Journal of Polymers and the Environment最新文献

{"title":"Eliminating Hydroxyl-Induced Side Reactions in Polyester Synthesis: An Acid-Ester Exchange Strategy for PET and PEF Regeneration","authors":"Yan Zhao,&nbsp;Feiyang Song,&nbsp;Minshu Cui,&nbsp;Hao Cui,&nbsp;Chenqiang Deng,&nbsp;Jin Deng","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03839-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03839-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Chemical recycling of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is often hampered by side reactions producing diethylene glycol fragments and acetaldehyde, which compromise polymer quality. Here, we present an acid-ester exchange melt polycondensation strategy using ethylene glycol diacetate (EGDA) and terephthalic acid (TPA), which inherently excludes free hydroxyl groups from the polymerization system, thereby suppressing ether formation and acetaldehyde generation. The resulting PET achieves moderate molecular weight, good color, and structural regularity comparable to commercial fiber-grade PET, as confirmed by ¹H NMR, gas chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) analyses. Extending this approach to bio-based 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) enables the synthesis of poly (ethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PEF) with similarly comparable molecular weight, good color, and thermal performance. The acetate-mediated route provides theoretical support for a scalable, sustainable platform for closed-loop recycling and high-quality polyester production.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147707800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sodium Methoxide Mediated Methanolysis of Waste Coloured PLA Textiles to Valuable Chemicals","authors":"Zhao jun Guo,&nbsp;Xiaoyan Wang,&nbsp;Chang hai Xu,&nbsp;Jinmei Du","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03826-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03826-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>With demand predicted to increase of Polylactic acid (PLA) textiles in recent years, transformation of PLA textiles to the highly value-added chemicals is particularly urgent. To address this issue, the depolymerization of PLA textiles by methanolysis is a valuable chemical recycling strategy. However, owing to the complexity of the composition and structure of colored PLA textiles, examples of catalytic depolymerizations for the methanolysis of colored PLA textiles are rare. The aim of this study is to optimise and systematically evaluate the application of CH₃ONa-promoted methanolysis in a complex and practically challenging system. In order to evaluate Furthermore, excellent tolerance was found in large-scale depolymerization for colored PLA textiles using dyeing machine and PLA/cotton blended textiles. Unlike previous research primarily focused on the depolymerization of pure PLA model compounds, the novelty of this work lies in addressing the chemical recycling challenges of colored PLA textiles containing commercial dyes and PLA/cotton blended fabrics—a more realistic scenario than treating pure PLA.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture><span>The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.</span></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147737488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diacrylate from Methyl Ricinoleate; A Potential Bio-Based Crosslinker for Acrylic Emulsion","authors":"Aryadevi V.V.,&nbsp;Shaikh Sumaiya,&nbsp;Thumu Ravinder,&nbsp;Shiva Shanker Kaki,&nbsp;Aruna Palanisamy,&nbsp;Arindam Chakrabarty","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03798-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03798-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Castor oil is a non-edible oil and it is the source of ricinoleic acid, a monounsaturated 18-carbon fatty acid carrying a hydroxyl group on the 12th carbon atom. In this work, methyl ricinoleate was isolated from castor oil methyl esters by extraction. The transamidation of methyl ricinoleate with ethanolamine produced the diol compound. The diol was converted to the diacrylate by reaction with acryloyl chloride. The synthesized diacrylate was characterized by IR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR techniques and used as a bio-based crosslinker in the emulsion copolymerization of methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate. The crosslinked copolymer latexes showed high monomer conversion (&gt; 95%), low viscosity (&lt; 6 cP) and controlled particle size (&lt; 100 nm). The bio-crosslinked copolymer didn’t exhibit any deterioration in thermal properties, water absorption and water contact angle. Interestingly, the crosslinking increased the tensile strength (3.4–7.0 MPa) compared to the un-crosslinked sample (2.2 MPa). All the properties of the bio-crosslinked polymer were compared with commercial petro-based polyethylene glycol diacrylate, where the bio-based crosslinking was found as a better replacement.