scholarly journals Assembling Nanoparticle Clusters by Kinetic Control Using Weakly Interacting DNA

Author(s):  
Alisha J. Lewis ◽  
Mathew M. Maye

In this paper, we describe the use of weakly interacting DNA linkages to assemble nanoparticles into defined clusters. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized and functionalized with thiol modified single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and hybridized with ssDNA linkers of a defined length (L). The self-assembly kinetics were altered by manipulating interparticle energetics through changes to linker length, rigidity, and sequence. The linker length regulated the hybridization energy between complementary AuNPs, were longer L increased adhesion, resulting in classical uncontrollable aggregation. In contrast, L of six complementary bases decreased adhesion and resulting in slower nucleation that promoted small cluster formation, the growth of which was studied at two assembly temperatures. Results indicated that a decrease in temperature to 15 oC increased cluster yield with L6 as compared to 25 oC. Finally, the clusters were separated from unassembled AuNPs by sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation (UC) and studied via UV-visible spectrophotometry (UV-vis), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

2015 ◽  
Vol 1796 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belete Legesse ◽  
Jae-Young Cho ◽  
Rachel L. Beingessner ◽  
Takeshi Yamazaki ◽  
Hicham Fenniri

ABSTRACTRosette nanotubes (RNTs) are tubular architectures generated through the hierarchical self-assembly of the guanine-cytosine (G∧C) motif 1 or 2 (Figure 1). Motif 2 differs from 1 by the substitution at the N-atom in the G-ring with a C-atom as shown in red. In this paper, we prepare a new tricyclic G∧C base 3 from a functionalized derivative of 2 and demonstrate its self-assembly into fluorescent helical RNTs in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). The self-assembly and fluorescent properties of RNTs 3 were established using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and UV-visible spectroscopy.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Contini ◽  
Russell Pearson ◽  
Linge Wang ◽  
Lea Messager ◽  
Jens Gaitzsch ◽  
...  

<div><div><div><p>We report the design of polymersomes using a bottom-up approach where the self-assembly of amphiphilic copolymers poly(2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl phosphorylcholine)–poly(2-(diisopropylamino) ethyl methacrylate) (PMPC-PDPA) into membranes is tuned using pH and temperature. We study this process in detail using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and stop-flow ab- sorbance disclosing the molecular and supramolecular anatomy of each structure observed. We report a clear evolution from disk micelles to vesicle to high-genus vesicles where each passage is controlled by pH switch or temperature. We show that the process can be rationalised adapting membrane physics theories disclosing important scaling principles that allow the estimation of the vesiculation minimal radius as well as chain entanglement and coupling. This allows us to propose a new approach to generate nanoscale vesicles with genus from 0 to 70 which have been very elusive and difficult to control so far.</p></div></div></div>


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Contini ◽  
Russell Pearson ◽  
Linge Wang ◽  
Lea Messager ◽  
Jens Gaitzsch ◽  
...  

<div><div><div><p>We report the design of polymersomes using a bottom-up approach where the self-assembly of amphiphilic copolymers poly(2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl phosphorylcholine)–poly(2-(diisopropylamino) ethyl methacrylate) (PMPC-PDPA) into membranes is tuned using pH and temperature. We study this process in detail using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and stop-flow ab- sorbance disclosing the molecular and supramolecular anatomy of each structure observed. We report a clear evolution from disk micelles to vesicle to high-genus vesicles where each passage is controlled by pH switch or temperature. We show that the process can be rationalised adapting membrane physics theories disclosing important scaling principles that allow the estimation of the vesiculation minimal radius as well as chain entanglement and coupling. This allows us to propose a new approach to generate nanoscale vesicles with genus from 0 to 70 which have been very elusive and difficult to control so far.</p></div></div></div>


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherien M. M. Atalla ◽  
Mokhtar M. Abdel-Kader ◽  
Nadia G. El-Gamal ◽  
Nehal S. El-Mougy

Abstract Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most economic crops in Egypt. Production of amylase from the waste of maize is the most economic and cheap renewable and most abundant raw materials present in environment. Biosynthesis of Cu-chitosan nanoparticles for amylase production by co-culturing between Trichoderma harzianum and Pseudomonas fluorescens at different ratios compared to free conditions was the main purpose of this study. The optimum ratio 8:2, recorded between P. fluorescens: T. harzianum, was the most promising for production of amylase produce 22.47 and 28.60 U/ml for free and nano, respectively. The UV visible spectral analysis Cu-chitosan NPs was 220 nm, while the mean diameter, using transmission electron microscopy was 0.5 μm. Application of fermented maize wastes by co-cultivation of P. fluorescence and T. harzianum, as a grain dressing before sowing declared the reduction in both root and foliar diseases during the maize growing season, starting from germination up to 70 days of its vegetative growth under field conditions. A promising approach is the creation and use of environmentally safe products, whose protective effect is based on the induction of hydrolase inhibitors in plants.


