Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) have  emerged as a powerful extraction method for the downstream processing of bio-molecules. The aim of this work was to investigate the possibility of utilizing ATPS for the separation of recombinant Bacillus sphaericus phenylalanine dehydrogenase (PheDH). Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and ammonium sulfate systems were selected for our experi...

A system was evaluated for growing plants at reproducible levels of water stress. Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were grown in vermiculite, transferred to a semipermeable membrane system that encased the root-vermiculite mass, and then placed into nutrient solutions to which various amounts of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 20M were added to control solution water potential. The membrane (Spectrapor ...

The effect of a polymer, polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 400 (PEG-400), on the dynamics of solvent and rotational relaxation have been investigated in [bmim][BF4]/TX100/cyclohexane microemulsions using steady state and time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy as a tool and coumarin 480 (C-480) as a fluorescence probe. The size of the microemulsions increases with addition of PEG-4...

P(MAA-g-EG) microparticles have been extensively investigated as carriers for oral delivery of proteins such as insulin. In this study, we investigated the effect of the molecular weight of the PEG tethered chains in the copolymer network and of the microparticle size on the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and insulin epithelial permeability, using monolayers of human intestinal ep...

The inclusion of polymer-grafted nanoparticles (PGNPs) can impart various functional properties to polymer nanocomposites (PNCs). For semicrystalline polymers, we control the spatial dispersion PGNPs and presumably use it modulate nucleation rate polymer. In this work, correlation between quality poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-grafted silica (PEG-g-SiO2) crystallization ability oxide) (PEO) is sys...

Polymer networks are critically important for numerous applications including soft biomaterials, adhesives, coatings, elastomers, and gel-based materials for energy storage. One long-standing challenge these materials present lies in understanding the role of network defects, such as dangling ends and loops, developed during cross-linking. These defects can negatively impact the physical, mecha...

Although siRNA-based nanomedicines hold promise for cancer treatment, conventional siRNA-polymer complex (polyplex) nanocarrier systems have poor pharmacokinetics following intravenous delivery, hindering tumor accumulation. Here, we determined the impact of surface chemistry on the in vivo pharmacokinetics and tumor delivery of siRNA polyplexes. A library of diblock polymers was synthesized, a...

The partitioning of two proteins, bovine serum albumin (BSA) and trypsin was studied in an aqueous poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG)Cashew-nut tree gum system. The phase diagram was provided for Cashew-nut tree gum and PEG molecular weight of 1500 at two different temperatures. The influence of several parameters including concentrations of polymers, pH, salt addition and temperature on the partitioni...

Water-soluble single-component (kappa2-N,O)-salicylaldiminato nickel-methyl complexes 1-4-L (L = TPPTS, TPPDS, H2N-PEG-OMe) allow for the catalytic polymerization of ethylene under organic solvent-free aqueous conditions producing high molecular weight polyethylene with particle sizes below 10 nm. Amphiphilic TPPDS- and H2N-PEG-OMe complexes exhibit a polymerization activity in water higher tha...

Shape memory polyurethanes (SMPUs) are typically synthesized using polyols of low molecular weight (MW~2,000 g/mol) as it is believed that the high density of cross-links in these low molecular weight polyols are essential for high mechanical strength and good shape memory effect. In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) with MW ~6000 g/mol as the soft segment and diisocyanate as the hard ...