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Kamp M, Sacanna S, Dullens RPA. Spearheading a new era in complex colloid synthesis with TPM and other silanes. Nat Rev Chem 2024; 8:433-453. [PMID: 38740891 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-024-00603-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Colloid science has recently grown substantially owing to the innovative use of silane coupling agents (SCAs), especially 3-trimethoxysilylpropyl methacrylate (TPM). SCAs were previously used mainly as modifying agents, but their ability to form droplets and condense onto pre-existing structures has enabled their use as a versatile and powerful tool to create novel anisotropic colloids with increasing complexity. In this Review, we highlight the advances in complex colloid synthesis facilitated by the use of TPM and show how this has driven remarkable new applications. The focus is on TPM as the current state-of-the-art in colloid science, but we also discuss other silanes and their potential to make an impact. We outline the remarkable properties of TPM colloids and their synthesis strategies, and discuss areas of soft matter science that have benefited from TPM and other SCAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlous Kamp
- Van 't Hoff Laboratory for Physical & Colloid Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Stefano Sacanna
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Roel P A Dullens
- Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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2
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Chen W, Sixdenier L, McMullen A, Grier DG, Brujic J. Refractive-index and density-matched emulsions with programmable DNA interactions. SOFT MATTER 2024; 20:4175-4183. [PMID: 38506651 DOI: 10.1039/d4sm00032c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Emulsion droplets on the colloidal length scale are a model system of frictionless compliant spheres. Direct imaging studies of the microscopic structure and dynamics of emulsions offer valuable insights into fundamental processes, such as gelation, jamming, and self-assembly. A microscope, however, can only resolve the individual droplets in a densely packed emulsion if the droplets are closely index-matched to their fluid medium. Mitigating perturbations due to gravity additionally requires the droplets to be density-matched to the medium. Creating droplets that are simultaneously index-matched and density-matched has been a long-standing challenge for the soft-matter community. The present study introduces a method for synthesizing monodisperse micrometer-sized siloxane droplets whose density and refractive index can be precisely and independently tuned by adjusting the volume fraction of three silane precursors. A systematic optimization protocol yields fluorescently labeled ternary droplets whose densities and refractive indexes match, to the fourth decimal place, those of aqueous solutions of glycerol or dimethylsiloxane. Because all of the materials in this system are biocompatible, we functionalize the droplets with DNA strands to endow them with programmed inter-droplet interactions. Confocal microscopy then reveals both the three-dimensional structure and the network of droplet-droplet contacts in a class of self-assembled droplet gels, free from gravitational effects. This experimental toolbox creates opportunities for studying the microscopic mechanisms that govern viscoelastic properties and self-assembly in soft materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjun Chen
- Center for Soft Matter Research and Department of Physics, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA.
| | - Lucas Sixdenier
- Center for Soft Matter Research and Department of Physics, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA.
| | - Angus McMullen
- Center for Soft Matter Research and Department of Physics, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA.
| | - David G Grier
- Center for Soft Matter Research and Department of Physics, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA.
| | - Jasna Brujic
- Center for Soft Matter Research and Department of Physics, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA.
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Zou H, Ren Y. Synthetic strategies for nonporous organosilica nanoparticles from organosilanes. NANOSCALE 2023. [PMID: 37326150 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr00791j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Organosilica nanoparticles refer to silica nanoparticles containing carbon along with organic or functional groups and can be divided into mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles and nonporous organosilica nanoparticles. During the past few decades, considerable efforts have been devoted to the development of organosilica nanoparticles directly from organosilanes. However, most of the reports have focused on mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles, while relatively few are concerned with nonporous organosilica nanoparticles. The synthesis of nonporous organosilica nanoparticles typically involves (i) self-condensation of an organosilane as the single source, (ii) co-condensation of two or more types of organosilanes, (iii) co-condensation of tetraalkoxysilane and an organosilane, and (iv) spontaneous emulsification and the subsequent radical polymerization of 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (TPM). This article aims to provide a review on the synthetic strategies of this important type of colloidal particle, followed by a brief discussion on their applications and future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Zou
- School of Materials and Chemistry, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 516 Jungong Road, Shanghai 200093, China.
| | - Yuhang Ren
- School of Materials and Chemistry, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, 516 Jungong Road, Shanghai 200093, China.
