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The effect of organic and inorganic compounds, commonly present in the mineralogy of crude oil and/or added in the washing processes of extracted crude, on the removal efficiency of emulsified oils present in waste washing waters was investigated by means of flocculation. Approximately 90% of the emulsified oil could be removed using an anionic flocculant, providing a residual turbidity below 100 NTU. The yield depended on the nature of the organic and inorganic components present. The higher the chain length of the main organic component, the greater the flocculant concentration required to remove the oil. Several components had an effect of emulsification (e.g., octane, decane), some of which rendered de‐oiling process completely ineffective (e.g., naphthenic acids). Aliphatics were the most difficult to eliminate, requiring flocculant levels in the 200–300 ppm range. This is in contrast to 75–100 ppm levels which were required to remove bi‐ and poly‐cyclic aromatics. Heavy oils were more difficult to remove than light oils. There was a strong effect of the pH of the aqueous phase. The optimum was pH = 2.0. Virtually all inorganic compounds reduced the efficiency of removing oil from water when spiked at 1%. The only exception was sodium carbonate which acted as a de‐emulsifier. Monovalent salts have a minor effect on de‐oiling, with efficiencies remaining at 80%. Divalent chlorides reduced the de‐oiling efficiency to 70% while sulphates had a more severe influence. The de‐oiling efficiency was lowered substantially with the addition of clays, zinc, cadmium, ferric oxide, calcium carbonate, and dibenyhlthiophene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brucite (Mg(OH)2) is a typical precipitate in the mining industry that adversely affects processes such as flotation and thickening. Gaining insights into the physicochemical properties of this mineral is critical for developing strategies to mitigate these challenges and improve operational efficiency. Additionally, incorporating natural-origin polymers aligns with the shift toward more sustainable mining practices. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations were employed to investigate the interaction of brucite with polysaccharides such as cellulose, guar gum, and alginate and to compare these with conventional polymers, including polyacrylamide, hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, and polyacrylic acid, under conditions of pH 11 in low-salinity water. The methodology enhanced adsorption sampling by incorporating additional temporary interactions between the polymer and the brucite surface. The results reveal that neutral polymers exhibit stronger and more stable interactions with brucite compared to charged polymers, which is consistent with the neutral nature of brucite under the studied conditions. Van der Waals forces predominantly govern the adsorption of polysaccharides, while Coulombic forces primarily drive interactions involving polyacrylamides. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms of polymer-brucite interactions, facilitating the development of more effective and sustainable mining additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Poly(acrylic acid)/poly(acrylamide) microgels with an IPN structure demonstrate smart behavior with dual pH and temperature responsiveness. Both factors are determinative for human physiology. This, combined with the anionic nature of these microgels, determines their potential as a suitable carrier for the drug delivery of cationic drugs through the gastro-intestinal tract. Microgels with precisely tuned properties are of great importance as drug delivery systems. Here, we report the synthesis of microgel particles (MGs) with an interpenetrating polymer network structure composed of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and polyacrylamide (PAAM) for their potential application as cationic drug carriers. The MG properties were investigated via several analytical techniques, such as Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and zeta potential (ZP) measurements, Diffusion Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation (AF4) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The MGs show pH-dependent swelling behavior with a radius of ~100 nm at collapsed state (pH < 4.5) and swell up to ~450 nm (pH~7), while their ZP decreases from −5 to −40 mV, depending on their composition. The results of the conducted studies demonstrate the potential of synthesized microgels for drug delivery in the gastrointestinal tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell shape and function are intimately linked, in a way that is mediated by the forces exerted between cells and their environment. The relationship between cell shape and forces has been extensively studied for cells seeded on flat 2D substrates, but not for cells in more physiological 3D settings. Here, a technique called 3D micropatterned traction force microscopy (3D‐µTFM) to confine cells in 3D wells of defined shape, while simultaneously measuring the forces transmitted between cells and their microenvironment is demonstrated. This technique is based on the 3D micropatterning of polyacrylamide wells and on the calculation of 3D traction force from their deformation. With 3D‐µTFM, it is shown that MCF10A breast epithelial cells exert defined, reproducible patterns of forces on their microenvironment, which can be both contractile and extensile. Cells switch from a global contractile to extensile behavior as their volume is reduced are further shown. The technique enables the quantitative study of cell mechanobiology with full access to 3D cellular forces while having accurate control over cell morphology and the mechanical conditions of the microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogels are widely adopted as 2D‐model soft substrates for investigating cell‐material interactions in a controlled in vitro environment. They offer facile synthesis, tunable physico‐chemical properties, diverse biofunctionalization routes, optical transparency, mouldability in a range of geometries and shapes, and compatibility with living cells. PAAm hydrogels can be engineered to reconstruct physiologically relevant biointerfaces, like cell‐matrix or cell–cell interfaces, featuring biochemical, mechanical, and topographical cues present in the extracellular environment. This Review provides a materials science perspective on PAAm material properties, fabrication, and modification strategies relevant to cell studies, highlighting their versatility and potential to address a wide range of biological questions. Current routes are presented to integrate cell‐instructive features, such as 2D patterns, 2.5D surface topographies, or mechanical stiffness gradients. Finally, the recent advances are emphasized toward dynamic PAAm hydrogels with on‐demand control over hydrogel properties as well as electrically conductive PAAm hydrogels for bioelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bone marrow (BM) niches are the complex microenvironments that surround cells, providing various external stimuli to regulate a range of haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) behaviours. Recently, it has been proposed that the fate decision of HSCs is often correlated with significantly altered biophysical signals of BM niches. To thoroughly elucidate the effect of mechanical microenvironments on cell fates, we constructed 2D and 3D cell culture hydrogels using polyacrylamide to replicate the mechanical properties of heterogeneous sub‐niches, including