Development and validation of AI-assisted transcriptomic signatures to personalize adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: After surgical resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), patients are predominantly treated with adjuvant chemotherapy, commonly consisting of gemcitabine-based regimens or the modified FOLFIRINOX regimen (mFFX). While mFFX has been shown to be more effective than gemcitabine-based regimens, it is also associated with higher toxicity. Current treatment decisions are based on patient performance status rather than on the molecular characteristics of the tumor. To address this gap, the goal of this study was to develop drug-specific transcriptomic signatures for personalized chemotherapy treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We used PDAC datasets from preclinical models, encompassing chemotherapy response profiles for the mFFX-regimen components. From them we identified specific gene transcripts associated with chemotherapy response. Three transcriptomic AI-signatures were obtained by combining Independent Component Analysis, Least Absolute Shrinkage and the Selection Operator-Random Forest approach. We integrated a previously developed gemcitabine signature with three newly developed ones. The machine learning strategy employed to enhance these signatures incorporates transcriptomic features from the tumor microenvironment, leading to the development of the Pancreas-View tool ultimately clinically validated in a cohort of 343 patients from the PRODIGE-24/CCTG PA6 trial. RESULTS: Patients who were predicted to be sensitive to the administered drugs (n=164; 47.8%) had longer disease-free survival (DFS) than the other patients. The median DFS in the mFFX sensitive group treated with mFFX was 50.0 months (stratified HR: 0.31; 95% CI, 0.21-0.44; p<0.001) and 33.7 months (stratified HR: 0.40; 95% CI, 0.17-0.59; p<0.001) in the gemcitabine sensitive group when treated with gemcitabine. Comparatively patients with signature predictions unmatched with the treatments (n=86; 25.1%) or those resistant to all drugs (n=93; 27.1%) had shorter DFS (10.6 and 10.8 months, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study presents a transcriptome-based tool that was developed using preclinical models and machine learning to accurately predict sensitivity to mFFX and gemcitabine.

Metagenome-derived SusD-homologs affiliated with Bacteroidota bind to synthetic polymers.

Starch utilization system (Sus)D-homologs are well known for their carbohydrate-binding capabilities and are part of the sus operon in microorganisms affiliated with the phylum Bacteroidota. Until now, SusD-like proteins have been characterized regarding their affinity toward natural polymers. In this study, three metagenomic SusD homologs (designated SusD1, SusD38489, and SusD70111) were identified and tested with respect to binding to natural and non-natural polymers. SusD1 and SusD38489 are cellulose-binding modules, while SusD70111 preferentially binds chitin. Employing translational fusion proteins with superfolder GFP (sfGFP), pull-down assays, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) has provided evidence for binding to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and other synthetic polymers. Structural analysis suggested that a Trp triad might be involved in protein adsorption. Mutation of these residues to Ala resulted in an impaired adsorption to microcrystalline cellulose (MC), but not so to PET and other synthetic polymers. We believe that the characterized SusDs, alongside the methods and considerations presented in this work, will aid further research regarding bioremediation of plastics. IMPORTANCE: SusD1 and SusD38489 can be considered for further applications regarding their putative adsorption toward fossil-fuel based polymers. This is the first time that SusD homologs from the polysaccharide utilization loci (PUL), largely described for the phylum Bacteroidota, are characterized as synthetic polymer-binding proteins.

Investigating the Potential of Ghee Precursor-Derived Carbon Nano Onions for Enhancing Interfacial Bonding in Thermoplastic Composites.

In this study, we employed a straightforward flame synthesis process to produce carbon soot containing carbon nano onions (CNOs) using easily accessible ghee oil as a precursor. The ghee oil, with a molecular composition rich in more than 50 carbon atoms, served as an effective source for generating CNOs. The synthesized CNO particles underwent comprehensive characterization through high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, providing a detailed account of their physicochemical properties. In addition, we explored the direct deposition of CNOs on carbon fiber (CF) surfaces for 5 and 10 min via a soot deposition process. The resulting freeze-fracture images obtained from scanning electron microscope (SEM) offered insights into the morphology of the CNO-deposited CF. Our study aims to shed light on the potential applications of CNOs, focusing on their characterization and the possible benefits they may offer in diverse fields, including but not limited to enhancing interfacial bonding in thermoplastic composites.

