Polydopamine (PDA) films, when combined with model nanometric semiconductor substrates like titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO), enhance photocatalytic performance, generating a unique ex-situ functional heterojunction. We investigate PDA air/water films transferred onto large surfaces, revealing Janus-like strong chemical attachment. Spectroscopic methods confirm hybrid heterojunction, while electrochemical studies show significant improvements transfer resistance enhancement of...

Aggregation of the polydopamine (PDA) molecular building blocks at air/water interface leads to obtaining large surface nanometric-thin films. This mechanism follows two possible pathways, namely, covalent or non-covalent self-assembly, which result in a different degree structure order and, consequently, structural properties. Control this could be vital for applications that require true self-support PDA free-standing films, example, electrochemical sensing membrane technology. Here, we...

It was observed that when polarized by an intense electric field, water is able to self-arrange into macroscopic cylindrical wires can hang up and remain floating against gravity. This phenomenon now known as a 'water bridge'. Several attempts have been made give explanation of this apparently unusual behaviour water. A number experiments performed with the aim probing any possible structural change bulk water, after application field. None available findings appear conclusive at moment.

The actuation of micro- and nanostructures controlled by external stimuli remains one the exciting challenges in nanotechnology due to wealth fundamental questions potential applications energy harvesting, robotics, sensing, biomedicine, tunable metamaterials. Photoactuation utilizes conversion light into motion through reversible chemical physical processes enables remote spatiotemporal control actuation. Here, we report a fast light-to-motion few-nanometer thick bare polydopamine (PDA)...

We have studied the magnetically induced optical birefringence Δn of horse spleen ferritin (HSF) and aqueous suspensions several different-sized iron oxyhydroxide nanoparticles coated with different polysaccharides mimicking ferritin. The structure dimensions akaganeite mineral core were characterized by XRD TEM, respectively. stability in measurement temperature range from 278 to 358 K was confirmed UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy. values polarizability anisotropy Δα, magnetic susceptibility...

The possible 2D-like arrangement of monomers in polydopamine films obtained by autoxidation the dopamine at air/water interface was recently reported. Therefore, morphological and chemical properties should be controllable tuning synthesis conditions. In this work, to optimise conditions, were with different concentrations, various pH stirring speeds. growth monitored situ spectroscopic reflectometry. transferred onto Si(100) substrates, their parameters examined Atomic force microscopy....

Modifying bitumens to improve their characteristics is one of the ways increase road pavement durability reducing maintenance costs and environmental issues. In this study structural mechanical a 50/70 bitumen modified by two different char samples are presented. The choice as modifier fulfils recent needs for protection. come from pyrolysis Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) waste tyres (WT). They differ in composition morphology production took place with yields. Char-modified revealed increased...

Abstract To survive and grow, plant cells must regulate the properties of their cellular microenvironment in response to ever changing external factors. How biomechanical balance across cell’s internal structures is established maintained during environmental variations remains a nurturing question. provide insight into this issue we used two micro-mechanical imaging techniques, namely Brillouin light scattering BODIPY-based molecular rotors Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging, study Nicotiana...

Ferritins are proteins, which serve as a storage and transportation capsule for iron inside living organisms. Continuously charging the proteins with releasing it from ferritin is necessary to assure proper management of these important ions within organism. On other hand, synthetic ferritins have great potential biomedical technological applications. In this work, behavior during processes loading release was examined using multiplicity experimental technique. The quality protein's shell...

Recent phenomenological studies have drawn attention to an appealing effect, observed for the first time in 1893, today known as water-bridge. The phenomenon has been ascribed unknown properties of water. We report some experimental results showing that, contrary a widely common belief, is not be related with water neither property hydrogen bonded networks. Using very simple model, we show that liquid bridge originated by electrostatic effects and can reproduced any dense fluid no respect...

