Physicochemical and tribological properties of gemini-type halogen-free dicationic ionic liquids

A series of new halogen-free dicationic ionic liquids(ILs)with different alkyl chain lengths were prepared,and the relationship between the alkyl chain length,physicochemical and tribological properties of ILs,and their role as neat lubricant for steel–steel friction pairs,was investigated.Evaluation of stability during hydrolysis and copper strip corrosion test results show that synthetic ILs are stable and not corrosive to metal contacts,due to the halogen-free anions.The friction and wear test results indicate that ILs with long alkyl chains have excellent friction-reducing and anti-wear properties,especially at high temperatures.Based on the surface three-dimensional(3D)profiles,electrical contact resistance,scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS),and the X-ray photoelectron spectrometry(XPS)analysis of the worn surfaces of steel discs,we can conclude that the efficiency of ILs is due to the formation of high quality tribofilms that consist of both tribochemical reaction and ordered absorption films.

Tunable morphologies of polymer capsules templated from cuprous oxide particles for control over cell association

Over the past two decades,layer-by-layer(LbL) assembly of micro/nanocapsules has been of interest for the investigation of bio-nano interactions to explore bio-applications,such as drug delivery.The choice of an appropriate template that can be easily dissolved under mild conditions is one of the challenges for the assembly of LbL capsules.Herein,we report the engineering of LbL capsules with tunable morphologies using cuprous oxide(Cu_2O) particles as templates.Cu_2O particles with cubic,tetradecahedral or spherical morphologies were synthesized via hydrothermal processes,which can be dissolved under mild condition(e.g.,sodium thiosulfate solution).The influence of capsule morphologies on cell association was investigated,which indicates that LbL capsules with cubic geometry promoted cell association up to 4 and 9-fold than tetradecahedral and spherical capsules,respectively.The reported method provides a new avenue for the assembly of LbL capsules with different morphologies,which has the potential for better understanding of biological interactions of LbL capsules.