Liquid crystal-based capacitive,electro-optical and dielectric biosensors for protein quantitation

ABSTRACT

The electrical, electro-optical and dielectric properties of liquid crystals (LCs) are routinely manipulated in liquid-crystal display (LCD) devices, but their potential application in the development of biosensors is still in a nascent stage. In this review, utilising the electrical properties, electro-optical effect and dielectric anisotropy in LCs, we provide insights into several possible modes of label-free biodetection and describe how capacitance, electro-optical and dielectric measurements of various LCs assist in quantitative analysis of biomolecules. It is concluded that the electrically induced biosensing techniques proposed here provides new incentives for researchers to study the interaction between LCs and biomolecules and to resolve technical hurdles facing the development of LC-based biosensors.     

Periodic electro-optical characteristics of ion-doped Smectic A phase liquid crystals driven by a low-frequency electric field

Functional liquid crystal (LC)-based electro-optical materials are promising candidates in a wide range of smart fields due to their excellent external stimuli-responsive characteristics. Herein, ion-doped Smectic A (SmA)-phase LCs gradually change from a transparent to a scattering state and then return to the transparent state via a circularly driven low-frequency electric field. All optical states can be maintained after removing the electric field. This phenomenon is due to charge transport and convection effects that appear and disappear periodically in SmA LCs doped with suitable ionic liquids. Diverse periodic characteristics were observed upon applying electric fields with different waveforms (e.g. square, sawtooth, and sine). Furthermore, the optical contrast of the periodic feature was abated by increasing the frequency of the electric field. These ion-doped SmA LCs can be widely used in multi-stable optical devices, optical switches, and timers, etc.     

Tripolyphosphate-sensitive egg phosphatidylcholine liposomes incorporating hydrophobically modified poly(ethylene imine)

Liposomes, which release their contents in answer to tripolyphosphate (TPP, a penta-anion), were prepared by immobilizing hydrophobically modified poly(ethylene imine) (HmPEI) on the surface of egg phosphatidylcholine (egg PC) liposome. HmPEI was prepared by covalently attaching decanoyl chloride to PEI through a condensation reaction. According to the ¹H NMR spectrum, the number of decanoyl chloride per one molecule of PEI was about 21, and HmPEI was air/water interface-active. HmPEI could readily complex with TPP in HEPES buffer (30 mM, pH 7.0), confirmed by Fourier transformed infrared spectrophotometer spectroscopy. The complexation increased with increasing the concentration of HmPEI and TPP, investigated through the measurement of optical density and light scattering intensity. Liposomes incorporating HmPEI were prepared by a film hydration and sonication method. The liposomes were multi-lamellar vesicles, observed on transmission electron microscope. Liposomes free of HmPEI did not release calcien when they were mixed with TPP. Liposomes whose egg PC/HmPEI was relatively low (e.g., 20:1 and 20:2) released calcein but not extensively (less than 10%) when mixed with TPP. Liposomes whose egg PC/HmPEI was relatively high (e.g., 20:4 and 20:20) released calcein extensively. For example, when the liposomes with lager amount of HmPEI were mixed with TPP so that HmPEI/TPP weight ratio was 8:1, the release degree in 60 sec was more than 70%. HmPEI can complex with TPP through electrostatic interaction and the complexation was thought to cause perturbation in the liposomal membranes and trigger the release.     

Detection of mRNA from Escherichia coli in drinking water on nanostructured polymeric surfaces using liquid crystals

In this study, we demonstrate the detection of mRNA from Escherichia coli in drinking water using thermotropic liquid crystals (LCs). After hybridization of complementary mRNA with the single-stranded DNA immobilized on a polymer substrate containing periodic sinusoidal wave patterns, the orientation of LCs transits from a uniform to a non-uniform state, thereby inducing a change in the optical response of LCs. The periodic sinusoidal features of the polymer substrate are obtained through buckling the poly-(dimethylsiloxane) slide on a cylindrical surface, followed by replicating the associated relief structures on a poly-(urethaneacrylate) surface, where a film of gold was deposited. Then, thiol-modified single-stranded DNA was functionalized on the gold film as an mRNA receptor. The formation of mRNA–single-stranded DNA complex, which covers the sinusoidal nanostructures on the surface, induces the orientational transition of LCs. This result indicates that LCs can be used to report the specific hybridization of mRNA with single-stranded DNA, which holds promise for the sensitive and label-free detection of viable bacterial pathogens in drinking water.

