Article
Chemistry, Physical
Alina R. Gaidai, Polina V. Vakuliuk, Eugeniy M. Demianenko, Roman B. Kozakevych, Tetiana Murlanova, Iryna M. Furtat, Victor V. Lobanov, Valentin A. Tertykh, Alexander A. Golub
Summary: Comprehensive studies using quantum chemical calculations and IR spectroscopy have shown that the interaction between ornidazole and hydroxylated and functionalized silicas is due to the formation of hydrogen bonds. The highest adsorption energy was observed for hydroxylated silica, followed by aminosilica and silica with methyl groups on the surface. Furthermore, nanocomposites based on hydroxylated, aminated, and partially methylated matrices exhibited the highest degree of release of ornidazole, while nanocomposites based on fully methylated matrices showed a decrease in the release degree.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Zhicheng Chang, Yafei Wang, Zhiyu Zhang, Ke Gao, Guanyi Hou, Jianxiang Shen, Liqun Zhang, Jun Liu
Summary: The study explores the impact of nanoparticle filling fraction and interaction strength between polymer chains and nanoparticles on the creep behavior of polymer nanocomposites using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation. Results show that increasing filler volume fraction and interaction strength enhance the creep resistance of PNCs, with the presence of single-chain bridge structures contributing to improved creep performance. Understanding these factors can provide guidelines for manipulating the creep mechanics of PNCs.
Article
Polymer Science
Stavros X. Drakopoulos, Georgia C. Manika, Aurora Nogales, Taeyong Kim, Andrew B. Robbins, Gianfranco Claudio, Austin J. Minnich, Tiberio A. Ezquerra, Georgios C. Psarras, Ignacio Martin-Fabiani, Sara Ronca
Summary: The study reveals the impact of stretching on the structure and properties of dis-UHMWPE composites reinforced with gold nanoparticles. Stretching increases orientation and crystallinity, reduces nanoparticle aggregation, and significantly enhances thermal conductivity and resistivity.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Mohammad Razavi-Nouri, Masoud Salavati
Summary: This study investigates the electrical conductivity and rheological behavior of EVA/NBR blends containing MWCNTs. The majority of MWCNTs are found in the EVA phase, and increasing the MWCNTs content improves the creep stability. Additionally, the nanofillers significantly affect the rheological behavior and electrical properties of the materials.
POLYMER COMPOSITES
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
M. Majidian, A. Magrez, L. Forro, Y. Leterrier
Summary: The addition of RGO nanoparticles can significantly increase the viscosity of composites, while low concentration RGO suspensions exhibit marked shear thinning behavior and yield stress.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Angel Romo-Uribe, Joseph D. Lichtenhan
Summary: This study demonstrates that dispersing parts-per-million polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanochemicals by melt extrusion with polyolefins can improve the tensile Young's modulus, yield stress, and toughness of films without affecting extensibility. The spatial distribution of POSS and the size of nanoparticles play a key role in enhancing the mechanical properties of polymers.
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Thais Ferreira da Silva, Ana Paula Fonseca Albers, Eduardo Quinteiro, Uttandaraman Sundararaj, Fabio Roberto Passador
Summary: In this study, attapulgite (ATP) was used as a filler for polyolefins to improve their mechanical properties. The ATP was purified by physical separation and chemical treatment to obtain a high-purity ATPa. The addition of ATPa increased the mechanical properties of the polyolefins, with HDPE/ATPa nanocomposites showing better results.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xiaofei Tian, Ye Chen, Xiaolei Xu, Wen-Sheng Xu, Jizhong Chen
Summary: This article develops a theory for the motion of particle grafted with inhomogeneous bead-spring Rouse chains using the generalized Langevin equation (GLE). The article obtains the exact solution of the memory kernel K(t) for the particle in the GLE, and derives the t-dependent mean square displacement g(t) of the polymer-grafted particle. The theory provides a direct way to quantify the contributions of the grafted chain relaxation to the particle's mobility and sheds light on the complex dynamics of polymer-grafted particles.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Seong-Gun Bae, Sanghun Kim, Handeul Jeong, Yoonjoo Lee, Yeong-Geun Jeong, Dong-Geun Shin
Summary: The polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) technique allows for low-temperature fabrication of Si-based ceramics, such as silicon carbide fiber. Polycarbosilane (PCS) can be converted to silicon carbide in the PDCs method, where excess carbon is generated. The optimization of a silicon carbide-hafnium carbide nanocomposite fiber was achieved by crosslinking oxygen into the PCS fiber, resulting in improved microstructure and high-temperature properties.
JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN CERAMIC SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
L. Shan, C. Y. Tan, X. Shen, S. Ramesh, R. Kolahchi, M. H. Hajmohammad, D. K. Rajak
Summary: The effect of adding multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to an A356 aluminum alloy was studied in this research, and it was found that the addition of MWCNTs can improve the hardness and creep lifetime of the alloy.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Saeideh Hojatzadeh, Esmail Sharifzadeh, Farshad Rahimpour
Summary: A multi-stage model was proposed to predict the creep behavior of semi-crystalline polymer nano-composites, taking into account the impact of nanoparticle aggregation/agglomeration, polymer/particle interphase region, and self/induced crystallization phenomenon. The model involved a specific equivalent box model (EBM) to evaluate the roles of dispersed or aggregated/agglomerated nanoparticle domains, an analytical model to study the characteristics of the polymer/particle interphase, and a standard linear viscoelastic (SLV) model to examine the time-dependent creep behavior. Experimental tests were conducted to verify the theoretical results, showing that increasing nanoparticle content and polymer/particle compatibility enhances the resistance against time-dependent creep.
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Kevin A. Stewart, Daniel P. DeLellis, Jacob J. Lessard, John F. Rynk, Brent S. Sumerlin
Summary: Thermoset materials sacrifice recyclability and reshapeability for increased chemical and mechanical robustness. However, the static connectivity of thermosets has been replaced with dynamic cross-links in covalent adaptable networks (CANs), which allows for damage repair and reshaping. Hybrid inorganic-organic enaminone vitrimers with high weight percent of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) derivatives were synthesized, showing tunability, shapeability, predictable glass transition temperatures, thermal stability, and retention of preordained shape following decomposition. These materials have potential applications in heat-shielding materials (HSMs) with complex detailing.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Review
Polymer Science
Tatjana Glaskova-Kuzmina, Olesja Starkova, Sergejs Gaidukovs, Oskars Platnieks, Gerda Gaidukova
Summary: Biodegradable polymers (BP) are considered the materials of the future, with excellent properties comparable to commodity plastics. The lack of data on the durability of biodegradable polymer nanocomposites (BPN) has prompted a review summarizing recent literature data on environmental aging of BPN. Incorporating nanofillers into BP can improve durability, but poor dispersion may lead to faster degradation. Selected models describing the durability performance of BPN can be used to design materials with tailored degradation properties and durability.
Review
Polymer Science
Xiao-Yan Wang, Yanshan Gao, Yong Tang
Summary: Polyolefins, the largest-scale synthetic plastics, face challenges in terms of recycling and sustainability. The chemical inertness and lack of degradation sites make it difficult to reuse waste polyolefins. To address this issue, degrading or modifying waste polyolefins on a large scale can facilitate their reuse, and rethinking the design and synthesis from monomer feedstocks can lead to inherently recyclable and more sustainable polyolefin materials.
PROGRESS IN POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Manuel Haeussler, Marcel Eck, Dario Rothauer, Stefan Mecking
Summary: Plastics are crucial components in modern technology but are often disposed of after use. Chemical recycling offers an alternative to retain high-performance properties, but traditional polyethylene poses challenges due to its inert nature and structure.
Article
Polymer Science
Vesna Ocelic Bulatovic, Dajana Kucic Grgic, Vilko Mandic, Martina Miloloza, Jiri Dybal, Veronika Gajdosova, Miroslav Slouf
Summary: Plastic waste is a symbolic expression of environmental pollution, and developing biodegradable plastics is a pragmatic approach to mitigate environmental problems. Starch, as a fully biodegradable polymer, is difficult to process. This study aims to prepare sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging materials based on biodegradable blends, and concludes that modifiers play a crucial role in obtaining homogeneous polymer blends.
