Synthesis and characterization of polypyrrole/carbon composite as a catalyst support for fuel cell applications

Polypyrrole (PPy)/Carbon composites were synthesized by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of pyrrole monomer on carbon black. Effects of polymerization temperature (either 0 °C or 25 °C) and different dopants including p-toluenesulfonic acid (p-TSA) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on the properties of the composites were investigated. The synthesized composites were characterized by XRD, FTIR and TGA. Electrical conductivities of the composites were determined by using four-point probe technique. Electrochemical oxidation characteristics of the synthesized PPy/Carbon composites were investigated by cyclic voltammetry via potential holding experiments. The PPy/Carbon composites synthesized at 0 °C and with p-TSA as dopant showed the best oxidation resistance than carbon and other composites.     

The effects of using transglutaminase,exopolysaccharide‐producing starter culture and milk powder on the physicochemical,sensory and texture properties of low‐fat set yoghurt

This study focused on the effects of transglutaminase (TGase), exopolysaccharide (EPS)‐producing starter culture or skim milk powder addition on some properties of low‐fat set yoghurt. The incorporation of TGase to yoghurt did not affect the acidity of the experimental samples. However, the proteolytic activity of the starter culture significantly decreased in TGase‐treated yoghurt. Addition of TGase to yoghurt with a low dry matter content (11.08%) resulted in low serum separation and gel firmness and viscosity close to those of yoghurt with a higher dry matter content (14.81%). According to the sensory results, it would be possible to produce an acceptable product with a low dry matter and low fat content using TGase. The results shown that the use of EPS‐producing starter cultures for the purpose of improving the texture properties of low dry matter content yoghurt could not be recommended.     

Study and determination of the herbicide cyclosulfamuron by square wave stripping voltammetry

The voltammeric behavior of the herbicide cyclosulfamuron has been studied by square wave stripping voltammetry (SWSV). Cyclosulfamuron was reduced on a static mercury drop electrode (SMDE) and gave a well-defined peak in the pH range of 3.0-7.0. The peak potential (E_p) shifts to a more negative potential with increasing pH. The ratio ΔE_p/ΔpH over the pH range studied was 59.5 mV/pH. A systematic study of the various experimental parameters that affect the stripping response was studied by SWV. The square wave parameters used were a frequency of 150 Hz, an amplitude of −60 mV and a staircase step of 6.0 mV. The quantifications were performed by the standard addition method, from the SW voltammetric peak obtained at −1348 mV. Calibration curves were linear in the range of 10-350 μg L⁻¹ with a detection limit of 3.5 μg L⁻¹ under the conditions used (pH 6.0 buffer solution, E_acc = −400 mV vs. Ag/AgCl, t_acc = 75 s). The validity of the developed methodology was assessed by recovery experiments at the 25-100 μg L⁻¹ level. The mean results for 3 determinations were 49.7 ± 3.3 μg L⁻¹, which is very close to the amount of cyclosulfamuron added to soil (50 μg L⁻¹), with a recovery of 99.4%. The sufficiently good recoveries and low relative standard deviation (RSD) data reflects the high accuracy and precision of the proposed SW voltammetric method. The possible influences of various inorganic species and other pesticides were also investigated.     

Current Strategies for the Regeneration of Skeletal Muscle Tissue

Traumatic injuries, tumor resections, and degenerative diseases can damage skeletal muscle and lead to functional impairment and severe disability. Skeletal muscle regeneration is a complex process that depends on various cell types, signaling molecules, architectural cues, and physicochemical properties to be successful. To promote muscle repair and regeneration, various strategies for skeletal muscle tissue engineering have been developed in the last decades. However, there is still a high demand for the development of new methods and materials that promote skeletal muscle repair and functional regeneration to bring approaches closer to therapies in the clinic that structurally and functionally repair muscle. The combination of stem cells, biomaterials, and biomolecules is used to induce skeletal muscle regeneration. In this review, we provide an overview of different cell types used to treat skeletal muscle injury, highlight current strategies in biomaterial-based approaches, the importance of topography for the successful creation of functional striated muscle fibers, and discuss novel methods for muscle regeneration and challenges for their future clinical implementation.     

Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles by Streptomyces griseorubens isolated from Soil and Their Antioxidant Activity

