Discovery and use of biocompatible polymers offers great promise in the pharmaceutical field, particularly in drug delivery systems. Disulphide bonds, which commonly occur in peptides and proteins and have been used as drug-glutathione conjugates, are reductively cleaved in the colon. The intrinsic stability of a disulphide relative to thiol groups is determined by the redox potential of the environment. The objective of this study was to synthesise a trimesic acid-based disulphide cross-linked polymer that could potentially be used for targeted delivery to the colon. The monomer was synthesised by an amide coupling reaction between trimesic acid and (triphenylmethyl) thioethylamine using a two-step synthesis method. The s-trityl group was removed using a cocktail of trifluoroacetic acid and triethylsilane to expose the thiols in preparation for further polymerisation. The resulting polymers (P10, P15, P21, P25, and P51, generated using different molar ratios) were reduced after 1.5 h of reduction time. Scanning electron microscopy images of the polymers showed spherical, loose, or tight patterns depending on the molar ratio of polymerisation. These polymers also exhibited efficient dissolution under various gastrointestinal conditions. Of the five polymers tested, P10 and P15 appeared to be promising drug delivery vehicles for poorly soluble drugs, due to the hydrophobic nature of the polymers.
In this study, reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) nanocomposites were prepared by employing in situ polymerization and solution blending methods. In terms of mechanical properties, RGO loading increased the Young's modulus but decreased the elongation at break for RGO/PMMA nanocomposites. Tensile strength for solution blended RGO/PMMA nanocomposites increased after adding 0.5 wt % RGO, which was attributed to the good dispersion of RGO in the nanocomposites as evidenced from SEM and TEM. Solar energy conversion efficiency measurement results showed that the optimum concentration of RGO in the RGO/PMMA nanocomposites was found to be 1.0 wt % in order to achieve the maximum solar energy conversion efficiency of 25%. In the present study, the solution blended nanocomposites exhibited better overall properties than in situ polymerized nanocomposites owing to the better dispersion of RGO in solution blending. These findings would contribute to future work in search of higher conversion efficiency using nanocomposites.
The aim was to explore the utilization of oil palm mesocarp fiber (OPMF) as a source for the production of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC). OPMF was first treated with alkali and then bleached before the production of CNC by acid hydrolysis (H₂SO₄). The produced materials were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). It was proven that acid hydrolysis can increase the crystallinity of bleached OPMF and reduce the dimension of cellulose to nano scale. Changes in the peaks of the FTIR spectrum at 2852 (C-H stretching), 1732 (C=O stretching) and 1234 cm-1 (C-O stretching) indicated that the alkali treatment completely removed hemicelluloses and lignin from the fiber surface. This can be seen from the thermogram obtained from the TGA characterization. Morphological characterization clearly showed the formation of rod-shaped CNCs. The promising results prove that OPMF is a valuable source for the production of CNC.
Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs)-polyester nanocomposites with four different concentrations were produced using solution casting technique and the biodegradation effect of short-term seawater exposure (120 h) was studied. Monolithic polyester was observed to have the highest seawater absorption with 1.37%. At 0.3 wt % HNTs reinforcement, the seawater absorption dropped significantly to the lowest value of 0.77% due to increase of liquid diffusion path. For samples tested in dry conditions, the Tg, storage modulus, tensile properties and flexural properties were improved. The highest improvement of Tg was from 79.3 to 82.4 °C (increase 3.1 °C) in the case of 0.3 wt % HNTs. This can be associated with the exfoliated HNTs particles, which restrict the mobility of polymer chains and thus raised the Tg. After seawater exposure, the Tg, storage modulus, tensile properties and flexural properties of polyester and its nanocomposites were decreased. The Young's modulus of 0.3 wt % HNTs-polyester dropped 20% while monolithic polyester dropped up to 24% compared to their values in dry condition. Apart from that, 29% flexural modulus reduction was observed, which was 18% higher than monolithic polyester. In contrast, fracture toughness and surface roughness increased due to plasticization effect. The presence of various microbial communities caused gradual biodegradation on the microstructure of the polyester matrix as also evidently shown by SEM images.
