Colloid and Polymer Science最新文献

Fluorescence-based theranostic agents are gaining more attention in the fight against cancer. Herein, theranostic reagents (TA-PEG-n) consisting of a tripodal hydrophobic melphalan and different molecular weights PEG are successfully prepared. The TA-PEG-n self-assembly into nanoparticles in solution. The introduction of PEG not only transforms the tripodal center from hydrophobic to hydrophilic, but also endows it an excellent aggregation-induced emission (AIE) property. The maximum excitation wavelength can be found at 470 nm and H₂O is the solvent with the highest relative fluorescence emission intensity for the both compounds. Fluorescence of both compounds is used to track and explore cell uptake of drugs and cell distribution. The construction of the tripodal structure greatly improves the anticancer activity. The IC₅₀ to HeLa cells of TA-PEG-5000 is about 10.51 and 7.99 µmol L^-1. The metabolic pathway of the TA-PEG-5000 in living organisms is also explored.

The treatment of dye wastewater necessitates efficient and sustainable adsorbents. In this study, a novel sodium alginate/carrageenan/montmorillonite@carboxymethyl cellulose nanofiber (SA/CRG/MMt@CMCNF) core-shell hydrogel, containing abundant adsorption sites, was synthesized via a facile ion-crosslinking method for effective methylene blue (MB) removal. The surface characteristics including morphology, functional groups, and pore distribution of the SA/CRG/MMt@CMCNF hydrogel were analyzed. FTIR, BET, and XPS analyses revealed that the addition of MMt provided more adsorption sites. The composite hydrogel exhibited a maximum adsorption capacity of 228.83 mg·g^− 1 under optimal conditions and was well-described by both the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model. Furthermore, it maintained 75% MB removal efficiency after five adsorption cycles. To our knowledge, this study introduces the first incorporation of CMCNF and MMt into the SA/CRG composite system to form a core-shell hydrogel for MB adsorption. Overall, the SA/CRG/MMt@CMCNF hydrogel offers several advantages, including a simple production process, low cost, high adsorption capacity, and good recyclability. This research presents a design strategy for multifunctional hydrogel composites incorporating nanomaterials, providing novel insights into the development of dye treatment technologies.

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Reversible and recyclable vitrimers have garnered significant attention in materials science due to their unique smart functionalities and sustainability. However, challenges remain in balancing comprehensive properties with dynamic characteristics. This study proposes an innovative catalyst-free copolymerization strategy, utilizing cyanuric chloride as a scaffold to synthesize a highly symmetrical trialdehyde compound (TFPT). This compound is copolymerized with a rigid building block, 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-diaminodicyclohexylmethane (DMDC), and a flexible unit, polyetheramine D230 (PEA), yielding a series of polyimines (TDP-x). It is demonstrated that TDP-x polyimines exhibit a high glass transition temperature (up to 183 °C), outstanding mechanical properties (tensile strength: 41.1–66.9 MPa, elongation at break: 12.4–16.0%), excellent thermal stability, and remarkable reprocessability (> 90% mechanical property retention after three recycling cycles). Additionally, TDP-x displays shape-memory behavior, solvent resistance, and acid degradability. By tailoring molecular architecture and modulating dynamic networks, this work overcomes limitations of conventional rigid systems, synergistically enhancing flexibility, processability, and multi-cycle recyclability. This approach pioneers new pathways for developing high-performance recyclable vitrimers.

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A simple approximate analytic expression is derived for the electrophoretic mobility of a weakly charged spherical oil drop with a hydrodynamically slipping surface in an aqueous electrolyte solution, where the surface charge originates from ion adsorption. An expression for the sedimentation potential (field) in a dilute suspension of such drops is also obtained. The derivation extends the electrophoresis theory for liquid drops developed by Baygents and Saville, which accounts for the Marangoni effect, by additionally incorporating the influence of hydrodynamic slip on the drop surface. It is shown that the electrophoretic mobility and the sedimentation potential of an oil drop with a slip surface obeys an Onsager relation.

