Jun Kyun Oh

Preventing adhesion of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium LT2 on tomato surfaces via ultrathin polyethylene glycol film.

This work deals with adhesion of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2 (S. Typhimurium LT2) on polyethylene glycol (PEG) coated tomato surfaces. PEG coating was characterized by water contact angle technique, scanning electron microscopy, and secondary ion mass spectrometry. It was shown that PEG films could physisorb on the tomato surfaces after the oxygen plasma treatment, which made some outermost layers of the surfaces hydrophilic. Bacterial adhesion on PEG coated tomato surface was studied by standard plate count, fluorescence microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Fully covered PEG film reduced the bacterial attachment 90% or more in comparison to the bare tomato surface. The degree of bacterial attachment decreased exponentially with increasing PEG coverage. When desired, PEG film could be removed by rinsing with water. Overall, this work demonstrates the proof-of-concept that an ultrathin film of polyethylene glycol may be used to effectively inhibit the attachment of pathogenic bacteria on tomato surfaces.

Metal-Organic-Inorganic Nanocomposite Thermal Interface Materials with Ultralow Thermal Resistances

As electronic devices get smaller and more powerful, energy density of energy storage devices increases continuously, and moving components of machinery operate at higher speeds, the need for better thermal management strategies is becoming increasingly important. The removal of heat dissipated during the operation of electronic, electrochemical, and mechanical devices is facilitated by high-performance thermal interface materials (TIMs) which are utilized to couple devices to heat sinks. Herein, we report a new class of TIMs involving the chemical integration of boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS), soft organic linkers, and a copper matrix-which are prepared by the chemisorption-coupled electrodeposition approach. These hybrid nanocomposites demonstrate bulk thermal conductivities ranging from 211 to 277 W/(m K), which are very high considering their relatively low elastic modulus values on the order of 21.2-28.5 GPa. The synergistic combination of these properties led to the ultralow total thermal resistivity values in the range of 0.38-0.56 mm2 K/W for a typical bond-line thickness of 30-50 μm, advancing the current state-of-art transformatively. Moreover, its coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is 11 ppm/K, forming a mediation zone with a low thermally induced axial stress due to its close proximity to the CTE of most coupling surfaces needing thermal management.

Metallic nanocomposites as next-generation thermal interface materials

Thermal interface materials (TIMs) are an integral and important part of thermal management in electronic devices. The electronic devices are becoming more compact and powerful. This increase in power processed or passing through the devices leads to higher heat fluxes and makes it a challenge to maintain temperatures at the optimal level during operation. Herein, we report a free standing nanocomposite TIM in which boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) are uniformly dispersed in copper matrices via an organic linker, thiosemicarbazide. Integration of these metal-organic-inorganic nanocomposites was made possible by a novel electrodeposition technique where the functionalized BNNS (f-BNNS) experience the Brownian motion and reach the cathode through diffusion, while the nucleation and growth of the copper on the cathode occurs via the electrochemical reduction. Once the f-BNNS bearing carbonothioyl/thiol groups on the terminal edges come into the contact with copper crystals, the chemisorption reaction takes place. We performed thermal, mechanical, and structural characterization of these nanocomposites using scanning electron microcopy (SEM), diffusive laser flash (DLF) analysis, phase-sensitive transient thermoreflectence (PSTTR), and nanoindentation. The nanocomposites exhibited a thermal conductivity ranging from 211 W/mK to 277 W/mK at a filler mass loading of 0–12 wt.%. The nanocomposites also have about 4 times lower hardness as compared to copper, with values ranging from 0.27 GPa to 0.41 GPa. The structural characterization studies showed that most of the BNNS are localized at grain boundaries — which enable efficient thermal transport while making the material soft. PSTTR measurements revealed that the synergistic combinations of these properties yielded contact resistances on the order of 0.10 to 0.13 mm2K/W, and the total thermal resistance of 0.38 to 0.56 mm2K/W at bondline thicknesses of 30–50 pm. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the nanocomposite is 11 ppm/K, which lies between the CTEs of aluminum (22 ppm/K) and silicon (3 ppm/K), which are common heat sink and heat source materials, respectively. The nanocomposite can also be deposited directly on to heat sink which will simplify the packaging processes by removing one possible element to assemble. These unique properties and ease of assembly makes the nanocomposite a promising next-generation TIM.

