Reaction of porous silicon with both end-functionalized organic compounds bearing alpha-bromo and omega-carboxy groups for immobilization of biomolecules

Both end-functionalized (alpha-bromo and omega-carboxy) compounds were first tested for the radical reaction on the silicon-hydride (Si-H) terminated porous silicon (PSi) with/without the presence of diacyl peroxide initiator under microwave irradiation. Then the carboxylic acid monolayers (CAMs) assembled on PSi through the robust Si-C bonds were converted to amino-reactive linker, N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS)-ester, terminated monolayers. And finally two proteins of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and lysozyme (Lys) were immobilized through amide bonds. The optimum PSi membrane for protein immobilization without collapse, with parameters of porous radii 4-10 nm and depth 0.2-4.6 mum, was prepared from the (100)-oriented p-type silicon wafer. The chemically converted surface products were monitored with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM).     

Study of thioflavin-T immobilized in porous silicon and the effect of different organic vapors on the fluorescence lifetime

Steady-state and time-resolved emission techniques have been employed to study the fluorescence properties of thioflavin-T (ThT) adsorbed on oxidized porous silicon (PSi) surfaces, with an average pore size of ～10 nm. We found that the average fluorescence decay time of ThT, when it is adsorbed on the PSi surface, is rather long, τ(av) = 1.3 ns. We attribute this relatively long emission lifetime to the effect of the immobilization of ThT on the PSi surface, which inhibit the rotation of the aniline with respect to the benzothiazole moieties of ThT. We also measured the fluorescence properties of ThT in PSi samples in equilibrium with vapors of several liquids, such as methanol, acetonitrile, and water. We found that the fluorescence intensity drops by a factor of 10, and the average decay time, measured by a time-correlated single-photon counting technique, decreases by a factor of 3. We explain these results in terms of liquid condensation of the vapors in the PSi pores, which leads to partial dissolution of the ThT molecules in the liquid pools.     

Label-free optical detection of peptide synthesis on a porous silicon scaffold/sensor

Mesoporous porous silicon (PSi) microcavity sensors are used to conduct conventional solid-phase peptide synthesis. The sensor optical response provides a convenient means to monitor the synthesis reaction in a nondestructive manner. Measurements indicate that peptide synthesis occurs only when the PSi sensor/scaffold is amine-terminated using, for example, the amino silane or deprotected acid-labile Rink linker. Equivalent coupling efficiencies of the first amino acid to both amine terminations are observed. Kinetic studies indicate that coupling reactions are 90% complete in 1 h. Quantitative analysis of the optical response following the synthesis of homo-oligopeptides (4-mers) suggests that coupling efficiencies and/or optical thickness changes depend on the peptide length. The synthesis of the cell adhesive oligopeptide (RGD) was monitored by the optical sensor response and validated by the cell culture of primary dermal fibroblasts. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis successfully detected peptide on the silicon wafer adjacent to the PSi. Our findings suggest the potential to exploit the high surface area, efficient coupling, and intrinsic optical detection properties of PSi for label-free high-throughput screening.     

Divergent Shear Thinning and Shear Thickening Behavior of Supramolecular Polymer Networks in Semidilute Entangled Polymer Solutions

The steady shear behavior of metallo-supramolecular polymer networks formed by bis-Pd(II) cross-linkers and semidilute entangled solutions of poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PVP) in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) is reported. The steady shear behavior of the networks depends on the dissociation rate and association rate of the cross-linkers, the concentration of cross-linkers, and the concentration of the polymer solution. The divergent steady shear behavior-shear thinning versus shear thickening-of samples with identical structure but different cross-linker dynamics (J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2010, 1, 1683-1686) is further explored in this paper. The divergent steady shear behavior for networks with different cross-linkers is connected to a competition between different time scales: the average time that a cross-linker remains open (τ(1)) and the local relaxation time of a segment of polymer chain (τ(segment)). When τ(1) is larger than τ(segment), shear thickening is observed. When τ(1) is smaller than τ(segment), only shear thinning is observed.     

