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Dimitriou P, Li J, Jamieson WD, Schneider JJ, Castell OK, Barrow DA. Manipulation of encapsulated artificial phospholipid membranes using sub-micellar lysolipid concentrations. Commun Chem 2024; 7:120. [PMID: 38824266 PMCID: PMC11144220 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01209-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Droplet Interface Bilayers (DIBs) constitute a commonly used model of artificial membranes for synthetic biology research applications. However, their practical use is often limited by their requirement to be surrounded by oil. Here we demonstrate in-situ bilayer manipulation of submillimeter, hydrogel-encapsulated droplet interface bilayers (eDIBs). Monolithic, Cyclic Olefin Copolymer/Nylon 3D-printed microfluidic devices facilitated the eDIB formation through high-order emulsification. By exposing the eDIB capsules to varying lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) concentrations, we investigated the interaction of lysolipids with three-dimensional DIB networks. Micellar LPC concentrations triggered the bursting of encapsulated droplet networks, while at lower concentrations the droplet network endured structural changes, precisely affecting the membrane dimensions. This chemically-mediated manipulation of enclosed, 3D-orchestrated membrane mimics, facilitates the exploration of readily accessible compartmentalized artificial cellular machinery. Collectively, the droplet-based construct can pose as a chemically responsive soft material for studying membrane mechanics, and drug delivery, by controlling the cargo release from artificial cell chassis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pantelitsa Dimitriou
- School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Queen's Buildings, Cardiff, CF24 3AA, UK.
| | - Jin Li
- School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Queen's Buildings, Cardiff, CF24 3AA, UK.
| | - William David Jamieson
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Redwood Building, Kind Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB, UK
| | - Johannes Josef Schneider
- Institute of Applied Mathematics and Physics, School of Engineering, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Technikumstr. 9, 8401, Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Oliver Kieran Castell
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Redwood Building, Kind Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB, UK
| | - David Anthony Barrow
- School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Queen's Buildings, Cardiff, CF24 3AA, UK
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Tan L, Zeng Q, Xu F, Zhao Q, Chen A, Wang T, Tao X, Yang Y, Wang X. Controllable Manipulation of Large-Volume Droplet on Non-Slippery Surfaces Based on Triboelectric Contactless Charge Injection. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2313878. [PMID: 38364828 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202313878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Controllable droplet manipulation is crucial in diverse scientific and engineering fields. Traditional electric-based methods usually rely on commercial high-voltage (HV) power sources, which are typically bulky, expensive, and potentially hazardous. The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is a highly studied device that can generate HV output with limited current, showing great potential in droplet manipulation applications. However, current TENG-based approaches usually utilize traditional free-standing TENGs that produce short-pulsed alternating-current signals. This limitation hinders continuous electrostatic forces necessary for precise droplet control, leading to complex circuitry and suboptimal droplet motion control in terms of volume, distance, direction, and momentum. Here, a triboelectric contactless charge injection (TCCI) method employing a novel dual-functional triboelectric nanogenerator (DF-TENG), is proposed. The DF-TENG can produce both high voltage and constant current during unidirectional motion, enabling continuous corona discharges for contactless charge injection into the droplets. Using this method, a large-volume droplet (3000 µL) can be controlled with momentum up to 115.2 g mm s-1, quintupling the highest value recorded by the traditional methods. Moreover, the TCCI method is adaptable for a variety of non-slippery substrates and droplets of different compositions and viscosities, which makes it an ideal manipulation strategy for droplet transport, chemical reactions, and even driving solids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liming Tan
- Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Qixuan Zeng
- Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Fan Xu
- Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Qing Zhao
- Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Ai Chen
- Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Tingyu Wang
- Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Xingming Tao
- Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Yuchen Yang
- Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Xue Wang
- Department of Applied Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
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Sun J, Zhang L, Gong S, Chen J, Guo H. Mechano-Driven Tribo-Electrophoresis Enabled Human-Droplet Interaction in 3D Space. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2305578. [PMID: 37477978 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202305578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Electronically controlled droplet manipulation has widespread applications in biochemistry, life sciences, and industry. However, current technologies such as electrowetting, electrostatics, and surface charge printing rely on complex electrode arrays and external power supplies, leading to inefficient manipulation. In light of these limitations, a novel method is proposed, which leverages tribo-electrophoresis (TEP) to pipette in an oil medium, thereby enabling human-droplet interactions to be constructed with greater efficiency. The approach involves the rational design of a triboelectric nanogenerator-electrostatic tweezer that generates an electric field to charge the droplet and improves the maneuverability of the charged droplet, including aligned/non-aligned pipetting and stable transport in the clamped state, which can be accomplished solely by hand motion. The TEP method not only provides droplets with freedom to move in three dimensions but also offers a feasibility case for chemical reactions in the liquid phase and non-invasive sample extraction. This breakthrough establishes a cornerstone for human-droplet interactions capitalized on triboelectric nanogenerators, opening new avenues for research in droplet manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfeng Sun
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Smart Materials, College of Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Lingjun Zhang
- Department of Physics, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Siqi Gong
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Smart Materials, College of Physics, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
| | - Jie Chen
- College of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Hengyu Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Transmission, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, China
