Physical characteristics and properties of waterborne polyurethane materials reinforced with silk fibroin powder

Degummed silk filament was pulverized with a home‐made machine to obtain silk fibroin (SF) powder, and the structure, morphology, and particle size of the SF powder were investigated. The individual spherical particles and aggregates with different morphology of silk fibroin coexisted in water. A waterborne polyurethane (WPU) aqueous dispersion was blended with the SF powder to prepare novel blended materials with improved physical properties. The average particle size and zeta potential of the WPU/SF aqueous dispersions were characterized. The result showed that the WPU/SF dispersion with higher SF content exhibited a less negative zeta potential and a larger average particle size. Furthermore, the effect of SF content on the morphology, miscibility, and mechanical properties of the resulting blended films was studied by scanning electron microscopy, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, and tensile testing. The films showed an improved Young's modulus and tensile strength from 0.3 to 33.8 MPa, and 0.6 to 5.2 MPa, respectively, with the increasing of SF up to a content of 26 wt %. The negative charges in the periphery and the small particle size made a good effort on dispersing SF powder into the WPU matrix as small aggregates, and the SF powder led to the efficient strengthening of WPU materials. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 940–950, 2010     

新型丝素蛋白膜的结构和热分解动力学机理

采用氯化钙-甲酸溶解新方法,制备了氯化钙含量分别为1.50%(w,质量分数)和3.00%(w)的新型丝素蛋白膜SF-1.5和SF-3.0。运用傅里叶变换红外光谱技术和X射线衍射技术对样品的分子构象和结晶结构进行了表征。同时,利用热重技术对比研究了两种膜的热稳定性和热分解特性,依据Kissinger、Ozawa和Vyazovkin模型,考察了氯化钙含量对丝素蛋白膜热分解反应的热力学参数和动力学参数以及其机理函数的影响。结果表明,丝素蛋白膜SF-1.5中蛋白分子主要以β-折叠结构为主,丝素蛋白膜SF-3.0中蛋白分子构象主要以无规卷曲为主;SF-3.0膜在不同升温速率下的分解温度、活化能和活化焓均低于SF-1.5膜,SF-1.5膜的热稳定性优于SF-3.0膜。另外,利用Achar法和Coats-Redfern法研究发现:丝素蛋白膜在190.00-330.00°C的热分解过程遵循二维扩散(圆柱形对称)机理。     

Structure and properties of composites compression‐molded from silk fibroin powder and waterborne polyurethane

The degummed silk filament was pulverized with a home‐made machine to obtain the silk fibroin (SF) powder with the diameter of around 3 µm. The resulting SF powder was blended with waterborne polyurethane (WPU) aqueous dispersion, and then was dried and compression‐molded to prepare novel blended materials with improved miscibility and mechanical properties. WPU acted as a plasticizer and one of the components for the blends during the compression‐molded process. The structure, morphology, and properties of the blended films were investigated. The results indicated that β‐sheet of SF existed in the blended films. The SEM images showed that the cross‐section of the blended films exhibited an overall homogeneous morphology. Furthermore, the transmission electron microscope observation exhibited that some sphere‐like SF particles were well dispersed in the WPU matrix. The hydrogen bond interaction between SF and WPU in the blended films led to an increase of the glass transition temperature for the soft segment of WPU in the blended films. The blended films showed an improved Young's modulus and tensile strength from 1.2 to 288.9 MPa and 0.3 to 16.5 MPa, respectively, with the increasing of SF up to a content of 70 wt%. The hydrogen‐bonding interactions existing in SF and WPU and compression molding method played the important role in improving the miscibility and mechanical properties of the blended films. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Apatite-forming ability of bioactive poly(l-lactic acid)/grafted silica nanocomposites in simulated body fluid

Bioactive PLLA/surface-grafted silica (g-SiO?) nanocomposite scaffolds were fabricated by solid-liquid phase separation method. And solid PLLA/g-SiO? nanocomposite films were prepared by solution casting method. A series of parallel tube-like morphology and internal ladder-like structure of PLLA/g-SiO? nanocomposite scaffolds were observed by SEM. The formation of bone-like apatite in the simulated body fluid (SBF) was characterized by XRD, IR, SEM, EDS and weight measurement. The silica incorporation favors the formation of apatite. The growth of apatite with immersion time is found on the surfaces of both the PLLA/g-SiO? nanocomposite scaffolds and the films. The potential mechanism is that silanol groups of g-SiO? in the nanocomposites serve as nucleation sites for the formation of bone-like apatite crystals.     

