Dendritic macromolecules, such as hyperbranched polymers are increasingly being studied in the context of encapsulation. The intensive research on encapsulation using hyperbranched polymers is motivated by factors such as a cost-effective polymer synthesis and a customizable property profile. Hence, in the past few years, hyperbranched polymers have been employed as carriers for several guest molecules such as dyes, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, catalysts, and aromatic hydrocarbons. However, hyperbranched polymers compete not only with perfectly structured dendrimers but also with conventional carrier molecules in terms of price and performance criteria such as processability, loading capacity, delivery efficiency and/or reduction of toxic side effects. This article aims at reviewing the research and development (R&D) in the field of encapsulation using hyperbranched polymers. Based on a summary of the most relevant R&D results and encapsulation technologies in this area, progress and challenges are discussed and new emerging applications are described. The most prominent emerging applications include the encapsulation and/or controlled release of (i) unstable or sensitive components (such as those used in the field of personal care), (ii) pharmaceutical substances (using hyperbranched carrier polymers with a narrow molar mass distribution), and (iii) inorganic nanoparticles to design versatile nanoreactors for catalytic applications.

Spin-orbit torque (SOT)-induced magnetization switching exhibits chirality (clockwise or counterclockwise), which offers the prospect of programmable spin-logic devices integrating nonvolatile spintronic memory cells with logic functions. Chirality is usually fixed by an applied or effective magnetic field in reported studies. Herein, utilizing an in-plane magnetic layer that is also switchable by SOT, the chirality of a perpendicular magnetic layer that is exchange-coupled with the in-plane layer can be reversed in a purely electrical way. In a single Hall bar device designed from this multilayer structure, three logic gates including AND, NAND, and NOT are reconfigured, which opens a gateway toward practical programmable spin-logic devices.

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This study aims to examine how the relationship between intellectual capital (IC) and bank profitability changed during COVID-19. Based on the data of 34 Chinese banks and 39 Pakistani banks, this study uses ordinary least squares (OLS) to examine this relationship during the COVID-19 era. Profitability is measured by return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE), and IC is measured by the value added intellectual coefficient (VAIC) model. The findings show that, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, IC has managed to sustain its positive influence on bank profitability in China and Pakistan. Among IC components, our study reports that human capital is the only IC resource that continues to enhance ROA and ROE of Chinese and Pakistani banks during the pandemic period. Our study suggests that policymakers should pay more attention to IC resources, which has the potential to improve banks’ profitability even during crisis times.

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Stretchable strain sensors in the form of thin films consisting of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR)/ polyaniline (PANI) blends were prepared via in situ polymerization of aniline in the NBR solution. The sensors were characterized for thermal, morphological and piezo-electric properties. Electrical conductivity increased with an increase in filler loading. Piezo resistive measurements showed a decrease in electrical conductivity upon stretching due to disconnection mechanism between filler particles. The piezo resistive properties were evaluated at a strain of 40%. The sensor sensibility was calculated through the gauge factor (GF), and a value of 1.74 was obtained. It was also shown that the GF was a function of the applied strain. The dispersion and distribution was uniform as visualized by SEM analysis. The application of the sensors in human motion detection was demonstrated. The proposed polyaniline-based strain sensors provide an economical alternative to the more expensive carbon nanotube based sensors and can be employed in numerous applications.

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