Temp-controlled 'nanopores' may allow detailed blood analysis

Today I tried to pass 5 nm gold through three different membranes with similar cut-offs but distinct mean diameters and porosities.  All the samples I used were ozoned yesterday and tested for water permeability. Based on the absorbance measurements, it seems that the 5 nm Au passes through 582 and 558 but not the carbonized…

Method: Oxide membranes in some conditions have been shown to wrinkle over time.  To study this, three different varieties of SiO2 membranes were observed (1000C nonporous 120nm SiO2, 150W deposited microporous low-density 300nm SiO2, and 100W deposited microporous low-density300nm  SiO2).  Beads were placed on the top of each membrane and given ~24 hours to settle…

Although most previous studies suggest a weakened cell-substrate interaction over porous membranes, there are variations in the observed cell responses, likely due to the use of different cell types, substrate materials, and experimental methods. We are seeking to develop a computational model using the Active Brownian Particle (ABP) approach to study the role of pore…

Josh Miller came up with the idea of filling individual damaged membrane channels with PDMS so the rest of the chip could be salvaged. We worked on it this week, mostly Josh, and we developed a process using strips of silicone laid on the top (flat) side of the damaged channel and PDMS injected onto…

I got some wafers from Chris last week(?) that had undergone different Megasonics cleaning treatments by the manufacturer.  We’re trying to figure out if these treatments are actually cleaning the wafers.  I’ve been having trouble getting the AFM to stay in the “right” mode for imaging with these wafers.  However, I have gotten some images….