Structure and Properties of Self-reinforced Material Made from Ultra-high Molecular Weight Polyethylene-montmorillonite Nanocomposite

High-strength and high-modulus ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene(UHMWPE), named self-reinforced material, was obtained by the elongation of UHMWPE-montmorillonite nanocomposite at melting temperature. According to the scanning electron microscope(SEM) analysis, a great deal of fibrillar texture formed in the direction of elongation, and the tensile fractured surface was similar to that of highly oriented fiber. The transmission electron microscope(TEM) and selective area electron diffraction(SAED) analyses reveal that the reinforced phase of the self-reinforced material is an extended chain crystal and its size is about 50_200 nm wide and several microns long, and the montmorillonite layers are broken up to pieces in the size from 100 to 10 nm. The broken layers which have a huge surface area interacting strongly with macromolecules reduces the entanglement density of UHMWPE and induces the chain orientation in flow field. It is supposed that the astriction of montmorillonite layers to polyethylene chains is not only end-tethered but also side-tethered. The differential scan calorimetry(DSC) analysis shows that there are two endothermal peaks for the self-reinforced material, of which the peak at a higher temperature(136.4 ℃) is ascribed to the melting of the reinforced phase.

Determination and Temperature Dependence of Plateau Modulus for Polymerization of Propylene to Isotactic Polypropylene with Ultra-high Molecular Weight under Catalysis of Ziegler-Natta Catalyst

The viscoelastic behavior of isotactic polypropylene with ultra-high molecular weight(UHPPH) and broad molecular weight distribution(MWD), produced in the presence of Ziegler-Natta catalyst, was investigated by means of oscillatory rheometry at 180 and 200 ℃, whose loss modulus(G″) plots at 180 and 200 ℃ versus the natural logarithm of angular frequency(ω) present a pronounced maximum at 34.35 and 69.21 rad/s, respectively, and do not show a maximum peak at 0.01-100 rad/s for Ziegler-Natta catalyzing ethylene-propylene random copolymerization(PPR) with a conventional molecular weight and broad MWD. The fact indicates that the high molecular weight is responsible for a maximum peak of G″(ω) vs. lnω curves for UHPPH. This makes it possible to determine the plateau modulus(G 0_N) of UHPPH from a certain experimental temperature G″(ω) curve directly. For UHPPH, the G 0_N determined to be 4.28×10 5 and 3.62×10 5 Pa at 180 and 200 ℃, respectively, decreases with the increase of temperature and is independent of the molecular weight, which directly confirms reputation theoretical prediction that the G 0_N has no relation to the molecular weight.

Preparation of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polypropylene Using Ziegler-Natta Catalyst via Combining Internal Electron Donor and Cocatalyst Loading

Due to the development of the new energy industry,polypropylene with ultra-high molecular weight plays a crucial role for battery isolation membrane.This work investigated the effect of internal electron donor of Ziegler-Natta catalyst system on the molecular weight of the obtained polypropylene.The scanning electron microscope(SEM)and Canon camera were used to characterize the surface morphologies of catalyst particles and polymer particles,respectively.Compared with the polypropylene particles featuring a spherical shape,these study results confirmed that the morphology duplication theory from the catalyst particle to the morphology of polymer particle was exhibited.The gel permeation chromatography(GPC)results revealed that the obtained polypropylene has a much higher average molecular weight than those prepared by conventional method.The Fourier transform infrared spectrometry(FT-IR)and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)revealed that the carbonyl oxygen atom on ester group was preferentially bound to Mg and Ti,as compared to the ether oxygen atom.The XPS results showed that the ratio of Ti^(3+)/Ti^(4+)could be changed by internal electron donors.When Ti3+content was nearly 99%in the Ziegler-Natta catalyst system,isotactic polypropylene with an ultra-high molecular weight of up to 1.42×10^(6)g/mol was obtained by Cat.3.This result implied that internal electron donor ID3 could reduce theβ-hydride elimination reaction to further increase the molecular weight of the obtained polymer.

