Photocurrent of purple membrane adsorbed onto a thin polymer film: action characteristics of the local anesthetics

The proton pumping activity of bacteriorhodopsin (bR) in the purple membrane adsorbed onto a thin polymer film as a solid support for electrical measurements has been examined in the presence of local anesthetics and 1-alcohols as an anesthetic model. This membrane adsorbed system provided high reproducibility of the photocurrents in bR due to the mechanical and the chemical stability and the electric properties of the thin polymer film. As the concentrations of the local anesthetics increased, the photocurrents generated by the proton pump of bR were cooperatively suppressed and the changes in the photocurrents were reversible. From the dose–response curves for the anesthetics, the concentration (EC₅₀) required for a 50% suppression showed a marked specificity in the order of lidocaine>bupivacaine>tetracaine>dibucaine. The suppression of the photocurrent in bR was more effective for the uncharged form of the local anesthetics than for the charged one. The absorption and fluorescence spectra suggested that the charged form of the anesthetics was bound to the purple membrane surface, while their uncharged form interacted with the hydrophobic portions of the purple membrane interior rather than with the membrane surface. From the dose–response curves for the 1-alcohols, an increase in hydrophobicity in their molecules effectively suppressed the photocurrent of bR. We found that the binding of hydrophobic organic cations such as tetracaine hydrochloride and bupivacaine hydrochloride to the blue membrane with loss of the proton pump, which was prepared by removal of the cations from the purple membrane, could regenerate the proton pumping activity. The photocurrent in bR in the purple membrane adsorbed onto a thin solid film sensitively responded to different local anesthetics.     

石墨烯氧化物薄膜电极的光电化学特性

采用浸渍-提拉法制备了一系列石墨烯氧化物(GO)薄膜,并通过X射线衍射(XRD),扫描电镜(SEM),傅里叶变换红外光谱,紫外-可见吸收光谱和光电化学测量等技术对样品进行了表征.在GO电极上观察到阴极光电流,且光电流密度受薄膜的厚度影响.GO薄膜电极厚度为27nm时,光电流密度为0.25μA·cm-2.此外,GO电极的光电响应还受紫外光照影响,随着紫外光照时间的延长,阴极光电流逐渐减小.该工作提供了简便的通过控制薄膜厚度或紫外光照时间来控制GO薄膜半导体光电化学性能的方法.     

Photoelectrochemical laser imaging on anodically prepared α-PbO thin films

The influence of various potential windows on the synthesis of α-PbO and the uniformity of its formation over the entire surface of the lead electrode has been studied by scanning a laser beam over the entire surface and measuring the corresponding photocurrent using the photoelectrochemical laser imaging technique. This technique revealed that a very uniformly distributed highly (110) plane oriented thin film of α-PbO is obtained by potentiodynamic anodization of the lead electrode in an alkaline medium at 80 ^°C in the potential range of ?0.32 to +0.08 V vs SCE, giving the highest (73%) quantum yield at 480 nm, an open-circuit photopotential of 800 mV and a short-circuit photocurrent of 5.5 mA cm^?2. Gärtner analysis suggests that the highest photoactivity achieved with this material is due to the formation of a large space charge width (0.63 m) and diffusion length (0.36 m) of the minority carriers and absorption of almost 100% of the light (480 nm) within the space charge and diffusion regions.     

Superficial wrinkles in stretched, drying gelatin films

When a thin film of initially hydrated gelatin is allowed to dry from the surface, superficial changes in the structure of the material affect the local mechanical properties of the drying region. If the film is simultaneously subjected to large strain deformation (above 20%), a periodic pattern of wrinkles appears on the surface of the gelatin along the length of the sample in the direction of the applied force. These wrinkles are uniformly distributed on the surface of the gelatin with a wavelength that is much smaller than the sample thickness, which changes with sample composition, aging time, and deformation rate. We investigate these patterns via in situ environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and provide a theory for their origin.     

