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Objective(s): Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation represents a promising approach for treating Alzheimer’s disease (AD). These stem cells, however, have a short lifespan following transplantation into recipient animals. Selenium nanoparticles, due to their size, aid in drug delivery for brain disorders. This study investigated the therapeutic effect of MSCs and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-coated selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) in a rat model of AD. Materials and Methods: An Alzheimer-like phenotype was induced through intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of streptozotocin (STZ). Rats were assigned to five groups: control, Alz (STZ; 3 mg/kg, 10 μl, ICV), Alz+stem cell (ICV transplantation), Alz+SeNP (0.4 mg/kg, orally), and Alz+stem cell+SeNPs. The ICV administration of STZ mimicked some aspects of AD in the Alz groups. SeNPs were administrated for 30 days following STZ administration. The novel object recognition (NOR) and passive avoidance learning (PAL) tests were used to evaluate cognition and memory. Oxidative stress biomarkers and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were assessed by biochemical analysis, ELISA kits, and Congo red staining, respectively. Results: The combined therapy of PVA-coated SeNPs and MSC transplantation was more effective in enhancing memory reacquisition compared to either SeNPs or MSCs alone. The use of stem cells in conjunction with PVA-coated SeNPs significantly boosted anti-oxidant capacity. Conclusion: The results suggest that the joint treatment with PVA-coated SeNPs and MSCs offers considerable neuroprotection against AD in animal models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Although various conductive hydrogels have been developed for sensing, ideal materials for meeting the safety and toughness requirements of food detection are still lacking. This study introduces Ion-SSPB, a conductive hydrogel fabricated from eco-friendly, food-grade materials such as corn starch (CS), sodium alginate (SA), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and bentonite (BT). It leverages a green manufacturing approach designed for application in electronic food sensors. The hydrogel is achieved through a double network strategy and salt immersion method, which endows it with tunable mechanical and rheological properties. A key innovation of Ion-SSPB is the incorporation of bentonite, which enhances its performance, including low swelling, freezing resistance, and minimal residual adhesion. The hydrogel with 4% (w/v) BT concentration (Ion-SSPB 4%) is an effective medium for detecting impedance changes in mangoes, correlating with their ripening stages. The Ion-SSPB hydrogel represents a significant advancement in the field of electronic food labels, combining environmental sustainability with technical efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Moist-electric generators (MEGs), which are capable of spontaneously generating energy from ubiquitous moisture, are considered as a potential power supply candidate for wearable electronics. However, the application of the MEGs in the wearable field is still challenging due to the low electric output and the lack of wearable attributes such as breathability and flame retardancy. Herein, we demonstrated a wearable MEG with high power-output, breathability and flame retardancy, which was fabricated by designing an asymmetrical nanofiber assembly using hydrophilic polyvinyl alcohol/phytic acid (PVA/PA) and hydrophobic polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) nanofiber membranes. Owing to the synergistic effects of strong water absorption, enhanced ion release and numerous micro-nano transport channels, a single MEG of 1 cm2 could constantly generate high direct-current (DC) power, i.e., a voltage of 1.0 V, a current of 15.5 μA, and a power density of 3.0 μW cm−2, outperforming other reported nanofiber-based MEGs. More importantly, the asymmetric nanofiber structure ensured the moisture circulation inside MEG and thus produced a sustained voltage output for 7 days without any deterioration. The MEG also showed good flexibility, air/moisture permeability and flame retardancy, which give it necessary wearable attributes. Furthermore, large-scale integration of MEG units could be readily realized to fabricate a power source device for driving different portable electronics, while the moisture sensitivity made the MEG well used for sensing applications (e.g., respiration monitoring, fire warning). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a mesoporous silica (SBA-15) was synthesized using a hydrothermal method and the surface of the SBA-15 was further modified by utilizing the organosilane compound γ- aminopropyltriethoxysilane(APTES); FT-IR testing confirmed the successful grafting of these organic groups onto the surface of the SBA-15, the result being the AP-S. Composite films were subsequently prepared through a casting method, with SBA-15 and AP-S serving as the inorganic filler particles, and PVA acting as the matrix material. These films were characterized by tensile texts, dynamic mechanical analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and dielectric measurements. The results showed that the tensile modulus, loss modulus and dielectric properties of the modified AP-S/PVA composite films were improved compared with those of SBA-15/PVA, with the tensile strength being the largest at 145.25 MPa when the AP-S content was 2%. This result combined with the SEM analysis, shows that the incorporation of SBA-15 modified by APTES into PVA films can effectively improve the dispersion of SBA-15 in the PVA films, which can also explain the performance enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing dynamic color‐tunable ultra‐long room temperature phosphorescence (URTP) polymers with afterglow of over 1 s, photo‐chromism, and multi‐stimuli response for practical anti‐counterfeiting and information security applications is attractive but very challenging. Herein, by doping multicolor phosphorescence pyridinium bromide L block or viologen‐based photo‐chromic V block into polyvinyl alcohol matrixes, the water‐stimuli‐responsive color‐tunable URTP polymer films with afterglow of up to 8 s and the reversible viologen‐based photochromic polymer films have been developed. More significantly, a series of dynamic color‐tunable URTP polymer films with ultra‐long afterglow of over 6 s, photo‐chromism, and water‐stimuli response have been successfully exploited by integrating L and V blocks into one polymer system. Mechanistic investigations have revealed that their photo‐chromism mainly comes from the photo‐generated viologen free radicals. Furthermore, their dynamic multilevel anti‐counterfeiting applications have been demonstrated. These results pave the way to develop smarter multifunctional URTP materials for anti‐counterfeiting and optical sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, with the aim of monitoring soil loss and infiltration rate in loamy sand soil. The study focused on the effects of applying polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and mulch under simulated rainfall conditions. The experimental setup involved testing three levels of PVA (0.5%, 0.75%, and 1.0%), one level of wheat-straw mulch (600 g/m2), and a Control treatment (untreated soil). Each of these treatments was replicated four times. The lowest soil loss (20.9 g/m2) was recorded under the 1.0% PVA treatment, while the highest (120.1 g/m2) was seen under the 0.5% PVA treatment. The 1.0% PVA treatment showed a significant reduction in soil loss compared to the 0.5% PVA, 0.75% PVA, mulch, and Control treatments, with reductions of approximately 82.6%, 45.1%, 81.2%, and 89.6%, respectively. Regarding infiltration rates, the Control treatment exhibited the lowest rate (2.4 cm/h), while the 1.0% PVA treatment displayed the highest rate (9.6 cm/h). Additionally, the use of mulch led to a 44.7% reduction in soil loss compared to the treatment without mulch, likely due to the mitigated impact of raindrops. The infiltration rate was significantly higher (4.8 cm/h) under the mulched treatment compared to the unmulched treatment (2.4 cm/h). Overall, the application of PVA and mulch resulted in a drastic reduction in soil loss, likely attributable to the enhanced stability of soil aggregates, improved infiltration rate, and reduced runoff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the environmental impacts of microplastics (MPs) as emerging pollutants have drawn a lot of attention. This study aimed to assess the distribution and associated potential ecotoxic risk of MPs in the water and sediment of Nigeria's offshore waters. Water and sediment samples were collected from sixteen (16) stations in October 2023 and analysed using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and stereomicroscopy. For physical characterization, the composition of MPs in sediment and water was 73 particles/kg and 48 particles/L, respectively, while the ATR-FTIR composition at the Eastern Zone (EZ) was 705 particles/L and 1033 particles/kg, the Central Zone (CZ) was 212 particles/L and 338 particles/kg, and the Western Zone (WZ) was 223 particles/L and 218 particles/kg. The identified