Polymers

Research

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12 pages, 1671 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cytoprotection of Probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus with Artificial Nanoshells of Nature-Derived Eggshell Membrane Hydrolysates and Coffee Melanoidins in Single-Cell Nanoencapsulation

by Sang Yeong Han, Duc Tai Nguyen, Beom Jin Kim, Nayoung Kim, Eunhye K. Kang, Ji Hun Park and Insung S. Choi

Polymers 2023, 15(5), 1104; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15051104 - 22 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2398

Abstract

One-step fabrication method for thin films and shells is developed with nature-derived eggshell membrane hydrolysates (ESMHs) and coffee melanoidins (CMs) that have been discarded as food waste. The nature-derived polymeric materials, ESMHs and CMs, prove highly biocompatible with living cells, and the one-step [...] Read more.

One-step fabrication method for thin films and shells is developed with nature-derived eggshell membrane hydrolysates (ESMHs) and coffee melanoidins (CMs) that have been discarded as food waste. The nature-derived polymeric materials, ESMHs and CMs, prove highly biocompatible with living cells, and the one-step method enables cytocompatible construction of cell-in-shell nanobiohybrid structures. Nanometric ESMH-CM shells are formed on individual probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus, without any noticeable decrease in viability, and the ESMH-CM shells effectively protected L. acidophilus in the simulated gastric fluid (SGF). The cytoprotection power is further enhanced by Fe³⁺-mediated shell augmentation. For example, after 2 h of incubation in SGF, the viability of native L. acidophilus is 30%, whereas nanoencapsulated L. acidophilus, armed with the Fe³⁺-fortified ESMH-CM shells, show 79% in viability. The simple, time-efficient, and easy-to-process method developed in this work would contribute to many technological developments, including microbial biotherapeutics, as well as waste upcycling. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers: Biocompatible and Biodegradable Platforms for Fabrication of Nanoscale Materials and Building Blocks)

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21 pages, 2549 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Obtaining Active Polylactide (PLA) and Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) Blends Based Bionanocomposites Modified with Graphene Oxide and Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (scCO₂)-Assisted Cinnamaldehyde: Effect on Thermal-Mechanical, Disintegration and Mass Transport Properties

by Carolina Villegas, Alejandra Torres, Julio Bruna, María Ignacia Bustos, Alvaro Díaz-Barrera, Julio Romero, Adrián Rojas and Abel Guarda

Polymers 2021, 13(22), 3968; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13223968 - 17 Nov 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2464

Abstract

Bionanocomposites based on Polylactide (PLA) and Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) blends were successfully obtained through a combined extrusion and impregnation process using supercritical CO₂ (scCO₂). Graphene oxide (GO) and cinnamaldehyde (Ci) were incorporated into the blends as nano-reinforcement and an active compound, [...] Read more.

Bionanocomposites based on Polylactide (PLA) and Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) blends were successfully obtained through a combined extrusion and impregnation process using supercritical CO₂ (scCO₂). Graphene oxide (GO) and cinnamaldehyde (Ci) were incorporated into the blends as nano-reinforcement and an active compound, respectively, separately, and simultaneously. From the results, cinnamaldehyde quantification values varied between 5.7% and 6.1% (w/w). When GO and Ci were incorporated, elongation percentage increased up to 16%, and, therefore, the mechanical properties were improved, with respect to neat PLA. The results indicated that the Ci diffusion through the blends and bionanocomposites was influenced by the nano-reinforcing incorporation. The disintegration capacity of the developed materials decreased with the incorporation of GO and PHB, up to 14 and 23 days of testing, respectively, without compromising the biodegradability characteristics of the final material. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers: Biocompatible and Biodegradable Platforms for Fabrication of Nanoscale Materials and Building Blocks)

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8 pages, 6113 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Synthesis of Functional Building Blocks for Type III-B Rotaxane Dendrimer

by Chak-Shing Kwan, Watson K.-W. Ho, Yanyan Chen, Zongwei Cai and Ken Cham-Fai Leung

Polymers 2021, 13(22), 3909; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13223909 - 12 Nov 2021

Viewed by 1638

Abstract

Second-generation type III-B rotaxane dendrons, equipped with succinimide and acetylene functional groups, were synthesized successfully and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. A cell viability study of a dendron with a normal cell line of L929 fibroblast cells revealed no obvious cytotoxicity [...] Read more.

