Microcapsules prepared from a polycondensate‐based cement dispersant via layer‐by‐layer self‐assembly on melamine‐formaldehyde core templates

Novel microcapsules were prepared from colloidal core–shell particles by acid dissolution of the organic core. Weakly crosslinked, monodisperse and spherical melamine‐formaldehyde polycondensate particles (diameter ～ 1 μm) were synthesized as core template and coated with multilayers of an anionic polyelectrolyte via layer‐by‐layer deposition technique. As polyelectrolytes, an anionic naphthalenesulfonate formaldehyde polycondensate that is a common concrete superplasticizer and thus industrially available, and cationic poly(allylamine hydrochloride) were used. Core removal was achieved by soaking the core–shell particles in aqueous hydrochloric acid at pH 1.6, resulting in hollow microcapsules consisting of the polyelectrolytes. Characterization of the template, the core–shell particles, and the microcapsules plus tracking of the layer‐by‐layer polyelectrolyte deposition was performed by means of zeta potential measurement and scanning electron microscopy. The microcapsules might be useful as microcontainers for cement additives. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Storage stability and solubility of poly(urea‐formaldehyde) microcapsules containing A‐olefin drag reducing polymer

Microcapsules containing α‐olefin drag reducing polymer were prepared by in situ and interfacial polymerization with urea, formaldehyde, and styrene as shell materials, respectively. IR spectrums of prepared shells indicated the formations of poly(urea‐formaldehyde) and polystyrene in the microencapsulating process. The morphologies of uncoated particles and microcapsules were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) which proved that the α‐olefin drag reducing polymer particles were effectively coated. For the purpose of determining the stability of microcapsules in transportation and storage, the static pressure experiment was carried out and lasted for 6 months. In this process, microcapsules with polystyrene as shell material stuck together after 3 months; however, those with poly(urea‐formaldehyde) kept the state of particles. The thermal characteristics of uncoated particles (core), poly(urea‐formaldehyde) (shell), and microcapsules with that as shell material were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) which proved that thermal stable temperature of microcapsules containing α‐olefin drag reducing polymer with poly(urea‐formaldehyde) as shell material was below 225°C, and the mean heat absorbed by microcapsules in the temperature increasing process was 1.5–2.0 W/g higher than that by cores. The evaluation of drag reducing rate of microcapsules showed that the microencapsulating process had no influence on the drag reduction of α‐olefin drag reducing polymer. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Optimal preparation and characterization of poly(urea–formaldehyde) microcapsules

Microcapsules with epoxy curing agent were successfully prepared by an in‐situ polymerization route with epoxy resin and poly‐(urea–formaldehyde) as core and shell materials, respectively. The synthetic conditions were optimized by a comprehensive investigation on raw materials consumption, size distribution, and surface morphology. Preparation of microcapsules with high wrap ratio was also demonstrated. The as‐synthesized microcapsules were studied using various characterizations techniques, including optical microscope, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and contact angle meter. Spherical microcapsules (size: ～ 60 μm) with smooth surface were obtained when the stirring rate was 400 rpm and the amount of core materials is 76 wt %. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Effect of nanoparticles on the morphology and thermal properties of self-healing poly(urea-formaldehyde) microcapsules

The preparation of microcapsules with adequate performance is required for the fabrication of self-healing composites. Self-healing microcapsules with improved morphology as well as thermal and water resistance were prepared by introducing either single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) or aluminum oxide nanoparticles (nano-alumina) into a urea–formaldehyde resin (which acts as the wall material). The prepared microcapsules were studied using various characterization techniques, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy (OM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and contact-angle measurements. Based on comparisons with traditional poly(urea–formaldehyde) microcapsules, the modified microcapsules exhibited a smoother surface. Our results indicate that the presence of the nanoparticles did not affect the core content of the microcapsules, which was approximately 78 wt.%. The average size of the traditional microcapsules was reduced from 168 μm to 115 and 95 μm for the SWCNT- and nano-alumina-modified microcapsules, respectively. In addition, the thermal resistance of the microcapsules was improved after modifying the capsule walls. After the microcapsules had been modified with SWCNTs, the water resistance of the capsules improved, and the contact angle increased from 44° to 50°.     

