PolymersPub Date : 2025-10-04DOI: 10.3390/polym17192691
Kenan Çinku, Ebru Dengiz Özcan, Şenel Özdamar, Hasan Ergin
{"title":"Investigation of the Effects of Polymer-Based Grinding Aids on the Surface Chemistry Properties of Cement.","authors":"Kenan Çinku, Ebru Dengiz Özcan, Şenel Özdamar, Hasan Ergin","doi":"10.3390/polym17192691","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym17192691","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Polymer-based superplasticizers represent an emerging class of additives in cement and concrete production with demonstrated effects on zeta potential, ion exchange, turbidity and rheological behavior during hydration. This study examines the influence of polymer-based grinding aids focusing on the dosage of A2 on the grinding performance of Portland cement. Among the tested additives, A2 exhibited superior dispersing ability and agglomeration-preventing activity, yielding a zeta potential of -8.98 mV. Correspondingly, the release of the ion concentration of Ca<sup>2+</sup> decreased to 190 mg/L, while SO<sub>4</sub><sup>2-</sup> increased to 400 mg/L, indicating enhanced ionic interaction at the optimal A2 dosage of 2.5 g. The turbidity tests further revealed that cement samples ground with 2.5 g of A2 remained homogeneously suspended for longer periods compared to other additives. Overall, the analysis of cement surface properties confirmed that polymer-based grinding aids, particularly A2, significantly improve the dispersion stability of cement particles during grinding.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12527076/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145302847","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PolymersPub Date : 2025-10-04DOI: 10.3390/polym17192686
Wasan Al-Farhan, Osama H Abusara, Mohammad Abu-Sini, Suhair Hikmat, Ola Tarawneh, Sameer Al-Kouz, Rania Hamed
{"title":"Development, Characterization, and Biological Evaluation of a Self-Healing Hydrogel Patch Loaded with Ciprofloxacin for Wound Dressings.","authors":"Wasan Al-Farhan, Osama H Abusara, Mohammad Abu-Sini, Suhair Hikmat, Ola Tarawneh, Sameer Al-Kouz, Rania Hamed","doi":"10.3390/polym17192686","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym17192686","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hydrogels are crosslinked polymer chains that form a three-dimensional network, widely used for wound dressing due to their ability to absorb significant amounts of fluid. This study aimed to develop a hydrogel patch for wound dressing with self-healing properties, particularly for joints and stretchable body parts, providing a physical barrier while maintaining an optimal environment for wound healing. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Na CMC) were crosslinked with borax, which reacts with the active hydroxyl groups in both polymers to form a hydrogel. The patches were loaded with ciprofloxacin HCl (CIP), a broad-spectrum antibiotic used to prevent and treat various types of wound infections. Hydrogels were subjected to rheological, morphological, antimicrobial, self-healing, ex vivo release, swelling, cytotoxicity, wound healing, and stability studies. The hydrogels exhibited shear-thinning, thixotropic, and viscoelastic properties. Microscopic images of the CIP hydrogel patch showed a porous, crosslinked matrix. The antimicrobial activity of the patch revealed antibacterial effectiveness against five types of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, demonstrating a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.05 μg/mL against <i>E. coli</i>. The swelling percentage was found to be 337.4 ± 12.7%. The cumulative CIP release percentage reached 103.7 ± 3.7% after 3 h, followed by zero-order release kinetics. The stability studies revealed that the crossover point shifted toward higher frequencies after 3 months of storage at room temperature, suggesting a relaxation in the hydrogel bonds. The cytotoxicity study revealed that the CIP hydrogel patch is non-cytotoxic. Additionally, the in vivo study demonstrated that the CIP hydrogel patch possesses wound-healing ability. Therefore, the CIP PVA/Na CMC/Borax patch could be used in wound dressing.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12527037/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145302832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PolymersPub Date : 2025-10-04DOI: 10.3390/polym17192685
Lucian Alexander-Roy, Meelad Ranaiefar, Mrityunjay Singh, Michael Halbig
{"title":"Effect of Processing Parameters on the Mechanical Behavior of 3D-Printed Basalt Moon Dust Reinforced Polylactic Acid Composites.","authors":"Lucian Alexander-Roy, Meelad Ranaiefar, Mrityunjay Singh, Michael Halbig","doi":"10.3390/polym17192685","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym17192685","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Advanced composite materials and manufacturing technologies are critical to sustain human presence in space. Mechanical testing and analysis are needed to elucidate the effect of processing parameters on composites' material properties. In this study, test specimens are 3D printed via a fused-filament fabrication (FFF) approach from a basalt moon dust-polylactic acid (BMD-PLA) composite filament and from pure PLA filament. Compression and tensile testing were conducted to determine the yield strength, ultimate strength, and Young's modulus of specimens fabricated under several processing conditions. The maximum compressive yield strength for the BMD-reinforced samples is 27.68 MPa with print parameters of 100% infill, one shell, and 90° print orientation. The maximum compressive yield strength for the PLA samples is 63.05 MPa with print parameters of 100% infill, three shells, and 0° print orientation. The composite samples exhibit an increase in strength when layer lines are aligned with loading axis, whereas the PLA samples decreased in strength. This indicates a fundamental difference in how the composite behaves in comparison to the pure matrix material. In tension, test specimens have unpredictable failure modes and often broke outside the gauge length. A portion of the tension test data is included to help guide future work.