Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 June 2018) | Viewed by 75405

Special Issue Editor

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Interests: surface science and bionanomaterials; interfacial materials engineering for advanced manufacturing; biomimicry and biomimetic materials; multifunctional polymers and nanocomposites; biopolymer; hydrogels and healthcare materials; advanced coating and adhesive bonding technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Surface modification and interfacial phenomena of polymeric materials are critical to many existing applications in manufacturing, biomedical, energy, and healthcare, etc., and the development of new functional materials and devices. For instance, the surface of plastics needs to be activated to improve its surface polarity and surface energy for effective assembly processes, while the surfaces of polymer commodities are typically treated or coated so as to have good waterproof, wear-resistance properties, or have a soft texture. Polymer-based parts and devices in biomedical area are often functionalized with a thin layer of hydrophilic molecular chains to inhibit fouling and reduce drag force. Anti-microbial surfaces are highly desired for healthcare materials to prevent the spreading of infection in clinical settings.

This Special Issue focuses on the current of state-of-art of surface modification and coating development for polymeric materials including synthetic polymers, biopolymer and bio-based polymer, polymer nanocomposite, gels, adhesives. Of particular interests are the recent development of functional surfaces, smart coatings, biomimetic surface modification, and the fundamental exploration of the structure-property relationships for such desired functions as water-repellence, self-cleaning, anti-flogging, anti-reflection, biocompatibility, adhesion, surface hardness, low friction, wear-resistance, conductivity, antistatic.

Prof. Dr. Boxin Zhao
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Polymer surfaces and interface
  • Surface functionalization and modification
  • Biomimetic surface patterning
  • Superhydrophobicity and self-cleaning
  • Polymer composites
  • Biopolymers
  • Smart coatings
  • Functional polymers
  • Polymer adhesive and coating

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Published Papers (15 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3962 KiB  
Article
Cost-Effective, Highly Selective and Environmentally Friendly Superhydrophobic Absorbent from Cigarette Filters for Oil Spillage Clean up
by Qiancheng Xiong, Qiuhong Bai, Cong Li, Huan Lei, Chaoyun Liu, Yehua Shen and Hiroshi Uyama
Polymers 2018, 10(10), 1101; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10101101 - 05 Oct 2018
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4260
Abstract
Ecological and environmental damage caused by oil spillage has attracted great attention. Used cigarette filters (CF) have also caused negative environmental consequences. Converting CF to economical materials is a feasible way to address these problems. In this study, we demonstrate a simple method [...] Read more.
Ecological and environmental damage caused by oil spillage has attracted great attention. Used cigarette filters (CF) have also caused negative environmental consequences. Converting CF to economical materials is a feasible way to address these problems. In this study, we demonstrate a simple method for production of a highly hydrophobic absorbent from CF. CF was modified by using different volume ratios of octadecyltrichlorosilane and methyltrimethoxysilane. When the volume ratio was 3:2, the modified CF had the high water contact angle of 155°. It could selectively and completely absorb silicone oil from an oil-water mixture and showed a good absorption capacity of 38.3 g/g. The absorbed oil was readily and rapidly recovered by simple mechanical squeezing, and it could be reused immediately without any additional treatments. The as-obtained superhydrophobic modified CF retained an absorption capacity of 80% for pump oil and 82% for silicone oil after 10 cycles. The modified CF showed good elasticity in the test of repeated use. The present study provides novel design of a functional material for development of hydrophobic absorbents from used CF via a facile method toward oil spillage cleanup, as well as a new recycling method of CF to alleviate environmental impacts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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12 pages, 4021 KiB  
Article
Hydrophobic Modification of Nanocellulose via a Two-Step Silanation Method
by Wensheng Lin, Xiaoyong Hu, Xueqing You, Yingying Sun, Yueqin Wen, Wenbin Yang, Xinxiang Zhang, Yan Li and Hanxian Chen
Polymers 2018, 10(9), 1035; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10091035 - 18 Sep 2018
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4755
Abstract
Dodecyltrimethoxysilane (DTMOS), which is a silanation modifier, was grafted onto nanocellulose crystals (NCC) through a two-step method using KH560 (ɤ-(2,3-epoxyproxy)propytrimethoxysilane) as a linker to improve the hydrophobicity of NCC. The reaction mechanism of NCC with KH560 and DTMOS and its surface [...] Read more.
