UV-vis-infrared optical and AFM study of spin-cast chitosan films

Optical properties of spin-cast chitosan films have been determined in the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet region of the spectrum using spectroscopic ellipsometry. Optical constants for the UV–vis–near IR spectra from 130 to 1700 nm were determined using Cauchy dispersion forms combined with Lorentzian oscillator models in the absorptive shorter wavelength regions. Infrared index of refraction and extinction coefficients from 750 to 4000 cm⁻¹ were determined using ellipsometric data fits to dispersion models based on harmonic oscillators. This modeling determined that optical anisotropy was present and measurable over all wavelength regions of ellipsometric data.

To obtain information on the micro- and nano-scale surface structure, tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging was employed to determine morphology and roughness information of dry spin-cast chitosan films.     

几种新型苯甲酰基脲类几丁质抑制剂的合成(Ⅱ)

苯甲酰基脲类几丁质生物合成抑制剂以其独特的作用机制、高的环境安全性、对鳞翅目昆虫极佳的杀虫活性或生长调节作用。和不易产生抗药性且易于人工合成等传统农药无法比拟的优点,被誉为“21世纪农药”,自1973年开发出商品化的苯甲酰脲类化合物灭幼脲杀虫剂后,文献报道的苯甲     

家蚕蛹皮制取壳聚糖的最佳工艺条件

以蛹皮为原料制取了壳聚糖,并采用正交试验法研究了氢氧化钠处理浓度、处理时间、温度及甲壳质与氢氧化钠溶液配比这四个因素对壳聚糖脱乙酰度的影响,结果表明,氢氧化钠浓度是影响甲壳质脱乙酰基的最主要因素,处理温度次之,处理时间和甲壳质与氢氧化钠溶液配比对壳聚糖脱乙酰度没有影响。通过方差分析,得到甲壳质脱乙酰基的最佳工艺条件是氢氧化钠处理浓度为50％,时间为16h,温度为95℃,甲壳质与氢氧化钠溶液配比为1：10。     

Morphology-property relationships in polycarbonate-based blends. I. Modulus

The tensile, dynamic mechanical and morphological properties of PC/HDPE, PC/LDPE and PC/PS blends have been investigated with the intent of clarifying the major factors governing the modulus of these essentially incompatible blends. Scanning electron microscopy shows that all of the PC/HDPE, PC/LDPE and PC/PS blends have a domain structure whose morphology is strongly dependent on the concentration of the dispersed phase; when the dispersed phase concentration is less than 15%, the domains are mostly of spherical shape, while above 20% agglomeration takes place to form rodlike structures. Dynamic mechanical data shows there is essentially no adhesion at the PC-HDPE and PC-LDPE boundaries, while there is appreciable adhesion at the PC-PS interface. The existence of an intermixed zone was postulated to explain this interfacial adhesion. Morphological and thermal analysis results also indicate that both the HDPE and LDPE inclusions are loosely sitting in the holes in the PC matrix while the PS inclusions are compactly embedded in the PC matrix. These differences in boundary nature give marked effects on the tensile properties including the modulus. For the modulus, PC/HDPE and PC/LDPE blend systems can be regarded to be mechanically equivalent to a PC matrix alone with holes in it when the dispersed phase concentration is lower than 15%, while in the case of PC/PS blends the PS inclusions contribute substantially to the sample's overall modulus.     

Molecular characterization of selected dermatophytes and their identification by electrophoretic mutation scanning

Dermatophytes are fungi that can be contagious and cause infections in the keratinized skin of mammals, including humans. The etiological diagnosis of dermatophytosis relies on a combination of in vitro‐culture and microscopic methods. Effective molecular tools could overcome the limitations of conventional methods of identification. In the present study, following phenetic identification as M. canis, M. fulvum, M. gypseum, T. mentagrophytes and T. terrestre, we genetically characterized key dermatophytes, employing the sequences of the first and second internal transcribed spacers of nuclear ribosomal DNA as well as part of the chitin synthase‐1 gene, and assessed the utility of these DNA regions (based on levels of nucleotide variation within and among species/taxa) as markers for the classification of species and genotypes. Employing partial chitin synthase‐1 gene as the marker, we also established a PCR‐coupled SSCP approach as a diagnostic/analytical mutation‐scanning tool. This tool should facilitate fundamental investigations of the ecology, epidemiology and population genetics of dermatophytes and, importantly, should assist in allowing a more rapid diagnosis of dermatophytoses in humans and other animals, thus overcoming the significant delays in targeted chemotherapy following diagnosis using conventional methods. (Nucleotide sequence data reported in this paper are available in the EMBL, GenBank and DDJB datadases under accession numbers FJ897707–FJ897713 (ITS‐1), FJ897714–FJ897720 (ITS‐2) and FJ897700–FJ897706 (pchs‐1)).     

