Influence of Plasma Treatments on the Hemocompatibility of PET and PET + TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Films

A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in helium was used to ameliorate the interface between the blood and the surface of polymeric implants: polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and PET with titanium oxide (PET + TiO₂). A higher crystallinity degree was found for the DBD treated samples. The wettability of polymers was improved after the treatment. The chemical composition, analyzed by infrared spectroscopy was preserved during the DBD treatment. The surface modifications have been correlated with polymers hemocompatibility. Concerning the polymer surface–blood interaction, the treatment induced a decrease of the interfacial tension between the blood components and the treated surfaces. The in vitro tests of hemocompatibility showed no perturbation in the blood composition when the polymer samples are present in the blood volume. An interesting result is related to the whole blood clotting time that shows a dramatic increase on the treated surfaces. Moreover, the coagulation kinetics on the treated surfaces is modified.     

Influence of Accelerated Weathering on the Properties of Polypropylene/Polylactic Acid/Eucalyptus Wood Composites

In the view of producing environmentally friendly materials without compromising properties, new composites containing polypropylene as a matrix and eucalyptus wood, with or without 15% of polylactic acid, were melt processed. In order to improve compatibility between components, a chemical modification of wood with toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) was realized and evidenced by changes in FT-IR and XPS spectra. The morphological, mechanical, and thermal characterizations of the obtained composites were evaluated before and after accelerating weathering. The results showed that the material comprising 15% TDI-modified wood, PP, and 15% PLA exhibited the best properties.     

Coencapsulation of Butyl‐Methoxydibenzoylmethane and Octocrylene into Lipid Nanocarriers: UV Performance,Photostability and in vitro Release

The coencapsulation of two UV filters, butyl‐methoxydibenzoylmethane (BMDBM) and octocrylene (OCT), into lipid nanocarriers was explored to develop stable cosmetic formulations with broad‐spectrum photoprotection and slow release properties. Different types of nanocarriers in various concentrations of the two UV filters were tested to find the combination with the best absorption and release properties. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) have been the two types of lipid nanocarriers used. The NLCs were based on either medium chain triglycerides (MCT) or squalene (Sq). The following physicochemical properties of the nanocarriers have been evaluated: particle size, morphology, zeta potential (ZP), entrapment efficiency, loading capacity, and thermal behavior. The nanocarriers have been formulated into creams containing low amounts of UV filters (2.5% BMDBM and 1% OCT). The best photoprotection results were obtained with the cream based on NLCs prepared with MCT, having a sun protection factor (SPF) of 17.2 and an erythemal UVA protection factor (EUVA–PF) of 50.8. The photostability of the encapsulated BMDBM filter was confirmed by subjecting the nanocarriers‐based creams to in vitro irradiation. The prolonged UV‐protection efficacy was coupled with a slow in vitro release of the synthetic UV filters, which followed the Higuchi release model.     

Synthetic fabrics coated with zinc oxide nanoparticles by electroless deposition: Structural characterization and wetting properties

Electroless deposition was successfully applied in developing crystalline particles of zinc oxide onto polyester textile materials; this deposition is here presented in comparison with other materials made from poly(lactic acid), polyamide or hemp. Structural and spectroscopic characterization of the raw and deposited samples has been performed. The structure of zinc oxide particles was that of wurtzite type as indicated by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Crystallites were 20–500 nm in diameter and up to 1 µm in length. The grown particles cover the fibers not only on the fabric surface but in the textile depth. Contact angle measurement by the sessile drop method was used to study the wettability behavior of the investigated composite systems. The hierarchical roughness structure generates superhydrophobic properties onto polyester fabrics, for which water contact angles exceed 150°. The other functionalized samples also become more hydrophobic after deposition. Cassie‐Baxter model was found suitable to describe the behavior, though the fraction of surface occupied by the water–solid interface is high enough. The electroless deposition technique applied previously for cotton fabrics was once more proven to be highly reproducible, easy scalable, and cheap, allowing a wide range of applications. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51, 1427–1437     

New epsilon-Bi2O3 metastable polymorph

The new metastable epsilon-Bi2O3 polymorph has been prepared by hydrothermal treatment and structurally characterized. It shows strong relationships with the room temperature alpha form and the metastable beta form through rearrangements of [Bi2O3] columns formed by edge-sharing OBi4 tetrahedra. Its fully ordered crystal structure yields an ionic insulating character. It irreversibly transforms at 400 degrees C to the alpha form. The chemical analysis indicates its undoped bismuth oxide nature, then leading to the fifth characterized Bi2O3 polymorph to date.     

