Quantitation and test of enantiomeric purity of the L-ketohexoses by liquid chromatography with dual refractive index and laser-based chiroptical detection

Experimental data for the synthetic methods of preparation of the L-ketohexoses have been lacking an analytical method for monitoring the chemical or enzymatic reactions described. Dual refractive index and laser-based chiroptical detection provides an ideal method for following the reactions, since the refractive index detector quantifies the amount of analyte, while the ratio of optical rotation to refractive index response allows the enantiomer mole fraction to be determined. Sulfonated polystyrenedivinylbenzene resin in the Ca form as the stationary phase with H2O at 80 degrees C as the eluent gives base-line separation of sorbose, fructose, tagatose, and psicose. Dependent on the complexity of the reaction mixture, analysis times range from 20 to 60 min.     

蛋白质的毛细管电泳─激光回射干涉检测研究

本文用激光回射干涉检测法研究了酸性蛋白质的毛细管电泳行为。在较高的ｐＨ值和较高离子强度下，采用较短毛细管，减少了管壁对蛋白质的吸附作用，较好地分离了４个标准蛋白质及人血清中蛋白质。相对峰高和相对迁移时间具有较好的重现性。     

A compact optofluidic cytometer with integrated liquid-core/PDMS-cladding waveguides

We developed a simple method to construct liquid-core/PDMS-cladding optical waveguides through pressurized filling of dead-ended micro-channels with optical fluids. The waveguides are in the same layer as microfluidic channels which greatly simplifies device fabrication. With proper contrast between the refractive index of the core and cladding, the transmission loss of the waveguides is less than 5 dB cm(-1). We also developed a method to create flat and optically clear surfaces on the sides of PDMS devices in order to couple light between free-space and the waveguides embedded inside the chip. With these newly developed techniques, we make a compact flow cytometer and demonstrate the fluorescence counting of single cells at a rate of up to ～50 cell s(-1) and total sample requirement of a few microlitres. This method of making liquid-core optical waveguides and flat surfaces has great potential to be integrated into many PDMS-based microsystems.     

A whole new way of looking at things: the use of Dark Reader technology to detect fluorophors

The Dark Reader optical system (Clare Chemical Research, Denver, CO, USA) uses relatively low intensity broad-band visible blue light in combination with broad-band optical filters to detect fluorescence with a level of sensitivity that often surpasses that of UV transilluminators and can rival that of laser-based scanners. Applications of DR (Clare Chemical Research) devices include the detection of DNA and SYBR-stained protein samples following, and also during, electrophoresis. Unlike laser-based imaging systems, the fluorescence is directly visible to the user as well as being fully compatible with charge-coupled device (CCD) and Polaroid camera-based detection and imaging. Additionally, the DR optical system functions well in multicolor fluorophor environments. Because the Dark Reader does not emit any UV light, the extent of DNA damage incurred when visualizing DNA samples is drastically reduced compared to the damage produced by a UV device and this can have a significant benefit on downstream cloning protocols. Furthermore, dye photobleaching is minimal, extending the length of time that a fluorescent sample is visible. The inherent flexibility of the DR optical system allows many different configurations of the Dark Reader to be constructed such as transilluminators, hand lamps and integrated transilluminator-electrophoresis units.     

Determination of the size, concentration, and refractive index of silica nanoparticles from turbidity spectra

The size and concentration of silica cores determine the size and concentration of silica/gold nanoshells in final preparations. Until now, the concentration of silica/gold nanoshells with Stober's silica core has been evaluated through the material balance assumption. Here, we describe a method for simultaneous determination of the average size and concentration of silica nanospheres from turbidity spectra measured within the 400-600 nm spectral band. As the refractive index of silica nanoparticles is the key input parameter for optical determination of their concentration, we propose an optical method and provide experimental data on a direct determination of the refractive index of silica particles n = 1.475 +/- 0.005. Finally, we exemplify our method by determining the particle size and concentration for 10 samples and compare the results with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and dynamic light scattering data.     

