Colloid and Polymer Science最新文献

Stimuli-responsive nanocarriers can reduce nonspecific drug release and instead trigger drug release selectively at specific sites or under particular conditions, thereby minimizing side effects and enhancing therapeutic efficacy. In this study, ion pair self-assembly (IPSAM) was developed using poly(allylamine) (PAA) and α-lipoic acid (ALA) through electrostatic interactions between the amino and carboxylic acid groups. The amphiphilic nature of the resulting PAA/ALA ion pairs enabled spontaneous micelle formation in aqueous media. IPSAM(6/4) exhibited the smallest particle size of 94.1 nm, the lowest polydispersity index of 0.155, and the highest zeta potential of 52.06 mV, indicating superior colloidal stability. FT-IR and ¹H-NMR analyses confirmed ion pair formation. Temperature-dependent transmittance measurements showed that the upper critical solution temperature (UCST) of IPSAM(6/4) was approximately 30.7 °C. Surface tension analysis indicated that the IPSAM exhibited amphiphilic characteristics. Reductive responsiveness was verified by treatment with dithiothreitol (DTT), which cleaved the disulfide bond of ALA, converting it to dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) and inducing structural destabilization. Release experiments showed enhanced drug release in response to both thermal and reductive stimuli, with maximal release observed at 45 °C in the presence of 20 mM DTT. These results suggest that PAA/ALA IPSAM functions as stimuli-responsive nanocarriers and demonstrate potential for targeted drug delivery in reductive and high-temperature environments such as the tumor microenvironment.

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Schematic representation of reduction and temperature responsive IPSAM formed from poly(allylamine) and α-lipoic acid

The current blending polysiloxane softener has not excellent compatibility among molecules with different structures, which leads to an unacceptable modification effect. Regarding this issue, we designed and prepared a nonlinear polysiloxane softener that has the same long-chain, which is relatively free, with traditional polysiloxane softeners, in the hope that it can form effective intermolecular fusion with the latter for an effective and predictable blending modification. This study investigates the tactile characteristics of cotton fabrics treated with linear (SPS) and nonlinear (BPS) polyether-modified polysiloxane softeners. The intermolecular interactions between SPS and BPS were analyzed through thermal properties, particle size distribution, zeta potential, and elemental mapping. The study results demonstrate that molecular entanglement can effectively suppress microphase separation between different compound components, enabling controlled longitudinal distribution of softener components on fiber surfaces. Specifically, the intermolecular interactions between SPS and BPS molecules are clear, and the interaction directly affects the longitudinal distribution tendency of the carbon-ether and silicone-ether segments, which have a large polarity difference, on the cotton fiber surface, thus resulting in different tactile styles. Specially designed in this paper, the entanglement and fusion of softener molecules facilitate uniform longitudinal distribution on the cotton fiber surface, which will contribute to the controlled and predictable tactile properties of cotton textiles. Undoubtedly, this study provides a novel technical approach for the blending modification of traditional polysiloxane softeners.

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In this study, acrylamide (AM), acrylic acid (AA), 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), and 4-acrylamido-morpholine (ACMO) were used as the raw materials, and the hydrophobic monomer, hexadecyl dimethyl allyl ammonium chloride (DMAAC-C₁₆), and the cross-linking agent poly(ethylene glycol) 200 diacrylate (PEG200DA). A slow-expanding temperature- and salt-resistant polymer nanomicrospheres (PHM) were prepared by reverse-phase microemulsion polymerization. The PHM structure was characterized using infrared spectroscopy, nuclear Magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, and their properties were analyzed nano-laser particle sizing, and rheometry and employing the filtration factor. The results showed that the average particle size of PHM microspheres was 68.69 nm, and the swelling multiplicity of PHM microspheres was 4.34 times after dissolving in water for four days at 80 ℃. The swelling multiplicity of PHM microspheres after dissolving in mineralized water with a mineralization level of 8 × 10⁴ mg/L for four days at 25 ℃ was 2.34 times, with a blocking rate of more than 85%. The viscoelasticity test showed that the PHM microspheres have good elasticity and good injection performance. Compared with the conventional microspheres (PCM), the introduction of DMAAC-C₁₆ and PEG200DA improves the intermolecular bonding of PHM microspheres as well as the elasticity of the molecular chain, which makes PHM microspheres show excellent performance in temperature and salt resistance, slow expansion and viscoelasticity.