A Transparent Additive-Free Fibrous Facial Mask for Skin Moisturizing.

Most sheet facial masks for skincare are made of nonwovens and loaded with liquid active ingredients, which are usually opaque and require additives for long-term preservation. Herein, a Transparent Additive-Free Fibrous (TAFF) facial mask is reported for skin moisturizing. The TAFF facial mask consists of a bilayer fibrous membrane. The inner layer is fabricated by electrospinning functional components of gelatin (GE) and hyaluronic acid (HA) into a solid fibrous membrane to get rid of additives, the outer layer is an ultrathin PA6 fibrous membrane that is highly transparent, especially after absorbing water. The results indicate that the GE-HA membrane can quickly absorb water and become a transparent hydrogel film. By employing the hydrophobic PA6 membrane as the outer layer, directional water transport is achieved, which enables TAFF facial mask with excellent skin moisturizing effect. The skin moisture content is up to 84% ± 7% after placing the TAFF facial mask on the skin for 10 min. In addition, the relative transparency of the TAFF facial mask on the skin reaches 97.0% ± 1.9% when ultrathin PA6 membrane is used as the outer layer. The design of the transparent additive-free facial mask may serve as a guideline for developing new functional facial masks.

Relationship between the Co-Continuous Morphology of Immiscible Polymer Blends and the Structure of an In Situ Formed Graft Copolymer.

In order to get stable co-continuous morphology in immiscible polymer blends, besides reducing the interfacial tension, the compatibilizer should not only promote the formation of flat interface between different phases, but also not hinder the coalescence of the dispersed phase. Herein, the relationship between the morphology of the compatibilized polystyrene/nylon 6/styrene-maleic anhydride (PS/PA6/SMA) immiscible polymer blends and the structures of the in-situ formed SMA-g-PA6 graft copolymers as well as the processing conditions are studied. Two kinds of SMA are used: SMA28 (28 wt.% MAH) and SMA11 (11 wt.% MAH). After melt blending with PA6, the in-situ formed copolymer SMA28-g-PA6 has on average of four PA6 side chains, while that of SMA11-g-PA6 has only one. Dissipative particle dynamics simulation results indicate that both SMA28-g-PA6 copolymer and PS/PA6/SMA28 blends tend to form co-continuous structure, while those related to SMA11 intend to form sea-island morphologies. These results are correct only at relatively low rotor speed (60 rpm). When the rotor speed is higher (105 rpm), sea-island morphologies are obtained in SMA28 systems, while that for SMA11 ones are co-continuous. This indicates that higher shear stress can elongate the minor phase domains to form flat interfaces, while the SMA28-g-PA6 copolymers can be pulled out from the interface.

Role of TGFß1 and WNT6 in FGF2 and BMP4-driven endothelial differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells.

Embryonic stem cells (ES) are a valuable source of endothelial cells. By co-culturing ES cells with the stromal PA6 cells, the endothelial commitment can be achieved by adding exogenous FGF2 or BMP4. In this work, the molecular pathways that direct the differentiation of ES cells toward endothelium in response to FGF2 are evaluated and compared to those activated by BMP4. To this purpose the genes expression profiles of both ES/PA6 co-cultures and of pure cultures of PA6 cells were obtained by microarray technique at different time points. The bioinformatics processing of the data indicated TGFß1 as the most represented upstream regulator in FGF2-induced endothelial commitment while WNT pathway as the most represented in BMP4-activated endothelial differentiation. Loss of function experiments were performed to validate the importance of TGFß1 and WNT6 respectively in FGF2 and BMP4-induced endothelial differentiation. The loss of TGFß1 expression significantly impaired the accomplishment of the endothelial commitment unless exogenous recombinant TGFß1 was added to the culture medium. Similarly, silencing WNT6 expression partially affected the endothelial differentiation of the ES cells upon BMP4 stimulation. Such dysfunction was recovered by the addition of recombinant WNT6 to the culture medium. The ES/PA6 co-culture system recreates an in vitro complete microenvironment in which endothelial commitment is accomplished in response to alternative signals through different mechanisms. Given the importance of WNT and TGFß1 in mediating the crosstalk between tumor and stromal cells this work adds new insights in the mechanism of tumor angiogenesis and of its possible inhibition.

