Laser irradiation of oligosiloxane copolymer thin films functionalized with side chain bulky carbosilane moieties

Linear oligosiloxanes functionalized with bulky side chain tris(trimethylsilyl)hexyl (TTSH) substituents were transformed into cross-linked materials by UV 193 nm excimer pulsed laser ablation. The process occurred without any catalyst, by reactions of radicals formed in UV laser induced photolysis of side tris(trimethylsilyl)hexyl groups. Chemical changes were monitored by FTIR, LC/UV, GC/MS and solubility tests.     

Study of siloxane additives migration to the surface of polyester-(melamine)-polyurethane coatings: Aging effects after ethanol cleaning

This study determines the influences of siloxane flow agents’ migration on the outermost surface composition of clearcoats, before and after ethanol cleaning. This evaluation is undertaken to improve adhesion of pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) on automotive paint systems. Most of the siloxane flow agents segregate from the bulk to the clearcoat outermost surface during curing. These additives can cover until 50% of the surface area but X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and time of flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) analyses indicate that they can be removed by ethanol cleaning. Composition of the cleaned clearcoats surfaces are similar as the composition of clearcoat formulated without siloxane additives: the polyester-(melamine)-polyurethane network is more detected than before cleaning. However, outermost surface analyses show that several aging weeks increase the siloxane additives segregation. This post-cleaning migration modifies the clearcoat surface composition and cancels the chemical modifications due to the ethanol cleaning. XPS analyses show that silicon concentrations after cleaning and aging are inversely proportional to the initial silicon concentrations measured after curing. It highlights that aging has to be controlled to improve adhesion of PSAs on clearcoats. A second ethanol cleaning on aged clearcoats is not effective to remove these new siloxane additives. Their formulation should be different from the flow agents and it could modify their solubility in ethanol. This result could also indicate that these new siloxane additives are not located on the last molecular layer of surface and they would not be soluble in ethanol.     

具有三维聚焦功能的微流控芯片

为了使用微流体细胞仪对细胞精确计数,采用紫外光刻工艺制作了能够真正实现三维聚焦功能的微流体检测芯片(微流控芯片).使用聚二甲基硅氧烷(PDMS)进行二次倒模复制其结构以缩短微流控芯片制作周期、降低制作成本,并进行了芯片的封装与测试.首先,利用沉浸式光刻技术和斜曝光工艺制作了具有三维聚焦功能的SU-8微流沟道;然后,利用PDMS对所制作的SU-8微流沟道进行一次倒模,得到其负模结构;对负模结构进行表面处理后,再进行二次倒模,得到PDMS微流沟道;最后,封装PDMS微流沟道与盖片,制得微流控芯片,并对微流控芯片的沟道聚焦效果进行了测试.实验测试发现随着鞘流与样本流流速比不同,得到样本流的聚焦宽度也不同.当鞘流与样本流流速比为20∶1时,可以得到约10.4 μm的聚焦宽度.结果表明,该芯片结构可靠,可以满足进一步的流体聚焦检测要求.采用该方法制作的微流控芯片具有生产周期短、成本低、效率高和结构可靠的特点.     

硅烷膏体浸渍剂在保护混凝土中的实际应用

渗透型有机硅成功用于保护混凝土在国外已有数十年的历史。用于保护钢筋混凝土，它可防止水分及氯离子的渗透，从而对于防止混凝土的腐蚀与破坏起到关键的作用。这种浸渍剂一般都由硅烷或硅氧烷组成。通常情况下，由于这些低粘度的液体非常容易挥发。尤其在桥梁底面及立面施工时，有效成分大量流失。为了避免出现这种情况，德国瓦克化学有限公司成功开发了一种新型的硅烷乳膏状产品。这种材料施工简单，只需一步完成，具有很高的遮盖率，由于不流淌，活性组分不会损失。与混凝土表面接触时间长，保证了在高等级混凝土中的渗透深度，而且在其表面不会残留任何痕迹。     

Elastomeric nanocomposite based on carbon nanotubes for Polymerase Chain Reaction device

