layer centered on or just outside the separatrix. Fluctuations coherent with the antenna produced a radial electron flux with {Γ_e}/{n_e}∼4 m s‑1 in EDA H-mode, smaller than but comparable to the QCM level. But in transient ELM-free H-mode, {Γ_e}/{n_e} was an order of magnitude smaller, and driven fluctuations reduced by a factor of ≳ 3. The driven mode is quantitatively similar to the intrinsic QCM across measured spectral quantities, except that it is more coherent and weaker. This work informs the prospect of achieving control of edge transport by direct coupling to edge modes, as well as the use of such active coupling for diagnostic purposes.

Production of selective membranes using plasma deposited nanochanneled thin films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo Amorim Motta Carvalho

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The hydrolization of thin films obtained by tetraethoxysilane plasma polymerization results in the formation of a nanochanneled silicone like structure that could be useful for the production of selective membranes. Therefore, the aim of this work is to test the permeation properties of hydrolyzed thin films. The films were tested for: 1 permeation of polar organic compounds and/or water in gaseous phase and 2 permeation of salt in liquid phase. The efficiency of permeation was tested using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM technique in gas phase and conductimetric analysis (CA in liquid phase. The substrates used were: silicon for characterization of the deposited films, piezoelectric quartz crystals for tests of selective membranes and cellophane paper for tests of permeation. QCM analysis showed that the nanochannels allow the adsorption and/or permeation of polar organic compounds, such as acetone and 2-propanol, and water. CA showed that the films allow salt permeation after an inhibition time needed for hydrolysis of the organic radicals within the film. Due to their characteristics, the films can be used for grains protection against microorganism proliferation during storage without preventing germination.

Optical and structural properties of protein/gold hybrid bio-nanofilms prepared by layer-by-layer method.

Science.gov (United States)

Pál, Edit; Hornok, Viktória; Sebok, Dániel; Majzik, Andrea; Dékány, Imre

2010-08-01

Lysozyme/gold thin layers were prepared by layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly method. The build-up of the films was followed by UV-vis-absorbance spectra, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) techniques. The structural property of films was examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, while their morphology was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was found that gold nanoparticles (NPs) had cubic crystalline structure, the primary particles form aggregates in the thin layer due to the presence of lysozyme molecules. The UV-vis measurements prove change in particle size while the colour of the film changes from wine-red to blue. The layer thickness of films was determined using the above methods and the loose, porous structure of the films explains the difference in the results. The vapour adsorption property of hybrid layers was also studied by QCM using different saturated vapours and ammonia gas. The lysozyme/Au films were most sensitive for ammonia gas among the tested gases/vapours due to the strongest interaction between the functional groups of the protein. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High performance nano-Ni/Graphite electrode for electro-oxidation in direct alkaline ethanol fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Soliman, Ahmed B.; Abdel-Samad, Hesham S.; Abdel Rehim, Sayed S.; Ahmed, Mohamed A.; Hassan, Hamdy H.

2016-09-01

Ni/Graphite electrocatalysts (Ni/G) are successfully prepared through electrodeposition of Ni from acidic (pH = 0.8) and feebly acidic (pH = 5.5) aqueous Ni (II) baths. The efficiencies of such electrodes are investigated as anodes for direct alkaline ethanol fuel cells through their ethanol electrooxidation cyclic voltammetric (CV) response in alkaline medium. A direct proportionality between the amount of the electrodeposited Ni and its CV response is found. The amounts of the deposited Ni from the two baths are recorded using the Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance (eQCM). The Ni/G electrodes prepared from the feebly acidic bath show a higher electrocatalytic response than those prepared from the acidic bath. Surface morphology of the Ni particles electrodeposited from feebly acidic bath appears in a nano-scale dimension. Various electrochemical experiments are conducted to confirm that the Ni/G ethanol electrooxidation CV response greatly depends on the pH rather than nickel ion concentration of the deposition bath. The eQCM technique is used to detect the crystalline phases of nickel as α-Ni(OH)2/γ-NiOOH and β-Ni(OH)2/β-NiOOH and their in-situ inter-transformations during the potentiodynamic polarization.

Bi2O3 nanoparticles encapsulated in surface mounted metal-organic framework thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Wei; Chen, Zhi; Yang, Chengwu; Neumann, Tobias; Kübel, Christian; Wenzel, Wolfgang; Welle, Alexander; Pfleging, Wilhelm; Shekhah, Osama; Wöll, Christof; Redel, Engelbert

2016-03-01

We describe a novel procedure to fabricate a recyclable hybrid-photocatalyst based on Bi2O3@HKUST-1 MOF porous thin films. Bi2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized within HKUST-1 (or Cu3(BTC)2) surface-mounted metal-organic frame-works (SURMOFs) and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The Bi2O3 semiconductor NPs (diameter 1-3 nm)/SURMOF heterostructures exhibit superior photo-efficiencies compared to NPs synthesized using conventional routes, as demonstrated via the photodegradation of the nuclear fast red (NFR) dye.We describe a novel procedure to fabricate a recyclable hybrid-photocatalyst based on Bi2O3@HKUST-1 MOF porous thin films. Bi2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized within HKUST-1 (or Cu3(BTC)2) surface-mounted metal-organic frame-works (SURMOFs) and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The Bi2O3 semiconductor NPs (diameter 1-3 nm)/SURMOF heterostructures exhibit superior photo-efficiencies compared to NPs synthesized using conventional routes, as demonstrated via the photodegradation of the nuclear fast red (NFR) dye. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr00532b

A QCM-D study of the concentration- and time-dependent interactions of human LL37 with model mammalian lipid bilayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Lozeau, Lindsay D; Rolle, Marsha W; Camesano, Terri A

2018-07-01

The human antimicrobial peptide LL37 is promising as an alternative to antibiotics due to its biophysical interactions with charged bacterial lipids. However, its clinical potential is limited due to its interactions with zwitterionic mammalian lipids leading to cytotoxicity. Mechanistic insight into the LL37 interactions with mammalian lipids may enable rational design of less toxic LL37-based therapeutics. To this end, we studied concentration- and time-dependent interactions of LL37 with zwitterionic model phosphatidylcholine (PC) bilayers with quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). LL37 mass adsorption and PC bilayer viscoelasticity changes were monitored by measuring changes in frequency (Δf) and dissipation (ΔD), respectively. The Voigt-Kelvin viscoelastic model was applied to Δf and ΔD to study changes in bilayer thickness and density with LL37 concentration. At low concentrations (0.10-1.00 μM), LL37 adsorbed onto bilayers in a concentration-dependent manner. Further analyses of Δf, ΔD and thickness revealed that peptide saturation on the bilayers was a threshold for interactions observed above 2.00 μM, interactions that were rapid, multi-step, and reached equilibrium in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Based on these data, we proposed a model of stable transmembrane pore formation at 2.00-10.0 μM, or transition from a primarily lipid to a primarily protein film with a transmembrane pore formation intermediate state at concentrations of LL37 > 10 μM. The concentration-dependent interactions between LL37 and PC bilayers correlated with the observed concentration-dependent biological activities of LL37 (antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and non-cytotoxic at 0.1-1.0 μM, hemolytic and some cytotoxicity at 2.0-13 μM and cytotoxic at >13 μM). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The microball and Gammasphere: Research highlights and future directions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Devlin, M.; Sarantites, D.G.; LaFosse, D.R.; Lerma, F. [Washington Univ., Saint Louis, MO (United States)

1996-12-31

The Microball, a compact, 4{pi} charged-particle detector array, has been used in conjunction with Gammasphere for numerous physics experiments, and more are planned in the near future. A summary of this research program is presented, and the device and its capabilities are described. An example of its use in the study of the population and entry state excitation energy distributions of normal and superdeformed bands in {sup 82}Sr is presented.

Environmental monitors in the Midcourse Space Experiments (MSX)

Science.gov (United States)

Uy, O. M.

1993-01-01

The Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) is an SDIO sponsored space based sensor experiment with a full complement of optical sensors. Because of the possible deleterious effect of both molecular and particulate contamination on these sensors, a suite of environmental monitoring instruments are also being flown with the spacecraft. These instruments are the Total Pressure Sensor based on the cold-cathode gauge, a quadrupole mass spectrometer, a Bennett-type ion mass spectrometer, a cryogenic quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), four temperature-controlled QCM's, and a Xenon and Krypton Flash Lamp Experiment. These instruments have been fully space-qualified, are compact and low cost, and are possible candidate sensors for near-term planetary and atmospheric monitoring. The philosophy adopted during design and fabrication, calibration and ground testing, and modeling will be discussed .

Synthesis and characterization of silver-polypyrrole film composite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ayad, Mohamad M., E-mail: mayad12000@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Tanta, Tanta (Egypt); Zaki, Eman [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Tanta, Tanta (Egypt)

2009-11-15

In this work, we report the chemical polymerization of pyrrole to obtain thin film of polypyrrole (PPy) hydrochloride deposited onto the electrode of the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The film in the base form was exposed to a solution of AgNO{sub 3}. Electroless reduction for silver ions by the PPy film took place and silver particles were adsorbed onto the film surface. The silver particles content at the PPy films were analyzed by QCM and the results showed that the concentrations of silver uptakes increase as the original AgNO{sub 3} solution increases. The morphology of the surface of the PPy film and the silver-PPy film composite were studied by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). They showed that the obtained silver particles have spherical, cubic and tetrahedral structures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transformed infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the structure of the powder composite. This work reveals the capability of PPy film coating on QCM in sensing and removing silver from several environmental samples.

Synthesis and characterization of silver-polypyrrole film composite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayad, Mohamad M.; Zaki, Eman

2009-01-01

In this work, we report the chemical polymerization of pyrrole to obtain thin film of polypyrrole (PPy) hydrochloride deposited onto the electrode of the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The film in the base form was exposed to a solution of AgNO 3 . Electroless reduction for silver ions by the PPy film took place and silver particles were adsorbed onto the film surface. The silver particles content at the PPy films were analyzed by QCM and the results showed that the concentrations of silver uptakes increase as the original AgNO 3 solution increases. The morphology of the surface of the PPy film and the silver-PPy film composite were studied by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). They showed that the obtained silver particles have spherical, cubic and tetrahedral structures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transformed infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the structure of the powder composite. This work reveals the capability of PPy film coating on QCM in sensing and removing silver from several environmental samples.

Synthesis and characterization of silver-polypyrrole film composite

Science.gov (United States)

Ayad, Mohamad. M.; Zaki, Eman

2009-11-01

In this work, we report the chemical polymerization of pyrrole to obtain thin film of polypyrrole (PPy) hydrochloride deposited onto the electrode of the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The film in the base form was exposed to a solution of AgNO 3. Electroless reduction for silver ions by the PPy film took place and silver particles were adsorbed onto the film surface. The silver particles content at the PPy films were analyzed by QCM and the results showed that the concentrations of silver uptakes increase as the original AgNO 3 solution increases. The morphology of the surface of the PPy film and the silver-PPy film composite were studied by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). They showed that the obtained silver particles have spherical, cubic and tetrahedral structures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transformed infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the structure of the powder composite. This work reveals the capability of PPy film coating on QCM in sensing and removing silver from several environmental samples.

Label-Free Bioanalyte Detection from Nanometer to Micrometer Dimensions—Molecular Imprinting and QCMs †

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adnan Mujahid

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Modern diagnostic tools and immunoassay protocols urges direct analyte recognition based on its intrinsic behavior without using any labeling indicator. This not only improves the detection reliability, but also reduces sample preparation time and complexity involved during labeling step. Label-free biosensor devices are capable of monitoring analyte physiochemical properties such as binding sensitivity and selectivity, affinity constants and other dynamics of molecular recognition. The interface of a typical biosensor could range from natural antibodies to synthetic receptors for example molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs. The foremost advantages of using MIPs are their high binding selectivity comparable to natural antibodies, straightforward synthesis in short time, high thermal/chemical stability and compatibility with different transducers. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM resonators are leading acoustic devices that are extensively used for mass-sensitive measurements. Highlight features of QCM devices include low cost fabrication, room temperature operation, and most importantly ability to monitor extremely low mass shifts, thus potentially a universal transducer. The combination of MIPs with quartz QCM has turned out as a prominent sensing system for label-free recognition of diverse bioanalytes. In this article, we shall encompass the potential applications of MIP-QCM sensors exclusively label-free recognition of bacteria and virus species as representative micro and nanosized bioanalytes.

Click functionalization of phenyl-capped bithiophene on azide-terminated self-assembled monolayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, Yijun; Cui, Jiaxi; Ikeda, Taichi

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Electrochemically-active self-assembled monolayers with phenyl-capped bithiophene were prepared. • Post-functionalization method based on click chemistry solved the solubility issue of phenyl-capped thiophene alkanethiol. • The capture and release of the counter anions during the redox reaction were detectable by E-QCM. - Abstract: We immobilized tetra(ethylene glycol)-substituted phenyl-capped bithiophene with alkyne terminals (Ph2TPh-alkyne) on azide-terminated self-assembled monolayers (N 3 -SAMs) by Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction. Ph2TPh-functionalized SAMs on a gold substrate showed reversible electrochemical response. The surface densities of the azide groups in N 3 -SAMs and Ph2TPh units in Ph2TPh-functionalized SAMs were estimated to be 7.3 ± 0.3 × 10 −10 mol cm −2 and 4.6 ± 0.3 × 10 −10 mol cm −2 , respectively, by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Most of Ph2TPh-alkynes are considered to be anchored on N 3 -SAMs via both terminal groups. Ph2TPh-functionalized SAMs exhibited reversible redox peaks in cyclic voltammetry (CV). In redox reaction, reversible capture and release of the counter anion could be monitored by electrochemical QCM (E-QCM).

Click functionalization of phenyl-capped bithiophene on azide-terminated self-assembled monolayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, Yijun; Cui, Jiaxi [Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (MPIP), Ackermannweg 10, Mainz 55128 (Germany); Ikeda, Taichi, E-mail: IKEDA.Taichi@nims.go.jp [Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (MPIP), Ackermannweg 10, Mainz 55128 (Germany); Polymer Materials Unit, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044 (Japan)

2015-11-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Electrochemically-active self-assembled monolayers with phenyl-capped bithiophene were prepared. • Post-functionalization method based on click chemistry solved the solubility issue of phenyl-capped thiophene alkanethiol. • The capture and release of the counter anions during the redox reaction were detectable by E-QCM. - Abstract: We immobilized tetra(ethylene glycol)-substituted phenyl-capped bithiophene with alkyne terminals (Ph2TPh-alkyne) on azide-terminated self-assembled monolayers (N{sub 3}-SAMs) by Cu-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction. Ph2TPh-functionalized SAMs on a gold substrate showed reversible electrochemical response. The surface densities of the azide groups in N{sub 3}-SAMs and Ph2TPh units in Ph2TPh-functionalized SAMs were estimated to be 7.3 ± 0.3 × 10{sup −10} mol cm{sup −2} and 4.6 ± 0.3 × 10{sup −10} mol cm{sup −2}, respectively, by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Most of Ph2TPh-alkynes are considered to be anchored on N{sub 3}-SAMs via both terminal groups. Ph2TPh-functionalized SAMs exhibited reversible redox peaks in cyclic voltammetry (CV). In redox reaction, reversible capture and release of the counter anion could be monitored by electrochemical QCM (E-QCM).

Post mortem analysis of a JET quartz microbalance system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Esser, H.G. [Association EURATOM-Forschungszentrum Juelich, IPP, D-52425, Juelich (Germany)]. E-mail: h.g.esser@fz-juelich.de; Philipps, V. [Association EURATOM-Forschungszentrum Juelich, IPP, D-52425, Juelich (Germany); Wienhold, P. [Association EURATOM-Forschungszentrum Juelich, IPP, D-52425, Juelich (Germany); Sugiyama, K. [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603 (Japan); Kreter, A. [Association EURATOM-Forschungszentrum Juelich, IPP, D-52425, Juelich (Germany); Coad, J.P. [UKAEA/EURATOM Fusion Association, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon (United Kingdom); Tanabe, T. [Department of Nuclear Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603 (Japan)

2007-06-15

In the year 2001, a quartz microbalance system (QMB) was installed in the remote area of the inner JET divertor to investigate in situ material erosion and redeposition processes. When removed in 2004, the system was found to be coated all over with carbon deposits. The deposit on the quartz oscillator and the outer and inner housing was analysed by various methods, as SIMS (secondary ion mass spectroscopy), stylus depth profilometry, EPMA (electron probe microanalysis), TIPT (Tritium imaging plate technique) and colorimetry and compared to the frequency change of the quartz. The layer thickness was determined to 1.85 {+-} 0.1 {mu}m in average on an area of 0.95 cm{sup 2} which has to be related to the equivalent of 1.77 x 10{sup -4} g measured from the frequency change of 23 640 Hz. This corresponds to a carbon areal density of 9.3 x 10{sup 18} C atoms/cm{sup 2}. Significant deposition was found also on the surfaces inside the QMB housing which can only be understood if reflection and low sticking is assumed for a high fraction of particles.

Characterization of casein and poly-l-arginine multilayer films

Science.gov (United States)

Szyk-Warszyńska, Lilianna; Kilan, Katarzyna; Socha, Robert P.

2014-06-01

Thin films containing casein appear to be a promising material for coatings used in the medical area to promote biomineralization. alfa- and beta-casein and poly-L-arginine multilayer films were formed by the layer-by layer technique and their thickness and mass were analyzed by ellipsometry and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). We investigated the effect of the type of casein used for the film formation and of the polyethyleneimine anchoring layer on the thickness and mass of adsorbed films. The analysis of the mass of films during their post-treatment with the solutions of various ionic strength and pH provided the information concerning films stability, while the XPS elemental analysis confirmed binding of calcium ions by the casein embedded in the multilayers.

New Polymer Coatings for Chemically Selective Mass Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Sims, S. C.; Wright, Cassandra; Cobb, J.; McCalla, T.; Revelle, R.; Morris, V. R.; Pollack, S. K.

1997-01-01

There is a current need to develop sensitive and chemically specific sensors for the detection of nitric acid for in-situ measurements in the atmosphere. Polymer coatings have been synthesized and tested for their sensitivity and selectivity to nitric acid. A primary requirement for these polymers is detectability down to the parts per trillion range. The results of studies using these polymers as coatings for quartz crystal microbalances (QCM) and surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices will be presented.

Probing Interfacial Processes on Graphene Surface by Mass Detection

Science.gov (United States)

Kakenov, Nurbek; Kocabas, Coskun

2013-03-01

In this work we studied the mass density of graphene, probed interfacial processes on graphene surface and examined the formation of graphene oxide by mass detection. The graphene layers were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition method on copper foils and transfer-printed on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The mass density of single layer graphene was measured by investigating the mechanical resonance of the QCM. Moreover, we extended the developed technique to probe the binding dynamics of proteins on the surface of graphene, were able to obtain nonspecific binding constant of BSA protein of graphene surface in aqueous solution. The time trace of resonance signal showed that the BSA molecules rapidly saturated by filling the available binding sites on graphene surface. Furthermore, we monitored oxidation of graphene surface under oxygen plasma by tracing the changes of interfacial mass of the graphene controlled by the shifts in Raman spectra. Three regimes were observed the formation of graphene oxide which increases the interfacial mass, the release of carbon dioxide and the removal of small graphene/graphene oxide flakes. Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) grant no. 110T304, 109T209, Marie Curie International Reintegration Grant (IRG) grant no 256458, Turkish Academy of Science (TUBA-Gebip).

Reusable hydroxyapatite nanocrystal sensors for protein adsorption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tagaya, Motohiro; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Hanagata, Nobutaka; Chakarov, Dinko; Kasemo, Bengt; Tanaka, Junzo

2010-01-01

The repeatability of the adsorption and removal of fibrinogen and fetal bovine serum on hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanocrystal sensors was investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) monitoring technique. The HAp nanocrystals were coated on a gold-coated quartz sensor by electrophoretic deposition. Proteins adsorbed on the HAp sensors were removed by (i) ammonia/hydrogen peroxide mixture (APM), (ii) ultraviolet light (UV), (iii) UV/APM, (iv) APM/UV and (v) sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) treatments. FTIR spectra of the reused surfaces revealed that the APM and SDS treatments left peptide fragments or the proteins adsorbed on the surfaces, whereas the other methods successfully removed the proteins. The QCM-D measurements indicated that in the removal treatments, fibrinogen was slowly adsorbed in the first cycle because of the change in surface wettability revealed by contact angle measurements. The SDS treatment was not effective in removing proteins. The APM or UV treatment decreased the frequency shifts for the reused HAp sensors. The UV/APM treatment did not induce the frequency shifts but decreased the dissipation shifts. Therefore, we conclude that the APM/UV treatment is the most useful method for reproducing protein adsorption behavior on HAp sensors.

Reusable hydroxyapatite nanocrystal sensors for protein adsorption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Motohiro Tagaya, Toshiyuki Ikoma, Nobutaka Hanagata, Dinko Chakarov, Bengt Kasemo and Junzo Tanaka

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The repeatability of the adsorption and removal of fibrinogen and fetal bovine serum on hydroxyapatite (HAp nanocrystal sensors was investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D monitoring technique. The HAp nanocrystals were coated on a gold-coated quartz sensor by electrophoretic deposition. Proteins adsorbed on the HAp sensors were removed by (i ammonia/hydrogen peroxide mixture (APM, (ii ultraviolet light (UV, (iii UV/APM, (iv APM/UV and (v sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS treatments. FTIR spectra of the reused surfaces revealed that the APM and SDS treatments left peptide fragments or the proteins adsorbed on the surfaces, whereas the other methods successfully removed the proteins. The QCM-D measurements indicated that in the removal treatments, fibrinogen was slowly adsorbed in the first cycle because of the change in surface wettability revealed by contact angle measurements. The SDS treatment was not effective in removing proteins. The APM or UV treatment decreased the frequency shifts for the reused HAp sensors. The UV/APM treatment did not induce the frequency shifts but decreased the dissipation shifts. Therefore, we conclude that the APM/UV treatment is the most useful method for reproducing protein adsorption behavior on HAp sensors.

Design of a potentially prebiotic and responsive encapsulation material for probiotic bacteria based on chitosan and sulfated β-glucan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yücel, Cigdem; Sotres, Javier; Rascón, Ana

2017-01-01

HYPOTHESIS: Chitosan and sulfated oat β-glucan are materials suitable to create a prebiotic coating for targeted delivery to gastrointestinal system, using the layer by layer technology. EXPERIMENT: Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) and atomic...... force microscopy (AFM) were used to assess the multilayer formation capacity and characterize the resulting coatings in terms of morphology and material properties such as structure and rigidity. The coating of colloidal materials was proven, specifically on L. acidophilus bacteria as measured...

Thermal decomposition of hydrotalcite-like compounds studied by a novel tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez-Ramirez, Javier; Abello, Sonia

2006-01-01

For the first time, we report on the application of a tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) as a novel technique to investigate the thermal decomposition of hydrotalcite-like compounds (HTlcs) in air. Experiments were performed in the temperature range of 323-973 K with Mg-Al, Ni-Al, and Co-Al-HTlcs. The TEOM technique measures mass changes based on inertial forces, presenting important advantages over conventional thermogravimetric analyzers, such as the very rapid time response and the well-defined flow pattern. In general terms, excellent agreement between TEOM, TGA, and DTA techniques during HTlc decomposition was obtained. Interestingly, transition temperatures in the TEOM were lower than in TGA and DTA, particularly for removal of interlayer water but also for dehydroxylation of the brucite-like layers and decarbonation. This was attributed to the flow-through operation in the tapered element of the TEOM as compared to the recognized gas stagnancy and bypass in sample crucibles of conventional thermogravimetric analyzers. Our results conclude that the TEOM technique is suitable for temperature-programmed studies. However, due to its operation principle, blank runs are required in contrast to the more automatic operation in commercial thermogravimetric units. Besides, a careful sample loading and packing in the micro-reactor is essential for reproducible results

A Low-wear Planar-contact Silicon Raceway for Microball Bearing Applications

Science.gov (United States)

2009-04-01

of friction between stainless steel microballs and silicon grooves (18–20). Both linear and rotary micromotors for sensor platforms were developed...mechanism, like a micromotor , will enable devices to reach higher speeds. Previously, the radial surface wear track depth was >15 m for a device...can lead to significant whirl and axial misalignment, which is critical for micromotor and micropump applications. Small changes in the alignment

Driven dynamics of simplified tribological models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanossi, A; Braun, O M

2007-01-01

Over the last decade, remarkable developments in nanotechnology, notably the use of atomic and friction force microscopes (AFM/FFM), the surface-force apparatus (SFA) and the quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM), have provided the possibility to build experimental devices able to perform analysis on well-characterized materials at the nano- and microscale. Simultaneously, tremendous advances in computing hardware and methodology (molecular dynamics techniques and ab initio calculations) have dramatically increased the ability of theoreticians to simulate tribological processes, supplying very detailed information on the atomic scale for realistic sliding systems. This acceleration in experiments and computations, leading often to very detailed yet complex data, has deeply stimulated the search, rediscovery and implementation of simpler mathematical models such as the generalized Frenkel-Kontorova and Tomlinson models, capable of describing and interpreting, in a more immediate way, the essential physics involved in nonlinear sliding phenomena

Driven dynamics of simplified tribological models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vanossi, A [CNR-INFM National Research Center S3 and Department of Physics, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 213/A, 41100 Modena (Italy); Braun, O M [Institute of Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 03028 Kiev (Ukraine)

2007-08-01

Over the last decade, remarkable developments in nanotechnology, notably the use of atomic and friction force microscopes (AFM/FFM), the surface-force apparatus (SFA) and the quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM), have provided the possibility to build experimental devices able to perform analysis on well-characterized materials at the nano- and microscale. Simultaneously, tremendous advances in computing hardware and methodology (molecular dynamics techniques and ab initio calculations) have dramatically increased the ability of theoreticians to simulate tribological processes, supplying very detailed information on the atomic scale for realistic sliding systems. This acceleration in experiments and computations, leading often to very detailed yet complex data, has deeply stimulated the search, rediscovery and implementation of simpler mathematical models such as the generalized Frenkel-Kontorova and Tomlinson models, capable of describing and interpreting, in a more immediate way, the essential physics involved in nonlinear sliding phenomena.

Characterization of self-assembled redox polymer and antibody molecules on thiolated gold electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Calvo, E J; Danilowicz, C; Lagier, C M; Manrique, J; Otero, M

2004-05-15

Multilayer immobilization of antibody and redox polymer molecules on a gold electrode was achieved, as a strategy for the potential development of an amperometric immunosensor. The step-by-step assembly of antibiotin IgG on Os(bpy)(2)ClPyCH(2)NH poly(allylamine) redox polymer (PAH-Os) adsorbed on thiolated gold electrodes was proved by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments, confirming the electrochemical evidence. The increase of redox charge during the layer-by-layer deposition demonstrated that charge propagation within the layers is feasible. The multilayer structure proved to be effective for the molecular recognition of horseradish peroxidase-biotin conjugate (HRP-biotin), as confirmed by the QCM measurements and the electrocatalytic reduction current obtained upon H(2)O(2) addition. The catalytic current resulting from PAH-Os mediation was shown to increase with the number of assembled layers. Furthermore, the inventory of IgG molecules on the supramolecular self-assembled structure and the specific and non-specific binding of HRP-biotin conjugate were confirmed by the QCM transient studies, giving information on the kinetics of IgG deposition and HRP-biotin conjugate binding to the IgG.

Analyte induced water adsorbability in gas phase biosensors: the influence of ethinylestradiol on the water binding protein capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Snopok, Borys; Kruglenko, Ivanna

2015-05-07

An ultra-sensitive gas phase biosensor/tracer/bio-sniffer is an emerging technology platform designed to provide real-time information on air-borne analytes, or those in liquids, through classical headspace analysis. The desired bio-sniffer measures gaseous 17α- ethinylestradiol (ETED) as frequency changes on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), which is a result of the interactions of liquid sample components in the headspace (ETED and water) with a biorecognition layer. The latter was constructed by immobilization of polyclonal antiserum against a phenolic A-ring of estrogenic receptors through protein A. The QCM response exhibited stretched exponential kinetics of negative frequency shifts with reversible and "irreversible" components of mass uptake onto the sensor surface in static headspace conditions when exposed to water solutions of ETED over the sensor working range, from 10(-10) to 10(-17) g L(-1). It was shown that the variations in the QCM response characteristics are due to the change of the water-binding capacity of the sensing layer induced by protein transformations initiated by the binding of ETED molecules. This result is well correlated with the natural physiological function of estrogens in controlling the homeostasis of body fluids in living beings.

Durable superhydrophobic carbon soot coatings for sensor applications

Science.gov (United States)

Esmeryan, K. D.; Radeva, E. I.; Avramov, I. D.

2016-01-01

A novel approach for the fabrication of durable superhydrophobic (SH) carbon soot coatings used in quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) based gas or liquid sensors is reported. The method uses modification of the carbon soot through polymerization of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) by means of glow discharge RF plasma. The surface characterization shows a fractal-like network of carbon nanoparticles with diameter of ~50 nm. These particles form islands and cavities in the nanometer range, between which the plasma polymerized hexamethyldisiloxane (PPHMDSO) embeds and binds to the carbon chains and QCM surface. Such modified surface structure retains the hydrophobic nature of the soot and enhances its robustness upon water droplet interactions. Moreover, it significantly reduces the insertion loss and dynamic resistance of the QCM compared to the commonly used carbon soot/epoxy resin approach. Furthermore, the PPHMDSO/carbon soot coating demonstrates durability and no aging after more than 40 probing cycles in water based liquid environments. In addition, the surface layer keeps its superhydrophobicity even upon thermal annealing up to 540 °C. These experiments reveal an opportunity for the development of soot based SH QCMs with improved electrical characteristics, as required for high-resolution gas or liquid measurements.

ANTI-BIOFOULING BY DEGRADATION OF POLYMERS

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Chun-feng Ma; Hong-jun Yang; Guang-zhao Zhang

2012-01-01

Copolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and acrylate terminated poly(ethylene oxide-co-ethylene carbonate)(PEOC) macromonomer (PEOCA) were synthesized,and the degradation of the polymers was investigated by use of quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D).It is shown that the polymeric surface exhibits degradation in seawater depending on the content of the side chains.Field tests in seawater show that the surface constructed by the copolymer can effectively inhibit marine biofouling because it can be self-renewed due to degradation of the copolymer.

NO2 sensing properties of amorphous silicon films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgieva, V; Gadjanova, V; Donkov, N; Stefanov, P; Sendova-Vassileva, M; Grechnikov, A

2012-01-01

The sensitivity to NO 2 was studied of amorphous silicon thin films obtained by e-beam evaporation. The process was carried out at an operational-mode vacuum of 1.5x10 -5 Torr at a deposition rate of 170 nm/min. The layer's structure was analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, while its composition was determined by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). To estimate their sensitivity to NO 2 , the Si films were deposited on a 16-MHz quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and the correlation was used between the QCM frequency variation and the mass-loading after exposure to NO 2 in concentrations from 10 ppm to 5000 ppm. A considerable sensitivity of the films was found in the interval 1000 ppm-2500 ppm NO 2 , leading to frequency shifts from 131 Hz to 208 Hz. The results obtained on the films' sorption properties can be applied to the development sensor elements.

Volumetric interpretation of protein adsorption: interfacial packing of protein adsorbed to hydrophobic surfaces from surface-saturating solution concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kao, Ping; Parhi, Purnendu; Krishnan, Anandi; Noh, Hyeran; Haider, Waseem; Tadigadapa, Srinivas; Allara, David L; Vogler, Erwin A

2011-02-01

The maximum capacity of a hydrophobic adsorbent is interpreted in terms of square or hexagonal (cubic and face-centered-cubic, FCC) interfacial packing models of adsorbed blood proteins in a way that accommodates experimental measurements by the solution-depletion method and quartz-crystal-microbalance (QCM) for the human proteins serum albumin (HSA, 66 kDa), immunoglobulin G (IgG, 160 kDa), fibrinogen (Fib, 341 kDa), and immunoglobulin M (IgM, 1000 kDa). A simple analysis shows that adsorbent capacity is capped by a fixed mass/volume (e.g. mg/mL) surface-region (interphase) concentration and not molar concentration. Nearly analytical agreement between the packing models and experiment suggests that, at surface saturation, above-mentioned proteins assemble within the interphase in a manner that approximates a well-ordered array. HSA saturates a hydrophobic adsorbent with the equivalent of a single square or hexagonally-packed layer of hydrated molecules whereas the larger proteins occupy two-or-more layers, depending on the specific protein under consideration and analytical method used to measure adsorbate mass (solution depletion or QCM). Square or hexagonal (cubic and FCC) packing models cannot be clearly distinguished by comparison to experimental data. QCM measurement of adsorbent capacity is shown to be significantly different than that measured by solution depletion for similar hydrophobic adsorbents. The underlying reason is traced to the fact that QCM measures contribution of both core protein, water of hydration, and interphase water whereas solution depletion measures only the contribution of core protein. It is further shown that thickness of the interphase directly measured by QCM systematically exceeds that inferred from solution-depletion measurements, presumably because the static model used to interpret solution depletion does not accurately capture the complexities of the viscoelastic interfacial environment probed by QCM. Copyright © 2010

Quartz Crystal Microbalance Studies Of Dimethyl Methylphosphonate Sorption Into Trisilanolphenyl-Poss Films

Science.gov (United States)

2006-11-06

QUARTZ CRYSTAL MICROBALANCE STUDIES OF DIMETHYL METHYLPHOSPHONATE SORPTION INTO TRISILANOLPHENYL-POSS FILMS Joshua D. Kittle Thesis ...subsequent DIMP layers form a solid- like phase as a result of nucleated growth around the first layer. Bertilsson et al. studied the adsorption of...of QCMs in liquids,55, 56 opening the door to a variety of applications, including the study of electrodeposition of metals,57,65 electrochemical

Highly sensitive BTX detection using surface functionalized QCM sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bozkurt, Asuman Aşıkoğlu; Özdemir, Okan; Altındal, Ahmet, E-mail: altindal@yildiz.edu.tr [Department of Physics, Yildiz Technical University, Davutpasa, 34210 Istanbul (Turkey)

2016-03-25

A novel organic compound was designed and successfully synthesized for the fabrication of QCM based sensors to detect the low concentrations of BTX gases in indoor air. The effect of the long-range electron orbital delocalization on the BTX vapour sensing properties of azo-bridged Pcs based chemiresistor-type sensors have also been investigated in this work. The sensing behaviour of the film for the online detection of volatile organic solvent vapors was investigated by utilizing an AT-cut quartz crystal resonator. It was observed that the adsorption of the target molecules on the coating surface cause a reversible negative frequency shift of the resonator. Thus, a variety of solvent vapors can be detected by using the phthalocyanine film as sensitive coating, with sensitivity in the ppm range and response times in the order of several seconds depending on the molecular structure of the organic solvent.

Sealing of decant structure at QCM using a tailings cement grout mix

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bedard, C.; Goulisty, P.; Lemieux, J. [Journeaux, Bedard and Associates Inc., Dorval, PQ (Canada)

2001-10-01

It became necessary for Quebec Cartier Mining (QCM) to transfer the decantation point at the Mont-Wright mine to the Hesse 4 dam and proceed with the permanent sealing of the decant structure at dam A, as a result of the gradual advancement of the tailings mine waste in the Hesse North primary settling basin. A study was conducted to evaluate the use of tailings incorporated in a non-shrink Portland cement grout mix to adequately seal the decant structure of the 30 m high process water earth dam, and the results are presented in this paper. Along with the existing tailings, a type I Portland cement and supplementary cementing materials including fly ash and silica fume were tested. Using a series of design criteria including durability requirements, strength, density, segregation, bleeding, initial and final set, shrinkage, expansion, underwater placement, flowability, pumpability, and others, Journeaux, Bedard and Associates Incorporated completed a series of laboratory tests and trial mixes. Air entrainment admixture, anti-washout admixture, expansion admixture, bentonite, superplasticizer, etc. were tested in the various grout mixes. The design criteria, methodology, laboratory results, various placing techniques, such as pressure grouting, pumping, tremie and others, and formwork used to seal the decant structures are all detailed in the paper. A section is also devoted to the many challenges encountered during the testing. 11 figs.

Data-driven modeling of nano-nose gas sensor arrays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alstrøm, Tommy Sonne; Larsen, Jan; Nielsen, Claus Højgård

2010-01-01

We present a data-driven approach to classification of Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) sensor data. The sensor is a nano-nose gas sensor that detects concentrations of analytes down to ppm levels using plasma polymorized coatings. Each sensor experiment takes approximately one hour hence...... the number of available training data is limited. We suggest a data-driven classification model which work from few examples. The paper compares a number of data-driven classification and quantification schemes able to detect the gas and the concentration level. The data-driven approaches are based on state...

Data–driven modeling of nano-nose gas sensor arrays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alstrøm, Tommy Sonne; Larsen, Jan; Nielsen, Claus Højgård

2010-01-01

We present a data-driven approach to classification of Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) sensor data. The sensor is a nano-nose gas sensor that detects concentrations of analytes down to ppm levels using plasma polymorized coatings. Each sensor experiment takes approximately one hour hence...... the number of available training data is limited. We suggest a data-driven classification model which work from few examples. The paper compares a number of data-driven classification and quantification schemes able to detect the gas and the concentration level. The data-driven approaches are based on state...

Evaluation on corrosively dissolved gold induced by alkanethiol monolayer with atomic absorption spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao Zhong; Zhang Ling; Guo Chaoyan; Gong Fuchun; Long Shu; Tan Shuzhen; Xia Changbin; Xu Fen; Sun Lixian

2009-01-01

We have monitored a gold corrosive dissolution behavior accompanied in n-alkanethiol like n-dodecanethiol assembled process with in situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), and then observed it with atomic force microscopy (AFM) which showed an evident image of corrosive defects or holes produced on gold substrate, corresponding to gold dissolution induced by the alkanethiol molecules in the presence of oxygen. For detection of the dissolved gold defects during alkanethiol assembled process, an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) has been carried out in this paper, and the detection limit for the dissolved gold could be evaluated to be 15.4 ng/mL. The amount of dissolved gold from the substrates of gold plates as functions of immersion time, acid media, solvents and thiol concentration has been examined in the oxygen saturated solutions. In comparison with in situ QCM method, the kinetics behavior of the long-term gold corrosion on the gold plates in 1.0 mmol/L of n-dodecanethiol solution determined with AAS method was a slow process, and its corrosion rate on gold dissolution could be evaluated to be about 4.4 x 10 -5 ng.cm -2 .s -1 , corresponding to 1.3 x 10 8 Au atoms.cm -2 .s -1 , that was much smaller than that of initial rate monitored with in situ QCM. Both kinetics equations obtained with QCM and AAS showed a consistent corrosion behavior on gold surfaces.

The interaction between the gas sensing and surface morphology properties of LB thin films of porphyrins in terms of the adsorption kinetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capan, İ.; Erdoğan, M.; Stanciu, G.A.; Stanciu, S.G.; Hristu, R.; Göktepe, M.

2012-01-01

In this work we investigate the adsorption characteristics due to exposure to benzene, toluene and chloroform vapor of 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-Octaethyl-21H,23H-porphine metal free thin films fabricated by using the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) thin film technique and its derivatives containing iron chloride, cobalt and magnesium. By using the surface pressure–surface area (Π–A) isotherm graphs the optimum conditions for the thin film deposition and mean molecular area values of each porphyrin have been determined. Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) system was employed to investigate the gas sensing performances of thin films during the exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). The surface properties have been investigated by using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and analyzed together with the QCM results to understand the adsorption kinetics of the gas sensing mechanism. The rate constants, k a for each thin film interacting with the saturated concentration of vapors have been calculated. The gas sensing interaction has been considered in terms of rate constants in each case. The highest value for k a has been observed for benzene exposure. -- Highlights: ► We model an adsorption behavior for gas sensing porphyrin LB thin films. ► Adsorption coefficients are consistent with the gas experiments. ► The higher rate constant values point out the faster response.

Curating viscoelastic properties of icosahedral viruses, virus-based nanomaterials, and protein cages.

Science.gov (United States)

Kant, Ravi; Rayaprolu, Vamseedhar; McDonald, Kaitlyn; Bothner, Brian

2018-06-01

The beauty, symmetry, and functionality of icosahedral virus capsids has attracted the attention of biologists, physicists, and mathematicians ever since they were first observed. Viruses and protein cages assemble into functional architectures in a range of sizes, shapes, and symmetries. To fulfill their biological roles, these structures must self-assemble, resist stress, and are often dynamic. The increasing use of icosahedral capsids and cages in materials science has driven the need to quantify them in terms of structural properties such as rigidity, stiffness, and viscoelasticity. In this study, we employed Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation technology (QCM-D) to characterize and compare the mechanical rigidity of different protein cages and viruses. We attempted to unveil the relationships between rigidity, radius, shell thickness, and triangulation number. We show that the rigidity and triangulation numbers are inversely related to each other and the comparison of rigidity and radius also follows the same trend. Our results suggest that subunit orientation, protein-protein interactions, and protein-nucleic acid interactions are important for the resistance to deformation of these complexes, however, the relationships are complex and need to be explored further. The QCM-D based viscoelastic measurements presented here help us elucidate these relationships and show the future prospect of this technique in the field of physical virology and nano-biotechnology.

Improved electronic interfaces for AT-cut quartz crystal microbalance sensors under variable damping and parallel capacitance conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnau, A; García, J V; Jimenez, Y; Ferrari, V; Ferrari, M

2008-07-01

A new configuration of automatic capacitance compensation (ACC) technique based on an oscillatorlike working interface, which permits the tracking of the series resonant frequency and the monitoring of the motional resistance and the parallel capacitance of a thickness-shear mode quartz crystal microbalance sensor, is introduced. The new configuration permits an easier calibration of the system which, in principle, improves the accuracy. Experimental results are reported with 9 and 10 MHz crystals in liquids with different parallel capacitances which demonstrate the effectiveness of the capacitance compensation. Some frequency deviations from the exact series resonant frequency, measured by an impedance analyzer, are explained by the specific nonideal behavior of the circuit components. A tentative approach is proposed to solve this problem that is also common to previous ACC systems.

Improved electronic interfaces for AT-cut quartz crystal microbalance sensors under variable damping and parallel capacitance conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnau, A.; Garcia, J. V.; Jimenez, Y.; Ferrari, V.; Ferrari, M.

2008-01-01

A new configuration of automatic capacitance compensation (ACC) technique based on an oscillatorlike working interface, which permits the tracking of the series resonant frequency and the monitoring of the motional resistance and the parallel capacitance of a thickness-shear mode quartz crystal microbalance sensor, is introduced. The new configuration permits an easier calibration of the system which, in principle, improves the accuracy. Experimental results are reported with 9 and 10 MHz crystals in liquids with different parallel capacitances which demonstrate the effectiveness of the capacitance compensation. Some frequency deviations from the exact series resonant frequency, measured by an impedance analyzer, are explained by the specific nonideal behavior of the circuit components. A tentative approach is proposed to solve this problem that is also common to previous ACC systems

QCM-Arrays for Sensing Terpenes in Fresh and Dried Herbs via Bio-Mimetic MIP Layers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naseer Iqbal

2010-06-01

Full Text Available A piezoelectric 10 MHz multichannel quartz crystal microbalance (MQCM, coated with six molecularly imprinted polystyrene artificial recognition membranes have been developed for selective quantification of terpenes emanated from fresh and dried Lamiaceae family species, i.e., rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis L., basil (Ocimum Basilicum and sage (Salvia Officinalis. Optimal e-nose parameters, such as layer heights (1–6 KHz, sensitivity

Electroacoustic polymer microchip as an alternative to quartz crystal microbalance for biosensor development.

Science.gov (United States)

Gamby, Jean; Lazerges, Mathieu; Girault, Hubert H; Deslouis, Claude; Gabrielli, Claude; Perrot, Hubert; Tribollet, Bernard

2008-12-01

Laser photoablation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), a flexible dielectric organic polymer, was used to design an acoustic miniaturized DNA biosensor. The microchip device includes a 100-microm-thick PET layer, with two microband electrodes patterned in photoablated microchannels on one side and a depressed photoablated disk decorated by gold sputtered layer on the other side. Upon application of an electric signal between the two electrodes, an electroacoustic resonance phenomenon at approximately 30 MHz was established through the microelectrodes/PET/ gold layer interface. The electroacoustic resonance response was fitted with a series RLC motional arm in parallel with a static Co arm of a Buttlerworth-Van Dyke equivalent circuit: admittance spectra recorded after successive cycles of DNA hybridization on the gold surface showed reproducible changes on R, L, and C parameters. The same hybridizations runs were performed concomitantly on a 27-MHz (9 MHz, third overtone) quartz crystal microbalance in order to validate the PET device developed for bioanalysis applications. The electroacoustic PET device, approximately 100 times smaller than a microbalance quartz crystal, is interesting for the large-scale integration of acoustic sensors in biochips.

Adsorption of a small protein to a methyl-terminated hydrophobic surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Otzen, Daniel; Oliveberg, M.; Höök, F.

