Journal article
Stability of free-standing tetraether planar membranes in microchips
Journal of membrane science, v 540, pp 27-34
15 Oct 2017
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Here, we used electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to demonstrate that the polar lipid fraction E (PLFE), a major bipolar tetraether lipid component isolated from thermoacidophilic archaea, can form free-standing planar membranes with remarkable membrane stability in comparison to planar membranes made of diester lipids or triblock copolymers. Stable PLFE planar membranes were generated on micro-pores ranging from 20 to 200 mu m in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) thin films embedded in a specially made glass/silicon two-chamber microchip. The micro-pore-containing PDMS thin film was fabricated by using a double-side molding approach, which created surface flatness on both sides of the film, removing pore cliffs and thus reducing the variations in the fabrication of free-standing planar membranes. We found that, at 11-39 degrees C, PLFE free standing planar membranes embedded in the microchips not only did not break, but also exhibited electrical impedance virtually invariant over the entire time period (5-50 h) examined. The stability of PLFE free-standing planar membranes, which is on the order of days and achieved without having lipid polymerization nor using nano-pores, is unusual for naturally occurring lipids. This extraordinary stability is attributed mainly to the strong PLFE-PLFE hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions and to the possible interactions between PLFE molecules and the PDMS substrate. This study indicates that the use of PLFE can greatly reduce the instability problem of traditional black lipid membranes and that incorporating unusually stable PLFE planar membranes into microdevices is feasible. In summary, bipolar tetraether lipids such as PLFE are excellent materials to make extremely stable yet biologically relevant free-standing planar membranes suitable for use in chip-based membrane technologies.
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Details
- Title
- Stability of free-standing tetraether planar membranes in microchips
- Creators
- Xiang Ren - Drexel UniversityE. Caglan Kumbur - Drexel University, Mechanical Engineering and MechanicsJack G. Zhou - Drexel UniversityMoses Noh - Drexel UniversityParkson Lee-Gau Chong - Temple University
- Publication Details
- Journal of membrane science, v 540, pp 27-34
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 8
- Grant note
- CBET1437930; CBET1437798 / National Science Foundation; National Science Foundation (NSF) 1437930 / Div Of Chem, Bioeng, Env, & Transp Sys; National Science Foundation (NSF); NSF - Directorate for Engineering (ENG)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000407954300004
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85021097870
- Other Identifier
- 991019167620404721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Engineering, Chemical
- Polymer Science