Use Of Polymers Research Articles

Luminescent Radical Polymers.

Organic radicals are gaining significant interest in luminescent materials due to their unique properties, which present unprecedented opportunities for innovation across various fields, from display technology to biomedical applications. However, addressing challenges related to stability and low fluorescence efficiency is crucial to unlocking their full potential for practical applications. Polymerization has emerged as an effective strategy to enhance intra- and interchain through-space interactions, enabling the creation of stable luminescent radicals with excellent processing and multifunctional properties. This concept emphasizes the strategic use of polymerization in designing and synthesizing stable main-chain and side-chain radical polymers. This approach not only broadens the scope of stable radicals but also improves their luminescence properties as photofunctional materials.

State-of-the-art of Synthesized PANI/NiCo2O4/CeO2 Nanocomposites by One-Step Polymerization for Use in Photodetectors

State-of-the-art of Synthesized PANI/NiCo2O4/CeO2 Nanocomposites by One-Step Polymerization for Use in Photodetectors

A highly sensitive and selective molecularly imprinted sensor for the determination of atorvastatin

In this study, we developed a highly sensitive carbon paste sensor that combines a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) with specific recognition capabilities to monitor atorvastatin (ATV). In the MIP synthesis, designed especially for ATV, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) was utilized as a cross-linking monomer and methacrylic acid (MAA) as a functional monomer. This non-covalent method made use of polymerization by free radicals. After that, this MIP was added to a carbon paste electrode (CPE), which served as both a selective detection element and a preconcentration agent for ATV analysis. The improved CPE was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). To investigate ATV, the anodic peak signal was assessed using square wave stripping voltammetry (SWSV).The calibration curve exhibited two linear regions encompassing dosages from 0.005 to 1 µM and 1 to 20 µM, with a 1.5 nM calculated detection limit. The designed MIP electrode was successfully utilized to assess ATV in tablet and human blood serum samples, demonstrating its usefulness in practical analysis.

Effect of doping of metal salts on polymers and their applications in various fields

Abstract Transition metal compounds (TMCs) provide the benefits of vast reserves, affordability, non-toxicity, and environmental friendliness, making them highly sought-after in recent times. Integrating transition metal salts into polymers may result in substantial enhancements in optical and electrical characteristics, making them appealing for many applications. Transition metal ions may display a range of electronic transitions, which enables the adjustment of absorption and emission spectra. This characteristic has significant value in applications such as light-emitting devices (LEDs) and sensors. The photoluminescence of polymers may be improved by the addition of transition metal salts, which results in light emission that is both more brilliant and more efficient. On the other hand, this is advantageous for screens and optoelectronic devices. The presence of transition metal salts in polymers may help to improve their optical stability, hence lowering the probability that the polymers will degrade or change color over time. When it comes to the performance of optical devices over the long run, this is quite essential. Elevating the electrical conductivity of polymers is possible via the use of transition metal salts. This is very helpful in the process of developing conductive polymers for use in applications such as electronic fabrics, organic solar cells, and flexible electronic devices. Transition metal salts can affect the electrical band structure of polymers, which enables the band gap of the material to be tuned. This is very necessary in order to maximize the amount of light that is absorbed by photovoltaic devices. Through having all these benefits, we conducted a review to find out the effects on polymeric materials.

Antilisterial and antioxidant exopolysaccharide from Enterococcus faecium PCH.25 isolated from cow butter: characterization and probiotic potential.

