Liquid-crystalline nanoparticles represent an exciting class of new materials for a variety of potential applications. By combining supramolecular ordering with the fluid properties of the liquid-crystalline state, these materials offer the possibility to organise nanoparticles into addressable 2-D and 3-D arrangements exhibiting high processability and self-healing properties. Herein, we revie...

Flame retardants, such as inorganic fillers or halogenated resins, are incorporated into composites either as additives or reactive materials. In order to improve processability and mechanical properties, as well as reduce smoke toxicity, a method is being developed to introduce highly effective, inexpensive flame retardant materials into thermoset resins. Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) can be l...

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are generally fastidious on artificiall media, but they grow readily in most food substrates and lower the pH rapidly to a point where competing organisms are no longer able to grow. Spontaneous fermentation of food/feed may differ from each other in terms of environmental microbiota and fermentable substrate. Spontaneous fermentation may fail, because it is not possi...

Silk protein-based materials are promising materials for the delivery of drugs and other active ingredients, due to their processability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. The preparation of films composed of an engineered spider silk protein (eADF4(C16)) in combination with either a polyester (polycaprolactone) or a polyurethane (pellethane), and their physical properties are described. ...

The physical properties of the polymer product determine to a large extent its processability and applications. A large number of properties are directly related to the molecular mass distribution (MMD) of the polymer product. Besides the MMD, the polymer microstructure also plays an important role and influences to a large extent the thermal stability of the polymer product. Most of the therma...

Polymers are considered to be good hosting matrices for composite materials because they can easily be tailored to yield a variety of bulk physical properties. Moreover, organic polymers generally have long-term stability and good processability. Inorganic nanoparticles possess outstanding optical, catalytic, electronic and magnetic properties, which are significantly different their bulk state...

Laboratory research into bulk-type solid-state batteries (SSBs) has been focused predominantly on powder-based, pelletized cells and sufficient to evaluate fundamental limitations tailor the constituents some degree. However, improve experimental reliability for commercial implementation of this technology, competitive slurry-cast electrodes are required. Here, we report application an approach...