Michael Roger Mucalo

The University of Waikato · Chemistry, School of Science

X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) were used to provide direct information in solution on the coordination state of electrogenerated products from anodically polarized nickel electrodes in pseudohalide-containing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solvent (i.e. NCX-, X=O, S, Se) in the presen...

Mechanical processing of natural fibres can be used to produce large quantities of clean and refined fibres. However, this often results in fibre damage when used alone, thereby affecting the quality of fibres produced, and it generally makes them of insufficient quality for high-performance composite applications. In contrast, the use of biologica...

Hydroxyapatite is widely used in bone implantation because of its similar mineral composition to natural bone, allowing it to serve as a biocompatible osteoconductive support. A bovine-derived hydroxyapatite (BHA) scaffold was developed through an array of defatting and depro-teinization procedures. The BHA scaffold was substituted with fluoride io...

Over the past few decades, the world is facing critical water supply problems caused by the relentless increase of global human populations and the associated rise of anthropogenic activities. Heavy metals are among the main water pollutants which pose a great threat to human health. Hence, globally there has been a large amount of research devoted...

In this study, New Zealand flax (harakeke) fibre was initially modified through digestion in an alkali solution followed by bleaching with hydrogen peroxide and sodium silicate with the aim of improving thermal and mechanical performance of its composites, through increased interfacial bonding. X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier transform in...

Transition metal based high entropy alloys (HEAs) are often used in electrocatalytic (water electrolysis) applications due to the synergistic effect operating among its constituent elements and unpaired electrons in d orbitals of the concerned metal. In this study, a low cost NiMnFeCu high entropy alloy was successfully synthesised using the combin...

Chitosan has many desirable attributes e.g. antimicrobial properties and promoting wound healing, and is used in various applications. This article first discusses how degree of deacetylation (DD) and molecular weight (MW) impacts on what level of bioactivities chitosan manifests, then introduces the “molecular chain configuration” model to explain...

Increased construction activities throughout the world have led to the generation of construction and demolition waste (CDW) in massive volumes each year. Proper management of this waste has become a global challenge. This article is divided into two sections. The first section provides an overview of CDW generation around the world, specifically i...

Chitosan, derived from chitin, has many desirable biomedical attributes. This review aims to explore different sources of chitin and methods of chitosan production. It first discusses different sources of chitin for industrial scale production, with considerations given to both their environmental impacts and commercialization potential. Secondly,...

The complex structure of natural bio-organic matter has inspired scientists to utilise these as templates to design "biomorphic materials", which retain the intricate architecture of the materials while acting as a useful bioactive material. Biomorphic hydroxyapatite-based fibres were synthesised using Harakeke leaf fibre as a template, which const...

The author given is the editor of this book. The individual articles written by the various contributing authors are contained within the book. This book constitutes a reprint of articles from the Special Issue published online in the open access journal Materials (ISSN 1996-1944) (available at: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/materials/special issu...

The quality and quantity of freshwater resources are declining because of the pressures associated with human population increase. Heavy metals are among the most persistent and non-biodegradable pollutants associated with industrial discharges, mining activities and agricultural activities. However, a practical and affordable solution to the effic...

Brief review on waste water treatment (with specific focus on heavy metal contamination) using zeolite materials (which are plentiful in New Zealand).

Hydroxyapatite, (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2), classified as the hydroxyl endmember of the complex apatite group, is the major inorganic component in mammalian hard tissue and is able to be prepared either from processing/extraction from natural sources (e.g. marine hard-tissue such as fishbone) or, from synthesis, de novo, through various simple chemical reac...

This review focuses on the recent advances in the lesser-studied microemulsion synthesis methodologies of the following noble metal colloid systems (i.e., Os, Re, Ir, and Rh) using either a normal or reverse micelle templating system. The aim is to demonstrate the utility and potential of using this microemulsion‐based approach to synthesize these...

Research on calcium phosphate use in the development and clinical application of biomedical materials is a diverse activity and is genuinely interdisciplinary, with much work leading to innovative solutions for improvement of health outcomes. This Special Issue aimed to summarize current advances in this area. The nine papers published cover a wide...

