This research work is supported as part of the Center for Atomic Level Catalyst Design, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Award Number DE-SC0001058 and also supported by Board of Regents under grants award number LEQSF (2009-14)-EFRC-MATCH and LEDSF-EPS(2012)-OPT-IN-15. MRCAT operations are supported by the Department of Energy and the MRCAT member institutions. The use of the Advanced Photon Source at ANL is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. Financial support for JTM was provided as part of the Institute for Atom-efficient Chemical Transformations (IACT), an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences.

Millifluidics set-up: Purchase a millifluidic chip (made of polyester terephthalate polymer) from Microplumbers Microsciences LLC, which has serpentine channels with dimensions of 2 mm (W) x 0.15 mm (H) x 220 mm (L). Use FEP Tubing &#160;with dimensions of 0.25 mm I.D., 1/16 in&#160;O.D., for connecting the chip to the pump. Use two different pumps for the two different experiments. Use P-Pump&#160;for the first experiment (copper nanoparticles) and the millifluidic device&#160;for the second experiment (gold nanoparticles). To minimize the problem of gas bubbles within the channels, freshly prepared NaBH4 solution was left open to stand for ~10-15 min before pumping into the chip so that the gas bubbles escape from the solution. This step was followed for all of our experiments.
1. Synthesis of Ultra-small Copper Nano Clusters (UCNCs)
<ol>
	<li>Chemicals required: Obtain copper(II) nitrate hydrate, sodium borohydride, sodium hydroxide pellets and O-[2-(3-mercaptopropionylamino)ethyl]-O&#39;-methylpolyethylene glycol (MW=5,000) [MPEG] and use all chemicals without further purification. Use nanopure water (18.2 M&#937;-cm) for the experiment.</li>
	<li>Use P-Pump regulated under nitrogen pressure for the experiment. Test the pumps with water as solvent at different pressures prior to the experiment to correlate with the corresponding flow-rates (ml/hr). Rinse the millifluidic reactor and tubing with deionized water before initiation of the experiment.</li>
	<li>Dissolve 174 mg (0.95 mmol) of copper(II) nitrate and 610 mg (0.122 mmol) of O-[2-(3-mercaptopropionylamino)ethyl]-O&#39;-methylpolyethylene glycol in 28 ml of nanopure water and keep them in a vial to be connected with one input channel</li>
	<li>Keep another solution of 111 mg (2.93 mmol) of sodium borohydride and 102 mg (2.78 mmol) sodium hydroxide in 28 ml (pH ~13) in a different vial and connect it with the other input channel.</li>
	<li>Flow both the solutions simultaneously within the millifluidic reactor at different flow-rates (given below) and collect the resulting UCNCs at the outlet in glass vial. Purge the solution with nitrogen and store it under nitrogen.</li>
	<li>Operate the pumps under different constant pressures of 50 mbar (6.81 ml/hr), 100 mbar (14.31 ml/hr), 200 mbar (32.7 ml/hr) and 300 mbar (51.4 ml/hr) at room temperature for the synthesis of UCNCs at different flow-rates.</li>
</ol>
While the synthesis procedure was demonstrated using the millifluidic set-up with P-Pump, it can also be carried out using the hand-held millifluidic device from Millifluidica.
2. Time Resolved In situ Kinetic Studies on Gold Nanoparticle Formation
<ol>
	<li>Chemicals required: Obtain chloroauric acid (HAuCl4.3H2O) meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and sodium borohydride&#160;and use all chemicals without further purification. Use nanopure water (18.2 M&#937;-cm) for the experiment.</li>
	<li>Use high precision, fully automated, pulsation free syringe pumps&#160;to flow the liquids within the chip. Test the pumps with water as solvent at different flow-rates prior to the experiment to optimize the required flow-rate.</li>
	<li>Prepare standard solutions of (i) HAuCl4.3H2O (10 mmol, 118.2 mg/30 ml) and (ii) DMSA (20 mmol, 109.2 mg/30 ml) with 50 mg of sodium hydroxide (pH 12) in nanopure water.</li>
	<li>Feed the two solutions through two separate syringes into the millifluidic chip at a constant flow-rate of 10 ml/hr using the automated pump.</li>
	<li>Couple the millifluidic chip to the synchrotron beam line using a metal stage that has access to movement in XYZ directions and collect the XAS data at different zones on the chip as the solutions were pumped through the chip.</li>
</ol>
While the in situ analysis procedure was demonstrated using the millifluidic set-up with P-Pump, it can also be carried out using a hand-held millifluidic device.
3. Continuous Flow Gold Catalysis
This procedure was demonstrated using a hand-held millifluidic device.
<ol>
	<li>Chemicals required: Obtain chloroauric acid (HAuCl4.3H2O), meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), sodium borohydride, 4-nitrophenol, 4-aminophenol&#160;and use all the chemicals without further purification. Use nanopure water (18.2 M&#937;-cm) for the experiment.</li>
	<li>Catalyst preparation: Prepare standard solutions of HAuCl4.3H2O (10 mmol, 118.2 mg/30 ml), DMSA (20 mmol, 109.2 mg/30 ml) and NaBH4 (10 mmol, 11.34 mg/30 ml) in Nanopure water.</li>
	<li>Take 10 ml each of HAuCl4 and DMSA solutions into two separate vials and flow them within the chip using the hand-held millifluidic device with a uniform flow-rate of 12 ml/hr for 45 min.</li>
	<li>Flow 10 mmol NaBH4 within the chip at 12 ml/hr flow-rate for 15 min to reduce the Au(I) to Au(0).</li>
	<li>Finally, wash the chip with nanopure water for 30 min at the same flow-rate before conducting the catalysis experiments.</li>
	<li>Catalysis reaction: Perform the chemical conversion reaction (reduction) of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) into 4-aminophenol (4-AP) within the gold catalyst (prepared above) coated millifluidic channel as given below.</li>
	<li>Mix 15 ml of 9 x&#160;10-5 mol solution of 4-NP with 3.3 ml of 0.65 mol NaBH4 solution to form 4-nitrophenolate ion (4-NPI).</li>
	<li>Pass the resultant solution over the gold catalyst deposited within chip at a constant flow-rate of 5 ml/hr to evaluate the catalytic activity. Analyze the UV-Vis spectra&#160;of the collected products within the wavelength range of 250-500 nm to confirm the conversion of 4-NP.</li>
	<li>Estimate the catalytic activity of the reaction by obtaining the calibration curve of 4-NPI. Calibration curve can be acquired by plotting the experimentally observed absorption intensity (I) of 4-NPI at different standard concentrations. The peak heights (at 399 nm) for the UV-Vis absorption curves represent the absorption intensity (I) values and according to the Beer Lambert&#39;s law, any change in the peak height value would show corresponding change in its concentration. Therefore, estimate the catalytic activity by finding the difference in initial and final concentrations of the reactant from the calibration curve. For example, if the peak height is 1 unit (Figure 6) it corresponds to a catalytic conversion of 90% (based on the calibration plot).</li>
</ol>