Microbial mediated biological synthesis of metallic nanoparticles was carried out ecofriendly in the present study. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were extracellularly biosynthesised from Streptomyces griseorubens AU2 and extensively characterised by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction analysis. Elemental analysis of nanoparticles was also carried out using energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. The biosynthesised AgNPs showed the characteristic absorption spectra in UV–vis at 422 nm which confirmed the presence of metallic AgNPs. According to the further characterisation analysis, the biosynthesised AgNPs were found to be spherical and crystalline particles with 5–20 nm average size. Antioxidant properties of the biosynthesised AgNPs were determined by 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging assay and was found to increase in a dose‐dependent matter. The identification of the strain was determined by molecular characterisation method using 16s rDNA sequencing. The present study is the first report on the microbial biosynthesis of AgNPs using S. griseorubens isolated from soil and provides that the active biological components found in the cell‐free culture supernatant of S. griseorubens AU2 enable the synthesis of AgNPs.Inspec keywords: silver, microorganisms, nanoparticles, nanofabrication, DNA, molecular biophysics, ultraviolet spectra, visible spectra, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectra, transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray chemical analysis, absorption coefficients, cellular biophysicsOther keywords: silver nanoparticles, Streptomyces griseorubens AU2, soil, antioxidant activity, microbial mediated biological synthesis, ultraviolet‐visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV‐vis spectroscopy, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, elemental analysis, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, absorption spectra, spherical particles, crystalline particles, 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging assay, strain identification, molecular characterisation method, rDNA sequencing, active biological components, cell‐free culture supernatant, wavelength 422 nm, size 5 nm to 20 nm, Ag     

Optimization of transmission angle for slider-crank mechanism with joint clearances

In this study, kinematic analysis of a planar slider-crank mechanism having revolute joints with clearances was presented. Joint clearance was modelled as a massless virtual link, and Multi-Layered Neural Network (MLNN) structure was used for approximating the motion of this link with respect to the position of input link. Training and testing data sets for the neural network were obtained from mechanism simulation using the ADAMS software. A genetic algorithm was also used to optimize the design parameters for minimizing the deviations due to clearances. When two joint clearances at crank-pin and piston-pin centers were considered, the effects of these clearances on the kinematic characteristics and transmission quality of the mechanism were investigated using continuous contact model between the journal and bearing at a joint.     

A novel quinoxaline bearing electroactive monomer: Pyrrole as the donor moiety

A novel electroactive monomer 5,8-di(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-2,3-di(thiophen-2-yl)quinoxaline (PTQ) was successfully synthesized and its electrochromic properties were reported. Nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR-¹³C NMR) and mass spectroscopy were used to characterize the monomer. The monomer was electrochemically polymerized in the presence of tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAP) as supporting electrolyte in dichloromethane. Monomer reveals relatively low oxidation potential at +0.70 V. Spectroelectrochemical behaviors and switching ability of homopolymer were investigated by UV-vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Two π-π* transitions were observed at 400 and 815 nm with a low band gap, 1.0 eV. Polymer possesses 66% optical contrast in the Near IR region, which may be promising in NIR electrochromic device applications.     

Cellulose monoacetate/polycaprolactone and cellulose monoacetate/polycaprolactam blended nanofibers for protease immobilization

Enzymes can be used multiple times when they are immobilized on a support. More enzymes can be immobilized on a surface when nanofibers are used as a supporting surface because the specific surface area increases tremendously. In this regard, polycaprolactam/cellulose monoacetate (PA6/CMA) and polycaprolactone/cellulose monoacetate (PCL/CMA) blended nanofibers (NFs) were prepared via an electrospinning process. Protease enzymes were immobilized on neat PA6, PCL, PA6/CMA, and PCL/CMA nanofibers and glutaraldehyde (GA) activated analogs through the physical adsorption method. The immobilized enzyme activity was measured by using a casein substrate, and the results were compared with free enzyme activity. Among all of the samples, the highest immobilization yield of about 82% was obtained with GA‐activated neat PCL NF samples. The best remaining activity of the immobilized enzymes on pure CMA NFs was found to be 59% after seven reuses. Even after nine reuses, enzyme activities are still observed on the CMA NF samples. It was expected that the addition of CMA in PCL and PA6 NFs would increase the reusability number to reach the reusability of CMA NFs, but it was not significantly enhanced. If CMA chains could be mostly collected on the sheath or close to the sheath of the NFs during the electrospinnig process, this target could be achieved. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45479.     

Synthesis of acetophenone formaldehyde resin containing ABA type block copolymers by ATRP

Well‐defined ABA type block copolymers of acetophenone formaldehyde resin (AFR) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization. In the first step, acetophenone formaldehyde resin containing hydroxyl groups was modified with 2‐bromopropionyl bromide. Resulting difunctional macroinitiator was used in the ATRP of MMA using copper bromide (CuBr)/N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyl‐diethylenetriamine (PMDETA) as the catalyst system at 90°C. The chemical composition and structure of the copolymers were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H‐NMR) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, and molecular weight measurement. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) was used to study the molecular weight distributions of the AFR block copolymers. M_n up to 24,000 associated with narrow molecular weight distributions (PDI < 1.5) were obtained with conversions up to 79%. Coating properties of obtained block copolymers such as adhesion and reflectance values were investigated. They showed good adhesion properties on Plexiglass substrates. Reflectance values increased as the resin content of polymer increased. The thermal properties of all polymers were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). All block copolymers showed higher thermal stability than their precursor AFR resin. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011