the inherent rigidity of marrow adipose tissue (2 kPa), perivascular tissue (8 kPa) and endosteum region (35 kPa) in BM. Our observations suggest that HSCs can respond to the mechanical heterogeneity of the BM microenvironment, exhibiting diversity in cell mechanics, haematopoietic pool maintenance and differentiated lineages. Hydrogels with higher stiffness promote the preservation of long‐term repopulating HSCs (LT‐HSCs), while those with lower stiffness support multi‐potent progenitors (MPPs) viability in vitro. Furthermore, we established a comprehensive transcriptional profile of haematopoietic subpopulations to reflect the multipotency of haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) that are modulated by niche‐like stiffness. Our findings demonstrate that HSPCs exhibit completely distinct downstream differentiated preferences within hydrogel systems of varying stiffness. This highlights the crucial role of tissue‐specific mechanical properties in HSC lineage decisions, which may provide innovative solutions to clinical challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internal curing is a process based on the addition of materials that function as water reservoirs in cementitious media. Superabsorbent hydrogels are an alternative that can be used as an internal curing agent, as they have the ability to absorb and release water in a controlled manner. In the present work, superabsorbent hydrogels based on crosslinked polyacrylamide in the presence of starch and sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) were developed and applied to mortars as an internal curing agent. The synthesized hydrogels were evaluated by SEM, FTIR, and swelling analysis. Cement pastes and mortars were produced using different amounts of hydrogel (0.03%, 0.06%, and 0.1% by weight). An analysis of the cement pastes and mortars revealed that hydrogel contributes to hydration, thus improving the quality of the product. Furthermore, the addition of 0.03% hydrogel by weight increased the mechanical resistance of the mortars in up to 26.8% at 28 days of curing as compared with reference (without hydrogel). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to use a hydrogel based on polyacrylamide crosslinked with starch and SCBA as a curing agent for mortars and cement pastes. This approach is environmentally friendly, because it uses a natural product (starch) and a byproduct from the sugarcane industry (SCBA). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superabsorbent polymers (PSAs) have been extensively studied to act as internal curing agents in cementitious materials, as they have the characteristic of absorbing and releasing water in a controlled manner, which can contribute to the hydration process of a cementitious medium during its consolidation. Thus, hydrogels consisting of polyacrylamide (PAAm), pectin (Pec) and rice husk ash (RHA) were synthesized to be applied in cementitious matrices. In addition, the PSAs were characterized by FTIR, SEM, and XRD. For evaluating the usage of hydrogels as internal curing agents, different hydrogel contents—0.03, 0.06, and 0.1 (wt-%, relative to cementitious components)—were used for mortar preparation. The mechanical strengths of the cementitious materials were evaluated at day 7 and day 28 during the curing process. The addition of PSAs to the mortars caused an increase in mechanical resistance such that the 0.06% content presented better performance at day 7 of curing (4.07% higher) and at day 28 of curing (8.06% higher) when compared with the reference mortar (without the addition of PSAs) in the same curing periods. This work demonstrates that the addition of PSAs contributes to the hydration of a cementitious material, improving the mechanical resistance of the studied mortars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a thermoresponsive double‐network (DN) nanocomposite hydrogel is developed. The primary hydrogel network comprises Pluronic P123, while the secondary network comprises gelatinmethacrylate (GELMA) and polyacrylamide (PAM). A systematic approach is adopted to develop DN hydrogels. Initially, the impact of Pluronic P123 concentrationon the mechanical properties of PAM‐GELMA hydrogel is investigated. Results from the tensile strength and the oscillatory shear tests reveal that an increasing P123 concentration has a marginal effect on the storage modulus while significantly reducing the loss modulus of the PAM‐GELMA hydrogel, thereby improving mechanical properties. Notably, DN3 hydrogel containing 7.5w/v% P123 in PAM‐GELMA exhibits osteoid matrix‐like mechanical properties. To further enhance the mechanical properties, citrate‐containing amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP_CIT) is incorporated in DN3 hydrogel at varying concentrations. At a lower concentration of ACP_CIT (0.75 w/v%), the mechanical properties of DN3‐ACP0.75 hydrogel are notably enhanced. Incorporating ACP_CIT in DN3 hydrogel (DN3‐ACP0.75) decreases creep strain, rapid stress relaxation, and reduced water uptake capacity while maintaining the thermoresponsive behavior. Finally, an in vitro analysis confirms the cytocompatibility of the hydrogels with MC3T3‐E1 cells, indicating the potential use in bone tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Industrial Water Treatment is the property of CNOOC Tianjin Chemical Research & Design Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Hydrogels have a wide range of medical applications, including use within implantable systems. However, when used in implants, their visibility under conventional medical imaging techniques is limited, creating safety risks for patients. In the current work, we assessed the possibility of enhancing hydrogels using Ln-based contrasting agents to facilitate their visualization in photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT). The contrast enhancement of gelatin, polyacrylamide (PAM), and silicone shells of implants was assessed. A novel synthetic route for producing cross-linked nanosized Ln2O3 with polyacrylamide was proposed and discussed in detail. Several prototypes of silicone implants, including silicone shell and gelatin or PAM filling with different combinations of contrasting agents, were produced and assessed in phantom PCCT studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Coal gangue is a prevalent solid waste material, and its utilization presents an urgent challenge. This study investigates the impact of incorporating biochar (BC) and polyacrylamide (PAM) into a composite matrix of coal gangue soil (CGS). We conducted incubation experiments to evaluate the physicochemical properties and enzyme activity of CGS with different ratios of BC (1%, 2%, and 5% designated as B1, B2, and B5) and PAM (0.02%, 0.05%, and 0.10% designated as P2, P5, and P10), compared to a control (CK) with no amendments. The results indicate that (1) the lowest bulk density was observed in the B5P10 treatment. The organic carbon content in B5P10 increased by 57.98% compared to the CK. (2) The activities of α-glucosidase, N-acetyl-glucosidase, and alkaline phosphatase in the B5P10 treatment increased by 112.34%, 110.77%, and 52.40%, respectively. The geometric mean values of enzyme activities showed no significant differences among the treatments B2P5, B2P10, B5P2, B5P5, and B5P10, but these were significantly higher than those in the CK. (3) The parameters of pH, active carbon, field capacity, and available phosphorus were identified as the main factors affecting enzyme activity. CGS incorporating 2% BC and 0.05% PAM is recommended for soil reconstruction in mining regions.

