Browsing by Author "Freitas, Filipa"
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- Development of high performance and facile to pack molecularly imprinted particles for aqueous applicationsPublication . Oliveira, Daniela; Freitas, Filipa; Kadhirvel, Porkodi; Dias, Rolando; Costa, Mário RuiDifferent kinds of molecularly imprinted particles were synthesized and compared, aiming at the development of materials combining high molecular recognition capabilities and facile use as column packing materials for chromatographic aqueous applications. Solution, inverse-suspension and precipitation polymerization were considered and two different model molecules (5-fluorouracil and caffeine) were used to highlight the effect of the interaction between the template molecule and the functional monomer on imprinting efficiency. Particles synthesized through the proposed inverse-suspension process exhibit facile use for packing columns, allow the stable running of chromatographic systems and present a high performance in drug uptake and release in aqueous media. Frontal analysis measurements highlight these key features of the synthesized particles. Drug sorption capabilities of 0.890 mol/g and 5.774 mol/g were measured for 5-fluorouracil and caffeine, respectively, using frontal analysis with eluents containing the target molecules at concentration 0.1 mM. Due to the lower amount of solvent required than with precipitation polymerization, the developed inverse-suspension process presents high synthesis yields, which can be exploited for the large-scale manufacture and commercialization of molecularly imprinted materials. The combined features of the particles makes possible their direct use in bioseparations or in the development of assays and pharmacokinetic studies concerning the presence of drugs in biological fluids.
- Development of tailored hydrogels using RAFT polymerization in continuous flow microreactorPublication . Machado, Carla; Oliveira, Tânia; Reitor, Patrícia; Oliveira, Daniela; Freitas, Filipa; Kadhirvel, Porkodi; Dias, Rolando; Costa, Mário RuiThis research is devoted to the development of tools aiding the production of smart hydrogels with tailored molecular architecture and properties. Molecular imprinting, RAFT polymerization and operation in continuous flow microreactor are individually considered and also simultaneously combined in order to try the synthesis of materials with improved performance.