Proton NMR characterization of a hydrophobic treatment of pore surfaces

We propose proton NMR and longitudinal relaxation experiments to study the structure and dynamics of water within calibrated hydrophobic mesoporous silica samples. We show the relevance of these methods to qualify the hydrophobic treatment for a water–substrate combination corresponding to a non-wetting situation.     

DNA-templated assembly of nanoscale wires and protein-functionalized nanogap contacts

The use of DNA to template the assembly of nanoscale wires and protein-functionalized nanogap contacts is described: Specifically, the use of DNA to template the assembly of gold nanowires between conventionally patterned gold contacts on a silicon wafer substrate. Also described is the use of DNA to template the assembly of protein-functionalized nanogap gold contacts on a silicon wafer substrate. Of particular significance is the finding that suitably modified gold nanoparticles recognize and bind selectively the protein-functionalized nanogap and are localized there.     

Stabilized phospholipid membranes in chromatography: toward membrane protein-functionalized stationary phases

Transmembrane protein (TMP)-functionalized materials have resulted in powerful new methods in chemical analysis. Of particular interest is the development of high-throughput, TMP-functionalized stationary phases for affinity chromatography of complex mixtures of analytes. Several natural and synthetic phospholipids and lipid mimics have been used for TMP reconstitution, although the resulting membranes often lack the requisite chemical and temporal stability for long-term use, a problem that is exacerbated in flowing separation systems. Polymerizable lipids with markedly increased membrane stability and TMP functionality have been developed over the past two decades. More recently, these lipids have been incorporated into a range of analytical methods, including separation techniques, and are now poised to have a significant impact on TMP-based separations. Here, we describe current methods for preparing TMP-containing stationary phases and examine the potential utility of polymerizable lipids in TMP affinity chromatography.     

Effect of the pore geometry in the characterization of the pore size distribution of activated carbons

In this work, the characterization of Activated Carbons (AC) by using the independent pore models is discussed, with special emphasis on the issue of how the assumed pore geometry can affect the resulting Pore Size Distribution (rPSD) and on the problem of the unicity of the PSD when different probe molecules are used in adsorption experiments. A theoretical test was performed using virtual solids based in the so-called Mixed Geometry Model (MGM) (Azevedo et al. 2010). The MGM uses a kernel of adsorption isotherms generated by GCMC for different pore sizes and two pore geometries: slit and triangular. The adsorption isotherms of a virtual MGM solid were fitted with both the traditional Slit Geometry Model (SGM) and the Mixed Geometry Model (MGM). It is demonstrated that, by assuming a different pore geometry model from that of the real sample, different PSDs may be obtained by fitting adsorption isotherms of different probe gases. Finally, experimental results are shown which both point toward the MGM as an acceptable extension of the SGM and confirm that the MGM is a closer representation of the actual porous structure of most activated carbons.     

Hierarchical porous silica materials with a trimodal pore system using surfactant templates

Porous silica exhibiting a hierarchically ordered trimodal pore system with a well-defined reverse opal microstructure and bimodal mesoporosity in the walls has been prepared by using polystyrene latex spheres, a novel block copolymer and an ionic liquid surfactant as templates. The resulting materials exhibit hierarchical order at three length scales (small mesopores: 2-3 nm; large mesopores: 11-12 nm; macropores: 360 nm).     

Synthesis and characterization of pore size-tunable magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles

Magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (M-MSNs) are emerging as one of the most appealing candidates for theranostic carriers. Herein, a simple synthesis method of M-MSNs with a single Fe(3)O(4) nanocrystal core and a mesoporous shell with radially aligned pores was elaborated using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as silica source, cationic surfactant CTAB as template, and 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene (TMB)/decane as pore swelling agents. Due to the special localization of TMB during the synthesis process, the pore size was increased with added TMB amount within a limited range, while further employment of TMB lead to severe particle coalescence and not well-developed pore structure. On the other hand, when a proper amount of decane was jointly incorporated with limited amounts of TMB, effective pore expansion of M-MSNs similar to that of analogous mesoporous silica nanoparticles was realized. The resultant M-MSN materials possessed smaller particle size (about 40-70 nm in diameter), tunable pore sizes (3.8-6.1 nm), high surface areas (700-1100 m(2)/g), and large pore volumes (0.44-1.54 cm(3)/g). We also demonstrate their high potential in conventional DNA loading. Maximum loading capacity of salmon sperm DNA (375 mg/g) was obtained by the use of the M-MSN sample with the largest pore size of 6.1 nm.     

Synthesis and characterization of SBA-15 macrospheres with hierarchical pore structure

The new macroscopic-scale SBA-15 spheres with diameter of 0.2-0.5 mm are prepared by a sol-gel method,in which the tetrabutylorthosilicate(TBOS) is used as silicon source and triblock copolymer(P123) and polyoxyethylene octylphenol ether(OP- 10) are used as templates.The resulting spherical samples are characterized by XRD,N_2 adsorption-desorption,TEM and SEM methods.The results show that the inner structure of SBA-15 macrospheres has macroporous channels(0.5μm) and mesoporous skeleton(4-5 nm).These SBA...     

