Huaao Jiang^#, Bianyifan Xu^#, Yang Gui, Ying Xia, Xu Yin, Chao Zhang, Yue Meng, Xin Yu, Yan Wang, Hongmei Xia^*

Journal of Polymer Materials, Vol.42, No.4, pp. 993-1033, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jpm.2025.071740 - 26 December 2025

Abstract Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history and is widely used to prevent and treat various diseases. With the development of modern technology, an increasing number of active ingredients—such as curcumin, berberine, and baicalin—have been identified and validated within TCM. Concurrently, the emergence of nanotechnology has led to the discovery of numerous nanomedicines based on the self-assembly of active ingredients from TCM. Polymer materials can enhance the bioavailability of these active compounds and reduce their toxic side effects. Moreover, compared to synthetic polymers, natural polymer materials offer advantages such as non-toxicity and high biosafety… More >

Sara Mattiello, Carlo Santulli^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.13, No.1, pp. 1-19, 2025, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2024.056251 - 20 January 2025

Abstract Taking a widely contaminated yet abundant waste, such as poultry feathers, and extracting keratin from this structure appears to be a real challenge whenever the preservation of the secondary structure of the protein is desired. This process would allow exploiting it in ways (e.g., in the biomedical field) that are inspired by a structure that is primarily designed for flight, therefore capable specifically of withstanding flexure and lateral buckling, also with very low thicknesses. The preservation of the structure is based on disulfide crosslinks, and it is offered with preference by some chemical treatments, mainly… More > Graphic Abstract

Qingran Meng^1,2, Wenwen Xu², Zuobing Xiao², Qinfei Ke^1,2,*, Xingran Kou^1,2,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.12, No.4, pp. 629-641, 2024, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2023.029182 - 12 June 2024

Abstract Bio-based cyclodextrins (CDs) are a common research object in supramolecular chemistry. The special cavity structure of CDs can form supramolecular self-assemblies such as vesicles and microcrystals through weak interaction with guest molecules. The different forms of supramolecular self-assemblies can be transformed into each other under certain conditions. The regulation of supramolecular self-assembly is not only helpful to understand the self-assembly principle, but also beneficial to its application. In the present study, the self-assembly behavior of epoxy-β-cyclodextrin (EP-β-CD) and mixed anionic and cationic surfactant system (sodium dodecyl sulfate/dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide, SDS/DTAB) in aqueous solution was studied. Morphological… More > Graphic Abstract

Mingxuan He¹, Yahui Zheng¹, Jiaming Shen¹, Jiawei Shi¹, Yongzheng Zhang¹, Yinghong Xiao^2,*, Jianfei Che^1,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.12, No.2, pp. 215-233, 2024, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2023.043659 - 11 March 2024

Abstract

The abuse of plastic food packaging has brought about severe white pollution issues around the world. Developing green and sustainable biomass packaging is an effective way to solve this problem. Hence, a chitosan/sodium alginate-based multilayer film is fabricated via a layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly method. With the help of superior interaction between the layers, the multilayer film possesses excellent mechanical properties (with a tensile strength of 50 MPa). Besides, the film displays outstanding water retention property (blocking moisture of 97.56%) and ultraviolet blocking property. Anthocyanin is introduced into the film to detect the food quality since

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Yogesh K. Murugesan¹, Damiano Pasini², Alejandro D. Rey^1,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.3, No.1, pp. 56-72, 2015, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634124

Abstract This review on self-assembly in biological fi brous composites presents theory and simulation to elucidate the principles and mechanisms that govern the thermodynamics, material science, and rheology of biological anisotropic soft matter that are involved in the growth/self-assembly/material processing of these materials. Plant cell wall, a multi-layered biological fi brous composite, is presented as a model biological system to investigate self-assembly mechanisms in nature’s material synthesis. In order to demonstrate the universality of the presented models and the mechanisms investigated, references to other biological/ biomimetic systems are made when applicable. The integration of soft matter More >

Yadong Liu¹, Guangcheng Huang^1,2, Yuanyuan Pang^1,2, Miaomiao Han¹, Shengxiang Ji^1,*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.3, No.2, pp. 113-119, 2015, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2014.634141

Abstract In this work, we report a one-pot synthesis of amphiphilic miktoarm cellulose graft copolymers, cellulose (-graft-oligo(L-lactide))-graft-oligo(N-isopropylacrylamide) (Cell(-g-OLLA)-g-ONIPAM), with dual side chains of oligo(L-lactide) and oligo(N-isopropylacrylamide) using 2-bromoisobutyl bromide functionalized cellulose (Cell(-OH)-Br) as the macroinitiator, by simultaneously conducting ring-opening polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization using Cu/CuBr/PMDETA/Sn(Oct)₂ as the catalytic system. The chemical structures and thermal properties of Cell(-g-OLLA)-g-ONIPAMs were characterized with ¹ H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and thermal gravimetric analysis. Cell (-g-OLLA)-g-ONIPAM could self-assemble into micelles in the aqueous solution as confi rmed by environmental scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light More >

Tsung-Yu Huang¹, Wen-Hwa Chen^1,2

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.85, No.6, pp. 521-542, 2012, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2012.085.521

Abstract A rigorous three-dimensional analysis model is established to calculate the restoring force and restoring torque for the self-alignment of the micropart with the binding site in solution using the Surface Evolver Program, which is developed for analyzing the liquid formation due to surface tension and other energies. The motions of the micropart studied include translation, compression, yawing and rolling, respectively. More >

Tak-Sing Wong^*, Branden Brough^†, Chih-Ming Ho^∗,‡

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.6, No.1, pp. 1-56, 2009, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2009.006.001

Abstract Mimicking nature's approach in creating devices with similar functional complexity is one of the ultimate goals of scientists and engineers. The remarkable elegance of these naturally evolved structures originates from bottom-up self-assembly processes. The seamless integration of top-down fabrication and bottom-up synthesis is the challenge for achieving intricate artificial systems. In this paper, technologies necessary for guided bottom-up assembly such as molecular manipulation, molecular binding, and the self assembling of molecules will be reviewed. In addition, the current progress of synthesizing mechanical devices through top-down and bottom-up approaches will be discussed. More >

Itsuo Hanasaki, Hirofumi Shintaku, Satoshi Matsunami, Satoyuki Kawano¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.46, No.2, pp. 191-208, 2009, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2009.046.191

Abstract Self-assembly is one of the physical phenomena that are promising for the manufacturing process of the devices on which DNA molecules are mounted as the components. We have conducted a structural study of self-assembled poly(dA)\discretionary poly(dT) DNA networks on mica surface to discuss the design requirements. The results indicate that the network formation process consists of the adsorption and the subsequent coarsening. The final form of the component filaments are roughly straight. These characteristics imply the possible tensile loads during the network formation. Therefore, we have conducted molecular dynamics simulations of tensile tests of a More >

Baohua Ji^*, Yonggang Huang^†

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.3, No.3, pp. 109-120, 2006, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2006.003.109

Abstract The mechanisms governing the self-assembled structure of biomolecules (single chain and bundle of chains) are studied with an AB copolymer model via the coarse grained molecular dynamics simulations. Non-local hydrophobic interaction is found to play a critical role in the pattern formation of the assembled structure of polymer chains. We show that the polymer structure could be controlled by adjusting the balance between local (short range) and non-local (long range) hydrophobic interaction which are influenced by various factors such as the sequences, chain length, stiffness, confinement, and the topology of polymers. In addition, the competition More >