Inert Polymer Research Articles

Fluorocarbon polymers mediated contact-electro-catalysis activating peroxymonosulfate for emerging pollutants degradation: The key role of fluorine density in electron transfer

Peroxymonosulfate-based advanced oxidation processes (PMS-AOPs) have been extensively investigated for environmental pollutants remediation. Moreover, systematic exploration of catalysts with the high-efficient, cost-effective, and environment-durable properties has been usually recognized as the crucial pathway to boost PMS activation and enhance pollutants degradation. Herein, we demonstrated that the inert fluorocarbon polymers (FCPs) mediated contact-electro-catalysis (CEC) under ultrasound can be utilized to activate PMS (FCPs/PMS/US) for high-efficient degradation and detoxication of emerging pollutants (EPs). The catalytic EPs degradation process was dominant with 1O2 pathway, accompanied by radical pathways (•OH, SO4•−, and O2•−). Density functional theory calculations and correlation analysis provided strong evidence for the fluorine (–F) density-dependent electron transfer among H2O-FCPs-electron acceptors, which determined the generation of reactive oxidative species and EPs degradation rate in FCPs/PMS/US. Consequently, fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) with the highest –F density exhibited higher degradation rate of sulfadiazine (kobs = 0.043 min−1, at an FEP dosage of 0.25 g·L−1) compared to polytetrafluoroethylene and polyvinylidene fluoride. Besides, the FCPs/PMS/US system showed excellent stability, durability, and promising applicability for high-salinity seawater remediation, with the electrical energy per log order of 0.53 kWh·m−3. This study provided a novel route for PMS activation and stimulates further exploration of CEC for environmental remediation.

Contact-Electro-Catalysis Through Electret Behavior to Facilitate Electron Transfer.

Contact-electro-catalysis (CEC) usually uses polymer dielectrics as its catalysts under mechanical stimulation conditions, which although has a decent catalytic dye degradation effect still warrants performance improvement. A carrier separation promotion strategy based on an internal electric field by polarization can effectively improve ferroelectric material performance in photocatalysis and piezocatalysis. Therefore, carrier separation as a necessary process of CEC also can be promoted and is largely expected to improve CEC performance theoretically. However, the carrier separation enhancement by the internal electric field strategy has not been achieved in the CEC experiment yet, because of the difficulty of building an internal electric field in an inert polymer dielectric. Herein, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) dielectric was charged through an electret process, which was believed to establish an internal electric field for CEC catalysts proved by KPFM, XPS, and triboelectric nanogenerator voltage output analysis. The fastest degradation rate of methyl orange reached over 90% at 1.5 h, while the hydroxyl free radical (•OH) yield of the PTFE electret was nearly three times that of the original PTFE. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations verified that the potential barrier of interatomic electron transfer between PTFE and H2O was reduced by 37% under the internal electric field. The electret strategy used herein to optimize the PTFE catalyst provides a base for the use of other general plastics in CEC and facilitates the production of easily prepared, easily recyclable, and inexpensive polymer dielectric catalysts that can promote large-scale pollutant degradation via CEC.

Silver-enriched microdomain patterns as advanced bactericidal coatings for polymer-based medical devices

Today, it would be difficult for us to live a full life without polymers, especially in medicine, where its applicability is constantly expanding, giving satisfactory results without any harm effects on health. This study focused on the formation of hexagonal domains doped with AgNPs using a KrF excimer laser (λ=248 nm) on the polyetheretherketone (PEEK) surface that acts as an unfailing source of the antibacterial agent - silver. The hexagonal structure was formed with a grid placed in front of the incident laser beam. Surfaces with immobilized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were observed by AFM and SEM. Changes in surface chemistry were studied by XPS. To determine the concentration of released Ag+ ions, ICP-MS analysis was used. The antibacterial tests proved the antibacterial efficacy of Ag-doped PEEK composites against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as the most common pathogens. Because AgNPs are also known for their strong toxicity, we also included cytotoxicity tests in this study. The findings presented here contribute to the advancement of materials design in the biomedical field, offering a novel starting point for combating bacterial infections through the innovative integration of AgNPs into inert synthetic polymers.

