RSC Applied Polymers最新文献

{"title":"Self-assembly of semiaromatic poly(amic acid) into flower-like microparticles via one-step precipitation polymerization†","authors":"Yuqian Chen, Ryohei Kikuchi, Kan Hatakeyama-Sato, Yuta Nabae and Teruaki Hayakawa","doi":"10.1039/D4LP00327F","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4LP00327F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Flower-like particles (FLPs) are highly attractive materials owing to their intricate morphologies and high specific surface areas. However, a definitive method for fabricating organic FLPs with unique three-dimensional morphologies has yet to be established. In this paper, we report on a synthetic route for poly(amic acid) (PAA) FLPs using a specially designed semiaromatic PAA consisting of alternate rigid aromatic segments and flexible alkyl segments <em>via</em> one-step precipitation polymerization at room temperature. The particle morphology can be tuned from spherical to flower-like by adjusting the mixed-solvent ratio. Based on small-angle X-ray scattering, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and polarized optical microscopy analyses, the flower-like morphology is attributed to the microcrystalline structure formed by the folded and stacked alignment of the PAA precursors. Moreover, solubility plays a crucial role in determining the crystallization rate and growth mechanism, thereby leading to variations in the flower-like morphology. Notably, the flower-like morphology is preserved after thermal imidization and carbonization. The as-synthesized carbon flowers demonstrated high catalytic activity and selectivity for the 2-electron electrochemical reduction of oxygen in an acidic electrolyte, which could be attributed to the N-content of 2.72% and the efficient mass transport granted by the open structure of the unique flower-like morphology.</p>","PeriodicalId":101139,"journal":{"name":"RSC Applied Polymers","volume":" 3","pages":" 613-623"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/lp/d4lp00327f?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144117504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Arginine-functionalised hydrogels as a novel atmospheric water-harvesting material†","authors":"Moki K. Thanusing, Brett L. Pollard and Luke A. Connal","doi":"10.1039/D4LP00373J","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4LP00373J","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Atmospheric water harvesting is a versatile but underutilised source of potable water. In this study, a poly(HEMA-<em>co</em>-PEGMA) linear copolymer and PEGDMA-crosslinked hydrogel were post-functionalised using Steglich esterification to attach <small>L</small>-arginine onto HEMA side chains. The water-harvesting properties of the resulting polymers were then tested. The functionalised polymers had a water uptake of 130–150 mg g<small>⁻¹</small> water after 24 hours. The thermal phase transitions were around 60–80 °C, however this can be easily adjusted by varying composition and degree of functionalisation. Notably, there was a significant decrease in the rate of water uptake after 2–3 hours. This property was further explored with a rapid cycling test, in which 70-minute water-harvesting cycles yielded 2 g water per gram of polymer after 24 hours. The data presented in this body of work showcases the water-harvesting potential of guanidinium moieties, as well as highlighting the broad scope of materials and synthetic methods that could be used for developing water-harvesting polymeric materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":101139,"journal":{"name":"RSC Applied Polymers","volume":" 2","pages":" 480-487"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/lp/d4lp00373j?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143655110","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Debondable phenoxy-based structural adhesives with β-amino amide containing reversible crosslinkers†","authors":"Francesca Portone, Loc Tan Nguyen, Roberta Pinalli, Alessandro Pedrini, Filip E. Du Prez and Enrico Dalcanale","doi":"10.1039/D4LP00369A","DOIUrl":"10.1039/D4LP00369A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >This study introduces dynamic phenoxy-based adhesives using β-aminoamide exchange chemistry, designed for durability, reprocessability and sustainability. Synthesized through a two-step process, the adhesive features linear poly-aminoamides and tailored amine formulations to optimize adhesion, flexibility, and the glass transition. The corresponding phenoxy-based adhesives demonstrated effective crosslinking, high thermal stability (<em>T</em><small>_d5%</small> ∼340–350 °C), and temperature-responsive viscoelastic properties. Notably, the materials with 5 mol% of TETA (E-BAAT5) exhibited ideal activation energy for stress relaxation, exceptional creep resistance, and retained up to 98% lap shear strength after recycling, with controlled debonding at elevated temperatures, making it ideal for high-performance, recyclable adhesive applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":101139,"journal":{"name":"RSC Applied Polymers","volume":" 3","pages":" 