Search

We demonstrate a novel way for powdered hemostats to enter deep bleeding sites of complicated wounds and achieve targeted hemostasis.

Overexploitation of antibiotics increases the emergence of multidrug-resistant agents (MDRAs), which may potentially cause a global crisis with severe health consequences. Hence, there is great demand for next-generation antibacterial platforms based on antibiotic-free strategies or targeted therapies to mitigate the emergence of MDRAs. Herein, an all-in-one hollow nanoworm (A-Fe/AuAg@PDA) is developed with a core comprising citrate-capped Au-Ag nanoparticles (Cit-AuAg NPs) loaded with Fe2O3 and an l-arginine (L-Arg)-modified polydopamine (PDA) outer shell, possessing exceptional magnetic-targeting ability and a photothermal therapeutic effect. Following intravenous injection, A-Fe/AuAg@PDA can be precisely delivered to the targeted infection sites by an externally applied magnetic field. The in situ produced NO, together with Ag ions and reactive oxygen species, synergistically results in the highly effective elimination of in vivo bacterial infection. With the aid of functional worm-like A-Fe/AuAg@PDA nanocarriers possessing superior biocompatibility, the combination of magnetic guidance therapy and near-infrared-triggered in situ generation of NO may provide a novel approach for eradicating abscesses in the body. To our knowledge, this is the first study highlighting the magnetically guided delivery of worm-like nanocarriers for the antibiotic-free therapy of bacterial infections using in situ generated NO gas, which demonstrates high potential for application in clinical gas therapy.

Acute hemorrhage that occurs after trauma is a life-threatening condition. Hence, to halt massive bleeding, there is a critical need to develop a suitable therapy. In this study, we developed self-propelling chestnut-like particles (Pro-MAS) comprising a macro-acanthosphere (MAS) coated with calcium carbonate and protonated tranexamic acid to puncture red blood cells (RBCs) and thus activate hemostasis. In vitro assessments revealed that Pro-MAS was biocompatible, biodegradable, and nontoxic; furthermore, it was capable of puncturing RBCs to release procoagulants and activate platelet aggregation for hemostasis. Animal tests showed that self-propelling Pro-MAS effectively traveled through blood flow to the deep ends of wounds; hemorrhage was controlled within 90 s and 4 min in the injured liver and bleeding femoral artery, respectively. Compared with a commercial hemostat, superior hemostasis was achieved with Pro-MAS, which could be ascribed to its functional and structural features. Overall, traveling Pro-MAS possessed sufficient impact force to puncture RBCs and sufficient momentum to reach the targeted bleeding sites. The present study demonstrated the ability of a novel platform, self-propelling MAS particles, to trigger hemostasis by puncturing RBCs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first trial in which the release of endogenous procoagulants is promoted without the addition of exogenous procoagulants for severe hemorrhage control.

Timely antibacterial treatment of wounds reduces the probability of wound infection and promotes wound healing. However, the materials used to treat wounds often fail to provide both sterilization (especially for super bacteria) and moisture, and some may even cause secondary injury to the wound. In this study, gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) of average grain diameter of 3 ± 1 nm were prepared using egg white as the reductant. These particles showed no aggregation and pink fluorescence. Au NPs were mixed with gentamicin sulfate (GS) and loaded into a mixture of konjac glucomannan (KGM) and gelatin as wound dressing (KGM/Gelatin@Au NPs/GS). Antibacterial experiments showed that the Au NPs amplified the antibacterial activity of GS; Au NPs/GS efficiently eliminated bacteria, especially super bacteria. Cytotoxicity tests indicated that KGM/Gelatin@Au NPs/GS showed basically no cytotoxicity to L929 cells. In addition, KGM/Gelatin@Au NPs/GS possesses good water absorption, water retention, and enhanced mechanical properties, which can provide a moist environment for wounds and promote healing. In conclusion, our study showed that the antibacterial activity of KGM/Gelatin@Au NPs/GS is better than that of only GS and that it efficiently eliminated super bacteria. Therefore, KGM/Gelatin@Au NPs/GS can be used for killing superbugs, inhibiting bacterial growth, and promoting wound healing.

