scholarly journals Polymer gel with a flexible and highly ordered three-dimensional network synthesized via bond percolation

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
pp. eaax8647 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Li ◽  
S. Nakagawa ◽  
Y. Tsuji ◽  
N. Watanabe ◽  
M. Shibayama

Gels are a soft elastic material consisting of a three-dimensional polymer network with nanometer-sized pores and are used in a variety of applications. However, gel networks typically have a substantial level of defects because the network formation reaction proceeds stochastically. In this study, we present a general scheme to fabricate gels with extremely low levels of defects by applying geometric constraints into pregel solution based on the “bond percolation” concept. In the formed gel, stationary laser speckles, which are an indicator of spatial defects, were not observed at all. In addition, we found that the concentration fluctuations of the polymer chains were ergodic across the whole gel network. In such a homogeneous gel, both the spatial and temporal correlations of polymer chains are the same before and after gelation.

Author(s):  
J. A. N. Zasadzinski ◽  
R. K. Prud'homme

The rheological and mechanical properties of crosslinked polymer gels arise from the structure of the gel network. In turn, the structure of the gel network results from: thermodynamically determined interactions between the polymer chain segments, the interactions of the crosslinking metal ion with the polymer, and the deformation history of the network. Interpretations of mechanical and rheological measurements on polymer gels invariably begin with a conceptual model of,the microstructure of the gel network derived from polymer kinetic theory. In the present work, we use freeze-etch replication TEM to image the polymer network morphology of titanium crosslinked hydroxypropyl guars in an attempt to directly relate macroscopic phenomena with network structure.


2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 249-255
Author(s):  
Boniek Castillo Dutra Borges ◽  
Fabrício Lopes da Rocha Pereira ◽  
Roberta Caroline Bruschi Alonso ◽  
Rodivan Braz ◽  
Marcos Antônio Japiassú Resende Montes ◽  
...  

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3567
Author(s):  
Faiza Faiza ◽  
Abraiz Khattak ◽  
Safi Ullah Butt ◽  
Kashif Imran ◽  
Abasin Ulasyar ◽  
...  

Silicone rubber is a promising insulating material that has been performing well for different insulating and dielectric applications. However, in outdoor applications, environmental stresses cause structural and surface degradations that diminish its insulating properties. This effect of degradation can be reduced with the addition of a suitable filler to the polymer chains. For the investigation of structural changes and hydrophobicity four different systems were fabricated, including neat silicone rubber, a micro composite (with 15% micro-silica filler), and nanocomposites (with 2.5% and 5% nanosilica filler) by subjecting them to various hydrothermal conditions. In general, remarkable results were obtained by the addition of fillers. However, nanocomposites showed the best resistance against the applied stresses. In comparison to neat silicone rubber, the stability of the structure and hydrophobic behavior was better for micro-silica, which was further enhanced in the case of nanocomposites. The inclusion of 5% nanosilica showed the best results before and after applying aging conditions.


Micromachines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Kyo-in Koo ◽  
Andreas Lenshof ◽  
Le Thi Huong ◽  
Thomas Laurell

In the field of engineered organ and drug development, three-dimensional network-structured tissue has been a long-sought goal. This paper presents a direct hydrogel extrusion process exposed to an ultrasound standing wave that aligns fibroblast cells to form a network structure. The frequency-shifted (2 MHz to 4 MHz) ultrasound actuation of a 400-micrometer square-shaped glass capillary that was continuously perfused by fibroblast cells suspended in sodium alginate generated a hydrogel string, with the fibroblasts aligned in single or quadruple streams. In the transition from the one-cell stream to the four-cell streams, the aligned fibroblast cells were continuously interconnected in the form of a branch and a junction. The ultrasound-exposed fibroblast cells displayed over 95% viability up to day 10 in culture medium without any significant difference from the unexposed fibroblast cells. This acoustofluidic method will be further applied to create a vascularized network by replacing fibroblast cells with human umbilical vein endothelial cells.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pradeep Kumar ◽  
Viness Pillay ◽  
Yahya E. Choonara

