Nicolas Brouette, Giovanna Fragneto, Fabrice Cousin, Martine Moulin, Michael Haertlein, Michele Sferrazza

The structure of adsorbed globular protein layers on hydrophobic surfaces is elucidated in detail by combining the use of a fully deuterated protein, myoglobin, and the neutron reflectivity technique. The hydrophobic surfaces consist of grafted self-assembled monolayer of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) and polystyrene (PS) layer on silicon substrates. Different protein concentrations ranging from 1 mg/ml to 0.01 mg/ml are used. On the OTS surface and for low protein concentration, the adsorbed protein layer consists of a dense layer of thickness around 13 Å indicating that proteins are denaturated when adsorbed on the hydrophobic interface – myoglobin being a globular protein with an average diameter of about 40 Å. At high protein concentration, an additional layer is observed on the top of this first denaturated layer. The thickness of this layer corresponds roughly to the dimensions of the myoglobin suggesting that additional proteins in their bulk conformation are adsorbed on the top. In the case of PS, the protein is significantly less flattened at the interface, PS being a less hydrophobic surface.

Pascal Boulanger est heureux d'annoncer la création, à compter du 24/04/2013, de la société NAWATechnologies SAS.

La Société NAWA®Technologies est issue du CEA et s'appuie sur douze années de recherche et d'expertise sur les techniques d'élaboration de nouveaux matériaux à base de nanotubes de carbone alignés et nanotechnologies associées (Voir le fait marquant : "Des tapis de nanotubes alignés, en grande surface". Les produits développés par NAWATechnologies couvriront les domaines de l'énergie, des matériaux composites et de l'environnement.

Pascal Boulanger is honoured to announce the NAWATechnologies SAS company kick-off, as of 24/04/2013. NAWA®TECHNOLOGIES is a start-up issued from CEA (French Atomic and Alternative Energy Commission) and benefits from more than 12 years of research and expertise in the field of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) and associated nanotechnologies (see the highlight: Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes carpets over large surfaces"). The products developped by NAWATechnologies will find applications in the fields of energy, composites materials and environment.

La Journée scientifique annuelle du LSI se déroulera le 30 Mai 201", Amphi. Becquerel à l'Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau.
Programme de la journée en cours de définition.