Polyvinylidene fluoride prosthetic reinforcement in abdominal wall hernia surgery.

Surgical repair of the anterior abdominal wall hernia is the most common intervention in general surgery practice. The introduction of synthetic prostheses reduces the frequency of recurrences, but in many cases, they are associated with complications that could seriously impair the quality of life of patients. To reduce perioperative complications, we introduced in our practice innovative prostheses made of a highly inert polymer, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and conducted an observational study.

Preparation of Eco-Friendly Composite Material for Mercury (II) Adsorption Including Non-Wood Content From Walnut Green Husk (Juglon Regia L.): Experimental and Theoretical Studies

In this study, the adsorption properties of a composite material consisting of polyacrylamide, an inert polymer, and an extract obtained from the water-soluble part of a green walnut shell were investigated for Hg(II) ions. SEM, EDX, FTIR, and PZC analyses were performed to characterize the newly synthesized material. SEM and EDX analyses confirmed that the surface of the synthesized adsorbent became softer and smoother after adsorption, indicating the presence of Hg in its elemental composition. FTIR analysis showed that mercury enters the structure through chemical interactions, and there are changes in bond vibration frequencies in the presence of Hg(II). According to the PZC point analysis, the point at which the surface charge was zero was found to be pH 4. The Langmuir model was used to calculate the adsorption capacity after investigating the effect of concentration on adsorption. The adsorption capacity was found to be 1.808 molkg−1 (362,67 mgg−1) from the Langmuir model, which is very high compared to similar adsorbents. PFO model was used to explain the adsorption kinetics and very fast adsorption kinetics were observed. The adsorption entropy increased, free enthalpy of adsorption was negative, and heat of adsorption was in the energy-consuming direction.

Robust and Lubricating Interface Semi-Interpenetrating Network on Inert Polymer Substrates Enabled by Subsurface-Initiated Polymerization.

Lubricating hydrogel coatings on inert rubber and plastic surfaces significantly reduce friction and wear, thus enhancing material durability and lifespan. However, achieving optimal hydration lubrication typically requires a porous polymer network, which unfortunately reduces their mechanical strength and limits their applicability where robust durability and wear-resistance are essential. In the research, a hydrogel coating with remarkable wear resistance and surface stability is developed by forming a semi-interpenetrating polymer network with polymer substrate at the interface. By employing a good solvent swelling method, monomers, and photoinitiators are embedded within the substrates' subsurface, followed by in situ polymerization under ultraviolet light, creating a robust semi-interpenetrating and entangled network structure. This approach, offering a thicker energy-dissipating layer, outperforms traditional surface modifications in wear resistance while preserving anti-fatigue, hydrophilicity, oleophobicity, and other properties. Adaptable to various rubber and plastic substrates by using suitable solvents, this method provides an efficient solution for creating durable, lubricating surfaces, broadening the potential applications in multiple industries.

Macrocrowding of Polyethylene Glycol Facilitates the Formation of Polydopamine Nanoparticles and Derivatives via Depletion Stabilization

AbstractMussel‐inspired polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) show promise in biosensing, drug delivery, and energy storage. However, it is still difficult to obtain monodispersed PDA NPs and metal‐containing PDA NPs in mild aqueous conditions. Herein, we report a facile strategy to modulate the growth and formation of PDA NPs in a macrocrowding condition using inert polymers as crowders. Our results show that both high concentrations and molecular weights are important for polymer‐enabled particle stabilization. Importantly, we demonstrate that only polyethylene glycol (PEG) with a weak interaction with PDA could facilitate NPs formation. Lastly, we show that this strategy could be extended to metal‐containing PDA derivatives, and enzyme‐encapsulated PDA NPs. Overall, our findings offer a simple and effective approach for producing uniform biocompatible nanomaterials, while also shedding light on the role of depletion forces in nanoparticle stabilization.