Aqueous solutions of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) mean molecular mass 600 g/mol (PEG600) are investigated by Brillouin scattering technique. At high PEG content, a relaxation phenomenon is observed, which related to local rearrangement the polymer structure where interaction, via hydrogen bonding, with solvent molecules plays role. The obtained values times match literature data very well for fast time revealed dielectric measurements in similar mixtures. calculated concentration behaviors...

In spite of decades efforts, the puzzle understanding anomalies liquid water remains unsolved. Several plausible theoretical scenarios have been proposed, but distinguishing among them requires accessing temperatures below homogeneous nucleation temperature ${T}_{h}$, which for bulk is an experimentally impossible task. A widely adopted way bypassing such a difficulty consists in studying behavior samples confined nanopores, supercooled aqueous salt solutions, or investigating transiently...

Pure surfactant liquids and their binary mixtures, owing to the amphiphilic nature of molecules involved, can exhibit nano-segregation peculiar transport properties with formation magnetic field-responsive supramolecular structures.

This work focuses on the dynamic phenomena emerging in self-assembled transient intermolecular networks formed when two different surfactants are mixed. In particular, relaxation processes liquid mixtures composed by bis(2-ethylhexyl)amine (BEEA) and octanoic acid (OA) whole composition range has been investigated dielectric spectroscopy Brillouin spectroscopy. A thorough analysis of all experimental data consistently suggests that, mainly driven acid-base interactions arising mixed,...

Abstract In this paper the relaxation dynamics of ionic glass-former acebutolol hydrochloride (ACB-HCl) is studied as a function temperature and pressure by using dynamic light scattering broadband dielectric spectroscopy. These unique experimental data provide first direct evidence that decoupling between charge transport structural exists in proton conductors over wide T-P thermodynamic space, with time scale being constant at liquid-glass transition (τ α = 1000 s). We demonstrate enhanced...

Colloidal crystals realized by self-assembled polymer nanoparticles have prominent attraction as a platform for various applications from assembling photonic and phononic crystals, acoustic metamaterials to coating applications. However, the fragility of these systems limits their application horizon. In this work uniform mechanical reinforcement tunability 3D polystyrene colloidal means cold soldering are reported. This structural strengthening is achieved high pressure gas (N2 or Ar)...

Brillouin scattering experiments have been carried out on some mixtures of molecular liquids. From the measurement hypersonic velocities we evaluated adiabatic compressibility as a function volume fraction. We show how quadratic form excess dependence solute fraction can be derived by simple statistical effects and does not imply any interaction among components system other than excluded effects. This idea is supported comparison experimental results with well-established prototype model,...

Meibography is becoming an integral part of dry eye diagnosis. Being objective and repeatable this imaging technique used to guide treatment decisions determine the disease status. Especially desirable possibility automatic (or semi-automatic) analysis a meibomian image for quantification particular gland's feature. Recent reports suggest that in addition measure gland atrophy (quantified by well-established "drop-out area" parameter), morphological changes may carry equally clinically...

The concentration dependence of the hypersonic properties solutions poly(ethylene glycol) mean molecular mass 600 g/mol (PEG600) in benzene and toluene has been investigated by Brillouin scattering. two solvents are very similar structure chemical properties, but while is nonpolar, possess a modest dipole. In both high-frequency relaxation process observed at high concentrations which assigned to conformational rearrangements polymeric chains, triggered reorientation side groups. cases,...

We present the results of a Brillouin scattering experiment on aqueous mixtures polyethylene glycol polymer cooled below their crystallization temperature. The shape registered spectrum changed considerably when phase transition occurs. profile consisted two peaks which has been interpreted as result light local regions exhibiting different compressibility. Examination temperature dependence peak positions allows identification specific microstructures in studied system. existence...

Magnetically induced optical birefringence (∆n) was measured for magnetoferritin and horse spleen ferritin aqueous suspensions.The ∆n described in the frame of Langevin formalism taking into account distribution core diameter.The established average magnetic dipole moment diameter is equal to about 460 µB 3 nm, respectively.It shown that CottonMouton constant can be powerful parameters identication structure ferritin, especially useful biomedicine.