Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 571 in total

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  1. Zulkifli MZA, Nordin D, Shaari N, Kamarudin SK
    Polymers (Basel), 2023 May 23;15(11).
    PMID: 37299217 DOI: 10.3390/polym15112418
    Tissue engineering (TE) is an emerging field of study that incorporates the principles of biology, medicine, and engineering for designing biological substitutes to maintain, restore, or improve tissue functions with the goal of avoiding organ transplantation. Amongst the various scaffolding techniques, electrospinning is one of the most widely used techniques to synthesise a nanofibrous scaffold. Electrospinning as a potential tissue engineering scaffolding technique has attracted a great deal of interest and has been widely discussed in many studies. The high surface-to-volume ratio of nanofibres, coupled with their ability to fabricate scaffolds that may mimic extracellular matrices, facilitates cell migration, proliferation, adhesion, and differentiation. These are all very desirable properties for TE applications. However, despite its widespread use and distinct advantages, electrospun scaffolds suffer from two major practical limitations: poor cell penetration and poor load-bearing applications. Furthermore, electrospun scaffolds have low mechanical strength. Several solutions have been offered by various research groups to overcome these limitations. This review provides an overview of the electrospinning techniques used to synthesise nanofibres for TE applications. In addition, we describe current research on nanofibre fabrication and characterisation, including the main limitations of electrospinning and some possible solutions to overcome these limitations.
  2. Zuber SH, Hashikin NAA, Yusof MFM, Aziz MZA, Hashim R
    Polymers (Basel), 2021 Jun 04;13(11).
    PMID: 34199810 DOI: 10.3390/polym13111868
    Rhizophora spp. particleboard with the incorporation of lignin and soy flour as binders were fabricated and the influence of different percentages of lignin and soy flour (0%, 6% and 12%) on the physico-mechanical properties of the particleboard were studied. The samples were characterised by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and internal bonding. The results stipulated that the addition of binders in the fabrication of the particleboard did not change the functional groups according to the FTIR spectrum. For XRD, addition of binders did not reveal any major transformation within the composites. SEM and EDX analyses for all percentages of binders added showed no apparent disparity; however, it is important to note that the incorporation of binders allows better bonding between the molecules. In XRF analysis, lower percentage of chlorine in the adhesive-bonded samples may be advantageous in maintaining the natural properties of the particleboard. In internal bonding, increased internal bond strength in samples with binders may indicate better structural integrity and physico-mechanical strength. In conclusion, the incorporation of lignin and soy flour as binders may potentially strengthen and fortify the particleboard, thus, can be a reliable phantom in radiation dosimetry applications.
  3. Zhang Q, Wang PI, Ong GL, Tan SH, Tan ZW, Hii YH, et al.
    Polymers (Basel), 2019 May 09;11(5).
    PMID: 31075895 DOI: 10.3390/polym11050840
    In this work, polymers of poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-triphenylamine] with side chains containing: pyrene (C1), diphenyl (C2), naphthalene (C3), and isopropyl (C6) structures were synthesized via a Suzuki coupling reaction. The structures were verified using NMR and cyclic voltammetry measurements provide the HOMO and LUMO of the polymers. The polymer with pyrene (C1) and naphthalene (C3) produced photoluminescence in the green while the polymer with the side chain containing diphenyl (C2) and isopropyl (C6) produce dual emission peaks of blue-green photoluminescence (PL). In order to examine the electroluminescence properties of the polymers, the solutions were spin-coated onto patterned ITO anode, dried, and subsequently coated with an Al cathode layer to form pristine single layer polymer LEDs. The results are compared to a standard PFO sample. The electroluminescence spectra resemble the PL spectra for C1 and C3. The devices of C2, C3, and C6 exhibit voltage-dependent EL. An additional red emission peak was detected for C2 and C6, resulting in spectra with peaks at 435 nm, 490 nm, and 625 nm. The effects of the side chains on the spectral characteristics of the polymer are discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Polymers
  4. Zhang J, Li Y, Wu H, Wang C, Salleh KM, Li H, et al.
    Polymers (Basel), 2022 Oct 22;14(21).
