Biocompatible polymer microneedle for topical/dermal delivery of tranexamic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

A Machekposhti, S; Soltani, M; Najafizadeh, P; Ebrahimi, S A; Chen, P

2017-09-10

Recently-introduced biocompatible polymeric microneedles offer an efficient method for drug delivery. Tranexamic acid is a novel drug for treating melasma that is administered both locally and orally and inhibits excessive melanin via melanocyte. The tranexamic acid biocompatible polymer microneedle used in this study was fabricated from PVP and methacrylic acid, using the lithography method. The required mechanical strength to pierce skin was attained by optimizing the ratio of PVP to methacrylic acid. Acute dermal toxicity was done, and drug diffusion in skin layers was simulated by calculating the diffusion coefficient of tranexamic acid in interstitial fluid (plasma). The biocompatible polymer microneedle was fabricated at 60°C. Needles could sustain 0.6N that is enough to pierce stratum corneum. 34% of the released drug was locally effective and the rest permeated through the skin. The pyramidal polymer microneedle in this study was fully released in skin in approx. 7h. This polymer microneedle has no dermal toxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Novel proton conducting polymer electrolytes based on polyparabanic acid doped with H 3PO 4 for high temperature fuel cell

Science.gov (United States)

Aihara, Yuichi; Sonai, Atsuo

Three novel proton conducting polymer electrolytes based on polyparabanic acid doped with H 3PO 4 were synthesized and their use in high temperature fuel cells characterized. The precursor polymers, PMD-Im, POD-Im and PDMDP-Im, were synthesized by cyclization polymerization of diisocynanates. After doping with H 3PO 4, the ionic conductivity and the thermal degradation were studied by using the AC impedance method and thermal gravimetric analysis, respectively. These membranes showed high ionic conductivity of the order of 10 -2 S cm -1 at 423 K with good thermal stability. Their application to fuel cells was demonstrated and polarization curves were obtained at 423 K were obtained without humidification.

Photoresponsive surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods for uric acid detection in physiological fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, Qian; Li, Zai-yong; Wei, Yu-bo; Yang, Xia; Liu, Lan-tao; Gong, Cheng-bin; Ma, Xue-bing; Lam, Michael Hon-wah; Chow, Cheuk-fai

2016-01-01

A photoresponsive surface molecularly imprinted polymer for uric acid in physiological fluids was fabricated through a facile and effective method using bio-safe and biocompatible ZnO nanorods as a support. The strategy was carried out by introducing double bonds on the surface of the ZnO nanorods with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane. The surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods was then prepared by surface polymerization using uric acid as template, water-soluble 5-[(4-(methacryloyloxy)phenyl)diazenyl]isophthalic acid as functional monomer, and triethanolamine trimethacryl ester as cross-linker. The surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods showed good photoresponsive properties, high recognition ability, and fast binding kinetics toward uric acid, with a dissociation constant of 3.22 × 10"−"5 M in aqueous NaH_2PO_4 buffer at pH = 7.0 and a maximal adsorption capacity of 1.45 μmol g"−"1. Upon alternate irradiation at 365 and 440 nm, the surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods can quantitatively uptake and release uric acid. - Highlights: • Novel surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods was synthesized. • ZnO-SMIP showed good selectivity toward uric acid in physiological fluids. • ZnO-SMIP displayed good photoresponsive properties.

Photoresponsive surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods for uric acid detection in physiological fluids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Qian [The Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry of Chongqing Municipality, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715 (China); Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Hong Kong Institute of Education (Hong Kong); Li, Zai-yong; Wei, Yu-bo; Yang, Xia; Liu, Lan-tao [The Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry of Chongqing Municipality, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715 (China); Gong, Cheng-bin, E-mail: gongcbtq@swu.edu.cn [The Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry of Chongqing Municipality, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715 (China); Ma, Xue-bing [The Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry of Chongqing Municipality, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715 (China); Lam, Michael Hon-wah [Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong); Chow, Cheuk-fai, E-mail: cfchow@ied.edu.hk [Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Hong Kong Institute of Education (Hong Kong)

2016-09-01

A photoresponsive surface molecularly imprinted polymer for uric acid in physiological fluids was fabricated through a facile and effective method using bio-safe and biocompatible ZnO nanorods as a support. The strategy was carried out by introducing double bonds on the surface of the ZnO nanorods with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane. The surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods was then prepared by surface polymerization using uric acid as template, water-soluble 5-[(4-(methacryloyloxy)phenyl)diazenyl]isophthalic acid as functional monomer, and triethanolamine trimethacryl ester as cross-linker. The surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods showed good photoresponsive properties, high recognition ability, and fast binding kinetics toward uric acid, with a dissociation constant of 3.22 × 10{sup −5} M in aqueous NaH{sub 2}PO{sub 4} buffer at pH = 7.0 and a maximal adsorption capacity of 1.45 μmol g{sup −1}. Upon alternate irradiation at 365 and 440 nm, the surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods can quantitatively uptake and release uric acid. - Highlights: • Novel surface molecularly imprinted polymer on ZnO nanorods was synthesized. • ZnO-SMIP showed good selectivity toward uric acid in physiological fluids. • ZnO-SMIP displayed good photoresponsive properties.

Universal Scaling in Highly Doped Conducting Polymer Films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kronemeijer, A. J.; Huisman, E. H.; Katsouras, I.; van Hal, P. A.; Geuns, T. C. T.; Blom, P. W. M.; van der Molen, S. J.; de Leeuw, D. M.

2010-01-01

Electrical transport of a highly doped disordered conducting polymer, viz. poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene stabilized with poly-4-styrenesulphonic acid, is investigated as a function of bias and temperature. The transport shows universal power-law scaling with both bias and temperature. All

Universal scaling in highly doped conducting polymer films

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kronemeijer, A.J.; Huisman, E.H.; Katsouras, I.; Hal, P.A. van; Geuns, T.C.T.; Blom, P.W.M.; Molen, S.J. van der; Leeuw, D.M. de

2010-01-01

Electrical transport of a highly doped disordered conducting polymer, viz. poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene stabilized with poly-4-styrenesulphonic acid, is investigated as a function of bias and temperature. The transport shows universal power-law scaling with both bias and temperature. All

Polyacrylic acid polymer brushes as substrates for the incorporation of anthraquinone derivatives. Unprecedented application of decorated polymer brushes on organocatalysis

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz-Muelle, Ana Belén; Contreras-Cáceres, Rafael; Oña-Burgos, Pascual; Rodríguez-Dieguez, Antonio; López-Romero, Juan Manuel; Fernández, Ignacio

2018-01-01

The synthesis of amino-terminated anthraquinone derivatives and their incorporation onto polymer brushes for the fabrication of silicon-based nanometric functional coatings are described for the first time. The general process involves the covalent grafting of anthraquinone 1 onto two different polymer-brushes by amidation reactions. They are composed by amino- and carboxy-terminated poly(acrylic acid) chains (PAA-NH2- and PAA-COOH, respectively) tethered by one end to an underlying silicon oxide (SiO2) substrate in a polymer brush configuration. A third substrate is fabricated by UV induced hydrosilylation reaction using undecenoic acid as adsorbate on hydrogen-terminated Si(111) surfaces. One- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), FT-IR, MS and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize anthraquinone 1. Ellipsometric and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements demonstrated the presence of the polymer brushes on the silicon wafers, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study its surface morphology. The covalent linkage between anthraquinone and polymer brushes was proven by XPS and confocal fluorescence microscopy. The resulting surfaces were assayed in the heterogenous organocatalytic transformation of (1H)-indole into 3-benzyl indole with moderate yields but with high recyclability.

Design of polymer motifs for nucleic acid recognition and assembly stabilization

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhun

This dissertation describes the synthesis and assembly of bio-functional polymers and the applications of these polymers to drug encapsulation, delivery, and multivalent biomimetic macromolecular recognition between synthetic polymer and nucleic acids. The main content is divided into three parts: (1) polyacidic domains as strongly stabilizing design elements for aqueous phase polyacrylate diblock assembly; (2) small molecule/polymer recognition triggered macromolecular assembly and drug encapsulation; (3) trizaine derivatized polymer as a novel class of "bifacial polymer nucleic acid" (bPoNA) and applications of bPoNA to nanoparticle loading of DNA/RNA, silencing delivery as well as control of aptamer function. Through the studies in part (1) and part (2), it was demonstrated that well-designed polymer motifs are not only able to enhance assemblies driven by non-specific hydrophobic effect, but are also able to direct assemblies based on specific recognitions. In part (3) of this dissertation, this concept was further extended by the design of polyacrylate polymers that are capable of discrete and robust hybridization with nucleic acids. This surprising finding demonstrated both fundamental and practical applications. Overall, these studies provided insights into the rational design elements for improving the bio-functions of synthetic polymers, and significantly expanded the scope of biological applications in which polymers synthesized via controlled radical polymerization may play a role.

Bioinspired bioadhesive polymers: dopa-modified poly(acrylic acid) derivatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Laulicht, Bryan; Mancini, Alexis; Geman, Nathanael; Cho, Daniel; Estrellas, Kenneth; Furtado, Stacia; Hopson, Russell; Tripathi, Anubhav; Mathiowitz, Edith

2012-11-01

The one-step synthesis and characterization of novel bioinspired bioadhesive polymers that contain Dopa, implicated in the extremely adhesive byssal fibers of certain gastropods, is reported. The novel polymers consist of combinations of either of two polyanhydride backbones and one of three amino acids, phenylalanine, tyrosine, or Dopa, grafted as side chains. Dopa-grafted hydrophobic backbone polymers exhibit as much as 2.5 × the fracture strength and 2.8 × the tensile work of bioadhesion of a commercially available poly(acrylic acid) derivative as tested on live, excised, rat intestinal tissue. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Main chain acid-degradable polymers for the delivery of bioactive materials

Science.gov (United States)

Frechet, Jean M. J. [Oakland, CA; Standley, Stephany M [Evanston, IL; Jain, Rachna [Milpitas, CA; Lee, Cameron C [Cambridge, MA

2012-03-20

Novel main chain acid degradable polymer backbones and drug delivery systems comprised of materials capable of delivering bioactive materials to cells for use as vaccines or other therapeutic agents are described. The polymers are synthesized using monomers that contain acid-degradable linkages cleavable under mild acidic conditions. The main chain of the resulting polymers readily degrade into many small molecules at low pH, but remain relatively stable and intact at physiological pH. The new materials have the common characteristic of being able to degrade by acid hydrolysis under conditions commonly found within the endosomal or lysosomal compartments of cells thereby releasing their payload within the cell. The materials can also be used for the delivery of therapeutics to the acidic regions of tumors and other sites of inflammation.

Polymers with complexing properties. Simple poly(amino acids)

Science.gov (United States)

Roque, J. M.

1978-01-01

The free amino (0.3 equiv/residue) and carboxyl (0.5 equiv/residue) groups of thermal polylysine increased dramatically on treatment with distilled water. The total hydrolysis of such a polymer was abnormal in that only about 50% of the expected amino acids were recovered. Poly (lysine-co-alanine-co-glycine) under usual conditions hydrolyzed completely in 8 hours; whereas, when it was pretreated with diazomethane, a normal period of 24 hours was required to give (nearly) the same amounts of each free amino acid as compared with those obtained from the untreated polymer. The amino groups of the basic thermal poly(amino acids) were sterically hindered. The existence of nitrogen atoms linking two or three chains and reactive groups (anhydride, imine) were proposed.

76 FR 77709 - Butyl acrylate-methacrylic acid-styrene polymer; Tolerance Exemption

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-14

...This regulation establishes an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance for residues of 2-Propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, polymer with butyl 2-propenoate and ethenylbenzene (CAS Reg. No. 25036-16-2); also known as butyl acrylate-methacrylic acid-styrene polymer when used as an inert ingredient in a pesticide chemical formulation. Momentive Performance Materials submitted a petition to EPA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), requesting an exemption from the requirement of a tolerance. This regulation eliminates the need to establish a maximum permissible level for residues of 2-Propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, polymer with butyl 2-propenoate and ethenylbenzene on food or feed commodities.

The determination of acid-base properties of polymer surfaces by XPS: Present status and future prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chehimi, M.M.; Delamar, M.; Shahidzadeh-Ahmadi, N.; Arefi-Khonsari, F.; Amouroux, J.; Watts, J.F.

1996-01-01

The use of the molecular probe technique in conjunction with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for the assessment of acid-base properties of polymer surfaces is reviewed. The method is based on the determination of the concentration and chemical shifts of Lewis acids (bases) sorbed in polymers of basic (acidic) character. In the case of chloroform (Lewis acid) sorbed in polymers of Lewis basic character, C12p binding energy is linearly correlated with ΔH AB , the heat of acid-base complex formation chloroform-polymer. This relationship has been used to determine the acid-base properties of poly(phenylene oxide), a homopolymer, and ammonia plasma-treated polypropylene. This work shows that XPS can now indeed be used to quantitatively assess the acid-base properties of modified polymer surfaces and perhaps be extended to map acid-base properties of polymer surfaces at the micron or submicron scale. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

Responsive Boronic Acid-Decorated (Co)polymers: From Glucose Sensors to Autonomous Drug Delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Vancoillie, Gertjan; Hoogenboom, Richard

2016-10-19

Boronic acid-containing (co)polymers have fascinated researchers for decades, garnering attention for their unique responsiveness toward 1,2- and 1,3-diols, including saccharides and nucleotides. The applications of materials that exert this property are manifold including sensing, but also self-regulated drug delivery systems through responsive membranes or micelles. In this review, some of the main applications of boronic acid containing (co)polymers are discussed focusing on the role of the boronic acid group in the response mechanism. We hope that this summary, which highlights the importance and potential of boronic acid-decorated polymeric materials, will inspire further research within this interesting field of responsive polymers and polymeric materials.

Synthesis of Homoveratric Acid-Imprinted Polymers and Their Evaluation as Selective Separation Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariusz Dana

2011-05-01

Full Text Available A bulk polymerization method was used to easily and efficiently prepare homo-veratric acid (3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetic acid-imprinted polymers from eight basic monomers: 2-vinylpyridine, 4-vinylpyridine, 1-vinylimidazole, N-allylaniline, N-allylpiperazine, allylurea, allylthiourea, and allylamine, in the presence of homoveratric acid as a template in N,N-dimethylformamide as a porogen. The imprinted polymer prepared from allylamine had the highest affinity to the template, showing an imprinting factor of 3.43, and allylamine polymers MIP8/NIP8 were selected for further studies. Their binding properties were analyzed using the Scatchard method. The results showed that the imprinted polymers have two classes of heterogeneous binding sites characterized by two pairs of Kd, Bmax values: Kd(1 = 0.060 μmol/mL, Bmax(1 = 0.093 μmol/mg for the higher affinity binding sites, and Kd(2 = 0.455 μmol/mL, Bmax(2 = 0.248 μmol/mg for the lower affinity binding sites. Non-imprinted polymer has only one class of binding site, with Kd = 0.417 μmol/mL and Bmax = 0.184 μmol/mg. A computational analysis of the energies of the prepolymerization complexes was in agreement with the experimental results. It showed that the selective binding interactions arose from cooperative three point interactions between the carboxylic acid and the two methoxy groups in the template and amino groups in the polymer cavities. Those results were confirmed by the recognition studies performed with the set of structurally related compounds. Allylamine polymer MIP8 had no affinity towards biogenic amines. The obtained imprinted polymer could be used for selective separation of homoveratric acid.

POLYMER ELECTROLYTE MEMBRANE FUEL CELLS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2001-01-01

A method for preparing polybenzimidazole or polybenzimidazole blend membranes and fabricating gas diffusion electrodes and membrane-electrode assemblies is provided for a high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. Blend polymer electrolyte membranes based on PBI and various...... thermoplastic polymers for high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells have also been developed. Miscible blends are used for solution casting of polymer membranes (solid electrolytes). High conductivity and enhanced mechanical strength were obtained for the blend polymer solid electrolytes....... With the thermally resistant polymer, e.g., polybenzimidazole or a mixture of polybenzimidazole and other thermoplastics as binder, the carbon-supported noble metal catalyst is tape-cast onto a hydrophobic supporting substrate. When doped with an acid mixture, electrodes are assembled with an acid doped solid...

Exceptional durability enhancement of PA/PBI based polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells for high temperature operation at 200°C

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aili, David; Zhang, Jin; Jakobsen, Mark Tonny Dalsgaard

2016-01-01

The incorporation of phosphotungstic acid functionalized mesoporous silica in phosphoric acid doped polybenzimidazole (PA/PBI) substantially enhances the durability of PA/PBI based polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells for high temperature operation at 200°C.......The incorporation of phosphotungstic acid functionalized mesoporous silica in phosphoric acid doped polybenzimidazole (PA/PBI) substantially enhances the durability of PA/PBI based polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells for high temperature operation at 200°C....

Pyrazine Nucleic Acids: From Small Molecules to Proto-Informational Polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, S. B.; Gately, M.; Young, E.; Krishnamurthy, R.; Weber, A. L.; Campbell, T.

2017-07-01

Pyrazine nucleosides are derivable from amino acid amides and pentoses under plausibly prebiotic conditions. Pyrazines share features similar to adenine or thymine, and may behave as an informational polymer when polymerized as pyrazine nucleic acid.

Synthesis and optical properties of azo -dye-attached novel second-order NLO polymers with high thermal stability

Science.gov (United States)

Ushiwata, Takami; Okamoto, Etsuya; Komatsu, Kyoji; Kaino, Toshikuni

2001-06-01

Novel second order nonlinear optical (NLO) polymethacrylate or polyacrylate polymers with high glass transition temperatures containing an azo dye attached as side-chain have been prepared using a new approach from polymethacrylic acid or polyacrylic acid as starting materials. Glass transition temperatures of 150 approximately 170 degree Celsius were obtained for Disperse red 1 dye attached polymethacrylic acid. These are attributed to the hydrogen bonding between the residual carboxyl groups in the starting polymers. Poled films by corona poling exhibited large NLO susceptibilities, (chi) (2)33 up to 53 pm/V at a wavelength of 1.3 micrometer. Due to the high glass transition temperatures of the polymers, long-term stability of the optical nonlinearity at 100 degrees Celsius was observed for 200 hrs or more. However residual carboxyl groups caused absorbance decrease mainly by hydrolysis of the ester bonds of the polymers investigated by UV-Vis absorption measurement. The stability of induced polar order of the NLO polymer was enhanced by using aminoalkyl chromophore and imidizing it thermally to introduce imide structure into the polymer main-chain. This imidized polymer exhibited (chi) (2)33 of 45 pm/V at a wavelength of 1.3 micrometer and maintained about 90% of the initial value after 230 hrs or more at 100 degrees Celsius.

Investigation of the degradation and stability of acrylamide-based polymers in acid solution: Functional monomer modified polyacrylamide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuxin Pei

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Acrylamide copolymers are often used as acidizing diverting and thickening agents for their advantageous thickening, flocculation, adhesion and resistance reduction properties. Experimental results indicate that the acid concentration greatly affects the properties of acrylamide polymers, which varies from results reported by other researchers. Considering the theoretical and field application value of the present study, four comparable acrylamide-based polymers were synthesized, and their macro- and micro-changes as well as the related changes in viscosity and molecular weight were studied in high-concentration hydrochloric acid. A proposed mechanism of acrylamide copolymer stability and degradation is provided, and further suggestions are made for the modification of acrylamide copolymers.

ENHANCEMENT OF THE SENSITIVITY AND SELECTIVITY OF THE VOLTAMMETRIC SENSOR FOR URIC ACID USING MOLECULARLY IMPRINTED POLYMER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miratul Khasanah

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The sensitivity and selectivity of voltammetric sensor for uric acid can be improved by modifying the working electrode using a polymer with a molecular template (molecularly imprinted polymer, MIP. Polymer and MIP was synthesized from methacrylic acid (MAA as monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylic acid (EGDMA as cross-linker, uric acid (UA as template and the results were characterized by various methods. The poly-MAA formation was identified by a decrease in the intensity of infrared (IR spectra at ~1540 cm-1 (C=C and an increase at ~1700 cm-1 (C=O compared to the IR spectra of the MAA and EGDMA. The SEM analysis showed that the cavity of polymer is small enough (~ 0.1 µm and homogeneous. Establishment of MIP was carried out by extracting of the uric acid from the polymer network. The IR spectra of MIP exhibited the decrease in intensity at ~1700 cm-1 (C=O compared to the non imprinted polymer (NIP. The data of BET analysis showed that polymer pore size increase slightly from 37.71 Å to 38.02 Å after the extraction process of uric acid from the polymer network. Its may be due to incomplete extraction of uric acid from the polymer network. Modifications of hanging mercury drop electrode using MIP made from MAA, EGDMA, and UA with a mole ratio of 1:3:1 produced a sensitive and selective voltammetric sensor for uric acid. The sensitivity obtained was 16.405 nA L/µg. The presence of ascorbic acid in equal concentration with uric acid decreased the current response of only 0.08%. Compared to HMDE electrode, the sensitivity and selectivity of the HMDE-MIP sensor enhanced about 100 and 700 times, respectively. The detection limit was found to be 5.94 x10-10 M.

The polymerization of furfuryl alcohol with p-toluenesulfonic acid: photo cross-linkable feature of the polymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Principe, Martha; Martinez, Ricardo; Ortiz, Pedro; Rieumont, Jacques

2000-01-01

Poly (furfuryl alcohol) with different amounts of oxymethylenic bridges was synthesized using trifluoroacetic and p-toluenesulfonic acid. All polymers displayed a tendency to retain acids. The isolated products containing traces of acid became insoluble in a few hours; while neutral material maintains theirs solubility for at least one month. Polymers stored in solution were stable according to their HNMR spectra. Polymers cross-linked after being exposed to UV radiation. The product of the reaction of polymer with maleic anhydride is useful for preparing negative photo resists. (author)

Quaternized triethanolamine-sebacoyl moieties in highly branched polymer architecture as a host for the entrapment of acid dyes in aqueous solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meriem Bendjelloul

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the synthesis of a hyperbranched polymer by a cost-effective one-step copolymerization of A3 and B2 monomers, namely, triethanolamine and sebacoyl chloride, respectively, followed by methylation of tertiary amine groups. The structure of the hyperbranched polymer QTEAS as an efficient material for the removal of acid dyes was demonstrated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, cross polarization magic angle spinning (CPMAS 13C NMR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, powder X-ray diffraction (DRX and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The removal of indigo carmine (IC and Evans blue (EB was expected to be driven by the electrostatic attraction between positively charged quaternary ammonium groups within the hyperbranched polymer and the negatively charged dyes. The removal process was found to be closely connected to the total number of sulfonate groups on the surface of the dyes. Nonetheless, the ionic strength does not affect the dyes' removal efficiency by the hyperbranched polymer. The sorption capacities at saturation of the monolayer qmax were determined to be 213.22 mg g−1 and 214.13 mg g−1, for IC and EB, respectively, thus showing the greater affinity of QTEAS sorbent for both dyes. Despite its extended molecular structure, EB is removed with the same effectiveness as IC. Finally, the great efficiency of the highly branched polymer for dye removal from colored wastewater was clearly demonstrated.

Microwave synthesis of homogeneous and highly luminescent BCNO nanoparticles for the light emitting polymer materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iwasaki, Hideharu [Battery Materials Laboratory, Kurashiki Research Center, Kuraray Co., Ltd., 2045-1, Sakazu, Kurashiki, Okayama 710-0801 (Japan); Department of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi Hiroshima 739 8527 (Japan); Ogi, Takashi, E-mail: ogit@hiroshima-u.ac.jp [Department of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi Hiroshima 739 8527 (Japan); Iskandar, Ferry [Department of Physics, Institute of Technology Bandung, Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132, West Java (Indonesia); Aishima, Kana; Okuyama, Kikuo [Department of Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi Hiroshima 739 8527 (Japan)

2015-10-15

Nano-sized boron carbon oxynitride (BCNO) phosphors around 50 nm containing no rare earth metal and free from color heterogeneity were synthesized from mixtures of boric acid, urea, and citric acid by microwave heating with substantially shorter reaction times and lower temperatures than in the conventional BCNO preparation method such as electric-furnace heating. The emission wavelength of the phosphors varied with the mixing ratio of raw materials and it was found that lowering the proportion of urea to boric acid or citric acid tended to increase the internal quantum yield and shorten the emission wavelength under excitation at 365 nm. It was also found for the first time that a light-emitting polymer could be synthesized from a mixture of the prepared BCNO nanoparticles and a polyvinyl alcohol. This polymer composite exhibited uniform dispersion and stabilization of the luminescence and had a high internal quantum yield of 54%, which was higher than that of the phosphor alone. - Highlights: • Nano-sized BCNO phosphor was synthesized via microwave heating. • BCNO nanophosphor has homogeneous and high luminescence. • Emission wavelength was tunable by changing the ratio of precursor components. • BCNO nanophosphor can be easily dispersed in a polyvinyl alcohol. • BCNO–polymer composite exhibited uniform high internal quantum yield.

Structural and Morphological Features of Acid-Bearing Polymers for PEM Fuel Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Yunsong; Siu, Ana; Peckham, Timothy J.

2008-01-01

Chemical structure, polymer microstructure, sequence distribution, and morphology of acid-bearing polymers are important factors in the design of polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) for fuel cells. The roles of ion aggregation and phase separation in vinylic- and aromatic-based polymers in proton...... conductivity and water transport are described. The formation, dimensions, and connectivity of ionic pathways are consistently found to play an important role in determining the physicochemical properties of PEMs. For polymers that possess low water content, phase separation and ionic channel formation...

Physico-chemistry characterization of sulfonated polyacrylamide polymers for use in polymer flooding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rashidi, Masoud

2010-07-01

Hydrolyzed polyacrylamide polymer (HPAM) as a feasible and effective viscosifier has been fully studied and used for polymer flooding processes in several oil field, e.g. Daqing oil field. It has been shown that Hydrolyzed polyacrylamide polymers (HPAM) may be a good choice for high temperature condition with no oxygen and no divalent ions presence. At high temperature and high salinity conditions, polymer may precipitates and loss their viscosyfing properties. Also adsorption and retention of polymer in porous medium may change rheological properties of polymers. Thus, the viscosyfing property of polymers is influenced by several important parameters, e.g. salinity, hardness, temperature, adsorption, retention, polymer structure, and etc. By replacing some of carboxylate group of HPAM with another monomer, e.g. sodium salt of acrylic acid and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS), effect of high salinity/hardness and temperature seems to be reduced specially for the samples with higher percentage of AMPS co-monomer. The ultimate aim of this work is to develop an understanding of the sulfonated polyacrylamide copolymers with a range of different sulfonation and molecular weight at high salinity and high temperature conditions. Most of the work in this thesis deals with viscosity and adsorption/retention measurements of the sulfonated copolymers and HPAM. The factors which may affect the viscosity of the polymers and have been identified in this work as most likely influencing also adsorption and retention of the polymers are shear rate, polymer concentration, sulfonation degree, molecular weight, NaCl concentration, divalent ion concentration, and temperature. (Author)

Cathepsin B-sensitive polymers for compartment-specific degradation and nucleic acid release.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, David S H; Johnson, Russell N; Pun, Suzie H

2012-02-10

Degradable cationic polymers are desirable for in vivo nucleic acid delivery because they offer significantly decreased toxicity over non-degradable counterparts. Peptide linkers provide chemical stability and high specificity for particular endopeptidases but have not been extensively studied for nucleic acid delivery applications. In this work, enzymatically degradable peptide-HPMA copolymers were synthesized by RAFT polymerization of HPMA with methacrylamido-terminated peptide macromonomers, resulting in polymers with low polydispersity and near quantitative incorporation of peptides. Three peptide-HPMA copolymers were evaluated: (i) pHCathK(10), containing peptides composed of the linker phe-lys-phe-leu (FKFL), a substrate of the endosomal/lysosomal endopeptidase cathepsin B, connected to oligo-(L)-lysine for nucleic acid binding, (ii) pHCath(D)K(10), containing the FKFL linker with oligo-(D)-lysine, and (iii) pH(D)Cath(D)K(10), containing all (D) amino acids. Cathepsin B degraded copolymers pHCathK(10) and pHCath(D)K(10) within 1 h while no degradation of pH(D)Cath(D)K(10) was observed. Polyplexes formed with pHCathK(10) copolymers show DNA release by 4 h of treatment with cathepsin B; comparatively, polyplexes formed with pHCath(D)K(10) and pH(D)Cath(D)K(10) show no DNA release within 8 h. Transfection efficiency in HeLa and NIH/3T3 cells were comparable between the copolymers but pHCathK(10) was less toxic. This work demonstrates the successful application of peptide linkers for degradable cationic polymers and DNA release. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultra-sensitive EUV resists based on acid-catalyzed polymer backbone breaking

Science.gov (United States)

Manouras, Theodoros; Kazazis, Dimitrios; Koufakis, Eleftherios; Ekinci, Yasin; Vamvakaki, Maria; Argitis, Panagiotis

2018-03-01

The main target of the current work was to develop new sensitive polymeric materials for lithographic applications, focusing in particular to EUV lithography, the main chain of which is cleaved under the influence of photogenerated acid. Resist materials based on the cleavage of polymer main chain are in principle capable to create very small structures, to the dimensions of the monomers that they consist of. Nevertheless, in the case of the commonly used nonchemically amplified materials of this type issues like sensitivity and poor etch resistance limit their areas of application, whereas inadequate etch resistance and non- satisfactory process reliability are the usual problems encountered in acid catalysed materials based on main chain scission. In our material design the acid catalyzed chain cleavable polymers contain very sensitive moieties in their backbone while they remain intact in alkaline ambient. These newly synthesized polymers bear in addition suitable functional groups for the achievement of desirable lithographic characteristics (thermal stability, acceptable glass transition temperature, etch resistance, proper dissolution behavior, adhesion to the substrate). Our approach for achieving acceptable etch resistance, a main drawback in other main chain cleavable resists, is based on the introduction of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in the polymeric backbone, whereas the incorporation of an inorganic component further enhances the etch resistance. Single component systems can also be designed following the proposed approach by the incorporation of suitable PAGs and base quencher molecules in the main chain. Resist formulations based on a random copolymer designed according to the described rules evaluated in EUV exhibit ultrahigh sensitivity, capability for high resolution patterning and overall processing characteristics that make them strong candidates for industrial use upon further optimization.

Sialic acid-triggered macroscopic properties switching on a smart polymer surface

Science.gov (United States)

Xiong, Yuting; Li, Minmin; Wang, Hongxi; Qing, Guangyan; Sun, Taolei

2018-01-01

Constructing smart surfaces with responsive polymers capable of dynamically and reversibly changing their chemical and physical properties by responding to the recognition of biomolecules remains a challenging task. And, the key to achieving this purpose relies on the design of polymers to precisely interact with the target molecule and successfully transform the interaction signal into tunable macroscopic properties, further achieve special bio-functions. Herein, inspired by carbohydrate-carbohydrate interaction (CCI) in life system, we developed a three-component copolymer poly(NIPAAm-co-PT-co-Glc) bearing a binding unit glucose (Glc) capable of recognizing sialic acid, a type of important molecular targets for cancer diagnosis and therapy, and reported the sialic acid triggered macroscopic properties switching on this smart polymer surface. Detailed mechanism studies indicated that multiple hydrogen bonding interactions between Glc unit and Neu5Ac destroyed the initial hydrogen bond network of the copolymer, leading to a reversible "contraction-to-swelling" conformational transition of the copolymer chains, accompanied with distinct macroscopic property switching (i.e., surface wettability, morphology, stiffness) of the copolymer film. And these features enabled this copolymer to selectively capture sialic acid-containing glycopeptides from complex protein samples. This work provides an inspiration for the design of novel smart polymeric materials with sensitive responsiveness to sialic acid, which would promote the development of sialic acid-specific bio-devices and drug delivery systems.

Protic Salt Polymer Membranes: High-Temperature Water-Free Proton-Conducting Membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gervasio, Dominic Francis [Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States)

2010-09-30

This research on proton-containing (protic) salts directly addresses proton conduction at high and low temperatures. This research is unique, because no water is used for proton ionization nor conduction, so the properties of water do not limit proton fuel cells. A protic salt is all that is needed to give rise to ionized proton and to support proton mobility. A protic salt forms when proton transfers from an acid to a base. Protic salts were found to have proton conductivities that are as high as or higher than the best aqueous electrolytes at ambient pressures and comparable temperatures without or with water present. Proton conductivity of the protic salts occurs providing two conditions exist: i) the energy difference is about 0.8 eV between the protic-salt state versus the state in which the acid and base are separated and 2) the chemical constituents rotate freely. The physical state of these proton-conducting salts can be liquid, plastic crystal as well as solid organic and inorganic polymer membranes and their mixtures. Many acids and bases can be used to make a protic salt which allows tailoring of proton conductivity, as well as other properties that affect their use as electrolytes in fuel cells, such as, stability, adsorption on catalysts, environmental impact, etc. During this project, highly proton conducting (~ 0.1S/cm) protic salts were made that are stable under fuel-cell operating conditions and that gave highly efficient fuel cells. The high efficiency is attributed to an improved oxygen electroreduction process on Pt which was found to be virtually reversible in a number of liquid protic salts with low water activity (< 1% water). Solid flexible non-porous composite membranes, made from inorganic polymer (e.g., 10%indium 90%tin pyrophosphate, ITP) and organic polymer (e.g., polyvinyl pyridinium phosphate, PVPP), were found that give conductivity and fuel cell performances similar to phosphoric acid electrolyte with no need for hydration at

Ultrasonic-assisted synthesis of polyvinyl alcohol/phytic acid polymer film and its thermal stability, mechanical properties and surface resistivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jihui; Li, Yongshen; Song, Yunna; Niu, Shuai; Li, Ning

2017-11-01

In this paper, polyvinyl alcohol/phytic acid polymer (PVA/PA polymer) was synthesized through esterification reaction of PVA and PA in the case of acidity and ultrasound irradiation and characterized, and PVA/PA polymer film was prepared by PVA/PA polymer and characterized, and the influence of dosage of PA on the thermal stability, mechanical properties and surface resistivity of PVA/PA polymer film were researched, and the influence of sonication time on the mechanical properties of PVA/PA polymer film was investigated. Based on those, it was concluded that the hydroxyl group on the chain of PVA and the phosphonic group on PA were connected together in the form of phosphonate bond, and the hydroxyl group on the chain of PVA were connected together in the form of ether bond after the intermolecular dehydration; in the meantime, it was also confirmed that PVA/PA polymer film prepared from 1.20mL of PA not only had the high thermal stability and favorable ductility but also the low surface resistivity in comparison with PVA/PA polymer film with 0.00mL of PA, and the ductility of PVA/PA polymer film was very sensitive to the sonication time. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Extraction of microplastic from biota: recommended acidic digestion destroys common plastic polymers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Enders, Kristina; Lenz, Robin; Beer, Sabrina

2017-01-01

particles of various polymer types. In the present study we report that a digestion protocol recently recommended by ICES using nitric and perchloric acid has strong detrimental effects on several common plastic polymers, in particular polyamide and polyurethane and to a lesser degree acrylonitrile...

Selective extraction and determination of chlorogenic acids as combined quality markers in herbal medicines using molecularly imprinted polymers based on a mimic template.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Wenhua; Zhang, Mingming; Yan, Huijiao; Zhao, Hengqiang; Mu, Yan; Guo, Lanping; Wang, Xiao

2017-12-01

We describe a solid-phase extraction adsorbent based on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), prepared with use of a mimic template. The MIPs were used for the selective extraction and determination of three chlorogenic acids as combined quality markers for Lonicera japonica and Lianhua qingwen granules. The morphologies and surface groups of the MIPs were assessed by scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and selectivity of the MIPs were systematically compared with those of non-molecularly imprinted polymers. The MIPs showed high selectivity toward three structurally similar chlorogenic acids (chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, and neochlorogenic acid). A procedure using molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography was established for the determination of three chlorogenic acids from Lonicera japonica and Lianhua qingwen granules. The recoveries of the chlorogenic acids ranged from 93.1% to 101.4%. The limits of detection and limits of quantification for the three chlorogenic acids were 0.003 mg g -1 and 0.01 mg g -1 , respectively. The newly developed method is thus a promising technique for the enrichment and determination of chlorogenic acids from herbal medicines. Graphical Abstract Mimic molecularly imprinted polymers for the selective extraction of chlorogenic acids.

Peptides, polypeptides and peptide-polymer hybrids as nucleic acid carriers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Marya

2017-10-24

Cell penetrating peptides (CPPs), and protein transduction domains (PTDs) of viruses and other natural proteins serve as a template for the development of efficient peptide based gene delivery vectors. PTDs are sequences of acidic or basic amphipathic amino acids, with superior membrane trespassing efficacies. Gene delivery vectors derived from these natural, cationic and cationic amphipathic peptides, however, offer little flexibility in tailoring the physicochemical properties of single chain peptide based systems. Owing to significant advances in the field of peptide chemistry, synthetic mimics of natural peptides are often prepared and have been evaluated for their gene expression, as a function of amino acid functionalities, architecture and net cationic content of peptide chains. Moreover, chimeric single polypeptide chains are prepared by a combination of multiple small natural or synthetic peptides, which imparts distinct physiological properties to peptide based gene delivery therapeutics. In order to obtain multivalency and improve the gene delivery efficacies of low molecular weight cationic peptides, bioactive peptides are often incorporated into a polymeric architecture to obtain novel 'polymer-peptide hybrids' with improved gene delivery efficacies. Peptide modified polymers prepared by physical or chemical modifications exhibit enhanced endosomal escape, stimuli responsive degradation and targeting efficacies, as a function of physicochemical and biological activities of peptides attached onto a polymeric scaffold. The focus of this review is to provide comprehensive and step-wise progress in major natural and synthetic peptides, chimeric polypeptides, and peptide-polymer hybrids for nucleic acid delivery applications.

Development of biodegradable metaloxide/polymer nanocomposite films based on poly-ε-caprolactone and terephthalic acid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Varaprasad, Kokkarachedu, E-mail: varmaindian@gmail.com [Centro de Investigación de Polímeros Avanzados (CIPA), Avenida Collao 1202, Edificio de Laboratorios, Concepción (Chile); Pariguana, Manuel [Centro de Investigación de Polímeros Avanzados (CIPA), Avenida Collao 1202, Edificio de Laboratorios, Concepción (Chile); Centro de Innovación Tecnológica Agroindustrial CITE Agroindustrial, Panamericana Sur Km, 293.3, Ica (Peru); Raghavendra, Gownolla Malegowd [Department of Packaging, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon-do 220 710 (Korea, Republic of); Jayaramudu, Tippabattini [Center for Nano Cellulose Future Composites, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Inha University, 253 Yonghyun-Dong, Nam-Ku, Incheon 402–751 (Korea, Republic of); Sadiku, Emmanuel Rotimi [Department of Polymer Technology, Tshwane University of Technology, CSIR-Campus, Pretoria 0040 (South Africa)

2017-01-01

The present investigation describes the development of metal-oxide polymer nanocomposite films from biodegradable poly-ε-caprolactone, disposed poly(ethylene terephthalate) oil bottles monomer and zinc oxide-copper oxide nanoparticles. The terephthalic acid and zinc oxide-copper oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by using a temperature-dependent precipitation technique and double precipitation method, respectively. The terephthalic acid synthesized was confirmed by FTIR analysis and furthermore, it was characterized by thermal analysis. The as-prepared CuO-ZnO nanoparticles structure was confirmed by XRD analysis and its morphology was analyzed by SEM/EDS and TEM. Furthermore, the metal-oxide polymer nanocomposite films have excellent mechanical properties, with tensile strength and modulus better than pure films. The metal-oxide polymer nanocomposite films that were successfully developed show a relatively brighter colour when compared to CuO film. These new metal-oxide polymer nanocomposite films can replace many non-degradable plastics. The new metal-oxide polymer nanocomposite films developed are envisaged to be suitable for use in industrial and domestic packaging applications. - Graphical abstract: Biodegradable metal-oxide/polymer nanocomposites films prepared by using poly-ε-caprolactone with disposed PET oil bottles terephthalic acid monomer. The development of biodegradable film provides a new material with desirable mechanical, physical and chemical properties and can be utilized for industrial applications. - Highlights: • Terephthalic acid obtained from disposed PET oil bottles via precipitation technique. • New nano metal-oxides were developed by double precipitation technique. • Nano metal-oxide polymer films were synthesized by solvent evaporation method. • Nano metal-oxide polymer films exhibit superior mechanical characteristics.

Piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties of DL-alanine and L-lysine amino-acid polymer nanofibres

Science.gov (United States)

de Matos Gomes, Etelvina; Viseu, Teresa; Belsley, Michael; Almeida, Bernardo; Costa, Maria Margarida R.; Rodrigues, Vitor H.; Isakov, Dmitry

2018-04-01

The piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties of electrospun polyethylene oxide nanofibres embedded with polar amino acids DL-alanine and L-lysine hemihydrate are reported. A high pyroelectric coefficient of 150 μC m‑2 K‑1 was measured for L-lysine hemihydrate and piezoelectric current densities up to 7 μA m‑2 were obtained for the nanofibres. The study reveals a potential for polymer amino-acid nanofibres to be used as biocompatible energy harvesters for autonomous circuit applications like in implantable electronics.

Development and characterization of acid-doped polybenzimidazole/sulfonated polysulfone blend polymer electrolytes for fuel cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hasiotis, C.; Li, Qingfeng; Deimede, V.

2001-01-01

Polymeric membranes from blends of sulfonated polysulfones (SPSF) and polybenzimidazole (PBI) doped with phosphoric acid were developed as potential high-temperature polymer electrolytes for fuel cells and other electrochemical applications. The water uptake and acid doping of these polymeric...... membranes were investigated. Ionic conductivity of the membranes was measured in relation to temperature, acid doping level, sulfonation degree of SPSF, relative humidity, and blend composition. The conductivity of SPSF was of the order of 10/sup -3/ S cm/sup -1/. In the case of blends of PBI and SPSF...

α-Amino acid containing degradable polymers as functional biomaterials: rational design, synthetic pathway, and biomedical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Huanli; Meng, Fenghua; Dias, Aylvin A; Hendriks, Marc; Feijen, Jan; Zhong, Zhiyuan

2011-06-13

Currently, biomedical engineering is rapidly expanding, especially in the areas of drug delivery, gene transfer, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. A prerequisite for further development is the design and synthesis of novel multifunctional biomaterials that are biocompatible and biologically active, are biodegradable with a controlled degradation rate, and have tunable mechanical properties. In the past decades, different types of α-amino acid-containing degradable polymers have been actively developed with the aim to obtain biomimicking functional biomaterials. The use of α-amino acids as building units for degradable polymers may offer several advantages: (i) imparting chemical functionality, such as hydroxyl, amine, carboxyl, and thiol groups, which not only results in improved hydrophilicity and possible interactions with proteins and genes, but also facilitates further modification with bioactive molecules (e.g., drugs or biological cues); (ii) possibly improving materials biological properties, including cell-materials interactions (e.g., cell adhesion, migration) and degradability; (iii) enhancing thermal and mechanical properties; and (iv) providing metabolizable building units/blocks. In this paper, recent developments in the field of α-amino acid-containing degradable polymers are reviewed. First, synthetic approaches to prepare α-amino acid-containing degradable polymers will be discussed. Subsequently, the biomedical applications of these polymers in areas such as drug delivery, gene delivery and tissue engineering will be reviewed. Finally, the future perspectives of α-amino acid-containing degradable polymers will be evaluated.

Preparation and drug-loading properties of Fe3O4/Poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) magnetic polymer nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Wensheng; Shen, Yuhua; Xie, Anjian; Zhang, Weiqiang

2013-01-01

Fe 3 O 4 /poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) magnetic polymer nanocomposites were synthesized by the dispersion polymerization method using styrene as hard monomer, acrylic acid as functional monomer, Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles modified with oleic acid as core, and poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) as shell. Drug-loading properties of magnetic polymer nanocomposites with curcumin as a model drug were also studied. The results indicated that magnetic polymer nanocomposites with monodisperse were obtained, the particle size distribution was 50–120 nm, and the average size was about 100 nm. The contents of poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) and Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles in magnetic polymer nanocomposites were 74% and 24.7%, respectively. The drug-loading capacity and entrapment efficiency were 2.5% and 44.4%, respectively. The saturation magnetization of magnetic polymer nanocomposites at 300 K was 20.2 emu/g without coercivity and remanence. The as-prepared magnetic polymer nanocomposites have not only lots of functional carboxyl groups but also stronger magnetic response, which might have potential applications in drug carrier and targeted drug release

Acid Blue dyes in polypyrrole synthesis: the control of polymer morphology at nanoscale in the promotion of high conductivity and the reduction of cytotoxicity

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bober, Patrycja; Li, Yu; Acharya, Udit; Panthi, Yadu Ram; Pfleger, Jiří; Humpolíček, P.; Trchová, Miroslava; Stejskal, Jaroslav

2018-01-01

Roč. 237, March (2018), s. 40-49 ISSN 0379-6779 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA17-04109S Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : Acid Blue * conducting polymer * conductivity Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry OBOR OECD: Polymer science Impact factor: 2.435, year: 2016

Acute bilateral ureteral obstruction following Dextranomer/hyaluronic acid polymer injection: A case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arnon Lavi

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Ureteral obstruction following bulking agent injection for treatment of vesicoureteral reflux is rare. Herein we report a case of acute bilateral ureteral obstruction following bilateral Dextranomer/hyaluronic acid polymer injection. The obstruction which manifested hours following the injection, was treated with prompt insertion of bilateral ureteral stents. The stents were removed 4 weeks later with complete resolution of the obstruction. We believe that ureteral stenting is an excellent solution for acute ureteral obstruction following Dextranomer/hyaluronic acid polymer injection

High resolution NMR spectroscopy of synthetic polymers in bulk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komorski, R.A.

1986-01-01

The contents of this book are: Overview of high-resolution NMR of solid polymers; High-resolution NMR of glassy amorphous polymers; Carbon-13 solid-state NMR of semicrystalline polymers; Conformational analysis of polymers of solid-state NMR; High-resolution NMR studies of oriented polymers; High-resolution solid-state NMR of protons in polymers; and Deuterium NMR of solid polymers. This work brings together the various approaches for high-resolution NMR studies of bulk polymers into one volume. Heavy emphasis is, of course, given to 13C NMR studies both above and below Tg. Standard high-power pulse and wide-line techniques are not covered

The equilibrium sedimentation of hyaluronic acid and of two synthetic polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Nichol, L. W.; Ogston, A. G.; Preston, B. N.

1967-01-01

1. The method of equilibrium sedimentation has been investigated as an alternative to osmotic-pressure measurement for determining thermodynamic properties of polymer solutions at relatively high concentrations. 2. The simplifications that must be made in the theoretical treatment are discussed. 3. Measurements have been made on samples of polyethylene glycol, neutralized polymethacrylic acid and hyaluronic acid. With the first and third, values of the `non-ideality coefficients' have been obtained that agree with those obtained from osmotic measurements on the same materials. 4. Evidence has been obtained of the presence in hyaluronic acid preparations of a fraction that has either a lower degree of thermodynamic non-ideality or a higher density increment than the bulk of the sample. This fraction is not protein. ImagesFig. 3.Fig. 4.Fig. 5.Fig. 7.Fig. 8.Fig. 9.Fig. 11.Fig. 12.Fig. 13.Fig. 14. PMID:6029600

A Biodegradable Thermoset Polymer Made by Esterification of Citric Acid and Glycerol

Science.gov (United States)

Halpern, Jeffrey M.; Urbanski, Richard; Weinstock, Allison K.; Iwig, David F.; Mathers, Robert T.; von Recum, Horst

2014-01-01

A new biomaterial, a degradable thermoset polymer, was made from simple, economical, biocompatable monomers without the need for a catalyst. Glycerol and citric acid, non-toxic and renewable reagents, were crosslinked by a melt polymerization reaction at temperatures from 90-150°C. Consistent with a condensation reaction, water was determined to be the primary byproduct. The amount of crosslinking was controlled by the reaction conditions, including temperature, reaction time, and ratio between glycerol and citric acid. Also, the amount of crosslinking was inversely proportional to the rate of degradation. As a proof-of-principle for drug delivery applications, gentamicin, an antibiotic, was incorporated into the polymer with preliminary evaluations of antimicrobial activity. The polymers incorporating gentamicin had significantly better bacteria clearing of Staphylococcus aureus compared to non-gentamicin gels for up to nine days. PMID:23737239

The influence of polymer topology on pharmacokinetics: differences between cyclic and linear PEGylated poly(acrylic acid) comb polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Bo; Jerger, Katherine; Fréchet, Jean M J; Szoka, Francis C

2009-12-16

Water-soluble polymers for the delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs passively target solid tumors as a consequence of reduced renal clearance and the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect. Elimination of the polymers in the kidney occurs due to filtration through biological nanopores with a hydrodynamic diameter comparable to the polymer. Therefore we have investigated chemical features that may broadly be grouped as "molecular architecture" such as: molecular weight, chain flexibility, number of chain ends and branching, to learn how they impact polymer elimination. In this report we describe the synthesis of four pairs of similar molecular weight cyclic and linear polyacrylic acid polymers grafted with polyethylene glycol (23, 32, 65, 114 kDa) with low polydispersities using ATRP and "click" chemistry. The polymers were radiolabeled with (125)I and their pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution after intravenous injection were determined in normal and C26 adenocarcinoma tumored BALB/c mice. Cyclic polymers above the renal threshold of 30 kDa had a significantly longer elimination time (between 10 and 33% longer) than did the comparable linear polymer (for the 66 kDa cyclic polymer, t(1/2,beta)=35+/-2 h) and a greater area under the serum concentration versus time curve. This resulted in a greater tumor accumulation of the cyclic polymer than the linear polymer counterpart. Thus water-soluble cyclic comb polymers join a growing list of polymer topologies that show greatly extended circulation times compared to their linear counterparts and provide alternative polymer architecture for use as drug carriers.

Boronic Acid functionalized core-shell polymer nanoparticles prepared by distillation precipitation polymerization for glycopeptide enrichment.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Yanyan; Liu, Jianxi; Yang, Kaiguang; Liang, Zhen; Zhang, Lihua; Zhang, Yukui

2012-07-16

The boronic acid-functionalized core-shell polymer nanoparticles, poly(N,N-methylenebisacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid)@4-vinylphenylboronic acid (poly(MBA-co-MAA)@VPBA), were successfully synthesized for enriching glycosylated peptides. Such nanoparticles were composed of a hydrophilic polymer core prepared by distillation precipitation polymerization (DPP) and a boronic acid-functionalized shell designed for capturing glycopeptides. Owing to the relatively large amount of residual vinyl groups introduced by DPP on the core surface, the VPBA monomer was coated with high efficiency, working as the shell. Moreover, the overall polymerization route, especially the use of DPP, made the synthesis of nanoparticles facile and time-saving. With the poly(MBA-co-MAA)@VPBA nanoparticles, 18 glycopeptides from horseradish peroxidase (HRP) digest were captured and identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric analysis, relative to eight glycopeptides enriched by using commercially available meta-aminophenylboronic acid agarose under the same conditions. When the concentration of the HRP digest was decreased to as low as 5 nmol, glycopeptides could still be selectively isolated by the prepared nanoparticles. Our results demonstrated that the synthetic poly(MBA-co-MAA)@VPBA nanoparticles might be a promising selective enrichment material for glycoproteome analysis. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Metal-containing radiation-sensitive polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, A.Y.

1986-01-01

The copolymers of methyl methacrylate with alkali metal salts (Na, K, and Cs) of methacrylic acid have been prepared by saponification K, and Cs) of methylacrylic acid have been prepared by saponification of the homopolymer poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA. Low degrees of hydrolysis have been achieved by a heterogeneous system, and from the infrared spectra it has been confirmed that the ester groups of the methyl methacrylates are directly converted to the metal salts of methacrylic acid. These ionomers exhibit pseudo high molecular weights in gel permeation chromatogram, but no appreciable increase in intrinsic viscosities is observed in comparison to PMMA. The coordinated inorganic polymers poly[(dithio-2,2'-diacetato)bis(dimethylsulfoxide)dioxouranium(VI)] and poly[{methylenebis(thio)-2,2'-bis(acetato)}bis(dimethylsulfoxide)dioxouranium(VI)]have been synthesized in dimethyl sulfoxide solution with about 90% yield. The degree of polymerization and the number of average molecular weights of these polymers have been assessed by high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance, with which the acetato end group to the bridging ligand group ratios have been determined. The polymers bridging ligand group ratios have been determined. The polymers have been characterized by employing various techniques: infrared spectra, thermal gravimetric analysis, 13 C solid state nuclear magnetic resonance, and gel permeation chromatography. The prepared polymer samples have been subjected to various doses of 137 Cs gamma radiation under which the polymers predominantly undergo chain scission. The radiation sensitivities of the polymers are assessed by G values which are obtained from gel permeation chromatograms. These uranyl polymers exhibit unusually high G values

Purification of Polymer-Grade Fumaric Acid from Fermented Spent Sulfite Liquor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diogo Figueira

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Fumaric acid is a chemical building block with many applications, namely in the polymer industry. The fermentative production of fumaric acid from renewable feedstock is a promising and sustainable alternative to petroleum-based chemical synthesis. The use of existing industrial side-streams as raw-materials within biorefineries potentially enables production costs competitive against current chemical processes, while preventing the use of refined sugars competing with food and feed uses and avoiding purposely grown crops requiring large areas of arable land. However, most industrial side streams contain a diversity of molecules that will add complexity to the purification of fumaric acid from the fermentation broth. A process for the recovery and purification of fumaric acid from a complex fermentation medium containing spent sulfite liquor (SSL as a carbon source was developed and is herein described. A simple two-stage precipitation procedure, involving separation unit operations, pH and temperature manipulation and polishing through the removal of contaminants with activated carbon, allowed for the recovery of fumaric acid with 68.3% recovery yield with specifications meeting the requirements of the polymer industry. Further, process integration opportunities were implemented that allowed minimizing the generation of waste streams containing fumaric acid, which enabled increasing the yield to 81.4% while keeping the product specifications.

