Continuous technological progress places significant demands on the materials used in increasingly modern devices. An important parameter is often the long-term thermal resistance of the material. The use of heat-resistant polymer materials worked well in technologically advanced products. An economically justified direction in searching for new materials is the area of polymer nanocomposite materials. It is necessary to appropriately select both the polymer matrix and the nanofillers best able to demonstrate the synergistic effect. A promising area of exploration for such nanocomposites is the use of organosilicon polymers, which results from the unique properties of these polymers related to their structure. This review presents the results of the analysis of the most important literature reports regarding organosilicon polymer nanocomposites with increased thermal resistance. Particular attention was paid to modification methods of silicone nanocomposites focused on the increase of their thermal resistance related to the modification of siloxane molecular structure and by making nanocomposites using inorganic additives, carbon nanomaterials. Attention was also paid to such important issues as the influence of the dispersion of additives in the polymer matrix on the thermal resistance of silicone nanocomposites and the possibility of modifying the polymer matrix and permanently introducing nanofillers thanks to the presence of various reactive groups. The thermal stability mechanism of these nanocomposites was also analysed.

There is a considerable increase in the use of substances and medical procedures aimed at changing the esthetics of the face, particularly the appearance of the lips. Permanent fillers such as polydimethylsiloxane, also called liquid silicone, are widely used, but their application for facial esthetics is currently obsolete. However, the long-term complications remain a reality, as they can occur decades after the application. Thus, the goal of this case report was to present a complication after 16 years of treatment using liquid silicone. This case report involved a 52-year-old male with a complication of bilateral permanent filler in the upper lip performed 16 years ago, its surgical removal, and histological analysis. Histologically, it was possible to identify a chronic inflammatory, lymphoplasmacytic, and granulomatous reaction, with foreign body giant cells’ reaction, in relation to non-polarizable exogenous material due to the reaction to silicone. The most common complications are granulomas' appearance and material displacement. The case report shows these granulomas are characterized as chronic low-caliber inflammation around the silicone. They have an unknown etiology but are probably multifactorial, from continuous trauma, friction or irritation, iatrogenic factors, infection, immunological mechanisms, and genetic and molecular variations, and can be highly related to the impurity of the injected material.

Silicone rubber formulations in the form of thin discs have been studied under room ambient conditions for their surface characteristics. The samples were silicone rubber manufactured in laboratory and those industrially manufactured. The measurements were done using an electrometer high resistance meter, applying dc voltage under normal room ambient conditions. The results show that the silicone rubber samples show higher values of surface resistivity when the dc voltage was applied. Silicone rubber samples manufactured in laboratory seem to exhibit erratic behaviour unlike their corresponding silicone rubbers manufactured in industry; this could be due to manufacturing shortcomings in laboratory and the irregularities in the way the silicone rubber adhered to the concentric ring electrodes. The empirical current traversing the surface of the silicone rubbers does not decay exponentially but rather it decays as an exponential power of the energization time.

This review discusses the key factors influencing the exceptional thermal resistance and surface properties of silicone-containing composites. Silicone polymers, known for their excellent chemical and physical proper-ties, are widely used in a number of innovative products. In order to make silicone composites suitable for innovative applications, it is essential to ensure that they have both very good thermal resistance and su-perhydrophobic properties. Identification of the key factors influencing these properties enables the use of these composites in coatings, electronics and photovoltaic panels. The discussion includes the role of or-ganosilicon polymer structures and the incorporation of micro- and nano-additives to enhance the perfor-mance of these materials. Different methods for the modification and production of silicone composites are analyzed, with an emphasis on achieving thermal stability and surface superhydrophobicity simultaneously. The review highlights the growing demand for silicone-based coatings, driven by technological advances and environmental concerns. Furthermore, the role of surface modification and hierarchical surface structures in achieving these unique properties is discussed, as well as the potential applications and challenges in the development of next-generation silicone-containing materials.