    PMID: 36365467 DOI: 10.3390/polym14214473
    This study aimed to develop a safe and advanced antibacterial material of electrospun microfiber membranes (MFMs) for wound dressings. Combinations of several materials were investigated; thermal treatment and electrospinning techniques were used to form the best quality of MFMs to suit its end applications. By comparing the fiber morphology, diameter changes, and fracture strength, the suitable ratio of raw materials and thermal treatment were obtained before and after adding Trition X-100 as a surfactant for MFMs of sodium alginate/polyvinyl alcohol/polyethylene oxide (SA/PVA/PEO). The electrospinning solution was mixed with berberine as an antibacterial substance; meanwhile, calcium chloride (CaCl2) was used as the crosslinking agent. The antibacterial properties, water dissolution resistance, water content, and fracture strength were thoroughly investigated. The results showed that the antibacterial rates of MFMs with different mass fractions of berberine (0, 3, and 5 wt.%) to Escherichia coli (E. coli) were 14.7, 92.9, and 97.2%, respectively. The moisture content and fracture strength of MFMs containing 5 wt.% berberine were 72.0% and 7.8 MPa, respectively. In addition, the produced MFMs embodied great water dissolution resistance. Berberine-loaded SA/PVA/PEO MFMs could potentially serve as an antibacterial wound dressing substrate with low cost and small side effects.
  5. Zawani M, Fauzi MB
    Polymers (Basel), 2021 Oct 23;13(21).
    PMID: 34771213 DOI: 10.3390/polym13213656
    Immediate treatment for cutaneous injuries is a realistic approach to improve the healing rate and minimise the risk of complications. Multifunctional biomaterials have been proven to be a potential strategy for chronic skin wound management, especially for future advancements in precision medicine. Hence, antioxidant incorporated biomaterials play a vital role in the new era of tissue engineering. A bibliographic investigation was conducted on articles focusing on in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies that evaluate the effect and the antioxidants mechanism exerted by epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) in wound healing and its ability to act as reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers. Over the years, EGCG has been proven to be a potent antioxidant efficient for wound healing purposes. Therefore, several novel studies were included in this article to shed light on EGCG incorporated biomaterials over five years of research. However, the related papers under this review's scope are limited in number. All the studies showed that biomaterials with scavenging ability have a great potential to combat chronic wounds and assist the wound healing process against oxidative damage. However, the promising concept has faced challenges extending beyond the trial phase, whereby the implementation of these biomaterials, when exposed to an oxidative stress environment, may disrupt cell proliferation and tissue regeneration after transplantation. Therefore, thorough research should be executed to ensure a successful therapy.
  6. Zango ZU, Jumbri K, Sambudi NS, Ramli A, Abu Bakar NHH, Saad B, et al.
    Polymers (Basel), 2020 Nov 10;12(11).
    PMID: 33182825 DOI: 10.3390/polym12112648
    Water-borne emerging pollutants are among the greatest concern of our modern society. Many of these pollutants are categorized as endocrine disruptors due to their environmental toxicities. They are harmful to humans, aquatic animals, and plants, to the larger extent, destroying the ecosystem. Thus, effective environmental remediations of these pollutants became necessary. Among the various remediation techniques, adsorption and photocatalytic degradation have been single out as the most promising. This review is devoted to the compilations and analysis of the role of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and their composites as potential materials for such applications. Emerging organic pollutants, like dyes, herbicides, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and perfluorinated alkyl substances, have been extensively studied. Important parameters that affect these processes, such as surface area, bandgap, percentage removal, equilibrium time, adsorption capacity, and recyclability, are documented. Finally, we paint the current scenario and challenges that need to be addressed for MOFs and their composites to be exploited for commercial applications.
  7. Zakuwan SZ, Ahmad I, Abu Tahrim N, Mohamed F
    Polymers (Basel), 2021 Apr 06;13(7).
