Combining Pickering Emulsion Polymerization with Molecular Imprinting to Prepare Polymer Microspheres for Selective Solid-Phase Extraction of Malachite Green

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weixin Liang

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Malachite green (MG is currently posing a carcinogenic threat to the safety of human lives; therefore, it is highly desirable to develop an effective method for fast trace detection of MG. Herein, for the first time, this paper presents a systematic study on polymer microspheres, being prepared by combined Pickering emulsion polymerization and molecular imprinting, to detect and purify MG. The microspheres, molecularly imprinted with MG, show enhanced adsorption selectivity to MG, despite a somewhat lowered adsorption capacity, as compared to the counterpart without molecular imprinting. Structural features and adsorption performance of these microspheres are elucidated by different characterizations and kinetic and thermodynamic analyses. The surface of the molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres (M-PMs exhibits regular pores of uniform pore size distribution, endowing M-PMs with impressive adsorption selectivity to MG. In contrast, the microspheres without molecular imprinting show a larger average particle diameter and an uneven porous surface (with roughness and a large pore size, causing a lower adsorption selectivity to MG despite a higher adsorption capacity. Various adsorption conditions are investigated, such as pH and initial concentration of the solution with MG, for optimizing the adsorption performance of M-PMs in selectively tackling MG. The adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics are deeply discussed and analyzed, so as to provide a full picture of the adsorption behaviors of the polymer microspheres with and without the molecular imprinting. Significantly, M-PMs show promising solid-phase extraction column applications for recovering MG in a continuous extraction manner.

Comparative DNA isolation behaviours of silica and polymer based sorbents in batch fashion: monodisperse silica microspheres with bimodal pore size distribution as a new sorbent for DNA isolation.

Science.gov (United States)

Günal, Gülçin; Kip, Çiğdem; Eda Öğüt, S; İlhan, Hasan; Kibar, Güneş; Tuncel, Ali

2018-02-01

Monodisperse silica microspheres with bimodal pore-size distribution were proposed as a high performance sorbent for DNA isolation in batch fashion under equilibrium conditions. The proposed sorbent including both macroporous and mesoporous compartments was synthesized 5.1 μm in-size, by a "staged shape templated hydrolysis and condensation method". Hydrophilic polymer based sorbents were also obtained in the form of monodisperse-macroporous microspheres ca 5.5 μm in size, with different functionalities, by a developed "multi-stage microsuspension copolymerization" technique. The batch DNA isolation performance of proposed material was comparatively investigated using polymer based sorbents with similar morphologies. Among all sorbents tried, the best DNA isolation performance was achieved with the monodisperse silica microspheres with bimodal pore size distribution. The collocation of interconnected mesoporous and macroporous compartments within the monodisperse silica microspheres provided a high surface area and reduced the intraparticular mass transfer resistance and made easier both the adsorption and desorption of DNA. Among the polymer based sorbents, higher DNA isolation yields were achieved with the monodisperse-macroporous polymer microspheres carrying trimethoxysilyl and quaternary ammonium functionalities. However, batch DNA isolation performances of polymer based sorbents were significantly lower with respect to the silica microspheres.

Non-aqueous hybrid supercapacitors fabricated with mesoporous TiO2 microspheres and activated carbon electrodes with superior performance

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Yong; Zhao, Bote; Wang, Jie; Shao, Zongping

2014-05-01

Mesoporous TiO2 microspheres, synthesized by a facile template-free solvothermal method and subsequent heat treatment, are exploited as the electrode for hybrid supercapacitors. The effects of the calcination temperature on the phase composition, particulate microstructure and morphology are characterized by XRD, Raman, FE-SEM and N2 adsorption/desorption measurements. Hybrid supercapacitors utilizing the as-prepared TiO2 mesoporous microspheres as the negative electrode and activated carbon (AC) as the positive electrode in a non-aqueous electrolyte are fabricated. The electrochemical performance of these hybrid supercapacitors is studied by galvanostatic charge-discharge and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The hybrid supercapacitor built from TiO2 microspheres calcined at 400 °C shows the best performance, delivering an energy density of 79.3 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 178.1 W kg-1. Even at a power density of 9.45 kW kg-1, an energy density of 31.5 Wh kg-1 is reached. These values are much higher than the AC-AC symmetric supercapacitor. In addition, the hybrid supercapacitor exhibits excellent cycling performance, retaining 98% of the initial energy density after 1000 cycles. Such outstanding electrochemical performance of the hybrid supercapacitor is attributed to the matched reaction kinetics between the two electrodes with different energy storage mechanisms.

Multiplexed fluorescent microarray for human salivary protein analysis using polymer microspheres and fiber-optic bundles.

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Shuai; Benito-Peña, Elena; Zhang, Huaibin; Wu, Yue; Walt, David R

2013-10-10

Herein, we describe a protocol for simultaneously measuring six proteins in saliva using a fiber-optic microsphere-based antibody array. The immuno-array technology employed combines the advantages of microsphere-based suspension array fabrication with the use of fluorescence microscopy. As described in the video protocol, commercially available 4.5 μm polymer microspheres were encoded into seven different types, differentiated by the concentration of two fluorescent dyes physically trapped inside the microspheres. The encoded microspheres containing surface carboxyl groups were modified with monoclonal capture antibodies through EDC/NHS coupling chemistry. To assemble the protein microarray, the different types of encoded and functionalized microspheres were mixed and randomly deposited in 4.5 μm microwells, which were chemically etched at the proximal end of a fiber-optic bundle. The fiber-optic bundle was used as both a carrier and for imaging the microspheres. Once assembled, the microarray was used to capture proteins in the saliva supernatant collected from the clinic. The detection was based on a sandwich immunoassay using a mixture of biotinylated detection antibodies for different analytes with a streptavidin-conjugated fluorescent probe, R-phycoerythrin. The microarray was imaged by fluorescence microscopy in three different channels, two for microsphere registration and one for the assay signal. The fluorescence micrographs were then decoded and analyzed using a homemade algorithm in MATLAB.

New nanocomposite surfaces and thermal interface materials based on mesoscopic microspheres, polymers and graphene flakes

Science.gov (United States)

Dmitriev, Alex A.; Dmitriev, Alex S.; Makarov, Petr; Mikhailova, Inna

2018-04-01

In recent years, there has been a great interest in the development and creation of new functional energy mate-rials, including for improving the energy efficiency of power equipment and for effectively removing heat from energy devices, microelectronics and optoelectronics (power micro electronics, supercapacitors, cooling of processors, servers and data centers). In this paper, the technology of obtaining new nanocomposites based on mesoscopic microspheres, polymers and graphene flakes is considered. The methods of sequential production of functional materials from graphene flakes of different volumetric concentration using epoxy polymers, as well as the addition of monodisperse microspheres are described. Data are given on the measurement of the contact angle and thermal conductivity of these nanocomposites with respect to the creation of thermal interface materials for cooling devices of electronics, optoelectronics and power engineering.

Microfluidic Fabrication of Porous Polymer Microspheres: Dual Reactions in Single Droplets

KAUST Repository

Gong, Xiuqing

2009-06-16

We report the microfluidic fabrication of macroporous polymer microspheres via the simultaneous reactions within single droplets, induced by LTV irradiation. The aqueous phase of the reaction is the decomposition of H 2O2 to yield oxygen, whereas the organic phase is the polymerization of NO A 61, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), and tri (propylene glycol) diacrylate (TPGDA) precursors. We first used a liquid polymer precursor to encapsulate a multiple number of magnetic Fe3O 4 colloidal suspension (MCS) droplets in a core-shell structure, for the purpose of studying the number of such encapsulated droplets that can be reliably controlled through the variation of flow rates. It was found that the formation of one shell with one, two, three, or more encapsulated droplets is possible. Subsequently, the H2O2 solution was encapsulated in the same way, after which we investigated its decomposition under UV irradiation, which simultaneously induces the polymerization of the encapsulating shell. Because the H2O2 decomposition leads to the release of oxygen, porous microspheres were obtained from a combined H2O2 decomposition/polymer precursor polymerization reaction. The multiplicity of the initially encapsulated H2O 2 droplets ensures the homogeneous distribution of the pores. The pores inside the micrometer-sized spheres range from several micrometers to tens of micrometers, and the maximum internal void volume fraction can attain 70%, similar to that of high polymerized high internal phase emulsion (polyHIPE). © 2009 American Chemical Society.

Experiments with polymer coated microspheres irradiated by the Shiva laser system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auerbach, J.M.; Manes, K.R.; Matthews, D.L.

1979-01-01

Polymer coated spherical targets have been irradiated by the Shiva laser system in an effort to compress the contained 10 mg/cc DT fuel to super liquid densities. Glass microspheres of 140 μm ID and 5 μm wall thickness with polymer coatings 15 μm to 100 μm thick have been irradiated with laser pulses of 4 kilojoules in 200 psec FWHM. Target performance was diagnosed with neutron yield measurements, radiochemistry, Argon line imaging, and x-ray imaging techniques. Ball in plate targets achieved greater implosion symmetry than free-standing ball targets. With yields of 10 7 to 10 8 neutrons, targets reached DT fuel compressions of several times liquid density

Lanthanide-containing polymer microspheres by multiple-stage dispersion polymerization for highly multiplexed bioassays.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelrahman, Ahmed I; Dai, Sheng; Thickett, Stuart C; Ornatsky, Olga; Bandura, Dmitry; Baranov, Vladimir; Winnik, Mitchell A

2009-10-28

We describe the synthesis and characterization of metal-encoded polystyrene microspheres by multiple-stage dispersion polymerization with diameters on the order of 2 mum and a very narrow size distribution. Different lanthanides were loaded into these microspheres through the addition of a mixture of lanthanide salts (LnCl(3)) and excess acrylic acid (AA) or acetoacetylethyl methacrylate (AAEM) dissolved in ethanol to the reaction after about 10% conversion of styrene, that is, well after the particle nucleation stage was complete. Individual microspheres contain ca. 10(6)-10(8) chelated lanthanide ions, of either a single element or a mixture of elements. These microspheres were characterized one-by-one utilizing a novel mass cytometer with an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) ionization source and time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry detection. Microspheres containing a range of different metals at different levels of concentration were synthesized to meet the requirements of binary encoding and enumeration encoding protocols. With four different metals at five levels of concentration, we could achieve a variability of 624, and the strategy we report should allow one to obtain much larger variability. To demonstrate the usefulness of element-encoded beads for highly multiplexed immunoassays, we carried out a proof-of-principle model bioassay involving conjugation of mouse IgG to the surface of La and Tm containing particles and its detection by an antimouse IgG bearing a metal-chelating polymer with Pr.

Study on the Degradation of Polylactide Microsphere In Vitro

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

HeYing; WeiShuli

2001-01-01

This report concentrated on the rules and mechanism of the degradation of polylactide and the microspheres. The rate of degradation was assessed with five methods: observation of microsphere surface morphology by SEM, determination of the weight loss of the microspheres, determination of the molecular mass of the polymers by GPC, determination of pH and determination of the contents of lactic acid by UV spectrophotometry. The degradation of polylactide microspheres showed two-phase characteristics. At the early stage of the degradation, the high molecular mass polymers were cleaved into lower molecular mass fractions and at the late stage, there was a period of erosion and weight loss of the microspheres. The degradation was much slower for polymers with a higher molecular mass. The polylactide degradation showed good regularity.

Polymer and polymer-hybrid nanoparticles from synthesis to biomedical applications

CERN Document Server

Rangelov, Stanislav

2013-01-01

Polymeric and hybrid nanoparticles have received increased scientific interest in terms of basic research as well as commercial applications, promising a variety of uses for nanostructures in fields including bionanotechnology and medicine. Condensing the relevant research into a comprehensive reference, Polymer and Polymer-Hybrid Nanoparticles: From Synthesis to Biomedical Applications covers an array of topics from synthetic procedures and macromolecular design to possible biomedical applications of nanoparticles and materials based on original and unique polymers. The book presents a well-r

Effect of cross-linked biodegradable polymers on sustained release of sodium diclofenac-loaded microspheres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Avik Kumar Saha

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to formulate an oral sustained release delivery system of sodium diclofenac(DS based on sodium alginate (SA as a hydrophilic carrier in combination with chitosan (CH and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (SCMC as drug release modifiers to overcome the drug-related adverse effects and to improve bioavailability. Microspheres of DS were prepared using an easy method of ionotropic gelation. The prepared beads were evaluated for mean particle size, entrapment efficiency, swelling capacity, erosion and in-vitro drug release. They were also subjected to various studies such as Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy (FTIR for drug polymer compatibility, Scanning Electron Microscopy for surface morphology, X-ray Powder Diffraction Analysis (XRD and Differential Scanning Calorimetric Analysis (DSC to determine the physical state of the drug in the beads. The addition of SCMC during the preparation of polymeric beads resulted in lower drug loading and prolonged release of the DS. The release profile of batches F5 and F6 showed a maximum drug release of 96.97 ± 0.356% after 8 h, in which drug polymer ratio was decreased. The microspheres of sodium diclofenac with the polymers were formulated successfully. Analysis of the release profiles showed that the data corresponds to the diffusion-controlled mechanism as suggested by Higuchi.

Hybrid polymer-inorganic photovoltaic cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beek, W.J.E.; Janssen, R.A.J.; Merhari, L.

2009-01-01

Composite materials made from organic conjugated polymers and inorganic semiconductors such as metal oxides attract considerable interest for photovoltaic applications. Hybrid polymer-inorganic solar cells offer the opportunity to combine the beneficial properties of the two materials in charge

Functional energy nanocomposites surfaces based on mesoscopic microspheres, polymers and graphene flakes

Science.gov (United States)

Alekseev, S. A.; Dmitriev, A. S.; Dmitriev, A. A.; Makarov, P. G.; Mikhailova, I. A.

2017-11-01

In recent years, there has been a great interest in the development and creation of new functional energy materials, including for improving the energy efficiency of power equipment and for effectively removing heat from energy devices, microelectronics and optoelectronics (power micro electronics, supercapacitors, cooling of processors, servers and Data centers). In this paper, the technology of obtaining a new nanocomposite based on mesoscopic microspheres, polymers and graphene flakes is considered. The methods of sequential production of functional materials from graphite flakes of different volumetric concentration using polymers based on epoxy resins and polyimide, as well as the addition of a mesoscopic medium in the form of monodisperse microspheres are described. The data of optical and electron microscopy of such nanocomposites are presented, the main problems in the appearance of defects in such materials are described, the possibilities of their elimination by the selection of different concentrations and sizes of the components. Data are given on the measurement of the hysteresis of the contact angle and the evaporation of droplets on similar substrates. The results of studying the mechanical, electrophysical and thermal properties of such nanocomposites are presented. Particular attention is paid to the investigation of the thermal conductivity of these nanocomposites with respect to the creation of thermal interface materials for cooling devices of electronics, optoelectronics and power engineering.

Preparation and dual microwave-absorption properties of carboxylic poly(arylene ether nitrile)/Fe3O4 hybrid microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Zhen; Meng Fanbin; Zhao Rui; Zhan Yingqing; Zhong Jiachun; Liu Xiaobo

2012-01-01

The carboxylic poly(arylene ether nitrile)/Fe 3 O 4 hybrid microspheres were prepared via solvothermal method. The carboxylic poly(arylene ether nitrile) (PEN-COOH) was introduced into the Fe 3 O 4 microspheres by chemisorption with mass content up to 15% as defined by infrared spectra and thermal gravimetric analysis. The hybrid sphere is of hierarchical polymer–inorganic microstructure as observed by transmission electron microscopy. The microwave-absorption of the sample owns a shifting peak and a special immobilized peak with the variation of absorber thickness from 3 to 5 mm. Maximum microwave-absorption of the product is capable of over −30 dB in the range of 10–12 GHz. By proposed equivalent filter circuit model, the immobilized peak was attributed to the ordered nanostructure where the Fe 3 O 4 nanocrystals were isolated by PEN-COOH. The product has the potential to be applied as microwave absorber with high microwave-absorption, good dispersibility and robust polymer–inorganic interfacial adherence. - Highlights: ► We prepared poly(arylene ether nitrile)/Fe 3 O 4 hybrid microspheres with hierarchical polymer–inorganic nanostructure. ► A shifting and an immobilized microwave absorbing peaks were observed on the sample. ► Possible mechanism was proposed on the basis of electromagnetic data.

Preparation of polymer microspheres by radiation-induced polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naka, Y.; Yamamoto, Y.; Yoshida, Y.; Tagawa, S.

1995-01-01

Cross-liking monomer, diethylene glycol dimethacrylate gives microspheres from organic solution by radiation-induced polymerization. /One of the remarkable result is that the number of the microspheres is not changing during the polymerization. Ethyl methacrylate, maleic anhydride, styrene and acrylamide are used as comonomers. These comonomers give the microspheres in the range of 0 to 0.4 as mol fractions. (author)

Recent advances in polymeric microspheres for parenteral drug delivery--part 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Shirui; Guo, Chunqiang; Shi, Yi; Li, Luk Chiu

2012-09-01

Polymeric microspheres have been established as a valuable parenteral drug delivery system for sustained release of therapeutic agents via subcutaneous or intramuscular injection. Biodegradable polymers which are either synthetic or from natural sources are reviewed with respect to recent advances in exploring their applications for microsphere fabrications. New information on the impact of formulation variables on the properties of microspheres formed by an emulsion method was also presented. The characterization of microspheres using advanced physical analytical techniques was also reviewed and the utilization of the information in assessing in vivo performance of the product was also highlighted. The broad clinical use of microspheres for delivery of therapeutic agents in particular biologics such as proteins has not been realized commercially. The limited availability of biodegradable polymers with a long history of regulatory approval and the challenges in gaining regulatory approval of a new polymer have hindered the development of microspheres for parenteral drug delivery.

Formulation and characterization of ketoprofen embedded polycaprolactone microspheres using solvent evaporation method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pankaj Wagh

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to prepare polymeric microspheres containing Ketoprofen (KFN by single emulsion [oil-in-water (o/w] solvent evaporation method. Polycaprolactone (PCL, biocompatible polymer, was used for the preparation of sustained released microspheres of KFN. A Plackett–Burman design was employed by using the Design-Expert® software (Version- 9.0.3.1, Stat-Ease Inc., Minneapolis, MN. Eleven factors out of six processing factors were investigated in order to enhance the encapsulation efficiency (EE of the microspheres. The resultant microspheres were characterized for their size, morphology, EE, and drug release. Imaging of particles was performed by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Interaction between the drug and polymers were investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC. Graphical and mathematical analyses of the design showed that concentration of factor PCL (B and varying speed (F, revolution per minute, rpm were significant negative effect on the EE and identified as the significant factor determining the EE of the microspheres. The microspheres showed high % EE (31.18 % to 96.81 %. The microspheres were found to be discrete, oval with porous surface. The FTIR analysis confirmed no interaction of KFN with the polymer. The XRPD revealed the dispersion of drug within microspheres formulation. Sustained drug release profile over 12 h was achieved by PCL polymer. In conclusion, polymeric microspheres containing KFN can be successfully prepared using the technique of experimental design, and these results helped in finding the optimum formulation variables for EE of microspheres.

Flexible Microsphere-Embedded Film for Microsphere-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Cheng; Yan, Yinzhou; Feng, Chao; Xu, Jiayu; Dong, Peng; Guan, Wei; Zeng, Yong; Zhao, Yan; Jiang, Yijian

2017-09-27

Dielectric microspheres with extraordinary microscale optical properties, such as photonic nanojets, optical whispering-gallery modes (WGMs), and directional antennas, have drawn interest in many research fields. Microsphere-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (MERS) is an alternative approach for enhanced Raman detection by dielectric microstructures. Unfortunately, fabrication of microsphere monolayer arrays is the major challenge of MERS for practical applications on various specimen surfaces. Here we report a microsphere-embedded film (MF) by immersing a highly refractive microsphere monolayer array in the poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) film as a flexible MERS sensing platform for one- to three-dimensional (1D to 3D) specimen surfaces. The directional antennas and wave-guided whispering-gallery modes (WG-WGMs) contribute to the majority of Raman enhancement by the MFs. Moreover, the MF can be coupled with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to provide an extra >10-fold enhancement. The limit of detection is therefore improved for sensing of crystal violet (CV) and Sudan I molecules in aqueous solutions at concentrations down to 10 -7 M. A hybrid dual-layer microsphere enhancer, constructed by depositing a MF onto a microsphere monolayer array, is also demonstrated, wherein the WG-WGMs become dominant and boost the enhancement ratio >50-fold. The present work opens up new opportunities for design of cost-effective and flexible MERS sensing platforms as individual or associated techniques toward practical applications in ultrasensitive Raman detection.

Synthesis and Characterization of Molecular Imprinting Polymer Microspheres of Piperine: Extraction of Piperine from Spiked Urine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel Marcella Roland

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP microspheres for Piperine were synthesized by precipitation polymerization with a noncovalent approach. In this research Piperine was used as a template, acrylic acid as a functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linker, and 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN as an initiator and acetonitrile as a solvent. The imprinted and nonimprinted polymer particles were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM. The synthesized polymer particles were further evaluated for their rebinding efficiency by batch binding assay. The highly selected imprinted polymer for Piperine was MIP 3 with a composition (molar ratio of 0.5 : 3 : 8, template : monomer : cross-linker, respectively. The MIP 3 exhibits highest binding capacity (84.94% as compared to other imprinted and nonimprinted polymers. The extraction efficiency of highly selected imprinted polymer of Piperine from spiked urine was above 80%.

Review: microspheres for radioembolization therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Mingqiang; Xu Shuhe

2007-12-01

Radioembolization of liver cancer has been proven to be an effective therapy in nuclear medicine. The yttrium-90 glass microspheres has been used to treat both primary and metastatic liver tumors in clinic which shown encouraging results. The preparation, stability, degradation and application for medical purpose of radioactive microspheres are reviewed. At first, the theory of radioem- bolization treating cancer is discussed; and then three major radiolabled micro- sphere materials are expounded: viz. glass, resin-based and polymer-based; Future improvements in the preparation and use of radioactive microspheres are prospected at last. (authors)

Review: microspheres for radioembolization therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mingqiang, Zhao; Shuhe, Xu [China Inst. of Atomic Energy, Beijing (China)

2007-12-15

Radioembolization of liver cancer has been proven to be an effective therapy in nuclear medicine. The yttrium-90 glass microspheres has been used to treat both primary and metastatic liver tumors in clinic which shown encouraging results. The preparation, stability, degradation and application for medical purpose of radioactive microspheres are reviewed. At first, the theory of radioem- bolization treating cancer is discussed; and then three major radiolabled micro- sphere materials are expounded: viz. glass, resin-based and polymer-based; Future improvements in the preparation and use of radioactive microspheres are prospected at last. (authors)

Degradation and protein release properties of microspheres prepared from biodegradable poly(lactide-co-glycolide) and ABA triblock copolymers: influence of buffer media on polymer erosion and bovine serum albumin release.

Science.gov (United States)

Bittner, B; Witt, C; Mäder, K; Kissel, T

1999-08-05

The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of the chemical insertion of poly(ethylene oxide), PEO, into a poly(lactide-co-glycolide), PLG, backbone on the mechanisms of in vitro degradation and erosion of the polymer. For this purpose microspheres prepared by a modified W/O/W double emulsion technique using ABA triblock copolymers, consisting of PLG A-blocks attached to central PEO B-blocks were compared with microspheres prepared from PLG. Due to their molecular architecture the ABA triblock copolymers differed in their erosion and degradation behavior from PLG. Degradation occurred faster in the ABA polymers by cleavage of ester bonds inside the polymer backbone. Even erosion was shown to start immediately after incubation in different buffer media. By varying pH and ionic strength of the buffer it was found that both mass loss and molecular weight decay were accelerated in alkaline and acidic pH in the case of the ABA triblock copolymers. Although the pH of the medium had a moderate influence on the degradation of PLG, the molecular weight decay was not accompanied by a mass loss during the observation time. In a second set of experiments we prepared bovine serum albumin, BSA, loaded microspheres from both polymers. The release of BSA from ABA microspheres under in vitro conditions parallels the faster swelling and erosion rates. This could be confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance, EPR, measurements with spin labeled albumin where an influx of buffer medium into the ABA microspheres was already observed within a few minutes. In contrast, PLG microspheres revealed a burst release without any erosion. The current study shows that the environmental conditions affected the degradation and erosion of the pure polymer microspheres in the same way as the release of the model protein. This leads to the conclusion that the more favorable degradation profile of the ABA triblock copolymers was responsible for the improvement of the release profile.

Active self-healing encapsulation of vaccine antigens in PLGA microspheres

Science.gov (United States)

Desai, Kashappa-Goud H.; Schwendeman, Steven P.

2013-01-01

Herein, we describe the detailed development of a simple and effective method to microencapsulate vaccine antigens in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) by simple mixing of preformed active self-microencapsulating (SM) PLGA microspheres in a low concentration aqueous antigen solution at modest temperature (10-38 °C). Co-encapsulating protein-sorbing vaccine adjuvants and polymer plasticizers were used to “actively” load the protein in the polymer pores and facilitate polymer self-healing at temperature > hydrated polymer glass transition temperature, respectively. The microsphere formulation parameters and loading conditions to provide optimal active self-healing microencapsulation of vaccine antigen in PLGA was investigated. Active self-healing encapsulation of two vaccine antigens, ovalbumin and tetanus toxoid (TT), in PLGA microspheres was adjusted by preparing blank microspheres containing different vaccine adjuvant (aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3) or calcium phosphate). Active loading of vaccine antigen in Al(OH)3-PLGA microspheres was found to: a) increase proportionally with an increasing loading of Al(OH)3 (0.88-3 wt%) and addition of porosigen, b) decrease when the inner Al(OH)3/trehalose phase to 1 mL outer oil phase and size of microspheres was respectively > 0.2 mL and 63 μm, and c) change negligibly by PLGA concentration and initial incubation (loading) temperature. Encapsulation of protein sorbing Al(OH)3 in PLGA microspheres resulted in suppression of self-healing of PLGA pores, which was then overcome by improving polymer chain mobility, which in turn was accomplished by coincorporating hydrophobic plasticizers in PLGA. Active self-healing microencapsulation of manufacturing process-labile TT in PLGA was found to: a) obviate micronization- and organic solvent-induced TT degradation, b) improve antigen loading (1.4-1.8 wt% TT) and encapsulation efficiency (~ 97%), c) provide nearly homogeneous distribution and stabilization of antigen in polymer

Facile Preparation of Phosphotungstic Acid-Impregnated Yeast Hybrid Microspheres and Their Photocatalytic Performance for Decolorization of Azo Dye

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lan Chen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Phosphotungstic acid (HPW-impregnated yeast hybrid microspheres were prepared by impregnation-adsorption technique through tuning pH of the aqueous yeast suspensions. The obtained products were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM, energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS, X-ray diffraction (XRD, thermogravimetry-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC, and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis, respectively. FE-SEM and EDS ascertain that the HPW has been effectively introduced onto the surface of yeast, and the resulting samples retain ellipsoid shape, with the uniform size (length 4.5 ± 0.2 μm, width 3.0 ± 0.3 μm and good monodispersion. XRD pattern indicates that the main crystal structure of as-synthesized HPW@yeast microsphere is Keggin structure. TG-DTA states that the HPW in composites has better thermal stability than pure HPW. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR elucidates that the functional groups or chemical bonds inherited from the pristine yeast cell were critical to the assembling of the composites. UV-Vis shows that the obtained samples have a good responding to UV light. The settling ability indicates that the hybrid microspheres possess an excellent suspension performance. In the test of catalytic activity, the HPW@yeast microsphere exhibits a high photocatalytic activity for the decoloration of Methylene blue and Congo red dye aqueous solutions, and there are a few activity losses after four cycles of uses.

Preparation of polystyrene microsphere with emulsion microencapsulation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Bo Zhang Lin; Zhang Zhganwen; You Dan; Wei Yun; Wang Chaoyang; Lin Bo; Shi Tao; Chu Qiaomei

2003-01-01

The preparation of hollow polystyrene microspheres that are used as inner shell of multi-shell plastic microspheres in the ICF experiments is focused on. The effects of surfactants, water-soluble polymer and electrolyte on the properties of resultant microspheres are studied. Based on these experiments, a fabricating procedure was established with which hollow microspheres were prepared with diameter about 150-3000 μm, wall thickness 0.8-15 μm and toughness Ra less than 4 nm. (authors)

Surface modification of imprinted polymer microspheres with ultrathin hydrophilic shells to improve selective recognition of glutathione in aqueous media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Renyuan, E-mail: songrenyuan0726@163.com; Hu, Xiaoling; Guan, Ping; Li, Ji; Du, Chunbao; Qian, Liwei; Wang, Chaoli

2016-03-01

A universal, effective approach addressing the classical limitations of hydrophobic molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) microspheres was described. Two water-compatible MIP microspheres with ultrathin hydrophilic shells were synthesized by controllable surface-graft polymerization using a charged monomer (methacrylic acid) and uncharged monomer (N-isopropylacrylamide) as the hydrophilic functional monomers for the recognition of glutathione in the aqueous medium. The morphological and chemical characteristics of the as-prepared water-compatible MIP microspheres were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and contact angle measurements. Their selective recognition properties were investigated by static binding tests and compared with those of the ungrafted MIP microspheres. The results of this study showed that the both as-prepared water-compatible MIP microspheres effectively decreased non-specific binding and enhanced the imprinting factor significantly, and the water-compatible MIP microspheres prepared using N-isopropylacrylamide as monomer exhibited a more remarkable recognition property. In addition, the thickness of surface-grafted hydrophilic layer was well controlled by adjusting the irradiation time to obtain the excellent recognition property. Finally, the applicability of the as-prepared water-compatible MIP microspheres as solid-phase extraction materials was investigated by competitive binding tests using a mixture of glutathione and its analogs. - Highlights: • Ultrathin hydrophilic shell was synthesized by controllable SIP approach. • Low nonspecific binding, high imprinting factor and selectivity were achieved. • Value of imprinting factor was controlled by adjusting irradiation time. • Selective solid-phase extraction of glutathione from a mixed solution of peptides.

Hybrid Silicon Nanocone–Polymer Solar Cells

KAUST Repository

Jeong, Sangmoo

2012-06-13

Recently, hybrid Si/organic solar cells have been studied for low-cost Si photovoltaic devices because the Schottky junction between the Si and organic material can be formed by solution processes at a low temperature. In this study, we demonstrate a hybrid solar cell composed of Si nanocones and conductive polymer. The optimal nanocone structure with an aspect ratio (height/diameter of a nanocone) less than two allowed for conformal polymer surface coverage via spin-coating while also providing both excellent antireflection and light trapping properties. The uniform heterojunction over the nanocones with enhanced light absorption resulted in a power conversion efficiency above 11%. Based on our simulation study, the optimal nanocone structures for a 10 μm thick Si solar cell can achieve a short-circuit current density, up to 39.1 mA/cm 2, which is very close to the theoretical limit. With very thin material and inexpensive processing, hybrid Si nanocone/polymer solar cells are promising as an economically viable alternative energy solution. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Hybrid Silicon Nanocone–Polymer Solar Cells

KAUST Repository

Jeong, Sangmoo; Garnett, Erik C.; Wang, Shuang; Yu, Zongfu; Fan, Shanhui; Brongersma, Mark L.; McGehee, Michael D.; Cui, Yi

2012-01-01

Recently, hybrid Si/organic solar cells have been studied for low-cost Si photovoltaic devices because the Schottky junction between the Si and organic material can be formed by solution processes at a low temperature. In this study, we demonstrate a hybrid solar cell composed of Si nanocones and conductive polymer. The optimal nanocone structure with an aspect ratio (height/diameter of a nanocone) less than two allowed for conformal polymer surface coverage via spin-coating while also providing both excellent antireflection and light trapping properties. The uniform heterojunction over the nanocones with enhanced light absorption resulted in a power conversion efficiency above 11%. Based on our simulation study, the optimal nanocone structures for a 10 μm thick Si solar cell can achieve a short-circuit current density, up to 39.1 mA/cm 2, which is very close to the theoretical limit. With very thin material and inexpensive processing, hybrid Si nanocone/polymer solar cells are promising as an economically viable alternative energy solution. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

Development and Evaluation of Floating Microspheres of Curcumin ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To prepare and evaluate floating microspheres of curcumin for prolonged gastric residence time and increased drug bioavailability. Methods: Floating microsphere were prepared by emulsion solvent diffusion method, using hydroxylpropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), ethyl cellulose (EC), Eudragit S 100 polymer in ...

A facile one-pot fabrication of polyphosphazene microsphere/carbon fiber hybrid reinforcement and its effect on the interfacial adhesion of epoxy composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Xiang [Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing Equipment Technology, Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Science, Ningbo 315201 (China); School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Ningbo Dahongying University, Ningbo 315175 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Xu, Haibing, E-mail: xuhaibing@nimte.ac.cn [Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing Equipment Technology, Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Science, Ningbo 315201 (China); Liu, Dong; Yan, Chun [Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing Equipment Technology, Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Science, Ningbo 315201 (China); Zhu, Yingdan, E-mail: y.zhu@nimte.ac.cn [Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing Equipment Technology, Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Science, Ningbo 315201 (China)

2017-07-15

Graphical abstract: Carbon fiber was successfully functionalized with a layer of coating and poly(cyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4′-sulfonyldiphonel) microspheres (PZSMS) by in situ polymerization. The enhancement of surface roughness can improve obviously the interfacial properties through providing more contact points and increasing mechanical interlocking between carbon fiber and epoxy matrix. Moreover, the cyclomatrix-type polyphosphazene coating and PZSMS distributed on the fibers surface can heal the surface defects to some extent and assist in holding back or absorbing excessive stress, resulting in the improvement of tensile strength. - Highlights: • Polyphosphazene microspheres/CF hybrid reinforcements were prepared via a novel and facile one-pot in situ polymerization. • Plenty of poly(cyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4′-sulfonyldiphonel) microspheres were introduced onto the CF surfaces. • The multi-scale hybrid CF reinforcement enhanced the interfacial adhesion of CF/epoxy composites obviously. • The tensile strength of multi-scale hybrid CF also showed an obvious increase. - Abstract: Introducing nanoscale reinforcements into the interface between carbon fiber (CF) and resin is an effective approach to improve the interfacial adhesion of CF composites. In this paper, a facile one-pot polymerization process provides a rapid and efficient method for preparing polyphosphazene microspheres/CF hybrid reinforcement using hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene (HCCP) and bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) sulfone (BPS) as monomers. By the in situ polymerization modification, HCCP and BPS were successfully cross-linked and deposited on the CF surface. Scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscopy images show that poly(cyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4′-sulfonyldiphonel) microspheres were introduced onto the CF surfaces and the surface roughness of fibers is enhanced obviously. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirm that the

A facile one-pot fabrication of polyphosphazene microsphere/carbon fiber hybrid reinforcement and its effect on the interfacial adhesion of epoxy composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Xiang; Xu, Haibing; Liu, Dong; Yan, Chun; Zhu, Yingdan

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: Carbon fiber was successfully functionalized with a layer of coating and poly(cyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4′-sulfonyldiphonel) microspheres (PZSMS) by in situ polymerization. The enhancement of surface roughness can improve obviously the interfacial properties through providing more contact points and increasing mechanical interlocking between carbon fiber and epoxy matrix. Moreover, the cyclomatrix-type polyphosphazene coating and PZSMS distributed on the fibers surface can heal the surface defects to some extent and assist in holding back or absorbing excessive stress, resulting in the improvement of tensile strength. - Highlights: • Polyphosphazene microspheres/CF hybrid reinforcements were prepared via a novel and facile one-pot in situ polymerization. • Plenty of poly(cyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4′-sulfonyldiphonel) microspheres were introduced onto the CF surfaces. • The multi-scale hybrid CF reinforcement enhanced the interfacial adhesion of CF/epoxy composites obviously. • The tensile strength of multi-scale hybrid CF also showed an obvious increase. - Abstract: Introducing nanoscale reinforcements into the interface between carbon fiber (CF) and resin is an effective approach to improve the interfacial adhesion of CF composites. In this paper, a facile one-pot polymerization process provides a rapid and efficient method for preparing polyphosphazene microspheres/CF hybrid reinforcement using hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene (HCCP) and bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) sulfone (BPS) as monomers. By the in situ polymerization modification, HCCP and BPS were successfully cross-linked and deposited on the CF surface. Scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscopy images show that poly(cyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4′-sulfonyldiphonel) microspheres were introduced onto the CF surfaces and the surface roughness of fibers is enhanced obviously. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirm that the

Hybrid Polymer-Network Hydrogels with Tunable Mechanical Response

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastian Czarnecki

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Hybrid polymer-network gels built by both physical and covalent polymer crosslinking combine the advantages of both these crosslinking types: they exhibit high mechanical strength along with excellent fracture toughness and extensibility. If these materials are extensively deformed, their physical crosslinks can break such that strain energy is dissipated and irreversible fracturing is restricted to high strain only. This mechanism of energy dissipation is determined by the kinetics and thermodynamics of the physical crosslinking contribution. In this paper, we present a poly(ethylene glycol (PEG based material toolkit to control these contributions in a rational and custom fashion. We form well-defined covalent polymer-network gels with regularly distributed additional supramolecular mechanical fuse links, whose strength of connectivity can be tuned without affecting the primary polymer-network composition. This is possible because the supramolecular fuse links are based on terpyridine–metal complexation, such that the mere choice of the fuse-linking metal ion adjusts their kinetics and thermodynamics of complexation–decomplexation, which directly affects the mechanical properties of the hybrid gels. We use oscillatory shear rheology to demonstrate this rational control and enhancement of the mechanical properties of the hybrid gels. In addition, static light scattering reveals their highly regular and well-defined polymer-network structures. As a result of both, the present approach provides an easy and reliable concept for preparing hybrid polymer-network gels with rationally designed properties.

Mucoadhesive microspheres: a promising tool in drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Sanjay B; Sawant, Krutika K

2008-10-01

Mucoadhesive polymers have recently gained interest among pharmaceutical scientists as a means of improving drug delivery by promoting the residence time and contact time of the dosage form with the mucous membranes. Mucoadhesion is the process whereby synthetic and natural polymers adhere to mucosal surfaces in the body. If these materials are then incorporated into pharmaceutical formulations, drug absorption by mucosal cells may be enhanced or the drug will be released at the site for an extended period of time. Microspheres, in general, have the potential to be used for targeted and controlled release drug delivery; however, coupling of mucoadhesive properties to microspheres has additional advantages like, a much more intimate contact with the mucus layer, efficient absorption and enhanced bioavailability of the drugs due to a high surface to volume ratio. The present review describes the potential applications of mucoadhesive microspheres as a novel carrier system to improve drug delivery by various routes of administration like buccal, oral, nasal, ocular, vaginal and rectal, either for systemic or for local effects. The mucoadhesive polymers, methods of preparation of microspheres and their in vitro and in vivo evaluation are also described.

BIOCOMPATIBLE FLUORESCENT MICROSPHERES: SAFE PARTICLES FOR MATERIAL PENETRATION STUDIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farquar, G; Leif, R

2009-07-15

Biocompatible polymers with hydrolyzable chemical bonds have been used to produce safe, non-toxic fluorescent microspheres for material penetration studies. The selection of polymeric materials depends on both biocompatibility and processability, with tailored fluorescent properties depending on specific applications. Microspheres are composed of USFDA-approved biodegradable polymers and non-toxic fluorophores and are therefore suitable for tests where human exposure is possible. Micropheres were produced which contain unique fluorophores to enable discrimination from background aerosol particles. Characteristics that affect dispersion and adhesion can be modified depending on use. Several different microsphere preparation methods are possible, including the use of a vibrating orifice aerosol generator (VOAG), a Sono-Tek atomizer, an emulsion technique, and inkjet printhead. Applications for the fluorescent microspheres include challenges for biodefense system testing, calibrants for biofluorescence sensors, and particles for air dispersion model validation studies.

Morphology control between microspheres and nanofibers by solvent-induced approach based on crosslinked phosphazene-containing materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Yan; Huang Xiaobin; Fu Jianwei; Wang Gang; Tang Xiaozhen

2008-01-01

Multi-morphology control between monodisperse microspheres and uniform nanofibers was successfully achieved by adjusting the ratio of solvent composition. Through the condensation polymerization between hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene and 4,4'-sulfonyldiphenol, the corresponding hybrid inorganic-organic materials appeared. The morphology of both microspheres and nanofibers contained excellent size and shape: the monodisperse microspheres with 0.7-0.9 μm in diameter and the uniform nanofibers with 60 nm in outer diameter. We applied the concept of three-dimensional Hansen solubility parameters for the initial explanation. The activity of the primary colloid particles and the solubility of triethylamine-hydrogen chloride crystal were considered as two factors for the mechanism explanation. This interesting research shows that the nano- and micro-materials with high crosslinked molecule structure and prepared by condensation polymerization can also achieve the morphology transition. It fills the blank in nano-morphology transition research and will provide great information for the research about the control of different morphology preparations based on polymer nanomaterials

Formulation and Evaluation of Microspheres Based on Gelatin ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Formulation and Evaluation of Microspheres Based on Gelatin-Mucin Admixtures for the Rectal Delivery of Cefuroxime Sodium. K C Ofokansi, M U Adikwu. Abstract. Purpose: Swellable microspheres based on polymers or their admixtures are frequently employed as drug delivery systems to achieve a controlled release ...

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.

[Preparation of citrulline microspheres by spray drying technique for colonic targeting].

Science.gov (United States)

Bahri, S; Zerrouk, N; Lassoued, M-A; Tsapis, N; Chaumeil, J-C; Sfar, S

2014-03-01

Citrulline is an amino acid that becomes essential in situations of intestinal insufficiency such as short bowel syndrome. It is therefore interesting to provide the patients with dosage forms for routing citrulline to the colon. The aim of this work is to formulate microspheres of citrulline for colonic targeting by the technique of spray drying. Eudragit(®) FS 30D was selected as polymer to encapsulate citrulline using the spray drying technique. Citrulline and Eudragit(®) FS 30D were dissolved in water and ethanol, respectively. The aqueous and the ethanolic solutions were then mixed in 1:2 (v/v) ratio. Microspheres were obtained by nebulizing the citrulline-Eudragit(®) FS 30D solution using a Mini spray dryer equipped with a 0.7mm nozzle. The microspheres have been formulated using citrulline and Eudragit(®) FS 30D. The size distribution of microspheres was determined by light diffraction. The morphology of the microspheres was studied by electron microscopy. Manufacturing yields, encapsulation rate and dissolution profiles were also studied. The microspheres obtained had a spherical shape with a smooth surface and a homogeneous size except for the microspheres containing the highest concentration of polymer (90 %). The formulation showed that the size and morphology of the microspheres are influenced by the polymer concentration. Manufacturing yields were about 51 % but encapsulation rate were always very high (above 90 %). The in vitro dissolution study showed that the use of the Eudragit(®) FS 30D under these conditions is not appropriate to change the dissolution profile of the citrulline. This technique has led to the formulation of microspheres with good physical properties in terms of morphology and size. The compression of the microspheres should help to control citrulline release for colonic targeting. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Pharmacodynamics of diclofenac from novel Eudragit entrapped microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Momoh, M A; Kenechukwu, F C; Adedokun, M O; Odo, C E; Attama, A A

2014-05-01

Effective clinical utilization of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as diclofenac sodium (DS) is significantly limited by their ulcerogenic potential and poor bioavailability after oral administration, thus necessitating the need for a better carrier to minimize these obvious limitations. The objective of this study was to evaluate Eudragit® RS100/RL100 microspheres formulated by the solvent-evaporation technique for improved delivery of diclofenac. Three batches of (DF1, DF2 and DF3) microspheres were prepared using different ratios of Eudragit RS-100 and RL-100 polymers based on the solvent-evaporation method. The microspheres were characterized based on morphological properties, particle size analysis and encapsulation efficiency (EE%). In vitro release of DS was investigated in both 0.1 N HCl (pH 1.2) and phosphate-buffered saline (pH 7.4), while anti-inflammatory studies were evaluated in the rat model. Maximum EE% of 86.61 ± 0.11, 88.14 ± 0.16 and 85.50 ± 0.21 was obtained for DF1, DF2 and DF3, respectively. Discrete, smooth and brownish microspheres of size range 437 ± 0.01-479 ± 0.21 µm were obtained. Release of DS from the formulation depends on the polymer ratio. All the batches exhibited good anti-inflammatory activities. Microsphere formulations based on Eudragit® polymers would likely offer a reliable and alternative means of delivering DS orally.

Hybrid protein-synthetic polymer nanoparticles for drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Koseva, Neli S; Rydz, Joanna; Stoyanova, Ekaterina V; Mitova, Violeta A

2015-01-01

Among the most common nanoparticulate systems, the polymeric nanocarriers have a number of key benefits, which give a great choice of delivery platforms. Nevertheless, polymeric nanoparticles possess some limitations that include use of toxic solvents in the production process, polymer degradation, drug leakage outside the diseased tissue, and polymer cytotoxicity. The combination of polymers of biological and synthetic origin is an appealing modern strategy for the production of novel nanocarriers with unprecedented properties. Proteins' interface can play an important role in determining bioactivity and toxicity and gives perspective for future development of the polymer-based nanoparticles. The design of hybrid constructs composed of synthetic polymer and biological molecules such as proteins can be considered as a straightforward tool to integrate a broad spectrum of properties and biofunctions into a single device. This review discusses hybrid protein-synthetic polymer nanoparticles with different structures and levels in complexity and functionality, in view of their applications as drug delivery systems. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres prepared by Pickering emulsion polymerization for selective solid-phase extraction of eight bisphenols from human urine samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Jiajia; Li, Yun; Wang, Jincheng; Sun, Xiaoli; Cao, Rong; Sun, Hao; Huang, Chaonan; Chen, Jiping

2015-01-01

Highlights: • BPA imprinted polymer microspheres were prepared by Pickering emulsion polymerization. • Regular spherical shape and narrow diameter distribution. • Good specific adsorption capacity for BPA. • Good class-selectivity and clean-up efficiency for bisphenols in human urine under SPE mode. • Good recoveries and sensitivity for bisphenols using the MIPMS-SPE coupled with HPLC-DAD method. - Abstract: The bisphenol A (BPA) imprinted polymer microspheres were prepared by simple Pickering emulsion polymerization. Compared to traditional bulk polymerization, both high yields of polymer and good control of particle sizes were achieved. The characterization results of scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements showed that the obtained molecularly imprinted polymer microsphere (MIPMS) particles possessed regular spherical shape, narrow diameter distribution (30–60 μm), a specific surface area (S BET ) of 281.26 m 2 g −1 and a total pore volume (V t ) of 0.459 cm 3 g −1 . Good specific adsorption capacity for BPA was obtained in the sorption experiment and good class selectivity for BPA and its seven structural analogs (bisphenol F, bisphenol B, bisphenol E, bisphenol AF, bisphenol S, bisphenol AP and bisphenol Z) was demonstrated by the chromatographic evaluation experiment. The MIPMS as solid-phase extraction (SPE) packing material was then evaluated for extraction and clean-up of these bisphenols (BPs) from human urine samples. An accurate and sensitive analytical method based on the MIPMS-SPE coupled with HPLC-DAD has been successfully established for simultaneous determination of eight BPs from human urine samples with detection limits of 1.2–2.2 ng mL −1 . The recoveries of BPs for urine samples at two spiking levels (100 and 500 ng mL −1 for each BP) were in the range of 81.3–106.7% with RSD values below 8.3%

Development and evaluation of floating microspheres of curcumin in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To prepare and evaluate floating microspheres of curcumin for prolonged gastric residence and to study their effect on alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Methods: Floating microsphere were prepared by emulsion-solvent diffusion method, using hydroxylpropyl methylcellulose, chitosan and Eudragit S 100 polymer in ...

Fabrication and evaluation of a sustained-release chitosan-based scaffold embedded with PLGA microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Kedong; Liu, Yingchao; Macedo, Hugo M.; Jiang, Lili; Li, Chao; Mei, Guanyu; Liu, Tianqing

2013-01-01

Nutrient depletion within three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds is one of the major hurdles in the use of this technology to grow cells for applications in tissue engineering. In order to help in addressing it, we herein propose to use the controlled release of encapsulated nutrients within polymer microspheres into chitosan-based 3D scaffolds, wherein the microspheres are embedded. This method has allowed maintaining a stable concentration of nutrients within the scaffolds over the long term. The polymer microspheres were prepared using multiple emulsions (w/o/w), in which bovine serum albumin (BSA) and poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) were regarded as the protein pattern and the exoperidium material, respectively. These were then mixed with a chitosan solution in order to form the scaffolds by cryo-desiccation. The release of BSA, entrapped within the embedded microspheres, was monitored with time using a BCA kit. The morphology and structure of the PLGA microspheres containing BSA before and after embedding within the scaffold were observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). These had a round shape with diameters in the range of 27–55 μm, whereas the chitosan-based scaffolds had a uniform porous structure with the microspheres uniformly dispersed within their 3D structure and without any morphological change. In addition, the porosity, water absorption and degradation rate at 37 °C in an aqueous environment of 1% chitosan-based scaffolds were (92.99 ± 2.51) %, (89.66 ± 0.66) % and (73.77 ± 3.21) %, respectively. The studies of BSA release from the embedded microspheres have shown a sustained and cumulative tendency with little initial burst, with (20.24 ± 0.83) % of the initial amount released after 168 h (an average rate of 0.12%/h). The protein concentration within the chitosan-based scaffolds after 168 h was found to be (11.44 ± 1.81) × 10 −2 mg/mL. This novel chitosan-based scaffold embedded with PLGA microspheres has proven to be a

Fabrication and evaluation of a sustained-release chitosan-based scaffold embedded with PLGA microspheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Kedong, E-mail: kedongsong@dlut.edu.cn [Dalian R and D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China); Liu, Yingchao [Dalian R and D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China); Macedo, Hugo M. [Biological Systems Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Jiang, Lili; Li, Chao; Mei, Guanyu [Dalian R and D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China); Liu, Tianqing, E-mail: liutq@dlut.edu.cn [Dalian R and D Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China)

2013-04-01

Nutrient depletion within three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds is one of the major hurdles in the use of this technology to grow cells for applications in tissue engineering. In order to help in addressing it, we herein propose to use the controlled release of encapsulated nutrients within polymer microspheres into chitosan-based 3D scaffolds, wherein the microspheres are embedded. This method has allowed maintaining a stable concentration of nutrients within the scaffolds over the long term. The polymer microspheres were prepared using multiple emulsions (w/o/w), in which bovine serum albumin (BSA) and poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) were regarded as the protein pattern and the exoperidium material, respectively. These were then mixed with a chitosan solution in order to form the scaffolds by cryo-desiccation. The release of BSA, entrapped within the embedded microspheres, was monitored with time using a BCA kit. The morphology and structure of the PLGA microspheres containing BSA before and after embedding within the scaffold were observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). These had a round shape with diameters in the range of 27–55 μm, whereas the chitosan-based scaffolds had a uniform porous structure with the microspheres uniformly dispersed within their 3D structure and without any morphological change. In addition, the porosity, water absorption and degradation rate at 37 °C in an aqueous environment of 1% chitosan-based scaffolds were (92.99 ± 2.51) %, (89.66 ± 0.66) % and (73.77 ± 3.21) %, respectively. The studies of BSA release from the embedded microspheres have shown a sustained and cumulative tendency with little initial burst, with (20.24 ± 0.83) % of the initial amount released after 168 h (an average rate of 0.12%/h). The protein concentration within the chitosan-based scaffolds after 168 h was found to be (11.44 ± 1.81) × 10{sup −2} mg/mL. This novel chitosan-based scaffold embedded with PLGA microspheres has proven to be a

Formulation, characterization and in vitro evaluation of theophylline-loaded Eudragit RS 100 microspheres prepared by an emulsion-solvent diffusion/evaporation technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Jelvehgari, Mitra; Barar, Jaleh; Valizadeh, Hadi; Shadrou, Sanam; Nokhodchi, Ali

2011-01-01

The aim was to prepare theophylline-loaded Eudragit RS 100 microsphere to achieve sustained release pattern with relatively high production yield. To this end, microspheres were prepared by oil/oil solvent evaporation method using an acetone-methanol mixture and liquid paraffin system containing aluminum tristearate. Drug release profiles were determined at pH 1.2 and 7.4. Morphology and solid state of microspheres were examined using SEM, DSC, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), and FT-IR. As the ratio of acetone/methanol increased during the preparation of microspheres the size of microsphere was reduced. The highest drug loading efficiency (87.21%) was obtained for the microsphere containing a high ratio of polymer to drug (6:1) and high volume of acetone. SEM studies showed that the microspheres are almost spherical with a few pores and cracks at surfaces. The FT-IR, XRPD and DSC results ruled out any chemical interaction between theophylline and Eudragit. The microspheres prepared with low ratio of polymer to drug (1:2) showed faster dissolution rate than those with high polymer to drug ratio. The ratio of polymer to drug and the volume of polymer solvent were found to be the key factors affecting the release profile which could lead to microspheres with desired release behavior.

Biodegradable microsphere-mediated cell perforation in microfluidic channel using femtosecond laser

Science.gov (United States)

Ishii, Atsuhiro; Ariyasu, Kazumasa; Mitsuhashi, Tatsuki; Heinemann, Dag; Heisterkamp, Alexander; Terakawa, Mitsuhiro

2016-05-01

The use of small particles has expanded the capability of ultrashort pulsed laser optoinjection technology toward simultaneous treatment of multiple cells. The microfluidic platform is one of the attractive systems that has obtained synergy with laser-based technology for cell manipulation, including optoinjection. We have demonstrated the delivery of molecules into suspended-flowing cells in a microfluidic channel by using biodegradable polymer microspheres and a near-infrared femtosecond laser pulse. The use of polylactic-co-glycolic acid microspheres realized not only a higher optoinjection ratio compared to that with polylactic acid microspheres but also avoids optical damage to the microfluidic chip, which is attributable to its higher optical intensity enhancement at the localized spot under a microsphere. Interestingly, optoinjection ratios to nucleus showed a difference for adhered cells and suspended cells. The use of biodegradable polymer microspheres provides high throughput optoinjection; i.e., multiple cells can be treated in a short time, which is promising for various applications in cell analysis, drug delivery, and ex vivo gene transfection to bone marrow cells and stem cells without concerns about residual microspheres.

Multifunctional Hybrid Carbon Nanotube/Carbon Fiber Polymer Composites

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Jin Ho; Cano, Roberto J.; Ratcliffe, James G.; Luong, Hoa; Grimsley, Brian W.; Siochi, Emilie J.

2016-01-01

For aircraft primary structures, carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites possess many advantages over conventional aluminum alloys due to their light weight, higher strengthand stiffness-to-weight ratio, and low life-cycle maintenance costs. However, the relatively low electrical and thermal conductivities of CFRP composites fail to provide structural safety in certain operational conditions such as lightning strikes. Despite several attempts to solve these issues with the addition of carbon nanotubes (CNT) into polymer matrices, and/or by interleaving CNT sheets between conventional carbon fiber (CF) composite layers, there are still interfacial problems that exist between CNTs (or CF) and the resin. In this study, hybrid CNT/CF polymer composites were fabricated by interleaving layers of CNT sheets with Hexcel® IM7/8852 prepreg. Resin concentrations from 1 wt% to 50 wt% were used to infuse the CNT sheets prior to composite fabrication. The interlaminar properties of the resulting hybrid composites were characterized by mode I and II fracture toughness testing (double cantilever beam and end-notched flexure test). Fractographical analysis was performed to study the effect of resin concentration. In addition, multi-directional physical properties like thermal conductivity of the orthotropic hybrid polymer composite were evaluated. Interleaving CNT sheets significantly improved the in-plane (axial and perpendicular direction of CF alignment) thermal conductivity of the hybrid composite laminates by 50 - 400%.

Preparation and evaluation of microspheres of xyloglucan and its thiolated xyloglucan derivative.

Science.gov (United States)

Sonawane, Savita; Bhalekar, Mangesh; Shimpi, Shamkant

2014-08-01

Xyloglucan is a natural polymer reported to possess mucoadhesive properties. To enhance the mucoadhesion potential, xyloglucan was thiolated with cysteine. The microspheres of xyloglucan were prepared using a biocompatible crosslinker sodium trimetaphosphate and it was optimized for formulation variables, namely polymer concentration, internal:external phase ratio and stirring speed using a Box-Behnken experimental design. The formulation was also optimized for performance parameters like entrapment, t80 and % mucoadhesion. The microspheres were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, DSC and SEM for the optimum formula and then were reproduced by replacing the xyloglucan with thiomer. The microspheres formed showed entrapment efficiency of about 80%, t80 of about 400min and % mucoadhesion of 60% while same for thiomer were 90%, 500min and 80% respectively. In oral glucose tolerance test protocol the thiomer microspheres showed significant reduction in blood glucose levels. Thus thiolated xyloglucan offers a better polymer for multiparticulate drug delivery. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

BIOCOMPATIBLE FLUORESCENT MICROSPHERES: SAFE PARTICLES FOR MATERIAL PENETRATION STUDIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

farquar, G; Leif, R

2008-09-12

Biocompatible polymers with hydrolyzable chemical bonds are being used to produce safe, non-toxic fluorescent microspheres for material penetration studies. The selection of polymeric materials depends on both biocompatibility and processability, with tailored fluorescent properties depending on specific applications. Microspheres are composed of USFDA-approved biodegradable polymers and non-toxic fluorophores and are therefore suitable for tests where human exposure is possible. Micropheres are being produced which contain unique fluorophores to enable discrimination from background aerosol particles. Characteristics that affect dispersion and adhesion can be modified depending on use. Several different microsphere preparation methods are possible, including the use of a vibrating orifice aerosol generator (VOAG), a Sono-Tek atomizer, an emulsion technique, and inkjet printhead. The advantages and disadvantages of each method will be presented and discussed in greater detail along with fluorescent and charge properties of the aerosols. Applications for the fluorescent microspheres include challenges for biodefense system testing, calibrants for biofluorescence sensors, and particles for air dispersion model validation studies.

An affine microsphere approach to modeling strain-induced crystallization in rubbery polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Nateghi, A.; Dal, H.; Keip, M.-A.; Miehe, C.

2018-01-01

Upon stretching a natural rubber sample, polymer chains orient themselves in the direction of the applied load and form crystalline regions. When the sample is retracted, the original amorphous state of the network is restored. Due to crystallization, properties of rubber change considerably. The reinforcing effect of the crystallites stiffens the rubber and increases the crack growth resistance. It is of great importance to understand the mechanism leading to strain-induced crystallization. However, limited theoretical work has been done on the investigation of the associated kinetics. A key characteristic observed in the stress-strain diagram of crystallizing rubber is the hysteresis, which is entirely attributed to strain-induced crystallization. In this work, we propose a micromechanically motivated material model for strain-induced crystallization in rubbers. Our point of departure is constructing a micromechanical model for a single crystallizing polymer chain. Subsequently, a thermodynamically consistent evolution law describing the kinetics of crystallization on the chain level is proposed. This chain model is then incorporated into the affine microsphere model. Finally, the model is numerically implemented and its performance is compared to experimental data.

Polymer degradation rate control of hybrid rocket combustion

Science.gov (United States)

Stickler, D. B.; Ramohalli, K. N. R.

1970-01-01

Polymer degradation to small fragments is treated as a rate controlling step in hybrid rocket combustion. Both numerical and approximate analytical solutions of the complete energy and polymer chain bond conservation equations for the condensed phase are obtained. Comparison with inert atmosphere data is very good. It is found that the intersect of curves of pyrolysis rate versus interface temperature for hybrid combustors, with the thermal degradation theory, falls at a pyrolysis rate very close to that for which a pressure dependence begins to be observable. Since simple thermal degradation cannot give sufficient depolymerization at higher pyrolysis rates, it is suggested that oxidative catalysis of the process occurs at the surface, giving a first order dependence on reactive species concentration at the wall. Estimates of the ratio of this activation energy and interface temperature are in agreement with best fit procedures for hybrid combustion data. Requisite active species concentrations and flux are shown to be compatible with turbulent transport. Pressure dependence of hybrid rocket fuel regression rate is thus shown to be describable in a consistent manner in terms of reactive species catalysis of polymer degradation.

Evaluation of Controlled Release Theophylline Microspheres ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Erah

High drug/polymer ratio, low processing temperature and low HLB value of ... Keywords: Microsphere, Emulsion solvent evaporation, Theophylline, Temperature, ... evaporation, stirring rate, viscosity of ... organic solvent is removed from the.

Biocompatible Polymer/Quantum Dots Hybrid Materials: Current Status and Future Developments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Shen

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Quantum dots (QDs are nanometer-sized semiconductor particles with tunable fluorescent optical property that can be adjusted by their chemical composition, size, or shape. In the past 10 years, they have been demonstrated as a powerful fluorescence tool for biological and biomedical applications, such as diagnostics, biosensing and biolabeling. QDs with high fluorescence quantum yield and optical stability are usually synthesized in organic solvents. In aqueous solution, however, their metallic toxicity, non-dissolubility and photo-luminescence instability prevent the direct utility of QDs in biological media. Polymers are widely used to cover and coat QDs for fabricating biocompatible QDs. Such hybrid materials can provide solubility and robust colloidal and optical stability in water. At the same time, polymers can carry ionic or reactive functional groups for incorporation into the end-use application of QDs, such as receptor targeting and cell attachment. This review provides an overview of the recent development of methods for generating biocompatible polymer/QDs hybrid materials with desirable properties. Polymers with different architectures, such as homo- and co-polymer, hyperbranched polymer, and polymeric nanogel, have been used to anchor and protect QDs. The resulted biocompatible polymer/QDs hybrid materials show successful applications in the fields of bioimaging and biosensing. While considerable progress has been made in the design of biocompatible polymer/QDs materials, the research challenges and future developments in this area should affect the technologies of biomaterials and biosensors and result in even better biocompatible polymer/QDs hybrid materials.

Synthèse d'hybrides polymère-polymère par la polymérisation en miniémulsion et la caractérisation des latex hybrides

OpenAIRE

Udagama , Ravindra

2009-01-01

The objectives of work presented in this thesis are to understand droplet and particle formulation processes in order to make useful polymer-polymer hybrids in aqueous dispersions and use our fundamental understanding of these processes to: 1. Improve monomer conversion as much as possible. 2. Understand impact of these processes on hybrid film properties. Specific case studies of interest under commercially feasible conditions (i.e. solids content of 50wt %) were done based on two systems na...

