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In this elucidation, we synthesized novel molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPOH1-4) that were used as organic fillers on bagasse pulp to form cellulosic paper sheets, the formation of MIPOH1-4 from the reaction of enaminone 3 with methyl methacrylate monomer in the presence of ethylene glycol dimethyl acrylate and 2,2’-azobisisobutyronitrile. The obtained MIPOH1-4 was confirmed via FT-IR and SEM with different pore sizes. And we noticed that the increase of template 3 increases the hydrogen bond between monomer and template and gave sponge surface of MIPOH4. Furthermore, the computational energies of the template with different monomers utilize DFT/B3LYP/6-31G (d) level to know the stability of polymers and hydrogen bonding between them. So that we applied that in paper manufacture through the adsorption of MIPOH4 as an organic filler on bagasse pulp to form novel cellulosic paper sheets with different concentrations and these sheets which characteristic through FT-IR, SEM, sizing test, tensile strength, and elucidation their antimicrobial activity with theoretical and docking studies. The MIPOH4 and cellulosic paper sheets showed the thermal stability and high tendency of sizability of these paper sheets and concluded the interaction between cellulose fibers of pulp with MIPOH polymer with physical hydrogen bonding.

Epoxide-bearing filter paper was first prepared by surface-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) copolymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and poly(ethylene glycol)methacrylate (PEGMA). Without the need for activation step, the capture peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes carrying a C-terminal lysine modification can be directly immobilized on the surface-grafted poly[glycidyl methacrylate-ran-poly(ethylene glycol)methacrylate] (P(GMA-ran-PEGMA)) through ring-opening of epoxide groups in the GMA repeating units by amino groups in the PNA’s structure. The success of P(GMA-ran-PEGMA) grafting on the filter paper and subsequent PNA immobilization was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Colorimetric detection with signal amplification upon DNA hybridization relies on sandwich-hybridization assay employing another biotinylated PNA strand as a reporter probe together with streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate (SA-HRP) and o-phenylenediamine (OPD) substrate. It was found that increasing ionic strength during the DNA hybridization step by addition of NaCl can increase the signal intensity, which can be visualized by naked eye. The sensing platform showed the best performance in preventing non-specific adsorption from the non-complementary DNA and discriminating between complementary and single-mismatched targets of at least 50 fmol without the requirement for stringent hybridization or washing condition. This superior ability to suppress non-specific adsorption of non-target DNA as well as other non-DNA components may be explained as a result of hydrophilic PEGMA repeating units in the surface-grafted copolymer.

We report results of the studies relating to the fabrication of a paper based sensor comprising of poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composite. The effect of various solvents like methanol, ethylene glycol and H 2 SO 4 on the electrical conductivity of PEDOT:PSS coated Whatman paper has been investigated. The conductivity of this solution processed conducting paper significantly increases from ~1.16×10 −4 S cm −1 up to ~3.57×10 −2 S cm −1 (~300 times) on treatment with ethylene glycol. The observed significant increase in electrical conductivity is due to conformational rearrangement in the polymer and is due to strong non-covalent cooperative interaction between PEDOT and the cellulose molecules. Further, incorporation of RGO into the conducting paper results in improved electrochemical performance and signal stability. This paper electrode is a promising alternative over the expensive conventional electrodes (ITO, gold and glassy carbon), that are known to have limited application in smart point-of-care (POC) devices. This low cost, flexible and environment friendly conducting paper based biosensor utilized for cancer biomarker (carcinoembryonic antigen, CEA) detection reveals high sensitivity of 25.8 µA ng −1 mL cm −2 in the physiological range, 1–10 ng mL −1 .

The Finnish pulp and paper producer UPM plans to spend $600 million to build a biorefinery in Leuna, Germany, that will convert wood into ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, industrial sugars, and l...

We report on the development of an electrochemical probe for the trace analysis of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in soil samples. The probe is a combination of graphite electrodes, filter paper, with ethylene glycol and choline chloride as the solvent/electrolyte. Square wave chromatovoltammograms show the probes have a sensitivity for TNT of 0.75 nA/ng and a limit of detection of 100 ng. In addition, by taking advantage of the inherent paper chromatography step, TNT can be separated in both time and cathodic peak potential from 4-amino-dinitrotolene co-spotted on the probe or in soil samples with the presence of methyl parathion as a possible interferent.

H2S is an extremely malodorous, toxic and corrosive gas. These properties make the localized emission of hydrogen sulfide an air pollution issue. Despite there being a relatively large number of papers in literature dedicated to developing analytical methods to determine gaseous H2S, it remains an analytical problem. In this paper, we describe a luminescent cellulose filter-based sensor for gaseous H2S determination. The cellulose filter is impregnated with a palladium complex, containing a ligand with fluorescent properties. The measurements are made directly on the cellulose filter, and thus do not require an extraction step. The palladium complex – bis(2-aminobenzoic)palladium(II) – impregnated on the surface of the cellulose filter paper reacts with gaseous H2S. The reaction results in the release of the fluorescent ligand, increasing the fluorescence intensity of the filter surface observed at 410 nm when excited at 338 nm. The linear calibration curve covers the range from 8 to 110 ppb, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 2 ppb. The sampling time is approximately 15 min for this range of H2S; however, a longer sampling may decrease the detection limit. The factors affecting the collection characteristics, such as sampling flow, media moisture, cellulose filter paper type and amount of humectant (ethylene glycol) in the impregnating solution amount, were optimized.

