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Polymer Materials Chemistry: Design, Synthesis and Emerging Applications

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Chemical and Molecular Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2023) | Viewed by 9201

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Advanced Polymer Materials Group, Department of Bioresources and Polymer Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: polymer; 3D printing; organ on-a-chip; biomaterial; nanoparticle; hydrogel; rheology
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Guest Editor
Advanced Polymer Materials Group, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Material Science, University Polytehnica of Bucharest, Str. Gheorghe Polizu 1-7, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: polymers (controlled polymerization); drug delivery in cancer management; 3D printing; microfluidics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The domain of polymeric materials is known world-wide, these materials being key and powerful tools that make our live easier. Various industry fields, including building, aircraft, engineering, automotive, sport, medicine, pharmacology, life science, etc., depend on polymeric materials. In this regard, the polymeric domain has gained remarkable permanent progress in different areas in parallel with the development of technology and nanotechnology. Furthermore, new advanced polymeric-based materials are daily reported, together with new synthesis and characterization pathways. The chemistry of polymeric materials comprises numerous synthesis and application approaches for industrial and research field. The main classes include hydrogels, resins, nanocomposites, rubbers, paints, fibers, nanotechnology, protein engineering, thermoplastics, or processing.

This Special Issue of Applied Sciences, "Polymer Materials Chemistry: Design, Synthesis and Emerging Applications", focuses on novel studies for polymers and polymeric materials ranging from basic research up to specific applications.

This Special Issue highlights the new synthesis procedure and new reactions of polymer modifications able to produce polymeric materials with special characteristics in:

  • Protein engineering and modifications within protein backbone with synthetic polymers (micelles, nanocarriers, etc.);
  • 3D manufacturing and additive fabrication (Computer-Aided Design);
  • Hydrogels and nanocomposites for biomedical applications (tissue engineering, drug delivery, organ-on-chip, etc.);
  • New polymers in electronics, actuators, coatings, green and storage energy.

It is our pleasure to invite you to submit a manuscript for this Special Issue. Full papers and reviews are all welcome.

Prof. Dr. Catalin Zaharia
Dr. Ionut-Cristian Radu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • polymers
  • materials
  • polymerization
  • grafting
  • crosslinking
  • network
  • synthesis
  • additive manufacturing
  • industry
  • processing