Approaches for Making High Performance Polymer Materials from Commodity Polymers

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Xu Xi

2004-01-01

A brief surrey of ongoing research work done for improving and enhancing the properties of commodity polymers by the author and author's colleagues is given in this paper. A series of high performance polymers and polymer nanomaterials were successfully prepared through irradiation and stress-induced reactions of polymers and hydrogen bonding. The methods proposed are viable, easy in operation, clean and efficient.1. The effect of irradiation source (UV light, electron beam, γ -ray and microwave), irradiation dose, irradiation time and atmosphere etc. on molecular structure of polyolefine during irradiation was studied. The basic rules of dominating oxidation, degradation and cross-linking reactions were mastered. Under the controlled conditions, cross-linking reactions are prevented, some oxygen containing groups are introduced on the molecular chain of polyolefine to facilitate the interface compatibility of their blends. A series of high performance polymer materials: u-HDPE/PA6,u-HDPE/CaCO3, u-iPP/STC, γ-HDPE/STC, γ-LLDPE/ATH, e-HDPE, e-LLDPE and m-HDPEfilled system were prepared (u- ultraviolet light irradiated, γ- γ-ray irradiated, e- electron beam irradiated, m- microwave irradiated)2. The effect of ultrasonic irradiation, jet and pan-milling on structure and changes in properties of polymers were studied. Imposition of critical stress on polymer chain can cause the scission of bonds to form macroradicals. The macroradicals formed in this way may recombine or react with monomer or other radicals to form linear, branched or cross-linked polymers or copolymers. About 20 kinds of block/graft copolymers have been synthesized from polymer-polymer or polymer-monomer through ultrasonic irradiation.Through jet-milling, the molecular weight of PVC is decreased somewhat, the intensity of its crystalline absorption bonds becomes indistinct. The processability, the yield strength, strength at break and elongation at break of PVC get increased quite a lot after

EXTRACTION AND SORPTION BENZOIC ACID FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF POLYMERS BASED ON N-VINYLAMIDES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. G. Savvina

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The widespread use of aromatic acids (benzoic acid, salicylic as preservatives necessitates their qualitative and quantitative determination in food. Effective and common way to separation and concentration of aromatic acids liquid extraction. Biphasic system of water-soluble polymers based on (poly-N-vinyl pyrrolidone, and poly-N-vinylcaprolactam satisfy the requirements of the extraction system. When sorption concentration improved definition of the metrological characteristics, comply with the requirements for sensitivity and selectivity definition appears possible, use of inexpensive and readily available analytical equipment. When studying the adsorption of benzoic acid used as a sorbent crosslinked polymer based on N-vinyl pyrrolidone, obtained by radical polymerisation of a functional monomer and crosslinker. In the extraction of benzoic acid to maximize the allocation of water and the organic phase of the polymer used salt solutions with concentrations close to saturation. Regardless of the nature of the anion salt is used as salting-out agent, aromatic acids sorption increases with the size of the cations. In the experiment the maximum recovery rate (80% benzoic acid obtained in the PVP (0.2 weight%. Ammonium sulphate. The dependence stepepni benzoic acid extraction from time sorption sorbent mass and the pH of the aqueous phase. To establish equilibrium in the system, for 20 minutes. The dependence of the degree of extraction of the acid pH indicates that the acid is extracted into the molecular form. The maximum adsorption is reached at pH 3,5, with its efficiency decreases symbatically reduce the amount of undissociated acid molecules in solution.

40 CFR 721.6980 - Dimer acids, polymer with polyalkylene glycol, bisphenol A-diglycidyl ether, and alky-lenepolyols...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... reporting. (1) The chemical substance dimer acids, polymer with polyalkylene glycol, bisphenol A-diglycidyl... glycol, bisphenol A-diglycidyl ether, and alky-lenepolyols polyglycidyl ethers (generic name). 721.6980... Substances § 721.6980 Dimer acids, polymer with polyalkylene glycol, bisphenol A-diglycidyl ether, and alky...

Thiolated polymers--thiomers: development and in vitro evaluation of chitosan-thioglycolic acid conjugates.

Science.gov (United States)

Kast, C E; Bernkop-Schnürch, A

2001-09-01

The aim of this study was to improve mucoadhesive properties of chitosan by the covalent attachment of thiol moieties to this cationic polymer. Mediated by a carbodiimide, thioglycolic acid (TGA) was covalently attached to chitosan. This was achieved by the formation of amide bonds between the primary amino groups of the polymer and the carboxylic acid group of TGA. Dependent on the pH-value and the weight ratio of polymer to TGA during the coupling reaction the resulting thiolated polymers, the so-called thiomers, displayed 6.58, 9.88, 27.44, and 38.23 micromole thiol groups per gram polymer. Tensile studies carried out with these chitosan-TGA conjugates on freshly excised porcine intestinal mucosa demonstrated a 6.3-, 8.6-, 8.9-, and 10.3-fold increase in the total work of adhesion (TWA) compared to the unmodified polymer, respectively. In contrast, the combination of chitosan and free unconjugated TGA showed almost no mucoadhesion. These data were in good correlation with further results obtained by another mucoadhesion test demonstrating a prolonged residence time of thiolated chitosan on porcine mucosa. The swelling behavior of all conjugates was thereby exactly in the same range as for an unmodified polymer pretreated in the same way. Furthermore, it could be shown that chitosan-TGA conjugates are still biodegradable by the glycosidase lysozyme. According to these results. chitosan-TGA conjugates represent a promising tool for the development of mucoadhesive drug delivery systems.

Acid monomer analysis in waterborne polymer systems by targeted labeling of carboxylic acid functionality, followed by pyrolysis - gas chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Brooijmans, T; Okhuijsen, R; Oerlemans, I; Schoenmakers, P J; Peters, R

2018-05-14

Pyrolysis - gas chromatography - (PyGC) is a common method to analyse the composition of natural and synthetic resins. The analysis of acid functionality in, for example, waterborne polyacrylates and polyurethanes polymers has proven to be difficult due to solubility issues, inter- and intramolecular interaction effects, lack of detectability in chromatographic analysis, and lack of thermal stability. Conventional analytical techniques, such as PyGC, cannot be used for the direct detection and identification of acidic monomers, due to thermal rearrangements that take place during pyrolysis. To circumvent this, the carboxylic acid groups are protected prior to thermal treatment by reaction with 2-bromoacetophenone. Reaction conditions are investigated and optimised wrt. conversion measurements. The aproach is applied to waterborne polyacryalates and the results are discussed. This approach enables identification and (semi)quantitative analysis of different acid functionalities in waterborne polymers by PyGC. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular design toward highly efficient photovoltaic polymers based on two-dimensional conjugated benzodithiophene.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Long; Zhang, Shaoqing; Huo, Lijun; Zhang, Maojie; Hou, Jianhui

2014-05-20

As researchers continue to develop new organic materials for solar cells, benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene (BDT)-based polymers have come to the fore. To improve the photovoltaic properties of BDT-based polymers, researchers have developed and applied various strategies leading to the successful molecular design of highly efficient photovoltaic polymers. Novel polymer materials composed of two-dimensional conjugated BDT (2D-conjugated BDT) have boosted the power conversion efficiency of polymer solar cells (PSCs) to levels that exceed 9%. In this Account, we summarize recent progress related to the design and synthesis of 2D-conjugated BDT-based polymers and discuss their applications in highly efficient photovoltaic devices. We introduce the basic considerations for the construction of 2D-conjugated BDT-based polymers and systematic molecular design guidelines. For example, simply modifying an alkoxyl-substituted BDT to form an alkylthienyl-substituted BDT can improve the polymer hole mobilities substantially with little effect on their molecular energy level. Secondly, the addition of a variety of chemical moieties to the polymer can produce a 2D-conjugated BDT unit with more functions. For example, the introduction of a conjugated side chain with electron deficient groups (such as para-alkyl-phenyl, meta-alkoxyl-phenyl, and 2-alkyl-3-fluoro-thienyl) allowed us to modulate the molecular energy levels of 2D-conjugated BDT-based polymers. Through the rational design of BDT analogues such as dithienobenzodithiophene (DTBDT) or the insertion of larger π bridges, we can tune the backbone conformations of these polymers and modulate their photovoltaic properties. We also discuss the influence of 2D-conjugated BDT on polymer morphology and the blends of these polymers with phenyl-C61 (or C71)-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). Finally, we summarize the various applications of the 2D-conjugated BDT-based polymers in highly efficient PSC devices. Overall, this Account

Proton Conducting Polymer Membrane Comprised of 2-Acrylamido-2-Methylpropanesulfonic Acid

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Walker, Charles

2002-01-01

In order to identify a proton-conducting polymer membrane suitable for replacing Nafion 117 in direct methanol fuel cells, we prepared a cross-linked copolymer of hydrophilic 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS...

Phosphoric acid doped AB-PBI membranes and its applications in high temperature PEMFC

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

He, Ronghuan; Qingfeng, Li; Bjerrum, Niels

2005-01-01

Poly(2,5-benzimidazole) (ab-PBI) was prepared from 3，4-diaminobenzoic acid via a polymerisation reaction. The obtained polymer exhibits excellent thermal stability in a temperature range ….. The membrane of ab-PBI when doped with phosphoric acid at room temperaturepresents high proton conductivity...

Nafion/silane nanocomposite membranes for high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghi, Lee Jin; Park, Na Ri; Kim, Moon Sung; Rhee, Hee Woo

2011-07-01

The polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has been studied actively for both potable and stationary applications because it can offer high power density and be used only hydrogen and oxygen as environment-friendly fuels. Nafion which is widely used has mechanical and chemical stabilities as well as high conductivity. However, there is a drawback that it can be useless at high temperatures (> or = 90 degrees C) because proton conducting mechanism cannot work above 100 degrees C due to dehydration of membrane. Therefore, PEMFC should be operated for long-term at high temperatures continuously. In this study, we developed nanocomposite membrane using stable properties of Nafion and phosphonic acid groups which made proton conducting mechanism without water. 3-Aminopropyl triethoxysilane (APTES) was used to replace sulfonic acid groups of Nafion and then its aminopropyl group was chemically modified to phosphonic acid groups. The nanocomposite membrane showed very high conductivity (approximately 0.02 S/cm at 110 degrees C, <30% RH).

Effect of sulphuric acid concentration on electroosmotic flow through polymer electrolyte membranes in PEM fuel cells. Paper no. IGEC-1-061

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karimi, G.; Li, X.

2005-01-01

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells are highly efficient and environmentally clean, and hence one of the most promising power sources for both stationary and mobile applications. The operations of PEM fuel cells are complicated by the electroosmotic flow of water from anode to cathode through the polymer electrolyte membrane leading to the membrane dehydration and fuel cell performance degradations. In this study, electro osmotic flow in polymer electrolyte membranes is modeled by incorporating the electro kinetic effects in the presence of euphoric acid. The governing Poisson-Boatman and the Nervier-Stokes equations were solved numerically for a single membrane pore to determine the electro osmotic flow distributions through the membrane over a wide range of acid concentrations. The presence of euphoric acid modifies the protons distribution in the membrane and hence alters the driving force for electroosmotic drag. Numerical results indicate that the electro osmotic flow increases steadily with acid concentration. The water transport due to electro osmosis is almost doubled at 2 M acid concentration compared with that of non-doped membrane. The value of electroosmotic drag coefficient however falls steadily with acid concentration due to the presence of a larger number of protons in the electrolyte. (author)

Free radical transfer in polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonntag, C. von; Bothe, E.; Ulanski, P.

1998-01-01

For the present study of free-radical transfer in polymers pulse radiolysis and product studies have been carried out in aqueous solutions using thus far only the water-soluble polymers polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid and polyvinyl alcohol. When OH radicals, generated in the radiolysis of N 2 O-saturated aqueous solutions, react with polymers the lifetime of the polymer radical thus created very much depends on the number of radicals per polymer chain. When there are a large number of radicals per chain their bimolecular decay may be faster than the corresponding (diffusion controlled) decay of monomeric radicals, but when the macromolecule contains only few or even just one radical their lifetime is considerably prolonged. Highly charged polymers such as polyacrylic acid at high pH attain a rod-like conformation which again favors a long lifetime of the radicals. Under such conditions, radical transfer reactions can occur. For example, in polyacrylic acid OH radicals generate two kinds of radicals side by side. The radical in β-position to the carboxylate group converts into the thermodynamically more stable α-radicals by an H-transfer reaction as can be followed by spectrophotometry. Besides radical transfer reactions β-fragmentation reactions occur causing chain scission. Such reactions can be followed in a pulse radiolysis experiment by conductometry, because counter ions are released upon chain scission. Such a process is especially effective in the case of polymethacrylic acid, where it results in a chain depolymerization. An intramolecular H-abstraction is also observed in the γ-radiolysis of polyacrylic acid with the corresponding peroxyl radicals. This causes a chain reaction to occur. The resulting hydroperoxides are unstable and decarboxylate given rise to acetylacetone-like products. In polyvinyl alcohol the peroxyl radicals in α-position to the alcohol function undergo HO 2 -elimination. This prevents a scission of the polymer chain in the

HIGH TEMPERATURE POLYMER FUEL CELLS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jens Oluf; Qingfeng, Li; He, Ronghuan

2003-01-01

This paper will report recent results from our group on polymer fuel cells (PEMFC) based on the temperature resistant polymer polybenzimidazole (PBI), which allow working temperatures up to 200°C. The membrane has a water drag number near zero and need no water management at all. The high working...

Use of itaconic acid-based polymers for solid-phase extraction of deoxynivalenol and application to pasta analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pascale, Michelangelo; De Girolamo, Annalisa; Visconti, Angelo; Magan, Naresh; Chianella, Iva; Piletska, Elena V; Piletsky, Sergey A

2008-02-25

Molecular modelling and computational design were used to identify itaconic acid (IA) as a functional monomer with high affinity towards deoxynivalenol (DON), a Fusarium-toxin frequently occurring in cereals. IA-based polymers were photochemically synthesised in dimethyl formamide (porogen) using ethylenglycol dimethacrylate as cross-linker and 1,1'-azo-bis(cyclohexane carbonitrile) as initiator, and the relevant binding interactions with DON in solvents with different polarity were investigated. The performances of the non-imprinted IA-based polymer (blank polymer, BP) and the corresponding molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) were compared using DON as a template. Both BP and MIP were able to bind about 90% DON either in toluene, water or water containing 5% polyethylene glycol. Non-imprinted polymers with different molar ratios of IA to cross-linker were evaluated as adsorbents for solid-phase extraction (SPE) clean-up and pre-concentration of DON from wheat and pasta samples prior to HPLC analysis. Samples were extracted with PBS/0.1M EDTA solution and cleaned up through a cartridge containing blank IA-based polymer. The column was washed with PBS (pH 9.2) and the toxin was eluted with methanol and quantified by reversed-phase HPLC with UV detector (lambda=220nm), using methanol:water:acetic acid (15:85:0.1, v/v/v) as the mobile phase. Effective removal of matrix interferences was observed only for pasta with DON recoveries higher than 70% (RSD<7%, n=3) at levels close to or higher than EU regulatory limit.

"Green" High-Temperature Polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Meador, Michael A.

1998-01-01

PMR-15 is a processable, high-temperature polymer developed at the NASA Lewis Research Center in the 1970's principally for aeropropulsion applications. Use of fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites in these applications can lead to substantial weight savings, thereby leading to improved fuel economy, increased passenger and payload capacity, and better maneuverability. PMR-15 is used fairly extensively in military and commercial aircraft engines components seeing service temperatures as high as 500 F (260 C), such as the outer bypass duct for the F-404 engine. The current world-wide market for PMR-15 materials (resins, adhesives, and composites) is on the order of $6 to 10 million annually.

High-density polymer microarrays: identifying synthetic polymers that control human embryonic stem cell growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Anne; Mjoseng, Heidi K; Zhang, Rong; Kalloudis, Michail; Koutsos, Vasileios; de Sousa, Paul A; Bradley, Mark

2014-06-01

The fabrication of high-density polymer microarray is described, allowing the simultaneous and efficient evaluation of more than 7000 different polymers in a single-cellular-based screen. These high-density polymer arrays are applied in the search for synthetic substrates for hESCs culture. Up-scaling of the identified hit polymers enables long-term cellular cultivation and promoted successful stem-cell maintenance. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Coefficient of Friction Between Carboxymethylated Hyaluronic Acid-Based Polymer Films and the Ocular Surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Colter, Jourdan; Wirostko, Barbara; Coats, Brittany

2017-12-01

Hyaluronic acid-based polymer films are emerging as drug-delivery vehicles for local and continuous drug administration to the eye. The highly lubricating hyaluronic acid increases comfort, but displaces films from the eye, reducing drug exposure and efficacy. Previous studies have shown that careful control of the surface interaction of the film with the eye is critical for improved retention. In this study, the frictional interaction of a carboxymethylated, hyaluronic acid-based polymer (CMHA-S) with and without methylcellulose was quantified against ovine and human sclera at three axial loads (0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 N) and four sliding velocities (0.3, 1.0, 10, and 30 mm/s). Static coefficients of friction significantly increased with rate (P Friction became more rate-dependent when methylcellulose was added to CMHA-S. Kinetic coefficient of friction was not affected by rate, and averaged 0.15 ± 0.1. Methylcellulose increased CMHA-S static and kinetic friction by 60% and 80%, respectively, but was also prone to wear during testing. These data suggest that methylcellulose can be used to create a friction differential on the film, but a potentially increased degradation rate with the methylcellulose must be considered in the design.

Comparison of the influence of polyaspartic acid and polylysine functional groups on the adsorption at the Cr2O3-Aqueous polymer solution interface

Science.gov (United States)

Ostolska, Iwona; Wiśniewska, Małgorzata

2014-08-01

Polyamino acids are a group of synthesized polymers obtained by polymerization of a given kind of amino acid monomer. Because of high biodegradability of this class of polymers, they can be used as flocculation or stabilization agents in the environmental aspects. Therefore determination of their influence on the stability of the aqueous suspension of metal oxides is important. An influence of different functional groups of polyamino acids, their molecular weight and concentration on the adsorption at the chromium (III) oxide (Cr2O3)-aqueous solution interface was determined. Experiments were carried out for four values of solution pH varying from 3 to 10 (3, 4, 7.6 and 10, respectively). Two polymers were used: anionic polyaspartic acid (ASP) of 6800 and 27,000 as well as polylysine (LYS) of 4900 and 33,000 molecular weights. Changes of surface charge density of colloidal Cr2O3 in the presence and in the absence of macromolecular substances were determined using potentiometric titration. In these studies the influence of the concentration and molecular weight of the ionic polymers on the pHpzc value was determined. Additionally, due to the lack of appropriate literature data, potentiometric titration of the selected polymers was performed to determine pKa values.

High-performance polymer photovoltaic cells and photodetectors

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Gang; Srdanov, Gordana; Wang, Hailiang; Cao, Yong; Heeger, Alan J.

2001-02-01

Polymer photovoltaic cells and photodetectors have passed their infancy and become mature technologies. The energy conversion efficiency of polymer photovoltaic cells have been improved to over 4.1% (500 nm, 10 mW/cm2). Such high efficiency polymer photovoltaic cells are promising for many applications including e-papers, e-books and smart- windows. The development of polymer photodetectors is even faster. The performance parameters have been improved to the level meeting all specifications for practical applications. The polymer photodetectors are of high photosensitivity (approximately 0.2 - 0.3 A/Watt in visible and UV), low dark current (0.1 - 1 nA/cm2), large dynamic range (> 8 orders of magnitude), linear intensity dependence, low noise level and fast response time (to nanosecond time domain). These devices show long shelf and operation lives. The advantages of low manufacturing cost, large detection area, and easy hybridization and integration with other electronic or optical components make the polymer photodetectors promising for a variety of applications including chemical/biomedical analysis, full-color digital image sensing and high energy radiation detection.

Preparation and drug-loading properties of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/Poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) magnetic polymer nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lu, Wensheng [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230039 (China); Coordination Chemistry Institute, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Life Science, Chaohu University, Chaohu 238000 (China); Shen, Yuhua, E-mail: s_yuhua@163.com [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230039 (China); Xie, Anjian [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230039 (China); Zhang, Weiqiang [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230039 (China); Coordination Chemistry Institute, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Life Science, Chaohu University, Chaohu 238000 (China)

2013-11-15

Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) magnetic polymer nanocomposites were synthesized by the dispersion polymerization method using styrene as hard monomer, acrylic acid as functional monomer, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles modified with oleic acid as core, and poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) as shell. Drug-loading properties of magnetic polymer nanocomposites with curcumin as a model drug were also studied. The results indicated that magnetic polymer nanocomposites with monodisperse were obtained, the particle size distribution was 50–120 nm, and the average size was about 100 nm. The contents of poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) and Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles in magnetic polymer nanocomposites were 74% and 24.7%, respectively. The drug-loading capacity and entrapment efficiency were 2.5% and 44.4%, respectively. The saturation magnetization of magnetic polymer nanocomposites at 300 K was 20.2 emu/g without coercivity and remanence. The as-prepared magnetic polymer nanocomposites have not only lots of functional carboxyl groups but also stronger magnetic response, which might have potential applications in drug carrier and targeted drug release.

Synthesis of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Amino Acid Derivates by Using Different Functional Monomers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonia Scorrano

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Fmoc-3-nitrotyrosine (Fmoc-3-NT molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs were synthesized to understand the influence of several functional monomers on the efficiency of the molecular imprinting process. Acidic, neutral and basic functional monomers, such as acrylic acid (AA, methacrylic acid (MAA, methacrylamide (MAM, 2-vinylpyridine (2-VP, 4-vinylpyridine (4-VP, have been used to synthesize five different polymers. In this study, the MIPs were tested in batch experiments by UV-visible spectroscopy in order to evaluate their binding properties. The MIP prepared with 2-VP exhibited the highest binding affinity for Fmoc-3NT, for which Scatchard analysis the highest association constant (2.49 × 104 M−1 was obtained. Furthermore, titration experiments of Fmoc-3NT into acetonitrile solutions of 2-VP revealed a stronger bond to the template, such that a total interaction is observed. Non-imprinted polymers as control were prepared and showed no binding affinities for Fmoc-3NT. The results are indicative of the importance of ionic bonds formed between the –OH residues of the template molecule and the pyridinyl groups of the polymer matrix. In conclusion, 2-VP assists to create a cavity which allows better access to the analytes.

High temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells: Approaches, status, and perspectives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

This book is a comprehensive review of high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). PEMFCs are the preferred fuel cells for a variety of applications such as automobiles, cogeneration of heat and power units, emergency power and portable electronics. The first 5 chapters...... of and motivated extensive research activity in the field. The last 11 chapters summarize the state-of-the-art of technological development of high temperature-PEMFCs based on acid doped PBI membranes including catalysts, electrodes, MEAs, bipolar plates, modelling, stacking, diagnostics and applications....

Development of melamine modified urea formaldehyde resins based o nstrong acidic pH catalyzed urea formaldehyde polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Chung-Yun Hse

2009-01-01

To upgrade the performance of urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin bonded particleboards, melamine modified urea-formaldehyde (MUF) resins based on strong acidic pH catalyzed UF polymers were investigated. The study was conducted in a series of two experiments: 1) formulation of MUF resins based on a UF polymer catalyzed with strong acidic pH and 2) determination of the...

Preparing high-density polymer brushes by mechanically assisted polymer assembly (MAPA)

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Tao; Efimenko, Kirill; Genzer, Jan

2001-03-01

We introduce a novel method of modifying the surface properties of materials. This technique, called MAPA (="mechanically assisted polymer assembly"), is based on: 1) chemically attaching polymerization initiators to the surface of an elastomeric network that has been previously stretched by a certain length, Δx, and 2) growing end-anchored macromolecules using surface initiated ("grafting from") atom transfer living radical polymerization. After the polymerization, the strain is removed from the substrate, which returns to its original size causing the grafted macromolecules to stretch away from the substrate and form a dense polymer brush. We demonstrate the feasibility of the MAPA method by preparing high-density polymer brushes of poly(acryl amide), PAAm. We show that, as expected, the grafting density of the PAAm brushes can be increased by increasing Δx. We demonstrate that polymer brushes with extremely high grafting densities can be successfully prepared by MAPA.

Dispersion of carbon nanotubes and polymer nanocomposite fabrication using trifluoroacetic acid as a co-solvent

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Hui; Muthuraman, Harish; Stokes, Paul; Zou Jianhua; Liu Xiong; Wang, Jinhai; Huo Qun; Khondaker, Saiful I; Zhai Lei

2007-01-01

We herein report the dispersion of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) using trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as a co-solvent. TFA is a strong but volatile acid which is miscible with many commonly used organic solvents. Our study demonstrates that MWCNTs can be effectively purified and readily dispersed in a range of organic solvents including dimethyl formamide (DMF), tetrahydrofuran (THF), and dichloromethane when mixed with 10 vol.% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis revealed that the chemical structure of the TFA-treated MWCNTs remained intact without oxidation. The dispersed carbon nanotubes in TFA/THF solution were mixed with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) to fabricate polymer nanocomposites. A good dispersion of nanotubes in solution and in polymer matrices was observed and confirmed by SEM, optical microscopy, and light transmittance study. Low percolation thresholds of electrical conductivity were observed from the fabricated MWCNT/PMMA composite films. Further enhancement in the dispersion of MWCNTs was achieved by adding a conjugated conducting polymer, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), to the dispersion, wherein TFA also serves as a doping agent to the conducting polymer. The ternary nanocomposite MWCNT/P3HT/PMMA exhibited an extremely low percolation threshold of less than 0.006 wt% of MWCNT content. This low percolation threshold is attributed to a good dispersion of MWCNTs and enhanced conductivity of the nanocomposites by conjugated conducting polymer

Development of biodegradable metaloxide/polymer nanocomposite films based on poly-ε-caprolactone and terephthalic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Varaprasad, Kokkarachedu; Pariguana, Manuel; Raghavendra, Gownolla Malegowd; Jayaramudu, Tippabattini; Sadiku, Emmanuel Rotimi

2017-01-01

The present investigation describes the development of metal-oxide polymer nanocomposite films from biodegradable poly-ε-caprolactone, disposed poly(ethylene terephthalate) oil bottles monomer and zinc oxide-copper oxide nanoparticles. The terephthalic acid and zinc oxide-copper oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by using a temperature-dependent precipitation technique and double precipitation method, respectively. The terephthalic acid synthesized was confirmed by FTIR analysis and furthermore, it was characterized by thermal analysis. The as-prepared CuO-ZnO nanoparticles structure was confirmed by XRD analysis and its morphology was analyzed by SEM/EDS and TEM. Furthermore, the metal-oxide polymer nanocomposite films have excellent mechanical properties, with tensile strength and modulus better than pure films. The metal-oxide polymer nanocomposite films that were successfully developed show a relatively brighter colour when compared to CuO film. These new metal-oxide polymer nanocomposite films can replace many non-degradable plastics. The new metal-oxide polymer nanocomposite films developed are envisaged to be suitable for use in industrial and domestic packaging applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radioresistance increase in polymers at high pressures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milinchuk, V.; Kirjukhin, V.; Klinshpont, E.

1977-01-01

The effect was studied of very high pressures ranging within 100 and 2,700 MPa on the radioresistance of polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene in gamma irradiation. For experiments industrial polymers in the shape of blocks, films and fibres were used. It is shown that in easily breakable polymers, such as polytetrafluoroethylene and polypropylene 1.3 to 2 times less free radicals are formed as a result of gamma irradiation and a pressure of 150 MPa than at normal pressure. The considerably reduced radiation-chemical formation of radicals and the destruction suppression by cross-linking in polymers is the evidence of the polymer radioresistance in irradiation at high pressures. (J.B.)

High-capacity hollow porous dummy molecular imprinted polymers using ionic liquid as functional monomer for selective recognition of salicylic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Haiyan; Peng, Mijun; Li, Hui; Peng, Sheng; Shi, Shuyun

2017-01-30

The existence of strong intramolecular hydrogen bond in salicylic acid (SA) weakens its intermolecular hydrogen bonding with functional monomer, then it is a challenge work to fabricate molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for SA recognition with high capacity and good selectivity. Here, hollow porous dummy MIPs (HPDMIPs) were prepared using benzoic acid (BA) as dummy template, ionic liquid (i.e. 1-vinyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride) as functional monomer, and MCM-48 as sacrificial support. Factors that affected adsorption, such as type of template and porogen, mole ratio of template-functional monomer-cross-linker and type of binding solvent, were optimized in detail. Multiple strong interactions between SA and ionic liquid in HPDMIPs deduced higher binding capacity (29.75mg/g), imprinting factor (5.61) and selectivity than any previously reported MIPs by traditional or surface imprinting technology. The large surface area (543.9m 2 /g) with hollow porous structure resulted in faster kinetic binding (25min). The equilibrium data fitted well to Freundlich equation and the adsorption process could be described by pseudo-second order model. Finally, HPDMIPs were successfully applied to selectively extract and enrich SA from Actinidia chinensis with a relatively high recovery (84.6-94.5%). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transition state analogue imprinted polymers as artificial amidases for amino acid p-nitroanilides: morphological effects of polymer network on catalytic efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathew, Divya; Thomas, Benny; Devaky, K S

2017-11-13

The morphology of the polymer network - porous/less porous - plays predominant role in the amidase activities of the polymer catalysts in the hydrolytic reactions of amino acid p-nitroanilides. Polymers with the imprints of stable phosphonate analogue of the intermediate of hydrolytic reactions were synthesized as enzyme mimics. Molecular imprinting was carried out in thermodynamically stable porogen dimethyl sulphoxide and unstable porogen chloroform, to investigate the morphological effects of polymers on catalytic amidolysis. It was found that the medium of polymerization has vital influence in the amidase activities of the enzyme mimics. The morphological studies of the polymer catalysts were carried out by scanning electron microscopy and Bruner-Emmett-Teller analysis. The morphology of the polymer catalysts and their amidase activities are found to be dependent on the composition of reaction medium. The polymer catalyst prepared in dimethyl sulphoxide is observed to be efficient in 1:9 acetonitrile (ACN)-Tris HCl buffer and that prepared in chloroform is noticed to be stereo specifically and shape-selectively effective in 9:1 ACN-Tris HCl buffer. The solvent memory effect in catalytic amidolysis was investigated using the polymer prepared in acetonitrile.

[Use of a novel polymer, the in-situ gelling mucoadhesive thiolated poly(aspartic acid) in ophthalmic drug delivery].

Science.gov (United States)

Horvát, Gabriella; Budai-Szűcs, Mária; Berkó, Szilvia; Szabóné-Révész, Piroska; Gyarmati, Benjámin; Szilágyi, Barnabas Áron; Szilágyi, András; Csányi Erzsébet

2015-01-01

The bioavailability of drugs used on mucosal surfaces can be increased by the use of mucoadhesive polymers. A new type of mucoadhesive polymers is the group of thiolated polymers with thiol group containing side chains. These polymers are able to form covalent bonds (disulphide linkages) with the mucin glycoproteins. For the formulation of an ocular drug delivery system (DDS) thiolated poly(aspartic acid) polymer (ThioPASP) was used. Our aim was to determine their biocompatibility, mucoadhesion and drug release property. According to the results it can be established that the thiolated poly(aspartic acid) polymers can be a potential vehicle of an ocular drug delivery system due to their biocompatibility, good mucoadhesive property and drug release profile. Thanks to their properties controlled drug delivery can be achieved and bioavailability of the ophthalmic formulation can be increased, while the usage frequency can be decreased.

Evaluation of chitosan–anionic polymers based tablets for extended-release of highly water-soluble drugs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Shao

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study is to develop chitosan–anionic polymers based extended-release tablets and test the feasibility of using this system for the sustained release of highly water-soluble drugs with high drug loading. Here, the combination of sodium valproate (VPS and valproic acid (VPA were chosen as the model drugs. Anionic polymers studied include xanthan gum (XG, carrageenan (CG, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC-Na and sodium alginate (SA. The tablets were prepared by wet granulation method. In vitro drug release was carried out under simulated gastrointestinal condition. Drug release mechanism was studied. Compared with single polymers, chitosan–anionic polymers based system caused a further slowdown of drug release rate. Among them, CS–xanthan gum matrix system exhibited the best extended-release behavior and could extend drug release for up to 24 h. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR studies demonstrated that polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs were formed on the tablet surface, which played an important role on retarding erosion and swelling of the matrix in the later stage. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that it is possible to develop highly water-soluble drugs loaded extended-release tablets using chitosan–anionic polymers based system.

Electrochemical Coupling of Biomass-Derived Acids: New C8 Platforms for Renewable Polymers and Fuels.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Linglin; Mascal, Mark; Farmer, Thomas J; Arnaud, Sacha Pérocheau; Wong Chang, Maria-Angelica

2017-01-10

Electrolysis of biomass-derived carbonyl compounds is an alternative to condensation chemistry for supplying products with chain length >C 6 for biofuels and renewable materials production. Kolbe coupling of biomass-derived levulinic acid is used to obtain 2,7-octanedione, a new platform molecule only two low process-intensity steps removed from raw biomass. Hydrogenation to 2,7-octanediol provides a chiral secondary diol largely unknown to polymer chemistry, whereas intramolecular aldol condensation followed by hydrogenation yields branched cycloalkanes suitable for use as high-octane, cellulosic gasoline. Analogous electrolysis of an itaconic acid-derived methylsuccinic monoester yields a chiral 2,5-dimethyladipic acid diester, another underutilized monomer owing to lack of availability. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Highly selective determination of methylmercury with methylmercury-imprinted polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu Yongwen [Department of Chemistry, Shanxi Datong University, Datong 037009 (China)]. E-mail: dtlyw@263.net; Zai Yunhui [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Chang Xijun [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Guo Yong [Department of Chemistry, Shanxi Datong University, Datong 037009 (China); Meng Shuangming [Department of Chemistry, Shanxi Datong University, Datong 037009 (China); Feng Feng [Department of Chemistry, Shanxi Datong University, Datong 037009 (China)

2006-08-11

Methylmercury-imprinted and non-imprinted polymers were prepared by formation monomer complex of methylmercury with (4-ethenylphenyl)-4-formate-6-phenyl-2,2'-bipyridine and thermally polymerizing with divinylbenzene (crosslinker) in the presence of 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator and subsequently leached with the acidic thiourea solution (1.0 mol L{sup -1} of thiourea and 4.0 mol L{sup -1} of HCl). In the same way, non-imprinted copolymers were prepared without methylmercury chloride added. The separation and preconcentration characteristics of the polymers for methylmercury were investigated by batch and column procedures. The results demonstrated that the methylmercury-imprinted polymers had higher adsorption capacity (170 {mu}mol g{sup -1} of dry microbeads) and good selectivity for methylmercury compared to non-imprinted polymers. The distribution ratio (D) values of the methylmercury-imprinted polymers increased for methylmercury with respect to both D values of Hg(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) and non-imprinted polymers. The relatively selective factor ({alpha} {sub r}) values of CH{sub 3}Hg{sup +}/Hg(II), CH{sub 3}Hg{sup +}/Cu(II), CH{sub 3}Hg{sup +}/Zn(II), and CH{sub 3}Hg{sup +}/Cd(II) are 24.0, 46.7, 50.7, and 40.2, which are greater than 1. The methylmercury-imprinted polymers can be used at least twenty times with recoveries no less than 95%. Based on the packed columns with methylmercury-imprinted polymers, a highly selective solid-phase extraction (SPE) and preconcentration method for methylmercury was developed. The metal ion imprinted polymer solid-phase extraction (MIIP-SPE) preconcentration procedure showed a linear calibration curve within concentration range from 0.093 to 22 {mu}g L{sup -1}. The detection limit and quantification limit were 0.041 and 0.093 {mu}g L{sup -1} (3{sigma}) for cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). The relative standard deviation of the 10 replicate determinations was 3.5% for the

40 CFR 721.2076 - D-Glucuronic acid, polymer with 6-deoxy-L-mannose and D-glucose, acetate, calcium magnesium...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...-deoxy-L-mannose and D-glucose, acetate, calcium magnesium potassium sodium salt. 721.2076 Section 721...-Glucuronic acid, polymer with 6-deoxy-L-mannose and D-glucose, acetate, calcium magnesium potassium sodium... identified as D-Glucuronic acid, polymer with 6-deoxy-L-mannose and D-glucose, acetate, calcium magnesium...

Gallium-containing polymer brush film as efficient supported Lewis acid catalyst in a glass microreactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajesh Munirathinam

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Polystyrene sulfonate polymer brushes, grown on the interior of the microchannels in a microreactor, have been used for the anchoring of gallium as a Lewis acid catalyst. Initially, gallium-containing polymer brushes were grown on a flat silicon oxide surface and were characterized by FTIR, ellipsometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS. XPS revealed the presence of one gallium per 2–3 styrene sulfonate groups of the polymer brushes. The catalytic activity of the Lewis acid-functionalized brushes in a microreactor was demonstrated for the dehydration of oximes, using cinnamaldehyde oxime as a model substrate, and for the formation of oxazoles by ring closure of ortho-hydroxy oximes. The catalytic activity of the microreactor could be maintained by periodic reactivation by treatment with GaCl3.

Extrudable polymer-polymer composites based on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

Science.gov (United States)

Panin, S. V.; Kornienko, L. A.; Alexenko, V. O.; Buslovich, D. G.; Dontsov, Yu. V.

2017-12-01

Mechanical and tribotechnical characteristics of polymer-polymeric composites of UHMWPE are studied with the aim of developing extrudable, wear-resistant, self-lubricant polymer mixtures for Additive Manufacturing (AM). The motivation of the study is their further application as feedstocks for 3D printing. Blends of UHMWPE with graft- and block copolymers of low-density polyethylene (HDPE-g-VTMS, HDPE-g-SMA, HDPE-b-EVA), polypropylene (PP), block copolymers of polypropylene and polyamide with linear low density polyethylene (PP-b-LLDPE, PA-b-LLDPE), as well as cross-linked polyethylene (PEX-b), are examined. The choice of compatible polymer components for an ultra- high molecular weight matrix for increasing processability (extrudability) is motivated by the search for commercially available and efficient additives aimed at developing wear-resistant extrudable polymer composites for additive manufacturing. The extrudability, mechanical properties and wear resistance of UHMWPE-based polymer-polymeric composites under sliding friction with different velocities and loads are studied.

40 CFR 721.6181 - Fatty acid, reaction product with substituted oxirane, formaldehyde-phenol polymer glycidyl ether...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Fatty acid, reaction product with... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.6181 Fatty acid, reaction product with substituted oxirane, formaldehyde... as fatty acid, reaction product with substituted oxirane, formaldehyde-phenol polymer glycidyl ether...

A comparative study on experimental and theoretical ESR spectra of lactic acid polymers irradiated by gamma rays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kantoglu, Oe.; Oezbey, T.; Gueven, O.

1998-01-01

Homo polymers of L-Lactic acid (LLA) and D,L-Lactic acid (DLLA), being biocompatible and absorbable in body iluids have recently found wide applications in the preparation of surgical sutures, controlled drug delivery systems, burn wound coverings etc. For sometime these polymers have also been prepared in the form of plates and screws for mandibular fracture fixation, tissue implants. Their chemical sensitivities against relatively high temperatures and hydrolysis with water make them unsuitable for conventional sterilization techniques like hot water vapor and ethylene oxide. Sterilization of the devices made of these polymers is therefore possible by gamma ray irradiation. This has initiated a number of research works in order to better understand the effects of ionizing radiation on this polymer. The aim of this study is to determine the possible radical types, their location on macromolecular structure and the reasons for peak shifts in the experimental and theoretical ESR spectra. Polymer samples were irradiated in air and in vacuum (10□□ torr) to 25 kGy sterilization dose at the dose rate 0.59 kGy/h and at room temperature by 60 Co γ-irradiator. Despite being chemically the same radical type, some differences were observed in the splitting of peaks of PLLA and PDLLA samples. These differences were determined and compared by means of fitting studies. Firstly, PLLA was characterized and its g and hyperfine splitting values were found as 2.0032±0.0002 and 20.37±0.2. In the characterization study of PDLLA, it was found that one of the nearest two radicals was on the upper and the other one was on the lower plane of PDLLA chain. (author)

Research on the Changes to the Lipid/Polymer Membrane Used in the Acidic Bitterness Sensor Caused by Preconditioning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuhei Harada

2016-02-01

Full Text Available A taste sensor that uses lipid/polymer membranes can evaluate aftertastes felt by humans using Change in membrane Potential caused by Adsorption (CPA measurements. The sensor membrane for evaluating bitterness, which is caused by acidic bitter substances such as iso-alpha acid contained in beer, needs an immersion process in monosodium glutamate (MSG solution, called “MSG preconditioning”. However, what happens to the lipid/polymer membrane during MSG preconditioning is not clear. Therefore, we carried out three experiments to investigate the changes in the lipid/polymer membrane caused by the MSG preconditioning, i.e., measurements of the taste sensor, measurements of the amount of the bitterness substance adsorbed onto the membrane and measurements of the contact angle of the membrane surface. The CPA values increased as the preconditioning process progressed, and became stable after 3 d of preconditioning. The response potentials to the reference solution showed the same tendency of the CPA value change during the preconditioning period. The contact angle of the lipid/polymer membrane surface decreased after 7 d of MSG preconditioning; in short, the surface of the lipid/polymer membrane became hydrophilic during MSG preconditioning. The amount of adsorbed iso-alpha acid was increased until 5 d preconditioning, and then it decreased. In this study, we revealed that the CPA values increased with the progress of MSG preconditioning in spite of the decrease of the amount of iso-alpha acid adsorbed onto the lipid/polymer membrane, and it was indicated that the CPA values increase because the sensor sensitivity was improved by the MSG preconditioning.

Thermal Protective Coating for High Temperature Polymer Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Barron, Andrew R.

1999-01-01

The central theme of this research is the application of carboxylate-alumoxane nanoparticles as precursors to thermally protective coatings for high temperature polymer composites. In addition, we will investigate the application of carboxylate-alumoxane nanoparticle as a component to polymer composites. The objective of this research was the high temperature protection of polymer composites via novel chemistry. The significance of this research is the development of a low cost and highly flexible synthetic methodology, with a compatible processing technique, for the fabrication of high temperature polymer composites. We proposed to accomplish this broad goal through the use of a class of ceramic precursor material, alumoxanes. Alumoxanes are nano-particles with a boehmite-like structure and an organic periphery. The technical goals of this program are to prepare and evaluate water soluble carboxylate-alumoxane for the preparation of ceramic coatings on polymer substrates. Our proposed approach is attractive since proof of concept has been demonstrated under the NRA 96-LeRC-1 Technology for Advanced High Temperature Gas Turbine Engines, HITEMP Program. For example, carbon and Kevlar(tm) fibers and matting have been successfully coated with ceramic thermally protective layers.

Conductivity behaviour of polymer gel electrolytes: Role of polymer

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

of a container that can hold a large amount of solvent and as a result possesses the ... having high value of conductivity results in polymer gel electrolytes. They are ..... the availability of free ions provided by the acid. It gene- rally reaches a ...

Adsorption characteristics, recognition properties, and preliminary application of nordihydroguaiaretic acid molecularly imprinted polymers prepared by sol–gel surface imprinting technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liao, Sen; Zhang, Wen; Long, Wei; Hou, Dan; Yang, Xuechun; Tan, Ni, E-mail: tannii@21cn.com

2016-02-28

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Nordihydroguaiaretic acid imprinted polymer with imprinting factor 2.12 was prepared for the first time through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction between the template molecules and the bifunctional monomers. • The obtained surface molecularly imprinting polymers exhibited high affinity and selectivity to the template molecules. • The prepared surface molecularly imprinted polymers were used in separation the natural active component nordihydroguaiaretic acid from medicinal plants. - Abstract: In this paper, a new core-shell composite of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) molecularly imprinted polymers layer-coated silica gel (MIP@SiO{sub 2}) was prepared through sol–gel technique and applied as a material for extraction of NDGA from Ephedra. It was synthesized using NDGA as the template molecule, γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTEOS) as the functional monomers, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the cross-linker and ethanol as the porogenic solvent in the surface of silica. The non-imprinted polymers layer-coated silica gel (NIP@SiO{sub 2}) were prepared with the same procedure, but with the absence of template molecule. In addition, the optimum adsorption affinity occurred when the molar ratio of NDGA:APTS:MTEOS:TEOS was 1:6:2:80. The prepared MIP@SiO{sub 2} and NIP@SiO{sub 2} were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Their affinity properties to NDGA were evaluated through dynamic adsorption, static adsorption, and selective recognition experiments, and the results showed the saturated adsorption capacity of MIP@SiO{sub 2} could reach to 5.90 mg g{sup −1}, which was two times more than that of NIP@SiO{sub 2}. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to evaluate the extraction of NDGA from the medicinal plant ephedra by the above prepared materials, and the results

Adsorption characteristics, recognition properties, and preliminary application of nordihydroguaiaretic acid molecularly imprinted polymers prepared by sol–gel surface imprinting technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao, Sen; Zhang, Wen; Long, Wei; Hou, Dan; Yang, Xuechun; Tan, Ni

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Nordihydroguaiaretic acid imprinted polymer with imprinting factor 2.12 was prepared for the first time through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction between the template molecules and the bifunctional monomers. • The obtained surface molecularly imprinting polymers exhibited high affinity and selectivity to the template molecules. • The prepared surface molecularly imprinted polymers were used in separation the natural active component nordihydroguaiaretic acid from medicinal plants. - Abstract: In this paper, a new core-shell composite of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) molecularly imprinted polymers layer-coated silica gel (MIP@SiO_2) was prepared through sol–gel technique and applied as a material for extraction of NDGA from Ephedra. It was synthesized using NDGA as the template molecule, γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTEOS) as the functional monomers, tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the cross-linker and ethanol as the porogenic solvent in the surface of silica. The non-imprinted polymers layer-coated silica gel (NIP@SiO_2) were prepared with the same procedure, but with the absence of template molecule. In addition, the optimum adsorption affinity occurred when the molar ratio of NDGA:APTS:MTEOS:TEOS was 1:6:2:80. The prepared MIP@SiO_2 and NIP@SiO_2 were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Their affinity properties to NDGA were evaluated through dynamic adsorption, static adsorption, and selective recognition experiments, and the results showed the saturated adsorption capacity of MIP@SiO_2 could reach to 5.90 mg g"−"1, which was two times more than that of NIP@SiO_2. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to evaluate the extraction of NDGA from the medicinal plant ephedra by the above prepared materials, and the results indicated that the MIP@SiO_2 had

Polybenzimidazoles based on high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Linares Leon, Jose Joaquin; Camargo, Ana Paula M.; Ashino, Natalia M.; Morgado, Daniella L.; Frollini, Elisabeth; Paganin, Valdecir A.; Gonzalez, Ernesto Rafael [Universidade de Sao Paulo (IQSC/USP), Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil); Bajo, Justo Lobato [University of Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real (Spain). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

2010-07-01

This work presents an interesting approach in order to enhance the performance of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) by means of an increase in the operational temperature. For this, two polymeric materials, Poly(2,5-bibenzimidazole) (ABPBI) and Poly[2,2'-(m-phenyl en)-5,5' bib enzimidazol] (PBI), impregnated with phosphoric acid have been utilized. These have shown excellent properties, such as thermal stability above 500 deg C, reasonably high conductivity when impregnated with H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} and a low permeability to alcohols compared to Nafion. Preliminary fuel cells measurements on hydrogen based Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) displayed an interestingly reasonable good fuel cell performance, a quite reduced loss when the hydrogen stream was polluted with carbon monoxide, and finally, when the system was tested with an ethanol/water (E/W) fuel, it displayed quite promising results that allows placing this system as an attractive option in order to increase the cell performance and deal with the typical limitations of low temperature Nafion-based PEMFC. (author)

Characterization of Polymer Surfaces by the Use of Different Wetting Theories Regarding Acid-Base Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduard Kraus

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The existing wetting methods for the determination of acid-base properties on solid surfaces are discussed. Striving for a better understanding of the adhesive polymer interactions in adhesively joined polymers, the methods of Berger and van Oss-Chaudhury-Good were found as the most suitable methods for the investigation of wetting on solid polymer surfaces. Methods of nonlinear systems by Della Volpe and Siboni were adapted and evaluated on plastic surfaces. In the context of these investigations various data of the surface free energy as well as its components have been identified for a number of polymer surfaces by application of spatial equation solutions.

High-Speed Photorefractive Response Capability in Triphenylamine Polymer-Based Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Tsujimura, Sho; Kinashi, Kenji; Sakai, Wataru; Tsutsumi, Naoto

2012-06-01

We present here the poly(4-diphenylamino)styrene (PDAS)-based photorefractive composites with a high-speed response time. PDAS was synthesized as a photoconductive polymer and photorefractive polymeric composite (PPC) films by using triphenylamine (TPA) (or ethylcarbazole, ECZ), 4-homopiperidino-2-fluorobenzylidene malononitrile (FDCST), and [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) were investigated. The photorefractive quantities of the PDAS-based PPCs were determined by a degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) technique. Additionally, the holographic images were recorded through an appropriate PDAS-based PPC. Those holographic images clearly reconstruct the original motion with high-speed quality. The present approach provides a promising candidate for the future application of dynamic holographic displays.

High-Voltage Polymers for High-Power Supercapacitors. Version 1

Science.gov (United States)

2006-05-30

affect the supercapacitor’s performance. Subsequently, our efforts focused on fabricating polymers with high oxidation potentials to increase the power...including spin activation with out significant modifications. Electroactive polymers such as polythiophene, polyacetylene, or polyaniline can be...potentials in excess of 2 V for facile polymerization. In the present case, the triaryl ammine functionality of 2 and 3 is oxidized at the low

Enhancing the efficiency of thiomers: Utilizing a highly mucoadhesive polymer as backbone for thiolation and preactivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Prüfert, Felix; Bonengel, Sonja; Menzel, Claudia; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to develop a novel thiomer with enhanced mucoadhesive properties using a highly mucoadhesive polymeric backbone. Fixomer™ A-30 (poly(methacrylic acid-co-sodium acrylamidomethyl propane sulfonate)), exhibiting a mucoadhesive strength superior to that of all other polymers, was thiolated by conjugation with l-cysteine and furthermore preactivated with 2-mercaptonicotinic acid (MNA). The resulting derivatives Fix-SH and Fix-S-MNA exhibited coupling rates of 755μmol thiol groups and 304μmol MNA per gram polymer, respectively. The mucoadhesive profile was evaluated with three different methods: tensile studies, rotating cylinder and rheological synergism. In tensile studies, a total work of adhesion of above 500μJ was determined for the unmodified polymer that increased to around 750μJ after thiolation and around 1500μJ after preactivation. The adhesion time of Fix-SH on the rotating cylinder was 3.7-fold and that of Fix-S-MNA 6.8-fold longer compared to the unmodified polymer. A rheological synergism was observed for the unmodified polymer as well as the derivatives with a non-significant difference for Fix-SH but a 5.44-fold improvement for Fix-S-MNA. Fix-S-MNA showed a significantly improved swelling behavior with a water-uptake up to the 30-fold of its initial weight over >50h whereas thiolation showed only slight improvements. Derivatization had no significant influence on cell viability. According to the results, Fix-S-MNA seems to be a suitable polymer for mucoadhesive drug delivery systems. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Luminescent properties of Europium(III) nitrate with 1,10-phenantroline and cinnamic acid in light - Transforming polymer materials

Science.gov (United States)

Kalinovskaya, I. V.; Zadorozhnaya, A. N.

2018-04-01

Influence of cinnamic acid on the luminescent properties of the europium(III) nitrate with 1,10-phenantroline in a polymer materials was studied. It was shown that combined use of these rare earth complexes leads to intense luminescence in the 400-700 nm region. Samples containing polymer europium nitrate with 1,10-phenantroline and cinnamic acid at a molar ratio of 1:2,0 had the maximum luminescence intensity and photostability.

Osteoblast response to oxygen functionalised plasma polymer surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, Jonathan M.

