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This study introduces a method for producing printable, thermosensitive bioink formulated from agarose (AG) and carbon dioxide-saturated chitosan (CS) hydrogels. The research identified medium molecular weight chitosan as optimal for bioink production, with a preferred chitosan hydrogel content of 40–60 %. Rheological analysis reveals the bioink's pseudoplastic behavior and a sol-gel phase transition between 27.0 and 31.5 °C. The MMW chitosan-based bioink showed also the most stable extrusion characteristic. The choice of chitosan for the production of bioink was also based on the assessment of the antimicrobial activity of the polymer as a function of its molecular weight and the degree of deacetylation, noting significant cell reduction rates for E. coli and S. aureus of 1.72 and 0.54 for optimal bioink composition, respectively. Cytotoxicity assessments via MTT and LDH tests confirm the bioink's safety for L929, HaCaT, and 46BR.1 N cell lines. Additionally, XTT proliferation assay proved the stimulating effect of the bioink on the proliferation of 46BR.1 N fibroblasts, comparable to that observed with Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS). FTIR spectroscopy confirms the bioink as a physical polymer blend. In conclusion, the CS/AG bioink demonstrates the promising potential for advanced spatial cell cultures in tissue engineering applications including skin regeneration. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a new approach in the purification of chitosan (CS) hydrogel in order to remove a significant amount of endotoxins without changing its molecular weight and viscosity. Two variants of the method used to purify CS hydrogels from endotoxins were investigated using the PyroGene rFC Enzymatic Cascade assay kit. The effect of the CS purification method was assessed in terms of changes in the dynamic viscosity of its hydrogels, the molecular weight of the polymer, microbiological purity after refrigerated storage and cytotoxicity against L929 cells based on the ISO 10993-5:2009(E) standard. The proposed purification method 1 (M1) allows for the removal of significant amounts of endotoxins: 87.9–97.6% in relation to their initial concentration in the CS hydrogel without affecting the solution viscosity. Moreover, the final solutions were sterile and microbiologically stable during storage. The M1 purification method did not change the morphology of the L929 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comparison of the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity against L929 cells of chitosan xerogels prepared by dissolving the polymer in a solution of lactic acid (LA) or carbonic acid (CO 2) and then freeze-drying. There was no simple relationship between the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of the samples obtained using both techniques (LA and CO 2). Chitosan materials obtained by the LA method in a 1:1 dilution were characterized by the highest cytotoxicity against L929 cells (∼20%). For the same diluted samples prepared using the CO 2 saturation method, the viability of L929 cells was approximately 2.5 times greater. Some of the tested chitosan materials obtained by the innovative method were characterized by significantly lower antimicrobial activity, for example, reduction of E. coli bacteria for MMW-LA and MMW-CO 2 samples by 6.00 and 0.75 logarithmic order, respectively. This clearly indicates that in many applications, the presence of the acid necessary to dissolve chitosan is responsible for the antimicrobial activity of the polymer solution and its products. [Display omitted] • Use of carbonic acid allows to obtain chitosan materials with lower cytotoxicity. • Acids used for chitosan xerogels production mask its actual antimicrobial activity. • Chitosan's antimicrobial activity mechanism depends on pH value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous chitosan composites using CO 2 dissolution procedure and including water soluble N-propylphosphonic chitosan derivative (p-CHI) were obtained and characterized. In contrast to the control material, composites containing modified chitosan distinguished by a rapid moisture absorption and good adhesion to the skin. The FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of propylphosphonic group in the structure of the polymer. The porosity of the materials was in the range 55–77% and decreased with increasong amount of modified chitosan in materials. Solubility of composites was dependent on the content of p-CHI in scaffolds (40%, 25% and 15%) and reached values 11%, 9% and 6,5%, respectively. The values of other parameters like swelling degree (30 g/g) good antioxidant and antimicrobial properties (almost 100% reduction of S.aureus, E.coli and C. albicans growth) and low in vitro cytotoxicity against fibroblasts were highly advantageous for possible biomedical applications of the composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented work concerns a novel one step method for oil encapsulation. In this coaxial system the oil constitutes the core of the capsule, while the chitosan solution is the polymer shell surrounding the core to provide separation of the core from the external environment. The paper contains a diagram of the encapsulation equipment and explains the principle of its operation. The experimental results showed the impact of the media flow rate on the size, shape, mechanical properties and the amount of oil in the