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R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Microfluidic Devices in nanotechnology-Fundamental Concepts. , (2010).</li><li>Meille, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Review+on+Methods+to+Deposit+Catalysts+on+Structured+Surfaces.">Review on Methods to Deposit Catalysts on Structured Surfaces.</a> Appl. Catal. A Gen. 315, 1-17 (2006).</li><li>Shin, W. C., McDonald, J. A., Zhao, S., Besser, R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Etching+Characteristics+of+a+Micromachined+Chemical+Reactor+Using+Inductively+Coupled+Plasma.">Etching Characteristics of a Micromachined Chemical Reactor Using Inductively Coupled Plasma.</a> , p357 (2002).</li><li>Abahmane, L., K&#246;hler, J. M., Gro&#223;, G. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Gold-nanoparticle-catalyzed+synthesis+of+propargylamines:+the+traditional+A3-multicomponent+reaction+performed+as+a+two-step+flow+process.">Gold-nanoparticle-catalyzed synthesis of propargylamines: the traditional A3-multicomponent reaction performed as a two-step flow process.</a> Chem. Eur. J. 17, 3005-3010 (2011).</li><li>Abahmane, L., Knauer, A., Ritter, U., K&#246;hler, J. M., Gro&#223;, G. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Heterogeneous+Catalyzed+Pyridine+Synthesis+using+Montmorillionite+and+Nanoparticle-Impregnated+Alumina+in+a+Continuous+Micro+Flow+System.">Heterogeneous Catalyzed Pyridine Synthesis using Montmorillionite and Nanoparticle-Impregnated Alumina in a Continuous Micro Flow System.</a> Chem. Eng. Technol. 32, 1799-1805 (2009).</li><li>Abahmane, L., Knauer, A., K&#246;hler, J. M., Gro&#223;, G. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Synthesis+of+polypyridine+derivatives+using+alumina+supported+gold+nanoparticles+under+micro+continuous+flow+conditions.">Synthesis of polypyridine derivatives using alumina supported gold nanoparticles under micro continuous flow conditions.</a> Chem. Eng. J. 167, 519-526 (2011).</li><li>Negishi, Y., Tsukuda, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=One-Pot+Preparation+of+Subnanometer-Sized+Gold+Clusters+via+Reduction+and+Stabilization+by+meso-2,3-Dimercaptosuccinic+Acid.">One-Pot Preparation of Subnanometer-Sized Gold Clusters via Reduction and Stabilization by meso-2,3-Dimercaptosuccinic Acid.</a> J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 4046-4047 (2003).</li><li>Abou-Hassan, A., Sandre, O., Cabuil, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microfluidics+in+Inorganic+Chemistry.">Microfluidics in Inorganic Chemistry.</a> Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 49, 6268-6286 (2010).</li><li>Jiang, D., Walter, M., Dai, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Gold+Sulfide+Nanoclusters:+A+Unique+Core-In-Cage+Structure.">Gold Sulfide Nanoclusters: A Unique Core-In-Cage Structure.</a> Chem. Eur. J. 16, 4999-5003 (2010).</li><li>Kuroda, K., Ishida, T., Haruta, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Reduction+of+4-nitrophenol+to+4-aminophenol+over+Au+nanoparticles+deposited+on+PMMA.">Reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol over Au nanoparticles deposited on PMMA.</a> J. Mol. Catal. A Chem. 298, 7-11 (2009).</li><li>Navin, C. V., Krishna, K. S., Theegala, C. S., Kumar, C. S. S. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Lab-on-a-chip+devices+for+gold+nanoparticle+synthesis+and+their+role+as+a+catalyst+support+for+continuous+flow+catalysis.">Lab-on-a-chip devices for gold nanoparticle synthesis and their role as a catalyst support for continuous flow catalysis.</a> Nanotech. 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All authors except C.S.S.R. Kumar declare that they have no competing financial interests. C .S.S.R. Kumar is the founder of the company Millifluidica LLC.

