Journal of Polymer Research最新文献

{"title":"Synthesis-controlled crystallite growth and magnetothermal performance of in situ iron oxide nanoparticles in PDMAAm hydrogels","authors":"Seyed Amin Mirmohammadi,&nbsp;Tatsufumi Aizono,&nbsp;Takehiko Gotoh,&nbsp;Toshikazu Suenaga,&nbsp;Satoshi Nakai","doi":"10.1007/s10965-026-05181-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-026-05181-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Magnetic hydrogel nanocomposites offer a promising platform for magnetic hyperthermia by integrating magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) within tunable polymer networks. However, the exact relationships between nanoparticle synthesis parameters, crystallite growth, and subsequent magnetothermal performance remain insufficiently understood. Herein, magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized in situ within poly(<i>N</i>,<i> N-</i>dimethylacrylamide) (PDMAAm) hydrogels via alkaline coprecipitation. The independent effects of iron precursor concentration, external alkalinity, reaction temperature, and hydrogel network composition on nanoparticle loading, crystallite size, magnetic properties, and alternating magnetic field (AMF)-induced heating performance were systematically investigated. Increasing the iron precursor concentration enhanced nanoparticle loading while promoting crystal growth, yielding predominantly single-crystalline MNPs in the range of 9–12 nm. Efficient MNP formation required a strongly alkaline environment, whereas increasing the hydrogel crosslinking density restricted network swelling and iron-ion uptake, thereby limiting nanoparticle loading without substantially affecting the primary crystallite size. Notably, the reaction temperature strongly influenced crystallite growth and the resulting magnetothermal performance. Among the evaluated temperatures (room temperature, 30, 50, and 70 °C), an intermediate temperature of 50 °C produced an optimal crystallite size of approximately 11 nm, yielding the highest heating efficiency. Conversely, synthesis at 70 °C resulted in excessive crystallite growth and a subsequent decline in hyperthermia performance. These findings demonstrate that the magnetic heating response is governed predominantly by crystallite dimensions rather than MNP mass loading alone. Overall, this study establishes a direct synthesis–structure–property relationship, providing a rational framework for precisely tuning in situ generated MNPs in hydrogel matrices for advanced hyperthermia applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"33 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigation on the effect of incorporation of graphene in an elastomeric epoxy on its cure behavior and thermo-mechanical properties of the cured composites","authors":"Vishal Dalvi,&nbsp;Rohini Pawar,&nbsp;B. C. Chakraborty,&nbsp;Debdatta Ratna","doi":"10.1007/s10965-026-05174-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-026-05174-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>We investigated the curing behavior and thermo-mechanical properties of nanocomposite made from rubbery epoxy and graphene. The graphene platelets are modified with an ionic surfactant to solve the dispersion problem of graphene in epoxy resin. Temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) was used to analyze the cure behavior of epoxy nanocomposites with varying contents of graphene. Isoconversion kinetics was studied using Friedman (differential) and Starink (integral) methods to determined activation energies for various nanocomposite formulations. The activation energy value initially decreases with increasing graphene content in the nanocomposite formulation and increases for higher concentrations. As evident from the Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) results the thermal stability of the nanocomposites is comparable to the pure epoxy network. Reinforcing effect of graphene has been demonstrated displaying about two fold increase in tensile strength due to the addition of 2.5 wt% graphene. The mechanical testing results have been validated by dynamic mechanical analysis. The thermal and mechanical properties of the composites have been explained through morphological analysis by Field Emission Gun Scanning Electron Microscope (FEGSEM) and Transmission Electron microscope (TEM).</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"33 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of molecular weight on the structure–property relationships of injectable crosslinked hyaluronic acid hydrogels","authors":"Şafak Çelik,&nbsp;Murat Gümüş,&nbsp;Fatih Aydın,&nbsp;Mesut Celil Önceyiz,&nbsp;Faruk Oytun","doi":"10.1007/s10965-026-05175-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-026-05175-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Hyaluronic acid (HA)-based injectable hydrogels are widely used in biomedical applications; however, systematic evaluations of molecular weight–dependent structure–property relationships under comparable crosslinking conditions remain limited. In this study, hydrogels were prepared by crosslinking HA with 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDE) using three different molecular weights (~ 0.8, ~ 1.5, and ~ 2.5 million daltons (MDa)) and two crosslinker concentrations (0.9 and 1.3 wt%). The resulting hydrogels were evaluated for rheological behavior, static compression response, equilibrium swelling, Flory–Rehner-derived crosslink density, short-term rheological susceptibility to hyaluronidase, time-dependent