    PMID: 33917600 DOI: 10.3390/polym13071176
    In this study, we fabricated a modified biomaterial based on chitosan and gelatin, which is an intrinsic hydrophilic membrane for oil-water separation to clean water contamination by oil. Modification of the membrane with a non-toxic natural crosslinker, genipin, significantly enhanced the stability of the biopolymer membrane in a water-based medium towards an eco-friendly environment. The effects of various compositions of genipin-crosslinked chitosan-gelatin membrane on the rheological properties, thermal stability, and morphological structure of the membrane were investigated using a dynamic rotational rheometer, thermogravimetry analysis, and chemical composition by attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy (ATR). Modified chitosan-gelatin membrane showed completely miscible blends, as determined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and ATR. Morphological results showed membrane with establish microstructure to further experiment as filtration product. The membranes were successfully tested for their oil-water separation efficiencies. The membrane proved to be selective and effective in separating water from an oil-water mixture. The optimum results achieved a stable microporous structure of the membrane (microfiltration) and a separation efficiency of above 98%. The membrane showed a high permeation flux, generated as high as 698 and 420 L m-2 h-1 for cooking and crude oils, respectively. Owing to its outstanding recyclability and anti-fouling performance, the membrane can be washed away easily, ensuring the reusability of the prepared membrane.
  8. Zakaria R, Bawon P, Lee SH, Salim S, Lum WC, Al-Edrus SSO, et al.
    Polymers (Basel), 2021 Oct 12;13(20).
    PMID: 34685253 DOI: 10.3390/polym13203494
    The study investigated the effects of the addition of starch on the properties of oil palm biomass particleboard bonded with citric acid. Three kinds of oil palm biomasses were used in this study for the fabrication of particleboard, namely, oil palm frond (OPF), oil palm trunk (OPT), and empty fruit bunch (EFB) particles. Citric acid and tapioca starch at the mixing ratios of 100:0, 87.5:12.5, and 75:25 were prepared at a 60% solid content. A 30% resin content based on the oven-dried weight of the oil palm biomass particles was used. The sprayed particles were pre-dried at 80 °C for 12 h before being hot-pressed at 180 °C and 4 MPa pressure for 10 min. The physical and mechanical properties of the particleboard were evaluated. The mixtures of citric acid and tapioca starch were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Thermal stability of citric acid was reduced after the addition of tapioca starch. The addition of 12.5% tapioca starch improved the bending strength of the particleboard but increased the thickness swelling slightly. All UF-bonded particleboard exhibited significantly inferior performance than that of citric-acid-bonded particleboard. Citric-acid-bonded particleboard maintained its original shape after being subjected to a cyclic-aging treatment, while the UF-bonded particleboard disintegrated half way through the treatment. The performance of EFB particleboard was significantly inferior to its OPT and OPF counterparts.
  9. Zakaria AF, Kamaruzaman S, Abdul Rahman N
    Polymers (Basel), 2021 Oct 19;13(20).
    PMID: 34685349 DOI: 10.3390/polym13203590
    The issue of heavy metal contamination has caused a great deal of concern among water quality experts today, as it contributes to water pollution. Activated carbon nanofibers (ACNFs) showed a significant ability in removing heavy metals from the wastewater. In this study, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) was blended and electrospun with an abundant and inexpensive biopolymer, lignin and a water soluble polymer, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), by using an electrospinning technique to form nanofibers. The electrospun nanofibers were then investigated as a precursor for the production of porous ACNFs to study the removal of nickel(II) ions by adsorption technique. PEG was added to act as a porogen and to create the porous structure of carbon nanofibers (CNFs). CNFs were prepared by thermal treatment of the electrospun nanofibers and followed by activation of CNFs by thermal and acid treatment on CNFs. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) spectral analysis of the ACNFs showed a strong absorption peak of the C-O functional group, indicating the increase in the oxygenated compound. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images concluded that the ACNFs have more porous and compact fibers with a smaller fiber diameter of 263 ± 11 nm, while the CNFs are less compact and have slightly larger fiber diameter of 323 ± 6 nm. The adsorption study showed that the ACNFs possessed a much higher adsorption capacity of 18.09 mg/g compared with the CNFs, which the amount adsorbed was achieved only at 2.7 mg/g. The optimum adsorption conditions that gave the highest percentage of 60% for nickel(II) ions removal were 50 mg of adsorbent dosage, 100 ppm of nickel(II) solution, pH 3, and a contact time of 60 min. The study demonstrated that the fabrication of ACNFs from PAN/lignin/PEG electrospun nanofibers have potential as adsorbents for the removal of heavy metal contaminants.
