Microstructure, Physical and Biological Properties, and BSA Binding Investigation of Electrospun Nanofibers Made of Poly(AA-co-ACMO) Copolymer and Polyurethane.

In this study, poly(AA-co-ACMO) and polyurethane-based nanofibers were prepared in a ratio of 1:1 (NF11) and 2:1 (NF21) as antimicrobial carriers for chronic wound management. Different techniques were used to characterize the nanofibers, and poly(AA-co-ACMO) was mostly found on the surface of PU. With an increase in poly(AA-co-ACMO) dose from 0 (PU) and 1:1 (NF11) to 2:1 (NF21) in the casting solution, the contact angle (CA) was reduced from 137 and 95 to 24, respectively, and hydrophilicity was significantly increased. As most medications inhibit biological processes by binding to a specific protein, in vitro protein binding was investigated mechanistically using a stopped-flow technique. Both NF11 and NF21 bind to BSA via two reversible steps: a fast second-order binding followed by a slow first-order one. The overall parameters for NF11 (Ka = 1.1 × 104 M-1, Kd = 89.0 × 10-6, ΔG0 = -23.1 kJ mol-1) and NF21 (Ka = 189.0 × 104 M-1, Kd = 5.3 × 10-6 M, ΔG0 = -27.5 kJ mol-1) were determined and showed that the affinity for BSA is approximately (NF11)/(NF21) = 1/180. This indicates that NF21 has much higher BSA affinity than NF11, although BSA interacts with NF11 much faster. NF21 with higher hydrophilicity showed effective antibacterial properties compared to NF11, in agreement with kinetic data. The study provided an approach to manage chronic wounds and treating protein-containing wastewater.

Adsorption and desorption of phosphate and nitrate ions using quaternary (polypropylene-g-N,N-dimethylamino ethylmethacrylate) graft copolymer.

Study has been made on the preparation of functionalized copolymer by grafting N,N-(dimethylaminoethyl) methacrylate (DMAEMA) onto polypropylene (PP) films using gamma-irradiation technique. The effect of monomer concentration and irradiation dose on the grafting yield was studied. It was found that grafting yield increases with increasing the monomer concentration and irradiation dose. Subsequent quaternization of the amine group of PDMAEMA graft chain using different reagents, 1-bromo octadecane, methyl iodide and benzyl chloride, to improve their ionic character was carried out. The grafted PP films were characterized by IR spectroscopy, and mechanical and thermal properties. During the adsorption of phosphate (PO(4)(3-)) and nitrate (NO(3)(-)) ions, the rate of adsorption, pH effect, desorbability and initial feed concentration effect were investigated. It was found that the adsorption of PO(4)(3-) and NO(3)(-) ions increases with increasing the adsorption time up to 10h and decreases with increasing the pH of medium. The desorbability is ranging from 18 to 30%, and it is relatively difficult to desorb PO(4)(3-) and NO(3)(-) ions from the functionalized grafted copolymers. Results showed good possibility for the use of such functionalized grafted film in the field of removal of some anions such as PO(4)(3-) and NO(3)(-) from their media.