Uniform Particle Size Distribution Research Articles

In-situ formation of oleic acid amide ligand boosts persistent luminescence of zinc gallate nanoparticles toward efficient latent fingermark detection

Cr3+-doped zinc gallate (ZnGa2O4:Cr3+, ZGOC) nanomaterials feature with near-infrared emission and long afterglow properties. However, simultaneously controlling nanoparticle size and afterglow performance of ZGOC remains very challenging. A novel organic amine-stimulated solvothermal synthesis method for preparing ZGOC nanoparticles was demonstrated in this paper. Controllable synthesis of ZGOC nanoparticles was realized for uniform particle size distribution and excellent afterglow properties via adding different amines in organic phase system. Among them, by the triethylamine-stimulated solvothermal method, ZGOC nanoparticles are subsphaeroidal and narrow size distributed with an average particle size of about 11 nm. The near-infrared luminescence intensity of the nanoparticles was enhanced more than 7 times. The underneath organic amines stimulation mechanism was clarified as the in-situ formation of oleic acid amide ligand, consequently, enhancing the afterglow properties via combination results of surface defects passivation and ligand antenna effect. Furthermore, uniform particle size distribution and excellent afterglow properties make the prepared nanoparticles show great visualization in latent fingermark detection. The current finding of in-situ formation of oleic acid amide ligand offers guidance for the controllable synthesis of nanoparticles by the organic amines-stimulated solvothermal method.

Recyclable waste Dry-cell batteries derived carbon dots (CDs) for detection of Two-fold metal ions and degradation of BTB dye

In modern era, electronic wastes are one of the major threats around us, most of them are reused with less efficiency instead of re-usage, and conversion into valuable products is highly recommended. In this work, we report an innovative approach for the synthesis of highly photoluminescent CDs from waste dry-cell batteries through one-step hydrothermal treatment for the detection and degradation of environmental pollutants. The as-prepared CDs were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), HR-TEM studies, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Raman spectrometer, FTIR spectroscopy, UV–visible spectrophotometer, and spectrofluorometric measurements. The calculated quantum yield for synthesized CDs was around 13 %. The CDs have uniform particle size distribution, strong photoluminescent behavior, and possess high stability against various environmental conditions. Also, CDs display the selective and sensitive detection of Cr6+ and Co2+ and ions with a detection limit of around 0.11 µM and 0.10 µM respectively. The possible mechanism of CDs was also examined. Moreover, the photocatalytic activity of CDs with Bromothymol Blue (BTB) dye was studied. The degradation efficiency of BTB dye can be achieved at around 84 % over 180 min under the irradiation of direct sunlight in presence of H2O2. To date, it’s the first time we have recycled waste dry-cell batteries into CDs as an effective probe for the detection and decomposition of environmental pollution. Furthermore, this work provides not only an easier route to make good quality and improved photoluminescent CDs from waste material like used batteries and also paves way for the reconversion of global treating waste. Finally, the outstanding detection capability with multiple properties of as-prepared CDs provides various environmental applications like the detection of pollutants and carcinogenic polluted water treatment.

Development and Characterization of Folic Acid-Conjugated Amodiaquine-Loaded Nanoparticles–Efficacy in Cancer Treatment

The objective of this study was to construct amodiaquine-loaded, folic acid-conjugated polymeric nanoparticles (FA-AQ NPs) to treat cancer that could be scaled to commercial production. In this study, folic acid (FA) was conjugated with a PLGA polymer followed by the formulation of drug-loaded NPs. The results of the conjugation efficiency confirmed the conjugation of FA with PLGA. The developed folic acid-conjugated nanoparticles demonstrated uniform particle size distributions and had visible spherical shapes under transmission electron microscopy. The cellular uptake results suggested that FA modification could enhance the cellular internalization of nanoparticulate systems in non-small cell lung cancer, cervical, and breast cancer cell types. Furthermore, cytotoxicity studies showed the superior efficacy of FA-AQ NPs in different cancer cells such as MDAMB-231 and HeLA. FA-AQ NPs had better anti-tumor abilities demonstrated via 3D spheroid cell culture studies. Therefore, FA-AQ NPs could be a promising drug delivery system for cancer therapy.