Covalently derivatized NTA microarrays on porous silicon for multi-mode detection of His-tagged proteins

Porous silicon(PSi)was applied as a supporting substrate for stepwise covalent derivatization of undecylenic acid, N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester(NHS-ester)and nitrilotriacetic acid(NTA).By taking the advantages of porous silicon as a supporting matrix such as high surface area to volume ratio,infrared transparency,porous semiconductors for laser desorption/ionization mass spectroscopy,and low fluorescence background,a multi-mode detection biochip prototype can be realized. We prepared such a protein microarra...     

多孔与平面硅电极界面的电化学行为

研究了重掺杂n-型单晶硅(CSi)在氢氟酸体系中生成多孔硅(PSi)的电化学行为,根据线性极化曲线,选取不同的电流密度,采用恒电流阳极极化法,制备了一系列多孔硅层。利用扫描电子显微镜对其进行了表面和断面形貌的表征,通过线性扫描极化技术和计时电位法,比较了单晶硅电极和多孔硅电极的电化学行为,分析了多孔硅形成前后的塔菲尔曲线和计时电位曲线,给出了多孔硅形成过程中的重要电化学参数,如腐蚀电流、开路电位、塔菲尔斜率等。并对其进行深入分析,根据实验结果,提出了单晶硅电极/电解质界面和多孔硅电极/电解质界面的结构模型,并利用该模型讨论了两种电极界面的电化学特性。     

Kinetics of thermo-induced micelle-to-vesicle transitions in a catanionic surfactant system investigated by stopped-flow temperature jump

The kinetics of thermo-induced micelle-to-vesicle transitions in a catanionic surfactant system consisting of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and dodecyltriethylammonium bromide (DEAB) were investigated by the stopped-flow temperature jump technique, which can achieve T-jumps within ～2-3 ms. SDS/DEAB aqueous mixtures ([SDS]/[DEAB] = 2/1, 10 mM) undergo microstructural transitions from cylindrical micelles to vesicles when heated above 33 °C. Upon T-jumps from 20 °C to final temperatures in the range of 25-31 °C, relaxation processes associated with negative amplitudes can be ascribed to the dilution-induced structural rearrangement of cylindrical micelles and to the dissolution of non-equilibrium mixed aggregates. In the final temperature range of 33-43 °C the obtained dynamic traces can be fitted by single exponential functions, revealing one relaxation time (τ) in the range of 82-440 s, which decreases with increasing temperature. This may be ascribed to the transformation of floppy bilayer structures into precursor vesicles followed by further growth into final equilibrium vesicles via the exchange and insertion/expulsion of surfactant monomers. In the final temperature range of 45-55 °C, vesicles are predominant. Here T-jump relaxations revealed a distinctly different kinetic behavior. All dynamic traces can only be fitted with double exponential functions, yielding two relaxation times (τ(1) and τ(2)), exhibiting a considerable decrease with increasing final temperatures. The fast process (τ(1)～ 5.2-28.5 s) should be assigned to the formation of non-equilibrium precursor vesicles, and the slow process (τ(2)～ 188-694 s) should be ascribed to their further growth into final equilibrium vesicles via the fusion/fission of precursor vesicles. In contrast, the reverse vesicle-to-micelle transition process induced by a negative T-jump from elevated temperatures to 20 °C occurs quite fast and almost completes within the stopped-flow dead time (～2-3 ms).     

