PolymersPub Date : 2026-10-16DOI: 10.3390/polym18202550
Hatice Asri, Fatma Zehra Köse, Mohammadreza Ghaffarlou, Ahmet Erdem
{"title":"Egg White-Based Biomaterials: Morphological Architectures and Emerging Biomedical Applications.","authors":"Hatice Asri, Fatma Zehra Köse, Mohammadreza Ghaffarlou, Ahmet Erdem","doi":"10.3390/polym18202550","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym18202550","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Egg white (EW) has emerged as a versatile natural biomaterial due to its wide availability, low cost, biodegradability, intrinsic bioactivity, and protein-derived gel- and film-forming capabilities. However, the existing literature has largely addressed EW-based biomaterials in terms of individual fabrication methods or specific applications, while comprehensive evaluations linking processing strategies to the resulting morphology, physicochemical properties, and biomedical functions remain limited. In this review, EW-based biomaterials are critically evaluated through an integrated processing, structure, property, and function framework encompassing molecular composition, fabrication strategies, morphological organization, physicochemical behavior, and biomedical performance. The molecular interactions and processing-dependent structural changes in major EW proteins, including ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, ovomucoid, ovomucin, and lysozyme, are discussed, and physical gelation, chemical and enzymatic crosslinking, chemical functionalization, and polymer/nanomaterial hybridization are compared as major fabrication approaches. These strategies enable the development of diverse morphologies, including hydrogels, nano/microparticles, films and membranes, micro/nanofibers, porous sponges, cryogels, and 3D-printed constructs, which provide distinct functional advantages in tissue engineering, 3D cell culture, wound healing, drug and bioactive molecule delivery, bioprinting, and biosensing. Particular emphasis is placed on the roles of crosslink density, porosity, swelling behavior, mechanical properties, degradation, and molecular transport in governing cellular responses and overall biomedical performance. Despite these advantages, batch-to-batch variability, the limited mechanical robustness of native protein networks, sterilization and storage constraints, and potential allergenicity and immunogenicity remain major barriers to clinical translation. Future research should therefore focus on standardized protein formulations, application-specific hybrid networks, advanced biofabrication approaches, and comprehensive long-term biosafety studies to enhance the translational potential of EW-based biomaterials.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13709241/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272485","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 : 2026-10-16DOI: 10.3390/polym18202543
Changli Hu, Lu Yuan, Hede Wang, Zhendi Huang, Chuang Liu, Zhexi Weng, Yongyi Tan, Xiaobing Qian, Senwen Deng
{"title":"Recent Advances in Lotus Seed Starch: Multiscale Structure, Tailored Modification, and Innovative Applications.","authors":"Changli Hu, Lu Yuan, Hede Wang, Zhendi Huang, Chuang Liu, Zhexi Weng, Yongyi Tan, Xiaobing Qian, Senwen Deng","doi":"10.3390/polym18202543","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym18202543","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lotus seeds represent a valuable botanical resource with dual roles in traditional food and medicinal applications. As the major constituent of lotus seeds, starch possesses unique physicochemical and multiscale structural characteristics that confer significant potential for high-value applications. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in the multiscale structure and physicochemical properties of lotus seed starch. Modification technologies were developed to address the inherent limitations of native lotus seed starch. Existing studies demonstrate that physical, chemical, and enzymatic modifications can precisely tailor the digestive properties, gelation behavior, and processability of lotus seed starch. Furthermore, such modifications have enabled novel applications in fields including prebiotic ingredients, edible packaging, biomedical carriers, and low-GI foods. Future research should prioritize environmentally benign and precisely controlled modification strategies, as well as the elucidation of the material-structure-function relationships, thereby ultimately facilitating the industrialization of novel applications of lotus seed starch. Collectively, these advances are expected to facilitate the high-value utilization of this underutilized starch resource, and to serve as a valuable reference for the broader industrialization of non-conventional starch resources.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13708799/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272730","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 : 2026-10-16DOI: 10.3390/polym18202538
Yujia Fu, Fengqi Qiu, Sihan Tu, Zhenhua Xue
