After experimenting with some different coatings and membrane types in single-well CytoVu devices, here are some representative images of the results: SiN (Nitride) membrane with a Geltrex non-gel coating @ 44hr: 10x: 20x: 40x: SiO2 (Oxide) membrane with a Geltrex non-gel coating @ 42hr: 10x: 20x: 40x: Also, some Live/Dead Assay images were taken on…
I etched 12 pncSi chips and gave it to Chris for EA treatment. I wanted to test 3 storage conditions: gel pack, vacuum container, and water, for total of 4 days including the day of coating as day zero. Unfortunately I got the chips 3 days after the EA treatment, so the time points begin…
Last week I conducted a variety of experiments to try to make a nanofluidic transistor (a device described in detail in this previous journal club post). I did some light optimization of the E-beam deposition of Ag films over a 3nm Ti adhesion layer in the PVD lesker machine and found that 12nm of Ag gives…
I’ve taken fluorescence measurements with the fluorescence microscope on PEGylated and unPEGylated glass coverslips and SiN chips. Six coverslips and six chips were prepared. Samples were treated exactly the same, save for the fact that half the samples had PEG Silane in their treatment and half did not (though they were still bathed in toluene…
Karl and I attempted once again to filter particles with the SiN-NP 5 slot SEPCON chips. (wafer # 1019, 27% porosity, avg. pore dia. – 54 nm in the center, 30%, 61 nm at the perimeter, histograms below) We started trying to first pass 20 nm red fluorospheres, then block 100 nm yellow fluorospheres,…
Over the last week, I’ve run a discoloration assay similar to one run a while back (Barrett’s post here). It was demonstrated in a subsequent paper (Agrawal2010) that annealing the pnc-Si films prevents discoloration of the membrane, which he tied to the nanomembrane remaining intact. I was given a few chips from the recent TEOS lot,…
The following procedure is a first draft of the procedure used by Jim and I in an attempt to label BSA with TRITC. This is likely to be updated with photos of the procedure in the future. Prepare reaction buffer by dissolving 1.7g sodium bicarbonate in 200mL of water for a 100mM concentration. Begin to…
When the HUVECs were first brought up, the first test for me to perform was to see how they reacted to CMFDA and repeated fluorescent excitations. Based on the implications from previous research (summarized here), there is the possibility of harm or phototoxicity from the dye. Since HUVECs are more valuable and ‘fragile’ than either…
For the upcoming tests I have planned for H2 purification, I need a fixture to hold the pnc-Si membranes (Sepcon format) that is compatible with operation up to 500 C. No polymers are going to work. I describe the approach I’m working on below. I heard that Karl is developing a holder similar to what…
On June 10th, 11th, and 12th I was in Boise, ID for the North American Membrane Society (NAMS) annual meeting. While there, I presented Jess’s work on the EO pump in a poster session. I got the chance to meet Andrew Zydney of Penn State, Peter Pintauro of Vanderbilt, and hang out with our Clarkson collaborators Ruth Baltus and…