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Katja Loos

Publications and source records attributed to Katja Loos.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Combinatorial approach to study enzyme/surface interactions.

A fast combinatorial approach to access information about the immobilization behavior and kinetics of enzymes on a variation of surfaces is presented. As a test system, Candida Antarctica Lipase B was immobilized on a self-assembled monolayer bearing a gradient of surface energy. The respective immobilization behavior was monitored by Fourier transform infrared micro-spectroscopy. In addition, the activity of the immobilized enzyme was monitored over the entire film in real time with a specially developed fluorescence activity assay embedded into a siloxane gel. It was found that the highest amount of active protein was immobilized on the hydrophilic end of the gradient surface. This effect is associated with a higher surface roughness of this area resulting in hydrophobic micro-environments in which the enzyme gets immobilized.

Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques↗

One-step synthesis of core(Cr)/shell(gamma-Fe(2)O(3)) nanoparticles.

Core(Cr)/shell(gamma-Fe(2)O(3)) nanoparticles were synthesized by mixing Fe(CO)(5) and Cr(CO)(6) in the 9:1 ratio. These particles exhibit narrow size distribution with 13.5 nm as mean diameter and uniform spherical shape. The TEM image, which is in good agreement with the synchrotron powder XRD pattern, reveals the heterogeneous nature (core/shell structure). The analysis of the pattern reveals gamma-Fe(2)O(3) structure and a metal crystal structure. Mossbauer spectra, which support the superparamagnetic behavior determined by H-M measurement, do not show any traceable amount of Fe(0). This suggests that the metal component is Cr. EELS analysis and iron mapping suggest controlled stoichiometry and also confirm a core made of Cr and a shell made of gamma-Fe(2)O(3).

Journal Article↗

Controlling the size of magnetic nanoparticles using pluronic block copolymer surfactants.

We have successfully controlled the size of magnetic nanoparticles by adjusting the surfactant/solvent ratio. Gamma-Fe(2)O(3) nanoparticles of 5.6 and 12.7, and Fe(0) nanoparticles of 22.3 nm in diameter were prepared, all having spherical shape and uniform size as confirmed by TEM. Mössbauer spectra confirmed Fe(3+) for the 5.6 and 12.7 nm particles and Fe(3+) and Fe(0) for 22.3 nm particles, in good agreement with synchrotron XRD patterns. Both room temperature and 5 K H-M measurements show that 22.3 nm particles have much higher magnetization than their oxide counterparts, in agreement with their being Fe(0). T-M measurements show superparamagnetism for 5.6 and 12.7 nm particles and ferromagnetism for 22.3 nm particles.

Ferric Compounds↗

Mixed self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiolates on ultrasmooth gold do not exhibit contact-angle hysteresis.

We present the first study of mixed alkanethiolate SAMs on ultrasmooth gold surfaces. By eliminating surface roughness, it became possible, for the first time, to investigate wetting properties as a function of surface chemical composition. In three different surface compositions, it was found that contact-angle hysteresis apparently vanished. This suggests that surface chemical heterogeneity does not contribute to contact-angle hysteresis in mixed SAMs on ultrasmooth gold surfaces.

Journal Article↗

Doping gamma-Fe(2)O(3) nanoparticles with Mn(III) suppresses the transition to the alpha-Fe(2)O(3) structure.

Here we report on a mixed oxide system, gamma-Fe2O3 nanoparticles doped with Mn(III), where the transition from the cubic to the more stable hexagonal alpha-Fe2O3 structure is suppressed. When amorphous Fe2O3 is heated at 300 degrees C for 3 h, ferrimagnetic gamma-Fe2O3 is observed as the sole product. On the other hand, when the temperature is raised to 500 degrees C, one observes only antiferromagnetic alpha-Fe2O3 as the product. However, upon doping with 8.5 wt % Mn(III), the amorphous nanoparticles crystallized to mainly the gamma-Fe2O3 matrix after heating at 500 degrees C for 3 h, and need to be heated to >650 degrees C for the complete transition to the alpha-Fe2O3 structure to take place.

Journal Article↗

Imaging structured water and bound polysaccharide on mica surface at ambient temperature.

The presence of a water layer on the surface of muscovite mica under ambient conditions is well established. The water molecules are well ordered and seem to be oriented, leading to an icelike monolayer (probably ferroelectric) in epitaxial relation with the mica surface. We have imaged and characterized the height and contact angle of ordered water layer(s) formed by wetting and de-wetting processes on mica surfaces at different states of hydration by tapping mode atomic force microscopy. Implications that the presence of such an ordered water layer may have for imaging of biological samples are also discussed, with consideration of data for the polysaccharide hyaluronan.

Aluminum Silicates↗

Activity of Candida rugosa lipase immobilized on gamma-Fe2O3 magnetic nanoparticles.

We report the stability and enzymatic activity of Candida rugosa Lipase (E.C.3.1.1.3) immobilized on gamma-Fe2O3 magnetic nanoparticles. The immobilization strategies were either reacting the enzyme amine group with a nanoparticle surface acetyl, or amine groups. In the former, the enzyme was attached through a C=N bond, while in the latter it was connected using glutaraldehyde. AFM images show an average particle size of 20 +/- 10 nm after deconvolution. The enzymatic activity of the immobilized lipase was determined by following the ester cleavage of p-nitrophenol butyrate. The covalently immobilized enzyme was stabile and reactive over 30 days.

Candida↗

New routes to the synthesis of amylose-block-polystyrene rod-coil block copolymers.

Hybrid block copolymers amylose-block-polystyrene were synthesized by covalent attachment of maltoheptaose derivatives to end-functionalized polystyrene and subsequent enzymatic grafting from polymerization. The maltoheptaose derivatives were attached by reductive amination or hydrosilation to amino- or SiH-terminated polystyrene (synthesized by anionic polymerization), respectively. The enzymatic polymerization could be started even though the primer-modified polystyrenes were insoluble in the medium of polymerization, i.e., citrate buffer. The polymerization kinetics show an interesting dependence on the molecular weight of polystyrene due to the micellar structure of the primer in water.

Amination↗