2001-01-01

Thin organic films with oxygen-carbon functionalities were deposited from plasmas containing vapour of the small organic compounds: allyI alcohol, methyl vinyl ketone and acrylic acid with octadiene. Characterisation of the deposits was carried out using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, in conjunction with chemical derivatisation, and this showed that plasma polymers retained high levels of original monomer functionality when the plasmas were sustained at low power for a given monomer vapour flow rate. High levels of attachment of rat osteosarcoma (ROS 17/2.8) cells were observed on surfaces that had high concentrations of hydroxyl and carbonyl functionalities and intermediate concentrations of carboxyl functionality. Cells did not attach to the octadiene plasma polymer. Cell attachment to carboxyl and methyl functionalised self-assembled monolayers increased with increasing concentration of surface carboxyl groups. Adsorption of the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin to acrylic acid/octadiene plasma copolymers was studied by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays and by I 125 radiolabelling. Fibronectin adsorbed in largest amounts to surfaces with intermediate concentrations of carboxyl functionality. Spreading of ROS cells and rat bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) was characterised by computer image analysis. Cell spreading in media containing 10% serum, on a surface deposited from a plasma of 5 O/o acrylic acid was much greater than on the octadiene plasma polymer while most extensive cell spreading was observed on these surfaces when preadsorbed with fibronectin. Growth (proliferation) of BMSC was assessed over nine days and was found to be faster on an 50% acrylic acid plasma polymer than on tissue culture polystyrene or a hydrocarbon plasma polymer, though cell growth was fastest on fibronectin precoated substrates. Expression of cellular alkaline phosphatase, collagen and calcium reached similar levels on the 50% acrylic acid plasma polymer, tissue culture

Osteoblast response to oxygen functionalised plasma polymer surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kelly, Jonathan M

2001-07-01

Thin organic films with oxygen-carbon functionalities were deposited from plasmas containing vapour of the small organic compounds: allyI alcohol, methyl vinyl ketone and acrylic acid with octadiene. Characterisation of the deposits was carried out using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, in conjunction with chemical derivatisation, and this showed that plasma polymers retained high levels of original monomer functionality when the plasmas were sustained at low power for a given monomer vapour flow rate. High levels of attachment of rat osteosarcoma (ROS 17/2.8) cells were observed on surfaces that had high concentrations of hydroxyl and carbonyl functionalities and intermediate concentrations of carboxyl functionality. Cells did not attach to the octadiene plasma polymer. Cell attachment to carboxyl and methyl functionalised self-assembled monolayers increased with increasing concentration of surface carboxyl groups. Adsorption of the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin to acrylic acid/octadiene plasma copolymers was studied by enzyme linked immunosorbent assays and by I{sup 125} radiolabelling. Fibronectin adsorbed in largest amounts to surfaces with intermediate concentrations of carboxyl functionality. Spreading of ROS cells and rat bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) was characterised by computer image analysis. Cell spreading in media containing 10% serum, on a surface deposited from a plasma of 5 O/o acrylic acid was much greater than on the octadiene plasma polymer while most extensive cell spreading was observed on these surfaces when preadsorbed with fibronectin. Growth (proliferation) of BMSC was assessed over nine days and was found to be faster on an 50% acrylic acid plasma polymer than on tissue culture polystyrene or a hydrocarbon plasma polymer, though cell growth was fastest on fibronectin precoated substrates. Expression of cellular alkaline phosphatase, collagen and calcium reached similar levels on the 50% acrylic acid plasma polymer, tissue

Syntheses and structures of three heterometallic coordination polymers derived from 4-pyridin-3-yl-benzoic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang, Wei-Hui; Yang, Guo-Yu

2014-01-01

Three lanthanide–transition-metal coordination polymers, namely, [Er 2 L 6 (H 2 O)][Cu 2 I 2 ] (1), [ErL 3 ][CuI] (2), and [Dy 2 L 6 (BPDC) 0.5 (H 2 O) 4 ][Cu 3 I 2 ] (3) (HL=4-pyridin-3-yl-benzoic acid, H 2 BPDC=4,4′-biphenyldicarboxylic acid) have been made by reacting Ln 2 O 3 and CuI with HL at different temperatures under hydrothermal conditions. All the complexes are characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction, respectively. 1–3 all construct from dimeric (Ln 2 ) and (Cu 2 ) units and exhibit two types of the structural features: 1 is a two-dimensional layer, 2–3 are three-dimensional frameworks. Interestingly, the in situ formation of the BPDC ligand is found in the structure of 3. The distinct architectures of these complexes indicated that the reaction temperature plays an important role in the formation of higher dimensional coordination polymers. - Graphical abstract: By hydrothermal reaction of lanthanide oxide, copper halide, and 4-pyridin-3-yl-benzoic ligand at different temperatures, a series of 1-D to 3-D 3d–4f coordination polymers, namely [ErL 3 (H 2 O) 2 ][CuI], [Er 2 L 6 (H 2 O)][Cu 2 I 2 ], [ErL 3 ][CuI], and [Dy 2 L 6 (BPDC) 0.5 (H 2 O) 4 ][Cu 3 I 2 ], have been made, respectively. - Highlights: • Three novel heterometallic coordination polymers derived from 4-pyridin-3-yl-benzoic acid have been hydrothermally synthesized. • Mixed dinuclear motifs of (Ln 2 ) and (Cu 2 ) serve as secondary building units to generate 2-D layer and 3-D frameworks. • It is proved that higher temperature is apt to permit construction of high dimensional architectures

Brush Polymer of Donor-Accepter Dyads via Adduct Formation between Lewis Base Polymer Donor and All Carbon Lewis Acid Acceptor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Wang

2017-09-01

Full Text Available A synthetic method that taps into the facile Lewis base (LB→Lewis acid (LA adduct forming reaction between the semiconducting polymeric LB and all carbon LA C60 for the construction of covalently linked donor-acceptor dyads and brush polymer of dyads is reported. The polymeric LB is built on poly(3-hexylthiophene (P3HT macromers containing either an alkyl or vinyl imidazolium end group that can be readily converted into the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC LB site, while the brush polymer architecture is conveniently constructed via radical polymerization of the macromer P3HT with the vinyl imidazolium chain end. Simply mixing of such donor polymeric LB with C60 rapidly creates linked P3HT-C60 dyads and brush polymer of dyads in which C60 is covalently linked to the NHC junction connecting the vinyl polymer main chain and the brush P3HT side chains. Thermal behaviors, electronic absorption and emission properties of the resulting P3HT-C60 dyads and brush polymer of dyads have been investigated. The results show that a change of the topology of the P3HT-C60 dyad from linear to brush architecture enhances the crystallinity and Tm of the P3HT domain and, along with other findings, they indicate that the brush polymer architecture of donor-acceptor domains provides a promising approach to improve performances of polymer-based solar cells.

Ultra-high polarity ceramics induced extrinsic high permittivity of polymers contributing to high permittivity of 2-2 series composites

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Yefeng; Zhang, Jianxiong; Hu, Jianbing; Peng, Cheng; He, Renqi

2018-01-01

Induced polarization at interface has been confirmed to have significant impact on the dielectric properties of 2-2 series composites bearing Si-based semi-conductor sheet and polymer layer. By compositing, the significantly elevated high permittivity in Si-based semi-conductor sheet should be responsible for the obtained high permittivity in composites. In that case, interface interaction could include two aspects namely a strong electrostatic force from high polarity polymeric layer and a newborn high polarity induced in Si-based ceramic sheet. In this work, this class of interface induced polarization was successfully extended into another 2-2 series composite system made up of ultra-high polarity ceramic sheet and high polarity polymer layer. By compositing, the greatly improved high permittivity in high polarity polymer layer was confirmed to strongly contribute to the high permittivity achieved in composites. In this case, interface interaction should consist of a rather large electrostatic force from ultra-high polarity ceramic sheet with ionic crystal structure and an enhanced high polarity induced in polymer layer based on a large polarizability of high polarity covalent dipoles in polymer. The dielectric and conductive properties of four designed 2-2 series composites and their components have been detailedly investigated. Increasing of polymer inborn polarity would lead to a significant elevating of polymer overall polarity in composite. Decline of inherent polarities in two components would result in a mild improving of polymer total polarity in composite. Introducing of non-polarity polymeric layer would give rise to a hardly unaltered polymer overall polarity in composite. The best 2-2 composite could possess a permittivity of ˜463 at 100 Hz 25.7 times of the original permittivity of polymer in it. This work might offer a facile route for achieving the promising composite dielectrics by constructing the 2-2 series samples from two high polarity

Self-Assembled Nanocomposite Organic Polymers with Aluminum and Scandium as Heterogeneous Water-Compatible Lewis Acid Catalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyamura, Hiroyuki; Sonoyama, Arisa; Hayrapetyan, Davit; Kobayashi, Shū

2015-09-01

While water-compatible Lewis acids have great potential as accessible and environmentally benign catalysts for various organic transformations, efficient immobilization of such Lewis acids while keeping high activity and without leaching of metals even under aqueous conditions is a challenging task. Self-assembled nanocomposite catalysts of organic polymers, carbon black, aluminum reductants, and scandium salts as heterogeneous water-compatible Lewis acid catalysts are described. These catalysts could be successfully applied to various C-C bond-forming reactions without leaching of metals. Scanning transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed that the nanocomposite structure of Al and Sc was fabricated in these heterogeneous catalysts. It is noted that Al species, which are usually decomposed rapidly in the presence of water, are stabilized under aqueous conditions. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Development and Characterization of Temperature-resistant Polymer Electrolytes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Qingfeng, Li; Hjuler, Hans Aage; Bjerrum, Niels

1999-01-01

Acid-doped PBI polymer electrolyte membranes have been developed and characterized for fuel cell applications at temperatures up to 200°C. Electric conductivity as high as 0.13 S/cm is obtained at 160°C at high doping levels. The water osmotic drag coefficient of the polymer electrolyte is found...

Highly efficient inverted polymer solar cells based on a cross-linkable water-/alcohol-soluble conjugated polymer interlayer.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Kai; Zhong, Chengmei; Liu, Shengjian; Mu, Cheng; Li, Zhengke; Yan, He; Huang, Fei; Cao, Yong

2014-07-09

A cross-linkable water/alcohol soluble conjugated polymer (WSCP) material poly[9,9-bis(6'-(N,N-diethylamino)propyl)-fluorene-alt-9,9-bis(3-ethyl(oxetane-3-ethyloxy)-hexyl) fluorene] (PFN-OX) was designed. The cross-linkable nature of PFN-OX is good for fabricating inverted polymer solar cells (PSCs) with well-defined interface and investigating the detailed working mechanism of high-efficiency inverted PSCs based on poly[4,8-bis(2-ethylhexyloxyl)benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithio-phene-2,6-diyl-alt-ethylhexyl-3-fluorothithieno[3,4-b]thiophene-2-carboxylate-4,6-diyl] (PTB7) and (6,6)-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) blend active layer. The detailed working mechanism of WSCP materials in high-efficiency PSCs were studied and can be summarized into the following three effects: a) PFN-OX tunes cathode work function to enhance open-circuit voltage (Voc); b) PFN-OX dopes PC71BM at interface to facilitate electron extraction; and c) PFN-OX extracts electrons and blocks holes to enhance fill factor (FF). On the basis of this understanding, the hole-blocking function of the PFN-OX interlayer was further improved with addition of a ZnO layer between ITO and PFN-OX, which led to inverted PSCs with a power conversion efficiency of 9.28% and fill factor high up to 74.4%.

Crystal and molecular simulation of high-performance polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Colquhoun, H M; Williams, D J

2000-03-01

Single-crystal X-ray analyses of oligomeric models for high-performance aromatic polymers, interfaced to computer-based molecular modeling and diffraction simulation, have enabled the determination of a range of previously unknown polymer crystal structures from X-ray powder data. Materials which have been successfully analyzed using this approach include aromatic polyesters, polyetherketones, polythioetherketones, polyphenylenes, and polycarboranes. Pure macrocyclic homologues of noncrystalline polyethersulfones afford high-quality single crystals-even at very large ring sizes-and have provided the first examples of a "protein crystallographic" approach to the structures of conventionally amorphous synthetic polymers.

Multiple High Voltage Pulse Stressing of Polymer Thick Film Resistors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Busi Rambabu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to study high voltage interactions in polymer thick film resistors, namely, polyvinyl chloride- (PVC- graphite thick film resistors, and their applications in universal trimming of these resistors. High voltages in the form of impulses for various pulse durations and with different amplitudes have been applied to polymer thick film resistors and we observed the variation of resistance of these resistors with high voltages. It has been found that the resistance of polymer thick film resistors decreases in the case of higher resistivity materials and the resistance of polymer thick film resistor increases in the case of lower resistivity materials when high voltage impulses are applied to them. It has been also found that multiple high voltage pulse (MHVP stressing can be used to trim the polymer thick film resistors either upwards or downwards.

Nucleic Acid Polymers Are Active against Hepatitis Delta Virus Infection In Vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Beilstein, Frauke; Blanchet, Matthieu; Vaillant, Andrew; Sureau, Camille

2018-02-15

In this study, an in vitro infection model for the hepatitis delta virus (HDV) was used to evaluate the antiviral effects of phosphorothioate nucleic acid polymers (NAPs) and investigate their mechanism of action. The results show that NAPs inhibit HDV infection at concentrations less than 4 μM in cultures of differentiated human hepatoma cells. NAPs were shown to be active at viral entry but inactive postentry on HDV RNA replication. Inhibition was independent of the NAP nucleotide sequence but dependent on both size and amphipathicity of the polymer. NAP antiviral activity was effective against HDV virions bearing the main hepatitis B virus (HBV) immune escape substitutions (D144A and G145R) and was pangenomic with regard to HBV envelope proteins. Furthermore, similar to immobilized heparin, immobilized NAPs could bind HDV particles, suggesting that entry inhibition was due, at least in part, to preventing attachment of the virus to cell surface glycosaminoglycans. The results document NAPs as a novel class of antiviral compounds that can prevent HDV propagation. IMPORTANCE HDV infection causes the most severe form of viral hepatitis in humans and one of the most difficult to cure. Currently, treatments are limited to long-term administration of interferon at high doses, which provide only partial efficacy. There is thus an urgent need for innovative approaches to identify new antiviral against HDV. The significance of our study is in demonstrating that nucleic acid polymers (NAPs) are active against HDV by targeting the envelope of HDV virions. In an in vitro infection assay, NAP activity was recorded at concentrations less than 4 μM in the absence of cell toxicity. Furthermore, the fact that NAPs could block HDV at viral entry suggests their potential to control the spread of HDV in a chronically HBV-infected liver. In addition, NAP anti-HDV activity was pangenomic with regard to HBV envelope proteins and not circumvented by HBsAg substitutions associated

Synthesis, properties and applications of biodegradable polymers derived from diols and dicarboxylic acids: from polyesters to poly(ester amide)s.

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz, Angélica; Katsarava, Ramaz; Puiggalí, Jordi

2014-04-25

Poly(alkylene dicarboxylate)s constitute a family of biodegradable polymers with increasing interest for both commodity and speciality applications. Most of these polymers can be prepared from biobased diols and dicarboxylic acids such as 1,4-butanediol, succinic acid and carbohydrates. This review provides a current status report concerning synthesis, biodegradation and applications of a series of polymers that cover a wide range of properties, namely, materials from elastomeric to rigid characteristics that are suitable for applications such as hydrogels, soft tissue engineering, drug delivery systems and liquid crystals. Finally, the incorporation of aromatic units and α-amino acids is considered since stiffness of molecular chains and intermolecular interactions can be drastically changed. In fact, poly(ester amide)s derived from naturally occurring amino acids offer great possibilities as biodegradable materials for biomedical applications which are also extensively discussed.

Phosphoric acid doped imidazolium polysulfone membranes for high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Jingshuai; Li, Qingfeng; Jensen, Jens Oluf

2012-01-01

A novel acid–base polymer membrane is prepared by doping of imidazolium polysulfone with phosphoric acid for high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Polysulfone is first chloromethylated, followed by functionalization of the chloromethylated polysulfone with alkyl imidazoles i.e. me...

Synthesis of caffeic acid molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres and high-performance liquid chromatography evaluation of their sorption properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Valero-Navarro, Angel; Gómez-Romero, María; Fernández-Sánchez, Jorge F; Cormack, Peter A G; Segura-Carretero, Antonio; Fernández-Gutiérrez, Alberto

2011-10-14

In the current work, a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) has been synthesised and used to enable the extraction of a naturally-occurring antioxidant from complex media. More specifically, we describe the first example of a caffeic acid (CA) MIP which has been synthesised in the form of well-defined polymer microspheres, and its use for the extraction of CA from fruit juice sample. The CA MIP was synthesised by precipitation polymerisation using 4-vinylpyridine as functional monomer, divinylbenzene-80 as crosslinker and acetonitrile:toluene (75/25, v/v) as porogen. The particle sizing and morphological characterisation of the polymers was carried out by means of scanning electron microscopy (narrow particle size distribution; ∼5 and 1.5 μm particle diameters for the MIP and NIP [non-imprinted polymer], respectively) and nitrogen sorption porosimetry (specific surface areas of 340 and 350 m(2)g(-1), and specific pore volumes of 0.17 and 0.19 cm(3)g(-1) for the MIP and NIP, respectively). The polymers were evaluated further by batch rebinding experiments, and from the derived isotherms their binding capacity and binding strength were determined (number of binding sites (N(K))=0.6 and 0.3 mmol g(-1) for the MIP and NIP, respectively, and apparent average adsorption constant (K(N))=10.0 and 1.6L mmol(-1) for the MIP and NIP, respectively). To evaluate the molecular recognition character of the MIP it was packed into a stainless steel column (50 mm × 4.6 mm i.d.) and evaluated as an HPLC-stationary phase. The mobile phase composition, flow rate, and the elution profile were then optimised in order to improve the peak shape without negatively affecting the imprinting factor (IF). Very interesting, promising properties were revealed. The imprinting factor (IF) under the optimised conditions was 11.9. Finally, when the imprinted LC column was used for the selective recognition of CA over eight related compounds, very good selectivity was obtained. This outcome enabled

Two multi-dimensional frameworks constructed from zinc coordination polymers with pyridine carboxylic acids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Yuanyuan; Ma Pengtao; Wang Jingping; Niu Jingyang

2011-01-01

Two novel zinc coordination polymers [Zn 2 (H 2 O)L(MoO 4 )] n (1) and [Zn 4 (PO 4 ) 2 L'(H 2 O)] n (2) (H 2 L=2,2'-bipyridine-6.6'-dicarboxylic acid, H 2 L'=2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid) have been hydrothermally synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectra, UV spectra, single-crystal X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analyses. Structural analyses indicate that 1 represents a 2-D sheet structure built by dimeric [Zn 2 L(H 2 O)] 2+ units and MoO 4 2- groups whereas 2 displays an interesting 3-D framework constructed by tetranuclear zinc clusters, L' 2- ligands and PO 4 3- groups. Examination of UV spectra suggests that both 1 and 2 can stably exist in the pH range of 2.45-5.45 and 3.01-8.55 in aqueous solution, respectively. The room-temperature solid-state photoluminescence of 1 and 2 are derived from the intra-ligands π-π* transitions of H 2 L and H 2 L' ligands and the ligand-to-metal-charge-transfer transitions. - Graphical Abstract: Two new transition metal coordination polymers, namely, [Zn 2 (H 2 O)L 1 (MoO 4 )] n (1), [Zn 4 (PO 4 ) 2 L 2 (H 2 O)] n (2) (H 2 L 1 =2,2'-bipyridine-6,6'-dicarboxylic acid, H 2 L 2 =2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid) have been hydrothermally synthesized. 1 represents a 2-D sheet structure while 2 represents 3-D network. Highlights: →Two new transition metal coordination polymers have been hydrothermally synthesized. → The two compounds have been characterized by elemental analyses, IR, UV spectra, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analyses and photoluminescence. → Compound 1 represents a 2-D sheet structure while 2 represents 3-D network.

Morphology and structure of polymer layers protecting dental enamel against erosion.

Science.gov (United States)

Beyer, Markus; Reichert, Jörg; Sigusch, Bernd W; Watts, David C; Jandt, Klaus D

2012-10-01

Human dental erosion caused by acids is a major factor for tooth decay. Adding polymers to acidic soft drinks is one important approach to reduce human dental erosion caused by acids. The aim of this study was to investigate the thickness and the structure of polymer layers adsorbed in vitro on human dental enamel from polymer modified citric acid solutions. The polymers propylene glycol alginate (PGA), highly esterified pectin (HP) and gum arabic (GA) were used to prepare polymer modified citric acids solutions (PMCAS, pH 3.3). With these PMCAS, enamel samples were treated for 30, 60 and 120s respectively to deposit polymer layers on the enamel surface. Profilometer scratches on the enamel surface were used to estimate the thickness of the polymer layers via atomic force microscopy (AFM). The composition of the deposited polymer layers was investigated with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In addition the polymer-enamel interaction was investigated with zeta-potential measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It has been shown that the profilometer scratch depth on the enamel with deposited polymers was in the range of 10nm (30s treatment time) up to 25nm (120s treatment time). Compared to this, the unmodified CAS-treated surface showed a greater scratch depth: from nearly 30nm (30s treatment time) up to 60nm (120s treatment time). Based on XPS measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and zeta-potential measurements, a model was hypothesized which describes the layer deposited on the enamel surface as consisting of two opposing gradients of polymer molecules and hydroxyapatite (HA) particles. In this study, the structure and composition of polymer layers deposited on in vitro dental enamel during treatment with polymer modified citric acid solutions were investigated. Observations are consistent with a layer consisting of two opposing gradients of hydroxyapatite particles and polymer molecules. This leads to reduced erosive effects of

Polymer gel dosimeter based on itaconic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattea, Facundo; Chacón, David

2015-01-01

A new polymeric dosimeter based on itaconic acid and N, N’-methylenebisacrylamide was studied. The preparation method, compositions of monomer and crosslinking agent and the presence of oxygen in the dosimetric system were analyzed. The resulting materials were irradiated with an X-ray tube at 158 cGy/min, 226 cGy min and 298 cGy/min with doses up to 1000 Gy. The dosimeters presented a linear response in the dose range 75–1000 Gy, sensitivities of 0.037 1/Gy at 298 cGy/min and an increase in the sensitivity with lower dose rates. One of the most relevant outcomes in this study was obtaining different monomer to crosslinker inclusion in the formed gel for the dosimeters where oxygen was purged during the preparation method. This effect has not been reported in other typical dosimeters and could be attributed to the large differences in the reactivity among these species. - Highlights: • A novel polymer gel dosimeters based on itaconic acid is presented and characterized. • The typical linear trend of the dose behavior in a specific dose range was found. • Different gel structures were formed when oxygen and an antioxidant were present. • Absorbed dose is univocally correlated with optic absorbance and Raman spectroscopy. • Itaconic acid appears as a reliable radiation dosimeter that may be further improved.

Computational modeling and molecular imprinting for the development of acrylic polymers with high affinity for bile salts.

Science.gov (United States)

Yañez, Fernando; Chianella, Iva; Piletsky, Sergey A; Concheiro, Angel; Alvarez-Lorenzo, Carmen

2010-02-05

This work has focused on the rational development of polymers capable of acting as traps of bile salts. Computational modeling was combined with molecular imprinting technology to obtain networks with high affinity for cholate salts in aqueous medium. The screening of a virtual library of 18 monomers, which are commonly used for imprinted networks, identified N-(3-aminopropyl)-methacrylate hydrochloride (APMA.HCl), N,N-diethylamino ethyl methacrylate (DEAEM) and ethyleneglycol methacrylate phosphate (EGMP) as suitable functional monomers with medium-to-high affinity for cholic acid. The polymers were prepared with a fix cholic acid:functional monomer mole ratio of 1:4, but with various cross-linking densities. Compared to polymers prepared without functional monomer, both imprinted and non-imprinted microparticles showed a high capability to remove sodium cholate from aqueous medium. High affinity APMA-based particles even resembled the performance of commercially available cholesterol-lowering granules. The imprinting effect was evident in most of the networks prepared, showing that computational modeling and molecular imprinting can act synergistically to improve the performance of certain polymers. Nevertheless, both the imprinted and non-imprinted networks prepared with the best monomer (APMA.HCl) identified by the modeling demonstrated such high affinity for the template that the imprinting effect was less important. The fitting of adsorption isotherms to the Freundlich model indicated that, in general, imprinting increases the population of high affinity binding sites, except when the affinity of the functional monomer for the target molecule is already very high. The cross-linking density was confirmed as a key parameter that determines the accessibility of the binding points to sodium cholate. Materials prepared with 9% mol APMA and 91% mol cross-linker showed enough affinity to achieve binding levels of up to 0.4 mmol g(-1) (i.e., 170 mg g(-1)) under flow

NEW POLYMER ELECTROLYTE MEMBRANES FOR FUEL CELLS OPERATING ABOVE 100°C

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Qingfeng; Jensen, Jens Oluf; He, Ronghuan

2003-01-01

The state-of-the-art of PEMFC technology is based on perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) polymer membranes operating at a typical temperature of 80°C. The newest development in the field is alternative polymer electrolytes for operation above 100°C. This paper is devoted to a review on the development......, which is classified into three groups: modified PFSA membranes, alternative sulfonated polymer and their inorganic composite membranes and acid-base complex membranes. High temperature PEMFC has been demonstrated with advanced features such as fast electrode kinetics, high CO tolerance, simple thermal...

Biodegradation of New Polymer Foundry Binders for the Example of the Composition Polyacrylic Acid/Starch

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beata Grabowska

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The investigations on the biodegradation process pathway of the new polymer binders for the example of water soluble compositionpolyacrylic acid/starch are presented in the hereby paper. Degradation was carried out in water environment and in a soil. Thedetermination of the total oxidation biodegradation in water environment was performed under laboratory conditions in accordance with the static water test system (Zahn-Wellens method, in which the mixture undergoing biodecomposition contained inorganic nutrient,activated sludge and the polymer composition, as the only carbon and energy source. The biodecomposition progress of the polymercomposition sample in water environment was estimated on the basis of the chemical oxygen demand (COD measurements and thedetermination the biodegradation degree, Rt, during the test. These investigations indicated that the composition polyacrylic acid/starchconstitutes the fully biodegradable material in water environment. The biodegradation degree Rt determined in the last 29th day of the test duration achieved 65%, which means that the investigated polymer composition can be considered to be fully biodegradable.During the 6 months biodegradation process of the cross-linked sample of the polymer composition in a garden soil several analysis ofsurface and structural changes, resulting from the sample decomposition, were performed. Those were: thermal analyses (TG-DSC,structural analyses (Raman spectroscopy and microscopic analyses (optical microscopy, AFM.

Oligoaniline-containing electrochromic polymers with tunable properties

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Y. Li

2018-07-01

Full Text Available Electrochromic polymers have attracted much attention due to their potential applications in displays, smart windows, intelligent mirrors, and wearable devices. Here, a novel polyamic acid containing aniline pentamer with improved electrochromic properties and new functionalities was synthesized via oxidative coupling polymerization, followed by postpolymerization of tetraaniline, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, and fluorene, respectively. With the introduction of tetraaniline pendants, the resultant polymer exhibits improved electrochromic performance with high optical contrast value and rapid switching rate, because of the high content of electrochromic units in the polymeric structure. The polyamic acid functionalized with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, demonstrates a great enhancement of switching rate in the electrochromism, due to the rapid electrolyte migration through polymer film under electrochemical potentials. In addition, a new electrofluorochromic feature is easily achieved through the introduction of fluorescent fluorene groups into the polymeric architecture.

Radioresistance increase in polymers at high pressures. [. gamma. rays

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Milinchuk, V; KIRJUKHIN, V; KLINSHPONT, E

1977-06-01

The effect was studied of very high pressures ranging within 100 and 2,700 MPa on the radioresistance of polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene and polyethylene in gamma irradiation. For experiments industrial polymers in the shape of blocks, films and fibers were used. It is shown that in easily breakable polymers, such as polytetrafluoroethylene and polypropylene, 1.3 to 2 times less free radicals are formed as a result of gamma irradiation and a pressure of 150 MPa than at normal pressure. The considerably reduced radiation-chemical formation of radicals and the destruction suppression by cross-linking in polymers is the evidence of the polymer radioresistance in irradiation at high pressures.

Catalytic phosphonation of high performance polymers and POSS. Novel components for polymer blend and nanocomposite fuel cell membranes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bock, T.R.

2006-10-15

Aim of this thesis was the preparation and evaluation of phosphonated high performance (HP) polyelectrolytes and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) for polyelectrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) application. Brominated derivatives of the commercial high performance (HP) polymers poly(ethersulfone) (PES), poly(etheretherketone) (PEEK), poly(phenylsulfone) (PPSu), poly(sulfone) (PSU) and of octaphenyl-POSS of own production were phosphonated by Ni-catalysed Arbuzov reaction. Phosphonated PSU was cast into pure and blend films with sulfonated PEEK (s-PEEK) to investigate H+-conductivity, water uptake and film morphology. Blend films' properties were referenced to films containing unmodified blend partners. Solution-compounding of phosphonated octaphenyl-POSS and s-PEEK was used to produce novel nanocomposite films. An in-situ zirconisation method was assessed as convenient strategy for novel ionically crosslinked membranes of enhanced swelling resistance. Dibromo isocyanuric acid (DBI) and N-bromo succinimide (NBS) as brominating agents allowed polymer analogous preparation of the novel brominated PES and PEEK with precise reaction control. A random distribution of functional groups, i.e. polyelectrolytes' microstructural homogeneity was revealed as decisive factor concerning solubility of phosphonated PSU. Brominated phT8 was prepared with Br2 by a high temperature approach in tetrachloroethane (TCE). Brominated polymers were phosphonated by Ni-catalysis in non-coordinating high temperature solvents, such as diphenylether, benzophenone and diphenylsulfone without notable solvent influence. The lack of solvent - catalyst complexes and high reaction temperatures of 180-200 C led to halogen-free phosphonates with unprecedented high functionalities. Polymer analogous application of P(OSiMe3)3 offered a novel direct access to easily cleavable disilyl ester derivatives. These were obtained from PEEK and PSU in near quantitative yields at NiCl2-loads as

Thiolated and S-protected hydrophobically modified cross-linked poly(acrylic acid)--a new generation of multifunctional polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonengel, Sonja; Haupstein, Sabine; Perera, Glen; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

2014-10-01

The aim of this study was to create a novel multifunctional polymer by covalent attachment of l-cysteine to the polymeric backbone of hydrophobically modified cross-linked poly(acrylic acid) (AC1030). Secondly, the free thiol groups of the resulting thiomer were activated using 2-mercaptonicotinic acid (2-MNA) to provide full reactivity and stability. Within this study, 1167.36 μmol cysteine and 865.72 μmol 2-MNA could be coupled per gram polymer. Studies evaluating mucoadhesive properties revealed a 4-fold extended adherence time to native small intestinal mucosa for the thiomer (AC1030-cysteine) as well as an 18-fold prolonged adhesion for the preactivated thiomer (AC1030-Cyst-2-MNA) compared to the unmodified polymer. Modification of the polymer led to a higher tablet stability concerning the thiomer and the S-protected thiomer, but a decelerated water uptake could be observed only for the preactivated thiomer. Neither the novel conjugates nor the unmodified polymer showed severe toxicity on Caco-2 cells. Evaluation of emulsification capacity proofed the ability to incorporate lipophilic compounds like medium chain triglycerides and the preservation of the emulsifying properties after the modifications. According to these results thiolated AC1030 as well as the S-protected thiolated polymer might provide a promising tool for solid and semisolid formulations in pharmaceutical development. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and Characterization of High Energy Polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

1981-03-31

and characterization of new high energy elastomers. IV. References 1. J.C.W. Chien, T. Kohara , C. P. Lillya, T. Sarubbi, B.-H. Su and R. S. Miller, J...Catalyzed Nitromercuration of Diene Polymers, J.C.W. Chien, T. Kohara , C. P. Lillya, T. Sarubbi, B.-H. Su, and R. S. Miller, J. Polm.. Sci. Polym. Chem. Ed

Polymer-supported reagents with enhanced metal ion recognition: Application to separations science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexandratos, S.D.

1993-01-01

The design and development of polymer-supported reagents with ever-increasing specificities for targeted metal ions remains an important areas of research. The need for efficient separation schemes for both ions and molecules has been outlined in a report by the National Research Council (King) and will gain increased emphasis as environmental restoration is pursued. Polymer-supported reagents are unique in their ability to be applied in an environmentally benign manner to a host of challenges. Such reagents, in the form of beads, can be applied to continuous separation processes ranging from the removal of metal ions in water to the recovery of medicinal drugs produced through biotechnological means. The application of polymer-supported reagents to metal ion separations still requires developing a fundamental understanding of ligand-metal interactions, the role of the polymer in those interactions, and the methods of synthesizing such polymeric reagents in a readily applicable form. Ion exchange resins with sulfonic acid ligands are the prototypical polymer-supported reagents, and their properties have been exhaustively studied (Helfferich). The high acidity of the sulfonic acid group, however, precludes much selectivity, and it displays a very limited range of reaction free energy values with different metal ions (Boyd et al.). The carboxylic acid ligand, present in the acrylate resins, is more selective, though its weak acidity requires relatively high pH solutions for it to be effective. Research has thus been focused on the preparation of polymer-supported reagents with high levels of specificity for targeted metal ions

Synthesis and Characterization of Ethylene DiamineTetera Acetic Acid Polyester-amides polymer with Aminoalcohol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dakhil Nasser Taha

2017-02-01

Full Text Available linear aromatic and aliphatic polyester-amides (PEAs have been synthesized by polycondensation of aliphatic and aromatic aminoalcohol (Ethanol amine, 2-amino-2-methyl-propan-1-ol, m-amino phenol with Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA as a favorable and combined complexing compound was joined into the polymer backbone with poly addition reactions. These polymers were characterized by FTIR, 1H NMR, solubility studies , elemental analysis, , Thermal analyses such as TGA were measured, intrinsic viscosity. The poly(ester-amides obtained show good thermal stability.

Comparative analysis of poly-glycolic acid-based hybrid polymer starter matrices for in vitro tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Generali, Melanie; Kehl, Debora; Capulli, Andrew K; Parker, Kevin K; Hoerstrup, Simon P; Weber, Benedikt

2017-10-01

Biodegradable scaffold matrixes form the basis of any in vitro tissue engineering approach by acting as a temporary matrix for cell proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition until the scaffold is replaced by neo-tissue. In this context several synthetic polymers have been investigated, however a concise systematic comparative analyses is missing. Therefore, the present study systematically compares three frequently used polymers for the in vitro engineering of extracellular matrix based on poly-glycolic acid (PGA) under static as well as dynamic conditions. Ultra-structural analysis was used to examine the polymers structure. For tissue engineering (TE) three human fibroblast cell lines were seeded on either PGA-poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (P4HB), PGA-poly-lactic acid (PLA) or PGA-poly-caprolactone (PCL) patches. These patches were analyzed after 21days of culture qualitative by histology and quantitative by determining the amount of DNA, glycosaminoglycan and hydroxyproline. We found that PGA-P4HB and PGA-PLA scaffolds enhance tissue formation significantly higher than PGA-PCL scaffolds (p<0.05). Polymer remnants were visualized by polarization microscopy. In addition, biomechanical properties of the tissue engineered patches were determined in comparison to native tissue. This study may allow future studies to specifically select certain polymer starter matrices aiming at specific tissue properties of the bioengineered constructs in vitro. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An approach for degradation of grape seed and skin proanthocyanidin polymers into oligomers by sulphurous acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Lanxin; Cui, Yan; Cheng, Jinhui; Fang, Bairui; Wei, Zongmin; Sun, Baoshan

2018-08-01

To develop an efficient method for degradation of grape seed and skin proanthocyanidins polymers into oligomers, an optimized sulphurous acid degradation conditions for grape seed with the temperature of 60 °C, reaction time of 60 min and sample-sulphurous acid ratio of 1:0.2, and for grape skin with the temperature of 40 °C, reaction time of 60 min and sample-sulphurous acid ratio of 1:0.2, were established. Afterwards, HSCCC and prep-HPLC were used to fractionate and isolate individual proanthocyanidin oligomers from the degradation products. Total of ten dimeric or trimeric procyanidins were obtained, and most of them presented high yield (from 0.7 mg to 13.6 mg per run in grape seed and from 0.5 mg to 4.1 mg per run in grape skin) and high purity (over 90%). The proposed method provides a new way for large preparation of oligomeric proanthocyanidins from naturally abundant and wasted polymeric ones. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Method of processing radiation-contaminated organic polymer materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Yoshii.

1980-01-01

Purpose: To process radiation contaminated organic high polymer materials with no evolution of toxic gases, at low temperature and with safety by hot-acid immersion process using sulfuric acid-hydrogen peroxide. Method: Less flammable or easily flammable organic polymers contaminated with radioactive substances, particularly with long life actinoid are heated and carbonized in concentrated sulfuric acid. Then, aqueous 30% H 2 O 2 solution is continuously added dropwise as an oxidizing agent till the solution turns colourless. If the carbonization was insufficient, addition of H 2 O 2 solution is stopped temporarily and the carbonization is conducted again. Thus, the organic polymers are completely decomposed by the wet oxidization. Then, the volume of the organic materials to be discharged is decreased and the radioactive substances contained are simultaneously concentrated and collected. (Seki, T.)

Enhanced high temperature thermoelectric response of sulphuric acid treated conducting polymer thin films

KAUST Repository

Sarath Kumar, S. R.; Kurra, Narendra; Alshareef, Husam N.

2015-01-01

We report the high temperature thermoelectric properties of solution processed pristine and sulphuric acid treated poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (or PEDOT:PSS) films. The acid treatment is shown to simultaneously enhance the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of the metal-like films, resulting in a five-fold increase in thermoelectric power factor (0.052 W/m. K ) at 460 K, compared to the pristine film. By using atomic force micrographs, Raman and impedance spectra and using a series heterogeneous model for electrical conductivity, we demonstrate that acid treatment results in the removal of PSS from the films, leading to the quenching of accumulated charge-induced energy barriers that prevent hopping conduction. The continuous removal of PSS with duration of acid treatment also alters the local band structure of PEDOT:PSS, resulting in simultaneous enhancement in Seebeck coefficient.

Enhanced high temperature thermoelectric response of sulphuric acid treated conducting polymer thin films

KAUST Repository

Sarath Kumar, S. R.

2015-11-24

We report the high temperature thermoelectric properties of solution processed pristine and sulphuric acid treated poly(3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (or PEDOT:PSS) films. The acid treatment is shown to simultaneously enhance the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of the metal-like films, resulting in a five-fold increase in thermoelectric power factor (0.052 W/m. K ) at 460 K, compared to the pristine film. By using atomic force micrographs, Raman and impedance spectra and using a series heterogeneous model for electrical conductivity, we demonstrate that acid treatment results in the removal of PSS from the films, leading to the quenching of accumulated charge-induced energy barriers that prevent hopping conduction. The continuous removal of PSS with duration of acid treatment also alters the local band structure of PEDOT:PSS, resulting in simultaneous enhancement in Seebeck coefficient.

Rate of Pu(IV) polymer formation in nitric acid solutions. A parametric study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Toth, L.M.; Osborne, M.M.

1984-07-01

The kinetics of Pu(IV) polymer formation has been examined with the intent of developing a simple mathematical equation that would predict the appearance of polymer. The fundamental polymerization rate has been found to be dependent on [Pu(IV)]{sup 1} {sup 2} and [HNO{sub 3}]{sup -6}. The activation energy for polymer formation is real temperature dependent, varying from 66.9 kJ/mol (16 kcal/mol) at 25{sup 0}C to 150.5 kJ/mol (36 kcal/mol) at 105{sup 0}C. These relationships have guided the developement of an empirical model that gives time to form 2% polymer in hours, t = [Pu/sub T/]/sup a/[HNO{sub 3}]/sup b/ Ae/sup c/T/, where a = -1.6, b = 4.6, c = 12.300 K, and A = 7.66 x 10{sup -16} h M{sup -3}; [Pu/sub T/] is the total plutonium concentration, mol/L; and [HNO{sub 3}] is the makeup nitric acid concentration, mol/L. 11 references, 26 figures, 1 table.

Dielectric electroactive polymers comprising an ionic supramolecular structure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

The present invention relates to an ionic interpenetrating polymer network comprising at least one elastomer and an ionic supramolecular structure comprising the reaction product of at least two chemical compounds wherein each of said compounds has at least two functional groups and wherein said ...... compounds are able to undergo Lewis acid-base reactions. The interpenetrating polymer network may be used as dielectric electroactive polymers (DEAPs) having a high dielectric permittivity....

HCN Polymers: Toward Structure Comprehension Using High Resolution Mass Spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnet, Jean-Yves; Thissen, Roland; Frisari, Ma; Vuitton, Veronique; Quirico, Eric; Le Roy, Léna; Fray, Nicolas; Cottin, Hervé; Horst, Sarah; Yelle, Roger

A lot of solar system materials, including cometary ices and Titan aerosols, contain dark matter that can be interpreted as complex nitrogen bearing organic matter [1]. In laboratory experi-ments, HCN polymers are thus analogs of great interest. In fact they may be present in Titan atmosphere and in comet nuclei and then reprocessed as a CN distributed source [2], when ices began to sublimate and ejects from the nucleus organic matter grains [3]. The presence of HCN polymers is suggested because HCN molecule has been directly observed in 1P/Halley comet [4] and others. HCN polymers are also of prebiotic interest [5] as it can form amino acid under hydrolysis conditions. Even if they have been studied during the last decades, their chemical composition and structure are still poorly understood, and a great analytical effort has to be continued. In this way we present a high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and a high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (MS/HRMS) analysis of HCN polymers. It was shown [6] that this is a suitable technique to elucidate composition and structure of the soluble part of tholins analogs of Titan's atmosphere aerosols. HCN polymers have never been studied by HRMS, thus we used a LTQ-Orbitrap XL high resolution mass spectrometer to analyse the HCN polymers. These are produced at LISA by direct polymerisation of pure liquid HCN, catalyzed by ammonia. HCN polymers have been completely dissolved in methanol and then injected in the mass spectrometer by ElectroSpray Ionization (ESI). This atmospheric pressure ionization process produces protonated or deprotonated ions, but it does not fragment molecules. Thus HRMS, allows a direct access to the stoechiometry of all the ionizable molecules present in the samples. Fragmentation analyses (MS/MS) of selected ions have also been performed. Thess analysis provide information about the different chemical fonctionnalities present in HCN poly-mers and also about their structure. Thus we are able to

Exploring the origin of high optical absorption in conjugated polymers

KAUST Repository

Vezie, Michelle S.; Few, Sheridan; Meager, Iain; Pieridou, Galatia; Dö rling, Bernhard; Ashraf, Raja Shahid; Goñ i, Alejandro R.; Bronstein, Hugo; McCulloch, Iain; Hayes, Sophia C.; Campoy-Quiles, Mariano; Nelson, Jenny

2016-01-01

The specific optical absorption of an organic semiconductor is critical to the performance of organic optoelectronic devices. For example, higher light-harvesting efficiency can lead to higher photocurrent in solar cells that are limited by sub-optimal electrical transport. Here, we compare over 40 conjugated polymers, and find that many different chemical structures share an apparent maximum in their extinction coefficients. However, a diketopyrrolopyrrole-thienothiophene copolymer shows remarkably high optical absorption at relatively low photon energies. By investigating its backbone structure and conformation with measurements and quantum chemical calculations, we find that the high optical absorption can be explained by the high persistence length of the polymer. Accordingly, we demonstrate high absorption in other polymers with high theoretical persistence length. Visible light harvesting may be enhanced in other conjugated polymers through judicious design of the structure.

Exploring the origin of high optical absorption in conjugated polymers

KAUST Repository

Vezie, Michelle S.

2016-05-16

The specific optical absorption of an organic semiconductor is critical to the performance of organic optoelectronic devices. For example, higher light-harvesting efficiency can lead to higher photocurrent in solar cells that are limited by sub-optimal electrical transport. Here, we compare over 40 conjugated polymers, and find that many different chemical structures share an apparent maximum in their extinction coefficients. However, a diketopyrrolopyrrole-thienothiophene copolymer shows remarkably high optical absorption at relatively low photon energies. By investigating its backbone structure and conformation with measurements and quantum chemical calculations, we find that the high optical absorption can be explained by the high persistence length of the polymer. Accordingly, we demonstrate high absorption in other polymers with high theoretical persistence length. Visible light harvesting may be enhanced in other conjugated polymers through judicious design of the structure.

Electrospun Polymer Nanofibers Reinforced by Tannic Acid/Fe+++ Complexes †

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Weiqiao; Sousa, Ana M. M.; Thomas-Gahring, Audrey; Fan, Xuetong; Jin, Tony; Li, Xihong; Tomasula, Peggy M.; Liu, LinShu

2016-01-01

We report the successful preparation of reinforced electrospun nanofibers and fibrous mats of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) via a simple and inexpensive method using stable tannic acid (TA) and ferric ion (Fe+++) assemblies formed by solution mixing and pH adjustment. Changes in solution pH change the number of TA galloyl groups attached to the Fe+++ from one (pH PVA and TA. At pH ~ 5.5, the morphology and fiber diameter size (FDS) examined by SEM are determinant for the mechanical properties of the fibrous mats and depend on the PVA content. At an optimal 8 wt % concentration, PVA becomes fully entangled and forms uniform nanofibers with smaller FDS (p mechanical properties when compared to mats of PVA alone and of PVA with TA (p mechanical properties (p 0.05) suggesting the potential of TA-Fe+++ assemblies to reinforce polymer nanofibers with high functionality for use in diverse applications including food, biomedical and pharmaceutical. PMID:28773876

Adsorptive detoxification of fermentation inhibitors in acid pretreated liquor using functionalized polymer designed by molecular simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Devendra, Leena P; Pandey, Ashok

2017-11-01

Acid pretreatment is the most common method employed in the lignocellulosic biorefinery leading to the separation of pentose and hexose sugar. The liquor obtained after pretreatment (acid pretreatment liquor or APL) needs to be detoxified prior to fermentation. The aim of this study was to design functional groups on a polymer matrix which are selective in their interaction to inhibitors with little or no specificity to sugars. Molecular modeling was used as a tool to design a suitable adsorbent for selective adsorption of inhibitors from a complex mixture of APL. Phenyl glycine-p-sulfonic acid loaded on chloromethylated polystyrene polymer was designed as an adsorbent for selective interaction with inhibitors. Experimental verification of the selectivity was successfully achieved. The current study provides insights on the adsorptive separation processes at the molecular level by design of specific adsorbent which can be tailor made for the better selectivity of the desired component.

Use of Nonspecific, Glutamic Acid-Free, Media and High Glycerol or High Amylase as Inducing Parameters for Screening Bacillus Isolates Having High Yield of Polyglutamic Acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Baxi, Nandita N

2014-01-01

Out of fifty-five Bacillus isolates obtained from ten different regional locations and sources, seven showed the ability to consistently produce specific extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) on rich as well as synthetic but nonspecific media which did not contain glutamic acid. The isolates were identified as either Bacillus licheniformis or Bacillus subtilis. The EPS from all isolates was resistant to alpha protease, proteinase K, and was thus of high molecular weight. Further it was detected after SDS-PAGE by methylene blue but not by coomassie blue R staining as in case of proteins with high proportion of acidic amino acids. Cell-free EPS, after acid hydrolysis, showed absence of carbohydrates and presence of only glutamic acid. Thus the native the EPS from all seven isolates was confirmed to be gamma polyglutamic acid (PGA) and not exopolysaccharide. The Bacillus isolate T which produced maximum polymer on all media tested had higher amylase: protease activity as compared to other strains. If inoculum was developed in rich medium as compared to synthetic medium, the PGA produced increased by twofold in the subsequent synthetic production medium. Similarly, use of inoculum consisting of young and vegetative cells also increased the PGA production by twofold though amount of inoculum did not affect yield of PGA. Though PGA was produced in even in the absence of glutamic acid supplementation in the production medium by all isolates, the yield of PGA increased by fourfold in the presence glutamic acid and the maximum yield was 30 g/l for isolate K. The supplementation of glutamine instead of glutamic acid into the medium caused an increase in the viscosity of the non-Newtonian solution of PGA.

A colourimetric method for the determination of the degree of chemical cross-linking in aspartic acid-based polymer gels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Gyarmati

2015-02-01

Full Text Available A 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid (TNBS-based assay is developed to determine the degree of chemical cross-linking in aspartic acid-based polymer gels. The conventional colourimetric method for the quantitative determination of amine groups is difficult to use in polymer networks; thus, an improved method is developed to analyse polymer gels swollen in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO. Reaction products of the derivatizing reaction are examined by NMR. The chemical stability of the reagent is increased in DMSO, and the method shows satisfactory linearity and accuracy. The degree of chemical cross-linking in the investigated gels is close to its theoretical maximum, but the conversion of the pendant amine groups to cross-linking points is strongly dependent on the feed composition of the gels.

Fluorescent boronic acid terminated polymer grafted silica particles synthesized via click chemistry for affinity separation of saccharides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Zhifeng, E-mail: 897061147@qq.com; Deng, Peihong; Tang, Siping; Li, Junhua

2014-07-01

Boronic acids are important for effective separation of biological active cis-diols. For the purpose of constructing a new type of saccharide-sensitive material which can not only provide convenient separation but also improve the access of boronic acid to guest molecules, the fluorogenic boronic acid terminated, thermo-sensitive polymers (BA-polyNIPAm) were grafted to an alkyne modified silica gel through the exploitation of click chemistry. The BA-polyNIPAm grafted silica gel (BA-polyNIPAm-SG) was characterized by FT-IR, fluorescence spectra, fluorescence microscopy, elemental analysis (EA), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and so on. BA-polyNIPAm-SG displayed affinity binding ability for saccharides under physiological pH value and allowed saccharides to be conveniently separated from solution. The maximum binding capacities for fructose and glucose are 83.2 μmol/g and 70.4 μmol/g polymer, respectively. The intensity of fluorescence emission of BA-polyNIPAm-SG increased with the increasing of fructose concentration. The present study provides a new kind of composite material which contains moveable and flexible grippers for recognizing and binding guest molecules. - Highlights: • Fluorogenic boronic acid terminated polymers were conjugated to silica particle. • The prepared material can conveniently separate saccharides from solution. • The prepared material displays increased fluorescence emission upon binding fructose.

Fluorescent boronic acid terminated polymer grafted silica particles synthesized via click chemistry for affinity separation of saccharides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Zhifeng; Deng, Peihong; Tang, Siping; Li, Junhua

2014-01-01

Boronic acids are important for effective separation of biological active cis-diols. For the purpose of constructing a new type of saccharide-sensitive material which can not only provide convenient separation but also improve the access of boronic acid to guest molecules, the fluorogenic boronic acid terminated, thermo-sensitive polymers (BA-polyNIPAm) were grafted to an alkyne modified silica gel through the exploitation of click chemistry. The BA-polyNIPAm grafted silica gel (BA-polyNIPAm-SG) was characterized by FT-IR, fluorescence spectra, fluorescence microscopy, elemental analysis (EA), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and so on. BA-polyNIPAm-SG displayed affinity binding ability for saccharides under physiological pH value and allowed saccharides to be conveniently separated from solution. The maximum binding capacities for fructose and glucose are 83.2 μmol/g and 70.4 μmol/g polymer, respectively. The intensity of fluorescence emission of BA-polyNIPAm-SG increased with the increasing of fructose concentration. The present study provides a new kind of composite material which contains moveable and flexible grippers for recognizing and binding guest molecules. - Highlights: • Fluorogenic boronic acid terminated polymers were conjugated to silica particle. • The prepared material can conveniently separate saccharides from solution. • The prepared material displays increased fluorescence emission upon binding fructose

Interpolymer reactions of nonionic polymers with polyacrylic acid in aqueous solutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Shaikhutdinov

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Results of fundamental investigations in the intermacromolecular reactions and interpolymer complexes to be performed by authors with co-workes within last 20 years have been intergrated and summarized in the present review. The raw of fundamental regularities in the effect of factors of different nature (pH, ionic strength, temperature, hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance of macrochain, etc. on the complexation of nonionic polymers with polycarboxylic acids in aqueous solutions has been revealed. Critical pH upon complexation (pHcrit. has been used for evaluation of the complexing ability of the polymers. It was shown tha tdepending on pHcrit. all systems can be divided into 2 groups, namely, weak complexing and strongly complexing. The existence of two critical pH upon complexation responsible for formation typical interpolymer complexes and hydrophilic associations has been demonstrated by the method of luminescence spectroscopy.

