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Advanced Multi-Functional Polymer Composites

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2023) | Viewed by 26894

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Xinbo Wang

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Guest Editor

Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai, Weihai, China
Interests: self-assembly of diblock copolymers; porous thermosetting resins and their applications; functional fluoro-silcone polymers; high-performance polyimides and their modification
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the continuous development of technology and social progress, more and more polymer materials have been widely used.

The high performance and functionalization of polymer materials is an important research direction for polymer science and engineering. The preparation of polymer composites is an important way to realize the high performance and functionalization of polymer materials. Polymer composites are usually multiphase solid materials which are composed of a polymer matrix and other materials with different shapes, constituents and properties. Enhancing and increasing the functionality of polymer composites is always a research hotspot in polymer science.

Advanced polymer composites with multi-functionality exhibit important properties related to light weight, good insulation, high strength, excellent flexibility, low cost, as well as fatigue and corrosion resistance, and have been widely used in energy power, automotive, aerospace, architecture, sporting goods, and electronics industries, in the medical field, in environmental protection, and in other key areas.

This Special Issue aims to cover the recent developments in advanced multi-functional polymer composites involving design, functionality, fabrication, and application.

On consideration of your outstanding achievements in the field, I would like to cordially invite you to submit a paper to this Special Issue through the journal’s website, at your earliest convenience. Research articles, review articles, perspectives, communications and letters are all welcome.

Manuscripts should be submitted online before the deadline. Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere. All manuscripts will be refereed through a peer-review process. Guidelines for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts are available on the journal’s website.

Dr. Xinbo Wang
Guest Editor

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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

dielectric, ferroelectric and thermoelectric polymer composites
adsorption and separation
energy and wave absorption
flame-retardance
antimicrobial
anticorrosion
heat-resistance
self-healing
electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 5894 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on Properties and Micro-Mechanism of RHB-SBS Composite-Modified Asphalt

by Youqiu Yi, Yifan Chen, Shuo Shi, Yao Zhao, Daming Wang, Tao Lei, Pengpeng Duan, Weiwei Cao, Qiang Wang and Haitao Li

Polymers 2023, 15(7), 1718; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15071718 - 30 Mar 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1355

Abstract

Rice husk biochar (RHB) is a renewable agricultural waste, and its fixation on pavements helps develop environmentally friendly, economical, and sustainable asphalt pavements. This paper used RHB to replace part of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) for the composite modification study of matrix asphalt. The high- and low-temperature properties and microscopic mechanisms of the composite-modified asphalt were studied through a series of tests. The results showed that, compared with SBS-modified asphalt, the softening point, viscosity, complex shear modulus, stiffness modulus, and rutting factors of RHB-SBS composite-modified asphalt were improved. In contrast, the ductility and creep rate were slightly decreased, indicating an improvement in the high-temperature performance of composite-modified asphalt, but a slight decrease in its low-temperature performance. The process of RHB and SBS composite modification was mainly physical blending, with only a small number of chemical reactions, and no new functional groups were generated. The porous structure of RHB enables it to adhere better to the network crosslinked continuous phase system formed by SBS and matrix asphalt. This results in composite-modified asphalt with good high-temperature storage stability and rheological properties. Therefore, RHB-SBS composite-modified asphalt can be applied to high-temperature areas and rice-producing areas, and the optimal content of RHB is suggested to be 15%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-Functional Polymer Composites)

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13 pages, 3509 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fabrication of Ordered Porous Polyimide Films Templated by (AB)_m Type of Diblock Copolymer

by Mengwei Huo, Yibo Wang and Xinbo Wang

Polymers 2023, 15(3), 635; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15030635 - 26 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1342

