User:Laura Flynn/Notebook/Experimental Biological Chemistry/2011/11/30

Objective

After examining data from all previous experiments during the year, it was determined that Au/BSA ratios of 70 and 160 were both optimal for fiber growth and purple solution, respectively. The goal of today's experiment was to confirm these findings and to test their boundaries.

Procedure

Two test tubes of each ratio were created.

Solution One (70 Au/BSA ratio): 1 mL of 2.9 mM HAuCl4 and 2.41 mL of 0.0172 mM BSA diluted to 9 mL with distilled water.

Solution Two (160 Au/BSA ratio): 1 mL of 2.9 mM HAuCl4 and 1.02 mL of 0.0172 mM BSA diluted to 9 mL with distilled water.

Each solution was repeated for a total of four test tubes. One test tube from each solution was kept in the oven at about 72 degrees Celsius for 3 hours. The remaining test tube from each solution was kept in an oven at about 72 degrees Celsius and then removed in half an hour intervals for ten minutes at each time.

Results

The two test tubes both containing Solution One developed fibers over the course of 3 hours. The fibers in the test tube that remained in the oven were long and through out the entire solution. The fibers in the test tube that was removed from the oven every half hour aggregated to the top of the test tube.

These findings are the expected result of the experiment.

The two test tubes that contained Solution Two had varying results. The test tube that was removed from the oven every half hour did not have any changes. It was still a clear solution. This was not an expected result. The second test tube that remained in the oven formed a purple solution with no fibers. This was not the expected result.

Au/BSA = 166, taken out of the oven every 30 minutes