Biosensing and protein fluorescence enhancement by functionalized porous silicon devices

Porous silicon (PSi) is a promising biomaterial presenting the advantage of being biocompatible and bioresorbable. Due to the large specific surface area and unique optical features, these microporous structures are excellent candidates for biosensing applications. Investigating device functionality and developing simple Si-based transducers need to be addressed in novel biological detection. Our work demonstrates that, among the various PSi configurations for molecular detection, PSi microcavity structure demonstrates the best biosensing performance, reflected through the enhanced luminescence response and the changes in the refractive index. For successful immobilization, molecular infiltration and confinement are the two key factors that are controlled by the pore size distribution of the PSi microcavities and by the surface modification obtained by silane-glutaraldehyde chemistry. Enhancement of the fluorescence emission of confined fluorescent biomolecules in the active layer of PSi microcavities was observed for a nonlabeled protein with a natural green fluorescence, the glucose oxidase enzyme (GOX). An increase in the fluorescence emission was also observed when functionalized PSi material was used to detect specific binding between biotin and a low concentration of labeled streptavidin. Evidence for the enzymatic activity of GOX in its adsorbed form is also presented. Use of smart silicon devices, enabling enhancement of fluorescence emission of biomolecules, offers easy-to-use biosensing, based on the luminescence response of the molecules to be detected.     

Electrochemical control of protein monolayers at indium tin oxide surfaces for the reagentless optical biosensing of nitric oxide

Cytochrome c has been immobilized onto functionalized, optically transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes by covalent and electrostatic techniques. Covalent immobilization was achieved by the formation of a disulfide bond between N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate-(SPDP-) modified cytochrome c and SPDP-silanized ITO. Additionally, ITO electrodes have been modified with the bifunctional reagent 1,12-dodecanedicarboxylic acid (DDCA), resulting in formation of a carboxylic acid-terminated monolayer. Covalent protein attachment to the DDCA-functionalized ITO was achieved with the cross-linker 1-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride. Electrostatic attachment of the protein involved ion-pair and hydrogen-bond interactions between the terminating carboxylic acid groups of the DDCA-functionalized ITO and the primary amine groups of the lysine residues of cytochrome c. The electrostatic interaction between the cytochrome c and the functionalized ITO resulted in greater rotational mobility of the protein at the electrode surface, leading to ca. 63% electroactivity, as compared to ca. 41% electroactivity for the covalently immobilized protein. The redox state of the electrostatically bound cytochrome c monolayers could be electrochemically switched between ferric and ferrous forms. Electrochemical control of the bound protein was used to regenerate the biosensing surface following binding of nitric oxide (NO). Ligation of NO with the cytochrome c was monitored by measurement of the change of absorbance intensity at 416 nm. Through application of a negative potential, the cytochrome c was reduced from the ferric to the ferrous form, which led to the removal of the ligated NO. Application of a positive potential regenerated the ferric cytochrome c, enabling multiple repeat measurements of NO. Such electrochemical control of proteins immobilized on transparent electrodes enables the optical biosensing of analyte targets without recourse to exogenous reagents.     

DNA Stabilization and Hybridization Detection on Porous Silicon Surface by EIS and Total Reflection FT‐IR Spectroscopy

Electrochemically etched porous silicon (PSi) is formed and employed as a substrate for the entrapment of oligonucleotides and the subsequent development of stable DNA biosensors. The controlled potential anodic etching of p‐type silicon wafers is optimized in order to obtain a surface layer with pore diameters which are close to those of the adsorbed DNA helix. The stabilization and hybridization of DNA inside the PSi layer is confirmed using ATR‐FTIR. Moreover hybridization is verified by the large and reproducible impedance changes at the interface layer. The developed PSi DNA sensor paves the way for the label‐free detection of oligonucleotide sequences in DNA microarrays and microfabricated PSi field‐effect sensors.     

