Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wei Zhang, Hongbin Zhang, Liping Yang, Yi Tang, Ping Tang
Summary: Incorporating zeolites into Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) can improve its low crystallization rate and long molding cycle. Among the PET/zeolite nanocomposites, PET/MCM-22P exhibits significantly improved crystallization behavior, thermal stability, and oxygen barrier properties, attributed to the layered morphology of MCM-22P and hydrogen bond interactions between MCM-22P and PET.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Matteo Moschetta, Jong-Young Lee, Joao Rodrigues, Alice Podesta, Omar Varvicchio, Jangyup Son, Yangjin Lee, Kwanpyo Kim, Gwan-Hyoung Lee, Fabio Benfenati, Mattia Bramini, Andrea Capasso
Summary: Hydrogenated graphene (HGr) enhances cell-to-cell communication in primary cortical neurons compared to pristine graphene, demonstrating higher wettability and relatively high electrical conductivity. Neurons plated onto HGr exhibit a dense network of excitatory synaptic connections, leading to a doubled miniature excitatory postsynaptic current frequency.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nobuhiro Takahashi, Yuto Miyanishi, Ryota Kato, Tomoko Amimoto, Yoko Iwamoto, Kazuhiko Takeda
Summary: The migration of terephthalate and low molecular weight organic compounds from PET scraps was studied in water and seawater. The concentrations of terephthalate exponentially increased with irradiation time, and higher concentrations were observed in seawater compared to water. Dark reactions also led to the production of terephthalate, and the half-life of the irradiated PET scraps in the dark was approximately 205 years. The continuous release of terephthalate and other compounds from PET bottles in marine environments was observed.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Bedriye Ucpinar Durmaz, Miray Gozde Atilgan, Ayse Aytac
Summary: The study evaluated the effectiveness of GO as reinforcement material and Joncryl as a compatibilizing agent for PET/PBT blends, finding that Joncryl improved mechanical properties while the addition of GO weakened interfacial adhesion.
POLYMER COMPOSITES
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Shin-Ichi Hachisuka, Jia Fong Chong, Tsuyoshi Fujiwara, Akiyo Takayama, Yumiko Kawakami, Shosuke Yoshida
Summary: The bacterium Ideonella sakaiensis, which degrades poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), has been found to produce enzymes that convert PET into its monomeric compounds. This study identified the enzymes involved in the metabolism of ethylene glycol (EG) in I. sakaiensis and demonstrated the unique alcohol oxidation pathway of the bacterium. Understanding these metabolic pathways is important for the potential engineering of I. sakaiensis for bioremediation and biorecycling purposes.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Dimitrios G. Papageorgiou, Irini Tsetsou, Raphael O. Ioannidis, George N. Nikolaidis, Stylianos Exarhopoulos, Nejib Kasmi, Dimitrios N. Bikiaris, Dimitris S. Achilias, George Z. Papageorgiou
Summary: This study investigated the structure, thermal properties, and miscibility of PET/PEF blends, finding that the miscibility varied at different blend compositions and exploring reactive blending as a potential method to improve miscibility.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Caiting Zeng, Fanghui Ding, Jie Zhou, Weiliang Dong, Zhongli Cui, Xin Yan
Summary: A screening method was developed to isolate a PET-degrading strain, which was identified as Bacillus safensis. The strain exhibited the capability to degrade PET nanoparticles and produce harmful substances. This study provides new insights into PET waste treatment and enzyme mining.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hee Taek Kim, Mi Hee Ryu, Ye Jean Jung, Sooyoung Lim, Hye Min Song, Jeyoung Park, Sung Yeon Hwang, Hoe-Suk Lee, Young Joo Yeon, Bong Hyun Sung, Uwe T. Bornscheuer, Si Jae Park, Jeong Chan Joo, Dongyeop X. Oh
Summary: This study developed a chemo-biological upcycling strategy for poly(ethylene terephthalate) waste, involving PET depolymerization, biotransformation of TPA into catechol, and application as a coating agent. The process demonstrated efficient conversion of PET waste into multifunctional coating materials without the need for extensive purification or evaporation.