Temperature Effect on the Conformation Transition of Ultra-high Molecular Weight Polyethylene/Polypropylene Blends Undergoing Continuous Volume Extensional Flow:A Mesoscopic Simulation

Due to the multiformity and complexity of chain conformation under external flow and the challenge of systematically investigating the transient conformation and dynamic evolution process of polymer chains at the molecular level by means of present experimental techniques,a universal description of both chain conformation and dynamics with respect to continuous volume extensional flow(CVEF)is still absent.Taking into account the temperature effect,we performed dissipative particle dynamics(DPD)simulations with the particles corresponding to the repeat units of polymers over a wide temperature range and analyzed the correlation with the conformational properties of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene/polypropylene(UHMWPE/PP)blend in response to the CVEF.With time evolution,the polymer chains become highly oriented parallel to the flow direction instead of the initial random coiling and self-aggregation.It is found that a high temperature is necessary for more substantial compactness to take place than low temperature.The low-k plateau and low-k peak in structure factor S(k)curves suggest a low degree of conformational diversity and a high degree of chain stretching.It is also concluded that the intra-molecular C-C bond interaction is the main driving force for the dynamics process of the chain conformations undergoing CVEF,where the motion of the alkyl chains is seriously restricted owing to the increase in bond interaction potential,resulting in a reduction of the difference in diffusion rates among alkyl chains.

Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Tape Applied for Distal Humeral Condyle Fracture around Total Elbow Arthroplasty in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Report of Two Cases

Managing fractures of distal humerus in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is technically challenging. Total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) is one of the treatment options for these fractures. While elbow motion is largely regained by TEA, comminuted condyle fragments are often ignored. Although numerous approaches for repair of condylar fragments around TEA are described, any universal fixation strategy for these fractures has not been established. This report describes, for the first time, application of an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) tape for the treatment of distal humerus fracture in 2 patients with rheumatic elbow arthropathy. The post-operative clinical courses were good. Radiographs showed bony union of the condylar fragments without loosening in two cases. Because of its flat configuration, softness, and flexibility, UHMWPE tape is a promising material for stabilizing fracture of the distal humerus associated with TEA.

PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ULTRA-HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLY(ETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE)(PET)FIBER

This paper reports the spinning and drawing behavior of Ultra-high Molecular Weight polyethylene Terephthalate) (UHMW-PET) fibers. The as-spun fibers were produced by dry-jet wet spinning of a 15%-17% solution in 50:50(v:v) trifluroroacetic acid and dichloromethane. Both molecular weight and polymer solution concentration have marked effect on the drawability of the as-spun-fibers. The maximum extension drawing ratio (EDRmax) of as-spun fiber increases with increasing molecular weight, whereas optimal concentration to achieve the EDRmax of as-spun fibers decreases with increasing molecular weight. Drawing speed and temperature during the first step have remarkable effect on the drawability of these fiber during the second step. Relatively lower drawing temperature and drawing speed (19 ℃ , 60 mm/min) during the first drawing step was beneficial to mechanical properties of ultimate fibers. At the range of 210 ℃ to 230 ℃, the draw ratio (DR) during the second step increases with increasing temperature.

Manufacturing of Ultra-high Molecular Weight Polyethylene Fiber Reinforced Tape and the Loss of Strength

Due to the low density and excellent mechanical proper-ties,high performance fiber reinforced materials have aconsiderable application in the area of high technologyand dally usage.In this paper,the Ultra-high Molecu-lar Weight Polyethylene(UHMWPE)fiber reinforcedPE tape prepared with the method of powder impregnat-ion was studied.The effect of impregnate length and thetensile force of the yarn on the fiber content as well as on the strength and modulus of the tape were discussed.Calculation shows that the strength and the modulus ofthe ULMWPE fiber can keep about 85％ after it undergothe process.

Influence of Molecular Weight of Ultra-high Molecular Weight Polyacrylonitrile on Its Rheological Behavior in Dimethylsulfoxide

Ultra-high molecular weight polyacrylonitrile (UHMW PAN ) was prepared by aqueous suspension polymerization, and the effect of molecular weight on its rheological behaviors in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and the spinning stability were investigated. It shows that,compared with common polyacrylonitrile (C-PAN),UHMW- PAN/DMS0 solution has smaller non- Newtonian index, larger structural viscosity index, much longer maximum relaxation time, and no first- Newtonian region appears in the flow curves under the same experimental conditions. The explanations for these phenomena are given in the view of chain- entanglements. The optimal technology of preparing UHMW-PAN fibers and hollow fiber membranes could be obtained based on the theological study.

