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Fang, Ning

Publications and source records attributed to Fang, Ning.

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2019

Deciphering nanoconfinement effects on molecular orientation and reaction intermediate by single molecule imaging

Nanoconfinement could dramatically change molecular transport and reaction kinetics in heterogeneous catalysis. Here we specifically design a core-shell nanocatalyst with aligned linear nanopores for single-molecule studies of the nanoconfinement effects. The quantitative single-molecule measurements reveal unusual lower adsorption strength and higher catalytic activity on the confined metal reaction centres within the nanoporous structure. More surprisingly, the nanoconfinement effects on enhanced catalytic activity are larger for catalysts with longer and narrower nanopores. Experimental evidences, including molecular orientation, activation energy, and intermediate reactive species, have been gathered to provide a molecular level explanation on how the nanoconfinement effects enhance the catalyst activity, which is essential for the rational design of highly-efficient catalysts.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2018

Monitoring the Stimulated Uncapping Process of Gold-Capped Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles

To establish a new method for tracking the interaction of nanoparticles with chemical cleaving agents, we exploited the optical effects caused by attaching 5-10 nm gold nanoparticles with molecular linkers to large mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN). At low levels of gold loading onto MSN, the optical spectra resemble colloidal suspensions of gold. As the gold is removed, by cleaving agents, the MSN revert to the optical spectra typical of bare silica. Time-lapse images of gold-capped MSN stationed in microchannels reveal that the rate of gold release is dependent on the concentration of the cleaving agent. Finally, the uncapping process was also monitored successfully for MSN endocytosed by A549 cancer cells, which produce the cleaving agent glutathione. These experiments demonstrate that the optical properties of MSN can be used to directly monitor cleaving kinetics, even in complex cellular settings.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy Imaging of Microtubule Arrays in Intact Arabidopsis thaliana Seedling Roots

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy has generated tremendous success in revealing detailed subcellular structures in animal cells. However, its application to plant cell biology remains extremely limited due to numerous technical challenges, including the generally high fluorescence background of plant cells and the presence of the cell wall. In the current study, stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) imaging of intact Arabidopsis thaliana seedling roots with a spatial resolution of 20–40nm was demonstrated. Using the super-resolution images, the spatial organization of cortical microtubules in different parts of a whole Arabidopsis root tip was analyzed quantitatively, and the results show the dramatic differences in the density and spatial organization of cortical microtubules in cells of different differentiation stages or types. The method developed can be applied to plant cell biological processes, including imaging of additional elements of the cytoskeleton, organelle substructure, and membrane domains.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Super-resolution of fluorescence-free plasmonic nanoparticles using enhanced dark-field illumination based on wavelength-modulation

Super-resolution imaging of fluorescence-free plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) was achieved using enhanced dark-field (EDF) illumination based on wavelength-modulation. Indistinguishable adjacent EDF images of 103-nm gold nanoparticles (GNPs), 40-nm gold nanorods (GNRs), and 80-nm silver nanoparticles (SNPs) were modulated at their wavelengths of specific localized surface plasmon scattering. The coordinates (x, y) of each NP were resolved by fitting their point spread functions with a two-dimensional Gaussian. The measured localization precisions of GNPs, GNRs, and SNPs were 2.5 nm, 5.0 nm, and 2.9 nm, respectively. From the resolved coordinates of NPs and the corresponding localization precisions, super-resolution images were reconstructed. Depending on the spontaneous polarization of GNR scattering, the orientation angle of GNRs in two-dimensions was resolved and provided more elaborate localization information. This novel fluorescence-free super-resolution method was applied to live HeLa cells to resolve NPs and provided remarkable subdiffraction limit images.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Auto-calibrated scanning-angle prism-type total internal reflection microscopy for nanometer-precision axial position determination and optional variable-illumination-depth pseudo total internal reflection microscopy

A method, apparatus, and system for improved VA-TIRFM microscopy. The method comprises automatically controlled calibration of one or more laser sources by precise control of presentation of each laser relative a sample for small incremental changes of incident angle over a range of critical TIR angles. The calibration then allows precise scanning of the sample for any of those calibrated angles for higher and more accurate resolution, and better reconstruction of the scans for super resolution reconstruction of the sample. Optionally the system can be controlled for incident angles of the excitation laser at sub-critical angles for pseudo TIRFM. Optionally both above-critical angle and sub critical angle measurements can be accomplished with the same system.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Multishell Au/Ag/SiO 2 nanorods with tunable optical properties as single particle orientation and rotational tracking probes

In this study, three-layer core–shell plasmonic nanorods (Au/Ag/SiO 2 –NRs), consisting of a gold nanorod core, a thin silver shell, and a thin silica layer, were synthesized and used as optical imaging probes under a differential interference contrast microscope for single particle orientation and rotational tracking. The localized surface plasmon resonance modes were enhanced upon the addition of the silver shell, and the anisotropic optical properties of gold nanorods were maintained. The silica coating enables surface functionalization with silane coupling agents and provides enhanced stability and biocompatibility. Taking advantage of the longitudinal LSPR enhancement, the orientation and rotational information of the hybrid nanorods on synthetic lipid bilayers and on live cell membranes were obtained with millisecond temporal resolution using a scientific complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor camera. The results demonstrate that the as-synthesized hybrid nanorods are promising imaging probes with improved sensitivity and good biocompatibility for single plasmonic particle tracking experiments in biological systems.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