Synthesis and characterization of chitosan/urea‐formaldehyde shell microcapsules containing dicyclopentadiene

Microcapsules containing healing agent have been used to develop the self‐healing composites. These microcapsules must possess special properties during the use of composites such as stability in surrounding, appropriate mechanical strength, and lower permeability. A new series of microcapsules containing dicyclopentadiene with chitosan/urea‐formaldehyde copolymer as shell materials were synthesized by in situ copolymerization technology. The microencapsulating mechanism was discussed and the process was explained. Also, the factors influencing the preparation of microcapsules were analyzed. The morphology and shell wall thickness of microcapsules were observed by using scanning electron microscopy. The size of microcapsules was measured using optical microscope and the size distribution was investigated based on data sets of at least 200 measurements. The chemical structure and thermal properties of microcapsules were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis, respectively. The storage stability and isothermal aging experiment of microcapsules were also investigated. Results indicted that the chitosan/urea‐formaldehyde microcapsules containing dicyclopentadiene were synthesized successfully; the copolymerization occurred between chitosan and urea‐formaldehyde prepolymer. The microcapsule size is in the range of 10–160 μm with an average of 45 μm. The shell thickness of microcapsules is in the range of 1–7 μm and the core content of microcapsules is 67%. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Properties of poly(urea‐formaldheyde) microcapsules containing an epoxy resin

Physical properties of urea‐formaldehyde microcapsules containing an epoxy resin are presented and discussed. Microcapsules were prepared by in situ polymerization of monomers in an oil‐in‐water emulsion. Differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electronic microscopy were applied to investigate thermal and morphological microcapsule properties. Microencapsulation was detected by means of FTIR and Raman techniques. It was found that the amount of encapsulated epoxy resin as well as the extent of urea‐formaldehyde polymerization depends on the reaction temperature and the stirring speed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Role of ammonium chloride in preparing poly(urea‐formaldehyde) microcapsules using one‐step method

This study investigates the role of ammonium chloride in the process of preparing poly (urea‐formaldehyde) (PUF) microcapsules using the one‐step method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy (OM) were used to observe the morphology of the microcapsule. The results showed that the addition of ammonium chloride in the one‐step process of preparing PUF resin microcapsule decreases the pH of the system. The decrease in pH of the system is due to the reaction between ammonium chloride and formaldehyde, and more so due to the reaction between ammonium chloride and hydroxymethyl urea. In addition to reducing the pH of the system, the reaction between ammonium chloride and urea‐formaldehyde resin can generate surface active substances, which drives the formed UF nanoparticles to enrich the surface of the dispersed phase. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Preparation and characterization of poly(urea-formaldehyde) microcapsules filled with epoxy resins

The preparation of microcapsules applied to the fabrication of self-healing composites has been paid more attentions. A new series of microcapsules were prepared by in situ polymerization technology with poly(urea-formaldehyde) (PUF) as a shell material and a mixture of epoxy resins (diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A: DGEBPA) and 1-butyl glycidyl ether (BGE) as core materials. The microencapsulating process of core material was monitored using optical microscopy (OM). The chemical structure of microcapsule was characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Morphology and shell wall thickness of microcapsule were observed using metalloscope (MS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and OM, respectively. The effects of different pre-polymers, weight ratios of urea to formaldehyde (U-F) and the agitation rates on the physical properties of microcapsules were investigated. The storage stability of microcapsules at different times and temperatures was analyzed. The thermal properties of microcapsules were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results indicate that PUF microcapsules containing epoxy resins can be synthesized successfully, and during the microencapsulation, the epoxide rings in epoxy resins are hardly affected by the surrounding media. The rough outer surface of microcapsule is composed of agglomerated PUF nanoparticles. The size and surface morphology of microcapsule can be controlled by selecting different processing parameters. The microcapsules basically exhibit good storage stability at room temperature, and they are chemically stable before the heating temperature is up to approximately 238 °C.     

