Carbon dots (CDs) as a new class of photoluminescent zero-dimension carbon nanoparticles have attracted significant research interests owing to their extraordinary opto-electro-properties and biocompatibility. So far, almost all syntheses of CDs require either heat treatment or exertion of high energy fields. Herein, a scalable room-temperature vortex fluidic method is introduced to the CDs synthesis using the angled vortex fluidic device (VFD).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe have developed a rapid and facile method for preparing free-standing nanocomposite of gold nanoparticles with graphene oxide (Au@GO) in water under continuous flow in the absence of harsh reducing agents and any other auxiliary substances, as a method with favourable green chemistry metrics. This uses a vortex fluidic device (VFD) where induced mechanical energy and photo-contact electrification associated with the dynamic thin film in the rapidly rotating tube tilted at 45° while simultaneously UV irradiated (λ=254 nm, 20 W) results in decomposition of water to hydrogen and hydrogen peroxide with growth of the gold nanoparticles on the surface of the GO. We have established that the resulting Au@GO composite sheets rapidly catalyse the degradation of commercial dyes like methyl orange (MO) and methylene blue (MB) using the hydrogen peroxide generated in situ in the VFD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis article details how to use a vortex fluidic device (VFD) to accelerate protein purification via immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC). Building upon a previous report of VFD-based purification, we introduce a membrane insert to simplify the purification protocol and the resin recovery step. This new platform can be adapted to different types of IMAC resins and purification membranes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMethanol is not only a promising liquid hydrogen carrier but also an important feedstock chemical for chemical synthesis. Catalyst design is vital for enabling the reactions to occur under ambient conditions. This study reports a new class of van der Waals heterojunction photocatalyst, which is synthesized by hot-injection method, whereby carbon dots (CDs) are grown in situ on ZnSe nanoplatelets (NPLs), i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe design of new and more sustainable synthetic protocols to access new materials or valuable compounds will have a high impact on the broader chemistry community. In this sense, continuous-flow photochemistry has emerged as a powerful technique which has been employed successfully in various areas such as biopharma, organic chemistry, as well as materials science. However, it is important to note that chemical processes must not only advance towards new or improved chemical transformations, but also implement new technologies that enable new process opportunities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe report a low-cost and highly efficient process for exfoliating of MoS using an energy efficient vortex fluidic device (VFD). This method is high in green chemistry metrics in avoiding the use of auxiliary substances, and the process is scalable, with a conversion of as received MoS into 2D sheets at ∼73%.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiodegradable, biomass derived kombucha cellulose films with increased mechanical strength from 9.98 MPa to 18.18 MPa were prepared by vortex fluidic device (VFD) processing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChem Commun (Camb)
August 2023
Hollow C nanotubules are formed under high shear within the thin film of a vortex fluidic device (VFD) without the need for using auxiliary reagents, high temperatures and pressures, and/or requiring downstream processing. This novel bottom-up crystallisation process involves intense micro mixing of two liquids (toluene solution of C and anti-solvent, isopropyl alcohol) within a thin film in the VFD to precisely control the hierarchical assembly of C molecules into hollow nanotubules. The mechanism of self-assembly was consistent with them being a mould of the high shear double helical topological flow from Faraday waves coupled with Coriolis forces generated within the thin film.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHydrogels have been widely used to entrap biomolecules for various biocatalytic reactions. However, solute diffusion in these matrices to initiate such reactions can be a very slow process. Conventional mixing remains a challenge as it can cause irreversible distortion or fragmentation of the hydrogel itself.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFReducing resistance in silicon-based devices is important as they get miniaturized further. 2D materials offer an opportunity to increase conductivity whilst reducing size. A scalable, environmentally benign method is developed for preparing partially oxidized gallium/indium sheets down to 10 nm thick from a eutectic melt of the two metals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHighly processible graphene oxide (GO) has a diversity of applications as a material readily dispersed in aqueous media. However, methods for preparing such free-standing GO use hazardous and toxic reagents and generate significant waste streams. This is an impediment for uptake of GO in any application, for developing sustainable technologies and industries, and overcoming this remains a major challenge.