Cyclodextrin-functionalized asymmetric block copolymer films as high-capacity reservoir for drug delivery

Integrating diverse plant bioactive ingredients with cyclodextrins to fabricate functional films for food application: a critical review

The popularity of plant bioactive ingredients has become increasingly apparent in the food industry. However, these plant bioactive ingredients have many deficiencies, including low water solubility, poor stability, and unacceptable odor. Cyclodextrins (CDs), as cyclic molecules, have been extensively studied as superb vehicles of plant bioactive ingredients. These CD inclusion compounds could be added into various film matrices to fabricate bioactive food packaging materials. Therefore, in the present review, we summarized the extraction methods of plant bioactive ingredients, the addition of these CD inclusion compounds into thin-film materials, and their applications in food packaging. Furthermore, the release model and mechanism of active film materials based on various plant bioactive ingredients with CDs were highlighted. Finally, the current challenges and new opportunities based on these film materials have been discussed.

Energy Transfer in Metal-Organic Frameworks for Fluorescence Sensing

The development of materials with outstanding performance for sensitive and selective detection of multiple analytes is essential for the development of human health and society. Luminescent metal-organic frameworks (LMOFs) have controllable surface and pore sizes and excellent optical properties. Therefore, a variety of LMOF-based sensors with diverse detection functions can be easily designed and applied. Furthermore, the introduction of energy transfer (ET) into LMOFs (ET-LMOFs) could provide a richer design concept and a much more sensitive and accurate sensing performance. In this review, we focus on the recent five years of advances in ET-LMOF-based sensing materials, with an emphasis on photochemical and photophysical mechanisms. We discuss in detail possible energy transfer processes within a MOF structure or between MOFs and guest materials. Finally, the possible sensing applications of the ET-LMOF-based sensors are highlighted.

One-step dynamic fabrication of asymmetric multi-layered porous films for sustained drug delivery

Asymmetric multi-layered porous films were prepared by casting inverse emulsion following the breath figure method. The porous morphologies both on the surface and in the bulk of the fabricated film could be dynamically manipulated by tuning the emulsion composition as well as the environmental conditions. The model drug was efficiently loaded into the porous film by direct encapsulation during film fabrication, and remarkable sustained drug release from the porous film for more than 28 days was achieved.

Smart Self-Cleaning Membrane via the Blending of an Upper Critical Solution Temperature Diblock Copolymer with PVDF

Poly(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate)-b-poly(imidazoled glycidyl methacrylate-co-diethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate) (PTFEMA-b-P(iGMA-co-MEO₂MA)) containing an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) polymer chain was prepared and blended with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) to produce a thermoresponsive membrane with smart self-cleaning performance. The successful preparation of the membrane was demonstrated by attenuated total reflection-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy characterization. The membrane shows UCST performance, and its flux changes with the filtrate temperature as the UCST polymer chain stretches out and contracts in response to various temperatures. In addition, the UCST polymer chain can disrupt the foulant and push it away from the membrane when the temperature is above the UCST and thus enables membranes to exhibit a smart self-cleaning behavior. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first report of a smart self-cleaning membrane based on the blending of a diblock copolymer containing a UCST polymer chain with PVDF.

Porous polymeric membranes: fabrication techniques and biomedical applications

Porous polymeric membranes have shown great potential in biological and biomedical applications such as tissue engineering, bioseparation, and biosensing, due to their structural flexibility, versatile surface chemistry, and biocompatibility. This review outlines the advantages and limitations of the fabrication techniques commonly used to produce porous polymeric membranes, with especial focus on those featuring nano/submicron scale pores, which include track etching, nanoimprinting, block-copolymer self-assembly, and electrospinning. Recent advances in membrane technology have been key to facilitate precise control of pore size, shape, density and surface properties. The review provides a critical overview of the main biological and biomedical applications of these porous polymeric membranes, especially focusing on drug delivery, tissue engineering, biosensing, and bioseparation. The effect of the membrane material and pore morphology on the role of the membranes for each specific application as well as the specific fabrication challenges, and future prospects of these membranes are thoroughly discussed.