Traumatic hemorrhage can be a fatal event, particularly when large quantities of blood are lost in a short period of time. Therefore, hemostasis has become a crucial part of emergency treatment. For small wounds, hemostasis can be achieved intrinsically depending on the body's own blood coagulation mechanism; however, for large-area wounds, particularly battlefield and complex wounds, materials delivering rapid and effective hemostasis are required. In parallel with the constant progress in science, technology, and society, advances in hemostatic materials have also undergone various iterations by integrating new ideas with old concepts. There are various natural and synthetic hemostatic materials, including hemostatic powders, adhesives, hydrogels, and tourniquets, for the treatment of severe external trauma. This review covers the differences among the currently available hemostatic materials and comprehensively describes the hemostatic effects of different materials based on the underlying mechanisms. Finally, solutions for current issues related to trauma bleeding are discussed, and the prospects of hemostatic materials are proposed.

Complex yet lethal wounds with uncontrollable bleeding hinder conventional hemostats from clotting blood at the source or deep sites of injury vasculature, thereby causing massive blood loss and significantly increased mortality. Inspired by the attack action of torpedoes, we synthesized microcluster (MC) colloidosomes equipped with magnetic-mediated navigation and "blast" systems to deliver hemostats into the cavity of vase-type wounds. CaCO

Given that many people suffer from extensive skin damage, wound repair has drawn tremendous attention in research. Among the various assistant dressing materials that promote healing, a porcine acellular dermal matrix (PADM), as a skin substitute, can efficiently accelerate healing by promoting cell migration and proliferation. However, a simple, low-cost preparation process remains a challenge facing PADM development, particularly because of the inferior elasticity. To overcome these drawbacks, a CaCl2-ethanol-H2O solution (ternary solution) combined with an additional enzyme treatment was used to obtain a transparent, porous, and elastic PADM that retained the major extracellular matrix composition of the dermis. Our results indicated that alterations in the fiber organization and secondary structural changes in the collagen occurred after treatment. Furthermore, the in vivo wound healing and histological analyses clearly revealed an extremely expedited wound repair process following the application of the biocompatible PADM. In conclusion, this study provides new insights into the development of a transparent PADM with a porous structure and good elasticity that can be used as a skin substitute to accelerate the wound healing process. Moreover, this effective technique could potentially be used to extrapolate other decellularized materials in the future.

Severe bleeding in perforating and inflected wounds with forky cavities or fine voids encountered during prehospital treatments and surgical procedures is a complex challenge. Therefore, we present a novel hemostatic strategy based on magnetic field-mediated guidance. The biphasic Janus magnetic particle (MSS@Fe2O3-T) comprised aggregates of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (Fe2O3 NPs) as the motion actuator, negatively modified microporous starch (MSS) as the base hemostatic substrate, and thrombin as the loaded hemostatic drug. Before application, the particles were first wrapped using NaHCO3 and then doped with protonated tranexamic acid (TXA-NH3+), which ensured their high self-dispersibility in liquids. During application, the particles promptly self-diffused in blood by bubble propulsion and travelled to deep bleeding sites against reverse rushing blood flow under magnetic guidance. In vivo tests confirmed the superior hemostatic performance of the particles in perforating and inflected wounds (“V”-shaped femoral artery and “J”-shaped liver bleeding models). The present strategy, for the first time, extends the range of magnetically guided drug carriers to address the challenges in the hemorrhage control of perforating and inflected wounds., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • A new Janus hemostat was developed for treating severe bleeding. • The “J” shape bleeding model was proposed for hemostatic test. • Magnetic field-mediated driving capacity was employed for hemostasis. • Explosive self-dispersibility endowed to the hemostat largely enhanced the bleeding control capacity.