  10. Zakaria AF, Kamaruzaman S, Abdul Rahman N, Yahaya N
    Polymers (Basel), 2022 Dec 16;14(24).
    PMID: 36559892 DOI: 10.3390/polym14245524
    Water pollution issues, particularly those caused by heavy metal ions, have been significantly growing. This paper combined biopolymers such as sodium alginate (SA) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) to improve adsorption performance with the help of calcium ion as the cross-linked agent. Moreover, the addition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the hybrid hydrogel matrix was examined. The adsorption of nickel(II) was thoroughly compared between pristine sodium alginate/β-cyclodextrin (SA-β-CD) and sodium alginate/β-cyclodextrin immobilized carbon nanotubes (SA-β-CD/CNTs) hydrogel. Both hydrogels were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) spectral analysis, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis. The results showed SA-β-CD/CNTs hydrogel exhibits excellent thermal stability, high specific surface area and large porosity compared with SA-β-CD hydrogel. Batch experiments were performed to study the effect of several adsorptive variables such as initial concentration, pH, contact time and temperature. The adsorption performance of the prepared SA-β-CD/CNTs hydrogel was comprehensively reported with maximum percentage removal of up to 79.86% for SA-β-CD/CNTs and 69.54% for SA-β-CD. The optimum adsorption conditions were reported when the concentration of Ni(II) solution was maintained at 100 ppm, pH 5, 303 K, and contacted for 120 min with a 1000 mg dosage. The Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetic model are the best fits to describe the adsorption behavior. A thermodynamic study was also performed. The probable interaction mechanisms that enable the successful binding of Ni(II) on hydrogels, including electrostatic attraction, ion exchange, surface complexation, coordination binding and host-guest interaction between the cationic sites of Ni(II) on both SA-β-CD and SA-β-CD/CNTs hydrogel during the adsorption process, were discussed. The regeneration study also revealed the high efficiency of SA-β-CD/CNTs hydrogel on four successive cycles compared with SA-β-CD hydrogel. Therefore, this work signifies SA-β-CD/CNTs hydrogel has great potential to remove Ni(II) from an aqueous environment compared with SA-β-CD hydrogel.
  11. Zainul Armir NA, Zulkifli A, Gunaseelan S, Palanivelu SD, Salleh KM, Che Othman MH, et al.
    Polymers (Basel), 2021 Oct 18;13(20).
    PMID: 34685346 DOI: 10.3390/polym13203586
    Cellulose is one of the most abundant natural polymers with excellent biocompatibility, non-toxicity, flexibility, and renewable source. Regenerated cellulose (RC) products result from the dissolution-regeneration process risen from solvent and anti-solvent reagents, respectively. The regeneration process changes the cellulose chain conformation from cellulose I to cellulose II, leads the structure to have more amorphous regions with improved crystallinity, and inclines towards extensive modification on the RC products such as hydrogel, aerogel, cryogel, xerogel, fibers, membrane, and thin film. Recently, RC products are accentuated to be used in the agriculture field to develop future sustainable agriculture as alternatives to conventional agriculture systems. However, different solvent types and production techniques have great influences on the end properties of RC products. Besides, the fabrication of RC products from solely RC lacks excellent mechanical characteristics. Thus, the flexibility of RC has allowed it to be homogenously blended with other materials to enhance the final products' properties. This review will summarize the properties and preparation of potential RC-based products that reflect its application to replace soil the plantation medium, govern the release of the fertilizer, provide protection on crops and act as biosensors.
  12. Zainudin NF, Sam ST, Wong YS, Ismail H, Walli S, Inoue K, et al.
    Polymers (Basel), 2023 Jan 03;15(1).