</p>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147737323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sodion Induced Interfacial Polarization and π-π Synergy Enable Irreversible Dye Adsorption in g-C3N4 Quantum Dot-Embedded Hydrogels","authors":"Qi Cui,&nbsp;Xiang Li,&nbsp;Xiaochuan Li,&nbsp;Wenjian Fang","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03807-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03807-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Hydrogel-based adsorbents have attracted increasing attention for dye wastewater treatment due to their structural tunability and high water content. In this work, g-C₃N₄ quantum dot/polyacrylamide (CNQD/PAM) and TiO₂ quantum dot/polyacrylamide (TDQD/PAM) hydrogels were constructed as interfacial model systems to investigate how quantum-dot chemistry influences adsorption strength and reversibility toward methylene blue (MB). Under identical conditions, CNQD/PAM exhibited a significantly higher adsorption capacity and markedly enhanced dye retention than TDQD/PAM, retaining approximately 86.9% of adsorbed MB after 24 h desorption, whereas TDQD/PAM retained only 22.2%. Dual-site diffusion-adsorption modeling indicated comparable mass-transfer resistance for both systems, while CNQD/PAM possessed a larger fraction of kinetically stable adsorption sites with strongly suppressed desorption. Spectroscopic and pH-dependent analyses suggest that nitrogen-rich and conjugated g-C₃N₄ domains provide cooperative noncovalent interactions, including π-π stacking and electrostatic effects. This study highlights the critical role of interfacial electronic characteristics in regulating adsorption reversibility and provides guidance for designing durable hydrogel adsorbents.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147642536","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sorption of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons on Marine-biodegraded Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) and Poly(ε-caprolactone) in Seawater and Subsequent Desorption Under Simulated Intestinal Conditions","authors":"Makoto Yasojima,&nbsp;Chihiro Nouda-Ibushi,&nbsp;Takami Nakao,&nbsp;Ryo Fujita,&nbsp;Erina Fujiwara,&nbsp;Shoto Honda,&nbsp;Takaki Mine,&nbsp;Hiroaki Takemori,&nbsp;Masao Kunioka","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03817-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03817-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p> This study investigated the sorption and desorption behaviors of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on marine biodegradable plastics (MBPs) before and after seawater biodegradation. The sorption of three PAHs (phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene) onto the MBPs and their subsequent desorption under simulated intestinal conditions were evaluated. The MBPs used were poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBH, 3HH = 6 mol%) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL); to mimic marine debris, pellets of these MBPs were pre-degraded in seawater, and sorption behaviors on virgin MBPs and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were investigated. The linear sorption coefficients (log K_Dis) ranged from 2.805 to 3.251, 4.525–5.217, and 4.047–4.473 for PHBH, PCL, and LDPE, respectively. Importantly, the differences in sorption coefficients between virgin and seawater-biodegraded pellets (Δlog K_Dis = 0.019–0.079 for PHBH and 0.026–0.239 for PCL) were small and insignificant compared to the variations among the tested plastics (1.640 &lt; Δlog K_Dis &lt; 2.039), indicating that PAH sorption coefficients on MBPs remained almost unchanged after seawater biodegradation, and that polymer identity exerted a stronger control on PAH sorption than the biodegradation process under the tested conditions. Calculated PAH concentrations in simulated intestinal fluids were 0.9–2.3-times higher than those in seawater for PHBH, 2.8–11.9-times higher for PCL, and 5.4–12.4-times higher for LDPE. These results show that both biodegradable and non-biodegradable plastics substantially enriched PAHs in intestinal fluids, whereas seawater biodegradation of MBPs alone did not enhance their PAH sorption. The study provides quantitative constraints on the role of MBPs in contaminant exposure to marine organisms.