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Interactions between dyes and surfactants play a crucial role in numerous physicochemical and industrial processes. Crystal violet (CV), a widely used industrial dye, was selected to investigate its interaction with the nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 (TX-100). The clouding behavior of the TX-100 + CV system was examined by the cloud point (CP) method in presence of organic additives (methanol (MeOH), ethanol (EtOH), 1-propanol (1-PrOH), 2-propanol (2-PrOH), 1-butanol (1-BuOH) and 2-butanol (2-BuOH)) and hydrotrope (urea). The concentrations of TX-100 (77.27 mmol kg^-1) and CV (0.01 mmol kg^-1) were kept constant throughout the study. Short-chain alcohols (MeOH, EtOH, 1-PrOH, and 2-PrOH) and urea increased the CP values, whereas long-chain alcohols (1-BuOH and 2-BuOH) decreased the CP. Thus, lower alcohols and urea acted as CP enhancers, while higher alcohols served as CP suppressors. With the further increment of the content of organic additives, the following CP values were noted down as series: CP (H₂O + EtOH) > CP (H₂O + Urea) > CP (H₂O + 2-PrOH) > CP (H₂O + MeOH) > CP (H₂O + 1-PrOH) > CP (H₂O + 2-BuOH) > CP (H₂O + 1-BuOH). The observed positive standard free-energy changes ((:{varDelta:G}_{c}^{o})) values of TX-100 + CV mixture indicate that the clouding is nonspontaneous under the studied conditions but becomes more favorable ((:{varDelta:G}_{c}^{o}) values decrease) with increasing additive concentration. The observed changes in enthalpy ((:{varDelta:H}_{c}^{o})) and entropy ((:{varDelta:S}_{c}^{o})) suggest that hydrophobic and ion–dipole interactions are the main forces governing the clouding of TX + 100–CV dye system. The findings offer quantitative insight into how small organic molecules and urea modulate the phase separation of nonionic surfactants, providing useful guidance for optimizing formulations in dyeing and separation processes.

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304 stainless steel is widely used in marine engineering applications but is highly susceptible to corrosion caused by environmental ions. Conventional epoxy resin coatings fail to provide long-term protection for its surface. To address the aforementioned issue, zirconium dioxide-multi-walled carbon nanotube (ZrO₂-MWCNTs) nanohybrid materials were prepared via the sol–gel method and incorporated into epoxy coatings to enhance the anti-corrosion performance of epoxy resin coatings. The results of structure and morphology confirmed that the ZrO₂ was successfully grafted onto the surface of the MWCNTs and significantly enhancing the dispersion of the carbon nanotubes, which is helpful to the formation of more compact coating. Then, the epoxy composite coatings with varying concentrations of ZrO₂-MWCNTs (0.2 wt%, 0.4 wt%, 0.6 wt%) were fabricated, and the effect of the hybrid fillers on corrosion resistance was evaluated through analyses of micromorphology, surface hydrophobicity, potential polarization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Among all the coatings, 0.4 wt% ZrO₂-MWCNTs exhibited the best corrosion resistance, as evidenced by its lowest polarization current density and highest charge transfer resistance. During corrosion, aggressive species such as H₂O, O₂, Na⁺, and Cl⁻ penetrate coating defects and reach the substrate surface, initiating metal corrosion. The ZrO₂-MWCNT composite effectively fills the coating’s pores, increasing its compactness and activating a synergistic “conductivity-shielding-adsorption” anticorrosion mechanism, thereby significantly enhancing its protective performance. This research provides a foundation for the reliable service of marine engineering equipment and facilities and holds significant value for the advancement of metal corrosion protection coatings.

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In this study, a multifunctional composite hydrogel was developed by integrating Hippophae rhamnoides peptides (HRP) with cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), forming a three-dimensional interpenetrating polymer network. The successful formation and structural characteristics of the HRP/CNC hydrogel were confirmed through Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Mechanical characterization via uniaxial tensile testing demonstrated remarkable extensibility, with an elongation at break reaching 1941%. Swelling behavior studies revealed a high equilibrium swelling ratio of 1119% in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4), indicative of the hydrogel’s excellent fluid absorption capacity. Furthermore, the composite hydrogel exhibited potent antibacterial activity and outstanding antioxidant performance, with free radical scavenging efficiency exceeding 96%. Owing to its synergistic mechanical strength, bioactivity, and biocompatibility, the HRP/CNC hydrogel presents considerable promise for biomedical applications, particularly in wound healing, controlled drug delivery, and tissue engineering.