Second-generation type III-B rotaxane dendrons, equipped with succinimide and acetylene functional groups, were synthesized successfully and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. A cell viability study of a dendron with a normal cell line of L929 fibroblast cells revealed no obvious cytotoxicity at a range of 5 to 100 μM. The nontoxic properties of the sophisticated rotaxane dendron building blocks provided a choice of bio-compatible macromolecular machines that could be potentially developed into polymeric materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers: Biocompatible and Biodegradable Platforms for Fabrication of Nanoscale Materials and Building Blocks)

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12 pages, 1346 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nanoscale Functional Additives Application in the Low Temperature Greases

by Sergey A. Shuvalov, Yaroslav V. Porfiryev, Dmitry S. Kolybelsky, Vladimir A. Zaychenko, Pavel S. Popov, Pavel A. Gushchin, Alexandr S. Mishurov, Daria A. Petrova and Vladimir A. Vinokurov

Polymers 2021, 13(21), 3749; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13213749 - 29 Oct 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1783

Abstract

Due to the fact that the application of AW and EP additives in low-temperature greases may lead to worse high-temperature and anti-corrosion characteristics as well as additional burden on the environment due to the content of aggressive components, in this paper, the possibility [...] Read more.

Due to the fact that the application of AW and EP additives in low-temperature greases may lead to worse high-temperature and anti-corrosion characteristics as well as additional burden on the environment due to the content of aggressive components, in this paper, the possibility of replacing these additives with NFA, which do not have these disadvantages, was investigated. The analysis of nanosized particles being used as functional additives in greases was carried out. The morphology of the following nanoparticles was studied: montmorillonite K 10, silica, calcium car-bonate and borate, halloysite, and molybdenum disulfide incorporated in halloysite tubes. The effect of nanostructured components on the physicochemical characteristics and anti-wear and anti-scuffing properties of complex lithium, polyurea, and polymer greases were studied. Maximal improvement of anti-wear and anti-scuffing characteristics of cLi-greases was reached when using silica and calcium borate. Maximal improvement of anti-scuffing properties of PU-lubricant was reached when using calcium carbonate and the two-component NFA based on halloysite, for anti-wear properties when adding silicon dioxide and halloysite. When the concentrations of silicon dioxide and calcium carbonate was increased from 1 to 3 wt.%, there was a decrease in yield stress of the structural frame of the PU-lubricant and its colloidal stability was worse. The increase of the concentration of calcium carbonate and borate nanoparticles in the studied range led to a significant improvement of the anti-wear and anti-scuffing characteristics of the PU grease, respectively. The greases properties’ dependence from the nanostructured functional additives’ introduction method and their concentration were investigated. Nanoparticles were added into the test lubricants before and after the thermo-mechanical dispersion stage. The addition of silicon dioxide and calcium carbonate NFA after the heat treatment stage led to worsening of the characteristics of the plastic material, and the increase of their concentration from 1 to 3 wt.% formed a harder structure of Li-grease. On the contrary, the addition of calcium borate NFA is recommended after the thermomechanical dispersion. The choice of nanoparticles and the method of their addition to the lubricants of various types was carried out according to the results of the previous stage of the research. Along with the analysis of the physicochemical characteristics and anti-wear and anti-scuffing properties of the lubricants, the structure of the dispersion phase of nanomodified lubricants were studied. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers: Biocompatible and Biodegradable Platforms for Fabrication of Nanoscale Materials and Building Blocks)

