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Single-nanoparticle electrophoretic mobility determination and trapping using active-feedback 3D tracking.

Alexis Johnson1, Kevin D Welsher1

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.

Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|August 12, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces 3D Single-Molecule Active Real-time Tracking (3D-SMART) for precise nanoparticle characterization. The method accurately measures individual nanoparticle size and electrophoretic mobility (EM), overcoming limitations of ensemble-averaged techniques.

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Area of Science:

  • Nanotechnology
  • Materials Science
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Nanoparticles (NPs) are crucial in medicine and engineering, but current characterization methods like dynamic light scattering (DLS) and electrophoretic light scattering (ELS) lack precision for heterogeneous populations.
  • Ensemble-averaged techniques provide inaccurate data for polydisperse or complex NP systems, hindering development and application.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a novel single-nanoparticle characterization technique for accurate size and electrophoretic mobility (EM) determination.
  • To overcome the limitations of bulk characterization methods for polydisperse and heterogeneous nanoparticle samples.

Main Methods:

  • Application of 3D Single-Molecule Active Real-time Tracking (3D-SMART) to simultaneously measure NP size and EM on a per-particle basis.
  • Utilizing active feedback and an oscillating electric field to determine single-particle EM via maximum likelihood estimation.
  • Employing mean squared displacement along non-actuated axes for accurate size determination.

Main Results:

  • 3D-SMART successfully determined unique EM for individual polystyrene NPs based on size and surface characteristics.
  • Single-nanoparticle EM proved more precise than diffusion for distinguishing NP preparations, with charge number determined to <30% uncertainty.
  • Observed decreased EM with increasing ionic strength, consistent with bulk methods, and demonstrated real-time electrokinetic trapping without microfluidics.

Conclusions:

  • 3D-SMART offers a robust method for single-nanoparticle characterization, providing accurate size and EM measurements.
  • This technique enhances the ability to distinguish and analyze diverse nanoparticle populations.
  • The microfluidics-free approach enables exploration of NP behavior in biologically relevant environments and live tissues.