Polymers, Volume 9, Issue 6

Lignin as the most abundant source of aromatic chemicals in nature has attracted a great deal of attention in both academia and industry. Solvolysis is one of the promising methods to convert lignin to a number of petroleum-based aromatic chemicals....

Detection of defects, damages and cracks in structural polymers is very difficult, and even if they are detected, they will be very hard to be repaired. This is because different kinds of stress can reduce the mechanical efficiency of structural and...

In this work, the influence of composition and cold-drawing on nano- and micro-scale morphology and tensile mechanical properties of PE/organoclay nanocomposite fibers was investigated. Nanocomposites were prepared by melt compounding in a twin-screw...

A novel kind of graphene oxide (GO)-containing bilayer hydrogel system with excellent self-healing and detachment properties stimulated by near-infrared irradiation is successively fabricated via a two-step in situ free radical polymerization. In add...

Isothermal and non-isothermal crystallization behaviours of the blends of long chain branched polypropylene (LCB PP) and poly(ethylene-co-octene) (PEOc) with different weight ratios were studied under quiescent and shear flow using polarized optical...

We report a near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive hydrogel that is capable of undergoing the gel to sol transition upon 785 nm light exposure based on a photothermal effect. The new hydrogel design relies on loading gold nanorods (AuNRs) in an ABA-typ...

Recently, several thermogelling materials have been developed for biomedical applications. In this study, we prepared methoxy polyethylene glycol (MPEG)-b-(poly(ε-caprolactone)-ran-poly(2-chloride-ε-caprolactone) (PCL-ran-PfCL)) (MP-Cl) diblock copol...

In this study, reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) nanocomposites were prepared by employing in situ polymerization and solution blending methods. In terms of mechanical properties, RGO loading increased the Young’s modulus bu...

Resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) resin is a kind of excellent exterior-grade wood structural adhesive, which can be conveniently cold-set for various applications. In order to decrease the production cost, pyrolysis bio-oil from renewable bioresources wa...

Through the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) copolymerization of 3-ethyl-1-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (C₂NVP) and N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP), a series of well-defined P(C₂NVP-co-NVP) copolymers were synthesized (M_n = ca. 8000 to 16,000...

Vertical alignment of liquid crystal (LC) was achieved in an easy and effective way: in situ photopolymerization of dodecyl acrylate (DA) monomers initiated by polyimide based on 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride and 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4...

A heterogalactan, named ACW0, was extracted from Antrodia camphorata and purified by anion exchange and gel permeation chromatography. It was composed of galactose (94.98%), traces of mannose (2.41%), and fucose (2.61%), with its molecular weight est...

It is well known that elastic instabilities induce pattern transformations when a soft cellular structure is compressed beyond critical limits. The nonlinear phenomena of pattern transformations make them a prime candidate for controlling macroscopic...

Here we reported the use of electropolymerization to achieve the transformation of aqueous hydroquinone to solid-phase polyhydroquinone (PHQ) with pseudocapacitive characteristics, and the application of this redox-active product to shuttle electron...

A novel cationic water-soluble conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE) of polyfluorene that contains 15% fraction of 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (BT) units (PFC3NBT) has been obtained. PFC3NBT demonstrates intramolecular energy transfer from the fluorene segment...

Because of the complex mechanisms mediating cancer onset, prognosis, and metastatic behavior, different therapeutic approaches targeting these mechanisms have been investigated. Recent advancements in nanocarrier-based drug and gene delivery methods...

The authors wish to make a change to their published paper [1]. [...]

Thiol-ene photo-click hydrogels were prepared via step-growth polymerisation using thiol-functionalised type-I collagen and 8-arm poly(ethylene glycol) norbornene-terminated (PEG-NB), as a potential injectable regenerative device. Type-I collagen was...

The interphase in short fiber thermoplastic composites is defined as a three-dimensional, several hundred nanometers-wide boundary region at the interface of fibers and the polymer matrix, exhibiting altered mechanical properties. This region is of k...

In recent years, the interest for bio-sources is rising exponentially and tannins extracts are one of the most interesting, easily-available, phenolic building blocks. The condensed tannins or proanthocyanidins are already known for their polymerizat...

This study is designed to extract crystalline cellulose from cotton and reinforcing gelatin film for biomedical applications, especially as a wound dressing material for its exceptional biocompatibility and bio-activity. Moreover, gelatin helps in wo...

Mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA) chemistry and electroless deposition approaches were used to prepare stable superhydrophobic coatings on wood surfaces. The as-formed PDA coating on a wood surface exhibited a hierarchical micro/nano roughness struc...

In electrowetting devices, hydrophobic insulating layer, namely dielectric layer, is capable of reversibly switching surface wettability through applied electric field. It is critically important but limited by material defects in dielectricity, reve...

In vitro drug screening using reliable and predictable liver models remains a challenge. The identification of an ideal biological substrate is essential to maintain hepatocyte functions during in vitro culture. Here, we developed a fiber-embedded po...

In this paper; we compare double hydrophobic polystyrene-b-poly(solketal methacrylate) (PS-b-PSMA) and amphiphilic polystyrene-b-poly(glyceryl methacrylate) (PS-b-PGMA) diblock copolymer membranes which are prepared by combining the block copolymer s...

The application of molecular imprinting technology in the separation and purification of active ingredients in natural products was widely reported, but remains a challenge. Enrichment and separation are especially limited. A surface imprinting techn...

