Self-organization of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-carrying microspheres into two-dimensional colloidal thin films

e-Polymers ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sakiko Tsuji ◽  
Haruma Kawaguchi

AbstractA simple method to fabricate colloidal thin films with periodical structures was investigated. In this study, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgel and polystyrene particles with PNIPAM chains on the surface (hairy particles) are used as components. Aqueous dispersions of these PNIPAM-carrying particles spontaneously form monolayers as water evaporates. After the medium is completely evaporated, periodical structures remain on the substrate. This paper focuses on the effect of graft chain density of the hairy particles on film formation.

2006 ◽  
Vol 111 (3) ◽  
pp. 1061-1064 ◽  
Author(s):  
Massimiliano Cavallini ◽  
Massimo Facchini ◽  
Cristiano Albonetti ◽  
Fabio Biscarini ◽  
Massimo Innocenti ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Makoto Shiojiri ◽  
Toshiyuki Isshiki ◽  
Tetsuya Fudaba ◽  
Yoshihiro Hirota

In hexagonal Se crystal each atom is covalently bound to two others to form an endless spiral chain, and in Sb crystal each atom to three others to form an extended puckered sheet. Such chains and sheets may be regarded as one- and two- dimensional molecules, respectively. In this paper we investigate the structures in amorphous state of these elements and the crystallization.HRTEM and ED images of vacuum-deposited amorphous Se and Sb films were taken with a JEM-200CX electron microscope (Cs=1.2 mm). The structure models of amorphous films were constructed on a computer by Monte Carlo method. Generated atoms were subsequently deposited on a space of 2 nm×2 nm as they fulfiled the binding condition, to form a film 5 nm thick (Fig. 1a-1c). An improvement on a previous computer program has been made as to realize the actual film formation. Radial distribution fuction (RDF) curves, ED intensities and HRTEM images for the constructed structure models were calculated, and compared with the observed ones.


Author(s):  
P.M. Frederik ◽  
K.N.J. Burger ◽  
M.C.A. Stuart ◽  
A.J. Verkleij

Cellular membranes are often composed of phospholipid mixtures in which one or more components have a tendency to adopt a type II non-bilayer lipid structure such as the inverted hexagonal (H||) phase. The formation of a type II non-bilayer intermediate, the inverted lipid micel is proposed as the initial step in membrane fusion (Verkleij 1984, Siegel, 1986). In the various forms of cellular transport mediated by carrier vesicles (e.g. exocytosis, endocytosis) the regulation of membrane fusion, and hence of inverted lipid micel formation, is of vital importance.We studied the phase behaviour of simple and complex lipid mixtures by cryo-electron microscopy to gain more insight in the ultrastructure of different lipid phases (e.g. Pβ’, Lα, H||) and in the complex membrane structures arising after Lα < - > H|| phase changes (e.g. isotropic, cubic). To prepare hydrated thin films a 700 mesh hexagonal grid (without supporting film) was dipped into and withdrawn from a liposome suspension. The excess fluid was blotted against filter paper and the thin films that form between the bars of the specimen grid were immediately (within 1 second) vitrified by plunging of the carrier grids into ethane cooled to its melting point by liquid nitrogen (Dubochet et al., 1982). Surface active molecules such as phospholipids play an important role in the formation and thinning of these aqueous thin films (Frederik et al., 1989). The formation of two interfacial layers at the air-water interfaces requires transport of surface molecules from the suspension as well as the orientation of these molecules at the interfaces. During the spontaneous thinning of the film the interfaces approach each other, initially driven by capillary forces later by Van der Waals attraction. The process of thinning results in the sorting by size of the suspended material and is also accompanied by a loss of water from the thinner parts of the film. This loss of water may result in the concentration and eventually in partial dehydration of suspended material even if thin films are vitrified within 1 sec after their formation. Film formation and vitrification were initiated at temperatures between 20-60°C by placing die equipment in an incubator provided widi port holes for the necessary manipulations. Unilamellar vesicles were made from dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline (DPPC) by an extrusion method and showed a smooth (Lα) or a rippled (PB’.) structure depending on the temperature of the suspensions and the temperature of film formation (50°C resp. 39°C) prior to vitrification. The thermotropic phases of hydrated phospholipids are thus faithfully preserved in vitrified thin films (fig. a,b). Complex structures arose when mixtures of dioleoylphosphatidylethanol-amine (DOPE), dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) and cholesterol (molar ratio 3/1/2) are heated and used for thin film formation. The tendency of DOPE to adopt the H|| phase is responsible for the formation of complex structures in this lipid mixture. Isotropic and cubic areas (fig. c,d) having a bilayer structure are found in coexistence with H|| cylinders (fig. e). The formation of interlamellar attachments (ILA’s) as observed in isotropic and cubic structures is also thought to be of importance in biological fusion events. Therefore the study of the fusion activity of influenza B virus with liposomes (DOPE/DOPC/cholesterol/ganglioside in a molar ratio 1/1/2/0.2) was initiated. At neutral pH only adsorption of virus to liposomes was observed whereas 2 minutes after a drop in pH (7.4 - > 5.4) fusion between virus and liposome membranes was demonstrated (fig. f). The micrographs illustrate the exciting potential of cryo-electron microscopy to study lipid-lipid and lipid-protein interactions in hydrated specimens.