Surgical simulators are crucial in early craniofacial and plastic surgical training, necessitating synthetic materials that accurately replicate tissue properties. Recent critiques of our lab’s currently deployed silicone surrogate have highlighted numerous areas for improvement. To further refine our models, our group's objective is to find a composition of materials that is closest in fidelity to native oral mucosa during surgical rehearsal by expert craniofacial surgeons. Fifteen platinum silicone-based surrogate samples were constructed with variable hardness and slacker percentages. These samples underwent evaluation of tactile sensation, hardness, needle puncture, cut resistance, suture retention, defect repair, and tensile elasticity. Expert craniofacial surgeon evaluators provided focused qualitative feedback on selected top-performing samples for further assessment and statistical comparisons. Evaluation revealed surrogate characteristics with satisfactory to good performance. Sample 977 exhibited the highest performance, and comparison with the original surrogate (sample 810) demonstrated significant improvements in critical areas, emphasizing the efficacy of the refined composition. The study identified a silicone composition that directly addresses the feedback received by our team’s original silicone surrogate. The study underscores the delicate balance between biofidelity and practicality in surgical simulation. The need for ongoing refinement in surrogate materials is evident to optimize training experiences for early surgical learners.

Surgical simulators are crucial in early craniofacial and plastic surgical training, necessitating synthetic materials that accurately replicate tissue properties. Recent critiques of our lab’s currently deployed silicone surrogate have highlighted numerous areas for improvement. To further refine our models, our group's objective is to find a composition of materials that is closest in fidelity to native oral mucosa during surgical rehearsal by expert craniofacial surgeons. Fifteen platinum silicone-based surrogate samples were constructed with variable hardness and slacker percentages. These samples underwent evaluation of tactile sensation, hardness, needle puncture, cut resistance, suture retention, defect repair, and tensile elasticity. Expert craniofacial surgeon evaluators provided focused qualitative feedback on selected top-performing samples for further assessment and statistical comparisons. Evaluation revealed surrogate characteristics with satisfactory to good performance. Sample 977 exhibited the highest performance, and comparison with the original surrogate (sample 810) demonstrated significant improvements in critical areas, emphasizing the efficacy of the refined composition. The study identified a silicone composition that directly addresses the feedback received by our team’s original silicone surrogate. The study underscores the delicate balance between biofidelity and practicality in surgical simulation. The need for ongoing refinement in surrogate materials is evident to optimize training experiences for early surgical learners.

Backyard chickens often suffer from foot pad dermatitis (FPD), a condition exacerbated by poor husbandry, nutritional deficiencies, and obesity. Pressure-relieving bandages, commonly used in treatment of FPD, are impractical for outdoor chickens as they quickly become wet and dirty, necessitating daily changes which are often unfeasible. This retrospective study explores the use of custom-fit silicone shoes, created via 3D-printed molds, as an alternative to traditional bandages. CT scans were used to design shoes, adapted from a design used for birds of prey. Over three years, 16 chickens with varying degrees of FPD were treated. The results demonstrated that sili-cone shoes were an effective treatment for FPD, allowing outdoor activity, and facilitated daily lesion care without frequent bandage changes. The median shoe-wearing period was 14 days, and most owners provided positive feedback. Despite some attachment issues, the occurrence of sec-ondary pressure marks and feather regrowth challenges, the silicone shoes offered better ventila-tion, reusability, and consistent pressure relief compared to traditional bandages. This study con-cludes that silicone shoes are a viable solution for managing FPD in backyard chickens, promoting faster healing and improved owner compliance.

The employment of breast silicone implants, both in aesthetic and reconstructive medicine, is widespread thanks to their recognized biocompatibility and durability. Some critical situations, as for example in case of accidental impacts, may however induce concerns by potential patients about their use. Experimental data is collected by means of static compressive and tensile tests. Aging at 37, 60, 75° and 90° Celsius is performed in a physiological saline solution (0,9% NaCl). Impact dynamic tests are carried out using a Hybrid II anthropomorphic test dummy with the prostheses implanted. Mechanical tensile and compressive tests show mechanical degradation of the prostheses characteristics after aging. Impact dynamic tests show a great probability of breast implant rupture at speeds up to 90 km/h. Accidental events like car crashes or bad falls, are con-firmed as possible causes of significant damages to implanted prostheses. In addition, the possi-ble long-term aging of the silicone shell, although of limited relevance in terms of body compati-bility or reaction, can lead to some degradation of mechanical properties, rendering the outcome of accidental events even more worthy of attention.

Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) is more efficient for fabrication modern design of silicone rubber (SR) that used in industrial engineering applications; it has been embedded in room temperature vulcanization silicone rubber (RTV-SR) matrix for controlling in dielectric characterization. Frequency dielectric measurements were performed for multiwalled carbon nanotubes SR/MWCNT nanocomposites. Hence, the dielectric properties of modern design SR/MWCNT nanocomposites has been deduced as experimental work done to clarify the benefit of filling MWCNT with different patterns inside dielectrics. In variant thermal conditions (up to 40oC), it has been investigated that the new behaviors of SR/MWCNT nanocomposites dealing with nanotechnology techniques for designing new dielectric behaviors of insulation materials. Finally, this research succeeded to characterize dielectric constant, electric modulus and dielectric loss of SR/MWCNT nanocomposites with respect to traditional silicon rubber under variant thermal conditions and frequency response analysis (FRA) according to using certain types and concentrations of MWCNTs.

This paper presents the fabrication and characterization of cylindrical capacitors utilizing magnetodielectric materials composed of magnetizable microfibers dispersed within a silicone oil matrix. The microfibers, ranging in diameter from 0.25 to 2.20 μm, comprise hematite (α-Fe2O3), maghemite (γ-Fe2O3), and magnetite (Fe3O4). The study investigates the electrical behavior of these capacitors under the influence of an external magnetic field superimposed on a medium-frequency alternating electric field, across four distinct volume concentrations of microfibers. Electrical capacitance and resistance measurements are conducted every second over a 60-second interval, revealing significant dependencies on both the quantity of magnetizable phase and the applied magnetic flux density. Furthermore, the temporal stability of the capacitors’ characteristics is demonstrated. The obtained data are analyzed to determine the electrical conductance and susceptance of the capacitors, elucidating their sensitivity to variations in microfiber concentration and magnetic field strength. To provide theoretical insight into the observed phenomena, a model based on dipolar approximations is proposed. This model effectively explains the underlying physical mechanisms governing the electrical properties of the capacitors. These findings offer valuable insights into the design and optimization of magnetodielectric-based capacitors for diverse applications in microelectronics and sensor technologies.

Wastewater treatment from oils and oil products, organic mixtures are a very relevant topic that can be successfully used to solve problems of serious environmental pollution, such as oil spills, industrial oily wastewater discharges and water treatment in the water treatment process. In this work, we have developed new superhydrophobic magnetic polyurethane (PU) sponges functionalized with reduced graphene oxide (RGO), MgFe2O4 nanoparticles, and silicone oil (SO) as a selective and reusable sorbent for purification and separation of wastewater from oils and organic solvents. The surface morphology and wettability of the sponge surface were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a contact angle analysis system, respectively. The results showed that the obtained PU sponge PU/RGO/MgFe2O4/SO had excellent mechanical and water-repellent properties, reusable properties (more than 20 cycles), as well as fast (immersion time 20 sec) and excellent adsorption capacity (16.61- 44.86 g / g), and good magnetic properties made it easy to separate the sponge from the water with a magnet. And the presence of RGO in the composition of the nanomaterial improves the separating and cleaning properties of materials, and also leads to an increase in the absorption capacity of oil and various organic solvents. The synthesized PU sponge has great potential for practical applications due to its facile fabrication and excellent oil-water separation property.