Microspheres of poly(ε-caprolactone) loaded Holmium-165: morphology and thermal degradation behavior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geraldes, Adriana Napoleao; Miyamoto, Douglas Massao; Lira, Raphael Arivar de; Osso Junior, Joao Alberto; Nascimento, Nanci; Azevedo, Mariangela de Burgos M. de

2011-01-01

Polycaprolactone (PCL), being one of the most important biocompatible and biodegradable aliphatic polyester, provides many potential biomedical. The preparation of biodegradable materials, polymer-based microspheres, is being developed by our group and the goal is to prepare and label with Ho-165 different polymer-based microspheres. The use of radionuclide-loaded microspheres is a promising treatment of liver malignancies. PCL microspheres can be loaded with holmium acetylacetonate (HoAcAc). PCL and PCL/HoAcAc microspheres were prepared by an emulsion solvent extraction/evaporation technique. The PCL/ HoAcAc microspheres were irradiated in a nuclear reactor IEA-R1 at IPEN/CNEN-SP to radionuclide activation. Gamma irradiation was performed at 25 and 50 kGy doses. The microspheres were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry analysis (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and con focal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). In the CLSM images were observed emission in 488 nm characteristic of holmium. The SEM surface image of PCL/HoAcAc microspheres showed more roughness than PCL microspheres. TG of PCL/HoAcAc microspheres showed a substantial weight loss above 200 degree C, indicating decomposition of HoAcAc. The residual weight indicates the presence of Ho 2 O 3 . Gamma irradiation at 25 and 50 kGy doses had no effect on the PCL/HoAcAc microspheres, which indicates that the chemical composition of the microspheres had not change. (author)

Microspheres of poly({epsilon}-caprolactone) loaded Holmium-165: morphology and thermal degradation behavior

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geraldes, Adriana Napoleao; Miyamoto, Douglas Massao; Lira, Raphael Arivar de; Osso Junior, Joao Alberto; Nascimento, Nanci; Azevedo, Mariangela de Burgos M. de [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2011-07-01

Polycaprolactone (PCL), being one of the most important biocompatible and biodegradable aliphatic polyester, provides many potential biomedical. The preparation of biodegradable materials, polymer-based microspheres, is being developed by our group and the goal is to prepare and label with Ho-165 different polymer-based microspheres. The use of radionuclide-loaded microspheres is a promising treatment of liver malignancies. PCL microspheres can be loaded with holmium acetylacetonate (HoAcAc). PCL and PCL/HoAcAc microspheres were prepared by an emulsion solvent extraction/evaporation technique. The PCL/ HoAcAc microspheres were irradiated in a nuclear reactor IEA-R1 at IPEN/CNEN-SP to radionuclide activation. Gamma irradiation was performed at 25 and 50 kGy doses. The microspheres were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry analysis (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and con focal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). In the CLSM images were observed emission in 488 nm characteristic of holmium. The SEM surface image of PCL/HoAcAc microspheres showed more roughness than PCL microspheres. TG of PCL/HoAcAc microspheres showed a substantial weight loss above 200 degree C, indicating decomposition of HoAcAc. The residual weight indicates the presence of Ho{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Gamma irradiation at 25 and 50 kGy doses had no effect on the PCL/HoAcAc microspheres, which indicates that the chemical composition of the microspheres had not change. (author)

Thermal Properties of Hybrid Carbon Nanotube/Carbon Fiber Polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Jin Ho; Cano, Roberto J.; Luong, Hoa; Ratcliffe, James G.; Grimsley, Brian W.; Siochi, Emilie J.

2016-01-01

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites possess many advantages for aircraft structures over conventional aluminum alloys: light weight, higher strength- and stiffness-to-weight ratio, and low life-cycle maintenance costs. However, the relatively low thermal and electrical conductivities of CFRP composites are deficient in providing structural safety under certain operational conditions such as lightning strikes. One possible solution to these issues is to interleave carbon nanotube (CNT) sheets between conventional carbon fiber (CF) composite layers. However, the thermal and electrical properties of the orthotropic hybrid CNT/CF composites have not been fully understood. In this study, hybrid CNT/CF polymer composites were fabricated by interleaving layers of CNT sheets with Hexcel (Registered Trademark) IM7/8852 prepreg. The CNT sheets were infused with a 5% solution of a compatible epoxy resin prior to composite fabrication. Orthotropic thermal and electrical conductivities of the hybrid polymer composites were evaluated. The interleaved CNT sheets improved the in-plane thermal conductivity of the hybrid composite laminates by about 400% and the electrical conductivity by about 3 orders of magnitude.

Cellulose acetate-based SiO2/TiO2 hybrid microsphere composite aerogel films for water-in-oil emulsion separation

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xue; Ma, Jianjun; Ling, Jing; Li, Na; Wang, Di; Yue, Fan; Xu, Shimei

2018-03-01

The cellulose acetate (CA)/SiO2-TiO2 hybrid microsphere composite aerogel films were successfully fabricated via water vapor-induced phase inversion of CA solution and simultaneous hydrolysis/condensation of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) and tetrabutyl titanate (TBT) at room temperature. Micro-nano hierarchical structure was constructed on the surface of the film. The film could separate nano-sized surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions only under gravity. The flux of the film for the emulsion separation was up to 667 L m-2 h-1, while the separation efficiency was up to 99.99 wt%. Meanwhile, the film exhibited excellent stability during multiple cycles. Moreover, the film performed excellent photo-degradation performance under UV light due to the photocatalytic ability of TiO2. Facile preparation, good separation and potential biodegradation maked the CA/SiO2-TiO2 hybrid microsphere composite aerogel films a candidate in oil/water separation application.

Removal of Chromium(VI from Aqueous Solutions Using Fe3O4 Magnetic Polymer Microspheres Functionalized with Amino Groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kai Wang

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Magnetic polymer microspheres (MPMs using glycidylmethacrylate (GMA as a functional monomer were synthesized in the presence of Fe3O4 nanoparticles via dispersion polymerization. After polymerization, the magnetic polymer microbeads were modified with ethylenediamine (EDA. The obtained ethylenediamine-functionalized magnetic microspheres (EDA-MPMs were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD, vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR spectroscopy. Then the EDA-MPMs were applied as adsorbents for the removal of Cr(VI from aqueous solution. Langmuir equation was appropriate to describe the experimental data. The maximum adsorption capacities obtained from the Langmuir model were 236.9, 242.1 and 253.2 mg/g at 298, 308 and 318 K, respectively. The Cr(VI adsorption equilibrium was established within 120 min and the adsorption kinetics was compatibly described by the pseudo-second order equation. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔG°, ΔH°, ΔS° of the sorption process revealed that the adsorption was spontaneous and was an endothermic process. The regeneration study demonstrated that the EDA-MPMs could be repeatedly utilized with no significant loss of adsorption efficiency.

Molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres prepared by Pickering emulsion polymerization for selective solid-phase extraction of eight bisphenols from human urine samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Jiajia [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Li, Yun; Wang, Jincheng [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China); Sun, Xiaoli; Cao, Rong [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Sun, Hao [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China); Department of Chemistry, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110000 (China); Huang, Chaonan [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Chen, Jiping, E-mail: chenjp@dicp.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian 116023 (China)

2015-05-04

Highlights: • BPA imprinted polymer microspheres were prepared by Pickering emulsion polymerization. • Regular spherical shape and narrow diameter distribution. • Good specific adsorption capacity for BPA. • Good class-selectivity and clean-up efficiency for bisphenols in human urine under SPE mode. • Good recoveries and sensitivity for bisphenols using the MIPMS-SPE coupled with HPLC-DAD method. - Abstract: The bisphenol A (BPA) imprinted polymer microspheres were prepared by simple Pickering emulsion polymerization. Compared to traditional bulk polymerization, both high yields of polymer and good control of particle sizes were achieved. The characterization results of scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements showed that the obtained molecularly imprinted polymer microsphere (MIPMS) particles possessed regular spherical shape, narrow diameter distribution (30–60 μm), a specific surface area (S{sub BET}) of 281.26 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} and a total pore volume (V{sub t}) of 0.459 cm{sup 3} g{sup −1}. Good specific adsorption capacity for BPA was obtained in the sorption experiment and good class selectivity for BPA and its seven structural analogs (bisphenol F, bisphenol B, bisphenol E, bisphenol AF, bisphenol S, bisphenol AP and bisphenol Z) was demonstrated by the chromatographic evaluation experiment. The MIPMS as solid-phase extraction (SPE) packing material was then evaluated for extraction and clean-up of these bisphenols (BPs) from human urine samples. An accurate and sensitive analytical method based on the MIPMS-SPE coupled with HPLC-DAD has been successfully established for simultaneous determination of eight BPs from human urine samples with detection limits of 1.2–2.2 ng mL{sup −1}. The recoveries of BPs for urine samples at two spiking levels (100 and 500 ng mL{sup −1} for each BP) were in the range of 81.3–106.7% with RSD values below 8.3%.

Ultra-thin silicon/electro-optic polymer hybrid waveguide modulators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiu, Feng; Spring, Andrew M. [Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Sato, Hiromu [Department of Molecular and Material Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Maeda, Daisuke; Ozawa, Masa-aki; Odoi, Keisuke [Nissan Chemical Industries, Ltd., 2-10-1 Tuboi Nishi, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8507 (Japan); Aoki, Isao; Otomo, Akira [National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, 588-2 Iwaoka, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2492 (Japan); Yokoyama, Shiyoshi, E-mail: s-yokoyama@cm.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Department of Molecular and Material Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan)

2015-09-21

Ultra-thin silicon and electro-optic (EO) polymer hybrid waveguide modulators have been designed and fabricated. The waveguide consists of a silicon core with a thickness of 30 nm and a width of 2 μm. The cladding is an EO polymer. Optical mode calculation reveals that 55% of the optical field around the silicon extends into the EO polymer in the TE mode. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) modulator was prepared using common coplanar electrodes. The measured half-wave voltage of the MZI with 7 μm spacing and 1.3 cm long electrodes is 4.6 V at 1550 nm. The evaluated EO coefficient is 70 pm/V, which is comparable to that of the bulk EO polymer film. Using ultra-thin silicon is beneficial in order to reduce the side-wall scattering loss, yielding a propagation loss of 4.0 dB/cm. We also investigated a mode converter which couples light from the hybrid EO waveguide into a strip silicon waveguide. The calculation indicates that the coupling loss between these two devices is small enough to exploit the potential fusion of a hybrid EO polymer modulator together with a silicon micro-photonics device.

Investigation of the parameters affecting the release of flurbiprofen from chitosan microspheres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Müşerref Günseli Yüksel Tilkan

2018-04-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Flurbiprofen (FLB, a NSAID, widely used for preventing pain generally for arthritis or dental problems. In this study, FLB loaded chitosan microspheres were prepared by ionotropic gelation method. In this method, microspheres were formed by dropping chitosan solutions containing FLB into sodium alginate solutions including sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP. A variety of formulation parameters like drug:polymer ratio, drug concentration, polymer’s molecular weight, polymer concentration, pH and the concentration of TPP solutions, drying method and stirring time were analyzed. The dissolution studies were performed in a shaking water bath in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer saline (PBS at 37 °C. Laser diffractometer was used for particle size analysis, and scanning electron microscope (SEM was used for morphological properties. Drug loading and loading efficiency were calculated by using UV spectrophotometer. The particles obtained were spherical with 0.7-1.3 mm size range, and the loading efficiency was approximately 21-79%. The dissolution studies conducted revealed that drug:polimer ratio and the polymer type and concentration affected the drug release from microspheres. It was observed that increasing the polymer concentration, polymer’s molecular weight and TPP concentration decreased the FLB release from microspheres, which was according to Higuchi kinetics.

Hybrid Photonic Integration on a Polymer Platform

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ziyang Zhang

2015-09-01

Full Text Available To fulfill the functionality demands from the fast developing optical networks, a hybrid integration approach allows for combining the advantages of various material platforms. We have established a polymer-based hybrid integration platform (polyboard, which provides flexible optical input/ouptut interfaces (I/Os that allow robust coupling of indium phosphide (InP-based active components, passive insertion of thin-film-based optical elements, and on-chip attachment of optical fibers. This work reviews the recent progress of our polyboard platform. On the fundamental level, multi-core waveguides and polymer/silicon nitride heterogeneous waveguides have been fabricated, broadening device design possibilities and enabling 3D photonic integration. Furthermore, 40-channel optical line terminals and compact, bi-directional optical network units have been developed as highly functional, low-cost devices for the wavelength division multiplexed passive optical network. On a larger scale, thermo-optic elements, thin-film elements and an InP gain chip have been integrated on the polyboard to realize a colorless, dual-polarization optical 90° hybrid as the frontend of a coherent receiver. For high-end applications, a wavelength tunable 100Gbaud transmitter module has been demonstrated, manifesting the joint contribution from the polyboard technology, high speed polymer electro-optic modulator, InP driver electronics and ceramic electronic interconnects.

PLGA and PHBV Microsphere Formulations and Solid-State Characterization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Chiming; Plackett, David; Needham, David

2009-01-01

To develop and characterize the solid-state properties of poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid-co-3-hydroxyvaleric acid) (PHBV) microspheres for the localized and controlled release of fusidic acid (FA). The effects of FA loading and polymer composition on the me...... of a DCM-FA-rich phase in the forming microsphere....

Insulin delivery through nasal route using thiolated microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Nema, Tarang; Jain, Ashish; Jain, Aviral; Shilpi, Satish; Gulbake, Arvind; Hurkat, Pooja; Jain, Sanjay K

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of developed thiolated microspheres for insulin delivery through nasal route. In the present study, cysteine was immobilized on carbopol using EDAC. A total of 269.93 µmol free thiol groups per gram polymer were determined. The prepared nonthiolated and thiolated microspheres were studied for particle shape, size, drug content, swellability, mucoadhesion and in vitro insulin release. The thiolated microspheres exhibited higher mucoadhesion due to formation of covalent bonds via disulfide bridges with the mucus gel layer. Drug permeation through goat nasal mucosa of nonthiolated and thiolated microspheres were found as 52.62 ± 2.4% and 78.85 ± 3.1% in 6 h, respectively. Thiolated microspheres bearing insulin showed better reduction in blood glucose level (BGL) in comparison to nonthiolated microspheres as 31.23 ± 2.12% and 75.25 ± 0.93% blood glucose of initial BGL were observed at 6 h after nasal delivery of thiolated and nonthiolated microspheres in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rabbits.

Synthetic Strategies in the Preparation of Polymer/Inorganic Hybrid Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Hood, Matthew A.; Mari, Margherita; Muñoz-Espí, Rafael

2014-01-01

This article reviews the recent advances and challenges in the preparation of polymer/inorganic hybrid nanoparticles. We mainly focus on synthetic strategies, basing our classification on whether the inorganic and the polymer components have been formed in situ or ex situ, of the hybrid material. Accordingly, four types of strategies are identified and described, referring to recent examples: (i) ex situ formation of the components and subsequent attachment or integration, either by covalent or noncovalent bonding; (ii) in situ polymerization in the presence of ex situ formed inorganic nanoparticles; (iii) in situ precipitation of the inorganic components on or in polymer structures; and (iv) strategies in which both polymer and inorganic component are simultaneously formed in situ. PMID:28788665

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles: Development & statistical optimization of norfloxacin for topical drug delivery system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vivek Dave

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Poly lactic acid is a biodegradable, biocompatible, and non-toxic polymer, widely used in many pharmaceutical preparations such as controlled release formulations, parenteral preparations, surgical treatment applications, and tissue engineering. In this study, we prepared lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for topical and site targeting delivery of Norfloxacin by emulsification solvent evaporation method (ESE. The design of experiment (DOE was done by using software to optimize the result, and then a surface plot was generated to compare with the practical results. The surface morphology, particle size, zeta potential and composition of the lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles were characterized by SEM, TEM, AFM, and FTIR. The thermal behavior of the lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles was characterized by DSC and TGA. The prepared lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles of Norfloxacin exhibited an average particle size from 178.6 ± 3.7 nm to 220.8 ± 2.3 nm, and showed very narrow distribution with polydispersity index ranging from 0.206 ± 0.36 to 0.383 ± 0.66. The surface charge on the lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles were confirmed by zeta potential, showed the value from +23.4 ± 1.5 mV to +41.5 ± 3.4 mV. An Antimicrobial study was done against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles showed potential activity against these two. Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles of Norfloxacin showed the %cumulative drug release of 89.72% in 24 h. A stability study of the optimized formulation showed the suitable condition for the storage of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles was at 4 ± 2 °C/60 ± 5% RH. These results illustrated high potential of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles Norfloxacin for usage as a topical antibiotic drug carriers.

Preparation of microspheres for slow release drug by radiation-induced suspension polymerization and their properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, Masaru; Asano, Masaharu; Kaetsu, Isao

1982-01-01

The polymer microspheres containing drugs as drug delivery system were made by means of suspension-polymerization by radiation at low temperature by using glass-forming monomers which have stable supercooling properties and large polymerizability at low temperature. The particle distribution depended on the kind of monomer. It was found that the entrapping yield of drug in polymer microspheres increased with increasing viscosity of monomer and that the maximum value on the particle size distribution curve was also shifted to large particle diameter side. In the case of trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate monomer (43 cps), TMPT, the entrapping yield of drug reached 74% and the maximum value in particle size distribution curve appeared in the neighborhood of 105 to 210 mu m ranges. On the other hand, those values in neopentyl glycol dimethacrylate monomer (4 cps) were 12% in former and 44 -- 105 mu m in the latter. The release phenomenon of drugs from polymer microspheres was investigated. for example, the cumulative amount of mitomycin C (water soluble drug) released from TMPT polymer microsphere was about 90% after 30-day dissolution, while in the case of water-insoluble drug such as testosterone the amount of release was about 49% after 40-day dissolution. In all cases, the release rate is constant during the experimental period. Therefore, it was concluded that the release of drugs from polymer microspheres obtained in this study is possible over the long periods. (author)

Enzymatic synthesis of lignin-siloxane hybrid functional polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Prasetyo, Endry Nugroho; Kudanga, Tukayi; Fischer, Roman; Eichinger, Reinhard; Nyanhongo, Gibson S; Guebitz, Georg M

2012-02-01

This study combines the properties of siloxanes and lignin polymers to produce hybrid functional polymers that can be used as adhesives, coating materials, and/or multifunctionalized thin-coating films. Lignin-silica hybrid copolymers were synthesized by using a sol-gel process. Laccases from Trametes hirsuta were used to oxidize lignosulphonates to enhance their reactivity towards siloxanes and then were incorporated into siloxane precursors undergoing a sol-gel process. In vitro copolymerization studies using pure lignin monomers with aminosilanes or ethoxytrimethylsilane and analysis by ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopy revealed hybrid products. Except for kraft lignin, an increase in lignin concentration positively affected the tensile strength in all samples. Similarly, the viscosity generally increased in all samples with increasing lignin concentration and also affected the curing time. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fiber-optic array using molecularly imprinted microspheres for antibiotic analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Carrasco, Sergio; Benito-Peña, Elena; Walt, David R; Moreno-Bondi, María C

2015-05-01

In this article we describe a new class of high-density optical microarrays based on molecularly imprinted microsphere sensors that directly incorporate specific recognition capabilities to detect enrofloxacin (ENRO), an antibiotic widely used for both human and veterinary applications. This approach involves the preparation of highly cross-linked polymer microspheres by thermal precipitation-polymerization in the presence and absence of the target analyte ENRO to generate either molecularly imprinted (MIP) or non-imprinted polymer (NIP) microspheres, respectively. Each polymer type of tailor-made microsphere is fluorescently encoded with either coumarin-30 or tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline)ruthenium(ii) dichloride [Ru(dip) 3 ]Cl 2 to enable the microspheres to be distinguished. The new MIP-based sensing platform utilizes an optical fiber bundle containing approximately 50 000 individual 3.1 μm diameter fibers that are chemically etched to create microwells in which MIP and NIP microspheres can be deposited and imaged using an epi-fluorescence microscope. The method enables multiplexed detection by independently addressing both types of beads through their separate light channels. The unique response to the presence of ENRO is manifested on the basis of a competitive immunoassay. A red-fluorescent dye-tagged ENRO, labeled with BODIPY® TR Cadaverine, competes with ENRO for specific binding sites. The developed immuno-like assay displayed a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.04 μM (10% binding inhibition) and a dynamic range of 0.29-21.54 μM (20-80% binding inhibition). The selectivity of the assay was evaluated by measuring the cross-reactivity of other fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, danofloxacin, and flumequine) and non-related antibiotics (penicillin G and doxycycline). This work demonstrates, for the first time, the applicability of MIPs, as an alternative to biomolecule receptors, for the development of multiplexed detection fiber

Biocompatible multi-walled carbon nanotube–CdTe quantum dot–polymer hybrids for medical applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baslak, Canan, E-mail: cananbaslak@gmail.com [Advanced Technology Research and Application Center, Selcuk University, 42075 Konya (Turkey); Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Selcuk University, 42075 Konya (Turkey); Demirel Kars, Meltem, E-mail: dmeltem@yahoo.com [Advanced Technology Research and Application Center, Selcuk University, 42075 Konya (Turkey); Sarayonu Vocational High School, Selcuk University, 42430 Konya (Turkey); Karaman, Mustafa; Kus, Mahmut [Advanced Technology Research and Application Center, Selcuk University, 42075 Konya (Turkey); Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Selcuk University, 42075 Konya (Turkey); Cengeloglu, Yunus; Ersoz, Mustafa [Advanced Technology Research and Application Center, Selcuk University, 42075 Konya (Turkey); Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Selcuk University, 42075 Konya (Turkey)

2015-04-15

Herein we report the synthesis of polymer coated quantum dots (QDs)–carbon nanotube composite material with high biocompatibility and low cellular toxicity. The synthesized multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)–QD-(-poly(glycidyl methacrylate)) (pGMA) hybrids were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, laser scanning confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that quantum dots were well-distributed on nanotube surfaces in high density. The toxicological assessments of QDs and MWCNT–QD–polymer hybrids in human mammary carcinoma cells and their fluorescence imaging in living cell system were carried out. MWCNT–QD–polymer hybrids possess intense red fluorescence signal under confocal microscopy and good fluorescence stability over 6-h exposure in living cell system. The toxicity comparison of QDs and MWCNT–QD–polymer hybrids has shown that the existence of PGMA thin coating on MWCNT–QD hybrid surface decreased the cellular toxicity and increased biocompatibility. - Highlights: • We report that polymer coating of QDs on CNTs increased their biocompatibility by decreasing cellular toxicity. • QD–CNT polymer hybrid material may be proposed as a good diagnostic agent to visualize cancer cells which may be improved as a therapeutic carrier in future. • Coating QDs with polymer seems to be a right choice to be used in medicinal applications both for diagnosis and for therapy.

Biocompatible multi-walled carbon nanotube–CdTe quantum dot–polymer hybrids for medical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baslak, Canan; Demirel Kars, Meltem; Karaman, Mustafa; Kus, Mahmut; Cengeloglu, Yunus; Ersoz, Mustafa

2015-01-01

Herein we report the synthesis of polymer coated quantum dots (QDs)–carbon nanotube composite material with high biocompatibility and low cellular toxicity. The synthesized multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)–QD-(-poly(glycidyl methacrylate)) (pGMA) hybrids were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, laser scanning confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that quantum dots were well-distributed on nanotube surfaces in high density. The toxicological assessments of QDs and MWCNT–QD–polymer hybrids in human mammary carcinoma cells and their fluorescence imaging in living cell system were carried out. MWCNT–QD–polymer hybrids possess intense red fluorescence signal under confocal microscopy and good fluorescence stability over 6-h exposure in living cell system. The toxicity comparison of QDs and MWCNT–QD–polymer hybrids has shown that the existence of PGMA thin coating on MWCNT–QD hybrid surface decreased the cellular toxicity and increased biocompatibility. - Highlights: • We report that polymer coating of QDs on CNTs increased their biocompatibility by decreasing cellular toxicity. • QD–CNT polymer hybrid material may be proposed as a good diagnostic agent to visualize cancer cells which may be improved as a therapeutic carrier in future. • Coating QDs with polymer seems to be a right choice to be used in medicinal applications both for diagnosis and for therapy

Formulation and Evaluation of Microsphere Based Oro Dispersible Tablets of Itopride Hcl

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.S Agrawal

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Background The purpose of the present work is to mask the intensely bitter taste of Itopride HCl and to formulate an Oro dispersible tablet (ODT of the taste-masked drug by incorporation of microspheres in the tablets for use in specific populations viz. pediatrics, geriatrics and patients experiencing difficulty in swallowing.Methods:With this objective in mind, microspheres loaded with Itopride HCl were prepared by solvent evaporation method using acetone as solvent for pH-sensitive polymer, Eudragit EPO and light liquid paraffin as the encapsulating medium. The prepared microspheres were characterized with regard to yield, drug content, flow properties, particle size and size distribution, surface features, in vitro drug release and taste. The ODTs so prepared from these microspheres were evaluated for hardness, thickness, weight variation, friability, disintegration time, drug content, wetting time, water absorption ratio, moisture uptake, in vitro dispersion, in vitro disintegration, in vitro drug release and stability. Results:The average size of microspheres was found to be satisfactory in terms of the size and size distribution. Microspheres prepared were of a regular spherical shape. Comparison of the dissolution profiles of microspheres in different pH media showed that microspheres having drug: polymer ratio of 1:2 produced a retarding effect in simulated salivary fluid (pH 6.8 and were further used for formulation into ODTs after addition of suitable amounts of excipients such as superdisintegrant, diluent, sweetener and flavor of directly compressible grade. ConclusionsEffective taste-masking was achieved for Itopride HCl by way of preparation of microspheres and ODTs of acceptable characteristics.

Formulation and evaluation of microsphere based oro dispersible tablets of itopride hcl

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shah Sanjay

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The purpose of the present work is to mask the intensely bitter taste of Itopride HCl and to formulate an Oro dispersible tablet (ODT of the taste-masked drug by incorporation of microspheres in the tablets for use in specific populations viz. pediatrics, geriatrics and patients experiencing difficulty in swallowing. Methods With this objective in mind, microspheres loaded with Itopride HCl were prepared by solvent evaporation method using acetone as solvent for pH-sensitive polymer, Eudragit EPO and light liquid paraffin as the encapsulating medium. The prepared microspheres were characterized with regard to yield, drug content, flow properties, particle size and size distribution, surface features, in vitro drug release and taste. The ODTs so prepared from these microspheres were evaluated for hardness, thickness, weight variation, friability, disintegration time, drug content, wetting time, water absorption ratio, moisture uptake, in vitro dispersion, in vitro disintegration, in vitro drug release and stability. Results The average size of microspheres was found to be satisfactory in terms of the size and size distribution. Microspheres prepared were of a regular spherical shape. Comparison of the dissolution profiles of microspheres in different pH media showed that microspheres having drug: polymer ratio of 1:2 produced a retarding effect in simulated salivary fluid (pH 6.8 and were further used for formulation into ODTs after addition of suitable amounts of excipients such as superdisintegrant, diluent, sweetener and flavor of directly compressible grade. Conclusions Effective taste-masking was achieved for Itopride HCl by way of preparation of microspheres and ODTs of acceptable characteristics.

Formulation and evaluation of microsphere based oro dispersible tablets of itopride hcl.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Sanjay; Madan, Sarika; Agrawal, Ss

2012-09-03

The purpose of the present work is to mask the intensely bitter taste of Itopride HCl and to formulate an Oro dispersible tablet (ODT) of the taste-masked drug by incorporation of microspheres in the tablets for use in specific populations viz. pediatrics, geriatrics and patients experiencing difficulty in swallowing. With this objective in mind, microspheres loaded with Itopride HCl were prepared by solvent evaporation method using acetone as solvent for pH-sensitive polymer, Eudragit EPO and light liquid paraffin as the encapsulating medium. The prepared microspheres were characterized with regard to yield, drug content, flow properties, particle size and size distribution, surface features, in vitro drug release and taste. The ODTs so prepared from these microspheres were evaluated for hardness, thickness, weight variation, friability, disintegration time, drug content, wetting time, water absorption ratio, moisture uptake, in vitro dispersion, in vitro disintegration, in vitro drug release and stability. The average size of microspheres was found to be satisfactory in terms of the size and size distribution. Microspheres prepared were of a regular spherical shape. Comparison of the dissolution profiles of microspheres in different pH media showed that microspheres having drug: polymer ratio of 1:2 produced a retarding effect in simulated salivary fluid (pH 6.8) and were further used for formulation into ODTs after addition of suitable amounts of excipients such as superdisintegrant, diluent, sweetener and flavor of directly compressible grade. Effective taste-masking was achieved for Itopride HCl by way of preparation of microspheres and ODTs of acceptable characteristics.

Continuous cellularization of calcium phosphate hybrid scaffolds induced by plasma polymer activation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bergemann, Claudia [University Medical Center Rostock, Cell Biology, Schillingallee 69, D-18057 Rostock (Germany); Cornelsen, Matthias [University of Rostock, Fluid Technology and Microfluidics, Justus-von-Liebig Weg 6, D-18059 Rostock (Germany); Quade, Antje [Leibniz-Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 2, D-17489 Greifswald (Germany); Laube, Thorsten; Schnabelrauch, Matthias [INNOVENT e.V., Biomaterials Department, Pruessingstrasse 27B, D-07745 Jena (Germany); Rebl, Henrike [University Medical Center Rostock, Cell Biology, Schillingallee 69, D-18057 Rostock (Germany); Weißmann, Volker [Institute for Polymer Technologies (IPT) e.V., Alter Holzhafen 19, D-23966 Wismar (Germany); Seitz, Hermann [University of Rostock, Fluid Technology and Microfluidics, Justus-von-Liebig Weg 6, D-18059 Rostock (Germany); Nebe, Barbara, E-mail: barbara.nebe@med.uni-rostock.de [University Medical Center Rostock, Cell Biology, Schillingallee 69, D-18057 Rostock (Germany)

2016-02-01

The generation of hybrid materials based on β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) and various biodegradable polymers like poly(L-lactide-co-D,L-lactide) (PLA) represents a common approach to overcoming the disadvantages of pure TCP devices. These disadvantages lie in TCP's mechanical properties, such as brittleness. The positive characteristic of PLA — improvement of compressive strength of calcium phosphate scaffolds – is diametrically opposed to its cell attractiveness. Therefore, the objective of this work was to optimize osteoblast migration and cellularization inside a three-dimensionally (3D) printed, PLA polymer stabilized TCP hybrid scaffold by a plasma polymer process depositing amino groups via allylamine. MG-63 osteoblastic cells inside the 10 mm hybrid scaffold were dynamically cultivated for 14 days in a 3D model system integrated in a perfusion reactor. The whole TCP/PLA hybrid scaffold was continuously colonized due to plasma polymerized allylamine activation inducing the migration potential of osteoblasts. - Highlights: • Mechanical stabilization of β-tricalcium phosphate scaffolds by PLA infiltration • Hybrid scaffolds with higher cell attraction due to plasma polymerized allylamine • 3D perfusion in vitro model for observation of cell migration inside scaffolds • Enhanced cell migration within plasma polymer coated TCP hybrid scaffolds.

Continuous cellularization of calcium phosphate hybrid scaffolds induced by plasma polymer activation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergemann, Claudia; Cornelsen, Matthias; Quade, Antje; Laube, Thorsten; Schnabelrauch, Matthias; Rebl, Henrike; Weißmann, Volker; Seitz, Hermann; Nebe, Barbara

2016-01-01

The generation of hybrid materials based on β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) and various biodegradable polymers like poly(L-lactide-co-D,L-lactide) (PLA) represents a common approach to overcoming the disadvantages of pure TCP devices. These disadvantages lie in TCP's mechanical properties, such as brittleness. The positive characteristic of PLA — improvement of compressive strength of calcium phosphate scaffolds – is diametrically opposed to its cell attractiveness. Therefore, the objective of this work was to optimize osteoblast migration and cellularization inside a three-dimensionally (3D) printed, PLA polymer stabilized TCP hybrid scaffold by a plasma polymer process depositing amino groups via allylamine. MG-63 osteoblastic cells inside the 10 mm hybrid scaffold were dynamically cultivated for 14 days in a 3D model system integrated in a perfusion reactor. The whole TCP/PLA hybrid scaffold was continuously colonized due to plasma polymerized allylamine activation inducing the migration potential of osteoblasts. - Highlights: • Mechanical stabilization of β-tricalcium phosphate scaffolds by PLA infiltration • Hybrid scaffolds with higher cell attraction due to plasma polymerized allylamine • 3D perfusion in vitro model for observation of cell migration inside scaffolds • Enhanced cell migration within plasma polymer coated TCP hybrid scaffolds

Photochemical decoration of gold nanoparticles on polymer stabilized magnetic microspheres for determination of adenine by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alula, Melisew Tadele; Yang, Jyisy

2015-01-01

Magnetic microspheres decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were prepared and used for the determination of adenine by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Magnetic particles were first synthesized by coprecipitation of solutions containing iron(II) and iron(III) ions with ammonium hydroxide. Subsequently, the magnetic particles were suspended into a solution of poly(divinylbenzene-co-methyl methacrylate) to yield polymer-stabilized magnetic microspheres. These were further decorated with AuNPs via a new photochemical reduction method. The magnetic microspheres were characterized by XRD patterns and SEM images. They are shown to represent highly SERS-active substrates by giving an enhancement by almost 7 orders of magnitude compared to conventional Raman spectroscopy. Several factors that affect the photochemical reduction to form the AuNPs were examined. It is found that the concentration of gold ion, UV irradiation time, and citrate concentration have more impact on the reaction rate than on the morphologies of the AuNPs. The gold-decorated magnetic microspheres are highly stable in aqueous solution and capable of concentrating nucleobases. A linear response of the SERS signal to adenine in concentrations up to 10 μM is found, with a linear regression coefficient of 0.997. The detection limit is estimated to a few hundreds of nM (at an SNR of 3). Based on its specific Raman peak at 734 cm −1 , adenine can be selectively determined without interference by other nucleobases, and a recovery higher than 95 % could be obtained. (author)

Some fundamental and applicative properties of [polymer/nano-SiC] hybrid nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kassiba, A; Boucle, J; Makowska-Janusik, M; Errien, N

2007-01-01

Hybrid nanocomposites which combine polymer as host matrix and nanocrystals as active elements are promising functional materials for electronics, optics or photonics. In these systems, the physical response is governed by the nanocrystal features (size, surface and defect states), the polymer properties and the polymer-nanocrystal interface. This work reviews some selective nanostructured architectures based on active elements such as silicon carbide (SiC) nanocrystals and polymer host matrices. Beyond an overview of some key properties of the nanocrystals, a main part will be devoted to the electro-optical (EO) properties of SiC based hybrid systems where SiC nanocrystals are embedded in polymer matrices of different chemical nature such as poly-(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), poly-vinylcarbazole (PVK) or polycarbonate. Using this approach, the organic-inorganic interface effects are emphasised with regard to the dielectric or hole transporting behaviour of PMMA and PVK respectively. These effects are illustrated through different EO responses associated with hybrid composites based on PMMA or PVK

Some fundamental and applicative properties of [polymer/nano-SiC] hybrid nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Kassiba, A.; Bouclé, J.; Makowska-Janusik, M.; Errien, N.

2007-08-01

Hybrid nanocomposites which combine polymer as host matrix and nanocrystals as active elements are promising functional materials for electronics, optics or photonics. In these systems, the physical response is governed by the nanocrystal features (size, surface and defect states), the polymer properties and the polymer-nanocrystal interface. This work reviews some selective nanostructured architectures based on active elements such as silicon carbide (SiC) nanocrystals and polymer host matrices. Beyond an overview of some key properties of the nanocrystals, a main part will be devoted to the electro-optical (EO) properties of SiC based hybrid systems where SiC nanocrystals are embedded in polymer matrices of different chemical nature such as poly-(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), poly-vinylcarbazole (PVK) or polycarbonate. Using this approach, the organic-inorganic interface effects are emphasised with regard to the dielectric or hole transporting behaviour of PMMA and PVK respectively. These effects are illustrated through different EO responses associated with hybrid composites based on PMMA or PVK.

Self-Assembled CNT-Polymer Hybrids in Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Dispersed Aqueous Triblock Copolymer Solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Vijayaraghavan, D.; Manjunatha, A. S.; Poojitha, C. G.

2018-04-01

We have carried out scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), electrical conductivity, and 1H NMR studies as a function of temperature on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) dispersed aqueous triblock copolymer (P123) solutions. The single-walled carbon nanotubes in this system aggregate to form bundles, and the bundles aggregate to form net-like structures. Depending on the temperature and phases of the polymer, this system exhibits three different self-assembled CNT-polymer hybrids. We find CNT-unimer hybrid at low temperatures, CNT-micelle hybrid at intermediate temperatures wherein the polymer micelles are adsorbed in the pores of the CNT nets, and another type of CNT-micelle hybrid at high temperatures wherein the polymer micelles are adsorbed on the surface of the CNT bundles. Our DSC thermogram showed two peaks related to these structural changes in the CNT-polymer hybrids. Temperature dependence of the 1H NMR chemical shifts of the molecular groups of the polymer and the AC electrical conductivity of the composite also showed discontinuous changes at the temperatures at which the CNT-polymer hybrid's structural changes are seen. Interestingly, for a higher CNT concentration (0.5 wt.%) in the system, the aggregated polymer micelles adsorbed on the CNTs exhibit cone-like and cube-like morphologies at the intermediate and at high temperatures respectively.

γ-Fe ₂ O ₃ Nanocrystalline Microspheres with Hybrid Behavior of Battery-Supercapacitor for Superior Lithium Storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tian, Lei-Lei; Zhang, Ming-Jian; Wu, Chao; Wei, Yi; Zheng, Jia-Xin; Lin, Ling-Piao; Lu, Jun; Amine, Khalil; Zhuang, Quan-Chao; Pan, Feng

2015-12-02

Maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanocrystalline microspheres (MNMs) self-assembled with 52 nm nanocrystals bridged with FeOOH around grain boundaries were formed by solvothermal reaction and thermal oxidation. The unique architecture endows the MNMs with the lithium storage behavior of a hybrid battery-supercapacitor electrode: initial charge capacity of 1060 mAh g–1 at the 100 mA g–1 rate, stable cyclic capacity of 1077.9 mAh g–1 at the same rate after 140 cycles, and rate capability of 538.8 mAh g–1 at 2400 mA g–1. This outstanding performance was attributed to the nanocrystal superiority, which shortens the Li+ diffusion paths. The mechanism of this hybrid anode material was investigated with experimental measurements and structural analysis. The results indicate that at the first discharge, the MNM nanocrystal microsphere, whose structure can buffer the volume change that occurs during lithiation/delithiation, goes through four stages: Li+ insertion in cation vacancies, spinel-to-rocksalt transformation, Li+ intercalation of Li1.75+xFe2O3 nanocrystals, and interfacial Li storage around nanocrystal boundaries. Only the latter two stages were reversible at and after the second charging/discharging cycle, exhibiting the hybrid behavior of a battery-supercapacitor with superior lithium storage.

Formulation, evaluation and 3(2) full factorial design-based optimization of ondansetron hydrochloride incorporated taste masked microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Kharb, Vandana; Saharan, Vikas Anand; Dev, Kapil; Jadhav, Hemant; Purohit, Suresh

2014-11-01

Masking the bitter taste of Ondansetron hydrochloride (ONS) may improve palatability, acceptance and compliance of ONS products. ONS-loaded, taste-masked microspheres were prepared with a polycationic pH-sensitive polymer and 3(2) full factorial design (FFD) was applied to optimize microsphere batches. Solvent evaporation, in acetone--methanol/liquid paraffin system, was used to prepare taste-masked ONS microspheres. The effect of varying drug/polymer (D/P) ratios on microspheres characteristics were studied by 3(2) FFD. Desirability function was used to search the optimum formulation. Microspheres were evaluated by FTIR, XRD and DSC to examine interaction and effect of microencapsulation process. In vitro taste assessment approach based on bitterness threshold and drug release was used to assess bitterness scores. Prepared ONS microspheres were spherical and surface was wrinkled. ONS was molecularly dispersed in microspheres without any incompatibility with EE100. In hydrochloric acid buffer pH 1.2, ONS released completely from microsphere in just 10 min. Contrary to this, ONS release at initial 5 min from taste-masked microspheres was less than the bitterness threshold. Full factorial design and in vitro taste assessment approach, coupled together, was successfully applied to develop and optimize batches of ONS incorporated taste-masked microspheres.

Perspective: Hybrid solar cells: How to get the polymer to cooperate?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonas Weickert

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Lately, a lot of attention has been paid to metal oxide-organic hybrid solar cells. In these devices, conjugated polymers replace the typically transparent hole transporter as usually used in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells in order to maximize the photon absorption efficiency. However, to unleash the full potential of hybrid solar cells it is imperative to push the photocurrent contribution of the absorbing polymer.

Formulation and Optimization of Celecoxib-Loaded Microspheres ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

factors in the preparation of celecoxib-loaded microspheres. Methods: ... made with biodegradable polymers, are ... filtration on Whatman filter paper no.1 and washed 4 - 5 times with n-hexane [11]. The product was then air-dried at room.

INVESTIGATION OF DRUG RELEASE FROM BIODEGRADABLE PLG MICROSPHERES: EXPERIMENT AND THEORY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

ANDREWS, MALCOLM J. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; BERCHANE, NADER S. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; CARSON, KENNETH H. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; RICE-FICHT, ALLISON C. [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2007-01-30

Piroxicam containing PLG microspheres having different size distributions were fabricated, and in vitro release kinetics were determined for each preparation. Based on the experimental results, a suitable mathematical theory has been developed that incorporates the effect of microsphere size distribution and polymer degradation on drug release. We show from in vitro release experiments that microsphere size has a significant effect on drug release rate. The initial release rate decreased with an increase in microsphere size. In addition, the release profile changed from first order to concave-upward (sigmoidal) as the system size was increased. The mathematical model gave a good fit to the experimental release data.

Synthesis, characterization and flocculation activity of novel Fe(OH)3-polyacrylamide hybrid polymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Huilong; Cui Jinyan; Jiang Wenfeng

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The preparation of a novel Fe(OH) 3 -PAM hybrid polymer flocculant is achieved via free radical solution polymerization. → Flocculation of kaolin suspensions using this novel Fe(OH) 3 -PAM hybrid polymer flocculant is revealed in this study. → The statistical model was first applied for calculating the thermodynamic parameters for the kaolin flocculating process. - Abstract: A novel Fe(OH) 3 -polyacrylamide inorganic-organic hybrid polymer (FHPAM) was synthesized via free radical solution polymerization initiated by a redox initiation system ((NH 4 ) 2 S 2 O 8 -NaHSO 3 ) in an aqueous medium. Reaction parameters influencing the intrinsic viscosity and the yield of the hybrid polymer, such as initiator concentration, monomer mass fraction, temperature and reaction time were investigated and optimized. The results show that the maximum intrinsic viscosity and up to 94% yields of the hybrid polymer can be achieved using initiator concentration of 0.3% with acrylamide monomer mass fraction of 20% under solution polymerization at 40 deg. C for 7 h. The physicochemical properties of this hybrid flocculant were characterized with TEM, FTIR spectra, TGA, and conductivity. It was found that a chemical bond exists between Fe(OH) 3 colloid and polyacrylamide chains in the FHPAM. The application of the hybrid polymer for the treatment of 2.5 g L -1 kaolin suspension indicates that it had an excellent flocculation capacity and its flocculation efficiency was much better than that of commercial available polyacrylamide (PAM) and polymeric ferric sulfate (PFS). The optimal conditions for the flocculation treatment of kaolin suspension were the FHPAM dosage of 40 mg L -1 at pH 7.0. The thermodynamic parameters for the flocculation process were calculated based on a statistical model. Interpretation of the results was given.

Magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) microspheres for protein capture.

Science.gov (United States)

Koubková, Jana; Müller, Petr; Hlídková, Helena; Plichta, Zdeněk; Proks, Vladimír; Vojtěšek, Bořivoj; Horák, Daniel

2014-09-25

The efficient isolation and concentration of protein antigens from complex biological samples is a critical step in several analytical methods, such as mass spectrometry, flow cytometry and immunochemistry. These techniques take advantage of magnetic microspheres as immunosorbents. The focus of this study was on the development of new superparamagnetic polymer microspheres for the specific isolation of the tumor suppressor protein p53. Monodisperse macroporous poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) microspheres measuring approximately 5 μm and containing carboxyl groups were prepared by multistep swelling polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), 2-[(methoxycarbonyl)methoxy]ethyl methacrylate (MCMEMA) and ethylene dimethylacrylate (EDMA) as a crosslinker in the presence of cyclohexyl acetate as a porogen. To render the microspheres magnetic, iron oxide was precipitated within their pores; the Fe content in the particles received ∼18 wt%. Nonspecific interactions between the magnetic particles and biological media were minimized by coating the microspheres with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) terminated by carboxyl groups. The carboxyl groups of the magnetic PGMA microspheres were conjugated with primary amino groups of mouse monoclonal DO-1 antibody using conventional carbodiimide chemistry. The efficiency of protein p53 capture and the degree of nonspecific adsorption on neat and PEG-coated magnetic microspheres were determined by western blot analysis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polymer blends used to develop felodipine-loaded hollow microspheres for improved oral bioavailability.

Science.gov (United States)

Pi, Chao; Feng, Ting; Liang, Jing; Liu, Hao; Huang, Dongmei; Zhan, Chenglin; Yuan, Jiyuan; Lee, Robert J; Zhao, Ling; Wei, Yumeng

2018-06-01

Felodipine (FD) has been widely used in anti-hypertensive treatment. However, it has extremely low aqueous solubility and poor bioavailability. To address these problems, FD hollow microspheres as multiple-unit dosage forms were synthesized by a solvent diffusion evaporation method. Particle size of the hollow microspheres, types of ethylcellulose (EC), amounts of EC, polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and FD were investigated based on an orthogonal experiment of three factors and three levels. In addition, the release kinetics in vitro and pharmacokinetics in beagle dogs of the optimized FD hollow microspheres was investigated and compared with Plendil (commercial FD sustained-release tablets) as a single-unit dosage form. Results showed that the optimal formulation was composed of EC 10 cp :PVP:FD (0.9:0.16:0.36, w/w). The FD hollow microspheres were globular with a hollow structure and have high drug loading (17.69±0.44%) and floating rate (93.82±4.05%) in simulated human gastric fluid after 24h. Pharmacokinetic data showed that FD hollow microspheres exhibited sustained-release behavior and significantly improved relative bioavailability of FD compared with the control. Pharmacodynamic study showed that the FD hollow microspheres could effectively lower blood pressure. Therefore, these findings demonstrated that the hollow microspheres were an effective sustained-release delivery system for FD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

THz waveguides, devices and hybrid polymer-chalcogenide photonic crystal fibers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bao, Hualong; Markos, Christos; Nielsen, Kristian

2014-01-01

In this contribution, we review our recent activities in the design, fabrication and characterization of polymer THz waveguides. Besides the THz waveguides, we finally will also briefly show some of our initial results on a novel hybrid polymer photonic crystal fiber with integrated chalcogenide...

Preparation and In-vitro Evaluation of Metformin Microspheres Using ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

. Methods: Metformin microspheres were prepared by non-aqueous solvent evaporation method using various polymers, including ethylcellulose (EC), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), carbopol 934P (CA) and chitosan (CH). The effect ...

Insightful understanding of the role of clay topology on the stability of biomimetic hybrid chitosan-clay thin films and CO2-dried porous aerogel microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Frindy, Sana; Primo, Ana; Qaiss, Abou El Kacem; Bouhfid, Rachid; Lahcini, Mohamed; Garcia, Hermenegildo; Bousmina, Mosto; El Kadib, Abdelkrim

2016-08-01

Three natural clay-based microstructures, namely layered montmorillonite (MMT), nanotubular halloysite (HNT) and micro-fibrillar sepiolite (SP) were used for the synthesis of hybrid chitosan-clay thin films and porous aerogel microspheres. At a first glance, a decrease in the viscosity of the three gel-forming solutions was noticed as a result of breaking the mutual polymeric chains interaction by the clay microstructure. Upon casting, chitosan-clay films displayed enhanced hydrophilicity in the order CSclay microstructure, an improvement in the mechanical properties of the chitosan-clay films has been substantiated with CS-SP reaching the highest value at 5% clay loading. While clay addition provides a way to resist the shrinkage occurring for native chitosan, the enhanced hydrophilicity associated to the water content affects the efficacy of the CO2 super-critical drying as the most hydrophilic CS-SP microspheres face the highest shrinkage, resulting in a lowest specific surface area compared to CS-HNT and CS-MMT. Chitosan-clay exhibits enhanced thermal properties with the degradation delayed in the order CSclay compared to native chitosan, evidencing the beneficial protective effect of the clay particulates for the biopolymer. However, under hydrothermal treatment, the presence of clay was found to be detrimental to the material stability as a significant shrinkage occurs in hybrid CS-clay microspheres, which is attributed again to their increased hydrophilicity compared to the native polymeric microspheres. In this framework, a peculiar behavior was observed for CS-MMT, with the microspheres standing both against contraction during CO2 gel drying and under hydrothermal conditions. The knowledge gained from this rational design will constitute a guideline toward the preparation of ultra-stable, practically-optimized food-packaging films and commercially scalable porous bio-based adsorbents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation and in vitro evaluation of xanthan gum facilitated superabsorbent polymeric microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharya, Shiv Sankar; Mazahir, Farhan; Banerjee, Subham; Verma, Anurag; Ghosh, Amitava

2013-10-15

Interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel microspheres of xanthan gum (XG) based superabsorbent polymer (SAP) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were prepared by water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion crosslinking method for sustained release of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CIPRO). The microspheres were prepared with various ratios of hydrolyzed SAP to PVA and extent of crosslinking density. The prepared microspheres with loose and rigid surfaces were evidenced by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the IPN formation. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) study was performed to understand the dispersion nature of drug after encapsulation. The in vitro drug release study was extensively evaluated depending on the process variables in both acidic and alkaline media. All the formulations exhibited satisfactory physicochemical and in vitro release characteristics. Release data indicated a non-Fickian trend of drug release from the formulations. Based on the results, this study suggest that CIPRO loaded IPN microspheres were suitable for sustained release application. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of WOW process parameters on morphology and burst release of FITC-dextran loaded PLGA microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Shirui; Xu, Jing; Cai, Cuifang; Germershaus, Oliver; Schaper, Andreas; Kissel, Thomas

2007-04-04

Using fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled dextran (FITC-dextran 40, FD40) as a hydrophilic model compound, microspheres were prepared by a WOW double emulsion technique. Influence of process parameters on microsphere morphology and burst release of FD40 from PLGA microspheres was studied. Internal morphology of microspheres was investigated by stereological method via cryo-cutting technique and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Drug distribution in microspheres was observed with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Polymer nature (RG503 and RG503H) had significant influence on the micro-morphology of microspheres. Increase in continuous water phase volume (W2) led to increased surface porosity but decreased internal porosity. By increasing PVA concentration in the continuous phase from 0.1 to 1%, particle size changed marginally but burst release decreased from 12.2 to 5.9%. Internal porosity of microspheres decreased considerably with increasing polymer concentration. Increase in homogenization speed during the primary emulsion preparation led to decreased internal porosity. Burst release decreased with increasing drug loading but increased with drug molecular weight. Drug distribution in microspheres depended on preparation method. The porosity of microspheres decreased with time in the diffusion stage, but internal morphology had no influence on the release behavior in the bioerosion stage. In summary, surface porosity and internal morphology play a significant role in the release of hydrophilic macromolecules from biodegradable microspheres in the initial release phase characterized by pore diffusion.

Hybrid waste filler filled bio-polymer foam composites for sound absorbent materials

Science.gov (United States)

Rus, Anika Zafiah M.; Azahari, M. Shafiq M.; Kormin, Shaharuddin; Soon, Leong Bong; Zaliran, M. Taufiq; Ahraz Sadrina M. F., L.

2017-09-01

Sound absorption materials are one of the major requirements in many industries with regards to the sound insulation developed should be efficient to reduce sound. This is also important to contribute in economically ways of producing sound absorbing materials which is cheaper and user friendly. Thus, in this research, the sound absorbent properties of bio-polymer foam filled with hybrid fillers of wood dust and waste tire rubber has been investigated. Waste cooking oil from crisp industries was converted into bio-monomer, filled with different proportion ratio of fillers and fabricated into bio-polymer foam composite. Two fabrication methods is applied which is the Close Mold Method (CMM) and Open Mold Method (OMM). A total of four bio-polymer foam composite samples were produce for each method used. The percentage of hybrid fillers; mixture of wood dust and waste tire rubber of 2.5 %, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10% weight to weight ration with bio-monomer. The sound absorption of the bio-polymer foam composites samples were tested by using the impedance tube test according to the ASTM E-1050 and Scanning Electron Microscope to determine the morphology and porosity of the samples. The sound absorption coefficient (α) at different frequency range revealed that the polymer foam of 10.0 % hybrid fillers shows highest α of 0.963. The highest hybrid filler loading contributing to smallest pore sizes but highest interconnected pores. This also revealed that when highly porous material is exposed to incident sound waves, the air molecules at the surface of the material and within the pores of the material are forced to vibrate and loses some of their original energy. This is concluded that the suitability of bio-polymer foam filled with hybrid fillers to be used in acoustic application of automotive components such as dashboards, door panels, cushion and etc.

Biodegradable polymeric microsphere-based drug delivery for inductive browning of fat

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunhui eJiang

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Brown and beige adipocytes are potent therapeutic agents to increase energy expenditure and reduce risks of obesity and its affiliated metabolic symptoms. One strategy to increase beige adipocyte content is through inhibition of the evolutionarily conserved Notch signaling pathway. However, systemic delivery of Notch inhibitors is associated with off-target effects and multiple dosages of application further faces technical and translational challenges. Here, we report the development of a biodegradable polymeric microsphere-based drug delivery system for sustained, local release of a Notch inhibitor, DBZ. The microsphere-based delivery system was fabricated and optimized using an emulsion/solvent evaporation technique to encapsulate DBZ into poly(lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA, a commonly used biodegradable polymer for controlled drug release. Release studies revealed the ability of PLGA microspheres to release DBZ in a sustained manner. Co-culture of white adipocytes with and without DBZ-loaded PLGA microspheres demonstrated that the released DBZ retained its bioactivity, and effectively inhibited Notch and promoted browning of white adipocytes. Injection of these DBZ-loaded PLGA microspheres into mouse inguinal white adipose tissue (WAT depots resulted in browning in vivo. Our results provide the encouraging proof-of-principle evidence for the application of biodegradable polymers as a controlled release platform for delivery of browning factors, and pave the way for development of new translational therapeutic strategies for treatment of obesity.

Enzymatic transesterification of soybean oil with ethanol using lipases immobilized on highly crystalline PVA microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergamasco, Juliana; Araujo, Marcelo V. de; Vasconcellos, Adriano de; Luizon Filho, Roberto A.; Hatanaka, Rafael R.; Giotto, Marcus V.; Aranda, Donato A.G.; Nery, José G.

2013-01-01

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) microspheres with different degree of crystallinity were used as solid supports for Rhizomucor miehei lipase immobilization, and the enzyme-PVA complexes were used as biocatalysts for the transesterification of soybean oil to fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE). The amounts of immobilized enzyme on the polymeric supports were similar for both the amorphous microspheres (PVA4) and the high crystalline microspheres (PVA25). However, the enzymatic activity of the immobilized enzymes was depended on the crystallinity degree of the PVA microspheres: enzymes immobilized on the PVA4 microspheres have shown low enzymatic activity (6.13 U mg −1 ), in comparison with enzymes immobilized on the high crystalline PVA25 microspheres (149.15 U mg −1 ). A synergistic effect was observed for the enzyme-PVA25 complex during the transesterification reaction of soybean oil to FAEE: transesterification reactions with free enzyme with the equivalent amount of enzyme that were immobilized onto the PVA25 microspheres (5.4 U) have yielded only 20% of FAEE, reactions with the pure highly crystalline microsphere PVA25 have not yielded FAEE, however reactions with the enzyme-PVA25 complexes have yielded 66.3% of FAEE. This synergistic effect of an immobilized enzyme on a polymeric support has not been observed before for transesterification reaction of triacylglycerides into FAEE. Based on ATR-FTIR, 23 Na- and 13 C-NMR-MAS spectroscopic data and the interaction of the polymeric network intermolecular hydrogen bonds with the lipases residual amino acids a possible explanation for this synergistic effect is provided. Highlights: • Rhizomucor miehei lipase was immobilized on PVA microspheres (PVA4, PVA12, PVA25). • Polymer-enzyme complex was characterized by XDR, SEM, ATR-FTIR, 13 C-CPMAS-NMR, 23 Na-MAS-NMR. • Polymer-enzymes (PVA12 and PVA25) enzymes yielded considerable amount of ethyl esters. • Synergistic effect was observed for the polymer-enzyme complexes

Microfluidic Fabrication of Morphology-Controlled Polymeric Microspheres of Blends of Poly(4-butyltriphenylamine and Poly(methyl methacrylate

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Saki Yoshida

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Multicomponent polymer particles with specific morphology are promising materials exhibiting novel functionality which cannot be obtained with single-component polymer particles. Particularly, the preparation of such kinds of polymer particles involving electrically or optically active conjugated polymers with uniform size is a challenging subject due to their intense demands. Here, microspheres of binary polymer blend consisting of poly(4-butyltriphenylamine (PBTPA/poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA (1:1 in weight were produced via a microfluidic emulsification with a Y-shaped microreactor, and a subsequent solvent evaporation method. The flow rate of the dispersed phase (polymer solution was fixed to 7 µL/min, and 140 or 700 µL/min of the flow rate of the continuous phase (aqueous 0.6 wt % of poly(vinyl alcohol (PVA solution was utilized to produce the dispersion with different diameter. The concentration of dispersed phase was adjusted to 0.1 or 1.0 w/v%. Core-shell, Janus and dumbbell type microspheres were obtained dependent on the flow rate of continuous phase. Incomplete core-shell type microspheres were produced for the blend involving low molecular weight PMMA. Complex Janus and core-shell type microspheres were fabricated by the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS to continuous phase. It is found that final morphologies are strongly dependent on the initial conditions of dispersion including the particle size suggesting that the morphologies are governed by the kinetical factors together with the conventionally accepted thermodynamic ones.

Polymer-metal hybrid transparent electrodes for flexible electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Hongkyu; Jung, Suhyun; Jeong, Soyeong; Kim, Geunjin; Lee, Kwanghee

2015-03-01

Despite nearly two decades of research, the absence of ideal flexible and transparent electrodes has been the largest obstacle in realizing flexible and printable electronics for future technologies. Here we report the fabrication of ‘polymer-metal hybrid electrodes’ with high-performance properties, including a bending radius 95% and a sheet resistance solar cells that exhibit a high power conversion efficiency of 10% and polymer light-emitting diodes that can outperform those based on transparent conducting oxides.

Synthesis, characterization and flocculation activity of novel Fe(OH){sub 3}-polyacrylamide hybrid polymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Huilong; Cui Jinyan [Department of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023 (China); Jiang Wenfeng, E-mail: dlutjiangwf@yahoo.com.cn [Department of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116023 (China)

2011-11-01

Highlights: {yields} The preparation of a novel Fe(OH){sub 3}-PAM hybrid polymer flocculant is achieved via free radical solution polymerization. {yields} Flocculation of kaolin suspensions using this novel Fe(OH){sub 3}-PAM hybrid polymer flocculant is revealed in this study. {yields} The statistical model was first applied for calculating the thermodynamic parameters for the kaolin flocculating process. - Abstract: A novel Fe(OH){sub 3}-polyacrylamide inorganic-organic hybrid polymer (FHPAM) was synthesized via free radical solution polymerization initiated by a redox initiation system ((NH{sub 4}){sub 2}S{sub 2}O{sub 8}-NaHSO{sub 3}) in an aqueous medium. Reaction parameters influencing the intrinsic viscosity and the yield of the hybrid polymer, such as initiator concentration, monomer mass fraction, temperature and reaction time were investigated and optimized. The results show that the maximum intrinsic viscosity and up to 94% yields of the hybrid polymer can be achieved using initiator concentration of 0.3% with acrylamide monomer mass fraction of 20% under solution polymerization at 40 deg. C for 7 h. The physicochemical properties of this hybrid flocculant were characterized with TEM, FTIR spectra, TGA, and conductivity. It was found that a chemical bond exists between Fe(OH){sub 3} colloid and polyacrylamide chains in the FHPAM. The application of the hybrid polymer for the treatment of 2.5 g L{sup -1} kaolin suspension indicates that it had an excellent flocculation capacity and its flocculation efficiency was much better than that of commercial available polyacrylamide (PAM) and polymeric ferric sulfate (PFS). The optimal conditions for the flocculation treatment of kaolin suspension were the FHPAM dosage of 40 mg L{sup -1} at pH 7.0. The thermodynamic parameters for the flocculation process were calculated based on a statistical model. Interpretation of the results was given.

Molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres prepared by Pickering emulsion polymerization for selective solid-phase extraction of eight bisphenols from human urine samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jiajia; Li, Yun; Wang, Jincheng; Sun, Xiaoli; Cao, Rong; Sun, Hao; Huang, Chaonan; Chen, Jiping

2015-05-04

The bisphenol A (BPA) imprinted polymer microspheres were prepared by simple Pickering emulsion polymerization. Compared to traditional bulk polymerization, both high yields of polymer and good control of particle sizes were achieved. The characterization results of scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements showed that the obtained molecularly imprinted polymer microsphere (MIPMS) particles possessed regular spherical shape, narrow diameter distribution (30-60 μm), a specific surface area (S(BET)) of 281.26 m(2) g(-1) and a total pore volume (V(t)) of 0.459 cm(3) g(-1). Good specific adsorption capacity for BPA was obtained in the sorption experiment and good class selectivity for BPA and its seven structural analogs (bisphenol F, bisphenol B, bisphenol E, bisphenol AF, bisphenol S, bisphenol AP and bisphenol Z) was demonstrated by the chromatographic evaluation experiment. The MIPMS as solid-phase extraction (SPE) packing material was then evaluated for extraction and clean-up of these bisphenols (BPs) from human urine samples. An accurate and sensitive analytical method based on the MIPMS-SPE coupled with HPLC-DAD has been successfully established for simultaneous determination of eight BPs from human urine samples with detection limits of 1.2-2.2 ng mL(-1). The recoveries of BPs for urine samples at two spiking levels (100 and 500 ng mL(-1) for each BP) were in the range of 81.3-106.7% with RSD values below 8.3%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Functionalised hybrid materials of conducting polymers with individual wool fibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Fern M; Johnston, James H; Borrmann, Thomas; Richardson, Michael J

2008-04-01

Composites of natural protein materials, such as merino wool, with the conducting polymers polypyrrole (PPy) and polyaniline (PAn) have been successfully synthesised. In doing so, hybrid materials have been produced in which the mechanical strength and flexibility of the fibers is retained whilst also incorporating the desired chemical and electrical properties of the polymer. Scanning electron microscopy shows PPy coatings to comprise individual polymer spheres, approximately 100 to 150 nm in diameter. The average size of the polymer spheres of PAn was observed to be approximately 50 to 100 nm in diameter. These spheres fuse together in a continuous sheet to coat the fibers in their entirety. The reduction of silver ions to silver metal nanoparticles onto the redox active polymer surface has also been successful and thus imparts anti-microbial properties to the hybrid materials. This gives rise to further applications requiring the inhibition of microbial growth. The chemical and physical characterisation of such products has been undertaken through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), electrical conductivity, cyclic voltammetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the testing of their anti-microbial activity.

Characterization and Compatibility Studies of Different Rate Retardant Polymer Loaded Microspheres by Solvent Evaporation Technique: In Vitro-In Vivo Study of Vildagliptin as a Model Drug

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Irin Dewan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The present study has been performed to microencapsulate the antidiabetic drug of Vildagliptin to get sustained release of drug. The attempt of this study was to formulate and evaluate the Vildagliptin loaded microspheres by emulsion solvent evaporation technique using different polymers like Eudragit RL100, Eudragit RS100, Ethyl cellulose, and Methocel K100M. In vitro dissolution studies were carried out in 0.1 N HCl for 8 hours according to USP paddle method. The maximum and minimum drug release were observed as 92.5% and 68.5% from microspheres, respectively, after 8 hours. Release kinetics were studied in different mathematical release models to find out the linear relationship and release rate of drug. The SEM, DSC, and FTIR studies have been done to confirm good spheres and smooth surface as well as interaction along with drug and polymer. In this experiment, it is difficult to explain the exact mechanism of drug release. But the drug might be released by both diffusion and erosion as the correlation coefficient (R2 best fitted with Korsmeyer model and release exponent (n was 0.45–0.89. At last it can be concluded that all in vitro and in vivo experiments exhibited promising result to treat type II diabetes mellitus with Vildagliptin microspheres.

Development and optimization of enteric coated mucoadhesive microspheres of duloxetine hydrochloride using 3(2) full factorial design.

Science.gov (United States)

Setia, Anupama; Kansal, Sahil; Goyal, Naveen

2013-07-01

Microspheres constitute an important part of oral drug delivery system by virtue of their small size and efficient carrier capacity. However, the success of these microspheres is limited due to their short residence time at the site of absorption. The objective of the present study was to formulate and systematically evaluate in vitro performance of enteric coated mucoadhesive microspheres of duloxetine hydrochloride (DLX), an acid labile drug. DLX microspheres were prepared by simple emulsification phase separation technique using chitosan as carrier and glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking agent. Microspheres prepared were coated with eudragit L-100 using an oil-in-oil solvent evaporation method. Eudragit L-100was used as enteric coating polymer with the aim to release the drug in small intestine The microspheres prepared were characterized by particle size, entrapment efficiency, swelling index (SI), mucoadhesion time, in vitro drug release and surface morphology. A 3(2) full factorial design was employed to study the effect of independent variables polymer-to-drug ratio (X1) and stirring speed (X2) on dependent variables, particle size, entrapment efficiency, SI, in vitro mucoadhesion and drug release up to 24 h (t24). Microspheres formed were discrete, spherical and free flowing. The microspheres exhibited good mucoadhesive property and also showed high percentage entrapment efficiency. The microspheres were able to sustain the drug release up to 24 h. Thus, the prepared enteric coated mucoadhesive microspheres may prove to be a potential controlled release formulation of DLX for oral administration.

Synthesis of SiCN@TiO2 core-shell ceramic microspheres via PDCs method

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hongli; Wei, Ning; Li, Jing; Zhang, Haiyuan; Chu, Peng

2018-02-01

A facile and effective polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) emulsification-crosslinking-pyrolysis method was developed to fabricate SiCN@TiO2 core-shell ceramic microspheres with polyvinylsilazane (PVSZ) and tetrabutyl titanate (TBT) as precursors. The TBT: PVSZ mass ratios, emulsifier concentrations and the pyrolysis temperature were examined as control parameters to tune the size and morphology of microspheres. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the synthesized SiCN@TiO2 microspheres to be comprised of SiCN core coated with TiO2 crystals, with an average size of 0.88 μm when pyrolyzed at 1400 °C. The analysis of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) ensured that SiCN@TiO2 core-shell ceramic microspheres composed of rutile TiO2, β-SiC and Si3N4 crystalline phases, The thermal properties were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The obtained SiCN@TiO2 core-shell ceramic microspheres were the promising candidate of the infrared opacifier in silica aerogels and this technique can be extended to other preceramic polymers.

Development and optimization of enteric coated mucoadhesive microspheres of duloxetine hydrochloride using 32 full factorial design

Science.gov (United States)

Setia, Anupama; Kansal, Sahil; Goyal, Naveen

2013-01-01

Background: Microspheres constitute an important part of oral drug delivery system by virtue of their small size and efficient carrier capacity. However, the success of these microspheres is limited due to their short residence time at the site of absorption. Objective: The objective of the present study was to formulate and systematically evaluate in vitro performance of enteric coated mucoadhesive microspheres of duloxetine hydrochloride (DLX), an acid labile drug. Materials and Methods: DLX microspheres were prepared by simple emulsification phase separation technique using chitosan as carrier and glutaraldehyde as a cross-linking agent. Microspheres prepared were coated with eudragit L-100 using an oil-in-oil solvent evaporation method. Eudragit L-100was used as enteric coating polymer with the aim to release the drug in small intestine The microspheres prepared were characterized by particle size, entrapment efficiency, swelling index (SI), mucoadhesion time, in vitro drug release and surface morphology. A 32 full factorial design was employed to study the effect of independent variables polymer-to-drug ratio (X1) and stirring speed (X2) on dependent variables, particle size, entrapment efficiency, SI, in vitro mucoadhesion and drug release up to 24 h (t24). Results: Microspheres formed were discrete, spherical and free flowing. The microspheres exhibited good mucoadhesive property and also showed high percentage entrapment efficiency. The microspheres were able to sustain the drug release up to 24 h. Conclusion: Thus, the prepared enteric coated mucoadhesive microspheres may prove to be a potential controlled release formulation of DLX for oral administration. PMID:24167786

Solvent/Non-Solvent Sintering To Make Microsphere Scaffolds

Science.gov (United States)

Laurencin, Cato T.; Brown, Justin L.; Nair, Lakshmi

2011-01-01

A solvent/non-solvent sintering technique has been devised for joining polymeric microspheres to make porous matrices for use as drug-delivery devices or scaffolds that could be seeded with cells for growing tissues. Unlike traditional sintering at elevated temperature and pressure, this technique is practiced at room temperature and pressure and, therefore, does not cause thermal degradation of any drug, protein, or other biochemical with which the microspheres might be loaded to impart properties desired in a specific application. Also, properties of scaffolds made by this technique are more reproducible than are properties of comparable scaffolds made by traditional sintering. The technique involves the use of two miscible organic liquids: one that is and one that is not a solvent for the affected polymer. The polymeric microspheres are placed in a mold having the size and shape of the desired scaffold, then the solvent/non-solvent mixture is poured into the mold to fill the void volume between the microspheres, then the liquid mixture is allowed to evaporate. Some of the properties of the resulting scaffold can be tailored through choice of the proportions of the liquids and the diameter of the microspheres.

In vitro evaluation and intra-articular administration of biodegradable microspheres containing naproxen sodium.

Science.gov (United States)

Bozdağ, S; Caliş, S; Kaş, H S; Ercan, M T; Peksoy, I; Hincal, A A

2001-01-01

The dispersion of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) into biodegradable polymeric matrices have been accepted as a good approach for obtaining a therapeutic effect in a predetermined period of time meanwhile minimizing the side effects of NSAIDs. In the present study, it was aimed to prepare Naproxen Sodium (NS), (a NSAID) loaded microsphere formulation using natural Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and synthetic biodegradable polymers such as poly(lactide-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) (50:50 MW 34,000 and 88,000 Da) for intra-articular administration, and to study the retention of the drug at the site of injection in the knee joint. NS incorporated microspheres were evaluated in vitro for particle size (the mean particle size; for BSA microspheres, 10.0 +/- 0.3 microm, for PLGA microspheres, 9.0 +/- 0.2 and 5.0 +/- 0.1 microm for MW 34,000 and 88,000 Da, respectively), yield value, drug loading, surface morphology and drug release. For in vivo studies, monoarticular arthritis was induced in the left knee joints of rabbits by using ovalbumin and Freund's Complete Adjuvant as antigen and adjuvant. A certain time (4 days) is allowed for the formation of arthritis in the knee joints, then the NS loaded microspheres were injected directly into the articular cavity. At specific time points, gamma scintigrams were obtained to determine the residence time of the microspheres in knee joints, in order to determine the most suitable formulation. This study indicated that PLGA, a synthetic polymer, is more promising than the natural type BSA microspheres for an effective cure of mono-articular arthritis in rabbits.

Onion-like microspheres with tricomponent from gelable triblock copolymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ke; Gao, Lei; Chen, Yongming; Yang, Zhenzhong

2010-06-01

Onion-like functional microspheres with three alternate layers were obtained by aerosol-assisted self-assembly of a functional block copolymer, poly(3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate)-block-polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PTEPM-b-PS-b-P2VP). Through self-gelation reaction occurred in the PTEPM layers, organic/inorganic hybrid functional spheres with highly ordered concentric curved lamellar structure were prepared. Using these hybrid onion-like microspheres as templates, gold ions were entrapped into the P2VP layers and then gold nanoparticles located in each P2VP layers were formed by a reduction. By dispersing in acidic water, the onion-like polymeric spheres were broken and, as a result, sandwich-like nanoplates with curved morphology were obtained. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Resistance to Internal Damage and Scaling of Concrete Air Entrained By Microspheres

Science.gov (United States)

Molendowska, Agnieszka; Wawrzenczyk, Jerzy

2017-10-01

This paper report the test results of high strength concrete produced with slag cement and air entrained with polymer microspheres in three diameters. The study focused on determining the effects of the microsphere size and quantity on the air void structure and resistance to internal cracking and scaling of the concrete. The resistance to internal cracking was determined in compliance with the requirements of the modified ASTM C666 A method on beam specimens. The scaling resistance in a 3% NaCl solution was determined using the slab test in accordance with PKN-CEN/TS 12390-9:2007. The air void structure parameters were determined to PN-EN 480-11:1998. The study results indicate that the use of microspheres is an effective air entrainment method providing very good air void structure parameters. The results show high freeze-thaw durability of polymer microsphere-based concrete in exposure class XF3. The scaling resistance test confirms that it is substantially more difficult to protect concrete against scaling in the presence of the 3% NaCl solution (exposure class XF4). Concrete scaling is a complex phenomenon controlled by a number of independent factors.

Role of surface functionality on the formation of raspberry-like polymer/silica composite particles: Weak acid–base interaction and steric effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Lan; Song, LinYong; Chao, ZhiYin; Chen, PengPeng; Nie, WangYan; Zhou, YiFeng

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Core–shell structured polymer/SiO 2 was obtained with carboxylic-functionalized templates. • Raspberry-like structure was observed with carboxylic and poly(ethylene glycol) hybrid-functionalized polymer microspheres. • Carboxylic groups contributed to the nucleation and the poly(ethylene glycol) chains was used to control the growth of silica particles. • Super-hydrophobic surface was obtained and the contact angle of water on the dual-sized structured surface was up to 160°. - Abstract: The surface functionality of polymer microspheres is the crucial factor to determine the nucleation and growth of silica particles and to construct the organic/inorganic hierarchical structures. The objective of this work was to evaluate the surface functionality and hierarchical morphology relationship via in situ sol–gel reaction. Carboxylic-functionalized poly (styrene-co-maleic anhydride) [P(S-co-MA)], poly(ethylene glycol)-functionalized poly(styrene-co-poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) [P(S-co-PEGMA)], and hybrid functionalized poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride-co-poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) [P(S-co-MA-co-PEGMA)] microspheres were synthesized by emulsifier-free polymerization and used as templates. The morphologies of the composite particles were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that core–shell structure was obtained with P(S-co-MA) as templates; raspberry-like structure was observed by using P(S-co-MA-co-PEGMA) as templates; and no silica particles were attached onto the surface of P(S-co-PEGMA) microspheres. These results indicated that the carboxylic groups on the surface formed by hydrolysis of anhydride groups were the determinate factor to control the nucleation of silica nanoparticles, and the PEG chains on the surface can affect the growth of silica particles. In addition, the particulate films were constructed by assembling these

Microsphere integrated microfluidic disk: synergy of two techniques for rapid and ultrasensitive dengue detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseini, Samira; Aeinehvand, Mohammad M; Uddin, Shah M; Benzina, Abderazak; Rothan, Hussin A; Yusof, Rohana; Koole, Leo H; Madou, Marc J; Djordjevic, Ivan; Ibrahim, Fatimah

2015-11-09

The application of microfluidic devices in diagnostic systems is well-established in contemporary research. Large specific surface area of microspheres, on the other hand, has secured an important position for their use in bioanalytical assays. Herein, we report a combination of microspheres and microfluidic disk in a unique hybrid platform for highly sensitive and selective detection of dengue virus. Surface engineered polymethacrylate microspheres with carefully designed functional groups facilitate biorecognition in a multitude manner. In order to maximize the utility of the microspheres' specific surface area in biomolecular interaction, the microfluidic disk was equipped with a micromixing system. The mixing mechanism (microballoon mixing) enhances the number of molecular encounters between spheres and target analyte by accessing the entire sample volume more effectively, which subsequently results in signal amplification. Significant reduction of incubation time along with considerable lower detection limits were the prime motivations for the integration of microspheres inside the microfluidic disk. Lengthy incubations of routine analytical assays were reduced from 2 hours to 5 minutes while developed system successfully detected a few units of dengue virus. Obtained results make this hybrid microsphere-microfluidic approach to dengue detection a promising avenue for early detection of this fatal illness.

Simultaneous Determination of Glass Transition Temperatures of Several Polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Jiang; Liu, Wei; Huang, Yao-Xiong

2016-01-01

A simple and easy optical method is proposed for the determination of glass transition temperature (Tg) of polymers. Tg was determined using the technique of microsphere imaging to monitor the variation of the refractive index of polymer microsphere as a function of temperature. It was demonstrated that the method can eliminate most thermal lag and has sensitivity about six fold higher than the conventional method in Tg determination. So the determined Tg is more accurate and varies less with cooling/heating rate than that obtained by conventional methods. The most attractive character of the method is that it can simultaneously determine the Tg of several polymers in a single experiment, so it can greatly save experimental time and heating energy. The method is not only applicable for polymer microspheres, but also for the materials with arbitrary shapes. Therefore, it is expected to be broadly applied to different fundamental researches and practical applications of polymers.

Facile Fabrication of Urchin-like Polyaniline Microspheres for Electrochemical Energy Storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yuan; Xu, Shaoqin; Liu, Wenfeng; Cheng, Huan; Chen, Shaoyun; Liu, Xueqing; Liu, Jiyan; Tai, Qidong; Hu, Chenglong

2017-01-01

Graphical abstract: The urchin-like polyaniline (i.e. PANI) microsphere was polymerized using the sulfonated polystyrene microspheres (i.e. SPS) as template. It showed large specific capacitance of 435 F g −1 at a scan rate of 10 mV s −1 , and also exhibited the good rate capability and the cycling stability with capacitance retentions of 93% after 1000 cycles. This facile approach is feasible and easy to fabricate microstructural conducting polymer for supercapacitor electrode materials. Display Omitted -- Highlights: •A novel route to fabricate urchin-like polyaniline (PANI) by polymeric template. •The specific capacitance of 435 Fg 1 was obtained when PANI acted as the electrode. •The cycling stability with capacitance retentions of 93% after 1000 cycles. -- Abstract: The urchin-like polyaniline (i.e. PANI) microsphere was polymerized using the sulfonated polystyrene microsphere (i.e. SPS) as template, and its structure was successfully conformed by the X-ray photoelectron spectrum, Raman spectrum, Ultraviolet-visible spectrum, and TGA thermogram. The urchin-like PANI microspheres with uniform diameter (1.5 μm) can be observed on scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge tests were carried out to investigate the electrochemical properties of as-prepared urchin-like PANI microspheres. It showed that the specific capacitance (SC) was 435 Fg −1 at a scan rate of 10 mV s −1 , and also exhibited good capability and cycling stability with capacitance retentions of 93% after 1000 cycles, which is superior or close to some individual PANI nanostructures and PANI composite materials. This facile approach is feasible and easy to fabricate microstructural conducting polymer for supercapacitor electrode materials.

Interaction between dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide-modified PLGA microspheres and hyaluronic acid

Science.gov (United States)

Mulia, Kamarza; Devi, Krisanti, Elsa

2017-02-01

In application of intravitreal injection, an extended drug delivery system is desired so that the frequency of injection to treat diabetic retinopathy may be reduced. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) polymer (PLGA) was used to encapsulate a model drug in the form of microspheres. The zeta potential of dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DDAB)-modified PLGA microspheres in water was proportional to the DDAB concentration used in the preparation step, up to +57.8 mV. The scanning electron microscope pictures and the zeta potential data (SEM) confirmed that the surface of the PLGA has been modified by the cationic surfactant and that electrostatic interaction between the positively charged microspheres and the negatively charged vitreous were present.

Synthesis and characterization of porous microspheres bearing pyrrolidone units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maciejewska, M., E-mail: mmacieje@umcs.pl; Kołodyńska, D.

2015-01-15

Porous microspheres of glycydyl methacrylate (GMA) cross-linked with trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TRIM) were prepared with toluene as porogen by suspension-emulsion polymerization. With increasing molar ratio of the functional monomer to cross-linker, the epoxy group content increases significantly whereas the parameters of porous structure (specific surface area and total pore volume) decreases. In order to obtain adsorbents bearing functional groups the porous methacrylate network was modified by subsequent reaction with pyrrolidone. The materials were studied using elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, thermal gravimetry. Additionally, polymers sorption capacity towards Cu(II) was investigated. - Highlights: • Porous microspheres with reactive epoxy group were synthesized. • Highly developed porous structure was created. • Pyrrolidone units were incorporated during ring–opening reaction. • Polymers sorption capacity towards Cu (II) was investigated.

Chitosan microspheres in novel drug delivery systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitra, Analava; Dey, Baishakhi

2011-07-01

The main aim in the drug therapy of any disease is to attain the desired therapeutic concentration of the drug in plasma or at the site of action and maintain it for the entire duration of treatment. A drug on being used in conventional dosage forms leads to unavoidable fluctuations in the drug concentration leading to under medication or overmedication and increased frequency of dose administration as well as poor patient compliance. To minimize drug degradation and loss, to prevent harmful side effects and to increase drug bioavailability various drug delivery and drug targeting systems are currently under development. Handling the treatment of severe disease conditions has necessitated the development of innovative ideas to modify drug delivery techniques. Drug targeting means delivery of the drug-loaded system to the site of interest. Drug carrier systems include polymers, micelles, microcapsules, liposomes and lipoproteins to name some. Different polymer carriers exert different effects on drug delivery. Synthetic polymers are usually non-biocompatible, non-biodegradable and expensive. Natural polymers such as chitin and chitosan are devoid of such problems. Chitosan comes from the deacetylation of chitin, a natural biopolymer originating from crustacean shells. Chitosan is a biocompatible, biodegradable, and nontoxic natural polymer with excellent film-forming ability. Being of cationic character, chitosan is able to react with polyanions giving rise to polyelectrolyte complexes. Hence chitosan has become a promising natural polymer for the preparation of microspheres/nanospheres and microcapsules. The techniques employed to microencapsulate with chitosan include ionotropic gelation, spray drying, emulsion phase separation, simple and complex coacervation. This review focuses on the preparation, characterization of chitosan microspheres and their role in novel drug delivery systems.

Ketoprofen-loaded Eudragit RSPO microspheres: an influence of sodium carbonate on in vitro drug release and surface topology.

Science.gov (United States)

Pandit, Sachin S; Hase, Dinesh P; Bankar, Manish M; Patil, Arun T; Gaikwad, Naresh J

2009-05-01

Eudragit RSPO microspheres containing ketoprofen as model drug, prepared by solvent evaporation technique using acetone-liquid paraffin (heavy) solvent system were examined. Depending upon polymer concentration in the internal phase, microspheres of particle mean diameter (122.8, 213.6 and 309.5 μm) were obtained. The influence of surface washing of microspheres with n-hexane, i.e. untreated microspheres (UM) on the drug content, drug release and surface topology of microspheres were compared to those of microspheres washed with sodium carbonate, i.e. treated microspheres (TM) in order to make the non-encapsulated surface drug soluble. The significant reduction in encapsulation efficiency (p < 0.001) and drug content (p < 0.001) after treatment, in combination with the small crystalline peaks observed during XRD testing and lack of melting endotherm observed in DSC testing, suggests that the washing process actually removes a significant amount of drug (p < 0.001) from the surface and encapsulated near to the surface of the microsphere polymer matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination revealed that the removal of surface drug did not affect the size of microspheres but the topology of treated smallest microspheres was modified. The ketoprofen release profiles were examined in phosphate buffer pH 7.4, using USPXXIII paddle type dissolution apparatus. In general both UM and TM result in biphasic release patterns, but the initial burst effect (first release phase) of TM was lower than that of UM. The second release phase did not change for the bigger size but increased for the smallest microspheres, probably owing to the modification of matrix porosity.

Optimization of preparation method for ketoprofen-loaded microspheres consisting polymeric blends using simplex lattice mixture design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das, Sanjoy Kumar, E-mail: sanjoydasju@gmail.com; Khanam, Jasmina; Nanda, Arunabha

2016-12-01

In the present investigation, simplex lattice mixture design was applied for formulation development and optimization of a controlled release dosage form of ketoprofen microspheres consisting polymers like ethylcellulose and Eudragit{sup ®}RL 100; when those were formed by oil-in-oil emulsion solvent evaporation method. The investigation was carried out to observe the effects of polymer amount, stirring speed and emulsifier concentration (% w/w) on percentage yield, average particle size, drug entrapment efficiency and in vitro drug release in 8 h from the microspheres. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to estimate the significance of the models. Based on the desirability function approach numerical optimization was carried out. Optimized formulation (KTF-O) showed close match between actual and predicted responses with desirability factor 0.811. No adverse reaction between drug and polymers were observed on the basis of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) analysis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was carried out to show discreteness of microspheres (149.2 ± 1.25 μm) and their surface conditions during pre and post dissolution operations. The drug release pattern from KTF-O was best explained by Korsmeyer-Peppas and Higuchi models. The batch of optimized microspheres were found with maximum entrapment (~ 90%), minimum loss (~ 10%) and prolonged drug release for 8 h (91.25%) which may be considered as favourable criteria of controlled release dosage form. - Graphical abstract: Optimization of preparation method for ketoprofen-loaded microspheres consisting polymeric blends using simplex lattice mixture design. - Highlights: • Simplex lattice design was used to optimize ketoprofen-loaded microspheres. • Polymeric blend (Ethylcellulose and Eudragit® RL 100) was used. • Microspheres were prepared by oil-in-oil emulsion solvent evaporation method. • Optimized formulation depicted favourable

Self-Assembly of pH-Responsive Microspheres for Intestinal Delivery of Diverse Lipophilic Therapeutics.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xing; Zhao, Yang; Chen, Siyu; Han, Songling; Xu, Xiaoqiu; Guo, Jiawei; Liu, Mengyu; Che, Ling; Li, Xiaohui; Zhang, Jianxiang

2016-08-08

Targeted delivery of therapeutics to the intestine is preferred for the management of many diseases due to its diverse advantages. Currently, there are still challenges in creating cost-effective and translational pH-responsive microspheres for intestinal delivery of various hydrophobic drugs. Herein we report a multiple noncovalent interactions-mediated assembly strategy in which carboxyl-bearing compounds (CBCs) are guest molecules, while poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) serves as a host polymer. Formation of microparticles and therapeutic packaging can be achieved simultaneously by this assembly approach, leading to well-shaped microspheres with extremely higher drug loading capacity as compared to microspheres based on two FDA-approved materials of poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and an enteric coating polymer EudragitS 100 (S100). Also, carboxyl-deficient hydrophobic drugs can be effectively entrapped. These assembled microspheres, with excellent reconstitution capability as well as desirable scalability, could selectively release drug molecules under intestinal conditions. By significantly enhancing drug dissolution/release in the intestine, these pH-responsive assemblies may notably improve the oral bioavailability of loaded therapeutics. Moreover, the assembled microspheres possessed superior therapeutic performance in rodent models of inflammation and tumor over the control microspheres derived from PLGA and S100. Therapy with newly developed microspheres did not cause undesirable side effects. Furthermore, in vivo evaluation in mice revealed the carrier material PNIPAm was safe for oral delivery at doses as high as 10 g/kg. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that this type of pH-responsive microsphere may function as superior and translational intestine-directed delivery systems for a diverse array of therapeutics.

Preparation and in vitro/in vivo characterization of curcumin microspheres intended to treat colon cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Madhavi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: The objective of the present investigation was to prepare colon targeted curcumin microspheres using Eudragit S100 and evaluate the same for in vitro/in vivo properties. Materials and Methods: A "O/O solvent evaporation" technique was used in the preparation of microspheres. The influence of various process variables including stirring speed, drug:polymer ratio and percentage of emulsifier on the fabrication were investigated and the formulation was optimized. Prepared microspheres were evaluated for in vitro and in vivo properties. Surface morphology, particle size, percentage drug entrapment, percentage yield, drug polymer interaction, in vitro drug release in simulated gastrointestinal transit conditions and stability were the in vitro parameters investigated. Using an optimized formulation, drug release into the systemic circulation and organ distribution were investigated as in vivo parameters. In vivo parameters were estimated in male albino rats. Results: Curcumin microspheres of Eudragit S100 were successfully prepared using o/o solvent evaporation method. Microspheres prepared using 1:2 drug:polymer ratio, with a stirring speed of 1000 rpm, and using 1.0% w/v concentration of emulsifying agent was selected as an optimized formulation. The release studies with optimized formulation demonstrated that aqueous solubility of curcumin was enhanced by 8 times with the formulation. FTIR studies demonstrated no change in drug characteristics upon microsphere fabrication. The enhancement in solubility is thus due to the increase in the surface area of the drug substance and not due to a change of drug to a different physical state. This was further confirmed by scanning electron microsphere pictures. Drug release followed Korsmeyer and Peppas release model. Accelerated stability studies indicated that the drug is stable in the formulation for a period of atleast 14 weeks at room temperature. In vivo studies demonstrated a sustained

Polymer-Block-Polypeptides and Polymer-Conjugated Hybrid Materials as Stimuli-Responsive Nanocarriers for Biomedical Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

John, Johnson V; Johnson, Renjith P; Heo, Min Seon; Moon, Byeong Kyu; Byeon, Seong Jin; Kim, Il

2015-01-01

Stimuli-responsive nanocarriers are a class of soft materials that includes natural polymers, synthetic polymers, and polypeptides. Recently, modern synthesis tools such as atom transfer radical polymerization, reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization, nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization, ring-opening polymerization of α-amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides, and various "click" chemistry strategies were simultaneously employed for the design and synthesis of nanosized drug delivery vehicles. Importantly, the research focused on the improvement of the nanocarrier targetability and the site-specific, triggered release of therapeutics with high drug loading efficiency and minimal drug leakage during the delivery to specific targets. In this context, nanocarriers responsive to common stimuli such as pH, temperature, redox potential, light, etc. have been widely used for the controlled delivery of therapeutics to pathological sites. Currently, different synthesis and self-assembly strategies improved the drug loading efficacy and targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to the desired site. In particular, polypeptide-containing hybrid materials have been developed for the controlled delivery of therapeutic agents. Therefore, stimuli-sensitive synthetic polypeptide-based materials have been extensively investigated in recent years. This review focuses on recent advances in the development of polymer-block-polypeptides and polymer-conjugated hybrid materials that have been designed and evaluated for various stimuli-responsive drug and gene delivery applications.

Gas-Transport-Property Performance of Hybrid Carbon Molecular Sieve−Polymer Materials

KAUST Repository

Das, Mita

2010-10-06

High-performance hybrid materials using carbon molecular sieve materials and 6FDA-6FpDA were produced. A detailed analysis of the effects of casting processes and the annealing temperature is reported. Two existing major obstacles, sieve agglomeration and residual stress, were addressed in this work, and subsequently a new membrane formation technique was developed to produce high-performing membranes. The successfully improved interfacial region of the hybrid membranes allows the sieves to increase the selectivity of the membranes above the neat polymer properties. Furthermore, an additional performance enhancement was seen with increased sieve loading in the hybrid membranes, leading to an actual performance above the upper bound for pure polymer membranes. The membranes were also tested under a mixed-gas environment, which further demonstrated promising results. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

Optimization of doxorubicin loading for superabsorbent polymer microspheres: in vitro analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, David M; Kos, Sebastian; Buczkowski, Andrzej; Kee, Stephen; Munk, Peter L; Klass, Darren; Wasan, Ellen

2012-04-01

This study was designed to establish the ability of super-absorbent polymer microspheres (SAP) to actively uptake doxorubicin and to establish the proof of principle of SAP's ability to phase transfer doxorubicin onto the polymer matrix and to elute into buffer with a loading method that optimizes physical handling and elution characteristics. Phase I: 50-100 μm SAP subject to various prehydration methods (normal saline 10 cc, hypertonic saline 4 cc, iodinated contrast 10 cc) or left in their dry state, and combined with 50 mg of clinical grade lyophilized doxorubicin reconstituted with various methods (normal saline 10 cc and 25 cc, sterile water 4 cc, iodinated contrast 5 cc) were placed in buffer and assessed based on loading, handling, and elution utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Phase II: top two performing methods were subject to loading of doxorubicin (50, 75, 100 mg) in a single bolus (group A) or as a serial loading method (group B) followed by measurement of loading vs. time and elution vs. time. Phase I revealed the most effective loading mechanisms and easiest handling to be dry (group A) vs. normal saline prehydrated (group B) SAP with normal saline reconstituted doxorubicin (10 mg/mL) with loading efficiencies of 83.1% and 88.4%. Phase II results revealed unstable behavior of SAP with 100 mg of doxorubicin and similar loading/elution profiles of dry and prehydrated SAP, with superior handling characteristics of group B SAP at 50 and 75 mg. SAP demonstrates the ability to load and bulk phase transfer doxorubicin at 50 and 75 mg with ease of handling and optimal efficiency through dry loading of SAP.

Carbon Redox-Polymer-Gel Hybrid Supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Vlad, A.; Singh, N.; Melinte, S.; Gohy, J.-F.; Ajayan, P.M.

2016-01-01

Energy storage devices that provide high specific power without compromising on specific energy are highly desirable for many electric-powered applications. Here, we demonstrate that polymer organic radical gel materials support fast bulk-redox charge storage, commensurate to surface double layer ion exchange at carbon electrodes. When integrated with a carbon-based electrical double layer capacitor, nearly ideal electrode properties such as high electrical and ionic conductivity, fast bulk redox and surface charge storage as well as excellent cycling stability are attained. Such hybrid carbon redox-polymer-gel electrodes support unprecedented discharge rate of 1,000C with 50% of the nominal capacity delivered in less than 2 seconds. Devices made with such electrodes hold the potential for battery-scale energy storage while attaining supercapacitor-like power performances. PMID:26917470

In-vitro studies of enteric coated diclofenac sodium-carboxymethylcellulose microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Arica, B; Arica, M Y; Kaş, H S; Hincal, A A; Hasirci, V

1996-01-01

MIcrospheres containing diclofenac sodium (DS) were prepared using carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) as the main support material (1.0, 2.0, 3.0% (w/v)) and aluminum chloride as the crosslinker. Drug to polymer ratios of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:4 were used to obtain a range of microspheres. The microspheres were then coated with an enteric coating material, Eudragit S-100, efficiency, % yield value, particle sizes an in-vitro dissolution behaviour were investigated. The surface of the enteric coated microspheres seemed to be all covered with Eudragit S-100 from scanning electron microscopy observation. It was also observed that increasing the CMC concentration led to an increase in the encapsulation efficiency, % yield value and particle size and decreased the release rate. Eudragit S-100 coating did not significantly alter the size but the release rate was significantly lower even when the lower concentration solution was used.

Review of Polymer, Dye-Sensitized, and Hybrid Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. N. F. Mohd-Nasir

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The combination of inorganic nanoparticles semiconductor, conjugated polymer, and dye-sensitized in a layer of solar cell is now recognized as potential application in developing flexible, large area, and low cost photovoltaic devices. Several conjugated low bandgap polymers, dyes, and underlayer materials based on the previous studies are quoted in this paper, which can provide guidelines in designing low cost photovoltaic solar cells. All of these materials are designed to help harvest more sunlight in a wider range of the solar spectrum besides enhancing the rate of charge transfer in a device structure. This review focuses on developing solid-state dye-synthesized, polymer, and hybrid solar cells.

Magnetic silica hybrids modified with guanidine containing co-polymers for drug delivery applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Timin, Alexander S., E-mail: a_timin@mail.ru [Inorganic Chemistry Department, Ivanovo State University of Chemistry and Technology (ISUCT), 7, Sheremetevsky prosp., 153000 Ivanovo (Russian Federation); RASA Center in Tomsk, Tomsk Polytechnic University, 30, Lenin Avenue, 634500 Tomsk (Russian Federation); Khashirova, Svetlana Yu. [Kabardino-Balkar State University, ul. Chernyshevskogo 173, Nal' chik, 360004 Kabardino-Balkaria (Russian Federation); Rumyantsev, Evgeniy V.; Goncharenko, Alexander A. [Inorganic Chemistry Department, Ivanovo State University of Chemistry and Technology (ISUCT), 7, Sheremetevsky prosp., 153000 Ivanovo (Russian Federation)

2016-07-01

Guanidine containing co-polymers grafted onto silica nanoparticles to form core-shell structure were prepared by sol-gel method in the presence of γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles. The morphological features for uncoated and coated silica particles have been characterized with scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the polymer coated silicas exhibit spherical morphology with rough polymeric surface covered by γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles. The grafting amount of guanidine containing co-polymers evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis was in the range from 17 to 30%. Then, the drug loading properties and cumulative release of silica hybrids modified with guanidine containing co-polymers were evaluated using molsidomine as a model drug. It was shown that after polymer grafting the loading content of molsidomine could reach up to 3.42 ± 0.21 and 2.34 ± 0.14 mg/g respectively. The maximum drug release of molsidomine is achieved at pH 1.6 (approximately 71–75% release at 37 °C), whereas at pH 7.4 drug release is lower (50.4–59.6% release at 37 °C). These results have an important implication that our magneto-controlled silica hybrids modified with guanidine containing co-polymers are promising as drug carriers with controlled behaviour under influence of magnetic field. - Highlights: • Polymer coated silica hybrids containing γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} were prepared via sol–gel method. • Polymer grafting influences pH-response and surface properties of final products. • Molsidomine as a model drug was effectively loaded into polymer coated silicas. • The drug loading depends on the nature of grafted polymer and its content.

Boosting the ambipolar performance of solution-processable polymer semiconductors via hybrid side-chain engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Junghoon; Han, A-Reum; Yu, Hojeong; Shin, Tae Joo; Yang, Changduk; Oh, Joon Hak

2013-06-26

Ambipolar polymer semiconductors are highly suited for use in flexible, printable, and large-area electronics as they exhibit both n-type (electron-transporting) and p-type (hole-transporting) operations within a single layer. This allows for cost-effective fabrication of complementary circuits with high noise immunity and operational stability. Currently, the performance of ambipolar polymer semiconductors lags behind that of their unipolar counterparts. Here, we report on the side-chain engineering of conjugated, alternating electron donor-acceptor (D-A) polymers using diketopyrrolopyrrole-selenophene copolymers with hybrid siloxane-solubilizing groups (PTDPPSe-Si) to enhance ambipolar performance. The alkyl spacer length of the hybrid side chains was systematically tuned to boost ambipolar performance. The optimized three-dimensional (3-D) charge transport of PTDPPSe-Si with pentyl spacers yielded unprecedentedly high hole and electron mobilities of 8.84 and 4.34 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), respectively. These results provide guidelines for the molecular design of semiconducting polymers with hybrid side chains.

Eudragit-coated dextran microspheres of 5-fluorouracil for site-specific delivery to colon.

Science.gov (United States)

Rai, Gopal; Yadav, Awesh K; Jain, Narendra K; Agrawal, Govind P

2016-01-01

Objective of the present investigation was to prepare and evaluate the potential of enteric coated dextran microspheres for colon targeting of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Dextran microspheres were prepared by emulsification-crosslinking method and the formulation variables studied included different molecular weights of dextran, drug:polymer ratio, volume of crosslinking agent, stirring speed and time. Enteric coating (Eudragit S-100) of dextran microspheres was performed by oil-in-oil solvent evaporation method using different coat:core ratios (4:1 or 8:1). Uncoated and coated dextran microspheres were characterized by particle size, surface morphology, entrapment efficiency, DSC, in vitro drug release in the presence of dextranase and 2% rat cecal contents. The release study of 5-FU from coated dextran microspheres was pH dependent. No release was observed at acidic pH; however, the drug was released quickly where Eudragit starts solublizing there was continuous release of drug from the microspheres. Organ distribution study was suggested that coated dextran microspheres retard the release of drug in gastric and intestinal pH environment and released of drug from microspheres in colon due to the degradation of dextran by colonic enzymes.

Enteric-coated epichlorohydrin crosslinked dextran microspheres for site-specific delivery to colon.

Science.gov (United States)

Rai, Gopal; Yadav, Awesh K; Jain, Narendra K; Agrawal, Govind P

2015-01-01

Enteric-coated epichlorohydrin crosslinked dextran microspheres containing 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) for colon drug delivery was prepared by emulsification-crosslinking method. The formulation variables studied includes different molecular weights of dextran, volume of crosslinking agent, stirring speed, time and temperature. Dextran microspheres showed mean entrapment efficiencies ranging between 77 and 87% and mean particle size ranging between 10 and 25 µm. About 90% of drug was released from uncoated dextran microspheres within 8 h, suggesting the fast release and indicated the drug loaded in uncoated microspheres, released before they reached colon. Enteric coating (Eudragit-S-100 and Eudragit-L-100) of dextran microspheres was performed by oil-in-oil solvent evaporation method. The release study of 5-FU from coated dextran microspheres was complete retardation in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) and once the coating layer of enteric polymer was dissolved at higher pH (7.4 and 6.8), a controlled release of the drug from the microspheres was observed. Further, the release of drug was found to be higher in the presence of dextranase and rat caecal contents, indicating the susceptibility of dextran microspheres to colonic enzymes. Organ distribution and pharmacokinetic study in albino rats was performed to establish the targeting potential of optimized formulation in the colon.

Co-loading and intestine-specific delivery of multiple antioxidants in pH-responsive microspheres based on TEMPO-oxidized polysaccharides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shi, Mengxuan; Bai, Jie; Zhao, Liyun; Yu, Xinrui; Liang, Jingjing; Liu, Ying; Norde, Willem; Li, Yuan

2017-01-01

In this study, pH-responsive microspheres loaded with multiple antioxidants were developed for intestine-specific delivery and exhibited synergistic activity. They consist of chitosan (CS)-coated microspheres made of TEMPO-oxidized Konjac glucomannan (OKGM) polymers, of which the carboxyl (COO−)

Oxaliplatin loaded PLAGA microspheres: design of specific release profiles.

Science.gov (United States)

Lagarce, F; Cruaud, O; Deuschel, C; Bayssas, M; Griffon-Etienne, G; Benoit, J

2002-08-21

Oxaliplatin loaded PLAGA microspheres have been prepared by solvent extraction process. Parameters affecting the release kinetics in vitro have been studied in order to design specific release profiles suitable for direct intra-tumoral injection. By varying the nature and the relative proportions of different polymers we managed to prepare microspheres with good encapsulation efficiency (75-90%) and four different release profiles: zero order kinetics (type II) and the classical sigmoïd release profile with three different sizes of plateau and burst. These results, if correlated with in vivo activity, are promising to enhance effectiveness of local tumor treatment.

Optimization of Doxorubicin Loading for Superabsorbent Polymer Microspheres: in vitro Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, David M.; Kos, Sebastian; Buczkowski, Andrzej; Kee, Stephen; Munk, Peter L.; Klass, Darren; Wasan, Ellen

2012-01-01

Purpose: This study was designed to establish the ability of super-absorbent polymer microspheres (SAP) to actively uptake doxorubicin and to establish the proof of principle of SAP’s ability to phase transfer doxorubicin onto the polymer matrix and to elute into buffer with a loading method that optimizes physical handling and elution characteristics. Methods: Phase I: 50–100 μm SAP subject to various prehydration methods (normal saline 10 cc, hypertonic saline 4 cc, iodinated contrast 10 cc) or left in their dry state, and combined with 50 mg of clinical grade lyophilized doxorubicin reconstituted with various methods (normal saline 10 cc and 25 cc, sterile water 4 cc, iodinated contrast 5 cc) were placed in buffer and assessed based on loading, handling, and elution utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Phase II: top two performing methods were subject to loading of doxorubicin (50, 75, 100 mg) in a single bolus (group A) or as a serial loading method (group B) followed by measurement of loading vs. time and elution vs. time. Results: Phase I revealed the most effective loading mechanisms and easiest handling to be dry (group A) vs. normal saline prehydrated (group B) SAP with normal saline reconstituted doxorubicin (10 mg/mL) with loading efficiencies of 83.1% and 88.4%. Phase II results revealed unstable behavior of SAP with 100 mg of doxorubicin and similar loading/elution profiles of dry and prehydrated SAP, with superior handling characteristics of group B SAP at 50 and 75 mg. Conclusions: SAP demonstrates the ability to load and bulk phase transfer doxorubicin at 50 and 75 mg with ease of handling and optimal efficiency through dry loading of SAP.

Remote activation of a microactuator using a photo-responsive nanoparticle-polymer composite

Science.gov (United States)

Zeberoff, Anthony

Stimulus response materials are a class of novel materials that are currently being explored in various technologies, including biomedical devices and components, food packaging, fabrics, energy harvesting and conversion, and other elementary components such as sensors and actuators. Hybrid organic-inorganic materials such as nanoparticle-polymer composites are attractive candidates as their properties can be significantly tuned for particular applications where selectivity and localized responses are critical factors. In this work we developed and optimized a photo-responsive microactuator that can operate selectively to a specific wavelength of light. The photo-responsive microactuator is comprised of monodispersed microspheres that contain gold nanoparticles. Upon irradiation, these microspheres transduce optical energy to thermal energy, driving a localized phase change in the matrix in which they are embedded. Our remotely powered microactuator can be further realized in applications where decoupling the physical connection of the energy/control source from the actuating component is necessary.

Production of microspheres labeled with holmium-166 for liver cancer therapy: the preliminary experience at IPEN/CNEN-SP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, Renata F.; Azevedo, Mariangela B.M.; Nascimento, Nanci; Sene, Frank F.; Martinelli, Jose R.; Osso Junior, Joao A.

2009-01-01

Microspheres labeled with therapeutic radionuclides for malignancies of liver are widely used in many countries. The internal radionuclide therapy uses a permanently implanted device, such as Therasphere R or SIR-Spheres R , or a biodegradable device that provides structural support for the radionuclide of choice and causes the tumor reduction. Three different types of material supports have been investigated, i.e., biodegradable polymer-based, glass-based and resin-based microspheres. Nowadays there is a project concerning the labeling of these 3 materials with 166 Ho being developed at IPEN-CNEN/SP and coordinated by the Radiopharmacy Directory. 166 Ho(t 1/2 =26.8 h) is a beta minus emitter (E max =1.84 MeV), with right properties for radiotherapy and can be produced with the low power Brazilian Nuclear Reactor IEA-R1m. The aim of this work is to describe the stage of development of this project. The initial experience used resin-based microspheres, a cation exchange resin labeled with 166 Ho, it showed the essential characteristics for liver therapy. Preliminary results of the preparation of glass-based microspheres labeled with 165 Ho showed that 5% of Ho 2 O 3 was incorporated in an aluminosilicate glass, through the process of spheronization by flame, which produced spherical microspheres with 20-40μm particle size. The preparation of biodegradable material, polymer-based microspheres, is in its initial stage and the objective is to prepare and label with 165 Ho different polymer-based microspheres. These combined efforts have been done to offer a national radiotherapeutic product for the the Brazilian nuclear medicine community at fair value and also to offer a viable possibility of treatment for patients affected by liver malignancies. (author)

Production of microspheres labeled with holmium-166 for liver cancer therapy: the preliminary experience at IPEN/CNEN-SP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Costa, Renata F.; Azevedo, Mariangela B.M.; Nascimento, Nanci; Sene, Frank F.; Martinelli, Jose R.; Osso Junior, Joao A., E-mail: renatafcosta@usp.b [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2009-07-01

Microspheres labeled with therapeutic radionuclides for malignancies of liver are widely used in many countries. The internal radionuclide therapy uses a permanently implanted device, such as Therasphere{sup R} or SIR-Spheres{sup R}, or a biodegradable device that provides structural support for the radionuclide of choice and causes the tumor reduction. Three different types of material supports have been investigated, i.e., biodegradable polymer-based, glass-based and resin-based microspheres. Nowadays there is a project concerning the labeling of these 3 materials with {sup 166}Ho being developed at IPEN-CNEN/SP and coordinated by the Radiopharmacy Directory. {sup 166}Ho(t{sub 1/2}=26.8 h) is a beta minus emitter (E{sub max}=1.84 MeV), with right properties for radiotherapy and can be produced with the low power Brazilian Nuclear Reactor IEA-R1m. The aim of this work is to describe the stage of development of this project. The initial experience used resin-based microspheres, a cation exchange resin labeled with {sup 166}Ho, it showed the essential characteristics for liver therapy. Preliminary results of the preparation of glass-based microspheres labeled with {sup 165}Ho showed that 5% of Ho{sub 2}O{sub 3} was incorporated in an aluminosilicate glass, through the process of spheronization by flame, which produced spherical microspheres with 20-40mum particle size. The preparation of biodegradable material, polymer-based microspheres, is in its initial stage and the objective is to prepare and label with {sup 165}Ho different polymer-based microspheres. These combined efforts have been done to offer a national radiotherapeutic product for the the Brazilian nuclear medicine community at fair value and also to offer a viable possibility of treatment for patients affected by liver malignancies. (author)

Influence of Sodium Alginate on Hypoglycemic Activity of Metformin Hydrochloride in the Microspheres Obtained by the Spray Drying

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Szekalska

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Alginate microspheres with metformin hydrochloride were prepared by the spray drying method in order to improve residence time of drug in the stomach. Nine formulations (F1–F9 with various drug : polymer ratio (1 : 2, 1 : 1, and 2 : 1 and different sodium alginate concentration (1%, 2%, and 3% were evaluated for size, morphology, drug loading, Zeta potential, and swelling degree. In vitro drug release, mathematical release profile, and physical state of microspheres were also evaluated. Optimal formulation characterized by the highest drug loading was formulation F6 (drug : polymer ratio 2 : 1 and 2% alginate solution. Based on glucose uptake in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells and α-amylase inhibition tests, it could be concluded that alginate microspheres enhance hypoglycemic activity of metformin hydrochloride evaluated in vitro. Designed microspheres are promising as alternative, multicompartment dosage form for metformin hydrochloride delivery.

Targeted delivery of 10-hydroxycamptothecin to human breast cancers by cyclic RGD-modified lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhe; Luo, Xingen; Zhang, Xiaofang; Liu, Jie; Jiang, Qing

2013-04-01

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) combining the positive attributes of both liposomes and polymeric NPs are increasingly being considered as promising candidates to carry therapeutic agents safely and efficiently into targeted sites. Herein, a modified emulsification technique was developed and optimized for the targeting lipid-polymer hybrid NPs fabrication; the surface properties and stability of the hybrid NPs were systematically investigated, which confirmed that the hybrid NPs consisted of a poly (lactide-co-glycolide) core with ∼90% surface coverage of the lipid monolayer and a ∼4.4 nm hydrated polyethylene glycol (PEG) shell. Optimization results showed that the lipid:polymer mass ratio and the lipid-PEG:lipid molar ratio could affect the size, lipid association efficiency and stability of hybrid NPs. Furthermore, a model chemotherapy drug, 10-hydroxycamptothecin, was encapsulated into hybrid NPs with a higher drug loading compared to PLGA NPs. Surface modification of the lipid layer and the PEG conjugated targeting ligand did not affect their drug release kinetics. Finally, the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake studies indicated that the lipid coverage and the c(RGDyk) conjugation of the hybrid NPs gained a significantly enhanced ability of cell killing and endocytosis. Our results suggested that lipid-polymer hybrid NPs prepared by the modified emulsion technique have great potential to be utilized as an engineered drug delivery system with precise control ability of surface targeting modification.

Targeted delivery of 10-hydroxycamptothecin to human breast cancers by cyclic RGD-modified lipid–polymer hybrid nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Zhe; Luo, Xingen; Zhang, Xiaofang; Liu, Jie; Jiang, Qing

2013-01-01

Lipid–polymer hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) combining the positive attributes of both liposomes and polymeric NPs are increasingly being considered as promising candidates to carry therapeutic agents safely and efficiently into targeted sites. Herein, a modified emulsification technique was developed and optimized for the targeting lipid–polymer hybrid NPs fabrication; the surface properties and stability of the hybrid NPs were systematically investigated, which confirmed that the hybrid NPs consisted of a poly (lactide-co-glycolide) core with ∼90% surface coverage of the lipid monolayer and a ∼4.4 nm hydrated polyethylene glycol (PEG) shell. Optimization results showed that the lipid:polymer mass ratio and the lipid-PEG:lipid molar ratio could affect the size, lipid association efficiency and stability of hybrid NPs. Furthermore, a model chemotherapy drug, 10-hydroxycamptothecin, was encapsulated into hybrid NPs with a higher drug loading compared to PLGA NPs. Surface modification of the lipid layer and the PEG conjugated targeting ligand did not affect their drug release kinetics. Finally, the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake studies indicated that the lipid coverage and the c(RGDyk) conjugation of the hybrid NPs gained a significantly enhanced ability of cell killing and endocytosis. Our results suggested that lipid–polymer hybrid NPs prepared by the modified emulsion technique have great potential to be utilized as an engineered drug delivery system with precise control ability of surface targeting modification. (paper)

Impact Energy Absorbing Capability of Metal/Polymer Hybrid Sheets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kong, Kyungil; Kwon, O Bum; Park, Hyung Wook [Ulsan Nat’l Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2017-02-15

Recently, the reduction of vehicle weight has been increasingly studied, in order to enhance the fuel efficiency of passenger cars. In particular, the seat frame is being studied actively, owing to considerations of driver safety from external impact damage. Therefore, this study focuses on high strength steel sheet (SPFC980)/polymer heterojunction hybrid materials, and their performance in regards to impact energy absorption. The ratio of impact energy absorption was observed to be relatively higher in the SPFC980/polymer hybrid materials under the impact load. This was found by calculating the equivalent flexural rigidity, which is the bending effect, according to the Castigliano theorem. An efficient wire-web structure was investigated through the simulation of different wire-web designs such as triangular, rectangular, octagonal, and hexagonal structures. The hexagonal wire-web structure was shown to have the least impact damage, according to the simulations. This study can be utilized for seat frame design for passengers’ safety, owing to efficient impact absorption.

Tunable fabrication of hierarchical hybrids via the incorporation of poly(dopamine) functional interlayer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Ting; Zhao, Xin; Zhang, Junxian; Dong, Jie; Zhang, Qinghua, E-mail: qhzhang@dhu.edu.cn

2016-04-30

Highlights: • PS/PDA with well-defined core/shell structures was prepared in aqueous solution. • Au NPs were coated on PS/PDA by in-situ reduction and self-assembly approach. • PS/PDA/Au had homogeneous and dense Au coatings with different shape. • Hierarchical spheres exhibited a well-defined core/shell structure maintaining the spherical morphology. - Abstract: Two kinds of ternary hybrids were prepared by anchoring different shapes and loadings of Au nanoparticles (NPs) on poly(dopamine) (PDA) functionalized polystyrene (PS) microspheres with two different strategies, i.e., in situ reduction and self-assembly approach. PDA coatings were firstly introduced to functionalize the hydrophobic PS surface with sufficient amino and hydroxyl groups, which enhanced the interaction between Au NPs and the polymer spheres. Thus, Au NPs could be easily immobilized onto the surface of the PDA/PS microspheres, and the hierarchical composite microspheres exhibited a well-defined core/shell structure without sacrificing the spherical PS morphology. PS/PDA/Au-R and PS/PDA/Au-A microspheres fabricated by in situ reduction and self-assembly approach showed different distinct Au nano-shell morphology with the corresponding optical, catalytic and electrochemical properties. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electronic microscopy verified these hierarchical structures with the ultrathin PDA film incorporating between the inner PS core and the outer Au NPs shell. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the presence of PDA and Au layer on the surface of the composite particles. These green and facile methods with mild experimental conditions can extend to fabricate other polymer or inorganic substrates coated by various noble metals.

Dual Drug Loaded Biodegradable Nanofibrous Microsphere for Improving Anti-Colon Cancer Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Rangrang; Li, Xiaoling; Deng, Jiaojiao; Gao, Xiang; Zhou, Liangxue; Zheng, Yu; Tong, Aiping; Zhang, Xiaoning; You, Chao; Guo, Gang

2016-06-01

One of the approaches being explored to increase antitumor activity of chemotherapeutics is to inject drug-loaded microspheres locally to specific anatomic sites, providing for a slow, long term release of a chemotherapeutic while minimizing systemic exposure. However, the used clinically drug carriers available at present have limitations, such as their low stability, renal clearance and residual surfactant. Here, we report docetaxel (DOC) and curcumin (CUR) loaded nanofibrous microspheres (DOC + CUR/nanofibrous microspheres), self-assembled from biodegradable PLA-PEO-PPO-PEO-PLA polymers as an injectable drug carrier without adding surfactant during the emulsification process. The obtained nanofibrous microspheres are composed entirely of nanofibers and have an open hole on the shell without the assistance of a template. It was shown that these DOC + CUR/nanofibrous microspheres could release curcumin and docetaxel slowly in vitro. The slow, sustained release of curcumin and docetaxel in vivo may help maintain local concentrations of active drug. The mechanism by which DOC + CUR/nanofibrous microspheres inhibit colorectal peritoneal carcinomatosis might involve increased induction of apoptosis in tumor cells and inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. In vitro and in vivo evaluations demonstrated efficacious synergistic antitumor effects against CT26 of curcumin and docetaxel combined nanofibrous microspheres. In conclusion, the dual drug loaded nanofibrous microspheres were considered potentially useful for treating abdominal metastases of colorectal cancer.

Optimization of sustained release aceclofenac microspheres using response surface methodology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deshmukh, Rameshwar K.; Naik, Jitendra B., E-mail: jitunaik@gmail.com

2015-03-01

Polymeric microspheres containing aceclofenac were prepared by single emulsion (oil-in-water) solvent evaporation method using response surface methodology (RSM). Microspheres were prepared by changing formulation variables such as the amount of Eudragit® RS100 and the amount of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) by statistical experimental design in order to enhance the encapsulation efficiency (E.E.) of the microspheres. The resultant microspheres were evaluated for their size, morphology, E.E., and in vitro drug release. The amount of Eudragit® RS100 and the amount of PVA were found to be significant factors respectively for determining the E.E. of the microspheres. A linear mathematical model equation fitted to the data was used to predict the E.E. in the optimal region. Optimized formulation of microspheres was prepared using optimal process variables setting in order to evaluate the optimization capability of the models generated according to IV-optimal design. The microspheres showed high E.E. (74.14 ± 0.015% to 85.34 ± 0.011%) and suitably sustained drug release (minimum; 40% to 60%; maximum) over a period of 12 h. The optimized microspheres formulation showed E.E. of 84.87 ± 0.005 with small error value (1.39). The low magnitudes of error and the significant value of R{sup 2} in the present investigation prove the high prognostic ability of the design. The absence of interactions between drug and polymers was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD) revealed the dispersion of drug within microspheres formulation. The microspheres were found to be discrete, spherical with smooth surface. The results demonstrate that these microspheres could be promising delivery system to sustain the drug release and improve the E.E. thus prolong drug action and achieve the highest healing effect with minimal gastrointestinal side effects. - Highlights: • Aceclofenac microspheres

DNA-assisted binding of microspheres on glass substrates and their laser-induced release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Sejong; Geiss, Erik; Yu, Phillip; Papadimitrakopoulos, Fotios; Marcus, Harris L.

2006-01-01

DNA hybridization has been increasingly adopted in materials sciences due to its complementary nature of single stranded DNAs. This unique property could be potentially used in the realization of 2 dimensional (2D) arrays of colloidal microspheres as a precursor to further build more complicated superstructures. In order to precisely understand this DNA-assisted assembly of colloidal particles, we quantitatively assessed the surface density of grafted and hybridizing accessible DNA oligomers on both substrate and colloidal particles. The DNA grafting densities were determined by UV-Vis of dye-functionalized complementary DNA oligomers, in conjunction with theoretical models. The variations of the concentration of hybridized DNA as a function of parameters such as the number of DNA base pairs (bp), the length of spacer and the size of sphere were also investigated to determine the immobilization strength of colloidal microspheres on the substrate. Dehybridization of the particle was conducted by utilizing a focused laser beam. These results were also compared with the particle hybridization energies and modeled according to the sum of DNA bindings as a function of the number of hybridized bases

Effect of gamma-irradiation on biodegradable microspheres loaded with rasagiline mesylate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez, Marcos; Barcia, Emilia; Negro, Sofia

2016-01-01

In the present study, the influence of gamma-irradiation was evaluated on the physicochemical characteristics and in vitro release of rasagiline mesylate (RM), a selective MAO-B inhibitor used in Parkinson's disease, from poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres. Microspheres were prepared using PLGA 50:50 by the solvent evaporation technique (O/W emulsion). Microspheres were sterilized by gamma-irradiation and their influence was assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser light diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), encapsulation efficiency (EE) and in vitro drug release. Gamma-irradiation of RM-loaded microspheres did not affect EE, DSC and XRD patterns. After gamma-irradiation, changes on the surface were observed by SEM, but no significant difference in mean particle size was observed. GPC measurements showed a decrease in molecular weight of the polymer after five days of in vitro release. The similarity factor value between irradiated and non-irradiates microspheres was <50, indicating the non-similarity of the release profiles. The sterilization technique had an effect on the integrity of polymeric system, significantly affecting in vitro release of RM from PLGA microspheres. Therefore, from our results we conclude that gamma-irradiation is not a suitable sterilization procedure for this formulation

Brownian dynamics simulations of insulin microspheres formation

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wei; Chakrabarti, Amit; Gunton, James

2010-03-01

Recent experiments have indicated a novel, aqueous process of microsphere insulin fabrication based on controlled phase separation of protein from water-soluble polymers. We investigate the insulin microsphere crystal formation from insulin-PEG-water systems via 3D Brownian Dynamics simulations. We use the two component Asakura-Oosawa model to simulate the kinetics of this colloid polymer mixture. We first perform a deep quench below the liquid-crystal boundary that leads to fractal formation. We next heat the system to obtain a break-up of the fractal clusters and subsequently cool the system to obtain a spherical aggregation of droplets with a relatively narrow size distribution. We analyze the structure factor S(q) to identify the cluster dimension. S(q) crosses over from a power law q dependence of 1.8 (in agreement with DLCA) to 4 as q increases, which shows the evolution from fractal to spherical clusters. By studying the bond-order parameters, we find the phase transition from liquid-like droplets to crystals which exhibit local HCP and FCC order. This work is supported by grants from the NSF and Mathers Foundation.

Zinc oxide nanorods/polymer hybrid heterojunctions for white light emitting diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Willander, M.; Nur, O.; Zaman, S.; Zainelabdin, A.; Bano, N.; Hussain, I.

2011-06-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) with its deep level defect emission covering the whole visible spectrum holds promise for the development of intrinsic white lighting sources with no need of using phosphors for light conversion. ZnO nanorods (NRs) grown on flexible plastic as substrate using a low temperature approach (down to 50 °C) were combined with different organic semiconductors to form hybrid junction. White electroluminescence (EL) was observed from these hybrid junctions. The configuration used for the hybrid white light emitting diodes (LEDs) consists of two-layers of polymers on the flexible plastic with ZnO NRs on the top. The inorganic/organic hybrid heterojunction has been fabricated by spin coating the p-type polymer poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT : PSS) for hole injection with an ionization potential of 5.1 eV and poly(9, 9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) is used as blue emitting material with a bandgap of 3.3 eV. ZnO NRs are grown on top of the organic layers. Two other configurations were also fabricated; these are using a single MEH PPV (red-emitting polymer) instead of the PFO and the third configuration was obtained from a blend of the PFO and the MEH PPV. The white LEDs were characterized by scanning electron microscope, x-ray diffraction (XRD), current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, room temperature photoluminescence (PL) and EL. The EL spectrum reveals a broad emission band covering the range from 420 to 800 nm, and the emissions causing this white luminescence were identified.

