PREPARATION AND CATALYTIC ACTIVITY OF BIOACTIVE FIBERS

Two kinds of water-soluble metallophthalocyanines, binuclear cobalt phthalocyanine （Co2Pc2） and binuclear ferric phthalocyanine （Fe2Pc2）, were synthesized through phenylanhydride-urea route and characterized by elemental analysis and FT-IR spectra. Binuclear metallophthalocyanine derivatives （Mt2Pc2） were immobilized on silk fibers and modified viscose fibers to construct bioactive fibers of mimic enzyme. Mt2Pc2 was used as the active center of bioactive fibers, viscose and silk fibers as the microenvironments. The catalytic oxidation ability of bioactive fibers on the malodors of methanthiol and hydrogen sulfide was investigated at room temperature. The experimental results indicated that the catalytic activity of such bioactive fibers was closely correlative to the types ofbioactive fibers and substrates.     

矿渣粉加固粉土的理论分析及路用性能研究

提出了矿渣粉加固粉土的相关理论。将矿渣粉在加固土中的作用归结为火山灰胶凝效应和微集料填充效应,而火山灰胶凝效应又可进一步归结为水化作用、激发作用和离子交换作用;认为微集料填充效应与矿渣粉细度极为相关;用框图归纳了矿渣粉加固土的两种作用效应。进行了矿渣粉、石灰粉加固土无侧限饱水抗压强度、水稳定性、冻稳定性、温度收缩和干燥收缩等路用性能试验,并进行比较。结果表明,矿渣粉加固土所测路用性能指标优于石灰粉加固土。为工程应用提供了试验依据。     

Performance of noise barriers with various edge shapes and acoustical conditions

The performances of barriers having different shapes and surface conditions were tested using the boundary element method in a well-controlled environment. The heights and widths of the barriers were standardized and the insertion losses for six receiver positions were averaged and compared. Figures displaying the results allow for straightforward barrier performance estimation. It was shown that absorbing and soft edges significantly improve the efficiency of the barrier, but configuration modifications provide only a slight improvement. The soft T-shaped barrier produces the highest performance. A 3 m high T-shaped barrier provides the same performance as a 10 m high plain barrier. The spectral efficiency was also investigated. The insertion loss spectra for the absorbing and the soft barriers exhibit a similar shape, but the rigid barrier differs from these two.     

Simple preparation and characteristics of silk fibroin microsphere

We investigated the biomaterial and pharmaceutical utility of pure silk fibroin (SF) protein as a possible for separation, using Sephadex G-25 gel filtration chromatography and simply preparing SF microsphere particles (SFMP) by spray dryer. Also, some of its physicochemical properties and morphology were investigated. Obtaining microspheres and/or submicronic particles by spray dryer method was accelerated or completed with the transition from the random coil to the β-sheet structure during spray dryer treatment. It was identified by the basic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of SFMP. The various pH range of SFMP’s swelling ratio is dependent on the pH of the solution, not on the occurred gelation. Morphologically, SFMP was spherical in shape, and particles, average 2±10 μm in size, were observed by scanning electron microscope and particle analyzer, respectively. The average molecular weight (M_W) of pure SF protein dissolved in calcium chloride is about 61,500 g/mol as measured by gel permeation chromatography.     

New transesterification reaction between acetylated wood and tetramethoxysilane: A feasibility study

Novel transesterification of acetylated maritime pine sapwood (Pinus pinaster Soland) reaction was performed with tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) in presence of dibutyltin oxide as a catalyst. Transesterification was confirmed by weight percent gain calculations (WPG), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) as well as ¹³C and ²⁹Si NMR CP-MAS analysis. The results showed that transesterification indeed occurs via exchange of acetate groups from acetylated wood and methoxysilane groups from TMOS. The effect of temperatures and reaction time upon transesterification efficiency was also investigated.     