Dodecyltrimethoxysilane (DTMOS), which is a silanation modifier, was grafted onto nanocellulose crystals (NCC) through a two-step method using KH560 (ɤ-(2,3-epoxyproxy)propytrimethoxysilane) as a linker to improve the hydrophobicity of NCC. The reaction mechanism of NCC with KH560 and DTMOS and its surface chemical characteristics were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and HCl–acetone titration. These analyses confirmed that KH560 was grafted onto the surface of NCC through the ring-opening reaction, before DTMOS was covalently grafted onto the surface of NCC using KH560 as a linker. The grafting of NCC with DTMOS resulted in an improvement in its hydrophobicity due to an increase in its water contact angle from 0° to about 140°. In addition, the modified NCC also possessed enhanced thermal stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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11 pages, 4517 KiB  
Article
Dentine Surface Morphology after Chlorhexidine Application—SEM Study
by Barbara Lapinska, Leszek Klimek, Jerzy Sokolowski and Monika Lukomska-Szymanska
Polymers 2018, 10(8), 905; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10080905 - 11 Aug 2018
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4957
Abstract
Chlorhexidine (CHX) is a widely known and a very popular antibacterial agent that decreases the level of cariogenic bacteria. CHX applied on the cavity surface of dentine may influence adhesive bond strength. The aim of the study was to evaluate the dentine surface [...] Read more.
Chlorhexidine (CHX) is a widely known and a very popular antibacterial agent that decreases the level of cariogenic bacteria. CHX applied on the cavity surface of dentine may influence adhesive bond strength. The aim of the study was to evaluate the dentine surface after different chlorhexidine digluconate (CHG) application protocols. Different CHG application protocols were introduced. A concentration of 0.2% or 2.0% CHG was applied on the etched or unetched dentine surface for 15 or 30 s, then water rinsed or drained. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations and energy disperse spectrometer (EDS) analysis of the dentine surfaces were performed. The application of 0.2% CHG for 15 s, followed by draining, on either etched or unetched dentine surface effectively removed the smear layer, leaving the surface enriched with CHG deposits. Conclusions: The concentration of CHG and its application time influenced the amount of CHG deposits and the degree of smear layer removal from the dentine surface. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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13 pages, 3613 KiB  
Article
Enhancement of Heat Dissipation by Laser Micro Structuring for LED Module
by Libin Lu, Zhen Zhang, Yingchun Guan and Hongyu Zheng
Polymers 2018, 10(8), 886; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10080886 - 08 Aug 2018
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3985
Abstract
Optimization for heat dissipation plays a significant role in energy saving and high-efficiency utilizing of integrated electronics. In this paper, we present a study of micro structuring on polymer-based flexible substrate coupled with aluminum-alloy heat sink. The heat dissipation performance was investigated by [...] Read more.
