Under senaste decennierna, har intresset kring implantat från naturliga och syntetiska polymerer ökat markant i samband med en ökad marknadsefterfrågan på vävnadsdonationer. Detta har lett till efterforskningen av nya in-situ formerande geler med formbevarande egenskaper in-vivo. Extracellulära matrisen (ECM) innehåller flertal makromolekylära komponenter med stödjande och nätverksformerande egenskaper, då de ofta är essentiella strukturella konstituenter i biologiska system. Den huvudsakliga beståndsdelen i ECM-nätverket, kollagen typ-1, har undersökts som en kandidat för utvecklingen av nya modifierade biomaterial med cellförökande-, biokompatibla-, icke-svällande samt injicerbara egenskaper. I detta projekt var grisderiverat kollagen modifierat med furfuryl glycidyl eter, och tvärbundet med 10 kDa 8-armad PEG-malimid, vilket genomgick kovalenta Diels-alder klick-reaktioner. Fyra formuleringar användes i experimenten, baserat på de stökiometriska förhållandet mellan furan och malimid i det kemiskt modifierade kollagenet. Dessa kollagen-baserade hydrogeler undersöktes baserat på 4 wt% löst kollagen, med avseende på reologiska-, mekaniska-, bionedbrytbara och svällningsegenskaper.  Resultaten indikerar att en ökning i fastfas-mängd ledde till en förhöjning i hydrogelens styvhet. Detta kunde observeras genom en ökad lagringsmodul (G’) under reologiska mätningar. Samtidigt indikerade mätningarna att sprödheten av hydrogelen ökade i korrelation med ökningen av styvheten.  Vidare drogs slutsatsen att kovalenta interaktionerna är enbart delvis ansvarig för ökningen av G’. Jämförelser med tan delta och kritiska töjningen visade att det fanns fysiska interaktioner mellan polymererna vilket också bidrog till ökningen av G’ för gelformuleringar som innehöll furan-till-malimid förhållanden på 1:1 och 1:4. Dessa fysiska interaktioner tros härstamma från en ökning av hydrofobiska effekter mellan kollagen kedjorna, då agglomerering och löslighetssvårigheter i vattenlösningar observerades i flertal experiment. Kollagen-PEG-Malimid hydrogelen var också injicerbar genom 15G kanyler, nedbrytbar in-vitro i närvaro av kollagenas, och uppvisade låg svällning i vatten. Inga cellexperiment genomfördes, och därav kunde inga slutsatser dras i hydrogelens cellförökande egenskaper. Däremot har tidigare arbete av Dr Jamadi visat att kollagen-PEG-malimid hydrogel med 2 vikt% haft kapacitet att inkapsla celler. Detta kan vara en indikation att högre viktprocent av gelen också kan uppvisa samma effekt vid framtida försök.Sammanfattningsvis, kunde slutsatsen dras att hydrogelen uppvisar flertal av de spekulerade, samt några av de eftertraktade egenskaperna hos en injicerbar hydrogel som potentiellt kan användas kliniskt. / In recent decades, the interest in implants manufactured from natural and synthetic polymers has grown as the demand for tissue donations has increased. This process has led to the pursuit of new, in-situ forming gels with shape-retaining properties in-vivo. The extracellular matrix (ECM) contains several macromolecular constituents with scaffold forming capabilities and is an inherent part of the body. The main component in the ECM-scaffold, collagen type-I, has been investigated as a candidate for novel modified biomaterials with cell proliferating, biocompatible, non-swelling, and injectable properties. Collagen was modified with furfuryl glycidyl ether and crosslinked with 10 kDa 8-arm PEG-maleimide, which undergoes Diels-alder covalent click-type reactions. Four formulations were used, based on a stoichiometric ratio of furan to maleimide (1:1-1:4). These materials' properties were evaluated at 4 wt% collagen for rheological-, mechanical-, biodegradability and swelling characteristics. The results indicated that an increase in solid content improved stiffness in the hydrogel.  This was observed by an increase of storage modulus (G’) during rheological measurements. The same measurements also indicated that the hydrogel showed an increase in brittle characteristics correlated with higher solid content.  Furthermore, it was concluded that the covalent interactions are partly responsible for the increase of G’. Comparisons in tan delta and critical strain showed that there are physical interactions that cause the increase in moduli for gel formulations containing furan to maleimide ratios of 1:1 and 1:4. These physical interactions are thought to stem from the increase in hydrophobic effects of the modified collagen, as agglomeration and solubility issues in aqueous solutions are observed in multiple experiments.  Collagen-PEG-maleimide hydrogel was also injectable through a 15-gauge needle, degradable in-vitro, and showed low swelling. No cell experiments were performed, and hence no conclusions could be made of this aspect of the hydrogel. However, work has been performed by Dr Jamadi, which indicates that the Collagen-PEG-Maleimide hydrogel with lower weight percentages allows for cell encapsulation. Hence, it could be concluded that several characteristics of tissue mimetic material were met with this hydrogel.