Liquid Crystals Anchored on Mixed Monolayers of Chiral versus Achiral Molecules: Continuous Change in Orientation as a Function of Enantiomeric Excess

The orientations of liquid crystals (LCs) anchored on monolayers formed from mixtures of chiral versus achiral molecules were compared. Changes in the enantiomeric excess of mixed monolayers of chiral dipeptides gave rise to continuous changes in the orientations of nematic LCs, allowing arbitrary tuning of the azimuthal orientations of LCs over a range of ≈100°. In contrast, the same LCs exhibited discontinuous changes in orientation on surfaces presenting mixtures of achiral molecules. These striking differences in the anchoring of LCs on surfaces presenting chiral versus achiral molecules provide insights into the molecular origins of ordering transitions of LCs, and provide new principles based on chiral monolayers for the rational design of surfaces that permit continuous tuning of the orientations of LCs.     

Reactivity of singlet oxygen generated by the photosensitization of tetraphenylporphyrin in liposomes

A hydrophobic porphyrin derivative, tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP), was used as a sensitizer, and an anionic dye, methyl orange (MO), was employed as a substrate of photooxidation. TPP was incorporated into the hydrophobic environment of phosphatidylcholine (PC) bilayer membranes, liposomes. When oxygen was purged out of the liposome suspension by nitrogen bubbling, the degradation of MO was completely inhibited. A specific superoxide scavenger, superoxide dismutase, had no effect on the MO degradation. The replacement of H₂O by D₂O resulted in a 10 times enhancement in the photodegradation of MO. These results suggested that singlet oxygen was generated by the TPP photosensitization and worked as the mediator of the photoreaction from TPP. Trisulphonated TPP,-phenyl-,, -tri(p-sulphonyl)porphyrin (TPPS), is soluble in aqueous solution. The light irradiation to an aqueous solution of TPPS gave rise to the rapid bleaching (decomposition) of the sensitizer itself. On the other hand, TPP in the hydrophobic environment of liposomes was stable during light irradiation and worked as a sensitizer for the continuous photoreaction. Maximum reactivity was observed at the PC/TPP mole ratio of 50. When TPP molecules were incorporated into liposomes at larger concentrations (PC/TPP<50), a part of the excitation energy of the sensitizer molecules was nonradiatively converted into the lattice energy by the resonance between the closely located TPP molecules. This led to lower efficiency for the photoactivation of oxygen. On the other hand, the increase in liposome concentration resulted in the enhancement of the MO binding to lipid membranes and the retardation of MO degradation. Also, the electrostatic attraction and repulsion between the membrane and the substrate influenced the reaction rate greatly. The oxidative degradations of the substrate by singlet oxygen were considered to be much faster in the polar environment than in the less polar environment. The charge transfer or the polarized transition complex of singulet oxygen and MO are presumed to be stabilized in the polar environment. The distribution of substrate between the less polar membrane surface and the polar bulk aqueous solution was another important factor in the photooxidation.     

Thermal and electrical properties of porphyrin derivatives and their relevance for molecule interferometry

The authors present new measurements of thermal and electrical properties for two porphyrin derivatives. They determine their sublimation enthalpy from the temperature dependence of the effusive beam intensity. The authors study H2TPP and Fe(TPP)Cl in matter-wave interferometry. Both molecules have nearly equal de Broglie wavelengths but different internal characteristics: only Fe(TPP)Cl exhibits an electric dipole moment of about 2.7 D and the authors discuss its influence on the molecular interference pattern. The authors add an external electric force field to the interferometer and use it to measure the scalar polarizability. They compare their experimental values alpha(H2TPP)=105+/-4+/-6 A3 and alpha(Fe(TPP)Cl)=102+/-9+/-6 A3 to ab initio calculations and they discuss the influence of thermal excitations on the polarizability.     