Fluorescence labeling of gelatin and methylcellulose: monitoring their penetration behavior into paper

For the conservation of artworks on paper, powdery paint layers on the paper matrix are stabilized with dilute solutions of adhesives (0.25–1 %), commonly gelatin or methylcellulose, which are applied as aerosols. This technique allows non-contact application. The distribution of the adhesives must be carefully controlled: they have to be delivered to unstable paint layers in the right quantity to avoid visual alterations of the artwork during the stabilization treatment. To visualize the distribution of aerosol-misted adhesives in porous substrates, gelatin and methylcellulose were labeled with fluorescent dyes, purified from excess label, and applied on sample specimen featuring powdery pigment layers on handmade rag paper. As blank comparisons, sample papers without pigment layers were included to verify whether aerosol-misted adhesives are a suitable method to stabilize fragile papers. Penetration of the adhesive-label-conjugates was observed at thin sections of the samples by fluorescence microscopy. The fluorescence labeling of gelatin with Texas Red? allowed an excellent visualization of aerosol-misted adhesive (0.5–1 %) in all sample types. Methylcellulose (Methocel? A4C) labeled with Texas Red? C2-dichlorotriazine enabled fluorescence tracing if applied in 0.5 % solutions by immersion. Aerosol application permitted local adhesive application, making it a suitable technique for stabilizing fragile papers. If applied to samples with low porosity, aerosol-misted gelatin was mainly deposited at the surface, whereas in porous filter paper, penetration dominated over surface deposition. Intermediate drying between repetitive applications apparently limited the penetration of aerosol-misted gelatin.     

Epitaxial polymerization of 1,3-butadiyne by chemical vapor deposition

1,3-Butadiyne was epitaxially polymerized on the graphite basal plane by chemical vapor deposition to form a homogeneous thin film. The film thickness varied from 100 to 3000 Å depending on the polymerization condition. The films on the graphite showed a variety of interference colors such as blue, purple, or gold depending on the film thickness. Raman spectra revealed that the polymerized film was mainly composed of ? C?C? bonds. Electron diffraction pattern and the ESCA spectrum of the film were quite similar to those of graphite, suggesting that butadiyne was polymerized in an epitaxial manner.     

酞菁锂薄膜的光电流极性研究

利用旋转涂膜法和真空镀膜法制备了以酞菁锂薄膜为工作层的有机光电器件, 结构为氧化铟锡/聚二氧乙基噻吩: 聚对苯乙烯磺酸/酞菁锂/聚偏氟乙稀/铝(ITO/PEDOT: PSS/LiPc/PVDF/Al). 在可见光和近红外脉冲激光照射下, 研究了器件的光电流极性. 在532 nm脉冲激光照射下, 器件的外电路光电流方向从ITO流向铝; 但在1064 nm脉冲激光照射下, 其外电路光电流极性发生反向, 即从铝流向ITO. 酞菁锂薄膜的吸收光谱和X射线衍射谱图显示, 其对可见和近红外光有非常广的吸收, 且为x晶型. 酞菁锂自由基的双极性特性可随入射光波长的变化而改变.     

Combining Light Harvesting and Electron Transfer in Silica–Titania‐Based Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Materials

A convenient protocol to fabricate an organic–inorganic hybrid system with covalently bound light‐harvesting chromophores (stilbene and terphenylene–divinylene) and an electron acceptor (titanium oxide) is described. Efficient energy‐ and electron‐transfer processes may take place in these systems. Covalent bonding between the acceptor chromophores and the titania/silica matrix would be important for electron transfer, whereas fluorescence resonant energy transfer (FRET) would strongly depend on the ratio of donor to acceptor chromophores. Time‐resolved spectroscopy was employed to elucidate the detailed photophysical processes. The coupling of FRET and electron transfer was shown to work coherently to lead to photocurrent enhancement. The photocurrent responses reached a maximum when the hybrid‐material thin film contained 60 % acceptor and 40 % donor.     

Electrochemical properties and photoelectrochemical response of vacuum-deposited poly(p-phenylene) thin films

The electrochemical properties of a poly(p-phenylene) (PPP) thin film prepared by vacuum deposition were investigated by cyclic voltammetry in organic and aqueous media with a lithium perchlorate electrolyte. The PPP thin film was able to undergo both n-doping and p-doping reversibly. In an aqueous medium, the cyclic voltammograms indicated the characteristic loop in a potential sweep. The loop was ascribed to the charge transfer on the PPP film surface and to an accumullation effect of the charge in the PPP film. A photocurrent was observed at the PPP film under UV light irradiation.     

