Ferroelectricity in Ultrathin HfO2-Based Films by Nanosecond Laser Annealing.

Nonvolatile memory devices based on ferroelectric HfxZr1-xO2 (HZO) show great promise for back-end integrable storage and for neuromorphic accelerators, but their adoption is held back by the inability to scale down the HZO thickness without violating the strict thermal restrictions of the Si CMOS back end of line. In this work, we overcome this challenge and demonstrate the use of nanosecond pulsed laser annealing (NLA) to locally crystallize areas of an ultrathin (3.6 nm) HZO film into the ferroelectric orthorhombic phase. Meanwhile, the heat induced by the pulsed laser is confined to the layers above the Si, allowing for back-end compatible integration. We use a combination of electrical characterization, nanofocused scanning X-ray diffraction (nano-XRD), and synchrotron X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SXPS) to gain a comprehensive view of the change in material and interface properties by systematically varying both laser energy and the number of laser pulses on the same sample. We find that NLA can provide remanent polarization up to 2Pr= 11.6 µC/cm2 in 3.6 nm HZO, albeit with a significant wake-up effect. The improved TiN/HZO interface observed by XPS explains why device endurance goes beyond 107 cycles, whereas an identical film processed by rapid thermal processing (RTP) breaks already after 106 cycles. All in all, NLA provides a promising approach to scale down the ferroelectric oxide thickness for emerging HZO ferroelectric devices, which is key for their integration in scaled process nodes.

Surface Coordination of Garnet Fillers Improves the Organic-Inorganic Interfacial Compatibility of Composite Solid Electrolyte.

Composite solid electrolytes (CSEs) have become one of the most promising solid-state electrolytes due to their favorable safety and flexibility. However, the weak interaction between inorganic fillers and polymer matrix leads to poor organic-inorganic interfacial compatibility, which degrades the electrochemical performance of CSEs. Herein, it is demonstrated that Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 (LLZTO) can be chemically bonded to the polymer matrix by surface coordination of the 1,2-dithiolane group of lipoic acid (LA) with metal atoms on the surface of LLZTO through a combination of experimental investigations and theoretical calculations. The surface coordination not only enhances the interfacial compatibility between LLZTO and the polymer matrix, but also facilitates rapid Li+ transport, which leads to the ionic conductivity of the prepared CSE (P-V-M@LLZTO) as high as 6.1 × 10-4 S cm-1 at 30 °C. The excellent interface compatibility ensures a stable cycle of Li/P-V-M@LLZTO/Li symmetrical cell for more than 3500 h. As a result, LiFePO4/P-V-M@LLZTO/Li cell delivers the discharge capacity of 161 mAh g-1 after 5 cycles with a capacity retention of 81% after 500 cycles at 0.5C under 30 °C. This work demonstrates that surface coordination is an effective strategy to solve the inherent interfacial incompatibility problem in CSEs.

Pr6O11 modification effectively enhancing sodium storage for Na3V2(PO4)3 batteries.

Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP) is one of the most promising cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to its robust three-dimensional framework, high tunability, and relatively high Na+ intercalation potentials. However, its utility is generally constrained by low conductivity, inefficient charge transfer, and subpar interface kinetics. This work presents an efficient and simple method to address these issues. We innovatively modified the NVP surface with Pr6O11 nanoparticles, a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermosensitive material, to enhance interface compatibility with electrolytes and improve conductivity. This modification significantly enhances the overall sodium-ion storage performance. Specifically, the optimized NVP-2 %Pr6O11 electrode exhibits excellent electrochemical properties with the aid of an optimized conductivity network compared to the unmodified NVP. Cycled at an 8C current density, the NVP-2 %Pr6O11 electrode achieves high specific capacities of 102.6 mAh·g-1 at 27 °C and 95.6 mAh·g-1 at 45 °C. After 1000 cycles, the capacity retention rates are 81.18 % and 78.97 %, respectively, significantly higher than the 20.59 % and 14.99 % of pure NVP. In coin full-battery testing, the NVP-2 %Pr6O11 electrode retains 89.76 % capacity after 500 cycles at 8C. In addition, the assembled The NVP-2 %Pr6O11//HC pouch full battery exhibits better sodium-ion storage and thermal safety performance compared to the NVP-SP//HC battery. This simple modification strategy provides an effective insight into the application of NVP electrodes in energy storage.