Dynamic self-assembly of nanoparticles using thermotropic liquid crystals

ABSTRACT

3D nanoparticle-based materials with reconfigurable structure have gained vast attention due to the unique possibility of tailoring nanoparticle-related quantum confinement effects. These properties make active nanoparticle assemblies promising candidates for future optoelectronic and metamaterial technologies; however, integration of these materials into real-world applications is still challenging. In this context, the use of stimuli responsive liquid-crystals (LCs) offers a fascinating and industrially feasible strategy for active directing of NPs. Here, we briefly review LCs/NPs hybrid systems in which dynamic behaviour is achieved by affecting either LC matrix or LC ligands. We also experimentally evaluate a complementary strategy based on directly affecting metallic core of LC-covered NPs in an Ostwald ripening process.     

Composite liquid crystal-polymer electrolytes in dye-sensitised solar cells: effects of mesophase alkyl chain length

The doping of polymer electrolytes (PEs) with liquid crystal (LC) materials has been shown to improve the performance of dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSCs). This is achieved by promoting ionic conduction and increasing optical path length through multiple-light scattering within the photovoltaic devices. In LCs, it is well known that the length of the alkyl chain plays an important role since the LC morphology and mesophase stabilisation depend strongly on the alkyl group. In this work, liquid crystal-polymer composite electrolytes (LC-PEs) are prepared using nematic LCs with different alkyl chain lengths. The morphology of the LC-PEs is investigated and correlated with their electrical properties. Subsequently, DSSCs are prepared using the LC-PEs as a direct example of its application. It is shown that increasing the alkyl chain length of the LCs reduces the efficiency of the solar devices. The longer alkyl chains are speculated to intertwine, thus trapping the mobile ions and reducing the bulk ionic conductivity. For the same reason, longer alkyl chain LCs are thought to be unable to passivate the TiO₂ surface through the adsorption of cyanobiphenyl groups and hence the higher probability of back recombination reaction between the electrons in TiO₂ and PE.     

On the flow-phase diagram for discotic liquid crystals in uniaxial extension and compression

A mesoscopic, extended Doi theory for flows of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) has been successfully applied by Rey to study extensional flow-induced, homogeneous phase transitions both for rod-like and disc-like molecular geometry. Rey analysed the two order parameters (eigenvalues) of the orientation tensor. Recently the authors generalized the flow-phase diagram (nematic concentration vs. flow rate) for rod-like nematics by analysing all tensor degrees of freedom, i.e. by coupling the three director (eigenvector) degrees of freedom. Here we record and discuss subtleties of the corresponding diagram for discotic LCs in uniaxial extension and uniaxial compression. We focus here on the induced stable orientation configurations. Uniaxial extension (an idealization of fibre flow) yields a low concentration region of unique oblate uniaxial states at every flow rate; a very small finite region of bi-stable oblate and biaxial states; and the predominant region, encompassing all concentrations above the pure I-N transition and all flow rates, where the only stable steady state is a biaxial pattern. Furthermore, whereas uniaxial states are 'unique', all biaxial states occur in a continuous family, corresponding to an arbitrary positioning of the director pair in the plane transverse to the flow axis of symmetry. Uniaxial compression (an idealization of film stretching flow) of discotic LCs exclusively yields stable prolate uniaxial patterns.     

