Stage (1) 2018:

Development of new photopolymerizable monomers from renewable sources functionalized with specific sequences and the in situ obtaining of hybrid composites polymer-metal/metal oxide

Activities
• Design and synthesis of new (meth)acrylate/urethane-(meth)acrylate monomers derived from renewable sources (gelatine, castor oil or glycerol) with appropriate functionalities (carboxyl, hydroxyl, thiol, amino or silane) able to interact in a controlled manner with inorganic nanoparticles
• Ex situ synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles (TiO₂ or ZnO) and their suitable functionalization in order to ensure a proper dispersion and stability inside the organic template
• Preparation of metal/metal oxide hybrid coatings by the in situ generation of plasmonic metal nanoparticles (Ag, Au or Cu) in photopolymerizable mixtures containing functionalized monomers and metal oxide nanoparticles. Characterization of the coatings and testing of the possible applications.

Results

• In the first stage of the project, 2 photopolymerizable monomers derived from renewable sources (castor oil) were prepared and characterized to be further employed in photopolymerization reactions alongside other convenient monomers in order to prepare flexible transparent coatings.

• Additionally, TiO₂ and ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized. Subsequently, these were functionalized with specific methods (FTIR, XRD, SEM) to evaluate the functionalization efficiency.

• Hybrid polymeric composites based on TiO2 NPs modified with quaternary ammonium and acrylic units were prepared via photopolymerization technique. The composite coatings were synthesized by a simple, cheap, environmentally friendly method that additionally favours a good dispersion of the inorganic component in the polymer host, avoiding thus their diffusion or inactivation, due to the covalent attachment of the nanoparticles inside the organic matrix. Also, Ag/Au NPs were in situ photogenerated in the hybrid films simultaneously with the photopolymerization process.

• The antibacterial activity of the hybrid films was tested, observing that in all cases the attachment and growth of the bacterial strains was inhibited, a very useful feature from the perspective of further practical applications.

Dissemination
Scientific articles

•Lenuta Stroea, Tinca Buruiana, Emil C. Buruiana, Synthesis and solution properties of thermosensitive hydrophilic imidazole-based copolymers with improved catalytic activity, Materials Chemistry and Physics 223 (2019) 311–318, DOI: 10.1016/j.matchemphys.2018.10.066 (IF = 2.21)

Presentation at Conferences

•Lenuta Stroea, Emil C. Buruiana, Andreea L. Chibac, Violeta Melinte, Photopolymerized hybrid composites containing Ag, Au or Ag-Au NPs with application in photocatalytic reduction of nitroaromatic derivatives, A XXXV-a Conferinta Nationala de Chimie Calimanesti-Caciulata, Valcea, 02-05 octombrie 2018 (oral communication).

•Andreea L. Chibac, Tinca Buruiana, Violeta Melinte, Competitive photocatalityc materials: photopolymerized hybrid composites containing TiO2 nanoparticles, A XXXV-a Conferinta Nationala de Chimie Calimanesti-Caciulata, Valcea, 02-05 octombrie 2018 (oral communication).

•Andreea L. Chibac, Violeta Melinte, Photocatalytic materials used for p-nitroaniline reduction: hybrid metal-polymer composites vs metal-free materials, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University Days, Faculty of Chemistry Conference IasiCHEM, 25-26 October 2018, Iasi, Romania (oral communication).

•Violeta Melinte, Andreea L. Chibac, Viorica Podasca, Tinca Buruiana, Emil C. Buruiana, Surface functionalized ZnO nanoparticles embeded in photopolymerized acrylic composites, A XXXV-a Conferinta Nationala de Chimie, Calimanesti-Caciulata, Valcea 02-05 octombrie 2018 (poster).

•Lenuta Stroea, Violeta Melinte, Andreea L. Chibac, Tinca Buruiana, Emil C. Buruiana, Synthesis and characterization of photocrosslinked acrylic coatings containing noble metal nanoparticles (Au, Ag, Au/Ag) and testing of their photocatalytic potential, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University Days, Faculty of Chemistry Conference IasiCHEM, 25-26 October 2018, Iasi, Romania (poster).

•Daniela Rusu, Diana Ciolacu, Cellulose-based hydrogels: design, synthesis and morphological aspects, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University Days, Faculty of Chemistry Conference IasiCHEM, 25-26 October 2018, Iasi, Romania (poster).