Sodium 4-styrenesulfonate Research Articles

Commitment of human mesenchymal stromal cells towards ACL fibroblast differentiation upon rAAV-mediated FGF-2 and TGF-β overexpression using pNaSS-grafted PCL films.

Despite various clinical options, human anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) lesions do not fully heal. Biomaterial-guided gene therapy using recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors may improve the intrinsic mechanisms of ACL repair. Here, we examined whether poly(sodium styrene sulfonate)-grafted poly(ε-caprolactone) (pNaSS-grafted PCL) films can deliver rAAV vectors coding for the reparative basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) in human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) as a source of implantable cells in ACL lesions. Efficient and sustained rAAV-mediated reporter (red fluorescent protein) and therapeutic (FGF-2andTGF-β) gene overexpression was achieved in the cells for at least 21 days in particular with pNaSS-grafted PCL films relative to all other conditions (up to 5.2-fold difference). Expression of FGF-2 and TGF-β mediated by rAAV using PCL films increased the levels of cell proliferation, the DNA contents, and the deposition of proteoglycans and of type-I and -III collagen (up to 2.9-fold difference) over time in the cells with higher levels of transcription factor expression (Mohawk, Scleraxis) (up to 1.9-fold difference), without activation of inflammatorytumor necrosis alpha especially when using pNaSS-grafted PCL films compared with the controls. Overall, the effects mediated by TGF-β were higher than those promoted by FGF-2, possibly due to higher levels of gene expression achieved upon rAAV gene transfer. This study shows the potential of using functionalized PCL films to apply rAAV vectors for ACL repair.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Plugging Gel Resistant to 140 °C for Lost Circulation Control: Effective Reduction in Leakage Rate in Drilling Process.

Gel plugging agents have become one of the preferred methods for plugging in complex and severe loss conditions during drilling due to their good adaptability to loss channels. To address the common issue of poor temperature resistance in gel-based plugging agents, high-temperature-resistant gel plugging materials were synthesized through the molecular design of polymers, modifying existing agents. Based on the temperature and salt resistance of the aqueous solution of an acrylamide (AM)/N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) binary copolymer, temperature-resistant monomer sodium styrene sulfonate (SSS) was introduced and reacted in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) aqueous solution. Using ammonium persulfate (APS) as an initiator and crosslinking with N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA), a gel plugging material resistant to 140 °C was synthesized. The structure, thermal stability, water absorption and expansion, and plugging performance of the gel were studied through hot rolling aging, thermogravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy, electron microscopy scanning, sand bed experiments, and drag reduction experiments. The results show that the gel material has good thermal stability and water absorption and expansion at 140 °C, and its temperature-resistant plugging performance is excellent, significantly slowing down the loss rate of drilling fluid. This provides a basis for the further development of gel materials.

Modeling of Electrochemical Impedance of Fuel Cell Based on Novel Nanocomposite Membrane

The new hybrid composite materials for PEM fuel cell were synthesized by the UV polymerization of acrylic monomers (acrylonitrile, acrylic acid, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) and a sulfo aromatic monomer, i.e., sodium styrene sulfonate, and the tetraethoxysilane/3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane-based sol–gel system. By means of X-ray spectroscopy, the fractal structure of the obtained materials was characterized. Proton conductivity and viscoelasticity of the obtained materials were determined depending on the content of the inorganic component in nanocomposites. Based on impedance studies, an equivalent scheme is proposed that successfully describes the proton conductivity in the synthesized composite’s electrolyte membranes.

Hybrid Bonding Bottlebrush Polymers Grafted from a Supramolecular Polymer Backbone.

Bottlebrush polymers, macromolecules consisting of dense polymer side chains grafted from a central polymer backbone, have unique properties resulting from this well-defined molecular architecture. With the advent of controlled radical polymerization techniques, access to these architectures has become more readily available. However, synthetic challenges remain, including the need for intermediate purification, the use of toxic solvents, and challenges with achieving long bottlebrush architectures due to backbone entanglements. Herein, we report hybrid bonding bottlebrush polymers (systems integrating covalent and noncovalent bonding of structural units) consisting of poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (p(NaSS)) brushes grafted from a peptide amphiphile (PA) supramolecular polymer backbone. This was achieved using photoinitiated electron/energy transfer-reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (PET-RAFT) polymerization in water. The structure of the hybrid bonding bottlebrush architecture was characterized using cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, and its properties were probed using rheological measurements. We observed that hybrid bonding bottlebrush polymers were able to organize into block architectures containing domains with high brush grafting density and others with no observable brushes. This finding is possibly a result of dynamic behavior unique to supramolecular polymer backbones, enabling molecular exchange or translational diffusion of monomers along the length of the assemblies. The hybrid bottlebrush polymers exhibited higher solution viscosity at moderate shear, protected supramolecular polymer backbones from disassembly at high shear, and supported self-healing capabilities, depending on grafting densities. Our results demonstrate an opportunity for novel properties in easily synthesized bottlebrush polymer architectures built with supramolecular polymers that might be useful in biomedical applications or for aqueous lubrication.