Size‐exclusion chromatography for the determination of the boiling point distribution of high‐boiling petroleum fractions

The paper describes a new procedure for the determination of boiling point distribution of high‐boiling petroleum fractions using size‐exclusion chromatography with refractive index detection. Thus far, the determination of boiling range distribution by chromatography has been accomplished using simulated distillation with gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. This study revealed that in spite of substantial differences in the separation mechanism and the detection mode, the size‐exclusion chromatography technique yields similar results for the determination of boiling point distribution compared with simulated distillation and novel empty column gas chromatography. The developed procedure using size‐exclusion chromatography has a substantial applicability, especially for the determination of exact final boiling point values for high‐boiling mixtures, for which a standard high‐temperature simulated distillation would have to be used. In this case, the precision of final boiling point determination is low due to the high final temperatures of the gas chromatograph oven and an insufficient thermal stability of both the gas chromatography stationary phase and the sample. Additionally, the use of high‐performance liquid chromatography detectors more sensitive than refractive index detection allows a lower detection limit for high‐molar‐mass aromatic compounds, and thus increases the sensitivity of final boiling point determination.     

Micro flow modules with combined fluid flow channel and optical detection waveguide - hyper Rayleigh scattering as a case study

Micro flow modules with optical detection have been fabricated in a way which enables optical waveguiding inside and a defined interaction length along the fluid channel. Because of the usually lower refractive index of the solution compared with that of the substrate, so-called "leaky" optical wave-guiding must be employed. The combination of the fluid flow channel function with that of the optical waveguide has advantages for all miniaturized optical detection cells. It has been shown for hyper Rayleigh scattering (HRS) that improvement of the analytical principle is inherent in the miniaturization. The detection limit can be enhanced by at least a factor of 20. The applied HRS measurement procedure also enables simultaneous detection of two photon absorption (TPA) fluorescence. The severe boundary conditions of capillary electrophoresis were used as micro flow module design constraints to enable the transfer of the approach to other types of analysis.     

A chip-scale universal detector for electrophoresis based on backscattering interferometry

An on-chip detector based on backscatter interferometry has been developed to perform sub-nanoliter volume refractive index measurements. The detection system consists of a simple, folded optical train based on the interaction of a laser beam and an etched channel in a silica (glass) plate. This etched channel is composed of two radii joined by a flat portion which define a curved surface in the shape of a half cylinder in a silica (glass) plate. The backscattered light from the channel takes on the form of a high contrast interference pattern that contains information related to the bulk properties of the fluid located within the probe volume. Positional changes of the interference pattern extrema (fringes) allow for the determination of refractive index changes at the 10(-6) level in a detection volume of 188 x 10(-12) L. Under capillary electrophoresis (CE) conditions, the injected mass detection limits for small molecules with little native absorption ranges from 530 fmol (0.18 ng) for sucrose to 720 fmol (0.43 nanograms) for raffinose. Fluorescein was also used to evaluate the technique for universal CE and under further optimized conditions can be quantified at the 150 microM level. Separation performance for the solutes tested ranged from about 2300 to 15,500 plates or 61,000 to 400,000 N m-1. The results presented here indicate there is potential for using the simple optical train of backscattering interferometry for on-chip universal solute analysis.     

含硫高折射率光学树脂合成及性能研究进展

作为无机玻璃的替代品,有机光学树脂具有轻质、抗冲击性好、易加工和可调性强等优点。折射率是光学树脂的主要参数之一,折射率的高低可直接影响成品镜片的厚度、美观性和舒适度。在不降低光学树脂综合性能的基础上提升光学树脂折射率一直是该领域的热点和难点,在光学树脂中引入高摩尔折射率的硫元素被认为是最有效和常用的方法之一。本文将含硫光学树脂分为烯烃类、环氧类、环硫类、多环类和聚氨酯类,简要综述了国内外近几年的研究进展,涉及单体合成、单体聚合以及单体结构对光学树脂综合性能影响,系统总结了以上材料的特性及发展。     

Quantitative characterization of the optical properties of absorbing polymer films: Comparative investigation of the internal reflection intensity analysis method

