Development of Halloysite Nanohybrids-Based Films: Enhancing Mechanical and Hydrophilic Properties for Wound Healing.

Most of the therapeutic systems developed for managing chronic skin wounds lack adequate mechanical and hydration properties, primarily because they rely on a single component. This study addresses this issue by combining organic and inorganic materials to obtain hybrid films with enhanced mechanical behavior, adhesion, and fluid absorption properties. To that aim, chitosan/hydrolyzed collagen blends were mixed with halloysite/antimicrobial nanohybrids at 10% and 20% (/) using glycerin or glycerin/polyethylene glycol-1500 as plasticizers.

Downward fingering accompanies upward tube growth in a chemical garden grown in a vertical confined geometry.

Chemical gardens are self-assembled structures of mineral precipitates enabled by semi-permeable membranes. To explore the effects of gravity on the formation of chemical gardens, we have studied chemical gardens grown from cobalt chloride pellets and aqueous sodium silicate solution in a vertical Hele-Shaw cell. Through photography, we have observed and quantitatively analysed upward growing tubes and downward growing fingers.

Exploding Chemical Gardens: A Phase-Change Clock Reaction.

Chemical gardens and clock reactions are two of the best-known demonstration reactions in chemistry. Until now these have been separate categories. We have discovered that a chemical garden confined to two dimensions is a clock reaction involving a phase change, so that after a reproducible and controllable induction period it explodes.