Iranian Polymer Journal最新文献

{"title":"Optimal transparency, strength integrity, and antistatic: the balanced development of transparent ABS resin","authors":"Qi Niu,&nbsp;Guoqing Qiao,&nbsp;Penghao Zhang,&nbsp;Lu Xu,&nbsp;Baijun Liu,&nbsp;Mingyao Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s13726-025-01566-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13726-025-01566-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study presents the developing of a novel anti-static modification method to address static electricity issues in methylmethacrylate-acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (transparent ABS resin) for high resistivity in high-precision applications. We successfully prepared transparent ABS resin with excellent optical and mechanical properties through emulsion grafting and bulk polymerization. We incorporated two types of permanent anti-static agents, polyether-based anti-static agent AS55 and polyamide-based anti-static agent 2MP into the resin. The effects of type, dosage, and blending ratio of anti-static agents on the properties of the anti-static transparent ABS resin were systematically evaluated. The result was the successful preparation of transparent ABS resin with significant anti-static performance without compromising optical and mechanical properties. The findings indicated that after adding 20 phr of anti-static agents, the surface resistivity of the transparent ABS resin reduced from 10¹⁴ Ω to 10⁹Ω, while the light transmittance was maintained above 86%. When 20 phr of 2MP was added, the notched impact strength increased to 204 J/m and elongation-at-break enhanced to 51%. When the ratio of 2MP to AS55 was 1:3 (by mass), the anti-static performance of the transparent ABS resin was optimized.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":601,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Polymer Journal","volume":"35 5","pages":"997 - 1006"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s13726-025-01566-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147332999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Magnetic hydrogels from Apocynum leaf cellulose and chitosan: synthesis, characterization, and adsorption performance study","authors":"J. I. A. Shunpeng,&nbsp;Xu Hai Yang,&nbsp;Pan Ying Ni,&nbsp;Jia Ling Yun","doi":"10.1007/s13726-025-01553-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13726-025-01553-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study delves into the development and analysis of novel hydrogels created from cellulose extracted from <i>Apocynum venetum</i> leaves, blended with chitosan, and subsequently transformed into magnetic hydrogels with different magnetic intensities. The hydrogels—cellulose-based (CH), chitosan-based (QH), and their magnetic counterparts (MC, MQ)—were thoroughly characterization by SEM, FTIR, XRD, and VSM techniques. SEM imagery showcased the unique structures of the hydrogels, with CH displaying a highly porous configuration that greatly boosted its anionic dye (CR) adsorption capacity. FTIR spectra validated the existence of hydroxyl (around 3340 cm⁻¹) and amine groups (N–H bending around 1550 cm⁻¹ in QH), with shifts in the O–H and N–H regions for MC and MQ indicating interactions with magnetic particles. XRD patterns signified crystalline features of cellulose (peak at 2θ ~ 22.5°) and chitosan (peak at 2θ ~ 29°), and the successful incorporation of magnetite nanoparticles in MC and MQ was confirmed by characteristic peaks (2θ ~ 38°, 64.5°, 77.5°), and VSM readings attested to the magnetic attributes of the modified hydrogels. Adsorption trials revealed that CH hydrogels exhibited an outstanding CR adsorption capacity (Q_max≈ 650.4 mg/g), while QH hydrogels showed superior Cu²⁺ removal efficiency (Q_max ≈ 120.20 mg/g).</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":601,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Polymer Journal","volume":"35 4","pages":"759 - 778"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147388549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of mechanical properties and machinability of origami-inspired PA6-PLA polymer blend using TLBO, JAYA, RAO-II, and TOPSIS methods","authors":"Rajashakar Reddy Jambula,&nbsp;Madhu Salumari,&nbsp;Madan Mohan Reddy Nune","doi":"10.1007/s13726-025-01561-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13726-025-01561-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This work investigated the mechanical properties and machinability of the origami-inspired 3D-printed PA6-PLA polymer blends using advanced optimization algorithms, namely RAO-II, TLBO (teaching-learning-based optimization), JAYA (a parameter-less optimization algorithm), and the conventional TOPSIS (technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution). The primary objective was to simultaneously enhance the mechanical performance and abrasive water jet machining (AWJM) by optimizing critical process parameters, such as jet pressure, standoff distance, and traverse speed, for these composite structures. Experimental results were analyzed through a multi-objective optimization framework, targeting surface roughness (SR), material removal rate (MRR), and kerf width (KW). Among the algorithms tested, the RAO-II algorithm produced the most favorable machining metrics, achieving an 18% reduction in SR, a 25% increase in MRR, and a 22% reduction in KW relative to baseline conditions. TLBO and JAYA also led to notable improvements but were inferior to RAO-II in overall performance. Although TOPSIS proved to be a feasible alternative, it was less successful in minimizing KW. These findings highlighted the superiority of the RAO-II method for optimizing AWJM of PA6/PLA polymer blends, making it particularly suitable for applications requiring high precision and efficiency. This work contributed to the advancement of the optimized machining processes for polymer blend materials, showcasing the potential of algorithm-driven approaches.