Size Effect in Hybrid TiO2:Au Nanostars for Photocatalytic Water Remediation Applications.

TiO2:Au-based photocatalysis represents a promising alternative to remove contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) from wastewater under sunlight irradiation. However, spherical Au nanoparticles, generally used to sensitize TiO2, still limit the photocatalytic spectral band to the 520 nm region, neglecting a high part of sun radiation. Here, a ligand-free synthesis of TiO2:Au nanostars is reported, substantially expanding the light absorption spectral region. TiO2:Au nanostars with different Au component sizes and branching were generated and tested in the degradation of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Interestingly, nanoparticles with the smallest branching showed the highest photocatalytic degradation, 83% and 89% under UV and visible radiation, together with a threshold in photocatalytic activity in the red region. The applicability of these multicomponent nanoparticles was further explored with their incorporation into a porous matrix based on PVDF-HFP to open the way for a reusable energy cost-effective system in the photodegradation of polluted waters containing CECs.

Hydrogel-Core Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibers for Selective Fiber Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.

A new approach of Fiber Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (FERS) is described within this article based on the use of Hydrogel-Core microstructured Polymer Optical Fibers (HyC-mPOF). The incorporation of the hydrogel only on the core of the Hollow-Core microstructured Polymer Optical Fiber (HC-mPOF) enables to perform FERS measurements in a functionalized matrix, enabling high selectivity Raman measurements. The hydrogel formation was continuously monitored and quantified using a Principal Component Analysis verifying the coherence between the components and the Raman spectrum of the hydrogel. The performed measurements with high and low affinity target molecules prove the feasibility of the presented HyC-mPOF platform.

Structural Characterization of Mono and Dihydroxylated Umbelliferone Derivatives.

Coumarin derivatives are a class of compounds with a pronounced wide range of applications, especially in biological activities, in the medicine, pharmacology, cosmetics, coatings and food industry. Their potential applications are highly dependent on the nature of the substituents attached to their nucleus. These substituents modulate their photochemical and photophysical properties, as well as their interactions in their crystalline form, which largely determines the final field of application. Therefore, in this work a series of mono and dihydroxylated coumarin derivatives with different chemical substituents were synthesized and characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, thermal analysis (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and TGA), 1H NMR and X-Ray Diffraction to identify limitations and possibilities as a function of the molecular structure for expanding their applications in polymer science.

Toward Advanced Functional Systems: Honeycomb-Like Polymeric Surfaces Incorporating Polyoxovanadates with Surface-Appended Copper-Cyclam Complexes.

In this work the immobilization of hybrid polyoxometalates (POMs) onto functional polymeric surfaces is exposed and discussed. Thus, various hybrid polymer‒inorganic films were prepared by anchoring selected hybrid POMs onto tailored polymeric surfaces that consisted of breath figures (BFs) made of polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid)/polystyrene (PS-b-PAA/PS) blends. Functionalization of the BF films was performed by selective arrangement of acrylic acid groups of the amphiphilic block copolymer on the surface pores because of their affinition for the water condensed during breath figure formation. These carboxylic acid functional groups contained within the PAA blocks were then employed to anchor [Cu(cyclam)][{Cu(cyclam)}2(V10O28)]·10H2O (1-CuV10) and [{Cu(cyclam)}(VO3)2]·5H2O (1-CuV1), hybrid POMs by immersing the films into aqueous solutions of the in situ formed hybrid clusters, resulting in the hybrid films BF1 and BF2, respectively. Superficial analysis of these hybrid polymeric films was carried out by the sophisticated ion beam-based technique time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) that was revealed to be an excellent method for the superficial compositional mapping of patterned surfaces.

U-Shaped and Surface Functionalized Polymer Optical Fiber Probe for Glucose Detection.

In this work we show an optical fiber evanescent wave absorption probe for glucose detection in different physiological media. High selectivity is achieved by functionalizing the surface of an only-core poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer optical fiber with phenilboronic groups, and enhanced sensitivity by using a U-shaped geometry. Employing a supercontinuum light source and a high-resolution spectrometer, absorption measurements are performed in the broadband visible light spectrum. Experimental results suggest the feasibility of such a fiber probe as a low-cost and selective glucose detector.

Materials and Strategies to Enhance Melt Electrowriting Potential.