MPs shapes were filaments, plastic films, fibre, and microbeads. Polychloroprene (CR) (18.10% and 16.86%) at EZ and CZ and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) (20.64%) at WZ were most abundant in sediment, respectively. In comparison, PVA (22.3%, 22.2%, and 21.08%) was most abundant across EZ, CZ, and WZ in water. The polymer-based plastic contamination factors (ppCf) and pollution load index (pPLI) showed low contamination and pollution load, and the polymer risk index (pRi) showed medium and low risk in water and sediment, respectively. The polymer ecological risks index (pERI) showed a high-risk level (pERI: 1,001–10,000) in water and sediment across the EZ, CZ, and WZ of the Nigerian offshore waters. In marine environments, an extensive environmental monitoring program and trend forecasting for microplastics are crucial. This study will provide theoretical and technical support for developing efficient legislation or policy on the prevention and control of plastic pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to give full play to the particle filling advantage of desert sand and improve the mechanical properties of desert sand concrete, this paper carried out an experimental study on the mix proportion design method of polyvinyl alcohol fiber reinforced desert sand concrete based on Dinger-Funk close-packing theory. Firstly, applying the Dinger-Funk close-packing theory, the optimized sand rate is 42%, the optimized desert sand mass replacement ratio is 10%, 20% and 30%, the concrete aggregate particle gradation is improved, the fineness modulus of mixed fine aggregate is reduced from 3. 27 to 2. 92, 2. 81 and 2. 71, and the effective porosity is reduced from 2. 50% to 1. 65%, 1. 45% and 1. 51%, respectively. Secondly, the orthogonal test method was used to study the effects of water-cement ratio, desert sand mass replacement ratio, and the volume dosage of polyvinyl alcohol fiber on the workability, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and flexural strength of concrete. The results show that, with the increase of desert sand mass replacement ratio and fiber dosage, the workability of concrete firstly increase and then decrease, and the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and flexural strength show the trend of firstly increasing and then decreasing. Considering the test results of the workability and mechanical properties, the optimal mix proportion of C30 polyvinyl alcohol fiber reinforced desert sand concrete is determined to be 0.45 water-cement ratio, 20% of desert sand mass replacement ratio, and 0.10% of polyvinyl alcohol fiber volume dosage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a sustained-release transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) containing simvastatin (SIM) and captopril (CAP) to treat hypertension and hyperlipidemia and overcome treatment drawbacks, including significant liver first-pass effects, low bioavailability, and the short half-life of SIM and CAP oral tablets. We used a transdermal diffusion meter to preselect the formula of the SIM-CAP TDDS. Based on in vitro permeation experiments, we optimized the formula of the SIM-CAP TDDS to include 24% SIM, 24% CAP, 34% polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), 16% oleic acid (OA)–azone, and 2% polyacrylic acid resin II. We evaluated the optimized SIM-CAP TDDS formula by its appearance, stability, stickiness, drug content, in vivo pharmacokinetics, and skin irritation tests. The results indicated that the patch had good stability and stickiness. The SIM and CAP contents were 5.02 ± 0.41 mg/cm2 in the 1 cm2 SIM-CAP TDDS. The pharmacokinetic results indicated that the system continuously released SIM and CAP for 24 h and significantly enhanced their bioavailability, with a higher area under the curve. The SIM-CAP TDDS exhibits a sustained-release effect with good characteristics and pharmacokinetics. And it is safe and has no irritating effects on the skin; therefore, it is an ideal formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanofiltration (NF) has become a widely used technology in water treatment due to its environmental friendliness, energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and operational simplicity. However, polyamide (PA) NF membranes still face challenges, including low permeate flux, limited resistance to organic pollutants, and inadequate resilience to residual chlorine. To address these issues, this study developed a thin-film composite (TFC) NF membrane featuring a separation layer of sandwich structure. Initially, a single separation layer of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) NF membrane was prepared, followed by the fabrication of a PA layer on its surface, and ultimately, a second PVA layer was constructed on the PA layer. The experimental results show that the PVA/PA/PVA sandwich structure TFC exhibits high permeability to pure water and robust resistance to both pollution and residual chlorine. The PVA-0.20/PA/PVA-0.20 TFC, prepared with a 0.20%w/v PVA solution, achieved a pure water flux of up to 22.05 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 (LMH/bar), which was 2.92 times higher than that of the control TFC membrane. Additionally, it demonstrated a salt rejection rate exceeding 96% for Na2SO4 and over 99% for Congo Red (CR) and Victoria Blue B (VB). In comparison with the control TFC membrane, the PVA-0.20/PA/PVA-0.20 membrane exhibited significantly enhanced resistance to pollution. Following immersion in a 1000 ppm NaClO solution for 4 h, the rejection rate of the control TFC membrane decreased markedly and that of the PVA-0.20/PA/PVA-0.20 membrane decreased marginally, indicating excellent resistance to residual chlorine. Due to the robust overall performance of the PVA/PA/PVA membrane, it holds potential advantages for application in treating reclaimed water or slightly polluted water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-derived materials could play a major role in future supportable green and health technologies. Nontraditional materials such as proteins and biopolymers are observed for their probable use in the fabrication of bioplastics for packaging. In the present work, novel ternary composite films of chitosan (CS), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), with different ratios of natural egg white (EW) and glycerol as a plasticizer, were fabricated by solution casting technique. The synthesized ternary composite films were characterized by UV–Vis absorption spectra, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The hydrophobicity of as-synthesized samples was confirmed by contact angle measurement. The microbiological screening analysis was established against bacteria viz. Pseudomonas sp., Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. The attained results denoted that the film might be an appropriate applicant for food packaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is aimed at fabricating composite films by cross‐linking polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and dialdehyde cellulose (DAC) in varying ratios using citric acid as a catalyst. The acetal formation between the two components was studied using FTIR. Characterizations of the physiochemical properties revealed that increasing the DAC ratio of the composite film improved the hydrophobicity, tensile strength and barrier properties (water vapour, UV and oxygen) of the films while reducing elongation at break (flexibility), swelling and solubility of the film in water. When the DAC ratio was elevated to 50%, the tensile strength was enhanced to 98 MPa. In comparison, flexibility diminished to 29%, the solubility of the film reduced to 10% and water vapour permeability was lower by two orders of magnitude than that of the control PVA film. The peroxide value of linoleic acid decreased from 21.2% ± 7.6 (packed with PVA film) to 9.9% ± 0.9 (packed with 50% DAC composite film) after 15 days. Furthermore, the composite films demonstrated effective absorption of UV radiation, with the order of effectiveness being UV‐C > UV‐B > UV‐A radiation. No significant difference in biodegradability was detected in the composite films with an increase in DAC ratio during indoor soil burial tests for 30 days. This study implies that the composite film could serve as an alternative sustainable packaging option, especially when transparency and high oxygen barrier properties are desired. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dots (CDs), the subject of the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2023, are promising materials for active food packaging with properties, such as antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, non-toxicity, and ultraviolet protection. Therefore, composite films containing CDs have been investigated for food packaging applications in recent years. However, as far as we know, limited studies have been carried out in which carbon dots are added to nanofibrous mats, which show superior properties such as high surface area-to-volume ratio compared to film structures. In this study, CDs were produced via hydrothermal carbonization from the waste material, the spent pumpkin. Aimed to develop and evaluate composite nanofibrous mats incorporating carbon dots (CDs) for active food packaging, specifically utilizing spent pumpkin-derived carbon dots (SPCDs) to enhance the functional properties of the packaging materials. The composite nanofibrous mats, fabricated from a blend of polyvinyl alcohol and carboxymethyl cellulose incorporating SPCDs, demonstrated low toxicity on chondrocyte and lung cell types, indicating their safety for food packaging applications. The inclusion of SPCDs enhanced the antioxidant activity provided inhibitory effects against E. coli and S. aureus, and improved the mechanical strength of the mats. Real food trials with walnut oils revealed that the mats effectively reduced lipid oxidation, thereby extending the product's shelf life. Additionally, the mats were fully biodegradable, decomposing completely in soil within 42 days. These results suggest that the novel composite nanofibrous mats have great potential for sustainable and active food packaging, offering a practical and comprehensive solution for the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste marble powder (WMP) is a rich source of calcium and magnesium salts having an affinity for fluoride ions and therefore serves as a good defluoridation agent. Hydroxyapatite was synthesized from WMP generated by the marble processing industry to make an adsorbent for drinking water defluoridation. The synthesized marble hydroxyapatite (MA-Hap LR) powder was further formed into 2–3 mm pellets by extrusion spheronization technique using a polyvinyl alcohol binder. Continuous column defluoridation studies were conducted to obtain optimized column parameters such as input fluoride concentration, column inflow rates, optimum pellet size, and adsorbent bed parameters to obtain maximum fluoride adsorption capacity. The best breakthrough column performance was a maximum adsorption capacity of 1.21 mg/g, treating 10 mg/L fluoride concentration. The optimized column flow rate was at 1 LPH using an adsorbent bed height of 25 cm, which processed 28.5-bed volumes at an adsorbent exhaustion rate of 7.4 g/L. The column breakthrough performance data were fit into various kinetic models (Thomas model and Yoon–Nelson model) to describe adsorption kinetics and obtain correlation coefficients. Thomas's model fitted well with a high correlation coefficient value. Modelling studies indicate MA-Hap as a promising adsorbent for drinking water treatment, and optimum column design parameters were identified for scale-up for real applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conductive hydrogel strain sensors have attracted great attention in various fields. However, most conductive hydrogels are rigid due to the polymerization of conductive polymers, which not only affects wearer comfort but also causes environmental concerns due to their non-biodegradable nature. To address these limitations, researchers have begun incorporating natural polymer compounds into hydrogels, including starch-based hydrogels. However, starch-based hydrogels hinder their applications due to their brittle fracture, poor freezing resistance, and insufficient electrical conductivity. Herein, a multi-functional, environmentally friendly, degradable starch-based conductive hydrogel was developed using a binary system of water and ethylene glycol (EG) as the solvents, starch and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the skeletons, calcium chloride (CaCl2) for conductivity, and gelatin and cellulose nanofibers to synergistically modify the physical cross-linked network. The hydrogel exhibited exceptional properties such as excellent stretchability (478.1%), high tensile strength (2.1 MPa), good toughness (3.7 MJ/m3), and good conductivity (0.22 S/m), as well as excellent anti-freezing and recyclability. Leveraging these properties, a wearable strain and temperature sensor with high sensitivity (GF = 0.74) and cycle stability over a wide strain range was developed, enabling convenient monitoring of human movement and body temperature physiological signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes have shown remarkable potential for the extensive application in various areas, such as industrial and domestic wastewater treatment, dye desalination, and chemicals separation and purification. This work proposes a highly efficient TFN membrane by incorporation of the amine-functionalized ordered mesoporous silica (APTES-SBA-15) nanoparticles into the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) top layer of a polyvinylchloride (PVC)-based membrane. The superior TFN membranes were fabricated through a facile and optimum preparation method consisting of immersion-precipitation phase inversion followed by dip-coating method to address the challenges hindering performance. The physicochemical characteristics of the synthesized nanoparticles and prepared TFN membranes were studied using a variety of techniques including XRD, FTIR, AFM, FE-SEM and contact angle measurements. The presence of APTES-SBA-15 nanoparticles in TFN membrane enables efficient separation of contaminants compared to pure thin film composite (TFC) and SBA-15 TFN membranes that were investigated by calculating the values of various parameters such as water flux, flux recovery ratio (FRR), rejection percentage, total fouling ratio (TFR), and irreversible fouling ratio (IFR). A more hydrophilic TFN membrane containing 0.50 wt% APTES-SBA-15 nanoparticles (M3 membrane) exhibits a rejection performance of 91.41%, TFR value of 88.89% and IFR value of 11.11% with a total organic carbon (TOC) content of 15.05 mg/L for the treatment of petroleum refinery wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread application of pesticides has induced serious harm to environment and human health. The development of sustained pesticide delivery systems is an effective approach to solve the problems. In this work, a novel pesticide delivery system—acetamiprid/polyhydroxybutyrate-polyethylene glycol (ACE/PHB-PEG) microspheres was prepared and optimized, adopting polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)/polyethylene glycol (PEG) as carrier, acetamiprid (ACE) as encapsulated material. The microspheres were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The in vitro release behavior and the insecticide activity of ACE/PHB-PEG microspheres were also conducted. Under central composite design (CCD) response surface analysis, the optimum conditions of preparing microspheres were obtained as follows: 7.945% of PHB, 1.255% of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and 5.964 of PHB/PEG (mass ratio). The microspheres were uniform and spherical with narrow particle size of (1.32 ± 0.77) µm and high encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 69.1 ± 1.28 %. The FTIR and XRD analysis further confirmed that the ACE-loaded PHB-PEG microspheres have been successfully developed by W1/O/W2 solvent volatilization method, and there is no chemical reaction between ACE and carrier materials during the preparation process. Moreover, the microspheres showed excellent in vitro sustained release of ACE (80% within 23 d), and the releasing was governed by Fickian diffusion. Furthermore, the microspheres represented high insecticidal activities against Uroleucon formosanum within 48 h. The above results have demonstrated that the techniques here for the developing of ACE/PHB-PEG microspheres are feasible, and the microspheres show effective insecticidal activities. The ACE/PHB-PEG microspheres may have great potential to be applied in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to convert the bio-waste material into a fruitful product. This prepared product can be a solution for environmentally hazardous materials like polymer bags and plastic food wrappers. The prepared material is composed of bio-waste pomegranate peel powder and environmentally friendly polyvinyl alcohol. To extend its functionality in food wrappers, the silver nitrate solution is incorporated. The prepared samples were undergone various performance studies. The prepared films show high thermal with standing capacity and tensile properties and especially show better results in biodegradability as well as antibacterial activity. Among the fabricated films, the 5 mM AgNO3-fabricated film shows that the thermal stability up to 331 °C also possesses higher tensile strength of 25.7 MPa. These results make the possibilities of the fabricated PP/PVA/5 mM AgNPs film as an alternative for conventionally used plastic-based food wrappers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic-inorganic hybrids are valuable due to their combined properties. This study fabricated polymer-silica hybrid nanofibers with antibacterial properties using silica and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) through sol-gel and electrospinning methods. The nanofibers, incorporating chloropropyltriethoxysilane (CPTS) and Benzalkonium chloride (BAC), were analyzed for their morphology, chemical composition, mechanical properties, thermal properties, and antibacterial activity. Optimal characteristics in fibrous structure, mechanical strength, and antibacterial efficiency were achieved with a blended 8% wt PVA. Sample H, containing 1% BAC, showed significant bacterial growth inhibition (20 mm for Staphylococcus aureus and 9.2 mm for Escherichia coli), along with enhanced thermal stability (260.41 °C) and tensile strength (12.4 MPa). This study demonstrates