Temperature‐Induced Structure Reconstruction to Prepare a Thermally Stable Single‐Atom Platinum Catalyst

Single‐atom noble metals on a catalyst support tend to migrate and agglomerate into nanoparticles owing to high surface free energy at elevated temperatures. Temperature‐induced structure reconstruction of a support can firmly anchor single‐atom Pt species to adapt to a high‐temperature environment. We used Mn₃O₄ as a restructurable support to load single‐atom Pt and further turned into single‐atom Pt‐on‐Mn₂O₃ catalyst via high‐temperature treatment, which is extremely stable under calcination conditions of 800 °C for 5 days in humid air. High‐valence Pt⁴⁺ with more covalent bonds on Mn₂O₃ are essential for anchoring isolated Pt atoms by strong interaction. An optimized catalyst formed by moderate H₂O₂ etching exhibits the best performance and excellent thermal stability of single‐atom Pt in high‐temperature CH₄ oxidation on account of more exposed Pt atoms and strong Pt‐Mn₂O₃ interaction.     

Reverse Thermal Gel for In Utero Coverage of Spina Bifida Defects: An Innovative Bioengineering Alternative to Open Fetal Repair

Current state‐of‐the‐art management of open spina bifida defects entails an open fetal surgery approach associated with significant morbidities. In an attempt to reduce these risks and provide for an earlier minimally invasive repair, it is aimed to develop and characterize an innovative alternative using a unique reverse thermal gel. This study focuses on characterization of the physical and biological properties of the polymer and its in vivo applicability. Based on the knowledge and benchmarking, the “ideal” biomaterial should have the following characteristics: stability in amniotic fluid, limited permeability, biocompatibility, biologically functional, nontoxic, ability to support cellular functions, and in vivo applicability. The results demonstrate that the polymer possesses a unique ultrastructure, is stable in amniotic fluid, possesses limited yet predictable permeability, biocompatible with cells exposed in neural tube defects, is nontoxic, and can support cellular migration. These characteristics make it a potential novel alternative to open fetal repairs.

     

Flame retardancy and thermal decomposition behavior of TPU/chitosan composites

The application of chitosan (CS) in new materials is a hot research topic. In this paper, CS was used alone as flame retardant to prepare thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) composites. Then, the flame retardancy and thermal decomposition behavior of TPU/CS composites were intensively investigated using cone calorimeter test (CCT), scanning electron microscope (SEM), microscale combustion colorimeter (MCC) test, thermogravimetric analysis/infrared spectrometry (TG‐IR), and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). The results showed that CS can reduce the fire risk of TPU; 2.0‐wt% CS could make the peak value of heat release rate (pHRR) decreased to 457.2 kW/m², reduced by 65.9% compared with TPU. And the peak value of smoke production rate (pSPR) and total smoke release (TSR) of the same sample was decreased by 79.4% and 54.2%, respectively. The TG‐IR and GC‐MS results confirmed that CS could promote TPU decomposition in advance, reacting with the decomposition products of TPU. Therefore, the production of combustible gas was reduced. The GC‐MS results showed that the production of isocyanates and ethers was reduced with the addition of CS. The digital photographs of SEM for the samples after CCT were shown that the char residue layer of the sample containing 2.0‐wt% CS was fibrous in shape. It could be speculated that the thermal decomposition products from TPU could react with CS at low temperature, which reduced the production of flammable gases. So CS had a good prospect in reducing the fire hazard for TPU.     

Effect of nitrogen plasma treatment on the crystallinity and self‐bonding of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) for biomedical applications

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a thermoplastic material with outstanding properties and high potential for biomedical applications, including hermetic encapsulation of active implantable devices. Different biomedical grade PEEK films with initial degree of crystallinity ranging from 8% to 32% (with or without mineral filling) were inspected. PEEK surfaces were treated with nitrogen RF plasma and the effects on materials crystallinity and self‐bonding were evaluated. In particular, the relationship between auto‐adhesive properties and crystalline content of PEEK before and after plasma treatment was examined. PEEK samples showed different bonding strength depending on their degree of crystallinity, with higher self‐bonding performance of mineral‐filled semi‐crystalline films. XRD did not show any modification of the PEEK microstructure as a result of plasma treatment, excluding a significant influence of crystallinity on the self‐bonding mechanisms. Nevertheless, plasma surface treatment successfully improved the self‐bonding strength of all the PEEK films tested, with larger increase in the case of semi‐crystalline unfilled materials. This could be interpreted to the increase in chain mobility that led to interfacial interpenetration of the amorphous phase.     

Controlled release of doxorubicin from electrospun MWCNTs/PLGA hybrid nanofibers

In this study, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used to encapsulate a model anticancer drug, doxorubicin (Dox). Then, the drug-loaded MWCNTs (Dox/MWCNTs) with an optimized drug encapsulation percentage were mixed with poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) polymer solution for subsequent electrospinning to form drug-loaded composite nanofibrous mats. The structure, morphology, and mechanical properties of the formed electrospun Dox/PLGA, MWCNTs/PLGA, and Dox/MWCNTs/PLGA composite nanofibrous mats were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and tensile testing. In vitro viability assay and SEM morphology observation of mouse fibroblast cells cultured onto the MWCNTs/PLGA fibrous scaffolds demonstrate that the developed MWCNTs/PLGA composite nanofibers are cytocompatible. The incorporation of Dox-loaded MWCNTs within the PLGA nanofibers is able to improve the mechanical durability and maintain the three-dimensional structure of the nanofibrous mats. More importantly, our results indicate that this double-container drug delivery system (both PLGA polymer and MWCNTs are drug carriers) is beneficial to avoid the burst release of the drug and able to release the antitumor drug Dox in a sustained manner for 42 days. The developed composite electrospun nanofibrous drug delivery system may be used as therapeutic scaffold materials for post-operative local chemotherapy.     