High Throughput Screening of Valganciclovir in Acidic Microenvironments of Polyester Thin Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teilo Schaller

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Ganciclovir and valganciclor are antiviral agents used for the treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis. The conventional method for administering ganciclovir in cytomegalovirus retinitis patients is repeated intravitreal injections. In order to obviate the possible detrimental effects of repeated intraocular injections, to improve compliance and to eliminate systemic side-effects, we investigated the tuning of the ganciclovir pro-drug valganciclovir and the release from thin films of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA, polycaprolactone (PCL, or mixtures of both, as a step towards prototyping periocular valganciclovir implants. To investigate the drug release, we established and evaluated a high throughput fluorescence-based quantification screening assay for the detection of valganciclovir. Our protocol allows quantifying as little as 20 ng of valganciclovir in 96-well polypropylene plates and a 50× faster analysis compared to traditional HPLC measurements. This improvement can hence be extrapolated to other polyester matrix thin film formulations using a high-throughput approach. The acidic microenvironment within the polyester matrix was found to protect valganciclovir from degradation with resultant increases in the half-life of the drug in the periocular implant to 100 days. Linear release profiles were obtained using the pure polyester polymers for 10 days and 60 days formulations; however, gross phase separations of PCL and acid-terminated PLGA prevented tuning within these timeframes due to the phase separation of the polymer, valganciclovir, or both.

Membrane protein extraction and purification using styrene-maleic acid (SMA) copolymer: effect of variations in polymer structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, Kerrie A; Akram, Aneel; Mathews, Ashlyn; Khan, Zoeya A; Patel, Jaimin H; Zhou, Chumin; Hardy, David J; Moore-Kelly, Charles; Patel, Roshani; Odiba, Victor; Knowles, Tim J; Javed, Masood-Ul-Hassan; Chmel, Nikola P; Dafforn, Timothy R; Rothnie, Alice J

2016-12-01

The use of styrene-maleic acid (SMA) copolymers to extract and purify transmembrane proteins, while retaining their native bilayer environment, overcomes many of the disadvantages associated with conventional detergent-based procedures. This approach has huge potential for the future of membrane protein structural and functional studies. In this investigation, we have systematically tested a range of commercially available SMA polymers, varying in both the ratio of styrene and maleic acid and in total size, for the ability to extract, purify and stabilise transmembrane proteins. Three different membrane proteins (BmrA, LeuT and ZipA), which vary in size and shape, were used. Our results show that several polymers, can be used to extract membrane proteins, comparably to conventional detergents. A styrene:maleic acid ratio of either 2:1 or 3:1, combined with a relatively small average molecular mass (7.5-10 kDa), is optimal for membrane extraction, and this appears to be independent of the protein size, shape or expression system. A subset of polymers were taken forward for purification, functional and stability tests. Following a one-step affinity purification, SMA 2000 was found to be the best choice for yield, purity and function. However, the other polymers offer subtle differences in size and sensitivity to divalent cations that may be useful for a variety of downstream applications. © 2016 The Author(s); published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

Properties of Polymer Composites Used in High-Voltage Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilona Pleşa

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The present review article represents a comprehensive study on polymer micro/nanocomposites that are used in high-voltage applications. Particular focus is on the structure-property relationship of composite materials used in power engineering, by exploiting fundamental theory as well as numerical/analytical models and the influence of material design on electrical, mechanical and thermal properties. In addition to describing the scientific development of micro/nanocomposites electrical features desired in power engineering, the study is mainly focused on the electrical properties of insulating materials, particularly cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE and epoxy resins, unfilled and filled with different types of filler. Polymer micro/nanocomposites based on XLPE and epoxy resins are usually used as insulating systems for high-voltage applications, such as: cables, generators, motors, cast resin dry-type transformers, etc. Furthermore, this paper includes ample discussions regarding the advantages and disadvantages resulting in the electrical, mechanical and thermal properties by the addition of micro- and nanofillers into the base polymer. The study goals are to determine the impact of filler size, type and distribution of the particles into the polymer matrix on the electrical, mechanical and thermal properties of the polymer micro/nanocomposites compared to the neat polymer and traditionally materials used as insulation systems in high-voltage engineering. Properties such as electrical conductivity, relative permittivity, dielectric losses, partial discharges, erosion resistance, space charge behavior, electric breakdown, tracking and electrical tree resistance, thermal conductivity, tensile strength and modulus, elongation at break of micro- and nanocomposites based on epoxy resin and XLPE are analyzed. Finally, it was concluded that the use of polymer micro/nanocomposites in electrical engineering is very promising and further research work

Water evaporation on highly viscoelastic polymer surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Pu, Gang; Severtson, Steven J

2012-07-03

Results are reported for a study on the evaporation of water droplets from a highly viscoelastic acrylic polymer surface. These are contrasted with those collected for the same measurements carried out on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). For PDMS, the evaporation process involves the expected multistep process including constant drop area, constant contact angle, and finally a combination of these steps until the liquid is gone. In contrast, water evaporation from the acrylic polymer shows a constant drop area mode throughout. Furthermore, during the evaporation process, the drop area actually expands on the acrylic polymer. The single mode evaporation process is consistent with formation of wetting structures, which cannot be propagated by the capillary forces. Expansion of the drop area is attributed to the influence of the drop capillary pressure. Furthermore, the rate of drop area expansion is shown to be dependent on the thickness of the polymer film.

Controlled Release from Recombinant Polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Robert; Poursaid, Azadeh; Ghandehari, Hamidreza

2014-01-01

Recombinant polymers provide a high degree of molecular definition for correlating structure with function in controlled release. The wide array of amino acids available as building blocks for these materials lend many advantages including biorecognition, biodegradability, potential biocompatibility, and control over mechanical properties among other attributes. Genetic engineering and DNA manipulation techniques enable the optimization of structure for precise control over spatial and temporal release. Unlike the majority of chemical synthetic strategies used, recombinant DNA technology has allowed for the production of monodisperse polymers with specifically defined sequences. Several classes of recombinant polymers have been used for controlled drug delivery. These include, but are not limited to, elastin-like, silk-like, and silk-elastinlike proteins, as well as emerging cationic polymers for gene delivery. In this article, progress and prospects of recombinant polymers used in controlled release will be reviewed. PMID:24956486

Better Proton-Conducting Polymers for Fuel-Cell Membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Narayan, Sri; Reddy, Prakash

2012-01-01

Polyoxyphenylene triazole sulfonic acid has been proposed as a basis for development of improved proton-conducting polymeric materials for solid-electrolyte membranes in hydrogen/air fuel cells. Heretofore, the proton-conducting membrane materials of choice have been exemplified by a family of perfluorosulfonic acid-based polymers (Nafion7 or equivalent). These materials are suitable for operation in the temperature of 75 to 85 C, but in order to reduce the sizes and/or increase the energy-conversion efficiencies of fuel-cell systems, it would be desirable to increase temperatures to as high as 120 C for transportation applications, and to as high as 180 C for stationary applications. However, at 120 C and at relative humidity values below 50 percent, the loss of water from perfluorosulfonic acid-based polymer membranes results in fuel-cell power densities too low to be of practical value. Therefore, membrane electrolyte materials that have usefully high proton conductivity in the temperature range of 180 C at low relative humidity and that do not rely on water for proton conduction at 180 C would be desirable. The proposed polyoxyphenylene triazole sulfonic acid-based materials have been conjectured to have these desirable properties. These materials would be free of volatile or mobile acid constituents. The generic molecular structure of these materials is intended to exploit the fact, demonstrated in previous research, that materials that contain ionizable acid and base groups covalently attached to thermally stable polymer backbones exhibit proton conduction even in the anhydrous state.

Molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix nanocomposite for enantioselective electrochemical sensing of D- and L-aspartic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, Bhim Bali; Srivastava, Amrita; Tiwari, Mahavir Prasad

2013-10-01

A new molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix (titanium dioxide nanoparticle/multiwalled carbon nanotubes) nanocomposite was developed for the modification of pencil graphite electrode as an enantioselective sensing probe for aspartic acid isomers, prevalent at ultra trace level in aqueous and real samples. The nanocomposite having many shape complementary cavities was synthesized adopting surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. The proposed sensor has high stability, nanocomposite uniformity, good reproducibility, and enhanced electrocatalytic activity to respond oxidative peak current of L-aspartic acid quantitatively by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, without any cross-reactivity in real samples. Under the optimized operating conditions, the L-aspartic acid imprinted modified electrode showed a wide linear response for L-aspartic acid within the concentration range 9.98-532.72 ng mL(-1), with the minimum detection limit of 1.73-1.79 ng mL(-1) (S/N=3) in aqueous and real samples. Almost similar stringent limit (1.79 ng mL(-1)) was obtained with cerebrospinal fluid which is typical for the primitive diagnosis of neurological disorders, caused by an acute depletion of L-aspartic acid biomarker, in clinical settings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-Temperature Shape Memory Polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Yoonessi, Mitra; Weiss, Robert A.

2012-01-01

physical conformation changes when exposed to an external stimulus, such as a change in temperature. Such materials have a permanent shape, but can be reshaped above a critical temperature and fixed into a temporary shape when cooled under stress to below the critical temperature. When reheated above the critical temperature (Tc, also sometimes called the triggering or switching temperature), the materials revert to the permanent shape. The current innovation involves a chemically treated (sulfonated, carboxylated, phosphonated, or other polar function group), high-temperature, semicrystalline thermoplastic poly(ether ether ketone) (Tg .140 C, Tm = 340 C) mix containing organometallic complexes (Zn++, Li+, or other metal, ammonium, or phosphonium salts), or high-temperature ionic liquids (e.g. hexafluorosilicate salt with 1-propyl-3- methyl imidazolium, Tm = 210 C) to form a network where dipolar or ionic interactions between the polymer and the low-molecular-weight or inorganic compound forms a complex that provides a physical crosslink. Hereafter, these compounds will be referred to as "additives". The polymer is semicrystalline, and the high-melt-point crystals provide a temporary crosslink that acts as a permanent crosslink just so long as the melting temperature is not exceeded. In this example case, the melting point is .340 C, and the shape memory critical temperature is between 150 and 250 C. PEEK is an engineering thermoplastic with a high Young fs modulus, nominally 3.6 GPa. An important aspect of the invention is the control of the PEEK functionalization (in this example, the sulfonation degree), and the thermal properties (i.e. melting point) of the additive, which determines the switching temperature. Because the compound is thermoplastic, it can be formed into the "permanent" shape by conventional plastics processing operations. In addition, the compound may be covalently cross - linked after forming the permanent shape by S-PEEK by applying ionizing

Development of poly(aspartic acid-co-malic acid) composites for calcium carbonate and sulphate scale inhibition.

Science.gov (United States)

Mithil Kumar, N; Gupta, Sanjay Kumar; Jagadeesh, Dani; Kanny, K; Bux, F

2015-01-01

Polyaspartic acid (PSI) is suitable for the inhibition of inorganic scale deposition. To enhance its scale inhibition efficiency, PSI was modified by reacting aspartic acid with malic acid (MA) using thermal polycondensation polymerization. This reaction resulted in poly(aspartic acid-co-malic acid) (PSI-co-MA) dual polymer. The structural, chemical and thermal properties of the dual polymers were analysed by using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and gel permeation chromatography. The effectiveness of six different molar ratios of PSI-co-MA dual polymer for calcium carbonate and calcium sulphate scale inhibition at laboratory scale batch experiments was evaluated with synthetic brine solution at selected doses of polymer at 65-70°C by the static scale test method. The performance of PSI-co-MA dual polymer for the inhibition of calcium carbonate and calcium sulphate precipitation was compared with that of a PSI single polymer. The PSI-co-MA exhibited excellent ability to control inorganic minerals, with approximately 85.36% calcium carbonate inhibition and 100% calcium sulphate inhibition at a level of 10 mg/L PSI-co-MA, respectively. Therefore, it may be reasonably concluded that PSI-co-MA is a highly effective scale inhibitor for cooling water treatment applications.

Two Players Make a Formidable Combination: In Situ Generated Poly(acrylic anhydride-2-methyl-acrylic acid-2-oxirane-ethyl ester-methyl methacrylate) Cross-Linking Gel Polymer Electrolyte toward 5 V High-Voltage Batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Yue; Ma, Jun; Chai, Jingchao; Liu, Zhihong; Ding, Guoliang; Xu, Gaojie; Liu, Haisheng; Chen, Bingbing; Zhou, Xinhong; Cui, Guanglei; Chen, Liquan

2017-11-29

Electrochemical performance of high-voltage lithium batteries with high energy density is limited because of the electrolyte instability and the electrode/electrolyte interfacial reactivity. Hence, a cross-linking polymer network of poly(acrylic anhydride-2-methyl-acrylic acid-2-oxirane-ethyl ester-methyl methacrylate) (PAMM)-based electrolyte was introduced via in situ polymerization inspired by "shuangjian hebi", which is a statement in a traditional Chinese Kungfu story similar to the synergetic effect of 1 + 1 > 2. A poly(acrylic anhydride) and poly(methyl methacrylate)-based system is very promising as electrolyte materials for lithium-ion batteries, in which the anhydride and acrylate groups can provide high voltage resistance and fast ionic conductivity, respectively. As a result, the cross-linking PAMM-based electrolyte possesses a significant comprehensive enhancement, including electrochemical stability window exceeding 5 V vs Li + /Li, an ionic conductivity of 6.79 × 10 -4 S cm -1 at room temperature, high mechanical strength (27.5 MPa), good flame resistance, and excellent interface compatibility with Li metal. It is also demonstrated that this gel polymer electrolyte suppresses the negative effect resulting from dissolution of Mn 2+ ions at 25 and 55 °C. Thus, the LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 /Li and LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 /Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 cells using the optimized in situ polymerized cross-linking PAMM-based gel polymer electrolyte deliver stable charging/discharging profiles and excellent rate performance at room temperature and even at 55 °C. These findings suggest that the cross-linking PAMM is an intriguing candidate for 5 V class high-voltage gel polymer electrolyte toward high-energy lithium-on batteries.

Selective fluorescent detection of aspartic acid and glutamic acid employing dansyl hydrazine dextran conjugate.

Science.gov (United States)

Nasomphan, Weerachai; Tangboriboonrat, Pramuan; Tanapongpipat, Sutipa; Smanmoo, Srung

2014-01-01

Highly water soluble polymer (DD) was prepared and evaluated for its fluorescence response towards various amino acids. The polymer consists of dansyl hydrazine unit conjugated into dextran template. The conjugation enhances higher water solubility of dansyl hydrazine moiety. Of screened amino acids, DD exhibited selective fluorescence quenching in the presence of aspartic acid (Asp) and glutamic acid (Glu). A plot of fluorescence intensity change of DD against the concentration of corresponding amino acids gave a good linear relationship in the range of 1 × 10(-4) M to 25 × 10(-3) M. This establishes DD as a potential polymeric sensor for selective sensing of Asp and Glu.

New polymer electrolytes for low temperature fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sundholm, F.; Elomaa, M.; Ennari, J.; Hietala, S.; Paronen, M. [Univ. of Helsinki (Finland). Lab. of Polymer Chemistry

1998-12-31

Proton conducting polymer membranes for demanding applications, such as low temperature fuel cells, have been synthesised and characterised. Pre-irradiation methods are used to introduce sulfonic acid groups, directly or using polystyrene grafting, in stable, preformed polymer films. The membranes produced in this work show promise for the development of cost-effective, highly conducting membranes. (orig.)

Development of high-throughput analysis system using highly-functional organic polymer monoliths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umemura, Tomonari; Kojima, Norihisa; Ueki, Yuji

2008-01-01

The growing demand for high-throughput analysis in the current competitive life sciences and industries has promoted the development of high-speed HPLC techniques and tools. As one of such tools, monolithic columns have attracted increasing attention and interest in the last decade due to the low flow-resistance and excellent mass transfer, allowing for rapid separations and reactions at high flow rates with minimal loss of column efficiency. Monolithic materials are classified into two main groups: silica- and organic polymer-based monoliths, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Organic polymer monoliths have several distinct advantages in life-science research, including wide pH stability, less irreversible adsorption, facile preparation and modification. Thus, we have so far tried to develop organic polymer monoliths for various chemical operations, such as separation, extraction, preconcentration, and reaction. In the present paper, recent progress in the development of organic polymer monoliths is discussed. Especially, the procedure for the preparation of methacrylate-based monoliths with various functional groups is described, where the influence of different compositional and processing parameters on the monolithic structure is also addressed. Furthermore, the performance of the produced monoliths is demonstrated through the results for (1) rapid separations of alklybenzenes at high flow rates, (2) flow-through enzymatic digestion of cytochrome c on a trypsin-immobilized monolithic column, and (3) separation of the tryptic digest on a reversed-phase monolithic column. The flexibility and versatility of organic polymer monoliths will be beneficial for further enhancing analytical performance, and will open the way for new applications and opportunities both in scientific and industrial research. (author)

Production of extra-cellular polymer in Azotobacter and biosorption ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Two Azotobacter strains were isolated from alkaline and acid soils. The production of alginate and exopolymer from these two strains showed that, strain AC2 produced high polymer in 2% beet molasses or 1% sucrose broth and addition of nitrogen sources (yeast extract) reduced production of this polymer. The optimum ...

Multiscale Modeling of Poly(lactic acid) Production: From Reaction Conditions to Rheology of Polymer Melt

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zubov, Alexandr; Sin, Gürkan

2018-01-01

Abstract Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) is a fully biodegradable bioplastic with promising market potential. The paper deals with systematic development and analysis of the modeling framework allowing direct mapping between PLLA production process conditions and rheological properties of the polymer ...

Record high hole mobility in polymer semiconductors via side-chain engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Il; Yun, Hui-Jun; Chung, Dae Sung; Kwon, Soon-Ki; Kim, Yun-Hi

2013-10-09

Charge carrier mobility is still the most challenging issue that should be overcome to realize everyday organic electronics in the near future. In this Communication, we show that introducing smart side-chain engineering to polymer semiconductors can facilitate intermolecular electronic communication. Two new polymers, P-29-DPPDBTE and P-29-DPPDTSE, which consist of a highly conductive diketopyrrolopyrrole backbone and an extended branching-position-adjusted side chain, showed unprecedented record high hole mobility of 12 cm(2)/(V·s). From photophysical and structural studies, we found that moving the branching position of the side chain away from the backbone of these polymers resulted in increased intermolecular interactions with extremely short π-π stacking distances, without compromising solubility of the polymers. As a result, high hole mobility could be achieved even in devices fabricated using the polymers at room temperature.

Synthetic genetic polymers capable of heredity and evolution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pinheiro, Vitor B; Taylor, Alexander I; Cozens, Christopher

2012-01-01

in and recovered from six alternative genetic polymers based on simple nucleic acid architectures not found in nature [xeno-nucleic acids (XNAs)]. We also select XNA aptamers, which bind their targets with high affinity and specificity, demonstrating that beyond heredity, specific XNAs have the capacity......Genetic information storage and processing rely on just two polymers, DNA and RNA, yet whether their role reflects evolutionary history or fundamental functional constraints is currently unknown. With the use of polymerase evolution and design, we show that genetic information can be stored...... for Darwinian evolution and folding into defined structures. Thus, heredity and evolution, two hallmarks of life, are not limited to DNA and RNA but are likely to be emergent properties of polymers capable of information storage....

High-Performance All-Polymer Solar Cells Achieved by Fused Perylenediimide-Based Conjugated Polymer Acceptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Yuli; Yang, Jing; Guo, Fengyun; Zhou, Erjun; Zhao, Liancheng; Zhang, Yong

2018-05-09

We report three n-type polymeric electron acceptors (PFPDI-TT, PFPDI-T, and PFPDI-Se) based on the fused perylene diimide (FPDI) and thieno[3,2- b]thiophene, thiophene, or selenophene units for all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs). These FPDI-based polymer acceptors exhibit strong absorption between 350 and 650 nm with wide optical bandgap of 1.86-1.91 eV, showing good absorption compensation with the narrow bandgap polymer donor. The lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy levels were located at around -4.11 eV, which are comparable with those of the fullerene derivatives and other small molecular electron acceptors. The conventional all-PSCs based on the three polymer acceptors and PTB7-Th as polymer donor gave remarkable power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of >6%, and the PFPDI-Se-based all-PSC achieved the highest PCE of 6.58% with a short-circuit current density ( J sc ) of 13.96 mA/cm 2 , an open-circuit voltage ( V oc ) of 0.76 V, and a fill factor (FF) of 62.0%. More interestingly, our results indicate that the photovoltaic performances of the FPDI-based polymer acceptors are mainly determined by the FPDI unit with a small effect from the comonomers, which is quite different from the others reported rylenediimide-based polymer acceptors. This intriguing phenomenon is speculated as the huge geometry configuration of the FPDI unit, which minimizes the effect of the comonomer. These results highlight a promising future for the application of the FPDI-based polymer acceptors in the highly efficient all-PSCs.

Radiation preparation of drug carriers based polyacrylic acid (PAAc) using poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) as a template polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Abd El-Rehim, H. A.; Hegazy, E. A.; Khalil, F. H.; Hamed, N. A.

2007-01-01

The present study deals with the radiation synthesis of stimuli response hydrophilic polymers from polyacrylic acid (PAAc). To maintain the property of PAAc and control the water swellibility for its application as a drug delivery system, radiation polymerization of AAc in the presence of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) as a template polymer was carried out. Characterization of the prepared PAA/PVP inter-polymer complex was investigated by determining gel content, swelling property, hydrogel microstructure and the release rate of caffeine as a model drug. The release rate of caffeine from the PAA/PVP inter-polymer complexes showed pH-dependency, and seemed to be mainly controlled by the dissolution rate of the complex above a p Ka of PAAc. The prepared inter-polymer complex could be used for application as drug carriers.

DAPPA grafted polymer: an efficient solid phase extractant for U(VI), Th(IV) and La(III) from acidic waste streams and environmental samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Raju, Ch Siva Kesava; Subramanian, M S

2005-07-15

A new class of polymeric resin has been synthesized by grafting Merrifield chloromethylated resin with (dimethyl amino-phosphono-methyl)-phosphonic acid (MCM-DAPPA), for the preconcentration of U(VI), Th(IV) and La(III) from both acidic wastes and environmental samples. The various chemical modification steps involved during grafting process are characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, (31)P and (13)C-CPMAS (cross-polarized magic angle spin) NMR spectroscopy and CHNS/O elemental analysis. The water regain capacity data for the grafted polymer are obtained from thermo-gravimetric (TG) analysis. The influence of various physico-chemical parameters during the quantitative extraction of metal ions by the resin phase are studied and optimized by both static and dynamic methods. The significant feature of this grafted polymer is its ability to extract both actinides and lanthanides from high-level acidities as well as from near neutral conditions. The resin shows very high sorption capacity values of 2.02, 0.89 and 0.54mmolg(-1) for U(VI), 1.98, 0.63 and 0.42mmolg(-1) for Th(IV) and 1.22, 0.39 and 0.39mmolg(-1) for La(III) under optimum pH, HNO(3) and HCl concentration, respectively. The grafted polymer shows faster phase exchange kinetics (99.5% recovery using 1M (NH(4))(2)CO(3), as eluent. The developed grafted resin has been successfully applied in extracting Th(IV) from high matrix monazite sand, U(VI) from sea water and also U(VI) and Th(IV) from simulated nuclear spent fuel mixtures. The analytical data obtained from triplicate measurements are within 3.9% R.S.D. reflecting the reproducibility and reliability of the developed method.

Fuel cell electrolyte membrane with basic polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Larson, James M.; Pham, Phat T.; Frey, Matthew H.; Hamrock, Steven J.; Haugen, Gregory M.; Lamanna, William M.

2012-12-04

The present invention is an electrolyte membrane comprising an acid and a basic polymer, where the acid is a low-volatile acid that is fluorinated and is either oligomeric or non-polymeric, and where the basic polymer is protonated by the acid and is stable to hydrolysis.

CHAPTER 3. High-performance Organic Photovoltaic Donor Polymers

KAUST Repository

Wadsworth, Andrew

2017-11-08

The field of organic photovoltaics has advanced a great deal over the last decade, with device efficiencies now exceeding 11%. A large part of this success can be attributed to the development of donor polymer materials, from their humble beginnings as homopolymers to the highly tuned push-pull copolymer and terpolymer materials that are now being reported on a regular basis. Through the careful use of chemical modification, it has been possible to design and synthesize a wide variety of donor polymers, allowing optimization of both the optoelectronic and structural properties of the materials. In doing so, more favourable active layer blends have been achieved and therefore significant improvements in device performance have been observed. Herein we discuss how the chemical design of donor polymers for organic photovoltaics has led to the emergence of high-performance materials.

CHAPTER 3. High-performance Organic Photovoltaic Donor Polymers

KAUST Repository

Wadsworth, Andrew; Baran, Derya; Gorman, Jeffrey; McCulloch, Iain

2017-01-01

The field of organic photovoltaics has advanced a great deal over the last decade, with device efficiencies now exceeding 11%. A large part of this success can be attributed to the development of donor polymer materials, from their humble beginnings as homopolymers to the highly tuned push-pull copolymer and terpolymer materials that are now being reported on a regular basis. Through the careful use of chemical modification, it has been possible to design and synthesize a wide variety of donor polymers, allowing optimization of both the optoelectronic and structural properties of the materials. In doing so, more favourable active layer blends have been achieved and therefore significant improvements in device performance have been observed. Herein we discuss how the chemical design of donor polymers for organic photovoltaics has led to the emergence of high-performance materials.

Carboxylic acid-grafted mesoporous material and its high catalytic activity in one-pot three-component coupling reaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruth Gomes

2014-11-01

Full Text Available A new carboxylic acid functionalized mesoporous organic polymer has been synthesized via in situ radical polymerization of divinylbenzene and acrylic acid using a mesoporous silica as a seed during the polymerization process under solvothermal conditions. The mesoporous material MPDVAA-1 has been thoroughly characterized employing powder XRD, solid state 13C cross polarization magic angle spinning-nuclear magnetic resonance, FT-IR spectroscopy, N2 sorption, HR-TEM, and NH3 temperature programmed desorption-thermal conductivity detector (TPD-TCD analysis to understand its porosity, chemical environment, bonding, and surface properties. The mesoporous polymer was used as a catalyst for a three comp onent Biginelli condensation between various aldehydes, β-keto esters, and urea/thioureas to give 3,4-dihydropyrimidine-2(1H-ones. The reactions were carried out under conventional heating as well as solvent-free microwave irradiation of solid components, and in both the cases, the mesoporous polymer MPDVAA-1 proved to be a powerful, robust, and reusable catalyst with high catalytic efficiency.

Hybrid molecularly imprinted poly(methacrylic acid-TRIM)-silica chemically modified with (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane for the extraction of folic acid in aqueous medium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Midori de Oliveira, Fernanda; Gava Segatelli, Mariana [Departamento de Química, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Rod. Celso Garcia Cid, PR 445 Km 380, Campus Universitário, Londrina, PR CEP 86051-990 (Brazil); Tarley, César Ricardo Teixeira, E-mail: ctarleyquim@yahoo.com.br [Departamento de Química, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Rod. Celso Garcia Cid, PR 445 Km 380, Campus Universitário, Londrina, PR CEP 86051-990 (Brazil); Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia (INCT) de Bioanalítica, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Instituto de Química, Departamento de Química Analítica, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz s/n, CEP 13083-970 Campinas, SP (Brazil)

2016-02-01

In the present study a hybrid molecularly imprinted poly(methacrylic acid-trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate)-silica (MIP) was synthesized and modified with (3-glycidyloxypropyl)trimethoxysilane (GPTMS) with posterior opening of epoxy ring to provide hydrophilic properties of material in the extraction of folic acid from aqueous medium. The chemical and structural aggregates of hybrid material were characterized by means of Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and textural data. Selectivity data of MIP were compared to non-imprinted polymer (NIP) through competitive sorption studies in the presence of caffeine, paracetamol or 4-aminobenzamide yielding relative selectivity coefficients (k′) higher than one unit, thus confirming the selective character of MIP even in the presence of structurally smaller compounds than the folic acid. The lower hydrophobic sorption by bovine serum albumin (BSA) in the MIP as compared to unmodified MIP proves the hydrophilicity of polymer surface by using GPTMS with opening ring. Under acid medium (pH 1.5) the sorption of folic acid onto MIP from batch experiments was higher than the one achieved for NIP. Equilibrium sorption of folic acid was reached at 120 min for MIP, NIP and MIP without GPTMS and kinetic sorption data were well described by pseudo-second-order, Elovich and intraparticle diffusion models. Thus, these results indicate the existence of different binding energy sites in the polymers and a complex mechanism consisting of both surface sorption and intraparticle transport of folic acid within the pores of polymers. - Highlights: • The molecularly imprinted hybrid polymer showed high adsorption capacity for folic acid. • The molecularly imprinted hybrid polymer showed high selectivity for folic acid. • The molecularly imprinted hybrid polymer modified with GPTMS excludes higher amount of BSA.

Extraction of domoic acid from seawater and urine using a resin based on 2-(trifluoromethyl)acrylic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Piletska, Elena V; Villoslada, Fernando Navarro; Chianella, Iva; Bossi, Alessandra; Karim, Kal; Whitcombe, Michael J; Piletsky, Sergey A; Doucette, Gregory J; Ramsdell, John S

2008-03-03

A new solid-phase extraction (SPE) matrix with high affinity for the neurotoxin domoic acid (DA) was designed and tested. A computational modelling study led to the selection of 2-(trifluoromethyl)acrylic acid (TFMAA) as a functional monomer capable of imparting affinity towards domoic acid. Polymeric adsorbents containing TFMAA were synthesised and tested in high ionic strength solutions such as urine and seawater. The TFMAA-based polymers demonstrated excellent performance in solid-phase extraction of domoic acid, retaining the toxin while salts and other interfering compounds such as aspartic and glutamic acids were removed by washing and selective elution. It was shown that the TFMAA-based polymer provided the level of purification of domoic acid from urine and seawater acceptable for its quantification by high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) without any additional pre-concentration and purification steps.

A New Family of Capsule Polymerases Generates Teichoic Acid-Like Capsule Polymers in Gram-Negative Pathogens.

Science.gov (United States)

Litschko, Christa; Oldrini, Davide; Budde, Insa; Berger, Monika; Meens, Jochen; Gerardy-Schahn, Rita; Berti, Francesco; Schubert, Mario; Fiebig, Timm

2018-05-29

Group 2 capsule polymers represent crucial virulence factors of Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria. They are synthesized by enzymes called capsule polymerases. In this report, we describe a new family of polymerases that combine glycosyltransferase and hexose- and polyol-phosphate transferase activity to generate complex poly(oligosaccharide phosphate) and poly(glycosylpolyol phosphate) polymers, the latter of which display similarity to wall teichoic acid (WTA), a cell wall component of Gram-positive bacteria. Using modeling and multiple-sequence alignment, we showed homology between the predicted polymerase domains and WTA type I biosynthesis enzymes, creating a link between Gram-negative and Gram-positive cell wall biosynthesis processes. The polymerases of the new family are highly abundant and found in a variety of capsule-expressing pathogens such as Neisseria meningitidis , Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae , Haemophilus influenzae , Bibersteinia trehalosi , and Escherichia coli with both human and animal hosts. Five representative candidates were purified, their activities were confirmed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and their predicted folds were validated by site-directed mutagenesis. IMPORTANCE Bacterial capsules play an important role in the interaction between a pathogen and the immune system of its host. During the last decade, capsule polymerases have become attractive tools for the production of capsule polymers applied as antigens in glycoconjugate vaccine formulations. Conventional production of glycoconjugate vaccines requires the cultivation of the pathogen and thus the highest biosafety standards, leading to tremendous costs. With regard to animal husbandry, where vaccines could avoid the extensive use of antibiotics, conventional production is not sufficiently cost-effective. In contrast, enzymatic synthesis of capsule polymers is pathogen-free and fast, offers high stereo- and regioselectivity, and works with high efficacy

Farnesylthiosalicylic acid-loaded lipid-polyethylene glycol-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for treatment of glioblastoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaffashi, Abbas; Lüle, Sevda; Bozdağ Pehlivan, Sibel; Sarısözen, Can; Vural, İmran; Koşucu, Hüsnü; Demir, Taner; Buğdaycı, Kadir Emre; Söylemezoğlu, Figen; Karlı Oğuz, Kader; Mut, Melike

2017-08-01

We aimed to develop lipid-polyethylene glycol (PEG)-polymer hybrid nanoparticles, which have high affinity to tumour tissue with active ingredient, a new generation antineoplastic drug, farnesylthiosalicylic acid (FTA) for treatment of glioblastoma. Farnesylthiosalicylic acid-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-1,2 distearoyl-glycerol-3-phospho-ethanolamine-N [methoxy (PEG)-2000] ammonium salt (PLGA-DSPE-PEG) with or without 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP) hybrid nanoparticles has been prepared and evaluated for in-vitro characterization. Cytotoxicity of FTA-loaded nanoparticles along with its efficacy on rat glioma-2 (RG2) cells was also evaluated both in vitro (in comparison with non-malignant cell line, L929) and in vivo. Scanning electron microscopy studies showed that all formulations prepared had smooth surface and spherical in shape. FTA and FTA-loaded nanoparticles have cytotoxic activity against RG2 glioma cell lines in cell culture studies, which further increases with addition of DOTAP. Magnetic resonance imaging and histopathologic evaluation on RG2 tumour cells in rat glioma model (49 female Wistar rats, 250-300 g) comparing intravenous and intratumoral injections of the drug have been performed and FTA-loaded nanoparticles reduced tumour size significantly in in-vivo studies, with higher efficiency of intratumoral administration than intravenous route. Farnesylthiosalicylic acid-loaded PLGA-DSPE-PEG-DOTAP hybrid nanoparticles are proven to be effective against glioblastoma in both in-vitro and in-vivo experiments. © 2017 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Deformation and degradation of polymers in ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Uliyanchenko, Elena; van der Wal, Sjoerd; Schoenmakers, Peter J

2011-09-28

Ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) using columns packed with sub-2 μm particles has great potential for separations of many types of complex samples, including polymers. However, the application of UHPLC for the analysis of polymers meets some fundamental obstacles. Small particles and narrow bore tubing in combination with high pressures generate significant shear and extensional forces in UHPLC systems, which may affect polymer chains. At high stress conditions flexible macromolecules may become extended and eventually the chemical bonds in the molecules can break. Deformation and degradation of macromolecules will affect the peak retention and the peak shape in the chromatogram, which may cause errors in the obtained results (e.g. the calculated molecular-weight distributions). In the present work we explored the limitations of UHPLC for the analysis of polymers. Degradation and deformation of macromolecules were studied by collecting and re-injecting polymer peaks and by off-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography. Polystyrene standards with molecular weight of 4 MDa and larger were found to degrade at UHPLC conditions. However, for most polymers degradation could be avoided by using low linear velocities. No degradation of 3-MDa PS (and smaller) was observed at linear velocities up to 7 mm/s. The column frits were implicated as the main sources of polymer degradation. The extent of degradation was found to depend on the type of the column and on the column history. At high flow rates degradation was observed without a column being installed. We demonstrated that polymer deformation preceded degradation. Stretched polymers eluted from the column in slalom chromatography mode (elution order opposite to that in SEC or HDC). Under certain conditions we observed co-elution of large and small PS molecules though a convolution of slalom chromatography and hydrodynamic chromatography. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A nonconjugated radical polymer glass with high electrical conductivity

Science.gov (United States)

Joo, Yongho; Agarkar, Varad; Sung, Seung Hyun; Savoie, Brett M.; Boudouris, Bryan W.

2018-03-01

Solid-state conducting polymers usually have highly conjugated macromolecular backbones and require intentional doping in order to achieve high electrical conductivities. Conversely, single-component, charge-neutral macromolecules could be synthetically simpler and have improved processibility and ambient stability. We show that poly(4-glycidyloxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl), a nonconjugated radical polymer with a subambient glass transition temperature, underwent rapid solid-state charge transfer reactions and had an electrical conductivity of up to 28 siemens per meter over channel lengths up to 0.6 micrometers. The charge transport through the radical polymer film was enabled with thermal annealing at 80°C, which allowed for the formation of a percolating network of open-shell sites in electronic communication with one another. The electrical conductivity was not enhanced by intentional doping, and thin films of this material showed high optical transparency.

Bioinspired phospholipid polymer biomaterials for making high performance artificial organs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K Ishihara

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Novel polymer biomaterials, which can be used in contact with blood, are prepared with strong inspiration from the surface structure of biomembrane. That is, the polymers with a phospholipid polar group in the side chain, 2-methacrylooyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC polymers were synthesized. The MPC polymers can inhibit surface-induced clot formation effectively, when they are in contact with blood even in the absence of an anticoagulant. This phenomenon was due to the reduction of plasma protein and suppression of denaturation of adsorbed proteins, that is the MPC polymers interact with blood components very mildly. As the molecular structure of the MPC polymer was easily designed by changing the monomer units and their composition, it could be applied to surface modification of artificial organs and biomedical devices for improving blood and tissue compatibility. Thus, the MPC polymers are useful polymer biomaterials for manufacturing high performance artificial organs and biomedical devices to provide safe medical treatments.

Polymer-Particle Pressure-Sensitive Paint with High Photostability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Matsuda

2016-04-01

Full Text Available We propose a novel fast-responding and paintable pressure-sensitive paint (PSP based on polymer particles, i.e. polymer-particle (pp-PSP. As a fast-responding PSP, polymer-ceramic (PC-PSP is widely studied. Since PC-PSP generally consists of titanium (IV oxide (TiO2 particles, a large reduction in the luminescent intensity will occur due to the photocatalytic action of TiO2. We propose the usage of polymer particles instead of TiO2 particles to prevent the reduction in the luminescent intensity. Here, we fabricate pp-PSP based on the polystyrene particle with a diameter of 1 μm, and investigate the pressure- and temperature-sensitives, the response time, and the photostability. The performances of pp-PSP are compared with those of PC-PSP, indicating the high photostability with the other characteristics comparable to PC-PSP.

Evaluation of Eudragit® Retard Polymers for the Microencapsulation of Alpha-Lipoic Acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Pecora, Tiziana M G; Musumeci, Teresa; Musumeci, Lucrezia; Fresta, Massimo; Pignatello, Rosario

2016-01-01

Microencapsulation of natural antioxidants in polymeric systems represents a possible strategy for improving the oral bioavailability of compounds that are otherwise poorly soluble. α-lipoic acid (ALA) was microencapsulated with polymethacrylate polymers (blends at various ratios of Eudragit® RS100 and RL100 resins). Microspheres were produced by solvent displacement of an ethanol cosolution of ALA and polymers; the microsuspensions were then freeze-dried, using trehalose as a cryoprotector. Microspheres were characterized in the solid state for micromeritic properties and drug loading, as well as by infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffractometry and differential scanning calorimetry. The antioxidant activity of free and encapsulated ALA was assessed by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. In vitro release studies, performed in simulated gastric (pH 1.2) and intestinal fluid (pH 6.8), showed that, depending on polymer composition and drug-to-polymer ratio, ALA release can be slowed down, compared to the dissolution pattern of the free drug. Solid-state characterization confirmed the chemical stability of ALA in the microspheres, suggesting that ALA did not develop strong interactions with the polymer and was present in an amorphous or a disordered-crystalline state within the polymer network. As indicated by the DPPH assay, the microencapsulation of ALA in Eudragit® Retard matrices did not alter its antioxidant activity. ALA was effectively encapsulated in Eudragit® Retard matrices, showing a chemical stability up to 6 months at room conditions and at 40°C. Moreover, since the drug maintained its antioxidant activity in vitro, the potential application of these microparticulate systems for oral administration would deserve further studies.

Highly Sensitive Detection of UV Radiation Using a Uranium Coordination Polymer.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wei; Dai, Xing; Xie, Jian; Silver, Mark A; Zhang, Duo; Wang, Yanlong; Cai, Yawen; Diwu, Juan; Wang, Jian; Zhou, Ruhong; Chai, Zhifang; Wang, Shuao

2018-02-07

The accurate detection of UV radiation is required in a wide range of chemical industries and environmental or biological related applications. Conventional methods taking advantage of semiconductor photodetectors suffer from several drawbacks such as sophisticated synthesis and manufacturing procedure, not being able to measure the accumulated UV dosage as well as high defect density in the material. Searching for new strategies or materials serving as precise UV dosage sensor with extremely low detection limit is still highly desirable. In this work, a radiation resistant uranium coordination polymer [UO 2 (L)(DMF)] (L = 5-nitroisophthalic acid, DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide, denoted as compound 1) was successfully synthesized through mild solvothermal method and investigated as a unique UV probe with the detection limit of 2.4 × 10 -7 J. On the basis of the UV dosage dependent luminescence spectra, EPR analysis, single crystal structure investigation, and the DFT calculation, the UV-induced radical quenching mechanism was confirmed. Importantly, the generated radicals are of significant stability which offers the opportunity for measuring the accumulated UV radiation dosage. Furthermore, the powder material of compound 1 was further upgraded into membrane material without loss in luminescence intensity to investigate the real application potentials. To the best of our knowledge, compound 1 represents the most sensitive coordination polymer based UV dosage probe reported to date.

Towards an organic photobattery - Photovoltaic properties of some thermal copolyamino acids

Science.gov (United States)

Przybylski, A. T.; Syren, R. M.; Fox, S. W.

1983-01-01

Thermal copolymers of amino acids have been examined as a novel material for photovoltaic devices. Due to the steric effects of amino acids during polymerization, these polymers are highly ordered, and pigments such as flavins and pterins are formed as part of the polymer. The controllably varied composition of the amino acids in the polymer makes it possible to get either electron-donor or electron-acceptor, or both kinds of groups in varying degrees. The constituent photosensitive element has been made either of photosensitive polymer film or spherule.

Synthesis and characterization of organic-inorganic hybrids formed between conducting polymers and crystalline antimonic acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beleze Fábio A.

2001-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper we report the synthesis and characterization of novel organic-inorganic hybrid materials between the crystalline antimonic acid (CAA and two conductive polymers: polypyrrole and polyaniline. The hybrids were obtained by in situ oxidative polymerization of monomers by the Sb(V present in the pyrochlore-like CAA structure. The materials were characterized by infrared and Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry, CHN elemental analysis and electronic paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The results showed that both polymers were formed in their oxidized form, with the CAA structure acting as a counter anion.

High Temperature Polymers for use in Fuel Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Peplowski, Katherine M.

2004-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is currently working on polymers for fuel cell and lithium battery applications. The desire for more efficient, higher power density, and a lower environmental impact power sources has led to interest in proton exchanges membrane fuels cells (PEMFC) and lithium batteries. A PEMFC has many advantages as a power source. The fuel cell uses oxygen and hydrogen as reactants. The resulting products are electricity, heat, and water. The PEMFC consists of electrodes with a catalyst, and an electrolyte. The electrolyte is an ion-conducting polymer that transports protons from the anode to the cathode. Typically, a PEMFC is operated at a temperature of about 80 C. There is intense interest in developing a fuel cell membrane that can operate at higher temperatures in the range of 80 C- 120 C. Operating the he1 cell at higher temperatures increases the kinetics of the fuel cell reaction as well as decreasing the susceptibility of the catalyst to be poisoned by impurities. Currently, Nafion made by Dupont is the most widely used polymer membrane in PEMFC. Nafion does not function well above 80 C due to a significant decrease in the conductivity of the membrane from a loss of hydration. In addition to the loss of conductivity at high temperatures, the long term stability and relatively high cost of Nafion have stimulated many researches to find a substitute for Nafion. Lithium ion batteries are popular for use in portable electronic devices, such as laptop computers and mobile phones. The high power density of lithium batteries makes them ideal for the high power demand of today s advanced electronics. NASA is developing a solid polymer electrolyte that can be used for lithium batteries. Solid polymer electrolytes have many advantages over the current gel or liquid based systems that are used currently. Among these advantages are the potential for increased power density and design flexibility. Automobiles, computers, and cell phones require

Stearic acid coating on circulating fluidized bed combustion fly ashes and its effect on the mechanical performance of polymer composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yao, Nina [State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for Nonmetal Composites and Functional Materials, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010 (China); Zhang, Ping, E-mail: pingzhang@swust.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for Nonmetal Composites and Functional Materials, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010 (China); School of Material Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan 621010 (China); Song, Lixian; Kang, Ming; Lu, Zhongyuan [State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for Nonmetal Composites and Functional Materials, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010 (China); School of Material Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan 621010 (China); Zheng, Rong [Sichuan Jinhe Group Co., Ltd., Mianyang 621010 (China)

2013-08-15

The aim of this work was to test circulating fluidized bed combustion fly ashes (CFAs) for its potential to be utilized in polymer composites manufacturing to improve its toughness. CFAs was coated by stearic acid and used in the composite of polypropylene/ethylene vinyl acetate/high density polyethylene (PP/EVA/HDPE) by molding process method. The resulting coated and uncoated CFAs were fully characterized by particle size analyzer, contact angles, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The stearic acid coated onto the surface of CFAs particles in the physical and chemical ways, and the total clad ratio reached 2.05% by measuring TGA/DTA curve. The percentage of CFAs particles focused to a narrow range 2–4 μm and the median mean size was 3.2 μm more than uncoated CFAs. The properties of hydrophobic and dispersive of CFAs particles improved and original activity was reserved after stearic acid coating. The stearic acid was verified as a coupling agent by how much effect it had on the mechanical properties. It showed the elongation at break of PP/EVA/HDPE reinforced with 15 wt% coated CFAs (c-CFAs) was 80.20% and higher than that of the uncoated. The stearic acid treatment of CFAs is a very promising approach to improve the mechanical strength due to the incorporation of stearic acid on the CFAs surface, and hence, further enhances the potential for recycling CFAs as a suitable filler material in polymer composites.

Stearic acid coating on circulating fluidized bed combustion fly ashes and its effect on the mechanical performance of polymer composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao, Nina; Zhang, Ping; Song, Lixian; Kang, Ming; Lu, Zhongyuan; Zheng, Rong

2013-01-01

The aim of this work was to test circulating fluidized bed combustion fly ashes (CFAs) for its potential to be utilized in polymer composites manufacturing to improve its toughness. CFAs was coated by stearic acid and used in the composite of polypropylene/ethylene vinyl acetate/high density polyethylene (PP/EVA/HDPE) by molding process method. The resulting coated and uncoated CFAs were fully characterized by particle size analyzer, contact angles, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis/differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The stearic acid coated onto the surface of CFAs particles in the physical and chemical ways, and the total clad ratio reached 2.05% by measuring TGA/DTA curve. The percentage of CFAs particles focused to a narrow range 2–4 μm and the median mean size was 3.2 μm more than uncoated CFAs. The properties of hydrophobic and dispersive of CFAs particles improved and original activity was reserved after stearic acid coating. The stearic acid was verified as a coupling agent by how much effect it had on the mechanical properties. It showed the elongation at break of PP/EVA/HDPE reinforced with 15 wt% coated CFAs (c-CFAs) was 80.20% and higher than that of the uncoated. The stearic acid treatment of CFAs is a very promising approach to improve the mechanical strength due to the incorporation of stearic acid on the CFAs surface, and hence, further enhances the potential for recycling CFAs as a suitable filler material in polymer composites.

X-ray studies of the liquid/vapor interface: Water and polymer and fatty acid monolayers on water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlossman, M.L.; Schwartz, D.K.; Kawamoto, E.H.; Kellogg, G.J.; Pershan, P.S.; Ocko, B.M.; Kim, M.W.; Chung, T.C.

1989-01-01

X-ray specular reflectivity is used to study the liquid-vapor interface of pure water and of fatty acid and polymer monolayers at that interface. For the pure water surface the reflectivity was measured for three different spectrometer resolutions and simultaneous fits with only one free parameter to all of the data are in excellent agreement with the prediction of capillary wave theory for the RMS surface roughness. Diffuse scattering away from the specular condition, at wavevectors corresponding to those of the capillary waves, yields intensities and line shapes in agreement with theory with no significant adjustable parameters. Reflectivity from separate monolayers of co-poly 1, 2-butadiene/butyl alcohol (50% random substitution) and lignoceric acid (CH 3 (CH 2 ) 22 COOH) at the water/vapor interface are interpreted to obtain profiles of the average electron density ρ(z) as a function of distance z along the surface normal. For the polymer monolayer we find the following: (1) a local maximum in the electron density approximately 10% larger than that of the bulk polymer and (2) the RMS roughness of the vapor/polymer interface agrees with capillary wave theory predictions for the lower surface pressures. For the highest surface pressure the RMS roughness exceeds the value predicted by the capillary wave model. Measurements of reflectivity from a lignoceric acid monolayer, as a function of surface pressure throughout an isotherm (near room temperature), reveal the following behavior: (1) the overall thickness of the monolayer increases with increasing pressure and (2) the head groups occupy a progressively larger region along the surface normal as the pressure increases, indicating that they rearrange normal to the interface. 15 refs., 5 figs., 2 tabs

Conformational and Structural Properties of High Functionality Dendrimer-like Star Polymers Synthesized from Living Polymerization Techniques; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pople, John A.

2001-01-01

The design, synthesis and solution properties of dendritic-linear hybrid macromolecules is described. The synthetic strategy employs living ring-opening polymerization in combination with selective and quantitative organic transformations for the preparation of new molecular architectures similar to classical star polymers and dendrimers. The polymers were constructed from high molecular weight poly(e-caprolactone) initiated from the surface hydroxyl groups of dendrimers derived from bis(hydroxymethyl) propionic acid (bis-MPA) in the presence of stannous 2-ethyl hexanoate (Sn(Oct)2). In this way, star and hyperstar poly(e-caprolactones) were elaborated depending on the generation of dendrimer employed. The ROP from these hydroxy groups was found to be a facile process leading to controlled molecular weight, low dispersity products (Mw/Mn) and lt; 1.15. In addition to the use of dendrimers as building blocks to star polymers, functional dendrons derived from bis-MPA were attached to chain ends of the star polymers, yielding structures that closely resemble that of the most advanced dendrimers. Measurements of the solution properties (hydrodynamic volume vs. molecular weight) on the dendritic-linear hybrids show a deviation from linearity, with a lower than expected hydrodynamic volume, analogous to the solution properties of dendrimers of high generation number. The onset of the deviation begins with the polymers initiated from the second generation dendrimer of bis-MPA and becomes more exaggerated with the higher generations. It was found that polymerization amplifies the nonlinear solution behavior of dendrimers. Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements revealed that the radius of gyration scaled with arm functionality (f) as f 2/3, in accordance with the Daoud-Cotton model for many arm star polymer

Removal of Cu(II) in water by polymer enhanced ultrafiltration: Influence of polymer nature and pH.

Science.gov (United States)

Kochkodan, Olga D; Kochkodan, Viktor M; Sharma, Virender K

2018-01-02

This study presents an efficient removal of Cu(II) in water using the polymer enhanced ultrafiltration (PEUF) method. Polymer of different molecular weight (MW) (polyethyleneimine (PEI), sodium lignosulfonates (SLS) and dextrans) were investigated to evaluate efficiency in removal of Cu(II) in water by the PEUF method. The decomposition of Cu(II)-polymer complex was also evaluated in order to reuse polymers. Cu(II) complexation depends on the MW of chelating polymer and the pH of feed solution. It was found that the Cu(II) rejection increased with the polymer dosage with high removal of Cu(II) when using PEI and SLS at a 10:20 (mg/mg) ratio ([Cu(II)]:[polymer]). It was found that the maximum chelating capacity was 15 mg of Cu(II) per 20 mg of PEI. The Cu(II)-PEI complex could be decomposed by acid addition and the polymer could be efficiently reused with multiple complexation-decomplexation cycles. A conceptual flow chart of the integrated process of efficient removal of Cu(II) by PEUF method is suggested.

Coordination Polymers and Metal Organic Frameworks Derived from 1,2,4-Triazole Amino Acid Linkers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yann Garcia

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The perceptible appearance of biomolecules as prospective building blocks in the architecture of coordination polymers (CPs and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs are redolent of their inclusion in the synthon/tecton library of reticular chemistry. In this frame, for the first time a synthetic strategy has been established for amine derivatization in amino acids into 1,2,4-triazoles. A set of novel 1,2,4-triazole derivatized amino acids were introduced as superlative precursors in the design of 1D coordination polymers, 2D chiral helicates and 3D metal-organic frameworks. Applications associated with these compounds are diverse and include gas adsorption-porosity partitioning, soft sacrificial matrix for morphology and phase selective cadmium oxide synthesis, FeII spin crossover materials, zinc-b-lactamases inhibitors, logistics for generation of chiral/non-centrosymmetric networks; and thus led to a foundation of a new family of functional CPs and MOFs that are reviewed in this invited contribution.

Nanostructured silicate polymer concrete

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Figovskiy Oleg L'vovich

2014-03-01

Full Text Available It has been known that acid-resistant concretes on the liquid glass basis have high porosity (up to 18~20 %, low strength and insufficient water resistance. Significant increasing of silicate matrix strength and density was carried out by incorporation of special liquid organic alkali-soluble silicate additives, which block superficial pores and reduce concrete shrinkage deformation. It was demonstrated that introduction of tetrafurfuryloxisilane additive sharply increases strength, durability and shock resistance of silicate polymer concrete in aggressive media. The experiments showed, that the strength and density of silicate polymer concrete increase in case of decreasing liquid glass content. The authors obtained optimal content of silicate polymer concrete, which possesses increased strength, durability, density and crack-resistance. Diffusive permeability of concrete and its chemical resistance has been investigated in various corroding media.

