Browsing by Author "Huang, Zhao"

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    Application of Micro Quartz Tuning Fork in Trace Gas Sensing by Use of Quartz-Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy
    (MDPI, 2019) Lin, Haoyang; Huang, Zhao; Kan, Ruifeng; Zheng, Huadan; Liu, Yihua; Liu, Bin; Dong, Linpeng; Zhu, Wenguo; Tang, Jieyuan; Yu, Jianhui; Chen, Zhe; Tittel, Frank K.
    A novel quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) sensor based on a micro quartz tuning fork (QTF) is reported. As a photoacoustic transducer, a novel micro QTF was 3.7 times smaller than the usually used standard QTF, resulting in a gas sampling volume of ~0.1 mm3. As a proof of concept, water vapor in the air was detected by using 1.39 μm distributed feedback (DFB) laser. A detailed analysis of the performance of a QEPAS sensor based on the micro QTF was performed by detecting atmosphere H2O. The laser focus position and the laser modulation depth were optimized to improve the QEPAS excitation efficiency. A pair of acoustic micro resonators (AmRs) was assembled with the micro QTF in an on-beam configuration to enhance the photoacoustic signal. The AmRs geometry was optimized to amplify the acoustic resonance. With a 1 s integration time, a normalized noise equivalent absorption coefficient (NNEA) of 1.97 × 10−8 W·cm−1·Hz−1/2 was achieved when detecting H2O at less than 1 atm.
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    Developing Novel Protein-based Materials using Ultrabithorax: Production, Characterization, and Functionalization
    (2011) Huang, Zhao; Matthews, Kathleen S.; Bondos, Sarah E.
    Compared to 'conventional' materials made from metal, glass, or ceramics, protein-based materials have unique mechanical properties. Furthermore, the morphology, mechanical properties, and functionality of protein-based materials may be optimized via sequence engineering for use in a variety of applications, including textile materials, biosensors, and tissue engineering scaffolds. The development of recombinant DNA technology has enabled the production and engineering of protein-based materials ex vivo . However, harsh production conditions can compromise the mechanical properties of protein-based materials and diminish their ability to incorporate functional proteins. Developing a new generation of protein-based materials is crucial to (i) improve materials assembly conditions, (ii) create novel mechanical properties, and (iii) expand the capacity to carry functional protein/peptide sequences. This thesis describes development of novel protein-based materials using Ultrabithorax, a member of the Hox family of proteins that regulate developmental pathways in Drosophila melanogaster . The experiments presented (i) establish the conditions required for the assembly of Ubx-based materials, (ii) generate a wide range of Ubx morphologies, (iii) examine the mechanical properties of Ubx fibers, (iv) incorporate protein functions to Ubx-based materials via gene fusion, (v) pattern protein functions within the Ubx materials, and (vi) examine the biocompatibility of Ubx materials in vitro . Ubx-based materials assemble at mild conditions compatible with protein folding and activity, which enables Ubx chimeric materials to retain the function of appended proteins in spatial patterns determined by materials assembly. Ubx-based materials also display mechanical properties comparable to existing protein-based materials and demonstrate good biocompatibility with living cells in vitro . Taken together, this research demonstrates the unique features and future potential of novel Ubx-based materials.