Exudate regulation, which helps maintain an optimal moisture content in the wound bed and protects the surrounding skin from maceration, is a prerequisite for wound healing. In this study, inspired by the natural hierarchical structure of sugarcane, in which vascular bundles are responsible for transporting water and parenchyma cells are responsible for storing sucrose, we fabricated a continuously self-draining sugarcane stem-based dressing to remove exudates from overhydrated wounds. Sugarcane cellulosic frameworks (SCF), obtained via alkali and de-sugaring treatments of natural sugarcane substrates (SS), were coated with gold nanorods (AuNRs) to facilitate photothermal responsiveness under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. By mimicking plant transpiration and incorporating a stimulus-responsive feature, natural SS were transformed into exudate-managing dressing materials for accelerated wound healing. As the obtained sugarcane frameworks (Au@SCF) contained abundant vascular bundles and exhibited photothermal responsiveness, it was able to self-drain exudates continuously with a high evaporation efficiency (95%). In order to endow the dressing with antibacterial properties, Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) was incorporated with Au@SCF to form Ag@Au@SCF. The healing process in a wound model was more rapid with Ag@Au@SCF with NIR irradiation than with a commercial dressing. Moreover, as the parenchyma cells in Ag@Au@SCF formed closed chambers after de-sugaring, Ag@Au@SCF facilitated effective thermal insulation (thermal conductivity of 0.04 W m−1k−1) for protecting the underlying wound, even when the temperature of the top surface was high (53 °C). As this hierarchical structure is naturally existent in other Poaceae plants, which are sustainable green resources, our findings may provide a new strategy for the fabrication of versatile and efficient self-draining dressings for exudate management and wound healing.

Silk biomaterials have been attracting significant attention in medical bioengineering because of their versatile function, morphologic flexibility, and excellent biocompatibility. The present study was inspired by the shielding and protective function of the silkworm cocoon shell (SCS) to the silkworm chrysalis, which is notably similar to the protective effect of skin on the body. SCS was treated and used as the base substrate for dressing materials to promote wound healing; for this, a facile approach to maintaining its original framework was proposed. By treatment with a ternary solution, the original compact 2D SCS was upgraded to a transparent 3D macro-chambered sheet (MCS) this was followed by the loading of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to form MCS-Au and by the self-assembly of methimazole (ME) over AuNPs, the new composite material MCS-Au@ME was obtained. This new material exhibited excellent antibacterial properties against four bacterial strains without the use of antibiotics. Animal testing indicated that the performance of MCS-Au@ME in the promotion of wound healing was superior to that of the commercial product, Mepitel® Soft Silicone Wound Contact Layer. The present study abandoned the conventional sophisticated and lengthy preparation process for silk biomaterials that involved dissolution and remodeling and also eliminated the inclusion of antibiotics to reduce the threat of antibiotic abuse—which has been an issue of concern in medical antibacterial applications. This study brings new insights into the selection and sustainable processing of silk for wound dressing.

Precise and instant hemorrhage control of complex bleeding wounds (narrow, perforating, and irregular) remains a challenge as existing hemostats halt bleeding at the wound surface rather than at the injured vessels. In this study, a hemostat (MS@Fe4-BT) guided by magnetic fields (MFs) is developed to deliver therapy into a targeted site. MS@Fe4-BT employs microporous starch particle as the base substrate, Fe3O4 as the driving system, bovine serum albumin as the medium for drug loading, and thrombin as the hemostatic drug. According to self-assembly experiments and animal tests, MS@Fe4-BT can spontaneously assemble into microparticle chains to move under the application of MFs and can be directed into narrow and bent wound channels to halt bleeding instantly, which cannot be realized with existing hemostats. The hemostatic times for the “V”- and “J”-shaped wounds in the liver and the V-shaped wounds in the femoral artery are 37, 44, and 152 s, respectively. Moreover, the excellent biosafety of MS@Fe4-BT is demonstrated with systematic assessments (hemolysis, cytotoxicity, biodegradation). Therefore, this study provides a new thought for the hemorrhage control of bleeding wounds in complex environments. To our knowledge, this is the first reported study on the MF-guided delivery of hemostats to injured vessels.

