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Analysis Adsorption Ability of Emulsions by Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) / -Dissipation (QCM-D) (CAT#: STEM-MB-0789-CJ)

Introduction

An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible (unmixable or unblendable) owing to liquid-liquid phase separation. Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids. Although the terms colloid and emulsion are sometimes used interchangeably, emulsion should be used when both phases, dispersed and continuous, are liquids. In an emulsion, one liquid (the dispersed phase) is dispersed in the other (the continuous phase). Examples of emulsions include vinaigrettes, homogenized milk, liquid biomolecular condensates, and some cutting fluids for metal working.




Principle

The basic principle of QCM is the piezoelectric effect of quartz crystal. Upon an alternating voltage applied to the two poles of the quartz crystal, the quartz crystal of QCM produces mechanical vibration or oscillation. This resonance is greatly sensitive to the thickness of the crystal/electrode system and the frequency of the acoustic frequency. Once the mass on the quartz crystal increases or decreases, the resonance will be disturbed and the resonance frequency of the quartz crystal will change. Thus, the mass variation on the quartz crystal electrode surface is transformed into the frequency variation of the output electric signal of the quartz crystal oscillation and is further transformed into the high-precision data by the computer.

Applications

Biochemistry

Procedure

1. Sensor preparation, reduce the risk of damaging or contaminating the sensor surface.
2. Preparation of sample liquids.
3. Places the sensor into the flow cell and ensures perfect alignment.
4. Instant identification of specific sensors by unique ID number.
5. Using quarter turn bayonet type sealed flow cell.
6. Enter the experiment details in the information panel.
7. Display frequency and dissipation in real time.
8. Observe the bubble-free filling through the transparent window.
9. Electronic log file detects all steps in the measurement process.
10. Export and analyze the data.

Materials

• Sample: Proteins; Microbes; Nucleic Acids; Enzymes; Cells; Polymers; Small molecules; Antibody; Lipids; Virus-like particles (VLPs);
• Equipment: Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) / Quartz Crystal Microbalance-Dissipation (QCM-D)
• Running buffer
• (Optional) PBS solution

Notes

1. QCM is an extremely sensitive mass balance that measures nanogram to microgram level changes in mass per unit area.
2. QCM detection limit is approximately 250 ng mL−1, which is similar to that of the existing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method.
3. Unlike traditional QCM, the QCM with an added D measures an additional parameter, namely the dissipation factor. so QCM-D has great advantages in providing binding kinetics information by virtue of its label-free breadth of applicability, low cost, and sensing unique mass distribution and viscoelastic behavior aspects of whole-cell responses in real time.