Stimuli-responsive temporary adhesives: enabling debonding on demand through strategic molecular design

Stimuli-responsive temporary adhesives constitute a rapidly developing class of materials defined by the modulation of adhesion upon exposure to an external stimulus or stimuli. Engineering these materials to shift between two characteristic properties, strong adhesion and facile debonding, can be achieved through design strategies that target molecular functionalities. This perspective reviews the recent design and development of these materials, with a focus on the different stimuli that may initiate debonding. These stimuli include UV light, thermal energy, chemical triggers, and other potential triggers, such as mechanical force, sublimation, electromagnetism. The conclusion discusses the fundamental value of systematic investigations of the structure–property relationships within these materials and opportunities for unlocking novel functionalities in future versions of adhesives.

Stimuli-responsive temporary adhesives emerge as next-generation multifunctional materials with advantages that include strong temporary adhesion, debonding on demand, and tunable reactivity.     

Second generation of primaquine ureas and bis-ureas as potential antimycobacterial agents

Molecular Diversity - Here, we describe design and synthesis of twelve novel compounds bearing primaquine motif and hydroxy- or halogenamine linked by an urea or bis-urea spacer. Preparation of...     

A Reduced SNARE Model for Membrane Fusion

Let's get together : A minimal model system was developed to mimic the SNARE‐protein‐mediated fusion of biological membranes (see picture). Fusion between two populations of liposomes is controlled by a pair of complementary lipidated oligopeptides that form noncovalent coiled‐coil complexes and thereby force the membranes into close proximity to promote fusion. The model system displays the key characteristics of in vivo fusion events.

     

Existence of solutions to a phase transition model with microscopic movements

We prove the existence of weak solutions for a 3D phase change model introduced by Michel Frémond in (Non‐smooth Thermomechanics. Springer: Berlin, 2002) showing, via a priori estimates, the weak sequential stability property in the sense already used by the first author in (Comput. Math. Appl. 2007; 53 :461–490). The result follows by passing to the limit in an approximate problem obtained adding a superlinear part (in terms of the gradient of the temperature) in the heat flux law. We first prove well posedness for this last problem and then—using proper a priori estimates—we pass to the limit showing that the total energy is conserved during the evolution process and proving the non‐negativity of the entropy production rate in a suitable sense. Finally, these weak solutions turn out to be the classical solution to the original Frémond's model provided all quantities in question are smooth enough. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Annual variation in photo acclimation and photoprotection of the photobiont in the foliose lichen Xanthoria parietina

Seasonal variation in maximal photochemical quantum yield (F(V)/F(M)) of photosystem II (PS II), light adapted quantum yield (Phi(II)) of PS II, non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), contents of chlorophylls, and xanthophyll cycle pigments (VAZ) was studied in Xanthoria parietina repeatedly sampled in one location in S Norway during one year. The seasonal course in the susceptibility to photoinhibition was evaluated as high light-induced changes (1,800 micromol photons m(-2) s(-1) for 24h) in F(V)/F(M), Phi(II), and NPQ, measured as the ability to recover after 2 and 20 h at low light in control thalli with a natural cortical parietin screen, and in thalli from which parietin had been removed prior to high light exposures. F(V)/F(M), Phi(II), chlorophyll content, and the conversion state of VAZ (DEPS) reached minimum in spring. At the same time, yearly maxima of VAZ content and NPQ were recorded. Thereafter, F(V)/F(M), Phi(II), and chlorophyll content increased gradually, reaching maximum values in late autumn. DEPS peaked already in summer. Similarly, VAZ and NPQ decreased from early summer until winter. All data show that the X. parietina photobiont acclimates to seasonal changes in solar radiation, consistent with the lichen's preference for well-lit habitats. However, a comparison with a study of seasonal acclimation in the X. parietina mycobiont shows that in order to understand the seasonal photobiont acclimation, one has to consider the seasonal variation in internal screening caused by the fungal regulation of the PAR-absorbing parietin. A joint effort of both bionts seems to be required to avoid serious photoinhibition.     

