Dispersible Shortened Boron Nitride Nanotubes with Improved Molecule‐Loading Capacity

The oxidation process of boron nitride nanotubes was thoroughly investigated, and a slow oxidation characteristic was clearly revealed. Subsequently, the controllable oxidation process was utilized to break the sturdy structure of the boron nitride nanotubes to fabricate shortened nanotubes. The shortened boronnitride nanotubes were found to possess good solubility in water and many organic solvents. Further experiments demonstrated remarkably improved molecule‐loading capacity of the shortened boron nitride nanotubes. These dispersible shortened boron nitride nanotubes might have the potential to be developed as effective delivery systems for various molecules, which may find applications in bio‐related fields.     

Minerals and aligned collagen fibrils in tilapia fish scales: structural analysis using dark-field and energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography

The mineralized structure of aligned collagen fibrils in a tilapia fish scale was investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques after a thin sample was prepared using aqueous techniques. Electron diffraction and electron energy loss spectroscopy data indicated that a mineralized internal layer consisting of aligned collagen fibrils contains hydroxyapatite crystals. Bright-field imaging, dark-field imaging, and energy-filtered TEM showed that the hydroxyapatite was mainly distributed in the hole zones of the aligned collagen fibrils structure, while needle-like materials composed of calcium compounds including hydroxyapatite existed in the mineralized internal layer. Dark-field imaging and three-dimensional observation using electron tomography revealed that hydroxyapatite and needle-like materials were mainly found in the matrix between the collagen fibrils. It was observed that hydroxyapatite and needle-like materials were preferentially distributed on the surface of the hole zones in the aligned collagen fibrils structure and in the matrix between the collagen fibrils in the mineralized internal layer of the scale.     

Stereocomplex formation of isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) with a wide variety of syndiotactic polymethacrylates

Syndiotactic (st–) polymers of methacrylates with primary and secondary ester groups, prepared by the syndiotactic-specific living polymerization with t-C₄H₉Li/R₃Al, were found to form stereocomplexes with isotactic (it–) poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by annealing in the solid state or by mixing in certain solvents such as acetone and toluene. Melting points of the complexes depend on the structure of the ester group and can be changed in a wide range of temperature. st–Polymers of tertiary esters did not form the complex. Effects of anneal conditions, molecular weight, and tacticity on the melting point of the complex were studied in some detail for the combination of st–poly(benzyl methacrylate) and it–PMMA. st–Random copolymers of MMA with several alkyl methacrylates also formed stereocomplexes with it–PMMA, whose melting point could be changed continuously by changing the composition in a certain range of temperature. st–Block copolymers of PMMA and poly(benzyl methacrylate) formed stereocomplexes with it–PMMA which showed two melting points, provided the block lengths are long enough for the two types of the com plexes to form independently. Stereoblock PMMA, it–PMMA–block–st–PMMA, and stereoblock copolymer, it–PMMA–block–st–poly(butyl methacrylate), were found to form stereocomplexes more easily than the corresponding mixtures. The stereoregular uniform PMMAs were used for elucidating the process of stereocomplex formation and its stoichiometry by means of gelpermeation chromatography (GPC). The preliminary results clearly indicated that the complexation occurs mainly in 1:1 stoichiometry in the beginning, while a small fraction of 1:2 (it–: st–) complex was also formed concomitantly. By similar GPC experiments using a series of uniform PMMAs, the minimum length of PMMA chains for the complex formation was found to be in the range of degrees of polymerization from 42 to 46.