Article
Hematology
Dominik Kutac, Milos Bohonek, Ludmila Landova, Eva Staskova, Marie Blahutova, Ivana Malikova, Miroslav Slouf, Jan M. Horacek, Lynn G. Stansbury, John R. Hess, Jerard Seghatchian
Summary: This study investigated the effects of pathogen reduction technology (PRT) on the recovery and function of platelets after cryopreservation. The results showed that PRT treated platelets had lower numbers, reduced function, and aggregates compared to untreated platelets, indicating a potential reduction in platelet effectiveness.
TRANSFUSION AND APHERESIS SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jakub Siegel, Barbora Vyhnalkova, Tatiana Savenkova, Jana Pryjmakova, Petr Slepicka, Miroslav Slouf, Tomas Hubacek
Summary: This study explores the possibility of firmly anchoring silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into polyetherether ketone (PEEK) with a tailored surface morphology that exhibits laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). The antibacterial test proved that AgNPs-decorated LIPSS represents a more effective bactericidal protection than their planar counterparts, even if they contain a lower concentration of immobilized particles. Nanostructured PEEK with embedded AgNPs may open up new possibilities in the production of templates for replication processes in the construction of functional bactericidal biopolymers or may be directly used in tissue engineering applications.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Lukas Ondrak, Katerina Ondrak Fialova, Michal Sakmar, Martin Vlk, Karel Stamberg, Barbora Drtinova, Miroslav Slouf, Frank Bruchertseifer, Alfred Morgenstern, Jan Kozempel
Summary: In this study, ZrP was prepared and characterized using various analytical methods. The sorption mechanism of radiometals on ZrP surface and the surface characterization of ZrP were investigated. ZrP shows promise for future studies in drug delivery systems or ion-exchange separations of medical radionuclides.
JOURNAL OF RADIOANALYTICAL AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Aleksandra Ujcic, Maciej Sobotka, Miroslav Slouf, Adrian Rozanski, Konrad Szustakiewicz
Summary: This study focuses on the characterization of porous PCL scaffolds prepared by TIPS and TIPS-PL combined with freeze-drying. The effects of PCL grade and sodium chloride particles on the crystallization behavior, thermal properties, and structural changes of the scaffolds were investigated. The addition of sodium chloride particles significantly affected the pore size, density, compressive properties, porosity, and water uptake of the scaffolds.
Article
Polymer Science
D. Perin, A. Dorigato, A. Pegoretti
Summary: One of the main limitations of high-performance composite materials is failure due to fatigue crack propagation. Traditional repair methods can be costly and time-consuming, so research in the field of self-healing composites has increased. This study focuses on producing a polyamide 6 (PA6) matrix with self-healing properties by melt compounding cyclic olefinic copolymer (COC) with PA6. The immiscibility and lack of interfacial adhesion between the constituents were observed through scanning electron microscope micrographs. The addition of 30 wt% of COC resulted in a slight decrease in fracture toughness, but led to a healing efficiency of 11% in quasi-static mode and 35% in impact mode.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alessandro Sorze, Francesco Valentini, Andrea Dorigato, Alessandro Pegoretti
Summary: Bio-based hydrogel composites of xanthan gum and cellulose fibers were developed to promote plant growth and forest protection. The hydrogels showed high moisture absorption capability and improved water retention in soil. Practical experiments demonstrated that the addition of hydrogels into the soil resulted in higher growth rates of herbaceous and tomato plants. The water-regulating properties of the hydrogels could have significant value in forestry and agricultural applications, helping improve plant resilience and address climate change challenges.
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Davide Perin, Haroon Mahmood, Daniele Rigotti, Andrea Dorigato, Alessandro Pegoretti
Summary: This study investigates the self-healing behavior of carbon fiber reinforced composites by depositing COC meshes on dry carbon fiber plies. The introduction of COC mesh reduces flexural stress and interlaminar shear strength. The laminates containing 8 wt% COC show a healing efficiency of 9.4% and 33.7% for Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness.