Melt electrowriting (MEW) is an emerging additive manufacturing (AM) technology that enables the precise deposition of continuous polymeric microfibers, allowing for the creation of high-resolution constructs. In recent years, MEW has undergone a revolution, with the introduction of active properties or additional functionalities through novel polymer processing strategies, the incorporation of functional fillers, postprocessing, or the combination with other techniques. While extensively explored in biomedical applications, MEW's potential in other fields remains untapped. Thus, this review explores MEW's characteristics from a materials science perspective, emphasizing the diverse range of materials and composites processed by this technique and their current and potential applications. Additionally, the prospects offered by postprinting processing techniques are explored, together with the synergy achieved by combining melt electrowriting with other manufacturing methods. By highlighting the untapped potentials of MEW, this review aims to inspire research groups across various fields to leverage this technology for innovative endeavors.

An easy and simple method for the immobilization of dyes through click reactions: activated alkyne, copper not needed.

The copper-free azide-alkyne click reaction has shown to be a successful alternative to immobilize covalently a fluorescente compound onto poly(-l-lactic) acid (PLLA) surfaces. Proceded by basic hydrolysis and amidation reaction, typical surface characterization techniques have validated each functionaliztion step and the success of the conjugation. This method offers a catalyst-free option for various surface conjugations, extremely demanded in biomedical and biosensory fields.

Catalyst-Free Amino-Yne Click Reaction: An Efficient Way for Immobilizing Amoxicillin onto Polymeric Surfaces.

Surface modifications play a crucial role in enhancing the functionality of biomaterials. Different approaches can be followed in order to achieve the bioconjugation of drugs and biological compounds onto polymer surfaces. In this study, we focused on the immobilization of an amoxicillin antibiotic onto the surface of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) using a copper-free amino-yne click reaction. The utilization of this reaction allowed for a selective and efficient bioconjugation of the amoxicillin moiety onto the PLLA surface, avoiding copper-related concerns and ensuring biocompatibility. The process involved sequential steps that included surface activation via alkaline hydrolysis followed by an amidation reaction with ethylendiamine, functionalization with propiolic groups, and subsequent conjugation with amoxicillin via a click chemistry approach. Previous amoxicillin immobilization using tryptophan and fluorescent amino acid conjugation was carried out in order to determine the efficacy of the proposed methodology. Characterization techniques such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Attenuated Total Reflection (ATR)-Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, surface imaging, water contact angle determination, and spectroscopic analysis confirmed the successful immobilization of both tryptophan and amoxicillin while maintaining the integrity of the PLLA surface. This tailored modification not only exhibited a novel method for surface functionalization but also opens avenues for developing antimicrobial biomaterials with improved drug-loading capacity.

Improving Definition of Screen-Printed Functional Materials for Sensing Application.

Screen printing is one of the most used techniques for developing printed electronics. It stands out for its simplicity, scalability, and effectivity. Specifically, the manufacturing of hybrid integrated circuits has promoted the development of the technique, and the photovoltaic industry has enhanced the printing process by developing high-performance metallization pastes and high-end screens. In recent years, fine lines of 50 µm or smaller are about to be adopted in mass production, and screen printing has to compete with digital printing techniques such as inkjet printing, which can reach narrower lines. In this sense, this work is focused on testing the printing resolution of a high-performance stainless-steel screen with commercial conductive inks and functional lab-made inks based on reduced graphene oxide using an interdigitated structure. We achieved electrically conductive functional patterns with a minimum printing resolution of 40 µm for all inks.

Evaluation of Various Types of Alginate Inks for Light-Mediated Extrusion 3D Printing.

Naturally derived biopolymers modifying or combining with other components are excellent candidates to promote the full potential of additive manufacturing in biomedicine, cosmetics, and the food industry. This work aims to develop new photo-cross-linkable alginate-based inks for extrusion 3D printing. Specifically, this work is focused on the effect of the addition of cross-linkers with different chemical structures (polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA), N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (NMBA), and acrylic acid (AA)) in the potential printability and physical properties of methacrylated alginate (AlgMe) hydrogels. Although all inks showed maximum photo-curing conversions and gelation times less than 2 min, only those structures printed with the inks incorporating cross-linking agents with flexible and long chain structure (PEGDA and AA) displayed acceptable size accuracy (~0.4-0.5) and printing index (Pr ~1.00). The addition of these cross-linking agents leads to higher Young's moduli (from 1.6 to 2.0-2.6 KPa) in the hydrogels, and their different chemical structures results in variations in their mechanical and rheological properties. However, similar swelling ability (~15 swelling factor), degradability (~45 days 100% weight loss), and cytocompatibility (~100%) were assessed in all the systems, which is of great importance for the final applicability of these hydrogels.

Extrusion-Based 3D Printing of Photocrosslinkable Chitosan Inks.

