Polymers最新文献

{"title":"Bioactive Hydrogel Scaffolds Integrating Chitosan, Silk Fibroin, and <i>Aloe vera</i> Extract for Enhanced Cartilage Tissue Regeneration.","authors":"Witwisitpong Maneechan, Phassorn Khumfu, Pensri Charoensit, Areeya Tuanchai, Sukunya Ross, Gareth M Ross, Jatuporn Ngoenkam, Jarupa Viyoch","doi":"10.3390/polym17101409","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17101409","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study developed composite hydrogel scaffolds from chitosan (CS), silk fibroin (SF), and <i>Aloe vera</i> (AV) gel extract for cartilage tissue engineering. SF extracted from Nang-Laai silkworm cocoons showed high protein content (86.8%), while AV extract contained characteristic polysaccharides. Scaffolds with varying CS/SF/AV ratios were fabricated and evaluated for physicochemical and biological properties. Among all formulations, CS40/SF/AV (3.00%wt CS, 2.70%wt SF, 0.075%wt AV) exhibited superior porosity (72.23 ± 4.85%), pore size (79.57 ± 3.68 μm), and compressive strength, both in dry (6.67 ± 1.44 MPa) and wet states. It also showed controlled swelling (270%) and a stable degradation profile (55-57% over 21 days). FTIR and XRD confirmed successful component integration and semi-crystalline structure. In vitro, CS40/SF/AV supported chondrocyte adhesion, proliferation, and morphology retention over 28 days. Fluorescence imaging showed uniform cell distribution across the scaffold. These results highlight the CS40/SF/AV scaffold as a promising, biocompatible platform with optimal mechanical and structural properties for cartilage regeneration, offering potential for further in vivo applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144161650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization of Printing Parameters for Self-Lubricating Polymeric Materials Fabricated via Fused Deposition Modelling.","authors":"Peiyang Zhang, Feiyang He, Muhammad Khan","doi":"10.3390/polym17101401","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17101401","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigated the feasibility of fabricating self-lubrication material using fused deposition modelling (FDM) technology, focusing on the influence of printing parameters on tribological performance. Experiments were conducted using PA and ABS materials, with varying printing speed, infill density, and layer height across four levels. The research established regression equations and fitted curves to describe the relationship between printing parameters and the coefficient of friction (CoF). Validation experiments demonstrated the reliability of the models, with errors within 10%. The results indicate that reducing printing speed and increasing infill density enhance surface quality, with infill density exerting a more significant effect. The influence of layer height on surface quality depends on the printer characteristics, making precise quantification challenging. Additionally, this study confirms that resin-based samples produced via FDM exhibit self-lubricating potential. These findings contribute to the optimization of FDM-printed structures by balancing surface quality and tribological performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144161536","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antifungal Efficacy and Surface Properties of Conventional and 3D-Printed Denture Base Materials Modified with Titanium Tetrafluoride (TiF₄): In Vitro Study.","authors":"Zahra A Alzaher, Fatimah A Aldobais, Zainab Albazroun, Fatimah M Alatiyyah, Reem Abualsaud, Haidar Alalawi, Ahmad M Al-Thobity, Soban Q Khan, Mohammed M Gad","doi":"10.3390/polym17101403","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17101403","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Background:&lt;/b&gt;&lt;i&gt;Candida albicans&lt;/i&gt; adhesion to denture base materials is a primary contributor to denture stomatitis. To address this issue, numerous studies have explored the incorporation of various additives into denture base resins to enhance their antifungal properties. Titanium tetrafluoride (TiF&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;) is an inorganic fluoride compound that has proven antimicrobial properties but has not yet been tested with denture materials. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of TiF&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; addition into different denture base materials on antifungal activity, surface roughness, hardness, and color properties. &lt;b&gt;Methodology:&lt;/b&gt; A total of 200 disc-shaped specimens were prepared-100 heat-polymerized acrylic resins and 100 3D-printed NextDent resins. Four different concentrations of TiF&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; were incorporated: 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, and 4 wt% for both resins, while one group of each resin remained unmodified as a control. All specimens were subjected to thermal cycling for 5000 cycles, and four tests were conducted: &lt;i&gt;Candida albicans&lt;/i&gt; adherence, surface roughness, hardness, and color change. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to prove &lt;i&gt;Candida albicans&lt;/i&gt; colonies' adhesion on the specimens' surfaces, and Fourier-transformed infrared (FTIR) analysis was performed to show the presence of TiF&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; in the resin material; data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by a post hoc test (α = 0.05). &lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; TiF&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; significantly reduced the &lt;i&gt;Candida albicans&lt;/i&gt; adhesion to heat-polymerized specimens (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001). Compared to the control group, the incorporation of TiF&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; resulted in a substantial reduction in &lt;i&gt;C. albicans&lt;/i&gt; colony counts, with reductions of approximately 97.6% in 1HP, 97.2% in 2HP, 97.4% in 3HP, and complete inhibition (100%) in 4HP. However, there was no significant difference between the 3D-printed ones (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.913). Surface roughness, hardness, and color change of heat-polymerized groups were not significantly affected by TiF&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &gt; 0.05) except the color of the group treated with 4% (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.05). For the 3D-printed groups, no significant differences were detected between the groups regarding candida count, hardness was significantly increased at 2% TiF&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; compared to the control (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; = 0.002), and roughness was least with 4% TiF&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;, while the color varied significantly between the groups (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt; &lt; 0.001). &lt;b&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/b&gt; TiF&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; addition decreased &lt;i&gt;Candida albicans&lt;/i&gt; adhesion to heat-polymerized denture base materials but showed no antifungal effect on the 3D-printed resin. While roughness remained low in 3D-printed groups at higher concentrations. Hardness was not significantly altered in the heat-polymerized resin, whereas it increased significantly in the modified 3D-printed resin. Color stability was compromised at higher TiF&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; concentrations, particularly in t","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144161569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Application of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers in the Analysis of Explosives.","authors":"Chenjie Wei, Lin Feng, Xianhe Deng, Yajun Li, Hongcheng Mei, Hongling Guo, Jun Zhu, Can Hu","doi":"10.3390/polym17101410","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17101410","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The detection of explosives is highly important for the investigation of explosion cases and public safety management. However, the detection of trace explosive residues in complex matrices remains a major challenge. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), which mimic the antigen-antibody recognition mechanism, can selectively recognize and bind target explosive molecules. They offer advantages such as high efficiency, specificity, renewability, and ease of preparation, and they have shown significant potential for the efficient extraction and highly sensitive detection of trace explosive residues in complex matrices. This review comprehensively discusses the applications of MIPs in the analysis of explosives; systematically summarizes the preparation methods; and evaluates their performance in detecting nitroaromatic explosives, nitrate esters, nitroamine explosives, and peroxide explosives. Finally, this review explores the future potential of emerging technologies in enhancing the MIP-based analysis of explosives. The aim is to support the further application of MIPs in the investigation of explosion cases and safety management, providing more effective technical solutions for public safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144161647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantitative Dissection of Relaxation Processes in Hybrid Epoxy Composites: Combining Dielectric Spectroscopy with Activation Energy Analysis.","authors":"Xingqiao Li, Hongliang Zhang, Yansheng Bai, Hai Jin, Hong Wang, Kangle Li, Xiaonan Li","doi":"10.3390/polym17101405","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17101405","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The dielectric relaxation dynamics in polymer composites critically determine their functional performance in advanced electrical systems. This study systematically investigates hybrid epoxy composites comprising neat epoxy resin (EP) and paper-reinforced systems (EIP), modified