Smart Membranes and Sensors: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications

This book addresses the reader to use synergistically the concepts of membranes and sensors materials. It contains insightful contributions from leading scientists working in both the fields. The focus is on the fabrication of smart membranes from sensor materials and related impact on many technologically sophisticated areas such as telemedicine, microfluidics, drug delivery targeting, (bio)separation, labs-on-a-chip, textiles, power storage and release, environment monitoring, agro-food safety, cosmetics, architecture, automotive and so on. This book covers various topics, including the choice of materials and techniques for assembling responsive membranes with ability to transport mass, energy and signals on demand; the reader will find through the book an extensive description of the best techniques used to monitor molecular scale events, which are regarded as responsible for the smartness of multifunctional objects and for the conversion of chemical signals into optical, electrical, thermal and mechanical responses. The reader is encouraged to use this cross-disciplinary discussion for his own research. Chemical, biological and physical concepts, expressed through the book, contribute to form a common language, which will allow the reader to discover causes for reflection and innovation, measuring how smart objects with desired properties can be tailored from exiting materials and used flexibly for different developed applications. Specifically: This book deals with materials smartness and suitable techniques to assemble and characterize them in sensor-like membranes. This book shows how ultra-smart functional devices can be accomplished by using traditional raw materials. This book describes particular key events, which control 'sense to react and adapt' mechanisms. The potential of sensor-like membranes in some key strategic fields is examined with particular emphasis on biomedicine, food and textiles markets. The benefits arising from the use of smart membranes are analysed in terms of life quality, safety, and innovation.