Photocuring of chitosan has shown great promise in the extrusion-based 3D printing of scaffolds for advanced biomedical and tissue engineering applications. However, the poor mechanical stability of methacrylated chitosan photocuring ink restricts its applicability. The inclusion of co-networks by means of simultaneous polycomplex formation is an effective method by which to solve this drawback, but the formed hydrogel inks are not printable. This work aims to develop new photocurable chitosan inks based on the simultaneous photocrosslinking of methacrylated chitosan (CHIMe) with N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide, polyethylene glycol diacrylate, and acrylic acid to be applied in extrusion 3D printing. Interestingly, the polycomplex co-network corresponding to the acrylic-acid-based ink could be successfully printed by the here-presented simultaneous photocuring strategy. Further, the conversion of photocrosslinking was studied via photo-DSC analyses that revealed a clear dependence on the chemical structure of the employed crosslinking agents (from 40 to ~100%). In addition, the mechanical and rheological properties of the photocured hydrogels were comparatively studied, as well as the printing quality of the extruded scaffolds. The newly developed chitosan photocurable inks demonstrated extrusion printability (squareness ~0.90; uniformity factor ~0.95) and tunable mechanical properties (Young modulus 14-1068 Pa) by means of different crosslinking approaches according to the chemical architecture of the reactive molecules employed. This work shows the great potential of photocrosslinkable chitosan inks.

Covalent Cross-Linking as a Strategy to Prepare Water-Dispersible Chitosan Nanogels.

Due to the environmental problems generated by petroleum derivative polymers as mentioned in Agenda 2030, the use of natural polymers is increasing. Among them, cellulose and chitin are the most widespread biopolymers available in nature. Chitosan, obtained from chitin, is a really good candidate to develop nanocarriers due to its polyelectrolyte nature and ease of chemical modification. However, chitosan presents a solubility drawback in an aqueous medium at physiological pH (pH = 7.4), which restricts its applicability in biomedicine. In this work, nanogels were successfully synthesized from chitosan systems with different water solubilities (chitosan, oligosaccharide chitosan, and quaternized chitosan) using the reverse microemulsion method and polyethylene glycol diacid (PEGBCOOH) as a covalent cross-linking agent. Cross-linking with PEGBCOOH was analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), which allowed for nanogels to be prepared whose size and swelling were comparatively studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential, respectively. The particle size of the swollen nanogels showed a different pH-responsive behavior that decreased for chitosan, increased for oligosaccharide chitosan, and remained constant for quaternized chitosan. Nevertheless, a drastic reduction was observed in all cases in the culture medium. Along the same line, the dispersibility of the synthesized nanogels in different media was comparatively evaluated, showing similar values for the nanogels prepared from soluble chitosans than for water insoluble chitosan as a consequence of the cross-linking with PEGBCOOH. After 6 months of storage of the dried nanogels, the water dispersibility values remained constant in all cases, demonstrating the stabilizing effect of the employed cross-linking agent and the potential use of synthesized nanogels as substrates for drug delivery.

Sustainable Bio-Based Epoxy Resins with Tunable Thermal and Mechanic Properties and Superior Anti-Corrosion Performance.

Bio-based epoxy thermoset resins have been developed from epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) cured with tannic acid (TA). These two substances of vegetable origin have been gathering attention due to their accessibility, favorable economic conditions, and convenient chemical functionalization. TA's suitable high phenolic functionalization has been used to crosslink ESO by adjusting the -OH (from TA):epoxy (from ESO) molar ratio from 0.5:1 to 2.5:1. By means of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, resulting in thermosets that evidenced optimal curing properties under moderate conditions (150-160 °C). The thermogravimetric analysis of the cured resins showed thermal stability up to 261 °C, with modulable mechanical and thermal properties determined by differential scanning calorimetry, dynamical mechanical thermal analysis, and tensile testing. Water contact angle measurements (83-87°) and water absorption tests (0.6-4.5 initial weight% intake) were performed to assess the suitability of the resins as waterproof coatings. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements were performed to characterize the anti-corrosive capability of these coatings on carbon steel substrates. Excellent barrier properties have been demonstrated due to the high electrical isolation and water impermeability of these oil-based coatings, without signs of deterioration over 6 months of immersion in a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. These results demonstrate the suitability of the developed materials as anti-corrosion coatings for specific applications.

Magnetic Polymer Actuators with Self-Sensing Resistive Bending Response Based on Ternary Polymer Composites.