Achieving ZT > 1 in Cu and Ga Co-doped Ag6Ge10P12 with Superior Mechanical Performance and Its Fundamental Physical Properties toward Practical Thermoelectric Device Applications.

Recently, phosphorus-based compounds have emerged as potential candidates for thermoelectric materials. One of the key challenges facing this field is to achieve ZT > 1, which is the benchmark for thermoelectric device applications. In this study, it is demonstrated that the thermoelectric performance of environmentally friendly Ag6Ge10P12 is enhanced by co-doping Cu and Ga. The mechanical properties, coefficient of linear thermal expansion, work function, and compatibility factor are comprehensively clarified to provide guidelines for reliable device applications. The peak and average dimensionless figures of merit of Ag5.85Cu0.15Ge9.875Ga0.125P12 reach 1.04 at 723 K and 0.63 at 300-723 K, respectively, which are the highest values for phosphorus-based thermoelectric materials. The Young's modulus, Vickers microhardness, fracture toughness, and compressive strength of Ag5.85Cu0.15Ge9.875Ga0.125P12 are 132 GPa, 589, 1.23 MPa m1/2, and 219 MPa, respectively, which are superior to those of typical state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials. The remarkable thermoelectric and mechanical performance of Ag5.85Cu0.15Ge9.875Ga0.125P12 mean that it is a promising candidate for medium-temperature thermoelectric conversion. Ti, V, Rh, and Pt are suitable for electrodes without exfoliation under thermal expansion and with ohmic contacts to Ag5.85Cu0.15Ge9.875Ga0.125P12 in terms of the coefficient of linear thermal expansion and work function. Considering that the compatibility factor of Ag5.85Cu0.15Ge9.875Ga0.125P12 is approximately 2.8, half-Heusler, skutterudite, and magnesium silicide-stannide compounds are suitable n-type thermoelectric counterpart materials in thermoelectric devices. These insights will lead to the development of phosphorus-based thermoelectric materials toward practical thermoelectric device applications.

Impacts of compatibility between rainwater availability and water demand on water saving performance of rainwater harvesting systems.

Rainwater Harvesting Systems (RHS) are widely implemented to mitigate urban water shortages, yet the impacts of compatibility between rainwater availability and water demand on their performance are often overlooked. This study introduces novel rainwater deficit and surplus indices to quantitatively assess the impacts of compatibility between rainwater availability and water demand on the performance of RHS across 16 cities in different climate zones and under 3 daily water demand scenarios. The rainwater deficit and surplus indices, and the water saving efficiency and reliability of RHS are calculated based on long-term (1991-2020) continuous simulations using a daily water balance model. Results show the rainwater deficit index effectively quantifies water supply pressure on RHS, while the rainwater surplus index quantitatively evaluates their water saving potential. Both of water saving efficiency and reliability of RHS significantly linearly decrease with the rainwater deficit index (P < 0.05), and the coefficients of determination (R2) decrease from 0.96 to 0.80 as tank size increases from 1 to 300 m3. Both of water saving efficiency and reliability increase along sigmoid curves with the rainwater surplus index (P < 0.05), and R2 values increase from 0.91 to 0.99 with tank size. The results indicate that tank size optimization enhances water saving performance of RHS through reducing deficits and surpluses. However, the performance enhancement by tank size optimization could be limited by the compatibility between rainwater availability and water demand. Taken Kashgar (arid climate) as an example, the thresholds of water saving efficiency under all water demand scenarios are below 15% due to high rainwater deficit and low surplus. This study emphasizes that the compatibility between rainwater availability and water demand should be considered in planning and design of RHS.

Physical Compatibility of Reduced Glutathione for Injection With 44 Intravenous Drugs During Simulated Y-site Administration.

