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Topic Review
Adsorption Properties of Polysaccharide-Based Natural Polymer Hydrogels
The pollution and scarcity of freshwater resources are global problems that have a significant influence on human life. It is very important to remove harmful substances in the water to realize the recycling of water resources. Hydrogels have recently attracted attention due to their special three-dimensional network structure, large surface area, and pores, which show great potential for the removal of pollutants in water. In their preparation, natural polymers are one of the preferred materials because of their wide availability, low cost, and easy thermal degradation. However, when it is directly used for adsorption, its performance is unsatisfactory, so it usually needs to be modified in the preparation process. 
  • 558
  • 24 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Functionalized Chitosan Nanomaterials
Quorum sensing (QS) is the mechanism by which the microbial colonies in a biofilm modulate and intercept communication without direct interaction. Hence, the eradication of biofilms through hindering this communication will lead to the successful management of drug resistance and may be a novel target for antimicrobial chemotherapy. Chitosan shows microbicidal activities by acting electrostatically with its positively charged amino groups, which interact with anionic moieties on microbial species, causing enhanced membrane permeability and eventual cell death. Therefore, nanoparticles (NPs) prepared with chitosan possess a positive surface charge and mucoadhesive properties that can adhere to microbial mucus membranes and release their drug load in a constant release manner. As the success in therapeutics depends on the targeted delivery of drugs, chitosan nanomaterial, which displays low toxicity, can be safely used for eradicating a biofilm through attenuating the quorum sensing (QS).
  • 552
  • 10 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Synthetic Compartments for Biomedical Applications
Nano- and micrometer-sized compartments composed of synthetic polymers are designed to mimic spatial and temporal divisions found in nature. Self-assembly of polymers into compartments such as polymersomes, giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), layer-by-layer (LbL) capsules, capsosomes, or polyion complex vesicles (PICsomes) allows for the separation of defined environments from the exterior. These compartments can be further engineered through the incorporation of (bio)molecules within the lumen or into the membrane, while the membrane can be decorated with functional moieties to produce catalytic compartments with defined structures and functions. Nanometer-sized compartments are used for imaging, theranostic, and therapeutic applications as a more mechanically stable alternative to liposomes, and through the encapsulation of catalytic molecules, i.e., enzymes, catalytic compartments can localize and act in vivo. On the micrometer scale, such biohybrid systems are used to encapsulate model proteins and form multicompartmentalized structures through the combination of multiple compartments, reaching closer to the creation of artificial organelles and cells.
  • 550
  • 02 Jun 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.
  • 548
  • 14 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Drug Delievery of Nanocrystals
The development of new drugs is often hindered by low solubility in water, a problem common to nearly 90% of natural and/or synthetic molecules in the discovery pipeline. Nanocrystalline drug technology involves the reduction in the bulk particle size down to the nanosize range, thus modifying its physico-chemical properties with beneficial effects on drug bioavailability. Nanocrystals (NCs) are carrier-free drug particles surrounded by a stabilizer and suspended in an aqueous medium. Due to high drug loading, NCs maintain a potent therapeutic concentration to produce desirable pharmacological action, particularly useful in the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. In addition to the therapeutic purpose, NC technology can be applied for diagnostic scope. The possibility of adapting NCs to different pharmaceutical forms has led to the development of these nanosystems for different routes of administration, among which the most studied is the oral route.
  • 545
  • 02 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.
  • 542
  • 22 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Organic Electronic Devices and Assessment Parameters
Organic electronic devices have gained popularity because of their promising tunable electronic properties, flexibility, low-cost, versatile functionalization, and processability. Organic field effect transistors (OFETs) are not only the fundamental building blocks of flexible and large-area electronic devices but are also a useful tool for measuring charge-carrier mobilities of newly organic semiconductors.
  • 542
  • 06 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Ultraviolet-C for mask disinfection
Change in the title since the subject is more specific 
  • 535
  • 23 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Polyvinylidene Fluoride-Graphene Oxide Membranes
In this study, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-graphene oxide (GO) membranes were obtained by employing triethyl phosphate (TEP) as a solvent. GO nanosheets were prepared and characterized in terms of scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM, respectively), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), chemical analysis and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP).
  • 530
  • 18 May 2021
Topic Review
Anthocyanin-Based Polymers for Healthcare Applications
Anthocyanins are a specific group of molecules found in nature that have recently received increasing attention due to their interesting biological and colorimetric properties that have been successfully applied in several fields such as food preservation and biomedicine. Meanwhile, the incorporation of anthocyanins into polymeric systems has become an interesting strategy to widen the applicability of these molecules and develop new smart and functional polymers in the above-cited areas. 
  • 529
  • 14 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Electrospun Fibrous Catalysts
TiO2NFs have important applications in different fields, including catalysis. They are used as a catalyst and a photocatalyst. Most of the TiO2NF-supported catalysts were utilized as photocatalysts in the AB reaction; hence, photocatalysis will be explained in more detail before the discussion of the electrospun photocatalysts.
