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The definition of the mandibular angle profile is a common challenge for oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Accurate diagnosis and treatment planning are mandatory in order to properly manage soft and hard tissues. The use of several biomaterials is described in the literature. The present paper reports the treatment of a defect in the right mandibular angle in otomandibular syndrome sequelae by positioning polyetheretherketone (PEEK) patient-specific implants (PSI) in a 25-year-old patient who previously underwent orthognathic surgery. Satisfactory aesthetic results were achieved with no complications 12 months after surgery. Considering its advantageous physical properties and the low rate of postoperative complications reported in the literature, PEEK can increase the treatment options for recontouring not only the upper third and the middle third of the face, but also of the lower third, in particular in cases of large three-dimensional defects.

Magnetic polymeric composites have recently found their way into creating functional products that respond to an external stimulus while accomplishing complex tasks. A common manufacturing method for these materials is magnetic field-assisted manufacturing, where an external field is used during or after creating the product to induce local or global particle patterns or magnetization profiles. As one of the processes paired with magnetic field, additive manufacturing (AM) has shown great potential in developing complex structures with local control over material properties. In this work, using magneto-responsive reinforcing fibers and different polymeric matrices, we explore the potential of this process in creating functional polymeric composites and find applications for the resulting products., First, a design, manufacturing, and characterization framework for creating functional magnetic composites is developed. The potential of pairing magnetic field with AM in creating functionally graded polymeric composites with controlled local fiber orientation and concentration is studied. Composite materials fabricated and characterized to understand the relationships between process parameters, particle distribution, and local mechanical properties. Two simple characterization frameworks are developed to correlate the particle distribution and local properties of manufactured polymeric composites, and replace more expensive and complex methods., Next, two photocurable resin systems for the magnetic field-assisted AM are proposed and verified. Due to the molecular and capillary forces in bottom-up vat photopolymerization, it is challenging to control the particle distribution during the manufacturing process. Here we use surface treatment of magnetic particles to create temporary bonding between the particles and resin systems. Using this method enables a better control over particle distribution during the manufacturing process and prevents the particle aggregation. It is also proved that treated particles in resin systems can ensure more predictable curing behavior and better mechanical properties in the final photocured polymeric composites., Finally, we explore the potential magnetic field-assisted manufacturing in introducing desired magnetization profiles into polymeric composites. In this section, magnetoelastic structures are fabricated and studied to understand their behavior under dynamic magnetic fields. Using the proposed design for the magnetoelastic composites, untethered multimodal control over soft magnetic robots is achieved.

The ocean constitutes approximately 70% of Earth’s surface. Its average depth is 3688 m, of which depths beyond 200 m are classified as the deep sea. The deep sea is distinct from the surface of the ocean in terms of pressure, temperature, and sunlight. The unique physicochemical processes under the extreme environment of the deep sea and the specialized biochemical mechanisms developed by organisms to survive in the deep sea can serve as a vast source of inspiration for scientific and technological advancements. In this Perspective, we discuss three examples of deep-sea-inspired chemistry: (1) soft materials that respond to high pressures such as those observed in the deep sea; (2) molecular self-assembly inspired by the chemistry of hot and compressed water in deep-sea hydrothermal vents; and (3) nanobiotechnology and biomimetics inspired by survival strategies of deep-sea organisms. Finally, we provide an outlook on deep-sea-inspired chemistry. This Perspective aims to promote the sustainable utilization of the ocean based on knowledge, as opposed to the conventional utilization of the ocean solely based on resources. We hope that this Perspective will encourage chemists to harness their inspiration gleaned from the deep sea., 「深海インスパイヤード化学」のコンセプトを発表 --カーボンニュートラル実現に向けた新たな深海利用の提案--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-06-09.

[Abstract] Emergent bioelectronic technologies are underpinned by the organic electrochemical transistor (OECT), which employs an electrolyte medium to modulate the conductivity of its organic semiconductor channel. Here we utilize postpolymerization modification (PPM) on a conjugated polymer backbone to directly introduce glycolated or anionic side chains via fluoride displacement. The resulting polymers demonstrated increased volumetric capacitances, with subdued swelling, compared to their parent polymer in p-type enhancement mode OECTs. This increase in capacitance was attributed to their modified side chain configurations enabling cationic charge compensation for thin film electrochemical oxidation, as deduced from electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance measurements. An overall improvement in OECT performance was recorded for the hybrid glycol/ionic polymer compared to the parent, owing to its low swelling and bimodal crystalline orientation as imaged by grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering, enabling its high charge mobility at 1.02 cm2·V–1·s–1. Compromised device performance was recorded for the fully glycolated derivative compared to the parent, which was linked to its limited face-on stacking, which hindered OECT charge mobility at 0.26 cm2·V–1·s–1, despite its high capacitance. These results highlight the effectiveness of anionic side chain attachment by PPM as a means of increasing the volumetric capacitance of p-type conjugated polymers for OECTs, while retaining solid-state macromolecular properties that facilitate hole transport. Reino Unido. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council; EP/T028513/1 República de Corea. Global Research Laboratory program; NRF-2017K1A1A2013153 República de Corea. National Research Foundation of Korea; RF-2021R1A2C101301511 569 República de Corea. National Research Foundation of Korea; 2021R1A2C1013015 República de Corea. National Research Foundation of Korea; 2018M3A7B4070988 República de Corea. National Research Foundation of Korea; 2021R1A4A1022920

International audience; Core-shell configurations are ubiquitous in nature such as in the form of bacterial and cells. Inspired by this, microcapsules are designed with actives as the cores surrounded by thin shells. They not only play an increasing role as artificial models for understanding dynamic behaviors of biological cells in flows, but are also becoming a fundamental class of artificial vehicles at the heart of drug delivery and release in applications. The mechanical properties of the shells are of great importance in this context. Here, we review recent experimental and theoretical characterizations of microcapsules, focusing on the soft and deformable particles with liquid cores. We begin by exploring the concept and fabrication of artificial microcapsules, followed by a discussion of different methods on the mechanical characterization of the shell.