PURPOSE: Reduced glutathione (GSH) is extensively used in clinical therapeutics due to its antioxidative and cytoprotective properties. It is essential in the management of various chronic and acute conditions and serves as an adjunct therapy in oncology. Despite its widespread use, the physical compatibility of GSH with other intravenous drugs during Y-site administration has not been thoroughly investigated, posing risks such as reduced efficacy and adverse reactions. This study fills this critical gap by examining the physical compatibility of GSH with 44 commonly used intravenous drugs in simulated Y-site administration with 0.9% sodium chloride injection (NS) and 5% dextrose injection, aiming to enhance patient safety and clinical outcomes. METHODS: Simulated Y-site administration was conducted in vitro by mixing 24 mg/mL of GSH with equal volumes of 44 diluted intravenous drugs. Physical compatibility was assessed by observing visual changes, checking for the Tyndall effect, measuring turbidity, and monitoring pH levels at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 hours post-mixing. Physical compatibility was defined as the absence of color changes, gas evolution, particulate formation, and the Tyndall effect within 4 hours, with turbidity changes of less than 0.5 nephelometric turbidity units from baseline and pH variations of less than 10% from initial values. FINDINGS: GSH exhibited physical incompatibility with 11 of the 44 intravenous drugs evaluated, while it remained compatible with 33 drugs over 4 hours. IMPLICATIONS: This study reveals that while GSH is physically compatible with the majority of tested intravenous drugs, incompatibilities with 11 drugs under simulated Y-site conditions necessitate rigorous compatibility testing prior to co-administration in clinical settings. These findings emphasize the importance of such testing to prevent potential treatment failures and adverse effects. Further research is needed to explore chemical stability and therapeutic efficacy in clinical settings, ensuring the safe and effective use of GSH in medical treatments.

Designing and additive manufacturing of biomimetic interpenetrating phase zirconia-resin composite dental restorations with TPMS structure.

Zirconia and resin are the most commonly utilized materials in dental restorations. However, zirconia presents significant wear on opposing teeth, whereas resin materials have low wear resistance and mechanical performances. A zirconia-resin interpenetrating phase composite (IPC) dental restoration was designed and fabricated using 3D printing and vacuum infiltration processes, incorporating zirconia scaffolds with triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) structures. The mechanical and tribological performances of the IPCs were investigated through compressive and tribological experiments and finite element analysis, elucidating the influence of zirconia volumetric fraction. Results showed that IPCs exhibit excellent mechanical and tribological compatibilities, which can reduce the damage and wear of the antagonistic teeth. This designing and manufacturing strategy enables the IPC restorations with promising applications in dentistry.

Immunological properties of silica nanoparticles: a structure-activity relationship study.

Silica nanoparticles are increasingly considered for drug delivery applications. These applications require an understanding of their biocompatibility, including their interactions with the immune system. However, systematic studies for silica nanoparticle immunological safety profiles are lacking. To fill this gap, we conducted an in vitro study investigating various aspects of silica nanoparticles' interactions with blood and immune cells. Four types of silica nanoparticles with variations in size and porosity were studied. These included nonporous Stöber silica nanoparticles with average diameters of approximately 50 and 100 nm (SNP50 and SNP100), mesoporous silica nanoparticles of approximately 100 nm (Meso100), and hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles of approximately 100 nm (HMSNP100) in diameter, respectively. The hematological compatibility was assessed using hemolysis, complement activation, platelet aggregation, and plasma coagulation assays. The effects of nanoparticles on immune cell function were studied using in vitro phagocytosis, chemotaxis, natural killer cell cytotoxicity, leukocyte proliferation, human lymphocyte activation, colony-forming unit granulocyte-macrophage, and leukocyte procoagulant activity assays. The in vitro findings suggest that at high concentrations, corresponding to the in vivo human dose of 40 mg/kg, silica nanoparticles demonstrated an array of immunotoxic effects that depended on their physicochemical properties. However, all types of silica nanoparticles studied were not immunotoxic at concentrations corresponding to lower doses (≤ 8 mg/kg) comparable to that of nanocarriers in other nanomedicines currently used in the clinic. These findings are promising for using silica nanoparticles for the systemic delivery of bioactive and imaging agents.

Rational Matching of Metal-Organic Frameworks and Polymers in Mixed Matrix Membranes for Efficient Propylene/Propane Separation.