    PMID: 36616587 DOI: 10.3390/polym15010237
    The ability of poly-ferric-silicate-sulphate (PFSS) synthesized via a co-polymerization process has been applied for the removal of diazo Congo red dye. A novel degradation pathway of diazo Congo red dye by using PFSS is proposed based on LC-MS analysis. Diazo Congo red dye was successfully removed using synthesized PFSS at lower coagulant dosages and a wider pH range, i.e., 9 mg/L from pH 5 to 7, 11 mg/L at pH 9, and 50 mg/L at pH 11. The azo bond cleavage was verified by the UV-Vis spectra of diazo Congo red-loaded PFSS and FTIR spectra which showed disappearance of the peak at 1584 cm-1 for -N=N- stretching vibrations. The synchronized results of UV-Vis spectra, FTIR, and the LC-MS analysis in this study confirmed the significance of the Si and Fe bond in PFSS towards the degradation of diazo Congo red dye. The successfully synthesized PFSS coagulant was characterized by FTIR, SEM, TEM, and HRTEM analysis. From this analysis, it was proven that PFSS is a polycrystalline material which is favorable for the coagulation-flocculation process. Based on all these findings, it was established that synthesized PFSS can be employed as a highly efficient polymeric coagulant for the removal of dye from wastewater.
  13. Yusefi M, Nasef MM, Tareq MA, Gupta B, Shameli K, Ali RR, et al.
    Polymers (Basel), 2022 Nov 10;14(22).
    PMID: 36432958 DOI: 10.3390/polym14224831
    Functional polymeric biomaterials (FPBMs) with bioactive characteristics obtained by radiation-induced graft copolymerisation (RIGC) have been subjected to intensive research and developed into many commercial products. Various studies have reported the development of a variety of radiation-grafted FPBMs. However, no reports dealing with the quantitative evaluations of these studies from a global bibliographic perspective have been published. Such bibliographic analysis can provide information to overcome the limitations of the databases and identify the main research trends, together with challenges and future directions. This review aims to provide an unprecedented bibliometric analysis of the published literature on the use of RIGC for the preparation of FPBMs and their applications in medical, biomedical, biotechnological, and health care fields. A total of 235 publications obtained from the Web of Science (WoS) in the period of 1985-2021 were retrieved, screened, and evaluated. The records were used to manifest the contributions to each field and underline not only the top authors, journals, citations, years of publication, and countries but also to highlight the core research topics and the hubs for research excellence on these materials. The obtained data overviews are likely to provide guides to early-career scientists and their research institutions and promote the development of new, timely needed radiation-grafted FPBMs, in addition to extending their applications.
  14. Yunas J, Mulyanti B, Hamidah I, Mohd Said M, Pawinanto RE, Wan Ali WAF, et al.
    Polymers (Basel), 2020 May 22;12(5).
    PMID: 32455993 DOI: 10.3390/polym12051184
    In this study, we present a comprehensive review of polymer-based microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) electromagnetic (EM) actuators and their implementation in the biomedical engineering field. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive summary on the latest development of electromagnetically driven microactuators for biomedical application that is focused on the movable structure development made of polymers. The discussion does not only focus on the polymeric material part itself, but also covers the basic mechanism of the mechanical actuation, the state of the art of the membrane development and its application. In this review, a clear description about the scheme used to drive the micro-actuators, the concept of mechanical deformation of the movable magnetic membrane and its interaction with actuator system are described in detail. Some comparisons are made to scrutinize the advantages and disadvantages of electromagnetic MEMS actuator performance. The previous studies and explanations on the technology used to fabricate the polymer-based membrane component of the electromagnetically driven microactuators system are presented. The study on the materials and the synthesis method implemented during the fabrication process for the development of the actuators are also briefly described in this review. Furthermore, potential applications of polymer-based MEMS EM actuators in the biomedical field are also described. It is concluded that much progress has been made in the material development of the actuator. The technology trend has moved from the use of bulk magnetic material to using magnetic polymer composites. The future benefits of these compact flexible material employments will offer a wide range of potential implementation of polymer composites in wearable and portable biomedical device applications.
    Matched MeSH terms: Polymers
  15. Yew CHT, Azari P, Choi JR, Muhamad F, Pingguan-Murphy B
    Polymers (Basel), 2018 Dec 14;10(12).