The Double Diaphragm Forming (DDF) process uses vacuum pressure and heat to pre-shape composite reinforcements between flexible diaphragms. Accurate modelling of heat transfer within DDF requires knowledge of the thermophysical properties of the constituent materials. This study investigates the specific heat and thermal conductivity of silicone diaphragms, carbon fibers (chopped and powdered), thermoplastic veils, and their combinations. Experiments measured the specific heat of each material using differential scanning calorimetry and the thermal conductivity of silicone and carbon fabric preforms using the transient plane source method and modified transient plane source method respectively. The influence of reheating cycles on specific heat of carbon fiber-veil samples and the effect of compaction on thermal conductivity of silicone and carbon fabrics were explored. While silicone exhibited linear specific heat behavior, the thermoplastic veil showed non-linearity due to phase change. The combined carbon fiber-veil samples demonstrated slight non-linear specific heat variations depending on reheating cycles. Thermal conductivity of the fabric preforms decreased with the addition of thermoplastic veil and under vacuum-compaction conditions. The established temperature-dependent property relationships provide valuable data for optimizing DDF preforming parameters and enhancing energy efficiency in composite manufacturing.

The present study sought to determine the effect of incorporating a Chitosan-TiO2 nano-composite on the color stability of pigmented Room Temperature Vulcanization (RTV) maxillofacial silicone subjected to a variety of accelerated aging conditions. The experimental setup consisted of one hundred groups of five disk-shaped specimens (22mm diameter, 2mm thick) each, created using RTV silicon elastomer type A-2186, with the total sample distributed into four groups based on the pigments combined with the silicon—specifically, brilliant red, blue, and yellow dry intrinsic pigments (at 0.2% concentration by weight) and a fourth group that remained non-pigmented. Each of these primary groups was further subdivided into five categories corresponding to the silicon variants treated with different nanoparticles—2% TiO2, 3% Chitosan, a hybrid nano-combination of 1% TiO2/Chitosan, 1% synthesized Chitosan-TiO2 Nanocomposite, and a control group devoid of nanoparticle additions. The synthesized Chitosan-TiO2 Nanocomposite was effectively prepared using the core-shell method. The color stability of each silicon category, irrespective of whether pigmented or non-pigmented was evaluated by calculating the color difference (ΔE) pre- and post-subjection to five distinct accelerated aging conditions: 30 hours in an antibacterial cleaning solution, six months in sebum, six months in sweat, UV-accelerated aging for 720 hours, and outdoor weathering for six months. Color measurements were taken using a Colorimeter within the CIELAB color system. Statistical analyses, including one-way ANOVA at a significance level of p < 0.05, were employed to discern significant differences among the various accelerated aging conditions across the five silicon categories. Further comparisons were made using Dennett's T3 multiple comparison test, Tukey HSD multiple comparisons, and a t-test, with SPSS for Windows version 27.0 as the software platform. Results indicated that all silicon types, whether pigmented or not, exhibited varying degrees of color change under different aging conditions. Red-colored samples, across all silicon categories, demonstrated significant color alterations after 720 hours of UV-accelerated aging, with the most pronounced change in the 3% Chitosan samples and the least in the 2% TiO2 samples. Six months of outdoor weathering led to a marked increase in ΔE values across all categories. The blue-pigmented silicon samples treated with 2% TiO2 showed the highest color modification, while the yellow-pigmented silicon and non-pigmented silicon also underwent significant color shifts, particularly in the control and Chitosan-TiO2 categories, respectively. The study underscores the pervasive influence of outdoor weathering on color stability across all silicon categories. It also demonstrates that while nanoparticle incorporation offers some resilience against accelerated aging, it fails to provide adequate protection against the specific effects of UV radiation encountered during outdoor weathering.