Dithiocarboxylated polyethyleneimine-polyacrylamide〔DT(PEI-PAM)〕 was prepared by using polyacrylamide(PAM),sodium hydroxide(NaOH), sodium hypochlorite(NaClO), and carbon disulfide(CS2) as raw materials. The Cu(Ⅱ) removal in water samples by DT(PEI-PAM) was investigated as the target, and the optimal preparation conditions of DT(PEI-PAM) were determined by orthogonal experiments. The removal performance of DT(PEI-PAM) for Cu(Ⅱ) was investigated by using flocculation experiments, and the preparation mechanism and the removal mechanism for Cu(Ⅱ) with DT(PEI-PAM) were investigated by characterization means. The results showed that the intermediate polyethylenimide(PEI) was prepared under the optimal conditions as 1% of PAM concentration, 1:1:2 of n(PAM):n(NaClO):n(NaOH), 30 ℃ of reaction temperature, 120 min of reaction time, and 6.5 of pH in reaction medium. The final product DT(PEI-PAM) was prepared under the optimal conditions as 1:2:3 of reactant mass concentration ratio for PEI:CS2:NaOH, 25 ℃ of pre-reaction temperature, 40 min of pre-reaction time, 60 ℃ of main reaction temperature, and 120 min of main reaction time. The highest removal rate of Cu(Ⅱ) by DT(PEI-PAM) was 96.15% in water sample〔25 mg/L of Cu(Ⅱ) and pH 6.0〕. The infrared characterization and energy spectrum analysis showed that the dithiocarboxyl groups were successfully introduced in DT(PEI-PAM). The mechanism of DT(PEI-PAM) for Cu(Ⅱ) removal was mainly oxidation reduction and chelation precipitation, and the flocculation mechanism was mainly adsorption bridging and net sweep action.

Neuronal growth, extension, branching, and formation of neural networks are markedly influenced by the extracellular matrix—a complex network composed of proteins and carbohydrates secreted by cells. In addition to providing physical support for cells, the extracellular matrix also conveys critical mechanical stiffness cues. During the development of the nervous system, extracellular matrix stiffness plays a central role in guiding neuronal growth, particularly in the context of axonal extension, which is crucial for the formation of neural networks. In neural tissue engineering, manipulation of biomaterial stiffness is a promising strategy to provide a permissive environment for the repair and regeneration of injured nervous tissue. Recent research has fine-tuned synthetic biomaterials to fabricate scaffolds that closely replicate the stiffness profiles observed in the nervous system. In this review, we highlight the molecular mechanisms by which extracellular matrix stiffness regulates axonal growth and regeneration. We highlight the progress made in the development of stiffness-tunable biomaterials to emulate in vivo extracellular matrix environments, with an emphasis on their application in neural repair and regeneration, along with a discussion of the current limitations and future prospects. The exploration and optimization of the stiffness-tunable biomaterials has the potential to markedly advance the development of neural tissue engineering.

Solubility enhancement of poorly aqueous-soluble drugs, like Terbinafine (TBN), is a critical challenge in formulating effective dosage forms. This study focused on developing β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and polyacrylamide (PAM)-based microgels to address the solubility issue of TBN, classified as a biopharmaceutics classification system class II drug. The microgels were crafted through free radical polymerization, employing methylene bisacylamide as a cross-linker and methacrylic acid as a monomer, initiated by ammonium persulfate. Comprehensive characterizations, including Fourier transform infrared, thermo-gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffractometry analysis, Zeta size, and Zeta potential, were conducted. In vitro studies, such as drug release and swelling, were performed at pH 1.2. Toxicity analysis in rabbits revealed zero toxicity. These β-CD/PAM microgels successfully enhanced the solubility of TBN.

A mesoporous MFI zeolite membrane was synthesized using polyacrylamide as a secondary template to separate nickel, chromium, and nitrate ions from water. Various analytical methods were employed to characterize the zeolite powders and membranes. Subsequently, tests were conducted to evaluate water permeation and the rejection of heavy metals and nitrate ions. The incorporation of 0.03 kg kg–1 polyacrylamide resulted in a 90 % mesostructure in the MFI zeolite. Higher amounts of polymer had no positive effect on the mesoporous structure. The membrane demonstrated a high water flux (22 L m–2 h–1) with 99 % nickel and 93 % chromium rejection, and effective nitrate rejection (up to 34 %). Increasing the total dissolved solids from 1 to 1000 µA A–1 led to a 50 % increase in water flux. Additionally, raising the pressure by 2 bar resulted in an 80 % increase in the water flux and 15 % improvement in nitrate rejection.

