The self-assembly of a novel combination of hydrophilic blocks in water is presented, namely poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-b-poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PEtOx-b-PVP). The completely water-soluble double hydrophilic block copolymer (DHBC) is formed via copper-catalyzed polymer conjugation, whereas the molecular weight of the PVP is varied in order to study the effect of block ratio on the self-assembl...

An ultrasmall hydrodynamic diameter is a critical factor for the renal clearance of nanoparticles from the body within a reasonable timescale. However, the integration of diagnostic and therapeutic components into a single ultrasmall nanoparticle remains challenging. In this study, pH-activated nanodots (termed Fe-CPNDs) composed of coordination polymers were synthesized via a simple and scalab...

Dispersions of isolated single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in pure organic solvents can usually be prepared only at low concentrations (∼0.01-0.02 g/L). Here, we use poly(vinylpyrrolidone) as a dispersant for unfunctionalized SWNTs in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone and achieve concentrations of up to ∼0.16 g/L. Such dispersions remain stable by visual inspection for at least 1 year after preparation....

The effect of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), and D-fructose additives on the growth of BaTiO3 particles by aqueous synthesis is studied. Through different mechanisms, all the tested additives influenced the growth of BaTiO3. For high concentrations, PAA adsorbed on specific crystallographic faces changing...

The presence of either copper(I) or copper(II) chloride in the polyol reduction of silver nitrate facilitates the production of silver nanowires. Silver nanowires have applications in many areas, including electronics and catalysis. These wires are produced quickly (in approximately one hour), with the synthesis being easily performed in disposable glass vials, using only pipettes to deliver re...

A novel liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for trace residue determination of bicozamycin (BZM) in livestock products and seafoods. BZM was extracted from a sample with acetonitrile-water (4 : 1), followed by a two-stage SPE enrichment and cleanup. The first stage involved a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer cartridge (GL-Pak PLS-2), and the second sta...

Water oriented by 14 natural and 8 synthetic polymers, and by I polypeptide, was studied for solubility effects on Na+, sucrose, free amino acids, and other solutes commonly present in living cells. Additional intensive investigation was made of 1 natural polymer (gelatin) and 4 synthetic polymers (methy lcellulose, poly vinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylmethly ether, and polyethylene oxide). Equilibr...

Single-crystal palladium nanoparticles (NPs) with controllable morphology were synthesized on the surface of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) by a novel procedure, namely reducing palladium acetylacetonate [Pd(acac)2] with the N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) solvent in the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP). The resulting Pd nanocrystals (8 nm in diameter) were uniformly distributed on the RGO. A p...

In this research, we investigated the influence of the surface coatings of silver nanowires on the sensitivity of surface acoustic wave (SAW) humidity sensors. Silver nanowires, with poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP), which is a hydrophilic capping agent, were chemically synthesized, with an average length of 15 µm and an average diameter of 60 nm. Humidity sensors, with 433 MHz frequency dual-port ...

Controlling bacterial contamination has been a major challenge for protecting human health and welfare. In this context, hydrogels loaded with silver nanoparticles have been used to prevent biofilm formation on substrates of interest. However, such gel composites are often plagued by rapid loss of silver nanoparticles and matrix softening, and thus the gel becomes less effective for antifouling...