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Polymers
Special Issues
Functional Polymer Nanocomposites
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Functional Polymer Nanocomposites

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2020) | Viewed by 10581

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Chien-Lin Huang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Fiber and Composite Materials, Feng Chia University, Taichung 40724, Taiwan
Interests: polymer physics; polymer synthesis; polymer engineering; chemical engineering; functional fiber composites

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanofiller-based polymer nanocomposites provide opportunities to develop many advanced materials with multiple functionalities, such as extreme water and oil repellency, antimicrobial ability, sound absorption, flame retardation, thermal and electrical conductivity, electromagnetic-interference shielding, and magnetic and electrical functions. These functionalities are introduced into polymer composites through nanofillers, such as carbon nanotubes, graphenes, clays, metal–organic frameworks, and quantum dots, among others. Based on the application, either single or multiple functionalities are incorporated into a polymer with blocks, fibers, film, or porous structures. The synergistic combination of all the components’ characteristics, under the appropriate structural and interfacial organization, enable the polymer composites to have outstanding structural performance and multifunctional properties.

Dr. Chien-Lin Huang
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

  • nanofillers
  • nanocomposites
  • nanostructures
  • synergistical effect
  • functional properties
  • biomedical applications
  • environmental applications
  • energy applications
  • sensing applications

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 7763 KiB  
Article
Antimicrobial Activity of Electrospun Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanofibers Filled with Poly[2-(tert-butylaminoethyl) Methacrylate]-Grafted Graphene Oxide Nanosheets
by Chien-Lin Huang, Kun-Mu Lee, Zheng-Xian Liu, Ruo-Yu Lai, Chih-Kuang Chen, Wen-Cheng Chen and Jen-Fu Hsu
Polymers 2020, 12(7), 1449; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12071449 - 28 Jun 2020
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3071
Abstract
A novel cationic polymer, poly[2-(tert-butylaminoethyl) methacrylate] (PTA), effectively kills various strains of bacteria with low toxicity to tissue cells. Graphene-based materials demonstrate exceptional electron transport capability, antibacterial activity, favorable nontoxicity, and versatile applicability. PTA can be grafted onto the graphene oxide (GO) surface [...] Read more.
A novel cationic polymer, poly[2-(tert-butylaminoethyl) methacrylate] (PTA), effectively kills various strains of bacteria with low toxicity to tissue cells. Graphene-based materials demonstrate exceptional electron transport capability, antibacterial activity, favorable nontoxicity, and versatile applicability. PTA can be grafted onto the graphene oxide (GO) surface (GO-g-PTA) to enhance the antimicrobial efficiency of the latter against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). In this study, GO-g-PTA powders were successfully synthesized via free radical polymerization (GO-g-PTA-F) and atom transfer radical polymerization (GO-g-PTA-A). The antimicrobial efficiencies of graphene nanosheets (GNSs), GO-g-PTA-F, and GO-g-PTA-A were then investigated. Addition of GNS, GO-g-PTA-F, and GO-g-PTA-A to the PVA nanofibers was carried out elucidate the effects of filler amount and physical treatment on the morphology, microstructure, crystallization behaviors, antimicrobial efficiency, and cytotoxicity of the composite fibers. Finally, the potential applications of electrospun PVA/GNS, PVA/GO-g-PTA-F, and PVA/GO-g-PTA-A composite nanofiber mats to chronic wound care were evaluated. The resulting PVA/GO-g-PTA-A composite nanofiber mats showed enhanced antimicrobial ability against S. aureus compared with the PVA/GNS and PVA/GO-g-PTA-F composite nanofiber mats at the same filler volume percentage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymer Nanocomposites)
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11 pages, 2614 KiB  
Article
Preserving Softness and Elastic Recovery in Silicone-Based Stretchable Electrodes Using Carbon Nanotubes
by Andrey Bannych, Sari Katz, Zahava Barkay and Noa Lachman
Polymers 2020, 12(6), 1345; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12061345 - 14 Jun 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3720
Abstract
Soft electronics based on various rubbers have lately been needed in many advanced applications such as soft robotics, wearable electronics, and remote health monitoring. The ability of a self-sensing material to be monitored in use provides a significant advantage. However, conductive fillers usually [...] Read more.
Soft electronics based on various rubbers have lately been needed in many advanced applications such as soft robotics, wearable electronics, and remote health monitoring. The ability of a self-sensing material to be monitored in use provides a significant advantage. However, conductive fillers usually used to increase conductivity also change mechanical properties. Most importantly, the initial sought-after properties of rubber, namely softness and long elastic deformation, are usually compromised. This work presents full mechanical and electro-mechanical characterization, together with self-sensing abilities of a vinyl methyl silicone rubber (VMQ) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composite, featuring conductivity while maintaining low hardness. The research demonstrates that MWCNT/VMQ with just 4 wt.% of MWCNT are as conductive as commercial conductive VMQ based on Carbon Black, while exhibiting lower hardness and higher elastic recovery (~20% plastic deformation, similar to pure rubber). The research also demonstrates piezo-resistivity and Raman-sensitivity, allowing for self-sensing. Using morphological data, proposed mechanisms for the superior electrical and mechanical behavior, as well as the in-situ fingerprint for the composite conditions are presented. This research novelty is in the full MWCNT/VMQ mechanical and electro-mechanical characterization, thus demonstrating its ability to serve as a sensor over large local strains, multiple straining cycles, and environmental damage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymer Nanocomposites)
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12 pages, 5013 KiB  
Article
In-Situ Synthesis of Hydrophobic Polyurethane Ternary Composite Induced by Hydroxyethyl Cellulose through a Green Method for Efficient Oil Removal
by Junyong Chen, Xian Yue, Zhou Xiao, Huaxin Li, Xianbo Yu and Junhui Xiang
Polymers 2020, 12(3), 509; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12030509 - 26 Feb 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3470
Abstract
Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) was introduced to activate the surface of polyurethane (PU) sponge to successfully prepare a hydrophobic ternary composite PU/HEC/SiO2. The hydrophobic layer of the composite was realized by in-situ polymerization of methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) onto the surface of PU sponge. [...] Read more.
Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) was introduced to activate the surface of polyurethane (PU) sponge to successfully prepare a hydrophobic ternary composite PU/HEC/SiO2. The hydrophobic layer of the composite was realized by in-situ polymerization of methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) onto the surface of PU sponge. The formation of a stable hydrophobic SiO2 layer solved successfully the problem of ease of SiO2 particles shedding from the composite. Moreover, the amphiphilic molecules produced by the hydrolysis of MTES monomers facilitated the preparation of hydrophobic materials by aqueous dispersion polymerization. Aqueous synthesis made the reaction process environmentally-friendly and pollution-free. The as-prepared composite PU/HEC/SiO2 not only retains high porosity and low density of the PU sponge, but also considerably reduced the surface free energy and increased the surface roughness of the PU sponge. Therefore, outstanding hydrophobicity and high porosity endow the composite with excellent oil removal capability as a high-efficiency absorbent. Moreover, the hydrophobic composite that had absorbed oil could be regenerated easily by squeezing and recycling. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Polymer Nanocomposites)
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