Excessive consumption of energy and resources is a major challenge in wastewater treatment. Here, a novel heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst consisting of Cu-doped graphene-like catalysts (Cu-GCD NSs) was first synthesized by an enhanced carbothermal reduction of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). The catalyst exhibits excellent Fenton-like catalytic activity for the degradation of various pollutants under neutral conditions, accompanied by low H

Degradable and environmentally responsive polymers have been actively developed for drug delivery and regenerative medicine applications, yet inadequate consideration of their compatibility with terminal sterilization presents notable barriers to clinical translation. This Review discusses industry-established terminal sterilization methods and aseptic processing and contrasts them with innovative approaches aimed at preserving the integrity of polymeric implants. Regulatory guidelines, fiscal considerations, and potential pitfalls are discussed to encourage early integration of sterility regulatory considerations in material designs.

Hybrid membranes assembled from biological lipids and synthetic polymers are a promising scaffold for the reconstitution and utilization of membrane proteins. Recent observations indicate that inclusion of small fractions of polymer in lipid membranes can improve protein folding and function, but the exact structural and physical changes a given polymer sequence imparts on a membrane often remain unclear. Here, we use all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to study the structure of hybrid membranes assembled from DOPC phospholipids and PEO

Emerging sutureless wound-closure techniques have led to paradigm shifts in wound management. State-of-the-art biomaterials offer biocompatible and biodegradable platforms enabling high cohesion (toughness) and adhesion for rapid bleeding control as well as robust attachment of implantable devices. Tough bioadhesion stems from the synergistic contributions of cohesive and adhesive interactions. This Review provides a biomacromolecular design roadmap for the development of tough adhesive surgical sealants. We discuss a library of materials and methods to introduce toughness and adhesion to biomaterials. Intrinsically tough and elastic polymers are leveraged primarily by introducing strong but dynamic inter- and intramolecular interactions either through polymer chain design or using crosslink regulating additives. In addition, many efforts have been made to promote underwater adhesion

Local drug delivery facilitiates higher concentrations of drug molecules at or near the treatment site to enhance treatment efficiency and reduce drug toxicity and other systemic side effects. However, local drug delivery systems face challenges in terms of encapsulation, delivery, and controlled release of therapeutics.We provide an overview of naturally derived biopolymer-based drug delivery systems for localized, sustained, and on-demand treatment. We introduce the advantages and limitations of these systems for drug encapsulation, delivery, and local release, as well as recent applications.Naturally derived biopolymers like cellulose, silk fibroin, chitosan, alginate, hyaluronic acid, and gelatin are good candidates for localized drug delivery because they are readily chemically modified, biocompatible, biodegradable (with the generation of metabolically compatible degradation products), and can be processed in aqueous and ambient environments to maintain the bioactivity of various therapeutics. The tradeoff between the effective treatment dosage and the response by local healthy tissue should be balanced during the design of these delivery systems. Future directions will be focused on strategies to design tunable and controlled biodegradation rates, as well as to explore commercial utility in substituting biopolymer-based systems for currently utilized synthetic polymers for implants for drug delivery.

In recent decades, one can observe a great increase in the replacement of traditional materials with polymer composites in high-strength and lightweight applications. High fuel consumption by automobile and aerospace vehicles built from legacy alloys has been a great challenge to material engineers. This has called for researches into lighter material development of the same or even superior mechanical properties to the existing materials in this area of applications. In the present study, epoxy based simple and hybrid composites were prepared with the incorporation of industrial waste as fillers at different weight percentages. Effect of filler type, combination and its concentration on mechanical properties such as tensile, impact and flexural strength were investigated. SEM analysis was carried out for fractured surfaces of composites, wherein minor voids, crack initiations and filler pullouts were seen indicating the necessity of coupling agent addition for still better performance. Among hybrid composites, epoxy/fly ash/red mud/aluminium powder (91/6/1.5/1.5 wt%) has showed the highest ultimate tensile modulus, flexural strength and hardness value compared to other composites under study.

International audience; The molecular simulation of interfacial systems is a matter of debate because of the choice of many input parameters that can affect significantly the performance of the force field of reproducing the surface tension and the coexisting densities. After developing a robust methodology for the calculation of the surface tension on a Lennard-Jones fluid, we apply it with different force fields to calculate the density and surface tension of pure constituents of epoxy resins. By using the model that best reproduces the experimental density and surface tension, we investigate the impact of composition in mass fraction on uncured epoxy resins and the effects of degree of cross-linking on cured resins.

International audience; Assembling polymer electrolytes (PEs) with lithium metal anodes is a promising strategy to address safety and specific capacity concerns. Molecular design on conductive polymer matrices avoids inherent high crystallinity, poor ion transport, and combustion drawbacks by adjusting the chain structure and functional groups. However, conventional structural modulation methods are difficult to conduct via in situ polymerization and cell assembly, thus hampering the further performance enhancement of PEs in lithium batteries. Herein, we report a simple aza-Michael addition method induced by lithium salts for designing and fabricating high-performance PEs. This method fulfills the in situ structure modulation of polyether-based PEs without any introduction of non-electrolytic components. The obtained polyether electrolytes exhibit a more amorphous cross-linked structure, leading to a favorable medium for ion migration and excellent flexibility. In addition, the introduction of C–N bonds imparts excellent non-flammability to the material as well as the ability to interact with sulfolane. Hence, the in situ-constructed gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) is characterized by a high ionic conductivity (1.76 × 10–4 S cm–1 at 30 °C) and excellent interface stability with the electrodes. The assembled Li/LiFePO4 (LFP) battery based on this newly designed GPE exhibits a high initial specific discharge capacity and a good rate performance (112.7 mAh g–1 at 5 C). Long-term stability was also demonstrated, with a capacity retention of 86.8% after 500 cycles at 0.5 C.

Beyond the common supramolecular helical polymers in solutions, controlling single-crystal helical self-assembly with precisely defined chirality and architectures has been challenging. Here, we report that simply merging static homochiral amino acids with dynamic chiral disulfides can produce a class of building blocks featuring supramolecular helical single-crystal self-assembly with unusual stereodivergency. Analysis of 20 single-crystal structures of 1,2-dithiolanes gives an atom-precision understanding of the chirality transfer from the molecular to supramolecular level, featuring homochiral and heterochiral helical supramolecular self-assembly in the solid state. The underlying structure-assembly relationship reveals that the synergistic interplay of intermolecular H-bonds and the 1,2-dithiolane ring with adaptive chirality plays a key role in determining the assembly pathway, also involving the effects of residue groups, substituents, molecular stacking, and solvents. The confinement effect in the solid state can stabilize the dynamic stereochemistry of disulfide bonds and selectively result in specific conformers that can minimize the energy of global supramolecular systems. We envision that these results represent a starting point to use dynamic chiral disulfide as a functional entity in supramolecular chemistry and may inspire a new class of supramolecular helical polymers with dynamic functions.

