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The purpose of this paper is to prepare amphiphilic block copolymers polyethylene adipate-block-polyethylene glycol (PEA-b-PEG)s and study their performance as plasticizers in rotogravure ink formulations.

Series of amphiphilic block copolymers (PEA-b-PEG1), (PEA-b-PEG2), (PEA-b-PEG3), (PEA-b-PEG4) and (PEA-b-PEG5) were prepared by the reaction of adipic acid, ethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol of different molecular weights (300, 1,000, 2,000, 10,000 and 20,000 g/mol), respectively. Full characterization of the prepared copolymers was achieved using Fourier Transfer Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), 1H NMR, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The performance of the prepared copolymers as plasticizers for neat nitrocellulose resin were studied in different formulations, namely, R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 containing copolymers (PEA-b-PEG1), (PEA-b-PEG2), (PEA-b-PEG3), (PEA-b-PEG4) and (PEA-b-PEG5), respectively. In addition to formula R0 that contains acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) as a commercial plasticizer. The mechanical properties, thermal analysis (DSC, TGA) and optical properties of the prepared formulations films were investigated. Theses amphiphilic block copolymers were then applied as plasticizers in different rotogravure ink formulations (F1, F2, F3, F4 and F5) and compared with commercial rotogravure ink formula (F0). The color measurements and optical properties of all formulations were achieved.

It was found that the performance of the prepared copolymers as plasticizers in different formulations based on nitro cellulose resin gives better gloss, adhesion for R1 compared with the other samples and color strength for F1 compared with F0. Finally, all the samples gave excellent plasticizing effect.

The authors believe that type of these materials open the way for a new class of plasticizers that upon application or even degradation gives small ecofriendly molecules (adipic acid and or ethylene glycol moieties) taking into consideration the simplicity of the rout of the synthesis process.

The prepared ecofriendly (PEA-b-PEG)s could be successfully used as plasticizers instead of commercial plasticizer ATBC.

The research provides that the prepared (PEA-b-PEG)s with different molecular weights can act as plasticizers in rotogravure ink formulations, and their performance was acceptable and available.

Aluminium and zinc pigments corrode in aqueous alkaline paint media with the evolution of hydrogen. Maleic acid‐styrene‐acrylic ester copolymers were synthesized by copolymerisation of maleic acid anhydride, styrene and different (meth)acrylic esters. Three acrylic esters (ethyl, n‐butyl, n‐hexyl) and two methacrylic esters (n‐dodecyl, n‐octadecyl) were used; the copolymers with long‐chain acrylic esters are amphiphilic. Additionally, a commercial (non‐amphiphilic) styrene‐maleic acid copolymer (SMA) with similar molecular mass and acid number was tested. The corrosion reaction of aluminium and zinc pigments in aqueous alkaline media can be inhibited by addition of these copolymers. But aluminium and zinc pigments react completely differently with the examined copolymers. With addition of the amphiphilic maleic acid‐styrene‐acrylic ester copolymers to aluminium pigment dispersions the evolved hydrogen volumes decrease with increasing chain‐length of the acrylate monomer in the copolymers, whilst with zinc pigment the hydrogen volumes increase, which is just the opposite compared with aluminium. Furthermore, there exist mathematical correlations between the number of carbon atoms of the ester alcohol of the acrylate monomer in the copolymers and the hydrogen volumes evolved.

This work has been motivated by the authors' long‐term research on odor‐sensing systems using acoustic wave‐based sensors and pattern recognition techniques. The sensors should be fabricated in such a way that they mimic performance of the olfactory receptors. In these terms, the purpose of this paper is to test a simple method for fabrication of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensors by using nanocomposites and amphiphilic gas chromatography (GC) materials. The obtained sensors were intended to be highly sensitive to odorants at low concentrations and in high‐humidity conditions, as well as contributing to discrimination among odorant samples.

The proposed fabrication process consists of four stages: formation of all‐lipopolymeric layer on surface of the QCM sensor; preparation of lipopolymeric nanocomposites by means of chemisorption of lipopolymers onto nano‐Au; precipitation of the nanocomposites onto the lipopolymer‐coated QCM surface; and physisorption of amphiphilic GC materials onto the lipopolymer‐nanocomposite matrix. The fabricated sensors have been evaluated in the experiments of exposure to vapors of odorants at various concentrations and humidity levels.

The authors found that sensitivity of the sensors fabricated using the proposed method was much superior to that recorded for the sensors with all‐lipopolymeric and all‐amphiphilic films. The novel sensors' performance showed robustness against humidity and capability to discriminate among odorant samples at relatively low‐concentration levels.

The sensors fabricated using the proposed method can be useful in recognition of the odorant samples at ppb‐level under high humidity. Their performance has not been deteriorated even under high humidity.

