Name: in situ monitoring of diffusion of guest molecules in porous media using electron paramagnetic resonance imaging
Uploaded: 2016-09-02T14:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about In Situ Monitoring of Diffusion of Guest Molecules in Porous Media Using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Imaging at JoVE.com

The authors thank Prof. Peter Imming and Diana M&#252;ller for synthesis of the Trityl spin probe and Prof. Sebastian Polarz, Martin Wessig and Andreas Schachtschneider for the synthesis of the porous materials. Financial support by the DFG (DR 743/7-1) and within the SPP 1570 is gratefully acknowledged.

Caution: Please consult all relevant material safety data sheets (MSDS) before use. Ethanol is harmful if swallowed or inhaled and it is flammable.
1. Optimize the Continuous Wave (CW) EPR Parameters
<ol>
	<li>Prepare 40 &#181;l of IPSL in ethanol (p.a.) at a concentration of 1 mM.</li>
	<li>Take a pipette controller and fill a capillary with the IPSL solution to a filling height of 2 cm. Pull the solution 1 cm further into the capillary so that there is an air gap below the solution. Seal t...

<ol>
	<li>Sch&#252;th, F., Sing, K. S. W., Weitkamp, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Handbook of Porous Solids. , (2002).</li><li>Hoffmann, F., Cornelius, M., Morell, J., Fr&#246;ba, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Silica-Based+Mesoporous+Organic-Inorganic+Hybrid+Materials.">Silica-Based Mesoporous Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Materials.</a> Angew. Chem. Int. Edit. 45 (20), 3216-3251 (2006).</li><li>Sanchez, C., Boissi&#232;re, C., Grosso, D., Laberty, C., Nicole, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Design,+Synthesis,+and+Properties+of+Inorganic+and+Hybrid+Thin+Films+Having+Periodically+Organized+Nanoporosity.">Design, Synthesis, and Properties of Inorganic and Hybrid Thin Films Having Periodically Organized Nanoporosity.</a> Chem. of Mat. 20 (3), 682-737 (2008).</li><li>Le Bihan, D., Johansen-Berg, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Diffusion+MRI+at+25:+Exploring+brain+tissue+structure+and+function.">Diffusion MRI at 25: Exploring brain tissue structure and function.</a> NeuroImage. 61 (2), 324-341 (2012).</li><li>Pregosin, P. S., Kumar, P. G. A., Fern&#225;ndez, I. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Pulsed+Gradient+Spin&#8722;Echo+(PGSE)+Diffusion+and+1H,19F+Heteronuclear+Overhauser+Spectroscopy+(HOESY)+NMR+Methods+in+Inorganic+and+Organometallic+Chemistry:+Something+Old+and+Something+New.">Pulsed Gradient Spin&#8722;Echo (PGSE) Diffusion and 1H,19F Heteronuclear Overhauser Spectroscopy (HOESY) NMR Methods in Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry: Something Old and Something New.</a> Chem. Rev. 105 (8), 2977-2998 (2005).</li><li>Talmon, Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Molecular+diffusion+in+porous+media+by+PGS+ESR.">Molecular diffusion in porous media by PGS ESR.</a> Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 12 (23), 5998-6007 (2010).</li><li>Okazaki, M., Seelan, S., Toriyama, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Condensation+process+of+alcohol+molecules+on+mesoporous+silica+MCM-41+and+SBA-15+and+fumed+silica:+a+spin-probe+ESR+study.">Condensation process of alcohol molecules on mesoporous silica MCM-41 and SBA-15 and fumed silica: a spin-probe ESR study.</a> Appl. Magn. Reson. 35 (3), 363-378 (2009).</li><li>Wessig, M., Spitzbarth, M., Drescher, M., Winter, R., Polarz, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Multiple+scale+investigation+of+molecular+diffusion+inside+functionalized+porous+hosts+using+a+combination+of+magnetic+resonance+methods.">Multiple scale investigation of molecular diffusion inside functionalized porous hosts using a combination of magnetic resonance methods.</a> Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 17 (24), 15976-15988 (2015).</li><li>Yakimchenko, O. E., Degtyarev, E. N., Parmon, V. N., Lebedev, Y. S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Diffusion+in+Porous+Catalyst+Grains+as+Studied+by+EPR+Imaging.">Diffusion in Porous Catalyst Grains as Studied by EPR Imaging.</a> J. Phys. Chem. 99 (7), 2038-2041 (1995).</li><li>Cleary, D. A., Shin, Y. K., Schneider, D. J., Freed, J. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Rapid+determination+of+translational+diffusion+coefficients+using+ESR+imaging.">Rapid determination of translational diffusion coefficients using ESR imaging.</a> J. Magn. Reson. 79 (3), 474-492 (1988).</li><li>Hornak, J. P., Moscicki, J. K., Schneider, D. J., Freed, J. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Diffusion+coefficients+in+anisotropic+fluids+by+ESR+imaging+of+concentration+profiles.">Diffusion coefficients in anisotropic fluids by ESR imaging of concentration profiles.</a> J. Chem. Phys. 84 (6), 3387-3395 (1986).</li><li>Berliner, L. J., Fujii, H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=EPR+imaging+of+diffusional+processes+in+biologically+relevant+polymers.">EPR imaging of diffusional processes in biologically relevant polymers.</a> J. Magn. Reson. 69 (1), 68-72 (1986).</li><li>Degtyarev, Y. N., Schlick, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Diffusion+Coefficients+of+Small+Molecules+as+Guests+in+Various+Phases+of+Pluronic+L64+Measured+by+One-Dimensional+Electron+Spin+Resonance+Imaging.">Diffusion Coefficients of Small Molecules as Guests in Various Phases of Pluronic L64 Measured by One-Dimensional Electron Spin Resonance Imaging.</a> Langmuir. 15 (15), 5040-5047 (1999).</li><li>Marek, A., Labsk&#253;, J., Ko&#328;&#225;k, &. #. 2. 6. 8. ;., Pila&#345;, J., Schlick, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Translational+Diffusion+of+Paramagnetic+Tracers+in+HEMA+Gels+and+in+Concentrated+Solutions+of+PolyHEMA+by+1D+Electron+Spin+Resonance+Imaging.">Translational Diffusion of Paramagnetic Tracers in HEMA Gels and in Concentrated Solutions of PolyHEMA by 1D Electron Spin Resonance Imaging.</a> Macromolecules. 35 (14), 5517-5528 (2002).</li><li>Shin, Y. K., Ewert, U., Budil, D. E., Freed, J. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microscopic+versus+macroscopic+diffusion+in+model+membranes+by+electron+spin+resonance+spectral-spatial+imaging.">Microscopic versus macroscopic diffusion in model membranes by electron spin resonance spectral-spatial imaging.</a> Biophys. J. 59 (4), 950-957 (1991).</li><li>Spitzbarth, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Simultaneous+Monitoring+of+Macroscopic+and+Microscopic+Diffusion+of+Guest+Molecules+in+Silica+and+Organosilica+Aerogels+by+Spatially+and+Time-Resolved+Electron+Paramagnetic+Resonance+Spectroscopy.">Simultaneous Monitoring of Macroscopic and Microscopic Diffusion of Guest Molecules in Silica and Organosilica Aerogels by Spatially and Time-Resolved Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.</a> J. Phys. Chem. C. 119 (30), 17474-17479 (2015).</li><li>Kruczala, K., Schlick, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Measuring+Diffusion+Coefficients+of+Nitroxide+Radicals+in+Heterophasic+Propylene&#8722;Ethylene+Copolymers+by+Electron+Spin+Resonance+Imaging.">Measuring Diffusion Coefficients of Nitroxide Radicals in Heterophasic Propylene&#8722;Ethylene Copolymers by Electron Spin Resonance Imaging.</a> Macromolecules. 44 (2), 325-333 (2011).</li><li>Wessig, M., Drescher, M., Polarz, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Probing+Functional+Group+Specific+Surface+Interactions+in+Porous+Solids+Using+ESR+Spectroscopy+as+a+Sensitive+and+Quantitative+Tool.">Probing Functional Group Specific Surface Interactions in Porous Solids Using ESR Spectroscopy as a Sensitive and Quantitative Tool.</a> The J. Phys. Chem. C. 117 (6), 2805-2816 (2013).</li><li>Kuschel, A., Polarz, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Organosilica+Materials+with+Bridging+Phenyl+Derivatives+Incorporated+into+the+Surfaces+of+Mesoporous+Solids.">Organosilica Materials with Bridging Phenyl Derivatives Incorporated into the Surfaces of Mesoporous Solids.</a> Adv. Funct. Mater. 18 (8), 1272-1280 (2008).</li><li>Spitzbarth, M., Drescher, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Simultaneous+iterative+reconstruction+technique+software+for+spectral-spatial+EPR+imaging.">Simultaneous iterative reconstruction technique software for spectral-spatial EPR imaging.</a> J. Magn. Reson. 257, 79-88 (2015).</li><li>Stoll, S., Schweiger, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=EasySpin,+a+comprehensive+software+package+for+spectral+simulation+and+analysis+in+EPR.">EasySpin, a comprehensive software package for spectral simulation and analysis in EPR.</a> J. Magn. Reson. 178 (1), 42-55 (2006).</li></ol>

