Nanostructured polyamic acid membranes as novel electrode materials

Potential of hydrophobic paper-based sorptive phase prepared by in-situ thermal imidization for the extraction of methadone from oral fluid samples

Paper-based sorptive phases (PSPs) are functional planar materials with a demonstrated potential in analytical sample preparation. This article describes the synthesis of a polyimide coated paper by an in-situ imidization at a high temperature. Polyimides (PI) are synthesized in two subsequent steps where a hydrophilic polymer, in this case, poly(amic acid) (PAA), is formed as an intermediate product. PAA is finally transformed into hydrophobic PI by thermal curing at 180 °C. The synthesis of PI-paper takes advantage of this two-step procedure. In the first stage, a segment of filter paper is immersed into an aqueous PAA solution. After the solvent evaporation, the paper is heated at 180 °C for 1 h inducing the formation of the hydrophobic PI over the cellulose fibers. Infrared spectroscopy has been used to characterize the synthesized materials by defining a coverage factor F. The hydrophobicity of the materials has been studied using an aqueous methylene blue solution as a marker. To fully demonstrate the usefulness of the material in the sample preparation field, the extraction of methadone from oral fluid (OF) samples has been considered as a model analytical problem. The main variables affecting the synthesis (PAA concentration on the precursor solution and number of dips) and the extraction (elution and extraction times) have been fully evaluated. Working under the optimum conditions, a limit of quantification of 9 µg/L, intraday and interday precision better than 14.6%, and accuracy in the range of 87-108% were obtained.

Spectroscopy, Morphology, and Electrochemistry of Electrospun Polyamic Acid Nanofibers

Polyamic acid (PAA) nanofibers produced by using the electrospinning method were fully characterized in terms of morphology and spectroscopy. A PAA nanofiber–modified screen-printed carbon electrode was applied to the detection of selected sulfonamides by following an electroanalytical protocol. The polyamic acid (PAA) nanofibers were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to study the integrity of polyamic acid functional groups as nanofibers by comparing them to chemically synthesized polyamic acid. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to confirm the morphology of the produced nanofibers and 3D arrangement at the electrode interface. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method was used to determine the surface area of the nanofibers. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study the porosity and surface roughness of the nanofibers. Electrochemical evaluation based on diffusion-controlled kinetics was applied to determine the number of electrons transferred in the system, the surface concentration of the deposited PAA thin film (2.14 × 10⁻⁶ mol/cm²), and the diffusion coefficient (D_e) for the PAA nanofiber–modified screen-printed carbon electrode (9.43 × 10⁻⁷ cm⁻²/s). The reported LODs for sulfadiazine and sulfamethazine detection are consistent with requirements for trace-level monitoring by early warning diagnostic systems.

Seedless synthesis and SERS characterization of multi-branched gold nanoflowers using water soluble polymers

We report for the first time, the aqueous-based synthesis of multibranched, monodispersed gold nanoflowers (AuNFs) using pyromellitic dianhydride-p-phenylene diamine - PPDDs at room temperature. AuNF synthesis was achieved using PPDDs that converts Au precursor (Au³⁺) into AuNFs while serving as both the reducing and directional agent. The resulting branched AuNFs exhibited different degrees of anisotropy and protuberance lengths obtained by modulating the ratio of PPDDs and HAuCl₄·3H₂O. The surface roughness obtained ranged from small bud-like protuberances to elongated spikes, which enabled the tuning of the optical properties of the nanoparticles from ∼450 to 1100 nm. Systematic analysis revealed that the generation of urchin-like particles as well as their size depended on the PPDDs/HAuCl₄·3H₂O ratio. At a medium concentration of the precursor, spherical nanoparticles were formed. Whereas at lower precursor concentrations, urchin-like nanoparticles were obtained with their size and protuberances length increasing at even lower HAuCl₄·3H₂O concentration. Increasing the temperature to 100 °C resulted in the enhancement of the anisotropy of the AuNFs. The resulting gold nanoflowers exhibited an enhanced performance in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). This work provides a unique approach for anisotropic particle synthesis using water soluble polymer and greener approaches. The fabricated AuNFs exhibited variable UV-vis absorption and SERS enhancement as a function of branch morphology, indicating their potential application in biolabeling, biosensing, imaging, and therapeutic applications.