enzymatic degradation, and syringe extrusion force. All formulations exhibited elasticity-dominated viscoelastic behavior and pronounced shear-thinning. Increasing HA molecular weight and BDDE concentration increased storage modulus, complex viscosity, apparent compressive stress, and extrusion force. Equilibrium swelling increased with HA molecular weight but decreased with increasing BDDE concentration, whereas the calculated crosslink density increased with BDDE concentration and decreased with increasing HA molecular weight. These findings suggest that the mechanical reinforcement observed at higher HA molecular weights is influenced by physical chain entanglement in addition to crosslink density. Short-term rheological susceptibility to hyaluronidase showed moderate formulation-dependent differences, with slightly greater resistance to viscosity loss at the higher BDDE concentration. Extended degradation over 24–96 h further demonstrated substantially greater enzymatic resistance in hydrogels prepared with 1.3 wt% BDDE. These findings demonstrate that HA molecular weight and BDDE concentration provide complementary means to tune the mechanical, swelling, enzymatic stability, and injectability properties of injectable HA hydrogels.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"33 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Raman spectroscopic insights into the gelation evolution of Xanthan gum-based foam gels","authors":"Azka Muhammad Nurrahman,&nbsp;Taufiq Zakly,&nbsp;Henky Aden Saputra,&nbsp;Prastika Krisma Jiwanti,&nbsp;Ande Fudja Rafryanto,&nbsp;Arramel Arramel,&nbsp;Azis Yudhowijoyo","doi":"10.1007/s10965-026-05186-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-026-05186-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Foam gels (FGs) consisting of polymers, crosslinkers, and surfactants are widely investigated for mobility control and sweep efficiency improvement in chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR). However, the coupled gelation–foaming mechanism and its structural evolution remains insufficiently understood. In this study, Raman spectroscopy was employed as the primary tool to track the gelation evolution of FG formulations consisting of xanthan gum (XG), chromium (III) chloride (CrCl₃, XL), and alpha olefin sulfonate (AOS). Gelation behaviour was evaluated using Sydansk bottle tests and complemented by frequency sweep rheological analysis. Increasing the XL concentration enhanced crosslinking density and accelerated network formation, with 250 ppm XL provided a more balanced crosslinking process, resulting in the most stable gel structure. The incorporation of AOS accelerated gelation at 125 and 250 ppm but suppressed gel formation at 500 ppm. Rheological analysis showed that the storage modulus (G’) remained higher than the loss modulus (G”) throughout the investigated frequency range, confirming the formation of a stable viscoelastic gel network. Raman analysis revealed that gelation proceeds through an initial ionic conditioning stage followed by Cr³⁺-mediated coordination crosslinking with xanthan carboxylate groups. A transient red shift of the Cr–Cl stretching band (~ 275 → ~274 cm⁻¹) indicates ligand exchange during network formation. Simultaneously, the presence of AOS does not alter the fundamental coordination mechanism but primarily influences gelation kinetics. These findings indicate the composition influences to gelation behavior and structural evolution of FG confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, Sydansk codes, and rheology.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"33 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of phosphorus compounds, montmorillonite clay on the thermo-mechanical properties of epoxy resins and their coatings","authors":"Cuong Huynh Le Huy,&nbsp;An Truong Thanh,&nbsp;Vinh Mai Phuc","doi":"10.1007/s10965-026-05176-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-026-05176-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study investigates the effects of triphenyl phosphate (TPP) and montmorillonite (MMT) clay on selected mechanical, structural, and thermal properties of epoxy nanocomposites and protective coatings based on Kukdo YD-011 × 75 epoxy resin cured with G-5022. TPP and MMT were incorporated into the epoxy resin using mechanical stirring combined with ultrasonic treatment. Impact strength, flexibility, adhesion, pencil hardness, morphology, clay structural modification, and thermal decomposition behavior were evaluated. The epoxy system containing 4 wt% TPP and 1 wt% MMT exhibited the highest impact strength, reaching 100 KG.cm compared with 34 KG.cm for neat epoxy, corresponding to an increase of approximately 194%. XRD and TEM observations indicated structural modification and improved nanoscale clay dispersion, with separated or partially delaminated clay layers observed in some regions; however, complete exfoliation could not be conclusively established. TGA showed that the hybrid system exhibited distinct thermal decomposition behavior without synergistic improvement in thermal stability. The optimized coating demonstrated potential for protective coating applications based on the evaluated properties.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"33 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338314","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preparation and performance analysis of lithium bromide doped neem gum-chitosan blend biopolymer electrolytes for energy storage applications","authors":"S. Abinaya,&nbsp;M. S. Revathy,&nbsp;R. Deepika,&nbsp;S. Pugazhendhi,&nbsp;S. Nithya","doi":"10.1007/s10965-026-05171-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-026-05171-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In the present work, a bio-derived biopolymer electrolyte based on a neem gum–chitosan (70:30 wt.