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18 pages, 3199 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Functionalized Polymeric Sensor Based NiO/MgO Nanocomposite for Potentiometric Determination of Doxorubicin Hydrochloride in Commercial Injections and Human Plasma

by Nawal A. Alarfaj and Maha F. El-Tohamy

Polymers 2020, 12(12), 3066; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12123066 - 21 Dec 2020

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3049

Abstract

The ultra-functional potential of nickel oxide (NiO) and magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles (NPs), provides for extensive attention in the use of these metal oxides as a remarkable and electroactive nanocomposite in potentiometric and sensing investigations. This work proposed a new strategy for quantifying [...] Read more.

The ultra-functional potential of nickel oxide (NiO) and magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles (NPs), provides for extensive attention in the use of these metal oxides as a remarkable and electroactive nanocomposite in potentiometric and sensing investigations. This work proposed a new strategy for quantifying doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) in pharmaceuticals and human plasma by preparing a NiO/MgO core-shell nanocomposite modified coated wire membrane sensor. Doxorubicin hydrochloride was incorporated with phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) to produce doxorubicin hydrochloride phosphomolybdate (DOX-PM) as an electroactive material in the presence of polymeric high molecular weight poly vinyl chloride (PVC) and solvent mediator o-nitrophenyloctyl ether (o-NPOE). The modified sensor exhibited ultra sensitivity and high selectivity for the detection and quantification of doxorubicin hydrochloride with a linear relationship in the range of 1.0 × 10⁻¹¹–1.0 × 10⁻² mol L⁻¹. The equation of regression was estimated to be E_mV = (57.86 ± 0.8) log [DOX] + 723.19. However, the conventional type DOX-PM showed a potential response over a concentration range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁶–1.0 × 10⁻² mol L⁻¹ and a regression equation of E_mV = (52.92 ± 0.5) log [DOX] + 453.42. The suggested sensors were successfully used in the determination of doxorubicin hydrochloride in commercial injections and human plasma. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Polymeric Sensors )

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20 pages, 4283 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Formation and Electrochemical Evaluation of Polyaniline and Polypyrrole Nanocomposites Based on Glucose Oxidase and Gold Nanostructures

by Natalija German, Almira Ramanaviciene and Arunas Ramanavicius

Polymers 2020, 12(12), 3026; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12123026 - 17 Dec 2020

Cited by 56 | Viewed by 3748

Abstract

Nanocomposites based on two conducting polymers, polyaniline (PANI) and polypyrrole (Ppy), with embedded glucose oxidase (GOx) and 6 nm size gold nanoparticles (AuNPs_(6nm)) or gold-nanoclusters formed from chloroaurate ions (AuCl₄⁻), were synthesized by enzyme-assisted polymerization. Charge (electron) transfer [...] Read more.

Nanocomposites based on two conducting polymers, polyaniline (PANI) and polypyrrole (Ppy), with embedded glucose oxidase (GOx) and 6 nm size gold nanoparticles (AuNPs_(6nm)) or gold-nanoclusters formed from chloroaurate ions (AuCl₄⁻), were synthesized by enzyme-assisted polymerization. Charge (electron) transfer in systems based on PANI/AuNPs_(6nm)-GOx, PANI/AuNPs_(AuCl4⁻₎-GOx, Ppy/AuNPs_(6nm)-GOx and Ppy/AuNPs_(AuCl4⁻₎-GOx nanocomposites was investigated. Cyclic voltammetry (CV)-based investigations showed that the reported polymer nanocomposites are able to facilitate electron transfer from enzyme to the graphite rod (GR) electrode. Significantly higher anodic current and well-defined red-ox peaks were observed at a scan rate of 0.10 V s⁻¹. Logarithmic function of anodic current (log I_pa), which was determined by CV-based experiments performed with glucose, was proportional to the logarithmic function of a scan rate (log v) in the range of 0.699–2.48 mV s⁻¹, and it indicates that diffusion-controlled electrochemical processes were limiting the kinetics of the analytical signal. The most efficient nanocomposite structure for the design of the reported glucose biosensor was based on two-day formed Ppy/AuNPs_(AuCl4⁻₎-GOx nanocomposites. GR/Ppy/AuNPs_(AuCl4⁻₎-GOx was characterized by the linear dependence of the analytical signal on glucose concentration in the range from 0.1 to 0.70 mmol L⁻¹, the sensitivity of 4.31 mA mM cm⁻², the limit of detection of 0.10 mmol L⁻¹ and the half-life period of 19 days. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Polymeric Sensors )

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16 pages, 17617 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Polyethylene-Carbon Composite (Velostat^®) Based Tactile Sensor

by Andrius Dzedzickis, Ernestas Sutinys, Vytautas Bucinskas, Urte Samukaite-Bubniene, Baltramiejus Jakstys, Arunas Ramanavicius and Inga Morkvenaite-Vilkonciene

Polymers 2020, 12(12), 2905; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12122905 - 3 Dec 2020

Cited by 52 | Viewed by 7682

Abstract

The progress observed in ‘soft robotics’ brought some promising research in flexible tactile, pressure and force sensors, which can be based on polymeric composite materials. Therefore, in this paper, we intend to evaluate the characteristics of a force-sensitive material—polyethylene-carbon composite (Velostat^®) [...] Read more.

