Polymer Bulletin最新文献

{"title":"Silk fibroin hydrogels decorated with titanium dioxide nanofibers encasing silver nanoparticles for antimicrobial action and cell-supportive properties: Using gelation, electrospinning, and ultrasonication","authors":"Ibtisam Hamid,&nbsp;Rumysa Saleem Khan,&nbsp;Salsabeel Amin Kabli,&nbsp;Anjum Hamid Rather,&nbsp;Firdous A. Khanday,&nbsp;Abdalla Abdal-Hay,&nbsp;Faheem A. Sheikh","doi":"10.1007/s00289-026-06703-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00289-026-06703-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Silk fibroin (SF) is a highly versatile biomaterial owing to its desirable biocompatibility and biodegradability, and it shows minimal immune response. In this study, we fabricated SF-based hydrogels decorated with nanofibers to enhance wound-healing traits. We first produced titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanofibers incorporating silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) via sol-gel electrospinning. These nanofibers were ultrasonically coated onto SF hydrogels to improve the biocompatibility and bacteriostatic properties of the scaffolds. Sodium dodecyl sulfate showed a concentration-dependent effect on SF gelation, with 0.1 M SDS resulting in the fastest gelation (20–30 min), while higher concentrations (0.12–0.5 M) progressively increased the gelation time due to micellar repulsion. The SEM analysis revealed that the prepared SF hydrogel exhibited a desired porous morphology before and after nanofiber coating. XRD and FT-IR confirmed the successful incorporation of Ag NPs within the TiO₂ nanofibers in the SF hydrogel. Incorporating Ag-TiO₂ nanofibers significantly improved the mechanical strength of the SF hydrogel, indicating enhanced structural stability. Furthermore, SEM analysis after PBS immersion confirmed that the ultrasonically deposited Ag-TiO₂ nanofibers remained firmly attached to the hydrogel surface, demonstrating excellent coating. The nanofibers coated with SF hydrogels showed antibacterial activity, forming killing zones of 15.491 ± 0.46 mm against <i>E. coli</i> and 12.706 ± 0.47 mm against <i>S. aureus</i>. The MTT assay using MEF cells confirmed that the nanocomposite hydrogels are biocompatible and that the coating nanofibers have no counterproductive effect. The developed multifunctional SF-based hydrogel demonstrates potential for biomedical applications, particularly in tissue engineering.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":737,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Bulletin","volume":"83 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149035180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of antimicrobial and biodegradable starch films incorporated with sumac extract and bamboo fiber for packaging applications","authors":"Gozde Duriye Cataltas,&nbsp;Gulsum Kalemtas","doi":"10.1007/s00289-026-06699-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00289-026-06699-6","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The utilization of synthetic food packages poses serious risks to both human health and the environment. Consequently, there is an increasing interest in the production of novel materials that are non-toxic and biodegradable. Starch is commonly regarded as a viable polymer for this purpose; however, its poor mechanical and barrier properties limit its widespread use. In this study, starch films incorporated with sumac extract (SE) were reinforced with bamboo fiber (BF) to improve mechanical and water barrier properties of the films. The physical, mechanical, and functional characteristics of the films were analyzed. The tensile strength of SE incorporated films was increased from 4.81 MPa to 7.06 MPa when 15% BF was integrated into the film matrix. The films’ water vapor permeability and moisture content were reduced 43.5–51.9% and 25.0–32.2% respectively upon addition of SE and BF into the polymer matrix. The films exhibited high biodegradability, antioxidant activity and antibacterial efficacy. Additionally, the films demonstrated pH-dependent color changes indicating their potential as smart packaging materials that can be used for real-time monitoring of food quality. These findings suggest that starch-based films incorporated with SE and BF possess promising potential for applications in food packaging.