Pivotal Role of the Granularity Uniformity of the WO3 Film Electrode upon the Cyclic Stability during Cation Insertion/Extraction.

Delicate design and precise manipulation of electrode morphology has always been crucial in electrochemistry. Generally, porous morphology has been preferred due to the fast kinetic transport characteristics of cations. Nevertheless, more refined design details such as the granularity uniformity that usually goes along with the porosity regulation of film electrodes should be taken into consideration, especially in long-term cation insertion and extraction. Here, inorganic electrochromism as a special member of the electrochemical family and WO3 films as the most mature electrochromic electrode material were chosen as the research background. Two kinds of WO3 films were prepared by magnetron sputtering, one with a relatively loose morphology accompanied by nonuniform granularity and one with a compact morphology along with uniform particle size distribution, respectively. Electrochemical performances and cyclic stability of the two film electrodes were then traced and systematically compared. In the beginning, except for faster kinetic transport characters of the 50 W-deposited WO3 film, the two electrodes showed equivalent optical and electrochemical performances. However, after 5000 CV cycles, the 50 W-deposited WO3 film electrode cracked seriously. Strong stress distribution centered among boundaries of the nonuniform particle clusters together with the weak bonding among particles induced the mechanical damage. This discovery provides a more solid background for further delicate film electrode design.

Significant fluorescence from pulsed laser ablated silver-copper nanocomposites

Diverse biocompatible nanomaterials with improved physiochemical characteristics became demanding for biomedicines. Thus, new types of crystalline and spherical silver-copper nanocomposites (AgCuNCs) with prominent fluorescence (FL) and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorption were made using pulse laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) method. The structure, morphology, and FL properties of these NCs were customized via the laser fluence (LF) adjustments. Nanocomposite made at LF of 14.15 ± 0.4 J cm−2 displayed uniform particle size distribution (mean diameter of 7.22 ± 1.31 nm) with a high FL quantum yield of 0.061. Exciton-like energy states and size-enabled electronic transitions shown by these proposed plasmonic NCs were asserted to be beneficial for biomedical applications especially in improved FL-based drug formulation.

Clean Universal Solid-State Recovery Method of Waste Lithium-Ion Battery Ternary Positive Materials and Their Electrochemical Properties

The regeneration and utilization of metallic elements in waste lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have caused growing notice from researchers and battery manufacturers because of the increasing amount of waste LIBs and limited lithium resources. In this work, we propose a novel valuable metal leaching system in waste positive materials of LIBs via a recyclable clean solid-state conversion method, which was simple and easy to realize a high utilization rate of waste resources. In this leaching system, approximately neutral ammonium sulfate solid was used as the bifunctional leaching agent based on reduction and acidification in the leaching procedure of ternary positive materials (NCMs). The roasting process of (NH4)2SO4 and NCMs was followed by the main metallic elements in NCMs being transformed into soluble sulfates, which could be completely leached in the water leaching procedure. The roasting–leaching process parameters were systematically investigated on the molar ratio, roasting temperature, and time. Under optimal conditions, all the leaching rates of Ni, Co, Mn, and Li achieved 99%. After generating sulfate solution by water leaching, the spherical ternary material precursor was co-precipitated with a (NH4)2CO3 precipitant, and the formed (NH4)2SO4 was recycled for the next batch, thus achieving a green and low cost recyclable route. The re-synthesized LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 (NCM111) with homogeneous size particle distribution and good layered hexagonal structure of α-NaFeO2 was obtained as a cathode material after high-temperature calcination with uniform particle size distribution and intact layered structure with a hexagonal crystal system of α-NaFeO2, which well meets the commercial requirements for LIBs in terms of electrochemical properties.

