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Responsive Materials (responsive + material)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Polymers and Materials Science	75%

Selected Abstracts

Multifunctional Stretchable Plasma Polymer Modified PDMS Interface for Mechanically Responsive Materials

PLASMA PROCESSES AND POLYMERS, Issue 1 2010
Alexandre Geissler
Abstract New stretchable reactive surfaces are developed as platforms for the design of mechanically responsive materials. These surfaces are based on elastic PDMS elastomer substrates. Plasma polymerization leads to the attachment of reactive functionalities on the surface. We show that such functionalised PDMS surfaces exhibit pH-dependent acid-base properties due to the dicarboxylic acid groups. Both contact angle and force measurements highlight the dilution effect of the surface concentration of reactive groups induced by substrate elongation. We show, in particular, that the surfaces can be rendered antifouling by tailoring them with poly(ethylene glycol) (,=,2000) and that the antifouling strength depends upon the elongation of the substrate. [source]

Nanoparticle-Structured Ligand Framework as Electrode Interfaces

ELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 1-2 2004
Nancy
Abstract Nanostructured thin film assemblies derived from metal or oxide nanocrystal cores and functionalized molecular shells provide large surface-to-volume ratio and three-dimensional ligand frameworks. In this article, we report results of an investigation of the nanostructured materials for electroanalysis. Monolayer-capped gold nanoparticles of 2-nm core diameter and carboxylic acid-functionalized alkyl thiols were assembled on electrode surfaces via an exchange-crosslinking-precipitation reaction route, and were studied as a model system. The network assemblies exhibit open frameworks in which the void space forms channels with the nanometer sized cores defining its size and the shell structures defining its chemical specificity. Such nanostructures were exploited to demonstrate the viability of responsive materials for interfacial incorporation and fluxes of ionic species. The nanomaterials were characterized by an array of techniques, including cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical quartz-crystal nanobalance, flow injection analysis, and surface infrared reflection spectroscopy. The current responses and mass loading as a result of the incorporation of ionic species into the nanostructure have been analyzed. The potential application of the nanostructured thin films for electrochemical detection in microfluidic systems is also discussed. [source]

Design of Multiresponsive Hydrogel Particles and Assemblies

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 11 2010
Grant R. Hendrickson
Abstract In the realm of soft nanotechnology, hydrogel micro- and nanoparticles represent a versatile class of responsive materials. Over the last decade, our group has investigated the synthesis and physicochemical properties of a variety of synthetic hydrogel particles. From these efforts, several particle types have emerged with potentially enabling features for biological applications, including nanogels for targeted drug delivery, microlenses for biosensing, and coatings for biomedical devices. For example, core/shell nanogels have been used to encapsulate and deliver small interfering RNA to ovarian cancer cells; nanogels used in this fashion may improve therapeutic outcomes for a variety of macromolecular therapeutics. Microgels arranged as multilayers on implantable biomaterials greatly minimize the host inflammatory response to the material. Furthermore, the triggered release of drugs (i.e., insulin) has been demonstrated from similar assemblies. The goal of this feature article is to highlight developments in the design of responsive microgels and nanogels in the context of our recent efforts and in relation to the community that has grown up around this fascinating class of materials. [source]