The progress observed in ‘soft robotics’ brought some promising research in flexible tactile, pressure and force sensors, which can be based on polymeric composite materials. Therefore, in this paper, we intend to evaluate the characteristics of a force-sensitive material—polyethylene-carbon composite (Velostat^®) by implementing this material into the design of the flexible tactile sensor. We have explored several possibilities to measure the electrical signal and assessed the mechanical and time-dependent properties of this tactile sensor. The response of the sensor was evaluated by performing tests in static, long-term load and cyclic modes. Experimental results of loading cycle measurements revealed the hysteresis and nonlinear properties of the sensor. The transverse resolution of the sensor was defined by measuring the response of the sensor at different distances from the loaded point. Obtained dependencies of the sensor’s sensitivity, hysteresis, response time, transversal resolution and deformation on applied compressive force promise a practical possibility to use the polyethylene-carbon composite as a sensitive material for sensors with a single electrode pair or its matrix. The results received from experimental research have defined the area of the possible implementation of the sensor based on a composite material—Velostat^®. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Polymeric Sensors )

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10 pages, 4928 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide)-Functional Silicon Nanocrystals for Thermosensitive Fluorescence Cellar Imaging

by Yiting Li, Lihui Zhang, Youhong Shi, Jialing Huang, Yaqiong Yang and Dengming Ming

Polymers 2020, 12(11), 2565; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12112565 - 1 Nov 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2752

Abstract

Silicon nanocrystals (Si NCs) have received surging interest as a type of quantum dot (QD) due to the availability of silicon in nature, tunable fluorescence emission properties and excellent biocompatibility. More importantly, compared with many group II–VI and III–V based QDs, they have [...] Read more.

Silicon nanocrystals (Si NCs) have received surging interest as a type of quantum dot (QD) due to the availability of silicon in nature, tunable fluorescence emission properties and excellent biocompatibility. More importantly, compared with many group II–VI and III–V based QDs, they have low toxicity. Here, thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm)-functional Si NCs were firstly prepared for thermoresponsive detection of cancer cells. Si NCs were prepared under normal pressure with excellent water solubility. Then folic acid was bonded to the silicon nanocrystals through the reaction of amino and carboxyl groups for specific recognition of cancer cells. The folic-acid-modified silicon crystals (Si NCs-FA) could be modified by a one-pot copolymerization process into PNIPAAm nanospheres during the monomer polymerization process (i.e., Si NCs-FA-PNIPAAm) just by controlling the temperature below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and above the LCST. The results showed that the Si-FA-PNIAAm nanospheres exhibited not only reversible temperature-responsive on-off fluorescence properties, but also can be used as temperature indicators in cancer cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Polymeric Sensors )

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27 pages, 6740 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Theoretical Study on an Elastic Polymer Thin Film-Based Capacitive Wind-Pressure Sensor

by Xue Li, Jun-Yi Sun, Bin-Bin Shi, Zhi-Hang Zhao and Xiao-Ting He

Polymers 2020, 12(9), 2133; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12092133 - 18 Sep 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2639

Abstract

This study is devoted to the design of an elastic polymer thin film-based capacitive wind-pressure sensor to meet the anticipated use for real-time monitoring of structural wind pressure in civil engineering. This sensor is composed of four basic units: lateral elastic deflection unit [...] Read more.

This study is devoted to the design of an elastic polymer thin film-based capacitive wind-pressure sensor to meet the anticipated use for real-time monitoring of structural wind pressure in civil engineering. This sensor is composed of four basic units: lateral elastic deflection unit of a wind-driven circular polymer thin film, parallel plate capacitor with a movable circular electrode plate, spring-driven return unit of the movable electrode plate, and dielectric materials between electrode plates. The capacitance of the capacitor varies with the parallel move of the movable electrode plate which is first driven by the lateral elastic deflection of the wind-driven film and then is, after the wind pressure is reduced or eliminated, returned quickly by the drive springs. The closed-form solution for the contact problem between the wind-driven thin film and the spring-driven movable electrode plate is presented, and its reliability is proved by the experiment conducted. The numerical examples conducted show that it is workable that by using the numerical calibration based on the presented closed-form solution the proposed sensor is designed into a nonlinear sensor with larger pressure-monitoring range and faster response speed than the linear sensor usually based on experimental calibration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Polymeric Sensors )

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14 pages, 5703 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multifunctionality of Polypyrrole Polyethyleneoxide Composites: Concurrent Sensing, Actuation and Energy Storage

by Nguyen Quang Khuyen, Rudolf Kiefer, Zane Zondaka, Gholamreza Anbarjafari, Anna-Liisa Peikolainen, Toribio F. Otero and Tarmo Tamm

Polymers 2020, 12(9), 2060; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12092060 - 10 Sep 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2636

Abstract

In films of conducting polymers, the electrochemical reaction(s) drive the simultaneous variation of different material properties (reaction multifunctionality). Here, we present a parallel study of actuation-sensing-energy storage triple functionality of polypyrrole (PPy) blends with dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBS-), PPy/DBS, without and with inclusion of polyethyleneoxide, [...] Read more.

