Tags: Materials Chemistry and Nanoscience Seminar


Exploring Chitosan-Based Films: A Sustainable Alternative to Synthetic Plastic Packaging

In the quest for sustainable solutions to mitigate the environmental impact of synthetic plastic packaging, Chitosan-based films have emerged as a promising alternative. This review highlights the multifaceted attributes of Chitosan, a biopolymer derived from chitin, emphasizing its antimicrobial properties, modifiability, and biodegradability, which collectively contribute to its efficacy in packaging applications. Chitosan's inherent…


Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity (PIMs): Synthesis and Application

Porous polymers represent a class of materials wherein the arrangement of their constituent building blocks gives rise to intricate 2- or 3-dimensional porous structures. Among these, Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity (PIMs) stand out as a distinct category characterized by their randomly contorted shapes, preventing efficient macromolecular packing in the solid state, therefore resulting in the formation of pores. The porosity of PIMs,…


An Interplay Between Pressure, Composition, and Magnetism

The significance of magnetic materials has grown exponentially with the technological advances achieved over the past few decades. These materials have become integral to daily life, with applications that span from decorative purposes to data storage. However, despite their abundance, magnetism remains a largely underexplored area. This lack of understanding can be attributed largely to the complexity of magnetic systems and the intricacy…


7-Dehydrocholesterol Encapsulated Lipid Nanoparticles as a Radiation-activated Radiosensitizer

The pursuit of therapeutics that can be selectively activated by radiation to enhance radiotherapy's efficacy is a pressing need. In this study, we utilized 7-Dehydrocholesterol (7DHC), a biosynthetic precursor of cholesterol, as a lipid targeted radiation-induced radiosensitizer (RIRS) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). 7DHC, reacting with radiation-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS), initiates a radical chain reaction with…


A Century of Teaching Inorganic Chemistry

Over the past century, the teaching of undergraduate inorganic chemistry has experienced a roller coaster of implementation. Starting with a separation from general chemistry, to recombination, then overall neglect, inorganic chemistry content and instruction have had a dynamic influence in the world of chemical education. With curriculum changes beginning in the late 1920s, American Chemical Society (ACS) guidelines have been continually…


Guest Speaker: Dr. Andrey Zakharchenko

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Heart valve disease is life-threatening in which heart valves do not function properly. Surgery is required to repair or replace the damaged valve for severe valve disease. Bioprosthetic heart valves are made from animal-derived materials, such as bovine pericardium (BP) or porcine heart valves, often work for many years in adults. However, when used in children, they tend to fail as…


Advances in Red Blood Cell-based Biomimetic Carriers for Drug Delivery

The evolution of drug delivery systems in the past decades has held great promise for enhancing efficacy of pharmacological agents, however, premature clearance from the circulation, toxic bioaccumulation, and inefficient site-specific delivery are still the major barriers to successful clinical translations. Bioinspired carriers possess natural components similar to the host, and hence are more biocompatible, less toxic, and less immunogenic.…


Self-healing Polymers: Characteristics and Applications

The replacement of construction materials such as pipelines, coatings, and seals and biomedical materials such as wound dressings and dental fillings is costly and time consuming. Oftentimes, such inconvenience could be avoided if the lifespan of the materials can be prolonged. Self-healing polymers are promising alternatives and solutions to these materials in some of the important fields including construction, commercial product, biomedical…


Suture Materials: Current and Emerging Trends

Sutures are special threads used in surgical procedures to enable closing and healing of surgical or trauma-induced wounds by upholding tissues together to facilitate healing process. Versatile suture materials are available for medical purpose. However, no single suture material is considered ideal for all situations, requiring clinicians to balance various properties when choosing a material for a particular application. Recent advancements…


Ultra-Low Fouling Coatings for Antimicrobial Biomaterials

Antimicrobial coatings are a promising route to prevent healthcare-acquired microbial infections caused by bacterial pathogens in medical contexts.1 To solve the problem of microbial biofouling, surfaces that can passively resist bacterial adhesion have been investigated. Surfaces with unique wetting phenomena have been proposed to reduce general biofouling, but to date, mainly superhydrophobic surfaces, surfaces that prevent water adhesion…
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