Abstract

Ordered porous polyimide films were fabricated from (AB)_m type of diblock copolymer polyimide-b-polystyrene (PI-b-PS). An increase in PS volume fraction (f ^V_PS) is beneficial to decrease the relative dielectric constants and water contact angles of the obtained porous PI films: the relative dielectric constant decreases to 1.89 and water contact angle decreases to 43° when f ^V_PS is 0.36, indicating porous PI films can be used as low-κ material and have good wettability. The solvent uptake of the porous PI films increases with increasing f ^V_PS. A net-like morphology appears when f ^V_PS reaches 0.36. The net-like porous PI film reaches equilibrium uptake of water within approximately 2.5 h, with a final equilibrium uptake ratio of 17.5%, and reaches equilibrium uptake of toluene within approximately 8 h, with a final equilibrium uptake ratio of 15.4%, displaying the highest and fastest solvent uptake compared with other microstructured porous PI films, which is ascribed to the specific characteristic of the interconnecting porous channels derived from the self-assembly of PI-b-PS with f ^V_PS 0.36. Introducing thermally degradable segments to PI-based block copolymer is an effective method to prepare porous PI films and can enhance some of their properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-Functional Polymer Composites)

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14 pages, 9931 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Zinc Oxide Incorporation on the Antibacterial, Physicochemical, and Mechanical Properties of Pit and Fissure Sealants

by Ji-Won Choi and Song-Yi Yang

Polymers 2023, 15(3), 529; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15030529 - 19 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1736

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial, physicochemical, and mechanical properties of pit and fissure sealants containing different weight percentages of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs). The following amounts of ZnO NPs were added to a commercially available pit and fissure sealant (BeautiSealant, Shofu, Japan) to prepare the experimental materials: 0 wt.% (commercial control (CC)), 0.5 wt.% (ZnO 0.5), 1 wt.% (ZnO 1.0), 2 wt.% (ZnO 2.0), and 4 wt.% (ZnO 4.0). The antibacterial effect against S. mutans was confirmed by counting the colony-forming units (CFUs) and observing live/dead bacteria. In addition, ion release, depth of cure, water sorption and solubility, and flexural strength tests were conducted. When compared with the CC, the experimental groups containing ZnO NPs showed zinc ion emission and significantly different CFUs (p < 0.05) with fewer live bacteria. ZnO NP addition reduced the depth of cure and water solubility and increased water sorption in comparison with the CC (p < 0.05). However, all groups showed similar flexural strength (p > 0.05). The pit and fissure sealants containing ZnO NPs exhibited antibacterial activity against S. mutans with no negative effects on physicochemical and mechanical properties, and thus, these sealants can be ideal secondary caries prevention material. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-Functional Polymer Composites)

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17 pages, 2780 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Polyaniline/ZnO Hybrid Nanocomposite: Morphology, Spectroscopy and Optimization of ZnO Concentration for Photovoltaic Applications

by Alamgeer, Muhammad Tahir, Mahidur R. Sarker, Shabina Ali, Ibraheem, Shahid Hussian, Sajad Ali, Muhammad Imran Khan, Dil Nawaz Khan, Rashid Ali and Suhana Mohd Said

Polymers 2023, 15(2), 363; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15020363 - 10 Jan 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2328

Abstract

The appropriate combination of semiconducting polymer–inorganic nanocomposites can enhance the existing performance of polymers-only-based photovoltaic devices. Hence, polyaniline (PANI)/zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocomposites were prepared by combining ZnO nanoparticles with PANI in four distinct ratios to optimize their photovoltaic performance. Using a simple coating method, PANI, ZnO, and its nanocomposite, with varying weight percent (wt%) concentrations of ZnO nanoparticles, i.e., (1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, and 4 wt%), were fabricated and utilized as an active layer to evaluate the potential for the high-power conversion efficiency of various concentrations, respectively. PANI/ZnO nanocomposites are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and I-V measurement techniques. The XRD analysis showed a distinct, narrow peak, which corresponds to the wurtzite ZnO (101) plane. The SEM analysis verified the production of the PANI/ZnO composite by demonstrating that the crystalline ZnO was integrated into the PANI matrix. The elemental composition was determined by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), which confirmed the existence of PANI and ZnO without any impurities, respectively. Using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, various chemical bonds and stretching vibrations were analyzed and assigned to different peaks. The bandgap narrowing with an increasing PANI/ZnO composition led to exceptional optical improvement. The I-V characterization was utilized to investigate the impact of the nanocomposite on the electrical properties of the PANI/ZnO, and various concentrations of ZnO (1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, and 4 wt%) in the PANI matrix were analyzed under both light and dark conditions at an STC of 1.5 AM globally. A high PCE of 4.48% was achieved for the PANI/ZnO (3 wt%), which revealed that the conductivity of the PANI/ZnO nanocomposite thin films improved with the increasing nanocomposite concentration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-Functional Polymer Composites)

