designing-silk-silk-protein-alloy-materials-for-biomedical

Designing Silk-silk Protein Alloy Materials for Biomedical Applications

Fibrous proteins display different sequences and structures that have been used for various applications in biomedical fields such as biosensors, ...

Rowan University

Formamide, in its pure state, has been used as a working solvent for layer-by-layer (LbL) polyelectrolyte self-assembly. Polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) and polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH) polyelectrolyte films were deposited onto planar substrates and colloidal particles. Film deposition was confirmed using quartz crystal microbalance and zeta potential measurements. Formamide was used as an alternative to the water-based working solvents commonly used for LbL self-assembly. Few LbL self-assembly studies using nonaqueous solvents have been reported. Most studies performed with nonaqueous solvents have required the addition of small volumes of water to dissolve the polyelectrolytes. Conversely, the high dielectric constant of pure formamide led to the dissolution and transport of PSS and PAH. Using formamide, it is possible to deposit nanometer thick polyelectrolyte films onto water-sensitive surfaces. Formamide can be thus be used for encapsulating water sensitive hydrogen storage materials within polyelectrolyte films.

Layer-by-layer nanoassembly of polyelectrolytes using formamide as the working medium.

This study reports reaction pathways to form TiAlx metallic complexes during the high energy ball milling of 4 mol% TiCl3 with NaAlH4 powders determined using local structure analysis of Tix+ and Alx+ species. Using x-ray photoemission electron microscopy (XPEEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD), the oxidation state of Alx+ and Tix+ and the crystalline compounds existing in equilibrium with NaAlH4 were tracked for samples milled for times of 0 (i.e. mixing), 5, and 25 min. XPEEM analysis of the Al K edge after 5 min of milling reveals that Al remains in the 3+ oxidation state (i.e. in NaAlH4) around Ti0-rich regions of the sample. After 25 min of high energy milling, Ti0 has reacted with Al3+ (in nearby NaAlH4) to form TiAlx complexes. This study reports the pathway for TiAlx complex formation during milling of 4 mol% TiCl3catalyzed NaAlH4 to be as follows: (1) Ti3+ reduces to Ti0 (with Al3+ near Ti0 regions) and (2) Ti0 reacts with Al3+ in NaAlH4 to form TiAlx complexes.

Article	Year
Layer-by-layer nanoassembly of polyelectrolytes using formamide as the working medium. Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids\| PubMed ID: 17536845	2007
An x-ray photoemission electron microscopy study of the formation of Ti-Al phases in 4 mol% TiCl3 catalyzed NaAlH4 during high energy ball milling. Nanotechnology\| PubMed ID: 19420662	2009

Tabbetha Dobbins

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