Real-time observation of the freezing stage of the mannitol solution using high-resolution optical microscopy

Vacuum freeze-drying has been expanding its influence in many fields, and the freezing stage is of utmost importance for the freeze-drying process. However, the limited understanding of the freezing stage has posed a major challenge for developing the vacuum freeze-drying process. An experimental setup was designed and employed in this paper to experimentally investigate the freezing stage of the mannitol solution. The cooling rate and solute mass fraction are chosen as the key freezing parameters. The nucleation temperature, the morphology and velocity of the freezing front, the morphology and size distribution of the ice crystals at the combination of different freezing conditions were studied. The results show that the nucleation temperature (supercooling degree) distribution could be better described by the Gauss distribution. The morphology of the freezing front is more strongly affected by the cooling rate compared with the mass fraction. In addition, the morphology of ice crystals also exhibits differences under different freezing conditions. The average size decreases with the increase of the cooling rate, while the uniformity of particle size distribution increases when increasing the cooling rate. The research could help deepen the understanding of the freezing stage in a qualitative way, and provide a reference for the theoretical research.

Enhanced magnetoelectric effect in Lead-Free piezoelectric BaZr0.2Ti0.8O3 − 0.5 Ba0.7Ca0.3TiO3 and Fe-rich magnetostrictive Co0.8Fe2.2-xDyxO4 nanocomposites for energy harvesting applications

The design, discovery and development of magnetoelectric (ME) composites with enhanced properties and performance opens up further opportunities to explore new scientific aspects and to develop next-generation electromagnetic devices. Nevertheless, the engineered complex ME composites with multi-phase interfacial chemistry have rarely been reported. In this context, in the present work, enhanced magnetoelectric phenomenon reported for the ME-composites made using lead-free ferroelectric phase BaZr0.2Ti0.8O3–0.5Ba0.7Ca0.3TiO3 (BZT-BCT) and magnetostrictive phase Co0.8Fe(2.2-x)DyxO4 (CFDO). The ME composites were synthesized by varying the magnetostrictive CFDO phase, where Dy(x) varied as x = 0.000(ME1), 0.025 (ME2), 0.050 (ME3) and 0.075 (ME4). The effect of varying CFDO phase on the structure, morphology, microstructure, density, piezoelectric, dielectric, ferroelectric and magnetoelectric properties of the ME-composites is evaluated. X-ray diffraction analyses of all ME-composites confirm the tetragonal structure of the BZT-BCT ferroelectric phase and spinel cubic structure of the CFDO ferrimagnetic phase. Raman spectroscopic analyses also confirm and validate the respective phases with a clear signature presence of the characteristics modes. Granular, dense microstructure with a uniform particle size distribution evidenced in scanning electron microscopy imaging analyses. The physical density measurements indicate that the ME composites attain a density in the range of 6.0–6.4 g/cm3; density increases with increasing CFDO phase. Frequency dispersion profiles of the dielectric constant exhibit a maximum dielectric constant for ME1 composite while a sharp decrease in dielectric constant at higher frequencies is noted with increasing CFDO phase in the ME-composites. Ferroelectric properties evaluated by measuring the polarization (P) – electric field (E) hysteresis loops at 300 K indicate the presence of typical P-E loops in all ME composites confirming that the ferroelectric properties are retained even after combining with the magnetic phase. The ME4 composite demonstrate a 0.573 squareness ratio, which is useful for multistate memory device applications. The ME4 composites further characterized by a moderately higher remnant polarization (Pr = 2.24 µC/cm2). All the synthesized ME-composites are promising for permanent memory storage device (FeRAM) applications. Piezoelectric coefficient measurements indicate a maximum piezoelectric coefficient of 116 pC/N for the ME4 composite while the ME-coefficient measurements demonstrate higher ME-coefficients of 250 mV/(cm-Oe) for ME2 composite. Based on the comprehensive and comparative studies of the ME-composites with variable magnetostrictive phase, the structure-chemistry-property correlation in these ME-composites established for possible applications in electromagnetic devices and energy harvesting applications.

