Abstract: Provided are methods and compositions for self-cleaning that include a lysozyme capable of decomposing a microbe, a substrate applied to a solid surface, and a linker moiety bound to an outer surface of said substrate and an active group of said digestive protein, said linker moiety between said lysozyme and said substrate and covalently linking said lysozyme to a surface of said substrate optionally by an amide bond.

Abstract: A flexible sensor for monitoring operating parameters, including pressure and temperature, of a flexible structure, such as a tire, provides electrodes and an active area that are formed of flexible materials. In particular, the active area may be formed from an elastomeric piezoresistive material, such as an ionic liquid-polymer. The flexible properties of the sensor allow it to be readily incorporated into the body of a tire during manufacture. This allows the operating parameters of the tire to be monitored, such as in real-time, while the tire is in operation. Furthermore, the sensor is formed of materials that allow the sensor to be formed using additive manufacturing techniques, such as 3D (three-dimensional) printing. As such, the sensor may be 3D printed together with another structure, such as a tire tread, so that the sensor is integrated therein.

Abstract: A dynamic mechanical analysis system provides an actuator that imparts expansion and contraction forces (e.g. shear force) to a viscoelastic material at high frequencies. Such high frequency analysis allows for the direct and accurate measurement of the characteristics of the material at high expansion/contraction frequencies directly, without the use of additional predictive analysis techniques, such as time-temperature superposition. The system also utilizes a clamping system, whereby two different sections of the viscoelastic material are held in place between by a pair of fixed clamps and a force member that is moved by the actuator. As such, the system is able to subject the viscoelastic material sample to simulated “road” conditions to identify various performance properties associated with the material sample.

Abstract: A star block copolymer and a thermoplastic elastomer including plurality of the star block copolymers and a method of making both is taught. The star block copolymers of the present invention include a core component having either a styrene oligomer or ?-methyl styrene oligomer, wherein arms emanate from the core component and the arms are poly(isobutylene-block-styrene) diblock copolymers.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) sensor includes an anode and a cathode with a polymer electrolyte disposed therebetween. The anode and cathode are configured with asymmetric catalyst loadings, such that the catalyst loading on the cathode is lower than that of the anode. Accordingly, due to the reduction of the amount of catalyst utilized, the cost of fabricating the sensor is substantially reduced.

Abstract: In various embodiments, the present invention is directed to a centrally-functionalizable living cationic polymer or copolymer having a centrally-substituted tetraene group having the formula wherein each R is selected from the group consisting of a polymer or a copolymer, such as a polyisobutylene polymer or a poly(isobutylene-b-styrene) copolymer.

Abstract: A method of producing a model of a human lung includes preparing a computer file within a computer aided design system, mathematically slicing the computer file into a plurality of layers to produce a sliced computer file, providing the sliced computer file to an additive manufacturing apparatus, and fabricating, with the additive manufacturing apparatus, a 3D object based on the sliced computer file. The model of the human lung may be utilized to evaluate surfactant treatment, to improve subsequent surfactant administration to a human patient.

Abstract: In various aspects, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a series of multivalent dendrons containing a bioactive peptide domain and surface-binding catechol domains. In some embodiments, these multivalent dendrons were obtained through solid phase synthesis and have a strong binding affinity to metal oxide surfaces such as, TiO2, ZrO2, CeO2, and Fe3O4, SiO2, as well as other inorganic surfaces such as hydroxyapatite, silver, fluorapatite, calcium carbonate and gold. These catechol-bearing dendrons provide a fast and efficient method to functionalize a wide range of inorganic materials with bioactive peptides and have the potential to be used in coating orthopaedic implants and fixation devices.

Abstract: An optical imaging system to image a target object includes a light source configured to emit one or more light rays to illuminate the target object and an image detector configured to capture a three-dimensional topography image of the target object when emitted light is emitted from the target object in response to being illuminated by the light rays emitted by the light source. A fluorescence image detector captures a fluorescence image of the target object when fluorescence is emitted from the target object in response illumination by light rays emitted by the light source. A controller instructs the image detector to capture the 3D topography image and the fluorescence image detector to detect the fluorescence image of the target object intraoperatively and to co-register and simultaneously display intraoperatively the co-registered topography and fluorescence information to the user via a display.

Abstract: A star block copolymer and a thermoplastic elastomer including plurality of the star block copolymers and a method of making both is taught. The star block copolymers of the present invention include a core component having either a styrene oligomer or ?-methyl styrene oligomer, wherein arms emanate from the core component and the arms are poly(isobutylene-block-styrene) diblock copolymers.