Application of encapsulation (pH-sensitive polymer and phosphate buffer macrocapsules): a novel approach to remediation of acidic ground water.

Science.gov (United States)

Aelion, C Marjorie; Davis, Harley T; Flora, Joseph R V; Kirtland, Brian C; Amidon, Mark B

2009-01-01

Macrocapsules, composed of a pH-sensitive polymer and phosphate buffer, offer a novel remediation alternative for acidic ground waters. To test their potential effectiveness, laboratory experiments were carried out followed by a field trial within a coal pile runoff (CPR) acidic contaminant plume. Results of traditional limestone and macrocapsule treatments were compared in both laboratory and field experiments. Macrocapsules were more effective than limestone as a passive treatment for raising pH in well water from 2.5 to 6 in both laboratory and field experiments. The limestone treatments had limited impact on pH, only increasing pH as high as 3.3, and armoring by iron was evident in the field trial. Aluminum, iron and sulfate concentrations remained relatively constant throughout the experiments, but phosphate increased (0.15-32 mg/L), indicating macrocapsule release. This research confirmed that macrocapsules may be an effective alternative to limestone to treat highly acidic ground water.

Application of encapsulation (pH-sensitive polymer and phosphate buffer macrocapsules): A novel approach to remediation of acidic ground water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aelion, C.M.; Davis, H.T.; Flora, J.R.V.; Kirtland, B.C.; Amidon, M.B. [University of Southern Carolina, Columbia, SC (USA). Dept. of Environmental Health Science

2009-01-15

Macrocapsules, composed of a pH-sensitive polymer and phosphate buffer, offer a novel remediation alternative for acidic ground waters. To test their potential effectiveness, laboratory experiments were carried out followed by a field trial within a coal pile runoff (CPR) acidic contaminant plume. Results of traditional limestone and macrocapsule treatments were compared in both laboratory and field experiments. Macrocapsules were more effective than limestone as a passive treatment for raising pH in well water from 2.5 to 6 in both laboratory and field experiments. The limestone treatments had limited impact on pH, only increasing pH as high as 3.3, and armoring by iron was evident in the field trial. Aluminum, iron and sulfate concentrations remained relatively constant throughout the experiments, but phosphate increased (0.15-32 mg/L), indicating macrocapsule release. This research confirmed that macrocapsules may be an effective alternative to limestone to treat highly acidic ground water.

Synthetic approaches to uniform polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Monzur; Brocchini, Steve

2006-12-30

Uniform polymers are characterised by a narrow molecular weight distribution (MWD). Uniformity is also defined by chemical structure in respect of (1) monomer orientation, sequence and stereo-regularity, (2) polymer shape and morphology and (3) chemical functionality. The function of natural polymers such as polypeptides and polynucleotides is related to their conformational structure (e.g. folded tertiary structure). This is only possible because of their high degree of uniformity. While completely uniform synthetic polymers are rare, polymers with broad structure and MWD are widely used in medicine and the biomedical sciences. They are integral components in final dosage forms, drug delivery systems (DDS) and in implantable devices. Increasingly uniform polymers are being used to develop more complex medicines (e.g. delivery of biopharmaceuticals, enhanced formulations or DDS's for existing actives). In addition to the function imparted by any new polymer it will be required to meet stringent specifications in terms of cost containment, scalability, biocompatibility and performance. Synthetic polymers with therapeutic activity are also being developed to exploit their polyvalent properties, which is not possible with low molecular weight molecules. There is need to utilise uniform polymers for applications where the polymer may interact with the systemic circulation, tissues or cellular environment. There are also potential applications (e.g. stimuli responsive coatings) where uniform polymers may be used for their more defined property profile. While it is not yet practical to prepare synthetic polymers to the same high degree of uniformity as proteins, nature also effectively utilises many polymers with lower degrees of uniformity (e.g. polysaccharides, poly(amino acids), polyhydroxyalkanoates). In recent years it has become possible to prepare with practical experimental protocols sufficient quantities of polymers that display many aspects of uniformity. This

Molecularly imprinted polymer for selective extraction of malachite green from seawater and seafood coupled with high-performance liquid chromatographic determination.

Science.gov (United States)

Lian, Ziru; Wang, Jiangtao

2012-12-01

In this paper, a highly selective sample cleanup procedure combining molecular imprinting technique (MIT) and solid-phase extraction (SPE) was developed for the isolation of malachite green in seawater and seafood samples. The molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was prepared using malachite green as the template molecule, methacrylic acid as the functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linking monomer. The imprinted polymer and non-imprinted polymer were characterized by scanning electron microscope and static adsorption experiments. The MIP showed a high adsorption capacity and was used as selective sorbent for the SPE of malachite green. An off-line molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) method followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diodearray detection for the analysis of malachite green in seawater and seafood samples was also established. Finally, five samples were determined. The results showed that malachite green concentration in one seawater sample was at 1.30 μg L⁻¹ and the RSD (n=3) was 4.15%. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metrology challenges for high-rate nanomanufacturing of polymer structures

Science.gov (United States)

Mead, Joey; Barry, Carol; Busnaina, Ahmed; Isaacs, Jacqueline

2012-10-01

The transfer of nanoscience accomplishments into commercial products is hindered by the lack of understanding of barriers to nanoscale manufacturing. We have developed a number of nanomanufacturing processes that leverage available high-rate plastics fabrication technologies. These processes include directed assembly of a variety of nanoelements, such as nanoparticles and nanotubes, which are then transferred onto a polymer substrate for the fabrication of conformal/flexible electronic materials, among other applications. These assembly processes utilize both electric fields and/or chemical functionalization. Conducting polymers and carbon nanotubes have been successfully transferred to a polymer substrate in times less than 5 minutes, which is commercially relevant and can be utilized in a continuous (reel to reel/roll to roll) process. Other processes include continuous high volume mixing of nanoelements (CNTs, etc) into polymers, multi-layer extrusion and 3D injection molding of polymer structures. These nanomanufacturing processes can be used for wide range of applications, including EMI shielding, flexible electronics, structural materials, and novel sensors (specifically for chem/bio detection). Current techniques to characterize the quality and efficacy of the processes are quite slow. Moreover, the instrumentation and metrology needs for these manufacturing processes are varied and challenging. Novel, rapid, in-line metrology to enable the commercialization of these processes is critically needed. This talk will explore the necessary measurement needs for polymer based nanomanufacturing processes for both step and continuous (reel to reel/roll to roll) processes.

Intrinsically Microporous Polymer Membranes for High Performance Gas Separation

KAUST Repository

Swaidan, Raja

2014-11-01

This dissertation addresses the rational design of intrinsically microporous solutionprocessable polyimides and ladder polymers for highly permeable and highly selective gas transport in cornerstone applications of membrane-based gas separation – that is, air enrichment, hydrogen recovery and natural gas sweetening. By virtue of rigid and contorted chains that pack inefficiently in the solid state, polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) have the potential to unite the solution-processability, mechanical flexibility and organic tunability of commercially relevant polymers with the microporosity characteristics of porous crystalline materials. The performance enhancements of PIMs over conventional low-free-volume polymers have been primarily permeability-driven, compromising the selectivity essential to commercial viability. An approach to unite high permeability with high selectivity for performance transcending the state-of-the-art in air and hydrogen separations was demonstrated via a fused-ring integration of a three-dimensional, shape persistent triptycene moiety optimally substituted with short, branched isopropyl chains at the 9,10-bridgeheads into a highly inflexible backbone. The resulting polymers exhibited selectivities (i.e., O2/N2, H2/N2, H2/CH4) similar to or higher than commercial materials matched with permeabilities up to three hundred times higher. However, the intra-chain rigidity central to such conventional PIM-design principles was not a singular solution to suppression of CO2-induced plasticization in CO2/CH4 mixedgas separations. Plasticization diminishes the sieving capacity of the membrane, resulting in costly hydrocarbon losses that have significantly limited the commercialization of new polymers. Unexpectedly, the most permeable and selective PIMs designed for air and hydrogen separations strongly plasticized in 50:50 CO2/CH4 mixtures, enduring up to three-fold increases in mixed-gas CH4 permeability by 30 bar and strong drops in

Stability effect of cholesterol-poly(acrylic acid) in a stimuli-responsive polymer-liposome complex obtained from soybean lecithin for controlled drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Simões, M G; Alves, P; Carvalheiro, Manuela; Simões, P N

2017-04-01

The development of polymer-liposome complexes (PLCs), in particular for biomedical applications, has grown significantly in the last decades. The importance of these studies comes from the emerging need in finding intelligent controlled release systems, more predictable, effective and selective, for applications in several areas, such as treatment and/or diagnosis of cancer, neurological, dermatological, ophthalmic and orthopedic diseases, gene therapy, cosmetic treatments, and food engineering. This work reports the development and characterization of a pH sensitive system for controlled release based on PLCs. The selected hydrophilic polymer was poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) with a cholesterol (CHO) end-group to improve the anchoring of the polymer into the lipid bilayer. The polymer was incorporated into liposomes formulated from soybean lecithin and stearylamine, with different stearylamine/phospholipid and polymer/phospholipid ratios (5, 10 and 20%). The developed PLCs were characterized in terms of particle size, polydispersity, zeta potential, release profiles, and encapsulation efficiency. Cell viability studies were performed to assess the cytotoxic potential of PLCs. The results showed that the liposomal formulation with 5% of stearylamine and 10% of polymer positively contribute to the stabilization of the complexes. Afterwards, the carboxylic acid groups of the polymer present at the surface of the liposomes were crosslinked and the same parameters analyzed. The crosslinked complexes showed to be more stable at physiologic conditions. In addition, the release profiles at different pHs (2-12) revealed that the obtained complexes released all their content at acidic conditions. In summary, the main accomplishments of this work are: (i) innovative synthesis of cholesterol-poly(acrylic acid) (CHO-PAA) by ATRP; (ii) stabilization of the liposomal formulation by incorporation of stearylamine and CHO

The effect of the antioxidant on the properties of thiolated poly(aspartic acid) polymers in aqueous ocular formulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Budai-Szűcs, Mária; Horvát, Gabriella; Gyarmati, Benjámin; Szilágyi, Barnabás Áron; Szilágyi, András; Berkó, Szilvia; Ambrus, Rita; Szabó-Révész, Piroska; Sandri, Giuseppina; Bonferoni, Maria Cristina; Caramella, Carla; Csányi, Erzsébet

2017-04-01

Thiolated polymers are a promising new group of excipients, but their stability against atmospheric oxidation has not been investigated in detail, and only a few efforts have been made to improve their stability. The oxidation of the thiol groups in solutions of thiolated polymers may result in a decrease of mucoadhesion and unpredictable in situ gelation. The aims of our work were to study the stability of aqueous solutions of thiolated polymers and the effects of stabilizing agents. We investigated thiolated poly(aspartic acid) polymers stabilized with dithiothreitol, glutathione or acetylcysteine. The effects of these antioxidants on the gel structure, mucoadhesion and drug release were determined by means of scanning electron microscopy, swelling, rheology, adhesion and drug release tests. It was concluded that the stability of polymer solutions containing antioxidants is sufficient for one day. Polymers stabilized with dithiotreitol demonstrated fast swelling and drug release, but weaker mucoadhesion as compared with the other samples. Polymers stabilized with glutathione displayed the weakest cohesive properties, resulting in fast and uncontrolled drug release and moderate mucoadhesion. Acetylcysteine-stabilized polymers exhibited an optimum cross-linked structure, with free thiol groups ensuring polymer-mucin interactions, resulting in the best mucoadhesive properties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasonic-assisted preparation of graphene oxide carboxylic acid polyvinyl alcohol polymer film and studies of thermal stability and surface resistivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yongshen; Li, Jihui; Li, Yuehai; Li, Yali; Song, Yunan; Niu, Shuai; Li, Ning

2018-01-01

In this paper, flake graphite, nitric acid and acetic anhydride are used to prepare graphene oxide carboxylic acid (GO-COOH) via an ultrasonic-assisted method, and GO-COOH and polyvinyl alcohol polymer (PVA) are used to synthesize graphene oxide carboxylic acid polyvinyl alcohol polymer (GO-COOPVA) via the ultrasonic-assisted method, and GO-COOPVA is used to manufacture graphene oxide carboxylic acid polyvinyl alcohol polymer film (GO-COOPVA film) via a solidification method, and the structure and morphology of GO-COOH, GO-COOPVA and GO-COOPVA film are characterized, and the thermal stability and surface resistivity are measured in the case of the different amount of GO-COOH. Based on the characterization and measurement, it has been successively confirmed and attested that carboxyl groups implant on 2D lattice of GO to form GO-COOH, and GO-COOH and PVA have the esterification reaction to produce GO-COOPVA, and GO-COOPVA consists of 2D lattice of GO-COOH and the chain of PVA connected in the form of carboxylic ester, and GO-COOPVA film is composed of GO-COOPVA, and the thermal stability of GO-COOPVA film obviously improves in comparison with PVA film, and the surface resistivity of GO-COOPVA film clearly decreases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Puncture Self-Healing Polymers for Aerospace Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Keith L.; Penner, Ronald K.; Bogert, Phil B.; Yost, W. T.; Siochi, Emilie J.

2011-01-01

Space exploration launch costs on the order of $10K per pound provide ample incentive to seek innovative, cost-effective ways to reduce structural mass without sacrificing safety and reliability. Damage-tolerant structural systems can provide a route to avoiding weight penalty while enhancing vehicle safety and reliability. Self-healing polymers capable of spontaneous puncture repair show great promise to mitigate potentially catastrophic damage from events such as micrometeoroid penetration. Effective self-repair requires these materials to heal instantaneously following projectile penetration while retaining structural integrity. Poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) (EMMA), also known as Surlyn is an ionomer-based copolymer that undergoes puncture reversal (self-healing) following high impact puncture at high velocities. However EMMA is not a structural engineering polymer, and will not meet the demands of aerospace applications requiring self-healing engineering materials. Current efforts to identify candidate self-healing polymer materials for structural engineering systems are reported. Rheology, high speed thermography, and high speed video for self-healing semi-crystalline and amorphous polymers will be reported.

Compositional and sensory characterization of red wine polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Wollmann, Nadine; Hofmann, Thomas

2013-03-06

After isolation from red wine by means of ultrafiltration and gel adsorption chromatography, the composition of the highly astringent tasting high-molecular weight polymers was analyzed by means of HPLC-MS/MS, HPLC-UV/vis, and ion chromatography after thiolytic, alkaline, and acidic depolymerization and, on the basis of the quantitative data obtained as well as model incubation experiments, key structural features of the red wine polymers were proposed. The structural backbone of the polymers seems to be comprised of a procyanidin chain with (-)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin-3-O-gallate units as extension and terminal units as well as (-)-epigallocatechin as extension units. In addition, acetaldehyde was shown to link different procyanidins at the A-ring via an 1,1-ethylene bridge and anthocyanins and pyranoanthocyanins were found to be linked to the procyanidin backbone via a C-C-linkage at position C(6) or C(8), respectively. Alkaline hydrolysis demonstrated the polymeric procyanidins to be esterified with various organic acids and phenolic acids, respectively. In addition, the major part of the polysaccharides present in the red wine polymeric fraction were found not to be covalently linked to procyanidins. Interestingly, sensory evaluation of individual fractions of the red wine polymers did not show any significant difference in the astringent threshold concentrations, nor in the astringency intensity in supra-threshold concentrations and demonstrated the mean degree of polymerization as well as the galloylation degree not to have an significant influence on the astringency perception.

N-(sulfoethyl) iminodiacetic acid-based lanthanide coordination polymers: Synthesis, magnetism and quantum Monte Carlo studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhuang Guilin, E-mail: glzhuang@zjut.edu.cn [Institute of Industrial Catalysis, College of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032 (China); Chen Wulin [Institute of Industrial Catalysis, College of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032 (China); Zheng Jun [Center of Modern Experimental Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230039 (China); Yu Huiyou [Institute of Industrial Catalysis, College of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032 (China); Wang Jianguo, E-mail: jgw@zjut.edu.cn [Institute of Industrial Catalysis, College of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310032 (China)

2012-08-15

A series of lanthanide coordination polymers have been obtained through the hydrothermal reaction of N-(sulfoethyl) iminodiacetic acid (H{sub 3}SIDA) and Ln(NO{sub 3}){sub 3} (Ln=La, 1; Pr, 2; Nd, 3; Gd, 4). Crystal structure analysis exhibits that lanthanide ions affect the coordination number, bond length and dimension of compounds 1-4, which reveal that their structure diversity can be attributed to the effect of lanthanide contraction. Furthermore, the combination of magnetic measure with quantum Monte Carlo(QMC) studies exhibits that the coupling parameters between two adjacent Gd{sup 3+} ions for anti-anti and syn-anti carboxylate bridges are -1.0 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3} and -5.0 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3} cm{sup -1}, respectively, which reveals weak antiferromagnetic interaction in 4. - Graphical abstract: Four lanthanide coordination polymers with N-(sulfoethyl) iminodiacetic acid were obtained under hydrothermal condition and reveal the weak antiferromagnetic coupling between two Gd{sup 3+} ions by Quantum Monte Carlo studies. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Four lanthanide coordination polymers of H{sub 3}SIDA ligand were obtained. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Lanthanide ions play an important role in their structural diversity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Magnetic measure exhibits that compound 4 features antiferromagnetic property. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Quantum Monte Carlo studies reveal the coupling parameters of two Gd{sup 3+} ions.

Formation of Gd coordination polymer with 1D chains mediated by Bronsted acidic ionic liquids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Qianqian; Han, Ying [Key Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices, Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai (China); Lin, Hechun, E-mail: hclin@ee.ecnu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices, Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai (China); Zhang, Yuanyuan; Duan, Chungang [Key Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices, Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai (China); Peng, Hui, E-mail: hpeng@ee.ecnu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices, Ministry of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai (China); Collaborative Innovation Center of Extreme Optics, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006 (China)

2017-03-15

One dimensional coordination polymer Gd[(SO{sub 4})(NO{sub 3})(C{sub 2}H{sub 6}SO){sub 2}] (1) is prepared through the mediation of Bronsted acid ionic liquid, which crystallized in the monoclinic space of C2/c. In this polymer, adjacent Gd atoms are linked by two SO{sub 4}{sup 2-} ions to generate a 1-D chain, and all oxygen atoms in SO{sub 4}{sup 2-} groups are connected to three nearest Gd atoms in µ{sup 3}:η{sup 1}:η{sup 1}:η{sup 2} fashion. Gd, S and N from SO{sub 4}{sup 2-} and NO{sub 3}{sup -} are precisely coplanar. The planar is coordinated by a pair of DMSO molecules, which is parallel and linked by hydrogen bonding to form a three-dimensional supramolecular network. Magnetic susceptibility measurement of 1 reveals weak antiferromagnetic interactions between the Gd (III) ions. It exhibits relatively large magneto-caloric effect with –ΔS{sub m}=28.8 J Kg{sup −1} K{sup −1} for ΔH=7 T. - Graphical abstract: Coordination polymer Gd[(SO{sub 4})(NO{sub 3})(C{sub 2}H{sub 6}SO){sub 2}] was obtained mediated by Bronsted acid Ionic Liquid, which presents a 1-D chains collected by SO{sub 4}{sup 2-} groups. Magnetic susceptibility of the polymer reveals weak antiferromagnetic interactions between the Gd(III) ions with the relatively large magneto-caloric effect of –ΔS{sub m}=28.8 J Kg{sup −1} K{sup −1} for ΔH= 7T.

Amplified spontaneous emission from the exciplex state of a conjugated polymer "PFO" in oleic acid

Science.gov (United States)

Idriss, Hajo; Taha, Kamal K.; Aldaghri, O.; Alhathlool, R.; AlSalhi, M. S.; Ibnaouf, K. H.

2016-09-01

The amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) characteristics of a conjugated polymer poly (9, 9-dioctylfluorenyl-2, 7-diyl) (PFO) in oleic acid have been studied under different concentrations and temperatures. Here, the ASE spectra of PFO in oleic acid have been obtained using a transverse cavity configuration where the conjugated PFO was pumped by laser pulses from the third harmonic of Nd: YAG laser (355 nm). The PFO in oleic acid produces ASE from an exciplex state - a new molecular species. The obtained results were compared with the PFO in benzene. Such ASE spectra from the exciplex state have not been observed for the PFO in benzene.

High-performance polymer waveguide devices via low-cost direct photolithography process

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jianguo; Shustack, Paul J.; Garner, Sean M.

2002-09-01

All-optical networks provide unique opportunities for polymer waveguide devices because of their excellent mechanical, thermo-optic, and electro-optic properties. Polymer materials and components have been viewed as a viable solution for metropolitan and local area networks where high volume and low cost components are needed. In this paper, we present our recent progress on the design and development of photoresist-like highly fluorinated maleimide copolymers including waveguide fabrication and optical testing. We have developed and synthesized a series of thermally stable, (Tg>150 oC, Td>300 oC) highly fluorinated (>50%) maleimide copolymers by radical co-polymerization of halogenated maleimides with various halogenated co-monomers. A theoretical correlation between optical loss and different co-polymer structures has been quantitatively established from C-H overtone analysis. We studied this correlation through design and manipulation of the copolymer structure by changing the primary properties such as molecular weight, copolymer composition, copolymer sequence distribution, and variations of the side chain including photochemically functional side units. Detailed analysis has been obtained using various characterization methods such as (H, C13, F19) NMR, UV-NIR, FTIR, GPC and so forth. The co-polymers exhibit excellent solubility in ketone solvents and high quality thin films can be prepared by spin coating. The polymer films were found to have a refractive index range of 1.42-1.67 and optical loss in the range of 0.2 to 0.4 dB/cm at 1550nm depending on the composition as extrapolated from UV-NIR spectra. When glycidyl methacrylate is incorporated into the polymer backbone, the material behaves like a negative photoresist with the addition of cationic photoinitiator. The final crosslinked waveguides show excellent optical and thermal properties. The photolithographic processing of the highly fluorinated copolymer material was examined in detail using in

Conducting polymer nanowire arrays for high performance supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kai; Wu, Haiping; Meng, Yuena; Wei, Zhixiang

2014-01-15

This Review provides a brief summary of the most recent research developments in the fabrication and application of one-dimensional ordered conducting polymers nanostructure (especially nanowire arrays) and their composites as electrodes for supercapacitors. By controlling the nucleation and growth process of polymerization, aligned conducting polymer nanowire arrays and their composites with nano-carbon materials can be prepared by employing in situ chemical polymerization or electrochemical polymerization without a template. This kind of nanostructure (such as polypyrrole and polyaniline nanowire arrays) possesses high capacitance, superior rate capability ascribed to large electrochemical surface, and an optimal ion diffusion path in the ordered nanowire structure, which is proved to be an ideal electrode material for high performance supercapacitors. Furthermore, flexible, micro-scale, threadlike, and multifunctional supercapacitors are introduced based on conducting polyaniline nanowire arrays and their composites. These prototypes of supercapacitors utilize the high flexibility, good processability, and large capacitance of conducting polymers, which efficiently extend the usage of supercapacitors in various situations, and even for a complicated integration system of different electronic devices. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Vacuum-integrated electrospray deposition for highly reliable polymer thin film.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Soohyung; Lee, Younjoo; Yi, Yeonjin

2012-10-01

Vacuum electrospray deposition (ESD) equipment was designed to prepare polymer thin films. The polymer solution can be injected directly into vacuum system through multi-stage pumping line, so that the solvent residues and ambient contaminants are highly reduced. To test the performance of ESD system, we fabricated organic photovoltaic cells (OPVCs) by injecting polymer solution directly onto the substrate inside a high vacuum chamber. The OPVC fabricated has the structure of Al∕P3HT:PCBM∕PEDOT:PSS∕ITO and was optimized by varying the speed of solution injection and concentration of the solution. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the optimized OPVC is 3.14% under AM 1.5G irradiation without any buffer layer at the cathode side. To test the advantages of the vacuum ESD, we exposed the device to atmosphere between the deposition steps of the active layer and cathode. This showed that the PCE of the vacuum processed device is 24% higher than that of the air exposed device and confirms the advantages of the vacuum prepared polymer film for high performance devices.

Thiolated Hyaluronic Acid as Versatile Mucoadhesive Polymer: From the Chemistry Behind to Product Developments—What Are the Capabilities?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janine Griesser

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Within the last decade, intensive research work has been conducted on thiolated hyaluronic acids (HA-SH. By attaching sulfhydryl ligands onto naturally occurring hyaluronic acid various types of HA-SH can be designed. Due the ability of disulfide bond formation within the polymer itself as well as with biological materials, certain properties such as mucoadhesive, gelling, enzyme inhibitory, permeation enhancing and release controlling properties are improved. Besides the application in the field of drug delivery, HA-SH has been investigated as auxiliary material for wound healing. Within this review, the characteristics of novel drug delivery systems based on HA-SH are summarized and the versatility of this polymer for further applications is described by introducing numerous relevant studies in this field.

Multilayer affinity adsorption of albumin on polymer brushes modified membranes in a continuous-flow system.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Meng-Xin; Li, Xiang; Li, Ji-Nian; Huang, Jing-Jing; Ren, Ge-Rui

2018-02-23

Polymer brushes modified surfaces have been widely used for protein immobilization and isolation. Modification of membranes with polymer brushes increases the surface concentration of affinity ligands used for protein binding. Albumin is one of the transporting proteins and shows a high affinity to bile acids. In this work, the modified membranes with cholic acid-containing polymer brushes can be facilely prepared by the immobilization of cholic acid on the poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) grafted microporous polypropylene membranes (MPPMs) for affinity adsorption of albumin. ATR/FT-IR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the chemical composition of the modified membranes. Water contact angle measurements were used to analyze the hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of the membrane surface. The modified MPPMs show a high affinity to albumin and have little non-specific adsorption of hemoglobin. The dynamic binding capacity of albumin in the continous-flow system increases with the cycle number and feed rate as the binding degree of cholic acid is moderate. The highest binding capacity of affinity membranes is about 52.49 g/m 2 membrane, which is about 24 times more than the monolayer binding capacity. These results reveal proteins could be captured in multilayers by the polymer brushes containing affinity ligands similar to the polymer brushes containing ion-exchange groups, which open up the potential of the polymer brushes containing affinity ligands in protein or another components separation. And the cholic acid containing polymer brushes modified membranes has the promising potential for albumin separation and purification rapidly from serum or fermented solution in medical diagnosis and bioseparation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTITUMOR ACTIVITY OF A Ca (II COORDINATION POLYMER BASED ON 3-AMINO-2-PYRAZINECARBOXYLIC ACID

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

XI-SHI TAI

2015-10-01

Full Text Available A new Ca(II coordination polymer has been obtained by reaction of Ca(ClO42·H2O with 3-amino-2-pyrazinecarboxylic acid in CH3CH2OH/H2O. It was characterized by IR, 1HNMR, thermal analysis and X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis. X-ray analysis reveals that each Ca(II center is seven-coordination with a N2O5 distorted pentagonal bipyramidal coordination environment. The Ca(II ions are linked through the O atoms of 3-amino-2-pyrazinecarboxylic acid ligands to form 1D chain structure. And then a 3D network structure is constructed by hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking. The antitumor activity of 3-amino-2-pyrazinecarboxylic acid ligand and its Ca(II coordination polymer against human intestinal adenocarcinoma HCT-8 cells, lung adenocarcinoma HCT-116 cells and human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells line have been investigated.

Design of molecular imprinted polymers compatible with aqueous environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Piletska, Elena V; Guerreiro, Antonio R; Romero-Guerra, Maria; Chianella, Iva; Turner, Anthony P F; Piletsky, Sergey A

2008-01-21

The main problem of poor water compatibility of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) was addressed in examples describing design of synthetic receptors with high affinity for drugs of abuse. An extensive potentiometric titration of 10 popular functional monomers and corresponding imprinted and blank polymers was conducted in order to evaluate the subtleties of functional groups ionisation under aqueous conditions. It was found that polymers prepared using 2-trifluoromethacrylic acid (TFMAA) in combination with toluene as porogen possess superior properties which make them suitable for effective template recognition in water. The potential impact of phase separation during polymerisation on formation of high quality imprints has been discussed. Three drugs of abuse such as cocaine, deoxyephedrine and methadone were used as template models in polymer preparation for the practical validation of obtained results. The polymer testing showed that synthesized molecularly imprinted polymers have high affinity and selectivity for corresponding templates in aqueous environment, with imprinting factors of 2.6 for cocaine and 1.4 for methadone and deoxyephedrine. Corresponding blank polymers were unable to differentiate between analytes, suggesting that imprinting phenomenon was responsible for the recognition properties.

Control and experimental characterization of a methanol reformer for a 350 W high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Søren Juhl; Kær, Søren Knudsen; Sahlin, Simon Lennart

2013-01-01

is the water and methanol mixture fuel flow and the burner fuel/air ratio and combined flow. An experimental setup is presented capable of testing the methanol reformer used in the Serenergy H3 350 Mobile Battery Charger; a high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (HTPEM) fuel cell system......This work presents a control strategy for controlling the methanol reformer temperature of a 350 W high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell system, by using a cascade control structure for reliable system operation. The primary states affecting the methanol catalyst bed temperature....... The experimental system consists of a fuel evaporator utilizing the high temperature waste gas from the cathode air cooled 45 cell HTPEM fuel cell stack. The fuel cells used are BASF P1000 MEAs which use phosphoric acid doped polybenzimidazole membranes. The resulting reformate gas output of the reformer system...

Biochemical synthesis of water soluble conducting polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Bruno, Ferdinando F.; Bernabei, Manuele

2016-05-01

An efficient biomimetic route for the synthesis of conducting polymers/copolymers complexed with lignin sulfonate and sodium (polystyrenesulfonate) (SPS) will be presented. This polyelectrolyte assisted PEG-hematin or horseradish peroxidase catalyzed polymerization of pyrrole (PYR), 3,4 ethyldioxithiophene (EDOT) and aniline has provided a route to synthesize water-soluble conducting polymers/copolymers under acidic conditions. The UV-vis, FTIR, conductivity and cyclic voltammetry studies for the polymers/copolymer complex indicated the presence of a thermally stable and electroactive polymers. Moreover, the use of water-soluble templates, used as well as dopants, provided a unique combination of properties such as high electronic conductivity, and processability. These polymers/copolymers are nowadays tested/evaluated for antirust features on airplanes and helicopters. However, other electronic applications, such as photovoltaics, for transparent conductive polyaniline, actuators, for polypyrrole, and antistatic films, for polyEDOT, will be proposed.

Biochemical synthesis of water soluble conducting polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruno, Ferdinando F., E-mail: Ferdinando-Bruno@uml.edu [US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, Natick, MA 01760 (United States); Bernabei, Manuele [ITAF, Test Flight Centre, Chemistry Dept. Pratica di Mare AFB, 00071 Pomezia (Rome), Italy (UE) (Italy)

2016-05-18

An efficient biomimetic route for the synthesis of conducting polymers/copolymers complexed with lignin sulfonate and sodium (polystyrenesulfonate) (SPS) will be presented. This polyelectrolyte assisted PEG-hematin or horseradish peroxidase catalyzed polymerization of pyrrole (PYR), 3,4 ethyldioxithiophene (EDOT) and aniline has provided a route to synthesize water-soluble conducting polymers/copolymers under acidic conditions. The UV-vis, FTIR, conductivity and cyclic voltammetry studies for the polymers/copolymer complex indicated the presence of a thermally stable and electroactive polymers. Moreover, the use of water-soluble templates, used as well as dopants, provided a unique combination of properties such as high electronic conductivity, and processability. These polymers/copolymers are nowadays tested/evaluated for antirust features on airplanes and helicopters. However, other electronic applications, such as photovoltaics, for transparent conductive polyaniline, actuators, for polypyrrole, and antistatic films, for polyEDOT, will be proposed.

Biochemical synthesis of water soluble conducting polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruno, Ferdinando F.; Bernabei, Manuele

2016-01-01

An efficient biomimetic route for the synthesis of conducting polymers/copolymers complexed with lignin sulfonate and sodium (polystyrenesulfonate) (SPS) will be presented. This polyelectrolyte assisted PEG-hematin or horseradish peroxidase catalyzed polymerization of pyrrole (PYR), 3,4 ethyldioxithiophene (EDOT) and aniline has provided a route to synthesize water-soluble conducting polymers/copolymers under acidic conditions. The UV-vis, FTIR, conductivity and cyclic voltammetry studies for the polymers/copolymer complex indicated the presence of a thermally stable and electroactive polymers. Moreover, the use of water-soluble templates, used as well as dopants, provided a unique combination of properties such as high electronic conductivity, and processability. These polymers/copolymers are nowadays tested/evaluated for antirust features on airplanes and helicopters. However, other electronic applications, such as photovoltaics, for transparent conductive polyaniline, actuators, for polypyrrole, and antistatic films, for polyEDOT, will be proposed.

Molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix nanocomposite for enantioselective electrochemical sensing of D- and L-aspartic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prasad, Bhim Bali; Srivastava, Amrita; Tiwari, Mahavir Prasad

2013-01-01

A new molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix (titanium dioxide nanoparticle/multiwalled carbon nanotubes) nanocomposite was developed for the modification of pencil graphite electrode as an enantioselective sensing probe for aspartic acid isomers, prevalent at ultra trace level in aqueous and real samples. The nanocomposite having many shape complementary cavities was synthesized adopting surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. The proposed sensor has high stability, nanocomposite uniformity, good reproducibility, and enhanced electrocatalytic activity to respond oxidative peak current of L-aspartic acid quantitatively by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, without any cross-reactivity in real samples. Under the optimized operating conditions, the L-aspartic acid imprinted modified electrode showed a wide linear response for L-aspartic acid within the concentration range 9.98–532.72 ng mL −1 , with the minimum detection limit of 1.73–1.79 ng mL −1 (S/N = 3) in aqueous and real samples. Almost similar stringent limit (1.79 ng mL −1 ) was obtained with cerebrospinal fluid which is typical for the primitive diagnosis of neurological disorders, caused by an acute depletion of L-aspartic acid biomarker, in clinical settings. Highlights: • We have adopted surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. • This approach takes advantage of the nanostructured ultrathin imprinted film. • Successful enantioselective sensing and ultratrace analysis of D- and L-aspartic acid. • Stringent detection limit without any non-specific false-positive contribution

Molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix nanocomposite for enantioselective electrochemical sensing of D- and L-aspartic acid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prasad, Bhim Bali, E-mail: prof.bbpd@yahoo.com; Srivastava, Amrita; Tiwari, Mahavir Prasad

2013-10-15

A new molecularly imprinted polymer-matrix (titanium dioxide nanoparticle/multiwalled carbon nanotubes) nanocomposite was developed for the modification of pencil graphite electrode as an enantioselective sensing probe for aspartic acid isomers, prevalent at ultra trace level in aqueous and real samples. The nanocomposite having many shape complementary cavities was synthesized adopting surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. The proposed sensor has high stability, nanocomposite uniformity, good reproducibility, and enhanced electrocatalytic activity to respond oxidative peak current of L-aspartic acid quantitatively by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, without any cross-reactivity in real samples. Under the optimized operating conditions, the L-aspartic acid imprinted modified electrode showed a wide linear response for L-aspartic acid within the concentration range 9.98–532.72 ng mL{sup −1}, with the minimum detection limit of 1.73–1.79 ng mL{sup −1} (S/N = 3) in aqueous and real samples. Almost similar stringent limit (1.79 ng mL{sup −1}) was obtained with cerebrospinal fluid which is typical for the primitive diagnosis of neurological disorders, caused by an acute depletion of L-aspartic acid biomarker, in clinical settings. Highlights: • We have adopted surface initiated-activators regenerated by electron transfer for atom transfer radical polymerization. • This approach takes advantage of the nanostructured ultrathin imprinted film. • Successful enantioselective sensing and ultratrace analysis of D- and L-aspartic acid. • Stringent detection limit without any non-specific false-positive contribution.

Water Soluble Polymers as Proton Exchange Membranes for Fuel Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bing-Joe Hwang

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The relentless increase in the demand for useable power from energy-hungry economies continues to drive energy-material related research. Fuel cells, as a future potential power source that provide clean-at-the-point-of-use power offer many advantages such as high efficiency, high energy density, quiet operation, and environmental friendliness. Critical to the operation of the fuel cell is the proton exchange membrane (polymer electrolyte membrane responsible for internal proton transport from the anode to the cathode. PEMs have the following requirements: high protonic conductivity, low electronic conductivity, impermeability to fuel gas or liquid, good mechanical toughness in both the dry and hydrated states, and high oxidative and hydrolytic stability in the actual fuel cell environment. Water soluble polymers represent an immensely diverse class of polymers. In this comprehensive review the initial focus is on those members of this group that have attracted publication interest, principally: chitosan, poly (ethylene glycol, poly (vinyl alcohol, poly (vinylpyrrolidone, poly (2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid and poly (styrene sulfonic acid. The paper then considers in detail the relationship of structure to functionality in the context of polymer blends and polymer based networks together with the effects of membrane crosslinking on IPN and semi IPN architectures. This is followed by a review of pore-filling and other impregnation approaches. Throughout the paper detailed numerical results are given for comparison to today’s state-of-the-art Nafion® based materials.

Characterization and properties of acetylated nanocrystalline cellulose (aNC) reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Kasa, Siti Norbaya; Omar, Mohd Firdaus; Ismail, Ismarul Nizam

2017-12-01

Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) was synthesized from banana stem through strong acid hydrolysis with measured length of approximately 287.0 ± 56.4 nm and diameter of 26.6 ± 4.8 nm. Modification of NCC was carried by acetylation reaction in order to increase the compatibility during reinforcement with polylactic acid (PLA) polymer. The reinforcing effect towards morphology, crystallinity, mechanical and thermal properties of bio-nanocomposites was investigated. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) micrograph reveals the uniform dispersion achieved at 1 %, 3 % and 5% aNC loading while agglomeration was found at 7 % aNC loading. Disappearance of crystallinity peak at 2θ = 22.7⁰ for low aNC loading during elemental analysis using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) indicates the proper dispersion of aNC in PLA polymer. From the tensile test, 1 % aNC loading gives the highest mechanical properties of bio-nanocomposite film with 82.71 %, 118.7 % and 24.18 % increment in tensile strength, tensile modulus and elongation at break. However, 7 % aNC loading gives the highest increment in TGA of aNC-PLA nanocomposites which is from 310 °C to 320 °C.

Synthesis and characterization of polyesters derived from glycerol and phthalic acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danilo Hansen Guimarães

2007-09-01

Full Text Available The production of polyester via polycondensation between glycerol and phthalic acid using dibutyltin dilaurate is reported. Three glycerol:phthalic acid molar ratio used for the bulk polymerization were: 2:2; 2:3 and 2:4. FTIR confirmed the esterification of glycerol by the acid for all the polymers. DSC indicated no crystallinity, although the XRD plots indicate a very incipient crystallinity for the polymers containing higher amounts of phthalic anhydride. Scanning electron microscopy results indicates high homogeneity for all the polymers prepared.

Stability of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid polymer microgels under various conditions of temperature, pH and salt concentration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zahoor H. Farooqi

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This research article describes the colloidal stability of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid [P(NIPAM-co-AAc] polymer microgels with different acrylic acid contents in aqueous medium under various conditions of temperature, pH and sodium chloride concentrations. Three samples of multi-responsive P(NIPAM-co-AAc polymer microgels were synthesized using different amounts of acrylic acid by free radical emulsion polymerization. Dynamic laser light scattering was used to investigate the responsive behavior and stability of the prepared microgels under various conditions of pH, temperature and ionic strength. The microgels were found to be stable at all pH values above the pKa value of acrylic acid moiety in the temperature range from 15 to 60 °C in the presence and absence of sodium chloride. Increase in temperature, salt concentration and decrease in pH causes aggregation and decreases the stability of microgels due to the decrease in hydrophilicity.

Dye-Incorporated Polynaphthalenediimide Acceptor for Additive-Free High-Performance All-Polymer Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Dong; Yao, Jia; Chen, Lie; Yin, Jingping; Lv, Ruizhi; Huang, Bin; Liu, Siqi; Zhang, Zhi-Guo; Yang, Chunhe; Chen, Yiwang; Li, Yongfang

2018-04-16

All-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs) can offer unique advantages for applications in flexible devices, and naphthalene diimide (NDI)-based polymer acceptors are the widely used polymer acceptors. However, their power conversion efficiency (PCE) still lags behind that of state-of-the-art polymer solar cells, due to low light absorption, suboptimal energy levels and the strong aggregation of the NDI-based polymer acceptor. Herein, a rhodanine-based dye molecule was introduced into the NDI-based polymer acceptor by simple random copolymerization and showed an improved light absorption coefficient, an up-shifted lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level and reduced crystallization. Consequently, additive-free all-PSCs demonstrated a high PCE of 8.13 %, which is one of the highest performance characteristics reported for all-PSCs to date. These results indicate that incorporating a dye into the n-type polymer gives insight into the precise design of high-performance polymer acceptors for all-PSCs. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Melting point of polymers under high pressure Part I: Influence of the polymer properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seeger, Andreas; Freitag, Detlef; Freidel, Frank; Luft, Gerhard

2004-01-01

The pressure dependence of the melting point of various polymers including homo- and copolymers (HDPE, LDPE, PP and ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers (EVA)) was investigated under nitrogen atmosphere up to 330 MPa within a high pressure differential thermal analysis cell designed by our group. The properties of the polymers (vinylacetate content, melt flow index, molecular weight, isotactic index, crystallinity, density, and frequency of branching) have been correlated with the change of the melting point under pressure (dT m /dp). It could be shown that the melting point always increases linearly with pressure up to 330 MPa. The pressure dependence was found to be in the range of 11-17 K/(100 MPa). From these results it is possible to approximate dT m /dp using the enthalpy of fusion of the polymers at ambient pressure

Controlled release of liraglutide using thermogelling polymers in treatment of diabetes

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yipei; Li, Yuzhuo; Shen, Wenjia; Li, Kun; Yu, Lin; Chen, Qinghua; Ding, Jiandong

2016-01-01

In treatment of diabetes, it is much desired in clinics and challenging in pharmaceutics and material science to set up a long-acting drug delivery system. This study was aimed at constructing a new delivery system using thermogelling PEG/polyester copolymers. Liraglutide, a fatty acid-modified antidiabetic polypeptide, was selected as the model drug. The thermogelling polymers were presented by poly(ε-caprolactone-co-glycolic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone-co-glycolic acid) (PCGA-PEG-PCGA) and poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA-PEG-PLGA). Both the copolymers were soluble in water, and their concentrated solutions underwent temperature-induced sol-gel transitions. The drug-loaded polymer solutions were injectable at room temperature and gelled in situ at body temperature. Particularly, the liraglutide-loaded PCGA-PEG-PCGA thermogel formulation exhibited a sustained drug release manner over one week in both in vitro and in vivo tests. This feature was attributed to the combined effects of an appropriate drug/polymer interaction and a high chain mobility of the carrier polymer, which facilitated the sustained diffusion of drug out of the thermogel. Finally, a single subcutaneous injection of this formulation showed a remarkably improved glucose tolerance of mice for one week. Hence, the present study not only developed a promising long-acting antidiabetic formulation, but also put forward a combined strategy for controlled delivery of polypeptide. PMID:27531588

Application of encapsulation (pH-sensitive polymer and phosphate buffer macrocapsules): A novel approach to remediation of acidic ground water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aelion, C. Marjorie; Davis, Harley T.; Flora, Joseph R.V.; Kirtland, Brian C.; Amidon, Mark B.

2009-01-01

Macrocapsules, composed of a pH-sensitive polymer and phosphate buffer, offer a novel remediation alternative for acidic ground waters. To test their potential effectiveness, laboratory experiments were carried out followed by a field trial within a coal pile runoff (CPR) acidic contaminant plume. Results of traditional limestone and macrocapsule treatments were compared in both laboratory and field experiments. Macrocapsules were more effective than limestone as a passive treatment for raising pH in well water from 2.5 to 6 in both laboratory and field experiments. The limestone treatments had limited impact on pH, only increasing pH as high as 3.3, and armoring by iron was evident in the field trial. Aluminum, iron and sulfate concentrations remained relatively constant throughout the experiments, but phosphate increased (0.15-32 mg/L), indicating macrocapsule release. This research confirmed that macrocapsules may be an effective alternative to limestone to treat highly acidic ground water. - Encapsulated phosphate buffer macrocapsules were more effective than limestone for passive treatment of acidic coal pile runoff (CPR) contaminated ground water, increasing pH from 2.5 to 6 in laboratory and field experiments

Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Synthesis Using RAFT Polymerisation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cormack, P.A.G.; Faizatul Shimal Mehamod; Faizatul Shimal Mehamod

2013-01-01

In this paper, the synthesis and characterisation of caffeine-imprinted polymers are described. The polymers were prepared in monolithic form via both reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerisation and conventional free radical polymerisation, using methacrylic acid and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the functional monomer and crosslinking agent, respectively. The potential benefits in applying RAFT polymerisation techniques towards the synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are explored and elucidated. The pore structures of the polymers produced were characterised by nitrogen sorption porosimetry and the molecular recognition properties of representative products were evaluated in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) mode. Molecular imprinting effects were confirmed by analysing the relative retentions of analytes on imprinted and non-imprinted HPLC stationary phases. It was found that a caffeine-imprinted polymer synthesised by RAFT polymerisation was superior to a polymer prepared using a conventional synthetic approach; the imprinting factor and column efficiency were found to be higher for the former material. (author)

High temperature chemically resistant polymer concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Sugama, T.; Kukacka, L.E.

High temperature chemically resistant, non-aqueous polymer concrete composites consist of about 12 to 20% by weight of a water-insoluble polymer binder. The binder is polymerized in situ from a liquid vinyl-type monomer or mixture of vinyl containing monomers such as triallylcyanurate, styrene, acrylonitrile, acrylamide, methacrylamide, methyl-methacrylate, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate and divinyl benzene. About 5 to 40% by weight of a reactive inorganic filler selected from the group consisting of tricalcium silicate and dicalcium silicate and mixtures containing less than 2% free lime, and about 48 to 83% by weight of silica sand/ and a free radical initiator such as di-tert-butyl peroxide, azobisisobutyronitrile, benzoyl peroxide, lauryl peroxide, other orgaic peroxides and combinations to initiate polymerization of the monomer in the presence of the inorganic filers are used.

Improved synthesis with high yield and increased molecular weight of poly(alpha,beta-malic acid) by direct polycondensation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kajiyama, Tetsuto; Kobayashi, Hisatoshi; Taguchi, Tetsushi; Kataoka, Kazunori; Tanaka, Junzo

2004-01-01

The development of synthetic biodegradable polymers, such as poly(alpha-hydroxy acid), is particularly important for constructing medical devices, including scaffolds and sutures, and has attracted growing interest in the biomedical field. Here, we report a novel approach to preparing high molecular weight poly(malic acid) (HMW--PMA) as a biodegradable and bioabsorbable water-soluble polymer. We investigated in detail the reaction conditions for the simple direct polycondensation of l-malic acid, including the reaction times, temperatures, and catalysts. The molecular weight of synthesized alpha,beta-PMA is dependent on both the reaction temperature and time. The optimum reaction condition to obtain alpha,beta-PMA by direct polycondensation using tin(II) chloride as a catalyst was thus determined to be 110 degrees C for 45 h with a molecular weight of 5300. The method for alpha,beta-PMA synthesis established here will facilitate production of alpha,beta-PMA of various molecular weights, which may have a potential utility as biomaterials.

Raw and renewable polymers

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Joseph, S

2010-01-01

Full Text Available in the permeability of the membrane and HO H3C H3C H2C H2C HO OH NH NH OH O OC C n O O O O Fig. 4 Structure of Chitin Raw and Renewable Polymers promoting internal osmotic imbalances. This results in leaching of electrolytes and proteins. 2... is often lost. In most cases this denaturation is not reversible. R-CH-COOH NH2 w Amino acid H2N COOHR a Amino acid Fig. 5 Structure of amino acid Raw and Renewable Polymers The solubilities of proteins vary considerably based on compositions...

Polyphosphazine-based polymer materials

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Robert V.; Avci, Recep; Groenewold, Gary S.

2010-05-25

Methods of removing contaminant matter from porous materials include applying a polymer material to a contaminated surface, irradiating the contaminated surface to cause redistribution of contaminant matter, and removing at least a portion of the polymer material from the surface. Systems for decontaminating a contaminated structure comprising porous material include a radiation device configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a surface of a structure, and at least one spray device configured to apply a capture material onto the surface of the structure. Polymer materials that can be used in such methods and systems include polyphosphazine-based polymer materials having polyphosphazine backbone segments and side chain groups that include selected functional groups. The selected functional groups may include iminos, oximes, carboxylates, sulfonates, .beta.-diketones, phosphine sulfides, phosphates, phosphites, phosphonates, phosphinates, phosphine oxides, monothio phosphinic acids, and dithio phosphinic acids.

Study on the Antimicrobial Properties of Citrate-Based Biodegradable Polymers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee-Chun eSu

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Citrate-based polymers possess unique advantages for various biomedical applications since citric acid is a natural metabolism product, which is biocompatible and antimicrobial. In polymer synthesis, citric acid also provides multiple functional groups to control the crosslinking of polymers and active binding sites for further conjugation of biomolecules. Our group recently developed a number of citrate-based polymers for various biomedical applications by taking advantage of their controllable chemical, mechanical, and biological characteristics. In this study, various citric acid derived biodegradable polymers were synthesized and investigated for their physicochemical and antimicrobial properties. Results indicate that citric acid derived polymers reduced bacterial proliferation to different degrees based on their chemical composition. Among the studied polymers, poly(octamethylene citrate (POC showed approximately 70-80% suppression to microbe proliferation, owing to its relatively higher ratio of citric acid contents. Crosslinked urethane-doped polyester elastomers (CUPEs and biodegradable photoluminescent polymers (BPLPs also exhibited significant bacteria reduction of ~20% and ~50% for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, respectively. Thus, the intrinsic antibacterial properties in citrate-based polymers enable them to inhibit bacteria growth without incorporation of antibiotics, silver nanoparticles, and other traditional bacteria-killing agents suggesting that they are unique beneficial materials for wound dressing, tissue engineering, and other potential medical applications where antimicrobial property is desired.

Influence of solvent on the poly (acrylic acid)-oligo-(ethylene glycol) polymer gel electrolyte and the performance of quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Jihuai; Lan, Zhang; Lin, Jianming; Huang, Miaoliang; Hao, Shancun; Fang, Leqing

2007-01-01

The influence of solvents on the property of poly (acrylic acid)-oligo-(ethylene glycol) polymer gel electrolyte and photovoltaic performance of quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were investigated. Solvents or mixed solvents with large donor number enhance the liquid electrolyte absorbency, which further influences the ionic conductivity of polymer gel electrolyte. A polymer gel electrolyte with ionic conductivity of 4.45 mS cm -1 was obtained by using poly (acrylic acid)-oligo-(ethylene glycol) as polymer matrix, and absorbing 30 vol.% N-methyl pyrrolidone and 70 vol.% γ-butyrolactone with 0.5 M NaI and 0.05 M I 2 . By using this polymer gel electrolyte coupling with 0.4 M pyridine additive, a quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell with conversion efficiency of 4.74% was obtained under irradiation of 100 mW cm -2 (AM 1.5)

Molecularly imprinted polymer for selective extraction of malachite green from seawater and seafood coupled with high-performance liquid chromatographic determination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lian Ziru; Wang Jiangtao

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The malachite green molecularly imprinted polymer (MG-MIP) was prepared. ► The characteristics and regeneration property of MIP were studied. ► An off-line method for MG was developed using MIP as solid-phase extraction. ► The MG concentrations from seawater and seafood samples were determined. - Abstract: In this paper, a highly selective sample cleanup procedure combining molecular imprinting technique (MIT) and solid-phase extraction (SPE) was developed for the isolation of malachite green in seawater and seafood samples. The molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was prepared using malachite green as the template molecule, methacrylic acid as the functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linking monomer. The imprinted polymer and non-imprinted polymer were characterized by scanning electron microscope and static adsorption experiments. The MIP showed a high adsorption capacity and was used as selective sorbent for the SPE of malachite green. An off-line molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) method followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diodearray detection for the analysis of malachite green in seawater and seafood samples was also established. Finally, five samples were determined. The results showed that malachite green concentration in one seawater sample was at 1.30 μg L −1 and the RSD (n = 3) was 4.15%.

Chitosan-Based Hyaluronic Acid Hybrid Polymer Fibers as a Scaffold Biomaterial for Cartilage Tissue Engineering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shintarou Yamane

2010-12-01

Full Text Available An ideal scaffold material is one that closely mimics the natural environment in the tissue-specific extracellular matrix (ECM. Therefore, we have applied hyaluronic acid (HA, which is a main component of the cartilage ECM, to chitosan as a fundamental material for cartilage regeneration. To mimic the structural environment of cartilage ECM, the fundamental structure of a scaffold should be a three-dimensional (3D system with adequate mechanical strength. We structurally developed novel polymer chitosan-based HA hybrid fibers as a biomaterial to easily fabricate 3D scaffolds. This review presents the potential of a 3D fabricated scaffold based on these novel hybrid polymer fibers for cartilage tissue engineering.