Electrophile-mediated ionic liquid strategy for transforming inert natural polymers into highly active iodine adsorbents

The separation and conversion of gas resources are crucial aspects of sustainable energy development. Developing general methods to overcome bottlenecks in gas adsorption and conversion within natural polymers is an urgent global concern. In this work, the use of ionic liquids as electrophiles was proposed, and the Ionic Liquid Solution Process (ILSP) was employed to prepare alginate polymers-based on natural polymers. ILSP achieved a remarkable 0-to-1 transformation in gaseous iodine adsorption, converting inactive alginic acid (∼0 g g−1 in saturated adsorption capacity) into a highly active iodine adsorbent (5.24 g g−1). It was revealed that electrophiles effectively regulated the electron cloud distribution of functional groups by replacing acidic protons on alginic acid, exerting a volumetric effect. This increased the electron density near the deprotonated carboxylic groups, enhancing the nucleophilicity of carboxylic groups. Consequently, it promoted halogen interaction between electron-rich oxygen atoms and iodine during adsorption, thereby improving the efficiency of charge transfer complex formation and polyiodide ion conversion. The ILSP strategy could provide guidance for the separation and conversion of gases such as iodine, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen.

Novel method of measurement of in vitro drug uptake in OATP1B3 overexpressing cells in the presence of dextran.

In predictions about hepatic clearance (CLH), a number of studies explored the role of albumin and transporters in drug uptake by liver cells, challenging the traditional free-drug theory. It was proposed that liver uptake can occur for transporter substrate compounds not only from the drug's unbound form but also directly from the drug-albumin complex, aphenomenon known as uptake facilitated by albumin. In contrast to albumin, dextran does not exhibit binding properties for compounds. However, as a result of its inherent capacity for stabilization, it is widely used to mimic conditions within cells. The uptake of eight known substrates of the organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1B3 (OATP1B3) was assessed using a human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK293), which stably overexpresses this transporter. An inert polymer, dextran, was used to simulate cellular conditions, and the results were compared with experiments involving human plasma and human serum albumin (HSA). This study is the first to demonstrate that dextran increases compound uptake in cells with overexpression of the OATP1B3 transporter. Contrary to the common theory that highly protein-bound ligands interact with hepatocytes to increase drug uptake, the results indicate that dextran's interaction with test compounds does not significantly increase concentrations near the cell membrane surface. We evaluated the effect of dextran on the uptake of known substrates using OATP1B3 overexpressed in the HEK293 cell line, and we suggest that its impact on drug concentrations in liver cells may differ from the traditional role of plasma proteins and albumin.

Amplified Spontaneous Emission from Electron-Hole Quantum Droplets in Colloidal CdSe Nanoplatelets.

Two-dimensional cadmium selenide nanoplatelets (NPLs) exhibit large absorption cross sections and homogeneously broadened band-edge transitions that offer utility in wide-ranging optoelectronic applications. Here, we examine the temperature-dependence of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) in 4- and 5-monolayer thick NPLs and show that the threshold for close-packed (neat) films decreases with decreasing temperature by a factor of 2-10 relative to ambient temperature owing to extrinsic (trapping) and intrinsic (phonon-derived line width) factors. Interestingly, for pump intensities that exceed the ASE threshold, we find development of intense emission to lower energy in particular provided that the film temperature is ≤200 K. For NPLs diluted in an inert polymer, both biexcitonic ASE and low-energy emission are suppressed, suggesting that described neat-film observables rely upon high chromophore density and rapid, collective processes. Transient emission spectra reveal ultrafast red-shifting with the time of the lower energy emission. Taken together, these findings indicate a previously unreported process of amplified stimulated emission from polyexciton states that is consistent with quantum droplets and constitutes a form of exciton condensate. For studied samples, quantum droplets form provided that roughly 17 meV or less of thermal energy is available, which we hypothesize relates to polyexciton binding energy. Polyexciton ASE can produce pump-fluence-tunable red-shifted ASE even 120 meV lower in energy than biexciton ASE. Our findings convey the importance of biexciton and polyexciton populations in nanoplatelets and show that quantum droplets can exhibit light amplification at significantly lower photon energies than biexcitonic ASE.