with 10-50 wt% polypropylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDGE) plasticizer. Through synergistic application of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and broadband dielectric spectroscopy (10^-1-10⁶ Hz), the quantitative relationships between plasticizer content, glass transition temperature (Tg), and dielectric relaxation processes were established. DSC analysis reveals a linear Tg dependence with increasing PEGDGE content, attributed to enhanced molecular mobility. Dielectric characterization demonstrates three distinct relaxation regimes: α-relaxation below Tg, interfacial polarization at epoxy/PEGDGE boundaries, and paper/epoxy interfacial effects in EIP systems. A quantitative dielectric relaxation model was developed based on complex modulus formalism, coupled with Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann (VFT) analysis of DC conductivity. Activation energy mapping through Arrhenius decomposition reveals three characteristic values: (1) 82.01-87.80 kJ/mol for α-relaxation, (2) 55.96-64.64 kJ/mol for epoxy/PEGDGE interfaces, and (3) 30.88-44.38 kJ/mol for epoxy/paper interfaces. Crucially, the plasticizer content modulates these activation energies, demonstrating its role in tailoring interfacial dynamics.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144161685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of Optimal Conditions for Synthesis of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Effective Terbium Sorption.","authors":"Laura Agibayeva, Yevgeniy Melnikov, Ayakoz Berdaly, Ruslan Kondaurov","doi":"10.3390/polym17101398","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17101398","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) as well as non-imprinted polymers (NIPs) were synthesized for selective sorption of lead and terbium. The ratio of raw monomers for the terbium-MIPs' synthesis was optimized based on the results of the synthesis of lead-MIP. It was found that the molar ratio of template/monomer/monomer/cross-linker = 1:5:5:8 was the most accurate for successful synthesis of the target MIP. As a result, the yields of the MIP and NIP on terbium were 59.3% and 61.2%, respectively. The structure of the imprinted samples was determined by FTIR spectroscopy. SEM analysis of the imprinted structures showed that the Tb-MIP contained a large number of pores compared to the NIP. The size of these pores ranged from 0.779 μm to 1.874 μm. The results of sorption experiments showed that the adsorption efficiency of Tb-MIP was seven times higher than that of NIP: the sorption degree was 70.80% for MIP and 9.95% for NIP. The imprinting factor was calculated and was equal to 7.06. The sorption process was described by the Radushkevich and pseudo-second-order kinetic models. It was shown that sorption by NIP occurred with a fast saturation of a lower Tb concentration, and the MIP's sorption passed slower and more efficiently. The desorption degrees of Tb-MIP and NIP were 90.15% and 52.67%, respectively.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144161075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Visualization of Single Polymer Chains with Atomic Force Microscopy: A Review.","authors":"Maria Pop, Otto Todor-Boer, Ioan Botiz","doi":"10.3390/polym17101397","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17101397","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Single-chain atomic force microscopy has emerged as a powerful and highly specialized technique, enabling the direct observation and analysis of various isolated polymer chains at the nano and micro scales. This work reviews the most relevant experimental cases utilizing this technique, aiming to shine light on the understanding of the physical appearance of freshly synthesized polymer chains, reveal unique chain conformations and related transitions, decipher the processes of polymer crystallization and self-assembly, study the mechanisms of polymer adsorption and desorption, observe the formation of single-chain nanoparticles, and explore many other related phenomena.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144161550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preparation of Few-Micron-Thick Free-Standing Au-Nanorod/UDMA-TEGDMA Nanocomposite Films by Using PVA Sacrificial Layers.","authors":"Nóra Tarpataki, Andrea Keczánné-Üveges, Melinda Szalóki, Attila Bonyár","doi":"10.3390/polym17101391","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17101391","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A method to prepare free-standing, few-micron-thick films from a dental photopolymer resin, namely UDMA-TEGDMA in a 3:1 weight ratio, doped with gold nanorods, is presented. The method is based on a sandwich structure consisting of a 4 μm thick PVA sacrificial layer, the Au-nanorod/UDMA-TEGDMA nanocomposite layer, and glycerol, all spin-coated sequentially onto a glass slide. Glycerol serves as a cover layer to shut out oxygen during photopolymerization, while the water-soluble PVA enables the subsequent detachment of the nanocomposite film by simple immersion into a liquid bath. Layer thicknesses were controlled by profilometry, while the presence of homogeneously dispersed gold nanorods was confirmed by optical spectroscopy and dark-field optical microscopy. A total of five similar spin-coating scenarios were tested, out of which two approaches produced positive results, with final nanocomposite layer thicknesses in the 2.5-4 μm range, which is smaller than the usual thickness of the oxygen inhibition layer (OIL) commonly present in these types of resins. Optimization of these technological processes and parameters to control film thickness and consistency is discussed in detail.