Exopolysaccharides produced by lactic acid bacteria have gained attention for their potential health benefits and applications in functional foods. This study explores the isolation and characterization of a novel exopolysaccharide-producing strain from dairy products. The aim was to evaluate its probiotic potential and investigate the properties of the produced exopolysaccharide. A strain identified as Enterococcus faecium PCH.25, isolated from cow butter, demonstrated exopolysaccharide production. The study's novelty lies in the comprehensive characterization of this strain and its exopolysaccharide, revealing unique properties with potential applications in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. The E. faecium PCH.25 strain exhibited strong acid tolerance, with a 92.24% viability rate at pH 2 after 2h of incubation. It also demonstrated notable auto-aggregation (85.27% after 24h) and co-aggregation abilities, antibiotic sensitivity, and absence of hemolytic activity, suggesting its probiotic potential. The exopolysaccharide produced by this strain showed bactericidal activity (MIC and MBC = 1.8mg/ml) against Listeria monocytogenes and antioxidant properties (22.8%). Chemical analysis revealed a heteropolysaccharide composed of glucose and fructose monomers, with various functional groups contributing to its bioactivities. Physical characterization of the exopolysaccharide indicated thermal stability up to 270°C, a negative zeta-potential (-27 mV), and an average particle size of 235nm. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis revealed a smooth, nonporous structure primarily composed of carbon and oxygen, with an amorphous nature. These findings suggest that the exopolysaccharide from E. faecium PCH.25 has potential as a natural antibacterial and antioxidant polymer for use in functional foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.

Fabrication of Magnetic Poly(L-lactide) (PLLA)/Fe3O4 Composite Electrospun Fibers.

Electrospinning technology is widely used for preparing biological tissue engineering scaffolds because of its advantages of simple preparation, accurate process parameters, and easy control. Poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) is regarded as a promising biomass-based polymer for use in electrospinning. The incorporation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) could improve the osteogenic differentiation and proliferation of cells in the presence or absence of a static magnetic field (SMF). In this work, these two materials were blended together to obtain electrospun samples with better dispersibility and improved magnetic properties. First, composite PLLA and Fe3O4 NP fibers were prepared by means of electrospinning. The influence of electrospinning conditions on the morphology of the composite fibers was then discussed. Changes in magnetic properties and thermal stability resulting from the use of different PLLA/Fe3O4 mass ratios were also considered. Next, the morphology, crystal state, thermodynamic properties, and magnetic properties of the electrospun samples were determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and vibration sample magnetization (VSM). The results showed that the fibers prepared using PLLA with Mn = 170,000 exhibited good morphology when electrospun at 12 KV. The magnetic properties of PLLA/Fe3O4 composite electrospun fibers increased with the NP content, with the exception of thermal stability. The results of the present study may help to promote the further development of PLLA/Fe3O4 composite materials in the biomedical field.

Assessment of the impact of the comminution of property modifiers – plastics used in ANFO, on the energy parameters of the high-energy materials

Plastics are an important usable energy resource. The energy stored in them can be used as fuel in modified high-energy materials. Such use makes it possible to simultaneously dispose of waste plastics and improve the energy properties of modified explosives. The simplest material that is used for this purpose is ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO)—commonly used in rock mining. Tests carried out in the Trauzl lead block test assessing the strength of explosive have shown that, with the right amount of certain polymers, similar or even better properties—energy performance—can be achieved by replacing the fuel oil in ANFO. In turn, tests conducted on the impact of plastic comminution on the assessment of the strength of high-energy material showed that a 1.0% addition of polypropylene, polyethylene or polyurethane significantly increases the strength with reference to ANFO. The test results are of practical importance and, for a more complete assessment of the suitability of polymers for use, it will be advisable to conduct further studies of the properties of high-energy materials with selected plastics.

Tailoring the optical, and dielectric features of flexible PVC/ZnMn2O4/CuCo2O4/x wt% TMAI nanocomposite polymers for use in optoelectronics and capacitance storage applications

Tailoring the optical, and dielectric features of flexible PVC/ZnMn2O4/CuCo2O4/x wt% TMAI nanocomposite polymers for use in optoelectronics and capacitance storage applications

Functionality-type and chemical-composition separation of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) using gradient elution normal-phase liquid chromatography with basic and acidic additives

