Search results for "polymers"
showing 10 items of 3567 documents
Functionalization of Metal and Carbon Nanoparticles with Potential in Cancer Theranostics
2021
Cancer theranostics is a new concept of medical approach that attempts to combine in a unique nanoplatform diagnosis, monitoring and therapy so as to provide eradication of a solid tumor in a non-invasive fashion. There are many available solutions to tackle cancer using theranostic agents such as photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) under the guidance of imaging techniques (e.g., magnetic resonance—MRI, photoacoustic—PA or computed tomography—CT imaging). Additionally, there are several potential theranostic nanoplatforms able to combine diagnosis and therapy at once, such as gold nanoparticles (GNPs), graphene oxide (GO), superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SP…
Numerical-Analytical Model for Nanotube-Reinforced Nanocomposites
2013
A novel numerical model able to predict the elastic properties of carbon nanotube/polymer composites containing a random distribution of CNTs has been developed. The new technique, which takes into account of the curvature that the nanotubes show when immersed in the polymer, is based on a numerical-analytical approach that has significant advances over micromechanical modeling and can be applied to several kinds of nanostructured composites. The nature of carbon nanotube/polymer bonding has arisen as key factor in the efficacy of the carbon nanotubes to actually provide any enhanced stiffness or strength to the composite. Here the effects of carbon nanotube interface interaction with the m…
Biostable Scaffolds of Polyacrylate Polymers Implanted in the Articular Cartilage Induce Hyaline-Like Cartilage Regeneration in Rabbits
2017
[EN] Purpose: To study the influence of scaffold properties on the organization of ¿in vivo¿ cartilage regeneration. Our hypothesis is that stress transmission to the cells seeded inside the scaffold pores or surrounding it, which is highly dependent on the scaffold properties, determine differentiation of both mesenchymal cells and dedifferentiated autologous chondrocytes. Methods: Four series of porous scaffolds made of different polyacrylate polymers, previously seeded with cultured rabbit chondrocytes or without cells preseeded, were implanted in cartilage defects in rabbits. Subchondral bone was always injured during the surgery in order to allow blood to reach the implantation site an…
Implantation of a polycaprolactone scaffold with subchondral bone anchoring ameliorates nodules formation and other tissue alterations
2015
Purpose: Articular cartilage has limited repair capacity. Two different implant devices for articular cartilage regeneration were tested in vivo in a sheep model to evaluate the effect of subchondral bone anchoring for tissue repair. Methods: The implants were placed with press-fit technique in a cartilage defect after microfracture surgery in the femoral condyle of the knee joint of the sheep and histologic and mechanical evaluation was done 4.5 months later. The first group consisted of a biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold with double porosity. The second test group consisted of a PCL scaffold attached to a poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) pin anchored to the subchondral bone. Result…
Study on carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde polymeric films: mechanical properties, release kinetics and antibacterial and antibiofilm activities.
2012
Polyethylene-co-vinylacetate (EVA) films with different concentrations (3.5 wt% and 7 wt%) of essential oil constituents, carvacrol or cinnamaldehyde, were prepared and characterized by mechanical, antibacterial and antibiofilm properties. The incorporation of the compounds into copolymer films affected their elastic modulus, tensile stress and elongation at break. Carvacrol and cinnamaldehyde act as plasticizers which reduce the intermolecular forces of polymer chains, thus improving the flexibility and extensibility of the film. The analysis of the surface characteristics demonstrated that essential oil constituents lowered the contact angle values without causing any remarkable variation…
Structural Characterization of Isomeric Dimers from the Oxidative Oligomerization of Catechol with a Biomimetic Catalyst
2007
In a previous paper, it has been reported about the formation of catechol di-, tri- and tetramers within an oxidative polymerization catalyzed by synthetic water-soluble iron-porphyrin as an efficient alternative to bio-labile natural peroxidase. It has also been demonstrated the occurrence of both C-C and C-O-C coupling mechanisms. However, since the coupling products were determined by mass spectroscopy, the exact bonding position could not have been precisely ascertained for the C-C bonded isomeric dimers that are the dominant products of catechol oligomerization. Therefore, here isolation and characterization of catechol isomeric dimers, obtained by oxidative coupling under the catalysi…
Catechol-Initiated Polyethers: Multifunctional Hydrophilic Ligands for PEGylation and Functionalization of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles
2012
Bifunctional CA-PEG (catechol-poly(ethylene glycol)) and multifunctional CA-PEG-PGA/PEVGE (poly(glycidyl amine)/poly(ethylene glycol vinyl glycidyl ether)) ligands for the functionalization and solubilization of nanoparticles are introduced. Tunable polymers with polydispersities1.25 and molecular weights in the range 500-7700 g mol(-1) containing a catechol moiety for conjugation to metal oxide nanoparticles were prepared. The functional PEG ligands were synthesized starting from the acetonide-protected catechol initiator 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-benzodioxole-5-propanol (CA-OH) for oxyanionic polymerization. CA-OH was used both for homopolymerization of ethylene oxide (EO) as well as copolymerizat…
Catechol Acetonide Glycidyl Ether (CAGE): A Functional Epoxide Monomer for Linear and Hyperbranched Multi-Catechol Functional Polyether Architectures
2016
A protected catechol-containing epoxide monomer, catechol acetonide glycidyl ether (CAGE), is introduced. CAGE is conveniently obtained in three steps and enables the incorporation of surface-active catechol moieties into a broad variety of hydrophilic and biocompatible polyether architectures by copolymerization. Via acidic cleavage of the acetal protecting groups, the polymer-attached catechol functionalities are liberated and available for surface attachment or metal complexation. CAGE has been copolymerized with ethylene oxide and glycidol to obtain both linear poly(ethylene glycol) and hyperbranched polyglycerol copolymers, respectively, with multiple surface-adhesive catechol moieties…
The “Needle in the Haystack” Makes the Difference: Linear and Hyperbranched Polyglycerols with a Single Catechol Moiety for Metal Oxide Nanoparticle …
2014
Multifunctional linear (CA-linPG) and hyperbranched polyglycerols (CA-hbPG) bearing a single catechol unit were synthesized by use of an acetonide-protected catechol initiator for the anionic polymerization of ethoxyethyl glycidyl ether (EEGE) and glycidol, respectively. A key feature for the synthesis of the hyperbranched structures was a selective, partial acetal deprotection step. The single catechol unit among a large number of aliphatic 1,2- and 1,3-diol moieties (i.e., the “needle in the haystack”) in both linear and hyperbranched polyglycerols permits dispersion of transition metal oxide nanoparticles in brine, as demonstrated for manganese oxide (MnO) nanoparticles. Molecular weight…
Lipid Bilayer Interactions of Peptidic Supramolecular Polymers and Their Impact on Membrane Permeability and Stability.
2020
The synthesis and physicochemical characterization of supramolecular polymers with tunable assembly profiles offer exciting opportunities, involving the development of new biomedical carriers. Because synthetic nanocarriers aim to transport substances across or toward cellular membranes, we evaluated the interactions of amphiphilic peptide-based supramolecular polymers with lipid bilayers. Here, we focused on nanorod-like supramolecular polymers, obtained from two C3-symmetric dendritic peptide amphiphiles with alternating Phe/His sequences, equipped with a peripheral tetraethylene glycol dendron (C3-PH) or charged ethylenediamine end groups (C3-PH+). Triggered by pH changes, these amphiphi…