Anisotropic In-Plane Gradients of Poly(acrylic acid) Formed by Electropolymerization with Spatiotemporal Control of the Electrochemical Potential

Removal of Heavy Metals from Wastewaters: A Challenge from Current Treatment Methods to Nanotechnology Applications

Removing heavy metals from wastewaters is a challenging process that requires constant attention and monitoring, as heavy metals are major wastewater pollutants that are not biodegradable and thus accumulate in the ecosystem. In addition, the persistent nature, toxicity and accumulation of heavy metal ions in the human body have become the driving force for searching new and more efficient water treatment technologies to reduce the concentration of heavy metal in waters. Because the conventional techniques will not be able to keep up with the growing demand for lower heavy metals levels in drinking water and wastewaters, it is becoming increasingly challenging to implement technologically advanced alternative water treatments. Nanotechnology offers a number of advantages compared to other methods. Nanomaterials are more efficient in terms of cost and volume, and many process mechanisms are better and faster at nanoscale. Although nanomaterials have already proved themselves in water technology, there are specific challenges related to their stability, toxicity and recovery, which led to innovations to counteract them. Taking into account the multidisciplinary research of water treatment for the removal of heavy metals, the present review provides an updated report on the main technologies and materials used for the removal of heavy metals with an emphasis on nanoscale materials and processes involved in the heavy metals removal and detection.

Grayscale surface patterning using electrophoretic motion through a heterogeneous hydrogel material

Chemical surface patterning can be an incredibly powerful tool in a variety of applications, as it enables precise spatial control over surface properties. But the equipment required to create functional surface patterns-especially "grayscale" patterns where independent control over species placement and density are needed-is often expensive and inaccessible. In this work, we leveraged equipment and methods readily available to many research labs, namely 3D printing and electroblotting, to generate controlled grayscale surface patterns. Three-dimensional-printed molds were used to cast polyacrylamide hydrogels with regions of variable polymer density; regions of low polymer density within the hydrogels served as reservoirs for proteins that were later driven onto a target surface using electrophoresis. This mechanism was used to deposit grayscale patterns of fluorescently labeled proteins, and the fluorescent intensity of these patterns was measured and compared to a theoretical analysis of the deposition mechanism.

Bipolar electrochemistry: from materials science to motion and beyond

Bipolar electrochemistry, a phenomenon which generates an asymmetric reactivity on the surface of conductive objects in a wireless manner, is an important concept for many purposes, from analysis to materials science as well as for the generation of motion. Chemists have known the basic concept for a long time, but it has recently attracted additional attention, especially in the context of micro- and nanoscience. In this Account, we introduce the fundamentals of bipolar electrochemistry and illustrate its recent applications, with a particular focus on the fields of materials science and dynamic systems. Janus particles, named after the Roman god depicted with two faces, are currently in the heart of many original investigations. These objects exhibit different physicochemical properties on two opposite sides. This makes them a unique class of materials, showing interesting features. They have received increasing attention from the materials science community, since they can be used for a large variety of applications, ranging from sensing to photosplitting of water. So far the great majority of methods developed for the generation of Janus particles breaks the symmetry by using interfaces or surfaces. The consequence is often a low time-space yield, which limits their large scale production. In this context, chemists have successfully used bipolar electrodeposition to break the symmetry. This provides a single-step technique for the bulk production of Janus particles with a high control over the deposit structure and morphology, as well as a significantly improved yield. In this context, researchers have used the bipolar electrodeposition of molecular layers, metals, semiconductors, and insulators at one or both reactive poles of bipolar electrodes to generate a wide range of Janus particles with different size, composition and shape. In using bipolar electrochemistry as a driving force for generating motion, its intrinsic asymmetric reactivity is again the crucial aspect, as there is no directed motion without symmetry breaking. Controlling the motion of objects at the micro- and nanoscale is of primary importance for many potential applications, ranging from medical diagnosis to nanosurgery, and has generated huge interest in the scientific community in recent years. Several original approaches to design micro- and nanomotors have been explored, with propulsion strategies based on chemical fuelling or on external fields. The first strategy is using the asymmetric particles generated by bipolar electrodeposition and employing them directly as micromotors. We have demonstrated this by using the catalytic and magnetic properties of Janus objects. The second strategy is utilizing bipolar electrochemistry as a direct trigger of motion of isotropic particles. We developed mechanisms based on a simultaneous dissolution and deposition, or on a localized asymmetric production of bubbles. We then used these for the translation, the rotation and the levitation of conducting objects. These examples give insight into two interesting fields of applications of the concept of bipolar electrochemistry, and open perspectives for future developments in materials science and for generating motion at different scales.