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Neibloom D, Bevan MA, Frechette J. Droplet Formation and Growth Mechanisms in Reaction-Induced Spontaneous Emulsification of 3-(Trimethoxysilyl) Propyl Methacrylate. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:11625-11636. [PMID: 34569795 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c02048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Spontaneous emulsification of 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (TPM) can produce complex and active colloids, nanoparticles, or monodisperse Pickering emulsions. Despite the applicability of TPM in particle synthesis, the nucleation and growth mechanisms of TPM emulsions are still poorly understood. We investigate droplet formation and growth of TPM in aqueous solutions under quiescent conditions. Our results show that in the absence of stirring the mechanisms of diffusion and stranding likely drive the spontaneous emulsification of TPM through the formation of co-soluble species during hydrolysis. In addition, turbidity and dynamic light scattering experiments show that the pH modulates the growth mechanism. At pH 10.1, the droplets grow via Ostwald ripening, while at pH 11.5, the droplets grow via monomer addition. Adding surfactants [Tween, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), or cetyltrimethylammonium bromide] leads to <100 nm droplets that are kinetically stable. The growth of Tween droplets occurs through addition of TPM species while the number density of droplets is kept constant. In addition, in the presence of the ionic surfactant SDS, electrostatic repulsion between the solubilized TPM species and SDS leads to a significant increase in the number density of droplets as well as additional nucleation events. Finally, imaging of the solubilization of TPM in capillaries shows that in the absence of a surfactant, TPM hydrolysis is likely the rate-limiting step for emulsification, whereas the presence of silica particles in the aqueous phase likely acts as a catalyst of TPM hydrolysis. Our experiments highlight the importance of diffusion and solubilization of TPM species in the aqueous phase in the nucleation and growth of droplets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Neibloom
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Michael A Bevan
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Joelle Frechette
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, University of California, Berkeley, California 94760, United States
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Middleton C, Hannel MD, Hollingsworth AD, Pine DJ, Grier DG. Optimizing the Synthesis of Monodisperse Colloidal Spheres Using Holographic Particle Characterization. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:6602-6609. [PMID: 31012588 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b00012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Holographic particle characterization measures the sizes and compositions of individual colloidal particles dispersed in fluid media and rapidly amasses statistics on the distributions of these properties, even for complex heterogeneous dispersions. This information is useful for analyzing and optimizing protocols for synthesizing colloidal particles. We illustrate how holographic characterization can guide process design through a case study on a particularly versatile model system composed of an aqueous dispersion of micrometer-scale spheres synthesized from the organosilane monomer 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Middleton
- Department of Physics and Center for Soft Matter Research , New York University , New York , New York 10003 , United States
| | - Mark D Hannel
- Department of Physics and Center for Soft Matter Research , New York University , New York , New York 10003 , United States
| | - Andrew D Hollingsworth
- Department of Physics and Center for Soft Matter Research , New York University , New York , New York 10003 , United States
| | - David J Pine
- Department of Physics and Center for Soft Matter Research , New York University , New York , New York 10003 , United States
| | - David G Grier
- Department of Physics and Center for Soft Matter Research , New York University , New York , New York 10003 , United States
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Chattaraj R, Blum NT, Goodwin AP. Design and Application of Stimulus-Responsive Droplets and Bubbles Stabilized by Phospholipid Monolayers. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 2019; 40:14-24. [PMID: 31086500 PMCID: PMC6510502 DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Biomimetic colloidal particles are promising agents for biosensing, but current technologies fall far short of Nature's capabilities for sensing, assessing, and responding to stimuli. Phospholipid-containing cell membranes are capable of binding and responding to an enormous variety of biomolecules by virtue of membrane organization and the presence of receptor proteins. By tuning the composition and functionalization of simulated membranes, soft colloids such as droplets and bubbles can be designed to respond to various stimuli. Moreover, because lipid monolayers can surround almost any hydrophobic phase, the interior of the colloid can be selected to provide a sensitive readout, for example in the form of optical microscopy or acoustic detection. In this work, we review some advances made by our group and others in the formulation of lipid-coated particles with different internal phases such as fluorocarbons, hydrocarbons, or liquid crystals. In some cases, binding or displacement of stabilizing lipids gives rise to conformational changes or disruptions in local membrane geometry, which can be amplified by the interior phase. In other cases, multivalent analytes can promote aggregation or even membrane fusion, which can be utilized for optical or acoustic readout. By highlighting a few recent examples, we hope to show that lipid monolayers represent an extremely versatile biosensing platform that can react to and detect biomolecules by leveraging the unique capabilities of phospholipid membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajarshi Chattaraj
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder. Boulder, CO 80309
| | - Nicholas T. Blum
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. University of Colorado Boulder. Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Andrew P. Goodwin
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. University of Colorado Boulder. Boulder, CO 80303
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Moon J, Jo IS, Ducrot E, Oh JS, Pine DJ, Yi GR. DNA-Coated Microspheres and Their Colloidal Superstructures. Macromol Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13233-018-6151-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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McMullen A, Holmes-Cerfon M, Sciortino F, Grosberg AY, Brujic J. Freely Jointed Polymers Made of Droplets. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2018; 121:138002. [PMID: 30312053 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.121.138002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
An important goal of self-assembly is to achieve a preprogrammed structure with high fidelity. Here, we control the valence of DNA-functionalized emulsions to make linear and branched model polymers, or "colloidomers." The distribution of cluster sizes is consistent with a polymerization process in which the droplets achieve their prescribed valence. Conformational statistics reveal that the chains are freely jointed, so that the Kuhn length is close to one bead diameter. The end-to-end length scales with the number of bonds N as N^{ν}, where ν≈3/4, in agreement with the Flory theory in two dimensions. The chain diffusion coefficient D approximately scales as D∝N^{-ν}, as predicted by the Zimm model. Unlike molecular polymers, colloidomers can be repeatedly assembled and disassembled under temperature cycling, allowing for reconfigurable, responsive matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angus McMullen
- Physics Department, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | - Miranda Holmes-Cerfon
- Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
| | | | | | - Jasna Brujic
- Physics Department, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA
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