Preparation and characterization of microcapsules containing capsaicin

With urea‐formaldehyde (UF) resin as walls and capsaicin as core substances, microcapsules were prepared based on in situ polymerization process. The morphology and size distribution of the microcapsules were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, laser particle size analyzer, and scanning electron microscopy. The microcapsulated capsaicin (MC) agents had a mean diameter of about 30–50 μm. Moreover, the thermal properties of the MC agents were measured by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. It was demonstrated that the melting point and thermal stability of the MC agents were greatly improved compared with that of the uncovered capsaicin, which were caused by the encapsulating crosslinked UF resin over the surface. The shell formation mechanism and the effects of the process conditions such as U/F ratio, shearing force, and acidification time on the particle size of the MC agents were discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Synthesis and characterisation of microencapsulated 7‐alkyloxy‐4‐trifluoromethylcoumarin dyes

Five new 7‐alkyloxy‐4‐trifluoromethylcoumarin fluorescent dyes were synthesised using the Pechmann and Williamson etherification reactions. The structures of these coumarin dyes were characterised by Fourier Transform–infrared, proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectra. One of the new coumarin compounds, 7‐isopropyloxy‐4‐trifluoromethylcoumarin, was microencapsulated with melamine–formaldehyde as the shell material by in situ polymerisation. The microcapsules were characterised in terms of Fourier Transform–infrared spectrum, particle size distribution and scanning electron microscopy morphology. The cotton fabric finished with the microencapsulated coumarin dye showed strong fluorescence under ultraviolet light.     

Preparation and properties of phase‐change heat‐storage UV curable polyurethane acrylate coating

Phase‐change heat‐storage UV curable polyurethane acrylate (PUA) coating was prepared by applying microencapsulated phase change materials (microPCMs) to PUA coating. MicroPCMs containing paraffin core with melamine‐formaldehyde shell were synthesized by in situ polymerization. The effect of stirring speed, emulsification time, emulsifier amount, and core/shell mass ratio on particle size, morphology, and phase change properties of the microPCMs was studied by using laser particle size analyzer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The results showed that the diameter of the microcapsules decreased with the increase of stirring speed, emulsification time, and emulsifier amount. When the mass ratio of emulsifier to paraffin is 6%, microcapsules fabricated with a core/shell ratio of 75/25 have a compact surface and a mean particle size of 30 μm. The sample made under the above conditions has a higher efficiency of microencapsulation than other samples and was applied to PUA coating. The dispersion of microPCMs in coating and heat‐storage properties of the coating were investigated. The results illustrated that the phase‐change heat‐storage UV curable PUA coating can store energy and insulate heat. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41266.     

Effects of surface modification of self‐healing poly(melamine‐urea‐formaldehyde) microcapsules on the properties of unsaturated polyester composites

Poly(melamine‐urea‐formaldehyde) (MUF) microcapsules used as self‐healing component of composites were prepared by in situ polymerization. The surface of MUF microcapsules was modified by 3‐aminopropyltriethoxy silane‐coupling agent (KH550). The interfacial interactions between MUF microcapsules and KH550 were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR). FTIR results show that the silane‐coupling agent molecule binds strongly to the MUF microcapsules surface. A chemical bond (Si? O? C) is formed by the reaction between the Si? OH and the hydroxyl group of MUF microcapsule. This modification improves the thermal properties of microcapsules. Optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) show that a thin layer is formed on the surface of MUF microcapsules. The interfacial adhesion effect between MUF microcapsules and unsaturated polyester matrix was investigated. MUF microcapsules disperse evenly in the composites. When crack propagated, the microcapsules were broken and the repair agent flowed from the microcapsules to react with the curing agent. Then the crosslinking structure was formed and the composite was repaired. The tensile properties, impact properties, and dynamic mechanical properties of composites have been evaluated. The results indicate that the silane‐coupling agent plays an important role in improving the interfacial performance between the microcapsules and the matrix, as well as the mechanical properties of the composites. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Application of poly(diphenolic acid‐phenyl phosphate)‐based layer by layer nanocoating in flame retardant ramie fabrics