637-642"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11868841/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143545267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Thiol–ene click reaction: a new pathway to hydrophilic metal–organic frameworks for water purification†","authors":"Mingyuan Fang, Riansares Muñoz-Olivas, Carmen Montoro and Mona Semsarilar","doi":"10.1039/D4LP00341A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4LP00341A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Post-synthetic modification (PSM) is a useful strategy to introduce new functional groups to metal–organic framework (MOF) structures in order to tune their properties for different applications. One of the methodologies used for PSM of MOFs is click chemistry known for their high reaction efficiency and good compatibility with various functional groups. Herein, we report the first PSM example of a thiol-functionalized MOF. Pores surface of the Zr-MSA MOF (based on Zr and mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA)) was decorated with short poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains using click chemistry. Mono or di acrylate functional PEG were attached to the MOF pore walls either using UV irradiated thiol–ene click or Michael addition thiol–ene click reactions. The use of mono-functionalized PEG resulted in the formation of colloidal stable particles while the use of di-functionalized PEG led to a cross-linked network. The properties of PEG modified Zr-MSA were fully characterized using various structural, textural and morphological techniques. The sample containing the highest PEG content was then used for the removal of mercury, Hg(<small>II</small>); chromium, Cr(<small>VI</small>) and rhodamine B (RhB) from water. Results suggest that the hybrid material was able to capture these pollutants while maintaining a good colloidal stability and hydrophilicity. Therefore, click chemistry has been proved as an efficient strategy for the surface modification of MOF particles with low molecular weight polymers.</p>","PeriodicalId":101139,"journal":{"name":"RSC Applied Polymers","volume":" 2","pages":" 469-479"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/lp/d4lp00341a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143655109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of mixtures of polysulfamides†","authors":"Jay Shah and Arthi Jayaraman","doi":"10.1039/D4LP00362D","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4LP00362D","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Polysulfamides are a new class of polymers that exhibit favorable chemical and physical properties, making them a sustainable alternative to commodity polymers like polyurea. To advance the fundamental understanding of this new class of polymers, Wu <em>et al.</em> [Z. Wu, J. W. Wu, Q. Michaudel and A. Jayaraman, <em>Macromolecules</em>, 2023, <strong>56</strong>, 5033–5049]conducted experiments and coarse-grained (CG) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to connect the polysulfamide backbone design to the assembled structure of polysulfamides due to hydrogen bonding between sulfamides. Their CG MD simulations <em>qualitatively</em> reproduced experimentally observed trends in crystallinity for analogous variations in polysulfamide backbone designs. To bring chemical specificity to this generic CG model of Wu <em>et al.</em> and to facilitate <em>quantitative</em> agreement with experiments in the future, in this work, we modify this older CG model of Wu <em>et al.</em> using structural information from atomistic simulations. Atomistic angle and dihedral distributions involving the sulfamide functional groups are used to modify the donor and acceptor bead positions in the new CG model. Using MD simulations with this new atomistically informed CG model, we confirm that we obtained the structural trends with varying polysulfamide backbone length, bulkiness, and non-uniformity of the segments in repeat units as seen in the previous work by Wu <em>et al.</em> These key structural trends are as follows: (a) shorter contour lengths of segments between sulfamide groups enhance H-bonding between sulfamides, (b) increased bulkiness in the segment hinders sulfamide–sulfamide H-bonding and reduces orientational order among chains in the assembled structure, and (c) non-uniformity in the segments along the backbone does not affect orientational order in the assembled structure. While the trends qualitatively matched between the two models, we observe quantitatively higher positional order and lower orientational order among the assembled chains in the new CG model as compared to the older CG model. This difference in local chain packing arises from a change in the donor–acceptor H-bonding pattern between the two models. In this work, we also use the new CG model to study mixing and demixing in two types of mixtures of polysulfamides: one mixture has chains with varying segment lengths between sulfamide groups and another mixture has chains with different degrees of bulkiness in the backbone. We find that increasing dissimilarity (bulkiness or length) between the two types of chains promotes demixing despite the presence of sulfamide–sulfamide H-bonding interactions.