Subject:
All Disciplines Arts & Humanities Biology & Life Sciences Business & Economics Chemistry & Materials Science Computer Science & Mathematics Engineering Environmental & Earth Sciences Medicine & Pharmacology Physical Sciences Public Health & Healthcare Social Sciences
Sort:
Most Viewed Latest Alphabetical (A-Z) Alphabetical (Z-A)
Filter:
All Topic Review Biography Peer Reviewed Entry Video Entry
Topic Review
Thermally Conductive 3D Aerogels Based on Carbon Nanofillers
Aerogels are perfect 3D interconnected designs with unique properties provided by tenuous networks of nanosheets or filaments; they are typically fabricated via sol–gel, freeze drying, and other phase-separating and drying techniques and possess remarkable properties, such as an extraordinarily high specific surface area, great flexibility, low density, variable tunable porosity, low dielectric constant, and low TC. Due to the abovementioned advantageous physical features, they present a large amount of promise for applications as adaptable absorbent materials and for their uses in EM shielding, thermal insulation, and wearable pressure-sensing materials, to be employed as a multifunctional aerogel material. 
  • 593
  • 28 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Composition and Preparation of Microencapsulated Phase Change Materials
Phase change materials (PCMs) have been extensively utilized in latent thermal energy storage (TES) and thermal management systems to bridge the gap between thermal energy supply and demand in time and space, which have received unprecedented attention in the past few years. To effectively address the undesirable inherent defects of pristine PCMs such as leakage, low thermal conductivity, supercooling, and corrosion, enormous efforts have been dedicated to developing various advanced microencapsulated PCMs (MEPCMs). 
  • 590
  • 17 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Applications of Polymer Electrolytes in Lithium-Ion Batteries
Polymer electrolytes, a type of electrolyte used in lithium-ion batteries, combine polymers and ionic salts. Their integration into lithium-ion batteries has resulted in significant advancements in battery technology, including improved safety, increased capacity, and longer cycle life.
  • 588
  • 12 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Plastic Waste Upcycling Approaches
Plastic waste pollution, including non-biodegradable landfills, leaching of toxic chemicals into soil and waterways, and emission of toxic gases into the atmosphere, is significantly affecting our environment. Conventional plastic waste recycling approaches generally produce lower-value materials compared to the original plastic or recover inefficient heat energy. Lately, upcycling or the valorization approach has emerged as a sustainable solution to transform plastic waste into value-added products.
  • 587
  • 30 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Polymeric Carriers
RNA therapeutics have gained popularity due to their ability to affect targets that small molecules cannot. Additionally, they can be manufacture more rapidly and cost-effectively than small molecules or recombinant proteins. RNA therapeutics can be synthesised chemically and altered quickly, which can enable a more personalised approach to treatment. Even though a wide range of RNA therapeutics are being developed for various indications, none has reached the clinic to date. One of the main reasons for this is attributed to the lack of safe and effective delivery systems for this type of therapeutic. Polymeric carriers have been widely studied for the delivery of RNA therapeutics because of their versatility, potential multi-functionality and relative low cost.
  • 585
  • 29 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Printable Hydrogels
The hydrogel is a hydrophilic scaffold composed of covalent and non-covalent polymeric chains bonds, providing a 3D shape environment similar to the native extra-cellular matrix (ECM).
  • 584
  • 18 Mar 2021
Topic Review
Thiolated-Polymer-Based Nanoparticles
Thiomers (or thiolated polymers) have broken through as avant-garde approaches in anticancer therapy. Their distinguished reactivity and properties, closely linked to their final applications, justify the extensive research conducted on their preparation and use as smart drug-delivery systems (DDSs).
  • 584
  • 22 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Structural and Thermal Characterization of Resins
The synthesis of poly(vinylbenzyl pyridinium salts) fabricated through poly(vinylbenzyl halogene-co-divinylbenzene) quaternization of N-decyloxy-1-(pyridin-3- or -4-yl)ethaneimine was verified by the FTIR spectra of the final quaternized products, in comparison with the spectra of the initial copolymers.