Dissolved reactive phosphorous (DRP) in lake systems is conventionally considered to predominate over other dissolved P species, however, this view neglects an important set of interactions that occurs between P and reactive iron hydroxide surfaces. This study addresses the coupling of P with dispersed iron nanoparticles in lakes, an interaction th...

The structures of posaconazole and its methanol and its dioxane and water solvates have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The structures possess similar hydrogen bonding interactions, with that between triazolone groups being common to all three. The difluorophenyl group serves as a hydrogen bond donor in all three structures.

A facile synthetic method is reported for the immobilisation of metal nanoparticles on halloysite, an aluminosilicate material with a unique nanotubular structure. A one-step colloidal synthesis was developed, from which nine different catalysts were prepared. The materials were tested in three different catalytic hydrogenations, and the halloysite...

Biomedical materials constitute a vast scientific research field, which is devoted to producing medical devices which aid in enhancing human life. In this field, there is an enormous demand for long-lasting implants and bone substitutes that avoid rejection issues whilst providing favourable bioactivity, osteoconductivity and robust mechanical prop...

In this communication a rapid laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) method is presented for determining the concentration of metal nanoparticles in heterogeneous catalysts. A set of bespoke laboratory reference materials was prepared and characterised by neutron activation analysis, then subsequently analysed by LIBS. Using partial least squa...

Poster PP045 at the ESB2017 conference September 2017 in Athens Greece

Reactions of the cycloaurated gold(III) dichloride complexes [AuCl2(anp)] (anp = 2-anilinopyridyl), [AuCl2(bp)] (bp = 2-benzylpyridyl) and [AuCl2(tolpy)] (tolpy = 2-(p-tolyl)pyridyl) with alizarin (H2az) and Me3N base in refluxing methanol gave the complexes [Au(az)L] (L = anp, bp or tolpy). Additionally, the reaction of [AuCl2(tolpy)] with 3,4-dih...

A xenograft (bovine hydroxyapatite [BHA]) was developed from New Zealand sourced bovine cancellous bone by a successful defatting and deproteinizing procedure. The BHA was chemically, compositionally and structurally characterized. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the removal of organic matter from the bone matrix and the presence...

At present hydroxyapatite (HA) is been extensively investigated for biomedical applications, largely as a result of its similarity in composition to the mineral portion of bone. Although HA undergoes osseointegration and is bioactive and osteoconductive, the inherent brittleness and low fracture toughness limits its use under load bearing condition...

Subtractively normalised Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (SNIFTIRS) studies are reported on the electrical polarisation of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu) and gold (Au) electrodes in KCN dissolved in the polar aprotic solvent, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) with tetrabutyl ammonium perchlorate (TBAP) (0.1 mol L−1) as supporting electrolyte. These studi...

A SNIFTIRS (subtractively normalized interfacial Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy(XAS) study of electrically polarized copper electrodes in six polar aprotic solvent-based systems is presented. In the systems investigated, i.e. dimethyl formamide (DMF) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solutions containing pse...

Hydroxyapatite in the form of hydroxycarbonate apatite is the principal mineral component of bone tissue in mammals. In Bioceramics, it is classed as a bioactive material, which means bone tissue grows directly on it when placed in apposition without intervening fibrous tissue. Hydroxyapatite is hence commonly used as bone grafts, fillers and as co...

Subtractively normalized interfacial Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (SNIFTIRS) studies are reported for the first time of the interaction of tellurocyanate ion (TeCN-) with anodically polarised nickel (Ni), copper (Cu) and gold (Au) electrodes in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and dimethyl formamide (DMF) containing tetrabutylammonium perchlora...

The use of animal bone-derived bone for producing bone grafting and other types of materials with biomedical applications has been a fundamental part of biomaterials science since the 1950s, when Kiel bone was first developed and used. Those early experiences paved the way for the large volume of materials and clinical research that were to follow...