{"title":"Wood-Based Carbon Quantum Dots Regulate Photosynthetic Carbon Fixation and Enhance Mechanical Properties of Soybean Straw.","authors":"Yujia Fu, Fengqi Qiu, Sihan Tu, Zhenhua Xue","doi":"10.3390/polym18202538","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym18202538","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In order to achieve the goal of 'double carbon' and promote the high-value utilization of biomass materials, nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) with high crystallinity were successfully prepared by one-step hydrothermal method using renewable Salix powder as a precursor, and citric acid and urea as an activator and nitrogen source. The research focused on the regulation mechanism of N-CQDs as nano-modulators on photosynthetic carbon fixation of soybean plants, accumulation of micro-structural carbohydrates (cellulose/lignin) in the body, and finally the macro-mechanical strength of soybean straw. The results showed that N-CQDs had a significant 'low promotion and high inhibition' effect on the physiological metabolism of soybean. A 5 mg/L low concentration treatment could effectively expand the blue-violet light capture area, accelerate the Hill reaction electron transfer on the thylakoid membrane, and significantly increase the cellulose content in soybean stem by 15.4% compared with the control group. In terms of macroscopic mechanical properties, the shear force of soybean straw in the best treatment group reached 134.76 N, the maximum tensile stress reached 4.25 MPa, and the average increase was 58%. However, the high concentration treatment of 50 mg/L resulted in a sharp decrease of 17.7% in cellulose content and a decrease in tensile stress to 2.21 MPa due to nanotoxicity or light saturation inhibition. In this study, a closed loop of 'nanodot synthesis-microchemical composition evolution-macromaterial mechanical mapping' was constructed, which provided a new strategy for source regulation and performance enhancement of biomass functional materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13708822/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272606","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 : 2026-10-16DOI: 10.3390/polym18202547
Zahra Ranjbar-Navazi
{"title":"Response-Surface-Guided Extraction and Copper Modification of Nanocellulose from Corn Cob and Hemp Hurds: Source- and Loading-Dependent Structural and Electrochemical Properties.","authors":"Zahra Ranjbar-Navazi","doi":"10.3390/polym18202547","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym18202547","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Agricultural residues offer a source of nanocellulose for developing functional composites. This study examined how biomass source, extraction conditions, and copper loading affect the structural and electrochemical properties of nanocellulose derived from hemp hurds and corn cob. A citric-acid-assisted chemical-mechanical extraction route was investigated using response surface methodology, with extraction cycle number and sonication time as factors and FTIR-derived total crystallinity index and SEM-derived apparent fiber size as responses. The selected conditions were three cycles and 120 min for hemp hurds and three cycles and 75 min for corn cob, yielding measured mean apparent fiber sizes of 83.3 and 100 nm, respectively. Nanocellulose was modified with nominal Cu loadings of 15, 25, 50, and 75 wt%. At 0.1 Hz, impedance magnitude decreased from 274.15 and 247.67 kΩ for the respective bare references to below 10 kΩ for all Cu-modified groups. Cu incorporation also increased cycle-5 passed charge, with the corn-cob series showing its highest mean response at 50 wt%. FTIR, SEM, TGA, and XRD supported cellulose enrichment, nanoscale fibrillation, source-dependent thermal behavior, and crystalline metallic Cu formation. These findings support further evaluation of Cu-modified nanocellulose for electrochemical applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13708852/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272696","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 : 2026-10-16DOI: 10.3390/polym18202544
César Troca-Torrado, María Francisca Alexandre-Franco, Juan Manuel Garrido-Zoido, Eduardo Manuel Cuerda-Correa, Vicente Gómez-Serrano
{"title":"Upcycling Used Tyre Rubber into Carbon Adsorbents: Effect of Physical Activation on Porous Structure and Comparative Evaluation for <i>p</i>-Chlorophenol Removal.","authors":"César Troca-Torrado, María Francisca Alexandre-Franco, Juan Manuel Garrido-Zoido, Eduardo Manuel Cuerda-Correa, Vicente Gómez-Serrano","doi":"10.3390/polym18202544","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym18202544","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The porous architecture of carbons derived from polymeric waste is largely governed by the physical activation atmosphere. In this work, used tyre rubber (UTR) was converted into carbonaceous adsorbents by pyrolysis followed by physical activation in air, CO<sub>2</sub> or steam. The influence of the activation route on porous structure, surface chemistry and adsorption performance was systematically investigated. The materials were characterised by N<sub>2</sub> adsorption at -196 °C, mercury intrusion porosimetry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FT-IR spectroscopy and point-of-zero-charge (pH<sub>pzc</sub>) measurements. The resulting materials were evaluated for the removal of <i>p</i>-chlorophenol from aqueous solution and comparatively assessed against three commercial carbon materials. Steam activation proved to be the most effective treatment, increasing the BET surface area from 64 to 344 m<sup>2</sup> g<sup>-1</sup> and the micropore volume from 0.05 to 0.23 cm<sup>3</sup> g<sup>-1</sup> while generating a hierarchical micro-/mesoporous structure that significantly enhanced pore accessibility and mass transport. Among the UTR-derived carbons, the steam-activated sample exhibited the highest equilibrium <i>p-C</i>p uptake and adsorption kinetics approaching those of a commercial activated carbon despite its lower specific surface area. Kinetic and equilibrium analyses demonstrated that adsorption performance depends not only on the extent of microporosity but also on pore accessibility and network connectivity, highlighting the critical role of transport mesoporosity in facilitating molecular diffusion towards adsorption sites. The adsorption results are consistent with an important contribution from accessible microporosity, while π-π interactions between <i>p</i>-chlorophenol and aromatic carbon domains may also contribute. These findings demonstrate that tailoring porous structure through physical activation provides an effective strategy for transforming UTR into high-performance carbon adsorbents and establishes robust processing-structure-property relationships that can guide the rational design of waste-derived carbon adsorbents.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13709235/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272595","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 : 2026-10-16DOI: 10.3390/polym18202548
