Number concentration dependence of ultrasonic disruption ratio of diameter-sorted microcapsules

The use of ultrasound to destroy microcapsules in microbubble-assisted drug delivery systems (DDS) is of great interest. In the present study, the disruption ratios of capsule clusters were measured by observing and experimentally analyzing microcapsules with polymer shells undergoing disruption by ultrasound. The microcapsules were dispersed in a planar microchamber filled with a gelatin gel and sonicated using 1 MHz focused ultrasound. Different capsule populations were obtained using a filtration technique to modify and control the capsule sizes. The disruption ratio as a function of the concentration of capsules was obtained through image processing of the recorded photomicrographs. We found that the disruption ratio for each population exponentially decreases as the particle number concentration (PNC) increases. The maximum disruption ratio of the diameter-sorted capsules was larger than that of polydispersed capsules. Particularly, for resonant capsule populations, the ratio was more than twice that of polydispersed capsules. Furthermore, the maximum disruption ratio occurred at higher concentrations as the mean particle diameter of the capsule cluster decreased.

Iron Oxide/Polymer Core–Shell Nanomaterials with Star-Like Behavior

Embedding nanoparticles (NPs) with organic shells is a way to control their aggregation behavior. Using polymers allows reaching relatively high shell thicknesses but suffers from the difficulty of obtaining regular hybrid objects at gram scale. Here, we describe a three-step synthesis in which multi-gram NP batches are first obtained by thermal decomposition, prior to their covalent grafting by an atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator and to the controlled growing of the polymer shell. Specifically, non-aggregated iron oxide NPs with a core principally composed of γ-Fe2O3 (maghemite) and either polystyrene (PS) or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) shell were elaborated. The oxide cores of about 13 nm diameter were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). After the polymerization, the overall diameter reached 60 nm, as shown by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The behavior in solution as well as rheological properties in the molten state of the polymeric shell resemble those of star polymers. Strategies to further improve the screening of NP cores with the polymer shells are discussed.

THE SYSTEM FOR COMPLEX MAGNETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY MEASUREMENT OF NANOPARTICLES WITH 3D PRINTED CARCASS FOR INTEGRATED RECEIVE COILS

The article concerns the research on the properties of core-shell superparamagnetic nanoparticles in the context of their use in medicine for diagnostics and therapy. The article presents a system for impedance (AC) spectroscopy of nanoparticles with a new arrangement of receive coils. A significant modification was the position of the reference coil in relation to the receive coils as well as the method of winding and routing the wires on the carcass. The 3D printing technique was used in the production of the measuring coil system. The aim of the work was to experimentally verify the developed measurement system and analyze its properties. The system tests were carried out at low frequencies ranging from 2 to 50 kHz. Complex magnetic susceptibility was measured for superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles in polymer shells in a physiological saline solution. The obtained results confirmed the relevance of the concept of the measurements. In summary, the observed properties of the realized system are discussed and further directions of its development are proposed.

Design of New Polyacrylate Microcapsules to Modify the Water-Soluble Active Substances Release

Despite the poor photochemical stability of capsules walls, polyacrylate is one of the most successful polymers for microencapsulation. To improve polyacrylate performance, the combined use of different acrylate-based polymers could be exploited. Herein butyl methacrylate (BUMA)-based lattices were obtained via free radical polymerization in water by adding (i) methacrylic acid (MA)/methyl methacrylate (MMA) and (ii) methacrylamide (MAC) respectively, as an aqueous phase in Pickering emulsions, thanks to both the excellent polymer shells’ stability and the high encapsulation efficiency. A series of BUMA_MA_MMA terpolymers with complex macromolecular structures and BUMA_MAC linear copolymers were synthesized and used as dispersing media of an active material. Rate and yield of encapsulation, active substance adsorption onto the polymer wall, capsule morphology, shelf-life and controlled release were investigated. The effectiveness of the prepared BUMA-based microcapsules was demonstrated: BUMA-based terpolymers together with the modified ones (BUMA_MAC) led to slow (within ca. 60 h) and fast (in around 10 h) releasing microcapsules, respectively.

Hybrid composites with low reflection of IR radiation

The conditions of formation and properties of hybrid organic-inorganic composites based on epoxy polymer matrix and a mixture of magnetic and polymeric fillers are studied. Based on the study of physicochemical properties of fillers and composites, it was found that the introduction of a dispersion of magnetite modified with polymer shells and polyaniline doped with toluene sulfonic acid in the thermosetting epoxy composition in the amount of 2-6 wt.% provides the ability of composites to significant absorption and low reflection of IR and microwave range. It was found that the optimal content of the composition corresponds to the best mechanical properties of the obtained coatings, in particular, high microhardness. This makes it possible to use the proposed composition to obtain on its basis composite films and coatings for anti-radar purposes, which reduce the intensity of microwave radiation acting on the object and at the same time act as protective coatings on the surface of metals.

Electronic Multiscale Hybrid Materials: Sinter-Free Inks, Printed Transparent Grids, and Soft Devices

Hybrid electronic materials combine the excellent electronic properties of metals and semiconductors with the mechanical flexibility, ease of processing, and optical transparency of polymers. This talk will discuss hybrids that combine organic and inorganic components at different scales. Metallic and semiconductor nanoparticle cores are coated with conductive polymer shells to create “hybrid inks” that can be inkjet-printed and form conductive leads without any sintering step. Transparent electrodes are printed using ultrathin metal nanowires with core diameters below 2 nm. The chemically synthesized wires spontaneously form percolating structures when patterned with a soft stamp; this rapidly yields optically transparent grid electrodes, even on demanding soft substrates. These new hybrid electronic materials enable the fabrication of soft electronics, including flexible sensors on polymer foils, radio-frequency identification (RFID) antennae on cardboard, and soft human–machine interfaces. Selected devices will be covered at the end of the talk.