capsules. Conditions of the core solution were determined to be: 2.00 g/h, and shell solution: 4.45 g/h. Maximal oil content obtained under these conditions was: 45.2%. The diameters of the capsules collected gravitationally in the nitrogen stream were from 3.7 to 4.4 mm and from 2.8 to 4.3 mm, respectively. The force needed to obtain 50% compression strain of all tested samples was in the range from 0.11 to 0.19 N. In comparison to other encapsulation methods, the presented technique is much simpler and can be performed under mild conditions. Moreover, the use of natural polymers as a coating matrix enables the use of the described technique in many branches of industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature indicates the existence of a relationship between rhamnolipids and bacterial biofilm, as well as the ability of selected bacteria to produce rhamnolipids and alginate. However, the influence of biosurfactant molecules on the mechanical properties of biofilms are still not fully understood. The aim of this research is to determine the effect of rhamnolipids concentration, CaCl2 concentration, and ionic cross-linking time on the mechanical properties of alginate hydrogels using a Box–Behnken design. The mechanical properties of cross-linked alginate hydrogels were characterized using a universal testing machine. It was assumed that the addition of rhamnolipids mainly affects the compression load, and the value of this parameter is lower for hydrogels produced with biosurfactant concentration below CMC than for hydrogels obtained in pure water. In contrast, the addition of rhamnolipids in an amount exceeding CMC causes an increase in compression load. In bacterial biofilms, the presence of rhamnolipid molecules does not exceed the CMC value, which may confirm the influence of this biosurfactant on the formation of the biofilm structure. Moreover, rhamnolipids interact with the hydrophobic part of the alginate copolymer chains, and then the hydrophilic groups of adsorbed biosurfactant molecules create additional calcium ion trapping sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the in situ soil stabilization, different chemical additives are used (ion exchange compounds, additives based on H2SO4 or vinyl polymers, and organic additives using lignosulfonates). One interesting alternative is the production of additives from various waste materials. The extensive testing of waste-based blends with soil was performed; the mechanical (unconfined compressive strength (UCS)) and hydraulic (capillary rise, water absorption, and frost resistance (FR)) soil properties were measured. The optimization process led to obtaining additive compositions ensuring high strength and sealing properties: by-pass ash from the ceramics industry, waste H2SO4, pyrolytic waxes/oils from waste mixed plastics, waste tires and HDPE, and emulsion from chewing gum waste. For sandy soil, the following additives were the most promising: emulsion from pyrolytic wax (EPW) from waste PE foil (WPEF) with the addition of waste H2SO4, pyrolytic-oil emulsion from waste tires, EPW from waste mixed plastics with the addition of "by-pass" waste ash and NaOH, EPW from WPEF with the addition of NaOH, and EPW from WPEF reaching up to 93% FR, a 79.6% 7-day UCS increase, and a 27.6% of 28-day UCS increase. For clay: EPW from WPEF with the addition of NaOH, EPW from WPEF with the addition of waste H2SO4, and solely EPW from WPEF reaching up to 7.5% FR, an 80.7% 7-day UCS increase, and a 119.1% 28-day UCS increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc compounds in polyolefin films regulate the transmission of UV-VIS radiation, affect mechanical properties and antimicrobial activity. According to hypothesis, the use of zinc- containing masterbatches in polyethylene films (PE) with different chemical nature—hydrophilic zinc oxide (ZO) and hydrophobic zinc stearate (ZS)—can cause a synergistic effect, especially due to their antimicrobial properties. PE films obtained on an industrial scale containing zinc oxide and zinc stearate masterbatches were evaluated for antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus strains. The morphology of the samples (SEM), composition (EDX), UV barrier and transparency, mechanical properties and global migration level were also determined. SEM micrographs confirmed the good dispersion of zinc additives in the PE matrix. The use of both masterbatches in one material caused a synergistic effect of antimicrobial activity against both bacterial strains. The ZO masterbatch reduced the transparency of films, increased their UV-barrier ability and improved tensile strength, while the ZS masterbatch did not significantly change the tested parameters. The global migration limit was not exceeded for any of the samples. The use of ZO and ZS masterbatch mixtures enables the design of packaging with high microbiological protection with a controlled transmission for UV and VIS radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method of obtaining functional foam material has been proposed. The materials were created by mixing the poly lactic acid (PLA) solution in chloroform, chitosan (CS) dissolved in water saturated with CO2 and polyethylene glycol (PEG), and freeze-dried for removal of the solvents. The composite foams were characterized for their structural (SEM, FT-IR, density, porosity), thermal (DSC), functional (hardness, elasticity, swelling capacity, solubility), and biological (antimicrobial and