2003-01-01

We have studied the adsorption kinetics of a small monomeric protein S6 using the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) technique. Competitive adsorption from various proportions of native (Nat) and denatured (Den) protein in the bulk phase was carried out using a range...... of chemical denaturant concentrations. The ratio between Nat and Den in bulk has a profound affect on the adsorption behavior, most obvious from a significant (one order of magnitude) increase in the rate of a lag– and consolidation–adsorption phase when Nat is the major species present in bulk, signaling...... that these adsorption phases originates from the Den fraction of proteins in the bulk. To determine whether the kinetics of protein unfolding in the bulk phase are rate-limiting for adsorption of Nat, the adsorption kinetics of wildtype S6 with the mutant VA85 (whose unfolding kinetics are around 30 times more rapid...

Dew Point Calibration System Using a Quartz Crystal Sensor with a Differential Frequency Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Ningning; Meng, Xiaofeng; Nie, Jing

2016-11-18

In this paper, the influence of temperature on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor response during dew point calibration is investigated. The aim is to present a compensation method to eliminate temperature impact on frequency acquisition. A new sensitive structure is proposed with double QCMs. One is kept in contact with the environment, whereas the other is not exposed to the atmosphere. There is a thermal conductivity silicone pad between each crystal and a refrigeration device to keep a uniform temperature condition. A differential frequency method is described in detail and is applied to calibrate the frequency characteristics of QCM at the dew point of -3.75 °C. It is worth noting that frequency changes of two QCMs were approximately opposite when temperature conditions were changed simultaneously. The results from continuous experiments show that the frequencies of two QCMs as the dew point moment was reached have strong consistency and high repeatability, leading to the conclusion that the sensitive structure can calibrate dew points with high reliability.

The Shell Structure Effect on the Vapor Selectivity of Monolayer-Protected Gold Nanoparticle Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rui-Xuan Huang

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Four types of monolayer-protected gold nanoclusters (MPCs were synthesized and characterized as active layers of vapor sensors. An interdigitated microelectrode (IDE and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM were used to measure the electrical resistance and mass loading changes of MPC films during vapor sorption. The vapor sensing selectivity was influenced by the ligand structure of the monolayer on the surface of gold nanoparticles. The responses of MPC-coated QCM were mainly determined according to the affinity between the vapors and surface ligands of MPCs. The responses to the resistance changes of the MPC films were due to the effectiveness of the swelling when vapor was absorbed. It was observed that resistive sensitivity to polar organics could be greatly enhanced when the MPC contained ligands that contain interior polar functional groups with exterior nonpolar groups. This finding reveals that reducing interparticle attraction by using non-polar exterior groups could increase effective swelling and therefore enhance the sensitivity of MPC-coated chemiresistors.

Simple Coatings to Render Polystyrene Protein Resistant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelle Hecker

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Non-specific protein adsorption is detrimental to the performance of many biomedical devices. Polystyrene is a commonly used material in devices and thin films. Simple reliable surface modification of polystyrene to render it protein resistant is desired in particular for device fabrication and orthogonal functionalisation schemes. This report details modifications carried out on a polystyrene surface to prevent protein adsorption. The trialed surfaces included Pluronic F127 and PLL-g-PEG, adsorbed on polystyrene, using a polydopamine-assisted approach. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D results showed only short-term anti-fouling success of the polystyrene surface modified with F127, and the subsequent failure of the polydopamine intermediary layer in improving its stability. In stark contrast, QCM-D analysis proved the success of the polydopamine assisted PLL-g-PEG coating in preventing bovine serum albumin adsorption. This modified surface is equally as protein-rejecting after 24 h in buffer, and thus a promising simple coating for long term protein rejection of polystyrene.

Search for hyperdeformation in 146Gd using the microball and gammasphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hua, P.F.; LaFosse, D.; Korolija, M.; Sarantites, D.G.; Baktash, C.; Cross, C.; Cederwall, B.; Fallon, P.; Lee, I.Y.; Machiavelli, A.

1994-01-01

Results from the first attempt to observe hyperdeformation in 146 Gd by the 100 Mo( 51 V, p4n) reaction are presented. The γ-ray spectra were recorded with Gammasphere. The Microball was used to select protons with an efficiency of 90%. A total of 2 x 10 9 proton selected triple events were obtained. The pxn channels comprised ∼25% of the total events. The proton gating decreased the background from competing xn, αxn and fission by a factor of 4

Examination of High Frequency MHz Rheology of Filled Polymer Composites and Photopolymers

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Chyi-Huey Joshua

The quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) is a versatile characterization tool capable of tracking changes in areal mass and high frequency MHz rheology of micron thick films. The QCM primarily consists of a single quartz disc with electrodes deposited on both sides of the disc. Due to the piezoelectric nature of quartz, introduction of an oscillating voltage near the resonance condition of the quartz disc produces a traveling shear wave that can be measured with electrical admittance analysis. This technique behaves like an acoustic reflectometer, where an induced mechanical shear wave propagates and reflects at the interfaces between material layers with differing acoustic impedances. Based on how the shear wave interacts with the interfaces, information on the material properties can be quantitatively modeled. In this dissertation, a quantitative approach of determining the magnitude and sources of error is presented, so that interpretation of viscoelastic information and areal mass changes can be performed with confidence. Specifically, the role of anharmonic coupling with harmonic modes are explored and simulated with COMSOL Multiphysics. Several case studies motivating and highlighting the utility of the QCM is presented. The fracture and thermal aging behavior of several nanofilled silicone elastomers are examined using traditional mechanical tests, such as pure shear geometry and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Results can be qualitatively explained by the concept of dynamic mechanical heterogeneity, where a high mechanical contrast is desired for high fracture toughness. However, DMA results can be difficult to interpret (especially at shifted high frequencies) due to thermal rheological complexity, a characteristic commonly found in many polymer composites. This motivates the application of the QCM, where MHz viscoelastic behavior can be directly probed, providing insight on the dissipative behavior at local length scales. Investigation of polysilicate

The mysteries of memory effect and its elimination with antifreeze proteins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walker, V.; Gordienko, R.; Kuiper, M.; Huva, E.; Wu, Z. [Queen' s Univ., Kingston, ON (Canada). Dept. of Biology; Zeng, H.; Ripmeester, J. [Queen' s Univ., Kingston, ON (Canada). Dept. of Biology]|[National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada). Steacie Inst. for Molecular Sciences

2008-07-01

With the decline in easily accessible and conventional hydrocarbon supplies, exploration will focus on hydrocarbons in deep offshore waters, in permafrost or in crystalline water as gas hydrates. Crystallization of water or water-encaged gas molecules takes place when nuclei reach a critical size, but the crystal growth may be inhibited by certain antifreeze proteins (AFPs). In this study, the authors hypothesized that the crystal lattice of gas hydrates may act as an alternative for substrate antifreeze proteins (AFPs). AFP-mediated inhibition of ice and clathrate hydrate crystallization was examined. Since the AFPs had a notable ability to eliminate the memory effect (ME) or the faster reformation of clathrate hydrates after melting, the authors were prompted to examine heterogeneous nucleation. Silica, served as a model nucleator hydrophilic surface. Quartz crystal microbalance-dissipation (QCM-D) experiments showed that an active AFP was tightly adsorbed to the silica surface. However, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyvinylcaprolactam (PVCap), 2 commercial hydrate kinetic inhibitors that do not eliminate ME, were not as tightly adsorbed. A mutant AFP inhibited tetrahydrofuran clathrate hydrate growth, but not ME. QCM-D analysis showed that adsorption of the mutant AFP was more similar to PVCap than the active AFP. It was concluded that although there is no evidence for memory in ice reformation, the crystallization of ice and hydrates, and the elimination of the more rapid recrystallization of hydrates, can be mediated by the same proteins. The properties of adsorbed layers can be effectively monitored by QCM-D. These study results provided useful information about the inhibition mechanism of heterogeneous nucleation of clathrate hydrate. The technique facilitates the screening of potential low dose hydrate inhibitors and residues in AFPs that are involved in silica adsorption. 24 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs.

Characterization of mechanical behavior of an epithelial monolayer in response to epidermal growth factor stimulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Ruiguo; Chen, Jennifer Y.; Xi, Ning; Lai, King Wai Chiu; Qu, Chengeng; Fung, Carmen Kar Man; Penn, Lynn S.; Xi, Jun

2012-01-01

Cell signaling often causes changes in cellular mechanical properties. Knowledge of such changes can ultimately lead to insight into the complex network of cell signaling. In the current study, we employed a combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) to characterize the mechanical behavior of A431 cells in response to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. From AFM, which probes the upper portion of an individual cell in a monolayer of cells, we observed increases in energy dissipation, Young's modulus, and hysteresivity. Increases in hysteresivity imply a shift toward a more fluid-like mechanical ordering state in the bodies of the cells. From QCM-D, which probes the basal area of the monolayer of cells collectively, we observed decreases in energy dissipation factor. This result suggests a shift toward a more solid-like state in the basal areas of the cells. The comparative analysis of these results indicates a regionally specific mechanical behavior of the cell in response to EGFR signaling and suggests a correlation between the time-dependent mechanical responses and the dynamic process of EGFR signaling. This study also demonstrates that a combination of AFM and QCM-D is able to provide a more complete and refined mechanical profile of the cells during cell signaling. -- Highlights: ► The EGF-induced cellular mechanical response is regionally specific. ► The EGF-induced cellular mechanical response is time and dose dependent. ► A combination of AFM and QCM-D provides a more complete mechanical profile of cells.

Adsorption studies of water on copper, nickel, and iron: assessment of the polarization model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S.; Staehle, R.W.

1997-01-01

In the atmospheric corrosion of copper, nickel, and iron, the adsorption of water affects the corrosion rates. Knowledge of water adsorption and metal oxyhydroxide formation is important in understanding the atmospheric corrosion process. The purposes of the present research were (i) to measure the adsorption of water on metal surfaces as a function of temperature and relative humidity (RH) and (ii) to assess Bradley's polarization model of adsorption. In the present research, the quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) technique was used to measure the mass changes of copper, nickel, and iron at 0 to 100% relative humidity and 7 to 90 C under nitrogen and air environments. Less water was adsorbed on copper, nickel, and iron which form oxides than on gold. The amount of water adsorption was similar on copper, nickel, and iron under N 2 and air carrier gases. Functional relationship was first proposed as a way to include dipole/induced dipole interactions between the adsorbents and water layers. (orig.)

Studies on the interactions between bovine {beta}-lactoglobulin and chitosan at the solid-liquid interface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Campina, Jose M., E-mail: jpina@fc.up.p [Centro de Investigacao em Quimica (CIQ), Departamento de Quimica, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); Souza, Hileia K.S., E-mail: hsouza@fe.up.p [REQUIMTE, Departamento de Engenharia Quimica, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto (Portugal); Borges, Joao, E-mail: jborges@fc.up.p [Centro de Investigacao em Quimica (CIQ), Departamento de Quimica, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); Martins, Ana, E-mail: amartins@fc.up.p [Centro de Investigacao em Quimica (CIQ), Departamento de Quimica, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); Goncalves, Maria Pilar, E-mail: pilarg@fe.up.p [REQUIMTE, Departamento de Engenharia Quimica, Faculdade de Engenharia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto (Portugal); Silva, Fernando, E-mail: afssilva@fc.up.p [Centro de Investigacao em Quimica (CIQ), Departamento de Quimica, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal)

2010-12-01

Chitosan ultrathin films have been formed on polycrystalline Au substrates using the LbL technique with the purpose of studying its interaction with bovine {beta}-lactoglobulin ({beta}-LG) at the solid-liquid interface. The immobilization of chitosan was followed by Quartz Crystal Microbalance with energy dissipation (QCM-D), Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). The behavior of the chitosan films in the presence of {beta}-LG solutions with different bulk concentrations ([{beta}-LG]), ionic strength (I), and pH has been investigated using the same techniques plus Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The results showed that for pHs lower than protein's pI, weak intermolecular forces (H bonding, Van der Waals, hydrophobic, etc.) are established between {beta}-LG and chitosan (especially close to the pI) leading to low coverage nonspecific adsorption. On the contrary when pH > pI, strong ionic bonding through attractive electrostatic interactions lead to high coverage adsorbed phases composed of large {beta}-LG aggregates. The adsorption process was shown to consist of a relatively fast step (in which these interactions are predominant) which is followed, once the {beta}-LG monolayer is exceeded, by the slow formation of thicker and increasingly viscoelastic films through {beta}-LG self-aggregation. QCM-D and AFM experiments unveiled the role of [{beta}-LG] and I on the formation of these aggregates. The adsorption isotherm built from impedance data in the medium-low [{beta}-LG] range (0.001-0.3 mg mL{sup -1}), showed good fitting to the Langmuir model confirming that the formation of one {beta}-LG monolayer is achieved in this concentration range.

Studies on the interactions between bovine β-lactoglobulin and chitosan at the solid-liquid interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campina, Jose M.; Souza, Hileia K.S.; Borges, Joao; Martins, Ana; Goncalves, Maria Pilar; Silva, Fernando

2010-01-01

Chitosan ultrathin films have been formed on polycrystalline Au substrates using the LbL technique with the purpose of studying its interaction with bovine β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) at the solid-liquid interface. The immobilization of chitosan was followed by Quartz Crystal Microbalance with energy dissipation (QCM-D), Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). The behavior of the chitosan films in the presence of β-LG solutions with different bulk concentrations ([β-LG]), ionic strength (I), and pH has been investigated using the same techniques plus Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The results showed that for pHs lower than protein's pI, weak intermolecular forces (H bonding, Van der Waals, hydrophobic, etc.) are established between β-LG and chitosan (especially close to the pI) leading to low coverage nonspecific adsorption. On the contrary when pH > pI, strong ionic bonding through attractive electrostatic interactions lead to high coverage adsorbed phases composed of large β-LG aggregates. The adsorption process was shown to consist of a relatively fast step (in which these interactions are predominant) which is followed, once the β-LG monolayer is exceeded, by the slow formation of thicker and increasingly viscoelastic films through β-LG self-aggregation. QCM-D and AFM experiments unveiled the role of [β-LG] and I on the formation of these aggregates. The adsorption isotherm built from impedance data in the medium-low [β-LG] range (0.001-0.3 mg mL -1 ), showed good fitting to the Langmuir model confirming that the formation of one β-LG monolayer is achieved in this concentration range.

Simultaneous detection of surface coverage and structure of krypton films on gold by helium atom diffraction and quartz crystal microbalance techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Danışman, M Fatih; Özkan, Berrin

2011-11-01

We describe a quartz crystal microbalance setup that can be operated at low temperatures in ultra high vacuum with gold electrode surfaces acting as substrate surface for helium diffraction measurements. By simultaneous measurement of helium specular reflection intensity from the electrode surface and resonance frequency shift of the crystal during film adsorption, helium diffraction data can be correlated to film thickness. In addition, effects of interfacial viscosity on the helium diffraction pattern could be observed. To this end, first, flat gold films on AT cut quartz crystals were prepared which yield high enough helium specular reflection intensity. Then the crystals were mounted in the helium diffractometer sample holder and driven by means of a frequency modulation driving setup. Different crystal geometries were tested to obtain the best quality factor and preliminary measurements were performed on Kr films on gold surfaces. While the crystal structure and coverage of krypton films as a function of substrate temperature could successfully be determined, no depinning effects could be observed. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Dew Point Calibration System Using a Quartz Crystal Sensor with a Differential Frequency Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ningning Lin

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the influence of temperature on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM sensor response during dew point calibration is investigated. The aim is to present a compensation method to eliminate temperature impact on frequency acquisition. A new sensitive structure is proposed with double QCMs. One is kept in contact with the environment, whereas the other is not exposed to the atmosphere. There is a thermal conductivity silicone pad between each crystal and a refrigeration device to keep a uniform temperature condition. A differential frequency method is described in detail and is applied to calibrate the frequency characteristics of QCM at the dew point of −3.75 °C. It is worth noting that frequency changes of two QCMs were approximately opposite when temperature conditions were changed simultaneously. The results from continuous experiments show that the frequencies of two QCMs as the dew point moment was reached have strong consistency and high repeatability, leading to the conclusion that the sensitive structure can calibrate dew points with high reliability.

Preparation of Langmuir–Blodgett thin films of calix[6]arenes and p-tert butyl group effect on their gas sensing properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozmen, Mustafa, E-mail: musozmen@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, University of Selcuk, 42075 Konya (Turkey); Ozbek, Zikriye, E-mail: zikriye@comu.edu.tr [Department of Bioengineering, University of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart, 17100 Canakkale (Turkey); Bayrakci, Mevlut [Department of Bioengineering, University of Karamanoglu Mehmetbey, 70200 Karaman (Turkey); Ertul, Seref; Ersoz, Mustafa [Department of Chemistry, University of Selcuk, 42075 Konya (Turkey); Capan, Rifat [Department of Physics, University of Balikesir, 10145 Balikesir (Turkey)

2015-12-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • In this work, we prepared Langmuir–Blodgett films of calix[6]arene derivatives. • Then LB films of calixarene compounds were characterized. • Organic vapor sensing properties of prepared LB films were investigated. - Abstract: Organic vapor sensing properties of Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) thin films of p-tert-butyl calix[6]arene and calix[6]arene, and their certain characterization are reported in this work. LB films of these calixarenes have been characterized by contact angle measurement, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). QCM system was used for the measurement of sensor response against chloroform, benzene, toluene and ethanol vapors. Forming of stable monolayers was observed at the water surface using surface pressure–area isotherm graph. The results indicate that good quality, uniform LB films can be prepared with a transfer ratio of over 0.95. Due to the adsorption of vapors into the LB film structures; they yield a response to all vapors as of large, fast, and reproducible.

Specific binding of large aggregates of amphiphilic molecules to the respective antibodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Nabok, Alexei; Tsargorodskaya, Anna; Holloway, Alan; Starodub, Nikolay F; Demchenko, Anna

2007-07-31

The Binding of nonylphenol to respective antibodies immobilized on solid substrates was studied with the methods of total internal reflection ellipsometry (TIRE) and QCM (quartz crystal microbalance) impedance spectroscopy. The binding reaction was proved to be highly specific having an association constant of KA=1.6x10(6) mol(-1) L and resulted in an increase in both the adsorbed layer thickness of 23 nm and the added mass of 18.3 microg/cm2 at saturation. The obtained responses of both TIRE and QCM methods are substantially higher than anticipated for the immune binding of single molecules of nonylphenol. The mechanism of binding of large aggregates of nonylphenol was suggested instead. Modeling of the micelle of amphiphilic nonylphenol molecules in aqueous solutions yielded a micelle size of about 38 nm. The mechanism of binding of large molecular aggregates to respective antibodies can be extended to other hydrophobic low-molecular-weight toxins such as T-2 mycotoxin. The formation of large molecular aggregates of nonylphenol and T-2 mycotoxin molecules on the surface was proved by the AFM study.

Influencia del Estado de Oxidación del Ión Cobalto en la Estabilidad de Electrodos Modificados con Monocapas SAM-TOA-ANTA-Con+-HRP-NHis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro R. Matheus*

Full Text Available Influence of state oxidation of cobalt ion in the stability electrodes modified with monolayers SAM-TOA-ANTA-Con+-HRP-NHis. Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM was used to investigate the adsorption of the HRP-NHis enzyme (horseradish peroxidase, which was modified by the addition of a tail of six histidine on its extreme N-terminal. The QCM operating at flow of 0.025 mL min-1 on a crystal whose gold electrode was modified with monolayers of SAM-TOA-ANTA-Co2+ and SAM-TOA-ANTA -Co3+. The oxidize form was obtained from the electrochemical oxidation of a monolayer of SAM-TOA-ANTA-Co2+. The results suggest that the HRP-NHis is attached to both monolayers in a similar way; on the contrary, the desortion of the attached protein is dramatically different. Thus, whereas the ligand-Co2+ bonds are reversible, which allows that the anchored protein is easily replaced by imidazol molecules. The 3+ oxidation state of the metal does not allow the interchange of protein by the imidazol molecules.

Boron-Doped Carbon Nano-/Microballs from Orthoboric Acid-Starch: Preparation, Characterization, and Lithium Ion Storage Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinhua Lu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A boron-doped carbon nano-/microballs (BC was successfully obtained via a two-step procedure including hydrothermal reaction (180°C and carbonization (800°C with cheap starch and H3BO3 as the carbon and boron source. As a new kind of boron-doped carbon, BC contained 2.03 at% B-content and presented the morphology as almost perfect nano-/microballs with different sizes ranging from 500 nm to 5 μm. Besides that, due to the electron deficient boron, BC was explored as anode material and presented good lithium storage performance. At a current density of 0.2 C, the first reversible specific discharge capacity of BC electrode reached as high as 964.2 mAh g–1 and kept at 699 mAh g–1 till the 11th cycle. BC also exhibited good cycle ability with a specific capacity of 356 mAh g–1 after 79 cycles at a current density of 0.5 C. This work proved to be an effective approach for boron-doped carbon nanostructures which has potential usage for lithium storage material.

On Mass Loading and Dissipation Measured with Acoustic Wave Sensors: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina V. Voinova

2009-01-01

Full Text Available We summarize current trends in the analysis of physical properties (surface mass density, viscosity, elasticity, friction, and charge of various thin films measured with a solid-state sensor oscillating in a gaseous or liquid environment. We cover three different types of mechanically oscillating sensors: the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D monitoring, surface acoustic wave (SAW, resonators and magnetoelastic sensors (MESs. The fourth class of novel acoustic wave (AW mass sensors, namely thin-film bulk acoustic resonators (TFBARs on vibrating membranes is discussed in brief. The paper contains a survey of theoretical results and practical applications of the sensors and includes a comprehensive bibliography.

Surface Acoustic Wave Monitor for Deposition and Analysis of Ultra-Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

Hines, Jacqueline H. (Inventor)

2015-01-01

A surface acoustic wave (SAW) based thin film deposition monitor device and system for monitoring the deposition of ultra-thin films and nanomaterials and the analysis thereof is characterized by acoustic wave device embodiments that include differential delay line device designs, and which can optionally have integral reference devices fabricated on the same substrate as the sensing device, or on a separate device in thermal contact with the film monitoring/analysis device, in order to provide inherently temperature compensated measurements. These deposition monitor and analysis devices can include inherent temperature compensation, higher sensitivity to surface interactions than quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) devices, and the ability to operate at extreme temperatures.

Registration of T-2 mycotoxin with total internal reflection ellipsometry and QCM impedance methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Nabok, A V; Tsargorodskaya, A; Holloway, A; Starodub, N F; Gojster, O

2007-01-15

A sensitive optical method of total internal reflection ellipsometry (TIRE) in conjunction with immune assay approach was exploited for the registration of T-2 mycotoxin in a wide range of concentrations from 100 microg/ml down to 0.15 ng/ml. Association constants of 1.4x10(6) and 1.9x10(7)mol(-1)s for poly- and monoclonal T-2 antibodies, respectively, were evaluated from TIRE kinetic measurements. According to TIRE data fitting, binding of T-2 molecules to antibodies (at saturation) has resulted in the increase in adsorbed layer thickness of 4-5 nm. The QCM impedance measurements data showed anomalously large mass increase and film softening, most likely, due to the binding of large T-2 aggregates to antibodies.

Application of the TEOM reactor for adsorption, diffusion and kinetic studies[TEOM=Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rebo, Hans Petter

1999-07-01

In Norway, the limited offshore oil resources, the abundance of natural gas and the need to recover associated gas from the crude oil production have made the utilisation of natural gas the focus of increased attention. Most products from refineries and chemical industry are formed by gas phase reactions over solid materials like metals, metal oxides and zeolites. Heterogeneous catalysts are in addition frequently used for environmental purposes and energy production. In the work described in this thesis, an experimental set-up was built and used to study some typical processes in heterogeneous catalysis. The set-up included a tapered element oscillating microbalance (TEOM) for measuring mass changes. The following properties of the TEOM were found particularly useful: (1) Frequent frequency counting makes the TEOM suitable for recording transient uptake curves, (2) High sensitivity of the microbalance makes it possible to work with low catalyst loading and still obtain high signal to noise ratio, and (3) Reliable kinetic data are obtained due to the fixed bed characteristics of the TEOM. Adsorption and diffusion of o-xylene and toluene in a commercial HZSM-5 zeolite were studied at 30, 100 and 200 {sup o}C and at partial pressures in the range of 0.002-0.1 bar. The effect of coke on the adsorption and diffusion properties were studied by adsorption experiments at 30 {sup o}C of ethane, toluene and n-hexane before and after coke formation during ethene oligomerisation at 475 {sup o}C and at P(ethene)=0.8 bar. The oligomerisation of ethene over HZSM-5 was used as a model reaction for comparing coke formation in a gravimetric microbalance and in the TEOM. The work also includes a study of coke formation and the effect of coke on the kinetics of propene dehydrogenation over Pt-Sn/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} catalysts at 500-580 {sup o}C.

Thermodynamic and kinetic approaches for evaluation of monoclonal antibody - Lipoprotein interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Multia, Evgen; Sirén, Heli; Andersson, Karl; Samuelsson, Jörgen; Forssén, Patrik; Fornstedt, Torgny; Öörni, Katariina; Jauhiainen, Matti; Riekkola, Marja-Liisa

2017-02-01

Two complementary instrumental techniques were used, and the data generated was processed with advanced numerical tools to investigate the interactions between anti-human apoB-100 monoclonal antibody (anti-apoB-100 Mab) and apoB-100 containing lipoproteins. Partial Filling Affinity Capillary Electrophoresis (PF-ACE) combined with Adsorption Energy Distribution (AED) calculations provided information on the heterogeneity of the interactions without any a priori model assumptions. The AED calculations evidenced a homogenous binding site distribution for the interactions. Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) studies were used to evaluate thermodynamics and kinetics of the Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and anti-apoB-100 Mab interactions. High affinity and selectivity were observed, and the emerging data sets were analysed with so called Interaction Maps. In thermodynamic studies, the interaction between LDL and anti-apoB-100 Mab was found to be predominantly enthalpy driven. Both techniques were also used to study antibody interactions with Intermediate-Density (IDL) and Very Low-Density (VLDL) Lipoproteins. By screening affinity constants for IDL-VLDL sample in a single injection we were able to distinguish affinity constants for both subpopulations using the numerical Interaction Map tool. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effects of surface aging on nanoparticle fate and transport in natural and engineered porous media

Science.gov (United States)

Mittelman, Anjuliee M.

Nanomaterials will be subjected to various surface transformations in the environment and within water and wastewater treatment systems. A comprehensive understanding of the fate and transport behavior of "aged" nanomaterials in both natural and engineered porous media is required in order to accurately quantify ecological and human health risks. This research sought to (1) evaluate the impact of ultraviolet (UV) light aging on nanoparticle transport in water-saturated porous media; and (2) assess the effects of influent water quality on silver nanoparticle retention and dissolution in ceramic water filters. Additionally, the value of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D) data in nanoparticle fate and transport studies was evaluated by comparing deposition behavior in complementary QCM-D and sand columns experiments. Silver (nAg) and iron oxide nanoparticles exposed to UV light were up to 50% more strongly retained in porous media compared with freshly prepared suspensions due to less negative surface charge and larger aggregate sizes. UV-aged nAg were more prone to dissolution in sand columns, resulting in effluent Ag+ concentrations as high as 1.2 mg/L. In ceramic water filters, dissolution and cation exchange processes controlled silver release into treated water. The use of acidic, high salinity, or high hardness water accelerated oxidative dissolution of the silver coating and resulted in effluent silver concentrations 5-10 times above international drinking water guidelines. Results support the recommendation for a regular filter replacement or silver re-application schedule to ensure ongoing efficacy. Taken in concert, these research findings suggest that oxidative aging of nanomaterial surfaces (either through exposure to UV light or aggressive water chemistries) will alter the fate of nanomaterials in the environment and may decrease the effective lifetime of devices which utilize nanotechnology. Corresponding QCM-D and column experiments revealed that

Study of the electrodeposition of rhenium thin films by electrochemical quartz microbalance and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schrebler, R.; Cury, P.; Suarez, C.; Munoz, E.; Vera, F.; Cordova, R.; Gomez, H.; Ramos-Barrado, J.R.; Leinen, D.; Dalchiele, E.A.

2005-01-01

Rhenium thin films were prepared by electrodeposition from an aqueous solution containing 0.1 M Na 2 SO 4 +H 2 SO 4 , pH 2 in presence of y mM HReO 4 . As substrates polycrystalline gold (y=0.75 mM HReO 4 ) and monocrystalline n-Si(100) (y=40 mM HReO 4 ) were used. The electrochemical growth of rhenium was studied by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical quartz microbalance on gold electrodes. The results found in the potential region before the hydrogen evolution reaction (her) showed that ReO 3 , ReO 2 and Re 2 O 3 with different hydration grades can be formed. In the potential region where the her is occurring, either on gold or n-Si(100) the electrodeposition of metallic rhenium takes place. On both substrates, rhenium films were formed by electrolysis at constant potential and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy technique was used to characterise these deposits. It was concluded that the electrodeposited films were of metallic rhenium and only the uppermost atomic layer contained rhenium oxide species

Selectivity and Efficiency of Conductive Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (c-MIP Based on 5-Phenyl-Dipyrromethane and 5-Phenol-Dipyrromethane for Quorum Sensing Precursors Detection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sabina Susmel

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Functional polymers that selectively recognize target compounds are developed by imprinting polymerization. In the present paper, two different dipyrromethanes, 5-phenol-dipyrromethane (5-pOH-DP and 5-phenyl-dipyrromethane (5-ph-DP, are synthetized and investigated to develop conductive molecularly imprinted polymer (cMIP sensors. As target molecules, two homoserine lactone derivatives were templated by an electrochemically driven polymerization process. Acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs, also called homoserine lactones (HS, are a class of signaling molecules involved in bacterial quorum sensing (QS, which is a strategy of coordination among bacteria mediated by population density. The preparation of cMIP from 5-pOH-DP and 5-ph-DP in the presence of acetyl-homoserine lactone (Acetyl-HS or carboxybenzyl-homoserine lactone (Cbz-HS was performed by cyclic voltammetry (CV. The cMIP selectivity and sensitivity were assessed by microgravimetry (QCM. Both series of measurements were performed with the aid of an Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance (EQCM/QCM. The experimental evidences are discussed with respect to NMR measurements that were conducted to gain insight into the interactions established between monomers and templates. The NMR data interpretation offers preliminary information about the most probable positions involved in interaction development for both molecules and highlights the role of the hydration shell. The QCM-cMIP sensor was able to detect the analyte in the linear range from 10−8 mol·L−1 to 10−6 mol·L−1 and a limit of detection (LOD of 22.3 ng (3σ of the blank signal were evaluated. QCM rebinding tests demonstrated that cMIP selectivity was driven by the pendant group of dipyrromethane, which was also confirmed by the NMR data.

A Cytochrome P450 3A4 Biosensor Based on Generation 4.0 PAMAM Dendrimers for the Detection of Caffeine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Müller

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Cytochromes P450 (CYP, P450 are a large family of heme-active-site proteins involved in many catalytic processes, including steroidogenesis. In humans, four primary enzymes are involved in the metabolism of almost all xenobiotics. Among these enzymes, CYP3A4 is responsible for the inactivation of the majority of used drugs which makes this enzyme an interesting target for many fields of research, especially pharmaceutical research. Since the late 1970s, attempts have been made to construct and develop electrochemical sensors for the determination of substrates. This paper is concerned with the establishment of such a CYP3A4-containing biosensor. The sensor was constructed by adsorption of alternating layers of sub-nanometer gold particle-modified PAMAM (poly-amido-amine dendrimers of generation 4.0, along with the enzyme by a layer-by-layer assembly technique. Atomic force microscopy (AFM, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM, and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR were employed to elucidate the sensor assembly. Additionally, the biosensor was tested by cyclic voltammetry using caffeine as a substrate.

Measurement of deposition rate and ion energy distribution in a pulsed dc magnetron sputtering system using a retarding field analyzer with embedded quartz crystal microbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Shailesh; Gahan, David; Scullin, Paul; Doyle, James; Lennon, Jj; Vijayaraghavan, Rajani K; Daniels, Stephen; Hopkins, M B

2016-04-01

A compact retarding field analyzer with embedded quartz crystal microbalance has been developed to measure deposition rate, ionized flux fraction, and ion energy distribution arriving at the substrate location. The sensor can be placed on grounded, electrically floating, or radio frequency (rf) biased electrodes. A calibration method is presented to compensate for temperature effects in the quartz crystal. The metal deposition rate, metal ionization fraction, and energy distribution of the ions arriving at the substrate location are investigated in an asymmetric bipolar pulsed dc magnetron sputtering reactor under grounded, floating, and rf biased conditions. The diagnostic presented in this research work does not suffer from complications caused by water cooling arrangements to maintain constant temperature and is an attractive technique for characterizing a thin film deposition system.

Measurement of deposition rate and ion energy distribution in a pulsed dc magnetron sputtering system using a retarding field analyzer with embedded quartz crystal microbalance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, Shailesh, E-mail: shailesh.sharma6@mail.dcu.ie [Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 (Ireland); Impedans Limited, Chase House, City Junction Business Park, Northern Cross, D17 AK63, Dublin 17 (Ireland); Gahan, David, E-mail: david.gahan@impedans.com; Scullin, Paul; Doyle, James; Lennon, Jj; Hopkins, M. B. [Impedans Limited, Chase House, City Junction Business Park, Northern Cross, D17 AK63, Dublin 17 (Ireland); Vijayaraghavan, Rajani K.; Daniels, Stephen [Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9 (Ireland)

2016-04-15

A compact retarding field analyzer with embedded quartz crystal microbalance has been developed to measure deposition rate, ionized flux fraction, and ion energy distribution arriving at the substrate location. The sensor can be placed on grounded, electrically floating, or radio frequency (rf) biased electrodes. A calibration method is presented to compensate for temperature effects in the quartz crystal. The metal deposition rate, metal ionization fraction, and energy distribution of the ions arriving at the substrate location are investigated in an asymmetric bipolar pulsed dc magnetron sputtering reactor under grounded, floating, and rf biased conditions. The diagnostic presented in this research work does not suffer from complications caused by water cooling arrangements to maintain constant temperature and is an attractive technique for characterizing a thin film deposition system.

Atomic layer deposition of molybdenum disulfide films using MoF ₆ and H ₂ S

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mane, Anil U. [Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Ave., Argonne, Illinois 60439; Letourneau, Steven [Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, 1910 University Dr., Boise, Idaho 83725; Mandia, David J. [Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Ave., Argonne, Illinois 60439; Liu, Jian [Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd., Evanston, Illinois 60208; Libera, Joseph A. [Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Ave., Argonne, Illinois 60439; Lei, Yu [Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Ave., Argonne, Illinois 60439; Peng, Qing [Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Ave., Argonne, Illinois 60439; Graugnard, Elton [Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, Boise State University, 1910 University Dr., Boise Idaho 83725; Elam, Jeffrey W. [Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Ave, Argonne, Illinois 60439

2018-01-01

Molybdenum sulfide films were grown by atomic layer deposition on silicon and fused silica substrates using molybdenum hexafluoride (MoF6) and hydrogen sulfide at 200 degrees C. In situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements confirmed linear growth at 0.46 angstrom/cycle and self-limiting chemistry for both precursors. Analysis of the QCM step shapes indicated that MoS2 is the reaction product, and this finding is supported by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements showing that Mo is predominantly in the Mo(IV) state. However, Raman spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction measurements failed to identify crystalline MoS2 in the as-deposited films, and this might result from unreacted MoFx residues in the films. Annealing the films at 350 degrees C in a hydrogen rich environment yielded crystalline MoS2 and reduced the F concentration in the films. Optical transmission measurements yielded a bandgap of 1.3 eV. Finally, the authors observed that the MoS2 growth per cycle was accelerated when a fraction of the MoF6 pulses were substituted with diethyl zinc. Published by the AVS

Quartz Microbalance Sensor for the Detection of Acrylamide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christoph A. Schalley

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Several macrocycles of the Hunter-Vögtle type have been identified as superior host compounds for the detection of small amounts of acrylamide. When coated onto the surface of a quartz microbalance, these compounds serve as highly sensitive and selective sensor-active layers for their use in electronic noses. In this study, differently substituted macrocycles were investigated including an open-chain analogue and a catenane. Their structure and functional groups are correlated with their observed affinities to acrylamide and related acids and amides. The much smaller response of the open-chain compound and the almost absent sensor response of the catenane suggest that binding occurs within the cavity of the macrocycle. Theoretical calculations agree well with the experimental data even though they do not yet take into account the arrangement of the macrocycles in the sensor-active layer. The lower detection limit of acrylamide is 10 parts per billion (ppb, which is impressively low for this type of sensor. Other related compounds such as acrylic acid, propionamide, or propionic acid show no or significantly lower affinities to the macrocycles in these concentration ranges.

Impact of the antimicrobial peptide Novicidin on membrane structure and integrity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Søren B; Otzen, Daniel Erik

2010-01-01

We have studied the impact of an 18-residue cationic antimicrobial peptide Novicidin (Nc) on the structure and integrity of partially anionic lipid membranes using oriented circular dichroism (OCD), quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), dual polarization interferometry (DPI......), calcein dye leakage and fluorescence spectroscopy. OCD consistently showed that Nc is bound in an alpha-helical, surface bound state over a range of peptide to lipid (P/L) ratios up to approximately 1:15. Realignment of Nc at higher P/L ratios correlates to loss of membrane integrity as shown by Laurdan...... concentration, probably through formation of transient pores or transient disruption of the membrane integrity, followed by more extensive membrane disintegration at higher P/L ratios....

Quartz crystal microbalance-based system for high-sensitivity differential sputter yield measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rubin, B.; Topper, J. L.; Farnell, C. C.; Yalin, A. P.

2009-01-01

We present a quartz crystal microbalance-based system for high sensitivity differential sputter yield measurements of different target materials due to ion bombardment. The differential sputter yields can be integrated to find total yields. Possible ion beam conditions include ion energies in the range of 30-350 eV and incidence angles of 0 deg. - 70 deg. from normal. A four-grid ion optics system is used to achieve a collimated ion beam at low energy (<100 eV) and a two-grid ion optics is used for higher energies (up to 750 eV). A complementary weight loss approach is also used to measure total sputter yields. Validation experiments are presented that confirm high sensitivity and accuracy of sputter yield measurements.

Discussion meet on electroanalytical techniques and their applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aggarwal, S.K.; Gopinath, N.; Govindan, R.

2008-02-01

Electrochemistry is truly an interdisciplinary science and plays an important role in different branches of science and technology. The present Discussion Meet on ElectroAnalytical Techniques (DM- ELANTE-2008) is focused on the update of various electroanalytical techniques which have brought out a substantial change in electroanalytical chemistry. The aim of this Discussion Meet is to provide a forum to all the electroanalytical scientists to discuss their recent findings and information, learn from the mutual experiences and interests, and to promote cooperation both nationally and internationally. It is proposed to have tutorial lectures as well as invited talks during the Discussion Meet on various electroanalytical techniques including Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), Spectro-electrochemistry, Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM), Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance (EQCM), Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) etc. Papers relevant to INIS are indexed separately

Review of Transducer Principles for Label-Free Biomolecular Interaction Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janos Vörös

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Label-free biomolecular interaction analysis is an important technique to study the chemical binding between e.g., protein and protein or protein and small molecule in real-time. The parameters obtained with this technique, such as the affinity, are important for drug development. While the surface plasmon resonance (SPR instruments are most widely used, new types of sensors are emerging. These developments are generally driven by the need for higher throughput, lower sample consumption or by the need of complimentary information to the SPR data. This review aims to give an overview about a wide range of sensor transducers, the working principles and the peculiarities of each technology, e.g., concerning the set-up, sensitivity, sensor size or required sample volume. Starting from optical technologies like the SPR and waveguide based sensors, acoustic sensors like the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM and the film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR, calorimetric and electrochemical sensors are covered. Technologies long established in the market are presented together with those newly commercially available and with technologies in the early development stage. Finally, the commercially available instruments are summarized together with their sensitivity and the number of sensors usable in parallel and an outlook for potential future developments is given.

Determination of nanoparticle surface coatings and nanoparticle purity using microscale thermogravimetric analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mansfield, Elisabeth; Tyner, Katherine M; Poling, Christopher M; Blacklock, Jenifer L

2014-02-04

The use of nanoparticles in some applications (i.e., nanomedical, nanofiltration, or nanoelectronic) requires small samples with well-known purities and composition. In addition, when nanoparticles are introduced into complex environments (e.g., biological fluids), the particles may become coated with matter, such as proteins or lipid layers. Many of today's analytical techniques are not able to address small-scale samples of nanoparticles to determine purity and the presence of surface coatings. Through the use of an elevated-temperature quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method we call microscale thermogravimetric analysis, or μ-TGA, the nanoparticle purity, as well as the presence of any surface coatings of nanomaterials, can be measured. Microscale thermogravimetric analysis is used to determine the presence and amount of surface-bound ligand coverage on gold nanoparticles and confirm the presence of a poly(ethylene glycol) coating on SiO2 nanoparticles. Results are compared to traditional analytical techniques to demonstrate reproducibility and validity of μ-TGA for determining the presence of nanoparticle surface coatings. Carbon nanotube samples are also analyzed and compared to conventional TGA. The results demonstrate μ-TGA is a valid method for quantitative determination of the coatings on nanoparticles, and in some cases, can provide purity and compositional data of the nanoparticles themselves.

Self-limiting atomic layer deposition of conformal nanostructured silver films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golrokhi, Zahra; Chalker, Sophia; Sutcliffe, Christopher J.; Potter, Richard J.

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We grow metallic silver by direct liquid injection thermal atomic layer deposition. • Highly conformal silver nanoparticle coatings on high aspect ratio surfaces. • An ALD temperature growth window between 123 and 128 °C is established. • ALD cycles provides sub nanometre control of silver growth. • Catalytic dehydrogenation ALD mechanism has been elucidated by in-situ QCM. - Abstract: The controlled deposition of ultra-thin conformal silver nanoparticle films is of interest for applications including anti-microbial surfaces, plasmonics, catalysts and sensors. While numerous techniques can produce silver nanoparticles, few are able to produce highly conformal coatings on high aspect ratio surfaces, together with sub-nanometre control and scalability. Here we develop a self-limiting atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for the deposition of conformal metallic silver nanoparticle films. The films have been deposited using direct liquid injection ALD with ((hexafluoroacetylacetonato)silver(I)(1,5-cyclooctadiene)) and propan-1-ol. An ALD temperature window between 123 and 128 °C is identified and within this range self-limiting growth is confirmed with a mass deposition rate of ∼17.5 ng/cm"2/cycle. The effects of temperature, precursor dose, co-reactant dose and cycle number on the deposition rate and on the properties of the films have been systematically investigated. Under self-limiting conditions, films are metallic silver with a nano-textured surface topography and nanoparticle size is dependent on the number of ALD cycles. The ALD reaction mechanisms have been elucidated using in-situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements, showing chemisorption of the silver precursor, followed by heterogeneous catalytic dehydrogenation of the alcohol to form metallic silver and an aldehyde.

Measurement of the Ru surface content of electrodeposited PtRu electrodes with the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance: implications for methanol and CO electrooxidation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Frelink, T.; Visscher, W.; Veen, van J.A.R.

1996-01-01

To obtain the surface content of Ru in rough electrocodeposited PtRu electrodes, the mass change of a Pt electrode during Ru deposition was measured with the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCMB). It is shown that there is a correlation between the potential of the surface oxide

Liquid- and Gas-Phase Diffusion of Ferrocene in Thin Films of Metal-Organic Frameworks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wencai Zhou

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The mass transfer of the guest molecules in nanoporous host materials, in particular in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs, is among the crucial features of their applications. By using thin surface-mounted MOF films in combination with a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM, the diffusion of ferrocene vapor and of ethanolic and hexanic ferrocene solution in HKUST-1 was investigated. For the first time, liquid- and gas-phase diffusion in MOFs was compared directly in the identical sample. The diffusion coefficients are in the same order of magnitude (~10−16 m2·s−1, whereas the diffusion coefficient of ferrocene in the empty framework is roughly 3-times smaller than in the MOF which is filled with ethanol or n-hexane.

Liquid- and Gas-Phase Diffusion of Ferrocene in Thin Films of Metal-Organic Frameworks

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Wencai; Wöll, Christof; Heinke, Lars

2015-01-01

The mass transfer of the guest molecules in nanoporous host materials, in particular in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), is among the crucial features of their applications. By using thin surface-mounted MOF films in combination with a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), the diffusion of ferrocene vapor and of ethanolic and hexanic ferrocene solution in HKUST-1 was investigated. For the first time, liquid- and gas-phase diffusion in MOFs was compared directly in the identical sample. The diffusion coefficients are in the same order of magnitude (~10−16 m2·s−1), whereas the diffusion coefficient of ferrocene in the empty framework is roughly 3-times smaller than in the MOF which is filled with ethanol or n-hexane.

