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Due to its inherent properties and wide availability, cellulose acetate is an extremely competitive candidate for the production of polymeric membranes. However, for best results in particular applications, membrane modification is required in order to minimize unwanted interactions and introduce novel characteristics to the pristine polymer. In this study, the surface of commercial cellulose acetate membranes was functionalized with 4'-aminobenzo-15-crown-5 ether, using a covalent bonding approach. The main goal was the improvement of the membranes biomineralization ability, thus making them prospective materials for bone regeneration applications. The proposed reaction mechanism was confirmed by XPS and NMR analysis while the presence of the functionalization agents in the membranes structure was showed by ATR FT-IR and Raman spectra. The effects of the functionalization process on the morphology, thermal and mechanical properties of the membranes were studied by SEM, TGA and tensile tests. The obtained results revealed that the cellulose acetate membranes were successfully functionalized with crown ether and provided a good understanding of the interactions that took place between the polymer and the functionalization agents. Moreover, promising results were obtained during the Taguchi biomineralization studies. SEM images, EDX mapping and XRD spectra indicating that the CA-AB15C5 membranes have a superior Ca 2+ ions retention ability, this causing an accentuated calcium phosphate deposition on the modified polymeric fibers, compared to the neat CA membrane., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

A novel inclusion complex of the propiconazole nitrate (NO3PCZ) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was prepared by treatment of propiconazole (PCZ) with an acidic nitrating agent. The formation of NO3PCZ and its inclusion complex with β-CD has been studied by NMR, ESI-MS, TGA, DSC methods. Using the undecoupled signal in the HMBC correlation spectra, almost identical coupling constants of CH from trizolic ring of PCZ and NO3PCZ compounds ((1)J(HC)3=207 Hz, (1)J(CH)5=214 Hz, for PCZ; (1)J(HC)3=208 Hz and (1)J(CH)5=215 Hz, for NO3PCZ) were determined, confirming that the geometry of the heterocyclic skeleton is identical in both the forms. The 1:1 stoichiometry of the complex was determined by ESI-MS and was confirmed using Scott's equation in DMSO and Higuchi and Connors equation in water. The solubility curve obtained for NO3PCZ in presence of β-CD in distilled water was constructed, resulting in a solubility diagram of AL type. Solubility of NO3PCZ in water was determined by DLS studies. The results showed that NO3PCZ was encapsulated within the β-CD cavity with a binding constant of 330 M-1 in DMSO and 975 M-1 in water. Preliminary pharmacological studies showed higher antifungal activities for NO3PCZ and its inclusion complex, compared with its PCZ analog. The acute toxicity of the complex is smaller than the pure or modified drug, recommending the inclusion complex as future promising therapeutic agents.