Textile manufacturing of silk generates unwindable raw silk fibers, which are treated as silk wastes for downcycling applications, thus unexpectedly demoting the luxury status of silk. As a primary trial seeking to reshape the destiny of silk wastes, the present study is focused on transforming natural silk nonwovens, as a typical model of artificial silk nonwovens, into bioadhesives for tissue repair. Herein, a technique is demonstrated for the preparation of a transparent and stretchable adhesive from a silkworm cocoon sheet (SCS), a typical natural silk nonwoven. This technique differs from the traditional method of completely dissolving silk fibers to obtain silk fibroin. Specifically, the technique entailed pretreatment of the SCS with a CaCl2-ethanol-H2O ternary solution to obtain a modified cocoon sheet (MCS), followed by surface modification with a CaCl2-formic acid (Ca-FA) solution to obtain MCS@Ca with controllable adhesion, which was achieved by adjusting the Ca2+ content in Ca-FA. The highly stretchable MCS@Ca firmly adhered to various substrates for loads as high as 54 kPa, and its performance in repairing an injured liver in vivo was superior to that of a commercial product, Sorbalgon®. Additionally, MCS@Ca effectively sealed a freshly punctured porcine heart and stomach ex vivo, thereby demonstrating its potential as a sealant. To our knowledge, this is the first trial study for on upcycling disqualified silk fibers using a convenient top-down approach to prepare robust bioadhesives for tissue repair, wherein MCS@Ca may serve to bridge the gap between advanced biomaterials and disqualified silk wastes.

The textile wash-off process consumes substantial amounts of water, which generates large volumes of wastewater that pose potential pollution issues for the environment. In the present study, catalytic ozonation was applied to degrade residual dyes present in rinsing effluents from wash-off processes towards the aim of recycling the waste effluents. A magnetic catalyst was prepared for promoting dye degradation by catalytic ozonation. Via a hydrothermal reaction, highly magnetic manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) particles were successfully loaded on carbon aerogel (CA) materials (MnFe2O4@CA). The results showed that the developed catalyst strikingly promoted the degradation of dye contaminants by catalytic ozonation, in terms of color removal and reduction of chemical oxidation demand (COD) in rinsing effluents. COD removal efficiency in catalytic ozonation was enhanced by 25% when compared with that achieved by ozonation alone under the same treatment conditions. Moreover, we confirmed that after catalytic ozonation, the rinsing effluents could be recycled to replace fresh water without any evident compromise in the color quality of fabrics. The color difference (&Delta, Ecmc(2:1)) between fabrics treated with recycled effluents and water was not more than 1.0, suggesting that the fabrics treated with recycled effluents displayed acceptable color reproducibility. Although colorfastness and color evenness of fabrics treated with recycled effluents were slightly poorer than those of fabrics treated with water, they were still within the acceptable tolerance. Therefore, the present study validated that catalytic ozonation was a promising technology for saving water and wastewater elimination in textile dyeing. It provides a feasibility assessment of catalytic ozonation for recycling waste effluents to reduce water dependence in textile production. Furthermore, we show a new perspective in on-site recycling waste effluents by catalytic ozonation and enrich the knowledge on feasible approaches for water management in textile production.

