Journal of Polymers and the Environment最新文献

{"title":"Development and Characterization of Ductile Polylactic Acid Blends with Plasticized Zein for Injection Molding Applications","authors":"Carlos Lazaro-Hdez,&nbsp;Mario Miranda-Pinzon,&nbsp;Maria del Puig Vicente-Vinas,&nbsp;Teodomiro Boronat,&nbsp;Juan Ivorra-Martinez","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03813-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03813-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study explores the development of polylactic acid (PLA) blends incorporating plasticized zein, a corn-derived protein, and dipropylene glycol (DPG) as a biobased plasticizer to enhance compatibility and processability. Blends were produced via twin-screw extrusion and injection molding, with plasticized zein content ranging from 10 to 50 wt%. Mechanical testing showed a significant increase in ductility, with elongation at break rising from 6.3% (neat PLA) to 56.3% (50 wt% zein), accompanied by reduced tensile strength (58.4 MPa to 22.7 MPa) and impact resistance (42.2 kJ/m² to 11.5 kJ/m²), due to phase separation and limited compatibility. Shore D hardness slightly declined (from 82.9 to 77.4). Thermal analysis revealed the T_g decreasing from 59.5 °C to 39.9 °C as zein content increased. Thermogravimetric analysis showed reduced thermal stability with zein addition, dropping the initial degradation temperature from 360.0 °C to 188.2 °C. Morphological analysis indicated greater heterogeneity at higher zein levels due to partial miscibility. Colorimetric data showed visible changes, and FTIR spectra confirmed physical interactions and partial miscibility between PLA and zein.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10924-026-03813-7.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561595","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preparation of Thermally Citric Acid Cross-Linked Poly (Vinyl Alcohol)/Carboxymethyl Tragacanth Nanofiber as Boosted Superabsorbent via Electrospinning Technique","authors":"Nima Mahmoodi,&nbsp;Payam Veisi,&nbsp;Mir Saeed Seyed Dorraji","doi":"10.1007/s10924-025-03752-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-025-03752-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Today, the use of superabsorbents in various fields, especially sanitary applications, is seriously increasing. Absorption capacity, suitable swelling ability, biocompatibility, greenness, cost-effectiveness, and high surface area to volume ratio are among the significant features of an efficient superabsorbent. In this study, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and carboxymethyl tragacanth (CMT) polymers, were utilized to create high-performance superabsorbent nanofibers. In the initial stage, citric acid (CA) was employed as a non-toxic cross-linker to link PVA, which serves as the primary backbone polymer, and to prevent its dissolution. In the next stage, to improve the performance of superabsorbent fibers, CMT obtained from carboxymethylation of tragacanth gum (TG) via Williamson ether synthesis, in a cross-linked PVA solution was used. 8 wt.% cross-linked PVA/3 wt.% CMT superabsorbent (optimal superabsorbent sample) was prepared after a thermal process and next electrospinning of the obtained solution. The performance study showed that the optimal superabsorbent fiber sample has a free swelling capacity of 2100% and an absorbency under load of about 1800%. It also has the lowest absorption loss among all tested samples. Accordingly, the optimal superabsorbent sample can be introduced as a superabsorbent with high potential for sanitary applications owing to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and phenomenal properties.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561592","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":"Effect of Salt Addition in Porcine Plasma Protein-based Bioplastics as a Strategy To Obtain Superabsorbent Materials","authors":"Stefano Liotino,&nbsp;Stefania Cometa,&nbsp;Manuel Félix,&nbsp;Antonio Guerrero,&nbsp;Carlos Bengoechea,&nbsp;Elvira De Giglio","doi":"10.1007/s10924-025-03718-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-025-03718-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In recent years, there has been a growing interest in high-porosity materials, such as polyurethane foams, used alone or in combination with other polymers, for applications in various fields, including hygienic-sanitary, biomedical, agricultural, and food packaging. To replace non-biodegradable plastic materials with new-generation bioplastics that