Gradient doping of conducting polymer films by means of bipolar electrochemistry

In this paper, we report a novel electrochemical doping method for conducting polymer films based on bipolar electrochemistry. The electrochemical doping of conducting polymers such as poly(3-methylthiophene) (PMT), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and poly(aniline) (PANI) on a bipolar electrode having a potential gradient on its surface successfully created gradually doped materials. In the case of PEDOT film, the color change at the anodic side was also observed to be gradually transparent. PANI film treated by the bipolar doping gave a multicolored gradation across the film. The results of UV-vis and energy dispersive X-ray analyses for the doped films supported the distribution of dopants in the polymer films reflecting the potential gradient on the bipolar electrode. Furthermore, the reversibility of the bipolar doping of the PMT film was demonstrated by a spectroelectrochemical investigation.

Electrosynthesis of hydrogel films on metal substrates for the development of coatings with tunable drug delivery performances

Novel polyacrylates-based hydrogel thin films were prepared by electrochemical polymerization, a new method to obtain hydrogels directly onto metal substrates. 2-Hydroxy-ethyl-methacrylate (HEMA), a macromer poly (ethylene-glycol diacrylate) (PEGDA) and PEGDA copolymerized with acrylic acid (AA) were used to obtain hydrogels. The electrosynthesized coatings were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, to assess their surface chemical composition, and by water content determination measurements, to characterize the swelling behavior. In particular, quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring was used to evaluate the pH-dependency of the swelling for AA-containing hydrogels. Moreover, a model protein (bovine serum albumin) and a model drug (caffeine) were entrapped within the hydrogel coatings during electrosynthesis, to examine the release performances and mechanisms of the electrosynthesized hydrogels. It was observed that all the examined polymers showed significant release properties and, in particular, AA-containing hydrogel films confirmed a strong pH-dependence as expected. These coatings seem to be promising in orthopedic field for in situ drug delivery applications.

Synchronized polymerization and fabrication of poly(acrylic acid) and nylon hybrid mats in electrospinning

Acrylic acid monomer in a viscous supporting nylon solution was polymerized and fabricated simultaneously via an electrospinning process. This novel polymerization method defines the fiber morphology as a network of interconnected mats. This network consists of smaller poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) fibers, approximately 19 nm in diameter, and larger nylon 6 fibers, approximately 75 nm in diameter. These two different fibers are separated by extraction of PAA from the fibrous mat in water and differentiation of field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images of the same mat using before and after extraction of PAA. The structure of the extracted PAA was confirmed by 1H NMR and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis. The observed modification to conventional electrospun mats is due to the presence of an extra phase-separated PAA produced by the electrospinning polymerization process. Finally, fiber morphologies and hybrid property were characterized via FT-IR, FESEM, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray diffraction. Similarly extracted samples and synthesis PAA were characterized in FT-IR and 1H NMR spectroscopy.

Bioinspired gradient materials via blending of polymer electrolytes and applying electric forces

Free-standing and supported films with a lateral gradient in composition were prepared using blends of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)/sodium salt and its copolymers with acrylamide (AAm) in an applied electric field. The gradients were stabilized by complexation of carboxylate groups with metal species. To find the favorable conditions and components for successful blending and interaction with Fe and Ce species, we studied blending of the two PAA samples with molecular weights of 2000 and 15 000 Da with two copolymers of AA and AAm (with 10 and 70 wt % of AA units) and interaction of these blends with Fe(III) and Ce(IV) ions. The structure of the hybrid (blend) films was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and optical microscopy. To ensure blend miscibility and efficient interaction with metal ions, the copolymer containing 70 wt % AA units has been used. The surface enrichment with metal species was observed at all experimental conditions studied in this work. For lateral gradient film formation, 15 000 Da PAA has been used to avoid uneven distribution of the homopolymer in the film, observed for 2000 Da PAA. The gradient films were characterized by XPS. The lateral gradient of functionality such as COONa group or Fe content has been obtained at different strengths of electric field applied during film formation. The use of lower voltage allows one to prevent NaOH formation and creates more favorable conditions for development of a gradient polymer film. The Ce content gradient was not observed due to formation of large Ce oxide particles (> or = 750 nm), masking the gradient of functionality. For the first time, free-standing films with a lateral gradient in composition were prepared using an applied electric field.

Fabrication of thermoresponsive polymer gradients for study of cell adhesion and detachment

A poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) gradient covalently anchored on a silicon substrate with a linear variation of thickness was fabricated by continuous injection of the reaction mixture (NIPAAm, CuBr and its ligand, methanol, and water) into a glass chamber containing a silicon wafer, whose surface had been homogeneously immobilized with bromoisobutyryl bromide (BIBB). Because of the good control of the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) technique, the thickness of the PNIPAAm brushes was linearly proportional to the polymerization time. As a result, the gradient length and sharpness could be easily controlled by the experimental parameters such as the polymerization time and the injection rate. The as-prepared PNIPAAm gradients were characterized by ellipsometry, water contact angle, and atom force microscopy to detect their alteration of the thickness, surface wettability, and morphology, confirming the gradient structure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the surface composition of the PNIPAAm. In vitro culture of HepG2 cells was implemented on the gradient surfaces, revealing that the cells could adhere at 37 degrees C and could be detached at 24 degrees C when the gradient thickness was in the range of 20-45 nm. The work thus develops a method to fabricate the stable gradient surface with better quality control, and clarifies in a facile manner the appropriate thickness of the PNIPAAm brushes in terms of cell adhesion and detachment.

