Biodegradable polymers have garnered increasing attention as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional petroleum-derived plastics, which pose a global environmental challenge due to their difficult recycling and slow degradation. This study focuses on the preliminary evaluation of surface functional properties of chitosan films reinforced with TiO₂ or ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). These films were prepared at different loading ratios using the solution-casting method. Structural and morphological properties were characterized using FTIR and FESEM, while functional properties were evaluated by surface wettability, UV–Vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and antibacterial activity testing. FTIR results showed significant changes in absorption peaks associated with amine and hydroxyl groups, indicating the formation of hydrogen bonds and strong surface interactions between chitosan and NPs. Morphological imaging also revealed a nanoscale surface structure that could influence wettability and surface interactions. The results of functional tests, compared to pure chitosan, showed improvements in some functional properties, like UV protection and thermal stability, while maintaining other properties, like surface wettability, within accepted functional limits. Moreover, chitosan films reinforced with TiO₂ or ZnO NPs showed statistically significant antibacterial activity, particularly against S. aureus. These results represent a preliminary evaluation of potential candidate materials for packaging applications. Therefore, a comprehensive evaluation of the studied samples and their suitability for practical applications requires further future studies that include tests of mechanical properties, gas permeability, biodegradability, migration and biosafety studies and performance under real-world application conditions.
Construction of artificial higher order protein complexes allows sampling of structural architectures and functional features not accessible by classical monomeric proteins. Here, we combine in silico modelling with expanded genetic code facilitated strain promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition to construct artificial complexes that are structurally integrated protein dimers and demonstrate functional synergy. Using fluorescent proteins sfGFP and Venus as models, homodimers and heterodimers are constructed that switched ON once assembled and display enhanced spectral properties. Symmetrical crosslinks are found to be important for functional enhancement. The determined molecular structure of one artific
In this work, the effect of preparing a composite of copper oxide nanoparticles with carbon on some of its optical properties was studied. The composite preparing process was carried out by exploding graphite electrodes in an aqueous suspension of copper oxide. The properties of the plasma which is formed during the explosion were studied using emission spectroscopy in order to determine the most important elements that are present in the media. The electron’s density and their energy, which is the main factor in the composite process, were determined. The particle properties were studied before and after the exploding process. The XRD showed an additional peak in the copper oxides pattern corresponding to the hexagonal graphite struct
... Show MoreThe paper deals with a study of peculiarities of gluttonic text structures in the Arabic-Russian language pair at the sociolinguistic, system structural, functional-stylistic and lexico-semantic aspects from the standpoint of view at functional approach to the phenomena of language systems and the gluttonic discourse as a special type of ver bal and social discourse. Profound attention is paid to the consideration of lexical and grammatical means of explication of glutton discourse on the examples of identi cal Arabic and Russian literary texts as well as language situations in Arab countries and Russia, features of which are due to the characteristics of gluttonic discourses that reflect the features of the two different ethnolingual cu
... Show MoreFilms of pure Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) doped by potassium iodide (KI) salt with percentages (1%) at different thickness prepared by casting method at room temperature. In order to study the effect of increasing thickness on optical properties, transmission and absorption spectra have been record for five different thicknesses(80,140,210,250,320)µm. The study has been extended to include the changes in the band gap energies, refractive index, extinction coefficient and absorption coefficient with thickness.
For aspirin estimated, a molecularly imprinted polymer MIP-ASP electrodes were generated by electro-polymerization process, the electrodes were prepared by combining the template (aspirin) with (vinyl acetate (VA), 1-vinylimidizole (VIZ) as a functional monomer and N, N-methylene bisacrylamide (MBAA) as crosslinkers using benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as an initiator. The efficiency of the membrane electrodes was analyzed by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Four electrodes were synthesized using two different plasticizers, di-butyl sebacate (DBS), di-octyl phthalate (DOP) in PVC matrix. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to describe the generated MIP, studying the electrodes properties, the slope, detection limit, and life
... Show MoreThis work describes the enhancement of phenol red decolorization through immobilizing of laccase in chitosan and enzyme recycling. Commercial laccase from white rot fungus, Trametesversicolor (Tvlac), was immobilizedin to freshly prepared chitosan beads by using glutaraldehyde as a cross linker. Characterization of prepared chitosan was confirmed by FTIR and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Tvlac (46.2 U/mL) immobilized into chitosan beads at 0.8 % glutaraldehyde (v/v) within 24 hrs. Synthetic (HBT) and natural (vanillin) mediators were used to enhance dye decolorizoation. It was found that 89 % of phenol red was decolorized by chitosan beads within 180 min. in the absence of enzyme and mediator, while decolorization percenta
... Show MoreBackground: Due to the complicated and time-consuming physiological procedure of bone healing, certain graft materials have been frequently used to enhance the reconstruction of the normal bone architecture. However, owing to the limitations of these graft materials, some pharmaceutical alternatives are considered instead. Chitosan is a biopolymer with many distinguishing characteristics that make it one of the best materials to be used as a drug delivery system for simvastatin. Simvastatin is a cholesterol lowering drug, and an influencer in bone formation process, because it stimulates osteoblasts differentiation, bone morphogenic protein 2, and vascular endothelial growth factor. Objectives: histological, histochemical and histomorp
... Show MoreThe cost-effective removal of heavy metal ions represents a significant challenge in environmental science. In this study, we developed a straightforward and efficient reusable adsorbent by amalgamating chitosan and vermiculite (forming the CSVT composite), and comprehensively investigated its selective adsorption mechanism. Different techniques, such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), zeta potential analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Brunauer, Emmett, Teller (BET) analysis were employed for this purpose. The prepared CSVT composite exhibited a larger surface area and higher mesoporosity increasing from 1.9 to 17.24 m2/g compared to pristine chitosan. The adsorption capabilities of the
... Show MoreThis study looked at how the synthetic chitosan-AgNPs-Doxorubicin-folic acid combination affected the A549 cell line in terms of cytotoxicity and anticancer activity. By reducing silver nitrate (AgNO3) and biodegradable chitosan, silver nanoparticles were biosynthesized. The produced conjugate was examined by using FT-IR spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The cytotoxicity assay for the viability of A549 cells revealed that the combination of chitosan, AgNPs, doxorubicin, and folic acid decrease cell viability in a dose-determined by method over 48 hours, which direct to a dependent reduce in the activity of A549 cells. The mechanism analysis of the impacted living cells lea
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