Investigating How Organic Solvents Affect Tissue Culture Polystyrene Surfaces through Responses of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Polymer coating of tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) surfaces promotes their biofunctionality, which can aid manipulation of cellular functions. However, the effect of the solvent used for polymer coating is yet to be elucidated. In this study, solvent‐treated TCPS surfaces using water, methanol, ethanol, 2‐propanol, and dimethyl sulfoxide are fabricated. Solvent treatment of TCPS surfaces is performed by spreading solvents onto the surfaces and allowing them to dry. Solvent treatment changes the surface roughness and wettability, depending on the kind of solvents. In addition, these surface property changes affected the extension, proliferation, and differentiation of human bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells. These results suggest that solvent selection for polymer coating is crucial in the regulation of cell responses. Further, treatment with an appropriate solvent can result in a more suitable culture environment for modulating cellular functions.     

Hydrophobic Monomers Recognize Microenvironments in Hydrogel Microspheres during Free-Radical-Seeded Emulsion Polymerization

The three-dimensional structure of nanocomposite microgels was precisely determined by cryo-electron micrography. Several nanocomposite microgels that differ with respect to their nanocomposite structure, which were obtained from seeded emulsion polymerization in the presence of microgels, were used as model nanocomposite materials for cryo-electron micrography. The obtained three-dimensional segmentation images of these nanocomposite microgels provide important insights into the interactions between the hydrophobic monomers and the microgels, that is, hydrophobic styrene monomers recognize molecular-scale differences in polarity within the microgels during the emulsion polymerization. This result led to the formation of unprecedented multi-layered nanocomposite microgels, which promise substantial potential in colloidal applications.     

Novel hyperbranched polymers synthesized via A3 + B(B′) approach by radical addition‐coupling polymerization

In this study, a novel application of radical addition‐coupling polymerization (RACP) for synthesis of hyperbranched polymers is reported. By Cu/PMDETA‐mediated RACP of 2‐methyl‐2‐nitrosopropane with trimethylolpropane tris(2‐bromopropionate) or a bromo‐ended 3‐arm PS macromonomer, two types of hyperbranched polymers with high degree of polymerization are synthesized under mild conditions, respectively. The chemical structures of the hyperbranched polymers are carefully characterized. By selective degradations of the ester groups and weak bonds of NO? C in the polymers, high degree of alternative connection of the two monomers in the synthesized polymers have been identified. Based on the experimental results, mechanism of formation of the hyperbranched polymer is proposed, which includes formation of carbon radicals from the tribromo monomer through single electron transfer, its capture by 2‐methyl‐2‐nitrosopropane that results in nitroxide radical, and cross‐coupling reaction of the nitroxide radical with other carbon radicals. Hyperbranched polymer can be formed in a step‐growth mode after multiple steps of such reactions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 904–913     

Pd/PdO纳米复合微球的合成及催化性能

采用甲基丙烯酸锌加速还原氯化钯(PdCl₂) 溶液中的钯离子(Pd ²⁺)为钯(Pd) 纳米微球, 进而用得到的钯纳米微球直接制备钯/氧化钯(Pd/PdO) 纳米复合微球. 通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、 透射电子显微镜(TEM)、 粉末X射线衍射分析(XRD)及X射线光电子能谱分析(XPS) 等方法对 Pd/PdO 纳米复合微球进行表征, 结果表明, 制备的纳米复合微球为表面粗糙、 大小均一的纳米微球. 采用紫外-可见吸收光谱(UV-Vis) 等方法考察了 Pd/PdO 纳米复合微球在对硝基苯酚(4-NTP) 还原反应中的催化性能, 发现其具有良好的催化活性和循环稳定性.     