%) blend containing 10–25 wt.% Lithium Bromide (LiBr) was successfully fabricated by the solution casting method for solid-state energy storage applications. Structural analysis demonstrated that the incorporation of LiBr promoted polymer–salt complex formation and reduced the crystallinity of the polymer matrix from 15.1% to 11.4%, thereby increasing the amorphous phase that facilitates ion transport. DSC analysis further confirmed the thermal characteristics and structural stability of the optimized biopolymer electrolyte. The electrolyte containing 20 wt.% LiBr showed the highest ionic conductivity of 7.43 × 10⁻⁶ S cm⁻¹, which is attributed to improved salt dissociation and enhanced flexibility of the polymer chains. Dielectric, tangent loss, electric modulus, and impedance studies consistently revealed frequency-dependent non-Debye relaxation behavior, indicating enhanced ionic mobility within the polymer matrix. The optimized electrolyte was successfully utilized in a symmetric electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) exhibited a maximum specific capacitance of 184.32 F g⁻¹ from cyclic voltammetry and 109.54 F g⁻¹ from galvanostatic charge–discharge measurements. The assembled device also achieved an energy density of 15.21 Wh kg⁻¹ at a power density of 500 W kg⁻¹. These results show that the neem gum–chitosan/LiBr biopolymer electrolyte offers improved ionic transport together with promising electrochemical performance, making it a promising bio-derived sustainable electrolyte material for solid-state supercapacitor applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"33 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Processing–structure relationships in electrospun chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/hydrolyzed salmon skin collagen mats fabricated using a rotating drum collector","authors":"Rodrigo Domínguez,&nbsp;María Malla,&nbsp;Tomás P. Corrales,&nbsp;Javier Enrione,&nbsp;Paulo Díaz-Calderón,&nbsp;Valeria Espinosa,&nbsp;Alex Rojas,&nbsp;Cristian A. Acevedo","doi":"10.1007/s10965-026-05179-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-026-05179-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Electrospun bio-based polymer mats require simultaneous control of blend composition and processing-induced architecture. In this study, the processing–structure relationships of a ternary system composed of hydrolyzed salmon skin collagen (HSSC), chitosan (CS), and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were investigated during electrospinning using a rotating drum collector. A 3² full factorial design was applied to evaluate how applied voltage and collector rotational speed modulate fiber morphology and organization. Scanning electron microscopy and image-based analysis showed that collector speed promoted directional fiber organization, while the combined increase in voltage and rotational speed produced more ordered nonwoven networks. Effect analysis showed that voltage and collector rotational speed significantly increased fiber coherency (<i>p</i> = 0.011 and <i>p</i> = 0.020, respectively), whereas voltage was the dominant factor controlling fiber diameter, which decreased by approximately 113 nm between 10 and 15 kV (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). The condition of 15.0 kV and 1500 rpm showed the highest model-predicted coherency within the experimental domain (close to 0.30). ATR-FTIR spectra showed the characteristic bands of HSSC, CS, and PVA in all mats. The selected scaffold supported MEF and C2C12 cell growth during 3 days of culture, providing biological characterization of the scaffold obtained under this condition. Overall, these results quantify how voltage and drum speed affect fiber diameter and orientation of HSSC/CS/PVA mats within the studied domain.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"33 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Research on irradiation oxidation and post irradiation oxidation of three types of polyethylene","authors":"Simei Liu,&nbsp;Manli Lu,&nbsp;Wenli Zhang,&nbsp;Weihua Liu,&nbsp;Mouhua Wang","doi":"10.1007/s10965-026-05167-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-026-05167-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Polyethylene-based materials are widely used in fields such as wire and cable, film, and others. They are typically subjected to irradiation treatment prior to application to significantly enhance their overall performance. Therefore, research on the application of irradiation oxidation and post-irradiation oxidation to polyethylene is of importance. To explore the ionizing radiation induced oxidation, three types of polyethylene (LDPE, UHMWPE and HDPE) were irradiated by gamma rays in Ar or air, and subsequently exposed to air. The evolution of carbonyl group and free radicals were studied by Fourier transform infrared microscopy measurement <b>(</b>FTIR) and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPR) techniques, respectively. It was found that all types of PE were rapidly oxidized during irradiation in air (i.e., direct irradiation oxidation) compared with storage in air after irradiation (i.e., post-irradiation oxidation). The oxidation product of