Environmental Molecular Effect on the Macroscale Friction Behaviors of Graphene

This study investigated the friction behavior of graphene in air and nitrogen atmosphere environments. The microstructural evolution caused by the variation of atmosphere environments and its effect on the friction coefficient of the graphene is explored. It is demonstrated that graphene can exhibit excellent lubricating properties both in air and nitrogen atmosphere environments. In air, a highly ordered layer-by-layer slip structure can be formed at the sliding interface. Oxygen and H2O molecules can make edge dangling bonds and defects passive. Thus the interaction between the nanosheets and the layers of nanosheets is weak and the friction coefficient is low (0.06–0.07). While the friction coefficient increases to 0.14–0.15 in a nitrogen atmosphere due to the interaction of defects generated in the sliding process, the nitrogen molecules with lone pair electrons can only make the nanosheets passive to a certain degree, thus the ordered slip structure is destroyed and friction is higher. This work reveals the influence of environmental molecules on the macroscale tribological performances of graphene and its effect on the microstructure at the sliding interface, which could shed light on the lubricating performance of graphene in environmental atmospheres and help us to understand the tribological behaviors of graphite at the macroscale

Metabolism of Bis(4-fluorobenzyl)trisulfide and Its Formation of Hemoglobin Adduct in Rat Erythrocytes

ABSTRACT Bis(4-fluorobenzyl)trisulfide (BFBTS) is a promising new antitumor agent under investigation. It was metabolized rapidly in vivo in rat, but the metabolic fate and primary site of metabolism have not been clarified. In this study, we investigated the role of blood in the metabolism of BFBTS and compared the BFBTS metabolic potencies in whole blood, plasma, and red blood cells (RBCs) in vitro. Three major metabolites of BFBTS [bis(4-fluorobenzyl) disulfide, para-fluorobenzyl-mercaptan, and para-fluorobenzoic acid] were detected in RBCs and whole blood. Significant metabolism of BFBTS was observed in RBCs that were identified as the primary site of BFBTS metabolism. Thiols, including endogenous thiols and hemoglobin, were proven to be the critical factor in BFBTS metabolism. S-Fluorobenzylmercaptocysteine Hb (hemoglobin) adducts were characterized in vitro at BFBTS concentration of 250 mM and higher, whereas such Hb adducts were not detected in RBCs from Sprague-Dawley rats receiving a single intravenous injection of BFBTS at a high dose of 50 mg/kg. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry results revealed that adduction induced by BFBTS was prone to take place at Cys125 of globin b chains. Otherwise, glutathionylation of Hb was also observed that may be attributed to the oxidative effect of BFBTS. In summary, BFBTS was unstable when it met with thiols, and RBCs were the main site of BFBTS metabolism. Hb adducts induced by BFBTS could be detected in vitro at high concentration but not in vivo even at high dose

Identification of Three New N-Demethylated and O-Demethyled Bisbenzylisoquinoline Alkaloid Metabolites of Isoliensinine from Dog Hepatic Microsomes

Isoliensinine, a natural phenolic bisbenzyltetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid, has received considerable attention for its potential biological effects such as antioxidant and anti-HIV activities. From the dog hepatic microsomes of isoliensinine, three new N-demethylated and O-demethylated metabolites, 2-N-desmethyl-isoliensinine (M1), 2'-N-desmethylisoliensinine (M2), and 2'-N-6-O-didesmethylisoliensinine (M3), were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography and data-dependent electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Possible metabolic pathways for isoliensinine have been proposed. The result should prove very helpful for evaluation of the drug-like properties of isoliensinine and other bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids

Influence of fillers dispersion on friction and wear performance of solution styrene butadiene rubber composites

Development of structure-properties relationships between the fillers/rubber matrix interface chemistry and the dispersion and interfacial adhesion properties of the rubber composites is critical to predict their bulk mechanical and tribological properties. In this paper, three solution styrene butadiene rubber (SSBR) composites containing various fillers with tailored interfacial chemistry were prepared via conventional mixing technique. Subsequently, thermal and structural features of filled SSBR composites were monitored by TG, DSC, XRD, XPS, FESEM and TEM, respectively. Sliding contact experiments were conducted to study tribological properties of styrene butadiene rubber composites under dry and wet conditions. It was shown that the SSBR filled with silicon dioxide nanoparticles significantly reduced both the friction coefficient and the wear against marble block. On the contrary, it exhibited an increased friction coefficient and wear under wet friction conditions due to the specific superior wet-skid resistance of silicon dioxide nanopartilce filled rubber composites, a good dispersion of silicon dioxide nanopartilce in the rubber matrix and strong interfacial adhesion between nanoparticles and rubber matrix. In addition, the influence of fillers dispersion and interfacial adhesion on friction and wear of styrene butadiene rubber composites was evaluated employing theoretical calculation, and the predicted results were in agreement with the experimental observations. (c) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43589

