Development and Characterization of Gelatin-Based Hydrogels Containing Triblock Copolymer and Phytic Acid.

In recent research, significant interest has been directed towards gelatin-based hydrogels due to their affordable price, extensive availability, and biocompatibility, making them promising candidates for various biomedical applications. The development and characterization of novel hydrogels formed from varying ratios of gelatin, triblock copolymer Pluronic F-127, and phytic acid have been presented. Swelling properties were examined at different pH levels. The morphology of hydrogels and their thermal properties were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis of the hydrogels was also performed. The introduction of phytic acid in the hydrogel plays a crucial role in enhancing the intermolecular interactions within gelatin-based hydrogels, contributing to a more stable, elastic, and robust network structure.

Improved Synthetic Route of Incorporation of Nanosilicon Species into Phenol-Formaldehyde Resin and Preparation of Novel ZnAl-Layered Double-Hydroxide Hybrid Phenol-Formaldehyde Resin.

Hybrid phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resins represent one of the most important niche groups of binding systems for composites. New industrial needs, environmental requirements, and price fluctuations have led to further research on materials with enhanced mechanical and thermal properties. The preparation of novel hybrid materials can be achieved by inclusion of various elements or functional groups in the organic polymer phenolic framework. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of a PF-based hybrid material with different nanoscale silicone species and ZnAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH). The main goals of this study were to improve the synthetic pathways of hybrid resin, as well as to prepare granulated composite materials and test samples and determine their characterization. Added inorganic species increased the glass-transition temperature by a minimum of 8 °C, which was determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Rheological properties (melting viscosity and flow distance) of the hybrid resin were measured. The homogeneity of distribution of added species across the organic matrix was evaluated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). With synthesized new hybrid-binding systems, we prepared different granulated composite materials and evaluated them with the measurements of rheological properties (flow curing characteristics). Tensile strength of samples, prepared from granulated composite material, improved by more than 5%.

Solar-Driven Photocatalytic Films: Synthesis Approaches, Factors Affecting Environmental Activity, and Characterization Features.

Solar-powered photocatalysis has come a long way since its humble beginnings in the 1990s, producing more than a thousand research papers per year over the past decade. In this review, immobilized photocatalysts operating under sunlight are highlighted. First, a literature review of solar-driven films is presented, along with some fundamental operational differences in relation to reactions involving suspended nanoparticles. Common strategies for achieving sunlight activity from films are then described, including doping, surface grafting, semiconductor coupling, and defect engineering. Synthetic routes to fabricate photocatalytically active films are briefly reviewed, followed by the important factors that determine solar photocatalysis efficiency, such as film thickness and structure. Finally, some important and specific characterization methods for films are described. This review shows that there are two main challenges in the study of photocatalytic materials in the form of (thin) films. First, the production of stable and efficient solar-driven films is still a challenge that requires an integrated approach from synthesis to characterization. The second is the difficulty in properly characterizing films. In any case, the research community needs to address these, as solar-driven photocatalytic films represent a viable option for sustainable air and water purification.

A Novel Artificial Hemoglobin Carrier Based on Heulandite-Calcium Mesoporous Aluminosilicate Particles.

Tetraethyl-orthosilicate (TEOS)-based nanoparticles are most extensively used as a silica-based hemoglobin carrier system. However, TEOS-based nanoparticles induce adverse effects on the hemoglobin structure. Therefore, a heulandite-calcium-based carrier was investigated as a novel silica-based hemoglobin carrier system. The heulandite-calcium mesoporous aluminosilicate particles (MSPs) were fabricated by a patented tribo-mechanical activation process, according to the manufacturer, and its structure was assessed by X-ray diffraction analysis. Upon hemoglobin encapsulation, alternation in the secondary and tertiary structure was observed. The hemoglobin-particle interactions do not cause heme degradation or decreased activity. Once encapsulated inside the particle pores, the hemoglobin shows increased thermal stability, and higher loading capacity per gram of particles (by a factor of >1.4) when compared to TEOS-based nanoparticles. Futhermore, we introduced a PEGlyted lipid bilayer which significantly decreases the premature hemoglobin release and increases the colloidal stability. The newly developed hemoglobin carrier shows no cytotoxicity to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC).

Metal and Non-Metal Modified Titania: the Effect of Phase Composition and Surface Area on Photocatalytic Activity.

The application of TiO2 photocatalysis in various environmental fields has been extensively studied in the last decades due to its ability to induce the degradation of adsorbed organic pollutants. In the present work, TiO2 powders doped and co-doped with sulfur and nitrogen and modified with platinum were prepared by particulate sol-gel synthesis. PXRD measurements revealed that the replacement of HCl with H2SO4 during synthesis reduced the size of the crystallites from ~ 30 nm to ~20 nm, increasing the surface area from ~44 m2/g to ~80 m2/g. This is consistent with the photocatalytic activity of the samples and the measured photocurrent behavior of the photocatalysts. The results showed that the properties of the powders (i.e., surface area, crystallite size, photocurrent behavior) depend strongly not only on the type but also on the amount of acid and dopants used in the synthesis. Doping, co-doping and modification of TiO2 samples with nitrogen, sulfur and platinum increased their photocatalytic activity up to 6 times.

