Multitask Imidazolium Salt Additives for Innovative Poly(l-lactide) Biomaterials: Morphology Control, Candida spp. Biofilm Inhibition, Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Biocompatibility, and Skin Tolerance.

Candida species have great ability to colonize and form biofilms on medical devices, causing infections in human hosts. In this study, poly(l-lactide) films with different imidazolium salt (1-n-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (C16MImCl) and 1-n-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate (C16MImMeS)) contents were prepared, using the solvent casting process. Poly(l-lactide)-imidazolium salt films were obtained with different surface morphologies (spherical and directional), and the presence of the imidazolium salt in the surface was confirmed.

Influence of light-activation protocol on methacrylate resin-composite evaluated by dynamic mechanical analysis and degree of conversion.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of conversion (DC) and to identify the viscoelastic properties: storage modulus (E'), loss modulus (E"), tangent delta (tan δ), and glass transition temperature (T g ) of a microhybrid resin-composite light-activated by three different protocols. A Filtek Z250 (3 M ESPE) shade A3 was inserted in a Teflon mold (21 mm × 5 mm × 1 mm for viscoelastic properties; and 5 mm × 1 mm for DC) and light-activated according to the following light-activation protocols: (S) 1,000 mW/cm(2) × 19 s, (HP) 1,400 mW/cm(2) × 14 s, and (PE) 3,200 mW/cm(2) × 6 s, all set up to deliver 19 J/cm(2). Viscoelastic properties was assessed by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) (n = 3), performed in single cantilever clamped mode.

Morphological and structural characterization of PHBV/organoclay nanocomposites by small angle X-ray scattering.

In this work, the morphological and structural behaviors of poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) nanocomposites were investigated using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The nanocomposites with 1, 3 and 5 wt.% of organically modified montmorillonite Cloisite® 30B (OMMT) were prepared by melt processing in a twin screw extruder using two different processing conditions (low and high shear intensity).

The effects of ultrasound on organoclay dispersion in the PP matrix.

PP/MMT nanocomposites were prepared by solution intercalation using sonication and quiescent conditions, and the effects on the morphological, thermal and mechanical properties were evaluated by WAXD, TEM, DMA, TGA and DSC analyses. The present study aims to clarify the effects of ultrasound use on the organoclay surface with different amounts of organic modifiers and on the exfoliation processes. The sonication process decreased around of 200 nm the aspect ratio of C15A organoclay.