Journal of Polymer Research最新文献

{"title":"Innovative PEEK membrane structure fabrication using non-solvent induced phase separation","authors":"Harish Vishnu Gunjal,&nbsp;Gurminder Singh","doi":"10.1007/s10965-025-04386-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-025-04386-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Research on the fabrication of polymeric membranes for energy conversion, wastewater treatment, filtration, and gas separation applications has attracted attention for high-temperature and chemical-resistant polymeric materials such as poly ether ether ketone (PEEK). In this study, a non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) technique was introduced to prepare a porous PEEK membrane. 4-chlorophenol (4 CP) was used as a compatible solvent for the dissolution and precipitation of PEEK, which was achieved through solidification of the membrane by NIPS in three different nonsolvents: ethanol (EtOH), water, and isopropanol (IPA). The processing of PEEK in 4 CP had no effect on its chemical structure, and the achieved thermal properties were similar to virgin PEEK. Process parameters such as polymer concentration and the use of nonsolvents were studied to understand their effects on membrane morphology and performance. Changes in polymer concentration not only alter the casting solution rheology but also restrict the percentage of polymer, which affects the membrane morphology, whereas the use of nonsolvents affects the morphology through diffusion of solvent into nonsolvent. EtOH and IPA as nonsolvents showed sudden changes in the color of the membrane from transparent to white, which resulted in instantaneous de-mixing of solvent and nonsolvent, that formed finger-like structure at 7 wt% and 9 wt% polymer concentrations. Water as a nonsolvent showed a slow color change for phase separation, which resulted in delayed de-mixing, and formed sponge-like structure in the membranes with 7 wt%, 9 wt%, and 11 wt % polymer concentrations. Partial solidification before immersion of the membrane in nonsolvents was observed at 11 wt% polymer concentration owing to reduction in temperature. A dense PEEK membrane was observed after 9 wt% immersion in water, and a porous PEEK membrane was observed after 11 wt% immersion in IPA. Raising the polymer concentration increased the density and reduced membrane shrinkage. The proposed novel approach advances the fabrication of PEEK membranes through the dissolution of PEEK in 4 CP without the use of concentrated acids as well as the synthesis of the PEEK precursor and NIPS process.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"32 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143835537","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":"Novel sustainable and thermal-responsive composite hydrogel based on poly (vinyl alcohol)-glycerin-xanthan gum as a drug carrier for metronidazole","authors":"Mitra Baghali,&nbsp;Hakimeh Ziyadi,&nbsp;Antonio Di Martino","doi":"10.1007/s10965-025-04371-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-025-04371-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Due to temperature sensitivity, biocompatibility, biomedical applications and versatility a lot of interest has always been focused on the synthesis, characterization, and application of thermo-responsive hydrogels. In this study, a set of thermal responsive biocomposite hydrogels composed of poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and Xanthan Gum (XG) biopolymers were fabricated by a low-cost and simple approach based on solution mixing method followed by double physical crosslinking with glycerol (Gly) and then freeze-thawing method. The obtained hydrogels have shown mechanical properties and chemical stability. SEM results demonstrated that the resultant hydrogels had asymmetric structures with interconnected non-uniform porous networks offering sufficient space for cell growth, attachment, proliferation, and drug or water molecule absorption and release. Drug-loaded hydrogels through the swelling diffusion method display good absorption and distribution of drug (N atoms) which were confirmed by EDX. The presence of all components in prepared hydrogels was approved by FT-IR and XRD analysis. The obtained samples also showed suitable mechanical and thermal stability. Moreover, UV–Vis spectroscopy was employed to assess the drug release profile of metronidazole from the hydrogels at various pH and temperatures, revealing a temperature-dependent and slow-release pattern of metronidazole over 10 h. Therefore, they are a potential candidate for controlled drug delivery applications. The antimicrobial properties of the hydrogels were investigated against <i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Bacteroides fragilis</i>. The results indicated they are only effective against <i>Bacteroides fragilis</i> without any growth inhibition against <i>Escherichia coli,</i> PVA-Gly-XG hydrogel is a promising candidate worthy of extensive exploration in specific anti-bacterial systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"32 