Lyotropic ionic liquid crystal gels derived from polyimidazolium hydrogen sulfate for enhanced proton conductivity

AbstractAnisotropic gels developed from polymer networks accommodating lyotropic liquid crystals are promising electrolytes but electrochemically inert polymers prevent ions from being conducted efficiently. In this work, we synthesized protic ionic liquid polymer in lyotropic ionic liquid crystal to improve proton conduction across the polymer skeleton in anisotropic gels. In situ polymerization of 1‐vinylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate ionic liquid dissolved in aqueous 1‐tetradecyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate lyotropic liquid crystal gave chemical liquid crystal gels exhibiting both dynamic order and mechanical strength. The protic ionic liquid polymer bridged the hydrogen bond chains between neighboring ionic lyotropic liquid crystal domains to give a proton conductivity of 117 mS cm−1 at 25°C. Macroscopic alignment of the liquid crystal gel achieved by mechanical shearing promoted proton conductivity to 137 mS cm−1. The macroscopically aligned liquid crystal gel acted stably in a fuel cell device, delivering a peak power density 2.95 times higher than the unaligned one. Gelation of lyotropic ionic liquid crystals with protic ionic liquid polymer provides an effective strategy to develop anisotropic gel electrolytes for electrochemical devices.

Sustainable Supramolecular Polymers.

Polymer waste is a pressing issue that requires innovative solutions from the scientific community. As a beacon of hope in addressing this challenge, the concept of sustainable supramolecular polymers (SSPs) emerges. This article discusses challenges and efforts in fabricating SSPs. Addressing the trade-offs between mechanical performance and sustainability, the ultra-tough and multi-recyclable supramolecular polymers are fabricated via tailoring mismatched supramolecular interactions. Additionally, the healing of kinetically inert polymer materials is realized through transient regulation of the interfacial reactivity. Furthermore, a possible development trajectory for SSPs is proposed, and the transient materials can be regarded as the next generation in this field. The evolution of SSPs promises to be a pivotal stride towards a regenerative economy, sparking further exploration and innovation in the realm of sustainable materials.

Preparation and evaluation of fast-dissolving albendazole sulfoxide and praziquantel-loaded polyvinylpyrrolidone nanofiber films by electrospinning

Albendazole sulfoxide (ALBSOX) and Praziquantel (PRZ) are broad-spectrum anthelmintic medications used in the treatment of both humans and animals that are challenging to manufacture for geriatric and pediatric populations and have poor oral bioavailability due to their low water solubility and high lipophilicity. To increase the solubility and bioavailability of the drugs, ALBSOX and PRZ-loaded nanofiber films were prepared using polyvinylpyrrolidone K90 (PVP), a non-toxic, inert polymer with high hydrophilic characteristics. SEM analysis of the produced ALBSOX and PRZ-loaded PVP nanofiber films revealed them to be uniform and smooth, with good uniformity and mechanical properties. The PVP nanofiber films of ALBSOX and PRZ disintegrated in phosphate buffer (pH 6.8) in less than 1 s and increased the solubility of ALBSOX and PRZ about five times compared to pure active ingredients. Furthermore, the prepared ALBSOX and PRZ-loaded PVP nanofiber films were found to have no cytotoxic effect in cell viability studies using L929 cells, and increased the protoscolicidal effect of the ALBSOX and PRZ combination approximately 2-fold in studies of Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces. The findings of the present study reveal that the developed PVP nanofiber films have the potential to improve the dissolution profile and pharmacological efficacy of the ALBSOX and PRZ.