Nondestructive, three‐dimensional refractive‐index measurements are used for the determination of both the crystallinity and orientation in thin polymer films. The prism wave‐guide coupler is particularly suited for three‐dimensional isotropic and anisotropic thin‐film studies because of the quantitative character of the information obtained and the ease of data acquisition. It has been limited, however, to determining only the refractive index of transparent or weakly absorbing thin‐film samples. On the basis of thin‐film optics, this study develops a new internal reflection intensity analysis (IRIA) method, which uses the intensity information rather than the conventional mode angle values to acquire both the refractive index and the extinction coefficient over a range of transparent to highly absorbing polymer films. Therefore, the IRIA method overcomes the limitations of this prism wave‐guide coupler technique, which can only measure the refractive index of a weakly absorbing sample. With a Metricon PC‐2010 as the skeletal framework, a prototype instrument has been developed to apply and test the IRIA method. A study comparing both the refractive index and extinction coefficient obtained with ellipsometry, ultraviolet–visible/near‐infrared reflectometry, and IRIA for solvent blue 59 dyed polystyrene films confirms that the IRIA method is effective for obtaining the three‐dimensional refractive indices and extinction coefficients of polymer films. In addition, the refractive index and extinction coefficient spectrum (400–800 nm) of solvent blue 59 have been determined with the effective media theory. Furthermore, the three‐dimensional complex refractive indices of highly absorbing black electrical tape, inaccessible to other optical measurement because of its surface character, has been determined by the IRIA method. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 842–855, 2003     

Optimisation of an integrated optical evanescent wave absorbance sensor for the determination of chlorinated hydrocarbons in water

The suitability of an integrated optical chemical sensor for the determination of highly volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons in aqueous solutions has been proven. The analytes are detected by NIR absorption spectrometry in the evanescent field of an integrated optical strip waveguide generated in a BGG31 (Schott, Germany) glass substrate, which is coated with a hydrophobic polymer superstrate as sensing layer. It has been shown that the sensitivity increases when the refractive index of the superstrate is increased from 1.333 up to 1.46. Different UV-cured polysiloxanes with low cross sensitivity to water have been prepared. Due to the good light transmission properties of the IO-sensors prepared by this method, quantitative measurements have been performed with the model system trichloroethene (TCE) in water. A detection limit of 22 ppm has been found and the sensor response times (t(90)-value) are between five and fourteen minutes for a coating thickness of around 30 microm. The sensor response is totally reversible. The analyte desorbes in air within 2 min. The enrichment of trichloroethene in the polysiloxane coating can be described by film diffusion through the aqueous boundary layer as rate determining step.     

Chemical sensor based on a long-period fibre grating modified by a functionalized polydimethylsiloxane coating

A chemical sensor based on a coated long-period grating has been prepared and characterized. Designer coatings based on polydimethylsiloxane were prepared by the incorporation of diphenylsiloxane and titanium cross-linker in order to provide enhanced sensitivity for a variety of key environmental pollutants and optimal refractive index of the coating. Upon microextraction of the analyte into the polymer matrix, an increase in the refractive index of the coating resulted in a change in the attenuation spectrum of the long-period grating. The grating was interrogated using ring-down detection as a means to amplify the optical loss and to gain stability against misalignment and power fluctuations. Chemical differentiation of cyclohexane and xylene was achieved and a detection limit of 300 ppm of xylene vapour was realized.     

An integrated disposable dye clad leaky waveguide sensor for micro-TAS applications

An integrated, disposable, dye clad leaky waveguide (DCLW) device has been fabricated and tested for both refractive index and fluorescence detection in mu-TAS applications. The chip comprises the required flow geometry and optical coupling elements in a robust device that is relatively simple and inexpensive to fabricate. Disposable DCLW chips were fabricated at room temperature by spin-coating both the dye and silica sol-gel waveguiding layers on a polymer substrate which contained injection moulded grating coupler. These devices have been designed to increase the interaction of the evanescent field light at the channel wall and with the sample in the channel. The DCLW device has been used to detect changes in the refractive index of different percentages of glycerol solutions and to detect low concentrations down to 10(-12) M fluorescein using a grating coupler.     