The paper presents application of a relatively simple chemi‐/physisorption processes to form an odor‐interactive coating, with high sensitivity and robustness against humidity. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the method proposed here has not been presented by other groups.

Five halogen-free amphiphilic Brønsted acidic ionic liquids (ILs) based on 3-(N, N-dimethylalkylammonium)-propanesulphonate quaternary ammonium zwitterions and p-toluene sulphonic acid monohydrate were synthesized. The IL structures were characterized using ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and (ESI)-MS. The IL thermal instability was characterized using TG-DSC. The ILs were used as dual-solvent catalysts for esterification of several carboxylic acids, with different alcohols under mild conditions to study relevant structure-activity relationships. Results showed that the miscibility of the acidic IL, which is affected by the length of the carbon chain in the cation, is an important factor influencing the activity of the catalyst for the esterification reaction. Post-processing steps were simple, and the catalyst could be reused easily.

This study aims to develop a new kind of functional low molecular weight organic dyes, which is highly efficient, meanwhile inexpensive and easily prepared and modified and can be used in photoacoustic (PA) imaging and photothermal therapy (PTT). To further realize the release of molecules under the biomedical condition, the releasing efficiency of micellar nanoparticles under different stimuli were represented.

A class of azo and Schiff base derivatives with different click reagents were characterized by PA imaging and photothermal (PT) experiments. The molecule with best PT effect was loaded into a temperature-stimuli-sensitive amphiphilic block copolymer which demonstrated the capability of releasing the polymers under the near-infrared (NIR) light of 650 nm.

The PA and PT effects of a series of azo and Schiff base derivatives with different click reagents were characterized. Introducing the click reagent F4-TCNQ can result in red shift of peaks of PA intensity. Stimulated with 650 nm laser irradiation, the polymer processed higher release rate than being stimulated by temperature stimuli.

This paper not only guides the design of NIR dyes with good PA intensity but also provides a method which has great potential for the application of NIR photothermal dyes in the field of biotechnology for controlled release.

This paper uses click reagents to modify azo and Schiff derivatives and an amphiphilic block copolymer under NIR light to realize controlled release.

A series of sulfate-based Gemini anionic surfactants were synthesized via etherification, ring opening and sulfation reactions using epichlorohydrin, fatty alcohol, ethylene glycol and chlorosulfonic acid as the main raw materials. Orthogonal experiments for 1,8-bisalkoxymethylene-3,6-dioxin-1,8-octane disulfate were performed on the sulfation reaction to determine the optimal reaction conditions.

A series of sulfate-based Gemini anionic surfactants were synthesized via etherification, ring opening and sulfation reactions using epichlorohydrin, fatty alcohol, ethylene glycol and chlorosulfonic acid as the main raw materials. Orthogonal experiments for 1,8-bisalkoxymethylene-3,6-dioxin-1,8-octane disulfate were performed on the sulfation reaction to determine the optimal reaction conditions. The structures of the intermediate and final products were characterized by FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis), ¹H-NMR (proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) methods. The thermal performance of surfactants was analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The thermogravimetric results showed that the sulfate-based Gemini surfactants had good heat resistance (the thermal decomposition temperature of which was in the range of 140∼170?). The Krafft point, surface tension, foaming, Hydrophile–Lipophile Balance Number (HLB), emulsifying, wetting, and lime-soap dispersing performance were measured by visual observation, hanging drop method, aqueous surfactant solution method and Borghetti–Bergman method, respectively. The results have shown that all the sulfate-based Gemini surfactants had good water solubility and lime-soap dispersing ability. When spacer group was -(CH2)2-, with the increase of the carbon chain length from C12 to C14, the micellar concentration critical micelle concentration and surface tension (CMC) gradually increased from 8.25 × 10^–4 mol/L to 8.75 × 10^–4 mol/L and 27.5 mN/m to 30.9 mN/m, respectively. Also, the sulfate-based Gemini surfactants with the different length of the spacer group had a different effect on their performance on foaming properties and foam properties, HLB and emulsifying ability and wetting ability.

In view of the important role of the spacer group and the general use of anionic surfactants in oil fields, this article considers the preparation of a series of sulfate-based Gemini surfactants by changing the spacer group and the chain length of the hydrophobic group and evaluating their surface activity, and finally its Kraffi, on the foam properties, HLB value, emulsifying performance, lime soap dispersing ability etc.

Sulfate-based Gemini surfactants have broad application prospects in the fields of oil and gas exploitation, environmental protection, chemistry and daily chemical industry and so on.

The purpose of this paper is to show how to remove some dyestuffs, as pollutants, from their aqueous solutions.

