Preparation of PHEMA/nHAP nanocomposites via <Emphasis Type="Italic">in situ</Emphasis> polymerization in supercritical carbon dioxide for biomedical applications

Poly(2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate) (PHEMA)/hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanocomposites were synthesized through a new route involving nano-sized HAP (nHAP) particles or modified nHAP mixed with monomer 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate via in situ polymerization in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed phosphate peak increased with nHAP content in composite. X-ray diffraction patterns of PHEMA/nHAP revealed the presence of crystallized nHAP. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the ultimate nHAP content in PHEMA/nHAP composites is consistent with its initial amount. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that nanocomposite particles are much smaller than PHEMA particles. PHEMA/nHAP composites with average diameter of approximately 600 nm were obtained in scCO₂ with 94 % yield. Mechanical properties of PHEMA/nHAP nanocomposites were better than those of PHEMA, and compressive modulus and strength of composites with 30 wt.% nHAP were 193 and 29 MPa, respectively. Nanocomposite adsorption toward bovine serum albumin was evaluated, and results indicated that analyte adsorption amount can reach up to 282 mg/g.     

Synthesis and characterization of a novel charring agent and its application in intumescent flame retardant polyethylene system

A novel charring agent poly(pentaerythritol spirocyclic phosphorusoxy spirocyclic diethanolamine borate) (PPSPSDB) was synthesized successfully with diethanolamine borate (DEAB) and spirocyclic pentaerythritol bisphosphorate disphosphoryl chloride (SPDPC), which was combined with ammonium polyphosphate (APP) to endow linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) with flame retardance. The structure of PPSPSDB was characterized by FTIR and 1H-NMR. The study of thermal stability of various LLDPE composites showed that PPSPSDB/APP system could effectively improve the thermal degradation and thermal-oxidative stability of the char residues, and PE3 containing 30 wt% APP/ PPSPSDB with a 2 weight ratio left the highest amount of char residue at 800 oC. The results of flammability revealed that PE3 had the best combination property; the limited oxygen index value was 29.6, and vertical burning reached UL-94 V-0 rating, and the tensile strength and notched impact strength were 11.853 MPa and 28.8 kJ/m2 respectively. The investigation of structure and morphology of char residue indicated that the compact foaming char layer, as a good barrier against the transmission of heat and volatiles, was formed for PE3 during combustion.     

LED-UV grafting of vinylsulfone dyes onto photo-oxidized wool fabrics

Photografting coloration of wool was carried out under UV-LED irradiation at room temperature using aqueous vinylsulfone dye solution containing vinylsulfonic acid as a comonomer. UV-LED irradiation of the 395 nm emission is more energy efficient, less damaging to the dyes, and much safer to human eyes compared with polychromatic mercury UV lamps. However, in case of the UV-LED lamps, the wool needs to be photo-oxidized either by UV/ozone or polychromatic UV irradiation before the dye photografting. The surface treatments increased the sulfur and oxygen contents in the modified wool surfaces. While the optimally photografted wool fabrics under the UV-LED lamp yielded a K/S value of 9.9, the K/S of the grafted wool increased to 25.2 and 13.6 after the UV/Ozone or polychromatic UV preoxidation at UV energies of 10.6 J/cm² and 25 J/cm² respectively. The color fastness properties of the photografted fabrics were far better than with those of the conventionally reactive-dyed fabrics, implying that the high-molecular-weight photografted dyes seemed to be more durable than the low-molecular dyes.     

Synthesis,characterization and ultrafiltration of reactive dyes. Application by exhaustion and/or ink-jet printing. IV.

Three new bis azo reactive dyes of different metallic salts (Na, K, Li) were synthesized. The synthesis was obtained by diazotization of 4-amino-2:5 di methoxy phenylene-beta hydroxyl ethyl sulphone sulphate ester and coupling with 1-amino-8-hydroxynaphthalene-3,6-disulfonic acid (H-acid) (moles ratio 2:1). The dyes were purified-concentrated by ultrafiltration technology, characterized and applied on cotton, wool and nylon 6,6 fabric by exhaustion (dyeing) and by ink-jet printing. Fastness properties of the dyeings were measured. Wash fastness was investigated according to international standard methods and was found to be very good to excellent in all cases, while light fastness values were medium to low. Ink-jet ink formulations were prepared using the ultra filtrated reactive blue dyes UF RB(a-c) and their properties pH, conductivity, surface tension and viscosity were monitored over a period of 90 days. The inks were used to print digitally cotton and nylon 6,6 samples and wash- and light fastness properties of the prints were measured. Wash fastness properties were excellent while light fastness values are low Colour measurements of the dyeings and prints were conducted.     

Mechanical behavior of nylon 66 tyre cord under monotonic and cyclic extension: Experiments and constitutive modeling

Many industrial products are made of cord-rubber composite materials. Their mechanical behavior not only depends on rubber but also depends on cord. Nylon 66 cord is one of the most important reinforcement in these products. This paper research the mechanical behavior of nylon 66 cord under various load cases. A series of experiments were carried out to obtaining stress-strain curves under different load cases. Complex changes of the modulus and Mullins effect can be found in monotonic and cyclic tension, respectively. Mechanism of these behaviors has been analyzed considering both the twisted structure and material. A phenomenological constitutive model, accounting for different loading conditions, has been firstly proposed base on strain energy density function and damage mechanics method. The proposed model has been verified by comparing the predicted results with experimental data. It has been found that the proposed model predicted the stress-strain curves that were consistent with the experimental data. The proposed model can be implemented in finite element software for engineering design and application.     

