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Structure and composition of copolymers for a wide range of monomer feed ratios were determined by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and <sup>1</sup>H-nuclear magnetic resonance (<sup>1</sup>H-NMR) spectroscopic techniques. Copolymerization reactions were continued up to 40% conversions. 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Gamze Barim

Mustafa Gokhun Yayla

Copolymerization of 4-Acetylphenyl Methacrylate with Ethyl Methacrylate: Synthesis, Characterization, Monomer Reactivity Ratios, and Thermal Properties

Curcumin was loaded onto starch nanoparticles by using <i>in situ</i> nanoprecipitation method and water-in-oil microemulsion system. Curcumin loaded starch nanoparticles exhibited enhanced solubility in aqueous solution as compared to free curcumin. Effects of formulation parameters such as types of reaction medium, types of surfactant, surfactant concentrations, oil/ethanol ratios, loading time, and initial curcumin concentration were found to affect the particle size and loading efficiency (LF) of the curcumin loaded starch nanoparticles. Under optimum conditions, curcumin loaded starch nanoparticles with mean particles size of 87&#x2009;nm and maximum loading efficiency of 78&#x25; were achieved. Curcumin was observed to release out from starch nanoparticles in a sustained way under physiological pH over a period of 10 days.

Suk Fun Chin

Siti Nur Akmar Mohd Yazid

Suh Cem Pang

Preparation and Characterization of Starch Nanoparticles for Controlled Release of Curcumin

The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of zein and film formulation on mechanical and structural properties of native (FNS), and oxidized with 2.5&#x25; (FOSA) and 3.5&#x25; (FOSB) banana starch. The oxidized starch showed differences from native starch due to the oxidation process, showing a decrease in lipids, proteins, and amylose. The increase of the sodium hypochlorite increased the content of carbonyl and carboxyl groups in the ranges 0.015&#x2013;0.028&#x25; and 0.022&#x2013;0.031&#x25;, respectively. The film obtained from FOSB displayed the highest tensile strength (5.05&#x2009;MPa) and satisfactory elongation value (27.1&#x25;). The zein addition caused a decrease in these mechanical properties, as well as a significant decrease in water vapour permeability (WVP). However, films from FOSA and FOSB showed higher permeability than that of the native starch. The addition of glycerol and the level of oxidation increased the films moisture.  Micrographs showed that, during the oxidation process, impurities were largely eliminated from the starch granule, noting more homogeneous structures both in granules and films.

Elizabeth Arg&#xfc;ello-Garc&#xed;a

Javier Solorza-Feria

J. Rodolfo Rend&#xf3;n-Villalobos

Francisco Rodr&#xed;guez-Gonz&#xe1;lez

Alfredo Jim&#xe9;nez-P&#xe9;rez

Emmanuel Flores-Huicochea

Properties of Edible Films Based on Oxidized Starch and Zein

Polystyrene microspheres (PS) were synthesized by dispersion polymerization in ethanol/2-Methoxyethanol (EtOH/EGME) blend solvent using styrene (St) as monomer, azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator, and PVP (polyvinylpyrrolidone) K-30 as stabilizer. The typical recipe of dispersion polymerization is as follows: St/Solvent/AIBN/PVP = 10&#x2009;g/88&#x2009;g/0.1&#x2009;g/2&#x2009;g. The morphology of polystyrene microspheres was characterized by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the molecular weights of PS particles were measured by the Ubbelohde viscometer method. The effect of ethanol content in the blend solvent on the morphology and molecular weight of polystyrene was studied. We found that the size of polystyrene microspheres increased and the molecular weight of polystyrene microspheres decreased with the decreasing of the ethanol content in the blend solvent from 100&#x2009;wt&#x25; to 0&#x2009;wt&#x25;. What is more, the size monodispersity of polystyrene microspheres was quite good when the pure ethanol or pure 2-Methoxyethanol was used; however when the blend ethanol/2-Methoxyethanol solvent was used, the polystyrene microspheres became polydisperse. We further found that the monodispersity of polystyrene microspheres can be significantly improved by adding a small amount of water into the blend solvent; the particles became monodisperse when the content of water in the blend solvent was up to 2&#x2009;wt&#x25;.