Direct ink writing is an interesting and attractive method to replace traditional fabrication techniques such as etching, milling, and lithography for flexible electronics because of its simple process, low cost, green nature, and good prospects for development and application. In this work, graphene/polypyrrole (G/P) binary conductive material was prepared by in situ polymerization of pyrrole monomer and graphene oxide with vitamin C (VC) as green reducing agent. Then graphene/polypyrrole/carbon black (G/P/CB) conductive ink was fabricated using a mixture of alcohol, ethylene glycol, glycerol, and deionized water as solvent. Electronic circuits were obtained by directly writing the prepared conductive ink on flexible substrate, high-gloss photographic paper. When the loading of G/P binary conductive material, carbon black, ethanol, ethylene glycol, glycerol, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, and deionized water was 54 mg, 546 mg, 12 mL, 30 mL, 30 mL, 480 mg, and 51 mL, the electrical conductivity, solid content, contact angle, and viscosity was 146.3 μS/cm, 4.3%, 34.6°, and 35.8 mPa s, respectively. The ink exhibited excellent water and acid resistance, and the electronic circuit written using the ink showed good uniformity and mechanical flexibility. Scanning electron microscopy evaluation of cross-sections of G/P/CB ink lines on photographic paper and light-emitting diode experiments confirmed that the three-dimensional flexible paper-based conductive circuits containing 9 wt.% G/P formed a complete electrical network.

Silver nanowires were successfully prepared by polyol method using silver nitrate as silver source, ethylene glycol as solvent and reducing agent, and ferric chloride as nucleating agent and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as structure directing agent and protective agent. The obtained silver nanowires were mixed with Kraft pulp fibers and bacterial cellulose to prepare conductive paper via simple filtration process. The results indicated that the size of silver nanowires can be regulated by the dosage of ferric chloride used. At optimal dosage of FeCl3, the prepared silver nanowires can reach 20 ��m length, 100 nm width, and 200 of width/diameter ratio. The adding of bacterial cellulose in preparing the conductive paper greatly enhanced the retention ratio of silver nanowires as well as the stress and strain of the conductive paper. The stress and strain of the paper with bacterial cellulose were increased by 60% and 7%, respectively, compared with that of the paper without bacterial cellulose. The maximum retention ratio and the highest recovery ratio of silver nanowires in conductive paper reached 94% and 75%, respectively. The resistance of as-prepared conductive paper was only 0.9 ��. In conductive paper, the silver nanowires attached to the paper-based materials with cellulose fibers as the substrate, which achieved the electrical conductivity of paper-based materials. This conductive paper can be applied as antistatic, antibacterial packaging and conductive material.

In the present study, we aimed to determine the applicability of a paper container for the vitrification of in vitro matured (IVM) bovine oocytes. In experiment 1, IVM oocytes were exposed to vitrification solution (20% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), 20% ethylene glycol (EG), and 5 mol/L sucrose), using a two-step method, for 30 s; loaded onto either a paper container or Cryotop; and stored in liquid nitrogen. No significant difference (P

Functionalization of gold nanorod (GNR) with dimercaptosuccinic acid is reported as a way to develop a sensor, GNR-PEG-DMSA that can rapidly detect very low concentrations of arsenic contamination in water and using the paper strip. The sensor is developed by stepwise chemical conjugations of gold nanorods (GNR) with poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether thiol (mPEG-SH) followed by meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). GNR-PEG-DMSA shows a visible color change in the presence of both inorganic forms of arsenic: AsIII (arsenite) and AsV (arsenate) ions in solution and on a paper substrate, because of the ion-induced aggregation of nanorods through an arsenic complex formation strategy, which is relative to the arsenic concentrations. Colorimetric and spectroscopic analyses are very much selective for both AsIII and AsV ions with a detection limit of ∼1.0 ppb. In addition, the GNR-PEG-DMSA exhibits excellent potential for quantitative estimation of total arsenic in groundwater samples. The paper-based sensi...

The aim of the study is to evaluate the interaction of amphoteric polymer resins with cellulose fibers at the molecular level.The interaction of amphoteric polymer resins with cellulose fragments was determined by standard 1H NMR and 13C spectroscopy techniques.To study the interaction of amphoteric polymeric resins with cellulose at the molecular level, imitation modeling has been carried out in the work. The essence of the simulation is the replacement of cellulose fibers with substances that are close to the functional purpose of cellulose. Such substances include glucose, sucrose, starch and ethylene glycol, which dissolve in water. It is established that in the presence of a large amount of water in the APS – waste paper system, intermolecular and interfluid hydrogen bonds are formed, and upon reaching a critical amount of water in the system, new covalent ether-type bonds are formed between the functional groups of the components as model systems and amphoteric polymeric systems resin - cellulose and this indicates the possibility of increasing the physical and mechanical properties of paper and paperboard from secondary raw materials.The results show that simulation simulation of structural and functional transformations in complex systems, including the cellulose-APS system, confirms the presence in them of processes that occur during the interaction of amphoteric polymeric resins with hydroxyl groups of cellulose fibers, Цель исследования заключается в оценке процесса взаимодействия амфотерных полимерных смол (АПС) с волокнами целлюлозы на молекулярном уровне.По стандартным методикам ЯМР 1Н и 13С-спектроскопии определено взаимодействие АПС с фрагментами целлюлозы.С целью изучения взаимодействия амфотерной полимерной смолы (АПС) с целлюлозой на молекулярном уровне в работе проведено их имитационное моделирование. Суть имитационного моделирования заключается в замене целлюлозных волокон на вещества, близкие по функциональному назначению к целлюлозе. К таким веществам относятся глюкоза, сахароза, крахмал и этиленгликоль, которые растворяются в воде. Установлено, что при наличии большого количества воды в системе АПС – волокна макулатуры образуются межмолекулярные и межфрагментные водородные связи, а при достижении в системе критического количества воды происходит образование новых ковалентных связей эфирного типа между функциональными группами компонентов модельных систем и системы АПС – целлюлоза, что свидетельствует о возможности повышения физико-механических показателей бумаги и картона из вторичного сырья.Полученные результаты показывают, что имитационное моделирование структурно-функциональных преобразований в сложных по природе системах, к которым относится система целлюлоза – АПС, подтверждает наличие в них процессов, которые происходят при взаимодействии АПС с гидроксильными группами целлюлозных волокон.

