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Funama F, Wolf CM, Weigandt K, Shen J, Parnell SR, Li F. Spin echo small-angle neutron scattering using superconducting magnetic Wollaston prisms. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2024; 95:073709. [PMID: 39016702 DOI: 10.1063/5.0217884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
We show the implementation of superconducting magnetic Wollaston prisms for spin echo small-angle neutron scattering. Two calibration methods for the spin echo length are presented: one utilizing spin echo modulated small-angle neutron scattering and the other based on the neutron refraction by quartz wedge crystals. Our experimental results with polystyrene nano-particle colloids showcase the system's efficacy in measuring both dilute and concentrated colloidal systems. Additionally, investigations into the pore diameter and pitch of a nano-porous alumina membrane demonstrate its capability in analyzing nano-porous materials. Furthermore, we discuss potential optimizations to further extend the accessible spin echo length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiaki Funama
- Neutron Technologies Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
| | - Caitlyn M Wolf
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
| | - Katie Weigandt
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
| | - Jiazhou Shen
- Department of Physics, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA
- Indiana University Center for the Exploration of Energy and Matter, Bloomington, Indiana 47408, USA
- Indiana University Quantum Science and Engineering Center, Bloomington, Indiana 47408, USA
| | - Steven R Parnell
- ISIS, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 15, 2629JB Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Fankang Li
- Neutron Technologies Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, USA
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Recent Advances in Poly(Ionic Liquid)-Based Membranes for CO 2 Separation. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15030667. [PMID: 36771968 PMCID: PMC9920068 DOI: 10.3390/polym15030667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Poly(ionic liquid)-based membranes have been the subject of intensive research in the last 15 years due to their potential for the separation of CO2 from other gases. In this short review, different types of PIL-based membranes for CO2 separation are described (neat PIL membranes; PIL-IL composite membranes; PIL-polymer blend membranes; PIL-based block copolymer membranes, and PIL-based mixed matrix membranes), and their state-of-the-art separation results for different gas pairs (CO2/N2, CO2/H2, and CO2/CH4) are presented and discussed. This review article is focused on the most relevant research works performed over the last 5 years, that is, since the year 2017 onwards, in the field of poly(ionic liquid)-based membranes for CO2 separation. The micro- and nano-morphological characterization of the membranes is highlighted as a research topic that requires deeper study and understanding. Nowadays there is an array of advanced structural characterization techniques, such as neutron scattering techniques with contrast variation (using selective deuteration), that can be used to probe the micro- and nanostructure of membranes, in length scales ranging from ~1 nm to ~15 μm. Although some of these techniques have been used to study the morphology of PIL-based membranes for electrochemical applications, their use in the study of PIL-based membranes for CO2 separation is still unknown.
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Linklater DP, Le Guével X, Bryant G, Baulin VA, Pereiro E, Perera PGT, Wandiyanto JV, Juodkazis S, Ivanova EP. Lethal Interactions of Atomically Precise Gold Nanoclusters and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus Bacterial Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:32634-32645. [PMID: 35758190 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c04410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasmall metal nanoclusters (NCs) are employed in an array of diagnostic and therapeutic applications due to their tunable photoluminescence, high biocompatibility, polyvalent effect, ease of modification, and photothermal stability. However, gold nanoclusters' (AuNCs') intrinsically antimicrobial properties remain poorly explored and are not well understood. Here, we share an insight into the antimicrobial action of atomically precise AuNCs based on their ability to passively translocate across the bacterial membrane. Functionalized by a hydrophilic modified-bidentate sulfobetaine zwitterionic molecule (AuNC-ZwBuEt) or a more hydrophobic monodentate-thiolate, mercaptohexanoic acid (AuNC-MHA) molecule, 2 nm AuNCs were lethal to both Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The bactericidal efficiency was found to be bacterial strain-, time-, and concentration-dependent. The direct visualizations of the translocation of AuNCs and AuNC-cell and subcellular interactions were investigated using cryo-soft X-ray nano-tomography, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning TEM energy-dispersive spectroscopy analyses. AuNC-MHA were identified in the bacterial cytoplasm within 30 min, without evidence of the loss of membrane integrity. It is proposed that the bactericidal effect of AuNCs is attributed to their size, which allows for efficient energy-independent translocation across the cell membrane. The internalization of both AuNCs caused massive internal damage to the cells, including collapsed subcellular structures and altered cell morphology, leading to the eventual loss of cellular integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denver P Linklater
- STEM College, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - Xavier Le Guével
- Cancer Targets and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute for Advanced Biosciences, University of Grenoble Alpes, Site Santé─Allée des Alpes, La Tronche 38700, France
| | - Gary Bryant
- STEM College, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - Vladimir A Baulin
- Departament de Química Física i Inorgànica, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, C/ Marcel.lí Domingo s/n, Tarragona 43007, Spain
| | - Eva Pereiro
- MISTRAL Beamline-Experiments Division, ALBA Synchrotron Light Source, Cerdanyola del Vallès 08290, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Jason V Wandiyanto
- Optical Sciences Centre, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia
| | - Saulius Juodkazis
- Optical Sciences Centre, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122, Australia
| | - Elena P Ivanova
- STEM College, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
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Quantitative Neutron Dark-Field Imaging of Milk: A Feasibility Study. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12020833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Scattering studies of milk and milk products, which are highly relevant food products on the global market, are often utilized and reported in literature to investigate and understand the subtle microscopic structural differences between dairy samples. These structural features determine the physical properties and ultimately the texture of milk products and, thus, also influence the consumer’s experience. Small-angle neutron scattering is a prominent example, which enables observations of length scales, which convey proteins and fat globules in food-grade milk. In addition, deuteration enables contrast variations between the constituents of dairy products. In this study, we investigate the potential of probing small-angle neutron scattering from milk samples through quantitative neutron dark-field imaging using grating interferometry, to establish the feasibility of studying, in particular, fat globules and milk gel structures with this spatially resolved scattering technique.
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Bouwman WG. Spin-echo small-angle neutron scattering for multiscale structure analysis of food materials. FOOD STRUCTURE 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foostr.2021.100235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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