Article
Polymer Science
Weronika Szczesna, Marta Tsirigotis-Maniecka, Lilianna Szyk-Warszynska, Sebastian Balicki, Piotr Warszynski, Kazimiera A. Wilk
Summary: In this study, multilayered alginate/chitosan microparticles were fabricated to enhance the oral administration of large cranberry fruit extracts. The size and properties of the microparticles were influenced by the outermost layer composition. The microparticles showed good drug entrapment efficiency and release profiles.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Kunal Choudhuri, Gabrielle M. Blevins, Umberto A. Kober, Yakov Lapitsky
Summary: In this study, the dissolution of chitosan-based polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) gels in sodium bicarbonate solutions was systematically analyzed. The results revealed that the reversible conversion of chitosan amine groups to carbamate groups caused the dissolution of the PEC gels. The dissolution rates were influenced by the bicarbonate concentration and the stoichiometric imbalance between chitosan amine and alginate carboxylate groups.
Article
Polymer Science
Tao Lin, Dandan Chen, Yan Geng, Jiayu Li, Yanghui Ou, Zhijun Zeng, Canqiang Yin, Xudong Qian, Xiang Qiu, Gang Li, Yali Zhang, Wen Guan, Mengjie Li, Xiaojia Cai, Jiaqiang Wu, Wen-Hua Chen, Yan-Qing Guan, Hongliang Yao
Summary: In this study, a compound with anti-inflammatory activity, 3J, was synthesized and incorporated into an intelligent composite hydrogel for the treatment of oral ulcers. The hydrogel exhibited a dense honeycomb structure for effective drug loading and wound ventilation, as well as biodegradability. It showed antibacterial effects, reduced inflammatory cytokine levels, and had excellent swelling and water retention properties, making it a promising treatment for oral ulcers.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Roberto Chignola, Federica Mainente, Gianni Zoccatelli
Summary: Encapsulation of perishable bioactive molecules has become a standard process in the food industry. In this study, we investigated the rheological properties of chitosan cross-linked with sodium tripolyphosphate beads and found that their mechanical properties could not be explained with standard linear viscoelastic models. Encapsulation of phenolic compounds also altered the viscoelastic behavior of the beads.
FOOD HYDROCOLLOIDS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Yong Liu, Jian Hu, Zhenhua Xiao, Xiaolin Jin, Chuanxia Jiang, Panchao Yin, Liqun Tang, Taolin Sun
Summary: In this work, the dynamics of hydrogels from the polyelectrolyte complexation of sodium hyaluronate and chitosan under different temperature and salt concentration were investigated. The study found that increasing temperature and adding salt significantly reduce the mechanical behavior of hydrogels. The stress relaxation of semi-flexible chain segments is accelerated at high temperature and salt concentration, which is controlled by a thermally activated bond dissociation process. The study also revealed that the chain aggregations in hydrogels are physically crosslinked by surrounded semi-flexible chains, and their diffusion is hindered by topological entanglements and ionic associations.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anandavalli Varadarajan, Logan T. Kearney, Jong K. Keum, Amit K. Naskar, Santanu Kundu
Summary: In this study, the structure and properties of polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) were investigated by adding sodium chloride (salt doping). The addition of salt resulted in a decrease in the water content and an increase in the shear modulus of the complex phase. However, at high salt concentrations, the shear modulus of the complex phase decreased without forming a liquid coacervate, which is different from synthetic polyelectrolytes. This research provides insights into the structure-property relationship of natural polymer-based PECs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nadia Hussein A. Al-Assady, Hussain A. Badran, Sarah A. Kamil, Ryadh Ch. Abo-Alhal
Summary: Rifampicin-loaded sodium alginate/chitosan polyelectrolyte microparticles were prepared using CaCl2 as a cross-linking agent. The influence of sodium alginate and chitosan concentrations on particle size, surface properties, and drug release behavior was investigated. The results showed that by increasing the concentration of the polymer, the release of rifampicin decreased, and drug release followed zero-order kinetics frequently influenced by diffusion.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Kelin Peng, Weizhe Wang, Jinghua Zhang, Yan Ma, Lizhi Lin, Qiang Gan, Yu Chen, Changgen Feng
Summary: In this study, a physical conductive hydrogel (CHs) with high ionic conductivities was prepared by combining the anti-polyelectrolyte effect with the semi-dissolution acidification sol-gel transition method. The obtained hydrogels exhibit high ionic conductivities at both room temperature and low temperature, and can be used in flexible supercapacitors.
