Chitosan based surfactant polymers designed to improve blood compatibility on biomaterials

We developed chitosan based surfactant polymers that could be used to modify the surface of existing biomaterials in order to improve their blood compatibility. These polymers consist of a chitosan backbone, PEG side chains to repel non-specific protein adsorption, and hexanal side chains to facilitate adsorption and proper orientation onto a hydrophobic substrate via hydrophobic interactions. Since chitosan is a polycationic polymer, and it is thrombogenic, the surface charge was altered to determine the role of this charge in the hemocompatibility of chitosan. Charge had a notable effect on platelet adhesion. The platelet adhesion was greatest on the positively charged surface, and decreased by almost 50% with the neutralization of this charge. A chitosan surface containing the negatively charged SO(3)(-) exhibited the fewest number of adherent platelets of all surfaces tested. Coagulation activation was not altered by the neutralization of the positive charge, but a marked increase of approximately 5-6 min in the plasma recalcification time (PRT) was displayed with the addition of the negatively charged species. Polyethylene (PE) surfaces were modified with the chitosan surfactant resulting in a significant improvement in blood compatibility, which correlated to the increasing PEG content within the polymer. Adsorption of the chitosan surfactants onto PE resulted in approximately an 85-96% decrease in the number of adherent platelets. The surfactant polymers also reduced surface induced coagulation activation, which was indicated by the PEG density dependent increase in PRTs. These results indicate that surface modification with our chitosan based surfactant polymers successfully improves blood compatibility. Moreover, the inclusion of either negatively charged SO(3)(-) groups or a high density of large water-soluble PEG side chains produces a surface that may be suitable for cardiovascular applications.     

Study of charge storage in the nanofibrous poly(ethylene terephthalate) electrets prepared by electrospinning or by corona discharge method

In this paper, the charge storage performance of electrospun poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) mats with high specific surface area was evaluated in comparison to that of PET film electrets. Corona discharge method was used to charge the electrospun PET mats and PET films. The surface potential decay measurements revealed that the corona charged РЕТ mats had higher initial values for the normalized surface potential compared to the РЕТ electret films. A tendency for stabilization of the electret charge to one and the same value for all charged samples (mats and films) after the 50th day was observed. The peaks at 90 °C in the thermally stimulated current (TSC) spectra of uncharged and charged in corona discharge electrospun PET mats were observed and attributed to a relaxation of the separated space charges, the dipole disorientation or injected charges within the bulk. It was found that the value of the storage charge in a corona charged electrospun PET mats was higher than that in PET mats prepared by electrospinning.     

Electrically polarized biphasic calcium phosphates: adsorption and release of bovine serum albumin

In this study, we applied electrical polarization technique to increase adsorption and control protein release from biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP). Three different biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) composites, with hydroxyapatite (HAp) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), were processed and electrically polarized. Our study showed that stored charge was increased in the composites with the increase in HAp percentage. Adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA), as a model protein, on the poled as well as unpoled surfaces of the composites was studied. The highest amount of BSA adsorption was obtained on positively poled surfaces of each composite. Adsorption isotherm study suggested a multilayer adsorption of BSA on the BCP composites. The effect of electrical polarization on BSA release kinetics from positively charged BCP surfaces was studied. A gradual increase in percent BSA release from positively charged BCP surfaces with decreasing stored charge was observed. Our study showed that the BCP based composites have the potential to be used as a drug or growth factor delivery vehicle.     

Ultrafast charge transfer and atomic orbital polarization

The role of orbital polarization for ultrafast charge transfer between an atomic adsorbate and a substrate is explored. Core hole clock spectroscopy with linearly polarized x-ray radiation allows to selectively excite adsorbate resonance states with defined spatial orientation relative to the substrate surface. For c(4 x 2)S/Ru(0001) the charge transfer times between the sulfur 2s(-1)3p*+1 antibonding resonance and the ruthenium substrate have been studied, with the 2s electron excited into the 3p perpendicular* state along the surface normal and the 3p parallel* state in the surface plane. The charge transfer times are determined as 0.18+/-0.07 and 0.84+/-0.23 fs, respectively. This variation is the direct consequence of the different adsorbate-substrate orbital overlap.     