End groups of poly(Lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) play an important role in determining the properties of polymers for use in drug delivery systems. For instance, it has been reported that the encapsulation efficiency in PLGA microspheres varies significantly between ester-terminated and acid-terminated PLGA. More importantly, the in-vivo degradation time of such polymer excipients is influenced by the functional end-group of the copolymer used.The end group distribution in PLGA polymers has been studied using electrospray and matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization – high-resolution mass spectrometry. In both cases, the application of these methods is typically limited to PLGA having a molecular weight of up to 4 kDa. 13Carbon-nuclear-magnetic-resonance has also been reported as a method to differentiate and quantify PLGA end groups with a molecular weight up to 136 kDa. However, reported NMR methods take over 12 h per sample, limiting throughput.Cryoprobe NMR can reduce the time required for the process, however such NMR equipment is costly, which makes it unsuitable for the quality control of PLGA.Here, we present a normal-phase liquid chromatography method capable of resolving functionality type distribution (FTD) and, partially, chemical composition distribution (CCD) in commercial PLGA polymers obtained from ring opening polymerization. This method can separate PLGA polymers with a molecular weight of up to 183.0 kDa while also enabling the simultaneous separation of the difference of Lactic acid (LA)/Glycolic acid (GA) ratios.To achieve this, a cross-linked diol column was used with a ternary gradient from HEX to 0.1 % v/v TEA in EA to 0.1 % v/v FA in THF to allow first for the elution of mono-ester terminated PLGA, followed by the di-acid terminated. In addition, a separation of ester-terminated PLGA in the difference of the LA/GA ratio was achieved.This method is expected to aid in understanding the correlation between PLGA's FTD, CCD, and physical properties, facilitating product development and quality control.

Engineering Low Volume Resuscitants for the Prehospital Care of Severe Hemorrhagic Shock

AbstractGlobally, traumatic injury is a leading cause of suffering and death. The ability to curtail damage and ensure survival after major injury requires a time‐sensitive response balancing organ perfusion, blood loss, and portability, underscoring the need for novel therapies for the prehospital environment. Currently, there are few options available for damage control resuscitation (DCR) of trauma victims. We hypothesize that synthetic polymers, which are tunable, portable, and stable under austere conditions, can be developed as effective injectable therapies for trauma medicine. In this work, we design injectable polymers for use as low volume resuscitants (LVRs). Using RAFT polymerization, we evaluate the effect of polymer size, architecture, and chemical composition upon both blood coagulation and resuscitation in a rat hemorrhagic shock model. Our therapy is evaluated against a clinically used colloid resuscitant, Hextend. We demonstrate that a radiant star poly(glycerol monomethacrylate) polymer did not interfere with coagulation while successfully correcting metabolic deficit and resuscitating animals from hemorrhagic shock to the desired mean arterial pressure range for DCR – correcting a 60 % total blood volume (TBV) loss when given at only 10 % TBV. This highly portable and non‐coagulopathic resuscitant has profound potential for application in trauma medicine.

Engineering Low Volume Resuscitants for the Prehospital Care of Severe Hemorrhagic Shock.

Globally, traumatic injury is a leading cause of suffering and death. The ability to curtail damage and ensure survival after major injury requires a time-sensitive response balancing organ perfusion, blood loss, and portability, underscoring the need for novel therapies for the prehospital environment. Currently, there are few options available for damage control resuscitation (DCR) of trauma victims. We hypothesize that synthetic polymers, which are tunable, portable, and stable under austere conditions, can be developed as effective injectable therapies for trauma medicine. In this work, we design injectable polymers for use as low volume resuscitants (LVRs). Using RAFT polymerization, we evaluate the effect of polymer size, architecture, and chemical composition upon both blood coagulation and resuscitation in a rat hemorrhagic shock model. Our therapy is evaluated against a clinically used colloid resuscitant, Hextend. We demonstrate that a radiant star poly(glycerol monomethacrylate) polymer did not interfere with coagulation while successfully correcting metabolic deficit and resuscitating animals from hemorrhagic shock to the desired mean arterial pressure range for DCR - correcting a 60 % total blood volume (TBV) loss when given at only 10 % TBV. This highly portable and non-coagulopathic resuscitant has profound potential for application in trauma medicine.