Preparation and characterization of innovative electrospun nanofibers loaded with pharmaceutically applicable ionic liquids.

Keeping up with cutting edge research in the field of drug delivery, the overall goal of this study was to develop innovative electrospun nanofibers loaded with ionic liquids (ILs) as active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). For the first time, a novel approach was examined by combining biocompatible polymer, poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO), and pharmaceutical ILs in an electrospinning process to develop nanofibers with high drug loading (up to 47%). Firstly, two well-known local anaesthetic drugs, lidocaine and procaine, were modified into ILs with the salicylate, forming lidocaine salicylate and procaine salicylate. Its dual-functional nature and increased water solubility for 4- to 10-fold depending on the drug used contribute to overcoming current hurdles encountered by APIs such as poor solubility, low bioavailability, and polymorphism of the solid-state. Nanofibers were formulated using solutions tested for density, viscosity, electrical conductivity, and small-angle X-ray scattering by varying PEO molecular weight and the PEO to IL mass ratio. Scanning electron microscopy showed the surface morphology of the obtained nanofibers, while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry confirmed IL in the nanofibers in an amorphous state. Thus, nanofibers with incorporated IL represent well-known drugs in the new form and a novel dermal application delivery system.

Copper(II) Complexes with Mixed Heterocycle Ligands as Promising Antibacterial and Antitumor Species.

Complexes with mixed ligands [Cu(N-N)2(pmtp)](ClO4)2 ((1) N-N: 2,2'-bipyridine; (2) L: 1,10-phenanthroline and pmpt: 5-phenyl-7-methyl-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine) were synthesized and structurally and biologically characterized. Compound (1) crystallizes into space group Pa and (2) in P-1. Both complexes display an intermediate stereochemistry between the two five-coordinated ones. The biological tests indicated that the two compounds exhibited superoxide scavenging capacity, intercalative DNA properties, and metallonuclease activity. Tests on various cell systems indicated that the two complexes neither interfere with the proliferation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae or BJ healthy skin cells, nor cause hemolysis in the active concentration range. Nevertheless, the compounds showed antibacterial potential, with complex (2) being significantly more active than complex (1) against all tested bacterial strains, both in planktonic and biofilm growth state. Both complexes exhibited a very good activity against B16 melanoma cells, with a higher specificity being displayed by compound (1). Taken together, the results indicate that complexes (1) and (2) have specific biological relevance, with potential for the development of antitumor or antimicrobial drugs.

Sulfur-, nitrogen- and platinum-doped titania thin films with high catalytic efficiency under visible-light illumination.

Titanium dioxide photocatalysts have received a lot of attention during the past decades due to their ability to degrade various organic pollutants to CO2 and H2O, which makes them suitable for use in environmental related fields such as air and water treatment and self-cleaning surfaces. In this work, titania thin films and powders were prepared by a particulate sol-gel route, using titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) as a precursor. Afterwards, the prepared sols were doped with nitrogen (ammonium nitrate, urea), sulfur (thiourea) and platinum (chloroplatinic acid), coated onto glass substrates by dip-coating, and thermally treated in a muffle furnace to promote crystallization. The resulting thin films were then characterized by various techniques (i.e., TGA-DSC-MS, XRD, BET, XPS, SEM, band gap measurements). The photocatalytic activity of the prepared thin films was determined by measuring the degradation rate of plasmocorinth B (PB), an organic pigment used in the textile industry, which can pose an environmental risk when expelled into wastewater. A kinetic model for adsorption and subsequent degradation was used to fit the experimental data. The results have shown an increase in photocatalytic activity under visible-light illumination of nonmetal and metal doped and co-doped titania thin films compared to an undoped sample.

[MII(NCS)2(nia)2(OH2)2]: Preparation, Crystal Structure and Thermal Properties (MII = Mn, Fe; nia = nicotinamide).

Two novel isostructural coordination compounds of manganese(II) (1) and iron(II) (2) with common formulae [MII(NCS)2(nia)2(OH2)2] have been prepared from water solution of appropriate metal salt, nicotinamide and KSCN. Their crystal structures were determined by means of X-ray diffraction on single crystals. The mononuclear title compounds crystallize in a triclinic P-1 space group with six monodentate octahedrally arranged ligands around the metal centre. The coordination molecules are self-assembled with an extended network of hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional structure. Additionally, 1 and 2 were characterized with infrared spectroscopy, magnetic measurements and thermal analysis.

Structural properties and thermal stability of cobalt- and chromium-doped α-MnO2 nanorods.