Poly(diphenolic acid‐phenyl phosphate) [poly(DPA‐PDCP)], obtained from diphenolic acid (a well‐known biomass chemical), was used together with polyethylenimine (PEI) to construct a flame retardant surface coating for ramie fabric using layer‐by‐layer self‐assembly. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometer (EDX) were used to confirm the successful formation of layer by layer assembly. Assessment of the thermal and flammability properties for poly(DPA‐PDCP)/PEI‐coated ramie fabrics showed that the thermal stability, flame retardancy, and residual char were enhanced as the concentration of poly(DPA‐PDCP) and the BL number in the LbL process increased as well as the treatment of KH550 was applied. SEM and EDX analysis of the char residue confirmed further the intumescent flame retardant mechanism. This work demonstrated the great potentials of poly(DPA‐PDCP)/PEI flame retardant nanocoating constructed by LbL assembly method in the application of ramie fabric. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44795.     

Improved hemocompatibility of silk fibroin fabric using layer‐by‐layer polyelectrolyte deposition and heparin immobilization

Silk fibroin has long been used as implantable surgical sutures and it has acceptable mechanical properties and patency rates in animal models and in clinical end‐uses. However, fibroin has been shown to be hemolytic and can cause damage to red blood cells. So to be used as an implantable vascular prosthesis its hemocompatibility needs to be improved. This study has taken two sequential steps to address this problem. First, to create a positively charged layer on the fibroin fibers' surface, a 1.5 and 2.5 bilayers polyelectrolyte surface deposition layer‐by‐layer technique was used with the positive counterion poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and the negative counterion poly(acrylic acid). Second, negatively charged low molecular weight heparin was then immobilized on these positively charged self‐assembled surfaces. The presence of the heparin was confirmed with Alcian Blue staining and a toluidine blue assay, and the increased roughness and hydrophilicity of the modified surfaces were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, contact angle measurements, and atomic force microscopy. In addition, a negligible hemolytic effect, reduced protein adsorption, and a higher concentration of free hemoglobin measured by a kinetic clotting time test were found to be enhanced with the use of 2.5 bilayers compared to the 1.5 bilayers self‐assembly technique. Given the success of these preliminary results, it is anticipated that this novel approach of surface modification and heparin immobilization will demonstrate long‐term patency during future animal trials of small caliber silk fibroin vascular grafts. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40772.     

Preparation of microcapsules of strong polyelectrolyte couples by one‐step complex surface precipitation

Polyelectrolyte microcapsules are fabricated by a one‐step surface precipitation and by a layer‐by‐layer technique on decomposable colloids. The ternary solvent water/acetone/sodium bromide is adjusted properly keeping dissolved simultaneously the strong polyelectrolytes sodium poly(styrene sulfonate) and poly(vinyl benzyl trimethylammonium chloride). Microcapsules are characterized by confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning force microscopy. The capsules are dissolvable in the ternary solvent. Other dissolved strong polyelectrolyte couples and template‐free preparation pathways are suggested.     

Synthesis of enhanced urea–formaldehyde resin microcapsules doped with nanotitania

Urea–formaldehyde (UF) resin microcapsules doped with TiO₂ nanoparticles were prepared by in situ polymerization, and the properties of the microcapsules, such as the surface morphologies, thermal properties, and chemical elemental composition, were measured by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectrometer analysis. The effects of the presence of ammonium chloride and its concentration and the concentrations of UF resin prepolymer and TiO₂ nanoparticles during the reaction and deposition of UF on the microcapsule surface on the properties of the microcapsules were investigated. Enhanced UF resin microcapsules with more stability and mechanical strength could be obtained under the optimal conditions. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Effects of process parameters on the physical properties of poly (urea–formaldehyde) microcapsules prepared by a one-step method

