Surface bio-modification of poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate) and its aging effect

In this work, poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHHx) film was fabricated by a solution-casting method and subsequently was modified by NaOH treatment to improve the surface hydrophilic property. Surface properties including hydrophilicity, surface appearance and functional groups were characterized by water contact angle measurement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed the hydrophilicity of PHBHHx film was obviously improved by the NaOH treatment due to the topography changes promoted by the NaOH-etching and the introduction of polar groups included hydroxyl and carboxyl on the topmost surface layers. However, the modified film exhibited an aging effect: the hydrophilicity decreases with time elapsed during storage. It was found that the aging rate was strongly dependent on the crystallinity of the film and the storage environment. The sample with high-crystallinity lost hydrophilic property slower than that with low-crystallinity. Hydrophilic and low-temperature environment also prevented the modified PHBHHx from fast losing of the hydrophilicity.     

Surface modification of polymer latex particles by AGET ATRP of a styrene derivative bearing a lactose residue

Grafting of a styrene derivative bearing a lactose residue, i.e., N-2-4-(vinylbenzenesulfonamido)ethyl lactobionamide (VBSAELA), onto polymer latex particles was carried out in aqueous media by activator generated electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (AGET ATRP). The core polymer latex particles having α-chloroester groups as ATRP-initiating groups were prepared by miniemulsion polymerization of styrene and 2-chloropropionyloxyethyl methacrylate (CPEM) in the presence of a polymerizable surfactant, i.e., N,N-dimethyl-N-dodecyl-N-2-methacryloyloxyethylammonium bromide (C₁₂Br). AGET ATRP was initiated with tris[(2-pyridylmethyl)amine] copper (II) dichloride and l-ascorbic acid. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) revealed that the P(St-CPEM)-g-P(VBSAELA) particles possess graft layers of 10 nm in thickness on the core particles of 91 nm in diameter. Critical coagulation concentration measurement revealed that the dispersion stability of the particles in water increased due to hydrated P(VBSAELA) shell layers. Adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) onto the particles was considerably suppressed by the hydrated shell layers.     

氧化锰表面改性活性炭电极材料的电化学特性

用Mn(NO3)2溶液浸渍-高温热解法对普通活性炭进行表面改性处理以改善其电化学性能. 采用氮气吸附、SEM、XRD等方法研究改性活性炭的比表面积、孔结构、形貌和氧化锰的晶体结构; 用循环伏安、恒流充放电、交流阻抗等电化学方法研究了改性活性炭电极构成的电化学电容器的性能. 结果表明, Mn(NO3)2热解产生的多价态氧化锰有法拉第赝电容效应, 尤其是立方晶形结构的α-Mn2O3, 与活性炭的双电层电容构成了复合电容, 因而改性炭材料的比电容有明显的提高, 其质量比电容达到254 F·g-1, 比未改性炭的165 F·g-1提高了54%. 改性炭电极电化学电容器具有优异的充放电可逆性和稳定性, 而且等效串联电阻较小, 只有0.40 Ω; 经2000次循环的长期测试, 容量保持率几乎达到100%.     

Li4Ti5O12/(Ag+C)电极材料的固相合成及电化学性能

以Li₂CO₃,TiO₂为原料,葡萄糖为碳源,采用固相煅烧工艺合成了亚微米级的Li₄Ti₅O₁₂/C复合负极材料。并将之与AgNO₃复合,采用固相方法制备出了Ag表面修饰的Li₄Ti₅O₁₂/(Ag+C)复合材料。采用XRD、SEM和TEM测试方法对材料的微结构进行了表征。结果表明,C的存在对Ag单质在Li₄Ti₅O₁₂/C颗粒表面的大量形成起到了积极的促进作用,从而很大程度地提高了Li₄Ti₅O₁₂/C的电导率,因此有效地改善了其电化学性能。在1C倍率下,Li₄Ti₅O₁₂/(Ag+C)复合材料的首次放电容量达到了164 mAh·g^-1。     