The exploitation of high-performance membranes selective for propylene is important for developing energy-efficient propylene/propane (C3H6/C3H8) separation technologies. Although metal-organic frameworks with a molecular sieving property have been considered promising filler materials in mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs), their use in practical applications has been challenging due to a lack of interface compatibility. Herein, we adopted a surface coordination strategy that involved rationally utilizing carboxyl-functionalized PIM-1 (cPIM) and ZIF-8 to prepare a mixed-matrix membrane for efficient propylene/propane separation. The interfacial coordination between the polymer and the MOF improves their compatibility and eliminates the need for additional modification of the MOF, thereby maximizing the inherent screening performance of the MOF filler. Additionally, the utilization of porous PIM-1 guaranteed the high permeability of the MMMs. The obtained MMMs exhibited excellent separation performance. The 30 wt% ZIF-8/cPIM-1 membrane performed the best, exhibiting a high C3H6 permeability of 1023 Barrer with a moderate C3H6/C3H8 selectivity of 13.97 under 2 bars of pressure. This work presents a method that can feasibly be used for the preparation of defect-free MOF-based MMMs for specific gas separations.

Facet Engineering Boosts Interfacial Compatibility of Inorganic-Polymer Composites.

The interfacial compatibility between inorganic particles and polymer is crucial for ensuring high performance of composites. Current efforts to improve interfacial compatibility preferentially rely on organic modification of inorganic particles, leading to their complex process, high costs, and short lifespans due to aging and decomposition of organic modifiers. However, the fabrication of inorganic particles free from organic modification that is highly compatible in polymer still remains a great challenge. Herein, a novel facet-engineered inorganic particle that exhibit high compatibility with widely used polymer interface without organic modification is reported. Theoretical calculations and experimental results show that (020) and (102) facets of inorganic particles modulate local coordination environment of Ca atoms, which in turn regulate d-orbital electron density of Ca atoms and electron transfer paths at interfaces between polymer and inorganic particles. This difference alters the molecular diffusion, orientation of molecular chains on surface of inorganic particles, further modulating interfacial compatibility of composites. Surprisingly, the facet-engineered inorganic particles show exceptional mechanical properties, especially for tensile strain at break, which increases by 395%, far superior to state-of-the-art composites counterparts. Thus, the method can offer a more benign approach to the general production of high-performance and low-cost polymer-inorganic composites for diverse potential applications.

Numerical comparisons of exponential expressions: The saliency of the base component.

Exponential expressions represent series that grow at a fast pace such as carbon pollution and the spread of disease. Despite their importance, people tend to struggle with these expressions. In two experiments, participants chose the larger of two exponential expressions as quickly and accurately as possible. We manipulated the distance between the base/power components and their compatibility. In base-power compatible pairs, both the base and power of one expression were larger than the other (e.g., 23 vs. 34), while in base-power incompatible pairs, the base of one expression was larger than the base in the other expression but the relation between the power components of the two expressions was reversed (e.g., 32 vs. 24). Moreover, while in the first experiment the larger power always led to the larger result, in the second experiment we introduced base-result congruent pairs as well. Namely, the larger base led to the larger result. Our results showed a base-power compatibility effect, which was also larger for larger power distances (Experiments 1-2). Furthermore, participants processed the base-result congruent pairs faster and more accurately than the power-result congruent pairs (Experiment 2). These findings suggest that while both the base and power components are processed when comparing exponential expressions, the base is more salient. This exemplifies an incorrect processing of the syntax of exponential expressions, where the power typically has a larger mathematical contribution to the result of the expression.

Secapin: a promising antimicrobial peptide against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii.