Table of Contents:
Preface Part 1: Sensing Materials for Smart Membranes 1 1 Interfaces Based on Carbon Nanotubes, Ionic Liquids and Polymer Matrices for Sensing and Membrane Separation Applications 3 María Belén Serrano-Santos, Ana Corres Ortega, and Thomas Schäfer 1.1 Introduction 3 1.2 Ionic Liquid-Carbon Nanotubes Composites for Sensing Interfaces 5 1.3 Ionic Liquid Interfaces for Detection and Separation of Gases and Solvents 11 1.4 Ionic Liquid-Polymer Interfaces for Membrane Separation Processes 16 1.5 Conclusions 18 Acknowledgement 19 References 19 2 Photo-Responsive Hydrogels for Adaptive Membranes 21 David Díaz Díaz and Jeremiah A. Johnson 2.1 Introduction 21 2.2 Photo-Responsive Hydrogel Membranes 23 2.3 Photo-Thermally Responsive Hydrogel Membranes 44 2.4 Summary 46 2.5 Acknowledgements 48 Abbreviations 48 References 49 3 Smart Vesicles: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications 53 Jung-Keun Kim, Chang-Soo Lee, and Eunji Lee 3.1 Introduction 53 3.2 Synthesis of Soft Vesicles 54 3.3 Synthesis of Hard Vesicles 64 3.4  Characterization of Vesicular Structures 68 3.5 Stimuli-Responsive Behaviors of Vesicular Structures 72 3.6  Application of Vesicles 78 3.7 Conclusions 91 Acknowledgment 92 References 92 Part 2: Stimuli-Responsive  Interfaces 105 4 Computational Modeling of Sensing Membranes and Supramolecular Interactions 107 Giacomo Saielli 4.1 Introduction 107 4.2 Non-covalent Interactions: A Physical and a Chemical View 109 4.3 Physical Interactions 109 4.4 Chemical Interactions 114 4.5 Computational Methods for Supramolecular Interactions 117 4.6 Classical Force Fields 127 4.7 Conclusions 139 References 140 5 Sensing Techniques Involving Thin Films for Studying Biomolecular Interactions and Membrane Fouling Phenomena 145 Gabriela Diaconu and Thomas Schäfer 5.1 Introduction 145 5.2 Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring (QCM-D) 146 5.3 Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) 148 5.4 Applications of SPR and QCM-D 151 5.5 Conclusions 159 Acknowledgements 160 References 160 6 Smart Membrane Surfaces: Wettability Amplification and Self-Healing 161 Annarosa Gugliuzza 6.1 Introduction 161 6.2 Basics of surface wettability 162 6.3 Amplified Wettability 164 6.4 Actuation Mechanisms 165 6.5 Self-Powered Liquid Motion 170 6.6 Self-Cleaning Mechanisms 172 6.7 Self-Healing Concepts And Strategies 175 6.8 Repairable Surface Properties 177 6.9 Conclusions and Perspectives 179 References 180 7 Model Bio-Membranes Investigated by AFM and AFS: A Suitable Tool to Unravel Lipid Organization and their Interaction with Proteins 185 Andrea Alessandrini and Paolo Facci 7.1 Introduction 186 7.2 Supported Lipid Bilayers 189 7.3 Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Phase Behavior of Slbs 199 7.4 Atomic Force Spectroscopy (AFS) of Supported Lipid Bilayers 205 7.5 Lipid/Protein Interactions 213 7.6 Conclusions 218 References 218 Part 3: Directed Molecular Separation 227 8 Self-Assembled Nanoporous Membranes for Controlled Drug Release and Bioseparation 229 Dominique Scalarone, Pierangiola Bracco, and Francesco Trotta 8.1 Introduction 229 8.2 General Aspects of Block Copolymer Self-Assembly 231 8.3 Block Copolymer Based Membranes 233 8.4 Fabrication of Nanoporous Membranes Derived from Block Copolymers 234 8.5 Tunability of Surface Properties 242 8.6 Application of Block Copolymer Derived Membranes to Bioseparation and Controlled Drug Release 244 8.7 Conclusion 250 References 250 Abbreviations 253 9 Hybrid Mesoporous Silica for Drug Targeting 255 Luigi Pasqua, Piluso Rosangela, Ilenia Pelaggi, and Catia Morelli 9.1 Introduction 256 9.2 Synthesis and Characterization of Bifunctional Hybrid Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Potentially Useful for Drug Targeting 257 9.3 Drug-Loaded Folic-Acid-Grafted Msns Specifically Target FR Expressing Tumour Cells [16] 260 9.4 Conclusion 266 References 268 10 Molecular Recognition-driven Membrane Processes 269 Laura Donato, Rosalinda Mazzei, Catia Algieri, Emma Piacentini, Teresa Poerio, and Lidietta Giorno 10.1 Molecular Imprinting Technique 270 10.2 Affinity Membranes 275 10.3 Cyclodextrins As Molecular Recognition Elements 281 10.4 Zeolite Membranes as Molecular Recognition Devices: Preparation and Characterization 283 10.5 Functionalized Particles-loaded Membranes For Selective Separation Based On Molecular Recognition 287 10.6 Biphasic Enzyme Membrane Systems with Enantioselective Recognition Properties ror Kinetic Resolution 291 10.7 Membrane Surface Modification 292 References 296 Part 4: Membrane Sensors and Challenged Applications 301 11 Electrospun Membranes for Sensors Applications 303 Pierangiola Bracco, Dominique Scalarone, and Francesco Trotta 11.1 Introduction 303 11.2 Basic Principles of Electrospinning 304 11.3 Control of the Electrospinning Process 306 11.4 Application of Electrospun Materials to Ultrasensitive Sensors 311 11.5 Conclusions 329 Abbreviations 330 References 330 12 Smart Sensing Scaffolds 337 Carmelo De Maria, Yudan Whulanza, Giovanni Vozzi, and Arti Ahluwalia 12.1 Introduction 337 12.2 Composite Sensing Biomaterial Preparation 339 12.3 Composite Sensing Biomaterial Characterisation 340 12.4 SWNTs-Based Composite Films Structural Properties 341 12.5 Tensile Properties of SWNTs-Based Composite Films 343 12.6 Electrical Properties of SWNTs-Based Composites Films 348 12.7 Electromechanical Characterisation and Strain-Dependence Measurement 350 12.8 Cell Sensing Scaffolds 352 12.9 Processing of CNT Composite: Microfabrication of Sensing Scaffold 360 12.10 Conclusions 361 References 362 13 Nanostructured Sensing Emulsion Droplets and Particles: Properties and Formulation by Membrane Emulsification 367 Emma Piacentini, Alessandra Imbrogno, and Lidietta Giorno 13.1 Introduction 367 13.2 Emulsions and Emulsification Methods 370 13.3 Senging Particles Produced by Membrane-Based Process 389 13.4 Conclusions 397 References 398 14 Membranes for Ultra-Smart Textiles 401 Annarosa Gugliuzza and Enrico Drioli 14.1 Introduction 401 14.2 Membranes and Comfort 403 14.3 Adaptive Membranes for Smart Textiles 407 14.4 Barrier Functions of Membranes 411 14.5 Membrane Materials for Self-cleaning Function 413 14.6 Interactive Membranes for Wearable Electronics 414 14.7 Conclusions and Prospects 415 References 416

About the Author :
Dr Annarosa Gugliuzza received her PhD in chemical science in 1999 and since 2001 is a senior researcher at the Institute of the Membrane Technology at the University of Calabria, Italy. She is a membrane technologist with interests in self-assembly technologies for the fabrication of nanocomposite functional membranes with very high levels of organization, structure, dynamics and associated properties, including super-hydrophobicity, super-hydrophilicity, self-cleaning, sensing, separation and catalysis.