Sharif Digital Repository

In this study, polyaniline nanoparticles (PANI NPs) in emeraldine base (EB) form were prepared by a modified method and characterized by FTIR and UV–vis spectroscopies. The average size of the nanoparticles was 140 nm measured by DLS method. The nanoparticles were embedded into polylactic acid (PLA) nanofibers prepared by electrospinning method. It was found that inclusion of PANI NPs in PLA resulted in reduced diameter of the fibers during the electrospinning process. Also, the surface of nanofibers appeared smooth in FE-SEM images without formation of beads. Improvement in mechanical and electrical properties of PLA/PANI nanofibers over the neat PLA nanofibers implied a good dispersion of... 

Surface modified magnetic nanoparticles (M-NPs) were synthetized and stabilized in poly (vinylalcohol) solution. The solutions with various magnetic nanoparticles contents were gammairradiated and magnetic poly (vinyl-alcohol) (M-PVA) hydrogels were synthesized. The magnetic hydrogels and also the un-irradiated magnetic poly (vinyl alcohol) nanocomposite films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and mechanical measurement. The M-NPs were uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrix due to a strong interaction between the surface-modified M-NPs and polymer matrix.... 

High molecular weight homopolymers of acrylamide (PAM) and (2-methacryloyloxyethyl) trimethyl ammonium chloride (PDMC) and copolymer of DMC with acrylamide (P(AM-co-DMC)) were synthesized using solution polymerization technique. The synthesized polymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), 1HNMR, 13CNMR spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and viscometery. 1HNMR and 13CNMR studies confirmed the structure of the synthesized polymers. The behavior of the synthesized polymers was investigated in water-acetone and water-methanol mixtures. The plot of intrinsic viscosity of either PAM or P(AM-co-DMC) with respect to acetone (methanol)/water ratio in... 

Polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate/nano silver (PVA/SA/Ag) composite films were made by solution casting method. Gamma irradiation was used to synthesize silver nanoparticles in situ via reduction of silver nitrate without using harmful chemical agents for biomedical applications. UV-vis and XRD results demonstrated that spherical silver nanoparticles were produced even at low irradiation dose of 5. kGy. By increasing irradiation dose, more nanoparticles were synthesized while no PVA hydrogel was formed up to 15. kGy. Also the size of nanoparticles was reduced with increasing gamma dose evidenced by higher release rate of silver nanoparticles in lukewarm water and SEM images. Comparing SEM... 

Magnetic polyvinyl alcohol (M-PVA) films were prepared via solution casting filled with surface modified superparamagnetic nanoparticles (M-NPs). The M-NPs were coated with citric acid during synthesis. The chemical interaction between the citric acid and M-NPs was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The average hydrodynamic diameter of M-NPs was 19.7 nm measured by dynamic light scattering DLS and appeared almost spherical in scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The M-NPs were uniformly dispersed in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix and showed high optical transparency with good mechanical properties. M-PVA hydrogels were synthesized using gamma irradiation. The... 

Biocompatible porous polymeric scaffolds provide a suitable environment for proliferation of stem cells in human body. In this research work, porous gelatin–poly(ethylene glycol), PEG, based scaffolds were prepared using combination of freeze-gelation and freeze-extraction methods. Effects of various parameters such as freezing temperature, cross-linking agent, concentrations of gelatin and PEG and their blending ratio on physical and mechanical properties, swelling ratio, porosity, pore size, and degradation rate of scaffolds were investigated. Also, proliferation of fibroblast skin cells on the scaffolds was examined by MTS assay to assess the suitability of the scaffolds in wound healing... 

Foams for biomedical applications were made from polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol / polyvinyl pyrrolidone blend and their nanocomposites with nanoclay by clean processes. Air was entrapped into the aqueous polymer solutions during vigorous mixing and then the solutions were freeze-dried. The foams structure was stabilized by crosslinking via gamma irradiation without using any harmful chemicals. The hydrophilic biocompatible foams possessed interconnected open cell structure with remarkable capacity to absorb and retain water. The foams in wet state were soft and flexible. Desirable pore structure and higher water absorption was obtained at a solution concentration of 5 wt% for both... 

This study aimed to evaluate the properties of nanocomposite hydrogel (NCH) based on poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG), and Barium titanate (BTNPs). Gamma radiation at various doses (25 kGy, 35 kGy) was employed to prepare cross-linked hydrogel. The effect of PVP concentration, PVP/PEG ratio, and BTNPs content, and irradiation dosage on gel content and swelling ratio of synthesized hydrogels were determined. The Flory-Rehner equation was employed to calculate the network parameters. The FTIR results indicate that the chemical structure was deformed through crosslinking PVP macromolecule radicals. The XRD spectra indicated the cubic phase of BTNPs particles and the... 