Design and mechanism of agglomeration of aspirin crystals in pure solvents

Agglomeration with improved flowability for platy crystals is desirable in pharmaceutical downstream processing. The formation of agglomerates in pure solvents without the aid of bridging liquids is a convenient and low-cost method compared with complex spherical crystallization. In this work, the adhesion free energies between aspirin crystals in six solvents were calculated using Lifshitz-van der Waals acid-base theory to screen suitable solvents for agglomeration. The maximum stirring rate for agglomeration was determined by adhesion forces and dispersion forces. Then the agglomerates of plate-shaped aspirin were successfully prepared in acetone, methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, and ethylene glycol without additives by simple cooling crystallization. The interactions between solvent and crystal surfaces were also used to explain the outcomes. A feasible mechanism for the agglomeration process of platy crystals was elucidated, involving the adhesion of dominant crystal facets at the beginning. The effect of stirring rate, cooling rate, and initial supersaturation on agglomeration degree and particle size of aspirin agglomerates were studied. The obtained aspirin agglomerates under the optimal conditions exhibited a uniform particle size distribution, a high agglomeration degree, and superior flowability.

Assessment Effect of Nanometer-Sized Al2O3 Fillers in Polylactide on Fracture Probability of Filament and 3D Printed Samples by FDM

In this paper, a mathematical model for the description of the failure probability of filament and fused deposition modeling (FDM)-printed products is considered. The model is based on the results of tensile tests of filament samples made of polyacrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polylactide (PLA), and composite PLA filled with alumina (Al2O3) as well after FDM-printed products of "spatula" type. The application of probabilistic methods of fracture analysis revealed that the main contribution to the reduction of fracture probability is made by the elastic and plastic stages of the fracture curve under static loading. Particle distribution analysis of Al2O3 combined with fracture probability analysis shows that particle size distributions on the order of 10-5 and 10-6 mm decrease the fracture probability of the sample, whereas uniform particle size distributions on the order of 10-1 and 10-2 mm do not change the distribution probability. The paper shows that uneven distribution of Al2O3 fillers in composite samples made using FDM printing technology leads to brittle fracture of the samples.

TiO2 nanoparticle enhanced high temperature proton conductivity in hyperbranched sulfonated polyarylene aliphatic ketones for proton exchange membrane fuel cell applications

AbstractA new hyperbranched sulfonated poly(arylene aliphatic ketones) (HB‐SPAAK) has been synthesized and loaded with titania nanoparticles to obtain HB‐SPAAK/TiO2 nanocomposites for thermally stable proton‐conducting electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) applications. The synthesis of HB‐SPAAKs was carried out through the polycondensation reaction of different aliphatic and aromatic acids with simultaneous loss of H2O, trifluromethane sulfonic acid used as catalyst. The long chain hyperbranched polymers and TiO2‐loaded nanocomposites were characterized by FT‐IR, 1H‐NMR, SEM and HR‐TEM. Proton conductivity (PC), swelling ratio, water uptake and oxidative stability. The SEM image of TiO2 NPs and HB‐SPAAKs/TiO2 nanocomposites membrane clearly showed the spherical of TiO2 and porous structure of HB‐SPAAKs with a pore diameter of 2–50 μm. TEM image reveals the uniform particle size distribution of TiO2 nanoparticles having a nanosize of 100 nm. TiO2 loaded polymer nanocomposites showed lower values of W/U and S/R when compared to the unmodified HB‐SPAAK, while 3% TiO2 loaded HB‐SPAAKs exhibited a threefold increment of proton conductivity of 1.439 × 10−2 S cm−1 compared to HB‐SPAAKs (0.41 x 10−2 S cm−1) and lower than that of Nafion 117 (0.1003 S cm−1 at 80°C). The 5% TiO2 NPs‐embedded with HB‐SPAAKs nanocomposites membranes also presented admirable oxidative stability with a degradation value of 13.8% during immersion in Fenton reagent for 8 h at 70°C.

