Małgorzata Jasiurkowska-Delaporte

Experimental and theoretical studies on the mechanism for chemical oxidation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes

In this study, the oxidation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) sonicated and/or refluxed in acids (H2SO4/HNO3) was investigated using a combination of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and ab initio computational methods. Sonication of the sample has the strongest effect, leading to the highest concentration of defects and carboxyl groups on the walls. Substantial correlations between treatment protocols, CNT size, and the types of chemical moieties are observed. Finally, based on experimental and computational results, we suggest the mechanism of the oxidation process for attaching the functional groups on the sidewalls.

Signatures of glass transition in partially ordered phases

Features of glass transition in liquid crystalline nematic and smectic E, B and IA phases of selected materials observed by means of the polarising microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) are reported. Evolution of cracking in the glass and a coincidence of its disappearance temperature with the glass transition temperature (Tg) on heating is shown and discussed in the context of processes that occur in the glass. The shape of temperature dependencies of absorption bands is shown as the signature of the glass transition.

Antimicrobial electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) scaffolds for gingival fibroblast growth

This study discusses the value of polymer electrospun materials in three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds and antibacterial wound dressings for potential dental applications. Polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers were used as bases for gingival fibroblast (HGF-1 cell line) growth. HGF-1 cells cultured on both types of nanofibers were found to have normal morphology and growth by selective staining of the nuclei and cytoskeleton. The nanofibers were synthesized on different collectors to obtain a random or parallel alignment. Cell growth was observed along the nanofibers. In addition, antibiotics were incorporated within the nanofibers and studied by means of Raman spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The release profile of the antibiotics was determined by broad band dielectric measurements. The drug was found to be released by Fickian diffusion. The WST-1 test found PCL and PCL/ampicillin nanofibers to have minimal cytotoxicity. The antibacterial activity of materials containing ampicillin was evaluated by zone inhibition against a selected oral strain of Streptococcus sanguinis. The bacterial growth was inhibited by antibiotic release from PCL/ampicillin mats.

PEG–MWCNT/Fe hybrids as multi-modal contrast agents for MRI and optical imaging

This study examines the use of oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotube/iron (O-MWCNT/Fe) nanohybrids modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) as multifunctional cellular imaging agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fluorescence microscopy. The PEGylated MWCNTs with embedded iron particles were investigated as T2-weighted contrast agents for MRI. The number of PEG molecules attached to the MWCNT surface was calculated. The PEG–MWCNT/Fe complex was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopies. Covalent surface modification of the MWCNTs improves their solubility and enables the attachment of further biomolecules to their surface. The PEGylated nanostructures were labeled with the MDC organic dye and internalized inside HeLa cells for cellular imaging. Additionally, the minimal cytotoxic effect of PEGylated complexes in comparison to non-PEGylated samples was measured using the WST-1 test and an In Cell Analyzer. A confocal microscopy study of the organelle morphology also confirmed that the HeLa cell morphology was unchanged after treatment with PEGylated MWCNTs.

Glassy dynamics of two poly(ethylene glycol) derivatives in the bulk and in nanometric confinement as reflected in its inter- and intra-molecular interactions

The inter- and intra-molecular interactions as they evolve in the course of glassy solidification are studied by broadband dielectric-and Fourier-transform infrared-spectroscopy for oligomeric derivatives of poly(ethylene glycol) derivatives, namely, poly(ethylene glycol) phenyl ether acrylate and poly(ethylene glycol) dibenzoate in the bulk and under confinement in nanoporous silica having mean pore diameters 4, 6, and 8 nm, with native and silanized inner surfaces. Analyzing the spectral positions and the oscillator strengths of specific IR absorption bands and their temperature dependencies enables one to trace the changes in the intra-molecular potentials and to compare it with the dielectrically determined primarily inter-molecular dynamics. Special emphasis is given to the calorimetric glass transition temperature Tg and Tαβ ≈ 1.25Tg, where characteristic changes in conformation appear, and the secondary β-relaxation merges with the dynamic glass transition (α-relaxation). Furthermore, the impact of main chain conformations, inter- and intra-molecular hydrogen bonding, and nanometric confinement on the dynamic glass transition is unraveled.

Rotational Diffusion of Guest Molecules Confined in Uni-directional Nanopores

Broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) is employed to study the rotational diffusion of Tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate (TEHP), a glass-former, and 4-heptyl-4\(^\prime \)-isothiocyanatobiphenyl (7BT), a liquid crystal, both confined in nanoporous silica membranes having uni-directional pores with diameters in the range 4–10.4 nm. It is observed that upon cooling, the glassy dynamics (\(\alpha \)-process) of TEHP is enhanced near the calorimetric glass transition. This confinement effect is attributed to a slight reduction in density of the liquid in the nanopores. The secondary \(\beta \)-relaxation in TEHP is however unaffected by the geometrical confinement. Silanization of the inner pore surfaces has no measurable effect on the mobility of the guest molecules. For the case of liquid crystal 7BT, two relaxation processes originating from librations about the molecule’s short (\(\delta \)-process) and long axes (\(\beta _{\text {LC}}\)-process) are observed. The former becomes suppressed with decreasing pore diameter, while the latter is nearly unaffected with a tendency to become faster with decreasing pore diameter, an effect caused by orientational ordering due to geometrical constraints.