{"title":"Synthesis and Characterization of α,ω-Dihydroxy Telechelic and Star-Shaped Poly(γ-Butyrolactone)s by Organocatalytic Living/Controlled Ring-Opening Polymerization: Depolymerization and Physical Properties","authors":"Yihang Liu, Jiaming Tian, Xiaohuan Cao, Jianye Yu, Qinmeng Zhong, Xin Wang, Zhengbiao Zhang","doi":"10.1002/pol.20250478","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20250478","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Well-defined poly(γ-butyrolactone) (PγBL) with various topological structures, including linear, α,ω-dihydroxytelechelic, three-arm star, and four-arm star configurations, was successfully synthesized via ring-opening polymerization (ROP) using benzyl alcohol (BnOH), 1,3-propanediol (2OH), 1,1,1-tris(hydroxymethyl)ethane (3OH), and pentaerythritol (4OH) as initiators. The polymerization exhibited living/controlled characteristics under the synergistic catalysis of phosphazene base/1,3-diisopropylthiourea (<sup>\u0000 <i>t</i>\u0000 </sup>Bu-P<sub>4</sub>/TU), enabling the synthesis of PγBLs with well-controlled molecular weights and narrow dispersities. Characterization techniques, including <sup>1</sup>H NMR, SEC, and MALDI-ToF MS, confirmed the quantitative incorporation of multifunctional alcohol initiators and validated the resulting chemical structures. Kinetic studies demonstrated that the polymerization rate positively correlates with the number of hydroxyl groups in the initiator; however, due to the relatively poor solubility of 4OH in organic solvents, the reaction initiated by 3OH exhibited the highest polymerization rate. Furthermore, a systematic investigation into the thermal properties and depolymerization behaviors of all synthesized PγBLs highlighted the influence of polymer topology on their characteristics, revealing significant structure–property relationships.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":16888,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Science","volume":"63 14","pages":"2951-2959"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144624775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Dynamic Salt Bond Networks in Self-Healing Silicone-Nanoparticle Composites for Enhanced Mechanical and Antibacterial Performance","authors":"Wenqiang Ma, Peilong Jiang, Yan Wang, Yushu Zhang, Xiaoxuan Liu, Guiyou Zhu, Jianwei Guo","doi":"10.1002/pol.20250247","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20250247","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Preserving food quality and safety necessitates advanced packaging solutions. In this study, through the Coulomb interaction between the carboxyl group on the side chain of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), a novel and sustainable food packaging composite material was prepared using the ion crosslinking strategy. In order to obtain an ideal combination of high mechanical strength, elasticity, and antibacterial properties, the particle size of ZnO NPs was accurately controlled at about 4 nm, and the molar ratio of -COOH/ZnO was 2/1. The antimicrobial rate of the prepared ZnO-PDMS-COOH composite to <i>Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus</i> exceeds 99.99%, and the irrecoverable strain is only 11.85% after 5000 compression cycles. Compared with traditional packaging, the ZnO-PDMS-COOH composite material has excellent mechanical properties and antibacterial activity, which can protect the test fruit from almost all mechanical force damage, including shock, vibration, compression, and puncture, and prolong its storage life. This recyclable and remolded composite packaging material helps reduce spoilage during food transportation and storage and reduce environmental pollution caused by the waste of packaging materials.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":16888,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Science","volume":"63 14","pages":"2960-2974"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144624766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maritza M. Rovers, Joyce E. P. Brouns, Fenna W. B. Craenmehr, Marc Robillard, Joris W. Peeters, Henk M. Janssen, Patricia Y. W. Dankers
{"title":"Controlling Drug Release From Supramolecular Polymer Surfaces by a Click-To-Release Reaction","authors":"Maritza M. Rovers, Joyce E. P. Brouns, Fenna W. B. Craenmehr, Marc Robillard, Joris W. Peeters, Henk M. Janssen, Patricia Y. W. Dankers","doi":"10.1002/pol.20250133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20250133","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Here, we introduce the combination of reactive supramolecular additives with a covalent click-to-release reaction. Hereto, a reactive supramolecular trans-cyclooctene (TCO) additive is synthesized to trigger the release of a cytotoxic drug from a ureido-pyrimidinone (UPy) based supramolecular material by soluble tetrazine (Tz) administration. Therefore, two reactive additives are designed. First, to monitor the reaction, a fluorescent UPy-TCO-Cy5 additive is synthesized and incorporated in a supramolecular polymer material. Reaction with Tz shows an increase in fluorescent signal in the supernatant, indicating successful release. Next, a cytotoxic UPy-TCO-MMC additive is synthesized and incorporated in a supramolecular polymer material where reaction with Tz results in the cell death of breast cancer cells. This study presents a new strategy for on-demand localized drug delivery to cells from a supramolecular surface.