The protocol allows monitoring of the diffusion of paramagnetic guest molecules. A 1d imaging approach has been chosen because it allows for a higher time resolution compared to 2d or 3d imaging. The 1d approach requires a constant cross sectional area of the sample because the intensity of the obtained 1d image depends not only on the concentration but also on the cross sectional area of the sample. The method also requires that the EPR spectra of the spin probes within the samples only change in intensity but not in sh...

Porous materials play a major role in practical applications such as catalysis and chromatography1. By adding surface groups and adjusting the pore size and surface properties, the materials can be tailored to the desired application2,3. The functionality of the porous material crucially depends on the diffusion properties of the guest molecules inside the pores. In porous materials, a distinction must be made between the microscopic translational diffusion constant D&#8203;micro, which describes diffusion on a molecular length scale on one hand and the macroscopic translational diffusion constant Dmacro on the other hand, which is influenced by the diffusion through multiple pores, grain boundaries, tortuosity and inhomogeneity of the material.
There are several magnetic resonance methods available to study diffusion, each suitable for a particular length scale. On the millimeter scale, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging4 and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) imaging (as presented in this protocol) can be used. Smaller scales become accessible by the use of pulsed field gradients in NMR as well as EPR experiments5,6. On the nanometer scale, EPR spectroscopy can be used by observing changes of the Heisenberg exchange interaction between spin probes7,8. Studies of translational diffusion using EPR imaging range from industrial catalyst supports, e.g., aluminum oxide9, to anisotropic fluids10,11, drug release systems made of polymer gels12-14 and model membranes15.
This protocol presents an in situ approach using EPR imaging to monitor macroscopic translational diffusion of spin probes in cylindrical, porous media. It is demonstrated for a host-guest system consisting of the nitroxide spin probe 3-(2-Iodoacetamido)-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-pyrrolidinyloxy (IPSL) as a guest inside the periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) aerogel UKON1-GEL as a host and ethanol as a solvent. This protocol has successfully been used previously16 to compare D&#8203;macro as determined with EPR imaging with D&#8203;micro for the host materials UKON1-GEL and SILICA-GEL and guest species IPSL and Tris(8-carboxy-2,2,6,6-perdeutero-tetramethyl-benzo[1,2-d:4,5-d&#8242;]bis(1,3)dithiole) methyl (Trityl), see Figure 1.
In other methods based on continuous wave (CW) EPR imaging17, diffusion takes place outside of the spectrometer. In contrast, the method presented here uses an in situ approach. A series of snapshots of the 1d spin density distribution &#961;&#8203;1d (t, &#947;) is recorded over a period of several hours. During this time, one snapshot is taken after the other and delivers a real-time diffusion pattern with a time resolution of approximately 5 min.
UKON1-GEL and SILICA-GEL have been synthesized in sample tubes with an inner diameter of 3 mm as described in literature.16,18,19 The UKON1-GEL and SILICA-GEL synthesis leads to a shrinking of the sample. The samples are placed inside a heat-shrink tube to prevent guest molecules from moving between the aerogel and the wall of the sample tube. This additional step is not necessary for samples that can be synthesized directly in the sample tube without changing their size. The aerogel samples collapse when they dry out, so they must be submerged in solvent at all times. The temperature that is needed for the heat shrink tubing is higher than the boiling point of ethanol at ambient pressure. Therefore the protocol describes the use of a pressure cooker to raise the boiling point of ethanol.
The protocol covers the sample preparation of UKON1-GEL synthesized beforehand for the EPR imaging experiment and the spectrometer settings that are used to monitor diffusion of IPSL spin probe. For data analysis, locally written software is provided and its use is described. The raw data from the spectrometer can be directly loaded. The software calculates the spatial 1d spin density distribution &#961;&#8203;1d (t, &#947;) and takes into account the resonator sensitivity profile. The user can select a region of the aerogel and a time window, over which the diffusion constant is to be determined. The software then determines the boundary conditions of the diffusion equation based on that selection and solves the diffusion equation. It supports least square fitting to find the value of Dmacro where the numerical solution best matches the experimental data.
The protocol can be used with adjustments for different guest and host materials as long as the cross sectional area of the sample does not change throughout the sample, that is &#961;&#8203;1d (t, &#947;) gives direct access to the concentration and is not influenced by a change in sample cross section. The range of accessible values for Dmacro is estimated16 between 10-12 m2/sec and 7&#183;10-9 m2/sec.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>X-Band spectrometer</td>