Cyclic Pulsating Pressure Enhanced Segregating Structuration of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene/Graphene Composites as High-performance Light-Weight EMI Shields

Currently,the enhancement in electromagnetic interference(EMI)performance of polymeric composite generally relies on either improving electrical conductivity(σ)for stronger electromagnetic(EM)reflections or tailoring structure for higher EM resonances.Herein,we proposed a novel technique called cyclic pulsating pressure enhanced segregating structuration(CPP-SS),which can reinforce these two factors simultaneously.The structural information was supplied by optical microscopy(OM)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM),both of which confirmed the formation and evolution of segregate structured ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene(UHMWPE)/graphene composites.Then,the result showed that CPP-SS can significantly improve theσof samples.Ultimately,advanced specific EMI shielding efficiency of 31.1 d B/mm was achieved for UHMWPE/graphene composite at 1-mm thickness and a low graphene loading of 5 wt%.Meanwhile,it also confirmed that the intrinsic disadvantage of poor mechanical properties of conventional segregated structure composites can be surpassed.This work is believed to provide a fundamental understanding of the structural and performance evolutions of segregated structured composites prepared under CPPSS,and to bring us a simple and efficient approach for fabricating high-performance,strong and light-weight polymeric EMI shields.

Effect of Molecular Weight on Thermoelectric Performance of P3HT Analogues with 2-Propoxyethyl Side Chains

By replacing hexyl chains in poly(3-hexylthiophene)(P3HT)with 2-propoxyethyls,four poly(3-(2-propoxyethyl)thiophene)(P3POET)homopolymers with comparable polydispersity indexes(PDI)and regioregularities were prepared herein in addition with step increment of about 7 kDa on numberaverage molecular weight(M_(n))from around 11 to 32 kDa(accordingly denoted as P11k,P18k,P25k,and P32k).When doped in film by FeCl_(3)at the optimized conditions,the maximum power factor(PF_(max))increases greatly from 4.3μW·m^(-1)·K^(-2)for P11k to 8.8μW·m^(-1)·K^(-2)for P18k,and further to 9.7μW·m^(-1)·K^(-2)for P25k,followed by a slight decrease to 9.2μW·m^(-1)·K^(-2)for P32k.The close Seebeck coefficients(S)at PF_(max)are observed in these doped polymer films due to their consistent frontier orbital energy levels and Fermi levels.The main contribution to this PF_(max)evolution thus comes from the corresponding conductivities(σ).Theσvariation of the doped films can be rationally correlated with their microstructure evolution.

Effects of low molecular weight polysaccharide from Sargassum thunbergii against palmitic acid-induced intracellular lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocyte and HepG2 cells

Low molecular weight polysaccharides can be isolated from Sargassum thunbergii(LMPST)and in vitro experiments were conducted to evaluate the inhibitory effects on lipids.Two natures of LMPST were attained from S.thunbergii and appraised their LMPST on palmitic acid(PA)induced lipid accretion in Hep G2,and 3T3-L1 cells.LMPST treatment lessened lipid deposition and intracellular free fatty acid and triglyceride intensities in PA-treated above mentioned cells.The mechanistic study publicized that LMPST2 significantly suppressed adipogenesis and stimulated the PA-treated 3T3-L1 cells occupied in the lipolysis pathway.Furthermore,in PA-treated Hep G2 cells,the free fatty acid oxidation was significantly increased by LMPST2.Given these constructive properties of LMPST2 from S.thunbergii,is a potential candidate for diminishing the intracellular lipids,and for a therapeutic agent in those conditions.

Pharmacokinetics of fucoidan and low molecular weight fucoidan from Saccharina japonica after oral administration to mice

