Polymer Mixture Of Poly Research Articles

Growth of MWCNTs on Plasma Ion-Bombarded Thin Gold Films and Their Enhancements of Ammonia-Sensing Properties Using Inkjet Printing

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been synthesized on thin gold (Au) films using thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The films were evolved to catalytic Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) by plasma argon (Ar) ion bombardment with a direct current (DC) power of 216 W. The characteristics of the MWCNTs grown on Au catalysts are strongly dependent on the growth temperature in thermal CVD process. The MWCNTs were then purified by oxidation (550°C) and acid treatments (3 : 1 H2SO4/HNO3). After purifying the MWCNTs, they were dispersed in deionized water (DI water) under continuous sonication. The MWCNT solution was then ultrasonically dissolved in a conducting polymer mixture of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) to prepare for an electronic ink. The ink was deposited onto the flexible and transparent plastic substrates such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with fabricated silver interdigitated electrode using two methods such as drop-casting and inkjet printing to compare in the detection of ammonia (NH3) and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at room temperature. Based on the results, the gas response, sensitivity, and selectivity properties of MWCNT-PEDOT:PSS gas sensor for NH3 detection are significantly enhanced by using inkjet printing technique. The sensing mechanism of fabricated gas sensor exposed to NH3 has been also proposed based on the swelling behaviour of polymer due to the diffusion of NH3 molecules into the polymer matrix. For the MWCNTs, they were mentioned as the conductive pathways for the enhancement of gas-sensing signals.

Ketoprofen-loaded polymer carriers in bigel formulation: an approach to enhancing drug photostability in topical application forms.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the stability and biopharmaceutical characteristics of ketoprofen, loaded in polymeric carriers, which were included into a bigel in a semisolid dosage form. The polymer carriers with in situ-included ketoprofen were obtained by emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization of the monomers in aqueous medium or a solution of the polymers used. The morphological characteristics of the carriers, the in vitro release and the photochemical stability of ketoprofen were evaluated. The model with optimal characteristics was included in a bigel formulation. The bigel was characterized in terms of pH, rheological behavior, spreadability, and in vitro drug release. Acute skin toxicity, antinociceptive activity, anti-inflammatory activity, and antihyperalgesic effects of the prepared bigel with ketoprofen-loaded polymer carrier were evaluated. The carriers of ketoprofen were characterized by a high yield and drug loading. The particle size distribution varied widely according to the polymer used, and a sustained release was provided for up to 6 hours. The polymer mixture poly(vinyl acetate) and hydroxypropyl cellulose as a drug carrier, alone or included in the bigel composition, improved the photostability of the drug compared with unprotected ketoprofen. The bigel with ketoprofen-loaded particles provided sustained release of the drug and had optimal rheological parameters. In vivo experiments on the bigel showed no skin inflammation or irritation. Four hours after its application, a well-defined analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antihyperalgesic effect was registered. The polymer mixture of poly(vinyl acetate) and hydroxypropyl cellulose as a carrier of ketoprofen and the bigel in which it was included provided an enhanced photostability and sustained drug release.

Electrophoretic analysis of cations using large-volume sample stacking with an electroosmotic flow pump using capillaries coated with neutral and cationic polymers

To realize the high-performance and simple-operation analysis of cationic compounds in capillary electrophoresis, we investigated large-volume sample stacking with an electroosmotic flow pump (LVSEP) using capillaries with hydrophilic and weakly cationic inner surface. Three capillary modification methods were employed: thermally passivated physical coating with polymer mixture of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(allylamine); covalent modification with random copolymer of acryl amide and 3-(methacryloylamino)propyltrimethylammonium chloride; easily preparable physical coating with dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide and polyoxyethylene stearate. In these capillaries, the electroosmotic flow (EOF) was well suppressed in the high ionic strength (I) electrolyte under the acidic and basic pH, whereas the EOF was enhanced in the low I electrolyte, indicating a suitable EOF property for the rapid LVSEP and following separation. In the LVSEP-capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) analyses of benzylamine and 1-naphthylethylamine, up to 550-fold sensitivity increases were successfully obtained in the three capillaries without significantly reducing the repeatability and resolution. LVSEP-cyclodextrin-modified CZE of chlorpheniramine and brompheniramine was also carried out, resulting in up to 380-fold sensitivity enhancement with keeping the baseline separation for the enantiomers. Finally, we performed the LVSEP-CZE analysis of basic proteins, where up to 100-fold sensitivity increases were achieved, but a peak broadening was observed due to the sample adsorption in the low I sample matrix.