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA diversity of two-dimensional nanomaterials has recently emerged with recent attention turning to the post-transition metal elements, in particular material derived from liquid metals and eutectic melts below 330 °C where processing is more flexible and in the temperature regime suitable for industry. This has been explored for liquid gallium using an angled vortex fluidic device (VFD) to fabricate ultrathin gallium oxide (GaO) sheets under continuous flow conditions. We have established the nanosheets to form highly insulating material and have electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution, with a Tafel slope of 39 mV dec revealing promoting effects of the surface oxidation (passivation layer).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIminosugars are important compounds in the area of carbohydrate-based therapeutics. A simple synthetic methodology utilizing the vortex fluidic thin film microfluidic reactor is effective in the synthesis of such compounds for diverse reaction types, with the optimal tilt angle of the reactor at 45° and the optimal rotational speed dependent on the nature of the liquid.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Colloid Interface Sci
November 2022
Electro-polymerization of diazonium salts is widely used for modifying surfaces with thin organic films. Initially this method was primarily applied to carbon, then to metals, and more recently to semiconducting Si. Unlike on other surfaces, electrochemical reduction of diazonium salts on Si, which is one of the most industrially dominant material, is not well understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMixing immiscible liquids typically requires the use of auxiliary substances including phase transfer catalysts, microgels, surfactants, complex polymers and nano-particles and/or micromixers. Centrifugally separated immiscible liquids of different densities in a 45° tilted rotating tube offer scope for avoiding their use. Micron to submicron size topological flow regimes in the thin films induce high inter-phase mass transfer depending on the nature of the two liquids.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAngew Chem Int Ed Engl
June 2022
Unlocking the potential of personalized medicine in point-of-care settings requires a new generation of biomarker and proteomic assays. Ideally, assays could inexpensively perform hundreds of quantitative protein measurements in parallel at the bedsides of patients. This goal greatly exceeds current capabilities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn peptide production, oxidative sulfitolysis can be used to protect the cysteine residues during purification, and the introduction of a negative charge aids solubility. Subsequent controlled reduction aids in ensuring correct disulfide bridging. In vivo, these problems are overcome through interaction with chaperones.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe current study describes a new technology, effective for readily preparing a fluorescent (FL) nanoprobe-based on hyperbranched polymer (HB) and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorogen with high brightness to ultimately develop FL hydrogels. We prepared the AIE nanoprobe using a microfluidic platform to mix hyperbranched polymers (HB, generations 2, 3, and 4) with AIE (TPE-2BA) under shear stress and different rotation speeds (0-5 K RPM) and explored the FL properties of the AIE nanoprobe. Our results reveal that the use of HB generation 4 exhibits 30-times higher FL intensity compared to the AIE alone and is significantly brighter and more stable compared to those that are prepared using HB generations 3 and 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe presence of a natural silicon oxide (SiO) layer over the surface of silicon (Si) has been a roadblock for hybrid semiconductor and organic electronics technology. The presence of an insulating oxide layer is a limiting operational factor, which blocks charge transfer and therefore electrical signals for a range of applications. Etching the SiO layer by fluoride solutions leaves a reactive Si-H surface that is only stable for few hours before it starts reoxidizing under ambient conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe introduce a four component Passerini polymerization utilizing sterically bulky isocyanide monomers. Under typical Passerini conditions, bulky isocyanides do not react within standard Passerini reaction timescales (hours). We overcome this challenge via the unique physiochemical conditions present in a vortex fluidic device, reducing the reaction time to 2 h on average.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProtein folding is important for protein homeostasis/proteostasis in the human body. We have established the ability to manipulate protein unfolding/refolding for β-lactoglobulin using the induced mechanical energy in the thin film microfluidic vortex fluidic device (VFD) with monitoring as such using an aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen), TPE-MI. When denaturant (guanidine hydrochloride) is present with β-lactoglobulin, the VFD accelerates the denaturation reaction in a controlled way.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA polymer made from equal masses of sulfur and canola oil was carbonised at 600 °C for 30 minutes. The resulting material exhibited improved uptake of mercury from water compared to the polymer. The carbonisation could also be done after using the polymer to clean up oil spills, which suprisingly improved mercury uptake to levels rivaling commercial carbons.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWater-soluble, anionic calix[]arenes are useful receptors for protein recognition and assembly. For example, sulfonato-calix[8]arene ( ) can encapsulate proteins and direct their assembly into porous frameworks. In this work, we turned our attention to an "extended arm" calixarene with 16 phenyl rings.
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