The brown seaweed,Sacchairna japonica,has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over one thousand years.Oral administration of fucoidan or low molecular weight fucoidan(LMWF)from S.japonica could ameliorate kidney dysfunction in chronic kidney diseases and inhibit diabetic vascular complications.In many studies,LMWF was found to be more potent than fucoidan with high molecular weight.However,the pharmacokinetics of LMWF still remains unclear.The purpose of the research is to compare the pharmacokinetics of fucoidan with high molecular weight(136 kDa)with that low molecular weight(9.5 kDa)after oral administration to ICR mice.Since fucose is the main and representative monosaccharide of fucoidans,we evaluate the pharmacokinetics of fucoidan and LMWF by determining the fucose concentration in mice serum.Both fucoidan and LMWF were absorbed following oral administration.Fucoidan and LMWF were provided to mice by oral administration with 60 mg/kg and the maximum Concentration(C_(max))was found at 2.5 h(0.66±0.32 mg/L)for Fucoidan and 1.5 h(1.01±0.56 mg/L)for LMWF,respectively.It seems that LMWF had a higher area under the curve(AUC_(0–t))and was absorbed more quickly than fucoidan.The estimated bioavailability of LMWF was28.3%in the mice treated with a single dose of 30 mg/kg.In addition,LMWF was found widely spreaded into different tissues following oral administration and the highest concentration was found in kidney at 19.93±7.02μg/g.In this study,we first studied the pharmacokinetics of LMWF,in order to help to understand the function of LMWF.And our results shed light on the potential of development of drugs based on LMWF.

Structural characterizations andα-glucosidase inhibitory activities of four Lepidium meyenii polysaccharides with different molecular weights

Four polysaccharides(MCPa,MCPb,MCPc,MCPd)were obtained from Lepidium meyenii Walp.Their structures were characterized by chemical and instrumental methods including total sugar,uronic acid and protein content determi-nation,UV,IR and NMR spectroscopy,as well as monosaccharide composition determination and methylation analy-ses.Four polysaccharides were a group of glucans with different molecular weights ranging from 3.12 to 14.4 kDa,and shared a similar backbone chain consisting of(1→4)-glucose linkages with branches attached to C-3 and C-6.Furthermore,bioactivity assay showed that MCPs had concentration-dependent inhibitory activity onα-glucosidase.MCPb(Mw=10.1 kDa)and MCPc(Mw=5.62 kDa)with moderate molecular weights exhibited higher inhibitory activ-ity compared with MCPa and MCPd.

Purification and immunoglobulin E epitopes identification of low molecular weight glutenin:an allergen in Chinese wheat

As one of the most important cereals,wheat(Triticum aestivum)has high nutritional value and is widely cultivated in China.However,wheat can cause severe allergic reactions,and a growing number of people are developing allergies to Chinese wheat.Low molecular weight glutenin(LMW-GS),an important allergen in susceptible populations,is responsible for celiac disease and wheat contacts dermatitis.In this study,LMW-GS was highly purified from Chinese wheat(Xiaoyan 6)and further identified and characterized.In addition,8 peptides were predicted efficiently by 5 immunological tools,among which 5 peptides showed significant immunoglobulin E binding abilities.Two specific epitopes were found to be in the non-conserved region of the amino acid sequence of LMW-GS,which was speculated to be the specific epitope of Chinese wheat.This systematic research of LMW-GS may provide new insights into the prevention of wheat allergy and development of hypoallergenic wheat products.

Exploring the mechanism of Guizhi decoction’s“Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi”in treating plant nervous disorders based on weighted network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques

Objective:To explore the mechanism of Guizhi decoction’s“Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi”in treating plant nervous disorders based on network pharmacology and molecular docking methods.Methods:The main active ingredients of Guizhi decoction were screened from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP),and plant nervous disorder-related targets were screened from the Gene Cards database,OMIM database,and PharmGKB database.The intersection of the two was obtained.The intersection targets were used to draw a protein interaction network and a“Traditional Chinese Medicine-active ingredient-target”network using the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.9.1.The nodes in the“Traditional Chinese Medicine-active ingredient-target”network were weighted according to the“Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi”principle.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes,and gene ontology enrichment analysis were performed on the intersection targets.Molecular docking was used to verify the affinity between core targets and key ingredients.Results:A total of 225 effective components of Guizhi decoction were screened,among which 127 components could bind to 160 common targets and play a therapeutic role.The common targets were mainly enriched in 2785 gene ontology entries and 189 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways.Molecular docking confirmed that core targets could spontaneously bind to key ingredients.Conclusion:The key targets for the treatment of plant nervous disorders by Guizhi decoction are MAPK1,TP53,RB1,STAT3,MAPK3,MAPK14,etc.,which reflect the characteristics of the synergistic mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine with multiple components,targets,and pathways through the regulation of inflammatory signal pathways and oxidative stress processes.