The UCNCs were formed by the reduction reaction of copper nitrate with sodium borohydride in the presence of the polymeric capping agent O-[2-(3-Mercaptopropionylamino)ethyl]-O&#39;-methylpolyethylene glycol (MW=5,000) [MPEG]. The reaction was performed within the millifluidic chip reactor at different flow-rates such as 6.8 ml/hr, 14.3 ml/hr, 32.7 ml/hr, and 51.4 ml/hr to study the effect of flow-rates on the UCNCs formed. The respective residence times for the above flow-rates are 47.49, 24.44, 16.56, and 9.02 sec. The...

Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices for chemical synthesis have demonstrated significant advantage in terms of increased mass and heat transfer, superior reaction control, high throughput and safer operation environment1. These devices can be broadly classified into chip based fluidics and nonchip based fluidic devices. Among the chip-based fluidics, microfluidics is well investigated and a topic well-covered in the literature2-5. Nonchip based LOC systems use tubular reactors6. Conventionally, microfluidic systems are used for precise control and manipulation of fluids that are geometrically constrained to submillimeter scale. We have recently introduced the concept of chip-based millifluidics, which can be used for manipulation of fluids in channels in millimeter scale (either width or depth or both of the channels are at least a millimeter in size)7-9. Furthermore, the millifluidic chips are relatively easy to fabricate while offering similar control over flow-rates and manipulation of reagents. These chips could also be operated at higher flow-rates, creating smaller residence times, thereby, offering the possibility for scale-up of controlled synthesis of nanoparticles with narrower size distribution. As an example, we have recently demonstrated the synthesis of ultra-small copper nanoclusters and characterized them using in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy as well as TEM. Ability to obtain small residence times within millifluidic channels in combination with the use of MPEG, which is very efficient bidentate PEGylated stabilizing agent for the formation of stable colloids of copper nanoclusters7 .
In addition to the synthesis of chemicals and nanomaterials, the millifluidics could offer, due to higher volume and concentration at the probe area, a synthetic platform that is more generalized and efficient for time-resolved kinetic studies and also achieves better signal to noise ratio than microfluidic systems7,10. We show the use of millifluidic chip as an example for time resolved analysis of the growth of gold nanostructures from solution using in situ XAS with a time resolution as small as 5 msec11.
Also, majority of the micro reactors developed to date for catalysis applications are based on silicon12,13. Their expensive fabrication in addition to small volumes generated makes them unsuitable for large scale manufacturing. The two general methods for coating the channels with nanocatalysts - chemical and physical, often referred to as silicon coating procedures, are currently in vogue14,15 . In addition to expensive micro fabrication, clogging of the channels makes micro reactor catalysis may be unsuitable for large-scale manufacturing. Although microreactors have been used for heterogeneous catalysis in micro continuous flow-through processes earlier16-18 , the ability to control the dimension, and morphology of the embedded gold nanostructured catalysts within continuous flow channels was never explored before. We have recently developed a technology for coating the millifluidic channels with Au catalysts, having controlled nano morphology and dimensions (Figure 5)11, for carrying out catalysis of industrially important chemical reactions. As an example we have demonstrated conversion of 4-nitrophenol into 4-aminophenol catalyzed by nanostructured gold coated within the millifluidic channels. Considering that a single millifluidic reactor chip can produce flow-rates of 50-60 ml/hr,7 high-throughput and controlled synthesis of chemicals is possible either through continuous flow operation or parallel processing.
In order to capitalize on the possibilities the millifluidics offer, with few examples described as above, we also demonstrate a user-friendly millifluidic device that is portable and has the all the required components such as millifluidic chips, manifolds, flow controllers, pumps and electrical connections integrated. Such a millifluidic device, as shown in the Figure 7, is now available from the company Millifluidica LLC (<a href="http://www.millifluidica.com" target="_blank">www.millifluidica.com</a>). The manuscript also provides protocols using the hand-held millifluidic device, as described below, for controlled synthesis of nanomaterials, time-resolved analysis of reaction mechanisms and continuous flow catalysis.

