PDMS

Abstract(#br)Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film was treated with RF low-pressure plasmas (LPPs) made of mixtures of oxygen and argon for increasing surface polarity, minimizing hydrophobic recovery (i.e. retard ageing) and increasing adhesion to acrylic adhesive tape for medical use. Statistical design of experiments has been used for determining the most influencing experimental parameters of the LPP treatment of PDMS. Water contact angle values (measured 24\u003cce:hsp sp=\"0.25\"/\u003eh after treatment) and the O/C ratio obtained from XPS experiments were used as response variables.

Abstract(#br)Direct chemical bonding of biomolecules to the surface of chemically inert polymers such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is not easily achieved. Therefore, pre-activation of such materials, followed by attachment of the biomolecule is necessary.(#br)This paper describes a procedure to functionalize a PDMS surface by oxygen-based plasma followed by the adhesion of collagen type I for the preparation of adhesive-free bilayer composite intended as skin substitute.

Abstract(#br)We report the development of magnetic nanocomposite sheets with superhydrophobic and supeoleophilic surfaces generated by laser ablation. Polydimethylsiloxane elastomer free-standing films, loaded homogeneously with 2% wt. carbon coated iron nanoparticles, were ablated by UV (248\u003cce:hsp sp=\"0.25\"/\u003enm), nanosecond laser pulses. The laser irradiation induces chemical and structural changes (both in micro- and nano-scale) to the surfaces of the nanocomposites rendering them superhydrophobic.

Abstract(#br)A method employing one kind of material both for the construction of rough morphology and the chemical modification is called self-modification by us, which has not been reported in fabricating superhydrophobic surfaces so far. In this paper, taking candle soot as an intermediate, we created rough, superhydrophilic and transparent surfaces on glass trough calcination of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) at 550\u003cce:hsp sp=\"0.25\"/\u003e°C.

Abstract(#br)We reported a novel, simple, modification-free process for the preparation of transparent superhydrophobic surfaces by calcining candle-soot-coated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films. Though a calcination process, a candle soot template was gradually removed while robust fibrous and network structures were created on glass. Owing to these structures, the glass substrates were durable and highly transparent with an average transmittance (400–800\u003cce:hsp sp=\"0.25\"/\u003enm) of 89.50%, very closed to the bare glass slides (89.70%).

Abstract(#br)The solubility and diffusivity of several liquid species in crosslinked polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films were determined with a gravimetric method at 35\u003cce:hsp sp=\"0.25\"/\u003e°C. The series of liquids considered includes alkanes (from n-C 5 to n-C 18 ; cyclo-C 6 ), water, acetone, alcohols (ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, iso-butanol, tert-butanol, 1-pentanol, 1-hexanol), terpenes (squalene, limonene, linalool, geraniol) and edible oils with different oleic acid contents.

Abstract(#br)The multicomponent solubility of mixed liquid species in crosslinked poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) films was determined with a gravimetric method at 35\u003cce:hsp sp=\"0.25\"/\u003e°C. The series of binary liquid mixtures considered is formed by one non volatile and one volatile component: the latter can be acetone, n-pentane or tert-butanol. Acetone and n-pentane were mixed, separately, with vegetable oil and oleic acid; acetone has been also mixed with squalene and n-pentane with n-eicosane, while tert-butanol was mixed with poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) 400.

Abstract(#br)Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), generated from the oil extraction process, possesses high Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). POME can be treated in an efficient bioreactor under controlled conditions to produce high value biohydrogen mixture containing CO 2. The H 2 existence in the valuable gas mixture (in a reasonable quantity) could be used as a clean energy source for renewable energy i.e., in hydrogen fuel cell. CO 2 presence in fuel cell causes CO 2 poisoning and affects its performance.

Abstract(#br)The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is a critical material property that represents the dimensional stability of a material under thermal loading. For soft materials such as elastomers, accurate measurement of the CTE is challenging due to the severe local deformation of the specimen in contact with the measuring apparatus. In this paper, a contact-free CTE measurement method is introduced for soft polymers using three-dimensional digital image correlation. The accuracy of the method was validated using various reference materials.

Abstract(#br)Sensing and stimulating microstructures are necessary to develop more specialized and highly accurate Organ-on-Chip (OOC) platforms. In this paper, we present the integration of a conductive polymer, poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), on a stretchable membrane, core element of an Heart-on-Chip.