Ultrasounds: an industrial solution to optimise costs, environmental requests and quality for textile finishing

Ultrasounds are widely used at industrial scale for cleaning of mechanical pieces for example. Potential applications exist for finishing of textiles. This work aimed to improve traditional textile finishing processes thanks to ultrasound. The technical objective was to develop specific applicators of ultrasonic energy which could be adapted on jigger, a widespread textile finishing machine. Laboratory studies have allowed to define the conditions for application of ultrasounds and check their effects on fibre structure, validated by trials in dynamic conditions. Ultrasound technology makes it possible to intensify the phenomena of diffusion and washing by the effect of cavitation and improves effectiveness of traditional washing treatments. Industrial ultrasound processes need further optimisation on industrial machines.     

Recrystallization of hexagonal silicon carbide after gold ion irradiation and thermal annealing

Silicon carbide (SiC) single crystals with the 6H polytype structure were irradiated with 4.0-MeV Au ions at room temperature (RT) for increasing fluences ranging from 1?×?10¹² to 2?×?10¹⁵ cm^?2, corresponding to irradiation doses from ~0.03 to 5.3 displacements per atom (dpa). The damage build-up was studied by micro-Raman spectroscopy that shows a progressive amorphization by the decrease and broadening of 6H-SiC lattice phonon peaks and the related growth of bands assigned to Si–Si and C–C homonuclear bonds. A saturation of the lattice damage fraction deduced from Raman spectra is found for ~0.8?dpa (i.e. ion fluence of 3?×?10¹⁴ cm^?2). This process is accompanied by an increase and saturation of the out-of-plane expansion (also for ~0.8?dpa), deduced from the step height at the sample surface, as measured by phase-shift interferometry. Isochronal thermal annealing experiments were then performed on partially amorphous (from 30 to 90%) and fully amorphous samples for temperatures from 200 °C up to 1500 °C under vacuum. Damage recovery and densification take place at the same annealing stage with an onset temperature of ~200 °C. Almost complete 6H polytype regrowth is found for partially amorphous samples (for doses lower than 0.8 dpa) at 1000 °C, whereas a residual damage and swelling remain for larger doses. In the latter case, these unrelaxed internal stresses give rise to an exfoliation process for higher annealing temperatures.     

Fluorescence polarization biosensor based on an aptamer enzymatic cleavage protection strategy

A novel fluorescence polarization (FP) aptasensing platform based on target-induced aptamer enzymatic cleavage protection is reported. The method relies on the FP analysis of the phosphodiesterase I mediated size variation of a dye-labeled aptamer. The tyrosinamide/antityrosinamide DNA aptamer couple was firstly tested as a model system to establish the proof-of-concept. In the absence of the target, the labeled aptamer was enzymatically cleaved into small DNA fragments, leading to a low FP signal. Upon tyrosinamide binding, the DNA substrate was partially protected against the enzymatic attack, leading to an increase in the fluorescence anisotropy response as a result of the higher average molecular volume of the weakly digested probe. The method was subsequently applied to two other systems, i.e., for the detection of ochratoxin A and adenosine. Such an approach was found to combine simplicity and general applicability features.     

Thermochromic luminescence of copper iodide clusters: the case of phosphine ligands

Three copper(I) iodide clusters coordinated by different phosphine ligands formulated [Cu(4)I(4)(PPh(3))(4)] (1), [Cu(4)I(4)(Pcpent(3))(4)] (2), and [Cu(4)I(4)(PPh(2)Pr)(4)] (3) (PPh(3) = triphenylphosphine, Pcpent(3) = tricyclopentylphosphine, and PPh(2)Pr = diphenylpropylphosphine) have been synthesized and characterized by (1)H and (31)P NMR, elemental analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. They crystallize in different space groups, namely, monoclinic P21/c, cubic Pa ?3, and tetragonal I ?42m for 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The photoluminescence properties of clusters 1 and 3 show reversible luminescence thermochromism with two highly intense emission bands whose intensities are temperature dependent. In accordance to Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations, these two emission bands have been attributed to two different transitions, a cluster centered (CC) one and a mixed XMCT/XLCT one. Cluster 2 does not exhibit luminescence variation in temperature because of the lack of the latter transition. The absorption spectra of the three clusters have been also rationalized by time dependent DFT (TDDFT) calculations. A simplified model is suggested to represent the luminescence thermochromism attributed to the two different excited states in thermal equilibrium. In contrast with the pyridine derivatives, similar excitation profiles and low activation energy for these phosphine-based clusters reflect high coupling of the two emissive states. The effect of the Cu-Cu interactions on the emission properties of these clusters is also discussed. Especially, cluster 3 with long Cu-Cu contacts exhibits a controlled thermochromic luminescence which is to our knowledge, unknown for this family of copper iodide clusters. These phosphine-based clusters appear particularly interesting for the synthesis of original emissive materials.     