<table border="1">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Copper (II) nitrate hydrate</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>13778-31-9</td>
			<td>99.999% pure</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>O-[2-(3-mercaptopropionylamino)ethyl]-O&#8242;-methylpolyethylene glycol</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>401916-61-8&#160;</td>
			<td>MW=5,000</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HAuCl4.3H2O (Chloroauric acid)</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>27988-77-8&#160;</td>
			<td>99.999% pure</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA)</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>304-55-2</td>
			<td>~98% pure</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>4-Nitrophenol</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>100-02-7&#160;</td>
			<td>spectrophotometric grade</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>4-Aminophenol</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>123-30-8&#160;</td>
			<td>&#62;99% pure (HPLC grade)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium borohydride</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>16940-66-2&#160;</td>
			<td>98% pure</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium hydroxide pellets</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>1310-73-2&#160;</td>
			<td>99.99% pure</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>[header]</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>EQUIPMENT</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Millifluidic Chips</td>
			<td>Microplumbers Microsciences LLC</td>
			<td>SDC-01</td>
			<td>Made from polyester terephthalate polymer</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pressure Pump</td>
			<td>Mitos P-Pump, Dolomite</td>
			<td>3200016</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Automated Syringe Pump</td>
			<td>Cetoni Automation and Microsystems, GmbH</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Syringe pump neMESYS</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>UV-3600 UV-VIS-NIR Spectrophotometer</td>
			<td>Shimadzu</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hand-held Millifluidic Device</td>
			<td>Millifluidica</td>
			<td>SCMD-1008</td>
			<td>Figure 7</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

millifluidics for chemical synthesis and time-resolved mechanistic studies

Procedures utilizing millifluidic devices for chemical synthesis and time-resolved mechanistic studies are described by taking three examples. In the first, synthesis of ultra-small copper nanoclusters is described. The second example provides their utility for investigating time resolved kinetics of chemical reactions by analyzing gold nanoparticle formation using in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The final example demonstrates continuous flow catalysis of reactions inside millifluidic channel coated with nanostructured catalyst.

Well dispersed and uniform sized copper nanoclusters with a narrow size distribution were obtained using the millifluidic chip setup (Fig. 1a). The different flow-rates used for synthesis did not have a significant effect on the size of the clusters. Nevertheless, with increase in the flow-rate, there is an observable improvement in the narrowing of the size distribution. UCNCs with a best narrow size distribution were obtained at a flow-rate of 32.7 mL/hr. The size of UCNCs formed at 32.7 mL/hr flow-rate has an average ...

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Millifluidics for Chemical Synthesis and Time-resolved Mechanistic Studies

Millifluidic devices are utilized for controlled synthesis of nanomaterials, time-resolved analysis of reaction mechanisms and continuous flow catalysis.

Procedures utilizing millifluidic devices for chemical synthesis and time-resolved mechanistic studies are described by taking three examples. In the ...

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11.1K Views.  Louisiana State University. Millifluidic devices are utilized for controlled synthesis of nanomaterials, time-resolved analysis of reaction mechanisms and continuous flow catalysis.