The Springback Effect in Pre-Densified Sulfidic Solid Electrolyte/Binder-Sheets and Their Implication as Separators in All-Solid-State Batteries – a First Approach

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) are expected to revolutionize the Li-ion battery landscape thanks to multiple benefits, such as improving both intrinsic safety and potentially enabling high energy anode concepts.[1,2,3] Amongst the variety of possible solid electrolyte (SE) materials for ASSBs, sulfidic electrolytes are considered particularly advantageous, as they possess high ionic conductivities and beneficial mechanical plasticity, allowing their pre-densification by uniaxial cold pressing at high fabrication pressures (p fab).[4] However, one bottleneck of sulfidic ASSBs compared to conventional liquid-electrolyte batteries is the necessity of a certain operating pressure to provide/maintain an intimate mechanical contact between the various materials during materials characterization measurements (e.g., SE conductivity measurements) and/or battery cycling. For these, a special cell setup is required that is hermetically sealed and facilitates a defined and, ideally, variable application of different compressions (operating pressure, p oper) on the sample/cell stack.[5] Typically, ASSB characterization cells possess a defined circular geometry, whereby the components are placed in an inert polymer containment (e.g. a PEEK tube) and are electrically contacted via metal dies.[2,5,6] However, a problem which is often neglected in the literature is the poor solid-solid contact of pre-densified SE pellets (done at a high p fab) and mechanically hard current collector dies to contact the sample for impedance measurements. This leads to impedance artifacts and potentially inaccurately determined solid electrolyte Li+-ion conductivities (σ Li).[2] In this contribution, we firstly describe a novel ASSB cell setup enabling the artifact-free measurement of the ionic conductivity of pre-densified SE-binder sheets in rigid cell matrices. By applying this setup, we could decouple effects from fabrication pressure and operating pressure, providing the basis for determining the correlation between the SE separator porosity and its Li+-ion conductivity, comparing it to the correlations predicted by the Bruggeman equation.We use sheet-type separators consisting of Li6PS5Cl (LPSCl) solid electrolyte and different amounts and types of binder, such as hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) and polyisobutylene (PIB), prepared by a slurry-based process.[5] By means of potential-controlled electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (PEIS), the impact of different p fab and p oper on the Li+-ion conductivity of the LPSCl/binder-sheet separators are investigated. As a result, we show that densifying the SE separator sheets at a high p fab, resulting in a low residual porosity, can be used to increase their conductivity at lower p oper. However, a phenomenon which is not reported in such detail so far, is the sensitivity of the measured σ Li of pre-densified LPSCl/binder-sheet separators regarding the p oper. While for pure pre-densified SE powder pellets only a negligible sensitivity regarding the p oper was observed,[2] scalable pre-densified LPSCl/binder-sheet separators show a strong correlation between p oper and measured σ Li.The extent of this phenomenon can be traced back to a “springback” effect, wherby the release of pressure after fabrication a dense binder-sheet separator leads to an apparent decrease in conductivity. We found a clear trend between the binder amount and the extent of this springback effect in LPSCl/binder-sheets and how this affects σ Li at different p oper. Furthermore, to deepen the knowledge about this springback effect, we also investigated the extent of the springback effect on the type of binder (HNBR vs. PIB) and its molecular weight (PIB OPPANOL N50 vs. PIB OPPANOL N150).Additionally, to fully understand different contributions of the pressures and springback to the overall separator impedance, we used PEIS measurements at a very low temperature (-70°C) and a measurement cell with a negligible stray capacitance to clearly distinguish between SE bulk, grain boundary, and springback effects as well as contact resistances, in the impedance spectra for such LPSCl/binder-sheets.Lastly, we evaluate how the springback effect contributes to an overall full-cell impedance in LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2|LiIn half-cells and provide a guideline to overcome contact resistances for pre-densified sheet-type ASSB cell components. Based on our findings, it can be concluded that the springback effect contributes to the overall impedance not only in pure SE impedance measurements, but also in half-cells and cannot be neglected when characterizing slurry-coated SE/binder separators-sheets.[1] J. Janek and W. G. Zeier, Nature Energy, 1, 16141, (2016).[2] J.-M. Doux et al., J. Mater. Chem. A, 8, 5049 (2020).[3] S. Cangaz et al., Adv. Energy Mater., 2001320 (2020).[4] Z. Deng et al., J. Electrochem. Soc., 163, A67 (2015).[5] C. Sedlmeier, T. Kutsch et al., J. Electrochem. Soc., 169, 070508, (2022).[6] W. Zhang et al. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 9, 17835 (2017). Acknowledgements: This work was carried out as part of the project "Industrialisierbarkeit Festkörperelektrolyte", funded by the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy and also supported by the BMW Group.