			<td>Bruker</td>
			<td>E580</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Spectrometer software</td>
			<td>Bruker</td>
			<td>Xepr 2.6b.108</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>gradient coil system</td>
			<td>Bruker</td>
			<td>E540 GCX2</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>imaging resonator</td>
			<td>Bruker</td>
			<td>TMHS 1007</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>micro-classic pipette controller</td>
			<td>Brand</td>
			<td>25900</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>microcapillary ringcaps 50 &#181;l</td>
			<td>Hirschmann</td>
			<td>9600150</td>
			<td>inner diameter 0.5 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EPR sample tube 2 mm inner diameter</td>
			<td>Bruker</td>
			<td>ER 221TUB/2</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EPR sample tube 4 mm inner diameter</td>
			<td>Bruker</td>
			<td>ER 221TUB/4</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>heat-shrink tubing DERAY-IB</td>
			<td>DSG-Canusa</td>
			<td>2210048952</td>
			<td>4.8 mm/2.4 mm, 2:1, 95 &#176;C - 200 &#176;C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>heat gun</td>
			<td>Bosch</td>
			<td>PHG 600-3</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PTFE&#160; band</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>332362S</td>
			<td>width 12 mm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>test tube</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>length 16 cm, diameter 1.5 cm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>beaker</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>250 ml, height 9 cm, diameter 7 cm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>capillary tube sealing</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>02-678</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>pressure cooker, 3l with trivet</td>
			<td>Beem</td>
			<td>Vital-X-Press V2, F1000675</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>magnetic stirrer with heating element</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ethanol (p.a.)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ethanol (techn.)</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>syringe</td>
			<td>Hamilton</td>
			<td>1705</td>
			<td>0.05 ml, custom length: 20 cm,</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Pasteur capillary pipette</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>length 23 cm</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>data analysis software</td>
			<td>homemade</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Available for download at http://www.uni-konstanz.de/drescher/software. Requires Matlab.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>UKON1-GEL</td>
			<td>kindly provided by Prof. Sebastian Polarz, Martin Wessig and Andreas Schachtschneider&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>See references 16, 18, 19 for the synthesis</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

in situ monitoring of diffusion of guest molecules in porous media using electron paramagnetic resonance imaging

A method is demonstrated to monitor macroscopic translational diffusion using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) imaging. A host-guest system with nitroxide spin probe 3-(2-Iodoacetamido)-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-1-pyrrolidinyloxy (IPSL) as a guest inside the periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) aerogel UKON1-GEL as a host and ethanol as a solvent is used as an example to describe the protocol. Data is shown from a previous publication, where the protocol has been applied to both IPSL and Tris(8-carboxy-2,2,6,6-perdeutero-tetramethyl-benzo[1,2-d:4,5-d&#8242;]bis(1,3)dithiole) methyl (Trityl) as guest molecules and UKON1-GEL and SILICA-GEL as host systems. 
A method is shown to prepare aerogel samples that cannot be synthesized directly in the sample tube for measurement due to a size change during synthesis. The aerogel is attached to sample tubes using heat shrink tubing and a pressure cooker to reach the necessary temperature without evaporating the solvent in the process. The method does not assume a clearly defined initial distribution of guest molecules at the start of the measurement. Instead, it requires a reservoir on top of the aerogel and experimentally determines the influx rate during data analysis.
The diffusion is monitored continually over a period of 20 hr by recording the 1d spin density profile within the sample. The spectrometer settings for the imaging experiment are described quantitatively. Data analysis software is provided to take the resonator sensitivity profile into account and to numerically solve the diffusion equation. The software determines the macroscopic translational diffusion coefficient by least square minimization of the difference between the experiment and the numerical solution of the diffusion equation.

