Rapid preparation of monodisperse biodegradable polymer nanospheres using a membrane emulsification technique under low gas pressure

Nanospheres of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), a biodegradable polymer, have been prepared using the conventional solvent diffusion method. In this study, a method combining the solvent diffusion method and a two-step (premix) membrane emulsification technique is proposed for the preparation of monodisperse PLGA nanospheres with a diameter of 200 nm. The monodispersity of the PLGA nanospheres was higher than that of nanospheres obtained by the conventional solvent diffusion method. Generally, preparation of small particles or droplets by the membrane emulsification technique requires a supply of high-pressure nitrogen gas to force the emulsion or dispersion solution through the small pores of the membrane. However, in the technique proposed here, low-pressure nitrogen gas (0.02–0.11 kgf/cm²) is sufficient. Thus, using this technique, one can obtain monodisperse PLGA nanospheres with a diameter of 200 nm in a relatively short period of time under low-pressure nitrogen gas.     

Styrene–butadiene rubber/cellulose II/clay nanocomposites prepared by cocoagulation—mechanical properties

In this work, nanocomposites of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), cellulose II, and clay were prepared by cocoagulation of SBR latex, cellulose xanthate, and clay aqueous suspension mixtures. The incorporated amount of cellulose II was 15 phr, and the clay varied from 0 to 7 phr. The influence of cellulose II and clay was investigated by rheometric, mechanical, physicochemical, and morphological properties. From the analysis of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dispersion in nanometric scale (below 100nm) of the cellulosic and mineral components throughout the elastomeric matrix was observed. XRD analysis suggested that fully exfoliated structure could be obtained by this method when low loading of silicate layers (up to 5 phr) is used. The results from mechanical tests showed that the nanocomposites presented better mechanical properties than SBR gum vulcanizate. Furthermore, 5 phr of clay is enough to achieve the best tensile properties. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Characteristics of epoxy resin cured with in situ polymerized curing agent

In order to improve the heat resistance of a cured epoxy resin together with reducing the viscosity of the resin composition, an epoxy resin was cured with a curing agent formed from the radical copolymerization of vinyl monomers during the cure process of the epoxy resin. N-phenylmaleimide and p-acetoxystyrene were used as vinyl monomers of the curing agent. The epoxy resin was cured by the insertion reaction of the ester group of the in situ polymerized curing agent and the epoxy group of the epoxy resin. In the cure system of the epoxy and the phenol resins, reduction of the viscosity of the resin composition was achieved by replacing some or all of the phenol resin with these monomers. When all phenol resins were replaced by these monomers, the viscosity of resin composition (0.01 Pa s at 70 °C) decreased by about 1/2000 compared with that of the system with only phenol resin (21 Pa s at 70 °C). The glass transition temperature (T_g) of the cured resin with no phenols was 174 °C, an improvement of 17 °C compared with that of the system cured with only phenol resin. The flexural strength of the new resins remained unchanged.     

Study on the Anti-Coking Nature of Ni/SrTiO3 Catalysts by the CH4 Pyrolysis

A solid phase crystallization (spc) method was applied for the preparation of SrTiO₃-supported Ni catalysts and compared to the impregnation (imp) method. spc-Ni_0.2/SrTiO₃ has highly dispersed and stable Ni metal particles resulting in higher activity and higher sustainability against coking than imp-Ni_0.2/SrTiO₃ in the partial oxidation of CH₄. Both catalysts were tested for the CH₄ pyrolysis in order to elucidate the catalytic nature against coking of spc-Ni_0.2/SrTiO₃. The amount of carbon and the rate of H₂ formation were similar over both catalysts at both 773 and 1073 K. On both catalysts, CH₄ continuously decomposed at 773 K, while the rate of CH₄ pyrolysis quickly decreased at 1073 K. Fibrous carbons grew up with a Ni metal particle on the tip of the fiber at 773 K, while carbon balls and short carbon fibers with a Ni metal particle encapsulated inside formed and no sufficient growth of the fiber was observed at 1073 K. The carbon species formed at 773 K was hydrogenated completely to CH₄ around 873 K, while the hydrogenation of that formed at 1073 K needed higher temperature around 1073 K. However, the carbon species formed on both the catalysts at either 773 or 1073 K was completely oxidized around 773 K. Thus, judging from the anti-coking nature, the behaviors in the CH₄ pyrolysis are similar over both catalysts, nonetheless spc-Ni_0.2/SrTiO₃ was far superior to imp-Ni_0.2/SrTiO₃ in the CH₄ oxidation. It is likely that the high sustainability against coking of spc-Ni_0.2/SrTiO₃ is not due to its intrinsic nature suppressing the coking but due to its high activity of reforming which can quickly eliminate the carbon formed on the catalyst surface.     

Effect of a low-fat diet enriched with oleic acid on postprandial lipemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of a low-fat diet enriched with oleic acid to those of a low-fat diet enriched with linoleic acid on fasting lipids, postprandial lipemia, and oxidative susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). In a 3-wk randomized crossover study, eight patients with type 2 DM were given an experimental low-fat diet enriched with either oleic acid or linoleic acid. The oleic-acid-enriched diet contained 5, 15, and 5% energy from saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and the linoleic-acid-enriched diet contained 5, 5, and 15% energy from saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively. In addition to evaluating the fasting lipids and oxidative susceptibility of LDL, we evaluated postprandial lipemia using an oral fat load at the end of each 3-wk dietary phase. There were no significant differences in fasting lipid profile or lag time of LDL oxidation between the two experimental dietary phases. The average and maximal increments of remnant-like particle (RLP) cholesterol levels during oral fat load were significantly higher after the oleic-acid-enriched dietary phase than after the linoleic-acid-enriched dietary phase. The area under the curve of RLP cholesterol was also significantly larger after the oleicacid-enriched dietary phase than after the linoleic-acid-enriched dietary phase. These results suggest that the oleic-acidenriched diet was associated with increased formation of postprandial chylomicron remnants compared with the linoleicacid-enriched diet.     