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13 pages, 4746 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fabrication of Bio-Nanocomposite Based on HNT-Methionine for Controlled Release of Phenytoin

by Majid Abdouss, Nastaran Radgoudarzi, Alireza Mohebali, Elaheh Kowsari, Mojtaba Koosha and Tianduo Li

Polymers 2021, 13(15), 2576; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13152576 - 03 Aug 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2142

Abstract

In this study, a novel promising approach for the fabrication of Halloysite nanotube (HNT) nanocomposites, based on the amino acid named Methionine (Met), was investigated. For this purpose, Met layered on the outer silane functionalized surface of HNT for controlled release of Phenytoin [...] Read more.

In this study, a novel promising approach for the fabrication of Halloysite nanotube (HNT) nanocomposites, based on the amino acid named Methionine (Met), was investigated. For this purpose, Met layered on the outer silane functionalized surface of HNT for controlled release of Phenytoin sodium (PHT). The resulting nanocomposite (MNT-g-Met) was characterized by FTIR, XRD, Zeta potential, TGA, TEM and FE-SEM. The FT-IR results showed APTES and Met peaks, which proved the modification of the HNTs. The zeta-potential results showed the interaction between APTES (+53.30) and Met (+38.80) on the HNTs (−30.92). The FE-SEM micrographs have displayed the grafting of Met on the modified HNTs due to the nanotube conversion to a rough and indistinguishable form. The amount of encapsulation efficiency (EE) and loading efficiency (LE) of MNT-g-Met was 74.48% and 37.24%, while pure HNT was 57.5%, and 28.75%, respectively. In-vitro studies showed that HNT had a burst release (70% in 6 h) in phosphate buffer while MNT-g-Met has more controlled release profile (30.05 in 6 h) and it was found to be fitted with the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. Due to the loading efficiency and controlled release profile, the nanocomposite promote a good potential for drug delivery of PHT. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers: Biocompatible and Biodegradable Platforms for Fabrication of Nanoscale Materials and Building Blocks)

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15 pages, 3407 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Intact Fibrillated 3D-Printed Cellulose Macrofibrils/CaCO₃ for Controlled Drug Delivery

by Denesh Mohan, Zee Khai Teong, Mohd Shaiful Sajab, Nur Hidayatul Nazirah Kamarudin and Hatika Kaco

Polymers 2021, 13(12), 1912; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13121912 - 08 Jun 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2568

Abstract

The tendency to use cellulose fibrils for direct ink writing (DIW) of three-dimensional (3D) printing has been growing extensively due to their advantageous mechanical properties. However, retaining cellulose in its fibrillated forms after the printing process has always been a challenge. In this [...] Read more.

The tendency to use cellulose fibrils for direct ink writing (DIW) of three-dimensional (3D) printing has been growing extensively due to their advantageous mechanical properties. However, retaining cellulose in its fibrillated forms after the printing process has always been a challenge. In this study, cellulose macrofibrils (CMFs) from oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fibers were partially dissolved for consistent viscosity needed for DIW 3D printing. The printed CMF structure obtained from optimized printing profiles (volumetric flow rate, Q_v = 9.58 mm/s; print speed, v = 20 mm/s), exhibited excellent mechanical properties (tensile strength of 66 MPa, Young’s modulus of 2.16 GPa, and elongation of 8.76%). The remarkable structural and morphological effects of the intact cellulose fibrils show a homogeneous distribution with synthesized precipitated calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) nanoparticles. The shear-aligned CMF/CaCO₃ printed composite exhibited a sustained therapeutic drug release profile that can reduce rapid release that has adverse effects on healthy cells. In comparison with the initial burst release of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) by CaCO₃, the controlled release of 5-fluorouracil can be varied (48 to 75%) with the composition of CMF/CaCO₃ allowing efficient release over time. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers: Biocompatible and Biodegradable Platforms for Fabrication of Nanoscale Materials and Building Blocks)