Optimization for heat dissipation plays a significant role in energy saving and high-efficiency utilizing of integrated electronics. In this paper, we present a study of micro structuring on polymer-based flexible substrate coupled with aluminum-alloy heat sink. The heat dissipation performance was investigated by temperature evolution of a heat sink under natural convection by infrared (IR) camera, and results showed that the heat dissipation enhancement could be up to 25%. Moreover, the heat dissipation performance of a typical heat sink in terms of light-emitting diode (LED) hip was investigated via both thermal transient measurement and the finite element analysis (FEA). The maximum LED chip temperature of the laser-textured heat sink was approximately 22.4% lower than that of the as-received heat sink. We propose that these properties accompanied with the simplicity of fabrication make laser surface texturing a promising candidate for on-chip thermal management applications in electronics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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14 pages, 6225 KiB  
Article
Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly Strategy for Surface Modification of Aramid Fibers to Enhance Interfacial Adhesion to Epoxy Resin
by Zhaomin Li, Baihua Liu, Haijuan Kong, Muhuo Yu, Minglin Qin and Cuiqing Teng
Polymers 2018, 10(8), 820; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10080820 - 25 Jul 2018
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4148
Abstract
In this work, the layer-by-layer self-assembly technology was used to modify aramid fibers (AFs) to improve the interfacial adhesion to epoxy matrix. By virtue of the facile layer-by-layer self-assembly technique, poly(l-3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine) (l-PDOPA) was successfully coated on the surface of [...] Read more.
In this work, the layer-by-layer self-assembly technology was used to modify aramid fibers (AFs) to improve the interfacial adhesion to epoxy matrix. By virtue of the facile layer-by-layer self-assembly technique, poly(l-3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine) (l-PDOPA) was successfully coated on the surface of AFs, leading to the formation of AFs with controllable layers (nL-AF). Then, a hydroxyl functionalized silane coupling agent (KH550) was grafted on the surface of l-PDOPA coated AFs. The properties such as microstructure and surface morphology of AFs before and after modification were characterized by FTIR, XPS and FE-SEM. The results confirmed that l-PDOPA and KH550 were successfully introduced into the surface of AFs by electrostatic adsorption. The interfacial properties of AFs reinforced epoxy resin composites before and after coating were characterized by interfacial shear strength (IFSS), interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and FE-SEM, and the results show that the interfacial adhesion properties of the modified fiber/epoxy resin composites were greatly improved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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21 pages, 14705 KiB  
Article
Comparative Adhesion, Ageing Resistance, and Surface Properties of Wood Plastic Composite Treated with Low Pressure Plasma and Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet
by Andrés Jesús Yáñez-Pacios and José Miguel Martín-Martínez
Polymers 2018, 10(6), 643; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10060643 - 09 Jun 2018
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 4767
Abstract
Wood plastic composites (WPCs) have poor adhesion properties due to their high surface concentration in non-polar polymers. In this work, two different plasma surface treatments, low pressure plasma (LPP) and atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ), are proposed to increase the surface energy and [...] Read more.
Wood plastic composites (WPCs) have poor adhesion properties due to their high surface concentration in non-polar polymers. In this work, two different plasma surface treatments, low pressure plasma (LPP) and atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ), are proposed to increase the surface energy and adhesion property of WPC made with polyethylene (PE-WPC). After optimizing the conditions for each plasma surface treatment, the surface modifications and adhesion of PE-WPC treated with LPP and APPJ were compared. The optimal surface modifications of PE-WPC were obtained by treatment with Argon (Ar): Oxygen (O2) LPP for 90 s, and with air APPJ by using a plasma nozzle-WPC surface distance of one centimeter and speed of platform of one meter per minute. Both plasma treatments produced similar chemical modifications and surface energies on the PE-WPC surface. The ablation was more important for Ar:O2 LPP treatment, and the air APPJ treatment produced more extensive chemical modifications and more homogeneously removal of the wood component of the surface, rendering the polymer surface smoother. Adhesion of PE-WPC was similarly improved by treatment with both plasmas, from 56 N/m in the as-received to 92–102 N/m in the plasma treated PE-WPC joints. The influence of ageing at 24 °C and 40% relative humidity of the adhesive joints made with PE-WPC surface and treated with Ar:O2 LPP and APPJ plasmas was studied. In the joints made with plasma-treated PE-WPC aged under open air for more than one day, the adhesion decreased. An adhesive strength near to that of the joint made with the as-received PE-WPC was obtained after six days. However, if the adhesive joint was created immediately after plasma treatment and peeled at different times, the adhesion was maintained and even increased, and the hydrophobic recovery of the plasma-treated PE-WPC surface was inhibited. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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11 pages, 4448 KiB  
Article
Promoting Barrier Performance and Cathodic Protection of Zinc-Rich Epoxy Primer via Single-Layer Graphene
by Jingrong Liu, Tao Liu, Zhangwei Guo, Na Guo, Yanhua Lei, Xueting Chang and Yansheng Yin
Polymers 2018, 10(6), 591; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10060591 - 28 May 2018
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 5174
Abstract
The effect of single-layer graphene sheets (Gr) on the corrosion protection of zinc-rich epoxy primers (ZRPs) was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) were used to characterize morphology and composition of the coatings after immersion for 25 days. [...] Read more.