Existing structural components require strengthening after a certain period of time due to increases in service loads, errors in design, mechanical damage, and the need to extend the service period. Externally-bonded reinforcement (EBR) and near-surface mounted (NSM) reinforcement are two preferred strengthening approach. This paper presents a NSM technique incorporating NSM composites, namely steel and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) bars, as reinforcement. Experimental and analytical studies carried out to explore the performance of reinforced concrete (RC) members strengthened with the NSM composites. Analytical models were developed in predicting the maximum crack spacing and width, concrete cover separation failure loads, and deflection. A four-point bending test was applied on beams strengthened with different types and ratios of NSM reinforcement. The failure characteristics, yield, and ultimate capacities, deflection, strain, and cracking behavior of the beams were evaluated based on the experimental output. The test results indicate an increase in the cracking load of 69% and an increase in the ultimate load of 92% compared with the control beam. The predicted result from the analytical model shows good agreement with the experimental result, which ensures the competent implementation of the present NSM-steel and CFRP technique.
Pectin is an anionic, water-soluble polymer predominantly consisting of covalently 1,4-linked α-d-galacturonic acid units. This naturally occurring, renewable and biodegradable polymer is underutilized in polymer science due to its insolubility in organic solvents, which renders conventional polymerization methods impractical. To circumvent this problem, cerium-initiated radical polymerization was utilized to graft methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (mPEGMA) onto pectin in water. The copolymers were characterized by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and used in the formation of supramolecular hydrogels through the addition of α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) to induce crosslinking. These hydrogels possessed thixotropic properties; shear-thinning to liquid upon agitation but settling into gels at rest. In contrast to most of the other hydrogels produced through the use of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-grafted polymers, the pectin-PEGMA/α-CD hydrogels were unaffected by temperature changes.
Nanocomposite polymer electrolyte membranes (NCPEMs) based on poly(acrylic acid)(PAA) and titania (TiO₂) are prepared by a solution casting technique. The ionic conductivity of NCPEMs increases with the weight ratio of TiO₂.The highest ionic conductivity of (8.36 ± 0.01) × 10-4 S·cm-1 is obtained with addition of 6 wt % of TiO₂ at ambient temperature. The complexation between PAA, LiTFSI and TiO₂ is discussed in Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) studies. Electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs) are fabricated using the filler-free polymer electrolyte or the most conducting NCPEM and carbon-based electrodes. The electrochemical performances of fabricated EDLCs are studied through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge studies. EDLC comprising NCPEM shows the specific capacitance of 28.56 F·g-1 (or equivalent to 29.54 mF·cm-2) with excellent electrochemical stability.
Poly(phenyl-(4-(6-thiophen-3-yl-hexyloxy)-benzylidene)-amine) (P3TArH) was successfully synthesized and coated on the surface of Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). The nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis, analyzer transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). P3TArH-coated MNPs (MNP@P3TArH) showed higher capabilities for the extraction of commonly-used phthalates and were optimized for the magnetic-solid phase extraction (MSPE) of environmental samples. Separation and determination of the extracted phthalates, namely dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dipropyl phthalate (DPP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCP), di-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP), were conducted by a gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID). The best working conditions were as follows; sample at pH 7, 30 min extraction time, ethyl acetate as the elution solvent, 500-µL elution solvent volumes, 10 min desorption time, 10-mg adsorbent dosage, 20-mL sample loading volume and 15 g·L-1 concentration of NaCl. Under the optimized conditions, the analytical performances were determined with a linear range of 0.1⁻50 µg·L-1 and a limit of detection at 0.08⁻0.468 µg·L-1 for all of the analytes studied. The intra-day (n = 7) and inter-day (n = 3) relative standard deviations (RSD%) of three replicates were each demonstrated in the range of 3.7⁻4.9 and 3.0⁻5.0, respectively. The steadiness and reusability studies suggested that the MNP@P3TArH could be used up to five cycles. The proposed method was executed for the analysis of real water samples, namely commercial bottled mineral water and bottled fresh milk, whereby recoveries in the range of 68%⁻101% and RSD% lower than 7.7 were attained.