Long-chain branches are incorporated into the molecular backbone of a polypropylene (PP) in a foaming process. The branching of PP occurs by radical reactions of dicumyl peroxide and a tri-functional monomer, trimethylol propane trimethacrylate. Use of peroxide without tri-functional monomer results in scission of PP molecular chains and significant reduction in melt viscosity. The increase in melt viscosity in conjunction with the flow ability of the modified PP indicates that the polymer has a branched structure. Melting temperature of PP remains unchanged with branching reactions implying that reactions occur mainly in amorphous regions of PP. The improvement in melt strength and... 

Linear silicone rubber and polyethylene alloy produced from extrusion-injecting process will be present in separate phases. While samples are mixed with 1% dicumylperoxide, DCP, and injected in extruder, an alloy is almost formed. In addition, when the samples containing silicon rubber with vinyl group are mixed with polyethylene and passed in the vicinity of electron beam, a similar reaction occurs, as confirmed from FTIR spectrum. The water contact angles for the samples has been listed in the article. Furthermore, the crystallinity of samples produced via electron beam method is more than that obtained from peroxide method. On the other hand, the tensile strengths of produced samples via... 

The chemical modification of isotactic polypropylene was performed by the free-radical-promoted grafting of 1,1,1-trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TMPTMA) in the presence of dicumyl peroxide (DCP) as the initiator. The reaction was carried out both in a batch internal mixer and in a corotating twin-screw extruder; the effects of the peroxide and monomer concentrations on the extent of modification in terms of the grafting efficiency and polymer chain structure variations were investigated. The modified samples were characterized with Fourier transform infrared to determine the structure of the grafted groups and the degree of functionalization, with gel permeation chromatography and the... 

Tough, optically clear simultaneous interpenetrating polymer networks (SINs) of polyurethane (PU) and poly(allyl diglycol carbonate) (ADC) at different compositions were synthesized. The effects of the molecular weight of PU soft segment on the morphology, mechanical properties, and thermal transition behavior of the SINs at two levels of crosslinking agent were studied. The miscibility of PU/ADC SINs, studied by TEM and DMA, was greatly influenced by the SIN composition and the molecular weight of poly(caprolactone) diol (PCL) as the PU soft segment. A single-phase morphology at a PU concentration of 10% changed to a very fine microheterogeneous morphology as the molecular weight of PCL... 

Compounding electron beam irradiated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE or Teflon) powder with silicone rubber produced silicone rubber/PTFE composites with desired physical properties. PTFE powder was exposed to electron beam irradiation at various doses and characterized by FTIR, DSC and contact angle measurements. Irradiation of PTFE with high energy electron beam induced chain scission reactions. Irradiated PTFE showed higher degree of crystallization and lower melting point with increasing absorbed dose. Number average molecular weight of irradiated PTFE was reduced significantly at higher absorbed doses. Formation of polar groups on the surface of irradiated PTFE powder was detected by FTIR... 

This study intends to replace polyethylene multi-layer films used in food packaging industry with single-layer polyethylene nanocomposites films. Nanocomposites of LDPE/LLDPE/ montmorillonite organoclay were prepared by melt compounding in a twin extruder and then film blown to prepare thin films. LLDPE-g-MA was used as compatibilizer to achieve better interaction between the blend and organoclay. Various compositions of organoclay and compatibilizer were prepared. The structure of nanocomposites was characterized by XRD and TEM. Permeability properties were measured using a permeability measuring set-up and aspect ratio of the particles was evaluated using permeability data. The results... 

Blends of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and poly[ethylene-co-(vinyl acetate)] (PEVA), crosslinked by electron-beam (EB) radiation, formed separate crystalline lattices with a homogeneous amorphous phase. The crystallinity of the EB-exposed samples slightly decreased, as verified by a slight reduction in the densities and melting heats and temperatures of the samples. The results obtained from both gel content and hot set tests showed that the degree of crosslinking in the amorphous regions was dependent on the dose and blend composition. The molecular weights between the crosslinks, measured from creep data, showed that an increasing PEVA content resulted in tighter network structures,... 

The influence of electron beam irradiation on neat nylon 6 was manifested by formation of molecular branches deduced from increase in melt flow index and intrinsic viscosity. Crosslinking of nylon 6 was carried out using electron beam irradiation in presence of triallyl cyanurate (TAC). The crosslinked samples showed a high level of gel content. At a given dose, increasing the TAC level from 1% to 3% increased the gel content of the samples slightly and correspondingly decreased the percent of water absorption. The melting temperature decreased with increasing the dose and the TAC level. All samples containing TAC showed some decrease in crystallinity under exposure to electron beam. The...