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Polymers
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Functional Polymers: Interaction, Surface, Processing and Applications: 3rd Edition
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Functional Polymers: Interaction, Surface, Processing and Applications: 3rd Edition

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Smart and Functional Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 1632

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Chi-Jung Chang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical Engineering, Feng Chia University, 100, Wenhwa Road, Seatwen, Taichung 40724, Taiwan
Interests: polymers and nanomaterials for optoelectronic and biomedical applications; semiconductor nanomaterial-based photocatalysts and gas sensor; organic molecule/polymer-based chemical sensor and biosensor; materials for environmental protection/energy applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Special Issue will focus on the interaction between polymers and other compounds, the surface modification and/or functionalization of polymers, processing parameters, and the application of functional polymers, including polymers, polymeric blends, composites, and hybrids. Effective approaches for the characterization of polymeric materials are very important for investigating their interaction and surface properties. Appropriate surface modification may help enhance the performance of polymers. The use of suitable processing approaches and the optimization of processing parameters may help manipulate the nanostructures, mesostructures, textures, and performance of polymeric nanomaterials, films, membranes, parts, and devices. The surface, chemical, physical, electrical, mechanical, optical, and thermal properties of functional polymers can be tuned to facilitate their applications in various fields. This Special Issue will cover review and research papers on the interaction, surface, and processing of functional polymers for environmental/energy/biomedical applications.

Prof. Dr. Chi-Jung Chang
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. Polymers 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

  • chemical/gas/bio-sensing
  • oil–water separation
  • heavy metal removal
  • photocatalyst
  • interactions with biomolecules
  • solar steam generation
  • smart textiles
  • functional textiles
  • microwave absorption
  • photothermal effect
  • piezoelectric effect
  • stimuli-responsive polymers
  • processing parameter–property correlation
  • composition–property relation

