Guest Editors
Simon Swift
University of Auckland
Simon Swift is Associate Professor of Microbiology and Infectious disease in the Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology at the University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. Simon is a microbiologist with research expertise in the killing and rapid detection of bacteria. He obtained a PhD from the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK in 1991. Simon currently co-directs the Biocide Toolbox Research programme at the University of Auckland and is interested in sustainable and durable options for biocidal surfaces that can be applied in healthcare and food industries.
Marija Gizdavic-Nikolaidis
University of Auckland
Dr. Marija Gizdavic-Nikolaidis is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Auckland and an elected Fellow of New Zealand Institute of Chemistry. Her research background is in physical chemistry and she brings 25+ years of experience as researcher, innovator, entrepreneur, and science leader in multidisciplinary, national and international research projects in areas of physical chemistry, biotechnology, materials science and green polymer chemistry, with a focus to link academic research with industry needs. Her main research interests are in production and physical characterisation of conducting polymers, polymer nanocomposites and bioactive compounds using eco-friendly chemistry methods. She received her Bachelor of Chemistry (Hons) in Physical Chemistry from the University of Belgrade in 1995 and PhD in the area of polyaniline-based conducting polymers from the University of Auckland in 2005. In 2007, she was awarded a prestigious New Zealand Foundation for Research and Technology Research Fellowship to develop electrospun bioactive polyaniline based nanofibrous composites for health care applications focused on would care technology. Dr. Gizdavic-Nikolaidis is an inventor of patented antimicrobial polymer technology and she is engaged as an academic within Biocide ToolBox Research programme, the University of Auckland on industrial research projects for developing greener biocides for New Zealand healthcare sector. She has retained an academic role at the University of Belgrade, Republic of Serbia working on the government awarded research projects in developing approaches for the large-scale production of conducting polymer-based nanomaterials for sensors, energy storage, water reuse, food and biomedical applications.
Collection Overview
Conducting polymers (CPs) such as polyaniline, polypyrrole, and polythiophene have drawn substantial attention because of their electrical conductivity, environmental stability, biocompatibility, and ease and economy of synthesis. The unique physical and electronic properties of CPs allow them to find use in super capacitors, rechargeable batteries, electrochromic devices, adhesives, solar cells, sensors, and biomedical applications. CPs and their composites have been produced through a variety of methods: eco-friendly chemical or electrochemical synthesis, fiber encapsulation, incorporation of other secondary nanoparticles, electropolymerization of different monomers, the utilization of multi-functional dopants, and in situ integration of noble metal nanoclusters during oxidative polymerization. To understand the physical and chemical properties of CPs, several spectroscopic, macroscopic, and analytical techniques as well as microscopy and surface analysis methods have been employed. In recent years, CPs with enhanced properties of processability, functionality, responsivity, and biodegradability have been developed to meet new industrial, biomedical, and environmental challenges.
In this collection, a range of synthetic, analytical, and surface modification techniques will be presented to illustrate methods for the preparation and characterization of CPs and their composites.
Articles
Abstracts
Preparation of a phytochemical-loaded conductive nanoparticles using electrochemical polymerization: Killing two birds with the same stone
Dalia Attia1,
Nahed Mortada2,
Rania Hathout*2,
Eman El-Marakby2,
Muhammed Ossama1
1The British University in Egypt,
2Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy - Faculty of Pharmacy - Ain Shams University
Preparation of a phytochemical-loaded conductive nanoparticles using electrochemical polymerization: Killing two birds with the same stone
Dalia Attia1,
Nahed Mortada2,
Rania Hathout*2,
Eman El-Marakby2,
Muhammed Ossama1
1The British University in Egypt,
2Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy - Faculty of Pharmacy - Ain Shams University