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147642594","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Aescin-Cellulose Nanocrystals for the Enhancement of Oxidative Damage, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, and Anti-migratory Potential in Cancer Cells","authors":"Richa Seth,&nbsp;Anurag Mathur,&nbsp;Mahima Raj,&nbsp;Abha Meena","doi":"10.1007/s10924-025-03748-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-025-03748-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study reports the development and in vitro evaluation of aescin-loaded cellulose nanocrystals (A-CNC) as a nanocarrier system for the improved delivery of aescin. The optimized formulation, prepared at a drug-to-carrier ratio of 10:3, achieved high encapsulation efficiency (&gt; 85%) with a drug loading of ~ 10%. In cytotoxicity assays, A-CNC exhibited IC₅₀ of 21.11 µg/ml in A549 and 7.56 µg/ml in HepG2 cells, while normal L132 cells showed a much higher IC₅₀ (88.64 µg/ml), confirming reduced off-target toxicity compared to free aescin (IC₅₀ ~ 11–16 µg/ml across all cell lines). Apoptosis assays revealed that A-CNC induced apoptosis in A549 (~55%) and HepG2 (~68%) cells, associated with elevated intracellular ROS (~ 85%) and significant mitochondrial membrane potential loss (~ 70%). Fluorescence-based assays (Hoechst/PI staining, ROS quantification, MMP analysis, and wound-healing assays) supported the enhanced bioactivity of A-CNC. Release studies demonstrated a sustained, pH-responsive profile, with greater stability under mildly acidic conditions. Physicochemical characterization using ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis confirmed successful encapsulation, nanoscale stability, and drug–carrier interactions. Collectively, these findings indicate that CNCs can act as efficient in vitro carriers for aescin, improving its delivery, stability, and selective cytotoxicity. Further in vivo studies will be required to validate therapeutic relevance.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><p>Enzyme-Derived CNC Nanocarriers for Targeted Aescin Delivery and Cancer Cell Apoptosis</p><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147642419","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sialic Acid-Receptor Targeted Epirubicin and Naringin-Loaded Sialic Acid-Conjugated Silk Fibroin Nanoparticles for Enhanced Lung Cancer Treatment","authors":"Selvaraj Kunjiappan,&nbsp;Murugesan Sankaranarayanan,&nbsp;Pavadai Parasuraman","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03820-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03820-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Lack of specificity, high toxicity, and low bioavailability are significant hurdles for conventional chemotherapies. Upregulated sialic acid receptors on the plasma membrane of lung cancer cells could be a promising target for effective drug delivery in the treatment of lung cancer. In this context, the present study aimed to fabricate sialic acid (SA)-conjugated epirubicin (Epi) and naringin (NA)-loaded silk fibroin (SF) nanoparticles (SA-Epi-NA-SF-NPs) for the selective delivery and enhanced treatment of lung cancer. SF protein was initially extracted from silk cocoons, and the SA-conjugated SF was synthesized using simple EDC-conjugation chemistry. Later, the desolvation cross-linking technique was used to fabricate SA-Epi-NA-SF-NPs by encapsulating Epi and NA into an SA-conjugated SF. The fabricated SA-Epi-NA-SF-NPs was nanosized, spherical, crystalline particles. Epi and NA had encapsulation efficiencies and loading capacities of 83 ± 1.5% and 80 ± 12%, respectively, and 8.34 ± 0.9% and 8.16 ± 0.3%, respectively, into SA-conjugated SF. Drug release was substantially higher at pH 5.4 (84.46 ± 1.29% Epi and 70.99 ± 1.56% NA) than at pH 7.4. The cytotoxic potential of SA-Epi-NA-SF-NPs against A549 cells was assessed by measuring viable cell number after 24 h of treatment, with an IC₅₀ of 13.16 µg×mL^− 1. This effect is attributed to the SA-conjugated NPs, which target A549 cells. The higher intracellular accumulation of Epi and NA in A549 cells targets both mitochondria and the nucleus, leading to apoptosis. Based on these outcomes, SA-Epi-NA-SF-NPs could be a beneficial approach for targeting and treating lung cancer cells, and may also open up research possibilities for targeting other tumor cells.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147642330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Combined Experimental and Computational Analysis on Bioactive Nanofibrous Wound Dressing Based on β Cyclodextrin/Rutin Complex","authors":"Hadi Samadian,&nbsp;Hamed Bashiri,&nbsp;Zahra Hashemi,&nbsp;Zhil Izadi,&nbsp;Mohammad Hosein Farzaei,&nbsp;Jafar Asadi,&nbsp;Hossein Derakhshankhah","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03808-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03808-4","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Chronic and difficult-to-heal wounds are marked by excessive inflammation and oxidative stress, which hinder the normal healing process. Traditional wound dressings often lack the interactive therapeutic properties necessary to actively modify the adverse biochemical environment and facilitate regeneration. The primary objective of the current study was to develop an interactive nanofibrous wound dressing incorporating a β-cyclodextrin (β-CD)-rutin (Rut) inclusion complex. The solubility of Rutin was enhanced by including it in the cavity of β-CD, and the inclusion complex was