Syftet med projektet var att samla in återvunnen polyeten och omvandla den till återvinningsbara högstyrke-härdplaster genom att designa ett kovalent anpassningsbart nätverk för det. Återvunnen polyeten samlades in och ympades med maleinsyraanhydrid genom reaktiv extrudering och en friradikalmekanism, vilket sedan tvärbands med laboratoriesyntetiserad polyimid. Den resulterande tvärbundna blandningen bearbetades genom formsprutning, och tester visade att den förväntade reaktionen hade utförts framgångsrikt och de mekaniska egenskaperna förbättrades avsevärt. Materialet bearbetades också om för att testa dess återvinningsbarhet och denna process samt analysen av materialet efteråt visade också lovande resultat. / The aim of the project was to collect recycled polyethylene and transform it into recyclable high-strength thermosets by designing a covalent adaptable network. Recycled polyethylene was collected and grafted with maleic anhydride through reactive extrusion and free radical mechanism, which was then cross-linked with laboratory synthesized polyimide. The resulting cross-linked blend was processed using injection molding, and testing showed that the expected reaction had been carried out successfully and mechanical properties were significantly enhanced. The material was also reprocessed to test its recyclability and this process and analysis of material after it showed promising results as well.

Degradation of steel pipes in district heating systems is often a result of corrosion processes. To maintain the power in the systems the pipes gets replaced when they have been worn-out, resulting in high cost and long service time due to excavation. A more affordable and time- effective method is known to be relining which implies renovation and facing of the already existing pipes. This thesis covers an initial review of the applicability of a polyamide curing solvent-free epoxy based relining for lifetime extension of corroded pipes in Stockholm Exergi's pipeline network. The research study is comprised of a literature search focusing on the permeability properties of epoxy coatings, an experimental part where the actual coating was tested for defined parameters similar to the prevailing ones in the system of Stockholm Exergi and finally an evaluation of the usability of the coating. Critical parameters such as the adhesion between the coating and the steel substrate, the sorption of water within the coating and the emit of Bisphenol A were carefully investigated during the analysis. Analysis methods such as pull of test, TGA, DSC and GC-MS were utilized in order to investigate the critical parameters. The adhesion between the coating and the substrate was found to be inadequate for the purpose, the TGA and DSC analysis showed a time-dependent increasing water sorption when exposure to 120 °C. At a higher temperature of 190 °C the sorption decreased. It was concluded that the coating cured at higher exposure temperatures which implied higher degree of conversion and thus a more brittle epoxy matrix. Additionally, the hydrophobicity decreased during 28 days of exposure, at both 120 °C and 190 °C, which can be supposed to affect the flow in the pipeline system during service. It can be stated that a spray coating consisting a polyamide curing solvent-free epoxy will not answer to a total solution for a lifetime extension for the pipes in Stockholm Exergi's pipeline network. An extended investigation regarding the exterior isolation of the pipes is suggested in order to circumvent the most critical breakdowns due to corrosion.