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Review

Jump to: Research

28 pages, 6708 KiB

Open AccessReview

Probing Antimicrobial Halloysite/Biopolymer Composites with Electron Microscopy: Advantages and Limitations

by Kirill Cherednichenko, Dmitry Kopitsyn, Svetlana Batasheva and Rawil Fakhrullin

Polymers 2021, 13(20), 3510; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13203510 - 13 Oct 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2984

Abstract

Halloysite is a tubular clay nanomaterial of the kaolin group with a characteristic feature of oppositely charged outer and inner surfaces, allowing its selective spatial modification. The natural origin and specific properties of halloysite make it a potent material for inclusion in biopolymer [...] Read more.

Halloysite is a tubular clay nanomaterial of the kaolin group with a characteristic feature of oppositely charged outer and inner surfaces, allowing its selective spatial modification. The natural origin and specific properties of halloysite make it a potent material for inclusion in biopolymer composites with polysaccharides, nucleic acids and proteins. The applications of halloysite/biopolymer composites range from drug delivery and tissue engineering to food packaging and the creation of stable enzyme-based catalysts. Another important application field for the halloysite complexes with biopolymers is surface coatings resistant to formation of microbial biofilms (elaborated communities of various microorganisms attached to biotic or abiotic surfaces and embedded in an extracellular polymeric matrix). Within biofilms, the microorganisms are protected from the action of antibiotics, engendering the problem of hard-to-treat recurrent infectious diseases. The clay/biopolymer composites can be characterized by a number of methods, including dynamic light scattering, thermo gravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy as well as a range of microscopic techniques. However, most of the above methods provide general information about a bulk sample. In contrast, the combination of electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy allows assessment of the appearance and composition of biopolymeric coatings on individual nanotubes or the distribution of the nanotubes in biopolymeric matrices. In this review, recent contributions of electron microscopy to the studies of halloysite/biopolymer composites are reviewed along with the challenges and perspectives in the field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers: Biocompatible and Biodegradable Platforms for Fabrication of Nanoscale Materials and Building Blocks)

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16 pages, 2603 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Life Cycle Assessment for Polylactic Acid (PLA) to Make It a Low-Carbon Material

by Erfan Rezvani Ghomi, Fatemeh Khosravi, Ali Saedi Ardahaei, Yunqian Dai, Rasoul Esmaeely Neisiany, Firoozeh Foroughi, Min Wu, Oisik Das and Seeram Ramakrishna

Polymers 2021, 13(11), 1854; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13111854 - 02 Jun 2021

Cited by 88 | Viewed by 17333

Abstract

The massive plastic production worldwide leads to a global concern for the pollution made by the plastic wastes and the environmental issues associated with them. One of the best solutions is replacing the fossil-based plastics with bioplastics. Bioplastics such as polylactic acid (PLA) [...] Read more.

The massive plastic production worldwide leads to a global concern for the pollution made by the plastic wastes and the environmental issues associated with them. One of the best solutions is replacing the fossil-based plastics with bioplastics. Bioplastics such as polylactic acid (PLA) are biodegradable materials with less greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. PLA is a biopolymer produced from natural resources with good mechanical and chemical properties, therefore, it is used widely in packaging, agriculture, and biomedical industries. PLA products mostly end up in landfills or composting. In this review paper, the existing life cycle assessments (LCA) for PLA were comprehensively reviewed and classified. According to the LCAs, the energy and materials used in the whole life cycle of PLA were reported. Finally, the GHG emissions of PLA in each stage of its life cycle, including feedstock acquisition and conversion, manufacturing of PLA products, the PLA applications, and the end of life (EoL) options, were described. The most energy-intensive stage in the life cycle of PLA is its conversion. By optimizing the conversion process of PLA, it is possible to make it a low-carbon material with less dependence on energy sources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biopolymers: Biocompatible and Biodegradable Platforms for Fabrication of Nanoscale Materials and Building Blocks)

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