Additives for controlled degradation of agricultural plastics: ENVIROCARETM

ENVIROCARE^TM additives are specialty chemicals that can be added to conventional thermoplastic polymers to obtain degradable agricultural plastic articles. Their main benefits are connected with their possible incorporation in “commodity plastics”. This allows the production of degradable agriculture plastic articles processable with standard manufacturing machines, without negative effects on the main properties of the plastic article and with evident costs advantages. Furthermore, required outdoor exposure lifetimes for different articles and different environmental conditions can be modulated with the incorporation of the appropriate additive loading in the plastic and with combinations of selected stabilizers. Mulch films, small tunnel films, banana bags and sleeves, direct covers, non-woven, ropes, twines and pots are convenient agricultural applications for this technology. ENVIROCARE^TM products induce plastic degradation following a two steps mechanism: first the plastic is photo- and thermo-oxidized during the outdoor exposure; once the degradation process has been activated by light or heat, ENVIROCARE^TM acts by increasing the degradation rate and degradation continues until the article is totally degraded. Since degradation is both photolytically and thermally triggered, degradation occurs both at the surface and in the soil. Experimental laboratory results allow the assessment of the contribution of different important parameters - i.e. type of polymer, type of article, presence of other stabilizers/additives or pigments, different environmental conditions- on the control of the article lifetime and degradation. Field exposure in different environments integrates the test results and allows for the design of the additive systems adapted to the specific needs.     

医用生物陶瓷及临床应用

生物陶瓷是用于修复和重建外伤和疾病患者骨骼的陶瓷。它们可以是惰性, 可吸收和生物活性的。临床应用于髋、膝、牙、腱和韧带, 治疗牙周病和颌面重建, 牙嵴增高与加固颌骨, 脊柱融合及肿瘤切除后骨的填充, 碳涂层用作心脏瓣膜。新开发的模拟生物过程和离子注入的新技术, 在聚合物表面形成类骨磷灰石层, 具有良好的生物活性和延展性, 不仅可替代硬组织, 而且可替代软组织。生物活性铁磁微晶玻璃和耐化学腐蚀的放射性玻璃可用于癌症治疗。     

Thermal and mechanical properties of mandelic acid‐copolymerized poly(butylene succinate) and poly(ethylene adipate)

Phenyl side chains were introduced to poly(butylene succinate) and poly(ethylene adipate) by the polymerization of the respective monomers in the presence of mandelic acid. The increasing content of the phenyl side chains decreased the melting temperature and the crystallinity but increased the glass‐transition temperature of the aliphatic polyesters. The phenyl side branches reduced the crystallinity of poly(butylene succinate) more significantly than the ethyl or n‐octyl side branches did. The tensile strength, elongation, and tear strength of poly(ethylene adipate) decreased with an increase in the content of mandelic acid units. However, the increasing content of mandelic acid units enhanced the elongation and tear strength of poly(butylene succinate) considerably without a notable deterioration of tensile strength. The biodegradability of the copolyesters was increased as a result of the introduction of more mandelic acid units due to the decrease in the crystallinity. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1504–1511, 2000     

Laser light scattering study of the degradation of poly(sebacic anhydride) nanoparticles

Poly(sebacic anhydride) (PSA) is biocompatible and degradable in basic media. We micronized this water‐insoluble polymer into stable polymeric nanoparticles via a microphase inversion. Such PSA nanoparticles degraded much faster than bulk PSA. The influence of the surfactant, temperature, and pH on the degradation of the PSA nanoparticles was investigated by a combination of static and dynamic laser light scattering. Under each condition, the degradation rate was nearly constant up to a 75% weight loss; that is, the degradation was close to zero‐order. The degradation rate increased with the pH and temperature. Biomedical applications of such PSA nanoparticles are suggested. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 39: 703–708, 2001     

Potential Biosafety of Mxenes: Stability,Biodegradability, Toxicity and Biocompatibility

MXenes are two-dimensional nanomaterials with unique properties that are widely used in various fields of research, mostly in the field of energy. Fewer publications are devoted to MXene application in biomedicine and the question is: are MXenes safe for use in biological systems? The sharp edges of MXenes provide the structure of ”nanoknives“ which cause damage in direct physical contact with cells. This is effectively used for antibacterial research. However, on the other hand, most studies in cultured cells and rodents report that they do not cause obvious signs of cytotoxicity and are fully biocompatible. The aim of our review was to consider whether MXenes can really be considered non-toxic and biocompatible. Often the last two concepts are confused. We first reviewed aspects such as the stability and biodegradation of MXenes, and then analyzed the mechanisms of toxicity and their consequences for bacteria, cultured cells, and rodents, with subsequent conclusions regarding their biocompatibility.     

Strong fibers and films of microbial polyesters

Poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (P(3HB)) and its copolymers are accumulated by a wide variety of microorganisms as intracellular carbon and energy material, and are extensively studied as biodegradable and biocompatible thermoplastics. However, these microbial polyesters have not been recognized as practical because of their stiffness and brittleness. Recently, by new drawing techniques, we succeeded in obtaining strong fibers and films from microbial polyesters, produced by both wild-type and recombinant bacteria. The improvement in mechanical properties of the fibers and films is due not only to the orientation of molecular chains, but also to the generation of a zigzag conformation and network structure, formed by fibrillar and lamellar crystals. The structure of strong fibers with a tensile strength over 1.0 GPa was analyzed by micro-beam X-ray diffraction with synchrotron radiation. The strong fibers and films were completely degraded in natural, river freshwater or by extracellular polyhydroxybutyrate depolymerases. In this feature article, the processing, mechanical properties, highly ordered structure and biodegradability of strong fibers and films produced from microbial polyesters are presented.     

聚碳酸六亚甲基酯-共-癸二酸酐的合成及其体外生物降解性能

制备;聚碳酸六亚甲基酯-共-癸二酸酐的合成及其体外生物降解性能     

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从城市垃圾填埋场沉降的 机理出发,以经典力学中应力-应变之间的关系为基础,建立起城市垃圾填埋场在载荷、蠕变 和生物降解耦合作用下沉降的力学模型,并分别确定在载荷、蠕变和生物降解作用下屈服表 面应力增量的表达式. 通过填埋场沉降的实例计算,该模型得到了较为满意的预测结果.     

Effect of gamma irradiation and fiber surface treatment on the properties of bagasse fiber-reinforced waste polypropylene composites

Biocomposites of waste polypropylene (WPP) with bagasse fiber as reinforcing component can be readily prepared based on waste management application. Bagasse was subjected to chemical treatments using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and vinyl triethoxysilane to modify the fiber properties. Scanning electron microscope and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used to elucidate fiber modification after treatments. Compounding of WPP at various ratios of bagasse was produced by melt mixing. Treated and untreated fiber composites were investigated under conditions of gamma irradiation at 20?kGy. In general behavior, at different fiber loadings, treated biocomposites have better properties than untreated one and fiber treated with silane is the best. Furthermore, treated biocomposites represented more biodegradability under soil than untreated one. The results of mechanical properties showed that the as-prepared fiber composites have superior irradiation-resistant properties.     

Radiolytic degradation of explosives in aqueous solutions and ‘red’ wastewater

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