A multifunctional polymer-based composite has been designed based on poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) as polymer matrix and cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4, CFO) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as fillers, allowing to combine magnetic and electrical responses. The composites were prepared by solvent casting with a fixed 20 wt % concentration of CFO and varying the MWCNTs content between 0 and 3 wt %, allowing to tailor the electrical behavior. The morphology, polymer phase, and thermal and magnetic properties are nearly independent of the MWCNT filler content within the polymer matrix. On the other hand, the mechanical and electrical properties strongly depend on the MWCNT content and a maximum d.c. electrical conductivity value of 4 × 10-4 S·cm-1 has been obtained for the 20 wt %CFO-3 wt %MWCNT/PVDF sample, which is accompanied by an 11.1 emu·g-1 magnetization. The suitability of this composite for magnetic actuators with self-sensing strain characteristics is demonstrated with excellent response and reproducibility.

One-Step Method for Direct Acrylation of Vegetable Oils: A Biobased Material for 3D Printing.

The substitution of fossil resources by alternatives derived from biomass is a reality that is taking on a growing relevance in the chemical and energy industries. In this sense, fats, oils, and their derived products have become indispensable inputs due to their broad functional attributes, stable price and sustainable character. Acrylated vegetable oils are considered to be very versatile materials for very broad applications (such as in adhesives, coatings or inks) since, in the presence of photoinitiators, they can be polymerized by means of UV-initiated free radical polymerizations. The usual process for the synthesis of acrylate vegetable oils consists in reacting epoxidized oils derivatives with acrylic acid. Here, the influence of different catalysts on the activity and selectivity of the process of acrylation of epoxidized soybean oil is studied. In addition, a novel one-step method for direct acrylation of vegetable oils is also explored. This new approach advantageously uses the original vegetable resource and eliminates intermediate reactions, thus being more environmentally efficient. This study offers a simple and low-cost option for synthesizing a biomass-derived monomer and studies the potential for the 3D printing of complex structures via digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing of the thus-obtained novel sustainable formulations.

Hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel coatings on Ti6Al4V implantable biomaterial with multifunctional antibacterial activity.

Today, the treatment of implant-associated infections with conventional mono-functional antibacterial coatings has not been effective enough for a prosperous long-term implantation. Therefore, biomedical industry is making considerable efforts on the development of novel antibacterial coatings with a combination of more than one antibacterial strategies that interact synergistically to reinforce each other. Therefore, in this work hyaluronic acid-based (HA) hydrogel coatings were created on the surface Ti6Al4V biomaterial with 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (Ti-HABDDE) and divinyl sulfone (Ti-HADVS) crosslinking agents. Hydrogel coatings displayed an extraordinary in vivo biocompatibility, a remarkable ability to promote cell proliferation, differentiation and mineralization, and capability to sustainedly release drugs. Finally, HA-based hydrogel coatings demonstrated an outstanding multifunctional antibacterial activity: bacteria-repelling (51-55 % of S. aureus and 27-40 % of E. coli), bacteria-killing (82-119 % of S. aureus and 83-87 % of E. coli) and bactericide release killing (drug-loaded hydrogel coatings, R > 2).

Hybrid TiO2:Au nanostars based polymeric membranes for photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin in water samples.

Antibiotics represent one increasingly harmful type of contaminant of emerging concern in treated and non-treated water. They cause the generation of antibiotic-multiresistant organisms, one of the major challenges in current medicine. Plasmonic-photocatalysis using solar energy represents a promising solution for their removal with low energy consumption. Its successful application requires the improvement of photocatalysts' efficiency under sunlight and the development of robust, durable, and efficient substrates for photocatalysts immobilisation. In this work, hybrid TiO2:Au nanostars were initially synthesised. Then, two porous membranes were prepared to support this nanocatalyst based on poly (vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) polymer. Doctor blade and salt leaching casting methods, combined with temperature-induced phase separation, were used to generate membranes with high porosity, 80-90%, which was maintained after nanoparticle incorporation (3, 8 and 10 wt%). The photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposite membranes was tested through the degradation of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin under UV and visible radiation. Salt-leaching membranes containing 10 wt% nanoparticles presented the highest degradation efficiencies, 45% under UV and 35% under visible radiation. In contrast, doctor blade membranes showed 36% and 32% degradation efficiencies, respectively. The reusability of the membranes was assessed in repeated cycles, presenting an average efficiency loss of only 2% after three uses. Finally, the reusability of these membranes was also tested in treated effluent water matrixes, presenting similar, or even better, degradation efficiencies, and a minimum reusability efficiency lost 0-1%. The results demonstrate that these membranes are a promising alternative for the degradation of a wide variety of contaminants under sunlight radiation.

A Review on Sustainable Inks for Printed Electronics: Materials for Conductive, Dielectric and Piezoelectric Sustainable Inks.

