Synthesis and characterisation of advanced UHMWPE/silver nanocomposites for biomedical applications

A supercritical fluid (SCF) route for facile and homogeneous introduction of silver nanoparticles into polymer hosts is described. Our focus is on ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). We demonstrate that the metallic nanoparticles have a substantial effect upon the wear and tribochemical properties of the polymer substrate.     

Probing in vitro digestion at oil–water interfaces

Interfacial layers have been widely applied to study the formation and stability of emulsion-based systems. However, the application of isolated interfaces to address digestibility of emulsions is often limited because of the complexity of experimental methods and results. This review summarizes the latest developments in analytical methods and literature data on effects of digestion on interfacial layers. Particular emphasis is given to understand the changes on interfacial magnitudes during oral, gastric, and duodenal digestion, either applied separately or sequentially. Limitations of interfacial aspects and key factors that influence emulsion microstructure in bulk and lipid digestion are identified. Understanding the behavior of interfacial layers upon gastrointestinal digestion promotes an accurate tracking of the physiological fate of emulsions.     

熔融碳酸盐燃料电池阳极材料表面改性

选择铌作为合金化元素，通过氟化物熔盐电化学表面合金化的方法对熔融碳酸盐燃料电池阳极材料镍进行表面改性，改性后的阳极材料的耐蚀性能与电催化性能均得到明显的改善。     

Oligoribonucleotides containing an aminoalkyl group at the N(4) atom of cytosine as precursors of new reagents for site-specific modifications of biopolymers

A solid-phase H-phosphonate procedure was developed for the synthesis of oligoribonucleotides containing aliphatic amino linkers with different lengths at the N(4) atom of cytosine. The hybridization properties of modified oligoribonucleotides were studied. Thermal stability of the RNA—RNA* and DNA—RNA* duplexes depends on the position of modified cytosine in the chain and the type of the duplex.     

Coil-to-globule transitions of interfacial copolymers in better than theta-solvents

Experimental studies of the coil-to-globule transitions exhibited in better than -solvents by interfacial copolymers ofN-isopropylacrylamide and acrylamide imply that a lower bound for the value of n in then-clusters of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) is 3. The corresponding upper bound is therefore likely to be 5 or 6. Statistical copolymers of PNIPAM containing upwards of 0.75 mole fraction of acrylamide (whose homopolymer does not itself displayn-clustering) exhibited this transition, which disappeared at higher mole fractions of acrylamide. Interfacial homopolymers ofN-ethylacrylamide and its statistical copolymers withN-isopropylacrylamide exhibitedn-clustering at all compositions.     

Surface modified precipitated calcium carbonates at a high degree of dispersion

Calcium carbonates of different degrees of surface hydrophobicity were obtained when sorbic acid or polyoxyethylene glycol were present during the precipitation. In the presence of trace amounts of divalent cations carbonates with high surface hydrophilicity and improved monodisperse character are obtained. Surface modification of the calcium carbonates by several proadhesive compounds can markedly improve the chemical affinity of the carbonates to polymers. Very effective are isostearoyl titanate and two polyoxyethylene compounds. Precipitated calcium carbonates modified with 2 to 3 percent (wt/wt) of isostearoyl titanate increased the tensile strenght of butadiene-styrene rubber by approximately 100%. Polyurethane is only strengthened when 30 wt/wt of a filler are introduced independently of the type proadhesive compounds. The best strength and hysteresis of polyurethanes are obtained with calcium carbonate modified with 2 percent (wt/wt) of polyoxyethylene glycol.     

Identification of formylglycine in sulfatases by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

C(alpha)-Formylglycine, the catalytic amino acid residue in the active site of sulfatases, is generated by post-translational modification of a cysteine or serine residue. We describe a highly sensitive procedure for the detection of C(alpha)-formylglycine-containing peptides in tryptic digests of sulfatase proteins. The protocol is based on the formation of hydrazone derivatives of C(alpha)-formylglycine-containing peptides when using dinitrophenylhydrazine as a matrix for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS). The hydrazone derivatives desorb and ionize with high efficiency and can be detected in the sub-femtomole range. The presence of C(alpha)-formylglycine is indicated by a mass increment of 180.13 u, corresponding to the hydrazone moiety, and also by a unique C-terminal fragment ion, characteristic of sulfatases, that becomes prominent in MALDI post-source decay mass spectra of the hydrazone derivatives.     

沸石分子筛表面烷基锡接枝反应的研究

介绍表面金属有机化学方法改性沸石分子筛的研究概况，简要总结了近年来国内外对某些重要的分子筛（如，Y型沸石，镓磷沸石，丝光沸石，MCM－41）表面接枝烷基锡的研究成果，参考文献32篇。     

A facile approach to surface graft vinyl acetate onto polyolefin articles

A facile and environment friendly approach was developed to graft vinyl acetate (VAc) onto plastic articles in an aqueous solution using tert‐butyl alcohol (TBA) as a compatiblizer and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as an initiator. In a novel setup, excessive monomer suspended in a water phase, VAc could be conveniently grafted on the model substrate of low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) film and the graft percentage (GP) could be developed up to 7.3%. Reaction temperature could increase GP significantly, while adding monomer over a critical volume did not influence GP. By adding some paradioxybenzene, i.e. 0.06–0.08% in VAc phase, homopolymer PVAc could be avoided practically, while graft polymerization proceeded favorably in aqueous solutions. It was proved by attenuated total reflection‐infrared (ATR‐IR) spectroscopy that grafted VAc was located mainly at the surface of the LDPE film and hydrophilic nature of both grafted and alcoholyzed films were improved via contact angle measurements. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Penetration of plasma surface modification. I. Cf4 and C2F4 glow discharge plasmas

Plasma treatment of a polymeric surface could involve at least three major mechanisms: (1) direct interaction of reactive species in the low-temperature plasma state with the surface (line of sight irradiation effect), and (2) chemical reactions of plasma-induced reactive species with the surface, and (3) reactions among reactive species and the surface (plasma polymerization). The first and the third effects are considered to be limited to the surfaces which directly contact with plasma (glow). The second effect is not limited to the surfaces that contact with plasma state but can penetrate beyond the plasma zone by diffusion. Using an assembly of fibers, of which only the top layer contacts with plasma (glow), the penetration of chemical changes caused by plasma exposure was investigated. Results indicate that the fluorination effect (incorporation of fluorine-containing moieties on the surface of polymeric substrate) penetrates through a considerable thickness of the assembly of fibers, depending on the porosity (gas permeability) of the system. Chemical reactions of plasma-induced (chemically) reactive but nonpolymerizing species with the substrate fibers seems to predominate. The direct interactions of energetic species, such as ions, electrons, and electronically excited species, with polymeric surfaces seems to play relatively minor roles in the plasma treatment investigated. The major role of plasma, in this case, seems to be creating such chemically reactive species. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.