Polymers最新文献

{"title":"Study-Grouped Predictive Toxicology of In Vitro Polystyrene Micro- and Nanoplastic Cytotoxicity: Geometry-Derived Administered-Dose Metrics and a Nanoscale-Restricted Sensitivity Analysis.","authors":"Deniz Özkan Vardar, Necati Vardar","doi":"10.3390/polym18202575","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18202575","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Polystyrene (PS) micro- and nanoplastics show heterogeneous in vitro cytotoxicity across particle characteristics and exposure conditions. We examined whether geometry-derived administered-dose metrics improve out-of-study prediction of in vitro cytotoxicity and whether ≤100 nm restriction improves performance independently of study composition. From the 2443 literature-derived observations across 98 mammalian in vitro studies, 1701 observations from 82 studies formed the primary mass-concentration dataset and 995 from 60 studies formed the ≤100 nm subset. Random forests were evaluated using nested study-grouped cross-validation with inverse-study-frequency weights. A matched dataset of 141 observations from six studies enabled leave-one-article-out comparisons of mass, particle-number, and geometric surface-area metrics. In the nanoscale subset, observation-level mean absolute error decreased from 15.36 to 14.37 percentage points and R² increased from 0.283 to 0.447, whereas study-balanced mean absolute error did not improve (15.37 versus 15.60). In a composition-controlled 22-study analysis evaluated on identical nanoscale test observations, nanoscale-only training showed no clear advantage. Ridge regression favored mass concentration, while random forest showed a small, uncertain particle-number advantage. Geometry-derived administered-dose metrics offered no consistent model-independent advantage. Study-mean R² (0.095) indicates limited generalizability. Mass concentration remains a practical reference within this evidence base; standardized reporting is needed, and geometry-derived metrics reflect administered, not delivered, dose.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272686","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":"Probing Melatonin's Release Pattern from Oral Solid Dosage Forms Using Synthetic Biopolymers.","authors":"Angeliki Siamidi, Nikolaos Bikiaris, Chrystalla Protopapa, Maria Plyta, Maria Saltou, Aikaterini Sakellaropoulou, Marilena Vlachou","doi":"10.3390/polym18202570","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18202570","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Melatonin (<i>N</i>-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) (MLT) is a naturally occurring hormone produced endogenously, primarily in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. MLT exhibits a plethora of uses particularly in the treatment of sleep disorders (sleep onset and maintenance). However, due to its short biological half-life, MLT cannot maintain effective plasma concentrations for a prolonged period when it is exogenously taken from immediate-release formulations. The present study aims at developing modified release systems capable of gradually releasing MLT, thereby sustaining its pharmacological effect over eight hours. To this end, modified-release tablets were prepared using new polymeric excipients based on polylactic acid (PLA). Both neat PLA and PLA copolymers with polyethylene glycols (PEGs) of varying molecular weights (PLLA-PEG-PLLA_4000, PLLA-PEG-PLLA_6000, and PLLA-PEG-PLLA_8000) were used, along with other excipients. Certain formulations delivered MLT comparatively fast and may therefore be useful for sleep onset problems, others matched the release behaviour of the marketed product Circadin^®, and the rest released the hormone in a more prolonged manner.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272755","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":"Tailoring the Structural, Optical, and Electrical Performance of PVA Through Sn_0.8Mn_0.2S Nanostructures Incorporation for Optoelectronic Applications.","authors":"Mohammed G Althobaiti","doi":"10.3390/polym18202577","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18202577","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This work aims to produce a new nanocomposite of Sn_0.8Mn_0.2S nanostructures incorporated into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) for optoelectronic applications. Sn_0.8Mn_0.2S/PVA nanocomposite was prepared by combining a precipitation-based synthesis of Sn_0.8Mn_0.2S with the solution casting of the PVA matrix. FTIR spectroscopy was used to examine the chemical interactions and bonding between the Sn_0.8Mn_0.2S nanostructures and PVA chains. Morphological properties were investigated by the SEM technique. The X-ray diffraction technique was used to study the structural properties. UV-Visible spectroscopy was applied to explore the optical properties. Optical analysis shows that the direct and indirect optical bandgap decreased from 5.36 and 4.95 eV for the plain PVA to 1.94 and 1.32 eV at the highest loading (10 wt.