Albumin-Based Silibinin Nanocrystals Targeting Activated Hepatic Stellate Cells for Liver Fibrosis Therapy

Activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) are critical during the development and progression of liver fibrosis. Once liver fibrosis occurs, aHSCs highly express secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), a typical albumin-binding protein. We designed a nano platform, silibinin albumin nanocrystals (SLB-HSA NCs), to target aHSCs for liver fibrosis therapy. The prepared SLB-HSA NCs showed uniform particle size distribution of approximately 60 nm with PDI < 0.15 and high loading efficiency up to 49.4%. Albumin coated on the surface of nanocrystals was demonstrated to increase cellular uptake by aHSCs through SPARC-mediated endocytosis. In addition, SLB-HSA NCs significantly improved the bioavailability compared with free SLB in pharmacokinetic study. Following tail-vein injection, SLB-HSA NCs were massively accumulated in the fibrotic liver and exhibited enhanced antifibrotic effects in hepatic fibrosis mice. Overall, our findings prove the great potential of SLB-HSA NCs in the targeted treatment of liver fibrosis.

Synthesis and characterization of a novel hydrogel based on carboxymethyl chitosan/sodium alginate with the ability to release simvastatin for chronic wound healing

Since wound dressing has been considered a promising strategy to improve wound healing, recent attention has been focused on the development of modern wound dressings based on synthetic and bioactive polymers. In this study, we prepared a multifunctional wound dressing based on carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC)/sodium alginate (Alg) hydrogel containing a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) in which simvastatin (SIM) has been encapsulated. This dressing aimed to act as a barrier against pathogens, eliminate excess exudates, and accelerate wound healing. Among various fabricated composites of dressing, the hydrogel composite with a CMC/sodium Alg ratio of 1:2 had an average pore size of about 98.44 ± 26.9 μm and showed 707 ± 31.9% swelling and a 2116 ± 79.2 g m−2 per day water vapor transfer rate (WVTR), demonstrating appropriate properties for absorbing exudates and maintaining wound moisture. The NLC with optimum composition and properties had a spherical shape and uniform particle size distribution (74.46 ± 7.9 nm). The prepared nanocomposite hydrogel displayed excellent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus as well as high biocompatibility on L929 mouse fibroblast cells. It can release the loaded SIM drug slowly and over a prolonged period of time. The highest drug release occurred (80%) within 14 d. The results showed that this novel nanocomposite could be a promising candidate as a wound dressing for treating various chronic wounds in skin tissues.

Synthesis of cubosomes containing cerium oxide nanoparticles from Lactobacillus acidophilus loaded with glatiramer acetate and carboxymethylcellulose coating

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (nano-series) are used as catalysts in industrial applications due to their free radical scavenging properties. Given that free radicals play an essential role in the pathology of many neurological diseases, we investigated the use of nanocrystals as a potential therapeutic agent for oxidative damage. This project synthesized nano-series from a new and environmentally friendly bio-pathway. Investigation of cerium nitrate in culture medium containing inoculated Lactobacillus acidophilus strain before incubation produces nano-series. Loaded with glatiramer acetate (GA) was formed by coating carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and CeO2. FE-SEM analysis showed nano-series in the 9–11 nm range, spherical shape, and uniform particle size distribution. Cubic nanoparticles containing anti-multiple sclerosis (anti-Ms) treatment called GA were used. Glycerol monostearate (GMS) was used as a fat base, and evening primrose extract was used as an anti-inflammatory in cubosomes. Design-Expert® software was used to study the effects of different formulation factors on the properties of GA-loaded cubic dispersions. Thirty GA-labeled cubic dispersions were prepared with GA-labeled carboxymethylcellulose and evaluated in vitro. The results showed an average nano-series size of 89.02 and a zeta potential of −49.9. Cubosomes containing GA-CMC/CeO2 showed a stable release profile for 180 min. The results showed that cubosomes containing GA-CMC/CeO2 could be a promising drug carrier with normal release behavior.

Glycerol-compressed self-assembly nanogel based on ovomucin and chito-oligosaccharide: A novel green strategy for curcumin delivery