Functionalized graphene-reinforced rubber composite: Mechanical and tribological behavior study

A functionalized graphene, fluorinated graphene nanosheets (FGS), and SiO2 nanoparticles as reinforcing fillers were employed to improve the mechanical properties of the solution styrene butadiene and butadiene rubber composites (SSBR-BR). The results showed that the mechanical properties of SSBR-BR composite filled with FGS were substantially improved than those of the unfilled and equivalent filler loaded graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) filled SSBR-BR composites. It can be ascribed to the fact that the hydrophobic surface of FGS can be endowed the good dispersion in rubber matrix and stronger interfacial interaction between rubber and fillers. The tribological properties of these composites are also investigated. The results reveal that incorporation of GO, rGO, and FGS in SSBR-BR composites can decrease antiwear properties because the existence of layered graphene promotes to tear and peel off. (C) 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Microstructural and component evolution of self-assembled nanoperiod multilayered carbon-copper films with deposition pressure

Here, we report a facile synthesis method for the fabrication of various nanoperiod multilayers in carbon-copper films only by conveniently changing the deposition pressure from the reactive magnetron sputter process. To obtain the nano-multilayered structure with different number of layers, only one single sputtering target of copper is used at gas pressure varied from 0.4 Pa to 1.2 Pa by flowing gas mixture of argon and methane, while 600W DC input power is applied to a copper target. The influence of deposition pressure on the microstructure and constitution of the films are investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The results show that carbon-rich layers and copper-rich layers are alternately arranged to self-organize the multilayered structure in the carbon-copper films, both of the carbon-rich layer and copper-rich layer constitute a period. The amount of layers in the multilayered structure is found to decrease with the deposition pressure, the film deposited with 0.4 Pa has the maximum layers and the highest copper content compared with the other deposition pressure. Effects of the growth condition on the growth rate, the number of the layers and the energy of plasmas during deposition process are discussed. Based on the (a) influence of the effect of carbon absorbed on the copper target leading to target poisoning, (b) influence of deposition pressure on the energy of etching ions and (c) the energetic ions bombardment enhanced inter diffusion of deposition ions, the mechanism of self-organized formation of nano-multilayer in the carbon-copper films with various number of layer is proposed

Understanding the mechanical and tribological properties of solution styrene butadiene rubber composites based on partially graphene oxide

Poor dispersion of graphene in non-polar polymer matrices creates composites with limited applications. A method to improve the dispersion of graphene in solution styrene butadiene (SSBR) and butadiene rubber (BR) via grafting polystyrene (PS) or poly(styrene-co-isoprene) (PSI) on the surface of graphene oxide (GO) is examined. Composites of SSBR-BR with graphene as well as SSBR-BR with GO-PS (or GO-PSI) were prepared by open-mill mixing and vulcanization. Improved dispersion of GO in SSBR-BR composites substantially increases both the tensile strength and the wear resistance properties compared to neat SSBR-BR composites at low loads. More importantly, the wear test results and corresponding wear mechanisms of the all SSBR-BR composites were discussed at different loads

QiDiTangShen granules alleviates diabetic nephropathy podocyte injury: A network pharmacology study and experimental validation in vivo and vitro

Background: QiDiTangShen granules (QDTS), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compound prescription, have remarkable efficacy in diabetic nephropathy (DN) patients, and their pharmacological mechanism needs further exploration. Methods: According to the active ingredients and targets of the QDTS in the TCMSP database, the network pharmacology of QDTS was investigated. The potential active ingredients were chosen based on the oral bioavailability and the drug similarity index. At the same time, targets for DN-related disease were obtained from GeneCards, OMIM, PharmGKB, TTD, and DrugBank. The TCM-component-target network and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were constructed with the Cytoscape and STRING platforms, respectively, and then the core targets of DN were selected with CytoNCA. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis using R software. Molecular docking to identify the core targets of QDTS for DN. In vivo, db/db mice were treated as DN models, and the urine microalbuminuria, the pathological changes in the kidney and the protein expression levels of p-PI3K, p-Akt, JUN, nephrin and synaptopodin were detected by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence method and Western blotting. After QDTS was used in vitro, the protein expression of mouse podocyte clone-5 (MPC5) cells was detected by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and Western blot. Results: Through network pharmacology analysis, 153 potential targets for DN in QDTS were identified, 19 of which were significant. The KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that QDTS might have therapeutic effects on IL-17, TNF, AGE-RAGE, PI3K-Akt, HIF-1, and EGFR through interfering with Akt1 and JUN. The main active ingredients in QDTS are quercetin, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol and kaempferol. Both in vivo and in vitro studies showed that QDTS could decrease the urine microalbuminuria and renal pathology of db/db mice, and alleviate podocyte injuries through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Conclusion: Through network pharmacology, in vivo and in vitro experiments, QDTS has been shown to improve the urine microalbuminuria and renal pathology in DN, and to reduce podocyte damage via the PI3K/Akt pathway