Video: Millifluidics for Chemical Synthesis and Time-resolved Mechanistic Studies

Combinatorial Synthesis of and High-throughput Protein Release from Polymer Film and Nanoparticle Libraries

Polyanhydrides are a class of biomaterials with excellent biocompatibility and drug delivery capabilities. While they have been studied extensively with conventional one-sample-at-a-time synthesis techniques, a more recent high-throughput approach has been developed enabling the synthesis and testing of large libraries of polyanhydrides1. This will facilitate more efficient optimization and design process of these biomaterials for drug and vaccine delivery applications. The method in this work describes the combinatorial synthesis of biodegradable polyanhydride film and nanoparticle libraries and the high-throughput detection of protein release from these libraries. In this robotically operated method (Figure 1), linear actuators and syringe pumps are controlled by LabVIEW, which enables a hands-free automated protocol, eliminating user error. Furthermore, this method enables the rapid fabrication of micro-scale polymer libraries, reducing the batch size while resulting in the creation of multivariant polymer systems. This combinatorial approach to polymer synthesis facilitates the synthesis of up to 15 different polymers in an equivalent amount of time it would take to synthesize one polymer conventionally. In addition, the combinatorial polymer library can be fabricated into blank or protein-loaded geometries including films or nanoparticles upon dissolution of the polymer library in a solvent and precipitation into a non-solvent (for nanoparticles) or by vacuum drying (for films). Upon loading a fluorochrome-conjugated protein into the polymer libraries, protein release kinetics can be assessed at high-throughput using a fluorescence-based detection method (Figures 2 and 3) as described previously1. This combinatorial platform has been validated with conventional methods2 and the polyanhydride film and nanoparticle libraries have been characterized with 1H NMR and FTIR. The libraries have been screened for protein release kinetics, stability and antigenicity; in vitro cellular toxicity, cytokine production, surface marker expression, adhesion, proliferation and differentiation; and in vivo biodistribution and mucoadhesion1-11. The combinatorial method developed herein enables high-throughput polymer synthesis and fabrication of protein-loaded nanoparticle and film libraries, which can, in turn, be screened in vitro and in vivo for optimization of biomaterial performance.

This method describes the combinatorial synthesis of biodegradable polyanhydride film and nanoparticle libraries and the high-throughput detection of protein release from these libraries.

Polyanhydrides are a class of biomaterials with excellent biocompatibility and drug delivery capabilities. While they have been studied extensively with ...

High-throughput Synthesis of Carbohydrates and Functionalization of Polyanhydride Nanoparticles

Transdisciplinary approaches involving areas such as material design, nanotechnology, chemistry, and immunology have to be utilized to rationally design efficacious vaccines carriers. Nanoparticle-based platforms can prolong the persistence of vaccine antigens, which could improve vaccine immunogenicity1. Several biodegradable polymers have been studied as vaccine delivery vehicles1; in particular, polyanhydride particles have demonstrated the ability to provide sustained release of stable protein antigens and to activate antigen presenting cells and modulate immune responses2-12.
The molecular design of these vaccine carriers needs to integrate the rational selection of polymer properties as well as the incorporation of appropriate targeting agents. High throughput automated fabrication of targeting ligands and functionalized particles is a powerful tool that will enhance the ability to study a wide range of properties and will lead to the design of reproducible vaccine delivery devices.
The addition of targeting ligands capable of being recognized by specific receptors on immune cells has been shown to modulate and tailor immune responses10,11,13 C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) are pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that recognize carbohydrates present on the surface of pathogens. The stimulation of immune cells via CLRs allows for enhanced internalization of antigen and subsequent presentation for further T cell activation14,15. Therefore, carbohydrate molecules play an important role in the study of immune responses; however, the use of these biomolecules often suffers from the lack of availability of structurally well-defined and pure carbohydrates. An automation platform based on iterative solution-phase reactions can enable rapid and controlled synthesis of these synthetically challenging molecules using significantly lower building block quantities than traditional solid-phase methods16,17.
Herein we report a protocol for the automated solution-phase synthesis of oligosaccharides such as mannose-based targeting ligands with fluorous solid-phase extraction for intermediate purification. After development of automated methods to make the carbohydrate-based targeting agent, we describe methods for their attachment on the surface of polyanhydride nanoparticles employing an automated robotic set up operated by LabVIEW as previously described10. Surface functionalization with carbohydrates has shown efficacy in targeting CLRs10,11 and increasing the throughput of the fabrication method to unearth the complexities associated with a multi-parametric system will be of great value (Figure 1a).

In this article, a high throughput method is presented for the synthesis of oligosaccharides and their attachment to the surface of polyanhydride nanoparticles for further use in targeting specific receptors on antigen presenting cells.