This study investigates the flexural behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened through the combined externally bonded and near-surface mounted (CEBNSM) technique. The externally bonded reinforcement (EBR) and near-surface mounted (NSM) techniques are popular strengthening solutions, although these methods often demonstrate premature debonding failure. The proposed CEBNSM technique increases the bond area of the concrete⁻carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) interface, which can delay the debonding failure. This technique is appropriate when any structure has a narrow cross-sectional width or is in need of additional flexural capacity that an individual technique or material cannot attain. An experimental test matrix was designed with one control and five strengthened RC beams to verify the performance of the proposed technique. The strengthening materials were CFRP bar as NSM reinforcement combined with CFRP fabric as EBR material. The test variables were the diameter of the NSM bars (8 and 10 mm), the thickness of the CFRP fabrics (one and two layers) and the U-wrap anchorage. The strengthened beams showed enhancement of ultimate load capacity, stiffness, cracking behaviour, and strain compatibility. The ultimate capacity of the CEBNSM-strengthened beams increased from 71% to 105% compared to that of the control beam. A simulation method based on the moment-rotation approach was also presented to predict the behaviour of CEBNSM-strengthened RC beams.
The properties of a composite material depend on its constituent materials such as natural biopolymers or synthetic biodegradable polymers and inorganic or organic nanomaterials or nano-scale minerals. The significance of bio-based and synthetic polymers and their drawbacks on coating film application is currently being discussed in research papers and articles. Properties and applications vary for each novel synthetic bio-based material, and a number of such materials have been fabricated in recent years. This review provides an in-depth discussion on the properties and applications of biopolymer-based nanocomposite coating films. Recent works and articles are cited in this paper. These citations are ubiquitous in the development of novel bionanocomposites and their applications.
Cadmium oxide semiconductor nanoparticles were produced using a water based mixture, incorporating cadmium nitrates, polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), and calcination temperature. An X-ray diffraction (XRD) evaluation was conducted to determine the degree of crystallization of the semiconductor nanoparticles. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was conducted to identify the morphological features of the nanoparticles. The typical particle sizes and particle dispersal were analyzed via the use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The findings provided further support for the XRD outcomes. To determine the composition phase, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was conducted, as it indicated the existence of not only metal oxide ionic band in the selection of samples, but also the efficient removal of organic compounds following calcinations. The optical characteristics were demonstrated, so as to analyze the energy band gap via the use of a UV⁻Vis spectrophotometer. A reduced particle size resulted in diminution of the intensity of photoluminescence, was demonstrated by PL spectra. Plus, the magnetic characteristics were examined using an electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, which affirmed the existence of unpaired electrons.
One of the approaches to prolong the service lifespan of polymeric material is the development of self-healing ability by means of embedded microcapsules containing a healing agent. In this work, poly(melamine-urea-formaldehyde) (PMUF) microcapsules containing a palm oil-based alkyd were produced by polymerization of melamine resin, urea and formaldehyde that encapsulated droplets of the suspended alkyd particles. A series of spherical and free-flowing microcapsules were obtained. The chemical properties of core and shell materials were characterized by Attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-NMR). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis showed a glass transition around -15 °C due to the alkyd, and a melting temperature at around 200 °C due to the shell. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results showed that the core and shell thermally degraded within the temperature range of 200⁻600 °C. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) examination of the ruptured microcapsule showed smooth inner and rough outer surfaces of the shell. Flexural strength and microhardness (Vickers) of the cured epoxy compound were not affected with the incorporation of 1%⁻3% of the microcapsules. The viability of the healing reactions was demonstrated by blending small amounts of alkyd with epoxy and hardener at different ratios. The blends could readily cure to non-sticky hard solids at room temperature and the reactions could be verified by ATR-FTIR.
This paper focuses on the synthesis and mechanism of carbon nanospheres (CNS) coated with few- and multi-layered graphene (FLG, MLG). The graphitic carbon encapsulates the core/shell structure of the Ni/NiO nanoparticles via the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The application of the resulting CNS and hybrids of CNS-FLG and CNS-MLG as reinforcement nanofillers in a polypropylene (PP) matrix were studied from the aspects of mechanical and thermal characteristics. In this research, to synthesize carbon nanostructures, nickel nitrate hexahydrate (Ni(NO₃)₂·6H₂O) and acetylene (C₂H₂) were used as the catalyst source and carbon source, respectively. Besides, the morphology, structure and graphitization of the resulting carbon nanostructures were investigated. On the other hand, the mechanisms of CNS growth and the synthesis of graphene sheets on the CNS surface were studied. Finally, the mechanical and thermal properties of the CNS/PP, CNS-FLG/PP, and CNS-MLG/PP composites were analyzed by applying tensile test and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively.
