Nanostructuring of a porous alumina matrix for a biomolecular microarray

Abstract

This paper describes a nanoporous substrate for applications in biomedical diagnostics. A photolithographic microstructuring technique for an ordered nanopore array fabrication is reported. The process uses a negative resist with hydrophobic properties increasing specificity to biomolecule linking. Nanoporous alumina is formed by an anodic process and yields straight holes with high aspect ratio: its use as substrates for DNA-microarray or protein-chip application offers several advantages over conventional supports, making them very attractive to use as supports for biological sample microarray application.

Protein Confinement in the Anodic Porous Alumina Microarray

“…Nanostructuring of a porous alumina matrix for a biomolecular microarray was at the onset of APA into Nanotechnology [23] with a classical protocol, in the present study APA have a more expanded volume during the growth of pores. Lysozyme labelled with fluorescence marker (CFSE) has been successfully confined in APA by spin-coating technique.…”

Protein Crystallization by Anodic Porous Alumina (APA) Template: The Example of Hen Egg White Lysozyme (HEWL)

“…In this report, we present lysozyme crystallization obtained with anodic porous alumina (APA) nanotemplate, prepared by photolithographic microstructuring technique and two-step anodization process [27]. Due to its specific properties, the APA material could offer several advantages in biophysical and biochemical applications: high surface area enlargement, improved microfluidic properties, easy and cheap manufacturability, flexibility in porous dimension and mechanical straight enhancement [28].…”

Luminescence of Lanthanides from Xerogels Embedded in Mesoporous Matrices

“…High-transparency of anodic alumina oxide on the one hand and strong optical anisotropy on the other hand may be the reasons of growing interest to exploit this material as a cage for light-emitting species. Filling the channels of the pores of anodic alumina films with silica [36][37][38], titania [23,[39][40][41][42], alumina [43][44][45] xerogels doped with lanthanide ions Er [37][38][39], Tb [23,38,44] and Eu [35,[40][41][42]45], organic dyes [46], semiconductor nanocrystals [47,48], polymers [ 49,50], quantum dots [51,52], and biological samples [53] was investigated, and strong luminescence of optically active species incorporated in voids of anodic alumina or, probably, in its walls [54,55] was reported.…”