Characterization of Mixtures Based on High-Density Polyethylene and Plasticized Starch.

This paper presents the obtaining and characterization of blends based on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and plasticized starch. In addition to plasticized starch (28.8% /), the compositions made also contained other ingredients, such as polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride as a compatibilizer, ethylene propylene terpolymer elastomer, cross-linking agents, and nanoclay.

Antimicrobial Hydroxyethyl-Cellulose-Based Composite Films with Zinc Oxide and Mesoporous Silica Loaded with Cinnamon Essential Oil.

: Cellulose derivatives are gaining much attention in medical research due to their excellent properties such as biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, non-toxicity, sustainability, and low cost. Unfortunately, cellulose does not exhibit antimicrobial activity. However, derivatives like hydroxyethyl cellulose represent a proper matrix to incorporate antimicrobial agents with beneficial therapeutic effects.

Physicochemical Characterization of Ca- and Cu-Decorated TiO Microparticles and Investigation of Their Antimicrobial Properties.

Ca- and Cu-decorated TiO microparticles are titanium dioxide nanoparticles that have been decorated with calcium and copper ions. TiO, CaO, and CuO are low-cost, non-toxic, and non-hazardous materials. The aim of the present study was the physicochemical characterization of Ca- and Cu-decorated TiO microparticles and the evaluation of their antimicrobial activity.

Development, Testing, and Thermoforming of Thermoplastics Reinforced with Surface-Modified Aramid Fibers for Cover of Electronic Parts in Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Using 3D-Printed Molds.

This paper presents the development, characterization, and testing of PP/PE-g-MA composites with 10 and 15 wt% surface-modified aramid fibers, and aluminum-based pigment, as covers for a small drone body for collision protection. The successful fiber surface modification with SiO by the sol-gel method using TEOS was confirmed by FTIR, SEM, and EDS analyses. The composites were characterized by FTIR and SEM analyses and surface energy and water contact angle measurements and tested in terms of tensile, flexural, impact, and thermal properties.

Antimicrobial Packaging for Plum Tomatoes Based on ZnO Modified Low-Density Polyethylene.

Food safety and quality are major concerns in the food industry. Despite numerous studies, polyethylene remains one of the most used materials for packaging due to industry reluctance to invest in new technologies and equipment. Therefore, modifications to the current materials are easier to implement than adopting whole new solutions.

The Antimicrobial Potency of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Loaded with Extract.

is an important medicinal plant that is used and studied intensively due to its numerous pharmacological effects. This plant has numerous active compounds with biomedical potential; some are volatile, while others are sensitive to heat or oxygen. Therefore, to increase stability and prolong biological activities, the natural extract can be loaded into various nanostructured systems.

Antimicrobial Wound Dressings based on Bacterial Cellulose and Independently Loaded with Nutmeg and Fir Needle Essential Oils.

The aim of the present study was to obtain antimicrobial dressings from bacterial cellulose loaded with nutmeg and of fir needle essential oils. The attractive properties of BC, such as biocompatibility, good physicochemical and mechanical stability, and high water absorption, led to the choice of this material to be used as a support. Essential oils have been added to provide antimicrobial properties to these dressings.

Comparative Study of MgO Nanopowders Prepared by Different Chemical Methods.

Magnesium oxide (MgO) was synthesized by three different methods: the sol-gel (SG), microwave-assisted sol-gel (MW), and hydrothermal (HT) methods for comparing the influence of the preparation conditions on the properties of the products. The powders were annealed at 450 °C. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM/HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), BET specific surface area and porosity, photoluminescence, and UV-Vis spectroscopy.

Usnic Acid-Loaded Magnetite Nanoparticles-A Comparative Study between Synthesis Methods.

Since cancer is a continuously increasing concern for the general population, more efficient treatment alternatives ought to be developed. In this regard, a promising direction is represented by the use of magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) to act both as a nanocarrier for the targeted release of antitumoral drugs and as hyperthermia agents. Thus, the present study focused on improving the control upon the outcome properties of MNPs by using two synthesis methods, namely the co-precipitation and microwave-assisted hydrothermal method, for the incorporation of usnic acid (UA), a natural lichen-derived metabolite with proven anticancer activity.