POLYMER COMPOSITES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
L. Simonini, H. Mahmood, A. Dorigato, A. Pegoretti
Summary: This study aims to develop a PLA-based material with well-balanced stiffness and toughness to overcome the brittleness issue of commercial grade PLA. Composites were prepared by blending PLA with increasing contents of TPU and a fixed concentration of CFs, which were acid-treated to enhance the interfacial adhesion. The results showed improved tensile modulus, maximum stress, and elongation at break, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach in preparing novel PLA-based materials with tailorable properties.
POLYMER COMPOSITES
(2023)
Article
Spectroscopy
Jan Kozisek, Miroslav Slouf, Ivana Sloufova
Summary: The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect, which enhances the Raman signals of molecules near plasmonic nanoparticles, is strongly influenced by the excitation wavelength. In this study, factor analysis (FA) was used to extract information about changes in the surface plasmon extinction (SPE) band from SERS spectral sets, providing a more accurate and comprehensive interpretation of the results. The FA analysis of water stretching vibrations and fingerprint region vibrations successfully monitored changes in the SPE band and provided unique information about the arrangement and disarrangement of water molecules. Additionally, FA analysis revealed the contribution of the second electromagnetic enhancement to the SERS signal in aggregated Ag colloidal systems at a specific excitation wavelength.
SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA PART A-MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Katerina Ondrak Fialova, Krystof Adamek, Martin Vlk, Barbora Drtinova, Karel Stamberg, Ferdinand Sebesta, Miroslav Slouf, Jan Kozempel
Summary: The development of new sorption materials, extraction agents, and separation methods is driven by the demand for new medicinal radionuclides. Inorganic ion exchangers, especially hydrous oxides, are commonly used for the separation of these radionuclides. Cerium dioxide, a competitive sorption material to titanium dioxide, was extensively studied in this research. The material was prepared and characterized using various techniques, and its sorption capacity for germanium was measured. The material showed a wider range of pH for anion exchange compared to titanium dioxide, making it a potential matrix in Ge-68/Ga-68 radionuclide generators.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Veronika Gajdosova, Milena Spirkova, Yareni Aguilar Costumbre, Sabina Krejcikova, Beata Strachota, Miroslav Slouf, Adam Strachota
Summary: The morphology, macro-, and micromechanical properties of novel poly(urethane-urea)/silica nanocomposites were investigated. These materials showed complex elastoviscoplastic behavior and were of great interest for microindentation studies. The properties correlated strongly, and the relationships were affected by hydrogen bonding, nanofiller distribution, and material deformation.
Article
Orthopedics
R. Sticha, P. Fulin, O. Nyc, V. Gajdosova, D. Pokorny, M. Slouf
Summary: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties of the most common antibiotic carriers used in orthopedic surgery. The study confirmed that bone cements and porous calcium sulfate, the two most common commercial systems used in orthopedic surgery, can prevent bacterial growth but may not completely eliminate bacteria. The results also suggest that the homogeneity and reproducibility of antibiotic dispersion in the systems are associated with the scattered results in bactericidal tests.
ACTA CHIRURGIAE ORTHOPAEDICAE ET TRAUMATOLOGIAE CECHOSLOVACA
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Szymon Kozlowski, Magdalena Lipinska, Miroslav Slouf, Miroslav Mrlik, Christopher M. Plummer, Marketa Ilcikova, Josef Osicka, Joanna Pietrasik
Summary: The molecular weight of a polymer is a crucial factor in determining material properties. In this study, a novel polymer blend was designed by correlating the molecular weight of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) chains tethered on graphene oxide (GO) particles with the molecular weight of the PMMA matrix. Rheological studies and TEM analyses were conducted to investigate the effects of molecular weight on blend compatibility, viscoelasticity, and morphology.
MATERIALS TODAY COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Uladzimir Bildziukevich, Miroslav Slouf, Lucie Rarova, David Saman, Zdenek Wimmer
Summary: In this study, moronic acid and morolic acid, two less studied plant triterpenoids, were derivatized to design and prepare novel compounds capable of nano-assembling and displaying cytotoxicity. The formation of nanostructures was confirmed for several derived compounds, which formed different types of nanostructures in either chloroform or water. One derivative, 18, showed enhanced cytotoxicity in various cancer cell lines, making it a promising compound for further research.