Development of Thermal Spray Processes for Depositing Coatings on Thermoplastics.

Thermoplastics combine high freedom of design with economical mass production. Metallic coatings on thermoplastics enable power and signal transmission, shield sensitive parts inside of housings and can reduce the temperature in critical areas by functioning as a heat sink. The most used technical thermoplastics are polyamides (PA), while the described use cases are often realized using Cu. Consequently, several studies tried to apply copper coatings on PA substrates via thermal spraying; so far, this combination is only feasible using an interlayer. In this study, a new approach to metallize thermoplastics via thermal spraying based on validated state-of-the-art predictions of the thermoplastics' material response at relevant temperatures and strain rates is presented. Using these predictions, high velocity wire-arc spraying was selected as coating process. Furthermore, the process parameters were adapted to realize a continuous coating while also roughening the substrate during coating deposition. The resulting Cu coating on PA6 had a sufficiently high coating adhesion for post-treatment by grinding. The adhesion is achieved by in situ roughening during the coating application. The results indicate that different process parameters for initial layer deposition and further coating buildup are required due to the low thermal stability of PA6.

Application of polyamide 6 microfiber non-woven fabrics in the large-scale production of all-solid-state lithium metal batteries.

All-solid-state electrolytes have received extensive attention due to their excellent safety and good electrochemical performance. However, due to the harsh conditions of the preparation process, the commercial production of all-solid-state electrolytes remains a challenge. The outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) has caused great inconvenience to people, while also allowing soft, lightweight and mass-producible non-woven fabrics in masks come into sight. Here, a polymer/polymer solid composite electrolyte is obtained by introducing the polyamide 6 (PA6) microfiber non-woven fabric into PEO polymer through the hot-pressing method. The addition of the PA6 non-woven fabric with lithium-philic properties can not only reduce the crystallinity of the polymer, but also provide more functional transmission sites and then promote the migration of lithium ions at the molecular level. Moreover, due to the sufficient mechanical strength and flexibility of the PA6 non-woven fabric, the composite electrolyte shows excellent inhibition ability of lithium dendrite growth and high electrochemical stability. The novel design concept of introducing low-cost and large-scale production of non-woven fabrics into all-solid-state composite electrolytes to develop high-performance lithium metal batteries is attractive, and can also be broadened to the combination of different types of polymers to meet the needs of various batteries.

Polypyrrole-Modified Nylon 6 Nanofibers as Adsorbent for the Extraction of Two ß-Lactam Antibiotics in Water Followed by Determination with Capillary Electrophoresis.

A solid phase membrane adsorbent-a nylon 6 nanofibers membrane coated by polypyrrole (PPy-PA6-NFsM)-was firstly synthesized and used for extraction of two ß-lactam antibiotics (oxacillin and cloxacillin) in urban river water. Then the analytes were detected by capillary electrophoresis with a diode array detector (CE-DAD). The synthesized nanofibers membrane was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The experimental conditions were optimized, including the amount used of PPy-PA6-NFsM, pH of the sample solutions, adsorption volume, and desorption conditions. Under the optimal extraction and separation conditions, the detection limits were found to be 2.0 ng/mL for both oxacillin and cloxacillin. The proposed method was applied to the determination of the two ß-lactams in water samples of an urban river. The recoveries of these two ß-lactams were found to be in the range 84.2-96.4%, demonstrating that PPy-PA6-NFsM has a high extraction capability for these two antibiotics. The relative standard deviations, ranging from 2.26% to 5.29% for intraday measurements and from 2.38% to 7.02% for inter-day determinations, were derived respectively.