Reactive dyeing of cotton generates a great deal of coloring wastewater containing residual dyes, electrolyte, alkali, and other auxiliaries. Especially for the effluent from the first/initial spent dyeing bath, it may be comprised of as high as 60% of the initial dye dosed, 30–90 g/L of sodium chloride or sodium sulfate, and plenty of sodium carbonate, making it to be the most contaminative effluent among the entire reactive dyeing process. This paper presents a new alternative to regenerate the waste effluent from the first spent dyeing bath through catalytic ozonation with novel catalysts for reuse of the effluent in successive dyeing. Two novel ozonation catalysts, mesoporous carbon aerogel and its supported cobalt oxide nanoparticles, were successfully prepared and used in catalytic degradation of residual dyes in waste effluents with ozone. Degradation efficiency was determined by both decolorization and chemical oxygen demand removal. The result showed novel catalysts could improve both of these two targets. For chemical oxygen demand removal, carbon aerogel supported cobalt oxide strikingly enhanced the efficiency by 30% on the whole comparing to ozonation alone (approximately 50%) without the catalyst. Waste effluents after catalytic ozonation were thereafter reused in successive dyeing in the same process. It has been validated that the waste effluent was successfully regenerated and can be additionally reused twice without sacrificing fabric quality, which cannot be realized in ozonation alone. Color difference of the fabric dyed with the regenerated effluent was within the acceptable tolerance, and excellent levelness and equal colorfastness had also been achieved. This is probably the first study to investigate the feasibility of regenerating highly polluting dyeing effluents for reuse by catalytic ozonation with carbon aerogel materials. With novel catalysts, it could be speculated that catalytic ozonation is a promising technology for in-situ regeneration of waste effluents in textile dyeing plant for reuse.

Graphene has received tremendous research interest as a reinforcing filler to enhance the properties of the polymer matrix, due to its excellent mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. Vulcanized rubber products have been applied in various fields for more than 100 years, due to their high elasticity, good biological compatibility, chemical resistance, and long-time use stability, etc. It is well known that before vulcanization and application, additives like reinforcing filler, lubricant, coupling agent, and accelerating agent, are necessary to be mixed with the raw rubber to give the rubber certain properties. Specifically, the rubber materials cannot exhibit promising mechanical properties without the introduction of the reinforcing filler, such as carbon black and fumed silica. Compared with these nanoparticles, graphene can reinforce the rubber properties with by incorporating a very small amount, due to its superior properties to carbon black and silica. In recent years, many researchers have focused on the functionalization method of the graphene, physically or chemically, to enhance the dispersion of the graphene in rubber matrix, and the interfacial interactions between graphene and rubber. This chapter reviews recent advances in the functionalization approaches conducted with graphene and the fabrication of functional graphene-based rubber composites.

Vulcanized rubber products have found various application fields for more than 100 years. Generally, reinforcing fillers such as carbon black (CB) and silica are used to compound with the rubber for the desired properties. Due to prominent mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have received tremendous interest as the reinforcing filler to fabricate functional polymer composites. Compared with CB and silica, the exceptionally high aspect ratio and surface area of CNTs gives CNT-reinforced rubber composites extraordinary properties with very low loading concentrations. However, due to strong internal van der Waals interactions, the functionalization, usually physical and/or chemical, of the CNTs is often conducted before incorporating them into the rubber matrix. This chapter comprehensively describes functionalization of CNTs. Particular emphasis is placed on the physical and chemical approaches. Afterwards, a discussion on the mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of functionalized CNTs/rubber composites is included.

Hemorrhage control is key for reducing mortality following severe trauma. In this study, we produced a puff pastry-like chitosan/konjac glucomannan matrix loaded with thrombin-occupied microporous starch particles to initiate hemostasis. The composite showed a hierarchical porous structure system consisting of porous and rough structures with evenly distributed microporous starch particles. Thrombin was evenly and independently distributed on the microporous starch particles within the hierarchical system and served to accelerate hemostasis. Meanwhile, the composite displayed excellent water absorption capacity, high zeta potential, roughness, and porosity. The composite was found to elicit desirable pro-thrombin time (PT), activated partial thrombin time (APTT), and whole blood clotting indices (BCI). Experiments using animal models demonstrated that the composite could effectively control wound hemorrhage. Furthermore, the composite showed good biocompatibility and effective degradability. Together, our results show that the puff pastry-like hemostat with hierarchical porous structure offers significant potential for use in hemostasis control.