Polarization energies in oligoacene semiconductor crystals

Characterization of the electronically polarized environment and the nuclear relaxation that accompanies charge carriers is fundamental to charge transport in crystalline, polycrystalline, and amorphous organic solids. To study the polarization effects of localized charged carriers, we use quantum/classical QM/MM approaches with charge redistribution and polarizable force field schemes and apply them to crystals of naphthalene through pentacene. We describe the results of a comprehensive investigation of the electronic polarization energies in molecular crystal structures of these oligoacenes and discuss as well the evolution of the nuclear relaxation energies calculated for model oligoacene systems.     

Formation of calcite thin films by cooperation of polyacrylic acid and self-generating electric field due to aligned dipoles of polarized substrates

We demonstrated the formation of calcite thin films on positively and negatively charged surfaces of a hydroxyapatite (HAp) electret coexisting with polyacrylic acid (PAA) and self-generating surface electric fields due to HAp electrets with electrically aligned dipoles. The cooperation of PAA and the self-generating surface electric field due to the electrets favored the formation of calcite thin films and acted remarkably on the negatively charged surface. Calcite thin films, 4–10 μm thick, with a shell-like microstructure were produced on the negatively charged surfaces with a small amount of PAA. In contrast, under other reaction conditions, calcite thin films with a fan-like structure in the cross section formed on the polarized substrates, and their thickness ranged from 2 to 7 μm. The films were composed of hemispheric- or flat island-shaped aggregates that were made of the calcite crystals that elongated along the c-axis. The morphology of the PAA–Ca²⁺ complex assembly, which adsorbed onto the polarized HAp substrates, was controlled by the balance of the spatial charge distribution in its structure and the properties of the self-generating surface electric field, which led to the different morphologies of the calcite thin films. We proposed that the formation mechanism of the films formed coexisting with PAA and the self-generating electric fields.     

Persistent polarization in polymers. I. Relationship between the structure of polymers and their ability to become electrically polarized

The ability of various polymers to acquire persistent polarization (i.e., to become electrets) was investigated. Polarization was induced in the polymers by two methods: (a) by cooling under a voltage drop and (b) by cooling with flow under pressure. There was found to be an optimum temperature for electret formation by either method. This optimum temperature was roughly 37°C. above T_g when polarization was produced by application of a voltage drop and roughly 57°C. when polarization was produced by flow under pressure. Crystallinity and the nonhomogeneities present in blended polymers were harmful to electret formation, but a small critical amount of ionic impurity was helpful.     

Thermal properties and combustibility of cross-linked XNBR/CSM blends

The article describes the measurements results of the thermal properties of cross-linked blends of butadiene?Cacrylonitrile rubber (XNBR, Krynac X.7.50) and chlorosulfonated polyethylene containing different quantity of combined chlorine (CSM24??Hypalon 48, CSM29??Hypalon 20, CSM35??Hypalon 40, and CSM43??Hypalon 30) under inert gas (DSC) and in air (derivatography). The blends were non-conventionally cross linked at a temperature of 150?°C by means of MgO in the presence of stearic acid. The thermal curves obtained were interpreted from the point of view of phase transitions and chemical reactions of the macromolecular components used. It has been found that the elastomers investigated show a good compatibility brought about by the formation of both interpolymeric covalent bonds and interpolymeric and intrapolymeric ionic bridges, which play the role of a chemical compatibilizer. The results of the examinations performed show that the non-conventional cross-linked XNBR/CSM blends prove very good mechanical properties and are self-extinguished in air. Their flammability defined with the value of OI and combustion time in air clearly depends on the type of CSM.     