characterized. The optimized β-CD/Rut inclusion complexes were loaded into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibrous wound dressing using the electrospinning method. The modified nanofiber’s physicochemical properties (morphology, surface functional groups, weetablity, water vapour permeability, water absorption, and tensile strength) and biological activities (blood compatibility, biocompatibility, drug release, and antioxidant properties) were investigated. The simulation studies confirmed the inclusion of Rut into the cavity of β-CD and the formation of H-bonds between primary OH groups of β-CD and PVA. The total energies of β-CD, Rutin, PVA, PVP, and β-CD/Rut were obtained as -4273.008, -2233.550, -1538.672, -2951.199, and − 6522.447 Ha, respectively. The experimental studies indicated that β-CD/Rut inclusion complexes modified the biological activities of the nanofibrous wound dressing. The synthesized β-CD/Rut inclusion complexes exhibited dose-dependent antioxidant activities. The cell viability assay demonstrated that the fabricated nanofibrous wound dressing did not induce cytotoxicity and instead enhanced cell proliferation. These findings revealed that the complexation of Rut with β-CD can enhance the bioactivity of Rut, and the functionalized nanofibers can be applied as an interactive wound dressing.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147642329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecularly Imprinted Magnetic Chitosan/Polymethacrylic Acid as a Safe Nanocarrier for Highly Sustained Release of Tramadol","authors":"Ayda Saboury,&nbsp;Siamak Javanbakht,&nbsp;Reza Mohammadi,&nbsp;Marjan Ghorbani","doi":"10.1007/s10924-025-03720-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-025-03720-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have gained significant popularity in various biomedical applications due to their efficiency and rapid growth as nano-platforms. In this investigation, nanoparticles of tramadol (Tr) imprinted magnetic polymer were designed based on chitosan through a precipitation polymerization of <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-Methylenebisacrylamide ethylene, and methacrylic acid in an aqueous medium. The resulting magnetic chitosan MIPs (MCMIP) were utilized as nanocarriers to deliver Tr, exhibiting a high drug loading capacity and controlled release behavior. The prepared materials were thoroughly characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and zeta potential (ZP) measurements. In vitro studies on Tr loading (98% encapsulation efficiency) and release revealed that the maximum release of Tr (76.20%) occurred over 96 h in the stimulated physiological environment (37 °C, pH 7.4), exhibiting a sustained release profile. Notably, the cytotoxicity study demonstrated that the MCMIP exhibited good cytocompatibility (&gt; 70% cell viability at 100 µg/mL for 48 h) against Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Based on the obtained results, the synthesized MCMIP shows excellent potential as a promising candidate for developing an efficient, safe, controlled-release nanocarrier.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147607238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Crystallization-Driven Design of Multilayered Poly(l-lactide) Foams","authors":"Alessandra Longo,&nbsp;Emilia Di Lorenzo,&nbsp;Lorenzo Miele,&nbsp;Alessandra Bernardi,&nbsp;Ernesto Di Maio,&nbsp;Maria Laura Di Lorenzo","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03812-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03812-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Production of semicrystalline polymer foams is a technological challenge, because crystal formation before or during foaming can hinder expansion. We succeeded to turn this challenge into innovation, by exploiting tailored crystal formation in only a part of the material before foaming, to produce multilayered monomaterial foams. A layered crystalline structure was developed in an initially amorphous poly(<span>l</span>-lactide) disk, by precisely regulating the process parameters that control mass diffusion of the foaming agent. This allowed to fill the polymer with a tailored gradient of foaming agent, able to induce crystal formation in a part of the sample that became not foamable, and bubble formation in the parts exposed to lower amounts of foaming agent. Foams with multilayered structured morphology, made of alternating layers of either crystalline or amorphous materials, and of either foamed or unfoamed parts, were produced with a single polymer, which made them easily recyclable. This surpasses the up to date state of art of multilayered foams, which are currently made with alternating layers of different materials, hardly and costly to recycle.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10924-026-03812-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147607237","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}