The effect of TiO₂ nanoparticle (NP) content on the improvement of poly(9,9'-di-n-octylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) (PFO)/Fluorol 7GA organic light emitting diode (OLED) performance is demonstrated here. The PFO/Fluorol 7GA blend with specific ratios of TiO₂ NPs was prepared via a solution blending method before being spin-coated onto an indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate to act as an emissive layer in OLEDs. A thin aluminum layer as top electrode was deposited onto the emissive layer using the electron beam chamber. Improvement electron injection from the cathode was achieved upon incorporation of TiO₂ NPs into the PFO/Fluorol 7GA blend, thus producing devices with intense luminance and lower turn-on voltage. The ITO/(PFO/Fluorol 7GA/TiO₂)/Al OLED device exhibited maximum electroluminescence intensity and luminance at 25 wt % of TiO₂ NPs, while maximum luminance efficiency was achieved with 15 wt % TiO₂ NP content. In addition, this work proved that the performance of the devices was strongly affected by the surface morphology, which in turn depended on the TiO₂ NP content.
In this study, a novel multiphasic model for the calculation of the polypropylene production in a complicated hydrodynamic and the physiochemical environments has been formulated, confirmed and validated. This is a first research attempt that describes the development of the dual-phasic phenomena, the impact of the optimal process conditions on the production rate of polypropylene and the fluidized bed dynamic details which could be concurrently obtained after solving the model coupled with the CFD (computational fluid dynamics) model, the basic mathematical model and the moment equations. Furthermore, we have established the quantitative relationship between the operational condition and the dynamic gas⁻solid behavior in actual reaction environments. Our results state that the proposed model could be applied for generalizing the production rate of the polymer from a chemical procedure to pilot-scale chemical reaction engineering. However, it was assumed that the solids present in the bubble phase and the reactant gas present in the emulsion phase improved the multiphasic model, thus taking into account that the polymerization took place mutually in the emulsion besides the bubble phase. It was observed that with respect to the experimental extent of the superficial gas velocity and the Ziegler-Natta feed rate, the ratio of the polymer produced as compared to the overall rate of production was approximately in the range of 9%⁻11%. This is a significant amount and it should not be ignored. We also carried out the simulation studies for comparing the data of the CFD-dependent dual-phasic model, the emulsion phase model, the dynamic bubble model and the experimental results. It was noted that the improved dual-phasic model and the CFD model were able to predict more constricted and safer windows at similar conditions as compared to the experimental results. Our work is unique, as the integrated developed model is able to offer clearer ideas related to the dynamic bed parameters for the separate phases and is also capable of computing the chemical reaction rate for every phase in the reaction. Our improved mutiphasic model revealed similar dynamic behaviour as the conventional model in the initial stages of the polymerization reaction; however, it diverged as time progressed.
The use of transparent polymers as an alternative to glass has become widespread. However, the direct exposure of these materials to climatic conditions of sunlight and heat decrease the lifetime cost of these products. The aim of this study was to minimize the harm caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure to transparent poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), which usually leads to changes in the physical and chemical properties of these materials and reduced performance. This was achieved using environmentally friendly cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB). The optical, morphological, and thermal properties of CAB blended with transparent PMMA was studied using UV-VIS spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, dynamic mechanical analysis, and thermal gravimetric analysis. The results show that CAB was able to reduce the effects of UV radiation by making PMMA more transparent to UV light, thereby preventing the negative effects of trapped radiation within the compositional structure, while maintaining the amorphous structure of the blend. The results also show that CAB blended with PMMA led to some properties commensurate with the requirements of research in terms of a slight increase in the value of the modulus and the glass transition temperature for the PMMA/CAB blend.
