Yunhui Cai, Yixiang Chen, Lijun Fan, Xianhong Zhang, Wantai Yang
{"title":"Synthesis of Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acid-Based Methoxypolyethylene Glycols and Polyethylene Glycol Ester as Efficient Plasticizer for Poly(vinyl chloride)","authors":"Yunhui Cai, Yixiang Chen, Lijun Fan, Xianhong Zhang, Wantai Yang","doi":"10.1002/macp.202500043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.202500043","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Herein, two categories and four kinds of novel eco-friendly plasticizers, cyclohexanecarboxylic acid-based methoxypolyethylene glycols (H-MPEG200 and H-MPEG400) and cyclohexanecarboxylic acid-based polyethylene glycol (H-PEG200 and H-PEG400), are synthesized via the esterification reaction. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR) certified the successful synthesis of precise target structure. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results revealed that both H-MPEG and H-PEG have better thermal stability than dioctyl phthalate (DOP). Subsequently, the plasticization efficiency of H-MPEG and H-PEG is investigated systematically by replacing a portion of DOP in a soft poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) system. The rheological results indicated that the fusion time, fusion torque, and equilibrium torque of PVC blends have a slight decrease in comparison to that of DOP at a similar content of total plasticizer. The TGA analysis demonstrated the PVC films plasticized with H-PEG400 or H-MPEG exhibited better thermal stability than other plasticizers. Among them, H-MPEG has higher plasticizing efficiency than DOP, in which the glass transition temperature (<i>T</i><sub>g</sub>) is −2.34 °C for PVC/H-MPEG200 and −6.27 °C for PVC/H-MPEG400, respectively. Meanwhile, the H-PEG and H-MPEG showed outstanding compatibility with the PVC matrix, endowing the PVC blends with high transmittance.</p>","PeriodicalId":18054,"journal":{"name":"Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics","volume":"226 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144558332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Luca Soldati, Cosimo Micheletti, Carlo Adamo, Andrea Pucci, Marco Carlotti
{"title":"Synergistic Double-Layer Mechanochromic Polymers for Enhanced Strain Sensing and Emission Control","authors":"Luca Soldati, Cosimo Micheletti, Carlo Adamo, Andrea Pucci, Marco Carlotti","doi":"10.1002/macp.202500060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.202500060","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The development of mechanochromic polymers offers transformative potential for applications requiring real-time stress sensing and emission control. This study presents a novel double-layer polymer system that synergistically combines a high-quantum-yield fluorophore-based emissive layer and a perylene bisimide-derived optical filter layer to achieve exceptional mechanochromic performance. The emissive layer utilizes pyrene-functionalized polyolefins to produce a strain-induced fluorescence shift, while the optical filter modulates emission intensity through absorption and dilution effects upon deformation. Comprehensive optical and mechanical characterization reveals that the combination of poly(styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene) (SEBS)-based filters with poly(ethylene-co-octene) functionalized with 1-Pyrenemethylamine (POE-g-AMP) emissive layers delivers the most pronounced strain-dependent fluorescence enhancement, achieving a 120% increase in emission intensity at 250% elongation. This work overcomes traditional limitations in mechanophore adoption by utilizing cost-effective materials and scalable processing techniques. The proposed system demonstrates sensitivity and versatility, paving the way for innovative applications in structural health monitoring, wearable sensors, and dynamic design materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":18054,"journal":{"name":"Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics","volume":"226 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144339090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zening Liu, Graham J. Taylor, Yingdong Luo, Kunlun Hong, Robert L. Sacci, John Katsaras, Jan-Michael Carrillo, Benjamin Doughty, Charles Patrick Collier
{"title":"Charge Regulation Stabilizes the Formation of Ionic Liquid-Based Amphiphilic Oligomer Droplet Interface Bilayers","authors":"Zening Liu, Graham J. Taylor, Yingdong Luo, Kunlun Hong, Robert L. Sacci, John Katsaras, Jan-Michael Carrillo, Benjamin Doughty, Charles Patrick Collier","doi":"10.1002/macp.202400337","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.202400337","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Amphiphilic charged oligomers (oligodimethylsiloxane – methylimidazolium cation, ODMS-MIM <sup>(+)</sup>), assemble into bilayers using the droplet interface bilayer (DIB) platform, possess similar size and functionality as phospholipid bilayers, but exhibit increased stability. The oligomer ionic headgroups (MIM<sup>(+)</sup>) are covalently bound to monodisperse, short-chain (<i>n</i> = 13) hydrophobic tails (ODMS). These self-assemble as monolayer brushes at the oil–aqueous interface of water