Chao Chiung Huang

Novel Manufacturing Process for Tencel/Chitosan/Pectin Composite Dressing

The treatment for wound is a common issue in nursing procedure. Especially in serious wound, the treatment for wound usually spends many costs and time. Generally, wound dressing is used to protect the wound from bacterial infection in the intervening period between hospitalization and grafting. The pectin and chitosan are natural polymers that have biocompatibility and biodegradability, and pectin and chitosan can be easy obtainment and low cost. Tencel is a regenerated fiber. The Tencel fibers are biodegradable and hydrophilic, and have stable capability of dimension. Therefore, if the pectin and chitosan can be properly developed and combine with the tencel fabric for dressing use, the cost and time for wound treatment could be effective reduction. The absorbent cotton fibers were blended with the tencel fibers to create the cotton/Tencel nonwoven substance using nonwoven manufacturing technique. Chitosan will be electrospun on the Tencel nonwoven substance to create chitosan/Tencel composite nonwoven fabric. Furthermore, the surface structure of chitosan/Tencel composite nonwoven was observed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine spinning ability of chitosan. Additionally, the pectin solution was blended with calcium chloride solution. Then pectin blended solution was coated on the optimal chitosan/Tencel composite nonwoven fabric by using mesh printing technique to prepare composite dressing. The result shown the Tencel/chitosan/pectin composite dressing has good capabilities of water absorbency and evaporative water loss. This study showed that a novel process for medical dressing was useful, and the composite dressing had an advantage property on wound healing and protection.

Preparation and evaluation of artificial bone complex material: chitosan/polylactic complex braids

Polymer has been widely applied in the biomedical field. In this study, degradable polylactic complex yarns are twisted and braided by a 16-spindle braid machine; therefore, a polylactic complex braid fabric, an artificial bone material, was prepared. Different experimental parameters were conducted to examine the complex braid fabric’s mechanical property. chitosan was coated onto the polylactic braid as a membrane. The modified chitosan produced a functional group existing on its surface. This polylactic complex braid was immersed in the simulated body fluid to observe Hap. When the modified chitosan/polylactic complex braid was immersed in the simulated body fluid for 21 days, the overall hydroxyapatite was in sphere shape as previous studies had argued.Polymer has been widely applied in the biomedical field. In this study, degradable polylactic complex yarns are twisted and braided by a 16-spindle braid machine; therefore, a polylactic complex braid fabric, an artificial bone material, was prepared. Different experimental parameters were conducted to examine the complex braid fabric’s mechanical property. chitosan was coated onto the polylactic braid as a membrane. The modified chitosan produced a functional group existing on its surface. This polylactic complex braid was immersed in the simulated body fluid to observe Hap. When the modified chitosan/polylactic complex braid was immersed in the simulated body fluid for 21 days, the overall hydroxyapatite was in sphere shape as previous studies had argued.

Manufacturing Technique of Stab-Resistant Laminated Composite Nonwoven Fabrics

In this study, the nonwoven composites were made of high strength nylon 6 staples and low-melting-point polyester staples using needle-punching and thermal-bonding. By tensile strength test and constant-rate stab resistance test, the optimum parameters of the composites were obtained for developing and designing the stab-resistant nonwoven composites. The optimum experimental conditions for the nonwoven composites were as follows: the temperature for thermal-bonding was 150 °C; and the wheel speed of thermal compression was 0.5 m/min.

Manufacturing Process of Sound Absorption Composite Planks

In this study, the basic material for sound absorption was porous nonwoven made of polyester nonwoven and low-melting polyester fiber. Nonwoven was then attached with foam polyurethane as composite plank for sound absorption and sound isolation. We used two microphone impedance tubes for sound absorption test and INSTRON 5566 mechanical testing machine for tensile test. The optimum sound absorption coefficients as 0.67 ± 0.008 was obtained when density of foam polyurethane was 1.0 Kg/m3 with thickness of 20 mm; Polyester nonwoven were 9 layers; and low-melting polyester fiber was 30 wt% with thickness of 10 mm. Specimens obtained the maximum fracture stress when it contained low-melting polyester fiber at 30~40 wt%. The results of this study could be applied in the partitions inside ships, vehicles or buildings.

Processing Technique and Property Evaluation of Stab-Resistant Composite Fabrics

In this research, the nonwoven fabrics were made of 50 % high-tenacity polyester fiber and 50 % low melting polyester fiber, after which the nonwoven fabrics were thermal-treated at 110 °C, 120 °C, 130 °C, 140 °C and 150 °C for 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 4 min and 5 min. Next, two layers of nonwoven fabrics were laminated with a layer glass (GF) fiber plain fabric or a layer of Nylon 66 grid, forming the sandwich structure. The nonwoven/ GF composite fabrics and the nonwoven/ Nylon 66 grid composite fabrics were also reinforced by needle-punching and thermal treatment, after which the two composite fabrics were measured with tensile strength and stab-resistant strength. Meanwhile, two layers of nonwoven fabrics needle-punched served as the control group. According to the results, Nylon 66 grid and glass fibers plain fabrics were both good at strengthening, the former reinforced the tensile strength of the composite fabrics and the later heightened the stab-resistant strength of the composite fabrics.