Zinc oxide nanorods/polymer hybrid heterojunctions for white light emitting diodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willander, M; Nur, O; Zaman, S; Zainelabdin, A; Bano, N; Hussain, I

2011-01-01

Zinc oxide (ZnO) with its deep level defect emission covering the whole visible spectrum holds promise for the development of intrinsic white lighting sources with no need of using phosphors for light conversion. ZnO nanorods (NRs) grown on flexible plastic as substrate using a low temperature approach (down to 50 0 C) were combined with different organic semiconductors to form hybrid junction. White electroluminescence (EL) was observed from these hybrid junctions. The configuration used for the hybrid white light emitting diodes (LEDs) consists of two-layers of polymers on the flexible plastic with ZnO NRs on the top. The inorganic/organic hybrid heterojunction has been fabricated by spin coating the p-type polymer poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT : PSS) for hole injection with an ionization potential of 5.1 eV and poly(9, 9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) is used as blue emitting material with a bandgap of 3.3 eV. ZnO NRs are grown on top of the organic layers. Two other configurations were also fabricated; these are using a single MEH PPV (red-emitting polymer) instead of the PFO and the third configuration was obtained from a blend of the PFO and the MEH PPV. The white LEDs were characterized by scanning electron microscope, x-ray diffraction (XRD), current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, room temperature photoluminescence (PL) and EL. The EL spectrum reveals a broad emission band covering the range from 420 to 800 nm, and the emissions causing this white luminescence were identified.

Olive oil DNA fingerprinting by multiplex SNP genotyping on fluorescent microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalogianni, Despina P; Bazakos, Christos; Boutsika, Lemonia M; Targem, Mehdi Ben; Christopoulos, Theodore K; Kalaitzis, Panagiotis; Ioannou, Penelope C

2015-04-01

Olive oil cultivar verification is of primary importance for the competitiveness of the product and the protection of consumers and producers from fraudulence. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have emerged as excellent DNA markers for authenticity testing. This paper reports the first multiplex SNP genotyping assay for olive oil cultivar identification that is performed on a suspension of fluorescence-encoded microspheres. Up to 100 sets of microspheres, with unique "fluorescence signatures", are available. Allele discrimination was accomplished by primer extension reaction. The reaction products were captured via hybridization on the microspheres and analyzed, within seconds, by a flow cytometer. The "fluorescence signature" of each microsphere is assigned to a specific allele, whereas the signal from a reporter fluorophore denotes the presence of the allele. As a model, a panel of three SNPs was chosen that enabled identification of five common Greek olive cultivars (Adramytini, Chondrolia Chalkidikis, Kalamon, Koroneiki, and Valanolia).

Nanostructured TiO2 microspheres for dye-sensitized solar cells employing a solid state polymer electrolyte

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Hun-Gi; Nagarajan, Srinivasan; Kang, Yong Soo; Sun, Yang-Kook

2013-01-01

Bimodal mesoporous, anatase TiO 2 microspheres with particle sizes ranging from 0.3 to 2 μm were synthesized using a facile solvothermal method. The photovoltaic performance of TiO 2 microspheres in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) using a solid state electrolyte was investigated. The solid state electrolyte DSSC device based on the TiO 2 microspheres exhibits an energy conversion efficiency of 4.2%, which is greater than that of commercial P25 TiO 2 (3.6%). The higher photocurrent density was primarily achieved as a result of the greater specific surface area and pore size, which resulted in an increase in the dye uptake of the TiO 2 microspheres and easy transport of solid electrolyte through mesopores. In addition, the greater electron lifetime and superior light scattering ability also enhanced the photovoltaic performance of the TiO 2 microsphere-based, solid state DSSCs

Three-Dimensional (3D) Printing of Polymer-Metal Hybrid Materials by Fused Deposition Modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Fafenrot, Susanna; Grimmelsmann, Nils; Wortmann, Martin; Ehrmann, Andrea

2017-10-19

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is a three-dimensional (3D) printing technology that is usually performed with polymers that are molten in a printer nozzle and placed line by line on the printing bed or the previous layer, respectively. Nowadays, hybrid materials combining polymers with functional materials are also commercially available. Especially combinations of polymers with metal particles result in printed objects with interesting optical and mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of objects printed with two of these metal-polymer blends were compared to common poly (lactide acid) (PLA) printed objects. Tensile tests and bending tests show that hybrid materials mostly containing bronze have significantly reduced mechanical properties. Tensile strengths of the 3D-printed objects were unexpectedly nearly identical with those of the original filaments, indicating sufficient quality of the printing process. Our investigations show that while FDM printing allows for producing objects with mechanical properties similar to the original materials, metal-polymer blends cannot be used for the rapid manufacturing of objects necessitating mechanical strength.

Influence of the polymer concentration on the electroluminescence of ZnO nanorod/polymer hybrid light emitting diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Zaman, Saima; Zainelabdin, Ahmed; Amin, Gul; Nur, Omer; Willander, Magnus

2012-09-01

The effects of the polymer concentration on the performance of hybrid light emitting diodes (LEDs) based on zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs) and poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) were investigated. Various characterization techniques were applied to study the performance of the PFO/ZnO NR hybrid LEDs fabricated with various PFO concentrations. The fabricated hybrid LEDs demonstrated stable rectifying diode behavior, and it was observed that the turn-on voltage of the LEDs is concentration dependent. The measured room temperature electroluminescence (EL) showed that the PFO concentration plays a critical role in the emission spectra of the hybrid LEDs. At lower PFO concentrations of 2-6 mg/ml, the EL spectra are dominated by blue emission. However, by increasing the concentration to more than 8 mg/ml, the blue emission was completely suppressed while the green emission was dominant. This EL behavior was explained by a double trap system of excitons that were trapped in the β-phase and/or in the fluorenone defects in the PFO side. The effects of current injection on the hybrid LEDs and on the EL emission were also investigated. Under a high injection current, a new blue peak was observed in the EL spectrum, which was correlated to the creation of a new chemical species on the PFO chain. The green emission peak was also enhanced with increasing injection current because of the fluorenone defects. These results indicate that the emission spectra of the hybrid LEDs can be tuned by using different polymer concentrations and by varying the current injected into the device.

Linear electro-optical behavior of hybrid nanocomposites based on silicon carbide nanocrystals and polymer matrices

Science.gov (United States)

Bouclé, J.; Kassiba, A.; Makowska-Janusik, M.; Herlin-Boime, N.; Reynaud, C.; Desert, A.; Emery, J.; Bulou, A.; Sanetra, J.; Pud, A. A.; Kodjikian, S.

2006-11-01

An electro-optical activity has been recently reported for hybrid nanocomposite thin films where inorganic silicon carbide nanocrystals (ncSiC) are incorporated into polymer matrices. The role of the interface SiC polymer is suggested as the origin of the observed second order nonlinear optical susceptibility in the hybrid materials based on poly-(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) or poly-( N -vinylcarbazole) matrices. In this work, we report an analysis of the electro-optical response of this hybrid system as a function of the ncSiC content and surface state in order to precise the interface effect in the observed phenomenon. Two specific ncSiC samples with similar morphology and different surface states are incorporated in the PMMA matrix. The effective Pockels parameters of the corresponding hybrid nanocomposites have been estimated up to 7.59±0.74pm/V ( 1wt.% of ncSiC in the matrix). The interfacial region ncSiC polymer is found to play the main role in the observed effect. Particularly, the electronic defects on the ncSiC nanocrystal surface modify the interfacial electrical interactions between the two components. The results are interpreted and discussed on the basis of the strong influence of these active centers in the interfacial region at the nanoscale, which are found to monitor the local hyperpolarizabilities and the macroscopic nonlinear optical susceptibilities. This approach allows us to complete the description and understanding of the electro-optical response in the hybrid SiC /polymer systems.

Radiation stable, hybrid, chemical vapor infiltration/preceramic polymer joining of silicon carbide components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khalifa, Hesham E., E-mail: hesham.khalifa@ga.com [General Atomics, 3550 General Atomics Ct., San Diego 92121, CA (United States); Koyanagi, Takaaki [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge 37831, TN (United States); Jacobsen, George M.; Deck, Christian P.; Back, Christina A. [General Atomics, 3550 General Atomics Ct., San Diego 92121, CA (United States)

2017-04-15

This paper reports on a nuclear-grade joining material for bonding of silicon carbide-based components. The joint material is fabricated via a hybrid preceramic polymer, chemical vapor infiltration process. The joint is comprised entirely of β-SiC and results in excellent mechanical and permeability performance. The joint strength, composition, and microstructure have been characterized before and after irradiation to 4.5 dpa at 730 °C in the High Flux Isotope Reactor. The hybrid preceramic polymer-chemical vapor infiltrated joint exhibited complete retention of shear strength and no evidence of microstructural evolution or damage was detected following irradiation.

Hybrid TiO2: polymer photovoltaic cells made from a titanium oxide precursor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Slooff, L.H.; Wienk, M.M.; Kroon, J.M.

2004-01-01

Hybrid TiO2:polymer photovoltaic cells were made from mixtures of titanium(IV) isopropoxide and poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyl)-p-phenylene vinylene] (MDMO-PPV) or poly(3-octyl thiophene) (P3OT) via hydrolysis in air. Cells were made with varying titanium(IV) isopropoxide:polymer ratios.

Factors affecting drug encapsulation and stability of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheow, Wean Sin; Hadinoto, Kunn

2011-07-01

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles are polymeric nanoparticles enveloped by lipid layers that combine the highly biocompatible nature of lipids with the structural integrity afforded by polymeric nanoparticles. Recognizing them as attractive drug delivery vehicles, antibiotics are encapsulated in the present work into hybrid nanoparticles intended for lung biofilm infection therapy. Modified emulsification-solvent-evaporation methods using lipid as surfactant are employed to prepare the hybrid nanoparticles. Biodegradable poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) and phosphatidylcholine are used as the polymer and lipid models, respectively. Three fluoroquinolone antibiotics (i.e. levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and ofloxacin), which vary in their ionicity, lipophilicity, and aqueous solubility, are used. The hybrid nanoparticles are examined in terms of their drug encapsulation efficiency, drug loading, stability, and in vitro drug release profile. Compared to polymeric nanoparticles prepared using non-lipid surfactants, hybrid nanoparticles in general are larger and exhibit higher drug loading, except for the ciprofloxacin-encapsulated nanoparticles. Hybrid nanoparticles, however, are unstable in salt solutions, but the stability can be conferred by adding TPGS into the formulation. Drug-lipid ionic interactions and drug lipophilicity play important roles in the hybrid nanoparticle preparation. First, interactions between oppositely charged lipid and antibiotic (i.e. ciprofloxacin) during preparation cause failed nanoparticle formation. Charge reversal of the lipid facilitated by adding counterionic surfactants (e.g. stearylamine) must be performed before drug encapsulation can take place. Second, drug loading and the release profile are strongly influenced by drug lipophilicity, where more lipophilic drug (i.e. levofloxacin) exhibit a higher drug loading and a sustained release profile attributed to the interaction with the lipid coat. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All

Enhanced in vitro dissolution of Iloperidone using Caesalpinia Pulcherrima mucoadhesive microspheres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pradum Pundlikrao Ige

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present investigation was to improve the solubility and dissolution rate of Iloperidone. Microspheres containing Iloperidone were prepared by spray drying using mucilage extracted from seeds of Caesalpinia pulcherrima. The novelty of this work is that, the extraction of mucilage and its usage for preparation of drug loaded microspheres. The prepared microspheres were characterized by SEM, DSC, XRPD, FTIR, 1H-NMR, particle size, drug content, entrapment efficiency, in vitro dissolution and ex vivo mucoadhesion. Based on particle size, drug content, ex vivo mucoadhesive strength and in vitro drug release, the best formulation was optimized. Percent entrapment efficiency and mean particle size for optimized formulation was found to be 73.49 and 3.27 ± 1.23 μm, respectively. More precisely, mucilage of C. pulcherrima could be significant carrier of (drug and polymer ratio 1:5 microspheres for the development of oral drug delivery.

Hybrid thin-film solar cells comprising mesoporous titanium dioxide and conjugated polymers; Hybride Duennschicht-Solarzellen aus mesoporoesem Titandioxid und konjugierten Polymeren

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schattauer, Sylvia

2010-12-01

The main objective of this thesis is to study the active components and their interactions in so called organic hybrid solar cells. These consist of a thin inorganic titanium dioxide layer, combined with a polymer layer. In general, the efficiency of these hybrid solar cells is determined by the light absorption in the donor polymer, the dissociation of excitons at the heterojunction between TiO{sub 2} and polymer, as well as the generation and extraction of free charge carriers. To optimize the solar cells, the physical interactions between the materials are modified and the influences of various preparation parameters are systematically investigated. Among others, important findings regarding the optimal use of materials and preparation conditions as well as detailed investigations of fundamental factors such as film morphology and polymer infiltration are presented in more detail. First, a variety of titanium dioxide layer were produced, from which a selection for use in hybrid solar cells was made. The obtained films show differences in surface structure, film morphology and crystallinity, depending on the way how the TiO{sub 2} layer has been prepared. All these properties of the TiO{sub 2} films may strongly affect the performance of the hybrid solar cells, by influencing e.g. the exciton diffusion length, the efficiency of exciton dissociation at the hybrid interface, and the carrier transport properties. Detailed investigations were made for mesoporous TiO{sub 2} layer following a new nanoparticle synthesis route, which allows to produce crystalline particles during the synthesis. As donor component, conjugated polymers, either derivatives of cyclohexylamino-poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) or a thiophene are used. The preparation routine also includes a thermal treatment of the TiO{sub 2} layers, revealing a temperature-dependent change in morphology, but not of the crystal structure. The effects on the solar cell properties have been documented and

Atom-Photon Coupling from Nitrogen-vacancy Centres Embedded in Tellurite Microspheres

Science.gov (United States)

Ruan, Yinlan; Gibson, Brant C.; Lau, Desmond W. M.; Greentree, Andrew D.; Ji, Hong; Ebendorff-Heidepriem, Heike; Johnson, Brett C.; Ohshima, Takeshi; Monro, Tanya M.

2015-06-01

We have developed a technique for creating high quality tellurite microspheres with embedded nanodiamonds (NDs) containing nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres. This hybrid method allows fluorescence of the NVs in the NDs to be directly, rather than evanescently, coupled to the whispering gallery modes of the tellurite microspheres at room temperature. As a demonstration of its sensing potential, shifting of the resonance peaks is also demonstrated by coating a sphere surface with a liquid layer. This new approach is a robust way of creating cavities for use in quantum and sensing applications.

Preparation and Characterization of SiO2/SiCN Core-shell Ceramic Microspheres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ZHANG Hai-yuan

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The SiO2/PSN core-shell microspheres were prepared via an emulsion reaction combined with the polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs method using polysilazane (PSN in situ polymerization on the surface of SiO2 modified by silane coupling agents MPS, followed by pyrolysis process to obtain SiO2/SiCN core-shell ceramic microspheres. The effects of raw mass ratio, curing time and pyrolysis temperature on the formation and the morphology of core-shell microspheres were studied. The morphology, chemical composition and phase transformation were characterized by SEM, EDS, TEM, FT-IR and XRD. The results show that after reaction for 4h at 200℃, SiO2 completely coated PSN forms a core-shell microsphere with rough surface when the mass ratio of SiO2 and PSN is 1:4; when pyrolysis temperature is at 800-1200℃, amorphous SiO2/SiCN core-shell ceramic microspheres are prepared; at 1400℃, the amorphous phase partially crystallizes to produce SiO2, SiC and Si3N4 phase.

Hybrid polymer photonic crystal fiber with integrated chalcogenide glass nanofilms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Markos, Christos; Kubat, Irnis; Bang, Ole

2014-01-01

The combination of chalcogenide glasses with polymer photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) is a difficult and challenging task due to their different thermo-mechanical material properties. Here we report the first experimental realization of a hybrid polymer-chalcogenide PCF with integrated As2S3 glass...... nanofilms at the inner surface of the air-channels of a poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) PCF. The integrated high refractive index glass films introduce distinct antiresonant transmission bands in the 480-900 nm wavelength region. We demonstrate that the ultra-high Kerr nonlinearity of the chalcogenide glass...

Three-Dimensional (3D Printing of Polymer-Metal Hybrid Materials by Fused Deposition Modeling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susanna Fafenrot

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Fused deposition modeling (FDM is a three-dimensional (3D printing technology that is usually performed with polymers that are molten in a printer nozzle and placed line by line on the printing bed or the previous layer, respectively. Nowadays, hybrid materials combining polymers with functional materials are also commercially available. Especially combinations of polymers with metal particles result in printed objects with interesting optical and mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of objects printed with two of these metal-polymer blends were compared to common poly (lactide acid (PLA printed objects. Tensile tests and bending tests show that hybrid materials mostly containing bronze have significantly reduced mechanical properties. Tensile strengths of the 3D-printed objects were unexpectedly nearly identical with those of the original filaments, indicating sufficient quality of the printing process. Our investigations show that while FDM printing allows for producing objects with mechanical properties similar to the original materials, metal-polymer blends cannot be used for the rapid manufacturing of objects necessitating mechanical strength.

Controlled-release and preserved bioactivity of proteins from (self-assembled core-shell double-walled microspheres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan W

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Weien Yuan1,2, Zhenguo Liu11Department of Neurology, Xinhua Hospital, affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 2School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of ChinaAbstract: In order to address preserved protein bioactivities and protein sustained-release problems, a method for preparing double-walled microspheres with a core (protein-loaded nanoparticles with a polymer-suspended granule system-formed core and a second shell (a polymer-formed shell for controlled drug release and preserved protein bioactivities has been developed using (solid-in-oil phase-in-hydrophilic oil-in-water (S/O/Oh/W phases. The method, based on our previous microsphere preparation method (solid-in-oil phase-in-hydrophilic oil-in-water (S/O/Oh/W, employs different concentric poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide, poly(D,L-lactide, and protein-loaded nanoparticles to produce a suspended liquid which then self-assembles to form shell-core microspheres in the hydrophilic oil phase, which are then solidified in the water phase. Variations in the preparation parameters allowed complete encapsulation by the shell phase, including the efficient formation of a poly(D,L-lactide shell encapsulating a protein-loaded nanoparticle-based poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide core. This method produces core-shell double-walled microspheres that show controlled protein release and preserved protein bioactivities for 60 days. Based upon these results, we concluded that the core-shell double-walled microspheres might be applied for tissue engineering and therapy for chronic diseases, etc.Keywords: protein delivery, protein stability, core-shell microspheres, dextran nanoparticles

Electrochemical DNA Hybridization Sensors Based on Conducting Polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, Md. Mahbubur; Li, Xiao-Bo; Lopa, Nasrin Siraj; Ahn, Sang Jung; Lee, Jae-Joon

2015-01-01

Conducting polymers (CPs) are a group of polymeric materials that have attracted considerable attention because of their unique electronic, chemical, and biochemical properties. This is reflected in their use in a wide range of potential applications, including light-emitting diodes, anti-static coating, electrochromic materials, solar cells, chemical sensors, biosensors, and drug-release systems. Electrochemical DNA sensors based on CPs can be used in numerous areas related to human health. This review summarizes the recent progress made in the development and use of CP-based electrochemical DNA hybridization sensors. We discuss the distinct properties of CPs with respect to their use in the immobilization of probe DNA on electrode surfaces, and we describe the immobilization techniques used for developing DNA hybridization sensors together with the various transduction methods employed. In the concluding part of this review, we present some of the challenges faced in the use of CP-based DNA hybridization sensors, as well as a future perspective. PMID:25664436

Electrochemical DNA Hybridization Sensors Based on Conducting Polymers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md. Mahbubur Rahman

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Conducting polymers (CPs are a group of polymeric materials that have attracted considerable attention because of their unique electronic, chemical, and biochemical properties. This is reflected in their use in a wide range of potential applications, including light-emitting diodes, anti-static coating, electrochromic materials, solar cells, chemical sensors, biosensors, and drug-release systems. Electrochemical DNA sensors based on CPs can be used in numerous areas related to human health. This review summarizes the recent progress made in the development and use of CP-based electrochemical DNA hybridization sensors. We discuss the distinct properties of CPs with respect to their use in the immobilization of probe DNA on electrode surfaces, and we describe the immobilization techniques used for developing DNA hybridization sensors together with the various transduction methods employed. In the concluding part of this review, we present some of the challenges faced in the use of CP-based DNA hybridization sensors, as well as a future perspective.

Color optimization of conjugated-polymer/InGaN hybrid white light emitting diodes by incomplete energy transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Chi-Jung; Lai, Chun-Feng; Madhusudhana Reddy, P.; Chen, Yung-Lin; Chiou, Wei-Yung; Chang, Shinn-Jen

2015-01-01

By using the wavelength conversion method, white light emitting diodes (WLEDs) were produced by applying mixtures of polysiloxane and fluorescent polymers on InGaN based light emitting diodes. UV curable organic–inorganic hybrid materials with high refractive index (1.561), compromised optical, thermal and mechanical properties was used as encapsulants. Red light emitting fluorescent FABD polymer (with 9,9-dioctylfluorene (F), anthracene (A) and 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (B), and 4,7-bis(2-thienyl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (D) repeating units) and green light emitting fluorescent FAB polymer were used as wavelength converters. The encapsulant/fluorescent polymer mixture and InGaN produce the white light by incomplete energy transfer mechanism. WLEDs with high color rendering index (CRI, about 93), and tunable correlated color temperature (CCT) properties can be produced by controlling the composition and chemical structures of encapsulating polymer and fluorescent polymer in hybrid materials, offering cool-white and neutral-white LEDs. - Highlights: • Highly efficient white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) were produced. • Conjugated-polymer/InGaN hybrid WLEDs by incomplete energy transfer mechanism. • WLEDs with high color-rendering index and tunable correlated color temperature. • Polysiloxane encapsulant with superior optical, mechanical and thermal properties

Hybrid ZnO:polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells from a ZnO precursor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beek, W.J.E.; Slooff, L.H.; Wienk, M.M.; Kroon, J.M.; Janssen, R.A.J.; Kafafi, Z.H.

2005-01-01

We describe a simple and new method to create hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells consisting of ZnO and conjugated polymers. A gel-forming ZnO precursor, blended with conjugated polymers, is converted into crystalline ZnO at temperatures as low as 110 °C. In-situ formation of ZnO in MDMO-PPV

A facile synthesis of C{sub 60}-organosilicon hybrid polymers: Considering their tunable optical properties for spin-on-silicon hardmask materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Jin-Kyu; Dao, Tung Duy; Kim, Ye-Seul; Jeong, Hyun-Dam, E-mail: hdjeong@chonnam.ac.kr

2016-09-15

Organic-inorganic hybrid materials with high refractive index have attracted considerable attention for many optoelectronic applications, including spin-on-type hardmask for ArF lithography (193 nm). In this study, we demonstrate the synthesis of a C{sub 60}-embedded organosilicon hybrid polymer, C{sub 60}-embedded poly-xylene-hexamethyltrisiloxane hybrid (C{sub 60}-PXS), of tunable optical properties. C{sub 60} was covalently bonded to the PXS backbone through Pt-catalyzed hydrosilylation, in which the PXS was formed possibly by unexpected transition metal-catalyzed benzylic C−H silylation and oxygenation of the o-xylene. The C{sub 60}-PXS thin films fabricated using a spin-coating method showed much higher refractive index by 5–22% according to the curing temperatures, than the PXS thin films containing no C{sub 60}. In particular, the C{sub 60}-PXS thin film cured at 350 °C showed the refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (k) at 193 nm to be 1.61 and 0.29 that are very close to the optimum values for the Si-hardmask. This implies the high applicability of the C{sub 60}-embedded organosilicon hybrid polymer, C{sub 60}-PXS, for the spin-on Si-hardmask in ArF lithography. - Highlights: • A facile synthetic route for C{sub 60}-embedded organosilicon hybrid polymer was presented. • The hybrid polymer showed much higher refractive index than the polymer without C{sub 60}. • The hybrid polymer is highly applicable for Si-hardmask in terms of optical properties. • It is believed that the properties of the hybrid polymer can be further optimized.

Effects of Temperature and pH on Immobilized Laccase Activity in Conjugated Methacrylate-Acrylate Microspheres

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Siti Zulaikha Mazlan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Immobilization of laccase on the functionalized methacrylate-acrylate copolymer microspheres was studied. Poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-n-butyl acrylate microspheres consisting of epoxy groups were synthesized using facile emulsion photocuring technique. The epoxy groups in poly(GMA-co-nBA microspheres were then converted to amino groups. Laccase immobilization is based on covalent binding via amino groups on the enzyme surface and aldehyde group on the microspheres. The FTIR spectra showed peak at 1646 cm−1 assigned to the conformation of the polymerization that referred to GMA and nBA monomers, respectively. After modification of the polymer, intensity of FTIR peaks assigned to the epoxy ring at 844 cm−1 and 904 cm−1 was decreased. The results obtained from FTIR exhibit a good agreement with the epoxy content method. The activity of laccase-immobilized microspheres increased upon increasing the epoxy content. Furthermore, poly(GMA-co-nBA microspheres revealed uniform size below 2 µm that contributes to large surface area of the microspheres to be used as a matrix, thus increasing the enzyme capacity and enzymatic reaction. Immobilized enzyme also shifted to higher pH and temperature compared to free enzyme.

Polymer-inorganic hybrid proton conductive membranes: Effect of the interfacial transfer pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Pingping; Hao, Lie; Wu, Wenjia; Li, Yifan; Wang, Jingtao

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A series of hybrid membranes are prepared using fillers with different structures. • The fillers (0-D, 1-D, and 2-D) are sulfonated to ensure close surface component. • The effect of filler’s structure on microstructure of hydrid membrane is explored. • For single-kind filler series, 2-D filler has the strongest conduction promotion. • The synergy effect of different kinds of fillers is systematacially investigated. - Abstract: For hybrid membrane, the polymer-inorganic interface along filler surface can be facilely created to be distinctive and controllable pathway for mass transfer. Herein, three kinds of fillers are used as inorganic additives including zero-dimensional silica (0-D, SiO_2), one-dimensional halloysite nanotube (1-D, HNT), and two-dimensional graphene oxide (2-D, GO), which are functionalized by sulfonated polymer layer to ensure close surface component. Then the fillers are incorporated into two types of polymer matrixes (phase-separated sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) and non-phase-separated chitosan) to prepare three series of hybrid membranes with single-kind filler, double-kinds fillers, or triple-kinds fillers, respectively. The microstructures, physicochemical properties, and proton conduction properties (under hydrated and anhydrous conditions) of the membranes are extensively investigated. It is found that (i) for the single-kind filler-filled membranes, 2-D filler has the strongest promotion ability for proton conductivity of membrane due to the constructed wide and long-range pathways for proton transfer; (ii) while for the hybrid membranes with double-kinds fillers, instead of synergistic promotion effect, the fillers cause more tortuous transfer pathways within membranes and then decrease proton conductivity; (iii) the hybrid membranes with triple-kinds fillers exhibit similar behavior but a little higher conductivity than the membranes with double-kinds fillers.

Preparation and properties of polyvinyl alcohol microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, J.H.; Grens, J.Z.; Poco, J.F.; Ives, B.H.

1986-06-01

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) microspheres, having a size range of ∼150- to 250-μm diameter with 1- to 5-μm wall thickness, have been fabricated using a solution droplet technique. The spheres were developed for possible use on the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) Program. PVA, a polymer chosen based on earlier survey work carried out at KMS Fusion, Inc., has good strength, low hydrogen permeability, is optically transparent, and water soluble. The latter property makes it safe and easy to use in our droplet generator system. A unique dual-orifice droplet generator was used to prepare the spheres. The droplet generator operating conditions and the column processing parameters were chosen using results from our 1-D model calculations as a guide. The polymer microsphere model is an extension of the model we developed to support the glass sphere production. After preparation, the spheres were physically characterized for surface quality, sphericity, wall thickness (and uniformity), and size. We also determined the buckling pressure for both uncoated and CH-coated spheres. Radiation stability to beta decay (from tritium) was evaluated by exposing the spheres to a 7-keV electron beam. The results from these and other physical property measurements are presented in this report

Hybrid device based on GaN nanoneedles and MEH-PPV/PEDOT:PSS polymer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Min Jeong; Gwon, Dong-Oh; Lee, Chan-Mi; Lee, Gang Seok; Jeon, In-Jun; Ahn, Hyung Soo; Yi, Sam Nyung; Ha, Dong Han

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A hybrid device was demonstrated by using MEH-PPV, PEDOT:PSS, and GaN nanoneedles. • I–V curve of the hybrid device showed its rectification behaviour, similar to a diode. • EL peak originated by the different potential barriers at MEH-PPV and GaN interface. - Abstract: A hybrid device that combines the properties of organic and inorganic semiconductors was fabricated and studied. It incorporated poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)- 1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as organic polymers and GaN nanoneedles as an inorganic semiconductor. Layers of the two polymers were spin coated on to the GaN nanoneedles. The one peak in the electroluminescence spectrum originated from the MEH-PPV layer owing to the different potential barriers of electrons and holes at its interface with the GaN nanoneedles. However, the photoluminescence spectrum showed peaks due to both GaN nanoneedles and MEH-PPV. Such hybrid structures, suitably developed, might be able to improve the efficiency of optoelectronic devices

Hybrid device based on GaN nanoneedles and MEH-PPV/PEDOT:PSS polymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Min Jeong; Gwon, Dong-Oh; Lee, Chan-Mi; Lee, Gang Seok [Department of Applied Science, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan 606-791 (Korea, Republic of); Jeon, In-Jun [Department of Nano-semiconductor Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan 606-791 (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Hyung Soo [Department of Applied Science, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan 606-791 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Nano-semiconductor Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan 606-791 (Korea, Republic of); Yi, Sam Nyung, E-mail: snyi@kmou.ac.kr [Department of Applied Science, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan 606-791 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Nano-semiconductor Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan 606-791 (Korea, Republic of); Ha, Dong Han [Division of Convergence Technology, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Daejeon 305-340 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-08-15

Highlights: • A hybrid device was demonstrated by using MEH-PPV, PEDOT:PSS, and GaN nanoneedles. • I–V curve of the hybrid device showed its rectification behaviour, similar to a diode. • EL peak originated by the different potential barriers at MEH-PPV and GaN interface. - Abstract: A hybrid device that combines the properties of organic and inorganic semiconductors was fabricated and studied. It incorporated poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)- 1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as organic polymers and GaN nanoneedles as an inorganic semiconductor. Layers of the two polymers were spin coated on to the GaN nanoneedles. The one peak in the electroluminescence spectrum originated from the MEH-PPV layer owing to the different potential barriers of electrons and holes at its interface with the GaN nanoneedles. However, the photoluminescence spectrum showed peaks due to both GaN nanoneedles and MEH-PPV. Such hybrid structures, suitably developed, might be able to improve the efficiency of optoelectronic devices.

Carbidopa/levodopa-loaded biodegradable microspheres: in vivo evaluation on experimental Parkinsonism in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Arica, Betül; Kaş, H Süheyla; Moghdam, Amir; Akalan, Nejat; Hincal, A Atilla

2005-02-16

The purpose of this study was to prepare and characterize injectable carbidopa (CD)/levodopa (LD)-loaded Poly(L-lactides) (L-PLA), Poly(D,L-lactides) (D,L-PLA) and Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLAGA) microspheres for the intracerebral treatment of Parkinson's disease. The microspheres were prepared by solvent evaporation method. The polymers' (L-PLA, D,L-PLA and PLAGA) concentrations were 10% (w/w) in the organic phase; the emulsifiers [sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC):sodium oleate (SO) and Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA):SO mixture (4:1 w/v)] concentrations were 0.75% in the aqueous phase. Microspheres were analyzed for morphological characteristics, size distribution, drug loading and in vitro release. The release profile of CD/LD from microspheres was characterized in the range of 12-35% within the first hour of the in vitro release experiment. The efficiency of CD- and LD-encapsulated microspheres to striatal transplantation and the altering of apomorphine-induced rotational behavior in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) unilaterally lesioned rat model were also tested. 6-OHDA/CD-LD-loaded microsphere groups exhibited lower rotation scores than 6-OHDA/Blank microsphere groups as early as 1 week postlesion. These benefits continued throughout the entire experimental period and they were statistically significant during the 1, 2 and 8 weeks (p<0.05). CD/LD-loaded microspheres were specifically prepared to apply as an injectable dosage forms for brain implantation.

Particle size modeling and morphology study of chitosan/gelatin/nanohydroxyapatite nanocomposite microspheres for bone tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Bagheri-Khoulenjani, Shadab; Mirzadeh, Hamid; Etrati-Khosroshahi, Mohammad; Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali

2013-06-01

In this study, nanocomposite microspheres based on chitosan/gelatin/nanohydroxyapatite were fabricated, and effects of the nanohydroxyapatite/biopolymer (chitosan/gelatin) weight ratio (nHA/P), stirring rate, chitosan concentration and biopolymer concentration on the particle size, and morphology of nanocomposite microspheres were investigated. Particle size of microspheres was modeled by design of experiments using the surface response method. Particle size, morphology of microspheres, and distribution of nanoparticles within the composite microspheres were evaluated using an optical microscope, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were applied to study the physical and chemical characteristics of microspheres. Results showed that by modulating the nHA/P ratio, chitosan concentration, polymer concentration, and stirring rate, it is possible to fabricate microspheres in wide rages of particle size (5-150 μm). Analysis of variance confirmed that the modified quadratic model can be used to predict the particle size of nanocomposite microspheres within the design space. SEM studies showed that microspheres with different compositions had totally different morphologies from dense morphologies to porous ones. TEM images demonstrated that nanoparticles were distributed uniformly within the polymeric matrix. MTT assay and cell culture studies showed that microspheres with different compositions possessed good biocompatibility. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2013. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Preparation and Characterization of Zein and Zein-Chitosan Microspheres with Great Prospective of Application in Controlled Drug Release

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinícius Müller

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Biomaterials applied as carriers for controlled drug delivery offer many advantages over the conventional systems. Among them, the increase of treatment effectiveness and also a significant reduction of toxicity, due to their biodegradability property, are some special features. In this work, microspheres based on the protein Zein (ZN and ZN associated to the natural polymer Chitosan (CHI were prepared and characterized. The microspheres of ZN and ZN/CHI were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and thermal analysis, and the morphology was analyzed by SEM images. The results confirmed the incorporation of CHI within the ZN-based microspheres. The morphological analysis showed that the CHI added increased the microspheres porosity when compared to the ZN microspheres. The chemical and physical characterization and the morphological analysis allow inferring that ZN/CHI microspheres are good candidates to act as a carrier for controlled drug release.

Covalently coating dextran on macroporous polyglycidyl methacrylate microsphere enabled rapid protein chromatographic separation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Rongyue; Li, Qiang; Li, Juan; Zhou, Weiqing; Ye, Peili; Gao, Yang; Ma, Guanghui; Su, Zhiguo

2012-01-01

Protein denaturation and nonspecific adsorption on polymer media as a chromatographic support have been a problem which needs to be overcome. Macroporous poly(glycidyl methacrylate–divinylbezene) (PGMA–DVB) microspheres prepared in this study were firstly covalently coated with dextran through a three-step method. The dextran was firstly adsorbed onto the microspheres and then covalently bound to the PGMA–DVB microsphere through ether bonds which were formed by hydroxyl group reacting with epoxy group at the presence of 4-(Dimethylamino) pyridine. Finally, the coating dextran layer was crosslinked by ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether to form the continuous network coating. The coated microspheres were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra, scanning electron microscope, mercury porosimetry measurements, laser scanning confocal microscope, and protein adsorption experiments. Results showed that PGMA–DVB microspheres coated with dextran successfully maintained the macroporous structure and high permeability. The backpressure was only 1.69 MPa at a high flow rate of 2891 cm/h. Consequently, the hydrophilicity and biocompatibility of modified microspheres were greatly improved, and the contact angle decreased from 184° to 13°, and nonspecific adsorption of proteins was decreased to little or none. The clad dextran coating with large amounts of hydroxyl group was easily derived to be various functional groups. The derived media have great potential applications in rapid protein chromatography. - Highlights: ► Macroporous PGMA–DVB microspheres were covalently coated with dextran. ► The hydrophilicity of the coated microspheres was significantly improved. ► The irreversible adsorption of proteins was reduced to zero. ► The coated microspheres can maintain the macropore structure. ► The coated microspheres were applied to rapid protein separation.

Bland Embolization of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Superabsorbent Polymer Microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osuga, Keigo; Hori, Shinichi; Hiraishi, Kumiko; Sugiura, Takashi; Hata, Yasuhiro; Higashihara, Hiroki; Maeda, Noboru; Tomoda, Kaname; Nakamura, Hironobu

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes of bland embolization using superabsorbent polymer microspheres (SAP-TAE) as an initial therapeutic option for previously untreated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ineligible for resection or ablation. Fifty-nine patients with previously untreated HCC unamenable to surgery or ablation underwent bland embolization using 100- to 200-μm reconstituted SAP particles (SAP-TAE) as the initial treatment. SAP-TAE was repeated as needed based on tumor response but was switched to chemoembolization when necessary to control residual or progressive tumor. Early tumor response was assessed by contrast-enhanced CT according to RECIST and EASL criteria 1 month after the initial SAP-TAE. The overall survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The overall mean follow-up period was 30.6 months (range, 7-59 months). A total of 121 sessions of SAP-TAE were performed, with 1-5 sessions per patient (mean, 2.1 sessions). The mean period of repeated SAP-TAE was 15.6 months (range, 1-51 months), and it exceeded 1 and 2 years in 32 (54%) and 15 (25%) patients, respectively. Thirteen (22%) patients underwent repeated SAP-TAE alone, and the remaining 46 (78%) patients underwent subsequent chemoembolization. No major complication was observed and postembolization syndrome was minimal after SAP-TAE in all patients. Response rate was 14% and 66% by RECIST and EASL criteria, respectively. Overall survival rates were 100% and 83% at 1 and 2 years, respectively, and median survival time was 30 months. In conclusion, SAP-TAE was a safe and repeatable option as the induction therapy for HCC unamenable to surgery or ablation, despite the high incidence of converting to TACE during the total course.

Fabrication and evaluation of a sustained-release chitosan-based scaffold embedded with PLGA microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Kedong; Liu, Yingchao; Macedo, Hugo M; Jiang, Lili; Li, Chao; Mei, Guanyu; Liu, Tianqing

2013-04-01

Nutrient depletion within three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds is one of the major hurdles in the use of this technology to grow cells for applications in tissue engineering. In order to help in addressing it, we herein propose to use the controlled release of encapsulated nutrients within polymer microspheres into chitosan-based 3D scaffolds, wherein the microspheres are embedded. This method has allowed maintaining a stable concentration of nutrients within the scaffolds over the long term. The polymer microspheres were prepared using multiple emulsions (w/o/w), in which bovine serum albumin (BSA) and poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) were regarded as the protein pattern and the exoperidium material, respectively. These were then mixed with a chitosan solution in order to form the scaffolds by cryo-desiccation. The release of BSA, entrapped within the embedded microspheres, was monitored with time using a BCA kit. The morphology and structure of the PLGA microspheres containing BSA before and after embedding within the scaffold were observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). These had a round shape with diameters in the range of 27-55 μm, whereas the chitosan-based scaffolds had a uniform porous structure with the microspheres uniformly dispersed within their 3D structure and without any morphological change. In addition, the porosity, water absorption and degradation rate at 37 °C in an aqueous environment of 1% chitosan-based scaffolds were (92.99±2.51) %, (89.66±0.66) % and (73.77±3.21) %, respectively. The studies of BSA release from the embedded microspheres have shown a sustained and cumulative tendency with little initial burst, with (20.24±0.83) % of the initial amount released after 168 h (an average rate of 0.12%/h). The protein concentration within the chitosan-based scaffolds after 168 h was found to be (11.44±1.81)×10(-2) mg/mL. This novel chitosan-based scaffold embedded with PLGA microspheres has proven to be a promising technique

Melatonin Nanoparticles Adsorbed to Polyethylene Glycol Microspheres as Activators of Human Colostrum Macrophages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hara, C.D.C.P.; Honorio-Frana, A.C.; Fagundes, D.L.G.; Guimares, P.C.L.; Franca, E.L.

2013-01-01

The effectiveness of hormones associated with polymeric matrices has amplified the possibility of obtaining new drugs to activate the immune system. Melatonin has been reported as an important immunomodulatory agent that can improve many cell activation processes. It is possible that the association of melatonin with polymers could influence its effects on cellular function. Thus, this study verified the adsorption of the hormone melatonin to polyethylene glycol (PEG) microspheres and analyzed its ability to modulate the functional activity of human colostrum phagocytes. Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry analyses revealed that melatonin was able to adsorb to the PEG microspheres. This system increased the release of superoxide and intracellular calcium. There was an increase of phagocytic and microbicidal activity by colostrum phagocytes when in the presence of melatonin adsorbed to PEG microspheres. The modified delivery of melatonin adsorbed to PEG microspheres may be an additional mechanism for its microbicidal activity and represents an important potential treatment for gastrointestinal infections of newborns.

Melatonin Nanoparticles Adsorbed to Polyethylene Glycol Microspheres as Activators of Human Colostrum Macrophages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristiane de Castro Pernet Hara

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The effectiveness of hormones associated with polymeric matrices has amplified the possibility of obtaining new drugs to activate the immune system. Melatonin has been reported as an important immunomodulatory agent that can improve many cell activation processes. It is possible that the association of melatonin with polymers could influence its effects on cellular function. Thus, this study verified the adsorption of the hormone melatonin to polyethylene glycol (PEG microspheres and analyzed its ability to modulate the functional activity of human colostrum phagocytes. Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry analyses revealed that melatonin was able to adsorb to the PEG microspheres. This system increased the release of superoxide and intracellular calcium. There was an increase of phagocytic and microbicidal activity by colostrum phagocytes when in the presence of melatonin adsorbed to PEG microspheres. The modified delivery of melatonin adsorbed to PEG microspheres may be an additional mechanism for its microbicidal activity and represents an important potential treatment for gastrointestinal infections of newborns.

High-Q microsphere resonators for angular velocity sensing in gyroscopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An, Panlong; Zheng, Yongqiu; Yan, Shubin; Xue, Chenyang; Liu, Jun; Wang, Wanjun

2015-01-01

A resonator gyroscope based on the Sagnac effect is proposed using a core unit that is generated by water-hydrogen flame melting. The relationship between the quality factor Q and diameter D is revealed. The Q factor of the spectral lines of the microsphere cavity coupling system, which uses tapered fibers, is found to be 10 6 or more before packaging with a low refractive curable ultraviolet polymer, although it drops to approximately 10 5 after packaging. In addition, a rotating test platform is built, and the transmission spectrum and discriminator curves of a microsphere cavity with Q of 3.22×10 6 are measured using a semiconductor laser (linewidth less than 1 kHz) and a real-time proportional-integral circuit tracking and feedback technique. Equations fitting the relation between the voltage and angular rotation rate are obtained. According to the experimentally measured parameters, the sensitivity of the microsphere-coupled system can reach 0.095 ∘ /s

Microradiographic microsphere manipulator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singleton, R.M.

1980-01-01

A method and apparatus are provided for radiographic characterization of small hollow spherical members (microspheres), constructed of either optically transparent or opaque materials. The apparatus involves a microsphere manipulator which holds a batch of microspheres between two parallel thin plastic films for contact microradiographic characterization or projection microradiography thereof. One plastic film is translated to relative to and parallel to the other to roll the microspheres through any desired angle to allow different views of the microspheres

Preparation of polymethacrylic acid-grafted HEMA/PVP microspheres and preliminary study on basic protein adsorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Baojiao; Hu, Hongyan; Guo, Jianfeng; Li, Yanbin

2010-06-01

The crosslinked copolymeric microspheres (HEMA/NVP) of N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) were prepared using inverse suspension polymerization method. Subsequently, the reaction of methacryloyl chloride with the hydroxyl groups on the surfaces of HEMA/NVP microspheres was performed, leading to the introduction of polymerisable double bonds onto the surfaces of microspheres HEMA/NVP. Afterward, methacrylic acid was allowed to be graft-polymerized on microspheres HEMA/NVP in the manner of "grafting from", resulting in the grafted microspheres PMAA-HEMA/NVP. The grafted microspheres PMAA-HEMA/NVP were fully characterized with several means. The graft-polymerization of MAA on microspheres HEMA/NVP was studied in detail, and the optimal reaction conditions were determined. Thereafter, the adsorption property of the grafted microspheres PMAA-HEMA/NVP for lysozyme as a basic protein model was preliminarily examined to explore the feasibility of removing deleterious basic protein such as density lipoprotein from blood. The experimental results indicate that the PMAA grafting degree on microspheres HEMA/NVP is limited because an enwinding polymer layer as a kinetic barrier on the surfaces of HEMA/NVP microspheres will be formed during the graft-polymerization, and block the graft-polymerization. In order to enhance PMAA grafting degree, reaction temperature, monomer concentration and the used amount of initiator should be effectively controlled. The experimental results also reveal that the grafted microspheres PMAA-HEMA/NVP possess very strong adsorption ability for lysozyme by right of strong electrostatic interaction. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Insightful understanding of the role of clay topology on the stability of biomimetic hybrid chitosan-clay thin films and CO2-dried porous aerogel microspheres

OpenAIRE

Frindy, Sana; Primo Arnau, Ana Maria; Qaiss, Abou el Kacem; Bouhfid, Rachid; Lahcini, Mohamed; García Gómez, Hermenegildo; Bousmina, Mosto; El Kadib, Abdelkrim

2016-01-01

[EN] Three natural clay-based microstructures, namely layered montmorillonite (MMT), nanotubular halloysite (HNT) and micro-fibrillar sepiolite (SP) were used for the synthesis of hybrid chitosan-clay thin films and porous aerogel microspheres. At a first glance, a decrease in the viscosity of the three gel forming solutions was noticed as a result of breaking the mutual polymeric chains interaction by the clay microstructure. Upon casting, chitosan-clay films displayed enhanced hydrophilicit...

Fiber-optic microsphere-based antibody array for the analysis of inflammatory cytokines in saliva.

Science.gov (United States)

Blicharz, Timothy M; Siqueira, Walter L; Helmerhorst, Eva J; Oppenheim, Frank G; Wexler, Philip J; Little, Frédéric F; Walt, David R

2009-03-15

Antibody microarrays have emerged as useful tools for high-throughput protein analysis and candidate biomarker screening. We describe here the development of a multiplexed microsphere-based antibody array capable of simultaneously measuring 10 inflammatory protein mediators. Cytokine-capture microspheres were fabricated by covalently coupling monoclonal antibodies specific for cytokines of interest to fluorescently encoded 3.1 microm polymer microspheres. An optical fiber bundle containing approximately 50,000 individual 3.1 microm diameter fibers was chemically etched to create microwells in which cytokine-capture microspheres could be deposited. Microspheres were randomly distributed in the wells to produce an antibody array for performing a multiplexed sandwich immunoassay. The array responded specifically to recombinant cytokine solutions in a concentration-dependent fashion. The array was also used to examine endogenous mediator patterns in saliva supernatants from patients with pulmonary inflammatory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This array technology may prove useful as a laboratory-based platform for inflammatory disease research and diagnostics, and its small footprint could also enable integration into a microfluidic cassette for use in point-of-care testing.

Preparation of open porous polycaprolactone microspheres and their applications as effective cell carriers in hydrogel system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Qingchun [Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering (China); Tan, Ke; Ye, Zhaoyang [State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237 China (China); Zhang, Yan, E-mail: zhang_yan@ecust.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering (China); Tan, Wensong [State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Bioengineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237 China (China); Lang, Meidong, E-mail: mdlang@ecust.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering (China)

2012-12-01

Common hydrogel, composed of synthetic polymers or natural polysaccharides could not support the adhesion of anchorage-dependent cells due to the lack of cell affinitive interface and high cell constraint. The use of porous polyester microspheres as cell-carriers and introduction of cell-loaded microspheres into the hydrogel system might overcome the problem. However, the preparation of the open porous microsphere especially using polycaprolactone (PCL) has been rarely reported. Here, the open porous PCL microspheres were fabricated via the combined emulsion/solvent evaporation and particle leaching method. The microspheres exhibited porous surface and inter-connective pore structure. Additionally, the pore structure could be easily controlled by adjusting the processing parameters. The surface pore size could be altered from 20 {mu}m to 80 {mu}m and the internal porosities were varied from 30% to 70%. The obtained microspheres were evaluated to delivery mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and showed the improved cell adhesion and growth when compared with the non-porous microspheres. Then, the MSCs loaded microspheres were introduced into agarose hydrogel. MSCs remained alive and sustained proliferation in microsphere/agarose composite in 5-day incubation while a decrement of MSCs viabilities was found in agarose hydrogel without microspheres. The results indicated that the microsphere/hydrogel composite had a great potential in cell therapy and injectable system for tissue regeneration. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The open porous polycaprolactone microspheres were fabricated using paraffin as a porogen. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The microspheres exhibited porous surface and inter-connective pore structure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The surface and internal pore size and porosity of microsphere could be controlled. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The porous microspheres exhibited an improved cell adhesion and proliferation. Black

Inorganic-organic hybrid polymer for preparation of affiliating material using electron beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Jaeseung; Kim, Seongeun; Kim, Byounggak; Lee, Jongchan; Park, Jihyun; Lee, Byeongcheol

2011-01-01

Recently, silver nano materials have gained a lot of attentions in a variety of applications due to the unique biological, optical, and electrical properties. Especially, the antifouling property of these material is considered to be an important character for biomedical field, marine coatings industry, biosensor, and drug delivery. In this study, we design and synthesize the inorganic-organic hybrid polymer for preparation of affiliating materials. Silver nano materials having antifouling property with different shapes are prepared by control the electron beam irradiation conditions. Inorganic-organic hybrid polymer was synthesized and characterized. → Morphology and size controlled nano materials are prepared using electron beam irradiation. → Silver nano materials having various shapes can be used for antifouling material

Development of phosphate glass microspheres containing holmium for selective internal radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barros Filho, Eraldo Cordeiro

2016-01-01

The selective internal radiotherapy is an alternative for some kinds of cancer as the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or primary liver cancer treatment. In this treatment, glass or polymer microspheres containing radionuclides inside their structure are introduced in the liver through hepatic artery and trapped at the arterioles that feed the tumor. In this work, the development of phosphate glasses containing holmium for production of microspheres and their application in Brazil are proposed. The developed glasses presented suitable chemical durability, density of 2,7(3) g/cm 3 , high thermal stability and the impurities contained therein do not preclude the treatment. The microspheres were produced by the flame method and the gravitational fall method, and were characterized by means of several techniques to evaluate shape, average particle size, activity and biocompatibility suitable for selective internal radiotherapy. Based in the main results, the submission to in vivo tests is proposed. (author)

A facile method for preparing porous, optically active, magnetic Fe3 O4 @poly(N-acryloyl-leucine) inverse core/shell composite microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dong; Deng, Jianping; Yang, Wantai

2014-01-01

The first synthesis of porous, optically active, magnetic Fe3 O4 @poly(N-acryloyl-leucine) inverse core/shell composite microspheres is reported, in which the core is constructed of chiral polymer and the shell is constructed of Fe3 O4 NPs. The microspheres integrate three significant concepts, "porosity", "chirality", and "magneticity", in one single microspheric entity. The microspheres consist of Fe3 O4 nanoparticles and porous optically active microspheres, and thus combine the advantages of both magnetic nanoparticles and porous optically active microspheres. The pore size and specific surface area of the microspheres are characterized by N2 adsorption, from which it is found that the composite microspheres possess a desirable porous structure. Circular dichroism and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy measurements demonstrate that the microspheres exhibit the expected optical activity. The microspheres also have high saturation magnetization of 14.7 emu g(-1) and rapid magnetic responsivity. After further optimization, these novel microspheres may potentially find applications in areas such as asymmetric catalysis, chiral adsorption, etc. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Conductivity and properties of polysiloxane-polyether cluster-LiTFSI networks as hybrid polymer electrolytes

Science.gov (United States)

Boaretto, Nicola; Joost, Christine; Seyfried, Mona; Vezzù, Keti; Di Noto, Vito

2016-09-01

This report describes the synthesis and the properties of a series of polymer electrolytes, composed of a hybrid inorganic-organic matrix doped with LiTFSI. The matrix is based on ring-like oligo-siloxane clusters, bearing pendant, partially cross-linked, polyether chains. The dependency of the thermo-mechanic and of the transport properties on several structural parameters, such as polyether chains' length, cross-linkers' concentration, and salt concentration is studied. Altogether, the materials show good thermo-mechanical and electrochemical stabilities, with conductivities reaching, at best, 8·10-5 S cm-1 at 30 °C. In conclusion, the cell performances of one representative sample are shown. The scope of this report is to analyze the correlations between structure and properties in networked and hybrid polymer electrolytes. This could help the design of optimized polymer electrolytes for application in lithium metal batteries.

Evaluation of hybrid polymers for high-precision manufacturing of 3D optical interconnects by two-photon absorption lithography

Science.gov (United States)

Schleunitz, A.; Klein, J. J.; Krupp, A.; Stender, B.; Houbertz, R.; Gruetzner, G.

2017-02-01

The fabrication of optical interconnects has been widely investigated for the generation of optical circuit boards. Twophoton absorption (TPA) lithography (or high-precision 3D printing) as an innovative production method for direct manufacture of individual 3D photonic structures gains more and more attention when optical polymers are employed. In this regard, we have evaluated novel ORMOCER-based hybrid polymers tailored for the manufacture of optical waveguides by means of high-precision 3D printing. In order to facilitate future industrial implementation, the processability was evaluated and the optical performance of embedded waveguides was assessed. The results illustrate that hybrid polymers are not only viable consumables for industrial manufacture of polymeric micro-optics using generic processes such as UV molding. They also are potential candidates to fabricate optical waveguide systems down to the chip level where TPA-based emerging manufacturing techniques are engaged. Hence, it is shown that hybrid polymers continue to meet the increasing expectations of dynamically growing markets of micro-optics and optical interconnects due to the flexibility of the employed polymer material concept.

Covalently coating dextran on macroporous polyglycidyl methacrylate microsphere enabled rapid protein chromatographic separation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Rongyue; Li, Qiang; Li, Juan; Zhou, Weiqing; Ye, Peili; Gao, Yang; Ma, Guanghui, E-mail: ghma@home.ipe.ac.cn; Su, Zhiguo

2012-12-01

Protein denaturation and nonspecific adsorption on polymer media as a chromatographic support have been a problem which needs to be overcome. Macroporous poly(glycidyl methacrylate-divinylbezene) (PGMA-DVB) microspheres prepared in this study were firstly covalently coated with dextran through a three-step method. The dextran was firstly adsorbed onto the microspheres and then covalently bound to the PGMA-DVB microsphere through ether bonds which were formed by hydroxyl group reacting with epoxy group at the presence of 4-(Dimethylamino) pyridine. Finally, the coating dextran layer was crosslinked by ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether to form the continuous network coating. The coated microspheres were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra, scanning electron microscope, mercury porosimetry measurements, laser scanning confocal microscope, and protein adsorption experiments. Results showed that PGMA-DVB microspheres coated with dextran successfully maintained the macroporous structure and high permeability. The backpressure was only 1.69 MPa at a high flow rate of 2891 cm/h. Consequently, the hydrophilicity and biocompatibility of modified microspheres were greatly improved, and the contact angle decreased from 184 Degree-Sign to 13 Degree-Sign , and nonspecific adsorption of proteins was decreased to little or none. The clad dextran coating with large amounts of hydroxyl group was easily derived to be various functional groups. The derived media have great potential applications in rapid protein chromatography. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Macroporous PGMA-DVB microspheres were covalently coated with dextran. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The hydrophilicity of the coated microspheres was significantly improved. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The irreversible adsorption of proteins was reduced to zero. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The coated microspheres can maintain the macropore structure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The coated microspheres

Mucoadhesive microspheres for gastroretentive delivery of acyclovir: in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhaliwal, Sumeet; Jain, Subheet; Singh, Hardevinder P; Tiwary, A K

2008-06-01

The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the potential use of mucoadhesive microspheres for gastroretentive delivery of acyclovir. Chitosan, thiolated chitosan, Carbopol 71G and Methocel K15M were used as mucoadhesive polymers. Microsphere formulations were prepared using emulsion-chemical crosslinking technique and evaluated in vitro, ex-vivo and in-vivo. Gelatin capsules containing drug powder showed complete dissolution (90.5 +/- 3.6%) in 1 h. The release of drug was prolonged to 12 h (78.8 +/- 3.9) when incorporated into mucoadhesive microspheres. The poor bioavailability of acyclovir is attributed to short retention of its dosage form at the absorption sites (in upper gastrointestinal tract to duodenum and jejunum). The results of mucoadhesion study showed better retention of thiolated chitosan microspheres (8.0 +/- 0.8 h) in duodenal and jejunum regions of intestine. The results of qualitative and quantitative GI distribution study also showed significant higher retention of mucoadhesive microspheres in upper GI tract. Pharmacokinetic study revealed that administration of mucoadhesive microspheres could maintain measurable plasma concentration of acyclovir through 24 h, as compared to 5 h after its administration in solution form. Thiolated chitosan microsphere showed superiority over the other formulations as observed with nearly 4.0-fold higher AUC(0-24) value (1,090 +/- 51 ng h/ml) in comparison to drug solution (281 +/- 28 ng h/ml). Overall, the result indicated prolonged delivery with significant improvement in oral bioavailability of acyclovir from mucoadhesive microspheres due to enhanced retention in the upper GI tract.

An analysis of calcium carbonate/polymer hybrid crystals applying contrast variation SANS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endo, Hitoshi; Schwahn, Dietmar; Coelfen, Helmut

2004-01-01

The geometry of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 )/polymer hybrid crystals was investigated by means of the contrast variation small angle neutron scattering. Our sophisticated contrast variation method led to decomposition of the measured scattering intensities into partial scattering functions of each component. These decomposed partial scattering functions gave detailed information on each component in the hybrid particle. Especially, on the basis of the Babinet principle (or incompressibility hypothesis), the comparison of the cross terms led to the relationships of each scattering amplitude. In this way, we could determine the geometry of the hybrid crystals in detail

An analysis of calcium carbonate/polymer hybrid crystals applying contrast variation SANS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Endo, Hitoshi; Schwahn, Dietmar; Coelfen, Helmut

2004-07-15

The geometry of calcium carbonate (CaCO{sub 3})/polymer hybrid crystals was investigated by means of the contrast variation small angle neutron scattering. Our sophisticated contrast variation method led to decomposition of the measured scattering intensities into partial scattering functions of each component. These decomposed partial scattering functions gave detailed information on each component in the hybrid particle. Especially, on the basis of the Babinet principle (or incompressibility hypothesis), the comparison of the cross terms led to the relationships of each scattering amplitude. In this way, we could determine the geometry of the hybrid crystals in detail.

Self-Assembled Core-Shell-Type Lipid-Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles: Intracellular Trafficking and Relevance for Oral Absorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qiuxia; Xia, Dengning; Tao, Jinsong; Shen, Aijun; He, Yuan; Gan, Yong; Wang, Chi

2017-10-01

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) are advantageous for drug delivery. However, their intracellular trafficking mechanism and relevance for oral drug absorption are poorly understood. In this study, self-assembled core-shell lipid-polymer hybrid NPs made of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and various lipids were developed to study their differing intracellular trafficking in intestinal epithelial cells and their relevance for oral absorption of a model drug saquinavir (SQV). Our results demonstrated that the endocytosis and exocytosis of hybrid NPs could be changed by varying the kind of lipid. A glyceride mixture (hybrid NPs-1) decreased endocytosis but increased exocytosis in Caco-2 cells, whereas the phospholipid (E200) (hybrid NPs-2) decreased endocytosis but exocytosis was unaffected as compared with PLGA nanoparticles. The transport of hybrid NPs-1 in cells involved various pathways, including caveolae/lipid raft-dependent endocytosis, and clathrin-mediated endocytosis and macropinocytosis, which was different from the other groups of NPs that involved only caveolae/lipid raft-dependent endocytosis. Compared with that of the reference formulation (nanoemulsion), the oral absorption of SQV-loaded hybrid NPs in rats was poor, probably due to the limited drug release and transcytosis of NPs across the intestinal epithelium. In conclusion, the intracellular processing of hybrid NPs in intestinal epithelia can be altered by adding lipids to the NP. However, it appears unfavorable to use PLGA-based NPs to improve oral absorption of SQV compared with nanoemulsion. Our findings will be essential in the development of polymer-based NPs for the oral delivery of drugs with the purpose of improving their oral absorption. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of natural polymers on the survival of Lactobacillus casei encapsulated in alginate microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Fábio J; Omura, Michele H; Cedran, Marina F; Dekker, Robert F H; Barbosa-Dekker, Aneli M; Garcia, Sandra

2017-08-01

Linseed and okra mucilages, the fungal exopolysaccharide botryosphaeran, and commercial fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) were used to microencapsulate Lactobacillus casei LC-01 and L. casei BGP 93 in sodium alginate microspheres by the extrusion technique in calcium chloride. The addition of carbohydrate biopolymers from linseed, okra and the fungal exocellular (1 → 3)(1 → 6)-β-D-glucan, named botryosphaeran provided higher encapsulation efficiency (EE) (>93% and >86%) for L. casei LC 01 and L. casei BGP 93, respectively. The use of linseed, okra and botryosphaeran improved the stability of probiotics encapsulated in the microspheres during the storage period over 15 d at 5 °C when compared to microspheres formulated with sodium alginate alone as the main encapsulating agent (p ≤ 0.05). In in vitro gastrointestinal simulation tests, the use of FOS combined with linseed mucilage was shown to be more effective in protecting L. casei cells LC-01 and L. casei BGP 93.