This paper draws on a roll coating method which used for the production of coated paper. Polylactide coating cardboard was prepared through the solvent coating, and study its packaging performance. In this study, chloroform is based solvent, ethanol or n-propanol as auxiliary solvents, poly (ethylene glycol) or poly caprolactone as plasticizer, and the water vapor permeability, oxygen permeability and heat sealability of polylactic acid coated cardboard.

Cryopreservation of bovine embryos can be performed by a variety of methods with variable degree of success. Here, we report a new, easy to perform, simple, inexpensive, and successful method for vitrification of bovine blastocysts. In vitro produced bovine blastocysts were exposed to vitrification solution (5.5 m ethylene glycol, 10% serum and 1% sucrose) in one single step for 20 s, loaded on a paper container prepared from commonly available non-slippery, absorbent writing paper, and then were directly plunged into liquid nitrogen for storage. Vitrified blastocysts were warmed by serial rinsing in 0.5, 0.25 and 0.125 m sucrose solution for 1 min each. Results showed that one step exposure of bovine blastocysts to cryoprotective agents was sufficient to achieve successful cryopreservation. Under these conditions, more than 95% of blastocysts survived the vitrification-warming on paper containers which was significantly higher than those obtained from other containers, such as electron microscope (EM) grid (78.1%), open pulled straw (OPS; 80.2%), cryoloop (76.2%) or plastic straw (73.9%). Embryo transfer of blastocysts vitrified-warmed on paper container resulted in successful conception (19.3%) and full-term live birth of offspring (12.3%) which were lower (P0.05) than those obtained from non-vitrified blastocysts (38.0 and 32.7%) but were comparable (P0.05) to those obtained from blastocysts vitrified-warmed on EM grid (23.3 and 14.2%). Our results, therefore, suggest that paper may be an inexpensive and useful container for the cryopreservation of animal embryos.

Morphology-controlled iron-based oxides, including Fe 2 O 3 , LaFeO 3 , NiFe 2 O 4 , ZnFe 2 O 4 , and CoFe 2 O 4 , were obtained using filter paper as a template. A thimble filter paper was soaked in ethylene glycol solution of metal nitrates, and the thimble filter paper–metal nitrate composite was calcined to form the desired iron-based oxides with morphology of thimble filter paper. Choice of ethylene glycol as a solvent and slow heating for removal of the paper template are crucial for maintaining the morphology of paper.

The wetting behavior of a series of polymer-coated papers has been studied. Different ways of determining the acid–base properties of the polymers are presented. The well-known van Oss–Chaudhury–Good (vOCG) bi–bi polar model is compared with more simplified mono–bi polar and mono–mono polar models. The effect of surface roughness on the wetting was also studied with atomic force microscopy. The overall wetting of each probe liquid was evaluated by calculating the work of adhesion to the polymer surfaces. It is shown that ethylene glycol and water may be considered as mono polar liquids, which simplifies the original vOCG-model. It is also shown that in most cases the surface energy values are in the same range when using both the complex bi–bi polar approach and the simpler mono–mono polar approach. The different polymers used are found to be of a predominating basic character.

To enhance Pd electro-catalysts in their electro-catalytic activity for C-C bond breaking and tolerance stability, Pd was electrodeposited on high-porosity 3D reduced graphene oxide (rGO) aerogel paper. For comparison, the Pd was also coated on other three different carbon material surfaces: bare carbon fiber paper (CFP), and CFP modified with either 2D graphene oxide (GO) and 2D rGO nanosheets. The Pd/3D rGO aerogel paper exhibits higher catalytic activity toward the electro-oxidation of ethylene glycol in alkaline media and higher excellent tolerance stability than other electrodes due to ultra-high porosity of the 3D rGO support leading to high active electrochemical surface area of the as-fabricated Pd catalyst electrode. In addition, the hydrodynamic diffusion of ethylene glycol to the cayalyst surface investigated in this work plays a major role to the catalytic activity of the as-prepared electrocatalyst. The Pd/3D rGO aerogel rotating disk electrode exhibits a high anodic current density of 267.8 mA cm −2 at 3000 rpm. This high-performance Pd/3D rGO aerogel may be practically used as the high-efficiency anode of direct ethylene glycol and other related alcohol fuel cells.

The use of electrospun nanofibers as functional material in paper-based lateral flow assays (LFAs) was studied. Specific chemical features of the nanofibers were achieved by doping the base polymer, poly(lactic acid) (PLA), with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and polystyrene8K-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)25K-block-polyisoprene10K-Brij76 (K3-Brij76) (KB). The LFAs were assembled such that the sample flowed through the nanofiber mat via capillary action. Initial investigations focused on the sustainable spinning and assembly of different polymer structures to allow the LFA format. Here, it was found that the base polymer poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), which was shown to function well in microfluidic biosensors, did not work in the LFA format. In contrast, PLA-based nanofibers enabled easy assembly. Three relevant features were chosen to study nanofiber-based functionalities in the LFA format: adsorption of antibodies, quantification of results, and nonspecific binding. In particular, streptavidin-conjugated sulforhodamine B (SRB)-encapsulating liposomes were captured by anti-streptavidin antibodies adsorbed on the nanofibers. Varying the functional polymer concentration within the PLA base enabled the creation of distinct capture zones. Also, a sandwich assay for the detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 was developed using anti-E. coli antibodies as capture and reporter species with horseradish peroxidase for signal generation. A dose-response curve for E. coli with a detection limit of 1.9 × 10(4) cells was achieved. Finally, functional polymers were used to demonstrate that nonspecific binding could be eliminated using antifouling block copolymers. The enhancement of paper-based devices using functionalized nanofibers provides the opportunity to develop a broad spectrum of sensitive and specific bioassays with significant advantages over their traditional counterparts.