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11 pages, 3812 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Active Packaging Material Based on Immobilized Diatomaceous Earth/Zinc Oxide/High-Density Polyethylene Composite for Sea Food and Products

by Korakot Charoensri, Yang J. Shin, Kyu C. Kim and Hyun J. Park

Polymers 2022, 14(23), 5228; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14235228 - 01 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1631

Abstract

One of the key factors of supporting the rapidly expanding seafood product industry in terms of quality control is the utilization of active packaging materials. Microorganisms are primarily responsible for the perishability and rapid disintegration of seafood. The incorporation of an inorganic compound, such as silica-based diatomaceous earth (DE), and a metal oxide, such as zinc oxide (ZnO), is proposed to develop active packaging materials with excellent antibacterial activity, minimized fishy odor, and brittleness at subzero temperatures. The mechanical, morphological, and physicochemical properties of these materials were investigated. The results show that the addition of DE/ZnO improved the antibacterial activity of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) samples by up to approximately 95% against both gram-positive and -negative bacteria. Additionally, it enhanced the Izod strength and stability at subzero temperatures of the samples. The odor evaporation test revealed that trimethylamine can be minimized in proportion to increasing DE/ZnO composite concentration. As a result, the development of active packaging materials from DE/ZnO composites is an emerging polymeric packaging technology for seafood products, wherein packaging and seafood quality are linked. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-Functional Polymer Composites)

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11 pages, 3455 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Force-Extension Curve of a Polymer Chain Entangled with a Static Ring-Shaped Obstacle

by Qihao Zhang and Jianfeng Li

Polymers 2022, 14(21), 4613; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14214613 - 30 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1239

Abstract

The way to theoretically approach dynamic and static topological constraints of polymer entanglements still presents a great challenge in polymer physics. So far, only the problem of static entanglement with multiple simple objects has been solved in theory by a superspace approach in our previous work. This work is devoted to extending the superspace approach to study a polymer chain entangled with a relatively complicated object—a ring-shaped object with genus one. Taking advantage of the axial symmetry of the model setup, the 3D diffusion equations in the superspace can be numerically solved within the 2D coordinates using a specially designed alternating-direction implicit (ADI) scheme. A series of numerical calculations reveal that the topological entanglement effect of the ring will exert a topological entropy attractive force on the linear chain, which can be used to explain the viscosity-increase phenomenon observed in recent simulations and experiments. Furthermore, the influences of the ring size and the entangling modes on the topological entropy force are also investigated by examining the corresponding force-extension curves. This work, together with our previous work, might pave the path toward the complete formulation of static topological constraints. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-Functional Polymer Composites)

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19 pages, 5774 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Control of Crystallization of PBT-PC Blends by Anisotropic SiO₂ and GeO₂ Glass Flakes

by Björn Düsenberg, Julian D. Esper, Felix Maußner, Magdalena Mayerhofer, Jochen Schmidt, Wolfgang Peukert and Andreas Bück

Polymers 2022, 14(21), 4555; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14214555 - 27 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1691