Plastics are one of the most widely used materials on the planet, owing to their usefulness, durability, and relatively low cost. Yet, making, using, and disposing of plastics create important environmental impacts, most notably greenhouse gas emissions and waste pollution. Reducing these impacts while still enjoying the benefits of plastic use requires an integrated assessment of all of the life cycles of plastics. This has rarely been attempted due to the wide variety of polymers and the lack of knowledge on the final uses and applications of plastics. Using trade statistics for 464 product codes, we have mapped the flows of the 11 most widely used polymers from production into six end-use applications for the United Kingdom (UK) in 2017. With a dynamic material flow analysis, we have anticipated demand and waste generation until 2050. We found that the demand for plastics seems to have saturated in the UK, with an annual demand of 6 Mt, responsible for approximately 26 Mt CO2e/a. Owing to a limited recycling capacity in the UK, only 12% of UK plastic waste is recycled domestically, leading to 21% of the waste being exported, labeled as recycling, but mostly to countries with poor practices of waste management. Increasing recycling capacity in the UK could both reduce GHG emissions and prevent waste pollution. This intervention should be complemented with improved practices in the production of primary plastics, which currently accounts for 80% of UK plastic emissions.

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, of polymer-based materials is growing as a time-efficient, economical, and environmentally sustainable technique for prototype development in load-bearing applications. This work investigates the defects arising from the processing in material extrusion-based AM of polymers and their impact on the part performance. The influence of raster angle orientation and printing speed on tribological characteristics, microstructure, and surface finish of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) fabricated in a heated build chamber was studied. Comprehensive analysis with fractography and tomography revealed the formation, distribution, and locations of internal voids, while surface defects were studied with the topography analysis of as-printed surfaces. Surface roughness and tribological results show that printing speed can be optimally increased with a minimal impact on interlayer bonding and part performance. Increased printing speed allowed up to 58% effective reduction in printing time obtaining comparable mechanical properties at varying process parameters. 3D printed ABS exhibited dry sliding friction coefficients in the range of 0.18–0.23, whilst the maximum specific wear rate was 6.2 × 10−5 mm3/Nm. Higher surface roughness and increased printing speed exhibited delayed running-in during dry sliding, while insignificant influence was observed for steady-state friction and wear behaviors. The findings indicate that improved surface finish and reduced internal defects can be achieved with a controlled build environment allowing for higher printing speed. The observations in this study are evidence that 3D printing can be adapted for the sustainable manufacturing of polymeric components for tribological applications. Validerad;2023;Nivå 2;2023-03-21 (joosat);Licens fulltext: CC BY License

Materials and colloids science can provide significant contributions to the conservation of Cultural Heritage. Hybrid systems made of a castor oil-derived polymeric network and a disperse phase of zinc oxide particles (ZnO/COPs) can be more effective absorbers of acetic acid (AcOH, a major pollutant harmful to artifacts in museums and art collections) than state-of-the-art materials, provided the acid uptake mechanism by the hybrids is elucidated and optimized. The starting hypothesis was that the polymer matrix might act as transporter, while acid adsorption would take place at the ZnO particles surface. The effect of particles size was expected to play a significant role.The adsorption kinetics of the hybrids were studied in the 23-45˚C range, in comparison with activated charcoal, the benchmark employed by conservators. Morphological and fractal dimension of ZnO micro- and nano-particles in the hybrid networks were investigated and correlated to the adsorption kinetics.The presence of a two-steps mechanism for AcOH uptake by the hybrids was demonstrated for the first time: a combination of Fickian diffusion and Case-II transport occurs in the COP matrix, and adsorption dominates acid uptake (followed by neutralization) at the particles surface. This mechanism is likely key to explain the enhanced performances of the hybrids vs activated charcoal and state-of-the-art tools to remove AcOH. The hybrids have high uptake capacity, and lower activation energies for the removal process than materials where the uptake of acid relies solely on adsorption. The size of the ZnO particles contributes to the process, i.e. nanoparticles form smaller and ramified fractal clusters that are able to adsorb AcOH more effectively than microparticles. These insights demonstrated the efficacy of the novel hybrids in art conservation, where the control of minimal concentrations of VOCs is crucial for the preventive conservation of masterpieces, and can be useful to other fields where efficient capture of acetic acid is critical (food industry, textile dyeing/printing, etc.).

Bioadhesives derived from biomass are steadily gaining spotlight as substitutes for formaldehyde-based resins in the adhesive industry. However, there is a need to develop novel water-resistant bioadhesives with high adhesive and cohesive strengths because the currently available biomaterial-based adhesives have low mechanical strength. In this study, a complex coacervate was prepared easily by mixing silk fibroin and tannic acid to produce a bioadhesive with high adhesive and cohesive strengths as well as water resistance. The silk fibroin-tannic acid coacervate adhered well to various substrates, and its adhesive strength according to the type of substrate and water contact angle were evaluated comparatively. In particular, the adhesive strength of this adhesive on a wood substrate was systematically analyzed by varying different experimental parameters (relative humidity, surface roughness of the substrate, water stability, and pH). This cost-effective coacervate is applicable as an eco-friendly wood adhesive.

The high surface tension of liquid metal (LM) causes interface incompatibility and poor bonding strength with many substrates. Fine adjustment towards the properties of the surface area is sufficient to introduce strong bonding. Hence, we hypothesize that the interlocking structure using hydrophilic polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a "bridge" should be helpful for tight interfacial bonding of LM with polymeric substrates, thus achieving high-performance LM/polymer membranes, which have wide applications in the field of soft sensors and robotics.The bulk EGaIn was fabricated into LM nanoparticles (LMNPs@PVA) solution. Then, PVA molecules were "doped" into the surface crosslink of the plasma treated polymer substrate by an interfacial penetrating method. Afterward, the solution was evenly dropped on the surface of the treated substrate to obtain the LMNP/polymer membrane after the water evaporated. Photothermal actuators were fabricated based on the membranes.During the interlocking structure, PVA macromolecules could be doped and trapped onto the top surfaces of various polymer substrates as binding "bridges" between the LMNPs and the matrix materials. The achieved LMNP membrane exhibites satisfactory bonding strength, durability and water-assisted erase-reprint, which can be used as soft photothermal actuators with remote laser control.