    PMID: 30961312 DOI: 10.3390/polym10121387
    Electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers have emerged as a promising material in diverse biomedical applications due to their various favorable features. However, their application in the field of biosensors such as point-of-care lateral flow assays (LFA) has not been investigated. The present study demonstrates the use of electrospun PCL nanofibers as a reaction membrane for LFA. Electrospun PCL nanofibers were treated with NaOH solution for different concentrations and durations to achieve a desirable flow rate and optimum detection sensitivity in nucleic acid-based LFA. It was observed that the concentration of NaOH does not affect the physical properties of nanofibers, including average fiber diameter, average pore size and porosity. However, interestingly, a significant reduction of the water contact angle was observed due to the generation of hydroxyl and carboxyl groups on the nanofibers, which increased their hydrophilicity. The optimally treated nanofibers were able to detect synthetic Zika viral DNA (as a model analyte) sensitively with a detection limit of 0.5 nM. Collectively, the benefits such as low-cost of fabrication, ease of modification, porous nanofibrous structures and tunability of flow rate make PCL nanofibers a versatile alternative to nitrocellulose membrane in LFA applications. This material offers tremendous potential for a broad range of point-of-care applications.
  16. Yeoh FH, Lee CS, Kang YB, Wong SF, Cheng SF, Ng WS
    Polymers (Basel), 2020 Aug 17;12(8).
    PMID: 32824514 DOI: 10.3390/polym12081842
    Being biodegradable and biocompatible are crucial characteristics for biomaterial used for medical and biomedical applications. Vegetable oil-based polyols are known to contribute both the biodegradability and biocompatibility of polyurethanes; however, petrochemical-based polyols were often incorporated to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of polyurethane. In this work, palm oil-based polyester polyol (PPP) derived from epoxidized palm olein and glutaric acid was reacted with isophorone diisocyanate to produce an aliphatic polyurethane, without the incorporation of any commercial petrochemical-based polyol. The effects of water content and isocyanate index were investigated. The polyurethanes produced consisted of > 90% porosity with interconnected micropores and macropores (37-1700 µm) and PU 1.0 possessed tensile strength and compression stress of 111 kPa and 64 kPa. The polyurethanes with comparable thermal stability, yet susceptible to enzymatic degradation with 7-59% of mass loss after 4 weeks of treatment. The polyurethanes demonstrated superior water uptake (up to 450%) and did not induce significant changes in pH of the medium. The chemical changes of the polyurethanes after enzymatic degradation were evaluated by FTIR and TGA analyses. The polyurethanes showed cell viability of 53.43% and 80.37% after 1 and 10 day(s) of cytotoxicity test; and cell adhesion and proliferation in cell adhesion test. The polyurethanes produced demonstrated its potential as biomaterial for soft tissue engineering applications.
  17. Yee Kuen C, Galen T, Fakurazi S, Othman SS, Masarudin MJ
    Polymers (Basel), 2020 Aug 28;12(9).
    PMID: 32872307 DOI: 10.3390/polym12091951
    The growing incidence of global lung cancer cases against successful treatment modalities has increased the demand for the development of innovative strategies to complement conventional chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. The substitution of chemotherapeutics by naturally occurring phenolic compounds has been touted as a promising research endeavor, as they sideline the side effects of current chemotherapy drugs. However, the therapeutic efficacy of these compounds is conventionally lower than that of chemotherapeutic agents due to their lower solubility and consequently poor intracellular uptake. Therefore, we report herein a hydrophobically modified chitosan nanoparticle (pCNP) system for the encapsulation of protocatechuic acid (PCA), a naturally occurring but poorly soluble phenolic compound, for increased efficacy and improved intracellular uptake in A549 lung cancer cells. The pCNP system was modified by the inclusion of a palmitoyl group and physico-chemically characterized to assess its particle size, Polydispersity Index (PDI) value, amine group quantification, functional group profiling, and morphological properties. The inclusion of hydrophobic palmitoyl in pCNP-PCA was found to increase the encapsulation of PCA by 54.5% compared to unmodified CNP-PCA samples whilst it only conferred a 23.4% larger particle size. The single-spherical like particles with uniformed dispersity pCNP-PCA exhibited IR bands, suggesting the successful incorporation of PCA within its core, and a hydrophobic layer was elucidated via electron micrographs. The cytotoxic efficacy was then assessed by using an MTT cytotoxicity assay towards A549 human lung cancer cell line and was compared with traditional chitosan nanoparticle system. Fascinatingly, a controlled release delivery and enhanced therapeutic efficacy were observed in pCNP-PCA compared to CNP, which is ascribed to lower IC50 values in the 72-h treatment in the pCNP system. Using the hydrophobic system, efficacy of PCA was significantly increased in 24-, 48-, and 72-h treatments compared to a single administration of the compound, and via the unmodified CNP system. Findings arising from this study exhibit the potential of using such modified nanoparticulate systems in increasing the efficacy of natural phenolic compounds by augmenting their delivery potential for better anti-cancer responses.
