An efficient multiple healing conductive composite via host-guest inclusion.

A self-healable conductive composite is developed by combining the small molecules and nanotubes through host-guest interactions. This material shows uniform conductivity, microwave absorption and humidity sensing properties, and can be rapidly healed to over 90% electrical and mechanical properties with the aid of water multiple times. In addition, the produced material is also remouldable and recyclable.

Multi-stimuli-responsive magnetic assemblies as tunable releasing carriers.

A novel approach has been developed to prepare the magnetic micelles. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) are firstly attached on the surface of the magnetic nanoparticle via the host-guest inclusion between ferrocene groups (Fc) and ß-cyclodextrin (ß-CD). Then the resulting MNPs became amphiphilic in water above the LCST of PNIPAM and self-assembled into magnetomicelles with a size of 250 nm. These hybrid micelles show high loading capacity for anticancer drug (DOX) and high saturation magnetization simultaneously. Furthermore, these micelles could disassemble under the effects of oxidant or temperature, providing an opportunity to fine-tune the release properties of the encapsulated drug in response to temperature, H2O2 or pH independently, or a combined effect of multiple stimuli. Taking other advantages of magnetic carriers, such as high sensitivity to the external magnetic field, contrast effect to magnetic resonance, and magnetic hyperthermia, the micelles developed by this study show great potential application in cancer treatment.

Preparation of thermosensitive polymer magnetic particles and their application in protein separations.

This paper presents a kind of thermoresponsive polymeric magnetic particles for protein separations. The magnetofluids were directly encapsulated in hollow particles constructed by self-assembly of rod-coil poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)/α-cyclodextrin (PEG-PNIPAM/α-CD) complexes. The resulting particles showed reversible protein absorption/desorption capacity because the reversible thermo-sensitivity of PNIPAM. Above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of PNIPAM, these particles showed high absorptive capacities and adsorption was done at lower temperature. The protein-laden particles are readily removed from the feed solution in a magnetic field.