meet consumer expectations in terms of both performance and eco-sustainability, this work developed and tested porous composite materials based on porcine plasma protein (PPP), a biowaste from the meat industry. The bioplastics were obtained by blending PPP with a plasticizer (i.e., glycerol), keeping a PPP/glycerol ratio equal to 1, and then injection moulding was employed using two different mould temperatures (60 and 120 °C). In particular, the impact of using three different salts (i.e., ammonium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium carbonate) at 5 w/w% content on the absorption performances of the bioplastics was evaluated. Chemical-physical characterizations, mechanical and rheological analyses, as well as liquid absorption tests (in different media and/or conditions) on all the obtained bioplastics were carried out. The bioplastic including sodium carbonate moulded at 60 °C gave the best material in terms of water uptake values at 24 h (3000 ± 200%), reaching similar values to those of a commercially available foam employed in female hygienic napkins (2800 ± 100%). Water uptake values ranging from 400 to 2250% were obtained for the rest of the PPP-based systems. In saline solution, tests carried out following the official protocols supplied encouraging results (i.e., FSC = 10.6 ± 0.4 g/g, CRC = 2.8 ± 0.7 g/g, AUL = 3.0 ± 0.1 g/g, and rewet = 0.86 ± 0.06 g), although there is still a gap between commercially available products and proposed bioplastics in terms of CRC and AUL. SEM evaluation confirmed this similarity as this system displayed a complex microstructure, characterized by a porous and interconnected structure. Therefore, the obtained results represent a significant step towards creating eco-friendly superabsorbent materials that meet industrial requirements.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561593","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":"Chitosan-PVA-AgNO3-Ionic Liquid Based Solid Electrolyte Membranes for Supercapacitor Applications: Structural, Thermal and Ion Transport Studies","authors":"Raghubir Kumar Prajapati,&nbsp;Gulshan Kumar Meena,&nbsp;Horesh Kumar,&nbsp;A. L. Saroj","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03818-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03818-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this work, the effect of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium methylsulfate <i>([EMIM][MeSO</i>_<i>4</i><i>])</i> ionic liquid (IL) on the structural, dielectric, and ion transport properties of plasticized <i>[Chitosan-PVA-PEG-AgNO</i>_<i>3</i><i>]</i> based biopolymer blend electrolyte (BPBE) membranes were analysed. XRD and SEM analysis reveals that the amorphous nature increases with IL incorporation, while FT-IR confirms IL/salt–biopolymer-polymer complexation. TGA demonstrates multi-step thermal decomposition phenomenon. The sample containing 30 wt% IL has the maximum ionic conductivity of 1.12 × 10^− 3 S cm⁻¹ at 30 °C with the lowest activation energy and transference number of 0.99. Temperature dependent electrical conductivity, dielectric relaxation behaviour, frequency-dependent conductivity and ion dynamics have been analysed. Supercapacitor has been fabricated using the sample having maximum ionic conductivity and its performance has been analysed using cyclic voltammetry (CV), Galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) and life cycle test. CV results show the electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) type conduction mechanism. Fabricated supercapacitor exhibits the specific capacitance of 144 F g^− 1, an energy density of 16 Wh kg^− 1, and power density of 145 W kg^− 1 along with coulombic efficiency 95% at the current density of 0.32 A g^− 1. Life cycle for 3600 cycles of charge-discharge demonstrates excellent stability with capacity retention of 94% at current density of 0.46 A g^− 1.