Volume 45 Issue 2, February 2013

In the present work, we demonstrated that the amount of both donor and acceptor materials in the fabrication of BHJ OPVs could be strongly reduced using a high viscosity P3HT solution with the M_w of 680 900. In addition, only slight fluctuations were observed in PCEs of around 3.8% for all OPVs based on P3HT for M_w ranging from 46 600 to 680 900.

When O-(4-acyloxyanilinocarbonylmethyl)-4-tert-butylcalix[8]arene films were irradiated for 60 min with 254-nm UV light from a low-pressure mercury lamp, the calixarene derivative 1 underwent a highly selective photo-Fries rearrangement in the film state to yield the corresponding Fries-rearranged product 2 along with a minor amount of the fragmentation product 3. This photochemical rearrangement enhanced the refractive index of the films by as much as 0.015.

With the increase in the number of implant-dependent surgeries and biofilm-associated complications, there is a need to counteract and deal with this phenomenon. This has led to various approaches to elucidate the etiology and pathogenesis of the infection. This review critically evaluates the formation, characteristics, pathogenicity and the molecular genetics of both implant- and nonimplant-associated medical biofilm.

TEM photographs of PS (a, b) and PMMA (a′, b′) particles prepared by emulsion polymerization at 240 r.p.m. (a, a′) and 500 (b, b′) r.p.m.

The main factors affecting the chirality and stability of PANI(+)-HCSA are moiety present, concentration, stereochemistry, chain length of the amino acids, time period for the doping, hydrogen bonding and so on. The corresponding CD spectra exhibited no measurable optical activity and consistent with complete de-doping of ES to EB. Further, on doping the solution, we have got the precipitate, which showed a remarkable optical activity. The CD spectra shows retention of the optical activity in solid phase obtained after de-doping of the solution.

The influence of the dispersed silicotungstic acid (STA) on the membrane properties was studied. The proton conductivities of the composite membranes are higher than the parent SPAES membrane. Even though IEC and water uptake of the composite membranes decreased with increase in STA content, the proton conductivities and hydrolytic stabilities were increased. The acidity of the sulfonic acid group increased with the incorporation of STA. As the composite membranes showed negligible STA extraction, most of the STA retained in the polymer and this increases the efficiency of the membrane.

Schematic model of solvent bound in iPP gel. Free and freezable bound solvent locates between intra- and interspherulites, respectively.

The mechanical characteristics of a non-ionic polymer, lipid-based complex fluid that exhibits a thermoinverted phase transition (sol phase at lower temperature than the gel state) were examined by combined rheology, small-angle X-ray, and neutron diffraction studies and Raman spectroscopy. The temperature-driven water solubility and thus conformational changes of amphiphile-tethered polyethylene oxide (PEO) regulates the formation and strength of the hydrogen-bonded network. These studies identify principles useful in the preparation of stimuli-responsive mechanical materials.

Infrared spectroscopy is used to probe the melting point depression and crystallization of polycaprolactone in the presence of supercritical CO₂. Comparison of the amorphous and crystalline peaks at 41 °C shows a melting point at 100 bar CO₂. Increasing this temperature further reduces the pressure required to melt polycaprolactone. Infrared spectroscopy is also used to probe the crystallization of polycaprolactone during CO₂ venting.

The influence of primary structure difference in the main chain on the dimensional properties of the cylindrical rod brush has been investigated by static light scattering and SAXS measurements to demonstrate that the backbone stiffness is greatly affected by the chemical nature of the main chain.

The present work deals with the chemical conjugation of biodegradable polymer, PLGA, with a natural anti-inflammatory drug, GlcN. PLGA–GlcN conjugate was self-assembled into NPs contained nanostructure with the aid of probe sonication. Self-assembled nanostructure is composed of hydrophobic PLGA at the surface and hydrophilic GlcN at inner core, which helps its enhanced transdermal permeation for GlcN delivery. Shortest lag time with high flux value obtained with transdermal permeation of nanostructures on human cadaver skin confirms its ability as efficient GlcN vehicle for treating inflammatory diseases.

The objective of this study is to establish an immobilization method of PNIPAM on silica beads surface-modified by HBPS, which could be applied to cell cultivation. The PNIPAM-modified silica beads with enough loading of N-isopropylacrylamide (cleaved PNIPAM M_n=14 800 and 23 700) shows controlled cell adhesion and detachment due to lower critical solution temperature behavior of PNIPAM.

A series of AB₂-, ABC-, (AB)₂-, A₂B₂- and ABCD-type miktoarm star copolymer Ru(II) complexes were readily synthesized by stepwise chelating reactions between a Ru(II)(DMSO)₄Cl₂ and polymer-substituted 2-(1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine or 2,6-bis(1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine ligands. The polymer-substituted 2-(1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine and 2,6-bis(1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridine ligands were conveniently prepared by the click reaction of ethynylpyridines with well-defined azido-terminated polymers, which were prepared by a combination of living/controlled polymerization procedures and end-substitution reactions.

Carboxymethyl chitosan(CMCTS), one of the chitosan derivates, is a zwitterion and potentially could be used as a kind of immunomodulator. The aim of this study is to investigate the immunological enhancement effects of CMCTS in vitro and provide an important theoretical evidence for its clinical practice.

Well-defined multifunctional diblock copolymers with terminal functional groups were synthesized by the combination of cationic ring opening polymerization (CROP) and reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer radical (RAFT) polymerization. Poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL)-based biodegradable macro-RAFT agent was synthesized by CROP of CL from hydroxylated RAFT agents. Subsequently, thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) derivative was propagated using the biodegradable macro-RAFT agent. Obtained polymers highly preserved terminal dithiobenzoate groups, which were easily converted to thiol groups by aminolysis. Therefore, biotin-maleimide was able to be reacted with terminal group. The present method was promising for preparing block copolymer-based multi-functional polymeric micelles.