The Development of Alginate/Ag NPs/Caffeic Acid Composite Membranes as Adsorbents for Water Purification.

Since the water pollution problem still affects the environmental system and human health, the need to develop innovative membranes has become imperious. Lately, researchers have focused on developing novel materials to help diminish the contamination problem. The aim of present research was to obtain innovative adsorbent composite membranes based on a biodegradable polymer, alginate, to remove toxic pollutants.

Increasing Bioavailability of Trans-Ferulic Acid by Encapsulation in Functionalized Mesoporous Silica.

Two types of mesoporous materials, MCM-41 and MCM-48, were functionalized by the soft-template method using (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) as a modifying agent. The obtained mesoporous silica materials were loaded with trans-ferulic acid (FA). In order to establish the morphology and structure of mesoporous materials, a series of specific techniques were used such as: X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).

New Mesoporous Silica Materials Loaded with Polyphenols: Caffeic Acid, Ferulic Acid and p-Coumaric Acid as Dietary Supplements for Oral Administration.

In this study, two types of mesoporous silica with different pore structures and volumes were synthesized by the soft-templating method. The two types of mesoporous silica, type MCM-41 and MCM-48, were loaded with three polyphenols-caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid and trans-ferulic acid-in the same ratio of mesoporous silica:polyphenol (1:0.4 /).

Low Release Study of Cefotaxime by Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Nanomaterials.

As a third-generation β-lactam antibiotic, cefotaxime shows a broad-spectrum with Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria activity and is included in WHO's essential drug list. In order to obtain new materials with sustained release properties, the present research focuses on the study of cefotaxime absorption and desorption from different functionalized mesoporous silica supports. The MCM-41-type nanostructured mesoporous silica support was synthesized by sol-gel technique using a tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) route and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a surfactant, at room temperature and normal pressure.

Preparation and Characterization of Chitosan/TiO Composite Membranes as Adsorbent Materials for Water Purification.

As it is used in all aspects of human life, water has become more and more polluted. For the past few decades, researchers and scientists have focused on developing innovative composite adsorbent membranes for water purification. The purpose of this research was to synthesize a novel composite adsorbent membrane for the removal of toxic pollutants (namely heavy metals, antibiotics and microorganisms).

Antimicrobial Properties of TiO Microparticles Coated with Ca- and Cu-Based Composite Layers.

The ability of TiO to generate reactive oxygen species under UV radiation makes it an efficient candidate in antimicrobial studies. In this context, the preparation of TiO microparticles coated with Ca- and Cu-based composite layers over which Cu(II), Cu(I), and Cu(0) species were identified is presented here. The obtained materials were characterized by a wide range of analytical methods, such as X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy (TEM, SEM), X-ray photoelectron (XPS), and UV-VIS spectroscopy.

Mesoporous Silica Materials Loaded with Gallic Acid with Antimicrobial Potential.

This paper aimed to develop two types of support materials with a mesoporous structure of mobile crystalline matter (known in the literature as MCM, namely MCM-41 and MCM-48) and to load them with gallic acid. Soft templating methodology was chosen for the preparation of the mesoporous structures-the cylindrical micelles with certain structural characteristics being formed due to the hydrophilic and hydrophobic intermolecular forces which occur between the molecules of the surfactants (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-CTAB) when a minimal micellar ionic concentration is reached. These mesoporous supports were loaded with gallic acid using three different types of MCM-gallic acid ratios (1:0.

Iron Oxide-Silica Core-Shell Nanoparticles Functionalized with Essential Oils for Antimicrobial Therapies.

Recent years have witnessed a tremendous interest in the use of essential oils in biomedical applications due to their intrinsic antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. However, their low aqueous solubility and high volatility compromise their maximum potential, thus requiring the development of efficient supports for their delivery. Hence, this manuscript focuses on developing nanostructured systems based on FeO@SiO core-shell nanoparticles and three different types of essential oils, i.

Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles for Water Purification.

In this study, zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized through a simple co-precipitation method starting from zinc acetate dihydrate and sodium hydroxide as reactants. The as-obtained ZnO nanoparticles were morphologically and structurally characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photocatalytic activity, and by determining the antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The XRD pattern of the zinc oxide nanoparticles showed the wurtzite hexagonal structure, and its purity highlighted that the crystallinity correlated with the presence of a single product, zinc oxide.

Biodegradable Alginate Films with ZnO Nanoparticles and Citronella Essential Oil-A Novel Antimicrobial Structure.

The petroleum-based materials could be replaced, at least partially, by biodegradable packaging. Adding antimicrobial activity to the new packaging materials can also help improve the shelf life of food and diminish the spoilage. The objective of this research was to obtain a novel antibacterial packaging, based on alginate as biodegradable polymer.

Innovative Antimicrobial Chitosan/ZnO/Ag NPs/Citronella Essential Oil Nanocomposite-Potential Coating for Grapes.

New packaging materials based on biopolymers are gaining increasing attention due to many advantages like biodegradability or existence of renewable sources. Grouping more antimicrobials agents in the same packaging can create a synergic effect, resulting in either a better antimicrobial activity against a wider spectrum of spoilage agents or a lower required quantity of antimicrobials. In the present work, we obtained a biodegradable antimicrobial film that can be used as packaging material for food.

Facile Use of ZnO Nanopowders to Protect Old Manual Paper Documents.

One of the main problems faced by libraries, archives and collectors is the mold degradation of the paper-based documents, books, artworks etc. Microfungi (molds) emerge in regular storage conditions of such items (humidity, usually over 50%, and temperatures under 21 °C). If the removal of the visible mycelium is relatively easy, there is always the problem of the subsequent appearance of mold as the spores remain trapped in the cellulosic, fibrillary texture, which acts as a net.

Antibacterial Activity of Bacterial Cellulose Loaded with Bacitracin and Amoxicillin: In Vitro Studies.

The use of bacterial cellulose (BC) in skin wound treatment is very attractive due to its unique characteristics. These dressings' wet environment is an important feature that ensures efficient healing. In order to enhance the antimicrobial performances, bacterial-cellulose dressings were loaded with amoxicillin and bacitracin as antibacterial agents.

BiEuFeO Powders: Synthesis, Characterization, Magnetic and Photoluminescence Properties.

Europium substituted bismuth ferrite powders were synthesized by the sol-gel technique. The precursor xerogel was characterized by thermal analysis. BiEuFeO (x = 0-0.

Surface evaluation of titanium oxynitride coatings used for developing layered cardiovascular stents.

Stents are important medical devices used to increase the quality and life expectancy of patients with heart diseases and stroke, leading causes of death, worldwide. In order to minimize the risk of restenosis, different coating on bare metal stents (BMS) such as polymer coatings; titanium dioxide, titanium nitride or titanium oxynitride coatings; carbon coatings and others are used. The aim of this work was to develop novel stents coated with titanium oxynitride (TiON) with optimal chemical, mechanical and biological properties having possibly good coverage rate of inner and outer stent surfaces.

Titanium dioxide nanotube films: Preparation, characterization and electrochemical biosensitivity towards alkaline phosphatase.

Titania nanotubes (TNTs) were prepared by anodization on different substrates (titanium, Ti6Al4V and Ti6Al7Nb alloys) in ethylene glycol and glycerol. The influence of the applied potential and processing time on the nanotube diameter and length is analyzed. The as-formed nanotube layers are amorphous but they become crystalline when subjected to subsequent thermal treatment in air at 550°C; TNT layers grown on titanium and Ti6Al4V alloy substrates consist of anatase and rutile, while those grown on Ti6Al7Nb alloy consist only of anatase.