cytotoxic) properties. Chitosan in the composites was a component for obtaining their foamed form with 7.4 to 22.7 times lower density compared to the neat PLA and high porosity also confirmed by the SEM. The foams had a hardness in the range of 70–440 kPa. The FT-IR analysis confirmed no new chemical bonds between the sponge ingredients. Other results showed low sorption capacity (2.5–7.2 g/g) and solubility of materials (less than 0.2%). The obtained foams had the lower Tg value and improved ability of crystallization compared to neat PLA. The addition of chitosan provides the bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Biocompatibility studies have shown that the materials obtained are not cytotoxic to the L929 cell line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last decades have witnessed a major advancement and development in three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. In the future, the trend's utilization of 3D printing is expected to play an important role in the biomedical field. This work presents co-extrusion of the polylactic acid (PLA), its derivatives (sPLA), and chitosan with the aim of achieving filaments for printing 3D objects, such as biomedical tools or implants. The physicochemical and antimicrobial properties were evaluated using SEM, FT-IR, DSC, instrumental mechanical test, and based on the ASTM E2149 standard, respectively. The addition of chitosan in the PLA and sPLA filaments increased their porosity and decreased density. The FT-IR analysis showed that PLA and chitosan only formed a physical mixture after extrusion. The addition of chitosan caused deterioration of the mechanical properties of filaments, especially elongation at break and Young's modulus. The addition of chitosan to the filaments improved their ability to crystallize and provide their antimicrobial properties against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The chitosan-AgNPs and -CuNPs coatings were obtained by EPD on Ti alloy. • Cytotoxicity and biological protection against two bacteria forms were studied. • The release rate of copper ions into the medium is pH-sensitive. • Chitosan-AgNPs or -CuNPs coatings on TiO 2 demonstrate antibacterial properties. • Chitosan-AgNPs coatings are not cytotoxic against osteoblast cells. Despite numerous studies, the antibacterial efficiency and cytotoxicity of chitosan-based coatings with nanometals need further studies. The purpose of this research was to determine the biological properties of chitosan coatings implemented with either silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) or copper nanoparticles (CuNPs), that were electrophoretically deposited on electrochemically oxidized Ti13Zr13Nb alloy. The SEM tests were used to examine the surface uniformity. The biological tests against human osteoblast cells hFOB 1.19 and antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria were performed. The release of Cu2+ from coating dependent on the pH of medium. The highest was at pH 3.0 and it achieved 47.73 mg/ml. No cytotoxic effects of the chitosan-AgNPs coatings were observed in direct and indirect contact studies, as there was 20 % inhibition of cell growth but no LDH release which indicate the cell breakdown. Antibacterial properties were proven for all modifications, but this effect was stronger for coatings with implemented AgNPs (log degree of bacteria number reduction >3.75 for E. coli and S. aureus). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the encapsulation of sensitive products by various techniques has become popular as a promising preservation method. In particular, this applies to oils with a high content of unsaturated fatty acids and a high susceptibility to deterioration. This work presents the possibility of using a chitosan and sodium alginate in the form of a hydrogel membrane to protect food ingredients such as linseed oil, which is stored in an aquatic environment. The obtained results showed the high efficiency of the coaxial method encapsulation, which did not affect the quality of the oil measured after encapsulation. The greatest protective effect was observed in the linseed oil–chitosan membrane system, in which the primary and secondary oxidation products content were 88% and 32% lower than in the control sample, respectively. The smallest changes of the fatty acid profile, conjugated dienes, and trienes were observed in the chitosan capsules with linseed oil compared to the control sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel porous scaffolds composed of chitosan, collagen and gelatin were prepared and characterized. For preparing scaffolds gelatin and collagen isolated from fish skins with various physicochemical properties were used. In order to reduce preparation solubility glutaraldehyde in the amount of 1%, w/w relative to the total biopolymers weight in solution was used. All obtained biomaterials showed a homogeneous porosity. Protein polymer type determined the rheology and mechanical properties of obtaining preparations. The use of protein polymers decreased swelling capacity of materials approximately 30% compared to the materials obtained from chitosan. Materials containing gelatin showed the highest solubility (approx. 