A morphological study of melt‐spun polypropylene filaments by atomic force microscopy

Surface morphology of melt‐spun polypropylene (PP) filaments, spun from an additive‐free PP powder and from a commercial‐grade PP with different draw ratios, were examined with atomic force microscopy (AFM). The surface morphology of as‐spun filaments was spherulitic. The gradual transformation of the surface structure from a spherulitic morphology to a fibrillar morphology during stretching was studied. In the filaments spun from the commercial‐grade PP, the transformation was initiated by deformation of spherulites with a draw ratio of 1.2 and continued with association of lamellar stacks into fibrillar chains with a draw ratio between 1.2 and 2.0. A hierarchical morphological microstructure of fibrils, microfibrils, and nanofibrils was developed with a draw ratio of 4.0. In the filaments spun from the additive‐free PP, the association of lamellar stacks into fibrillar morphology occurred considerably later, between draw ratios of 2.0 and 4.0. An oriented lamellar structure was found in these filaments, still with a draw ratio of 4.0. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 1242–1249, 1999     

Adsorption of bark derived polyphenols onto functionalized nanocellulose: Equilibrium modeling and kinetics

This article describes the kinetics and capacity of adsorbing condensed conifer tannins onto cationic cellulose nanocrystals (CCNCs). Batch adsorption experiments were carried as a function of pH, contact time, and initial tannin concentration with constant cationic cellulose nanocrystal concentration (0.01%). The adsorption process was highly pH dependent as adsorption capacities ranged from 13.2 mg/g to 112.7 mg/g at pH of 3–10. The amount of tannin adsorbed per unit mass of the cationic cellulose nanocrystals increased with increasing of tannin concentration until equilibrium was attained. The experimental data followed the Langmuir adsorption model, and the maximum experimental and theoretical adsorption capacities for the cationic nanocrystals reached 1,008 mg/g and 1,111 mg/g, respectively. The kinetics of adsorption was described best by the pseudo-second-order kinetics indicating a chemisorption process. The inherent adsorption has interesting applications for CCNC-complexes with natural polyphenolics in green chemical applications for adhesives, adsorbents, preservatives, and packaging materials.     

Microstructural and Physicochemical Properties of Oxidized Potato Starch for Paper Coating

Heat-induced structural changes were examined for a series of potato starches differing in degree of oxidation and prepared as 25 and 35% dispersions. The molecular weight of amylopectin decreased markedly with the degree of oxidation. Microstructural studies revealed that all oxidized potato starch dispersions heated to 90deg;C contained whole granules. The least oxidized potato starch (Raisamyl 316) paste contained large numbers of swollen granules filled with dissolved amylose. In the more oxidized potato starch dispersions, both amylopectin and amylose were solubilized within the granule. Mixing of the amylose and amylopectin occurred and amylose- and amylopectin-rich domains could be seen inside the granule. At 35% concentration all starches studied formed a gel during cooling (from 90 to 30deg;C). The lower the degree of oxidation, the higher the gelling temperature. Raisamyl 310 formed the firmest gel. The gel formation of most oxidized potato starches was weak. Raising the heating temperature from 90 to 120deg;C, in combination with shearing, delayed the gelation.     

Structure‐Based Virtual Screening for Dopamine D2 Receptor Ligands as Potential Antipsychotics

Structure‐based virtual screening using a D₂ receptor homology model was performed to identify dopamine D₂ receptor ligands as potential antipsychotics. From screening a library of 6.5 million compounds, 21 were selected and were subjected to experimental validation. From these 21 compounds tested, ten D₂ ligands were identified (47.6 % success rate, among them D₂ receptor antagonists, as expected) that have additional affinity for other receptors tested, in particular 5‐HT_2A receptors. The affinity (K_i values) of the compounds ranged from 58 nm to about 24 μm . Similarity and fragment analysis indicated a significant degree of structural novelty among the identified compounds. We found one D₂ receptor antagonist that did not have a protonatable nitrogen atom, which is a key structural element of the classical D₂ pharmacophore model necessary for interaction with the conserved Asp(3.32) residue. This compound exhibited greater than 20‐fold binding selectivity for the D₂ receptor over the D₃ receptor. We provide additional evidence that the amide hydrogen atom of this compound forms a hydrogen bond with Asp(3.32), as determined by tests of its derivatives that cannot maintain this interaction.     