Cellulose-based paper remains a vital component of modern day society; however, its use is severely limited in certain applications because of hydrophilic and oleophilic properties. In this manuscript we present a novel method to create superamphiphobic paper by combining the control of fiber size and structure with plasma etching and fluoropolymer deposition. The heterogeneous nature of the paper structure is drastically different from that of artificially created superamphiphobic surfaces. By refining the wood fibers, smaller diameter fibers (fibrils) are created to support fluid droplets. After oxygen plasma etching and deposition of a fluoropolymer film, paper samples are able to support motor oil contact angles of 149 ± 3°, although these structures readily absorb n-hexadecane. Exchange of water in the pulp solution with sec-butanol provides additional control over fiber spacing to create superamphiphobic substrates with contact angles >150° for water, ethylene glycol, motor oil, and n-hexadecane.

For inorganic thermoelectric materials, Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity are interdependent, and hence optimization of thermoelectric performance is challenging. In this work we show that thermoelectric performance of PEDOT:PSS can be enhanced by greatly improving its electrical conductivity in contrast to inorganic thermoelectric materials. Free-standing flexible and smooth PEDOT:PSS bulky papers were prepared using vacuum-assisted filtration. The electrical conductivity was enhanced to 640, 800, 1300, and 1900 S cm(-1) by treating PEDOT:PSS with ethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, methanol, and formic acid, respectively. The Seebeck coefficient did not show significant variation with the tremendous conductivity enhancement being 21.4 and 20.6 μV K(-1) for ethylene glycol- and formic acid-treated papers, respectively. This is because secondary dopants, which increase electrical conductivity, do not change oxidation level of PEDOT. A maximum power factor of 80.6 μW m(-1) K(-2) was shown for formic acid-treated samples, while it was only 29.3 μW m(-1) K(-2) for ethylene glycol treatment. Coupled with intrinsically low thermal conductivity of PEDOT:PSS, ZT ≈ 0.32 was measured at room temperature using Harman method. We investigated the reasons behind the greatly enhanced thermoelectric performance.

Carbon papers (CPs) with high electrical conductivities and gas permeabilities have been historically used as gas diffusion layers (GDLs) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). CPs with high electrical conductivities are fabricated by the high temperature carbonization of a thermosetting resin, which acts as a binder and makes the CPs brittle to bending. Herein, we report the fabrication of CPs containing a conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) under mild fabrication conditions. These CPs were prepared by combining pristine CP and PEDOT:PSS solutions with ethylene glycol (EG) and graphite powder (GP) and annealing the mixture at 100 °C. The CP containing PEDOT:PSS-EG-GP possessed an electrical conductivity higher than that of conventional CPs that were fabricated by high-temperature carbonization of a thermosetting resin. The mechanical stability of the CPs containing PEDOT:PSS-EG-GP was much higher than that of conventional CPs because of the flexibility of the conducting polymer. Moreover, the novel CP maintained its electrical conductivity after bending. We evaluated the performance of a single-cell for used as a PEMFC in which the GDL was a CP containing PEDOT:PSS-EG-GP.

The influence of operational variables in the pulping of vine shoots by use of ethylene glycol [ viz. temperature (155–185 °C), cooking time (30–90 min) and ethylene glycol concentration (50–70% v/v)] on the properties of the resulting pulp ( viz. yield, kappa number and viscosity) and paper sheets (breaking length, stretch, burst index, tear index and brightness) was studied. A central composite factorial design was used in conjunction with the software ANFIS Edit Matlab 6.5 to develop fuzzy neural model that reproduced the experimental results of the dependent variables with errors less than 5%. The model is therefore effective with a view to simulating the ethylene glycol pulping process.

This paper reports a customized silver ink and its inkjet printing process on a cellulose electroactive paper (EAPap). To synthesize a silver ink, silver nanoparticle is synthesized from silver nitrate, polyvinylpyrrolidone and ethylene glycol, followed by adding a viscosifier, hydroxyethylcellulose solution, and a surfactant, diethylene glycol. The silver ink is used in an inkjet printer (Fujifilm Dimatix DMP-2800 series) to print silver electrodes on cellulose EAPap. After printing, the electrodes are heat treated at 200oC. The sintered electrodes show that the thickness of the electrodes linearly increases as the number of printing layers increases. The electrical resistivity of the printed electrodes is 23.5 µΩ-cm. This customized ink can be used in inkjet printer to print complex electrode patterns on cellulose EAPap to fabricate flexible smart actuators, flexible electronics and sensors.

In this study, electrochemical microfluidic paper-based analytical nanosensor (EμPAN) was used as a sensitive, selective, fast, and low cost technique for dopamine detection. The wax-based stamping technique was used for patterning of microfluidic structure on chromatography paper. A mixture of graphite-chitosan-poly ethylene glycol (PEG) was used as bare working electrode and counter electrode and silver ink was employed as quasi-reference electrode. The electrochemical behavior of these electrodes was investigated using 5 mM K3[Fe(CN)6] in 0.5 M KCl. To enhance the sensitivity and selectivity of the microfluidic-based sensor towards dopamine, multiwall carbon nanotube (CNT), graphene, and Fe3O4 nanoparticles were studied. Compare to other nanomaterials, dopamine was selectively determined using graphene and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant. The linear range and limit of detection of dopamine were 0.5–120 μM and 0.01 μM, respectively. To show the applicability of the EμPAN, this device was applied for determination of dopamine in blood and urine samples. Keywords: Electrochemical microfluidic paper-based analytical nanosensor, Dopamine, Blood and urine, Sodium dodecyl sulfate