Nazar Zabara, Diyar Tokmurzin, Aigerim Kaiaidarova, Fedor Pogorov, Akezhan Balgarayev, Valeriy Panyukov, Yelena Vitoshnova, Sergey Efremov, Sergey Nechipurenko
{"title":"Thermochemical Co-Valorization of Sewage Sludge and Plastic Waste: Co-Processing and Sludge-Derived Catalysis.","authors":"Nazar Zabara, Diyar Tokmurzin, Aigerim Kaiaidarova, Fedor Pogorov, Akezhan Balgarayev, Valeriy Panyukov, Yelena Vitoshnova, Sergey Efremov, Sergey Nechipurenko","doi":"10.3390/polym18202548","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym18202548","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plastic waste and sewage sludge (SS) are abundant, heterogeneous waste streams whose utilization and recycling are constrained by contamination, variable composition, and limited resource recovery. This review evaluates their integrated thermochemical conversion, focusing on co-incineration, co-pyrolysis, co-gasification, hydrothermal co-carbonization, hydrothermal co-liquefaction, and the use of SS-derived char (SSC) and sewage sludge ash (SSA) as catalytic materials. Co-processing benefits arise from complementary feedstock properties: plastics provide high carbon, hydrogen, volatile matter (VM), and heating value, whereas SS contributes oxygenated intermediates and mineral phases containing Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, and P. Among the reviewed routes, co-pyrolysis shows the strongest evidence of non-additive interactions, including hydrogen transfer, altered decomposition kinetics, and changes in liquid composition. Co-gasification can enhance H<sub>2</sub> formation and tar conversion, while hydrothermal routes are especially attractive for wet SS but remain comparatively underexplored. The review further distinguishes SSA, dominated by mineral acid-base and redox functionality, from SSC, which combines these mineral effects with adsorption and surface reactions on a porous carbon matrix. Key barriers include catalyst deactivation, chlorine and sulfur poisoning, heavy-metal migration, feedstock variability, and limited pilot-scale validation. Future development requires mechanistic controls, catalyst stability testing, techno-economic analysis, life-cycle assessment, and integrated nutrient recovery to establish practical circular waste-management systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13708992/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272651","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 : 2026-10-16DOI: 10.3390/polym18202545
Jun Zhong, Xiong Xu, Sha Wu, Hui Tong, Shuang Zhou, Jie Liu, Song Xu, Zongwu Chen
{"title":"Degradation-Grafting Mechanochemical Treatment of Recycled Polypropylene as an Asphalt Modifier: Rheological Behavior and Microscopic Mechanisms.","authors":"Jun Zhong, Xiong Xu, Sha Wu, Hui Tong, Shuang Zhou, Jie Liu, Song Xu, Zongwu Chen","doi":"10.3390/polym18202545","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym18202545","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As a common solid waste, recycled polypropylene (RPP) has been demonstrated to be a viable asphalt modifier for enhancing pavement performance. However, its direct application still faces bottlenecks including high processing temperatures, poor dispersion, and unstable performance, which hinder its potential promotion. To address this, this study adopted a mechanochemical treatment of RPP with varying dosages of di-cumyl peroxide (DCP) and epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) to prepare a novel waste plastic asphalt modifier. This process was designed to cleave the long molecular chains of RPP via DCP, while simultaneously allowing dynamic chemical grafting reactions with ESO, yielding a degraded WPP bearing flexible functional groups. Through rheological temperature and frequency sweeps, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and mechanistic analysis, the intrinsic correlation between the microstructure and macroscopic rheological behavior of the modified binder was systematically investigated. Among the investigated formulations, the results indicated that 0.3RPP-MA showed the highest viscoelastic transition temperature, 25.7 °C, compared with 7.8 °C for the virgin binder. The dynamic shear rheology (DSR) results indicate that this formulation provided the most favorable high-temperature rheological response within the tested DCP range. FTIR spectra clearly verified the formation of ESO graft copolymers and the functional group changes induced by DCP degradation, and a reaction mechanism involving simultaneous degradation and grafting was elucidated. Overall, the preparation method proposed in this study provides a comprehensive analysis of the rheological properties of RPP-modified asphalt, providing both engineering guidance and theoretical support for the high-value utilization of waste plastics.