Characterization of silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) films

This study aimed the characterization of the films casted from the aqueous mixtures of the pH induced complexes between silk fibroin (SF) and hyaluronic acid (HA). The insoluble and transparent films were subjected to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses to show the morphological changes. Thermal analysis of complex films was determined by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The changes in the crystalline state were monitored by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). It was shown that the complexation between HA and SF was dominantly induced by pH. It was shown that the complex films comprised mixtures of crystalline and non-crystalline regions.     

Deposition of small organic molecules by the displacement of two immiscible supercritical phases

A new coating process is described (deposition from two immiscible supercritical phases, or DISP) in which a solution of supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) with a desired solute is displaced by supercritical helium (scHe). After depressurization, the solute is deposited on substrates initially submerged in the coating solvent. Micron-sized particles and thin films of sucrose octaacetate (SOA) were formed on silicon wafer substrate coupons from DISP at relatively low temperatures and pressures (< or = 6500 psi and < or = 60 degrees C). The particle size, film thickness, and morphology of SOA were characterized as a function of coating conditions-solution concentrations, withdrawal velocities, and pressures. Particles in the range of 1-14 microm in diameter were deposited at low solute concentrations (< or = 0.2 wt % at 4500 psi), whereas films in the range of 0.1-0.5 microm in thickness were deposited at higher solute concentrations (> or = 1.5 wt % at 4500 psi). Particle sizes decreased with increasing displacement velocity and increasing pressure. Estimates of characteristic times for diffusion and nucleation indicate that DISP is a diffusion-limited process. Optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to characterize film morphology, including defect formations and film roughness. Highly uniform films with low root-mean-square (RMS) roughness (approximately 10 angstroms) were obtained at a low displacement velocity of 0.0035 cm/s, while ring-like defect structures were observed in films deposited at a higher displacement velocity of 0.035 cm/s. The film thickness and morphology of the films deposited from DISP were compared with films from normal dip coating with typical organic solvents (acetone and toluene). Films deposited from scCO2 by DISP were much thicker, more uniform, and exhibited much fewer drying defects and lower RMS roughness compared with films from the organic solvents.     

造孔剂对电泳沉积制备多孔HA涂层及其生物活性的影响

采用水热法制得的羟基磷灰石(HA)纳米粉体,分别与造孔剂葡萄糖(Glu)、壳聚糖(CS)、炭粉(C)3种微粒(＜38.5 μm)配置成质量比1∶1的悬浮液,电泳沉积 烧结制备钛基多孔HA涂层,并对制得的3种多孔HA涂层在模拟体液浸泡前后的表面形貌、化学组成及物相变化进行表征。 结果表明,经700 ℃烧结处理后制得的3种多孔HA涂层在1.5倍人体模拟体液中浸泡5 d后,多孔HA涂层表面均被层状生长的碳磷灰石颗粒完全覆盖,颗粒直径在5~25 μm,说明这些多孔HA涂层均具有良好的生物活性。 其中以CS为造孔剂制得的多孔HA涂层结合强度最高,达19.5 MPa,有望开发成为新型的人骨植入生物陶瓷材料。     

Influence of sputter power on structural and electrical properties of TiO2 films for Al/TiO2/Si gate capacitors

Titanium dioxide (TiO₂) thin films were deposited onto p‐Si substrates held at room temperature by reactive Direct Current (DC) magnetron sputtering at various sputter powers in the range 80–200 W. The as‐deposited TiO₂ films were annealed at a temperature of 1023 K. The post‐annealed films were characterized for crystallographic structure, chemical binding configuration, surface morphology and optical absorption. The electrical and dielectric properties of Al/TiO₂/p‐Si structure were determined from the capacitance–voltage and current–voltage characteristics. X‐ray diffraction studies confirmed that the as‐deposited films were amorphous in nature. After post‐annealing at 1023 K, the films formed at lower powers exhibited anatase phase, where as those deposited at sputter powers > 160 W showed the mixed anatase and rutile phases of TiO₂. The surface morphology of the films varied significantly with the increase of sputter power. The electrical and dielectric properties on the air‐annealed Al/TiO₂/p‐Si structures were studied. The effect of sputter power on the electrical and dielectric characteristics of the structure of Al/TiO₂/p‐Si (metal‐insulator‐semiconductor) was systematically investigated. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