Graphical Abstract

PHM microsphere initial particle size of 68.69nm, in 80℃ (deionized water) in the expansion of 4 days, the expansion times for 4.34 times; 25℃ (mineralized water) in the expansion of 4 days, the expansion times for 2.34 times, the blocking rate is greater than 85%.

As bacteria are developing stronger resistance, infections caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) are becoming increasingly difficult to treat. Consequently, the preparation of targeted antibacterial hydrogel materials that possess high injectable mechanical strength as well as excellent antibacterial properties has drawn significant attention in the field of antibacterial research. In this paper, Fe₃O₄ particles were used as the magnetic core and shielded by a hydrophilic carbon (C) layer. Subsequently, on the surface of the C layer, a mesoporous polydopamine (MPDA) film with favorable biocompatibility was fabricated, and small-sized Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) possessing excellent antibacterial performance were modified thereon. Eventually, the above composite nanoparticles were mixed with pure polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel to formulate an injectable antibacterial hydrogel. The antibacterial properties of Fe₃O₄@C@MPDA@Ag nanoparticles at varying concentrations were evaluated through in vitro experiments. The results demonstrated that the higher the concentration of Fe₃O₄@C@MPDA@Ag nanoparticles, the more remarkable the antibacterial effect would be. Moreover, the survival rates of Fe₃O₄@C@MPDA nanoparticles and Fe₃O₄@C@MPDA@Ag nanoparticles on HL-7702 cells were evaluated via in vitro cytotoxicity experiments. The results showed that the two nanoparticles had good biocompatibility. In addition, the antibacterial properties of Fe₃O₄@C@MPDA@Ag@PVA antibacterial hydrogel in mice has been researched. The results indicated that it has good antibacterial properties and wound healing properties.

A safe and low-toxic γ-CD-MOFs was firstly synthesized by an improved hydrothermal method in this study, and then the drug-loaded γ-CD-MOFs (Cur@CD-MOFs) were prepared through in situ adsorption, using curcumin (Cur) as drug model. Finally, polyethylene glycol-functionalized chitosan (CS-g-mPEG) was used to modify Cur@CD-MOFs to form cyclodextrin supramolecular composites (Cur@CD-MOFs/CS-g-mPEG). The structure and morphology were characterized by FT-IR, XRD, TGA, N₂ adsorption, and SEM. In addition, the stability, in vitro drug release, antioxidant, antibacterial, and biocompatibility properties were investigated. The results showed that curcumin was loaded into γ-CD-MOFs with drug loading capacity of 43.86 ± 1.63% and encapsulation efficiency of 29.48 ± 3.56%, and the release rate after 120 h was 33.2%, under the conditions of pH = 1.2 and 37 °C. Besides, CS-g-mPEG modified Cur@CD-MOFs were successfully prepared, which had excellent mesoporous properties, thermal stability, and bioavailability. After modification, the DPPH free radical scavenging rate after 30 min was 59.4%, compared with pure Cur of 49.1%; the inhibition rate against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was 98%, and the cell proliferation rate after 48 h was 98.7%, showing enhanced antioxidant, antibacterial, and biocompatibility properties. These cyclodextrin supramolecular composite materials can be widely applied as low-toxicity, edible and effective drug delivery system in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

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A safe and non-toxic functionalized cyclodextrin-based metal organic framework as an effective drug delivery system was constructed in this study. This MOF has good stability and biocompatibility and can achieve long-acting release. It can be used as a delivery system to incorporate drugs into food additives or packaging films for application in the food field, which can also deliver drugs for a long time for the treatment of some diseases.

This study demonstrates the successful valorization of sago by-products—sago pulp and trunk—as renewable resources for a functional edible coating. Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was derived from the sago pulp, and activated carbon was produced from the sago trunk. An I-optimal design was employed to optimize the coating formulation, using the concentrations of MCC and activated carbon as the primary variables. The performance of the coating was evaluated based on two key responses: its antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, and its ability to reduce the weight loss of coated strawberries over time. The model predicted an optimal formulation at 0.9 wt% MCC and 1.56 wt% activated carbon. During validation, the model accurately predicted the coating’s barrier properties against weight loss. However, the experimentally observed antimicrobial inhibition zones for both bacterial strains significantly surpassed the model’s predictions. This discrepancy suggests a potent synergistic effect between the components. Despite the model’s underestimation of the biological activity, this research confirms that sago by-products can be transformed into effective, value-added edible packaging with promising antimicrobial and preservation capabilities.