Random heteropolymers (RHPs) have been computationally designed and experimentally shown to recapitulate protein-like phase behavior and function. However, unlike proteins, RHP sequences are only statistically defined and cannot be sequenced. Recent developments in reversible-deactivation radical polymerization allowed simulated polymer sequences based on the well-established Mayo-Lewis equation to more accurately reflect ground-truth sequences that are experimentally synthesized. This led to opportunities to perform bioinformatics-inspired analysis on simulated sequences to guide the design, synthesis, and interpretation of RHPs. We compared batches on the order of 10000 simulated RHP sequences that vary by synthetically controllable and measurable RHP characteristics such as chemical heterogeneity and average degree of polymerization. Our analysis spans across 3 levels: segments along a single chain, sequences within a batch, and batch-averaged statistics. We discuss simulator fidelity and highlight the importance of robust segment definition. Examples are presented that demonstrate the use of simulated sequence analysis for in-silico iterative design to mimic protein hydrophobic/hydrophilic segment distributions in RHPs and compare RHP and protein sequence segments to explain experimental results of RHPs that mimic protein function. To facilitate the community use of this workflow, the simulator and analysis modules have been made available through an open source toolkit, the RHPapp.

Herein, we report the crystal structure and guest binding properties of a new two-dimensional (2D) square lattice (sql) topology coordination network, sql-(azpy)(pdia)-Ni, which is comprised of two linker ligands with diazene (azo) moieties, (E)-1,2-di(pyridin-4-yl)diazene(azpy) and (E)-5-(phenyldiazenyl)isophthallate(pdia). sql-(azpy)(pdia)-Ni underwent guest-induced switching between a closed (nonporous) β phase and several open (porous) α phases, but unlike the clay-like layer expansion to distinct phases previously reported in switching sql networks, a continuum of phases was formed. In effect, sql-(azpy)(pdia)-Ni exhibited elastic-like properties induced by adaptive guest binding. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) studies of the α phases revealed that the structural transformations were enabled by the pendant phenyldiazenyl moiety on the pdia2– ligand. This moiety functioned as a type of hinge to enable parallel slippage of layers and interlayer expansion for the following guests: N,N-dimethylformamide, water, dichloromethane, para-xylene, and ethylbenzene. The slippage angle (interplanar distances) ranged from 54.133° (4.442 Å) in the β phase to 69.497° (5.492 Å) in the ethylbenzene-included phase. Insight into the accompanying phase transformations was also gained from variable temperature powder XRD studies. Dynamic water vapor sorption studies revealed a stepped isotherm with little hysteresis that was reversible for at least 100 cycles. The isotherm step occurred at ca. 50% relative humidity (RH), the optimal RH value for humidity control.

Selective laser sintering (SLS) with polymers is currently at the transition to the production of functional components and thus holds great potential to revolutionize conventional production processes. Nevertheless, the application capability is confronted by newly defined requirements regarding reliability and reproducibility. In order to fulfil the requirements and to increase the process stability, the ageing mechanisms in polymers are compensated by recycling strategies. This involves fraction-based mixing of a defined ratio of new powder with recycled powder. Basically, fraction-based mixing must be preceded by the selection of suitable mixing parameters. The work focused on the influence of the mixing process on the powder characteristics for cyclic reuse in SLS. With regard to the powder characteristics, the particle shape and particle size distribution as well as the bulk and tap density of the powder were investigated. The authors found an influence of the mixing process with increasing mixing time on the powder characteristics of a black polyamide 12 sintering material. A mixing time of 1 h and a mixing intensity of 15 rpm proved to be potentially effective for achieving a gentle and homogeneous mixing of the powders.

The surface created by machining significantly affects the service life and functional reliability of the component. As part of this study, four different chip machining technologies were evaluated on the surface texture of the polymer material Ertacetal C. The samples were processed by turning, milling, grinding and polishing technologies, 5 samples for each technology. Within the given technology, different cutting conditions were chosen to compare the effect of cutting conditions on the resulting surface roughness. The machined surfaces were comprehensively evaluated on the basis of 16 profile and surface roughness parameters due to the practical use of the tested material. Surface texture measurements were performed on a Talysurf CCI Lite device. A non-contact method using a coherence correlation interferometer was used for the measurement. The obtained data were evaluated using TalyMap Platinum software. Graphical documentation of the machined surfaces was made using an Olympus DSX500 optodigital metallographic microscope., Univerzita Tomáše Bati ve Zlíně, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Defence in Brno [SV20-216]; Project for the Development of the Organization "DZRO VAROPS"; Tomas Bata University in Zlin [VaV-IP-RO/2022/01]

The enthalpy and entropy of micellization in water, AHmic and ASmic, respectively, of three linear amphiphilic BAB block copolymers consisting of either poly(methyl acrylate) (Mn similar to 1200 and 700 Da) or poly(ethyl acrylate) (Mn similar to 800 Da) as hydrophobic (B) segments and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) as the hydrophilic (A, Mn similar to 3000 Da) segment were determined by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The AHmic and ASmic of the cyclic AB block copolymers obtained by cyclization of the linear triblock copolymers were determined under the same conditions. The AHmic value of the cyclic copolymers was smaller than that of their linear precursors. The ASmic value showed the same trend, but the relative difference between the cyclized and linear copolymers was less pronounced. The hydrodynamic diameter (Dh), critical micelle concentration (CMC), molecular weight (Mw-mic), and second virial coefficient (A2) of the micelles were determined. The Dh value of the cyclic copolymer micelles was smaller than the linear counterpart. On the other hand, the CMC value became larger, whereas the A2 value was comparable or increased by cyclization. Overall, the results suggest that, in the unimer state, the hydrophobic segments of the cyclized copolymers form a tightly coiled structure to minimize contact with water, resulting in the smaller AHmic value. Contrary to the linear copolymer micelles, the cyclic copolymer micelles have no "dangling chains", which may explain the topology-driven slight difference in the ASmic value.