  • 580
  • 17 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Crosslinked nanogel for cancer theranostics
Crosslinked nanogels the structures of which are covalently crosslinked have better physiological stability than micelles and liposomes, making them more suitable for cancer theranostics. The applications of nanogels in drug and gene delivery as well as development of novel cancer therapeutic methods are first introduced, followed by the introduction of applications in optical and multimodal imaging, and imaging-guided cancer therapy. 
  • 578
  • 01 Sep 2020
Topic Review
Covalent Organic for Solar Fuel
Harnessing solar energy and converting it into renewable fuels by chemical processes, such as water splitting and carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction, is a highly promising yet challenging strategy to mitigate the effects arising from the global energy crisis and serious environmental concerns. In recent years, covalent organic framework (COF)-based materials have gained substantial research interest because of their diversified architecture, tunable composition, large surface area, and high thermal and chemical stability. Their tunable band structure and significant light absorption with higher charge separation efficiency of photoinduced carriers make them suitable candidates for photocatalytic applications in hydrogen (H2) generation, CO2 conversion, and various organic transformation reactions. 
  • 578
  • 13 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Mechanisms of Temperature-Responsive Polymer Brush Coatings
Modern biomedical technologies predict the application of materials and devices that not only can comply effectively with specific requirements, but also enable remote control of their functions. One of the most prospective materials for these advanced biomedical applications are materials based on temperature-responsive polymer brush coatings (TRPBCs). Despite progress in the development of such interesting materials, there are still some issues that need to be resolved, such as biocompatibility, high efficiency, selectivity of the action, stability, long-term and multiple-use, and the temperature of the transition close to physiological temperatures (appropriate transition temperature). The mechanisms of their temperature-induced reactions are one of the most crucial elements that affect the characteristics of temperature-sensitive grafted brush coatings. The TRPBCs exhibit the response to temperature governed by different mechanisms attributed to intermolecular interactions of the macromolecular chains between themselves and with the environment. The mechanism responsible for the temperature-dependent properties of polymer brushes is strongly dependent on the chemical nature of the macromolecular chains.
  • 577
  • 20 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Polymer-Based Composites for Electromagnetic Shielding Application
Traditional metals and alloys are often used for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding due to their excellent electrical conductivity. However, they have drawbacks such as being heavy, expensive, and having low corrosion resistance, which limits their application in electromagnetic shielding. Therefore, it is crucial to develop novel EMI shielding materials. Polymers, being highly flexible, corrosion-resistant, and possessing high specific strength, are frequently employed in electromagnetic shielding materials.
  • 575
  • 17 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Versatile Polyaniline-Based Polymers in Food Industry
Intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs) have been widely studied in various applications, such as sensors, tissue engineering, drug delivery, and semiconductors. Specifically, polyaniline (PANI) stands out in food industry applications due to its advantageous reversible redox properties, electrical conductivity, and simple modification. The rising concerns about food safety and security have encouraged the development of PANI as an antioxidant, antimicrobial agent, food freshness indicator, and electronic nose. At the same time, it plays an important role in food safety control to ensure the quality of food.
  • 574
  • 14 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Hierarchical Ceramide Microcapsules
As a main component of the stratum corneum, ceramides can construct protective lamellae to provide an epidermal barrier against dehydration or external microorganisms. However, as ceramide molecules can easily form the isolated crystalline phase through self-assembly due to the amphipathic nature of bioactive lipids, the effective incorporation of ceramides into liquid media is the remaining issue for controlled release. Here, we report an unprecedented effective strategy to fabricate a completely amorphous and highly sustainable hierarchical ceramide polymer microcapsule for promising epidermal barrier by using the interpenetrating and cooperative self-construction of conical amphiphiles with a different critical packing parameter. The self-constructed amorphous architecture of ceramides in polymer microcapsule is achieved by the facile doping of conical amphiphiles and subsequent in situ polymerization of shell polymer in the core-shell geometry. It is experimentally revealed that an irregular cooperative packing structure formed by adaptive hydrophobic–hydrophilic interactions of cylindrical ceramides and conical amphiphiles in the confined microcapsule geometry enables a completely amorphous morphology of ceramides to be realized during the spontaneous encapsulation process. Furthermore, this elegant approach affords a highly dispersible and uniform hierarchical amorphous ceramide microcapsule with a greatly enhanced long-term stability compared to conventional crystalline ceramides.