Short and efficient synthesis of 2H-pyrroles from 7-oxanorbornadiene derivatives

A microwave-assisted tandem [3+2] cycloaddition/retro-Diels-Alder reaction of azomethine ylides derived from imines of α-amino esters to dimethyl 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene-2,3-dicarboxylate derivatives is described. The procedure delivers, in a short reaction time, pyrrolines in high yields. In a such sequence, the oxanorbornadiene derivatives behave as masked forms of dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate. Subsequent oxidation of the synthesized 3-pyrrolines with DDQ affords 2H-pyrroles with yields in the 76-88% range. If this three-step sequence is run on the non-substituted 7-oxabicycloheptadienedicarboxylate, purification of the intermediate 3-pyrrolines is avoided to afford 2H-pyrroles in less than 2 h.     

Photooxidation of polylactide/calcium sulphate composites

Stable CaSO₄ β-anhydrite II (AII), a specific type of dehydrated gypsum and a by-product of the lactic acid (LA) production process, was melt-blended with bio-sourced polylactide (PLA) to produce highly filled composites. Samples containing different amounts of filler (10-40 wt.%) with various granulometries were used for preparation of films by compression moulding. The influence of adding filler (calcium sulphate) on the photochemical behaviour of PLA-AII composites was studied by irradiation under photo-oxidative conditions (λ > 300 nm, temperature of 60 °C and in the presence of oxygen). Several analytical methods were used to characterise the polymer degradation. Oxidation of the polymer matrix was evaluated by infrared and UV-visible spectroscopies, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The main photoproducts formed upon UV-light irradiation of the PLA were identified along with the influence of filler content and its particle size on the rate of oxidation. It was shown that oxidation of PLA and PLA-AII composites occurred without any induction time and that the presence of the CaSO₄ filler (AII) increased the oxidation rate of the polymer. Moreover, a faster degradation rate of PLA was observed in composites containing natural anhydrite of lower particle size (4 μm).     

The potent antimalarial peptide cyclosporin A induces the aggregation and permeabilization of sphingomyelin-rich membranes

Cyclosporin A (CsA) is a hydrophobic peptide drug produced by the fungus Tolypocladium inflatum. CsA is commonly used as an immunosuppressive drug, but it also has antimalarial activity. The immunosuppressive activity of CsA is clearly due to its association with specific proteins of immune cells such as cyclophilins. By contrast, the antimalarial properties of this peptide are completely independent of the association with a parasite's cyclophilins. Because of its hydrophobicity, CsA may interact with biological membranes, which may participate in its therapeutic effect. Recently, we have shown a marked preference of CsA for insertion into sphingomyelin (SM) monolayers. In this article, we measure for the first time the ability of CsA to induce permeabilization and aggregation and to change the lipid order, especially in the presence of SM. Calcein-release experiments permitted us to show that CsA causes the leakage of the fluorescent probe from SM-rich liposomes by 40% and PC liposomes by 11%, suggesting a lipid-selective effect. Electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering experiments confirmed the different interaction of CsA with SM and PC vesicles: it formed much larger aggregates with SM than with PC. Our results taken together suggest that CsA could specifically weaken and aggregate SM-rich membranes, which could in turn explain why CsA is efficient in the treatment of malaria. Indeed, CsA could inhibit the development of Plasmodium by permeabilizing and aggregating the SM-rich membrane network formed by the parasite during its intraerythrocytic growth cycle.     

Rare earth fluoride nanoparticles obtained using charge transfer complexes: a versatile and efficient route toward colloidal suspensions and monolithic transparent xerogels

Crystalline rare earth fluoride nanoparticles were synthesized by reacting rare earth ions with charge-transfer complexes, in solution, under mild conditions. An infrared study showed that these intermediate complexes are made up of solvent molecules (amide: N,N-dimethylformamide, 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, etc.) and fluoride ions coming from hydrofluoric acid. The size and shape of the particles can be controlled through the process parameters. The complete study of the particles obtained through this process is carried out in this document, especially for the YbF(3) system. However, the process can easily be extended to the whole series of rare earth elements. We also show the ability of these objects to be transferred from an aqueous medium to an organic phase thanks to their surface modification. Finally, transparent monolithic xerogels of rare earth fluoride have been developed starting from the prepared colloidal solutions.     

Self-assembling mini cell-penetrating peptides enter by both direct translocation and glycosaminoglycan-dependent endocytosis

A small library of cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) containing a minimized cationic domain and a lipophilic domain of different size was studied. CPPs that could self-assemble were found to enter cells more efficiently, triggering a glycosaminoglycan-dependent pathway.