Abstract

Polymer composites and blend systems are of increasing importance, due to the combination of unique and different material properties. Blending polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) with polycarbonate (PC) has been the focus of attention for some time in order to combine thermo-chemical with mechanical resistance. The right compounding of the two polymers is a particular challenge, since phase boundaries between PBT and PC lead to coalescence during melting, and thus to unwanted segregation within the composite material. Amorphization of the semi-crystalline PBT would significantly improve the blending of the two polymers, which is why specific miscibility aids are needed for this purpose. Recent research has focused on the functionalization of polymers with shape-anisotropic glass particles. The advantage of those results from their two-dimensional shape, which not only improves the mechanical properties but are also suspected to act as miscibility aids, as they could catalyze transesterification or act as crystallization modifier. This work presents a process route for the production of PBT-PC blends via co-comminution and an in-situ additivation of the polymer blend particles with anisotropic glass flakes to adjust the crystallinity and therefore enhance the miscibility of the polymers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-Functional Polymer Composites)

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11 pages, 2727 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Preparation of Monomer Casting Polyamide 6/Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Polymer Composite Materials with Satisfactory Miscibility

by Mingmin Li, Jiahao Qiu, Yifei Yue, Jingbing Liu and Baohua Zhang

Polymers 2022, 14(20), 4355; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14204355 - 16 Oct 2022

Viewed by 2193

Abstract

It is highly expected to develop a simple and effective method to reinforce polyamide 6 (PA6) to enlarge its application potential. This is challenging because of frequently encountered multi-component phase separations. In this paper, we propose a novel method to solve this issue, essentially comprising two steps. Firstly, a kind of poly (amide-block-aramid) block copolymers, i.e., thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP)-polyamide 6 (TLCP-PA6), that contains both rigid aromatic liquid crystal blocks, and flexible alkyl blocks were synthesized. It is unique in that TLCP is chemically linked with PA6, which is advantageous in excellent chemical and physical miscibility with the precursors of monomer casting polyamide 6 (MCPA6), i.e., ε-caprolactam. Secondly, such newly synthesized block copolymer TLCP-PA6 was dissolved in the melting ε-caprolactam, and followed by in situ polymerization to obtain composite polymer blends, i.e., MCPA6/TLCP-PA6. The thermodynamic, morphological, and crystalline properties of MCPA6/TLCP-PA6 can be easily manipulated by tailoring the loading ratios between TLCP-PA6 and ε-caprolactam. Especially, at the optimized condition, such MCPA6/TLCP-PA6 blends show an excellent miscibility. Systematic characterizations, including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and polarizing optical microscope (POM), were performed to confirm these statements. In view of these results, it is anticipated that the overall mechanical properties of such PA6-based polymer composites will be satisfactory, which should enable applications in the modern plastic industry and other emerging areas, such as wearable fabrics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-Functional Polymer Composites)

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18 pages, 18819 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Interfacial Forces in Free-Standing Layers of Melted Polyethylene, from Critical to Nanoscopic Thicknesses

by Fernando Iguazú Ramírez-Zavaleta, Victor Manuel Torres-Dominguez, Gonzalo Viramontes-Gamboa and José Luis Rivera

Polymers 2022, 14(18), 3865; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14183865 - 15 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1108

Abstract

Molecular dynamics simulations of ultrathin free-standing layers made of melted (373.15–673.15 K) polyethylene chains, which exhibit a lower melting temperature (compared to the bulk value), were carried out to investigate the dominant pressure forces that shape the conformation of chains at the interfacial [...] Read more.

t_{L}

, from the critical limit of mechanical stability up to lengths of tens of nm and found a normal distribution of bonds dominated by slightly stretched chains across the entire layer, even at large temperatures. In the bulk region, the contribution of bond vibrations to pressure was one order of magnitude larger than the contributions from interchain interactions, which changed from cohesive to noncohesive at larger temperatures just at a transition temperature that was found to be close to the experimentally derived onset temperature for thermal stability. The interchain interactions produced noncohesive interfacial regions at all temperatures in both directions (normal and lateral to the surface layer). Predictions for the value of the surface tension,

γ

, were consistent with experimental results and were independent of

t_{L}

. However, the real interfacial thickness—measured from the outermost part of the interface up to the point where

γ

reached its maximum value—was found to be dependent on

t_{L}

, located at a distance of 62 Å from the Gibbs dividing surface in the largest layer studied (1568 chains or 313,600 bins); this was ~4 times the length of the interfacial thickness measured in the density profiles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-Functional Polymer Composites)