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561594","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 Structured Castor Oil-Derived Epoxy Vitrimers Crosslinked with Acidic Disulfide-Bearing Curing Agents: Efficient Dynamic Response, Degradability, And Recyclability","authors":"Emre Akdogan,&nbsp;Mark D. Soucek","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03815-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03815-5","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Conventional thermosets combine strength with irreversibility, but their lack of recyclability drives the urgent search for dynamic, bio-based alternatives. Here, a molecularly engineered polyglycidyl ether resin was deliberately designed and synthesized from castor oil via epoxidation, ring-opening transamidation, and glycidylation, yielding a highly functional and reactive epoxy precursor. This resin was subsequently crosslinked with aromatic 2,2′-dithiobenzoic acid (DBA) and aliphatic 3,3′-dithiopropionic acid (DPA) to generate dynamic epoxy vitrimer networks. Comprehensive structural, thermal, mechanical, and rheological analyses demonstrated that the curing agent chemistry decisively governed vitrimer properties. The DBA-cured vitrimer exhibited high tensile strength and superior gel content, albeit with brittle behavior. In contrast, the DPA-cured vitrimer displayed remarkable ductility and rapid stress relaxation due to its flexible aliphatic crosslinks, though at the expense of lower strength. Both vitrimers showed high mechanical recyclability via hot-pressing, partial chemical degradability under reductive conditions, and effective reprocessability with retention of mechanical integrity after multiple cycles. These findings establish castor oil-derived epoxy vitrimers as promising candidates for reprocessable, degradable, and high-performance thermosets, with tunable properties tailored by molecular design and curing agent structure.</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":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10924-026-03815-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561591","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Delivery Systems of Novel 1-Antipyryl-1H-Pyrrol-2-One Based on Polyhydroxyalkanoate Micro- and Nanoparticles: Preparation, Characterization and in Vitro Cytocompatibility Assay","authors":"Sergei Y. Lipaikin,&nbsp;Aleksei S. Dorokhin,&nbsp;Galina A. Ryltseva,&nbsp;Andrey V. Oberenko,&nbsp;Evgeniy G. Kiselev,&nbsp;Alexander V. Shabanov,&nbsp;Vadim A. Lyadov,&nbsp;Nika V. Shavrina,&nbsp;Alexander O. Terent’ev,&nbsp;Sabu Thomas,&nbsp;Tatiana G. Volova,&nbsp;Cathrine Kessler","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03769-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03769-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The emergence and widespread distribution of multidrug-resistant bacteria have raised serious public health concerns and led to significant negative impacts on clinical outcomes, healthcare costs, and public health strategies worldwide. The development of pharmaceuticals capable of effectively combating bacterial infections represents a significant challenge for contemporary medical science. In this article, delivery systems in the form of micro- and nanoparticles based on biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) containing novel 1-antipyryl-1<i>H</i>-pyrrol-2-one (NAP) were prepared and characterized in terms of their hydrodynamic size, zeta potential, surface morphology, encapsulation efficiency, drug loading, and structural characteristics. For particles possessing the best characteristics, in vitro drug release pattern, thermal properties, cytocompatibility with C2C12 myoblasts and hemolytic activity were determined. The obtained micro- and nanoparticles had regular spherical shape, average diameter of 1350–5763 nm (for microparticles) and 553–745 nm (for nanoparticles), and zeta potential ranging from  − 43.9 mV to − 25.5 mV. The encapsulation of NAP into the PHBV matrix led to a decrease in degradation temperature and an increase in particle size, cold crystallization and glass transition temperatures in comparison with empty particles. The in vitro release study revealed that the release of NAP from PHBV particles followed the Fickian diffusion-controlled mechanism; the maximum cumulative amount of NAP (66.8%) in the studied medium was achieved in 120 h. Neither pristine NAP nor NAP-loaded PHBV microparticles influenced the metabolic activity and membrane integrity of C2C12 cells and caused haemoglobin leakage from human red blood cells (RBCs). Therefore, the obtained NAP-loaded PHBV microparticles may be suitable for sustained intramuscular delivery of NAP.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561067","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":"Glycerol-Driven Amorphisation and Enhanced Ion Transport in Chitosan–Dextran–NaI/Al2O3 Nanocomposite Polymer Electrolytes","authors":"Peshawa H. Mahmood,&nbsp;Ibrahim Nazem Qader,&nbsp;Karukh Ali Babakr,&nbsp;Shujahadeen Bakr Aziz,&nbsp;Abubakr Wsu Muhammed,&nbsp;Hazhar Hamad Rasul,&nbsp;Safar Saeed Mohammed,&nbsp;Ibrahim Luqman Salih,&nbsp;Peyman Aspoukeh,&nbsp;Hossein Khojasteh,&nbsp;Bala Talib Ali,&nbsp;Dlshad Aziz Hamid,&nbsp;Pshdar Ahmed Ibrahim","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03809-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03809-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study systematically investigates the effect of glycerol plasticization (9–45 wt%) on the structural, dielectric, and electrochemical properties of chitosan–dextran–NaI– Al₂O₃ nanocomposite polymer electrolyte films with a fixed Al₂O₃ content of 3 wt%. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed a progressive reduction in crystallinity from 37.71% to 28.21% with increasing glycerol concentration, indicating enhanced amorphous phase formation favorable for ion transport. FTIR spectroscopy showed pronounced broadening of the –OH/–NH stretching region, together with subtle changes in polysaccharide bands, confirming strong hydrogen bonding interactions and glycerol-induced polymer chain relaxation. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) demonstrated a dramatic increase in ionic conductivity from 8 nS cm^− 1 to 10 µS cm^− 1, corresponding to nearly three orders of magnitude enhancement. Dielectric analysis revealed that the low-frequency dielectric constant increased from 1.2 × 10² to 1.0 × 10⁴, while the dielectric loss tangent (tan δ) relaxation peak shifted from 0.56 kHz to 74.13 kHz, indicating accelerated polarization dynamics and reduced relaxation time. Ion transport parameters further confirmed substantial increases in charge carrier density and ionic mobility, attributed to improved Na⁺ dissociation and increased free volume within the plasticized polymer matrix. These results indicate that glycerol strongly plasticizes the CS–Dextran matrix, producing increased amorphous fraction and trends consistent with enhanced ionic transport. However, the mechanistic interpretation (including the role of Al₂O₃ and the dominance of Na⁺ conduction) is inferred from structural, dielectric, and EIS trends measured at room temperature.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561066","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":"Bio-Derived Chitosan-Based ZnO/SnO₂ Nanocomposites: Evaluation of Cytotoxic and Biomedical Potential","authors":"N. Ambika Devi,&nbsp;R. Mohan,&nbsp;T. William Raja,&nbsp;M. Meenakshi Sundari,&nbsp;M. Ayyanar,&nbsp;P. Ravikumar,&nbsp;Elumalai Perumal,&nbsp;K. Ravichandran,&nbsp;Michael Pillay","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03811-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03811-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The present study aims to synthesize a multifunctional nanocomposite, ZnO/SnO₂/CS comprising zinc oxide (ZnO), tin oxide (SnO₂), and crab shell-derived biopolymer chitosan (CS), and evaluate its abilities in antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic applications. Cancer is a group of illnesses caused by the uncontrolled growth and proliferation of abnormal cells, is a leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for nearly one in six deaths. The treatment of cancer becomes more complicated when a patient has several comorbidities. There is a need to develop anti-cancer agents with multiple health benefits. The structural, optical, and morphological properties of the synthesized nanocomposite were carried out by XRD, FTIR, FESEM, EDS with mapping, HR-TEM, XPS, and PL spectroscopy. The biomedical potential of the nanocomposite was evaluated by antioxidants (DPPH and superoxide), antidiabetic (α-glucosidase), anti-inflammatory (protein denaturation), and cytotoxicity (MTT) assays. The nanocomposite ZnO/SnO₂/CS revealed 93.86 % and 93.28 % inhibition of free radicals in the DPPH and superoxide radical scavenging assays, with IC₅₀ values of 107.07 ± 0.41 µg/mL and 140.66 ± 1.32 µg/mL, respectively. Similarly, the nanocomposite revealed better antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capability against α-glucosidase and protein denaturation assays with IC₅₀ values of 102.68 ± 0.82 and 131.32 ± 0.97 µg/mL, respectively. The cytotoxicity assay showed an IC₅₀ value of 15.197 ± 1.960 µg/mL for lung cancer cells (A-549) and 18.607 ± 2.641 µg/mL for breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231). The cell morphological analyses and EtBr fluorescence staining demonstrated the apoptosis induced cell death. The multiple health benefits of the ZnO/SnO₂/CS nanocomposite make it a favourable candidate for further anticancer research.