Fabrication, characterization, and enzymatic activity of fungal protease--nanogold membrane bioconjugate

This study describes the synthesis of a free-standing nanogold membrane by the spontaneous reduction of aqueous chloroaurate ions by the diamine molecule DAEE at a liquid-liquid interface. The free standing nanogold membrane, provides a biocompatible surface for the immobilization of proteins. F-Protease (F-Prot) was then bound to the nanogold membrane via interaction with the gold nanoparticles leading to a new class of biocatalyst. A highlight of the new biocatalyst wherein the enzyme is bound to the nanogold membrane is the ease with which separation from the reaction medium may be achieved by simple filtration. In relation to the free enzyme in solution, the F-Prot in the bioconjugate material exhibited a slightly higher biocatalytic activity and significantly enhanced pH and temperature stability. The F-Prot nanogold membrane bioconjugate material also exhibited excellent biocatalytic activity over ten successive reuse cycles.     

Fabrication and characterization of chemically crosslinked keratin films

A film was prepared by casting the reduced keratin solution after mixing with chemical crosslinkers such as ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE) and glycerol diglycidyl ether (GDE). Although the keratin without an addition of a plasticizer gave rise to a fragile film, the keratin treated with those crosslinkers gave a tenacious and flexible film similarly to the mixing with chitosan, which we previously reported [Biomaterials 23 (2002) 817]. Chemically crosslinked keratin films stretched longer than keratin–chitosan composite film and showed much improved waterproof characteristics, that is, no swelling was observed under acidic and neutral aqueous conditions and they swelled to a lesser extent under basic condition, although keratin–chitosan composite film significantly swelled in acidic and neutral solution. Chemically crosslinked keratin film as well as keratin–chitosan composite film maintained their mechanical properties upon re-drying after swelling.When mouse fibroblast cells are cultured on crosslinked keratin-coated surface, the attachment of cells is a little delayed compared with the cells on keratin, keratin–chitosan composite and chitosan films. However, the cells once attached to the crosslinked keratin surface well proliferated, suggesting the biocompatibility of chemically crosslinked keratin film.     

Fabrication and characterization of polyaniline-znO hybrid nanocomposite thin films

Polyaniline (PANI)-ZnO nanocomposite thin film has been successfully fabricated on glass substrates by using vacuum deposition technique. The as-grown PANI-ZnO nanocomposite thin films have been characterized using X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, UV-visible spectrophotometer and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, respectively. X-ray diffraction of as-grown film shows the reflection of ZnO nanoparticles along with a broad peak of PANI. The surface morphology of nanocomposite films has been investigated using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The hypsochromic shift of the UV absorption band corresponding to pi-pi* transition in polymeric chain of PANI and a band at 504 cm(-1) due to ZnO nanoparticles has been observed in the FTIR spectra. The hydrogen bonding between the imine group of PANI and ZnO nanoparticle has been confirmed from the presence of the absorbance band at 1151 cm(-1) in the FTIR spectra of the nanocomposite thin films.     

钢铁表面超疏水膜的制备与表征

采用水热法结合氟硅烷修饰直接在钢铁表面制备超疏水膜。疏水膜的疏水性与钢铁基底的微纳米结构有重要关系。结果表明,以乙二胺为溶剂,经140℃水热反应4h和160℃水热反应5h,可以在钢铁表面制得具有次级网状结构的正八面体、花状等微纳米精细结构,再经氟硅烷修饰后表现出良好的超疏水性,与水滴的接触角分别达到156.49和165.31°。XRD的分析结果表明,该微纳米结构的主要成分是Fe3O4,它的形成一方面提供了制备超疏水表面所必须的微纳米精细结构,另一方面又为与氟硅烷发生反应生成牢固的薄膜创造了条件。电化学分析结果表明,超疏水膜层的存在显著降低了钢铁基底的腐蚀倾向。     

Fabrication and characterization of vacuum deposited fluorescein thin films

Simple vacuum evaporation technique for deposition of dyes on various solid surfaces has been developed. The method is compatible with conventional solvent-free nanofabrication processing enabling fabrication of nanoscale optoelectronic devices. Thin films of fluorescein were deposited on glass, fluorine-tin-oxide (FTO) coated glass with and without atomically layer deposited (ALD) nanocrystalline 20 nm thick anatase TiO₂ coating. Surface topology, absorption and emission spectra of the films depend on their thickness and the material of supporting substrate. On a smooth glass surface the dye initially forms islands before merging into a uniform layer after 5 to 10 monolayers. On FTO covered glass the absorption spectra are similar to fluorescein solution in ethanol. Absorption spectra on ALD-TiO₂ is red shifted compared to the film deposited on bare FTO. The corresponding emission spectra at λ = 458 nm excitation show various thickness and substrate dependent features, while the emission of films deposited on TiO₂ is quenched due to the effective electron transfer to the semiconductor conduction band.     