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143830668","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":"Analytical investigation of self-heating phenomenon of polymers considering frequency, liquid ageing and molecular-chain motion","authors":"Quentin C. P. Bourgogne","doi":"10.1007/s10965-025-04385-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-025-04385-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The aim of this paper is to present a 1D thermodynamic model describing the rise in temperature induced by self-heating phenomenon occurring in cyclic solicitations of polymers and reinforced thermoplastics. The proposed model was validated for a neat Polyamide 6.6 (PA6.6) for various frequencies and water absorption configurations. This work showed that the presence of water molecules in the network cannot be the only explanation for the observed rise in temperature of the studied aged PA6.6. A physical explanation of this exacerbated rise in temperature is then proposed by modelling the unrecoverable molecular-chain network reorganisation and damage, generally known as the “plasticising” effect of water.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"32 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143835538","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":"Decoding the predesigned HDPE synthesis recipe: utilizing the power of ANN and Monte Carlo for tailored molecular weight distribution","authors":"Ramin Bairami Habashi,&nbsp;Mohammad Najafi,&nbsp;Reza Zarghami,&nbsp;Alireza Sabzevari","doi":"10.1007/s10965-025-04357-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-025-04357-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The copolymerization of ethylene and 1-butene in the presence of hydrogen using a dual-site metallocene catalyst was optimized to produce copolymers with pre-designed bimodal molecular weight distributions (MWDs). This optimization employed artificial neural networks (ANNs) featuring both forward and inverse models. A rigorous training phase was conducted for the ANN models using a dataset derived from Monte Carlo simulations, followed by validation and testing procedures. The forward model accurately predicted bimodal distributions obtained through the Monte Carlo method based on initial copolymerization conditions, which included concentration ratios of ethylene to 1-butene and ethylene to hydrogen, while keeping co-catalyst concentration and copolymerization temperature constant. High alignment between predicted and simulated MWD was confirmed through weight fraction comparisons across multiple concentration ratios. Additionally, the inverse model effectively estimated initial copolymerization conditions using weight fraction data for specific chain lengths from bimodal MWD diagrams. As a result, the initial copolymerization conditions in the Monte Carlo simulations were successfully optimized through the integration of ANNs, leading to the generation of pre-designed bimodal distributions. The results demonstrated that HDPE synthesized under different conditions exhibited distinct properties: Case (1) produced higher crystallinity and density with lower comonomer incorporation, while Case (3) resulted in higher molecular weight but lower crystallinity. Case (2) displayed intermediate properties, resembling a bimodal distribution with similar peak heights. This study highlighted the efficacy of integrating Monte Carlo and ANN techniques for precise control over MWD, providing a robust framework for tailoring HDPE properties to enhance performance across diverse applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"32 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143835519","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":"Effect of graphene oxide (GO) on the mechanical properties of ethylene-propylene-diene monomer/acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (EPNBR) blend composites","authors":"S. Vishvanathperumal,&nbsp;A. Kannan","doi":"10.1007/s10965-025-04393-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-025-04393-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study explores the influence of graphene oxide (GO) on the curing kinetics, mechanical properties, abrasion resistance, and swelling behavior of ethylene propylene diene monomer/acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (EPNBR) composites. These composites were fabricated via melt blending using an open mill mixer. The incorporation of GO led to increased minimum torque, maximum torque, delta torque, and cure rate index, while reducing scorch time and optimizing cure time in EPNBR composites. Tensile strength and stress at 100% elongation improved with GO addition up to 5 phr, beyond which they started to decline. However, GO negatively impacted elongation at break and rebound resilience. Notably, swelling resistance and abrasion resistance significantly improved with GO incorporation. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) images of fractured surfaces confirmed the uniform dispersion of GO within the polymer matrix. The composites demonstrated tensile strength, tear strength, stress at 100% elongation, and abrasion resistance increases of 61%, 71%, 36%, and 17%, respectively. Conversely, elongation at break and rebound resilience decreased by 27% and 23%, respectively, compared to the base vulcanizates.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"32 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143830671","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":"Filler effect on properties of polymethyl methacrylate-based membranes for hemodialysis application","authors":"Adel Ouradi,&nbsp;Nabila Cherifi,&nbsp;Yasmina Afir,&nbsp;Chahinaz Bouta,&nbsp;Rebiha Bencherik,&nbsp;Ahmed Benaboura","doi":"10.1007/s10965-025-04345-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-025-04345-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this work, we present the synthesis of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-zeolite composite membranes for hemodialysis applications, using the non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) technique. The thermodynamic behavior of the NIPS process was investigated by measuring the cloud points of the PMMA/DMF/water and PMMAZx /DMF/water ternary systems. Additionally, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the obtained materials. A staining method was also performed to observe the interaction between the membranes and electrolytes, followed by the measurement of the corresponding electrolyte flux. Subsequently, the membrane surface was modified using the Layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembly technique, with PDADMAC and heparin selected as the two electrolytes. The results demonstrate that PMMA-zeolite membranes exhibit new morphologies and improved properties compared to membranes made from a pure PMMA matrix.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"32 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143830927","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 of PS-P2VP modified by the POSS group and its self-assembly behavior","authors":"Caihong Qiu,&nbsp;Xiafeng Liao,&nbsp;Yiru Zheng,&nbsp;Haowen zhang,&nbsp;Zhen Lu,&nbsp;Linxi Hou","doi":"10.1007/s10965-025-04384-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-025-04384-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>To address the challenge of controllable and precise regulation of the phase behavior of block copolymers, this study proposes a novel strategy to regulate the self-organization behavior of PS-P2VP block copolymers through supramolecular self-assembly. PS-P2VP was synthesized via the RAFT method, and three POSS molecules with different non-covalent interactions were synthesized and used to form complexes with the PS-P2VP copolymers. Characterization techniques such as NMR, GPC, FT-IR, TGA, DSC, SAXS, and SEM, along with theoretical methods, were employed to analyze the impact of POSS on the phase behavior of PS-P2VP. The results demonstrate that POSS is particularly effective in modulating the self-assembled phase behavior in the lamellar phase of block copolymers, with BPOSS-Cl showing the most significant modulation, enabling the complexes to achieve third-order peaks in SAXS measurements. This conclusion is further supported by theoretical calculations. The study not only reveals the mechanism by which POSS regulates the self-assembly behavior of PS-P2VP but also provides a promising direction for advancing autonomous phase selection in block copolymers.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"32 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143830926","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":"Crosslinked waterborne polyurethane-acrylate phase change material with excellent flexibility and shape stability","authors":"Tianhao Lu,&nbsp;Yan Liu,&nbsp;Binjie Xin,&nbsp;Haitao Zhou,&nbsp;Wulin Xia","doi":"10.1007/s10965-025-04380-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-025-04380-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Phase change materials (PCMs) represent a pivotal strategy for advancing energy recycling and sustainable development. Nevertheless, practical applications of PCMs are constrained by leakage risks, high rigidity, and low flexibility, which collectively limit their broader applicability. Therefore, developing PCMs with excellent thermal storage capacity and high flexibility is essential. In this study, a flexible crosslinked waterborne polyurethane-acrylate phase change composite was successfully prepared by selecting polyethylene glycol (PEG) as the soft segment material and trimethylolpropane (TMP) and hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEMA) as the modifiers. The impact of the molecular weight and incorporation quantity of PEG and the TMP concentration on the phase change characteristics and microstructure of the flexible phase change material was examined through the utilization of analytical techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The experimental results demonstrate that the prepared flexible aqueous polyurethane-acrylate phase change materials exhibit good thermal storage capacity (the enthalpy of phase