Soft Matter ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 3096-3104
Author(s):  
Valeria Castelletto ◽  
Jani Seitsonen ◽  
Janne Ruokolainen ◽  
Ian W. Hamley

A designed surfactant-like peptide is shown, using a combination of cryogenic-transmission electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering, to have remarkable pH-dependent self-assembly properties.


Nanoscale ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederik Laust Durhuus ◽  
Lau Halkier Wandall ◽  
Mathias Hoeg Boisen ◽  
Mathias Kure ◽  
Marco Beleggia ◽  
...  

Magnetically guided self-assembly of nanoparticles is a promising bottom-up method to fabricate novel materials and superstructures, such as, for example, magnetic nanoparticle clusters for biomedical applications. The existence of assembled...


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (24) ◽  
pp. 5798
Author(s):  
Amir Reza Sadrolhosseini ◽  
Ganesan Krishnan ◽  
Suhaidi Shafie ◽  
Suraya Abdul Rashid ◽  
Sulaiman Wadi Harun

This study used the carbon dots solution for the laser ablation technique to fabricate silver nanoparticles. The ablation time range was from 5 min to 20 min. Analytical methods, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy were used to categorize the prepared samples. The UV-visible and z-scan techniques provided optical parameters such as linear and nonlinear refractive indices in the range of 1.56759 to 1.81288 and 7.3769 × 10−10 cm2 W−1 to 9.5269 × 10−10 cm2 W−1 and the nonlinear susceptibility was measured in the range of 5.46 × 10−8 to 6.97 × 10−8 esu. The thermal effusivity of prepared samples, which were measured using the photoacoustic technique, were in the range of 0.0941 W s1/2 cm−2 K−1 to 0.8491 W s1/2 cm−2 K−1. The interaction of the prepared sample with fluoride was investigated using a Raman spectrometer. Consequently, the intensity of the Raman signal decreased with the increasing concentration of fluoride, and the detection limit is about 0.1 ppm.


1995 ◽  
Vol 395 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.D. Vispute ◽  
H. Wu ◽  
K. Jagannadham ◽  
J. Narayan

ABSTRACTAIN thin films have been grown epitaxially on Si(111) and Al2O3(0001) substrates by pulsed laser deposition. These films were characterized by FTIR and UV-Visible, x-ray diffraction, high resolution transmission electron and scanning electron microscopy, and electrical resistivity. The films deposited on silicon and sapphire at 750-800°C and laser energy density of ∼ 2 to 3J/cm2 are epitaxial with an orientational relationship of AIN[0001]║ Si[111], AIN[2 110]║Si[011] and AlN[0001]║Al2O3[0001], AIN[1 2 1 0]║ Al2O3[0110] and AIN[1010] ║ Al2O3[2110]. The both AIN/Si and AIN/Al2O3 interfaces were found to be quite sharp without any indication of interfacial reactions. The absorption edge measured by UV-Visible spectroscopy for the epitaxial AIN film grown on sapphire was sharp and the band gap was found to be 6.1eV. The electrical resistivity of the films was about 5-6×l013Ω-cm with a breakdown field of 5×106V/cm. We also found that the films deposited at higher laser energy densities ≥10J/cm2 and lower temperatures ≤650°C were nitrogen deficient and containing free metallic aluminum which degrade the microstructural, electrical and optical properties of the AIN films


1994 ◽  
Vol 351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nir Kossovsky ◽  
A. Gelman ◽  
H.J. Hnatyszyn ◽  
E. Sponsler ◽  
G.-M. Chow

ABSTRACTIntrigued by the deceptive simplicity and beauty of macromolecular self-assembly, our laboratory began studying models of self-assembly using solids, glasses, and colloidal substrates. These studies have defined a fundamental new colloidal material for supporting members of a biochemically reactive pair.The technology, a molecular transportation assembly, is based on preformed carbon ceramic nanoparticles and self assembled calcium-phosphate dihydrate particles to which glassy carbohydrates are then applied as a nanometer thick surface coating. This carbohydrate coated core functions as a dehydroprotectant and stabilizes surface immobilized members of a biochemically reactive pair. The final product, therefore, consists of three layers. The core is comprised of the ceramic, the second layer is the dehydroprotectant carbohydrate adhesive, and the surface layer is the biochemically reactive molecule for which delivery is desired.We have characterized many of the physical properties of this system and have evaluated the utility of this delivery technology in vitro and in animal models. Physical characterization has included standard and high resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron and x-ray diffraction and ζ potential analysis. Functional assays of the ability of the system to act as a nanoscale dehydroprotecting delivery vehicle have been performed on viral antigens, hemoglobin, and insulin. By all measures at present, the favorable physical properties and biological behavior of the molecular transportation assembly point to an exciting new interdisciplinary area of technology development in materials science, chemistry and biology.


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