Preparation and Characterization of Polyester Fibers/Absorbent Cotton Composite Dressing Matrix Fabrics

In this study, the polyester fiber (PET) and absorbent cotton (AC) blend was needle-bonded to make the nonwoven PET/AC composite wound dressing matrix fabrics. The combined advantages of mechanical strength due to PET and water absorption due to AC make the composite nonwoven an attracting wound dressing matrix fabric. We examined physical features, such as mechanical properties, air permeability, softness, water imbibition, and water absorption rate, of the nonwovens made of different blending ratios of PET and AC. We found that while the strength and air permeability were slightly reduced at blending ratio of 80:20, the water imbibition increased about 1.6 cm for the same nonwoven. The results suggested that the optimal blending ratio for the nonwoven to be used as a wound dressing matrix is 80:20.

Evaluation of the Preparation and Biocompatibility of Poly(vinyl Alcohol)(PVA)/Chitosan Composite Electrospun Membranes

Electrospinning has been used in a wide variety of applications, such as tissue engineering, filtration and biomaterial scaffolds for vascular grafts or wound dressings. Recently, wound dressings have become more important in human life. They must have the superior biocompatibility, water absorption, water vapor permeation and antibacterial ability. Chitosan has been employed in clinical applications and exhibits excellent biocompatibility, biodegradation and bacteriostasis. In this investigation OR study, experiments were performed on a series of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/Chitosan (CS) fiber membranes at various blend ratios and electric fields to evaluate their spinnability. The morphology, diameter and structure of electrospun nanofibers were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). When PVA/Chitosan=80:20 and electric field=0.67 kV/cm, the spinnability of electrospun membrane was good. IR spectra demonstrated strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds between the molecules of Chitosan and PVA. Furthermore, cell cultures demonstrate that both PAV and chitosan have good biocompatibility and are non-toxic.

Manufacturing Processing of Polylactic Acid Braids as Artificial Bone Matrix

In this study, the PLA plied yarn was fabricated by twisting four of PLA yarns together, then PLA plied yarn was used a 16-spindle braid machine to produce the PLA braids. PLA braids were immersed in the suspension of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), and heat treatment to improve the adhesion of β-TCP particles. PLA/β-TCP composite braids were immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) to promote bonelike apatite production. The morphology of PLA braids were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the results shown that when twist coefficient was 3 of PLA plied yarn, the concentration of β-TCP suspension was 0.15 wt % and heat treatment at 175 °C for 9 min, we can obtain the optimal conditions of β-TCP particles adhesion.

Preparation and characterization of low-methoxyl pectin/bletilla striata composite membranes

The skin is the largest organ in the body composed of the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue through the latter it is integrated with deeper tissues. The major function of the skin is to shield out attacks, acting as a barrier. The skin can trigger a series of self-healing procedure when it is damaged. The healing process can be divided into three phases: inflammatory, tissue hyperplasia, and tissue reconstruction. Particularly during tissue hyperplasia, fibroblast proliferation and collagen deposition play important roles in the healing. The healing could be accelerated if wound dressing can be properly applied. An ideal wound dressing is capable of absorbing tissue fluid, keeping the wound moistured, stopping bleeding, attaching to the wound surface properly without sticking to the wound tissues, protecting the wound from infection, and accelerating the wound recovery. In this study, the composite membranes was made by adding mixed solutions of low-methoxyl pectin and Bletilla striata, which is a traditional Chinese medicine, into calcium chloride solution. The low-methoxyl pectin is cross-linked with calcium ions, forming a hydrogel. Membranes of varying ratio of the low-methoxyl pectin and Bletilla striata were prepared seeking for the optimal manufacturing parameters to use to investigate its effects on the water stability, water retention, contact angle and degree of swelling of the composite membranes. The results showed that when the ratio of low-methoxyl pectin solutioin (2 wt%) and Bletilla striata extract is 80/20 was added into 40 ml of 0.3 wt% calcium chloride solution, the composite membrane had the optimal performance in terms of the water stability, water retention, and swelling.

Manufacturing Technique of Sound-Absorbent PET/TPU Composites

Five testing matrixes were prepared to test with sound absorption, tensile strength, and thermal conductivity respectively. The low-melting-point (low-Tm) polyester (PET) fibers were blended with weight ratios (10 wt%, 20 wt%, 30 wt%, 40 wt% and 50 wt %) with PET staples, forming the PET nonwoven fabrics. The thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) was thermal bounded with the nonwoven fabrics with different lamination number to examine the sound absorption rate, creating the PET/ TPU composites. Afterward, four sets of samples – PET nonwoven fabrics and PET/ TPU composites with TPU films laminated on the front, in the middle, and on the rear of the composites, were compared. PET/ TPU composite with TPU film laminated in the middle exhibited the optimum sound absorption; moreover, 30 wt% was proved to be the optimum parameter of the low-Tm PET fibers for the PET/ TPU composites.