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":737,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Bulletin","volume":"83 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149035185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of new titanium(IV)-macroinitiators towards the green and facile ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone","authors":"Watcharee Funfuenha,&nbsp;Nathaporn Cheechana,&nbsp;Puttinan Meepowpan,&nbsp;Winita Punyodom,&nbsp;Wanich Limwanich","doi":"10.1007/s00289-026-06707-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00289-026-06707-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Novel titanium(IV)-based macroinitiators (TiCL) were successfully synthesized via solvent-free ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of <i>ε</i>-caprolactone (<i>ε</i>-CL) using 2, 4, and 8 mol% of liquid titanium(IV) <i>n</i>-butoxide (Ti(O<i>n</i>Bu)₄) at a temperature of 130 °C, yielding TiCL2, TiCL4, and TiCL8, respectively. The synthesized TiCL macroinitiators consist of living poly(<i>ε</i>-caprolactone) (PCL) chains bearing reactive Ti–O active centers. The chain length and molecular weight of TiCL macroinitiators increased with decreasing Ti(O<i>n</i>Bu)₄ concentration. The kinetics of <i>ε</i>-CL polymerization initiated by TiCL macroinitiators were investigated for the first time using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) at heating rates of 4, 6, 8, and 10 °C•min^-1. Only TiCL8 effectively promoted ROP of <i>ε</i>-CL under dynamic conditions. The activation energy (<i>E</i>_<i>a</i>), determined by the Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS) isoconversional method, <i>E</i>_<i>a</i> decreased with increasing TiCL8 concentration (73.5 ± 2.9 kJ• mol^-1 at 10 wt% and 64.8 ± 1.1 kJ•mol^-1 at 20 wt%). The frequency factor (<i>A</i>) was determined from the model fitting method using the <i>n</i>-order reaction model (<i>f</i>(<i>α</i>) = (1-<i>α</i>)^<i>n</i>), the values of <i>A</i> showed a similar trend with <i>E</i>_<i>a</i>. Activation enthalpy (Δ<i>H</i>^≠) and activation entropy (Δ<i>S</i>^≠) were determined and supported the kinetic analysis. The higher TiCL8 concentrations facilitated transition state formation and result in a more ordered activated complex (negative Δ<i>S</i>^≠). A plausible ROP mechanism is proposed based on the coordination–insertion pathway. The effectiveness of new TiCL macroinitiators in the synthesis of PCL was investigated by larger-scale polymerization under solvent-free conditions. Using conventional heating, high molecular weight PCLs with weight average molecular weight (<i>M</i>_w) up to 7.18 × 10⁴, 7.81 × 10⁴, and 6.88 × 10⁴ g•mol^-1 were produced from TiCL2, TiCL4, and TiCL8, respectively. Furthermore, the green approach of microwave (MW) irradiation was effectively reduced reaction time and enhanced the performance of the less reactive TiCL2 and TiCL4 systems, yielding PCL with <i>M</i>_w values of 6.08 × 10⁴, and 6.23 × 10⁴ g•mol^-1, respectively.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":737,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Bulletin","volume":"83 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149035188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In-situ incorporation of zeolitic imidazolate framework nanoparticles into the carboxymethylcellulose/alginate hydrogel film: a potential antibacterial bio-platform for wound dressing","authors":"Amin Hashemi Aghdam,&nbsp;Roghayeh Fathi,&nbsp;Siamak Javanbakht,&nbsp;Reza Mohammadi","doi":"10.1007/s00289-026-06691-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00289-026-06691-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The development of wound-dressing materials with adequate mechanical strength, moisture management, cytocompatibility, and antibacterial activity is important for effective wound care. In this study, a CMC/Alg_ZIF-8 hydrogel film was developed by in-situ incorporation of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) nanoparticles into a carboxymethylcellulose/alginate (CMC/Alg) matrix using glycerol as a plasticizer and citric acid as a crosslinker. Structural characterization confirmed the incorporation of ZIF-8 within the polymeric matrix. The incorporation of ZIF-8 increased the tensile strength from 36.248 to 49.651 MPa, while the elongation at break decreased slightly from 2.591% to 2.328%. The resulting film exhibited a water vapor permeability of 3.71 × 10^− 4 g·m^− 1·h^− 1·Pa^− 1 and maintained more than 75% cell viability at a concentration of 4 mg/mL in the MTT assay. DAPI fluorescence imaging further showed no apparent abnormal nuclear morphology. The CMC/Alg_ZIF-8 film also exhibited blood-clotting performance comparable to that of commercial gauze. Importantly, ZIF-8 incorporation substantially enhanced the antibacterial activity, producing inhibition zones of 3.0 ± 0.1 cm against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, compared with 0.8 ± 0.1 and 0.9 ± 0.1 cm, respectively, for the CMC/Alg film. These findings demonstrate that ZIF-8 incorporation improves the mechanical and antibacterial performance of the CMC/Alg film while maintaining favorable cytocompatibility, supporting its potential as an antibacterial wound-dressing platform.