Microplastics have been reported in marine environments worldwide. Accurate assessment of quantity and type is therefore needed. Here, we propose new techniques for extracting microplastics from sediment and invertebrate tissue. The method developed for sediments involves a volume reduction of the sample by elutriation, followed by density separation using a high density NaI solution. Compariso...

Nacre realizes strength and toughness through hierarchical designs with primary "brick and mortar" structures of alternative arrangement of nanoplatelets and biomacromolecules, and these have inspired the fabrication of nanocomposites for decades. However, to simultaneously solve the three critical problems of phase separation, low interfacial strength and random orientation of nanofillers for ...

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been proposed as excellent materials for the construction of new, precisely tailored ultrafiltration membranes and as promising fibres for the construction of new, stronger composite materials. In this paper classical molecular dynamics simulations are used to investigate the potential use of CNTs in these applications. Functional groups have been covalently attache...

Conducting polymers can be easily obtained by electrochemical oxidation of aromatic monomers on an electrode surface as a film state. To prepare conducting polymer fibres by electropolymerization, templates such as porous membranes are necessary in the conventional methods. Here we report the electropolymerization of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene and its derivatives by alternating current (AC)-bip...

Abstract The mix of two different type fibres, one is natural and another synthetic fibres were employed as reinforcing media in this study, epoxy based polymer resin was the matrix phase. S-glass luffa had been bonded with to create a novel composite by compression moulding measure effect hybridization laminate utilising five sequencing. To determine mechanical characteristics material using t...

Solid dispersion-based nanofiber formulations of poorly soluble drugs prepared by electrospinning (ES) with a water-soluble polymer, can offer significant improvements in drug dissolution for oral administration. However, when hygroscopic polymers, such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) are used, environmental moisture sorption lead to poor physical stability on storage. This study investigated the...

The introduction of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) modifies bulk polymer properties, depending on intrinsic quality, dispersion, alignment, interfacial chemistry and mechanical properties of the nanofiller. These effects can be exploited to enhance the matrices of conventional microscale fibre-reinforced polymer composites, by using primary reinforcing fibres grafted with CNTs. This paper presents a m...

Introduction In order to mimic the behaviors of natural tissue, the optimal approach for designing novel biomaterials has to be inspired to nature guidelines. In bone engineering applications, an ideal scaffolds should be biodegradable in medium-long term, to preliminary maintain its structural behaviors needful for cellular in-growth and diffusion of nutrient, and timely release targeted bio-m...