Stabilizing Na-bentonite by Poly(Diallyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride) Adsorption

Clay minerals have been modified by polymers for different applications. The polymer addition affects not only the surface propertiesbut also the rheological properties and the stability of the clay-polymer suspension as a whole. In the current study, the electro-chemical properties of bentonite particles in presence of poly diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (PDDACl) were investigated. Theseproperties were characterized by as zeta potential, adsorption isotherm, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and the apparent viscosityat different solid percent. The results indicated that the viscosity of the bentonite-PDDACl suspension not only increases by raising thepolymer concentration but also by increasing solids %. Adsorption of PDDACl polymer increases the positivity of bentonite surfaceas a function of polymer concentration, which could be explained mainly by electrostatic interaction of deficient metal ions at theoctahedral sheets of bentonite with the cationic head group of the polymer. The PDDACl adsorption isotherm on bentonite fits moreprobably Langmuir than Freundlich isotherm

Polymorphism in Griseofulvin: New Story of an Old Drug with Polyethylene Glycol

Griseofulvin (GSF) is an antifungal drug that has been clinically used for six decades. Here, we present a rich polymorphism of GSF crystallizing from GSF dispersions with polyethylene glycol (PEG), including five true polymorphs (Forms I-V) and one inclusion complex (IC). Two new polymorphs were reported for the first time, denoted Forms IV and V. Single-crystal structures of new polymorphs and a GSF-PEG IC were determined by X-ray crystallography using single crystals cultivated by microdroplet melt crystallization. A comprehensive solid form landscape of GSF is established to describe phase conversions between polymorphs. Enhancement in molecular mobility by PEG is suggested to be the reason for the nucleation of two new polymorphs, while the small geographic radius of PEG is attributed to the formation of a GSF-PEG IC increasing the density and lowering the Gibbs free energy of the system. This work expands our understanding of the complicated crystallization behavior of GSF in dispersions with PEG and emphasizes the importance of polymorphism control during the manufacturing and storage of PEG-based solid dispersions to achieve reproducible and consistent pharmaceutical performance. The results also suggest that polymer addition is an alternative strategy that cannot be neglected in polymorphism screening.

Deaggregation and Crystallization Inhibition by Small Amount of Polymer Addition for a Co-Amorphous Curcumin-Magnolol System

Different from previously reported co-amorphous systems, a co-amorphous curcumin-magnolol (CUR-MAG CM) system, as compared with its crystalline counterparts, exhibited decreased dissolution due to its aggregation during dissolution. The main purpose of the present study is to deaggregate CUR-MAG CM to optimize drug dissolution and explore the deaggregation mechanism involved. Herein, a small amount of polymer (HPMC, HPC, and PVP K30) was co-formulated at 5% (w/w) with CUR-MAG CM as ternary co-amorphous systems. The polymer addition changed the surface properties of CUR-MAG CM including improved water wettability enhanced surface free energy, and hence exerted a deaggregating effect. As a result, the ternary co-amorphous systems showed faster and higher dissolution as compared with crystalline CUR/MAG and CUR-MAG CM. In addition, the nucleation and crystal growth of dissolved CUR and MAG molecules were significantly inhibited by the added polymer, maintaining a supersaturated concentration for a long time. Furthermore, polymer addition increased the Tg of CUR-MAG CM, potentially involving molecular interactions and inhibiting molecular mobility, resulting in enhanced physical stability under 25 °C/60% RH and 40 °C/75% RH conditions. Therefore, this study provides a promising strategy to optimize the dissolution and physical stability of co-amorphous systems by deaggregation and crystallization inhibition via adding small amounts of polymers.

Influence of the Polymer Addition in Quenching Water on the Deformation and Residual Stresses of Aluminum Alloy Sheets

The quenching is one of the most used mechanisms for increase the strength of aluminium alloys sheets. The purpose of quenching is to keep the super-saturated solid solution formed during the solution heat treatment as intact by rapid cooling. In order to establish the influence of the addition of polymer in the quenching water on the distortion and residual stresses of the aluminium alloy sheets, several tests were performed with different concentrations of the polymer in demineralized water. The experiments were performed on 6082 aluminium alloy sheets with a thickness of 5 mm. The quenching of the samples was done by immersion in a stainless steel vessel with a capacity of 10 liters. The obtained results show that the addition of polymer in demineralized water positively influences the deformation of aluminium alloy sheets. In this way, a correlation between the polymer concentration and the deformation of the plates was established. Regarding the internal stresses, no correlation was identified with the level of polymer used in demineralized water.

Hydration and Microwave Curing Temperature Interactions of Repair Mortars

Microwave curing of repair patches provides an energy efficient technique for rapid concrete repair. It has serious economic potential due to time and energy saving especially for repairs in cold weather which can cause work stoppages. However, the high temperatures resulting from the combination of microwave exposure and accelerated hydration of cementitious repair materials need to be investigated to prevent potential durability problems in concrete patch repairs. This paper investigates the time and magnitude of the peak hydration temperature during microwave curing (MC) of six cement based concrete repair materials and a CEM II mortar. Repair material specimens were microwave cured to a surface temperature of 40-45 °C while their internal and surface temperatures were monitored. Their internal temperature was further monitored up to 24 hours in order to determine the effect of microwave curing on the heat of hydration. The results show that a short period of early age microwave curing increases the hydration temperature and brings forward the peak heat of hydration time relative to the control specimens which are continuously exposed to ambient conditions (20 °C, 60% RH). The peak heat of hydration of normal density, rapid hardening Portland cement based repair materials with either pfa or polymer addition almost merges with the end of microwave curing period. Similarly, lightweight polymer modified repair materials also develop heat of hydration rapidly which almost merges with the end of microwave curing period. The peak heat of hydration of normal density ordinary Portland cement based repair materials, with and without polymer addition, occurs during the post microwave curing period. The sum of the microwave curing and heat of hydration temperatures can easily exceed the limit of about 70 °C in some materials at very early age, which can cause durability problems.

Polymer and deficit irrigation influence on water use efficiency and yield of muskmelon under surface and subsurface drip irrigation

Water scarcity is a major constraint facing vegetable production sustainability in open field farming of arid regions like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study was carried out in an open field of the Research and Training Station of King Faisal University in the eastern region of the Kingdom. The objective was to assess the influences of the polymer addition (PA), deficit irrigation regime (DIR), and their combination on the production and water use efficiency (WUE) of muskmelons. PA treatments of 0.0, 0.2 and 0.4% and the irrigation treatments of 100, 75 and 50% of reference evapotranspiration (ET_o), were imposed throughout the growth stages of muskmelons under surface drip irrigation (DI) and subsurface drip irrigation (SDI). The polymer addition of 0.4% enhanced the field water holding capacity of the medium sandy soil within the locality of the emitters by 43.6%. The soil water content of the surface layer within the vicinity of the polymer amended soil layer increased in a range of 72.4 to 99.4% to the combined influences of the 0.4% PA with the DI and SDI, but were marked more under the SDI. The combination of the 100% ET_o DIR with polymer additions significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced the muskmelon fruit yield (MFY) under the SDI compared to DI. The PA of 0.4% improved WUE and MFY by 67.7, 70.4% under the SDI, and 58.6, 24.2% under the DI, respectively. Without the polymer addition (0.0% PA), the MFY significantly (P < 0.05) decreased with the increase of the DIRs under both DI and SDI.