A Remarkably Simple Class of Imidazolium-Based Lipids and Their Biological Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Da; Richter, Christian; Rühling, Andreas; Drücker, Patrick; Siegmund, Daniel; Metzler-Nolte, Nils; Glorius, Frank; Galla, Hans-Joachim

2015-10-19

A series of imidazolium salts bearing two alkyl chains in the backbone of the imidazolium core were synthesized, resembling the structure of lipids. Their antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity were evaluated using Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and eukaryotic cell lines including tumor cells. It is shown that the length of alkyl chains in the backbone is vital for the antibiofilm activities of these lipid-mimicking components. In addition to their biological activity, their surface activity and their membrane interactions are shown by film balance and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements. The structure-activity relationship indicates that the distinctive chemical structure contributes considerably to the biological activities of this novel class of lipids. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthesis and binding affinity analysis of α1-2- and α1-6-O/S-linked dimannosides for the elucidation of sulfur in glycosidic bonds using quartz crystal microbalance sensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Norberg, Oscar; Wu, Bin; Thota, Niranjan

2017-01-01

with the cognate lectin concanavalin A. Mannose-presenting QCM sensors were produced using photoinitiated, nitrene-mediated immobilization methods, and the subsequent binding study was performed in an automated flow-through instrumentation, and correlated with data from isothermal titration calorimetry...

Adsorption of hyaluronic acid on solid supports: role of pH and surface chemistry in thin film self-assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jae-Hyeok; Kim, Seong-Oh; Linardy, Eric; Dreaden, Erik C; Zhdanov, Vladimir P; Hammond, Paula T; Cho, Nam-Joon

2015-06-15

Owing to its biocompatibility, resistance to biofouling, and desirable physicochemical and biological properties, hyaluronic acid (HA) has been widely used to modify the surface of various materials. The role of various physicochemical factors in HA adsorption remains, however, to be clarified. Herein, we employed quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) in order to investigate HA adsorption at different pH conditions onto three substrates-silicon oxide, amine-terminated self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on gold, and carboxylic acid-terminated SAM on gold. The QCM-D experiments indicated specific pH conditions where either strong or weak HA adsorption occurs. The morphology of the adsorbed HA layers was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and we identified that strong HA adsorption produced a complete, homogenous and smooth HA layer, while weak HA adsorption resulted in rough and inhomogeneous HA layers. The observed specifics of the kinetics of HA adsorption, including a short initial linear phase and subsequent long non-linear phase, were described by using a mean-field kinetic model taking HA diffusion limitations and reconfiguration in the adsorbed state into account. The findings extend the physicochemical background of design strategies for improving the use of passive HA adsorption for surface modification applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Antifouling Platform Characterized by Single-Molecule Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

Antifouling surfaces have been widely studied for their importance in medical devices and industry. Antifouling surfaces mostly achieved by methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) have shown biomolecular adsorption less than 1 ng/cm2 which was measured by surface analytical tools such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), or optical waveguide lightmode (OWL) spectroscopy. Herein, we utilize a single-molecule imaging technique (i.e., an ultimate resolution) to study antifouling properties of functionalized surfaces. We found that about 600 immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecules are adsorbed. This result corresponds to ∼5 pg/cm2 adsorption, which is far below amount for the detection limit of the conventional tools. Furthermore, we developed a new antifouling platform that exhibits improved antifouling performance that shows only 78 IgG molecules adsorbed (∼0.5 pg/cm2). The antifouling platform consists of forming 1 nm TiO2 thin layer, on which peptidomimetic antifouling polymer (PMAP) is robustly anchored. The unprecedented antifouling performance can potentially revolutionize a variety of research fields such as single-molecule imaging, medical devices, biosensors, and others. PMID:24503420

New antifouling platform characterized by single-molecule imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Ji Young; Song, In Taek; Lau, K H Aaron; Messersmith, Phillip B; Yoon, Tae-Young; Lee, Haeshin

2014-03-12

Antifouling surfaces have been widely studied for their importance in medical devices and industry. Antifouling surfaces mostly achieved by methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) have shown biomolecular adsorption less than 1 ng/cm(2) which was measured by surface analytical tools such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), or optical waveguide lightmode (OWL) spectroscopy. Herein, we utilize a single-molecule imaging technique (i.e., an ultimate resolution) to study antifouling properties of functionalized surfaces. We found that about 600 immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecules are adsorbed. This result corresponds to ∼5 pg/cm(2) adsorption, which is far below amount for the detection limit of the conventional tools. Furthermore, we developed a new antifouling platform that exhibits improved antifouling performance that shows only 78 IgG molecules adsorbed (∼0.5 pg/cm(2)). The antifouling platform consists of forming 1 nm TiO2 thin layer, on which peptidomimetic antifouling polymer (PMAP) is robustly anchored. The unprecedented antifouling performance can potentially revolutionize a variety of research fields such as single-molecule imaging, medical devices, biosensors, and others.

Protein Adsorption and Subsequent Fibroblasts Adhesion on Hydroxyapatite Nanocrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tagaya, Motohiro; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Yoshioka, Tomohiko; Tanaka, Junzo; Takemura, Taro; Hanagata, Nobutaka

2011-01-01

Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) technique was employed for protein adsorption and subsequent fibroblast adhesion on hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanocrystals. The pre-adsorption of three proteins (albumin (BSA) or fibronectin (Fn) or collagen (Col)) and subsequent adsorption of fetal bovine serum (FBS), and the adhesion of fibroblasts on the surface were in situ monitored, and evaluated with the frequency shift (Δf) and dissipation energy shift (ΔD), and the viscoelastic change as ΔD-Δf plot. The Col adsorption showed larger Δf and ΔD values compared with BSA or Fn adsorption, and the subsequent FBS adsorption depended on the pre-adsorbed proteins. The ΔD-Δf plot of the cell adhesion also showed the different behaviour on the surfaces, indicating the process affected by cell-protein interactions. The confocal laser scanning microscope images of adherent cells showed the different morphology and pseudopod on the surfaces. The cells adhered on the surfaces modified with Fn and Col had the uniaxially expanded shape with fibrous pseudopods, while those modified with BSA had round shape. The different cell-protein interaction would cause the arrangement of extracellular matrix and cytoskeleton changes at the interfaces.

Protein Adsorption and Subsequent Fibroblasts Adhesion on Hydroxyapatite Nanocrystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tagaya, Motohiro; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Yoshioka, Tomohiko; Tanaka, Junzo [Department of Metallurgy and Ceramics Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Tokyo 152-8550 (Japan); Takemura, Taro; Hanagata, Nobutaka, E-mail: tagaya.m.aa@m.titech.ac.jp [Biomaterials Center, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047 (Japan)

2011-10-29

Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) technique was employed for protein adsorption and subsequent fibroblast adhesion on hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanocrystals. The pre-adsorption of three proteins (albumin (BSA) or fibronectin (Fn) or collagen (Col)) and subsequent adsorption of fetal bovine serum (FBS), and the adhesion of fibroblasts on the surface were in situ monitored, and evaluated with the frequency shift ({Delta}f) and dissipation energy shift ({Delta}D), and the viscoelastic change as {Delta}D-{Delta}f plot. The Col adsorption showed larger {Delta}f and {Delta}D values compared with BSA or Fn adsorption, and the subsequent FBS adsorption depended on the pre-adsorbed proteins. The {Delta}D-{Delta}f plot of the cell adhesion also showed the different behaviour on the surfaces, indicating the process affected by cell-protein interactions. The confocal laser scanning microscope images of adherent cells showed the different morphology and pseudopod on the surfaces. The cells adhered on the surfaces modified with Fn and Col had the uniaxially expanded shape with fibrous pseudopods, while those modified with BSA had round shape. The different cell-protein interaction would cause the arrangement of extracellular matrix and cytoskeleton changes at the interfaces.

Cell adhesion on Ti surface with controlled roughness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Burgos-Asperilla, Laura

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In this report, the in situ interaction between Saos-2 osteoblast cells and a smooth Ti surface was examined over time. The adhesion kinetics and mechanisms of cellular proliferation were monitored by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS. The rate of Saos-2 attachment on Ti surfaces, obtained from the measurements performed with the QCM, is a first-order reaction, with k=2.10−3 min−1. The impedance measurements indicate that in the absence of cells, the Ti resistance diminishes over time (7 days, due to the presence of amino acids and proteins from the culture medium that have been a dsorbed, while in the presence of osteoblasts, this decrease is much greater because of the compounds generated by the cells that accelerate the dissolution of Ti.En este trabajo, se ha estudiado la interacción in situ entre células osteoblásticas Saos-2 y una superficie de Ti de rugosidad controlada a lo largo del tiempo. El estudio de la cinética y los mecanismos de proliferación celular de adhesión se ha realizado a través de la microbalanza de cristal de cuarzo (QCM y espectroscopía de impedancia electroquímica (EIS. La velocidad de adhesión de los osteoblastos sobre la superficie de Ti obtenida a través de medidas con la QCM, sigue una reacción de primer orden, con k=2×10−3 min−1. Los ensayos de impedancia indican que, en ausencia de las células, la resistencia del Ti disminuye con el tiempo (7 días, debido a la presencia de aminoácidos y proteínas del medio de cultivo que se han adsorbido, mientras que en presencia de células, esta disminución es mucho mayor debido a los productos metabólicos generados por las células que aceleran la disolución del Ti.

The Use of Calixarene Thin Films in the Sensor Array for VOCs Detection and Olfactory Navigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan F. Holloway

2010-02-01

Full Text Available This work is dedicated to the development of a sensor array for detection of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs in pre-explosive concentrations as well as for olfactory robotic navigation in the frame of two EU projects. A QCM (quartz crystal microbalance sensor array was built utilising quartz crystals spun-coated with thin films of different amphiphilic calixarene molecules to provide a base for pattern recognition of different volatile organic chemicals (VOCs. Commercial Metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS sensors were also used in the same array for the benefit of comparison. The sensor array was tested with a range of organic vapours, such as hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, aromatics, etc, in concentrations below LEL and up to UEL (standing for lower and upper explosion limit, respectively; the sensor array proved to be capable of identification and concentration evaluation of a range of VOCs. Comparison of QCM and MOS sensors responses to VOCs in the LEL-UEL range showed the advantage of the former. In addition, the sensor array was tested on the vapours of camphor from cinnamon oil in order to prove the concept of using the "scent marks" for robotic navigation. The results showed that the response signature of QCM coated with calixarenes to camphor is very much different from those of any other VOCs used. Adsorption and de-sorption rates of camphor are also much slower comparing to VOCs due to a high viscosity of the compound. Our experiments demonstrated the suitability of calixarene sensor array for the task and justified the use of camphor as a "scent mark" for olfactory navigation.

Measuring Enthalpy of Sublimation of Volatiles by Means of Piezoelectric Crystal Microbalances

Science.gov (United States)

Dirri, Fabrizio; Palomba, Ernesto; Longobardo, Andrea; Zampetti, Emiliano

2017-12-01

Piezoelectric Crystal Microbalances (PCM's) are widely used to study the chemical processes involving volatile compounds in any environment, such as condensation process. Since PCM's are miniaturized sensor, they are very suitable for planetary in situ missions, where can be used to detect and to measure the mass amount of astrobiologically significant compounds, such as water and organics. This work focuses on the realization and testing of a new experimental setup, able to characterize volatiles which can be found in a planetary environment. In particular the enthalpy of sublimation of some dicarboxylic acids has been measured. The importance of dicarboxylic acids in planetology and astrobiology is due to the fact that they have been detected in carbonaceous chondritic material (e.g. Murchinson), among the most pristine material present in our Solar System. In this work, a sample of acid was heated in an effusion cell up to its sublimation. For a set of temperatures (from 30 °C to 75 °C), the deposition rate on the PCM surface has been measured. From these measurements, it has been possible to infer the enthalpy of sublimation of Adipic acid, i.e. ΔH = 141.6 ± 0.8 kJ/mol and Succinic acid, i.e. ΔH = 113.3 ± 1.3 kJ/mol. This technique has so demonstrated to be a good choice to recognise a single compound or a mixture (with an analysis upstream) even if some improvements concerning the thermal stabilization of the system will be implemented in order to enhance the results' accuracy. The experiment has been performed in support of the VISTA (Volatile In Situ Thermogravimetry Analyzer) project, which is included in the scientific payload of the ESA MarcoPolo-R mission study.

Phase transition of pNIPAM grafted on plasma-activated PEO monitored in-situ by quartz crystal microbalance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heinz, P; Bretagnol, F; Mannelli, I; Gillil, D; Rauscher, H; Rossi, F [European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, 21020 Ispra (Vatican City State, Holy See,) (Italy)], E-mail: hubert.rauscher@jrc.it

2008-03-15

Thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) layers were grafted on plasma-activated poly(ethylene oxide)-like substrate. Analysis by ToF-SIMS confirmed the presence of a pNIPAM film, which shows a phase transition temperature at 28 - 32 deg. C with hysteresis, as determined in-situ by quartz crystal microbalance. During the transition, the frequency of the pNIPAM coated quartz sensor exhibits a pronounced and unexpected minimum while the dissipation changes monotonously. This peculiar behaviour is explained by temporary formation of water-rich regions, which may cause delayed release and uptake of water during the collapse and re-swelling of the layer.

Phase transition of pNIPAM grafted on plasma-activated PEO monitored in-situ by quartz crystal microbalance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heinz, P; Bretagnol, F; Mannelli, I; Gillil, D; Rauscher, H; Rossi, F

2008-01-01

Thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) layers were grafted on plasma-activated poly(ethylene oxide)-like substrate. Analysis by ToF-SIMS confirmed the presence of a pNIPAM film, which shows a phase transition temperature at 28 - 32 deg. C with hysteresis, as determined in-situ by quartz crystal microbalance. During the transition, the frequency of the pNIPAM coated quartz sensor exhibits a pronounced and unexpected minimum while the dissipation changes monotonously. This peculiar behaviour is explained by temporary formation of water-rich regions, which may cause delayed release and uptake of water during the collapse and re-swelling of the layer

Initial oxidation of silver surfaces by S2-and S4+ species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kleber, Ch.; Wiesinger, R.; Schnoeller, J.; Hilfrich, U.; Hutter, H.; Schreiner, M.

2008-01-01

Silver has been exposed to each of the sulphurous gases under the influence of different humidity contents in the ambient atmosphere and in the presence and absence of aerial oxygen. The samples were investigated by means of in situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (TM-AFM) and time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) which enables to characterize the corrosion layer formed, the morphology and the chemical structure of the weathered surfaces. The investigations revealed that sulfidation by both gases is strongly dependent on the relative humidity (% RH) content and the aerial oxygen content in the ambient atmosphere. The results obtained are used to suggest new mechanisms for the sulfidation of silver surfaces exposed to humidified atmospheres with addition of SO 2 and H 2 S, respectively

Real-time and label free determination of ligand binding-kinetics to primary cancer tissue specimens; a novel tool for the assessment of biomarker targeting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Thomas Mandel; Ayres Pereira, Marina; Oo, Htoo Zarni

2016-01-01

crystal microbalance (QCM) enabled biosensor technology. We analysed the interaction between the rVAR2 protein and its placental-like chondroitin sulfate (pl-CS) receptor in primary human placenta tissue and in breast and prostate tumour specimens in situ. rVAR2 interacted with FFPE human placenta...... and cancer tissue with an affinity in the nanomolar range, and showed no detectable interaction with pl-CS negative normal tissue. We further validated the method by including analysis with the androgen receptor N-20 antibody (anti-AR). As the KD value produced by this method is independent of the number......In clinical oncology, diagnosis and evaluation of optimal treatment strategies are mostly based on histopathological examination combined with immunohistochemical (IHC) expression analysis of cancer-associated antigens in formalin fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue biopsies. However, informative...

Application of nanomaterials in the bioanalytical detection of disease-related genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Xiaoqian; Li, Jiao; He, Hanping; Huang, Min; Zhang, Xiuhua; Wang, Shengfu

2015-12-15

In the diagnosis of genetic diseases and disorders, nanomaterials-based gene detection systems have significant advantages over conventional diagnostic systems in terms of simplicity, sensitivity, specificity, and portability. In this review, we describe the application of nanomaterials for disease-related genes detection in different methods excluding PCR-related method, such as colorimetry, fluorescence-based methods, electrochemistry, microarray methods, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) methods, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The most commonly used nanomaterials are gold, silver, carbon and semiconducting nanoparticles. Various nanomaterials-based gene detection methods are introduced, their respective advantages are discussed, and selected examples are provided to illustrate the properties of these nanomaterials and their emerging applications for the detection of specific nucleic acid sequences. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Novel Method for Preparation of Gold NanoBipyramids Using Microwave Irradiation and Its Application in Immunosensors

Science.gov (United States)

Huynh, Trong Phat; Ngo, Vo Ke Thanh; Nguyen, Dang Giang; Nguyen, Hoang Phuong Uyen; Nghiem, Quoc Dat; Lam, Quang Vinh; Huynh, Thanh Dat

2016-05-01

Gold nanobipyramids (NBPs) have attracted attention for producing smart sensing devices as diagnostic tools in biotechnological and medical applications, because they show more advantageous plasmonic properties than comparable gold nanorods. Normally, NBPs were synthesized using seed-mediated growth process at room temperature. In this report, our group describes a method for synthesising of NBPs using microwave irradiation with ascorbic acid reduction and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide + silver nitrate (AgNO3) as capping agents. The advantages of this method are a highly effective approach to fast and uniform NBPs. The product was characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and x-ray powder diffraction. As an application in quartz crystal microbalance immunosensors, NBPs is conjugated with the chloramphenicol antibodies for signal amplification to detect chloramphenicol residuals in the QCM system.

Quartz Crystal Microbalance Coated with Sol-gel-derived Thin Films as Gas Sensor for NO Detection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. J. O’Shea

2003-10-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the possibilities and properties of Indium tin oxide (ITO-covered quartz crystal as a NOx toxic gas-sensor. The starting sol-gel solution was prepared by mixing indium chloride dissolved in acetylacetone and tin chloride dissolved in ethanol (0-20% by weight. The ITO thin films were deposited on the gold electrodes of quartz crystal by spin-coating technique and subsequently followed a standard photolithography to pattern the derived films to ensure all sensors with the same sensing areas. All heat treatment processes were controlled below 500°C in order to avoid the piezoelectric characteristics degradation of quartz crystal (Quartz will lose its piezoelectricity at ~573°C due to the phase change from α to β. The electrical and structural properties of ITO thin films were characterized with Hall analysis system, TG/DTA, XRD, XPS, SEM and etc. The gas sensor had featured with ITO thin films of ~100nm as the receptor to sense the toxic gas NO and quartz crystal with frequency of 10MHz as the transducer to transfer the surface reactions (mass loading, etc into the frequency shift. A homemade setup had been employed to measure the sensor response under the static mode. The experimental results had indicated that the ITO-coated QCM had a good sensitivity for NO gas, ~12Hz/100ppm within 5mins. These results prove that the ITO-covered quartz crystals are usable as a gas sensor and as an analytical device.

Study of swelling behavior in ArF resist during development by the QCM method (3): observations of swelling layer elastic modulus

Science.gov (United States)

Sekiguchi, Atsushi

2013-03-01

The QCM method allows measurements of impedance, an index of swelling layer viscosity in a photoresist during development. While impedance is sometimes used as a qualitative index of change in the viscosity of the swelling layer, it has to date not been used quantitatively, for data analysis. We explored a method for converting impedance values to elastic modulus (Pa), a coefficient expressing viscosity. Applying this method, we compared changes in the viscosity of the swelling layer in an ArF resist generated during development in a TMAH developing solution and in a TBAH developing solution. This paper reports the results of this comparative study.

Design of Cyclic Peptide Based Glucose Receptors and Their Application in Glucose Sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chao; Chen, Xin; Zhang, Fuyuan; He, Xingxing; Fang, Guozhen; Liu, Jifeng; Wang, Shuo

2017-10-03

Glucose assay is of great scientific significance in clinical diagnostics and bioprocess monitoring, and to design a new glucose receptor is necessary for the development of more sensitive, selective, and robust glucose detection techniques. Herein, a series of cyclic peptide (CP) glucose receptors were designed to mimic the binding sites of glucose binding protein (GBP), and CPs' sequence contained amino acid sites Asp, Asn, His, Asp, and Arg, which constituted the first layer interactions of GBP. The properties of these CPs used as a glucose receptor or substitute for the GBP were studied by using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique. It was found that CPs can form a self-assembled monolayer at the Au quartz electrode surface, and the monolayer's properties were characterized by using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The CPs' binding affinity to saccharide (i.e., galactose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, and maltose) was investigated, and the CPs' sensitivity and selectivity toward glucose were found to be dependent upon the configuration,i.e., the amino acids sequence of the CPs. The cyclic unit with a cyclo[-CNDNHCRDNDC-] sequence gave the highest selectivity and sensitivity for glucose sensing. This work suggests that a synthetic peptide bearing a particular functional sequence could be applied for developing a new generation of glucose receptors and would find huge application in biological, life science, and clinical diagnostics fields.

Assessing the adsorption selectivity of linker functionalized, moisture-stable metal-organic framework thin films by means of an environment-controlled quartz crystal microbalance.

Science.gov (United States)

Bétard, Angélique; Wannapaiboon, Suttipong; Fischer, Roland A

2012-11-04

The stepwise thin film deposition of the robust, hydrophobic [Zn(4)O(dmcapz)(3)](n) (dmcapz = 3,5-dimethyl-4-carboxy-pyrazolato) is reported. The adsorption of small organic probe molecules, including alkanols, toluene, aniline and xylenes, was monitored by an environment-controlled quartz crystal microbalance setup. The adsorption selectivity was tuned by introducing alkyl side chains in the dmcapz linker.

Development of A Microbalance System For Water and Dust Detection In Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Battaglia, R.; Palomba, E.; Palumbo, P.; Colangeli, L.

.e. the caps, the regolith and the ice hazes. Ice hazes, in fact, provide a mechanism for scavenging water vapor in the thin Mars atmosphere and may play a key role in the seasonal cycle of water on Mars. A focused investigation, made in different regions, possibly in different seasons, and spanning several days is desirable for solving the question of linkage of water cycle with these sources. The objective of our research program is the development and pro- duction of a microbalance measurement system . It will be able to measure in situ, for the first time, directly and quantitatively, the cumulative dust mass flux and the water vapour abundance in a Martian environment. A preliminary study of this process at Mars average conditions showed that available microbalances can detect water ice condensed on their surface in few seconds, after dew or frost point is reached and similar evaluations have been made with respect to expected dust deposition rate on Mars surface, based on data from MAE experiment onboard the Sojourner rover. The measuring system will be devoted to study the dynamic of the Martian water and dust cycles. In detail, our goals are: - Study of the Martian water and dust cycles (seasonal, diurnal) and their links; - Investigation of the brines formation and evaporation mech- anisms and their interaction with the regolith; - Investigation of mechanism of diurnal water release by the regolith and its weight as water atmospheric reservoir; - Study of the dust settling rates and their possible correlation with environmental conditions at the landing sites (temperature, pressure, winds); - Study of the local dust storm and devils raising mechanisms; - Investigation of the main modes of aeolian transport of grains and dust raising. We discuss the use of microbalances for the scientific applica- tions to Martian environment studies

Mass changes in NSTX Surface Layers with Li Conditioning as Measured by Quartz Microbalances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skinner, C.H.; Kugel, H.W.; Roquemore, A.L.; Krstic, P.S.; Beste, A.

2008-01-01

Dynamic retention, lithium deposition, and the stability of thick deposited layers were measured by three quartz crystal microbalances (QMB) deployed in plasma shadowed areas at the upper and lower divertor and outboard midplane in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). Deposition of 185 (micro)/g/cm 2 over 3 months in 2007 was measured by a QMB at the lower divertor while a QMB on the upper divertor, that was shadowed from the evaporator, received an order of magnitude less deposition. During helium glow discharge conditioning both neutral gas collisions and the ionization and subsequent drift of Li + interrupted the lithium deposition on the lower divertor. We present calculations of the relevant mean free paths. Occasionally strong variations in the QMB frequency were observed of thick lithium films suggesting relaxation of mechanical stress and/or flaking or peeling of the deposited layers.

Design of a potentially prebiotic and responsive encapsulation material for probiotic bacteria based on chitosan and sulfated β-glucan.

Science.gov (United States)

Yucel Falco, Cigdem; Sotres, Javier; Rascón, Ana; Risbo, Jens; Cárdenas, Marité

2017-02-01

Chitosan and sulfated oat β-glucan are materials suitable to create a prebiotic coating for targeted delivery to gastrointestinal system, using the layer by layer technology. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to assess the multilayer formation capacity and characterize the resulting coatings in terms of morphology and material properties such as structure and rigidity. The coating of colloidal materials was proven, specifically on L. acidophilus bacteria as measured by changes in the bacterial suspension zeta potential. Viability of coated cells was shown using plate counting method. The coatings on solid surfaces were examined after exposure to mimics of gastrointestinal fluids and a commercially available β-glucanase. Successful build-up of multilayers was confirmed with QCM-D and SE. Zeta potential values proved the coating of cells. There was 2 log CFU/mL decrease after coating cells with four alternating layers of chitosan and sulfated β-glucan when compared to viability of uncoated cells. The coatings were partially degraded after exposure to simulated intestinal fluid and restructured as a result of β-glucanase treatment, mimicking enzymes present in the microflora of the human gut, but seemed to resist acidic gastric conditions. Therefore, coatings of chitosan and sulfated β-glucan can potentially be exploited as carriers for probiotics and delicate nutraceuticals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Solvent vapor annealing in the molecular regime drastically improves carrier transport in small-molecule thin-film transistors

KAUST Repository

Khan, Hadayat Ullah

2013-04-10

We demonstrate a new way to investigate and control the solvent vapor annealing of solution-cast organic semiconductor thin films. Solvent vapor annealing of spin-cast films of 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS-Pn) is investigated in situ using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) capability, allowing us to monitor both solvent mass uptake and changes in the mechanical rigidity of the film. Using time-resolved grazing incidence wide angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) and complementary static atomic force microscopy (AFM), we demonstrate that solvent vapor annealing in the molecular regime can cause significant performance improvements in organic thin film transistors (OTFTs), whereas allowing the solvent to percolate and form a liquid phase results in catastrophic reorganization and dewetting of the film, making the process counterproductive. Using these lessons we devise processing conditions which prevent percolation of the adsorbed solvent vapor molecules for extended periods, thus extending the benefits of solvent vapor annealing and improving carrier mobility by nearly two orders of magnitude. Ultimately, it is demonstrated that QCM-D is a very powerful sensor of the state of the adsorbed solvent as well as the thin film, thus making it suitable for process development as well as in-line process monitoring both in laboratory and in future manufacturing settings. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Solvent vapor annealing in the molecular regime drastically improves carrier transport in small-molecule thin-film transistors

KAUST Repository

Khan, Hadayat Ullah; Li, Ruipeng; Ren, Yi; Chen, Long; Payne, Marcia M.; Bhansali, Unnat Sampatraj; Smilgies, Detlef Matthias; Anthony, John Edward; Amassian, Aram

2013-01-01

We demonstrate a new way to investigate and control the solvent vapor annealing of solution-cast organic semiconductor thin films. Solvent vapor annealing of spin-cast films of 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS-Pn) is investigated in situ using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) capability, allowing us to monitor both solvent mass uptake and changes in the mechanical rigidity of the film. Using time-resolved grazing incidence wide angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) and complementary static atomic force microscopy (AFM), we demonstrate that solvent vapor annealing in the molecular regime can cause significant performance improvements in organic thin film transistors (OTFTs), whereas allowing the solvent to percolate and form a liquid phase results in catastrophic reorganization and dewetting of the film, making the process counterproductive. Using these lessons we devise processing conditions which prevent percolation of the adsorbed solvent vapor molecules for extended periods, thus extending the benefits of solvent vapor annealing and improving carrier mobility by nearly two orders of magnitude. Ultimately, it is demonstrated that QCM-D is a very powerful sensor of the state of the adsorbed solvent as well as the thin film, thus making it suitable for process development as well as in-line process monitoring both in laboratory and in future manufacturing settings. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Adsorption, aggregation, and desorption of proteins on smectite particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolman, Krzysztof; Makowski, Marcin M; Golriz, Ali A; Kappl, Michael; Pigłowski, Jacek; Butt, Hans-Jürgen; Kiersnowski, Adam

2014-10-07

We report on adsorption of lysozyme (LYS), ovalbumin (OVA), or ovotransferrin (OVT) on particles of a synthetic smectite (synthetic layered aluminosilicate). In our approach we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) to study the protein-smectite systems in water solutions at pH ranging from 4 to 9. The AFM provided insights into the adhesion forces of protein molecules to the smectite particles, while the QCM measurements yielded information about the amounts of the adsorbed proteins, changes in their structure, and conditions of desorption. The binding of the proteins to the smectite surface was driven mainly by electrostatic interactions, and hence properties of the adsorbed layers were controlled by pH. At high pH values a change in orientation of the adsorbed LYS molecules and a collapse or desorption of OVA layer were observed. Lowering pH to the value ≤ 4 caused LYS to desorb and swelling the adsorbed OVA. The stability of OVT-smectite complexes was found the lowest. OVT revealed a tendency to desorb from the smectite surface at all investigated pH. The minimum desorption rate was observed at pH close to the isoelectric point of the protein, which suggests that nonspecific interactions between OVT and smectite particles significantly contribute to the stability of these complexes.

Development of an RGB color analysis method for controlling uniformity in a long-length GdBCO coated conductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Tae-Jin; Lee, Jae-Hun; Lee, Yu-Ri; Moon, Seung-Hyun

2015-01-01

Reactive co-evaporation-deposition and reaction (RCE-DR) is a very productive GdBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−x (GdBCO) coated conductor (CC) fabrication process, which involves the fast phase conversion of an amorphous film formed by co-evaporation of three metal sources, Gd, Ba and Cu, and thus reduces the time and cost for fabrication of a GdBCO CC. We routinely use quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) to measure and control the evaporation rates of each metal source to keep a constant nominal composition of the superconducting (SC) layer. However, in the case of kilometre long GdBCO CC fabrication, evaporation rates measured by QCM do not exactly reflect deposition rates onto the substrate as source levels decrease, and thus an RGB color analysis method for quality control is designed. With this RGB color analysis method, it is possible to measure the composition of the converted SC layer very close to the actual composition, even in real time. We set up the RGB color analysis program by establishing a database, where RGB color values are matched to composition of the SC layer, and as a result of applying the program to the RCE-DR process, could fabricate high quality GdBCO CC with average critical current of 561 A cm −1 and 95% uniformity along a 1 km length. (paper)

LAYER STRUCTURES FORMED BY SILICA NANOPARTICLES AND CELLULOSE NANOFIBRILS WITH CATIONIC POLYACRYLAMIDE (C-PAM ON CELLULOSE SURFACE AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON INTERACTIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jani Salmi

2009-05-01

Full Text Available A quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D was used to study the adsorption of the layer formed by silica nanoparticles (SNP and cellulose nanofibrils (NFC together with cationic polyacrylamide (C-PAM on cellulose surface, accompanied by use of atomic force microscope (AFM to study the interactions between cellulose surfaces. The purpose was to understand the multilayer build-up compared to complex structure adsorption. The layer thickness and consequently also the repulsion between surfaces increased with each addition step during layer formation in the SNP-C-PAM systems, whereas the second addition of C-PAM decreased the repulsion in the case of NFC-C-PAM multilayer formation. An exceptionally high repulsion between surfaces was observed when nanofibrillar cellulose was added. This together with the extremely high dissipation values recorded with QCM-D indicated that nanofibrillar cellulose formed a loose and thick layer containing a lot of water. The multilayer systems formed fully and uniformly covered the surfaces. Silica nanoparticles were able to penetrate inside the loose C-PAM structure due to their small size. In contrast, NFC formed individual layers between C-PAM layers. The complex of C-PAM and SNP formed only a partly covered surface, leading to long-ranged pull-off force. This might explain the good flocculation properties reported for polyelectrolyte-nanoparticle systems.

Controlling drug delivery kinetics from mesoporous titania thin films by pore size and surface energy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karlsson J

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Johan Karlsson, Saba Atefyekta, Martin Andersson Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden Abstract: The osseointegration capacity of bone-anchoring implants can be improved by the use of drugs that are administrated by an inbuilt drug delivery system. However, to attain superior control of drug delivery and to have the ability to administer drugs of varying size, including proteins, further material development of drug carriers is needed. Mesoporous materials have shown great potential in drug delivery applications to provide and maintain a drug concentration within the therapeutic window for the desired period of time. Moreover, drug delivery from coatings consisting of mesoporous titania has shown to be promising to improve healing of bone-anchoring implants. Here we report on how the delivery of an osteoporosis drug, alendronate, can be controlled by altering pore size and surface energy of mesoporous titania thin films. The pore size was varied from 3.4 nm to 7.2 nm by the use of different structure-directing templates and addition of a swelling agent. The surface energy was also altered by grafting dimethylsilane to the pore walls. The drug uptake and release profiles were monitored in situ using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D and it was shown that both pore size and surface energy had a profound effect on both the adsorption and release kinetics of alendronate. The QCM-D data provided evidence that the drug delivery from mesoporous titania films is controlled by a binding–diffusion mechanism. The yielded knowledge of release kinetics is crucial in order to improve the in vivo tissue response associated to therapeutic treatments. Keywords: mesoporous titania, controlled drug delivery, release kinetics, alendronate, QCM-D

Characterization of Silk Fibroin Modified Surface: A Proteomic View of Cellular Response Proteins Induced by Biomaterials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming-Hui Yang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to develop the pathway of silk fibroin (SF biopolymer surface induced cell membrane protein activation. Fibroblasts were used as an experimental model to evaluate the responses of cellular proteins induced by biopolymer material using a mass spectrometry-based profiling system. The surface was covered by multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs and SF to increase the surface area, enhance the adhesion of biopolymer, and promote the rate of cell proliferation. The amount of adhered fibroblasts on CNTs/SF electrodes of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM greatly exceeded those on other surfaces. Moreover, analyzing differential protein expressions of adhered fibroblasts on the biopolymer surface by proteomic approaches indicated that CD44 may be a key protein. Through this study, utilization of mass spectrometry-based proteomics in evaluation of cell adhesion on biopolymer was proposed.

Heterogeneous nucleation promotes carrier transport in solution-processed organic field-effect transistors

KAUST Repository

Li, Ruipeng

2012-09-04

A new way to investigate and control the growth of solution-cast thin films is presented. The combination of in situ quartz crystal microbalance measurements with dissipation capabilities (QCM-D) and in situ grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) in an environmental chamber provides unique quantitative insights into the time-evolution of the concentration of the solution, the onset of nucleation, and the mode of growth of the organic semiconductor under varied drying conditions. It is demonstrated that careful control over the kinetics of solution drying enhances carrier transport significantly by promoting phase transformation predominantly via heterogeneous nucleation and sustained surface growth of a highly lamellar structure at the solid-liquid interface at the expense of homogeneous nucleation. A new way to investigate and control the growth of drop-cast thin films is presented. The solution-processing of small-molecule thin films of TIPS-pentacene is investigated using time-resolved techniques to reveal the mechanisms of nucleation and growth leading to solid film formation. By tuning the drying speed of the solution, the balance between surface and bulk growth modes is altered, thereby controlling the lamellar formation and tuning the carrier mobility in organic field-effect transistors Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Influence of natural organic matter (NOM) coatings on nanoparticle adsorption onto supported lipid bilayers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bo, Zhang; Avsar, Saziye Yorulmaz; Corliss, Michael K; Chung, Minsub; Cho, Nam-Joon

2017-10-05

As the worldwide usage of nanoparticles in commercial products continues to increase, there is growing concern about the environmental risks that nanoparticles pose to biological systems, including potential damage to cellular membranes. A detailed understanding of how different types of nanoparticles behave in environmentally relevant conditions is imperative for predicting and mitigating potential membrane-associated toxicities. Herein, we investigated the adsorption of two popular nanoparticles (silver and buckminsterfullerene) onto biomimetic supported lipid bilayers of varying membrane charge (positive and negative). The quartz crystal microbalance-dissipation (QCM-D) measurement technique was employed to track the adsorption kinetics. Particular attention was focused on understanding how natural organic matter (NOM) coatings affect nanoparticle-bilayer interactions. Both types of nanoparticles preferentially adsorbed onto the positively charged bilayers, although NOM coatings on the nanoparticle and lipid bilayer surfaces could either inhibit or promote adsorption in certain electrolyte conditions. While past findings showed that NOM coatings inhibit membrane adhesion, our findings demonstrate that the effects of NOM coatings are more nuanced depending on the type of nanoparticle and electrolyte condition. Taken together, the results demonstrate that NOM coatings can modulate the lipid membrane interactions of various nanoparticles, suggesting a possible way to improve the environmental safety of nanoparticles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interaction analysis of chimeric metal-binding green fluorescent protein and artificial solid-supported lipid membrane by quartz crystal microbalance and atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prachayasittikul, Virapong; Na Ayudhya, Chartchalerm Isarankura; Hilterhaus, Lutz; Hinz, Andreas; Tantimongcolwat, Tanawut; Galla, Hans-Joachim

2005-01-01

Non-specific adsorption and specific interaction between a chimeric green fluorescent protein (GFP) carrying metal-binding region and the immobilized zinc ions on artificial solid-supported lipid membranes was investigated using the quartz crystal microbalance technique and the atomic force microscopy (AFM). Supported lipid bilayer, composed of octanethiol and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine/1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-[N- (5-amino-1-carboxypentyl iminodiacetic acid)succinyl] (NTA-DOGS)-Zn 2+ , was formed on the gold electrode of quartz resonator (5 MHz). Binding of the chimeric GFP to zinc ions resulted in a rapid decrease of resonance frequency. Reversibility of the process was demonstrated via the removal of metal ions by EDTA. Nanoscale structural orientation of the chimeric GFP on the membrane was imaged by AFM. Association constant of the specific binding to metal ions was 2- to 3-fold higher than that of the non-specific adsorption, which was caused by the fluidization effect of the metal-chelating lipid molecules as well as the steric hindrance effect. This infers a possibility for a further development of biofunctionalized membrane. However, maximization is needed in order to attain closer advancement to a membrane-based sensor device

Protein adsorption and cell adhesion on nanoscale bioactive coatings formed from poly(ethylene glycol) and albumin microgels

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Evan A.; Nichols, Michael D.; Cordova, Lee H.; George, Brandon J.; Jun, Young-Shin; Elbert, Donald L.

2008-01-01

Late-term thrombosis on drug-eluting stents is an emerging problem that might be addressed using extremely thin, biologically-active hydrogel coatings. We report a dip-coating strategy to covalently link poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to substrates, producing coatings with crosslinked microgels and deviation from Flory-Stockmayer theory. Before macrogelation, the reacting solutions were diluted and incubated with nucleophile-functionalized surfaces. Using optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy (OWLS) and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), we identified a highly hydrated, protein-resistant layer with a thickness of approximately 75 nm. Atomic force microscopy in buffered water revealed the presence of coalesced spheres of various sizes but with diameters less than about 100 nm. Microgel-coated glass or poly(ethylene terephthalate) exhibited reduced protein adsorption and cell adhesion. Cellular interactions with the surface could be controlled by using different proteins to cap unreacted vinylsulfone groups within the coating. PMID:18771802

Multilayered Films Produced by Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Chitosan and Alginate as a Potential Platform for the Formation of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cell aggregates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javad Hatami

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The construction of multilayered films with tunable properties could offer new routes to produce biomaterials as a platform for 3D cell cultivation. In this study, multilayered films produced with five bilayers of chitosan and alginate (CHT/ALG were built using water-soluble modified mesyl and tosyl–CHT via layer-by-layer (LbL self-assembly. NMR results demonstrated the presences of mesyl (2.83 ppm and tosyl groups (2.39, 7.37 and 7.70 ppm in the chemical structure of modified chitosans. The buildup of multilayered films was monitored by quartz-crystal-microbalance (QCM-D and film thickness was estimated using the Voigt-based viscoelastic model. QCM-D results demonstrated that CHT/ALG films constructed using mesyl or tosyl modifications (mCHT/ALG were significantly thinner in comparison to the CHT/ALG films constructed with unmodified chitosan (p < 0.05. Adhesion analysis demonstrated that human adipose stem cells (hASCs did not adhere to the mCHT/ALG multilayered films and formed aggregates with sizes between ca. 100–200 µm. In vitro studies on cell metabolic activity and live/dead staining suggested that mCHT/ALG multilayered films are nontoxic toward hACSs. Multilayered films produced via LbL assembly of ALG and off-the-shelf, water-soluble modified chitosans could be used as a scaffold for the 3D aggregates formation of hASCs in vitro.

Calixarene Langmuir-Blodgett Thin Films For Volatile Organic Compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capan, R.

2010-01-01

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC's) such as benzene, toluene, chloroform are chemicals that evaporate easily at room temperature and create many health effects on young children, elderly and a person with heightened sensitivity to chemicals. Concentrations of many VOC's are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors because many household products (for example paints, varnishes, many cleaning, disinfecting, cosmetic, degreasing, hobby products etc.) contains VOC's. Some effects of VOC's for human beings can be followed as the eye, nose, and throat irritations; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidneys, and central nervous system. These are big incentives for the development of portable, user-friendly VOC's sensors and for the investigation of the sensing properties of new materials to be prepared as a thin film sensing element. Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) ultra-thin film technique allows us to produce monolayer or multilayer organic thin films that can be used as chemical sensing elements.In this work, materials known as the calix[n]arene are investigated for the production of sensing material against several VOC's such as the chloroform, benzene, ethylbenzene and toluene by using LB thin film techniques. UV-visible, Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) system and Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) measurement techniques are used to check the quality of the deposition process onto a solid substrate. Surface morphology and sensing properties of the final sensing layers are then studied by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and SPR techniques. Our results indicated that selected calixarene materials are sensitive enough and quite suitable to fabricate a highly ordered, reproducible and uniform LB film that can be used as a very thin sensing layer against VOC's.

Quantifying Ion Transport in Polymers Using Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation

Science.gov (United States)

Lutkenhaus, Jodie; Wang, Shaoyang

For polymers in energy systems, one of the most common means of quantifying ion transport is that of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, in which an alternating electric field is applied and the resultant impedance response is recorded. While useful, this approach misses subtle details in transient film swelling, effects of hydration or solvent shells around the transporting ion, and changes in mechanical properties of the polymer. Here we present electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (EQCMD) monitoring as a means to quantify ion transport, dynamic swelling, and mechanical properties of polymers during electrochemical interrogation. We focus upon EQCMD characterization of the redox-active nitroxide radical polymer, poly(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyloxy methacrylate) (PTMA). Upon oxidation, PTMA becomes positively charged, which requires the transport of a complementary anion into the polymer for electroneutrality. By EQCMD, we quantify anion transport and resultant swelling upon oxidation, as well as decoupling of contributions attributed to the ion and the solvent. We explore the effect of different lithium electrolyte salts in which each salt gives different charge storage and mass transport behavior. This is attributed to varied polymer-dopant and dopant-solvent interactions. The work was supported by the Grant DE-SC0014006 funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science.

Surface and interfacial interactions of multilayer graphitic structures with local environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazzocco, R.; Robinson, B.J.; Rabot, C.; Delamoreanu, A.; Zenasni, A.; Dickinson, J.W.; Boxall, C.; Kolosov, O.V.

2015-01-01

In order to exploit the potential of graphene in next-generation devices, such as supercapacitors, rechargeable batteries, displays and ultrathin sensors, it is crucial to understand the solvent interactions with the graphene surface and interlayers, especially where the latter may be in competition with the former, in the medium of application deployment. In this report, we combine quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and ultrasonic force microscopy methods to investigate the changes in the film–substrate and film–environment interfaces of graphene and graphene oxide films, produced by diverse scalable routes, in both polar (deionised water) and non-polar (dodecane) liquid and vapour environments. In polar liquid environments, we observe nanobubble adsorption/desorption on the graphene film corresponding to a surface coverage of up to 20%. As no comparable behaviour is observed for non-polar environment, we conclude that nanobubble formation is directly due to the hydrophobic nature of graphene with direct consequences for electrode structures immersed in electrolyte solutions. The amount of water adsorbed by the graphene films was found to vary considerably from 0.012 monolayers of water per monolayer of reduced graphene oxide to 0.231 monolayers of water per monolayer of carbon diffusion growth graphene. This is supported by direct nanomechanical mapping of the films immersed in water where an increased variation of local stiffness suggests water propagation within the film and/or between the film and substrate. Transferred film thickness calculations performed for QCM, atomic force microscopy topography and optical transmission measurements, returns results an order of magnitude larger (46 ± 1 layers) than Raman spectroscopy (1 - 2 graphene layers) on pristine pre-transferred films due to contamination during transfer and possible turbostratic structures of large areas. - Highlights: • Exploring interaction of graphene films with polar and nonpolar liquids

Sistema Oscilador Mejorado para Aplicaciones de Microbalanza (QCM) en Medios Líquidos y Propuesta de un Nuevo Método de Caracterización para Biosensores Piezoeléctricos

OpenAIRE

MONTAGUT FERIZZOLA, YEISON JAVIER

2011-01-01

La microbalanza de cristal de cuarzo (QCM) se usa como técnica alternativa de análisis químico, donde las aplicaciones dependen directamente de la sensibilidad del cristal. Por tanto, es el parámetro más importante que determina el uso de los cristales de cuarzo frente a otras técnicas. La ecuación de Sauerbrey, teóricamente relaciona la variación de la densidad de masa en la superficie del cristal con el cambio de la frecuencia y al mismo tiempo predice que la sensibilidad aumenta en la mis...

