Recently we reported on a new isotope effect [1]: During the growth of natural amethyst, Si02 with different lsO content is incorporated at crystallo­ graphically different faces of the crystal, the 180 / 160 ratio increasing in the order z-face, r-face, m-face. Meanwhile a similar effect in natural calcite was re­ ported by J. A. D. Dickson [2]. Care must be taken if one wants to single out su...

Dr Al Kobaisi investigated the synthesis and characterisation of a series of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs). He employed surface area determinations and other physico-chemical measurements to comprehensively explore the factors influencing their porosity, pore-size distribution and selectivity. In the course of the investigation, an MIP was developed which, when coated as a thin film on ...

A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) was utilized to measure the water content in ethanol. For the improvement of measurement sensitivity, the QCM was modified by applying zeolite particles on the surface with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) binder. The measurement performance was examined with ethanol of 1% to 5% water content in circulation. The experimental results showed that the frequency ...

Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) biosensor technology was used to study the interaction of the DNA-binding domain (DBD) of the transcription factor RXRα with immobilized specific (DR1) and unspecific (DR1neg) DNA oligoduplexes. We identify the QCM sensor frequency at the susceptance minimum (fBmin) as a better measuring parameter, and we show that fBmin is proportional to the mass adsorbed at ...

Protein adsorption onto titanium (Ti) or zirconia (ZrO2) was evaluated using a 27 MHz quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). As proteins, fibronectin (Fn), a cell adhesive protein, and albumin (Alb), a cell adhesion-inhibiting protein, were evaluated. The Ti and ZrO2 sensors for QCM were characterized by atomic force microscopy and electron probe microanalysis observation, measurement of contact an...

A quartz crystal microbalance was used for real-time monitoring of fibrinogen cross-linking on three model biomaterial surfaces. Fibrinogen adsorbs slowly and forms a less rigid multi-layer on hydrophobic surfaces, while it adsorbs quickly, forming a single mono-layer on hydrophilic surfaces. The extent of fibrinogen cross-linking is greater on hydrophobic surfaces. Fibrinogen cross-linking can...

A resonant mirror biosensor, IAsys, and a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) are known independently as surface sensitive analytical devices capable of label-free and in situ bioassays. In this study, an IAsys and a QCM are employed for a new study on the action mechanism of Paeoniae Radix 801 (P. radix 801) by detecting the specific interaction between P. radix 801 and endothelin-1 (ET-1). In t...

Quartz crystal microbalances (QCMs) provide a new analytical opportunity and prospect to characterize many environmental processes at solid/liquid interfaces, thanks to their almost real-time measurement of physicochemical changes on their quartz sensor. This work reviews the applications of QCMs in probing the interactions of organic molecules, nanomaterials (NMs) and microbes with solid surfa...

Dropwise condensation (DWC) on hydrophobic surfaces is attracting attention for its great potential in many industrial applications, such as steam power plants, water desalination, and de-icing of aerodynamic surfaces, to list a few. The direct dynamic characterization of liquid/solid interaction can significantly accelerate the progress toward a full understanding of the thermal and mass trans...

The first step, before investigating physical origins of noise in resonators, is to investigate correlations between external measurement parameters and the resonator noise. Tests and measurements are mainly performed on an advanced phase noise measurement system, recently set up. The resonator noise is examined as a function of the sensitivity to the drive level, the temperature operating poin...