  18. Yasin SNN, Said Z, Halib N, Rahman ZA, Mokhzani NI
    Polymers (Basel), 2023 Jul 18;15(14).
    PMID: 37514474 DOI: 10.3390/polym15143085
    Excellent wound dressings should have crucial components, including high porosity, non-toxicity, high water absorption, and the ability to retain a humid environment in the wound area and facilitate wound healing. Unfortunately, current wound dressings hamper the healing process, with poor antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activity, frequent dressing changes, low biodegradability, and poor mechanical properties. Hydrogels are crosslinked polymer chains with three-dimensional (3D) networks that have been applicable as wound dressings. They could retain a humid environment on the wound site, provide a protective barrier against pathogenic infections, and provide pain relief. Hydrogel can be obtained from natural, synthetic, or hybrid polymers. Honey is a natural substance that has demonstrated several therapeutic efficacies, including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant activity, which makes it beneficial for wound treatment. Honey-based hydrogel wound dressings demonstrated excellent characteristics, including good biodegradability and biocompatibility, stimulated cell proliferation and reepithelization, inhibited bacterial growth, and accelerated wound healing. This review aimed to demonstrate the potential of honey-based hydrogel in wound healing applications and complement the studies accessible regarding implementing honey-based hydrogel dressing for wound healing.
  19. Yasim-Anuar TAT, Ariffin H, Norrrahim MNF, Hassan MA, Andou Y, Tsukegi T, et al.
    Polymers (Basel), 2020 Apr 17;12(4).
    PMID: 32316664 DOI: 10.3390/polym12040927
    Two different liquid assisted processing methods: internal melt-blending (IMB) and twin-screw extrusion (TWS) were performed to fabricate polyethylene (PE)/cellulose nanofiber (CNF) nanocomposites. The nanocomposites consisted maleic anhydride-grafted PE (PEgMA) as a compatibilizer, with PE/PEgMA/CNF ratio of 97/3/0.5-5 (wt./wt./wt.), respectively. Morphological analysis exhibited that CNF was well-dispersed in nanocomposites prepared by liquid-assisted TWS. Meanwhile, a randomly oriented and agglomerated CNF was observed in the nanocomposites prepared by liquid-assisted IMB. The nanocomposites obtained from liquid-assisted TWS exhibited the best mechanical properties at 3 wt.% CNF addition with an increment in flexural strength by almost 139%, higher than that of liquid-assisted IMB. Results from this study indicated that liquid feeding of CNF assisted the homogenous dispersion of CNF in PE matrix, and the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were affected by compounding method due to the CNF dispersion and alignment.
  20. Yang J, Ching YC, Chuah CH, Liou NS
    Polymers (Basel), 2020 Dec 29;13(1).
    PMID: 33383626 DOI: 10.3390/polym13010094
    This study examined the development of starch/oil palm empty fruit bunch-based bioplastic composites reinforced with either epoxidized palm oil (EPO) or epoxidized soybean oil (ESO), at various concentrations, in order to improve the mechanical and water-resistance properties of the bio-composites. The SEM micrographs showed that low content (0.75 wt%) of epoxidized oils (EOs), especially ESO, improved the compatibility of the composites, while high content (3 wt%) of EO induced many voids. The melting temperature of the composites was increased by the incorporation of both EOs. Thermal stability of the bioplastics was increased by the introduction of ESO. Low contents of EO led to a huge enhancement of tensile strength, while higher contents of EO showed a negative effect, due to the phase separation. The tensile strength increased from 0.83 MPa of the control sample to 3.92 and 5.42 MPa for the composites with 1.5 wt% EPO and 0.75 wt% ESO, respectively. EOs reduced the composites' water uptake and solubility but increased the water vapor permeability. Overall, the reinforcing effect of ESO was better than EPO. These results suggested that both EOs can be utilized as modifiers to prepare starch/empty-fruit-bunch-based bioplastic composites with enhanced properties.
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