The effect of single-layer graphene sheets (Gr) on the corrosion protection of zinc-rich epoxy primers (ZRPs) was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) were used to characterize morphology and composition of the coatings after immersion for 25 days. The cross-sectional SEM images and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed that the addition of single-layer graphene facilitated assembling of zinc oxides on the interface between the coating and the steel. The open circuit potential (OCP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements revealed that both the cathodic protection and barrier performance of the ZRP were enhanced after addition of 0.6 wt. % Gr (Gr0.6-ZRP). In addition, the cathodic protection property of the Gr0.6-ZRP was characterized quantitatively by localized electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (LEIS) in the presence of an artificial scratch on the coating. The results demonstrate that moderate amounts of single-layer graphene can significantly improve corrosion resistance of ZRP, due to the barrier protection and cathodic protection effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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17 pages, 7887 KiB  
Article
Near-Infrared Light and Solar Light Activated Self-Healing Epoxy Coating having Enhanced Properties Using MXene Flakes as Multifunctional Fillers
by Yuting Zou, Liang Fang, Tianqi Chen, Menglong Sun, Chunhua Lu and Zhongzi Xu
Polymers 2018, 10(5), 474; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10050474 - 26 Apr 2018
Cited by 60 | Viewed by 6042
Abstract
Two issues are required to be solved to bring intrinsically self-healing polymer coatings into real applications: remote activation and satisfied practical properties. Here, we used MXene, a newly reported two-dimensional material, to provide an epoxy coating with light-induced self-healing capabilities and we worked [...] Read more.
Two issues are required to be solved to bring intrinsically self-healing polymer coatings into real applications: remote activation and satisfied practical properties. Here, we used MXene, a newly reported two-dimensional material, to provide an epoxy coating with light-induced self-healing capabilities and we worked to enhance the properties of that coating. The self-healing coatings had a reversible crosslinking network based on the Diels-Alder reaction among maleimide groups from bis(4-maleimidopheny)methane and dangling furan groups in oligomers that were prepared through the condensation polymerization of diglycidylether of bisphenol A and furfurylamine. The results showed that the delaminated MXene flakes were small in size, around 900 nm, and dispersed well in self-healing coatings. The MXene flakes of only 2.80 wt % improved greatly the pencil hardness of the coating hardness from HB to 5H and the polarization resistance from 4.3 to 428.3 MΩ cm−2. The self-healing behavior, however, was retarded by MXene flakes. Leveling agent acted a key part here to facilitate the gap closure driven by reverse plasticity to compensate for the limitation of macromolecular mobility resulting from the MXene flakes. The self-healing of coatings was achieved in 30 s by thermal treatment at 150 °C. The efficient self-healing was also demonstrated based on the recovery of the anti-corrosion capability. MXene flakes also played an evident photothermal role in generating heat via irradiation of near-infrared light at 808 nm and focused sunlight. The healing can be quickly obtained in 10 s under irradiation of near-infrared light at 808 nm having a power density of 6.28 W cm−2 or in 10 min under irradiation of focused sunlight having a power density of 4.0 W cm−2. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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13 pages, 2635 KiB  
Article
Multienzyme Immobilized Polymeric Membrane Reactor for the Transformation of a Lignin Model Compound
by Rupam Sarma, Md. Saiful Islam, Mark P. Running and Dibakar Bhattacharyya
Polymers 2018, 10(4), 463; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10040463 - 23 Apr 2018
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5079
Abstract
We have developed an integrated, multienzyme functionalized membrane reactor for bioconversion of a lignin model compound involving enzymatic catalysis. The membrane bioreactors were fabricated through the layer-by-layer assembly approach to immobilize three different enzymes (glucose oxidase, peroxidase and laccase) into pH-responsive membranes. This [...] Read more.
