0000000000303371

AUTHOR

José M. Domínguez-vera

Langmuir monolayers and Langmuir–Blodgett films of ferritin prepared by using a surfactant mixture of eicosylamine (EA) and methyl stearate (SME)

Abstract Magnetic Langmuir–Blodgett films of ferritin have been prepared by using the adsorption properties of a 1/4 mixed monolayer of eicosylamine (EA) and methyl stearate (SME). BAM images show that a more homogeneous distribution of ferritin at the air–water interface is achieved by using this mixture of surfactants instead of the DODA/SME mixed matrix of a previous work. Transfer of the monolayer onto different substrates allowed the preparation of multilayer LB films. Infrared and UV–Vis spectroscopies indicate that ferritin molecules are incorporated within the LB films. Furthermore, UV–Vis spectroscopy measurements reveal that the amount of ferritin incorporated into these LB film h…

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Magnetic Langmuir–Blodgett films of ferritin with different iron loadings

Abstract Magnetic Langmuir–Blodgett multilayers of two ferritin molecules 1 and 2 , containing, respectively, 4220 and 3062 Fe atoms have been prepared by using the adsorption properties of a 6/1 mixed monolayer of dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODABr) and methyl stearate (SME). Transfer ratios close to unity were reached giving rise to LB films with a strong red colour. Infrared and UV–vis spectroscopy indicates that ferritin molecules are incorporated within the LB films. Magnetic measurements show that the superparamagnetic properties of these molecules are preserved. Thus, a marked hysteresis loop of magnetisation is obtained for LB films of 1 and 2 with a coercive field of 3400 …

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Electrochromic polyoxometalate material as a sensor of bacterial activity

L. fermentum, a bacterium of human microbiota, acts as an electron donor to the electrochromic [P2MoVI18O62]6. Since, the reductive capacity of L. fermentum correlates with its metabolic activity, the reaction with [P2MoVI18O62]6- affords a means of evaluating its activity. Following this logic, we have concluded that vancomycin severely affects the activity of L. fermentum whereas omeprazole does not.

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Permanent magnetism in apoferritin-encapsulated Pd nanoparticles

Pd nanoparticles have been prepared within the apoferritin cavity. X-Ray powder diffraction, transmission electronic microscopy and magnetization measurements have been used for characterizing the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles exhibit permanent magnetism at room temperature.

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Structural and magnetic characterization of Pd nanoparticles encapsulated in apoferritin

Pd nanoparticles exhibiting permanent magnetism at room temperature have been prepared within the apoferritin cavity. Pd nanoparticles in air and under an inert atmosphere were synthesized to study the influence of the aerobic and anaerobic conditions in the final magnetic properties. The surface of nanoparticles as well as the type of crystalline phase could determine the magnetic properties. X-ray powder diffraction, including Debye-function analysis, transmission electronic microscopy, and magnetization measurements have been used for characterizing the nanoparticles.

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A novel two-dimensional honeycomb-like bimetallic iron(iii)–nickel(ii) cyanide-bridged magnetic material [Ni(cyclam)]3[Fe(CN)6]2·nH2O (cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclodecane)

The 2D honeycomb-like layered iron(iii)–nickel(ii) cyanidebridged complex [Ni(cyclam)]3[Fe(CN)6]2·nH2O exhibits ferromagnetic intralayer and antiferromagnetic interlayer interactions; above 3 K the magnetic properties are typical of a metamagnet with Hc = 5000 G, whereas below 3 K a canted structure is formed, leading to a long range ferromagnetic ordering. Lloret Pastor, Francisco, Francisco.Lloret@uv.es

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Langmuir–Blodgett films based on inorganic molecular complexes with magnetic or optical properties

Langmuir and Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films of a great variety of molecular metal complexes with interesting magnetic or optical properties have been prepared in the last few years. Some of the results obtained by our group and others are summarized in this article. (i) LB films of polyoxometalates (POM) were first prepared taking advantage of the adsorption properties of these cluster anions along a positively charged monolayer of an organic surfactant spread in water. A correct choice of the POM allowed the preparation of LB films with magnetic, electrochromic, or luminescent properties. Besides this semiamphiphilic method, two new methods to prepare LB films of POMs have been developed by …

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Magnetic–fluorescent Langmuir–Blodgett films of fluorophore-labeled ferritin nanoparticles

Abstract We have covalently coupled fluorophore 4-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD) to the external ferritin shell through lysine residues. An increase in the luminescence quantum yield of the fluorescent ferritin particles and a blue shift in its emission peak compared to individual fluorophore were observed. The study of the particles by transmission electron microscopy showed that the native iron core ferritin is intact and that no degradation occurs during chemical functionalization of the protein shell. The NBD-labeled ferritin particles are water soluble, which allowed their controlled deposition by the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) technique. Superparamagnetic and fluores…

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Magnetic Langmuir-Blodgett films of ferritin with different iron contents.

Magnetic Langmuir-Blodgett films of four ferritin derivatives with different iron contents containing 4220, 3062, 2200, and 1200 iron atoms, respectively, have been prepared by using the adsorption properties of a 6/1 mixed monolayer of methyl stearate (SME) and dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODA). The molecular organization of the mixed SME/DODA monolayer is strongly affected by the presence of the water-soluble protein in the subphase as shown by pi-A isotherms, BAM images, and imaging ellipsometry at the water-air interface. BAM images reveal the heterogeneity of this mixed monolayer at the air-water interface. We propose that the ferritin is located under the mixed matrix in thos…

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A Novel One-Dimensional Cyano-Bridged Ni3Fe2 Ferromagnet Constructed from Bimetallic Molecular Squares

Reaction of the complex [Ni(rac-CTH)](2+) (rac-CTH = rac-5,7,7,12,14,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) with [Fe(CN)(6)](3-) leads to a novel cyano-bridged Ni(3)Fe(2) complex, [[Ni(rac-CTH)](3)[Fe(CN)(6)](2)](4). The structure consists of an alternating arrangement of [Fe(CN)(6)Ni(rac-CTH)](2) squares and trans-planar [Ni(rac-CTH)](2+) units bridged by cyanide groups to give a neutral 1D chain running along the a axis. Magnetic measurements reveal the occurrence of ferromagnetic coupling between Fe(III) and Ni(II) ions and 3D magnetic ordering at 3 K due to interchain interactions. Canting of the moments is inferred from the low value of the magnetization of the saturation bel…

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Apoferritin-encapsulated Ni and Co superparamagnetic nanoparticles

Ni and Co nanoparticles (average diameters 3 and 3.5 nm) have been prepared within the apoferritin cavity. The protein shell prevents bulk aggregation of the metal particles, rendering them water soluble. X-Ray diffraction, transmission electronic microscopy and magnetization measurements have been used for characterizing the nanoparticles. The magnetic study of both nanoparticles confirmed the expected superparamagnetic behavior.

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