Application of Achillea millefolium extract as a reducing agent for synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the cotton: antibacterial, antioxidant and dyeing studies.

The phyto-synthesis of silver nanoparticles and cotton dyeing with natural colorants can reduce the environmental impact of the process considerably. In this study, the extraction of natural colorants from Achillea millefolium petals was optimized by ultrasound technique. The AMP extract was applied for synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) on the cotton fabrics. The dyeing, antibacterial and antioxidant characteristics of cotton samples were investigated to optimize the process and evaluate its efficiency. The AMP extract had good substantivity towards cotton fabrics and the presence of tannic acid, as an environmentally-friendly mordant, further improved the absorption of AMP dye. The antibacterial and antioxidant activities of the dyed samples with AMP extract of were 50%and 60%, respectively. The addition of TA and Ag enhanced the antibacterial and antioxidant activities on the cotton samples to over 99%.

Eco-Friendly Procedure for Rendering the Antibacterial and Antioxidant of Cotton Fabrics via Phyto-Synthesized AgNPs With Malva sylvestris (MS) Natural Colorant.

There is a growing interest for producing multifunctional cellulose fabrics using green and sustainable technology. In this study, we explored an eco-friendly procedure for dyeing cotton fabrics with Malva sylvestris (MS) as a natural colorant and rendering antibacterial cotton fabric by the silver nanoparticles. MS colorants were extracted from dried petals in water using the ultrasound technique, cotton fabrics were dyed with the extracted MS colorant at 100°C for 90 min. The colorimetric data and colorfastness properties were investigated in the absence and presence of tannic acid (TA) as a bio-mordant. Results indicated that MS dye had a high potential for reducing the silver nitrate, so that the silver particle size distribution on cotton fabric was obtained 50-80 nm, and TA had a positive effect on the MS extract and reduced Ag on the cotton. Furthermore, the reduction of bacterial growth of the dyed cotton considerably (up to 99%) improved by AgNPs. The wash-, and light-fastness properties of samples dyed with MS were enhanced from moderate to good-very good by mordanting.

Synthesis of Palladium Nanodendrites Using a Mixture of Cationic and Anionic Surfactants.

Surfactants are used widely to control the synthesis of shaped noble-metal nanoparticles. In this work, a mixture of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), a cationic surfactant; sodium oleate (NaOL), an anionic surfactant; palladium chloride; and a reducing agent were used in the seed-mediated synthesis of palladium nanoparticles. By controlling the surfactant mixture ratio, we initially discovered that palladium nanodendrites with narrow size distribution were formed instead of the traditional nanocubes, synthesized with only CTAB. In order to investigate the optimal ratio to produce Pd nanodendrites with a high yield and narrow size distribution, samples synthesized with multiple molar ratios of the two surfactants were prepared and studied by transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, conductance, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. We propose that the addition of NaOL alters the arrangement of surfactants on the Pd seed surface, leading to a new pattern of growth and aggregation. By studying the nanodendrite growth over time, we identified the reduction period of Pd2+ ions and the formation period of the nanodendrites. Our further experiments, including the replacement of CTAB with hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) and the replacement of NaOL with sodium stearate, showed that CTA+ ions in CTAB and OL- ions in NaOL play the main roles in the formation of nanodendrites. The formation of palladium nanodendrites was robust and achieved with a range of temperatures, pH and mixing speeds.

Highly Flexible Single-Unit Resolution All Printed Neural Interface on a Bioresorbable Backbone.

Neural interfaces are the parts of the neural prosthesis that are in contact with the target tissue. The mechanical, chemical, and electrical properties of these interfaces can be a major determinant of the life of the implant and the neural tissue for chronic and even acute integrations. In this work, we developed a fully inkjet-printed, flexible neural interface on a bioresorbable backbone capable of recording high-fidelity neural activity. We utilized room temperature fabrication processes that overcome the limitations of semiconductor fabrication techniques for processing low-melting point polymers while maintaining high spatial and single-cell recording resolution. The ∼8 µm-thick devices in this study were fabricated onto two flexible polymers: (a) polyimide (PI), a biocompatible polymer commonly used for neural interfaces, and (b) polycaprolactone (PCL), a bioresorbable polyester with outstanding mechanical properties. Electrodes for neural recording were built at 30, 50, 75, and 100 µm diameter using silver nanoparticles/(3,4-ethylenedioxytiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (AgNPs/PEDOT:PSS), which through our process achieved the lowest impedance reported in the literature reaching ∼200 Ω at 1 kHz for a 50 µm electrode diameter. We further enhanced the electrochemical performance of AgNPs/PEDOT:PSS by an order of magnitude by incorporating exfoliated graphene into the electrodes. The biocompatibility of the fabricated devices and their ability to record single-unit activity were confirmed by in vitro tests on both rat PC12 cells and isolated neural rat retina, respectively.

Waterproof breathable layers - A review.

Waterproof breathable layers (WPBLs) can be classified into two large groups of hydrophilic nonporous and hydrophobic porous layers. These layers (e.g., fabrics, films, membranes, and meshes) can be produced by various continuous and non-continuous processes such as coating, laminating, film stretching, casting, etc. The most common methods for production, characterization, and testing of WPBLs are presented and discussed in light of recent publications. The materials with high level of waterproofness and breathability are often used in outerwear for winter sports, sailing apparel, raincoats, military/police jackets, backpacks, tents, cargo raps, footwear and etc. WPBLs can also be used for other specialized applications such as membrane distillation, oil-water filtration, and wound dressing. These applications are discussed by presenting several good examples. The main challenge in the production of these layers is to compromise between waterproofness and breathability with opposing nature. The related research gaps, challenges, and future outlook are highlighted to shed more light on the topic.

Micelle growth of cationic gemini surfactants studied by NMR and by time-resolved fluorescence quenching.

The micelle growth of a series of five cationic gemini surfactants has been investigated by time-resolved fluorescence quenching (TRFQ) and by two NMR techniques, line width analysis and diffusometry. The surfactant series was designed such that the effect of a number of variables could be assessed: length of the spacer unit, presence of ester bonds in the tails close to the head groups, and presence of a hydroxyl group in the spacer. For the gemini with long spacer, the micelles remained relatively small in size upon an increase of the concentration. The gemini surfactants with short spacer, on the other hand, showed a considerable micellar growth as the concentration was raised. It is of particular interest that the relatively simple line width analysis of one dimensional (1)H NMR spectra gave qualitatively the same results as the more sophisticated TRFQ and NMR diffusometry techniques.

Solubilization of Hydrophobic Dyes in Surfactant Solutions.

In this paper, the use of surfactants for solubilization of hydrophobic organic dyes (mainly solvent and disperse dyes) has been reviewed. The effect of parameters such as the chemical structures of the surfactant and the dye, addition of salt and of polyelectrolytes, pH, and temperature on dye solubilization has been discussed. Surfactant self-assemble into micelles in aqueous solution and below the concentration where this occurs-the critical micelle concentration (CMC)-there is no solubilization. Above the CMC, the amount of solubilized dye increases linearly with the increase in surfactant concentration. It is demonstrated that different surfactants work best for different dyes. In general, nonionic surfactants have higher solubilization power than anionic and cationic surfactants. It is likely that the reason for the good performance of nonionic surfactants is that they allow dyes to be accommodated not only in the inner, hydrocarbon part of the micelle but also in the headgroup shell. It is demonstrated that the location of a dye in a surfactant micelle can be assessed from the absorption spectrum of the dye-containing micellar solution.