Characterisation of household single-use packaging flows through a municipal waste system: A material flow analysis for New South Wales, Australia

Household single-use packaging has poor rates of recycling, and presents a challenge in transitioning to a circular packaging economy. This study characterises the flows of household single-use packaging in the municipal waste system for 2020–21 in New South Wales, Australia. Households are an important source of packaging usage in Australia, accounting for over 40 % of all packaging used in 2020–21. Our focus spans 17 single-use packaging materials and 11 formats. We estimate the composition of single-use consumer packaging in the kerbside collection stream, and the ultimate fate of used packaging. Results show 1000 ± 8 % kt of packaging was used by households in NSW in 2020–21 (∼123 kg/cap). Composition of the used packaging stream was dominated by glass (36 %), paper (29 %) and plastic (28 %) packaging. HDPE (26 % of plastic packaging), LDPE (24 %) and PET (19 %) were the main polymers in use. 63 % ± 5 % of used packaging was collected for recycling, and 34 % ± 7 % was recovered via recyclate generation and overseas exports. Glass packaging had the highest recycling rates at 52 % ± 3 %, while plastic packaging had the poorest at 11 % ± 10 %. Findings indicate incorrect disposal of recyclables at the household to mixed-waste systems as a major limitation of the system to improve recycling rates. Expansion in recovery capacity is also essential for improving recycling rates, and the potential for generating the packaging-grade recyclate essential for meeting recycled content targets. The study offers contributions to the understanding of consumer packaging managed within the municipal waste system. Insights gained have application in informing sustainable packaging and waste management strategies.

Electrochemical detection of glutamate and histamine using redox-labeled stimuli-responsive polymer as a synthetic target receptor.

Glutamate (Glu) and histamine (His) are two major neurotransmitters that play many critical roles in brain physiological functions and neurological disorders. Therefore, specific and sensitive monitoring of Glu and His is essential in the diagnosis and treatment of various mental health and neurodegenerative disorders. Both being non-electroactive species, direct electrochemical detection of Glu and His has been challenging. Herein, we report a stimuli-responsive polymer-based biosensor for the electrochemical detection of Glu and His. The polymer-based target receptors consist of a linear chain stimuli-responsive templated polymer hybrid that is labeled with an osmium-based redox-active reporter molecules to elicit conformation-dependent electrochemical responses. The polymers are then attached to a gold electrode to implement an electrochemical sensor. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square-wave voltammetry (SWV) results confirmed the polymers' conformational changes due to the specific target (i.e., Glu and His) recognition and the corresponding electrochemical detection capabilities. The voltammetry results indicate that this biosensor can be used as a 'signal-on' and 'signal-off' sensors for the detection of Glu and His concentrations, respectively. The developed biosensor also showed excellent regeneration capability by fully recovering the initial current signal after rinsing with deionized water. To further validate the polymer's utility as a target bioreceptor, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique was used to characterize the binding affinity between the designed polymers and the target chemical. The SPR results exhibited the equilibrium dissociation constants (KD) of 2.40 μM and 1.54 μM for the polymer-Glu and polymer-His interactions, respectively. The results obtained this work strongly suggest that the proposed sensing technology could potentially be used as a platform for monitoring non-electroactive neurochemicals from animal models.

Ion‐imprinted thiosalicylichydrazide‐based sorbents for selective recognition of mercury (II) ions