A photo and schematic of an aerogel within the shrinking tube is shown in Figures 2a and 2b. The 2d EPR image in Figure 2c clearly shows the upper edge of the aerogel. The intensity of &#961;1d within the sample tube above the aerogel is lower although the concentration of the spin probe is at least as high as within the aerogel. However, the sample depth perpendicular to the picture plane is much smaller due to the sm...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about In Situ Monitoring of Diffusion of Guest Molecules in Porous Media Using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Imaging at JoVE.com

In Situ Monitoring of Diffusion of Guest Molecules in Porous Media Using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Imaging

A protocol for the in situ monitoring of the diffusion of guest molecules in porous media using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) imaging is presented.

In Situ Monitoring of Diffusion of Guest Molecules in Porous Media Using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Imaging

A method is demonstrated to monitor macroscopic translational diffusion using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) imaging. A host-guest system with ...

The overall goal of this procedure is to monitor the diffusion of guest molecules in porus hosts. This method can help answer key questions in physical chemistry, such as unravelling the diffusion of different time and lengths simultaneously. The main advantage of this technique is that it captures the diffusion process in its entirety, and the extra initial boundary conditions are determined experimentally.To begin this procedure fill a 10 centimeters diameter petri dish with ethanol up to a height of five millimeters. Place an aero gel into the petri dish, and cut off a cylindrical piece of five millimeters to one centimeter in length. Following this, cut a piece of heat shrink tubing that is about one centimeter longer than the cylindrical piece of aero gel.Using a glass tubing cuter, break a two millimeter inner diameter glass sample tube into two four centimeter long pieces. Insert one of the sample tube pieces five millimeters deep into one end of the heat shrink tubing. Then use the heat gun to carefully heat the end of the shrink tubing without shrinking the rest of the tubing.Next submerge the sample tube and the head shrink tubing in the petri dish containing the aero gel. Carefully put push the cylindrical piece of aero gel into the open end of the heat shrink tubing. If you try to hold the aero gel with your fingers or if you apply pressure while it is wet between the shrink tubing and the side of the petri dish, the aero gel will break.Fill a test tube with ethanol, up to a height of seven centimeters. Insert the second four centimeter long piece of sample tube into the open end of the heat shrink tubing. Transfer the sample from the petri dish into a test tube, making sure the open end of the heat shrink tubing is oriented to the top.After placing a pressure cooker on a magnetic stirrer. Add a stir bar and a trivet. Fill the pressure cooker with at least 500 milliliters of ethanol.Place the beaker containing the sample on the trivet inside the pressure cooker. Cook and stir the sample at a pressure setting of one bar above ambient pressure. Allow the sample and pressure cooker to cool down as soon as the pressure is released and the pressure valve releases ethanol vapor.At this point, place a finger on top of the sample to keep the ethanol from flowing out. After removing the sample from the test tube, use a syringe to remove some ethanol from the bottom of the lower sample tube, and seal that end with tube sealing compound. Using a Pasteur capillary pipet, remove all the ethanol from the sample tube except for 3 millimeters above the aero gel.Next, inject 20 microliters of spin label solution in ethanol on top of the aero gel. Making sure to not create an air bubble. Mark the correct time as the start of the diffusion process.Place the sample in a four millimeter inner diameter sample tube. Use ptfe tape to center the sample. Using a felt tipped pen, mark the outer sample tube at a position of 68 millimeters above the upper edge of the aero gel.For the diffusion experiment, place the sample in a resonator so that the marking aligns with the top of the ptfe holder of the resonator. Finally, tune the spectrometer for critical coupling as is described in the operating manual of the spectrometer. Start the experiment and follow the text protocol to process the data.The two dimensional epr image clearly shows the uper edge of the aero gel within the shrinking tube. The intensity of the one dimensional spin density distribution within the sample tube above the aero gel is lower. Although the concentration of the spin probe is at least as high as within the aero gel.Diffusion heat maps of Trityl, and IPSL and Yukon one gel are shown here. The color code is proportional to the concentration. Each vertical slice can be seen as a snapshot of the concentration profile at a single point in time.The numerical solutions for the diffusion equations that mapped the experimental data for Trityl and IPSL are displayed here. The heat maps show qualitatively that the macroscopic translational diffusion of Trityl is significantly slower than the macroscopic translational diffusion of IPSL. The macroscopic translational diffusion coefficients for Trityl and IPSL in Yukon one gel and silica gel are shown here.The quantitative analysis shows slower diffusion for the larger Trityl molecule compared to IPSL. Adding glycerol to the solvent increases the viscosity and shows a further decrease of the diffusion coefficient for Trityl. Once mastered, the sample preparation can be done in 45 minutes if it is performed properly, following this procedure the data from the spectrometer can be analyzed quantitatively to determine the macroscopic diffusion coefficient.Also a two dimensional EPR imaging experiment can be performed in order to check for cracks in the aero gel. After development, this technique paved the way for researchers in the fields of catalysis and chromatography to explore the behavior of gas molecules in porous media. After watching this video, you should have a good understanding of how to prepare an aero gel sample prior to monitoring diffusion in an EPR imaging experiment.The aero gel is placed inside heat shrink tubing to prevent diffusion around the sides. Don't forget that working with a heat gun and hot ethanol can be extremely hazardous and precautions such as safety glasses, appropriate gloves, and working in a fume hood should always be taken when performing this procedure.