Novel hydrogels from diepoxy‐terminated poly(ethylene glycol)s and aliphatic primary diamines: synthesis and equilibrium swelling studies

New hydrogels were prepared from diepoxy‐terminated poly(ethylene glycol)s of approximate molecular weights 600, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Da and aliphatic primary diamines with different numbers of carbon atoms (ethylenediamine, 1,4‐diaminobutane, hexamethylenediamine, 1,8‐octanediamine, 1,10‐decanediamine, 1,12‐dodecanediamine), in water or ethanol–water mixture, depending on the amine solubility. The swelling behavior of these gels was tested in distilled water/aqueous solution at constant temperature and the equilibrium swelling degree (ESD) was determined for structurally different hydrogels and under various environmental conditions. It was shown that ESD was influenced by the molecular weight of PEG oligomers, amine/epoxy groups mole ratio, amine chain length, temperature, pH, and concentration of salts present in the swelling medium. Higher ESDs were obtained for either longer‐chain PEGs, non‐stoichiometric amine/epoxy groups ratio, shorter amines, acidic pH, lower temperatures, or in the absence of salts. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geodesic Curves on {\mathbb{R}}-Complex Finsler Spaces

The main propose of this paper is to investigate the geodesic curves on a strongly convex \({\mathbb{R}}\)-complex Finsler space (M, F). We survey the first variation of the length integral associated to F and use this to give the equation of geodesic curves on such spaces. We prove the local existence and uniqueness of geodesic curves, under the weakly Kähler assumption. As an application, we characterize the critical points of the displacement function of a holomorphic isometry on M.     

Novel hypervalent complexes of main-group metals by intramolecular ligand-->metal electron transfer

New fascinating electronic features of the simple diketoamine chelate ligand HN[CH2C(tBu)=O]2 (1) are described. Unexpectedly, the corresponding trianionic amido-dienolate form of 1 is capable of reducing main-group metal atoms M after initial coordination and intramolecular L-->M two-electron transfer and of stabilizing main-group elements in unusual low oxidation states. This is impressively shown by the synthesis and structural characterization of the novel Ge and Sn complexes 4-6 by redox reactions of lithiated 1 with the corresponding metal halides GeCl4 and MCl2 (M=Ge, Sn). Surprisingly, conversion of tris-lithiated 1 with GeCl4 readily consumes two molar equivalents of GeCl4 and results in the formation of the neutral GeCl3 complex 4 and GeCl2. The former represents the second example of a structurally characterized neutral octahedrally coordinated germanium compound. Reaction of dilithiated 1 with GeCl2 does not lead to the expected ClGe(+2) complex but affords the novel dimeric germylene 5, whereas similar reaction using SnCl2 furnishes the monomeric stannylene (ClSn(+2) complex) 2 and elemental tin due to the higher oxidation potential of Sn(+2). Unexpectedly, a similar redox reaction of dilithiated 1 with PbCl2 furnishes the first air- and water-stable lithium 1,2-diketoimine-enolate 7 and elemental lead. Compound 7 is tetrameric in the solid state and consists of a strongly distorted Li4O4 cubic core with trigonal-bipyramidal coordinated Li+ ions.     

Metal-induced formation of a new chiral bidentate N,O ligand and the synthesis of novel monomeric germylenes

Lithiation of the N-benzyl substituted diketoamine ligand PhCH(2)-N[CH(2)C(tBu=O](2) with lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) affords a novel chiral anionic N,O-ligand L; LiL reacts with GeCl(2).dioxane to give the corresponding new monomeric germylenes LGeCl and L(2)Ge.