%), accompanied by an increase in the refractive index from 1.69 to 2.33. Both the dielectric constants and optical conductivity of PVA likewise enhanced markedly with an increasing Sn_0.8Mn_0.2S amount. Four-probe DC measurements performed across 300 to 400 K demonstrated a reduction in PVA resistivity together with a drop in the activation energy, from 0.39 eV down to 0.18 eV, as the loading increased up to 1.0 wt.%, identifying this concentration as the most favorable for electrical performance. These findings recommend Sn_0.8Mn_0.2S nanostructures as an effective means of engineering the structural, optical, and electrical characteristics of PVA, with a clear relevance to optoelectronic device applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272531","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":"Study on the Chlorine Resistance of HDPE Pipe to Chlorinated Seawater.","authors":"Chao Cheng, Yongjing Li, Jinpeng Xiao, Huan Sheng Lai, Fangjie Shi","doi":"10.3390/polym18202572","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18202572","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>High-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes are widely used for seawater transportation. However, residual chlorine introduced for disinfection purposes can induce oxidative degradation and accelerate material failure. Existing investigations predominantly focus on HDPE aging in chlorinated freshwater, while the degradation mechanism of HDPE subjected to chlorinated seawater remains poorly documented. In this paper, chlorine-resistance tests for HDPE pipes were performed following the ASTM F2263 standard at 90 °C using real seawater with 0.2 ppm free residual chlorine. Micro-morphology, elemental distribution, and tensile properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and uniaxial tensile tests. The chlorine-resistance test results revealed that HDPE pipes eventually failed in a brittle-fracture mode after long-term exposure to chlorinated seawater. Numerous axial surface-initiated microcracks formed on the pipe inner wall, while EDS line scan demonstrated that chloride ions hardly diffused into the bulk polymer matrix. Reducing hoop stress by 18% only extended failure lifetime by approximately 6%, indicating a weak linear correlation between hoop stress and failure time under the present chemo-mechanical coupling condition. This study provides experimental references for the safety evaluation of HDPE pipes serving in chlorinated seawater environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272745","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":"Cold Plasma Modification of Cassava Starch-Gelatin Blend Films for Enhanced Mechanical Strength and Water Resistance in Sustainable Packaging.","authors":"Chonticha Srakam, Nanthicha Thajai, Pornchai Rachtanapun, Sarinthip Thanakkasaranee, Nuttapol Tanadchangsaeng, Patnarin Worajittiphon, Kittisak Jantanasakulwong","doi":"10.3390/polym18202573","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18202573","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A cold plasma-treated cassava starch-gelatin blended film (CS-GL) was developed to enhance the mechanical, thermal, and physical properties of biopolymer films for sustainable packaging applications. Cassava starch and gelatin were blended at an 80:20 ratio and treated using a cold plasma jet at 7 W with exposure times of 5-45 min and at plasma powers of 4-13 W for 15 min. Plasma treatment at moderate power and duration promoted structural interactions between starch and gelatin chains, as supported by FTIR by FT-IR and ¹H-NMR, while excessive power and prolonged exposure caused depolymerization of the polymer chains. The tensile strength of the CS-GL films increased from 30 to 42 MPa at 7 W for 15 min, whereas the elongation at break decreased from 7.62% to 5.42%. The TGA results showed that the residual content increased with plasma power up to 10 W and with exposure time up to 45 min but decreased to 13 W owing to chain scission. DSC analysis showed an increase in the endothermic transition temperature under moderate plasma conditions and a broader transition with a larger amorphous fraction under excessive treatment. Plasma treatment increased the water contact angle while reducing swelling and solubility owing to the consumption of hydroxyl groups and network densification. SEM images showed surface smoothing and densification at moderate plasma power and surface roughening at high power owing to chain scission. The optimal conditions were identified as 7 W for 15 min, which provided the best balance between mechanical strength, thermal stability, and structural homogeneity. A moderately higher dose further improved water resistance. Cold plasma is an effective and controllable green modification technique for tailoring the mechanical and water-resistance properties of starch-gelatin biopolymer films, offering a promising basis for future development toward biodegradable packaging industry, pending further evaluation of migration safety, packaging regulation, biodegradation behavior, and storage stability.