Photoelectrochemical investigation of ultrathin film iron oxide solar cells prepared by atomic layer deposition

Atomic layer deposition was used to grow conformal thin films of hematite with controlled thickness on transparent conductive oxide substrates. The hematite films were incorporated as photoelectrodes in regenerative photoelectrochemical cells employing an aqueous [Fe(CN)(6)](3-/4-) electrolyte. Steady state current density versus applied potential measurements under monochromatic and simulated solar illumination were used to probe the photoelectrochemical properties of the hematite electrodes as a function of film thickness. Combining the photoelectrochemical results with careful optical measurements allowed us to determine an optimal thickness for a hematite electrode of ～20 nm. Mott-Schottky analysis of differential capacitance measurements indicated a depletion region of ～17 nm. Thus, only charge carriers generated in the depletion region were found to contribute to the photocurrent.     

Electrochemical study of gelatin as a matrix for the immobilization of horse heart cytochrome c

The aim of this paper is to emphasize the strength of gelatin as a stable matrix for redox enzymes. Cyclic voltammetry has been applied for a detailed electrochemical study of horse heart cytochrome c (HHC) entrapped in a gelatin matrix immobilized on a gold electrode. The influence of the HHC concentration, the mass percentage of the gelatin and the nature of the gelatin on the electrochemical behaviour of HHC have been described in detail. In addition, attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy was used to prove the immobilization on a qualitative and conformational level. The thickness of the gelatin film was determined using a non-contact optical profiler. These results open up new perspectives in the development of stable, biocompatible matrices for redox enzymes. The latter has its relevance in the field of biosensor development.     

对四-2,3-吡啶并紫菜嗪铬的薄膜电极的光电化学研究

由于叶绿素具有较高的光能转换效率,使许多人对类似于叶绿素结构的酞菁染料产生了兴趣,本文所研究的对四-2,3-吡啶并紫菜嗪铬的薄膜(PcCrPy)就是酞菁类(CrPy)染料的苯环用吡啶环取代的衍生物,从而使染料容易电沉积到各种支持导体上。已有不少人对酞菁的薄膜进行过电化学和光电化学的研究,但几乎没有人对PcCrPy进行过光电化学的研究。我们已对PeCrPy进行了原位吸收光谱研究和原位拉曼光谱研究。本文将对     

对四-2,3-吡啶并紫菜嗪铬的薄膜电极的光电化学研究

Photocurrent spectra and photoluminescence measurements of the electrode covered by a thin film of chromium tetra-2,3-pyridinoporphyrazine by conventional 3-electrode system method have been performed. The cathodic photocurrent has been measured. The shape of the photocurrent spectrum is similar to that of photoluminescence spectrum. Their intensities change as a function of the applied potential. Two photoluminescence peaks are located at about 470 nm and 520 nm. The results indicate that the thin film behaves like a p-type semiconductor with a band gap width of about 2 eV.     

聚吡咯纳米阵列电极的光电化学

以多孔的铝阳极氧化膜(AAO)为模板制备了直径约为80 nm聚吡咯(PPy)纳米线的阵列电极, 并研究了它的光电化学响应. 结果表明, 在电极电位低于－0.1 V(vs Ag/AgCl)时出现的阴极光电流是由聚吡咯纳米线的p型半导体性质引起的, 其平带电位为－0.217 V. 聚吡咯纳米线的长度对光电流的影响较大, 最佳长度为42 nm. 这是因为在很短的聚吡咯纳米线阵列中PPy太少, 产生的光电流弱, 而在过长的聚吡咯纳米线阵列中光生电子在到达电极基底前易于与光生空穴复合而消失. 聚吡咯纳米线有可能作为纳米光电器件用于未来微器件系统.     

Biosynthesis of the Purple Membrane of Halobacteria

Halobacteria are extremely specialized organisms. They live exclusively in saturated solutions of common salt. The cell membrane of these bacteria exhibit insular regions which can be isolated by membrane fractionation. These regions consist of a lipid matrix containing bateriorhodopsin molecules in a hexagonal crystalline arrangement. Bacteriorhodopsin is a deep purple retinal-protein complex (“purple membrane”). The purple membrane functions as a light energy converter.—How can such a differentiated membrane region arise? In vivo studies on the biosynthesis of the purple membrane showed another cell membrane fraction, the so-called brown membrane, to be a biosynthetic precursor. Bacterioopsin (the retinal-free protein) is initially incorporated into the brown membrane and can only form the purple membrane by crystallization in an energy-dependent reaction after prior reaction with retinal. This reaction is reversible. Removal of the retinal by formation of retinal oxime causes the purple membrane regions to disappear. Reconstitution of the bacteriorhodopsin by addition of retinal regenerates the purple membrane.     