PA-6 inhibits inward rectifier currents carried by V93I and D172N gain-of-function KIR2.1 channels, but increases channel protein expression.

BACKGROUND: The inward rectifier potassium current IK1 contributes to a stable resting membrane potential and phase 3 repolarization of the cardiac action potential. KCNJ2 gain-of-function mutations V93I and D172N associate with increased IK1, short QT syndrome type 3 and congenital atrial fibrillation. Pentamidine-Analogue 6 (PA-6) is an efficient (IC50 = 14 nM with inside-out patch clamp methodology) and specific IK1 inhibitor that interacts with the cytoplasmic pore region of the KIR2.1 ion channel, encoded by KCNJ2. At 10 µM, PA-6 increases wild-type (WT) KIR2.1 expression in HEK293T cells upon chronic treatment. We hypothesized that PA-6 will interact with and inhibit V93I and D172N KIR2.1 channels, whereas impact on channel expression at the plasma membrane requires higher concentrations. METHODS: Molecular modelling was performed with the human KIR2.1 closed state homology model using FlexX. WT and mutant KIR2.1 channels were expressed in HEK293 cells. Patch-clamp single cell electrophysiology measurements were performed in the whole cell and inside-out mode of the patch clamp method. KIR2.1 expression level and localization were determined by western blot analysis and immunofluorescence microscopy, respectively. RESULTS: PA-6 docking in the V93I/D172N double mutant homology model of KIR2.1 demonstrated that mutations and drug-binding site are >30 Å apart. PA-6 inhibited WT and V93I outward currents with similar potency (IC50 = 35.5 and 43.6 nM at +50 mV for WT and V93I), whereas D172N currents were less sensitive (IC50 = 128.9 nM at +50 mV) using inside-out patch-clamp electrophysiology. In whole cell mode, 1 µM of PA-6 inhibited outward IK1 at -50 mV by 28 ± 36%, 18 ± 20% and 10 ± 6%, for WT, V93I and D172N channels respectively. Western blot analysis demonstrated that PA-6 (5 µM, 24 h) increased KIR2.1 expression levels of WT (6.3 ± 1.5 fold), and V93I (3.9 ± 0.9) and D172N (4.8 ± 2.0) mutants. Immunofluorescent microscopy demonstrated dose-dependent intracellular KIR2.1 accumulation following chronic PA-6 application (24 h, 1 and 5 µM). CONCLUSIONS: 1) KCNJ2 gain-of-function mutations V93I and D172N in the KIR2.1 ion channel do not impair PA-6 mediated inhibition of IK1, 2) PA-6 elevates KIR2.1 protein expression and induces intracellular KIR2.1 accumulation, 3) PA-6 is a strong candidate for further preclinical evaluation in treatment of congenital SQT3 and AF.

Adipocytes derived from PA6 cells reliably promote the differentiation of dopaminergic neurons from human embryonic stem cells.

The PA6 stromal cell line comprises a heterogeneous population of cells that can induce both mouse and human embryonic stem cells to differentiate into dopaminergic neurons. This ability of PA6 cells has been termed stromal cell-derived inducing activity (SDIA). The level of SDIA has been found to vary considerably between and within batches of PA6 cells. Not only are the molecular mechanisms that underlie SDIA unknown but also the cell type(s) within the heterogeneous PA6 cultures that underlie SDIA remain poorly defined. In this study, we reveal that adipocytes, which are present within the heterogeneous PA6 cell population, robustly release the factors mediating SDIA. Furthermore, we report that the coculture of human embryonic stem cells with PA6-derived adipocytes reliably induces their differentiation into midbrain dopaminergic neurons.