Synthesis and Characterization of Maghemite Nanoparticles Functionalized with Poly(Sodium 4-Styrene Sulfonate) Saloplastic and Its Acute Ecotoxicological Impact on the Cladoceran Daphnia magna.

Using a modified co-precipitation method, 11(2) nm γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles functionalized with PSSNa [Poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate)] saloplastic polymer were successfully synthesized, and their structural, vibrational, electronic, thermal, colloidal, hyperfine, and magnetic properties were systematically studied using various analytic techniques. The results showed that the functionalized γ-Fe2O3/PSSNa nanohybrid has physicochemical properties that allow it to be applied in the magnetic remediation process of water. Before being applied as a nanoadsorbent in real water treatment, a short-term acute assay was developed and standardized using a Daphnia magna biomarker. The ecotoxicological tests indicated that the different concentrations of the functionalized nanohybrid may affect the mortality of the Daphnia magna population during the first 24 h of exposure. A lethal concentration of 533(5) mg L-1 was found. At high concentrations, morphological changes were also seen in the body, heart, and antenna. Therefore, these results suggested the presence of alterations in normal growth and swimming skills. The main changes observed in the D. magna features were basically caused by the PSSNa polymer due to its highly stable colloidal properties (zeta potential > -30 mV) that permit a direct and constant interaction with the Daphnia magna neonates.

Thickness measurement of thin films using atomic force microscopy based scratching

Thin-film thickness measurements using atomic force microscopy (AFM) comprise two steps: 1. AFM scratching in order to produce an exposed film edge, and 2. subsequent AFM measurement of the corresponding step height across the exposed edge. Although the technique is known, many open questions have limited its wider applications. In order to clarify the open questions, here we first demonstrate how to determine the normal force applied during the scratching in contact mode needed to completely remove films from substrates. In order to determine film thickness from processed AFM images, we discuss two procedures based on the histogram method and polynomial step-function fitting. Mechanisms of the scratching process are elucidated by the analysis of lateral forces and their enhancement during the film peeling. Phase maps of scratched domains recorded in amplitude modulation AFM (tapping) mode display a clear contrast compared to pristine films. Therefore, we suggest their utilization as simple indicators of spatial domains with completely removed films. As an example, here the measurements were done on polymer films fabricated by layer-by-layer deposition of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes composed of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate), while the applicability of the presented method on other materials is discussed in detail.

High Ion-Conducting PVA Nanocomposite Hydrogel-Based Wearable Piezoelectric and Triboelectric Sensors for Harsh Environments.

Traditional hydrogel-based wearable sensors with flexibility, biocompatibility, and mechanical compliance exhibit potential applications in flexible wearable electronics. However, the low sensitivity and poor environmental resistance of traditional hydrogels severely limit their practical application. Herein, high-ion-conducting poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanocomposite hydrogels were fabricated and applied for harsh environments. MXene ion-conducting microchannels and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) ion sources contributed to the directional transport of abundant free ions in the hydrogel, which significantly improved the sensitivity and mechanical-electric conversion of the nanocomposite hydrogel-based piezoelectric and triboelectric sensors. More importantly, the glycerol as an antifreezing agent enabled the hydrogel-based sensors to function in harsh environments. Therefore, the nanocomposite hydrogel exhibited high gauge factor (GF) at -20 °C (GF = 3.37) and 60 °C (GF = 3.62), enabling the hydrogel-based sensor to distinguish different writing letters and sounding words. Meanwhile, the hydrogel-based piezoelectric and triboelectric generators showed excellent mechanical-electric conversion performance regardless of low- (-20 °C) or high- (60 °C) temperature environments, which can be applied as a visual feedback system for information transmission without external power sources. This work provides self-powered nanocomposite hydrogel-based sensors that exhibit potential applications in flexible wearable electronics under harsh environmental conditions.