The penetration of porous solids by organic solvents is a technologically important phenomenon, relevant to a wide variety of fields including heterogeneous catalysis. Selecting the most appropriate solvent is a critical, albeit sometimes overlooked, step in such processes. In this study, the Washburn capillary rise technique was used to determine...

Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a new technique for the analysis of plant material. This paper investigates the application of LIBS to pasture-based plant samples. LIBS measurements were obtained from pelletized pasture samples (100 samples) which had been also analysed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP...

Subtractively normalised Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (SNIFTIRS) studies combined with volammetric and supporting model solution studies have conclusively shown that Au electrodes anodically polarized in DMSO and DMF solutions containing the pseudohalide ions: cyanate, thiocyanate and selenocyanate with tetrabutylammonium perchlorate as...

None

A novel subtractively normalized interfacial Fourier transform IR spectroscopic (SNIFTIRS) investigation of anodically polarized nickel electrodes in pseudohalide- contg. DMF or DMSO solns. (i.e. OCN- , SCN- , SeCN- ) , in supporting electrolyte, tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAP) , is presented. In general, the data showed that nickel demonstra...

The immobilisation of the dinuclear platinum(II) sulfido complex [Pt2(μ-S)2(PPh3)4] on solid supports has been investigated. Reaction with haloalkyl functionalised polymers [Merrifield's resin (chloromethylated polystyrene), chloropropyl silica, chloropropyl controlled pore glass and bromopropyl polysiloxane] gives complexes immobilised through alk...

Outlier detection is a crucial but often overlooked part of the calibration process. Many outlier detection methodologies follow statistical procedures based on hypothesis testing. However, these procedures do not take into account a ’fit for purpose’ criteria based on the cost of rejecting samples (particularly good ones) and the performance of th...

Sintered cancellous bovine bone (SCBB) offers numerous advantages as a bone graft substitute material; however, its mechanical properties require improvement. In this study, SCBB was infiltrated with ε-polycaprolactone (PCL) or chitosan/monetite to improve mechanical properties while retaining valuable SCBB structure. Organic infiltrating solutions...

The utility of controlled release medication formulations lies in their ability to keep drugs at steady levels in the blood plasma of recipients and within the termini of the maximum and minimum effective therapeutic levels. This avoids the “ups” and “downs” of medication levels within the body which would have been the result had conventional imme...

A series of polymer-protected rhodium and palladium sols were generated in mixed (organic/aqueous) dispersion media. Protecting polymers used were PAA, PVP, PVA and an oligosaccharide-based protecting agent, arabinogalactan. This is the first systematic study of colloids generated in mixed solvent dispersion media with these protecting agents. The...

(general outline) Melamine resins are a class of resins which is industrially important for their improvements of chemical resistance and high water resistant properties compared to that of urea formaldehyde resins. There is a large number of research into the curing stage of the resin however, lack of knowledge in the formation of the liquid resi...

(general outline) Abstract Electrochemistry in non-aqueous corrosion systems monitored in situ by FTIR Spectroscopy Kethsiri L.H. K. Alwis, Michael R. Mucalo* and Merilyn Manley-Harris Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Engineering, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand 3240 Methodologies such as IR spectroe...

Eight bioactive drug compounds (abamectin, amoxicillin, dexamethasone, dexamethasone valerate, ketoprofen, melatonin, oestradiol 17β, and oestradiol benzoate) were combined via melt extrusion and disc pressing processes with a polycaprolactone (PCL) matrix and were then evaluated and compared via membrane diffusion and Hanson dissolution studies. T...

Macromolecule-infiltrated sintered bovine bone as a bone replacement material Laird1, D.F., Mucalo1, M.R. and Dias2, G. 1 Dept. of Chemistry, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, NEW ZEALAND 3240, 2 Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 913, Dunedin, NEW ZEALAND 9054. An innovative approach to...

The development of novel bone replacement materials through infiltration of chitosan or polycaprolactone into sintered (collagen-free) cancellous bovine bone D.F. Laird a, M.R. Mucalo a and G. Dias b a Chemistry Department, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand 3240. b Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Uni...

