Title Information
Title
Mechanics and Molecular Mechanisms in Bio-Nano-Systems
Type of Resource (primo)
dissertations
Name: Personal
Name Part
Qian, Xuliang
Role
Role Term: Text
creator
Name: Personal
Name Part
Gao, Huajian
Role
Role Term: Text
Advisor
Name: Personal
Name Part
Kim, Kyung-Suk
Role
Role Term: Text
Reader
Name: Personal
Name Part
Yu, Jing
Role
Role Term: Text
Reader
Name: Corporate
Name Part
Brown University. Engineering: Mechanics of Solids
Role
Role Term: Text
sponsor
Origin Information
Copyright Date
2022
Physical Description
Extent
xxiv, 119 p.
digitalOrigin
born digital
Note: thesis
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Brown University, 2022
Genre (aat)
theses
Abstract
How nanomaterials interact with biological systems is of fundamental interest to a wide range of applications, including drug delivery, therapeutics, bioimaging, nanotoxicity and regulation. In this thesis, we first show a unique mechanism of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) induced cytotoxicity: a sharp hBN flake could penetrate a lipid bilayer and form a cross-membrane water channel along its exposed polar edges, leading to lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP), whereas a round hBN flake could not penetrate a lipid bilayer due to high energy barrier and a lack of long enough polar edges. Our in vitro studies confirm the water channel mechanism. Next, we focus on how biosurfactant molecules assist liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE) of hBN. With molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and free energy calculations (FEC), we pinpoint the driving forces and identify the underlying molecular mechanisms for two processes that assist LPE: biosurfactant deposition and self-assembly on the exfoliated surface of hBN. A general guideline is provided to the design of novel surfactant molecules for more efficient LPE of two-dimensional (2D) materials. Finally, we investigate coacervation and encapsulation of a designed peptide, WA30. Tryptophan (W) residues drive neighboring WA30 peptides together due to hydrophobic interactions, and intermolecular hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) form between the neighboring peptides stabilize the coacervate. A rapid change in the composition of solution near the coacervate might lead to peptide encapsulation. Overall, this thesis is aimed to provide some of the required theoretical insights towards understanding bio-nano-interactions, specifically, in cell-nanomaterial interactions, biosurfactant assisted liquid-phase exfoliation, as well as peptide coacervation and encapsulation.
Subject (fast) (authorityURI="http://id.worldcat.org/fast", valueURI="http://id.worldcat.org/fast/00832558")
Topic
Biomechanics
Subject
Topic
Self-assembly
Subject
Topic
2D Materials
Subject (fast) (authorityURI="http://id.worldcat.org/fast", valueURI="http://id.worldcat.org/fast/01057564")
Topic
Peptides
Subject (fast) (authorityURI="http://id.worldcat.org/fast", valueURI="http://id.worldcat.org/fast/01024778")
Topic
Molecular dynamics
Subject
Topic
nanomaterials
Subject
Topic
cell-nanomaterial interaction
Subject (fast) (authorityURI="http://id.worldcat.org/fast", valueURI="http://id.worldcat.org/fast/01015860")
Topic
Membranes (Biology)
Subject (fast) (authorityURI="http://id.worldcat.org/fast", valueURI="http://id.worldcat.org/fast/00865036")
Topic
Coacervation
Subject
Topic
Liquid-phase exfoliation
Subject (fast) (authorityURI="http://id.worldcat.org/fast", valueURI="http://id.worldcat.org/fast/00832720")
Topic
Biosurfactants
Subject
Topic
Encapsulation
Subject
Topic
White Graphene
Language
Language Term (ISO639-2B)
English
Record Information
Record Content Source (marcorg)
RPB
Record Creation Date (encoding="iso8601")
20220118