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Ozlem Ipek Kalaoglu-Altan, Burcak Karaguezel Kayaoglu, Levent Trabzon
Summary: This study investigates the effects of graphene loading on the thermal conductivity and heat dissipation abilities of recycled PET-based composite nanofibers. The results demonstrate that the addition of graphene can improve the thermal stability, thermal conductivity, and heat dissipation capabilities of the nanofibers. These findings suggest the potential use of graphene-loaded rPET composite nanofibers as textile materials for thermal management applications.
POLYMER COMPOSITES
(2023)
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
J. Alberto Lopes, E. D. Tsochatzis
Summary: Polyesters and polystyrene are widely used plastics in food contact materials, but the presence of migratable compounds raises concerns about consumer safety. Recent studies have shown potential toxic effects of oligomers in these plastics. Analytical methods for the analysis of oligomers in food and food contact materials have been developed, but the lack of reliable analytical standards hinders their widespread screening analysis.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhiyong Wang, Lisa S. Walter, Mao Wang, Petko St Petkov, Baokun Liang, Haoyuan Qi, Nguyen Ngan Nguyen, Mike Hambsch, Haixia Zhong, Mingchao Wang, SangWook Park, Lukas Renn, Kenji Watanabe, Takashi Taniguchi, Stefan C. B. Mannsfeld, Thomas Heine, Ute Kaiser, Shengqiang Zhou, Ralf Thomas Weitz, Xinliang Feng, Renhao Dong
Summary: The novel synthesis of metal-phthalocyanine-based p-type semiconducting 2D c-MOF films with unprecedented edge-on layer orientation at the air/water interface was reported. The unique layer orientation allowed for investigation of lateral and vertical conductivities, revealing anisotropic charge transport properties. Directional conductivity studies identified that intrinsic conductivity is dominated by charge transfer along the interlayer pathway, demonstrating potential for various optoelectronic applications.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Atte Kadoma, Quan Jiao, Joost J. Vlassak, Zhigang Suo
Summary: Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is a thermoplastic material widely used in high-volume applications such as single-use packaging. Hydrolysis of the ester bonds in PET can cause crack growth even at room temperature and low loads. The crack velocity increases with pH in water, and high loads result in rapid crack growth with plastic deformation, while low loads result in slow crack growth with negligible plastic deformation. This study highlights the embrittling effect of hydrolysis on PET and its implications for the development and applications of biodegradable and biomass-derived polymers.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICS AND PHYSICS OF SOLIDS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Ren Tomisawa, Mako Okazaki, Toshifumi Ikaga, KyoungHou Kim, Yutaka Ohkoshi, Kazuyuki Okada, Taizo Kabe, Toshiji Kanaya, Hiroo Katsuta, Yoshitsugu Funatsu
Summary: Isophthalic acid copolymerization can control the properties of polyethylene terephthalate fiber by suppressing orientation-induced crystallization and reducing the d-spacing and apparent thickness of the smectic phase. The integrated intensity and length of the smectic phase are not affected. Additionally, copolymerization decreases the melting point and crystallinity, increases the thermal shrinkage of drawn fibers, but does not change the birefringence and tensile strength.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katarzyna E. Kosiorowska, Piotr Biniarz, Adam Dobrowolski, Karol Leluk, Aleksandra M. Mironczuk
Summary: This study presents a novel method for directly degrading PET using a modified yeast strain. The addition of supplements enhances the efficiency of PET degradation, resulting in an increase in the amount of degradation products over time.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Xuzhen Zhang, Jingwen Nan, Wenjian Huang, Shunli Xiao, Xiuhua Wang, Yanlin Sun, Jin Zhou, Wenxing Chen
Summary: This study investigates the microstructure and mechanical properties of self-crimping two-component side-by-side bicomponent filament, focusing on the structure-property evolution of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)/Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) filament. The results show that increasing the draft ratio improves the crystallinity, sonic orientation factor, tensile strength, and crimp-recovery rate of the filaments. Heating temperature has a limited effect on the tensile strength but affects the crimp-recovery rate.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Giuliana Faggio, Rossella Grillo, Nicola Lisi, Francesco Buonocore, Rosa Chierchia, Min Jung Kim, Gwan-Hyoung Lee, Andrea Capasso, Giacomo Messina
Summary: In this study, ultrasensitive graphene substrates were developed using ethanol Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), capable of detecting trace amounts of molecules down to extremely low concentrations. This exceptional result is attributed to two main features: more efficient charge transfer and a large number of grain boundaries that act as trapping sites for the molecules.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eleonora Centonze, Antonella Marte, Martina Albini, Anna Rocchi, Fabrizia Cesca, Martina Chiacchiaretta, Thomas Floss, Pietro Baldelli, Stefano Ferroni, Fabio Benfenati, Pierluigi Valente