甲醇-水混合溶剂后处理制备丝素蛋白膜及其药物释放研究

采用溶液浇注法制备丝素蛋白薄膜, 应用傅里叶红外光谱(FTIR)和X 射线衍射(XRD)研究了浓度不同的甲醇-水混合溶剂处理后丝素蛋白薄膜的结构变化, 并以罗丹明B 为模型药物与丝素蛋白构建药物缓释体系, 考察了丝素蛋白膜的结晶结构对药物释放动力学的影响. 结果显示, 在甲醇体积比浓度Φ_MeOH＝50%～90%的范围内, 丝素蛋白材料中以β-折叠为主的silk Ⅱ 结晶含量随着混合溶剂中甲醇浓度的增加而先增加后下降, 在Φ_MeOH＝80%附近出现最大值. 罗丹明B 从丝素蛋白膜的释放属于Fickian 扩散机理, 其扩散指数n 随着丝素蛋白膜中β-折叠含量的增加而增加, silk Ⅱ结晶是丝素蛋白材料药物释放的天然调节器.     

沉积电位对电沉积ZnS薄膜的影响

采用电沉积方法,在不同沉积电位条件下,在氧化锡铟(ITO)导电玻璃上沉积制备了ZnS薄膜,利用XRD、SEM和UV-VIS测试技术对在不同沉积电位所制备薄膜的晶相结构、表面微观形貌和光学性能进行了表征.研究结果表明:沉积电位在1.5 V—1.7 V范围内制备的ZnS薄膜呈非晶态,其可见光透过率从60 %降低到20 %,薄膜的光学带隙约为3.97 eV.在沉积电位为2.0 V条件下所沉积薄膜为ZnS结晶相和金属Zn混合相,薄膜透过率显著降低.     

Embedded silver ions-containing liposomes in polyelectrolyte multilayers: cargos films for antibacterial agents

A new antibacterial coating made of poly(L-lysine)/hyaluronic acid (PLL/HA) multilayer films and liposome aggregates loaded with silver ions was designed. Liposomes filled with an AgNO 3 solution were first aggregated by the addition of PLL in solution. The obtained micrometer-sized aggregates were then deposited on a PLL/HA multilayer film, playing the role of a spacer with the support. Finally, HA/PLL/HA capping layers were deposited on top of the architecture to form a composite AgNO 3 coating. Release of encapsulated AgNO 3 from this composite coating was followed and triggered upon temperature increase over the transition temperature of vesicles, found to be equal to 34 degrees C. After determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of AgNO 3 in solution, the antibacterial activity of the AgNO 3 coating was investigated against Escherichia coli. A 4-log reduction in the number of viable E. coli cells was observed after contact for 120 min with a 120 ng/cm (2) AgNO 3 coating. In comparison, no bactericidal activity was found for PLL/HA films previously dipped in an AgNO 3 solution and for PLL/HA films with liposome aggregates containing no AgNO 3 solution. The strong bactericidal effect could be linked to the diffusion of silver ions out of the AgNO 3 coating, leading to an important bactericidal concentration close to the membrane of the bacteria. A simple method to prepare antibacterial coatings loaded with a high and controlled amount of AgNO 3 is therefore proposed. This procedure is far superior to that soaking AgNO 3 or Ag nanoparticles into a coating. In principle, other small bactericidal chemicals like antibiotics could be encapsulated by this method. This study opens a new route to modify surfaces with small solutes that are not permeating phospholipid membranes below the phase transition temperature.     

Oxidation of hydrazine on poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene polymer films with inclusions of palladium nanoparticles

The oxidation of hydrazine on poly-3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT/Pd) composite films was studied. The films were obtained by chemical deposition of palladium into a PEDOT polymer matrix. The structure of the films was characterized by electron microscopy. The effect of hydrazine concentration and amount of deposited palladium on the oxidation of hydrazine in phosphate buffer solutions (pH 6.86) was investigated.     