α-MnO2 nanorods were synthesized via the hydrothermal decomposition of KMnO4 in an acidic environment in the presence of Co2+ and Cr3+ ions. Reactions were carried out at three different temperatures: 90, 130 and 170 °C. All prepared samples exhibit a tetragonal MnO2 crystalline phase. SEM-EDS analysis shows that cobalt cations are incorporated to a higher degree into the MnO2 framework than chromium ions, and that the content of the dopant ions decreases with increasing reaction temperature. The oxidation of Co2+ to Co3+ during the reaction was proved by an XANES study, while EXAFS results confirm that both dopant ions substitute Mn4+ in the center of an octahedron. The K/Mn ratio in the doped samples synthesized at 170 °C is significantly lower than in the undoped samples. Analysis of an individual cobalt-doped α-MnO2 nanorod with HAADF-STEM reveals that the distribution of cobalt through the cross-section of the nanorod is uniform. The course of thermal decomposition of the doped nanorods is similar to that of the undoped ones. Dopant ions do not preserve the MnO2 phase at higher temperatures nor do they destabilize the cryptomelane structure.

Encapsulation of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate into liposomes and into alginate or chitosan microparticles reinforced with liposomes.

BACKGROUND: (-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) was encapsulated into liposomes that were further incorporated into alginate and chitosan microparticles. The stability of free and encapsulated EGCG in all three systems was evaluated at different pH values and in fruit nectar. Furthermore, the interactions between EGCG and the compounds of the microparticles were studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). RESULTS: All three encapsulation systems showed high encapsulation efficiency (>97%) and sustained release; in 14 days, no more than 15% of EGCG was released. The encapsulation systems successfully protected EGCG against degradation at alkaline pH. For non-encapsulated EGCG, >70% was degraded after 14 days, while there was no significant degradation of encapsulated EGCG in these three systems. In fruit nectar, >30% of non-encapsulated EGCG was degraded in 14 days, while only 6% of EGCG encapsulated into liposomes or chitosan microparticles reinforced with liposomes was degraded at that time. The DSC and FTIR analyses showed that the main interactions occurred between the liposomes and the EGCG. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that liposomes as well as alginate and chitosan microparticles reinforced with liposomes have the potential to enhance EGCG stability in food products during storage. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Transformation of hydrogen titanate nanoribbons to TiO2 nanoribbons and the influence of the transformation strategies on the photocatalytic performance.

The influence of the reaction conditions during the transformation of hydrogen titanate nanoribbons to TiO2 nanoribbons on the phase composition, the morphology, the appearance of the nanoribbon surfaces and their optical properties was investigated. The transformations were performed (i) through a heat treatment in oxidative and reductive atmospheres in the temperature range of 400-650 °C, (ii) through a hydrothermal treatment in neutral and basic environments at 160 °C, and (iii) through a microwave-assisted hydrothermal treatment in a neutral environment at 200 °C. Scanning electron microscopy investigations showed that the hydrothermal processing significantly affected the nanoribbon surfaces, which became rougher, while the transformations based on calcination in either oxidative or reductive atmospheres had no effect on the morphology or on the surface appearance of the nanoribbons. The transformations performed in the reductive atmosphere, an NH3(g)/Ar(g) flow, and in the ammonia solution led to nitrogen doping. The nitrogen content increased with an increasing calcination temperature, as was determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. According to electron paramagnetic resonance measurements the calcination in the reductive atmosphere also resulted in a partial reduction of Ti(4+) to Ti(3+). The photocatalytic performance of the derived TiO2 NRs was estimated on the basis of the photocatalytic oxidation of isopropanol. After calcinating in air, the photocatalytic performance of the investigated TiO2 NRs increased with an increased content of anatase. In contrast, the photocatalytic performance of the N-doped TiO2 NRs showed no dependence on the calcination temperature. An additional comparison showed that the N-doping significantly suppressed the photocatalytic performance of the TiO2 NRs, i.e., by 3 to almost 10 times, in comparison with the TiO2 NRs derived by calcination in air. On the other hand, the photocatalytic performance of the hydrothermally derived TiO2 NRs was additionally improved by a subsequent heat treatment in air.

Low-temperature synthesis and characterization of TiO2 and TiO2-ZrO2 photocatalytically active thin films.

Transparent TiO(2) and TiO(2)-ZrO(2) (molar ratio Zr/Ti = 0.1) thin films were produced by low-temperature sol-gel processing from nanocrystalline aqueous based solutions. The structural features and compositions of the films treated at room temperature, 100 degrees C and 500 degrees C were investigated by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermal analysis. Addition of zirconia increased specific surface area (140-230 m(2) g(-1)) and hindered the growth of anatase crystallites, exhibiting a constant size of 6-7 nm in the whole temperature range. These significant changes with respect to pure TiO(2) in anatase crystalline form did not result in significantly and systematically different photocatalytic activity, which was evaluated in terms of aqueous pollutant degradation (azo-dye in water) and self-cleaning ability (fatty contaminant deposit). The films treated at only 100 degrees C showed excellent photocatalytic activity towards azo-dye degradation. Contact angle measurements of aged and contaminated surfaces revealed a fast or sharp hydrophilicity gain under UVA illumination. Accordingly, the results of this study confirmed the potential application of advantageous low-temperature films in water treatment as well as for self-cleaning surfaces.