Preparation and antimicrobial activity of poly (vinyl chloride)/gelatin/montmorillonite biocomposite films

The aim of this study was using a novel antimicrobial thermoplastic plasticizer based on aliphatic anhydride derivative dodecenyl succinic anhydride (DSA) for blending poly (vinyl chloride), PVC, with gelatin in presence of montmorillonite (MMT) using Brabender via polymer melting technique. This anhydride-based plasticizer blended the membrane ingredients homogenously under melting process. The used plasticizer exhibited high performance antimicrobial potency for some biomedical and industrial applications. The prepared biocomposite films were evaluated for antimicrobial activity using agar disc diffusion method against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria such as: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Klebsiella pneumonia (K. pneumonia), Bacillus cereus (B. cereus), Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). The majority of these biocomposites, except the plasticized PVC with DOP, have shown inhibitory effect at different concentrations (1.0–20) mg/ml against all above mentioned bacteria. However, C. albicans and A. niger were the most resistant strains.     

纳米结构PZT铁电膜的制备及其表征

采用溶胶-凝胶(sol-gel)自旋涂敷法在硅基氧化铝纳米有序孔膜版介质上(膜版孔径尺寸20～100nm,内生长金属纳米线作为底电极一部分)制备Pb(Zr0.53Ti0.47)O3(PZT)纳米结构铁电膜,并对其介电、铁电性能及微结构进行了表征。介电测量结果表明,厚度25nm的PZT铁电膜,其介电常数在低频区域(频率104Hz)从860迅速下降到100,然后保持在100左右,直至测量频率升高到106Hz。低频区域的介电常数迅速下降是由空间电荷极化所致,它与薄膜和电极之间聚集的界面空间电荷密切相关,尤其是在薄膜与Au纳米线的弯曲界面处。介电损耗在4000Hz附近出现峰值,它来源于空间电荷的共振吸收效应。电滞回线测量结果表明,厚度为100nm的PZT铁电膜,其剩余极化强度为50μC/cm2,矫顽场强为500kV/cm。剖面透射电镜(TEM)像表明PZT纳米铁电膜与底电极(金属纳米线)直接相接触,它们之间的界面呈现一定程度的弯曲。在PZT纳米铁电薄膜后退火处理后,发现部分Au金属纳米线顶端出现分枝展宽现象;而改用Pt纳米线后可有效抑制这种现象。为兼顾氧化铝纳米有序孔膜版内的金属纳米线有序分布及PZT纳米膜的结晶度,选择合适的退火温度是制备工艺中的关键因素。     

Fabrication, structural and electrical characterization of lanthanum tungstate films by pulsed laser deposition

Films of lanthanum tungstate, 3 μm in thickness, were fabricated by means of pulsed laser deposition on a Pd foil. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and their electrical conductivity was measured at temperatures between 400 and 800 °C in different gas atmospheres. The films' structure and electrical characteristics are close to what is reported in the literature for corresponding polycrystalline material. The films exhibit fairly high proton conductivity at elevated temperatures, which make them interesting for components in hydrogen-related technologies. Changes in microstructure and the crystallographic orientation observed at higher temperatures were accompanied by changes in the conductivity characteristics.     

Fabrication and characterization of silk fibroin/bioactive glass composite films

Composite films of silk fibroin (SF) with nano bioactive glass (NBG) were prepared by the solvent casting method, and the structures and properties of the composite films were characterized. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy analysis shows that the random coil and β-sheet structure co-exist in the SF films. Results of field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) indicate that the NBG particles are uniformly dispersed in the SF films. The measurements of the water contact angles suggest that the incorporation of NBG into SF can improve the hydrophilicity of the composites. The bioactivity of the composite films was evaluated by soaking in 1.5 times simulated body fluid (1.5 × SBF), and formation of a hydroxycarbonate apatite (HCA) layer was determined by XRD and FESEM. The results show that the SF/NBG composite film is bioactive as it induces the formation of HCA on the surface of the composite film after soaking in 1.5 × SBF for 7 days. In vitro osteoblasts attachment and proliferation tests show that the composite film is a good matrix for the growth of osteoblasts. Consequently, the incorporation of NBG into the SF film can enhance both the bioactivity and biocompatibility of the film, which suggests that the SF/NBG composite film may be a potential biomaterial for bone tissue engineering.     