Textile dyeing uses large amount of freshwater and synthetic dyes. Its effluents have to be subjected to certain treatments to remove the contaminants, especially for residue dyestuffs, before discharging to water bodies for elimination of adverse impacts to the environment. The objective of this research is to fabricate a novel catalyst, carbon aerogel supported copper oxide, and study its catalytic performance for the first time in ozonation of simulated dyeing wastewater for dye degradation. The catalyst was prepared using sol–gel and impregnation method, and characterized by Transmission Electron Microscope and X-Ray Diffraction techniques which suggesting that the nano-sized copper oxide particles successfully embedded and well-dispersed in the amorphous carbon aerogel. The catalytic performance of the catalyst was evaluated by degradation of C.I. Reactive Black 5 in a semi-continuous reactor. The results show that the catalyst has promising potential in ozonation towards dye elimination in dyeing wastewater, in which the dye removal efficiency can be effectively enhanced by the catalyst. In the specific conditions, COD removal could reach 46% in catalytic ozonation system after 60-min reaction, while it was only 29% in ozonation alone without catalyst. In addition, a systematic parameter study was performed to investigate the effect of the temperature, pH, ozone dosage, catalyst amount and dye concentration on dye degradation in terms of color and COD removal.

In the present study, the graphene oxide (GO) filled konjac glucomannan (KGM) hydrogel was prepared by using calcium oxide as the crosslinker. The structure of the prepared KGM/GO hydrogel was characterized. The prepared hydrogel was then used to adsorb methyl orange (MO) and methyl blue (MB) in aqueous solutions. Due to the presence of GO, KGM/GO hydrogel showed much enhanced adsorbing performance to both MO and MB compared to neat KGM hydrogel. The adsorption kinetics of the hydrogel was studied. The prepared hydrogel fitted for the pseudo-second-order kinetics model better. The adsorption isotherm of the MO and MB onto KGM/GO hydrogel was also studied and the results suggested that the both MO and MB adsorption behaviors fitted for the Freundlich isotherm model better. The prepared KGM/GO has application potentials to be as the adsorbent for water purifications.

Magnetic CoFe2O4/graphene nanocomposites were prepared in this study by a simple hydrothermal process. The structures of these nanocomposites were investigated subsequently and the photocatalytic activities of the nanocomposites were then studied by degrading methylene blue dye. The results showed that the CoFe2O4 nanoparticles were loaded on the surface of the graphene sheets. It was also found that the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of the prepared nanocomposites improved remarkably compared with the neat CoFe2O4 salt. Significantly, these nanocomposites could be repeatedly used for several times without losing catalytic activity, indicating the nanocomposites had high photocatalytic stability. The study provides a new and effective approach to degrade dyestuff in wastewater.

In textile reactive dyeing, dyed fabrics have to be rinsed in the wash-off step several times to improve colorfastness. Thus, the multiple rinsing processes drastically increase the freshwater consumption and meanwhile generate massive waste rinsing effluents. This paper addresses an innovative alternative to recycle the waste effluents to minimize freshwater consumption in the wash-off step. Accordingly, catalytic ozonation with a highly effective catalyst has been applied to remedy the waste rinsing effluents for recycling. The carbon aerogel (CA) hosted bimetallic hybrid material (Ag⁻Fe₂O₃@CA) was fabricated and used as the catalyst in the degradation of residual dyes in the waste rinsing effluents by ozonation treatments. The results indicate the participation of Ag⁻Fe₂O₃@CA had strikingly enhanced the removal percentage of chemical oxidation demand by 30%. In addition, it has been validated that waste effluents had been successfully reclaimed after catalytic ozonation with Ag⁻Fe₂O₃@CA. They could be additionally reused to reduce freshwater consumption in the wash-off step, but without sacrificing the color quality of corresponding fabrics in terms of color difference and colorfastness. This study may be the first to report the feasibility of catalytic ozonation in minimization of freshwater consumption in the wash-off step in textile reactive dyeing.

