Effects of chain entanglement on liquid-liquid phase separation behavior of LCST-type polymer blends: Cloud point and decomposition rate

By preparing homogenous blend samples with different degrees of chain entanglement, we report an anomalous contribution of chain entanglement to phase separation temperature and rate of poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly(styrene-comaleic anhydride)(PMMA/SMA) blends presenting a typical lower critical solution temperature(LCST) behavior. The meltmixed PMMA/SMA blends with a higher chain entanglement density present a lower cloud point(Tc) and shorter delay time, but lower phase separation rate at the given temperature than solution-cast ones, suggesting that for the polymer blends with different condensed state structure, thermodynamically more facilitation to phase separation(lower Tc) is not necessarily equivalent to faster kinetics(decomposition rate). The experimental results indicate that the lower Tc of melt-mixed sample is ascribed to smaller concentration fluctuation wavelength(Λm) induced by higher entanglement degree, while higher entanglement degree in melt-mixed sample leads to a confined segmental dynamics and consequently a slower kinetics(decomposition rate) dominated by macromolecular diffusion at a comparable quench depth. These results reveal that the chain packing in polymer blends can remarkably influence the liquid-liquid phase separation behavior, which is a significant difference from decomposition of small molecular mixtures.     

Direct Electron Transfer and Electrocatalysis of Myoglobin Based on its Direct Immobilization on Carbon Ionic Liquid Electrode

Direct electron transfer of myoglobin (Mb) was achieved by its direct immobilization on carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) with a conductive hydrophobic ionic liquid, 1‐butyl pyridinium hexaflourophosphate ([BuPy][PF₆]) as binder for the first time. A pair of well‐defined, quasi‐reversible redox peaks was observed for Mb/CILE resulting from Mb redox of heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.0) with oxidation potential of ?0.277 V, reduction potential of ?0.388 V, the formal potential E°′ (E°′=(E_pa+E_pc)/2) at ?0.332 V and the peak‐to‐peak potential separation of 0.111 V at 0.5 V/s. The average surface coverage of the electroactive Mb immobilized on the electrode surface was calculated as 1.06±0.03×10^?9 mol cm^?2. Mb retained its bioactivity on modified electrode and showed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of H₂O₂. The cathodic peak current of Mb was linear to H₂O₂ concentration in the range from 6.0 μM to 160 μM with a detection limit of 2.0 μM (S/N=3). The apparent Michaelis–Menten constant (K and the electron transfer rate constant (k_s) were estimated to be 140±1 μM and 2.8±0.1 s^?1, respectively. The biosensor achieved the direct electrochemistry of Mb on CILE without the help of any supporting film or any electron mediator.     

Reagentless Biosensor for Hydrogen Peroxide Based on the Immobilization of Hemoglobin in Platinum Nanoparticles Enhanced Poly(chloromethyl thiirane) Cross‐linked Chitosan Hybrid Film

An unmediated hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) biosensor was prepared by co‐immobilizing hemoglobin (Hb) with platinum nanoparticles enhanced poly(chloromethyl thiirane) cross‐linked chitosan (CCCS‐PNs) hybrid film. CCCS could provide a biocompatible microenvironment for Hb and PNs could accelerate the electron transfer between Hb and the electrode. Spectroscopic analysis indicated that the immobilized Hb could maintain its native structure in the CCCS‐PNs hybrid film. Entrapped Hb exhibited direct electrochemistry for its heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couples at ?0.396 V in the CCCS‐PNs hybrid film, as well as peroxidase‐like activity to the reduction of hydrogen peroxide without the aid of an electron mediator.     

Direct Electron Transfer of Horseradish Peroxidase in Gellan Gum–Hydrophilic Ionic Liquid Gel Film

A new composite film of microbial exocellular polysaccharide‐gellan gum (GG) and hydrophilic room temperature ionic liquid 1‐butyl‐3‐methyl‐imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIMBF₄) was firstly used as an immobilization matrix to entrap horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and its properties were studied by UV/vis spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results showed that BMIMBF₄ could promote the electron transfer between HRP and electrode surface, and the existence of GG could successfully immobilize BMIMBF₄ on the electrode surface with improved stability. HRP–BMIMBF₄–GG/GCE exhibited a pair of well‐defined and quasireversible cyclic voltammetric peaks in 0.1 M pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solutions at 1.8 V/s, which was the characteristic of HRP Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couples. The formal potentials (E°′) was ?0.368 V (vs. SCE) and the peak‐to‐peak potential separation (ΔE_P) was 0.058 V. The peak currents were five times as large as those of HRP–GG/GCE. The average surface coverage (Γ*) and the apparent Michaelis‐Menten constant (K_m) were 4.5×10^?9 mol/cm² and 0.67 μM, respectively. The electron transfer rate constant was estimated to be 15.8 s^?1. The proposed electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The linear dynamic range for the detection of H₂O₂ was 0.05–0.5 μM with a correlation coefficient of 0.9945 and the detection limit was estimated at about 0.02 μM (S/N=3). BMIMBF₄–GG composite film was promising to immobilize other redox enzymes or proteins and attain their direct electrochemistry.     