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12526986/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145302817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Phosphate Low-Melting Glasses as Synergist in Flame-Retardant Cable Sheath Composition: Performance and Mode of Action.","authors":"Diana Amin Alsayed, Rodolphe Sonnier, Belkacem Otazaghine, Patrick Jean, Yves Brocheton, Laurent Ferry","doi":"10.3390/polym17192679","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym17192679","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nowadays, fiber optic cables are a strategic issue because of their importance in telecommunications. Due to the densification of optic cables and the reduction in polymeric layer thickness, the flammability of the external sheath has to be improved. Three novel flame-retardant compositions using phosphate low-melting glasses (LMGs) as aluminum trihydrate (ATH) synergist were assessed in a polyethylene-ethylene vinyl acetate (PE-EVA) matrix. It was highlighted that LMG at a 10 wt% content reduced the peak and mean value of heat release rate (HRR), respectively, to 142 and 90 kW/m<sup>2</sup> corresponding to 52% and 42% reduction compared to ATH only. Potassium phosphate LMG was shown to perform better than sodium or zinc phosphate LMG. The improvement was assigned to the formation of an expanded mineral layer at the surface of the material during combustion that acts as a thermal shield slowing down the pyrolysis rate. The structural analysis revealed that the presence of alkaline cations in glasses led to short phosphate chains that resulted in low softening point and low-viscosity liquid. It was evidenced that under heat exposure the melted glass is likely to flow between the dehydrating ATH particles, creating a cohesive layer that expands. Additionally, interactions between ATH and LMG were also evidenced. The new crystalline species may also play a role in the cohesion of the layer.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12526736/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145302893","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PolymersPub Date : 2025-10-03DOI: 10.3390/polym17192675
Gulsym Burkeyeva, Anna Kovaleva, Danagul Muslimova, David Havlicek, Abylaikhan Bolatbay, Yelena Minayeva, Aiman Omasheva, Elmira Zhakupbekova, Margarita Nurmaganbetova
{"title":"Influence of Mineral Fillers on the Curing Process and Thermal Degradation of Polyethylene Glycol Maleate-Acrylic Acid-Based Systems.","authors":"Gulsym Burkeyeva, Anna Kovaleva, Danagul Muslimova, David Havlicek, Abylaikhan Bolatbay, Yelena Minayeva, Aiman Omasheva, Elmira Zhakupbekova, Margarita Nurmaganbetova","doi":"10.3390/polym17192675","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym17192675","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>For the first time, the kinetics of isothermal curing and thermal degradation of polyethylene glycol maleate (pEGM)-based systems and their composites with mineral fillers were investigated in the presence of a benzoyl peroxide/N,N-Dimethylaniline redox-initiating system. DSC analysis revealed that the curing process at 20 °C can be described by the modified Kamal autocatalytic model; the critical degree of conversion (<i>α<sub>c</sub></i>) decreases with increasing content of the unsaturated polyester pEGM and in the presence of fillers. In particular, for unfilled systems, <i>α<sub>c</sub></i> was 0.77 for pEGM45 and 0.60 for pEGM60. TGA results demonstrated that higher pEGM content and the incorporation of fillers lead to increased thermal stability and residual mass, along with a reduction in the maximum decomposition rate (dTGₘₐₓ). Calculations using the Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose and Friedman methods also confirmed an increase in the activation energy of thermal degradation (E<sub>a</sub>): <i>E<sub>KAS</sub></i> was 419 kJ/mol for pEGM45 and 470 kJ/mol for pEGM60, with the highest values observed for pEGM60 systems with fillers (496 kJ/mol for SiO<sub>2</sub> and 514 kJ/mol for CaCO<sub>3</sub>). Rheological studies employing three-interval thixotropy tests revealed the onset of thixotropic behavior upon filler addition and an increase in structure recovery after deformation of up to 56%. These findings underscore the potential of pEGM-based systems for low-temperature curing and for the design of composite materials with improved thermal resistance.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12527094/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145302839","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PolymersPub Date : 2025-10-03DOI: 10.3390/polym17192680
Elisabetta Ranucci, Jenny Alongi