carbonyl group on UHMWPE and HDPE for a 17-hour direct irradiation oxidation exceeded that for a 52-day post-irradiation oxidation. The carbonyl group on HDPE and UHMWPE increased gradually with time in the post-irradiation oxidation, while there was almost no such product formation on LDPE. EPR testing showed that the free radical decay on irradiated LDPE was much faster than that on HDPE and UHMWPE, indicating that the post irradiation oxidation was related to free radical oxidation. Additionally, ozone oxidation experiment and shielding irradiation oxidation experiment were designed and confirmed that the direct irradiation oxidation of PEs may be attributed to the highly active oxidative species induced in situ by gamma irradiation. Based on these findings, it was proposed that the rapid direct irradiation oxidation was a three-pathway oxidation reaction, including irradiation oxidation, active oxygen species oxidation, and ozone oxidation. This work would provide new insight to understand the direct irradiation oxidation of other polymers.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"33 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10965-026-05167-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sequential silanization and polycaprolactone treatment of Apocynum venetum extract particles for multifunctional PLA composite films","authors":"Ying Yu,&nbsp;Qiuli Xu,&nbsp;Nianqi Yu,&nbsp;Yong Wang,&nbsp;Huang Song,&nbsp;Zhenzong Shao,&nbsp;Haifeng Chen,&nbsp;Chenkai Zhu","doi":"10.1007/s10965-026-05177-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-026-05177-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Balancing mechanical integrity, optical transparency, and bioactive functionality remains challenging for polymer films containing plant-derived particles. Here, <i>Apocynum venetum</i> extract (AVE) particles were sequentially treated with KH-550 and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and incorporated into poly(lactic acid) (PLA) films at 5 and 10 wt% to investigate how particle surface treatment and loading govern multifunctional performance. Microscopy, EDS, and FTIR indicated changes in particle surface chemistry and aggregation morphology consistent with heterogeneous PCL-rich surface regions. These changes were accompanied by distinct formulation-dependent mechanical and functional responses. At 5 wt%, KH-550-treated particles yielded the highest tensile strength of 23.62 MPa, whereas sequentially treated particles produced the highest Young’s modulus of 1082.50 MPa while retaining a mean visible-light transmittance of 94.23%. The latter formulation also exhibited the largest apparent inhibition-zone diameter against <i>Escherichia coli</i> among the tested film extracts, reaching 22.1 mm. Increasing the loading of sequentially treated particles to 10 wt% increased elongation at break and tensile toughness to 4.19% and 0.52 MJ m^− 3, respectively, and enhanced UV attenuation, although visible-light transmittance decreased to 79.90%. This formulation also exhibited the highest TGA degradation temperatures under nitrogen. The mechanical responses suggest possible contributions from altered interfacial stress transfer and local deformation around PCL-rich regions, although these mechanisms were not directly established. These findings identify sequential particle treatment and loading as complementary variables for tailoring the balance among reinforcement, transparency, UV attenuation, and thermal degradation behavior in PLA composite films.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"33 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338230","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synthesis and process optimization of poly(ethylene oxalate) by melt polycondensation catalyzed by anhydrous zinc acetate","authors":"Minghui Li,&nbsp;Wushan Sun,&nbsp;Shi Luo,&nbsp;Qingyin Wang,&nbsp;Gongying Wang","doi":"10.1007/s10965-026-05157-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-026-05157-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Poly(ethylene oxalate) (PEOx) was synthesized by melt polycondensation using dimethyl oxalate (DMO) and ethylene glycol (EG) as monomers and anhydrous zinc acetate as the catalyst, with the aim of developing an alternative to tetrabutyl titanate that reduces product discoloration. The effects of transesterification temperature, polycondensation temperature, catalyst loading, DMO/EG molar ratio, and final polycondensation time on intrinsic viscosity and thermal behavior were systematically investigated. Within the experimental range, the highest intrinsic viscosity (0.2495 dL/g) was obtained at a transesterification temperature of 160 °C, a polycondensation temperature of 190 °C, a catalyst loading of 1000 ppm, a DMO/EG molar ratio of 1:1, and a final polycondensation time of 3 h. The corresponding weight-average molecular weight was 47,875 g/mol. These results demonstrate that anhydrous zinc acetate effectively catalyzes the melt polycondensation of PEOx. Compared with tetrabutyl titanate under otherwise identical conditions, the zinc acetate catalyst produced PEOx with higher molecular weight, a higher peak decomposition temperature, and substantially reduced yellow-brown discoloration. Anhydrous zinc acetate therefore shows promise as a catalyst for preparing high-molecular-weight, lightly colored PEOx.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"33 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149338347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}