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Graphene oxide was functionalized by dopamine to synthesize polydopamine-reduced graphene oxide (PDRGO). PDRGO was further applied as a template and reductant to reduce silver ion to form silver nanoparticles (PDRGO-Ag). Then, the PDRGO-Ag was incorporated into waterborne polyurethane (WPU) by in situ emulsification to fabricate the PDRGO-Ag embedded WPU nanocomposite films (WPU/PDRGO-Ag). Herein, the PDRGO-Ag was regarded as a photothermal agent that offers effective and controllable photothermal converters for bactericidal applications. Meanwhile, silver nanoparticles acted as an antibacterial agent that endow synergistically enhanced antibacterial properties to the PDRGO-Ag. The resulting film exhibited exceptional antibacterial performance against both E. coli and S. aureus. Moreover, the WPU/PDRGO-Ag films showed improved mechanical properties. The development of this light-induced functional WPU-based film opens a new pathway to antibacterial composite coatings.

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Bacitracin-loaded PVA/PMMA nanofibers were fabricated via electrospinning and optimized through a Quality by Design (QbD) approach using Box–Behnken Design (BBD) to optimize critical process parameters flow rate (0.1–0.3 mL/h), voltage (7.9–10.1 kV), and spinneret–collector distance (12–16 cm). The optimized conditions (0.2 mL/h, 9 kV, 14 cm) yielded uniform nanofibers (~201 nm) with high entrapment efficiency (94%). Comprehensive physicochemical characterization (DSC, FT-IR, XRD, TGA, SEM) confirmed amorphous drug dispersion, polymeric compatibility, thermal stability, and smooth, bead-free morphology. In vitro release studies demonstrated a biphasic profile, 38% burst in the first hour followed by sustained release culminating in ~90% cumulative release over 72 h driven by non-Fickian diffusion. In vivo evaluation in a Sprague–Dawley rat excisional wound model revealed 99% wound closure by day 14, significantly outperforming placebo and control groups. Histological analysis corroborated accelerated epithelialization and collagen deposition without adverse tissue reactions. These findings establish that bacitracin-loaded PVA/PMMA nanofibers deliver prolonged antimicrobial activity and promote superior wound healing, positioning them as promising candidates for advanced topical wound dressings.

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To obtain the green waterproof takeaway food packaging material, in this study, konjac glucomannan (KGM) was used as a strong skeleton material for preparing aerogels by freeze-drying method, and KGM/starch nanoparticles (SNPs) aerogels were prepared by adding potato starch. The mechanical properties, thermal conductivity, and water wettability of KGM/SNPs aerogels with different mass fractions in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were studied. The composite aerogel has a three-dimensional network structure due to chemical bonding, showing the desired hydrophobicity, stability, mechanical properties, and self-cleaning feature. The effective combination among KGM, SNPs, and PDMS was confirmed, and the starch belonged to V-type crystalline starch. The surface roughness of the whole composite can increase with increasing the KGM/SNPs aerogel content, and the enhanced surface bubble structure can improve the surface roughness and water contact angle (WCA). When the KGM/SNPs aerogel content is 10%, the average surface roughness can reach 5.51 nm with 117.1° of WCA, showing a hydrophobicity. The whole composite shows a strong surface self-cleaning performance. The thermal conductivity of the composite can decrease with increasing the KGM/SNPs content, attributed to more complex air heat transfer pathways, the enhanced closed cell structure in aerogel, the increased specific surface area, and more complex pore structure. This study opens up a new direction for fabricating the green sustainable take-away food packaging materials with favorable mechanical properties and hydrophobicity.

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This study addresses cold-flow deformation, sluggish shear-thickening, and poor energy dissipation in shear-thickening gels (STGs) via solvent-assisted integration of optimally dispersed carbon nanotubes (CNTs, 0 ~ 1.0 weight percent wt.%). Borate-crosslinked STG matrices were synthesized using hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane and boric acid. Rheology showed 0.25 wt.% CNT maximized storage modulus enhancement: 124.5 kPa at 0.1 Hz (463% increase over pure STG) and 284.2 kPa at 100 Hz, while maintaining viscoelastic balance. Similarly, compressive modulus (100 mm/min) increased from 93 kPa (pure STG) to 259 kPa. Tensile stress at 100 mm/min reached 82.7 kPa (21.8 times higher). Impact absorption significantly improved: peak force reduced by 80.1% and dissipation duration prolonged by 206.5% versus non-buffered impacts. Helmet simulations confirmed 27.7% peak force reduction and 26.2% longer impact duration. Optimal CNT dispersion facilitated synergistic energy dissipation mechanisms, thus enabling the design of protective STGs with enhanced impact performance.

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