利用基于Gouy-Chapman模型的离子有效电荷定量表征离子特异性效应

离子特异性效应在固-液界面反应中是普遍存在的.近期研究指出,在较低电解质浓度的某些体系中,离子特异性效应可能并非来源于色散力、经典诱导力、离子半径或水合半径的大小等,而是界面附近强电场中的离子极化作用.这种作用可使界面附近的吸附态反号离子被强烈极化(高达经典极化的104倍).强烈极化的结果将导致离子在界面附近受到的库仑力远远超过离子电荷所能产生的库仑力,这体现在离子的有效电荷将远大于离子的实际电荷.因此胶体体系中基于这种强极化的离子有效电荷可以用来定量表征离子特异性效应的强度.本研究在蒙脱石-胡敏酸混合悬液凝聚过程中发现了Na+、K+、Ca2+、Cu2+四种离子的离子特异性效应,提出了基于激光散射技术测定离子有效电荷的方法,并成功获得了被强烈极化后的离子有效电荷数值.实验测得的Na+、K+、Ca2+、Cu2+四种离子的有效电荷值分别为:ZNa(effective)=1.46,ZK(effective)=1.86,ZCa(effective)=3.92,ZCu(effective)=6.48.该结果表明:(1)离子在强电场中的极化将大大提高离子的有效电荷,从而极大地增强离子所受的库仑作用力;(2)离子的电子层数越多,离子极化越强烈,离子的有效电荷增加越多.     

Flux decline during cross flow membrane filtration of electrolytic solution in presence of charged nano-colloids: a simple electrokinetic model

An electrokinetic transport based approach for quantification of reversible flux decline due to the concentration polarization of an electrolyte solution in presence of charged colloids is presented. The model envisions the electrolyte transport across a charged cake or gel layer as transport of ions through charged cylindrical capillaries. This model is coupled with the standard theory of concentration polarization during cross flow membrane filtration. The analysis is carried out entirely in terms of generalized, non-dimensional variables. A dimensionless group termed as the scaled gel layer resistance evolves from the analysis, which accounts for the electrical properties of the charged nano-colloids and the electrolyte solution. A parametric study is performed to elucidate the coupled influence of mass transfer, membrane resistance, gel resistance, and electrical properties of the gel-electrolyte polarized layer. The effects of these parameters are examined on the filtration performance through the model equations.     

Generation of Polymer Electrets in a Low-Temperature Glow-Discharge Plasma

The formation of the electret state in polymer materials of various structures in ac and dc discharges was studied. It was found that charges of either sign could be generated in the surface layers of films. The lifetimes of thermoelectrets and discharge-induced electrets are compared. Data on the depth distribution of charge in polymers subjected to electron beam and dc discharge treatment are reported.     

Radiofrequency dielectric loss relaxation in polyion-induced liposome aggregates

In this note, we present a set of dielectric loss relaxation measurements of aqueous charged liposome suspensions during the whole aggregation process induced by oppositely charged adsorbing polyions. The system experiences two concomitant effects known as "reentrant condensation" and "charge inversion," resulting in the formation of liposome aggregates whose average size reaches a maximum in the vicinity of the electroneutrality condition, accompanied to a progressive reduction of their overall electrical charge. Far from the neutrality, from both sides, polyion-coated liposomes exist with a charge of opposite sign. The dielectric loss relaxation in these complex aggregating systems has never been measured so far and we report here, for the first time, the dielectric loss behavior of liposomes built up by a cationic lipid and stuck together by poly(acrylate), which is a flexible oppositely charged polyion. The data are analyzed in the framework of standard electrokinetic model theory. The evolution of the aggregation process as a function of the polyion content is mainly characterized by a counterion polarization effect, governed by the surface charge density of the aggregates and hence by the zeta-potential.     

Effect of tacticity and morphology on the formation of persistent electrical polarization in polar polymer membranes

Persistent electrical polarization (heterocharged electret formation) has been studied as a function of stereotacticity, crystallinity, and molecular weight in membranes of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) prepared via different synthetic routes. Membranes of PVA–sodium polystyrenesulfonate (PSSNa) and PVA–poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) copolymers and PVA–PVAc–PSSNa were also investigated. The degree of persistent polarization a pure PVA membrane can support, was found to vary according to isotactic > syndiotactic > heterotactic triad concentrations. Increases in crystallinity tend to decrease persistent polarization, and such changes in crystallinity are probably responsible for the above observed order, since measurements of persistent polarization on noncrystalline PVA–PSSNa membranes were found to vary according to syndiotactic > heterotactic > isotactic with regard to the PVA. Within PVA–PSSNa membranes the presence of acetate groups reverses the behavior of PSSNa from anhancer to an inhibitor of electret formation. The results all support a model in which heterocharged electret formation involves an ion displacement in the direction of the applied field and stabilization of this ion displacement by local hydrogen bonding.     