Performance and pore characterization of nanoporous carbon membranes for gas separation

The performance of a novel nanoporous carbon membrane for separation of hydrogen-hydrocarbon gas mixtures is described. The membrane selectively adsorbs hydrocarbons from hydrogen at the high pressure side and the adsorbed molecules then diffuse along the pore walls to the low pressure side. Pressure levels at thigh gh and low pressure sides of the membrane and the type and flow rate of the sweep gas at the low pressure side of the membrane were varied. The effects of these variables on the hydrogen recovery and hydrocarbon rejection by the membrane were investigated.     

Transverse pore gradient gel electrophoresis of lipoprotein [a] using methylenebisacrylamide gradients.

We describe a modification of transverse pore gradient gel electrophoresis in which pore size is regulated by crosslinker proportion (%C) rather than by total monomer concentration (%T). We electrophoresed plasma lipoprotein [a] transversely across linear N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide gradients and measured mobility as a function of %C. This method allows for the simultaneous assessment of pore sizes generated over a wide range of crosslinker proportions.     

具有三维贯通多级孔道结构大孔氧化铝的制备与表征

采用铝溶胶晶种引入、结合相分离的方法制备了具有三维贯通多级孔道结构的大孔氧化铝材料。采用扫描电镜（SEM）、X射线衍射（XRD）、N₂吸附-脱附、压汞、核磁共振波谱（NMR）等测试方法对所得材料进行了表征。结果表明,该氧化铝材料具有200-600 nm的均匀分布且贯通的连续大孔孔道,经550℃焙烧即可得到结晶态γ-氧化铝。大孔氧化铝比表面积达到366 m²/g,具有以5 nm及400 nm为中心的较为集中的介孔-大孔多级孔道分布。焙烧后的样品中,铝具有四、六两种配位状态。制备过程中,聚环氧乙烷（PEO）作为诱导剂引发固-液两相分离,形成具有三维贯通多级孔道结构大孔氧化铝,而凝胶中引入铝溶胶时,AlOOH晶粒与铝交联水合物均相伴生,在凝胶过程诱导铝交联水合物转变为AlOOH,最终使大孔氧化铝在较低的焙烧温度即可转化为γ-氧化铝。     

Mechanism of pore formation and structural characterization for mesoporous Mg-Al composite oxides

Mg-AI layered double hydroxides (LDH) with different particle sizes were prepared using different aging times at high supersaturation by a new method developed in our laboratory. The key features of this method are a very rapid mixing and nucleation process followed by a separate aging process. By calcination of LDH at 500癈, mesoporous Mg-AI composite oxides with an extremely narrow pore size distribution were produced. The crystal structure of the Mg-AI composite oxides was a multiphasic one consisting of MgO-like crystals and a layered material.     

Quantification of a single aggregate inner porosity and pore accessibility using hard X-ray phase-contrast nanotomography

The 3D structure of three individual aggregates composed of 165 nm polystyrene primary particles is revealed nondestructively by hard X-ray phase-contrast synchrotron nanotomography. Three-dimensional image analysis allows us for the first time to obtain the complex inner porosity of the entire aggregate. It is demonstrated that despite their rather compact structure, characterized by a fractal dimension equal to 2.7, the produced aggregates are still porous, with porosity increasing with its size. Generated pores have diameters from 100 nm to 3 μm and are almost completely interconnected.     

Estimation of pore size distribution in MCM-41-type silica using a simple desorption technique

A recently developed dynamic desorption technique is used for obtaining vapor isotherms on porous materials. This gravimetric technique does not require any preliminary calibration and is based on analyzing the kinetics of liquid evaporation from a porous sample under quasi-steady state conditions. The crucial feature of the technique is concerned with the fact that no vapor pressure measurements are necessary. The technique is illustrated by desorption of benzene vapors from mesoporous silica MCM-41. To calculate the pore size distribution, the Derjaguin–Broekhoff–de Boer theory in its combination with the Wheeler model for capillary condensation is used. In the calculations, the reference data on benzene adsorption on a nonporous silica gel from two different sources (published by different authors) are applied. The mean mesopore sizes estimated from desorption isotherms are shown to be in a fair agreement with the calculations through the geometrical method based on the X-ray diffraction data. The dynamic desorption technique can serve as an additional tool for the characterization of a porous media.     

Probing the pore wall structure of nanoporous carbons using adsorption

Hitherto, adsorption has been traditionally used to study only the porous structure in disordered materials, while the structure of the solid phase skeleton has been probed by crystallographic methods such as X-ray diffraction. Here we show that for carbons density functional theory, suitably adapted to consider heterogeneity of the pore walls, can be reliably used to probe features of the solid structure hitherto accessibly only approximately even by crystallographic methods. We investigate a range of carbons and determine pore wall thickness distributions using argon adsorption, with results corroborated by X-ray diffraction.     

