Thesis
Graphitic carbon materials tailored for the rapid adsorption of biomolecules
Master of Science (M.S.), Drexel University
Jun 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-6918
Abstract
Sepsis is an overactive inflammatory response to an infection, with 19 million cases estimated worldwide and causing organ dysfunction if left untreated. Three proinflammatory cytokines are seen from literature review as vital biomarkers for sepsis and are interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-[alpha]), which have the potential to be removed by hemoperfusion. This thesis examines carbon nanomaterials for their adsorption capabilities in the search for an optimal material for blood cleansing hemoperfusion application, such as mediating the effects of sepsis. Non-porous and porous carbon polymorphs and their properties are investigated in this thesis for their protein adsorption capabilities. Polymer-derived mesoporous carbons were compared to non-porous graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) to observe changes in adsorption capacity for cytokines between porous and non-porous materials. GNPs were functionalized via high temperature vacuum annealing, air oxidation, acid oxidation, and amination treatments to understand the effect of surface chemistry on adsorption. For practical use in a hemoperfusion column, polymer-derived carbon beads and composite materials such as cryogel and PTFE graphene nanoplatelets composites were designed and tested for their adsorption capacity. It was found that the adsorption kinetics for non-porous materials drastically outperformed porous carbons tested. At concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-[alpha] seen in septic patients, these cytokines were completely removed from the blood after 5 minutes of incubation with GNPs. While GNPs embedded cryogels and PTFE films showed adsorption capability, their performance was hindered by the composite matrix blocking the GNP surface area to the plasma. Cytotoxicity of the GNPs was seen to be minimal, when compared to toxic silver nanoparticles and PVC polymer. Overall, a low-cost, scalable carbon adsorbent was found to provide a novel approach of rapidly removing pro-inflammatory cytokines from septic patients.
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Details
- Title
- Graphitic carbon materials tailored for the rapid adsorption of biomolecules
- Creators
- Nicholas A. Pescatore - DU
- Contributors
- Yury Gogotsi (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Science (M.S.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- xv, 139 pages
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Materials (Science and) Engineering (Metallurgical Engineering) (1970-2026); College of Engineering (1970-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 6918; 991014632220304721