Nano-gel technology has been one of the popular methods to solve the low bioavailability of hydrophobic active substances. In this work, Ovomucin (OVM) was combined with chito-oligosaccharide (COS) by self-assembly, followed by condensation of complexes initiated via glycerol solution to produce green nanogel delivering curcumin. The successful encapsulation of curcumin was confirmed by UV–Vis spectrum and fluorescence microscopy. In addition, the morphology of the nanogel was nearly spherical with a small average hydrodynamic diameter (115.43nm), uniform particle size distribution (PDI = 0.266), and intense surface negative charge (−23.56mV). The vitro-release simulation assay showed that the nano-gels have good sustained release ability. The antioxidant activities of free curcumin and curcumin-loaded nano-gels were investigated by ABTS, DPPH, and H 2 O 2. The results of FTIR and XRD confirmed that curcumin disperses uniformly in the whole system through hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction between the nanogel. Curcumin in nanogel enabled easier access to free radicals in water phase, thereby possessing stronger antioxidant activity than free curcumin. Furthermore, cytotoxicity test results showed that nanogel has no obvious toxicity signs on cell viability. Hence, this work holds a grand promise for safe and efficient oral curcumin delivery while possessing universal significance for the extension of using OVM as an efficient and functional encapsulating agent to broad applications in food and health industries. OVM was mixed with curcumin and bound to each other by hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bond. COS induced the formation of early nanogel by electrostatic action. Glycerol compressed the gel to produce the final nanogel. • The nanogel was synthesized in a green way by glycerol compression and self-assembly. • The average hydrodynamic diameter of curcumin-loaded OVM nanogel was only 115.43 ± 1.60 nm and size distribution was narrow. • The fluorescence quenching of the nanogel confirmed the encapsulation of curcumin. • The Cur-OVM-COS nanogel showed a better sustained-release effect during simulated gastrointestinal digestion than the free curcumin. • The antioxidant activity of encapsulated curcumin was improved.

Study on properties of zinc ferrite, titanium dioxide and their composites

In this paper, the methods of sulfuric acid leaching and chemical coprecipitation were used to prepare products such as purified zinc ferrite, synthetic zinc ferrite, synthetic titanium dioxide and its complex with purified zinc ferrite. The morphology and microstructure of the above samples were characterized and analyzed by XRD and SEM. The results showed that the purified zinc ferrite contained a small amount of ZnO, SiO2, Al2O3 and PbSO4. Its particle size was the largest and the crystallinity was the best, but the surface was not smooth, the particle size distribution was not uniform and there was agglomeration phenomenon. The purchased zinc ferrite had high purity, the smallest particle size and the worst crystallinity. Its surface was smooth, particle size distribution was uniform, and it was loose and porous. The synthetic zinc ferrite had high purity, smooth surface, uniform particle size distribution and obvious agglomeration. The prepared titanium dioxide had no other impurities, good crystallinity, smooth surface and certain agglomeration phenomenon. For the zinc ferrite/titanium dioxide composite, adding a small amount of purified zinc ferrite would change the crystallinity of titanium dioxide, but it had little effect on the grain size of titanium dioxide. The surface was rough, the particle size distribution was not uniform, and there was agglomeration phenomenon.

Fabrication of Doxorubicin Nanoparticles Mediated by Folic Acid and Its Effect on the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling to Improve Precancerous Lesions in Gastric Cancer

Doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) is an anthracycline broad-spectrum antitumor drug, but it can produce a wide range of cytotoxicities in the body. Intravenous injection of a high dose of DOX causes serious toxicity and side effects in the heart and spinal cord. These shortcomings limit the clinical adoption of DOX. In this work, folic acid was coupled to DOX albumin nanoparticles (NPs) by chemical modification so that the preparation could actively target tumor site accumulation and release DOX to inhibit tumor cells. Albumin NPs were prepared by the desolvation method, and the formulation and preparation process were optimized. The particle size and granularity were taken as evaluation indexes. The in vitro antitumor activity of folic acid-mediated DOX albumin NPs against human hepatoma cell HepG2 and human gastric cancer cell SGC7901 was evaluated by using the methyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay with commercial DOX as a reference. Twenty SD rats were utilized to participate in the efficacy analysis of folic acid-mediated DOX albumin NPs for gastric precancerous lesions (GPLs). The results showed that the average particle size of folate-mediated doxorubicin albumin NPs was 267.28±0.38 nm, and 90% of them were less than 280.00 nm, showing a uniform particle size distribution. The drug release rate of the NPs within 24 h was 27.3%, and the NPs had sustained release properties. The IC50 values of the NPs and DOX aqueous solution on the highly expressed HepG2 cells were 4.78 μmol/L and 5.26 μmol/L, respectively, and those on the SGC7901 cells were 4.62 μmol/L and 5.06 μmol/L, respectively. After the establishment of the GPL model, the gene levels in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling were markedly upregulated (P &lt;0.05). Folic acid-mediated doxorubicin albumin NPs greatly inhibited the abnormal expression of the above genes (P &lt;0.01), i.e., they could effectively prevent further precancerous lesions of gastric cancer.