Structure modification and crosslinking of methacrylated polylactide oligomers

The effect of molecular architecture on the properties of crosslinked polylactides was studied. D,L ‐Lactide‐based telechelic oligomers with different numbers of arms were functionalized with methacrylic anhydride. Functionalized oligomers were crosslinked with thermal initiation at 90°C, and the mechanical and thermal properties, as well as the gel content, were evaluated. The crosslinking density increased with the number of arms in the oligomers, and the compressive yield strength was built up at the same time. The best mechanical properties (compressive yield strength = 120 MPa, modulus = 2800 MPa, and strain = 5.0%) were obtained with cured polymers prepared with a 100 : 8 ratio of lactide to pentaerythritol. When dimethacrylated butanediol was used as a reactive monomer in curing, polymers with high crosslinking density and mechanical strength were obtained at 37, 60, and 90°C. The use of the reactive monomer also enabled high conversions with photoinitiated crosslinking. Finally, hydrolytic degradation and strength retention were demonstrated. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 3616–3624, 2002     

Hydrophobic polymers as barrier dispersion coatings

The aim of this study was to evaluate the properties of polymer dispersions prepared from hydrophobic monomers as barrier coatings. These dispersions were produced using a new emulsion polymerization process involving cyclodextrin as a phase‐transport catalyst. Conventional emulsion polymerization techniques are not applicable due to the low water solubility of the monomers, such as lauryl and stearyl (meth)‐acrylates. The experimental polymers showed improvements in water and water vapor barriers, as a result of the incorporation of hydrophobic monomers. The barrier properties could be further improved with functional groups, crosslinking, and chain‐regulating agents, as well as fillers. Grease and water barriers were strongly affected by pinholes, and functional monomers appeared to be effective in enhancing the grease barrier property. Particle morphology, glass transition temperature, and drying affected the performance of these dispersions. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 1958–1962, 2006     

Pilot study on proximal femur strains during locomotion and fall-down scenario

The most common and severe type of fracture among the elderly is known as a proximal femur fracture. Aging-related bone loss is one of the major contributing factors to increased likelihood of bone fracture. Specific exercises can be used to strain bones and increase bone strength to counter the effects of bone loss. The flexible multibody simulation approach can be used as a non-invasive method for estimating bone strains caused by physical activity. This method was recently used to analyze the strain of locomotion in regard to human femur and tibia leg bones. The current study focuses on strain analysis of the femoral neck. The research test person was a clinically healthy 65-year old Caucasian male. The computed tomography was used to build a geometrically accurate finite element model of the femur with inhomogeneous material properties derived from the voxel data. The anthropometric data was used to model the musculoskeletal system of the test person. The multibody skeletal model was utilized to estimate loading on the femoral neck during walking, which represents a routine daily activity. The flexible multibody simulation results were compared to strains that occurred during a simulated fall onto the greater trochanter of the femur. The fall simulation was made entirely using finite element software. Results from the finite element analysis were compared with the previous study showing that the test person does not belong to the high-risk hip fracture group. Finally, the estimated strains gathered from the walking simulation were compared to the strain values from the simulated fall-down scenario.     

A novel concept of a wearable information appliance using context-based human–computer interaction

In healthcare environment, different kinds of automatic solutions have been created to monitor and track patients, for example near-field imaging and low-frequency RFID. The problem has been how to use the context-based data these systems produce and how to show the related information to the nursing staff. This paper shows how hospital data can be automatically transmitted to people using location information. The information is transmitted to a name tag that has wireless connectivity and touch screen with electric paper. This concept is piloted with a test application.     

Monitoring environmental performance of the forestry supply chain using RFID

It is estimated that wood raw material worth of approximately €5 billion is wasted annually in Europe. The major reason for this is that the raw material is not used in the most efficient way as information needed regarding the wood raw material is not available throughout the supply chain. An automatic traceability system makes it possible to utilise raw material information efficiently throughout the forestry-wood production chain and to maximize the raw material yield, and to optimise and to monitor the environmental impact, by linking the relevant information to the traced objects. This paper describes novel RFID technology and traceability solutions that have been developed for the wood products industry. RFID-marking connects the physical objects with their database counterparts thus allowing automatic tracing of the objects. The architecture is needed to the dynamic and decentralised nature of the wood industry. The developed novel RFID based technology allows tracing of individual logs from the tree felling to the sawing of the logs at the saw mill. By combining the traceability and process information systems, new methods are enabled for analysing the performance of the supply chain. As an example, the environmental performance of a product can be traced and analysed even on an individual level. This means that not only the performance from the own production of a manufacturer will be accessible, but also the upstream processes that constitute the product value chain and the life cycle performance for the product leaving the manufacturer.