Colloidosomes made of stimuli-responsive microgels offer the opportunity to design polymeric capsules with a hierarchical and tunable pore distribution. Coacervates stabilized by a microgel monolayer represent a unique strategy to build colloidosomes from all-aqueous emulsion drops, while exploiting the sequestration and dissolution properties of the coacervates.Methacrylated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) microgels are used to stabilize coacervates made of an ampholyte polymer at a pH close to its isoelectric point. They are further cross-linked under UV-irradiation. The resulting assemblies are studied by means of confocal microscopy. Their permeability towards dextrans and nanoparticles is studied before and after dissolution of the coacervate.PNIPAM microgels are found to stabilize the coacervates by adsorbing at their surface. Inter cross-linking the microgels results in the formation of an elastic colloidosome that persists after the coacervate dissolution and withstands surface deformations up to about 200%. The coacervate is exploited as a sequestrating core to entrap a water-soluble payload, which can be further released upon coacervate dissolution, while the membrane exhibits a size-selecting permeability. The membrane properties can also be switched by the volume phase transition of the microgels. Coacervate-embedded colloidosomes open new perspectives in the area of encapsulation/extraction and controlled transport of water-soluble/dispersed species.

Through matrix crystallization, an amorphous solid may transform directly into its more stable crystalline state, reducing the driving force for dissolution. Herein, the mechanism of matrix crystallization in an amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) was probed. ASDs of bicalutamide/copovidone were prepared by solvent evaporation and hot melt extrusion, and sized by mortar and pestle or cryomilling techniques, modulating the level of mechanical activation experienced by the sample. Drug loading (DL) of the binary ASD was varied from 5-50%, and ternary systems were formulated at 30% DL with two surfactants (sodium dodecyl sulfate, Vitamin E TPGS). Imaging of partially dissolved or crystallized compacts by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and confocal fluorescence microscopy was performed to investigate pathways of hydration, phase separation, and crystallization. Monitoring drug and polymer release of ASD powder under non-sink conditions provided insight into supersaturation and desupersaturation profiles. Systems at the greatest risk of matrix crystallization had high DLs, underwent mechanical activation, and/or contained surfactant. Systems having greatest resistance to matrix crystallization had rapid and congruent drug and polymer release. This study has implications for formulation and process design of ASDs and risk assessment of matrix crystallization.

As a kind of bio-based polymer, poly (lactic acid) has potential application in fibers fields. Due to the weak nucleation ability, PLA crystallizes slowly and forms large spherulites during the forming process, which deteriorates the properties of PLA fibers. In this work, melt-spun method is employed for the fabrication of PLA/T composite fibers using succinate diphenyl dihydrazide (TMC-306) as the nucleating agent, and then the hot-drawing and heat setting is performed to the as-spun fibers. Compared with pure PLA fibers, PLA/T fibers show faster crystallization rate and improved performance due to the synergistic effect of heterogeneous nucleation and stress-induced crystallization. The characterization of non-isothermal crystallization behavior indicates that the peak crystallization temperature as well as crystallinity of PLA composites is increased to 121.5 °C and 36.78 % respectively by blending 0.3 wt% TMC-306. Meanwhile, the obtained PLA/0.3T composite fibers are highly crystallized and oriented at hot-drawing ratio of 2.4 folds and heat setting temperature of 100 °C, and the conformational stability is noticeably enhanced. Further, the tensile strength and storage modulus of PLA/0.3T composite fiber are 3.46 cN/dtex and 46,953 MPa respectively, which are increased by 42 % and 41 % compared with neat PLA fibers.

Infections caused by biofouling have become a serious concern in the health care sector. Multifunctional coatings with antifouling and antibacterial properties are widely used to combat these biofouling related infections. However, in practice macro or micro scratches or damages can happen to the coating, which can act as an active site for microbial deposition and destroy the antifouling or antibacterial functionality of the coating. Considering this fact, we have developed an excellent biocompatible and multifunctional coating with antifouling, antibacterial and self-healing properties. In this study, prebiotic chemistry inspired self-polymerization of aminomalononitrile (AMN) was used as a primary coating layer, which acted as a primer to graft vitamin B5 analogous methacrylamide polymer poly(B5AMA) and zwitterionic compound 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) containing polymer poly (MPC

Biofilms, ubiquitous in nature, are three-dimensional complex microbial communities sheathed in a self-secreted extracellular polymeric matrix. Infections caused by these communities have sprouted as serious threats to global healthcare systems due to their intrinsic tolerance toward conventional antibiotics. There is a huge demand for alternative "cutting-edge" materials featuring strong antibiofilm abilities to mitigate and/or exterminate pre-matured biofilms. Natural or synthetic macromolecule-based compounds have evolved as one of the most sought-after materials because of their unique stimulus-directed selective targeting efficiency to the bacterial cell, antibiotic-encapsulation ability endowing them with a synergistic effect, and highly dense embedded cationic functionalities that promote accumulation within the biofilm. In this comprehensive review, we aim to highlight the progress made in inhibiting or eradicating bacterial biofilms using various forms of polymeric material including cationic and charge-switchable macromolecules, conjugated polymers, polymeric metal nanocomposites, hydrogels, and supramolecular polymers. We particularly emphasize understanding the underlying antibiofilm mechanisms of each presented example ushered in by state-of-the-art synthetic strategies. Lastly, focusing on bench-to-bedside, the review is concluded by providing some forthcoming aspects and possible future development directions to expand polymer-based antibiofilm research, keeping their clinical translations in mind.

Multifunctional endoglucanase, RfGH5_4 from Ruminococcus flavefaciens showed (β/α)

Hexavalent chromium (VI) heavy metal contamination is considered a serious threat to human health and the environment. The photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) basically occurs in the acidic environment, severely limiting the application of photocatalysts for the reduction of Cr(VI). Therefore, we designed a microenvironment strategy to achieve efficient reduction of Cr (VI) under neutral conditions by introducing sulfonic acid onto the aromatic conjugated skeleton. A series of characterizations and experiments have shown that the sulfonated aromatic ring conjugated polymer (Arcp-SO