Application of a New Polymer Particle Adhesive for Lithium Battery Separators

Lithium battery separators play a critical role in the performance and safety of lithium batteries. In this work, four kinds of polymer particle adhesives (G1–G4) for lithium battery separators were synthesized via dispersion polymerization, using styrene, butyl acrylate and acrylonitrile as monomers. The particle size/size distributions, particle morphologies and glass transition temperatures (Tg) of polymer particle adhesives were explored using laser particle size analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. The adhesion strengths between the battery separators and the poles piece were examined using a tensile machine. The prepared polymer particle adhesive with a uniform distribution of particle size was obtained when the mass ratio of ethanol to water reached 85:15. Compared with the other three polymer particle adhesives, the prepared G3 coated on the surface of the battery separator exhibited a stronger adhesion with the battery pole piece. In addition, the Land battery test system was applied to examine the electrochemical performance of the lithium battery assembled with the battery separator with the prepared polymer particle adhesives. The results suggest that the electrochemical performance of the lithium battery assembled with the battery separator with polymer particle adhesive G3 is the best among the four counterparts.

Comparison of emulsifying properties and emulsion stabilising properties of pea protein isolate with various modification methods

SummaryThe present study compared the effect of various modification methods on emulsifying properties and emulsion stabilising properties of the pea protein isolate (PPI) and investigated the possible mechanism of emulsion stability from the perspectives of interfacial and rheological properties. The PPI was modified by physical extrusion (EPPI), chemical phosphorylation (PPPI), and synergistic extrusion and phosphorylation (EPPPI); natural PPI was used as a control. The results revealed that the adsorption energy of modified PPI at the O/W interface was reduced, and the viscoelasticity of the interfacial film of modified PPI was increased, suggesting that modified PPI could have better adsorption at the O/W interface. The emulsions by modified PPI had higher electrostatic repulsion, smaller particle size, and more uniform particle size distribution. Moreover, the emulsions by modified PPI promoted the formation of the spatial network structure by increasing the viscosity and extending the linear viscoelastic zone. These results showed that EPPI, PPPI, and EPPPI could improve PPI's emulsifying and emulsion‐stabilising properties.

A Study on Aqueous Dispersing of Carbon Black Nanoparticles Surface-Coated with Styrene Maleic Acid (SMA) Copolymer.

Carbon black (CB) particles tend to aggregate in aqueous solutions, and finding an optimum dispersing condition (e.g., selection of the type of dispersant) is one of the important tasks in related industries. In the present study, three types of styrene maleic acid (SMA) copolymer dispersants were synthesized, labeled respectively 'SMA-1000', 'SMA-2000', and 'SMA-3000', which have 1, 2, and 3 styrene groups in their repeating units. Then, asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AsFlFFF) was employed to measure the particle size distributions of the aqueous CB dispersions. For the particle size analysis of the CB dispersions, dynamic light scattering (DLS) showed relatively lower reproducibility than AsFlFFF. AsFlFFF showed that the use of SMA-3000 yielded a CB dispersion with the most uniform particle size distribution. When the SMA-3000 dispersant was used, the particle size tended to increase after 1 h of milling as the milling time increased, probably due to the re-agglomeration of the particles by excessive milling. The particle size distributions from AsFlFFF were consistent with the colorimetric observations. With the SMA-3000 dispersant, the lowest L∗ value was observed after 1 h of milling. The AsFlFFF and colorimetric analyses suggest that a stable CB dispersion can be obtained by either 3-h of milling with the SMA-2000 or 1-h of milling with the SMA-3000.