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Guo Y, Guo H, He D, Sun J, Chen W, Song Y, Zhou G. Development of Cyclic Tetrasiloxane Polymer as a High-Performance Dielectric and Hydrophobic Layer for Electrowetting Displays. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:46470-46482. [PMID: 37738528 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c08188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Cyclic tetrasiloxane polymer (CTP) has recently garnered interest as a hydrophobic material with unique properties. This study aims to enhance the dielectric constant of CTP films by introducing excess Si-H groups and to explore the impact of synthesis and processing conditions on the resulting properties. The film demonstrates high hydrophobicity, with contact angles of 107° in air and 165° in n-decane, along with a notable dielectric constant of 5.1°. Furthermore, the CTP film displays reversible electrowetting behavior with low contact angle hysteresis (2°) and possesses good transparency (∼99%) and thermal stability. As such, the CTP film has significant potential as a material for the electric wetting of hydrophobic dielectric layers and may serve as a promising alternative in electrowetting applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Guo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology and Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Shenzhen Guohua Optoelectronics Tech., Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518110, China
- Academy of Shenzhen Guohua Optoelectronics, Shenzhen 518110, China
| | - Hao Guo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology and Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Dinggui He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology and Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jiaqi Sun
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Ningbo 315201, China
| | - Wangqiao Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology and Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yujie Song
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Ningbo 315201, China
| | - Guofu Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optical Information Materials and Technology and Institute of Electronic Paper Displays, South China Academy of Advanced Optoelectronics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China
- Shenzhen Guohua Optoelectronics Tech., Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518110, China
- Academy of Shenzhen Guohua Optoelectronics, Shenzhen 518110, China
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Guo Y, Zhang H, Zhong Y, Shi S, Wang Z, Wang P, Zhao Y. Triboelectric Nanogenerator-Based Near-Field Electrospinning System for Optimizing PVDF Fibers with High Piezoelectric Performance. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:5242-5252. [PMID: 36661114 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c19568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Electrospinning is an effective method to prepare polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) piezoelectric fibers with a high-percentage β phase. However, as an energy conversion material for micro- and nanoscale diameters, PVDF fibers have not been widely used due to their disordered arrangement prepared by traditional electrospinning. Here, we designed a near-field electro-spinning (NFES) system driven by a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) to prepare PVDF fibers. The effects of five important parameters (PVDF concentration, needle inner diameter, TENG pulse DC voltage (TPD-voltage), flow rate, and drum speed) on the β phase fraction of PVDF fiber were optimized one by one. The results showed that the electrospun PVDF fibers had uniform diameter and controllable parallel arrangement. The β phase content of the optimized PVDF fiber reached 91.87 ± 0.61%. For the bending test of a single PVDF fiber piezoelectric device, when the strain is 0.098%, the electric energy of the single PVDF fiber device of NFES reaches 7.74 pJ and the energy conversion efficiency reaches 13.5%, which is comparable to the fibers prepared by the commercial power-driven NFES system. In 0.5 Hz, the best matching load resistance of a PVDF single fiber device is 10.6 MΩ, the voltage is 6.1 mV, and the maximum power is 3.52 pW. Considering that TENG can harvest micromechanical energy in the low frequency environment, the application scenario of the NFES system can be extended to the wild or remote mountainous areas without traditional high-voltage power supply. Therefore, the electrospun PVDF fibers in this system will have potential applications in high-precision 3D fabrication, self-powered sensors, and flexible wearable electronic products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanchao Guo
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Energy Materials and Devices Key Lab of Anhui Province for Photoelectric Conversion, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui230601, China
| | - Haonan Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Energy Materials and Devices Key Lab of Anhui Province for Photoelectric Conversion, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui230601, China
| | - Yiming Zhong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Energy Materials and Devices Key Lab of Anhui Province for Photoelectric Conversion, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui230601, China
| | - Shiwei Shi
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Energy Materials and Devices Key Lab of Anhui Province for Photoelectric Conversion, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui230601, China
| | - Zhongzhu Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Energy Materials and Devices Key Lab of Anhui Province for Photoelectric Conversion, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui230601, China
| | - Peihong Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Energy Materials and Devices Key Lab of Anhui Province for Photoelectric Conversion, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui230601, China
- Key Laboratory of Structure and Functional Regulation of Hybrid Materials, Anhui University, Ministry of Education, Hefei, Anhui230601, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Anhui Medical University, Hefei230032, China
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Jiang Z, Shi H, Tang X, Qin J. Recent advances in droplet microfluidics for single-cell analysis. Trends Analyt Chem 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2023.116932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Lin HY, Wang TW, Lin ZH, Yao DJ. A High-voltage TENG-based Droplet Energy Generator with Ultralow Liquid Consumption. IEEE Trans Nanobioscience 2021; 21:358-362. [PMID: 34428149 DOI: 10.1109/tnb.2021.3105098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
A solid-liquid triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) has attracted increasing research interest in relation to the development of regeneration energy based on water resources. The output of solid-liquid TENG remains unsolved, however, because of the low voltage output that impedes wide applications. To this end, in this work we developed a miniaturized microfluidic channel-based TENG device for highly efficient conversion of energy from the transport of a water droplet to an electrical output. We investigated an optimized design in a triboelectric material, the droplet transport and the electrostatic induction layer to provide a high voltage output and stable energy harvesting. The optimized device demonstrated maximum voltage amplitude 102 mV with an ultralow liquid consumption, 0.36 μL, resulting in sample-energy conversion 283.33 mV/μL. This novel device is expected potentially to address the limitations imposed by sample consumption in energy harvesting in the future.
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