Effect of degree of substitution on the structural degradation and butyric acid production of butyrylated starch during in vitro fermentation.

Esters of α-1,3-glucan: designed enzymatic polysaccharides as new matrices for sustainable packaging and membrane applications.

Synthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity of sulfate-modified β-glucan.

Fungal flavin-dependent glucose dehydrogenase (FAD-GDH) is now widely preferred as an O2-insensitive alternative to glucose oxidase for 2nd generation blood glucose test strips. FAD-GDH bioelectrodes have potential for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), but continue to be hampered by poor operational stability, restricted mediator compatibility, and selectivity limitations. Herein, we report new protective biosensor coatings based on covalently photocrosslinked polysaccharides for more robust CGM with FAD-GDH bioelectrodes. The crosslinked hydrogel membranes were prepared from dextran methacrylate (Dex-MA) polymers synthesised with different degrees of substitution (DS = 9%, 18%, and 37%). The polymers were dip-coated then crosslinked via a photoinitiator using a rapid visible light process (λ = 405 nm; 1 min). This study highlights the crucial impact of the polymer DS on redox mediator electroactivity, O2 reactivity, catalytic glucose activity, storage stability and operational stability. A higher polymer DS provided improved mediator stabilisation and up to a 4-fold increase in 1-week storage stability. A high DS of 37% also significantly increased CGM stability and permitted attractive sensor analytics in artificial interstitial fluid (ISF). The three sensors prepared with a DS of 9% to 37% provided practical linear ranges and detection limits for CGM. A CGM lifetime of 54 h was achieved in a complex artificial ISF comprising electroactive interferences, compared to only 16 h for an equivalent biosensor without hydrogel protection. Photocrosslinked polysaccharide hydrogel membranes hold promise for extending bioelectrocatalytic outputs for future biosensors and eventually biofuel cells and bioreactors.

Zwitterionic engineering of chitosan enables highly soluble, antibacterial films for sustainable fruit preservation.

Synergistic modification of glucomannan by deacetylation-esterification for improved foam characteristics.

Substitution degree-regulated alginate-catechol hydrogels for oral ulcer healing.

The application of cosmetic ingredients into hair formulations relies on their extensive characterization and on understanding their mechanisms of action. Specifically, in the case of hair conditioning agents, their efficiency in treating hair must be proved before testing them on real complex formulations. In this work, we investigate the deposition of three cationic polymers onto model surfaces that mimic the negative surface potential of highly damaged hair. Two CHPTAC-cationized lignins (CL0.34 and CL0.61) were evaluated and compared with a commercial polyquaternium (PQ11). The two selected lignin derivatives exhibited different degrees of cationic substitution (DS) and ζ-potential (CL0.34: DS = 0.34 ± 0.01 and ζ-potential = 12.8 ± 0.4 mV; CL0.61: DS = 0.61 ± 0.03 and ζ-potential = 18.8 ± 0.3 mV). Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) were used to evaluate the adsorbed layers formed by the polymers and their mechanical properties. Among the tested lignin conditioning agents, CL0.61 exhibited conditioning behavior, forming layers whose properties closely resembled those of the benchmark polymer PQ11. CL0.61 and PQ11 were both efficient at reducing the frizz effect on real bleached hair, effectively overcompensating the hair surface potential, which shifted from negative to positive values, confirming their effective adsorption after conditioning and rinsing. By combining advanced interfacial characterization with structure-property-function relationships, this work provides fundamental insights into polymer adsorption and performance at biointerfaces, supporting the rational design of functional materials and highlighting the potential of cationic lignin derivatives as viable, biobased conditioning agents for future hair-care formulations.

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) have a high surface area and high mechanical properties, which make them attractive for a wide range of applications. However, in many cases, the surface modification of hydroxyl groups on CNFs is necessary to achieve good compatibility with the polymer matrix or other functional materials. Herein, we compare and contrast the reaction of CNFs with hexamethyldisilazane (HMDZ) and dimethoxydimethylsilane (DMDMS) carried out in the gas phase and in supercritical CO2 (sc-CO2). For CNF films dried from aqueous suspensions reacted with HMDZ, IR spectroscopic studies show a 450 times higher degree of substitution (DS) value of 1.4 using sc-CO2 compared to the gas-phase reaction and a DS value that is similar to those obtained for the same reaction conducted in liquid ammonia or ionic liquids. The gas-phase reaction occurs primarily with the outer surface of the CNF film, whereas in sc-CO2, X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies show that the HMDZ penetrates both the crystalline and amorphous regions of the fiber network. In contrast, the aggregated state of the CNFs is important in determining the DS for reactions with HMDZ in the gas phase, as the DS in ethanol- and acetone-exchanged dried films increased by at least 16 and 32 times, respectively, compared to CNF films dried from aqueous suspension. This increment can be attributed to the lower aggregation of fibers in acetone compared with ethanol-exchanged CNFs. In contrast, DMDMS reacts with the adsorbed water on CNFs to form a two-dimensional (2D) polymerized layer on the surface, and controlling the level of adsorbed water on the surface can, in turn, be used to tune the level of 2D polymerization of the alkoxysilanes with the CNFs. These findings suggest that the potential of sc-CO2 as a green reaction medium for high functionalization of CNFs reduces conventional solvent-based processes.