Flexible Organic Electrochemical Transistor Based on Conjugated Conducting Polymers

In this work, we have fabricated a side-gated organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) where the source, drain, and gate terminals are screen-printed on a flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrate through a scalable screen-printing process. The semiconducting channel material is made of polyethylene dioxythiophene: polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT: PSS), applied via spray coating. The OECT operates by volumetric gating of the channel through a gel electrolyte containing poly sodium 4-styrene sulfonate, transitioning highly conductive PEDOT+ to PEDOT0 through de-doping, biased by a positive gate voltage. Additionally, the OECT displayed a transconductance (gm) of 62.5 µA/V, mobility (µ) of 6.6×106 cm2 / Vs, and a threshold voltage (Vth) of -0.39 V, with the ON/OFF ratio being relatively low at 33.2. The repeatability was confirmed through the fabrication of three devices that exhibited nearly identical behavior. Future work emphasizes functionalizing the electrolyte to detect biomolecules such as glucose, pH, and ion species.

Investigation of the effect of poly (sodium styrene sulfonate) on sodium glycodeoxycholate and sodium tetradecyl sulfate mixed micelle

Investigation of the effect of poly (sodium styrene sulfonate) on sodium glycodeoxycholate and sodium tetradecyl sulfate mixed micelle

Combined effect of polyelectrolyte assisted interfacial polymerization and tannic acid protective surface modification to boost organic solvent nanofiltration performance

Organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) is an effective technology for separating solute with molecular weight of 200–1000 Da (Da) from organic solvents. However, as the core of this technology, most of OSN membranes exhibit a low solvent permeance. Herein, a highly permeable OSN membrane was prepared via a poly (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSSNa)-assisted interfacial polymerization reaction using ultra-low content of aqueous monomer solution, followed by a protective modification using tannic acid (TA) grafting onto the nascent polyamide surface, and a post chemical crosslinking treatment as well as an activation treatment. PSSNa manipulates the diffusion and distribution of the m-Phenylenediamine monomers, leading to a looser and thinner polyamide layer. TA molecules successfully reacted with the remaining acyl chloride groups on the nascent polyamide layer surface and formed ester, thus preventing the surface from subsequent crosslinking reaction and also making the selective layer looser, which is beneficial for solvent permeation. Moreover, the TA modification makes the surface more hydrophilic, thus further helps to improve the solvent permeance of OSN membrane. The optimal membrane possesses an excellent ethanol permeance of 71.5 L m−2 h−1 MPa−1, an increment of 41.6 % as compared with the baseline OSN membrane, while keeping a rejection of 98.2 % for rhodamine B (RDB). Meanwhile, the surface of optimal membrane is ultra-smooth, with an average roughness of 4.4 nm, which is much beneficial for antifouling. Moreover, the OSN membrane possesses a brilliant durability performance, with only a 1.5 % decrease of the RDB rejection after being immersed in N, N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) at room temperature for 115 d, and only a further 0.3 % decrease of the RDB rejection after being further immersed in DMF at 80 °C for another 11 d, indicating its superior solvent resistance, which makes it a promising candidate for treating organic solutions from pharmaceutical and textile industries.

Antiviral Activities of Heparan Sulfate Mimetic RAFT Polymers Against Mosquito-borne Viruses.

Mosquito-borne viruses are a major worldwide health problem associated with high morbidity and mortality rates and significant impacts on national healthcare budgets. The development of antiviral drugs for both the treatment and prophylaxis of these diseases is thus of considerable importance. To address the need for therapeutics with antiviral activity, a library of heparan sulfate mimetic polymers was screened against dengue virus (DENV), Yellow fever virus (YFV), Zika virus (ZIKV), and Ross River virus (RRV). The polymers were prepared by RAFT polymerization of various acidic monomers with a target MW of 20 kDa (average Mn ∼ 27 kDa by GPC). Among the polymers, poly(SS), a homopolymer of sodium styrenesulfonate, was identified as a broad spectrum antiviral with activity against all the tested viruses and particularly potent inhibition of YFV (IC50 = 310 pM). Our results further uncovered that poly(SS) exhibited a robust inhibition of ZIKV infection in both mosquito and human cell lines, which points out the potential functions of poly(SS) in preventing mosquito-borne viruses associated diseases by blocking viral transmission in their mosquito vectors and mitigating viral infection in patients.