Polyamide 6 microplastics as carriers led to changes in the fate of bisphenol A and dibutyl phthalate in drinking water distribution systems: The role of adsorption and interfacial partitioning.

Microplastics (MPs) co-exist with plastic additives and other emerging pollutants in the drinking water distribution systems (DWDSs). Due to their strong adsorption capacity, MPs may influence the occurrence of additives in DWDSs. The article investigated the occurrence of typical additives bisphenol A (BPA) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) in DWDSs under the influence of polyamide 6 (PA6) MPs and further discussed the partitioning of BPA/DBP on PA6s, filling a research gap regarding the impact of adsorption between contaminants on their occurrence within DWDSs. In this study, adsorption experiments of BPA/DBP with PA6s and pipe scales were conducted and their interaction mechanisms were investigated. Competitive adsorption experiments of BPA/DBP were also carried out with site energy distribution theory (SEDT) calculations. The results demonstrated that PA6s might contribute to the accumulation of BPA/DBP on pipe scales. The adsorption efficiencies of BPA/DBP with both PA6s and pipe scales were 26.47 and 2.61 times higher than those with only pipe scales. It was noteworthy that BPA had a synergistic effect on the adsorption of DBP on PA6s, resulting in a 26.47 % increase in DBP adsorption. The article provides valuable insights for the compounding effect of different types of additives in water quality monitoring and evaluation.

Preparation of a Novel Branched Polyamide 6 (PA6) via Co-Polymerization of ε-Caprolactam and α-Amino-ε-Caprolactam.

In this study, a novel branched polyamide 6 has been synthesized via the hydrolytic ring-opening co-polymerization of ε-caprolactam (CPL) and α-Amino-ε-caprolactam (ACL). The NMR characterization proves the existence of a branched chain structure. The rheological test determines that there is a remarkable increase in the melt index (MFR), zero shear rate viscosity, and storage modulus in the low-frequency region. The shear-thinning phenomenon becomes more obvious. The thermal properties tested by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) show that the melting point and crystallinity of co-polymers decrease with the incorporation of ACL. However, the crystal structure of the samples only exhibits a slight change. When the ACL content in the feed is 1 wt%, the tensile strength and fracture elongation rate of the co-polymers show a significant enhancement.

Interfacial Enhancement and Composite Manufacturing of Continuous Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced PA6T Composites via PrePA6T Ultrafine Powder.

Semi-aromatic poly (hexamethylene terephthalamide) (PA6T) oligomer (prePA6T) ultrafine powder, with a diameter of <5 µm, was prepared as an emulsion sizing agent to improve the impregnation performance of CF/PA6T composites. The prePA6T hyperfine powder was acquired via the dissolution and precipitation "phase conversion" method, and the prePA6T emulsion sizing agent was acquired to continuously coat the CF bundle. The sized CF unidirectional tape was knitted into a fabric using the plain weave method, while the CF/PA6T laminated composites were obtained by laminating the plain weave fabrics with PA6T films. The interfacial shear strength (IFSS), tensile strength (TS), and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of prePA6T-modified CF/PA6T composites improved by 54.9%, 125.3%, and 120.9%, respectively. Compared with the commercial polyamide sizing agent product PA845H, the prePA6T sizing agent showed better interfacial properties at elevated temperatures, especially no TS loss at 75 °C. The SEM observations also indicated that the prePA6T emulsion has an excellent impregnation effect on CF, and the fracture mechanism shifted from adhesive failure mode to cohesive failure mode. In summary, a facile, heat-resistant, undamaged-to-fiber environmental coating process is proposed to continuously manufacture high-performance thermoplastic composites, which is quite promising in mass production.

Effects of Process Parameters in Thermoforming of Unidirectional Fibre-Reinforced Thermoplastics.

