Compressive properties of cell structures manufactured by photo-curing technology liquid polymer resins – Polyjet Matrix

The article presents the results of compressive strength tests of cylindrical samples with a hexagonal cell structure. The samples were made of MED 610 material using the photo-curing technology liquid polymer resins. The compressive strength was estimated on the basis of a static compression test of the printed elements. It has been shown that the PolyJet Matrix 3D printing technology enables the printing models with a thin-walled cell structure, which, while maintaining the appropriate strength properties, can be used in the design and production of certain utility models.

Role of Nanofibers in Encapsulation of the Whole Cell

In the field of biomaterial research, the electrospinning device is now used to manufacture nanofibers that can be used to encapsulate whole microorganisms such as bacterial cells, funguses, viruses, and even spores. The nanofiber encapsulated cells will have greater significance in the coming future because of their wide variety of applications in various fields. Nanofibers act as microorganism reservoir systems that enhance their properties such as viability, controlled release of products, biomedical applications, and bioremediation. The effect of electrostatic forces on a droplet of liquid polymer or polymer solution is based on electrospinning. Electrospun nanofibers act as ideal native extracellular matrices for microorganisms and have also had a tremendous advantage in drug delivery systems where modern research is still underway. During electrospinning, nearly all microorganisms may be inserted into a polymer matrix that forms a composite nanofiber. The evolution in electrospinning technique over the past few decades has become promising. New ideas have been generated to enhance the techniques and improve the overall applications and properties of nanofibers. This technique has been transformed by the advent of the electrospinning machine. The electrospun nanofibers can be chemically characterized by a wide variety of procedures such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Electrospinning has various applications, for example, in wastewater treatment, tissue engineering, food industry, drug delivery, agriculture, and cosmetics. Nanofiber encapsulation of microorganisms increased the shelf life of the microorganisms; the cells remain viable for months. It also helps in the control release of bacterial products. The present review demonstrates the role of nanofiber in the encapsulation of the whole cell.

Synthesis of Porous Polydimethylsiloxane Gold Nanoparticles Composites by a Single Step Laser Ablation Process

Typically, polymeric composites containing nanoparticles are realized by incorporating pre-made nanoparticles into a polymer matrix by using blending solvent or by the reduction of metal salt dispersed in the polymeric matrix. Generally, the production of pre-made Au NPs occurs in liquids with two-step processes: producing the gold nanoparticles first and then adding them to the liquid polymer. A reproducible method to synthetize Au nanoparticles (NPs) into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) without any external reducing or stabilizing agent is a challenge. In this paper, a single-step method is proposed to synthetize nanoparticles (NPs) and at the same time to realize reproducible porous and bulk composites using laser ablation in liquid. With this single-step process, the gold nanoparticles are therefore produced directly in the liquid polymer. The optical properties of the suspensions of AuNPs in distilled water and in the curing agent have been analyzed by the UV-VIS spectroscopy, employed in the transmission mode, and compared with those of the pure curing agent. The electrical dc conductivity of the porous PDMS/Au NPs nanocomposites has been evaluated by the I–V characteristics. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis have monitored the composition and morphology of the so-obtained composites and the size of the fabricated Au nanoparticles. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been used to determine the roughness of the bulk PDMS and its Au NP composites.

Design and fabrication of photoactive ZnO-MgO-Ag nanocomposites for medical and environmental applications

Photoactive and bactericidal ZnO-MgO-Ag nanocomposites have been synthesized by liquid polymer-salt method. Polyvinylpyrrolidone plays a double role during nanocomposites synthesis: as the stabilizing component at initial solutions stages and as a fuel during materials calcination. Prepared materials demonstrate the ability to generate chemically active singlet oxygen under UV irradiation. Developed nanocomposites are promising for different medical and environmental application.

Impact Research of Physical-Chemical Factors on the Activity of Modified Enzyme Electrodes

To modify graphite electrodes with a conductive enzyme polymer matrix, the method of drip application of a liquid polymer solution of various compositions was used: polyvinylpyrrolidone (40%), chitosan (0.1%), glutaric dialdehyde (0.1%), glucoxidase and peroxidase in a ratio of 2:5. To assess the effect of the immobilization time (x1), the pH of immobilization (x2) and the enzyme/carrier ratio (x3) on the activity of the enzyme electrodes, a three-factor and three-level Box-Benken and RSM design was used. This model was able to adequately predict the results of immobilization within the range of variables used. The most favorable conditions and the largest number of molecules of the enzyme complex are in the electrochemically active state when they are immobilized on PVP using modifying agents chitosan and glutaraldehyde. The results demonstrate that the productivity of the enzymatic biofuel element is directly proportional to the activity of the immobilized GOX/HRP complex, since in this case the glucose oxidation reaction can proceed more efficiently.

