The synthesis of organic-inorganic hybrids is an interesting approach as it offers the possibility of combining the advantages of organic polymer (elasticity, formability) and inorganic material (hardness, strength, high chemical resistance, and thermal stability). Gelatin-siloxane hybrid materials were prepared in the reaction of gelatin and organomodified silicones containing epoxy-and both epoxy-as well as fluoroalkyl groups. The hybrids obtained were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopic analysis. Thermal properties of the samples were evaluated by means of thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetric measurements, showing the influence of type and amount of organosilicon compound on thermal properties of the hybrid materials. The samples obtained with siloxane containing fluoroalkyl groups as well as with mixed siloxanes revealed higher thermal stability than unmodified gelatin. Glass transition temperatures of the hybrids occurred at lower values than for gelatin, exhibiting the plasticizing effect of the applied siloxanes. Enthalpy values of the hybrids decreased, indicating the changes in the helical structure of gelatin caused by the introduction of siloxane. C

Six new air-stable anionic platinum complexes were synthesized in simple reactions of piperidinium [BMPip]Cl or pyrrolidinium [BMPyrr]Cl ionic liquids with platinum compounds ([Pt(cod)Cl2] or K2[PtCl6]). All these compounds were subjected to isolation and spectrometric characterization using NMR and ESI-MS techniques. Furthermore, the determination of melting points and thermal stability of the above derivatives was performed with the use of thermogravimetric analysis. The catalytic performance of the synthesized complexes was tested in hydrosilylation of 1-octene and allyl glycidyl ether with 1,1,1,3,5,5,5-heptamethyltrisiloxane. The study has shown that they have high catalytic activity and are insoluble in the reaction medium which enabled them to isolate and reuse them in consecutive catalytic cycles. The most active complex [BMPip]2[PtCl6] makes it possible to conduct at least 10 catalytic runs without losing activity which makes it an attractive alternative not only to commonly used homogeneous catalysts, but also to heterogeneous catalysts for hydrosilylation processes. The activity of the studied catalysts is also affected by the kind of anion and, to some extent, the kind of cation.

Immobilization of antibodies has a number of promising applications, including detection of biomolecules and cells. Well-oriented antibodies are required to bind them effectively. To eliminate the problem of random antibodies’ orientation, the surface of the device can be modified with silanes. This study aimed at elucidating if selected aminosilanes were able to bind antibodies in the appropriate orientation and thus retain their binding activity. Silanization of glass slides was performed using three amino-functional trialkoxysilanes – A, AE, and AEE. The immunofluorescent reaction was used to evaluate the potential of the silanized glass surface to bind anti-EpCAM antibodies. The affinity of selected anti-EpCAM HEA125 antibodies labeled with fluorochrome to tested silanized surfaces was evaluated by measuring the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) in each analyzed area. The presented silanes effectively bound antibodies. Higher fluorescence intensity was noticed in the case of silane-coated glass slides in comparison to unmodified ones. The differences in the contact angles also confirmed this result. In the case of silane A, the fluorescence intensity reflected the amount of bound antibodies. However, there was no such a relation in the case of the silanes AE and AEE. Although our research gave promising results, the usefulness of selected silanes needs to be confirmed by further studies using cancer cells. Running title: Aminosilanes as enhancers of antibody immobilization

In the presented research, two trialkoxysilanes were used to investigate their reactivity with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) applied as a model material. As a continuation of the previous study, the research aimed at evaluation of the durability and potential reversibility of the silane treatment. Two different solvents and a mixture thereof were used for cellulose modification. The influence of amino group/pH, an excess of silanes and re-soaking with water on binding with cellulose was examined. The results obtained confirm that both selected silanes can effectively modify MCC. However, the treatment with 3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyltrimethoxysilane occurred more effective than with Methyltrimethoxysilane due to the presence of amino groups. Among the three tested solvents, the most effective was pure water. In contrast, the use of ethanol and a mixture of ethanol and water gave significantly worse results. Summarising, the presented research clearly shows how important the type of the functional group in alkoxysilanes is for its chemical reactivity with natural polymers, which is crucial for their application in waterlogged wood conservation.

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