PCL-PDMS-PCL copolymer-based microspheres mediate cardiovascular differentiation from embryonic stem cells

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Liqing

Poly-epsilon-caprolactone (PCL) based copolymers have received much attention as drug or growth factor delivery carriers and tissue engineering scaffolds due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and tunable biophysical properties. Copolymers of PCL and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) also have shape memory behaviors and can be made into thermoresponsive shape memory polymers for various biomedical applications such as smart sutures and vascular stents. However, the influence of biophysical properties of PCL-PDMS-PCL copolymers on stem cell lineage commitment is not well understood. In this study, PDMS was used as soft segments of varying length to tailor the biophysical properties of PCL-based co-polymers. While low elastic modulus (affected cardiovascular differentiation of embryonic stem cells, the range of 60-100 MPa PCL-PDMS-PCL showed little influence on the differentiation. Then different size (30-140 mum) of microspheres were fabricated from PCL-PDMS-PCL copolymers and incorporated within embryoid bodies (EBs). Mesoderm differentiation was induced using bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-4 for cardiovascular differentiation. Differential expressions of mesoderm progenitor marker KDR and vascular markers CD31 and VE-cadherin were observed for the cells differentiated from EBs incorporated with microspheres of different size, while little difference was observed for cardiac marker alpha-actinin expression. Small size of microspheres (30 mum) resulted in higher expression of KDR while medium size of microspheres (94 mum) resulted in higher CD31 and VE-cadherin expression. This study indicated that the biophysical properties of PCL-based copolymers impacted stem cell lineage commitment, which should be considered for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications.

Thermo- and pH-responsive polymer brushes-grafted gigaporous polystyrene microspheres as a high-speed protein chromatography matrix.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Jian-Bo; Xu, Yu-Liang; Liu, Jun-Yi; Zeng, Jing-Bin; Chen, Yan-Li; Zhou, Wei-Qing; Liu, Jian-Guo

2016-04-08

Dual thermo- and pH-responsive chromatography has been proposed using poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-butyl methacrylate-co-N,N-dimethylaminopropyl acrylamide) (P(NIPAM-co-BMA-co-DMAPAAM)) brushes grafted gigaporous polystyrene microspheres (GPM) as matrix. Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator was first coupled onto GPM through Friedel-Crafts acylation with 2-bromoisobutyryl bromide. The dual-responsive polymer brushes were then grafted onto GPM via surface-initiated ATRP. The surface composition, gigaporous structure, protein adsorption and dual-responsive chromatographic properties of the matrix (GPM-P(NIPAM-co-BMA-co-DMAPAAM) were characterized in detail. Results showed that GPM were successfully grafted with thermoresponsive cationic polymer brushes and that the gigaporous structure was well maintained. A column packed with GPM-P(NIPAM-co-BMA-co-DMAPAAM presented low backpressure, good permeability and appreciable thermo-responsibility. By changing pH of the mobile phase and temperature of the column in turn, the column can separate three model proteins at the mobile phase velocity up to 2528cmh(-1). A separation mechanism of this matrix was also proposed. All results indicate that the dual thermo- and pH-responsive chromatography matrix has great potentials in 'green' high-speed protein chromatography. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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.

Engineering of a polymer layered bio-hybrid heart valve scaffold

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jahnavi, S., E-mail: jani84@gmail.com [Stem Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, TN (India); Tissue Culture Laboratory, Biomedical Technology Wing, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Poojappura, Trivandrum, Kerala 695012 (India); Kumary, T.V., E-mail: tvkumary@yahoo.com [Tissue Culture Laboratory, Biomedical Technology Wing, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Poojappura, Trivandrum, Kerala 695012 (India); Bhuvaneshwar, G.S., E-mail: gs.bhuvnesh@gmail.com [Trivitron Innovation Centre, Department of Engineering Design, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, TN (India); Natarajan, T.S., E-mail: tsniit@gmail.com [Conducting Polymer laboratory, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, Chennai 600036, TN (India); Verma, R.S., E-mail: vermars@iitm.ac.in [Stem Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, TN (India)

2015-06-01

Current treatment strategy for end stage valve disease involves either valvular repair or replacement with homograft/mechanical/bioprosthetic valves. In cases of recurrent stenosis/ regurgitation, valve replacement is preferred choice of treatment over valvular repair. Currently available mechanical valves primarily provide durability whereas bioprosthetic valves have superior tissue compatibility but both lack remodelling and regenerative properties making their utility limited in paediatric patients. With advances in tissue engineering, attempts have been made to fabricate valves with regenerative potential using various polymers, decellularized tissues and hybrid scaffolds. To engineer an ideal heart valve, decellularized bovine pericardium extracellular matrix (DBPECM) is an attractive biocompatible scaffold but has weak mechanical properties and rapid degradation. However, DBPECM can be modified with synthetic polymers to enhance its mechanical properties. In this study, we developed a Bio-Hybrid scaffold with non-cross linked DBPECM in its native structure coated with a layer of Polycaprolactone-Chitosan (PCL-CH) nanofibers that displayed superior mechanical properties. Surface and functional studies demonstrated integration of PCL-CH to the DBPECM with enhanced bio and hemocompatibility. This engineered Bio-Hybrid scaffold exhibited most of the physical, biochemical and functional properties of the native valve that makes it an ideal scaffold for fabrication of cardiac valve with regenerative potential. - Highlights: • A Bio-Hybrid scaffold was fabricated with PCL-CH blend and DBPECM. • PCL-CH functionally interacted with decellularized matrix without cross linking. • Modified scaffold exhibited mechanical properties similar to native heart valve. • Supported better fibroblast and endothelial cell adhesion and proliferation. • The developed scaffold can be utilized for tissue engineering of heart valve.

Hybrid tandem solar cells with depleted-heterojunction quantum dot and polymer bulk heterojunction subcells

KAUST Repository

Kim, Taesoo

2015-10-01

We investigate hybrid tandem solar cells that rely on the combination of solution-processed depleted-heterojunction colloidal quantum dot (CQD) and bulk heterojunction polymer:fullerene subcells. The hybrid tandem solar cell is monolithically integrated and electrically connected in series with a suitable p-n recombination layer that includes metal oxides and a conjugated polyelectrolyte. We discuss the monolithic integration of the subcells, taking into account solvent interactions with underlayers and associated constraints on the tandem architecture, and show that an adequate device configuration consists of a low bandgap CQD bottom cell and a high bandgap polymer:fullerene top cell. Once we optimize the recombination layer and individual subcells, the hybrid tandem device reaches a VOC of 1.3V, approaching the sum of the individual subcell voltages. An impressive fill factor of 70% is achieved, further confirming that the subcells are efficiently connected via an appropriate recombination layer. © 2015.

Fabrication of flower-like tin/carbon composite microspheres as long-lasting anode materials for lithium ion batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Tae-Woo [Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Hyung-Seok [Department of WCU Engineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Seong-Jin [Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Sun, Yang-Kook [Department of WCU Engineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Suh, Kyung-Do, E-mail: kdsuh@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-01-01

In this work, we report the fabrication of the flower-like tin/carbon (Sn/C) composite microspheres using sulfonated semi-interpenetrating polystyrene (SPS) microspheres as a carbon precursor. The sulfonation degree of SPS has great effects on the resulting particle size, morphology, amount of introduced Sn, and the carbonization yield of the microspheres after heat treatment. The obtained Sn/C composite microspheres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), focused-ion beam SEM, and X-ray diffraction. The flower-like Sn/C composite electrodes exhibited higher charge-discharge capacities than those of graphite as an anode material for a lithium ion battery. In addition, they show a long lasting cyclability, even through 400 cycles. - Highlights: • Tin nanocrystals are introduced in flower-like carbon spheres with many ripples. • Long lasting cyclability is exhibited at 1 C rate up to 400 cycles. • Tin content of composite spheres depends on chemical treatment of polymer microspheres.

Near infrared photodetector based on polymer and indium nitride nanorod organic/inorganic hybrids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lai, Wei-Jung; Li, Shao-Sian; Lin, Chih-Cheng; Kuo, Chun-Chiang; Chen, Chun-Wei; Chen, Kuei-Hsien; Chen, Li-Chyong

2010-01-01

We propose a nanostructured near infrared photodetector based on indium nitride (InN) nanorod/poly(3-hexylthiophene) hybrids. The current-voltage characteristic of the hybrid device demonstrates the typical p-n heterojunction diode behavior, consisting of p-type polymer and n-type InN nanorods. The device shows a photoresponse range of 900-1260 nm under various reverse biases. An external quantum efficiency of 3.4% at 900 nm operated at -10 V reverse bias was obtained, which is comparable with devices based on lead sulfide and lead selenide hybrid systems.

One-pot in situ redox synthesis of hexacyanoferrate/conductive polymer hybrids as lithium-ion battery cathodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Min Hao; Zhang, Zixuan; Yang, Xianfeng; Chen, Xiaojun; Ying, Jackie Y

2015-09-14

An efficient and adaptable method is demonstrated for the synthesis of lithium hexacyanoferrate/conductive polymer hybrids for Li-ion battery cathodes. The hybrids were synthesized via a one-pot method, involving a redox-coupled reaction between pyrrole monomers and the Li3Fe(CN)6 precursor. The hybrids showed much better cyclability relative to reported Prussian Blue (PB) analogs.

Embedding of Hollow Polymer Microspheres with Hydrophilic Shell in Nafion Matrix as Proton and Water Micro-Reservoir

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhaolin Liu

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Assimilating hydrophilic hollow polymer spheres (HPS into Nafion matrix by a loading of 0.5 wt % led to a restructured hydrophilic channel, composed of the pendant sulfonic acid groups (–SO₃H and the imbedded hydrophilic hollow spheres. The tiny hydrophilic hollow chamber was critical to retaining moisture and facilitating proton transfer in the composite membranes. To obtain such a tiny cavity structure, the synthesis included selective generation of a hydrophilic polymer shell on silica microsphere template and the subsequent removal of the template by etching. The hydrophilic HPS (100–200 nm possessed two different spherical shells, the styrenic network with pendant sulfonic acid groups and with methacrylic acid groups, respectively. By behaving as microreservoirs of water, the hydrophilic HPS promoted the Grotthus mechanism and, hence, enhanced proton transport efficiency through the inter-sphere path. In addition, the HPS with the –SO₃H borne shell played a more effective role than those with the –CO₂H borne shell in augmenting proton transport, in particular under low humidity or at medium temperatures. Single H₂-PEMFC test at 70 °C using dry H₂/O₂ further verified the impactful role of hydrophilic HPS in sustaining higher proton flux as compared to pristine Nafion membrane.

Thermo-optic characteristics of hybrid polymer/silica microstructured optical fiber: An analytical approach

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Dinesh Kumar; Sharma, Anurag; Tripathi, Saurabh Mani

2018-04-01

Microstructured optical fibers (MOFs) allow a variety of advanced materials to be infiltrated in their air-voids for obtaining the increased fiber functionality, and offering a new versatile platform for developing the compact sensors devices. We aim to investigate the thermal characteristics of high-index core triangular hybrid polymer/silica MOFs with circular air-voids infused with polymer by using the analytical field model [1]. We demonstrate that infiltration of air-voids with polymer, e.g., polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) can facilitate to tune the fundamental modal properties of MOF such as effective index of the mode, near and the far-field profiles, effective mode area and the numerical aperture over the temperature ranging from 0 °C to 100 °C, for different values of relative air-void ratios. The evolution of the mode shape for a given temperature has been investigated in transition from near-field to far-field regime. We have studied the thermal dependence of splice losses between hybrid MOF and the standard step-index single-mode optical fiber in combination with Fresnel losses. For enhancing the evanescent field interactions, we have evaluated fraction of power associated with fundamental mode of hybrid MOF. We have compared the accuracy of our results with those based on full-vector finite-difference (FD) method, as available in the literature.

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.

Physicochemical characterization of spray-dried PLGA/PEG microspheres, and preliminary assessment of biological response.

Science.gov (United States)

Javiya, Curie; Jonnalagadda, Sriramakamal

2016-09-01

The use of spray-drying to prepare blended PLGA:PEG microspheres with lower immune detection. To study physical properties, polymer miscibility and alveolar macrophage response for blended PLGA:PEG microspheres prepared by a laboratory-scale spray-drying process. Microspheres were prepared by spray-drying 0-20% w/w ratios of PLGA 65:35 and PEG 3350 in dichloromethane. Particle size and morphology was studied using scanning electron microscopy. Polymer miscibility and residual solvent levels evaluated by thermal analysis (differential scanning calorimetry - DSC and thermogravimetric analysis - TGA). Immunogenicity was assessed in vitro by response of rat alveolar macrophages (NR8383) by the MTT-based cell viability assay and reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection. The spray dried particles were spherical, with a size range of about 2-3 µm and a yield of 16-60%. Highest yield was obtained at 1% PEG concentration. Thermal analysis showed a melting peak at 59 °C (enthalpy: 170.61 J/g) and a degradation-onset of 180 °C for PEG 3350. PLGA 65:35 was amorphous, with a Tg of 43 °C. Blended PLGA:PEG microspheres showed a delayed degradation-onset of 280 °C, and PEG enthalpy-loss corresponding to 15% miscibility of PEG in PLGA. NR8383 viability studies and ROS detection upon exposure to these cells suggested that blended PLGA:PEG microspheres containing 1 and 5% PEG are optimal in controling cell proliferation and activation. This research establishes the feasibility of using a spray-drying process to prepare spherical particles (2-3 µm) of molecularly-blended PLGA 65:35 and PEG 3350. A PEG concentration of 1-5% was optimal to maximize process yield, with minimal potential for immune detection.

Human serum albumin supported lipid patterns for the targeted recognition of microspheres coated by membrane based on ss-DNA hybridization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xiaoming; He Qiang; Cui Yue; Duan Li; Li Junbai

2006-01-01

Human serum albumin (HSA) patterns have been successfully fabricated for the deposition of lipid bilayer, 1,2-dimyristoyl-sglycerophosphate (DMPA), by making use of the micro-contact printing (μCP) technique and liposome fusion. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) results indicate that lipid bilayer has been assembled in HSA patterns with a good stability. Such well-defined lipid patterns formed on HSA surface create possibility to incorporate specific components like channels or receptors for specific recognition. In view of this, microspheres coated with lipid membranes were immobilized in HSA-supported lipid patterns via the hybridization of complementary ss-DNAs. This procedure enables to transfer solid materials to a soft surface through a specific recognition

Magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) microspheres for Campylobacter jejuni detection in food

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Horák, Daniel; Hochel, I.

061, - (2005), s. 1-12 ISSN 1618-7229 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA525/05/0311; GA ČR(CZ) GA525/02/0287 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : magnetic * microspheres * glycidyl methacrylate Subject RIV: GM - Food Processing Impact factor: 0.926, year: 2005 http://www.e-polymers.org

Natural-Synthetic Hybrid Polymers Developed via Electrospinning: The Effect of PET in Chitosan/Starch System

Science.gov (United States)

Espíndola-González, Adolfo; Martínez-Hernández, Ana Laura; Fernández-Escobar, Francisco; Castaño, Victor Manuel; Brostow, Witold; Datashvili, Tea; Velasco-Santos, Carlos

2011-01-01

Chitosan is an amino polysaccharide found in nature, which is biodegradable, nontoxic and biocompatible. It has versatile features and can be used in a variety of applications including films, packaging, and also in medical surgery. Recently a possibility to diversify chitosan properties has emerged by combining it with synthetic materials to produce novel natural-synthetic hybrid polymers. We have studied structural and thermophysical properties of chitosan + starch + poly(ethylene terephthalate) (Ch + S + PET) fibers developed via electrospinning. Properties of these hybrids polymers are compared with extant chitosan containing hybrids synthesized by electrospinning. Molecular interactions and orientation in the fibers are analyzed by infrared and Raman spectroscopies respectively, morphology by scanning electron microscopy and thermophysical properties by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Addition of PET to Ch + S systems results in improved thermal stability at elevated temperatures. PMID:21673930

Understanding interpenetrating-polymer-network-like porous nitrile butadiene rubber hybrids by their long-period miscibility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Jihua; Wang, Lifeng; Zhao, Yunfeng

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Hydrogen bonds are introduced into NBR to develop its IPN-like porous hybrids. • NBR is partly miscible with AO-60. • AO-60 possesses the viscoelastic behavior resembling that of polymers. • Phase separation aggravates and AO-60 crystallizes in the durations. • The porous hybrids may have potential damping applications. - Abstract: In this article, tetrakis [methylene-3-(3, 5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy phenyl) propionyloxy] methane (AO-60) with hydrogen bonds was designed to interpenetrate into the chemical crosslinking bonds of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) and then porous materials were prepared. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) images and dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA) demonstrate that NBR is partly miscible with AO-60 which induces the micro-pores and interpenetrating-polymer-network (IPN)-like phase morphology in the hybrids. The wide double tan δ peak in DMA curve displays that AO-60 possesses similar viscoelastic behaviors to polymers which come from supramolecular interactions between polar groups of NBR chains and hydroxyl (OH) groups of AO-60. To further understand the supramolecular abilities of AO-60 in the rubber, the long-period observations for their miscibility are conducted. With the increase of durations, the hydrogen bond network from AO-60 is weakened. The phase separation between AO-60 and NBR is aggravated and even extremely few AO-60 crystallizes which develops multi-scale porous morphology in the hybrids. It is believed that these findings can serve as a guide for the designs of the IPN-like hybrids with small molecule substances and their applications of damping materials

Hybrid nanocomposites based on conducting polymer and silicon nanowires for photovoltaic application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chehata, Nadia; Ltaief, Adnen; Ilahi, Bouraoui; Salem, Bassem; Bouazizi, Abdelaziz; Maaref, Hassen; Baron, Thierry

2014-01-01

Hybrid nanocomposites based on a nanoscale combination of organic and inorganic semiconductors are a promising way to enhance the performance of solar cells through a higher aspect ratio of the interface and the good processability of polymers. Nanocomposites are based on a heterojunction network between poly (2-methoxy-5-(2-ethyhexyl-oxy)-p-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV) as an organic electron donor and silicon nanowires (SiNWs) as an inorganic electron acceptor. Nanowires (NWs) seem to be a promising material for this purpose, as they provide a large surface area for contact with the polymer and a designated conducting pathway whilst their volume is low. In this paper, silicon nanowires are introduced by mixing them into the polymer matrix. Hybrid nanocomposites films were deposited onto ITO substrate by spin coating method. Optical properties and photocurrent response were investigated. Charge transfer between the polymer and SiNWs has been demonstrated through photoluminescence measurements. The photocurrent density of ITO/MEH-PPV:SiNWs/Al structures have been obtained by J–V characteristics. The J sc value is about 0.39 µA/cm 2 . - Highlights: • SiNWs synthesis by Vapor–Liquid–Solid (VLS) mechanism. • SiNWs contribution to absorption spectra enhancement of MEH-PPV:SiNWs nanocomposites. • Decrease of PL intensity of MEH-PPV by addition of SiNWs. • Charge transfer process was taken place. • ITO/MEH-PPV:SiNWs/Al structure shows a photovoltaic effect, with a FF of 0.32

Bioinspired Smart Actuator Based on Graphene Oxide-Polymer Hybrid Hydrogels.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tao; Huang, Jiahe; Yang, Yiqing; Zhang, Enzhong; Sun, Weixiang; Tong, Zhen

2015-10-28

Rapid response and strong mechanical properties are desired for smart materials used in soft actuators. A bioinspired hybrid hydrogel actuator was designed and prepared by series combination of three trunks of tough polymer-clay hydrogels to accomplish the comprehensive actuation of "extension-grasp-retraction" like a fishing rod. The hydrogels with thermo-creep and thermo-shrinking features were successively irradiated by near-infrared (NIR) to execute extension and retraction, respectively. The GO in the hydrogels absorbed the NIR energy and transformed it into thermo-energy rapidly and effectively. The hydrogel with adhesion or magnetic force was adopted as the "hook" of the hybrid hydrogel actuator for grasping object. The hook of the hybrid hydrogel actuator was replaceable according to applications, even with functional materials other than hydrogels. This study provides an innovative concept to explore new soft actuators through combining response hydrogels and programming the same stimulus.

Chitosan magnetic microspheres for technological applications: Preparation and characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Podzus, P.E.; Daraio, M.E.; Jacobo, S.E.

2009-01-01

One of the major applications of chitosan and its many derivatives are based on its ability to bind strongly heavy and toxic metal ions. In this study chitosan magnetic microspheres have been synthesized. Acetic acid (1%w/v) solution was used as solvent for the chitosan polymer solution (2%w/v) where magnetite nanoparticles were suspended in order to obtain a stable ferrofluid. Glutaraldehyde was used as cross-linker. The magnetic characteristic of these materials allows an easy removal after use if is necessary. The morphological characterization of the microspheres shows that they can be produced in the size range 800-1100 μm. The adsorption of Cu(II) onto chitosan-magnetite nanoparticles was studied in batch system. A second-order kinetic model was used to fit the kinetic data, leading to an equilibrium adsorption capacity of 19 mg Cu/g chitosan.

Chitosan microspheres loaded with holmium-165 produced by spray dryer for liver cancer therapy: preliminary experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyamoto, Douglas Massao; Pires, Geovanna; Lira, Raphael A. de; Melo, Vitor H.S.; Nascimento, Nanci; Azevedo, Mariangela de Burgos M. de; Osso Junior, Joao Alberto

2011-01-01

Chitosan is a biopolymer of 2-deoxy-2-amino-D-glucose that is obtained by deacetylation of chitin. It's biocompatible, biodegradable, non toxic and has antitumor activity. Chitosan has many applications, such as their microparticles that can be used to treat prostate cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and for liver tumor brachytherapy treatment. Our group is developing different biodegradable polymer-based microspheres loaded with holmium-165 for this purpose. The Chitosan microspheres were produced loaded with holmium (III) chloride, and not loaded with it, by Mini Spray Dryer procedure. The microspheres were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), confocal laser scanning microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, particle size, and X-ray diffraction. The EDS analysis confirmed the holmium chloride presence into the prepared chitosan microparticles. (author)

Chitosan microspheres loaded with holmium-165 produced by spray dryer for liver cancer therapy: preliminary experiments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miyamoto, Douglas Massao; Pires, Geovanna; Lira, Raphael A. de; Melo, Vitor H.S.; Nascimento, Nanci; Azevedo, Mariangela de Burgos M. de, E-mail: douglas.miyamoto@usp.b [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Osso Junior, Joao Alberto [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Centro de Radiofarmacia

2011-07-01

Chitosan is a biopolymer of 2-deoxy-2-amino-D-glucose that is obtained by deacetylation of chitin. It's biocompatible, biodegradable, non toxic and has antitumor activity. Chitosan has many applications, such as their microparticles that can be used to treat prostate cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and for liver tumor brachytherapy treatment. Our group is developing different biodegradable polymer-based microspheres loaded with holmium-165 for this purpose. The Chitosan microspheres were produced loaded with holmium (III) chloride, and not loaded with it, by Mini Spray Dryer procedure. The microspheres were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), confocal laser scanning microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, particle size, and X-ray diffraction. The EDS analysis confirmed the holmium chloride presence into the prepared chitosan microparticles. (author)

Solvent/non-solvent sintering: a novel route to create porous microsphere scaffolds for tissue regeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Justin L; Nair, Lakshmi S; Laurencin, Cato T

2008-08-01

Solvent/non-solvent sintering creates porous polymeric microsphere scaffolds suitable for tissue engineering purposes with control over the resulting porosity, average pore diameter, and mechanical properties. Five different biodegradable biocompatible polyphosphazenes exhibiting glass transition temperatures from -8 to 41 degrees C and poly (lactide-co-glycolide), (PLAGA) a degradable polymer used in a number of biomedical settings, were examined to study the versatility of the process and benchmark the process to heat sintering. Parameters such as: solvent/non-solvent sintering solution composition and submersion time effect the sintering process. PLAGA microsphere scaffolds fabricated with solvent/non-solvent sintering exhibited an interconnected porosity and pore size of 31.9% and 179.1 mum, respectively which was analogous to that of conventional heat sintered PLAGA microsphere scaffolds. Biodegradable polyphosphazene microsphere scaffolds exhibited a maximum interconnected porosity of 37.6% and a maximum compressive modulus of 94.3 MPa. Solvent/non-solvent sintering is an effective strategy for sintering polymeric microspheres, with a broad spectrum of glass transition temperatures, under ambient conditions making it an excellent fabrication route for developing tissue engineering scaffolds and drug delivery vehicles. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

White light generation tuned by dual hybridization of nanocrystals and conjugated polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demir, Hilmi Volkan; Nizamoglu, Sedat; Ozel, Tuncay; Mutlugun, Evren; Huyal, Ilkem Ozge; Sari, Emre; Holder, Elisabeth; Tian Nan

2007-01-01

Dual hybridization of highly fluorescent conjugated polymers and highly luminescent nanocrystals (NCs) is developed and demonstrated in multiple combinations for controlled white light generation with high color rendering index (CRI) (> 80) for the first time. The generated white light is tuned using layer-by-layer assembly of CdSe/ZnS core-shell NCs closely packed on polyfluorene, hybridized on near-UV emitting nitride-based light emitting diodes (LEDs). The design, synthesis, growth, fabrication and characterization of these hybrid inorganic-organic white LEDs are presented. The following experimental realizations are reported: (i) layer-by-layer hybridization of yellow NCs (λ PL =580 nm) and blue polyfluorene (λ PL =439 nm) with tristimulus coordinates of (x, y)=(0.31, 0.27), correlated color temperature of T c =6962 K and CRI of R a =53.4; (ii) layer-by-layer assembly of yellow and green NCs (λ PL =580 and 540 nm) and blue polyfluorene (λ PL =439 nm) with (x, y)=(0.23, 0.30), T c =14395 K and R a =65.7; and (iii) layer-by-layer deposition of yellow, green and red NCs (λ PL =580, 540 and 620 nm) and blue polyfluorene (λ PL =439 nm) with (x, y)=(0.38, 0.39), T c =4052 K and R a = 83.0. The CRI is demonstrated to be well controlled and significantly improved by increasing multi-chromaticity of the NC and polymer emitters

Intracellular degradation of microspheres based on cross-linked dextran hydrogels or amphiphilic block copolymers: A comparative Raman microscopy study

Science.gov (United States)

van Manen, Henk-Jan; van Apeldoorn, Aart A; Verrijk, Ruud; van Blitterswijk, Clemens A; Otto, Cees

2007-01-01

Micro- and nanospheres composed of biodegradable polymers show promise as versatile devices for the controlled delivery of biopharmaceuticals. Whereas important properties such as drug release profiles, biocompatibility, and (bio)degradability have been determined for many types of biodegradable particles, information about particle degradation inside phagocytic cells is usually lacking. Here, we report the use of confocal Raman microscopy to obtain chemical information about cross-linked dextran hydrogel microspheres and amphiphilic poly(ethylene glycol)-terephthalate/poly(butylene terephthalate) (PEGT/PBT) microspheres inside RAW 264.7 macrophage phagosomes. Using quantitative Raman microspectroscopy, we show that the dextran concentration inside phagocytosed dextran microspheres decreases with cell incubation time. In contrast to dextran microspheres, we did not observe PEGT/PBT microsphere degradation after 1 week of internalization by macrophages, confirming previous studies showing that dextran microsphere degradation proceeds faster than PEGT/PBT degradation. Raman microscopy further showed the conversion of macrophages to lipid-laden foam cells upon prolonged incubation with both types of microspheres, suggesting that a cellular inflammatory response is induced by these biomaterials in cell culture. Our results exemplify the power of Raman microscopy to characterize microsphere degradation in cells and offer exciting prospects for this technique as a noninvasive, label-free optical tool in biomaterials histology and tissue engineering. PMID:17722552

700 F hybrid capacitors cells composed of activated carbon and Li4Ti5O12 microspheres with ultra-long cycle life

Science.gov (United States)

Ruan, Dianbo; Kim, Myeong-Seong; Yang, Bin; Qin, Jun; Kim, Kwang-Bum; Lee, Sang-Hyun; Liu, Qiuxiang; Tan, Lei; Qiao, Zhijun

2017-10-01

To address the large-scale application demands of high energy density, high power density, and long cycle lifetime, 700-F hybrid capacitor pouch cells have been prepared, comprising ∼240-μm-thick activated carbon cathodes, and ∼60-μm-thick Li4Ti5O12 anodes. Microspherical Li4Ti5O12 (M-LTO) synthesized by spray-drying features 200-400 nm primary particles and interconnected nanopore structures. M-LTO half-cells exhibits high specific capacities (175 mAhh g-1), good rate capabilities (148 mAhh g-1 at 20 C), and ultra-long cycling stabilities (90% specific capacity retention after 10,000 cycles). In addition, the obtained hybrid capacitors comprising activated carbon (AC) and M-LTO shows excellent cell performances, achieving a maximum energy density of 51.65 Wh kg-1, a maximum power density of 2466 W kg-1, and ∼92% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles, thus meeting the demands for large-scale applications such as trolleybuses.

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.

Studies on Effective Elastic Properties of CNT/Nano-Clay Reinforced Polymer Hybrid Composite

Science.gov (United States)

Thakur, Arvind Kumar; Kumar, Puneet; Srinivas, J.

2016-02-01

This paper presents a computational approach to predict elastic propertiesof hybrid nanocomposite material prepared by adding nano-clayplatelets to conventional CNT-reinforced epoxy system. In comparison to polymers alone/single-fiber reinforced polymers, if an additional fiber is added to the composite structure, it was found a drastic improvement in resultant properties. In this regard, effective elastic moduli of a hybrid nano composite are determined by using finite element (FE) model with square representative volume element (RVE). Continuum mechanics based homogenization of the nano-filler reinforced composite is considered for evaluating the volumetric average of the stresses and the strains under different periodic boundary conditions.A three phase Halpin-Tsai approach is selected to obtain the analytical result based on micromechanical modeling. The effect of the volume fractions of CNTs and nano-clay platelets on the mechanical behavior is studied. Two different RVEs of nano-clay platelets were used to investigate the influence of nano-filler geometry on composite properties. The combination of high aspect ratio of CNTs and larger surface area of clay platelets contribute to the stiffening effect of the hybrid samples. Results of analysis are validated with Halpin-Tsai empirical formulae.

Folate-modified lipid–polymer hybrid nanoparticles for targeted paclitaxel delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang L

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Linhua Zhang,1 Dunwan Zhu,1 Xia Dong,1 Hongfan Sun,1 Cunxian Song,1 Chun Wang,2 Deling Kong1 1Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biomaterials, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA Abstract: The purpose of this study was to develop a novel lipid–polymer hybrid drug carrier comprised of folate (FA modified lipid-shell and polymer-core nanoparticles (FLPNPs for sustained, controlled, and targeted delivery of paclitaxel (PTX. The core-shell NPs consist of 1 a poly(ε-caprolactone hydrophobic core based on self-assembly of poly(ε-caprolactone–poly(ethylene glycol–poly(ε-caprolactone (PCL-PEG-PCL amphiphilic copolymers, 2 a lipid monolayer formed with 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy (polyethylene glycol-2000] (DSPE-PEG2000, 3 a targeting ligand (FA on the surface, and were prepared using a thin-film hydration and ultrasonic dispersion method. Transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering analysis confirmed the coating of the lipid monolayer on the hydrophobic polymer core. Physicochemical characterizations of PTX-loaded FLPNPs, such as particle size and size distribution, zeta potential, morphology, drug loading content, encapsulation efficiency, and in vitro drug release, were also evaluated. Fluorescent microscopy proved the internalization efficiency and targeting ability of the folate conjugated on the lipid monolayer for the EMT6 cancer cells which overexpress folate receptor. In vitro cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that the cytotoxic effect of PTX-loaded FLPNPs was lower than that of Taxol®, but higher than that of PTX-loaded LPNPs (without folate conjugation. In EMT6 breast tumor model, intratumoral administration of PTX-loaded FLPNPs showed similar antitumor efficacy but low toxicity compared to Taxol®. More

RIR-MAPLE deposition of conjugated polymers and hybrid nanocomposites for application to optoelectronic devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stiff-Roberts, Adrienne D.; Pate, Ryan; McCormick, Ryan; Lantz, Kevin R.

2012-01-01

Resonant infrared matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (RIR-MAPLE) is a variation of pulsed laser deposition that is useful for organic-based thin films because it reduces material degradation by selective absorption of infrared radiation in the host matrix. A unique emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE approach has been developed that reduces substrate exposure to solvents and provides controlled and repeatable organic thin film deposition. In order to establish emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE as a preferred deposition technique for conjugated polymer or hybrid nanocomposite optoelectronic devices, studies have been conducted to demonstrate the value added by the approach in comparison to traditional solution-based deposition techniques, and this work will be reviewed. The control of hybrid nanocomposite thin film deposition, and the photoconductivity in such materials deposited using emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE, will also be reviewed. The overall result of these studies is the demonstration of emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE as a viable option for the fabrication of conjugated polymer and hybrid nanocomposite optoelectronic devices that could yield improved device performance.

Stimuli-responsive transformation in carbon nanotube/expanding microsphere–polymer composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loomis, James; Xu Peng; Panchapakesan, Balaji

2013-01-01

Our work introduces a class of stimuli-responsive expanding polymer composites with the ability to unidirectionally transform their physical dimensions, elastic modulus, density, and electrical resistance. Carbon nanotubes and core–shell acrylic microspheres were dispersed in polydimethylsiloxane, resulting in composites that exhibit a binary set of material properties. Upon thermal or infrared stimuli, the liquid cores encapsulated within the microspheres vaporize, expanding the surrounding shells and stretching the matrix. The microsphere expansion results in visible dimensional changes, regions of reduced polymeric chain mobility, nanotube tensioning, and overall elastic to plastic-like transformation of the composite. Here, we show composite transformations including macroscopic volume expansion (>500%), density reduction (>80%), and elastic modulus increase (>675%). Additionally, conductive nanotubes allow for remote expansion monitoring and exhibit distinct loading-dependent electrical responses. With the ability to pattern regions of tailorable expansion, strength, and electrical resistance into a single polymer skin, these composites present opportunities as structural and electrical building blocks in smart systems. (paper)

Synthesis of polycaprolactone/nano hydroxyapatite microspheres; Sintese de microesferas de policaprolactona/nanohidroxiapatita

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sampaio, Greyce Y.H.; Souza, Mairly K. da S.; Melo, Rafaela Q. da C.; Carrodeguas, Raul G.; Fook, Marcus V.L., E-mail: greycesampaio@gmail.com [Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Campina Grande, PB (Brazil)

2015-07-01

Polycaprolactone(PCL)/nano hydroxyapatite(nHA) microspheres are advantageous material for manufacturing tridimensional scaffolds and formulating drug delivery systems for bone regeneration. The work was aimed to study the effect of processing variables on the properties of PCL/nHA microspheres. nHA was produced by precipitation method and was obtained calcium deficient nanoparticles consisted of nanorods (∼47 nm x ∼8 nm), according to the results of XRD, FTIR and TEM. PCL/nHA microspheres was produced by solid-in-oil-in-water emulsion solvent evaporation method. The variables studied were concentration of PCL (5,7.5 and 10 % w/v), nHA addition (17, 23 and 28.5% m/m) and surface treatment of nHA with stearic acid (AE). PCL/nHA microspheres were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM and TGA. The best result was obtained with a PCL concentration of 10% (w/v) and 23 % (m/m) of modified nHA. Solid PCL/nHA particles ranging 30-70 μm and containing 14 % of nHA dispersed in the polymer matrix were obtained, with agglomerates of nHA raging 5 -15 μm. These results suggest the promising use of this material in bone regeneration devices. (author)

Extraction and encapsulation of prodigiosin in chitosan microspheres for targeted drug delivery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dozie-Nwachukwu, S.O. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology (AUST) Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria); Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Advanced Laboratory, Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), P.M.B 186, Garki, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria); Danyuo, Y. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology (AUST) Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kwara State University, Malete (Nigeria); Obayemi, J.D. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology (AUST) Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria); Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Odusanya, O.S. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology (AUST) Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria); Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Advanced Laboratory, Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), P.M.B 186, Garki, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria); Malatesta, K. [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Soboyejo, W.O., E-mail: soboyejo@princeton.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, African University of Science and Technology (AUST) Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria); Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Princeton Institute of Science and Technology of Materials (PRISM), Bowen Hall, 70 Prospect Street, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

2017-02-01

The encapsulation of drugs in polymeric materials has brought opportunities to the targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic agents. These polymeric delivery systems are capable of maximizing the therapeutic activity, as well as reducing the side effects of anti-cancer agents. Prodigiosin, a secondary metabolite extracted from the bacteria, Serratia marcescens, exhibits anti-cancer properties. Prodigiosin-loaded chitosan microspheres were prepared via water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion technique, using glutaraldehyde as a cross-linker. The morphologies of the microspheres were studied using scanning electron microscopy. The average sizes of the microspheres were between 40 μm and 60 μm, while the percentage yields ranged from 42 ± 2% to 55.5 ± 3%. The resulting encapsulation efficiencies were between 66.7 ± 3% and 90 ± 4%. The in-vitro drug release from the microspheres was characterized by zeroth order, first order and Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas models. - Highlights: • Prodigiosin of ~ 92.8% purity was extracted from locally isolated Serratia marcescens. • This approach reduces the cost and ensure availability of drugs for cancer treatment. • High encapsulation efficiency which increased with increasing drug:polymer ratio • The percentage yield was generally poor due to the recovery process. • Prodigiosin greatly reduced the viability of the breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231).

Extraction and encapsulation of prodigiosin in chitosan microspheres for targeted drug delivery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dozie-Nwachukwu, S.O.; Danyuo, Y.; Obayemi, J.D.; Odusanya, O.S.; Malatesta, K.; Soboyejo, W.O.

2017-01-01

The encapsulation of drugs in polymeric materials has brought opportunities to the targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic agents. These polymeric delivery systems are capable of maximizing the therapeutic activity, as well as reducing the side effects of anti-cancer agents. Prodigiosin, a secondary metabolite extracted from the bacteria, Serratia marcescens, exhibits anti-cancer properties. Prodigiosin-loaded chitosan microspheres were prepared via water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion technique, using glutaraldehyde as a cross-linker. The morphologies of the microspheres were studied using scanning electron microscopy. The average sizes of the microspheres were between 40 μm and 60 μm, while the percentage yields ranged from 42 ± 2% to 55.5 ± 3%. The resulting encapsulation efficiencies were between 66.7 ± 3% and 90 ± 4%. The in-vitro drug release from the microspheres was characterized by zeroth order, first order and Higuchi and Korsmeyer-Peppas models. - Highlights: • Prodigiosin of ~ 92.8% purity was extracted from locally isolated Serratia marcescens. • This approach reduces the cost and ensure availability of drugs for cancer treatment. • High encapsulation efficiency which increased with increasing drug:polymer ratio • The percentage yield was generally poor due to the recovery process. • Prodigiosin greatly reduced the viability of the breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231).

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

Synthesis of hybrid polymers of beta-Cd and siloxanes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbehausen, Camilla; Yoshida, Inez V.P.

2009-01-01

Hybrid polymers derived from siloxane and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) were obtained from gamma-isocyanate-propyl-triethoxy-silane (IPTS) and β-CD. The resulting alkoxysilane was hydrolyzed generating glassy β-CD modified polysilsesquioxane. The alkoxysilane was also submitted to condensation with poly(dimethylsiloxane) with - Si(CH 3 -) 2 -OH end groups, giving rise to a polymeric network with β-CD at crosslinking nodes. These materials were characterized by infrared spectrum, 13 C and 29 Si nuclear magnetic resonance and X ray diffraction. The thermal behavior was analyzed by thermogravimetry. The capability of β-CD grafted in the siloxane polymers to form inclusion complexes was evaluated by the formation of β-CD-phenolphthalein complex, by UV-vis spectrum. The ability of water diffusion into β-CD-PSS film was evaluated by swollen measurement. β-CD-modified siloxanes were able to form films and their morphologies were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. (author)

Hybrid conducting polymer materials incorporating poly-oxo-metalates for extraction of actinides; Materiaux polymeres conducteurs hybrides incorporant des polyoxometallates pour l'extraction d'actinides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Racimor, D

2003-09-15

The preparation and characterization of hybrid conducting polymers incorporating poly-oxo-metalates for extracting actinides is discussed. A study of the coordination of various lanthanide cations (Ce(III), Ce(IV), Nd(III)) by the mono-vacant poly-oxo-metalate {alpha}{sub 2}-[P{sub 2}W{sub 17}O{sub 61}]{sup 10-} showed significant differences according to the cation.. Various {alpha}-A-[PW{sub 9}O{sub 34}(RPO){sub 2}]{sup 5-} hybrids were synthesized and their affinity for actinides or lanthanides was demonstrated through complexation. The first hybrid poly-oxo-metallic lanthanide complexes were then synthesized, as was the first hybrid functionalized with a pyrrole group. The electro-polymerization conditions of this pyrrole remain still to be optimized. Poly-pyrrole materials incorporating {alpha}{sub 2}-[P{sub 2}W{sub 17}O{sub 61}]{sup 10-} or its neodymium or cerium complexes as doping agents proved to be the first conducting polymer incorporating poly-oxo-metalates capable of extracting plutonium from nitric acid. (author)

White light generation tuned by dual hybridization of nanocrystals and conjugated polymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Demir, Hilmi Volkan [Devices and Sensors Group and Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800 (Turkey); Nizamoglu, Sedat [Devices and Sensors Group and Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800 (Turkey); Ozel, Tuncay [Devices and Sensors Group and Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800 (Turkey); Mutlugun, Evren [Devices and Sensors Group and Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800 (Turkey); Huyal, Ilkem Ozge [Devices and Sensors Group and Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800 (Turkey); Sari, Emre [Devices and Sensors Group and Nanotechnology Research Center, Bilkent University, Ankara 06800 (Turkey); Holder, Elisabeth [Functional Polymers Group and Institute of Polymer Technology, University of Wuppertal, Gaussstrasse 20, D-42097 Wuppertal (Germany); Tian Nan [Functional Polymers Group and Institute of Polymer Technology, University of Wuppertal, Gaussstrasse 20, D-42097 Wuppertal (Germany)

2007-10-15

Dual hybridization of highly fluorescent conjugated polymers and highly luminescent nanocrystals (NCs) is developed and demonstrated in multiple combinations for controlled white light generation with high color rendering index (CRI) (> 80) for the first time. The generated white light is tuned using layer-by-layer assembly of CdSe/ZnS core-shell NCs closely packed on polyfluorene, hybridized on near-UV emitting nitride-based light emitting diodes (LEDs). The design, synthesis, growth, fabrication and characterization of these hybrid inorganic-organic white LEDs are presented. The following experimental realizations are reported: (i) layer-by-layer hybridization of yellow NCs ({lambda}{sub PL}=580 nm) and blue polyfluorene ({lambda}{sub PL}=439 nm) with tristimulus coordinates of (x, y)=(0.31, 0.27), correlated color temperature of T{sub c}=6962 K and CRI of R{sub a}=53.4; (ii) layer-by-layer assembly of yellow and green NCs ({lambda}{sub PL}=580 and 540 nm) and blue polyfluorene ({lambda}{sub PL}=439 nm) with (x, y)=(0.23, 0.30), T{sub c}=14395 K and R{sub a}=65.7; and (iii) layer-by-layer deposition of yellow, green and red NCs ({lambda}{sub PL}=580, 540 and 620 nm) and blue polyfluorene ({lambda}{sub PL}=439 nm) with (x, y)=(0.38, 0.39), T{sub c}=4052 K and R{sub a}= 83.0. The CRI is demonstrated to be well controlled and significantly improved by increasing multi-chromaticity of the NC and polymer emitters.

Controlled drug release from a novel injectable biodegradable microsphere/scaffold composite based on poly(propylene fumarate).

Science.gov (United States)

Kempen, Diederik H R; Lu, Lichun; Kim, Choll; Zhu, Xun; Dhert, Wouter J A; Currier, Bradford L; Yaszemski, Michael J

2006-04-01

The ideal biomaterial for the repair of bone defects is expected to have good mechanical properties, be fabricated easily into a desired shape, support cell attachment, allow controlled release of bioactive factors to induce bone formation, and biodegrade into nontoxic products to permit natural bone formation and remodeling. The synthetic polymer poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF) holds great promise as such a biomaterial. In previous work we developed poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and PPF microspheres for the controlled delivery of bioactive molecules. This study presents an approach to incorporate these microspheres into an injectable, porous PPF scaffold. Model drug Texas red dextran (TRD) was encapsulated into biodegradable PLGA and PPF microspheres at 2 microg/mg microsphere. Five porous composite formulations were fabricated via a gas foaming technique by combining the injectable PPF paste with the PLGA or PPF microspheres at 100 or 250 mg microsphere per composite formulation, or a control aqueous TRD solution (200 microg per composite). All scaffolds had an interconnected pore network with an average porosity of 64.8 +/- 3.6%. The presence of microspheres in the composite scaffolds was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy. The composite scaffolds exhibited a sustained release of the model drug for at least 28 days and had minimal burst release during the initial phase of release, as compared to drug release from microspheres alone. The compressive moduli of the scaffolds were between 2.4 and 26.2 MPa after fabrication, and between 14.9 and 62.8 MPa after 28 days in PBS. The scaffolds containing PPF microspheres exhibited a significantly higher initial compressive modulus than those containing PLGA microspheres. Increasing the amount of microspheres in the composites was found to significantly decrease the initial compressive modulus. The novel injectable PPF-based microsphere/scaffold composites developed in this study

Synthesis and properties of imidazole-grafted hybrid inorganic-organic polymer membranes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Siwen; Zhou Zhen; Liu Meilin; Li Wen; Ukai, Junzo; Hase, Kohei; Nakanishi, Masatsugu

2006-01-01

Imidazole rings were grafted on alkoxysilane with a simple nucleophilic substitute reaction to form hybrid inorganic-organic polymers with imidazole rings. Proton exchange membranes (PEM) based on these hybrid inorganic-organic polymers and H 3 PO 4 exhibit high proton conductivity and high thermal stability in an atmosphere of low relative humidity. The grafted imidazole rings improved the proton conductivity of the membranes in the high temperature range. It is found that the proton conductivities increase with H 3 PO 4 content and temperature, reaching 3.2 x 10 -3 S/cm at 110 deg. C in a dry atmosphere for a membrane with 1 mole of imidazole ring and 7 moles of H 3 PO 4 . The proton conductivity increases with relative humidity (RH) as well, reaching 4.3 x 10 -2 S/cm at 110 deg. C when the RH is increased to about 20%. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicates that these membranes are thermally stable up to 250 deg. C in dry air, implying that they have a good potential to be used as the membranes for high-temperature PEM fuel cells

Hybrid solar cells composed of perovskite and polymer photovoltaic structures

Science.gov (United States)

Phaometvarithorn, Apatsanan; Chuangchote, Surawut; Kumnorkaew, Pisist; Wootthikanokkhan, Jatuphorn

2018-06-01

Organic/inorganic lead halide perovskite solar cells have recently attracted much attention in photovoltaic research, due to the devices show promising ways to achieve high efficiencies. The perovskite devices with high efficiencies, however, are typically fabricated in tandem solar cell which is complicated. In this research work, we introduce a solar cell device with the combination of CH3NH3PbI3-xClx perovskite and bulk heterojunction PCDTBT:PC70BM polymer without any tandem structure. The new integrated perovskite/polymer hybrid structure of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/perovskite/PCDTBT:PC70BM/PC70BM/TiOx/Al provides higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) of devices compared with conventional perovskite cell structure. With the optimized PCDTBT:PC70BM thickness of ∼70 nm, the highest PCE of 11.67% is achieved. Variation of conducting donor polymers in this new structure is also preliminary demonstrated. This study provides an attractively innovative structure and a promising design for further development of the new-generation solar cells.

Hybrid energy harvesting systems, using piezoelectric elements and dielectric polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Cornogolub, Alexandru; Cottinet, Pierre-Jean; Petit, Lionel

2016-09-01

Interest in energy harvesting applications has increased a lot during recent years. This is especially true for systems using electroactive materials like dielectric polymers or piezoelectric materials. Unfortunately, these materials despite multiple advantages, present some important drawbacks. For example, many dielectric polymers demonstrated high energy densities; they are cheap, easy to process and can be easily integrated in many different structures. But at the same time, dielectric polymer generators require an external energy supply which could greatly compromise their autonomy. Piezoelectric systems, on the other hand, are completely autonomous and can be easily miniaturized. However, most common piezoelectric materials present a high rigidity and are brittle by nature and therefore their integration could be difficult. This paper investigates the possibility of using hybrid systems combining piezoelectric elements and dielectric polymers for mechanical energy harvesting applications and it is focused mainly on the problem of electrical energy transfer. Our objective is to show that such systems can be interesting and that it is possible to benefit from the advantages of both materials. For this, different configurations were considered and the problem of their optimization was addressed. The experimental work enabled us to prove the concept and identify the main practical limitations.

Preparation of a reproducible long-acting formulation of risperidone-loaded PLGA microspheres using microfluidic method.

Science.gov (United States)

Jafarifar, Elham; Hajialyani, Marziyeh; Akbari, Mona; Rahimi, Masoud; Shokoohinia, Yalda; Fattahi, Ali

2017-09-01

The aim of the present study is to prepare risperidone-loaded poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) microspheres within microfluidic system and to achieve a formulation with uniform size and monotonic and reproducible release profile. In comparison to batch method, T-junction and serpentine chips were utilized and optimizing study was carried out at different processing parameters (e.g. PLGA and surfactant concentration and flow rates ratio of outer to inner phase). The computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modeling was performed, and loading and release study were carried out. CFD simulation indicates that increasing the flow rate of aqueous phase cause to decrease the droplet size, while the change in size of microspheres did not follow a specific pattern in the experimental results. The most uniform microspheres and narrowest standard deviation (66.79 μm ± 3.32) were achieved using T-junction chip, 1% polyvinylalcohol, 1% PLGA and flow rates ratio of 20. The microfluidic-assisted microspheres were more uniform with narrower size distribution. The release of risperidone from microspheres produced by the microfluidic method was more reproducible and closer to zero-order kinetic model. The release profile of formulation with 2:1 drug-to-polymer ratio was the most favorable release, in which 41.85% release could be achieved during 24 days.

Influence of Sodium Alginate on Hypoglycemic Activity of Metformin Hydrochloride in the Microspheres Obtained by the Spray Drying

OpenAIRE

Szekalska, Marta; Wróblewska, Magdalena; Sosnowska, Katarzyna; Winnicka, Katarzyna

2016-01-01

Alginate microspheres with metformin hydrochloride were prepared by the spray drying method in order to improve residence time of drug in the stomach. Nine formulations (F1–F9) with various drug : polymer ratio (1 : 2, 1 : 1, and 2 : 1) and different sodium alginate concentration (1%, 2%, and 3%) were evaluated for size, morphology, drug loading, Zeta potential, and swelling degree. In vitro drug release, mathematical release profile, and physical state of microspheres were also evaluated. Op...

Chitosan-graphene oxide films and CO2-dried porous aerogel microspheres: Interfacial interplay and stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Frindy, Sana; Primo, Ana; Ennajih, Hamid; El Kacem Qaiss, Abou; Bouhfid, Rachid; Lahcini, Mohamed; Essassi, El Mokhtar; Garcia, Hermenegildo; El Kadib, Abdelkrim

2017-07-01

The intimate interplay of chitosan (CS) and graphene oxide (GO) in aqueous acidic solution has been explored to design upon casting, nanostructured "brick-and-mortar" films (CS-GO-f) and by acidic-to-basic pH inversion, porous CO 2 -dried aerogel microspheres (CS-GO-m). Owing to the presence of oxygenated functional groups in GO, good-quality crack-free hybrid films were obtained. Mechanical properties were improved independently of the GO content and it was found that a 20wt% loading affords hybrid film characterized with a Young modulus three times superior to that reached with the same loading of layered clay. The presence of graphene oxide was found to be detrimental for the thermal stability of the polysaccharide at T <350°C, a fact attributed to the well-established decomposition of the oxygenated functional groups of the graphene sheets. Irrespective to the graphene oxide loading, chitosan-graphene oxide mixture preserves the gelation memory of the polysaccharide. Supercritical drying of the resulting soft hydrogels provides macroporous network with surface areas ranging from 226m 2 g -1 to 554m 2 g -1 . XPS and RAMAN analyses evidenced the selective reduction of GO sheets inside of these microspheres, affording the hitherto unknown macroporous chitosan-entangled-reduced graphene oxide (CS-rGO-m) aerogels. Improvement in both hydrothermal stability (under water reflux) and chemical stability (under acidic conditions) have been noticed for chitosan-graphene oxide microspheres with respect to non-modified chitosan and chitosan-clay bio-hybrids, a result rooted in the substantial hydrophobic character imparted by the addition of graphenic material to the polysaccharide skeleton. In essence, this contribution demonstrates that graphene oxide loading do not disturb neither the filmogenicity of chitosan nor its gelation ability and constitutes a promising route for novel chitosan-based functional hybrid materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

Application of hybrid organic/inorganic polymers as coatings on metallic substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Augustinho, T. R.; Motz, G.; Ihlow, S.; Machado, R. A. F.

2016-09-01

Acrylic polymers, particularly poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), have certain specific properties, such as good film formation, transparency, and good mechanical properties, which have been widely used in paints, coatings and adhesives. However, the limited chemical and physical stability of these pure polymers limits their applications when exposed to hostile conditions, as in ship hulls, for example. A suitable way to enhance PMMA properties is the addition of silicon polymers with very good protective characteristics. In this study, a PMMA and HTT 1800 (commercial silazane) copolymer were applied on metallic substrate and compared to pure PMMA and HTT 1800. All the materials were applied as coatings. They were applied on stainless steel via dip-coating to investigate the coating properties. Thermal cycling was employed to analyze coating durability at high temperatures (50 °C to 600 °C). Optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the coated surfaces, and the adhesion of pure PMMA, pure HTT 1800 and PMMA/HTT 1800 coatings on metallic substrate was investigated by Cross-Cut-Test (ASTM D 3359). The sessile drop method was used to determine the contact angle. PMMA coatings presented complete degradation from 250 °C, while hybrid coatings of PMMA and HTT 1800 have good protection until 400 °C. The adherence of the coating on metallic substrate showed improvement in all synthesized materials when compared to pure PMMA, obtaining the best adherence possible. The contact angle test showed that the hydrophobicity of the hybrid coatings is higher than that of the pure coatings.

Fabrication of poly(o-anisidine) coated silica core-shell microspheres and their electrorheological response

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Chul Joo; Choi, Hyoung Jin

2017-11-01

In this work, silica/poly(o-anisidine) (POA) core-shell structured microspheres were synthesized by coating the silica core surface with POA with a help of a chemical grafting agent, N-[(3-trimethoxylsilyl)-propyl] aniline. The synthesized silica microspheres were then applied as a polymer/inorganic composite particle-based electrorheological (ER) fluid. The morphology of the silica/POA microspheres was examined by using both transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, while their thermal properties and chemical structure were checked by thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, respectively. The ER properties of the silica/POA particle-based ER fluid were examined by using a Couette-type rotational rheometer equipped with a high-voltage power supplier and analyzed by the Bingham model and modified Mason number. In order to obtain additional information about the electrical polarization properties, the dielectric spectra were measured by an LCR meter and fitted by using the Cole-Cole equation. Furthermore, suspension stability of the ER fluid was tested using Turbiscan.

2D mesoscale colloidal crystal patterns on polymer substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Bredikhin, Vladimir; Bityurin, Nikita

2018-05-01

The development of nanosphere lithography relies on the ability of depositing 2D colloidal crystals comprising micro- and nano-size elements on substrates of different materials. One of the most difficult problems here is deposition of coatings on hydrophobic substrates, e.g. polymers, from aqueous colloidal solutions. We use UV photooxidation for substrate hydrophilization. We demonstrate a new method of producing a two-dimensional ordered array of polymer microparticles (polystyrene microspheres ∼1 μm in diameter) on a polymer substrate (PMMA). We show that implementation of the new deposition technique for directed self-assembly of microspheres on an UV irradiated surface provides an opportunity to obtain coatings on a hydrophilized PMMA surface of large area (∼5 cm2). UV irradiation of the surface through masks allows creating 2D patterns consisting of mesoscale elements formed by the deposited self-assembled microparticles owing to the fact that the colloidal particles are deposited only on the irradiated area leaving the non-irradiated sections intact.

Studies on as separation behaviour of polymer blending PI/PES hybrid mixed membrane: Effect of polymer concentration and zeolite loading

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmad Fauzi Ismail

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This study is performed primarily to investigate the effect of polymer concentration of polyimide/polyethersulfone (PI/PES blending on the gas separation performance of hybrid mixed matrix membrane. In this study, PI/ (PES–zeolite 4A mixed matrix membranes were casted using dry/wet phase inversion technique. The efefct of PI/PES concentrations and zeolite loading on the dope solution were investigated for gas separation performance. The results from the Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM analysis confirmed that polymer concentration and zeolite loading was affected the morphology of membrane and gas separation performance. ‘Sieve-in-a-cage’ morphology observed the poor adhesion between polymer and zeolite at higher zeolite loading. The gas separation performance of the mixed matrix membranes were relatively higher compared to that of the neat polymeric membrane.

Photonic nanojet super-resolution in immersed ordered assembly of dielectric microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geints, Y.E.; Zemlyanov, A.A.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Ordered microassemblies of dielectric microspheres immersed in a transparent matrix exposed to a light wave produce an array of the “photonic nanojets” coupled through the field interference. • “Photonic nanojet” parameters depend on the inter-sphere gap and immersion depth. • Sphere microassembly can produce the jets with the sub-diffraction spatial resolution if the particles are loosely packed and semi-immersed. - Abstract: Specific spatially-localized optical field structure, which is often referred to as a photonic nanojet (PNJ), is formed in the near-field scattering area of non-absorbing dielectric micron-sized particle exposed to an optical radiation. By virtue of the finite-difference time-domain technique we numerically simulate the two-dimensional array of PNJs created by an ordered single-layer microassembly of glass microspheres immersed in a transparent polymer matrix. The behavior of the main PNJ parameters (length, diameter, and intensity) is analyzed subject to the immersion depth of the microparticles and cooperative interference effects of the neighboring microspheres. We show that depending on microassembly configuration, the PNJ quality can be significantly improved; in particular, the PNJ spatial resolution better than λ/5 can be achieved.

Synthesis of core-shell molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres by precipitation polymerization for the inline molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction of thiabendazole from citrus fruits and orange juice samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Barahona, Francisco; Turiel, Esther; Cormack, Peter A G; Martín-Esteban, Antonio

2011-01-01

In this work, the synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres with narrow particle size distributions and core-shell morphology by a two-step precipitation polymerization procedure is described. Polydivinylbenzene (poly DVB-80) core particles were used as seed particles in the production of molecularly imprinted polymer shells by copolymerization of divinylbenzene-80 with methacrylic acid in the presence of thiabendazole (TBZ) and an appropriate porogen. Thereafter, polymer particles were packed into refillable stainless steel HPLC columns used in the development of an inline molecularly imprinted SPE method for the determination of TBZ in citrus fruits and orange juice samples. Under optimized chromatographic conditions, recoveries of TBZ within the range 81.1-106.4%, depending upon the sample, were obtained, with RSDs lower than 10%. This novel method permits the unequivocal determination of TBZ in the samples under study, according to the maximum residue levels allowed within Europe, in less than 20 min and without any need for a clean-up step in the analytical protocol. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Development and in vitro evaluation of diclofenac sodium loaded mucoadhesive microsphere with natural gum for sustained delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Amin, Md Lutful; Jesmeen, Tasbira; Sutradhar, Kumar Bishwajit; Mannan, Md Abdul

2013-12-01

The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate mucoadhesive microsphere of diclofenac sodium with natural gums for sustained delivery. Guar gum and tragacanth were used along with sodium alginate as mucoadhesive polymers. Microspheres were formulated using orifice-ionic gelation method. Particle size, surface morphology, swelling study and drug entrapment efficiency of the prepared microspheres were determined. In vitro evaluation was carried out comprising of mucoadhesion and drug release study. The prepared microspheres were discrete and free flowing. Sodium alginate and natural gum, at a ratio of 1:0.25, showed good mucoadhesive property and they had high drug entrapment efficiencies. They also exhibited the best rate retarding effect among all the formulations. Drug entrapment efficiency of all the microspheres ranged from 80.42% to 91.67%. An inverse relationship was found between extent of crosslinking and drug release rate. Release rate was slow and extended in case of the formulations of 1:0.25 ratio (F1 and F3), releasing 68.36% and 70.56% drug respectively after 8 hours. Tragacanth-containing microspheres of F1 showed superiority over other formulations, with best mucoadhesive and rate retarding profile. The correlation value (r(2)) indicated that the drug release of all the formulations followed Higuchi's model. Overall, the results indicated that mucoadhesive microspheres containing natural gum can be promising in terms of prolonged delivery with good mucoadhesive action, targeting the absorption site to thrive oral drug delivery.

Semi-crystalline photovoltaic polymers with siloxane-terminated hybrid side-chains

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yuxiang Li; Seyeong Song; Song Yi Park; Jin Young Kim; Han Young Woo

2017-01-01

Three types of semi-cry stalline photovoltaic polymers were synthesized by incorporating a siloxane-terminated organic/inorganic hybrid side-chain and changing the number of fluorine substituents.A branch point away from a polymer main backbone in the siloxane-containing side-chains and the intra-and/or interchain noncovalent coulombic interactions enhance a chain planarity and facile interchain organization.The resulting polymers formed strongly agglomerated films with high roughness,suggesting strong intermolecular interactions.The optical band gap of ca.1.7 eV was measured for all polymers with a pronounced shoulder peak due to tight π-π stacking.With increasing the fluorine substituents,the frontier energy levels decreased and preferential face-on orientation was observed.The siloxane-terminated side-chains and fluorine substitution promoted the intermolecular packing,showing well resolved lamellar scatterings up to（300） for this series of polymers in the grazing incidence wide angle X-ray scattering measurements.The PPsiDTBT,PPsiDTFBT and PPsiDT2 FBT devices showed a power conversion efficiency of 3.16%,4.40%and 5.65%,respectively,by blending with PC71BM.Langevin-type bimolecular charge recombination was similar for three polymeric solar cells.The main loss in the photocurrent generation for PPsiDTBT:PC71BM was interpreted to originate from the trap assisted charge recombination by measuring light-intensity dependent short-circuit current density(JSC) and open-circuit voltage(VOc).Our results provide a new insight into the rational selection of solubilizing substituents for optimizing crystalline interchain packing with appropriate miscibility with PC71 BM for further optimizing polymer solar cells.