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14 pages, 3624 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Advanced Dual−Function Hollow Copper−Sulfide−Based Polyimide Composite Window Film Combining Near−Infrared Thermal Shielding and Organic Pollutants’ Photodegradation

by Xiangfu Liu, Jinming Ma, Jiulin Shen, Jianqiao Zhao, Chengxu Lu and Guoli Tu

Polymers 2022, 14(16), 3382; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14163382 - 18 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2221

Abstract

Window−film−integrated, near−infrared (NIR) absorption−based nanomaterials are of great interest in terms of numerous demands to reduce energy consumption, especially in buildings and vehicles. However, the question of how to effectively manage thermal energy generated from NIR harvesting in light−absorbing materials, rather than being wasted or causing negative effects, remains challenging. Herein, hollow copper sulfide (Cu_2−xS) on colorless polyimide (PI) films, enabling them to be well−dispersed and robustly adhered, underwent in situ growth fabrication and were utilized as NIR−thermal−shielding and organic−pollutant−removal dual−function window films. Due to strong NIR absorbance, arising from the heavy hole−doping (copper cation deficiency), the Cu_2−xS/PI composite film exhibited great promise for use in the filtration of the NIR spectrum. By monitoring Cu_2−xS densities, its NIR−shielding efficiency reached 69.4%, with hundred−percent UV blocking and consistent performance within the reliability (85 °C/85%RH) tests over one week as well as 5000 bending cycles. The integration of the films into model cars and building windows exhibited excellent thermal−shielding performance upon exposure to direct sunlight. Moreover, benefiting from the distinctive distribution of Cu_2−xS, the additional thermal energy (holes) generated in NIR absorption was successfully utilized. The densely surface−confined hollow structure of Cu_2−xS on PI significantly endowed good formaldehyde catalytic capacity, with removal efficiency reaching approximately 72% within 60 min and a negligible decline after quartic reuse. These integration methodologies enable the promising fabrication of a high−performance, bifunctional window film combining thermal shielding and indoor organic pollutant removal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-Functional Polymer Composites)

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18 pages, 7022 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Conducting Composite Material Based on Chitosan and Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes for Cellular Technologies

by Vera Vladimirovna Kodolova-Chukhontseva, Mikhail Alexandrovich Shishov, Konstantin Andreevich Kolbe, Natalia Vladimirovna Smirnova, Irina Petrovna Dobrovol’skaya, Elena Nikolaevna Dresvyanina, Sergei Gennadievich Bystrov, Nadezda Semenovna Terebova, Almaz Maratovich Kamalov, Anna Ericovna Bursian, Elena Mikhailovna Ivan’kova and Vladimir Evgenievich Yudin

Polymers 2022, 14(16), 3287; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14163287 - 12 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1744

Abstract

Biocompatible electrically conducting chitosan-based films filled with single-wall carbon nanotubes were obtained. Atomic force microscopic studies of the free surface topography revealed a change in the morphology of chitosan films filled with single-wall carbon nanotubes. Introducing 0.5 wt.% of single-wall carbon nanotubes into chitosan results in an increase in tensile strength of the films (up to ~180 MPa); the tensile strain values also rise up to ~60%. It was demonstrated that chitosan films containing 0.1–3.0 wt.% of single-wall carbon nanotubes have higher conductivity (10 S/m) than pure chitosan films (10⁻¹¹ S/m). The investigation of electrical stimulation of human dermal fibroblasts on chitosan/single-wall carbon nanotubes film scaffolds showed that the biological effect of cell electrical stimulation depends on the content of single-walled carbon nanotubes in the chitosan matrix. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-Functional Polymer Composites)

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16 pages, 2504 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Active Thermoplastic Starch Film with Watermelon Rind Extract for Future Biodegradable Food Packaging

by Tatsaporn Todhanakasem, Chayanit Jaiprayat, Thunchanok Sroysuwan, Supakanya Suksermsakul, Rachit Suwapanich, Kamolnate Kitsawad Maleenont, Piyawit Koombhongse and Briana M. Young

