Timothy Jenkins

pH Responsiveness of polyelectrolyte dendrimers: a dynamical perspective

A combined quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) and high-resolution solution NMR spectroscopy study was conducted to investigate the internal dynamics of aqueous (D2O) G5 PAMAM dendrimer solutions as a function of molecular protonation at room temperature. Localized motion of the dendrimer segments was clearly exhibited in the QENS data analysis while the global, center-of-mass translational diffusion was measured by NMR. Our results unambiguously demonstrate an increased rapidity in local scale (∼ 3 A) motion upon increasing the molecular protonation. This is contrary to an intuitive picture that increased charge stiffens the dendrimer segments thereby inhibiting local motion. These charge-induced changes may be a result of interactions with the surrounding counterions and water molecules as the segments explore additional intra-dendrimer volume made available by slight electrostatic swelling and redistribution of mass in the dendrimer interior. This observation is relevant to development of a microscopic picture of dendrimer-based packages as guest-molecule delivery vehicles because reorganization of the confining dendrimer segments must be a precursor to guest-molecule release.

Diffusion in single supported lipid bilayers studied by quasi-elastic neutron scattering

It seems to be increasingly accepted that the diversity and composition of lipids play an important role in the function of biological membranes. A prime example of this is the case of lipid rafts; regions enriched with certain types of lipids which are speculated to be relevant to the proper functioning of membrane embedded proteins. Although the dynamics of membrane systems have been studied for decades, the microscopic dynamics of lipid molecules, even in simple model systems, is still an active topic of debate. Neutron scattering has proven to be an important tool for accessing the relevant nanometre length scale and nano to picosecond time scales, thus providing complimentary information to macroscopic techniques. Despite their potential relevance for the development of functionalized surfaces and biosensors, the study of single supported membranes using neutron scattering poses the challenge of obtaining relevant dynamic information from a sample with minimal material. Using state of the art neutron instrumentation we were, for the first time, able to model lipid diffusion in single supported lipid bilayers. We find that the diffusion coefficient for the single bilayer system is comparable to the multi-lamellar lipid system. More importantly, the molecular mechanism for lipid motion in the single bilayer was found to be a continuous diffusion, rather than the flow-like ballistic motion reported in the stacked membrane system. We observed an enhanced diffusion at the nearest neighbour distance of the lipid molecules. The enhancement and change of character of the diffusion can most likely be attributed to the effect the supporting substrate has on the lipid organization.

Hydration Water Freezing in Single Supported Lipid Bilayers

We present a high-temperature and high-energy resolution neutron scattering investigation of hydration water freezing in single supported lipid bilayers. Single supported lipid bilayers provide a well-defined biological interface to study hydration water dynamics and coupling to membrane degrees of freedom. Nanosecond molecular motions of membrane and hydration water were studied in the temperature range 240 K < T < 290 K in slow heating and cooling cycles using coherent and incoherent elastic neutron scattering on a backscattering spectrometer. Several freezing and melting transitions were observed. From the length scale dependence of the elastic scattering, these transitions could be assigned to freezing and melting of hydration water dynamics, diffusive lipid, and lipid acyl-tail dynamics. Coupling was investigated by comparing the different freezing and melting temperatures. While it is often speculated that membrane and hydration water dynamics are strongly coupled, we find that membrane and hydration water dynamics are at least partially decoupled in single bilayers.

Study of Water Diffusion on Single-supported Bilayer Lipid Membranes by Quasielastic Neutron Scattering

High-energy-resolution quasielastic neutron scattering has been used to elucidate the diffusion of water molecules in proximity to single bilayer lipid membranes supported on a silicon substrate. By varying sample temperature, level of hydration, and deuteration, we identify three different types of diffusive water motion: bulk-like, confined, and bound. The motion of bulk-like and confined water molecules is fast compared to those bound to the lipid head groups (7?10 H2O molecules per lipid), which move on the same nanosecond time scale as H atoms within the lipid molecules.

OPTICAL AND RAMAN MICROSPECTROSCOPY OF NITROGEN AND HYDROGEN MIXTURES AT HIGH PRESSURES

Optical and Raman microspectroscopy measurements performed on N2:H2 mixtures to 83 GPa reveal unusual phase behavior and bonding signatures. To pressures of 30 GPa, large deviations in the internal molecular stretching modes (vibrons) of a 2:1 N2:H2 mixture relative to those of the pure materials are found. An unusual phase separation is observed near 35 GPa, involving the formation of two distinct solid phases, one rich in both nitrogen and hydrogen and the other an amorphous nitrogen phase. Raman bands attributed to N‐N single bonds or polymerized nitrogen were observed at high pressures.

Hydrogen species motion in piezoelectrics: A quasi-elastic neutron scattering study

Hydrogen is known to damage or degrade piezoelectric materials, at low pressure for ferroelectric random access memory applications, and at high pressure for hydrogen-powered vehicle applications. The piezoelectric degradation is in part governed by the motion of hydrogen species within the piezoelectric materials. We present here quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) measurements of the local hydrogen species motion within lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and barium titanate (BTO) on samples charged by exposure to high-pressure gaseous hydrogen (≈17 MPa). Neutron vibrational spectroscopy (NVS) studies of the hydrogen-enhanced vibrational modes are presented as well. Results are discussed in the context of theoretically predicted interstitial hydrogen lattice sites and compared to comparable bulk diffusion studies of hydrogen diffusion in lead zirconate titanate.

Low-temperature tunneling and rotational dynamics of the ammonium cations in (NH4)2B12H12

Low-temperature neutron scattering spectra of diammonium dodecahydro-closo-dodecaborate [(NH(4))(2)B(12)H(12)] reveal two NH(4)(+) rotational tunneling peaks (e.g., 18.5 μeV and 37 μeV at 4 K), consistent with the tetrahedral symmetry and environment of the cations. The tunneling peaks persist between 4 K and 40 K. An estimate was made for the tunnel splitting of the first NH(4)(+) librational state from a fit of the observed ground-state tunnel splitting as a function of temperature. At temperatures of 50 K-70 K, classical neutron quasi-elastic scattering appears to dominate the spectra and is attributed to NH(4)(+) cation jump reorientation about the four C(3) axes defined by the N-H bonds. A reorientational activation energy of 8.1 ± 0.6 meV (0.79 ± 0.06 kJ/mol) is determined from the behavior of the quasi-elastic linewidths in this temperature regime. This activation energy is in accord with a change in NH(4)(+) dynamical behavior above 70 K. A low-temperature inelastic neutron scattering feature at 7.8 meV is assigned to a NH(4)(+) librational mode. At increased temperatures, this feature drops in intensity, having shifted entirely to higher energies by 200 K, suggesting the onset of quasi-free NH(4)(+) rotation. This is consistent with neutron-diffraction-based model refinements, which derive very large thermal ellipsoids for the ammonium-ion hydrogen atoms at room temperature in the direction of reorientation.

Optical cell for in situ vibrational spectroscopic measurements at high pressures and shear.

An optical cell is described for performing simultaneous static high-pressure and shear experiments. This cell design is a modification of the previously designed megabar diamond anvil cell used by Mao and Bell that allows for controlled, remote shear. With this diamond anvil cell, it is possible to use a wide range of existing experimental techniques and pressure media. The cell was validated on a sample of calcite at 5 kbar. Raman measurements show the onset of the phase transformation from calcite to aragonite at 10° of rotation.