O2-Independent H2O2 Production via Water-Polymer Contact Electrification.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), as a critical green chemical, has received immense attention in energy and environmental fields. The ability to produce H2O2 in earth-abundant water without relying on low solubility oxygen would be a sustainable and potentially economic process, applicable even to anaerobic microenvironments, such as groundwater treatment. However, the direct water to H2O2 process is currently hindered by low selectivity and low production rates. Herein, we report that poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE), a commonly used inert polymer, can act as an efficient triboelectric catalyst for H2O2 generation. For example, a high H2O2 production rate of 24.8 mmol gcat-1 h-1 at a dosage of 0.01 g/L PTFE was achieved under the condition of pure water, ambient atmosphere, and no sacrificial agents, which exceeds the performance of state-of-the-art aqueous H2O2 powder catalysts. Electron spin resonance and isotope experiments provide strong evidence that water-PTFE tribocatalysis can directly oxidize water to produce H2O2 under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions, albeit with different synthetic pathways. This study demonstrates a potential strategy for green and effective tribocatalytic H2O2 production that may be particularly useful toward environmental applications.

Growth, Distribution, and Photosynthesis of Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii in 3D Hydrogels.

Engineered living materials (ELMs) are a novel class of functional materials that typically feature spatial confinement of living components within an inert polymer matrix to recreate biological functions. Understanding the growth and spatial configuration of cellular populations within a matrix is crucial to predicting and improving their responsive potential and functionality. Here, this work investigates the growth, spatial distribution, and photosynthetic productivity of eukaryotic microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (C. reinhardtii) in three-dimensionally shaped hydrogels in dependence of geometry and size. The embedded C. reinhardtii cells photosynthesize and form confined cell clusters, which grow faster when located close to the ELM periphery due to favorable gas exchange and light conditions. Taking advantage of location-specific growth patterns, this work successfully designs and prints photosynthetic ELMs with increased CO2 capturing rate, featuring high surface to volume ratio. This strategy to control cell growth for higher productivity of ELMs resembles the already established adaptations found in multicellular plant leaves.

Mitigating soil water deficit using organic waste compost and commercial water retainer: a comparative study under semiarid conditions

Semiarid regions have particularly been confronted with climate change effects reflected by the consistent decrease of rainfall and increase of evapotranspiration. This drought stress constitutes the main constraint for agricultural production improvement, which is aggravated by the fact that strategic (field) crops are mostly grown under rainfed systems. Therefore, the objective of this field study was to improve soil water retention by the application of two conditioners namely, an organic waste compost (DS) and a synthetic water-retaining hydrogel (WS). These amendments were applied to an agricultural soil for the cultivation of fodder maize under normal and deficit irrigation regimes. Advanced analysis showed a general disruption of plant growth parameters under water stress. However, both amendments attenuated this negative effect with respect to control by improving soil water status. More precisely, the measured soil water tension at the start of the dry season was the lowest in presence of DS (48 centibars), followed by WS (61 centibars), then unamended soil (83 centibars). Besides, compost application resulted in higher moisture (13.3%), nitrogen (0.36%), and organic matter (0.56%) in soil than the synthetic hydrogel at the end of the field experiment. Soil and plant characterization highlighted the combined effect of water deficit and conditioner type. Indeed, the consistent increase of soil water content in the presence of DS and WS improved all the addressed plant parameters when compared with untreated soil. Infrared thermal imaging showed that canopy temperature was lower in presence of both amendments while dry biomass yield increased by 38% when water supply was limited. Nevertheless, the long-term sustainability of the soil system appears to be better maintained in the presence of the organic waste compost. The latter has the added advantage of improving soil fertility in contrast to inert polymers.

