Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jack W. Jordan, Jamie M. Cameron, Grace A. Lowe, Graham A. Rance, Kayleigh L. Y. Fung, Lee R. Johnson, Darren A. Walsh, Andrei N. Khlobystov, Graham N. Newton
Summary: We describe the preparation of hybrid redox materials based on polyoxomolybdates encapsulated within single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). The materials exhibit exceptional electrochemical stability and conductivity, making them suitable for nanoconfined energy materials.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xinzhi Wang, Dongqing Kong, Daive Ansari
Summary: A concise solution approach is used to prepare the unique exposed {1 0 0} planes of the MWCNTs-Co3O4 heterojunction structure. The MWCNTs-Co3O4 sensor exhibits excellent gas sensitivity, which is around 3.5 times higher than that of the pristine Co3O4-based sensor exposed to 100 ppm acetone at 180 degrees C. Furthermore, the MWCNTs-Co3O4 sensor shows high selectivity, good long-term stability, and resistance to humidity. The enhanced gas sensing performance is attributed to the exposed {100} planes and promising heterojunction.
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Anna Szymczyk, Robert Ziolkowski, Elzbieta Malinowska
Summary: In order to meet the requirements of novel therapies, effective treatments should be supported by diagnostic tools with appropriate analytical and working parameters. Biosensors using nucleic acids as receptors have been proven to be an effective approach for meeting these requirements. By carefully designing the receptor layers, DNA biosensors can be obtained that are dedicated to almost any analyte, including ions, low and high molecular weight compounds, nucleic acids, proteins, and even whole cells.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Di Guo, Pengwen Guo, Lele Ren, Yuan Yao, Wei Wang, Mengmeng Jia, Yulong Wang, Longfei Wang, Zhong Lin Wang, Junyi Zhai
Summary: We report Si flexoelectronic transistors (SFTs) that can convert mechanical actuations into electrical control signals and achieve electromechanical function. The metal-semiconductor interfacial Schottky barriers' heights and the channel width of SFT can be modulated using the strain gradient-induced flexoelectric polarization field in Si, resulting in tunable electronic transports with specific characteristics. These findings provide insight into the mechanism of interface gating and channel width gating in flexoelectronics and develop highly sensitive silicon-based strain sensors, which have great potential for constructing next-generation silicon electromechanical nanodevices and nanosystems.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Douglas Rice, Kimya Rajwade, Kuichang Zuo, Rishabh Bansal, Qilin Li, Sergi Garcia-Segura, Francois Perreault
Summary: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of electrochemical carbon nanotube coatings in dispersing biofilms on surfaces. The cathodic conditions of 5.00 A m(-2) and 2.50 A m(-2) produced rapid cleaning, with complete biofilm dispersal after 2 minutes of operation. Energy consumption analyses showed that the 2.50 A m(-2) cathodic condition offers the best combination of cleaning kinetics and energy consumption for biofilm removal.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Elodie Barbier, Theo Fouchet, Alain Hartmann, Emmanuelle Cambau, Faiza Mougari, Clement Dubois, Maurice Lubetzki, Murielle Rochelet
Summary: An electrochemical assay was developed for the qualitative detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by detecting the enzymatic activity of the Ag85 biomarker. The method showed a specificity of 78% and a sensitivity of 89%, making it a promising tool for screening patients for TB.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Naveed A. Bakh, Xun Gong, Michael A. Lee, Xiaojia Jin, Volodymyr B. Koman, Minkyung Park, Freddy T. Nguyen, Michael S. Strano
Summary: This study developed a nanosensor platform for selective molecular recognition of ascorbic acid and riboflavin in a murine model, demonstrating reproducible and stable results even after exposure to mouse serum for three days, and achieving an order of magnitude improvement in p-value during analyte sensing by using a geometrical encoding scheme to correct for optical and mechanical artifacts.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Hailong Lin, Cheng Zhang, Ningbo Liao, Miao Zhang
Summary: This paper introduces a flexible strain sensor based on microcracks, with outstanding performance and straightforward preparation. A polyurethane film is used as a flexible substrate and carbon nanotube/copper composite films are used as sensitive layers for the strain sensors, which are completely encapsulated in polydimethylsiloxane. The surface morphology of the sensor and the form of crack development are represented in this report, as well as a comprehensive test of the performance.
COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Sayed A. M. Marzouk, Aisha R. Alyammahi, Pablo Fanjul-Bolado
Summary: This paper describes three novel cells for electrochemical measurements, offering convenient electrical connection, excellent SPEC sealing, and versatility for various applications with different sample volumes. Additionally, a new experimental method is presented.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chengwei Li, Shuaitao Yang, Yuan Guo, Hui Huang, Huan Chen, Xueqing Zuo, Zeng Fan, Hongwei Liang, Lujun Pan
Summary: The all-carbon sensor integrates strain, temperature, and humidity sensing, demonstrating excellent sensing properties, and indicating a promising strategy for the development of smart wearable devices, electronic skins, and other multi-functional sensing devices.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Ming-Shui Yao, Ping Wang, Yi-Fan Gu, Tomoyuki Koganezawa, Hirotaka Ashitani, Yoshiki Kubota, Zao-Ming Wang, Ze-Yu Fan, Ken-ichi Otake, Susumu Kitagawa
Summary: The study systematically investigated the effects of various structural parameters on the chemiresistive sensor performance of cMOFs, showing that cMOFs with lower conductivity exhibit more sensitive response towards charge transfer of adsorbed gases, while cMOFs with medium channel sizes demonstrate faster response speed in sensing.
