Bi-layer gelatin active films with “Pitanga” leaf hydroethanolic extract and/or natamycin in the second layer

Research on biopolymers-based active films produced with natural antioxidants and/or antimicrobials has gained attention over the last few years; however, anti-mold activity has been less studied than those of anti-bacteria. The aim of this work was the development and characterization of bi-layer films based on gelatin with natamycin and/or “Pitanga” leaf hydroethanolic extract in the second thin layer in order to determine the effects of these bioactive compounds on bi-layered film properties. The films were characterized regarding their moisture content and solubility in water, optical properties, microstructure, mechanical and thermal properties, water contact angle, water vapor permeability, UV/visible light transmission, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and antioxidant and anti-mold activities. Active films presented activity against Penicillium spp and Aspergillus niger and demonstrated antioxidant activity, as measured by ABTS ^•+ and DPPH ^• methods. Neither additive used in the films' second layer significantly affected the films' moisture content, thermal properties or the molecular interactions of the polymer matrix, assessed by FTIR, although some mechanical properties were affected, and the water contact angle. In conclusion, bi-layer films have reduced the quantity of additives required to maintain the antioxidant and anti-mold activities, as compared to similar monolayer films of the same thickness.     

Poly (vinyl alcohol)/polylactic acid blend film with enhanced processability,compatibility, and mechanical property fabricated via melt processing

Poly (vinyl alcohol)/polylactic acid (PVA/PLA) blend film, which is environment friendly and has potential applications in food and electronic packaging fields, was fabricated by melt extrusion casting. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the formation of the hydrogen bonding between PLA and PVA, which improved the compatibility of PLA with PVA, making PLA uniformly dispersed in PVA matrix as small spheres, even when PLA content increase to 15 wt%. In this way, the original hydrogen bond network among PVA was disturbed and the chain mobility of PVA was activated, endowing PVA/PLA blends with lower melt viscosity than bot modified PVA and PLA, and the blend films with the increased crystallinity, mechanical property, and water resistance. Compared with PVA film, the crystallinity, tensile strength and Young's modulus of the blend film with 15 wt% PLA, respectively, increased by 15.1%, 9 and 51 MPa, and the water contact angle enlarged from 23° to 60°.     

Ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene with improved crosslink density,oxidation stability,and microbial inhibition by chemical crosslinking and tea polyphenols for total joint replacements

Highly crosslinked ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) stabilized by vitamin E (VE) is widely applied in artificial joints as the bearings. Despite the approval, there is a discord that VE lowers the crosslinking efficiency, limiting its use at high concentration. In this work, we aim to obtain highly crosslinked and oxidation resistant UHMWPE through the conjunction of tea polyphenol and chemical crosslinking. We hypothesized that highly incorporated tea polyphenol with multiple reactive sites can ameliorate crosslinking efficiency of chemical crosslinked UHMWPE in comparison to VE. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) as representative tea polyphenol was incorporated into UHMWPE at high concentration (2–8 wt%), followed by chemical crosslinking with 2 wt% organic peroxide. Unlike VE/UHMWPE blends as the control, chemical crosslinking achieved an increasing trend in crosslink density of EGCG/UHMWPE blends with increasing antioxidant concentration. High concentration of EGCG also enhanced the oxidation stability of UHMWPE. Intriguingly, EGCG endowed UHMWPE with an excellent antimicrobial property, which was inefficient in VE/UHMWPE. Cell viability was hardly affected by the high loaded antioxidant and peroxide. The chemically crosslinked UHMWPE blended with EGCG is proved to be a reasonable, cost effective and realistic alternative for use in artificial joints.     

Chemical,thermal, and mechanical properties and ultraviolet transmittance of novel nano-hydroxyapatite/polyethylene terephthalate milk bottles

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp) composite granules were obtained using twin-screw extruder. Preforms were prepared by injection molding and then PET/nHAp bottles were produced by blow molding. For PET bottles with nHAp, the migration amounts of carboxylic acid (COOH), acetaldehyde (AA), diethylene glycol (DEG), and isophthalic acid (IPA); glass transition temperature (T_g); melting temperature (T_m); and the maximum crystallization temperature (T_cry) were measured. The load-carrying capacity, burst strength, stress cracking, and regional material distribution tests were carried out on the bottles. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and ultraviolet transmittance analyses were conducted to explain the changes in mechanical, chemical, physical properties, and light transmission of bottles. It was found out that the COOH amount increased and the AA content decreased with increasing nHAp amount. On the other hand, no change was observed in the amounts of DEG and IPA. Although the mechanical properties such as load-carrying capacity and burst strength of the bottles have improved, it has been determined that the standard environmental stress crack resistance test procedure cannot be applied to such a composite. Experimental findings indicate that nHAp disrupts the chemical structure of PET and it isolates harmful chemicals such as AA by forming intermolecular bonds. Moreover, with the addition of up to 0.8% nHAp, PET bottles block the light transmission approximately 80% within 400–700 nm wave length zone. The study demonstrates that the PET/nHAp composite bottles can be used in the food industry, particularly in the packaging of milk and milk products which are vulnerable to light exposure.     