We have developed an integrated, multienzyme functionalized membrane reactor for bioconversion of a lignin model compound involving enzymatic catalysis. The membrane bioreactors were fabricated through the layer-by-layer assembly approach to immobilize three different enzymes (glucose oxidase, peroxidase and laccase) into pH-responsive membranes. This novel membrane reactor couples the in situ generation of hydrogen peroxide (by glucose oxidase) to oxidative conversion of a lignin model compound, guaiacylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether (GGE). Preliminary investigation of the efficacy of these functional membranes towards GGE degradation is demonstrated under convective flow mode. Over 90% of the initial feed could be degraded with the multienzyme immobilized membranes at a residence time of approximately 22 s. GGE conversion product analysis revealed the formation of oligomeric oxidation products upon reaction with peroxidase, which may be a potential hazard to membrane bioreactors. These oxidation products could further be degraded by laccase enzymes in the multienzymatic membranes, explaining the potential of multi enzyme membrane reactors. The multienzyme incorporated membrane reactors were active for more than 30 days of storage time at 4 °C. During this time span, repetitive use of the membrane reactor was demonstrated involving 5–6 h of operation time for each cycle. The membrane reactor displayed encouraging performance, losing only 12% of its initial activity after multiple cycles of operation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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12 pages, 19136 KiB  
Article
An Environmentally Friendly Approach for the Fabrication of Conductive Superhydrophobic Coatings with Sandwich-Like Structures
by Xiaomin Luo, Wenjie Hu, Min Cao, Huijun Ren, Jianyan Feng and Mengyuan Wei
Polymers 2018, 10(4), 378; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10040378 - 30 Mar 2018
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4590
Abstract
A large amount of research has been devoted to developing novel superhydrophobic coatings. However, it is still a great challenge to pursuean environmentally friendly method that leads to superhydrophobic coatings. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time, an environmentally friendly method for the [...] Read more.
A large amount of research has been devoted to developing novel superhydrophobic coatings. However, it is still a great challenge to pursuean environmentally friendly method that leads to superhydrophobic coatings. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time, an environmentally friendly method for the preparation of conductive superhydrophobic coatings with sandwich-like structures by using aminoethylaminopropyl polydimethylsiloxane modified waterborne polyurethane (SiWPU) and N-octadecylamine functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes. These environmentally friendly coatings with the sheet resistance of 1.1 ± 0.1 kΩ/sq exhibit a high apparent contact angle of 158.1° ± 2° and a low sliding angle below 1°. The influence of the surface texture before and after heat treatment on the wetting properties is discussed. In addition, the coatings can be electrically heated by 3~113 °C with a voltage of 12~72 V, and thus, can be used for deicing. Furthermore, the resulting coatings demonstrate good performance of wear resistance and ultraviolet resistance, which will have broad application potential in harsh environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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16 pages, 11777 KiB  
Article
Novel Dual-Component Microencapsulated Hydrophobic Amine and Microencapsulated Isocyanate Used for Self-Healing Anti-Corrosion Coating
by Maolian Guo, Wei Li, Na Han, Jianping Wang, Junfeng Su, Jianjie Li and Xingxiang Zhang
Polymers 2018, 10(3), 319; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10030319 - 14 Mar 2018
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 5782
Abstract
Dual component microencapsulated hydrophobic amine and microencapsulated isocyanate were designed and fabricated for self-healing anti-corrosion coating. In this system, novel hydrophobic polyaspartic acid ester (PAE) and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) were microencapsulated respectively with melamine-formaldehyde (MF) as shell via in situ polymerization. To reduce [...] Read more.