Transdisciplinary approaches involving areas such as material design, nanotechnology, chemistry, and immunology have to be utilized to rationally design ...

Microfabrication of Nanoporous Gold Patterns for Cell-material Interaction Studies

Nanostructured materials with feature sizes in tens of nanometers have enhanced the performance of several technologies, including fuel cells, biosensors, biomedical device coatings, and drug delivery tools. Nanoporous gold (np-Au), produced by a nano-scale self-assembly process, is a relatively new material that exhibits large effective surface area, high electrical conductivity, and catalytic activity. These properties have made np-Au an attractive material to scientific community. Most studies on np-Au employ macro-scale specimens and focus on fundamental science of the material and its catalytic and sensor applications. The macro-scale specimens limit np-Au's potential in miniaturized systems, including biomedical devices. In order to address these issues, we initially describe two different methods to micropattern np-Au thin films on rigid substrates. The first method employs manually-produced stencil masks for creating millimeter-scale np-Au patterns, while the second method uses lift-off photolithography to pattern sub-millimeter-scale patterns. As the np-Au thin films are obtained by sputter-deposition process, they are compatible with conventional microfabrication techniques, thereby amenable to facile integration into microsystems. These systems include electrically-addressable biosensor platforms that benefit from high effective surface area, electrical conductivity, and gold-thiol-based surface bioconjugation. We describe cell culture, immunostaining, and image processing techniques to quantify np-Au's interaction with mammalian cells, which is an important performance parameter for some biosensors. We expect that the techniques illustrated here will assist the integration of np-Au in platforms at various length-scales and in numerous applications, including biosensors, energy storage systems, and catalysts.

We report on techniques to micropattern nanoporous gold thin films via stencil printing and photolithography, as well as methods to culture cells on the microfabricated patterns. In addition, we describe image analysis methods to characterize morphology of the material and the cultured cells using scanning electron and fluorescence microscopy techniques.

Nanostructured materials with feature sizes in tens of nanometers have enhanced the performance of several technologies, including fuel cells, biosensors, ...

Synthesis of an Intein-mediated Artificial Protein Hydrogel

We present the synthesis of a highly stable protein hydrogel mediated by a split-intein-catalyzed protein trans-splicing reaction. The building blocks of this hydrogel are two protein block-copolymers each containing a subunit of a trimeric protein that serves as a crosslinker and one half of a split intein. A highly hydrophilic random coil is inserted into one of the block-copolymers for water retention. Mixing of the two protein block copolymers triggers an intein trans-splicing reaction, yielding a polypeptide unit with crosslinkers at either end that rapidly self-assembles into a hydrogel. This hydrogel is very stable under both acidic and basic conditions, at temperatures up to 50 &#176;C, and in organic solvents. The hydrogel rapidly reforms after shear-induced rupture. Incorporation of a &#34;docking station peptide&#34; into the hydrogel building block enables convenient incorporation of &#34;docking protein&#34;-tagged target proteins. The hydrogel is compatible with tissue culture growth media, supports the diffusion of 20 kDa molecules, and enables the immobilization of bioactive globular proteins. The application of the intein-mediated protein hydrogel as an organic-solvent-compatible biocatalyst was demonstrated by encapsulating the horseradish peroxidase enzyme and corroborating its activity.

We present the synthesis of a split-intein-mediated protein hydrogel. The building blocks of this hydrogel are two protein copolymers each containing a subunit of a trimeric protein that serves as a crosslinker and one half of a split intein. Mixing of the two protein copolymers triggers an intein trans-splicing reaction, yielding a polypeptide unit that self-assembles into a hydrogel. This hydrogel is highly pH- and temperature-stable, compatible with organic solvents, and easily incorporates functional globular proteins.

We present the synthesis of a highly stable protein hydrogel mediated by a split-intein-catalyzed protein trans-splicing reaction. The building blocks of ...

Synthesis of Keratin-based Nanofiber for Biomedical Engineering

Electrospinning, due to its versatility and potential for applications in various fields, is being frequently used to fabricate nanofibers. Production of these porous nanofibers is of great interest due to their unique physiochemical properties. Here we elaborate on the fabrication of keratin containing poly (&#949;-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibers (i.e., PCL/keratin composite fiber). Water soluble keratin was first extracted from human hair and mixed with PCL in different ratios. The blended solution of PCL/keratin was transformed into nanofibrous membranes using a laboratory designed electrospinning set up. Fiber morphology and mechanical properties of the obtained nanofiber were observed and measured using scanning electron microscopy and tensile tester. Furthermore, degradability and chemical properties of the nanofiber were studied by FTIR. SEM images showed uniform surface morphology for PCL/keratin fibers of different compositions. These PCL/keratin fibers also showed excellent mechanical properties such as Young&#39;s modulus and failure point. Fibroblast cells were able to attach and proliferate thus proving good cell viability. Based on the characteristics discussed above, we can strongly argue that the blended nanofibers of natural and synthetic polymers can represent an excellent development of composite materials that can be used for different biomedical applications.