Renal artery hemorrhage (RAH) is a common and potentially life-threatening medical emergency. Recent advances in interventional devices, including microguidewires and microcatheters, have made super-selective renal artery embolization (SRAE) an important treatment option for RAH because it enables precise localization of bleeding vessels, simplified procedures, reliable hemostasis, and reduced tissue injury. However, currently used embolic agents, including gelatin sponges, microcoils, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles, and N-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) glue, remain associated with limitations such as embolization failure, vascular injury, nontarget embolization, tissue necrosis, permanent material retention, and recurrent bleeding. In this study, we developed biodegradable gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) microspheres as a tunable embolic agent. Two GelMA formulations with different degrees of substitution (DS), GelMA-DS0.25 and GelMA-DS0.75, were synthesized by reacting gelatin with different amounts of methacrylic anhydride. Uniform GelMA microspheres with an average diameter of 175 ± 4 μm were fabricated using microfluidics combined with photopolymerization. Under in vitro PBS conditions, GelMA-DS0.25 microspheres completely degraded in 60 days, while GelMA-DS0.75 degraded only 30% in 100 days. Incubated with 3T3 cells, the relative cell viability was over 90%, and the in vitro hemolysis rate was less than 3%, demonstrating good biocompatibility. Under digital subtraction angiography (DSA) guidance, a rabbit RAH model was established by micro-guidewire-induced vascular injury and subsequently treated by GelMA microsphere embolization. GelMA-DS0.25 microspheres showed effective embolization, initiated degradation approximately 16 days after embolization, and did not cause irreversible renal injury, as demonstrated by computed tomography (CT) follow-up and histopathological analysis. Overall, these results indicate that GelMA microspheres with uniform size, tunable degradation behavior, and favorable biocompatibility are promising biodegradable embolic candidates for super-selective renal artery embolization.

Water adsorption by cellulosic materials plays a vital role in material stability, processing, and performance. These interactions are governed by cellulose's native hydrophilicity, arising from a high density of hydroxyl groups. To investigate the influence of hydrophobic modification on water vapor sorption in a porous cellulose substrate, hydroxyl groups were systematically substituted with linear alkyl chains (C4-C12) using a green, gas-phase, surface-selective esterification process. Contrary to the expectation of a monotonic decrease in water affinity with increasing hydrophobicity, water vapor sorption exhibited a pronounced nonmonotonic dependence on the degree of hydroxyl substitution (DS). Initial modification reduced water vapor uptake; however, beyond a critical level of esterification, further modification caused vapor sorption to increase and ultimately return to levels comparable to those of unmodified cellulose. This behavioral transition is correlated with modification-induced changes in near-surface morphology observed by SEM. These structural changes increase surface porosity, granting water vapor access to the interior, unmodified cellulose below the hydrophobic surface layer. Collectively, these findings highlight the coupled roles of surface chemistry, morphology, and mass transport in governing moisture interactions in modified polysaccharides and underscore the importance of controlling functionalization extent to achieve effective moisture barrier performance in porous, hygroscopic materials.

Emulsifier hydrolysis, emulsion specific surface area and stability synergistically regulate lipid release behavior in OSA-EGCG systems.

Cellulose is an abundant and sustainable natural polymer with potential for advanced applications. Although high-cellulose-affinity molecules, such as carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) found in glycosidases, including cellulases, have been extensively studied, synthetic polymers that mimic CBM-like affinity remain largely unexplored. This study investigated the binding behavior of synthetic polymers with pendant amino acid moieties toward cellulose using surface plasmon resonance (SPR). A polymer series, with varying types and degrees of amino acid methyl ester substitution, was synthesized and evaluated using SPR with cellulose in water. Polymers bearing histidine, phenylalanine, leucine, and isoleucine moieties exhibited high affinity. Their equilibrium dissociation constants were in the micromolar range, confirming strong and specific binding.

DIC/Oxyma as efficient amide coupling agent for synthesis of amphiphilic hyaluronic acid conjugates in co-solvent systems.

Synthesis and evaluation of the nematicidal and antifungal efficacy of carboxymethyl chitosan-based furan phenylhydrazone conjugates.

Sustainable carboxymethyl cellulose from palm flower agro-waste as a bio-dielectric material for electronic devices.

Synthesis of acetylated raffinose and its mechanism of action in regulating gut microbiota to alleviate cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression in mice.

Elucidating the phase behavior and emulsifying properties of mung bean protein isolate and carboxymethyl cellulose with varying charge densities.

Investigating the effect of substitution degree on long-chain inulin phosphate ester - wheat starch interactions and gel properties by simultaneous rheology-FTIR.

Preparation and characterization of cellulose nanofibrils via surface xanthation.