AbstractBackgroundThe study of removing heavy metals from water through the use of chelating absorbents is an emerging and critical area of research. However, the challenge lies in the lack of specificity that these absorbents often exhibit towards individual metals.ResultsIn addressing this challenge, we have synthesized a novel chelating polymer, thiosalicylic hydrazidine‐modified poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐divinylbenzene) copolymer (TSH‐P), demonstrating a high affinity for Hg2+ ions. The cross‐linking of the Hg2+/TSH‐P complex with a glyoxal cross‐linking agent effectively encapsulates Hg2+ ions, stabilizing the functional chelating groups within the coordination geometry of Hg2+. The ions were subsequently removed with EDTA/HNO3, producing a sorbent imprinted with Hg2+ ions (Hg‐IIP). Analytical techniques such as FTIR, NMR, XPS, and SEM were employed for a detailed examination of each synthesis step, confirming the successful chelation of Hg2+. Notably, the synthesized Hg‐IIP showed significant selectivity for Hg2+ over other metal cations, with an optimal absorption pH of 5 and a maximum capacity of 350 mg/g. The adsorption process was found to closely follow the Langmuir isotherm model, with kinetics that adhered to the pseudo‐second‐order model.ConclusionThis study introduces a highly selective chelating polymer for the removal of Hg2+ ions from water, highlighting its effectiveness and potential for specificity in heavy metal remediation. The use of analytical techniques to confirm the successful synthesis and chelation process, alongside the demonstrated selectivity and high capacity of the sorbent, underscores the polymer's utility in addressing the challenge of removing heavy metals from aqueous solutions.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Ratiometric luminescence detection of H2O2 in food samples using a terbium coordination polymer sensitized with 3-carboxyphenylboronic acid

A ratiometric luminescent probe was fabricated using adenosine monophosphate (AMP) as a bridging ligand and 3-carboxyphenylboronic acid (3-CPBA) as the sensitizer and functional ligand that allowed the probe to recognize hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The probe was labeled AMP-Tb/3-CPBA. Adding H2O2 caused the nonluminescent 3-CPBA to be converted into 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, which strongly luminesces at 401 nm. This meant that adding H2O2 decreased the AMP-Tb/3-CPBA luminescence intensity at 544 nm and caused luminescence at 401 nm. The 401 and 544 nm luminescence intensity ratio (I401/I544) was strongly associated with the H2O2 concentration between 0.1 and 60.0 μM, and the detection limit was 0.23 μM. Dual emission reverse-change ratio luminescence sensing using the probe allowed environmental effects to be excluded and the assay to be very selective. We believe that the results pave the way for the development of new functionalized lanthanide coordination polymers for use in luminescence assays.

Electrospun polymeric nanofibers for dental applications

AbstractElectrospinning is an economical, efficient, and versatile process for the preparation of continuous nanofibers with desired patterns, tailored fiber diameters, and orientations. Since its invention, electrospinning has been utilized to prepare nanofibers from several natural polymers and synthetic polymers for use as scaffolds in tissue engineering, regeneration, and biomedical applications. Furthermore, complex scaffolds were prepared by electrospinning complex polymer solutions formulated by blending natural and synthetic organic polymers with bioceramics and other inorganic molecules. Lately, coaxial electrospinning has emerged as a promising technology in the preparation of drug‐loaded biodegradable core‐shell structured micro/nanofibers for sustained drug delivery applications. This paper will discuss the basic mechanism of electrospinning, parameters governing the electrospinning process, various materials investigated for use in the electrospinning process, and its recent advances.

Polyaniline-coated kapok fibers for convenient in-syringe solid-phase microextraction and determination of organochlorine and pyrethroid pesticide residues in aqueous samples

Pesticides used in agriculture have low polarity and a tendency to accumulate in fatty tissues, posing potential risks to human health. Effective pre-treatment is crucial due to complex sample matrices and low concentrations of pesticide residues typically encountered in instrument analysis. In this study, polyaniline-coated kapok fiber (PANI-KF) was synthesized successfully using in-situ oxidative polymerization for use as sorbents in in-syringe SPME of pyrethroid pesticides (PYRs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) from aqueous samples. Coating the natural KF with PANI maintained the hollow microtubular structure and fiber morphology while significantly enhancing the extraction efficiency. The extraction process was easily conducted by simply pulling and pushing the syringe plunger. The entire extraction process, utilizing 3 mg of PANI-KF, could be completed in approximately 3 min. Density functional theory results indicated that the adsorption mechanism of PANI-KF towards OCPs and PYRs mainly involved van der Waals interactions, π-π interactions, and weak hydrogen bonding interactions. With the coupling of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, a quantification method was established that exhibited good linearities (R2 > 0.990), and relative recoveries (87.2–108.5 %). The limits of detection ranged from 0.4 to 2.0 ng mL−1 and the matrix effects were negligible (−12.3–16.4 %). The validated in-syringe SPME-GC-MS method was successfully applied to determine pesticide residues in fruit juices, oral liquids and herbal extract granules with satisfactory accuracy and precision. PANI-KF exhibits remarkable promise as a sorbent for the extraction and enrichment of pesticide residues in aqueous samples, thereby contributing to the advancement of pesticide residue determination methodologies.

