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Topic Review
Thermodynamic Aspects Governing Shape Memory Elastomers
Shape memory elastomers have revolutionised the world since their introduction in the 20th century. The ability to tailor chemical structures to produce a family of materials in wide-ranging forms with versatile properties has propelled them to be ubiquitous.
  • 1.2K
  • 02 Sep 2022
Topic Review
Properties and Bioactivity of Chitosan
Chitosan (CS) is a natural biopolymer derived by deacetylation (N-acetyl-D-glucosamine to D-glucosamine unit) of chitin.
  • 1.2K
  • 11 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Chromophoric Dendrimer-Based Materials
Dendrimers (from the Greek dendros → tree; meros → part) are macromolecules with well-defined three-dimensional and tree-like structures. Remarkably, this hyperbranched architecture is one of the most ubiquitous, prolific, and recognizable natural patterns observed in nature. 
  • 1.2K
  • 16 Jan 2022
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.
  • 1.2K
  • 12 Oct 2023
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.
  • 1.2K
  • 08 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Gelatin-Based Hybrid Scaffolds
Gelatin is a biopolymer with interesting properties that have greatly attracted the attention of many biomedical researchers, such as low antigenicity, good biodegradability, and biocompatibility in the physiological environment. The gelatin-based materials offer excellent characteristics of wound dressings. The fast degradation time and highly hydrophilic surface make gelatin inappropriate as a base material for the development of wound dressings.
  • 1.2K
  • 08 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Supramolecular Polymer Nanocomposites
Polymer nanocomposites, a class of innovative materials formed by polymer matrixes and nanoscaled fillers (e.g., carbon-based nanomaterials, inorganic/semiconductor nanoparticles, metal/metal-oxide nanoparticles, polymeric nanostructures, etc.), display enhanced mechanical, optoelectrical, magnetic, catalytic, and bio-related characteristics, thereby finding a wide range of applications in the biomedical field. In particular, the concept of supramolecular chemistry has been introduced into polymer nanocomposites, which creates myriad “smart” biomedical materials with unique physicochemical properties and dynamic tunable structures in response to diverse external stimuli. 
  • 1.1K
  • 25 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Hybrid Materials Based on Polyhydroxyalkanoates
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) constitute a family of biopolyesters that are synthesized and accumulate within the cellular structure of prokaryotic cells by bacteria, and they act as carbon and energy reserve materials under conditions of limited nutrient, such as nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous or magnesium. As naturally derived materials, PHAs have been used for multiple cell and tissue engineering applications; however, their widespread biomedical applications are limited due to their lack of toughness, elasticity, hydrophilicity and bioactivity. To overcome this challenge combination of PHA with different polymers and inorganic materials are used to form hybrid composites with improved structural and functional properties.
  • 1.1K
  • 07 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Polymer-Based Thermally Conductive Materials by Fused Filament Fabrication
With the miniaturization and integration of electronic products, the heat dissipation efficiency of electronic equipment needs to be further improved. Notably, polymer materials are a choice for electronic equipment matrices because of their advantages of low cost and wide application availability. Intelligent electronic devices are currently being researched to meet people’s pursuit of a high-quality life through integration and miniaturization. In order to ensure product safety and operational efficiency, it is imperative to improve the thermal conductivity of electronic devices. Polymers are frequently used in preparing heat dissipation materials because of their low price, light weight, ease of processing, and wide applications.
  • 1.1K
  • 25 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Hydrogels as Biomaterials for Wound Dressings
Wound management remains a challenging issue around the world, although a lot of wound dressing materials have been produced for the treatment of chronic and acute wounds. Wound healing is a highly dynamic and complex regulatory process that involves four principal integrated phases, including hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Chronic non-healing wounds are wounds that heal significantly more slowly, fail to progress to all the phases of the normal wound healing process, and are usually stalled at the inflammatory phase. These wounds cause a lot of challenges to patients, such as severe emotional and physical stress and generate a considerable financial burden on patients and the general public healthcare system. It has been reported that about 1–2% of the global population suffers from chronic non-healing wounds during their lifetime in developed nations. Traditional wound dressings are dry, and therefore cannot provide moist environment for wound healing and do not possess antibacterial properties. Wound dressings that are currently used consist of bandages, films, foams, patches and hydrogels. Currently, hydrogels are gaining much attention as a result of their water-holding capacity, providing a moist wound-healing milieu. 
  • 1.1K
  • 12 Dec 2022
Topic Review
Application of Enzyme-Nanoparticle-Polymer Composites in Wastewater Treatment
Different water treatment technologies such as photochemical degradation, biodegradation, electrochemical degradation, reverse osmosis, and membrane separation have been used to get rid of water pollutants. Enzymatic treatments have received great attention due to several advantages compared to physical and chemical treatments, such as mild operating conditions and high catalytic efficiency without harsh side effects. Oxidase and peroxidase enzymes from different sources have been immobilized on metal and metal oxide-polymer composites and used in the degradation of pollutants.
