Rational Design of Ag/ZnO Hybrid Nanoparticles on Sericin/Agarose Composite Film for Enhanced Antimicrobial Applications

Silver-based hybrid nanomaterials are receiving increasing attention as potential alternatives for traditional antimicrobial agents. Here, we proposed a simple and eco-friendly strategy to efficiently assemble zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on sericin-agarose composite film to impart superior antimicrobial activity. Based on a layer-by-layer self-assembly strategy, AgNPs and ZnO were immobilized on sericin-agarose films using the adhesion property of polydopamine. Scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction spectroscopy were used to show the morphology of AgNPs and ZnO on the surface of the composite film and analyze the composition and structure of AgNPs and ZnO, respectively. Water contact angle, swelling ratio, and mechanical property were determined to characterize the hydrophilicity, water absorption ability, and mechanical properties of the composite films. In addition, the antibacterial activity of the composite film was evaluated against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The results showed that the composite film not only has desirable hydrophilicity, high water absorption ability, and favorable mechanical properties but also exhibits excellent antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. It has shown great potential as a novel antimicrobial biomaterial for wound dressing, artificial skin, and tissue engineering.     

导电轮胎烟囱胶缺陷的原因分析及解决措施

分析导电轮胎烟囱胶缺陷的产生原因并提出相应的解决措施。主要缺陷是烟囱胶被胎冠胶覆盖而不能外露从而无法形成贯穿胎面的导电通路。预口型形状设计不合理、口型板底板倒角宽度设计偏大、烟囱胶预口型出口宽度设计不合理、烟囱胶门尼粘度偏低、现场管控不到位等均会导致烟囱胶不外露。通过调整烟囱胶口型和预口型形状、改善胶料的门尼粘度、加强现场管控等措施,可解决烟囱胶不外露问题。     

Concepts,processing, and recent developments in encapsulating essential oils

By the virtue of their olfactory, physicochemical, and biological characteristics, essential oils (EOs) have drawn wide attention as additives in daily chemicals like perfume or personal care products. Nevertheless, they are physicochemically unstable and susceptible to degradation or loss. Microencapsulation offers a feasible strategy to stabilize and prolong release of EO. This review summarizes the recognized benefits and functional properties of various preparation and characterization methods, wherein innovative fabrication strategies and their formation mechanisms are especially emphasized. Progress in combining detecting/measuring technologies with kinetic modelling are discussed, to give an integral approach of controlling the dynamic release of encapsulated EOs. Moreover, new development trends of EOs capsules are also highlighted.     

Synthesis and characterization of caprolactone based polyurethane with degradable and antifouling performance

In this work,a degradable polyurethane composed of caprolactone(CL)and L-Lactide(LLA)as soft seg-ments,and 4,4'-methylenebis(cyclohexyl isocyanate)(H12MDI)and polytetramethylene ether glycol(PTMEG)as hard segments,was prepared.Hydrolytic degradation experiment revealed that the degrad-able polyurethane(PU)could be degraded in artificial seawater.It also showed that caprolactone-co-polyurethane(CL-PU)copolymer with higher crystallinity degraded much slower in artificial seawater.However,the introduction of LLA resulted in an increase in the hydrophilicity and reduction in the crys-tallinity of degradable PU,as demonstrated by the contact angle analysis.The result of the scanning elec-tron microscope showed that the surface of degradable PU renewed under static condition.Moreover,degradable PU was able to be used as a carrier,and it controlled the release rate of 4,5-dichloro-2-octyl-isothiazolone(DCOIT).The anti-diatom(Navicula incerta)test demonstrated that the(caprolactone-co-L-lactide)-co-polyurethane 4(CL/LAx-PU4)with DCOIT contents prevented the adhe-sion of diatom Navicula incerta(88.37％reduction)due to their self-polishing and the release of antifou-lants.Therefore,the degradable PU consisted of CL,LLA,and DCOIT could be a durable resin with good antifouling activity for the application in the marine anti-biofouling field.     