Properties of POPC/POPE supported lipid bilayers modified with hydrophobic quantum dots on polyelectrolyte cushions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolasinska-Sojka, Marta; Wlodek, Magdalena; Szuwarzynski, Michal; Kereiche, Sami; Kovacik, Lubomir; Warszynski, Piotr

2017-10-01

The formation and properties of supported lipid bilayers (SLB) containing hydrophobic nanoparticles (NP) was studied in relation to underlying cushion obtained from selected polyelectrolyte multilayers. Lipid vesicles were formed from zwitterionic 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and negatively charged 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (POPE) in phosphate buffer (PBS). As hydrophobic nanoparticles - quantum dots (QD) with size of 3.8nm (emission wavelength of 420nm) were used. Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEM) were constructed by the sequential, i.e., layer-by-layer (LbL) adsorption of alternately charged polyelectrolytes from their solutions. Liposomes and Liposome-QDs complexes were studied with Transmission Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-TEM) to verify the quality of vesicles and the position of QD within lipid bilayer. Deposition of liposomes and liposomes with quantum dots on polyelectrolyte films was studied in situ using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) technique. The fluorescence emission spectra were analyzed for both: suspension of liposomes with nanoparticles and for supported lipid bilayers containing QD on PEM. It was demonstrated that quantum dots are located in the hydrophobic part of lipid bilayer. Moreover, we proved that such QD-modified liposomes formed supported lipid bilayers and their final structure depended on the type of underlying cushion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lignin-based polyoxyethylene ether enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocelluloses by dispersing cellulase aggregates.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Xuliang; Qiu, Xueqing; Yuan, Long; Li, Zihao; Lou, Hongming; Zhou, Mingsong; Yang, Dongjie

2015-06-01

Water-soluble lignin-based polyoxyethylene ether (EHL-PEG), prepared from enzymatic hydrolysis lignin (EHL) and polyethylene glycol (PEG1000), was used to improve enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency of corn stover. The glucose yield of corn stover at 72h was increased from 16.7% to 70.1% by EHL-PEG, while increase in yield with PEG4600 alone was 52.3%. With the increase of lignin content, EHL-PEG improved enzymatic hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose more obvious than PEG4600. EHL-PEG could reduce at least 88% of the adsorption of cellulase on the lignin film measured by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), while reduction with PEG4600 was 43%. Cellulase aggregated at 1220nm in acetate buffer analyzed by dynamic light scattering. EHL-PEG dispersed cellulase aggregates and formed smaller aggregates with cellulase, thereby, reduced significantly nonproductive adsorption of cellulase on lignin and enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocelluloses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acoustic-wave sensor for ambient monitoring of a photoresist-stripping agent

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeifer, K.B.; Hoyt, A.E.; Frye, G.C.

1998-08-18

The acoustic-wave sensor is disclosed. The acoustic-wave sensor is designed for ambient or vapor-phase monitoring of a photoresist-stripping agent such as N-methylpyrrolidinone (NMP), ethoxyethylpropionate (EEP) or the like. The acoustic-wave sensor comprises an acoustic-wave device such as a surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) device, a flexural-plate-wave (FPW) device, an acoustic-plate-mode (APM) device, or a thickness-shear-mode (TSM) device (also termed a quartz crystal microbalance or QCM) having a sensing region on a surface thereof. The sensing region includes a sensing film for sorbing a quantity of the photoresist-stripping agent, thereby altering or shifting a frequency of oscillation of an acoustic wave propagating through the sensing region for indicating an ambient concentration of the agent. According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the acoustic-wave device is a SAW device; and the sensing film comprises poly(vinylacetate), poly(N-vinylpyrrolidinone), or poly(vinylphenol). 3 figs.

Ionic liquids: differential scanning calorimetry as a new indirect method for determination of vaporization enthalpies.

Science.gov (United States)

Verevkin, Sergey P; Emel'yanenko, Vladimir N; Zaitsau, Dzmitry H; Ralys, Ricardas V; Schick, Christoph

2012-04-12

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) has been used to measure enthalpies of synthesis reactions of the 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide [C(n)mim][Br] ionic liquids from 1-methylimidazole and n-alkyl bromides (with n = 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8). The optimal experimental conditions have been elaborated. Enthalpies of formation of these ionic liquids in the liquid state have been determined using the DSC results according to the Hess Law. The ideal-gas enthalpies of formation of [C(n)mim][Br] were calculated using the methods of quantum chemistry. They were used together with the DSC results to derive indirectly the enthalpies of vaporization of the ionic liquids under study. In order to validate the indirect determination, the experimental vaporization enthalpy of [C(4)mim][Br] was measured by using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The combination of reaction enthalpy measurements by DSC with modern high-level first-principles calculations opens valuable indirect thermochemical options to obtain values of vaporization enthalpies of ionic liquids.

New pattern recognition system in the e-nose for Chinese spirit identification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng Hui; Li Qiang; Gu Yu

2016-01-01

This paper presents a new pattern recognition system for Chinese spirit identification by using the polymer quartz piezoelectric crystal sensor based e-nose. The sensors are designed based on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) principle, and they could capture different vibration frequency signal values for Chinese spirit identification. For each sensor in an 8-channel sensor array, seven characteristic values of the original vibration frequency signal values, i.e., average value (A), root-mean-square value (RMS), shape factor value (S f ), crest factor value (C f ), impulse factor value (I f ), clearance factor value (CL f ), kurtosis factor value (K v ) are first extracted. Then the dimension of the characteristic values is reduced by the principle components analysis (PCA) method. Finally the back propagation (BP) neutral network algorithm is used to recognize Chinese spirits. The experimental results show that the recognition rate of six kinds of Chinese spirits is 93.33% and our proposed new pattern recognition system can identify Chinese spirits effectively. (paper)

Nafion as Cosurfactant: Solubilization of Nafion in Water in the Presence of Pluronics

KAUST Repository

Kelarakis, Antonios

2011-01-18

Incorporation of Nafion to aqueous solutions of Pluronics adversely impacts micellization due to extensive Nafion/copolymer interactions. Light scattering and zeta potential measurements provide evidence for the formation of sizable and stable Nafion/copolymer complexes, in expense of the neat copolymer micelles. At high copolymer concentrations, the overall interaction diagram of Nafion/copolymer reflects the competitive action of the release of packing constraints due to micellar destabilization induced by Nafion on one hand and the gelator nature of the Nafion on the other. Measurements using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D) show that aqueous solutions of Pluronics (even at very low concentration) can dissolve the Nafion coating on the crystal resonator, while typical low molecular weight ionic surfactants fail to induce similar effects. These studies demonstrate that complexation with this class of copolymers is a facile route to impart dispersibility to Nafion in aqueous environments that otherwise can be achieved through tedious and harsh treatments. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

Understanding Molecular Interactions within Chemically Selective Layered Polymer Assemblies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gary J. Blanchard

2009-06-30

This work focuses on two broad issues. These are (1) the molecular origin of the chemical selectivity achieved with ultrathin polymer multilayers, and (2) how the viscoelastic properties of the polymer layers are affected by exposure to solvent and analytes. These issues are inter-related, and to understand them we need to design experiments that probe both the energetic and kinetic aspects of interfacial adsorption processes. This project focuses on controling the chemical structure, thickness, morphology and sequential ordering of polymer layers bound to interfaces using maleimide-vinyl ether and closely related alternating copolymerization chemistry and efficient covalent cross-linking reactions that allow for layer-by-layer polymer deposition. This chemistry has been developed during the funding cycle of this Grant. We have measure the equilibrium constants for interactions between specific layers within the polymer interfaces and size-controlled, surface-functionalized gold nanoparticles. The ability to control both size and functionality of gold nanoparticle model analytes allows us to evaluate the average “pore size” that characterizes our polymer films. We have measured the “bulk” viscosity and shear modulus of the ultrathin polymer films as a function of solvent overlayer identity using quartz crystal microbalance complex impedance measurements. We have measured microscopic viscosity at specific locations within the layered polymer interfaces with time-resolved fluorescence lifetime and depolarization techniques. We combine polymer, cross-linking and nanoparticle synthetic expertise with a host of characterization techniques, including QCM gravimetry and complex impedance analysis, steady state and time-resolved spectroscopies.

Effect of hydration of sugar groups on adsorption of Quillaja bark saponin at air/water and Si/water interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Wojciechowski, Kamil; Orczyk, Marta; Marcinkowski, Kuba; Kobiela, Tomasz; Trapp, Marcus; Gutberlet, Thomas; Geue, Thomas

2014-05-01

Adsorption of a natural glycoside surfactant Quillaja bark saponin ("QBS", Sigma Aldrich 84510) was studied at the air/water and Si/water interfaces using a combination of surface pressure (SP), surface dilatational rheology, neutron reflectivity (NR), Infra-Red Attenuated Total Reflection Spectroscopy (IR ATR) and Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM). The adsorbed layers formed at the air/water interface are predominantly elastic, with the dilatational surface storage modulus reaching the maximum value of E'=184 mN/m. The NR results point to a strong hydration of the adsorbed layers (about 65% hydration, corresponding to about 60 molecules of water per one QBS molecule), most likely related to the presence of multiple sugar groups constituting the glycone part of the QBS molecules. With a layer thickness of 19 Å, the adsorbed amount obtained from NR seems largely underestimated in comparison to the value obtained from the surface tension isotherm. While this high extent of hydration does not prevent formation of dense and highly elastic layers at the air-water surface, QBS adsorption at the Si/water interface is much weaker. The adsorption isotherm of QBS on Si obtained from the QCM study reflects much lower affinity of highly hydrated and negatively charged saponin molecules to the Si/water interface. We postulate that at the air/water interface, QBS adsorbs through the triterpene aglycone moiety. In contrast, weak hydrogen bonding between the glycone part and the surface silanol groups of Si is responsible for QBS adsorption on more polar Si/water interface. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microstructure and properties of manganese dioxide films prepared by electrodeposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacob, G. Moses; Zhitomirsky, I.

2008-01-01

Nanostructured manganese dioxide films were obtained by galvanostatic, pulse and reverse pulse electrodeposition from 0.01 to 0.1 M KMnO 4 solutions. The deposition yield was investigated by in situ monitoring the deposit mass using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Obtained films were studied by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, energy dispersive spectroscopy, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis. The QCM and electron microscopy data were utilized for the investigation of deposition kinetics and film formation mechanism. It was shown that the deposition rate and film microstructure could be changed by variation of deposition conditions. The method allowed the fabrication of dense or porous films. The thickness of dense films was limited to ∼0.1 μm due to the insulating properties of manganese dioxide and film cracking, attributed to drying shrinkage. Porous and crack-free 1-2 μm films were obtained using galvanostatic or reverse pulse deposition from 0.02 M KMnO 4 solutions. It was shown that film porosity is beneficial for the charge transfer during deposition and crack prevention in thick films. Moreover, porous nanostructured films showed good capacitive behavior for applications in electrochemical supercapacitors. The porous nanostructured films prepared in the reverse pulse regime showed higher specific capacitance (SC) compared to the SC of the galvanostatic films. The highest SC of 279 F/g in a voltage window of 1 V was obtained in 0.1 M Na 2 SO 4 solutions at a scan rate of 2 mV/s

Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry for the Analysis of Organic Polymer Film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Yong Suk; Park, Yong Joon; Kim, Jong Yun

2008-01-01

Recently, many studies have been focused on the thin films because there are numerous industrial processes relevant to thin films such as fuel cells, sensors, lubricants, coatings, and so on. Physical and chemical properties of solid surface have been modified by ultra-thin coatings such as Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method with a variety of types of organic functional materials for the specific purposes in many applications. In addition, the layer-by-layer technique using polyelectrolyte films are now of interest as biosensors, electrochromic and electroluminescent devices, etc. In general, several methods such as X-ray or neutron reflectivity, and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) have been utilized for the thin film analysis. These optical techniques can measure the film thicknesses up to hundreds of nanometers while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is widely used to study a few nanometers thick films. Other methods such as X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atom force microscopy (AFM) have also been used in the film analysis in spite of some disadvantages for each method. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) has long been used as a rapid and simple analytical tool for the analysis of elemental composition of materials. XRF technique is suitable for on-line or in-line real-time monitoring because it is a non-destructive and rapid analysis with good precision and good accuracy at low cost. The aim of this work is to develop a new analytical technique for the quantitative analysis of polymer film on metal substrate. In the present study, Compton peak profile was investigated under different experimental conditions by using wavelength-dispersive XRF (WD-XRF). Compared to energy-dispersive XRF (ED-XRF), WD-XRF is more adequate in an accurate quantitative analysis of thin organic film

Adsorption of quantum dots onto polymer and Gemini surfactant films: a quartz crystal microbalance study.

Science.gov (United States)

Alejo, T; Merchán, M D; Velázquez, M M

2014-08-26

We used quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation to study the mechanical properties, the kinetics of adsorption, and the amount of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) adsorbed onto a SiO2 sensor, referred as bare sensor, onto the sensor modified with a film of the polymer poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene), PMAO, or with a film of the Gemini surfactant ethyl-bis(dimethyl octadecyl ammonium bromide), abbreviated as 18-2-18. Results showed that when the sensor is coated with polymer or surfactant molecules, the coverage increases compared with that obtained for the bare sensor. On the other hand, rheological properties and kinetics of adsorption of QDs are driven by QD nanoparticles. Thus, the QD films present elastic behavior, and the elasticity values are independent of the molecule used as coating and similar to the elasticity value obtained for QDs films on the bare sensor. The QD adsorption is a two-step mechanism in which the fastest process is attributed to the QD adsorption onto the solid substrate and the slowest one is ascribed to rearrangement movements of the nanoparticles adsorbed at the surface.

Characterization and Analysis of Viscoelastically Loaded Thin Film Piezoelectric Resonators Incorporated in AN Oscillator Microsensing System.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Toole, Ronald Patrick

1994-01-01

In the recent advancement of piezoelectric resonator technology, there has been a large growth in the application of these devices for chemical sensing. These sensors operate by detecting changes in their environment which perturb the electrical - acoustic operation and in turn can be harnessed by means of supporting electronics and signal processing to monitor various processes. Examples include remote environmental monitoring, chemical process control, and commercial gas phase detectors. In this dissertation, the chemical sensing theory and properties of piezoelectric resonators such as the bulk-acoustic wave thin-film resonator (TFR) and the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) are developed. This analysis concentrates on characterizing the resonance behavior of thickness mode resonators based upon the physical properties at the electrode interface which include interfacial mass density, elasticity, viscosity, and thickness of the composite device consisting of the piezoelectric material, the electrodes, and any deposited layer on the electrode surface in contact with the surrounding medium. In this work, no approximation is made as to the stress or particle displacement variation across the visco-elastic film which allows a complete study of the perturbational mechanical variations on the electrical and resonance properties of the composite resonator. The derivation and verification of equivalent circuit models based on the physical properties of the piezoelectric resonator and visco-elastic sensing film are presented. The results and models from this research will be beneficial to surface chemistry studies and also have application to fabrication techniques and electrical modeling. The use of this theory is employed in a study of a QCM coated with a commercially developed negative resist. Photo-polymerization of the resist results in induced visco-elastic structural changes which can be monitored and characterized using the full admittance theory of the composite

Smooth model surfaces from lignin derivatives. II. Adsorption of polyelectrolytes and PECs monitored by QCM-D.

Science.gov (United States)

Norgren, Magnus; Gärdlund, Linda; Notley, Shannon M; Htun, Myat; Wågberg, Lars

2007-03-27

For the first time to the knowledge of the authors, well-defined and stable lignin model surfaces have been utilized as substrates in polyelectrolyte adsorption studies. The adsorption of polyallylamine (PAH), poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), and polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) was monitored using quartz crystal microgravimetry with dissipation (QCM-D). The PECs were prepared by mixing PAH and PAA at different ratios and sequences, creating both cationic and anionic PECs with different charge levels. The adsorption experiments were performed in 1 and 10 mM sodium chloride solutions at pH 5 and 7.5. The highest adsorption of PAH and cationic PECs was found at pH 7.5, where the slightly negatively charged nature of the lignin substrate is more pronounced, governing electrostatic attraction of oppositely charged polymeric substances. An increase in the adsorption was further found when the electrolyte concentration was increased. In comparison, both PAA and the anionic PEC showed remarkably high adsorption to the lignin model film. The adsorption of PAA was further studied on silica and was found to be relatively low even at high electrolyte concentrations. This indicated that the high PAA adsorption on the lignin films was not induced by a decreased solubility of the anionic polyelectrolyte. The high levels of adsorption on lignin model surfaces found both for PAA and the anionic PAA-PAH polyelectrolyte complex points to the presence of strong nonionic interactions in these systems.

Modification of Titanium Substrates with Chimeric Peptides Comprising Antimicrobial and Titanium-Binding Motifs Connected by Linkers To Inhibit Biofilm Formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zihao; Ma, Shiqing; Duan, Shun; Xuliang, Deng; Sun, Yingchun; Zhang, Xi; Xu, Xinhua; Guan, Binbin; Wang, Chao; Hu, Meilin; Qi, Xingying; Zhang, Xu; Gao, Ping

2016-03-02

Bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation are the primary causes of implant-associated infection, which is difficult to eliminate and may induce failure in dental implants. Chimeric peptides with both binding and antimicrobial motifs may provide a promising alternative to inhibit biofilm formation on titanium surfaces. In this study, chimeric peptides were designed by connecting an antimicrobial motif (JH8194: KRLFRRWQWRMKKY) with a binding motif (minTBP-1: RKLPDA) directly or via flexible/rigid linkers to modify Ti surfaces. We evaluated the binding behavior of peptides using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques and investigated the effect of the modification of titanium surfaces with these peptides on the bioactivity of Streptococcus gordonii (S. gordonii) and Streptococcus sanguis (S. sanguis). Compared with the flexible linker (GGGGS), the rigid linker (PAPAP) significantly increased the adsorption of the chimeric peptide on titanium surfaces (p chimeric peptide with the rigid linker exhibited more effective antimicrobial ability than the peptide with the flexible linker. This finding was ascribed to the ability of the rigid linker to separate functional domains and reduce their interference to the maximum extent. Consequently, the performance of chimeric peptides with specific titanium-binding motifs and antimicrobial motifs against bacteria can be optimized by the proper selection of linkers. This rational design of chimeric peptides provides a promising alternative to inhibit the formation of biofilms on titanium surfaces with the potential to prevent peri-implantitis and peri-implant mucositis.

Interfacial interactions between calcined hydroxyapatite nanocrystals and substrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Okada, Masahiro; Furukawa, Keiko; Serizawa, Takeshi; Yanagisawa, Yoshihiko; Tanaka, Hidekazu; Kawai, Tomoji; Furuzono, Tsutomu

2009-06-02

Interfacial interactions between calcined hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanocrystals and surface-modified substrates were investigated by measuring adsorption behavior and adhesion strength with a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and a contact-mode atomic force microscope (AFM), respectively. The goal was to develop better control of HAp-nanocrystal coatings on biomedical materials. HAp nanocrystals with rodlike or spherical morphology were prepared by a wet chemical process followed by calcination at 800 degrees C with an antisintering agent to prevent the formation of sintered polycrystals. The substrate surface was modified by chemical reaction with a low-molecular-weight compound, or graft polymerization with a functional monomer. QCM measurement showed that the rodlike HAp nanocrystals adsorbed preferentially onto anionic COOH-modified substrates compared to cationic NH2- or hydrophobic CH3-modified substrates. On the other hand, the spherical nanocrystals adsorbed onto NH2- and COOH-modified substrates, which indicates that the surface properties of the HAp nanocrystals determined their adsorption behavior. The adhesion strength, which was estimated from the force required to move the nanocrystal in contact-mode AFM, on a COOH-grafted substrate prepared by graft polymerization was almost 9 times larger than that on a COOH-modified substrate prepared by chemical reaction with a low-molecular-weight compound, indicating that the long-chain polymer grafted on the substrate mitigated the surface roughness mismatch between the nanocrystal and the substrate. The adhesion strength of the nanocrystal bonded covalently by the coupling reaction to a Si(OCH3)-grafted substrate prepared by graft polymerization was approximately 1.5 times larger than that when adsorbed on the COOH-grafted substrate.

INMUNOSENSORES PIEZOELÉCTRICOS: REVISION GENERAL Y SU APLICACIÓN EN EL ANÁLISIS DE PESTICIDAS

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Aquiles Ocampo

2007-06-01

Full Text Available En este artículo se presenta una revisión bibliográfica de los aspectos más relevantes en el desarrollo de inmunosensores, acompañada de algunos de los resultados experimentales en una aplicación en análisis del plaguicida Carbaril que ilustra la metodología analítica y los resultados esperados. El inmunosensor de microbalanza de cristal de cuarzo (QCM, más conocido como inmunosensor piezoeléctrico, es un sistema analítico que contiene un inmunorreactivo como componente biológico, un transductor de cristal de cuarzo con un antígeno, un conjugado o un anticuerpo inmovilizado en su superficie, acoplado a un sistema de procesamiento de información. Debido a su simplicidad, conveniencia, bajo costo, exactitud, estabilidad y respuesta en tiempo real, este dispositivo se ha vuelto cada vez más importante, especialmente para análisis de materiales en biomedicina, alimentos, medio ambiente y veterinaria.A bibliographic review about the main aspects concerning the development of immunosensors is presented in this article, as well as some of the experimental results in an application in the analysis of carbaryl plaguicide that illustrates the analytical methodology and the expected results. The quartz crystal microbalance immunosensor (QCM, known as piezoelectric immunosensor, is an analytical system which combines an immunoreagent as the biologic component, a quartz crystal transducer with an immobilized antigen or antibody on its surface, coupled to an information processing system. Due to its simplicity, convenience, low cost, accuracy, stability, and real time response, this device has become very important, especially for material analysis in biomedicine, food, environment, and veterinary.

Heat-resistant organic molecular layer as a joint interface for metal reduction on plastics surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sang, Jing; Aisawa, Sumio; Hirahara, Hidetoshi; Kudo, Takahiro; Mori, Kunio

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • In situ adsorption behaviors of TES on PA6 surface were clarified by QCM. • Highest adsorption of TES on PA6 was obtained in pH 3 and 0.1 M solution. • Molecular layers of TES with uniform structures were prepared on PA6 surface. • TES layer improved PA6 local heat resistance from 150 °C to 230 °C. • TES molecular layer successfully reduced Ag ion to Ag"0. - Abstract: Heat-resistant organic molecular layers have been fabricated by triazine-based silane coupling agent for metal reduction on plastic surfaces using adsorption method. These molecular layers were used as an interfacial layer between polyamide (PA6) and metal solution to reduce Ag"+ ion to Ag"0. The interfacial behaviors of triazine molecular layer at the interfaces between PA6 and Ag solution were investigated using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The kinetics of molecular adsorption on PA6 was investigated by using triazine-based silane coupling agent solutions at different pH and concentration. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscope (AFM), and local nano thermal analysis were employed to characterize the surfaces and interfaces. The nano thermal analysis results show that molecular layers of triazine-based silane coupling agent greatly improved heat resistance of PA6 resin from 170 °C up to 230 °C. This research developed an in-depth insight for molecular behaviors of triazine-based silane coupling agent at the PA6 and Ag solution interfaces and should be of significant value for interfacial research between plastics and metal solution in plating industry.

Water Adsorption Isotherms on Fly Ash from Several Sources.

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Navea, Juan G; Richmond, Emily; Stortini, Talia; Greenspan, Jillian

2017-10-03

In this study, horizontal attenuated total reflection (HATR) Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was combined with quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) gravimetry to investigate the adsorption isotherms of water on fly ash, a byproduct of coal combustion in power plants. Because of composition variability with the source region, water uptake was studied at room temperature as a function of relative humidity (RH) on fly ash from several regions: United States, India, The Netherlands, and Germany. The FT-IR spectra show water features growth as a function of RH, with water absorbing on the particle surface in both an ordered (ice-like) and a disordered (liquid-like) structure. The QCM data was modeled using the Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) adsorption isotherm model. The BET model was found to describe the data well over the entire range of RH, showing that water uptake on fly ash takes place mostly on the surface of the particle, even for poorly combusted samples. In addition, the source region and power-plant efficiency play important roles in the water uptake and ice nucleation (IN) ability of fly ash. The difference in the observed water uptake and IN behavior between the four samples and mullite (3Al 2 O 3 ·2SiO 2 ), the aluminosilicate main component of fly ash, is attributed to differences in composition and the density of OH binding sites on the surface of each sample. A discussion is presented on the RH required to reach monolayer coverage on each sample as well as a comparison between surface sites of fly ash samples and enthalpies of adsorption of water between the samples and mullite.

Heat-resistant organic molecular layer as a joint interface for metal reduction on plastics surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sang, Jing [Department of Frontier Materials and Function Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Iwate University, 4-3-5 Ueda, Morioka 020-8551 (Japan); Aisawa, Sumio, E-mail: aisawa@iwate-u.ac.jp [Department of Frontier Materials and Function Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Iwate University, 4-3-5 Ueda, Morioka 020-8551 (Japan); Hirahara, Hidetoshi [Department of Frontier Materials and Function Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Iwate University, 4-3-5 Ueda, Morioka 020-8551 (Japan); Kudo, Takahiro [Sulfur Chemical Institute, 210, Collabo MIU, 4-3-5, Ueda, Morioka 020-0066 (Japan); Mori, Kunio [Department of Frontier Materials and Function Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Iwate University, 4-3-5 Ueda, Morioka 020-8551 (Japan); Sulfur Chemical Institute, 210, Collabo MIU, 4-3-5, Ueda, Morioka 020-0066 (Japan)

2016-04-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • In situ adsorption behaviors of TES on PA6 surface were clarified by QCM. • Highest adsorption of TES on PA6 was obtained in pH 3 and 0.1 M solution. • Molecular layers of TES with uniform structures were prepared on PA6 surface. • TES layer improved PA6 local heat resistance from 150 °C to 230 °C. • TES molecular layer successfully reduced Ag ion to Ag{sup 0}. - Abstract: Heat-resistant organic molecular layers have been fabricated by triazine-based silane coupling agent for metal reduction on plastic surfaces using adsorption method. These molecular layers were used as an interfacial layer between polyamide (PA6) and metal solution to reduce Ag{sup +} ion to Ag{sup 0}. The interfacial behaviors of triazine molecular layer at the interfaces between PA6 and Ag solution were investigated using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The kinetics of molecular adsorption on PA6 was investigated by using triazine-based silane coupling agent solutions at different pH and concentration. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscope (AFM), and local nano thermal analysis were employed to characterize the surfaces and interfaces. The nano thermal analysis results show that molecular layers of triazine-based silane coupling agent greatly improved heat resistance of PA6 resin from 170 °C up to 230 °C. This research developed an in-depth insight for molecular behaviors of triazine-based silane coupling agent at the PA6 and Ag solution interfaces and should be of significant value for interfacial research between plastics and metal solution in plating industry.

A comparative study of the nanoscale and macroscale tribological attributes of alumina and stainless steel surfaces immersed in aqueous suspensions of positively or negatively charged nanodiamonds

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Curtis, Colin K; Marek, Antonin; Smirnov, Alex I

2017-01-01

This article reports a comparative study of the nanoscale and macroscale tribological attributes of alumina and stainless steel surfaces immersed in aqueous suspensions of positively (hydroxylated) or negatively (carboxylated) charged nanodiamonds (ND). Immersion in −ND suspensions resulted in a decrease in the macroscopic friction coefficients to values in the range 0.05–0.1 for both stainless steel and alumina, while +ND suspensions yielded an increase in friction for stainless steel contacts but little to no increase for alumina contacts. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements were employed to assess nanoparticle uptake, surface polishing, and resistance to solid–liquid interfacial shear motion. The QCM studies revealed abrupt changes to the surfaces of both alumina and stainless steel upon injection of –ND into the surrounding water environment that are consistent with strong attachment of NDs and/or chemical changes to the surfaces. AFM images of the surfaces indicated slight increases in the surface roughness upon an exposure to both +ND and −ND suspensions. A suggested mechanism for these observations is that carboxylated −NDs from aqueous suspensions are forming robust lubricious deposits on stainless and alumina surfaces that enable gliding of the surfaces through the −ND suspensions with relatively low resistance to shear. In contrast, +ND suspensions are failing to improve tribological performance for either of the surfaces and may have abraded existing protective boundary layers in the case of stainless steel contacts. This study therefore reveals atomic scale details associated with systems that exhibit starkly different macroscale tribological properties, enabling future efforts to predict and design complex lubricant interfaces. PMID:29046852

A comparative study of the nanoscale and macroscale tribological attributes of alumina and stainless steel surfaces immersed in aqueous suspensions of positively or negatively charged nanodiamonds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Colin K. Curtis

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This article reports a comparative study of the nanoscale and macroscale tribological attributes of alumina and stainless steel surfaces immersed in aqueous suspensions of positively (hydroxylated or negatively (carboxylated charged nanodiamonds (ND. Immersion in −ND suspensions resulted in a decrease in the macroscopic friction coefficients to values in the range 0.05–0.1 for both stainless steel and alumina, while +ND suspensions yielded an increase in friction for stainless steel contacts but little to no increase for alumina contacts. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM, atomic force microscopy (AFM and scanning electron microscopy (SEM measurements were employed to assess nanoparticle uptake, surface polishing, and resistance to solid–liquid interfacial shear motion. The QCM studies revealed abrupt changes to the surfaces of both alumina and stainless steel upon injection of –ND into the surrounding water environment that are consistent with strong attachment of NDs and/or chemical changes to the surfaces. AFM images of the surfaces indicated slight increases in the surface roughness upon an exposure to both +ND and −ND suspensions. A suggested mechanism for these observations is that carboxylated −NDs from aqueous suspensions are forming robust lubricious deposits on stainless and alumina surfaces that enable gliding of the surfaces through the −ND suspensions with relatively low resistance to shear. In contrast, +ND suspensions are failing to improve tribological performance for either of the surfaces and may have abraded existing protective boundary layers in the case of stainless steel contacts. This study therefore reveals atomic scale details associated with systems that exhibit starkly different macroscale tribological properties, enabling future efforts to predict and design complex lubricant interfaces.

Heparin molecularly imprinted polymer thin flm on gold electrode by plasma-induced graft polymerization for label-free biosensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Orihara, Kouhei; Hikichi, Atsushi; Arita, Tomohiko; Muguruma, Hitoshi; Yoshimi, Yasuo

2018-03-20

Heparin, a highly sulfated glycosaminoglycan, is an important biomaterial having biological and therapeutic functionalities such as anticoagulation, regeneration, and protein stabilization. This study addresses a label-free quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) biosensor for heparin detection based on a macromolecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) as an artificial recognition element. We demonstrate the novel strategy for MIP in the form of thin film on a gold (Au) electrode with the plasma-induced graft polymerization (PIP) technique. The procedure of PIP is as follows: (i) Hexamethyldisiloxane plasma-polymerized thin film (PPF) as a pre-coating scaffold of active species for PIP (post-polymerization) is deposited on an Au electrode. (ii) The PPF/Au electrode is soaked in an water solution containing heparin (template), (2-(methacryloxy)-ethyl)trimethylammonium chloride acrylamide (functional monomer), acrylamide, and N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (crosslinker). Double bonds of monomer and crosslinker attacked by residually active species in pre-coating PPF cause radical chain reaction. Consequently, a growing polymer network of 20 nm thickness of PIP-MIP thin film is formed and grafted on the PPF/Au surface. (iii) The PIP-MIP/PPF/Au is washed by sodium chloride solution so as to remove the template. Non-imprinted polymer (NIP) is carried out like the same procedure without a template. The AFM, XPS, and QCM measurements show that the PIP process facilitates macromolecularly surface imprinting of template heparin where the template is easily removed and is rapidly rebound to PIP-MIP without a diffusional barrier. The heparin-PIP-MIP specifically binds to heparin compared with heparin analog chondroitin sulfate C (selective factor: 4.0) and a detectable range of heparin in the presence of CS (0.1 wt%) was 0.001-0.1 wt%. The PIP-NIP does not show selectivity between them. The evaluated binding kinetics are association (k a  = 350 ± 100 M -1  s -1

Influence of spacer length on heparin coupling efficiency and fibrinogen adsorption of modified titanium surfaces

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Gbureck Uwe

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Chemical bonding of the drug onto surfaces by means of spacer molecules is accompanied with a reduction of the biological activity of the drug due to a constricted mobility since normally only short spacer molecule like aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APMS are used for drug coupling. This work aimed to study covalent attachment of heparin to titanium(oxide surfaces by varying the length of the silane coupling agent, which should affect the biological potency of the drug due to a higher mobility with longer spacer chains. Methods Covalent attachment of heparin to titanium metal and TiO2 powder was carried out using the coupling agents 3-(Trimethoxysilyl-propylamine (APMS, N- [3-(Trimethoxysilylpropyl]ethylenediamine (Diamino-APMS and N1- [3-(Trimethoxy-silyl-propyl]diethylenetriamine (Triamino-APMS. The amount of bound coupling agent and heparin was quantified photometrically by the ninhydrin reaction and the tolidine-blue test. The biological potency of heparin was determined photometrically by the chromogenic substrate Chromozym TH and fibrinogen adsorption to the modified surfaces was researched using the QCM-D (Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring technique. Results Zeta-potential measurements confirmed the successful coupling reaction; the potential of the unmodified anatase surface (approx. -26 mV shifted into the positive range (> + 40 mV after silanisation. Binding of heparin results in a strongly negatively charged surface with zeta-potentials of approx. -39 mV. The retaining biological activity of heparin was highest for the spacer molecule Triamino-APMS. QCM-D measurements showed a lower viscosity for adsorbed fibrinogen films on heparinised surfaces by means of Triamino-APMS. Conclusion The remaining activity of heparin was found to be highest for the covalent attachment with Triamino-APMS as coupling agent due to the long chain of this spacer molecule and therefore the highest mobility of the drug

Solvent Vapour Detection with Cholesteric Liquid Crystals—Optical and Mass-Sensitive Evaluation of the Sensor Mechanism

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Adnan Mujahid

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs are used as sensitive coatings for the detection of organic solvent vapours for both polar and non-polar substances. The incorporation of different analyte vapours in the CLC layers disturbs the pitch length which changes the optical properties, i.e., shifting the absorption band. The engulfing of CLCs around non-polar solvent vapours such as tetrahedrofuran (THF, chloroform and tetrachloroethylene is favoured in comparison to polar ones, i.e., methanol and ethanol. Increasing solvent vapour concentrations shift the absorbance maximumto smaller wavelengths, e.g., as observed for THF. Additionally, CLCs have been coated on acoustic devices such as the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM to measure the frequency shift of analyte samples at similar concentration levels. The mass effect for tetrachloroethylene was about six times higher than chloroform. Thus, optical response can be correlated with intercalation in accordance to mass detection. The mechanical stability was gained by combining CLCs with imprinted polymers. Therefore, pre-concentration of solvent vapours was performed leading to an additional selectivity.

Photocatalytic antibacterial effects on TiO2-anatase upon UV-A and UV-A/VIS threshold irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Yanyun; Geis-Gerstorfer, Jürgen; Scheideler, Lutz; Rupp, Frank

2016-01-01

Photocatalysis mediated by the anatase modification of titanium dioxide (TiO2) has shown antibacterial effects in medical applications. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of expanding the excitation wavelengths for photocatalytic antibacterial effects from ultraviolet (UV) into the visible light range. After deposition of salivary pellicle and adhesion of Streptococcus gordonii on anatase, different irradiation protocols were applied to induce photocatalysis: ultraviolet A (UV-A) > 320 nm; ultraviolet/visible (UV-A/VIS) light > 380 nm and > 390 nm; and VIS light 400-410 nm. A quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) tests and microscopic examination were used to observe the photoinduced antibacterial effects. Salivary pellicle could be photocatalytically decomposed under all irradiation protocols. In contrast, effective photocatalytic attack of bacteria could be observed by UV-A as well as by UV-A/VIS at 380 nm < λ < 390 nm only. Wavelengths above 380 nm show promise for in situ therapeutic antifouling applications.

Detection of cadmium ion in water using films of nanocomposite of functionalized carbon nanotubes and anionic polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Taneja, Parul; Manjuladevi, V.; Gupta, R. K.

2018-05-01

Presence of cadmium in drinking water is one of the major threats to human health. According to international standards, the maximum permission concentration of cadmium ion in drinking water should be less than 0.002 to 0.010mg/l (2-10 ppb). It is one of the major contaminants in potable water in western part of Indian subcontinent. It is found up to 2.3 to 8.6 mg/l in Rajasthan water. In this article, we report our study on detection of cadmium ion in water employing a sensing layer of nanocomposites of functionalized single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and polyacrylic acid (PAA). The film was deposited onto 5 MHz AT-cut quartz crystal of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The response was collected in both static and dynamic mode. We obtained a linear response curve in a given concentration range of cadmium ion indicating the suitability of the functional layer for cadmium ion detection in water. The surface morphology of the functional layer was studied using atomic force microscope before and after sensing.

Effect of the molecular structure of lignin-based polyoxyethylene ether on enzymatic hydrolysis efficiency and kinetics of lignocelluloses.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Xuliang; Qiu, Xueqing; Zhu, Duming; Li, Zihao; Zhan, Ningxin; Zheng, Jieyi; Lou, Hongming; Zhou, Mingsong; Yang, Dongjie

2015-10-01

Effect of the molecular structure of lignin-based polyoxyethylene ether (EHL-PEG) on enzymatic hydrolysis of Avicel and corn stover was investigated. With the increase of PEG contents and molecular weight of EHL-PEG, glucose yield of corn stover increased. EHL-PEG enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis of corn stover significantly at buffer pH 4.8-5.5. Glucose yield of corn stover at 20% solid content increased from 32.8% to 63.8% by adding EHL-PEG, while that with PEG4600 was 54.2%. Effect of EHL-PEG on enzymatic hydrolysis kinetics of cellulose film was studied by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). An enhancing mechanism of EHL-PEG on enzymatic hydrolysis kinetics of cellulose was proposed. Cellulase aggregates dispersed by EHL-PEG excavated extensive cavities into the surface of cellulose film, making the film become more loose and exposed. After the maximum enzymatic hydrolysis rate, the film was mainly peeled off layer by layer until equilibrium. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How Glassy States Affect Brown Carbon Production?

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Liu, P.; Li, Y.; Wang, Y.; Bateman, A. P.; Zhang, Y.; Gong, Z.; Gilles, M. K.; Martin, S. T.

2015-12-01

Secondary organic material (SOM) can become light-absorbing (i.e. brown carbon) via multiphase reactions with nitrogen-containing species such as ammonia and amines. The physical states of SOM, however, potentially slow the diffusion of reactant molecules in organic matrix under conditions that semisolids or solids prevail, thus inhibiting the browning reaction pathways. In this study, the physical states and the in-particle diffusivity were investigated by measuring the evaporation kinetics of both water and organics from aromatic-derived SOMs using a quartz-crystal-microbalance (QCM). The results indicate that the SOMs derived from aromatic precursors toluene and m-xylene became solid (glassy) and the in particle diffusion was significantly impeded for sufficiently low relative humidity ( toluene-derived SOM after ammonia exposure at varied RHs. The results suggest that the production of light-absorbing nitrogen-containing compounds from multiphase reactions with ammonia was kinetically limited in the glassy organic matrix, which otherwise produce brown carbon. The results of this study have significant implications for production and optical properties of brown carbon in urban atmospheres that ultimately influence the climate and tropospheric photochemistry.

Electrodeposited Organic Layers Formed from Aryl Diazonium Salts for Inhibition of Copper Corrosion

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Ana Chira

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Copper substrates deposed on a gold screen-printed electrode were covered with different aryl diazonium salts by electrodeposition at 0.25 mA for 30 or 300 s. Seven compounds were investigated: 4-aminophenylacetic acid, 4-aminophenethyl alcohol, 4-fluoroaniline, 4-(heptadecafluorooctylaniline, 4-aminoantipyrine, 4-(4-aminophenylbutyric acid and 3,4,5-trimethoxyaniline. Quantitative monitoring of the electrodeposition process was carried out by electrogravimetry using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM. The electrodeposited mass varies between 26 ng/cm2 for 4-fluoroaniline formed during 30 s to 442 ng/cm2 for 4-phenylbutyric acid formed during 300 s. The corrosion inhibition properties of aryl-modified layers have been studied in buffer citrate with pH = 3 or 3.5% NaCl solutions using electrochemical noise (ECN and Tafel potentiodynamic polarization measurements. A corrosion inhibiting efficiency up to 90% was found. The highest corrosion inhibition was obtained for 4-(4-aminophenylbutyric acid and the lowest for 4-fluoroaniline. A relation between the inhibition efficiency and the chemical nature of the substituents in the protective layer was found.

Electrodeposited Organic Layers Formed from Aryl Diazonium Salts for Inhibition of Copper Corrosion.

Science.gov (United States)

Chira, Ana; Bucur, Bogdan; Radu, Gabriel-Lucian

2017-02-28

Copper substrates deposed on a gold screen-printed electrode were covered with different aryl diazonium salts by electrodeposition at 0.25 mA for 30 or 300 s. Seven compounds were investigated: 4-aminophenylacetic acid, 4-aminophenethyl alcohol, 4-fluoroaniline, 4-(heptadecafluorooctyl)aniline, 4-aminoantipyrine, 4-(4-aminophenyl)butyric acid and 3,4,5-trimethoxyaniline. Quantitative monitoring of the electrodeposition process was carried out by electrogravimetry using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The electrodeposited mass varies between 26 ng/cm² for 4-fluoroaniline formed during 30 s to 442 ng/cm² for 4-phenylbutyric acid formed during 300 s. The corrosion inhibition properties of aryl-modified layers have been studied in buffer citrate with pH = 3 or 3.5% NaCl solutions using electrochemical noise (ECN) and Tafel potentiodynamic polarization measurements. A corrosion inhibiting efficiency up to 90% was found. The highest corrosion inhibition was obtained for 4-(4-aminophenyl)butyric acid and the lowest for 4-fluoroaniline. A relation between the inhibition efficiency and the chemical nature of the substituents in the protective layer was found.

Ellipsometric Immunosensor for Detection of Amyloid Precursor Protein with a View of Alzheimer's Disease Diagnostics

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Alexei Nabok

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The detection of amyloid precursor protein isoform 770 (APP770 was achieved with the use of total internal reflection ellipsometry (TIRE in a direct immunoassay format with DE2 monoclonal antibodies raised against the β amyloid peptide 1-16 (Aβ 1-16 which is a part of APP770. DE2 antibodies were immobilised on the surface of gold by electrostatic binding to a layer of (polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH via an intermediate layer of Protein G molecules. TIRE spectra were recorded after adsorption (binding of every molecular layer in a sequence of PAH, Protein G, DE2, and APP770. A noticeable increase in the adsorbed layer thickness was obtained upon binding of APP770 molecules from its solution of unknown concentration in Complete Medium, a complex mixture containing other proteins. For a purpose of TIRE biosensor calibration, complementary quartz crystal microbalance (QCM measurements were utilised and allowed the evaluation of surface concentrations of DE2 and APP770 of 1.08.1011 cm-2 and 4.73.1012 cm-2, respectively.

Investigation of the drastic change in the sputter rate of polymers at low ion fluence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zekonyte, J.; Zaporojtchenko, V.; Faupel, F.

2005-01-01

The polymer sputter rate dependence on ion fluence and ion chemistry (Ar, N 2 , O 2 ) at 1 keV energy was investigated using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) which allowed to do real time etch rate measurements and to study kinetics of sputtering. The obtained sputter rates differed drastically from polymer to polymer showing, that the chemical structure of polymer is an important factor in the polymer etch yield. A decrease in the sputter rate was observed up to ion fluence of 5 x 10 14 -5 x 10 15 cm -2 (depending on the polymer type and ion chemistry) followed by the saturation in the rate at prolonged ion bombardment. Polymer removal was accompanied by the formation of degradation products, cross-linking or branching, modification of the surface chemical structure, which was studied in situ using XPS. The dependence of the surface glass transition temperature, T gs on the ion fluence was studied using the method based on the embedding of metallic nanoparticles. The correlation between chemical yield data and ablation rate is discussed

IMPORTANCE OF IN SITU MONITORS IN THE PREPARATION OF LAYERED OXIDE HETEROSTRUCTURES BY REACTIVE MBE.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schlom, Darrell G.; Haeni, J. H.; Theis, C. D. (Christopher); Tian, W.; Pan, X. Q.; Brown, G. W. (Geoffrey W.); Hawley, M. E. (Marilyn E.)