Nowadays, pultruded glass fiber-reinforced polymer composite (PGFRPC) structures have been used widely for cross-arms in high transmission towers. These composite structures have replaced cross-arms of conventional materials like wood due to several factors, such as better strength, superior resistance to environmental degradation, reduced weight, and comparatively cheaper maintenance. However, lately, several performance failures have been found on existing cross-arm members, caused by moisture, temperature changes in the atmosphere, and other environmental factors, which may lead to a complete failure or reduced service life. As a potential solution for this problem, enhancing PGFRPC with honeycomb-filled composite structures will become a possible alternative that can sustain a longer service life compared to that of existing cross-arms. This is due to the new composite structures' superior performance under mechanical duress in providing better stiffness, excellence in flexural characteristics, good energy absorption, and increased load-carrying capacity. Although there has been a lack of previous research done on the enhancement of existing composite cross-arms in applications for high transmission towers, several studies on the enhancement of hollow beams and tubes have been done. This paper provides a state-of-the-art review study on the mechanical efficiency of both PGFRPC structures and honeycomb-filled composite sandwich structures in experimental and analytical terms.
Bacteria are considered as the major cell factories, which can effectively convert nitrogen and carbon sources to a wide variety of extracellular and intracellular biopolymers like polyamides, polysaccharides, polyphosphates, polyesters, proteinaceous compounds, and extracellular DNA. Bacterial biopolymers find applications in pathogenicity, and their diverse materialistic and chemical properties make them suitable to be used in medicinal industries. When these biopolymer compounds are obtained from pathogenic bacteria, they serve as important virulence factors, but when they are produced by non-pathogenic bacteria, they act as food components or biomaterials. There have been interdisciplinary studies going on to focus on the molecular mechanism of synthesis of bacterial biopolymers and identification of new targets for antimicrobial drugs, utilizing synthetic biology for designing and production of innovative biomaterials. This review sheds light on the mechanism of synthesis of bacterial biopolymers and its necessary modifications to be used as cell based micro-factories for the production of tailor-made biomaterials for high-end applications and their role in pathogenesis.
Chitosan (CS)-dextran (DN) biopolymer electrolytes doped with ammonium iodide (NH4I) and plasticized with glycerol (GL), then dispersed with Zn(II)-metal complex were fabricated for energy device application. The CS:DN:NH4I:Zn(II)-complex was plasticized with various amounts of GL and the impact of used metal complex and GL on the properties of the formed electrolyte were investigated.The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements have shown that the highest conductivity for the plasticized system was 3.44 × 10-4 S/cm. From the x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, the plasticized electrolyte with minimum degree of crystallinity has shown the maximum conductivity. The effect of (GL) plasticizer on the film morphology was studied using FESEM. It has been confirmed via transference number analysis (TNM) that the transport mechanism in the prepared electrolyte is predominantly ionic in nature with a high transference number of ion (ti)of 0.983. From a linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) study, the electrolyte was found to be electrochemically constant as the voltage sweeps linearly up to 1.25 V. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) curve covered most of the area of the current-potential plot with no redox peaks and the sweep rate was found to be affecting the capacitance. The electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) has shown a great performance of specific capacitance (108.3 F/g), ESR(47.8 ohm), energy density (12.2 W/kg) and power density (1743.4 W/kg) for complete 100 cycles at a current density of 0.5 mA cm-2.
A simple optical pH sensor based on immobilization, Dioscorea alata L. anthocyanin methanol extract, onto a pectin-chitosan polyelectrolyte complex (pectin-chitosan PEC), has been successfully fabricated. The optical pH sensor was manufactured as a membrane made of pectin-chitosan PEC and the extracted anthocyanin. This sensor has the highest sensitivity of anthocyanin content at 0.025 mg/L in phosphate buffer and 0.0375 mg/L in citrate buffer. It also has good reproducibility with a relative standard deviation (%RSD) of 7.7%, and gives a stable response at time values greater than 5 min from exposure in a buffer solution, and the sensor can be utilized within five days from its synthesis. This optical pH sensor has been employed to determine saliva pH of people of different ages and showed no significant difference when compared to a potentiometric method.