Introduction: Acinetobacter baumannii, renowned for its exceptional multidrug resistance and its role as a prevalent nosocomial pathogen, poses a formidable challenge to conventional antibiotic therapies. The primary objective of this investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of Secapin, an antimicrobial peptide, against multidrug-resistant (MDR) baumannii. Furthermore, the mechanisms underlying Secapin's antibacterial and antibiofilm activities were elucidated. Methods: The antimicrobial and antibiofilm effectiveness of Secapin against MDR A. baumannii was assessed through a series of experiments. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of Secapin were determined using established protocols. Time-kill kinetic analysis was performed to assess the concentration-dependent bactericidal effect of Secapin. Additionally, the capacity of Secapin to impede biofilm formation and eradicate A. b aumannii biofilms was investigated. Hemolytic potential was evaluated using human red blood cells, while mammalian cell viability was examined at varying Secapin concentrations. Results: Secapin exhibited robust bactericidal activity at minimal concentrations, with an MIC of 5 µg/mL and an MBC of 10 µg/mL against MDR A. baumannii. The time-kill kinetic analysis confirmed the concentration-dependent efficacy of Secapin in diminishing bacterial viability. Moreover, Secapin demonstrated the ability to prevent biofilm formation and eliminate established A. baumannii biofilms. Notably, Secapin exhibited no hemolytic activity and preserved mammalian cell viability up to a concentration of 100 µg/mL. Conclusion: These findings underscore the substantial potential of Secapin as a potent agent against multidrug-resistant A. baumannii, showcasing its efficacy in both antibacterial and antibiofilm capacities. The favorable attributes of Secapin, characterized by its minimal hemolytic effects and high mammalian cell viability, position it as a promising contender in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

Extending the theory of planned behavior to predict the behavior of farmers in choosing low-water-intensive medicinal plants.

Water scarcity has become a serious challenge in many parts of the world due to increasing demands and the impacts of climate change. The agriculture sector globally accounts for a major portion of water consumption, yet it also holds substantial potential for water conservation. Among the most effective ways to conserve water is to cultivate low-water-demanding crops, such as medicinal plants (MPs), instead of water-demanding crops (WDC). However, the voluntary participation of farmers, largely influenced by socio-psychological drivers, is crucial for successfully implementing most water conservation programs and needs to be addressed. Therefore, the main objectives of this paper were: (1) to identify the determinants that explain farmers' intention and behavior in cultivating MPs instead of WDC; and (2) to examine the effectiveness and performance of an extended version of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in predicting farmers' intention and behavior toward cultivating MPs by innovatively incorporating four new variables into the original TPB model: perceived barriers, moral norms, compatibility, and relative advantage. The applicability of the theoretical framework was evaluated in the Sojasroud Plain, Zanjan province, Iran. The results of the structural equation modeling revealed that: (1) farmers' intention to cultivate MPs instead of WDC is significantly influenced by perceived barriers, moral norms, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control (the strongest predictor); and (2) farmers' behavior in cultivating MPs instead of WDC is predicted by relative advantage, compatibility, and intention (the most prominent determinant). The R2 values for predicting intention and behavior were 55% and 53%, respectively. Based on the results, some practical policies were proposed to increase the cultivation of MPs in the study area.

Experimental evaluation of an artificial anal sphincter based on biomechanical compatibility.

BACKGROUND: The artificial anal sphincter is a device used to treat patients with fecal incontinence who are unable to control their bowel movements on their own. Long-term morphological changes in the tissue surrounding the artificial anal sphincter can cause biomechanical compatibility problems, which seriously affect the clinical application of the artificial anal sphincter. METHODS: In this paper, the superelasticity of shape memory alloys was utilized to design and fabricate a biomechanically compatible constant force clamping artificial anal sphincter. An in vitro simulation system was constructed to verify the effectiveness, safety, and constant force characteristics of the artificial anal sphincter. RESULTS: The experimental results demonstrated that the artificial anal sphincter could be effectively closed with no leakage of the liquid-like intestinal contents, which are most likely to leak. The pressure of the artificial anal sphincter on the intestinal tube gradually increased and eventually became constant during closure, and the pressure value was always less than the intestinal blood supply pressure threshold. CONCLUSIONS: In this paper, we designed an artificial anal sphincter based on biomechanical compatibility and the corresponding in vitro simulation experimental program and preliminarily verified the effectiveness, safety, and constant force characteristics of the artificial anal sphincter.

Electrical Conductivity, Thermo-Mechanical Properties, and Cytotoxicity of Poly(3,4-Ethylenedioxythiophene):Poly(Styrene Sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/Sulfonated Polyurethane Blends.