Methylene blue and neutral red electropolymerisation on AuQCM and on modified AuQCM electrodes: an electrochemical and gravimetric study

The phenazine monomers neutral red (NR) and methylene blue (MB) have been electropolymerised on different quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) substrates: MB at AuQCM and nanostructured ultrathin sputtered carbon AuQCM (AuQCM/C), and NR on AuQCM and on layer-by-layer films of hyaluronic acid with myoglobin deposited on AuQCM (AuQCM-{HA/Mb}(6)). The surface of the electrode substrates was characterised by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the frequency changes during potential cycling electropolymerisation of the monomer were monitored by the QCM. The study investigates how the monomer chemical structure together with the electrode morphology and surface structure can influence the electropolymerisation process and the electrochemical properties of the phenazine-modified electrodes. Differences between MB and NR polymerisation, as well as between the different substrates were found. The electrochemical properties of the PNR-modified electrodes were analysed by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and compared with the unmodified AuQCM. The results are valuable for future applications of modified AuQCM as substrates for electroactive polymer film deposition and applications in redox-mediated electrochemical sensors and biosensors.     

Fabrication and characterization of porous Si-Al films anode with different macroporous substrates for lithium-ion batteries

Porous Si-Al films were fabricated by magnetron sputtering (co-sputtering) using three different copper substrates as current collectors, respectively. The morphology, compositions, structure, and crystallinity of the porous Si-Al films anodes were examined by using SEM, EDX, TEM, XRD, and Raman spectroscopy. The electrochemical properties of the porous Si-Al films anodes were evaluated by galvanostatic cycling. The Si-Al film deposited on copper foam showed higher insertion/extraction capacity, capacity retention, and longer cycle life in comparison to the Si-Al films deposited on expanded copper mesh and even copper mesh grid, which could be attributed to its unique three-dimensional macroporous structure. The three-dimensional macroporous structure could offer larger materials/electrolyte contact area, a much better adhesion, lower electrical resistance (i.e., well conductive), and stress-alleviated environment to partly accommodate volume expansion that leads to exfoliation during cycling.     

Interaction between myoglobin and hyaluronic acid in their layer-by-layer assembly: quartz crystal microbalance and cyclic voltammetry studies

Myoglobin (Mb), with different net surface charges at different pH in buffers and negatively charged hyaluronic acid (HA) at pH 5.0 in solutions were alternately adsorbed onto various solid surfaces and successfully assembled into {Mb/HA}(n) layer-by-layer films. The Mb in {Mb/HA}(n) films showed a quasi-reversible cyclic voltammetry (CV) response for its heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and CV were used to confirm the film growth and characterize the films. The interaction between Mb and HA and the influencing factors for Mb adsorption on HA surface, such as pH, Mb concentration, and ionic strength, were investigated in detail. The assembly driving force for {Mb/HA}(n) films, especially for the films assembled with like-charged Mb and HA, was found to be of electrostatic origin, while the secondary interaction such as hydrophobic interaction also plays an important role in some circumstances. Although the growth of {Mb(pH 7.0)/HA}(n) and {Mb(pH 9.0)/HA}(n) films was linear with the adsorption step, the exponential growth of {Mb(pH 5.0)/HA}(n) films was observed, especially when the films became thick. This exponential increase of mass and thickness with deposition step for {Mb(pH 5.0)/HA}(n) films was most probably attributed to the diffusion mechanism in which some HA molecules could diffuse in to and out of the whole films during the film assembly. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) results supported this speculation. UV-vis and IR spectroscopies of {Mb/HA}(n) films, combined with the comparative CV experiments of {Mb/HA}(n) and {catalase/HA}(n) films, suggest that Mb in the {Mb/HA}(n) multilayer films retains its near-native structure.     

Adsorption and bioactivity studies of albumin onto hydroxyapatite surface

Bovine serum albumin (BSA) may have an inhibitory or promoter effect on hydroxyapatite (HA) nucleation when apatite is precipitated in a medium containing the protein. In this study we evaluated the influence of BSA on the precipitation of calcium phosphate phases (CP) from simulated body fluid (SBF) when the protein was previously bounded to HA surface. The kinetics of BSA immobilization onto hydroxyapatite surface was performed in different buffers and protein concentrations in order to adjust experimental conditions in which BSA was tightly linked to HA surface for long periods in SBF solution. It was shown that for BSA concentration higher than 0.1mg/mL the adsorption to HA surface followed Langmuir-Freundlich mechanisms, which confirmed the existence of cooperative protein-protein interactions on HA surface. Fourier Transformed Infrared Attenuated Total Reflectance Microscopy (FTIRM-ATR) evidenced changes in BSA conformational state in favor of less-ordered structure. Analyses from high resolution grazing incident X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation (GIXRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) showed that a poorly crystalline calcium phosphate was precipitated on the surface of HA discs coated with BSA, after the immersion in SBF for 4 days. The new bioactive layer had morphological characteristics similar to the one formed on the HA surface without protein. It was identified as a carbonated apatite with preferential crystal growth along apatite 002 direction. The GIXRD results also revealed that BSA layer bound to the surface inhibited the HA dissolution leading to a reduction on the formation of new calcium phosphate phase.     

