Finally past Nov.1 !

I have finished and submitted all of my early action applications!! I applied to MIT, SMU, and TCU. Today in thesis I worked on my bibliography. I also made a list of materials used by the team at SLU in their method. I won't be doing exactly what they did, 'cause laboratory-grade equipment is $$$$. I may be able to use the same extrusion capillary and the low pH buffer, but otherwise, I'll have to come up with another idea.

So here's what SLU used:

• NT2RepCT solution (dope) 100-500 mg/ml
• NaC₂H₃O₂ 100 mM
• Round Glass Capillaries (G1, Narishige) outer: 1mm; inner: .6mm
• Pulled to diameter of 10-30 𝜇m
• 1ml syringe with Luer Lok tip (BD)
• 27 G steel needle(Braun) outer: .4mm
• connect to capillary via polyethylene tubing 
• neMESYS low pressure (290 N) syringe pump (Cetoni)

What I plan to actually use/need:

• NT2RepCT solution (dope) 100-500 mg/ml
• NaC₂H₃O₂ 100 mM
• Round Glass Capillaries (G1, Narishige) outer: 1mm; inner: .6mm
• Pulled to diameter of 10-30 𝜇m

I will ask Dr. Rising (nicely) for the NT2RepCT solution. I can easily get the sodium acetate solution from a chemical supplier. The capillaries I would have to buy somewhere... I can't find them cheap enough. I can buy them, but they're $142.00 a pop. So, no. I'd probably break it anyway. (for a comparison: the average human hair is 17-181 𝜇m, that capillary is 10-30 𝜇m!) I'll have to find another solution...

If I can't get the dope from SLU, I may try creating a solution of silk dissolved in acid (...?). Or just build a prototype and talk about it.

All in a day's work 

- Noah