Nanocomposite modified electrode based on polyaniline/Ti3C2 for the simultaneous detection of purine bases and uric acid

In this study, a nanocomposite of Polyaniline/titanium carbide (PANI/Ti3C2) was synthesized through self-assembly and in situ polymerization for use as a sensor material to simultaneously detect guanine (G), adenine (A), and uric acid (UA). X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were utilized to confirm the successful synthesis of PANI/Ti3C2. Electrochemical analysis methods including differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to detect the electrochemical performance of PANI/Ti3C2 modified glassy carbon electrode (PANI/Ti3C2/GCE). The pH dependence, electrochemically active surface area (ECSA), electron transport, stability, reproducibility, sensitivity, and selectivity of the modified GCE were examined. Compared to previous reports, the nanocomposite exhibited excellent performance. Uric acid, guanine, and adenine detection limits were 0.33, 0.31, and 0.28 μM, respectively, over concentration ranges of 0.62 - 20.10, 0.31 - 17.00, and 0.31 - 17.00 μM. The nanocomposite demonstrated high recovery and low error in serum sample detection. In summary, PANI/Ti3C2 is a sensor material with excellent electrochemical properties.

Determination of Tetracycline Antibiotics in Milk by Solid-Phase Extraction Using a Coordination Polymer Based on Cobalt Trimesinate as a Sorbent.

The coordination polymer was obtained based on cobalt trimesinate. It was characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The polymer was studied as a sorbent for solid-phase extraction of tetracycline antibiotics. Cobalt trimesinate had a high adsorption capacity (400 mg/g). Antibiotic adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Freundlich isotherm model. The process proceeded spontaneously, as indicated by the calculated thermodynamic parameters. The resulting coordination polymer has good stability and recyclability. The possibility of using cobalt trimesinate for the determination of tetracycline in various milk samples was investigated. This work holds great promise for the development and application of a cobalt trimesinate-based coordination polymer for use in sample preparation to replace the time-consuming vacuum evaporation procedure with a relatively simple solid-phase extraction procedure.

Preparation and performance study of functional polymer with self demulsifying

AbstractIn polymer flooding, the residual polymer in the produced fluid can increase the stability of crude oil emulsion, thereby negatively affecting the demulsification process. Therefore, a polymer that has no effect on the stability of crude oil emulsion is required. Herein, a polymerizable monomer with a demulsification function (MD) was synthesized and then copolymerized with acrylamide, acrylic acid, and 2‐acrylamide‐2‐methylpropane sulfonic acid to prepare a novel copolymer (self‐demulsifying polymer, PDM). The dissolution time, solution viscosity, shear resistance, static adsorption on quartz sand, and the effect on the crude oil emulsion stability of PDM were compared with those of regular polyacrylamide (PAM). Experimental results showed that owing to the steric hindrance effect of MD, the molecular weight of PDM was lower than that of PAM. Both polymers exhibited satisfactory solubility, solution viscosity, shear resistance, and static adsorption, which can meet the requirements of polymer for use in oil displacement. However, in contrast to PAM, PDM had no negative effect on the crude oil emulsion stability. This study provides a new solution to the problem of increased crude oil emulsion stability in polymer flooding.