Photocontrol of DNA binding specificity of a miniature engrailed homeodomain

Control of DNA binding of HDH-3, a 18-residue polypeptide based on the recognition helix of the Q50K engrailed homeodomain, has been achieved. HDH-3 was linked to an azobenzene cross-linker through two cysteine residues in an i, i + 11 spacing. For the thermodynamically stable trans configuration of the cross-linker, the dark-adapted peptide (dad-HDH-3) adopted a mainly alpha-helical structure as judged by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. After irradiation with light of 360 nm, the helical content of the peptide (irrad-HDH-3) was reduced significantly and the CD spectrum of the irradiated peptide resembled that of the largely unstructured, unalkylated peptide. Despite lacking helices-1 and -2 and the N-terminal arm of Q50K engrailed, dad-HDH-3 bound to its natural DNA target sequence TAATCC (QRE) with high affinity (K(D) = 7.5 +/- 1.3 nM). The binding affinity for the mutant DNA sequence, TAATTA (ERE), was reduced significantly (K(D) = 140 +/- 11 nM). Unlike irrad-HDH-3, which like the unalkylated parent peptide displayed only marginal DNA binding specificity, dad-HDH-3 specified base pairs 5 and 6 of QRE with an accuracy rivaling that of the intact wild-type Q50K engrailed homeodomain, making dad-HDH-3 the most specific designed DNA binding miniature homeodomain reported to date. Moreover, DNA binding affinity and specificity of HDH-3 could be controlled externally by irradiation with light.     

Enhancement and stabilization of the photoluminescence from porous silicon prepared by Ag‐assisted electrochemical etching

In this paper, we present the results of studies on the photoluminescence (PL) of porous silicon (PSi) samples obtained by etching with the assistance of silver metal in different ways. If the Si sample, after being coated with a layer of silver nanoparticles, is electrochemically etched, its PL intensity becomes hundreds of times stronger than the PL intensity when it is chemically etched in the similar conditions. The difference in the PL intensities is explained partly by the anodic oxidation of silicon which occurs during the electrochemical etching process. The most obvious evidence that silicon had been oxidized anodically in the electrochemical etching process is the disappearance of the PSi layer and the appearance of the silicon oxide layer with mosaic structure when the anodization current density is large enough. The anodic oxidation has the effect of PSi surface passivation. Because of that, the PL of obtained PSi becomes stronger and more stable with time. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Bismuth Nanoparticles@Porous Silicon Nanostructure,Application as a Selective and Sensitive Electrochemical Sensor for the Determination of Thioridazine

A bismuth@porous silicon (Bi/PSi) nanostructure is fabricated and used as a new highly sensitive electrochemical sensor for measurement of thioridazine. For this purpose, commercial silicon powder is converted to porous silicon using metal‐assisted chemical etching method. Then, bismuth nanoparticles are deposited on the surface of the porous silicon that synthesized in the previous step. The effects of pH and instrumental parameters are studied on the sensor response. After optimization of the parameters, differential pulse voltammetry is used to determine sub‐micro molar amounts of thioridazine. The Linear region of the electrochemical sensor is in the range of 0.1 to 260 μmol L⁻¹ thioridazine with a detection limit of 0.03 μmol L⁻¹, when Bi/PSi/CNTPE is used as an electrochemical sensor. The precision and accuracy of the sensor is evaluated. The Bi/PSi/CNTPE is used as an appropriated tool for accurate measurement of low amounts of thioridazine in real samples with satisfactory results.     

可逆加成-断裂链转移策略制备可识别转铁蛋白的抗原决定基印迹微球

应用可逆加成-断裂链转移（RAFT）策略制备了一种抗原决定基表面印迹微球。这一工作以转铁蛋白的抗原决定基N端九肽作为模板,通过共价键合的方式固载于修饰了戊二醛的硅胶颗粒表面。然后以甲基丙烯酸、甲基丙烯酰羟乙酯为功能单体,甲叉基双丙烯酰胺为交联剂,偶氮二异丁腈（AIBN）为引发剂,N,N-二甲基甲酰胺为溶剂,在三硫酯试剂2-（十二烷基三硫代碳酸酯基）-2-甲基丙酸的调控下,于70 ℃进行活性-可控的聚合反应,制备得到分子印迹微球。该材料对模板抗原决定基的识别容量为2.36 mg/g,印迹因子为1.89;对转铁蛋白的识别容量为4.98 mg/g,印迹因子为1.61,120 min内可达到吸附平衡;在多蛋白质竞争识别中,该材料对转铁蛋白识别的印迹因子远高于细胞色素C、乳球蛋白等其他竞争蛋白质的印迹因子。以上结果证明,通过RAFT策略制备得到的抗原决定基分子印迹材料在对抗原决定基具有良好的识别能力的同时,对模板抗原决定基对应的转铁蛋白也具有优良的选择性、较高的识别容量和较快的识别速度。     