Summary: Neuron-restrictive silencer factor/repressor element 1 (NRSF/REST) is a transcriptional repressor that regulates the expression of neural genes. In astrocytes, NRSF/REST is highly expressed and plays a role in maintaining intrinsic excitability and synaptic transmission. Its deletion leads to impaired astrocytic homeostatic functions and increased neuronal excitability.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Siva Nemala Sankar, Joao Fernandes, Marilia Barreiros dos Santos, Begona Espina, Pedro Alpuim, Ander Garcia Diez, Senentxu Lanceros-Mendez, Lalita Saini, Suvigya Kaushik, Gopinadhan Kalon, Andrea Capasso
Summary: In this study, an efficient and green strategy was proposed to fabricate mu m-thick, graphene-based laminates by liquid phase exfoliation and vacuum filtration. The membranes showed structural and mechanical stability during long-term operation in water, and exhibited size selection and anion-selectivity in ion transport studies. Additionally, the membranes demonstrated high rejection rates and antibacterial properties. Therefore, these green graphene-based membranes offer a viable option for future water management applications.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zulfiye Y. Turhan, Richard d'Arcy, Farah El Mohtadi, Lorena Infante Teixeira, Nora Francini, Mike Geven, Valentina Castagnola, Aws Alshamsan, Fabio Benfenati, Nicola Tirelli
Summary: This study describes a family of well-defined block copolymers with oxidative and temperature responses, which exhibit anti-inflammatory effects and aggregation capabilities. However, the detrimental effects on cell viability should be considered. The evaluation suggests that single-responsive controls are needed for a precise assessment of the (synergic or antagonist) potential of double-responsive systems.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Giulio Alberini, Sergio Alexis Paz, Beatrice Corradi, Cameron F. Abrams, Fabio Benfenati, Luca Maragliano
Summary: The cryo-EM structures of Nav channels have provided detailed information about these proteins, but our understanding of ionic permeation through the Nav pore is still limited. This study used atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the structural features of various neuronal Nav channels and revealed different mechanisms for single and double Na+ permeation through the Nav selectivity filter. The simulations also highlighted the specific configurations of ions in the filter corresponding to metastable states, providing new insights into ion conduction in Nav channels.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL THEORY AND COMPUTATION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Valentina Castagnola, Lieselot Deleye, Alice Podesta, Edra Jaho, Fabrizio Loiacono, Doriana Debellis, Martina Trevisani, Dinu Zinovie Ciobanu, Andrea Armirotti, Francesco Pisani, Emmanuel Flahaut, Ester Vazquez, Mattia Bramini, Fabrizia Cesca, Fabio Benfenati
Summary: Due to their biocompatibility and high cargo capability, graphene-based materials are considered as an ideal brain delivery system. In this study, we used two in vitro models to investigate the interactions between graphene oxide and few-layer graphene with the blood-brain barrier. Our results show that the two graphene materials have good biocompatibility and do not significantly affect the integrity and functionality of the barrier, but their translocation across the barrier is rare.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Giulia Tarricone, Valentina Castagnola, Valentina Mastronardi, Lorenzo Cursi, Doriana Debellis, Dinu Zinovie Ciobanu, Andrea Armirotti, Fabio Benfenati, Luca Boselli, Pier Paolo Pompa
Summary: This study demonstrates the therapeutic potential of 5 nm platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) in effectively scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) in different cellular models of the neurovascular unit. The protein corona plays a key role in switching off the catalytic properties of PtNPs, promoting their selective in situ activity. The lysosomal environment enhances the enzyme-like activity of PtNPs, leading to strong antioxidant functionalities.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Rui M. R. Pinto, Siva Sankar Nemala, Mohammadmahdi Faraji, Joao Fernandes, Clara Ponte, Giovanni De Bellis, Aritz Retolaza, K. B. Vinayakumar, Andrea Capasso
Summary: Material jetting techniques allow selective deposition of droplets of materials in liquid or powder form by drop-on-demand printing. This study printed zero-dimensional multi-layer shell-structured fullerene material on polyethylene terephthalate substrates using drop-on-demand inkjet printing. The printed CNO structures showed high sensitivity to temperature and humidity, making them potential candidates for inkjet-printed technologies such as environmental and gas sensors.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Mbaye Dieng, Siva Sankar, Pingping Ni, Ileana Florea, Pedro Alpuim, Andrea Capasso, Abderrahim Yassar, Fatima Zahra Bouanis
Summary: Large-scale production of solution-processable graphene nanosheets (GNSs) has opened up possibilities for their use as gas sensors. This study demonstrates the fabrication of functional gas sensors using a scalable deposition method and non-covalent functionalization of GNS films with Co-porphyrin and Fe-phthalocyanines. The chemiresistive sensor response of the functionalized GNSs towards low concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was significantly improved compared to pristine GNSs.