环糊精基的金属有机骨架的合成及负载5-氟尿嘧啶的研究

用溶剂热法合成了基于环糊精的金属有机骨架化合物(Na-CD-MOF),采用X-射线单晶衍射、红外光谱和元素分析进行了结构表征.以5-氟尿嘧啶(5-FU)为模型药物,研究了Na-CD-MOF的细胞毒性和载药及体外释药的能力.研究结果表明,新合成的Na-CD-MOF对5-FU的负载量最大为1.18g/g,且具有明显的缓释作用.体外细胞毒性实验表明,Na-CD-MOF具有良好的生物相容性,有望成为一种绿色的药物载体.     

功能化石墨烯的制备及抗癌药物递送载体的研究

以聚苯乙烯磺酸钠(PSS)为保护剂,利用水合肼还原氧化石墨烯制备了一种新型的聚苯乙烯磺酸钠功能化石墨烯(PSS-GNS).结果表明制备的PSS-GNS是水溶分散性的纳米片层材料.考察了PSS-GNS对模型抗癌药物罗丹明6G(R6G)的吸附行为,结果表明PSS-GNS对R6G吸附量较大(2.77 mg/mg).体外释放研究结果表明PSS-GNS/R6G对R6G的释放具有p H响应性和缓释作用.PSS-GNS的细胞毒性较低,能顺利进入癌细胞内并持续缓慢地释放R6G.因此,PSS-GNS有望成为一种新型的抗癌药物递送载体.     

Ag3PO4量子点/石墨相氮化碳纳米片复合光催化剂的制备及其对苯甲醇选择性氧化活性

以热氧化剥离法得到的超薄石墨相氮化碳(g-C₃N₄)纳米片为载体,首次在室温条件下,制备了系列Ag₃PO₄量子点/g-C₃N₄纳米片复合光催化剂;通过透射电子显微镜(TEM)、高分辨透射电子显微镜(HRTEM)、X射线衍射(XRD)、傅里叶变换红外光谱(FT-IR)、紫外-可见漫反射光谱(UV-Vis DRS)、荧光光谱(PL),对复合光催化剂的形貌、结构和光学性质进行了表征,考察了系列光催化剂对苯甲醇的光催化选择性氧化性能。 结果表明,粒径为3~5 nm Ag₃PO₄颗粒均匀分散g-C₃N₄纳米片上,结晶度良好。 以乙腈为溶剂时,当m(Ag₃PO₄)/m(g-C₃N₄)=0.6时,苯甲醇具有32.1%的最大转化率,对产物苯甲醛具有90%的最高选择性;活性物种捕捉实验结果表明,该催化氧化反应的主要活性物是光生空穴的氧化作用,能带计算结果表明,该复合催化剂结构具有合适的苯甲醇的氧化电位而选择性生成苯甲醛。     

Ionic liquid–modified cellulosic hydrogels for loading and sustained release of selenourea: an ensuing inhibition of tyrosinase activity

Cellulose-based hydrogel materials were prepared and modified with tannic acid and l-methionine using ionic liquid as the solvent. The gels were prepared to develop a sustained release medium for selenourea (SeU). The drug delivery characteristics of selenourea-loaded cellulose (CSeU), selenourea-loaded tannic acid-modified cellulose (CTSeU), and selenourea-loaded L-methionine-modified cellulose (CMSeU) were investigated in aqueous media and simulated gastric fluid (SGF) media. This modified gel beads have been characterized using field emission scanning electron microscope, X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry–differential thermal analysis and swelling properties and compared with those of the unmodified ones. We also investigated the inhibitory effects of SeU released from these gels on the activity of mushroom tyrosinase. Out of all the gel materials, CTSeU showed maximum SeU release both in water and SGF media. However, tyrosinase inhibitory action in PBS medium was comparable for all the three gel materials.     

高光效高热稳定性蓝色荧光粉Ca2-ySrySiO4:Ce3+,Li+的组成筛选和发光机理

采用高温固相法合成了一系列Ca_(2-x-y)Sr_(y-x)SiO_4∶x Ce~(3+),x Li~+蓝色固溶体荧光粉。XRD结果表明,所合成的固溶体荧光粉均为单一物相。随着Sr~(2+)成分的增加,Ca_(2-y)Sr_y SiO_4物相从单斜晶系β-Ca_2SiO_4向正交晶系α′-Ca_2SiO_4转变,发射光谱逐渐红移。组成为Ca_(1.75)Sr_(0.25)SiO_4时,荧光粉的发射波长最长(454 nm),Stokes位移最大。基质为Ca_(1.1)Sr_(0.9)SiO_4的晶体结构可诱导掺杂离子Ce~(3+)取代SrO_(10)格位、Li~+取代CaO8格位。优化的荧光粉Ca_(1.05)Sr_(0.85)SiO_4∶0.05Ce~(3+),0.05Li~+(CS_(0.85)SO∶CeLi)在375 nm紫外光激发下,发射445 nm的蓝光,内量子效率(IQE)达到91.18%,200℃时发射强度保持室温发光强度的98.70%。根据晶体结构、晶体场分裂和掺杂离子质心位移等理论,讨论了CS_(0.85)SO∶CeLi综合发光效应最佳的内在原因。