铁钝化膜半导体特性的光电化学研究

The photoelectrochemical behavior of the passive film on iron in pH=8.4 borate buffer solution was investigated. The mechanism considered for the generation of the photocurrent in the passive film, and the principle of the measurement of photocurrent were discussed. The band model of noncrytalline semiconductor was used to demonstrate the depedence of photocurrent on electrode potential and light wavelength. Results indicate that the passive film formed on iron in pH=8.4 borate solution is a noncrystalline semiconductor, its flatband potential (φ_(fb)) is -0.30 V(SCE), band gap energy (E_g) is affected by measuring potential (φ_m), When +0.30 V<φ_m<+0.80 V (SCE), E_g is 1.9 eV.     

Photoelectrochemical Scanning Droplet Cell Microscopy (PE‐SDCM)

Principles of localised photoelectrochemistry are summarised and an experimental approach is described that allows the performance of the most important photoelectrochemical experiments within a diameter of 100 μm. Various light sources, such as a continuum emitter with a monochromator, LEDs, and lasers are coupled into a multi‐mode fibre to illuminate a small spot that is wetted by the electrolyte from a capillary. Reference electrode, counter electrode, and optical fibre are installed in the capillary system. The performance of this system is demonstrated by photocurrent measurements on n‐doped Si and p‐doped Si as model substrates. A thickness‐graded aluminium thin film for partial shadowing on Si proves the applicability for material library investigations in combinatorial materials science. Further experiments demonstrate the possibility of electrical light chopping as well as impedance spectroscopy with subsequent Mott–Schottky analysis for the determination of charge‐carrier concentration and type, flat‐band potential, and inversion layer formation. Photoelectrochemical scanning droplet cell microscopy (PE‐SDCM) is an extremely versatile tool for the screening of water splitting photoelectrodes, the characterisation of photocatalysts, and high throughput characterisation of microgram amounts of new solar cell materials.     

Photosensitization of TiO2 nanoparticulate thin film electrodes by CdS nanoparticles

Surface photovoltage spectra (SPS) measurements of TiO₂ show that a large surface state density is present on the TiO₂ nanoparticles and these surface states can be efficiently decreased by sensitization using CdS nanoparticles as well as by suitable heat treatment. The photoelectrochemical behavior of the bare TiO₂ thin film indicates that the mechanism of photoelectron transport is controlled by the trapping/detrapping properties of surface states within the thin films. The slow photocurrent response upon the illumination can be explained by the trap saturation effect. For a TiO₂ nanoparticulate thin film sensitized using CdS nanoparticles, the slow photocurrent response disappears and the steady-state photocurrent increases drastically, which suggests that photosensitization can decrease the effect of surface states on photocurrent response. Electronic Publication     

有机钌螯合物/TiO_2杂化膜修饰电极上Pt纳米团簇的光电流增强效应

利用LB膜技术可控制备了纳米单层和多层的二氧化钛-有机钌螯合物杂化膜,并研究了上述无机-有机杂化膜修饰电极在Pt纳米团簇敏化后的光电流增强效应.实验结果表明:(1)纳米单层TiO2/[Ru(phen)2(dC18bpy)]2+(简称为TiO2-Ru)杂化膜的平均厚度为(3.6±0.5)nm;(2)在光照条件下TiO2-Ru杂化膜能有效催化还原[Pt(NH3)6]4+形成粒径位于20～160nm之间的Pt纳米团簇;(3)Pt纳米团簇的引入消除了金属钌螯合物中配体对电子传递的阻碍作用,改变了电子传递途径,从而有效减少了电子空穴对的复合,提高了Pt纳米团簇敏化的n层杂化膜修饰电极(ITO/(TiO2-Ru)n/Pt)在支持电解质中的光电流.与纳米单层TiO2-Ru杂化膜修饰的ITO电极(ITO/TiO2-Ru)相比,当工作电压为900mV时,ITO/TiO2-Ru/Pt在0.1mol·L-1的NaClO4电解质溶液中和光照(λ360nm)条件下,单位面积的光电流提高了约5倍;(4)ITO/(TiO2-Ru)n/Pt电极光电流的大小与杂化膜的层数密切相关,当TiO2-Ru杂化膜的层数从一层、二层增加到四层时,光电流呈现先升高后下降行为,这表明ITO/(TiO2-Ru)n/Pt电极的电子传递过程直接通过非电活性的二氧化钛纳米单层进行.