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 7601 KiB  
Article
Prediction of Part Shrinkage for Injection Molded Crystalline Polymer via Cavity Pressure and Melt Temperature Monitoring
by Shia-Chung Chen, Bi-Lin Tsai, Cheng-Chang Hsieh, Nien-Tien Cheng, En-Nien Shen and Ching-Te Feng
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(17), 9884; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13179884 - 31 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1657
Abstract
During an injection molding process, different parts of the molded material are subjected to various thermal–mechanical stresses, such as variable pressures, temperatures, and shear stresses. These variations form different pressure–temperature paths on the pressure–volume–temperature diagram. If these paths cannot converge at a specific [...] Read more.
During an injection molding process, different parts of the molded material are subjected to various thermal–mechanical stresses, such as variable pressures, temperatures, and shear stresses. These variations form different pressure–temperature paths on the pressure–volume–temperature diagram. If these paths cannot converge at a specific target volume value during ejection, it often leads to different levels of shrinkage and associated warping, which pose a significant challenge for molders during mold trials and part quality control. The situation is particularly complicated when molding crystalline polymers because the degree of crystallinity depends on the processing conditions and may vary across different locations. In this study, we propose an innovative and practical approach to improving part shrinkage when molding crystalline polymers. For the first time, we utilized melt temperature profile monitoring rather than the previous mold temperature measurement to detect the crystallization process and determine the time taken to complete the crystallization at different melt and mold temperatures. In addition, we used response surface methodology to build a crystallization time prediction model. The feasibility of the prediction model was verified by determining the warpage of parts molded at various cooling times. Based on this model, we varied the packing pressure, packing time, and melt temperatures to determine the correlation with part shrinkage. Through regression analysis, the time-averaged solidification pressure values can accurately control part shrinkage. Two prediction models provide reasonable accuracy and efficiency for part shrinkage control, as demonstrated by subsequent verification experiments. Full article
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14 pages, 7194 KiB  
Article
Thermosensitive Behavior Defines the Features of Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)/Magnetite Nanoparticles for Cancer Management
by Ionut-Cristian Radu, Andreea-Cristina Ion Mirica, Ariana Hudita, Eugenia Tanasa, Horia Iovu, Catalin Zaharia and Bianca Galateanu
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 4870; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084870 - 13 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1738
Abstract
This paper reports the preparation and characterization of thermosensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)/magnetite nanoparticles in various conditions. The nanoprecipitation conditions address the impact of the temperature on PNIPAM/magnetite nanoparticle features due to the thermosensitive character of PNIPAM. Hybrid nanoparticles with desired features (size, size distribution, [...] Read more.
This paper reports the preparation and characterization of thermosensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)/magnetite nanoparticles in various conditions. The nanoprecipitation conditions address the impact of the temperature on PNIPAM/magnetite nanoparticle features due to the thermosensitive character of PNIPAM. Hybrid nanoparticles with desired features (size, size distribution, agglomeration, and release profile) are prepared by nanoprecipitation in non-solvent (acetone) at various temperatures. These nanoparticles are targeted as nanocarriers to deliver doxorubicin in breast cancer cells. Therefore, three temperatures, below the LCST (lower critical solution temperature), around the LCST, and above the LCST, were chosen as the main parameters within nanoprecipitation. Besides temperature, another major parameter drives the nanoparticles’ features: polymer solution concentration. In this regard, two variable parameters were used to study the characteristics of developed hybrid nanoparticles. After preparation, the hybrid nanoparticles were subjected to morphological and size distribution investigation by SEM and DLS. The doxorubicin loading and release measurements were also performed to reveal the behavior of the nanoparticles. Finally, the unloaded and loaded hybrid nanoparticles were biologically assessed within a cancer cells line (MCF7) in terms of biocompatibility, cancer cell viability, and cell morphology. Full article
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12 pages, 1080 KiB  
Article
The Temperature Interval of the Liquid–Glass Transition of Amorphous Polymers and Low Molecular Weight Amorphous Substances
by Migmar V. Darmaev, Michael I. Ojovan, Alexey A. Mashanov and Timur A. Chimytov
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2742; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042742 - 20 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1936
Abstract
We present calculation results of the temperature interval δTg characterizing the liquid–glass transition in amorphous materials obtained on the basis of available data of the empirical parameters C1 and C2 in the Williams–Landel–Ferry (WLF) viscosity equation. We consider the unambiguous [...] Read more.
We present calculation results of the temperature interval δTg characterizing the liquid–glass transition in amorphous materials obtained on the basis of available data of the empirical parameters C1 and C2 in the Williams–Landel–Ferry (WLF) viscosity equation. We consider the unambiguous dependence of the relative transition temperature interval δTg/Tg on the fraction of the fluctuation volume fg frozen at the glass transition temperature Tg utilizing Sanditov’s model of delocalized atoms. The parameter f = ΔVe/V, which determines the molecular mobility characteristic of delocalized atoms in the liquid–glass transition region, is weakly dependent on the nature of most vitreous substances and can be found as fg = 1/C1. We show that the temperature interval δTg is less than 1% of the Tg for most amorphous substances. This result conforms with Simon’s classical idea of a small temperature range in which the structure freezes. The structural relaxation time τg at Tg of polymers and chalcogenide glasses is also calculated. Full article
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10 pages, 2354 KiB  
Communication
Enhancement in Charge Carrier Mobility by Using Furan as Spacer in Thieno[3,2-b]Pyrrole and Alkylated-Diketopyrrolopyrrole Based Conjugated Copolymers
by Prabhath L. Gamage, Chinthaka M. Udamulle Gedara, Ruwan Gunawardhana, Chandima Bulumulla, Ziyuan Ma, Ashutosh Shrivastava, Michael C. Biewer and Mihaela C. Stefan
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(6), 3150; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12063150 - 19 Mar 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2731
Abstract
The structural alteration of semiconducting polymer backbones can improve the optoelectronic properties of organic semiconductors and enhance field-effect mobilities. In our efforts towards improving the performance of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), we are reporting a donor–acceptor polymer containing thieno[3,2-b]pyrrole (TP) donor and a [...] Read more.
The structural alteration of semiconducting polymer backbones can improve the optoelectronic properties of organic semiconductors and enhance field-effect mobilities. In our efforts towards improving the performance of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), we are reporting a donor–acceptor polymer containing thieno[3,2-b]pyrrole (TP) donor and a furan-flanked diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) electron acceptor, which yielded an asymmetric poly(methylthienopyrrolo)furanyl)diketopyrrolopyrrol) P(FDPP-TP) organic semiconducting polymer. The introduction of a furan spacer improved thermally induced crystallinity and molecular packing, as confirmed by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (XRD) and tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (TMAFM). The tested OFET devices gave maximum hole mobility of 0.42 cm2 V−1 s−1 with threshold voltages around 0 V for bottom-gate bottom-contact device configuration. Full article
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