Positively and negatively charged ionic modifications to cellulose assessed as cotton-based protease-lowering and hemostatic wound agents

Recent developments in cellulose wound dressings targeted to different stages of wound healing have been based on structural and charge modifications that function to modulate events in the complex inflammatory and hemostatic phases of wound healing. Hemostasis and inflammation comprise two overlapping but distinct phases of wound healing wherein different dressing material properties are required to bring pathological events under control when they present as a result of trauma or chronic wounds. Thus, we have designed cellulose wound dressings with properties that function through modified fiber surface properties to lower protease levels in the chronic wound and promote clotting in hemorrhaging wounds. With this in mind three finishing chemistries utilizing traditional pad-dry-cure approaches were explored for their potential to confer charged properties to cotton dressings. Cellulose dressings designed to remove cationic serine proteases from highly exudative chronic wounds were created to present negatively charged fibers as an ion exchange mechanism of protease-lowering. Phosphorylated cotton and polycarboxylic acid crosslinked cotton were prepared to examine their ability to remove human neutrophil elastase (HNE) from surrogate wound fluid. A cellulose phosphorylation reaction utilizing sodium hexametaphosphate: urea was explored to optimize cellulose phosphorylation as a function of HNE sequestration efficacy. Acid catalyzed cross linking of cellulose with butane-tetracarboxylic acid also resulted in a negatively charged dressing that removed HNE from solution more effectively than phosphorylated cellulose. Collagenase sequestration was also assessed with phosphorylated cellulose and polycarboxylic acid cross linked cellulose derivatives. Butanetetracarboxylic acid and phosphorylated cellulose functioned to remove collagenase from solution most effectively. Cellulose dressings designed to accelerate thrombosis and aggregation of blood platelets were prepared with a view to examining derivatized cotton fibers bearing a net positive charge to promote hemostasis. Cellulose and chitosan dressings bearing an aminoglucan functionality were created by grafting chitosan on cotton and preparing aminized cotton. The preparation of chitosan-grafted cotton dressings was completed with a citric acid grafting onto cellulose. Aminized cotton was functionalized as an ethylamino-ether cellulose derivative. The chitosan-grafted and aminized cotton demonstrated a dose response gelling of citrated sheep blood.     

INTERFACIAL FREE ENERGIES,ZETA POTENTIALS AND THROMBORESI STANCE IN BOVINE AND OVINE CAROTID ARTERIES

The physical properties of the intimal surfaces of both natural and artificial arteries are important In the prevention of thrombosis and clotting. It Is expected thati a) the interface between the blood plasma and the intima should be highly negatively charged, to repel negatively charged platelets and other blood constituents, and b) the interfacial free energy at the plasma-intima interface should be as low as possible, to prevent adhesion If the charge barrier is breached. Few measurements of either the zeta potential or the interfacial free energy at the intimal surface can be found in the literature. Zeta potentials of natural and cross-linked bovine carotid intima, and of an expanded Teflon prosthesis were determined by a streaming potential method in 0.9% (w/v) NaC1. Interfacial free energies of both bovine and ovine carotid intima, and of an expanded Teflon prosthesis were also determined by a contact-angle method using water immiscible liquid drops on the intimal surface Immersed in 0.9% (w/v) NaC1.     

Cell separation in microcanal coated with electrically charged phospholipid polymers

To separate the cell population in whole blood using microcanal, the surface was covered with a polyion complex (PIC) composed of electrically charged phospholipid polymers. The phospholipids polymers were prepared by the polymerization of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and n-butyl methacrylate with 3-(methacryloyloxypropyl)-trimethyl ammonium iodide as the cationic unit or potassium 3-methacryloyloxypropyl sulfonate as the anionic unit. The PIC was formed at the solid-liquid interface, that is, first, the cationic polymer was coated on the substrate and an aqueous solution containing the anionic polymer with different concentrations was applied to the polymer-coated substrate. The formation of the PIC was followed using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), and the PIC surfaces were analyzed by both zeta-potential measurement and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurement. The surface electrical potential on the PIC was controllable from +40 to -40 mV by increasing the amount of the adsorbed anionic polymer. The PIC surface was prepared in microcanal. The surface electrical potential was sequentially changed. When the whole blood was introduced into the microcanal, the cells adhered on the positively charged surface, but could not adhere to the negatively charged surface. Even when the cells adhere to the surface, the morphology of cells was maintained. This is due to MPC units at the surface, which show a good biocompatibility. These results indicated that the change in the surface electrical potential will be a useful method to separate the cells from whole blood.     