均相条件下甲壳素基高吸水树脂的制备及性能研究

利用冻融循环处理破坏甲壳素致密的晶体结构和氢键相互作用,使甲壳素溶解在8 wt%NaOH/4wt%urea水溶液中,制备了碱-甲壳素均相溶液.采用静态溶液聚合法,以过硫酸铵(APS)为引发剂、甲叉双丙烯酰胺(MBA)为交联剂,在均相条件下制备了甲壳素接枝聚丙烯酸钠高吸水树脂.研究了丙烯酸、NaOH、MBA和APS用量以及反应温度和时间对产物吸水性能和得率的影响.在最优化条件下制备的树脂的最大吸蒸馏水、自来水、生理盐水和人工尿液倍率分别可达1251,455,84和77 g.g-1.采用FTIR和XRD对合成的树脂进行初步结构表征,证明反应过程中甲壳素与丙烯酸发生了接枝共聚反应,而不是甲壳素与聚丙烯酸钠的简单物理共混.     

CHITIN AND CHITOSAN FOR VERSATILE APPLICATIONS

ABSTRACT

Chitin and chitosan are versatile polymers, where the interest in chitosan is due to the large variety of useful forms that are commercially available or can be made available. Chitin basically is obtained from prawn/crab shells; chemical treatment of chitin produces chitosan. This article surveys applications of chitin and chitosan in various industrial and biomedical fields.     

壳聚糖膜的量子化学计算

采用Gaussian92程序，用AM1半经验量子化学方法优化壳聚糖膜模型的分子结构，在此基础上用量子化学从头算STO-3G方法计算，研究了壳聚糖-戊二醛的阳离子膜和阴离子膜的几何构型、能量、键序和电子迁移，讨论了膜形成的成键形式和膜的结构及稳定性     

Chitin Extraction and Synthesis of Chitin-Based Polymer Films from Philippine Blue Swimming Crab (Portunus pelagicus) Shells

Chitin has been extracted from Philippine blue swimming crab. The extracted chitin was subjected to thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis The degree of acetylation of the extracted chitin, derived from the X-ray diffraction intensity values of chitin characteristic peaks, revealed that the extracted chitin is purer than the commercially acquired high purity chitin. The extracted chitin was used to form polymer films at different formation conditions. Polymer films were also formed from commercially acquired chitin for comparison. It was shown that films prepared from the extracted chitin at different conditions have greater ultimate tensile strengths as compared to the commercially-available plastic film. Morphologies of the material surface and the fracture surface were investigated using the scanning electron microscope to identify stress concentration sites that contributed to the weakening of material under tensile loading.     

Superhydrophobic surfaces from sustainable colloidal systems

In recent decades, sustainable superhydrophobic surfaces from natural materials and sustainable processes have attracted increased interest due to their lower environmental footprint and potential applications in self-cleaning surfaces and biomedical devices. Although there is significant progress on selecting suitable nano and micro particles to prepare superhydrophobic surfaces, a comprehensive review on the direct use of sustainable colloidal particles (SCPs) is lacking. In this review, we highlight the recent advances on sustainable superhydrophobic surfaces using SCPs. The composition and properties, extraction methods, and chemical modifications are described, including cellulose nanocrystals, chitin/chitosan nanoparticles, and lignin nanoparticles. In addition to the physico–chemical properties and tunable dimensionality, the fabrication methodologies of superhydrophobic surfaces using modified colloids are described. Finally, the potential applications of these sustainable superhydrophobic surfaces ranging from oil/water separation, biomedical, water harvesting, biofabrication, microfluidic reactor, and food packaging are discussed together with a future perspective on the advances made.