纤维素/木质素微球抗紫外薄膜制备与性能研究

随着包装工业的快速发展和人类社会对环保要求的提高,功能性且可生物降解的包装膜材料越来越受到人们的重视.然而,目前市场上的可降解包装膜材料由于成本较高、力学性能差以及耐水性低而限制了其发展.采用自组装方法制备木质素微球,并将其沉积在纤维素膜表面,制备出一种新型纤维素基抗紫外薄膜材料.通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、红外光谱(FTIR)和激光共聚焦电子显微镜对薄膜的表面性能进行研究.利用抗张实验和紫外透光率测试对纤维素基功能薄膜的力学性能和抗紫外性能进行表征.结果表明:自沉积木质素微球在纤维素膜表面分布均匀,尺寸为1～2μm;纤维素薄膜疏水改性后有助于木质素微球的沉积,且沉积量随着木质素质量浓度的增加而增大.由于木质素微球的引入,纤维素复合膜的抗张强度比对照样增加22％,同时其对UVB屏蔽效果可达94％.     

Fabrication and characterization of nanostructured conducting polymer films containing magnetic nanoparticles

In this study, the layer-by-layer technique is used to deposit nanostructured films exhibiting electrical conductivity and magnetic behavior, from poly(o-ethoxyaniline) (POEA), sulfonated polystyrene (PSS) and positively-charged maghemite nanoparticles. In order to incorporate the nanoparticles into the films, maghemite nanoparticles, in the form of magnetic fluid, were added to POEA solutions, and the resulting suspensions were used for film deposition. UV-Vis spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy images reveal that POEA remains doped in the films, even in the presence of the maghemite nanoparticles, and its typical globular morphology is also present. Electrical measurements show that a POEA/PSS film prepared from POEA solution containing 800 µL of the magnetic fluid exhibits a similar conductivity to that of the control film and, additionally, magnetic measurements indicated that nanosized maghemite phase was incorporated within the polymeric film.     

Fabrication and optical characterization of template-constructed thin films with chiral nanostructure

We report the fabrication of thin films perforated by high aspect ratio helical or chevron pores by an extension of the glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique. The perforated films were created by transferring the nanostructure of a GLAD template film into target materials such as polymers and spin-on-glasses and subsequently removing the template. The pore shapes are shown to be highly controllable and films designed to suit particular applications are discussed. By a double templating technique, we replicate the structure of the original film using alternate materials, which are typically less suited to the unmodified GLAD technique. Helical films of Cu and Ni were created by this method and the process should be transferable to additional electrodeposited materials. The optical rotatory power of perforated thin films formed on glass substrates was characterized and perforated films were shown to be effective in rotating the polarization plane of linearly polarized incident light by as much as 1.4/spl deg///spl mu/m.     

Fabrication and characterization of nano TiO2 thin films at low temperature

Anatase TiO₂ thin films were successfully prepared on glass slide substrates via a sol–gel method from refluxed sol (RS) containing anatase TiO₂ crystals at low temperature of 100 °C. The influences of various refluxing time on crystallinity, morphology and size of the RS sol and dried TiO₂ films particles were discussed. These samples were characterized by infrared absorption spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy (UV–vis). The photocatalytic activities of the TiO₂ thin films were assessed by the degradation of methyl orange in aqueous solution. The results indicated that titania films thus obtained were transparent and their maximal light transmittance exceeded 80% under visible light region. The TiO₂ thin films prepared from RS-6 sol showed the highest photocatalytic activity, when the calcination temperature is higher than 300 °C. The degradation of methyl orange of RS-6 thin films reached 99% after irradiated for 120 min, the results suggested that the TiO₂ thin films prepared from RS sol exhibited high photoactivities.     

Fabrication and characterization of transparent superhydrophilic/superhydrophobic silica nanoparticulate thin films

The realization of transparent and superhydrophilic/superhydrophobic surfaces by silica nanoparticulate thin films was exploited in this work. An aqueous electrostatic layer-by-layer assembly process was utilized to fabricate nanoparticulate thin films with adhesion/body/top layer structure on glass substrates by using SiO₂ nanoparticles and polyelectrolytes. The effects of volume ratio of differently sized silica nanoparticle solutions for the body layer deposition on transmittance in visible light region and surface wettability of the nanoparticulate thin films were systematically studied. The experimental results revealed that both optical transparency and superhydrophobicity/superhydrophilicity can be achieved on the same SiO₂ nanoparticulate thin film by using appropriate volume ratios of differently sized silica nanoparticle solutions for body layer deposition, and with and without silane treatment in the fabrication process. The high contrast of wettability that can be achieved by this way suggests the possibility of the creation of superhydrophilic/superhydrophobic patterning and superhydrophilic-superhydrophobic gradient on the same surfaces.     

