Carboxymethylcellulose/polyaniline blends. Synthesis and properties

Summary Polyaniline (PANI) as one of the conducting polymers focuses intensive research on both scientific and practical field. There are quite a lot of known hybrid materials of PANI and other polymer systems with various synthetic polymers, which results in blends with various properties. The presented research covers the blends of polyaniline with semisynthetic (carboxymethyl) cellulose (CMC). The system could lead to a new antielectrostatic material with interesting properties and seems to be applicable as an additive for packaging in both food and non-food industry. The final material was obtained using both protonated (HCl) and deprotonated form of polyaniline in its semi-oxidized form of leucoemeraldine. Blending consisted in obtaining of thin layer by slow evaporation of the solvent from a mixture of PANI and CMC. For the main investigation atomic force microscopy (AFM) in non-contact mode was used, which gave the topological information about the surface and also some structural information about the material. The described process seems to be very interesting as a route for obtaining a new hybrid natural/synthetic material with very interesting properties and a potential for application.     

Manganese-Labeled Alginate Hydrogels for Image-Guided Cell Transplantation

Cell transplantation has been studied extensively as a therapeutic strategy for neurological disorders. However, to date, its effectiveness remains unsatisfactory due to low precision and efficacy of cell delivery; poor survival of transplanted cells; and inadequate monitoring of their fate in vivo. Fortunately, different bio-scaffolds have been proposed as cell carriers to improve the accuracy of cell delivery, survival, differentiation, and controlled release of embedded stem cells. The goal of our study was to establish hydrogel scaffolds suitable for stem cell delivery that also allow non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We focused on alginate-based hydrogels due to their natural origin, biocompatibility, resemblance to the extracellular matrix, and easy manipulation of gelation processes. We optimized the properties of alginate-based hydrogels, turning them into suitable carriers for transplanted cells. Human adipose-derived stem cells embedded in these hydrogels survived for at least 14 days in vitro. Alginate-based hydrogels were also modified successfully to allow their injectability via a needle. Finally, supplementing alginate hydrogels with Mn ions or Mn nanoparticles allowed for their visualization in vivo using manganese-enhanced MRI. We demonstrated that modified alginate-based hydrogels can support therapeutic cells as MRI-detectable matrices.     

In Vivo Micro‐CT Imaging of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Labeled with Gold‐Poly‐l‐Lysine Nanocomplexes

Developing in vivo cell tracking is an important prerequisite for further development of cell‐based therapy. So far, few computed tomography (CT) cell tracking studies have been described due to its notoriously low sensitivity and lack of efficient labeling protocols. A simple method is presented to render human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) sufficiently radiopaque by complexing 40 nm citrate‐stabilized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with poly‐l ‐lysine (PLL) and rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RITC). AuNP‐PLL‐RITC labeling does not affect cellular viability, proliferation, or downstream cell differentiation into adipocytes and osteocytes. Labeled hMSCs can be clearly visualized in vitro and in vivo with a micro‐CT scanner, with a detection limit of ≈2 × 10⁴ cells per µL in vivo. Calculated Hounsfield unit values are 2.27 per pg of intracellular Au, as measured with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrophotometry, and are linear over a wide range of cell concentrations. This linear CT attenuation is observed for both naked AuNPs and those that were taken up by hMSCs, indicating that the number of labeled cells can be quantified similar to the use of radioactive or fluorine tracers. This approach for CT cell tracking may find applications in CT image‐guided interventions and fluoroscopic procedures commonly used for the injection of cellular therapeutics.     

Effective Ligand Engineering of the Cu2ZnSnS4 Nanocrystal Surface for Increasing Hole Transport Efficiency in Perovskite Solar Cells

Effective engineering of surface ligands in semiconductor nanocrystals can facilitate the electronic interaction between the individual nanocrystals, making them promising for low‐cost optoelectronic applications. Here, the use of high purity Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) nanocrystals as the photoactive layer and hole‐transporting material is reported in low‐temperature solution‐processed solar cells. The high purity CZTS nanocrystals are prepared by engineering the surface ligands of CZTS nanocrystals, capped originally with the long‐chain organic ligand oleylamine. After ligand removal, CZTS nanocrystals show substantial improvement in photoconductivity and mobility, displaying also an appreciable photoresponse in a simple heterojunction solar cell architecture. More notably, CZTS nanocrystals exhibit excellent hole‐transporting properties as interface layer in perovskite solar cells, yielding power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.4% with excellent fill factor (FF) of 81%. These findings underscore the importance of removing undesired surface ligands in nanocrystalline optoelectronic devices, and demonstrate the great potential of CZTS nanocrystals as both active and passive material for the realization of low‐cost efficient solar cells.     