2001-01-01

Using a variety of in situ monitors and when possible adsorption-controlled growth conditions, layered oxide heterostructures including new compounds and metastable superlattices have been grown by reactive molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The heteroepitaxial layers grown include Bi{sub 4}Ti{sub 3}O{sub 12}-SrTiO{sub 3} and Bi{sub 4}Ti{sub 3}O{sub 12}-PbTiO{sub 3} Aurivillius phases, Sr{sub n+1}Ti{sub n}O{sub 3n+1} Ruddlesden-Popper phases, and metastable PbTiO{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3} and BaTiO{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3} superlattices. Accurate composition control is key to the controlled growth of such structures, and to this end combinations of reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AA), a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), and adsorption-controlled growth conditions were employed during growth. The structural perfection of the films has been investigated using in situ RHEED, four-circle x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

Structure–property relationships in ionic liquids: Influence of branched and cyclic groups on vaporization enthalpies of imidazolium-based ILs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaitsau, Dzmitry H.; Varfolomeev, Mikhail A.; Verevkin, Sergey P.; Stanton, Alexander D.; Hindman, Michelle S.; Bara, Jason E.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Ionic liquids [Rmim][NTf_2] with iso-alkyl and cyclic substituents were synthesized. • Vaporization enthalpies were measured using quartz-crystal microbalance. • Data consistency was tested by comparison with the homomorph compounds. • Vaporization enthalpies of branched ILs are generally on the same level as for linear. • These findings are useful for the quick estimation of vaporization enthalpies. - Abstract: Ionic liquids (ILs) with branched and cyclic substituents are seldom studied in the literature, and as such there are little to no data characterizing their thermophysical properties. ILs with branched and cyclic substituents are just as convenient to synthesize and study as their counterparts with linear substituents, but the effects of these substituents on IL properties are not yet well-defined due to the preference for linear substituents. Standard molar vaporization enthalpies of six imidazolium based ionic liquids [Rmim][NTf_2] with iso-alkyl and cyclic substituents (R = iso-propyl, iso-butyl, sec-butyl, methylcyclopropyl, cyclopentyl and methylcyclohexyl) were derived from quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) method. Enthalpies of vaporization measured at elevated temperatures have been adjusted to the reference temperature 298 K and tested for consistency by comparison with the homomorphy alkane, alkylbenzenes and alkyl-imidazoles. It was found that vaporization enthalpies of ILs with the iso-alkyl and cyclic groups are generally on the same level within (±2 to 3) kJ · mol"−"1 significantly compared to the analogous ILs with the imidazolium cation substituted with the linear alkyl substituents of the same chain length. These findings are useful for the quick estimation of vaporization enthalpies of various substituted IL cations (e.g. pyrrolidinium, ammonium, pyridinium, etc.).

Carbon-based micro-ball and micro-crystal deposition using filamentary pulsed atmospheric pressure plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pothiraja, Ramasamy; Bibinov, Nikita; Awakowicz, Peter

2014-01-01

Thin plasma filaments are produced by the propagation of ionization waves from a spiked driven electrode in a quartz tube in an argon/methane gas mixture (2400 sccm/2 sccm) at atmospheric pressure. The position of the touch point of filaments on the substrate surface is controlled in our experiment by applying various suitable substrate configurations and geometries of the grounded electrode. The gas conditions at the touch point are varied from argon to ambient air. Based on microphotography and discharge current waveforms, the duration of the filament touching the substrate is estimated to be about one microsecond. Carbon-based materials are deposited during this time at the touch points on the substrate surface. Micro-balls are produced if the filament touch points are saved from ambient air by the argon flow. Under an air admixture, micro-crystals are formed. The dimension of both materials is approximately one micrometre (0.5–2 µm) and corresponds to about 10 10 –10 12 carbon atoms. Neither the diffusion of neutral species nor drift of ions can be reason for the formation of such a big micro-material during this short period of filament–substrate interaction. It is possible that charged carbon-based materials are formed in the plasma channel and transported to the surface of the substrate. The mechanism of this transport and characterization of micro-materials, which are formed under different gas conditions in our experiment, will be studied in the future. (paper)

Peptide-membrane interactions of arginine-tryptophan peptides probed using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring.

KAUST Repository

Rydberg, Hanna A

2014-04-18

Membrane-active peptides include peptides that can cross cellular membranes and deliver macromolecular cargo as well as peptides that inhibit bacterial growth. Some of these peptides can act as both transporters and antibacterial agents. It is desirable to combine the knowledge from these two different fields of membrane-active peptides into design of new peptides with tailored actions, as transporters of cargo or as antibacterial substances, targeting specific membranes. We have previously shown that the position of the amino acid tryptophan in the peptide sequence of three arginine-tryptophan peptides affects their uptake and intracellular localization in live mammalian cells, as well as their ability to inhibit bacterial growth. Here, we use quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring to assess the induced changes caused by binding of the three peptides to supported model membranes composed of POPC, POPC/POPG, POPC/POPG/cholesterol or POPC/lactosyl PE. Our results indicate that the tryptophan position in the peptide sequence affects the way these peptides interact with the different model membranes and that the presence of cholesterol in particular seems to affect the membrane interaction of the peptide with an even distribution of tryptophans in the peptide sequence. These results give mechanistic insight into the function of these peptides and may aid in the design of membrane-active peptides with specified cellular targets and actions.

Peptide-membrane interactions of arginine-tryptophan peptides probed using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring.

KAUST Repository

Rydberg, Hanna A; Kunze, Angelika; Carlsson, Nils; Altgä rde, Noomi; Svedhem, Sofia; Nordé n, Bengt

2014-01-01

Membrane-active peptides include peptides that can cross cellular membranes and deliver macromolecular cargo as well as peptides that inhibit bacterial growth. Some of these peptides can act as both transporters and antibacterial agents. It is desirable to combine the knowledge from these two different fields of membrane-active peptides into design of new peptides with tailored actions, as transporters of cargo or as antibacterial substances, targeting specific membranes. We have previously shown that the position of the amino acid tryptophan in the peptide sequence of three arginine-tryptophan peptides affects their uptake and intracellular localization in live mammalian cells, as well as their ability to inhibit bacterial growth. Here, we use quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring to assess the induced changes caused by binding of the three peptides to supported model membranes composed of POPC, POPC/POPG, POPC/POPG/cholesterol or POPC/lactosyl PE. Our results indicate that the tryptophan position in the peptide sequence affects the way these peptides interact with the different model membranes and that the presence of cholesterol in particular seems to affect the membrane interaction of the peptide with an even distribution of tryptophans in the peptide sequence. These results give mechanistic insight into the function of these peptides and may aid in the design of membrane-active peptides with specified cellular targets and actions.

Controlling adsorption and passivation properties of bovine serum albumin on silica surfaces by ionic strength modulation and cross-linking.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jae Hyeon; Sut, Tun Naw; Jackman, Joshua A; Ferhan, Abdul Rahim; Yoon, Bo Kyeong; Cho, Nam-Joon

2017-03-29

Understanding the physicochemical factors that influence protein adsorption onto solid supports holds wide relevance for fundamental insights into protein structure and function as well as for applications such as surface passivation. Ionic strength is a key parameter that influences protein adsorption, although how its modulation might be utilized to prepare well-coated protein adlayers remains to be explored. Herein, we investigated how ionic strength can be utilized to control the adsorption and passivation properties of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on silica surfaces. As protein stability in solution can influence adsorption kinetics, the size distribution and secondary structure of proteins in solution were first characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. A non-monotonic correlation between ionic strength and protein aggregation was observed and attributed to colloidal agglomeration, while the primarily α-helical character of the protein in solution was maintained in all cases. Quartz crystal microbalance-dissipation (QCM-D) experiments were then conducted in order to track protein adsorption onto silica surfaces as a function of ionic strength, and the measurement responses indicated that total protein uptake at saturation coverage is lower with increasing ionic strength. In turn, the QCM-D data and the corresponding Voigt-Voinova model analysis support that the surface area per bound protein molecule is greater with increasing ionic strength. While higher protein uptake under lower ionic strengths by itself did not result in greater surface passivation under subsequent physiologically relevant conditions, the treatment of adsorbed protein layers with a gluteraldehyde cross-linking agent stabilized the bound protein in this case and significantly improved surface passivation. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that ionic strength modulation influences BSA adsorption

Mechanism underlying bioinertness of self-assembled monolayers of oligo(ethyleneglycol)-terminated alkanethiols on gold: protein adsorption, platelet adhesion, and surface forces.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashi, Tomohiro; Tanaka, Yusaku; Koide, Yuki; Tanaka, Masaru; Hara, Masahiko

2012-08-07

The mechanism underlying the bioinertness of the self-assembled monolayers of oligo(ethylene glycol)-terminated alkanethiol (OEG-SAM) was investigated with protein adsorption experiments, platelet adhesion tests, and surface force measurements with an atomic force microscope (AFM). In this work, we performed systematic analysis with SAMs having various terminal groups (-OEG, -OH, -COOH, -NH(2), and -CH(3)). The results of the protein adsorption experiment by the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method suggested that having one EG unit and the neutrality of total charges of the terminal groups are essential for protein-resistance. In particular, QCM with energy dissipation analyses indicated that proteins absorb onto the OEG-SAM via a very weak interaction compared with other SAMs. Contrary to the protein resistance, at least three EG units as well as the charge neutrality of the SAM are found to be required for anti-platelet adhesion. When the identical SAMs were formed on both AFM probe and substrate, our force measurements revealed that only the OEG-SAMs possessing more than two EG units showed strong repulsion in the range of 4 to 6 nm. In addition, we found that the SAMs with other terminal groups did not exhibit such repulsion. The repulsion between OEG-SAMs was always observed independent of solution conditions [NaCl concentration (between 0 and 1 M) and pH (between 3 and 11)] and was not observed in solution mixed with ethanol, which disrupts the three-dimensional network of the water molecules. We therefore concluded that the repulsion originated from structured interfacial water molecules. Considering the correlation between the above results, we propose that the layer of the structured interfacial water with a thickness of 2 to 3 nm (half of the range of the repulsion observed in the surface force measurements) plays an important role in deterring proteins and platelets from adsorption or adhesion.

Biomimetic PDMS-hydroxyurethane terminated with catecholic moieties for chemical grafting on transition metal oxide-based surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

de Aguiar, Kelen R.; Rischka, Klaus; Gätjen, Linda; Noeske, Paul-Ludwig Michael; Cavalcanti, Welchy Leite; Rodrigues-Filho, Ubirajara P.

2018-01-01

The aim of this work was to synthesize a non-isocyanate poly(dimethylsiloxane) hydroxyurethane with biomimetic terminal catechol moieties, as a candidate for inorganic and metallic surface modification. Such surface modifier is capable to strongly attach onto metallic and inorganic substrates forming layers and, in addition, providing water-repellent surfaces. The non-isocyanate route is based on carbon dioxide cycloaddition into bis-epoxide, resulting in a precursor bis(cyclic carbonate)-polydimethylsiloxane (CCPDMS), thus fully replacing isocyanate in the manufacture process. A biomimetic approach was chosen with the molecular composition being inspired by terminal peptides present in adhesive proteins of mussels, like Mefp (Mytilus edulis foot protein), which bear catechol moieties and are strong adhesives even under natural and saline water. The catechol terminal groups were grafted by aminolysis reaction into a polydimethylsiloxane backbone. The product, PDMSUr-Dopamine, presented high affinity towards inhomogeneous alloy surfaces terminated by native oxide layers as demonstrated by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D), as well as stability against desorption by rinsing with ethanol. As revealed by QCM-D, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and computational studies, the thickness and composition of the resulting nanolayers indicated an attachment of PDMSUr-Dopamine molecules to the substrate through both terminal catechol groups, with the adsorbate exposing the hydrophobic PDMS backbone. This hypothesis was investigated by classical molecular dynamic simulation (MD) of pure PDMSUr-Dopamine molecules on SiO2 surfaces. The computationally obtained PDMSUr-Dopamine assembly is in agreement with the conclusions from the experiments regarding the conformation of PDMSUr-Dopamine towards the surface. The tendency of the terminal catechol groups to approach the surface is in agreement with proposed model for the attachment PDMSUr-Dopamine. Remarkably, the versatile

Characterization of PM-PEMS for in-use measurements conducted during validation testing for the PM-PEMS measurement allowance program

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, M. Yusuf; Johnson, Kent C.; Durbin, Thomas D.; Jung, Heejung; Cocker, David R.; Bishnu, Dipak; Giannelli, Robert

2012-08-01

This study provides an evaluation of the latest Particulate Matter-Portable Emissions Measurement Systems (PM-PEMS) under different environmental and in-use conditions. It characterizes four PM measurement systems based on different measurement principles. At least three different units were tested for each PM-PEMS to account for variability. These PM-PEMS were compared with a UC Riverside's mobile reference laboratory (MEL). PM measurements were made from a class 8 truck with a 2008 Cummins diesel engine with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). A bypass around the DPF was installed in the exhaust to achieve a brake specific PM (bsPM) emissions level of 25 mg hp-1h-1. PM was dominated by elemental carbon (EC) during non-regeneration conditions and by hydrated sulfate (H2SO4.6H2O) during regeneration. The photo-acoustic PM-PEMS performed best, with a linear regression slope of 0.90 and R2 of 0.88 during non-regenerative conditions. With the addition of a filter, the photo-acoustic PM-PEMS slightly over reported than the total PM mass (slope = 1.10, R2 = 0.87). Under these same non-regeneration conditions, a PM-PEMS equipped with a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technology performed the poorest, and had a slope of 0.22 and R2 of 0.13. Re-tests performed on upgraded QCM PM-PEMS showed a better slope (0.66), and a higher R2 of 0.25. In the case of DPF regeneration, all PM-PEMS performed poorly, with the best having a slope of 0.20 and R2 of 0.78. Particle size distributions (PSD) showed nucleation during regeneration, with a shift of particle size to smaller diameters (˜64 nm to ˜13 nm) with elevated number concentrations when compared to non-regeneration conditions.

Directed synthesis of bio-inorganic vanadium oxide composites using genetically modified filamentous phage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, Michael; Baik, Seungyun; Jeon, Hojeong; Kim, Yuchan; Kim, Jungtae; Kim, Young Jun

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Phage is an excellent seeding for bio-templates for environmentally benign vanadium oxide nanocomposite synthesis. • The synthesized bio-inorganic vanadium oxide showed photodegradation activities. • The fabricated wt phage/vanadium oxide composite exhibited bundle-like structure. • The fabricated RSTB-phage/vanadium oxide composite exhibited a ball with a fiber-like nanostructure. • The virus/vanadium oxide composite could be applied in photocatalysts, sensors and nanoelectronic applications. - Abstract: The growth of crystalline vanadium oxide using a filamentous bacteriophage template was investigated using sequential incubation in a V 2 O 5 precursor. Using the genetic modification of the bacteriophage, we displayed two cysteines that constrained the RSTB-1 peptide on the major coat protein P8, resulting in vanadium oxide crystallization. The phage-driven vanadium oxide crystals with different topologies, microstructures, photodegradation and vanadium oxide composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), quartz microbalance and dissipation (QCM-D) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Non-specific electrostatic attraction between a wild-type phage (wt-phage) and vanadium cations in the V 2 O 5 precursor caused phage agglomeration and fiber formation along the length of the viral scaffold. As a result, the addition of recombinant phage (re-phage) in V 2 O 5 precursors formed heterogeneous structures, which led to efficient condensation of vanadium oxide crystal formation in lines, shown by QCM-D analysis. Furthermore, re-phage/V x O x composites showed significantly enhanced photodegradation activities compared with the synthesized wt-phage-V 2 O 5 composite under illumination. This study demonstrates that peptide-mediated vanadium oxide mineralization is governed by a complicated interplay of peptide sequence, local structure, kinetics and the presence of a mineralizing

Soluble components of the flagellar export apparatus, FliI, FliJ, and FliH, do not deliver flagellin, the major filament protein, from the cytosol to the export gate.

Science.gov (United States)

Sajó, Ráchel; Liliom, Károly; Muskotál, Adél; Klein, Agnes; Závodszky, Péter; Vonderviszt, Ferenc; Dobó, József

2014-11-01

Flagella, the locomotion organelles of bacteria, extend from the cytoplasm to the cell exterior. External flagellar proteins are synthesized in the cytoplasm and exported by the flagellar type III secretion system. Soluble components of the flagellar export apparatus, FliI, FliH, and FliJ, have been implicated to carry late export substrates in complex with their cognate chaperones from the cytoplasm to the export gate. The importance of the soluble components in the delivery of the three minor late substrates FlgK, FlgL (hook-filament junction) and FliD (filament-cap) has been convincingly demonstrated, but their role in the transport of the major filament component flagellin (FliC) is still unclear. We have used continuous ATPase activity measurements and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) studies to characterize interactions between the soluble export components and flagellin or the FliC:FliS substrate-chaperone complex. As controls, interactions between soluble export component pairs were characterized providing Kd values. FliC or FliC:FliS did not influence the ATPase activity of FliI alone or in complex with FliH and/or FliJ suggesting lack of interaction in solution. Immobilized FliI, FliH, or FliJ did not interact with FliC or FliC:FliS detected by QCM. The lack of interaction in the fluid phase between FliC or FliC:FliS and the soluble export components, in particular with the ATPase FliI, suggests that cells use different mechanisms for the export of late minor substrates, and the major substrate, FliC. It seems that the abundantly produced flagellin does not require the assistance of the soluble export components to efficiently reach the export gate. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Formation and composition of adsorbates on hydrophobic carbon surfaces from aqueous laccase-maltodextrin mixture suspension

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corrales Ureña, Yendry Regina, E-mail: yendry386@hotmail.com [UNESP São Paulo State University, Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube, 14-01, Bauru, São Paulo (Brazil); Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM, Wiener Strasse 12, 28359 Bremen (Germany); Lisboa-Filho, Paulo Noronha [UNESP São Paulo State University, Av. Eng. Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube, 14-01, Bauru, São Paulo (Brazil); Szardenings, Michael [Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Perlickstrasse 1, 04103 Leipzig (Germany); Gätjen, Linda; Noeske, Paul-Ludwig Michael; Rischka, Klaus [Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM, Wiener Strasse 12, 28359 Bremen (Germany)

2016-11-01

Highlights: • Less than 10 nm layer formed on carbon based materials composed by laccase and maltodextrin. • Improvement of the wettability of carbon based materials. • A protein-polysaccharide biofilm layer formation at solid liquid interface. • Stable layers formed under buffer and water rinsing. - Abstract: A robust procedure for the surface bio-functionalization of carbon surfaces was developed. It consists on the modification of carbon materials in contact with an aqueous suspension of the enzyme laccase from Trametes versicolor and the lyophilization agent maltodextrin, with the pH value adjusted close to the isoelectric point of the enzyme. We report in-situ investigations applying Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D) for carbon-coated sensor surfaces and, moreover, ex-situ measurements with static contact angle measurements, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM) for smooth Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG) substrates, for contact times between the enzyme formulation and the carbon material surface ranging from 20 s to 24 h. QCM-D studies reveals the formation of rigid layer of biomaterial, a few nanometers thin, which shows a strongly improved wettability of the substrate surface upon contact angle measurements. Following spectroscopic characterization, these layers are composed of mixtures of laccase and maltodextrin. The formation of these adsorbates is attributed to attractive interactions between laccase, the maltodextrin-based lyophilization agent and the hydrophobic carbon surfaces; a short-term contact between the aqueous laccase mixture suspension and HOPG surfaces is shown to merely result in de-wetting patterns influencing the results of contact angle measurements. The new enzyme-based surface modification of carbon-based materials is suggested to be applicable for the improvement of not only the wettability of low energy substrate surfaces with fluid formulations like coatings

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering of self-assembled thiol monolayers and supported lipid membranes on thin anodic porous alumina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Salerno

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Thin anodic porous alumina (tAPA was fabricated from a 500 nm thick aluminum (Al layer coated on silicon wafers, through single-step anodization performed in a Teflon electrochemical cell in 0.4 M aqueous phosphoric acid at 110 V. Post-fabrication etching in the same acid allowed obtaining tAPA surfaces with ≈160 nm pore diameter and ≈80 nm corresponding wall thickness to be prepared. The tAPA surfaces were made SERS-active by coating with a thin (≈25 nm gold (Au layer. The as obtained tAPA–Au substrates were incubated first with different thiols, namely mercaptobenzoic acid (MbA and aminothiol (AT, and then with phospholipid vesicles of different composition to form a supported lipid bilayer (SLB. At each step, the SERS substrate functionality was assessed, demonstrating acceptable enhancement (≥100×. The chemisorption of thiols during the first step and the formation of SLB from the vesicles during the second step, were independently monitored by using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D technique. The SLB membranes represent a simplified model system of the living cells membranes, which makes the successful observation of SERS on these films promising in view of the use of tAPA–Au substrates as a platform for the development of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS biosensors on living cells. In the future, these tAPA–Au-SLB substrates will be investigated also for drug delivery of bioactive agents from the APA pores.

Gold surface supported spherical liposome-gold nano-particle nano-composite for label free DNA sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhuvana, M; Narayanan, J Shankara; Dharuman, V; Teng, W; Hahn, J H; Jayakumar, K

2013-03-15

Immobilization of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) liposome-gold nano-particle (DOPE-AuNP) nano-composite covalently on 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) on gold surface is demonstrated for the first time for electrochemical label free DNA sensing. Spherical nature of the DOPE on the MPA monolayer is confirmed by the appearance of sigmoidal voltammetric profile, characteristic behavior of linear diffusion, for the MPA-DOPE in presence of [Fe(CN)(6)](3-/4-) and [Ru(NH(3))(6)](3+) redox probes. The DOPE liposome vesicle fusion is prevented by electroless deposition of AuNP on the hydrophilic amine head groups of the DOPE. Immobilization of single stranded DNA (ssDNA) is made via simple gold-thiol linkage for DNA hybridization sensing in the presence of [Fe(CN)(6)](3-/4-). The sensor discriminates the hybridized (complementary target hybridized), un-hybridized (non-complementary target hybridized) and single base mismatch target hybridized surfaces sensitively and selectively without signal amplification. The lowest target DNA concentration detected is 0.1×10(-12)M. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance (EIS), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) techniques are used for DNA sensing on DOPE-AuNP nano-composite. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Ultraviolet-Visible (UV) spectroscopic techniques are used to understand the interactions between the DOPE, AuNP and ssDNA. The results indicate the presence of an intact and well defined spherical DOPE-AuNP nano-composite on the gold surface. The method could be applied for fabrication of the surface based liposome-AuNP-DNA composite for cell transfection studies at reduced reagents and costs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new method for wideband characterization of resonator-based sensing platforms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munir, Farasat; Wathen, Adam; Hunt, William D.

2011-01-01

A new approach to the electronic instrumentation for extracting data from resonator-based sensing devices (e.g., microelectromechanical, piezoelectric, electrochemical, and acoustic) is suggested and demonstrated here. Traditionally, oscillator-based circuitry is employed to monitor shift in the resonance frequency of the resonator. These circuits give a single point measurement at the frequency where the oscillation criterion is met. However, the resonator response itself is broadband and contains much more information than a single point measurement. Here, we present a method for the broadband characterization of a resonator using white noise as an excitation signal. The resonator is used in a two-port filter configuration, and the resonator output is subjected to frequency spectrum analysis. The result is a wideband spectral map analogous to the magnitude of the S21 parameters of a conventional filter. Compared to other sources for broadband excitation (e.g., frequency chirp, multisine, or narrow time domain pulse), the white noise source requires no design of the input signal and is readily available for very wide bandwidths (1 MHz-3 GHz). Moreover, it offers simplicity in circuit design as it does not require precise impedance matching; whereas such requirements are very strict for oscillator-based circuit systems, and can be difficult to fulfill. This results in a measurement system that does not require calibration, which is a significant advantage over oscillator circuits. Simulation results are first presented for verification of the proposed system, followed by measurement results with a prototype implementation. A 434 MHz surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonator and a 5 MHz quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) are measured using the proposed method, and the results are compared to measurements taken by a conventional bench-top network analyzer. Maximum relative differences in the measured resonance frequencies of the SAW and QCM resonators are 0.0004% and 0

Interfacial electrostatics of poly(vinylamine hydrochloride), poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), poly-l-lysine, and poly-l-arginine interacting with lipid bilayers.

Science.gov (United States)

McGeachy, A C; Dalchand, N; Caudill, E R; Li, T; Doğangün, M; Olenick, L L; Chang, H; Pedersen, J A; Geiger, F M

2018-04-25

Charge densities of cationic polymers adsorbed to lipid bilayers are estimated from second harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) measurements. The systems surveyed included poly(vinylamine hydrochloride) (PVAm), poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC), poly-l-lysine (PLL), and poly-l-arginine (PLR), as well as polyalcohol controls. Upon accounting for the number of positive charges associated with each polyelectrolyte, the binding constants and apparent free energies of adsorption as estimated from SHG data are comparable despite differences in molecular masses and molecular structure, with ΔGads values of -61 ± 2, -58 ± 2, -57 ± 1, -52 ± 2, -52 ± 1 kJ mol-1 for PDADMAC400, PDADMAC100, PVAm, PLL, and PLR, respectively. Moreover, we find charge densities for polymer adlayers of approximately 0.3 C m-2 for poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) while those of poly(vinylamine) hydrochloride, poly-l-lysine, and poly-l-arginine are approximately 0.2 C m-2. Time-dependent studies indicate that polycation adsorption to supported lipid bilayers is only partially reversible for most of the polymers explored. Poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) does not demonstrate reversible binding even over long timescales (>8 hours).

Reversible assembly of protein-DNA nanostructures triggered by mediated electron transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vogt, Stephan; Wenderhold-Reeb, Sabine; Nöll, Gilbert

2017-01-01

Stable protein-DNA nanostructures have been assembled by reconstitution of the multi-ligand binding flavoprotein dodecin on top of flavin-terminated dsDNA monolayers on gold electrodes. These structures could be disassembled by electrochemical flavin reduction via mediated electron transfer. For this purpose a negative potential was applied at the Au working electrode in the presence of the redox mediator bis-(ammoniumethyl)-4,4′-bipyridinium tetrabromide. The stepwise formation of the flavin-terminated dsDNA monolayers as well as the binding and electrochemically triggered release of apododecin were monitored by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements. The assembly and disassembly of the protein-DNA nanostructures were fully reversible processes, which could be carried out multiple times at the same flavin-dsDNA modified surface. When a negative potential was applied in the absence of a redox mediator apododecin could not be released, i.e. direct electron transfer was not possible. As alternative redox mediators also methylene blue and phenosafranine were studied, but in the presence of these molecules apododecin was released without applying a potential, probably because the tricyclic aromatic compounds are able to replace the flavins at the binding sites.

Techniques for the measurement of trace moisture in high-purity electronic specialty gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Funke, Hans H.; Grissom, Brad L.; McGrew, Clark E.; Raynor, Mark W.

2003-01-01

The control of water vapor (moisture) contamination in process gases is critical to the successful manufacture of semiconductor devices. As specified moisture levels have become more stringent, there is a growing demand for more sensitive analytical methods. Instrumental methods currently being used or in development for measuring trace moisture at ppbv levels include Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, cavity ringdown spectroscopy, intracavity laser spectroscopy, electron impact ionization mass spectrometry, and atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry. In addition, sensor-based technologies such as oscillating quartz crystal microbalances, and chilled mirror-, capacitor-, and electrolytic-based hygrometers operate in this regime. These approaches are presented and reviewed. As the success of each trace moisture method is dependent on the degree to which the different process gases interfere with the measurement process, important process gas applications of the techniques are highlighted. Advantages and disadvantages as well as future developments and trends are also presented

Piezoelectric crystal microbalance measurements of enthalpy of sublimation of C2-C9 dicarboxylic acids

Science.gov (United States)

Dirri, F.; Palomba, E.; Longobardo, A.; Zampetti, E.

2016-02-01

We present here a novel experimental set-up that is able to measure the enthalpy of sublimation of a given compound by means of piezoelectric crystal microbalances (PCMs). The PCM sensors have already been used for space measurements, such as for the detection of organic and non-organic volatile species and refractory materials in planetary environments. In Earth atmospherics applications, PCMs can be also used to obtain some physical-chemical processes concerning the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in atmospheric environments. The experimental set-up has been developed and tested on dicarboxylic acids. In this work, a temperature-controlled effusion cell was used to sublimate VOC, creating a molecular flux that was collimated onto a cold PCM. The VOC recondensed onto the PCM quartz crystal, allowing the determination of the deposition rate. From the measurements of deposition rates, it has been possible to infer the enthalpy of sublimation of adipic acid, i.e. ΔHsub : 141.6 ± 0.8 kJ mol-1, succinic acid, i.e. 113.3 ± 1.3 kJ mol-1, oxalic acid, i.e. 62.5 ± 3.1 kJ mol-1, and azelaic acid, i.e. 124.2 ± 1.2 kJ mol-1. The results obtained show an accuracy of 1 % for succinic, adipic, and azelaic acid and within 5 % for oxalic acid and are in very good agreement with previous works (within 6 % for adipic, succinic, and oxalic acid and within 11 % or larger for azelaic acid).

Gas phase detection of explosives such as 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene by molecularly imprinted polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bunte, Gudrun; Hürttlen, Jürgen; Pontius, Heike; Hartlieb, Kerstin; Krause, Horst

2007-05-15

Fast, reliable and inexpensive analytical techniques for trace detection of explosive components are in high demand. Our approach is to develop specific sensor coating materials based on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). Despite the known inhibition of radical polymerisations by nitro groups and the known shrinkage of the polymer lattice during/after drying we were able to synthesize particulate MIPs by suspension polymerisation as well as thin MIP coatings by direct surface polymerisation on quartz crystal microbalances (QCM). The best method to purify the porous beads was Soxhlet extraction followed by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SFE with sc-CO2) at mild conditions (150 bar, 50 degrees C). At least a removal of >99.7% of the template was achieved. Performance tests of TNT imprinted polymer beads showed that acrylamide (AA) and more pronounced also methacrylic acid (MAA) possessed an enhanced adsorption tendency for gaseous TNT. An adsorption of 2,4-DNT, dinitrotoluene, by these MIPs was not detected. Using 2,4-DNT as template and methacrylamide, MAAM, a positive imprint effect for gaseous 2,4-DNT was achieved with no measurable cross-sensitivity for 2,4,6-TNT. The thin MIP coatings directly synthesized on the QCMs showed thicknesses of 20 to up to 500 nm. Preliminary screening experiments were performed for five different monomers and three different solvents (acetonitrile, chloroform and dimethylformamide). Best adsorption properties for TNT vapour until now showed a PAA-MIP synthesized with chloroform. Direct measurements of the mass attachment, respectively frequency decrease of the coated QCMs during vapour treatment showed a TNT-uptake of about 150 pg per microg MIP per hour. Results look worthy for further studies.

Trend of telomerase activity change during human iPSC self-renewal and differentiation revealed by a quartz crystal microbalance based assay

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yitian; Zhou, Ping; Xin, Yinqiang; Wang, Jie; Zhu, Zhiqiang; Hu, Ji; Wei, Shicheng; Ma, Hongwei

2014-11-01

Telomerase plays an important role in governing the life span of cells for its capacity to extend telomeres. As high activity of telomerase has been found in stem cells and cancer cells specifically, various methods have been developed for the evaluation of telomerase activity. To overcome the time-consuming procedures and complicated manipulations of existing methods, we developed a novel method named Telomeric Repeat Elongation Assay based on Quartz crystal microbalance (TREAQ) to monitor telomerase activity during the self-renewal and differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). TREAQ results indicated hiPSCs possess invariable telomerase activity for 11 passages on Matrigel and a steady decline of telomerase activity when differentiated for different periods, which is confirmed with existing golden standard method. The pluripotency of hiPSCs during differentiation could be estimated through monitoring telomerase activity and compared with the expression levels of markers of pluripotency gene via quantitative real time PCR. Regular assessment for factors associated with pluripotency or stemness was expensive and requires excessive sample consuming, thus TREAQ could be a promising alternative technology for routine monitoring of telomerase activity and estimate the pluripotency of stem cells.

In situ investigation of dye adsorption on TiO2 films using a quartz crystal microbalance with a dissipation technique

KAUST Repository

Harms, Hauke A.

2012-01-01

Dye adsorption plays a crucial role in dye-sensitized solar cells. Herein, we demonstrate an in situ liquid-phase analytical technique to quantify in real time adsorption of dye and coadsorbates on flat and mesoporous TiO 2 films. For the first time, a molar ratio of co-adsorbed Y123 and chenodeoxycholic acid has been measured. © 2012 the Owner Societies.

Directed synthesis of bio-inorganic vanadium oxide composites using genetically modified filamentous phage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mueller, Michael; Baik, Seungyun [Environmental Safety Group, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST-Europe) Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Campus E 7 1, Saarbruecken (Germany); Jeon, Hojeong; Kim, Yuchan [Center for Biomaterials, Biomedical Research Institute Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jungtae [Environmental Safety Group, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST-Europe) Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Campus E 7 1, Saarbruecken (Germany); Kim, Young Jun, E-mail: youngjunkim@kist-europe.de [Environmental Safety Group, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Europe (KIST-Europe) Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Campus E 7 1, Saarbruecken (Germany)

2015-05-15

Highlights: • Phage is an excellent seeding for bio-templates for environmentally benign vanadium oxide nanocomposite synthesis. • The synthesized bio-inorganic vanadium oxide showed photodegradation activities. • The fabricated wt phage/vanadium oxide composite exhibited bundle-like structure. • The fabricated RSTB-phage/vanadium oxide composite exhibited a ball with a fiber-like nanostructure. • The virus/vanadium oxide composite could be applied in photocatalysts, sensors and nanoelectronic applications. - Abstract: The growth of crystalline vanadium oxide using a filamentous bacteriophage template was investigated using sequential incubation in a V{sub 2}O{sub 5} precursor. Using the genetic modification of the bacteriophage, we displayed two cysteines that constrained the RSTB-1 peptide on the major coat protein P8, resulting in vanadium oxide crystallization. The phage-driven vanadium oxide crystals with different topologies, microstructures, photodegradation and vanadium oxide composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), quartz microbalance and dissipation (QCM-D) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Non-specific electrostatic attraction between a wild-type phage (wt-phage) and vanadium cations in the V{sub 2}O{sub 5} precursor caused phage agglomeration and fiber formation along the length of the viral scaffold. As a result, the addition of recombinant phage (re-phage) in V{sub 2}O{sub 5} precursors formed heterogeneous structures, which led to efficient condensation of vanadium oxide crystal formation in lines, shown by QCM-D analysis. Furthermore, re-phage/V{sub x}O{sub x} composites showed significantly enhanced photodegradation activities compared with the synthesized wt-phage-V{sub 2}O{sub 5} composite under illumination. This study demonstrates that peptide-mediated vanadium oxide mineralization is governed by a complicated interplay of peptide sequence, local structure

Chemically modulated graphene quantum dot for tuning the photoluminescence as novel sensory probe

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Eunhee; Hwang, Hee Min; Shin, Yonghun; Yoon, Yeoheung; Lee, Hanleem; Yang, Junghee; Bak, Sora; Lee, Hyoyoung

2016-12-01

A band gap tuning of environmental-friendly graphene quantum dot (GQD) becomes a keen interest for novel applications such as photoluminescence (PL) sensor. Here, for tuning the band gap of GQD, a hexafluorohydroxypropanyl benzene (HFHPB) group acted as a receptor of a chemical warfare agent was chemically attached on the GQD via the diazonium coupling reaction of HFHPB diazonium salt, providing new HFHPB-GQD material. With a help of the electron withdrawing HFHPB group, the energy band gap of the HFHPB-GQD was widened and its PL decay life time decreased. As designed, after addition of dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP), the PL intensity of HFHPB-GQD sensor sharply increased up to approximately 200% through a hydrogen bond with DMMP. The fast response and short recovery time was proven by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) analysis. This HFHPB-GQD sensor shows highly sensitive to DMMP in comparison with GQD sensor without HFHPB and graphene. In addition, the HFHPB-GQD sensor showed high selectivity only to the phosphonate functional group among many other analytes and also stable enough for real device applications. Thus, the tuning of the band gap of the photoluminescent GQDs may open up new promising strategies for the molecular detection of target substrates.

Formation of supported lipid bilayers of charged E. coli lipids on modified gold by vesicle fusion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ileana F. Márquez

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We describe a simple way of fusing E. coli lipid vesicles onto a gold surface. Supported lipid bilayers on metal surfaces are interesting for several reasons: transducing a biological signal to an electric readout, using surface analytical tools such as Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR, Infrared Reflection Absorption Spectroscopy, Neutron Reflectivity or Electrochemistry. The most widely used method to prepare supported lipid membranes is fusion of preexisting liposomes. It is quite efficient on hydrophilic surfaces such as glass, mica or SiO2, but vesicle fusion on metals and metal oxide surfaces (as gold, titanium oxide or indium tin oxide, remains a challenge, particularly for vesicles containing charged lipids, as is the case of bacterial lipids. We describe a simple method based on modifying the gold surface with a charged mercaptopropionic acid self-assembled monolayer and liposomes partially solubilized with detergent. The formed bilayers were characterized using a Quartz Crystal Microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM. Some advantages of this protocol are that the stability of the self-assembled monolayer allows for repeated use of the substrate after detergent removal of the bilayer and that the amount of detergent required for optimal fusion can be determined previously using the lipid-detergent solubility curve.

Viscoelastic Properties of Extracellular Polymeric Substances Can Strongly Affect Their Washing Efficiency from Reverse Osmosis Membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrando Chavez, Diana Lila; Nejidat, Ali; Herzberg, Moshe

2016-09-06

The role of the viscoelastic properties of biofouling layers in their removal from the membrane was studied. Model fouling layers of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) originated from microbial biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 differentially expressing the Psl polysaccharide were used for controlled washing experiments of fouled RO membranes. In parallel, adsorption experiments and viscoelastic modeling of the EPS layers were conducted in a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). During the washing stage, as shear rate was elevated, significant differences in permeate flux recovery between the three different EPS layers were observed. According to the amount of organic carbon remained on the membrane after washing, the magnitude of Psl production provides elevated resistance of the EPS layer to shear stress. The highest flux recovery during the washing stage was observed for the EPS with no Psl. Psl was shown to elevate the layer's shear modulus and shear viscosity but had no effect on the EPS adhesion to the polyamide surface. We conclude that EPS retain on the membrane as a result of the layer viscoelastic properties. These results highlight an important relation between washing efficiency of fouling layers from membranes and their viscoelastic properties, in addition to their adhesion properties.

Preparation and characterization of PTFE coating in new polymer quartz piezoelectric crystal sensor for testing liquor products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu Yu; Li Qiang

2015-01-01

A new method was developed based on the electron beam vacuum dispersion (EBVD) technology to prepare the PTFE polymer coating of the new polymer quartz piezoelectric crystal sensor for testing liquor products. The new method was applied in the new EBVD equipment which we designed. A real-time system monitoring the polymer coating’s thickness was designed for the new EBVD equipment according to the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) principle, playing an important role in preparing stable and uniform PTFE polymer coatings of the same thickness. 30 pieces of PTFE polymer coatings on the surface of the quartz crystal basis were prepared with the PTFE polymer ultrafine powder (purity ≥ 99.99%) as the starting material. We obtained 30 pieces of new PTFE polymer sensors. By using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the structure of the PTFE polymer coating’s column clusters was studied. One sample from the 30 pieces of new PTFE polymer sensors was analysed by SEM in four scales, i.e., 400×, 1000×, 10000×, and 25000×. It was shown that under the condition of high bias voltage and low bias current, uniformly PTFE polymer coating could be achieved, which indicates that the new EBVD equipment is suitable for mass production of stable and uniform polymer coating. (paper)

Effect of gold nanoparticles on the structure and electron-transfer characteristics of glucose oxidase redox polyelectrolyte-surfactant complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Cortez, M Lorena; Marmisollé, Waldemar; Pallarola, Diego; Pietrasanta, Lía I; Murgida, Daniel H; Ceolín, Marcelo; Azzaroni, Omar; Battaglini, Fernando

2014-10-06

Efficient electrical communication between redox proteins and electrodes is a critical issue in the operation and development of amperometric biosensors. The present study explores the advantages of a nanostructured redox-active polyelectrolyte-surfactant complex containing [Os(bpy)2Clpy](2+) (bpy=2,2'-bipyridine, py= pyridine) as the redox centers and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as nanodomains for boosting the electron-transfer propagation throughout the assembled film in the presence of glucose oxidase (GOx). Film structure was characterized by grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), GOx incorporation was followed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and quartz-crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), whereas Raman spectroelectrochemistry and electrochemical studies confirmed the ability of the entrapped gold nanoparticles to enhance the electron-transfer processes between the enzyme and the electrode surface. Our results show that nanocomposite films exhibit five-fold increase in current response to glucose compared with analogous supramolecular AuNP-free films. The introduction of colloidal gold promotes drastic mesostructural changes in the film, which in turn leads to a rigid, amorphous interfacial architecture where nanoparticles, redox centers, and GOx remain in close proximity, thus improving the electron-transfer process. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Delayed condensation and frost formation on superhydrophobic carbon soot coatings by controlling the presence of hydrophilic active sites

Science.gov (United States)

Esmeryan, Karekin D.; Castano, Carlos E.; Mohammadi, Reza; Lazarov, Yuliyan; Radeva, Ekaterina I.

2018-02-01

Condensation frosting is an undesired natural phenomenon that could be impeded efficiently using appropriate wettability and morphologically patterned surfaces. The icephobic properties of carbon soot and the fabrication scalability of its synthesis method are a good foundation for anti-frosting applications; however, the fundamentals of frost growth and spreading on sooted surfaces have not been examined yet. In this study, we investigate the anti-frosting performance of three groups of superhydrophobic soot coatings by means of 16 MHz quartz crystal microbalances (QCMs). The analysis of the real-time sensor signal of each soot coated QCM pattern shows that frost formation and its propagation velocity depend on the quantity of oxygen functionalities and structural defects in the material. In turn, the reduction of both parameters shifts the onset of frost growth to temperatures below  -20 °C, whereas the interdroplet ice bridging is slowed by a factor of four. Moreover, high-resolution scanning electron micrographs of the samples imply delamination upon defrosting of the soot with spherical-like morphology via polar interactions driven mechanism. These results reveal an opportunity for control of frost incipiency on sooted surfaces by adjusting the synthesis conditions and depositing soot coatings with as low as possible content of hydrophilic active sites.

Reproducible Molecularly Imprinted Piezoelectric Sensor for Accurate and Sensitive Detection of Ractopamine in Swine and Feed Products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mingfei Pan

2018-06-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the development of a reproducible molecularly imprinted piezoelectric sensor for the accurate and sensitive detection of ractopamine (RAC in swine and feed products. The synthesized molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP was directly immobilized on the surface of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM Au chip as the recognition element. The experimental parameters in the fabrication, measurement and regeneration process were evaluated in detail to produce an MIP-based piezoelectric sensor with high sensing capability. The developed piezoelectric sensor was verified to perform favorably in the RAC analysis of swine and feed products, with acceptable accuracy (recovery: 75.9–93.3%, precision [relative standard deviation (n = 3: 2.3–6.4%], and sensitivity [limit of detection: 0.46 ng g−1 (swine and 0.38 ng g−1 (feed]. This portable MIP-based chip for the piezoelectric sensing of RAC could be reused for at least 30 cycles and easily stored for a long time. These results demonstrated that the developed MIP-based piezoelectric sensor presents an accurate, sensitive and cost-effective method for the quantitative detection of RAC in complex samples. This research offers a promising strategy for the development of novel effective devices used for use in food safety analysis.

Immobilization of biomolecules on cysteamine-modified polyaniline film for highly sensitive biosensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Qi; Xu, Baojian; Ye, Lin; Di, Zengfeng; Zhang, Jishen; Jin, Qinghui; Zhao, Jianlong; Xue, Jian; Chen, Xianfeng

2014-03-01

We present a new cysteamine (CS)-modified polyaniline (PANI) film for highly efficient immobilization of biomolecules in biosensing technology. This electrochemical deposited PANI film treated with CS and glutaraldehyde could be employed as an excellent substrate for biomolecules immobilization. The parameters of PANI growth were optimized to obtain suitable surface morphology of films for biomolecules combination with the help of electron and atomic force microscopy. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) was utilized to illustrate the different electrochemical activities of each modified electrode. Due to the existence of sulfydryl group and amino group in CS, surface modification with CS was proven to reduce oxidized units on PANI film remarkably, as evidenced by both ATR-FTIR and Raman spectroscopy characterizations. Furthermore, bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as the model protein to investigate the immobilization efficiency of biomolecules on the PANI film, comparative study using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) showed that BSA immobilized on CS-modified PANI could be increased by at least 20% than that without CS-modified PANI in BSA solution with the concentration of 0.1-1mg/mL. The CS-modified PANI film would be significant for the immobilization and detection of biomolecules and especially promising in the application of immunosensor for ultrasensitive detection. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Carrier Transport Enhancement in Conjugated Polymers through Interfacial Self-Assembly of Solution-State Aggregates

KAUST Repository

Zhao, Kui

2016-07-13

We demonstrate that local and long range orders of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) semicrystalline films can be synergistically improved by combining chemical functionalization of the dielectric surface with solution-state disentanglement and pre-aggregation of P3HT in a theta solvent, leading to a very significant enhancement of the field effect carrier mobility. The pre-aggregation and surface functionalization effects combine to enhance the carrier mobility nearly 100-fold as compared with standard film preparation by spin-coating, and nearly 10-fold increase over the benefits of pre-aggregation alone. In situ quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) experiments reveal enhanced deposition of pre-aggregates on surfaces modified with an alkyl-terminated self-assembled monolayer (SAM) in comparison to un-aggregated polymer chains. Additional investigations reveal the combined pre-aggregation and surface functionalization significantly enhances local order of the conjugated polymer through planarization and extension of the conjugated backbone of the polymer which clearly translate to significant improvements of carrier transport at the semiconductor-dielectric interface in organic thin film transistors. This study points to opportunities in combining complementary routes, such as well-known pre-aggregation with substrate chemical functionalization, to enhance the polymer self-assembly and improve its interfacial order with benefits for transport properties.