Biobased foams have the potential to serve as eco-friendly alternatives to petroleum-based foams, provided they achieve comparable thermomechanical and physical properties. We propose a facile approach to fabricate eco-friendly cellulose nanofibril (CNF)-reinforced thermomechanical pulp (TMP) fiber-based foams via an oven-drying process with thermal conductivity as low as 0.036 W/(m·K) at a 34.4 kg/m3 density. Acrodur®, iron chloride (FeCl3), and cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) were used to improve the foam properties. Acrodur® did not have any significant effect on the foamability and density of the foams. Mechanical, thermal, cushioning, and water absorption properties of the foams were dependent on the density and interactions of the additives with the fibers. Due to their high density, foams with CPAM and FeCl3 at a 1% additive dosage had significantly higher compressive properties at the expense of slightly higher thermal conductivity. There was slight increase in compressive properties with the addition of Acrodur®. All additives improved the water stability of the foams, rendering them stable even after 24 h of water absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is widely used for trace detection of substances, and the key to this technology lies in the preparation of the substrate material. In this study, a composite SERS material of Au NRs/4-MBA/PAM was constructed and characterized to better immobilize the reference molecule 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA). Electron transmission microscopy results demonstrated that the PAM film helps Au NRs to pack closely, enhancing the stability of the material structure and reducing the interference of external environmental factors on the response of 4-MBA, thus improving the accuracy of quantitative determination. Comparative experimental results with the Au NRs/4-MBA substrate showed that the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the detection results for MG on different batches of Au NRs/4-MBA/PAM were less than 8.0%, and the RSDs of different points on the same material were less than 10.0%, indicating that the Au NRs/4-MBA/PAM has higher uniformity, better reproducibility, and higher sensitivity in detecting malachite green (MG). Applying this material in the recovery determination of fish extract showed that the recovery rates of MG were between 75.60% and 83.24%. Therefore, the Au NRs/4-MBA/PAM substrate can accurately detect and quantify veterinary drug residue in complex matrices such as food tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effective technical measures for rapid surface cover and effective control of slope erosion in forest sites damaged by Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, this study used runoff plot location observations to compare runoff, sediment, and nutrient loss in pine wilt-damaged sites under different soil management conditions, including biodegradable films (SWM), weed-proof films (FCB), and polyacrylamide (PAM) . The results demonstrated that the SWM-95% treatment exhibited the most effective sediment loss control, with considerably lower nutrient loss in runoff and sediments than other treatments conversely, the SWM-67% treatment exhibited a significantly higher loss of sediment and nutrients than the other treatments. The control effects of runoff, sediment, and nutrient loss in the FCB and PAM treatments were superior to those of the other treatments at both 90 and 180 d. Furthermore, losses in both treatments were lower than those in the CK treatment. The PAM treatment exhibited the most favorable outcomes, with runoff and sediment loss in the PAM-95% treatment demonstrating 52. 16%, 75. 6% and 71. 7%, 73. 0% reductions, respectively, in comparison with the CK treatment at 90 and 180 d. Nevertheless, the controlling effects of the PAM treatment on different nutrients exhibited varying outcomes. Its impact on N and K losses was more pronounced, whereas the impact of P nutrient loss on sediment loss was less pronounced. Furthermore, the control effect of PAM on runoff, sediment, and nutrient loss decreased significantly after270 d. Contrarily, the control effect on water and soil loss and total and available nutrient loss was still superior in the FCB treatment compared to the other treatments, with a control effect of 95%＞67%. A comparison of the nutrient contents of the Chinese fir-afforested land with those of the SWM, FCB and PAM treatments revealed that the total N, P, and K contents were overall higher than those of the CK treatment. The total soil P and available P of the SWM-67% treatment in different soil layers were significantly higher than those of the other treatments. Conversely, the PAM and FCB treatments had a more pronounced effect on maintaining the total and available nutrients of N and K. The growth of newly planted trees also demonstrated that different treatments promoted the height growth of Chinese fir, with the FCB and PAM treatments being more effective. In conclusion, PAM-95% treatment can be employed to rapidly and effectively control soil and water loss in Bursaphelenchus xylophilus damaged land. Furthermore, the combination of the PAM-95% and FCB-67% treatment could be employed for afforested land with more favorable conditions, which would result in the most optimal outcome while minimizing expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the geotechnical and hydro-mechanical behaviour of a model slurry used in high-solids, high-salinity applications, both before and after inline flocculation with an anionic polyacrylamide. Initial evaluations showed untreated tailings (UT) with a water content of 107%, void ratio of 2.6, and dry density of 0.711 t/m3, compared to polymer-amended tailings (PAT) with 53% water content, a void ratio of 1.6, and a dry density of 1.069 t/m3. Post-flocculation consolidometer tests revealed a distinct consolidation mode, with PAT showing 60% less settlement within the first 48 h and achieving 50% more free water drainage. Polymer treatment improved consolidation parameters, yielding a lower compressibility index (Cc of 0.74 vs. 1.05 for raw slurry), a higher coefficient of consolidation (Cv of 0.005 cm2/s for PAT vs. 0.0009 cm2/s for raw slurry), and an increased water retention capacity. Additionally, PAT demonstrated a final void ratio of 0.62 compared to 0.51 for the UT sample and an internal porosity characterised by discrete voids, supporting enhanced stability for long-term rehabilitation. These findings underscore the potential of inline flocculation to improve tailings management in saline conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For this research, three hydrophobically modified polyacrylamides, HPAAB, HPAAF, and HPAAS, with multiple hydrophobic monomers were designed, synthesized, and used as thickeners in aqueous ink for digital ink-jet printing. The structures were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The viscosity–average molecular weight was determined by intrinsic viscosity determination and was adjusted according to hydrophobic content. The critical association concentration (CAC) of polymers was measured simultaneously using the apparent viscosity method and the fluorescence spectrum. The formation of a network structure and the mechanism of hydrophobic association are visualized dynamically with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) at different concentrations. Under the same conditions, HPAAB exhibited excellent thickening ability across different pH levels, temperatures, and shear rates, which is caused by the longer hydrophobic side chain and the stronger hydrophobic effect of the behenyl polyoxyethylene ether methacrylate (BEM) group. Furthermore, an aqueous ink using HPAAB as a thickener