Cells are organized on length scales ranging from Angstroms to microns. However, the mechanisms by which Angstrom-scale molecular properties are translated to micron-scale macroscopic properties are not well understood. Here we show that interactions between diverse, synthetic multivalent macromolecules (including multi-domain proteins and RNA) produce sharp, liquid-liquid demixing phase separations, generating micron-sized liquid droplets in aqueous solution. This macroscopic transition corresponds to a molecular transition between small complexes and large, dynamic supramolecular polymers. The concentrations needed for phase transition are directly related to valency of the interacting species. In the case of the actin regulatory protein, neuronal Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein (N-WASP) interacting with its established biological partners Nck and phosphorylated nephrin1, the phase transition corresponds to a sharp increase in activity toward the actin nucleation factor, Arp2/3 complex. The transition is governed by the degree of phosphorylation of nephrin, explaining how this property of the system can be controlled to regulatory effect by kinases. The widespread occurrence of multivalent systems suggests that phase transitions are likely used to spatially organize and biochemically regulate information throughout biology.
Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were used to augment the thermal transport properties of industrial epoxy. Samples loaded with 1 wt% unpurified SWNT material show a 70% increase in thermal conductivity at 40K, rising to 125% at room temperature; the enhancement due to 1 wt% loading of vapor grown carbon fibers is three times smaller. Electrical conductivity data show a percolation threshold between 0.1 and 0.2 wt% SWNT loading. The Vickers hardness rises monotonically with SWNT loading up to a factor of 3.5 at 2 wt%. These results suggest that the thermal and mechanical properties of SWNT-epoxy composites are improved, without the need to chemically functionalize the nanotubes. a) present address:
Dense, thick films of aligned single wall carbon nanotubes and nanotube ropes have been produced by filtration/deposition from suspension in strong magnetic fields. Electrical resistivity exhibits moderate anisotropy with respect to the alignment axis, while the thermopower is the same when measured parallel or perpendicular to this axis. Both parameters have identical temperature dependencies in the two orientations. Thermal conductivity in the parallel direction exceeds 200 W/mK, within a decade of graphite.
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