Biomedical subjects

Oomman K Varghese

Publications and source records attributed to Oomman K Varghese.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Anodic growth of highly ordered TiO2 nanotube arrays to 134 microm in length.

Described is the fabrication of self-aligned highly ordered TiO(2) nanotube arrays by potentiostatic anodization of Ti foil having lengths up to 134 mum, representing well over an order of magnitude increase in length thus far reported. We have achieved the very long nanotube arrays in fluoride ion containing baths in combination with a variety of nonaqueous organic polar electrolytes including dimethyl sulfoxide, formamide, ethylene glycol, and N-methylformamide. Depending on the anodization voltage, pore diameters of the resulting nanotube arrays range from 20 to 150 nm. Our longest nanotube arrays yield a roughness factor of 4750 and length-to-width (outer diameter) aspect ratio of approximately 835. The as-prepared nanotubes are amorphous but crystallize with annealing at elevated temperatures. In initial measurements, 45 mum long nanotube-array samples, 550 degrees C annealed, under UV illumination show a remarkable water photoelectrolysis photoconversion efficiency of 16.25%.

Electrodes↗

PubMed2006

Use of highly-ordered TiO(2) nanotube arrays in dye-sensitized solar cells.

We describe the use of highly ordered transparent TiO(2) nanotube arrays in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Highly ordered nanotube arrays of 46-nm pore diameter, 17-nm wall thickness, and 360-nm length were grown perpendicular to a fluorine-doped tin oxide-coated glass substrate by anodic oxidation of a titanium thin film. After crystallization by an oxygen anneal, the nanotube arrays are treated with TiCl(4) to enhance the photogenerated current and then integrated into the DSC structure using a commercially available ruthenium-based dye. Although the negative electrode is only 360-nm-thick, under AM 1.5 illumination the generated photocurrent is 7.87 mA/cm(2), with a photocurrent efficiency of 2.9%. Voltage-decay measurements indicate that the highly ordered TiO(2) nanotube arrays, in comparison to nanoparticulate systems, have superior electron lifetimes and provide excellent pathways for electron percolation. Our results indicate that remarkable photoconversion efficiencies may be obtained, possibly to the ideal limit of approximately 31% for a single photosystem scheme, with an increase of the nanotube-array length to several micrometers.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

PubMed2005

Fabrication of highly ordered TiO2 nanotube arrays using an organic electrolyte.

Anodization of titanium in a fluorinated dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and ethanol mixture electrolyte is investigated. The prepared anodic film has a highly ordered nanotube-array surface architecture. Using a 20 V anodization potential (vs Pt) nanotube arrays having an inner diameter of 60 nm and 40 nm wall thickness are formed. The overall length of the nanotube arrays is controlled by the duration of the anodization, with nanotubes appearing only after approximately 48 h; a 72 h anodization results in a nanotube array approximately 2.3 mum in length. The photoelectrochemical response of the nanotube-array photoelectrodes is studied using a 1 M KOH solution under both UV and visible (AM 1.5) illumination. Enhanced photocurrent density is observed for samples obtained in the organic electrolyte, with an UV photoconversion efficiency of 10.7%.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Enhanced photocleavage of water using titania nanotube arrays.

In this study highly ordered titania nanotube arrays of variable wall thickness are used to photocleave water under ultraviolet irradiation. We demonstrate that the wall thickness and length of the nanotubes can be controlled via anodization bath temperature. We find that the nanotube wall thickness is a key parameter influencing the magnitude of the photoanodic response and the overall efficiency of the water-splitting reaction. For 22 nm inner pore diameter nanotube arrays, those fabricated in a 5 degrees C anodization bath, 224 nm length and 34 nm wall thickness produced a photoanodic response that was thrice that of a nanotube array fabricated in a 50 degrees C anodization bath, 120 nm length and 9 nm wall-thickness. At high anodic polarization, above 1 V, the quantum efficiency under 337 nm illumination was greater than 90%. For the 5 degrees C anodization bath samples (22 nm pore-diameter, 34 nm wall thickness), upon 320-400 nm illumination at an intensity of 100 mW/cm(2), hydrogen gas was generated at the power-time normalized rate of 960 micromol/h W (24 mL/h W) at an overall conversion efficiency of 6.8%. To the best of our knowledge, this hydrogen generation rate is the highest reported for a titania-based photoelectrochemical cell.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Water-photolysis properties of micron-length highly-ordered titania nanotube-arrays.

We report the water photoelectrolysis and photoelectrochemical properties of the titania nanotube arrays as a function of nanotube crystallinity, length (up to 6.4 microm), and pore size. Most noteworthy of our results, under 320-400 nm illumination (98 mW/cm2) the titania nanotube-array photoanodes (area 1 cm2), pore size 110 nm, wall thickness 20 nm, and 6 microm length, generate hydrogen by water photoelectrolysis at a rate of 7.6 mL/hr, with a photoconversion efficiency of 12.25%. The energy-time normalized hydrogen evolution rate is 80 mL/hrW, the largest reported hydrogen photoelectrolysis generation rate for any material system by a factor of four. The highly-ordered nanotubular architecture appears to allow for superior charge separation and charge transport, with a calculated quantum efficiency of over 80% for incident photons with energies larger than the titania bandgap.

Electrochemistry↗

PubMed2005

Numerical simulation of light propagation through highly-ordered titania nanotube arrays: dimension optimization for improved photoabsorption.

