Publications by authors named "I Armentano"

Here, we present novel biocompatible poly(butylene -1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) (PBCE)-based random copolymer nanostructured scaffolds with tailored stiffness and hydrophilicity. The introduction of a butylene diglycolate (BDG) co-unit, containing ether oxygen atoms, along the PBCE chain remarkably improved the hydrophilicity and chain flexibility. The copolymer containing 50 mol% BDG co-units (BDG50) and the parent homopolymer (PBCE) were synthesized and processed as electrospun scaffolds and compression-molded films, added for the sake of comparison.

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The efficacy of polylactic acid (PLA)/Magnesium (Mg)-based materials for driving stem cells toward bone tissue engineering applications requires specific Mg surface properties to modulate the interface of stem cells with the film. Here, we have developed novel PLA/Mg-based composites and explored their osteogenic differentiation potential on human adipose stem cells (hASCs). Mg-particles/polymer interface was improved by two treatments: heating in oxidative atmosphere (TT) and surface modification with a compatibilizer (PEI).

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Article Synopsis
  • - The paper discusses a compact sanitization device designed for UV-C disinfection of surgical face masks, focusing on material properties and light distribution.
  • - DIALux software was utilized to analyze how effectively UV-C light can kill bacteria and viruses on masks while maintaining their integrity and performance.
  • - The study found that both single and multiple UV-C disinfection cycles did not negatively impact mask breathability or filtration, offering insights for safely reusing masks during shortages.
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In this paper, we study the correlation between the dielectric behavior of polypropylene/multi-walled carbon nanotube (PP/MWCNT) nanocomposites and the morphology with regard to the crystalline structure, nanofiller dispersion and injection molding conditions. As a result, in the range of the percolation threshold the dielectric behavior shifts to a more frequency-independent behavior, as the mold temperature increases. Moreover, the position further from the gate appears as the most conductive.

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Herein, we present poly(butylene 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) (PBCE) films characterized by an unpatterned microstructure and a specific hydrophobicity, capable of boosting a drastic cytoskeleton architecture remodeling, culminating with the neuronal-like differentiation of human bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs). We have used two different filming procedures to prepare the films, solvent casting (PBCE) and compression-moulding (PBCE*). PBCE film had a rough and porous surface with spherulite-like aggregations (Ø = 10-20 μm) and was characterized by a water contact angle = 100°.

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