高效毛细管电泳—激光干涉折射法测定多元醇的研究

本文应用高效毛细管电泳、激光干涉折射检测法研究了多元醇在四硼酸钠溶液中电泳行为。详细探讨了溶液ｐＨ值，四硼酸钠浓度及多元醇的结构对多元醇－硼酸配位离子淌度的影响。确定了高效毛细管电泳直接分离、激光干涉检测多元醇的新方法。     

Investigation of the fundamental behavior of long-period grating sensors

A new class of fiber optic sensor, long period gratings (LPG) optical sensors, has been investigated. The characteristics of the bare fiber LPG were studied. The LPG response to different refractive index standards, mixtures of methanol and ethanol were observed. The temperature dependence of LPG sensors was determined. A commercial LPG sensor for copper determination was evaluated.     

一种新的基于折射率变化的光纤化学传感器

在光纤化学传感器中,基于样品折射率变化的传感器是其中的重要分支,并获得了广泛的实际应用^[1].根据敏感部件的不同可将其分为两大类:一类的敏感部件是裸光纤,这类传感器已用于检测苯、甲醇和丙酮^[2],测定血样中葡萄糖浓度^[3],鉴定燃油质量.     

基于石墨烯光子晶体光纤的流体传感器

与传统的传感器设备阵列相比,由于结构更为简单,具有广泛检测兼容性的光纤系统逐渐成为分布式监测的有力候选者。然而,受工作机制的限制,大多数光纤传感器仍局限于对折射率等物理参数进行探测,一种用于环境化学监测的全光纤分布式传感系统亟待研发。本工作中,我们向化学气相沉积法生长的石墨烯光子晶体光纤(Gr-PCF)中引入了一种化学传感机制。初步结果表明,石墨烯光子晶体光纤可以选择性地检测浓度为ppb级的二氧化氮气体,并在液体中表现出离子敏感性。石墨烯光子晶体光纤与光纤通信系统的波分、时分复用技术结合后,将为实现分布式光学传感环境问题提供巨大的潜力和机会。     

A single-layer, planar, optofluidic Mach-Zehnder interferometer for label-free detection

We have developed a planar, optofluidic Mach-Zehnder interferometer for the label-free detection of liquid samples. In contrast to most on-chip interferometers which require complex fabrication, our design was realized via a simple, single-layer soft lithography fabrication process. In addition, a single-wavelength laser source and a silicon photodetector were the only optical equipment used for data collection. The device was calibrated using published data for the refractive index of calcium chloride (CaCl(2)) in solution, and the biosensing capabilities of the device were tested by detecting bovine serum albumin (BSA). Our design enables a refractometer with a low limit of detection (1.24 × 10(-4) refractive index units (RIU)), low variability (1 × 10(-4) RIU), and high sensitivity (927.88 oscillations per RIU). This performance is comparable to state-of-the-art optofluidic refractometers that involve complex fabrication processes and/or expensive, bulky optics. The advantages of our device (i.e. simple fabrication process, straightforward optical equipment, low cost, and high detection sensitivity) make it a promising candidate for future mass-producible, inexpensive, highly sensitive, label-free optical detection systems.     

Selection of solvents for the determination of the parameters P and Q for chemically heterogeneous copolymers by light scattering

A calculation method has been developed which makes possible, by using the refractive index values, the choice of solvents for a sufficiently accurate determination of the copolymer heterogeneity parameters (P and Q) by light scattering. If the expected P and Q values are estimated from other data (e.g. copolymerization kinetics), the method can be used to find out if (and where) there exist(s) such interval(s) or discrete point(s) on the scale of the refractive index of the solvents for which the following two conditions are met simultaneously: (i) the excess Rayleigh factor is so large, even at the lowest copolymer concentration used and the angle of measurement: 90°, that the apparent molecular weight of the copolymer. M_ap, can be determined with sufficient accuracy: (ii) mutual position of experimental points (three, at least) on the parabolic dependence M_ap vs optical variable (the ratio of the difference of refractive index increments of parent homopolymers to the refractive index increment of the copolymer) is such that the determination of parameters of this parabola is sufficiently accurate. The application of the method is demonstrated for three examples (block copolymer, random copolymer, and a mixture of homopolymers).