Fabrication of superhydrophobic and antibacterial surface on cotton fabric by doped silica-based sols with nanoparticles of copper

The study discussed the synthesis of silica sol using the sol-gel method, doped with two different amounts of Cu nanoparticles. Cotton fabric samples were impregnated by the prepared sols and then dried and cured. To block hydroxyl groups, some samples were also treated with hexadecyltrimethoxysilane. The average particle size of colloidal silica nanoparticles were measured by the particle size analyzer. The morphology, roughness, and hydrophobic properties of the surface fabricated on cotton samples were analyzed and compared via the scanning electron microscopy, the transmission electron microscopy, the scanning probe microscopy, with static water contact angle (SWC), and water shedding angle measurements. Furthermore, the antibacterial efficiency of samples was quantitatively evaluated using AATCC 100 method. The addition of 0.5% (wt/wt) Cu into silica sol caused the silica nanoparticles to agglomerate in more grape-like clusters on cotton fabrics. Such fabricated surface revealed the highest value of SWC (155° for a 10-μl droplet) due to air trapping capability of its inclined structure. However, the presence of higher amounts of Cu nanoparticles (2% wt/wt) in silica sol resulted in the most slippery smooth surface on cotton fabrics. All fabricated surfaces containing Cu nanoparticles showed the perfect antibacterial activity against both of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria

Collapsibility Prediction of Stabilized Soil with Styrene-Butadiene Rubber Polymer Using ANFIS

Collapsible soils are among the problematic soils in nature that, due to moisture content increasing and under the same stress, show a high rate of decrease in volume. This volume reduction leads to loss of soil structure and ultimately to significant subsidence. Such soils in many parts of the world, including the Kerman province of Iran, necessitate researches regarding the collapsible soils\u27 behavior and characteristics. This study aims to investigate the effect of butadiene rubber on the stabilization of collapsible soils. The tested fine-grained soils that have been sampled from two different sites were stabilized through injecting different percentages of butadiene (the number of experiments was 84). The ASTM D5333 Double-Consolidation Method was applied to examine the stabilized soils on intact soil samples. The results show that the penetrations of butadiene rubber and the formation of butadiene rubber columns have led to a reduction in soil collapse. Considering the development of intelligent systems using the prediction behavior of stabilized collapsible soils, the adaptive neural-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) model was used to predict the degree of collapsibility of soil samples stabilized by injection of Styrene Butadiene Rubber

Novel polyvinyl chloride composite via hybrid metal-organic framework grafted polyethyleneimine and layered double hydroxide incorporation: Thermal, rheological, and electrical properties

Improving the heat stabilization of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is of great importance, particularly for its use in electrical insulation. In this study, a novel zeolitic imidazole framework (ZIF-8) was modified using polyethyleneimine (PEI) and layered double hydroxide (LDH) to create a new PVC heat stabilizer. The heat stability of PVC was analyzed using oven, Congo red, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) tests, with the dosage of modified ZIF-8 found to have a significant impact on PVC's heat stability (increasing from 33 to 58 min). Additionally, con-calorimetry was performed to evaluate the effect of LDH modification on ZIF-8′s flame retardancy, revealing that LDH delayed flame emission from 255 to 560 s. Lastly, volume resistance and mechanical tests were conducted to assess the effect of the novel ZIF-8 modification on PVC compound properties

The application of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers for modification of jute yarns: Preparation and dyeing properties

In this study, poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) G-2 dendrimer was used for jute yarn. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed that all carbonyl groups of jute fibers reacted with amino groups of polyamidoamine dendrimers. SEM observation indicated the good dispersion PAMAM dendrimers. Jute yarns pretreated with PAMAM dendrimer displayed markedly enhanced color strength with reactive dyes, even when dyeing had been carried out in the absence of electrolyte or alkali. Dendrimer-treated jute yarn showed much better light-fastness than untreated jute yarn

Transdermal drug delivery system of lidocaine hydrochloride based on dissolving gelatin/sodium carboxymethylcellulose microneedles

Abstract In this study, it was aimed to introduce a transdermal drug delivery system with dissolving microneedles (DMNs) based on gelatin (GEL) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) for lidocaine hydrochloride (LidoHCl) delivery. Different ratios of GEL and NaCMC were mixed, loaded with an active agent of LidoHCl, and treated with glutaraldehyde (GTA) as a crosslinker agent. Prepared hydrogels were cast into a silicon mold. Hereby, microneedles (MNs) with 500 µm height, 35° needle angle, 40-µm tip radius, and 960-µm tip-to-tip distance were fabricated. Samples containing LidoHCl 40%, GEL/NaCMC 5:1 (wt/wt), and polymer/GTA ratio 3.1 (wt/wt) showed the highest drug release ability (t < 10 min) with proper mechanical properties in comparison with other samples. Due to the drug release in a short time (fewer than 10 min), this drug delivery system can be used for rapid local anesthesia for pain relief as well as before minor skin surgeries. Graphical Abstrac

Investigation on nano microbial cellulose/honey composite for medical application