Ecotoxicology of Polystyrene Microplastic Fragments: Oxidative Stress Effects in Neonate Versus Adult Daphnia magna

Polystyrene is an inert polymer; however, sublethal effects have been observed in aquatic organisms exposed to microparticles of this plastic. Information on microplastic-related oxidative stress and related antioxidative responses as adverse effects and the underlying mechanisms of toxicity are limited. Daphnids are key contributors in aquatic ecosystems, linking primary producers to consumers and predators, facilitating energy transfer and thus being considered an ideal bioindicator organism to study the adverse effects of polystyrene fragments on the oxidative stress status and subsequent enzymatic antioxidant response. In the present study, neonates (≤ 24 h) and adult daphnids were acutely exposed to polystyrene fragments sieved to three size factions (< 25 µm, 45—63 µm, and 100—500 µm), and adverse effects were evaluated after 24 and 48 h. In adults, larger particles elicited reactive oxygen species by 61%, which was met with elevated superoxide dismutase (17%) and catalase activities (98%), restoring redox homeostasis within 48 h. However, in neonates, the reactive oxygen species increased with exposure to all polystyrene sizes within 24 h, and homeostasis was regained within 48 h without eliciting the enzymatic antioxidant defense. The adverse effects were associated with size fractions that were too large to be consumed, suggesting that leached additives may be involved. Further studies are needed to determine whether nonenzymatic antioxidants were responsible for neutralizing excess reactive oxygen species in neonates.

Grafting of keratin onto O2-plasma-irradiated polypropylene fabrics for induced dyeability and durable hygroscopic properties

Polypropylene (PP) is an inert polymer that is very difficult to dye and finish. In the current work, PP fabrics were activated by an oxygen plasma beam, followed by treatment with a renewable natural biopolymer, namely keratin, in the presence of glutardialdehyde as a crosslinker using the pad-dry-cure method. The treated PP fabric exhibited adequate hydrophilic characteristics which make it dyeable with cationic dyestuffs with excellent fastness properties. The effects of curing time and temperature on the fibers’ weight, strength, elongation, wettability, and yellowness were monitored. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy were used to verify the formation of polar functional groups within the chemical structure of the treated PP fabrics. The proposed method has a positive effect on some of the comfort attributes of the treated PP fabrics, such as the enhanced resistance to ultraviolet rays as well as the accumulation of electrostatic charge without deterioration in the fabrics’ inherent properties. The microscopic investigation using scanning electron microscopy demonstrated a coating of PP fabric with a layer of keratin. The induced effect was durable in terms of their wettability and dyeability, against washing for up to 20 washing cycles, indicating the formation of a fortified bond between the O2-plasma-irradiated PP fabric and keratin.

Formulation of Microsponge of Thyme for Acne Treatment

The main goal of the present work was to improve the release of drugs i.e. Thyme for the prolonged action it is made possible for us by studying more about the novel formulation i.e. Microsponge. Microsponge is porous in nature and therefore it can release drugs for a longer time. For the preparation of the Microsponge, we use the quasi-emulsion method. White-colored porous Microsponge of thyme with ethylcellulose was obtained. Microsponge polymeric delivery systems are composed of a porous microsphere of an inert polymer that can entrap active ingredients and control their delivery rate, therefore we prepared Microsponge. Drug content, entrapment efficacy, % and yield ch 95.20±0.02, 93.15±0.02, 77.32±0.02 were determined in the Prepared Microsponge. The scanning electron microscopy showed that they were spherical in shape and contain pores. Thyme Microsponge was encapsulated into a gel for release study. It was found that 06 hours of in vitro drug release study of Microsponge was best studied by the Franz diffusion cell method. For identification of anti-acne activity of thyme oil, thyme Microsponge and thyme Microsponge gel was performed by cup plate method, from which we a get maximum zone of inhibition of thyme Microsponge gel. We have prepared, thyme Microsponge gel in various 8 batches out of which the batch shows this better potential for the of the delivery system as compared to others. From the recent work, it was assured that the thyme Microsponge gel can be considered a reliable delivery system for the treatment of acne. In future thyme Microsponge gel should be the best formulation for antiacne treatment.