Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sandra Haas, Monika Desombre, Frank Kirschhoefer, Matthias C. Huber, Stefan M. Schiller, Juergen Hubbuch
Summary: This manuscript investigates the purification protocols for an elastin-like protein (ELP) and evaluates their scalability and performance. The study finds that immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) achieves the highest purity and lowest nucleic acid contamination, while salt-induced precipitation offers a fast and simple alternative for large-scale production. Additional inverse transition cycling (ITC) purification leads to the highest purity but requires expensive temperature-dependent centrifugation steps.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuma Morimitsu, Hisao Matsuno, Yukari Oda, Satoru Yamamoto, Keiji Tanaka
Summary: This study visualizes the adsorption mechanism of polymer chains onto solid surfaces using atomic force microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. The dependence of adsorption on the chain affects the formation of the interfacial layer and the mechanical properties of DNA/filler bulk composites.
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Shawn P. Ward, Sean T. Mcdermott, Danielle Heichel, Kelly A. Burke, Douglas H. Adamson
Summary: The addition of PEG is a well-established method to modify the properties of biomolecules and biomaterials for therapeutic applications. However, surface modification approaches using harsh solvents may damage the biomaterials. In this study, we describe a solvent-free approach to PEGylate collagen fibers using surface initiated PEG brushes, which effectively maintains the native structure of collagen. The modified collagen fibers show improved antifouling properties and offer opportunities for further chemical reactions.
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Shangshang Wang, Jun Huang, Xing Zhang, Jianbo Zhang
Summary: This study develops a measurement system to overcome the challenges in measuring the ion conductivity of ionomer nanofibers, by using a microelectrode chip and a novel sample welding strategy. The system provides high accuracy and can be applied to other ionic conductive nanofibers or nanofilms.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Hesam Bazargan Harandi, Anahita Asadi, Hossein Fathi, Pang-Chieh Sui
Summary: This study investigated the transport processes of a direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) module using a multiscale approach. A stochastic, numerical reconstruction algorithm was developed to generate 3D virtual membranes for pore-scale simulations. The effective transport properties obtained from pore-scale simulations were utilized in a macroscopic model to study heat and mass transfer through the membrane, and showed that the MS-3010/0.45 μm membrane produced 24% more freshwater on average than the GE-Osmonics/0.22 μm membrane.
Article
Physics, Applied
Yakun Wang, Zhenghui Liu, Wentao Song, Gengzhao Xu, Kebei Chen, Chunyu Zhang, Sha Han, Jianfeng Wang, Ke Xu
Summary: This study develops a method to simultaneously map the surface topography and nanoscale vertical carrier diffusion and investigates the influence of microscopic structures on carrier diffusion properties in nitride semiconductors.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Marcus V. Alves Ribeiro, Aurel Jurjiu, Mircea Galiceanu
Summary: The relaxation dynamics of a new type of hyperbranched polymer networks constructed using a degree distribution specific to scale-free networks are studied. The topology of the networks is controlled by three parameters: gamma, K-min, and K-max. The influence of these parameters and the stiffness parameter q on the relaxation quantities is investigated. Various scaling behaviors are observed in the dynamical quantities for different combinations of the parameters.
PHYSICA A-STATISTICAL MECHANICS AND ITS APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Karsten Seeger
Summary: A new sample preparation method was proposed to shorten the preparation time of NMR samples, suitable for different sample types. Experimental results showed that this extraction protocol combined with slice-selection NMR experiments can be successfully used for metabolic investigations.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Zhen Zhang, Lijun Zhao, Boyuan Liu, Tiansheng Jiang, Ze Cheng
Summary: Particle image velocimetry (PIV) is a quantitative flow visualization technique that improves the characterization of complex flows. This study combines space-time image velocimetry (STIV) and direct sensor orientation (DSO) photogrammetry to design a laser distance meter (LDM)-supported photogrammetric device for GCPs-free surface velocity measurement. The proposed method provides accurate measurements and is superior to traditional methods in characterizing shallow free-surface flows.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Alessandra Partenope, Fabio Pizzetti, Valeria Vanoli, Mose Casalegno, Alberto Cingolani, Liebert Parreiras Nogueira, Franca Castiglione, Havard J. Haugen, Filippo Rossi
Summary: This study proposes a strategy to use colloidal nanoparticles to form biphasic, stable, and porous structures at the polymer-water interface, which can enhance the mechanical properties of the devices and have wide applications in various fields.
MATERIALS TODAY COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Drew B. Riley, Oskar J. Sandberg, Wei Li, Paul Meredith, Ardalan Armin
Summary: Exciton diffusion plays a crucial role in various organic optoelectronic applications. This paper introduces a new method, pulsed-photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), to determine the diffusion length of excitons in organic semiconductors without temporal measurements. The results show that pulsed-PLQY has a larger operational window and is less dependent on excitation fluence compared to traditional methods. Experimental validation confirms the simulated results, and the diffusion lengths in different materials are evaluated using pulsed-PLQY. The diffusion lengths in nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs) are found to be larger than in fullerenes, driven by an increase in diffusivity, which helps explain the high charge generation yield in low-offset state-of-the-art NFA solar cells.