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":601,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Polymer Journal","volume":"35 4","pages":"825 - 840"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147388551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Structural and mechanical characterization of Syzygium cumini seed fillers-loaded polyethylene by numerical homogenization and inverse method by finite element method","authors":"C. Balaji Ayyanar,&nbsp;Sofiene Helaili,&nbsp;Itishree Jogamaya Das,&nbsp;Md Enamul Hoque","doi":"10.1007/s13726-025-01564-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13726-025-01564-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The biodegradable <i>Syzygium cumini</i> (JS) seed fillers-loaded high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites were developed through the vertical injection molding process. The most prominent NH stretching, CH bending, OH stretching, C = C stretching, and C − H groups were found in the JS fillers and JS HDPE composites. The crystal size and orientations are studied through X-ray diffraction (XRD). The morphology of the composites was examined using FESEM, revealing the dispersion of fillers within the matrix. Thermal stability of the JS HDPE composites was carried out through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and found the melting point of the fillers and JS HDPE composite. The maximum tensile strength of 21 MPa was found for 30% (by wt) JS/HDPE, maximum compressive strength of 24 MPa for 50% (by wt) of JS/HDPE, the maximum flexural strength of 17 MPa for 30% (by wt) of JS/HDPE, and 65 SHN Shore D Hardness was found for 50% (by wt) of JS HDPE than pure HDPE. Identification of the JS mechanical properties was carried out by numerical homogenization and inverse method through FEM. The newly developed JS HDPE composites would be used for low-strength structural applications.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":601,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Polymer Journal","volume":"35 4","pages":"841 - 857"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147388618","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Poly(1,12-dodecylene terephthalate) and poly(1,12-dodecylene thiophenedicarboxylate) derived from 1,12-dodecanediol (DD): synthesis and characterization","authors":"Guoqiang Wang,&nbsp;Jianyu Wang,&nbsp;Yueying Wang,&nbsp;Deyu Wei,&nbsp;Yunfeng Hui,&nbsp;Yiheng Yu,&nbsp;Mengke Zhang,&nbsp;Longqing Shi,&nbsp;Hongliang Hu,&nbsp;Yujie Jin","doi":"10.1007/s13726-025-01557-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13726-025-01557-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this work, two high-molecular-weight polyesters poly(1,12-dodecylene terephthalate) (PDT) and poly(1,12-dodecylene thiophenedicarboxylate) (PDTD) were synthesized using geometrically distinct aromatic monomers: dimethyl terephthalate (DMT, 180° bond angle) or 2,5-thiophenedicarboxylic acid (TDCA, 148° bond angle), coupled with 1,12-dodecanediol (DD). Comprehensive characterization (chemical/thermal/crystalline/tensile/dynamicmechanical/rheological properties) revealed unique structure–property relationships governed by TDCA’s nonlinear geometry. The weight-average molecular weights of poly (1,12-dodecylene terephthalate) (PDT) and poly (1,12-dodecylene thiophenedicarboxylate) (PDTD) were 119,700 and 110,700 g/mol, respectively. Both polyesters were identified as semi-crystalline polymers by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). PDTD exhibited dual melting peaks (103.9 °C/94.3 °C), attributed to chain-folding constraints from TDCA’s angular distortion causing defective crystals, while PDT showed a single peak (124.1 °C). At the same time, the melting temperature of PDT is higher than that of PDTD, because the benzene ring is more conducive to the folding of the molecular chain. The decomposition temperatures at 5% weight loss of PDT and PDTD are 378 and 365 °C, respectively. PDT is more thermally stable than PDTD, because the benzene ring is more stable than the thiophene ring. PDT demonstrated polyethylene-like tensile strength (17.7 MPa) and melting temperature (124 °C). The results reported in this work provide deeper insights into the relationship between structures and properties of polyesters with long-chain diols, facilitating the design and synthesis of high-performance polyesters in the future.