Aggregation-induced emission of an aminated silole: A fluorescence probe for monitoring layer-by-layer self-assembling processes of polyelectrolytes

A new fluorescence technique for monitoring layer-by-layer self-assembling processes of polycations and polyanions is developed in this work. The fluorescent probe is a fluorogenic dye named 1,1-bis[p-(diethylaminomethyl)phenyl]-2,3,4,5-tetraphenylsilole (A₂HPS). Whereas fluorescence of a “normal” fluorophore is often quenched by aggregate formation, the protonated salt of A₂HPS, i.e., [H₂A₂HPS]²⁺, emits strong light in the suspensions of its nanoaggregates and in the solid films of its blends with poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDAC), thanks to its novel aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics. When ([H₂A₂HPS]²⁺+PDDAC) cations and poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS) anions were used to fabricate thin films via layer-by-layer deposition processes on quartz and glass substrates, the emission intensity of [H₂A₂HPS]²⁺ showed linear relationship with the number of ([H₂A₂HPS]²⁺+PDDAC)/PSS bilayers, due to the uniform co-deposition of [H₂A₂HPS]²⁺ cations into the PDDAC/PSS bilayers. This proves that the AIE fluorophore is an excellent probe for monitoring the layer-by-layer self-assembling processes of the polyelectrolytes on various substrates.     

基于巯基和聚电解质双层自组装膜的压电免疫传感器检测小鼠IgG气溶胶

本文结合自组装单分子层膜(SAMs)和聚电解质静电吸附组装技术,提出了一种新的用于气相压电免疫检测的生物分子固定化方法,研制了一种用于检测小鼠IgG抗体的压电免疫传感器。首先在石英晶片的金电极表面自组装了一层L-胱氨酸SAMs,再在膜上组装带相反电荷的海藻酸钠,最后通过调节pH值定向固定羊抗鼠纯化抗体,优化了固定条件。通过超声雾化法产生的小鼠IgG气溶胶,研制成了直接气相检测小鼠IgG的压电免疫系统。结果表明,该方法对所固定的生物分子活性影响较小,传感器对小鼠IgG的响应快,灵敏度高,在0.14~6μg.μL-1范围内具有良好的线性关系,精密度好,再生方便。     

不同表面性质聚电解质多层膜的制备及蛋白质吸附和血液相容性能

利用层层自组装方法制备了聚烯丙基铵盐酸盐(PAH)/聚苯乙烯磺酸钠(PSS)多层膜. 通过吸附或共价偶联, 在多层膜表面修饰了聚乙二醇(PEG)、牛血清白蛋白(BSA)或肝素, 通过石英晶体微天平(QCM)、椭圆偏振光谱和原子力显微镜(AFM)研究了多层膜的表面形貌及修饰方法对各种蛋白的吸附性能. 经修饰后的多层膜较基底膜的厚度均有所增大; 最外层经修饰后的多层膜吸附的BSA、纤维蛋白原及血浆蛋白的量较未修饰多层膜均有所减少. 采用SEM观察了血小板在多层膜上的黏附情况和形态变化, 计算了血小板的黏附率. 比较各多层膜的凝血酶原时间(PT), 发现修饰后的多层膜的凝血酶原时间均有所延长, 但各组间无显著性差异.     

Formation and characterization of mixed polyelectrolyte–surfactant Langmuir layer templates for silver nanoparticle growth

The hydrophilic characteristic of the polyelectrolyte, poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) (PSS), was modified by associating with the surfactant, dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTMAB), to form polyelectrolyte–surfactant (PSS–DTMA) Langmuir layers at air/liquid interfaces. The interfacial behavior of the PSS–DTMA complexes was investigated with the Langmuir trough technique. The mixed PSS–DTMA Langmuir layers were then used as the two-dimensional templates to incorporate with silver precursors from the subphase, and were transferred onto mica substrates with the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) deposition technique. The silver nanoparticles were fabricated in the resulting LB films with UV irradiation, and the morphology of the silver nanoparticle structures was analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results indicated that increasing the DTMA⁺ content in the mixed PSS–DTMA system would enhance the hydrophobic characteristic of the complexes and then form stable PSS–DTMA Langmuir layers at interfaces. In addition, by varying the DTMA⁺ content, one could adjust the charge density in the Langmuir layer templates and thus control the association behavior between the two-dimensional templates and the silver precursors in the subphases. The AFM images demonstrated that the formation of the silver nanoparticle structures in the UV-treated LB films could be regulated with the DTMA⁺ content in the Langmuir layer templates. It is inferred that the polyelectrolyte–surfactant template offers a potential of designing structures of polyelectrolyte–nanoparticle materials with a template-synthesis procedure.     

Polyelectrolyte multilayers as stationary phases for open tubular ion chromatography

Polyelectrolyte multilayers deposited on the wall of fused silica capillaries were used as stationary phases in open tubular ion chromatography. The multilayers were formed by flushing the capillaries with solutions of polyanions and polycations such as polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride and dextran sulphate. Columns with several bi-layers were constructed and used in low pressure non-suppressed open tubular ion chromatography of common inorganic anions (F⁻, Cl⁻, NO₃⁻) and cations (Li⁺, Na⁺, NH₄⁺, K⁺, Cs⁺) with contactless conductometric detection. Using sodium benzoate and tartaric acid eluents the separations were typically achieved in less than 35 min with separation efficiencies between 2000 and 9000 theoretical plates. A bi-functional column was prepared that contains both anionic and cationic functional groups and was used for simultaneous separation of anions and cations.     

