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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Cell Modulation Using Functionalized Nanoparticles, Rui Tang
Cell Modulation Using Functionalized Nanoparticles, Rui Tang
Doctoral Dissertations
Monolayer functionalized ultra-small gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) provide a versatile platform for applications in cell research. Through rational design of surface ligands, the chemistry of AuNPs are precisely regulated at atomic level. In this dissertation, applications of AuNPs in cell modulation are discussed. The topics are split into two categories. In the first category, functionalized AuNPs are harnessed to generate a robust monolayer on cell culture surface for cell modulation. The proliferation and behavior of different types of cancer cells and normal cells are modulated by tuning the surface ligands of AuNPs. Fate decision of mesenchymal stem cells are also modulated …
Refractive Index Engineering And Optical Properties Enhancement By Polymer Nanocomposites, Cheng Li
Refractive Index Engineering And Optical Properties Enhancement By Polymer Nanocomposites, Cheng Li
Doctoral Dissertations
The major part of this dissertation discusses the engineering of the refractive index of materials using solution-processable polymer nanocomposites and their applications in building optical components and devices. Three particular polymer nanocomposites have been introduced to achieve materials with tunable refractive indices and enhanced optical properties, which can be used to manipulate the behavior of light or electromagnetic radiations. In the first system, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)/polymer nanocomposites are developed. Thin films with tunable, low refractive indicies were fabricated from the composites. The mechanical strength of these films was characterized, and their application in antireflective coatings is discussed. In the …
Supramolecular Strategies For The Generation Of Nanoparticle Assemblies And Biomolecular Thin Films, Bradley P. Duncan
Supramolecular Strategies For The Generation Of Nanoparticle Assemblies And Biomolecular Thin Films, Bradley P. Duncan
Doctoral Dissertations
The conceptual framework of supramolecular chemistry elucidates a powerful set of strategies for chemists to generate functional nanomaterials based on intermolecular forces. My research focused on tuning the molecular interactions of nanoscale components to create larger structures with enhanced properties. In one approach, I developed and optimized an additive-free, nanoimprint lithography-based methodology to generate stable thin films from a variety of proteins. The generalized process retains intrinsic properties of the protein as demonstrated by selective cellular adhesion. The heat and pressure of the nanoimprinting process induces slight structural reorganization of the peptide side chains to yield highly stable films held …