PHYSICAL REVIEW APPLIED
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Stefano Brandani, Enzo Mangano
Summary: This study proposed a new method to more effectively determine the mass transfer coefficient of water in commercial silica-gel, providing important insights for optimizing design and ultra-low grade heat applications. Experimental results showed that equilibrium isotherms could be quickly obtained under equilibrium conditions, while the system operated under kinetic control at high flowrates. The determination of mass transfer coefficient through kinetic responses revealed that surface diffusion was the main contribution to the transport process.
Article
Polymer Science
Qiaohong Peng, Li Wei, Xiaoyan Zhang, Ying Wu, Khalid Mahmood, Zhengping Liu, Lisha Zhang
Summary: This study demonstrates the use of ionic liquids as solvents for the synthesis of biodegradable poly(lactic acid) with high molecular weight, and investigates the factors and kinetics involved in the preparation process. The results show that ionic liquids can effectively improve the polycondensation of lactic acid and enhance the performance of the final product.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Physics, Applied
Haruto Suzuki, Yugo Kubo, Yoitsu Sekiguchi, Masaki Kobayashi, Akiko Kumada, Masahiro Sato
Summary: Polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) with desirable electrical properties can be designed by determining the charge trap depth of nanofillers using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements and first-principles calculations. TiO2 is found to be a trap for holes in low-density polyethylene (PE)/TiO2 nanocomposites, with a trap depth of 0.9 eV. Tuning the surface dipole of nanofillers through surface modification allows for control over the charge trap depth. This study provides a promising approach for designing PNCs with desired properties at the atomic or molecular level.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Mathematical
Hojun You, Juhyun Kim, Chongam Kim
Summary: The present study develops implicit physical domain-based discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods for efficient scale-resolving simulations on mixed-curved meshes. The proposed method significantly improves computational efficiency compared to the quadrature-based method while accurately resolving detailed unsteady flow features that are hardly captured by scale-modeled simulations.
COMMUNICATIONS IN COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bin Xue, Hui Sheng, Yongqiang Li, Lan Li, Weishuai Di, Zhengyu Xu, Linjie Ma, Xin Wang, Haoting Jiang, Meng Qin, Zhibo Yan, Qing Jiang, Jun-Ming Liu, Wei Wang, Yi Cao
Summary: This study reports the design of single-layer composite hydrogels with bulk capacitive junctions as mechanical sensors. The hydrogels contain homogenously dispersed dielectric peptide-coated graphene, which can change the overall capacitance by altering their microscopic distributions. The resulting hydrogels exhibit high stretchability, self-healing properties, and can effectively sense strain and pressure in both air and aqueous environments.
NATIONAL SCIENCE REVIEW
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Hui Yuan, Peipei Han, Zhen Tao, Bin Xue, Yiyang Guo, David Levy, Wen Hu, Yongmei Wang, Yi Cao, Ehud Gazit, Rusen Yang
Summary: The discovery of piezoelectricity in self-assembled peptide nanostructures offers a new approach to develop piezoelectric materials and study electromechanical coupling in biomaterials. The coassembly process of peptides effectively controls the properties of peptide nanomaterials and demonstrates their potential application in nanogenerators.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wei Ji, Hui Yuan, Bin Xue, Sarah Guerin, Hui Li, Lei Zhang, Yanqing Liu, Linda J. W. Shimon, Mingsu Si, Yi Cao, Wei Wang, Damien Thompson, Kaiyong Cai, Rusen Yang, Ehud Gazit
Summary: This study reports a co-assembly approach to achieve the solid-state stacking transformation of supramolecular organization, resulting in enhanced physical properties. Diverse molecular packings can be obtained by different derivatives.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Weishuai Di, Xin Wang, Yanyan Zhou, Yuehai Mei, Wei Wang, Yi Cao
Summary: This study investigates the difference in hydrophobicity between fluorinated hydrophobic polymers at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. It is found that fluorinated polymers exhibit higher hydrophobicity than regular hydrophobic polymers at the macroscopic level, but the hydrophobic effects are equally strong at the microscopic level. This suggests different underlying mechanisms influencing hydrophobicity at different scales.
