title: Carbon-Decorated TiO2 Nanotube Membranes: A Renewable Nanofilter for Charge-Selective Enrichment of Proteins.
abstract: In this work, we design a TiO2 nanomembrane (TiNM) that can be used as a nanofilter platform for selective enrichment of specific proteins. After a first use, the photocatalytic properties of TiO2 allow the decomposition of unwanted remnants on the substrate and thus make the platform reusable. To construct this platform, we fabricate a free-standing TiO2 nanotube array and remove the bottom oxide to form a both-end-open TiNM. By pyrolysis of the natural tube wall contamination, the walls become decorated with graphitic carbon patches (C/TiNM). Owing to the large surface area, the amphiphilic nature and the charge-adjustable character, this C/TiNM can be used to extract and enrich hydrophobic charged biomolecules. Using human serum albumin (HSA) as a model protein as well as protein mixtures, we show that the composite membrane exhibits a highly enhanced loading capacity and protein selectivity and is reusable after a short UV treatment.
authors: College of Sciences, Northeastern University , Shenyang 110004, China.
authors: Jingwen
authors: J
authors: Xu
authors: College of Sciences, Northeastern University , Shenyang 110004, China.
authors: Lingling
authors: L
authors: Yang
authors: College of Sciences, Northeastern University , Shenyang 110004, China.
authors: Yuyao
authors: Y
authors: Han
authors: College of Sciences, Northeastern University , Shenyang 110004, China.
authors: Yongmei
authors: Y
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Materials Science, WW4-LKO, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg , Erlangen 91058, Germany.
authors: Xuemei
authors: X
authors: Zhou
authors: College of Sciences, Northeastern University , Shenyang 110004, China.
authors: Zhida
authors: Z
authors: Gao
authors: College of Sciences, Northeastern University , Shenyang 110004, China.
authors: Yan-Yan
authors: YY
authors: Song
authors: Department of Materials Science, WW4-LKO, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg , Erlangen 91058, Germany.
authors: Patrik
authors: P
authors: Schmuki
mesh_terms: D006108:Graphite; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D010087:Oxides; D014025:Titanium
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D010087:Oxides; C009495:titanium dioxide; D006108:Graphite; D014025:Titanium
keywords: TiO2 nanotube membranes; carbon patches; nanofilter; photocatalytic cleaning; reusability; selective enrichment