Dark Field Microscopy for Analytical Laboratory Courses

An innovative and inexpensive optical microscopy experiment for a quantitative analysis or an instrumental analysis chemistry course is described. The students have hands-on experience with a dark field microscope and investigate the wavelength dependence of localized surface plasmon resonance in gold and silver nanoparticles. Students also observe and measure individual crystal growth during a replacement reaction between copper and silver nitrate. The experiment allows for quantitative, qualitative, and image data analyses for undergraduate students.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Super-Resolution Mapping of Photogenerated Electron and Hole Separation in Single Metal-Semiconductor Nanocatalysts

Metal–semiconductor heterostructures are promising visible light photocatalysts for many chemical reactions. Here, we use high-resolution superlocalization imaging to reveal the nature and photocatalytic properties of the surface reactive sites on single Au–CdS hybrid nanocatalysts. We experimentally reveal two distinct, incident energy-dependent charge separation mechanisms that result in completely opposite photogenerated reactive sites (e– and h+) and divergent energy flows on the hybrid nanocatalysts. We find that plasmon-induced hot electrons in Au are injected into the conduction band of the CdS semiconductor nanorod. The specifically designed Au-tipped CdS heterostructures with a unique geometry (two Au nanoparticles at both ends of each CdS nanorod) provide more convincing high-resolution single-turnover mapping results and clearly prove the two charge separation mechanisms. Engineering the direction of energy flow at the nanoscale can provide an efficient way to overcome important challenges in photocatalysis, such as controlling catalytic activity and selectivity. These results bear enormous potential impact on the development of better visible light photocatalysts for solar-to-chemical energy conversion.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Defocused differential interference contrast microscopy imaging of single plasmonic anisotropic nanoparticles

We present the defocused differential interference contrast (DIC) imaging of gold nanorods. We found that the scattered light and the defocus aberration play an important role in the formation of orientation-dependent DIC image patterns of a gold nanorod. Interestingly, the scattered light from a gold nanorod aligned closer to the polarization directions enables us to directly resolve its spatial orientation under a defocused DIC microscope.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Detecting Plasmon Resonance Energy Transfer with Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy

Gold nanoparticles are ideal probes for studying intracellular environments and energy transfer mechanisms due to their plasmonic properties. Plasmon resonance energy transfer (PRET) relies on a plasmonic nanoparticle to donate energy to a nearby resonant acceptor molecule, a process which can be observed due to the plasmonic quenching of the donor nanoparticle. In this study, a gold nanosphere was used as the plasmonic donor, while the metalloprotein cytochrome c was used as the acceptor molecule. Differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy allows for simultaneous monitoring of complex environments and noble metal nanoparticles in real time. Using DIC and specially designed microfluidic channels, we were able to monitor PRET at the single gold particle level and observe the reversibility of PRET upon the introduction of phosphate-buffered saline to the channel. In an additional experiment, single gold particles were internalized by HeLa cells and were subsequently observed undergoing PRET as the cell hosts underwent morphological changes brought about by ethanol-induced apoptosis.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Three-Dimensional Orientation Determination of Stationary Anisotropic Nanoparticles with Sub-Degree Precision under Total Internal Reflection Scattering Microscopy

Single-particle and single-molecule orientation determination plays a vital role in deciphering nanoscale motion in complex environments. Previous attempts to determine the absolute three-dimensional orientation of anisotropic particles rely on subjective pattern matching and are inherently plagued by high degrees of uncertainty. Herein, we describe a method utilizing total internal reflection scattering microscopy to determine the 3D orientation of gold nanorods with subdegree uncertainty. The method is then applied to the biologically relevant system of microtubule cargo loading. Finally, we demonstrate the method holds potential for identifying single particles versus proximate neighbors within the diffraction limited area.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Simultaneous Single-Particle Superlocalization and Rotational Tracking

Superlocalization of single molecules and nanoparticles has become an essential procedure to bring new insights into nanoscale structures and dynamics of biological systems. In the present study, superlocalization is combined with the newly introduced differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy-based single-particle orientation and rotational tracking. The new technique overcomes the difficulty in localization of the antisymmetric DIC point spread function by using a dual-modality microscope configuration for simultaneous rotational tracking and localization of single gold nanorods with nanometer-scale precision. The new imaging setup has been applied to study the steric hindrance induced by relatively large cargos in the microtubule gliding assay and to track nanocargos in the crowded cellular environment. This technique has great potential in the study of biological processes where both localization and rotational information are required.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Single Particle Orientation and Rotational Tracking (SPORT) in biophysical studies

The single particle orientation and rotational tracking (SPORT) techniques have seen rapid development in the past 5 years. Recent technical advances have greatly expanded the applicability of SPORT in biophysical studies. In this feature article, we survey the current development of SPORT and discuss its potential applications in biophysics, including cellular membrane processes and intracellular transport.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Rotational dynamics of cargos at pauses during axonal transport

Direct visualization of axonal transport in live neurons is essential for our understanding of the neuronal functions and the working mechanisms of microtubule-based motor proteins. Here we use the high-speed single particle orientation and rotational tracking technique to directly visualize the rotational dynamics of cargos in both active directional transport and pausing stages of axonal transport, with a temporal resolution of 2 ms. Both long and short pauses are imaged, and the correlations between the pause duration, the rotational behaviour of the cargo at the pause, and the moving direction after the pause are established. Furthermore, the rotational dynamics leading to switching tracks are visualized in detail. These first-time observations of cargo's rotational dynamics provide new insights on how kinesin and dynein motors take the cargo through the alternating stages of active directional transport and pause.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Determining Full Three-Dimensional Orientation of Single Anisotropic Nanoparticles by Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy

Keeping track: By combining differential interference contrast (DIC) image pattern recognition with DIC polarization anisotropy, the exact full three-dimensional angular information of individual tilted gold nanorods positioned in the focal plane of the objective lens can be readily determined. The angular rotational modes and kinetics of individual in-focus gold nanorods can thus be resolved dynamically.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