Preparation and characterization of poly(vinyl alcohol)/gum tragacanth/cellulose nanocomposite film

The effects of gum tragacanth obtained from two species of Astragalus Gossypinus (GT-G) and A. Parrowianus (GT-P) at two levels of 10% and 30% combined with cellulose nanofibers (CNF; 5%) on the physico-mechanical and structural properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanocomposite film were investigated in this study. The water solubility and water vapor permeability of the films decreased with increasing the content of both gums, especially in the film containing 30% GT-P. The highest values of the tensile strength (39.3 MPa) and elongation at break (445%) belonged to the treatment containing 10% GT-P (90/10P/0). The FTIR and DSC analyses confirmed good interactions between GT and PVA in the 90/10P/0 treatment. SEM images indicated the dense structure of this film as the optimum treatment. Although the presence of CNF in the films containing GT-G improved some properties, especially the Young modulus, it impaired all the functional properties of nanocomposite GT-P film.     

天然胶乳床垫和枕芯的发展

综述介绍天然胶乳床垫和枕芯的生产工艺、产品特性以及存在的问题。天然胶乳床垫和枕芯的生产工艺主要有邓禄普法和塔勒莱法胶乳发泡工艺,塔勒莱法工艺先进,但受设备结构复杂和投资大的限制,只有少数公司采用;邓禄普法性价比高,工艺趋于完善,被大多数厂家采用。天然胶乳床垫和枕芯具有优异的弹性、支撑性、透气性和抑菌抗螨功能,与睡眠者有良好的贴合性,可提高睡眠质量。巨大的市场需求导致天然胶乳床垫和枕芯产品存在部分假冒伪劣和粗制滥造产品,需要监管部门尽快制订产品标准并加强管理,引导和规范天然胶乳床垫和枕芯生产行业健康发展。     

Infiltration kinetics of pressureless infiltration in SiCp／Al composites

The pressureless infiltration kinetics was investigated by plotting the infiltration distance as function of the infiltration time. The effects of key process parameters such as time, temperature, Mg content on the pressureless infiltration of silicon carbide particle compacts were studied and quantified. The preform with high volume fraction SiC was obtained by mixing SiC particles with bimodal size distribution, whose diameters are 5 and 50 btm, respectively. The results show that an incubation period exists before infiltration, the influence of temperature on the incubation time exceeds that of Mg content, infiltration rate increases with the increasing temperature and Mg content, infiltration rate decreases as Mg consumes. A model of macroscopical infiltration and microscopical infiltration of liquid alloy in porous SiC preform was proposed.     

抗菌功能性铝基材料的制备及表征

通过交流电沉积的方法在铝阳极氧化膜的孔内沉积金属铜,制备了铝基抗菌功能性材料;测试了沉积铜的铝阳极氧化膜的抗菌性能.结果表明:电沉积铜的铝阳极氧化膜对大肠杆菌、绿脓杆菌、粪链球菌和金黄色葡萄球菌的抗菌率均大于95%.透射电子显微镜表征了铜在氧化膜孔内的沉积形貌,铜在铝阳极氧化膜孔内呈连续的线状形貌,直径为25 nm.     

浅析现代包装设计的中国传统文化元素的表现

现代包装设计不但有其广泛的商业价值,同时也有厚重的文化底蕴。它一方面表达了商品的属性和内涵,另一方面又反映了消费者的生存情感。把中国传统文化元素融入现代包装设计,更能体现鲜明民族文化特质,使设计出具有主张性、时代性和国际性的现代包装的关键。     

务实的包装设计教学

任何设计活动都是建立再实践生产基础之上的,作为艺术设计的核心课程——包装设计更是以此为基础,包装设计教学因外在条件和教学内部体制的限制,在实践性环节发生了错位,教学与产业脱节,致使教学唯心现象的产生。本文对包装设计概念、艺术设计教学中地位的分析及包装对象、载体、美学、实践生产、社会责任的研究,认识到包装的设计教学需要建立在实用与设计艺术之上,缺一不可,包装设计教学需要务实。