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Existing devices detect main breathing data and none is aimed to monitor biomechanics of ventilation motions with small wearable device.The used device has been designed for noninvasive wearing to detect main motion parameters of a rib during ventilation in an experimental campaign with 218 subjects. Experimental activity is carried out by testing in vivo with human volunteers for an experimental characterization of ventilation motions as related to normal breathing, maximal breathing and coughing.Findings can be summarized from a numerical analysis of experimental results in terms of statistical values of ventilation motion parameters in rotation and acceleration as function of age and sex of the tested subjects. The discussed campaign reporting results on healthy patients was carried out with the aim to build a reference database of normal conditions against which the status of patients with both thoracic and ventilation problems can then be judged. Females showed significantly larger lateral-to-lateral movements during basal breathing and lateral-to-lateral Z-axis movements during maximal breathing and cough. Males demonstrated wider antero-posterior Y-axis and cranio-caudal X-axis movements during maximal breathing, while antero-posterior movements prevailed during cough. Older participants demonstrated larger lateral-to-lateral Z-axis and antero-posterior Y-axis movements during basal breathing. Young participants showed more significant increments along antero-posterior Y-axis from basal to maximal breathing and basal to cough, demonstrating a more efficient muscular activity.The ventilation motion during ventilation act is useful to detect the status of ventilation and can give indications for diagnostics and medical solutions even in thoracic surgery.

Hyper-cross-linked (HCL) styrene-based resins filled with graphite nanoplatelets (GNP) at two different GNP concentrations were synthesized by means of a facile and efficient modified Davankov procedure. Firstly, the synthesized samples were broadly characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTG), and their BET surface areas were also evaluated. Afterwards, capacitance performance of the synthesized electrode materials was investigated by cyclic voltammetry in a 0.5 M H2SO4 solution at different scan rates, also exploring the effects of GNPs concentration. The synthesized materials showed high specific capacitances (Csp) of 52.1 F/g and 60.4 F/g, values obtained with a concentration of the GNP fillers equal to 7.5 wt% and 10 %wt respectively. Moreover, the synthesized nanocomposites exhibited a high capacitance retention up to 97 % over 10000 cycles, thus confirming their excellent performances as robust EDLC electrode materials.

Here we report the performance in phenol heterogeneous catalytic wet air oxidation (CWAO) of polystyrene based hyper-cross-linked polymer (HCLP) synthesized with a new synthetic route. The resin loaded with nanoparticles of PtRu-alloy covered by MoS2 nanosheets, prepared according to a “wet chemical” approach, was tested as catalyst in an experimental plant at atmospheric pressure. The results of the Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) performed on the reaction solution after 5 h of reaction, evidenced the presence of acetic acid (retention time 14.17 min), which is one of the main biodegradable end products of phenol oxidation. At 19.95 min retention time is possible to evaluate the presence of non-reacted phenol. A phenol conversion up to 98 % was achieved. Keywords: Catalytic Wet Air Oxidation, Hyper-Cross-Linked Polymers, Phenol, Nanocomp

Microplastics have been recently identified as one of the most concerning new class of pollutants, extensively found in various environments. They have been defined as plastic fragments smaller than 5 mm, coming from several sources. The most unexpected source of microplastic pollution is certainly the washing processes of synthetic textiles, that was estimated as a major contributor to the emission of microplastics into global oceans. Due to the mechanical and chemical stresses that fabrics undergo during a washing process in a laundry machine, microfibres detach from the yarn and, through the wastewater, end up in the marine environment. Sampling of marine sediments showed that polyester, acrylic, polypropylene, and polyamide fibres contaminate shores on a global-scale. Their impact on marine flora and fauna is unpredictable and quite dangerous since they can adsorb organic pollutants and be ingested by marine organisms, potentially reaching the human food web. In this work, innovative surface treatments of synthetic fabrics were developed to mitigate the release of microplastics during their washing. The aim was to create a protective coating on the fabric surface, which can protect clothes during washing processes, then reducing the amount of microfibres released. Instead of using conventional synthetic textile auxiliaries, these treatments involve the usage of alternative polymers, selected for their biocompatibility and eco-sustainability. Two different strategies were explored to develop such surface treatments on polyamide 6.6. fabrics. The first one is based on the application of pectin, a natural polysaccharide, that was chemically modified by reaction with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), whose vinylic groups were exploited to graft pectin on the surface of the polyamide fabric.1 The second treatment is based on the application of an electrofluidodynamic (EFD) method to deposit on the fabric a countinuous layer made of biodegradable polymers from biosources - i.e., polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA).2,3 The treated fabrics underwent different analysis to evaluate the coating morphology and possible changes to fabric properties. Among the tecniques used there are scanning electron microscopy (SEM), attenuated total reflectance (ATR) Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Finally, washing tests were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the finishing treatments in mitigating the release of microplastics during the washing of fabric and the outcomes revealed that all treatments decreased of more than 80% the release of microfibres with respect to untreated fabrics.