硅基三元系PMnN—PZT铁电薄膜制备与研究

利用磁控溅射方法在单晶Si基底上沉积三元系铁电薄膜6％PMnN-94%5PZT（6％Pb（Mn1/3,Nb2／3）O3—94％Pb（Zr0.52,Ti0.48）O3）,采用淬火方法对薄膜进行处理,以促进薄膜钙钛矿结构形成。同时,在相同条件下制备非掺杂PZT（52／48）薄膜以对比薄膜掺杂效果。运用X射线衍射（XRD）技术分析薄膜晶向及晶体结构,运用SawyerTower电路测试薄膜铁电性能,运用激光测振仪测试薄膜的压电系数。实验结果表明,所沉积薄膜为多晶钙钛矿结构铁电薄膜,薄膜铁电剩余极化Pr=23．7μC／cm2,饱和极化Ps=40μC／cm2,矫顽场电压2Ec=139kV／cm,横向压电系数e11=-13．2C／m2,薄膜的铁电及压电性能优良。     

Development and morphological characterization of wood pulp reinforced biocomposite fibers

Biocomposite fiber has been developed from wood pulp and polypropylene (PP) by an extrusion process and the generated biocomposite fibers were characterized to understand the nature of interaction between wood pulp reinforcement and PP matrix. The use of maleated polypropylene (MAPP) as a compatibilizer was investigated in relation to the fiber microstructure. Fiber length analysis showed that most of the fiber lengths lie within the range of 0.2–1.0 mm. Changes in absorption peaks were observed in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of biocomposite fibers as compared to the virgin wood pulp, which indicated possible chemical linkages between the fiber and polymer matrix. SEM study was carried out to observe fiber–matrix adhesion at the interface within the composite and MAPP treatment was found to be effective in increasing reinforcing fibers–matrix compatibility. X-ray computed tomography was conducted to understand the internal architecture of the biocomposite fiber and the results showed that with incorporation of additional wood pulp content, the fiber becomes more aligned along length axis possibly due to compression and die geometry of the extruder.     

Fabrication, characterization and vapor-induced electroresponsive behavior of P(St-alt-MA)/MWCNT conductive nanocomposite films

Novel electroconductive nanocomposites were prepared by an in situ polymerization avenue based on poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) (P(St-alt-MA)), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) or hydroxyl-functionalized MWCNT (MWCNT–OH). Vapor sensing films with intensive response to polar solvent vapors were assembled through an covalent or non-covalent interaction between MWCNT or MWCNT–OH and P(St-alt-MA), as demonstrated by a Raman, infrared spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopes. The films gave an expeditious response, favorable reversibility and reproducibility, which were predominately controlled by an expansion effect and an interaction among carbon nanotubes, copolymers and solvent molecules.     

Porous silica xerogel films as antireflective coatings – Fabrication and characterization

The paper presents a simple fabrication method of porous silica xerogel films. By adding a surface active agent Triton X-100™ to the starting solution, we can considerably reduce the surface tension, which, in turn, allows to fabricate silica films of high porosity. The paper presents the influence of surfactant content and the influence of heating temperature on the refractive index and thickness of the fabricated films. We fabricated silica films of the minimum refractive index below 1.3 and corresponding porosity ∼50%. Due to low refractive index, the elaborated porous silica xerogel films can be applied to reduce the light reflection coefficient in optical systems. In this work the spectral characteristics of the refractive index, extinction coefficients, the reflection and transmission coefficients and also depolarization factor are presented. The paper also provides results of surface morphology of produced layers, obtained using an atomic force microscope.     

Fabrication and characterization of piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers with thick composite PZT films

Ferroelectric microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) has been a growing area of research in past decades, in which ferroelectric films are combined with silicon technology for a variety of applications, such as piezo-electric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (pMUTs), which represent a new approach to ultrasound detection and generation. For ultrasound-radiating applications, thicker PZT films are preferred because generative force and response speed of the diaphragm-type transducers increase with increasing film thickness. However, integration of 4- to 20-microm thick PZT films on silicon wafer, either the deposition or the patterning, is still a bottleneck in the micromachining process. This paper reports on a diaphragm-type pMUT. A composite coating technique based on chemical solution deposition and high-energy ball milled powder has been used to fabricate thick PZT films. Micromachining of the pMUTs using such thick films has been investigated. The fabricated pMUT with crack-free PZT films up to 7-microm thick was evaluated as an ultrasonic transmitter. The generated sound pressure level of up to 120 dB indicates that the fabricated pMUT has very good ultrasound-radiating performance and, therefore, can be used to compose pMUT arrays for generating ultrasound beam with high directivity in numerous applications. The pMUT arrays also have been demonstrated.