Semi-crystalline photovoltaic polymers with siloxane-terminated hybrid side-chains

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yuxiang Li; Seyeong Song; Song Yi Park; Jin Young Kim; Han Young Woo

2017-01-01

Three types of semi-crystalline photovoltaic polymers were synthesized by incorporating a siloxane-terminated organic/inorganic hybrid side-chain and changing the number of fluorine substituents.A branch point away from a polymer main backbone in the siloxane-containing side-chains and the intra-and/or interchain noncovalent coulombic interactions enhance a chain planarity and facile interchain organization.The resulting polymers formed strongly agglomerated films with high roughness,suggesting strong intermolecular interactions.The optical band gap of ca.1.7 eV was measured for all polymers with a pronounced shoulder peak due to tight π-π stacking.With increasing the fluorine substituents,the frontier energy levels decreased and preferential face-on orientation was observed.The siloxane-terminated side-chains and fluorine substitution promoted the intermolecular packing,showing well resolved lamellar scatterings up to (300) for this series of polymers in the grazing incidence wide angle X-ray scattering measurements.The PPsiDTBT,PPsiDTFBT and PPsiDT2FBT devices showed a power conversion efficiency of 3.16％,4.40％ and 5.65％,respectively,by blending with PC71BM.Langevin-type bimolecular charge recombination was similar for three polymeric solar cells.The main loss in the photocurrent generation for PPsiDTBT:PC71BM was interpreted to originate from the trap assisted charge recombination by measuring light-intensity dependent short-circuit current density (Jsc) and open-circuit voltage (Voc).Our results provide a new insight into the rational selection of solubilizing substituents for optimizing crystalline interchain packing with appropriate miscibility with PC71BM for further optimizing polymer solar cells.

Selective removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol from contaminated water using non-covalent imprinted microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Ying; Li Xin; Li Yuqi; Qi Jingyao; Bian Jiang; Yuan Yixing

2009-01-01

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for selective removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) in water was prepared as microspheres by the reverse microemulsion polymerization method based on the non-covalent interactions between 2,4-DCP, oleic acid, and divinylbenzene in acetonitrile. Microspheres have been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS) studies with evidence of 2,4-DCP linkage in polymer particles and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to study their morphological properties. The proper adsorption and selective recognition ability of the MIP were studied by an equilibrium-adsorption method. The MIP showed outstanding affinity towards 2,4-DCP in aqueous solution and the optimum pH value for binding has been found around the neutral range. The molecular recognition of 2,4-DCP was analyzed in detail by using molecular modeling software. In addition, by investigating the variation in the adsorption ability of the MIP, it clearly showed excellent reproducibility. - Molecular imprinting has potential as a remediation technology in water treatment.

Strategies for encapsulation of small hydrophilic and amphiphilic drugs in PLGA microspheres: State-of-the-art and challenges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ramazani, F.; Chen, Weiluan; van Nostrum, C.F.; Storm, Gerrit; Kiessling, F.; Lammers, Twan Gerardus Gertudis Maria; Hennink, W.E.; Kok, R.J.

2016-01-01

Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres are efficient delivery systems for controlled release of low molecular weight drugs as well as therapeutic macromolecules. The most common microencapsulation methods are based on emulsification procedures, in which emulsified droplets of polymer and

PEGylation controls attachment and engulfment of monodisperse magnetic poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) microspheres by murine J774.2 macrophages

Science.gov (United States)

Horák, Daniel; Hlidková, Helena; Klyuchivska, Olga; Grytsyna, Iryna; Stoika, Rostyslav

2017-12-01

The first objective of this work was to prepare biocompatible magnetic polymer microspheres with reactive functional groups that could withstand nonspecific protein adsorption from biological media. Carboxyl group-containing magnetic poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (mgt.PHEMA) microspheres ∼4 μm in size were prepared by multistage swelling polymerization, precipitation of iron oxide inside their pores, and coating with an α-methoxy-ω-amino poly(ethylene glycol) (CH3O-PEG750-NH2 or CH3O-PEG5,000-NH2)/α-amino-ω-t-Boc-amino poly(ethylene glycol) (H2N-PEG5,000-NH-t-Boc) mixture. The mgt.PHEMA@PEG microspheres contained ∼10 μmol COOH per g. Biocompatibility of the particles was evaluated by their treatment with human embryonic kidney cells of the HEK293 line. The microspheres did not interfere with the growth of these cells, suggesting that the particles can be considered non-toxic. A second goal of this study was to address on the interaction of the developed microspheres with macrophages that commonly eliminate foreign microbodies appearing in organisms. Murine J774.2 macrophages (J774.2) were cultured in the presence of the neat and PEGylated microspheres for 2 h. Mgt.PHEMA@PEG5,000 microspheres significantly adhered to the surface of J774.2 macrophages but were minimally engulfed. Due to these properties, the mgt.PHEMA@PEG microspheres might be useful for application in drug delivery systems and monitoring of the efficiency of phagocytosis.

Metallic coating of microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer, S.F.

1980-01-01

Extremely smooth, uniform metal coatings of micrometer thicknesses on microscopic glass spheres (microspheres) are often needed as targets for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments. The first part of this paper reviews those methods used successfully to provide metal coated microspheres for ICF targets, including magnetron sputtering, electro- and electroless plating, and chemical vapor pyrolysis. The second part of this paper discusses some of the critical aspects of magnetron sputter coating of microspheres, including substrate requirements, the sticking of microspheres during coating (preventing a uniform coating), and the difficulties in growing the desired dense, smooth, uniform microstructure on continuously moving spherical substrates

Enhanced performance of microfluidic soft pressure sensors with embedded solid microspheres

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Hee-Sup; Ryu, Jaiyoung; Majidi, Carmel; Park, Yong-Lae

2016-02-01

The cross-sectional geometry of an embedded microchannel influences the electromechanical response of a soft microfluidic sensor to applied surface pressure. When a pressure is exerted on the surface of the sensor deforming the soft structure, the cross-sectional area of the embedded channel filled with a conductive fluid decreases, increasing the channel’s electrical resistance. This electromechanical coupling can be tuned by adding solid microspheres into the channel. In order to determine the influence of microspheres, we use both analytic and computational methods to predict the pressure responses of soft microfluidic sensors with two different channel cross-sections: a square and an equilateral triangular. The analytical models were derived from contact mechanics in which microspheres were regarded as spherical indenters, and finite element analysis (FEA) was used for simulation. For experimental validation, sensor samples with the two different channel cross-sections were prepared and tested. For comparison, the sensor samples were tested both with and without microspheres. All three results from the analytical models, the FEA simulations, and the experiments showed reasonable agreement confirming that the multi-material soft structure significantly improved its pressure response in terms of both linearity and sensitivity. The embedded solid particles enhanced the performance of soft sensors while maintaining their flexible and stretchable mechanical characteristic. We also provide analytical and experimental analyses of hysteresis of microfluidic soft sensors considering a resistive force to the shape recovery of the polymer structure by the embedded viscous fluid.

Morphology of protein polymer hybrid films studied by AFM and scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Foubert, P.; Hannink, J.M.; Köhn, F.; Gronheid, R.; Sommerdijk, N.A.J.M.; Nolte, R.J.M.; Feyter, de S.; Schryver, de F.C.

2003-01-01

Protein–polymer hybrids can act as giant monolayer-forming amphiphiles at the air–water interface. Using biotinylated polystyrene (PSb) as the hydrophobic part and streptavidin (SAv) as a hydrophilic end of the giant amphiphile, monolayer formation and subsequent deposition leads to a well defined

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%.

Sprayed microspheres of poly(lactic acid) obtained with calcium compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goncalves, Raquel P.; Picciani, Paulo H. de Souza; Dias, Marcos L.

2011-01-01

In this work PLLA and PDLA were synthesized using calcium methoxide (Ca(OMe) 2 ) as initiator. This compound shows good activity in the bulk polymerization of L-lactide (LLA) and D-lactide (DLA) producing polymers with average molecular weight up to 22,300 g/mol, but with microstructure containing a significant amount of estereoerros, as revealed by 13 C NMR. Block copolymers containing blocks of L-and D-lactic acid were also prepared, using the method of sequential addition of LLA and DLA in an attempt to obtain stereo complexes. Analyses of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the polymers obtained with catalysts of calcium produced PLA microspheres with diameters of around 5 μm via electro spray technique. (author)

Young’s Modulus of Polycrystalline Titania Microspheres Determined by In Situ Nanoindentation and Finite Element Modeling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peida Hao

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In situ nanoindentation was employed to probe the mechanical properties of individual polycrystalline titania (TiO2 microspheres. The force-displacement curves captured by a hybrid scanning electron microscope/scanning probe microscope (SEM/SPM system were analyzed based on Hertz’s theory of contact mechanics. However, the deformation mechanisms of the nano/microspheres in the nanoindentation tests are not very clear. Finite element simulation was employed to investigate the deformation of spheres at the nanoscale under the pressure of an AFM tip. Then a revised method for the calculation of Young’s modulus of the microspheres was presented based on the deformation mechanisms of the spheres and Hertz’s theory. Meanwhile, a new force-displacement curve was reproduced by finite element simulation with the new calculation, and it was compared with the curve obtained by the nanoindentation experiment. The results of the comparison show that utilization of this revised model produces more accurate results. The calculated results showed that Young’s modulus of a polycrystalline TiO2 microsphere was approximately 30% larger than that of the bulk counterpart.

Scanning electrochemical microscopy of graphene/polymer hybrid thin films as supercapacitors: Physical-chemical interfacial processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanju Gupta

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Hybrid electrode comprising an electric double-layer capacitor of graphene nanosheets and a pseudocapacitor of the electrically conducting polymers namely, polyaniline; PAni and polypyrrole; PPy are constructed that exhibited synergistic effect with excellent electrochemical performance as thin film supercapacitors for alternative energy. The hybrid supercapacitors were prepared by layer-by-layer (LbL assembly based on controlled electrochemical polymerization followed by reduction of graphene oxide electrochemically producing ErGO, for establishing intimate electronic contact through nanoscale architecture and chemical stability, producing a single bilayer of (PAni/ErGO1, (PPy/ErGO1, (PAni/GO1 and (PPy/GO1. The rationale design is to create thin films that possess interconnected graphene nanosheets (GNS with polymer nanostructures forming well-defined tailored interfaces allowing sufficient surface adsorption and faster ion transport due to short diffusion distances. We investigated their electrochemical properties and performance in terms of gravimetric specific capacitance, Cs, from cyclic voltammograms. The LbL-assembled bilayer films exhibited an excellent Cs of ≥350 F g−1 as compared with constituents (∼70 F g−1 at discharge current density of 0.3 A g−1 that outperformed many other hybrid supercapacitors. To gain deeper insights into the physical-chemical interfacial processes occurring at the electrode/electrolyte interface that govern their operation, we have used scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM technique in feedback and probe approach modes. We present our findings from viewpoint of reinforcing the role played by heterogeneous electrode surface composed of nanoscale graphene sheets (conducting and conducting polymers (semiconducting backbone with ordered polymer chains via higher/lower probe current distribution maps. Also targeted is SECM imaging that allowed to determine electrochemical (reactivity of surface ion

Scanning electrochemical microscopy of graphene/polymer hybrid thin films as supercapacitors: Physical-chemical interfacial processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gupta, Sanju, E-mail: sanju.gupta@wku.edu; Price, Carson [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Western Kentucky University, 1906 College Heights Blvd., Bowling Green, KY 42101-3576 (United States)

2015-10-15

Hybrid electrode comprising an electric double-layer capacitor of graphene nanosheets and a pseudocapacitor of the electrically conducting polymers namely, polyaniline; PAni and polypyrrole; PPy are constructed that exhibited synergistic effect with excellent electrochemical performance as thin film supercapacitors for alternative energy. The hybrid supercapacitors were prepared by layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly based on controlled electrochemical polymerization followed by reduction of graphene oxide electrochemically producing ErGO, for establishing intimate electronic contact through nanoscale architecture and chemical stability, producing a single bilayer of (PAni/ErGO){sub 1}, (PPy/ErGO){sub 1}, (PAni/GO){sub 1} and (PPy/GO){sub 1}. The rationale design is to create thin films that possess interconnected graphene nanosheets (GNS) with polymer nanostructures forming well-defined tailored interfaces allowing sufficient surface adsorption and faster ion transport due to short diffusion distances. We investigated their electrochemical properties and performance in terms of gravimetric specific capacitance, C{sub s}, from cyclic voltammograms. The LbL-assembled bilayer films exhibited an excellent C{sub s} of ≥350 F g{sup −1} as compared with constituents (∼70 F g{sup −1}) at discharge current density of 0.3 A g{sup −1} that outperformed many other hybrid supercapacitors. To gain deeper insights into the physical-chemical interfacial processes occurring at the electrode/electrolyte interface that govern their operation, we have used scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) technique in feedback and probe approach modes. We present our findings from viewpoint of reinforcing the role played by heterogeneous electrode surface composed of nanoscale graphene sheets (conducting) and conducting polymers (semiconducting) backbone with ordered polymer chains via higher/lower probe current distribution maps. Also targeted is SECM imaging that allowed to determine

Scanning electrochemical microscopy of graphene/polymer hybrid thin films as supercapacitors: Physical-chemical interfacial processes

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Sanju; Price, Carson

2015-10-01

Hybrid electrode comprising an electric double-layer capacitor of graphene nanosheets and a pseudocapacitor of the electrically conducting polymers namely, polyaniline; PAni and polypyrrole; PPy are constructed that exhibited synergistic effect with excellent electrochemical performance as thin film supercapacitors for alternative energy. The hybrid supercapacitors were prepared by layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly based on controlled electrochemical polymerization followed by reduction of graphene oxide electrochemically producing ErGO, for establishing intimate electronic contact through nanoscale architecture and chemical stability, producing a single bilayer of (PAni/ErGO)1, (PPy/ErGO)1, (PAni/GO)1 and (PPy/GO)1. The rationale design is to create thin films that possess interconnected graphene nanosheets (GNS) with polymer nanostructures forming well-defined tailored interfaces allowing sufficient surface adsorption and faster ion transport due to short diffusion distances. We investigated their electrochemical properties and performance in terms of gravimetric specific capacitance, Cs, from cyclic voltammograms. The LbL-assembled bilayer films exhibited an excellent Cs of ≥350 F g-1 as compared with constituents (˜70 F g-1) at discharge current density of 0.3 A g-1 that outperformed many other hybrid supercapacitors. To gain deeper insights into the physical-chemical interfacial processes occurring at the electrode/electrolyte interface that govern their operation, we have used scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) technique in feedback and probe approach modes. We present our findings from viewpoint of reinforcing the role played by heterogeneous electrode surface composed of nanoscale graphene sheets (conducting) and conducting polymers (semiconducting) backbone with ordered polymer chains via higher/lower probe current distribution maps. Also targeted is SECM imaging that allowed to determine electrochemical (re)activity of surface ion adsorption sites

Functional Hybrid Biomaterials based on Peptide-Polymer Conjugates for Nanomedicine

Science.gov (United States)

Shu, Jessica Yo

The focus of this dissertation is the design, synthesis and characterization of hybrid functional biomaterials based on peptide-polymer conjugates for nanomedicine. Generating synthetic materials with properties comparable to or superior than those found in nature has been a "holy grail" for the materials community. Man-made materials are still rather simplistic when compared to the chemical and structural complexity of a cell. Peptide-polymer conjugates have the potential to combine the advantages of the biological and synthetic worlds---that is they can combine the precise chemical structure and diverse functionality of biomolecules with the stability and processibility of synthetic polymers. As a new family of soft matter, they may lead to materials with novel properties that have yet to be realized with either of the components alone. In order for peptide-polymer conjugates to reach their full potential as useful materials, the structure and function of the peptide should be maintained upon polymer conjugation. The success in achieving desirable, functional assemblies relies on fundamentally understanding the interactions between each building block and delicately balancing and manipulating these interactions to achieve targeted assemblies without interfering with designed structures and functionalities. Such fundamental studies of peptide-polymer interactions were investigated as the nature of the polymer (hydrophilic vs. hydrophobic) and the site of its conjugation (end-conjugation vs. side-conjugation) were varied. The fundamental knowledge gained was then applied to the design of amphiphiles that self-assemble to form stable functional micelles. The micelles exhibited exceptional monodispersity and long-term stability, which is atypical of self-assembled systems. Thus such micelles based on amphiphilic peptide-polymer conjugates may meet many current demands in nanomedicine, in particular for drug delivery of hydrophobic anti-cancer therapeutics. Lastly

Porous Zirconium-Furandicarboxylate Microspheres for Efficient Redox Conversion of Biofuranics.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Hu; Liu, Xiaofang; Yang, Tingting; Zhao, Wenfeng; Saravanamurugan, Shunmugavel; Yang, Song

2017-04-22

Biofuranic compounds, typically derived from C 5 and C 6 carbohydrates, have been extensively studied as promising alternatives to chemicals based on fossil resources. The present work reports the simple assembly of biobased 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) with different metal ions to prepare a range of metal-FDCA hybrids under hydrothermal conditions. The hybrid materials were demonstrated to have porous structure and acid-base bifunctionality. Zr-FDCA-T, in particular, showed a microspheric structure, high thermostability (ca. 400 °C), average pore diameters of approximately 4.7 nm, large density, moderate strength of Lewis-base/acid centers (ca. 1.4 mmol g -1 ), and a small number of Brønsted-acid sites. This material afforded almost quantitative yields of biofuranic alcohols from the corresponding aldehydes under mild conditions through catalytic transfer hydrogenation (CTH). Isotopic 1 H NMR spectroscopy and kinetic studies verified that direct hydride transfer was the dominant pathway and rate-determining step of the CTH. Importantly, the Zr-FDCA-T microspheres could be recycled with no decrease in catalytic performance and little leaching of active sites. Moreover, good yields of C 5 (i.e., furfural) or C 4 products [i.e., maleic acid and 2(5H)-furanone] could be obtained from furfuryl alcohol without oxidation of the furan ring over these metal-FDCA hybrids. The content and ratio of Lewis-acid/base sites were demonstrated to dominantly affect the catalytic performance of these redox reactions. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Polyacrolein with microspherical structure obtained by radiation-Initiation and base catalysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Usanmaz, A.; Dogan, R.D.

1990-01-01

Acrolein was polymerized by radiation and base catalyzed condensation. Radiation polymerization was carried in bulk form under vacuum and air atmosphere at several temperatures. The conversion reached close to 100 %, and polymers were free flowing white powders up to 5 % conversion at -15degC, up to 80 % at higher temperatures and up to 10 % in air atmosphere polymerization. Radiation polymerization from aqueous solutions of various pH and from acetone solutions gave white powder polymers with limiting conversions ranging from 10 to 18 % depending on the solution type or pH. The conversion at pH between 1, 5 to 8 gave minimum pH of 5 to 6. The base catalyzed polymerization at pH of 9 to 12 gave white powdered polymers changing to a yellowish colour with increase of pH. The limiting conversion was about 14 %. The nature of repeating units in the polymer chains was studied by IR and thermogravimetry. The polymers contained different repeating units randomly, and the aldehyde content was higher for radiation polymerization than base catalyzed polymerization. A scanning electron microscope investigation showed the powder polymers to have microspherical structures of various size depending on polymerization conditions. (author)

Mechanistic profiling of the siRNA delivery dynamics of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Colombo, Stefano; Cun, Dongmei; Remaut, Katrien

2015-01-01

Understanding the delivery dynamics of nucleic acid nanocarriers is fundamental to improve their design for therapeutic applications. We investigated the carrier structure-function relationship of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPNs) consisting of poly(dl-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nano...... of transfection-competent siRNA-DOTAP lipoplexes from the LPNs. Based on these results, we suggest a model for the nanostructural characteristics of the LPNs, in which the siRNA is organized in lamellar superficial assemblies and/or as complexes entrapped in the polymeric matrix.......Understanding the delivery dynamics of nucleic acid nanocarriers is fundamental to improve their design for therapeutic applications. We investigated the carrier structure-function relationship of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPNs) consisting of poly(dl-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA......) nanocarriers modified with the cationic lipid dioleoyltrimethyl-ammoniumpropane (DOTAP). A library of siRNA-loaded LPNs was prepared by systematically varying the nitrogen-to-phosphate (N/P) ratio. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) combined with small angle X...

Strontium-rich injectable hybrid system for bone regeneration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neves, Nuno, E-mail: nsmneves@gmail.com [Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto (Portugal); INEB — Instituto de Engenharia Biomédica, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 823, 4150-180 Porto (Portugal); FMUP — Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Departamento de Cirurgia, Serviço de Ortopedia, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto (Portugal); Campos, Bruno B. [FCUP — Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Centro de Investigação em Química, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Rua do Campo Alegre 1021/1055, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); Almeida, Isabel F.; Costa, Paulo C. [FFUP — Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Laboratório de Tecnologia Farmacêutica, Departamento de Ciências do Medicamento, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto (Portugal); Cabral, Abel Trigo [FMUP — Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto, Departamento de Cirurgia, Serviço de Ortopedia, Alameda Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto (Portugal); and others

2016-02-01

Current challenges in the development of scaffolds for bone regeneration include the engineering of materials that can withstand normal dynamic physiological mechanical stresses exerted on the bone and provide a matrix capable of supporting cell migration and tissue ingrowth. The objective of the present work was to develop and characterize a hybrid polymer–ceramic injectable system that consists of an alginate matrix crosslinked in situ in the presence of strontium (Sr), incorporating a ceramic reinforcement in the form of Sr-rich microspheres. The incorporation of Sr in the microspheres and in the vehicle relies on the growing evidence that Sr has beneficial effects in bone remodeling and in the treatment of osteopenic disorders and osteoporosis. Sr-rich porous hydroxyapatite microspheres with a uniform size and a mean diameter of 555 μm were prepared, and their compression strength and friability tested. A 3.5% (w/v) ultrapure sodium alginate solution was used as the vehicle and its in situ gelation was promoted by the addition of calcium (Ca) or Sr carbonate and Glucone-δ-lactone. Gelation times varied with temperature and crosslinking agent, being slower for Sr than for Ca, but adequate for injection in both cases. Injectability was evaluated using a device employed in vertebroplasty surgical procedures, coupled to a texture analyzer in compression mode. Compositions with 35% w of microspheres presented the best compromise between injectability and compression strength of the system, the force required to extrude it being lower than 100 N. Micro CT analysis revealed a homogeneous distribution of the microspheres inside the vehicle, and a mean inter-microspheres space of 220 μm. DMA results showed that elastic behavior of the hybrid is dominant over the viscous one and that the higher storage modulus was obtained for the 3.5%Alg–35%Sr-HAp-Sr formulation. - Highlights: • We developed a Sr rich viscoelastic hybrid system (alginate matrix crosslinked in

Formulation and evaluation of controlled-release of telmisartan microspheres: In vitro/in vivo study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Praveen Kumar Gaur

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to design a controlled-release drug-delivery system for the angiotensin-II receptor antagonist drug telmisartan. Telmisartan was encapsulated with different EUDRAGIT polymers by an emulsion solvent evaporation technique and the physicochemical properties of the formulations were characterized. Using a solvent evaporation method, white spherical microspheres with particle sizes of 629.9–792.1 μm were produced. The in vitro drug release was studied in three different pH media (pH 1.2 for 2 hours, pH 6.8 for 4 hours, and pH 7.4 for 18 hours. The formulations were then evaluated for their pharmacokinetic parameters. The entrapment efficiency of these microspheres was between 58.6% and 90.56%. The obtained microspheres showed good flow properties, which were evaluated in terms of angle of repose (15.29–26.32, bulk and tapped densities (0.37–0.53 and 0.43–0.64, respectively, Carr indices and Hausner ratio (12.94–19.14% and 1.14–1.23, respectively. No drug release was observed in the simulated gastric medium up to 2 hours; however, a change in pH from 1.2 to 6.8 increased the drug release. At pH 7.4, formulations with EUDRAGIT RS 100 showed a steady drug release. The microsphere formulation TMRS-3 (i.e., microspheres containing 2-mg telmisartan gave the highest Cmax value (6.8641 μg/mL at 6 hours, which was three times higher than Cmax for telmisartan oral suspension (TOS. Correspondingly, the area under the curve for TMRS-3 was 8.5 times higher than TOS. Particle size and drug release depended on the nature and content of polymer used. The drug release mechanism of the TMRS-3 formulation can be explained using the Higuchi model. The controlled release of drug from TMRS-3 also provides for higher plasma drug content and improved bioavailability.

Safety of intradiscal injection and biocompatibility of polyester amide microspheres in a canine model predisposed to intervertebral disc degeneration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Willems, Nicole; Mihov, George; Grinwis, Guy C M; van Dijk, Maarten; Schumann, Detlef; Bos, Clemens; Strijkers, Gustav J; Dhert, Wouter J A; Meij, Björn P; Creemers, Laura B.; Tryfonidou, Marianna A

Repair of degenerated intervertebral discs (IVD) might be established via intradiscal delivery of biologic therapies. Polyester amide polymers (PEA) were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo biocompatibility, and thereafter intradiscal application of PEA microspheres (PEAMs) in a canine

Safety of intradiscal injection and biocompatibility of polyester amide microspheres in a canine model predisposed to intervertebral disc degeneration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Willems, Nicole; Mihov, George; Grinwis, Guy C. M.; van Dijk, Maarten; Schumann, Detlef; Bos, Clemens; Strijkers, Gustav J.; Dhert, Wouter J. A.; Meij, Björn P.; Creemers, Laura B.; Tryfonidou, Marianna A.

2017-01-01

Repair of degenerated intervertebral discs (IVD) might be established via intradiscal delivery of biologic therapies. Polyester amide polymers (PEA) were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo biocompatibility, and thereafter intradiscal application of PEA microspheres (PEAMs) in a canine

RAFT polymerization of N,N-dimethylacrylamide from magnetic poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) microspheres to suppress nonspecific protein adsorption

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Cao, X.; Horák, Daniel; An, Z.; Plichta, Zdeněk

2016-01-01

Roč. 54, č. 8 (2016), s. 1036-1043 ISSN 0887-624X R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LH14318 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : magnetic polymers * microspheres * N,N-dimethylacrylamide Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 2.952, year: 2016

Fabrication of 2D protein microstructures and 3D polymer-protein hybrid microstructures by two-photon polymerization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Engelhardt, Sascha [Lehrstuhl fuer Lasertechnik, RWTH Aachen, Steinbachstrasse 15, Aachen (Germany); Hoch, Eva; Tovar, Guenter E M [Institut fuer Grenzflaechenverfahrenstechnik, Universitaet Stuttgart, Nobelstrasse 12, Stuttgart (Germany); Borchers, Kirsten [Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Grenzflaechen- und Bioverfahrenstechnik, Nobelstrasse 12, Stuttgart (Germany); Meyer, Wolfdietrich; Krueger, Hartmut [Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Angewandte Polymerforschung, Geiselbergstrasse 69, Potsdam (Germany); Gillner, Arnold, E-mail: sascha.engelhardt@ilt.fraunhofer.de [Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Lasertechnik, Steinbachstrasse 15, Aachen (Germany)

2011-06-15

Two-photon polymerization (TPP) offers the possibility of creating artificial cell scaffolds composed of micro- and nanostructures with spatial resolutions of less than 1 {mu}m. For use in tissue engineering, the identification of a TPP-processable polymer that provides biocompatibility, biofunctionality and appropriate mechanical properties is a difficult task. ECM proteins such as collagen or fibronectin, which could mimic native tissues best, often lack the mechanical stability. Hence, by generating polymer-protein hybrid structures, the beneficial properties of proteins can be combined with the advantageous characteristics of polymers, such as sufficient mechanical stability. This study describes three steps toward facilitated application of TPP for biomaterial generation. (1) The efficiency of a low-cost ps-laser source is compared to a fs-laser source by testing several materials. A novel photoinitiator for polymerization with a ps-laser source is synthesized and proved to enable increased fabrication throughput. (2) The fabrication of 3D-microstructures with both systems and the fabrication of polymer-protein hybrid structures are demonstrated. (3) The tissue engineering capabilities of TPP are demonstrated by creating cross-linked gelatin microstructures, which clearly forced porcine chondrocytes to adapt their cell morphology.

A facile approach to fabricate Au nanoparticles loaded SiO2 microspheres for catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, Mingyi; Huang, Guanbo; Li, Xianxian; Pang, Xiaobo; Qiu, Haixia

2015-01-01

Hydrophilic and biocompatible macromolecules were used to improve and simplify the process for the fabrication of core/shell SiO 2 @Au composite particles. The influence of polymers on the morphology of SiO 2 @Au particles with different size of SiO 2 cores was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The optical property of the SiO 2 @Au particles was studied with UV–Vis spectroscopy. The results indicate that the structure and composition of macromolecules affect the morphology of Au layers on SiO 2 microspheres. The SiO 2 @Au particles prepared in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) have thin and complete Au nanoshells owing to their inducing act in preferential growth of Au nanoparticles along the surface of SiO 2 microspheres. SiO 2 @Au particles can be also prepared from SiO 2 microspheres modified with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane in the presence of PVA or PVP. This offers a simple way to fabricate a Au layer on SiO 2 or other microspheres. The SiO 2 @Au particles demonstrated high catalytic activity in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol. - Highlights: • Facile direct deposition method for Au nanoparticles on silica microspheres. • Influence of different types of macromolecule on the formation of Au shell. • High catalytic performance of Au nanoparticles on silica microspheres

Modeling and simulation of surfactant-polymer flooding using a new hybrid method

Science.gov (United States)

Daripa, Prabir; Dutta, Sourav

2017-04-01

Chemical enhanced oil recovery by surfactant-polymer (SP) flooding has been studied in two space dimensions. A new global pressure for incompressible, immiscible, multicomponent two-phase porous media flow has been derived in the context of SP flooding. This has been used to formulate a system of flow equations that incorporates the effect of capillary pressure and also the effect of polymer and surfactant on viscosity, interfacial tension and relative permeabilities of the two phases. The coupled system of equations for pressure, water saturation, polymer concentration and surfactant concentration has been solved using a new hybrid method in which the elliptic global pressure equation is solved using a discontinuous finite element method and the transport equations for water saturation and concentrations of the components are solved by a Modified Method Of Characteristics (MMOC) in the multicomponent setting. Numerical simulations have been performed to validate the method, both qualitatively and quantitatively, and to evaluate the relative performance of the various flooding schemes for several different heterogeneous reservoirs.

Hydrophilic porous magnetic poly(GMA-MBAA-NVP) composite microspheres containing oxirane groups: An efficient carrier for immobilizing penicillin G acylase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xue, Ping; Su, Weiguang, E-mail: weiguangsu@nxu.edu.cn; Gu, Yaohua; Liu, Haifeng; Wang, Julan

2015-03-15

Magnetic hydrophilic polymeric microspheres containing oxirane groups were prepared by inverse suspension polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), N, N′-methylene bisacrylamide (MBAA) and N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP) in the existence of formamide, which were denoted as magnetic poly(GMA-MBAA-NVP) microspheres. The magnetic poly(GMA-MBAA-NVP) microspheres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and so on. The results showed that poly(GMA-MBAA-NVP) microspheres possessed well spherical shape, narrow size distribution, abundant porous structure, reactive oxirane groups and superparamagnetic properties. Formamide used in the present work served as a modifier, a dispersant and a porogen to form final porous polymer microspheres. The penicillin G acylase (PGA) was covalently immobilized onto the magnetic microspheres through the reaction between the amino groups of enzyme and the oxirane groups on the microspheres for producing 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA). The effects of GMA/NVP ratio and crosslink density on the activity of immobilized PGA were investigated. The highest apparent activity, enzyme loading and coupling yield of immobilized PGA were 821 IU/g, 65.3 mg/g and 42.3% respectively when the mass ratio of GMA/NVP was 1:1 and crosslink density was 60%. Compared with the free PGA, immobilized PGA showed a wider range of pH value and reaction temperature. The relative activity and reaction rate of immobilized PGA remained almost constant after 20 recycles. The magnetic poly(GMA-MBAA-NVP) microspheres would be very promising carriers for immobilizing enzymes in industrial application. - Highlights: • The magnetic poly(GMA-MBAA-NVP) microspheres were successfully synthesized. • Formamide served as a modifier, a dispersant and a porogen to form microspheres. • The magnetic microspheres were highly efficient carriers for immobilizing PGA. • Immobilized PGA

Preparation and characterization of ibuprofen-loaded microspheres consisting of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and methoxy poly (ethylene glycol)-b-poly (D,L-lactide) blends or poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and gelatin composites for controlled drug release

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bidone, Juliana; Melo, Ana Paula P. [Laboratorio de Farmacotecnica, Departamento de Ciencias Farmaceuticas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis (Brazil); Bazzo, Giovana C. [Grupo de Estudos em Materiais Polimericos (POLIMAT), Departamento de Quimica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis (Brazil); Carmignan, Francoise [Laboratorio de Farmacotecnica, Departamento de Ciencias Farmaceuticas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis (Brazil); Soldi, Marli S.; Pires, Alfredo T.N. [Grupo de Estudos em Materiais Polimericos (POLIMAT), Departamento de Quimica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis (Brazil); Lemos-Senna, Elenara [Laboratorio de Farmacotecnica, Departamento de Ciencias Farmaceuticas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis (Brazil)], E-mail: lemos@ccs.ufsc.br

2009-03-01

Poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB)) is a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer that has been used to obtain polymer-based drug carriers. However, due to the high crystallinity degree of this polymer, drug release from P(3HB) microspheres frequently occurs at excessive rates. In this study, two strategies for prolonging ibuprofen release from P(3HB)-based microspheres were tested: blending with poly(D,L-lactide)-b-polyethylene glycol (mPEG-PLA); and obtaining composite particles with gelatin (GEL). SEM micrographs showed particles that were spherical and had a rough surface. A slight decrease of the crystallinity degree of P(3HB) was observed only in the DSC thermogram obtained from unloaded-microspheres prepared from 1:1 P(3HB):mPEG-PLA blend. For IBF-loaded microspheres, a reduction of around 10 deg. C in the melting temperature of P(3HB) was observed, indicating that the crystalline structure of the polymer was affected in the presence of the drug. DSC studies also yielded evidence of the presence of a molecular dispersion coexisting with a crystalline dispersion in the drug in the matrix. Similar results were obtained from X-ray diffractograms. In spite of 1:1 mPEG-PLA:P(3HB) blends having contributed to the reduction of the burst effect, a more controlled drug release was provided by the use of the 3:1 P(3HB):mPEGPLA blend. This result indicated that particle hydration played an important role in the drug release. On the other hand, the preparation of P(3HB):GEL composite microspheres did not allow control of the IBF release.

Preparation and characterization of ibuprofen-loaded microspheres consisting of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and methoxy poly (ethylene glycol)-b-poly (D,L-lactide) blends or poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and gelatin composites for controlled drug release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bidone, Juliana; Melo, Ana Paula P.; Bazzo, Giovana C.; Carmignan, Francoise; Soldi, Marli S.; Pires, Alfredo T.N.; Lemos-Senna, Elenara

2009-01-01

Poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB)) is a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer that has been used to obtain polymer-based drug carriers. However, due to the high crystallinity degree of this polymer, drug release from P(3HB) microspheres frequently occurs at excessive rates. In this study, two strategies for prolonging ibuprofen release from P(3HB)-based microspheres were tested: blending with poly(D,L-lactide)-b-polyethylene glycol (mPEG-PLA); and obtaining composite particles with gelatin (GEL). SEM micrographs showed particles that were spherical and had a rough surface. A slight decrease of the crystallinity degree of P(3HB) was observed only in the DSC thermogram obtained from unloaded-microspheres prepared from 1:1 P(3HB):mPEG-PLA blend. For IBF-loaded microspheres, a reduction of around 10 deg. C in the melting temperature of P(3HB) was observed, indicating that the crystalline structure of the polymer was affected in the presence of the drug. DSC studies also yielded evidence of the presence of a molecular dispersion coexisting with a crystalline dispersion in the drug in the matrix. Similar results were obtained from X-ray diffractograms. In spite of 1:1 mPEG-PLA:P(3HB) blends having contributed to the reduction of the burst effect, a more controlled drug release was provided by the use of the 3:1 P(3HB):mPEGPLA blend. This result indicated that particle hydration played an important role in the drug release. On the other hand, the preparation of P(3HB):GEL composite microspheres did not allow control of the IBF release

Improvement of survival in C6 rat glioma model by a sustained drug release from localized PLGA microspheres in a thermoreversible hydrogel.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozeki, Tetsuya; Kaneko, Daiki; Hashizawa, Kosuke; Imai, Yoshihiro; Tagami, Tatsuaki; Okada, Hiroaki

2012-05-10

A local drug delivery system based on sustained drug release is an attractive approach to treat brain tumors. We have developed a novel device using drug-incorporated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres embedded in thermoreversible gelation polymer (TGP) formulation (drug/PLGA/TGP formulation). TGP forms a gel at body temperature but sol at room temperature. Therefore, when this formulation is injected into the brain tumor, the PLGA microspheres in TGP gel are localized at the injection site and do not diffuse throughout the brain tissue; eventually, sustained drug release from PLGA microspheres is achieved at the target site. In this study, two chemotherapeutic drugs (camptothecin (CPT) or vincristine (VCR)) were incorporated into PLGA microspheres to prepare drug/PLGA/TGP formulations. VCR/PLGA microspheres exhibited the higher encapsulation efficiency than CPT/PLGA microspheres (70.1% versus 30.1%). In addition, VCR/PLGA microspheres showed a higher sustained release profile than CPT/PLGA microspheres (54.5% versus 72.5% release, at 28 days). Therapeutic effect (mean survival) was evaluated in the C6 rat glioma model (control group, 18 days; CPT/PLGA/TGP treatment group, 24 days; VCR/PLGA/TGP treatment group, 33 days). In particular, the VCR/PLGA/TGP formulation produced long-term survivors (>60 days). Therefore, this formulation can be therapeutically effective formulation for the glioma therapy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antifouling peptide dendrimer surface of monodisperse magnetic poly(glycidyl methacrylate) microspheres

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hlídková, Helena; Kotelnikov, Ilya; Pop-Georgievski, Ognen; Proks, Vladimír; Horák, Daniel

2017-01-01

Roč. 50, č. 4 (2017), s. 1302-1311 ISSN 0024-9297 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GC16-01128J; GA ČR(CZ) GA16-02702S; GA ČR(CZ) GJ15-09368Y Grant - others:OPPK(XE) CZ.2.16/3.1.00/21545 Program:OPPK Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : poly(glycidyl methacrylate) * magnetic microspheres * peptides Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry OBOR OECD: Polymer science Impact factor: 5.835, year: 2016

Chitosan Microspheres as Radiolabeled Delivery Devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Permtermsin, Chalermsin; Ngamprayad, Tippanan; Phumkhem, Sudkanung; Srinuttrakul, Wannee; Kewsuwan, Prartana

2007-08-01

Full text: This study optimized conditions for preparing, characterizing, radiolabeled of chitosan microspheres and the biodistribution of 99mTc-Chitosan microspheres after intravenous administration. Particle size distribution of the microspheres was determined by light scattering. Zeta potential was studied by dynamic light scattering and electrophoresis technique. Biodistribution studies were performed by radiolabeling using 99mTc. The results shown that geometric mean diameter of the microspheres was found to be 77.26?1.96 ?m. Microsphere surface charge of chitosan microspheres was positive charge and zeta potential was 25.80 ? 0.46 mV. The labeling efficiency for this condition was more than 95% and under this condition was stable for at least 6 h. Radioactivity

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.

Synthesis of magnetic polymeric microspheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gervald, A Yu; Gritskova, Inessa A; Prokopov, Nikolai I [M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State Academy of Fine Chemical Technology, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2010-05-13

The key types of magnetic polymeric microspheres are considered. Methods of synthesis of different types of magnetic nanoparticles and of preparation of stable magnetic fluids on their basis are outlined. The overview of the methods for the manufacture of magnetic polymeric microspheres is presented. The effect of the synthesis conditions on the characteristics of magnetic polymeric microspheres such as the diameter and the particle size distribution and the content of magnetic material is discussed by particular examples. The application fields of magnetic polymeric microspheres are briefly surveyed.

Synthesis of magnetic polymeric microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gervald, A Yu; Gritskova, Inessa A; Prokopov, Nikolai I

2010-01-01

The key types of magnetic polymeric microspheres are considered. Methods of synthesis of different types of magnetic nanoparticles and of preparation of stable magnetic fluids on their basis are outlined. The overview of the methods for the manufacture of magnetic polymeric microspheres is presented. The effect of the synthesis conditions on the characteristics of magnetic polymeric microspheres such as the diameter and the particle size distribution and the content of magnetic material is discussed by particular examples. The application fields of magnetic polymeric microspheres are briefly surveyed.

Histological Comparison of Kidney Tissue Following Radioembolization with Yttrium-90 Resin Microspheres and Embolization with Bland Microspheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva, Suresh de, E-mail: suresh.desilva@unsw.edu.au [Southern Radiology Group, Radiology Department Sutherland Hospital (Australia); Mackie, Simon [Western General Hospital, Department of Urology (United Kingdom); Aslan, Peter [St George Hospital, Department of Urology (Australia); Cade, David [Sirtex Technology Pty Ltd (Australia); Delprado, Warick [Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology (Australia)

2016-12-15

BackgroundIntra-arterial brachytherapy with yttrium-90 ({sup 90}Y) resin microspheres (radioembolization) is a procedure to selectively deliver high-dose radiation to tumors. The purpose of this research was to compare the radioembolic effect of {sup 90}Y-radioembolization versus the embolic effect of bland microspheres in the porcine kidney model.MethodsIn each of six pigs, ~25–33 % of the kidney volume was embolized with {sup 90}Y resin microspheres and an equivalent number of bland microspheres in the contralateral kidney. Kidney volume was estimated visually from contrast-enhanced fluoroscopy imaging. Morphologic and histologic analysis was performed 8–9 weeks after the procedure to assess the locations of the microspheres and extent of tissue necrosis from {sup 90}Y-radioembolization and bland embolization. A semi-quantified evaluation of the non-acute peri-particle and perivascular tissue reaction was conducted. All guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.ResultsKidneys embolized with {sup 90}Y-radioembolization decreased in mass by 30–70 % versus the contralateral kidney embolized with bland microspheres. These kidneys showed significant necrosis/fibrosis, avascularization, and glomerular atrophy in the immediate vicinity of the {sup 90}Y resin microspheres. By contrast, glomerular changes were not observed, even with clusters of bland microspheres in afferent arterioles. Evidence of a foreign body reaction was recorded in some kidneys with bland microspheres, and subcapsular scarring/infarction only with the highest load (4.96 × 10{sup 6}) of bland microspheres.ConclusionThis study showed that radioembolization with {sup 90}Y resin microspheres produces localized necrosis/fibrosis and loss of kidney mass in a porcine kidney model. This result supports the study of {sup 90}Y resin microspheres for the localized treatment of kidney tumors.

Histological Comparison of Kidney Tissue Following Radioembolization with Yttrium-90 Resin Microspheres and Embolization with Bland Microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Suresh de; Mackie, Simon; Aslan, Peter; Cade, David; Delprado, Warick

2016-01-01

BackgroundIntra-arterial brachytherapy with yttrium-90 ("9"0Y) resin microspheres (radioembolization) is a procedure to selectively deliver high-dose radiation to tumors. The purpose of this research was to compare the radioembolic effect of "9"0Y-radioembolization versus the embolic effect of bland microspheres in the porcine kidney model.MethodsIn each of six pigs, ~25–33 % of the kidney volume was embolized with "9"0Y resin microspheres and an equivalent number of bland microspheres in the contralateral kidney. Kidney volume was estimated visually from contrast-enhanced fluoroscopy imaging. Morphologic and histologic analysis was performed 8–9 weeks after the procedure to assess the locations of the microspheres and extent of tissue necrosis from "9"0Y-radioembolization and bland embolization. A semi-quantified evaluation of the non-acute peri-particle and perivascular tissue reaction was conducted. All guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.ResultsKidneys embolized with "9"0Y-radioembolization decreased in mass by 30–70 % versus the contralateral kidney embolized with bland microspheres. These kidneys showed significant necrosis/fibrosis, avascularization, and glomerular atrophy in the immediate vicinity of the "9"0Y resin microspheres. By contrast, glomerular changes were not observed, even with clusters of bland microspheres in afferent arterioles. Evidence of a foreign body reaction was recorded in some kidneys with bland microspheres, and subcapsular scarring/infarction only with the highest load (4.96 × 10"6) of bland microspheres.ConclusionThis study showed that radioembolization with "9"0Y resin microspheres produces localized necrosis/fibrosis and loss of kidney mass in a porcine kidney model. This result supports the study of "9"0Y resin microspheres for the localized treatment of kidney tumors.

Binary breath figures for straightforward and controllable self-assembly of microspherical caps.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Jianliang; Xu, Bingang; Tao, Xiaoming; Li, Lei

2016-05-11

The intense interest surrounding asymmetrical microparticles originates from their unique anisotropic properties and promising applications. In this work, direct self-assembly of polymeric microspherical caps without the assistance of any additives has been achieved by using low-surface-tension methanol (MeOH) and high-surface-tension water as binary breath figures (BFs). With the evaporation of polystyrene (PS) solution containing low-boiling-point solvent in the binary vapors, the formed MeOH BFs could quickly diffuse into solution, while water BFs tended to remain at the solution surface. This led to the formation of a gradient nonsolvent layer at the vapor/solution interface, which induced the formation of nuclei and guided further asymmetrical growth of polymer particles. After the spontaneous removal of MeOH, water and residual solvent by evaporation, polymeric microspherical caps were left on the substrate. Through controlling the proportion of water introduced by adjusting the ratios of MeOH and water, polymeric microspherical caps with a range of controllable shapes (divided at different positions of a sphere) were successfully obtained. The formation mechanism was explained based on the difference of vapor pressure, surface tension and miscibility between the employed solvents and nonsolvents. A solvent possessing a high vapor pressure, low surface tension and good miscibility with MeOH contributed to the formation of microspherical caps. This flexible, green and straightforward technique is a nondestructive strategy, and avoids complicated work on design, preparation and removal of hard templates and additives.

Fabrication and evaluation of hybrid silica/polymer optical fiber sensors for large strain measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Haiying

2007-04-01

Silica-based optical fiber sensors are widely used in structural health monitoring systems for strain and deflection measurement. One drawback of silica-based optical fiber sensors is their low strain toughness. In general, silica-based optical fiber sensors can only reliably measure strains up to 2%. Recently, polymer optical fiber sensors have been employed to measure large strain and deflection. Due to their high optical losses, the length of the polymer optical fibers is limited to 100 meters. In this paper, we present a novel economical technique to fabricate hybrid silica/polymer optical fiber strain sensors for large strain measurement. First, stress analysis of a surface-mounted optical fiber sensor is performed to understand the load distribution between the host structure and the optical fiber in relation to their mechanical properties. Next, the procedure of fabricating a polymer sensing element between two optical fibers is explained. The experimental set-up and the components used in the fabrication process are described in details. Mechanical testing results of the fabricated silica/polymer optical fiber strain sensor are presented.

Determination of carbohydrates in honey and milk by capillary electrophoresis in combination with graphene-cobalt microsphere hybrid paste electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Peipei; Sun, Motao; He, Peimin; Zhang, Luyan; Chen, Gang

2016-01-01

A graphene-cobalt microsphere (CoMS) hybrid paste electrode was developed for the determination of carbohydrates in honey and milk in combination with capillary electrophoresis (CE). The performance of the electrodes was demonstrated by detecting mannitol, sucrose, lactose, glucose, and fructose after CE separation. The five analytes were well separated within 9 min in a 40 cm long capillary at a separation voltage of 12 kV. The electrodes exhibited pronounced electrocatalytic activity, lower detection potentials, enhanced signal-to-noise characteristics, and higher reproducibility. The relation between peak current and analyte concentration was linear over about three orders of magnitude. The proposed method had been employed to determine lactose in bovine milk and glucose and fructose in honey with satisfactory results. Because only electroactive substances in the samples could be detected on the paste electrode, the electropherograms of both food samples were simplified to some extent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of reduced graphene oxide-carbon nanotubes hybrid nanofillers in mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Sa, Kadambinee; Mahakul, Prakash C.; Subramanyam, B. V. R. S.; Raiguru, Jagatpati; Das, Sonali; Alam, Injamul; Mahanandia, Pitamber

2018-03-01

Graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have tremendous interest as reinforcing fillers due to their excellent physical properties. However, their reinforcing effect in polymer matrix is limited due to agglomeration of graphene and CNTs within the polymer matrix. Mechanical properties by the admixture of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and CNTs in Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) prepared by solution mixing method has been investigated. The prepared samples are characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Raman spectroscopy. The hybrid composite shows improvement in the mechanical properties compared to rGO/PMMA and MWCNTs/PMMA composites due to better interaction between rGO-MWCNTs and polymer matrix.

Photoresponsive lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for controlled doxorubicin release

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Cuiping; Wu, Ming; Zhang, Cecheng; Lin, Xinyi; Wei, Zuwu; Zheng, Youshi; Zhang, Da; Zhang, Zhenxi; Liu, Xiaolong

2017-06-01

Currently, photoresponsive nanomaterials are particularly attractive due to their spatial and temporal controlled drug release abilities. In this work, we report a photoresponsive lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticle for remote controlled delivery of anticancer drugs. This hybrid nanoparticle comprises three distinct functional components: (i) a poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) core to encapsulate doxorubicin; (ii) a soybean lecithin monolayer at the interface of the core and shell to act as a molecular fence to prevent drug leakage; (iii) a photoresponsive polymeric shell with anti-biofouling properties to enhance nanoparticle stability, which could be detached from the nanoparticle to trigger the drug release via a decrease in the nanoparticle’s stability under light irradiation. In vitro results revealed that this core-shell nanoparticle had excellent light-controlled drug release behavior (76% release with light irradiation versus 10% release without light irradiation). The confocal microscopy and flow cytometry results also further demonstrated the light-controlled drug release behavior inside the cancer cells. Furthermore, a CCK8 assay demonstrated that light irradiation could significantly improve the efficiency of killing cancer cells. Meanwhile, whole-animal fluorescence imaging of a tumor-bearing mouse also confirmed that light irradiation could trigger drug release in vivo. Taken together, our data suggested that a hybrid nanoparticle could be a novel light controlled drug delivery system for cancer therapy.

Ceramic microspheres for cementing applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2011-01-01

A method and apparatus for manufacturing ceramic microspheres from industrial slag. The microspheres have a particle size of about 38 microns to about 150 microns. The microspheres are used to create a cement slurry having a density of at least about 11 lbs/g. The resultant cement slurry may then be

Ceramic microspheres for cementing applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2010-01-01

A method and apparatus for manufacturing ceramic microspheres from industrial slag. The microspheres have a particle size of about 38 microns to about 150 microns. The microspheres are used to create a cement slurry having a density of at least about 11 lbs/g. The resultant cement slurry may then be

Ceramic microspheres for cementing applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2012-01-01

A method and apparatus for manufacturing ceramic microspheres from industrial slag. The microspheres have a particle size of about 38 microns to about 150 microns. The microspheres are used to create a cement slurry having a density of at least about 11 lbs/g. The resultant cement slurry may then be

Formulation and evaluation of Bacillus coagulans-loaded hypromellose mucoadhesive microspheres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alli SMA

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Sk Md Athar AlliDepartment of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal, IndiaAbstract: Development of a novel delivery system has been attempted to deliver viable probiotic cells into the gut for a prolonged period of time while maintaining high numbers of viable cells within the formulation throughout the shelf-life of the product and during the gastrointestinal transit. Core mucoadhesive microspheres of Bacillus coagulans were developed employing several grades of hypromellose, a mucoadhesive polymer, following coacervation and phase separation technique and were subsequently enteric-coated with hypromellose phthalate. Microspheres were evaluated for percent yield; entrapment efficiency; in vitro swelling; surface morphology; particle size, size distribution, and zeta potential; flow property, mucoadhesion property by the ex vivo mucoadhesive strength test and the in vitro wash off test; in vitro release profile and release kinetic; in vivo probiotic activity; and stability. The values for the kinetic constant and regression coefficient of model-dependent approaches and the difference factor ( ƒ1, the similarity factor (ƒ2, and the Rescigno index (ξ1 and ξ 2 of model independent approaches were determined for comparing in vitro dissolution profiles. Freeze dried B. coagulans cells were successfully formulated as enteric-coated mucoadhesive microspheres with satisfactory physical structure and yield. The viability of B. coagulans was maintained in the simulated gastric conditions and during processing; in simulated intestinal conditions exhibiting mucoadhesion, and controlling and extending the viable cell release following zero-order; and was satisfactorily stable at room temperature. Test results depict statistically significant effects of the hypromellose grade and their concentration on the performance and release profile of formulations.Keywords: probiotics, B. coagulans, mucoadhesive, microspheres, extended-release

Histamine-imprinted microspheres: Comparison between conventional and raft-mediated polymerization techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romano, Edwin F. Jr.; So, Regina C.; Holdsworth, Clovia I.

2015-01-01

Molecularly imprinted microspheres (MIM) were synthesized via conventional free radical polymerization (CTP) and RAFT-mediated controlled radical polymerization (CRP) method using histamine as the template molecule. Optimal polymerization conditions were achieved using 4%(w/w) monomer feed concentration with 80=90% EGDMA as crosslinker, and histamine: MAA ratio of 1:4 in acetonitrile at 60°C for 24 hours. The size of CTP-M90 and CTP-M80 imprinted microspheres are comparable with that of RAFT polymer CRP-M80 at 264.5 ±12 nm in the swollen (DLS-DMSO) and collapsed state (SEM). For the CTP method, the presence of the template allows for a bigger particle size compared to the non-imprinted counterpart (NIM). Further, controlled growth was observed for the CRP technique, where the size of the imprinted microsphere, CRP-M80, is comparable to CRP-N80. The binding studies of CTP and CRP microspheres toward histamine were studied at concentrations well below biding with buffer concentration of 25mM at pH7. Results showed that the binding isotherms were found to conform to the Freundlich model. Moreover, results revealed that the difference in binding capacity (N) between MIM and NIM imparted by the imprinting process is significantly higher in CTP-80 (26 μmol/g) than both CTP-90 and CRP-80 (9 μmol/g). Non-competitive and competitive binding assays with L-histidine, imidazole, and tryptamine using CTP-80 and CRP-80 were also carried out. MIMs were shown to exhibit binding preference towards the template. (author)

Preparation of microspheres containing methyl methacrylate (MMA) with magnetic nanoparticles; Preparacao de microesferas contendo metacrilato de metila (PMMA) com nanoparticulas magneticas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feuser, P.E.; Souza, M.N. de, E-mail: paulofeuser@hotmail.co, E-mail: nele@eq.ufrj.b [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Quimica

2010-07-01

Magnetic nanoparticles have found many technological applications and has been intensively studied due to its special magnetic properties. In most biomedical applications, microspheres containing magnetic nanoparticles is used as a vehicle for transporting drugs, presenting several advantages when compared to other conventional methods. PMMA is a polymer which has biocompatibility and can be used for the encapsulation of magnetic nanoparticles, showing a great degree of saturation magnetization. PMMA microparticles containing magnetic nanoparticles were prepared by suspension polymerization. Polymers containing magnetic nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetization, thermogravimetric analysis, optical microscopy, chromatography gel permeation, analysis of particle size - malversizer 2000 (Malvern Instruments). The average size of magnetic nanoparticles was approximately 150 {mu}m and depending on the amount of magnetic nanoparticles in the reaction medium Mw of microspheres can be altered. (author)

Synthesis of manganese coordination polymer microspheres for lithium-ion batteries with good cycling performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fei, Hailong; Liu, Xin; Li, Zhiwei; Feng, Wenjing

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We achieve controllable synthesis of manganese 2,5-thiophene dicarboxylate microspheres with DMF and CTABr. • We perform research on changes in morphologies and crystalline structure. • It is a new anode material for lithium-ion batteries with high capacity and good cycle stability. - Abstract: A simple and versatile method for preparation of novel manganese 2,5-thiophene dicarboxylate microspheres is developed via a surfactant-assisted solvo-thermal route, which are found to be a new high-energy anode material for lithium-ion batteries. It shows better cycling performance and higher discharge capacity than its counterpart of irregular shapes. A reversible capacity was achieved as high as 645.7 mA h g −1 after 250 cycles at a current density of 400 mA g −1 . Furthermore, the coulombic efficiency can be close to 100% even after 650 charge-discharge cycles at a current density of 500 mA g −1

Hydrophilic porous magnetic poly(GMA-MBAA-NVP) composite microspheres containing oxirane groups: An efficient carrier for immobilizing penicillin G acylase

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Ping; Su, Weiguang; Gu, Yaohua; Liu, Haifeng; Wang, Julan

2015-03-01

Magnetic hydrophilic polymeric microspheres containing oxirane groups were prepared by inverse suspension polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), N, N‧-methylene bisacrylamide (MBAA) and N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP) in the existence of formamide, which were denoted as magnetic poly(GMA-MBAA-NVP) microspheres. The magnetic poly(GMA-MBAA-NVP) microspheres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and so on. The results showed that poly(GMA-MBAA-NVP) microspheres possessed well spherical shape, narrow size distribution, abundant porous structure, reactive oxirane groups and superparamagnetic properties. Formamide used in the present work served as a modifier, a dispersant and a porogen to form final porous polymer microspheres. The penicillin G acylase (PGA) was covalently immobilized onto the magnetic microspheres through the reaction between the amino groups of enzyme and the oxirane groups on the microspheres for producing 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA). The effects of GMA/NVP ratio and crosslink density on the activity of immobilized PGA were investigated. The highest apparent activity, enzyme loading and coupling yield of immobilized PGA were 821 IU/g, 65.3 mg/g and 42.3% respectively when the mass ratio of GMA/NVP was 1:1 and crosslink density was 60%. Compared with the free PGA, immobilized PGA showed a wider range of pH value and reaction temperature. The relative activity and reaction rate of immobilized PGA remained almost constant after 20 recycles. The magnetic poly(GMA-MBAA-NVP) microspheres would be very promising carriers for immobilizing enzymes in industrial application.

Dry powder inhaler formulation of lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles via electrostatically-driven nanoparticle assembly onto microscale carrier particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yue; Cheow, Wean Sin; Hadinoto, Kunn

2012-09-15

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles have emerged as promising nanoscale carriers of therapeutics as they combine the attractive characteristics of liposomes and polymers. Herein we develop dry powder inhaler (DPI) formulation of hybrid nanoparticles composed of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and soybean lecithin as the polymer and lipid constituents, respectively. The hybrid nanoparticles are transformed into inhalable microscale nanocomposite structures by a novel technique based on electrostatically-driven adsorption of nanoparticles onto polysaccharide carrier particles, which eliminates the drawbacks of conventional techniques based on controlled drying (e.g. nanoparticle-specific formulation, low yield). First, we engineer polysaccharide carrier particles made up of chitosan cross-linked with tripolyphosphate and dextran sulphate to exhibit the desired aerosolization characteristics and physical robustness. Second, we investigate the effects of nanoparticle to carrier mass ratio and salt inclusion on the adsorption efficiency, in terms of the nanoparticle loading and yield, from which the optimal formulation is determined. Desorption of the nanoparticles from the carrier particles in phosphate buffer saline is also examined. Lastly, we characterize aerosolization efficiency of the nanocomposite product in vitro, where the emitted dose and respirable fraction are found to be comparable to the values of conventional DPI formulations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Helix-sense-selective co-precipitation for preparing optically active helical polymer nanoparticles/graphene oxide hybrid nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Huajun; Li, Weifei; Shi, Yan; Deng, Jianping

2017-05-25

Constructing optically active helical polymer based nanomaterials without using expensive and limited chirally helical polymers has become an extremely attractive research topic in both chemical and materials science. In this study, we prepared a series of optically active helical polymer nanoparticles/graphene oxide (OAHPNs/GO) hybrid nanocomposites through an unprecedented strategy-the co-precipitation of optically inactive helical polymers and chirally modified GO. This approach is named helix-sense-selective co-precipitation (HSSCP), in which the chirally modified GO acted as a chiral source for inducing and further stabilizing the predominantly one-handed helicity in the optically inactive helical polymers. SEM and TEM images show quite similar morphologies of all the obtained OAHPNs/GO nanocomposites; specifically, the chirally modified GO sheets were uniformly decorated with spherical polymer nanoparticles. Circular dichroism (CD) and UV-vis absorption spectra confirmed the preferentially induced helicity in the helical polymers and the optical activity of the nanocomposites. The established HSSCP strategy is thus proven to be widely applicable and is expected to produce numerous functional OAHPNs/GO nanocomposites and even the analogues.

Influence of cationic lipid concentration on properties of lipid–polymer hybrid nanospheres for gene delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bose RJC

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Rajendran JC Bose,1,2 Yoshie Arai,1 Jong Chan Ahn,1 Hansoo Park,2 Soo-Hong Lee11Department of Biomedical Science, College of Life Science, CHA University, Seongnam, 2Department of Integrative Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, South Korea Abstract: Nanoparticles have been widely used for nonviral gene delivery. Recently, cationic hybrid nanoparticles consisting of two different materials were suggested as a promising delivery vehicle. In this study, nanospheres with a poly(D,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA core and cationic lipid shell were prepared, and the effect of cationic lipid concentrations on the properties of lipid polymer hybrid nanocarriers investigated. Lipid–polymer hybrid nanospheres (LPHNSs were fabricated by the emulsion-solvent evaporation method using different concentrations of cationic lipids and characterized for size, surface charge, stability, plasmid DNA-binding capacity, cytotoxicity, and transfection efficiency. All LPHNSs had narrow size distribution with positive surface charges (ζ-potential 52–60 mV, and showed excellent plasmid DNA-binding capacity. In vitro cytotoxicity measurements with HEK293T, HeLa, HaCaT, and HepG2 cells also showed that LPHNSs exhibited less cytotoxicity than conventional transfection agents, such as Lipofectamine and polyethyleneimine–PLGA. As cationic lipid concentrations increased, the particle size of LPHNSs decreased while their ζ-potential increased. In addition, the in vitro transfection efficiency of LPHNSs increased as lipid concentration increased. Keywords: core–shell hybrid nanospheres, lipid concentration, surface modification, low cytotoxicity, transfection efficiency

Electrochemical sensor for catechol and dopamine based on a catalytic molecularly imprinted polymer-conducting polymer hybrid recognition element.