The low thermal conductivity of polymers is the main problem to design efficient disposable polymeric Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) devices. The introduction of nanocomposite (NC) materials to fabricate Lab-On-a-Chips (LOCs) for on-chip PCR can improve the thermal response of the final device, fastening the PCR thermocycling. In this study, we propose the application of the nanocomposite obtained introducing Multi-Walled Carbon NanoTubes (MWCNTs) into Poly(DiMethyl)Siloxane (PDMS). We demonstrate a better thermal behavior for devices made of the nanocomposite material, observing faster transitions and a better control in steady-state temperatures. The better thermal performance of the nanocomposite-based device is mirrored by an efficiency increase in PCR reaction, demonstrating the direct enhancing effect of the CNTs content in the composite. This novel approach allows us to reach a more precise control in the biological reaction, with a beneficial effect on process efficiency, actually introducing a new class of devices.     

Ionic conductivity and electrochemical properties of cross-linked solid polymer electrolyte using star-shaped siloxane acrylate

A star-shaped siloxane acrylate with a different number of repeating units of oligo(ethylene oxide) (EO) was synthesized as a cross-linker of solid polymer electrolytes. The cross-linked solid polymer electrolytes blended with the ionic conducting plasticizers, such as low molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide)dimethyl ether (PEGDME) were prepared by the in situ thermal curing of the star-shaped siloxane acrylate. Different morphologies of the cross-linked polymer electrolytes were observed according to the number of repeating units of EO (n) in the cross-linker. A micro-phase separated solid polymer electrolyte was obtained when the n of cross-linker was 1. When the n of cross-linker was larger than 1, homogeneously blended solid polymer electrolytes were prepared. The ionic conductivity was measured to be 6.3 to 7.8 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ with 80 wt.% PEGDME at 30 °C. The ionic conductivity of the micro-phase separated solid polymer electrolyte was slightly higher than that of the homogeneously blended solid polymer electrolyte. The electrochemical stability window of the resulting solid polymer electrolyte could be extended to up to 4.8 V versus Li/Li⁺ reference electrode.     

Molybdate doping of networks in epoxy–silica hybrids: Domain structuring and corrosion inhibition

Epoxy–silica hybrids were prepared from a silane-functionalized resin mixture of two diglycidyl ether bis-phenol A oligomers with different molecular weights, using molybdate anions as dopants for the siloxane domains.     

Fabrication of ceramic particles from preceramic polymers using stop flow lithography

Stop flow lithography (SFL) combines aspects of microfluidic and photolithography to continuously fabricate particles with uniform planar shapes as dictated by a mask. In this work we aim to expand the palette of materials suitable for SFL processing by investigating the use of UV-crosslinkable preceramic polymers to make ceramic particles. A commercially available methacrylated-polysiloxane was used as the preceramic polymer and was mixed with 2.5 wt% Irgacure 651 photoinitiator. A simple SFL system was assembled to continuously fabricate UV-crosslinked preceramic polymer particles in the shape of hexagons, triangles, and gears with diameters ranging from 100 to 200 μm and thicknesses of 74 μm +/- 4 μm. Particles were harvested from the excess preceramic solution, cleaned and then pyrolyzed at 1000 °C to transform them into silicon oxycarbide ceramic particles. Particle shape was maintained during pyrolysis despite a ～80 % linear shrinkage due to the removal of acryl and methyl side groups, as confirmed via FTIR. After pyrolysis the outer diameters of the SiOC particles ranged from 20 to 40 μm with thicknesses of 10 μm–12 μm. Pyrolyzed particles were successfully recovered and dispersed in water. This work demonstrates a robust path for the fabrication of ceramic particles with specific shapes from preceramic polymers via SFL.     

Imidazolium salts grafted on cotton fibres for long-term antimicrobial activity

New antimicrobial (AM) coatings based on imidazolium salts have been prepared linking the imidazolium salts to the cotton fabric using siloxane oligomers as coupling agents. Three different imidazolium salts, linked to the siloxane oligomers connected to the cotton fabric either with ionic or covalent linkages, have been used. FTIR analysis shows that the imidazolium salts are linked to the cotton fabric. All the coatings prepared have high antimicrobial activity at both concentrations tested (3 and 10 wt%) and against a Gram positive and a Gram negative bacterium. The AM activity is mainly retained after 4 cycles of washing.