• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.56 no.11
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• pp.835-843
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• 2018

In this work, we report a delta rosette strain sensor based on highly stretchable silver nanowire (AgNW) percolation piezoresistors. The proposed rosette strain sensors were easily prepared by a facile two-step fabrication route. First, three identical AgNW piezoresistive electrodes were patterned in a simple and precise manner on a donor film using a solution-processed drop-coating of the AgNWs in conjunction with a tape-type shadow mask. The patterned AgNW electrodes were then entirely transferred to an elastomeric substrate while embedding them in the polymer matrix. The fabricated stretchable AgNW piezoresistors could be operated at up to 20% strain without electrical or mechanical failure, showing a maximum gauge factor as high as 5.3, low hysteresis, and high linearity ($r^2{\approx}0.996$). Moreover, the sensor responses were also found to be highly stable and reversible even under repeated strain loading/unloading for up to 1000 cycles at a maximum tensile strain of 20%, mainly due to the mechanical stability of the AgNW/elastomer composites. In addition, both the magnitude and direction of the principal strain could be precisely characterized by configuring three identical AgNW piezoresistors in a delta rosette form, representing the potential for employing the devices as a multidimensional strain sensor in various practical applications.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.127-134
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• 2008

Peroral administration is the most convenient one for the administration of pharmaceutically active compounds. Most of poorly water-soluble drugs administered via the oral route, however, remain poorly available due to their precipitation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and low permeability through intestinal mucosa. In this study, one of drug delivery carriers, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) were designed in order to reduce side effects and improve solubility and stability in GI tract of the poorly water soluble drugs. However, plain LNPs are generally unstable in the GI tract and susceptible to the action of acids, bile salts and enzymes. Accordingly, the surface of LNPs was modified with polyethylene glycol (PEG) for the purpose of improving solubility and GI stability of paclitaxel (PTX) in vitro. PEG-modified LNPs containing PTX was prepared by spontaneous emulsification and solvent evaporation (SESE) method and characterized for mean particle diameter, entrapping efficiency, zeta potential value and in vitro GI stability. Mean particle diameter and zeta potential value of PEG-modified LNP containing PTX showed approximately 86.9 nm and -22.9 mV, respectively. PTX entrapping efficiency was about 70.5% determined by UV/VIS spectrophotometer. Futhermore, change of particle diameter of PTX-loaded PEG-LNPs in simulated GI fluids and bile fluid was evaluated as a criteria of GI stability. Particle diameter of PTX-loaded PEG-LNPs were preserved under 200 nm for 6 hrs in simulated GI fluids and bile fluid at $37^{\circ}C$ when DSPE-mPEG2000 was added to formulation of LNPs above 4 mole ratio. As a result, PEG-modified LNPs improved stability of plain LNPs that would aggregate in simulated GI fluids and bile solution. These results indicate that LNPs modified with biocompatible and nontoxic polymer such as PEG might be useful for enhancement of GI stability of poorly water-soluble drugs and they might affect PTX absorption affirmatively in gastrointestinal mucosa.