Cardiac Oxidative Signaling and Physiological Hypertrophy in the Na/K-ATPase α1s/sα2s/s Mouse Model of High Affinity for Cardiotonic Steroids

The Na/K-ATPase is the specific receptor for cardiotonic steroids (CTS) such as ouabain and digoxin. At pharmacological concentrations used in the treatment of cardiac conditions, CTS inhibit the ion-pumping function of Na/K-ATPase. At much lower concentrations, in the range of those reported for endogenous CTS in the blood, they stimulate hypertrophic growth of cultured cardiac myocytes through initiation of a Na/K-ATPase-mediated and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent signaling. To examine a possible effect of endogenous concentrations of CTS on cardiac structure and function in vivo, we compared mice expressing the naturally resistant Na/K-ATPase α1 and age-matched mice genetically engineered to express a mutated Na/K-ATPase α1 with high affinity for CTS. In this model, total cardiac Na/K-ATPase activity, α1, α2, and β1 protein content remained unchanged, and the cardiac Na/K-ATPase dose–response curve to ouabain shifted to the left as expected. In males aged 3–6 months, increased α1 sensitivity to CTS resulted in a significant increase in cardiac carbonylated protein content, suggesting that ROS production was elevated. A moderate but significant increase of about 15% of the heart-weight-to-tibia-length ratio accompanied by an increase in the myocyte cross-sectional area was detected. Echocardiographic analyses did not reveal any change in cardiac function, and there was no fibrosis or re-expression of the fetal gene program. RNA sequencing analysis indicated that pathways related to energy metabolism were upregulated, while those related to extracellular matrix organization were downregulated. Consistent with a functional role of the latter, an angiotensin-II challenge that triggered fibrosis in the α1^r/rα2^s/s mouse failed to do so in the α1^s/sα2^s/s. Taken together, these results are indicative of a link between circulating CTS, Na/K-ATPase α1, ROS, and physiological cardiac hypertrophy in mice under baseline laboratory conditions.     

Highly Uniform and Stable Transparent Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Film Based on Silver Nanowire–PEDOT:PSS Composite for High Power Microwave Shielding

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials, especially ones with excellent shielding effectiveness (SE), high optical transmittance, long-term stability as well as high uniformity, are urgently desired to meet the requirements of many applications. Herein, an extremely transparent, stable and uniform silver nanowire (Ag NW)–poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) composite film as an EMI shielding material is prepared, which possess excellent shielding capability to both small signal and high power microwaves (HPM). The composite film exhibits SE of 30.5 dB in the frequency range of 1–12 GHz (small signal) and simultaneously has an optical transmittance of 91.0%. The SE continuously increases to 41.4 dB, while the optical transmittance still maintains at 81.1%. The composite film is very uniform, and its SE is almost unchanged even when exposed in air for a year. The SE of this composite film under the excitation of HPM is also thoroughly investigated. The HPM SE is much larger than that of small signal. As the power density of HPM is increased, the SE firstly remains unchanged, then continuously increases, and finally saturates. The SE exceeds 50 dB with the excitation power density of 40 W. More interestingly, the SE is saturated at a fixed HPM power density.     

铂系低碳烷烃脱氢催化剂研究进展

综述了近年来国内外铂系低碳烷烃脱氢催化剂的技术现状与研究进展。首先从热力学角度论述了低碳烷烃脱氢反应与相关副反应的反应机理,随后分别从活性位点性能与催化脱氢的关系,氧化铝、分子筛等载体的作用,以及锡、碱金属、碱土金属、过渡金属等助剂改性对催化剂的影响等3个方面分析了铂系低碳烷烃脱氢催化剂的优势与存在的问题,进而探究了铂系脱氢催化剂的失活原因。最后对铂系脱氢催化剂的研究前景做了展望,提出该系列催化剂的主要发展方向包括降低贵金属铂的负载量、提高催化剂的稳定性、减少积炭副反应等。     

氟硅酸钾滴定法测定粗制氟化钠中二氧化硅

采用硝酸-氢氟酸混合酸为消解溶剂,通过微波消解技术对粗制氟化钠进行快速消解,并用氟硅酸钾滴定法测定其二氧化硅含量。选择饱和氯化钾溶液替代固体氯化钾作为沉淀剂,考察了消解酸体系、饱和氯化钾溶液用量、沉淀温度、沉淀放置时间、共存元素干扰及指示剂选择等条件对测定结果的影响并进行优化。确定了最优测试条件：以8 mL硝酸+2 mL氢氟酸为消解溶剂,以8 mL饱和氯化钾溶液为沉淀剂,控制沉淀温度为20~25 ℃、沉淀放置时间为15 min,选择50 g/L氯化钾-50%乙醇溶液洗涤沉淀,采用溴麝香草酚蓝-酚红指示剂。该方法应用于回收粗制氟化钠中二氧化硅含量的测定可大幅度缩短分解试样的时间,有效降低检测成本,回收率为99.15%~100.63%,相对标准偏差（RSD,n=8）小于1%,与传统高温碱熔法测定结果相符,方法的准确度和精密度较好。     

Low-Temperature Superplastic Deformation of Cold-Rolled Fe–5.6Mn–1.1Al–0.2C Steel

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - A cold-rolled low Al-added medium Mn steel was employed to investigate the low-temperature superplastic deformation at a relatively high initial strain...