Here, it is demonstrated that the stack-and-draw approach can be expanded to unusual materials association and profile geometries to generate fiber assemblies with unprecedented functionalities. This approach relies on the stacking of flat oxide glass slides into a preform, which is then thermally elongated into tens-of-meters-long ribbon fibers with preserved cross-section ratio. Fabrication methodology is introduced. In order to illustrate the versatility of the method, a panel of fibers with diverse geometries and functions is exposed, including glass-only exposed-core fibers for chemical sensing and, upon the insertion of metal electrodes, H-shaped multi-cavity structures and compact, glass-metal fiber optical detectors applied to a gas analysis by means of fiber-tip plasma spectroscopy. It is believed this new approach will offer an attractive, straightforward solution for designing innovative, complex multimaterial fiber platforms with enhanced functionalities.
The development of novel sensing systems requires breakthroughs in the conception of multifunctional materials. In this sense, while extensive research has been dedicated to the individual tuning of the electrical or optical properties of different materials, the combination of both features would result in a promising field of research that would further extend opportunities for engineering novel function in sensor geometries. In the present work, we employed a highly attractive optical material for mid-infrared (MIR) sensing (chalcogenide glasses, ChG) and focused on the spatial control of its surface electrical potential via a thermoelectrical imprinting process. Different glass compositions based on the system Ge-Sb-S-Na were prepared by varying the sulfur stoichiometry and the sodium content. Each glass was thermally poled using electrodes with specific patterns, and subsequent structural modifications and surface electrical potential were then evaluated via Raman spectroscopy and Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM). Raman cartographies show structural modifications attributed to alkali depletion following the patterns of the electrodes used for the imprinting process. Furthermore, KPFM measurements show clearly defined motifs on the electrical potential which are associated to charges implanted into the glass matrix. It was shown that the surface potential can vary in sign within an amplitude range of 10V and exhibit patterning at the micrometer scale. We observed that the efficiency of the surface
Protein surface patterning is employed in a broad spectrum of applications ranging from protein microarray analysis to 2D cell organization. However, limitations arise because of the highly sensitive nature of proteins requiring careful handling to ensure their structural and functional integrity during the grafting process. Here, we describe a patterning protocol that keeps proteins in an aqueous environment during their immobilization, avoiding the loss of their biological activity. The procedure is based on the UV-mediated removal of polyethylene glycol self-assembled monolayers in a transparent microfluidic chamber, giving access to micrometric motifs of predefined geometries. Afterward, modified proteins can be grafted on the photopatterned domains. We also studied the influence of reactive oxygen species for a better understanding of the chemical mechanism involved in this process. Finally, as a proof of concept, a protein microarray was created with this process using cell-capturing antibodies to immobilize human blood cells, confirming the functionality of the arrayed proteins.
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