On‐the‐Spot Immobilization of Quantum Dots,Graphene Oxide,and Proteins via Hydrophobins

Class I hydrophobin Vmh2, a peculiar surface active and versatile fungal protein, is known to self‐assemble into chemically stable amphiphilic films, to be able to change wettability of surfaces, and to strongly adsorb other proteins. Herein, a fast, highly homogeneous and efficient glass functionalization by spontaneous self‐assembling of Vmh2 at liquid–solid interfaces is achieved (in 2 min). The Vmh2‐coated glass slides are proven to immobilize not only proteins but also nanomaterials such as graphene oxide (GO) and quantum dots (QDs). As models, bovine serum albumin labeled with Alexa 555 fluorophore, anti‐immunoglobulin G antibodies, and cadmium telluride QDs are patterned in a microarray fashion in order to demonstrate functionality, reproducibility, and versatility of the proposed substrate. Additionally, a GO layer is effectively and homogeneously self‐assembled onto the studied functionalized surface. This approach offers a quick and simple alternative to immobilize nanomaterials and proteins, which is appealing for new bioanalytical and nanobioenabled applications.     

In situ measurements of human cough aerosol hygroscopicity

The airborne dynamics of respiratory droplets, and the transmission routes of pathogens embedded within them, are governed primarily by the diameter of the particles. These particles are composed of the fluid which lines the respiratory tract, and is primarily mucins and salts, which will interact with the atmosphere and evaporate to reach an equilibrium diameter. Measuring organic volume fraction (OVF) of cough aerosol has proved challenging due to large variability and low material volume produced after coughing. Here, the diametric hygroscopic growth factors (GF) of the cough aerosol produced by healthy participants were measured in situ using a rotating aerosol suspension chamber and a humidification tandem differential mobility analyser. Using hygroscopicity models, it was estimated that the average OVF in the evaporated cough aerosol was 0.88 ± 0.07 and the average GF at 90% relative humidity (RH) was 1.31 ± 0.03. To reach equilibrium in dry air the droplets will reduce in diameter by a factor of approximately 2.8 with an evaporation factor of 0.36 ± 0.05. Hysteresis was observed in cough aerosol at RH = ∼35% and RH = ∼65% for efflorescence and deliquescence, respectively, and may depend on the OVF. The same behaviour and GF were observed in nebulized bovine bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.     

Solid-state phase transformations toward a metal-organic framework of 7-connected Zn4O secondary building units

In the development of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), secondary building units (SBUs) have been utilized as molecular modules for the construction of nanoporous materials with robust structures. Under solvothermal synthetic conditions, dynamic changes in the metal coordination environments and ligand coordination modes of SBUs determine the resultant product structures. Alternatively, MOF phases with new topologies can also be achieved by post-synthetic treatment of as-synthesized MOFs via the introduction of acidic or basic moieties that cause the simultaneous cleavage/reformation of coordination bonds in the solid state. In this sense, we studied the solid-state transformation of two ndc-based Zn-MOFs (ndc = 1,4-naphthalene dicarboxylate) with different SBUs but the same pcu topology to another MOF with sev topology. One of the chosen MOFs with pcu nets is [Zn₂(ndc)₂(bpy)]_n (bpy = 4,4′-bipyridine), (6C_bpy-MOF) consisting of a 6-connected pillared-paddlewheel SBU, and the other is IRMOF-7 composed of 6-connected Zn₄O(COO)₆ SBUs and ndc. Upon post-structural modification, these pcu MOFs were converted into the same MOF with sev topology constructed from the uncommon 7-connected Zn₄O(COO)₇ SBU (7C-MOF). The appropriate post-synthetic conditions for the transformation of each SBUs were systematically examined. In addition, the effect of the pillar molecules in the pillared-paddlewheel MOFs on the topology conversion was studied in terms of the linker basicity, which determines the inertness during the solid-state phase transformation. This post-synthetic modification approach is expected to expand the available methods for designing and synthesizing MOFs with controlled topologies.