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272456","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":"The Development and Evolution of Substrate Materials for Brain-Computer Interfaces.","authors":"Jiujiang Ji, Yidan Gao, Juan Liu, Mei Tian, Yen Wei","doi":"10.3390/polym18202569","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18202569","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) hold tremendous potential for neurological therapeutics and neuroprosthetics; however, their long-term clinical viability is fundamentally limited by chronic interfacial failure. This failure originates from the profound biomechanical mismatch between synthetic microelectrodes and ultra-soft brain tissue, which inevitably triggers persistent mechanical trauma, severe foreign body response (FBR), and insulating glial scarring. In this review, we systematically trace the material and structural evolution of implantable neural interfaces designed to bridge this critical gap. We detail the chronological paradigm shift from rigid inorganic substrates (e.g., silicon) to flexible yet inextensible polymers (e.g., Polyimide, SU-8) for conformal mapping, and subsequently to intrinsically stretchable elastomers (e.g., polydimethylsiloxane polyurethane) that effectively absorb dynamic physiological micro-shear forces. Most importantly, we highlight the emerging frontier of electrospun nanofibrous microelectrodes. By uniquely combining macroscopic tissue-level stretchability with an interconnected, highly permeable 3D topography that mimics the native extracellular matrix (ECM), these biomimetic scaffolds successfully overcome the metabolic limitations of dense elastomeric films. Finally, we discuss current challenges and future perspectives, ranging from scalable high-density manufacturing and active biochemical modulation to fully untethered integration, charting a comprehensive roadmap for next-generation, chronically stable neural interfaces.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272513","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":"Physically Based Bubble Growth Model for Micro-Scale Foam Injection Moulding CFD Simulation.","authors":"Daniel C Fritsche, Malte Schön, Christian Hopmann","doi":"10.3390/polym18202574","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18202574","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Predicting spatially varying cell morphology in foam injection molding is required for microstructure-based part design but remains limited by spherical bubble-growth models. This study extends a compressible, viscoelastic volume-of-fluid framework with a diffusion-controlled bubble-growth model. Bubble-specific mass-transfer rates are calculated from geometry, temperature-dependent gas properties, interfacial concentration, and prescribed bulk gas concentration, and introduced iteratively as local mass sources in OpenFOAM. The model was evaluated for two polycarbonate-nitrogen parameter sets and two plate positions against experimental cross-sections. The approach produced continuous and monotonic bubble growth. The simulations reproduced through-thickness trends, including larger cells in the core, decreasing cell size toward the walls, and preferential deformation in the shear layers. The simulated trends in cell density and area agreed qualitatively with the experiments, and aspect ratios of 1.5-2.0 for one parameter set were comparable to measurements. Absolute morphology descriptors were not reproduced quantitatively because of the two-dimensional representation, simplified nucleation history, prescribed bulk gas concentration, and one-way coupling. The deformation results rely on a case-specific reduction to 10% of the macro-scale pressure difference. The model provides a physically motivated methodological framework for resolving bubble growth and qualitative spatial trends in foam morphology.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272672","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":"Fluorescent Polymer Platforms in Tumour Mechanobiology and Therapy Monitoring.","authors":"Xiang Chen, Yujie Li, Jiayi Chen, Wei Liu, Shengsheng Zhao, Mengting Jiang, Jing Yang, Xiaoxiao Fan, Hui Lin","doi":"10.3390/polym18202578","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18202578","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fluorescent polymer platforms reveal different aspects of tumour mechanobiology, but the strength of the evidence behind their optical readouts varies. This narrative review distinguishes calibrated physical measurements, mechanically active therapies assessed by independent assays, and biochemical or delivery readouts. We classify polymer roles as emission generation, mechanical coupling, chemical gating, and carriage or localisation. Among the selected studies, polymer-assisted molecular rotors measured local microviscosity in mouse CT26 tumours, while fluorescent polyacrylamide inclusions enabled intravital solid-stress inference from calibrated deformation. PEG-gold tethers measured receptor tension in cancer-cell culture. Mechanically responsive fluorophores in synthetic networks remain enabling technologies without tumour validation. Our quantitative comparison covers formulation properties, optical operating conditions, calibration, and demonstrated biological settings, labelling unreported values and inapplicable metrics separately. A cholesterol-modifying polyrotaxane illustrates therapy supported by independent cellular mechanics assays; its fluorescence tracks distribution. Protease, pH, oxygen, and transcript probes provide complementary microenvironment or treatment-response information without directly measuring tissue stiffness. The evidence reviewed here establishes neither a clinically validated polymer-fluorescence biomarker of tumour mechanics nor a universal cross-platform performance ranking. Progress requires a defined physical variable and compartment, maintained formulation integrity, and evidence that the measured change informs a functional treatment outcome.