Propagation of electromagnetic waves in the ultraviolet-visible range (300 to 600 nm) through a unique highly-ordered titania nanotube array structure is studied using the computational technique of Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD). Through numerical simulation the transmittance, reflectance and absorbance of the nanotube-arrays are obtained as a function of tube length and diameter. The nanotube-arrays are found to completely absorb light having wavelengths less than approximately 330 nm. For wavelengths above 380 nm absorption increases as a function of nanotube length, while above 435 nm absorption increases with decreasing pore size. Computational simulations closely match experimental measurements, indicating the suitability of the computational technique for guiding material optimization.

Absorption↗

PubMed2004

A staphylococcal enterotoxin B magnetoelastic immunosensor.

A magnetoelastic immunosensor for detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) is described. The magnetoelastic sensor is a newly developed mass/elasticity-based transducer of high sensitivity having a material cost of approximately $0.001/sensor. Affinity-purified rabbit anti-SEB antibody was covalently immobilized on magnetoelastic sensors, of dimensions 6 mm x 2 mm x 28 microm. The affinity reaction of biotin-avidin and biocatalytic precipitation are used to amplify antigen-antibody binding events on the sensor surface. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and alkaline phosphatase were examined as the labeled enzymes to induce biocatalytic precipitation. The alkaline phosphatase substrate, 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate (BCIP) produces a dimer, which binds tightly to the sensor surface, inducing a change in sensor resonance frequency. The biosensor demonstrates a linear shift in resonance frequency with staphylococcal enterotoxin B concentration between 0.5 and 5 ng/ml, with a detection limit of 0.5 ng/ml.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

PubMed2004

A magnetoelastic bioaffinity-based sensor for avidin.

A magnetoelastic bioaffinity sensor coupled with biocatalytic precipitation is described for avidin detection. The non-specific adsorption characteristics of streptavidin on different functionalized sensor surfaces are examined. It is found that a biotinylated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) interface can effectively block non-specific adsorption of proteins. Coupled with the PEG immobilized sensor surface, alkaline phosphatase (AP) labeled streptavidin is used to track specific binding on the sensor. This mass-change-based signal is amplified by the accumulation on the sensor of insoluble products of 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate catalyzed by AP. The resulting mass loading on the sensor surface in turn shifts the resonance frequency of the magnetoelastic sensors, with an avidin detection limit of approximately 200 ng/ml.

Avidin↗

PubMed2004

A titania nanotube-array room-temperature sensor for selective detection of hydrogen at low concentrations.

A tremendous variation in electrical resistance, from the semiconductor to metallic range, has been observed in titania nanotube arrays at room temperature, approximately 25 degrees C, in the presence of < or = 1000 ppm hydrogen gas. The nanotube arrays are fabricated by anodizing titanium foil in an aqueous electrolyte solution containing hydrofluoric acid and acetic acid. Subsequently, the arrays are coated with a 10 nm layer of palladium by evaporation. Electrical contacts are made by sputtering a 2 mm diameter platinum disk atop the Pd-coated nanotube array. These sensors exhibit a resistance variation of the order of 10(4) in the presence of 100 ppm hydrogen at 25 degrees C. The sensors demonstrate complete reversibility, repeatability, high selectivity, negligible drift and wide dynamic range. The nanoscale geometry of the nanotubes, in particular the points of tube-to-tube contact, is believed to be responsible for the outstanding hydrogen gas sensitivities.

Acetic Acid↗

PubMed2003

Magnetoelastic immunosensors: amplified mass immunosorbent assay for detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7.

A mass-sensitive magnetoelastic immunosensor for detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 is described, based on immobilization of affinity-purified antibodies attached to the surface of a micrometer-scale magnetoelastic cantilever. Alkaline phosphatase is used as a labeled enzyme to the anti-E. coli O157:H7 antibody, amplifying the mass change associated with the antibody-antigen binding reaction by biocatalytic precipitation of 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate in a pH 10.0 PBS solution. The detection limit of the biosensor is 10(2) E. coli O157:H7 cells/mL. A linear change in the resonance frequency of the biosensor was found to E. coli O157:H7 concentrations ranging from 10(2) to 10(6) cells/mL.

Biosensing Techniques↗

PubMed2003

Metal oxide nanoarchitectures for environmental sensing.

Metal oxide materials are widely used for gas sensing. Capable of operating at elevated temperatures and in harsh environments, they are mechanically robust and relatively inexpensive and offer exquisite sensing capabilities, the performance of which is dependent upon the nanoscale morphology. In this paper we first review different routes for the fabrication of metal oxide nanoarchitectures useful to sensing applications, including mesoporous thin films, nanowires, and nanotubes. Two sensor test cases are then presented. The first case examines the use of highly uniform nanoporous Al2O3 for humidity sensing; we find that such materials can be successfully used as a wide-range humidity sensor. The second test case examines the use of TiO2 nanotubes for hydrogen sensing. Going from a nitrogen atmosphere to one containing 1000 ppm of hydrogen, at 290 degrees C, 22-nm-diameter titania nanotubes demonstrate a 10(4) change in measured resistance with no measurement hysteresis.

Electrochemistry↗

PubMed2003

Synthesis of gold-silica composite nanowires through solid-liquid-solid phase growth.

Nanoscale wires of silicon oxide, and silicon oxide with embedded gold-silicide nanospheres, are synthesized by heating of a gold-coated silicon wafer at temperatures of 1000 degrees C or above, with the resulting wires having diameters ranging from 30 to 150 nm and lengths of approximately 1 mm. This simple fabrication process should make possible economical bulk production of nanowires. Studies indicate that the growth of these gold-silica composite nanowires occurs directly on the silicon wafer by a solid-liquid-solid mechanism.

Crystallization↗