Science.gov (United States)

Lakshmi, Dhana; Bossi, Alessandra; Whitcombe, Michael J; Chianella, Iva; Fowler, Steven A; Subrahmanyam, Sreenath; Piletska, Elena V; Piletsky, Sergey A

2009-05-01

One of the difficulties with using molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and other electrically insulating materials as the recognition element in electrochemical sensors is the lack of a direct path for the conduction of electrons from the active sites to the electrode. We have sought to address this problem through the preparation and characterization of novel hybrid materials combining a catalytic MIP, capable of oxidizing the template, catechol, with an electrically conducting polymer. In this way a network of "molecular wires" assists in the conduction of electrons from the active sites within the MIP to the electrode surface. This was made possible by the design of a new monomer that combines orthogonal polymerizable functionality; comprising an aniline group and a methacrylamide. Conducting films were prepared on the surface of electrodes (Au on glass) by electropolymerization of the aniline moiety. A layer of MIP was photochemically grafted over the polyaniline, via N,N'-diethyldithiocarbamic acid benzyl ester (iniferter) activation of the methacrylamide groups. Detection of catechol by the hybrid-MIP sensor was found to be specific, and catechol oxidation was detected by cyclic voltammetry at the optimized operating conditions: potential range -0.6 V to +0.8 V (vs Ag/AgCl), scan rate 50 mV/s, PBS pH 7.4. The calibration curve for catechol was found to be linear to 144 microM, with a limit of detection of 228 nM. Catechol and dopamine were detected by the sensor, whereas analogues and potentially interfering compounds, including phenol, resorcinol, hydroquinone, serotonin, and ascorbic acid, had minimal effect (< or = 3%) on the detection of either analyte. Non-imprinted hybrid electrodes and bare gold electrodes failed to give any response to catechol at concentrations below 0.5 mM. Finally, the catalytic properties of the sensor were characterized by chronoamperometry and were found to be consistent with Michaelis-Menten kinetics.

Microspheres for protein delivery prepared from amphiphilic multiblock copolymers. 1. Influence of preparation techniques on particle characteristics and protein delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Bezemer, J M; Radersma, R; Grijpma, D W; Dijkstra, P J; van Blitterswijk, C A; Feijen, J

2000-07-03

The entrapment of lysozyme in amphiphilic multiblock copolymer microspheres by emulsification and subsequent solvent removal processes was studied. The copolymers are composed of hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) blocks and hydrophobic poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) blocks. Direct solvent extraction from a water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion in ethanol or methanol did not result in the formation of microspheres, due to massive polymer precipitation caused by rapid solvent extraction in these non-solvents. In a second process, microspheres were first prepared by a water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) emulsion system with 4% poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as stabilizer in the external phase, followed by extraction of the remaining solvent. As non-solvents ethanol, methanol and mixtures of methanol and water were employed. However, the use of alcohols in the extraction medium resulted in microspheres which gave an incomplete lysozyme release at a non-constant rate. Complete lysozyme release was obtained from microspheres prepared by an emulsification-solvent evaporation method in PBS containing poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) or PVA as stabilizer. PVA was most effective in stabilizing the w/o/w emulsion. Perfectly spherical microspheres were produced, with high protein entrapment efficiencies. These microspheres released lysozyme at an almost constant rate for approximately 28 days. The reproducibility of the w/o/w emulsion process was demonstrated by comparing particle characteristics and release profiles of three batches, prepared under similar conditions.

Design of nanocarriers for nanoscale drug delivery to enhance cancer treatment using hybrid polymer and lipid building blocks.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Rui Xue; Ahmed, Taksim; Li, Lily Yi; Li, Jason; Abbasi, Azhar Z; Wu, Xiao Yu

2017-01-26

Polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles (PLN) are an emerging nanocarrier platform made from building blocks of polymers and lipids. PLN integrate the advantages of biomimetic lipid-based nanoparticles (i.e. solid lipid nanoparticles and liposomes) and biocompatible polymeric nanoparticles. PLN are constructed from diverse polymers and lipids and their numerous combinations, which imparts PLN with great versatility for delivering drugs of various properties to their nanoscale targets. PLN can be classified into two types based on their hybrid nanoscopic structure and assembly methods: Type-I monolithic matrix and Type-II core-shell systems. This article reviews the history of PLN development, types of PLN, lipid and polymer candidates, fabrication methods, and unique properties of PLN. The applications of PLN in delivery of therapeutic or imaging agents alone or in combination for cancer treatment are summarized and illustrated with examples. Important considerations for the rational design of PLN for advanced nanoscale drug delivery are discussed, including selection of excipients, synthesis processes governing formulation parameters, optimization of nanoparticle properties, improvement of particle surface functionality to overcome macroscopic, microscopic and cellular biological barriers. Future directions and potential clinical translation of PLN are also suggested.

Drug release control in delivery system for biodegradable polymer drugs by γ-radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshioka, Sumie; Azo, Yukio; Kojima, Shigeo

1997-01-01

Characterizations of the drug release from microsphere and hydrogel preparation made from biodegradable polymers were investigated aiming at development of a drug delivery system which allows an optimum drug delivery and the identification of the factors which control its delivery. Poly-lactic acid microspheres containing 10% of progesterone were produced from poly DL-lactic acid and exposed to γ-ray at 5-1000 kGy. And its glass transition temperature (Tg) was determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The temperature was gradually lowered with an increase in the dose of radiation. Tg of the microsphere exposed at 1000 kGy was lower by 10degC compared with the untreated one, showing that Tg control is possible without changing the size distribution of microsphere. Then, the amount of progesterone released from microsphere was determined. The release rate of the drug linearly increased with a square root of radiation time. These results indicate that the control of drug release rate is possible through controling the microsphere's Tg by γ-ray radiation. (M.N.)

Hybrid scaffold bearing polymer-siloxane Schiff base linkage for bone tissue engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nair, Bindu P., E-mail: bindumelekkuttu@gmail.com; Gangadharan, Dhanya; Mohan, Neethu; Sumathi, Babitha; Nair, Prabha D., E-mail: pdnair49@gmail.com

2015-07-01

Scaffolds that can provide the requisite biological cues for the fast regeneration of bone are highly relevant to the advances in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In the present article, we report the fabrication of a chitosan–gelatin–siloxane scaffold bearing interpolymer-siloxane Schiff base linkage, through a single-step dialdehyde cross-linking and freeze-drying method using 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane as the siloxane precursor. Swelling of the scaffolds in phosphate buffered saline indicates enhancement with increase in siloxane concentration, whereas compressive moduli of the wet scaffolds reveal inverse dependence, owing to the presence of siloxane, rich in silanol groups. It is suggested that through the strategy of dialdehyde cross-linking, a limiting siloxane loading of 20 wt.% into a chitosan-gelatin matrix should be considered ideal for bone tissue engineering, because the scaffold made with 30 wt.% siloxane loading degrades by 48 wt.%, in 21 days. The hybrid scaffolds bearing Schiff base linkage between the polymer and siloxane, unlike the stable linkages in earlier reports, are expected to give a faster release of siloxanes and enhancement in osteogenesis. This is verified by the in vitro evaluation of the hybrid scaffolds using rabbit adipose mesenchymal stem cells, which revealed osteogenic cell-clusters on a polymer-siloxane scaffold, enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity and the expression of bone-specific genes, whereas the control scaffold without siloxane supported more of cell-proliferation than differentiation. A siloxane concentration dependent enhancement in osteogenic differentiation is also observed. - Highlights: • A hybrid scaffold bearing interpolymer-siloxane Schiff base linkage • A limiting siloxane loading of 20 wt.% into chitosan–gelatin matrix • A siloxane concentration dependent enhancement in osteogenic differentiation.

A simple method for encapsulating single cells in alginate microspheres allows for direct PCR and whole genome amplification.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saharnaz Bigdeli

Full Text Available Microdroplets are an effective platform for segregating individual cells and amplifying DNA. However, a key challenge is to recover the contents of individual droplets for downstream analysis. This paper offers a method for embedding cells in alginate microspheres and performing multiple serial operations on the isolated cells. Rhodobacter sphaeroides cells were diluted in alginate polymer and sprayed into microdroplets using a fingertip aerosol sprayer. The encapsulated cells were lysed and subjected either to conventional PCR, or whole genome amplification using either multiple displacement amplification (MDA or a two-step PCR protocol. Microscopic examination after PCR showed that the lumen of the occupied microspheres contained fluorescently stained DNA product, but multiple displacement amplification with phi29 produced only a small number of polymerase colonies. The 2-step WGA protocol was successful in generating fluorescent material, and quantitative PCR from DNA extracted from aliquots of microspheres suggested that the copy number inside the microspheres was amplified up to 3 orders of magnitude. Microspheres containing fluorescent material were sorted by a dilution series and screened with a fluorescent plate reader to identify single microspheres. The DNA was extracted from individual isolates, re-amplified with full-length sequencing adapters, and then a single isolate was sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. After filtering the reads, the only sequences that collectively matched a genome in the NCBI nucleotide database belonged to R. sphaeroides. This demonstrated that sequencing-ready DNA could be generated from the contents of a single microsphere without culturing. However, the 2-step WGA strategy showed limitations in terms of low genome coverage and an uneven frequency distribution of reads across the genome. This paper offers a simple method for embedding cells in alginate microspheres and performing PCR on isolated

pH- and temperature-sensitive polymeric microspheres for drug delivery: the dissolution of copolymers modulates drug release.

Science.gov (United States)

Fundueanu, Gheorghe; Constantin, Marieta; Stanciu, Cristina; Theodoridis, Georgios; Ascenzi, Paolo

2009-12-01

Most pH-/temperature-responsive polymers for controlled release of drugs are used as cross-linked hydrogels. However, the solubility properties of the linear polymers below and above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) are not exploited. Here, the preparation and characterization of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate) (poly (NIPAAm-co-MA-co-MM)) and poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide) (poly (NIPAAm-co-AAm)), known as "smart" polymers (SP), is reported. Both poly (NIPAAm-co-MA-co-MM) and poly (NIPAAm-co-AAm) display pH- and temperature-responsive properties. Poly (NIPAAm-co-MA-co-MM) was designed to be insoluble in the gastric fluid (pH = 1.2), but soluble in the intestinal fluid (pH = 6.8 and 7.4), at the body temperature (37 degrees C). Poly (NIPAAm-co-AAm) was designed to have a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) corresponding to 37 degrees C at pH = 7.4, therefore it is not soluble above the LCST. The solubility characteristics of these copolymers were exploited to modulate the rate of release of drugs by changing pH and/or temperature. These copolymers were solubilized with hydrophobic cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) and vitamin B(12) (taken as a water soluble drug model system) in an acetone/methanol mixture and dispersed in mineral oil. By a progressive evaporation of the solvent, the liquid droplets were transformed into loaded CAB/SP microspheres. Differential scanning calorimetric studies and scanning electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that the polymeric components of the microspheres precipitated separately during solvent evaporation forming small microdomains. Moreover, vitamin B(12) was found to be molecularly dispersed in both microdomains with no specific affinity for any polymeric component of microspheres. The release of vitamin B(12) was investigated as a function of temperature, pH, and the CAB/SP ratio.

Kefiran-alginate gel microspheres for oral delivery of ciprofloxacin.

Science.gov (United States)

Blandón, Lina M; Islan, German A; Castro, Guillermo R; Noseda, Miguel D; Thomaz-Soccol, Vanete; Soccol, Carlos R

2016-09-01

Ciprofloxacin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic associated with gastric and intestinal side effects after extended oral administration. Alginate is a biopolymer commonly employed in gel synthesis by ionotropic gelation, but unstable in the presence of biological metal-chelating compounds and/or under dried conditions. Kefiran is a microbial biopolymer able to form gels with the advantage of displaying antimicrobial activity. In the present study, kefiran-alginate gel microspheres were developed to encapsulate ciprofloxacin for antimicrobial controlled release and enhanced bactericidal effect against common pathogens. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the hybrid gel microspheres showed a spherical structure with a smoother surface compared to alginate gel matrices. In vitro release of ciprofloxacin from kefiran-alginate microspheres was less than 3.0% and 5.0% at pH 1.2 (stomach), and 5.0% and 25.0% at pH 7.4 (intestine) in 3 and 21h, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) of ciprofloxacin-kefiran showed the displacement of typical bands of ciprofloxacin and kefiran, suggesting a cooperative interaction by hydrogen bridges between both molecules. Additionally, the thermal analysis of ciprofloxacin-kefiran showed a protective effect of the biopolymer against ciprofloxacin degradation at high temperatures. Finally, antimicrobial assays of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhymurium, and Staphylococcus aureus demonstrated the synergic effect between ciprofloxacin and kefiran against the tested microorganisms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hybrid and hierarchical nanoreinforced polymer composites: Computational modelling of structure–properties relationships

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mishnaevsky, Leon; Dai, Gaoming

2014-01-01

by using computational micromechanical models. It is shown that while glass/carbon fibers hybrid composites clearly demonstrate higher stiffness and lower weight with increasing the carbon content, they can have lower strength as compared with usual glass fiber polymer composites. Secondary...... nanoreinforcement can drastically increase the fatigue lifetime of composites. Especially, composites with the nanoplatelets localized in the fiber/matrix interface layer (fiber sizing) ensure much higher fatigue lifetime than those with the nanoplatelets in the matrix....

PLGA/alginate composite microspheres for hydrophilic protein delivery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhai, Peng; Chen, X.B.; Schreyer, David J.

2015-01-01

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres and PLGA/alginate composite microspheres were prepared by a novel double emulsion and solvent evaporation technique and loaded with bovine serum albumin (BSA) or rabbit anti-laminin antibody protein. The addition of alginate and the use of a surfactant during microsphere preparation increased the encapsulation efficiency and reduced the initial burst release of hydrophilic BSA. Confocal laser scanning microcopy (CLSM) of BSA-loaded PLGA/alginate composite microspheres showed that PLGA, alginate, and BSA were distributed throughout the depths of microspheres; no core/shell structure was observed. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that PLGA microspheres erode and degrade more quickly than PLGA/alginate composite microspheres. When loaded with anti-laminin antibody, the function of released antibody was well preserved in both PLGA and PLGA/alginate composite microspheres. The biocompatibility of PLGA and PLGA/alginate microspheres were examined using four types of cultured cell lines, representing different tissue types. Cell survival was variably affected by the inclusion of alginate in composite microspheres, possibly due to the sensitivity of different cell types to excess calcium that may be released from the calcium cross-linked alginate. - Highlights: • A double emulsion technique is used to prepare protein-loaded PLGA or PLGA/alginate microspheres. • PLGA, alginate and protein are distributed evenly within microsphere structure. • Addition of alginate improves loading efficiency and slows degradation and protein release. • PLGA/alginate microspheres have favorable biocompatibility

PLGA/alginate composite microspheres for hydrophilic protein delivery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhai, Peng [Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saskatchewan, S7N5E5 (Canada); Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, S7N5A9 (Canada); Chen, X.B. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, S7N5A9 (Canada); Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, S7N5A9 (Canada); Schreyer, David J., E-mail: david.schreyer@usask.ca [Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saskatchewan, S7N5E5 (Canada); Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, S7N5A9 (Canada)

2015-11-01

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres and PLGA/alginate composite microspheres were prepared by a novel double emulsion and solvent evaporation technique and loaded with bovine serum albumin (BSA) or rabbit anti-laminin antibody protein. The addition of alginate and the use of a surfactant during microsphere preparation increased the encapsulation efficiency and reduced the initial burst release of hydrophilic BSA. Confocal laser scanning microcopy (CLSM) of BSA-loaded PLGA/alginate composite microspheres showed that PLGA, alginate, and BSA were distributed throughout the depths of microspheres; no core/shell structure was observed. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that PLGA microspheres erode and degrade more quickly than PLGA/alginate composite microspheres. When loaded with anti-laminin antibody, the function of released antibody was well preserved in both PLGA and PLGA/alginate composite microspheres. The biocompatibility of PLGA and PLGA/alginate microspheres were examined using four types of cultured cell lines, representing different tissue types. Cell survival was variably affected by the inclusion of alginate in composite microspheres, possibly due to the sensitivity of different cell types to excess calcium that may be released from the calcium cross-linked alginate. - Highlights: • A double emulsion technique is used to prepare protein-loaded PLGA or PLGA/alginate microspheres. • PLGA, alginate and protein are distributed evenly within microsphere structure. • Addition of alginate improves loading efficiency and slows degradation and protein release. • PLGA/alginate microspheres have favorable biocompatibility.

N-type polymers as electron extraction layers in hybrid perovskite solar cells with improved ambient stability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shao, S.; Chen, Z.; Fang, H. -H.; ten Brink, G. H.; Bartesaghi, D.; Adjokatse, S.; Koster, L. J. A.; Kooi, B. J.; Facchetti, A.; Loi, M. A.

2016-01-01

We studied three n-type polymers of the naphthalenediimide-bithiophene family as electron extraction layers (EELs) in hybrid perovskite solar cells. The recombination mechanism in these devices is found to be heavily influenced by the EEL transport properties. The maximum efficiency of the devices

Magnetic hydrophilic poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate) microspheres for DNA isolation from faeces

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Trachtová, Š.; Obermajer, T.; Španová, A.; Matijašić, B. B.; Rogelj, I.; Horák, Daniel; Rittich, B.

2012-01-01

Roč. 555, č. 1 (2012), s. 263-270 ISSN 1542-1406. [International Conference on Frontiers of Polymers and Advanced Materials /11./. Pretoria, 22.05.2011-27.05.2011] R&D Projects: GA MŠk 2B06053 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : DNA isolation * magnetic microspheres * mouse faeces Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 0.530, year: 2012

A facile approach to fabricate Au nanoparticles loaded SiO{sub 2} microspheres for catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Mingyi, E-mail: mingyitjucu@163.com [Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin 300134 (China); Huang, Guanbo, E-mail: gbhuang2007@hotmail.com [Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Li, Xianxian; Pang, Xiaobo [Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin 300134 (China); Qiu, Haixia [Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China)

2015-07-15

Hydrophilic and biocompatible macromolecules were used to improve and simplify the process for the fabrication of core/shell SiO{sub 2}@Au composite particles. The influence of polymers on the morphology of SiO{sub 2}@Au particles with different size of SiO{sub 2} cores was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The optical property of the SiO{sub 2}@Au particles was studied with UV–Vis spectroscopy. The results indicate that the structure and composition of macromolecules affect the morphology of Au layers on SiO{sub 2} microspheres. The SiO{sub 2}@Au particles prepared in the presence of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) have thin and complete Au nanoshells owing to their inducing act in preferential growth of Au nanoparticles along the surface of SiO{sub 2} microspheres. SiO{sub 2}@Au particles can be also prepared from SiO{sub 2} microspheres modified with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane in the presence of PVA or PVP. This offers a simple way to fabricate a Au layer on SiO{sub 2} or other microspheres. The SiO{sub 2}@Au particles demonstrated high catalytic activity in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol. - Highlights: • Facile direct deposition method for Au nanoparticles on silica microspheres. • Influence of different types of macromolecule on the formation of Au shell. • High catalytic performance of Au nanoparticles on silica microspheres.

Hydrogen transport and storage in engineered glass microspheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rambach, G.D.

1994-04-20

New, high-strength, hollow, glass microspheres filled with pressurized hydrogen exhibit storage densities which make them attractive for bulk hydrogen storage and transport. The hoop stress at failure of our engineered glass microspheres is about 150,000 psi, permitting a three-fold increase in pressure limit and storage capacity above commercial microspheres, which fail at wall stresses of 50,000 psi. For this project, microsphere material and structure will be optimized for storage capacity and charge/discharge kinetics to improve their commercial practicality. Microsphere production scale up will be performed, directed towards large-scale commercial use. Our analysis relating glass microspheres for hydrogen transport with infrastructure and economics` indicate that pressurized microspheres can be economically competitive with other forms of bulk rail and truck transport such as hydride beds, cryocarbons and pressurized tube transports. For microspheres made from advanced materials and processes, analysis will also be performed to identify the appropriate applications of the microspheres considering property variables, and different hydrogen infrastructure, end use, production and market scenarios. This report presents some of the recent modelling results for large beds of glass microspheres in hydrogen storage applications. It includes plans for experiments to identify the properties relevant to large-bed hydrogen transport and storage applications, of the best, currently producible, glass microspheres. This work began in March, 1994. Project successes will be manifest in the matching of cur-rent glass microspheres with a useful application in hydrogen bulk transport and storage, and in developing microsphere materials and processes that increase the storage density and reduce the storage energy requirement.

Natural material adsorbed onto a polymer to enhance immune function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reinaque AP

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Ana Paula Barcelos Reinaque,1 Eduardo Luzía França,2 Edson Fredulin Scherer,3 Mayra Aparecida Côrtes,1 Francisco José Dutra Souto,4 Adenilda Cristina Honorio-França51Post Graduate Program in Material Science, 2Institute of Biological and Health Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Barra do Garças, 3Post Graduate Program in Material Science, Institute of Biological and Health Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Pontal do Araguaia, 4Faculty of Medical Sciences, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, 5Institute of Biological and Health Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Pontal do Araguaia, MT, BrazilBackground: In this study, we produced poly(ethylene glycol (PEG microspheres of different sizes and adsorbing a medicinal plant mixture, and verified their effect in vitro on the viability, superoxide production, and bactericidal activity of phagocytes in the blood.Methods: The medicinal plant mixture was adsorbed onto PEG microspheres and its effects were evaluated by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy.Results: Adsorption of the herbal mixture onto the PEG microspheres was achieved and the particles were internalized by phagocytes. PEG microspheres bearing the adsorbed herbal mixture stimulated superoxide release, and activated scavenging and microbicidal activity in phagocytes. No differences in functional activity were observed when the phagocytes were not incubated with PEG microspheres bearing the adsorbed herbal mixture.Conclusion: This system may be useful for the delivery of a variety of medicinal plants and can confer additional protection against infection. The data reported here suggest that a polymer adsorbed with a natural product is a treatment alternative for enhancing immune function.Keywords: natural product, polymer, adsorption, immune function, phagocytes

Synergism of Dewetting and Self-Wrinkling To Create Two-Dimensional Ordered Arrays of Functional Microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Xue; Hou, Jing; Xie, Jixun; Yin, Jian; Tong, Yi; Lu, Conghua; Möhwald, Helmuth

2016-06-29

Here we report a simple, novel, yet robust nonlithographic method for the controlled fabrication of two-dimensional (2-D) ordered arrays of polyethylene glycol (PEG) microspheres. It is based on the synergistic combination of two bottom-up processes enabling periodic structure formation for the first time: dewetting and the mechanical wrinkle formation. The deterministic dewetting results from the hydrophilic polymer PEG on an incompatible polystyrene (PS) film bound to a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate, which is directed both by a wrinkled template and by the template-directed in-situ self-wrinkling PS/PDMS substrate. Two strategies have been introduced to achieve synergism to enhance the 2-D ordering, i.e., employing 2-D in-situ self-wrinkling substrates and boundary conditions. As a result, we achieve highly ordered 2-D arrays of PEG microspheres with desired self-organized microstructures, such as the array location (e.g., selectively on the crest/in the valley of the wrinkles), diameter, spacing of the microspheres, and array direction. Additionally, the coordination of PEG with HAuCl4 is utilized to fabricate 2-D ordered arrays of functional PEG-HAuCl4 composite microspheres, which are further converted into different Au nanoparticle arrays. This simple versatile combined strategy could be extended to fabricate highly ordered 2-D arrays of other functional materials and achieve desirable properties and functionalities.

Exploration of a Doxorubicin-Polymer Conjugate in Lipid-Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticle Drug Delivery

Science.gov (United States)

Lough, Emily

Nanoparticle (NP) drug delivery is a major focus in the research community because of its potential to use existing drugs in safer and more effective ways. Chemotherapy encapsulation in NPs shields the drug from the rest of the body while it is within the NP, with less systemic exposure leading to fewer off-target effects of the drug. However, passive loading of drugs into NPs is a suboptimal method, often leading to burst release upon administration. This work explores the impact of incorporating the drug-polymer conjugate doxorubicin-poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (Dox-PLGA) into a lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticle (LPN). The primary difference in using a drug-polymer conjugate for NP drug delivery is the drug's release kinetics. Dox-PLGA LPNs showed a more sustained and prolonged release profile over 28 days compared to LPNs with passively loaded, unconjugated doxorubicin. This sustained release translates to cytotoxicity; when systemic circulation was simulated using dialysis, Dox-PLGA LPNs retained their cytotoxicity at a higher level than the passively loaded LPNs. The in vivo implication of preserving cytotoxic potency through a slower release profile is that the majority of Dox delivered via Dox-PLGA LPNs will be kept within the LPN until it reaches the tumor. This will result in fewer systemic side effects and more effective treatments given the higher drug concentration at the tumor site. An intriguing clinical application of this drug delivery approach lies in using Dox-PLGA LPNs to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The incorporation of Dox-PLGA is hypothesized to have a protective effect on the BBB as its slow release profile will prevent drug from harming the BBB. Using induced pluripotent stem cells differentiated to human brain microvascular endothelial cells that comprise the BBB, the Dox-PLGA LPNs were shown to be less destructive to the BBB than their passively loaded counterparts. Dox-PLGA LPNs showed superior cytotoxicity against plated tumor

Implementation of molecularly imprinted polymer beads for surface enhanced Raman detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamra, Tripta; Zhou, Tongchang; Montelius, Lars; Schnadt, Joachim; Ye, Lei

2015-01-01

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have a predesigned molecular recognition capability that can be used to build robust chemical sensors. MIP-based chemical sensors allow label-free detection and are particularly interesting due to their simple operation. In this work we report the use of thiol-terminated MIP microspheres to construct surfaces for detection of a model organic analyte, nicotine, by surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The nicotine-imprinted microspheres are synthesized by RAFT precipitation polymerization and converted into thiol-terminated microspheres through aminolysis. The thiol groups on the MIP surface allow the microspheres to be immobilized on a gold-coated substrate. Three different strategies are investigated to achieve surface enhanced Raman scattering in the vicinity of the imprinted sites: (1) direct sputtering of gold nanoparticles, (2) immobilization of gold colloids through the MIP's thiol groups, and (3) trapping of the MIP microspheres in a patterned SERS substrate. For the first time we show that large MIP microspheres can be turned into selective SERS surfaces through the three different approaches of assembly. The MIP-based sensing surfaces are used to detect nicotine to demonstrate the proof of concept. As synthesis and surface functionalization of MIP microspheres and nanoparticles are well established, the methods reported in this work are handy and efficient for constructing label-free chemical sensors, in particular for those based on SERS detection.

Thermo-stabilized, porous polyimide microspheres prepared from nanosized SiO2 templating via in situ polymerization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Q. Liu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this article, we addressed a feasible and versatile method of the fabrication of porous polyimide microspheres presenting excellent heat resistance. The preparation process consisted of two steps. Firstly, a novel polyimide/nano-silica composite microsphere was prepared via the self-assembly structures of poly(amic acid (PAA, precursor of PI/nanosized SiO2 blends after in situ polymerization, following the two-steps imidization. Subsequently, the encapsulated nanoparticles were etched away by hydrofluoric acid treatment, giving rise to the pores. It is found the composite structure of PI/SiO2 is a precondition of the formation of nanoporous structures, furthermore, the morphology of the resultant pore could be relatively tuned by changing the content and initial morphology of silica nano-particles trapped into PI matrix. The thermal properties of the synthesized PI porous spheres were studied, indicating that the introduction of nanopores could not effectively influence the thermal stabilities of PI microspheres. Moreover, the fabrication technique described here may be extended to other porous polymer systems.

Hierarchically porous silicon–carbon–nitrogen hybrid materials towards highly efficient and selective adsorption of organic dyes

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Lala; Zhang, Xiaofei; Tang, Yusheng; Su, Kehe; Kong, Jie

2015-01-01

The hierarchically macro/micro-porous silicon–carbon–nitrogen (Si–C–N) hybrid material was presented with novel functionalities of totally selective and highly efficient adsorption for organic dyes. The hybrid material was conveniently generated by the pyrolysis of commercial polysilazane precursors using polydivinylbenzene microspheres as sacrificial templates. Owing to the Van der Waals force between sp2-hybridized carbon domains and triphenyl structure of dyes, and electrostatic interaction between dyes and Si-C-N matrix, it exhibites high adsorption capacity and good regeneration and recycling ability for the dyes with triphenyl structure, such as methyl blue (MB), acid fuchsin (AF), basic fuchsin and malachite green. The adsorption process is determined by both surface adsorption and intraparticle diffusion. According to the Langmuir model, the adsorption capacity is 1327.7 mg·g−1 and 1084.5 mg·g−1 for MB and AF, respectively, which is much higher than that of many other adsorbents. On the contrary, the hybrid materials do not adsorb the dyes with azo benzene structures, such as methyl orange, methyl red and congro red. Thus, the hierarchically porous Si–C–N hybrid material from a facile and low cost polymer-derived strategy provides a new perspective and possesses a significant potential in the treatment of wastewater with complex organic pollutants. PMID:25604334

Time-Domain Ab Initio Analysis of Excitation Dynamics in a Quantum Dot/Polymer Hybrid: Atomistic Description Rationalizes Experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Run; Prezhdo, Oleg V

2015-07-08

Hybrid organic/inorganic polymer/quantum dot (QD) solar cells are an attractive alternative to the traditional cells. The original, simple models postulate that one-dimensional polymers have continuous energy levels, while zero-dimensional QDs exhibit atom-like electronic structure. A realistic, atomistic viewpoint provides an alternative description. Electronic states in polymers are molecule-like: finite in size and discrete in energy. QDs are composed of many atoms and have high, bulk-like densities of states. We employ ab initio time-domain simulation to model the experimentally observed ultrafast photoinduced dynamics in a QD/polymer hybrid and show that an atomistic description is essential for understanding the time-resolved experimental data. Both electron and hole transfers across the interface exhibit subpicosecond time scales. The interfacial processes are fast due to strong electronic donor-acceptor, as evidenced by the densities of the photoexcited states which are delocalized between the donor and the acceptor. The nonadiabatic charge-phonon coupling is also strong, especially in the polymer, resulting in rapid energy losses. The electron transfer from the polymer is notably faster than the hole transfer from the QD, due to a significantly higher density of acceptor states. The stronger molecule-like electronic and charge-phonon coupling in the polymer rationalizes why the electron-hole recombination inside the polymer is several orders of magnitude faster than in the QD. As a result, experiments exhibit multiple transfer times for the long-lived hole inside the QD, ranging from subpicoseconds to nanoseconds. In contrast, transfer of the short-lived electron inside the polymer does not occur beyond the first picosecond. The energy lost by the hole on its transit into the polymer is accommodated by polymer's high-frequency vibrations. The energy lost by the electron injected into the QD is accommodated primarily by much lower-frequency collective and

Size-dependent filtration of nanoparticles on porous films composed by polystyrene microsphere monolayers and applications in site-selective deposition of nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruan, Weidong; Zhou, Tieli; Sun, Chengbin; Tao, Yanchun; Lu, Fei; Wang, Xu; Zhao, Bing; Cui, Yinqiu

2015-01-01

Composite films composed of polystyrene (PS) microsphere monolayers and gold (Au) and/or silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) decorations were prepared by a novel size-dependent filtration effect on close-packed PS microsphere arrays. The uniform pores inlaid in the PS monolayer films acted as the transport tunnels for NPs. The steric restriction induced by the size of the pores was used as a main strategy to fabricate hybrid micro/nano films, which were composed of PS microspheres with inhomogeneous anisotropic decorations. The Au and Ag NPs were used as the building blocks to decorate the PS microspheres through a layer-by-layer self-assembly technique with the aid of polyelectrolyte coupling agents. Only the small particles which could pass through the micropores could reach to and deposit on the inner surfaces of the PS microsphere monolayer films. Large particles remained on the outside and could only deposit on the outer surfaces. Thus, the inhomogeneous anisotropic decoration was obtained. This study provides a novel strategy for fabricating anisotropic micro/nanostructures by the size-dependent filtration effect of NPs on porous films and has the potential in applications of anisotropic self-assembly, sensor, and surface modifications at nanoscale.

Size-dependent filtration of nanoparticles on porous films composed by polystyrene microsphere monolayers and applications in site-selective deposition of nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruan, Weidong [Jilin University, State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials (China); Zhou, Tieli [Changchun University, College of Food Engineering and Landscape Architecture (China); Sun, Chengbin; Tao, Yanchun; Lu, Fei; Wang, Xu; Zhao, Bing, E-mail: zhaob@mail.jlu.edu.cn [Jilin University, State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials (China); Cui, Yinqiu, E-mail: cuiyq@jlu.edu.cn [Jilin University, School of Life Sciences (China)

2015-10-15

Composite films composed of polystyrene (PS) microsphere monolayers and gold (Au) and/or silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) decorations were prepared by a novel size-dependent filtration effect on close-packed PS microsphere arrays. The uniform pores inlaid in the PS monolayer films acted as the transport tunnels for NPs. The steric restriction induced by the size of the pores was used as a main strategy to fabricate hybrid micro/nano films, which were composed of PS microspheres with inhomogeneous anisotropic decorations. The Au and Ag NPs were used as the building blocks to decorate the PS microspheres through a layer-by-layer self-assembly technique with the aid of polyelectrolyte coupling agents. Only the small particles which could pass through the micropores could reach to and deposit on the inner surfaces of the PS microsphere monolayer films. Large particles remained on the outside and could only deposit on the outer surfaces. Thus, the inhomogeneous anisotropic decoration was obtained. This study provides a novel strategy for fabricating anisotropic micro/nanostructures by the size-dependent filtration effect of NPs on porous films and has the potential in applications of anisotropic self-assembly, sensor, and surface modifications at nanoscale.

Preparation of polyaniline/sodium alanate hybrid using a spray-drying process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moreira, B. R., E-mail: bru-rms@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: fabiopassador@gmail.com, E-mail: pessan@ufscar.br; Passador, F. R., E-mail: bru-rms@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: fabiopassador@gmail.com, E-mail: pessan@ufscar.br; Pessan, L. A., E-mail: bru-rms@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: fabiopassador@gmail.com, E-mail: pessan@ufscar.br [Dep. de Engenharia de Materiais, Federal University of São Carlos (Brazil)

2014-05-15

Nowadays, hydrogen is highly interesting as an energy source, in particular in the automotive field. In fact, hydrogen is attractive as a fuel because it prevents air pollution and greenhouse emissions. One of the main problems with the utilization of hydrogen as a fuel is its on-board storage. The purpouse of this work was to develop a new hybrid material consisting of a polyaniline matrix with sodium alanate (NaAlH{sub 4}) using a spray-drying process. The polyaniline used for this experiment was synthesized by following a well-established method for the synthesis of the emeraldine base form of polyaniline using dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid as dopant. Micro particles of polyaniline/sodium alanate hybrids with 30 and 50 wt% of sodium alanate were prepared by using a spray-drying technique. Dilute solutions of polyaniline/sodium alanate were first prepared, 10g of the solid materials were mixed with 350 ml of toluene under stirring at room temperature for 24h and the solutions were dried using spray-dryer (Büchi, Switzerland) with 115°C of an inlet temperature. The hybrids were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry, FT-IR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The addition of sodium alanate decreased the glass transition temperature of the hybrids when compared to neat polyaniline. FT-IR spectrum analysis was performed to identify the bonding environment of the synthesized material and was observed that simply physically mixture occurred between polyaniline and sodium alanate. The SEM images of the hybrids showed the formation of microspheres with sodium alanate dispersed in the polymer matrix.

A low cost and hybrid technology for integrating silicon sensors or actuators in polymer microfluidic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Charlot, Samuel; Gué, Anne-Marie; Tasselli, Josiane; Marty, Antoine; Abgrall, Patrick; Estève, Daniel

2008-01-01

This paper describes a new technology permitting a hybrid integration of silicon chips in polymer (PDMS and SU8) microfluidic structures. This two-step technology starts with transferring the silicon device onto a rigid substrate (typically PCB) and planarizing it, and then it proceeds with stacking of the polymer-made fluidic network onto the device. The technology is low cost, based on screen printing and lamination, can be applied to treat large surface areas, and is compatible with standard photolithography and vacuum based approaches. We show, as an example, the integration of a thermal sensor inside channels made of PDMS or SU8. The developed structures had no fluid leaks at the Si/polymer interfaces and the electrical circuit was perfectly tightproof. (note)

A novel route for synthesis and growth formation of metal oxides microspheres: Insights from V_2O_3 microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yifu; Huang, Chi; Meng, Changgong; Hu, Tao

2016-01-01

Highly polydisperse V_2O_3 solid microspheres with large specific surface area were successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal decomposition of VOC_2O_4 solution. The morphology and composition were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). V_2O_3 microspheres display an obvious Mott phase transition at −128.5 °C (cooling curve) and −114.5 °C (heating curve). Some parameters including the reaction temperature, concentration of VOC_2O_4, reaction time, surfactant, H_2C_2O_4 and precursor were briefly discussed to reveal the formation of V_2O_3 microspheres. It was found that the precursor is crucial for the fabrication of microsphere. A self-assembly growth mechanism was suggested to explain the growth process of microspheres and the autogenic CO and CO_2 gas served as the soft templates. Furthermore, this route was developed to synthesize different metal oxides microspheres, and it was found that AlO(OH), Fe_3O_4, Fe_2O_3, Co_3O_4, Cr_2O_3, MoO_2 and WO_3 microspheres were obtained. All the results showed this process was successfully explored as a methodology to synthesize different metal oxides microspheres using the gas as the templates by this facile hydrothermal route. - Highlights: • Highly uniform V_2O_3 solid microspheres were synthesized. • V_2O_3 microspheres display an obvious Mott phase transition. • The autogenic CO and CO_2 gas served as the soft templates for designed synthesis. • AlO(OH), Fe_3O_4, Fe_2O_3, Co_3O_4, Cr_2O_3, MoO_2 and WO_3 microspheres were obtained. • A methodology to synthesize different metal oxides microspheres was developed.

Acetylated starch of Ofada rice as a sustained polymer in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objectives: To formulate and evaluate repaglinide microspheres using acetylated starch of the indigenous rice species Oryza glaberrima Steud (Ofada) as polymer. Materials and Methods: Ofada rice starch was acetylated with acetic anhydride in pyridine (DS 2.68) and characterized for morphology (Scanning electron ...

Lead recovery and glass microspheres synthesis from waste CRT funnel glasses through carbon thermal reduction enhanced acid leaching process.

Science.gov (United States)

Mingfei, Xing; Yaping, Wang; Jun, Li; Hua, Xu

2016-03-15

In this study, a novel process for detoxification and reutilization of waste cathode ray tube (CRT) funnel glass was developed by carbon thermal reduction enhanced acid leaching process. The key to this process is removal of lead from the CRT funnel glass and synchronous preparation of glass microspheres. Carbon powder was used as an isolation agent and a reducing agent. Under the isolation of the carbon powder, the funnel glass powder was sintered into glass microspheres. In thermal reduction, PbO in the funnel glass was first reduced to elemental Pb by carbon monoxide and then located on the surface of glass microspheres which can be removed easily by acid leaching. Experimental results showed that temperature, carbon adding amount and holding time were the major parameters that controlled lead removal rate. The maximum lead removal rate was 94.80% and glass microspheres that measured 0.73-14.74μm were obtained successfully by setting the temperature, carbon adding amount and holding time at 1200°C, 10% and 30min, respectively. The prepared glass microspheres may be used as fillers in polymer materials and abrasive materials, among others. Accordingly, this study proposed a practical and economical process for detoxification and recycling of waste lead-containing glass. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Metal{Polymer Hybrid Materials For Flexible Transparent Conductors

Science.gov (United States)

Narayanan, Sudarshan

The field of organic electronics, till recently a mere research topic, is currently making rapid strides and tremendous progress into entering the mainstream electronics industry with several applications and products such as OLED televisions, curved displays, wearable devices, flexible solar cells, etc. already having been commercialized. A major component in these devices, especially for photovoltaic applications, is a transparent conductor used as one of the electrodes, which in most commercial applications are highly doped wide bandgap semiconducting oxides also called Transparent Conducting Oxides (TCOs). However, TCOs exhibit inherent disadvantages such as limited supply, brittle mechanical properties, expensive processing that present major barriers for the more widespread economic use in applications such as exible transparent conductors, owing to which suitable alternative materials are being sought. In this context we present two approaches in realizing alternative TCs using metal-polymer hybrid materials, with high figures of merit that are easily processable, reasonably inexpensive and mechanically robust as well. In this context, our first approach employs laminated metal-polymer photonic bandgap structures to effectively tune optical and electrical properties by an appropriate design of the material stack, factoring in the effect of the materials involved, the number of layers and layer properties. We have found that in the case of a four-bilayer Au/polystyrene (AujPS) laminate structure, an enhancement in optical transmittance of ˜ 500% in comparison to a monolithic A film of equivalent thickness, can be achieved. The high conductivity (˜ 106 O--1cm--1) of the metallic component, Au in this case, also ensures planar conductivity; metallic inclusions in the dielectric polymer layer can in principle give rise to out-of-plane conductivity as well enabling a fully functional TC. Such materials also have immense potential for several other applications

Magnetic susceptibility characterisation of superparamagnetic microspheres

Science.gov (United States)

Grob, David Tim; Wise, Naomi; Oduwole, Olayinka; Sheard, Steve

2018-04-01

The separation of magnetic materials in microsystems using magnetophoresis has increased in popularity. The wide variety and availability of magnetic beads has fuelled this drive. It is important to know the magnetic characteristics of the microspheres in order to accurately use them in separation processes integrated on a lab-on-a-chip device. To investigate the magnetic susceptibility of magnetic microspheres, the magnetic responsiveness of three types of Dynabeads microspheres were tested using two different approaches. The magnetophoretic mobility of individual microspheres is studied using a particle tracking system and the magnetization of each type of Dynabeads microsphere is measured using SQUID relaxometry. The magnetic beads' susceptibility is obtained at four different applied magnetic fields in the range of 38-70 mT for both the mobility and SQUID measurements. The susceptibility values in both approaches show a consistent magnetic field dependence.

Inhibition by local bupivacaine-releasing microspheres of acute postoperative pain from hairy skin incision.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohri, Rachit; Wang, Jeffrey Chi-Fei; Blaskovich, Phillip D; Pham, Lan N; Costa, Daniel S; Nichols, Gary A; Hildebrand, William P; Scarborough, Nelson L; Herman, Clifford J; Strichartz, Gary R

2013-09-01

Acute postoperative pain causes physiological deficits and slows recovery. Reduction of such pain by local anesthetics that are delivered for several days postoperatively is a desirable clinical objective, which is approached by a new formulation and applied in animal studies reported here. We subcutaneously injected a new formulation of poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid polymer microspheres, which provides steady drug release for 96+ hours into rats at the dorsal region 2 hours before surgery. A single 1.2-cm-long skin incision was followed by blunt dissection of skin away from the underlying fascia, and closed by 2 sutures, followed by 14 days of testing. Microspheres containing 5, 10, 20, and 40 mg bupivacaine were injected locally 2 hours before surgery; bupivacaine-free microspheres were the vehicle control, and bupivacaine HCl solution (0.5%), the positive control. Mechanical sensitivity was determined by the frequency of local muscle contractions to repeated pokes with nylon monofilaments (von Frey hairs) exerting 4 and 15 g forces, testing, respectively, allodynia and hyperalgesia, and by pinprick. Injection of bupivacaine microspheres (40 mg drug) into intact skin reduced responses to 15 g von Frey hairs for 6 hours and to pinprick for 36 hours. Respective reductions from bupivacaine HCl lasted for 3 and 2 hours. Skin incision and dissection alone caused mechanical allodynia and hyperalgesia for 14 days. Microspheres containing 20 or 40 mg bupivacaine suppressed postoperative hypersensitivity for up to 3 days, reduced integrated allodynia (area under curve of response versus time) over postoperative days 1 to 5 by 51% ± 20% (mean ± SE) and 78% ± 12%, and reduced integrated hyperalgesia by 55% ± 13% and 64% ± 11%, for the respective doses. Five and ten milligrams bupivacaine in microspheres and the 0.5% bupivacaine solution were ineffective in reducing postoperative hypersensitivity, as were 40 mg bupivacaine microspheres injected contralateral to the

Microsphere-Based Scaffolds Carrying Opposing Gradients of Chondroitin Sulfate and Tricalcium Phosphate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vineet eGupta

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Extracellular matrix (ECM components such as chondroitin sulfate (CS and tricalcium phosphate (TCP serve as raw materials and thus spatial patterning of these raw materials may be leveraged to mimic the smooth transition of physical, chemical and mechanical properties at the bone-cartilage interface. We hypothesized that encapsulation of opposing gradients of these raw materials in high molecular weight poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA microsphere-based scaffolds would enhance differentiation of rat bone marrow stromal cells (rBMSCs. The raw material encapsulation altered the microstructure of the microspheres and also influenced the cellular morphology that depended on the type of material encapsulated. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the raw material encapsulating microsphere-based scaffolds initially relied on the composition of the scaffolds and later on were primarily governed by the degradation of the polymer phase and newly synthesized extracellular matrix by the seeded cells. Furthermore, raw materials had a mitogenic effect on the seeded cells and led to increased glycosaminoglycan (GAG, collagen, and calcium content. Interestingly, the initial effects of raw material encapsulation on a per-cell basis might have been overshadowed by medium-regulated environment that appeared to favor osteogenesis. However, it is to be noted that in vivo, differentiation of the cells would be governed by the surrounding native environment. Thus, the results of this study demonstrated the potential of the raw materials in facilitating neo-tissue synthesis in microsphere-based scaffolds and perhaps in combination with bioactive signals, these raw materials may be able to achieve intricate cell differentiation profiles required for regenerating the osteochondral interface.

Color tunable hybrid light-emitting diodes based on perovskite quantum dot/conjugated polymer

Science.gov (United States)

Germino, José C.; Yassitepe, Emre; Freitas, Jilian N.; Santiago, Glauco M.; Bonato, Luiz Gustavo; de Morais, Andréia; Atvars, Teresa D. Z.; Nogueira, Ana F.

2017-08-01

Inorganic organic metal halide perovskite materials have been investigated for several technological applications, such as photovoltaic cells, lasers, photodetectors and light emitting diodes (LEDs), either in the bulk form or as colloidal nanoparticles. Recently, all inorganic Cesium Lead Halide (CsPbX3, X=Cl,Br, I) perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) were reported with high photoluminescence quantum yield with narrow emission lines in the visible wavelengths. Here, green-emitting perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) prepared by a synthetic method based on a mixture of oleylamine and oleic acid as surfactants were applied in the electroluminescent layer of hybrid LEDs in combination with two different conjugated polymers: polyvinylcarbazole (PVK) or poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) (PFO). The performance of the diodes and the emission color tuning upon dispersion of different concentrations of the PQDs in the polymer matrix is discussed. The presented approach aims at the combination of the optical properties of the PQDs and their interaction with wide bandgap conjugated polymers, associated with the solution processing ability of these materials.

Method for sizing hollow microspheres

Science.gov (United States)

Farnum, E.H.; Fries, R.J.

1975-10-29

Hollow Microspheres may be effectively sized by placing them beneath a screen stack completely immersed in an ultrasonic bath containing a liquid having a density at which the microspheres float and ultrasonically agitating the bath.

Biomineralized multifunctional magnetite/carbon microspheres for applications in Li-ion batteries and water treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Shim, Hyun-Woo; Park, Sangbaek; Song, Hee Jo; Kim, Jae-Chan; Jang, Eunjin; Hong, Kug Sun; Kim, T Doohun; Kim, Dong-Wan

2015-03-16

Advanced functional materials incorporating well-defined multiscale architectures are a key focus for multiple nanotechnological applications. However, strategies for developing such materials, including nanostructuring, nano-/microcombination, hybridization, and so on, are still being developed. Here, we report a facile, scalable biomineralization process in which Micrococcus lylae bacteria are used as soft templates to synthesize 3D hierarchically structured magnetite (Fe3O4) microspheres for use as Li-ion battery anode materials and in water treatment applications. Self-assembled Fe3O4 microspheres with flower-like morphologies are systematically fabricated from biomineralized 2D FeO(OH) nanoflakes at room temperature and are subsequently subjected to post-annealing at 400 °C. In particular, because of their mesoporous properties with a hollow interior and the improved electrical conductivity resulting from the carbonized bacterial templates, the Fe3 O4 microspheres obtained by calcining the FeO(OH) in Ar exhibit enhanced cycle stability and rate capability as Li-ion battery anodes, as well as superior adsorption of organic pollutants and toxic heavy metals. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Phase transformation, morphology evolution and luminescence property variation in Y2O3: Eu hollow microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Qin; Guo, Jing; Jia, Wenjing; Liu, Baocang; Zhang, Jun

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► We report a general and facile method for the synthesis of Y 2 O 3 : Eu hollow microspheres. ► This method may be of great significance in the synthesis of many other hollow spherical materials. ► Phase, morphology and luminescence property were found to be strongly dependent on temperature and pH. ► The evolution process under various temperatures and pH values were discussed. ► The sample shows a strong red emission under short UV irradiation, and the lifetime is determined to be 7.0 ms. - Abstract: Y 2 O 3 : Eu hollow microspheres with average size of 500–600 nm have been successfully synthesized via a solvothermal method in the presence of sodium citrate as surfactant followed by a subsequent heat treatment process. High polymer F127(EO 106 PO 70 EO 106 ) served as a soft template in the formation of as prepared hollow microspheres. It is found that the pH values and the reaction temperature are two crucial factors in determining the phase, morphology and luminescence properties of the Y 2 O 3 : Eu hollow microspheres. Morphology evolution can be achieved by changing the pH and the reaction temperature. The properties of the Eu 3+ -doped Y 2 O 3 : Eu nanocrystals were characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, HR-TEM and UV–vis spectroscopy.

In vitro evaluation of biodegradable microspheres with surface-bound ligands.

Science.gov (United States)

Keegan, Mark E; Royce, Sara M; Fahmy, Tarek; Saltzman, W Mark

2006-02-21

Protein ligands were conjugated to the surface of biodegradable microspheres. These microsphere-ligand conjugates were then used in two in vitro model systems to evaluate the effect of conjugated ligands on microsphere behavior. Microsphere retention in agarose columns was increased by ligands on the microsphere surface specific for receptors on the agarose matrix. In another experiment, conjugating the lectin Ulex europaeus agglutinin 1 to the microsphere surface increased microsphere adhesion to Caco-2 monolayers compared to control microspheres. This increase in microsphere adhesion was negated by co-administration of l-fucose, indicating that the increase in adhesion is due to specific interaction of the ligand with carbohydrate receptors on the cell surface. These results demonstrate that the ligands conjugated to the microspheres maintain their receptor binding activity and are present on the microsphere surface at a density sufficient to target the microspheres to both monolayers and three-dimensional matrices bearing complementary receptors.

Molecularly imprinted polymer based on chemiluminescence imaging for the chiral recognition of dansyl-phenylalanine.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li; Zhang, Zhujun; Huang, Lianggao

2008-03-01

A new molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-chemiluminescence (CL) imaging detection approach towards chiral recognition of dansyl-phenylalanine (Phe) is presented. The polymer microspheres were synthesized using precipitation polymerization with dansyl-L-Phe as template. Polymer microspheres were immobilized in microtiter plates (96 wells) using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as glue. The analyte was selectively adsorbed on the MIP microspheres. After washing, the bound fraction was quantified based on peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence (PO-CL) analysis. In the presence of dansyl-Phe, bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)oxalate (TCPO) reacted with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to emit chemiluminescence. The signal was detected and quantified with a highly sensitive cooled charge-coupled device (CCD). Influencing factors were investigated and optimized in detail. Control experiments using capillary electrophoresis showed that there was no significant difference between the proposed method and the control method at a confidence level of 95%. The method can perform 96 independent measurements simultaneously in 30 min and the limits of detection (LODs) for dansyl-L-Phe and dansyl-D-Phe were 0.025 micromol L(-1) and 0.075 micromol L(-1) (3sigma), respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for 11 parallel measurements of dansyl-L-Phe (0.78 micromol L(-1)) was 8%. The results show that MIP-based CL imaging can become a useful analytical technology for quick chiral recognition.

Silicon nanowires in polymer nanocomposites for photovoltaic hybrid thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ben Dkhil, S.; Bourguiga, R.; Davenas, J.; Cornu, D.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Hybrid solar cells based on blends of poly(N-vinylcarbazole) and silicon nanowires have been fabricated. ► We have investigated the charge transfer between PVK and SiNWs by the way of the quenching of the PVK photoluminescence. ► The relation between the morphology of the composite thin films and the charge transfer between SiNWs and PVK has been examined. ► We have investigated the effects of SiNWs concentration on the photovoltaic characteristics leading to the optimization of a critical SiNWs concentration. - Abstract: Hybrid thin films combining the high optical absorption of a semiconducting polymer film and the electronic properties of silicon fillers have been investigated in the perspective of the development of low cost solar cells. Bulk heterojunction photovoltaic materials based on blends of a semiconductor polymer poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) as electron donor and silicon nanowires (SiNWs) as electron acceptor have been studied. Composite PVK/SiNWs films were cast from a common solvent mixture. UV–visible spectrometry and photoluminescence of the composites have been studied as a function of the SiNWs concentration. Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) shows the existence of a critical SiNWs concentration of about 10 wt % for PL quenching corresponding to the most efficient charge pair separation. The photovoltaic (PV) effect has been studied under illumination. The optimum open-circuit voltage V oc and short-circuit current density J sc are obtained for 10 wt % SiNWs whereas a degradation of these parameters is observed at higher SiNWs concentrations. These results are correlated to the formation of aggregates in the composite leading to recombination of the photogenerated charge pairs competing with the dissociation mechanism.

Micromechanics of Amorphous Metal/Polymer Hybrid Structures with 3D Cellular Architectures: Size Effects, Buckling Behavior, and Energy Absorption Capability.

Science.gov (United States)

Mieszala, Maxime; Hasegawa, Madoka; Guillonneau, Gaylord; Bauer, Jens; Raghavan, Rejin; Frantz, Cédric; Kraft, Oliver; Mischler, Stefano; Michler, Johann; Philippe, Laetitia

2017-02-01

By designing advantageous cellular geometries and combining the material size effects at the nanometer scale, lightweight hybrid microarchitectured materials with tailored structural properties are achieved. Prior studies reported the mechanical properties of high strength cellular ceramic composites, obtained by atomic layer deposition. However, few studies have examined the properties of similar structures with metal coatings. To determine the mechanical performance of polymer cellular structures reinforced with a metal coating, 3D laser lithography and electroless deposition of an amorphous layer of nickel-boron (NiB) is used for the first time to produce metal/polymer hybrid structures. In this work, the mechanical response of microarchitectured structures is investigated with an emphasis on the effects of the architecture and the amorphous NiB thickness on their deformation mechanisms and energy absorption capability. Microcompression experiments show an enhancement of the mechanical properties with the NiB thickness, suggesting that the deformation mechanism and the buckling behavior are controlled by the brittle-to-ductile transition in the NiB layer. In addition, the energy absorption properties demonstrate the possibility of tuning the energy absorption efficiency with adequate designs. These findings suggest that microarchitectured metal/polymer hybrid structures are effective in producing materials with unique property combinations. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Thermal insulation coating based on water-based polymer dispersion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panchenko Iuliia

2018-01-01

Full Text Available For Russia, due to its long winter period, improvement of thermal insulation properties of envelope structures by applying thermal insulation paint and varnish coating to its inner surface is considered perspective. Thermal insulation properties of such coatings are provided by adding aluminosilicate microspheres and aluminum pigment to their composition. This study was focused on defining the effect of hollow aluminosilicate microspheres and aluminum pigment on the paint thermal insulation coating based on water-based polymer dispersion and on its optimum filling ratio. The optimum filling ratio was determined using the method of critical pigment volume concentration (CPVC. The optimum filling ratio was found equal to 55%.

Micro tooling technologies for polymer micro replication: direct, indirect and hybrid process chains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tosello, Guido; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard

2009-01-01

The increasing employment of micro products, of products containing micro parts and of products with micro-structured surfaces calls for mass fabrication technologies based on replication processes. In many cases, a suitable solution is given by the use of polymer micro products, whose production...... and performance of the corresponding micro mould. Traditional methods of micro tooling, such as various machining processes (e.g. micro milling, micro electrical discharge machining) have already reached their limitations with decreasing dimensions of mould inserts and cavities. To this respect, tooling process...... chains based on combination of micro manufacturing processes (defined as hybrid tooling) have been established in order to obtain further features miniaturization and increased accuracy. In this paper, examples and performance of different hybrid tooling approaches as well as challenges, opportunities...

Active metal oxides and polymer hybrids as biomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Jarrell, John D.

show that silver doping improved the photoactivity of oxide coatings, but hindered activity of a specific hybrid. Doped titanium oxide and polymer hybrid coatings have potential for improving soft tissue integration of medical implants and wound healing by modulating cell proliferation, attachment, inflammation and providing controlled delivery of bioactive and antimicrobial compounds and photon induced electro-chemical activity.

Carrier transport mechanisms of hybrid ZnO nanorod-polymer LEDs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Sungjae; Lee, Kyuseung; Son, Dongick; Oh, Youngjei; Choi, Wonkook; Angadi, Basavaraj

2014-01-01

A hybrid polymer-nanorod (NR) light-emitting diode (LED), consisting of a hole-conducting polymer poly (9-vinyl carbazole) (PVK) and ZnO nanorod (NR) composite, with the device structure of glass/indium-tin-oxide (ITO)/PEDOT:PSS/(PVK + ZnO nanorods)/Al is fabricated through a simple spin coating technique. TEM images shows inhomogeneous deposition and the agglomeration of ZnO NRs, which is explained through their low probability of adsorption on PVK due to two-dimensional structural property. In the current-voltage characteristics, negative differential resistance (NDR) phenomenon is observed corresponding to device structure without ZnO NRs. The carrier transport behavior in the LED device is well described by both ohmic and space-charge-limited-current (SCLC) mechanisms. Broad blue electroluminescence (EL) consisting of two sub peaks, are centered at 441 nm and the other at 495 nm, is observed, which indicates that the ZnO nanorod play a role as a recombination center for excitons. The red shift in the position of the EL compared to that photoluminescence is well explained through band offsets at the heterojunction between the PVK and ZnO NRs.

Fabrication of Hybrid Polymer Solar Cells By Inverted Structure Based on P3HT:PCBM Active Layer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shobih Shobih

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Hybrid polymer solar cell has privilege than its conventional structure, where it usually has structure of (ITO/PEDOT:PSS/Active Layer/Al. In humid environment the PEDOT:PSS will absorb water and hence can easily etch the ITO. Therefore it is necessary to use an alternative method to avoid this drawback and obtain more stable polymer solar cells, namely by using hybrid polymer solar cells structure with an inverted device architecture from the conventional, by reversing the nature of charge collection. In this paper we report the results of the fabrication of inverted bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells based on P3HT:PCBM as active layer, utilizing ZnO interlayer as buffer layer between the ITO and active layer with a stacked structure of ITO/ZnO/P3HT:PCBM/PEDOT:PSS/Ag. The ZnO interlayer is formed through short route, i.e. by dissolving ZnO nanoparticles powder in chloroform-methanol solvent blend rather than by sol-gel process. Based on the measurement results on electrical characteristics of inverted polymer solar cells under 500 W/m2 illumination and AM 1.5 direct filter at room temperature, cell with annealing process of active layer at 110 °C for 10 minutes results in higher cell performance than without annealing, with an open-circuit voltage of 0.21 volt, a short-circuit current density of 1.33 mA/cm2 , a fill factor of 43.1%, and a power conversion efficiency of 0.22%. The low cell’s performance is caused by very rough surface of ZnO interlayer.

The sintered microsphere matrix for bone tissue engineering: in vitro osteoconductivity studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Borden, Mark; Attawia, Mohamed; Laurencin, Cato T

2002-09-05

A tissue engineering approach has been used to design three-dimensional synthetic matrices for bone repair. The osteoconductivity and degradation profile of a novel polymeric bone-graft substitute was evaluated in an in vitro setting. Using the copolymer poly(lactide-co-glycolide) [PLAGA], a sintering technique based on microsphere technology was used to fabricate three-dimensional porous scaffolds for bone regeneration. Osteoblasts and fibroblasts were seeded onto a 50:50 PLAGA scaffold. Morphologic evaluation through scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that both cell types attached and spread over the scaffold. Cells migrated through the matrix using cytoplasmic extensions to bridge the structure. Cross-sectional images indicated that cellular proliferation had penetrated into the matrix approximately 700 microm from the surface. Examination of the surfaces of cell/matrix constructs demonstrated that cellular proliferation had encompassed the pores of the matrix by 14 days of cell culture. With the aim of optimizing polymer composition and polymer molecular weight, a degradation study was conducted utilizing the matrix. The results demonstrate that degradation of the sintered matrix is dependent on molecular weight, copolymer ratio, and pore volume. From this data, it was determined that 75:25 PLAGA with an initial molecular weight of 100,000 has an optimal degradation profile. These studies show that the sintered microsphere matrix has an osteoconductive structure capable of functioning as a cellular scaffold with a degradation profile suitable for bone regeneration. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Intestinal absorption of PLAGA microspheres in the rat.

Science.gov (United States)

Damgé, C; Aprahamian, M; Marchais, H; Benoit, J P; Pinget, M

1996-12-01

Rhodamine B-labelled poly (DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLAGA) microspheres of 2 different sizes, 1-5 microns and 5-10 microns, were administered as a single dose (1.44 x 10(9) and 1.83 x 10(8) particles, respectively) into the ileal lumen of adult rats. The content of rhodamine in the mesenteric vein and ileal lumen was analysed periodically from 10 min to 48 h as well as the distribution of microspheres in the intestinal mucosa and various other tissues. The concentration of rhodamine decreased progressively in the intestinal lumen and was negligible after 24 h. The number of microspheres in the mesenteric vein increased rapidly and reached a maximum after 4 h whatever the size of the particles. It then decreased progressively, but more rapidly with microspheres > 5 microns than with microspheres PLAGA microspheres mainly crossed the intestinal mucosa at the site of Peyer's patches where microspheres of 5 microns were retained in the ileal lumen. A few small microspheres were occasionally observed in the epithelial cells. Only the smallest particles were recovered in the liver, lymph nodes and spleen while basement membranes were always labelled. It is concluded that PLAGA microspheres could be useful for the oral delivery of antigens if their size is between 1 and 5 microns.