Direct Electrochemistry and Electrocatalysis Behaviors of Glucose Oxidase Based on Hyaluronic Acid-Carbon Nanotubes-Ionic Liquid Composite Film

Multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were dispersed in the ionic liquid [BMIM][BF₄] to form a uniform black suspension. Based on it, a novel glucose oxidase (GOx)‐hyaluronic (HA)‐[BMIM][BF₄]‐MWNTs/GCE modified electrode was fabricated. UV‐vis spectroscopy confirmed that GOx immobilized in the composite film retained its native structure. The experimental results of EIS indicated MWNTs, [BMIM][BF₄] and HA were successfully immobilized on the surface of GCE and [BMIM][BF₄]‐MWNTs could obviously improve the diffusion of ferricyanide toward the electrode surface. The experimental results of CV showed that a pair of well‐defined and quasi‐reversible peaks of GOx at the modified electrode was exhibited, and the redox reaction of GOx at the modified electrode was surface‐confined and quasi‐reversible electrochemical process. The average surface coverage of GOx and the apparent Michaelis‐Menten constant were 8.5×10⁻⁹ mol/cm² and 9.8 mmol/L, respectively. The cathodic peak current of GOx and the glucose concentration showed linear relationship in the range from 0.1 to 2.0 mmol/L with a detection limit of 0.03 mmol/L (S/N=3). As a result, the method presented here could be easily extended to immobilize and obtain the direct electrochemistry of other redox enzymes or proteins.     

Three novel high performance affinity chromatographic media for the separation of antithrombin III from human plasma.

Novel monodisperse, non-porous, cross-linked poly (glycidyl methacrylate) beads (PGMA) were employed as the support for high performance affinity chromatography. Heparin was covalently attached to PGMA beads by three different coupling methods. Heparin-PGMA-I was prepared by directly coupling amino-groups of heparin with PGMA. Heparin-PGMA-II and III were prepared by the coupling of heparin to amino-PGMA, which was obtained by amination of PGMA. Heparin-PGMA-II was prepared by coupling the carboxyl groups of heparin to amino-PGMA by using water-soluble carbodiimide as coupling reagent, and heparin-PGMA-III was prepared by the reductive amination of heparin and amino-PGMA with sodium cyanoborohydride. The heparin contents of heparin-PGMA-I, II and III were 1.6, 10.2 and 1.0 mg/g beads, respectively. Their affinity capacities for antithrombin III were investigated. Their binding activity to antithrombin III was not proportional to the content of heparin immobilized, and heparin-PGMA-I was the most efficient affinity medium for antithrombin III. The resultant affinity media presented minimal non-specific interaction with other proteins and can be used in a wide pH range. All the three heparin-PGMA beads were exploited for the separation of antithrombin III from human plasma. The purity of antithrombin III obtained was higher than 90%, which was confirmed by high performance size exclusion chromatography.     

Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase based on its direct immobilization on carbon ionic liquid electrode and glucose sensing

Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase (GOx) has been achieved by its direct immobilization on carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE) with a conductive hydrophobic ionic liquid, 1-butyl pyridinium hexafluophosphate ([BuPy][PF₆]) as binder for the first time. A pair of reversible peaks is exhibited on GOx/CILE by cyclic voltammetry. The peak-to-peak potential separation (ΔE_P) of immobilized GOx is 0.056 V in 0.067 M phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.98) with scan rate of 0.1 V/s. The average surface coverage and the apparent Michaelis–Menten constant are 6.69 × 10⁻¹¹ mol·cm⁻² and 2.47 μM. GOx/CILE shows excellent electrocatalytic activity towards glucose determination in the range of 0.1–800 μM with detection limit of 0.03 μM (S/N = 3). The biosensor has been successfully applied to the determination of glucose in human plasma with the average recoveries between 95.0% and 102.5% for three times determination. The direct electrochemistry of GOx on CILE is achieved without the help of any supporting film or any electron mediator. GOx/CILE is inexpensive, stable, repeatable and easy to be fabricated.     

A new type of capillary column for open-tubular electrochromatography

A new type of open-tubular C(18) ester-bonded electrochromatographic column was prepared with sol-gel technology, followed by an on-column octadecyl silylation reaction. Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane, a widely used and important silane agent, was used as the sol-gel precursor to form a thin coating layer on the wall of the fused-silica capillary. The C(18) groups were introduced into the coating layer by on-column esterification reaction with stearic acid. The electrochromatography behavior of the column was evaluated in terms of the separation of peptides. A high efficiency of 4.8x10(5) plates/m was achieved for a basic pentapeptide using the C(18 )ester-bonded column. In comparison with bare capillaries and glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane sol-gel-coated capillaries, the C(18) ester-bonded column showed the best separation of a mixture of seven pentapeptides under identical conditions of buffer, pH, and applied voltage.     

Ex vivo identification of circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood by fluorometric “turn on” aptamer nanoparticles

The detection of the circulating tumor cells (CTCs) detached from solid tumors has emerged as a burgeoning topic for cancer diagnosis and treatment. The conventional CTC enrichment and identification mainly rely on the specific binding of the antibodies on the capture interface of the magnetic nanoparticles with the corresponding biomarkers on the cell membranes. However, these methods could easily generate false-negative results due to the extremely low concentration of CTCs and the internal heterogeneity of the tumor cells. Herein, with the aim of selectively identifying CTCs and improving the detection accuracy in peripheral blood, we designed the fluorometric “turn on” Au nanoparticles (DHANs) with the modification of a tumor-targeted moiety, dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) and a fluorometric aptamer, which could be “switched-on” by an over-expressed intracellular protein, namely hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF 1α). This novel nanoformulated detection platform demonstrated the great capacity for visualizing various CTCs in peripheral blood with significantly improved detection efficiency and sensitivity. As a result, the nanoplatform has a great potential to be further applied for CTC detection in vitro or in vivo, which holds promise for extensive CTC studies.

The detection of the circulating tumor cells (CTCs) detached from solid tumors has emerged as a burgeoning topic for cancer diagnosis and treatment.