Polymers 2022, 14(16), 3232; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14163232 - 09 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5781

Abstract

Petrochemical plastic wastes generate serious environmental problems because they are resistant to natural decomposition. The aim of this study was to develop a biodegradable active thermoplastic film composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), corn starch (ST), glycerol, and the active compounds from watermelon rind extract (WMRE), or PVA/ST/WMRE, using the casting technique. The film was examined for its mechanical, antioxidant, and functional properties against selected foodborne pathogens. The results showed that the addition of 10% v/v of watermelon rind extract to the film formulation significantly increased the tensile strength from 19.44 ± 0.84 MPa to 33.67 ± 4.38 MPa and slightly increased the percent elongation at break (% EAB) from 35.04 ± 0.96% to 35.16 ± 1.08%. The antioxidant property of PVA/ST/WMRE film was analyzed based on the DPPH scavenging activity assay, which significantly increased from 29.21 ± 0.24% to 63.37 ± 4.27%. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of watermelon rind extract was analyzed for the growth inhibition of Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778, Escherichia coli ATCC 8739, and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium ATCC 13311, with 10% (v/v) found as an optimal concentration against B. cereus. Wrapping fresh-cut purple cabbage with PVA/ST/WMRE film significantly reduced the microbial load after 3 days of storage, in comparison to commercial packaging (PET) and thermoplastic control film. Consumer testing of the packaging film indicated that user acceptance of the product was favorable. Therefore, we suggest that this newly developed film can be used as a biodegradable food packaging item that will lead to enhanced food safety, food quality, prolonged shelf life, and consumer acceptance for further food applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-Functional Polymer Composites)

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18 pages, 6848 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Multi-Attribute Decision-Making Model for the Selection of Polymer-Based Biomaterial for Orthopedic Industrial Applications

by Ali Rizwan, Emad H. Abualsauod, Asem Majed Othman, Suhail H. Serbaya, Muhammad Atif Shahzad and Abdul Zubar Hameed

Polymers 2022, 14(5), 1020; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14051020 - 03 Mar 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1649

Abstract

The potential of quantifying the variations in IR active bands was explored while using the chemometric analysis of FTIR spectra for selecting orthopedic biomaterial of industrial scale i.e., ultra-high molecular weight PE (UHMWPE). The nano composites UHMWPE with multi-walled carbon nano-tubes (MWCNTs) and Mg-silicate were prepared and irradiated with 25 kGy and 50 kGy of gamma dose. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that first three principal components (PCs) are responsible for explaining the >99% of variance in FTIR data of UHMWPE on addition of fillers and/or irradiation. The factor loadings plots revealed that PC-1 was responsible for explaining the variance in polyethylene characteristics bands and the IR active region induced by fillers i.e., 440 cm⁻¹, 456 cm⁻¹, from 900–1200 cm⁻¹, 1210 cm⁻¹, 1596 cm⁻¹, PC-2 was responsible for explaining the variance in spectra due to radiation-induced oxidation and cross linking, while the PC-3 is responsible for explaining the variance induced because of IR active bands of MWCNTs. Hierarchy cluster analysis (HCA) was employed to classify the samples into four clusters with respect to similarity in their IR active bands which is further confirmed by PCA. According to multi attribute analysis with PCA and HCA, 65 kGy irradiated sample is optimum choice from the existing alternatives in the group of irradiated pristine UHMWPE, UHMWPE/Mg-silicate irradiated with 25 kGy of gamma dose was the optimum choice for UHWMPE/Mg-silicate nano composites, and UHMWPE/γMWCNTs composites containing 1.0% dof γ MWCNTs for UHMWPE/MWCNTs nanocomposites, respectively. The results show the effectiveness of quantifying the variance for decision as far as optimization of biomaterials in orthopedic industrial applications is concerned. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Multi-Functional Polymer Composites)

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