change is 125.6 J/g, along with favorable thermal stability and flexibility, which presents a potential for their utilization in the domains of energy storage and temperature regulation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"32 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143824602","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":"Heat-resistant adhesion performance of acrylic latex PSAs using reactive surfactants and a novel methacrylate with ethylene-urea heterocyclic group","authors":"Maoling Deng,&nbsp;Gang Wei,&nbsp;Wei Rao,&nbsp;Xianyao Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s10965-025-04375-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-025-04375-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Most acrylate latex pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) possess very low shear strength under high temperature environment and will leave a large amount of adhesive residue on the surface of the adherend when they are peeled off. To improve its heat-resistant adhesion performance, reactive anionic/nonionic surfactants SL- 900/ER- 10 and a novel ethylene-urea ethyl methacrylate (UMA) monomer were utilized to prepare a series of acrylate latexes via seeded semi-continuous emulsion polymerization containing butyl acrylate, methacrylate, acrylic acid and 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate. The results showed that the particle size and its distribution of latexes prepared with SL- 900/ER- 10 were smaller and narrower compared to SDS/O- 10, respectively. The introduction of UMA monomer made the latex particle size and its distribution become larger. It was also found that gel content, glass transition temperature (T_g) and thermal stability of the PSA film were all increased with the using of reactive surfactants and UMA monomer. Besides, water contact angle of the latex film increased gradually when fully reactive surfactants were employed, while decreased with the increment in UMA content. Furthermore, the latex film with fully reactive surfactants exhibited obvious improvement on initial tack and shear strength at room temperature, while a slight decrease in peel strength. Especially, when UMA content was 4wt%, the temperature of PSAs film leaving no residue after 2 h treatment increased to 160℃. The shear strength at 150 °C increased significantly and a balanced adhesion performance among initial tack, peel strength, and shear strength at high temperature was obtained by fully using reactive surfactants and UMA monomer.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"32 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143821945","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":"Development and characterization of eco-friendly starch/polyacrylamide/graphene oxide-based slow-release fertilizers for sustainable agriculture","authors":"Annie Moussemba Nzenguet,&nbsp;Younes Essamlali,&nbsp;Mohamed Zahouily,&nbsp;Othmane Amadine","doi":"10.1007/s10965-025-04369-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10965-025-04369-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The goal of this study was to develop a low-cost and eco-friendly fertilizer with slow-release properties for sustainable agriculture. This research presents the development of a new slow-release fertilizer (SRF) by dispersing a commercial NPK-based compound in a starch/polyacrylamide/graphene oxide (ST/PAM/GO) matrix. Six different formulations of ST/PAM/GO-NPK SRFs were prepared using a simple mixing-forming-drying technique, varying the NPK loading levels from 10 to 90 wt.%. Characterization tests revealed the influence of several factors on the SRFs'performance, including swelling, mechanical resistance, and the release rate of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium nutrients in water. These factors include the composition of the SRFs (NPK/polymer matrix ratio and the presence of graphene oxide nanofiller) and probable interactions between functional groups of each SRF component, which were investigated by FTIR structural analysis. The porosity of the SRFs was studied using SEM analysis. Finally, the release mechanism of the developed SRFs was examined using various mathematical modeling tools. The Korsmeyer-Peppas model was found to describe the release profile of the SRFs, indicating that the release occurs through a swelling-diffusion mechanism dominated by a relaxation phenomenon. This work offers a sustainable approach to fertilizer development by utilizing biodegradable and renewable materials, such as starch and polyacrylamide, combined with graphene oxide to enhance performance. The findings contribute to the polymer community by demonstrating the potential of polymer-based nanocomposites in controlled-release applications, providing a foundation for future research in sustainable agricultural practices.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":658,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymer Research","volume":"32 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143818155","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}