</p>","PeriodicalId":101139,"journal":{"name":"RSC Applied Polymers","volume":" 2","pages":" 453-468"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/lp/d4lp00362d?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143655108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Smart inhibitor systems towards anti-corrosion: design and applications","authors":"Danping Li, Ziwen Zhang, Bilegsaikhan Sukhbat, Xuejie Wang, Xue Zhang, Jing Yan, Junping Zhang, Qiuyu Zhang, Yan Li, Hao Wang and Yi Yan","doi":"10.1039/D4LP00351A","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4LP00351A","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Smart corrosion inhibitor systems have been a hot research topic in recent years. Compared with conventional corrosion inhibitors or coatings, corrosion inhibitors can be released according to specific tasks to achieve more precise corrosion protection for metals. Such smart inhibitor systems are generally based on environmental stimuli such as pH, light, ions, <em>etc</em>., which save the cost of corrosion inhibitors and additives, and therefore improve the effectiveness of corrosion inhibition applications. Herein, the research progress on smart corrosion inhibitors in the past decade will be summarized, including the design, synthesis, smart release, and applications of different smart inhibitor systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":101139,"journal":{"name":"RSC Applied Polymers","volume":" 3","pages":" 532-548"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/lp/d4lp00351a?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144117473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the properties of protein foams as an alternative absorbent core layer in disposable sanitary pads†","authors":"Athanasios Latras, Mercedes A. Bettelli, Pamela F. M. Pereira, Amparo Jiménez-Quero, Mikael S. Hedenqvist and Antonio J. Capezza","doi":"10.1039/D4LP00323C","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4LP00323C","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Developing biodegradable menstrual products using co-stream proteins as a material alternative to fossil counterparts presents a significant environmental advantage across their entire value chain. The intrinsic properties of wheat gluten foams derived from wheat starch production have been validated with respect to their potential as absorbent core layers in disposable sanitary pads, which is relevant to the rising demand for eco-friendly disposable sanitary pad alternatives. Here, we report the fabrication of a gluten-porous absorbent layer and evaluate its liquid absorption properties and mechanical stability under relevant operating conditions compared to a commercial absorbent foam layer used in sanitary pads. The porosity was achieved using sodium and ammonium bicarbonate, which are non-toxic and food-grade blowing agents, and the materials were shaped/foamed using a conventional oven. The use of sodium bicarbonate resulted in a more homogeneous and lower-density foam with smaller pores than with ammonium bicarbonate. The developed prototypes show comparable mechanical properties under compression to foams used in commercial pads, retaining up to 95% of their initial shape after 3 h of compression. Moreover, the foamed structure permitted a liquid uptake of saline and blood of 4.5 g g<small>⁻¹</small> and 1 g g<small>⁻¹</small>, respectively, with the possibility to absorb up to 1.5 g g<small>⁻¹</small> of saline under load. The results indicate that the choice of blowing agent has a large impact on the performance of gluten pads under constant pressure. It is thereby demonstrated here that protein-based foams have adequate mechanical and absorption properties that make them interesting for their future use as the absorbent layer in sanitary products following a circular economy model.</p>","PeriodicalId":101139,"journal":{"name":"RSC Applied Polymers","volume":" 2","pages":" 438-452"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/lp/d4lp00323c?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143655107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tuning solvent strength can fractionate PVC into ultra-low molecular weight material with low dispersity†","authors":"Ali Al Alshaikh, Jaewoo Choi, Feranmi V. Olowookere, Caira McClairen, Owen G. Lubic, Pravin S. Shinde, C. Heath Turner and Jason E. Bara","doi":"10.1039/D4LP00313F","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4LP00313F","url":null,"abstract":"<p >The drive towards a circular economy in plastic materials has become a worldwide goal. It is apparent that conventional recycling alone falls well short of achieving circularity in plastic materials due to the complex formulations of commercial products. Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is a post-consumer plastic that is especially challenging to recycle mechanically. However, compared to other commodity plastics, PVC is potentially well-suited for chemical recycling, especially <em>via</em> dissolution processes that selectively remove additives. Solvent-based recycling of PVC would circumvent thermomechanical processes that cause degradation of the polymer backbone. Yet, solvent-based recycling has its own set of considerations. Recycling a “Katamari” of mixed products of unknown origins (and potentially widely varying molecular weight distributions) might yield a purified PVC product that is of low value and/or without obvious utility. Thus, solvent fractionation of the feed into two or more products of relatively narrow molecular weight distributions may be required instead of bulk dissolution of the entire mass of polymer. In this work, we demonstrate solvent-based fractionation of PVC as both single-step and sequential processes. Two solvent systems were considered: acetone–methanol and tetrahydrofuran–methanol. The content of methanol in the solvent systems was varied to adjust the overall “strength” of the solvent system, thus controlling the molecular weight of the recovered soluble and insoluble fractions of PVC. Sequential fractionation proved capable of producing PVC fractions with dispersities (<em>Đ</em>) as low as 1.14. Further, sequential fractionation of commercial PVC, containing additives, was highly promising for removing additives from the bulk (76.9%) of recovered PVC.</p>","PeriodicalId":101139,"journal":{"name":"RSC Applied Polymers","volume":" 2","pages":" 336-346"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/lp/d4lp00313f?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143655126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"3D printable polymer foams with tunable expansion and mechanical properties enabled by catalyst-free dynamic covalent chemistry†","authors":"Rebecca M. Johnson, Ariel R. Tolfree, Gustavo Felicio Perruci, Lyndsay C. Ayers, Niyati Arora, Emma E. Liu, Vijayalakshmi Ganesh, Hongbing Lu and Ronald A. Smaldone","doi":"10.1039/D4LP00374H","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4LP00374H","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Thermoset foams are some of the most common polymer materials in our lives. Despite their prevalence, they are notoriously difficult to form into complex shapes and finding a balance between mechanical strength, pore size and crosslinker density poses a significant challenge in optimizing their performance for specialized applications. 3D printing offers a solution by enabling the production of complex structures that can be foamed on demand using closed cell foaming microspheres, where a post-processing thermal treatment triggers expansion. However, foam expansion is typically constrained by its crosslinking density. This work introduces dynamic phosphodiester bonds into 3D printed polymers embedded with foaming agent microspheres to facilitate dynamic bond exchange during the thermal foaming process. With the inclusion of dynamic bonds, the foaming rate can be increased while also maintaining higher levels of crosslinking. These printed materials exhibit versatility, functioning effectively both before and after foaming, and offer potential for a diverse range of applications. Overall, this dynamic bond approach yields stronger, more expandable foams with improved energy dissipation and allows for the use of the printed foams in multiple lifecycles.</p>","PeriodicalId":101139,"journal":{"name":"RSC Applied Polymers","volume":" 2","pages":" 428-437"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/lp/d4lp00374h?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143655144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Healing filler–matrix interfaces in drawn BN/UHMWPE composites by a simple thermal annealing treatment†","authors":"Xiangyan Yu, Qichen Zhou, Xiaoxiao Yu, Man Zhang, Coskun Kocabas, Han Zhang, Dimitrios G. Papageorgiou, Haixue Yan, Michael John Reece and Emiliano Bilotti","doi":"10.1039/D4LP00349G","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1039/D4LP00349G","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Thermally conductive polymer dielectrics have great potential in modern electronic systems by efficiently dissipating the generated heat and thus decreasing the working temperature. Here, unfunctionalised boron nitride microplatelets (BN) and macromolecular alignment, induced by solid-state drawing, were adopted to increase the thermal conductivity of ultra-high-molecular-weight-polyethylene (UHMWPE). A thermal annealing treatment was then utilised to heal filler–matrix interface defects, created during drawing, to enhance the dielectric properties. In particular, an annealed UHMWPE/1 wt% BN composite film with a draw ratio of 20 showed a 20% increase in breakdown strength and a slight increase in charge–discharge efficiency to 94%. This finding demonstrates a simple and fast method to optimize the dielectric and thermal conduction properties of polymer composites films, without the need of any filler surface functionalisation, which promises widening applicability of polymer film capacitors.</p>","PeriodicalId":101139,"journal":{"name":"RSC Applied Polymers","volume":" 2","pages":" 361-369"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlepdf/2025/lp/d4lp00349g?page=search","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143655128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}