the potential of electrospinning in creating advanced hybrid nanofibers with diverse applications in the medical field. Highlights: Fabrication of polymer-silica hybrid nanofibers with outstanding antibacterial properties. Utilization of sol-gel and electrospinning methods in the fabrication process. Comprehensive analysis of nanofiber morphology, chemical composition, mechanical and thermal properties, and antibacterial activity. Highlighting the potential of electrospinning for creating advanced hybrid nanofibers with versatile applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the potential of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) fibers, isolated from Teff straw (TS) using a chemical treatment with metal catalysts, as reinforcement for polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films. The effects of MCC type (derived from different metal catalysts) and loading (0, 2, 5, and 8 wt%) on the physico-mechanical properties (including thermal stability) of PVA films, were investigated. The incorporation of MCCs significantly improved the films' mechanical strength. Compared to neat PVA, the tensile strength increased by up to 49%, 71%, and 67% when incorporating Cr(III)-MCC, Fe(III)Cl-MCC, and Fe(III)-MCC, respectively, at a 5% loading level. The thermal stability of the PVA/MCC composites also improved, with a higher onset degradation temperature compared to neat PVA. For instance, The Tonset for the neat PVA, Cr(III)-MCC, Fe(III)Cl-MCC, and Fe(III)-MCC-based PVA films were 295, 305, 308, and 303 0C at a level of 5% MCC content, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed good dispersion of MCC fibers within the PVA matrix, indicating strong interaction between the materials. Overall, TS MCCs show promise as low-cost, bio-based reinforcement for producing biodegradable films with enhanced mechanical properties and thermal stability, making them suitable for various applications like food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structures made of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars encased in seawater and sea-sand concrete (SSC) have received significant attention in recent years owing to the high corrosion resistance of FRP, and the environmental friendliness and economic advantage of SSC. However, studies on their long-term bonding performance, particularly in cold coastal environments, are limited. This study investigates the feasibility of using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers to improve the resistance of normal-strength SSCs to seawater freeze–thaw cycles (FTCs). The interlaminar shear, flexural, and tensile properties of bare glass-FRP (GFRP) and basalt-FRP (BFRP) bars and their bond behaviors in the designed SSC with good seawater freeze‒thaw durability were studied. The failure modes and microstructural tests revealed a bonding-deterioration mechanism. The test results revealed that the chloride ions in seawater, SSC-encased alkalinity, and FTCs adversely affected the mechanical properties of the saturated GFRP and BFRP bars. Additionally, the effect of FTCs was greater than that of SSC alkalinity. The deterioration of the BFRP was marginally more severe than that of the GFRP because the corrosion at the basalt fiber–resin interface caused interface and resin cracking, and thereby increased ice expansion during freezing. Seawater FTCs reduced the bond strength and residual bond strength, and increased the corresponding slippages of the SSCs with GFRP and BFRP bars. This is attributed to the degraded resin-rich surface layer of the bar and radial cracking of the cement matrix at the bonding interface. The radial cracking was caused by the hoop and radial stresses generated by the radial expansion of the saturated bar during freezing. These exceeded the tensile strength of the deteriorated concrete after seawater FTCs. The bond degradation of the BFRP–SSC was marginally more severe than that of the GFRP–SSC owing to the larger extent of cracking in the bar and cement matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-lived room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) originating from thiophene boronate polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) has enabled the creation of metal-ion-responsive RTP films doped with spirolactam ring-containing rhodamine 6G (1). In this study, RTP-active PVA films, namely, TDB@PVA and ATB@PVA, were prepared through boronate esterification of thiophene-2,5-diboronic acid (TDB) and 5-acetylthiophene-2-boronic acid (ATB) with the diol units of PVA. The delayed emission properties were evaluated, revealing an emission band at 477 nm with a turquoise afterglow for TDB@PVA and at 510 nm with a green afterglow for ATB@PVA after UV light irradiation ceased. The photophysical properties were assessed using TD-DFT and DFT calculations at the B3LYP/cc-pVDZ level. N-(rhodamine-6G)lactam dye with a salicylimine unit (1) was doped into the RTP-based PVA films, producing a multicolored afterglow upon the addition of metal ions. This phenomenon is explained by a triplet-tosinglet Förster-type resonance energy transfer process from the cross-linked thiophene boronate in PVA to the metal-ion-activated colored form of 1. This photophysical feature finds applicability in encryption techniques. Notably, the reversible metal-ligand coordination of 1 in the PVA system enabled a write/erase information process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Super macroporous (SMP) hydrogels have garnered significant attention in biomedical applications due to their high permeability and biomimetic pore structure. However, maintaining toughness in highly porous materials remains a formidable challenge. This study introduces a facile one‐step preparation method for fabricating tough alginate hydrogels with an SMP structure by blending polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and sodium alginate cross‐linked with calcium chloride. By capitalizing on the phase separation effect, this method bypasses traditional requirements such as cryogelation and templating that necessitate low temperatures or solvent etching. The presence of PVA molecules promotes the regional aggregation of alginates, leading to enhanced toughness, and also occupies larger interstitial spaces between the densely packed alginate phases, facilitating pore formation. The resulting SMP structure, featuring pore sizes ranging from 50 µm to 700 µm, forms during the polymer cross‐linking process and achieves a porosity exceeding 85%. These hydrogels exhibit superior toughness compare to their non‐macroporous counterparts. Additionally, this method allows for flexible adjustments in the porous structure and overall gel shape, making it adaptable to various applications. This simple yet effective approach holds great potential for developing novel SMP materials with enhanced toughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzyme immobilization onto nanofiber matrices presents a promising avenue for various biotechnological applications. In this study, the electrospinning method was used to produce nanofibers composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), beta cyclodextrin (βCD), and collagen, subsequently investigating the immobilization of arginase onto this characterized carrier matrix. The optimal production parameters for the collagen-blended nanofibers were determined as follows: a PVA concentration of 6% (w/v), a βCD concentration of 2% (v/v), a collagen concentration of 1% (w/v), an electrical voltage of 13 kV, a needle–collector distance of 15 cm, and an injection speed of 0.5 mL h−1. The structural and morphological properties of the nanofibers were evaluated through comprehensive analyses including ATR-FTIR, TGA, and SEM techniques. Following this, arginase immobilization onto the collagen-blended nanofibers was accomplished through adsorption and cross-linking techniques. At high temperatures, the free arginase lost 90% of its activity after 1 h, while the immobilized arginase retained about 90% of its activity under the same circumstances. The arginase immobilized collagen-blended nanofiber retained 50% of its activity after 29 reuses. Moreover, the nanofibers enhanced enzyme stability properties, including storage capacity, thermal and pH stability. As a result, this study introduces an innovative strategy utilizing collagen-blended nanofiber matrices for enzyme immobilization, highlighting their potential applications in biocatalysis and enzymatic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to explore the applicability of biocompatible quince seed mucilage hydrogel as a promising material for drug delivery systems. In this investigation, the hydrogel was synthesized through the graft copolymerization of acrylic acid and allyl polyvinyl alcohol onto quince seed mucilage in an aqueous solution under an argon atmosphere. Characterization of the synthesized hydrogel was performed using Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE‐SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Subsequently, the developed hydrogel served as a carrier for ceftriaxone antibiotic release in both distilled water and a buffer solution with a pH of 7.4. The results demonstrated an impressive encapsulation efficiency of 96.1% for ceftriaxone within the hydrogel matrix. Additionally, the adsorption