Yubai Bai

Fabrication of Magnetic Luminescent Nanocomposites by a Layer-by-Layer Self-assembly Approach

Magnetic luminescent nanocomposites were prepared via a layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly approach. The Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles of 8.5 nm were used as a template for the deposition of the CdTe quantum dots (QDs)/polyelectrolyte (PE) multilayers. The number of polyelectrolyte multilayers separating the nanoparticle layers and the number of QDs/polyelectrolyte deposition cycles were varied to obtain two kinds of magnetic luminescent nanocomposites, Fe3O4/PEn/CdTe and Fe3O4/(PE3/CdTe)n, respectively. The assembly processes were monitored through microelectrophoresis and UV−vis spectra. The topography and the size of the nanocomposites were studied by transmission electron microscopy. The LbL technique for fabricating magnetic luminescent nanocomposites has some advantages to tune their properties. It was found that the selection of a certain number of the inserted polyelectrolyte interlayers and the CdTe QDs loading on the nanocomposites could optimize the photoluminescence properties of the nanocomposites....

Application of impedance spectroscopy for monitoring colloid Au-enhanced antibody immobilization and antibody-antigen reactions.

We used colloidal Au to enhance the amount of antibody immobilized on a gold electrode and ultimately monitored the interaction of antigen-antibody by impedance measurement. Self-assembly of 6 nm (diameter) colloidal Au onto the self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of 4-aminothiophenol modified gold electrode resulted in an easier attachment of antibody. The redox reactions of [Fe(CN)6](4-)/[Fe(CN)6](3-) on the gold surface were blocked due to the procedures of self-assembly of 4-aminothiophenol and antibody immobilization, which were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy. The interaction of antigen with grafted antibody recognition layers was carried out by soaking the modified electrode into a phosphate buffer at pH 7.4 with various concentrations of antigen at 37 degrees C for 30 min. The antibody recognition layers and their interactions with various concentrations of antigen could be detected by measurements of the impedance change. The results show that this method has good correlation for detection of Hepatitis B virus surface antigen in the range of 0.5-200 microg/l and a detection limit of about 50 ng/l.

Immunoassay using probe-labelling immunogold nanoparticles with silver staining enhancement via surface-enhanced Raman scattering.

This paper reports a novel immunoassay based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and immunogold labelling with silver staining enhancement. Immunoreactions between immunogold colloids modified by a Raman-active probe molecule (e.g., 4-mercaptobenzoic acid) and antigens, which were captured by antibody-assembled chips such as silicon or quartz, were detected via SERS signals of Raman-active probe molecule. All the self-assembled steps were subjected to the measurements of ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectra to monitor the formation of a sandwich structure onto a substrate. The immunoassay was performed by a sandwich structure consisting of three layers. The first layer was composed of immobilized antibody molecules of mouse polyclonal antibody against Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (PAb) on a silicon or quartz substrate. The second layer was the complementary Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (Antigen) molecules captured by PAb on the substrate. The third layer was composed of the probe-labelling immunogold nanoparticles, which were modified by mouse monoclonal antibody against Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (MAb) and 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) as the Raman-active probe on the surface of gold colloids. After silver staining enhancement, the antigen is identified by a SERS spectrum of MBA. A working curve of the intensity of a SERS signal at 1585 cm(-1) due to the [small nu](8a) aromatic ring vibration of MBA versus the concentration of analyte (Antigen) was obtained and the non-optimized detection limit for the Hepatitis B virus surface antigen was found to be as low as 0.5 [micro sign]g mL(-1).

Electrochemical detection of DNA immobilized on gold colloid particles modified self-assembled monolayer electrode with silver nanoparticle label.

The target DNA was immobilized successfully on gold colloid particles associated with a cysteamine monolayer on gold electrode surface. Self-assembly of colloidal Au onto a cysteamine modified gold electrode can enlarge the electrode surface area and enhance greatly the amount of immobilized single stranded DNA (ssDNA). The electron-transfer processes of [Fe(CN)6](4-)/[Fe(CN)6](3-) on the gold surface were blocked due to the procedures of the target DNA immobilization, which was investigated by impedance spectroscopy. Then single stranded target DNA immobilized on the gold electrode hybridized with the silver nanoparticle-oligonucleotide DNA probe, followed by the release of the silver metal atoms anchored on the hybrids by oxidative metal dissolution, and the indirect determination of the released solubilized Ag(I) ions by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) at a carbon fiber microelectrode. The results show that this method has good correlation for DNA detection in the range of 10-800 pmol/l and allows the detection level as low as 5 pmol/l of the target oligonucleotides.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering studies on immunoassay

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has recently been a matter of keen interest from the points of both basic science and applications because by using the SERS effect one can obtain Raman signals even from a single molecule. Immunoassay is one of the most promising fields in the applications of SERS, and the purpose of this review paper is to discuss the potential of SERS in immunoassay. This paper consists of four parts work on the indirect and direct methods of immunoassay via SERS. These methods provide the laboratorial attempts on biomedical diagnostic applications of SERS.