Highly Efficient Fabrication of Fluorescent "Turn-On" Lateral Flow Strips for Highly Sensitive Detection of Small Molecules Based on Self-Assembly of AuAg Nanoclusters.

Currently, fluorescent "turn-on" lateral flow assay (FONLFA) has shown enhanced "naked eye" detection sensitivity for small molecules, while it is urgent to adopt biocompatible fluorescent nanomaterials and needs new strategies to simplify the preparation process. In this study, a highly effective method was proposed to produce FONLFA strips for the detection of small molecules. The gold-silver nanoclusters (AuAgNCs) were immobilized onto the nitrocellulose membrane of the strips by the self-assembly of poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate), antigen, and AuAgNCs. The immobilization process entails a straightforward mixing of the three components, taking merely 1 min, thereby bypassing the necessity for chemical modification of fluorescent nanomaterials. The strategy offers a significantly simplified process, which substantially enhances the efficiency of the strip fabrication. Utilizing this method, a FONLFA was developed for carbendazim with a visual limit of detection (vLOD) reduced by 40-fold compared with the conventional colorimetric lateral flow assay (LFA). Furthermore, the approach demonstrates versatility by enabling the immobilization of AuAgNCs and streptavidin, which facilitates the development of aptamer-based FONLFAs. The designed aptamer-based FONLFA for kanamycin exhibited a 50-fold reduction in the vLOD compared with conventional colorimetric LFAs. Therefore, FONLFA holds promising potential for widespread applications in the analysis of small molecules.

Synthesis, investigation of temperature and salt resistant polyacrylamide microspheres used for deep sealing and profile control and function strengthening mechanism

AbstractBased on the requirements of deep sealing and profile control for the excellent temperature and salt resistance on polyacrylamide microspheres, the Poly‐AM/AMPS was prepared depends on aqueous solution polymerization method to improving oil and gas recovery efficiency in low‐permeability and heterogeneous reservoirs resulted by water channeling. The key technical parameters were established through single‐factor experimental methods, and the chemical structure was studied by infrared spectrum analysis (FTIR), energy spectrum analysis, and x‐ray diffraction analysis, and then the thermal stability was investigated depends on the thermogravimetric (TG) and differential thermogravimetric (DTG) distribution curves, moreover, the particle size and distribution, microstructure, and surface morphology were further studied. As a result, the results confirmed that the molecular structure of Poly‐AM/AMPS meets the expected design, and the quality retention rate at 800°C is 17.4%, the median particle size of Poly‐AM/AMPS particles is 35.88 μm, and the particle size distribution range is about 1.94–497.8 μm. Further, the Poly‐AM/AMPS was modified by maleic anhydride, sodium styrenesulfonate, and dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride through conventional functional strengthening and modification, modified by nano‐SiO2, GO, and S‐CaCO3 through nano‐functional strengthening and modification. Additionally, the functional strengthening and modification mechanism was studied depends on the FTIR, TG, and DTG methods.

Influence of additives and binder on the physical properties of dental silicate glass-ceramic feedstock for additive manufacturing

ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to investigate the impact of organic additives (binder, plasticizer, and the cross-linking ink) in the formulation of water-based feedstocks on the properties of a dental feldspathic glass-ceramic material developed for the slurry-based additive manufacturing technology “LSD-print.” Material and methodsThree water-based feldspathic feedstocks were produced to study the effects of polyvinyl alcohol (AC1) and poly (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (AC2) as binder systems. A feedstock without organic additives was tested as the control group (CG). Disc-shaped (n = 15) and bar (n = 7) specimens were slip-cast and characterized in the green and fired states. In the green state, density and flexural strength were measured. In the fired state, density, shrinkage, flexural strength (FS), Weibull modulus, fracture toughness (KIC), Martens parameters, and microstructure were analyzed. Disc-shaped and bar specimens were also cut from commercially available CAD/CAM blocks and used as a target reference (TR) for the fired state. ResultsIn the green state, CG showed the highest bulk density but the lowest FS, while the highest FS in the green state was achieved with the addition of a cross-linking ink. After firing, no significant differences in density and a similar microstructure were observed for all slip-cast groups, indicating that almost complete densification could be achieved. The CAD/CAM specimens showed the highest mean FS, Weibull modulus, and KIC, with significant differences between some of the slip-cast groups. SignificanceThese results suggest that the investigated feedstocks are promising candidates for the slurry-based additive manufacturing of restorations meeting the class 1a requirements according to DIN EN ISO 6871:2019–01.