Dual component microencapsulated hydrophobic amine and microencapsulated isocyanate were designed and fabricated for self-healing anti-corrosion coating. In this system, novel hydrophobic polyaspartic acid ester (PAE) and isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) were microencapsulated respectively with melamine-formaldehyde (MF) as shell via in situ polymerization. To reduce the reaction activity between shell-forming MF prepolymer and PAE, another self-healing agent tung oil (TO) was dissolved in PAE and subsequently employed as core material. With field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and optical microscopy (OM), the resultant microencapsulated IPDI with diameter of 2–5 μm showed a spherical shape and smooth surface. More importantly, both the morphology and microstructure of microencapsulated PAE enhanced significantly after addition of TO. Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) analysis confirmed the molecular structure of chemical structure of the microcapsules. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that both kinds of microcapsules exhibit excellent thermal resistance with the protection of MF shell. Furthermore, the self-healing epoxy coating system containing microencapsulated IPDI and microencapsulated PAE/TO was prepared and investigated. From the micrographs of true color confocal microscope (TCCM), the self-healing coating containing dual-component microcapsules showed excellent self-repairing performance compared to single microencapsulated IPDI system, and the optimal content of dual-component microcapsules in epoxy coating was 20 wt % approximately. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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6700 KiB  
Article
Immobilization of Platelet-Rich Plasma onto COOH Plasma-Coated PCL Nanofibers Boost Viability and Proliferation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells
by Anastasiya Solovieva, Svetlana Miroshnichenko, Andrey Kovalskii, Elizaveta Permyakova, Zakhar Popov, Eva Dvořáková, Philip Kiryukhantsev-Korneev, Aleksei Obrosov, Josef Polčak, Lenka Zajíčková, Dmitry V. Shtansky and Anton Manakhov
Polymers 2017, 9(12), 736; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9120736 - 20 Dec 2017
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 7584
Abstract
The scaffolds made of polycaprolactone (PCL) are actively employed in different areas of biology and medicine, especially in tissue engineering. However, the usage of unmodified PCL is significantly restricted by the hydrophobicity of its surface, due to the fact that its inert surface [...] Read more.
The scaffolds made of polycaprolactone (PCL) are actively employed in different areas of biology and medicine, especially in tissue engineering. However, the usage of unmodified PCL is significantly restricted by the hydrophobicity of its surface, due to the fact that its inert surface hinders the adhesion of cells and the cell interactions on PCL surface. In this work, the surface of PCL nanofibers is modified by Ar/CO2/C2H4 plasma depositing active COOH groups in the amount of 0.57 at % that were later used for the immobilization of platelet-rich plasma (PRP). The modification of PCL nanofibers significantly enhances the viability and proliferation (by hundred times) of human mesenchymal stem cells, and decreases apoptotic cell death to a normal level. According to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), after immobilization of PRP, up to 10.7 at % of nitrogen was incorporated into the nanofibers surface confirming the grafting of proteins. Active proliferation and sustaining the cell viability on nanofibers with immobilized PRP led to an average number of cells of 258 ± 12.9 and 364 ± 34.5 for nanofibers with ionic and covalent bonding of PRP, respectively. Hence, our new method for the modification of PCL nanofibers with PRP opens new possibilities for its application in tissue engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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5403 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Using Sodium Alginate Hydrosols Treated with Direct Electric Current as Coatings for Sausages
by Żaneta Król, Dominika Kulig, Krzysztof Marycz, Anna Zimoch-Korzycka and Andrzej Jarmoluk
Polymers 2017, 9(11), 602; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9110602 - 11 Nov 2017
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4090
Abstract
We investigated the effect of sodium alginate hydrosols (1%) with 0.2% of NaCl treated with direct electric current (DC) used as a coating on microbial (Total Viable Counts, Psychrotrophic bacteria, yeast and molds, Lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae), physiochemical (pH, lipid oxidation, antioxidant [...] Read more.
