BACKGROUND Reconstruction of a segmental fracture with massive bone loss is still a challenge for orthopaedic surgeons. The aim of our study was to develop a suitable biodegradable thermosensitive hydrogel system as a carrier for bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 delivery in the treatment of critical-sized femoral defects. METHODS A block copolymer composed of monomethoxypoly(ethylene glycol...

Zirconium oxide (ZrO2) has generated wide interest because of its potential in applications such as solid oxide fuel cells, catalysts and optical devices. In these applications, it is important to control the grain size of the material and increase the surface area by introducing porosity with tailored pore size. This paper presents a synthesis route for the preparation of mesoporous zirconia u...

In this paper we review some recent results, obtained jointly with Stu Whittington, for a mathematical model describing a copolymer in an emulsion. The copolymer consists of hydrophobic and hydrophilic monomers, concatenated randomly with equal density. The emulsion consists of large blocks of oil and water, arranged in a percolation-type fashion. To make the model mathematically tractable, the...

We developed nanospheres of crosslinked networks of methacrylic acid grafted with poly(ethylene glycol), and acrylic acid grafted with poly(ethylene glycol) nanospheres for use as oral insulin delivery devices. The copolymer nanospheres were synthesized via free-radical precipitation/dispersion. The average particle diameter of the copolymer gel nanospheres at various physiologically relevant p...

Biodegradable poly(ethyleneglycol)-poly(valerolactone)-poly(ethyleneglycol) [PEG-PVL-PEG] copolymers were synthesized through ring opening polymerization of δ-valerolactone (VL) followed by the coupling of monomethoxy poly(ethyleneglycol-poly(valerolactone) (mPEG-PVL) with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI). The copolymers were characterized by (1)H NMR, FT-IR, and GPC. Block copolymers of PEG an...

Phenomena associated with the phase behaviour and self-assembled nanostructures of three block copolymer systems have been studied by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and transmision electron microscopy (TEM). 1) System A-b-B/A (dPS-b-PMMA/PS homopolymer) were studied as a function of molecular weight and concentration of the added homopolymer. The para...

The morphology and the phase diagram of ABC triblock copolymer thin film directed by polymer brushes are investigated by the self-consistent field theory in three dimensions. The polymer brushes coated on the substrate can be used as a good soft template to tailor the morphology of the block copolymer thin films compared with those on the hard substrates. The polymer brush is identical with the...

Ahstrct-Styrene maleic anhydride copolymers (SMACs) are of particular commercial and academic interest. The bulk copolymer&&ion reaction is characterized by a very fast reaction rate and an important gel effect. The copolymer has a strong tendency to be alternate when maleic anhydride is in excess. In order to obtain a copolymer with less than 50% of incorporated MA, a good quality of mixing mu...

Amphiphilic triblock copolymer, poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide), Pluronic P85, is unexpectedly shown to utilize sophisticated cellular trafficking mechanisms and enter brain microvessel endothelial cells and primary neurons that are poorly penetrable. Though caveolae serve as a primary entry site for the copolymer single chains, in cells devoid of caveolae, t...