Antibiotics in wound dressing materials are critical in wound therapy; however, their overuse has led to increased concerns. In the present study, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were used to amplify the antibacterial effect of the typical antibiotic, gentamicin sulfate (GM), to reduce its dosage during wound therapy. A facile method for the preparation of antibacterial wound dressing using woven silk fabrics (SF) was developed. By simple treatment of SF with HAuCl4 solution in a short process, AuNPs were loaded across the fabric (SF@Au) through in situ reduction of HAuCl4 by the sericin from silk; a subsequent simple process led to SF@Au conjugation with gentamicin sulfate (GM) to form a novel dressing fabric (SF@Au/GM). The results demonstrated that considerably enhanced antibacterial performance could be obtained even when minimal GM was applied with AuNPs, compared to the large GM quantities used without AuNPs. In addition, the fabric displayed good biocompatibility and serviceability as a wound dressing. Animal experiments revealed that SF@Au/GM performed better than the commercial wound dressing Aquacel Ag®, as faster growth of the cell appendages and epidermis inside wounds observed after therapy on day 15. These findings offer a potential option for reducing the risk of antibiotics overuse during wound therapy. Moreover, the study addresses the cleaner production of advanced biomedical textiles as the proposed preparation method was highly practical for cleaner mass production.

The potential of using yeast as the eco-filler for waterborne polyurethane (WPU) has been investigated in this research. The composites are synthesized by dispersing yeast into the 3-Triethoxysilyl Propylamine modified WPU solution followed by drying at 85 °C. The effects of yeast on the chemical structure, optical properties, thermal properties and mechanical properties of the polyurethane (PU)-yeast composites have been investigated. Yeast is well dispersed in the composite matrix and can crosslink with the WPU. Unlike many other PU composites, the PU-yeast composite has a higher clarity. It has a better thermal stability than the pure PU. Its stiffness, tensile strength and elongation at break are improved simultaneously because yeast can reinforce the composite with its cell wall and induce crazing during plastic deformation. As a result, yeast is an excellent eco-filler for the WPU and can be a low cost replacement for nano-cellulose.

A series of phenylazopyrazolone disperse dyes containing an acylamide moiety were synthesised from carboxyl-containing acid dyes via chlorination and amidation with different sorts of amines. The structures of these new dyes were confirmed by Fourier Transform–infrared, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Their solvatochromic properties in different solvents were also investigated and the absorbance spectra of the acylamide dyes in solution exhibited a red shift when dissolved in dimethylformamide, compared with acetone. Their dyeing behaviour, including dye sorption, colour build-up and colour fastness properties on poly(lactic acid) fibres, was also determined, whereupon it was found that the tertiary acylamide dyes simultaneously exhibited high dye sorption and satisfactory colour build-up and fastness properties on the poly(lactic acid) fabric.

In this study, the foam dyeing technology was applied to dye cotton knitted fabric for achieving the surface-dyed result. The T-shirt made by this surface-dyed fabric could easily obtain the wash-out effect after garment laundering. The pigment dyeing performances in foam dyeing were system studied. Colour strength, colourfastness and serviceability of fabrics dyed with the methods of foam-padding and liquid-padding were evaluated and compared. Results show that surface dyeing for cotton-knitted fabric with foam media could overcome the shortcoming of poor penetration in foam dyeing method, and turn the poor penetration into the superiority for obtaining the surface-dyed result. The serviceability such as water absorption and handle property was also well improved in foam dyeing method. Finally, the advantages of energy saving and reducing chemical usage were implemented throughout the dyeing process.