Lei Jinhua

Zhou Guangyuan

Polystyrene Microbeads by Dispersion Polymerization: Effect of Solvent on Particle Morphology

In order to reduce the white pollution caused by nondegradable waste plastic packaging materials, the biomass cushion packaging material with straw fiber and starch as the main raw materials had been synthesized. The orthogonal experiment was used to study the impact of mass ratio of fiber to starch, content of plasticizer, active agent, and foaming agent on the compressive strength of cushion material. Infrared spectrometer and theory of water&#x2019;s bridge-connection were used to study the hydroxyl groups among the fiber and starch. The results were demonstrated as follows: the mass ratio of fiber to starch had the most significant impact on compressive strength. When the contents of the plasticizer, the foaming agent, and the active agent were, respectively, 12&#x25;, 0.1&#x25;, and 0.3&#x25; and the mass ratio of fiber to starch was 2&#x2009;:&#x2009;5, the compressive strength was the best up to 0.94&#x2009;MPa. Meanwhile, with the plasticizer content and the mass ratio of fiber to starch increasing, the cushioning coefficient of the material decreased first and then increased. Comparing the cushion and rebound performance of this material with others, the biomass cushion packaging material could be an ideal substitute of plastic packaging materials such as EPS and EPE.

Fangyi Li

Kaikai Guan

Peng Liu

Gang Li

Jianfeng Li

Ingredient of Biomass Packaging Material and Compare Study on Cushion Properties

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is a polyester which shows excellent biocompatibility and a PHB material is therefore considered suitable for many biomedical applications. A highly porous PHB material may be designed to facilitate the transport of small molecules and body fluids or serve as a biocompatible temporary barrier. In this study, PHB films with varying degree of porosity and pore interconnectivity were made by solvent casting using water-in-oil emulsion templates of varying composition. The morphology was characterized by SEM and the water permeability of the films was determined. The results show that an increased water content of the template emulsion resulted in a film with increased porosity. A fine tuning of the film morphology of the casted films was achieved by varying the salt content of the water phase of the template emulsion. The porosity of these films was roughly the same but the water permeability varied between <svg style="vertical-align:-0.1638pt;width:63.224998px;" id="M1" height="16.049999" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 63.224998 16.049999" width="63.224998" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,.062,15.775)"><path id="x32" d="M412 140l28 -9q0 -2 -35 -131h-373v23q112 112 161 170q59 70 92 127t33 115q0 63 -31 98t-86 35q-75 0 -137 -93l-22 20l57 81q55 59 135 59q69 0 118.5 -46.5t49.5 -122.5q0 -62 -29.5 -114t-102.5 -130l-141 -149h186q42 0 58.5 10.5t38.5 56.5z" /></g><g transform="matrix(.017,-0,0,-.017,8.222,15.775)"><path id="x33" d="M285 378v-2q65 -13 102 -54.5t37 -97.5q0 -57 -30.5 -104.5t-74 -75t-85.5 -42t-72 -14.5q-31 0 -59.5 11t-40.5 23q-19 18 -16 36q1 16 23 33q13 10 24 0q58 -51 124 -51q55 0 88 40t33 112q0 64 -39 96.5t-88 32.5q-29 0 -64 -11l-6 29q77 25 118 57.5t41 84.5&#xA;q0 45 -26.5 69.5t-68.5 24.5q-67 0 -120 -79l-20 20l43 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It was concluded that the major determinant of the water permeability through these films is the pore interconnectivity. Furthermore, we report on the formation and water permeability of bilayer PHB films consisting of a porous layer combined with a dense backing layer. 

Anna Bergstrand

Sanna Uppstr&#xf6;m

Anette Larsson

Permeability of Porous   Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Barriers of Single and Bilayer Type for Implant Applications

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<p><em>International Journal of Polymer Science </em>publishes research on the chemistry and physics of macromolecules, including the synthesis and characterisation of polymeric materials and polymerisation processes, both theoretical and experimental.</p>


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<p>Chief Editor Dr. Qinglin Wu is Gordon Cain Chair and Roy O. Martin Sr. Professor at the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center. His current research focus on sustainable nanomaterials as building blocks for composites, fluids, and energy storage materials.</p>


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International Journal of Polymer Science - Table of contents 2014

International Journal of Polymer Science | Hindawi

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International Journal of Polymer Science publishes research on the chemistry and physics of macromolecules, including the synthesis and characterisation of polymeric materials and polymerisation processes, both theoretical and experimental.

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International Journal of Polymer Science