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":737,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Bulletin","volume":"83 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149035092","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Next-generation bioactive polymeric patches for chronic wound healing: from advanced architectures to translational challenges","authors":"Anmoy Nandi,&nbsp;Rejaul Karim Ahmed,&nbsp;Srijita Chakrabarti","doi":"10.1007/s00289-026-06697-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00289-026-06697-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Chronic wounds remain a major healthcare challenge worldwide, particularly among ageing populations and patients with diabetes, vascular disorders, and other chronic diseases. Conventional wound dressings primarily serve as passive barriers and often fail to address the complex biological processes required for effective tissue repair. Biomaterial-based polymeric patches have emerged as advanced wound-healing platforms that combine structural support, controlled therapeutic delivery, and regenerative functions. This review critically examines the key determinants governing biomaterial selection, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, mechanical integrity, regenerative efficacy, polymer origin, and the incorporation of bioactive secondary metabolites. Recent advances in hydrogel-based systems, electrospun nanofiber scaffolds, microneedle arrays, smart responsive patches, and multilayered composite dressings are discussed with emphasis on their mechanisms of action, therapeutic performance, advantages, limitations, and clinical relevance. Emerging clinical evidence is also evaluated to assess the current status of translational progress. Furthermore, this review highlights critical barriers limiting successful clinical implementation, including manufacturing scalability, product standardization, regulatory approval pathways, cost-effectiveness, and the lack of large-scale clinical validation. By integrating advances in material design with translational and clinical considerations, this review provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the opportunities and challenges of developing and clinically adopting polymeric wound patches for advanced wound care.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":737,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Bulletin","volume":"83 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149035441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anticancer activity of PAA@MFe2O4 (M=Co, Ni, Zn) nanocomposites against MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines using MTT and SRB assay","authors":"Kamlesh V. Chandekar,&nbsp;Sharvari More,&nbsp;Kartikey Chavan,&nbsp;Shashank Kamble,&nbsp;Shamal Chinke,&nbsp;Mohd. Shkir,&nbsp;Vibha Ojha,&nbsp;Arjun R. Potinde,&nbsp;Vaishali Bambole","doi":"10.1007/s00289-026-06695-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00289-026-06695-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In the present study, polyacrylic acid (PAA)-coated cobalt ferrite (CF), nickel ferrite (NF), and zinc ferrite (ZF) nanocomposites were synthesized by a chemical co-precipitation route and evaluated the anticancer activity against MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cell lines for breast cancer applications. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicated average crystallite sizes of 7.69±0.004 nm, 13.96±0.002 nm, and 9.26±0.002 nm for PAA@CF, PAA@NF, and PAA@ZF NPs, respectively. FTIR spectra showed that the PAA surfactant stabilized the MFe₂O₄ NPs by the presence of different functional groups. TG–DTA spectra showed that % weight loss of the PAA @ MFe₂O₄ (PAA@MF) in the temperature range of 30-1000ºC. Raman spectroscopy of the PAA@MF NPs confirmed the phase analysis of the prepared MNPs. The formation of round-shaped particles with average particle sizes of 10.9±0.1, 15.74±0.4 and 11.05±0.1 nm for PAA@CF, PAA@NF, and PAA@ZF NPs was observed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), respectively. Room temperature (RT) dependent saturation magnetization values were 28.50, 41.87, and 21.03 emu/g, and coercivities were 1586, 50.32, and 29.76 Oe for PAA@CF, PAA@NF, and PAA@ZF NCs, respectively, as measured by M-H analysis. To detect the anticancer activity, the prepared PAA@MFe₂O₄ (PAA@MF) NPs were examined against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 lines using MTT assay at control, 1.25, 31.25, 62.5, 125, and 250 (μg/mL), respectively. Data disclosed that cytotoxicity effect of all the three drugs against MCF-7 was higher than MDA-MB-231 and dose-dependent. The prepared PAA@MF NPs were also tested against MCF-7 cells at control, 10, 20, 40, and 80 (μg/mL), respectively using sulforhodamine B (SRB). Data analysis indicated that a higher cytotoxicity effect of PAA@ZF NCs was observed at 80 μg/mL compared to the other PAA@CF and PAA@NF NCs samples.