@article{doi:10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c05158,

title = {Use of Humidity Controlled Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Simultaneous Grazing Incidence Small Angle X-ray Scattering to Investigate the Self-assembly and Energetics of Lipid Thin Films},

author = {Jack Macklin and Christian Pfrang and Paul Wady and Wanli Liu and Ruaridh Davidson and Adam Milsom and Adam Squires},

url = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c05158},

doi = {10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c05158},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-04-16},

urldate = {2025-04-16},

journal = {Langmuir},

volume = {0},

number = {0},

pages = {null},

abstract = {We present a novel method of analyzing lyotropic liquid crystal mesophases─self-organized amphiphile-water nanomaterials─using in situ grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GI-SAXS) on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) in a controlled humidity environment. This combination simultaneously gives nanostructural dimensions and phase symmetry (through SAXS), compositional data (% water by weight, from QCM data), and water activity within the sample (from the equilibrium relative humidity above the film), as the sample film takes up and releases water during humidity sweeps. Analysis of the combined data provides immediate access to information typically built up from experiments on multiple individual samples prepared at different fixed compositions. Our approach greatly reduces the required sample quantities and preparation time while avoiding issues with sample-to-sample variations thanks to the collection of the multiple parameters simultaneously. It also extends the accessible range to the low water content region of the phase diagram, which is harder to access by fixed composition measurements and is highly relevant to coatings and powders exposed to ambient humidities. Here, we present data on dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine/water lamellar phases. Our calculated bilayer thickness and interbilayer repulsion values show good agreement with published data obtained from multiple individual samples, and we clearly demonstrate the ability to extend to lower water contents.},

note = {PMID: 40235269},

keywords = {humidity, lipids, openQCM Holder, openQCM Q-1, QCM, Quartz Crystal Microbalance, Thickness, Thin films, Water},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{hunter2024covalent,

title = {Covalent Capture of Nanoparticle-Stabilized Oil Droplets via Acetal Chemistry Using a Hydrophilic Polymer Brush},

author = {Saul J Hunter and Evelin Csányi and Joshua JS Tyler and Mark A Newell and Matthew AH Farmer and Camery Ma and George Sanderson and Graham J Leggett and Edwin C Johnson and Steven P Armes},

url = {https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c03897},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c03897},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-12-06},

urldate = {2024-01-01},

journal = {Langmuir},

publisher = {ACS Publications},

abstract = {We report the capture of nanosized oil droplets using a hydrophilic aldehyde-functional polymer brush. The brush was obtained via aqueous ARGET ATRP of a cis-diol-functional methacrylic monomer from a planar silicon wafer. This precursor was then selectively oxidized using an aqueous solution of NaIO4 to introduce aldehyde groups. The oil droplets were prepared by using excess sterically stabilized diblock copolymer nanoparticles to prepare a relatively coarse squalane-in-water Pickering emulsion (mean droplet diameter = 20 μm). This precursor was then further processed via high-pressure microfluidization to produce ∼200 nm squalane droplets. We demonstrate that adsorption of these nanosized oil droplets involves acetal bond formation between the cis-diol groups located on the steric stabilizer chains and the aldehyde groups on the brush. This interaction occurs under relatively mild conditions and can be tuned by adjusting the solution pH. Hence this is a useful model system for understanding oil droplet interactions with soft surfaces.},

keywords = {Adsorption, lipids, Liquids, Nanoemulsions, nanoparticles, openQCM NEXT, QCM, QCM-D, Quartz Crystal Microbalance},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{piosik2022development,

title = {Development of Aminated Chitosan-Functionalized Magnetite Nanoparticles Enriched with Zinc Phthalocyanine: Detailed Photophysical and Model Cell Membrane Studies},

author = {Emilia Piosik and Michał Kotkowiak and Anna Modlińska and Dorota Chełminiak-Dudkiewicz and Marta Ziegler-Borowska},

url = {https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.jpcc.2c04758},

doi = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.2c04758},

year  = {2022},

date = {2022-01-01},

urldate = {2022-01-01},

journal = {The Journal of Physical Chemistry C},

publisher = {ACS Publications},

abstract = {Stimuli-induced anticancer therapies based on remotely activated nanoagents have drawn a great deal of attention as attractive alternatives to conventional therapies. The rapid development of nanomaterial functionalization in the past few decades has allowed for the tailoring of hybrid nanoagents with dual anticancer activity and the simultaneous application of two complementary stimuli-triggered therapies, enhancing a therapeutic effect. In this study, the synthesis and characterization of the novel aminated chitosan-coated magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) with zinc(II) phthalocyanine (ZnPc) immobilized on their surface are presented. The synthetized ZnPc-MNPs combine the superparamagnetic properties of MNPs and the photosensitizing potential of ZnPc, which makes them promising nanomaterials with application potential in dual anticancer therapy based on hyperthermia and photodynamic effects. To understand and describe the mechanism of the ZnPc-MNPs action at the molecular level, we used a variety of surface approaches. Analytical techniques provided information on the structure, morphology, and size of the obtained ZnPc-MNPs. The stationary and time-resolved spectroscopy methods showed that the immobilization of the photosensitizer on the MNP surface boosts its photophysical parameters important from a photodynamic therapy point of view. Because of the decrease in the fraction of excitation energy exchange into heat of the ZnPc-MNPs, the singlet oxygen generation quantum yield increased to 0.57, improving its anticancer activity. Moreover, it was shown that ZnPc immobilized on the MNP surface does not aggregate even despite aggregation of the ZnPc-MNPs. As a result, ZnPc preserves its spectral properties beneficial for a photosensitizer. Finally, the effect of the ZnPc-MNPs on model cell membranes formed by applying a Langmuir technique was studied. The studies performed indicate that the MNPs introduced into the phospholipid monolayer at low concentrations do not significantly disturb its thermodynamic state, or the domain structure, which is promising in terms of their biocompatibility.},

keywords = {absorption, compression, lipids, monolayers, photosensitization},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}