Development and analysis of biodegradable poly(propylene carbonate)/tamarind nut powder composite films

Using biodegradable polypropylene carbonate as the matrix and the tamarind nut powder (TNP) in 5–25?wt% as the filler, the biocomposites were prepared. The biocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis techniques. The distribution of the TNP in the biocomposites was examined by polarized optical microscope. The tensile strength of the biocomposite films was higher than that of the matrix and increased with filler content whereas a reverse trend was observed in % elongation at break. These films with increased tensile strength can be considered for packaging applications.     

Ultraviolet nanosecond laser ablation behavior of silver nanoparticle and melamine–formaldehyde resin-coated short sisal fiber-modified PLA composites

Nd:YAG laser (355 nm) induced surface modifications in polylactic acid (PLA), and its composites with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs, size range between 120 and 150 nm) with and without additional melamine–formaldehyde-coated short sisal fibers were studied as a function of laser pulse numbers. The AgNP content was varied (100, 300 and 500 ppm), whereas the sisal content kept as constant (9 mass%). The PLA-based systems with a fully amorphous matrix were irradiated with 1–256 laser pulses at a constant fluence of 0.32 µJ µm^?2. Changes in the irradiated surfaces were assessed and quantified by light and scanning electron microscopic pictures. Protrusion with bubbling, bubbled protrusion with cratering and crater formation with more or less bubbled ridges were found as characteristic ablation features. Bubbling was traced to entrapped gaseous products of PLA degradation, while the onset of ridges was ascribed to the melt flow of the PLA matrix caused by laser shock waves. The laser irradiation caused damage and ablation highly depended on the actual composition, which influenced the UV absorption at 355 nm, which was measured as well.     

MRI and 1H MRS evaluation for the serial bile duct changes in hamsters after infection with Opisthorchis viverrini

A 3 T MR scanner was used to investigate the relationship between the alteration of bile duct lesions and the hepatic metabolic changes in hamsters infected with Opisthorchis viverrini by using 3 T MRI and ¹H MR spectroscopy. Animals were divided into control and infected groups. Five normal hamsters were used as control; fifty-five hamsters were infected with O. viverrini to induce bile duct lesions and hepatic metabolic changes. T2-weighted image sequence in three orthogonal planes were conducted by MRI scans. Single-voxel ¹H MRS was performed to obtain the relative choline-to-lipid ratios. The livers and bile ducts were excised for the histologic examination. The progression of bile duct changes by histology and metabolic changes in O. viverrini infected hamsters were co-investigated. In the O. viverrini-infected group, the T2-weighted images revealed the time-dependent intra- and extra-hepatic duct dilatations in the liver. The mean (± SD) choline-to-lipid ratios were 0.11 ± 0.035 in the control group, whereas the ratio in the infected group increased significantly with the progression of time. Histologic grading of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis were correlated well with the MRI grading (Spearman rank correlation test; r = 0.746 and p < 0.001). The control group showed no dilatation of the bile ducts and showed normal liver patterns. Noninvasive technique, MRI and ¹H MRS can demonstrated and applied to evaluate not only the inflammation-related fibrosis in the small bile ducts but also the metabolic changes in the liver induced by O. viverrini infection. A significant increase in the choline-to-lipids ratios were observed in parallel with the time-course of infection. O. viverrini infected in human is detected by stool examination. Hepatobiliary morbidity is detected and followed up by ultrasonography. MRI and MRS can be used in conjunction with ultrasonography for evaluation of progression of the disease.     

Improvement of Thin-Layer Chromatography for Enzyme Assay of Geranylgeraniol 18-Hydroxylase from Croton stellatopilosus Ohba

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - Plaunotol, an acyclic diterpenoid present in Croton stellatopilosus Ohba leaves, is a product of hydroxylation, catalyzed by...     

Modification of natural fibers from Thespesia lampas plant by in situ generation of silver nanoparticles in single-step hydrothermal method

Ligno-cellulosic fibers have a great market and propose higher value addition and options to develop various products but they do not have inherent antimicrobial properties. In this study, a simple hydrothermal method was applied to build up antimicrobial properties to natural fibers by in situ-generating silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in them. Herein, the ligno-cellulosic Thespesia lampas natural fibers were selected to develop antimicrobial activity using silver nitrate (AgNO₃) solution by hydrothermal method. The modified fibers were characterized by SEM, FTIR, XRD, TGA, and antibacterial activity tests. The modified fibers had spherical AgNPs with an average size of 95?nm. The thermal stability of the modified fibers was higher than that of the unmodified fibers. The modified fibers exhibited good antibacterial activity against both the Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria. These modified fibers can be considered as fillers in polymer matrices to make antibacterial composites.     

Creep Behavior of Polystyrene/Fluorohectorite Micro‐ and Nanocomposites

Summary: Pristine FH is incorporated into a PS matrix by melt blending with and without latex precompounding of PS and FH. Direct melt blending results in microcomposites, whereas the latex‐mediated (masterbatch) technique results in PS/FH nanocomposites. The tensile creep response of the micro‐ and nanocomposites are determined in short‐term creep tests. The resistance to creep is improved with increasing dispersion of FH in the PS matrix. Master curves (creep compliance vs. time), constructed based on isothermal creep tests performed in the temperature range between 5 and 45 °C, show that the FH reinforcement affects mostly the initial creep compliance (interphase effect). On the other hand, the stable creep is matrix (bulk) dominated. It is established that the Williams‐Landel‐Ferry equation is fairly applicable to the creep results.

Scheme of the change of creep compliance as a function of time for micro‐ and nanocomposites with an amorphous matrix.     

Characterization of novel natural cellulosic fibers from purple bauhinia for potential reinforcement in polymer composites

Cellulose - The aim of the present work was to extract novel natural cellulosic fibers from the leaves of purple bauhinia trees. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that, the...     

High-rate electrochemical performance and structure elucidation of hydrothermally synthesized nickel zincate nanorods

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - For the first time, nanorods of nickel zincate (NiZnO2) have been synthesized by the hydrothermal method and used in supercapacitor electrode fabrication....