CARBOHYDRATE POLYMERS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wenxin Song, Zhimin Gao, Chengsi Hou, Xiaoxiang Cheng, Jinchuan Lian, Tao Yang, Zhiwei Zhou, Daoji Wu, Heng Liang
Summary: A strategy of pre-oxidation with sodium percarbonate (SPC) enhanced by chitosan quaternary ammonium salt (HTCC) coagulation was proposed to improve the performance of ultrafiltration (UF) for algae removal. The results showed that the SPC-HTCC treatment had a significant effect on the removal of algal pollutants, reducing their concentration and alleviating membrane fouling.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Shulan Xiao, Dong Uk Ahn
Summary: The objective of this study was to produce lutein-loaded polysaccharide complexes to increase the stability of lutein. The results showed that the lutein-loaded complexes had high entrapment efficiency and loading capacity, and exhibited improved thermal and UV-light stabilities compared to free lutein.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Shang-Ta Wang, Yi-Ying Lu, Min-Lang Tsai
Summary: This study introduced different excipients to improve the spray drying process of chitosan/NaCl/maltodextrin microparticles, resulting in spherical particles with sizes ranging from 6.29 to 7.64 μm. The addition of microcrystalline cellulose and waxy starch significantly reduced hygroscopicity and caking strength, showing potential for reducing sodium intake in the food industry.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Slaven Juric, Marina Juric, Anet Rezek Jambrak, Marko Vincekovic
Summary: This work reviews the recent development of biopolymer-based delivery systems for agricultural application, emphasizing the protection and targeted delivery of active agents through encapsulation into biopolymer microparticles with controlled release for ecological and sustainable plant production. The encapsulation of biological agents provides protection, increases survivability, and offers a safe environment for growth. Additionally, the application of microparticles loaded with chemical and biological agents presents an innovative way to stimulate plant metabolites synthesis, enhancing plants' defense against pests and pathogens and resulting in the production of higher quality food.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
WeiCong Zhang, Ying Wang, Juan Guo, Chao Huang, Yong Hu
Summary: New pH-sensitive polysaccharide supramolecular hydrogel microparticles (HMPs) were constructed based on carboxymethyl beta-cyclodextrin/chitosan inclusion complex (CM-beta-CD/CS) and EDTA-chitosan (EDCS) in aqueous solution, showing highlighted pH-dependent release characteristics for potential protein drug delivery applications.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Noushin Mohammadifard, Faezeh Moazeni, Fatemeh Azizian-Farsani, Mojgan Gharipour, Elham Khosravi, Ladan Sadeghian, Asieh Mansouri, Shahin Shirani, Nizal Sarrafzadegan
Summary: This study examined the effect of genetic variation in salt taste receptors on dietary salt intake and blood pressure in the Iranian population. It found that certain genotypes were associated with higher sodium consumption and diastolic blood pressure. These genetic variations may be related to hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk in this population.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Tania Silva-Santos, Pedro Moreira, Olivia Pinho, Patricia Padrao, Sandra Abreu, Silvia Esteves, Luis Oliveira, Pedro Norton, Micaela Rodrigues, Altin Ndrio, Carla Goncalves
Summary: The study aimed to verify the impact of using the Salt Control H equipment to reduce salt consumption. The results showed that in hypertensive men, the intervention led to a decrease in sodium intake and Na:K ratio.
Article
Polymer Science
Mustafa Kalay, Abidin Esidir, Mahmut Ruzi, N. Burak Kiremitler, Mustafa Serdar Onses
Summary: This study proposes stable and addressable polymer PUFs, utilizing a cross-linkable polymer system, which demonstrates high stochastic characteristics and low-cost production. The performance of the polymer features is evaluated through various analyses, and direct image authentication is achieved using feature matching algorithms.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Jingyu Jin, Guoqiang Lu, Jun Nie, Xiaoqun Zhu
Summary: Photopolymerization technology is limited in the fields of food packaging and biomedicine due to the high migration of small molecules from photoinitiators. In this study, a polymerizable 2-vinyl thioxanthone (ETX) was synthesized to improve the migration stability of photoinitiators. Macromolecular photoinitiators (PPI1, PPI2) were also prepared to further reduce migration. The results showed that the ETX/TEOA system had higher initiation performance and PPI2 displayed favorable initiation ability. Additionally, the migration of ETX, PPI1, and PPI2 in photocured film was significantly reduced. These low-migration photoinitiators have potential applications in the fields of food packaging and biological materials.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Weijie Li, Jun Nie, Yingying Zhao, Xiaoqun Zhu
Summary: This study focuses on the development of high-performance, low-migration photoinitiators. A polymerizable photoinitiator (VBP) was synthesized by introducing an ethylene group into benzophenone, and three different molecular weight single-component photoinitiators (PVBN1-3) were synthesized based on VBP. The results show that these new photoinitiators have stronger absorption ability compared to benzophenone and significantly reduce the migration of initiators and co-initiators, addressing the safety concerns caused by migration.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Seira Morimune-Moriya, Yuki Iwahashi, Mitsuru Nakamura, Daisuke Ogawa, Keiji Nakamura