</p>","PeriodicalId":16888,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Science","volume":"63 14","pages":"2934-2943"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/pol.20250133","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144624805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lijun Fan, Yanbei Chen, Yangyi Wu, Xianhong Zhang, Wantai Yang
{"title":"The Features of Vinyl Chloride-Vinyl Acetate-Maleamic Acid Ammonium Salt Soap-Free Emulsion Polymerization Under Varied Conditions","authors":"Lijun Fan, Yanbei Chen, Yangyi Wu, Xianhong Zhang, Wantai Yang","doi":"10.1002/pol.20250095","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20250095","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The emulsion polymerization of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) is one of the quite mature processes to produce poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) products. The residual emulsifier in PVC products brings some undesirable issues when it is used in some special application scenarios. Soap-free emulsion polymerization technology provides a strategy to reduce the possible environmental pollution caused by emulsifier residue. Very recently, we have developed a soap-free emulsion polymerization system for PVC based on the ternary copolymerization between vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, and maleamic acid ammonium salt. Herein, we mainly investigate the effect of VCM soap-free emulsion polymerization from five aspects: ionic strength, initiator dosage, monomer concentration, reaction temperature, and stirring speed. Suitable ionic strength is the key to maintaining the stability of the soap-free system. The initiator dosage, reaction temperature, and monomer concentration are important means to control the reaction rate, number-averaged molecular weight (<i>M</i>\u0000 <sub>n</sub>), and particle size. Increasing the stirring speed can accelerate the reaction rate. By tuning the above conditions, PVC latex particles with a particle size of 123–272 nm and <i>M</i>\u0000 <sub>n</sub> of 54,000–139,800 g/mol can be prepared. This soap-free emulsion polymerization is of reference and significance for the preparation of soap-free emulsions with polar monomers and the production of functional polymers.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":16888,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Science","volume":"63 14","pages":"2924-2933"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144624804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Research on the Influence of Molecular Chemical Compositions on Physical Properties of Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Copolymer Emulsions","authors":"Haiyang Yuan, Naihong Ding, Jinhua He, Shaolin Ge, Xiaomeng Peng, Xiaofeng Yue, Maria Ghaffar, Guangming Liu, Zan Hua, Jiang Wu","doi":"10.1002/pol.20250416","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20250416","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) emulsions are used in a wide range of industrial applications due to their excellent adhesive properties and environmental compatibility. The properties of EVA latex films or EVA emulsions vary greatly depending on the relative proportions of the non-polar ethylene and polar vinyl acetate components. However, in industrial applications, the importance of the molecular chemical composition of the EVA in the emulsions is often neglected. In this work, the relationship between molecular structure and properties of three industrially produced EVA emulsions is systematically investigated. The results show that the three EVA emulsions have similar number-average molecular mass (<i>M</i>\u0000 <sub>n</sub>), molecular weight distribution (<i>Đ</i>), and hydrodynamic diameter (<i>D</i>\u0000 <sub>h</sub>). Interestingly, we observe significant variations in the content of ethylene (E) and vinyl acetate (VAc). These variations result in significant differences in the thermal and mechanical properties of EVA latex films, as well as in the surface wettability of emulsions on substrates such as paper and stainless steel. This study provides a practical basis for selecting appropriate EVA emulsions in industrial applications.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":16888,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Science","volume":"63 14","pages":"2944-2950"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144624802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiaojun She, Shicong Pei, Zhuqing Li, Kaixuan Shao, Yuqing Yang, Hang Li, Mingdi Yang, Kehua Zhang, Jie Jin, Yunsheng Ding, Xianhai Hu