In Vitro Characterization of the Two-Stage Non-Classical Reassembly Pathway of S-Layers

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Andreas Breitwieser

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The recombinant bacterial surface layer (S-layer protein rSbpA of Lysinibacillus sphaericus CCM 2177 is an ideal model system to study non-classical nucleation and growth of protein crystals at surfaces since the recrystallization process may be separated into two distinct steps: (i adsorption of S-layer protein monomers on silicon surfaces is completed within 5 min and the amount of bound S-layer protein sufficient for the subsequent formation of a closed crystalline monolayer; (ii the recrystallization process is triggered—after washing away the unbound S-layer protein—by the addition of a CaCl2 containing buffer solution, and completed after approximately 2 h. The entire self-assembly process including the formation of amorphous clusters, the subsequent transformation into crystalline monomolecular arrays, and finally crystal growth into extended lattices was investigated by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D and atomic force microscopy (AFM. Moreover, contact angle measurements showed that the surface properties of S-layers change from hydrophilic to hydrophobic as the crystallization proceeds. This two-step approach is new in basic and application driven S-layer research and, most likely, will have advantages for functionalizing surfaces (e.g., by spray-coating with tailor-made biological sensing layers.

Study on dissolution behavior of polymer-bound and polymer-blended photo-acid generator (PAG) resists

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Hiroki; Kozawa, Takahiro; Tagawa, Seiichi

2013-03-01

The requirements for the next generation resist materials are so challenging that it is indispensable for feasibility of EUV lithography to grasp basic chemistry of resist matrices in all stage of resist processes. Under such circumstances, it is very important to know dissolution characteristics of the resist film into alkaline developer though the dissolution of exposed area of resist films in alkaline developer to form a pattern is a complex reactive process. In this study, the influence of EUV and KrF exposure on the dissolution behavior of polymer bound PAG and polymer blended PAG was studied in detail using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) methods. The difference in swelling formation between KrF and EUV exposure was observed. It is likely that difference of reaction mechanism induces the difference of these swelling. Also, it is observed that the swelling of polymer-bound PAG is less than that of polymer blended PAG in both KrF and EUV exposure. This result indicates that polymer-bound PAG suppresses swelling very well and showed an excellent performance. Actually, the developed polymer bound-PAG resist showed an excellent performance (half pitch 50 nm line and space pattern). Thus, polymer bound PAG is one of the promising candidate for 16 nm EUV resist.

Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW Resonators for Monitoring Conditioning Film Formation

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Siegfried Hohmann

2015-05-01

Full Text Available We propose surface acoustic wave (SAW resonators as a complementary tool for conditioning film monitoring. Conditioning films are formed by adsorption of inorganic and organic substances on a substrate the moment this substrate comes into contact with a liquid phase. In the case of implant insertion, for instance, initial protein adsorption is required to start wound healing, but it will also trigger immune reactions leading to inflammatory responses. The control of the initial protein adsorption would allow to promote the healing process and to suppress adverse immune reactions. Methods to investigate these adsorption processes are available, but it remains difficult to translate measurement results into actual protein binding events. Biosensor transducers allow user-friendly investigation of protein adsorption on different surfaces. The combination of several transduction principles leads to complementary results, allowing a more comprehensive characterization of the adsorbing layer. We introduce SAW resonators as a novel complementary tool for time-resolved conditioning film monitoring. SAW resonators were coated with polymers. The adsorption of the plasma proteins human serum albumin (HSA and fibrinogen onto the polymer-coated surfaces were monitored. Frequency results were compared with quartz crystal microbalance (QCM sensor measurements, which confirmed the suitability of the SAW resonators for this application.

Spray layer-by-layer films based on phospholipid vesicles aiming sensing application via e-tongue system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoki, P.H.B.; Volpati, D.; Cabrera, F.C.; Trombini, V.L.; Riul, A.; Constantino, C.J.L.

2012-01-01

The Layer-by-Layer (LbL) technique via spraying (spray-LbL) has been applied as new and alternative methodology to fabricate ultrathin films due to its versatility in relation to the conventional dipping-LbL method, mainly in terms of faster layer deposition and larger coated area. In this work, the possibility of immobilizing vesicles of dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl glycerol (DPPG) phospholipid onto alternating layers of the polyelectrolyte poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) using the spray-LbL method was investigated, being the results compared to the conventional dipping-LbL method. The growth of (PAH/DPPG) n spray-LbL films was systematically monitored by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption spectroscopy, revealing a linear increase of the absorbance vs deposited layers. In relation to a possible electrostatic interaction between the groups PO 4 − (DPPG) and NH 3 + (PAH), it was observed through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) absorption spectroscopy that the spectrum recorded for the spray-LbL film is basically a simple superposition of the FTIR spectra from PAH and DPPG casting films. The latter indicates a weak interaction between both materials, differently of the trend observed for (PAH/DPPG) n grown via dipping-LbL method. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of spray-LbL films showed evidences that the DPPG vesicles present in the aqueous dispersion are not destroyed when submitted to pressure conditions during the spray deposition. However, comparing to dipping-LbL, the DPPG vesicles do not cover completely the PAH layer for the spray-LbL film, which was further confirmed by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) measurements. Moreover, the AFM analysis showed that the spray-LbL deposition led to thicker PAH/DPPG bilayers in average than via dipping-LbL for the same concentrations of PAH solution and DPPG dispersion, which is consistent with QCM and UV–vis absorption results. PAH/DPPG films deposited by

Integration of electro-anatomical and imaging data of the left ventricle: An evaluation framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Soto-Iglesias, David; Butakoff, Constantine; Andreu, David; Fernández-Armenta, Juan; Berruezo, Antonio; Camara, Oscar

2016-08-01

Integration of electrical and structural information for scar characterization in the left ventricle (LV) is a crucial step to better guide radio-frequency ablation therapies, which are usually performed in complex ventricular tachycardia (VT) cases. This integration requires finding a common representation where to map the electrical information from the electro-anatomical map (EAM) surfaces and tissue viability information from delay-enhancement magnetic resonance images (DE-MRI). However, the development of a consistent integration method is still an open problem due to the lack of a proper evaluation framework to assess its accuracy. In this paper we present both: (i) an evaluation framework to assess the accuracy of EAM and imaging integration strategies with simulated EAM data and a set of global and local measures; and (ii) a new integration methodology based on a planar disk representation where the LV surface meshes are quasi-conformally mapped (QCM) by flattening, allowing for simultaneous visualization and joint analysis of the multi-modal data. The developed evaluation framework was applied to estimate the accuracy of the QCM-based integration strategy on a benchmark dataset of 128 synthetically generated ground-truth cases presenting different scar configurations and EAM characteristics. The obtained results demonstrate a significant reduction in global overlap errors (50-100%) with respect to state-of-the-art integration techniques, also better preserving the local topology of small structures such as conduction channels in scars. Data from seventeen VT patients were also used to study the feasibility of the QCM technique in a clinical setting, consistently outperforming the alternative integration techniques in the presence of sparse and noisy clinical data. The proposed evaluation framework has allowed a rigorous comparison of different EAM and imaging data integration strategies, providing useful information to better guide clinical practice in

Surface charge effects in protein adsorption on nanodiamonds

Science.gov (United States)

Aramesh, M.; Shimoni, O.; Ostrikov, K.; Prawer, S.; Cervenka, J.

2015-03-01

Understanding the interaction of proteins with charged diamond nanoparticles is of fundamental importance for diverse biomedical applications. Here we present a thorough study of protein binding, adsorption kinetics and structure on strongly positively (hydrogen-terminated) and negatively (oxygen-terminated) charged nanodiamond particles using a quartz crystal microbalance by dissipation and infrared spectroscopy. By using two model proteins (bovine serum albumin and lysozyme) of different properties (charge, molecular weight and rigidity), the main driving mechanism responsible for the protein binding to the charged nanoparticles was identified. Electrostatic interactions were found to dominate the protein adsorption dynamics, attachment and conformation. We developed a simple electrostatic model that can qualitatively explain the observed adsorption behaviour based on charge-induced pH modifications near the charged nanoparticle surfaces. Under neutral conditions, the local pH around the positively and negatively charged nanodiamonds becomes very high (11-12) and low (1-3) respectively, which has a profound impact on the protein charge, hydration and affinity to the nanodiamonds. Small proteins (lysozyme) were found to form multilayers with significant conformational changes to screen the surface charge, while larger proteins (albumin) formed monolayers with minor conformational changes. The findings of this study provide a step forward toward understanding and eventually predicting nanoparticle interactions with biofluids.Understanding the interaction of proteins with charged diamond nanoparticles is of fundamental importance for diverse biomedical applications. Here we present a thorough study of protein binding, adsorption kinetics and structure on strongly positively (hydrogen-terminated) and negatively (oxygen-terminated) charged nanodiamond particles using a quartz crystal microbalance by dissipation and infrared spectroscopy. By using two model proteins

The liquid phase epitaxy method for the construction of oriented ZIF-8 thin films with controlled growth on functionalized surfaces

KAUST Repository

Shekhah, Osama; Eddaoudi, Mohamed

2013-01-01

Highly-oriented ZIF-8 thin films with controllable thickness were grown on an -OH-functionalized Au substrate using the liquid phase epitaxy method at room temperature, as evidenced by SEM and PXRD. The adsorption-desorption properties of the resulting ZIF-8 thin film were investigated for various VOCs using the QCM technique. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2013.

Results from a Novel Method for Corrosion Studies of Electroplated Lithium Metal Based on Measurements with an Impedance Scanning Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance

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Martin Winter

2013-07-01

Full Text Available A new approach to study the chemical stability of electrodeposited lithium on a copper metal substrate via measurements with a fast impedance scanning electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance is presented. The corrosion of electrochemically deposited lithium was compared in two different electrolytes, based on lithium difluoro(oxalato borate (LiDFOB and lithium hexafluorophosphate, both salts being dissolved in solvent blends of ethylene carbonate and diethyl carbonate. For a better understanding of the corrosion mechanisms, scanning electron microscopy images of electrodeposited lithium were also consulted. The results of the EQCM experiments were supported by AC impedance measurements and clearly showed two different corrosion mechanisms caused by the different salts and the formed SEIs. The observed mass decrease of the quartz sensor of the LiDFOB-based electrolyte is not smooth, but rather composed of a series of abrupt mass fluctuations in contrast to that of the lithium hexafluorophosphate-based electrolyte. After each slow decrease of mass a rather fast increase of mass is observed several times. The slow mass decrease can be attributed to a consolidation process of the SEI or to the partial dissolution of the SEI leaving finally lithium metal unprotected so that a fast film formation sets in entailing the observed fast mass increases.

Nanoparticle-based immunosensor with apoferritin templated metallic phosphate label for quantification of phosphorylated acetylcholinesterase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Du, Dan; Chen, Aiqiong; Xie, Yunying; Zhang, Aidong; Lin, Yuehe

2011-05-15

A new sandwich-like electrochemical immunosensor has been developed for quantification of organophosphorylated acetylcholinesterase (OP-AChE), an exposure biomarker of organophosphate pesticides and nerve agents. Zirconia nanoparticles (ZrO2 NPs) were anchored on a screen printed electrode (SPE) to preferably capture OP-AChE adducts by metal chelation with phospho-moieties, which was selectively recognized by lead phosphate-apoferritin labeled anti-AChE antibody (LPA-anti-AChE). The sandwich-like immunoreactions were performed among ZrO2 NPs, OP-AChE and LPA-anti-AChE to form ZrO2/OP-AChE/LPA-anti-AChE complex and the released lead ions were detected on a disposable SPE. The binding affinity was investigated by both square wave voltammetry (SWV) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements. The proposed immunosensor yielded a linear response current over a broad OP-AChE concentrations range from 0.05 nM to 10 nM, with detection limit of 0.02 nM, which has enough sensitivity for monitoring of low-dose exposure to OPs. This method avoids the drawback of unavailability of commercial OP-specific antibody as well as amplifies detection signal by using apoferritin encoded metallic phosphate nanoparticle tags. This nanoparticle-based immunosensor offers a new method for rapid, sensitive, selective and inexpensive quantification of phosphorylated adducts for monitoring of OP pesticides and nerve agents exposures.

Enhanced antifouling behaviours of polyvinylidene fluoride membrane modified through blending with nano-TiO2/polyethylene glycol mixture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Jie; Wang, Zhiwei; Zhang, Xingran; Zheng, Xiang; Wu, Zhichao

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Nano-TiO 2 /polyethylene glycol (PEG) mixture was used to modify PVDF membranes. • The steric hindrance effects of PEG enabled the dispersion of nanoparticles. • The energy barrier between SMP and modified membranes was increased. • The modification by nano-TiO 2 /PEG well improved the anti-fouling ability. - Abstract: Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles/polyethylene glycol (PEG) mixture was used to modify polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes aiming to improve their antifouling ability. The use of PEG could improve the dispersion of nanoparticles thanks to steric hindrance effects. Test results showed that compared to the original PVDF membrane, the modified membranes had higher hydrophilicity and lower negative Zeta potential, facilitating membrane fouling control. The extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) analysis indicated that the addition of TiO 2 nanoparticles improved their electron donor monopolarity, i.e., enhanced electron-donating ability. The interaction energy barrier between soluble microbial products (SMP) and membrane surfaces was also improved, indicating that anti-fouling ability of the modified membrane was elevated. The optimal dosage of nano-TiO 2 was found to be 0.15%, and further increase of dosage resulted in the aggregation of nanoparticles which consequently impaired the modification efficiency. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) monitoring and SMP filtration tests confirmed the antifouling ability of the modified membrane

Nanoparticle-based immunosensor with apoferritin templated metallic phosphate label for quantification of phosphorylated acetylcholinesterase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du, Dan; Chen, Aiqiong; Xie, Yunying; Zhang, Aidong; Lin, Yuehe

2011-01-01

A new sandwich-like electrochemical immunosensor has been developed for quantification of organophosphorylated acetylcholinesterase (OP-AChE), an exposure biomarker of organophosphate pesticides and nerve agents. Zirconia nanoparticles (ZrO2 NPs) were anchored on a screen printed electrode (SPE) to preferably capture OP-AChE adducts by metal chelation with phospho-moieties, which was selectively recognized by lead phosphate-apoferritin labeled anti-AChE antibody (LPA-anti-AChE). The sandwich-like immunoreactions were performed among ZrO2 NPs, OP-AChE and LPA-anti-AChE to form ZrO2/OP-AChE/LPA-anti-AChE complex and the released lead ions were detected on a disposable SPE. The binding affinity was investigated by both square wave voltammetry (SWV) and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements. The proposed immunosensor yielded a linear response current over a broad OP-AChE concentrations range from 0.05 nM to 10 nM, with detection limit of 0.02 nM, which has enough sensitivity for monitoring of low-dose exposure to OPs. This method avoids the drawback of unavailability of commercial OP-specific antibody as well as amplifies detection signal by using apoferritin encoded metallic phosphate nanoparticle tags. This nanoparticle-based immunosensor offers a new method for rapid, sensitive, selective and inexpensive quantification of phosphorylated adducts for monitoring of OP pesticides and nerve agents exposures.

A Decaheme Cytochrome as a Molecular Electron Conduit in Dye-Sensitized Photoanodes

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Ee Taek; Sheikh, Khizar; Orchard, Katherine L; Hojo, Daisuke; Radu, Valentin; Lee, Chong-Yong; Ainsworth, Emma; Lockwood, Colin; Gross, Manuela A; Adschiri, Tadafumi; Reisner, Erwin; Butt, Julea N; Jeuken, Lars J C

2015-01-01

In nature, charge recombination in light-harvesting reaction centers is minimized by efficient charge separation. Here, it is aimed to mimic this by coupling dye-sensitized TiO2 nanocrystals to a decaheme protein, MtrC from Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, where the 10 hemes of MtrC form a ≈7-nm-long molecular wire between the TiO2 and the underlying electrode. The system is assembled by forming a densely packed MtrC film on an ultra-flat gold electrode, followed by the adsorption of approximately 7 nm TiO2 nanocrystals that are modified with a phosphonated bipyridine Ru(II) dye (RuP). The step-by-step construction of the MtrC/TiO2 system is monitored with (photo)electrochemistry, quartz-crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Photocurrents are dependent on the redox state of the MtrC, confirming that electrons are transferred from the TiO2 nanocrystals to the surface via the MtrC conduit. In other words, in these TiO2/MtrC hybrid photodiodes, MtrC traps the conduction-band electrons from TiO2 before transferring them to the electrode, creating a photobioelectrochemical system in which a redox protein is used to mimic the efficient charge separation found in biological photosystems. PMID:26180522

Satellite Contamination and Materials Outgassing Knowledge base

Science.gov (United States)

Minor, Jody L.; Kauffman, William J. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Satellite contamination continues to be a design problem that engineers must take into account when developing new satellites. To help with this issue, NASA's Space Environments and Effects (SEE) Program funded the development of the Satellite Contamination and Materials Outgassing Knowledge base. This engineering tool brings together in one location information about the outgassing properties of aerospace materials based upon ground-testing data, the effects of outgassing that has been observed during flight and measurements of the contamination environment by on-orbit instruments. The knowledge base contains information using the ASTM Standard E- 1559 and also consolidates data from missions using quartz-crystal microbalances (QCM's). The data contained in the knowledge base was shared with NASA by government agencies and industry in the US and international space agencies as well. The term 'knowledgebase' was used because so much information and capability was brought together in one comprehensive engineering design tool. It is the SEE Program's intent to continually add additional material contamination data as it becomes available - creating a dynamic tool whose value to the user is ever increasing. The SEE Program firmly believes that NASA, and ultimately the entire contamination user community, will greatly benefit from this new engineering tool and highly encourages the community to not only use the tool but add data to it as well.

1,2-Dielaidoylphosphocholine/1,2-dimyristoylphosphoglycerol supported phospholipid bilayer formation in calcium and calcium-free buffer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, Kervin O.

2012-01-01

Phospholipid membranes are useful in the field of biocatalysis because a supported phospholipid membrane can create a biomimetic platform where biocatalytic processes can readily occur. In this work, supported bilayer formation from sonicated phospholipid vesicles containing 1,2-dielaidoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-rac-(1-glycerol)] was studied using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring and an atomic force microscope. The molar percentages of DEPC and DMPG were varied to determine the effect of overall lipid composition on supported bilayer formation. This work also explored the effect that calcium ion concentration had on supported bilayer formation. Results show that vesicles with up to 50 mol% dimyristoylphosphoglycerol can form a supported bilayer without the presence of calcium ions; however, supported bilayer formation in calcium buffer was inhibited as the anionic (negatively charged) lipid concentration increased. Data suggest that supported phospholipid bilayer formation in the absence of Ca 2+ from vesicles containing negatively charged lipids is specific to phosphatidylglycerol. - Highlights: ► SPB formation of DEPC vesicles containing 0 to 50 mol% DMPG monitored using QCM-D. ► Ca 2+ inhibited SPB formation of DEPC vesicles containing 30 to 50 mol% DMPG. ► Vesicles containing DMPG at 0 to 50 mol% formed SPB in buffer free of Ca 2+ .

Enhanced antifouling behaviours of polyvinylidene fluoride membrane modified through blending with nano-TiO{sub 2}/polyethylene glycol mixture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Jie [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092 (China); Wang, Zhiwei, E-mail: zwwang@tongji.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092 (China); Zhang, Xingran [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092 (China); Zheng, Xiang, E-mail: zhengxiang7825@163.com [School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, 100872 (China); Wu, Zhichao [State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092 (China)

2015-08-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Nano-TiO{sub 2}/polyethylene glycol (PEG) mixture was used to modify PVDF membranes. • The steric hindrance effects of PEG enabled the dispersion of nanoparticles. • The energy barrier between SMP and modified membranes was increased. • The modification by nano-TiO{sub 2}/PEG well improved the anti-fouling ability. - Abstract: Titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) nanoparticles/polyethylene glycol (PEG) mixture was used to modify polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes aiming to improve their antifouling ability. The use of PEG could improve the dispersion of nanoparticles thanks to steric hindrance effects. Test results showed that compared to the original PVDF membrane, the modified membranes had higher hydrophilicity and lower negative Zeta potential, facilitating membrane fouling control. The extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) analysis indicated that the addition of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles improved their electron donor monopolarity, i.e., enhanced electron-donating ability. The interaction energy barrier between soluble microbial products (SMP) and membrane surfaces was also improved, indicating that anti-fouling ability of the modified membrane was elevated. The optimal dosage of nano-TiO{sub 2} was found to be 0.15%, and further increase of dosage resulted in the aggregation of nanoparticles which consequently impaired the modification efficiency. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) monitoring and SMP filtration tests confirmed the antifouling ability of the modified membrane.

Layer-by-layer assembly of type I collagen and chondroitin sulfate on aminolyzed PU for potential cartilage tissue engineering application

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xianyun; Wang, Yingjun; Wu, Gang

2012-10-01

In this paper, a two-step method was used to synthesize a biodegradable polyurethane (PU) composed of L-lysine ethyl ester diisocyanate (LDI), poly(ɛ-caprolactone) diols (PCL-diol) and 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-D-sorbitol (isosorbide). Amino groups were introduced onto the surface of the PU membrane by an amination reacting with 1,3-propanediamine to produce polycationic substratum. And then, type I collagen (Col) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) were deposited alternately on the polycationic substratum through layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly technology. The FTIR and 1H NMR results showed that the polyurethane was successfully synthesized. Rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RBITC) fluorescence spectrum indicated that amino groups were successfully introduced onto the PU surface. The results of quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) and RBITC-Col fluorescence spectroscopy monitoring the LBL assemble process presented that the Col/CS deposited alternately on the PU surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results displayed that the CS deposited on the PU surface as well. The surface of the assembled PU became even smoother observed from the surface morphology by atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging. The hydrophilicity of the PU membrane was greatly enhanced though the modification of LBL assembly. The PU modified with the adsorption of Col/CS may be a potential application for cartilage tissue engineering due to its created mimicking chondrogenic environment.

Criticism on Jäntti's Three Point Method on curtailing gas adsorption measurements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Massen, C.H.; Poulis, J.A.; Robens, E.

2000-01-01

Jäntti introduced a method to reduce the time required for the stepwise measurement of adsorption isotherms (Jäntti et al., Progress in Vacuum Microbalance Techniques, Vol. 1, Heyden, London, pp. 345–353, 1972). After a pressure change he measured the adsorbed mass three times and calculated its

Organic/inorganic nanocomposites of ZnO/CuO/chitosan with improved properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, Xingfa, E-mail: xingfamazju@aliyun.com [School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Center of Advanced Functional Materials, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005 (China); State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027 (China); Zhang, Bo; Cong, Qin; He, Xiaochun; Gao, Mingjun [School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Center of Advanced Functional Materials, Yantai University, Yantai, 264005 (China); Li, Guang [National Laboratory of Industrial Control Technology, Institute of Cyber-Systems and Control, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027 (China)

2016-08-01

To extend the visible light response of ZnO, ZnO/CuO heterostructured nanocomposite was synthesized by a hydrothermal approach. At the same time, chitosan (Ch) is considered as a very promising natural polymer. It holds not only abundant resource and low cost, but also has excellent adsorption properties to a broad range of organic pollutants and some heavy metal ions. To improve the adsorption properties of ZnO/CuO nanocomposite, ZnO/CuO/chitosan organic-inorganic composites were prepared with precipitation method. The as-prepared nanocomposites were characterized by TEM (Transmission electron microscopy), SAED pattern (Selected Area Electron Diffraction), SEM (scanning electron microscopy), UV–Vis (Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy), PL (Photoluminescence), XRD (X-ray diffraction), TGA (Thermo Gravimetric Analyzer), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra (FTIR) et al. To examine the surface and interface properties of nanocomposites, chemical prototype sensor arrays were constructed based on ZnO, ZnO/CuO, ZnO/Cu{sub 2}O, ZnO/CuO/chitosan, ZnO/Cu{sub 2}O/chitosan nanocomposites and QCM (quartz crystal microbalance) arrays devices. The adsorption response behaviors of the sensor arrays to some typical volatile compounds were examined under similar conditions. The results indicated that with comparison to ZnO nanostructure, the ZnO/CuO nanocomposite exhibited enhanced adsorption properties to some typical volatile compounds greatly, and the adsorption properties of ZnO/CuO/chitosan are much better than that of ZnO/CuO nanocomposite. The adsorption of ZnO/CuO system is super to that of ZnO/Cu{sub 2}O. Therefore, ZnO/CuO/chitosan nanocomposite not only showed broadening visible light response, but also possessed of excellent adsorption properties, and has good potential applications in photocatalysts, chemical sensors, biosensors, self-cleaning coating fields et al. - Highlights: • ZnO/CuO nanocomposites exhibited good response in near whole visible

A 3D CFD Simulation and Analysis of Flow-Induced Forces on Polymer Piezoelectric Sensors in a Chinese Liquors Identification E-Nose

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Gu

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Chinese liquors can be classified according to their flavor types. Accurate identification of Chinese liquor flavors is not always possible through professional sommeliers’ subjective assessment. A novel polymer piezoelectric sensor electric nose (e-nose can be applied to distinguish Chinese liquors because of its excellent ability in imitating human senses by using sensor arrays and pattern recognition systems. The sensor, based on the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM principle is comprised of a quartz piezoelectric crystal plate sandwiched between two specific gas-sensitive polymer coatings. Chinese liquors are identified by obtaining the resonance frequency value changes of each sensor using the e-nose. However, the QCM principle failed to completely account for a particular phenomenon: we found that the resonance frequency values fluctuated in the stable state. For better understanding the phenomenon, a 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD simulation using the finite volume method is employed to study the influence of the flow-induced forces to the resonance frequency fluctuation of each sensor in the sensor box. A dedicated procedure was developed for modeling the flow of volatile gas from Chinese liquors in a realistic scenario to give reasonably good results with fair accuracy. The flow-induced forces on the sensors are displayed from the perspective of their spatial-temporal and probability density distributions. To evaluate the influence of the fluctuation of the flow-induced forces on each sensor and ensure the serviceability of the e-nose, the standard deviation of resonance frequency value (SDF and the standard deviation of resultant forces (SDFy in y-direction (Fy are compared. Results show that the fluctuations of Fy are bound up with the resonance frequency values fluctuations. To ensure that the sensor's resonance frequency values are steady and only fluctuate slightly, in order to improve the identification accuracy of Chinese

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-coated acoustic sensors for room temperature detection of carbon dioxide and methane.

Science.gov (United States)

Devkota, Jagannath; Kim, Ki-Joong; Ohodnicki, Paul R; Culp, Jeffrey T; Greve, David W; Lekse, Jonathan W

2018-05-03

The integration of nanoporous materials such as metal organic frameworks (MOFs) with sensitive transducers can result in robust sensing platforms for monitoring gases and chemical vapors for a range of applications. Here, we report on an integration of the zeolitic imidazolate framework - 8 (ZIF-8) MOF with surface acoustic wave (SAW) and thickness shear mode quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) devices to monitor carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) under ambient conditions. The MOF was directly coated on the Y-Z LiNbO3 SAW delay lines (operating frequency, f0 = 436 MHz) and AT-cut quartz TSM resonators (resonant frequency, f0 = 9 MHz) and the devices were tested for various gases in N2 under ambient conditions. The devices were able to detect the changes in CO2 or CH4 concentrations with relatively higher sensitivity to CO2, which was due to its higher adsorption potential and heavier molecular weight. The sensors showed full reversibility and repeatability which were attributed to the physisorption of the gases into the MOF and high stability of the devices. Both types of sensors showed linear responses relative to changes in the binary gas compositions thereby allowing to construct calibration curves which correlated well with the expected mass changes in the sorbent layer based on mixed-gas gravimetric adsorption isotherms measured on bulk samples. For 200 nm thick films, the SAW sensitivities to CO2 and CH4 were 1.44 × 10-6/vol% and 8 × 10-8/vol%, respectively, against the QCM sensitivities 0.24 × 10-6/vol% and 1 × 10-8/vol%, respectively, which were evaluated as the fractional change in the signal. The SAW sensors were also evaluated for 100 nm-300 nm thick films, the sensitivities of which were found to increase with the thickness due to the increased number of pores for the adsorption of a larger amount of gases. In addition, the MOF-coated SAW delay lines had a good response in wireless mode, demonstrating their potential to operate remotely for the

Deposition kinetics of quantum dots and polystyrene latex nanoparticles onto alumina: role of water chemistry and particle coating.

Science.gov (United States)

Quevedo, Ivan R; Olsson, Adam L J; Tufenkji, Nathalie

2013-03-05

A clear understanding of the factors controlling the deposition behavior of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), such as quantum dots (QDs), is necessary for predicting their transport and fate in natural subsurface environments and in water filtration processes. A quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) was used to study the effect of particle surface coatings and water chemistry on the deposition of commercial QDs onto Al2O3. Two carboxylated QDs (CdSe and CdTe) with different surface coatings were compared with two model nanoparticles: sulfate-functionalized (sPL) and carboxyl-modified (cPL) polystyrene latex. Deposition rates were assessed over a range of ionic strengths (IS) in simple electrolyte (KCl) and in electrolyte supplemented with two organic molecules found in natural waters; namely, humic acid and rhamnolipid. The Al2O3 collector used here is selected to be representative of oxide patches found on the surface of aquifer or filter grains. Deposition studies showed that ENP deposition rates on bare Al2O3 generally decreased with increasing salt concentration, with the exception of the polyacrylic-acid (PAA) coated CdTe QD which exhibited unique deposition behavior due to changes in the conformation of the PAA coating. QD deposition rates on bare Al2O3 were approximately 1 order of magnitude lower than those of the polystyrene latex nanoparticles, likely as a result of steric stabilization imparted by the QD surface coatings. Adsorption of humic acid or rhamnolipid on the Al2O3 surface resulted in charge reversal of the collector and subsequent reduction in the deposition rates of all ENPs. Moreover, the ratio of the two QCM-D output parameters, frequency and dissipation, revealed key structural information of the ENP-collector interface; namely, on bare Al2O3, the latex particles were rigidly attached as compared to the more loosely attached QDs. This study emphasizes the importance of considering the nature of ENP coatings as well

Fluorine atom subsurface diffusion and reaction in photoresist

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greer, Frank; Fraser, D.; Coburn, J.W.; Graves, David B.

2003-01-01

Kinetic studies of fluorine and deuterium atoms interacting with an OiR 897 10i i-line photoresist (PR) are reported. All experiments were conducted at room temperature. Films of this PR were coated on quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) substrates and exposed to alternating fluxes of these atoms in a high vacuum apparatus. Mass changes of the PR were observed in situ and in real time during the atom beam exposures using the QCM. A molecular-beam sampled differentially pumped quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) was used to measure the species desorbing from the PR surface during the F and D atom exposures. During the D atom exposures, hydrogen abstraction and etching of the PR was observed, but no DF formation was detected. However, during the F atom exposures, the major species observed to desorb from the surface was DF, formed from fluorine abstraction of deuterium from the photoresist. No evidence of film etching or fluorine self-abstraction was observed. The film mass increased during F atom exposure, evidently due to the replacement of D by F in the film. The rate of DF formation and mass uptake were both characterized by the same kinetics: An initially rapid step declining exponentially with time (e -t/τ ), followed by a much slower step following inverse square root of time (t -1/2 ) kinetics. The initially rapid step was interpreted as surface abstraction of D by F to form DF, which desorbs, with subsequent F impacting the surface inserted into surface C dangling bonds. The slower step was interpreted as F atoms diffusing into the fluorinated photoresist, forming DF at the boundary of the fluorinated carbon layer. The t -1/2 kinetics of this step are interpreted to indicate that F diffusion through the fluorinated carbon layer is much slower than the rate of F abstraction of D to form DF, or the rate of F insertion into the carbon dangling bonds left behind after DF formation. A diffusion-limited growth model was formulated, and the model parameters are

Dislocations and elementary processes of plasticity in FCC metals: atomic scale simulations; Dislocations et processus elementaires de la plasticite dans les metaux CFC: apports des simulations a l'echelle atomique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodney, D

2000-07-01

We present atomic-scale simulations of two elementary processes of FCC crystal plasticity. The first study consists in the simulation by molecular dynamics, in a nickel crystal, of the interactions between an edge dislocation and glissile interstitial loops of the type that form under irradiation in displacement cascades. The simulations show various atomic-scale interaction processes leading to the absorption and drag of the loops by the dislocation. These reactions certainly contribute to the formation of the 'clear bands' observed in deformed irradiated materials. The simulations also allow to study quantitatively the role of the glissile loops in irradiation hardening. In particular, dislocation unpinning stresses for certain pinning mechanisms are evaluated from the simulations. The second study consists first in the generalization in three dimensions of the quasi-continuum method (QCM), a multi-scale simulation method which couples atomistic techniques and the finite element method. In the QCM, regions close to dislocation cores are simulated at the atomic-scale while the rest of the crystal is simulated with a lower resolution by means of a discretization of the displacement fields using the finite element method. The QCM is then tested on the simulation of the formation and breaking of dislocation junctions in an aluminum crystal. Comparison of the simulations with an elastic model of dislocation junctions shows that the structure and strength of the junctions are dominated by elastic line tension effects, as is assumed in classical theories. (author)

Dislocations and elementary processes of plasticity in FCC metals: atomic scale simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodney, D.

2000-01-01

We present atomic-scale simulations of two elementary processes of FCC crystal plasticity. The first study consists in the simulation by molecular dynamics, in a nickel crystal, of the interactions between an edge dislocation and glissile interstitial loops of the type that form under irradiation in displacement cascades. The simulations show various atomic-scale interaction processes leading to the absorption and drag of the loops by the dislocation. These reactions certainly contribute to the formation of the 'clear bands' observed in deformed irradiated materials. The simulations also allow to study quantitatively the role of the glissile loops in irradiation hardening. In particular, dislocation unpinning stresses for certain pinning mechanisms are evaluated from the simulations. The second study consists first in the generalization in three dimensions of the quasi-continuum method (QCM), a multi-scale simulation method which couples atomistic techniques and the finite element method. In the QCM, regions close to dislocation cores are simulated at the atomic-scale while the rest of the crystal is simulated with a lower resolution by means of a discretization of the displacement fields using the finite element method. The QCM is then tested on the simulation of the formation and breaking of dislocation junctions in an aluminum crystal. Comparison of the simulations with an elastic model of dislocation junctions shows that the structure and strength of the junctions are dominated by elastic line tension effects, as is assumed in classical theories. (author)

Evaluation of apically extruded debris during removal of gutta-percha and ResilonTM using different instrumentation techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pešić Dragana

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Apical extrusion of material is considered as one of the very important factor for endodontic treatment success. Microorganisms, necrotic tissue, filling material and irrigants, which can be extruded apically during endodontic retreatment, may jeopardize the success of the therapy. The aim of this in vitro study was to quantitatively evaluate the amount of apically extruded debris during endodontic retreatment of teeth obturated with two different materials, using one hand and three rotary instrumentation techniques. Methods. Ninety-six extracted single-rooted teeth were endodontically treated and enlarged to size 40 using BioRaCe system, and then randomly divided into 8 groups of 12 specimens each. Half of the specimens were obturated with gutta-percha and AH Plus® sealer and another half with RealSeal SE system, using lateral condensation technique. Retreatment was performed using: Hedström files; ProFile rotary files; ProTaper Retreatment system and D-RaCe system. Apically extruded debris was collected in pre-weighed Eppendorf tubes and evaluated using an electronic microbalance. Data were analyzed statistically using t-test and analysis of variance. Results. In the AH Plus/gutta-percha group, all tested rotary instruments gave significantly less extruded debris compared with Hedström files (p < 0.05. In theRealSeal group, there was significant difference between DRaCe and Hedström instruments (p < 0.05. Conclusion. All retreatment techniques resulted in apical extrusion. DRaCe system produced significantly less extruded debris compared to hand files. No significant difference was found when comparing two instruments specially designed for retreatment: D-RaCe and ProTaper systems.

Preparation of an estuarine sediment quality control material for the determination of trace metals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hatje Vanessa

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Quality Control Materials (QCM have being used routinely in daily laboratory work as a tool to fill the gap between need and availability of Certified Reference Materials (CRM. The QCM are a low-cost alternative to CRMs, and they are in high demand, especially, for the implementation of quality control systems in laboratories of several areas. This paper describes the preparation of a QCM for the determination of trace metals in estuarine sediments and the results of an interlaboratory exercise. Homogeneity and stability studies were performed and analysis of variance was carried out with the results. No statistical significant differences were observed in the concentrations of Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn between- or within bottle results. Neither the storage nor temperature affected the results. Therefore, the QCM produced is considered homogeneous and stable and can be used for statistical control charts, evaluation of reproducibility and interlaboratory exercises.

Magnetic Fe3O4@TiO2 Nanoparticles-based Test Strip Immunosensing Device for Rapid Detection of Phosphorylated Butyrylcholinesterase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ge, Xiaoxiao; Zhang, Weiying; Lin, Yuehe; Du, Dan

2013-12-15

An integrated magnetic nanoparticles-based test-strip immunosensing device was developed for rapid and sensitive quantification of phosphorylated butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), the biomarker of exposure to organophosphous pesticides (OP), in human plasma. In order to overcome the difficulty in scarce availability of OP-specific antibody, here magnetic Fe3O4@TiO2 nanoparticles were used and adsorbed on the test strip through a small magnet inserted in the device to capture target OP-BChE through selective binding between TiO2 and OP moiety. Further recognition was completed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and anti-BChE antibody (Ab) co-immobilized gold nanoparticles (GNPs). Their strong affinities among Fe3O4@TiO2, OP-BChE and HRP/Ab-GNPs were characterized by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) measurements. After cutting off from test strip, the resulted immunocomplex (HRP/Ab-GNPs/OP-BChE/Fe3O4@TiO2) was measured by SWV using a screen printed electrode under the test zone. Greatly enhanced sensitivity was achieved by introduction of GNPs to link enzyme and antibody at high ratio, which amplifies electrocatalytic signal significantly. Moreover, the use of test strip for fast immunoreactions reduces analytical time remarkably. Coupling with a portable electrochemical detector, the integrated device with advanced nanotechnology displays great promise for sensitive, rapid and in-filed on-site evaluation of OP poisoning.

Fabrication and characterization of novel multilayered structures by stereocomplexion of poly(D-lactic acid/poly(L-lactic acid and self-assembly of polyelectrolytes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Dellacasa

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The enantiomers poly(D-lactic acid (PDLA and poly(L-lactic acid (PLLA were alternately adsorbed directly on calcium carbonate (CaCO3 templates and on poly(styrene sulfonate (PSS and poly(allylamine hydrochloride (PAH multilayer precursors in order to fabricate a novel layer-by-layer (LBL assembly. A single layer of poly(L-lysine (PLL was used as a linker between the (PDLA/PLLAn stereocomplex and the cores with and without the polymeric (PSS/PAHn/PLL multilayer precursor (PEM. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC were used to characterize the chemical composition and molecular weight of poly(lactic acid polymers. Both multilayer structures, with and without polymeric precursor, were firstly fabricated and characterized on planar supports. A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR and ellipsometry were used to evaluate the thickness and mass of the multilayers. Then, hollow, spherical microcapsules were obtained by the removal of the CaCO3 sacrificial template. The chemical composition of the obtained microcapsules was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and wide X-ray diffraction (WXRD analyses. The microcapsule morphology was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and transmission electron microscopy (TEM measurements. The experimental results confirm the successful fabrication of this innovative system, and its full biocompatibility makes it worthy of further characterization as a promising drug carrier for sustained release.

Initial transport and retention behaviors of ZnO nanoparticles in quartz sand porous media coated with Escherichia coli biofilm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Xujia; Wang, Xueting; Tong, Meiping; Kim, Hyunjung

2013-01-01

The significance of biofilm on the transport and deposition behaviors of ZnO nanoparticles were examined under a series of environmentally relevant ionic strength at two fluid velocities of 4 m-d −1 and 8 m-d −1 . Biofilm enhanced nanoparticles retention in porous media under all examined conditions. The greater deposition was also observed in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) coated surfaces by employment of quartz microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) system. Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) failed to interpret more ZnO nanoparticles deposition on biofilm (EPS) coated silica surfaces. Chemical interaction and physical morphology of biofilm contributed to this greater deposition (retention). Biofilm affected the spacial distribution of retained ZnO nanoparticles as well. Relatively steeper slope of retained profiles were observed in the presence of biofilm, corresponding to the greater deviation from colloid filtration theory (CFT). Pore space constriction via biofilm induced more nanoparticle trapped in the column inlet, leading to greater deviations (σln k f ) from the CFT. Highlights: ► Biofilm reduced the mobility of ZnO nanoparticles in column. ► DLVO and non-DLVO interactions contributed the more nanoparticles deposition. ► Biofilm also affected the spacial distribution of ZnO nanoparticles in column. ► Greater deviation from classic filtration theory was observed with biofilm. ► Physical structure of biofilm induced greater deviation from log-linear prediction. -- Biofilm enhanced ZnO nanoparticle deposition and altered spacial distribution in porous media

Functionalization of CoCr surfaces with cell adhesive peptides to promote HUVECs adhesion and proliferation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castellanos, Maria Isabel, E-mail: maria.isabel.castellanos@upc.edu [Biomaterials, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering, Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), ETSEIB, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Centre for Research in Nanoengineering (CRNE), UPC, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Mas-Moruno, Carlos, E-mail: carles.mas.moruno@upc.edu [Biomaterials, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering, Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), ETSEIB, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Centre for Research in Nanoengineering (CRNE), UPC, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Grau, Anna, E-mail: agraugar@gmail.com [Biomaterials, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering, Technical University of Catalonia (UPC), ETSEIB, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Centre for Research in Nanoengineering (CRNE), UPC, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Serra-Picamal, Xavier, E-mail: xserrapicamal@gmail.com [Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), 08028 Barcelona (Spain); University of Barcelona and CIBER-BBN, 08036 Barcelona (Spain); Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona (Spain); Trepat, Xavier, E-mail: xtrepat@ub.edu [Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), 08028 Barcelona (Spain); University of Barcelona and CIBER-BBN, 08036 Barcelona (Spain); Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona (Spain); Albericio, Fernando, E-mail: fernando.albericio@irbbarcelona.org [Department of Chemistry, University of Barcelona, CIBER-BBN, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Joner, Michael, E-mail: michaeljoner@me.com [Department of Cardiology, Deutsches Herzzentrum München, 80636 Munich (Germany); CVPath Institute, Gaithersburg, MD 20878 (United States); and others

2017-01-30

Highlights: • We immobilized peptides on CoCr alloy through physisorption and covalent bonding. • Surface activation is an essential step prior to silanization to enhance peptide attachment. • Biofunctionalized surface characteristics were discussed. • RGDS, YIGSR and combination peptides display an improved HUVECs adhesion and proliferation. - Abstract: Biomimetic surface modification with peptides that have specific cell-binding moieties is a promising approach to improve endothelialization of metal-based stents. In this study, we functionalized CoCr surfaces with RGDS, REDV, YIGSR peptides and their combinations to promote endothelial cells (ECs) adhesion and proliferation. An extensive characterization of the functionalized surfaces was performed by XPS analysis, surface charge and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), which demonstrated the successful immobilization of the peptides to the surface. Cell studies demonstrated that the covalent functionalization of CoCr surfaces with an equimolar combination of RGDS and YIGSR represents the most powerful strategy to enhance the early stages of ECs adhesion and proliferation, indicating a positive synergistic effect between the two peptide motifs. Although these peptide sequences slightly increased smooth muscle cells (SMCs) adhesion, these values were ten times lower than those observed for ECs. The combination of RGDS with the REDV sequence did not show synergistic effects in promoting the adhesion or proliferation of ECs. The strategy presented in this study holds great potential to overcome clinical limitations of current metal stents by enhancing their capacity to support surface endothelialization.

Fabrication and characterization of novel multilayered structures by stereocomplexion of poly(D-lactic acid)/poly(L-lactic acid) and self-assembly of polyelectrolytes

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Gesheng; Pastorino, Laura

2016-01-01

Summary The enantiomers poly(D-lactic acid) (PDLA) and poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) were alternately adsorbed directly on calcium carbonate (CaCO3) templates and on poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) and poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) multilayer precursors in order to fabricate a novel layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly. A single layer of poly(L-lysine) (PLL) was used as a linker between the (PDLA/PLLA)n stereocomplex and the cores with and without the polymeric (PSS/PAH)n/PLL multilayer precursor (PEM). Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) were used to characterize the chemical composition and molecular weight of poly(lactic acid) polymers. Both multilayer structures, with and without polymeric precursor, were firstly fabricated and characterized on planar supports. A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and ellipsometry were used to evaluate the thickness and mass of the multilayers. Then, hollow, spherical microcapsules were obtained by the removal of the CaCO3 sacrificial template. The chemical composition of the obtained microcapsules was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide X-ray diffraction (WXRD) analyses. The microcapsule morphology was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. The experimental results confirm the successful fabrication of this innovative system, and its full biocompatibility makes it worthy of further characterization as a promising drug carrier for sustained release. PMID:26925356

Analysis of electroperforated materials using the quadrat counts method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miranda, E; Garzon, C; Garcia-Garcia, J [Departament d' Enginyeria Electronica, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain); MartInez-Cisneros, C; Alonso, J, E-mail: enrique.miranda@uab.cat [Departament de Quimica AnalItica, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona (Spain)

2011-06-23

The electroperforation distribution in thin porous materials is investigated using the quadrat counts method (QCM), a classical statistical technique aimed to evaluate the deviation from complete spatial randomness (CSR). Perforations are created by means of electrical discharges generated by needle-like tungsten electrodes. The objective of perforating a thin porous material is to enhance its air permeability, a critical issue in many industrial applications involving paper, plastics, textiles, etc. Using image analysis techniques and specialized statistical software it is shown that the perforation locations follow, beyond a certain length scale, a homogeneous 2D Poisson distribution.