Producing a desirable adsorbent with strong affinity adsorption sites, excellent selectivity properties, and the ability to easily separate solid from liquid for the removal of phenol to a permissible level remains a great challenge in wastewater treatment. Herein, an N-doped magnetic carbon skeleton is presented as a porous adsorbent matrix. Importantly, the pore volume and specific surface area of the adsorbent matrix can be meticulously tuned by adjusting the thermal treatment condition, while dispersing and immobilizing the N fraction. This would ultimately result in an N-rich matrix structure with flexible mass transfer channel. The imprinted modification generates a large number of phenol-shaped geometrical cavities on the matrix. This helps to activate the phenol recognition "awareness" of N-active sites and greatly endows the adsorbent with selective adsorption property. Due to the advantageous balance between the hierarchical porous adsorbent matrix with uniformly distributed N-active sites and the imprinted polymer, the adsorbent has a superior adsorption capacity of 995.2 mg g

Microparticles can function as carriers of e.g. pharmaceuticals and food ingredients. Hollow microparticles can enhance the capacitance due to their large interior void. For preparing microparticles, polymers have been assembled into spherical structures through the use of porous CaCO3 templates, followed by polymer cross-linking and selective template removal. However, this often results in the formation of microparticles with a solid core. Here we use proteins with different aggregate size distributions (100 nm) to either form solid or hollow microparticles. Proteins were mixed with CaCl2 and Na2CO3 solutions, which from CaCO3 microcrystals (with 20–60 nm pores) with encapsulated proteins. Here it will be shown that small protein aggregates uniformly distributed into the CaCO3 templates. However, larger protein aggregates accumulated at the template edges. Au3+ ions were then added, which oxidize and cross-link proteins and are reduced to form gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). After removal of the templates, the small proteins formed solid microparticles and the larger protein aggregates hollow microparticles. This method of fabrication of solid and hollow protein microparticles, with embedded AuNPs, could be used for generating biomaterials with a broader range of applications, such as hosting molecules and multimodal imaging due to the presence of the AuNPs.

Fabrication of ultra-strong, ultra-tough, sustainable, and degradable bio-based composites is urgently needed but remains challenging. Here, a biomimetic sustainable, degradable, and multi-stimuli responsive cellulose/PCL/Fe

Cassava starch is one of the most available and cost-effective biopolymers. This work aimed to apply a bibliometric methodology to identify the most impactful scientific data on cassava starch and its residues for food packaging in the last ten years. As a result, an increasing interest in this subject has been observed, mainly in the past five years. Among the 85 selected scientific publications, Brazil and China have been leading the research on starch-based films, accounting for 39 % of the total. The International Journal of Biological Macromolecules was the main scientific source of information. Besides cassava starch, 41.18 % of these studies added other biopolymers, 5.88 % added synthetic polymers, and 4.71 % added a combination of both. Studies analyzed suggested that different modifications in starch can improve films' mechanical and barrier properties. In addition, 52.94 % of articles evaluated the film's bioactivity. Still, only 37.65 % assessed the performance of those films as food packaging, suggesting that more studies should be conducted on assessing the potential of these alternative packages. Future research should consider scale-up methods for film production, including cost analysis, assessment life cycle, and the impact on the safety and quality of a broader range of foods.

A well-defined discoidal bicelle composed of three lipids, specifically zwitterionic long-chain 1,2‑dipalmitoyl phosphocholine (DPPC) and short-chain 1,2‑dihexanoyl phosphocholine (DHPC) doped with anionic 1,2‑dipalmitoyl phosphoglycerol (DPPG) provides a generalized template for the synthesis of hydrophobic polymer nano-rings. The lipid molar ratio of DPPC/DHPC/DPPG is 0.71/0.25/0.04. The detailed investigation and discussion were based on styrene but tested on three other vinyl monomers.The structure of nano-rings is identified through the detailed analysis of small angle X-ray/neutron scattering (SAXS and SANS) data and transmission electron micrographs (TEM), supported by the differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) data before and after polymerization. The investigation covers samples with a styrene-to-lipid ratio ranged varied from 1:50 to 1:10.The styrene monomers are initially located at both the discoidal planar (long-chain lipid rich) and rim (short-chain lipid rich) regions. During polymerization, they migrate to the more fluid rim regionsection. The formation mechanism involves the interplay of hydrophobic interaction, mismatched miscibility of polystyrene between the ordered and disordered phases, and crystallinity of the long lipid acyl chains. This facile synthesis is proven applicable for several hydrophobic monomers. The well-defined nano-rings greatly enhance the interfacial area and have the potential to be the building blocks for functional materials, if monomers are incorporated with desirable functions, for future applications.

Photoluminescent polymer nanoparticles based on organic compounds are a new category of advanced materials with potential applications in various fields such as chemosensors, optical devices, drug-delivery systems, anticounterfeiting inks and bioimaging. Herein, amide functionalized copolymer nanoparticles with a particle size in the range of 42-139 nm were synthesized by emulsion copolymerization of methylmathacrylate (MMA) and methacrylamide (MAAm) with different concentrations in the range of 0-20 wt%. Afterward, the photoluminescent copolymer nanoparticles (PLCNPs) were prepared by physical modification of amide functionalized copolymer nanoparticles with 5 wt% of oxazolidine derivative (OXOH). Investigation of optical properties include of photoluminescence and UV-vis spectra displayed significant dependency of emission and absorbance bands to the local polarity or the concentration of the amide groups on the surface of the nanoparticles. Study of Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) colorimetric diagrams for PLCNPs samples confirmed the results of photoluminescence and UV-vis spectra, which a logical shift in color of the photoluminescence emission was observed by an increase in the concentration of the amide groups. The PLCNPs samples have remarkable stability (in physical and optical properties) when applied on polar substrates such as polymer sheet and cellulose paper. Therefore, the PLCNPs samples were used for development of eco-friendly water based anticounterfeiting inks, photoluminescence organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), and also the photodetection of scratches in a fast and facile manner. The printed security tags and hand-written phrases on cellulosic papers have orange fluorescent emission with maximum intensity because nanoscale size of particles, which reduced the light scattering and increased the accessible concentration of OXOH for light absorption. A coating of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/PLCNPs solution onto a blue LED (365 nm) was led to a change in the color of emission from blue to purple, because of the excitation of OXOH molecules at 365 nm with the subsequent emission of purple light. The photodetection of created scratch on polycarbonate sheet was carried out by spray of PLCNPs solution on sheet and then illumination with UV irradiation (365 nm). Developed water based PLCNPs samples have interesting optical properties, high stability on different surfaces and nanoscale particle size which are applicable in multiple applications such as eco-friendly photoluminescent inks for anticounterfeiting technologies, photoluminescence OLEDs, and also optical detector for monitoring of scratches on different substrates.