droplets that are influenced by both the charged cationic headgroups, and the nature of the covalently attached tails in the organic phase. Charge regulation (CR) stabilizes the formation of ordered, molecularly close-packed brush phases, which results in highly insulating, stable DIB membranes, with contributions from specific ion-pairing effects, Debye screening, and voltage-dependent electrocompressive stresses. In the oil phase, interactions between hexadecane, a good solvent for ODMS, and the hydrophobic tails result in extended waiting times for bilayer formation compared to phospholipid DIBs, for which hexadecane is a poor solvent. Close agreement between experimental values and predictions for two key parameters, the critical membrane thickness, <i>h</i><sub>c</sub>, and maximal grafted headgroup density, <i>Γ</i><sub>0</sub>, validate an electrostatic CR model consisting of adsorption and partial neutralization of counterions at a charged interface.</p>","PeriodicalId":18054,"journal":{"name":"Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics","volume":"226 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/macp.202400337","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144339091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sivagangi Reddy Nagella, Jun Seok Lee, Wei-Jin Zhang, Sung Soo Park, Chang-Sik Ha
{"title":"Fabrication of Aminopropyl POSS End Capped Polyimide Hybrids for Enhanced Hydrophobicity and Reduced Dielectric Properties","authors":"Sivagangi Reddy Nagella, Jun Seok Lee, Wei-Jin Zhang, Sung Soo Park, Chang-Sik Ha","doi":"10.1002/macp.202500015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.202500015","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Recently, research on organic–inorganic hybrids made from polyimide (PI) and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanoparticles has attracted considerable attention due to their exceptional properties, including low water absorption, high thermal stability, and low dielectric properties. This study explores the incorporation of POSS nanoparticles into PI matrices through covalent bonding and evaluates their impact on the physical properties of the PIs. Low-dielectric constant and low-dielectric loss PIs are synthesized using a simple approach that incorporates functionalized POSS molecules to introduce porosity and secondary relaxation behaviors into the polymer chains. Integrating POSS into the 1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diyl bis(4-aminobenzoate) (HBABA)/4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene) diphthalic anhydride (6-FDA) PI (HBF PI) matrix significantly reduced the dielectric constant (D<sub>k</sub>) (at 1 MHz) of the HBF PI-POSS (hereafter designated as HBFP) hybrids from 2.61 to 2.33, while maintaining stable loss tangents even up to 2.5% POSS content. In addition, the HBFP nanohybrids exhibited high water repellency.</p>","PeriodicalId":18054,"journal":{"name":"Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics","volume":"226 13","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144558328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Synthesis of Poly(vinyl acetate)-Based Block Copolymers for Highly Stretchable Film by Troponoid-Mediated Radical Emulsion Polymerization","authors":"I-Hsiang Chang, Edeline Clarissa Adhidjaja, Chi-How Peng","doi":"10.1002/macp.202400519","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.202400519","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The emulsion polymerization of vinyl acetate (VAc) is carried out in an aqueous medium containing the anionic surfactant of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and various troponoids, including tropone (<b>TP</b>), tropolone (<b>TP-OH</b>), 2-chlorotropolone (<b>TP-Cl</b>), and 2-methoxytropolone (<b>TP-OMe</b>). This method yields stable latexes of PVAc with characteristics of reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (RDRP), including predictable molecular weight, smooth shifts in the GPC traces, and molecular weight consistent with the theoretical values. Additionally, block copolymers of poly(vinyl acetate)-<i>block</i>-poly(methyl acrylate) (PVAc-<i>b</i>-PMA) are prepared and exhibited remarkable stretchability, achieving a strain of 1507% when cast into a film. This innovative RDRP technique offers an environmentally friendly approach for generating PVAc-based block copolymers suitable for advanced materials applications and potential large-scale production.</p>","PeriodicalId":18054,"journal":{"name":"Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics","volume":"226 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144339156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Biradical Initiation in Photoinitiated Copolymerization of Styrene and Maleic Anhydride","authors":"Michael-Phillip Smith, Chané Calitz, Upenyu L. Muza, Albena Lederer, Catharine Esterhuysen, Bert Klumperman","doi":"10.1002/macp.202570014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.202570014","url":null,"abstract":"<p><b>Front Cover</b>: An artist's impression of the charge transfer complex between styrene and maleic anhydride, irradiated by a beam of light. The charge transfer complex forms biradicals upon irradiation with light, which leads to polymer chains growing in two directions. High molecular weight alternating copolymers of styrene and maleic anhydride are formed as a consequence. More details can be found in article 2400266 by Bert Klumperman and co-workers. The artwork has been created by Michael-Phillip Smith and Nikki Smith.