The global textile production is mainly based on synthetic fibres like polyester, polyamide, polyacrylic and polypropylene. Recently, the washing process of synthetic clothes has been identified as a source of microplastics, plastic fragments smaller than 5 mm, that pollute marine ecosystems. In fact, the mechanical stresses and the friction of the detergent cause the detachment of microfibres from the yarns. In such scenario, the aim of this work is to develop functional finishing treatments that can protect the fabric during the washing, preventing in this way the release of microplastics. As alternative to synthetic polymers, pectin, a natural polysaccharide, was used to create a coating on polyamide fabrics. Pectin was chemically modified by the reaction with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), whose vinyl groups were used to graft pectin on the surface of the fabric. A key point was the realization of a homogeneous coating, that did not modify the hand of the textile. For this aim, different ratios of pectin:GMA were tested and the treated fabrics were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), solid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) Fourier Transform InfraRed (FT-IR) spectroscopy, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the finishing treatments.

Polymers of natural polyphenols have so far received little attention as bioavailable, biocompatible antioxidants for different applications e.g. in packaging and related technologies. Expected advantages with respect to the monomers would include lower volatility (with reduced adverse effects), greater chemical stability under processing conditions and lower tendency to be released from the polymer into the contact medium (food, water, etc.). Herein we report data on the synthesis, structural characterization and antioxidant properties of two novel bioinspired phenolic polymers prepared by horseradish/H2O2 oxidation of tyrosol (polyTYR) and caffeic acid methyl ester (polyCAME). The materials, obtained in 80-85% yields, were subjected to structural characterization by solid state CPMAS NMR, mass spectrometry and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). ESI(-)/MS and NMR analysis indicated that polyTYR was a mixture of regular oligomers up to the undecamer with heptamer as the most abundant, all featuring units linked through C-C bonds. GPC showed an average molecular weight of 1862 Da with a polydispersity index of 1.64. ESI(-)/MS of polyCAME showed oligomers up to at least the decamer stage, peaking at the tetramer. Analysis of the clusters of the pseudomolecular ion peaks and the presence of CH carbons due to O-substituted benzylic positions in NMR spectra suggested a structure including dihydrobenzofuran units. Both PolyTYR and polyCAME exhibited antioxidant properties in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) assays and proved to be efficient hydroxyl radical scavengers in a Fenton reaction assay. The potential of PolyCAME as stabilizer toward polyethylene (PE) thermal and photo-oxidative degradation was also evaluated. PolyCAME exhibited high stability toward decarboxylation and oxidative degradation during the thermal processes associated with PE film preparation. Characterization of PE films by thermal methods, photo-oxidative treatments combined with chemiluminescence and FTIR spectroscopy and mechanical tests indicated a significant effect of polyCAME on PE durability as shown for example by the increase of the Oxidative Induction Time (OIT).1The synthesized phenolic biopolymers are thus proposed as novel easily accessible, eco-friendly and biocompatible materials for a sustainable approach in packaging and other applications. 1) Ambrogi, V.; Panzella, L.; Persico, P.; Cerruti, P.; Lonz, C. A.; Carfagna, C.; Verotta, L.; Caneva, E.; Napolitano, A.; d'Ischia, M. Biomacromolecules 2014, 15, 302-310.

A study was carried out on the effect of a hybrid linear-hyperbranched poly(butylene adipate) copolymer on the properties of a commercial epoxy resin. First, the synthesis of the hyperbranched systems was optimized. These systems were obtained by reacting linear oligomers with 1,1,1-tris(hydroxymethyl)propane used as branching agent and varying the reaction times from 16 to 44 h. The synthesized samples were characterized through matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. Results showed that for reaction times of 30 h a highly branched system, namely 5HB30, was obtained. This system was chosen as toughening agent for a commercial high-performance epoxy resin. A kinetics analysis of epoxy/5HB30 blends indicated that the hyperbranched system had no accelerator or catalytic effect on the crosslinking reaction in the resin. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that 5HB30 acted as an excellent toughening agent, increasing significantly impact resistance up to 90% with respect to neat epoxy resin. The toughness behaviours of epoxy-based blends were explained by investigating the fracture surface after impact tests through scanning electron microscopy before and after solvent etching. It was observed that the globular-like hyperbranch-rich domains, dispersed throughout the continuous epoxy resin, were able to absorb the impact energy without affecting thermal stability.