Motional heterogeneity of intercalated species in modified clays and poly(epsilon-caprolactone)/clay nanocomposites.

Modified laponites and synthetic saponites are used as precursors for the preparation of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL)/clay nanocomposites. The structure and dynamics of species intercalated in the modified clays and the corresponding nanocomposites are characterized by X-ray diffraction and magic-angle spinning NMR. The influence of the headgroup, the hydrocarbon chain length, and the loading of the surfactant on the nanocomposite formation are discussed. The yield of PCL intercalation is related to the probability of direct polymer-clay interactions and to the size of the clay platelets. Relaxation times in the laboratory and rotating frames that allow characterization of fast and slow molecular dynamics in these systems are discussed, showing a motional heterogeneity of the intercalated species.

Solid-state NMR study of intercalated species in poly(epsilon-caprolactone)/clay nanocomposites.

The structure and dynamics of surfactant and polymer chains in intercalated poly(epsilon-caprolactone)/clay nanocomposites are characterized by (31)P magic-angle spinning (MAS) and (13)C cross-polarization MAS NMR techniques. To obtain hybrid materials with the low polymer content required for this study, in situ intercalative polymerization was performed by adapting a published procedure. After nanocomposite formation, the chain motion of the surfactant is enhanced in the saponite-based materials but reduced in the Laponite ones. Compared to the starting clay, the trans conformer population of the surfactant hydrocarbon chain in the nanocomposite decreases for the saponite systems. Mobility of the polymer chain is higher in the nanocomposites than in the bulk phase. The charge of the modified saponite does not significantly influence chain mobility in the nanocomposites.

Comparison of the effects of ethidium bromide and of ethidium bromide-deoxyribonucleic acid complex in fibroblasts cultivated in vitro.

Chick embryo fibroblasts cultivated in vitro were treated with ethidium bromide (E.B.) or with DNA-E.B. complex (DNA-E.B.). E.B. (5 mug/ml) provokes morphological alterations and cell death, inhibits DNA synthesis and mitotic activity. DNA-E.B. (E.B. 5 mug/ml) is less toxic to the fibroblasts as far as cell structure, DNA synthesis and mitotic activity are concerned. DNA alone has no apparent effect on the fibroblasts. As shown by fluorescence microscopy, the lower toxicity of DNA-E.B. seems to be related to its mode of penetration into the cells.