displays significant printability and stability, functioning much better than a corresponding aqueous ink that uses a commercial thickener. This is the first example of a hydrophobic associating polyacrylamide, incorporating both hydrophilic and hydrophobic units within a single hydrophobic chain, thereby serving as an efficient thickener for aqueous ink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polimery is the property of Industrial Chemistry Research Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Waste slurry is a major component of construction waste, and its resource utilization can effectively reduce its environmental impact. The effect of polyacrylamide (PAM) content and moisture content on the strength characteristics of PAM modified cement stabilized construction waste slurry (PCMS) was studied using unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and triaxial tests. It can be concluded that, 1) The UCS of PCMS increases with the increase of curing age and significantly decreases with the increase of moisture content. As the content of PAM increases, it first increases and then decreases, with UCS reaching its maximum at a PAM content of 0.5%. 2) When the moisture content is 50%, PAM can increase the elastic modulus of PCMS. When the content of PAM is 0.5%, the elastic modulus reaches its maximum value. When the moisture content is 80% and 100%, the effect of PAM on the elastic modulus of PCMS is not significant. 3) The addition of PAM can improve the shear strength of PCMS. Under the same confining pressure, the shear strength of PCMS increases first and then decreases with the increase of PAM content, and the optimal content is 0.5%. 4) The variation pattern of PCMS cohesion is basically consistent with the shear strength. PAM improves the shear strength of PCMS by enhancing its cohesion. The addition of PAM has a relatively small impact on the internal friction angle of PCMS. These findings provide valuable insights for research into modification technology and the resource utilization of construction waste slurry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a syringe, the precast gel solution—which included acrylamide, sodium alginate, and modified titanium dioxide nanofibers—was extruded into the CaCl 2 solution to create the sodium alginate first network. The second network of polyacrylamide(PAM) was subsequently created by photocatalysis. Ultimately, the alginate/PAM/TiO 2 NF@PAM composite hydrogel improved by the inorganic phase was produced. It has mechanical properties with a tensile ratio of 166% and a tensile strength of 1.13 Mpa. [Display omitted] • Alginate/polyacrylamide/modified TiO 2 nanofiber (Alginate/PAM/TiO 2 NF@PAM) composite hydrogel was successfully designed and synthesized. • The three toughening strategies of dual network, construction of oriented structure, and nanophase doping were successfully combined. • Alginate/PAM/TiO 2 NF@PAM showed a tensile ratio of (165.51 ± 4.93)% and a maximum tensile strength of (1130.97 ± 67.39) kpa. The design and construction of high strength hydrogels is a widely discussed topic in hydrogel research. In this study, we combined three toughening strategies, including dual network, oriented structure construction and nanophase doping, to develop an alginate/polyacrylamide (PAM)/modified titanium dioxide fiber (TiO 2 NF@PAM) dual network composite hydrogel prepared via syringe. The effects of different preparation methods, AM/Alginate ratios, inorganic doping phases and TiO 2 NF@PAM/AM ratios on the mechanical properties of composite hydrogels were investigated. The study found that the alginate hydrogel prepared by syringe exhibited superior axial orientation and achieved a tensile strength of (1091 ± 46) kPa. And the composite hydrogel doped with 0.2 wt% TiO 2 NF@PAM had a tensile strength of (1006 ± 64) kPa, which was higher than that of the composite hydrogel doped with 0.2 wt% TiO 2 nanoparticles (976 ± 66) kPa. The highest tensile strength (1120 ± 67) kPa and elongation at break (182 ± 8) % were achieved when the ratio of TiO 2 NF@PAM/AM was 0.6 wt%. The force applied to the gel solution in the syringe affects the orientation of the polymer chains and TiO 2 NF@PAM within the gel, which subsequently impacts the mechanical properties of the hydrogel. Therefore, we further investigated the mechanical properties of composite hydrogels under varying propulsion speeds, syringe diameters, and syringe lengths. It was observed that the gel solution's shear strength increased as the syringe diameter decreased. The resulting composite hydrogels were better oriented and had improved mechanical properties. The composite hydrogels' tensile strength peaked at (1117 ± 47) kPa when the syringe advance rate was between 1–7 mL/min. The mechanical properties of the hydrogels were optimal when the syringe length was 30 mm, with a maximum tensile strength of (1131 ± 67) kPa and a tensile ratio of (166 ± 5) %. This study demonstrates the viability of integrating three distinct strengthening methodologies to generate hydrogels of considerable strength. Furthermore, the Alginate/PAM/TiO 2 NF@PAM composite hydrogels possess remarkable potential as adaptable, wearable sensors due to their exemplary mechanical properties, knittability, and conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical potential applications of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in wound healing have been extensively studied. However, the rapid release of its active components limits its clinical application and therapeutic effectiveness. In this study, a polyacrylamide hydrogel incorporating activated-PRP (PAM-PRP) through a one-pot method was prepared to achieve sustained-release effect with low-intensity ultrasound (LIU). The resulting PAM-PRP hydrogel demonstrates its ability to enhance release of PRP using LIU, the tunable mechanical properties, and the porous network. The cytocompatibility experiments demonstrate the favorable biocompatibility in vitro of PAM-PRP hydrogel. Notably, in vivo experiments further show the PAM-PRP-1 (acrylamide solution/activated-PRP solution, v/v, 1:1) hydrogel, when combined with LIU, facilitates complete wound healing without scarring in the SD rat full-thickness skin defect model. Additionally, the efficacy of the PAM-PRP-1 hydrogel in promoting formation of granulation tissues, collagen deposition, reducing inflammation and angiogenesis is confirmed by histologic and immunohistochemistry analysis. This study presents a promising approach to enhance effectiveness of PRP clinical therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an in-depth rheological characterization of polyacrylamide polymers produced locally, employing the Anton Paar MCR 92 (Modular Compact Rheometer). The polymer samples were systematically analyzed to understand their response to various external stimuli. Using infrared spectroscopy, the composition of the polymer was meticulously verified, ensuring a robust assessment of its molecular structure and chemical stability under different environmental conditions. Our findings elucidate the significant potential of polyacrylamide in diverse industrial applications, attributable to its adaptable viscoelastic properties and chemical resilience. The implications of this research are profound, suggesting enhanced utility of polyacrylamide in fields requiring precise material behavior modulation under dynamic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A portable sensing platform with excellent performance was constructed using CoNi-MOF-based chitosan-polyacrylamide hydrogel as a signal amplifier for the detection of adrenaline. [Display omitted] The development of a portable smartphone-based electrochemical sensor for analyzing adrenaline levels in real samples can make