Screening studies aimed at identifying useful biomedical materials that (when combined with implants) can attract bone morphogenetic proteins to their surfaces have been conducted. In this paper, the screening process has involved carrying out protein adsorption studies using cytochrome C, as a BMP protein mimic on phosphorylated cellulose-based su...

An experimental study was performed in order to investigate methods of preparation and mechanical properties of a potential bone graft substitute. This new composite material consists of porous hydoxyapatite coated with oxidised cellulose. Porous hydoxyapatite has excellent osteoconductive properties and promising strength characteristics. Drawbac...

A bone matrix for implantation is provided, comprising (i) a bone matrix material with removed org. material, and (ii) a replacement for org. material selected from synthetic calcium phosphates, polycaprolactone, synthetic hydroxyapatite, algae- derived hydroxyapatite, and an org. materials, such as keratin, glucosamine, cartilage, chondroitin, gel...

An overview of IR spectroscopic, mass spectrometric and surface analytical techniques used in the in situ or ex situ studies of precious metal colloids. Michael R. Mucaloa a, Chemistry Department, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand. Colloidal dispersions of metals have presented a challenging interface to study direc...

Education research in the 1970s, like other related areas, was dominated by quantitative work1 during an era for which social sciences sought to draw upon the successful scientific approach typically used in the physical sciences (in particular) to investigate teaching and learning.1,2 So if we felt a cohort of students did not understand some con¬...

A 4-year-old female Labrador Retriever was diagnosed with an osteolytic lesion of the right distal radius. Radiographs indicated a well-circumscribed radiolucent area 18 x 15 x 8 mm, centred on the distal radial physeal scar. Histopathology, performed via Jamshidi needle biopsy and following surgical curettage, was inconclusive but suggested either...

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra are presented of CO gas-treated protected gold colloids prepared from hydrazinium hydrate reduction of an Au(III) precursor which reproducibly feature a weak, shortlived peak at ca. 2169 cm(-1). When the gold colloid was treated with 99% isotopically enriched (13)CO gas, the IR peak shifted to a frequency o...

STUDIES ON MELT-EXTRUDED PEO-303 RODS AS CONTROLLED RELEASE DRUG DELIVERY BIOMATERIALS Mucalo1, M.R. and Rathbone2, M.J. 1Dept. of Chemistry, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand 3240, 2 Interag, Ruakura Research Campus, Hamilton, New Zealand Not applicable Melt extrusion provides a simple, inexpensive and convenient m...

An experimental study into calcium phosphate (CP) nucleation and growth on cholesterol and cholestanol surfaces from a supersaturated simulated body fluid (SBF) is presented with the overall aim of gaining some fundamental insights into the pathological calcifications associated with atherosclerosis. Soaking of pressed cholesterol disks at physiolo...

(From Masters thesis of Ben Bogun) Crude condensed tannins extracted from Pinus radiata bark (sourced from Tokoroa) with various solvents (Hot water (HW), methanol/water/acetic acid (MWA), acetone/water (AW) and hot aqueous 2% sulphite/urea solution (SFU)) were subjected to Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography to purify the condensed tannins by rem...

Development of Enhanced Uptake and Controlled Release Agents intended for Bone Morphogenetic Proteins using Phosphorylated Cellulose-based Substrates and Chitosan-Calcium Phosphate Substrates Michael R. Mucalo1, Yoshiyuki Yokogawa2, and Katsuya Kato2 1Department of Chemistry, University of Waikato. Private Bag 3105. Hamilton, NEW ZEALAND 2Biointeg...

To determine the ability of a novel bovine cancellous bone xenoimplant to act as an osteoconductive graft in an ovine femoral defect model. An autograft harvested from the xenoimplant site was placed in a contralateral limb defect for comparison. The xenoimplant used had been rendered immunologically inert by a novel defatting and deproteinating pr...

A study was conducted to investigate whether formation of calcium-phosphate coatings by sol-gel processing on three different kinds of carbon fiber surfaces is practically achievable. The phase of calcium phosphate formed as also investigated using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), to determine the effect of the reaction media. The ef...