Process-induced defects during thermoforming are widespread problems in laminate manufacturing. The aim of this study is to describe the effects of holding time and pressure on several properties of the manufactured laminate. A design of experiments is performed, followed by an analysis of variance to examine significant effects. Subsequently, a regression model is created to predict the laminate's properties, which is also validated. A significant interaction between holding time and pressure is determined for the resulting tensile strength and elongation at break with a p-value of 1.52·10-16 and 0.02, respectively. The highest values of tensile strength and elongation at break are found for low settings of holding time and pressure. The fibre volume fraction is not affected by the process parameters. As holding time and pressure increase, significant fibre misalignment takes place, leading to a decrease of the mechanical properties. The regression model corresponds well with the validation and a tensile strength of 1049 MPa with an elongation at break of 2.3% is reached.

The Influence of Fused Deposition Modeling Parameters on the Properties of PA6/PA66 Composite Specimens by the Taguchi Method and Analysis of Variance.

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is widely used in the rapid prototyping of polymers. Polyamide (PA) has excellent mechanical properties, but its application in FDM is limited due to its high water absorption, warpage, and forming shrinkage. The material of the filament and the printing parameters of the printer are two critical aspects that affect the performance of a component. The prepared PA6/PA66 (composite polyamide [COPA], PA6:PA66 = 85:15) composite (COPA: acrylonitrile butadiene styrene [ABS]: maleic anhydride grafted acrylonitrile butadiene styrene [ABS-g-MAH]: polyethylene = 800:133:67:100) has low water absorption (0.39%) and high dimensional stability, which has a good application prospect in FDM. The influence of eight FDM parameters, including three rarely reported, on the properties of PA6/PA66 composite specimens was investigated by the Taguchi method. The significance of influencing factors was evaluated by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the stability by signal-noise ratio. When the layer thickness was 0.15 mm, the infill pattern was zigzags, the build plate adhesion type was brim, and the distance from the nozzle to the printing platform and the layer thickness (ΔL) was 0.05 mm; the specimens' dimensional accuracy, surface quality, and mechanical properties were better than other levels. The layer thickness and infill pattern were the two most important factors. The switch of the cooling fan and the temperature printing platform played a significant role in the specimens' dimensional accuracy and surface quality. ΔL tremendously influenced the thickness and warping degree of the specimens. The preparation of high-performance PA composites and the investigation of multiparameters by the Taguchi method provide a possible solution for applying polyamide in FDM.

Characterization of Melt-Spun Recycled PA 6 Polymer by Adding ZnO Nanoparticles during the Extrusion Process.

With recent technological advances and the growing interest in environmentally friendly fiber production processes, the textile industry is increasingly turning to the spinning of filaments from recycled raw materials in the melt spinning process as the simplest method of chemical spinning of fibers. Such processes are more efficient because the desired active particles are melt-spun together with the polymer. The study investigates the melt spinning of recycled polyamide 6 (PA 6) fibers modified with zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) in concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 2.0 wt% of the polymer. The extrusion process was optimized under laboratory conditions. An analysis of the effectiveness of the nanoparticle distribution and chemical composition was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results of the thermal analysis show an increase in the glass transition temperature of the extruded material from 50.97 °C (raw polymer) to 51.40 °C to 57.98 °C (polymer modified with ZnO NPs) and an increase in the crystallization point from 148.19 °C to a temperature between 175.61 °C and 178.16 °C, while the molar enthalpy (ΔHm) shows a decreasing trend from 65.66 Jg-1 (raw polymer) to 48.23 Jg-1 (PA 6 2.0% ZnO). The FTIR spectra indicate PA 6 polymer, with a characteristic peak at the wavelength 1466 cm-1, but pure ZnO and PA 6 blended with ZnO show a characteristic peak at 2322 cm-1. The distribution of nanoparticles on the fiber surface is more or less randomly distributed and the different size of NPs is visible. These results are confirmed by the EDS results, which show that different concentrations of Zn are present. The mechanical stability of the extruded polymer modified with NPs is not affected by the addition of ZnO NPs, although the overall results of strength (2.56-3.22 cN/tex) and modulus of elasticity of the polymer (28.83-49.90 cN/tex) are lower as there is no drawing process at this stage of the experiment, which certainly helps to increase the final strength of the fibers. The results indicate the potential of modification with ZnO NPs for further advances in sustainable fiber production.