{"title":"Advanced Polyamidoamine Hydrogels for the Selective Cleaning of Artifacts in Heritage Conservation.","authors":"Elisabetta Ranucci, Jenny Alongi","doi":"10.3390/polym17192680","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym17192680","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A polyamidoamine-based hydrogel (H-M-GLY) and its montmorillonite-based composite (H-M-GLY/MMT) were studied as selective cleaning materials for cultural heritage conservation. H-M-GLY was synthesized from a glycine-based polyamidoamine oligomer with acrylamide terminals (M-GLY) through radical polymerization at pH 7.3 and had a basic character. The M-GLY oligomer was in turn synthesized from N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide and glycine in a 1:0.85 molar ratio. H-M-GLY/MMT was obtained by cross-linking a 1:0.1-weight ratio-M-GLY/MMT mixture at pH 4.0, to promote polyamidoamine-MMT interaction. The composite hydrogel absorbed less water than the plain hydrogel and proved tougher, due to montmorillonite's electrostatic interactions with the positively charged M-GLY units. Scanning electron microscopic analysis showed that MMT was uniformly dispersed throughout the hydrogel. Both hydrogels were subjected to ink bleeding tests on papers written with either iron gall or India ink. Microscopic observation revealed neither bleeding nor release of hydrogel fragments. Being basic, H-M-GLY successfully deacidified the surface of aged paper. H-M-GLY/MMT, swollen in a 1:9 ethanol/water solution, was found to be effective in removing wax, known to trap carbonaceous particles and form dark stains on artistic artifacts. This study demonstrates the great potential of polyamidoamine-based hydrogels as versatile selective cleaning systems for cellulosic and other cultural heritage materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12527041/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145302796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Flexible, Stretchable, and Self-Healing MXene-Based Conductive Hydrogels for Human Health Monitoring.","authors":"Ruirui Li, Sijia Chang, Jiaheng Bi, Haotian Guo, Jianya Yi, Chengqun Chu","doi":"10.3390/polym17192683","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym17192683","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Conductive hydrogels (CHs) have attracted significant attention in the fields of flexible electronics, human-machine interaction, and electronic skin (e-skin) due to their self-adhesiveness, environmental stability, and multi-stimuli responsiveness. However, integrating these diverse functionalities into a single conductive hydrogel system remains a challenge. In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyacrylamide (PAM) were used as the dual-network matrix, lithium chloride and MXene were added, and a simple immersion strategy was adopted to synthesize a multifunctional MXene-based conductive hydrogel in a glycerol/water (1:1) binary solvent system. A subsequent investigation was then conducted on the hydrogel. The prepared PVA/PAM/LiCl/MXene hydrogel exhibits excellent tensile properties (~1700%), high electrical conductivity (1.6 S/m), and good self-healing ability. Furthermore, it possesses multimodal sensing performance, including humidity sensitivity (sensitivity of -1.09/% RH), temperature responsiveness (heating sensitivity of 2.2 and cooling sensitivity of 1.5), and fast pressure response/recovery times (220 ms/230 ms). In addition, the hydrogel has successfully achieved real-time monitoring of human joint movements (elbow and knee bending) and physiological signals (pulse, breathing), as well as enabled monitoring of spatial pressure distribution via a 3 × 3 sensor array. The performance and versatility of this hydrogel make it a promising candidate for next-generation flexible sensors, which can be applied in the fields of human health monitoring, electronic skin, and human-machine interaction.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12526528/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145302725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PolymersPub Date : 2025-10-03DOI: 10.3390/polym17192677
Yatong Fang, Kexuan Chen, Lulu Xu, Yan Zhang, Yi Xiao, Yao Yuan, Wei Wang
{"title":"Advances in Wood Processing, Flame-Retardant Functionalization, and Multifunctional Applications.","authors":"Yatong Fang, Kexuan Chen, Lulu Xu, Yan Zhang, Yi Xiao, Yao Yuan, Wei Wang","doi":"10.3390/polym17192677","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym17192677","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Wood is a renewable, carbon-sequestering, and structurally versatile material that has supported human civilization for millennia and continues to play a central role in advancing sustainable development. Although its low density, high specific strength, and esthetic appeal make it highly attractive, its intrinsic flammability presents significant challenges for safety-critical uses. This review offers a comprehensive analysis that uniquely integrates three key domains, covering advanced processing technologies, flame-retardant functionalization strategies, and multifunctional applications. Clear connections are drawn between processing approaches such as delignification, densification, and nanocellulose extraction and their substantial influence on improving flame-retardant performance. The review systematically explores how these engineered wood substrates enable more effective fire-resistant systems, including eco-friendly impregnation methods, surface engineering techniques, and bio-based hybrid systems. It further illustrates how combining processing and functionalization strategies allows for multifunctional applications in architecture, transportation, electronics, and energy devices where safety, durability, and sustainability are essential. Future research directions are identified with a focus on creating scalable, cost-effective, and environmentally compatible wood-based materials, positioning engineered wood as a next-generation high-performance material that successfully balances structural functionality, fire safety, and multifunctionality.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12527015/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145302799","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PolymersPub Date : 2025-10-03DOI: 10.3390/polym17192681
