Analysis of Structural Changes of pH-Thermo-Responsive Nanoparticles in Polymeric Hydrogels.

The pH- and thermo-responsive behavior of polymeric hydrogels MC-co-MA have been studied in detail using dynamic light scattering DLS, scanning electron microscopy SEM, nuclear magnetic resonance (H NMR) and rheology to evaluate the conformational changes, swelling-shrinkage, stability, the ability to flow and the diffusion process of nanoparticles at several temperatures. Furthermore, polymeric systems functionalized with acrylic acid MC and acrylamide MA were subjected to a titration process with a calcium chloride CaCl2 solution to analyze its effect on the average particle diameter Dz, polymer structure and the intra- and intermolecular interactions in order to provide a responsive polymer network that can be used as a possible nanocarrier for drug delivery with several benefits. The results confirmed that the structural changes in the sensitive hydrogels are highly dependent on the corresponding critical solution temperature CST of the carboxylic (-COOH) and amide (-CONH) functional groups and the influence of calcium ions Ca2+ on the formation or breaking of hydrogen bonds, as well as the decrease in electrostatic repulsions generated between the polymer chains contributing to a particle agglomeration phenomenon.

Synthesis of hydrogels from biomaterials and their potential application in tissue engineering.

In this study, a series of hydrogels were synthesized from chitosan(s) that was crosslinking with glutaraldehyde at different concentrations. Ascorbic acid in an acidic medium was used to facilitate non-covalent interactions. The chitosan(s) was obtained from shrimp cytoskeleton; while ascorbic acid was extracted from xoconostle juice.

New Carbamates and Ureas: Comparative Ability to Gel Organic Solvents.

Two series of novel amphiphilic compounds were synthesized based on carbamates and ureas structures, using a modification of the synthesis methods reported by bibliography. The compounds were tested for organic solvent removal in a model wastewater. The lipophilic group of all compounds was a hexadecyl chain, while the hydrophilic substituent was changed with the same modifications in both series.

Influence of Carbon Nanotubes Concentration on Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) Composite Yarns Electrospun.

In this work, the influence of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) content on the mechanical and electrical properties of four series of polymeric matrix were made and their cytotoxicity on cells was evaluated to consider their use as a possible artificial muscle. For that, polymer composite yarns were electrospun using polymeric solutions at 10 wt.%.

A Source of Systematic Errors in the Determination of Critical Micelle Concentration and Micellization Enthalpy by Graphical Methods in Isothermal Titration Calorimetry.

Isothermal titration calorimetry is frequently employed to determine the critical micelle concentration and the micellization enthalpy of surfactants in terms of geometrical characteristics of the titration curves. Previously we have shown theoretically that even for an infinitesimal injection, the heat per titrant mol depends on the stock solution concentration. In this work, we explore experimentally the influence of the stock solution concentration on the geometrical characteristics of the titration curve and its effect in determining the critical micelle concentration and the micellization enthalpy of surfactants.

Thermal Stability Evaluation of Polystyrene-Mg/Zn/Al LDH Nanocomposites.

A series of samples of Mg/Zn/Al LDHs (layered double hydroxides) materials was prepared by the co-precipitation and urea hydrolysis methods. They were modified with organic surfactants (acrylate and oleate anions) and characterized by X-ray diffraction, which corroborated the intercalation of anionic species into the interlayer space. The hydrophobized materials were incorporated at low contents (10 and 15 wt.

On the physical meaning of the isothermal titration calorimetry measurements in calorimeters with full cells.

We have performed a detailed study of the thermodynamics of the titration process in an isothermal titration calorimeter with full cells. We show that the relationship between the enthalpy and the heat measured is better described in terms of the equation Delta H = W(inj) + Q (where W(inj) is the work necessary to carry out the titration) than in terms of DeltaH = Q. Moreover, we show that the heat of interaction between two components is related to the partial enthalpy of interaction at infinite dilution of the titrant component, as well as to its partial volume of interaction at infinite dilution.

Study of the binding between lysozyme and C10-TAB: determination and interpretation of the partial properties of protein and surfactant at infinite dilution.

This work examines the binding in aqueous solution, through the experimental determination of specific volumes and specific adiabatic compressibility coefficients, of decyltrimethylammonium bromide to lysozyme and to non-charged polymeric particles (which have been specially synthesized by emulsion polymerization). A method was developed to calculate the specific partial properties at infinite dilution and it was shown that a Gibbs-Duhem type equation holds at this limit for two solutes. With this equation, it is possible to relate the behavior of the partial properties along different binding types at a constant temperature.