Capture, isolation and electrochemical detection of industrially-relevant engineered aerosol nanoparticles using poly (amic) acid, phase-inverted, nano-membranes

Workplace exposure to engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) is a potential health and environmental hazard. This paper reports a novel approach for tracking hazardous airborne ENPs by applying online poly (amic) acid membranes (PAA) with offline electrochemical detection. Test aerosol (Fe2O3, TiO2 and ZnO) nanoparticles were produced using the Harvard (Versatile Engineered Generation System) VENGES system. The particle morphology, size and elemental composition were determined using SEM, XRD and EDS. The PAA membrane electrodes used to capture the airborne ENPs were either stand-alone or with electron-beam gold-coated paper substrates. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to conceptually illustrate that exposure levels of industry-relevant classes of airborne nanoparticles could be captured and electrochemically detected at PAA membranes filter electrodes. CV parameters showed that PAA catalyzed the reduction of Fe2O3 to Fe(2+) with a size-dependent shift in reduction potential (E(0)). Using the proportionality of peak current to concentration, the amount of Fe2O3 was found to be 4.15×10(-17)mol/cm(3) PAA electrodes. Using EIS, the maximum phase angle (Φmax) and the interfacial charge transfer resistance (Rct) increased significantly using 100μg and 1000μg of TiO2 and ZnO respectively. The observed increase in Φmax and Rct at increasing concentration is consistent with the addition of an insulating layer of material on the electrode surface. The integrated VENGES/PAA filter sensor system has the potential to be used as a portable monitoring system.

Measurement Methods to Detect, Characterize, and Quantify Engineered Nanomaterials in Foods

This article is one of a series of 4 that reports on a task of the NanoRelease Food Additive project of the International Life Science Institute Center for Risk Science Innovation and Application to identify, evaluate, and develop methods that are needed to confidently detect, characterize, and quantify intentionally produced engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) released from food along the alimentary tract. This particular article focuses on the problem of detecting ENMs in food, paying special attention to matrix interferences and how to deal with them. In this review, an in-depth analysis of the literature related to detection of ENMs in complex matrices is presented. The literature review includes discussions of sampling methods, such as centrifugation and ENM extraction. Available analytical methods, as well as emerging methods, are also presented. The article concludes with a summary of findings and an overview of potential knowledge gaps and targets for method development in this area.

Consecutive large-scale fabrication of surface-silvered polyimide fibers via an integrated direct ion-exchange self-metallization strategy

Herein, we report our success on the large-scale online preparation of surface-silver-metallized polyimide (PI) fibers by utilizing silver ammonia complex cation ([Ag(NH3)2](+)) as the silver (Ag) precursor and pyromellitic dianhydride/4,4'-oxidianiline (PMDA/4,4'-ODA)-based polyimide as the matrix via a direct ion-exchange self-metallization process integrated within a consecutive fiber-spinning procedure. The method works by using the online freshly prepared PMDA/4,4'-ODA-based poly(amic acid) (PAA) fibers as the starting material to perform an ion-exchange reaction in aqueous silver(I) solution to load silver(I) into the PAA precursor fibers, followed by a programmed stepwise thermal treatment process to convert PAA to its final imide form with the concomitant silver(I) reduction and the subsequent aggregation, producing the surface-silvered polyimide hybrid fibers. The influence of thermal cycles on the formation of silver nanostructures, and the variation of surface morphologies and fiber properties during the heating process were investigated. Experimental results indicate that the PI-Ag fibers were produced with good mechanical and thermal properties. In addition, bioassessment suggests that the hybrid fibers exhibit superior antibacterial activities (99.99% in 24 h toward E. coli ). Outstanding electrical conductive properties of a certain length of the PI-Ag hybrid fiber (electrical resistance: ca. 0.1 Ω cm(-1)) could also be realized on the composite fibers but with severe destructions in the final mechanical properties. The fibers were also characterized by FTIR, ICP, XRD, SEM, and TEM.

