High-Sensitivity Flexible Sensor Based on Biomimetic Strain-Stiffening Hydrogel.

Recently, flexible wearable and implantable electronic devices have attracted enormous interest in biomedical applications. However, current bioelectronic systems have not solved the problem of mechanical mismatch of tissue-electrode interfaces. Therefore, the biomimetic hydrogel with tissue-like mechanical properties is highly desirable for flexible electronic devices.

PPG-Terminated Tetra-Carbamates as the Toughening Additive for Bis-A Epoxy Resin.

We synthesized PPG-terminated tetra-carbamates as a new toughening additive for epoxy thermosets through facile addition reaction of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) with poly(tetra-methylene glycols) (PTMG) and poly(propylene glycols) (PPG). The effects of prepared tetra-carbamates on the rheological behavior of neat epoxy resin were studied along with the various cured properties of their modified epoxy systems. Four carbamate groups (-NHCOO-) endow the prepared additives not only with good intramolecular interactions, but also with optimal intermolecular interactions with epoxy polymers.

Chelating template-induced encapsulation of NiO cluster in mesoporous silica via anionic surfactant-templated route.

In this study, we develop a novel one-step method for synthesis of nickel oxide/silicon dioxide (NiO/SiO(2)) mesoporous composites by using N-hexadecyl ethylenediamine triacetate (HED3A) as structure-directing agent. Besides playing a role in directing the mesophase formation, the anionic surfactant also functions as a chelating agent that binds nickel ions. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analyses were undertaken to determine the chelating ability between HED3A and nickel ions.

pH-Sensitive Micelles Based on Double-Hydrophilic Poly(methylacrylic acid)-Poly(ethylene glycol)-Poly(methylacrylic acid) Triblock Copolymer.

pH-sensitive micelles with hydrophilic core and hydrophilic corona were fabricated by self-assembling of triblock copolymer of poly(methylacrylic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(methylacrylic acid) at lower solution pH. Transmission electron microscopy and laser light scattering studies showed micelles were in nano-scale with narrow size distribution. Solution pH value and the micelles concentration strongly influenced the hydrodynamic radius of the spherical micelles (48-310 nm).