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":737,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Bulletin","volume":"83 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149034786","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Engineering bismuth tungstate–polymer core–shell nanostructures for advanced pseudocapacitive energy storage","authors":"Mohamed Rabia,&nbsp;Eman Aldosari,&nbsp;Asmaa M. Elsayed,&nbsp;Qianli Chen,&nbsp;Adbelrhaman Hamdeldein Ahmed Geneidy","doi":"10.1007/s00289-026-06693-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00289-026-06693-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The realization of supercapacitor systems with concurrently high energy density and power density through polymer-based composite electrodes continues to represent a major obstacle in next-generation energy storage research. Herein; a core–shell nanocomposite based on poly(1 H-pyrrole) and bismuth tungsten oxide (P1HP/BWO) is rationally designed and synthesized through a two-step approach involving combustion–reflux formation of the inorganic phase followed by in situ polymerization. Structural analysis using XRD reveals the formation of well-defined crystalline domains with crystallite size of ~ 21 nm, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirms the chemical states and successful integration of the oxide within the polymer matrix. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy further verifies the interfacial interactions between P1HP and BWO. Morphological investigations, including morphological scanning that demonstrate the formation of a distinctive core–shell architecture composed of semi-spherical assemblies, where BWO uniformly encapsulates P1HP cores. These structures are composed of aggregated nanoscale subunits with average dimensions of ~ 150 nm, contributing to an increased electroactive surface area and enhanced ion accessibility. Electrochemical evaluation performed in a three-electrode configuration reveals that the P1HP/BWO nanocomposite exhibits promising capacitive performance, delivering an energy density of 1.1 W h kg^–1 and a power density of 720 W kg^–1. The electrode has excellent cycling stability, retaining 99.1% of its initial performance after 1000 charge–discharge cycles. The synergistic combination of conductive polymer and metal oxide, coupled with the engineered core–shell morphology, facilitates efficient charge transport and ion diffusion. These findings highlight the potential of P1HP/BWO nanocomposites as scalable and efficient electrode materials for next-generation energy storage systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":737,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Bulletin","volume":"83 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149014574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"La/Ce-doped Mg-LDH for simultaneous cold resistance and plasticizer migration suppression of PVC in high-altitude environments","authors":"Yongchun Li,&nbsp;Lijuan Qiao,&nbsp;Li Gao,&nbsp;Peng Zhang,&nbsp;Hao Wang,&nbsp;Weilin Wang,&nbsp;Peng Zeng,&nbsp;Yuchen Zhang,&nbsp;Yuhui Tian,&nbsp;Xinyi Song,&nbsp;Xinyi Chen,&nbsp;Bingxin Liu,&nbsp;Wei Zhang","doi":"10.1007/s00289-026-06694-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00289-026-06694-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Flexible Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) utilized in high-altitude, cold regions is frequently constrained by severe plasticizer migration, poor low-temperature toughness, and biosafety risks. Traditional modifiers such as SiO₂, CaCO₃, and conventional layered double hydroxides (LDHs) fail to simultaneously address these challenges; moreover, most LDH-related studies focus predominantly on flame retardancy and thermal stability rather than low-temperature flexibility and anti-migration performance. To address these research gaps, we synthesized La/Ce co-doped magnesium-based LDH(n(La/Ce) via co-precipitation and utilized it as a single functional filler to modify DOTP-plasticized PVC. A systematic evaluation encompassing mechanical tests, migration measurements, low-temperature Raman characterization, and biosafety assessments was conducted. The results demonstrate that the (n(La/Ce) = 1:3/PVC composite exhibits an elongation at break of 456.1% at − 40 °C, while the (n(La/Ce) = 3:1/PVC counterpart achieves a 100% low-temperature impact pass rate alongside a remarkably low plasticizer migration rate of 1.2%. This filler effectively suppresses cold-induced plasticizer phase separation, and comprehensive evaluations confirm the non-toxicity of all modified materials. Furthermore, the optimal filler ratio was determined using response surface methodology. Despite these findings, certain limitations remain: this study only performed single low-temperature simulation tests, without exploring material performance under multi-field coupling and long-term aging conditions characteristic of plateau environments. Future work will focus on field exposure and multi-environmental aging tests. Overall, this work provides a green and feasible strategy for developing high-performance PVC materials tailored for harsh high-altitude environments.