Nanoscale Mechanical Properties of Core–Shell-like Poly-NIPAm Microgel Particles: Effect of Temperature and Cross-Linking Density

Author(s):  
Gen Li ◽  
Imre Varga ◽  
Attila Kardos ◽  
Illia Dobryden ◽  
Per M. Claesson
2020 ◽  
pp. 313-317
Author(s):  
A.I. Kovtunov ◽  
Yu.Yu. Khokhlov ◽  
S.V. Myamin

Titanium—aluminum, titanium—foam aluminum composites and bimetals obtained by liquid-phase methods, are increasingly used in industry. At the liquid-phase methods as result of the reaction diffusion of titanium and aluminum is formed transitional intermetallic layer at the phase boundary of the composite, which reduces the mechanical properties of titanium and composite. To reduce the growth rate of the intermetallic layer between the layers of the composite and increase its mechanical properties, it is proposed to alloy aluminum melt with nickel. The studies of the interaction of titanium and molten aluminum alloyed with nickel made it possible to establish the effect of temperature and aluminizing time on the thickness, chemical and phase compositions of the transition intermetallic layer. The tests showed the effect of the temperature of the aluminum melt, the nickel concentration on the strength properties of titanium—aluminum bimetal.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (13) ◽  
pp. 6840
Author(s):  
Natalia Czaplicka ◽  
Szymon Mania ◽  
Donata Konopacka-Łyskawa

The literature indicates the existence of a relationship between rhamnolipids and bacterial biofilm, as well as the ability of selected bacteria to produce rhamnolipids and alginate. However, the influence of biosurfactant molecules on the mechanical properties of biofilms are still not fully understood. The aim of this research is to determine the effect of rhamnolipids concentration, CaCl2 concentration, and ionic cross-linking time on the mechanical properties of alginate hydrogels using a Box–Behnken design. The mechanical properties of cross-linked alginate hydrogels were characterized using a universal testing machine. It was assumed that the addition of rhamnolipids mainly affects the compression load, and the value of this parameter is lower for hydrogels produced with biosurfactant concentration below CMC than for hydrogels obtained in pure water. In contrast, the addition of rhamnolipids in an amount exceeding CMC causes an increase in compression load. In bacterial biofilms, the presence of rhamnolipid molecules does not exceed the CMC value, which may confirm the influence of this biosurfactant on the formation of the biofilm structure. Moreover, rhamnolipids interact with the hydrophobic part of the alginate copolymer chains, and then the hydrophilic groups of adsorbed biosurfactant molecules create additional calcium ion trapping sites.


RSC Advances ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 14484-14494
Author(s):  
Yahao Liu ◽  
Jian Zheng ◽  
Xiao Zhang ◽  
Yongqiang Du ◽  
Guibo Yu ◽  
...  

We successfully modified graphene oxide with amino-terminated hyperbranched polyamide (HGO), and obtained a high-performance composite with enhanced strength and elongation at break via cross-linking hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene chains with HGO.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1753
Author(s):  
Weixian Huo ◽  
Heng An ◽  
Shuquan Chang ◽  
Shengsheng Yang ◽  
Yin Huang ◽  
...  

Environment-responsive hydrogel actuators have attracted tremendous attention due to their intriguing properties. Gamma radiation has been considered as a green cross-linking process for hydrogel synthesis, as toxic cross-linking agents and initiators were not required. In this work, chitosan/agar/P(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-acrylamide) (CS/agar/P(NIPAM-co-AM)) and CS/agar/Montmorillonite (MMT)/PNIPAM temperature-sensitive hydrogel bilayers were synthesized via gamma radiation at room temperature. The mechanical properties and temperature sensitivity of hydrogels under different agar content and irradiation doses were explored. The enhancement of the mechanical properties of the composite hydrogel can be attributed to the presence of agar and MMT. Due to the different temperature sensitivities provided by the two layers of hydrogel, they can move autonomously and act as a flexible gripper as the temperature changes. Thanks to the antibacterial properties of the hydrogel, their storage time and service life may be improved. The as prepared hydrogel bilayers have potential applications in control devices, soft robots, artificial muscles and other fields.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1706
Author(s):  
Elena Olăreț ◽  
Brîndușa Bălănucă ◽  
Andra Mihaela Onaș ◽  
Jana Ghițman ◽  
Horia Iovu ◽  
...  

Mucin is a glycoprotein with proven potential in the biomaterials field, but its use is still underexploited for such applications. The present work aims to produce a synthesis of methacryloyl mucin single-network (SN) hydrogels and their double-cross-linked-network (DCN) counterparts. Following the synthesis of the mucin methacryloyl derivative, various SN hydrogels are prepared through the photopolymerization of methacrylate bonds, using reaction media with different pH values. The SN hydrogels are converted into DCN systems via supplementary cross-linking in tannic acid aqueous solution. The chemical modification of mucin is described, and the obtained product is characterized; the structural modification of mucin is assessed through FTIR spectroscopy, and the circular dichroism and the isoelectric point of methacryloyl mucin is evaluated. The affinity for aqueous media of both SN and DCN hydrogels is estimated, and the mechanical properties of the systems are assessed, both at macroscale through uniaxial compression and rheology tests and also at microscale through nanoindentation tests.


Polymers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 2095
Author(s):  
Dae Hoon Lee ◽  
Yoshinori Arisaka ◽  
Asato Tonegawa ◽  
Tae Woong Kang ◽  
Atsushi Tamura ◽  
...  

The cytocompatibility of biological and synthetic materials is an important issue for biomaterials. Gelatin hydrogels are used as biomaterials because of their biodegradability. We have previously reported that the mechanical properties of gelatin hydrogels are improved by cross-linking with polyrotaxanes, a supramolecular compound composed of many cyclic molecules threaded with a linear polymer. In this study, the ability of gelatin hydrogels cross-linked by polyrotaxanes (polyrotaxane–gelatin hydrogels) for cell cultivation was investigated. Because the amount of polyrotaxanes used for gelatin fabrication is very small, the chemical composition was barely altered. The structure and wettability of these hydrogels are also the same as those of conventional hydrogels. Fibroblasts adhered on polyrotaxane–gelatin hydrogels and conventional hydrogels without any reduction or apoptosis of adherent cells. From these results, the polyrotaxane–gelatin hydrogels have the potential to improve the mechanical properties of gelatin without affecting cytocompatibility. Interestingly, when cells were cultured on polyrotaxane–gelatin hydrogels after repeated stress deformation, the cells were spontaneously oriented to the stretching direction. This cellular response was not observed on conventional hydrogels. These results suggest that the use of a polyrotaxane cross-linking agent can not only improve the strength of hydrogels but can also contribute to controlling reorientation of the gelatin.


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