DALTON TRANSACTIONS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Mingxuan Lu, Pedro J. Arias-Monje, Jyotsna Ramachandran, Prabhakar Gulgunje, Jeffrey Luo, Mohammad Hamza Kirmani, Carson Meredith, Satish Kumar
Summary: The use of carbon nanotubes (CNT) can accelerate reaction rates and reduce PAN stabilization time, improving the efficiency of carbon fiber production. The addition of CNTs reduces the activation energy of PAN cyclization but increases it for the oxidation reaction.
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ming Ren, Jian Qiao, Yulian Wang, Kunjie Wu, Lizhong Dong, Xiaofan Shen, Huichao Zhang, Wei Yang, Yulong Wu, Zhenzhong Yong, Wei Chen, Yongyi Zhang, Jiangtao Di, Qingwen Li
Summary: An ionic-liquid-in-nanofibers sheathed carbon nanotube yarn muscle has been developed, which is strong, stable, and able to achieve a high contraction rate through utilizing accumulated isometric stress. These yarn muscles are tightly bundled, making them suitable for lifting heavy weights and gripping objects, and can serve as desirable actuation components for robotic devices.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Blaise Ostertag, Ashley E. Ross
Summary: We developed a novel copolymer-based porous carbon microfiber (PCMF) through wet-spinning, which greatly enhances electrochemical detection. By wet spinning a copolymer solution of PAN and PMMA, we successfully synthesized controllable porous carbon microfibers with increased edge-plane character. The increase in porosity improves the surface disorder, leading to significantly improved electrochemical detection capabilities.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qinyuan Jiang, Run Li, Fei Wang, Xiaofei Shi, Fengxiang Chen, Ya Huang, Baoshun Wang, Wenshuo Zhang, Xueke Wu, Fei Wei, Rufan Zhang
Summary: This article presents suspended carbon nanotube networks (SCNTNs) as high-performance airflow sensors, achieving a short response time, high sensitivity, small detection threshold, and wide detection range, surpassing most existing airflow sensors.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shazed Aziz, Jose G. Martinez, Bidita Salahuddin, Nils-Krister Persson, Edwin W. H. Jager
Summary: A method is demonstrated to morph CP-coated yarns into highly twisted and coiled structures, providing fast linear actuation. These yarns exhibit high strain and speed, making them highly potential for driving smart textile exoskeletons.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Electrochemistry
Toribio Fernandez Otero
Summary: Life functions emerge from bio-electro-chemical reactions, with muscles acting as natural electro-chemical motors capable of sensing the working conditions. Artificial muscles can be created by electrochemical reactions to replicate the composition and functionality of muscle cells. The multi-functionality originates from one reaction driving the cooperative actuation of electrochemical macromolecular motors.
ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Electrochemistry
Roger Sanchis-Gual, Alvaro Seijas-Da Silva, Marc Coronado-Puchau, Toribio F. Otero, Gonzalo Abellan, Eugenio Coronado
Summary: This work introduces a fast and convenient method using cyclic voltammetry and coulovoltammetric responses to determine the onset potentials of three benchmark electrocatalysts. By quantifying the irreversible charges, the onset potential and Tafel slope values can be accurately determined without considering the redox contributions of the catalysts. This study demonstrates the applicability of coulovoltammetry as a powerful tool for investigating electrocatalytic performances.
ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA
(2021)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Kentaro Takagi, Hiroki Iwai, Chihaya Oiwa, Toshihira Irisawa, Masatoshi Shioya, Ken Masuya, Kenji Tahara, Daichi Sakurai, Haruhiko Watanabe, Kinji Asaka
Summary: This paper presents a new model and experimental characterization for thermal responses of straight twisted polymer fiber actuators in blocked torsion. The proposed model predicts an increase in blocking torque and a decrease in tension as initial twist increases, with tension fluctuating over time. Experimental results confirm the increase in torque and shear modulus with initial twist, validating the proposed model.