Electroconductive biomaterials have been emerged to support the recovery of the degenerated electrically conductive tissues, especially the cardiac ones after myocardial infarction. This work describes the development of electroconductive scaffolds for cardiac tissue regeneration by using a biocompatible and conductive polymer - i.e. poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) - combined with a biomimetic polymer network of gelatin. Our approach involves the use of dehydrothermal (DHT) treatment in vacuum conditions to fabricate suitably stable scaffolds without using any additional crosslinking agent. The resulting scaffolds mimic the Young modulus - an essential mechanical performance - of native cardiac tissue and are endowed with a well-interconnected porosity coupled with a good swelling ability and stability in physiological conditions. Additionally, the presence of PEDOT:PSS is able to enhance the electroconductivity of resulting materials. All the scaffolds are non-cytotoxic towards H9C2 cardiomyoblasts and the presence of PEDOT:PSS enhances cell adhesion - especially at early timeframes, an essential condition for a successful outcome after the implantation - proliferation, and spreading on scaffolds. Considering the permissive interaction of scaffolds with cardiomyoblasts, the present biomimetic and electroconductive scaffolds display potential applications as implantable biomaterials for regeneration of electroconductive tissues, especially cardiac tissue, and as a promising 3D tissue model for in vitro biomolecules screening.

The oral route is one of the most important routes for local and systemic drug delivery, as it has a large surface, high permeability, and rich blood supply. Mouth dissolving films, are now becoming more popular than fast-dissolving tablets. The films are designed to disintegrate quickly when they come into touch with a surface that contains water, such the tongue. This allows the consumer to consume the product without the use of water. It can boost patient compliance and provide you a marketing advantage. The polymer used in mouth dissolving films is crucial to their quick dissolution and disintegration. The polymer must be non-toxic, non-irritating, flavorless, and simple to use. Natural and synthetic polymers are the two types of polymers that are employed. Natural polymers used in formulation of film include chitosan, gaur gum, xanthan gum, soy polysaccharide, gellan gum, locust bean gum, maltodextrin, and rosin. Hydroxypropyl cellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Polyethylene Oxide, and Polyvinyl Alcohol are synthetic polymers that are frequently used to make films. The current overview gives a description of the numerous polymers that are utilized to make films that dissolve in the mouth.

Folding a polymer chain into a well-defined single-chain polymeric nanoparticle (SCPN) is a fascinating approach to obtaining structured and functional nanoparticles. Like all polymeric materials, SCPNs are heterogeneous in their nature due to the polydispersity of their synthesis: the stochastic synthesis of polymer backbone length and stochastic functionalization with hydrophobic and hydrophilic pendant groups make structural diversity inevitable. Therefore, in a single batch of SCPNs, nanoparticles with different physicochemical properties are present, posing a great challenge to their characterization at a single-particle level. The development of techniques that can elucidate differences between SCPNs at a single-particle level is imperative to capture their potential applications in different fields such as catalysis and drug delivery. Here, a Nile Red based spectral point accumulation for imaging in nanoscale topography (NR-sPAINT) super-resolution fluorescence technique was implemented for the study of SCPNs at a single-particle level. This innovative method allowed us to (i) map the small-molecule binding rates on individual SCPNs and (ii) map the polarity of individual SCPNs for the first time. The SCPN designs used here have the same polymeric backbone but differ in the number of hydrophobic groups. The experimental results show notable interparticle differences in the binding rates within the same polymer design. Moreover, a marked polarity shift between the different designs is observed. Interestingly, interparticle polarity heterogeneity was unveiled, as well as an intraparticle diversity, information which has thus far remained hidden by ensemble techniques. The results indicate that the addition of hydrophobic pendant groups is vital to determine binding properties and induces single-particle polarity diversity. Overall, NR-sPAINT represents a powerful approach to quantifying the single-particle polarity of SCPNs and paves the way to relate the structural heterogeneity to functionality at the single-particle level. This provides an important step toward the aim of rationally designing SCPNs for the desired application.

This study aims to assess the delamination effect and predict the evolution of damage in 3D printed specimens to investigate the mechanical behavior occurring due to the delamination of the layers of 3D printed thermoplastic polymers. Thus, additively manufactured ABS samples are subjected to tensile tests Made for different thicknesses of specimens by subtracting layer by layer. The mechanical behavior of the layers and the adherence between the layers are studied in this paper. The deposition of the layers is modeled as a laminated material. The delamination effect on the resistance of printed material is evaluated experimentally by comparing the mechanical characteristics of homogenously printed specimens, and laminated layers gathered together. Thus, the global resistance is reduced significantly due to the lack of adherence. Besides, crack growth, and critical intensity factor investigation are based on damage and rupture mechanics theories. Furthermore, the results allowed us to evaluate the energy behavior of the 3D printed material subjected to static loads and subsequently predict the evolution of the damage and find out the impact of layers' delamination. Indeed, we determined three stages of damage along with the critical life fraction leading to the failure of the specimen.

In this work, a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) multiparameter sensor for simultaneous determination of refractive index and temperature was manufactured through a novel and low-cost approach. Monitoring these parameters is useful when biosensors are developed by exploiting SPR phenomena. A polymer planar optical structure was realized via inkjet 3D printing, by using photo-curable resins having tailored refractive index for device’s core and cladding, respectively. The multiparameter sensor was fully designed, manufactured, and experimentally tested to check the numerical analyses run on a preliminary phase. In such a way, a temperature resolution equal to about 0.5°C and a refractive index resolution equal to about 2 × 10−4 RIU (refractive index unit) were obtained. Next, even a quality control analysis of the 3D printed surface was carried out by following a novel approach that relies on the profile monitoring technique, with the aim to evaluate the suitability of the design and the geometric accuracy control. In addition, thanks to the cost analysis performed through a properly model, it was proved that the multiparameter sensor designed, manufactured, and tested satisfies the low-cost requirements, being the estimated cost ~ 23 €, which is an absolutely competitive cost if compared with other traditional sensors. In the end, even the performance of the sensor in terms of bulk sensitivity (equal to about 900nm/RIU) resulted to be higher than similar devices already presented in the state-of-the-art, thus proving the validity of the developed SPR multiparameter sensor both in economic and performance terms. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