30%). Scaffolds obtained in 100% of chitosan proved to be harder than collagen materials an average of 30% and less flexible more than twice. In relation to the gelatin materials were characterized by smaller values of both measured parameters on average 40% and 30% respectively. Materials containing protein polymers showed good antioxidant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Surface modification of 3D printed carbon black-PLA electrodes is discussed. • PLA electrolysis occurs more efficiently in alkaline rather than acidic media. • The total effect also depends on local pH changes during the polarization sweep. • Activation by proteinase K was found the most efficient yet time consuming. • Synergistic enzymatic and electrolysis action is due to electropolymerization. Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is beginning to play an unprecedented role in developing many applications for industrial or personalized products. The conductive composite structures require additional treatment to achieve an electroactive surface useful for electrochemical devices. In this paper, the surfaces of carbon black/poly(lactic acid) CB-PLA printouts were activated by electrolysis or enzymatic digestion with proteinase K, or a simultaneous combination of both. The proposed modification protocols allow the tailoring of electrochemically active surfaces and electron transfer kinetics determined by electrochemical techniques (CV, EIS) by [Fe(CN) 6 ]4-/3- redox probe. X-ray photon spectroscopy and SEM imaging were applied to determine the delivered surface chemistry. CB-PLA hydrolysis under alkaline conditions and anodic polarization greatly impacted the charge transfer kinetics. The enzymatic hydrolysis of PLA with proteinase K led to highly efficient results, yet requires an unsatisfactory prolonged activation duration of 72 h, which can be efficiently reduced by electrolysis carried out in the presence of the enzyme. Our studies hint that the activation protocol originates from surface electropolymerization rather than a synergistic interaction between the electrolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis. The detailed mechanism of CB-PLA hydrolysis supported by electrolysis is a promising new route to achieve time-efficient and environmentally-friendly activation procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive blending is a promising approach for the sustainable development of bio-based polymer blends and composites, which currently is gaining more and more attention. In this paper, biodegradable blends based on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were prepared via reactive blending performed in an internal mixer. The PCL and PLA content varied in a ratio of 70/30 and 55/45. Reactive modification of PCL/PLA via liquid organic peroxides (OP) including 0.5 wt.% of tert-butyl cumyl peroxide (BU), 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di-(tert-butylperoxy)-hexane (HX), and tert-butyl peroxybenzoate (PB) is reported. The materials were characterized by rotational rheometer, atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermogravimetry (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), tensile tests and biodegradability tests. It was found that the application of peroxides improves the miscibility between PCL and PLA resulted in enhanced mechanical properties and more uniform morphology. Moreover, it was observed that the biodegradation rate of PCL/PLA blends reactively compatibilized was lower comparing to unmodified samples and strongly dependent on the blend ratio and peroxide structure. The presented results confirmed that reactive blending supported by organic peroxide is a promising approach for tailoring novel biodegradable polymeric systems with controllable biodegradation rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its remarkable and promising biological and structural properties, chitosan has been widely studied in several potential applications in the biomedical sector. Attempts are being made to use this polymer and its properties in thermoplastics dedicated to 3D printing in FDM technology. However, chitosan can be processed only from acid solution, which limits its applications. The paper presents a new path for the production of filaments based on unstable chitosan hydrogel obtained by carbon dioxide saturation, as well as synthetic polymers such as polyvinyl alcohol and polycaprolactone. The results confirm that the absence of acid allows formation of thermally stable and printable filaments containing from 5% to 15% of chitosan, capable of reducing S. aureus and E. coli bacteria by 0.41–1.43 in logarithmic scale (56–94%) and 0.28–0.94 in logarithmic scale (36–89%), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tin oxide is one of the most promising electrode materials as a negative electrode for lithium-ion batteries due to its higher theoretical specific capacity than graphite. However, it suffers lack of stability due to volume changes and low electrical conductivity while cycling. To overcome these issues, a new composite consisting of SnO 2 and carbonaceous matrix was fabricated. Naturally abundant and renewable chitosan was chosen as a carbon source. The electrode material exhibiting 467 mAh g − 1 at the current density of 18 mA g − 1 and a capacity fade of only 2% after 70 cycles is a potential candidate for graphite replacement. Such good electrochemical performance is due to strong interaction between amine groups from chitosan and surface hydroxyl groups of SnO 2 at the preparation stage. However, the charge storage is mainly contributed by a diffusion-controlled process showing that the best results might be obtained for low current rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]