PR – TechConnect Briefs

Study of High-Strength Concrete Reinforced with Bamboo Fibers

Soto H., Marrero R., Benítez F., Medina C., University of Puerto Rico, PR

Concrete is the most used construction material worldwide and, as a consequence, has a significant environmental impact. Cement fabrication accounts for 5 to 10% of the global carbon emission. This has driven scientists to create [...]

Structural and Thermo-Mechanical Characterization of Calcium and Barium Alginate Films

Vidal-Urquiza T.K., University of Puerto Rico, PR

Alignate films require its precise characterization of mechanical and thermo-mechanial properties, which are useful for several potential applications in environmental protection, biotechnology, and others areas. Therefore, this work study the aforementioned film properties of sodium [...]

Structural and Thermo-Mechanical Characterization of Calcium and Barium Alginate Films

Vidal-Urquiza T.K., University of Puerto Rico, PR

Alignate films require its precise characterization of mechanical and thermo-mechanial properties, which are useful for several potential applications in environmental protection, biotechnology, and others areas. Therefore, this work study the aforementioned film properties of sodium [...]

Effect of Carbon Black and Silver Nanoparticle Loading on the Structural and Thermo-Mechanical Properties of Chitosan-Based Films

Blagg A., Perales-Perez O., Valentin R., University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, PR

This work addresses the synthesis and structural and thermo-mechanical characterization of bare and chitosan-based nanocomposite films synthesized via spin coating and sol casting techniques. The dependence of these properties as a function of the nature [...]

Influence of Silica Nanoparticles on the Thermal Transitions and Structure of PHBA-PET Nanocomposites

Miranda F., Acevedo A., University of Puerto Rico, PR

Composite films were produced by direct melt-blending of the polymer with up to 1.5 vol% loadings in a Thermo-Haake MiniLab2 twin-screw extruder. Thermal transitions were determined by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. Structure and [...]

Multifunctional Fe3O4/ZnO core-shell nanoparticles for photodynamic therapy

Beltran J.C., Tomar M.S., Singh S.P., Perales O., Rivera L., Peña S., University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, PR

The photodynamic therapy (PDT) based on core-shell structures require efficient luminescence within specific wavelength range, preferably in near infrared. In the present study we aim to create a multifunctional platform for PDT through Fe3O4/ZnO core [...]

Microwave-assisted synthesis of water soluble ZnSe@ZnS quantum dots

Bailon-Ruiz S.J., Perales-Perez O., Singh S.P., University Of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, PR

Semiconductors nanocrystals known as quantum dots (QD’s) have attracted much attention because of their optical properties can be tuned just by controlling their crystal-size, composition and shape at the nanoscale. Compared to organic dyes, quantum [...]

Removal of Heavy Metals From Aqueous Solutions with Calcium Alginate Beads

Luna-Pineda T., Román-Velázquez F., University Of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, PR

The present research is focused on the development of a bio-sorbent based on alginate beads. The alginate is a natural polymer extracted from brown seaweed with capability of hosting divalent cations in gel state, which [...]

Synthesis and Characterization of Alginate-Based Magnetic Nanocomposite

Luna-Pineda T., Román-Velázquez F., University Of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, PR

Our work addressed the development of a multi-purpose sorbent consisting of magnetite (Fe304) nanoparticles functionalized by dimercaptosuccnic acid (DMSA) and dispersed into porous calcium alginate beads (CAB). The resultant magnetic nanocomposite (MO-CAB) can be considered [...]

Electric Field Effect on the Rheology of MWCNT Dispersions in Liquid Crystalline Polymers

Cameron-Soto A.R., Acevedo-Rullán A., University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez, PR

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are ideal candidates for the development of nanocomposites. Nevertheless, to achieve their potential they should be dispersed and aligned with a specific orientation. Many techniques have been proposed to achieve these requirements [...]