Bionanocomposite Films Containing Halloysite Nanotubes and Natural Antioxidants with Enhanced Performance and Durability as Promising Materials for Cultural Heritage Protection

In the last decade, the interest toward the formulation of polymer films for cultural heritage protection continuously grew, and these films must be imperatively transparent, removable, and should not react/interact with surface of the artworks. In this research, bionanocomposite films, based on chitosan (Ch) and pectin (P) and containing naturally occurring fillers and antioxidants, were formulated by solvent casting methods and were accurately characterized. The natural halloysite nanotubes (HNT) have a two-fold role, specifically, physical compatibilizer and antioxidant carrier. Therefore, the theoretical solubility between Ch and P was estimated considering Hoy’s method for solubility of polymers, while the optimum ratio between biopolymer constituents was assessed by ζ-potential measurements. The transparency, wettability, and mechanical behavior of Ch:P films, also in presence of HNT without and with antioxidants, were investigated. The beneficial effects of natural antioxidants, such as vanillic acid (VA) and quercetin (Q), on Ch:P/HNT durability were found.

Synthesis of organic soluble poly(substituted-aniline) from 2-methyl-6-ethylaniline tar

Organic soluble poly(substituted-aniline) was synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization from 2-methyl-6-ethylaniline tar. The structural information of samples was characterized using FT-IR and SEM techniques. The influences of acid concentration, mole ratio of oxidants to tar, reaction time and temperature were investigated. The solubility of polymers was also studied. The results indicate that the conductivity of poly(substituted-aniline) could reach 2.51 [Formula: see text] S ⋅ cm[Formula: see text] under the reaction conditions with 1 mol./L hydrochloric acid, mole ratio of oxidants to tar = 1, and at 10[Formula: see text]C for 3 h. The polymers show better solubility than polyaniline in most organic solvents.

Water/Alcohol Soluble Poly(3-Alkylthiophene) Derivative Self-Assembly with Fullerene Derivative via Hydrogen Bonding

In this research, a regioregular poly (3-alkylthiophene) derivative had been synthesized via the post-polymerization functionalization, poly (3-hexylamine thiophene), which are soluble in water and water miscible solvents such as methanol, DMSO. The suitable energy level, good thermal stability and water/alcohol solubility of polymers which promising applied in polymer solar cells and processed by water or environmental-friendly solvents. In blend of functionalization polymers and fullerene derivative potassium [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyrate shows significant UV absorption decay phenomenon and occur precipitates follow with time increase. To further investigate the mechanism of composite, FT-IR analysis and TEM investigate were used, the polymer would be bonded with carboxyl of fullerene derivative via hydrogen bonding in the carboxyl region and TEM images demonstration the mixture that be able to self-assembly a interpenetrating network composite.