  • 574
  • 10 Nov 2020
Topic Review
Biocomposite Based on Natural Polymers
Biopolymers are materials obtained from renewable resources. Despite the exciting properties of biopolymers, such as biocompatibility and environmental sustainability, they do not present antimicrobial properties (except chitosan). However, this lack of antimicrobial properties can be solved by incorporating or encapsulating antimicrobial agents. Natural polymers possess low stability in aqueous media and limited mechanical strength, which could be improved through cross-linking strategies. Hydrogels are biocompatible materials that can be synthesized from natural polymers, forming a cross-linking material. Alginate, collagen, fibrin, chitosan, gelatin, and hyaluronic acid are some natural polymers used to synthesize hydrogels.
  • 573
  • 12 Jul 2022
Topic Review
Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Investigating Cellulose-Based Materials
Solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) is a powerful and attractive characterization method for obtaining insights into the chemical structure and dynamics of a wide range of materials. Current interest in cellulose-based materials, as sustainable and renewable natural polymer products, requires deep investigation and analysis of the chemical structure, molecular packing, end chain motion, functional modification, and solvent–matrix interactions, which strongly dictate the final product properties and tailor their end applications. In comparison to other spectroscopic techniques, on an atomic level, ssNMR is considered more advanced, especially in the structural analysis of cellulose-based materials
  • 572
  • 15 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Broadening the Reflection Bandwidth in Cholesteric Liquid Crystals
Cholesteric liquid crystal (ChLC) materials with broadband reflection are witnessing a significant surge in interest due to their unique ability to self-organize into a helical supra-molecular architecture and their excellent selective reflection of light based on the Bragg relationship. How to realize the broadening of the reflection bandwidth within the desired reflection spectrum is still one of the critical problems to be solved for the application of ChLCs. It is necessary to adjust the pitch gradient or the non-uniform pitch distribution in the ChLC material system to achieve the broadening of the reflection bandwidth.
  • 570
  • 08 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Stimulus-Responsive Polymers and Polypeptoid Skeletons
Polypeptoids have low cytotoxicity and good biocompatibility because of their structural similarity to polypeptides. Different from polypeptides, however, polypeptoids show thermal transformation similar to synthetic thermoplastics, making them suitable for various heat treatment methods. Polypeptoids combine the properties of natural macromolecules and synthetic polymers, and become great candidates as stimulus-responsive biopolymers.
  • 569
  • 05 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Organic Photorefractive Materials
Photorefractive materials are capable of reversibly changing their index of refraction upon illumination. That property allows them to dynamically record holograms, which is a key function for developing an updateable holographic 3D display. The transition from inorganic photorefractive crystals to organic polymers meant that large display screens could be made.
  • 558
  • 01 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Bioactive Polymers via the Biginelli Reaction
Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) have been used to prepare polymers with appealing functions. The Biginelli reaction, one of the oldest and most famous MCRs, has sparked new scientific discoveries in polymer chemistry since 2013. The applications of the Biginelli reaction in developing functional polymers are mainly focusing on polymers that can be used in the biomedical area as antioxidants, anticancer agents, and bioimaging probes.
  • 558
  • 22 Nov 2022
  • Page
  • of
  • 23
Featured Entry Collections
>>

Featured Books

>>
Encyclopedia of Social Sciences
Encyclopedia of COVID-19
Encyclopedia of Fungi
Encyclopedia of Digital Society, Industry 5.0 and Smart City
ScholarVision Creations
Feedback