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Macromolecular Chemistry in Europe, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Macromolecular Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 1272

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Physics, Prifysgol Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3BZ, UK
Interests: photonics; soft matter; polymers; macromolecular semiconductors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The development of synthetic macromolecules is a cornerstone of modern materials science and engineering, particularly in the field of polymers and plastics. Sharing many properties and characteristics with the large molecular arrays occurring in nature and in living organisms, these materials are seen in a vast and diverse range of functional applications, spanning from optical materials and optoelectronics to tissue engineering and durable thermoplastics.

It is my pleasure to invite you to submit a manuscript to this Special Issue of Molecules, ‘Macromolecular Chemistry in Europe, 2nd Edition’. We are particularly interested in original research and timely reviews showcasing important concepts and innovative approaches related to the synthetic chemistry and materials science of macromolecular materials.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Macromolecular Synthesis: Including controlled polymerizations and catalysis, post-polymerization modification, new polymer architectures, polymerization mechanisms, and kinetics;
  • Thermodynamics and phase behavior: Including dynamic phenomena, ordering-disordering (e.g., self-assembly, gelation, crystallization, phase separation, and wetting), nanoassembly;
  • Properties and structure: Including mechanical and rheological properties, viscoelastic media, interfacial/surface characteristics, thin-films, and electronic transport properties;
  • Characterization of macromolecular materials: Including novel spectroscopies, crystallography and scattering, microscopy, and rheology;
  • Simulation and theory: Including Monte Carlo, molecular dynamics (MD), and multi-scale/granular modeling;
  • Polymeric materials: Including sustainable polymers, polymer networks, “smart” responsive polymers, electro-, magneto-, and opto-active polymers, semiconducting and conducting polymers, micro- and nano-structured polymers, polymer composites, rubbers and elastomers, biomimetics, and synthetic analogs.

Dr. Chris E. Finlayson
Guest Editor

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. Molecules 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 2700 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

  • macromolecules
  • synthesis and polymerization
  • polymer architectures
  • properties and structure
  • functional materials

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 20430 KiB  
Article
Influence of Partial Disentanglement of Macromolecules on the Rheological, Thermal, and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene–Polyethylene Blends
by Justyna Krajenta, Magdalena Lipinska and Andrzej Pawlak
Molecules 2025, 30(8), 1786; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30081786 - 16 Apr 2025
Viewed by 610
Abstract
The properties of compatibilized blends of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), having reduced macromolecular entanglements, were studied. The density of PP macromolecular entanglements was controlled by prior disentangling in solution. The polymer ratio in the blend was 4:1 or 1:4. An ethylene–octene copolymer [...] Read more.
The properties of compatibilized blends of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), having reduced macromolecular entanglements, were studied. The density of PP macromolecular entanglements was controlled by prior disentangling in solution. The polymer ratio in the blend was 4:1 or 1:4. An ethylene–octene copolymer was used as a compatibilizer. The melt blending process resulted in good dispersion of the minority component, with slightly larger inclusions when more disentangled PP was used. Rheological studies confirmed the achievement of different entanglement densities of PP macromolecules in the blends. The partial disentanglement did not affect the thermal stability of the blends. During the isothermal crystallization studies, faster growth of PP spherulites was observed in the blend with reduced entanglements, which also influenced the entire crystallization process. The recovery time of equilibrium entanglement was investigated and it turned out to be 45 min if the blend was annealed at 190 °C, which was shorter than in the analogous homopolymer. Studies of tensile properties showed that in blends with a majority share of polyethylene, the elongation at break increased with the disentanglement of the minority component, due to better bonding of the blend components and thus the reduction in microcavitation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Macromolecular Chemistry in Europe, 2nd Edition)
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Review

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27 pages, 3568 KiB  
Review
Impact of Chemicals and Processing Treatments on Thermo-Mechanical Recycling of Polyester Textiles
by Zara Standring, Lisa Macintyre, Gigi Jiang, David Bucknall and Valeria Arrighi
Molecules 2025, 30(13), 2758; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30132758 - 26 Jun 2025
Viewed by 492
Abstract
The textile industry is among the world’s largest, producing an estimated 124 million tonnes of fibres in 2023, with more than half of these being made from virgin polyester. Less than 0.1% of polyester fibres are recycled into new textiles at the end [...] Read more.
The textile industry is among the world’s largest, producing an estimated 124 million tonnes of fibres in 2023, with more than half of these being made from virgin polyester. Less than 0.1% of polyester fibres are recycled into new textiles at the end of their lives. Mechanical, thermo-mechanical, and chemical textile-to-textile polyester recycling are all technically possible, but thermo-mechanical recycling is reported to provide the most promising compromise between cost and quality. Myriad chemicals are used in polyester production, and this paper is the first to review the related academic literature to better understand their impact on recyclability. It has been demonstrated that chemicals used during the production and processing of polyester textiles can either provide resistance to, or catalyse, the degradation of polyester during thermo-mechanical recycling processes. However, the effect of combinations of these chemicals on recycling is largely unknown. Limiting, standardising, and transparently reporting the chemicals used during textile production would simplify research and could lead to better quality products after recycling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Macromolecular Chemistry in Europe, 2nd Edition)
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