Metallopolymer capacitor in "one pot" by self-directed UV-assisted process

Silver metalized methacrylate films are prepared by single-step UV curing process with good conductivity on both sides. The major component of the composite is Bisphenol A ethoxylate dimethacrylate, which can be photopolymerized by a photoreactive initiator under UV light. Under the same conditions of UV irradiation, silver ions are deposited as metal nanoparticles while the pyrrole is oxidized to polypyrrole. The migration of silver ions and pyrrole toward both surfaces during polymerization leads to the formation of a metallo-polymer capacitor. The composite films are characterized by SEM-EDX and electrical measurements for possible applications as capacitors in flexible and/or nonplanar electronics.

Flexible poly(amic acid) conducting polymers: effect of chemical composition on structural, electrochemical, and mechanical properties

A new approach for creating flexible, mechanically strong poly(amic acid) (PAA) hybrid copolymers is described. The reduction of gold salts to gold nanoparticles by PAA coupled with its copolymerization in the presence of various silanes (e.g., N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)-propyl] aniline (TMOSPA), 3-aminopropyl-trimethoxysilane (APTMOS), dichlorodimethylsilane (DCMS), and tetramethoxysilane (TMOS)) has enabled the design of a series of polymeric films. The resulting poly(amic acid), silane, and gold (PSG) solutions were employed for the fabrication of flexible, ternary polymers with a minimum bend ratio of 3 mm using thermal desolvation and/or wet-phase inversion techniques. By controlling the composition and synthesis conditions, porous PSG films were produced that are flexible or rigid, transparent or opaque, and/or mechanically strong. (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) characterization results showed that the carboxylic acid moieties were retained in the PSG copolymer. Thermal stabilities with degradation characteristics of the polymers were determined using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Although structurally and morphologically different from the parent PAA, copolymerization with silanes had significantly improved the mechanical and interfacial property of the PSG class of films.

Enhanced catalytic activity of gold nanoparticles doped in a mesoporous organic gel based on polymeric phloroglucinol carboxylic acid-formaldehyde

Gold nanoparticles were supported by a phloroglucinolcarboxylic acid-formaldehyde (PF) gel, a new organic gel with a 30 nm spheroid-like structure. The surface area of the PF gel with gold nanoparticles was 550 m(2)/g. Gold nanoparticles supported on a PF gel exhibited catalytic activity in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol with a reaction rate constant of 7.4 x 10(-3) s(-1), which is high in the reported heterogeneous reaction system. The adsorption behavior of 4-nitrophenol into the gel support was observed by ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy. Gold nanoparticles in the PF network were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy observation. The high reduction rate would be attributed to the extraction and diffusion of the reactant through the pores of a PF gel support to encounter the highly dispersed gold nanoparticles on the surface and inside the material.

Highly reflective and conductive double-surface-silvered polyimide films prepared from silver fluoride and BTDA/4,4'-ODA

This work focuses on surface silver metallization on a 3,3',4,4'-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride/4,4'-oxydianiline (BTDA/ODA)-based polyimide matrix via a direct ion-exchange self-metallization technique using a simple silver salt, silver fluoride, as the silver precursor. The method involves performing an ion-exchange reaction of damp-dry poly(amic acid) films in silver aqueous solution to form silver(I)-containing precursor films. Thermal treatment under tension converts the poly(amic acid) into polyimide and simultaneously reduces the silver(I) to silver(0), yielding silver layers with excellent reflectivity and conductivity on both film sides. However, significant property differences were exhibited on the upside and underside surfaces of the metallized films and this has been discussed in detail. The variation of surface properties and surface morphologies during the thermal curing cycle was also investigated. The mechanical and thermal properties of the metallized polyimide films are essentially similar to those of the host polyimide.