AbstractThree-dimensional porous scaffolds are widely employed in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine for their ability to carry bioactives and cells; and for their platform properties to allow for bridging-the-gap within an injured tissue. This study describes the effect of various methoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) derivatives (mPEG (-OCH3 functionality), mPEG-aldehyde (mPEG-CHO) and mPEG-acetic acid (mPEG-COOH)) on the morphology and physical properties of chemically crosslinked, semi-interpenetrating polymer network (IPN), chitosan (CHT)/mPEG blend cryosponges. Physicochemical and molecular characterization revealed that the –CHO and –COOH functional groups in mPEG derivatives interacted with the –NH2 functionality of the chitosan chain. The distinguishing feature of the cryosponges was their unique morphological features such as fringe thread-, pebble-, curved quartz crystal-, crystal flower-; and canyon-like structures. The morphological data was well corroborated by the image processing data and physisorption curves corresponding to Type II isotherm with open hysteresis loops. Functionalization of mPEG had no evident influence on the macro-mechanical properties of the cryosponges but increased the matrix strength as determined by the rheomechanical analyses. The cryosponges were able to deliver bioactives (dexamethasone and curcumin) over 10 days, showed varied matrix degradation profiles, and supported neuronal cells on the matrix surface. In addition, in silico simulations confirmed the compatibility and molecular stability of the CHT/mPEG blend compositions. In conclusion, the study confirmed that significant morphological variations may be induced by minimal functionalization and crosslinking of biomaterials.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Caviedes-Bucheli ◽  
Nestor Rios-Osorio ◽  
Diana Usme ◽  
Cristian Jimenez ◽  
Adriana Pinzon ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in canal volume after root canal preparation in vivo with 3 different single-file techniques (Reciproc-Blue®, WaveOne-Gold® and XP-EndoShaper®), with a new method using CBCT and 3D reconstruction. Methods In this prospective study, thirty human lower premolars from healthy patients were used, in which extraction was indicated for orthodontic reasons. All the teeth used were caries- and restoration-free with complete root development, without signs of periodontal disease or traumatic occlusion, and with only one straight canal (up to 25º curvature). Teeth were randomly divided into three different groups: Reciproc-Blue, WaveOne-Gold and XP-EndoShaper. CBCT scans before root canal preparation were used to create a 3D reconstruction with RHINOCEROS 5.0 software to assess the initial canal volume, and then compared with 3D reconstructions after canal preparation to measure the increase in canal volume. Student’s t test for paired data were used to determine statistically significant differences between the before and after canal volumes. Anova test was used to determine statistically significant differences in the percentage of canal volume increase between the groups and Tukey's post-hoc test were used to paired comparison. Results Reciproc-Blue showed the higher increase in canal volume, followed by WaveOne-Gold and XP-EndoShaper (p = 0.003). XP-EndoShaper did not show a statistically significant increase in canal volume after root canal preparation (p = 0.06). Conclusion With this model, Reciproc-Blue showed higher increase in root canal volume, followed by WaveOne-Gold, while XP-EndoShaper did not significantly increase root canal volume during preparation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Helena Barcaro Machado ◽  
Ivy Dantas De Melo E. Silva ◽  
Walter Marou Pautrat ◽  
James Frame ◽  
Mohammad Najlah

AbstractMeasuring outcomes from treatments to the skin is either reliant upon patient’s subjective feedback or scale-based peer assessments. Three-Dimensional stereophotogrammetry intend to accurately quantify skin microtopography before and after treatments. The objective of this study is comparing the accuracy of stereophotogrammetry with a scale-based peer evaluation in assessing topographical changes to skin surface following laser treatment. A 3D stereophotogrammetry system photographed skin surface of 48 patients with facial wrinkles or scars before and three months after laser resurfacing, followed immediately by topical application of vitamin C. The software measured changes in skin roughness, wrinkle depth and scar volume. Images were presented to three observers, each independently scoring cutaneous improvement according to Investigator Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (IGAIS). As for the results, a trend reflecting skin/scar improvement was reported by 3D SPM measurements and raters. The percentage of topographical change given by the raters matched 3D SPM findings. Agreement was highest when observers analysed 3D images. However, observers overestimated skin improvement in a nontreatment control whilst 3D SPM was precise in detecting absence of intervention. This study confirmed a direct correlation between the IGAIS clinical scale and 3D SPM and confirmed the efficacy and accuracy of the latter when assessing cutaneous microtopography alterations as a response to laser treatment.


Author(s):  
Yalil Augusto Rodríguez-Cárdenas ◽  
Luis Ernesto Arriola-Guillén ◽  
Aron Aliaga-Del Castillo ◽  
Gustavo Armando Ruíz-Mora ◽  
Guilherme Janson ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 236 (11) ◽  
pp. 1342-1350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukio Hirabayashi ◽  
Yoshihiro Hatta ◽  
Jin Takeuchi ◽  
Isao Tsuboi ◽  
Tomonori Harada ◽  
...  

Hematopoiesis occurs in the bone marrow, where primitive hematopoietic cells proliferate and differentiate in close association with a three-dimensional (3D) hematopoietic microenvironment composed of stromal cells. We examined the hematopoietic supportive ability of stromal cells in a 3D culture system using polymer particles with grafted epoxy polymer chains. Umbilical cord blood-derived CD34+ cells were co-cultivated with MS-5 stromal cells. They formed a 3D structure in the culture dish in the presence of particles, and the total numbers of cells and the numbers of hematopoietic progenitor cells, including colony-forming unit (CFU)-Mix, CFU-granulocyte-macrophage, CFU-megakaryocyte and burst-forming unit-erythroid, were measured every seven days. The hematopoietic supportive activity of the 3D culture containing polymer particles and stromal cells was superior to that of 2D culture, and allowed the expansion and maintenance of hematopoietic progenitor cells for more than 12 weeks. Various types of hematopoietic cells, including granulocytes, macrophages and megakaryocytes at different maturation stages, appeared in the 3D culture, suggesting that the CD34+ cells were able to differentiate into a range of blood cell types. Morphological examination showed that MS-5 stromal cells grew on the surface of the particles and bridged the gaps between them to form a 3D structure. Hematopoietic cells slipped into the 3D layer and proliferated within it, relying on the presence of the MS-5 cells. These results suggest that this 3D culture system using polymer particles reproduced the hematopoietic phenomenon in vitro, and might thus provide a new tool for investigating hematopoietic stem cell–stromal cell interactions.


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