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":601,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Polymer Journal","volume":"35 5","pages":"985 - 996"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147636999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing the mechanical and thermal properties of ABS polymers through steel scale reinforcement: a sustainable approach to waste utilization","authors":"Elif Ulutas,&nbsp;Munir Tasdemir,&nbsp;Beril Eker","doi":"10.1007/s13726-025-01563-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13726-025-01563-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Steel scale, a byproduct of the iron and steel industry, primarily composed of iron oxide phases, is typically considered an industrial waste. This study investigates its potential use as a reinforcing filler in acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) polymer composites to enhance both mechanical and thermal properties while promoting sustainable material utilization. Composites were produced via melt blending ABS with varying steel scale contents (3%, 5%, 7% and 9% by wt), followed by injection molding. Mechanical properties were evaluated through tensile, hardness, and impact tests. In contrast, thermal and structural properties were analyzed using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed that incorporating the steel scale increased both the modulus of elasticity and hardness. Notably, at 9% filler content, the modulus rose by 28.9% (from 968 to 1248 MPa), and hardness increased by 9.2% (from 63.1 to 68.9) compared to pure ABS. However, higher filler content led to slight decreases in tensile and break strength—tensile strength dropped by 14.2% (from 42.9 MPa to 36.8 MPa), and break strength by 7% (from 39.6 MPa to 36.8 MPa). Thermal analyses confirmed improved thermal stability of the composites, demonstrating the steel scale’s effectiveness as a thermally resistant additive. These findings support the feasibility of recycling steel scale into polymer composites, presenting a sustainable alternative for reducing industrial waste. The developed composites show promise for applications in non-structural automotive parts, construction materials, and durable consumer products.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":601,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Polymer Journal","volume":"35 3","pages":"601 - 610"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147341804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic effect of nanoclay and alumina dual fillers in high-density polyethylene composites for evaluation of isoconversional crystallization kinetics","authors":"T. N. Nandagovind,&nbsp;Rohit Menon,&nbsp;R. Krishna Prasad","doi":"10.1007/s13726-025-01562-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13726-025-01562-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The current work explores the synergistic effect of reinforcing dual nanofillers of nanoclay (NC) and alumina in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) to improve thermal properties of the composites. Adding NC fillers into the HDPE affects composite crystallization temperature and impacts the onset crystallization temperature for nano-filled composites. Adding 3% NC to the HDPE matrix provided the Avrami exponent in the range of 1.16–1.35, suggesting a phase transformation involving nucleation and the growth of crystals. The Ozawa plot of polymer composites exhibits a non-linear trend, and fluctuations of the Ozawa component with temperature during crystallization indicate that the two-stage crystallization occurs within the crystallizing temperature span. The lower values of the Mo exponent indicate a slower crystallization for achieving better crystal qualities. The isoconversional approach is considered superior to traditional model-fitting kinetic methods in the context of thermal analysis of materials like polymer composites. The nucleation constants evaluated using isoconversional models are 3.4 × 10⁵, 1.75 × 10⁵, 1.31 × 10⁵, 1.62 × 10⁵ and 3.04 × 10⁵ K² for E, EC2, EC3, ECA2, and ECA3, respectively. The energy required to fold the chain segments into the nucleus surface is low for dual nanofiller composites containing NC and alumina. The fold surface free energy evaluated is 2.21 × 10⁻⁵, 7.16 × 10⁻⁶, 5.73 × 10⁻⁶, 1.19 × 10⁻⁶ and 1.07 × 10⁻⁶ J/m² for E, EC2, EC3, ECA2, and ECA3, respectively. The decreasing order of permeability of polymer composites is EC3 &gt; EA2 &gt; E &gt; ECA2 &gt; EC2. The polymer-free volume and the delamination of silicate layers influence the dispersing ability of fillers in the polymer.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":601,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Polymer Journal","volume":"35 5","pages":"967 - 983"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147636995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High stretch deformation and drug release nanofiber membrane made from hydroxypropyl cellulose and urushiol-modified polyethylene glycol","authors":"Hui Li,&nbsp;Mengdan Wei,&nbsp;Sen Li,&nbsp;Qian-Yu Yuan,&nbsp;Shihan Wulin,&nbsp;Bing-Chiuan Shiu","doi":"10.1007/s13726-025-01542-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13726-025-01542-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>We investigated the enhancement of the mechanical and functional properties of polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based nanofiber membranes for wound dressing applications. By incorporating hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and using ethanol as the solvent, we improved the stress–strain performance of PEG/HPC nanofiber membranes by over 30% compared to pure PEG membranes. This modification effectively addresses the issue of insufficient extensibility in PEG-based membranes, a critical factor for their use in wound care. Furthermore, to overcome the challenge of rapid drug release, we introduced