A highly photoreflective and heat-insulating alumina film composed of stacked mesoporous layers in hierarchical structure.

An alumina film with highly photoreflective and heat-insulating properties can be simply synthesized using a sol of fibrous boehmite with an additive. The entangled fibers bring about mesopores among them and form stacked 2D nonwoven-like nanosheets. The porosity and the layered structure of alumina accompanying the heat resistivity provide the upper properties that are usually difficult to realize simultaneously.

Preparation of plate-like mesoporous material from layered silicate RUB-15.

A plate-like mesoporous material was formed from the lamellar structure of layered silicate RUB-15. RUB-15 was synthesized by a hydrothermal method, as reported previously. TMA (tetramethylammonium) ions exist in the interlayer of RUB-15 were exchanged with C16 TMA (hexadecyl-trimethyl-ammonium) ions, and TEOS (tetraethylorthosilicate) was then intercalated in between the layers.

An enzyme-encapsulated microreactor for efficient theanine synthesis.

A flow-type microreactor containing glutaminase-mesoporous silica composites with 10.6 nm pore diameter (TMPS10.6) was developed for the continuous synthesis of theanine, a unique amino acid.

Heterogeneous nucleation of protein crystals on fluorinated layered silicate.

Here, we describe an improved system for protein crystallization based on heterogeneous nucleation using fluorinated layered silicate. In addition, we also investigated the mechanism of nucleation on the silicate surface. Crystallization of lysozyme using silicates with different chemical compositions indicated that fluorosilicates promoted nucleation whereas the silicates without fluorine did not.

Increasing particle size of a synthetic smectite for polymer nanocomposites using a supercritical hydrothermal treatment.

We have studied the effect of a supercritical hydrothermal process on the structural and surface morphological properties of synthetic smectite clay, stevensite (ST), in terms of the particle size, in order to enhance the functionality of the synthetic smectites as an inorganic filler for transparent clay/polymer nanocomposites. The ST aqueous suspensions were treated in a flow reactor system at 673 K and 25 MPa. The structural characterizations revealed that the ST retained a layered structure composed of polymeric sheets of SiO(4) tetrahedra after the treatment.

Detection of hetero-proteins-mesoporous silica assembly by BRET.

The assembly of a hetero-protein (Renilla reniformis luciferase (Rluc) and a green fluorescence protein (sGFP)) encapsulated in folded-sheet mesoporous material with 7.1 nm pore diameter (FSM7.1), which was used for studying protein-protein interactions in pores of mesoporous silica, has been confirmed by the detection of bioluminescence resonance energy transfers (BRET).

Enhancement in thermal stability and resistance to denaturants of lipase encapsulated in mesoporous silica with alkyltrimethylammonium (CTAB).

We assembled a highly durable conjugate with both a high-density accumulation and a regular array of lipase, by encapsulating it in mesoporous silica (FSM) with alkyltrimethylammonium (CTAB) chains on the surface. The activity for hydrolyzing esters of the lipase immobilized in mesoporous silica was linearly related to the concentration of lipase, whereas that of non-immobilized lipase showed saturation due to self-aggregation at a high concentration. The lipase conjugate also had increased resistance to heating when stayed in the silica coupling with CTAB.

Importance of the support material in thin palladium composite membranes for steady hydrogen permeation at elevated temperatures.

Hydrogen permeation performance of palladium membranes supported on porous alpha-alumina and yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) was studied at 300-850 degrees C. The hydrogen permeation flux across the palladium-alpha-alumina membrane decreased markedly during permeation tests conducted at >600 degrees C. The SEM and XPS studies of the post-test membrane revealed the presence of aluminium in the palladium layer.

High-throughput protein refolding screening method using zeolite.

We established a 96-well-plate-based refolding screening system using zeolite. In this system, protein denatured and solubilized with 6 M guanidine hydrochloride is adsorbed onto zeolite placed in a 96-well plate. The refolding conditions can be tested by incubating the samples with refolding buffers under various conditions of pH, salts, and additives.

Refolding of lactate dehydrogenase by zeolite beta.

We used zeolite beta as an adsorbing matrix to refold recombinant lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) protein collected as an insoluble aggregate from a bacterial expression system. The adsorption isotherm revealed that 1 g of zeolite adsorbed 200 mg of denatured LDH solubilized with a buffer containing 6 M of guanidine hydrochloride. The pH of the buffer had little effect on the adsorption, but this property was abolished by preincubation of the zeolite with polyethylene glycol (PEG) in a weight ratio of 1:10.

Amperometric determination of choline with enzyme immobilized in a hybrid mesoporous membrane.

Choline sensor is successfully prepared by using immobilized enzyme, i.e., choline oxidase (ChOx) within a hybrid mesoporous membrane with 12 nm pore diameter (F127M).