a great contribution to the research community worldwide. In order to achieve this goal, the key challenge is to build sensing interfaces with excellent electrocatalytic properties. In this work, microspherical bimetallic metal–organic frameworks (CoNi-MOF) consisting of nanoclusters were first synthesized using a hydrothermal method. On this basis, the catalytic activity of pure chitosan-polyacrylamide hydrogel (CS-PAM) was modulated by adding different amounts of CoNi-MOF during the in-situ synthesis of CS-PAM. Finally, a portable electrochemical detection system based on CS-PAM was established for the detection of adrenaline. A series of resulting composite hydrogels with a large specific surface area, abundant active sites, and unique network structure facilitate the enrichment and catalysis of adrenaline molecules. Under optimal conditions, the analytical platform constructed by using CoNi-MOF-based CS-PAM has the advantages of a wide detection range (0.5–10 and 10–2500 μM), a low detection limit (0.167 μM), and high sensitivity (0.182 and 0.133 μA·μM·cm−2). In addition, the sensor maintains selective detection of the target in the presence of many different types of interferences, and the current response is not significantly reduced even after 60 cycles of testing. We strongly believe that the designed smart portable sensing can realize the accurate determination of adrenaline in complex systems, and this study can provide new ideas for the research of MOFs-based hydrogels in electrochemical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potatoes are typically seeded as tubers, and their slow sprouting significantly impacts production. Therefore, the effects of polyacrylamide (20 g·L−1, 30 g·L−1, and 40 g·L−1) as a seed potato dressing on sprouting, seedling growth, and biomass were investigated. The phytohormone content, respiratory intensity, and starch metabolism enzyme activity were analyzed to elucidate the physiological mechanisms involved. The sprouting rate significantly increased after 20 g·L−1 and 30 g·L−1 treatments by 40.63% and 15.63%, respectively. The sprouting energy was the highest (52.0%) at 20 g·L−1, 7.67 times higher than the control. The 20 g·L−1 and 30 g·L−1 treatments also promoted emergence and growth, with the emergence rate increasing by 18.18% and 27.27% and growth increasing by over 8.1% and 11.9%, respectively. These effects were related to changes in phytohormone content and accelerated starch conversion. After treatment, the auxin and cytokinin contents in the apical buds increased significantly at the germination initiation stage, and during the germination and vigorous growth phases, the auxin, cytokinin, and gibberellin contents increased. Polyacrylamide treatment activated α-amylase and promoted starch degradation, increasing soluble sugar content to provide nutrients and energy for sprouting. This study provides a promising approach for promoting potato tuber sprouting and seedling growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high amount of starch in fruits is responsible for its post-processing cloudiness. In the current study, α-amylase from porcine pancreases was immobilized onto carboxymethyl cellulose/polyacrylamide (CMC/PAM) hydrogel. This in-house-built CMC/PAM-Amy hydrogel offers a more efficient and sustainable solution for apple juice clarification. To acquire the best immobilization efficiency, the concentration of glutaraldehyde crosslinker was optimized. Biocatalytic characterization studies were brought into consideration for free and immobilized α-amylase. The synthesized native and immobilized CMC/PAM-Amy hydrogels were also characterized using SEM, FTIR and XRD. Under ideal circumstances, the activity of CMC/PAM-Amy was up to 604 μmolmin−1, and its immobilization efficiency was 96.29 ± 1.15%. A kinetic parameters study resulted in a conspicuously lowered Km value for immobilized amylase, signifying its higher affinity for its substrate. CMC/PAM-Amy showed a half-life (t1/2) 3.5 times higher than free-Amy at 50, 55 and 60 °C. The higher values of the inactivation rate constant (kd), free energy of inactivation (ΔG*), enthalpy of inactivation (ΔH*) and change in entropy (ΔS*) of CMC/PAM-Amy manifested the enhanced thermal stability of amylase after immobilization. A reusability study revealed that immobilized amylase retained roughly 70% of its initial catalytic activity after six successive repetitions of the process. CMC/PAM-Amy displayed improved recycling ability operational stability and biocatalytic activity, rendering it an auspicious tool in decreasing the starch content of crude apple juice to about 61% of its total starch content before treatment. Moreover, the values of Brix, viscosity, acidity and turbidity were also decreased in CMC/PAM-Amyclarified apple juice. Therefore, immobilized amylases with other industrial enzymes could be an efficient tool for potential industrial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the ability to predict rheological properties and constituent composition of 3D-printed materials with appropriately trained models. However, these models are not currently available for use. In this work, we trained deep learning (DL) models to (1) predict the rheological properties, such as the storage (G') and loss (G") moduli, of 3D-printed polyacrylamide (PAA) substrates, and (2) predict the composition of materials and associated 3D printing parameters for a desired pair of G' and G". We employed a multilayer perceptron (MLP) and successfully predicted G' and G" from seven gel constituent parameters in a multivariate regression process. We used a grid-search algorithm along with 10-fold cross validation to tune the hyperparameters of the MLP, and found the R2 value to be 0.89. Next, we adopted two generative DL models named variational autoencoder (VAE) and conditional variational autoencoder (CVAE) to learn data patterns and generate constituent compositions. With these generative models, we produced synthetic data with the same statistical distribution as the real data of actual hydrogel fabrication, which was then validated using Student's t-test and an autoencoder (AE) anomaly detector. We found that none of the seven generated gel constituents were significantly different from the real data. Our trained DL models were successful in mapping the input–output relationship for the 3D-printed hydrogel substrates, which can predict multiple variables from a handful of input variables and vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicate gels have long been utilized as water shut-off agents in petroleum fields to address excessive water production. In recent years, nano-silica gel has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional silicate gels, offering potentially improved plugging performance. However, the long-term effectiveness of these gels remains uncertain, posing challenges to sustained profitability. Therefore, a comprehensive study spanning 6 months was conducted on fractured and induced channel samples treated with nano-silica gel of 75/25 wt% (silica/activator) at 200 °F. A comparative analysis was performed with samples treated using polyacrylamide/polyethyleneimine PAM/PEI gel (9/1 wt%) to compare the performance of both systems. Throughout the aging period in formation water at 167 °F, endurance tests were conducted at regular intervals, complemented by computed tomography (CT) scans to monitor any potential degradation. The results revealed nano-silica gel's superior long-term performance in plugging fractures and channels compared to PAM/PEI gel. Even after 6 months, the nano-silica gel maintained a remarkable 100% plugging efficiency at 1000 psi, with a maximum leak-off rate of 0.088 cc/min in the mid-fractured sample and 0.027 in the induced channel