Intrinsically Microporous Polymer Membranes for High Performance Gas Separation

KAUST Repository

Swaidan, Raja

2014-01-01

This dissertation addresses the rational design of intrinsically microporous solutionprocessable polyimides and ladder polymers for highly permeable and highly selective gas transport in cornerstone applications of membrane-based gas separation

Radiation crosslinking of polymer materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshii, Fumio

2004-01-01

It was found that some polyfunctional monomers (PFM) like triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC) and trimethallyl isocyanurate (TMAIC) when incorporated at low concentrations, are effective for promotion of crosslinking of biodegradable polymers such as polycaprolactone (PCL), poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBS) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA). PFM are kneaded with biodegradable polymers at molten condition before irradiation. Radiation crosslinking of PBS and PCL with 1% TAIC gave gel fractions of 80% at 20 kGy. This crosslinking is effective to improve deformation of biodegradable polymers at high temperature. The irradiated materials retained their biodegradability even after crosslinking when subjected to soil burial test. Irradiation at molten state (melting temperature, 340degC) led to crosslinking structures for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Crosslinked PTFE forms transparent films with high abrasion property and high radiation resistance. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) has a higher gel fraction in irradiation at molten state than irradiation at ordinary temperature. Crosslinked HDPE has been applied as knee joints in order to have high abrasion. Radiation crosslinked polycarbosilane (PCS) fiber gives high heat resistant silicon carbide (SiC) after firing. EB irradiation of PCS is effective to improve strength of product and to inhibit flow during carbonization. SiC, being resistant to high temperature will be applied in turbine and body of rockets. (author)

Preparation and characterization of high performance Schiff-base liquid crystal diepoxide polymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Huan; Fu Zien; Xu Kai; Cai Hualun; Liu Xin; Chen Mingcai

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: The specific effects of highly conjugated Schiff-base moiety on thermal properties of the Schiff-base epoxy polymer were proposed first by us. From the point of view of structure-properties relationship, it can be considered that owing to the presence of the Schiff-base group, the high performance liquid crystal diepoxide polymer displayed improved thermal stability. Highlights: ► In this work, we first proposed that specific effects of highly conjugated Schiff-base moiety on thermal properties of the Schiff-base epoxy polymer. ► As one aim of this study, the thermal and thermal-oxidative stabilities of the thermosets were studied by TGA under nitrogen and under air. ► The second aim of this study was to further understand the thermal degradation mechanism. ► For thermal degradation mechanism of this polymer under nitrogen, TG-IR was used to investigate volatile components, and SEM/EDS was used to explore morphologies and chemical components of the residual char. ► From the point of view of structure-properties relationship, it can be considered that owing to the presence of the Schiff-base group, the high performance liquid crystal diepoxide polymer displayed the improved thermal stability. - Abstract: A novel Schiff-base liquid crystal diepoxide polymer was prepared via a thermal copolymerization of a Schiff-base epoxy monomer (PBMBA) with a diamine co-monomer (MDA). We first proposed that specific effects of highly conjugated Schiff-base moiety on thermal properties of the Schiff-base epoxy polymer (PBMBA/MDA). Thermal degradation behavior of the polymer was characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) under nitrogen and under air, respectively. Thermogravimetric data obtained from TGA under nitrogen and under air reveal that PBMBA/MDA exhibits higher thermal stability compared with bisphenol-A type epoxy polymer (DGEBA/MDA) and other mesogene-containing epoxy polymer. It is worth pointing out that the outstanding residual

Utilization of star-shaped polymer architecture in the creation of high-density polymer brush coatings for the prevention of platelet and bacteria adhesion

Science.gov (United States)

Totani, Masayasu; Terada, Kayo; Terashima, Takaya; Kim, Ill Yong; Ohtsuki, Chikara; Xi, Chuanwu; Tanihara, Masao

2014-01-01

We demonstrate utilization of star-shaped polymers as high-density polymer brush coatings and their effectiveness to inhibit the adhesion of platelets and bacteria. Star polymers consisting of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) and/or poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), were synthesized using living radical polymerization with a ruthenium catalyst. The polymer coatings were prepared by simple drop casting of the polymer solution onto poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) surfaces and then dried. Among the star polymers prepared in this study, the PHEMA star polymer (star-PHEMA) and the PHEMA/PMMA (mol. ratio of 71/29) heteroarm star polymer (star-H71M29) coatings showed the highest percentage of inhibition against platelet adhesion (78–88% relative to noncoated PET surface) and Escherichia coli (94–97%). These coatings also showed anti-adhesion activity against platelets after incubation in Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline or surfactant solution for 7 days. In addition, the PMMA component of the star polymers increased the scratch resistance of the coating. These results indicate that the star-polymer architecture provides high polymer chain density on PET surfaces to prevent adhesion of platelets and bacteria, as well as coating stability and physical durability to prevent exposure of bare PET surfaces. The star polymers provide a simple and effective approach to preparing anti-adhesion polymer coatings on biomedical materials against the adhesion of platelets and bacteria. PMID:25485105

Three coordination polymers constructed from 5-(4-(tetrazol-5-yl)phenyl)isophthalic acid: Synthesis, crystal structure and properties

Science.gov (United States)

Zhai, Dandan; Sun, Wujuan; Fan, Fei; Liao, Xuzhao; Chen, Sanping; Yang, Xuwu

2017-04-01

Three new coordination polymers, namely, {[Co2(TPA)(μ3-O)3]·0.5DMA}n (1), {[Co(H2TPA)(bibp)(H2O)3]·H2O}n (2) and {[Cd3(TPA)2(phen)4]·4H2O}n (3), (H3TPA = 5-(4-(tetrazol-5-yl)phenyl)isophthalic acid, bibp = 4,4'-bis(imidazolyl)biphenyl, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline and DMA = N,N-dimethylacetamide), have been synthesized under solvothermal conditions and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Polymer 1 exhibits a three-dimensional (3D) structure constructed from 5-connected secondary building units (SBUs) [Co3(μ3-O)] and 3-connected H3TPA ligands. Polymer 2 has a 1D zigzag polymer chain connected by H3TPA and bibp ligands. Polymer 3 features an unusual 3D framework with a (3,4,2)-connected {4; 6;8}{4; 62;83} topology. Moreover, the thermal stabilities of 1-3 and photoluminescence properties of 3 have been investigated. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate that polymers 1-2 display antiferromagnetic exchange properties.

Low-Cost Nanocellulose-Reinforced High-Temperature Polymer Composites for Additive Manufacturing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozcan, Soydan [ORNL; Tekinalp, Halil L [ORNL; Love, Lonnie J [ORNL; Kunc, Vlastimil [ORNL; Nelson, Kim [American Process Inc.

2016-07-13

ORNL worked with American Process Inc. to demonstrate the potential use of bio-based BioPlus^® lignin-coated cellulose nanofibrils (L-CNF) as a reinforcing agent in the development of polymer feedstock suitable for additive manufacturing. L-CNF-reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) testing coupons were prepared and up to 69% increase in tensile strength and 133% increase in elastic modulus were demonstrated.

Removal of carbamazepine and clofibric acid from water using double templates-molecularly imprinted polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Chao-meng; Zhang, Juan; Zhang, Ya-lei; Zhou, Xue-fei; Duan, Yan-ping; Liu, Shu-guang

2013-08-01

A novel double templates-molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was prepared by precipitation polymerization using carbamazepine (CBZ) and clofibric acid (CA) as the double templates molecular and 2-vinylpyridine as functional monomer. The equilibrium data of MIP was well described by the Freundlich isotherm model. Two kinetic models were adopted to describe the experimental data, and the pseudo second-order model well-described adsorption of CBZ and CA on the MIP. Adsorption experimental results showed that the MIP had good selectivity and adsorption capacity for CBZ and CA in the presence of competitive compounds compared with non-imprinted polymer, commercial powdered activated carbon, and C18 adsorbents. The feasibility of removing CBZ and CA from water by the MIP was demonstrated using tap water, lake water, and river water.

New monomers for high performance polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Gratz, Roy F.

1993-01-01

This laboratory has been concerned with the development of new polymeric materials with high thermo-oxidative stability for use in the aerospace and electronics industries. Currently, there is special emphasis on developing matrix resins and composites for the high speed civil transport (HSCT) program. This application requires polymers that have service lifetimes of 60,000 hr at 350 F (177 C) and that are readily processible into void-free composites, preferably by melt-flow or powder techniques that avoid the use of high boiling solvents. Recent work has focused on copolymers which have thermally stable imide groups separated by flexible arylene ether linkages, some with trifluoromethyl groups attached to the aromatic rings. The presence of trifluoromethyl groups in monomers and polymers often improves their solubility and processibility. The goal of this research was to synthesize several new monomers containing pendant trifluoromethyl groups and to incorporate these monomers into new imide/arylene ether copolymers. Initially, work was begun on the synthesis of three target compounds. The first two, 3,5-dihydroxybenzo trifluoride and 3-amino 5-hydroxybenzo trifluoride, are intermediates in the synthesis of more complex monomers. The third, 3,5-bis (3-amino-phenoxy) benzotrifluoride, is an interesting diamine that could be incorporated into a polyimide directly.

Polymer Ferroelectric Memory for Flexible Electronics

KAUST Repository

Khan, Mohd Adnan

2013-01-01

trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] and highly insulating dielectric poly(p-phenylene oxide) [PPO] with drastically improved fatigue and thermal stability; novel all-polymer ferroelectric diodes based on blends of ferroelectric [P(VDF-TrFE)] and n-type semiconducting [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester [PCBM] with resistive switching properties and the first hybrid p-type ferroelectric memory with transparent tin monoxide [SnO] on plastic substrates with record mobilities.

Polymer Ferroelectric Memory for Flexible Electronics

KAUST Repository

Khan, Mohd Adnan

2013-11-01

trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] and highly insulating dielectric poly(p-phenylene oxide) [PPO] with drastically improved fatigue and thermal stability; novel all-polymer ferroelectric diodes based on blends of ferroelectric [P(VDF-TrFE)] and n-type semiconducting [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester [PCBM] with resistive switching properties and the first hybrid p-type ferroelectric memory with transparent tin monoxide [SnO] on plastic substrates with record mobilities.

Quickly updatable hologram images with high performance photorefractive polymer composites

Science.gov (United States)

Tsutsumi, Naoto; Kinashi, Kenji; Nonomura, Asato; Sakai, Wataru

2012-02-01

We present here quickly updatable hologram images using high performance photorefractive (PR) polymer composite based on poly(N-vinyl carbazole) (PVCz). PVCz is one of the pioneer materials for photoconductive polymer. PVCz/7- DCST/CzEPA/TNF (44/35/20/1 by wt) gives high diffraction efficiency of 68 % at E = 45 V/μm with fast response speed. Response speed of optical diffraction is the key parameter for real-time 3D holographic display. Key parameter for obtaining quickly updatable hologram images is to control the glass transition temperature lower enough to enhance chromophore orientation. Object image of the reflected coin surface recorded with reference beam at 532 nm (green beam) in the PR polymer composite is simultaneously reconstructed using a red probe beam at 642 nm. Instead of using coin object, object image produced by a computer was displayed on a spatial light modulator (SLM) is used as an object for hologram. Reflected object beam from a SLM interfered with reference beam on PR polymer composite to record a hologram and simultaneously reconstructed by a red probe beam. Movie produced in a computer was recorded as a realtime hologram in the PR polymer composite and simultaneously clearly reconstructed with a video rate.

The inhibition of anti-DNA binding to DNA by nucleic acid binding polymers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nancy A Stearns

Full Text Available Antibodies to DNA (anti-DNA are the serological hallmark of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE and can mediate disease pathogenesis by the formation of immune complexes. Since blocking immune complex formation can attenuate disease manifestations, the effects of nucleic acid binding polymers (NABPs on anti-DNA binding in vitro were investigated. The compounds tested included polyamidoamine dendrimer, 1,4-diaminobutane core, generation 3.0 (PAMAM-G3, hexadimethrine bromide, and a β-cylodextrin-containing polycation. As shown with plasma from patients with SLE, NABPs can inhibit anti-DNA antibody binding in ELISA assays. The inhibition was specific since the NABPs did not affect binding to tetanus toxoid or the Sm protein, another lupus autoantigen. Furthermore, the polymers could displace antibody from preformed complexes. Together, these results indicate that NABPs can inhibit the formation of immune complexes and may represent a new approach to treatment.

Theoretical and Experimental Studies of New Polymer-Metal High-Dielectric Constant Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Ginzburg, Valeriy; Elwell, Michael; Myers, Kyle; Cieslinski, Robert; Malowinski, Sarah; Bernius, Mark

2006-03-01

High-dielectric-constant (high-K) gate materials are important for the needs of electronics industry. Most polymers have dielectric constant in the range 2 materials with K > 10 it is necessary to combine polymers with ceramic or metal nanoparticles. Several formulations based on functionalized Au-nanoparticles (R ˜ 5 -— 10 nm) and PMMA matrix polymer are prepared. Nanocomposite films are subsequently cast from solution. We study the morphology of those nanocomposites using theoretical (Self-Consistent Mean-Field Theory [SCMFT]) and experimental (Transmission Electron Microscopy [TEM]) techniques. Good qualitative agreement between theory and experiment is found. The study validates the utility of SCMFT as screening tool for the preparation of stable (or at least metastable) polymer/nanoparticle mixtures.

Single mode step-index polymer optical fiber for humidity insensitive high temperature fiber Bragg grating sensors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Woyessa, Getinet; Fasano, Andrea; Stefani, Alessio

2016-01-01

We have fabricated the first single-mode step-index and humidity insensitive polymer optical fiber operating in the 850 nm wavelength ranges. The step-index preform is fabricated using injection molding, which is an efficient method for cost effective, flexible and fast preparation of the fiber...... preform. The fabricated single-mode step-index (SI) polymer optical fiber (POF) has a 4.8µm core made from TOPAS grade 5013S-04 with a glass transition temperature of 134°C and a 150 µm cladding made from ZEONEX grade 480R with a glass transition temperature of 138°C. The key advantages of the proposed...... SIPOF are low water absorption, high operating temperature and chemical inertness to acids and bases and many polar solvents as compared to the conventional poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) and polystyrene based POFs. In addition, the fiber Bragg grating writing time is short compared to microstructured...

High proton conductivity in the molecular interlayer of a polymer nanosheet multilayer film.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Takuma; Hayasaka, Yuta; Mitsuishi, Masaya; Miyashita, Tokuji; Nagano, Shusaku; Matsui, Jun

2015-05-12

High proton conductivity was achieved in a polymer multilayer film with a well-defined two-dimensional lamella structure. The multilayer film was prepared by deposition of poly(N-dodecylacryamide-co-acrylic acid) (p(DDA/AA)) monolayers onto a solid substrate using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. Grazing-angle incidence X-ray diffraction measurement of a 30-layer film of p(DDA/AA) showed strong diffraction peaks in the out-of-plane direction at 2θ = 2.26° and 4.50°, revealing that the multilayer film had a highly uniform layered structure with a monolayer thickness of 2.0 nm. The proton conductivity of the p(DDA/AA) multilayer film parallel to the layer plane direction was 0.051 S/cm at 60 °C and 98% relative humidity with a low activation energy of 0.35 eV, which is comparable to perfluorosulfonic acid membranes. The high conductivity and low activation energy resulted from the formation of uniform two-dimensional proton-conductive nanochannels in the hydrophilic regions of the multilayer film. The proton conductivity of the multilayer film perpendicular to the layer plane was determined to be 2.1 × 10(-13) S/cm. Therefore, the multilayer film showed large anisotropic conductivity with an anisotropic ratio of 2.4 × 10(11).

High efficiency polymer solar cells with vertically modulated nanoscale morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Ankit; Hong Ziruo; Yang Yang; Li Gang

2009-01-01

Nanoscale morphology has been shown to be a critical parameter governing charge transport properties of polymer bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. Recent results on vertical phase separation have intensified the research on 3D morphology control. In this paper, we intend to modify the distribution of donors and acceptors in a classical BHJ polymer solar cell by making the active layer richer in donors and acceptors near the anode and cathode respectively. Here, we chose [6,6]-phenyl- C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) to be the acceptor material to be thermally deposited on top of [poly(3-hexylthiophene)] P3HT: the PCBM active layer to achieve a vertical composition gradient in the BHJ structure. Here we report on a solar cell with enhanced power conversion efficiency of 4.5% which can be directly correlated with the decrease in series resistance of the device.

Hydrogen production by electrochemical decomposition of formic acid via solid polymer electrolyte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kilic, Ebru Oender [KOSGEB Bursa Business Development Center, Besevler Kucuk Sanayi Sitesi 16149 Nilufer/Bursa (Turkey); Koparal, Ali Savas; Oeguetveren, Uelker Bakir [Anadolu University, Iki Eylul Campus, Applied Research Center for Environmental Problems 26555 Eskisehir (Turkey); Anadolu University, Iki Eylul Campus, Department of Environmental Engineering, 26555 Eskisehir (Turkey)

2009-01-15

The aim of this work is to investigate the feasibility of simultaneous hydrogen production by electrochemical decomposition of formic acid via solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) in an electrochemical reactor. Titanium oxide coated with iridium oxide as anode and carbon fibre with Pt catalyst as cathode were used in the experiments. Effects of applied current density, flow rates and temperature of formic acid solution, concentration of supporting electrolyte and pH of the solution on performance of the process have been investigated. The effect of membrane thickness has also been examined. The results suggest that electrolysis using SPE is a promising method for the treatment of organic pollutants. Hydrogen with purity of 99.999% at ambient temperature by using carbon fibre cathode with Pt catalyst can be produced simultaneously and COD removal efficiency of 95% has been achieved not requiring any chemical addition and temperature increase. Also complete electrochemical oxidation of formic acid at the original pH to CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O without production of intermediate has been proved by HPLC analysis. (author)

A polymer electrolyte membrane for high temperature fuel cells to fit vehicle applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Mingqiang; Scott, Keith

2010-01-01

Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) PTFE/PBI composite membranes doped with H 3 PO 4 were fabricated to improve the performance of high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFC). The composite membranes were fabricated by immobilising polybenzimidazole (PBI) solution into a hydrophobic porous PTFE membrane. The mechanical strength of the membrane was good exhibiting a maximum load of 35.19 MPa. After doping with the phosphoric acid, the composite membrane had a larger proton conductivity than that of PBI doped with phosphoric acid. The PTFE/PBI membrane conductivity was greater than 0.3 S cm -1 at a relative humidity 8.4% and temperature of 180 deg. C with a 300% H 3 PO 4 doping level. Use of the membrane in a fuel cell with oxygen, at 1 bar overpressure gave a peak power density of 1.2 W cm -2 at cell voltages >0.4 V and current densities of 3.0 A cm -2 . The PTFE/PBI/H 3 PO 4 composite membrane did not exhibit significant degradation after 50 h of intermittent operation at 150 deg. C. These results indicate that the composite membrane is a promising material for vehicles driven by high temperature PEMFCs.

Actinic-radiation curable polymers prepared from a reactive polymer, halogenated cyclic anhydride and glycidyl ester

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pastor, S.D.

1979-01-01

A novel class of photosensitive polymers are disclosed which are prepared by the reaction, preferably in the presence of a catalyst, of a reactive polymer, a halogenated cyclic anhydride and glycidyl ester of an alpha, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acid. These polymers are capable of undergoing vinyl-type polymerization when exposed to actinic radiation

Study on dissolution behavior of polymer-bound and polymer-blended photo-acid generator (PAG) resists

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Hiroki; Kozawa, Takahiro; Tagawa, Seiichi

2013-03-01

The requirements for the next generation resist materials are so challenging that it is indispensable for feasibility of EUV lithography to grasp basic chemistry of resist matrices in all stage of resist processes. Under such circumstances, it is very important to know dissolution characteristics of the resist film into alkaline developer though the dissolution of exposed area of resist films in alkaline developer to form a pattern is a complex reactive process. In this study, the influence of EUV and KrF exposure on the dissolution behavior of polymer bound PAG and polymer blended PAG was studied in detail using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) methods. The difference in swelling formation between KrF and EUV exposure was observed. It is likely that difference of reaction mechanism induces the difference of these swelling. Also, it is observed that the swelling of polymer-bound PAG is less than that of polymer blended PAG in both KrF and EUV exposure. This result indicates that polymer-bound PAG suppresses swelling very well and showed an excellent performance. Actually, the developed polymer bound-PAG resist showed an excellent performance (half pitch 50 nm line and space pattern). Thus, polymer bound PAG is one of the promising candidate for 16 nm EUV resist.

Highly conductive polymers: superconductivity in nanochannels or an experimental artifact?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayden, Harley; Park, Seongho; Zhirnov, Victor; Cavin, Ralph; Kohl, Paul A.

2010-01-01

There is a significant body of literature concerning the potential formation of electrically conductive moieties in polymeric materials. The conductive path is not associated with conjugation (such as in the case of 'conductive polymers') but rather associated with a new conductivity route. The objective of the experiments reported herein was to provide insight into the phenomenon of unusually high electrical conductivity in polymers that have been reported by several research groups. In some experiments, the test apparatus did indeed indicate high levels of conductance. Arguments pro and con for high conductivity based on known physical phenomena and the collected data were examined.

High pressure synthesis of zeolite/polymer nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haines, Julien; Thibaud, Jean-Marc; Rouquette, Jerome; Cambon, Olivier; Di Renzo, Francesco, E-mail: julien.haines@univ-montp2.fr [Institut Charles Gerhardt Montpellier (France); Lee, Arie van der [Institut Europeen des Membranes, Montpellier (France); Scelta, Demetrio; Ceppatelli, Matteo; Dziubek, Kamil; Gorelli, Federico; Bini, Roberto; Santoro, Mario [European Laboratory for Non Linear Spectroscopy, Firenze (Italy)

2016-07-01

Full text: Polymerization of simple organic molecules under high pressure in the subnanometric pores of pure SiO{sub 2} zeolites can be used to produce novel nanocomposite materials, which can be recovered at ambient P and have remarkable mechanical, electrical or optical properties. Polymerization of ethylene in silicalite was studied in situ at high pressure by IR and results in a nanocomposite with isolated chains of non-conducting polyethylene strongly confined in the pores based on single crystal x-ray diffraction data. The nanocomposite is much less compressible than silicalite and has a positive rather than a negative thermal expansion coefficient. In order to target novel electrical and optical properties, isolated chains of conducting polymers can also be prepared in the pores of zeolite hosts at high pressure, such as polyacetylene, which was polymerized under pressure in the pores of the 1-D zeolite TON. The structure of this nanocomposite was determined by synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction data with complete pore filling corresponding to one planar polymer chain confined in each pore with a zig-zag configuration in the yz plane. This very strong confinement can be expected to strongly modify the electrical properties of polyacetylene. In this nanocomposite, our theoretical calculations indicate that the electronic density of states of polyacetylene exhibit van Hove singularities related to quantum 1D confinement, which could lead to future technological applications. This new material is susceptible to have applications in nanoelectronics, nanophotonics and energy and light harvesting. Completely novel nanocomposites were prepared by the polymerization of carbon monoxide CO in silicalite and TON. In these materials, isolated, ideal polycarbonyl chains are obtained in contrast to the non-stoichiometric, branched bulk polymers obtained by high pressure polymerization of this simple system. These poly CO/zeolite composites could be interesting energetic

High speed electro optic polymer micro-ringresonator

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leinse, Arne; Diemeer, Mart; Driessen, A.

2004-01-01

An electro-optic polymer micro-ring resonator for high speed modulation was designed, realized and characterized. The design of layer-stack and electrodes was done such that modulation frequencies up till 1 GHz should be possible. The device consists of a ridge waveguide, defined in a negative

Water and UV degradable lactic acid polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Bonsignore, P.V.; Coleman, R.D.

1996-10-08

A water and UV light degradable copolymer is described made from monomers of lactic acid and a modifying monomer selected from the class consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, P-dioxanone, 1,5 dioxepan-2-one, 1,4-oxathialan-2-one, 1,4-dioxide and mixtures thereof. These copolymers are useful for waste disposal and agricultural purposes. Also disclosed is a water degradable blend of polylactic acid or modified polylactic acid and high molecular weight polyethylene oxide wherein the high molecular weight polyethylene oxide is present in the range of from about 2 by weight to about 50% by weight, suitable for films. A method of applying an active material selected from the class of seeds, seedlings, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and mixtures thereof to an agricultural site is also disclosed.

Thiolated polymers: evaluation of their potential as dermoadhesive excipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Grießinger, Julia Anita; Bonengel, Sonja; Partenhauser, Alexandra; Ijaz, Muhammad; Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

2017-02-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare four different thiolated polymers regarding their dermoadhesive potential. Therefore, three hydrophilic polymers (poly(acrylic acid), Carbopol 971 and carboxymethylcellulose) and a lipophilic polymer (silicone oil) were chosen to generate thiolated polymers followed by characterization. The total work of adhesion (TWA) and the maximum detachment force (MDF) of formulations containing modified and unmodified polymers were investigated on skin obtained from pig ears using a tensile sandwich technique. The synthesis of thiolated polymers provided 564 µmol, 1079 µmol, 482 µmol and 217 µmol thiol groups per gram poly(acrylic acid), Carbopol 971, carboxymethylcellulose and silicone oil, respectively. Hydrogels containing poly(acrylic acid)-cysteine, Carbopol 971-cysteine, and carboxymethylcellulose-cysteamine exhibited a 6-fold, 25-fold and 9-fold prolonged adhesion on porcine skin than the hydrogel formulations prepared from the corresponding unmodified polymers, respectively. Furthermore, thiolation of silicone oil with thioglycolic acid led to a 5-fold improvement in adhesion compared to the unmodified silicone oil. A comparison between the four thiolated polymer formulations showed a clear correlation between the amount of coupled thiol groups and the TWA. According to these results thiomers might also be useful excipients to provide a prolonged dermal resistance time of various formulations.

Development of Highly Efficient Grafting Technique and Synthesis of Natural Polymer-Based Graft Adsorbent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ueki, Y; Seko, N; Tamada, M [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Takasaki (Japan)

2012-09-15

In the framework of the CRP, Japan has focused on the development of fibrous adsorbents for removal of toxic metal ions and recovery of significant metal ions from industrial wastewater and streaming water. Graft polymerization was carried out by using gamma irradiation facility and electron beam accelerator. Emulsion grafting is a novel topic for synthesis of metal ion adsorbents which are prepared from fibrous trunk polymers such as polyethylene fibre and biodegradable nonwoven fabrics. The emulsion grafting, where monomer micelles are dispersed in water in the presence of surfactant, is a highly efficient and economic grafting technique as compared to general organic solvent system. The resultant cotton-based adsorbent has high adsorption efficiency and high adsorption capacity for Hg, besides, it is biodegradable. Polylactic acid can also be used as a trunk material for the grafting. (author)

CO2-assisted high pressure homogenization: a solvent-free process for polymeric microspheres and drug-polymer composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Kluge, Johannes; Mazzotti, Marco

2012-10-15

The study explores the enabling role of near-critical CO(2) as a reversible plasticizer in the high pressure homogenization of polymer particles, aiming at their comminution as well as at the formation of drug-polymer composites. First, the effect of near-critical CO(2) on the homogenization of aqueous suspensions of poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) was investigated. Applying a pressure drop of 900 bar and up to 150 passes across the homogenizer, it was found that particles processed in the presence of CO(2) were generally of microspherical morphology and at all times significantly smaller than those obtained in the absence of a plasticizer. The smallest particles, exhibiting a median x(50) of 1.3 μm, were obtained by adding a small quantity of ethyl acetate, which exerts on PLGA an additional plasticizing effect during the homogenization step. Further, the study concerns the possibility of forming drug-polymer composites through simultaneous high pressure homogenization of the two relevant solids, and particularly the effect of near-critical CO(2) on this process. Therefore, PLGA was homogenized together with crystalline S-ketoprofen (S-KET), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, at a drug to polymer ratio of 1:10, a pressure drop of 900 bar and up to 150 passes across the homogenizer. When the process was carried out in the presence of CO(2), an impregnation efficiency of 91% has been reached, corresponding to 8.3 wt.% of S-KET in PLGA; moreover, composite particles were of microspherical morphology and significantly smaller than those obtained in the absence of CO(2). The formation of drug-polymer composites through simultaneous homogenization of the two materials is thus greatly enhanced by the presence of CO(2), which increases the efficiency for both homogenization and impregnation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biodegradable Nanoparticles Made of Amino-Acid-Based Ester Polymers: Preparation, Characterization, and In Vitro Biocompatibility Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Temur Kantaria

2016-12-01

Full Text Available A systematic study of fabricating nanoparticles (NPs by cost-effective polymer deposition/solvent displacement (nanoprecipitation method has been carried out. Five amino acid based biodegradable (AABB ester polymers (four neutral and one cationic, four organic solvents miscible with water, and eight surfactants were tested for the fabrication of the goal NPs. Depending on the nature of the AABB polymers, organic solvents and surfactants, as well as on the fabrication conditions, the size (Mean Particle Diameter of the NPs could be tuned within 42 ÷ 398 nm, the zeta-potential within 12.5 ÷ +28 mV. The stability (resuspendability of the NPs upon storage (at room temperature and refrigerated was tested as well. In Vitro biocompatibility study of the NPs was performed with four different stable cell lines: A549, HeLa (human; RAW264.7, Hepa 1-6 (murine. Comparing the NPs parameters, their stability upon storage, and the data of biological examinations the best were found: As the AABB polymer, a poly(ester amide composed of l-leucine, 1,6-hexanediol and sebacic acid–8L6, as a solvent (organic phase—DMSO, and as a surfactant, Tween 20.

Deformation and degradation of polymers in ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Uliyanchenko, E.; van der Wal, S.; Schoenmakers, P.J.

2011-01-01

Ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) using columns packed with sub-2 μm particles has great potential for separations of many types of complex samples, including polymers. However, the application of UHPLC for the analysis of polymers meets some fundamental obstacles. Small particles

The Influence of Morphology on High-Performance Polymer Field-Effect Transistors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsao, Hoi Nok; Cho, Don; Andreasen, Jens Wenzel

2009-01-01

The influence of molecular packing on the performance of polymer organic field-effect transistors is illustrated in this work. Both close -stacking distance and long-range order are important for achieving high mobilities. By aligning the polymers from solution, long-range order is induced...

High performance all polymer solar cells fabricated via non-halogenated solvents (Presentation Recording)

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yan; Bao, Zhenan

2015-10-01

The performance of organic solar cells consisting of a donor/acceptor bulk heterojunction (BHJ) has rapidly improved over the past few years.1. Major efforts have been focused on developing a variety of donor materials to gain access to different regions of the solar spectrum as well as to improve carrier transport properties.2 On the other hand, the most utilized acceptors are still restricted to the fullerene family, which includes PC61BM, PC71BM and ICBA.2b, 3 All-polymer solar cells, consisting of polymers for both the donor and acceptor, gained significantly increased interests recently, because of their ease of solution processing, potentially low cost, versatility in molecular design, and their potential for good chemical and morphological stability due to entanglement of polymers. Unlike small molecular fullerene acceptors, polymer acceptors can benefit from the high mobility of intra-chain charge transport and exciton generation by both donor and acceptor. Despite extensive efforts on all-polymer solar cells in the past decade, the fundamental understanding of all-polymer solar cells is still in its inceptive stage regarding both the materials chemistry and structure physics.4 Thus, rational design rules must be utilized to enable fundamental materials understanding of the all polymer solar cells. We report high performance all-polymer solar cells employing polymeric donors based on isoindigo and acceptor based on perylenedicarboximide. The phase separation domain length scale correlates well with the JSC and is found to be highly sensitive to the aromatic co-monomer structures used in the crystalline donor polymers. With the PS polymer side chain engineering, the phase separation domain length scale decreased by more than 45%. The PCE and JSC of the devices increased accordingly by more than 20%. A JSC as high as 10.0 mA cm-2 is obtained with the donor-acceptor pair despite of a low LUMO-LUMO energy offset of less than 0.1 eV. All the factors such as

Novel linear polymers able to inhibit bacterial quorum sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Cavaleiro, Eliana; Duarte, Ana Sofia; Esteves, Ana Cristina; Correia, António; Whitcombe, Michael J; Piletska, Elena V; Piletsky, Sergey A; Chianella, Iva

2015-05-01

Bacterial phenotypes, such as biofilm formation, antibiotic resistance and virulence expression, are associated with quorum sensing. Quorum sensing is a density-dependent regulatory system of gene expression controlled by specific signal molecules, such as N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs), produced and released by bacteria. This study reports the development of linear polymers capable to attenuate quorum sensing by adsorption of AHLs. Linear polymers were synthesized using MMA as backbone monomer and methacrylic acid and itaconic acid as functional monomers. Two different quorum sensing-controlled phenotypes, Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence and Aeromonas hydrophila biofilm formation, were evaluated to test the polymers' efficiency. Results showed that both phenotypes were significantly affected by the polymers, with the itaconic acid-containing material being more effective than the methacrylic acid one. The polymer inhibitory effects were reverted by the addition of lactones, confirming attenuation of quorum sensing through sequestration of signal molecules. The polymers also showed no cytotoxicity when tested using a mammalian cell line. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Solvent induced synthesis, structure and properties of coordination polymers based on 5-hydroxyisophthalic acid as linker and 1,10-phenanthroline as auxiliary ligand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kariem, Mukaddus; Yawer, Mohd; Sheikh, Haq Nawaz

2015-01-01

Three new coordination polymers [Mn(hip)(phen) (H_2O)]_n (1), [Co(hip)(phen) (H_2O)]_n (2), and [Cd(hip) (phen) (H_2O)]_n (3) (H_2hip=5-hydroxyisophthalic acid; phen=1,10-phenanthroline) have been synthesized by solvo-hydrothermal method using diethyl formamide-water (DEF-H_2O) as solvent system. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that all three coordination polymers 1, 2 and 3 crystallize in monoclinic space group P2/n. Metal ions are inter-connected by hydroxyisophthalate anions forming zig-zag 1D chain. 1D chains are further inter-connected by hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking interactions leading to 3D supramolecular architecture. Hydrogen-bonding and π–π stacking provide thermal stability to polymers. Compounds 1 and 2 are paramagnetic at room temperature and variable temperature magnetic moment measurements revealed weak ferromagnetic interactions between metal ions at low temperature. Compound 3 exhibits excellent photoluminescence with large Stokes shift. - Graphical abstract: 1D helical chains of coordination polymers were synthesized by solvo-hydrothermal reaction of 5-hydroxyisopthalic acid and 1,10-phenanthroline with MnCl_2·4H_2O / CoCl_2·6H_2O / Cd(NO_3)_2·6H_2O. - Highlights: • Solvent induced synthesis of three coordination polymers with 1D zig-zag structure. • Crystal structures of coordination polymers are reported and discussed. • 1,10-Phenanthroline influences magnetic and luminescent properties of polymers. • Coordination polymer of Cd is luminescent exhibiting large Stokes shift.

Application of molecularly imprinted polymers to selective removal of clofibric acid from water.

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Chaomeng; Zhang, Juan; Zhang, Yalei; Zhou, Xuefei; Liu, Shuguang

2013-01-01

A new molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) adsorbent for clofibric acid (CA) was prepared by a non-covalent protocol. Characterization of the obtained MIP was achieved by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nitrogen sorption. Sorption experimental results showed that the MIP had excellent binding affinity for CA and the adsorption of CA by MIP was well described by pseudo-second-order model. Scatchard plot analysis revealed that two classes of binding sites were formed in the MIP with dissociation constants of 7.52 ± 0.46 mg L(-1) and 114 ± 4.2 mg L(-1), respectively. The selectivity of MIP demonstrated higher affinity for CA over competitive compound than that of non-imprinted polymers (NIP). The MIP synthesized was used to remove CA from spiked surface water and exhibited significant binding affinity towards CA in the presence of total dissolved solids (TDS). In addition, MIP reusability was demonstrated for at least 12 repeated cycles without significant loss in performance.

Application of molecularly imprinted polymers to selective removal of clofibric acid from water.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chaomeng Dai

Full Text Available A new molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP adsorbent for clofibric acid (CA was prepared by a non-covalent protocol. Characterization of the obtained MIP was achieved by scanning electron microscopy (SEM and nitrogen sorption. Sorption experimental results showed that the MIP had excellent binding affinity for CA and the adsorption of CA by MIP was well described by pseudo-second-order model. Scatchard plot analysis revealed that two classes of binding sites were formed in the MIP with dissociation constants of 7.52 ± 0.46 mg L(-1 and 114 ± 4.2 mg L(-1, respectively. The selectivity of MIP demonstrated higher affinity for CA over competitive compound than that of non-imprinted polymers (NIP. The MIP synthesized was used to remove CA from spiked surface water and exhibited significant binding affinity towards CA in the presence of total dissolved solids (TDS. In addition, MIP reusability was demonstrated for at least 12 repeated cycles without significant loss in performance.

Doped polymer electrodes for high performance ferroelectric capacitors on plastic substrates

KAUST Repository

Khan, M. A.

2012-10-03

Flexible ferroelectric capacitors with doped polymer electrodes have been fabricated on plastic substrates with performance as good as metal electrodes. The effect of doping on the morphology of polymer electrodes and its impact on device performance have been studied. Improved fatigue characteristics using doped and undoped poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) electrodes versus metal electrodes are observed. It is shown that the polymer electrodes follow classical ferroelectric and dielectric responses, including series resistance effects. The improved device characteristics obtained using highly conducting doped PEDOT:PSS suggest that it may be used both as an electrode and as global interconnect for all-polymer transparent circuits on flexible substrates.

End Functionalized Nonionic Water-Dispersible Conjugated Polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhan, Ruoyu; Liu, Bin

2017-09-01

2,7-Dibromofluorene monomers carrying two or four oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) side chains are synthesized. Heck coupling between the monomers and 1,4-divinylbenzene followed by end capping with [4-(4-bromophenoxy)butyl]carbamic acid tert-butyl ester leads to two nonionic water-dispersible poly(fluorene-alt-1,4-divinylenephenylene)s end-functionalized with amine groups after hydrolysis. In water, the polymer with a lower OEG density (P1) has poor water dispersibility with a quantum yield of 0.24, while the polymer with a higher OEG density (P2) possesses excellent water-dispersibility with a high quantum yield of 0.45. Both polymers show fluorescence enhancement and blue-shifted absorption and emission maxima in the presence of surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate and dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide. The polymers are also resistant to ionic strength with minimal nonspecific interactions to bovine serum albumin. When biotin is incorporated into the end of the polymer backbones through N-hydroxysuccinimide/amine coupling reaction, the biotinylated polymers interact specifically with streptavidin on solid surface. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High field dielectric properties of anisotropic polymer-ceramic composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomer, V.; Randall, C. A.

2008-01-01

Using dielectrophoretic assembly, we create anisotropic composites of BaTiO 3 particles in a silicone elastomer thermoset polymer. We study a variety of electrical properties in these composites, i.e., permittivity, dielectric breakdown, and energy density as function of ceramic volume fraction and connectivity. The recoverable energy density of these electric-field-structured composites is found to be highly dependent on the anisotropy present in the system. Our results indicate that x-y-aligned composites exhibit higher breakdown strengths along with large recoverable energy densities when compared to 0-3 composites. This demonstrates that engineered anisotropy can be employed to control dielectric breakdown strengths and nonlinear conduction at high fields in heterogeneous systems. Consequently, manipulation of anisotropy in high-field dielectric properties can be exploited for the development of high energy density polymer-ceramic systems

Evaluation of Influence of Various Polymers on Dissolution and Phase Behavior of Carbamazepine-Succinic Acid Cocrystal in Matrix Tablets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Majeed Ullah

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of current study was to explore the influence of three commonly used polymers, that is, cellulosics and noncellulosics, for example, Methocel K4M, Kollidon VA/64, and Soluplus, on the phase disproportionation and drug release profile of carbamazepine-succinic acid (CBZ-SUC cocrystal at varying drug to polymer ratios (1 : 1 to 1 : 0.25 in matrix tablets. The polymorphic phase disproportionation during in-depth dissolution studies of CBZ-SUC cocrystals and its crystalline properties were scrutinized by X-ray powder diffractrometry and Raman spectroscopy. The percent drug release from HPMC formulations (CSH showed inverse relation with the concentration of polymer; that is, drug release increased with decrease in polymer concentration. On contrary, direct relation was observed between percent drug release and polymer concentrations of Kollidon VA 64/Soluplus (CSK, CSS. At similar polymer concentration, drug release from pure carbamazepine was slightly lower with HPMC formulations than that of cocrystal; however, opposite trend in release rate was observed with Kollidon VA/64 and Soluplus. The significant increase in dissolution rate of cocrystal occurred with Kollidon VA/64 and Soluplus at higher polymer concentration. Moreover, no phase change took place in Methocel and Kollidon formulations. No tablet residue was left for Soluplus formulation so the impact of polymer on cocrystal integrity cannot be predicted.

Evaluation of Influence of Various Polymers on Dissolution and Phase Behavior of Carbamazepine-Succinic Acid Cocrystal in Matrix Tablets

Science.gov (United States)

Ullah, Majeed; Ullah, Hanif; Mahmood, Qaisar; Hussain, Izhar

2015-01-01

The aim of current study was to explore the influence of three commonly used polymers, that is, cellulosics and noncellulosics, for example, Methocel K4M, Kollidon VA/64, and Soluplus, on the phase disproportionation and drug release profile of carbamazepine-succinic acid (CBZ-SUC) cocrystal at varying drug to polymer ratios (1 : 1 to 1 : 0.25) in matrix tablets. The polymorphic phase disproportionation during in-depth dissolution studies of CBZ-SUC cocrystals and its crystalline properties were scrutinized by X-ray powder diffractrometry and Raman spectroscopy. The percent drug release from HPMC formulations (CSH) showed inverse relation with the concentration of polymer; that is, drug release increased with decrease in polymer concentration. On contrary, direct relation was observed between percent drug release and polymer concentrations of Kollidon VA 64/Soluplus (CSK, CSS). At similar polymer concentration, drug release from pure carbamazepine was slightly lower with HPMC formulations than that of cocrystal; however, opposite trend in release rate was observed with Kollidon VA/64 and Soluplus. The significant increase in dissolution rate of cocrystal occurred with Kollidon VA/64 and Soluplus at higher polymer concentration. Moreover, no phase change took place in Methocel and Kollidon formulations. No tablet residue was left for Soluplus formulation so the impact of polymer on cocrystal integrity cannot be predicted. PMID:26380301

Ratiometric Sensing of Hydrogen Peroxide Utilizing Conformational Change in Fluorescent Boronic Acid Polymers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kan Takeshima

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We demonstrate that the copolymers containing boronic acid and pyrene units can be utilized for the fluorometric sensing of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 in aqueous solutions. The copolymer exists in a relatively extended conformation in the absence of H2O2, whereas the polymer chain is contracted by the reaction of boronic acid moieties with H2O2 to form phenol groups. This conformational change induces aggregation of the originally isolated pyrene groups. As a result, relative intensity of excimer emission with respect to monomer emission increases with H2O2 concentration. Accordingly, the present methodology enables us to measure H2O2 by means of ratiometric fluorescence change in the range of 0–30 μM.

Highly mesoporous single-crystalline zeolite beta synthesized using a nonsurfactant cationic polymer as a dual-function template

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Jie

2014-02-12

Mesoporous zeolites are useful solid catalysts for conversion of bulky molecules because they offer fast mass transfer along with size and shape selectivity. We report here the successful synthesis of mesoporous aluminosilicate zeolite Beta from a commercial cationic polymer that acts as a dual-function template to generate zeolitic micropores and mesopores simultaneously. This is the first demonstration of a single nonsurfactant polymer acting as such a template. Using high-resolution electron microscopy and tomography, we discovered that the resulting material (Beta-MS) has abundant and highly interconnected mesopores. More importantly, we demonstrated using a three-dimensional electron diffraction technique that each Beta-MS particle is a single crystal, whereas most previously reported mesoporous zeolites are comprised of nanosized zeolitic grains with random orientations. The use of nonsurfactant templates is essential to gaining single-crystalline mesoporous zeolites. The single-crystalline nature endows Beta-MS with better hydrothermal stability compared with surfactant-derived mesoporous zeolite Beta. Beta-MS also exhibited remarkably higher catalytic activity than did conventional zeolite Beta in acid-catalyzed reactions involving large molecules. © 2014 American Chemical Society.

Selective separation of Eu3+ using polymer-enhanced ultrafiltration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norton, M.V.

1994-03-01

A process to selectively remove 241 Am from liquid radioactive waste was investigated as an actinide separation method applicable to Hanford and other waste sites. The experimental procedures involved removal of Eu, a nonradioactive surrogate for Am, from aqueous solutions at pH 5 using organic polymers in conjunction with ultrafiltration. Commercially available polyacrylic acid (60,000 MW) and Pacific Northwest Laboratory's (PNL) synthesized E3 copolymer (∼10,000 MW) were tested. Test solutions containing 10 μg/mL of Eu were dosed vath each polymer at various concentrations in order to bind Eu (i.e., by complexation and/or cation exchange) for subsequent rejection by an ultrafiltration coupon. Test solutions were filtered with and without polymer to determine if enhanced Eu separation could be achieved from polymer treatment. Both polymers significantly increased Eu removal. Optimum concentrations were 20 μg/mL of polyacrylic acid and 100 μg/mL of E3 for 100% Eu rejection by the Amicon PM10 membrane at 55 psi. In addition to enhancement of removal, the polymers selectively bound Eu over Na, suggesting that selective separation of Eu was possible. This suggests that polymer-enhanced ultrafiltration is a potential process for separation of 241 Am from Hanford tank waste, further investigation of binding agents and membranes effective under very alkaline and high ionic strength is warranted. This process also has potential applications for selective separation of toxic metals from industrial process streams

Multimode polymer waveguides for high-speed optical interconnects

Science.gov (United States)

Bamiedakis, N.; Ingham, J. D.; Penty, R. V.; White, I. H.; DeGroot, J. V.; Clapp, T. V.

2017-11-01

Polymeric multimode waveguides are of particular interest for optical interconnections in short-reach data links. In some applications, for example in space-borne systems, the use of advanced materials with outstanding performance in extreme environments is required (temperature and radiation). In this paper therefore, we present novel siloxane polymers suitable for these applications. The materials are used to form straight, 90° bent and spiral polymer waveguides by low-cost conventional photolithographic techniques on FR4 substrates. The samples have been tested to investigate their propagation characteristics and demonstrate their potential for high-speed data links. Overall, there is strong evidence that these multimode waveguides can be successfully employed as high-speed short-reach data links. Their excellent thermal properties, their low cost and the simple fabrication process indicate their suitability for a wide range of space applications.

Vinyl Flanked Difluorobenzothiadiazole-Dithiophene Conjugated Polymer for High Performance Organic Field-Effect Transistors.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Xianfeng; Sun, Wandong; Chen, Yanlin; Tan, Luxi; Cai, Zheng-Xu; Liu, Zitong; Wang, Lin; Li, Jing; Chen, Wei; Dong, Lichun

2018-02-21

Fluorine containing conjugated polymers have been widely applied in high performance organic solar cells, but their use in field-effect transistors is still quite limited. In this work, a conjugated polymer PTFBTV based on difluorobenzothiadiazole (DFBT) and dithiophene was synthesized, utilizing multiple vinylene as linkers. The polymer exhibits a relatively high hole mobility up to 2.0 cm(2) V-1 s(-1) compared with the reported DFBT-oligothiophene based polymers, yet its structural complexity is much simpler. The polymer thin film exhibits a typical 'face on' molecular orientation. A single crystal of its monomer revealed a non-covalent intramolecular contact between fluorine and the neighbouring proton, which strengthens the backbone co-planarity. Meanwhile an intermolecular F...F contact was also observed, which might cause rather scattered lamellar crystallinity for PTFBTV in the solid state.

Selective enrichment and separation of phosphotyrosine peptides by thermosensitive molecularly imprinted polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaoqing; Xia, Yan

2016-01-01

Novel thermosensitive molecularly imprinted polymers were successfully prepared using the epitope imprinting approach in the presence of the mimic template phenylphosphonic acid, the functional monomer vinylphosphonic acid-Ti(4+) , the temperature-sensitive monomer N-isopropylacrylamide and the crosslinker N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide. The ratio of the template/thermosensitive monomers/crosslinker was optimized, and when the ratio was 2:2:1, the prepared thermosensitive molecularly imprinted polymers had the highest imprinting factor. The synthetic thermosensitive molecularly imprinted polymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to reveal the combination and elution processes of the template. Then, the adsorption capacity and thermosensitivity was measured. When the temperature was 28°C, the imprinting factor was the highest. The selectivity and adsorption capacity of the thermosensitive molecularly imprinted polymers for phosphotyrosine peptides from a mixture of three tailor-made peptides were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that the thermosensitive molecularly imprinted polymers have good selectivity for phosphotyrosine peptides. Finally, the imprinted hydrogels were applied to specifically adsorb phosphotyrosine peptides from a sample mixture containing phosphotyrosine and a tryptic digest of β-casein, which demonstrated high selectivity. After four rebinding cycles, 78.9% adsorption efficiency was still retained. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Recyclable Cu(II)-Coordination Crosslinked Poly(benzimidazolyl pyridine)s as High-Performance Polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Cheng; Yang, Li; Chang, Guanjun

2018-03-01

Crosslinked high-performance polymers have many industrial applications, but are difficult to recycle or rework. A novel class of recyclable crosslinking Cu(II)-metallo-supramolecular coordination polymers are successfully prepared, which possess outstanding thermal stability and mechanical property. More importantly, the Cu 2+ coordination interactions can be further removed via external pyrophosphate to recover the linear polymers, which endow the crosslinking polymers with recyclability. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Comparative histological evaluation of new tyrosine-derived polymers and poly (L-lactic acid) as a function of polymer degradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hooper, K A; Macon, N D; Kohn, J

1998-09-05

Previous studies demonstrated that poly(DTE carbonate) and poly (DTE adipate), two tyrosine-derived polymers, have suitable properties for use in biomedical applications. This study reports the evaluation of the in vivo tissue response to these polymers in comparison to poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA). Typically, the biocompatibility of a material is determined through histological evaluations as a function of implantation time in a suitable animal model. However, due to changes that can occur in the tissue response at different stages of the degradation process, a fixed set of time points is not ideal for comparative evaluations of materials having different rates of degradation. Therefore the tissue response elicited by poly(DTE carbonate), poly(DTE adipate), and PLLA was evaluated as a function of molecular weight. This allowed the tissue response to be compared at corresponding stages of degradation. Poly(DTE adipate) consistently elicited the mildest tissue response, as judged by the width and lack of cellularity of the fibrous capsule formed around the implant. The tissue response to poly(DTE carbonate) was mild throughout the 570 day study. However, the response to PLLA fluctuated as a function of the degree of degradation, exhibiting an increase in the intensity of inflammation as the implant began to lose mass. At the completion of the study, tissue ingrowth into the degrading and disintegrating poly(DTE adipate) implant was evident while no comparative ingrowth of tissue was seen for PLLA. The similarity of the in vivo and in vitro degradation rates of each polymer confirmed the absence of enzymatic involvement in the degradation process. A comparison of molecular weight retention, water uptake, and mass loss in vivo with two commonly used in vitro systems [phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and simulated body fluid (SBF)] demonstrated that for the two tyrosine-derived polymers the in vivo results were equally well simulated in vitro with PBS and SBF. However

Molecularly imprinted polymers for corticosteroids: impact of polymer format on recognition behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitzhenry, Laurence; Duggan, Patrick; McLoughlin, Peter; Manesiotis, Panagiotis

2013-01-01

A comparative study was performed on different polymeric formats for targeting corticosteroids, focusing on the use of bulk monolith and precipitation polymerisation strategies. Hydrocortisone-17-butyrate was selected as the template and methacrylic acid as the functional monomer, following 1 H NMR investigation of the pre-polymerisation mixture. Three different cross-linkers were tested, ranging from moderate to highly hydrophobic. The synthesised bulk and precipitated imprinted polymers were physically characterised by nitrogen sorption and evaluated by means of HPLC and frontal chromatography against a range of template analogues. While some degree of selectivity for the template was achieved for all tested polymers, the ones based on the tri-functional cross-linking monomer trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate exhibited the longest retention for all corticosteroids, especially in the precipitated format, which suggested broader group selectivity. (author)

Solvent induced synthesis, structure and properties of coordination polymers based on 5-hydroxyisophthalic acid as linker and 1,10-phenanthroline as auxiliary ligand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kariem, Mukaddus; Yawer, Mohd; Sheikh, Haq Nawaz, E-mail: hnsheikh@rediffmail.com

2015-11-15

Three new coordination polymers [Mn(hip)(phen) (H{sub 2}O)]{sub n} (1), [Co(hip)(phen) (H{sub 2}O)]{sub n} (2), and [Cd(hip) (phen) (H{sub 2}O)]{sub n} (3) (H{sub 2}hip=5-hydroxyisophthalic acid; phen=1,10-phenanthroline) have been synthesized by solvo-hydrothermal method using diethyl formamide-water (DEF-H{sub 2}O) as solvent system. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that all three coordination polymers 1, 2 and 3 crystallize in monoclinic space group P2/n. Metal ions are inter-connected by hydroxyisophthalate anions forming zig-zag 1D chain. 1D chains are further inter-connected by hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking interactions leading to 3D supramolecular architecture. Hydrogen-bonding and π–π stacking provide thermal stability to polymers. Compounds 1 and 2 are paramagnetic at room temperature and variable temperature magnetic moment measurements revealed weak ferromagnetic interactions between metal ions at low temperature. Compound 3 exhibits excellent photoluminescence with large Stokes shift. - Graphical abstract: 1D helical chains of coordination polymers were synthesized by solvo-hydrothermal reaction of 5-hydroxyisopthalic acid and 1,10-phenanthroline with MnCl{sub 2}·4H{sub 2}O / CoCl{sub 2}·6H{sub 2}O / Cd(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}·6H{sub 2}O. - Highlights: • Solvent induced synthesis of three coordination polymers with 1D zig-zag structure. • Crystal structures of coordination polymers are reported and discussed. • 1,10-Phenanthroline influences magnetic and luminescent properties of polymers. • Coordination polymer of Cd is luminescent exhibiting large Stokes shift.