Phase diagram for the adsorption of weak polyelectrolytes at a soft charged surface

We have experimentally studied the adsorption of polyelectrolytes at oppositely charged surfaces. A weak flexible polyelectrolyte, poly(acrylic acid), was adsorbed from dilute solutions on a Langmuir film of a cationic amphiphile, dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide. The polymer surface coverage, Gamma, at equilibrium was measured by two reflectivity techniques-ellipsometry and polarization modulated infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS)-as a function of the surface charge density, sigma, and of the polymer ionization degree, alpha. Different adsorption regimes were evidenced. For weakly charged surfaces, sigma < sigma sat, Gamma increases with sigma and with 1/alpha, as expected for a neutralization of the surface by the adsorbed polymers. For highly charged surfaces, sigma > sigma sat, the adsorption of polyelectrolytes saturates. The mean orientation of the adsorbed chains also depends on the value of sigma: it is parallel to the surface for sigma < sigma (< sigma sat) and orthogonal to the surface for sigma > sigma. We have measured the values of sigma sat and sigma as a function of alpha and compared the results with existing theories.     

Influence of physical aging on the performance of corona‐charged amorphous polymer electrets

The influence of physical aging on the electret properties before corona charging of three amorphous polymers, polyetherimide (PEI), poly(phenylene ether) (PPE), and polystyrene (PS), as well as with blends of PPE and PS, was investigated. The degree of aging was monitored by determining the enthalpy relaxation Δh using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The electret performance was evaluated by isothermal potential decay (ITPD) at elevated temperatures and by thermal stimulated discharge (TSD) measurements. It was demonstrated that physical aging below the glass transition temperature substantially improves the electret performance of amorphous polymers by reducing the free volume and thus hindering charge motion. As an example, the performance of nonaged PEI was improved by physical aging at 200 °C for 4 days from 18 to 95% retained charge after 24 h at 120 °C. A similar beneficial influence of physical aging on the charge storage capability was achieved using blends of PPE with PS. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 990–997, 2010     

Interaction between electrical double layers of soil colloids and Fe/Al oxides in suspensions

Phyllosilicates with net negative surface charge and Fe/Al oxides with net positive surface charge coexist in variable-charge soils, and the interaction between these oppositely charged particles affects the stability of mixed colloids, aggregation, and even the surface chemical properties of variable-charge soils. The interaction of the diffuse layers of electrical double layers between the negatively charged soil colloidal particles and the positively charged particles of goethite or gamma-Al(2)O(3) was investigated in this article through the comparison of zeta potentials between single-soil colloidal systems and binary systems containing soil colloids and Fe/Al oxides. The results showed that the presence of goethite and gamma-Al(2)O(3) increased the zeta potential of the binary system containing soil colloids and Fe/Al oxides, which clearly suggests the overlapping of the diffuse layers in soil colloids and Fe/Al oxides. The overlapping of the diffuse layers leads to a decrease in the effective negative charge density on soil colloid and thus causes a shift of pH-zeta potential curves toward the more positive-value side. The interaction of the electrical double layers is also related to the charge characteristics on the Fe/Al oxides: the higher the positive charge density on Fe/Al oxides, the stronger the interaction of the electrical double layers between the soil colloid particles and the Fe/Al oxides.     

Highly Blood Compatible Titania Gel

We examined blood compatibility of titania gels prepared through a sol-gel processing or yielded on titanium substrates by treating with hydrogen peroxide or simple heating. The blood compatibility was evaluated in terms of blood clotting time and correlated to the crystalline phases, roughness, specific surface area, and wettability. The sol-gel derived titania gel heated above 200°C had good blood compatibility. Ti substrate treated with hydrogen peroxide and subsequently heated at 550°C showed the best blood compatibility among the Ti substrates with or without the chemical treatment and heat-treatment. The specimen consisted of rutile and anatase phases, and had hydrophilic surface.