sample. In comparison, PAM/PEI gel exhibited a reduction in efficiency to 99.15% in the fractured sample (5.5 cc/min maximum leak-off rate) and 99.99% in the induced channel sample (0.036 cc/min maximum leak-off rate). These findings highlight the potential of nano-silica gel as a more durable water shut-off agent for managing water production in fractures and channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the development and characterization of a novel composite hydrogel composed of polyacrylamide (PAAm), starch, and gelatin for use as an amoxicillin delivery system. The optical properties, swelling behavior, and drug release profile of the composite hydrogel's were studied to evaluate its efficacy and potential applications. UV-visible spectroscopy was employed to determine the optical properties, revealing significant transparency in the visible range, which is essential for biomedical applications. The incorporation of starch and gelatin into the polyacrylamide matrix significantly enhanced the hydrogel's swelling capacity and biocompatibility. Studies on drug delivery demonstrated a sustained release profile of amoxicillin in simulated gastrointestinal fluids, which is essential for maintaining therapeutic levels for a prolonged amount of time. The results indicate that the composite hydrogel of PAAm/starch/gelatin has good swelling behavior, appealing optical characteristics, and a promising controlled drug release mechanism. These results point to this hydrogel's considerable potential as a drug delivery method, providing a viable path toward enhancing the medicinal effectiveness of amoxicillin and maybe other medications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to effectively plug the multi-scale fractured water channeling has always been the key to achieving efficient water flooding of fractured low-permeability oil reservoirs. In this paper, a new type of supramolecular–polymer composite gel is developed, which is suitable for plugging multi-scale fractured water channeling. The supramolecular–polymer composite gel is composed of a polymer (such as polyacrylamide), cross-linking agent (such as polyethyleneimine), supramolecular gel factor (such as cyclodextrin) and polarity regulator (such as ethyl alcohol). The mass fraction of polyacrylamide, polyethyleneimine, cyclodextrin and ethyl alcohol are 0.15%, 0.2%, 1% and 0.2%, respectively. At the initial state, the viscosity of the composite gelant system is less than 20 mPa·s. It has good injection performance in micro-scale fractures and can enter the deep part of a fractured reservoir. At 40 °C, the composite gelant system can form a gel with a double network structure after gelation. One of the networks is formed by the covalent interaction between polyacrylamide and polyethyleneimine, the other network is formed by the self-assembly of cyclodextrins under the action of the ethyl alcohol. The comprehensive performance of the composite gel is greatly improved. The strength of the composite gel is >5 × 104 mPa·s, and it has good plugging strength in large-scale fractures. The composite gel can be used as a conformance control agent for fractured low-permeability oilfields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogels present attractive opportunities as flexible sensors due to their soft nature and tunable physicochemical properties. Despite significant advances, practical application of hydrogel‐based sensor is limited by the lack of general routes to fabricate materials with combination of mechanical, conductive, and biological properties. Here, a multi‐functional hydrogel sensor is reported by in situ polymerizing of acrylamide (AM) with N,N′‐bis(acryloyl)cystamine (BA) dynamic crosslinked silver‐modified polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles, namely PAM/BA‐Ag@PDA. Compared with traditional polyacrylamide (PAM) hydrogel, the BA‐Ag@PDA nanoparticles provide both high‐functionality crosslinks and multiple interactions within PAM networks, thereby endowing the optimized PAM/BA‐Ag@PDA hydrogel with significantly enhanced tensile/compressive strength (349.80 kPa at 383.57% tensile strain, 263.08 kPa at 90% compressive strain), lower hysteresis (5.2%), improved conductivity (2.51 S m−1) and excellent near‐infrared (NIR) light‐triggered self‐healing ability. As a strain sensor, the PAM/BA‐Ag@PDA hydrogel shows a good sensitivity (gauge factor of 1.86), rapid response time (138 ms), and high stability. Owing to abundant reactive groups in PDA, the PAM/BA‐Ag@PDA hydrogel exhibits inherent tissue adhesiveness and antioxidant, along with a synergistic antibacterial effect by PDA and Ag. Toward practical applications, the PAM/BA‐Ag@PDA hydrogel can conformally adhere to skin and monitor subtle activities and large‐scale movements with excellent reliability, demonstrating its promising applications as wearable sensors for healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The AlCl 3 /ZnCl 2 aqueous solution acts as a benign cellulose solvent, polymerization catalyst for acrylamide monomer, effective ion source for electron transport networks, and dynamic riveting point for hydrogel networks. [Display omitted] The green synthesis strategy for cellulose-containing hydrogel electrolytes is significant for effectively managing resources, energy, and environmental concerns in the contemporary world. Herein, we propose an all-green strategy using AlCl 3 /ZnCl 2 /H 2 O solvent to create cellulose/polyacrylamide-based hydrogel (AZ-Cel/PAM) with expanded hierarchical topologies. The aqueous AlCl 3 /ZnCl 2 facilitates the efficient dissolution of cellulose at room temperature, and the dispersed Al3+-Zn2+ ions autocatalytic system catalyzes in-situ polymerization of acrylamide (AM) monomer. This expands the AM network within the cellulose framework, forming multiple bonding interactions and stable ion channels. The resulting hybrid hydrogel exhibits improved mechanical properties (tensile strength of 56.54 kPa and compressive strength of 359.43 kPa) and enhanced ionic conductivity (1.99 S/m). Furthermore, it also demonstrates excellent adhesion, freeze resistance (−45 °C), and water retention capabilities. Quantum simulations further clarify the mechanical composition and ion transport mechanism of AZ-Cel/PAM hydrogels. The assembled supercapacitor with the hydrogel electrolyte, demonstrates an ideal area-specific capacitance of 203.80 mF/cm2. This all-green strategy presents a novel approach to developing sustainable energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods are generally employed in depleted reservoirs to increase the recovery factor beyond that of water flooding. Polymer flooding is one of the major EOR methods. EOR polymer solutions (especially the synthetic ones characterized by flexible chains) that flow through porous media are not only subjected to shearing forces but also extensional deformation, and therefore, they exhibit not only Newtonian and shear thinning behavior but also shear thickening behavior at a certain porous media shear rate/velocity. Shear rheometry has been widely used to characterize the rheological properties of EOR polymer systems. This paper aims to investigate the effect of the polymers' concentrations, ranging from 25 ppm to 2500 ppm, on the viscous, linear, and non-linear viscoelastic properties of hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) in shear field and porous media. The results observed indicate that viscous properties such as Newtonian viscosity increase monotonically with the increase in concentration in both fields. However, linear viscoelastic properties, such as shear characteristic time, were absent for concentrations not critical in both shear rheometry and porous media. Beyond the critical association concentration (CAC), the