Polymers, Volume 17, Issue 4

Although crystalline nanocellulose (CNCs) can be extracted from different resources, the employed pretreatments, which disrupt the inter- and intramolecular physical interactions, depend on the biomass sources. This study aims to valorize Aloe Vera (...

Water of adequate quality is crucial for the survival of most life forms, playing a key role in human health, social and economic progress, and the functioning of ecosystems [...]

Driven by polymer processing–property data, machine learning (ML) presents an efficient paradigm in predicting the stress–strain curve. However, it is generally challenged by (i) the deficiency of training data, (ii) the one-to-many issue...

In this study, we investigated the influence of an epoxy end-capped polypropylene oxide crosslinker (epoxy-PPO) on the formation of the crosslinked network structure, the stress–strain response, and the electro-mechanical actuation performance...

The rising resistance of bacteria to antibiotics has driven the search for new antimicrobial agents. This study focused on encapsulating Buforin I, an antimicrobial peptide, in chitosan/polyethylene oxide (CS-PEO) nanofibers. Buforin I was loaded at...

Depression and anxiety are two common mental health issues that require serious attention, as they have significant impacts on human well-being, with both being emotionally and physically reflected in the increasing number of suicide cases globally....

Microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is an eco-friendly soil stabilization technique. This study explores the synergistic effects of incorporating hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) into the MICP process to enhance the disintegration an...

Silicone structural adhesives (SSAs) play a critical role in load transfer within glass curtain wall systems. With the increasing service life of existing glass curtain walls in recent years, their structural safety has become a significant concern a...

Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation is used in most advanced power cable technology. However, in traditional cross-linking, the conductivity of the cross-linking system sharply increases due to the presence of additives (antioxidants and cros...

Laser micro-machining is a rapidly growing technique to create, manufacture and fabricate microstructures on different materials ranging from metals and ceramics to polymers. Micro- and nano-machining on different materials has been helpful and usefu...

Ionic porous polymers have been widely utilized efficiently to anchor various metal atoms for the preparation of metal-embedded heteroatom-doped porous carbon composites as the active materials for electrocatalytic applications. However, the rational...

Among the various contenders for next-generation sodium-ion battery anodes, hard carbons stand out for their notable reversible capacity, extended cycle life, and cost-effectiveness. Their economic advantage can be further enhanced by using inexpensi...

It has been demonstrated that when a low-molecular-weight salt solution flows through a polyelectrolyte gel, an electromotive force is generated, and its polarity depends on the sign of the polyelectrolyte network’s charge. A mathematical model...

Flexible sensors are revolutionizing wearable and implantable devices, with conductive hydrogels emerging as key materials due to their biomimetic structure, biocompatibility, tunable transparency, and stimuli-responsive electrical properties. Howeve...

A rigid, high temperature-resistant aromatic polymer, poly(1,1′-biphenyl)-6,8a-dihydroacenaphthylene-1(2H)-one (BDA) comprising acenaphthenequinone and biphenyl was successfully synthesized by superacid catalyzed polymerization. BDA has a high...

Self-healing technology is an effective method for enhancing the crack resistance of cement-based composites. This study focuses on the impact of the environmentally friendly diluent C12-14 alkyl glycidyl ether (AGE) on the performance of the epoxy r...

Nanocomposite hydrogels are gaining significant attention for biomedical applications in soft tissue engineering due to the increasing demand for highly flexible and durable soft polymer materials. This research paper focused on investigating and opt...

A critical challenge in wearable electrothermal textiles is achieving effective insulation while maintaining sheath flexibility, which is essential for enhancing the mechanical properties and durability of conductive materials under everyday conditio...

Due to excellent chemical resistance and impermeability, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is widely used in petrochemical transportation, product packaging, sports equipment, and marine applications. Yet, with the wide variety of service environments...

The development of efficient and sustainable armor systems is crucial for protecting bodies and vehicles. In this study, epoxy composites reinforced with natural lignocellulosic fibers (NLFs) from carnauba (Copernicia prunifera) were produced with 0,...

Magnesium-doped hydroxyapatite/chitosan composite coatings produced by the radio-frequency magnetron sputtering technique were exposed to 5 MeV electron beams of 8 and 30 Gy radiation doses in a linear electron accelerator. The surfaces of unirradiat...

Polypropylene (PP) represents an important development direction for recyclable cable insulation materials. This paper investigates the synergistic improvement mechanism of the mechanical and electrical properties of PP. The effect of elastomers on t...

This study investigated the effects of combining sodium alginate (ALG) with various natural hydrocolloids on the microstructure and release behaviors of microbeads. The encapsulation solutions were prepared at a 1:1 (w/w) ratio with ALG as the contro...

This study aims to investigate the behaviour of thermoplastic composites reinforced with natural fibres. Composite materials were developed using reactive methyl methacrylate (MMA) resin, commercially known as Elium^® (Arkema, Colombes, France), w...

Silk fibroin (SF)-based materials attract significant interest because of their biocompability and great diversity of possible morphologies. One of the approaches to obtain SF materials is the use of an air–water or oil–water interface as...

