Multiple particle tracking (MPT) methodology was used to dissect the impact of nanoparticle surface charge and size upon particle diffusion through freshly harvested porcine jejunum mucus. The mucus was characterised rheologically and by atomic force microscopy. To vary nanoparticle surface charge we used a series of self-assembly polyelectrolyte particles composed of varying ratios of the negatively charged polyacrylic acid polymer and the positively charged chitosan polymer. This series included a neutral or near-neutral particle to correspond to highly charged but near-neutral viral particles that appear to effectively permeate mucus. In order to negate the confounding issue of self-aggregation of such neutral synthetic particles a sonication step effectively reduced particle size (to less than 340 nm) for a sufficient period to conduct the tracking experiments. Across the polyelectrolyte particles a broad and meaningful relationship was observed between particle diffusion in mucus (×1000 difference between slowest and fastest particle types), particle size (104-373 nm) and particle surface charge (-29 mV to +19.5 mV), where the beneficial characteristic promoting diffusion was a neutral or near-neutral charge. The diffusion of the neutral polyelectrolyte particle (0.02887 cm S(-1)×10(-9)) compared favourably with that of a highly diffusive PEGylated-PLGA particle (0.03182 cm(2) S(-1)×10(-9)), despite the size of the latter (54 nm diameter) accommodating a reduced steric hindrance with the mucin network. Heterogeneity of particle diffusion within a given particle type revealed the most diffusive 10% sub-population for the neutral polyelectrolyte formulation (5.809 cm(2) S(-1)×10(-9)) to be faster than that of the most diffusive 10% sub-populations obtained either for the PEGylated-PLGA particle (4.061 cm(2) S(-1)×10(-9)) or for a capsid adenovirus particle (1.922 cm(2) S(-1)×10(-9)). While this study has used a simple self-assembly polyelectrolyte system it has substantiated the pursuance of other polymer synthesis approaches (such as living free-radical polymerisation) to deliver stable, size-controlled nanoparticles possessing a uniform high density charge distribution and yielding a net neutral surface potential. Such particles will provide an additional strategy to that of PEGylated systems where the interactions of mucosally delivered nanoparticles with the mucus barrier are to be minimised.

Zinc oxide is a widely used compound in the rubber industry due to the excellent properties that it shows as an activator and, consequently, its role in the mechanism of accelerated sulfur vulcanization has been extensively studied. Due to the increased concern about its environmental effects, several research studies have been carried out in order to substitute it with different metal oxides such us MgO. The effect of the activator system in order to minimize the environmental impact of the rubber goods has been explored. The work developed is presented in two parts. In Part 1, the influence of different mixtures of ZnO and MgO in the vulcanization of natural rubber has been investigated. In Part 2 of the study, model compound vulcanization has been used to study the role of MgO on the mechanism to gain a better understanding of the differences shown in the first part.

Zinc oxide is a widely used compound in the rubber industry due to the excellent properties that it shows as activator, and consequently, its role in the mechanism of accelerated sulfur vulcanization has been extensively studied. Due to the increased concern about its environmental effects, several research studies have been carried out in order to substitute it with different metal oxides such us MgO. The effect of the activator system in order to minimize the environmental impact of the rubber goods has been explored. The work developed is presented in two parts. In Part 1, the influence of different mixtures of ZnO and MgO on the vulcanization of natural rubber has been investigated. In Part 2, model compound vulcanization has been used to study the role of MgO on the mechanism to gain a better understanding of the differences shown in Part 1.