Preparation of polyaniline conductive membranes through immersion of dopant solution for dye/salt separation

The preparation of conductive loose nanofiltration (NF) membranes for effective separation of dye/salt wastewater mixtures remains a great challenge. In the current study, a novel method of immersing the polyaniline (PANI) membrane in some organic salt solutions to dope PANI membrane was employed to prepare conductive PANI loose NF membranes. Three dopants with different molecular weight, poly (sodium 4-styrene sulfonate) (PSS), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS), were chosen to prepare the doping solutions under neutral and acidic (pH = 0.5 in HCl) conditions. The neutrally doped PANI membranes all had lower pore size distribution, lower Zeta potential, and higher conductivity compared with the undoped PANI membrane; and these properties were further enhanced for the membranes doped under acidic condition. The PANI membrane doped by acidic PSS solution (PANI-PSS-HCl membrane) had a pore size of 1.7 nm and a pure water flux of 44.7 L·m−2·h−1, and exhibited a rejection of over 99.9 % for eriochrome black T, acid fuchsin, congo red, and sunset yellow in the dye solutions, whereas less than 5 % for NaCl solution, which was suitable for dye/salt separation due to the large molecular size of PSS. When PANI-PSS-HCl membrane was used as the cathode, the membrane exhibited excellent anti-fouling performance with increased external voltage due to enhancement of electrostatic repulsion force between the anionic dyes and the surface of the conductive membrane. This work provides a simple and reliable method to prepare conductive loose NF membranes for effective separation of dye/salt wastewater with excellent anti-fouling performance under external voltage.

Design of smart temperature-sensitive terpolymeric hydrogel for multi-applications in liquid chromatography

Hydrogels with a unique three-dimensional network structure have been widely used in a variety of fields. However, hydrogels are prone to swelling under water-rich conditions, which severely limits their application in liquid chromatography. Therefore, producing a hydrogel with reliable performance and good mechanical property is essential. Smart temperature-sensitive chromatographic packings have attracted extensive attentions in recent years. In this work, sodium 4-styrenesulfonate and 1-octadecene were introduced into the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel to improve mechanical property and separation performance. As a consequence, a smart temperature-sensitive terpolymeric hydrogel modified silica stationary phase (ION-hydrogel@SiO2) was synthesized for multimode liquid chromatographic separation. It was found that this new ION-hydrogel@SiO2 column exhibited excellent chromatographic separation ability for a wide range of analytes. To a certain extent, this new column has a higher chromatographic separation efficiency compared to the commercial C18 column and XAmide column. Moreover, the use of low proportion of organic phase in chromatographic separation is conducive to the realization of green chromatography. By investigating the chromatographic separation mechanism, it has been demonstrated that the hydrogen bonding interaction is primarily responsible for the temperature-sensitive behavior of the hydrogel. Finally, the ION-hydrogel@SiO2 column was used for the determination of pyridoxine in the commercially available tablet samples. In conclusion, this study presents a feasible idea for the development of novel copolymer hydrogels as liquid chromatographic stationary phases.

κ‐Carrageenan/poly(sodium styrenesulfonate‐co‐acrylic acid) macroporous anionic monoliths: Dye adsorption and oil–water separation properties

Abstractκ‐Carrageenan (κC) is a widely used food hydrogel, but its use as an environmental adsorption separation material still needs to be further developed. Herein, a novel macroporous anionic monolith was synthesized by the oil‐in‐water high internal phase emulsion template method. The monolith was obtained by the continuous phase polymerization of sodium styrenesulfonate (NaSS) and acrylic acid (AA), in which κC was introduced to form a semi‐interpenetrating network structure to improve its overall performance. The results showed that the mechanical strength of the monolith increased with κC content. Because of the use of two strong hydrophilic monomers, NaSS and AA, the porous monolith proved to be superoleophobic underwater. In addition, the porous materials had a strong cationic dye adsorption capacity (2455 mg/g for malachite green, 1180 mg/g for methylene blue) and a fast removal rate, good reusability, and oil–water separation. This work highlights their potential application value in the purification of complex water environments.

