聚合物波导马赫-曾德折射率传感器的设计和制备

以聚合物ZPU44和ZPU46作为波导包层和芯层材料,设计并制备了基于Mach-Zehnder干涉仪(MZI)的集成折射率传感器。设计并优化了波导截面参数、弯曲半径和传感窗长度等结构参数,分析了其折射率传感特性,进而采用光刻、反应离子刻蚀(RIE)等传统的微加工工艺制备了聚合物MZI折射率传感芯片。测试结果表明,制备的聚合物MZI传感器在1.33~1.44的折射率变化范围内具有较好的线性度,折射率灵敏度约为88dBm/RIU,与设计基本符合。本文的聚合物折射率传感器传感窗长度小,容易实现阵列化,在生化传感领域有很好的应用前景。     

Polyurethane Ionomers from Cycloaliphatic Diisocyanate and Polytetramethylene Glycol

Abstract

Segmented polyurethane (PU) ionomers were prepared from cycloaliphatic diisocyanate [methylene bis(4-cyclohexyl isocyanate) (H₁₂MDI) and isophoron diisocyanate (IPDI)] and polytetramethylene glycol (PTMG) by using an anionic-type chain extender, viz., dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA). The effect of ionic content and butanediol (BD) on the state of dispersion and physical properties of emulsion-cast film was determined using Autosizer, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Instron, and Rheovibron. With increased incorporations of DMPA in PU, particle size of emulsion decreased asymptotically, tensile modulus and strength increased, and the glass transition temperature (T _g) moved toward the higher temperature. On the other hand, with increased incorporation of BD in PU, particle size of emulsion, tensile modulus, and strength of the emulsion cast film increased, and the major transition of soft segment moved toward higher temperature. With regard to the structural effect of the isocyanate, H₁₂MDI gave finer dispersion and better mechanical properties over IPDI.     

Flammability and Thermal Oxidative Degradation Kinetics of Magnesium Hydroxide and Expandable Graphite Flame Retarded Polypropylene Composites

The flammability and the thermal oxidative degradation kinetics of expandable graphite (EG) with magnesium hydroxide (MH) in flame‐retardant polypropylene (PP) composites were studied by limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL‐94 test, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results show that EG is a good synergist for improving the flame retardancy of PP/MH composite and the effect is enhanced with decreasing EG particle size. The Kissinger method and Flynn‐Wall‐Ozawa method were used to determine the apparent activation energy (E) for degradation of PP and flame retarded PP composites. The data obtained from the TGA curve indicate that EG markedly increases the thermal degradation temperature of PP/MH composites and improves the thermal stability of the composites. The kinetic results show that the values of E for degradation of flame retarded PP composites is much higher than that of neat PP, especially PP/MH composites with suitable amount of EG, which indicates that the flame retardants used in this work have a great effect on the mechanisms of pyrolysis and combustion of PP.     

Fabrication of chitosan microcapsules via layer-by-layer assembly for loading and in vitro release of heparin

The heparin-loaded microcapsules were successfully prepared by layer-by-layer deposition of chitosan (CHI) and heparin (Hep). Film growth was confirmed by the reversal of ζ-potentials during polysaccharide deposition. Both scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscope evidenced the integrity of (CHI/Hep)₅ capsules after the removal of cores. By assembling the carriers with chitosan that are inherently degradable, the capsules were engineered to degrade specifically in the presence of lysozyme. It was demonstrated that the loaded heparin was released from the capsules over a long period of time when being incubated in lysozyme solution. With these results, such CHI/Hep capsules may have a great potential as controlled release carrier for heparin.     

Metal ion-assisted assembly of one-dimensional polyrotaxanes incorporating cucurbit[6]uril

Three cucurbit[6]uril (CB[6])-based polyrotaxanes [Cu(H₂ C6N4)(CB[6])]Cl₄·12H₂O (1), [Co(H₂ C6N4)(CB[6])]Cl₄·14H₂O (2) and [Ag(C6N4)(CB[6])]NO₃·7H₂O (3) are prepared using N,N′-bis(4-pyridylmethyl)-1,6-hexanediamine (C6N4) threading into CB[6]'s and metal ions' assistance. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses reveal that polyrotaxanes 1, 2 and 3 all have 1D chain structure where 1 and 2 are linear and 3 has two shapes, linear and sawtooth, respectively. The effects of guest molecules, metal and counter ions as well as intermolecular weak interactions on the architectures of polyrotaxanes are discussed.     

Biochemical and Structural Studies of Conserved Maf Proteins Revealed Nucleotide Pyrophosphatases with a Preference for Modified Nucleotides

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Theoretical prediction of the protein–protein interaction between Arabidopsis thaliana COP1 and UVR8

In plants, ultraviolet-B radiation (280–315 nm) regulates gene expression and plant morphology through the UV RESPONSE LOCUS 8 (UVR8) photoreceptor. The first signaling event after quantal absorbance is the interaction of the UVR8 C-terminus with the E3 ubiquitin ligase CONSTITUTIVELY PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1 (COP1). The nature of the interaction between these two proteins is hitherto unknown. A protein homology model of the Arabidopsis thaliana COP1 seven-bladed propeller WD40 repeat domain and de novo folds of the C-terminal 27 amino acid (amino acids 397–423) peptide of Arabidopsis UVR8 (UVR8^397?423) is herein reported. Using a theoretical computational docking protocol, the interaction between COP1 and UVR8 was predicted. A core motif was identified in UVR8^397?423 comprising adjacent hydrophobic residues V410 and P411 together with a charged residue D412, homologous to corresponding motifs in other COP1-binding proteins, such as ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5), cryptochrome 1 (CRY1), and salt tolerance proteins STO/STH. The protein–protein interaction between the COP1 WD40 repeat domain and UVR8^397?423 reveals binding within a region of COP1 overlapping with the binding site for HY5 and the other COP1-interacting proteins. This study provides a framework for understanding docking between UVR8 and COP1, which in turn gives clues for experimental testing of UVR8/COP1 interaction.