Due to the color centers induced by Na/K volatilization and Sm-doping, Sm-doped KNN transparent ceramics exhibit photochromism and reversible modulations of transmittance/luminescence intensities.

Surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) is a label-free technique used for the quantitation of binding affinities and concentrations for a wide variety of target molecules. Although SPRi is capable of determining binding constants for multiple ligands in parallel, current commercial instruments are limited to a single analyte stream on multiple ligand spots. Measurement of binding kinetics requires the serial introduction of different analyte concentrations; such repeated experiments are conducted manually and are therefore time-intensive. To address these challenges, we have developed an integrated microfluidic array using soft lithography techniques for high-throughput SPRi-based detection and determination of binding affinities of antibodies against protein targets. The device consists of 264 element-addressable chambers isolated by microvalves. The resulting 700 pL chamber volumes, combined with a serial dilution network for simultaneous interrogation of up to six different analyte concentrations, allow for further speeding detection times. To test for device performance, human alpha-thrombin was immobilized on the sensor surface and anti-human alpha-thrombin IgG was injected across the surface at different concentrations. The equilibrium dissociation constant was determined to be 5.0 +/- 1.9 nM, which agrees well with values reported in the literature. The interrogation of multiple ligands to multiple analytes in a single device was also investigated and samples were recovered with no cross-contamination. Since each chamber can be addressed independently, this array is capable of interrogating binding events from up to 264 different immobilized ligands against multiple analytes in a single experiment. The development of high-throughput protein analytic measurements is a critical technology for systems approaches to biology and medicine.

Smart windows with adjustable transmittance via physical stimuli are eagerly desired for sorts of energy‐saving lighting systems. However, reciprocal trade‐off relationship such as high transparency and coloration/discoloration ability exists in smart windows, not conducive to optical‐electrical coupling and leap in performance. Substituting for common composites utilized in smart windows, here, single transparent ceramic‐based smart windows are reported through composition design and defect management strategies to regulate the optoelectronic performances and break off the contradictions between optical transmittance, photo‐thermochromism and electrical conductivity. By first principles calculations and precisely tuning Er3+, Ba2+, Sr2+ concentrations in non‐stoichiometric Er‐doped (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3‐(Ba, Sr)TiO3, the fabricated ceramics exhibit brilliant transparency and multi‐mode dramatical and reversible modulations of pellucidity, photoluminescence intensity, along with conductivity (over fivefold variation), enabling prominent optoelectronic information storage and modulating capacity in vivid potential applications, such as easy‐readout/erasable optical memorizers, photo‐memristors and anti‐counterfeiting displays.

Multi-mode modulations of near-infrared and visible optical behaviors in xNd-KNN translucent ceramics are induced by color center-related photochromism reactions.

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A series of inorganic/poly(4-vinylpyridine)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) (P4VP−PCL) hybrids were prepared to examine the phase behavior of hybridization. Various metal ions including Au3+, Cu2+, Cu+, and Ag+ ions were used for the hybridization. As demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy, the phase transformation of self-assembled nanostructures can be easily induced by adding small amount of metal ions due to the association of metal ions with P4VP block that profoundly creates the extra volume in P4VP microdomain (i.e., gives rise to the significant increase of effective excluded volume) beside the Ag+ ions. The variation in the effective excluded volume (relevant to the degree of domain swelling, as evidenced by small-angle X-ray scattering) is strongly dependent upon the association strength of the metal ions with the P4VP block, as determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The association strength for the formation of the hybrids follows the order of Au3+ > Cu2+ and Cu+ > Ag+. Accordingly, the degree of domain swelling in the hybrids increases with the enhancement of association strength following the order of Au3+ > Cu2+ and Cu+ > Ag+. Furthermore, as demonstrated in the hybrids of Au nanoparticles and P4VP−PCL, a dramatic decrease of the association strength can be found in the hybrids after reduction. Consistent with the theoretical prediction, the reduction of metal ions causes the alleviation of the association strength. The association effect is also dependent upon the particle size; the larger the particle size is, the weaker the association will be. Consequently, the accommodation of the metal nanoparticles within the P4VP microdomain is justified by the size of the metal nanoparticles.

We present a novel bonding technique for poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-based devices employing chemical surface modifications at room temperature. PDMS surfaces were functionalized to present primary amine groups, and glass or gold substrates were functionalized to present carboxylic acid groups. Irreversible bonding was achieved by bringing the two surfaces in contact and reacting at room temperature to form peptide bonds between the substrates. Shear tests reveal the bond strengths achieved to be comparable to values obtained using conventional bonding methods. We also describe the use of carboxyl-terminated silanes on gold surfaces to bond amine-modified PDMS devices. Water contact angle measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the conjugation, a novel result that expands the variety of surface chemistries available for such bonding.

A series of poly(4-vinylpyridine)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) (P4VP-PCL) diblock copolymers of different composition (namely, various nanostructured phases) were synthesized for hybridization with gold precursors. Interesting phase behavior of gold precursors/P4VP-PCL hybrids was found as evidenced by transmission electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Consistent with theoretical prediction, phase transformation in the hybrids with PCL-rich P4VP-PCL can be induced by the introduction of the gold precursors. In particular, the phase transformation can be achieved by introducing a very small amount of the gold precursors because of the significant increase in the effective excluded volume of hybridized P4VP microdomain as identified by SAXS experiments through the analysis of the 1D correlation function. This morphological evolution is referred to as the bridging mechanism, suggesting that the PCL block of the P4VP-PCL in the hybrids might play an important role in blocking the interconnection between hybridized P4VP microdomains. In contrast, disordered morphology was observed in the hybrids with P4VP-rich P4VP-PCL because of the strong association between the gold precursors and the P4VP block that might disrupt the ordered phase from microphase separation.