Breast implant surgery has evolved significantly, yet challenges such as capsular contracture remain a persistent concern. This review presents an in-depth analysis of recent advancements in understanding the immune mechanisms and clinical implications associated with breast implants. The article systematically examines the complex interplay between immune responses and capsular fibrosis, emphasizing the pathophysiological mechanisms of inflammation in the etiology of this fibrotic response. It discusses innovations in biomaterial science, including the development of novel anti-biofilm coatings and immunomodulatory surfaces designed to enhance implant integration and minimize complications. Emphasis is placed on personalized risk assessment strategies, leveraging molecular insights to tailor interventions and improve patient outcomes. Emerging therapeutic targets, advancements in surgical techniques, and the refinement of post-operative care are also explored. Despite notable progress, challenges such as variability in immune responses, long-term efficacy of new interventions, and ethical considerations remain. Future research directions are identified, focusing on personalized medicine, advanced biomaterials, and bridging preclinical findings with clinical applications. As we advance from bench to bedside, this review illuminates the path forward, where interdisciplinary collaboration and continued inquiry weave together to enhance the art and science of breast implant surgery, transforming patient care into a realm of precision and excellence.

The etiology of exaggerated fibrous capsule formation around silicone mammary implants (SMI) is multifactorial but primarily induced by immune mechanisms toward the foreign material silicone. The aim of this work was to enlighten the disease progression from implant insertion and immediate tissue damage response reflected in (a) the acute wound proteome, and (b) the adsorption of chronic inflammatory wound proteins at implant surfaces. An intra-individual absolute quantitation TMT-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry approach was applied to profile wound proteome formed around SMI the first five days post-implantation. Compared to plasma, the acute wound profile resembled a more complex composition comprising plasma-derived and locally differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). DEPs were subjected to functional enrichment analysis, which revealed the dysregulation of signaling pathways mainly involved in immediate inflammation response and ECM turnover. Moreover, we found time-course variations in protein enrichment immediately post-implantation and adsorbed to SMI surfaces after 6-8 months. Characterization of the expander-adhesive proteome by label-free approach uncovered a long-term adsorbed acute wound and the fibrosis-associated proteome. Our findings propose a wound biomarker panel for the early detection and diagnosis of excessive fibrosis that could potentially broaden insights into the characteristics of fibrotic implant encapsulation.

Silicone mammary implants (SMIs) frequently result in capsular fibrosis, which is marked by the overproduction of fibrous tissue surrounding the implant. This review provides a detailed examination of the molecular and immunological mechanisms driving capsular fibrosis, focusing on the role of foreign body responses (FBR) and microbial biofilm formation. We investigate how microbial adhesion to implant surfaces and biofilm development contribute to persistent inflammation and fibrotic responses. The review critically evaluates antimicrobial strategies, including preoperative antiseptic protocols and antimicrobial-impregnated materials, designed to mitigate infection and biofilm-related complications. Additionally, advancements in material science, such as surface modifications and antibiotic-impregnated meshes, are discussed for their potential to reduce capsular fibrosis and prevent contracture of the capsule. By integrating molecular insights with clinical applications, this review aims to elucidate the current understanding of SMI-related fibrotic responses and highlight knowledge gaps. The synthesis of these findings aims to guide future research directions of improved antimicrobial interventions and implant materials, ultimately advancing the management of capsular fibrosis and enhancing patient outcomes.

The most common long-term complication of silicone breast implants (SMI) remains capsular fibrosis. The etiology of this exaggerated implant encapsulation is multifactorial but primarily induced by the host response towards the foreign material silicone. Identified risk factors included specific implant topographies. Of note, breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), has only been observed in response to textured surface implants. We hypothesize that reduction of SMI surface roughness causes less host response hence better cosmetic outcome with fewer complications for the patient. A total of 7 patients received the routinely used CPX®4 breast expander (~60 µM Ra) and the novel SmoothSilk® (~ 4 µM Ra), fixed prepectoral with a titanised mesh pocket and randomized to the left or right breast after bilateral prophylactic NSME (nipple-sparing mastectomy). We aimed to compare the postoperative outcome regarding capsule thickness, seroma formation, rippling, implant dislocation as well as comfortability and practicability. Our analysis shows that surface roughness is an influential parameter in controlling fibrotic implant encapsulation. First time intra-individually compared in patients, our data confirm an improved biocompatibility with minor capsule formation around SmoothSilk® implants with an average shell roughness of 4 µM and in addition an amplification of host response by titanised implant pockets.