The aim of this research was to study the biodegradation of a polymer derived from castor oil, which is a renewable, natural material that is a practical alternative for the replacement of traditional polyurethane foams. Due to its molecular structure, which contains polyester segments derived from vegetable oil, the polymeric surface is susceptible to microorganism attack. This study tested th...

Polymeric molds of the layer-by-layer photonic crystal can be economically synthesized with a microtransfer molding technique. The refractive indices of these molds are low, preventing formation of a photonic bandgap. We find that such molds can be conformally coated with higher-index material. Photonic band calculations find structures in which conformally coated layer-by-layer molds have comp...

In this paper, we report the intermatrix synthesis of Ag nanoparticles in different polymeric matrices such as polyurethane foams and polyacrylonitrile or polyamide fibers. To apply this technique, the polymer must bear functional groups able to bind and retain the nanoparticle ion precursors while ions should diffuse through the matrix. Taking into account the nature of some of the chosen matr...

a down-flow hanging sponge (dhs) reactor has been developed for sewage treatment, mainly in developing countries. this novel reactor employs polyurethane sponge material as a support medium, which promises a proliferation of a large amount of biomass, offering excellent pollutant removal capability. three types of sponge medium were evaluated with respect to water distribution and oxygen mass t...

Background: Sponge bezoars will absorb luminal contents, enlarge, and subsequently harden. There is significant potential for the development of intestinal obstruction and perforation. Methods: We report the case of an unsuspected polyurethane foam (PUF) sponge bezoar causing intestinal obstruction in an 8-year-old boy undergoing laparoscopy for an ingested lithium battery that was adherent to ...

Bone tissue engineering may provide an alternative to autograft, however scaffold optimisation is required to maximize bone ingrowth. In designing scaffolds, pore architecture is important and there is evidence that cells prefer a degree of non-uniformity. The aim of this study was to compare scaffolds derived from a natural porous marine sponge (Spongia agaricina) with unique architecture to t...

Since the introduction of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), the physiological effects of various interface dressing materials have been studied. The purpose of this experimental study was to compare the use of loofah sponge to standard polyurethane foam or a cotton gauze sponge. Three wounds, each measuring 3 cm x 3 cm, were created by full-thickness skin excision on the dorsal sides of 2...

The effects of polyurethane sponge size and type on the performance of an up-flow sponge bioreactor were studied using different sponge cube sizes (1 x 1 x 1 cm, 2 x 2 x 2 cm and 3 x 3 x 3 cm) and types of sponge (S28-30/45R, S28-30/60R, S28-30/80R and S28-30/90R). The reactors were operated under anaerobic conditions in an early stage and an aerobic condition in a latter stage. The results ind...

The aim of this study was the preparation and characterization of bioactive glass-ceramic scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. For this purpose, a glass belonging to the system SiO2-P2O5-CaO-MgO-Na2O-K2O (CEL2) was used. The sponge-replication method was adopted to prepare the scaffolds; specifically, a polymeric skeleton was impregnated with a slurry containing CEL2 powder, polyvinyl alcohol...