Hybrid capacitor with activated carbon electrode, Ni(OH) 2 electrode and polymer hydrogel electrolyte

Science.gov (United States)

Nohara, Shinji; Asahina, Toshihide; Wada, Hajime; Furukawa, Naoji; Inoue, Hiroshi; Sugoh, Nozomu; Iwasaki, Hideharu; Iwakura, Chiaki

A new hybrid capacitor (HC) cell was assembled using an activated carbon (AC) negative electrode, an Ni(OH) 2 positive electrode and a polymer hydrogel electrolyte prepared from crosslinked potassium poly(acrylate) (PAAK) and KOH aqueous solution. The HC cell was characterized compared with an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) using two AC electrodes and the polymer hydrogel electrolyte. It was found that the HC cell successfully worked in the larger voltage range and exhibited ca. 2.4 times higher capacitance than the EDLC cell. High-rate dischargeability of the HC cell was also superior to that of the EDLC cell. These improved characteristics strongly suggest that the HC cell can be a promising system of capacitors with high energy and power densities.

Effect of the polymer emission on the electroluminescence characteristics of n-ZnO nanorods/p-polymer hybrid light emitting diode

Science.gov (United States)

Zaman, S.; Zainelabdin, A.; Amin, G.; Nur, O.; Willander, M.

2011-09-01

Hybrid light emitting diodes (LEDs) based on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods and polymers (single and blended) were fabricated and characterized. The ZnO nanorods were grown by the chemical bath deposition method at 50°C. Three different LEDs, with blue emitting, orange-red emitting or their blended polymer together with ZnO nanorods, were fabricated and studied. The current-voltage characteristics show good diode behavior with an ideality factor in the range of 2.1 to 2.27 for all three devices. The electroluminescence spectrum (EL) of the blended device has an emission range from 450 nm to 750 nm, due to the intermixing of the blue emission generated by poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) denoted as PFO with orange-red emission produced by poly(2-methoxy-5(20-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene) 1,4-phenylenevinylene) symbolized as MEH PPV combined with the deep-band emission (DBE) of the ZnO nanorods, i.e. it covers the whole visible region and is manifested as white light. The CIE color coordinates showed bluish, orange-red and white emission from the PFO, MEH PPV and blended LEDs with ZnO nanorods, respectively. These results indicate that the choice of the polymer with proper concentration is critical to the emitted color in ZnO nanorods/p-organic polymer LEDs and careful design should be considered to obtain intrinsic white light sources.

Formulation and evaluation of Bacillus coagulans-loaded hypromellose mucoadhesive microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Alli, Sk Md Athar

2011-01-01

Development of a novel delivery system has been attempted to deliver viable probiotic cells into the gut for a prolonged period of time while maintaining high numbers of viable cells within the formulation throughout the shelf-life of the product and during the gastrointestinal transit. Core mucoadhesive microspheres of Bacillus coagulans were developed employing several grades of hypromellose, a mucoadhesive polymer, following coacervation and phase separation technique and were subsequently enteric-coated with hypromellose phthalate. Microspheres were evaluated for percent yield; entrapment efficiency; in vitro swelling; surface morphology; particle size, size distribution, and zeta potential; flow property, mucoadhesion property by the ex vivo mucoadhesive strength test and the in vitro wash off test; in vitro release profile and release kinetic; in vivo probiotic activity; and stability. The values for the kinetic constant and regression coefficient of model-dependent approaches and the difference factor (f(1)), the similarity factor (f(2)), and the Rescigno index (ξ(1) and ξ(2)) of model independent approaches were determined for comparing in vitro dissolution profiles. Freeze dried B. coagulans cells were successfully formulated as enteric-coated mucoadhesive microspheres with satisfactory physical structure and yield. The viability of B. coagulans was maintained in the simulated gastric conditions and during processing; in simulated intestinal conditions exhibiting mucoadhesion, and controlling and extending the viable cell release following zero-order; and was satisfactorily stable at room temperature. Test results depict statistically significant effects of the hypromellose grade and their concentration on the performance and release profile of formulations.

Gastroretentive Floating Microspheres of Silymarin: Preparation and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Methods: Cellulose microspheres – formulated with hydroxylpropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and ethyl cellulose (EC) – and Eudragit microspheres – formulated with Eudragit® S 100 (ES) and Eudragit® RL (ERL) - were prepared by an emulsion-solvent evaporation method. The floating microspheres were evaluated for flow ...

Preparation and Comparative Characterization of Alginate-Made Microcapsules and Microspheres Containing Tomato, Seabuckthorn Juices and Pumpkin Oil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florina Csernatoni

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Recent studies have shown the benefits of tomatoes, seabuckthorn juices and pumpkin oil, rich in bioactives with antioxidant capacity, in the prevention of prostate diseases. To stabilize their antioxidant activity, microencapsulation represent a good technological alternative, improving the stability and bioavailability of bioactive molecules ( phenolic derivatives, carotenoids, phytosterols, vitamins.   The aim of the study was to prepare and characterize microspheres and microcapsules based on emulsions made of natural polymers like Natrium alginate mixed with tomato and/or seabuckthorn juices, with or without pumpkin oil.  The viscosity of emulsions, the morphology of microcapsules and microspheres were characterized comparatively and the bioactives were monitored by UV-Vis spectrometry.  In the lipophilic extract there were identified, before and after encapsulation, different classes of compounds, from lipids, to phenolic acid derivatives, flavonoids and carotenoids. Carotenoids were the major components having concentrations from 9.16 up to 19.71 mg/100 g sample. The viscosity of  each emulsion including juices, oil and natrium alginate 2%, before encapsulation, showed differences, dependent on the oil addition and speed of homogenization. The macroscopic and microscopic structure of microspheres and microcapsules were comparatively evaluated. Both microspheres and microcapsules had external diameters  ranging from 750 to 900 μm and the microcapsules’ oily core of 150-180 μm. The results obtained from emulsion’s viscosity will be correlated with the rigidity and optimal release rate of bioactive molecules from microcapsules and microspheres.  Further studies are directed towards these aspects.

Subcritical CO{sub 2} sintering of microspheres of different polymeric materials to fabricate scaffolds for tissue engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhamidipati, Manjari; Sridharan, BanuPriya [Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (United States); Scurto, Aaron M. [Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (United States); Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (United States); Detamore, Michael S., E-mail: detamore@ku.edu [Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (United States); Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (United States)

2013-12-01

The aim of this study was to use CO{sub 2} at sub-critical pressures as a tool to sinter 3D, macroporous, microsphere-based scaffolds for bone and cartilage tissue engineering. Porous scaffolds composed of ∼ 200 μm microspheres of either poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) or polycaprolactone (PCL) were prepared using dense phase CO{sub 2} sintering, which were seeded with rat bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (rBMSCs), and exposed to either osteogenic (PLGA, PCL) or chondrogenic (PLGA) conditions for 6 weeks. Under osteogenic conditions, the PLGA constructs produced over an order of magnitude more calcium than the PCL constructs, whereas the PCL constructs had far superior mechanical and structural integrity (125 times stiffer than PLGA constructs) at week 6, along with twice the cell content of the PLGA constructs. Chondrogenic cell performance was limited in PLGA constructs, perhaps as a result of the polymer degradation rate being too high. The current study represents the first long-term culture of CO{sub 2}-sintered microsphere-based scaffolds, and has established important thermodynamic differences in sintering between the selected formulations of PLGA and PCL, with the former requiring adjustment of pressure only, and the latter requiring the adjustment of both pressure and temperature. Based on more straightforward sintering conditions and more favorable cell performance, PLGA may be the material of choice for microspheres in a CO{sub 2} sintering application, although a different PLGA formulation with the encapsulation of growth factors, extracellular matrix-derived nanoparticles, and/or buffers in the microspheres may be advantageous for achieving a more superior cell performance than observed here. - Highlights: • The first long-term culture of CO{sub 2}-sintered microsphere-based scaffolds. • Established important thermodynamic differences between sintering PLGA and PCL. • PCL sintering with CO{sub 2} required manipulation of both

Hydrogen transport and storage in engineered glass microspheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rambach, G.D.

1995-02-28

New, high strength glass microspheres filled with pressurized hydrogen exhibit densities which make them attractive for bulk hydrogen storage and transport. The membrane tensile stress at failure for engineered glass microspheres is about 150,000 psi, permitting a three-fold increase in pressure limit and storage capacity above commercial microspheres, which have been studied a decade ago and have been shown to fail at membrane stresses of 50,000 psi. This analysis relating glass microspheres for hydrogen transport with infrastructure and economics, indicate that pressurized microspheres can be economically competitive with other forms of bulk rail and truck transport such as pressurized tube transports and liquid hydrogen trailers. This paper will describe the matching of current glass microspheres with the useful application in commercial hydrogen bulk transport and storage.

Accelerated in vitro release testing of implantable PLGA microsphere/PVA hydrogel composite coatings.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Jie; Burgess, Diane J

2012-01-17

Dexamethasone loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microsphere/PVA hydrogel composites have been investigated as an outer drug-eluting coating for implantable devices such as glucose sensors to counter negative tissue responses to implants. The objective of this study was to develop a discriminatory, accelerated in vitro release testing method for this drug-eluting coating using United States Pharmacopeia (USP) apparatus 4. Polymer degradation and drug release kinetics were investigated under "real-time" and accelerated conditions (i.e. extreme pH, hydro-alcoholic solutions and elevated temperatures). Compared to "real-time" conditions, the initial burst and lag phases were similar using hydro-alcoholic solutions and extreme pH conditions, while the secondary apparent zero-order release phase was slightly accelerated. Elevated temperatures resulted in a significant acceleration of dexamethasone release. The accelerated release data were able to predict "real-time" release when applying the Arrhenius equation. Microsphere batches with faster and slower release profiles were investigated under "real-time" and elevated temperature (60°C) conditions to determine the discriminatory ability of the method. The results demonstrated both the feasibility and the discriminatory ability of this USP apparatus 4 method for in vitro release testing of drug loaded PLGA microsphere/PVA hydrogel composites. This method may be appropriate for similar drug/device combination products and drug delivery systems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Innovative hydrogen storage in hollow glass-microspheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keding, M.; Schmid, G.; Tajmar, M. [Austrian Research Centers, Vienna (Austria)

2009-07-01

Hydrogen storage technologies are becoming increasingly important for a number of future applications. The Austrian Research Centers (ARC) are developing a unique hydrogen storage system that combines the advantages of both hollow glass microsphere and chemical compound hydrogen storage, but eliminates their respective drawbacks. Water is utilized as a functional liquid to carry the hollow glass microspheres that are loaded with up to 700 bar of hydrogen gas. Sodium borohydride (NaBH{sub 4}) is then injected together with the glass microspheres into a reaction chamber where the water reacts catalytically with the NaBH{sub 4} producing hydrogen and heat. The heat is then utilized to release the hydrogen from the hollow glass microspheres providing a double hydrogen generation process without any external energy or heat during storage or gas release. The paper described this hydrogen storage system with particular reference to microspheres, the coating process, the experimental facility and NaBH{sub 4} test results. It was concluded that hydrogen storage and production on demand is possible with microspheres and sodium borohydride solution. 9 refs., 16 figs.

Long-Term Stability of Photovoltaic Hybrid Perovskites achieved by Graphene Passivation via a Water- and Polymer-Free Graphene Transfer Method

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, W.-S.; Jao, M.-H.; Hsu, C.-C.; Wu, C.-I.; Yeh, N.-C.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites such as CH3NH3PbX3 (X = I, Br) have been intensively studied in recent years because of their rapidly improving photovoltaic power conversion efficiency. However, severe instability of these materials in ambient environment has been a primary challenge for practical applications. To address this issue, we employ high-quality PECVD-grown graphene to passivate the hybrid perovskites. In contrast to existing processes for transferring graphene from the growth substrates to other surfaces that involve either polymer or water, which are incompatible with photovoltaic applications of these water-sensitive hybrid perovskites, we report here a new water- and polymer-free graphene transferring method. Studies of the Raman, x-ray and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (XPS and UPS) demonstrated excellent quality of monolayer PECVD-grown graphene samples after their transfer onto different substrates with the water- and polymer-free processing method. In particular, graphene was successfully transferred onto the surface of CH3NH3PbI3 thin films with sample quality intact. Moreover, XPS and UPS studies indicated that even after 3 months, the fully graphene-covered perovskite films remained spectroscopically invariant, which was in sharp contrast to the drastic changes, after merely one week, in both the XPS and UPS of a control CH3NH3PbI3 sample without graphene protection. Beckman Inst. in Caltech. Dragon Gate Program in Taiwan.

Growth of ZnSe nano-needles by pulsed laser deposition and their application in polymer/inorganic hybrid solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, L.; Lai, J.S.; Fu, X.N.; Sun, J.; Ying, Z.F.; Wu, J.D.; Lu, H.; Xu, N.

2013-01-01

Using pulsed-laser deposition method, crystalline ZnSe nano-needles have been grown on catalyst-coated silicon (100) substrates. The crystalline ZnSe nano-needles with the middle diameters of about 20–80 nm, and the lengths ranging from 100 to 600 nm can be grown densely on 300–400 °C substrates. The as-grown ZnSe nano-needles were well crystalline and base-grown. They are potential electron-capturing materials in polymer/inorganic hybrid solar cells for their properties of good electron-conductance and high ratio surface area. Based on the ZnSe nano-needle cathode, a five-layer composite structure of polymer/inorganic hybrid solar cell has been designed and fabricated. The absorption spectra of the blend of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM), ZnSe nano-needles and the combination of P3HT:PCBM and ZnSe nano-needles were examined by ultraviolet–visible-infrared spectrophotometer, respectively. The absorption bands of the combination of P3HT:PCBM and ZnSe nano-needles fit well with the solar spectral distribution. - Highlights: ► Crystalline ZnSe nano-needles grown by pulsed laser deposition. ► A five-layer polymer/inorganic hybrid solar cell based on ZnSe nano-needles cathode. ► ZnSe nano-needles improve light absorption. ► Employment of ZnSe nano-needles increase the open-circuit voltage and fill factor

Fluid Flow Programming in Paper-Derived Silica-Polymer Hybrids.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubois, Christelle; Herzog, Nicole; Rüttiger, Christian; Geißler, Andreas; Grange, Eléonor; Kunz, Ulrike; Kleebe, Hans-Joachim; Biesalski, Markus; Meckel, Tobias; Gutmann, Torsten; Gallei, Markus; Andrieu-Brunsen, Annette

2017-01-10

In paper-based devices, capillary fluid flow is based on length-scale selective functional control within a hierarchical porous system. The fluid flow can be tuned by altering the paper preparation process, which controls parameters such as the paper grammage. Interestingly, the fiber morphology and nanoporosity are often neglected. In this work, porous voids are incorporated into paper by the combination of dense or mesoporous ceramic silica coatings with hierarchically porous cotton linter paper. Varying the silica coating leads to significant changes in the fluid flow characteristics, up to the complete water exclusion without any further fiber surface hydrophobization, providing new approaches to control fluid flow. Additionally, functionalization with redox-responsive polymers leads to reversible, dynamic gating of fluid flow in these hybrid paper materials, demonstrating the potential of length scale specific, dynamic, and external transport control.

Hybrid fluorescent nanoparticles fabricated from pyridine-functionalized polyfluorene-based conjugated polymer as reversible pH probes over a broad range of acidity-alkalinity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui, Haijun; Chen, Ying; Li, Lianshan; Tang, Zhiyong; Wu, Yishi; Fu, Hongbing; Tian, Zhiyuan

2014-01-01

Conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) were developed based on a polyfluorene-based conjugated polymer with thiophene units carrying pyridyl moieties incorporated in the backbone of polymer chains (PFPyT). Hybrid CPNs fabricated from PFPyT and an amphiphilic polymer (NP1) displayed pH-sensitive fluorescence emission features in the range from pH 4.8 to 13, which makes them an attractive nanomaterial for wide range optical sensing of pH values. The fluorescence of hybrid CPNs based on chemically close polyfluorene derivatives without pyridyl moieties (NP3), in contrast, remains virtually unperturbed by pH values in the same range. The fluorescence emission features of NP1 underwent fully reversible changes upon alternating acidification/basification of aqueous dispersions of the CPNs and also displayed excellent repeatability. The observed pH sensing properties of NP1 are attributed to protonation/deprotonation of the nitrogen atoms of the pyridine moieties. This, in turn, leads to the redistribution of electron density of pyridine moieties and their participation in the π-conjugation within the polymer main chains. The optically transparent amphiphilic polymers also exerted significant influence on the pH sensing features of the CPNs, likely by acting as proton sponge and/or acid chaperone. (author)

Microsphere estimates of blood flow: Methodological considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

von Ritter, C.; Hinder, R.A.; Womack, W.; Bauerfeind, P.; Fimmel, C.J.; Kvietys, P.R.; Granger, D.N.; Blum, A.L.

1988-01-01

The microsphere technique is a standard method for measuring blood flow in experimental animals. Sporadic reports have appeared outlining the limitations of this method. In this study the authors have systematically assessed the effect of blood withdrawals for reference sampling, microsphere numbers, and anesthesia on blood flow estimates using radioactive microspheres in dogs. Experiments were performed on 18 conscious and 12 anesthetized dogs. Four blood flow estimates were performed over 120 min using 1 x 10 6 microspheres each time. The effects of excessive numbers of microspheres pentobarbital sodium anesthesia, and replacement of volume loss for reference samples with dextran 70 were assessed. In both conscious and anesthetized dogs a progressive decrease in gastric mucosal blood flow and cardiac output was observed over 120 min. This was also observed in the pancreas in conscious dogs. The major factor responsible for these changes was the volume loss due to the reference sample withdrawals. Replacement of the withdrawn blood with dextran 70 led to stable blood flows to all organs. The injection of excessive numbers of microspheres did not modify hemodynamics to a greater extent than did the injection of 4 million microspheres. Anesthesia exerted no influence on blood flow other than raising coronary flow. The authors conclude that although blood flow to the gastric mucosa and the pancreas is sensitive to the minor hemodynamic changes associated with the microsphere technique, replacement of volume loss for reference samples ensures stable blood flow to all organs over a 120-min period

Novel local drug delivery system using thermoreversible gel in combination with polymeric microspheres or liposomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Arai, Takao; Benny, Ofra; Joki, Tatsuhiro; Menon, Lata G; Machluf, Marcelle; Abe, Toshiaki; Carroll, Rona S; Black, Peter M

2010-04-01

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the application of thermoreversible gelation polymer (TGP) as a local drug delivery system for malignant glioma. Polymeric microspheres or liposomes loaded with doxorubicin (sphere-dox or lipo-dox) were combined with TGP to provide continuous drug delivery of doxorubicin (dox) for kinetic release studies and cell viability assays on glioma cell lines in vitro. For in vivo studies, TGP loaded with dox alone (TGP-dox) was combined with sphere-dox or lipo-dox. Their antitumor effects on subcutaneous human glioma xenografts were evaluated in nude mice. In vitro, TGP combined with sphere-dox or lipo-dox released dox for up to 30 days. In vivo, TGP-dox combined with sphere-dox or lipo-dox inhibited subcutaneous glioma tumor growth until day 32 and day 38, respectively. TGP in combination with microspheres or liposomes successfully prolonged the release of dox and its antitumor effects.

Effect of hybrid carbon nanotubes-bimetallic composite particles on the performance of polymer solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Sun-Young [Department of Material Processing, Korea Institute of Materials Science, Changwon 641-831 (Korea); Division of Applied Chemical Engineering, Department of Polymer Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan 608-739 (Korea); Kim, Whi-Dong; Kim, Soo H. [Department of Nanosystem and Nanoprocess Engineering, Pusan National University, 30 Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 609-735 (Korea); Kim, Do-Geun; Kim, Jong-Kuk; Jeong, Yong-Soo; Kang, Jae-Wook [Department of Material Processing, Korea Institute of Materials Science, Changwon 641-831 (Korea); Kim, Joo Hyun [Division of Applied Chemical Engineering, Department of Polymer Engineering, Pukyong National University, Busan 608-739 (Korea); Lee, Jae Keun [School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, 30 Jangjeon-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 609-735 (Korea)

2010-05-15

Hybrid carbon nanotubes-bimetallic composite nanoparticles with sea urchin-like structures (SU-CNTs) were introduced to bulk heterojunction polymer-fullerene solar cells to improve their performance. The SU-CNTs were composed of multi-walled CNTs, which were grown radially over the entire surface of the bimetallic nanoparticles composed of Ni and Al. SU-CNTs with a precisely controlled length of {proportional_to}200{+-}40 nm were dispersed homogenously in a polymer active layer. Compared with a pristine device (i.e., without SU-CNTs), the SU-CNTs-doped organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells showed an improved short-circuit current density and power conversion efficiency from 7.5 to 9.5 mA/cm{sup 2} and 2.1{+-}0.1% to 2.2{+-}0.2% (max. 2.5%), respectively. The specially designed SU-CNTs have strong potential as an effective exciton dissociation medium in the polymer active layer to enhance the performance of organic solar cells. (author)

Microsphere based improved sunscreen formulation of ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate.

Science.gov (United States)

Gogna, Deepak; Jain, Sunil K; Yadav, Awesh K; Agrawal, G P

2007-04-01

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) microspheres of ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHM) were prepared by emulsion solvent evaporation method to improve its photostability and effectiveness as sunscreening agent. Process parameters like stirring speed and aqueous polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) concentration were analyzed in order to optimize the formulations. Shape and surface morphology of the microspheres were examined using scanning electron microscopy. Particle size of the microspheres was determined using laser diffraction particle size analyzer. The PMMA microspheres of EHM were incorporated in water-removable cream base. The in vitro drug release of EHM in pH 7.4 was performed using dialysis membrane. Thin layer chromatography was performed to determine photostability of EHM inside the microspheres. The formulations were evaluated for sun protection factor (SPF) and minimum erythema dose (MED) in albino rats. Cream base formulation containing microspheres prepared using EHM:PMMA in ratio of 1:3 (C(3)) showed slowest drug (EHM) release and those prepared with EHM: PMMA in ratio of 1:1 showed fastest release. The cream base formulations containing EHM loaded microspheres had shown better SPF (more than 16.0) as compared to formulation C(d) that contained 3% free EHM as sunscreen agent and showed SPF 4.66. These studies revealed that the incorporation of EHM loaded PMMA microspheres into cream base had greatly increased the efficacy of sunscreen formulation approximately four times. Further, photostability was also shown to be improved in PMMA microspheres.

Preparation and Characterization of Sugar Cane Wax Microspheres ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... and characterize indomethacin (IM) microspheres prepared with sugar cane wax microsperes. Methods: Microspheres were prepared by melt-emulsified dispersion and cooling-induced solidification method. The microspheres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differntial scanning calorimetry ...

Preparation of mesoporous zirconia microspheres as inert matrix

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Ting [State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 (China); Wang, Chen; Lv, Jinlong [Beijing Key Laboratory of Fine Ceramics, Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 (China); Liang, Tongxiang, E-mail: txliang@tsinghua.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 (China)

2016-12-01

Mesoporous zirconia microspheres, with a diameter of 900 μm, were prepared as an inert accelerator driven system (ADS) transmutation element matrix by the sol-gel method. The purpose of mesopores is to improve the adsorption capacity of inert matrix fuel (IMF) for minor actinides. The study indicated that the mesoporous zirconia performance was improved after the microspheres were hydrothermally treated at 150 °C, the specific surface area increased from 28.29 m{sup 2}/g to 61.28 m{sup 2}/g, and hydrothermal treatment avoided the cracking of the microspheres. Pre-decomposition of the organics during the hydrothermal process stabilized the mesoporous structure. The average pore diameter of mesoporous microsphere was 14.3 nm. - Highlights: • Mesoporous zirconia microspheres with a diameter of 900 μm were prepared as ADS transmutation element inert matrix. • The mesoporous performance was improved after the microspheres were hydrothermally treated at 150 °C. • The specific surface area increased from 28.29 m{sup 2}/g to 61.28 m{sup 2}/g. • The hydrothermal treatment could avoid the cracking of the microspheres. • The specific surface area of mesoporous microsphere was 61.28 m{sup 2}/g and the average pore diameter was 14.3 nm.

Generic Delivery of Payload of Nanoparticles Intracellularly via Hybrid Polymer Capsules for Bioimaging Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Sami, Haider; Maparu, Auhin K.; Kumar, Ashok; Sivakumar, Sri

2012-01-01

Towards the goal of development of a generic nanomaterial delivery system and delivery of the ‘as prepared’ nanoparticles without ‘further surface modification’ in a generic way, we have fabricated a hybrid polymer capsule as a delivery vehicle in which nanoparticles are loaded within their cavity. To this end, a generic approach to prepare nanomaterials-loaded polyelectrolyte multilayered (PEM) capsules has been reported, where polystyrene sulfonate (PSS)/polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH) polymer capsules were employed as nano/microreactors to synthesize variety of nanomaterials (metal nanoparticles; lanthanide doped inorganic nanoparticles; gadolinium based nanoparticles, cadmium based nanoparticles; different shapes of nanoparticles; co-loading of two types of nanoparticles) in their hollow cavity. These nanoparticles-loaded capsules were employed to demonstrate generic delivery of payload of nanoparticles intracellularly (HeLa cells), without the need of individual nanoparticle surface modification. Validation of intracellular internalization of nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells was ascertained by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The green emission from Tb3+ was observed after internalization of LaF3:Tb3+(5%) nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells, which suggests that nanoparticles in hybrid capsules retain their functionality within the cells. In vitro cytotoxicity studies of these nanoparticles-loaded capsules showed less/no cytotoxicity in comparison to blank capsules or untreated cells, thus offering a way of evading direct contact of nanoparticles with cells because of the presence of biocompatible polymeric shell of capsules. The proposed hybrid delivery system can be potentially developed to avoid a series of biological barriers and deliver multiple cargoes (both simultaneous and individual delivery) without the need of individual cargo design/modification. PMID:22649489

Generic delivery of payload of nanoparticles intracellularly via hybrid polymer capsules for bioimaging applications.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haider Sami

Full Text Available Towards the goal of development of a generic nanomaterial delivery system and delivery of the 'as prepared' nanoparticles without 'further surface modification' in a generic way, we have fabricated a hybrid polymer capsule as a delivery vehicle in which nanoparticles are loaded within their cavity. To this end, a generic approach to prepare nanomaterials-loaded polyelectrolyte multilayered (PEM capsules has been reported, where polystyrene sulfonate (PSS/polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH polymer capsules were employed as nano/microreactors to synthesize variety of nanomaterials (metal nanoparticles; lanthanide doped inorganic nanoparticles; gadolinium based nanoparticles, cadmium based nanoparticles; different shapes of nanoparticles; co-loading of two types of nanoparticles in their hollow cavity. These nanoparticles-loaded capsules were employed to demonstrate generic delivery of payload of nanoparticles intracellularly (HeLa cells, without the need of individual nanoparticle surface modification. Validation of intracellular internalization of nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells was ascertained by confocal laser scanning microscopy. The green emission from Tb(3+ was observed after internalization of LaF(3:Tb(3+(5% nanoparticles-loaded capsules by HeLa cells, which suggests that nanoparticles in hybrid capsules retain their functionality within the cells. In vitro cytotoxicity studies of these nanoparticles-loaded capsules showed less/no cytotoxicity in comparison to blank capsules or untreated cells, thus offering a way of evading direct contact of nanoparticles with cells because of the presence of biocompatible polymeric shell of capsules. The proposed hybrid delivery system can be potentially developed to avoid a series of biological barriers and deliver multiple cargoes (both simultaneous and individual delivery without the need of individual cargo design/modification.

Hydrogen transport and storage in engineered glass microspheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rambach, G.D.

1995-04-18

New, high strength glass microspheres filled with pressurized hydrogen exhibit densities which make them attractive for bulk hydrogen storage and transport. The membrane tensile stress at failure for our engineered glass microspheres is about 150,000 psi, permitting a threefold increase in pressure limit and storage capacity above commercial microspheres, which have been studied a decade ago and have been shown to fail at membrane stresses of 50,000 psi. Our analysis relating glass microspheres for hydrogen transport with infrastructure and economics, indicate that pressurized microspheres can be economically competitive with other forms of bulk rail and truck transport such as pressurized tube transports and liquid hydrogen trailers.

Evaluation of radiolabelled microspheres as digesta markers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Young, B.A.; Turner, B.V.; Dixon, A.E.; Exley, D.M.; Young, S.B.; Abidin, Z.

1991-01-01

The suitability of microspheres as markers for measuring digesta kinetics in sheep was examined. Microspheres offer advantages of uniformity of size and density, and stability during passage through the gastrointestinal tract. They are commercially available labelled with the choice of one of eleven different radionuclides and can be easily measured in digesta and faecal material. Tests comparing several types of digesta markers gave different measures of kinetic parameters when the measurements were made concurrently in the same sheep. However, concurrent measurements derived from use of microspheres were consistent. Microspheres offer a new alternative for digestive studies. (author). 19 refs, 4 tabs

Glass microspheres for brachytherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prado, Miguel O.; Prastalo, Simon; Blaumann, Herman; Longhino, Juan M.; Repetto Llamazares, A.H.V.

2007-01-01

We developed the capacity to produce glass microspheres containing in their structure one or more radioactive isotopes useful for brachytherapy. We studied the various facts related with their production: (Rare earth) alumino silicate glass making, glass characterization, microspheres production, nuclear activation through (n,γ) nuclear reactions, mechanical characterization before and after irradiation. Corrosion tests in simulated human plasma and mechanical properties characterization were done before and after irradiation. (author) [es

Polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles as enhanced indomethacin delivery systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalmoro, Annalisa; Bochicchio, Sabrina; Nasibullin, Shamil F; Bertoncin, Paolo; Lamberti, Gaetano; Barba, Anna Angela; Moustafine, Rouslan I

2018-05-17

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), i.e. indomethacin used for rheumatoid arthritis and non-rheumatoid inflammatory diseases, are known for their injurious actions on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Mucosal damage can be avoided by using nanoscale systems composed by a combination of liposomes and biodegradable natural polymer, i.e. chitosan, for enhancing drug activity. Aim of this study was to prepare chitosan-lipid hybrid delivery systems for indomethacin dosage through a novel continuous method based on microfluidic principles. The drop-wise conventional method was also applied in order to investigate the effect of the two polymeric coverage processes on the nanostructures features and their interactions with indomethacin. Thermal-physical properties, mucoadhesiveness, drug entrapment efficiency, in vitro release behavior in simulated GI fluids and stability in stocking conditions were assayed and compared, respectively, for the uncoated and chitosan-coated nanoliposomes prepared by the two introduced methods. The prepared chitosan-lipid hybrid structures, with nanometric size, have shown high indomethacin loading (about 10%) and drug encapsulation efficiency up to 99%. TEM investigation has highlighted that the developed novel simil-microfluidic method is able to put a polymeric layer, surrounding indomethacin loaded nanoliposomes, thicker and smoother than that achievable by the drop-wise method, improving their storage stability. Finally, double pH tests have confirmed that the chitosan-lipid hybrid nanostructures have a gastro retentive behavior in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids thus can be used as delivery systems for the oral-controlled release of indomethacin. Based on the present results, the simil-microfluidic method, working with large volumes, in a rapid manner, without the use of drastic conditions and with a precise control over the covering process, seems to be the most promising method for the production of suitable

Influence of the polymer amount on bioactivity and biocompatibility of SiO{sub 2}/PEG hybrid materials synthesized by sol–gel technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Catauro, M., E-mail: michelina.catauro@unina2.it [Department of Industrial and Information Engineering, Second University of Naples, Via Roma 29, 81031 Aversa (Italy); Bollino, F.; Papale, F. [Department of Industrial and Information Engineering, Second University of Naples, Via Roma 29, 81031 Aversa (Italy); Gallicchio, M.; Pacifico, S. [Department of Environmental Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, Second University of Naples, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta (Italy)

2015-03-01

SiO{sub 2}/PEG organic–inorganic hybrid materials, which differ in polyethylene glycol (PEG) content, were synthesized by sol–gel technique and the characterization of their structure and biological properties was carried out in order to evaluate the possible use in biomedical field. FT-IR spectroscopy detected that the two components of the hybrids (SiO{sub 2} and PEG) are linked by hydrogen bonds between the Si–OH groups of the inorganic phase and the terminal alcoholic groups and/or the ethereal oxygen atoms in the repeating units of polymer. X-ray diffraction analysis ascertained the amorphous nature of the gels and the observation of their morphology by SEM microscopy confirmed that the interpenetration of the two phases (organic and inorganic) occurs on nanometric scale. The biological characterization was carried out as a function of the polymer amount to study its influence on material behavior. The results showed that the synthesized materials were bioactive and biocompatible. The formation of a hydroxyapatite layer, indeed, was observed on their surface by SEM/EDX analysis after soaking in simulated body fluid. Moreover, the biocompatibility of SiO{sub 2}/PEG hybrids was assessed performing MTT and SRB cytotoxicity tests on fibroblast cell NIH 3T3 after 24 and 48 h of exposure, as well as Trypan Blue dye exclusion test. The response to the presence of the investigated materials was positive. The cell growth and proliferation showed dependence on polymer amount and time of exposure to the material extracts. Therefore, the obtained results are encouraging for the use of the obtained hybrids in dental or orthopedic applications. - Highlights: • SiO{sub 2}/PEG hybrid biomaterials synthesized by sol–gel method at various PEG percentages • Chemical and morphological characterization of hybrid materials • Chemical interactions between inorganic and organic components • Biological characterizations with MTT and SRB cytotoxicity tests �

Hybrid capacitor with activated carbon electrode, Ni(OH){sub 2} electrode and polymer hydrogel electrolyte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nohara, Shinji; Asahina, Toshihide; Wada, Hajime; Furukawa, Naoji; Inoue, Hiroshi; Iwakura, Chiaki [Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1 Gakuen-cho, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531 (Japan); Sugoh, Nozomu; Iwasaki, Hideharu [Kurashiki Research Laboratory, Kuraray Co., Ltd., 2045-1 Sakazu, Kurashiki, Okayama 710-8691 (Japan)

2006-06-19

A new hybrid capacitor (HC) cell was assembled using an activated carbon (AC) negative electrode, an Ni(OH){sub 2} positive electrode and a polymer hydrogel electrolyte prepared from crosslinked potassium poly(acrylate) (PAAK) and KOH aqueous solution. The HC cell was characterized compared with an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) using two AC electrodes and the polymer hydrogel electrolyte. It was found that the HC cell successfully worked in the larger voltage range and exhibited ca. 2.4 times higher capacitance than the EDLC cell. High-rate dischargeability of the HC cell was also superior to that of the EDLC cell. These improved characteristics strongly suggest that the HC cell can be a promising system of capacitors with high energy and power densities. (author)

Preparation of alumina microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, W.R. dos; Abrao, A.

1980-01-01

Inorganic exchangers are widely used for adsorption and column partition chromatography. The main difficulty of using commercial alumina (in powder) for column chromatography is related to its packing, and the operations through the column become diffcult and time-consuming; also it turns to be virtually impossible to use large dimension columns. In order to eliminate these problems, a process for the preparation of alumina micro-spheres was developed as an adaptation of a similar process used to prepare nuclear fuel microspheres (UO 2 , ThO 2 ). The flowsheet of this process is presented together with the analytical results of sphericity after calcination, granulometry, density and characterization by X-ray diffractometry. Solubility tests showed that the so-prepared microspheres are well resistant to strong acids and bases; retention tests showed their efficiency, mainly to copper. (C.L.B.) [pt

Controlling silk fibroin microspheres via molecular weight distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng, Dong-Mei; Pan, Jue-Jing; Wang, Qun; Liu, Xin-Fang; Wang, Hui; Zhang, Ke-Qin

2015-01-01

Silk fibroin (SF) microspheres were produced by salting out SF solution via the addition of potassium phosphate buffer solution (K 2 HPO 4 –KH 2 PO 4 ). The morphology, size and polydispersity of SF microspheres were adjusted by changing the molecular weight (MW) distribution and concentration of SF, as well as the ionic strength and pH of the buffer solution. Changing the conditions under which the SF fiber dissolved in the Lithium Boride (LiBr) solution resulted in altering the MW distribution of SF solution. Under optimal salting-out conditions (ionic strength > 0.7 M and pH > 7) and using a smaller and narrower SF MW distribution, SF microspheres with smoother shapes and more uniform sizes were produced. Meanwhile, the size and polydispersity of the microspheres increased when the SF concentration was increased from 0.25 mg/mL to 20 mg/mL. The improved SF microspheres, obtained by altering the distribution of molecular weight, have potential in drug and gene delivery applications. - Highlights: • MW distribution was changed by applying different dissolving methods of SF fiber. • Smaller and narrower MW distribution improves the quality of SF microspheres. • Size and polydispersity of microspheres increase as SF concentration increases. • Improved SF microspheres have potential in drug and gene delivery applications

Controlling silk fibroin microspheres via molecular weight distribution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeng, Dong-Mei; Pan, Jue-Jing; Wang, Qun; Liu, Xin-Fang; Wang, Hui [National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, College for Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 (China); Zhang, Ke-Qin, E-mail: kqzhang@suda.edu.cn [National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, College for Textile and Clothing Engineering, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 (China); Research Center of Cooperative Innovation for Functional Organic/Polymer Material Micro/Nanofabrication, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 (China)

2015-05-01

Silk fibroin (SF) microspheres were produced by salting out SF solution via the addition of potassium phosphate buffer solution (K{sub 2}HPO{sub 4}–KH{sub 2}PO{sub 4}). The morphology, size and polydispersity of SF microspheres were adjusted by changing the molecular weight (MW) distribution and concentration of SF, as well as the ionic strength and pH of the buffer solution. Changing the conditions under which the SF fiber dissolved in the Lithium Boride (LiBr) solution resulted in altering the MW distribution of SF solution. Under optimal salting-out conditions (ionic strength > 0.7 M and pH > 7) and using a smaller and narrower SF MW distribution, SF microspheres with smoother shapes and more uniform sizes were produced. Meanwhile, the size and polydispersity of the microspheres increased when the SF concentration was increased from 0.25 mg/mL to 20 mg/mL. The improved SF microspheres, obtained by altering the distribution of molecular weight, have potential in drug and gene delivery applications. - Highlights: • MW distribution was changed by applying different dissolving methods of SF fiber. • Smaller and narrower MW distribution improves the quality of SF microspheres. • Size and polydispersity of microspheres increase as SF concentration increases. • Improved SF microspheres have potential in drug and gene delivery applications.

Antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin-loaded zein microsphere films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu Jianxi; Wang Huajie; Zhou Yanqing; Wang Jinye

2009-01-01

Our aim was to produce an antibiotic-emitting coating composed of zein microspheres for the prevention of bacterial infection on implanted devices. Ciprofloxacin-loaded zein microspheres were prepared using a phase separation procedure, with particle sizes between 0.5 and 2 μm. Drug encapsulation and drug loading varied with the amount of both zein and ciprofloxacin, and the highest encapsulation efficiency was 8.27% (2 mg/ml ciprofloxacin and 20 mg/ml zein; n = 3). A ciprofloxacin-loaded zein microsphere film (CF-MS film) was generated via solvent evaporation. Continuous drug release from a trypsin-degraded microsphere film was observed for up to 28 days. The liberation of ciprofloxacin from the trypsin-degraded film and the biodegradation of the microsphere film were highly correlated. Proliferation assay of the growth of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) by the MTT method showed that the microsphere film had no toxicity when compared with cells grown on Corning culture plates alone and plates with a zein film alone. Quantification of bacteria adhesion showed that adhesion on the microsphere film is significantly suppressed. In addition, according to the results of bacterial growth tests, ciprofloxacin-loaded microsphere films maintained antibacterial activity for more than 6 days. In contrast, a control medium containing a zein film allowed constant bacterial growth. These results indicate that CF-MS films might be useful as antibacterial films on implanted devices.

Antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin-loaded zein microsphere films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu Jianxi [Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 354 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032 (China); Henan Normal University, 46 East Construction Road, Xinxiang, Henan 453007 (China); Wang Huajie [College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1954 Huashan Road, Shanghai 200030 (China); Zhou Yanqing [Henan Normal University, 46 East Construction Road, Xinxiang, Henan 453007 (China); Wang Jinye, E-mail: jywang@mail.sioc.ac.cn [Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 354 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032 (China); College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1954 Huashan Road, Shanghai 200030 (China)

2009-05-05

Our aim was to produce an antibiotic-emitting coating composed of zein microspheres for the prevention of bacterial infection on implanted devices. Ciprofloxacin-loaded zein microspheres were prepared using a phase separation procedure, with particle sizes between 0.5 and 2 {mu}m. Drug encapsulation and drug loading varied with the amount of both zein and ciprofloxacin, and the highest encapsulation efficiency was 8.27% (2 mg/ml ciprofloxacin and 20 mg/ml zein; n = 3). A ciprofloxacin-loaded zein microsphere film (CF-MS film) was generated via solvent evaporation. Continuous drug release from a trypsin-degraded microsphere film was observed for up to 28 days. The liberation of ciprofloxacin from the trypsin-degraded film and the biodegradation of the microsphere film were highly correlated. Proliferation assay of the growth of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) by the MTT method showed that the microsphere film had no toxicity when compared with cells grown on Corning culture plates alone and plates with a zein film alone. Quantification of bacteria adhesion showed that adhesion on the microsphere film is significantly suppressed. In addition, according to the results of bacterial growth tests, ciprofloxacin-loaded microsphere films maintained antibacterial activity for more than 6 days. In contrast, a control medium containing a zein film allowed constant bacterial growth. These results indicate that CF-MS films might be useful as antibacterial films on implanted devices.

U3O8 microspheres sintering kinetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godoy, A.L.E.

1986-01-01

U 3 O 8 microspheres sintering kinetics was determined using a hot-stage optical microscopy apparatus, able to reach temperature up to 1350 0 C in controlled atmospheres. The sintered material had its microstructure analysed by optical and electron microscopy. The microspheres were characterized initialy utilizing X-ray diffractometry and thermogravimetry. The equation which describes the microspheres shrinkage in function of the time was obtained using finite difference analysis X-ray diffractometry indicated hexagonal structure for the microspheres main starting material, ammonium diuranate thermogravimetric analysis showed reduction of this material to U 3 O 8 at 600 0 C. Ceramography results showed 5 hours sintered microspheres grain sizes G vary with the temperature. Sintered U 3 O 8 micrographs compared with published results for UO 2 , indicate similar homogeneity microstructural characteristics and suggest the processed micorspheres to be potentially useful as nuclear fuels. (Author) [pt

Self-assembled hybrid materials based on conjugated polymers and semiconductors nano-crystals for plastic solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Girolamo, J. de

2007-11-01

This work is devoted to the elaboration of self-assembled hybrid materials based on poly(3- hexyl-thiophene) and CdSe nano-crystals for photovoltaic applications. For that, complementary molecular recognition units were introduced as side chain groups on the polymer and at the nano-crystals' surface. Diamino-pyrimidine groups were introduced by post-functionalization of a precursor copolymer, namely poly(3-hexyl-thiophene-co-3- bromo-hexyl-thiophene) whereas thymine groups were introduced at the nano-crystals' surface by a ligand exchange reaction with 1-(6-mercapto-hexyl)thymine. However, due to their different solubility, the mixing of the two components by solution processes is difficult. A 'one-pot' procedure was developed, but this method led to insoluble aggregates without control of the hybrid composition. To overcome the solubility problem, the layer-by-layer method was used to prepare the films. This method allows a precise control of the deposition process. Experimental parameters were tested in order to evaluate their impact on the resulting film. The films morphology was investigated by microscopy and X-Ray diffraction techniques. These analyses reveal an interpenetrated structure of nano-crystals within the polymer matrix rather than a multilayered structure. Electrochemical and spectro electrochemical studies were performed on the hybrid material deposited by the LBL process. Finally the materials were tested in a solar cell configuration and the I=f(V) curves reveals a clear photovoltaic behaviour. (author)

Preparation and drug controlled release of porous octyl-dextran microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Xin; Liu, Yanfei

2015-01-01

In this work, porous octyl-dextran microspheres with excellent properties were prepared by two steps. Firstly, dextran microspheres were synthesized by reversed-phase suspension polymerization. Secondly, octyl-dextran microspheres were prepared by the reaction between dextran microspheres and ethylhexyl glycidyl ether and freezing-drying method. Porous structure of microspheres was formed through the interaction between octyl groups and organic solvents. The structure, morphology, dry density, porosity and equilibrium water content of porous octyl-dextran microspheres were systematically investigated. The octyl content affected the properties of microspheres. The results showed that the dry density of microspheres decreased from 2.35 to 1.21 g/ml, porosity increased from 80.68 to 95.05% with the octyl content increasing from 0.49 to 2.28 mmol/g. Meanwhile, the equilibrium water content presented a peak value (90.18%) when the octyl content was 2.25 mmol/g. Octyl-dextran microspheres showed high capacity. Naturally drug carriers play an important role in drug-delivery systems for their biodegradability, wide raw materials sources and nontoxicity. Doxorubicin (DOX) was used as a drug model to examine the drug-loading capacity of porous octyl-dextran microspheres. The drug-loading efficiency increased with the increase in microspheres/drug ratio, while the encapsulation efficiency decreased. When microspheres/drug mass ratio was 4/1, the drug-loading efficiency and encapsulation efficiency were 10.20 and 51.00%, respectively. The release rate of DOX increased as drug content and porosity increased. In conclusion, porous octyl-dextran microspheres were synthesized successfully and have the potential to serve as an effective delivery system in drug controlled release.

Low pressure gas filling of laser fusion microspheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koo, J.C.; Dressler, J.L.; Hendricks, C.D.

1979-01-01

In our laser fusion microsphere production, large, thin gel-microspheres are formed before the chemicals are fused into glass. In this transient stage,, the gel-microspheres are found to be highly permeable to argon and many other inert gases. When the gel transforms to glass, the argon gas, for example, is trapped within to form argon filled, fusion target quality, glass microspheres. On the average, the partial pressure of the argon fills attained in this process is around 2 x 10 4 Pa at room temperature

Hollow porous-wall glass microspheres for hydrogen storage

Science.gov (United States)

Heung, Leung K.; Schumacher, Ray F.; Wicks, George G.

2010-02-23

A porous wall hollow glass microsphere is provided having a diameter range of between 1 to 200 microns, a density of between 1.0 to 2.0 gm/cc, a porous-wall structure having wall openings defining an average pore size of between 10 to 1000 angstroms, and which contains therein a hydrogen storage material. The porous-wall structure facilitates the introduction of a hydrogen storage material into the interior of the porous wall hollow glass microsphere. In this manner, the resulting hollow glass microsphere can provide a membrane for the selective transport of hydrogen through the porous walls of the microsphere, the small pore size preventing gaseous or liquid contaminants from entering the interior of the hollow glass microsphere.

Encapsulated PDMS microspheres with reactive handles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gonzalez, Lidia; Ma, Baoguang; Li, Li

2014-01-01

, cured PDMS microspheres are coated with poly(methyl methacrylate) using a chemical process (solvent evaporation technique). Three solvents are used in three different experiments: dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran, and acetone. The composition and morphology of the cured PDMS microspheres and PMMA coated...

Microencapsulation and microspheres for food applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sagis, L.M.C.

2015-01-01

This book provides an update on the latest developments, challenges, and opportunities in the highly expanding field of microencapsulation and microspheres for food applications, examining the various types of microspheres and microcapsules essential to those who need to develop stable and

A reproducible accelerated in vitro release testing method for PLGA microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Jie; Lee, Kyulim; Choi, Stephanie; Qu, Wen; Wang, Yan; Burgess, Diane J

2016-02-10

The objective of the present study was to develop a discriminatory and reproducible accelerated in vitro release method for long-acting PLGA microspheres with inner structure/porosity differences. Risperidone was chosen as a model drug. Qualitatively and quantitatively equivalent PLGA microspheres with different inner structure/porosity were obtained using different manufacturing processes. Physicochemical properties as well as degradation profiles of the prepared microspheres were investigated. Furthermore, in vitro release testing of the prepared risperidone microspheres was performed using the most common in vitro release methods (i.e., sample-and-separate and flow through) for this type of product. The obtained compositionally equivalent risperidone microspheres had similar drug loading but different inner structure/porosity. When microsphere particle size appeared similar, porous risperidone microspheres showed faster microsphere degradation and drug release compared with less porous microspheres. Both in vitro release methods investigated were able to differentiate risperidone microsphere formulations with differences in porosity under real-time (37 °C) and accelerated (45 °C) testing conditions. Notably, only the accelerated USP apparatus 4 method showed good reproducibility for highly porous risperidone microspheres. These results indicated that the accelerated USP apparatus 4 method is an appropriate fast quality control tool for long-acting PLGA microspheres (even with porous structures). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

From Single Microparticles to Microfluidic Emulsification: Fundamental Properties (Solubility, Density, Phase Separation from Micropipette Manipulation of Solvent, Drug and Polymer Microspheres

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koji Kinoshita

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The micropipette manipulation technique is capable of making fundamental single particle measurements and analyses. This information is critical for establishing processing parameters in systems such as microfluidics and homogenization. To demonstrate what can be achieved at the single particle level, the micropipette technique was used to form and characterize the encapsulation of Ibuprofen (Ibp into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA microspheres from dichloromethane (DCM solutions, measuring the loading capacity and solubility limits of Ibp in typical PLGA microspheres. Formed in phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4, Ibp/PLGA/DCM microdroplets were uniformly solidified into Ibp/PLGA microparticles up to drug loadings (DL of 41%. However, at DL 50 wt% and above, microparticles showed a phase separated pattern. Working with single microparticles, we also estimated the dissolution time of pure Ibp microspheres in the buffer or in detergent micelle solutions, as a function of the microsphere size and compare that to calculated dissolution times using the Epstein-Plesset (EP model. Single, pure Ibp microparticles precipitated as liquid phase microdroplets that then gradually dissolved into the surrounding PBS medium. Analyzing the dissolution profiles of Ibp over time, a diffusion coefficient of 5.5 ± 0.2 × 10−6 cm2/s was obtained by using the EP model, which was in excellent agreement with the literature. Finally, solubilization of Ibp into sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS micelles was directly visualized microscopically for the first time by the micropipette technique, showing that such micellization could increase the solubility of Ibp from 4 to 80 mM at 100 mM SDS. We also introduce a particular microfluidic device that has recently been used to make PLGA microspheres, showing the importance of optimizing the flow parameters. Using this device, perfectly smooth and size-homogeneous microparticles were formed for flow rates of 0.167 mL/h for

Synthesis of polymer hybrid latex poly(methyl methacrylate-co-butyl acrylate) with organo montmorillonite via miniemulsion polymerization method for barrier paper

Science.gov (United States)

Chanra, J.; Budianto, E.; Soegijono, B.

2018-03-01

Hybrid polymer latex based on combination of organic-inorganic materials, poly(methyl methacrylate-co-butyl acrylate) (PMMBA) and organo-montmorillonite (OMMT) were synthesized via miniemulsion polymerization technique. Modification of montmorillonite (MMT) through the incorporation of myristyltrimethylammonium bromide (MTAB) into the clay’s interlayer spaces were investigated by Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Barrier property and thermal stability of polymer latex film sample were investigated through its Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The results indicated that addition of OMMT as filler in PMMBA increased the barrier property and thermal stability of the latex film. Addition of 8.0% (wt) OMMT increased the barrier property and thermal stability. Miniemusion polymerization process with higher addition (>8.0 wt%) of OMMT resulting in high latex viscosity, particle size, and high amount of coagulum. The utilization of this hybrid polymer could benefits paper and board industries to produce high quality barrier paper for food packaging.

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles as a new generation therapeutic delivery platform: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hadinoto, Kunn; Sundaresan, Ajitha; Cheow, Wean Sin

2013-11-01

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPNs) are core-shell nanoparticle structures comprising polymer cores and lipid/lipid-PEG shells, which exhibit complementary characteristics of both polymeric nanoparticles and liposomes, particularly in terms of their physical stability and biocompatibility. Significantly, the LPNs have recently been demonstrated to exhibit superior in vivo cellular delivery efficacy compared to that obtained from polymeric nanoparticles and liposomes. Since their inception, the LPNs have advanced significantly in terms of their preparation strategy and scope of applications. Their preparation strategy has undergone a shift from the conceptually simple two-step method, involving preformed polymeric nanoparticles and lipid vesicles, to the more principally complex, yet easier to perform, one-step method, relying on simultaneous self-assembly of the lipid and polymer, which has resulted in better products and higher production throughput. The scope of LPNs' applications has also been extended beyond single drug delivery for anticancer therapy, to include combinatorial and active targeted drug deliveries, and deliveries of genetic materials, vaccines, and diagnostic imaging agents. This review details the current state of development for the LPNs preparation and applications from which we identify future research works needed to bring the LPNs closer to its clinical realization. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Leflunomide biodegradable microspheres intended for intra-articular administration: Development, anti-inflammatory activity and histopathological studies.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Setouhy, Doaa Ahmed; Abdelmalak, Nevine Shawky; Anis, Shady E; Louis, Dina

2015-11-30

Leflunomide, the disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug was formulated as microspheres for prolonged drug release in the form of intraarticular injection. Eight formulations were developed using three biodegradable PDLG polymers (lactide/glycolide copolymer) and polycaprolactone (PLC) at two drug:polymer ratios (1:2 and 1:4). Solvent evaporation method was employed using polyvinyl alcohol or hydropxypropyl methylcellulose as stabilizers. Formulations were assessed for encapsulation efficiency, yield, particle size, release pattern and SEM. F6 (PDLG 5010), with appropriate particle size and prolonged drug release, was chosen for in-vivo studies using arthritis induced rats, which were intrarticularly injected with F6 or took oral Avara(®). Nuclear factor-kappa B measurements and histopathologic studies were conducted. There was significant reduction of inflammation caused by both F6 and oral Avara(®). Histopathologic studies showed minimal infiltration by chronic inflammatory cells and no angiogenesis in F6 compared to Avara(®). Results also revealed biocompatibility of the polymer used. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Observation of Intravascular Changes of Superabsorbent Polymer Microsphere (SAP-MS) with Monochromatic X-Ray Imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanimoto, Daigo; Ito, Katsuyoshi; Yamamoto, Akira; Sone, Teruki; Kobatake, Makito; Tamada, Tsutomu; Umetani, Keiji

2010-01-01

This study was designed to evaluate the intravascular transformation behavior of superabsorbent polymer microsphere (SAP-MS) in vivo macroscopically by using monochromatic X-ray imaging and to quantitatively compare the expansion rate of SAP-MS among different kinds of mixtures. Fifteen rabbits were used for our study and transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was performed for their auricular arteries using monochromatic X-ray imaging. We used three kinds of SAP-MS (particle diameter 100-150 μm) mixture as embolic spherical particles: SAP-MS(H) absorbed with sodium meglumine ioxaglate (Hexabrix 320), SAP-MS(V) absorbed with isosmolar contrast medium (Visipaque 270), and SAP-MS(S) absorbed with 0.9% sodium saline. The initial volume of SAP-MS particles just after TAE and its final volume 10 minutes after TAE in the vessel were measured to calculate the expansion rate (ER) (n = 30). Intravascular behavior of SAP-MS particles was clearly observed in real time at monochromatic X-ray imaging. Averaged initial volumes of SAP-MS (H) (1.24 x 10 7 μm 3 ) were significantly smaller (p 7 μm 3 ) and SAP-MS (S) (5.85 x 10 7 μm 3 ). Averaged final volumes of SAP-MS (H) were significantly larger than averaged initial volumes (4.41 x 10 7 μm 3 vs. 1.24 x 10 7 μm 3 ; p < 0.0001, ER = 3.55). There were no significant difference between averaged final volumes and averaged initial volumes of SAP-MS (V) and SAP-MS (S). SAP-MS (H), which first travels distally, reaches to small arteries, and then expands to adapt to the vessel lumen, is an effective particle as an embolic agent, causing effective embolization.

Albumin microspheres labeled with Ga-67 by chelation: concise communication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hnatowich, D.J.; Schlegel, P.

1981-01-01

Albumin microspheres have been synthesized with EDTA and DTPA chelating groups covalently bound to their surface. The microspheres may be labeled with Ga-67 at high yield (97 +- 2%) by transcomplexation from a 0.1 M Ga-67 acetate solution. With EDTA microspheres the resulting label dissociates only slightly after 24 hr in 50% plasma at 37 0 C, whereas with DTPA microspheres the label shows no detectable dissociation over this period. By contrast, microspheres without chelating groups lose their label virtually completely under these conditions. Following intravenous administration of sized Ga-67 DTPA microspheres in mice, about (84 +- 16)% of the activity localizes in the lungs at 5 min, with (60 +- 7)% remaining after 2 h. Since labeling is by chelation, the microspheres may also be tagged with other metallic radionuclides

Infiltration and Selective Interactions at the Interface in Polymer-Oxide Hybrid Solar Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Ferragut, R.; Aghion, S.; Moia, F.; Binda, M.; Canesi, E. V.; Lanzani, G.; Petrozza, A.

2013-06-01

Positron annihilation spectroscopy was used to characterize polymer-based hybrid solar cells formed by poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) finely infiltrated in a porous TiO2 skeleton. A step-change improvement in the device performance is enabled by engineering the hybrid interface by the insertion of a proper molecular interlayer namely 4-mercaptopyridine (4-MP). In order to obtain depth-resolved data, positrons were implanted in the sample using a variable-energy positron beam. The characteristics of the partially filled nanoporous structures were evaluated in terms of the depth profile of the positronium yield and the S-parameter. A quantitative evaluation of the pore filling in the deep region is given from the analysis of Coincidence Doppler Broadening taken at fixed implantation energy. We note a remarkable difference in terms of the positronium yield when the 4-MP interlayer is introduced, which means a better covering of P3HT on the porous surface.

Photoluminescence and lasing in whispering gallery mode glass microspherical resonators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ristić, D. [Ruđer Bošković Institute, Division of Materials Physics, Laboratory for Molecular Physics, Bijenička c. 54, Zagreb (Croatia); Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials and Sensing Devices, Research unit New Functional Materials, Bijenička c. 54, Zagreb (Croatia); Berneschi, S.; Camerini, M. [IFAC-CNR Istituto di Fisica Applicata, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Farnesi, D.; Pelli, S. [IFAC-CNR Istituto di Fisica Applicata, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Centro Studi e Ricerche ' E. Fermi' , Piazza del Viminale 2, 00184 Roma (Italy); Trono, C. [IFAC-CNR Istituto di Fisica Applicata, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Chiappini, A.; Chiasera, A.; Ferrari, M. [CSMFO Group, Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, IFN-CNR, Via alla Cascata 56/C, 38050 Povo-Trento (Italy); Lukowiak, A. [Institute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, PAS, ul. Okolna 2, Wroclaw 50-950 (Poland); Dumeige, Y.; Féron, P. [Laboratoire d' Optronique, (CNRS-UMR 6082-Foton), ENSSAT, 6 rue de Kérampont, 22300 Lannion (France); Righini, G.C. [IFAC-CNR Istituto di Fisica Applicata, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Centro Studi e Ricerche ' E. Fermi' , Piazza del Viminale 2, 00184 Roma (Italy); Soria, S., E-mail: s.soria@ifac.cnr.it [IFAC-CNR Istituto di Fisica Applicata, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Conti, G. Nunzi [IFAC-CNR Istituto di Fisica Applicata, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Centro Studi e Ricerche ' E. Fermi' , Piazza del Viminale 2, 00184 Roma (Italy)

2016-02-15

We report experimental results regarding the development of Er{sup 3+}-doped glass microspherical cavities for the fabrication of compact sources at 1.55 μm. We investigate several different approaches in order to fabricate the microspheres including direct melting of Er{sup 3+}-doped glass powders, synthesis of Er{sup 3+}-doped monolithic microspheres by drawing Er{sup 3+}-doped glass, and coating of silica microspheres with an Er{sup 3+}-doped sol–gel layer. Details of the different fabrication processes are presented together with the photoluminescence characterization in free space configuration of the microspheres and of the glass precursor. We have analyzed the photoluminescence spectra of the whispering gallery modes of the microspheres excited using evanescent coupling and we demonstrate tunable laser action in a wide range of wavelengths around 1.55 μm. As much as 90 μW of laser output power was measured in Er{sup 3+}-doped glass microspheres. - Highlights: • Different approaches in microsphere fabrication and various types of post-processing. • Trimming of photorefractive glass microsphere lasers with UV light. • Peak power record of 90 μW by pumping at 1480 nm.

Microfluidic assembly of a nano-in-micro dual drug delivery platform composed of halloysite nanotubes and a pH-responsive polymer for colon cancer therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wei; Liu, Dongfei; Zhang, Hongbo; Correia, Alexandra; Mäkilä, Ermei; Salonen, Jarno; Hirvonen, Jouni; Santos, Hélder A

2017-01-15

Harsh conditions of the gastrointestinal tract hinder the oral delivery of many drugs. Developing oral drug delivery systems based on commercially available materials is becoming more challenging due to the demand for simultaneously delivering physicochemically different drugs for treating complex diseases. A novel architecture, namely nanotube-in-microsphere, was developed as a drug delivery platform by encapsulating halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) in a pH-responsive hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate polymer using microfluidics. HNTs were selected as orally acceptable clay mineral and their lumen was enlarged by selective acid etching. Model drugs (atorvastatin and celecoxib) with different physicochemical properties and synergistic effect on colon cancer prevention and inhibition were simultaneously incorporated into the microspheres at a precise ratio, with atorvastatin and celecoxib being loaded in the HNTs and polymer matrix, respectively. The microspheres showed spherical shape, narrow particle size distribution and pH-responsive dissolution behavior. This nanotube/pH-responsive polymer composite protected the loaded drugs from premature release at pH⩽6.5, but allowed their fast release and enhanced the drug permeability, and the inhibition of colon cancer cell proliferation at pH 7.4. Overall, the nano-in-micro drug delivery composite fabricated by microfluidics is a promising and flexible platform for the delivery of multiple drugs for combination therapy. Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are attracting increasing attention for drug delivery applications. However, conventional HNTs-based oral drug delivery systems are lack of the capability to precisely control the drug release at a desired site in the gastrointestinal tract. In this study, a nanotube-in-microsphere drug delivery platform is developed by encapsulating HNTs in a pH-responsive polymer using microfluidics. Drugs with different physicochemical properties and synergistic effect on colon