Antibacterial nanocomposite supporting cell growth and spheroid formation by chemical surface treatment of polymer foil

Octenidine dihydrochloride (OCT) has a wide spectrum of antibacterial, antifungal and virucidal activity. OCT is also newly used in tissue engineering. The aim of this work was to create a new nanocomposite consisting of OCT-grafted polymer with (i) antibacterial effect and/or (ii) surface for better cell adhesion and proliferation. The polymer foils were chemically activated with Piranha solution and subsequently grafted with OCT. Changes in surface properties before and after modifications were detected by electrokinetic analysis, goniometry, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The final nanocomposite polymer/OCT exhibits antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis). The new nanocomposite material has also been shown to support the growth of B14 cell culture on the substrate and to form cell multilayers, which could lead to the formation of spheroids. This behaviour strongly depends on the concentration of OCT grafted onto the polymer surfaces. This new nanocomposite could be used in medicine, for bioapplications, environmental protection.     

Heterostructural NiCo2O4 Nanocomposites for Nonenzymatic Electrochemical Glucose Sensing

Hierarchical nanocomposites consisting of NiCo₂O₄ nanorods and NiCo₂O₄ nanoparticles through a straightforward two-step hydrothermal process was employed as a working electrode to examine the electrochemical behavior of glucose. The NiCo₂O₄@NiCo₂O₄ heterostructures was confirmed by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffractometer (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemistry analysis. Results indicated that glucose is electrochemically oxidized with improved sensitivity at the NiCo₂O₄@NiCo₂O₄ sensor, compared to NiCo₂O₄ sensors. Analytical parameters such as the optimal potential (0.45 V), linear range from 0.4 μM to 5.2 mM, limit of detection (1.1 μΜ) (S/N=3), stability and repeatability (2.7 %) demonstrate the suitability of the prepared sensor for glucose analysis. Moreover, the proposed sensor could be used for actual samples analysis in complex matrices.     

2D Fillers Highly Boost the Discharge Energy Density of Polymer-Based Nanocomposites with Trilayered Architecture

A new class of trilayered architecture blends polymer-based nanocomposites with excellent discharge energy densities (U_dis) is presented. The preferable energy storage performance is achieved in sandwich structured nanocomposite (PIP) films. The outer polarization-layers (P-layer) of the PIP film are composed of Sr₂Nb₂O₇ nanosheets (SNONSs) as well as boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) dispersed in poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/ polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) blend polymer matrix (BPM) to provide high dielectric constant, while PVDF/PMMA with BNNSs forms the central insulation-layer (I-layer) to offer high dielectric breakdown strength (E_b) of the resulting nanocomposite films. The dielectric performance, Weibull breakdown strength, and energy storage capacity of single and multi-layer nanocomposites as a function of filler content are systematically examined. The evolution of electric trees is simulated via finite element methods to verify the experimental dielectric breakdown results in single layer nanocomposite films. The PIP film with optimized filler content displays a discharge energy density of 31.42 J cm⁻³ with a significantly improved charge–discharge efficiency of ≈71% near the Weibull breakdown strength of 655.16 MV m⁻¹, which is the highest among the polymer-based nanocomposites under the equivalent dielectric breakdown strength at present.     

Best of Both Worlds: Synergistically Derived Material Properties via Additive Manufacturing of Nanocomposites

With an exponential rise in the popularity and availability of additive manufacturing (AM), a large focus has been directed toward research in this topic's movement, while trying to distinguish themselves from similar works by simply adding nanomaterials to their process. Though nanomaterials can add impressive properties to nanocomposites (NCs), there are expansive amounts of opportunities that are left unexplored by simply combining AM with NCs without discovering synergistic effects and novel emerging material properties that are not possible by each of these alone. Cooperative, evolving properties of NCs in AM can be investigated at the processing, morphological, and architectural levels. Each of these categories are studied as a function of the amplifying relationship between nanomaterials and AM, with each showing the systematically selected material and method to advance the material performance, explore emergent properties, as well as improve the AM process itself. Innovative, advanced materials are key to faster development cycles in disruptive technologies for bioengineering, defense, and transportation sectors. This is only possible by focusing on synergism and amplification within additive manufacturing of nanocomposites.     

Photo-Triggered Shape Reconfiguration in Stretchable Reduced Graphene Oxide-Patterned Azobenzene-Functionalized Liquid Crystalline Polymer Networks

In recent years, the “Kirigami” have been exploited to engineer stretchable electronics that exhibit enhanced deformability without sacrificing their mechanical and electrical properties. However, kirigami-inspired engineering is often limited to passive mechanical stretching for 3D shape morphing. To counter this problem, in this study, azobenzene-functionalized liquid crystalline polymer networks (azo-LCNs) are monolithically integrated with patterned reduced graphene oxide (rGO), called azo-LCN/rGO, to achieve on-demand shape reconfiguration in response to external stimuli (UV, NIR, solar rays, and portable light); in addition, the azo-LCN/rGO exhibit highly enhanced mechanical and electrical properties. The cross-sectional area and thickness of rGO patterns are controlled using a masking technique and evaporative self-assembly. By the spatial patterning of rGO, insulating azo-LCNs are converted into electrically conducting structures (381.9 S cm⁻¹). The elastic modulus of <2 µm thick azo-LCN can be tailored in the range of 1.3–6.4 GPa by integration with rGO layers of thickness less than 2 µm. Upon UV irradiation, azo-LCN/rGO exhibit both for/backward in-plane bending as well as out-of-plane chiral twisting, thus overcoming the typical trade-off relationship between elastic modulus and deformability. Finally, an on-demand contactless shape reconfiguration in azo-LCN/rGO by UV irradiation in conjunction with passive mechanical strain is demonstrated.     