The development of effective anticancer drugs is essential for chemotherapy that specifically targets cancer tissues. We recently synthesized a multifunctional water-soluble anticancer polymer drug consisting of styrene-maleic acid copolymer (SMA) conjugated with glucosamine and boric acid (BA) (SGB complex). It demonstrated about 10 times higher tumor-selective accumulation compared with accumulation in normal tissues because of the enhanced permeability and retention effect, and it inhibited tumor growth via glycolysis inhibition, mitochondrial damage, and thermal neutron irradiation. Gaining insight into the anticancer effects of this SGB complex requires a determination of its structure. We therefore investigated the chemical structure of the SGB complex by means of nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. To establish the chemical structure of the SGB complex, we synthesized a simple model compound─maleic acid-glucosamine (MAG) conjugate─by using a maleic anhydride (MA) monomer unit instead of the SMA polymer. We obtained two MAG-BA complexes (MAGB) with molecular weights of 325 and 343 after the MAG reaction with BA. We confirmed, by using IR spectroscopy, that MAGB formed a stable complex via an amide bond between MA and glucosamine and that BA bound to glucosamine via a diol bond. As a result of this chemical design, identified via analysis of MAGB, the SGB complex can release BA and demonstrate toxicity to cancer cells through inhibition of lactate secretion in mild hypoxia that mimics the tumor microenvironment. For clinical application of the SGB complex, we confirmed that this complex is stable in the presence of serum. These findings confirm that our design of the SGB complex has various advantages in targeting solid cancers and exerting therapeutic effects when combined with neutron irradiation.

Research on solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) is now moving beyond the realm of polyethers that have dominated the field for several decades. A promising alternative group of candidates for SPE host materials is carbonyl-containing polymers. In this work, SPE properties of three different types of carbonyl-coordinating polymers are compared: polycarbonates, polyesters, and polyketones. The investigated polymers were chosen to be as structurally similar as possible, with only the functional group being different, thereby giving direct insights into the role of the noncoordinating main-chain oxygens. As revealed by experimental measurements as well as molecular dynamics simulations, the polyketone possesses the lowest glass transition temperature, but the ion transport is limited by a high degree of crystallinity. The polycarbonate, on the other hand, displays a relatively low coordination strength but is instead limited by its low molecular flexibility. The polyester performs generally as an intermediate between the other two, which is reasonable when considering its structural relation to the alternatives. This work demonstrates that local changes in the coordinating environment of carbonyl-containing polymers can have a large effect on the overall ion conduction, thereby also showing that desired transport properties can be achieved by fine-tuning the polymer chemistry of carbonyl-containing systems.

A polymerization methodology is reported using sulfur monochloride (S

Common polymers can accumulate surface charges through contact, a phenomenon known since ancient times. This charge accumulation can have detrimental consequences in industry. It causes accidents and yields enormous economic losses. Many empirical methods have been developed to prevent the problems caused by charge accumulation. However, a general chemical approach is still missing in the literature since the charge accumulation and discharging mechanisms have not been completely clarified. The current practice to achieve charge mitigation is to increase materials conductivity by high doping of conductive additives. A recent study showed that using photoexcitation of some organic dyes, charge decay can be started remotely, and the minute amount of additive does not change the material's conductivity. Here, we show the contact charging and charge decay behavior of polydimethylsiloxane doped with a series of organic charge transfer cocrystals (CTC) of TCNQ acceptor and substituted pyrene donors (CTC-PDMS). The results show that the CTC-PDMS are antistatic, and the discharging propensity of the composites follows the calculated charge transfer degree of the complexes. On the other hand, the CTC-PDMS are still insulators, as shown by their high surface resistivities. Kelvin probe force microscopy images of the contact-charged and discharged samples show a quick potential decay in CTC domains upon illumination. Combined with the fast overall decay observed, the antistatic behavior in these insulators can be attributed to an electron transfer between the mechanoions in the polymer and the CTC frontier orbitals. We believe our results will help with the general understanding of the molecular mechanism of contact charging and discharging and help develop insulator antistatics.

Polymer blend compatibilization is an attractive solution for mechanical recycling of mixed plastic waste because it can result in tough blends. In this work, hydroxy-telechelic polyethylene (HOPEOH) reactive additives were used to compatibilize blends of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). HOPEOH additives were synthesized with molar masses of 1-20 kg/mol by ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cyclooctene followed by catalytic hydrogenation. Melt-compounded blends containing 0.5 wt % HOPEOH displayed reduced dispersed phase LLDPE particle sizes with ductilities comparable to virgin PET and almost seven times greater than neat blends, regardless of additive molar mass. In contrast, analogous blends containing monohydroxy PE additives of comparable molar masses did not result in compatibilization even at 2 wt % loading. The results strongly suggest that both hydroxy ends of HOPEOH undergo transesterification reactions during melt mixing with PET to form predominantly PET-PE-PET triblock copolymers at the interface of the dispersed and matrix phases. We hypothesize that the triblock copolymer compatibilizers localized at the interface form trapped entanglements of the PE midblocks with nearby LLDPE homopolymer chains by a hook-and-clasp mechanism. Finally, HOPEOH compounds were able to efficiently compatibilize blends derived solely from postconsumer PET and PE bottles and film, suggesting their industrial applicability.

Control of polymer molecular weight is critical for tailoring structure-function properties; however, traditional molecular weight characterization techniques have limited ability to determine the molecular weight of polymers in real time without sample removal from the reaction mixture, with spatial resolution, and of insoluble polymers. In this work, a fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) method was developed that overcomes these limitations. The method is demonstrated with polynorbornene and polydicyclopentadiene, polymers derived from ruthenium-catalyzed ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). The polymer

This study investigated the atmospheric deposition of microplastics (MPs) in Auckland, New Zealand, from two sampling sites over a 9-week period. The sizes, morphologies, number counts, and mass concentrations of specific polymers were determined for airborne MPs using a combination of a Nile Red-assisted automated fluorescence microscopy technique in series with pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Pyr-GC/MS). This enabled a larger number of MPs to be analyzed from each sample compared to traditional spectroscopic techniques. Microplastic number concentrations increased exponentially with decreasing size. The results show the importance of using consistent methodologies and size cutoffs when comparing microplastic data between studies. Eight polymers were quantified in the atmospheric deposition samples, with polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC), and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) being the most commonly observed. The largest MP deposition rates at an urban rooftop correlated with winds originating from the marine environment with speeds between 15 and 20 m s