Effects of organic mobile phase modifiers in micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography

The addition of 1–20% (v/v) of methanol or acetonitrile as organic modifier to the mobile phase in a micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatographic (MECC) system, containing sodium dodecyl sulfate and a buffer, is shown to extend the elution range and thus increase the peak capacity of a given system. Although the net change in the elution range parameter, t_o/t_mc, is essentially the same for both modifiers, the acetonitrile-modified system exhibits much faster elution times for the polar and non-polar test solutes employed in this study. Retention, as measured by the capacity factor, is generally decreased with the increase of an organic modifier, just as in conventional reversed phase chromatography. However, changes in selectivity as a function of the added modifiers are noted among polar and non-polar solutes as well. The efficiency of these MECC systems is increased with the addition of either organic modifier.     

Electroosmotic flow of non‐Newtonian fluids in a constriction microchannel

Insulator‐based dielectrophoresis has to date been almost entirely restricted to Newtonian fluids despite the fact that many of the chemical and biological fluids exhibit non‐Newtonian characteristics. We present herein an experimental study of the fluid rheological effects on the electroosmotic flow of four types of polymer solutions, i.e., 2000 ppm xanthan gum (XG), 5% polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), 3000 ppm polyethylene oxide (PEO), and 200 ppm polyacrylamide (PAA) solutions, through a constriction microchannel under DC electric fields of up to 400 V/cm. We find using particle streakline imaging that the fluid elasticity does not change significantly the electroosmotic flow pattern of weakly shear‐thinning PVP and PEO solutions from that of a Newtonian solution. In contrast, the fluid shear‐thinning causes multiple pairs of flow circulations in the weakly elastic XG solution, leading to a central jet with a significantly enhanced speed from before to after the channel constriction. These flow vortices are, however, suppressed in the strongly viscoelastic and shear‐thinning PAA solution.     

Optimization of resolution in micellar electrokinetic chromatography

A comparison of separations conducted in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and SDS modified with Brij 35 indicates that selectivity, in Micellar Electrokinetic Chromatography (MEKC), is governed by the composition of the micellar phase. Beyond selectivity optimization, resolution may be improved by increasing efficiency or decreasing electroosmotic flow. Of these approaches, increasing capillary length (to improve efficiency) should be a more time effective means of improving separation.     

The effect of conditioning of fused-silica capillaries on their electrophoretic performance

In CE practice, conditioning of the capillary tube with strong base, acid, or both in sequence, has been recognized as essential to obtain reasonable precision in electroosmotic mobility (EOM), and consequently, in the migration times of analytes. This report focuses on the comparative study of three different approaches for capillary conditioning: etching with HF, etching with NaOH, and leaching with HCl after NaOH treatment. EOM-based measurements, including the hysteresis effect that characterizes the dependence of EOM with pH, were used to evaluate the conditioned silica surface. Additionally, indirect inspection of the conditioned surface was carried out by examining the electrophoretic profile of the cationic probe Ru(bpy)(3) (2+), known to strongly interact with the ionized silica surface while displaying no significant acid-base activity. It was shown that, once conditioned and prior to any CE measurement, extensive rinse of the capillary with the running electrolyte at high flow rate was essential to attain relatively rapid re-equilibration of the tube with the fluid. Insufficient rinse with the running electrolyte would result in negatively biased EOM measurements and significant drift in migration times. It was also established that relatively high flow rates of 1 M NaOH conditioning solution (4-5 column volumes per minute) was required to attain capillaries with reproducible electrophoretic performance within a reasonable conditioning time (typically, 1 h). In addition to relatively more extensive rehydroxylation of the silica surface, evidenced by the highest EOM values obtained, the sequential use of NaOH-etching and HCl-leaching provided better precision than HF-etching or NaOH-etching alone.     