  • 528
  • 20 Jul 2021
Topic Review
MIP Application for the Detection of Cancer Biomarkers
Biomarkers can provide critical information about cancer and many other diseases; therefore, developing analytical systems for recognising biomarkers is an essential direction in bioanalytical chemistry. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have been applied in analytical systems to determine biomarkers. The most attractive way to replace natural biological recognition systems is based on applying molecularly imprinted polymers.
  • 528
  • 24 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Categories of Quantum Photoinitiators
The use of novel photoinitiators (PIs) for free-radical polymerization has attracted significant attention from the scientific community. Quantum PIs, quantum-confined nanoscale crystals with semiconductor properties, have received interest for use in photopolymerization, due to their precisely tunable properties as a function of structural and surface engineering.
  • 526
  • 20 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Microplastics Derived from Food Packaging Waste
Plastics are commonly used for packaging in the food industry. The most popular thermoplastic materials that have found such applications are polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and polystyrene (PS). Unfortunately, most plastic packaging is disposable. As a consequence, significant amounts of waste are generated, entering the environment, and undergoing degradation processes. They can occur under the influence of mechanical forces, temperature, light, chemical, and biological factors. These factors can present synergistic or antagonistic effects. As a result of their action, microplastics are formed, which can undergo further fragmentation and decomposition into small-molecule compounds. During the degradation process, various additives used at the plastics’ processing stage can also be released. Both microplastics and additives can negatively affect human and animal health.
  • 522
  • 29 Jan 2023
Topic Review
Carbon Dioxide Capture By Biopolymer-Derived Porous Materials
Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere is responsible for global warming which in turn causes abrupt climate change and consequently poses a threat to the living organisms in the coming years. CO2 capture and separation are crucial to reduce the CO2 content in the atmosphere. Post-combustion capture is one of the most useful techniques for capturing CO2 due to its practicality and ease of use. For adsorption-driven post-combustion CO2 capture, sorbents with large surface area, high volume, and narrow pores are highly effective. Natural polymers, such as polysaccharides, are less expensive, more plentiful, and can be modified by a variety of methods to produce porous materials and thus can be effectively utilized for CO2 capture. A significant amount of research activities has already been established in this field, especially in the last ten years and are still in progress. In this review, we have introduced the latest developments to the readers about synthetic techniques, post-synthetic modifications and CO2 capture capacities of various biopolymer-based materials published in the last five years (2018–2022).
  • 522
  • 21 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Thermocatalytic Conversion of Plastics into Liquid Fuels
The problem of recycling polymer waste remains the main one in the context of the growth in the use of plastics. Given the non-renewability of fossil fuels, the task of processing plastic waste into liquid fuels seems to be a promising one. Thermocatalytic conversion is one of the methods that allows obtaining liquid products of the required hydrocarbon range. Clays and clay minerals can be distinguished among possible environmental-friendly, cheap and common catalysts.
  • 520
  • 08 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Pore-Selective Functionalization of HCP Films
Recent developments in the field of the breath figure (BF) method leading to pore-selective functionalization of honeycomb-patterned (HCP) films attracted great interest. The pore-selective functionalization of the HCP film gives unique properties to the film which can be used for specific applications like protein recognition, catalysis, selective cell culturing, and drug delivery.
  • 516
  • 06 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Polyaryletherketone Based Blends
Polyaryletherketone-based thermoplastic blends (PAEK) are high-performance copolymers able to replace metals in many applications including those related to the environmental and energy transition. PAEK lead to the extension of high-performance multifunctional materials to target embedded electronics, robotics, aerospace, medical devices and prostheses. Blending PAEK with other thermostable thermoplastic polymers is a viable option to obtain materials with new affordable properties.
  • 514
  • 24 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Water in Epoxy Coatings
The absorption of water strongly affects the exploitation characteristics of epoxy coatings and their lifecycles. The models used for describing water absorption to a polymer matrix involve many parameters that can adequately describe the process with parameter tuning. However, when using multiple variable parameters, the physical essence of absorption can be obscured. Hence, one of the promising directions in this field is the development of new models with fixed physically transparent parameters, which will adequately describe the water uptake process in epoxy resins.
  • 514
  • 04 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Bioactive Polymers and Cardiovascular Therapy
Coronary heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death in most countries. Healthcare improvements have seen a shift in the presentation of disease with a reducing number of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMIs), largely due to earlier reperfusion strategies such as percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Stents have revolutionized the care of these patients, but the long-term effects of these devices have been brought to the fore. The conceptual and technologic evolution of these devices from bare-metal stents led to the creation and wide application of drug-eluting stents; further research introduced the idea of polymer-based resorbable stents.
  • 513
  • 17 Mar 2021
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