多孔硅上银纳米粒薄膜的制备及其表面增强红外光谱

通过简便的化学沉积法在多孔硅上制备银纳米粒薄膜用于表面增强红外光谱检测。通过Ag⁺与多孔硅表面的SiHx发生氧化还原反应将银纳米粒子沉积在多孔硅表面。红外探针分子溶解于无水乙醇中进而被均匀分散在多孔硅表面,实验结果显示：对氨基苯硫酚、对氨基苯甲酸和对氟苯硫酚3个探针分子的红外峰分别最大增强了10、85和21倍。银纳米粒的大小和形状等物理特性、探针分子是否有与银表面进行强结合的基团和芳烃结构、以及表面选律等因素影响表面增强红外的吸收效应。     

Conductive wiring of immobilized photosynthetic reaction center to electrode by cytochrome C

The photosynthetic reaction center (RC) found in photosynthetic bacteria is one of the most advanced photoelectronic devices developed by nature. However, after immobilization on the electrode surface, the efficiency of electron transfer (ET) between the RC and the electrode is relatively low. This inefficiency has limited the possibility of using the RC for technological applications. Here we show that photoinduced electron transfer between the immobilized RC and a gold electrode can be increased by several tens-fold by incorporation of cytochrome c into the RC-self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-electrode complex. The effect does not depend on the initial redox state of the cytochrome and seems to be the result of the formation of a complex between the RC and the cytochrome c serving as an ET wire. This observation opens the possibility for electrochemical analysis of the special pair in the RC protein that is deeply buried inside the protein globe and is barely electrically addressable from the electrode surface.     

Monolayer dispersion of NiO in NiO/Al2O3 catalysts probed by positronium atom

NiO/Al(2)O(3) catalysts with different NiO loadings were prepared by impregnation method. The monolayer dispersion capacity of NiO is determined to be about 9 wt.% through XRD quantitative phase analysis. Positron lifetime spectra measured for NiO/Al(2)O(3) catalysts comprise two long and two short lifetime components, where the long lifetimes τ(3) and τ(4) correspond to ortho-positronium (o-Ps) annihilation in microvoids and large pores, respectively. With increasing loading of NiO from 0 to 9 wt.%, τ(4) drops drastically from 88 to 38 ns. However, when the NiO loading is higher than 9 wt.%, τ(4) shows a slower decrease. Variation of λ(4) (1/τ(4)) as a function of the NiO content can be well fitted by two straight lines with different slopes. The relative intensity of τ(4) also shows a fast decrease followed by a slow decrease for the NiO content lower and higher than 9 wt.%, respectively. The coincidence Doppler broadening measurements reveal a continuous increase of S parameter with increasing NiO loading up to 9 wt.% and then a decrease afterwards. This is due to the variation in intensity of the narrow component contributed by the annihilation of para-positronium (p-Ps). Our results show that the annihilation behavior of positronium is very sensitive to the dispersion state of NiO on the surface of γ-Al(2)O(3). When the NiO loading is lower than monolayer dispersion capacity, spin conversion of positronium induced by NiO is the dominant effect, which causes decrease of the longest lifetime and its intensity but increase of the narrow component intensity. After the NiO loading is higher than monolayer dispersion capacity, the spin conversion effect becomes weaker and inhibition of positronium formation by NiO is strengthened, which results in decrease of both the long lifetime intensity and the narrow component intensity. The reaction rate constant is determined to be (1.50 ± 0.04) × 10(10) g mol(-1) s(-1) and (3.43 ± 0.20) × 10(9) g mol(-1) s(-1) for NiO content below and above monolayer dispersion capacity, respectively.     