Loading behavior of {chitosan/hyaluronic acid}n layer-by-layer assembly films toward myoglobin: an electrochemical study

When {CS/HA}n layer-by-layer films assembled by oppositely charged chitosan (CS) and hyaluronic acid (HA) were immersed in myoglobin (Mb) solution at pH 5.0, Mb was gradually loaded into the {CS/HA}n films, designated as {CS/HA}n-Mb. The cyclic voltammetric (CV) peak pair of Mb FeIII/FeII redox couple for {CS/HA}n-Mb films on pyrolytic graphite (PG) electrodes was used to investigate the loading behavior of {CS/HA}n films toward Mb. The various influencing factors, such as the number of bilayers (n), the pH of Mb loading solution, and the ionic strength of solution, were investigated by different electrochemical methods and other techniques. The results showed that the main driving force for the bulk loading of Mb was most probably the electrostatic interaction between oppositely charged Mb in solution and HA in the films, while other interactions such as hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction may also play an important role. Other polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) films with different components were compared with {CS/HA}n films in permeability and Mb loading, and electroactive probes with different size and surface charge were compared in their incorporation into PEM films. The results suggest that due to the unique structure of CS and HA, {CS/HA}n films with relatively low charge density are packed more loosely and more easily swelled by water, and have better permeability, which may lead to the higher loading amount and shorter loading time for Mb. The protein-loaded PEM films provide a new route to immobilize redox proteins on electrodes and realize the direct electrochemistry of the proteins.     

Preparation of PCM microcapsules by complex coacervation of silk fibroin and chitosan

Phase change material microcapsules were prepared by complex coacervation of silk fibroin (SF) and chitosan (CHI). n-Eicosane was used as the core material. The effects of SF/CHI ratio, and percentage of cross-linking agent and n-Eicosane content on the properties of microcapsules were studied. The size distribution and the surface morphology of microcapsules were characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy. The encapsulation of core material was determined by energy dispersive spectrometer analysis. The results indicated that SF/CHI microcapsules were prepared successfully. Microcapsules had smooth outer surface when the ratio of SF to CHI was close to 5. On the other hand, at high SF/CHI ratios (≥14), microcapsules showed a two-layer structure, an inner compact layer, and an outer, more porous, sponge-like layer. The highest microencapsulation efficiency was obtained at a SF/CHI ratio of 20 in the presence of 0.9% cross-linking agent and of 1.5% n-Eicosane content.     

丝素褐藻糖胶共混膜的结构与热性能

丝素是蚕丝的主要成分，是人类最早应用的天然蛋白质之一，作为性能优良的天然纤维一直用于纺织行业．近年来，丝素膜由于具有良好的透气透氧性和较少的炎症反应，尤其是对活体组织具有良好的生物相容性的特点，在生物工程和生物医学领域得到广泛地研究，被用作酶的固定化材料和哺乳动物细胞培养的基质、体外组织工程支架和抗凝血材料等．     

衬底温度对Fe3N薄膜生长和磁性的影响

采用直流磁控溅射方法, 以Si(100) 单晶片为衬底, 在衬底温度为150～450 ℃的范围内得到了ε-Fe3N薄膜样品. 利用 XRD, SEM和VSM等表征手段, 研究了衬底温度对ε-Fe3N薄膜的生长和磁性的影响. 实验结果表明, 随着衬底温度的升高, 薄膜的生长速率、晶粒尺寸和单位质量磁化强度均增大, 而矫顽力呈现先增加后减小的变化趋势, 当衬底温度为350 ℃时, 矫顽力达到最大值18.72 kA/m, 可以认为此时薄膜样品的晶粒尺寸接近于交换作用长度.