{"title":"A Fluorescent Tunable Waterborne Polyurethane-Based Zinc Complex With Wide Ultraviolet Shielding","authors":"Xiaojun She, Shicong Pei, Zhuqing Li, Kaixuan Shao, Yuqing Yang, Hang Li, Mingdi Yang, Kehua Zhang, Jie Jin, Yunsheng Ding, Xianhai Hu","doi":"10.1002/pol.20250025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20250025","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Fluorescent tunable polymers have wide application prospects in lighting, display, and bioimaging, among which fluorescent tunable polymers with wide UV shielding have received great attention. Herein, 1, 10-Phenanthrolin-5-amine (APhen) is used as the terminal agent to prepare a blue fluorescent polyurethane prepolymer, which is then coordinated with zinc ions to obtain a fluorescent tunable waterborne polyurethane-based zinc complex (WPU-APhen<sub>x</sub>Zn<sub>y</sub>) with wide UV shielding. WPU-APhen<sub>x</sub>Zn<sub>y</sub> has good storage and thermal stability. It is worth noting that WPU-APhen<sub>x</sub>Zn<sub>y</sub> can not only achieve complete shielding of ultraviolet light in the range of 200–400 nm but even extend the shielding range to the visible light range of 408 nm. Curiously, by adjusting the degree of coordination of zinc ionization, the fluorescence color can be controlled from blue to yellow. Furthermore, the fluorescence lifetime of WPU-APhen<sub>x</sub>Zn<sub>y</sub> decreases with the increase in the degree of coordination zinc ionization. Importantly, WPU-APhen<sub>x</sub>Zn<sub>y</sub> uses water as a dispersant and is an environmentally friendly material with both anti-counterfeiting and UV shielding.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":16888,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Science","volume":"63 14","pages":"2913-2923"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144624803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Abhishake Goyal, Dongze Wang, Yanguang Zhang, John Weber, Gaozhi Xiao, Jianping Lu, Chun-il Kim, Jun Gao, Salima Alem
{"title":"Processing Solvents, Poling Conditions, and Fully Solution-Processed Polymeric Multilayer Piezoelectric Devices","authors":"Abhishake Goyal, Dongze Wang, Yanguang Zhang, John Weber, Gaozhi Xiao, Jianping Lu, Chun-il Kim, Jun Gao, Salima Alem","doi":"10.1002/pol.20250356","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20250356","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our group has recently demonstrated the first fully solution-processed polymeric multilayer piezoelectric devices. The key challenge, that is, the effective control of the redissolution issue, has been overcome using a solvent that offers adequate solubility but extremely slow dissolution for the piezoelectric polymer, poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)]. Several qualified solvents have been identified. Here, we comparatively study the effects of solvents on piezoelectric performance and production yield, for choosing the right solvent for fully solution-processed multilayer piezoelectric devices. Each solvent exhibits distinct yield dependence on drying temperature, but the maximal yields achieved are independent of processing solvents. The solvents are also found to be interchangeable in terms of piezoelectric performance. The drying temperature and final annealing temperatures are identified to be decisive factors. The former only impacts the yield, and the latter only impacts the performance. The three parameters that define a poling condition are all investigated for the first time. A procedure enabling a fast identification of the right poling condition is proposed. Fully solution-processed P(VDF-TrFE) multilayer piezoelectric devices are prepared using the optimized conditions, and the dependence of the performance and yield on the number of layers is demonstrated. This work lays the foundation for producing such devices for practical applications.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":16888,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Science","volume":"63 14","pages":"2903-2912"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144624845","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sofia Lindström, René Sønderbæk-Jørgensen, Anne Ladegaard Skov, Anders Egede Daugaard