Graphene-nanosheet-based highly porous magnetite nanocomposites (GN-HPMNs) have been prepared using a simple solvothermal method and used as an immobilization matrix for the fabrication of a solid-state electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor on paper-based chips. Highly porous Fe3O4 nanocrystal clusters were coated with acrylate and wrapped tightly on the skeleton of graphene nanosheets. The structures and sizes of the GN-HPMNs could be tuned by varying the proportions of the solvents ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol. Then, the relatively highly porous ones with an average diameter of about 65 nm were combined with Nafion to form composite films on an electrode surface for immobilization of Ru(bpy)3(2+) (bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine). Because of their porosity, negatively charged surface, and cooperative characteristics of magnetic nanomaterials and graphene, under an external magnetic field, the GN-HPMNs ensured effective immobilization, excellent electron transfer, and long-term stability of Ru(bpy)3(2+) in the composite film. The sensor developed exhibited excellent reproducibility with a relative standard deviation of 0.65% for 30 continuous cycles. It was found to be much more favorable for detecting compounds containing tertiary amino groups and DNAs with guanine and adenine. A detection limit (signal-to-noise ratio of 3) of 5.0 nM was obtained for tripropylamine. As an application example, 0.5 nM single-nucleotide mismatch could be detected. This was the first attempt to introduce magnetic nanomaterials and an external magnetic field into paper-based chips. The sensor developed has the advantages of high sensitivity, good stability, and wide potential applicability as well as simplicity, low cost, and good disposability.

The dynamic surface wetting kinetics of sessile water and ethylene glycol droplets deposited on ink-jet papers was studied. The hydrodynamic and molecular-kinetic models were used for data analysis and the results were compared with each other. Hoffman–Tanner plots gave good linear fits with experimental data, but only the low velocity linear data fit correlated well with experimentally determined pseudo-equilibrium contact angles. The molecular-kinetic model gave a good non-linear fit with experimental data and produced physically meaningful values for the molecular parameters. A high rate wetting phase was found for some liquid-paper sample systems, which was correlated to capillary flow in ‘micro-crack’ surface structures. Deviation in low rate wetting behaviour from the hydrodynamic and molecular-kinetic models cannot solely be explained by surface structure and roughness. Consequently, it can be assumed that surface chemistry has a significant effect on wetting dynamics. © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2011

The aim of this study was to investigate the spreading of sessile drops of polar probe liquids (water and ethylene glycol) on pigment coated offset papers. Furthermore, existing theoretical models for spreading were applied to evaluate the experimental results. The hydrodynamic model gave a better fit to the results at lower spreading rates, while the molecular-kinetic theory gave a good fit over a larger velocity range. Factors introduced to correct for the exponential dependency on time of the drop base radius and its contact angle can be interpreted as coupled processes. Differences in the spreading between the papers were found to correlate with the acid and base components of the surface energy, rather than with differences in surface roughness.

The study examines the water/oil repellency and the sliding behavior of carbon papers (CPs) decorated with carbon nanotube (CNT) forest, prepared by using a catalytic chemical vapor deposition. The topography showed that CNTs with 20–40 nm grown on CPs form a hierarchical nano/submicron scale roughness. The CNT–CP composite surface with a thin fluoro-silica coating exhibits excellent water/oil repellency (contact angle >150°) with low sliding angles (SAs), i.e., SA: ∼6° and ∼18° for water and ethylene glycol (EG) droplets, respectively. Taking into account Young–Dupre’s equation incorporated with the Cassie parameter, the work of adhesion (Wad) between droplets and CP surface is significantly reduced because the decoration of CNTs offers an air cushion to repel the drop penetration. The appearance of CNTs contributes area fractions in contact with air, 7.4% and 14.1%, to resist water and EG drops, respectively. The analysis of Wad confirms that the smaller the Wad value, the smaller the SA value reached, thus favoring the self-cleaning effect.

This article reports the influence of poly(ethylene oxide)- poly(ethylene glycol) (PEO-PEG) addition on its actuation behavior of cellulose electroactive paper. The actuator showed its maximum bending displacement of 5.0 mm with very low electrical power consumption (7 mW/mm) at an ambient condition. Increased displacement output and decreased electrical power consumption of the actuator might be due to the improved polymer chain flexibility and ion mobility. The ion migration effect might play a more important role in actuation principle. Present investigation reveals that cellulose/PEO-PEG-based EAPap actuators are suitable to construct an actuator working at normal ambient condition. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009

Cellulose Electroactive Paper (EAPap) is an attractive material to construct biomimetic actuators and MEMS devices due to its lightweight, biodegradability, large displacement, and low actuation voltage. However, the performance of the actuator is sensitive to humidity levels. In this article, cellulose/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)—poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) microcomposites were fabricated for EAPap actuators working at ambient humidity condition, and the effect of different PEO : PEG ratios (0.95 : 0.05 to 0.99 : 0.01) on the actuation behavior was investigated. Based on the bending displacement, power consumption, and durability, 0.95 :0.05 ratio was identified as an optimum ratio of PEO : PEG to blend with cellulose for EAPap actuator. The actuation mechanism of the cellulose/PEO—PEG actuator was addressed.