One of the emergent regenerative treatments for the restoration of the articular cartilage is tissue engineering (TE), in which hydrogels can functionally imitate the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the native tissue and create an optimal microenvironm...

Biodegradable polymers are essential for sustainable plastic life cycles and contribute to a carbon-neutral society. Here, we explore the development of biodegradable fibers with excellent mechanical properties using polypropylene (PP) and thermoplas...

The evolving regulatory landscape for microplastics—including the European Union’s Drinking Water Directive—underscores the importance of addressing the analytics of emerging contaminants in water, ensuring public health protection,...

Incineration remains Europe’s main practice for plastic packaging waste treatment, primarily due to the limitations of mechanical recycling technology. Consequently, research and development of more sustainable and flexible approaches are of hi...

The rigid V-shaped Tröger’s base (TB) unit has been proven efficacious in creating microporosity, making TB-based polyimides (PIs) exhibiting significant advantages in simultaneously increasing gas permeability and selectivity for the sepa...

Polyamide 6 (PA6) can be used as the liner material of a type IV hydrogen storage tank, but its high hydrogen permeability and poor low-temperature toughness limit its application in related fields. In this work, PA6 composites were prepared by intro...

As the trend towards the densification of integrated circuit (IC) devices continues, the complexity of interfaces involving dissimilar materials and thermo-mechanical interactions has increased. Highly integrated systems in packages now comprise nume...

By the late 1970s, plastics had emerged as the most widely used materials globally. The discovery, development, and processing of diverse polymeric materials have profoundly shaped modern life and driven the expansion of numerous industries. Given th...

Breast ultrasound elastography phantoms are valued for their ability to mimic human tissue, enabling calibration for quality assurance and testing of imaging systems. Phantoms may facilitate the development and evaluation of ultrasound techniques by...

Hard, flexible, transparent, and hydrophobic multifunctional coatings have a wide range of applications, but they do not adequately protect against harsh conditions, especially photoaging. In this study, SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ nanoparticles were first modifi...

Two significant clinical issues associated with the use of urinary catheters are catheter-associated urinary tract infection and encrustation. This study describes the design of novel hydrogels based on fatty acid-containing p(hydroxyethylmethacrylat...

Polymer materials are increasingly used in all spheres of human activity. Today, it is difficult to imagine our life without the use of polymer products. Polymers have played a crucial role in the development of many industries and, of course, can be...

The time-dependencies of polymer mean-square displacements $g\left(t\right)$ provide significant tests of some modern theories of polymer dynamics. Familiar models propose that $g\left(t\right)$ is described by a series of power-law regimes $g\left(t\right)\sim t^{\alpha }$, the models predi...

Porous polymer membranes with highly interconnected open-cellular structure and high toughness are crucial for various application fields. Polymerized high internal phase emulsions (polyHIPEs), which usually exist as monoliths, possess the advantages...

Many antifungal agents, including isoconazole nitrate (ISN), suffer from low aqueous solubility and inconsistent dissolution kinetics, which limit their therapeutic potential. To address these challenges, this study aimed to enhance the solubility an...

This in vitro study investigates the impact of the chemical modification of resin composite surfaces on repair bond strength of micro-hybrid resin composite material. First, 7 mm circular × 3 mm thick resin composite disks were prepared using t...

The green transition trend in the wood-based panel industry aims to reduce environmental impact and waste production, and it is a viable approach to meet the increasing global demand for wood and wood-based materials as roundwood availability decreas...

The structural damage repair of composite material is an important issue that needs to be addressed during the service life of composite materials. To investigate the effects of a scarf structure and scarf angle on the repair quality of composite mat...

Transglutaminase (TGase) is an enzyme that catalyzes acyl transfer reactions by creating covalent cross-links between protein molecules and has been used to improve the physical and functional properties of protein-based foods. The objectives of this...

Polyamide-based glass fibre-reinforced composites are extensively used in electrical and automotive applications due to their excellent mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. However, prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to signi...

Infrared thermography is a real-time and efficient method for defect detection. This study utilizes line laser scanning infrared thermography to detect cracks in manually laid-up unidirectional CFRP, 3D-printed CFRP cracks, and naturally occurring mi...

Continuous loading on asphalt pavements induces fatigue damage at the interface between the asphalt binder and aggregate or within the binder itself. The understanding of asphalt’s fatigue response is considered crucial for the prolongation of...

The prevalence of bacterial infections in wounds is a significant challenge to successful wound healing. This study investigates the antibacterial effect of hyaluronic acid and alginate aerogel loaded with zinc oxide nanoparticles as a potential dres...

This paper investigates the use of glass and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites with epoxy matrices for non-pneumatic tires (NPTs), as an alternative to conventional elastomer-based designs. A novel NPT design approach was developed in three...

Although the extrudate swelling, melt fracture, and extrusion deformation of polymer micro-catheters in traditional extrusion molding can be eliminated via the double-layer gas-assisted extrusion (DL-GAE) method, some failure problems are generated u...