Multifunctional polymer nanoparticles have been developed for cancer treatment because they could be easily designed to target cancer cells and to enhance therapeutic efficacy according to cancer hallmarks. In this study, we synthesized a pH-sensitiv...

The study of DNA interaction with the acetate bis(1,10-phenanthroline)silver(I) monohydrate in a solution is of interest both for understanding the mechanism of biological activity of silver compound and for forming ordered structures (DNA fibrils) t...

Morphology of conjugated polymers is a critical factor that significantly affects intrinsic charge transport characteristics and in turn performance of polymer-based devices. Morphological defects including misaligned crystalline grains and grain bou...

In this study, 2-[(Acryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride was graft polymerized onto chitosan (CS) to form quaternary ammonium CS (QAC) by using ammonium persulfate as a redox initiator. Alginate (ALG) microspheres loaded with a water-soluble m...

A halloysite nanotubes–polyvinyl alcohol–polyvinylpyrrolidone (HNTs–PVA–PVP) composite has been investigated for a quite long time aiming at improving the physico–chemical characterization of HNTs. In this work, HNTs–PVA–PVP composite were prepared b...

The remarkable ability of polymeric additives to reduce the level of frictional drag significantly in turbulent flow, even under extremely low dilutions, is known as turbulent drag-reduction behavior. Several bio-polymers have been assessed as promis...

The reaction of condensation and cross-linking of desulfurized kraft lignin with triethyl phosphate (TEP) was explored. Catechol, a simple model of the aromatic ring of lignin, and glycerol, a model compound of the aliphatic hydroyl groups of the sid...

The development of multifunctional polymeric materials for biological applications is mainly guided by the goal of achieving the encapsulation of pharmaceutical compounds through a self-assembly process to form nanoconstructs that control the biodist...

The exponential Phan–Tien and Tanner (PTT), Giesekus, Leonov, and modified extended Pom–Pom (mXPP) differential constitutive models are evaluated in two ways: with regard to steady shear characteristics and with regard to large amplitude oscillatory...

A renewable resource, epoxidized jatropha oil (EJO), was used as a green plasticizer and added to poly(lactic acid) (PLA). EJO was compounded into PLA at different contents. The addition of 3 wt % EJO to the PLA demonstrates significant improvement i...

Base-catalyzed urea–formaldehyde condensation reactions were investigated by using a quantum chemistry method. It was found that monomethylolurea or N,N’-dimethylolurea can produce the methyleneurea intermediate (–HN–CO–N=CH₂) with the catalysis of b...

Periodontal tissue regeneration is the ultimate goal of the treatment for periodontitis-affected teeth. The success of regenerative modalities relies heavily on the utilization of appropriate biomaterials with specific properties. Poly (lactic-co-gly...

In the present work, a soft lithographic process is used to create nanometer-sized line patterns of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) on PEG-based hydrogels. Hereby nanometer-sized wrinkles on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are first fabricated, then function...

Recent progress in the development of phenylboronic acid (PBA)-functionalized layer-by-layer (LbL) assemblies and their biomedical applications was reviewed. Stimuli-sensitive LbL films and microcapsules that exhibit permeability changes or decompose...

In this report, the β-CD(AN-co-AA) hydrogel was used to remove the thorium(IV) [Th(IV)] from the water system, and the new adsorbent was characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-r...

In this paper, the sample preparation of polymer nanocomposites based on methyl cellulose (MC) with small optical bandgaps has been discussed. Copper monosulfide (CuS) nanoparticles have been synthesized from the sodium sulphide (Na₂S) and copper chl...

In order to further understand the mechanism of volume hologram formation in photosensitive polymers, light-induced material response is analyzed in commonly used epoxy-based negative photoresist Epon SU-8. For this purpose, time-resolved investigati...

Based on the Diels–Alder reaction and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) binders of solid propellants, two novel compounds—furfuryl-terminated polybutadiene (FTPB) and trifurfuryl propane (TFP)—were designed and synthesized, and their structure...

We propose a stochastic method to generate exactly the overdamped Langevin dynamics of semi-flexible Gaussian chains, conditioned to evolve between given initial and final conformations in a preassigned time. The initial and final conformations have...

The use of tumor-specific therapeutic agents is a promising option for efficient and safe nonviral gene transfer in gene therapy. In this study, we describe the efficacy of polyamidoamine (PAMAM)-based nonviral gene delivery carriers, namely, an orni...

Five types of nanofillers, namely, silica, surface-silylated silica, alumina, surface-silylated alumina, and boron nitride, were tested in this study. Nanocomposites composed of an epoxy/amine resin and one of the five types of nanoparticles were tes...

Herein, we demonstrate a facile methodology to synthesis a novel methacrylic phosphonic acid (PA)-functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSSs) via thiol-ene click reaction using octamercapto thiol-POSS and ethylene glycol methacrylate...

DMF is one the most commonly-used solvents for preparing graphene nanocomposites. Various processing variables for DMF are being used for the preparation of epoxy/graphene nanocomposites. Whilst the emphasis of all of these reported studies are on th...

The aim of this study was to fabricate biodegradable poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) bone screws containing iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles, which are radiopaque and 3D-printable. The PLLA composites were fabricated by loading 20%, 30%, and 40% Fe₃O₄ nano...