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272532","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":"Non-Monotonic Effect of Asphaltenes on Gas Sorption in Polysulfone-Based Nanocomposite Membranes: Molecular Dynamics Simulations Supported by Theoretical Analysis.","authors":"Igor V Volgin, Leonid I Klushin, Sergey V Larin, Sergey V Lyulin","doi":"10.3390/polym18202568","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18202568","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Asphaltenes represent a potentially useful class of naturally derived carbonaceous nanofillers for modifying the gas-transport properties of polymer membranes. Here, we combine all-atom molecular dynamics simulations with a recently developed analytical theory of free-volume relaxation to investigate the influence of asphaltenes on the transport properties of bisphenol A-based polysulfone and its nanocomposites containing 0-30 wt.% of asphaltenes. The estimated room-temperature density of the nanocomposites decreases with increasing asphaltene content, whereas the mean solubility coefficients of He, O₂, N₂, CH₄, and CO₂ exhibit a non-monotonic dependence on filler loading, reaching a maximum around 10 wt.% asphaltenes. Relative to neat polysulfone, the mean solubility coefficients of CO₂, CH₄, O₂, N₂, and He at this loading are higher by approximately 24%, 14%, 10%, 5%, and 3%, respectively. Further increases in asphaltene loading reduce gas solubility relative to this maximum. The He diffusion coefficient also varies non-monotonically, reaching a maximum increase of more than 30% at 10-20 wt.% of asphaltenes. Analysis of the nanocomposite structure, free-volume characteristics, and gas interactions suggests that the solubility trend is primarily associated with changes in fractional free volume accompanying asphaltene aggregation. These results show that moderate asphaltene loading can enhance gas sorption in polysulfone and provide a molecular-level basis for further computational and experimental studies of asphaltene-filled polymer gas-separation membranes.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272547","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":"Sustainable Hybrid Flame-Retardant Architectures for LDPE: Effects of Waste-Derived Cellulose, SiO₂, and APP/ADA.","authors":"Antelmo R Y Ruiz-Martínez, Edgar Nazareo Cabrera-Álvarez, Luciano da Silva, Arxel de León, Ramón Diaz de León, David Contreras-López","doi":"10.3390/polym18202566","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18202566","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study evaluates the flame retardant efficiency of hybrid systems based on natural cellulose extracted from agricultural wastes (pecan nutshell and guayule), combined with azodicarbonamide (ADA), porous silicon dioxide (SiO₂) scaffolds, and ammonium polyphosphate (APP), incorporated into low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The waste-derived cellulose fractions were isolated via alkaline extraction and steam explosion, yielding microfibrils that preserved native lignin fractions. Porous SiO₂ particles were modified through the adsorption of ADA and APP, which in turn decorated the surface of the cellulose particles. Hybrid LDPE composites containing 20 wt% of total additives were melt-compounded and characterized. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed an early intumescent activation that promoted robust charring, achieving final char residue yields up to 9.5 wt% for the pecan nutshell composite. Horizontal UL-94 and cone calorimeter tests demonstrated the complete elimination of hazardous flaming melt-dripping across all formulated hybrid systems, accompanied by a significant reduction in the burning rate to 18.3 mm/min and a 45% reduction in PHRR for the pecan nutshell-derived compound, consistent with a protective contribution of the multifunctional particles in the condensed phase, significantly outperforming its commercial nanocellulose counterparts. Cone calorimetry highlighted a drastic flattening of the peak heat release rate (PHRR) kinetics of composites. FTIR, TEM and TGA analyses confirmed the formation of a APP-ADA-loaded SiO₂ particle scaffold (\"grenade-like\" morphology), with combustion-residue FTIR and SEM/EDS supporting a protective contribution in the condensed phase.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272533","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}