2021 ◽  
pp. 2100193
Author(s):  
Peng Liu ◽  
Bingqian Zhang ◽  
Qing Liao ◽  
Guifen Tian ◽  
Chunling Gu ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arindam Mondal ◽  
Akash Lata ◽  
Aarya Prabhakaran ◽  
Satyajit Gupta

Application of three-dimensional (3D)-halide perovskites (HaP) in photocatalysis encourages the new exercise with two-dimensional (2D) HaP based thin-films for photocatalytic degradation of dye. The reduced dimensionality to 2D-HaPs, with a...


Author(s):  
Chong Liu ◽  
Chao-Sheng Lian ◽  
Meng-Han Liao ◽  
Yang Wang ◽  
Yong Zhong ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 184
Author(s):  
Maximilian Kerschbaum ◽  
Siegmund Lang ◽  
Florian Baumann ◽  
Volker Alt ◽  
Michael Worlicek

Insertion of sacro-iliac (SI) screws for stabilization of the posterior pelvic ring without intraoperative navigation or three-dimensional imaging can be challenging. The aim of this study was to develop a simple method to visualize the ideal SI screw corridor, on lateral two-dimensional images, corresponding to the lateral fluoroscopic view, used intraoperatively while screw insertion, to prevent neurovascular injury. We used multiplanar reconstructions of pre- and postoperative computed tomography scans (CT) to determine the position of the SI corridor. Then, we processed the dataset into a lateral two-dimensional slice fusion image (SFI) matching head and tip of the screw. Comparison of the preoperative SFI planning and the screw position in the postoperative SFI showed reproducible results. In conclusion, the slice fusion method is a simple technique for translation of three-dimensional planned SI screw positioning into a two-dimensional strict lateral fluoroscopic-like view.


Nanophotonics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiyue Zhang ◽  
Masoumeh Keshavarz ◽  
Elke Debroye ◽  
Eduard Fron ◽  
Miriam Candelaria Rodríguez González ◽  
...  

Abstract Lead halide perovskites have attracted tremendous attention in photovoltaics due to their impressive optoelectronic properties. However, the poor stability of perovskite-based devices remains a bottleneck for further commercial development. Two-dimensional perovskites have great potential in optoelectronic devices, as they are much more stable than their three-dimensional counterparts and rapidly catching up in performance. Herein, we demonstrate high-quality two-dimensional novel perovskite thin films with alternating cations in the interlayer space. This innovative perovskite provides highly stable semiconductor thin films for efficient near-infrared light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Highly efficient LEDs with tunable emission wavelengths from 680 to 770 nm along with excellent operational stability are demonstrated by varying the thickness of the interlayer spacer cation. Furthermore, the best-performing device exhibits an external quantum efficiency of 3.4% at a high current density (J) of 249 mA/cm2 and remains above 2.5% for a J up to 720 mA cm−2, leading to a high radiance of 77.5 W/Sr m2 when driven at 6 V. The same device also shows impressive operational stability, retaining almost 80% of its initial performance after operating at 20 mA/cm2 for 350 min. This work provides fundamental evidence that this novel alternating interlayer cation 2D perovskite can be a promising and stable photonic emitter.


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