Article
Electrochemistry
Beatrice Ricciardi, Barbara Mecheri, Williane da Silva Freitas, Valerio C. A. Ficca, Ernesto Placidi, Irene Gatto, Alessandra Carbone, Andrea Capasso, Alessandra D'Epifanio
Summary: High-performance platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) electrocatalysts were prepared from porous organic polymers (POPs) precursors with highly-porous structures and adjustable surface area. The effect of Fe content on the material's structure, surface chemistry, and electrocatalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was elucidated through electrochemical and spectroscopical characterization. The Fe-N-C catalysts with different iron contents showed promising ORR activity, with further advancement prospects for fuel cell applications.
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
I. Matacena, P. Guerriero, L. Lancellotti, E. Bobeico, N. Lisi, R. Chierchia, P. Delli Veneri, S. Daliento
Summary: This article investigates the effect of graphene/silicon Schottky junction solar cells (G/Si SJSCs) encapsulation by analyzing the capacitance-voltage (C-V) curves in the forward bias region. The detection of a double peak on the C-V curve indicates nonuniform interface properties at the graphene/silicon interface. The use of HNO $_{\text{3}}$ doping and encapsulation is explored to passivate the interface and maintain stable capacitance behavior over time.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ELECTRON DEVICES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sara Cupini, Stefano Di Marco, Luca Boselli, Alessio Cavalli, Giulia Tarricone, Valentina Mastronardi, Valentina Castagnola, Elisabetta Colombo, Pier Paolo Pompa, Fabio Benfenati
Summary: This study proposes platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) as a potential strategy to treat AMD. The results demonstrate that PtNPs exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions, effectively breaking the vicious cycle linking oxidative stress, degeneration, and inflammation. PtNPs protect photoreceptors and improve visual performances in the degenerated retina. This study is of great significance for the treatment of AMD.
Article
Physics, Applied
Min Jung Kim, Gabriel Moreira, Nicola Lisi, Namwon Kim, Wooyoung Shim, Gwan-Hyoung Lee, Andrea Capasso
Summary: This study reports a solvent-free transfer technique for monolayer graphene using cyclododecane (CDD) as a supporting coating, which can efficiently transfer graphene to a desired substrate without the need for post-transfer cleaning treatment. This technique paves the way for the widespread adoption of graphene in various applications.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Simone Giusepponi, Francesco Buonocore, Barbara Ferrucci, Massimo Celino
Summary: Using ab-initio calculations, the interaction between lead adatom and both clean and doped iron (100) surfaces was investigated. It was found that the lead adatom prefers to adsorb in the hollow site, which is more stable compared to the top and bridge sites, and in this position, it is energetically favorable over the iron adatom. Moreover, lead adsorbed in the hollow site of the iron (100) surface doped with chromium was found to create a more stable system compared to nickel-doped surfaces with an iron adatom in the same position. The study also explored inter-layer distances, bonding mechanisms, magnetic behaviors, and charge density differences. The results provide insights into the role of doping in the interaction between lead adatom and iron surface, and have implications for the analysis of corrosion processes caused by liquid lead.