Surface photovoltage spectra and photoelectrochemical properties of semiconductor-sensitized nanostructured TiO2 electrodes

Three kinds of TiO2 nanostructured thin films and their CdS-sensitized films, consisting of different sizes of TiO2 nanoparticles prepared with different methods, have been investigated. The surface photovoltage spectra (SPS) measurements indicate that the density of surface states on TiO2 is likely dependent upon the details of prepared methods. TiO2 particles prepared from basic sol have more surface states than that prepared from acidic sol. When the TiO2 thin films prepared using the TiO2 sols were sensitized by CdS particles, the SPS responses relative to the surface states on TiO2 from 350 to 800 nm were decreased. The photoelectrochemical properties of nanostructured TiO2 electrodes suggest that the fewer the surface states and the smaller the particle sizes of TiO2, the larger the photocurrent response. For CdS sensitized TiO2 thin film electrode, it is shown that the semiconductor sensitization is an efficient way to decrease the influence of surface states on the charge separation, and can improve the intensity of photocurrent response

Periodate oxidation of nanoscaled magnetic dextran composites

Abstract Highly hydrophilic, uniform and nontoxic magnetic fluids consisting of magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ) and dextran were prepared. A periodate oxidation method was used to further activate the magnetic dextran, forming magnetic polyaldehyde–dextran, which could be conjugated to biomolecules such as proteins or antibodies. Oxidated Magnetic dextran composites were characterized by TEM, XRD and SQUID magnetometry. Moreover, a flexible, rapid and simple method to detect aldehydes was introduced to the magnetic composite system by utilizing 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine reagent. The result of the quantitative analysis of aldehyde was given by thermogravimetric analysis and elemental analysis.

Mixed ligand system of cysteine and thioglycolic acid assisting in the synthesis of highly luminescent water-soluble CdTe nanorods

Highly luminescent water-soluble CdTe nanorods were prepared with the assistance of the mixed ligand system of cysteine and thioglycolic acid; the aspect ratio and photoluminescence of the CdTe nanorods could be controlled by the refluxing time.

Preparation of pure Y-type Langmuir-Blodgett films of lead stearate and their reaction with hydrogen sulphide

Abstract Higher residual PbCl2 concentration was found within lead stearate (PbSt2) Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films deposited on the surface of 10−3 mol 1−1 PbCl2 aqueous solution. LB films with an acceptable composition can be obtained in the case of lower PbCl2 concentrations (less than 5 × 10−4 mol 1−1). A pure Y-type transfer form for PbSt2 LB films was observed on a subphase with a lower PbCl2 concentration as a result of using a faster dipping speed (10 cm min−1). Using X-ray diffraction measurements, it was determined that the pure Y-type PbSt2 LB films possess a certain number of layers which is the same as the value recorded during the deposition period. The rate of the chemical reaction of the pure Y-type PbSt2 LB films with H2S was found to be at least one order of magnitude slower than that in the case of the PbSt2 LB films deposited at the lower dipping speed.

Identification of H-aggregate in a monolayer amphiphilic porphyrin–TiO2 nanoparticle heterostructure assembly and its influence on the photoinduced charge transfer

Abstract The spectral properties of the monolayer 5,10,15-tri(4-hydroxyphenyl)-20-(4-hexadecyloxyphenyl) porphyrin molecule (TriHHP)–TiO 2 nanoparticle heterostructure assembly were investigated with absorption, fluorescence emission and excitation spectra, in comparison with those of CHCl 3 solution and monolayer films deposited from pH 3 and pH 10 water subphases. A new fluorescence emission band, arising from a blue-shifted Q-absorption band, was observed in the assembly or the monolayer film deposited from pH 3 water subphase. An H-aggregate type species from the protonated TriHHP molecules was assigned to cause this new emission band. According to the Frontier orbital theory, this H-aggregate is suggested in the configuration of face-to-face π–π stacking interaction among the protonated TriHHP molecules. In the heterostructure assembly, the efficient fluorescence emission quenching of TriHHP by the photoinduced charge transfer occurs under excitation in Soret band region of the unprotonated TriHHP molecules. No contribution to the photoinduced charge transfer.