Nanoporous Au Formation on Au Substrates via High Voltage Electrolysis**

Nanoporous Au (NPG) films have promising properties, making them suitable for various applications in (electro)catalysis or (bio)sensing. Tuning the structural properties, such as the pore size or the surface-to-volume ratio, often requires complex starting materials such as alloys, multiple synthesis steps, lengthy preparation procedures or a combination of these factors. Here we present an approach that circumvents these difficulties, enabling for a rapid and controlled preparation of NPG films starting from a bare Au electrode. In a first approach a Au oxide film is prepared by high voltage (HV) electrolysis in a KOH solution, which is then reduced either electrochemically or in the presence of H₂O₂. The resulting NPG structures and their electrochemically active surface areas strongly depend on the reduction procedure, the concentration and temperature of the H₂O₂-containing KOH solution, as well as the applied voltage and temperature during HV electrolysis. Secondly, the NPG film can be prepared directly by applying voltages that result in anodic contact glow discharge electrolysis (aCGDE). By carefully adjusting the corresponding parameters, the surface area of the final NPG film can be specifically controlled. The structural properties of the electrodes are investigated by means of XPS, SEM and electrochemical methods.     

Performance improvement of plasmonic sensors using a combination of AC electrokinetic effects for (bio)target capture

Analytes concentration techniques are being developed with the appealing expectation to boost the performance of biosensors. One promising method lies in the use of electrokinetic forces. We present hereafter a new design for a microstructured plasmonic sensor which is obtained by conventional microfabrication techniques, and which can easily be adapted on a classical surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRI) system without further significant modification. Dielectrophoretic trapping and electro‐osmotic displacement of the targets in the scanned fluid are performed through interdigitated 200 μm wide gold electrodes that also act as the SPR‐sensing substrate. We demonstrate the efficiency of our device's collection capabilities for objects of different sizes (200 nm and 1 μm PS beads, as well as 5–10 μm yeast cells). SPRI is relevant for the spatial analysis of the mass accumulation at the electrode surface. We demonstrate that our device overcomes the diffusion limit encountered in classical SPR sensors thanks to rapid collection capabilities (<1 min) and we show a consequent improvement of the detection limit, by a factor >300. This study of an original device combining SPRI and electrokinetic forces paves the way to the development of fully integrated active plasmonic sensors with direct applications in life sciences, electrochemistry, environmental monitoring and agri‐food industry.     

Characterization of electrokinetic mobility of microparticles in order to improve dielectrophoretic concentration

Insulator-based dielectrophoresis (iDEP), an efficient technique with great potential for miniaturization, has been successfully applied for the manipulation of a wide variety of bioparticles. When iDEP is applied employing direct current (DC) electric fields, other electrokinetic transport mechanisms are present: electrophoresis and electroosmotic flow. In order to concentrate particles, iDEP has to overcome electrokinetics. This study presents the characterization of electrokinetic flow under the operating conditions employed with iDEP; in order to identify the optimal conditions for particle concentration employing DC-iDEP, microparticle image velocimetry (μPIV) was employed to measure the velocity of 1-μm-diameter inert polystyrene particles suspended inside a microchannel made from glass. Experiments were carried out by varying the properties of the suspending medium (conductivity from 25 to 100 μS/cm and pH from 6 to 9) and the strength of the applied electric field (50–300 V/cm); the velocities values obtained ranged from 100 to 700 μm/s. These showed that higher conductivity and lower pH values for the suspending medium produced the lowest electrokinetic flow, improving iDEP concentration of particles, which decreases voltage requirements. These ideal conditions for iDEP trapping (pH = 6 and σ _m = 100 μS/cm) were tested experimentally and with the aid of mathematical modeling. The μPIV measurements allowed obtaining values for the electrokinetic mobilities of the particles and the zeta potential of the glass surface; these values were used with a mathematical model built with COMSOL Multiphysics software in order to predict the dielectrophoretic and electrokinetic forces exerted on the particles; the modeling results confirmed the μPIV findings. Experiments with iDEP were carried out employing the same microparticles and a glass microchannel that contained an array of cylindrical insulating structures. By applying DC electric fields across the insulating structures array, it was seen that the dielectrophoretic trapping was improved when the electrokinetic force was the lowest; as predicted by μPIV measurements and the mathematical model. The results of this study provide guidelines for the selection of optimal operating conditions for improving insulator-based dielectrophoretic separations and have the potential to be extended to bioparticle applications. Figure Comparison of experimental measurements and mathematical modeling of electrokinetic and dielectrophoretic effects on microparticles

Effect of a surface charge on the halfwidth and peak position of cluster plasmons in colloidal metal particles