Ecotoxic effects of paclitaxel-loaded nanotherapeutics on freshwater algae, Raphidocelis subcapitata and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

The contamination of water bodies and water pollution with pharmaceuticals are global issues receiving increasing attention, stemming from population growth and the resultant rises in pharmaceutical consumption, disposal, and excretion. However, little is known about how emerging classes of pharmaceuticals, in particular nanopharmaceuticals, influence water bodies and organisms living in them. In this work, we investigate the interactions of paclitaxel-loaded nanomedicine with freshwater algae Raphidocelis subcapitata and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. For a given paclitaxel concentration, the nanomedicine form of paclitaxel led to a higher localization of paclitaxel on/in algal cell surfaces and inhibited algal growth more than molecular (free) paclitaxel. In addition, while the molecular paclitaxel at the solubility limit in water could not significantly hinder algal growth to reach an IC50 level, the nanomedicine form had a 120 h IC50 value of 1.1 ± 0.1 μg paclitaxel ml−1 for C. reinhardtii and a 72 h IC50 value of 1.6 ± 0.1 μg paclitaxel ml−1 for R. subcapitata. In the case of paclitaxel-loaded nanomedicine, concentrations above 16.2 μg paclitaxel mL−1 for R. subcapitata and above 5.4 μg paclitaxel mL−1 for C. reinhardtii resulted in an algaecidal effect, i.e. algal necrosis and complete stoppage of algal growth. The presence of paclitaxel-loaded nanomedicine also hindered the photosynthetic activity while free-paclitaxel caused no significant effect on it. These findings indicate that nanopharmaceuticals can cause ecotoxic effects on freshwater algae, which is otherwise not possible with traditional pharmaceuticals, owing to their ability to solubilize water-insoluble drug molecules in them.

Nanoporous aerogel as a bacteria repelling hygienic material for healthcare environment

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) caused by pathogenic bacteria are a worldwide problem and responsible for numerous cases of morbidity and mortality. Exogenous cross-contamination is one of the main mechanisms contributing to such infections. This work investigates the potential of hydrophobically modified nanoporous silica aerogel as an antiadhesive hygienic material that can inhibit exogenous bacterial contamination. Nanoporous silica aerogels were synthesized via sol-gel polymerization of tetraethyl orthosilicate and hydrophobized using trimethylsilyl chloride. Bacterial adhesion characteristics were evaluated via dip-inoculation in suspensions of Gram-negative Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. The attachment of E. coli O157:H7 and S. aureus to hydrophobic nanoporous silica aerogel (HNSA) was found to be significantly lower than that to hydrophilic and hydrophobic nonporous silica materials: 99.91% (E. coli O157:H7) and 99.93% (S. aureus) reduction in comparison to hydrophilic nonporous silica, and 82.95% (E. coli O157:H7) and 84.90% (S. aureus) reduction in comparison to hydrophobic nonporous silica. These results suggest that the use of HNSA as surfaces that come into contact with bacterial pathogens in the healthcare environment can improve bacterial hygiene, and therefore may reduce the rate of HAIs.

Structural, tribological, and mechanical properties of the hind leg joint of a jumping insect: Using katydids to inform bioinspired lubrication systems

This study investigates the structural properties of the hind leg femur-tibia joint in adult katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), including its tribological and mechanical properties. It is of particular interest because the orthopteran (e.g., grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids) hind leg is highly specialized for jumping. We show that the katydid hind leg femur-tibia joint had unique surfaces and textures, with a friction coefficient (μ) at its coupling surface of 0.053±0.001. Importantly, the sheared surfaces at this joint showed no sign of wear or damage, even though it had undergone thousands of external shearing cycles. We attribute its resiliency to a synergistic interaction between the hierarchical surface texture/pattern on the femoral surfaces, a nanograded internal nanostructure of articulating joints, and the presence of lubricating lipids on the surface at the joint interface. The micro/nanopatterned surface of the katydid hind leg femur-tibia joint enables a reduction in the total contact area, and this significantly reduces the adhesive forces between the coupling surfaces. In our katydids, the femur and tibia joint surfaces had a maximum effective elastic modulus (Eeff) value of 2.6GPa and 3.9GPa, respectively. Presumably, the decreased adhesion through the reduction of van der Waals forces prevented adhesive wear, while the contact between the softer textured surface and harder smooth surface avoided abrasive wear. The results from our bioinspired study offer valuable insights that can inform the development of innovative coatings and lubrication systems that are both energy efficient and durable. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Relative to body length, insects can outjump most animals. They also accelerate their bodies at a much faster rate. Orthopterans (e.g., grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids) have hind legs that are specialized for jumping. Over an individuals lifetime, the hind leg joint endures repeated cycles of flexing and extending, including jumping, and its efficiency and durability easily surpass that of most mechanical devices. Although the efficient functioning of insect joints has long been recognized, the mechanism by which insect joints experience friction/adhesion/wear, and operate efficiently/reliably is still largely unknown. Our study on the structural, tribological, and mechanical properties of the orthopteran hind leg joints reveals the potential of katydid bioinspired research leading to more effective coatings and lubrication systems.