Star-Shaped Crosslinker for Multifunctional Shape Memory Polyurethane.

Star-shaped cyclophosphazene (ACP) was employed as covalent crosslinker to form a rigid segment in polyurethanes network, to enhance the mechanical performance and to add extra flame retardant property. The effects of different ACP contents on the shape memory ability and fire resistance performance of polyurethane (PU) were studied. Tensile tests suggested high flexibility of the PUs with the maximum elongation-at-break of 161.

Mechanically Robust Hybrid POSS Thermoplastic Polyurethanes with Enhanced Surface Hydrophobicity.

A series of hybrid thermoplastic polyurethanes (PUs) were synthesized from bi-functional polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (B-POSS) and polycaprolactone (PCL) using 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) as a coupling agent for the first time. The newly synthesized hybrid materials were fully characterized in terms of structure, morphology, thermal and mechanical performance, as well as their toughening effect toward polyesters. Thermal gravimeter analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed enhanced thermal stability by 76 °C higher in decomposition temperature (T) of the POSS PUs, and 22 °C higher glass transition temperature (T) when compared with control PU without POSS.

Inhibition of amyloid fibrillation of lysozyme by phenolic compounds involves quinoprotein formation.

Numerous phenolic compounds have been reported to have an inhibitory role on amyloid formation of proteins. The present study, utilizing lysozyme as a model system, examined the anti-amyloidogenic effects of phenol and three diphenol epimers. The results indicated that catechol and hydroquinone dose-dependently inhibited lysozyme fibrillation and covalently bound to the peptide chains to form quinoproteins, showing a similar effect to benzoquinone.