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13708877/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272562","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":"Experimental and Analytical Evaluation of Strengthening Techniques for Ultra-High-Performance Concrete Circular Columns.","authors":"Aref Abadel, Hussein Elsanadedy, Husain Abbas, Mohammed Al-Mahbashi, Tarek Almusallam, Yousef Al-Salloum","doi":"10.3390/polym18202541","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym18202541","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study presents an experimental investigation to evaluate the effectiveness of four schemes for strengthening circular reinforced concrete (RC) columns. The columns were cast using ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC). Ten RC columns, categorized into five groups including four strengthening schemes, were tested under concentric axial compression. The first group (G1) included the unstrengthened specimens (control specimens). Group G2 included specimens strengthened using two carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) layers and 4Ø12 near-surface-mounted (NSM) steel rebars. Group G3 consisted of specimens strengthened using three CFRP layers. In group G4, a 3 mm thick steel tube was used for column jacketing. The specimens of group G5 were strengthened using UHPC jacketing reinforced with three welded wire mesh (WWM) layers and 4Ø8 longitudinal steel rebars. The fibers of CFRP layers in all schemes were oriented in the circumferential direction. The experimental results indicated that all strengthening schemes significantly increased ultimate load by 30% to 69% and initial stiffness by up to 130%. The G5 strengthening scheme (UHPC jacketing reinforced with WWM and 4Ø8 steel rebars) was most effective in enhancing load capacity and stiffness, while CFRP wrapping (G3) offered a superior balance of strength and ductility without increasing column dimensions, preserving post-peak integrity.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13708891/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272542","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 : 2026-10-16DOI: 10.3390/polym18202539
Joanna Smorawska-Kliza, Anna Jażdżewska, Ewa Głowińska
{"title":"Sustainable Approach to Thermoplastic Polyurethanes Stabilization: Vanillin as a Natural Additive in Melt-Processing.","authors":"Joanna Smorawska-Kliza, Anna Jażdżewska, Ewa Głowińska","doi":"10.3390/polym18202539","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym18202539","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Thermo-oxidative degradation during high-temperature processing remains a major challenge limiting the performance of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs). This study evaluated vanillin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde), a bio-based phenolic compound, as a primary thermo-oxidative stabilizer acting as a free-radical scavenger. Bio-based TPU (bio-TPU) was synthesized via a two-step method using a commercial bio-based polyol, a bio-based chain extender, and a mixture of diisocyanates. During processing in an internal mixer, vanillin was incorporated into both bio-TPU and a commercial TPU at concentrations of 0.03, 0.165, and 0.3 wt%. Changes in chemical structure were assessed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal properties were evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), including oxidation onset temperature (OOT) measurements, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Mechanical properties were assessed by tensile test and hardness. FTIR analysis revealed no significant structural changes after vanillin addition. However, changes in thermal properties were observed, including an increase in the OOT for materials containing the highest vanillin content. TGA results also showed a generally improved thermal stability at higher vanillin concentrations, approaching reference-material values at the highest concentration in the commercial TPU. A slight decrease in mechanical properties was observed. These findings demonstrate a pronounced stabilizing effect of 0.3 wt% vanillin on both bio-TPU and commercial TPU, providing new insights into the potential reuse and further recycling of TPU materials stabilized with bio-based additives.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13709224/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272563","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 : 2026-10-15DOI: 10.3390/polym18202531
Chae Hyun Lim, Miji Kim, Seok Il Yun
{"title":"Carveol-Derived Cycloaliphatic Epoxy for Bio-Based High-Performance Thermosets.","authors":"Chae Hyun Lim, Miji Kim, Seok Il Yun","doi":"10.3390/polym18202531","DOIUrl":"10.3390/polym18202531","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Carveol, a terpenoid alcohol, was selected as a platform molecule for the development of high-performance bio-based epoxy thermosets. A cycloaliphatic diepoxy monomer, carveol dioxide (CDO), was synthesized and subsequently cured with branched polyethyleneimine (BPEI) to afford epoxy thermosets exhibiting outstanding thermomechanical properties, including a storage modulus of 2.5 GPa at 30 °C and a glass transition temperature (<i>T</i><sub>g</sub>) of 97 °C. The resulting thermoset also exhibited strong adhesion to stainless steel, reaching a lap-shear strength of 10.1 MPa, which compares favorably with previously reported bio-based epoxy adhesives. To further enhance network performance, the pendant secondary hydroxyl group of CDO was exploited to introduce urethane crosslinks prior to epoxy curing. Urethane incorporation markedly increased the crosslink density and raised <i>T</i><sub>g</sub> to 137 °C, which, to the best of our knowledge, is the highest value reported for terpene-based epoxy thermosets. These results highlight carveol as a promising renewable platform for high-performance epoxy thermosets and adhesives because its unique combination of C=C bonds and a secondary hydroxyl group enables both epoxide formation and subsequent network modification.</p>","PeriodicalId":20416,"journal":{"name":"Polymers","volume":"18 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13708782/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149272378","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}