Analysis of Molecular Weight Distribution and Antioxidant Activities of Cirrhinus molitorella Skin Collagen Hydrolysates

[Objective] The aim of this work was to identify molecular weight （MW） distribution and antioxidant activity of fish skin col agen hydrolysates. [Method] The MW distribution of hydrolysates was determined using both size exclusion chromatography and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spec-trometry （MALDI-TOF-MS）. Fish skin were treated by the alkaline protease 2709. [Result] The optional conditions for hyerolysis were time 3 h, temperature 55 ℃, pH 10.0, substrate concentration 80 g/L and E/S 4%. The results of both methods indi-cated that the molecular weight of col agen hydrolysates was from 400 to 1 800 Da, and the peptides’ molecular weight was less than 1 400 Da mostly. The reducing power and antioxidant/radical scavenging activity [1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl （DPPH） free radical scavenging activity] were determined. [Conclusion] The results reveal that the fishskin hydrolysate is a potential source of antioxidants.

PREPARATION OF MICROPOROUS ULTRA HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT POLYETHYLENE (UHMWPE) BY THERMALLY INDUCED PHASE SEPARATION OF A UHMWPE/LIQUID PARAFFIN MIXTURE

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) with a microporous structure was prepared via thermally induced phase separation (TIPS).Liquid paraffin (LP) was used as a diluent in the preparation of microporous UHMWPE. Small angle laser light scattering (SALLS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to determine the phase separation temperatures,i.e.the cloud points and the dynamic crystallization temperatures,respectively.It was found that the cloudI points were coincident with the cryst...

Study on the influence of humic acid of different molecular weight on basic ion exchange resin's adsorption capacity

In this paper, humic acid （HA） was ultra-filtered into different molecular weight sections and was characterized by multielement analysis, UV254/TOC, FT-IR and three-dimensional fluorescence spectrometric. Since humic acids of different molecular weights have different hydrophilic and molecular size, the maximum adsorption capacity of basic ion exchange resins appears on the humic acid whose molecular weight ranges from 6000 to 10,000 Da.

Study on Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Gadus morrhua Skin Collagen and Molecular Weight Distribution of Hydrolysates

Process parameters on enzymatic hydrolysis and molecular weight （MW） distribution of collagen hydrolysates from Gadus morrhua skin were investigated. The optimal process parameters were obtained by the single-factor and orthogonal experiments. The molecular weight distribution of hydrolysates was determined using both Sephadex G25 partition and high speed liquid chromatography electricity spray mass spectrum （HPLC-ESI-MS）. Collagen hydrolysates were first gained by an alkaline protease ＂alcalase＂ for 3 h at temperature （50~C）, pH （10.0）, substrate concentration （75 g L-~）, and E/S （3%）. The molecular weight distribution of collagen hydrolysates ranged from 300 to 1 500 Da, and most of peptides were under 1 200 Da. Sephadex G25 partition and HPLC-ESI-MS should be successfully employed to determine the molecular weight distribution of collagen hydrolysates.

Biosynthesis of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate with a high molecular weight by methanotroph from methane and methanol

Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate （PHB） can be produced by various species of bacteria. Among the possible carbon sources, both methane and methanol could be a suitable substrate for the production of PHB. Methane is cheap and plentiful not only as natural gas, but also as biogas. Methanol can also maintain methanotrophic activity in some conditions. The methanotrophic strain Methylosinus trichosporium IMV3011 can accumulate PHB with methane and methanol in a brief nonsterile process. Liquid methanol （0.1%） was added to improve the oxidization of methane. The studies were carried out using shake flasks. Cultivation was performed in two stages： a continuous growth phase and a PHB accumulation phase under the conditions short of essential nutrients （ammonium, nitrate, phosphorus, copper, iron （Ⅲ）, magnesium or ethylenediamine tetraacetate （EDTA）） in batch culture. It was found that the most suitable growth time for the cell is 144 h. Then an optimized culture condition for second stage was determined, in which the PHB concentration could be much increased to 0.6 g/L. In order to increase PHB content, citric acid was added as an inhibitor of tricarboxylic acid cycle （TCA）. It was found that citric acid is favorable for the PHB accumulation, and the PHB yield was increased to 40% （w/w） from the initial yield of 12% （w/w） after nutrient deficiency cultivation. The PHB produced is of very high quality with molecular weight up to 1.5 × 10^6Da.