Development of the optical sensor for discriminating isomers of fatty acids based on emissive network polymers composed of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane.

Science.gov (United States)

Narikiyo, Hayato; Kakuta, Takahiro; Matsuyama, Hiroki; Gon, Masayuki; Tanaka, Kazuo; Chujo, Yoshiki

2017-07-01

It was shown that water-soluble network polymers composed of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) had hydrophobic spaces inside the network because of strong hydrophobicity of the cubic silica cage. In this study, the water-soluble POSS network polymers connected with triphenylamine derivatives (TPA-POSS) were synthesized, and their functions as a sensor for discriminating the geometric isomers of fatty acids were investigated. Accordingly, in the photoluminescence spectra, different time-courses of intensity and peak wavelengths of the emission bands were detected from the TPA-POSS-containing solution in the presence of cis- or trans-fatty acids during incubation. Furthermore, variable time-dependent changes were obtained by changing coexisting ratios between two geometric isomers. From the mechanistic investigation, it was implied that these changes could be originated from the difference in the degree of interaction between the POSS networks and each fatty acid. Our data could be applicable for constructing a sensing material for generation and proportion of trans-fatty acids in the oil. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dithiopheneindenofluorene (TIF) Semiconducting Polymers with Very High Mobility in Field-Effect Transistors

KAUST Repository

Chen, Hu

2017-07-19

The charge-carrier mobility of organic semiconducting polymers is known to be enhanced when the energetic disorder of the polymer is minimized. Fused, planar aromatic ring structures contribute to reducing the polymer conformational disorder, as demonstrated by polymers containing the indacenodithiophene (IDT) repeat unit, which have both a low Urbach energy and a high mobility in thin-film-transistor (TFT) devices. Expanding on this design motif, copolymers containing the dithiopheneindenofluorene repeat unit are synthesized, which extends the fused aromatic structure with two additional phenyl rings, further rigidifying the polymer backbone. A range of copolymers are prepared and their electrical properties and thin-film morphology evaluated, with the co-benzothiadiazole polymer having a twofold increase in hole mobility when compared to the IDT analog, reaching values of almost 3 cm2 V−1 s−1 in bottom-gate top-contact organic field-effect transistors.

Anthracene-containing wide-band-gap conjugated polymers for high-open-circuit-voltage polymer solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Xue; Li, Cuihong; Lu, Zhen; Li, Guangwu; Mei, Qiang; Fang, Tao; Bo, Zhishan

2013-07-25

The synthesis, characterization, and photophysical and photovoltaic properties of two anthracene-containing wide-band-gap donor and acceptor (D-A) alternating conjugated polymers (P1 and P2) are described. These two polymers absorb in the range of 300-600 nm with a band gap of about 2.12 eV. Polymer solar cells with P1:PC71 BM as the active layer demonstrate a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.23% with a high Voc of 0.96 V, a Jsc of 4.4 mA cm(-2) , and a comparable fill factor (FF) of 0.53 under simulated solar illumination of AM 1.5 G (100 mW cm(-2) ). In addition, P2:PC71 BM blend-based solar cells exhibit a PCE of 1.42% with a comparable Voc of 0.89 V, a Jsc of 3.0 mA cm(-2) , and an FF of 0.53. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Advanced Proton Conducting Polymer Electrolytes for Electrochemical Capacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Han

Research on solid electrochemical energy storage devices aims to provide high performance, low cost, and safe operation solutions for emerging applications from flexible consumer electronics to microelectronics. Polymer electrolytes, minimizing device sealing and liquid electrolyte leakage, are key enablers for these next-generation technologies. In this thesis, a novel proton-conducing polymer electrolyte system has been developed using heteropolyacids (HPAs) and polyvinyl alcohol for electrochemical capacitors. A thorough understanding of proton conduction mechanisms of HPAs together with the interactions among HPAs, additives, and polymer framework has been developed. Structure and chemical bonding of the electrolytes have been studied extensively to identify and elucidate key attributes affecting the electrolyte properties. Numerical models describing the proton conduction mechanism have been applied to differentiate those attributes. The performance optimization of the polymer electrolytes through additives, polymer structural modifications, and synthesis of alternative HPAs has achieved several important milestones, including: (a) high proton mobility and proton density; (b) good ion accessibility at electrode/electrolyte interface; (c) wide electrochemical stability window; and (d) good environmental stability. Specifically, high proton mobility has been addressed by cross-linking the polymer framework to improve the water storage capability at normal-to-high humidity conditions (e.g. 50-80% RH) as well as by incorporating nano-fillers to enhance the water retention at normal humidity levels (e.g. 30-60% RH). High proton density has been reached by utilizing additional proton donors (i.e. acidic plasticizers) and by developing different HPAs. Good ion accessibility has been achieved through addition of plasticizers. Electrochemical stability window of the electrolyte system has also been investigated and expanded by utilizing HPAs with different heteroatoms

Developing Flexible, High Performance Polymers with Self-Healing Capabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Jolley, Scott T.; Williams, Martha K.; Gibson, Tracy L.; Caraccio, Anne J.

2011-01-01

Flexible, high performance polymers such as polyimides are often employed in aerospace applications. They typically find uses in areas where improved physical characteristics such as fire resistance, long term thermal stability, and solvent resistance are required. It is anticipated that such polymers could find uses in future long duration exploration missions as well. Their use would be even more advantageous if self-healing capability or mechanisms could be incorporated into these polymers. Such innovative approaches are currently being studied at the NASA Kennedy Space Center for use in high performance wiring systems or inflatable and habitation structures. Self-healing or self-sealing capability would significantly reduce maintenance requirements, and increase the safety and reliability performance of the systems into which these polymers would be incorporated. Many unique challenges need to be overcome in order to incorporate a self-healing mechanism into flexible, high performance polymers. Significant research into the incorporation of a self-healing mechanism into structural composites has been carried out over the past decade by a number of groups, notable among them being the University of I1linois [I]. Various mechanisms for the introduction of self-healing have been investigated. Examples of these are: 1) Microcapsule-based healant delivery. 2) Vascular network delivery. 3) Damage induced triggering of latent substrate properties. Successful self-healing has been demonstrated in structural epoxy systems with almost complete reestablishment of composite strength being achieved through the use of microcapsulation technology. However, the incorporation of a self-healing mechanism into a system in which the material is flexible, or a thin film, is much more challenging. In the case of using microencapsulation, healant core content must be small enough to reside in films less than 0.1 millimeters thick, and must overcome significant capillary and surface

Photo-degradation of high efficiency fullerene-free polymer solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Upama, Mushfika Baishakhi; Wright, Matthew; Mahmud, Md Arafat; Elumalai, Naveen Kumar; Mahboubi Soufiani, Arman; Wang, Dian; Xu, Cheng; Uddin, Ashraf

2017-12-07

Polymer solar cells are a promising technology for the commercialization of low cost, large scale organic solar cells. With the evolution of high efficiency (>13%) non-fullerene polymer solar cells, the stability of the cells has become a crucial parameter to be considered. Among the several degradation mechanisms of polymer solar cells, burn-in photo-degradation is relatively less studied. Herein, we present the first systematic study of photo-degradation of novel PBDB-T:ITIC fullerene-free polymer solar cells. The thermally treated and as-prepared PBDB-T:ITIC solar cells were exposed to continuous 1 sun illumination for 5 hours. The aged devices exhibited rapid losses in the short-circuit current density and fill factor. The severe short-circuit current and fill factor burn in losses were attributed to trap mediated charge recombination, as evidenced by an increase in Urbach energy for aged devices.

Control of cell function on a phospholipid polymer having phenylboronic acid moiety

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saito, Aya; Ishihara, Kazuhiko [Department of Materials Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Konno, Tomohiro [Center for NanoBio Integration, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Ikake, Hiroki; Kurita, Kimio, E-mail: konno@bioeng.t.u-tokyo.ac.j [Department of Materials and Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nihon University, 1-8-14, Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8308 (Japan)

2010-10-01

We synthesized a water-insoluble phospholipid polymer bearing a phenylboronic acid moiety (PMBV), which induces cell adhesion through a specific interaction with the glycoprotein, fibronectin. Surface plasmon resonance analysis revealed that fibronectin was adsorbed on the PMBV surface. When fibroblasts were cultured on the PMBV surface, the cells adhered and proliferated normally while showing a spherical morphology. In addition, the adherent cells were able to detach after the addition of sugar molecules, which bound to phenylboronic acid through an exchange reaction. The cell cycle of adherent cells was evaluated with the embedded HeLa-Fucci cells by using a fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator. The cell-cycle analysis by fluorescence microscopy indicated that the adherent HeLa-Fucci cells tended to converge to the G1 phase. The differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells to chondrocytes was accelerated on PMBV in the presence of bone morphogenetic protein-2. We concluded that PMBV is a useful surface in experiments for assessing cellular function and differentiation.

New Polymer Coatings for Chemically Selective Mass Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Sims, S. C.; Wright, Cassandra; Cobb, J.; McCalla, T.; Revelle, R.; Morris, V. R.; Pollack, S. K.

1997-01-01

There is a current need to develop sensitive and chemically specific sensors for the detection of nitric acid for in-situ measurements in the atmosphere. Polymer coatings have been synthesized and tested for their sensitivity and selectivity to nitric acid. A primary requirement for these polymers is detectability down to the parts per trillion range. The results of studies using these polymers as coatings for quartz crystal microbalances (QCM) and surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices will be presented.

Microbial conversion of biomass into bio-based polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawaguchi, Hideo; Ogino, Chiaki; Kondo, Akihiko

2017-12-01

The worldwide market for plastics is rapidly growing, and plastics polymers are typically produced from petroleum-based chemicals. The overdependence on petroleum-based chemicals for polymer production raises economic and environmental sustainability concerns. Recent progress in metabolic engineering has expanded fermentation products from existing aliphatic acids or alcohols to include aromatic compounds. This diversity provides an opportunity to expand the development and industrial uses of high-performance bio-based polymers. However, most of the biomonomers are produced from edible sugars or starches that compete directly with food and feed uses. The present review focuses on recent progress in the microbial conversion of biomass into bio-based polymers, in which fermentative products from renewable feedstocks serve as biomonomers for the synthesis of bio-based polymers. In particular, the production of biomonomers from inedible lignocellulosic feedstocks by metabolically engineered microorganisms and the synthesis of bio-based engineered plastics from the biological resources are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copper coordination polymers constructed from thiazole-5-carboxylic acid: Synthesis, crystal structures, and structural transformation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meundaeng, Natthaya; Rujiwatra, Apinpus [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Prior, Timothy J., E-mail: t.prior@hull.ac.uk [Chemistry, University of Hull, Kingston upon Hull HU6 7RX (United Kingdom)

2017-01-15

We have successfully prepared crystals of thiazole-5-carboxylic acid (5-Htza) (L) and three new thiazole-5-carboxylate-based Cu{sup 2+} coordination polymers with different dimensionality, namely, 1D [Cu{sub 2}(5-tza){sub 2}(1,10-phenanthroline){sub 2}(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}] (1), 2D [Cu(5-tza){sub 2}(MeOH){sub 2}] (2), and 3D [Cu(5-tza){sub 2}]·H{sub 2}O (3). These have been characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetry. Interestingly, the 2D network structure of 2 can directly transform into the 3D framework of 3 upon removal of methanol molecules at room temperature. 2 can also undergo structural transformation to produce the same 2D network present in the known [Cu(5-tza){sub 2}]·1.5H{sub 2}O upon heat treatment for 2 h. This 2D network can adsorb water and convert to 3 upon exposure to air. - Highlights: • Rare examples of coordination polymers of thiazole-5-carboxylic acid were prepared. • Non-covalent interactions play a key role on the assembly of the complexes in solid state. • Structural transformation of a 2D framework to a 3D upon removal of methanol is observed.

New polymer-supported ion-complexing agents: Design, preparation and metal ion affinities of immobilized ligands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexandratos, Spiro D.

2007-01-01

Polymer-supported reagents are comprised of crosslinked polymer networks that have been modified with ligands capable of selective metal ion complexation. Applications of these polymers are in environmental remediation, ion chromatography, sensor technology, and hydrometallurgy. Bifunctional polymers with diphosphonate/sulfonate ligands have a high selectivity for actinide ions. The distribution coefficient for the uranyl ion from 1 M nitric acid is 70,000, compared to 900 for the monophosphonate/sulfonate polymer and 200 for the sulfonic acid ion-exchange resin. A bifunctional trihexyl/triethylammonium polymer has a high affinity and selectivity for pertechnetate and perchlorate anions from groundwater. In one example, its distribution coefficient for perchlorate ions in the presence of competing anions is 3,300,000, compared to 203,180 for a commercially available anion-exchange resin. Polystyrene modified with N-methyl-D-glucamine ligands is capable of selectively complexing arsenate from groundwater. It complexes 99% of the arsenate present in a solution of 100 mg/L arsenate with 560 mg/L sulfate ions. Its selectivity is retained even in the presence of 400 mg/L phosphate. There is no affinity for arsenate above pH 9, allowing for the polymer to be regenerated with moderate alkali solution. In studies aimed at developing a Hg(II)-selective resin, simple amine resins were found to have a high Hg(II) affinity and that affinity is dependent upon the solution pH and the counterion

Acid-doped Polybenzimidazole Membranes as Electrolyte for Fuel Cells Operating Above 100°C

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Qingfeng, Li; Jensen, Jens Oluf; He, Ronhuan

2003-01-01

The technical achievement and challenges for the PEMFC technology based on perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) polymer membranes (e.g. Nafion®) are briefly discussed. The newest development in the field is alternative polymer electrolytes for operation above 100°C. As one of the successful approaches...... to high operational temperatures, the development and evaluation of acid doped PBI membranes are reviewed, covering polymer synthesis, membrane casting, acid doping, physiochemical characterization and fuel cell tests. A high temperature PEMFC system operational at up to 200°C is demonstrated with no gas...... humidification and high CO-tolerance up to 10 vol%. This high CO tolerance allows for a direct use of reformed hydrogen without further CO removal, which opens the possibility for an integrated reformer-fuel cell system. The content of this review is to a large extent based on research performed by the authors...

Polymer Film-Based Screening and Isolation of Polylactic Acid (PLA)-Degrading Microorganisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Mi Yeon; Kim, Changman; Moon, Jungheun; Heo, Jinhee; Jung, Sokhee P; Kim, Jung Rae

2017-02-28

Polylactic acid (PLA) has been highlighted as an alternative renewable polymer for the replacement of petroleum-based plastic materials, and is considered to be biodegradable. On the other hand, the biodegradation of PLA by terminal degraders, such as microorganisms, requires a lengthy period in the natural environment, and its mechanism is not completely understood. PLA biodegradation studies have been conducted using mainly undefined mixed cultures, but only a few bacterial strains have been isolated and examined. For further characterization of PLA biodegradation, in this study, the PLA-degrading bacteria from digester sludge were isolated and identified using a polymer film-based screening method. The enrichment of sludge on PLA granules was conducted with the serial transference of a subculture into fresh media for 40 days, and the attached biofilm was inoculated on a PLA film on an agar plate. 3D optical microscopy showed that the isolates physically degraded the PLA film due to bacterial degradation. 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified the microbial colonies to be Pseudomonas sp. MYK1 and Bacillus sp. MYK2. The two isolates exhibited significantly higher specific gas production rates from PLA biodegradation compared with that of the initial sludge inoculum.

Germanium films by polymer-assisted deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Quanxi; Burrell, Anthony K.; Bauer, Eve; Ronning, Filip; McCleskey, Thomas Mark; Zou, Guifu

2013-01-15

Highly ordered Ge films are prepared directly on single crystal Si substrates by applying an aqueous coating solution having Ge-bound polymer onto the substrate and then heating in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere. A coating solution was prepared by mixing water, a germanium compound, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and polyethyleneimine to form a first aqueous solution and then subjecting the first aqueous solution to ultrafiltration.

A new ion imprinted polymer based on Ru(III)-thiobarbituric acid complex for solid phase extraction of ruthenium(III) prior to its determination by ETAAS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zambrzycka, Elżbieta; Godlewska-Żyłkiewicz, Beata

2014-01-01

A new ruthenium ion imprinted polymer was prepared from the Ru(III) 2-thiobarbituric acid complex (the template), methacrylic acid or acrylamide (the functional monomers), and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (the cross-linking agent) using 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as the radical initiator. The ion imprinted polymer was characterized and used as a selective sorbent for the solid phase extraction of Ru(III) ions. The effects of type of functional monomer, sample volume, solution pH and flow rate on the extraction efficiency were studied in the dynamic mode. Ru(III) ion was quantitatively retained on the sorbents in the pH range from 3.5 to 10, and can be eluted with 4 mol L−1 aqueous ammonia. The affinity of Ru(III) for the ion imprinted polymer based on the acrylamide monomer is weaker than that for the polymer based on the methacrylic acid monomer, which therefore was used in interference studies and in analytical applications. Following extraction of Ru(III) ions with the imprint and their subsequent elution from the polymer with aqueous ammonia, Ru(III) was detected by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry with a detection limit of 0.21 ng mL −1 . The method was successfully applied to the determination of trace amounts of Ru(III) in water, waste, road dust and platinum ore (CRM SARM 76) with a reproducibility (expressed as RSD) below 6.4 %. (author)

Application of living radical polymerization to the synthesis of resist polymers for radiation lithography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, Takashi; Ichikawa, Tsuneki

2005-01-01

Poly(styrene) and poly(methyl acrylate) with benzyl ester of carboxylic acid at the center of the polymer skeletons were synthesized by living radical polymerization for developing a new type of radiation resist with high resistivity to plasma etching and high sensitivity and spatial resolution to ionizing radiations. The initiators were benzyl esters with two functional groups for living radical polymerization on the benzyl and the carboxylic sides. Introduction of benzyl ester to the polymer skeletons changed the polymers from cross-link type to scission type upon γ-irradiation. Irradiation of the polymers resulted in the binary change of the molecular weight, due to dissociative capture of secondary electrons by the benzyl ester, as M n R 1 COOCH(C 6 H 5 )R 2 M n +e - ->M n R 1 COO - + · CH(C 6 H 5 )R 2 M n . The generated polymer fragments were not decomposed by further irradiation, which suggests that the synthesized polymers have high resistivity to plasma etching

Study of Catalyst, Aging Time and Surfactant Effects on Silica Inorganic Polymer Characteristics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Pakizeh

2007-06-01

Full Text Available In the present study the sol-gel method is used for synthesis of amorphous nanostructure silica polymer using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS as silicon source. This polymer can be used in manufacturing of nanoporous asymmetricmembranes. The effect of catalyst on silica particle size has been studied under acidic and basic conditions.زAcid-catalyzed reaction leads to the formation of fine particles while the base-catalyzed reaction produceslarger particles. The presence of cationic template surfactant namely cetyl pyridinium bromide (CPBزdirects the structural formation of the polymer by preventing the highly branched polymeric clusters. This will increase the effective area of the produced silica membrane. Nitrogen physisorption tests by Brunaver- Emmett-Teller (BET and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda (BJH methods revealed that the surface area of the membrane increases significantly around 5-folds when acid-catalyzed reaction is used. 29Si-NMR test is also used to study the aging time effect on the level of silica polymer branching. The results show that in acidic condition, aging time up to three weeks can still affect branching. The calcinations process in which the organic materials and CPB (surfactant are burned and released from the silica particles, is studied on template free silica materials as well as templated silica materials using TGA and DTA techniques.

Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Luminescence Properties of a New Calcium(II Coordination Polymer Based on L-Malic Acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duraisamy Senthil Raja

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A new calcium coordination polymer [Ca(HL-MA]n (H3L-MA = L-malic acid has been solvothermally synthesized. The structure of the newly synthesized complex has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and further characterized by elemental analysis, reflectance UV-Vis & IR spectra, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA. The single crystal structure analysis showed that the complex forms three-dimensional framework. The new Ca(II complex has displayed very high thermal stability which was inferred from TGA and PXRD results. As far as the optical property of the new complex is concerned, the complex emitted its own characteristic sensitized luminescence.

High-photovoltage all-polymer solar cells based on a diketopyrrolopyrrole-isoindigo acceptor polymer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Li, Z.; Xu, X.; Zhang, W.; Genene, Z.; Mammo, W.; Yartsev, A.; Andersson, M.R.; Janssen, R.A.J.; Wang, E.

2017-01-01

In this work, we synthesized and characterized two new n-type polymers PTDPP-PyDPP and PIID-PyDPP. The former polymer is composed of pyridine-flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole (PyDPP) and thiophene-flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole (TDPP). The latter polymer consists of PyDPP and isoindigo (IID). PIID-PyDPP

Plutonium(IV) hydrous polymer chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toth, L.M.; Dodson, K.E.

1985-01-01

The hydrous polymer chemistry of Pu(IV) in aqueous nitric acid solutions has been a subject of considerable interest for several years. This interest stems mainly from the fact that most nuclear fuel reprocessing schemes based on the Purex process can be hampered by the occurrence of polymer. As a result, an understanding and control of the parameters that affect polymer formation during reprocessing are studied. 2 refs

Two new coordination polymers based on tartaric acid ligand: Syntheses, crystal structure and thermal stability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Fei-Yan; Lan, You-Zhao, E-mail: sky37@zjnu.cn; Han, Min-Min; Feng, Yun-Long, E-mail: lyzhao@zjnu.cn [Zhejiang Normal University, Zhejiang Key Laboratory for Reactive Chemistry on Solid Surfaces, Institute of Physical Chemistry (China)

2016-09-15

Two new coordination polymers [Cd{sub 3}(D-Tar){sub 3}]{sub n} (1) and [Pb(meso-Tar)]{sub n} (2) (H{sub 2}Tar = tartaric acid) have been synthesized by hydrothermal reaction and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and IR spectra. 1 crystallizes in the C222{sub 1} chiral space group and shows a 3D (4,4)-connected net with the (4.6.8{sup 4}){sub 4}(4.6{sup 2}.8{sup 2}.10)(4.6{sup 2}.8{sup 3})(4.6{sup 3}.8{sup 2})(4.6{sup 3}.8{sup 2}){sub 4}(4.8{sup 5}){sub 2} topology. 2 possesses a 3D (4,4)-connected net with the (4{sup 3}.6{sup 2}.8) topology. In addition, the thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) results for polymers are discussed.

Synthesis and thermal properties of a novel high temperature alkyl-center-trisphenolic-based phthalonitrile polymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheng, Haitong; Peng, Xuegang; Guo, Hui; Yu, Xiaoyan; Tang, Chengchun; Qu, Xiongwei; Zhang, Qingxin

2013-01-01

A novel alkyl-center-trisphenolic-based high-temperature phthalonitrile monomer, namely, 1,1,1-tris-[4-(3,4-dicyanophenoxy)phenyl]ethane (TDPE), was synthesized from 1,1,1-tris-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethane (THPE) via a facile nucleophilic displacement of a nitro-substituent from 4-nitrophthalonitrile (NPN). The structure of TDPE monomer was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 H and 13 C NMR), elemental analysis (EA). Curing behaviors of TDPE with 4-(aminophenoxy)phthalonitrile (APPH) were recorded by differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) and it showed a large processing window (122 °C) which is favorable to processing TDPE polymers. The structure of TDPE polymer was discussed and the thermal stabilities of TDPE polymer were evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The TDPE polymer exhibits excellent thermal stability, and mechanism of thermal decompositions was explored. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) revealed that the TDPE polymer has high storage modulus and high glass transition temperature (T g > 380 °C). - Highlights: • A novel high-temperature phthalonitrile polymer was synthesized. • Polymerization mechanism was explored. • The polymer shows excellent thermal stability. • Outstanding mechanical properties was achieved: storage modulus = 3.7 GPa, T g > 380 °C. • Thermal decomposition mechanism was discussed

Cementation of nuclear graphite using geo-polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Girke, N.A.; Steinmetz, H.J.; Bukaemsky, A.; Bosbach, D.; Hermann, E.; Griebel, I.

2012-01-01

Geo-polymers are solid aluminosilicate materials usually formed by alkali hydroxide or alkali silicate activation of solid precursors such as coal fly ash, calcined clay and/or metallurgical slag. Today the primary application of geo-polymer technology is in the development of alternatives to Portland-based cements. Variations in the ratio of aluminium to silicon, and alkali to silicon or addition of structure support, produce geo-polymers with different physical and mechanical properties. These materials have an amorphous three-dimensional structure that gives geo-polymers certain properties, such as fire and acid resistance, low leach rate, which make them an ideal substitute for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in a wide range of applications especially in conditioning and storage of radioactive waste. Therefore investigations have been initiated about how and to which amount graphite as a hydrophobic material can be mixed with cement or concrete to form stable waste products and which concretes fulfill the specifications at best. As result geo-polymers have been identified as a promising matrix for graphite containing nuclear wastes. With geo-polymers both favorable properties in the cementation process and a high long time structural stability of the products can be achieved. (authors)

Evaluation of synthetic water-soluble metal-binding polymers with ultrafiltration for selective concentration of americium and plutonium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, B.F.; Gibson, R.R.; Jarvinen, G.D.; Jones, M.M.; Lu, M.T.; Robison, T.W.; Schroeder, N.C.; Stalnaker, N.

1997-01-01

Routine counting methods and ICP-MS are unable to directly measure the new US Department of Energy (DOE) regulatory level for discharge waters containing alpha-emitting radionuclides of 30 pCi/L total alpha or the 0.05 pCi/L regulatory level for Pu or Am activity required for surface waters at the Rocky Flats site by the State of Colorado. This inability indicates the need to develop rapid, reliable, and robust analytical techniques for measuring actinide metal ions, particularly americium and plutonium. Selective separation or preconcentration techniques would aid in this effort. Water-soluble metal-binding polymers in combination with ultrafiltration are shown to be an effective method for selectively removing dilute actinide ions from acidic solutions of high ionic strength. The actinide-binding properties of commercially available water-soluble polymers and several polymers which have been reported in the literature were evaluated. The functional groups incorporated in the polymers were pyrrolidone, amine, oxime, and carboxylic, phosphonic, or sulfonic acid. The polymer containing phosphonic acid groups gave the best results with high distribution coefficients and concentration factors for 241 Am(III) and 238 Pu(III)/(IV) at pH 4 to 6 and ionic strengths of 0.1 to 4

Lignin-based monomers: Utilization in high-performance polymers and the effects of their structures on polymer properties

Science.gov (United States)

Stanzione, Joseph F., III

With the uncertainty of petroleum reserves and future crude oil prices, lignocellulosic biomass is becoming an increasingly valuable resource for the sustainable development of fuels, chemicals, and materials, including vinyl ester resins (VERs). Petroleum-based VERs are used to produce polymer composites for a wide variety of commercial applications. Although possessing relatively high moduli, strengths, and glass transition temperatures, commercial VERs typically contain high concentrations of a reactive diluent, such as styrene. However, these reactive diluents are often considered hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and anticipated carcinogens. Moreover, bisphenol-A, which has gained considerable attention due to potential associated health-related issues, is utilized as a precursor in the synthesis of VERs. A green chemistry and engineering approach in the development of new VERs and renewable reactive diluents that are based on lignin is presented in this dissertation. Lignin, which is currently an abundant, renewable waste product of the paper and pulping industry, is primarily burned as a low value fuel. However, lignin has the potential to be a low cost feedstock in future lignocellulosic biorefineries that could yield highly valuable aromatic chemicals (lignin model compounds, LMCs) when strategically depolymerized. The incorporation of aromaticity in a resin's chemical structure is known to improve overall polymer composite performance and the high aromatic content found in lignin is ideal for novel resin development. Highlighted in this dissertation are three projects: (1) the synthesis and characterization of a lignin-based bio-oil resin/reactive diluent, (2) the use of functionalized LMCs as styrene replacements in VERs, and (3) the synthesis and characterization of a vanillin-based resin. Through the use of traditional and new polymer theory coupled with spectroscopic, thermal, and mechanical techniques, structure

High cation transport polymer electrolyte

Science.gov (United States)

Gerald, II, Rex E.; Rathke, Jerome W [Homer Glen, IL; Klingler, Robert J [Westmont, IL

2007-06-05

A solid state ion conducting electrolyte and a battery incorporating same. The electrolyte includes a polymer matrix with an alkali metal salt dissolved therein, the salt having an anion with a long or branched chain having not less than 5 carbon or silicon atoms therein. The polymer is preferably a polyether and the salt anion is preferably an alkyl or silyl moiety of from 5 to about 150 carbon/silicon atoms.

Analytical Modeling of the High Strain Rate Deformation of Polymer Matrix Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, Robert K.; Roberts, Gary D.; Gilat, Amos

2003-01-01

The results presented here are part of an ongoing research program to develop strain rate dependent deformation and failure models for the analysis of polymer matrix composites subject to high strain rate impact loads. State variable constitutive equations originally developed for metals have been modified in order to model the nonlinear, strain rate dependent deformation of polymeric matrix materials. To account for the effects of hydrostatic stresses, which are significant in polymers, the classical 5 plasticity theory definitions of effective stress and effective plastic strain are modified by applying variations of the Drucker-Prager yield criterion. To verify the revised formulation, the shear and tensile deformation of a representative toughened epoxy is analyzed across a wide range of strain rates (from quasi-static to high strain rates) and the results are compared to experimentally obtained values. For the analyzed polymers, both the tensile and shear stress-strain curves computed using the analytical model correlate well with values obtained through experimental tests. The polymer constitutive equations are implemented within a strength of materials based micromechanics method to predict the nonlinear, strain rate dependent deformation of polymer matrix composites. In the micromechanics, the unit cell is divided up into a number of independently analyzed slices, and laminate theory is then applied to obtain the effective deformation of the unit cell. The composite mechanics are verified by analyzing the deformation of a representative polymer matrix composite (composed using the representative polymer analyzed for the correlation of the polymer constitutive equations) for several fiber orientation angles across a variety of strain rates. The computed values compare favorably to experimentally obtained results.

Metal removal from aqueous media by polymer-assisted ultrafiltration with chitosan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grégorio Crini

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Polymer assisted ultrafiltration (PAUF is a relatively new process in water and wastewater treatment and the subject of an increasing number of papers in the field of membrane science. Among the commercial polymers used, poly(ethyleneimine and poly(acrylic acid are the most popular to complex numerous metal ions. Recently, there is an increasing interest in the use of chitosan, a natural linear polymer, as chelating agent for complexing metals. Chitosan has a high potential in wastewater treatment mainly due to its polyelectrolyte properties at acidic pH. The objectives of this review are to present the PAUF process and to highlight the advantages gained from the use of chitosan in the process of complexation–ultrafiltration. For this, a PAUF-based literature survey has been compiled and is discussed. From these data, chitosan, a biopolymer that is non-toxic to humans and the environment, is found to be effective in removing metal ions and exhibits high selectivity. It might be a promising polyelectrolyte for PAUF purposes.

Organic polymers used at high temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

In this book structure and properties of heat resistant polymers are examined. The more recent industrial polymers are presented. Applications in electronic, electrotechnic, space and energy are reviewed in particular geothermy, well drilling, hydrogen production and nuclear energy [fr

High elastic modulus polymer electrolytes suitable for preventing thermal runaway in lithium batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Mullin, Scott; Panday, Ashoutosh; Balsara, Nitash Pervez; Singh, Mohit; Eitouni, Hany Basam; Gomez, Enrique Daniel

2014-04-22

A polymer that combines high ionic conductivity with the structural properties required for Li electrode stability is useful as a solid phase electrolyte for high energy density, high cycle life batteries that do not suffer from failures due to side reactions and dendrite growth on the Li electrodes, and other potential applications. The polymer electrolyte includes a linear block copolymer having a conductive linear polymer block with a molecular weight of at least 5000 Daltons, a structural linear polymer block with an elastic modulus in excess of 1.times.10.sup.7 Pa and an ionic conductivity of at least 1.times.10.sup.-5 Scm.sup.-1. The electrolyte is made under dry conditions to achieve the noted characteristics. In another aspect, the electrolyte exhibits a conductivity drop when the temperature of electrolyte increases over a threshold temperature, thereby providing a shutoff mechanism for preventing thermal runaway in lithium battery cells.

High strength films from oriented, hydrogen-bonded "graphamid" 2D polymer molecular ensembles.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandoz-Rosado, Emil; Beaudet, Todd D; Andzelm, Jan W; Wetzel, Eric D

2018-02-27

The linear polymer poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide), better known by its tradename Kevlar, is an icon of modern materials science due to its remarkable strength, stiffness, and environmental resistance. Here, we propose a new two-dimensional (2D) polymer, "graphamid", that closely resembles Kevlar in chemical structure, but is mechanically advantaged by virtue of its 2D structure. Using atomistic calculations, we show that graphamid comprises covalently-bonded sheets bridged by a high population of strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Molecular and micromechanical calculations predict that these strong intermolecular interactions allow stiff, high strength (6-8 GPa), and tough films from ensembles of finite graphamid molecules. In contrast, traditional 2D materials like graphene have weak intermolecular interactions, leading to ensembles of low strength (0.1-0.5 GPa) and brittle fracture behavior. These results suggest that hydrogen-bonded 2D polymers like graphamid would be transformative in enabling scalable, lightweight, high performance polymer films of unprecedented mechanical performance.

Azaisoindigo conjugated polymers for high performance n-type and ambipolar thin film transistor applications

KAUST Repository

Yue, Wan

2016-09-28

Two new alternating copolymers, PAIIDBT and PAIIDSe have been prepared by incorporating a highly electron deficient azaisoindigo core. The molecular structure and packing of the monomer is determined from the single crystal X-ray diffraction. Both polymers exhibit high EAs and highly planar polymer backbones. When polymers are used as the semiconducting channel for solution-processed thin film transistor application, good properties are observed. A–A type PAIIDBT exhibits unipolar electron mobility as high as 1.0 cm2 V−1 s−1, D–A type PAIIDSe exhibits ambipolar charge transport behavior with predominately electron mobility up to 0.5 cm2 V−1 s−1 and hole mobility to 0.2 cm2 V−1 s−1. The robustness of the extracted mobility values are also commented on in detail. Molecular orientation, thin film morphology and energetic disorder of both polymers are systematically investigated.

Bipolar and Unipolar Silylene-Diphenylene σ-π Conjugated Polymer Route for Highly Efficient Electrophosphorescence

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Yao-Tang; Sharma, Sunil; Hung, Miao-Ken; Lee, Yu-Hsuan; Chen, Show-An

2016-12-01

σ-π conjugated polymer strategy is proposed for designing electroluminescent host polymers with silylene-diphenylene as the backbone repeat unit giving a high triplet energy (ET = 2.67 eV). By incorporation of high ET (3.0 eV) electron (oxadiazole, OXD) and hole (triphenyl amine, TPA) transport moieties, or TPA alone (in this case, the main chain acts as electron transport channel) as side arms on the silylene, the high ET bipolar and unipolar polymers are formed, allowing a use of iridium green phosphor (Ir(ppy)2(acac), Ir-G) (ET = 2.40 eV) as the dopant. The matching of energy levels of the dopant with the hosts, leading to charge trapping into it; and singlets and triplets of the exciplex and excimer can be harvested via energy transfer to the dopant. Using these host-guest systems as the emitting layer, chlorinated indium-tin-oxide (Cl-ITO) as the anode, and benzimidazole derivative (TPBI) as the electron transport layer, this two-layer device gives the high luminance efficiency 80.1 cd/A and external quantum efficiency 21.2%, which is the best among the report values for polymer light emitting diode (PLED) in the literatures. This example manifests that σ-π conjugated polymer strategy is a promising route for designing polymer host for efficient electrophosphorescence.

High temperature performance of polymer composites

CERN Document Server

Keller, Thomas

2014-01-01

The authors explain the changes in the thermophysical and thermomechanical properties of polymer composites under elevated temperatures and fire conditions. Using microscale physical and chemical concepts they allow researchers to find reliable solutions to their engineering needs on the macroscale. In a unique combination of experimental results and quantitative models, a framework is developed to realistically predict the behavior of a variety of polymer composite materials over a wide range of thermal and mechanical loads. In addition, the authors treat extreme fire scenarios up to more than 1000°C for two hours, presenting heat-protection methods to improve the fire resistance of composite materials and full-scale structural members, and discuss their performance after fire exposure. Thanks to the microscopic approach, the developed models are valid for a variety of polymer composites and structural members, making this work applicable to a wide audience, including materials scientists, polymer chemist...

Molecular Design and Functional Control of Novel Self-Oscillating Polymers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryo Yoshida

2010-02-01

Full Text Available If we could realize an autonomous polymer system driven under biological conditions by a tailor-made molecular design, human beings could create unprecedented biomimetic functions and materials such as heartbeats, autonomous peristaltic pumps, etc. In order to achieve this objective, we have investigated the molecular design of such a polymer system. As a result, we were the first to demonstrate a self-oscillating polymer system driven in a solution where only malonic acid existed, which could convert the chemical energy of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ reaction into a change in the conformation of the polymer chain. To cause the self-oscillation in solution, we have attempted to construct a built-in system where the required BZ system substrates other than the organic acid are incorporated into the polymer itself. That is, the novel polymer chain incorporated the metal catalyst of the BZ reaction, a pH-control site and an oxidant supply site at the same time. As a result of introducing the pH control and oxidant supply sites into the conventional-type self-oscillating polymer chain, the novel polymer chain caused aggregation-disaggregation self-oscillations in the solution. We clarified that the period of the self-oscillation of the novel self-oscillating polymer chain was proportional to the concentration of the malonic acid. Therefore, the concentration of the malonic acid can be determined by measuring the period of the novel self-oscillating polymer solution. In this review, we introduce the detailed molecular design of the novel self-oscillating polymer chain and its self-oscillating behavior. Moreover, we report an autonomous self-oscillating polymer gel actuator that causes a bending-stretching motion under the constant conditions.

Lower critical solution temperature behavior of alpha-substituted poly(acrylic acids)s, cyclopolymerization of N-vinylformamido-methylacrylates, and use of the World-Wide Web in polymer science education

Science.gov (United States)

Michalovic, Mark Stephen

A series of alpha-substituted poly(acrylic acid)s was synthesized and characterized. Their aqueous solution properties were investigated with respect to lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior. Poly(alpha-methoxymethylacrylic acid) was found to have a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of 46°C, poly(alpha-methoxyethoxymethylacrylic acid) showed an LCST of 26.5°C and poly(alpha-methoxyethoxyethoxymethylacrylic acid) showed an LCST of 66°C. The cloud points of the solutions of these polymers were found to be sensitive to pH, and to concentrations of additives such as urea, salts, and surfactants. Because of low molecular weight due to chain transfer, high molecular weight analogs of the ether-linked polymers were synthesized in which ester linkages joined the oligo-oxyethylene segment to the acrylate moiety. Poly(alpha-methoxyethoxyacetoxymethylacrylic acid) was the only one of this series to give an LCST with a value of 52.5°C. Copolymers of t-butyl alpha-methoxymethylacrylate (tBMMA) with alpha-(1H,1H- perfluorooctyloxymethyl)acrylic acid (PFOMA) were synthesized, deprotected and their lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) evaluated. At PFOMA feed ratios of 0.25 mol % or less, no observable change in the LCST was observed, while at PFOMA feed ratios of above 0.25 mol % to 1.125 mol %, a large linear decrease in the LCST was observed with increasing fluorocarbon content. t-Butyl alpha-(N-vinylformamidomethyl)acrylate (tBVFA) and ethyl alpha-(N-vinylformamidomethyl)acrylate (EVFA) were synthesized from t-butyl alpha-bromomethylacrylate and ethyl alpha-chloromethylacrylate, respectively. tBVFA was found to cyclopolymerize at 120°C in DMF, DMSO, and 1,2-dichlorobenzene at solvent:monomer ratios of 10:1 vol:wt. Molecular weights for poly(tBVFA) ranged from 10,000 to 13,000 as estimated by size-exclusion chromatography. At lower solvent monomer ratio (1:1), and at lower temperature (71°C), crosslinking occurred. EVFA was found to

Gelation Behavior Study of a Resorcinol–Hexamethyleneteramine Crosslinked Polymer Gel for Water Shut-Off Treatment in Low Temperature and High Salinity Reservoirs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongpeng Sun

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Mature oilfields usually encounter the problem of high watercut. It is practical to use chemical methods for water-shutoff in production wells, however conventional water-shutoff agents have problems of long gelation time, low gel strength, and poor stability under low temperature and high salinity conditions. In this work a novel polymer gel for low temperature and high salinity reservoirs was developed. This water-shutoff agent had controllable gelation time, adjustable gel strength and good stability performance. The crosslinking process of this polymer gel was studied by rheological experiments. The process could be divided into an induction period, a fast crosslinking period, and a stable period. Its gelation behaviors were investigated in detail. According to the Gel Strength Code (GSC and vacuum breakthrough method, the gel strength was displayed in contour maps. The composition of the polymer gel was optimized to 0.25~0.3% YG100 + 0.6~0.9% resorcinol + 0.2~0.4% hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA + 0.08~0.27% conditioner (oxalic acid. With the concentration increase of the polymer gel and temperature, the decrease of pH, the induction period became shorter and the crosslinking was more efficient, resulting in better stability performance. Various factors of the gelation behavior which have an impact on the crosslinking reaction process were examined. The relationships between each impact factor and the initial crosslinking time were described with mathematical equations.

Experimental Performance Study of a High Speed Oil Lubricated Polymer Thrust Bearing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jie Zhou

2015-01-01

Full Text Available With the demand for turbomachinery to operate at higher speeds, loads, and power, fluid film bearings that support turbomachinery must be capable of operating in these more demanding applications. Thrust bearings operating at high speeds and loads can experience high surface temperatures and thin fluid film thickness. Typically, babbitt (white metal is the bearing lining material for most turbomachinery bearings but is limited in operating temperature and allowable film thickness. Polymer based materials are alternative materials that can operate at high temperatures and with thin films and have been in use for many decades in high load applications, such as electric submersible pumps (ESP. Test results of polymer lined thrust bearings subjected to modern turbomachinery speeds and loads are presented and compared to babbitt lined bearings of the same design and under similar conditions. The test results show polymer lined thrust bearings can operate at higher bearing unit loads than babbitt.

High Molecular Weight Polymers in the New Chemicals Program

Science.gov (United States)

There are three categories or types of High Molecular Weight (HMW, 10,000 daltons) polymers typically reviewed by the New Chemicals Program: Soluble, insoluble, and water absorbing. Each of the three types are treated differently.

Material Compressing Test of the High Polymer Part Used in Draft Gear of Heavy Load Locomotive

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Yangang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available According to the actual load cases of heavy load locomotive, the material compressing tests of the high polymer parts used in the locomotive are researched. The relationship between stress and strain during the material compressing are acquired by means of comparing the many results of the material compressing tests under different test condition. The relationship between stress and strain during the material compressing is nonlinear in large range of strain, but the relationship is approximately linear in small range of strain. The material of the high polymer made in China and the material of the high polymer imported are compared through the tests. The results show that the compressing property of the material of the high polymer made in China and the material of the high polymer imported are almost same. The research offers the foundation to study the structure elasticity of the draft gear.

A Facile and General Approach to Recoverable High-Strain Multishape Shape Memory Polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xingjian; Pan, Yi; Zheng, Zhaohui; Ding, Xiaobin

2018-03-01

Fabricating a single polymer network with no need to design complex structures to achieve an ideal combination of tunable high-strain multiple-shape memory effects and highly recoverable shape memory property is a great challenge for the real applications of advanced shape memory devices. Here, a facile and general approach to recoverable high-strain multishape shape memory polymers is presented via a random copolymerization of acrylate monomers and a chain-extended multiblock copolymer crosslinker. As-prepared shape memory networks show a large width at the half-peak height of the glass transition, far wider than current classical multishape shape memory polymers. A combination of tunable high-strain multishape memory effect and as high as 1000% recoverable strain in a single chemical-crosslinking network can be obtained. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first thermosetting material with a combination of highly recoverable strain and tunable high-strain multiple-shape memory effects. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Design, synthesis and photovoltaic properties of a series of new acceptor-pended conjugated polymers

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Zhihong; Wu; Yongxiang; Zhu; Wei; Li; Yunping; Huang; Junwu; Chen; Chunhui; Duan; Fei; Huang; Yong; Cao

2016-01-01

A series of novel acceptor-pended conjugated polymers featuring a newly developed carbazole-derived unit are designed and synthesized. The relationships between chemical structure and optoelectronic properties of the polymers are systematically investigated.The control of UV-Vis absorption spectra and energy levels in resulting polymers are achieved by introducing suitable pended acceptor units. The photovoltaic properties of the resulting polymers are evaluated by blending the polymers with(6,6)-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester. The resulting solar cells exhibit moderate performances with high open-circuit voltage. Charge transport properties and morphology were investigated to understand the performance of corresponding solar cells.

Determination of vitamin E acid succinate in biodegradable microspheres by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez Sancho, C; Herrero Vanrell, R; Negro, S

2004-01-01

A simple, rapid, and reproducible reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method is applied to the routine assay of vitamin E acid succinate in biodegradable microspheres. Vitamin E acid-succinate-containing poly-(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres are prepared by the solvent evaporation method. The starting drug-polymer ratio is 1:10 (w/w) and the total amount of drug and polymer processed is always 440 mg. The content of vitamin E acid succinate in the microspheres is evaluated by HPLC. Chromatography is carried out isocratically at 25 degrees C +/- 0.5 degrees C on an Extrasil ODS-2 column with a mobile phase composed of methanol-water (97:3, v/v) (pH 5.6) at a flow rate of 2 mL/min and UV detection at 284 nm. Parameters such as linearity, limits of quantitation (LOQ) and detection (LOD), precision, accuracy, recovery, specificity, and ruggedness are studied as reported in the International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. The stability of vitamin E acid succinate is also studied with satisfactory results after 48 h at 25 degrees C. The method is selective and linear for drug concentrations in the range 15-210 micro g/mL. The LOQ and LOD are 15 and 3 micro g/mL, respectively. The results for accuracy studies are good. Values for coefficient of variation for intra- and interassay are 2.08% and 2.32%, respectively. The mean percentage of vitamin E acid succinate in the recovery studies is 99.52% +/- 0.81%. The mean loading efficiency for microspheres is 96.53% +/- 1.31%.

The degree of doubly charged cation binding in solutions of (co)polymers of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid salts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurenkov, V.F.; Kolesnikova, I.Yu.; Antonovich, O.A.

2002-01-01

The degree of binding the ions of the alkaline-earth metals (M = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) by the polysulfate anions in the aqueous solutions of the polymers of the 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (N-AMS) salts and their binary copolymers with the acrylamide (AA) and N-vinylpyrrolidone (VP) is quantitatively evaluated through the Terayama and Wall viscosimetric method. It is established, that the degree of binding decreases in the Sr>Ca>Mg sequence for the N-AMS polymer salts and in the reverse sequence (Mg>Ca>Sr(Ba)) for the binary copolymers of the N-AMS salts with AA and VP [ru

Peptides Displayed as High Density Brush Polymers Resist Proteolysis and Retain Bioactivity

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

We describe a strategy for rendering peptides resistant to proteolysis by formulating them as high-density brush polymers. The utility of this approach is demonstrated by polymerizing well-established cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) and showing that the resulting polymers are not only resistant to proteolysis but also maintain their ability to enter cells. The scope of this design concept is explored by studying the proteolytic resistance of brush polymers composed of peptides that are substrates for either thrombin or a metalloprotease. Finally, we demonstrate that the proteolytic susceptibility of peptide brush polymers can be tuned by adjusting the density of the polymer brush and offer in silico models to rationalize this finding. We contend that this strategy offers a plausible method of preparing peptides for in vivo use, where rapid digestion by proteases has traditionally restricted their utility. PMID:25314576

Solid polymer electrolyte composite membrane comprising plasma etched porous support

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Han; LaConti, Anthony B.

2010-10-05

A solid polymer electrolyte composite membrane and method of manufacturing the same. According to one embodiment, the composite membrane comprises a rigid, non-electrically-conducting support, the support preferably being a sheet of polyimide having a thickness of about 7.5 to 15 microns. The support has a plurality of cylindrical pores extending perpendicularly between opposing top and bottom surfaces of the support. The pores, which preferably have a diameter of about 0.1 to 5 microns, are made by plasma etching and preferably are arranged in a defined pattern, for example, with fewer pores located in areas of high membrane stress and more pores located in areas of low membrane stress. The pores are filled with a first solid polymer electrolyte, such as a perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) polymer. A second solid polymer electrolyte, which may be the same as or different than the first solid polymer electrolyte, may be deposited over the top and/or bottom of the first solid polymer electrolyte.

Solid polymer electrolyte composite membrane comprising laser micromachined porous support

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Han [Waltham, MA; LaConti, Anthony B [Lynnfield, MA; Mittelsteadt, Cortney K [Natick, MA; McCallum, Thomas J [Ashland, MA

2011-01-11

A solid polymer electrolyte composite membrane and method of manufacturing the same. According to one embodiment, the composite membrane comprises a rigid, non-electrically-conducting support, the support preferably being a sheet of polyimide having a thickness of about 7.5 to 15 microns. The support has a plurality of cylindrical pores extending perpendicularly between opposing top and bottom surfaces of the support. The pores, which preferably have a diameter of about 5 microns, are made by laser micromachining and preferably are arranged in a defined pattern, for example, with fewer pores located in areas of high membrane stress and more pores located in areas of low membrane stress. The pores are filled with a first solid polymer electrolyte, such as a perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) polymer. A second solid polymer electrolyte, which may be the same as or different than the first solid polymer electrolyte, may be deposited over the top and/or bottom of the first solid polymer electrolyte.

Residual wood polymers facilitate compounding of microfibrillated cellulose with poly(lactic acid) for 3D printer filaments

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, Armin; Mundigler, Norbert; Holzweber, Julian; Veigel, Stefan; Müller, Ulrich; Kovalcik, Adriana; Gindl-Altmutter, Wolfgang

2017-12-01

Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) is a fascinating material with an obvious potential for composite reinforcement due to its excellent mechanics together with high specific surface area. However, in order to use this potential, commercially viable solutions to important technological challenges have to be found. Notably, the distinct hydrophilicity of MFC prevents efficient drying without loss in specific surface area, necessitating storage and processing in wet condition. This greatly hinders compounding with important technical polymers immiscible with water. Differently from cellulose, the chemistry of the major wood polymers lignin and hemicellulose is much more diverse in terms of functional groups. Specifically, the aromatic moieties present in lignin and acetyl groups in hemicellulose provide distinctly less polar surface-chemical functionality compared to hydroxyl groups which dominate the surface-chemical character of cellulose. It is shown that considerable advantages in the production of MFC-filled poly(lactic acid) filaments for three-dimensional printing can be obtained through the use of MFC containing residual lignin and hemicellulose due to their advantageous surface-chemical characteristics. Specifically, considerably reduced agglomerations of MFC in the filaments in combination with improved printability and improved toughness of printed objects are achieved. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue `New horizons for cellulose nanotechnology'.

Residual wood polymers facilitate compounding of microfibrillated cellulose with poly(lactic acid) for 3D printer filaments.