Sprayed films of europium complexes toward light conversion devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Camacho, Sabrina A.; Aoki, Pedro H.B.; Constantino, Carlos J.L.; Pires, Ana Maria, E-mail: anapires@fct.unesp.br

2014-09-15

Rare-earth complexes have become subject of intensive research due to the high quantum efficiency of their emission, very narrow bands, and excellent fluorescence monochromaticity. The chemical design and characterization of Eu complexes based on β-diketone ligands hexafluoroacetylacetate (hfac) and dibenzoylmetanate (dbm) is reported here. K[Eu(dbm){sub 4}] and K[Eu(hfac){sub 4}] complexes were immobilized as thin films by using the spray technique, a promising methodology for practical applications. The latter provides not only a faster layer deposition but also larger coated areas compared to conventional methods, such as layer-by-layer (LbL) and Langmuir–Blodgett (LB). The growth of the sprayed films was monitored through microbalance (QCM) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) absorption spectroscopy, which reveal a higher mass and absorbance per deposited layer of K[Eu(dbm){sub 4}] film. Micro-Raman images display a more homogeneous spatial distribution of the K[Eu(dbm){sub 4}] complex throughout the film, when compared to K[Eu(hfac){sub 4}] film. At nanometer scale, atomic force microscopy (AFM) images indicate that the roughness of the K[Eu(hfac){sub 4}] film is approximately one order of magnitude higher than that for the K[Eu(dbm){sub 4}] film, which pattern is kept at micrometer scale according to micro-Raman measurements. The photoluminescence data show that the complexes remain as pure red emitters upon spray immobilization. Besides, the quantum efficiency for the sprayed films are found equivalent to the values achieved for the powders, highlighting the potential of the films for application in light conversion devices. - Highlights: • Rare earth complexes thin films based on β-diketone ligands. • Spraying procedures to fabricate layer-by-layer (LbL) luminescent thin films. • Chemical design of Eu complexes based on hfac and dbm β-diketones ligands immobilized as sprayed films. • Pure red emitters upon spray immobilization. • Sprayed

An oscillating microbalance for meteorological measurements of ice and volcanic ash accumulation from a weather balloon platform

Science.gov (United States)

Airey, Martin; Harrison, Giles; Nicoll, Keri; Williams, Paul; Marlton, Graeme

2017-04-01

A new, low cost, instrument has been developed for meteorological measurements of the accumulation of ice and volcanic ash that can be readily deployed using commercial radiosondes and weather balloons. It is based on principles used by [1], an instrument originally developed to measure supercooled liquid water profiles in clouds. This new instrument introduces numerous improvements in terms of reduced complexity and cost. It uses the oscillating microbalance principle, whereby a wire vibrating at its natural frequency is subjected to increased loading of the property to be measured. The increase in mass modifies the wire properties such that its natural frequency of oscillation changes. By measuring this frequency, the increase in mass can be inferred and transmitted to a ground base station through the radiosonde's UHF antenna via the PANDORA interface [2], which has been previously developed to provide power and connection to the radiosonde telemetry. The device consists of a simple circuit board controlled by an ATMEGA microcontroller. For calibration, the controller is capable of driving the wire at specified frequencies via excitation by a piezo sounder upon which the wire is mounted. The same piezo sounder is also used during active operation to measure the frequency of the wire in its non-driven state in order to infer the mass change on the wire. A phase-locked loop implemented on the board identifies when resonance occurs and the measured frequency is stable, prompting the microcontroller to send the measurement through the data interface. The device may be used for any application that requires the measurement of incremental mass variation e.g. ice accumulation, frosting, or particle accumulation such as dust and volcanic ash. For the solid particle accumulation, a low temperature, high-tack, adhesive may be applied to the wire prior to deployment to collect the material. In addition, the same instrument may be used for ground-based applications, such as

Quantization State of Baryonic Mass in Clusters of Galaxies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Potter F.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The rotational velocity curves for clusters of galaxies cannot be explained by Newtonian gravitation using the baryonic mass nor does MOND succeed in reducing this discrepancy to acceptable differences. The dark matter hypothesis appears to offer a solution; however, non-baryonic dark matter has never been detected. As an alternative approach, quantum celestial mechanics (QCM predicts that galactic clusters are in quantization states determined solely by the total baryonic mass of the cluster and its total angular momentum. We find excellent agreement with QCM for ten galactic clusters, demonstrating that dark matter is not needed to explain the rotation velocities and providing further support to the hypothesis that all gravitationally bound systems have QCM quantization states.

Bilirubin adsorption on nanocrystalline titania films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Zhengpeng; Si Shihui; Fung Yingsing

2007-01-01

Bilirubin produced from hemoglobin metabolism and normally conjugated with albumin is a kind of lipophilic endotoxin, and can cause various diseases when its concentration is high. Bilirubin adsorption on the nanocrystalline TiO 2 films was investigated using quartz crystal microbalance, UV-vis and IR techniques, and factors affecting its adsorption such as pH, bilirubin concentration, solution ionic strength, temperature and thickness of TiO 2 films were discussed. The amount of adsorption and parameters for the adsorption kinetics were estimated from the frequency measurements of quartz crystal microbalance. A fresh surface of the nanocrystalline TiO 2 films could be photochemically regenerated because holes and hydroxyl radicals were generated by irradiating the nanocrystalline TiO 2 films with UV light, which could oxidize and decompose organic materials, and the nanocrystalline TiO 2 films can be easily regenerated when it is used as adsorbent for the removal of bilirubin

The comparative in vitro assessment of e-cigarette and cigarette smoke aerosols using the γH2AX assay and applied dose measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Thorne, David; Larard, Sophie; Baxter, Andrew; Meredith, Clive; Gaҫa, Marianna

2017-01-04

DNA damage can be caused by a variety of external and internal factors and together with cellular responses, can establish genomic instability through multiple pathways. DNA damage therefore, is considered to play an important role in the aetiology and early stages of carcinogenesis. The DNA-damage inducing potential of tobacco smoke aerosols in vitro has been extensively investigated; however, the ability of e-cigarette aerosols to induce DNA damage has not been extensively investigated. E-cigarette use has grown globally in recent years and the health implications of long term e-cigarette use are still unclear. Therefore, this study has assessed the induction of double-strand DNA damage in vitro using human lung epithelial cells to e-cigarette aerosols from two different product variants (a "cigalike" and a closed "modular" system) and cigarette smoke. A Vitrocell ® VC 10 aerosol exposure system was used to generate and dilute cigarette smoke and e-cigarette aerosols, which were delivered to human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2Bs) housed at the air-liquid-interface (ALI) for up to 120min exposure (diluting airflow, 0.25-1L/min). Following exposure, cells were immediately fixed, incubated with primary (0.1% γH2AX antibody in PBS) and secondary antibodies (DyLight™ 549 conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG) containing Hoechst dye DNA staining solution (0.2% secondary antibody and 0.01% Hoechst in PBS), and finally screened using the Cellomics Arrayscan VTI platform. The results from this study demonstrate a clear DNA damage-induced dose response with increasing smoke concentrations up to cytotoxic levels. In contrast, e-cigarette aerosols from two product variants did not induce DNA damage at equivalent to or greater than doses of cigarette smoke aerosol. In this study dosimetry approaches were used to contextualize exposure, define exposure conditions and facilitate comparisons between cigarette smoke and e-cigarette aerosols. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM

Highly active engineered-enzyme oriented monolayers: formation, characterization and sensing applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patolsky Fernando

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The interest in introducing ecologically-clean, and efficient enzymes into modern industry has been growing steadily. However, difficulties associated with controlling their orientation, and maintaining their selectivity and reactivity is still a significant obstacle. We have developed precise immobilization of biomolecules, while retaining their native functionality, and report a new, fast, easy, and reliable procedure of protein immobilization, with the use of Adenylate kinase as a model system. Methods Self-assembled monolayers of hexane-1,6-dithiol were formed on gold surfaces. The monolayers were characterized by contact-angle measurements, Elman-reagent reaction, QCM, and XPS. A specifically designed, mutated Adenylate kinase, where cysteine was inserted at the 75 residue, and the cysteine at residue 77 was replaced by serine, was used for attachment to the SAM surface via spontaneously formed disulfide (S-S bonds. QCM, and XPS were used for characterization of the immobilized protein layer. Curve fitting in XPS measurements used a Gaussian-Lorentzian function. Results and Discussion Water contact angle (65-70°, as well as all characterization techniques used, confirmed the formation of self-assembled monolayer with surface SH groups. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed clearly the two types of sulfur atom, one attached to the gold (triolate and the other (SH/S-S at the ω-position for the hexane-1,6-dithiol SAMs. The formation of a protein monolayer was confirmed using XPS, and QCM, where the QCM-determined amount of protein on the surface was in agreement with a model that considered the surface area of a single protein molecule. Enzymatic activity tests of the immobilized protein confirmed that there is no change in enzymatic functionality, and reveal activity ~100 times that expected for the same amount of protein in solution. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, immobilization of a protein by the method

Nuclear forces and quark degrees of freedom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lacombe, M.; Loiseau, B.; Vinh Mau, R.; Demetriou, P.; Pantis, C.

1999-01-01

Attempts to derive the NN forces from the quark and gluon degrees of freedom have been made so far in the framework of the nonrelativistic quark-cluster model (QCM). The justification of such a model is based on the remarkable success in describing the static properties of single hadrons. In the earlier calculations, the NN s-wave phase shifts obtained with the QCM show that the model produces repulsive NN forces at short distances, which constitutes a success for the model, but fails to provide the intermediate range attraction indispensable for binding nucleons in nuclei. This drawback is amended within the context of these models, at the expense of introducing by hand intermediate-range attraction through meson-exchange potentials between quarks or/and between nucleons (quark clusters). This procedure improves the results for the phase shifts and it is often concluded that the QCM provides a good description of the short-range (SR) part of the NN potential. In our opinion, the above procedure does not provide a rigorous test of the validity of the quark-cluster model. In order to get a clear-cut conclusion one should consider the QCM in association with an accurate and well founded model for the long-medium-range (LR+MR) forces. For these reason we study a NN interaction model which satisfies this requirement. In this model, the LR+MR parts are given by the Paris NN potential and the SR part by the QCM. The quality of the model is then tested by confronting directly its predictions with data on observables rather then, as it is usually done, with phase shifts. We compute all the observables for pp and np scattering at energies below the pion production threshold for different QCM versions corresponding to different qq interactions. The results are then compared with the existing world set data. Preliminary results show that the agreement with experiment is not good. (authors)

Immobilization of serum albumin and peptide aptamer for EPC on polydopamine coated titanium surface for enhanced in-situ self-endothelialization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Zhuoyue; Li, Quanli; Chen, Jialong; Luo, Rifang; Maitz, Manfred F.; Huang, Nan

2016-01-01

Restenosis and thrombosis are two major complications associated with vascular stents and grafts. The homing of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) onto implant surfaces brings a new strategy to solve these problems by accelerating self -endothelialization in situ. Peptide aptamers with high affinity and specific recognition of EPCs can be immobilized to capture EPCs from the circulating blood. In this study, a biotinylated peptide aptamer (TPSLEQRTVYAK-GGGC-K-Biotin) for EPC, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were co-immobilized onto titanium surface through avidin–biotin recognition to endow the surface with specific affinity for EPC and anti-platelet adhesion properties. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and water contact angle measuring were adopted for coating characterization. EPC affinity and hemocompatibility of the coating were also investigated in vitro. The results demonstrated that aptamer and BSA co-immobilized surface significantly reduced platelet adhesion and fibrinogen adsorption/activation. Besides, such functional surface could remarkably enhance EPC adhesion, without affecting the behavior of endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) obviously. The result shows the possibility of utilizing such a multifunctional surface in cardiovascular implants. - Highlights: • We construct a multifunctional surface based on immobilization of BSA and aptamer. • It can significantly reduce platelet adhesion and fibrinogen adsorption/activation. • Such functional surface could remarkably enhance EPC adhesion in vitro. • It can induce rapid self-endothelialization of the implant surface in situ in vivo. • It is possible to use such a multifunctional surface in cardiovascular implants.

Immobilization of serum albumin and peptide aptamer for EPC on polydopamine coated titanium surface for enhanced in-situ self-endothelialization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Zhuoyue, E-mail: 362947953@qq.com [Key Lab. of Advanced Technology for Materials of Education Ministry, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China); RegeMed Lab of Tissue Engineering, Faculty of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi' an, 710069 (China); Li, Quanli [College of Stomology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 (China); Chen, Jialong [Key Lab. of Advanced Technology for Materials of Education Ministry, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China); College of Stomology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032 (China); Luo, Rifang [Key Lab. of Advanced Technology for Materials of Education Ministry, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China); Maitz, Manfred F. [Key Lab. of Advanced Technology for Materials of Education Ministry, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China); Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials, Dresden (Germany); Huang, Nan, E-mail: huangnan1956@163.com [Key Lab. of Advanced Technology for Materials of Education Ministry, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, 610031 (China)

2016-03-01

Restenosis and thrombosis are two major complications associated with vascular stents and grafts. The homing of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) onto implant surfaces brings a new strategy to solve these problems by accelerating self -endothelialization in situ. Peptide aptamers with high affinity and specific recognition of EPCs can be immobilized to capture EPCs from the circulating blood. In this study, a biotinylated peptide aptamer (TPSLEQRTVYAK-GGGC-K-Biotin) for EPC, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were co-immobilized onto titanium surface through avidin–biotin recognition to endow the surface with specific affinity for EPC and anti-platelet adhesion properties. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and water contact angle measuring were adopted for coating characterization. EPC affinity and hemocompatibility of the coating were also investigated in vitro. The results demonstrated that aptamer and BSA co-immobilized surface significantly reduced platelet adhesion and fibrinogen adsorption/activation. Besides, such functional surface could remarkably enhance EPC adhesion, without affecting the behavior of endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) obviously. The result shows the possibility of utilizing such a multifunctional surface in cardiovascular implants. - Highlights: • We construct a multifunctional surface based on immobilization of BSA and aptamer. • It can significantly reduce platelet adhesion and fibrinogen adsorption/activation. • Such functional surface could remarkably enhance EPC adhesion in vitro. • It can induce rapid self-endothelialization of the implant surface in situ in vivo. • It is possible to use such a multifunctional surface in cardiovascular implants.

Controlled protein adsorption on PMOXA/PAA based coatings by thermally induced immobilization

Science.gov (United States)

Mumtaz, Fatima; Chen, Chaoshi; Zhu, Haikun; Pan, Chao; Wang, Yanmei

2018-05-01

In this work, poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline-random-glycidyl methacrylate) (PMOXA-r-GMA) and poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PAA-b-PGMA) copolymers were synthesized via cationic ring-opening polymerization (CROP) of 2-methyl-2-oxazoline (MOXA) and reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) followed by their random and block copolymerization with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), respectively, and then characterized carefully. PMOXA/PAA based coatings were then prepared by simply spin coating the mixture of PMOXA-r-GMA and PAA-b-PGMA copolymer solutions onto silicon/glass substrates followed by annealing at 110 °C. The coatings were rigorously characterized by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the static water contact angle (WCA) test, ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results demonstrated that the coating based mixed PMOXA/PAA brushes with desired surface composition could be attained by simply maintaining their percentage in the mixture of PMOXA-r-GMA and PAA-b-PGMA copolymer solutions. Finally, the switchable behavior of PMOXA/PAA based coatings toward bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption was investigated by fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled BSA (FITC-BSA) assay and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), which indicated that the coating based mixed PMOXA/PAA brushes could control BSA adsorption/desorption from very low to high amount (>90% desorption) through adjusting the composition of PMOXA-r-GMA and PAA-b-PGMA solution used in preparing PMOXA/PAA based coatings upon pH and ionic strength change. Furthermore, PMOXA/PAA based coatings displayed efficient repeatability of reversible BSA adsorption/desorption cycles.

Simulations of the temperature dependence of static friction at the N2/Pb interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brigazzi, M; Santoro, G; Franchini, A; Bortolani, V

2007-01-01

A molecular dynamics approach for studying the static friction between two bodies, an insulator and a metal, as a function of the temperature is presented. The upper block is formed by N 2 molecules and the lower block by Pb atoms. In both slabs the atoms are mobile. The interaction potential in each block describes properly the lattice dynamics of the system. We show that the lattice vibrations and the structural disorder are responsible for the behaviour of the static friction as a function of the temperature. We found that a large momentum transfer from the Pb atoms to the N 2 molecules misplaces the N 2 planes in the proximity of the interface. Around T = 20 K this effect produces the formation of an hcp stacking at the interface. By increasing the temperature, the hcp stacking propagates into the slab, toward the surface. Above T = 25 K, our analysis shows a sharp, rapid drop of more than three order of magnitude in the static friction force due to the misplacing of planes in the stacking of the fcc(111) layers, which are no longer in the minimum energy configuration. Above T = 35 K, we also observe a tendency for the splitting of planes and the formation of steps near the surface. By increasing the temperature we obtain the subsequent melting of the N 2 slab interface layer at T = 50 K. The temperature behaviour of the calculated static friction is in good agreement with recent measurements made with the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method on the same system

Layer-by-layer assembly of type I collagen and chondroitin sulfate on aminolyzed PU for potential cartilage tissue engineering application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He Xianyun; Wang Yingjun; Wu Gang

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► A novel biodegradable polyurethane (PU) was successfully synthesized. ► Surface aminolyzing of the PU was performed by reacting it with 1,3-propanediamine. ► Collagen and chondroitin sulfate were deposited alternately on the PU surface. - Abstract: In this paper, a two-step method was used to synthesize a biodegradable polyurethane (PU) composed of L-lysine ethyl ester diisocyanate (LDI), poly(ε-caprolactone) diols (PCL-diol) and 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-D-sorbitol (isosorbide). Amino groups were introduced onto the surface of the PU membrane by an amination reacting with 1,3-propanediamine to produce polycationic substratum. And then, type I collagen (Col) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) were deposited alternately on the polycationic substratum through layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly technology. The FTIR and 1 H NMR results showed that the polyurethane was successfully synthesized. Rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RBITC) fluorescence spectrum indicated that amino groups were successfully introduced onto the PU surface. The results of quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) and RBITC-Col fluorescence spectroscopy monitoring the LBL assemble process presented that the Col/CS deposited alternately on the PU surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results displayed that the CS deposited on the PU surface as well. The surface of the assembled PU became even smoother observed from the surface morphology by atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging. The hydrophilicity of the PU membrane was greatly enhanced though the modification of LBL assembly. The PU modified with the adsorption of Col/CS may be a potential application for cartilage tissue engineering due to its created mimicking chondrogenic environment.

Study and modelling of deactivation by coke in catalytic reforming of hydrocarbons on Pt-Sn/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} catalyst; La microbalance inertielle: etude et modelisation cinetique de la desactivation par le coke en reformage catalytique des hydrocarbures sur catalyseur Pt-Sn/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mathieu-Deghais, S.

2004-07-01

Catalytic reforming is the refining process that produces gasoline with a high octane number. During a reforming operation, undesired side reactions promote the formation of carbon deposits (coke) on the surface of the catalyst. As the reactions proceed, the coke accumulation leads to a progressive decrease of the catalyst activity and to a change in its selectivity. Getting this phenomenon under control is interesting to optimize the industrial plants. This work aims to improve the comprehension and the modeling of coke formation and its deactivating effect on reforming reactions, while working under conditions chosen within a range as close as possible to the industrial conditions of the regenerative process. The experimental study is carried out with a micro unit that is designed to observe simultaneously the coke formation and its influence on the catalyst activity. A vibrational microbalance reactor (TEOM - Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance) is used to provide continuous monitoring of coke. On-line gas chromatography is used to observe the catalyst activity and selectivity as a function of the coke content. The coking experiments are performed on a fresh Pt-Sn/alumina catalyst, with mixtures of hydrocarbon molecules of 7 carbon atoms as hydrocarbon feeds. The coking tests permitted to highlight the operating parameters that may affect the amount of coke, and to identify the hydrocarbon molecules that behave as coke intermediate. A kinetic model for coke formation could be developed through the compilation of these results. The catalytic activity analysis permitted to point out the coke effect on both of the active phases of the catalyst, to construct a simplified reforming kinetic model that simulates the catalyst activity under the reforming conditions, and to quantify deactivation via deactivation functions. (author)

Instrument development in support of Falcon and Phebus-FP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowsher, B.R.; Brunning, J.

1992-12-01

This review has been undertaken to identify various on-line instruments and post-test analytical techniques that may improve the quality of data from both the Falcon Integral Test Programme and Phebus-FP. Particular emphasis is placed on the use of in-situ techniques to provide mass-based data on the aerodynamic properties of the aerosol and fission product-surface interactions. The principles of the following techniques are reviewed: cascade impactors, tapered element oscillating microbalance, condensation nucleus counter, Knudsen cell mass spectrometry, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectrometry and secondary-ion mass spectrometry. These methods are currently being used in the Falcon experimental programme. (author)

Study of immunoglobulin G thin layers obtained by the Langmuir-Blodgett method: application to immunosensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Barraud, A; Perrot, H; Billard, V; Martelet, C; Therasse, J

1993-01-01

Nowadays, immunosensors play a leading part in the field of bioanalytical chemistry research. As with any biosensor, they need appropriate transducers and a suitable technique to immobilize the active biocomponents. In this study, two transduction modes were chosen: mass effects (quartz microbalance measurements) and geometric and dielectric effects (capacitance measurements). The Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method appears to be quite suitable for generating biospecific surfaces. This work has focused on the detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin B, the corresponding antibody being immobilized at the surface of fatty acids by a variant of the LB method. The composition of the film and the nature of antibody-fatty acid interactions were studied by means of the two transducers mentioned above. FTIR (Fourier transform infra-red) spectroscopy and protein diagnostic assay. Influence of several parameters (pH, ionic strength, transfer pressure, antibody concentration in the subphase) was investigated. The immobilization rate reached its maximum when experimental conditions allowed optimal electrostatic interactions. In this case, the quartz crystal microbalance response, in air, reached 55 Hz per monolayer of immobilized immunoglobulin G and the equivalent capacitance variation, measured in liquid media, was around 300 pF cm-2. Activity of the biospecific LB films, when binding enterotoxin, was checked by the classical ELISA (enzyme immuno-linked assay) technique.

Specific interactions of functionalised gold surfaces with ammonium perchlorate or starch; towards a chemical cartography of their mixture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mercier, D. [CNRS, UMR CNRS 7609, Laboratoire de Reactivite de Surface, Paris (France); Universite Pierre et Marie Curie - UPMC Paris VI, Laboratoire de Reactivite de Surface, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05 (France); Laboratoire de recherche conventionne CEA/UPMC n Degree-Sign 1, Paris (France); Mercader, C.; Quere, S.; Hairault, L. [CEA, DAM, Le Ripault, F-37260 Monts (France); Laboratoire de recherche conventionne CEA/UPMC n Degree-Sign 1, Paris (France); Methivier, C. [CNRS, UMR CNRS 7609, Laboratoire de Reactivite de Surface, Paris (France); Universite Pierre et Marie Curie - UPMC Paris VI, Laboratoire de Reactivite de Surface, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05 (France); Laboratoire de recherche conventionne CEA/UPMC n Degree-Sign 1, Paris (France); Pradier, C.M., E-mail: claire-Marie.pradier@upmc.fr [CNRS, UMR CNRS 7609, Laboratoire de Reactivite de Surface, Paris (France); Universite Pierre et Marie Curie - UPMC Paris VI, Laboratoire de Reactivite de Surface, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05 (France); Laboratoire de recherche conventionne CEA/UPMC n Degree-Sign 1, Paris (France)

2012-10-01

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Measurements of interactions by Quartz Crystal Microbalance. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer AFM and CFM measurements, tip functionalisation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Surface nano-imaging. - Abstract: By functionalising gold samples, planar wafers or AFM tips, with an acid- or an amino acid-terminated thiols, mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) and homocystein (H-Cyst) respectively, we were able to differentiate the interactions with ammonium perchlorate (AP) and starch (S), two components of a nanocomposition mixture. To do so, the interaction between gold functionalized surfaces and the two targeted compounds have been characterized and quantified by several complementary techniques. Polarisation modulation-infrared spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), providing chemical analyses of gold surfaces after contacting S or AP, proved that both compounds were retained on MUA or H-Cyst-modified surfaces, but to various extents. Quartz crystal microbalance on-line measurements enabled to monitor the kinetics of interaction and showed distinct differences in the behaviour of MUA and H-Cyst-surfaces towards the two compounds. Having observed that only H-Cyst-modified surfaces enables to get a contrast on the chemical force microscopy (CFM) images, this new result could be well explained by examining the data obtained by combining the above-mentioned surface characterisation techniques.

Patterns of the adsorption of bovine serum albumin on carboxymethyl dextran and carboxymethyl cellulose films

Science.gov (United States)

Paribok, I. V.; Solomyanskii, A. E.; Zhavnerko, G. K.

2016-02-01

Patterns of the adsorption of bovine serum albumin on carboxymethyl dextran and carboxymethyl cellulose films are studied by means of microcontact printing, atomic force microscopy, and quartz crystal microbalance. It is shown that both the charge of polysaccharide macromolecules and the technique for deposition of their films onto the surface (via adsorption from a solution or covalent cross-linking) are factors that determine the degree of nonspecific adsorption of the protein on such films.

Sensitive Measurement of the Kosterlitz-Thouless Transition

Science.gov (United States)

Ben-Ezra, Shalva; Glaberson, William I.

2006-09-01

We have developed a new technique for probing the Kosterlitz - Thouless transition in thin helium films. The technique is based on operation of a single quartz crystal microbalance at two different harmonic frequencies simultaneously. The technique is insensitive to surface effects, and provides the means for monitoring the heating of the film. By suppressing heating and surface effects we were able to systematically compare the results with the existing theories of ANHS, Bowley, Armour and Benedict, and Armour and Bowley. Substantial agreement with the last model of Armour and Bowley was observed. To the best our knowledge this is the first time that the experimental data in the frequency range 10-30MHz is compared to theoretical models.

Contamination Analysis Tools

Science.gov (United States)

Brieda, Lubos

2015-01-01

This talk presents 3 different tools developed recently for contamination analysis:HTML QCM analyzer: runs in a web browser, and allows for data analysis of QCM log filesJava RGA extractor: can load in multiple SRS.ana files and extract pressure vs. time dataC++ Contamination Simulation code: 3D particle tracing code for modeling transport of dust particulates and molecules. Uses residence time to determine if molecules stick. Particulates can be sampled from IEST-STD-1246 and be accelerated by aerodynamic forces.

Subtask 3.11 - Production of CBTL-Based Jet Fuels from Biomass-Based Feedstocks and Montana Coal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, Ramesh

2014-06-01

The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Accelergy Corporation, an advanced fuels developer with technologies exclusively licensed from Exxon Mobil, undertook Subtask 3.11 to use a recently installed bench-scale direct coal liquefaction (DCL) system capable of converting 45 pounds/hour of pulverized, dried coal to a liquid suitable for upgrading to fuels and/or chemicals. The process involves liquefaction of Rosebud mine coal (Montana coal) coupled with an upgrading scheme to produce a naphthenic fuel. The upgrading comprises catalytic hydrotreating and saturation to produce naphthenic fuel. A synthetic jet fuel was prepared by blending equal volumes of naphthenic fuel with similar aliphatic fuel derived from biomass and 11 volume % of aromatic hydrocarbons. The synthetic fuel was tested using standard ASTM International techniques to determine compliance with JP-8 fuel. The composite fuel thus produced not only meets but exceeds the military aviation fuel-screening criteria. A 500-milliliter synthetic jet fuel sample which met internal screening criteria was submitted to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright–Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, for evaluation. The sample was confirmed by AFRL to be in compliance with U.S. Air Force-prescribed alternative aviation fuel initial screening criteria. The results show that this fuel meets or exceeds the key specification parameters for JP-8, a petroleum-based jet fuel widely used by the U.S. military. JP-8 specifications include parameters such as freeze point, density, flash point, and others; all of which were met by the EERC fuel sample. The fuel also exceeds the thermal stability specification of JP-8 fuel as determined by the quartz crystalline microbalance (QCM) test also performed at an independent laboratory as well as AFRL. This means that the EERC fuel looks and acts identically to petroleum-derived jet fuel and can be used

Towards Biomimicking Wood: Fabricated Free-standing Films of Nanocellulose, Lignin, and a Synthetic Polycation

Science.gov (United States)

Pillai, Karthik; Navarro Arzate, Fernando; Zhang, Wei; Renneckar, Scott

2014-01-01

Woody materials are comprised of plant cell walls that contain a layered secondary cell wall composed of structural polymers of polysaccharides and lignin. Layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly process which relies on the assembly of oppositely charged molecules from aqueous solutions was used to build a freestanding composite film of isolated wood polymers of lignin and oxidized nanofibril cellulose (NFC). To facilitate the assembly of these negatively charged polymers, a positively charged polyelectrolyte, poly(diallyldimethylammomium chloride) (PDDA), was used as a linking layer to create this simplified model cell wall. The layered adsorption process was studied quantitatively using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and ellipsometry. The results showed that layer mass/thickness per adsorbed layer increased as a function of total number of layers. The surface coverage of the adsorbed layers was studied with atomic force microscopy (AFM). Complete coverage of the surface with lignin in all the deposition cycles was found for the system, however, surface coverage by NFC increased with the number of layers. The adsorption process was carried out for 250 cycles (500 bilayers) on a cellulose acetate (CA) substrate. Transparent free-standing LBL assembled nanocomposite films were obtained when the CA substrate was later dissolved in acetone. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the fractured cross-sections showed a lamellar structure, and the thickness per adsorption cycle (PDDA-Lignin-PDDA-NC) was estimated to be 17 nm for two different lignin types used in the study. The data indicates a film with highly controlled architecture where nanocellulose and lignin are spatially deposited on the nanoscale (a polymer-polymer nanocomposites), similar to what is observed in the native cell wall. PMID:24961302

Poly(l-glutamic acid)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) external layer in polyelectrolyte multilayer films: Characterization and resistance to serum protein adsorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Szczepanowicz, Krzysztof; Kruk, Tomasz; Świątek, Wiktoria; Bouzga, Aud M; Simon, Christian R; Warszyński, Piotr

2018-06-01

Formation of protein-resistant surfaces is a major challenge in the design of novel biomaterials and an important strategy to prevent protein adsorption is the formation of protein-resistant coatings. It can be achieved by proper modification of surfaces, e.g., by immobilization of hydrophilic polymers such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). An appropriate method to immobilize PEG at charged surfaces is the adsorption of copolymers with PEG chains grafted onto polyelectrolyte backbone. The growing interest in the use of polyelectrolyte multilayer coatings in biomedical applications to improve biocompatibility and/or to prepare coating with antiadhesive properties has been the main reason for these studies. Therefore the aim was to produce protein resistant polyelectrolyte multilayer films. They were formed via the layer-by-layer approach, while their pegylation by the deposition of pegylated polyanion, PGA-g-PEG, as an external layer. The influence of PEG chain length and grafting density of PGA-g-PEG copolymers on the protein antiadhesive properties of pegylated polyelectrolyte multilayer films was investigated. To monitor the formation of pegylated and non-pegylated multilayer films, adsorption of the following proteins: HSA, Fibrinogen, and FBS were measured by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM - D). We found that protein adsorption onto all pegylated polyelectrolyte multilayers was significantly reduced in comparison to non-pegylated ones. Long-term performance tests confirmed the stability and the durability of the protein resistant properties of the pegylated multilayers. Antiadhesive properties of tested surfaces pegylated by PGA-g-PEG were compared to the available data for pegylated polycation PLL-g-PEG. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Construction of a multifunctional coating consisting of phospholipids and endothelial progenitor cell-specific peptides on titanium substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Huiqing; Li, Xiaojing [Key Lab. of Advanced Technology for Materials of Education Ministry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China); Zhao, Yuancong, E-mail: zhaoyc7320@163.com [Key Lab. of Advanced Technology for Materials of Education Ministry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China); Li, Jingan; Chen, Jiang [Key Lab. of Advanced Technology for Materials of Education Ministry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China); Yang, Ping, E-mail: yangping8@263.net [Key Lab. of Advanced Technology for Materials of Education Ministry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China); Maitz, Manfred F. [Key Lab. of Advanced Technology for Materials of Education Ministry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China); Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials Dresden, Leibniz of Polymer Research Dresden, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Huang, Nan [Key Lab. of Advanced Technology for Materials of Education Ministry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031 (China)

2015-08-30

Graphical abstract: The phospholipid groups of PMMDP can inhibit platele adhesion, and the EPCs-specific peptide of the PMMDP showed special recognition and capture for EPCs. The catechol groups of PMMDP play a critical role as molecular anchor for balancing the binding between the coating and the substrate. - Highlights: • The uniform coating of PMMDP can be constructed on titanium surface successfully through the catechol groups. • The phospholipid groups of PMMDP can inhibit platele adhesion, fibrinogen denaturation and improve the hydrophilicity of substrate. • The EPCs-specific peptide of the PMMDP showed special recognition and capture for EPCs. - Abstract: A phospholipid/peptide polymer (PMMDP) with phosphorylcholine groups, endothelial progenitor cell (EPC)-specific peptides and catechol groups was anchored onto a titanium (Ti) surface to fabricate a biomimetic multifunctional surface. The PMMDP coating was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), water contact angle measurements and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. The amount of PMMDP coating on the Ti surface was quantified by using the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). Interactions between blood components and the coated and bare Ti substrates were evaluated by platelet adhesion and activation assays and fibrinogen denaturation test using platelet rich plasma (PRP). The results revealed that the PMMDP-modified surface inhibited fibrinogen denaturation and reduced platelet adhesion and activation. EPC cell culture on the PMMDP-modified surface showed increased adhesion and proliferation of EPCs when compared to the cells cultured on untreated Ti surface. The inhibition of fibrinogen denaturation and platelet adhesion and support of EPCs attachment and proliferation indicated that this coating might be beneficial for future applications in blood-contacting implants, such as vascular stents.

Thermodynamic properties of selenoether-functionalized ionic liquids and their use for the synthesis of zinc selenide nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Klauke, Karsten; Zaitsau, Dzmitry H; Bülow, Mark; He, Li; Klopotowski, Maximilian; Knedel, Tim-Oliver; Barthel, Juri; Held, Christoph; Verevkin, Sergey P; Janiak, Christoph

2018-04-03

Three selenoether-functionalized ionic liquids (ILs) of N-[(phenylseleno)methylene]pyridinium (1), N-(methyl)- (2) and N-(butyl)-N'-[(phenylseleno)methylene]imidazolium (3) with bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide anions ([NTf2]) were prepared from pyridine, N-methylimidazole and N-butylimidazole with in situ obtained phenylselenomethyl chloride, followed by ion exchange to give the desired compounds. The crystal structures of the bromide and tetraphenylborate salts of the above cations (1-Br, 2-BPh4 and 3-BPh4) confirm the formation of the desired cations and indicate a multitude of different supramolecular interactions besides the dominating Coulomb interactions between the cations and anions. The vaporization enthalpies of the synthesized [NTf2]-containing ILs were determined by means of a quartz-crystal microbalance method (QCM) and their densities were measured with an oscillating U-tube. These thermodynamic data have been used to develop a method for assessment of miscibility of conventional solvents in the selenium-containing ILs by using Hildebrandt solubility parameters, as well as for modeling with the electrolyte perturbed-chain statistical associating fluid theory (ePC-SAFT) method. Furthermore, structure-property relations between selenoether-functionalized and similarly shaped corresponding aryl-substituted imidazolium- and pyridinium-based ILs were analyzed and showed that the contribution of the selenium moiety to the enthalpy of vaporization of an IL is equal to the contribution of a methylene (CH2) group. An incremental approach to predict vaporization enthalpies of ILs by a group contribution method has been developed. The reaction of these ILs with zinc acetate dihydrate under microwave irradiation led to ZnSe nanoparticles of an average diameter between 4 and 10 nm, depending on the reaction conditions.

Gold nanorod linking to control plasmonic properties in solution and polymer nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrier, Robert C; Lee, Hyun-Su; Hore, Michael J A; Caporizzo, Matthew; Eckmann, David M; Composto, Russell J

2014-02-25

A novel, solution-based method is presented to prepare bifunctional gold nanorods (B-NRs), assemble B-NRs end-to-end in various solvents, and disperse linked B-NRs in a polymer matrix. The B-NRs have poly(ethylene glycol) grafted along its long axis and cysteine adsorbed to its ends. By controlling cysteine coverage, bifunctional ligands or polymer can be end-grafted to the AuNRs. Here, two dithiol ligands (C6DT and C9DT) are used to link the B-NRs in organic solvents. With increasing incubation time, the nanorod chain length increases linearly as the longitudinal surface plasmon resonance shifts toward lower adsorption wavelengths (i.e., red shift). Analogous to step-growth polymerization, the polydispersity in chain length also increases. Upon adding poly(ethylene glycol) or poly(methyl methacrylate) to chloroform solution with linked B-NR, the nanorod chains are shown to retain end-to-end linking upon spin-casting into PEO or PMMA films. Using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), the mechanism of nanorod linking is investigated on planar gold surfaces. At submonolayer coverage of cysteine, C6DT molecules can insert between cysteines and reach an areal density of 3.4 molecules per nm(2). To mimic the linking of Au NRs, this planar surface is exposed to cysteine-coated Au nanoparticles, which graft at 7 NPs per μm(2). This solution-based method to prepare, assemble, and disperse Au nanorods is applicable to other nanorod systems (e.g., CdSe) and presents a new strategy to assemble anisotropic particles in organic solvents and polymer coatings.

Layer-by-layer assembly of type I collagen and chondroitin sulfate on aminolyzed PU for potential cartilage tissue engineering application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He Xianyun [School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China); National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Wang Yingjun, E-mail: imwangyj@163.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China) and National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou 510006 (China) and Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Wu Gang, E-mail: imwugang@scut.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 (China); National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China)

2012-10-01

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A novel biodegradable polyurethane (PU) was successfully synthesized. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Surface aminolyzing of the PU was performed by reacting it with 1,3-propanediamine. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Collagen and chondroitin sulfate were deposited alternately on the PU surface. - Abstract: In this paper, a two-step method was used to synthesize a biodegradable polyurethane (PU) composed of L-lysine ethyl ester diisocyanate (LDI), poly({epsilon}-caprolactone) diols (PCL-diol) and 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-D-sorbitol (isosorbide). Amino groups were introduced onto the surface of the PU membrane by an amination reacting with 1,3-propanediamine to produce polycationic substratum. And then, type I collagen (Col) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) were deposited alternately on the polycationic substratum through layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly technology. The FTIR and {sup 1}H NMR results showed that the polyurethane was successfully synthesized. Rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RBITC) fluorescence spectrum indicated that amino groups were successfully introduced onto the PU surface. The results of quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) and RBITC-Col fluorescence spectroscopy monitoring the LBL assemble process presented that the Col/CS deposited alternately on the PU surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results displayed that the CS deposited on the PU surface as well. The surface of the assembled PU became even smoother observed from the surface morphology by atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging. The hydrophilicity of the PU membrane was greatly enhanced though the modification of LBL assembly. The PU modified with the adsorption of Col/CS may be a potential application for cartilage tissue engineering due to its created mimicking chondrogenic environment.

Two different preparation techniques for trace element determination of single Daphnia specimen using total reflection x-ray fluorescence analysis (TXRF)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woelfl, S.; Mages, M.

2000-01-01

Bio accumulation gives first information about the bio-availability of elements in waters and becomes more and more important for the characterization of the water quality. The use of common analytical techniques like ICP-MS and AAS requires large quantities of biologic sample material. Single preparation for example of Daphnia, a common species for bio-test experiments, are hardly possible with these procedures. Therefore alternatively quantitative TXRF element determination of individually prepared Daphnia was developed. Two preparation techniques for single freshwater crustacean specimen from a eutrophic branch of the river Elbe in the 'Rothehorn Park', Magdeburg (Daphnia: dry weight: 10 - 50 μg individuum -1 ) had been tested: (1) Wet preparation: the single Daphnia specimen had been washed with 0.45 μm filtered lake water and put onto quartz sample carriers. After air drying, the body length were determined in order to calculate the dry weight according to previously established body lengths-dry weight relationships. (2) Dry preparation: after collection specimen were washed with 0.45 μm filtered lake water and frozen in liquid nitrogen. The individual lyophilisated dried Daphnia were weighted using an ultrafine micro-balance and put onto quartz sample carriers. After preparation, addition of some μl Gallium standard solution and air drying the individual Daphnia were digested at the quartz sample carriers with 10 μl HNO 3 on a hot plate and dried once more. Finally the element concentrations were determined using a EXTRA IIA total-reflection x-ray fluorescence spectrometer. As a result of these investigations we can conclude that both, the 'dry' and 'wet' preparation method can be used for the element determination in small single crustaceans using TXRF spectrometry. It seems that the 'dry' method yields more precise results, but the wet method is easier to handle in field when samples cannot be fixed with liquid nitrogen. (author)

The sublimation kinetics of GeSe single crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Irene, E. A.; Wiedemeier, H.

1975-01-01

The sublimation kinetics of (001) oriented GeSe single crystal platelets was studied by high-temperature mass spectroscopy, quantitative vacuum microbalance techniques, and hot stage optical microscopy. For a mean experimental temperature of 563 K, the activation enthalpy and entropy are found to equal 32.3 kcal/mole and 19.1 eu, respectively. The vaporization coefficient is less than unity for the range of test temperatures, and decreases with increasing temperature. The combined experimental data are correlated by means of a multistep surface adsorption mechanism.

Calculation of exit dose for conformal and dynamically‐wedged fields, based on water‐equivalent path length measured with an amorphous silicon electronic portal imaging device

Science.gov (United States)

Glegg, Martin; Metwaly, Mohamed; Currie, Garry; Elliott, Alex

2011-01-01

In this study, we use the quadratic calibration method (QCM), in which an EPID image is converted into a matrix of equivalent path lengths (EPLs) and, therefore, exit doses, so as to model doses in conformal and enhanced dynamic wedge (EDW) fields. The QCM involves acquiring series of EPID images at a reference field size for different thicknesses of homogeneous solid water blocks. From these, a set of coefficients is established that is used to compute the EPL of any other irradiated material. To determine the EPL, the irradiated area must be known in order to establish the appropriate scatter correction. A method was devised for the automatic calculation of areas from the EPID image that facilitated the calculation of EPL for any field and exit dose. For EDW fields, the fitting coefficients were modified by utilizing the linac manufacturer's golden segmented treatment tables (GSTT) methodology and MU fraction model. The nonlinear response of the EPL with lower monitor units (MUs) was investigated and slight modification of the algorithm performed to account for this. The method permits 2D dose distributions at the exit of phantom or patient to be generated by relating the EPL with an appropriate depth dose table. The results indicate that the inclusion of MU correction improved the EPL determination. The irradiated field areas can be accurately determined from EPID images to within ± 1% uncertainty. Cross‐plane profiles and 2D dose distributions of EPID predicted doses were compared with those calculated with the Eclipse treatment planning system (TPS) and those measured directly with MapCHECK 2 device. Comparison of the 2D EPID dose maps to those from TPS and MapCHECK shows that more than 90% of all points passed the gamma index acceptance criteria of 3% dose difference and 3 mm distance to agreement (DTA), for both conformal and EDW study cases. We conclude that the EPID QCM is an accurate and convenient method for in vivo dosimetry and may, therefore

Microgravimetric Studies of Selenium Electrodeposition Onto Different Substrates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kowalik R.

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The mechanism of selenium electrodeposition from sulfuric acid solution on different substrates was studied with the electrochemical techniques. The cyclic voltammetry was combined with the quartz crystal microbalance technique to analyze selenium deposition process. The electrochemical reduction of selenous acid on gold, silver and copper electrodes was investigated. It was found that reduction of selenous acid is a very complex process and it strongly depends from the applied substrate. The voltammetric measurements indicate the range of potentials in which the process of reduction of selenous acids on the applied substrate is possible. Additionally, the microgravimetric data confirm the deposition of selenium and they reveal the mechanism of the deposition process.