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561069","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":"Influence of Carbon Chain Length and Odd–Even Effect on the Properties of Azelaic Acid-Based Aliphatic Polyesters","authors":"Xiaorui Zhou,&nbsp;Ying Yang,&nbsp;Chang Lv,&nbsp;Xinru Cheng,&nbsp;Wenbo Hao,&nbsp;Tingting Su,&nbsp;Chenhao Huang,&nbsp;Bing Hu","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03770-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03770-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>To adjust and optimize the structure and characteristics of biodegradable poly (butylene succinate) (PBS)-type polyesters, seven aliphatic polyesters with different chain lengths were synthesized by introducing azelaic acid. It can be finded that the melting points of the six polyesters gradually rise with increasing carbon chain length, with the exception of poly(propylene azelate) (PPAz). The XRD analysis reveals that the odd–even effect exerts a certain influence on the diffraction peaks. Specifically, the diffraction angles of odd-odd carbon polyesters demonstrate a systematic shift in comparison to those of odd–even carbon polyesters. Except for PPAz and poly(hexylene azelate) (PHAz), the hydrophilicity of the polyesters decreases with increasing chain length, with PHAz being the most hydrophilic polyester. The thermal decomposition temperatures of the seven polyesters exceed 315.0 °C, indicating good thermal stability. Among them, poly(decylene azelate) (PDAz) exhibits the highest thermal decomposition temperature, reaching as high as 358.1 °C. Enzyme hydrolysis studies show that poly(pentylene azelate) (PPeAz) has the best biodegradability, with the polyester experiencing 100% weight loss after 12 h of enzymatic degradation.</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":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561070","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":"Development of Sol-gel Derived Bioactive Glass-reinforced PLA/PCL Filaments for Additive Manufacturing of Bone Tissue Engineering Scaffolds","authors":"Pragyan Aparajita Dash,&nbsp;Smita Mohanty,&nbsp;Sanjay Kumar Nayak,&nbsp;Krishna Dixit","doi":"10.1007/s10924-026-03806-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10924-026-03806-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In the current study, Polylactic acid (PLA)/ Polycaprolactone (PCL)/Bioactive glass (BG) composite filaments were fabricated using reactive extrusion technique followed by the preparation of specimens and prototypes of scaffolds employing fused deposition modeling (FDM) for bone tissue engineering (BTE). Surface modified sol gel process was employed to synthesize dual doped (Mg²⁺/Zn²⁺) BG. Variable concentrations of BG 3wt%, 5wt%, and 7wt% was reinforced within PLA/PCL (PPP) matrix to develop PPP BG composite filaments. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was incorporated as a plasticiser to facilitate the processability of PLA/PCL/BG (PPP BG) composite matrix. The resulting 3D printed composite specimens were systematically characterized using structural, thermal, morphological, mechanical, and biological analysis. XRD, SEM and FTIR analyses confirmed uniform BG dispersion and strong interfacial bonding, while DSC and TGA revealed improved crystallinity and thermal stability with increasing BG content. Mechanical tests demonstrated enhancements in tensile, flexural, compressive strength of PPP BG at 7 wt% BG loading to the tune of 44%, 27%, and 20% as compared with PPP. Additionally, there was a threefold enhancement in impact resistance to the tune of 194% in 7wt% of BG compared with the PPP. Wettability and porosity assessments indicated increased surface hydrophilicity and a well interconnected pore structure favorable for cell attachment and proliferation. In addition, antioxidant activity increased with BG concentration, reaching 33.16% radical scavenging efficiency at 7 wt% BG. Antibacterial studies showed effective inhibition against Escherichia coli (184 CFU/mL) and Staphylococcus aureus (1 × 10² CFU/mL). Bioactivity evaluation in simulated body fluid (SBF) confirmed rapid hydroxyapatite layer (HA) formation on scaffold surfaces, while MTT and acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EtBr) assays demonstrated enhanced cytocompatibility. Thus, multifunctional PLA/PCL/BG composites represent promising biomaterial for patient specific bone scaffold applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":659,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Polymers and the Environment","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147561068","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}