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Manganese oxide (MnO₂) has been extensively studied as promising electrode material for supercapacitors due to its high theoretical specific capacitance, eco-friendliness, and low cost. However, its practical application is limited by poor electrical conductivity and structural instability, which hinder its rate capability and long-term cycling stability. To overcome these drawbacks, the integration of conducting polymers such as polyaniline (PANI) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT: PSS) seems to be beneficial to enhance the conductivity, pseudocapacitive behavior, and structural integrity. In this study, a novel ternary composite was successfully developed, incorporating PANI, PEDOT: PSS and MnO₂ using cost effective in-situ oxidative polymerization method. This approach aimed to develop high-performance supercapacitor electrodes with enhanced electrochemical properties. Extensive material characterization was conducted to elucidate the composite’s properties: X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed to analyze crystallographic structure and elemental oxidation states, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy imaging uncovered highly porous morphology, which is efficient for ion transport and improving electrolyte accessibility. Additionally, UV-Visible spectroscopy provided insight into the electronic transitions and bandgap properties. The electrochemical analysis demonstrated particularly the superior performance of the PANI/PEDOT: PSS/MnO₂ 2% composite, which exhibited an efficient charge transport and effective ion diffusion kinetics, achieving a specific capacitance of 422.7 F/g and energy density around 150.3 Wh/Kg at scan rate of 10 mV/s. The pronounced synergy among constituent materials highlights the potential of the composite for advanced energy storage applications.

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Ribavirin (RBV) is a broad-spectrum antiviral agent with proven clinical efficacy. Improper RBV disposal however may cause substantial ecosystem contamination and human health hazards, attributable to its confirmed developmental toxicity. Consequently, operationally simple RBV extraction strategies urgently needed for environmental waters. In this work, leveraging the superior chemical durability, extensive active surface area, and eco-friendly nature of biomass-activated carbon (BAC), a novel molecularly imprinted polymer (PC@PEI/PBA/MIPs) was engineered through dopamine-mediated surface polymerization using rapeseed pollen carbon (PC) as the substrate, specifically designed for selective RBV separation. Furthermore, branched polyethyleneimine (PEI) was covalently grafted onto the porous carbon surface to add the density of boronic acid groups, resulting in a high density of recognition sites in a mild environment. The adsorption experiments show that PC@PEI/PBA/MIPs has a significant binding efficiency (158.03 mg /g) for RBV, and can quickly reach the adsorption equilibrium time within 60 min, with good selectivity and regeneration performance. Finally, PC@PEI/PBA/MIPs were used to capture RBV from real water samples, achieving > 80% recovery efficiency. The prepared PC@PEI/PBA/MIPs plays a decisive role in the separation and enrichment of RBV in complex systems.

Gold nanoparticles of various shapes were synthesized by reduction of gold salts in the presence of chitosan biomolecules as stabilizing agents. Fluorescence and photosensitizing properties of the rhodamine B dye were studied after its mixing with pure chitosan and chitosan-gold nanoparticle solutions. It was found that gold nanoparticles significantly affect the fluorescence intensity and the singlet oxygen production of the photosensitizer. Metal-enhanced fluorescence and metal-enhanced singlet oxygen generation effects were observed, probably as a direct consequence of the activation of the surface plasmon of the nanoparticles upon irradiation. Photosensitizing activity of the rhodamine B dye was investigated by using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy with TEMP as spin-trap molecules. The singlet oxygen generation was followed via changes in the intensity of EPR signal of the radical adduct, TEMPO. It was found that gold nanoparticles facilitate the production of singlet oxygen, while the chitosan molecules influence TEMPO stability and tend reduce the intensity of the EPR signal, especially at prolonged times following the irradiation.

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