Improving the hygroscopicity and flame retardancy of polyamide 6 fabrics by surface coating with ß-FeOOH and sulfamic acid.

The combustion of polyamide 6 (PA6) fabrics releases toxic smoke, which will pollute the environment and threaten human life and health. Herein, a novel eco-friendly flame-retardant coating was constructed and applied to PA6 fabrics. Needle-like ß-FeOOH with a high surface area was firstly constructed onto the surface of PA6 fabrics by the hydrolysis of Fe3+, sulfamic acid (SA) was then introduced by a facile dipping and nipping method. The growth of ß-FeOOH also endowed the PA6 fabrics with certain hydrophilicity and moisture permeability, resulting in improved comfortability. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) of the prepared PA6/Fe/6SA sample was increased to 27.2% from 18.5% of control PA6 sample, and the damaged length was reduced to only 6.0 cm from 12.0 cm of control PA6 sample. Meanwhile, the melt dripping was also eliminated. The heat release rate and total heat release values of the PA6/Fe/6SA sample were decreased to 318.5 kW/m2 and 17.0 MJ/m2, respectively, compared with those of control PA6 (494.7 kW/m2 and 21.4 MJ/m2). The analysis results indicated that nonflammable gases diluted flammable gases. The observation of char residues demonstrated that the stable char layer was formed, which effectively inhibited the transfer of heat and oxygen. The organic solvent-free coating does not contain any conventional halogens/phosphorus elements, which provides a useful methodology to produce environmentally friendly flame-retardant fabrics.

Electrospun PA6 multi-stage structured nanofiber membrane with high filtration performance for oily particles.

Oily particles pollution poses a tremendous threat to people's health, so it is urgent to develop air filtration materials with the ability of removing fine oily particles effectively. In this study, a nylon 6 multi-stage structured nanofiber membrane (PA6 MSNM) for effective air filtration of fine oily particles was designed and fabricated by adding a certain amount of tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate (TBAHP) via one-step electrospinning. The PA6 MSNMs were composed of coarse trunk fibres and fine branching fibres. Benefiting from the properties of small pore size and high porosity, the resulting PA6 MSNMs exhibited high average filtration efficiency of 99.80% for oily aerosol particles of 0.20-4.59 µm, a low pressure drop of 251 Pa, and the high quality factor of 0.0248 Pa-1. More importantly, its filtration efficiencies for oily aerosol particles of 0.25 and 0.30 µm were up to 99.99% and 100.00%, respectively. It is expected that the multi-stage electrospun nanofiber membranes would have wide application prospects in air filtration, particularly for filtering oily particles.

A Multi-Material Flame-Retarding System Based on Expandable Graphite for Glass-Fiber-Reinforced PA6.

A synergistic multi-material flame retardant system based on expandable graphite (EG), aluminum diethylphosphinate (AlPi), melamine polyphosphate (MPP), and montmorillonite (MMT) has been studied in glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide 6 (PA6). Analytical evaluations and fire performances were evaluated using coupled thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) as well as cone calorimetry, UL-94 fire testing, and limiting oxygen index (LOI). A combination of EG/AlPi/MPP/MMT has been shown to provide superior flame-retarding properties when integrated at 20 wt.% into glass-fiber-reinforced PA6 (25 wt.%), achieving UL-94 V0 classification and an oxygen index of 32%. Strong residue formation resulted in low heat development overall, with a peak heat release rate (pHRR) of 103 kW/m2, a maximum of average heat release rate (MAHRE) of 33 kW/m2, and deficient total smoke production (TSP) of 3.8 m2. Particularly remarkable was the structural stability of the char residue. The char residue could easily withstand an areal weight of 35 g/cm2, showing no visible deformation.