modified shear thinning index decreases in terms of concentration in both fields, signifying their intensified thinning. At those concentrations higher than CAC, the viscoelastic onset rate remains constant in both fields. In both fields, the shear thickening index, a strict non-linear viscoelastic property, initially increases with concentration and then decreases with concentration, signifying that the polymer chains do not stretch significantly at higher concentrations. Also, another general observation is that the rheological properties of the polymer solutions in both porous media and shear rheometry only follow a similar trend if the concentration is higher than the CAC. At concentrations less than the CAC, the shear and porous media onset rates follow different trends, possibly due to the higher inertial effect in the rheometer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Conductive hydrogels prepared by electrohydrodynamic printing exhibit enhanced conductivity. • Ion-electron conductive hydrogel with MXene co-ILs composite conductive network. • Hydrogel exhibited good mechanical properties, excellent sensing performance, and high frost resistance. • Hydrogel-based flexible strain sensor for human motion detection and information transmission. Conductive hydrogels with high performance and frost resistance are essential for flexible electronics, electronic skin, and soft robots. Nonetheless, the preparation of hydrogel-based flexible strain sensors with rapid response, wide strain detection range, and high sensitivity remains a considerable challenge. Furthermore, the inevitable freezing and evaporation of water in sub-zero temperatures and dry environments lead to the loss of flexibility and conductivity in hydrogels, which seriously limits their practical application. In this work, ionic liquids (ILs) and MXene are introduced into gelatin/polyacrylamide (PAM) precursor solution, and a PAM/gelatin/ILs/MXene/glycerol (PGIMG) hydrogel-based flexible strain sensor with MXene co-ILs ion–electron composite conductive network is prepared by combining the electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing method and in-situ photopolymerization. The introduction of ILs provides an ionic conductive channel for the hydrogel. The introduction of MXene nanosheets forms an interpenetrating network with gelatin and PAM, which not only provides a conductive channel, but also improves the mechanical and sensing properties of the hydrogel-based flexible strain sensor. The prepared PGIMG hydrogel with the MXene co-ILs ion–electron composite conductive network demonstrates a tensile strength of 0.21 MPa at 602.82 % strain, the conductivity of 1.636 × 10−3 S/cm, high sensitivity (Gauge Factor, GF = 4.17), a wide strain detection range (1–600 %), and the response/recovery times (73 ms and 74 ms). In addition, glycerol endows the hydrogel with excellent freezing (−60 °C) and water retention properties. The application of the hydrogel-based flexible strain sensor in the field of human motion detection and information transmission shows the great potential of wearable devices, electronic skin, and information encryption transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An alternative synthetic pathway was proposed for the optimization of synthesis to find a better correlation between the swelling and elasticity of hyaluronic acid-interpenetrated gels via temperature regulation. An experimental design methodology was presented for the synthesis of polyacrylamide/poly(acrylic acid sodium salt)/hyaluronic acid, PAAm/PSA/HyA, gels by modifying the one-pot procedure using free radical crosslinking copolymerization of AAm with the addition of anionic linear PSA chains in the presence of various amount of HyA, ranging between 0.05% and 0.20% (w/v). Semi-interpenetrated polymer network (IPN)-structured gels were designed with tunable elasticity, in which the extent of covalent crosslinking interactions is controlled by polymerization temperature ranging between −18 and 45 °C. Depending on the HyA content added in the synthesis and the polymerization temperature, the swelling ratio could be controlled. The addition of 0.05% (w/v) HyA increased the swelling of semi-IPNs, while the elastic modulus increased with increasing HyA content and decreased with the polymerization temperature. PAAm/PSA/HyA semi-IPNs showed the typical pH-sensitive swelling of anionic gels, and the swelling reached a maximum at a pH of 11.2. PAAm/PSA/HyA gels were tested for the removal of methyl violet from wastewater. Adsorption kinetics were shown to be well-fitted with the pseudo-second-order model using linear and nonlinear regression analysis. With the clear relationship between increased modulus and composition, this study enabled the fine-tuning of semi-IPN interactions by varying the polymerization temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gelatin-based hydrogels, despite their excellent biocompatibility, face limitations in their utility for targeted drug release due to low mechanical strength. Thus, this research is directed towards the fabrication of pH-responsive hydrogels based on gelatin, polyacrylamide (PAM) and carboxymethyl tamarind kernel gum (CMTKG), followed by their loading with ampicillin sodium drug. The hydrogel has been optimized by varying crosslinker, and initiator amounts to observe their effect on swelling. The swelling is increased with an increase ininitiator, reaching a maximum of 1371% at pH 7.4 and 1218% at pH 1.2. The hydrogels are analyzed through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD), and Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) techniques. Various parameters such as drug loading, porosity, and gel fraction are evaluated. The in vitro drug release is evaluated in both pH 1.2 and 7.4 buffer, with higher drug release (63.3%) observed under alkaline pH. The kinetic modeling data validates the Korsmeyer-Peppas model (R² = 0.9871) to be the suitable model for the explanation of the drug release mechanism, suggesting the Fickian diffusion (n<0.5, pH 1.2) and non-Fickian diffusion (n>0.5, pH 7.4). Therefore, the Gelatin/PAM/CMTKG hydrogel shows potential for targeted release of ampicillin sodium in response to varying pH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vortioxetine (VTX) is a new atypical antidepressant used to treat major depression and other mental disorders. Due to its low water solubility, oral absorption, and fast metabolism, VTX has been commercially manufactured and sold as a hydrobromide. Long-term VTX hydrobromide therapy is frequently associated with respiratory irritation and digestive dysfunction. Two techniques were developed for dissolution, swelling, adherence, and penetration enhancements. The techniques were the VTX and casein (CAS) complexation using the maximum loading capacity, and VTX-polymeric nano micelle using the “Sandwich Technique”. This study includes the maximum VTX-CAS binding capacity determination, VTX-CAS complex preparation, polymeric nano micelle encapsulating VTX-CAS complex optimizations, physiochemical characterisations, solubility assessment, VTX release analysis, swelling analysis and mucus-penetrating study of the VTX-CAS complex and VTX polymeric nano micelle in comparison to the VTX raw material. The optimum VTX-polymeric nano micelle dissolution, swelling, adherence, and penetration enhancements were supported by the results of 91.10±16.34 nm, +19 mV zeta-potential, structural arrangements, and enhanced amorphic character with the morphology and size distribution (50–100 nm). The VTX-polymeric nano micelle could serve as an oral alternative to the VTX hydrobromide therapy based on the results of the biocompatibility and in vivo absorption studies for the VTX-polymeric nano micellar system.