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 14504 KiB  
Article
Construction of a Transparent, Robust, Shape-Memory and Self-Healing MDI-Based Polyurethane Elastomer
by Haichun Dang, Ziliang Zhang, Ruibing Sun, Yunlun Li, Mengyu Lin, Siting Yang, Maoyong He, Zhaozan Xu and Xiangcheng Bian
Polymers 2025, 17(9), 1243; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17091243 - 2 May 2025
Viewed by 328
Abstract
Integrating strong mechanical properties and excellent optical properties for self-healing materials is challenging in both academia and industry. Robust self-healing polyurethane elastomers are expected to have superior mechanical properties, transparency, remarkable healing capability, and shape-memory performance via the adjustment of chemical and microphase [...] Read more.
Integrating strong mechanical properties and excellent optical properties for self-healing materials is challenging in both academia and industry. Robust self-healing polyurethane elastomers are expected to have superior mechanical properties, transparency, remarkable healing capability, and shape-memory performance via the adjustment of chemical and microphase separation structure. Herein, a robust transparent self-healable 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI)-based polyurethane elastomer containing disulfide bonds and branched structure (MPUE-SS) was synthesized. The chemical and topological structures, compatibility of soft–hard phases, and hard domain size of polyurethane could be adjusted via branched structure and mixed chain extender containing disulfide bonds and 1,4-butanediol (BDO), leading to enhanced self-healing, transparency, and mechanical properties. MPUE-SS exhibited a maximal tensile strength of 40 MPa. The microphase separation structure and reduced crystallinity led to a high transparency of about 91%, close to that of alicyclic polyurethane elastomers. After cutting in half and splicing, the MPUE-SS film recovered more than 95% of the original mechanical properties in 24 h. The shape recovery ratio at 40 °C and shape fixity ratio at −20 °C of MPUE-SS were 96.0% and 99.6%, respectively, higher than those of MPUE without disulfide bonds. Therefore, the chemical, topological structures, and microphase separation of polyurethane could be adjusted to achieve desired self-healing, transparency, shape-memory, and mechanical properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymers: Interaction, Surface, Processing and Applications: 3rd Edition)
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17 pages, 8548 KiB  
Article
A High-Temperature-Resistant and Conductive Flexible Silicone Rubber with High Phenyl Content Based on Silver-Coated Glass Fibers
by Ao Liu, Linlin Ouyang, Depeng Gong and Chaocan Zhang
Polymers 2025, 17(9), 1187; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17091187 - 27 Apr 2025
Viewed by 401
Abstract
To enhance the high-temperature resistance of silicone rubber and meet the application requirements of flexible conductive silicone rubber under elevated temperature conditions, this study adopts a chemical modification strategy by introducing phenyl groups into the molecular chains of silicone rubber to improve its [...] Read more.
To enhance the high-temperature resistance of silicone rubber and meet the application requirements of flexible conductive silicone rubber under elevated temperature conditions, this study adopts a chemical modification strategy by introducing phenyl groups into the molecular chains of silicone rubber to improve its thermal resistance. High-phenyl-content hydroxyl-terminated silicone oil (MPPS) was used as the polymer backbone, and vinylmethyldimethoxysilane (VDMS) served as the chain extender. Through a silanol condensation reaction, vinylmethylphenyl polysiloxane (VMPPS) with a crosslinkable structure was synthesized, providing reactive sites for subsequent vulcanization and molding. Subsequently, needle-like silver-coated glass fiber (AGF) conductive fillers were prepared via a green and environmentally friendly electroless silver plating method. These fillers were incorporated into the phenyl polysiloxane matrix to impart electrical conductivity to the phenyl silicone rubber while synergistically enhancing its thermal resistance. Finally, thermally resistant conductive silicone rubber was fabricated through high-temperature vulcanization, and the key properties of the material were systematically characterized. The synthesized phenyl polysiloxane exhibited a number-averaged molecular weight of up to 181,136, with a PDI of 2.43. When the loading of AGF reached 25 phr, the phenyl silicone rubber composite achieved the electrical percolation threshold, exhibiting a conductivity of 7.12 S/cm. With a further increase in AGF content to 35 phr, the composite demonstrated excellent thermal stability, with a 5% weight loss temperature of 478 °C and a residual mass of 37.36% at 800 °C. Moreover, after thermal aging at 100 °C for 72 h, the conductivity degradation of the phenyl silicone rubber was significantly lower than that of commercial silicone rubber, indicating outstanding electrical stability. This study provides an effective approach for the application of flexible electronic materials under extreme thermal environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymers: Interaction, Surface, Processing and Applications: 3rd Edition)
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18 pages, 4379 KiB  
Article
Functionalized Biopolymer for Enhanced Pt(IV) Recovery from Aqueous Solutions
by Theodora Babău, Mihaela Ciopec, Giannin Mosoarca, Cosmin Vancea, Adina Negrea, Nicoleta Sorina Nemeş, Bogdan Pascu, Petru Negrea, Catalin Ianăşi and Alina Ramona Buzatu
Polymers 2025, 17(9), 1132; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17091132 - 22 Apr 2025
Viewed by 304
Abstract
In this study, chitosan (Chi) functionalized with the amino acid serine (Ser) was synthesized for the adsorption-based recovery of Pt(IV) from aqueous solutions. To identify the active functional groups of the amino acid and the support material, the synthesized adsorbent was characterized using [...] Read more.
In this study, chitosan (Chi) functionalized with the amino acid serine (Ser) was synthesized for the adsorption-based recovery of Pt(IV) from aqueous solutions. To identify the active functional groups of the amino acid and the support material, the synthesized adsorbent was characterized using SEM, FT-IR, and EDX analyses, and its point of zero charge (pHPZC) was determined. Static and dynamic adsorption studies were conducted to optimize process parameters. Under static conditions, equilibrium studies established the maximum Pt(IV) concentration that could be adsorbed onto Chi–Ser, as well as its maximum adsorption capacity. At pH > 4, with an S-L ratio of 0.1 g:25 mL Pt(IV) solution, a contact time of 90 min, and a temperature of 298 K, the maximum adsorption capacity reached 7.23 mg/g. The adsorption process was best described by the Sips isotherm. The Taguchi method was employed to optimize static adsorption conditions. The Clark equation most accurately modeled the adsorption process under dynamic conditions. Additionally, multiple adsorption–desorption cycles evaluated the adsorbent’s reusability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymers: Interaction, Surface, Processing and Applications: 3rd Edition)
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25 pages, 8744 KiB  
Article
Composite Fish Collagen Peptide-Based Biopolymer Emulsion for Keratin Structure Stabilization and Hair Fiber Repair
by Wenwei Gu, Lei Gu, Ningping Tao, Xichang Wang and Changhua Xu
Polymers 2025, 17(7), 907; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17070907 - 27 Mar 2025
Viewed by 482
Abstract
Marine-derived proteins, rich in amino acids and bioactivity, serve as a natural and safe alternative to chemical haircare products. This study selected three highly bioactive fish-derived protein peptides and determined their optimal repair ratio using FTIR structural analysis and response surface methodology (RSM). [...] Read more.
Marine-derived proteins, rich in amino acids and bioactivity, serve as a natural and safe alternative to chemical haircare products. This study selected three highly bioactive fish-derived protein peptides and determined their optimal repair ratio using FTIR structural analysis and response surface methodology (RSM). A collagen peptide-based composite human hair repair emulsion (CHFRE) was formulated, and its repair efficacy on damaged hair (DH) was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and amino acid analysis. Following CHFRE treatment, the physical and chemical properties of damaged hair improved significantly. SEM analysis revealed enhanced hair luster, aligned cuticle scales, and a denser cortex. FTIR and DSC analyses showed a 5.94% increase in α-conformation content and a 28.44% rise in relative helical content (RHC), indicating enhanced protein stability and a conformation closer to that of normal hair. Additionally, the 14.63% increase in S=O transmittance suggested reduced oxidative damage. Amino acid analysis and hydrophobic amino acids, with specific increments of 16.77 g/100 g and 2.47 g/100 g, respectively, enhance hair affinity and keratin stability. This bio-based repair material effectively restores damaged hair structure, strengthens resistance to chemical damage, and ensures sustainability, safety, and biocompatibility, providing a promising approach for the development of natural hair repair products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymers: Interaction, Surface, Processing and Applications: 3rd Edition)
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