Electrically conductive polymeric materials have recently garnered significant interest from researchers due to their potential applications in the biomedical field, including medical implants, tissue engineering, flexible electronic devices, and biosensors. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) is considered the most successful conducting polymer due to its higher electrical conductivity and chemical stability, but it suffers from limited solubility in common organic solvents, poor mechanical properties, and low biocompatibility. An area of tremendous interest is in combining PEDOT:PSS with another polymer to form a blend or composite material in order to access the beneficial properties of both materials. However, the hydrophilic nature of PEDOT:PSS makes it difficult to produce composites with non-polar polymers. In order to overcome these problems, we have specifically designed and synthesized two new sulfonated polyurethanes (PUS) with high sulfonic acid functionality. The two polyurethanes, one water-soluble (PUS1) and one water-insoluble (PUS2), were used to make blends with two commercially available PEDOT:PSS formulations (CleviosTM FET and PH1000). Solvent cast films on glass substrates were made from water-soluble PEDOT:PSS/PUS1 blends while free-standing films of PEDOT:PSS/PUS2 blends were fabricated by compression-moulding. Ethylene glycol was used as conductivity enhancer, which showed an increase in the conductivity by several orders of magnitude in most of the compositions investigated. The highest conductivity of 438 S cm-1 was achieved for the blend with 80 wt% of PEDOT:PSS (PH1000) in PUS1.

Understanding Excipient-Induced Crystallization of Spray-Dried Amorphous Solid Dispersion.

This study investigates the compatibility of excipients with the model system SDI-X and their role in the induced crystallization of the amorphous compound-X in tablet formulations. We aimed to establish a straightforward and practical screening approach for evaluating excipient-induced crystallization of SDI in tablet matrices. Three methodologies-binary powder mixture, binary compact, and bilayer tablets-were employed to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the recrystallization of SDI-X with various excipients under accelerated storage conditions. The results demonstrated that binary compacts, providing direct physical contact between SDI-X and excipients, are superior in reflecting realistic drug-excipient contact within pharmaceutical tablets, enabling a more accurate assessment of excipient-induced crystallization for SDI-X. In contrast, the broadly used conventional binary blends can significantly underestimate this risk due to insufficient proximity. In addition, the bilayer tablets further confirmed that crystallization initiates at the contact surface between SDI-X and the excipients. The study highlighted that not only hygroscopicity but also the type of excipient and its physical contact with SDI-X significantly influence the recrystallization extent and rate of SDI-X. Interestingly, less hygroscopic diluents such as mannitol and lactose induced much higher levels of crystallization of SDIs, contrary to expectations based on moisture content alone. This suggests that the excipient type and contact surface are more critical in inducing recrystallization than just the level of moisture. The findings emphasize the need for careful excipient selection, study design, and sample preparation to enable appropriate assessments of SDI-excipient compatibility.

Environment-compatible heavy metal risk prediction method created with multilevel ensemble learning.

Accurate health risk prediction (HRP) is an effective means of reducing the hazards of heavy metal (HM) exposure. It can address the drawbacks of lag and passivity faced by health risk assessment. This study innovatively proposed an HRP method, MEL-HR, based on multilevel ensemble learning (MEL) technology and environment compatibility. We conducted point and interval prediction experiments on health risks using 490 sets of data covering 17 environment factors. The point prediction results indicated that when the model predicts HI and TCR, the R2 values were 0.707 and 0.619, respectively. For P5, P50, and P95 in interval prediction, the R2 values of the model were 0.706, 0.703, and 0.672 for HI, and that for TCR were 0.620, 0.607, and 0.616, respectively. The analysis of feature importance indicated that, in addition to HM factors, longitude, mining area coefficient, and soil organic matter were key environmental factors affecting the MEL-HR model. Comparative experiments showed that compared to soil HMs-based MEL-HR, environment compatibility-based MEL-HR has improved the accuracy for HI and TCR by 19.83 % and 40.36 % for the point prediction and 22.06 % and 40.01 % for interval prediction. This study can provide technical support for targeted and resilient prevention and control of health risks.

Dual cross-linked network of the active starch film by incorporating palmitic acid and geraniol: A comprehensive evaluation of the hydrophobic mechanism and antimicrobial activity.