SMART MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Danfeng Cao, Jose G. Martinez, Emilio Satoshi Hara, Edwin W. H. Jager
Summary: Inspired by initial bone development, bioinduced variable-stiffness actuators are fabricated, optimized, and characterized in this study. These actuators can morph in shape and change from soft to rigid, with the ability to promote mineralization for bone tissue integration.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Rudolf Kiefer, Quoc Bao Le, Bharath Kumar Velmurugan, Toribio F. Otero
Summary: The research investigates the electrochemical and mechanical properties of films formed by polypyrrole (PPy) with different additives under various potential ranges, showing that PPy-PEO/DBS films exhibit a higher strain range and stability, making them suitable for applications in artificial muscles.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Sujan Dutta, Shayan Mehraeen, Nils-Krister Persson, Jose G. Martinez, Edwin W. H. Jager
Summary: Recently, electrically driven conducting polymer (CP) coated yarns have shown great promise in developing soft wearable applications. However, designing a suitable yarn actuator with high strain for textile-based wearables is challenging. In this study, highly conductive paths were created along the full length of the yarn actuator using intrinsically conductive yarns to overcome the issue of voltage drop. The resulting electroactive yarn exhibited high strain in NaDBS electrolytes and maintained its actuation and electroactivity for up to 100 cycles. These highly conductive yarns have the potential to advance the development of next-generation textile-based exoskeleton suits, assistive devices, wearables, and haptic garments.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Manav Tyagi, Maryam Fathollahzadeh, Jose G. Martinez, Wing Cheung Mak, Daniel Filippini, Edwin W. H. Jager
Summary: A new radially expanding conducting polymer microactuator is presented for use in an electrically controlled microparticle sieve. The microactuators, made of SU-8 combined with conducting polymers, function as dynamic gates that control the porosity of the filter, allowing for the filtration of specific sizes of microparticles. The design of the sieve provides user-defined channel width modulation with external stimuli and combines photolithography and electrochemical polymerizations with additive manufacturing.
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Danfeng Cao, Jose G. Martinez, Emilio Satoshi Hara, Edwin W. H. Jager
Summary: Biohybrid soft actuators that can alter their stiffness from soft to hard by creating a bone-like rigid layer were designed. The adhesion of the actuator was improved by electroplating a rough Au layer. A thicker mineral layer mimicking the collagen-apatite bone structure was formed on the actuator surface, completely suppressing its movement.
ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Danfeng Cao, Jose G. Martinez, Risa Anada, Emilio Satoshi Hara, Hiroshi Kamioka, Edwin W. H. Jager
Summary: An electroactive surface was designed to mimic the initial process of trabecular bone formation by immobilizing chondrocyte-derived plasma membrane nanofragments (PMNFs) for rapid mineralization. The conducting polymer polypyrrole (PPy) enabled dynamic control of PMNF presentation via electrochemical redox switching, resulting in the formation of bone minerals with different morphologies. Different surface morphologies of bone minerals had varying effects on the differentiation of human bone marrow-derived stem cells.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Electrochemistry
Jose G. Martinez, Shayan Mehraeen, Edwin W. H. Jager
Summary: This study investigates the influence of different layers in electrochemical yarn actuators using various electrochemical methods. It is found that selecting appropriate electrochemical conditions (such as an applied potential of +0.8 V) is crucial in obtaining high-quality polypyrrole. Additionally, the underlying layer of PEDOT:PSS affects the electrochemical polymerization conditions and can undergo parallel redox reactions, such as oxidation or electrochemical degradation, which impact the electropolymerized polypyrrole.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Shayan Mehraeen, Milad Asadi, Jose G. Martinez, Nils-Krister Persson, Jonas Stalhand, Edwin W. H. Jager
Summary: This study investigates the effect of inherent structural and mechanical properties of commercial yarns on the linear actuation of conducting-polymer-based yarn actuators. The yarn actuators generated an isotonic strain up to 0.99% and isometric force of 95 mN. A qualitative mechanical model is introduced to describe the actuation behavior of yarn actuators. The strain and force created by the yarn actuators make them promising candidates for wearable actuator technologies.
ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Automation & Control Systems
Danfeng Cao, Jose G. Martinez, Emilio Satoshi Hara, Edwin W. H. Jager
Summary: This article presents a new class of variable stiffness actuators for soft robotics by utilizing biohybrid materials that undergo a soft-to-hard state change. The actuators, made of a combination of an electromechanically active polymer and a soft substrate, were functionalized with plasma membrane nanofragments to promote mineralization. They were used in robotic devices to achieve a change from a soft to stiff state, resulting in decreased or stopped actuation. Patterned actuators with programmed directional actuation motion were also prepared, showing more complex actuation. These variable stiffness actuators have the potential to expand the applications of morphing robotics with more complex structures and functions.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MANIPULATION, AUTOMATION, AND ROBOTICS AT SMALL SCALES (MARSS 2022)
(2022)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Toribio Fernandez Otero
Summary: The study focuses on conducting polymers, carbon nanotubes, and graphenes used as model materials to characterize the opening/closing cycles of ion protein channels in neurons, revealing the mechanism of storing and reading information packages during the channel open/close process, providing a new way to understand brain functions.
ADVANCED INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Roger Sanchis-Gual, Toribio F. Otero, Marc Coronado-Puchau, Eugenio Coronado
Summary: The study demonstrates that introducing Au core-shell structures can enhance the catalytic activity of Prussian blue analogues (PBAs), increasing the electroactive mass and density of active sites, leading to improved efficiency in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The importance of chemical design is evidenced by the synergistic effect in the core-shell structure, where the Au core activates the PBA shell and increases the conductivity of the resulting hybrid.
