Cell culturing methods in its classical 2D approach have limitations associated with altered cell morphology, gene expression patterns, migration, cell cycle and proliferation. Moreover, high throughput drug screening is mainly performed on 2D cell cultures which are physiologically far from proper cell functions resulting in inadequate hit-compounds which subsequently fail. A shift to 3D culturing protocols could solve issues with altered cell biochemistry and signaling which would lead to a proper recapitulation of physiological conditions in test systems. Here, we examined porous ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) as an inexpensive and robust material with varying pore sizes for cell culturing. We tested and developed culturing protocols for immortalized human neuroblastoma and primary mice hippocampal cells which resulted in high rate of cell penetration within one week of cultivation. UHMWPE was additionally functionalized with gelatin, poly-L-lysine, BSA and chitosan, resulting in increased cell penetrations of the material. We have also successfully traced GFP-tagged cells which were grown on a UHMWPE sample after one week from implantation into mice brain. Our findings highlight the importance of UHMWPE use as a 3D matrix and show new possibilities arising from the use of cheap and chemically homogeneous material for studying various types of cell-surface interactions further improving cell adhesion, viability and biocompatibility.

Alumina aerogels have been prepared from aluminum chloride hexahydrate using propylene oxide as a gelation agent followed by supercritical drying in CO₂. Lyogels have been obtained using sols with concentration from 0.063 to 0.567 mol/L. When sol concentration decreased, gelation time increased from 2 to 25 min while specific surface area of aerogels remained almost constant within 335 to 406 m²/g. Samples obtained from sols with higher concentration contained larger number of macropores. The microstructure of samples has been studied by scanning electron microscopy, it was independent of sol concentration. All samples were amorphous when studied by X-ray fluorescent analysis. Concentration limit of gelation was 0.251 mol/L.

Modified silica aerogels have been obtained by co-gelation of tetramethoxysilane and acylated (3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane of general formula (MeO)₃Si–(CH₂)₃–NHC(O)–R) followed by supercritical drying in CO₂. Alkyl substituent elongation has been shown to increase aerogel hydrophobicity up to formation of superhydrophobic materials (contact angle is 163.7°). Specific surface area of the aerogels can vary from 40 to 1375 m²/g.

The aim of the study is to investigate the influence of the solvents applied both in sol–gel process and for supercritical drying (SCD) on NiO aerogels’ properties. NiO aerogels were synthesized using methanol and 2-methoxy-ethanol (MeGl) as sol solvents. SCD was performed using iso-propanol, methanol and tert-butyl-methyl ether as supercritical fluids. The obtained samples were characterized using low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, X-ray diffraction analysis, mass-spectra analysis and STEM and TEM methods. It was found that specific surface area and the phase and chemical composition strongly depend on the synthesis conditions. We revealed that Ni²⁺ cations were reduced into Ni⁰ when 2-methoxy-ethanol was applied as a sol solvent. The mechanism of the Ni²⁺ cations reduction is proposed. We consider that at the stage of sol preparation, the Ni²⁺–MeGl chelate was formed. This chelate decomposes at the SCD stage with the release of MeGl, which, in turn, eliminates methanol and leads to the formation of aldehyde. The latter is responsible for the nickel reduction. The proposed mechanism was confirmed experimentally.

Tin dioxide aerogels have been prepared using propylene oxide as a gelating reagent followed by supercritical drying in CO₂. The surface of the resultant aerogels has been modified in gas phase using different sulfating reagents: SO₂, HSO₃F, SO₂Cl₂, and SO₃. The prepared specimens show high acidity, acidity function of the most active specimen is H₀ ≤ –16.04. Catalytic activity has been tested in the model reaction of hexene-1 isomerization. The maximal conversion is 100%.