The optical response of colloidal particles depends on a variety of properties of the cluster, e.g., shape, size, size distribution and particle material. Since particles often are charged, also the surface charge may be a parameter which influences their optical properties. In this paper the effect of a surface charge on optical properties of spherical colloidal particles is studied and its magnitude is estimated by extended computations for silver clusters with surface plasmon in aqueous suspension. Two models are presented and discussed. The first model is based on the electrodynamic solution by Bohren and Hunt (Can. J. Phys. 55, 1930 (1977)), where a surface conductivity _S for a free surface charge yield an additional contribution _S to the dielectric constant of the particle material. In the second model, the surface charge contributes to the number density of free electrons in the cluster. Both models lead to a shift of the cluster plasmon peak, while an increase of the plasmon halfwidth could not be derived. The effect is quite small and limited on very small clusters.PACS 61.46+w 73.20.Mf 78.20.Dj     

Calculation of the electric polarizability of a charged spherical dielectric particle by the theory of colloidal electrokinetics

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is increasingly being explored as a means to manipulate or separate colloidal particles. The direction and strength of the DEP force depend strongly on the induced dipole strength, K, of a polarized particle, and predictions of DEP forces require carefully computed values for K. In this paper, we present the calculation of the dipole strength using the full electrokinetic theory of Mangelsdorf and White for both static and oscillating electric fields. The effects of particle zeta potential, radius, Debye length and electrolyte composition on the magnitude and sign of Re(K) are discussed. The full theory model is compared with the extended Maxwell-Wagner (EMW) model and the results show that the EMW model can fail to predict the full Re(K) variation with frequency, even predicting Re(K) with the incorrect sign depending on system parameters. A program for the dipole strength calculation shown in this paper is available from the authors.     

Electrokinetic flow and electric conduction of salt-free solutions in a capillary

The electrokinetic flow and accompanied electric conduction of a salt-free solution in the axial direction of a charged circular capillary are analyzed. No assumptions are made about the surface charge density (or surface potential) and electrokinetic radius of the capillary, which are interrelated. The Poisson–Boltzmann equation and modified Navier–Stokes equation are solved for the electrostatic potential distribution and fluid velocity profile, respectively. Closed-form formulas for the electroosmotic mobility and electric conductivity in the capillary are derived in terms of the surface charge density. The relative surface potential, electroosmotic mobility, and electric conductivity are monotonic increasing functions of the surface charge density and electrokinetic radius. However, the rises of the relative surface potential and electroosmotic mobility with an increase in the surface charge density are suppressed substantially when it is high due to the effect of counterion condensation. The analytical prediction that the electroosmotic mobility grows with increases in the surface charge density and electrokinetic radius agrees with the experimental results for salt-free solutions in circular microchannels in the literature.     

Effect of pH on hydrophilicity and charge and their effect on the filtration efficiency of NF membranes at different pH

In this work the effect of pH on membrane structure, its permeability and retention was studied. In addition, we studied whether the possible changes in the membrane properties due to the pH change are reversible. This is important for understanding the performance of nanofiltration membranes at different conditions and for the selection of cleaning processes. Moreover, the results facilitate the choice of membrane for specific applications.

Several commercial NF membranes were studied at different pH values. Their retention and flux were explained by the charge and the hydrophilic characteristics of the membranes. The filtrations were made with uncharged sugar and salt solutions.

The lower the membrane contact angle (i.e., a more hydrophilic membrane) the higher was the change in apparent zeta potential when pH was increased from 4 to 7. As a result, the retention of ions with more hydrophilic membranes changed more than hydrophobic ones when the pH was increased in the feed solution. However, some membranes retained ions well at high pH although their apparent zeta potential or hydrophilicity was relatively low. These membranes had charge inside the pores and it was not detected by streaming potential measurement along the surface or by measuring the contact angle of the surface. Thus, the apparent zeta potential of the exterior membrane surface did not sufficiently describe the ionic transport through the membrane. In addition, some membranes became significantly more open at high pH (i.e., flux increased). This was explained by the chemical nature of the polymer chains in the membrane skin layer, i.e., dissociating groups in the polymer made the surface more hydrophilic and looser when charges of the polymer chains started to repel each other at elevated pH. Generally, the retention of uncharged glucose decreased more at high pH than the salt retention. The changes in permeabilities and retentions were found to be mostly reversible in the pH range studied (very slowly in some cases, however).     