Electrospun nanofibers have a high surface area to weight ratio, excellent mechanical integrity, and support cell growth and proliferation. These nanofibers have a wide range of biomedical applications. Here we fabricate keratin/ PCL nanofibers, using the electrospinning technique, and characterize the fibers for possible applications in tissue engineering.

Electrospinning, due to its versatility and potential for applications in various fields, is being frequently used to fabricate nanofibers. Production of ...

The Synthesis of RGD-functionalized Hydrogels as a Tool for Therapeutic Applications

The use of polymers as biomaterials has provided significant advantages in therapeutic applications. In particular, the possibility to modify and functionalize polymer chains with compounds that are able to improve biocompatibility, mechanical properties, or cell viability allows the design of novel materials to meet new challenges in the biomedical field. With the polymer functionalization strategies, click chemistry is a powerful tool to improve cell-compatibility and drug delivery properties of polymeric devices. Similarly, the fundamental need of biomedicine to use sterile tools to avoid potential adverse-side effects, such as toxicity or contamination of the biological environment, gives rise to increasing interest in the microwave-assisted strategy.
The combination of click chemistry and the microwave-assisted method is suitable to produce biocompatible hydrogels with desired functionalities and improved performances in biomedical applications. This work aims to synthesize RGD-functionalized hydrogels. RGD (arginylglycylaspartic acid) is a tripeptide that can mimic cell adhesion proteins and bind to cell-surface receptors, creating a hospitable microenvironment for cells within the 3D polymeric network of the hydrogels. RGD functionalization occurs through Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition. Some PAA carboxyl groups are modified with an alkyne moiety, whereas RGD is functionalized with azido acid as the terminal residue of the peptide sequence. Finally, both products are used in a copper catalyzed click reaction to permanently link the peptide to PAA. This modified polymer is used with carbomer, agarose and polyethylene glycol (PEG) to synthesize a hydrogel matrix. The 3D structure is formed due to an esterification reaction involving carboxyl groups from PAA and carbomer and hydroxyl groups from agarose and PEG through microwave-assisted polycondensation. The efficiency of the gelation mechanism ensures a high degree of RGD functionalization. In addition, the procedure to load therapeutic compounds or biological tools within this functionalized network is very simple and reproducible.

We present a protocol for the synthesis of RGD-functionalized hydrogels as devices for cell and drug delivery. The procedure involves copper catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) between alkyne-modified polyacrylic acid (PAA) and a RGD-azide derivative. The hydrogels are formed using microwave-assisted polycondensation and their physicochemical properties are investigated.

The use of polymers as biomaterials has provided significant advantages in therapeutic applications. In particular, the possibility to modify and ...

Polydimethylsiloxane-polycarbonate Microfluidic Devices for Cell Migration Studies Under Perpendicular Chemical and Oxygen Gradients

This paper reports a microfluidic device made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with an embedded polycarbonate (PC) thin film to study cell migration under combinations of chemical and oxygen gradients. Both chemical and oxygen gradients can greatly affect cell migration in vivo; however, due to technical limitations, very little research has been performed to investigate their effects in vitro. The device developed in this research takes advantage of a series of serpentine-shaped channels to generate the desired chemical gradients and exploits a spatially confined chemical reaction method for oxygen gradient generation. The directions of the chemical and oxygen gradients are perpendicular to each other to enable straightforward migration result interpretation. In order to efficiently generate the oxygen gradients with minimal chemical consumption, the embedded PC thin film is utilized as a gas diffusion barrier. The developed microfluidic device can be actuated by syringe pumps and placed into a conventional cell incubator during cell migration experiments to allow for setup simplification and optimized cell culture conditions. In cell experiments, we used the device to study migrations of adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells, A549, under combinations of chemokine (stromal cell-derived factor, SDF-1&#945;) and oxygen gradients. The experimental results show that the device can stably generate perpendicular chemokine and oxygen gradients and is compatible with cells. The migration study results indicate that oxygen gradients may play an essential role in guiding cell migration, and cellular behavior under combinations of gradients cannot be predicted from those under single gradients. The device provides a powerful and practical tool for researchers to study interactions between chemical and oxygen gradients in cell culture, which can promote better cell migration studies in more in vivo-like microenvironments.