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":737,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Bulletin","volume":"83 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149014558","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sorption and Separation of zirconium and yttrium by poly acrylic acid (vinyl sulfonic acid -co- acrylonitrile) backed column","authors":"A. El-Tantawy,&nbsp;H. M. M. Abo Eldahab,&nbsp;Reham S. Hassan","doi":"10.1007/s00289-026-06689-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00289-026-06689-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Gamma radiation-induced graft polymerization was successfully employed to synthesize a novel polyacrylic acid(vinyl sulfonic acid-<i>co</i>-acrylonitrile), PAA(VSA-AN). To assess its structure, thermal stability, and morphology, the prepared sorbent was analyzed using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), x-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses (TGA-DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) methods. The adsorption and separation performance of PAA(VSA-AN) for zirconium Zr(IV) and yttrium Y(III) ions was systematically investigated. The research involved a systematic optimization process, where variables like time, pH, sorbent mass, initial metal concentration, and temperature were adjusted to enhance efficiency. After optimizing key parameters, the material achieved maximum adsorption capacities of 142.2 mg/g for Zr(IV) and 198.4 mg/g for Y(III). Optimal adsorption and the highest separation factor were achieved at pH 2.0. A chemisorption process is indicated by the adherence of the kinetics to a pseudo-second-order model. Desorption was supported by 0.05 M citric acid solution, enabling the subsequent recycling of PAA(VSA-AN) over seven consecutive cycles. Equilibrium isotherm data revealed a strong fit to the Langmuir model, confirming monolayer adsorption on a uniform surface. The thermodynamic study yielded a positive ΔH°, indicating an endothermic process, and a positive ΔS°, reflecting an increase in disorder. The negative ΔG° values, confirm a spontaneous and temperature-enhanced adsorption process. Furthermore, selective separation of Y(III) from a binary solution containing Zr(IV)-Y(III) was successfully achieved with 0.05 M citric acid as an eluent highlighting the material’s potential for application in metal recovery and separation processes.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":737,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Bulletin","volume":"83 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149034717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofiber mats as a biocompatible platform for sustained topical delivery of Amphotericin B with enhanced antifungal and antibiofilm efficacy","authors":"Divya Mathew,&nbsp;Benny Thomas,&nbsp;Sudheep Nagamangalam,&nbsp;Radhakrishnan Edayileveettil Krishnankutty","doi":"10.1007/s00289-026-06681-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s00289-026-06681-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The present study reports the design, fabrication, and characterization of electrospun poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofiber mats as a biocompatible platform for the sustained topical delivery of Amphotericin B (AmB). A systematic optimization of polymer concentration, drug loading, and electrospinning parameters yielded uniform, bead-free nanofibers (average diameter ≈ 250 nm) with high entrapment efficiency (88.6 ± 1.9%). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed molecular-level interactions between AmB and PVA through hydrogen bonding, while Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) revealed homogeneous drug dispersion within the fiber matrix. The optimized nanofibers exhibited improved mechanical strength, moderate hydrophilicity (contact angle ≈ 50°), and excellent swelling–moisture balance, ensuring prolonged hydration and controlled drug diffusion. In vitro release kinetics fitted best with the Korsmeyer–Peppas and Peppas–Sahlin models (R² &gt; 0.98), indicating a non-Fickian diffusion mechanism governed by both diffusion and polymer relaxation. Cytocompatibility assays (NHDF, HaCaT, and HEK 293) confirmed &gt; 80% cell viability, while hemolysis remained below 5%, demonstrating excellent biocompatibility. Antifungal evaluations revealed sustained yet potent inhibition against <i>Candida albicans</i>, <i>Aspergillus niger</i>, and <i>A. flavus</i>, with significant antibiofilm activity—reducing metabolic activity and biomass by ~60% compared to untreated controls. The nanofiber mats exhibited gradual biodegradation (28.6 ± 1.1% weight loss after 14 days), ensuring functional stability during application. Collectively, the AmB-loaded PVA nanofiber system presents a promising localized antifungal delivery strategy offering prolonged drug release, enhanced biocompatibility, and reduced toxicity for mucocutaneous and wound-associated infections.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":737,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Bulletin","volume":"83 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149034814","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}