Search results for "nanostructure"

Biosilica-based immobilization strategy for label-free OWLS sensors

2013

Abstract In the last years, a new group of enzymes, so-called silicateins, have been identified and characterized, which form the axial filaments of the spicules of the siliceous sponges, consisting of amorphous silica. Silicateins are able to catalyze the polycondensation and deposition of silica at mild conditions (low temperature and physiological pH). By means of these enzymes it is possible for the first time to produce silica nanostructures biocatalytically, which opens new ways for construction of biosensors. The cDNAs encoding the responsible enzymes have been isolated and the proteins can be produced in a recombinant way. Here we demonstrate the silicatein-mediated biosilica format…

Metal nanoparticle/polymer superlattice films: Fabrication and control of layer structure

1997

Reversible tuning of a block-copolymer nanostructure via electric fields

2007

Block copolymers consisting of incompatible components self-assemble into microphase-separated domains yielding highly regular structures with characteristic length scales of the order of several tens of nanometres. Therefore, in the past decades, block copolymers have gained considerable potential for nanotechnological applications, such as in nanostructured networks and membranes, nanoparticle templates and high-density data storage media. However, the characteristic size of the resulting structures is usually determined by molecular parameters of the constituent polymer molecules and cannot easily be adjusted on demand. Here, we show that electric d.c. fields can be used to tune the char…

Self-assembly of small gold colloids with functionalized gold nanorods.

2007

We present a general strategy to stabilize gold nanorod suspensions with mono- and bifunctional polyethylene glycol (PEG) and to attach a controlled number of nanoparticles or biomolecules. Characterization by gel electrophoresis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and optical dark-field microscopy show the specific binding of functionalized nanorods to their target while avoiding nonspecific binding to substrates, matrices, and other particles. Such nanorods are well suited for self-assembly of nanostructures and single-molecule labeling.

Chemical Approach to Functional Artificial Opals

2007

Artificial opals are self-assembled colloidal crystals, which consist of a cubic dense packing (fcc) of hard (not film-forming) colloids with diameters ranging from 200 to 900 nm. Because of their periodic nanostructure the assemblies are able to reflect light that matches their periodicity, i.e., UV- to IR-radiation depending on the size of the colloids. Thus, they present a subgroup of 'photonic crystals'. While, originally, the chemistry inside the colloids and the resulting opals was of minor significance, nowadays the chemical variation of opals is becoming more and more important for the preparation of functional and patterned opals. The search for functional opals is, therefore, espe…

Porphyrin-Polymer Networks, Worms, and Nanorods: pH-triggerable Hierarchical Self-assembly

2011

In this study, we present a novel, multifaceted pH-triggerable system of self-organized hierarchical nanostructures. The system consists of meso-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (TPPS) and poly(2-vinylpyridine) cylindrical brushes (PVP brushes) and can yield polymer-porphyrin networks, porphyrin loaded polymer brushes and pure porphyrin nanorods. In addition, the polymer influences the pK(a) and the mutual TPPS stacking geometry. Structures were characterized by AFM, dynamic light scattering using an IR laser, UV-Vis spectroscopy and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Supramolecular composite porphyrin structures that can be switched through external triggers have potential in photo…

New perspectives for the design of molecular actuators: thermally induced collapse of single macromolecules from cylindrical brushes to spheres.

2004

Nanostructure carbon black-polyisoprene composites as prospective strain sensor materials: macro- and nanoscale studies

2002

Nanostructured carbon black-polyisoprene composite is prepared and investigated. A giant reversible tensoresistive effect -- dependence of electrical resistance vs. uniaxial tension deformation - is found. A new application of the conductive atomic force microscope for the carbon black network mapping in a nonconducting matrix is reported.

Imprinted Polymers with Memory for Small Molecules, Proteins, or Crystals

2000

Living Light-Induced Crystallization-Driven Self-Assembly for Rapid Preparation of Semiconducting Nanofibers.

2018

Well-defined nanostructures composed of conjugated polymers have attracted significant attention due to their intriguing electronic and optical properties. However, precise control of the size and uniformity of these semiconducting nanostructures is still rare and challenging, despite recent advances in strategies to obtain self-assembled nanostructures with narrow dispersions. Herein, we demonstrate the preparation of fluorescent conjugated block copolymers by one-shot polymerization and rapid formation of nanofibers in a few minutes via light-induced crystallization-driven self-assembly, driven by facile cis-to- trans photoisomerization of its poly( p-phenylenevinylene) blocks. Furthermor…