A series of multi-functional hydrogel systems have been designed and synthesized for potential brain implantation to realize controlled and sustained release of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The systems are three-dimensional crosslinked copolymers composed of a thermo-responsive unit, a hydrolytically degradable and hydrophobic unit, and an enzymatical...

Redox mediators based on cobalt complexes allowed dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) to achieve efficiencies exceeding 14%, thus challenging the emerging class of perovskite solar cells. Unfortunately, cobalt-based electrolytes demonstrate much lower long-term stability trends if compared to the traditional iodide/triiodide redox couple. In view of the large-scale commercialization of cobalt-bas...

This study explores the co-deposition of thin polymeric films loaded with nanoparticles for its possible future application as radiation detectors. Thin containing zinc oxide (ZnO) in plasma polymerized n-hexane (PPH) were deposited on silicon substrates using an atmospheric pressure jet (APPJ). Crystalline ZnO produced by wet chemistry, characterized, and injected through aerosol buffer. The p...

Halogen bonding (XB) opens avenues to supramolecular assemblies. Here, we report XB-driven assemblies of quaternary ammonium iodide (QAI)-containing polymers in three (solution, surface, and solid) phases. In the solution, QAI-containing block copolymers form unique self-assembly structures such as micrometer-sized giant vesicles (up 5-μm diameter) a 1-dimensional (1D) structure with multiple i...

1A microwave (MW)-assisted crosslinking process to prepare hydrogel-forming microneedle (MN) arrays was evaluated. Conventionally, such MN arrays are prepared using processes that includes a thermal crosslinking step. Polymeric MN arrays were prepared using poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic acid) crosslinked by reaction with poly(ethylene glycol) over 24 h at 80 °C. Polymeric MN arrays were pr...

Allyl sulphides are reactive substrates in ruthenium-catalysed olefin metathesis reactions, provided each substrate is matched with a suitable catalyst. A profile of catalyst activity is described, along with the first demonstration of allyl sulphides as traceless promoters in relayed ring-closing metathesis reactions.

The present study describes two different methods for the preparation of superabsorbent polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogels for application in farming of sandy soil. The two methods were employed to induce the crosslinking of the polymer matrix. In the first method a PAAm paste was exposed to gamma rays, while in the second method the polymer was thermally treated in the solid phase. Crosslinked PA...

Three pentanuclear lanthanoid hydroxo clusters of composition [Ln(OH)(5)(abzm)(10)], where Ln = Eu, Tb, Ho and abzm = di(4-allyloxy)benzoylmethanide, have been prepared. The structures have been characterised by means of IR, Raman, elemental analyses and X-ray diffraction, showing a pyramidal square-based cluster core. The clusters (Tb and Ho) exhibit Curie-Weiss Law behaviour, displaying antif...

The paper describes the synthesis of pH sensitive interpenetrating polymeric network (IPN) beads composed of chitosan, glycine, glutamic acid, cross linked with glutaraldehyde and their use for controlled drug release. The drug was loaded into beads by varying their composition such as, amount of crosslinker glutaraldehyde, ratio of chitosan, glycine and glutamic acid. The beads were characteri...

Pre-clinical biomaterial development and testing have traditionally relied on 2D in vitro, or complex in vivo assays. It is essential for the cell environment to match the natural tissue in terms of matrix density, architecture, components (including stress/strains) for tissue models to behave in a natural manner. The aim of this project is to improve existing in vitro models for the biomateria...