Synthesis and properties of photoalignable aromatic polyesters containing phenylenediacrylate units in their backbones and n‐alkyl moieties in their side groups

A series of poly[oxy(4‐n‐alkyl‐3,5‐benzoate)oxy‐1,4‐phenylenediacryloyl]s (PPDA‐CnBZ polymers) with high molecular weights was synthesized. These polymers exhibit excellent solubility in some common organic solvents and produce good quality films using conventional spin‐casting and drying processes. The polymers are thermally stable up to 357–362 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere; their glass transition temperatures are greater than 121 °C. The photoreactions and photoalignments of the polymers were investigated using ultraviolet‐visible and infrared spectroscopy, and their liquid crystal (LC) alignment properties were examined. The phenylenediacrylate (PDA) chromophores in the polyesters were found to mainly undergo photocyclization upon ultraviolet light irradiation. Irradiation of the polyester films with linearly polarized ultraviolet light (LPUVL) induces preferential orientation of the polymer main chains, while the unreacted PDA chromophores are aligned along the direction perpendicular to the electric vector of the LPUVL. All the films irradiated with LPUVL were found to align LCs in a direction perpendicular to the electric vector of the LPUVL. Moreover, these LC alignments persisted even on irradiated films annealed at temperatures up to 210 °C, which is much higher than the glass transition temperatures of the polyesters. These LC alignment characteristics are due to the anisotropic interactions of the LC molecules with the oriented polymer chains and with the unreacted PDA chromophores. LC alignments on the polyester film surfaces have homeotropic to homogeneous characteristics, depending on the length of the n‐alkyl side group, providing strong evidence that the n‐alkyl side groups of the polyesters play a critical role in determining the pretilt angles of the LCs. The LC pretilt angles were also found to be influenced by the thermal annealing history of the irradiated films. In summary, the excellent properties of the PPDA‐CnBZ polymers make them promising candidate materials for use as LC alignment layers in advanced LC display devices. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1322–1334, 2004     

Self-assembly of organic molecules at metal surfaces

Self-assembly represents a promising strategy for surface functionalisation as well as creating nanostructures with well-controlled, tailor-made properties and functionality. Molecular self-assembly at solid surfaces is governed by the subtle interplay between molecule–molecule and molecule–substrate interactions that can be tuned by varying molecular building blocks, surface chemistry and structure as well as substrate temperature.In this review, basic principles behind molecular self-assembly of organic molecules on metal surfaces will be discussed. Controlling these formation principles allows for creating a wide variety of different molecular surface structures ranging from well-defined clusters, quasi one-dimensional rows to ordered, two-dimensional overlayers. An impressive number of studies exist, demonstrating the ability of molecular self-assembly to create these different structural motifs in a predictable manner by tuning the molecular building blocks as well as the metallic substrate.Here, the multitude of different surface structures of the natural amino acid cysteine on two different gold surfaces observed with scanning tunnelling microscopy will be reviewed. Cysteine on Au(110)-(1×2) represents a model system illustrating the formation of all the above mentioned structural motifs without changing the molecular building blocks or the substrate surface. The only parameters in this system are substrate temperature and molecular coverage, controlling both the molecular adsorption state (physisorption versus chemisorption) and molecular surface mobility. By tuning the adsorption state and the molecular mobility, distinctly different molecular structures are formed, exemplifying the variety of structural motifs that can be achieved by molecular self-assembly.     

On the flow-phase diagram for discotic liquid crystals in uniaxial extension and compression

A mesoscopic, extended Doi theory for flows of nematic liquid crystals (LCs) has been successfully applied by Rey to study extensional flow-induced, homogeneous phase transitions both for rod-like and disc-like molecular geometry. Rey analysed the two order parameters (eigenvalues) of the orientation tensor. Recently the authors generalized the flow-phase diagram (nematic concentration vs. flow rate) for rod-like nematics by analysing all tensor degrees of freedom, i.e. by coupling the three director (eigenvector) degrees of freedom. Here we record and discuss subtleties of the corresponding diagram for discotic LCs in uniaxial extension and uniaxial compression. We focus here on the induced stable orientation configurations. Uniaxial extension (an idealization of fibre flow) yields a low concentration region of unique oblate uniaxial states at every flow rate; a very small finite region of bi-stable oblate and biaxial states; and the predominant region, encompassing all concentrations above the pure I-N transition and all flow rates, where the only stable steady state is a biaxial pattern. Furthermore, whereas uniaxial states are 'unique', all biaxial states occur in a continuous family, corresponding to an arbitrary positioning of the director pair in the plane transverse to the flow axis of symmetry. Uniaxial compression (an idealization of film stretching flow) of discotic LCs exclusively yields stable prolate uniaxial patterns.     

