Microengineered PEG Hydrogels: 3D Scaffolds for Guided Cell Growth

Designing three‐dimensional (3D) scaffolds for selective manipulation of cell growth is of high relevance for applications in regenerative medicine. Especially, scaffolds with oriented morphologies bear high potential to guide the restoration of specific tissues. The fabrication of hydrogel scaffolds that support long‐term survival, proliferation, and unidirectional growth of embedded cells is presented here. Parallel channel structures are introduced into the bulk hydrogels by uniaxial freezing, providing stable, and uniform porosity suitable for cell invasion (pore diameters of 5–15 µm). In vitro assessment of the scaffolds with murine fibroblasts (NIH L929) shows a remarkable unidirectional movement along the channels, with the cells traveling several millimeters through the hydrogel.

     

Scaffold Effects on Osteogenic Differentiation of Equine Mesenchymal Stem Cells: An In Vitro Comparative Study

The in vitro viability, osteogenic differentiation, and mineralization of four different equine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from bone marrow, periosteum, muscle, and adipose tissue are compared, when they are cultured with different collagen‐based scaffolds or with fibrin glue. The results indicate that bone marrow cells are the best source of MSCs for osteogenic differentiation, and that an electrochemically aggregated collagen gives the highest cell viability and best osteogenic differentiation among the four kinds of scaffolds studied.

     

Polymeric Nanocomposites—Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes (POSS) as Hybrid Nanofiller

Abstract

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), a hybrid nanostructured macromer has been used in the last decade for preparation of polymeric nanocomposites. Its versatile chemistry, which lends it for almost infinite chemical modification, sets it apart from other nanostructured fillers like nanoclays, carbon nanotubes, and carbon nanofibers. Depending on its functionality, 3‐D network, bead or pendant type‐POSS based polymeric nanocomposites can be synthesized. These have the potential to be designed for products with specific nanostructures for specific end‐use applications. This article discusses the trends in current research involving use of POSS macromers for modification of mainly thermal and viscoelastic properties of various polymers.     

Graphene grafted silica‐coated Fe3O4 nanocomposite as absorbent for enrichment of carbamates from cucumbers and pears prior to HPLC

In this paper, a novel graphene (G) grafted silica‐coated Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite was fabricated by the chemical bonding of G onto the surface of silica‐coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. Some carbamates (metolcarb, carbaryl, pirimicarb, and diethofencarb) in cucumber and pear samples were enriched by this nanocomposite prior to their determination by HPLC with UV detection. Experimental parameters that may affect the extraction efficiency were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, a linear response was achieved in the concentration range of 0.5–100.0 ng/g for metolcarb, carbaryl, and diethofencarb, and 1.0–100 ng/g for pirimicarb with the correlation coefficients (r) ranging from 0.9956 to 0.9984. The LOD (S/N = 3) of the method were found to be in the range from 0.08 to 0.2 ng/g. The RSDs were in the range from 2.4 to 5.8%. The results indicated that the G grafted silica‐coated Fe₃O₄ nanocomposite was stable and efficient for magnetic SPE and has a great application potential for the preconcentration of other organic pollutants from real samples.     

Kinetic Investigation of Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogel Formation via Perfusion‐Based Frontal Photopolymerization: Influence of Free‐Radical Polymerization Conditions on Frontal Velocity and Swelling Gradients

Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels are extensively used as scaffolds in tissue engineering. The ability to spatially control hydrogel properties is critical for designing scaffolds that direct cell behavior and tissue regeneration. To this end, we have recently developed a polymerization technique, perfusion‐based frontal photopolymerization, to generate tunable gradients in PEG hydrogels. This study explores the effects of polymerization conditions on the velocity of the propagating front and its influence on gradients in hydrogel swelling. Alterations in photoinitiator perfusion rate result in the largest variations in frontal velocity and in the magnitude of the swelling gradient among all polymerization conditions investigated.

     

CuO‐CeO2 Nanocomposite: A Highly Efficient Recyclable Catalyst for the Green Synthesis of 1,8‐Dioxooctahydroxanthenes in Water

CuO‐CeO₂ nanocomposite is reported as a highly efficient and recyclable catalyst for the green synthesis of 1,8‐dioxooctahydroxanthenes in water. This catalyst can be recovered by simple filtration and recycled up to 8 consecutive runs without any losing of its efficiency.     

Fe3O4-Graphene oxide nanocomposite: Synthesis of 5-sulfanyl tetrazole derivatives of alkyls,indoles, and pyrroles

In this work, the use of Fe₃O₄/geraphene oxide nanocomposite as an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of 5-sulfanyltetrazole derivatives of indoles, pyrroles, and 5-alkyl sulfanyltetrazoles is described. These compounds are readily obtained by the reaction of the starting heterocycles indoles, N-aryl pyrroles, alkyl thiocyanates, and trimethylsilyl azide in good to excellent yields. Moreover, Fe₃O₄/GO nanocomposite could be easily separated from the reaction mixtures by an external permanent magnet and reused at least six times continuously without significant reduction in the product yield and its catalytic activity.     

Phosphorylated silica/polyamide 6 nanocomposites synthesis by in situ sol–gel method in molten conditions: Impact on the fire-retardancy

Polyamide 6 (PA6)/phosphorylated silica nanocomposites were synthesized during PA6 extrusion through in situ formation of the inorganic phase without solvent. This synthesis is based on the hydrolysis-condensation reactions of diethylphosphatoethyltriethoxysilane (SiP) as a functional inorganic precursor in combination with or without tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) dispersed in the molten PA6. This synthesis is carried out during PA 6 matrix extrusion that means at high temperature and under shear. The characterization of the in situ synthesized PA6/phosphorylated silica nanocomposites by solid ²⁹Si Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) demonstrated the possibility to directly create in less than 5 min at 220 °C a phosphorylated silica uniformly dispersed in the PA6, i.e. in the form of well dispersed particles or aggregates of sub-micron range. The influence of silicon and phosphorus on the thermal and fire retardant behaviour was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), cone calorimeter and UL94 tests. The fire retardant behaviour was modified with a formation of a char and a peak heat release rate (PHRR) decrease by more than 50% for the SiP based nanocomposite compared to the pure PA6.