单分散磁性纳米粒子靶向药物载体

本文综述了单分散磁性氧化铁纳米粒子的主要制备方法、表面修饰以及在生物医学靶向药物方面的应用研究进展。金属有机前驱体高温热分解法、溶剂热合成法和LSS（liquid-solid-solution）法是目前制备高质量单分散磁性纳米粒子比较有效的手段。通过表面修饰制备出的具有良好水溶性、生物相容性和活性功能基团的磁靶向药物载体将可能实现定位蓄积、高效载药、控制释药和可生物降解等靶向治疗癌症的目的。开发出具有荧光检测、主动靶向识别、高效载药、智能控药释放、无毒副作用和生物相容性于一体的多功能靶向药物载体将是其发展趋势。     

Influence of surface modification on protein retention in ion-exchange chromatography: Evaluation using different retention models

A large number of different stationary phases for ion-exchange chromatography (IEC) from different manufacturers are available, which vary significantly in a number of chemical and physical properties. As a consequence, binding mechanisms may be different as well. In the work reported here, the retention data of model proteins (α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin A, bovine serum albumin and alcohol dehydrogenase) were determined for three anion-exchange adsorbents based on synthetic copolymer beads with differences in the functional group chemistry. Fractogel EMD DEAE and Fractoprep DEAE consist of functional groups bound to the surface via “tentacles”, ToyopearlDEAE by a short linker. Three models which describe chromatographic retention were used to analyse the characteristic parameters of the protein/stationary-phase interactions. The number of electrostatic interaction between the stationary phase and the model proteins, the protein specific surface charge densities and the interacting surface of the proteins with the adsorptive layer of the chromatographic media depend on the surface modification as well as on the molecular mass of the model proteins. In general, protein retention of the model proteins on the weak anion exchangers was found to be greater if the stationary phase carries tentacles and protein mass is above 60 kDa.     

Growth morphology of gypsum in the presence of copolymers

Gypsum is the most abundant natural sulphate, and in industrial application it plays an important role in gypsum based binders. Furthermore, it plays a critical role in the hydration of Portland cement, and then gypsum is one of the most important cement additive. In this paper we investigated the role of two commercial polymeric additives in modifying the crystal habits and size of gypsum, growth in aqueous solution. These two additives belong to the categories of acrylic polymers and they are known only by their commercial names of SP1 and SP3. We found that these substances can act as shape modifiers mainly at concentration over 0.04% by weight, with a shortening in the elongation of gypsum crystal and some change in the characters of {001} form, from stepped to flat, due to a change in the growth mechanism. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Revisiting the shelf life constrained multi-product manufacturing problem

A multi-product manufacturing problem generally consists of the total cost minimization. In case where the shelf life constraint is imposed, various options to deal with the situation are widely discussed in the literature. These options include a reduction in the production rate and cycle time separately, and the simultaneous reduction of production rate and cycle time. When the production rate is decreased, the unit manufacturing cost increases and because of this the inventory holding costs need modification. In the existing literature, this has been ignored in the computation of cost and therefore a revisit to the problem has been justified. The present paper modifies the holding cost and this problem has been reformulated for the basic case. This has also been extended for an inclusion of shortages that are backordered completely or partially.     

Surface modification of polyester to produce a bacterial cellulose-based vascular prosthetic device

The surface of medical grade polyesters was modified to impart hydrophilic character for attachment to bacterial synthesized cellulose to produce a vascular prosthetic device. The polyesters were treated with UV/ozone, air plasma, and nitrogen plasma for various lengths of time. The unmodified and modified surfaces were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and advancing contact angle measurements. The surfaces were then coated with bacterial produced cellulose to study adhesion properties through tensile testing (peel testing). UV/ozone and plasma treatment XPS results indicated an increase in the oxygen concentration in the form of CO(H) on the treated polyester surfaces. The treatment time to reach steady state in the case of air and nitrogen plasmas took the order of seconds, while 7 min and longer were required for UV/ozone treatment. Peel strength tests to measure adhesion of modified polyester to cellulose reached their maximum values when the CO(H) concentrations were at the highest level. It was also at this level that the contact angle measurements showed no further decrease.