Morphological evolution in dewetting polystyrene/polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane thin film bilayers

Morphological evolution in dewetting thin film bilayers of polystyrene (PS) and a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), trisilanolphenyl-POSS (TPP), was studied as a function of annealing temperature and annealing time. The results demonstrate unique dewetting morphologies in PS/TPP bilayers at elevated temperatures that are significantly different from those typically observed in dewetting polymer/polymer bilayers. During temperature ramp studies by optical microscopy (OM) in the reflection mode, PS/TPP bilayers form cracks with a weak optical contrast at approximately 130 degrees C. The crack formation is attributed to tensile stresses within the upper TPP layer. The weak optical contrast of the cracks observed in the bilayers for annealing temperatures below approximately 160 degrees C is consistent with the cracking and dewetting of only the upper TPP layer from the underlying PS layer. The optical contrast of the morphological features is significantly enhanced at annealing temperatures of >160 degrees C. This observation suggests dewetting of both the upper TPP and the lower PS layers that results in the exposure of the silicon substrate. Upon annealing the PS/TPP bilayers at 200 degrees C in a temperature jump experiment, the upper TPP layer undergoes instantaneous cracking as observed by OM. These cracks in the upper TPP layer serve as nucleation sites for rapid dewetting and aggregation of the TPP layer, as revealed by OM and atomic force microscopy (AFM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results indicated that dewetting of the lower PS layer ensued for annealing times >5 min and progressed up to 90 min. For annealing times >90 min, OM, AFM, and XPS results revealed complete dewetting of both the layers with the formation of TPP encapsulated PS droplets.     

Synthesis and characterisation of novel isoxazole-based banana liquid crystals from naturally occurring curcumin

Isoxazole-based bent-core liquid crystals (LCs) derived from naturally occurring curcumin were synthesised and their LC properties were investigated by polarising optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction techniques. Five compounds, including a branched alkyl chain derivative, were prepared and characterised. These derivatives exhibit enantiotropic mesophases. While lower homologues display wide-temperature-range nematic phase, a longer-chain derivative 3d shows smectic C phase in addition to the nematic phase. The bent angle in these compounds is in between calamitic LCs and banana LCs. Therefore, the molecules escape from polar order packing observed in typical bent-core LCs. Increasing the length of alkyl chain reduces both melting and isotropic temperatures in the series. However, the compound with branched alkyl chains exhibits significant reduction in the nematic-isotropic temperature only. Detailed XRD experiments confirm the presence of the N phase in the lower homologues and SmC phase in a higher homologue.     

Optical activity of chiral thin film and liquid crystal hybrids

Using the glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique, we have fabricated porous, chiral thin films with optically anisotropic helical microstructures that exhibit optical phenomena such as wavelength specific rotation of linearly polarized light. Initial research has shown that the porosity of the films allows for the addition of nematic liquid crystals (NLCs) to the films for promising applications in dynamically switchable devices, while simultaneously enhancing the optical properties of the film. This study describes the fundamental optical behaviour of LC-filled chiral thin films in relation to material, porosity, structure and thickness. It was found that for SiO₂ films, the addition of NLCs increased the effective rotatory power by two-fold when compared with results from the film without added LCs. The rotatory power of Al₂O₃ and MgF₂ films, while being similarly increased by the addition of LCs, exhibited a reversal in sign, or direction of rotation, for the visible wavelength spectrum investigated. The effects of film porosity and structure were studied by varying the angle of incidence from 83° to 86°; it was found that the greater porosity of the films deposited at larger angles allowed for more filling by the LCs and thus a larger increase in rotatory power. Finally, the addition of LCs was observed to shift the wavelength of peak rotation towards smaller values.     