We investigated the effect of sodium alginate hydrosols (1%) with 0.2% of NaCl treated with direct electric current (DC) used as a coating on microbial (Total Viable Counts, Psychrotrophic bacteria, yeast and molds, Lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae), physiochemical (pH, lipid oxidation, antioxidant activity, weight loss, color) and sensory properties of skinned pork sausages or with artificial casing stored at 4 °C for 28 days. Moreover, the cytotoxicity analysis of sodium alginate hydrogels was performed. The results have shown that application of experimental coatings on the sausage surface resulted in reducing all tested groups of microorganisms compared to control after a 4-week storage. The cytotoxicity analysis revealed that proliferation of RAW 264.7 and L929 is not inhibited by the samples treated with 200 mA. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) analyses showed that there are no significant differences in antioxidant properties between control samples and those covered with sodium alginate. After 28 days of storage, the highest value of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) was noticed for variants treated with 400 mA (1.07 mg malondialdehyde/kg), while it was only slightly lower for the control sample (0.95 mg MDA/kg). The obtained results suggest that sodium alginate treated with DC may be used as a coating for food preservation because of its antimicrobial activity and lack of undesirable impact on the quality factors of sausages. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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4126 KiB  
Article
Surface Modification of Cardiovascular Stent Material 316L SS with Estradiol-Loaded Poly (trimethylene carbonate) Film for Better Biocompatibility
by Hang Yao, Jingan Li, Na Li, Kebing Wang, Xin Li and Jin Wang
Polymers 2017, 9(11), 598; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9110598 - 10 Nov 2017
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 4160
Abstract
A delay in the endothelialization process represents a bottleneck in the application of a drug-eluting stent (DES) during cardiovascular interventional therapy, which may lead to a high risk of late restenosis. In this study, we used a novel active drug, estradiol, which may [...] Read more.
A delay in the endothelialization process represents a bottleneck in the application of a drug-eluting stent (DES) during cardiovascular interventional therapy, which may lead to a high risk of late restenosis. In this study, we used a novel active drug, estradiol, which may contribute to surface endothelialization of a DES, and prepared an estradiol-loaded poly (trimethylene carbonate) film (PTMC-E5) on the surface of the DES material, 316L stainless steel (316L SS), in order to evaluate its function in improving surface endothelialization. All the in vitro and in vivo experiments indicated that the PTMC-E5 film significantly improved surface hemocompatibility and anti-hyperplasia, anti-inflammation and pro-endothelialization properties. This novel drug-delivery system may provide a breakthrough for the surface endothelialization of cardiovascular DES. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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1921 KiB  
Article
Surface and Protein Adsorption Properties of 316L Stainless Steel Modified with Polycaprolactone Film
by Shih-Hang Chang and Yuan-Chien Hsiao
Polymers 2017, 9(10), 545; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym9100545 - 23 Oct 2017
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4735
Abstract
The surface and protein adsorption properties of 316L stainless steel (316L SS) modified with polycaprolactone (PCL) films are systematically investigated. The wettability of the PCL films was comparable to that of bare 316L SS because the rough surface morphology of the PCL films [...] Read more.
The surface and protein adsorption properties of 316L stainless steel (316L SS) modified with polycaprolactone (PCL) films are systematically investigated. The wettability of the PCL films was comparable to that of bare 316L SS because the rough surface morphology of the PCL films counteracts their hydrophobicity. Surface modification with PCL film significantly improves the corrosion resistance of the 316L SS because PCL is insulating in nature. A coating of PCL film effectively reduces the amount of adhered bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the surface of 316L SS in a bicinchoninic acid protein assay. PCL is both biodegradable and biocompatible, suggesting the potential for the surface modification of implants used in human bodies; in these applications, excellent corrosion resistance and anticoagulant properties are necessary. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Modification and Functional Coatings for Polymers)
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