Modeling of electrokinetic transport in silica nanofluidic channels

We present a theoretical and numerical modeling study of the multiphysicochemical process in electrokinetic transport in silica nanochannels. The electrochemical boundary condition is solved by considering both the chemical equilibrium on solid-liquid interfaces and the salt concentration enrichment caused by the double layer interaction. The transport behavior is modeled numerically by solving the governing equations using the lattice Poisson-Boltzmann method. The framework is validated by good agreements with the experimental data for all range of ionic concentrations. The modeling results suggest that when the double layers interact, the bulk salt concentration enrichment results in the saturation of conductances for low ionic concentrations. Both the streaming conductance and the electrical conductance are enhanced by the double layer interaction, and such enhancements diminish when the channel size is larger than 10 times of the Debye length. The streaming conductance increases with pH almost linearly when pH < 8, while the electrical conductance increases with pH exponentially.     

Selectivity Control in Micellar Electrokinetic Chromatography by Modification of Micellar Surface with Cyclohexanol

Abstract

The effect of cyclohexanol added to the micellar solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate in the micellar electrokinetic chromatography of several aromatic compounds was investigated. Cyclohexanol (0.05–-0.10 M) diminished the capacity factors (k') of the solutes possessing hydrophilic functional groups which were solubilized near the micellar surface, whereas little changed the k' of the hydrophobic solutes solubilized in the micellar core. This selective effect was ascribed to the saturation of the micellar surface with cyclohexanol.     

The effect of acrylic acid amount on the colloidal properties of polystyrene latex

Poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) (St/AA) latices were prepared by using a batch soap-free emulsion copolymerisation in non-buffered medium. Polymerisation kinetics, followed by gravimetric method, revealed that increasing AA comonomer concentration was directly proportional to the copolymerisation rate, while adding AA comonomer caused a strong decrease of particle size of final St/AA latex particle without affecting the size distribution. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that the particles were monodispersed and spherical in shape irrespective of AA amount used in the investigated range. The colloidal stability of the latices was increased upon increasing the AA concentration; owing to the electrosteric stabilisation originated from AA-rich layer on the particle surface. In addition, electrophoretic mobility of formed particles versus polymerisation conversion exhibited the constancy of the surface charge density during the polymerisation process and was inferred for discussion of the polymerisation mechanism of this system.     

Metal- and proton-binding properties of a core-shell latex: interpretation in terms of colloid surface models

The cadmium binding properties of a core-shell latex were investigated using differential pulse polarography. The latex particles have a polystyrene core which is surrounded by a hydrophilic shell containing a low density of sulphonic and carboxylic groups. For this core-shell latex dispersion, the binding of protons and metal ions can be analyzed reasonably well using Donnan's potential model [J.T. Davies and E.K. Rideal, Interfacial Phenomenon, Academic Press, New York, 1961]. However, the correction of Ohshima and Kondo [H.O. Ohshima and T. Konda, Biophys. Chem., 39 (1991) 181] of the Donnan model for the distribution of ions in the double layer near and in the shell is a real improvement. In this way, the binding constants of cadmium(II)with the surface groups of latex were separated into their intrinsic and electrostatic parts. The intrinsic constant for binding of cadmium(II) to carboxylic groups, obtained in this way, was similar to literature values.     

Facet-Dependent Formation and Adhesion of Au Oxide and Nanoporous Au on Poly-Oriented Au Single Crystals**

Nanoporous Au (NPG) has different properties compared to bulk Au, making it an interesting material for numerous applications. To modify the structure of NPG films for specific applications, e. g., the porosity, thickness, and homogeneity of the films, a fundamental understanding of the structure formation is essential. Here, we focus on NPG prepared via electrochemical reduction from Au oxide formed during high voltage (HV) electrolysis on poly-oriented Au single crystal (Au POSC) electrodes. These POSCs consist of a metal bead, with faces with different crystallographic orientations and allow screening of the influence of crystallographic orientation on the structure formation for different facets in one experiment. The HV electrolysis is performed between 100 ms and 30 s at 300 V and 540 V. The amount of Au oxide formed is determined by electrochemical measurements and the structural properties are investigated by scanning electron and optical microscopy. We show that the formation of Au oxide is mostly independent of the crystallographic orientation, except for thick layers, while the macroscopic structure of the NPG films depends on experimental parameters such as the Au oxide precursor thickness and the crystallographic orientation of the substrate. Possible reasons for the frequently observed exfoliation of the NPG films are discussed.