Structural and nanomechanical properties of porous silicon: Cheap substrate for CMOS process industry

The surface topology of porous silicon (PSi) is a relevant parameter that decides the compatibility of such substrate with CMOS process. Using standard resistivity (1–10 Ω·cm) of Si substrate to fabricate PSi-S is a low cost solution for the industry. In this paper, through an atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis, the root mean square (RMS) roughness, the power spectral density and the correlation length were determined for different PSi layers. Furthermore, the measured hardness, Young's modulus, and stress have been made for different thicknesses of PSi: 5, 10, 50, and 200 μm. The obtained results demonstrated that very interesting properties have been achieved with the 50 μm-thick PSi-S layer with a maximum porosity around 65%, a surface roughness less than 1 nm and a hardness value of (~1 GPa). The realized results encourage the utilization the PSi-based substrate into the industry process and thus the development of a Systems-on-Chip (SoC).     

High hydrosilylation efficiency of porous silicon SiHx species produced by Pt-assisted chemical etching for biochip fabrication

Porous silicon (PSi) prepared from Pt metal-assisted chemical etching (MaCE) was demonstrated to possess higher hydrosilylation efficiency (～57%) than anodized PSi (～11%) by surface reaction with ω-undecenyl alcohol (UO).Deconvolution of the SiHx (x=1-3) stretching bands revealed the abundance of SiH 2 species on MaCE PSi was 53%,～10% higher than on anodized samples,while both of SiH 1 and SiH 3 were ～5% lower correspondently on MaCE PSi than on anodized samples.The surface SiHx abundances were suggested to account for the higher hydrosilylation efficiency on MaCE PSi.Optimization of Pt-assisted chemical etching parameters suggested a 7-15 nm thick Pt-coating and an etching time of 3-10 min for biochip applications.Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that an isotropic top meso-porous layer was beneficial for hydrosilylation and long-term durability under ambient conditions.To end,an example of histidine-tagged protein immobilization and microarray was illustrated.Combining the materials’ property,surface chemistry,and micro-fabrication technology together,we envision that silicon based biochip applications have a prosperous future.     

Dynamical heterogeneity in a highly supercooled liquid under a sheared situation

In the present study, we performed molecular dynamics simulations and investigated dynamical heterogeneity in a supercooled liquid under a steady shear flow. Dynamical heterogeneity can be characterized by three quantities: the correlation length ξ(4)(t), the intensity χ(4)(t), and the lifetime τ(hetero)(t). We quantified all three quantities by means of the correlation functions of the particle dynamics, i.e., the four-point correlation functions, which are extended to the sheared condition. Here, to define the local dynamics, we used two time intervals t = τ(α) and τ(ngp); τ(α) is the α-relaxation time, and τ(ngp) is the time at which the non-Gaussian parameter of the Van Hove self-correlation function is maximized. We discovered that all three quantities (ξ(4)(t), χ(4)(t), and τ(hetero)(t)) decrease as the shear rate γ of the steady shear flow increases. For the time interval t = τ(α), the scalings ξ(4)(τ(α))~γ(-0.08), χ(4)(τ(α))~γ(-0.26), and τ(hetero)(τ(α))~γ(-0.88) were obtained. The steady shear flow suppresses the heterogeneous structure as well as the lifetime of the dynamical heterogeneity. In addition, we demonstrated that all three quantities in the sheared non-equilibrium state can be mapped onto those in the equilibrium state through the α-relaxation time τ(α). This finding means that the same relation between τ(α) and three quantities holds in both the equilibrium state and the sheared non-equilibrium state and therefore proposes that the dynamical heterogeneity can play a similar role in the drastic change of τ(α) due to not only the temperature but also the shear rate.