This document discusses using different polymers as templates to enhance the surface area of deposited aluminum for cancer treatment applications. The researchers tested cellulose acetate, poly(vinyl alcohol)-poly(acrylic acid), and regenerated cellulose as templates. They used electrospinning and sputter deposition to deposit aluminum onto the polymer templates. While they were able to deposit aluminum onto the fiber surfaces, they had technical issues and were unable to prove which polymer would be easiest to detach, leaving the hypothesis unproven. Future work would involve electron microscope analysis of the fiber morphology and comparison of optimal templates.

1. THE ENHANCEMENT OF
ALUMINUM SURFACE
AREA BY POLYMERS
TEMPLATE ASSISTANCE
Prof. Otaño
RISE Spring 2015
Sara Diaz
Patricia Rodriguez
Camille Ruiz
Justin Cotto

2. PROBLEM
✓Which polymer is easier to detach from the deposited
Aluminum, in order to acquire an Aluminum nano-shell?
✓Hypothesis
✓ Cellulose acetate detaches easily.
✓ Poly(vinyl alcohol) –Poly(acrylic acid) will only detach when
soaked in water.
✓ Regenerated cellulose will not detach.

3. SIGNIFICANCE
Cancer therapy and bio imaging enhancement:
Theranostic probes
AuNP’s are biocompatible, have vivid optical properties, and the
flexibility to have different molecules and materials attached to their shell
Scattering: AuNP’s become visible to imaging processes
Absorption: Phototermal ablation
Minimal damage to body cells
Gold nanoshells are shuttled into tumors by phagocytosis
A macrophage is formed
Alternative:
Placing drugs inside nanoparticle and using it as a vehicle
Accomplished by coating outside of a nanoparticle with iron oxide
Once the tumor area is coated with drug filled nanoparticles, they are activated
(Loo 2005)

4. NANOSHELLS
UTILITY
THERAPY

5. TECHNIQUES
UTILIZED
✓ Electrospinning
Cellulose Acetate
✓ Poly(vinyl alcohol) –Poly(acrylic acid)
✓ Regenerated Cellulose
✓Sputtering Deposition

6. ELECTROSPI
NNING
(Ning et. al. 2013)

7. SPUTTERING
UTILITIES
AND
ADVANTAGES
Utility:
Semiconductor industries
Optical applications: glasses and telescopes
Thin film transistors
Low emissivity coatings on glass
Fabrication of CD’s and DVD’s
-Efficient Photovoltaic solar cells
Advantages:
Materials with very high melting points are easily sputtered.
Sputtered films typically have stronger adhesion on the substrate
Target contains large amount of material and is maintenance free
Sputtering sources contain no hot parts and are compatible with reactive gases
Size and relative thickness of the nanoshell can be controlled by changing reaction
time and plating concentration

8. METHODOLOG
Y

9. SPUTTERIN
G
DEPOSITIO
N

10. METHODOLO
GY

11. DETAILED
METHODOL
OGY

12. METHODOLO
GY

13. METHODOLO
GY

14. METHODOLOG
Y
Deionized
water
Deionized
water +
Ethanol

15. RESULTS
✓Obtained:
✓Deposition of Al on fibers’ surface
✓Technical Issues

16. CONCLUSI
ON
✓Hypothesis was unable to be proven
✓Future projects:
✓Evaluation of fibers through electron
microscope
✓Characterization of fiber morphology
✓Comparison of optimal templates

17. CITED
LITERATURE
Loo C, Lowery A, Halas N, West J, Dezek R. 2005.
Immunotargeted Nanoshells for Integrated Cancer Imaging and
Therapy. Nano Lett. [Internet; cited May 14]. Doi:
10.1021/nl050127s. Recovered at:
http://faculty.washington.edu/markeh/MSE599/Loo_Nanolett_2005.
pdf
Ning Z, Xiongbiao C. 2013. Biofabrication of Tissue Scaffolds in
book entitled. Advances in Biomaterials Science and Biomedical
Applications. Recovered at: http://ppl.ippt.gov.pl/18-few-words-
about/17-electrospinning

18. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
S
RISE PROGRAM
✓Dr. Eneida Diaz
✓Dr. Elena Gonzalez
✓Mr. Giovanni Cruz
✓Professor Ota-o and his students:
✓Normarieli Passalacqua
✓Alejandra De Jesus
✓Xavier Ortiz

19. THE ENHANCEMENT OF
ALUMINUM SURFACE
AREA BY POLYMERS
TEMPLATE ASSISTANCE
Prof. Otaño
RISE Spring 2015
Sara Diaz
Patricia Rodriguez
Camille Ruiz
Justin Cotto