Responsive brush layers: from tailored gradients to reversibly assembled nanoparticles

We present a condensed overview of the recent developments of novel responsive thin polymer films from end-tethered chains (polymer brushes), which are different from conventional, uniform, and planar brush layers. For this discussion, we selected two types of recently introduced surface layers: binary brush layers with variable chemical composition forming a controllable gradient of composition and properties in a selected direction and brush layers either grafted directly to inorganic nanoparticles to form hybrid core-shell structures or combined with inorganic nanoparticles embedded into this layer. Unlike traditional brush layers, such a design brings a novel set of responsive surface properties allowing for capillary-driven microfluidic motion, combinatorial-like multiplexing response, reversible aggregation and dis-assembly of nanoparticles, fabrication of ultrahydrophobic coatings, and switchable mass transport across interfaces.

Surface-chemical and -morphological gradients

Surface gradients of chemistry or morphology represent powerful tools for the high-throughput investigation of interfacial phenomena in the areas of physics, chemistry, materials science and biology. A wide variety of methods for the fabrication of such gradients has been developed in recent years, relying on principles ranging from diffusion to time-dependent irradiation in order to achieve a gradual change of a particular parameter across a surface. In this review we have endeavoured to cover the principal fabrication approaches for surface-chemical and surface-morphological gradients that have been described in the literature, and to provide examples of their applications in a variety of different fields.

Nonfouling surfaces: a review of principles and applications for microarray capture assay designs

Microarray technology, like many other surface-capture diagnostic methods, relies on fidelity of affinity interactions between a surface-bound probe (e.g., nucleic acid or antibody) and its target in the sample milieu to produce an assay signal specific to analyte. These interfacial interactions produce the assay result with the associated assay requirements for sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, and ease-of-use. For surface-capture assays, surface properties play a critical role in this performance. Microarray surfaces are routinely immersed into aqueous target solutions of varying complexity, from simple saline or buffer solutions to serum, tissue, food, or microbiological lysates involving thousands of different solutes. The surface chemistry must not only be capable of immobilizing probes at high density in microscale patterned spots, retaining probe affinity for target within these spots, reducing target capture outside of these spots, but also be efficient at eliminating nontarget capture anywhere else on the surface. Historically, the development of surface chemistry with these specific "nonfouling" properties has been an intense interest for bioassays, with many types of architectures, molecular compositions, and performance capabilities across many different surface-capture assays. The unique environment of the bioassay, including the long-standing problems associated with high concentrations of "nontarget" proteins and other surface-active biomolecules in the assay milieu, has proven to be quite challenging to surface chemistry performance. Microarray technology designs with microspotted patterns must address these problems in these challenging dimensions in order to improve signal:noise ratios for captured target signals on surfaces. This chapter reviews principles of protein-surface interfacial physical chemistry, protein adsorption as a source of assay noise, and various approaches to control this interface in the context of surface-capture assay fabrication and improving assay performance from complex milieu. Practical methods to modify surfaces for biological assay are presented. Polymer substrate coating methods, including "grafting from" and "grafting to" strategies, polymer brushes, and alternative surface modification methods are reviewed. Methods to assess biological "fouling" in the bioassay format are also discussed.

Scanning electrochemical mapping of spatially localized electrochemical reactions induced by surface potential gradients

The influence of a surface potential gradient on the location and extent of electrochemical reactions was examined using a scanning electrochemical microscope. A linear potential gradient was imposed on the surface of a platinum-coated indium tin oxide electrode by applying two different potential values at the edges of the electrode. The applied potentials were used to control the location and extent of several electrochemical reactions, including the oxidation of Ru(NH3)6(2+), the oxidation of H2, and the oxidation of H2 in the presence of adsorbed CO. Scanning electrochemical mapping of these reactions was achieved by probing the feedback current associated with the oxidation products. The oxidation of Ru(NH3)6(2+) occurred at locations where the applied potential was positive of the formal potential of the Ru(NH3)6(2+/3+) redox couple. The position of this reaction on the surface could be spatially translated by manipulating the terminal potentials. The rate of hydrogen oxidation on the platinum-coated electrode varied spatially in the presence of a potential gradient and correlated with the nature of the electrode surface. High oxidation rates occurred at low potentials, with decreasing rates observed as the potential increased to values where platinum oxides formed. The extent of oxide formation versus position was confirmed with in-situ ellipsometry mapping. In the presence of adsorbed carbon monoxide, a potential gradient created a localized region of high activity for hydrogen oxidation at potentials between where carbon monoxide was adsorbed and platinum oxides formed. The position of this localized region of activity could be readily translated along the surface by changing the terminal potential values. The ability to manipulate electrochemical reactions spatially on a surface has potential application in microscale analytical devices as well as in the discovery and analysis of electrocatalytic systems.