Catching up with OMNISEC! Part 6
It’s already 2025! Which means it’s time to once again check out what people around the world have been working on with their OMNISEC systems!
There wasn’t a single theme that leapt out at me this year, although sustainability has a strong presence here and continues to be an important research driver.
So, please read on to learn how these many talented people are allowing OMNISEC to assist with the important work they’ve been up to!
Studying solubility of biobased & biodegradable polyesters
Researchers from the University of Georgia, led by Prof. Jason Locklin, took a novel approach toward determining the Hansen solubility parameters of a series of biobased and biodegradable polyesters, such as PLA. These solubility parameters are used to predict solvent compatibility, plasticizer compatibility, chemical resistance, and permeation rates in commodity polymers such as polyolefins. Determining these same parameters for biobased and biodegradable polyesters is a step in the direction of sustainability and to transitioning away from petrochemical-based polyolefins. OMNISEC was used to measure the molecular weights of the polymers involved in the study!
A new ion-exchange membrane for energy storage
The group of Prof. Robert Ferrier Jr. at Michigan State University has developed an economical cross-linked network to make an amphoteric ion-exchange membrane. Ion exchange membranes are a critical part of energy storage and batteries because they maintain the separation of the electrodes while selectively allowing the ions to pass through. Prof. Ferrier and his group studied the physicochemical, surface, and electrochemical properties of their new membrane to provide proof-of-concept data that it can be incorporated into an aqueous redox flow battery, which is a safe and robust method to store energy from renewable sources. As shown in part B of the figure above, OMNISEC was used to characterize the molecular weight of the copolymer prior to its incorporation into the matrix of the membrane!
Easier access to improved 19F MRI tracers
A team led by Prof. Ondrej Sedlacek at Charles University in the Czech Republic have utilized gradient polymerization-induced self-assembly to create sensitive 19F MRI tracers in a single step. The chosen monomers and the gradient polymerization-induced self-assembly process create nanoparticles with fluorine present in the micelle shell (as opposed to only present in the core), and the incorporation of hydrophilic units in the core, which ultimately produces a more stable signal. The ratio of the comonomers influenced the structures of the nanoparticles. OMNISEC was used to measure the molecular weight and dispersity values of variations of the copolymers (shown in the above image on the left) and a Zetasizer Nano was used to determine the hydrodynamic diameter and PDI of the nanoparticles (above image on the right)!
Improved sustainable, plant-based protein sources
A group of researchers at ETH Zurich led by Prof. Laura Nyström and Prof. Erich Windhab have “demonstrated that degradative enzymes can enhance the functionality of less refined protein-rich ingredients based on pea and other vegetal sources.” Their important work is another step forward in the development of sustainable protein-rich foods that can serve as meat alternatives. They presented a new way of characterizing the resulting pea protein products, including using an OMNISEC for size exclusion chromatography to study their fiber size distribution and gelation properties!
Synthetic polymers for improving joint lubrication
Another team in Zurich (using the same OMNISEC system as above!), led by Prof. Marcy Zenobi-Wong, created and studied a series of polymers that show potential to serve as therapeutic lubricants for individuals suffering cartilage wear and joint inflammation. These materials improve upon previous substitutes that simply mimic the viscosity of healthy synovial fluid, the naturally occurring joint lubrication that minimizes friction, by reproducing aspects of its chemistry, as well. The researchers found that zwitterionic poly(carboxybetaine acrylamide) performed well, and that the molecular architecture played a role; in one situation a linear structure was more beneficial, in another situation the bottlebrush analogue performed better. OMNISEC was used to characterize these materials prior to being used in the study, illustrated by the data presented above! And they used a Zetasizer Nano for zeta potential measurements!
Final thoughts
Thanks for reading the sixth (!) annual installment of the Catching up with OMNISEC series. If you are an OMNISEC user and wish to have your publication included in a future Catching up with OMNISEC post, please contact me at kyle.williams@malvernpanalytical.com.
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