This article introduces a cellulose/polyurethane (PU) semi-IPN-based electroactive paper (EAPap) actuator. The fabrication process, bending actuation test, and its characteristics are explained. For the fabrication of cellulose/PU semi-IPN EAPap actuator, cotton cellulose was dissolved into N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and lithium chloride (LiCl) solvent system. PU prepolymer prepared by poly[di(ethylene glycol) adipate] and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) was mixed with DMAc cellulose solution by stirring. The mixed solution was spin-coated on a wafer and cured to form cellulose/PU semi-IPN films using 1,1,1-tris(hudroxymethyl)propane as the crosslinker. The characteristics of the cellulose/PU semi-IPN film were investigated by FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD), and tensile test. The bending actuation performance of the actuator was evaluated in terms of free bending displacement with respect to the actuation frequencies, voltages, and humidity levels. It shows a good bending actuation at room humidity condition. The actuation principle of the actuator is also discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008

In their researches, two kinds of novel temperature-responsive hyperbranched multiarm copolymers were successfully synthesized via the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Poly(3-ethyl-3-(hydroxymethyl) oxetane) (HBPO) core and thermosensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) arms were synthesized from NIPAM monomers by using a hyperbranched HBPO macroinitiator. Moreover, poly(L-lactide) (PLA) inner-shell and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) outer-shell with disulfide-linkages between the hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties was developed as unimolecular micelles. The HBPO-star-PNIPAM self-assembled micelles showed much improved drug encapsulation efficiencies and temperature-dependent sustainable release behavior due to the special micellar structure. The micelles exhibited no apparent cytotoxicity against human HeLa

In our early work, cellulose has been discovered as a smart material. This newly discovered material is termed as electro-active paper (EAPap) that has merits in terms of lightweight, flexible, dryness, biodegradable, biocompatible, easy to chemically modify and cheap [1]. The actuation principle of cellulose EAPap actuator is known to be a combination of piezoelectric effect and ion migration effect. Since this new material is biodegradable and biocompatible, there are a lot of possible biomedical applications. This paper presents bacterial cellulose composites made by blending chitosan, poly(ethylene glycol) and gelatin for potential biomedical application of tissue engineering scaffold and would dressing material. The bacterial cellulose composites were successfully prepared by immersing wet bacterial cellulose pellicle in to chitosan, PEG or gelatin solutions followed by freeze-drying. The products look like a foam structure. Cell adhesion studies for these composites were carried out using 3T3 fibroblast cells. They showed much better biocompatibility than pure bacterial cellulose. Also, the concept of smart bandage is explained, which can come up with medical treatment layer of cellulose, sensing layer, antenna layer and integration of these layers. Issues in developing smart bandage are addressed in this paper.Copyright © 2010 by ASME

Cellulose based Electroactive paper (EAPap) has been reported as a smart material that can be used as sensors and actuator materials. It has merits in terms of lightweight, biodegradability, large displacement and low actuation voltage. Actuation principle of EAPap is a combination of piezoelectric and ion migration effect. However, the performance of actuator is sensitive to humidity levels, in other words it produces large bending displacement at high humidity levels. Thus, we made an attempt to develop an EAPap which produces large displacement at low humidity level by blending cellulose with small amount of poly (ethylene oxide)-poly (ethylene glycol) [PEO-PEG]. The interaction between cellulose and PEO-PEG is studied by means of SEM and FT-IR. The potential application of PEO-PEG/ cellulose blend film as an actuator working at low humidity level is demonstrated by testing the actuator performance in terms of bending displacement, power consumption with respect to actuation voltage, frequency and humidity level.

In efforts to apply a polymer-based aqueous biphasic system (ABS) extraction to the paper pulping process, the study of the distribution of various lignin and cellulosic fractions in ABS and the effects of temperature on system composition and solute partitioning have been investigated. The partitioning of three lignin species (Indulin AT, Indulin C, and Reax 85A) have been studied in ABS prepared from stock solutions of 40% (w/w) poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-2000 and increasing concentrations of K 2 CO 3 , (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , and NaOH. The partitioning of these lignins is affected by the free energy of hydration of the salt forming the ABS, the tie line length, and the dissociation of the sulfonic acid and hydroxyl groups of the distributed solutes. The partitioning of fibrous cellulose and diethylaminoethyl cellulose have been studied in 40% (w/w) PEG-2000–(NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 ABS. The hydrophilic nature of these species is important in terms of their phase preference when designing a polymer-based aqueous biphasic extraction process for use in a paper pulping process. Both cellulosic samples do not dissolve, but rather report to the salt-rich phase of an ABS. In both chemical pulping and Organosolv pulping, temperatures in excess of 120°C are needed to solubilize the lignin from the cellulose fraction of wood. To study the effects of temperature on the phase diagram and solute partitioning, phthalic acid and NH 4 99 TcO 4 (as system probes) have been partitioned in 40% (w/w) PEG-2000–(NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 ABS at known tie line lengths as a function of temperature. Temperature does not appear to affect the partitioning results beyond the expected increase in phase divergence as temperature is increased. The PEG-2000 polymer itself appears to be stable to chemical pulping conditions.

Novel thermo-responsive cellulose papers were prepared via grafting poly(di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) (PDEGMA) by activators regenerated electron transfer (ARGET)-atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Attenuated total refraction Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements of the modified paper showed that PDEGMA brushes were successfully grafted on the paper surface. The thermal stability of the papers before and after grafting was evaluated with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The initiator-immobilized paper presented a reduced thermal stability with respect to the untreated paper. A two-step thermal degradation process and further reduced thermal stability was observed for the PDEGMA-grafted paper. Water contact angle measurements revealed that the grafted paper presented a thermo-responsive character, with changes in wettability from relatively hydrophilic at room temperature to highly hydrophobic at high temperature.

A new uniform organic silver ink, for writing directly on paper, was synthesized by a one step method using ethanolamine as the complex agent of silver acetate and ethylene glycol (EG) and ethanol (EA) as a complex solvent. The patterns or lines drawn with the as-prepared organic silver ink easily formed a favorable conductive connection on a sulfuric paper substrate at 200 °C. Interestingly, the coffee ring and solvent contraction effects, which often go with the drawn lines by silver inks, could be effectively improved. The magnitude, intercontact of particles and residual organic species are mainly responsible for the conductivity of the silver patterns.