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144161667","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of Elasticity on Heat and Mass Transfer of Highly Viscous Non-Newtonian Fluids Flow in Circular Pipes.","authors":"Xuesong Wang, Xiaoyi Qiu, Xincheng Zhang, Ling Zhao, Zhenhao Xi","doi":"10.3390/polym17101393","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17101393","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The viscoelasticity of fluids have a significant impact on the process of heat and mass transfer, which directly affects the efficiency and quality, especially for highly viscous functional polymer materials. In this work, the effect of elasticity on hydrodynamic behavior of pipe flow for highly viscous non-Newtonian fluids was studied using viscoelastic polyolefin elastomer (POE). Two constitutive rheological equations, the Cross model and Wagner model, were applied to describe the rheological behavior of typical POE melts, which have been embedded with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of the laminar pipe flow through the user-defined function (UDF) method. The influence of both viscosity and elasticity of a polymer melt on the flow mixing and heat transfer behavior has been systematically studied. The results show that the elastic effect makes a relative larger velocity gradient in the radial direction and the thicker boundary layer near pipe wall under the same feed flow rate. That leads to the higher pressure drop and more complex residence time distribution with the longer residence time near the wall but shorter residence time in the center. Under the same conditionals, the pipeline pressure drop of the viscoelastic fluid is several times or even tens of times greater than that of the viscous fluid. When the inlet velocity increases from 0.0001 m/s to 0.01 m/s, the difference in boundary layer thickness between the viscoelastic fluid and viscous fluid increases from 3% to 12%. Similarly, the radial temperature gradient of viscoelastic fluids is also relatively high. When the inlet velocity is 0.0001 m/s, the radial temperature difference of the viscoelastic fluid is about 40% higher than that of viscous fluid. Besides that, the influence of elasticity deteriorates the mixing effect of the SK type static mixer on the laminar pipe flow of highly viscous non-Newtonian fluids. Correspondingly, the accuracy of the simulation results was verified by comparing the pressure drop data from pipeline hydrodynamic experiments.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144161537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Design of a Dual Molecular Weight Polymer Gel for Water-Shutoff Treatment in a Reservoir with Active Aquifer.","authors":"Maria Isabel Sandoval Martinez, Valeria Salgado Carabali, Andres Ramirez, Arlex Chaves-Guerrero, Samuel Muñoz Navarro","doi":"10.3390/polym17101399","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17101399","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study presents the formulation and evaluation of a dual molecular weight polymer gel system composed of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) and crosslinked with polyethyleneimine (PEI) for water shut-off applications. A soft gel, designed for deep reservoir penetration, was formulated using 5000 ppm high-molecular-weight HPAM, while a rigid gel for near-wellbore blockage combined 5000 ppm high- and 5000 ppm low-molecular-weight HPAM. The gel system was designed at 65 °C, with an initial gelation time exceeding 8 h and viscosity values below 15 cP before gelation, ensuring ease of injection. Laboratory assessments included bottle testing, rotational and oscillatory rheological measurements, and core flooding to determine residual resistance factors (RRFs). The soft gel achieved a final strength of Grade D (low mobility), while the rigid gel reached Grade G (moderate deformability, immobile), according to Sydansk's classification. RRF values reached 93 for the soft gel and 185 for the rigid gel, with both systems showing strong washout resistance and water shut-off efficiencies above 95%. These results demonstrate the potential of the HPAM/PEI gel system as an effective solution for conformance control in mature reservoirs with active aquifers.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144161684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}