In this study, (3-Aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) was employed as a bridging agent to enhance the compatibility between the hydrophilic starch/pectin film and the hydrophobic palmitic acid (PA) coating through hydrogen bonding and chemical reactions. To address the insufficient antibacterial activity of starch films, geraniol was also incorporated. The intermolecular interactions among APTES, PA, and starch were confirmed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR). Notably, the inclusion of APTES and PA significantly increased the film's hydrophobicity, resulting in a water contact angle (WCA) of 95.12°, a water vapor permeability (WVP) of 2.08 × 10-10 g/(mm·s·Pa), and an oxygen permeability (OP) of 2.61 × 10-9 g·mm·mm-2·s-1. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed strong non-covalent interactions and exceptional compatibility between starch and PA. Furthermore, the integration of pectin and geraniol improved the mechanical strength and antimicrobial properties of the modified films compared to unmodified starch films. These environmentally friendly and biodegradable starch-based films present a promising option for sustainable packaging materials in food preservation.

An innovative functional compatibility strategy for poly (lactic acid) and polypropylene carbonate blends to achieve superior toughness, degradability, and optical properties.

This study, for the first time, unveils the potential of dibutyl itaconate (DBI) in enhancing the compatibility between PLA (poly (lactic acid)) and PPC (polypropylene carbonate), systematically investigating the effects of DBI amount on the thermal, optical, rheological, mechanical, and degradation properties and microstructure of the PLA/PPC/DBI blends. The results showed that DBI could chemically react with PLA and PPC, forming a PLA-co-DBI-co-PPC copolymer structure, thereby improving the compatibility between PLA and PPC. When the DBI amount reached 8 wt%, only one Tg was observed in the blend system, and no distinct phase interface was visible in the fracture surface of the blend specimens. This indicated that at this DBI amount, the PLA and PPC had transitioned from a partially compatible system to a fully compatible system. With the increase in DBI amount in the system, the elongation at break and notched impact strength of the blends initially increased and then decreased, while the storage modulus, loss modulus, and complex viscosity showed a gradual downward trend. When the DBI amount increased to 10 wt%, the flexibility of the blends reached its peak, with the values rising to 494.7 % and 8494.1 J/m2, respectively, representing 13.7 times and 2.5 times those of the neat PLA/PPC blends. At this point, the impact specimens exhibited significant plastic flow in the direction of force, showing distinct ductile fracture characteristics. Meanwhile, the degradation performance of the PLA/PPC blends increased with the addition of DBI. The introduction of DBI effectively facilitated the penetration of water molecules into the PLA/PPC molecular chains, enhancing the hydrolysis of ester bonds, leading to a maximum mass loss rate of 84.1 %, which was significantly higher than the 20.3 % of the neat PLA/PPC blends. In addition, the addition of DBI significantly reduced the haze of the blends while maintaining high light transmittance, demonstrating excellent optical properties (light transmittance remained above 92.4 %, and haze decreased from 37.1 % to 11.1 %). In conclusion, this study provides a new approach for the development of high-performance PLA-based biodegradable composites. The resulting blends exhibit excellent toughness, degradation performance, and optical properties, significantly enhancing their application potential in fields such as disposable products, packaging, agriculture, and 3D printing materials.

Experimental Study on Compatibility of Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells in Collagen-Alginate Bioink for 3D Printing.

This paper reports an experimental study on the compatibility of human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells in a collagen-alginate bioink. The compatibility was assessed using the culture well method with three bioink compositions prepared from a 10% alginate solution and neutralized TeloCol-10 mg/mL collagen stock solution. Cell viability, quantified by (live cell count-dead cell count)/live cell count within the HBE cell-laden hydrogel, was evaluated using the live/dead assay method from Day 0 to Day 6. Experimental results demonstrated that the collagen-alginate 4:1 bioink composition exhibited the highest cell viability on Day 6 (85%), outperforming the collagen-alginate 1:4 bioink composition and the alginate bioink composition, which showed cell viability of 75% and 45%, respectively. Additionally, the live cell count was highest for the collagen-alginate 4:1 bioink composition on Day 0, a trend that persisted through Days 1 to 6, underscoring its superior performance in maintaining cell viability and promoting cell proliferation. These findings show that the compatibility of HBE cells with the collagen-alginate 4:1 bioink composition was higher compared with the other two bioink compositions.