Non-isothermal crosslinking of ethylene vinyl acetate initiated by crosslinking agents: kinetic modelling

The non-isothermal crosslinking process of ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) initiated by several crosslinking agents was studied by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The crosslinking agent tert-butylperoxy 2-ethylhexyl carbonate (TBEC) exhibited much shorter reaction time and lower reaction temperature. The effect of the crosslinking agent TBEC on the EVA crosslinking process was further analyzed by using Avrami, Ozawa, Mo and Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) methods, respectively. The small fluctuations in the values of Avrami exponent n and Mo parameter a indicate that the EVA crosslinking mechanism is basically unchanged with increasing heating rate and crosslinking agent content. The change of the Ozawa exponent m is presumably due to the increase in viscosity of EVA/TBEC samples during the crosslinking process. The heating/cooling function F(T) values and the activation energy E_a are dependent on the conversion rate α. In addition, E_a shows irregular changes in the early stages of crosslinking, and increases with the increase of conversion rate α in the later stages of crosslinking.

The kinetic parameter E_a of EVA crosslinking reaction initiated by a peroxide crosslinking agent showed irregular changes in the early stage of crosslinking, and increase with the increase of conversion rate α in the later stage of crosslinking.

Self-Healing Hydrogels: The Next Paradigm Shift in Tissue Engineering?

Given their durability and long-term stability, self-healable hydrogels have, in the past few years, emerged as promising replacements for the many brittle hydrogels currently being used in preclinical or clinical trials. To this end, the incompatibility between hydrogel toughness and rapid self-healing remains unaddressed, and therefore most of the self-healable hydrogels still face serious challenges within the dynamic and mechanically demanding environment of human organs/tissues. Furthermore, depending on the target tissue, the self-healing hydrogels must comply with a wide range of properties including electrical, biological, and mechanical. Notably, the incorporation of nanomaterials into double-network hydrogels is showing great promise as a feasible way to generate self-healable hydrogels with the above-mentioned attributes. Here, the recent progress in the development of multifunctional and self-healable hydrogels for various tissue engineering applications is discussed in detail. Their potential applications within the rapidly expanding areas of bioelectronic hydrogels, cyborganics, and soft robotics are further highlighted.

Enhancing Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Polyurethane Rubber Reinforced with Polyethylene Glycol-g-Graphene Oxide

This paper attempted to achieve the purpose of increasing the tensile strength and toughness of polyurethane rubber (PUR) simultaneously by introducing polyethylene glycol (PEG) onto the surface of graphene oxide (GO) to introduce hydrogen bond interactions into the PUR-GO system. GO was grafted with PEG and added to PUR by mechanical blending. The polyethylene glycol-g-graphene oxide (MGO) was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. The PUR/MGO composites were tested by tensile testing machine, thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic thermal analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The results demonstrated that PEG was successfully grafted onto the surface of GO and the grafting rate was about 37%. The grated PEG did not affect the crystalline structure of GO. The addition of MGO could improve the thermal stability of PUR vulcanizate. After the addition of GO, the glass transition temperature (Tg) of vulcanizate was shifted to higher temperature. However, the Tg of vulcanizate reinforced by MGO was shifted to lower temperature. The strength and toughness of vulcanizate were significantly improved by adding MGO. The reason was that the hydrogen bond interactions between MGO and PUR were destroyed and the hidden length was released during the strain process. A lot of energy was consumed, and thus the strength and toughness of PUR vulcanizate were improved.

Blending Electronics with the Human Body: A Pathway toward a Cybernetic Future

At the crossroads of chemistry, electronics, mechanical engineering, polymer science, biology, tissue engineering, computer science, and materials science, electrical devices are currently being engineered that blend directly within organs and tissues. These sophisticated devices are mediators, recorders, and stimulators of electricity with the capacity to monitor important electrophysiological events, replace disabled body parts, or even stimulate tissues to overcome their current limitations. They are therefore capable of leading humanity forward into the age of cyborgs, a time in which human biology can be hacked at will to yield beings with abilities beyond their natural capabilities. The resulting advances have been made possible by the emergence of conformal and soft electronic materials that can readily integrate with the curvilinear, dynamic, delicate, and flexible human body. This article discusses the recent rapid pace of development in the field of cybernetics with special emphasis on the important role that flexible and electrically active materials have played therein.

Nanoreinforced Hydrogels for Tissue Engineering: Biomaterials that are Compatible with Load-Bearing and Electroactive Tissues

Given their highly porous nature and excellent water retention, hydrogel-based biomaterials can mimic critical properties of the native cellular environment. However, their potential to emulate the electromechanical milieu of native tissues or conform well with the curved topology of human organs needs to be further explored to address a broad range of physiological demands of the body. In this regard, the incorporation of nanomaterials within hydrogels has shown great promise, as a simple one-step approach, to generate multifunctional scaffolds with previously unattainable biological, mechanical, and electrical properties. Here, recent advances in the fabrication and application of nanocomposite hydrogels in tissue engineering applications are described, with specific attention toward skeletal and electroactive tissues, such as cardiac, nerve, bone, cartilage, and skeletal muscle. Additionally, some potential uses of nanoreinforced hydrogels within the emerging disciplines of cyborganics, bionics, and soft biorobotics are highlighted.

Graphene oxide as a covalent-crosslinking agent for EVM-g-PA6 thermoplastic elastomeric nanocomposites

A novel polyamide 6 grafted ethylene-vinyl acetate rubber copolymer (EVM-g-PA6) was synthesized in the presence of graphene oxide (GO),viaa sequential ring-opening polymerisation and ester–amide exchange reaction.