Polymer-Solvent Interactions in Solutions of Thermoresponsive Polymers Studied by NMR and IR Spectroscopy

Summary: NMR relaxation and diffusion coefficient measurements revealed that a portion of water molecules is bound in mesoglobules formed in poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) (PIPMAm) and poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) aqueous solutions above the LCST, with fast exchange between bound and free states (residence time ∼1 ms). Two types of bound water molecules were assigned to water bound inside mesoglobules and on their surface. For highly concentrated PVME/D₂O solutions (c ≥ 20 wt%) a slow exchange was detected by NMR for bound water (residence time = 2.1 s). For PIPMAm aqueous solution IR spectra indicate a two-steps character of the phase transition. For PIPMAm in D₂O/ethanol (EtOH) mixtures the globular structures were observed by NMR at 298 K for certain compositions of the mixed solvent (cononsolvency effect). Virtually no EtOH is bound in these globular structures, in contrast to the temperature-induced globular structures.     

Heat transfer of spray cooling using alumina/water nanofluids with full cone nozzles

The transient temperatures of a metal testing plate during spray cooling using alumina/water nanofluids were measured. The heat transfer coefficient (HTC) was calculated by an inverse heat-conduction technique using the measured temperatures. The results show a decrease of approximately 20?% of the HTC of spray cooling with the nanoparticle suspension changing from 0 to 16.45?%. The nature and the reason of the HTC deduction were investigated and the HTC correlations with the mass fluxes and nanoparticle fraction were specifically reported.     

Rapid analysis of caffeine in various coffee samples employing direct analysis in real-time ionization–high-resolution mass spectrometry

The development and use of a fast method employing a direct analysis in real time (DART) ion source coupled to high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) for the quantitative analysis of caffeine in various coffee samples has been demonstrated in this study. A simple sample extraction procedure employing hot water was followed by direct, high-throughput (<1 min per run) examination of the extracts spread on a glass rod under optimized conditions of ambient mass spectrometry, without any prior chromatographic separation. For quantification of caffeine using DART-TOFMS, an external calibration was used. Isotopically labeled caffeine was used to compensate for the variations of the ion intensities of caffeine signal. Recoveries of the DART-TOFMS method were 97% for instant coffee at the spiking levels of 20 and 60 mg/g, respectively, while for roasted ground coffee, the obtained values were 106% and 107% at the spiking levels of 10 and 30 mg/g, respectively. The repeatability of the whole analytical procedure (expressed as relative standard deviation, RSD, %) was <5% for all tested spiking levels and matrices. Since the linearity range of the method was relatively narrow (two orders of magnitude), an optimization of sample dilution prior the DART-TOFMS measurement to avoid saturation of the detector was needed.     

Synthesis and bioactivity of novel 3-(1-hydroxyethylidene)-5-substituted-pyrrolidine-2,4-dione derivatives

Ten novel 5-substituted derivatives of 3-(l-hydroxyethylidene)pyrrolidine-2,4-dione were synthesized.The compounds were confirmed by IR,:H NMR,MS and elemental analysis.The bioassay indicated that these compounds showed noticeable herbicidal activities,and compounds 6f and 6j exhibited excellent inhibitory activities against the stalk of Echinochloa crusgalli,with EC50 values of 94.4 and 72.7 mg/L,respectively.     

Assessment of Chemical Composition and Anti-Penicillium Activity of Vapours of Essential Oils from Abies Alba and Two Melaleuca Species in Food Model Systems

The possibilities of the practical utilization of essential oils (EOs) from various plant species in the food industry have attracted the attention of the scientific community. Following our previous studies, the antifungal activities of three further commercial EOs, Melaleuca armillaris subsp. armillaris (rosalina; REO), Melaleuca quinquenervia (niaouli; NEO), and Abies alba (fir; FEO), were evaluated in the present research in respect to their chemical profiles, over four different concentrations, 62.5 μL/L, 125 μL/L, 250 μL/L, and 500 μL/L. The findings revealed that the major compounds of REO, NEO, and FEO were linalool (47.5%), 1,8-cineole (40.8%), and α-pinene (25.2%), respectively. In vitro antifungal determinations showed that the inhibition zones of a Penicillium spp. mycelial growth ranged from no inhibitory effectiveness (00.00 ± 00.00 mm) to 16.00 ± 1.00 mm, indicating a very strong antifungal activity which was detected against P. citrinum after the highest REO concentration exposure. Furthermore, the in situ antifungal efficacy of all EOs investigated was shown to be dose-dependent. In this sense, we have found that the highest concentration (500 µL/L) of REO, NEO, and FEO significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the growth of all Penicillium strains inoculated on the bread, carrot, and potato models. These results indicate that the investigated EOs may be promising innovative agents in order to extend the shelf life of different types of food products, such as bread, carrot and potato.