Rare-earth ion doped up-conversion materials for photovoltaic applications

With the aim of utilizing the infrared region of solar radiation to improve solar cell performance, significant progress, including theoretical analysis and experimental achievement, has been made in the field of up-conversion for photovoltaic applications. This Research News article reviews recent progress in the development of rear-earth (RE) ion doped up-conversion materials for solar cell applications. In addition, new trends for RE-ion-doped phosphors are briefly discussed, among them trivalent RE-ion-doped up-conversion materials for organic solar cell applications.     

Identification of a novel structure in heparin generated by sequential oxidative-reductive treatment

Unfractionated heparin is isolated from animal organs, predominantly porcine intestinal mucosa, and goes through an extensive process of purification before it can be used for pharmaceutical purposes. While the structural microheterogeneity of heparin is predominantly biosynthetically imprinted in the Golgi, subsequent steps involved in the purification and manufacture of commercial heparin can lead to the introduction of additional modifications. Postheparin crisis of 2008, it has become increasingly important to identify what additional structural diversity is introduced as a function of the purification process and thus can be determined as being heparin-related, as opposed to being an adulterant or contaminant, e.g., oversulfated chondroitin sulfate. Our study focuses on the identification of a previously unreported structure in heparin that arises due to specific steps used in the manufacturing process. This structure was initially observed as a disaccharide peak in a complete enzymatic digest of heparin, but its presence was later identified in the NMR spectra of intact heparin as well. Structural elucidation experiments involved isolation of this structure and analysis based on multidimensional NMR and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Heparin was also subjected to specific chemical reactions to determine which steps in the manufacturing process are responsible for this novel structure. Our results allowed for the definitive assignment of the structure of this novel process-related modification and enabled an identification of the putative steps in the process that give rise to the structure.     

Cations size mismatch versus bonding characteristics: synthesis,structure and oxygen ion conducting properties of pyrochlore-type lanthanide hafnates

This work describes the synthesis, structural characterization and electrical properties of solid solutions with the general formula Gd₂Hf_2?xB_xO₇, where B?=?Ti⁴⁺, Sn⁴⁺ and Zr⁴⁺. All samples were successfully prepared in?~?30 h, via a mechanochemical reaction in a planetary ball mill, using the corresponding elemental oxides as starting chemicals. The XRD and Raman spectroscopy analysis of the title samples revealed that on firing at 1500 °C Hf⁴⁺ substitution by Sn⁴⁺ and Ti⁴⁺ produces better ordered pyrochlore structures and decreases the electrical conductivity of Gd₂Hf₂O₇ by more than two orders of magnitude (from 2.7?×?10^?4 at 700 °C to 8.71?×?10^?7 and 1.12?×?10^?6 Sm cm^?1, for Gd₂Sn₂O₇ and Gd₂Ti₂O₇, respectively). By contrast, the Gd₂Hf_2?xZr_xO₇ system remains disordered with conductivity increasing by almost an order of magnitude and reaching a value for Gd₂Zr₂O₇ of 1.55?×?10^?3 Sm cm^?1 at 700 °C, whereas the activation energy for oxygen migration decreases in both, the Sn- and Ti-containing systems, and increases slightly in the Zr-containing solid solution. These changes cannot be only explained when taking into account the cations size ratio criteria; the covalency of the <B–O> metal bond plays also a key role in determining the structural characteristics and electrical properties of the title three systems.     

Preparation and properties of protein concentrate from broiler chicken heads

The object of this work was to establish the optimal technological conditions for the production of protein concentrate from the heads of broiler chickens by enzymic hydrolysis with papain. It was discovered that hydrolysis is most effective at a temperature of 60°C and a pH of about 7, with 2g of enzyme added per kilogramme of raw material. Under these conditions, 100 kg of heads yielded 7 kg of concentrate and 19.2 kg of waste for feed meal. The concentrate obtained contained about 85% protein and demonstrated good organoleptic and physicochemical properties.     

Logistics Support System for Construction Robotics Implementation

Abstract: A logistics and scheduling microcomputer system for construction robotics implementation has been developed within the framework of the Construction Robotic Equipment Management System (CREMS) at Purdue University. This paper addresses the main procedures and software developed to effectively manage multiple robots in diverse construction sites. The current version of the software is used with HyperCard, QuickBASIC, and Think-Pascal on an Apple Macintosh microcomputer. This paper presents an example microcomputer application to optimal robot implementation assignment decision support for use with multiple concurrent construction projects.     

Recovery of lanthanides from kola apatite in phosphoric acid manufacture

The paper presents the results of bench-scale studies for the recovery of lanthanides from Kola apatite in the phosphoric acid production by a two-stage hemihydrate-dihydrate wet-process. The second stage of the process (hydration of hemihydrate) provides the best conditions for the recovery of lanthanides. In the postulated recovery process use is made of solvent extraction for the removal of lanthanides during hydration of hemihydrate, and precipitation-stripping for the removal of lanthanides from the solvent. Lanthanides are recovered in the form of Ln-enriched concentrates with an efficiency of 80–85%. The process does not disturb the phosphoric acid production, and additionally purifies the by-product gypsum, so that it can be utilized.