SNIFTIRS STUDIES OF THE CORROSION OF NICKEL, RHENIUM AND NIOBIUM ELECTRODES IN PSEUDOHALIDE SOLUTIONS AS A FUNCTION OF APPLIED POTENTIAL This paper1 presents the first subtractively normalised interfacial Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (SNIFTIRS) study of the corrosion system, Ni/XCN- (X=O, S, Se), pH = 11, [XCN-] = 0.05 mol L-1, supporti...

A procedure for producing kilogram quantities of a biomedically suitable reprecipitated hy-droxyapatite (HAp) powder, which is free of the xanthoproteic-associated discolouration caus-ed by nitric acid interaction with the protein content in bones during digestion, has been devel-oped. Essentially bones were defatted by boiling and then pyrolysed a...

This study presents the feasibility of using animal bone-derived hydroxyapatite (HAP) as feedstock powders for plasma spraying. Bovine, cervine and ovine bone from abattoirs was boiled in a pressure cooker to remove blood, fat and adhering meat tissue. The bone was then placed in a muffler furnace, pyrolyzed at approximately 1000 degrees C to remov...

This paper presents the first subtractively normalized interfacial Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic (SNIFTIRS) study of the corrosion system Ni/XCN(-) (X=O, S, Se), pH 11, [XCN(-)]=0.05 molL(-1), supporting electrolyte 0.1 molL(-1) KNO(3), for a nickel electrode as a function of applied potential. Cyclic voltammograms, in situ infrared spec...

In situ thin layer infrared spectroelectrochemical studies of the corrosion of nickel as a function of applied potential in cyanate, thiocyanate and selenocyanate solutions. Michael R. Mucaloa, Qiang Lia aChemistry Department, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 2020 This paper presents the first subtractively normalised interfaci...

Growth of Calcium Hydroxyapatite (HAp) from Simulated Body Fluid (SBF) Solutions on Cholesterol Disks and Microcrystals: An Insight into Atherosclerotic Hardening of Arteries? Michael R. Mucaloa , Dougal F. Lairda a Department of Chemistry, University of Waikato, PB 3105, Hamilton 2020. Analysis of pathological atherosclerotic lesions by earli...

The biomimetic growth of hydroxyapatite (HAp) from simulated body fluid (SBF) on pressed cholesterol disk and recrystallized cholesterol microcrystal surfaces was analyzed. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and electron dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) were used to examine the cholesterol samples. It was found that the...

See pdf file associated with this entry

With an increase in the incorporation of colloidal or nano-sized rhenium particles into advanced materials, intimate knowledge of the surface properties of rhenium in this state is important. This paper presents and interprets XPS data of not only freshly prepared hydrazinium hydrate-generated rhenium colloids but also of the hitherto unstudied bor...

This study describes the processing, characterization and subsequent clin. trial of abattoir- derived New Zealand animal bone as shapeable xenografts suitable for biomedical implantation into the body as a bone replacement material. Bovine bone cubes extd. from condyles were boiled in water to remove meat and bulk fat, refluxed in Me acetate to rem...

TEM and non-contact atomic force microscopy studies conducted on unprotected and protected platinum, palladium and silver nanoparticle suspensions provide evidence for the protective ability of a newly available polysaccharide known as arabinogalactan. The arabinogalactan offers advantages over conventionally used gum arabic in being highly water s...

The surface specification of Bredig palladium sols was investigated as a function of pH of the aqueous medium in which the palladium arcs were struck. A three-phase AC electric power supply rectified to 200 V DC was used. Positive and negative pole sockets were incorporated into the unit to allow switching of electrodes so that different metals cou...

Transmission electron microscope (TEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV/vis), electrospray mass spectrometric (ESMS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) studies are presented on a little studied rhenium hydrosol system produced by reduction of aqueous K(2)ReCl(6) with hydrazine in the presence or absence of a gum arabic protecting agent. The studi...