properties of ceftriaxone onto the proposed hydrogel structures (I, II, and III) were theoretically investigated in the aqueous phase using Monte Carlo adsorption locator calculations in Materials Studio2017. Our findings revealed strong adsorption on structure (III) compared to structures (I and II), with respective theoretical energies of −2.836 kcal/mol, −2.840 kcal/mol, and −2.127 kcal/mol. Therefore, the proposed hydrogel structure (III) emerges as a promising candidate for drug delivery applications, emphasizing its potential as an efficient carrier system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wound healing is a natural but complex process that can be delayed by infection. Rosuvastatin calcium (RVS) is an anti-hyperlipidemic that was recently reported to have a wound healing capability. The study aimed to investigate the impact of combining RVS with Levofloxacin (LV) on wound healing. A physically crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film loaded with RVS and LV was formulated as wound dressing. Formulation optimization was carried out using Box–Behnken design. The effect of independent variables (PVA and propylene glycol concentrations and the number of freeze–thaw cycles) on tensile strength (TS), elongation to break (%EB) and in vitro drugs' release was studied. For simultaneous RVS and LV quantification in the formulations and pure form, three spectrophotometric methods: derivative of ratio spectrophotometry, first derivative and mean centering, were developed. Also, their greenness was evaluated by the Analytical Eco-Scale and the Green Analytical Procedure Index. Then, the wound healing effect of the optimized wound dressing was evaluated in rat models. Results: The optimized dressing had sufficient mechanical strength (9.45 ± 0.67 MPa), adequate flexibility (112.6 ± 3.8% EB) and suitable drug release (52.3 ± 1.4% for LV and 38.99 ± 1.6% for RVS after 12 h). The proposed methods were validated following ICH guidelines, and greenness assessment suggested their very low environmental effect. The wound healing evaluation showed a higher wound contraction percentage when RVS was combined to LV. A histopathological study confirmed marked improvement in animals treated with combined formula with lowest inflammatory infiltration and optimum epithelialization, compared to other groups. Conclusion: Study findings suggest that combined LV-RVS dressing would be a beneficial platform with potentiated wound healing capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous Zn metal batteries show promise for large‐scale energy storage but face challenges including dendrite formation, volume changes, and side reactions. This study introduces a novel anti‐swelling supramolecule‐crosslinked hydrogel (SCH) interphase to stabilize Zn metal anodes. The SCH, composed of cyclodextrin molecules crosslinked with polyvinyl alcohol, offers a multifaceted approach to enhance anode stability. It homogenizes ion flux and suppresses Zn dendrite growth by creating well‐defined pathways for Zn2+ movement. The supramolecular structure selectively traps SO42− ions, effectively desolvating Zn2+ and enabling fast ion transportation. Additionally, by disrupting water cluster hydrogen bonds, SCH reduces free water activity, mitigating corrosion at the Zn surface. Electrochemical tests demonstrate the excellent performance of SCH‐Zn, with symmetric cells achieve lifespans of 1800 h at 4 mA cm−2/2 mAh cm−2 and 1100 h at 10 mA cm−2/5 mAh cm−2. Zn||Cu half‐cells maintain 99.7% Coulombic efficiency over 500 cycles, while full cells with polyaniline cathodes exhibit stable cycling for 1500 cycles at 5 A g−1 with no apparent capacity decay. These results highlight the effectiveness of the SCH in stabilizing Zn anodes. This study provides a new interfacial engineering strategy for high‐performance aqueous Zn batteries, potentially accelerating their practical implementation in large‐scale energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights Highly filled polymer fibers offer huge promise for radiation protection safety and wear comfort of personal protective equipment (PPE) in radiation environments. However, it usually sacrifices mechanical properties that directly related to practical usability. Here, as high as 75 wt% PbWO4 (PWO) particles have been filled in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber via tailoring their size and shape for enhanced γ‐rays shielding and good mechanical properties. Clearly shown that 0 dimensional (0‐D) PWO exhibits better dispersion and compatibility between the interfaces than 1‐D PWO in highly filled PVA fibers. In addition, 70 wt% 0‐D PWO/PVA fibers display better mechanical properties than 70 wt% 1‐D PWO/PVA fibers. Note that 75 wt% 0‐D PWO/PVA fibers show 1.02 cN/dtex of tensile strength. However, 75 wt% 1‐D PWO/PVA fibers fail to be fabricated smoothly. Importantly, the overlapped fabrics with 75 wt% 0‐D PWO/PVA fibers display 43.05% of γ‐ray shielding (105 keV) meanwhile it offers good air and water vapor permeability for wear comfort. The superior γ‐ray shielding ascribes the polymer fibers with the higher filling in comparison with its counterpart, which provides a practical means to design radiation protection safety and wear comfort of articles. This work breaks the upper limit of filling in polymer fibers Filler structure can weigh the integrated properties of polymer fibers. 0‐D PWO particles promote interfacial compatibility in highly filled fibers. Radiation protection safety and wear comfort of articles tend to be designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Real‐time monitoring of respiration plays a very important role in human health assessment, especially in monitoring and analyzing respiration during exercise and sleep. However, traditional humidity sensors still have problems in flexibility, sensitivity, and durability, so there is an urgent need to develop humidity sensors with high sensitivity, stretchability, and environmental resistance as respiratory monitoring applications. Here, based on the double network hydrogel structure of polyvinyl alcohol and polyacrylamide, a highly sensitive, highly stretchable, and environmentally stable organic hydrogel humidity sensor has been manufactured by using the synergistic effect of lithium chloride and MXene. The hydrogel humidity sensor shows rapid response in the humidity range of 40–85% RH, and has a high sensitivity of −103.4%/% RH. In addition, it exhibits more than 3000% mechanical strain and excellent environmental resistance, which is attributed to the chemical cross‐linking in the hydrogel network and the synergistic effect of multiple hydroxyl groups in glycerol forming rich hydrogen bonds with water and polymer chains. The hydrogel humidity sensor is used for real‐time monitoring of breathing and sleep processes. This work provides a new strategy for preparing high‐performance, extensibility, and environmental stability hydrogel‐based sensors for respiratory monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the electrical conductivity, mechanical properties, and antibacterial properties of conventional hydrogels while simplifying their preparation steps for better application in wearable, flexible sensors and biomimetic electronic skins. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogels were doped with an ionic liquid based on zinc chloride to synthesize improved hydrogels using the freeze‐thawing method. It is found that the addition of ionic liquid based on zinc chloride to the hydrogel resulted in a significant increase in electrical conductivity. However, an excessive amount of these liquids led to a reduction in their mechanical properties. The results reveal that the balance between conductivity and mechanical properties can be achieved by controlling the concentration of the ionic liquid based on zinc chloride. The higher the ionic liquid concentration based on zinc chloride in the composite hydrogels, the better the conductivity performance. The addition of an ionic liquid based on zinc chloride resulted in a significant improvement in the conductivity performance of the hydrogels. Furthermore, excellent mechanical properties are maintained even at a mass ratio of 1 : 10 between ionic liquids based on zinc chloride and PVA hydrogels, and composite hydrogels exhibit excellent antibacterial properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a water-soluble polymer, can be used to produce smoother surfaces and better dimensional accuracy when used as dissolvable supports during the printing of functional polymers like polylactic acid (PLA). This study investigates the printability of neat PVA using a large-diameter nozzle screw extruder 3D printer and the effect of printing parameters on inter-track voids and surface uniformity. This addresses the limitations of the long print times of current polymer additive manufacturing processes using a large-scale fused granulate fabrication (FGF) process. Using rheology tests, the extrusion temperature was identified, and following an experimental design and regression analysis, the optimum process parameters, among which are motor speed, layer height, and overlap percentage, are determined which achieved minimized void fraction and increased surface uniformity. With optimized parameters, the void fraction was reduced to 