The control of chemical and oxygen gradients is essential for cell cultures. This paper reports a polydimethylsiloxane-polycarbonate (PDMS-PC) microfluidic device capable of reliably generating combinations of chemical and oxygen gradients for cell migration studies, which can be practically utilized in biological labs without sophisticated instrumentation.

This paper reports a microfluidic device made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with an embedded polycarbonate (PC) thin film to study cell migration under ...

Synthesis of Hydrogels with Antifouling Properties As Membranes for Water Purification

Hydrogels have been widely utilized to enhance the surface hydrophilicity of membranes for water purification, increasing the antifouling properties and thus achieving stable water permeability through membranes over time. Here, we report a facile method to prepare hydrogels based on zwitterions for membrane applications. Freestanding films can be prepared from sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA) with a crosslinker of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) via photopolymerization. The hydrogels can also be prepared by impregnation into hydrophobic porous supports to enhance the mechanical strength. These films can be characterized by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) to determine the degree of conversion of the (meth)acrylate groups, using goniometers for hydrophilicity and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for polymer chain dynamics. We also report protocols to determine the water permeability in dead-end filtration systems and the effect of foulants (bovine serum albumin, BSA) on membrane performance.

This paper reports practical methods to prepare hydrogels in freestanding films and impregnated membranes and to characterize their physical properties, including water transport properties.

Hydrogels have been widely utilized to enhance the surface hydrophilicity of membranes for water purification, increasing the antifouling properties and ...

Ammonia Synthesis at Low Pressure

Ammonia can be synthesized at low pressure by the use of an ammonia selective absorbent. The process can be driven with wind energy, available locally in areas requiring ammonia for synthetic fertilizer. Such wind energy is often called &#34;stranded,&#34; because it is only available far from population centers where it can be directly used.
In the proposed low pressure process, nitrogen is made from air using pressure swing absorption, and hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water. While these gases can react at approximately 400 &#176;C in the presence of a promoted conventional catalyst, the conversion is often limited by the reverse reaction, which makes this reaction only feasible at high pressures. This limitation can be removed by absorption on an ammine-like calcium or magnesium chloride. Such alkaline metal halides can effectively remove ammonia, thus suppressing the equilibrium constraints of the reaction. In the proposed absorption-enhanced ammonia synthesis process, the rate of reaction may then be controlled not by the chemical kinetics nor the absorption rates, but by the rate of the recycle of unreacted gases. The results compare favorably with ammonia made from a conventional small scale Haber-Bosch process.

Ammonia can be synthesized at low pressure by using a conventional catalyst and an ammonia selective absorbent.

Ammonia can be synthesized at low pressure by the use of an ammonia selective absorbent. The process can be driven with wind energy, available locally in ...

Synthesis of Functionalized 10-nm Polymer-coated Gold Particles for Endothelium Targeting and Drug Delivery

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been used extensively in medical research due to their size, biocompatibility, and modifiable surface. Specific targeting and drug delivery are some of the applications of these AuNPs, but endothelial extracellular matrices&#39; defensive properties hamper particle uptake. To address this issue, we describe a synthesis method for ultrasmall gold nanoparticles to improve vascular delivery, with customizable functional groups and polymer lengths for further adjustments. The protocol yields 2.5 nm AuNPs that are capped with tetrakis(hydroxymethyl)phosphonium chloride (THPC). The replacement of THPC with hetero-functional polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the surface of the AuNP increases the hydrodynamic radius to 10.5 nm while providing various functional groups on the surface. The last part of the protocol includes an optional addition of a fluorophore to allow the AuNPs to be visualized under fluorescence to track nanoparticle uptake. Dialysis and lyophilization were used to purify and isolate the AuNPs. These fluorescent nanoparticles can be visualized in both in vitro and in vivo experiments due to the biocompatible PEG coating and fluorescent probes. Additionally, the size range of these nanoparticles render them an ideal candidate for probing the glycocalyx without disrupting normal vasculature function, which may lead to improved delivery and therapeutics.

We describe a method of synthesizing biocompatible 10-nm gold nanoparticles, functionalized by coating poly-ethylene glycol onto the surface. These particles can be used in vitro and in vivo for delivering therapeutics to nanoscale cellular and extracellular spaces that are difficult to access with conventional nanoparticle sizes.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been used extensively in medical research due to their size, biocompatibility, and modifiable surface. Specific targeting ...