The stress-strain properties of a NSSC-fluting medium plasticized with various amounts of ethylene glycol have been measured over a temperature range up to 250°C. By comparison with delignified and hemicellulose-extracted samples it is concluded that the major softening is to a large extent caused by the lignin. It is shown that the Kaelble equation provides a good estimate of the glass transition temperature in lignin plasticizer systems. A reasonable correlation is also found between the measured softening in NSSC-papers containing ethylene glycol and the predictions of the plasticizing effect on lignin and carbohydrates based on the Kaelble approach. On this basis, the thermal softening of a NSSC-fluting medium and its lignin and carbohydrate polymers when plasticized by water is discussed, particularly in relation to the hot corrugating process.

In this work, we present a new synthetic strategy for fourfold‐substituted perylene monoimides via tetrabrominated perylene monoanhydrides. X‐ray diffraction analysis unveiled the intramolecular stacking orientation between the substituents and semicircular packing behavior. We observed the remarkable influence of the substituent on the longevity and nature of the excited state upon visible light excitation. In the presence of poly(dehydroalanine)‐graft‐poly(ethylene glycol) graft copolymers as solubilizing template, the chromophores are capable of sensitizing [Mo3S13]2− clusters in aqueous solution for stable visible light driven hydrogen evolution over three days., Design and use of perylene monoimide dyes: Novel perylene monoimide dyes have been synthesized, and their properties characterized by XRD, spectroscopic and electrochemical methods. A custom‐made photoreactor was used to exhibit light‐driven hydrogen‐evolution catalysis in the presence of (NH4)2[Mo3S13] catalyst and poly(dehydroalanine)‐graft‐poly(ethylene glycol) solubilizing template for the organic photosensitizers.

Herein, the application of N‐hydroxysuccinimide‐modified phosphonamidate building blocks for the incorporation of cysteine‐selective ethynylphosphonamidates into lysine residues of proteins, followed by thiol addition with small molecules and proteins, is reported. It is demonstrated that the building blocks significantly lower undesired homo‐crosslinking side products that can occur with commonly applied succinimidyl 4‐(N‐maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane‐1‐carboxylate (SMCC) under physiological pH. The previously demonstrated stability of the phosphonamidate moiety additionally solves the problem of premature maleimide hydrolysis, which can hamper the efficiency of subsequent thiol addition. Furthermore, a method to separate the phosphonamidate enantiomers to be able to synthesize protein conjugates in a defined configuration has been developed. Finally, the building blocks are applied to the construction of functional antibody–drug conjugates, analogously to FDA‐approved, SMCC‐linked Kadcyla, and to the synthesis of a functional antibody–protein conjugate., Creating links: Building blocks equipped with an N‐hydroxysuccinimide and an ethynylphosphonamidate residue can be used as selective amine–thiol linkers with defined configuration. The high selectivity for cysteine can solve current issues of succinimidyl 4‐(N‐maleimidomethyl)cyclohexane‐1‐carboxylate associated with homo‐crosslinking side products under physiological conditions.

Supramolecular coordination cages show a wide range of useful properties including, but not limited to, complex molecular machine‐like operations, confined space catalysis, and rich host–guest chemistries. Here we report the uptake and release of non‐covalently encapsulated, pharmaceutically‐active cargo from an octahedral Pd cage bearing polymer chains on each vertex. Six poly(ethylene glycol)‐decorated bipyridine ligands are used to assemble an octahedral PdII 6(TPT)4 cage. The supramolecular container encapsulates progesterone and ibuprofen within its hydrophobic nanocavity and is activated by shear force produced by ultrasonication in aqueous solution entailing complete cargo release upon rupture, as shown by NMR and GPC analyses., An octahedral PdII 6(TPT)4 cage with polymer chains on each vertex is activated by shear force from ultrasonication in aqueous solution. The metal–organic cage encapsulates progesterone or ibuprofen within its hydrophobic nanocavity and shows complete cargo release upon rupture.

Alcohols have a wide range of applicability, and their functions vary with the carbon numbers. C6 and C4 alditols are alternative of sweetener, as well as significant pharmaceutical and chemical intermediates, which are mainly obtained through the fermentation of microorganism currently. Similarly, as a bulk chemical, C2 alditol plays a decisive role in chemical synthesis. However, among them, few works have been focused on the chemical production of C4 alditol yet due to its difficult accumulation. In this paper, under a static and semi‐flowing procedure, we have achieved the product control during the conversion of C6 aldose toward C6 alditol, C4 alditol and C2 alditol, respectively. About C4 alditol yield of 20 % and C4 plus C6 alditols yield of 60 % are acquired in the one‐pot conversion via a cascade retro‐aldol condensation and hydrogenation process. Furthermore, in the semi‐flowing condition, the yield of ethylene glycol is up to 73 % thanks to its low instantaneous concentration., The product control of C6 aldose toward C6, C4 and C2 alditols have been achieved, which have depended on the well‐matched between retro‐aldol condensation and hydrogenation process driving by temperature, H2 pressure and injection modes.

After completing the thio-substitution with Lawesson’s reagent, ethanol was found to be effective in the decomposition of the inherent stoichiometric six-membered-ring byproduct from the Lawesson’s reagent to a highly polarized diethyl thiophosphonate. The treatment significantly simplified the following chromatography purification of the desired thioamide in a small scale preparation. As scaling up the preparation of two pincer-type thioamides, we have successfully developed a convenient process with ethylene glycol to replace ethanol during the workup, including a traditional phase separation, extraction, and recrystallization. The newly developed chromatography-free procedure did not generate P-containing aqueous waste, and only organic effluents were discharged. It is believed that the optimized procedure offers the great opportunity of applying the Lawesson’s reagent for various thio-substitution reactions on a large scale.

