The formation of bio-corona on graphene and boron nitride

ORAL

Abstract

The increase in applications of engineered two-dimensional (2D) materials has raised concerns over their discharge into the environment. The inadvertent fouling of 2D-materials with natural organic matter (NOM) results in the formation of biocorona, which in turn determines the transport and fate of 2D-materials. Our experiments showed that the physicochemical characteristics of 2D-materials play an important role in biocorna formation. In particular, the formation of biocorona is determined by: i) the amount of aromatic content in NOM, and ii) the distribution of pi-electrons in 2D-materials such as graphene and BN. More importantly, we found that the delocalized pi-electron cloud in NOM results in significant charge transfer while while the charge transfer does not occur for the case of BN wherein the electron cloud is centered near N atoms. A detailed analysis of 2D-material biocorona formation and the impacts on 2D-material transport and fate will be presented.

–

Authors

  • Achyut Raghavendra

    Clemson Nanomaterials Center, Dept., of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University

  • Bishwambhar Sengupta

    Clemson Nanomaterials Center, Dept., of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University

  • Jingyi Zhu

    Clemson Nanomaterials Center, Dept., of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC USA 29634.

  • Apparao Rao

    Clemson Univeristy, Clemson Nanomaterials Center, Laboratory of Nano-biophysics and COMSET, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC USA 29634, Clemson Nanomaterials Center, Dept., of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, Laboratory of Nano-biophysics and COMSET

  • Ramakrishna Podila

    Clemson Nanomaterials Center, Dept., of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, Laboratory of Nano-biophysics and COMSET