Preparation of a microporous layered organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposite using p-aminotrimethoxysilane and a crystalline layered silicate, ilerite.

The silylation of ilerite with p-aminophenyltrimethoxysilane (denoted as APhS) was conducted in order to attempt preparation of a layered organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposite having interlayer microporosity, in which the APhS molecule bridges between the silicate layers using two heterofunctional groups containing an amino group and a methoxy one. The APhS molecules were successfully condensed and immobilized in the interlayer of the protonated ilerite. Chemical analysis and (29)Si solid-state NMR results indicated that the interlayer space was occupied by preferential condensation between the APhS molecules.

Use of zeolite to refold a disulfide-bonded protein.

Zeolites are microporous crystalline aluminosilicates with a highly ordered structure. Using zeolite beta as an adsorbent, denatured/reduced hen egg lysozyme was refolded to the active form at high concentrations. The denatured/reduced lysozyme was adsorbed onto the zeolite and the protein was refolded by desorbing it into refolding buffer, consisting of redox reagents, guanidine hydrochloride, polyethylene glycol, and L-arginine.

Selective adsorption of bacterial cells onto zeolites.

Zeolites adsorb microbial cells on their surfaces and selective adsorption for specific microorganisms was seen with certain zeolites. Tests for the adsorption ability of zeolites were conducted using various established microbial cell lines. Specific cell lines were shown to selectively absorb to certain zeolites, species to species.

Use of layer silicate for protein crystallization: effects of Micromica and chlorite powders in hanging drops.

Two kinds of layer silicate powder, Micromica and chlorite, were used to aid protein crystallization by the addition to hanging drops. Using appropriate crystallization buffers, Micromica powder facilitated crystal growth speed for most proteins tested in this study. Furthermore, the addition of Micromica powder to hanging drops allowed the successful crystallization of lysozyme, catalase, concanavalin A, and trypsin even at low protein concentrations and under buffer conditions that otherwise would not generate protein crystals.

The ensemble of hetero-proteins in inorganic nanochannels.

The assembly and proper alignment of two heterofluorescent proteins (sGFP and DsRed) in the mesoporous channels of ethanol-treated FSM6.2 (a folded-sheet mesoporous material with a pore diameter of 6.2 nm) was confirmed using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) technique.

Formation of cage-like hollow spherical silica via a mesoporous structure by calcination of lysozyme-silica hybrid particles.

Calcination of lysozyme-silica hybrid hollow particles gives novel cage-like hollow spherical silicas with differently patterned through-holes on their shell structure.

Optical nanosensor design with uniform pore geometry and large particle morphology.

Appropriate design of nanosensors for optically selective, sensitive sensing systems is needed for naked-eye detection of pollutants for environmental cleanup of toxic heavy-metal ions. Mesostructured materials with two- or three-dimensional (2D or 3D) geometries and large particle morphologies show promise as probe carriers, and can therefore be used to reproducibly fabricate uniformly packed nanosensors. This is the first report on the effects of significant key properties of the mesostructured carriers, such as morphology, geometry, and pore shape, on the functionality of optical nanosensor designs.

Encapsulation of hemoglobin in mesoporous silica (FSM)-enhanced thermal stability and resistance to denaturants.

Hemoblogin (Hb), which is a typical oligomeric protein, was introduced into the pores of mesoporous silica (FSM: folded-sheet mesoporous material) that had a diameter of 7.5 nm. Soret CD spectra of Hb-FSM-7.

Effective immobilization of subunit protein in mesoporous silica modified with ethanol.

Ethoxylated FSM-type mesoporous silica (folded-sheet mesoporous material) with a pore diameter of 6.2 nm (FSM6.2) remarkably enhances rigidly of the structure in aqueous solutions.

General and simple approach for control cage and cylindrical mesopores, and thermal/hydrothermal stable frameworks.

Highly ordered cage and cylindrical mesoporeous silica monoliths (HOM) with 2- and 3-dimensional (2D and 3D, respectively) structures, mesopore/micropore volumes, and thick-walled frameworks were successfully fabricated by instant direct templating of lyotropic phases of copolymer (EO(m)-PO(n)-EO(m)) surfactants. Large cage-like pores with uniform constriction sizes up to 10 nm and open cylindrical channel-like mesopores can be easily achieved by this simple and efficient synthesis design. Our results show that the cage-like pores could be fabricated at relatively lower copolymer concentrations used in the lyotropic phase domains at copolymer/TMOS ratios of 35 wt %.

Effects of water on the structure and bonding of resorcinol in the interlayer of montmorillonite nanocomposite: a periodic first principle study.

Resorcinol forms a novel nanocomposite in the interlayer of montmorillonite. This resorcinol oligomer is stable inside the clay matrixes even above the boiling point of the monomer. A periodic ab initio calculation was performed with hydrated and nonhydrated montmorillonite before and after intercalation of resorcinol.