The physical properties of microcapsules are strongly influenced by the synthetic conditions used for their preparation. To prepare microcapsules possessing a smooth surface morphology, high mechanical strength, and reduced permeability of the core material, in situ polymerization in an oil-in-water emulsion was performed using poly (urea–formaldehyde) and tetrachloroethylene as the shell and core materials, respectively. The influence of the synthetic conditions, including the initial pH value, concentration of wall material, concentration of NaCl, and heating rate, on the properties of the resulting microcapsules was investigated systematically by an orthogonal factorial design. The physical properties of the microcapsules were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and optical-photographic microscopy. The results showed that the concentration of shell material has a substantial effect on the mechanical strength of the microcapsules. Additionally, a slow heating rate and high initial pH value enhance the preparation of well-defined spherical microcapsules having excellent barrier properties. Finally, a moderate concentration of sodium chloride can remarkably improve the compactness of the capsule wall. The optimum conditions, determined on the basis of utilization of wall material, are as follows: initial pH value: 3.5; concentration of shell material: 3.6 × 10^?2 g/mL; heating rate: 0.5 °C/min; and concentration of sodium chloride: 5.0 × 10^?2 g/mL.     

Layer‐by‐layer assembled hydrogel nanocomposite film with a high loading capacity

The layer‐by‐layer assembly technique is a method that widely used in the preparation of nanostructured multilayer ultrathin films. We fabricated a hydrogel nanocomposite film by alternating the deposition of a core–shell poly[(dimethylimino)(2‐hydroxy‐1,3‐propanedily) chloride] (PDMIHPC)–laponite solution and poly(acrylic acid). The growth of the deposition procedure was proven by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The surface morphology of the films was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The films could reversibly load and release methylene blue (MB) dye, which was used as an indicator. It took about 4.5 h to reach loading equilibrium at pH 9.0. The loading capacity of the film for MB was as large as 4.48 μg/cm² per bilayer because of the introduction of the core–shell PDMIHPC–laponite as a film component. Nearly 90% of MB was released at pH 3.0 or in a 300 mM NaCl solution within 2.5 h. The loading and release processes were greatly influenced by the ionic strength and pH value of the MB solution. The hydrogel nanocomposite film showed good pH‐triggered loading‐release reversibility and suggested potential applications in controlled drug‐delivery systems and smart materials. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 39352.     

Chitosan nanocoating on cotton textile substrate using layer‐by‐layer self‐assembly technique

An attempt was made to deposit a nanocoating onto a cotton textile substrate using a layer‐by‐layer self‐assembly approach. Chitosan, a natural biopolymer with polycationic characteristic, was used as a polyelectrolyte along with poly(sodium‐4‐styrene sulfonate) as an anionic polyelectrolyte for the first time on a textile substrate using this technique. The nanocoated surface was evaluated for surface characteristics such as the contact angle and scanning electron microscopy. The effect of ultrasonication during the intermediate washing steps was explored. Ultrasonication during the washing steps clearly helped in depositing more uniform bilayers onto individual fiber surfaces; this contrasted with the deposition of a continuous coating layer, which was nonuniform and had a lot of surface cracks. The use of this novel method for depositing chitosan onto cotton imparted antimicrobial properties to the fabric without adversely affecting its flexibility, feel, or breathability. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Effects of SBS on phase morphology of iPP/aPS blends

The supermolecular structure of binary isotactic polypropylene/poly(styrene‐b‐butadiene‐h‐styrene) (iPP/SBS) and isotactic polypropylene/atactic polystyrene (iPP/aPS) compression molded blends and that of ternary iPP/aPS/SBS blends were studied by optical microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. Nucleation, crystal growth, solidification and blend phase morphology are affected by the addition of amorphous components (SBS and aPS). As a compatiblizer in immiscible iPP/aPS blends, SBS formed interfacial layer between dispersed honeycomb‐like aPS/SBS particles and the iPP matrix, thus influencing the crystallization process in iPP. The amount of SBS and aPS, and compatibilizing efficiency of SBS, determine the size of dispersed aPS, SBS, and aPS/SBS particles and, consequently, the final blend phase morphologies: well‐developed spherulitic morphology, cross‐hatched structure with blocks of sandwich lamellae and co‐continuous morphology. The analysis of the relationship between the size of spherulites and dispersed particles gave the criterion relation, which showed that, in the case of a well‐developed spherulitization, the spherulites should be about fourteen times larger than the incorporated dispersed particles; i.e. to be large enough to engulf dispersed inclusions without considerable disturbing of the spherulitic structure.