Summary: This study investigates the effect of plasma treatment on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and the structure/properties of polyimide (PI) nanocomposites with ultra-low content of CNTs. The results show that plasma treatment introduces isocyanate groups on the surface of CNTs and enhances the interfacial interaction between PI and treated CNTs. This leads to a significant improvement in the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites, with even a small addition of treated CNTs showing a substantial increase in Young's modulus, tensile strength and toughness.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Yuanlong Li, Chaojie Chen, Guoqing Cui, Li Liu, Chao Zhou, Guangfeng Wu
Summary: In this study, a novel ion-conducting hydrogel was fabricated using a straightforward approach. The hydrogel showed excellent tensile properties and high toughness due to physical interactions and covalent binding. Additionally, the introduction of hydroxyethyl cellulose and lithium chloride improved the biocompatibility, mechanical properties, electrical conductivity, and frost resistance of the hydrogel, demonstrating its potential for cold climate applications.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Dengwei Yan, Jinxian Yang, Xuejun Pan, Xiaozheng Duan, Lianwei Li, Mo Zhu
Summary: The influence of backbone length on grafting efficiency during the graft-onto reaction process was investigated. It was found that the polydispersity effect of backbone length does not affect the final grafting efficiency, indicating that the local dynamics of chain segments dominate the graft-onto process.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Zhaoyi Luo, Xianjie Pan, Fanqi Liu, Quanxi Yi, Yanning Zeng, Yunhua Chen, Chaoyang Wang
Summary: This study provides a method to prepare high-performance epoxy materials with good malleability and thermal stability. The materials have self-healing and welding capabilities, thanks to the addition of specific chemical bonds and network structures. They exhibit mechanical properties comparable to commercial epoxy resins and show great potential for sustainable industrial development.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Chaoji Xiong, Hao Wang, Lihua Deng, Kun Liang, Chunhua Wu, Wei Wu, Qian Chen
Summary: In this study, four polyamides were synthesized and their adsorption performances for Hg2+ in aqueous systems were investigated. The polyamides exhibited high adsorption capacities and excellent reusability, with the involvement of sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen in the chemical adsorption process of Hg2+.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Siim Laanesoo, Olivier Bonjour, Rauno Sedrik, Iris Tamsalu, Patric Jannasch, Lauri Vares
Summary: The insertion of rigid aliphatic or aromatic building blocks in polymer structures is an effective way to synthesize high -Tg polymer materials. In this study, a series of isosorbide-2-aryl carboxylate-5-methacrylate monomers (ArIMAs) were synthesized by functionalizing isosorbide 5-methacrylate with various aromatic lignin-inspired esters. These monomers were polymerized to obtain high molecular-weight poly(aryl carboxylate isosorbide methacrylates) (PArIMAs). The resulting polymers showed high glass transition temperatures and thermal stability, making them suitable for use as high-performance plastics and coatings.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Yuqian Wu, Weijie Xu, Jianliang Li, Zhangfeng Zhong, Liqing Huang, Shengke Li, Huaping Tan
Summary: This study investigates the improvement of degradation and drug release characteristics of dynamic Schiff base-mediated natural polysaccharide hydrogels using tannic acid (TA), leading to enhanced stability and functionality.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Xi Zhang, Xiangli Kong, Xin Zhou, Yiyan Gao, Yibo Sun, Guanghui Gao, Wei Liu, Kai Shi
Summary: Conductive hydrogels have great development prospects in flexible strain sensors, but long-term direct contact with human skin can cause bacterial infection. A hydrogel with antibacterial, biocompatibility, and toughness was designed and manufactured using a freeze-thaw method. The hydrogel maintains tensile properties and fatigue resistance at low temperatures and is resistant to bacteria. Therefore, hydrogel sensors can be used to monitor human movements.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Wei Zhang, Jiangang Yu, Mingyang Wu, Rui Li, Anqiang Zhang, Yaling Lin
Summary: In this study, polyacrylamide containing quaternary ammonium salts (PAM-X) were synthesized and found to effectively inhibit soil-borne pathogenic fungi while maintaining the balance of microbial population in soil. PAM-X also showed low toxicity to earthworms and fish, providing a new method for the prevention and control of soil-borne fungal diseases.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Jiawen He, Haojie Yu, Li Wang, Jian Yang, Yanhui Zhang, Wenbing Huang, Chenguang Ouyang
Summary: This review discusses the use of polymeric hydrogels for atmospheric water harvesting (AWH), including the mechanism of water sorption, fabrication methods, and strategies for optimizing the structure of hydrogels. The extended applications of hygroscopic photothermal hydrogels, such as agricultural irrigation and dehumidification, are also explored. The challenges and prospects of using polymeric hydrogels for AWH are summarized.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Ying Du, Shuaishuai Lu, Yuanna Sun, Qingshan Li, Xinhai He
Summary: This study introduces a method to improve the performance of hydrogels by incorporating proline, resulting in hydrogels with excellent stretchability, high conductivity, and long-term stability. The hydrogel remains flexible and conductive even at ultra-low temperatures.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2024)