Preparation of sharp-melting hard palm midfraction and its use as hard butter in chocolate

Preparation of hard palm midfractions (PMF) and its use as a cocoa butter equivalent ingredient were studied. Hard PMF is obtained by multistep fractionation of palm oil involving dry fractionation (DF) and/or solvent fractionation (SF), usually using hexane or acetone. From our experience, in acetone, a polar solvent, symmetrical 1,3-disaturated triacylglycerols tend to selectively crystallize more than nonsymmetrical 1,2- or 2,3-disaturated triacylglycerols, making it suitable for obtaining the solid midfraction. Unfortunately, triacylglycerols are very soluble in hexane, and temperatures at least 15 degrees lower than those required for acetone must be used for equivalent crystal yields. On the other hand, DF is a less expensive and safer process. Thus, multistep fractionation combining DF and SF using acetone was developed to achieve sufficient removal of high-melting components, and further enrichment of 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-oleoylglycerol and the hard PMF was obtained by triple-step fractionation of palm olein or double-step fractionation of soft PMF. Compared to conventional hard PMF, this hard PMF had a steeper melting curve and better snapping and sharp-melting qualities when used in chocolate. Heat resistance of the hard PMF chocolate was similar to the conventional hard PMF chocolate, and its bloom resistance could be improved by adding polyglycerol fatty acid esters.     

Effect of Talc Size on Surface Roughness and Glossiness of Polypropylene Injection Molding Application to Automotive Plastics

Talc-containing polypropylene (PP) resin is extensively employed in automobiles. Herein, considering the microstructure transfer process in injection molding, the effect of the talc's dispersibility and particle size on this process and its impact on the gloss level of the product were investigated. Results show that a fine unevenness of about several micrometers was self-formed by the shrinkage of PP in nontransferred areas due to the blending of talc. Additionally, the amount of self-formed unevenness tended with an increase in the average particle size of talc. Furthermore, due to PP shrinkage and different densities of talc, it was observed that a fine tiger-stripe pattern was self-formed using special molds with modified microstructure. This self-formed fine unevenness changes the gloss level owing to the diffused light reflection effect. This study proposes controlling this change by controlling the average particle size of talc and structure of the mold. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 60:132–139, 2020. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Anisotropic structure of alkali metaphosphate glasses

Orientation anisotropy, which is well known in organic polymers with appropriate network structures, is less common in oxide glasses. We present the intermediate-range order in anisotropic alkali metaphosphate glass which consists of oriented PO₄ tetrahedral chains and intervening alkali cations along the elongation direction. The X-ray total structure factor S(Q) indicates that the inter-chain spacing depends on the size of alkali cations and varies from 5.03 to 6.28 Å. The mixed alkali effect is primarily related to an increase of the separation. The total correlation function T(r) provides the first definite evidence that the anisotropic structure is composed of phosphorus-bridging oxygen bonds (P–O_B) lying along the elongation direction and phosphorus-non-bridging oxygen bonds (P–O_T) oriented perpendicular to the elongation direction. The present result unveils fundamental aspects of the anisotropic structure of an oxide glass and provides essential information for the development of oxide glasses to control structural anisotropy.     

Shape memory properties of polypeptide hydrogels having hydrophobic alkyl side chains

Polypeptide hydrogels were prepared by cross-linking of hydrophobically-modified poly[N⁵-(2-hydroxyethyl) l-glutamine] having alkyl side chains –C_nH_2n+1. Chain length of the alkyl group was n = 8, 16, and 18, and their mole fractions in the polypeptide were varied in the range of 0.05–0.16. Shape memory ability of the prepared polypeptide hydrogels was investigated. After deformation at 60 °C, the hydrogel was cooled in order to fix the temporary deformed shape. It was found that crystallization of the alkyl side chains did not occur, and the fixation ability of the hydrogel at 0 °C was low. In the subsequent heating process, the deformed temporary shape spontaneously recovered to the original shape gradually with increasing temperature, in other words, the shape recovery ratio varied with depending on the recovery temperature. From these observations, it was proposed that the shape fixation of the polypeptide hydrogel was achieved by strong segregation of the hydrophobic alkyl chains at low temperature, and the shape recovery of the deformed hydrogel was accompanied by the gradual decrease of the segregation strength with the temperature increase.     

Preparation of (0 2 0)-oriented BaTi2O5 thick films and their dielectric responses

Barium dititanate (BaTi₂O₅) thick films were prepared on a Pt-coated Si substrate by laser chemical vapor deposition, and ac electric responses of (0 2 0)-oriented BaTi₂O₅ films were investigated using several equivalent electric circuit models. BaTi₂O₅ films in a single phase were obtained at a Ti/Ba molar ratio (m_Ti/Ba) of 1.72–1.74 and deposition temperature (T_dep) of 908–1065 K as well as m_Ti/Ba = 1.95 and T_dep = 914–953 K. (0 2 0)-oriented BaTi₂O₅ films were obtained at m_Ti/Ba = 1.72–1.74 and T_dep = 989–1051 K. BaTi₂O₅ films had columnar grains, and the deposition rate reached 93 μm h^?1. The maximum relative permittivity of the (0 2 0)-oriented BaTi₂O₅ film prepared at T_dep = 989 K was 653 at 759 K. The model of an equivalent circuit involving a parallel combination of a resistor, a capacitor, and a constant phase element well fitted the frequency dependence of the interrelated ac electrical responses of the impedance, electric modulus, and admittance of (0 2 0)-oriented BaTi₂O₅ films.