  • 1.1K
  • 14 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Flame-Retardant Systems for Rigid Polyurethane Foam
The amplified employment of rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) has accentuated the importance of its flame-retardant properties in stimulating demand. Thus, a compelling research report is essential to scrutinize the recent progression in the field of the flame retardancy and smoke toxicity reduction of RPUF.
  • 1.1K
  • 19 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Biodegradable Microparticles for Regenerative Medicine
Regenerative medicine is one of the most attractive topics of research worldwide. Different strategies are proposed, and a range of materials of various forms and compositions tailored for tissue engineering are developed, but this approach just started to emerge in clinics. Biodegradable microparticles (MPs) made from degradable and biocompatible polymers, with a mean diameter of ~200 μm, are attractive not only as 3D matrices to multiply cells but also as a scaffold to support tissue rebuilding.
  • 1.1K
  • 19 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Characterization of Polymeric Coatings
The development of anti-corrosion polymeric coatings has grown exponentially in the fields of material science, chemistry, engineering, and nanotechnology and has prompted the evolution of efficient characterization techniques. Polymeric coatings represent a well-established protection system that provides a barrier between a metallic substrate and the environment. However, the increase in complexity and functionality of these coatings requires high-precision techniques capable of predicting failures and providing smart protection.
  • 1.1K
  • 22 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Soluble Chitosan Derivatives Nanoparticles
Herein, a novel chitosan derivative nanoparticle was proposed to function as a delivery carrier. First of all, an improvement was made to the way N-2-hydroxypropyl trimcthyl ammonium chloride chitosan (N-2-HACC) was synthesized. 
  • 1.1K
  • 02 Dec 2021
Topic Review
E-Polymers
E-polymers, also known as conducting polymers, are a class of materials that exhibit both electrical conductivity and the mechanical properties of polymers. The use of e-polymer materials in daily life is becoming increasingly widespread, especially in the field of biology. Since the manufacturing cost of e-polymer implants is relatively low and e-polymers also react, causing different chemical molecules to attach to the surface of the implant, they are more compatible with the surrounding environment of the body. Some e-polymers are biodegradable in the body. If used for temporary implants, the advantage of these polymers is that they can gradually degrade in the body after performing their functions, thereby reducing the possibility of any long-term complications. Polymers and their composite materials can be designed to have inherent tensile properties while maintaining their high performance, making them favorable candidates for the next generation of skin-inspired electronic materials.
  • 1.1K
  • 16 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Cellulose Nanocrystal (CNC) Gels: A Review
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are emerging nanomaterials derived from the most abundant renewable polymer on earth, being widely distributed in plants, bacteria, algae, etc., which can be extracted from these cellulosic sources through mechanical disintegration, controlled sulfuric acid hydrolysis and mixed acid hydrolysis.
  • 1.1K
  • 18 Jul 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.
  • 1.1K
  • 30 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Biomedical Applications of Antiviral Nanohybrids
The COVID-19 pandemic has driven a global research to uncover novel, effective therapeutical and diagnosis approaches. In addition, control of spread of infection has been targeted through development of preventive tools and measures. In this regard, nanomaterials, particularly, those combining two or even several constituting materials possessing dissimilar physicochemical (or even biological) properties, i.e., nanohybrid materials play a significant role. Nanoparticulate nanohybrids have gained a widespread reputation for prevention of viral crises, thanks to their promising antimicrobial properties as well as their potential to act as a carrier for vaccines. On the other hand, they can perform well as a photo-driven killer for viruses when they release reactive oxygen species (ROS) or photothermally damage the virus membrane. The nanofibers can also play a crucial protective role when integrated into face masks and personal protective equipment, particularly as hybridized with antiviral nanoparticles.
  • 1.1K
  • 16 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Membrane-Based Direct Air Capture Application
Direct air capture (DAC) is an emerging negative CO2 emission technology that aims to introduce a feasible method for CO2 capture from the atmosphere. Unlike carbon capture from point sources, which deals with flue gas at high CO2 concentrations, carbon capture directly from the atmosphere has proved difficult due to the low CO2 concentration in ambient air. Current DAC technologies mainly consider sorbent-based systems; however, membrane technology can be considered a promising DAC approach since it provides several advantages, e.g., lower energy and operational costs, less environmental footprint, and more potential for small-scale ubiquitous installations. Several recent advancements in validating the feasibility of highly permeable gas separation membrane fabrication and system design show that membrane-based direct air capture (m-DAC) could be a complementary approach to sorbent-based DAC, e.g., as part of a hybrid system design that incorporates other DAC technologies (e.g., solvent or sorbent-based DAC). 
  • 1.1K
  • 05 Feb 2024
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