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Polymers
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Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of Functional Polymeric Materials
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Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of Functional Polymeric Materials

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 September 2024) | Viewed by 6032

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hao Mei

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
Interests: bottlebrush polymers; surface treatment; antifouling; crosslinking; ToF-SIMS
Dr. Jing Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
Interests: surface science; surfactants; density functional theory; molecular dynamics
Dr. Zhuqing Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, MS 365, Houston, TX 77005, USA
Interests: asphaltene; microfluidics; polymers

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the course of human history, polymeric materials have been extensively used, with a notable surge following the development of the first human-made plastics in the 19th century. However, they face challenges due to their environmental impact and the evolving demands of modern life. These materials, known for their affordability but limited mechanical strength, now encounter fresh requisites. This has triggered urgent demand for the creation of distinct polymeric materials tailored for specific applications. Consequently, the exploration, comprehension, and practical application of such specialized materials have become increasingly indispensable.

Polymeric materials inherently possess adjustable chemical compositions and physical structures. Manipulating one or both of these attributes allows the realization of unique applications. For instance, fine-tuning physical structures has led to the exploration of cyclic polymers, hyperbranched polymers, star polymers, and more, which exhibit distinctive properties applicable to areas such as rheology, lubrication, drug delivery, and photonic crystals. Similarly, the deliberate design and synthesis of chemical compositions have yielded exceptional traits like superhydrophobicity, exceptional mechanical properties, conductivity, and piezoelectricity. In many cases, optimal applications necessitate the harmonization of both physical structures and chemical compositions.

This Special Issue centers on the synthesis, characterization, and application of functional polymeric materials. The scope encompasses advanced studies aimed at enhancing the synthetic accessibility of these unique materials, as well as the characterization and elucidation of their distinct structures and properties, alongside their exceptional applications.

Dr. Hao Mei
Dr. Jing Yang
Dr. Zhuqing Zhang
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. 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

  • functional polymeric materials
  • cyclic polymers
  • hyperbranched polymers
  • superhydrophobicity
  • conductive polymers
  • piezoelectric polymers