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JoVE Journal

Chemistry

Exploring the Radical Nature of a Carbon Surface by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and a Calibrated Gas Flow

While the first Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) studies regarding the effects of oxidation on the structure and stability of carbon radicals date ...

Sequencing of Plant Wall Heteroxylans Using Enzymic, Chemical (Methylation) and Physical (Mass Spectrometry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) Techniques

Sequencing of Plant Wall Heteroxylans Using Enzymic, Chemical Methylation and Physical Mass Spectrometry, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Techniques

This protocol describes the specific techniques used for the characterization of reducing end (RE) and internal region glycosyl sequence(s) of ...

Preparation and In Vitro Characterization of Dendrimer-based Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Preparation and In Vitro Characterization of Dendrimer-based Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Paramagnetic complexes of gadolinium(III) with acyclic or macrocyclic chelates are the most commonly used contrast agents (CAs) for magnetic resonance ...

In Situ Characterization of Boehmite Particles in Water Using Liquid SEM

In Situ Characterization of Boehmite Particles in Water Using Liquid SEM

In situ imaging and elemental analysis of boehmite (AlOOH) particles in water is realized using the System for Analysis at the Liquid Vacuum Interface ...

Microfluidic Chips for In Situ Crystal X-ray Diffraction and In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering for Serial Crystallography

Microfluidic Chips for In Situ Crystal X-ray Diffraction and In Situ Dynamic Light Scattering for Serial Crystallography

This protocol describes fabricating microfluidic devices with low X-ray background optimized for goniometer based fixed target serial crystallography. The ...

Using Graphene Liquid Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy to Study in Situ Nanocrystal Etching

Using Graphene Liquid Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy to Study in Situ Nanocrystal Etching

Graphene liquid cell electron microscopy provides the ability to observe nanoscale chemical transformations and dynamics as the reactions are occurring in ...

Photoelectron Imaging of Anions Illustrated by 310 Nm Detachment of F&#8722;

Anion photoelectron imaging is a very efficient method for the study of energy states of bound negative ions, neutral species and interactions of unbound ...

Heterogeneous Removal of Water-Soluble Ruthenium Olefin Metathesis Catalyst from Aqueous Media Via Host-Guest Interaction

A highly efficient transition metal catalyst removal method is developed. The water-soluble catalyst contains a newly-designed NHC ligand for the catalyst ...

Preparation of Graphene-Supported Microwell Liquid Cells for In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy

Preparation of Graphene-Supported Microwell Liquid Cells for In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy

The fabrication and preparation of graphene-supported microwell liquid cells (GSMLCs) for in situ electron microscopy is presented in a stepwise protocol. ...

Covalent Attachment of Single Molecules for AFM-based Force Spectroscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based single molecule force spectroscopy is an ideal tool for investigating the interactions between a single polymer and ...