urushiol (UR), a natural compound extracted from lacquer trees, as both a sustained-release and antibacterial agent. This addition enhances the release profile and provides antibacterial properties. Furthermore, the incorporation of  1 wt% nano-zinc oxide significantly boosted the antibacterial efficacy, achieving over 95% inhibition. For greater material versatility, double conjugate electrospinning was employed to coat the nanofibers onto collagen surgical sutures. Drugs like flurbiprofen (FLU) and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) were loaded onto PEG/HPC/UR nanofiber membranes to reduce inflammation, infection, and swelling associated with surgical procedures. Overall, this study uses a simple one-step method, without requiring any additional complex processes, and ethanol as the solvent, to enable PEG nanofiber membranes to possess controlled drug release, enhanced antibacterial properties, and improved stress–strain performance.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":601,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Polymer Journal","volume":"35 4","pages":"685 - 700"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147388548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of nanoscale Si–B–Zr-modified epoxy composites on corona resistance properties","authors":"Wei Zhao,&nbsp;Jing Zhang,&nbsp;Hao Chen,&nbsp;Boxuan Wang,&nbsp;Mingyue Jiang,&nbsp;Shuang Yin,&nbsp;Xiangyu Shi,&nbsp;Ling Weng,&nbsp;Zijian Wu,&nbsp;Xiaorui Zhang,&nbsp;Yunbo Shi,&nbsp;Xincheng Deng","doi":"10.1007/s13726-025-01560-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13726-025-01560-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Sinceinverter-fed motor components are always in a harsh environment of strong electric field, they place higher requirements on the corona aging resistance and dielectric properties of inverter-fed motor insulation materials. In this paper, Si–B–Zr nanocomposite oxides were prepared by hydrolysis-condensation method using phenyltriethoxysilane, tributyl borate and zirconium <i>n</i>-propoxide as raw materials. Then, the Si-B-Zr/EP composites were prepared by in situ polymerization, mechanical stirring and thermal curing according to different gradient concentrations, in order to improve the corona resistance of the composite while maintaining good dielectric properties. The experimental results showed that the corona resistance life of Si–B–Zr/EP composites with different doping contents is higher than that of pure epoxy resin. 11 wt% Si–B–Zr/EP composite at 80 °C and 50 kV·mm⁻¹, the power frequency and high frequency corona resistance life can reach 31.92 h and 21.04 h, respectively, which is 20.02 times and 263 times that of pure epoxy resin. When the doping level exceeds 5 wt%, the dielectric constant and dielectric loss of Si-B-Zr/EP composites decrease and the breakdown field strength reaches a maximum. In addition, the volume resistivity of 3 wt% Si–B–Zr/EP composite is up to 2 orders of magnitude higher than that of pure epoxy resin, which indicates that the composite has good insulating properties.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":601,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Polymer Journal","volume":"35 4","pages":"875 - 886"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147388619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Data-driven insights into the high-temperature behavior of polymer/carbon nanotubes nanocomposites","authors":"Harshit Sharma,&nbsp;Gaurav Arora,&nbsp;Raj Kumar,&nbsp;Suman Debnath,&nbsp;Suchart Siengchin","doi":"10.1007/s13726-025-01558-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s13726-025-01558-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this study, the hardness and tensile strength of polypropylene/carbon nanotubes (PP/CNT) and low-density polyethylene/carbon nanotubes (LDPE/CNT) composite materials were predicted using machine learning (ML). The composites were fabricated through a microwave-assisted manufacturing process, and their mechanical properties were evaluated at an elevated temperature of 100 °C, which remains below the melting points of both PP and LDPE. Hardness and tensile tests were conducted using a Rockwell hardness tester and a universal testing machine, respectively. To predict these properties, various ML algorithms, i.e., extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), and random forest (RF), were employed. Among these, the RF model demonstrated the highest accuracy and consistency, particularly for PP/CNT composites. Performance metrics, including root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and coefficient of determination (<i>R</i>²), indicated that the RF model outperformed other algorithms. For PP/CNT composites, it exhibited minimal variations of ± 0.5 for hardness and ± 2 for tensile strength, highlighting strong predictive accuracy. In contrast, LDPE/CNT composites showed greater variations of ± 1 and ± 3, respectively, due to a weaker correlation between predicted and experimental values. Overall, this study underscores the potential of ML, particularly the RF algorithm, in providing reliable predictions of composite material properties.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":601,"journal":{"name":"Iranian Polymer Journal","volume":"35 5","pages":"955 - 965"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147636908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}