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 3053 KiB  
Article
Modeling of Photodynamic Self-Oscillation Based on a Suspended Liquid Crystal Elastomer Ball System
by Leilei Li, Yuntong Dai and Jun Zhao
Polymers 2024, 16(22), 3119; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16223119 - 7 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 931
Abstract
Self-oscillation enables continuous motion by transforming constant external stimuli into mechanical work, eliminating the necessity for supplementary control systems. This holds considerable promise in domains like actuators, wearable devices and biomedicine. In the current study, a novel suspended liquid crystal elastomer (LCEs) ball [...] Read more.
Self-oscillation enables continuous motion by transforming constant external stimuli into mechanical work, eliminating the necessity for supplementary control systems. This holds considerable promise in domains like actuators, wearable devices and biomedicine. In the current study, a novel suspended liquid crystal elastomer (LCEs) ball system consisting of a light-responsive hollow LCE ball and an air blower is constructed. Stable illumination allows for its continuous periodic oscillation. Drawing from the theoretical model in conjunction with the dynamic LCE model, the control equations for the system are established, and its dynamic motion characteristics are explored from theoretical viewpoint. The numerical calculations suggest that two motion patterns are present, i.e., hovering and self-oscillatory patterns. The critical conditions required to initiate the transition between two motion patterns are quantified for different system parameters. As evidenced by the outcomes, manipulating the light intensity, damping coefficient, contraction coefficient, air density, gravitational acceleration, bottom illumination zone height, characteristic coefficient and vertical wind speed at the blower outlet facilitates precise control over the motion patterns as well as the amplitude and frequency. With its simple structure, customizable dimensions, remote activation and active manipulation, this system may potentially change the design approach for energy harvesting, microsensors and aerial vehicles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of Functional Polymeric Materials)
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34 pages, 10666 KiB  
Article
Study on the Impact of Microscopic Pore Structure Characteristics in Tight Sandstone on Microscopic Remaining Oil after Polymer Flooding
by Ling Zhao, Xianda Sun, Huili Zhang, Chengwu Xu, Xin Sui, Xudong Qin and Maokun Zeng
Polymers 2024, 16(19), 2757; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16192757 - 29 Sep 2024
Viewed by 977
Abstract
As a non-renewable resource, oil faces increasing demand, and the remaining oil recovery rates in existing oil fields still require improvement. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact of pore structure parameters on the distribution and recovery of residual [...] Read more.
As a non-renewable resource, oil faces increasing demand, and the remaining oil recovery rates in existing oil fields still require improvement. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the impact of pore structure parameters on the distribution and recovery of residual oil after polymer flooding by constructing a digital pore network model. Using this model, the study visualizes the post-flooding state of the model with 3DMAX-9.0 software and employs a range of simulation methods, including a detailed analysis of the pore size, coordination number, pore–throat ratio, and wettability, to quantitatively assess how these parameters affect the residual oil distribution and recovery. The research shows that the change in the distribution of pore sizes leads to a decrease in cluster-shaped residual oil and an increase in columnar residual oil. An increase in the coordination number increases the core permeability and reduces the residual oil; for example, when the coordination number increases from 4.3 to 6, the polymer flooding recovery rate increases from 24.57% to 30.44%. An increase in the pore–throat ratio reduces the permeability and causes more residual oil to remain in the throat; for example, when the pore–throat ratio increases from 3.2 to 6.3, the total recovery rate decreases from 74.34% to 63.72%. When the wettability changes from oil-wet to water-wet, the type of residual oil gradually changes from the difficult-to-drive-out columnar and film-shaped to the more easily recoverable cluster-shaped; for example, when the proportion of water-wet throats increases from 0.1:0.9 to 0.6:0.4, the water flooding recovery rate increases from 35.63% to 51.35%. Both qualitative and quantitative results suggest that the digital pore network model developed in this study effectively predicts the residual oil distribution under different pore structures and provides a crucial basis for optimizing residual oil recovery strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of Functional Polymeric Materials)
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14 pages, 4766 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Characteristic Valuation of a Thermoplastic Polyurethane Electrode Binder for In-Mold Coating
by Suk-Min Hong, Hyuck-Jin Kwon, Jung-Min Sun and Chil Won Lee
Polymers 2024, 16(3), 375; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16030375 - 30 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1596
Abstract
A polyurethane series (PHEI-PU) was prepared via a one-shot bulk polymerization method using hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), polycarbonate diol (PCD), and isosorbide derivatives (ISBD) as chain extenders. The mechanical properties were evaluated using a universal testing machine (UTM), and the thermal properties were evaluated [...] Read more.
A polyurethane series (PHEI-PU) was prepared via a one-shot bulk polymerization method using hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), polycarbonate diol (PCD), and isosorbide derivatives (ISBD) as chain extenders. The mechanical properties were evaluated using a universal testing machine (UTM), and the thermal properties were evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The PHEI-PU series exhibited excellent mechanical properties with an average tensile strength of 44.71 MPa and an elongation at break of 190%. To verify the applicability of different proportions of PU as an electrode binder, PU and Ag flakes were mixed (30/70 wt%) and coated on PCT substrates, the electrodes were evaluated by four-point probe before and after 50% elongation, and the dispersion was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrical resistance change rate of PHEI-PU series was less than 20%, and a coating layer with well-dispersed silver flakes was confirmed even after stretching. Therefore, it exhibited excellent physical properties, heat resistance, and electrical resistance change rate, confirming its applicability as an electrode binder for in-mold coating. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of Functional Polymeric Materials)
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14 pages, 2199 KiB  
Article
Amide-Containing Bottlebrushes via Continuous-Flow Photoiniferter Reversible Addition–Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization: Micellization Behavior
by Alexey Sivokhin, Dmitry Orekhov, Oleg Kazantsev, Ksenia Otopkova, Olga Sivokhina, Ilya Chuzhaykin, Alexey Ovchinnikov, Olga Zamyshlyayeva, Irina Pavlova, Olga Ozhogina and Maria Chubenko
Polymers 2024, 16(1), 134; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16010134 - 31 Dec 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1737
Abstract
Herein, a series of ternary amphiphilic amide-containing bottlebrushes were synthesized by photoiniferter (PI-RAFT) polymerization of macromonomers in continuous-flow mode using trithiocarbonate as a chain transfer agent. Visible light-mediated polymerization of macromonomers under mild conditions enabled the preparation of thermoresponsive copolymers with low dispersity [...] Read more.
Herein, a series of ternary amphiphilic amide-containing bottlebrushes were synthesized by photoiniferter (PI-RAFT) polymerization of macromonomers in continuous-flow mode using trithiocarbonate as a chain transfer agent. Visible light-mediated polymerization of macromonomers under mild conditions enabled the preparation of thermoresponsive copolymers with low dispersity and high yields in a very short time, which is not typical for the classical reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer process. Methoxy oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate and alkoxy(C12–C14) oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate were used as the basic monomers providing amphiphilic and thermoresponsive properties. The study investigated how modifying comonomers, acrylamide (AAm), methacrylamide (MAAm), and N-methylacrylamide (-MeAAm) affect the features of bottlebrush micelle formation, their critical micelle concentration, and loading capacity for pyrene, a hydrophobic drug model. The results showed that the process is scalable and can produce tens of grams of pure copolymer per day. The unmodified copolymer formed unimolecular micelles at temperatures below the LCST in aqueous solutions, as revealed by DLS and SLS data. The incorporation of AAm, MAAm, and N-MeAAm units resulted in an increase in micelle aggregation numbers. The resulting bottlebrushes formed uni- or bimolecular micelles at extremely low concentrations. These micelles possess a high capacity for loading pyrene, making them a promising choice for targeted drug delivery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis, Characterization and Applications of Functional Polymeric Materials)
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