Methylene blue@silver nanoprisms conjugates as a strategy against Candida albicans isolated from balanoposthitis using photodynamic inactivation

Balanoposthitis can affect men in immunocompromised situations, such as HIV infection and diabetes. The main associated microorganism is Candida albicans, which can cause local lesions, such as the development of skin cracks associated with itching. As an alternative to conventional treatment, there is a growing interest in the photodynamic inactivation (PDI). It has been shown that the association of photosensitizers with metallic nanoparticles may improve the effectiveness of PDI via plasmonic effect. We have recently shown that the association of methylene blue (MB), a very known photosensitizer, with silver prismatic nanoplatelets (AgNPrs) improved PDI of a resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus. To further investigate the experimental conditions involved in PDI improvement, in the present study, we studied the effect of MB concentration associated with AgNPrs exploring spectral analysis, zeta potential measurements, and biological assays, testing the conjugated system against C. albicans isolated from a resistant strain of balanoposthitis. The AgNPrs were synthesized through silver anisotropic seed growth induced by the anionic stabilizing agent poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) and showed a plasmon band fully overlapping the MB absorption band. MB and AgNPrs were conjugated through electrostatic association and three different MB concentrations were tested in the nanosystems. Inactivation using red LED light (660 nm) showed a dose dependency in respect to the MB concentration in the conjugates. Using the highest MB concentration (100 µmol⋅L−1) with AgNPr, it was possible to completely inactivate the microorganisms upon a 2 min irradiation exposure. Analyzing optical changes in the conjugates we suggest that these results indicate that AgNPrs are enhancers of MB photodynamic action probably by a combined mechanism of plasmonic effect and reduction of MB dimerization. Therefore, MBAgNPrs can be considered a suitable choice to be applied in PDI of resistant microorganisms.

Theoretical and experimental research of polyelectrolyte multilayer membrane prepared by layer by layer self-assembly

Layer-by-layer self-assembly of polyelectrolytes is one of the most promising methods for preparing nanofiltration membranes. Here poly (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) and poly (diallyldim-ethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) were chosen to prepare polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) membrane. The effects of background salt concentration, PSS concentration, background salt types, the number of layers and the outermost functional groups on the separation performance of the PEM were investigated systematically. Molecular dynamic simulation was employed to simulate the influence of background salt on the diffusion of PDADMAC. The simulation results agree well with the experimental results. The optimized (PSS/PDADMAC)4.5 membrane with Na2SO4 as background salt shows permeance of 15.9 LMH/bar, Na2SO4 rejection of 98.2 %, and an excellent stability. Our study provides both theoretical and experimental supports for the preparation of PEM membranes using LBL method.

A highly sensitive SERS optical fiber probe with PSS modified gold nano-bipyramids for trace detection of water contamination

The combination of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and optical fiber has led to the development of SERS optical fiber probe, which demonstrates potential for real-time, in-situ, and flexible detection of water contamination. In this paper, a highly sensitive SERS optical fiber probe of gold nano-bipyramids (Au NBPs) was successfully developed for the first time. The Au NBPs were controllably synthesized by a heat-treated seed growth method. Surface modification of the Au NBPs was carried out by adding poly (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) instead of hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), which changed the Zeta potential of the Au NBPs solution from positive to negative. The SERS properties of the Au NBPs can be significantly enhanced by optimizing the parameters of PSS content. The optical fiber end face was pretreated with silane coupling agent to introduce amino groups and exhibit positive charge. As a result, highly sensitive SERS optical fiber probes were prepared through electrostatic adsorption of the Au NBPs. The performance of the SERS optical fiber probe was evaluated. The crystalline violet (CV) limit concentration of 10−10 mol/L was detected by the optimized SERS optical fiber probe with satisfactory reproducibility and stability. Additionally, a limit concentration of 10−5 mol/L for thiram could also be detected by the SERS optical fiber probe. Finally, the SERS enhancement mechanism was further discussed. The finite element method was utilized to analyze the electromagnetic field distribution of Au NBPs, optical fibers, and SERS optical fiber probes, theoretically explaining the performance advantages of Au NBPs SERS optical fiber probes. Based on our results, the Au NBPs SERS optical fiber probe holds significant value for trace detection of water contamination and biomolecules.