Composite PET Membrane with Nanostructured Ag/AgTCNQ Schottky Junctions: Electrochemical Nanofabrication and Charge‐Transfer Properties

Large‐area nanostructured Ag/Ag‐tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) Schottky junctions are fabricated electrochemically on a mesoporous polyethylene terephthalate (PET) membrane‐supported water/1, 2‐dichloroethane (DCE) interface. When the interface is polarized, Ag⁺ ions transfer across the PET membrane from the aqueous phase and are reduced to form metallic Ag on the PET membrane, which reacts further with tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) in the DCE phase to form nanostructured Ag/AgTCNQ Schottky junctions. Once the mesoporous membrane is blocked by metallic Ag, a bipolar mechanism is proposed to explain the successive growth of AgTCNQ nanorods and Ag film on each side of the PET membrane. Due to the well‐formed nanostructure of Ag/AgTCNQ Schottky junctions, the direct electrochemical behavior is observed, which is essential to explain the physicochemical mechanism of its electric performance. Moreover, the composite PET membrane with nanostructured Ag/AgTCNQ Schottky junctions is tailorable and can be assembled directly into electric devices without any pretreatment.     

Stripping chronopotentiometric measurements of lead(II) and cadmium(II) in soils extracts and wastewaters using a bismuth film screen-printed electrode assembly

The key to remediative processes is the ability to measure toxic contaminants on-site using simple and cheap sensing devices, which are field-portable and can facilitate more rapid decision-making. A three-electrode configuration system has been fabricated using low-cost screen-printing (thick-film) technology and this coupled with a portable electrochemical instrument has provided a a relatively inexpensive on-site detector for trace levels of toxic metals. The carbon surface of the screen-printed working electrode is used as a substrate for in situ deposition of a metallic film of bismuth, which allows the electrochemical preconcentration of metal ions. Lead and cadmium were simultaneously detected using stripping chronopotentiometry at the bismuth film electrode. Detection limits of 8 and 10 ppb were obtained for cadmium(II) and lead(II), respectively, for a deposition time of 120 s. The developed method was applied to the determination of lead and cadmium in soils extracts and wastewaters obtained from polluted sites. For comparison purposes, a mercury film electrode and ICP-MS were also used for validation.     

Porphyrin-containing polyimide films deposited by high vacuum co-evaporation

Thin films of porphyrin-containing polyimide were produced by high vacuum co-evaporation of 4,4′-hexafluoroisopropylidene diphthalic anhydride (6FDA), 3,3′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) and 5,10,15,20 meso-tetraphenyl porphyrin (TPP). The films were characterized by FT-IR analysis, optical absorption and emission spectroscopy. FT-IR analysis shows that the film matrix is comprised of only unreacted monomers. The conversion of monomers to polyamic acid and the following condensation to polyimide were studied by curing the samples at temperatures up to 240 °C. The amount of polyamic acid increases from room temperature to 120 °C, while at higher temperature it starts to condense to polyimide. Optical analysis shows that TPP is incorporated in the film matrix and its chemical state is determined by the interaction with the monomers, polyamic acid and polyimide. After curing the TPP molecules are finely dispersed in the polyimide matrix and their absorption and fluorescence properties are wholly preserved.     

An investigation on a novel PDLC film’s fabrication and its electro-optical properties

A polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) film that has good electro-optical properties is produced by the method of polymerized-induced phase separation. Based on the application foreground, its capability parameters, such as contrast ratio, work voltage, and visual angle, are characterized for the first time by a white light but not a fixed wavelength light. The results show the PDLC film has a low work-voltage of 20 V, more than 150° visual angle, high stability, and long lifetime. The differences between plastic and glass ITO-coated substrates of PDLC films are also studied in this paper. The plastic substrate has better property and will have a wider perspective especially in the portable, tender and folded display devices. Due to adjustable properties of film by electric field, PDLC has the potential application for display device, sensor, switch, grating, and new generation analytical apparatus.