Science.gov (United States)

Winter, Armin; Mundigler, Norbert; Holzweber, Julian; Veigel, Stefan; Müller, Ulrich; Kovalcik, Adriana; Gindl-Altmutter, Wolfgang

2018-02-13

Microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) is a fascinating material with an obvious potential for composite reinforcement due to its excellent mechanics together with high specific surface area. However, in order to use this potential, commercially viable solutions to important technological challenges have to be found. Notably, the distinct hydrophilicity of MFC prevents efficient drying without loss in specific surface area, necessitating storage and processing in wet condition. This greatly hinders compounding with important technical polymers immiscible with water. Differently from cellulose, the chemistry of the major wood polymers lignin and hemicellulose is much more diverse in terms of functional groups. Specifically, the aromatic moieties present in lignin and acetyl groups in hemicellulose provide distinctly less polar surface-chemical functionality compared to hydroxyl groups which dominate the surface-chemical character of cellulose. It is shown that considerable advantages in the production of MFC-filled poly(lactic acid) filaments for three-dimensional printing can be obtained through the use of MFC containing residual lignin and hemicellulose due to their advantageous surface-chemical characteristics. Specifically, considerably reduced agglomerations of MFC in the filaments in combination with improved printability and improved toughness of printed objects are achieved.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'New horizons for cellulose nanotechnology'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Nonlinear transport in semiconducting polymers at high carrier densities.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuen, Jonathan D; Menon, Reghu; Coates, Nelson E; Namdas, Ebinazar B; Cho, Shinuk; Hannahs, Scott T; Moses, Daniel; Heeger, Alan J

2009-07-01

Conducting and semiconducting polymers are important materials in the development of printed, flexible, large-area electronics such as flat-panel displays and photovoltaic cells. There has been rapid progress in developing conjugated polymers with high transport mobility required for high-performance field-effect transistors (FETs), beginning with mobilities around 10(-4) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) to a recent report of 1 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) for poly(2,5-bis(3-tetradecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene) (PBTTT). Here, the electrical properties of PBTTT are studied at high charge densities both as the semiconductor layer in FETs and in electrochemically doped films to determine the transport mechanism. We show that data obtained using a wide range of parameters (temperature, gate-induced carrier density, source-drain voltage and doping level) scale onto the universal curve predicted for transport in the Luttinger liquid description of the one-dimensional 'metal'.

Development of Silicate Polymers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søgaard, Erik Gydesen; Simonsen, Morten Enggrob

  The development of inorganic polymers is a new promising technology that may be used in many applications. The syntheses of inorganic polymers are normally carried out either by mixing an amorphous material for example silicium dioxide with a mineral base or dissolving metal oxids or metal...... hydroxide in acid and increase pH to saturation of the metal hydroxide. It is assumed that the syntheses of the inorganic polymer are carried out through polymerisation of oligomers (dimer, trimer) which provide the actual unit structures of the three dimensional macromolecular structure. In this work...

Thiomers: a new generation of mucoadhesive polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernkop-Schnürch, Andreas

2005-11-03

Thiolated polymers or designated thiomers are mucoadhesive basis polymers, which display thiol bearing side chains. Based on thiol/disulfide exchange reactions and/or a simple oxidation process disulfide bonds are formed between such polymers and cysteine-rich subdomains of mucus glycoproteins building up the mucus gel layer. Thiomers mimic therefore the natural mechanism of secreted mucus glycoproteins, which are also covalently anchored in the mucus layer by the formation of disulfide bonds-the bridging structure most commonly encountered in biological systems. So far the cationic thiomers chitosan-cysteine, chitosan-thiobutylamidine as well as chitosan-thioglycolic acid and the anionic thiomers poly(acylic acid)-cysteine, poly(acrylic acid)-cysteamine, carboxy-methylcellulose-cysteine and alginate-cysteine have been generated. Due to the immobilization of thiol groups on mucoadhesive basis polymers, their mucoadhesive properties are 2- up to 140-fold improved. The higher efficacy of this new generation of mucoadhesive polymers in comparison to the corresponding unmodified mucoadhesive basis polymers could be verified via various in vivo studies on various mucosal membranes in different animal species and in humans. The development of first commercial available products comprising thiomers is in progress. Within this review an overview of the mechanism of adhesion and the design of thiomers as well as delivery systems comprising thiomers and their in vivo performance is provided.

College-Mentored Polymer/Materials Science Modules for Middle and High School Students

Science.gov (United States)

Lorenzini, Robert G.; Lewis, Maurica S.; Montclare, Jin Kim

2011-01-01

Polymers are materials with vast environmental and economic ramifications, yet are generally not discussed in secondary education science curricula. We describe a program in which college mentors develop and implement hands-on, polymer-related experiments to supplement a standard, state regents-prescribed high school chemistry course, as well as a…

Defining Allowable Physical Property Variations for High Accurate Measurements on Polymer Parts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mohammadi, Ali; Sonne, Mads Rostgaard; Madruga, Daniel González

2015-01-01

Measurement conditions and material properties have a significant impact on the dimensions of a part, especially for polymers parts. Temperature variation causes part deformations that increase the uncertainty of the measurement process. Current industrial tolerances of a few micrometres demand...... high accurate measurements in non-controlled ambient. Most of polymer parts are manufactured by injection moulding and their inspection is carried out after stabilization, around 200 hours. The overall goal of this work is to reach ±5μm in uncertainty measurements a polymer products which...

Development of environmentally friendly coatings and paints using medium-chain-length poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) as the polymer binder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Walle, van der G.A.M.; Buisman, F.J.H.; Weusthuis, R.A.; Eggink, G.

1999-01-01

Unsaturated medium-chain-length poly(3-hydroxyalkanoates) (mcl-PHAs) produced by Pseudomonas putida from linseed oil fatty acids (LOFA) and tall oil fatty acids (TOFA), were used as the polymer binder in the formulation of high solid alkyd-like paints. The relatively high concentration of

The Influence of Stabilized Deconjugated Ursodeoxycholic Acid on Polymer-Hydrogel System of Transplantable NIT-1 Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Mooranian, Armin; Negrulj, Rebecca; Al-Salami, Hani

2016-05-01

The encapsulation of pancreatic β-cells in biocompatible matrix has generated great interest in diabetes treatment. Our work has shown improved microcapsules when incorporating the bile acid ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), in terms of morphology and cell viability although cell survival remained low. Thus, the study aimed at incorporating the polyelectrolytes polyallylamine (PAA) and poly-l-ornithine (PLO), with the polymer sodium alginate (SA) and the hydrogel ultrasonic gel (USG) with UDCA and examined cell viability and functionality post microencapsulation. Microcapsules without (control) and with UDCA (test) were produced using 1% PLO, 2.5% PAA, 1.8% SA and 4.5% USG. Pancreatic β-cells were microencapsulated and the microcapsules' morphology, surface components, cellular and bile acid distribution, osmotic and mechanical stability as well as biocompatibilities, insulin production, bioenergetics and the inflammatory response were tested. Incorporation of UDCA at 4% into a PLO-PAA-SA formulation system increased cell survival (p acid UDCA (4%) has good potential in cell transplantation and diabetes treatment.

Electron beam effects on gelatin polymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inamura, Patricia Y.; Shimazaki, Kleber; Souza, Clecia de M.; Moura, Esperidiana A.B.; Mastro, Nelida L. del, E-mail: patyoko@yahoo.co [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Colombo, Maria A., E-mail: mascolombo@yahoo.com.b [Faculdade de Tecnologia da Zona Leste, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2009-07-01

The main field of electron-beam radiation processing applications is the modification of polymeric material. Polymer development includes new pathways to produce natural polymers with better mechanical and barrier properties and thermal stability. The aim of this paper was to investigate the behavior of a gelatin/acrylamide polymer treated by electron-beam radiation. Gelatin is a heterogeneous mixture of water-soluble proteins of high average molecular mass derived by hydrolytic action from animal collagen, a fibrous insoluble protein, which is widely found in nature as the major constituent of skin, bones and connective tissue. Hydrolyzed collagen is composed of a unique sequence of amino acids, characterized particularly by the high content of glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. Among biomaterials, gelatin is an interesting material because is a partially crystalline polymer and has a relatively low melting point. Samples of gelatin together with glycerin as plasticizer and acrylamide as copolymer were irradiated with doses of 10 kGy and 40 kGy, using an electron beam accelerator, dose rate 22.41kGy/s, at room temperature in presence of air. After irradiation, some preliminary analyses were done like viscometry, texture analyses and colorimetry. The results of the diverse tests showed changes that can be ascribed to radiation-induced crosslinking. The electron-beam processed acrylamide-gelatin polymer using glycerin as plasticizer must be first extensively characterized before to be used for general applications. (author)

Electron beam effects on gelatin polymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inamura, Patricia Y.; Shimazaki, Kleber; Souza, Clecia de M.; Moura, Esperidiana A.B.; Mastro, Nelida L. del; Colombo, Maria A.

2009-01-01

The main field of electron-beam radiation processing applications is the modification of polymeric material. Polymer development includes new pathways to produce natural polymers with better mechanical and barrier properties and thermal stability. The aim of this paper was to investigate the behavior of a gelatin/acrylamide polymer treated by electron-beam radiation. Gelatin is a heterogeneous mixture of water-soluble proteins of high average molecular mass derived by hydrolytic action from animal collagen, a fibrous insoluble protein, which is widely found in nature as the major constituent of skin, bones and connective tissue. Hydrolyzed collagen is composed of a unique sequence of amino acids, characterized particularly by the high content of glycine, proline and hydroxyproline. Among biomaterials, gelatin is an interesting material because is a partially crystalline polymer and has a relatively low melting point. Samples of gelatin together with glycerin as plasticizer and acrylamide as copolymer were irradiated with doses of 10 kGy and 40 kGy, using an electron beam accelerator, dose rate 22.41kGy/s, at room temperature in presence of air. After irradiation, some preliminary analyses were done like viscometry, texture analyses and colorimetry. The results of the diverse tests showed changes that can be ascribed to radiation-induced crosslinking. The electron-beam processed acrylamide-gelatin polymer using glycerin as plasticizer must be first extensively characterized before to be used for general applications. (author)

Biomolecule-functionalized polymer brushes.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Hui; Xu, Fu-Jian

2013-04-21

Functional polymer brushes have been utilized extensively for the immobilization of biomolecules, which is of crucial importance for the development of biosensors and biotechnology. Recent progress in polymerization methods, in particular surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), has provided a unique means for the design and synthesis of new biomolecule-functionalized polymer brushes. This current review summarizes such recent research activities. The different preparation strategies for biomolecule immobilization through polymer brush spacers are described in detail. The functional groups of the polymer brushes used for biomolecule immobilization include epoxide, carboxylic acid, hydroxyl, aldehyde, and amine groups. The recent research activities indicate that functional polymer brushes become versatile and powerful spacers for immobilization of various biomolecules to maximize their functionalities. This review also demonstrates that surface-initiated ATRP is used more frequently than other polymerization methods in the designs of new biomolecule-functionalized polymer brushes.

Rapid Polymer Sequencer

Science.gov (United States)

Stolc, Viktor (Inventor); Brock, Matthew W (Inventor)

2013-01-01

Method and system for rapid and accurate determination of each of a sequence of unknown polymer components, such as nucleic acid components. A self-assembling monolayer of a selected substance is optionally provided on an interior surface of a pipette tip, and the interior surface is immersed in a selected liquid. A selected electrical field is impressed in a longitudinal direction, or in a transverse direction, in the tip region, a polymer sequence is passed through the tip region, and a change in an electrical current signal is measured as each polymer component passes through the tip region. Each of the measured changes in electrical current signals is compared with a database of reference electrical change signals, with each reference signal corresponding to an identified polymer component, to identify the unknown polymer component with a reference polymer component. The nanopore preferably has a pore inner diameter of no more than about 40 nm and is prepared by heating and pulling a very small section of a glass tubing.

Highly effective removal of heavy metals by polymer-based zirconium phosphate: a case study of lead ion.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, B C; Zhang, Q R; Zhang, W M; Pan, B J; Du, W; Lv, L; Zhang, Q J; Xu, Z W; Zhang, Q X

2007-06-01

Zirconium phosphate (ZrP) has recently been demonstrated as an excellent sorbent for heavy metals due to its high selectivity, high thermal stability, and absolute insolubility in water. However, it cannot be readily adopted in fixed beds or any other flowthrough system due to the excessive pressure drop and poor mechanical strength resulting from its fine submicrometer particle sizes. In the present study a hybrid sorbent, i.e., polymer-supported ZrP, was prepared by dispersing ZrP within a strongly acidic cation exchanger D-001 and used for enhanced lead removal from contaminated waters. D-001 was selected as a host material for sorbent preparation mainly because of the Donnan membrane effect resulting from the nondiffusible negatively charged sulfonic acid group on the exchanger surface, which would enhance permeation of the targeted metal ions. The hybrid sorbent (hereafter denoted ZrP-001) was characterized using a nitrogen adsorption technique, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Lead sorption onto ZrP-001 was found to be pH dependent due to the ion-exchange mechanism, and its sorption kinetics onto ZrP-001 followed the pseudo-first-order model. Compared to D-001, ZrP-001 exhibited more favorable lead sorption particularly in terms of high selectivity, as indicated by its substantially larger distribution coefficients when other competing cations Na(+), Ca(2+), and Mg(2+) coexisted at a high level in solution. Fixed-bed column runs showed that lead sorption on ZrP-001 resulted in a conspicuous decrease of this toxic metal from 40 mg/L to below 0.05 mg/L. By comparison with D-001 and ZrP-CP (ZrP dispersion within a neutrally charged polymer CP), enhanced removal efficiency of ZrP-001 resulted from the Donnan membrane effect of the host material D-001. Moreover, its feasible regeneration by diluted acid solution and negligible ZrP loss during operation also helps ZrP-001 to be a potential candidate for lead removal from water. Thus

In-syringe extraction using dissolvable layered double hydroxide-polymer sponges templated from hierarchically porous coordination polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghani, Milad; Frizzarin, Rejane M; Maya, Fernando; Cerdà, Víctor

2016-07-01

Herein we report the use of cobalt porous coordination polymers (PCP) as intermediates to prepare advanced extraction media based on layered double hydroxides (LDH) supported on melamine polymer foam. The obtained dissolvable Ni-Co LDH composite sponges can be molded and used as sorbent for the in-syringe solid-phase extraction (SPE) of phenolic acids from fruit juices. The proposed sorbent is obtained due to the surfactant-assisted self-assembly of Co(II)/imidazolate PCPs on commercially available melamine foam, followed by the in situ conversion of the PCP into the final dissolvable LDH coating. Advantageous features for SPE are obtained by using PCPs with hierarchical porosity (HPCPs). The LDH-sponge prepared using intermediate HPCPs (HLDH-sponge) is placed in the headspace of a glass syringe, enabling flow-through extraction followed by analyte elution by the dissolution of the LDH coating in acidic conditions. Three phenolic acids (gallic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid and caffeic acid) were extracted and quantified using high performance liquid chromatography. Using a 5mL sample volume, the obtained detection limits were 0.15-0.35μgL(-1). The proposed method for the preparation of HLDH-sponges showed a good reproducibility as observed from the intra- and inter-day RSD's, which were <10% for all analytes. The batch-to-batch reproducibility for three different batches of HLDH-sponges was 10.6-11.2%. Enrichment factors of 15-21 were obtained. The HLDH-sponges were applied satisfactorily to the determination of phenolic acids in natural and commercial fruit juices, obtaining relative recoveries among 89.7-95.3%. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polymer additives for improving performance properties of cotton fabric crosslinked with 1,2,3,4 butanetetracarboxylic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Refaie, R.

2005-01-01

1,2,3,4 butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) represents an environmental safe alternative for commercial formaldehyde containing resins that acquire cotton textile easy care properties. However, several draw-back are encountered with BTCA finishing treatment, like excessive fabric tendering, yellowing as well as lower dye affinity. The feasibility of adding different polymers, viz-polyethylene glycol 600 (PEG), polyvinyl alcohol, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), alone or in admixture with chitosan to the finishing bath containing BTCA was investigated. Moreover, cationized forms of these polymers were also used as additives in the finishing formulation containing BTCA. Results obtained of CMC alone or with chitosan (0.5 %), with BTCA finishing formulation improves Cease Recovery Angle, Tensile strength, as well as basic dye ability compared with or without additives

Novel polymer inclusion membranes containing T2EHDGA as carrier extractant for actinide ion uptake from acidic feeds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mahanty, Bholanath; Das, Dillip Kumar; Behere, Praveen Gajanan; Afzal, Mohammad [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Tarapur, Maharashtra (India). Advanced Fuel Fabrication Facility; Mohapatra, Prasanta Kumar; Raut, Dhaval Ramakant [Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai (India). Radiochemistry Div.

2015-06-01

Polymer inclusion membranes (PIM) containing N,N,N',N'-tetra(2-ethylhexyl) diglycolamide (T2EHDGA) were evaluated for the separation of actinide ions such as Am{sup 3+}, Pu{sup 4+}, UO{sub 2}{sup 2+} and Th{sup 4+} from acidic feeds. The PIMs were prepared using cellulose triacetate (CTA) as the polymer matrix, 2-nitrophenyloctyl ether (NPOE) as the plasticizer and T2EHDGA as the carrier extractant and the optimized membrane composition was found to be 68.4% T2EHDGA, 17.9% NPOE and 13.7% CTA which resulted in 74% Am{sup 3+} uptake at 1 M HNO{sub 3} in 2 h. The uptake studies were carried out using feed solutions containing varying concentrations of nitric acid (0.5-3.0 M) and showed the trend: Pu{sup 4+} > Am{sup 3+} > Th{sup 4+} > UO{sub 2}{sup 2+}. Quantitative stripping (> 99%) of the sorbed Am{sup 3+} was possible using a solution containing 0.01 M EDTA at pH 3.0. Reusability studies indicated deterioration of the PIM on continuous use.

Reversible, high molecular weight palladium and platinum coordination polymers based on phosphorus ligands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Paulusse, J.M.J.; Huijbers, J.P.J.; Sijbesma, R.P.

2005-01-01

A general strategy for the preparation and characterization of high molecular weight coordination polymers based on bifunctional phosphorus ligands and palladium or platinum dichloride is described. Metal-to-ligand stoichiometry is of key importance for the formation of linear coordination polymers

Reversible, High Molecular Weight Palladium and Platinum Coordination Polymers Based on Phosphorus Ligands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Paulusse, Jos Marie Johannes; Huijbers, Jeroen P.J.; Sijbesma, Rint P.

2005-01-01

A general strategy for the preparation and characterization of high molecular weight coordination polymers based on bifunctional phosphorus ligands and palladium or platinum dichloride is described. Metal-to-ligand stoichiometry is of key importance for the formation of linear coordination polymers

Methylene blue doped polymers: efficient media for optical recording

Science.gov (United States)

Ushamani, M.; Sreekumar, K.; Sudha Kartha, C.; Joseph, R.

2004-05-01

Polymer materials find application in optical storage technology, namely in the development of high information density and fast access type memories. A new polymer blend of methylene blue sensitized polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) in methanol is prepared and characterized and its comparison with methylene blue sensitized PVA in methanol and complexed methylene blue sensitized polyvinyl chloride (CMBPVC) is presented. The optical absorption spectra of the thin films of these polymers showed a strong and broad absorption region at 670-650 nm, matching the wavelength of the laser used. A very slow recovery of the dye on irradiation was observed when a 7:3 blend of polyvinyl alcohol/polyacrylic acid at a pH of 3.8 and a sensitizer concentration of 4.67 · 10-5 g/ml were used. A diffraction efficiency of up to 20% was observed for the MBPVA/alcohol system and an energetic sensitivity of 2000 mJ/cm2 was obtained in the photosensitive films with a spatial frequency of 588 lines/mm.

Thieno[3,4-c]Pyrrole-4,6-Dione-Based Polymer Acceptors for High Open-Circuit Voltage All-Polymer Solar Cells

KAUST Repository

Liu, Shengjian

2017-04-20

While polymer acceptors are promising fullerene alternatives in the fabrication of efficient bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells, the range of efficient material systems relevant to the “all-polymer” BHJ concept remains narrow, and currently limits the perspectives to meet the 10% efficiency threshold in all-polymer solar cells. This report examines two polymer acceptor analogs composed of thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (TPD) and 3,4-difluorothiophene ([2F]T) motifs, and their BHJ solar cell performance pattern with a low-bandgap polymer donor commonly used with fullerenes (PBDT-TS1; taken as a model system). In this material set, the introduction of a third electron-deficient motif, namely 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (BT), is shown to (i) significantly narrow the optical gap (Eopt) of the corresponding polymer (by ≈0.2 eV) and (ii) improve the electron mobility of the polymer by over two orders of magnitude in BHJ solar cells. In turn, the narrow-gap P2TPDBT[2F]T analog (Eopt = 1.7 eV) used as fullerene alternative yields high open-circuit voltages (VOC) of ≈1.0 V, notable short-circuit current values (JSC) of ≈11.0 mA cm−2, and power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) nearing 5% in all-polymer BHJ solar cells. P2TPDBT[2F]T paves the way to a new, promising class of polymer acceptor candidates.

A high brightness probe of polymer nanoparticles for biological imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Sirong; Zhu, Jiarong; Li, Yaping; Feng, Liheng

2018-03-01

Conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) with high brightness in long wavelength region were prepared by the nano-precipitation method. Based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism, the high brightness property of the CPNs was realized by four different emission polymers. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) displayed that the CPNs possessed a spherical structure and an average diameter of 75 nm. Analysis assays showed that the CPNs had excellent biocompatibility, good photostability and low cytotoxicity. The CPNs were bio-modified with a cell penetrating peptide (Tat, a targeted element) through covalent link. Based on the entire wave fluorescence emission, the functionalized CPNs1-4 can meet multichannel and high throughput assays in cell and organ imaging. The contribution of the work lies in not only providing a new way to obtain a high brightness imaging probe in long wavelength region, but also using targeted cell and organ imaging.

Microwave synthesis of delaminated acid saponites using quaternary ammonium salt or polymer as template. Study of pH influence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gebretsadik, Fiseha B.; Mance, Deni; Baldus, Marc; Salagre, Pilar; Cesteros, Yolanda

2015-01-01

Mesoporous saponites were prepared at pH8 and 13 without and with template (surfactant or polymer) at 453K and autogenic pressure using microwaves or conventional oven during the hydrothermal ageing treatment. Acidity was obtained by calcination of the NH4-form. The effect of dilution

Highly Enhanced Raman Scattering on Carbonized Polymer Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Jong-Chul; Hwang, Jongha; Thiyagarajan, Pradheep; Ruoff, Rodney S; Jang, Ji-Hyun

2017-06-28

We have discovered a carbonized polymer film to be a reliable and durable carbon-based substrate for carbon enhanced Raman scattering (CERS). Commercially available SU8 was spin coated and carbonized (c-SU8) to yield a film optimized to have a favorable Fermi level position for efficient charge transfer, which results in a significant Raman scattering enhancement under mild measurement conditions. A highly sensitive CERS (detection limit of 10 -8 M) that was uniform over a large area was achieved on a patterned c-SU8 film and the Raman signal intensity has remained constant for 2 years. This approach works not only for the CMOS-compatible c-SU8 film but for any carbonized film with the correct composition and Fermi level, as demonstrated with carbonized-PVA (poly(vinyl alcohol)) and carbonized-PVP (polyvinylpyrollidone) films. Our study certainly expands the rather narrow range of Raman-active material platforms to include robust carbon-based films readily obtained from polymer precursors. As it uses broadly applicable and cheap polymers, it could offer great advantages in the development of practical devices for chemical/bio analysis and sensors.

Chirality-Discriminated Conductivity of Metal-Amino Acid Biocoordination Polymer Nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Jianzhong; Wu, Yijin; Deng, Ke; He, Meng; He, Liangcan; Cao, Jing; Zhang, Xugang; Liu, Yaling; Li, Shunxing; Tang, Zhiyong

2016-09-27

Biocoordination polymer (BCP) nanowires are successfully constructed through self-assembly of chiral cysteine amino acids and Cd cations in solution. The varied chirality of cysteine is explored to demonstrate the difference of BCP nanowires in both morphology and structure. More interestingly and surprisingly, the electrical property measurement reveals that, although all Cd(II)/cysteine BCP nanowires behave as semiconductors, the conductivity of the Cd(II)/dl-cysteine nanowires is 4 times higher than that of the Cd(II)/l-cysteine or Cd(II)/d-cysteine ones. The origin of such chirality-discriminated characteristics registered in BCP nanowires is further elucidated by theoretical calculation. These findings demonstrate that the morphology, structure, and property of BCP nanostructures could be tuned by the chirality of the bridging ligands, which will shed light on the comprehension of chirality transcription as well as construction of chirality-regulated functional materials.

The Research on Polymer Microcapsulation for Cell Technology

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHANG Zhi-bin; LI Min; SONG Hong; FANG Yi; HUA Hui; CHEN Li-guo; ZHOU Wei; WANG Zheng-rong

2004-01-01

Microcapsulation is a technology that enwrapped the solid or liquid or some gas matter with membrane materials to form microparticles(i.e.microcapsules). The materials of microcapsule is composed of naturnal polymers or modified naturnal polymers or synthesized polymers. The water-soluble core matter can only use oil-soluble wall materials, and vice versa.Synthesized methods of polymer microcapsulesSynthesized methods with monomers as raw materialsThis kind of methods include suspension polymerization, emulsion polymerization, dispersal polymerization, precipitation polymerization,suspension condensation polymerization, dispersal condensation polymerization, deposition condensation polymerization, interface condensation polymerization, and so on.Synthesized methods with polymers as raw materialsThese methods are suspension cross-linked polymerization, coacervation phase separation,extraction with solvent evaporation, polymer deposition, polymer chelation, polymer gel,solidification of melting polymer, tray-painted ways, fluidized bed ways, and so forth.Polymer materials to synthesize microcapsules2.1. Naturnal polymer materialsThe characteristics of this kind of materials are easy to form membrane, good stability and no toxicity. The polymer materials include lipids(liposome), amyloses, proteins, plant gels, waxes, etc.2.2. Modified polymer materialsThe characteristics of these materials are little toxicity, high viscidity(viscosity), soluble salt materials. But they cannot be used in water, acidic environment and high temperature environment for a long time. The materials include all kind of derivants of celluloses.2.3. Synthesized polymer materialsThe characteristics of the materials are easy to form membrane, good stability and adjustment of membrane properties. The synthesized polymer materials include degradable polymers(PLA, PGA,PLGA, PCL, PHB, PHV, PHA, PEG, PPG and the like) and indegradable polymers(PA, PMMA,PAM, PS, PVC, PB, PE, PU, PUA, PVA and otherwise

Synthesis of nano-sized stereoselective imprinted polymer by copolymerization of (S)-2-(acrylamido) propanoic acid and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate in the presence of racemic propranolol and copper ion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alizadeh, Taher, E-mail: talizadeh@ut.ac.ir [Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University College of Science, University of Tehran, P.O. Box 14155-6455, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Bagherzadeh, Azam; Shamkhali, Amir Nasser [Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2016-06-01

A new chiral functional monomer of (S)-2-(acrylamido) propanoic acid was obtained by reaction of (L)-alanine with acryloyl chloride. The resulting monomer was characterized by FT-IR and HNMR and then utilized for the preparation of chiral imprinted polymer (CIP). This was carried out by copolymerization of (L)-alanine-derived chiral monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, in the presence of racemic propranolol and copper nitrate, via precipitation polymerization technique, resulting in nano-sized networked polymer particles. The polymer obtained was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and FT-IR. The non-imprinted polymer was also synthesized and used as blank polymer. Density functional theory (DFT) was also employed to optimize the structures of two diasterometric ternary complexes, suspected to be created in the pre-polymerization step, by reaction of optically active isomers of propranolol, copper ion and (S)-2-(acrylamido) propanoic acid. Relative energies and other characteristics of the described complexes, calculated by the DFT, predicted the higher stability of (S)-propranolol involved complex, compared to (R)-propranolol participated complex. Practical batch extraction test which employed CIP as solid phase adsorbent, indicated that the CIP recognized selectively (S)-propranolol in the racemic mixture of propranolol; whereas, the non-imprinted polymer (NIP) showed no differentiation capability between two optically active isomers of propranolol. - Highlights: • A new chiral functional monomer of (S)-2-(acrylamido) propanoic acid was synthesized. • (S)-propranolol-selective imprinted polymer was synthesized using the chiral monomer. • Racemic propranolol mixed with Cu(II) was used as template in the imprinting. • Density functional theory was employed to clarify the imprinting mechanism. • (S)-propranolol-Cu(II) complex was shown to conduct the imprinting process.

Highly flexible and all-solid-state paperlike polymer supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Chuizhou; Liu, Changhong; Chen, Luzhuo; Hu, Chunhua; Fan, Shoushan

2010-10-13

In recent years, much effort have been dedicated to achieve thin, lightweight and even flexible energy-storage devices for wearable electronics. Here we demonstrate a novel kind of ultrathin all-solid-state supercapacitor configuration with an extremely simple process using two slightly separated polyaniline-based electrodes well solidified in the H(2)SO(4)-polyvinyl alcohol gel electrolyte. The thickness of the entire device is much comparable to that of a piece of commercial standard A4 print paper. Under its highly flexible (twisting) state, the integrate device shows a high specific capacitance of 350 F/g for the electrode materials, well cycle stability after 1000 cycles and a leakage current of as small as 17.2 μA. Furthermore, due to its polymer-based component structure, it has a specific capacitance of as high as 31.4 F/g for the entire device, which is more than 6 times that of current high-level commercial supercapacitor products. These highly flexible and all-solid-state paperlike polymer supercapacitors may bring new design opportunities of device configuration for energy-storage devices in the future wearable electronic area.

High-capacity thermo-responsive magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers for selective extraction of curcuminoids.

Science.gov (United States)

You, Qingping; Zhang, Yuping; Zhang, Qingwen; Guo, Junfang; Huang, Weihua; Shi, Shuyun; Chen, Xiaoqin

2014-08-08

Thermo-responsive magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (TMMIPs) for selective recognition of curcuminoids with high capacity and selectivity have firstly been developed. The resulting TMMIPs were characterized by TEM, FT-IR, TGA, VSM and UV, which indicated that TMMIPs showed thermo-responsiveness [lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at 33.71°C] and rapid magnetic separation (5s). The polymerization, adsorption and release conditions were optimized in detail to obtain the highest binding capacity, selectivity and release ratio. We found that the adopted thermo-responsive monomer [N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm)] could be considered not only as inert polymer backbone for thermo-responsiveness but also as functional co-monomers combination with basic monomer (4-VP) for more specific binding sites when ethanol was added in binding solution. The maximum adsorption capacity with highest selectivity of curcumin was 440.3μg/g (1.93 times that on MMIPs with no thermosensitivity) at 45°C (above LCST) in 20% (v/v) ethanol solution on shrunk TMMIPs, and the maximum release proportion was about 98% at 20°C (below LCST) in methanol-acetic acid (9/1, v/v) solution on swelled TMMIPs. The adsorption process between curcumin and TMMIPs followed Langumuir adsorption isotherm and pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. The prepared TMMIPs also showed high reproducibility (RSD<6% for batch-to-batch evaluation) and stability (only 7% decrease after five cycles). Subsequently, the TMMIPs were successfully applied for selective extraction of curcuminoids from complex natural product, Curcuma longa. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polymer-Graphene Nanocomposite Materials for Electrochemical Biosensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Sobolewski, Peter; Piwowarczyk, Magdalena; Fray, Mirosława El

2016-07-01

Biosensing is an important and rapidly developing field, with numerous potential applications in health care, food processing, and environmental control. Polymer-graphene nanocomposites aim to leverage the unique, attractive properties of graphene by combining them with those of a polymer matrix. Molecular imprinted polymers, in particular, offer the promise of artificial biorecognition elements. A variety of polymers, including intrinsically conducting polymers (polyaniline, polypyrrole), bio-based polymers (chitosan, polycatechols), and polycationic polymers (poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), polyethyleneimine), have been utilized as matrices for graphene-based nanofillers, yielding sensitive biosensors for various biomolecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, and small molecules. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Alternative High Performance Polymers for Ablative Thermal Protection Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Boghozian, Tane; Stackpoole, Mairead; Gonzales, Greg

2015-01-01

Ablative thermal protection systems are commonly used as protection from the intense heat during re-entry of a space vehicle and have been used successfully on many missions including Stardust and Mars Science Laboratory both of which used PICA - a phenolic based ablator. Historically, phenolic resin has served as the ablative polymer for many TPS systems. However, it has limitations in both processing and properties such as char yield, glass transition temperature and char stability. Therefore alternative high performance polymers are being considered including cyanate ester resin, polyimide, and polybenzoxazine. Thermal and mechanical properties of these resin systems were characterized and compared with phenolic resin.

Application of living radical polymerization to the synthesis of resist polymers for radiation lithography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shimizu, Takashi [Nitto Denko Co. LTD., Shimohozumi 1-1-2, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-8680 (Japan); Ichikawa, Tsuneki [Division of Materials Chemistry, Graduate school of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628 (Japan)]. E-mail: ichikawa@eng.hokudai.ac.jp

2005-07-01

Poly(styrene) and poly(methyl acrylate) with benzyl ester of carboxylic acid at the center of the polymer skeletons were synthesized by living radical polymerization for developing a new type of radiation resist with high resistivity to plasma etching and high sensitivity and spatial resolution to ionizing radiations. The initiators were benzyl esters with two functional groups for living radical polymerization on the benzyl and the carboxylic sides. Introduction of benzyl ester to the polymer skeletons changed the polymers from cross-link type to scission type upon {gamma}-irradiation. Irradiation of the polymers resulted in the binary change of the molecular weight, due to dissociative capture of secondary electrons by the benzyl ester, as M{sub n}R{sub 1}COOCH(C{sub 6}H{sub 5})R{sub 2}M{sub n}+e{sup -}->M{sub n}R{sub 1}COO{sup -}+{sup {center_dot}}CH(C{sub 6}H{sub 5})R{sub 2}M{sub n}. The generated polymer fragments were not decomposed by further irradiation, which suggests that the synthesized polymers have high resistivity to plasma etching.

Sandwich-structured polymer nanocomposites with high energy density and great charge–discharge efficiency at elevated temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qi; Liu, Feihua; Yang, Tiannan; Gadinski, Matthew R.; Zhang, Guangzu; Chen, Long-Qing; Wang, Qing

2016-01-01

The demand for a new generation of high-temperature dielectric materials toward capacitive energy storage has been driven by the rise of high-power applications such as electric vehicles, aircraft, and pulsed power systems where the power electronics are exposed to elevated temperatures. Polymer dielectrics are characterized by being lightweight, and their scalability, mechanical flexibility, high dielectric strength, and great reliability, but they are limited to relatively low operating temperatures. The existing polymer nanocomposite-based dielectrics with a limited energy density at high temperatures also present a major barrier to achieving significant reductions in size and weight of energy devices. Here we report the sandwich structures as an efficient route to high-temperature dielectric polymer nanocomposites that simultaneously possess high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss. In contrast to the conventional single-layer configuration, the rationally designed sandwich-structured polymer nanocomposites are capable of integrating the complementary properties of spatially organized multicomponents in a synergistic fashion to raise dielectric constant, and subsequently greatly improve discharged energy densities while retaining low loss and high charge–discharge efficiency at elevated temperatures. At 150 °C and 200 MV m−1, an operating condition toward electric vehicle applications, the sandwich-structured polymer nanocomposites outperform the state-of-the-art polymer-based dielectrics in terms of energy density, power density, charge–discharge efficiency, and cyclability. The excellent dielectric and capacitive properties of the polymer nanocomposites may pave a way for widespread applications in modern electronics and power modules where harsh operating conditions are present. PMID:27551101

Novel Approaches to Immobilized Heteropoly Acid Systems for High Temperature, Low Relative Humidity Polymer-Type Membranes - Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herring, Andrew M; Horan, James L; Aieta, Niccolo V; Sachdeva, Sonny; Kuo, Mei-Chen; Ren, Hui; Lingutla, Anitha; Emery, Michael; Haugen, Gregory M; Yandrasits, Michael A; Sharma, Neeraj; Coggio, William D; Hamrock, Steven J; Frey, Matthew H

2012-05-20

Original research was carried out at the CSM and the 3M Company from March 2007 through September 2011. The research was aimed at developing new to the world proton electrolyte materials for use in hydrogen fuel cells, in particular with high proton conductivity under hot and dry conditions (>100mS/cm at 120°C and 50%RH). Broadly stated, the research at 3M and between 3M and CSM that led to new materials took place in two phases: In the first phase, hydrocarbon membranes that could be formed by photopolymerization of monomer mixtures were developed for the purpose of determining the technical feasibility of achieving the program's Go/No-Go decision conductivity target of >100mS/cm at 120°C and 50%RH. In the second phase, attempts were made to extend the achieved conductivity level to fluorinated material systems with the expectation that durability and stability would be improved (over the hydrocarbon material). Highlights included: Multiple lots of an HPA-immobilized photocurable terpolymer derived from di-vinyl-silicotungstic acid (85%), n-butyl acrylate, and hexanediol diacrylate were prepared at 3M and characterized at 3M to exhibit an initial conductivity of 107mS/cm at 120°C and 47%RH (PolyPOM85v) using a Bekktech LLC sample fixture and TestEquity oven. Later independent testing by Bekktech LLC, using a different preheating protocol, on the same material, yielded a conductivity value of approximately 20mS/cm at 120°C and 50%RH. The difference in measured values is likely to have been the result of an instability of properties for the material or a difference in the measurement method. A dispersed catalyst fuel cell was fabricated and tested using a 150¼m thick HPA-based photocurable membrane (above, PolyPOM75v), exhibiting a current density of greater than 300mA/cm2 at 0.5V (H2/Air 800/1800sccm 70°C/75%RH ambient outlet pressure). Multiple lots of a co-polymer based on poly-trifluorovinylether (TFVE) derived HPA were synthesized and fabricated into

Gold nanoparticles stabilized by starch polymer and their use as catalyst in homocoupling of phenylboronic acid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kittiyaporn Wongmanee

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In this study, gold nanoparticles (Au NPs stabilized by a starch polymer have been successfully prepared and characterized via a number of techniques including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, X-ray diffraction (XRD, UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, and dynamic light scattering (DLS measurements. The catalytic activity of starch-stabilized Au NPs was also examined toward the homocoupling of phenylboronic acid in water using oxygen in air as oxidant at an ambient temperature (25 ± 1 °C. Several parameters including the catalyst loading, base equivalent (eq., base type, and reaction time were studied. This study offers a simple, inexpensive and environmentally friendly procedure for the stabilization of colloidal gold catalysts using a hydroxyl-rich structure of starch polymer with a great promise through potential applications in related fields.

Lignin poly(lactic acid) copolymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olsson, Johan Vilhelm; Chung, Yi-Lin; Li, Russell Jingxian; Waymouth, Robert; Sattely, Elizabeth; Billington, Sarah; Frank, Curtis W.

2017-02-14

Provided herein are graft co-polymers of lignin and poly(lactic acid) (lignin-g-PLA copolymer), thermoset and thermoplastic polymers including them, methods of preparing these polymers, and articles of manufacture including such polymers.

Entropy driven spontaneous formation of highly porous films from polymer-nanoparticle composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korampally, Venumadhav; Yun, Minseong; Rajagopalan, Thiruvengadathan; Gangopadhyay, Keshab; Gangopadhyay, Shubhra; Dasgupta, Purnendu K

2009-01-01

Nanoporous materials have become indispensable in many fields ranging from photonics, catalysis and semiconductor processing to biosensor infrastructure. Rapid and energy efficient process fabrication of these materials is, however, nontrivial. In this communication, we describe a simple method for the rapid fabrication of these materials from colloidal dispersions of Polymethyl Silsesquioxane nanoparticles. Nanoparticle-polymer composites above the decomposition temperature of the polymer are examined and the entropic gain experienced by the nanoparticles in this rubric is harnessed to fabricate novel highly porous films composed of nanoparticles. Optically smooth, hydrophobic films with low refractive indices (as low as 1.048) and high surface areas (as high as 1325 m 2 g -1 ) have been achieved with this approach. In this communication we address the behavior of such systems that are both temperature and substrate surface energy dependent. The method is applicable, in principle, to a variety of nanoparticle-polymer systems to fabricate custom nanoporous materials.

Quantitative analysis of the gas evolved from high polymers in γ-irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arakawa, Kazuo; Hayakawa, Naohiro; Kuriyama, Isamu

1977-09-01

Polymers are used as insulator of cables in nuclear-reactor radiation field. To estimate the evolution of gases when irradiated, total gas yield and composition were measured for variety of polymers. Samples were irradiated at room temperature in vacuo with 60 Co-γ rays. For ethylene propylene rubber (EPR), irradiation in high-temperature steam was also made. Composition of the gas was determined with a mass spectrometer. G-value of the total gaseous product was 3.2 to 3.4 for low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and 2.5 to 2.7 for high-density polyethylene (HDPE). In both polyethylene, hydrogen gas predominated. When an anti-radiation oil was added to LDPE, gas evolution was reduced drastically. For chloro-sulfonated PE (Hypalon), SO 2 gas was one of the major products even when the polymer contained only about 1% of sulfonyl groups. G-value of the total gas for EPR irradiated in high-temperature steam was 3.1, regardless of the temperature. (auth.)

A phenyl-sulfonic acid anchored carbon-supported platinum catalyst for polymer electrolyte fuel cell electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selvarani, G.; Sahu, A.K.; Choudhury, N.A.; Sridhar, P.; Pitchumani, S.; Shukla, A.K.

2007-01-01

A method, to anchor phenyl-sulfonic acid functional groups with the platinum catalyst supported onto a high surface-area carbon substrate, is reported. The use of the catalyst in the electrodes of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) helps enhancing its performance. Characterization of the catalyst by Fourier transform infra red (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and point-of-zero-charge (PZC) studies suggests that the improvement in performance of the PEFC is facilitated not only by enlarging the three-phase boundary in the catalyst layer but also by providing ionic-conduction paths as well as by imparting negative charge to platinum sites with concomitant oxidation of sulfur present in the carbon support. It is argued that the negatively charged platinum sites help repel water facilitating oxygen to access the catalyst sites. The PEFC with modified carbon-supported platinum catalyst electrodes exhibits 40% enhancement in its power density as compared to the one with unmodified carbon-supported platinum catalyst electrodes

Polymer electronics

CERN Document Server

Hsin-Fei, Meng

2013-01-01

Polymer semiconductor is the only semiconductor that can be processed in solution. Electronics made by these flexible materials have many advantages such as large-area solution process, low cost, and high performance. Researchers and companies are increasingly dedicating time and money in polymer electronics. This book focuses on the fundamental materials and device physics of polymer electronics. It describes polymer light-emitting diodes, polymer field-effect transistors, organic vertical transistors, polymer solar cells, and many applications based on polymer electronics. The book also disc

A novel ionic liquid-modified organic-polymer monolith as the sorbent for in-tube solid-phase microextraction of acidic food additives.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ting-Ting; Chen, Yi-Hui; Ma, Jun-Feng; Hu, Min-Jie; Li, Ying; Fang, Jiang-Hua; Gao, Hao-Qi

2014-08-01

A novel ionic liquid-modified organic-polymer monolithic capillary column was prepared and used for in-tube solid-phase microextraction (SPME) of acidic food additives. The primary amino group of 1-aminopropyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride was reacted with the epoxide group of glycidyl methacrylate. The as-prepared new monomer was then copolymerized in situ with acrylamide and N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide in the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-8000 and PEG-10,000 as porogens. The extraction performance of the developed monolithic sorbent was evaluated for benzoic acid, 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, cinnamic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and 3-(trifluoromethyl)-cinnamic acid. Such a sorbent, bearing hydrophobic and anion-exchange groups, had high extraction efficiency towards the test compounds. The adsorption capacities for the analytes dissolved in water ranged from 0.18 to 1.74 μg cm(-1). Good linear calibration curves (R(2) > 0.99) were obtained, and the limits of detection (S/N = 3) for the analytes were found to be in the range 1.2-13.5 ng mL(-1). The recoveries of five acidic food additives spiked in Coca-Cola beverage samples ranged from 85.4 % to 98.3 %, with RSD less than 6.9 %. The excellent applicability of the ionic liquid (IL)-modified monolithic column was further tested by the determination of benzoic acid content in Sprite samples, further illustrating its good potential for analyzing food additives in complex samples.

Effect of oligonucleic acid (ONA) backbone features on assembly of ONA-star polymer conjugates: a coarse-grained molecular simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Condon, Joshua E; Jayaraman, Arthi

2017-10-04

Understanding the impact of incorporating new physical and chemical features in oligomeric DNA mimics, termed generally as "oligonucleic acids" (ONAs), on their structure and thermodynamics will be beneficial in designing novel materials for a variety of applications. In this work, we conduct coarse-grained molecular simulations of ONA-star polymer conjugates with varying ONA backbone flexibility, ONA backbone charge, and number of arms in the star polymer at a constant ONA strand volume fraction to elucidate the effect of these design parameters on the thermodynamics and assembly of multi-arm ONA-star polymer conjugates. We quantify the thermo-reversible behavior of the ONA-star polymer conjugates by quantifying the hybridization of the ONA strands in the system as a function of temperature (i.e. melting curve). Additionally, we characterize the assembly of the ONA-star polymer conjugates by tracking cluster formation and percolation as a function of temperature, as well as cluster size distribution at temperatures near the assembly transition region. The key results are as follows. The melting temperature (T m ) of the ONA strands decreases upon going from a neutral to a charged ONA backbone and upon increasing flexibility of the ONA backbone. Similar behavior is seen for the assembly transition temperature (T a ) with varying ONA backbone charge and flexibility. While the number of arms in the ONA-star polymer conjugate has a negligible effect on the ONA T m in these systems, as the number of ONA-star polymer arms increase, the assembly temperature T a increases and local ordering in the assembled state improves. By understanding how factors like ONA backbone charge, backbone flexibility, and ONA-star polymer conjugate architecture impact the behavior of ONA-star polymer conjugate systems, we can better inform how the selection of ONA chemistry will influence resulting ONA-star polymer assembly.

Matrix effects in nilotinib formulations with pH-responsive polymer produced by carbon dioxide-mediated precipitation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Colombo, Stefano; Brisander, Magnus; Haglöf, Jakob

2015-01-01

Factors determining the pH-controlled dissolution kinetics of nilotinib formulations with the pH-titrable polymer hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate, obtained by carbon dioxide-mediated precipitation, were mechanistically examined in acid and neutral environment. The matrix effect, modulating...... in the polymer matrix were mediated by hydrogen bonding between the drug and the phthalate groups on the polymer. Simultaneous Raman and UV-imaging studies of the effect of drug load on the swelling and dissolution of the polymer matrix revealed that high nilotinib load prevented matrix swelling on passage from...

Highly ductile UV-shielding polymer composites with boron nitride nanospheres as fillers.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Yuqiao; Huang, Yan; Meng, Wenjun; Wang, Zifeng; Bando, Yoshio; Golberg, Dmitri; Tang, Chengchun; Zhi, Chunyi

2015-03-20

Polymer composites with enhanced mechanical, thermal or optical performance usually suffer from poor ductility induced by confined mobility of polymer chains. Herein, highly ductile UV-shielding polymer composites are successfully fabricated. Boron nitride (BN) materials, with a wide band gap of around ∼6.0 eV, are used as fillers to achieve the remarkably improved UV-shielding performance of a polymer matrix. In addition, it is found that spherical morphology BN as a filler can keep the excellent ductility of the composites. For a comparison, it is demonstrated that traditional fillers, including conventional BN powders can achieve the similar UV-shielding performance but dramatically decrease the composite ductility. The mechanism behind this phenomenon is believed to be lubricant effects of BN nanospheres for sliding of polymer chains, which is in consistent with the thermal analyses. This study provides a new design to fabricate UV-shielding composite films with well-preserved ductility.

Study of polymer molecules and conformations with a nanopore

Science.gov (United States)

Golovchenko, Jene A.; Li, Jiali; Stein, Derek; Gershow, Marc H.

2010-12-07

The invention features methods for evaluating the conformation of a polymer, for example, for determining the conformational distribution of a plurality of polymers and to detect binding or denaturation events. The methods employ a nanopore which the polymer, e.g., a nucleic acid, traverses. As the polymer traverses the nanopore, measurements of transport properties of the nanopore yield data on the conformation of the polymer.

High Pressure and Temperature Effects in Polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Bucknall, David; Arrighi, Valeria; Johnston, Kim; Condie, Iain

Elastomers are widely exploited as the basis for seals in gas and fluid pipelines. The underlying behaviour of these elastomer at the high pressure, elevated temperatures they experience in operation is poorly understood. Consequently, the duty cycle of these materials is often deliberately limited to a few hours, and in order to prevent failure, production is stopped in order to change the seals in critical joints. The result is significant time lost due to bringing down production to change the seals as well as knock on financial costs. In order to address the fundamental nature of the elastomers at their intended operating conditions, we are studying the gas permeation behaviour of hydrogenated natural butyl rubber (HNBR) and fluorinated elastomers (FKM) at a high pressure and elevated temperature. We have developed a pressure system that permits gas permeation studies at gas pressures of up to 5000 psi and operating temperatures up to 150° C. In this paper, we will discuss the nature of the permeation behaviour at these extreme operating conditions, and how this relates to the changes in the polymer structure. We will also discuss the use of graphene-polymer thin layer coatings to modify the gas permeation behaviour of the elastomers.

Small-bandgap semiconducting polymers with high near-infrared photoresponse

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hendriks, K.H.; Li, W.; Wienk, M.M.; Janssen, R.A.J.

2014-01-01

Lowering the optical bandgap of conjugated polymers while maintaining a high efficiency for photoinduced charge transfer to suitable electron acceptors such as fullerene has remained a formidable challenge in the area of organic photovoltaics. Here we present the synthesis and application of a

Acrylique acid grafted polyolefines. Thermoadhesive applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guimon, Claude

1979-01-01

Radiochemical grafting of polyolefines by peroxidation has been industrialized in France for about 10 years by irradiation of these polymers with an electron accelerator and then treated by acrylic acid. Products obtained show a high adhesivity on metallic surfaces above their melting point. The main application of acrylic acid grafted high density polyethylene is composite film with aluminum foil for thermosealing of plastic bottle caps of sterilized milk. Acrylic acid grafted polypropylene is used in suspension in a volatile liquid for aluminum foil coating satisfying food packaging regulations [fr

Three-dimensional bioprinting of cell-laden constructs with polycaprolactone protective layers for using various thermoplastic polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Byoung Soo; Jang, Jinah; Chae, Suhun; Gao, Ge; Kong, Jeong-Sik; Ahn, Minjun; Cho, Dong-Woo

2016-08-22

Three-dimensional (3D) cell-printed constructs have been recognized as promising biological substitutes for tissue/organ regeneration. They provide tailored physical properties and biological cues via multi-material printing process. In particular, hybrid bioprinting, enabling to use biodegradable synthetic polymers as framework, has been an attractive method to support weak hydrogels. The constructs with controlled architecture and high shape fidelity were fabricated through this method, depositing spatial arrangement of multi-cell types into microscale constructs. Among biodegradable synthetic polymers, polycaprolactone (PCL) has been commonly chosen in fabrication of cell-printed constructs because of its low melting temperature of 60 °C to be dispensed with extrusion-based bioprinting system. However, in addition to PCL, various synthetic polymers have been widely applied for tissue regeneration. These polymers have distinctive characteristics essential for tissue/organ regeneration. Nevertheless, it is difficult to use some polymers, such as poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and polylactic acid (PLA) with 3D bioprinting technology because of their high melting temperature to be dispensed, which can result in thermal damage to the cells in the printed constructs during the fabrication process. We present a novel bioprinting method to use various synthetic polymers in fabrication of cell-printed constructs. PCL was introduced as a protective layer to prevent thermal damage caused by high temperature of polymers during fabrication. Remarkable improvement in cellular activities in the printed constructs with PCL layers was observed compared with the construct without PCL. This bioprinting method can be applied to fabricate more tissue-like constructs through the use of various biomaterials.

Core-satellite Ag@BaTiO3 nanoassemblies for fabrication of polymer nanocomposites with high discharged energy density, high breakdown strength and low dielectric loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Liyuan; Huang, Xingyi; Li, Bao-Wen; Zhi, Chunyi; Tanaka, Toshikatsu; Jiang, Pingkai

2013-10-28

Dielectric polymer nanocomposites with high dielectric constant have wide applications in high energy density electronic devices. The introduction of high dielectric constant ceramic nanoparticles into a polymer represents an important route to fabricate nanocomposites with high dielectric constant. However, the nanocomposites prepared by this method generally suffer from relatively low breakdown strength and high dielectric loss, which limit the further increase of energy density and energy efficiency of the nanocomposites. In this contribution, by using core-satellite structured ultra-small silver (Ag) decorated barium titanate (BT) nanoassemblies, we successfully fabricated high dielectric constant polymer nanocomposites with enhanced breakdown strength and lower dielectric loss in comparison with conventional polymer-ceramic particulate nanocomposites. The discharged energy density and energy efficiency are derived from the dielectric displacement-electric field loops of the polymer nanocomposites. It is found that, by using the core-satellite structured Ag@BT nanoassemblies as fillers, the polymer nanocomposites can not only have higher discharged energy density but also have high energy efficiency. The mechanism behind the improved electrical properties was attributed to the Coulomb blockade effect and the quantum confinement effect of the introduced ultra-small Ag nanoparticles. This study could serve as an inspiration to enhance the energy storage densities of dielectric polymer nanocomposites.

Thermally reactive Thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole based copolymers for high photochemical stability in polymer solar cells