The overall purpose of this study is to investigate the plausibility of employing honey impregnated nano microbial cellulose (NMC) produced in Hestrin-Schramm media as a novel wound dressing. In the initial stage, three predominant characteristics of thyme, Astragalus, and Ziziphus honey including pH, total soluble solids as well as hydrogen peroxide content were assessed. In the second stage, the zone of inhibition diameters for Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and Staphylococcus aureus ( S. S.areous ) were examined respectively. Meanwhile, ATR-FTIR, XRD, and SEM were applied to study the chemical, physical structures, and surface morphology of NMC pellicle. In addition, Air permeability and wettability of samples were studied. The obtained results revealed that in spite of possessing the lowest amount of hydrogen peroxide, thyme honey had the uppermost antibacterial property. Furthermore, wettability and sinking time of treated NMC with thyme honey were 43% and 49% higher than the untreated NMC respectively and purified dry raw cellulose had 11% higher air permeability than dry raw cellulose in 400 Pa. According to the results, the treated NMC with thyme honey has a high potential to be applied in the medical field as a novel wound dressing

A Review on Application of Phase Change Materials in Textiles Finishing

Fabric as the first and most common layer that is in permanent contact with human skin is a very good interface to provide coverage, as well as heat and cold insulation. Phase change materials (PCMs) are organic and inorganic compounds which have the capability of absorbing and releasing noticeable amounts of latent heat during phase transitions between solid and liquid phases at a low temperature range. PCMs come across phase changes (liquid-solid and solid-liquid transitions) during absorbing and releasing thermal heat; so, in order to use them for a long time, they should have been encapsulated in polymeric shells, so-called microcapsules. Microencapsulation and nanoencapsulation methods have been developed in order to reduce the reactivity of a PCM with outside environment, promoting the ease of handling, decreasing the diffusion and evaporation rates. Methods of incorporation of PCMs in textiles such as electrospinning and determining thermal properties had been summarized. Paraffin waxes catch a lot of attention due to their high thermal storage density, repeatability of phase change, thermal stability, small volume change during phase transition, chemical stability, non-toxicity, non-flammability, non-corrosive and low cost and they seem to play a key role in confronting with climate change and global warming. In this article, we aimed to review the researches concentrating on the characteristics of PCMs and new materials and methods of microencapsulation

The Evaluation of Antimicrobial Effect of Alpha-Cellulose Nanofibers Based on Wheat Bran with Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride on Staphylococcus Aureus

Background and Aim: The purpose of this research is to provide nanofibers from cellulose with Wheat bran as an agricultural residue and its antimicrobial activity by dipping ciprofloxacin hydrochloride on Staphylococcus aureus. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, cellulose disks were prepared from nano-impregnated fiber. Subsequently, these disks were placed on Staphylococcus aureus with standard paper disks and the results were measured as a non-growth zone after 24 hours. The amount of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride adsorbed in cellulose by comparing the effect of cellulosic discs containing different concentrations of antibiotics and standard ciprofloxacin disks was determined. Subsequently, the evaluation of the time of recovery of the ulcer in the skin of the rats was carried out with the drug-mediated formulation and without drug. Findings: The disk (nano alpha-cellulosic) dipped by ciprofloxacin hydrochloride created a non-growth zone in Staphylococcus aureus. Measuring the size of the wound was done by digital imaging and the ImageJ software. The results of the recovery process were analyzed by ANOVA and pathological tests in five days. Conclusion: The results showed that the nano-fibers disk could be useful in controlling bacteria in the culture medium, and the area of the wounds in rats (rats) dressed with nano-fibers impregnated with the drug was significantly less than the control group (p <0.05)

A burden assessment of occupational exposures in Iran, 1990–2010: Findings from the global burden of disease study 2010

Background: The present study describes the burden of occupational diseases in Iran based on the results of the Global Burden of Disease study conducted in 2010 (GBD 2010). This study aimed to determine the burden of occupational diseases in Iran based on the results of GBD 2010. It is a cross-sectional study. Methods: Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of occupational diseases were calculated based on the prevalence rates obtained through model estimation, as well as GBD 2010 disability weights and mortality rates obtained from different data registry systems of Iran. Causal association criteria application to select risk outcome pairs, estimation of exposure to each risk factor in the population, estimation of etiological effect size, selection of a counterfactual exposure distribution, risk assessment, and identification of burden attributable to each risk factor were the main conducted statistical steps. Results: There was an increasing trend of DALYs (710.08/100,000 people in 1990 and 833.00/100,000 people in 2005) followed by a slight decrease (833.00/100,000 in 2005–784.55/100,000 people in 2010). A total of 50.4% and 36% of total DALYs per 100,000 people were due to the adverse effects of musculoskeletal disorders and work-related injuries, respectively. Conclusions: Musculoskeletal disorders and work-related injuries are the most important adverse consequences of work-related risks that require urgent interventions to be controlled. Male workers (15–25 years and over 60) with the highest DALYs and mortality rates need more training programs, safety regulations, and higher level of protection support. In spite the decreasing trend of occupational disease related DALYs and death rates in Iran in recent years, a long-term effort is required to maintain the currently decreasing trend