Transport properties of ions through temperature-responsive charged membranes prepared using poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly( N-isopropylacrylamide)/poly(vinyl alcohol-co-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid)

Temperature-responsive charged membranes were prepared from the polymer mixture of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), in situ polymer of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) and PVA, and a polyanion [poly(vinyl alcohol-co-2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid)]. The membranes were cross-linked under several conditions. The relationship between the preparation conditions and the water content response to temperature change, rH, and the charge density response to temperature change, rCx, was investigated. The membrane cross-linked with glutaraldehyde after annealing has the highest rH and rCx in all the membranes. rCx decreases with increasing polyanion content, and increases with increasing poly(NIPAAm) content. Permeation experiments in a dialysis system consisting of the membrane and mixed KCl and CaCl 2 solutions show that the transport modes of Ca 2+ ions through the membrane are controlled by temperature changes in two ways: downhill transport (transport along their own concentration gradient in a system) at temperatures below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of poly(NIPAAm); uphill transport (transport against their concentration gradient) at temperatures above the LCST.

Complexation between Poly(maleic acid/octyl vinyl ether) and Poly(vinyl caprolactam) in Aqueous Solution and at the Alumina/Water Interface

Solution and interfacial properties of binary polymer mixtures of poly(maleic acid/octyl vinyl ether) (PMAOVE) and poly(vinyl caprolactam) (PVCAP) have been studied for the alumina/water system. To test the hydrophobic effect, mixtures of poly(maleic acid/methyl vinyl ether) (PMAMVE) and PVCAP are also investigated and compared to the behavior of PMAOVE/PVCAP. At low pH, both polymer mixtures become turbid upon mixing. The turbidity increases at low mixing ratios of PVCAP to the vinyl ether component, reaches a maximum, and then decreases at higher mixing ratios. Upon shifting the pH to the alkaline range, i.e., pH 7.5 and above, the turbid solution becomes clear for both the polymer mixtures. Cloud point measurements indicate the absence of complexation of PVCAP with PMAMVE under the alkaline conditions, but strong interaction with PMAOVE. This is attributed to the different forces involved in the complexation among the polymers: H bonding for PVCAP/PMAMVE and both H bonding and hydrophobic effects for PVCAP/PMAOVE. At the alumina/water interface, the normally nonadsorbing PVCAP is triggered to adsorb by PMAOVE, attributed to the hydrophobic complexation between the two. However, the adsorption of PVCAP shows a maximum as a function of the concentration of PMAOVE. At concentrations of PMAOVE above the onset of its own plateau adsorption, the amount of PVCAP triggered to adsorb is reduced possibly due to the polymer complex formation in solution.

Static and dynamic light scattering studies of the critical behaviour of polymer mixtures

Critical fluctuations were studied in polymer mixtures of poly(dimethylsiloxane) and poly(ethylmethylsiloxane), which exhibit an upper critical temperature at Tc ⋍ 57 °C. The measurements were performed in a broad temperature range at three compositions in the miscible region close to the coexistence line. The temperature dependence of the static structure factor S(q=0) can be described by a mean field behaviour except for temperatures in the range of 6 K above Tc. There, a turnover to an Ising behaviour is observed according to a modified Landau-Ginzburg criterion. The mean field spinodal temperature Ts was determined by extrapolation of S(0)−1 to zero. From the Ornstein-Zernike representation of the angular dependence of S(q), the correlation length ζ of the concentration fluctuations can be determined and leads to a critical amplitude ζ0 = lim ζ(T∞) = 20.5 A. The interdiffusion dynamics described by the mutual diffusion constant D has been measured by quasielastic light scattering. It shows for the critical composition ϕc a critical slowing down as T approaches the critical temperature Tc. Furthermore, the q2 scaling of the relaxation rate of the interdiffusion dynamics changes to q3 behaviour close to Tc according to the mode coupling theory by Kawasaki.

Effect of filler concentration on the phase separation in poly(vinyl acetate)‐poly(methyl methacrylate) mixtures

AbstractThe temperatures and kinetics of phase separation have been studied as a function of filler concentration in a polymer mixture of poly(vinyl acetate)‐poly(methyl methacrylate). The filler was shown to have a marked effect on the cloud point position and the phase separation kinetics at various temperatures. The effects observed are dependent upon the component ratio.

Local phase separation at the growth front of a polymer spherulite during crystallization and nonlinear spherulitic growth in a polymer mixture with a phase diagram.

Local phase separation at the growth front of a spherulite has been found during crystallization in a polymer mixture of poly(\ensuremath{\epsilon}-caprolactone) and polystyrene. The phenomenon can be qualitatively explained by the coupling between the preferential rejection of impurities (polystyrene) during crystallization and the existence of a phase diagram. This unusual phase separation clearly shows that there is an impurity-rich layer on the growth front of the spherulite. A nonlinear growth of spherulite and a shape instability have also been found in this system. They are discussed on the basis of the formation of an impurity-rich layer at the growing interface. We also discuss the relation between our results on spherulitic growth and the current theories on dense branching morphology in diffusion-controlled growth.