Study of the interaction of inorganic and organic compounds of cell culture medium with a Ti surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Burgos-Asperilla, L; García-Alonso, M C; Escudero, M L; Alonso, C

2010-02-01

The interaction between Ti and each component of Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium was studied in depth using different techniques, such as the measurement of the corrosion potential, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and polarization curves. The characterization of metal surfaces was carried out by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The adsorption process of each component was studied using the quartz crystal balance (QCM). The QCM and XPS results reveal that the adsorption kinetics for phosphate and calcium ions is slow. However, the bovine serum albumin (BSA) totally covers the Ti surface rapidly. Because the passive film (titanium oxide) has acidic hydroxyl groups, the calcium ions would have a bridging effect on the electrostatic adsorption of phosphate ions as well as that of BSA. The polarization curves reveal that the adsorbed glucose permits the ionic diffusion of the oxygen to the electrode, while the BSA and fetal bovine serum (FBS) adsorbed after 7 days of immersion act as a diffusive barrier. The impedance measurement and data fitting to the electrical equivalent circuit model show that the resistance of the proteins/TiO(2) interface, for Ti immersed in FBS, is higher than those obtained for BSA, due to the proteins present in the solution as well as the fact that the adsorbed proteins on the surface are greater.

Electrochemomechanical Behaviour of Bilayer and Trilayer Films with PEDOT and PPY Conducting Polymers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zainudeen, Umer L.; Careem, M.A.; Skaarup, Steen

2008-01-01

a constant load of 1.5 g. The cyclic voltammograms as well as the UV-visible spectra of PEDOT and PPy are very different, pointing towards the possibility of being able to separate the two layers experimentally – even when combined in a single film. Bilayer results show combined characteristics of each...... layer is very thin compared to that of the PPy layer, and characterized using cyclic voltammetry, optical absorption spectroscopy and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) techniques. Actuators of bilayer and trilayer free standing films were characterized electromechanically under...

Transparent nanocellulosic multilayer thin films on polylactic acid with tunable gas barrier properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Aulin, Christian; Karabulut, Erdem; Tran, Amy; Wågberg, Lars; Lindström, Tom

2013-08-14

The layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition method was used for the build-up of alternating layers of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) or carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) with a branched, cationic polyelectrolyte, polyethyleneimine (PEI) on flexible poly (lactic acid) (PLA) substrates. With this procedure, optically transparent nanocellulosic films with tunable gas barrier properties were formed. 50 layer pairs of PEI/NFC and PEI/CMC deposited on PLA have oxygen permeabilities of 0.34 and 0.71 cm(3)·μm/m(2)·day·kPa at 23 °C and 50% relative humidity, respectively, which is in the same range as polyvinyl alcohol and ethylene vinyl alcohol. The oxygen permeability of these multilayer nanocomposites outperforms those of pure NFC films prepared by solvent-casting. The nanocellulosic LbL assemblies on PLA substrates was in detailed characterized using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveals large structural differences between the PEI/NFC and the PEI/CMC assemblies, with the PEI/NFC assembly showing a highly entangled network of nanofibrils, whereas the PEI/CMC surfaces lacked structural features. Scanning electron microscopy images showed a nearly perfect uniformity of the nanocellulosic coatings on PLA, and light transmittance results revealed remarkable transparency of the LbL-coated PLA films. The present work demonstrates the first ever LbL films based on high aspect ratio, water-dispersible nanofibrillated cellulose, and water-soluble carboxymethyl cellulose polymers that can be used as multifunctional films and coatings with tailorable properties, such as gas barriers and transparency. Owing to its flexibility, transparency and high-performance gas barrier properties, these thin film assemblies are promising candidates for several large-scale applications, including flexible electronics and renewable packaging.

Creating patient value in glaucoma care: applying quality costing and care delivery value chain approaches--a five-year case study in the Rotterdam Eye Hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

de Korne, Dirk F; Sol, Kees; Custers, Thomas; van Sprundel, Esther; van Ineveld, B Martin; Lemij, Hans G; Klazinga, Niek S

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to explore in a specific hospital care process the applicability in practice of the theories of quality costing and value chains. In a retrospective case study an in-depth evaluation of the use of a quality cost model (QCM) and the applicability of Porter's care delivery value chain (CDVC) was performed in a specific care process: glaucoma care over the period 2001 to 2006 in the Rotterdam Eye Hospital in The Netherlands. The case study shows a reduction of costs per product by increasing the number of outpatient visits and surgery combined with a higher patient satisfaction. Reduction of costs of non-compliance by using the QCM is small, due to the absence of (external) financial incentives for both the hospital and individual physicians. For CDVC to be supportive to an integrated quality and cost management the notion "patient value" needs far more specification as mutually agreed on by the stakeholders involved and related reimbursement needs to depend on realised outcomes. The case study just focused on one specific care process in one hospital. To determine effects in other areas of health care, it is important to study the use and applicability of the QCM and the CDVC in other care processes and settings. QCM and a CDVC can be useful tools for hospital management to manage the outcomes on both quality and costs, but impact is dependent on the incentives in the context of the existing organisational and reimbursement system and asks for an agreed on operationalisation among the various stakeholders of the notion of patient value.

New fundamental and environmental aspects of atmospheric corrosion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leygraf, C.

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Atmospheric corrosion involves chemical, electrochemical, and physical processes in three phases (solid, liquid, and gas and two interfaces (solid/liquid and liquid/gas. Because of inherent experimental and conceptual difficulties, scientific efforts to characterize this highly complex interfacial regime came relatively late into the field. With the access and development of surface and interface sensitive analytical techniques, it has lately become possible to perform molecular in situ analyses of the interfaces involved in atmospheric corrosion. This lecture presents some highlights from our fundamental research in atmospheric corrosion, performed at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. It includes results from the most recent efforts in our research group to provide a molecular understanding of the interfacial regime that governs atmospheric corrosion. Using copper or zinc as substrate and carboxylic acid as corrosion stimulator in the humidity-containing atmosphere, results have been obtained with particular emphasis on probing the metal oxide/water interface (by infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRAS combined with the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM and sum frequency generation (SFG and the water/gas interface (by SFG, respectively. While research in atmospheric corrosion traditionally has aimed at understanding how the environment influences the metal, the opposite question- how the metal influences the environment during atmospheric corrosion- may be of equally technical importance. Some examples of on-going research on new environmental aspects of atmospheric corrosion of zinc will also be presented.

La corrosión atmosférica implica procesos químicos, electroquímicos y físicos en tres fases (sólido, liquido y gas y dos interfases (sólido/líquido y líquido/gas. A causa de dificultades experimentales y conceptuales los esfuerzos científicos para caracterizar el proceso, interfacial

Cost Models for MMC Manufacturing Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Elzey, Dana M.; Wadley, Haydn N. G.

1996-01-01

Processes for the manufacture of advanced metal matrix composites are rapidly approaching maturity in the research laboratory and there is growing interest in their transition to industrial production. However, research conducted to date has almost exclusively focused on overcoming the technical barriers to producing high-quality material and little attention has been given to the economical feasibility of these laboratory approaches and process cost issues. A quantitative cost modeling (QCM) approach was developed to address these issues. QCM are cost analysis tools based on predictive process models relating process conditions to the attributes of the final product. An important attribute, of the QCM approach is the ability to predict the sensitivity of material production costs to product quality and to quantitatively explore trade-offs between cost and quality. Applications of the cost models allow more efficient direction of future MMC process technology development and a more accurate assessment of MMC market potential. Cost models were developed for two state-of-the art metal matrix composite (MMC) manufacturing processes: tape casting and plasma spray deposition. Quality and Cost models are presented for both processes and the resulting predicted quality-cost curves are presented and discussed.

L’anglais en IUT : exemple de projet axé sur la compréhension orale

OpenAIRE

Theuillon, Sylvie

2012-01-01

Pré-requisLes étudiants doivent maîtriser les expressions d’opinion, les expressions du débat, ainsi que les symboles phonétiques les plus courants.Tâche finaleLa tâche finale à réaliser par les étudiants lors du projet décrit ci-dessous est la création d’un QCM de compréhension orale à partir d’un support vidéo de leur choix. En fin de projet, ce QCM sera mis en ligne à destination d’autres étudiants et internautes. Objectifs linguistiquesL’activité langagière principale travaillée est la co...

Unexpected results from direct measurement, with a torsion microbalance in a closed system, of calcification rates of the coral Agaricia agaricites (Scleractinia:Agariicidae and concomitant changes in seawater pH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ian M. Sandeman

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Ocean acidification is impacting the calcification of corals, but the mechanisms of calcification are still unclear. To explore the relationship between calcification and pH, small pieces of coral were suspended from a torsion microbalance in gently stirred, temperature controlled, seawater in a closed chamber. Net calcification rate and pH were continuously monitored while light, temperature or pH could be manipulated. The coral pieces were from the edges of thin plates of Agaricia agaricites and were studied alive and freshly collected. Unexpectedly, when calcification was taking place (n=9, 0.082 mg.hr-1.cm-2, as determined by weight increase, the pH of the surrounding seawater medium changed little (n=10, -0.0047 pH units.hr-1.cm-2. When calcification was not taking place the decrease of seawater pH was an order of magnitude higher, -0.013 pH units.hr-1.cm-2. This is the opposite of what is expected when calcium carbonate (CaCO3 forms. Similarly, fresh skeleton initially showed no change of pH in the seawater medium although the rates of weight gain were high (upto 1.0 mg hr-1.cm-2. After 10 hours, as the rate of deposition decreased following a generalized Michaelis-Menten growth curve, the pH began to decrease dramatically indicating an increase of CO2 in the seawater. These unexpected results can be explained if unstable calcium bicarbonate (Ca(HCO³2 is formed in the organic matrix/carbonic anhydrase surface and slowly transforms later to CaCO3. Pieces of living coral monitored in the chamber for 30 hours gained weight during the day and loss it at night. The loss would be consistent with the transformation of Ca(HCO³2 to CaCO3 with the release of CO2. The mean calcification rate of live coral was greater (n=8, p=0.0027 in high light (120 μmol.s-1.m-2 at 0.098 mg.hr-1.cm-2, compared to 0.063 mg.hr-1.cm-2 in low light (12 μmol.s-1.m-2. However, at the same time the mean rate of pH change was -0.0076 under low light compared to -0

Understanding CO-stripping mechanism from Ni{sub UPD}/Pt(1 1 0) in view of the measured nickel formal partial charge number upon underpotential deposition on platinum surfaces in sulphate media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chatenet, Marian [Laboratoire d' Electrochimie et de Physicochimie des Materiaux et des Interfaces, LEPMI, UMR 5631 CNRS-INPG-UJF, BP 75, 38402 Saint-Martin d' Heres Cedex (France)], E-mail: Marian.Chatenet@lepmi.inpg.fr; Soldo-Olivier, Yvonne; Chainet, Eric; Faure, Rene [Laboratoire d' Electrochimie et de Physicochimie des Materiaux et des Interfaces, LEPMI, UMR 5631 CNRS-INPG-UJF, BP 75, 38402 Saint-Martin d' Heres Cedex (France)

2007-12-01

We recently showed nickel-underpotential deposition (Ni-UPD) occurs on polycrystalline or single crystal platinum electrodes in acidic media. Whereas the decoupling of the nickel and hydrogen adsorption/desorption peaks is difficult for low pH, these processes can be better separated for higher pH values, typically pH > 3. However, even for platinum single crystals, high pH solutions do not enable to sufficiently separate nickel from hydrogen phenomena. As a result, electrochemistry alone cannot yield important information about Ni-UPD, such as the formal partial charge number (valency of electrosorption) and the role of the sulphate or hydrogen sulphate anions. So, we decided to couple cyclic voltammetry to electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM). EQCM measurements enable to decorrelate the simultaneous hydrogen and nickel adsorption/desorption peaks, which we could not attempt solely with electrochemistry. The coupling between gravimetric and electrochemical measurements allows us to detect the contribution of the anions and thus to isolate that of nickel: nickel coverage can then be determined. Nearly 4/5 Ni{sub UPD} monolayer ({theta}{sub Ni} {approx} 0.8) over platinum is reached at nickel equilibrium potential for high pH solutions (5.5). The QCM and electrochemistry coupling further allows the determination of nickel formal partial charge number: {iota}{sub Ni,EQCM} = 1.3 {+-} 0.13. Direct electrochemistry measurements (Swathirajan and Bruckenstein method) yield: {iota}{sub Ni,Pt(poly)} = 1.5 {+-} 0.17. These two values are close, which validates the electrochemical method for the nickel/platinum system. In consequence, we used Swathirajan and Bruckenstein method for Pt(1 1 0)-(1 x 2) crystal and found: {iota}{sub Ni,Pt(110)} {approx} 1.4 {+-} 0.1. Whatever the system (Ni{sub UPD}/Pt(poly) or Ni{sub UPD}/Pt(1 1 0)-(1 x 2)) or the experimental technique, nickel formal partial charge number is lower than nickel cation charge: {iota}{sub Ni} < z

Characterization of carbonaceous solids by oxygen chemisorption

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Furimsky, E.; Palmer, A.; Duguay, D.G.; McConnell, D.G.; Henson, D.E.

1988-06-01

Oxygen chemisorption of high and low carbon carbonaceous solids was measured in an electro-microbalance at 200 degrees C in air. A linear correlation between the amount of chemisorbed oxygen and H/C ratio as well as aromaticity was established for the high carbon solids. For the low carbon solids a linear correlation was established between the amount of chemisorbed oxygen and the content of organic matter. Experimental observations are discussed in terms of structural aspects of the solids. Oxygen chemisorption is a suitable technique for a rapid characterization of carbonaceous solids including coal. 15 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs.

In-situ quartz crystal microgravimetric studies of molecular adsorbates containing thiol and hydroquinone moieties bound to Au(111) surfaces in aqueous electrolytes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mo, Y.; Sukenik, C.; Sandifer, M. [Case Western Univ., Cleveland, OH (United States); Barriga, R.J.; Soriaga, M.P.; Scherson, D. [Texas A& M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)

1995-12-01

The microgravimetric properties of monolayers of 2, 5-dihydroxythiophenol, 2,5-dihydroxybenzyl mercaptan, and 2, 5-dihydroxy-4-methylbenzyl mercaptan adsorbed on Au(111) single crystal electrodes were examined by in situ quartz crystal microbalance techniques in aqueous perchloric acid electrolytes. The results obtained are consistent with the reversible loss of an average of about three waters per adsorbed molecule as the layers are oxidized and subsequently reduced. These observations provide evidence for discrete changes in the extent of bound water within the hydroquinone/quinone layer as the oxidation state of the monolayer is changed. 9 refs., 4 figs.

Novel pseudo-random number generator based on quantum random walks

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yu-Guang; Zhao, Qian-Qian

2016-02-01

In this paper, we investigate the potential application of quantum computation for constructing pseudo-random number generators (PRNGs) and further construct a novel PRNG based on quantum random walks (QRWs), a famous quantum computation model. The PRNG merely relies on the equations used in the QRWs, and thus the generation algorithm is simple and the computation speed is fast. The proposed PRNG is subjected to statistical tests such as NIST and successfully passed the test. Compared with the representative PRNG based on quantum chaotic maps (QCM), the present QRWs-based PRNG has some advantages such as better statistical complexity and recurrence. For example, the normalized Shannon entropy and the statistical complexity of the QRWs-based PRNG are 0.999699456771172 and 1.799961178212329e-04 respectively given the number of 8 bits-words, say, 16Mbits. By contrast, the corresponding values of the QCM-based PRNG are 0.999448131481064 and 3.701210794388818e-04 respectively. Thus the statistical complexity and the normalized entropy of the QRWs-based PRNG are closer to 0 and 1 respectively than those of the QCM-based PRNG when the number of words of the analyzed sequence increases. It provides a new clue to construct PRNGs and also extends the applications of quantum computation.

Evolution of short range order in Ar: Liquid to glass and solid transitions-A computational study

Science.gov (United States)

Shor, Stanislav; Yahel, Eyal; Makov, Guy

2018-04-01

The evolution of the short range order (SRO) as a function of temperature in a Lennard-Jones model liquid with Ar parameters was determined and juxtaposed with thermodynamic and kinetic properties obtained as the liquid was cooled (heated) and transformed between crystalline solid or glassy states and an undercooled liquid. The Lennard-Jones system was studied by non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of large supercells (approximately 20000 atoms) rapidly cooled or heated at selected quenching rates and at constant pressure. The liquid to solid transition was identified by discontinuities in the atomic volume and molar enthalpy; the glass transition temperature range was identified from the temperature dependence of the self-diffusion. The SRO was studied within the quasi-crystalline model (QCM) framework and compared with the Steinhardt bond order parameters. Within the QCM it was found that the SRO evolves from a bcc-like order in the liquid through a bct-like short range order (c/a=1.2) in the supercooled liquid which persists into the glass and finally to a fcc-like ordering in the crystalline solid. The variation of the SRO that results from the QCM compares well with that obtained with Steinhardt's bond order parameters. The hypothesis of icosahedral order in liquids and glasses is not supported by our results.

Novel pseudo-random number generator based on quantum random walks.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yu-Guang; Zhao, Qian-Qian

2016-02-04

In this paper, we investigate the potential application of quantum computation for constructing pseudo-random number generators (PRNGs) and further construct a novel PRNG based on quantum random walks (QRWs), a famous quantum computation model. The PRNG merely relies on the equations used in the QRWs, and thus the generation algorithm is simple and the computation speed is fast. The proposed PRNG is subjected to statistical tests such as NIST and successfully passed the test. Compared with the representative PRNG based on quantum chaotic maps (QCM), the present QRWs-based PRNG has some advantages such as better statistical complexity and recurrence. For example, the normalized Shannon entropy and the statistical complexity of the QRWs-based PRNG are 0.999699456771172 and 1.799961178212329e-04 respectively given the number of 8 bits-words, say, 16Mbits. By contrast, the corresponding values of the QCM-based PRNG are 0.999448131481064 and 3.701210794388818e-04 respectively. Thus the statistical complexity and the normalized entropy of the QRWs-based PRNG are closer to 0 and 1 respectively than those of the QCM-based PRNG when the number of words of the analyzed sequence increases. It provides a new clue to construct PRNGs and also extends the applications of quantum computation.

Hydrogen and helium adsorption on potassium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, R.; Mulders, N.; Hess, G.

1995-01-01

A previous quartz microbalance study of adsorption of helium on sodium indicates that the inert layer is surprisingly small. Similar experiments with hydrogen on sodium show layer by layer growth below a temperature of 7K. These results motivated the authors to extend the experiments to lower temperatures. A suitable apparatus, capable of reaching 0.45 K, while still enabling them to do in situ alkali evaporation, has been constructed. The authors will report on the results of microbalance adsorption experiments of helium and hydrogen on potassium

Studies of orbital Eotvos experiments. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, P.K.

1977-01-01

A direct force-balance technique was analyzed for carrying out the Eotvos experiment in space, which is intended to give sufficient sensitivity to allow investigation of the gravitational interactions of energy stored in the weak interaction. The heart of experiment is an exceedingly sensitive dual accelerometer, containing two proof masses constructed of the materials whose Eotvos ratio is to be compared. For use in development of the accelerometer, a magnetic microbalance is proposed in which the weight of the proof mass is supported by magnetic forces which vary very slowly with the proof mass position. It is shown that at least two different mechanizations of the magnetic suspension may be feasible

Interactions of Model Cell Membranes with Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

D'Angelo, S. M.; Camesano, T. A.; Nagarajan, R.

2011-12-01

The same properties that give nanoparticles their enhanced function, such as high surface area, small size, and better conductivity, can also alter the cytotoxicity of nanomaterials. Ultimately, many of these nanomaterials will be released into the environment, and can cause cytotoxic effects to environmental bacteria, aquatic organisms, and humans. Previous results from our laboratory suggest that nanoparticles can have a detrimental effect on cells, depending on nanoparticle size. It is our goal to characterize the properties of nanomaterials that can result in membrane destabilization. We tested the effects of nanoparticle size and chemical functionalization on nanoparticle-membrane interactions. Gold nanoparticles at 2, 5,10, and 80 nm were investigated, with a concentration of 1.1x1010 particles/mL. Model cell membranes were constructed of of L-α-phosphatidylcholine (egg PC), which has negatively charged lipid headgroups. A quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) was used to measure frequency changes at different overtones, which were related to mass changes corresponding to nanoparticle interaction with the model membrane. In QCM-D, a lipid bilayer is constructed on a silicon dioxide crystal. The crystals, oscillate at different harmonic frequencies depending upon changes in mass or energy dissipation. When mass is added to the crystal surface, such as through addition of a lipid vesicle solution, the frequency change decreases. By monitoring the frequency and dissipation, we could verify that a supported lipid bilayer (SLB) formed on the silica surface. After formation of the SLB, the nanoparticles can be added to the system, and the changes in frequency and dissipation are monitored in order to build a mechanistic understanding of nanoparticle-cell membrane interactions. For all of the smaller nanoparticles (2, 5, and 10 nm), nanoparticle addition caused a loss of mass from the lipid bilayer, which appears to be due to the formation of holes

Cogeneration techniques; Les techniques de cogeneration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-10-01

This dossier about cogeneration techniques comprises 12 parts dealing successively with: the advantages of cogeneration (examples of installations, electrical and thermal efficiency); the combustion turbine (principle, performances, types); the alternative internal combustion engines (principle, types, rotation speed, comparative performances); the different configurations of cogeneration installations based on alternative engines and based on steam turbines (coal, heavy fuel and natural gas-fueled turbines); the environmental constraints of combustion turbines (pollutants, techniques of reduction of pollutant emissions); the environmental constraints of alternative internal combustion engines (gas and diesel engines); cogeneration and energy saving; the techniques of reduction of pollutant emissions (pollutants, unburnt hydrocarbons, primary and secondary (catalytic) techniques, post-combustion); the most-advanced configurations of cogeneration installations for enhanced performances (counter-pressure turbines, massive steam injection cycles, turbo-chargers); comparison between the performances of the different cogeneration techniques; the tri-generation technique (compression and absorption cycles). (J.S.)

Early Detection of Prostate Cancer

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Atashbar, Massood; Bejcek, Bruce E

2005-01-01

.... An improved binding of Protein A and IgG molecules on QCM biosensors by modifying the gold surface of the quartz crystal with a 35nm polystyrene film followed by an acidic treatment was accomplished...

Early Detection of Prostate Cancer

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Atashbar, Massood; Bejcek, Bruce E

2007-01-01

.... An improved binding of Protein A and IgG molecules on QCM biosensors by modifying the gold surface of the quartz crystal with a 35nm polystyrene film followed by an acidic treatment was accomplished...

Chemical modifications of Au/SiO2 template substrates for patterned biofunctional surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Briand, Elisabeth; Humblot, Vincent; Landoulsi, Jessem; Petronis, Sarunas; Pradier, Claire-Marie; Kasemo, Bengt; Svedhem, Sofia

2011-01-18

The aim of this work was to create patterned surfaces for localized and specific biochemical recognition. For this purpose, we have developed a protocol for orthogonal and material-selective surface modifications of microfabricated patterned surfaces composed of SiO(2) areas (100 μm diameter) surrounded by Au. The SiO(2) spots were chemically modified by a sequence of reactions (silanization using an amine-terminated silane (APTES), followed by amine coupling of a biotin analogue and biospecific recognition) to achieve efficient immobilization of streptavidin in a functional form. The surrounding Au was rendered inert to protein adsorption by modification by HS(CH(2))(10)CONH(CH(2))(2)(OCH(2)CH(2))(7)OH (thiol-OEG). The surface modification protocol was developed by testing separately homogeneous SiO(2) and Au surfaces, to obtain the two following results: (i) SiO(2) surfaces which allowed the grafting of streptavidin, and subsequent immobilization of biotinylated antibodies, and (ii) Au surfaces showing almost no affinity for the same streptavidin and antibody solutions. The surface interactions were monitored by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D), and chemical analyses were performed by polarization modulation-reflexion absorption infrared spectroscopy (PM-RAIRS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to assess the validity of the initial orthogonal assembly of APTES and thiol-OEG. Eventually, microscopy imaging of the modified Au/SiO(2) patterned substrates validated the specific binding of streptavidin on the SiO(2)/APTES areas, as well as the subsequent binding of biotinylated anti-rIgG and further detection of fluorescent rIgG on the functionalized SiO(2) areas. These results demonstrate a successful protocol for the preparation of patterned biofunctional surfaces, based on microfabricated Au/SiO(2) templates and supported by careful surface analysis. The strong immobilization of the biomolecules resulting from the described

Validation of MODIS derived aerosol optical depth and an investigation on aerosol transport over the South East Arabian Sea during ARMEX-II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Aloysius

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The influence of wind and humidity on aerosol optical depth (AOD over the Arabian sea is being investigated using MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Level 3 (Collection-5 and NCEP (National Centres for Environmental Prediction reanalysis data for the second phase of the Arabian Sea Monsoon Experiment (ARMEX-II over the South East Arabian Sea (SEAS in the pre-monsoon period (14 March–10 April 2003. In order to qualify MODIS data for this study, MODIS aerosol parameters were first compared with ship borne Microtops measurements. This showed correlations 0.96–0.97 in the case of spectral AODs and a correlation 0.72 for the angstrom exponents. The daily AOD data from MODIS and winds from NCEP reveal that the ship observed episodic enhancement and decay of AOD at the TSL (Time Series Location during 23 March–6 April 2003 was caused by the southward drift of an aerosol pocket driven by an intensification and reduction of surface pressure in the North Western Arabian Sea with a low altitude convergence prevailing over SEAS. The AOD increase coincided with a decrease in the Angstrom exponent and the fine mode fraction suggesting the pocket being dominated by coarse mode particles. A partial correlation analysis reveals that the lower altitude wind convergence is the most influential atmospheric variable in modulating AOD over the ARMEX-II domain during the TSL period. However, surface winds at a distant zone in the north/north west upwind direction also had a moderate influence, though with a lag of two days. But this effect was minor since the winds were not strong enough to produce marine aerosols matching with the high AODs over the ARMEX-II domain. These findings and the similarity between MODIS column mass concentration and the ship borne QCM (Quartz Crystal Microbalance measured coarse mode mass concentration, suggest that the aerosol pocket was mostly composed of coarse mode mineral dust in the lower atmospheric altitudes

Preparation and Characterization of Biomimetic Hydroxyapatite-Resorbable Polymer Composites for Hard Tissue Repair

Science.gov (United States)

Hiebner, Kristopher Robert

Autografts are the orthopedic "gold standard" for repairing bone voids. Autografts are osteoconductive and do not elicit an immune response, but they are in short supply and require a second surgery to harvest the bone graft. Allografts are currently the most common materials used for the repair of segmental defects in hard tissue. Unlike autografts, allografts can cause an undesirable immune response and the possibility of disease transmission is a major concern. As an alternative to the above approaches, recent research efforts have focused on the use of composite materials made from hydroxyapatite (HA) and bioresorbable polymers, such as poly-L-lactide (PLLA). Recent results have shown that the surface hydroxides on HA can initiate the ring opening polymerization (ROP) of L-lactide and other lactones creating a composite with superior interfacial strength. This thesis demonstrates that the surface of porous biologically derived HA substrates, such as coralline HA and trabecular bone, can be used to initiate the ROP of L-lactide and other lactones from the vapor phase. This process increases the strength of the porous scaffold through the deposition of a thin, uniform polymer coating, while maintaining the porous structure. The kinetics of the chemical vapor deposition polymerization (CVDP) are described using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The reaction temperature and monomer vapor pressure are found to affect the rate of the polymerization. Also described in this thesis is the preparation of a porous polymer scaffold that mimics the structure of demineralized bone matrix (DBM). This demineralized bone matrix simulant (DBMS) is created using anorganic bovine bone as a template to initiate the polymerization of various lactones, followed by the removal of the HA scaffold. This material retained its shape and exhibits mechanical properties superior to DBM. Finally it is shown that HA can be used to initiate the ROP of a-caprolactam and the biocompatibility

Stiffness of sphere–plate contacts at MHz frequencies: dependence on normal load, oscillation amplitude, and ambient medium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jana Vlachová

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The stiffness of micron-sized sphere–plate contacts was studied by employing high frequency, tangential excitation of variable amplitude (0–20 nm. The contacts were established between glass spheres and the surface of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM, where the resonator surface had been coated with either sputtered SiO2 or a spin-cast layer of poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA. The results from experiments undertaken in the dry state and in water are compared. Building on the shifts in the resonance frequency and resonance bandwidth, the instrument determines the real and the imaginary part of the contact stiffness, where the imaginary part quantifies dissipative processes. The method is closely analogous to related procedures in AFM-based metrology. The real part of the contact stiffness as a function of normal load can be fitted with the Johnson–Kendall–Roberts (JKR model. The contact stiffness was found to increase in the presence of liquid water. This finding is tentatively explained by the rocking motion of the spheres, which couples to a squeeze flow of the water close to the contact. The loss tangent of the contact stiffness is on the order of 0.1, where the energy losses are associated with interfacial processes. At high amplitudes partial slip was found to occur. The apparent contact stiffness at large amplitude depends linearly on the amplitude, as predicted by the Cattaneo–Mindlin model. This finding is remarkable insofar, as the Cattaneo–Mindlin model assumes Coulomb friction inside the sliding region. Coulomb friction is typically viewed as a macroscopic concept, related to surface roughness. An alternative model (formulated by Savkoor, which assumes a constant frictional stress in the sliding zone independent of the normal pressure, is inconsistent with the experimental data. The apparent friction coefficients slightly increase with normal force, which can be explained by nanoroughness. In other words, contact splitting

Electroluminescence from Silicon and Germanium Nanostructures

African Journals Online (AJOL)

quantum confinement model (QCM), that can explain PL and EL on pure Si ... Matlab program have been developed for the model equations that simulates the data to compare ... for data simulation. ... this model, the luminescence process is.

S-layer architectures : extending the morphogenetic potential of S-layer protein self-assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schuster, D.

2013-01-01

Self-assembly of molecular building blocks is a common principle for bottom up based building principles in nature. One example are crystalline bacterial surface layers, termed S-layers, which are the most commonly observed cell surface structures in prokaryotic organisms. They recrystallize into highly ordered, porous protein meshworks with unit cell sizes of 3 to 30 nm and pore sizes of 2 to 8 nm. In this work, S-layers were self-assembled on various three dimensional scaffolds in order to fabricate novel S-layer architectures. Exploiting the stabilizing effect of silica deposited on the S-layer protein meshwork led to the construction of hollow S-layer nano-containers derived from coated liposomes. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques and release experiments with fluorescent dyes confirmed the dissolution of the supporting lipids. Silica deposition on different spherical particles in solution, as well as on planar S-layer coated surfaces, could be monitored by measuring the ζ-potential, the decline of monosilicic acid in solution, by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis or by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). Both, ζ-potential and release experiments showed differences between silicified plain liposomes and silicified S-layer coated liposomes. In addition, nanocapsules with calcium carbonate cores served as another template for the construction of silica supported S-layer architectures. These were investigated by SEM and fluorescence microscopy after fluorescence labeling. Additional coating with polyelectrolytes increased the stability of the nanocapsules. Their mechanical properties were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The influence of silica deposition was investigated by AFM and SEM. Further on, emulsomes and gas filled lipid supported microbubbles may serve as other templates for the design of spherical protein constructs although extraction of the

Vapor deposition of molybdenum oxide using bis(ethylbenzene) molybdenum and water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drake, Tasha L.; Stair, Peter C.

2016-01-01

Three molybdenum precursors—bis(acetylacetonate) dioxomolybdenum, molybdenum isopropoxide, and bis(ethylbenzene) molybdenum—were tested for molybdenum oxide vapor deposition. Quartz crystal microbalance studies were performed to monitor growth. Molybdenum isopropoxide and bis(ethylbenzene) molybdenum achieved linear growth rates 0.01 and 0.08 Å/cycle, respectively, using atomic layer deposition techniques. Negligible MoO_x growth was observed on alumina powder using molybdenum isopropoxide, as determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. Bis(ethylbenzene) molybdenum achieved loadings of 0.5, 1.1, and 1.9 Mo/nm"2 on alumina powder after one, two, and five cycles, respectively, using atomic layer deposition techniques. The growth window for bis(ethylbenzene) molybdenum is 135–150 °C. An alternative pulsing strategy was also developed for bis(ethylbenzene) molybdenum that results in higher growth rates in less time compared to atomic layer deposition techniques. The outlined process serves as a methodology for depositing molybdenum oxide for catalytic applications. All as-deposited materials undergo further calcination prior to characterization and testing.

Apical extrusion of debris and irrigant using hand and rotary systems: A comparative study

Science.gov (United States)

Ghivari, Sheetal B; Kubasad, Girish C; Chandak, Manoj G; Akarte, NR

2011-01-01

Aim: To evaluate and compare the amount of debris and irrigant extruded quantitatively by using two hand and rotary nickel–titanium (Ni–Ti) instrumentation techniques. Materials and Methods: Eighty freshly extracted mandibular premolars having similar canal length and curvature were selected and mounted in a debris collection apparatus. After each instrument change, 1 ml of distilled water was used as an irrigant and the amount of irrigant extruded was measured using the Meyers and Montgomery method. After drying, the debris was weighed using an electronic microbalance to determine its weight. Statistical analysis used: The data was analyzed statistically to determine the mean difference between the groups. The mean weight of the dry debris and irrigant within the group and between the groups was calculated by the one-way ANOVA and multiple comparison (Dunnet D) test. Results: The step-back technique extruded a greater quantity of debris and irrigant in comparison to other hand and rotary Ni–Ti systems. Conclusions: All instrumentation techniques extrude debris and irrigant, it is prudent on the part of the clinician to select the instrumentation technique that extrudes the least amount of debris and irrigant, to prevent a flare-up phenomena. PMID:21814364

Ion Movement in Polypyrrole/Dodecylbenzenesulphonate Films in aqueous and non-aqueous electrolytes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vidanapathirana, K.; Careem, M.A.; Skaarup, Steen

2002-01-01

The electrochemical characteristics during the redox process of polypyrrole (PPy) films, prepared using dodecylbenzenesulphonate (DBS-) dopant species, have been investigated using a combination of cyclic voltammetry and Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance (EQCM) measurements. Investigati......The electrochemical characteristics during the redox process of polypyrrole (PPy) films, prepared using dodecylbenzenesulphonate (DBS-) dopant species, have been investigated using a combination of cyclic voltammetry and Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance (EQCM) measurements....... Investigations were carried out using aqueous and non-aqueous electrolytes to study the effect of solvent on the ion movement during redox processes. When PPy films are cycled in aqueous electrolytes transport of both anion and cation occurs during oxidation and reduction. However, when cycled in the nonaqueous...

Dismantling techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiese, E.

1998-03-13

Most of the dismantling techniques used in a Decontamination and Dismantlement (D and D) project are taken from conventional demolition practices. Some modifications to the techniques are made to limit exposure to the workers or to lessen the spread of contamination to the work area. When working on a D and D project, it is best to keep the dismantling techniques and tools as simple as possible. The workers will be more efficient and safer using techniques that are familiar to them. Prior experience with the technique or use of mock-ups is the best way to keep workers safe and to keep the project on schedule.

Dismantling techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiese, E.

1998-01-01

Most of the dismantling techniques used in a Decontamination and Dismantlement (D and D) project are taken from conventional demolition practices. Some modifications to the techniques are made to limit exposure to the workers or to lessen the spread of contamination to the work area. When working on a D and D project, it is best to keep the dismantling techniques and tools as simple as possible. The workers will be more efficient and safer using techniques that are familiar to them. Prior experience with the technique or use of mock-ups is the best way to keep workers safe and to keep the project on schedule

Sensitive coating for water vapors detection based on thermally sputtered calcein thin films.

Science.gov (United States)

Kruglenko, I; Shirshov, Yu; Burlachenko, J; Savchenko, A; Kravchenko, S; Manera, M G; Rella, R

2010-09-15

In this paper the adsorption properties of thermally sputtered calcein thin films towards water and other polar molecules vapors are studied by different characterization techniques: quartz crystal microbalance, surface plasmon resonance and visible spectroscopy. Sensitivity of calcein thin films to water vapors resulted much higher as compared with those of a number of dyes whose structure was close to that of calcein. All types of sensors with calcein coatings have demonstrated linear concentration dependences in the wide range of water vapor pressure from low concentrations up to 27,000 ppm (close to saturation). At higher concentrations of water vapor all sensors demonstrate the abrupt increase of the response (up to two orders). A theoretical model is advanced explaining the adsorption properties of calcein thin films taking into account their chemical structure and peculiarities of molecular packing. The possibility of application of thermally sputtered calcein films in sensing technique is discussed. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mechanical stability of heat-treated nanoporous anodic alumina subjected to repetitive mechanical deformation

Science.gov (United States)

Bankova, A.; Videkov, V.; Tzaneva, B.; Mitov, M.

2018-03-01

We report studies on the mechanical response and deformation behavior of heat-treated nanoporous anodic alumina using a micro-balance test and experimental test equipment especially designed for this purpose. AAO samples were characterized mechanically by a three-point bending test using a micro-analytical balance. The deformation behavior was studied by repetitive mechanical bending of the AAO membranes using an electronically controlled system. The nanoporous AAO structures were prepared electrochemically from Al sheet substrates using a two-step anodizing technique in oxalic acid followed by heat treatment at 700 °C in air. The morphological study of the aluminum oxide layer after the mechanical tests and mechanical deformation was conducted using scanning electron and optical microscopy, respectively. The experimental results showed that the techniques proposed are simple and accurate; they could, therefore, be combined to constitute a method for mechanical stability assessment of nanostructured AAO films, which are important structural components in the design of MEMS devices and sensors.

Contamination Measurements from the ESEX 26 kW Ammonia Arcjet Flight Experiment

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Spanjers, Greg

1999-01-01

.... The sensors consisted of microbalances to measure material deposition, radiometers to assess material degradation due to thermal radiation, and solar cell segments to investigate solar array degradation...

Preliminary Analysis of Contamination Measurements from the ESEX 26 kW Ammonia Arcjet Flight Experiment

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Spanjers, G

1999-01-01

.... The sensors consisted of microbalances to measure material deposition, radiometers to assess material degradation due to thermal radiation, and solar cell segments to investigate solar array degradation...

Determination of molybdenum, ruthenium, rhodium, and palladium in radioinactive simulated waste of the nuclear fuel cycle by solid sampling graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmiedel, G.; Mainka, E.; Ache, H.J.

1989-01-01

In relation with insoluble particles in the nuclear fuel cycle waste, the solid sampling GFAAS was used to determine molybdenum, ruthenium, rhodium, and palladium in such waste. Two methods for the direct determination of these elements are described. The samples must be handled in glove boxes or moreover in hot cells with a robot. The determination of the elements by the cup-in-tube technique needs a very sensitive balance (microbalance) for weighing in μg-range and the handling of this method is not practical in glove boxes and hot cells. An alternative technique of solid sampling GFAAS, which can be used without great problems in glove boxes and hot cells is the slurry technique. In this case two methods have been used. One method uses graphite powder as a diluter, the other is the direct suspension of the sample in a matrix modifier solution. In the case of slurry technique with predilution of the sample with graphite powder, recoveries between 91 and 102% and RSD between 4 and 8% were obtained, whereas in the case of slurry technique with direct suspension of the waste sample recoveries between 91 and 103% and RSD between 14 and 20% for the above mentioned elements were obtained. (orig.)

Quartz crystal micro–balance gas sensor with ink–jet printed nano–diamond sensitive layer

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kulha, Pavel; Kroutil, J.; Laposa, A.; Procházka, Václav; Husák, M.

2016-01-01

Roč. 67, č. 1 (2016), s. 61-64 ISSN 1335-3632 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : gas sensor * QCM * nanodiamond * ink-jet printing Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism OBOR OECD: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.) Impact factor: 0.483, year: 2016

Surface science techniques

CERN Document Server

Bracco, Gianangelo

2013-01-01

The book describes the experimental techniques employed to study surfaces and interfaces. The emphasis is on the experimental method. Therefore all chapters start with an introduction of the scientific problem, the theory necessary to understand how the technique works and how to understand the results. Descriptions of real experimental setups, experimental results at different systems are given to show both the strength and the limits of the technique. In a final part the new developments and possible extensions of the techniques are presented. The included techniques provide microscopic as well as macroscopic information. They cover most of the techniques used in surface science.

Creating patient value in glaucoma care: applying quality costing and care delivery value chain approaches--a five-year case study in the Rotterdam Eye Hospital

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Korne, Dirk F.; Sol, Kees; Custers, Thomas; van Sprundel, Esther; van Ineveld, B. Martin; Lemij, Hans G.; Klazinga, Niek S.

2009-01-01

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to explore in a specific hospital care process the applicability in practice of the theories of quality costing and value chains. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: In a retrospective case study an in-depth evaluation of the use of a quality cost model (QCM) and the

An Analysis of Weight Change in Filters

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Reilly, Matthew; Fultz, George; Gschwender, Lois

2006-01-01

... to evaluate possible sources of error. Many sources of weight change exist, including particulate and water accumulation from air, buildup of static electricity causing interference with the metal microbalance pan, and removal...

Decomposition techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, T.T.; Sanzolone, R.F.

1992-01-01

Sample decomposition is a fundamental and integral step in the procedure of geochemical analysis. It is often the limiting factor to sample throughput, especially with the recent application of the fast and modern multi-element measurement instrumentation. The complexity of geological materials makes it necessary to choose the sample decomposition technique that is compatible with the specific objective of the analysis. When selecting a decomposition technique, consideration should be given to the chemical and mineralogical characteristics of the sample, elements to be determined, precision and accuracy requirements, sample throughput, technical capability of personnel, and time constraints. This paper addresses these concerns and discusses the attributes and limitations of many techniques of sample decomposition along with examples of their application to geochemical analysis. The chemical properties of reagents as to their function as decomposition agents are also reviewed. The section on acid dissolution techniques addresses the various inorganic acids that are used individually or in combination in both open and closed systems. Fluxes used in sample fusion are discussed. The promising microwave-oven technology and the emerging field of automation are also examined. A section on applications highlights the use of decomposition techniques for the determination of Au, platinum group elements (PGEs), Hg, U, hydride-forming elements, rare earth elements (REEs), and multi-elements in geological materials. Partial dissolution techniques used for geochemical exploration which have been treated in detail elsewhere are not discussed here; nor are fire-assaying for noble metals and decomposition techniques for X-ray fluorescence or nuclear methods be discussed. ?? 1992.

Translation Techniques

OpenAIRE

Marcia Pinheiro

2015-01-01

In this paper, we discuss three translation techniques: literal, cultural, and artistic. Literal translation is a well-known technique, which means that it is quite easy to find sources on the topic. Cultural and artistic translation may be new terms. Whilst cultural translation focuses on matching contexts, artistic translation focuses on matching reactions. Because literal translation matches only words, it is not hard to find situations in which we should not use this technique.  Because a...

Quantification and characterization of Si in Pinus Insignis Dougl by TXRF

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Navarro, Henry; Bennun, Leonardo [Universidad de Concepcion, Laboratorio de Fisica Aplicada, Departamento de Fisica, Concepcion (Chile); Marco, Lue M. [Universidad Centro Lisandro Alvarado, Decanato de Agronomia, Depto. de Quimica, Barquisimeto (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of)

2014-12-09

A simple quantification of silicon is described, in woods such as Pinus Insigne Dougl obtained from the 8th region of Bio-Bio, 37 15'' South-73 19'' West, Chile. The samples were prepared through fractional calcination, and the ashes were directly analyzed by total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) technique. The analysis of 16 samples that were calcined is presented. The samples were weighed on plastic reflectors in a microbalance with sensitivity of 0.1 μg. Later, the samples were irradiated in a TXRF PICOFOX spectrometer, for 350 and 700 s. To each sample, cobalt was added as an internal standard. Concentrations of silicon over the 1 % in each sample and the self-absorption effect on the quantification were observed, in masses higher than 100 μg. (orig.)

Influence of graphene coating on the adsorption and tribology of Xe on Au(1 1 1) substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Y N; Bortolani, V; Mistura, G

2014-11-05

The adsorption and tribological properties of graphene have received increasing attention for the further development of graphene-based coatings in applications. In this work, we performed first principles calculations with the inclusion of the nonlocal van der Waals correction to study the effect of graphene coating on the adsorption geometries, sliding frictions and electronic properties of Xe monolayer on the Au(1 1 1) substrate. The calculated activation energies indicate that Xe becomes movable on pure Au(1 1 1) surface at a temperature of around 30 K, whereas its motion can be activated only at a high temperature of ~50 K on graphene and on graphene-coated Au(1 1 1) substrates, in good agreement with recent experimental measurements by quartz crystal microbalance technique.

Quantification and characterization of Si in Pinus Insignis Dougl by TXRF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navarro, Henry; Bennun, Leonardo; Marco, Lue M.

2015-01-01

A simple quantification of silicon is described, in woods such as Pinus Insigne Dougl obtained from the 8th region of Bio-Bio, 37 15'' South-73 19'' West, Chile. The samples were prepared through fractional calcination, and the ashes were directly analyzed by total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) technique. The analysis of 16 samples that were calcined is presented. The samples were weighed on plastic reflectors in a microbalance with sensitivity of 0.1 μg. Later, the samples were irradiated in a TXRF PICOFOX spectrometer, for 350 and 700 s. To each sample, cobalt was added as an internal standard. Concentrations of silicon over the 1 % in each sample and the self-absorption effect on the quantification were observed, in masses higher than 100 μg. (orig.)