| 1. |
- Cailloux, Jonathan, et al.
(författare)
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Melt-processing of cellulose nanofibril/polylactide bionanocomposites via a sustainable polyethylene glycol-based carrier system
- 2019
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Ingår i: Carbohydrate Polymers. - : Elsevier BV. - 0144-8617. ; 224
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Considering the appealing need for an industrially viable approach, this works aims at demonstrating the rapid and easy melt processing of Polylactide (PLA) bio-composites reinforced with cellulose nanofibrils (CNF). For this purpose and against to their high propensity to self-aggregate on processing, an aqueous CNF-based suspension in the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) followed by a gentle drying way were performed to provide melt-processable CNF-based masterbatches. Morphological observations coupled with rheological analyses confirmed how the strategy of the PEG-based masterbatch approach facilitated the formation of a well-dispersed and strongly interacting CNF network within the polymeric matrix. At temperatures above Tg, thermo-mechanical characterization showed that the load-bearing capacity of the web-like CNF network was even more apparent and counteracted the PEG plasticizing effect. Thermogravimetric analysis evidenced that in the case of selective positioning at the PLA-PEG interface, CNF mitigated the negative impact of PEG addition on the PLA thermal stability. These results revealed the successfulness of our sustainable organic solvent-free approach to prepare melt-processable CNF masterbatches, which can be readily converted into conventional industrially scalable melt-processing techniques.
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| 2. |
- Vanheuverzwijn, Jerome, et al.
(författare)
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Easy, Flexible and Standardizable Anti-Nascent Biofilm Activity Assay to Assess Implant Materials
- 2023
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Ingår i: Microorganisms. - : MDPI. - 2076-2607. ; 11:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Medical implants have improved the quality of life of many patients. However, surgical intervention may eventually lead to implant microbial contamination. The aims of this research were to develop an easy, robust, quantitative assay to assess surface antimicrobial activities, especially the anti-nascent biofilm activity, and to identify control surfaces, allowing for international comparisons. Using new antimicrobial assays to assess the inhibition of nascent biofilm during persistent contact or after transient contact with bacteria, we show that the 5 cent Euro coin or other metal-based antibacterial coins can be used as positive controls, as more than 4 log reduction on bacterial survival was observed when using either S. aureus or P. aeruginosa as targets. The methods and controls described here could be useful to develop an easy, flexible and standardizable assay to assess relevant antimicrobial activities of new implant materials developed by industries and academics.
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