To achieve the goal, a water soluble hyperbranched poly (ester‐amide) (HBP) was synthesised using the melt polycondensation method by the reaction of maleic anhydride (MA) and diisopropanol amine (DIPA) at 140°C at a molar ratio of 1:1.3 MA: DIPA, respectively. This HBP was incorporated in the preparation of an effective microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)/dimethyloldihydroxyethylene urea (DMDHEU)/HBP adduct by crosslinking HBP with DMDHEU in presence of MCC. Furthermore, the prepared adduct was characterised by investigation its infra red and then utilised in the removal of three anionic dyestuffs from aqueous solutions, namely Irgalan Blau 3GL (an acid dye), SIRIUS Blau S‐BRR (a direct dye) and Levafix Brill Orange P‐GR (a hydrolysed reactive dye).

The results obtained revealed that the optimum conditions for preparing MCC/DMDHEU/HBP adduct are [HBP], 90 g/l; [DMDHEU], 200 g/l; LR, 1/3.3; [NC₄LH], 20 g/l; a time of 30 min and a temperature of 160°C. Moreover, the results also showed that the extent of removal of such dyestuffs from their aqueous solutions by the prepared adduct follows the order: reactive dye>acid dye>direct dye, it is more pronounced at lower than at higher pH values and the removal of each dye by that adduct follows a first‐order reaction.

Other substrates such as chitosan can be used to prepare more effective adducts.

Hyperbranched polymers can be used effectively to prepare ion exchangers capable of removing the pollutants of dyestuffs from their aqueous solutions.

The aforementioned prepared HBP is a novel hyperbranched polymer and could be applied in the removal of many other pollutants.

The purpose of this study is to address consumer’s preference of natural pigments over synthetic ones and their use in various product developments rather than using synthetic colours. A budding interest of using natural pigments has made researchers to explore several techniques for their stabilization and application in different food products.

In this review, four major natural pigments with potential health benefits have been studied. Betalins, carotenoids, anthocyanins and chlorophylls, in spite of having excellent bio-functional and therapeutic profile, are found to be unstable. Therefore, various nanoencapsulation techniques are used to increase their stability along with their therapeutic properties.

Nanoencapsulation of natural pigments improves their stability, their effect on therapeutic properties and their application in different food products. These findings could be attributed to the encapsulating material as it acts as a barrier and ushers changes in the matrix of natural pigments. Also, nanoencapsulation not only increases stability but also provides several health benefits such as anti-inflammation, anti-cancer, anti-allergic and anti-thrombotic properties.

This paper highlights the openings for the use of nanoencapsulation of natural pigments to stabilize them and use them as a potential colourant and functional ingredient in different food products. Phenols, carotenoids and antioxidant activity are the major factors that are responsible for promoting several health benefits.

Miniaturized smart sensors that can perform sensitive and selective real-time monitoring of target analytes are tremendously valuable for various sensing applications. So, the purpose of this paper is to provide details of sensors based on selective nanocoatings by combining trinitrotoluene (TNT) receptors bound to conjugated polydiacetylene (PDA) polymers with single-walled carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNTFETs) for detecting explosives TNT.

Following an introduction, this paper describes the way of creating an FET with CNTs, which are functionalized by the peptide based on TNT molecule recognition elements and PDA, to offer a system which has the capability of answering the presence of related target molecules (TNT). Finally, brief conclusions are drawn.

Single-wall nanotubes and reduced graphene oxide are interesting materials for creating biosensors of FETs at nanoscale because of unique electrical, mechanical, geometrical and biocompatible properties. Therefore, this sensor is designed and manufactured, and the results of applying TNT to sensor show good sensitivity and selectivity response.

In this timeframe of history, sensors based on CNTFET are required for different uses, including clinical diagnosis technologies, environmental tests and bioterrorism recognition technologies, that correspond to the military conflicts and terrorism. So, CNTFET sensor design provides real-time detection of TNT explosives.

This paper aims to prepare highly hydrophobic films on aluminum AA3003 using myristic acid (MA) and evaluate its corrosion protection efficiency in a low-chloride solution.

The aluminum surface was initially treated with boiling water to develop a porous nanostructure, and then surface modification was carried out in ethanolic solutions with different concentrations of MA. The surface morphology, wetting behavior and film composition were first characterized, and then, the corrosion behavior was evaluated with electrochemical techniques.

The best hydrophobicity and corrosion resistance were obtained with 50 mM of MA. For such concentration, a water contact angle of 140° and protective efficiency of 96% were achieved. A multilayer structure was revealed by scanning electron microscope and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

The results of this work shed light on the anticorrosion performance of fatty acid self-assembled multilayers on the surface of Al–Mn alloys.