Jannick Fuchs, Yehor Kozlovets, Jonathan Alms, Markus Meurer, Christian Hopmann, Thomas Bergs, Mustapha Abouridouane
{"title":"Machinability of Vitrified Semi-Finished Products: Chip Formation and Heat Development at the Cutting Edge.","authors":"Jannick Fuchs, Yehor Kozlovets, Jonathan Alms, Markus Meurer, Christian Hopmann, Thomas Bergs, Mustapha Abouridouane","doi":"10.3390/polym17192681","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym17192681","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fibre-reinforced composites are facing new challenges in the context particular in sustainability and recyclability. Vitrimers could be useful as new matrices to support the increase in sustainability. Due to their high strength, which is comparable to that of thermosets often used in composites, and their covalent adaptive networks, which make them reshapeable for scaled-up manufacturing and recycling purposes, they are very useful. Orthogonal cutting is used for precise reshaping and functional integration into carbon fibre reinforced plastics. Vitrimers could improve processing results at the cutting edge as well as surface quality thanks to their self-healing properties compared to brittle matrices, as well as enabling the recycling of formed chips and scrap. This study showcases the manufacturing of a carbon fibre-reinforced vitrimer using 4-aminophenyl disulfide as a hardener, with vacuum-assisted resin infusion. The temperature of chip formation and the cutting parameters are then shown for different fibre orientations, cutting widths and speeds. The observed cutting forces are lower (less than 140 N) and more irregular for fibre orientations 45°/135°, increasing with cutting depth, and fluctuating periodically during machining. Despite varying cutting speeds, the forces remain relatively constant in range between 85 N and 175 N for 0°/90° fibre orientation and 50 N and 120 N for 45°/135° fibre orientation, with no significant tool wear observed and lower-damage depth and overhanging fibres observed for 0°/90° fibre orientation. Damage observation of the cutting tool shows promising results, with lower abrasion observed compared to thermoset matrices. Microscopic images of the broached surface also show good quality, which could be improved by self-healing of the matrix at higher temperatures. Temperature measurements of chip formation using a high-speed camera show a high temperature gradient as cutting speeds increase, but the temperature only ever exceeds 180 °C at cutting speeds of 150 m/min, ensuring reprocessability since this is below the degradation temperature. Therefore, orthogonal cutting of vitrimers can impact sustainable composite processing.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12526530/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145302823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
PolymersPub Date : 2025-10-03DOI: 10.3390/polym17192682
Tran Minh The Uyen, Van-Thuc Nguyen, Xuan-Tien Vo, Pham Son Minh, Hai Nguyen Le Dang
{"title":"Torsional Characteristics of Injection-Molded Hinges from Plastics and Glass Fiber-Reinforced Plastics.","authors":"Tran Minh The Uyen, Van-Thuc Nguyen, Xuan-Tien Vo, Pham Son Minh, Hai Nguyen Le Dang","doi":"10.3390/polym17192682","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym17192682","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigates the torsion characteristics of injection-molded flexural hinges manufactured from common polymers and plastic-based composites. The compliant mechanism provides a nearly constant torque over a specific rotational period. The flexural hinges are created via the injection molding technique, which has the advantage of mass production and low price. The injection plastics are pure polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and polyamide 6 (PA6), and the injection composites are PA6 combined with glass fibers. The torsional moment of the ABS flexural hinge ranges from -0.2 to 0.94 N∙m. The torsional moment of the PP polymer typically ranges from -0.6 to 0.8 N∙m. The torsional moment of the PA6 polymer ranges from -0.2 to 1.0 N∙m. Interestingly, the torsional moment diagram for this polymer is comparable to that of ABS, with a stable pattern in both positive and negative ranges. Furthermore, in other words, the PP flexural range is greater than the ABS range. Both ABS and PA6 flexural hinges have a higher level of stability compared to the PP one due to the higher elastic modulus and higher strength of these polymers than the PP polymer. The PP flexural hinge has the lowest negative torsional moment (-0.6 N∙m) compared to ABS and PA hinges. PA6 flexural hinges also have the most stable torsional moment compared to pure polymer varieties. Adding 5% to 10% fiberglass (FG) significantly improves the torsional moment of composite flexural hinges. More flexural hinges from different polymer types should be investigated. Further research should conduct some statistical analysis to clarify the variations between the torques for the various materials. The findings improve our understanding of plastic flexure hinges and expand their applicability.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"17 19","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12527023/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145302916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}