Erlotinib (ERT), oral administration agents, is one of the most pivotal targeted drugs in the treatment of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, its poor solubility, low oral bioavailability, and capricious toxicity limit broader clinical applications. In this paper, a novel injectable matrix is prepared based on hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSNs) and thermosensitive poly(d,l‐lactide)‐poly(ethylene glycol)‐poly(d,l‐lactide) (PDLLA‐PEG‐PDLLA, PLEL) hydrogel to encapsulate and localize the sustained release of ERT for improved efficacy against NSCLC. The test‐tube‐inversion method shows that this ERT‐loaded hydrogel composite (ERT@HMSNs/gel) presents as an injectable flowing solution under room temperature and transfers into a physically crosslinked non‐flowing gel structure at physiological temperature.The ERT@HMSNs/gel composite shows a much longer intratumoral and peritumoral drug retention by in vivo imaging study. Notably, this injectable drug delivery system (DDS) provides an impressive balance between antitumor efficacy and systemic safety in a mice xenograft model. The novel ERT loaded HMSNs/gel system may be a promising candidate for the in situ treatment of NSCLC. Moreover, this study provides a prospective platform for the design and fabrication of a nano‐scaled delivery system for localized anticancer therapies., A novel injectable composite is developed based on hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSNs) and thermosensitive hydrogelpoly(d,l‐lactide)‐poly(ethylene glycol)‐poly(d,l‐lactide) (PDLLA‐PEG‐PDLLA, PLEL) via mixing them in proportion at room temperature. The obtained in situ drug delivery platform (HMSNs/gel) can gelate under body temperature, and is employed for localized and sustained delivery of small molecule, erlotinib (ERT), to significantly promote its therapeutic efficacy and ameliorate drug‐related toxicity.

During the upgrading into biorefinery factories, the traditional pulp and paper mills urgently need to broaden the applications of pulp to achieve higher economic benefits. The conversion of pulp into high value-added bulk chemicals is considered as a potential approach. The pulp was previously treated by HCl and spray drying to decrease its particle size to 71.4 μm as the catalytic raw material. Mesoporous WO3 with the specific surface area of 58.6 m2/g was then synthesized via KIT-6 silica template and it shown high performance in catalytic conversion of pretreated pulp into ethylene glycol. The feedstock conversion was 100% and the yield of ethylene glycol was 62.7% under the optimum condition. In comparison tests, the pretreated pulp and mesoporous WO3 both displayed better catalytic performance than untreated pulp and nano-sized WO3 without porous structure. However, the catalytic performance of mesoporous WO3 decreased in recycling test and the reasons were analyzed preliminarily. This work demonstrated that the ordered mesoporous WO3 was a high-performance catalyst and had potential for producing ethylene glycol in good cooperation with acid pretreated pulp.

Massive plastics production has raised concerns about low recycling rates and disposal of these materials in nature, causing environmental and economic impacts. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is one of main polymers used for manufacture of plastic packaging (e.g. bottles, trays). Enzymatic recycling of PET has been a route of increasing study aiming at to recover its monomers (terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol), resulting in a circular production chain. In this study, investigation of pH control and fractionation of enzyme feeding were explored in post-consumed PET (PC-PET) hydrolysis reactions catalyzed by Humicola insolens cutinase (HiC) in stirred reactors. It was found that the unbuffered reaction provided of pH control by 0.5 M NaOH addition showed 2.39-fold improvement in the released monomers (to a total of 26.3 mM), comparatively to the Tris-HCl-buffered reaction. In addition, it was observed a possibility of reducing the enzyme loading used in the process by half, leading to an increase of 2.41-fold in the specific terephthalic acid concentration released per protein amount, whilst maintaining a high products concentration (97 mM). A simplified cost analysis of reaction consumables was performed, and the data reported here demonstrates that these alternative process strategies contribute to costs reduction on the enzymatic depolymerization reactions of PET.

Effective and efficient dehalogenation for automobile shredder residue (ASR) was successfully carried out in an NaOH/ethylene glycol solvent at 190 °C with an up-scale ball mill reactor. The element content and plastic in different fractions of ASR samples were analyzed. 1.2 ± 0.4 wt% Cl and 0.1 ± 0.1 wt% Br were measured in the fine mixture of ASR; consequently, dehalogenation was essential to mitigate the formation of hazardous compounds during thermal treatment. Sufficiently high dechlorination and debromination capacities were obtained by adjusting ball numbers and NaOH content, and the effectiveness of the treatment for throughput scale-up was confirmed. Dehalogenated ASR achieved lower than 0.1 wt% of Cl and negligible Br content, making the product suitable for feedstock recycling to recover metals and petrochemicals. We performed a life cycle assessment on the up-scale dehalogenation process and identified two beneficial impacts in comparison with the landfilling of ASR: reductions in carcinogenic effects and ecotoxicity. To mitigate impacts on climate change and resource depletion, improving dehalogenation efficiency by scaling up the throughput, enhancing the heat insulation system, and including a process for ethylene glycol recycling need to be considered.

In this study, a few extractive distillation processes with ethylene glycol as solvent are proposed to separate high-purity ethanol and tert-butanol from industrial effluents, including direct ED, indirect ED and heat pump assisted indirect ED. All these processes are optimized with targeting minimum annual total costs by a sequential iteration algorithm. After that, a head-to-head comparison is completed regarding distributions of cost, energy and CO2 emission. The results showed that the direct ED is the most economical process reducing minimum annual total costs by 30.15 % than the heat-pump assisted indirect ED, while the latter is the most energy-efficient process saving energy consumption and CO2 emissions by 14.78 % and 21.79 % than the direct ED.