Amplification of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phytophthora infestans</Emphasis> RG57 loci Facilitates <Emphasis Type="Italic">in planta</Emphasis> T-RFLP Identification of Late Blight Genotypes

Late blight, caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, is a devastating disease in potato and tomato and causes yield and quality losses worldwide. The disease first emerged in central America and has since spread in North America including the United States and Canada. Several new genotypes of P. infestans have recently emerged, including US-22, US-23 and US-24. Due to significant economic and environmental impacts, there has been an increasing interest in the rapid identification of P. infestans genotypes. In addition to providing details regarding the various phenotypic characteristics such as fungicide resistance, host preference, and pathogenicity associated with various P. infestans genotypes, information related to pathogen movement and potential recombination may also be determined from the genetic analyses. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis with the RG57 loci is one of the most reliable procedures used to genotype P. infestans. However, the RFLP procedure requires propagation and isolation of the pathogen and relatively large amounts of DNA. Isolation of the late blight pathogen is sometimes impossible due to the poor condition of the infected tissues or the presence of fungicide residues. In this study, we describe a procedure to identify P. infestans at the molecular level in planta using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) of the RG57 loci. This T-RFLP assay is sufficiently sensitive to detect and differentiate P. infestans genotypes directly in planta without propagation and isolation of the pathogen, to facilitate the timely implementation of best management practices.     

Antibacterial Bombyx Mori silk fabric modified with reactive chitosan quaternary ammonium salt and its laundering durability

A new fiber-reactive chitosan derivative was synthesized in two steps from a chitosan of low molecular weight. First, a water-soluble chitosan derivative, N-[(2-hydroxy-3-trimethylammonium)propyl] chitosan chloride (short for HTCC), was prepared by reacting chitosan with 2,3-epoxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride. Second, HTCC was further modified by reacting with N-(hydroxymethyl)-acrylamide to prepare a fiber-reactive chitosan derivative, O-methyl acrylamide quaternary ammonium salt of chitosan (short for NMA-HTCC), which can form covalent bonds with silk fiber under alkaline conditions. The chemical structure of NMA-HTCC was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The substitution degree of HTCC and the double-bond content of NMA-HTCC were tested. Then NMA-HTCC was used for antibacterial finishing of Bombyx Mori silk fabric. The results showed that silk fabric treated with NMA-HTCC had a significantly improved antibacterial activity to Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and the antibacterial activity of silk fabric finished by NMA-HTCC was much better than that finished by chitosan and HTCC. Bombyx Mori silk fabric modified with NMA-HTCC demonstrated excellent durable antibacterial activity, even after 50 repeated launderings, the bacterial reduction rate of silk fabric maintained over 95 %.     

Fabrication of electropsun PLGA and small intestine submucosa-blended nanofibrous membranes and their biocompatibility for wound healing

In recent decades, tremendous research has focused on the production of nanoscale fibers using synthetic polymers, with the goal of fabricating nanofibrous scaffolds for wound healing. However, the hydrophobicity of such polymers typically hinders attachment and proliferation of the cells. In this study, we combined poly-d,l-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) and small intestine submucosa (SIS) to fabricate blended nanofibers for wound healing by electrospinning. PLGA and SIS were dissolved in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro isopropanol to produce different weight ratios of PLGA/SIS-blended nanofibrous membranes (NFM). Physicochemical characterization of the electrospun NFM was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, water contact angle analysis, degradation test and tensile testing. The PLGA/SIS-blended NFM showed improved hydrophilicity and tensile strength. Better infiltration, attachment and proliferation of rat granulation fibroblasts of PLGA/SIS-blended NFMs compared to PLGA NFMs were identified by morphological differences determined by SEM and a water-soluble tetrazolium salt assay kit. Based on our results, the PLGA/SIS blended NFMs were found to be suitable for use as a potential material for wound dressing.     

Dyeing performance of the azo dyes containing trifluoromethyl group for polyester fabrics and its single crystal structure

The structures of disperse dyes and their intermolecular interactions have important impacts on dyeing and printing performances for polyester fabrics. The fluorine dyes show some unique molecular stability and photochemical properties. The dyeing property of the azo dye containing trifluoromethyl group for polyester fabrics, 4'-(N-acetoxyethyl-Nethyl)- amino-2-bromine-4-nitro-6-trifluoromethylazo- benzene (D1), was investigated and compared with the similar structure disperse dye. The results show that the high color yield and good exhaustion of the dyed PET fabrics could be obtained. The polyester fabrics dyed with D1 had excellent light fastness. Its single crystal was prepared and the supramolecular interactions were solved by X-ray diffraction. Dye D1 formed triclinic crystals in a trimeric packing mode. The C-F bond distances of CF3 are 1.2730 Å, 1.2240 Å and 1.2900 Å, respectively. The two benzene rings linked azo unit (-N=N-) are obviously twist. The dihedral angle of the two benzene rings is 50.23 o. There are six weak hydrogen bonds around trifluoromethyl group in the intramolecule and intermolecule. The excellent light stability of the dye should be attributed to its unique supramolecular structure.     

Fabrication of hydrophobic/oleophilic cotton fabric by mussel-inspired chemistry for oil/water separation

A straightforward approach was proposed to modify cotton fabric for oil/water separation based on musselinspired reaction. The poly(DMA-Octadecyl acrylate) was designed to contain key chemical constituents present in mussel adhesive proteins by free radical polymerization of dopamine hydrochloride and octadecyl acrylate, which strongly adsorbed to fabric substrates, providing a special surface for fabric. The chemical structure, surface topography, and surface wettability of the fabric were characterized. The results showed that as-prepared cotton fabric displayed a high CA of >150° when dripped water droplets were on the modified fabric surface, and the oil contact angle (OCA) was close to 0°, it had excellent potential to be used in practical applications and has created a new method of fabric modification for oil/water separation.