Electrochemical characterization of pore formation by bacterial protein toxins on hybrid supported membranes

The interaction of pore-forming streptolysin O (SLO) with biomimetic lipid membranes has been studied by electrochemical methods. Phosphatidylcholine lipid vesicles were deposited onto gold electrodes modified with supporting layers of hexyl thioctate (HT) or thioctic acid tri(ethylene glycol) ester (TA-TEGE), and integrity and permeability of the resulting membranes were characterized by cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy. Both positively and negatively charged electrochemical probes, potassium ferrocyanide, hexaammineruthenium(III) chloride, and ferrocene carboxylic acid (FCA), were employed to evaluate their suitability to probe the membrane permeability properties, with FCA exhibiting ideal behavior and thus employed throughout the work. Fusion of vesicles incubated with SLO on the electrodes yielded membranes that showed a distinctive response pattern for FCA as a function of SLO concentration. A direct dependence of both the currents and peak separation of FCA in the cyclic voltammograms was observed over a concentration range of 0-10 hemolytic units (HU)/microL of the toxin. The interaction of SLO with preformed supported lipid membranes was also investigated, and much lower response was observed, suggesting a different extent of membrane-toxin interactions on such an interface. Nonionic surfactant Triton was found to disrupt the vesicle structure but could not completely remove a preformed membrane to fully restore the electrode response. The information reported here offers some unique insight into toxin-surface interactions on a hybrid membrane, facilitating the development of electrochemically based sensing platforms for detecting trace amounts of bacterial toxins via the perforation process.     

Biomolecule separation using large pore mesoporous SBA-15 as a substrate in high performance liquid chromatography

Functionalized large-pore mesoporous SBA-15 is utilized for the first time as a good substrate in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to separate biomolecules including peptides and proteins.     

Cell handling using microstructured membranes

Gentle and precise handling of cell suspensions is essential for scientific research and clinical diagnostic applications. Although different techniques for cell analysis at the micro-scale have been proposed, many still require that preliminary sample preparation steps be performed off the chip. Here we present a microstructured membrane as a new microfluidic design concept, enabling the implementation of common sample preparation procedures for suspensions of eukaryotic cells in lab-on-a-chip devices. We demonstrate the novel capabilities for sample preparation procedures by the implementation of metered sampling of nanoliter volumes of whole blood, concentration increase up to three orders of magnitude of sparse cell suspension, and circumferentially uniform, sequential exposure of cells to reagents. We implemented these functions by using microstructured membranes that are pneumatically actuated and allowed to reversibly decouple the flow of fluids and the displacement of eukaryotic cells in suspensions. Furthermore, by integrating multiple structures on the same membrane, complex sequential procedures are possible using a limited number of control steps.     

Effect of hindered diffusion on the adsorption of proteins in agarose gel using a pore model

The hindered diffusion and binding of proteins of different sizes (lysozyme, BSA and IgG) in an agarose gel is described using adsorption kinetic and diffusional data together with an experimentally determined pore size distribution in the gel. The validity of the pore model, including variable diffusion coefficients and porosities is tested against experimental confocal microscopy data. No fitting parameters were used in the present model. The importance of knowing the gel structure is demonstrated especially for large proteins such as IgG. Experimental confocal microscopy data can be explained by the present model.     

Bacterial characterization using protein profiling in a microchip separations platform

A rapid microanalytical protein-based approach to bacterial characterization is presented. Chip gel electrophoresis (CGE) coupled with LIF detection was used to analyze lysates from different bacterial cell lines to obtain signature profiles of the soluble protein composition. The study includes Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus anthracis (Delta Sterne strain) vegetative cells as well as endospores formed from the latter two species as model organisms to demonstrate the method. A unified protein preparation protocol was developed for both cell types to streamline the benchtop process and aid future automation. Cells and spores were lysed and proteins solubilized using a combination of thermal and chemical lysis methods. Reducing agents, necessary to solubilize spore proteins, were eliminated using a small-scale rapid size-exclusion chromatography step to eliminate interference with down-stream protein labeling. This approach was found to be compatible with nonspore cells (i.e., vegetative cells) as well, not adversely impacting the protein signatures. Data are presented demonstrating distinct CGE protein signatures for our model organisms, suggesting the potential for discrimination of organisms on the basis of empirical protein patterns. The goal of this work is to develop a fast and field-portable method for characterizing bacteria via their proteomes.     

三维贯穿大孔氧化铝的孔道改性、表征及转化机制

利用相分离技术制备了非晶三维贯穿大孔氧化铝初始材料,然后通过氨水水热改性处理,使其大孔形态发生了显著改变,孔壁边缘生长有尺寸为50-300 nm的片状聚集体,大孔尺寸由430 nm下降到250 nm,但仍然保持蠕虫状三维贯穿且空间分布均匀的特性。改性后的氧化铝材料经550℃焙烧转化为高结晶度γ氧化铝,比表面积达到331 m²/g,具有8.9 nm及250 nm两种集中的孔径分布,L酸度及抗压强度均有所提高。研究表明,无定形水合羟基铝离子聚合物与氨水发生再水合反应生成薄水铝石中间物,因此,可在较低的焙烧温度下转晶为γ态;大孔孔壁边缘的AlOOH晶粒受NH₄⁺模板诱导作用从里向外重排形成片状聚集体,从而改变了大孔的形态。