In this paper we have presented a sensitive and rapid immunoassay (IA) method by capillary electrophoresis with an enhanced chemiluminescence detection system (CE-CL) based on the catalytic effects of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on the luminol-hydrogen peroxide reaction. The conditions for the CL reaction and electrophoresis were systematically investigated using HRP as a model sample. The linear range from 2.5 x 10(-11) to 1.0 x 10(-9) mol/L (R = 0.999), and the detection limit of 1.0 x 10(-12) mol/L (signal-to-noise ratio = 3) for HRP were achieved using para-iodophenol as CL enhancer. The relative standard deviations of the migration time and peak area for 5.0 x 10(-10) mol/L HRP (n = 7) were 0.26 and 4.8%, respectively, using a CE system with a home-built CL detector. Under the optimal condition, the HRP-labeled CA125 antibody (Ab) and the Ab-antigen complex were well separated within 4 min by CE using a high-pH buffer (pH 10.20). The assay was successfully used for quantification of CA125 in human sera from health controls and patients associated with ovarian cancer, and the recoveries of the standard addition experiments were 93-109%. Our primary results demonstrated that IA based on CE-CL detection is a powerful tool for clinical diagnosis combined with these commercial IA kits.

No abstract

A novel flame retardant composed of montmorillonite (MMT) and hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene (HCCP) was prepared in this study. MMT was chemically bonded with HCCP via a 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (KH-550) coupling agent. The structure was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and NMR. The preliminary application for improving the flame retardancy of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) was investigated by means of the limited oxygen index, the vertical burning test, and thermogravimetric analysis. Scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate the morphology of the char residue. The results show that the novel flame retardant had excellent fire retardancy; that is, the sample achieved an increased UL-94 V-0 rating and limited oxygen index value of 31.5. The residue of the flame-retarded PET increased to 14.7% compared to the 6.2% value of pristine PET.

Because of their unique magnetic features and good biocompatibility, magnetic poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) microspheres have great application potential in magnetic targeted drug-delivery systems. In this research, magnetic PLGA microspheres with controllable particle sizes were successfully prepared from a composite emulsion with a T-shaped microchannel reactor. A water-in-oil-in-water composite emulsion was generated by the injection of a dichloromethane/gelatin water-in-oil initial emulsion into the microchannel together with a coating aqueous phase, that is, the aqueous solution of glucose and poly(vinyl alcohol). The mean particle size of the microspheres could be controlled by the manipulation of the osmotic pressure difference between the internal and external aqueous phases via changes in the glucose concentration. Curcumin, a drug with an inhibitory effect on tumor cells, was used to exemplify the release properties of the magnetic PLGA microspheres. We found that the mean particle size of the microspheres ranged from 16 to 207 lm with glucose concentrations from 0 to 20 wt %. The resulting microspheres showed a rapid magnetic response, good superparamagnetism, and a considerable magnetocaloric effect, with a maximum magnetic entropy of 0.

Summary Montmorillonite (MMT) and hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene (HCCP) are two focal materials to investigate in improving the thermal properties of polymer in recent years. They are used to improve the thermal performance of polymer from different aspects. MMT usually could play an important role in preventing or slowing down the penetration of heat and flame by layers of the mineral. However, making polymer dehydrate and carbonize and generating incombustible ammonia, which can dilute the concentration of combustible gas, are the major ways from HCCP. In this study, a novel intercalated MMT containing high content of phosphorus and nitrogen was synthesized by MMT and HCCP (HCCP‐in‐MMT). It was applied to improve the thermal performance of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymer. 1H NMR and 31P NMR technology were used to track the structures of a series of intermediates. The composites were prepared by melt‐blending neat PET with HCCP‐in‐MMT and named as PET/HCCP‐in‐MMT material. Three levels of HCCP‐in‐MMT (1, 3, and 5 wt%) were considered for the blends. The preliminary application in improving the thermal performance of PET was studied by thermo‐gravimetric (TG) analysis and pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry; pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry study showed that the introduction of HCCP‐in‐MMT would inhibit the pyrolysis of PET during heating or burning. The flame retardancy performance of PET composites was characterized by limiting oxygen index tests and UL‐94 test. The result showed that the composites could pass UL‐94 V‐1 and limiting oxygen index value 28.3% just only containing 5 wt% of HCCP‐in‐MMT. TEM showed that the inserted layer structure was formed between PET matrix and synthetic flame retardant HCCP‐in‐MMT. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.