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A method was developed for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) synthesis of a nanocomposite consisting of dispersed, nanosized hard particles in a thermoplastic matrix. Octafunctional cubic silsesquioxanes were used as a platform to synthesize 8-arm star poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) via ATRP. The cubic silsesquioxane, octakis(hydridodimethylsiloxy)octasilsesquioxane (Q 8M8 H ), was converted to either octakis(2-bromo-2-methylpropionoxypropyldimethylsiloxy)octasilsesquioxane (OBPS) or the octaethylbenzyl chloride analogue. The bromo ester was successfully employed as an ATRP initiator using CuCl as catalyst, leading to formation of PMMA arms with controlled molecular weights and hence to nanocomposites with essentially complete control of dispersion and solids loading. The catalyst and initiator concentrations were demonstrated to affect the molecular weight distribution and the occurrence of star-star coupling caused by inevitable termination reactions.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), PVA crosslinked with glutaraldehyde hydrogels (PVA/GA), PVA with tetraethylorthosilicate (PVA/TEOS) and PVA/GA/TEOS hybrids with recombinant MPB70 protein (rMPB70) incorporated were chemically characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). FTIR spectra of PVA hydrogel samples showed the absorption regions of the specific chemical groups associated with poly(vinyl alcohol) (-OH, -CO, -CH2) and PVA/GA confirming the formation of crosslinked hydrogel (duplet -CH). It was observed C-H broad alkyl stretching band (n = 2850-3000 cm-1) and typical strong hydroxyl bands for free alcohol (nonbonded -OH stretching band at n = 3600-3650 cm-1), and hydrogen bonded band (n = 3200-3570 cm-1). The most important vibration bands related to silane alcoxides have been verified on FTIR spectra of PVA/TEOS and PVA/GA/TEOS hybrids (Si-O-Si, n = 1080 and n = 450 cm-1; Si-OH, n = 950 cm-1). FTIR spectra of f PVA hydrogel with rMPB70 incorporated have indicated the specific groups usually found in protein structures, such as amides I, II and III, at 1680-1620 cm-1, 1580-1480 cm-1 and 1246 cm-1, respectively. These results have given strong evidence that recombinant protein rMPB70 was successfully adsorbed in the hydrogels and hybrids networks. These PVA based hydrogels and hybrids were further used in immunological assays (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay - ELISA). Tests were performed to detect antibodies against rMPB70 protein in serum samples from bovines that were positive in the tuberculin test. Corresponding tests were carried out without PVA samples in microtiter plates as control. Similar results were found for commercially available microplates and PVA based hydrogels and hybrids developed in the present work regarding to immunoassay sensitivity and specificity response

Several techniques have been utilized for the preparation of hydroxyapatite (HA) and other calcium phosphates for the development of biomaterials. It is vital to know the reaction kinetics to be able to control the material obtained by the aqueous solution route. In the present work, HA has been produced by different wet precipitation processes and different experimental conditions. Calcium hydroxide, calcium phosphate, ammonium phosphate and phosphoric acid were used as reagents. The precipitate was dried at 100 °C overnight and then some samples were treated at 900 °C for 2 h. The powder samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. SEM photomicrographs showed an aggregate powder, granular to dense and suggested typical columnar particles. Qualitative XRF showed that the main components of HA powders were calcium and phosphorus. Pure HA and other phases according to processing parameters were observed by XRD analysis.

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