In the last decades, the demand for electronics and, therefore, electronic waste, has increased. To reduce this electronic waste and the impact of this sector on the environment, it is necessary to develop biodegradable systems using naturally produced materials with low impact on the environment or systems that can degrade in a certain period. One way to manufacture these types of systems is by using printed electronics because the inks and the substrates used are sustainable. Printed electronics involve different methods of deposition, such as screen printing or inkjet printing. Depending on the method of deposition selected, the developed inks should have different properties, such as viscosity or solid content. To produce sustainable inks, it is necessary to ensure that most of the materials used in the formulation are biobased, biodegradable, or not considered critical raw materials. In this review, different inks for inkjet printing or screen printing that are considered sustainable, and the materials that can be used to formulate them, are collected. Printed electronics need inks with different functionalities, which can be mainly classified into three groups: conductive, dielectric, or piezoelectric inks. Materials need to be selected depending on the ink's final purpose. For example, functional materials such as carbon or biobased silver should be used to secure the conductivity of an ink, a material with dielectric properties could be used to develop a dielectric ink, or materials that present piezoelectric properties could be mixed with different binders to develop a piezoelectric ink. A good combination of all the components selected must be achieved to ensure the proper features of each ink.

Improving the Recyclability of an Epoxy Resin through the Addition of New Biobased Vitrimer.

In recent decades, the use of thermoset epoxy resins (ER) has spread to countless applications due to their mechanical properties, heat resistance and stability. However, these ERs are neither biodegradable nor recyclable due to their permanent crosslinked networks and usually, they are synthesized from fossil and toxic precursors. Therefore, reducing its consumption is of vital importance to the environment. On the one hand, the solution to the recyclability problems of epoxy resins can be achieved through the use of vitrimers, which have thermoset properties and can be recycled as thermoplastic materials. On the other hand, vitrimers can be made from natural sources, reducing their toxicity. In this work, a sustainable epoxy vitrimer has been efficiently synthesized, VESOV, by curing epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) with a new vanillin-derived Schiff base (VSB) dynamic hardener, aliphatic diamine (1,4-butanediamine, BDA) and using 1,2-dimethylimidazole (DMI) as an accelerator. Likewise, using the same synthesized VSB agent, a commercial epoxy resin has also been cured and characterized as ESO. Finally, different percentages (30, 50 and 70 wt%) of the same ER have been included in the formulation of VESOV, demonstrating that only including 30 wt% of ER in the formulation is able to improve the thermo-mechanical properties, maintaining the VESOV's inherent reprocessability or recyclability. In short, this is the first approach to achieve a new material that can be postulated in the future as a replacement for current commercial epoxy resins, although it still requires a minimum percentage of RE in the formulation, it makes it possible to recycle the material while maintaining good mechanical properties.

Graphene-Enhanced Methacrylated Alginate Gel Films for Sustainable Dye Removal in Water Purification.

Self-standing nanocomposite films were prepared by three-dimensional UV-induced radical copolymerization of methacrylated alginate (MALG) with acrylic acid (AA) and reinforced with graphene oxide (GO) to improve both mechanical strength and dye adsorption capacity in wastewater decontamination operations. Dynamic mechanical-thermal analysis revealed variations in storage modulus: the higher the GO content, the higher the storage modulus (E') values. Also, the higher the temperature (associated with a lower and lower water content of films), the larger values of E' for the films of the same composition (E'(25 °C) = 676.6-1538.7 MPa; E'(100 °C) = 886.9-2066.6 MPa), providing insights into the compatibility between GO and the MALG/AA matrix, as well as, assessing the improvement in the nanocomposite's final mechanical properties. These crosslinked films in a dry state exhibited rapid water uptake and relatively short drying times (ca. 30 min at room temperature for the MALG/AA/GO composites) resulting from the swelling-drying studies and water contact angle measurements. The efficacy of methylene blue removal from water assessed via UV-VIS spectrometry revealed excellent results, expressed as an adsorption yield of 70-80% and 85-98% after 30 h and 258 h, respectively, of immersion time of films into an MB aqueous solution of 12.5 mg/L (as the contaminated water model). The reusability of the same films was evaluated by consecutive extraction processes of MB from the composite membranes when the content of desorbed dye was also spectrophotometrically monitored and conducted in acidic conditions (HCl aqueous solutions of pH 2). Overall, the introduction of GO in the developed self-standing MALG/AA nanocomposite films exhibited enhanced mechanical properties and increased efficiency for dye removal applications. Their great reutilization potential was highlighted by low drying times and a good ability to release the dye initially adsorbed. Thus, the prepared films could be suitable materials for sustainable and effective water treatment technologies.