FTIR与XRD的均匀粒度分布Ce-Cu/TiO2空心微球制备机理研究

随着社会经济的发展，环境空气品质已经成为研究热点。TiO₂是一种化学稳定性高，耐腐蚀性强，对人体无毒无害的N型半导体材料。利用TiO₂的光催化性能提高室内环境空气品质已经成为研究焦点，但是由于TiO₂只能在紫外光源下才具有较高的光催化效率，而在可见光源下的光催化效率较低，从而极大的限制了TiO₂在室内环境领域的发展。因此，研发在可见光源下具有良好光催化性能的TiO₂复合材料势在必行。利用元素掺杂改性技术与提高比表面积方法可以改善光催化反应过程中量子效率和对光能的利用率，以加快电子和空穴向表面迁移的速率同时降低光生载流子的复合机率。以二氧化硅SiO₂为模板、聚乙烯吡咯烷酮为成膜剂、硝酸铈Ce(NO₃)₃·6H₂O和硝酸铜Cu(NO₃)₂·3H₂O为改性剂采用溶胶-凝胶法制备均匀粒度分布的Ce-Cu/TiO₂空心微球，并将制备过程分为四个阶段，即纳米SiO₂球模板的制备、Ce-Cu/TiO₂-SiO₂复合微球凝胶的制备、Ce-Cu/TiO₂-SiO₂复合微球的制备和Ce-Cu/TiO₂空心微球的制备。利用傅里叶变换红外光谱仪（FTIR）与X射线衍射仪（XRD）对Ce-Cu/TiO₂空心微球的制备过程各阶段生成物进行测试与分析，即在纳米SiO₂球模板的制备阶段从微观角度研究纳米SiO₂球模板的搭建过程，在Ce-Cu/TiO₂-SiO₂复合微球凝胶的制备阶段研究TiO₂附着于纳米SiO₂球模板的过程，在Ce-Cu/TiO₂-SiO₂复合微球的制备阶段研究煅烧工艺对Ce-Cu/TiO₂-SiO₂复合微球中晶相与结构的影响，在Ce-Cu/TiO₂空心微球的制备阶段研究氢氧化钠溶液对Ce-Cu/TiO₂-SiO₂复合微球中纳米SiO₂球模板洗涤效果的影响。利用紫外-可见分光光度计（UV-Vis）对Ce-Cu/TiO₂空心微球的光响应性能进行测试与分析，以研究Ce-Cu/TiO₂空心微球对可见光源的利用效率。利用激光粒度分析仪（LPSA）与扫描电子显微镜（SEM）对Ce-Cu/TiO₂空心微球的粒度分布与微观形貌进行测试与分析，以研究Ce-Cu/TiO₂空心微球的均匀粒度分布效果。结果表明：以Si-O-Si基团构建非晶体结构的无定形态纳米SiO₂球模板，有利于聚乙烯吡咯烷酮在纳米SiO₂球模板表面附着，从而控制Ce-Cu/TiO₂空心微球的空腔结构。Ce-Cu掺杂基本进入TiO₂晶体，极少进入纳米SiO₂球模板晶体，从而抑制了Ce-Cu/TiO₂-SiO₂复合微球中TiO₂由锐钛矿相向金红石相的转变。Ce-Cu掺杂TiO₂可以促使TiO₂内部形成新的能级，实现能量较小的光子捕获e-和h+，从而提高Ce-Cu/TiO₂空心微球对可见光源的利用效率。Ce-Cu/TiO₂空心微球的表面光滑且不存在明显的缺陷，其形貌呈现良好的球体且粒径分布均匀，即d₉₀为219.54 nm，d₅₀为151.60 nm、d₁₀为103.84 nm，以及d₉₀-d₁₀为115.70 nm。研究结果为进一步获得可见光源下具有良好光催化性能的均匀粒度分布Ce-Cu/TiO₂空心微球提供理论依据和研究基础。     

Above,below, and in‐between the two glass transitions of ultrathin free‐standing polystyrene films: Thermal expansion coefficient and physical aging

In previous work we observed two simultaneous transitions in high molecular weight (MW) free‐standing polystyrene films that were interpreted as two thickness‐dependent reduced glass transition temperatures (T_gs). The weaker lower transition agreed well with the MW‐dependent T_g(h) previously reported, while the much stronger upper transition matched the MW‐independent T_g(h) previously observed in low‐MW free‐standing films. Here, we investigate the nature of these two transitions by inspecting the temperature dependence of the films' thermal coefficient of expansion (TCE) and present physical aging measurements using ellipsometry both below and in‐between the two transitions. TCE values indicate approximately 80 to 90% of the film solidifies at the upper transition, while only 10 to 20% remains mobile to lower temperatures, freezing out at the lower transition. Physical aging is observed at a temperature below the upper transition, but above the lower transition, indicative of the upper transition being an actual glass transition associated with the α‐relaxation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 64–75     

Synthesis and hydrodynamic and conformation properties of star-shaped polystyrene with calix[8]arene core

Properties of individual molecules of star-like polystyrene with calix[8]arene core in dilute chloroform solutions were studied using methods of static light scattering, translation diffusion, and viscometry. The solution behavior of the polymer investigated significantly differs from the properties of linear polymers. Star-like polystyrene macromolecules in solutions are characterized by compact structure—the hydrodynamic radius is not higher than 5.5?nm at M?=?125,000?g?mol^?1. The shape of star-like polystyrene macromolecules differs slightly from spherical.     

Large‐scale production of nitrogen‐ and oxygen‐containing activated carbon microspheres for supercapacitors

A main issue in the production of robust supercapacitors is the creation of efficient and cost‐effective electrodes. We present here the realization of a kind of nitrogen‐ and oxygen‐containing activated carbon microspheres made from divinylbenzene, diallyl phthalate, and acrylonitrile monomers, which can be produced on a large scale for use in supercapacitors. The supercapacitor's performance is optimized by adjusting the carbonization temperature of the microspheres. Our preliminary result shows that the supercapacitor displays a maximum capacitance of 300 F/g at the current density of 1.0 A/g and retains ~82% of the capacitance after 10,000 charge–discharge cycles.     

Measurement of the surface excitation parameter of Kapton,polyethylene (PE), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polystyrene (PS) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)

Reflection electron energy loss spectra (REELS) were measured for five insulating organic compounds: Kapton, polyethylene (PE), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polystyrene (PS) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), as well as for Ni and Si, in the energy range between 200 and 1600 eV. The average number of surface excitations for a single surface crossing were determined from the experimental data and were found to be considerably smaller than for earlier studied materials, which mainly consisted of elemental metals [Surf. Sci. 486(2001)L461]. The surface excitation parameter, a material parameter used to quantify the relative intensity of surface losses in (photo)electron spectroscopy, was extracted from the data and compared with values found in the literature. The results indicate that surface excitations only have a minor influence on quantification of XPS spectra of polymers. On the other hand, a correction for surface excitations turns out to be essential for measurements of the electron inelastic mean free path of polymers when a metal is used as reference material.