2D ZnO/Fe3O4 nanocomposites as a novel catalyst-promoted green synthesis of novel quinazoline phosphonate derivatives

In this research a novel and efficient procedure for the preparation of phosphonate derivatives using the reaction of 2,4-dihydroxyacetophenone, isopropenylacetylene, 2-amino-N-alkyl benzamide, dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates and trimethyl phosphite or triphenyl phosphite in the presence of reusable 2D ZnO/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites in water at room temperature was investigated. The 2D ZnO/Fe₃O₄ nanocomposites were synthesized using ionic liquid [OMIM]Br as a stabilizer and soft template. In addition, the power of antioxidant for some prepared compounds was studied using trapping of radicals by DPPH and a ferric reduction activity potential experiment. As a result, compound 6f displayed a noteworthy power for trapping of free radicals and 6b exhibited excellent reducing power compared with standards (BHT and TBHQ). Moreover, the antimicrobial power of some prepared quinazolinone phosphonates was proved by employing the disk diffusion experiment on two kinds of bacteria, Gram-positive and -negative bacteria. The obtained outcomes of disk diffusion test showed that these compounds prevented bacterial growth. Some advantages of this procedure are: short time of reaction, high yields of product and easy separation of catalyst and products.     

Formulation and physical properties of cyanate ester nanocomposites based on graphene

We report the thermal, mechanical, and diffusion properties of bisphenol E based polycyanurate nanocomposites with three forms of graphene derived from sequential processing of the same carbon nanostructure. Edge‐functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) were converted to graphene oxide (GO), then heated to produce thermally reduced graphene oxide (TRGO). All three reinforcements were individually mixed with the dicyanate ester of bisphenol E (LECy) at low loading levels and cured to form polycyanurate nanocomposites. GNP, with very low oxygen functionality, was incompatible with the cyanate ester, while the highly oxidized GO formed well‐dispersed (though not exfoliated) nanocomposites, with the TRGO forming a good dispersion on mixing but phase separating during cure. The addition of GO, and, to a lesser extent, TRGO, resulted in improved mechanical properties, particularly fracture toughness, with the addition of TRGO having a modestly negative effect on the glass transition temperature. Surprisingly, neither GO nor TRGO addition was effective at slowing down the diffusion of water in the polycyanurate, with the addition of both resulting in increased equilibrium moisture uptake. It thus appears that the trade‐off between dispersion and the required level of oxygen functionality acts in a manner to frustrate attempts at minimizing the permeation of water by addition of graphene‐based reinforcements. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 1061–1070     

Nanostructured epoxy thermoset templated by an amphiphilic PCL‐b‐PES‐b‐PCL triblock copolymer

The PCL‐b‐PES‐b‐PCL triblock copolymer is used to incorporate into epoxy resin when the blends are cured with 4,4'‐diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS) to afford the nanostructured epoxy thermosets. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform‐infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) show that the nanostructured PCL‐b‐PES‐b‐PCL thermosets are accessed through the formation of the intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions. The nanostructures are further evidenced by means of small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). By considering the miscibility of the subchains of block copolymer with epoxy before and after the curing reaction, it is judged that the formation of the nanostructures follows the mechanism of reaction‐induced microphase separation. It is noted that the epoxy resin is significantly toughened in terms of the measurement of critical stress field intensity factor (K_IC). © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 424–432     

Multilayer films composed of conductive poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate)/carbon nanotubes bionanocomposites and a photoresponsive conducting polymer

In order to develop new electronic devices, it is necessary to find innovative solutions to the eco‐sustainability problem of materials as substrates for circuits. We realized a photoresponsive device consisting of a semiconducting polymer film deposited onto optically semitransparent and conductive biodegradable poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)/carbon nanotube (CNT) substrates. The experiments indicated that the PHB‐CNT bionanocomposite substrate behaves as an optical window trapping electric charges produced by the photoexcitation of the semiconducting polymer. Such PHB‐CNT functional substrates are expected to be attractive for eco‐friendly electronics. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 596–602     

Synthesis of snowman‐like polymer‐silica asymmetric particles by combination of hydrolytic condensation process with γ‐ray radiation initiated seeded emulsion polymerization

We report on a facile route to synthesize snowman‐like asymmetric composite particles via γ‐ray initiated seeded emulsion polymerization after a hydrolytic condensation process on the surface of second monomer swollen poly(styrene‐divinylbenzene‐acrylic acid) seeds. Effects of the amounts and kinds of second monomer and inorganic precursor, different radiation polymerization conditions including dose rates and absorbed doses on the morphology of the obtained particles were investigated. The obtained asymmetric particles can serve as ideal solid surfactants to stabilize the water‐in‐oil emulsions, and soap‐free hierarchical materials were obtained by polymerization of monomers in water or oil phase. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 339–348