In films of conducting polymers, the electrochemical reaction(s) drive the simultaneous variation of different material properties (reaction multifunctionality). Here, we present a parallel study of actuation-sensing-energy storage triple functionality of polypyrrole (PPy) blends with dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBS-), PPy/DBS, without and with inclusion of polyethyleneoxide, PPy-PEO/DBS. The characterization of the response of both materials in aqueous solutions of four different salts indicated that all of the actuating, sensing and charge storage responses were, independent of the electrolyte, present for both materials, but stronger for the PPy-PEO/DBS films: 1.4× higher strains, 1.3× higher specific charge densities, 2.5× higher specific capacitances and increased ion-sensitivity towards the studied counterions. For both materials, the reaction energy, the material potential and the strain variations adapt to and sense the electrical and chemical (exchanged cation) conditions. The driving and the response of actuation, sensing and charge can be controlled/read, simultaneously, via just two connecting wires. Only the cooperative actuation of chemical macromolecular motors from functional cells has such chemical multifunctionality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Polymeric Sensors )

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14 pages, 3217 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Colorimetric Visualization Using Polymeric Core–Shell Nanoparticles: Enhanced Sensitivity for Formaldehyde Gas Sensors

by Jae Jung Park, Yongsoo Kim, Chanmin Lee, Jun-Won Kook, Donghyun Kim, Jung-Hyun Kim, Ki-Seob Hwang and Jun-Young Lee

Polymers 2020, 12(5), 998; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12050998 - 25 Apr 2020

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5189

Abstract

Although equipment-based gas sensor systems (e.g., high-performance liquid chromatography) have been widely applied for formaldehyde gas detection, pre-treatment and expensive instrumentation are required. To overcome these disadvantages, we developed a colorimetric sensor based on polymer-based core–shell nanoparticles (PCSNPs), which are inexpensive, stable, and [...] Read more.

Although equipment-based gas sensor systems (e.g., high-performance liquid chromatography) have been widely applied for formaldehyde gas detection, pre-treatment and expensive instrumentation are required. To overcome these disadvantages, we developed a colorimetric sensor based on polymer-based core–shell nanoparticles (PCSNPs), which are inexpensive, stable, and exhibit enhanced selectivity. Spherical and uniform poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (PSMA)/polyethyleneimine (PEI) core–shell nanoparticles were prepared and then impregnated with Methyl Red (MR), Bromocresol Purple (BCP), or 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to construct colorimetric sensors for formaldehyde gas. The intrinsic properties of these dyes were maintained when introduced into the PCSNPs. In the presence of formaldehyde, the MR, BCP, and 4-NP colorimetric sensors changed to yellow, red, and gray, respectively. The colorimetric response was maximized at a PEI/PSMA ratio of four, likely owing to the high content of amine groups. Effective formaldehyde gas detection was achieved at a relative humidity of 30% using the MR colorimetric sensor, which exhibited a large color change (92%) in 1 min. Advantageously, this stable sensor allowed sensitive and rapid naked-eye detection of low formaldehyde concentrations (0.5 ppm). Hence, this approach is promising for real-time formaldehyde gas visualization and can also be adapted to other colorimetric gas sensor systems to improve sensitivity and simplicity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Polymeric Sensors )

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Review

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50 pages, 14534 KiB

Open AccessReview

Advances in Materials for Soft Stretchable Conductors and Their Behavior under Mechanical Deformation

by Thao Nguyen and Michelle Khine

Polymers 2020, 12(7), 1454; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12071454 - 29 Jun 2020

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5838

Abstract

Soft stretchable sensors rely on polymers that not only withstand large deformations while retaining functionality but also allow for ease of application to couple with the body to capture subtle physiological signals. They have been applied towards motion detection and healthcare monitoring and [...] Read more.

Soft stretchable sensors rely on polymers that not only withstand large deformations while retaining functionality but also allow for ease of application to couple with the body to capture subtle physiological signals. They have been applied towards motion detection and healthcare monitoring and can be integrated into multifunctional sensing platforms for enhanced human machine interface. Most advances in sensor development, however, have been aimed towards active materials where nearly all approaches rely on a silicone-based substrate for mechanical stability and stretchability. While silicone use has been advantageous in academic settings, conventional silicones cannot offer self-healing capability and can suffer from manufacturing limitations. This review aims to cover recent advances made in polymer materials for soft stretchable conductors. New developments in substrate materials that are compliant and stretchable but also contain self-healing properties and self-adhesive capabilities are desirable for the mechanical improvement of stretchable electronics. We focus on materials for stretchable conductors and explore how mechanical deformation impacts their performance, summarizing active and substrate materials, sensor performance criteria, and applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Polymeric Sensors )

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