Electrically conducting electrospun silk membranes fabricated by adsorption of carbon nanotubes

We present a simple method of obtaining electrically conducting electrospun silk non-woven membranes consisting of nanofibers with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) adsorbed on their surface. Nanofibrous membranes with fibroin diameters of 460 ± 40 nm were formed from aqueous Bombyx mori fibroin solution by electrospinning. The MWCNTs adhered well to the surface of the highly porous silk nanofibrous membranes when Triton X-100 was used as the surfactant for the dispersion of the MWCNTs in aqueous media. The electrical conductivity of the membranes was 2.4 × 10⁻⁴ S/cm due to the presence of the MWCNTs on their surface. In addition, the strong interaction between the MWCNTs and nanofibers keeps them from separating each other, even after ultrasonication. The combination of the high conductivity of the membranes and the simple process used to fabricate them could lead to significant advances in the development of new materials, such as electromagnetic interference shielding or electrostatic dissipation membranes.     

THE PREPARATION AND STUDY ON THE NANO-TiO2/SILK FIBROIN COMPOSITE FILMS BY THE SOL-GEL METHOD

Based on the sol-gel technique using butyl titanate as oxide precursor, the regenerated SF (silk fibroin)/nano-TiO2 composite films were synthesized. Different amounts of butyl titanate to SF were used to verify this effect on the characteristics of the formed materials. Samples were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffractometry, UV, AFM and FT-IR spectroscopy.The experimental results reveal that, compared to the pure silk fibroin films, the mechanical strength of these regenerated SF/nano-TiO2 composite films were increased and the dissolubility in water of SF/nano-TiO2 composite films in aqueous solution were decreased. The diameter of nano-TiO2 particle films was about 80nm through UV and AFM. The nano-TiO2 particles were well dispersed in the regenerated silk fibroin. It was found that the crystal structures of the composite films were transited from typical Silk Ⅰ to typical Silk Ⅱ by the XRD and FTIR. Furthermore, the crystallinity of the composite films was obviously improved. Through the TGA, it was demonstrated that the heat transition temperature of composite films was also enhanced.     

Ion Recognition and Analytical Application of a Fibroin Modified Electrode

A novel fibroin modified electrode with ion recognition was reported. The membrane with isoelectric point of pH 4.5, was modified on graphite and carbon fiber electrodes. The pH-responsive ion recognition of the modified electrode was investigated by use of some neurocompounds. The fibroin carbon fiber electrode has been used for in-vivo determination.     

GRAFTING OF ETHYLENE GLYCOL DIMETHACRYLATE ONTO SILK IN AQUEOUS ALCOHOLIC SOLUTION

The grafting of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) onto silk in aqueous alcohol systems using potassiumpersulfate (KPS) in the presence of air was investigated. Effects of grafting conditions, such as concentrations of monomer,initiator and formic acid, temperature and time, on the graft yield were determined. The optimum graft conditions were foundto be: T = 80℃, t = 30 min, [KPS] = 1.85% [on the weight ofmonomer (owm)]; [formic acid] = 0.2% (V/V); [EGDMA] =80% [on the weight of fiber (owf)]. The activation energy of grafting at 50-80℃ was found to be 71.31 kJ/mol for EGDMA.Grafting equations were also evaluated. The graft yield value can be regulated by the concentration of monomer. The graftcopolymerization of EGDMA onto silk is effective in improving the crease-proofing of silk fabrics.     

Structure and microporous formation of cellulose/silk fibroin blend membranes: Part II. Effect of post-treatment by alkali

Blend membranes (RCF1) were prepared from mixture solution of cellulose and silk fibroin (SF) in cuoxam by coagulating with acetone–acetic acid (4:1 by volume). The blend membranes were subjected to post-treatment with 10% NaOH aqueous solution, and their structure and properties were characterized by FT-IR, X-ray diffraction, DSC, SEM and DMTA. In previous work, cellulose/SF blend membranes (RCF2) prepared by coagulating with 10% NaOH aqueous solution formed a microporous structure, in which the SF as a pore former was almost completely removed from the membrane. However, when the blend membranes RCF1 were immersed in 10% NaOH aqueous solution for post-treatment, a strong hydrogen bonding between cellulose and SF inhibited the removal of SF. Although alkali is a good solvent for SF, the blend membranes RCF1 such obtained from cellulose and SF were alkali resistant. The crystallinity and the mean pore size of the blend membranes slightly decreased with increasing post-treatment time. This work provided a cellulose/silk blend membrane, which can be used under alkaline medium.