Functional Tapered Fiber Devices Using Polymeric Coatings

A wide variety of fiber devices can be created by adding special coatings on tapered sections of optical fibers. In this work we present the fundamentals for the fabrication of tapered optical fibers coated with functional polymers. The required aspects of light propagation in tapered sections of optical fibers are introduced and the relevant parameters enabling light interaction with external media are discussed. A special case of interest is the addition of polymeric coatings with prescribed thicknesses in the tapered sections allowing for adjusting the light propagation features. We assess the use of liquid polymer coatings with varying thicknesses along the taper profile that can be tailored for tuning the transmission features of the devices. Hence, we introduce a methodology for obtaining coatings with predefined geometries whose optical properties will depend on the polymer functionality. As demonstrated with numerical simulations, the use of functional polymer coatings in tapered optical fibers allows for obtaining a wide variety of functionalities. Thus, controlled polymer coating deposition may provide a simple means to fabricate fiber devices with adjustable transmission characteristics.

Evaluation of Microfluidic Approaches to Encapsulate Cells into PEGDA Microparticles

Purpose Polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) is increasingly used to microencapsulate cells via a vortex-induced water-in-oil emulsion process. Herein, we evaluated methods to encapsulate cells into microparticles using microfluidic methods. Methods PEGDA prepolymer solution with or without cells was photopolymerized with white light under varying microfluidic parameters to form empty microspheres or cell-laden microparticles. Microparticles and entrapped cells were assessed for size and viability. Results PEGDA microparticles were easily formed when cells were absent; the introduction of cells resulted in aggregation that clogged microfluidic devices, resulting in a mix of empty polymer microparticles and cells that were not encapsulated. Cells that were successfully encapsulated had poor viability. Conclusion Microfluidic methods may work for low density microencapsulation of mammalian cells; however, when the cell density within each microparticle must be relatively high, emulsion-based methods are superior to microfluidic methods. Lay Summary The synthetic polymer polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) has been increasingly used to encapsulate cells into micrometer-sized hydrogel spheres (microspheres). One method to microencapsulate cells has been to form a water-in-oil emulsion with liquid polymer containing cells and then expose the suspended droplets to white light, polymerizing them into PEGDA hydrogel microspheres. Although successful, this method has poor control over the process, resulting in polydisperse microsphere sizes with varying cell density. We evaluated microfluidic methods to form both empty and cell-laden PEGDA microspheres. Although microfluidic methods resulted in monodisperse microsphere sizes, the introduction of cells resulted in clogging of microfluidic devices, non-spherical microparticles, and poor cell viability. Future Work Because the microfluidic approach successfully formed cell-free microspheres, the effect of reducing cell aggregation will be examined. Specifically, the use of anti-aggregation agents as well as a reduced cell density in the liquid polymer phase and their effects on polymer formation will be explored.

Study of preceramic compositions based on modified polycarbosilane and polyorganosilazanes

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC) exhibit increased crack resistance and resistance to mechanical and thermal shock impacts retaining at the same time the valuable properties of monolithic ceramics. Therefore, they are widely used as parts of heat-loaded elements of aviation and rocket technology, in nuclear power industry, etc. LPI-method (liquid polymer infiltration) of CMC production is based on the impregnation of a skeleton of ceramic fibers with an organosilicon polymer, formation of a preceramic matrix by polymer technology, and subsequent high-temperature pyrolysis resulting in formation of a reinforced ceramic matrix. Ceramics obtained from polymer precursors have a predominantly amorphous structure which determines its high thermal stability. Moreover, introduction of the nanosized particles of carbides, borides and nitrides of refractory metals (Zr, Ti, Hf) into the matrix of a ceramic composite stabilizes its amorphous structure up to temperatures of 1500 - 1600°C. We present the results of studying the preceramic compositions based on polycarbosilane and polyorganosilazanes modified with Hf and Ta atoms. It is shown that introduction of the modifying additives Hf and Ta into the polyorganosilazane composition shifts the curing interval of the compositions towards lower temperatures. The yield of the gel fraction is 73.3 and 82.7 wt.%, respectively. The weight loss of pyrolysate samples heated to 1400°C in air does not exceed 0.5%. The physical and mechanical properties, as well as the thermal oxidative stability of novel ceramic composite materials obtained on the base of the studied compositions and carbon reinforcing filler are analyzed. It is shown that the density of CMC samples increases by 1.5 times with an increase in the number of impregnation cycles and reaches the maximum value of 1950 kg/m3 with five impregnation cycles of the filler with a composition based on polyorganosilazane modified with Ta. The results obtained can be used in the development of new CMCs.