CHINESE PHYSICS LETTERS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wenxu Sun, Xiang Gao, Hai Lei, Wei Wang, Yi Cao
Summary: In the field of biomaterials and biophysics, the study of how cells sense mechanical stimuli and mechanotransduction mechanisms is of great interest. Advanced experimental techniques and new theories are essential for gaining a deeper understanding of mechanical regulation and the mechanotransduction network inside cells.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chao Liang, Xiangyun Bi, Kesheng Gan, Jizhe Wu, Guangxiao He, Bin Xue, Zonghuang Ye, Yi Cao, Biru Hu
Summary: Peptides capable of self-assembling into different supramolecular structures have potential applications in various fields. Inspired by the underwater adhesive protein Balanus albicostatus cp19k, this study systematically studied the self-assembly behaviors of nine biomimetic peptides and found that they can form distinct supramolecular structures through different mechanisms. These peptides also showed good cytocompatibility and promising applications in biomedical areas.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yueying Han, Cheng Liu, Huaping Xu, Yi Cao
Summary: In this study, we demonstrated that disulfide bonds can be formed in hydrogels through thiol-diselenide exchange under blue light illumination. This reaction is fast, reversible, and biocompatible. The residual diselenide in the hydrogel network can also accelerate thiol-disulfide exchange reactions, leading to faster cell release. These disulfide crosslinked hydrogels catalyzed by diselenide have broad applications in cell culture, cell delivery, and drug-controlled release.
CHINESE JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jie Gu, Yu Guo, Yiran Li, Juan Wang, Wei Wang, Yi Cao, Bin Xue
Summary: By adjusting the surface charge of proteins in hydrogels, the strain-stiffening amplitudes of protein hydrogels can be quantitatively regulated, even up to a 5-fold enhancement under high deformations. This method can maintain the bulk property, recovery ability, and biocompatibility of hydrogels almost unchanged.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wenting Yu, Wenxu Sun, Huiyan Chen, Juan Wang, Bin Xue, Yi Cao
Summary: There is growing evidence that the mechanical properties of extracellular matrices greatly influence the function and form of residing cells. However, the study of the effect of stress-relaxation on cellular behaviors has been difficult due to the correlation between elasticity and stress-relaxation. In this study, a hybrid network hydrogel with a controllable stress-relaxation gradient and constant elasticity was designed, and the influence of hydrogel stress-relaxation on cell spreading was investigated.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuehai Mei, Wenmao Huang, Weishuai Di, Xin Wang, Zhenshu Zhu, Yanyan Zhou, Fengwei Huo, Wei Wang, Yi Cao
Summary: The study proposes a mechanochemical lithography (MCL) method based on compressive force-triggered reactions for creating surfaces with patterned biomolecules. The method allows printing in physiological conditions and enables the creation of complex structures. The researchers discovered that amino groups in biomolecules can react with maleimide through a force-triggered reaction, resulting in mechanically and chemically stable covalent linkages.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Construction & Building Technology
Menghao Qin, Carsten Rode
JOURNAL OF BUILDING PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ruixue Bai, Zhaoming Zhang, Weishuai Di, Xue Yang, Jun Zhao, Hao Ouyang, Guoquan Liu, Xinhai Zhang, Lin Cheng, Yi Cao, Wei Yu, Xuzhou Yan
Summary: A new type of mechanically stable [2]catenane materials were synthesized by controlling the force-bearing points on the metal-coordinated core. This study not only deepens our understanding on the structure-property relationship of poly[2]catenanes, but also provides a guiding principle for the fabrication of high-performance mechanically interlocked catenane materials.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Weishuai Di, Kai Xue, Jun Cai, Zhenshu Zhu, Zihan Li, Hui Fu, Hai Lei, Wenbing Hu, Chun Tang, Wei Wang, Yi Cao
Summary: In this study, the binding strength and mechanism of cation-pi interactions in aqueous media were investigated using single-molecule force spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance measurement. The results showed that the interaction strength is linearly dependent on the cation concentrations, with the order of Li+ < NH4+ < Na+ < K+. This order is different from the strength of cation-p interactions in gas phase and may be attributed to the differential dehydration ability of the cations. Overall, this method provides a unique perspective to study cation-pi interactions under physiologically relevant conditions.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Dong Ding, Menghao Qin
Summary: Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a promising functional material for indoor moisture regulation. However, their practical application in building environments is challenging due to issues like agglomeration and low efficiency. In this study, we developed a new MOF-based electrospun nanofiber membrane that allows for enhanced MOF utilization and performance. The improved MOF membrane showed significantly higher water vapor uptake compared to conventional materials. Building energy simulations demonstrated that the MOF membrane can effectively moderate indoor moisture and has excellent energy-saving potential.
Article
Polymer Science
Xiaoming An, Yiran Li, Ming Xu, Zhicheng Xu, Wencan Ma, Ruichun Du, Gang Wan, Hongping Yan, Yi Cao, Ding Ma, Qiuhong Zhang, Xudong Jia
Summary: An asymmetric M-L coordination strategy for polymer design was reported, leading to the preparation of metal-coordination crosslinked elastomers. The introduction of a primary thio-beta-diketone in the polymer chain significantly enhanced the mechanical strength and reduced hysteresis. Multiple characterization techniques confirmed the consistency of the coordinating elastomers at different scales. The use of extended X-ray absorption fine structure allowed for direct observation of the change in coordinating structures during stretching.