1.18%, and the bead height difference reduced to 0.316 mm. The tensile tests showed that the 3D-printed PVA had comparable tensile strengths to those of the FDM-printed and injection-molded PLA and ABS. Through tensile testing, the UTS of PVA produced in this study is measured to be 67.99 MPA, with mean elongation of 15.91%. This study show that PVA can be used as support or binding in the 3D printing of complex composites, benefiting from the water solubility feature of PVA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary goal of this study is to elucidate the structural and electrical characteristics, alongside potential applications, of ceramic-polymeric composites. These composites are achieved by incorporating lithium-lanthanum titanates (Li 3x La 2/3−x TiO 3 - LLTO) into a polyvinyl alcohol polymeric matrix (PVA). The synthesis of lithium-lanthanum titanates occurred through high-energy ball milling method. Then, three types of composites were produced using the solvent casting method: a sample of pure Poly (vinyl alcohol) polymer (PVA), a second PVA composite with the addition of La 0 · 59 Li 0 · 24 TiO 3 (Li-0.24) and a third sample with La0· 56 Li 0 · 33 TiO 3 (Li-0.33). SEM and AFM analyzes revealed notable changes in the morphology and 3D spatial patterns of the films upon incorporating lithium-lanthanum titanates into the PVA matrix. The PVA film presents a topography featuring a more evenly distributed range of topographic heights, indicating a smoother surface structure. With varying LLTO content, the morphology of the PVA composite underwent changes. The lower roughness of the PVA surface is evident from its measured average roughness value (Ra = 1.9 ± 0.5 nm). Upon incorporating LLTO, the surfaces displayed increased roughness, measuring specifically at 40.1 ± 7.3 nm (Li-0.24) and 22.7 ± 5.5 nm (Li-0.33). Notably, there was an approximately 43 % reduction in the average roughness value from Li-0.24 to Li-0.33. The analysis by Raman allowed the identification of functional groups of the PVA polymeric chain, in addition to the presence of some vibrational modes related to the structure of lithium-lanthanum titanates for the sample with the highest content of Li+ ions (Li-0.33). Finally, the sample Li-0.33 showed the lowest value of electrical resistance (67 kΩ) and of phase angle (16°), compared to the PVA (100 MΩ and 90°). These results show that the presence of the LLTO changed the insulating behavior of the PVA matrix changed and improved potential to electronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a technique for decontaminating radioactive surfaces by employing a gel, herein termed as radiation decontamination gel with eutectic liquids (RADGEL), composed of a deep eutectic solvent and polyvinyl alcohol, with the goal of enabling reuse of the surface post‐decontamination. The decontamination effectiveness of RADGEL underwent thorough evaluation through trials conducted on different simulated surfaces, achieving decontamination efficiency up to 99.9% for alpha as well as gamma radionuclides. The various parameters influencing decontamination factors such as amount of complexing agent used, polymer film thickness, nature, and magnitude of radioactivity, as well as surface characteristics of substrates to be decontaminated were optimized. Additionally excellent mechanical strength of RADGEL, affirms its potential as practically efficient, cost‐effective, and safe option for surface decontamination. The Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis suggest RADGELs capability for both physical and chemical interactions with contaminants, thus highlighting its comprehensive decontamination efficacy. The outcomes of this study carry substantial implications for the decontamination of surfaces contaminated with various types of radionuclides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible pressure sensors have attracted much attention because of their application prospects in wearable devices, electronic skin, and health monitoring. However, it is still difficult to obtain pressure sensors with excellent performance simply and efficiently. Indium tin oxide (ITO) is a widely used transparent conductive material, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is an elastic insulating material with the advantages of easy processing and stable mechanical properties. ITO nano‐crystalline particles are dispersed into PVA polymers to form an ITO nanocrystalline‐PVA composite film with good electrical conductivity as a piezorestoresistive material, fabricating a pressure sensor with excellent performance. The pressure sensor possesses superior sensitivity (641.15 kPa−1), wide detection range (0–80 kPa), fast response time (10.93 ms), and recovery time (8.05 ms), and excellent stability (more than 1500 cycles). The pressure sensor shows excellent performance in a variety of applications, such as pulse testing, speech recognition, and detection of various joint movements of the human body (such as knees, fingers, elbows, etc.). The sensor has application prospects in health monitoring and motion perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a versatile polymer, is extensively used across many industries, such as chemicals, food, healthcare, textiles, and packaging. However, research on applying PVA to triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) remains limited. Consequently, we chose PVA as the primary material to explore its contact electrification mechanisms at the molecular level, alongside materials like Polyethylene (PE), Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Our findings show that PVA has the highest band gap, with the smallest band gap occurring between the HOMO of PVA and the LUMO of PTFE. During molecular contact, electron transfer primarily occurs in the outermost layers of the molecules, influenced by the functional groups of the polymers. The presence of fluorine atoms enhances the electron transfer between PVA and PTFE to maximum levels. Experimental validation confirmed that PVA and PTFE contact yields the highest triboelectric performance: VOC of 128 V, ISC of 2.83 µA, QSC of 82 nC, and an output power of 384 µW. Moreover, P-TENG, made of PVA and PTFE, was successfully applied in self-powered smart devices and monitored human respiration and bodily movements effectively. These findings offer valuable insights into using PVA in triboelectric nanogenerator technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last ten years, researchers' efforts have aimed to replace the classic linear economy model with the circular economy model, favoring green chemical and industrial processes. From this point of view, biologically active molecules, coming from plants, flowers and biomass, are gaining considerable value. In this study, firstly we focus on the development of a green protocol to obtain the purification of anthocyanins from the flower of Callistemon citrinus, based on simulation and on response surface optimization methodology. After that, we utilize them to manufacture and add new properties to bioplastics belonging to class 3, based on modified polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with increasing amounts from 0.10 to 1.00%. The new polymers are analyzed to monitor morphological changes, optical properties, mechanical properties and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra of the new materials show the characteristic bands of the PVA alone and a modification of the band at around 1138 cm−1 and 1083 cm−1, showing an influence of the anthocyanins' addition on the sequence with crystalline and amorphous structures of the starting materials, as also shown by the results of the mechanical tests. These last showed an increase in thickening (from 29.92 μm to approx. 37 μm) and hydrophobicity with the concomitant increase in the added anthocyanins (change in wettability with water from 14° to 31°), decreasing the poor water/moisture resistance of PVA that decreases its strength and limits its application in food packaging, which makes the new materials ideal candidates for biodegradable packaging to extend the shelf-life of food. The functionalization also determines an increase in the opacity, from 2.46 to 3.42 T%/mm, the acquisition of antioxidant activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhdrazyl and 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radicals and, in the ferric reducing power assay, the antimicrobial (bactericidal) activity against different Staphylococcus aureus strains at the maximum tested concentration (1.00% of anthocyanins). On the whole, functionalization with anthocyanins results in the acquisition of new properties, making it suitable for food packaging purposes, as highlighted by a food fresh-keeping test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim of producing a photomechanical material for incorporation in soft microrobots, a one‐dimensional diene coordination polymer (CP) [Cd(F‐bpeb)(3‐CBA)2]n (CP1, F‐bpeb=4,4′‐((1E,1′E)‐(2,5‐difluoro‐1,4‐phenylene)bis(ethene‐2,1‐diyl))dipyridine, 3‐HCBA=3‐chlorobenzoic acid) was synthesized and characterized. Irradiation of CP1 with ultraviolet (UV) or visible light causes [2+2] photocycloaddition reactions resulting in the introduction of crystal strain which triggers various types of crystal movements. Composite films of CP1‐PVA (SC) fabricated by dispersing CP1 crystals into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution allow amplification of the crystal movement so that the film strips exhibit fast and flexible curling upon photoirradiation. The composite films may be cut into long rectangular strips and folded to simulate soft microrobots which exhibit a variety of fast, flexible and continuous photomechanical movements resembling a human performing various gymnastic exercises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoconductors featuring an individual micro/nano‐crystal as the photoactive channel hold the great promise for next‐generation integrated optoelectronics. Meanwhile, the gain aiming for signal amplification without an extra amplifier, the fast response for fast data transfer, and low dark current for weak signal acquisition are highly desirable in integrated optoelectronics, but are inherent trade‐off in traditional photoconductors. Herein, the study demonstrates a single‐microplate MAPbI3 photoconductor based on polyvinyl alcohol‐filled planar electrodes that can simultaneously achieve excellent performance on these parameters. The superior performance can be attributed to the exquisite design of filling the device channel gap with polyvinyl alcohol. This deep‐work‐function transparent polyvinyl alcohol can not only passivate surface defects of the perovskite microplate by hydrogen bonding, but also form a heterojunction with top perovskites to induce a depleted channel. Resultant single‐microplate photodetectors exhibit exceptional performance characteristics including ultra‐low noise‐equivalent power of 0.19 fW Hz−1/2, high specific detectivity of 3.68 × 1014 Jones, fast response of 3.2 µs, high EQE‐bandwidth over 107 Hz, as well as excellent stability. More importantly, single‐microplate MAPbI3 photoconductors demonstrate ultra‐weak‐light imaging ability surpassing silicon counterparts. Furthermore, the successful integration of their microplate pixels showcases the promising prospect for integrated optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catheter-related infections are one of the most common nosocomial infections with increasing morbidity and mortality, and robust antibacterial or antifouling catheter coatings remain great challenges for long-term implantation. Herein, multifunctional hydrogel coatings were developed to provide persistent and self-adaptive antifouling and antibacterial effects with self-healing and lubricant capabilities. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) grafts (PVA-Cd) and 4-arm polyethylene glycol (PEG) with adamantane and quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) terminals (QA-PEG-Ad) were crosslinked through host-guest recognitions between adamantane and β-CD moieties to acquire PVEQ coatings. In response to bacterial infections, QACs exhibit reversible transformation between zwitterions (pH 7.4) and cationic lactones (pH 5.5) to generate on-demand bactericidal effect. Highly hydrophilic PEG/PVA backbones and zwitterionic QACs build a lubricate surface and decrease the friction coefficient 10 times compared with that of bare catheters. The antifouling hydrated layer significantly inhibits blood protein adsorption and platelet activation and reveals negligible hemolysis and cytotoxicity. The dynamic host-guest crosslinking achieves full self-healing of cracks in PVEQ hydrogels, and the mechanical profiles were recovered to over 90 % after rejuvenating the broken hydrogels, exhibiting a long-term stability after mechanical stretching, twisting, knotting and compression. After subcutaneous implantation and local bacterial infection, the retrieved PVEQ-coated catheters display no tissue adhesion and 3 log folds lower bacterial number than that of bare catheters. PVEQ coatings effectively prevent the repeated bacterial infections and there are few inflammatory reactions in the surrounding tissue, while substantial lymphoid infiltration and inflammatory cell aggregation occur in muscle tissues around the bare catheter. Thus, this study demonstrates a catheter coating strategy by on-demand bactericidal, self-adaptive antifouling, self-healing and lubricant hydrogels to address medical devices-related infections. It is estimated over two billion peripheral intravenous catheters are annually used in hospitals around the world, and catheter-associated infection has become a great clinical challenge with rapidly rising morbidity and mortality. Surface coating is considered a promising approach, but substantial challenges remain in the development of coatings that simultaneously satisfy both anti-fouling and antibacterial attributes. Even more, few attempts have been made to design mechanically robust coatings and reversible antibacterial or antifouling capabilities, which are critical for long-term medical implants. To address these challenges, we propose a concise strategy to develop hydrogel coatings from commercially available poly(ethylene glycol) and polyvinyl alcohol. In addition to self-healing and lubricant capabilities, the reversible conversion between zwitterionic and cationic lactones of quaternary ammonium compounds enables on-demand bactericidal and self-adaptive antifouling effects. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Bone augmentation has become a significant practice in various areas of bone regeneration dentistry. This systematic review analyzes the research focused on evaluating bone substitute materials for the presence of contaminants. Methods: In June 2024, an extensive electronic search was conducted using renowned databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Specific keywords employed in the search included ((bone AND (substitute) AND (remnants OR (purity)) OR ((graft AND tooth) AND (remnants OR purity)) OR ((graft AND dentin) AND (remnants OR purity)). The search adhered to the PRISMA protocol and the PICO framework. The review concentrated on the origin of bone substitute materials, the processing methods used for these materials, techniques for assessing purity, and types of contamination identified. A total of 594 articles were identified of which 22 met the criteria and were incorporated into the review. Results: Investigations into allogeneic and xenogeneic bone substitute materials have revealed that, despite manufacturers' assurances of purity, some materials still contain contaminants. Sample analyses demonstrated the presence of donor cellular remains, cellular debris, intertrabecular fat, connective tissue, and collagen. Similarly, synthetically produced bone substitute materials (alloplastic materials) contained various impurities, such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), CaO phases, calcium-deficient HAp phases, oily substances containing carbon and silicone, cellulose derivatives, alpha-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP), and heavy metals. Conclusions: Bone-derived and bone-like graft materials can contain various organic and inorganic impurities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silica (SiO2) is widely used in numerous applications, including ceramic membranes, and can be extracted from rice husks, which is an agricultural waste containing high amounts of silica. In fact, it is essential to reduce the vast amounts of discarded rice husks as open burning of the rice husk can have detrimental effects on the environment due to the release of hazardous pollutants. For the rice husk to be used, a suitable sintering temperature should be obtained to ensure the membrane synthesized has the desired porous structure. A high sintering temperature can affect the melting condition of the membrane's porous structure. While a low sintering temperature may not give the required porosity. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of sintering temperature on the pore size of the membrane fabricated from kaolin, polyvinyl alcohol, and rice husk ash. The rice husk was initially treated with hydrochloric acid (HCl) and heated at 900 ℃ to produce rice husk ash. The membranes fabricated were then sintered at 1000 ℃ to 1400 ℃. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) results show that 71.36% of silica was successfully extracted from the rice husk. According to the XRD results, only two membranes sintered at 1300 °C and 1400 °C have crystallinity forms. Because the ceramic membrane contains a crystalline phase, it was determined that 1300 ℃ is an appropriate temperature for sintering. It also has a low absorption percentage (88.89%) and the desired porosity (69.93%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the process, solution, and ambient parameters of the electrospinning technique have been intensely studied, the effects of different setup orientations have not been thoroughly investigated. In many research studies, the attempts on electrospinning of polyvinyl alcohol have been performed with a horizontal electrospinning or researchers have not even mentioned the setup orientation. This paper examines the morphological properties of polyvinyl alcohol‐based fibrous mats electrospun with the same apparatus and identical process and solution parameters but with different working planes, namely, (x)‐axis, (+y) axis, and (−y) axis. From the test results, it is concluded that the (−y) axis is the most versatile working plane because fibrous mats have the finest nanofiber diameters with the lowest diameter variation, the medium‐level pore area with the smallest pore sizes. Besides, the highest packing density and highly deposited structure with the longest fibers with a high aspect ratio are constructed in this setup orientation. (−y) axis electrospinning is more favorable than that of other working planes for polyvinyl alcohol‐based permeable membranes and biostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary The white button mushroom is a significant vegan food with a limited shelf‐life. To prolong the shelf‐life of mushrooms, certain treatment must be implemented. The current investigation is involved in the development of biocomposite film (BCF) by employing cellulose nano crystal (CNC), dispersed in a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix. The CNC extracted from aloe vera rind exhibited a sharp crystalline peak and rod‐shaped structures with a particle size of ~322.7 nm. Among the various concentrations of the CNC, incorporated in the BCF, the 8% CNC (BCF‐8%)‐loaded film showed the highest mechanical strength of ~166.73 MPa and a best crystallinity pattern. The study examined the synergistic impact of BCF along with neroli and palmarosa essential oil vapours, which effectively preserved the overall physiochemical properties and sensory characteristics of white button mushrooms for up to 8 days of storage. Hence, these innovative packaging systems are suitable substitute for the commercial food grade packaging to maintain the quality of mushrooms during postharvest storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of 5 G, the rise in power density in miniaturized, flexible electronic devices has created an urgent need for thin, flexible, polymer-based electrically and thermally conductive nanocomposites to address challenges related to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and heat accumulation. However, the difficulties in establishing enduring and continuous transfer pathways for electrons and phonons using solid-rigid conductive fillers within insulative polymer matrices limit the development of such nanocomposites. Herein, we incorporate MXene-bridging-liquid metal (MBLM) solid-liquid bi-continuous electrical-thermal conductive networks within aramid nanofiber/polyvinyl alcohol (AP) matrices, resulting in the AP/MBLM nanocomposite with ultra-high electrical conductivity (3984 S/cm) and distinguished thermal conductivity of 13.17 W m−1 K−1. This nanocomposite exhibits excellent EMI shielding efficiency (SE) of 74.6 dB at a minimal thickness of 22 μm, and maintains high EMI shielding stability after enduring various harsh conditions. Meanwhile, the AP/MBLM nanocomposite also demonstrates promising heat dissipation behavior. This work expands the concept of creating thin films with high electrical and thermal conductivity. Composites of MXene-bridging-liquid metal (MBLM) networks in aramid nanofiber/polyvinyl alcohol matrices are developed, achieving high electrical and thermal conductivity, along with EMI shielding of 74.6 dB at 22 μm thickness [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable osmotic energy between seawater and river water shows great potential in meeting global energy demand. Reverse electrodialysis (RED) technique using ion‐selective membrane is particularly outstanding for its easy operation. Preparing low‐cost and large‐area ion‐selective membranes with excellent ion transport characteristics is particularly important to promote commercial applications. Herein, large‐area ion‐selective membrane is prepared by scraping slurry of flocculated GO (graphene oxide)/PAAS (sodium polyacrylate) solution and then coated with PVA (polyvinyl alcohol)/SA (sodium alginate) gel layer. The PVA/SA molecules can penetrate into the membrane through the unique micro/meso‐pores, which together increase the ion selectivity, membrane permeability, and stability. This ion‐selective membrane can achieve a power density of 8.65 W m−2 under a 50‐fold salinity gradient (NaCl) simulating the sea/river junction environment (with the testing area of 0.0314 mm2). This work significantly promotes the application of GO in large‐area preparation of low‐cost ion‐selective membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly sensitive strain sensors have been widely used in human motion monitoring, medical treatment, soft robots, and human–computer interaction, and the recycling of functional materials is in a huge demand for eco‐friendly and sustainable electronics. However, the manufacturing of recyclable strain sensors still remains challenging. Here, a semi‐wrapped structure based on silver nanowires and polyvinyl alcohol is proposed to realize a recyclable and stable strain sensor. It has shown excellent sensitivity, fast response, high stretchability and good environmental stability, and is successfully applied for human motion monitoring. In addition, a simple strategy is developed to effectively recycle silver nanowires in an eco‐friendly manner. The recyclable and stable strain sensor demonstrates potential applications in wearable and stretchable electronics, and the recycling strategy can be extended to other noble metal nanomaterials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study evaluates chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization efficacy and safety. A prospective interventional study was conducted in Viet Duc Hospital from November 2021 to April 2024. All consecutive cSDH MMA embolization patients were included. Clinical and imaging data were collected before and one month after treatment. The study included 31 42-cSDH patients. Of these, 25.8% had hematoma evacuation, 83.9% were treated with surgery and embolization, and 16.1% with embolization alone. 92.9% of procedures used polyvinyl alcohol particles. The success rate was 92.9% and complications 7.1%. Asymptomatic external carotid artery vasospasm and MMA rupture occurred. Functional improvement occurred in 91.7% of patients one month after treatment. Significantly lower mean modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score (0.2±0.7 vs. 1.7±0.9; P=0.000) and higher proportion of patients with =2 mRS score (95.8% vs. 74.1%) were observed after treatment. Hematoma thickness decreased significantly (P=0.00) from 21.5±7.9 mm to 8.3±4.1 mm. The midline shift decreased significantly from 7.4±5.0 mm to 0.7±1.2 mm (P=0.00). Just one patient (4.2%) needed surgery. MMA embolization alone or with surgery appears to treat cSDH safely and effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescent hydrogel as an advanced material has been used for anti‐counterfeiting, probe detection, and optical devices. A facile strategy to prepare fluorescent hydrogel is developed by carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) with Europium(III) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The hydrogel forms a physical cross‐linking network under mild reaction conditions without using volatile organic chemicals. The addition of CMC‐Eu(III) improves the mechanical properties of the hydrogel. At 15% CMC‐Eu(III), the hydrogel reaches its maximum tensile and compressive stress, which are 47.25 ± 10.35 and 10.14 ± 1.90 kPa, respectively. Meanwhile, the hydrogels exhibit a 5D0→7F2 characteristic emission peak assigned to Eu3+, which emits stable red fluorescence under 254 nm ultraviolet (UV) light. When this hydrogel is applied to paper, the paper showed hidden fluorescent dots under UV light. This additive also enhances the mechanical properties of the paper, which reveals the multifunctionality of this fluorescent hydrogel for anti‐counterfeiting and reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pH‐responsive hydrogels have potential applications in food visualization detection, but their fragile mechanical properties limit their applicability. The excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability of aramid nanofibers (ANFs) can improve the structural stability of hydrogels. In this study, the surface properties of ANFs were enhanced through modification to improve their surface activity. The modified ANFs, designated as ANF‐SN, were produced following treatment with a mixture of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3), which led to increased reactivity and dispersibility of the ANFs due to the proliferation of active groups on their nanofiber surface. The preferred anthocyanin extract from purple sweet potatoes (purple sweet potato extract [PSPE]) had significant color responses to pH (2–12) and ammonia vapor. A stable dual‐network colorimetric hydrogel was fabricated by combining ANF‐SN, polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate (PVA/SA), and PSPE through a two‐step method (freeze‐thawing and staining). Characterization analysis showed that the strong acid modification of ANFs effectively improved their chemical reactivity. ANF‐SN was better than ANF in promoting the formation of hydrogen bond networks, enhancing hydrogel network structures, and improving the viscoelasticity of hydrogels. The optimal hydrogel indicator PVA/SA/ANF‐SN/PSPE had good color responsiveness and sensitivity to ammonia. It can also be used to further determine shrimp freshness value using a smartphone and RGB color‐picking software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]