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane assembly includes a polymer electrolyte membrane layer positioned between a first electrode and a second electrode. The polymer electrolyte membrane layer can be made from a composition including a polymer matrix, a plasticizer, and an ionic material. The polymer electrolyte membrane assembly may be utilized to harvest electrical energy by allowing the polymer electrolyte membrane assembly to bend to thereby produce a second ion concentration gradient different from an initial ion concentration gradient.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to polyurethanes and polyurethane nanocomposites having improved mechanical, rheological, and thermal properties over ordinarily produced polyurethanes and polyurethane nanocomposites. Such polyurethanes and polyurethane nanocomposites include very small amounts of a small chain diol, such as glycerol, and more specifically, between 0.01 and 4 weight percent of the small chain diol, based on the total polymer composition.

Abstract: In various aspects, the present invention is directed to novel bioactive peptide loaded poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF) tissue scaffolds and related methods for their making and use. In various embodiments, these bioactive peptide loaded poly(propylene fumarate) tissue scaffolds are formed by forming a PPF structure or matrix using photochemical 3-D printing techniques and then loading that printed PPF structure or matrix with a bioactive peptides or other bioactive compounds that have, or have been functionalized to have, a thiol functional group at or near its terminus. The thiol groups on the bioactive peptides or other compound will react with exposed alkene functional groups on the PPF polymer matrix via a thiol-ene “click” reaction, thereby binding these bioactive peptides or other compounds to the tissue scaffolds. The bioactive peptide loaded PPF tissue scaffolds of the present invention are particularly useful in repairing bone defects.

Abstract: A method of preparing a polymer film having an oriented dispersed material includes casting a multi-layer polymer solution having a first polymer solution layer and a second polymer solution layer where the second polymer solution layer is at least partially immiscible with the first polymer solution layer. The method further includes passing the multi-layer polymer solution through an electric field application zone, to thereby induce orientation of the dispersed material. A multi-layer polymer film can then be formed by drying the solvent from the multi-layer polymer solution. An apparatus for preparing polymer films includes a top electrode made from a flexible metal mesh coated with a non-stick, non-conductive coating.

Abstract: A star block copolymer and a thermoplastic elastomer including plurality of the star block copolymers and a method of making both is taught. The star block copolymers of the present invention include a core component having a styrene oligomer wherein arms emanate from the core component and the arms are poly(isobutylene-block-styrene) diblock copolymers.

Abstract: Improved enzyme based methods of separating protein from protein-rich material are provided. A method can include utilizing a modeling equation to more effectively hydrolyze the various types of carbohydrates present in a protein-rich material. A method can include a fed-batch method of incrementally adding a protein-rich material, an enzyme broth, or both a protein-rich material and an enzyme broth. A method can also include partially or completely recycling the hydrolysate.

Abstract: A fiber optic probe includes a first diffuse reflectance spectroscopy fiber, a second diffuse reflectance spectroscopy fiber, and a temperature sensor at a distal end of a temperature sensor fiber. Other embodiments further include a treatment fiber for delivering a high optical power density of light to a tumor and a dosimetry fiber for monitoring the light flux of the treatment fiber. Other embodiments utilize an image-guidance step in a method of using the fiber optic probe.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, the present invention provides a method of forming compact, flexible, stable and biocompatible conducting polymer coating for bioelectronics devices. In one or more embodiments, the present invention relates to a novel method of synthesizing a sulfobetaine-functionalized conjugated polymer platform using 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) as the conducting backbone (SBEDOT). This SBEDOT monomer is highly water-soluble and can be directly polymerized to form a densely packed film/coating on conductive or semi-conductive surfaces through electro-polymerization in a 100% aqueous solution without the need for organic solvents or surfactants. These polySBEDOT (PSBEDOT) coated surfaces have been shown to have electro-switchable antimicrobial/antifouling properties and excellent electrically conducting properties, which minimize infection, increase biocompatibility, and improve the performance of bioelectronics.

Abstract: In one or more embodiments, the present invention provides an way to modify the isoprene unit using an alder-ene reaction to form thermoset compounds comprising the resultant electron-deficient, readily crosslinkable polyisobutylene-based rubber that avoids the use of corrosive bromine or chlorine to make the activated butyl rubber, is easier to crosslink than the halobutyls, allows crosslinking with a simple organic base or a peroxide, and has mechanical properties as good as or better than sulfur crosslinked butyl rubbers.

Abstract: Fluorescent chromophores nicknamed BOPHY are provided. The chromophores may be readily synthesized in two steps from readily available reagents via the coupling of a pyrrole aldehyde or ketone with hydrazine, followed by reaction with BF3. The resultant symmetric and dimeric tetracycle is comprised of two BF2 units in six-member chelate rings, appended by pyrrole units on the periphery. The quantum yield of fluorescence for the unmodified compound and the tetramethyl variant are near unity, with values 95 and 92% respectively in CH2Cl2.