\u0000\u0000 <figure>\u0000 <div><picture>\u0000 <source></source></picture><p></p>\u0000 </div>\u0000 </figure></p>","PeriodicalId":18054,"journal":{"name":"Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics","volume":"226 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/macp.202570014","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143770014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"In Memory of Professor Yusuf Yagci","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/macp.202500087","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.202500087","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":18054,"journal":{"name":"Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics","volume":"226 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143770016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Nanoarchitectonics of Polymers at Interfaces","authors":"Katsuhiko Ariga","doi":"10.1002/macp.202500048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.202500048","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The field of materials science is of paramount importance in the solution to societal issues, including energy, environmental, and biomedical problems. Polymer chemistry is a leading material science that has produced a number of practical materials. The development of nanotechnology for the control of ultrasmall structures and interface technology for the organization of polymer components has both made significant contributions to this field. This review, entitled “Nanoarchitectonics of Polymers at Interfaces,” focuses on nanoarchitectonics and interface technologies to examine recent research trends on the design of functional polymeric materials. Three interface technologies are especially considered: i) the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) technique, which allows for the orientation and hybridization of polymers at interfaces; ii) layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly, which allows for the construction of rational layered structures from polymers and other materials; and iii) on-surface synthesis, which uses nanotechnology to perform nanoarchitectonics of polymers on surfaces. The final section of the review discusses the trends and necessary future directions in “Nanoarchitectonics of Polymers at Interfaces” based on these research examples.</p>","PeriodicalId":18054,"journal":{"name":"Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics","volume":"226 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/macp.202500048","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144220053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sophia B. Däbritz, Kira Neubauer, Christian Kropf, Seema Agarwal
{"title":"Evaluating Polymerization Methods and Deprotection Strategies for Making Water Soluble Poly(acrylic acid) with Hydrolyzable Breaking Points","authors":"Sophia B. Däbritz, Kira Neubauer, Christian Kropf, Seema Agarwal","doi":"10.1002/macp.202500080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/macp.202500080","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) is a hydrophilic polymer widely utilized in various everyday applications, but it may persist in the environment due to its stable carbon-carbon (C-C) backbone. This work presents a detailed comparative study of introducing hydrolyzable ester breaking points into the PAA backbone using different radical copolymerization methods (bulk versus solvent and batch versus semi-batch) with varied feed ratios of <i>tert</i>-butyl acrylate (tBA) and 2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane (MDO) followed by the investigation of the removal of <i>t</i>-Bu group for getting free acid functionality in copolymers under different conditions. A detailed comparison of polymerization approaches (bulk versus solution, batch versus semi-batch) revealed that solution polymerization at 100 °C with <i>tert</i>-butyl peroxide provided high ring-opening efficiency (71%) and uniform molecular weight distribution. The study optimized deprotection processes for tBA to acrylic acid, achieving complete hydrolysis under mild conditions using 5 equivalents of trifluoroacetic acid in dichloromethane. The resultant polymers displayed pH and temperature dependent solubility and significant degradation under alkaline conditions, with the formation of oligomers (400–700 Da for 35% MDO content) suitable for microbial assimilation. These findings highlight a scalable pathway for creating environmentally degradable PAA alternatives with tailored properties for functional applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":18054,"journal":{"name":"Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics","volume":"226 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/macp.202500080","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144220054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}