Polymer multilayer film formation studied by in situ ellipsometry and electrochemistry

Polyelectrolyte multilayer films adsorbed on gold surfaces were studied by combined ellipsometric and electrochemical methods. Multilayers were composed of “synthetic” (poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) ammonium salt (PSS) and poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) (PSS/PAH)) and “semi-natural” (carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and chitosan (CHI) (CMC/CHI)) polyelectrolytes. It was found that only PSS/PAH Layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembled structures result in dense surface confined films that limit permeability of small molecules, such as ferri-/ferrocyanide. The PSS/PAH assemblies can be envisaged as films with pinholes, through which small molecules diffuse. During the LbL deposition process of these films a number of pinholes quickly decay. A representative pinhole diameter was found to be approximately 20 μm, which determines the diffusion of small molecules through LbL films, and yet remains constant when the film consists of a few LbL assembled polyelectrolyte bilayers. CMC/CHI LbL assemblies at gold electrode surfaces give very low density films, which do not limit the diffusion of ferri-/ferrocyanide between the surface of the electrode and the solution.     

Embedding copper nanoparticle-anchored conductive nano-blocks in polyelectrolyte

Conductive carbon nanotubes （CNTs） or alternatively polyaniline （PANI） nano-blocks was introduced into aqueous solutions of polyvinyl alcohol （PVA） and copper （II） salt, to assist the reduction of copper （II） ions and the anchoring of the resulting copper nanoparticles onto the conductive blocks. The mixture solutions of nano-blocks, copper （lI） salts and PVA were spin-coated onto the cathode surface, forming swollen cathode films （SCFs）. The copper （II） ions in the film assembled onto the surfaces of the conductive blocks and were then reduced under an appropriate voltage. It is important that the copper nanoparticles grew only on the surfaces of the conductive blocks. PVA which acted as the matrix of the composites played a role in stabilizing the resulting copper nanoparticles. Morphologies of these polymeric composite films were studied by various characterization methods. Moreover, the mechanism of migration of copper （II） ions, the formation of these polymeric composites, and the overall procedure were investigated in detail.     

原子转移自由基法一锅合成具有pH响应性的新型糖聚合物

本文利用原子转移自由基聚合法(ATRP),通过连续投料法在室温下一步合成了具有pH响应性质的糖聚合物,并且简单地通过控制甲基丙烯酸-2-二甲氨基乙酯(DMAEMA)、甲基丙烯酸-2-二乙氨基乙酯(DEAEMA)单体投料比即实现了对糖聚合物胶束的临界pH转变点在人体生理pH值附近的调节,这对于设计新型的药物控释系统具有重要意义.此外,糖聚合物中的P(DMAEMA-co-DEAEMA)嵌段在一定条件下为带正电荷的聚电解质.因此,本文中合成的糖聚合物不但可以用作传统憎水药物的载体,还可望成为带有负电荷的新型药物例如单链DNA(ssDNA) 等的载体.     

Electrophoresis of sheared polyelectrolytes

ABSTRACT

A shear flow breaks the spherical symmetry of a flexible polymer, which has some interesting consequences for the electrophoresis of polyelectrolytes. In addition to introducing a chain-length dependence of the electrophoretic velocity, there is also the possibility of migration of the molecule perpendicular to the direction of coaxial gradients in pressure and electric potential. This has been shown to produce a rapid and highly localised concentration of DNA within a microfluidic capillary, with a number of potential applications to on-chip preparation and analysis of genomic DNA. In this paper, dedicated to Prof. Daan Frenkel, I will describe a calculation of the electrophoretic motion of a long polyelectrolyte under a coaxial flow and electric field.     

Fabrication of microelectrodes using flow layer-by-layer self assembly of gold nanoparticles

Microelectrodes to be used in microfluidic devices were prepared from the layer-by-layer flow deposition of gold nanoparticles. Pre-designed microfluidic channels were used as templates for the flow driven deposition of the nanoparticles in sequence with poly (diallyldimethyl amonium chloride) (PDADMAC). The electrical resistivity of the gold nanoparticle assembly was found to be strongly dependant on the concentration of sodium citrate used in the gold nanoparticle synthesis. As the electrical properties of the film changed from insulating to conducting when decreasing the citrate concentration, a 4 point probe setup was used to measure the resistivity of the film. Near bulk conductivity (5.42 × 10⁻⁶ Ω cm) was achieved with only 10 layers of film. The thickness and morphology of the flow-printed multilayer microelectrode was characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). To demonstrate its usefulness, the microelectrode assembly was then tested toward the detection of KCl in solution, having a concentration ranging from 1 to 20 mM using AC current detection in a simple setup. Good linearity and stability of the electrode confirmed that this method could be very convenient for the fabrication of microelectrodes for lab-on-chip applications.