{"title":"Metal Catalyst-Free and Recyclable Silicone Elastomer Achieved Through Curing of a Carbinol-Functional Polydimethylsiloxane With a Polysilazane","authors":"Sofia Lindström, René Sønderbæk-Jørgensen, Anne Ladegaard Skov, Anders Egede Daugaard","doi":"10.1002/pol.20250282","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20250282","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Both producers and end-users of silicone elastomers are facing a significant challenge regarding efficient recycling processes for their materials. The inherently stable nature of silicone elastomers gives them unique properties, but complicates their reentry to a circular material loop. This paper presents a recyclable silicone elastomer with crosslinks constituted by silyl ethers. Condensation curing of carbinol-functional polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with polysilazane (PSz) is proven to create a stable silicone elastomer without the need for a metal catalyst. The mechanical properties can be easily tuned by the addition of fillers as well as by chain extension. Adding the cured silicone elastomer to a solution of 0.055 mol L<sup>−1</sup> acetic acid (AcOH) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) for 24 h at 40°C yields a liquid silicone with a high resemblance to the starting polymer, demonstrating a selective cleavage of the silyl ether crosslinks. Experiments show that this reclaimed silicone can successfully be recured using new PSz to form new silicone elastomers. Mechanical properties similar to the starting elastomer are achieved when the reclaimed silicone is cured with pristine polymer in a 1:1 ratio, demonstrating the potential for industrial applications, where cured production scrap could be reintroduced to new elastomers via a simple process.</p>","PeriodicalId":16888,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Science","volume":"63 14","pages":"2891-2902"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/pol.20250282","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144624893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Flexible Polyimide Foam Fabricated by Emulsion-Templating Technique Toward Sound Absorption and Heat Insulation","authors":"Qi Liu, Zhiwei Li, Ruiyun Cai, Yun Zhu, Shengmiao Zhang","doi":"10.1002/pol.20250242","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20250242","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A flexible polyimide (fPI) foam, created using an emulsion-templating technique, is introduced. By adjusting the internal phase volume fraction (<i>ɸ</i>\u0000 <sub>in</sub>) and surfactant content, the foam's porous structure, density (0.065–0.125 g cm<sup>−3</sup>), and porosity are controlled. The foam exhibits an open-cell structure with a compressive modulus of 0.07–0.28 MPa, tensile modulus of 0.61–3.67 MPa, and elongation at break of 15.6%–19.8%. It also shows exceptional thermal insulation, with a thermal conductivity of 44.2 mW (m K)<sup>−1</sup> at 30°C, and maintains a top surface temperature of 79.2°C after 30 min on a 200°C hot plate. The foam demonstrates high heat resistance, with <i>T</i>\u0000 <sub>5</sub> decomposition temperatures of 503°C in air and 524°C in N<sub>2</sub>. Additionally, it achieves a noise reduction coefficient (NRC) of 0.49–0.54, outperforming commercial foams like polyurethane (NRC = 0.38). This study highlights the emulsion-templating technique as an effective method for producing open-cell fPI foams with superior thermal and acoustic insulation properties, making them ideal for harsh environments.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":16888,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Science","volume":"63 14","pages":"2880-2890"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144624892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gonghao Wang, Jie Liu, Shengxue Qin, Hongbin Zhang, Haiping Zhou
{"title":"Flow Modification and Molecular Dynamics Simulation of UHMWPE/HDPE Blends","authors":"Gonghao Wang, Jie Liu, Shengxue Qin, Hongbin Zhang, Haiping Zhou","doi":"10.1002/pol.20241004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pol.20241004","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Molecular dynamics can predict and analyze polyethylene's mechanical properties, thermodynamic quantities, and other macroscopic properties at the molecular level. However, the molecular modeling of polyethylene is still not fully developed, the simulated systems often involve relatively low molecular weights and single components, and it cannot be well combined with the experiment to study the mechanical properties of UHMWPE/HDPE blends. Therefore, this paper combined experimental analysis with simulations to investigate the flow modification and tensile properties of UHMWPE/HDPE blends and established a semicrystalline UHMWPE/HDPE model. The result shows that the flow modification effect of HDPE is more pronounced at lower screw rotational speeds, and the UHMWPE/HDPE mass ratios of 6/4 and 5/5 can produce as-spun filaments with better surface quality at a screw speed of 5 r/min. As the HDPE content increases, the blends' molecular chain mobility and disentanglement capability improve. However, an excessively high HDPE content hinders the enhancement of blend orientation. When the UHMWPE/HDPE mass ratio is 6/4, the system achieves the highest degree of orientation, the fewest internal void defects, and the longest duration of strain hardening during drawing.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":16888,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Science","volume":"63 14","pages":"2862-2879"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144624891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}