Search Results (13)

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) hold great potential in high-safety energy storage but face two key bottlenecks: low room-temperature ionic conductivity and insufficient mechanical strength. This study proposes a synergistic optimization strategy of “long-carbon-chain regulation of polymer microstructure combined with porous polyimide (PI) support”. A linear random copolyester, poly(1,3-propylene-co-1,4-butylene succinate-co-sebacate) (PBPSS), was synthesized via melt polycondensation using 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, succinic acid, and sebacic acid as monomers. Subsequently, the PBPSS-75 composite electrolyte was prepared with this copolyester as the matrix and porous PI as support. Results show that long-carbon-chain sebacic acid effectively regulates polymer segment flexibility and free volume, synergistically enhancing ionic conductivity and interfacial mechanical stability with lithium metal. Experimental data indicate that PBPSS-75 composite electrolyte exhibits an ionic conductivity of up to 4.25 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹ (30 °C), a lithium-ion transference number of 0.81, and an electrochemical stability window of 4.48 V (vs. Li/Li⁺). In LiFePO₄//Li batteries, it maintains nearly 100% capacity retention after 300 cycles at 0.5 C, and achieves stable cycling for over 800 h in lithium symmetric cells. This study confirms that the combined strategy effectively addresses the conductivity-mechanical property trade-off of SPEs, providing theoretical guidance and technical reference for high-performance solid-state battery material design. Full article

Bio-based polyurethane (BPU) offers excellent biocompatibility and outstanding elasticity, providing vast potential for the development of next-generation waterproof and breathable materials. However, achieving stable and uniform electrospinning of BPU remains a significant challenge. Herein, BPU with superior electrospinning performance was synthesized using poly(butylene sebacate), poly(trimethylene ether glycol), ethylene glycol, and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) as raw materials. BPU nanofibrous membranes were successfully fabricated using solutions of varying concentrations (12 wt%, 16 wt%, 20 wt%, and 24 wt%), and their morphology, mechanical properties, hydrophobicity, and breathability were systematically analyzed. The nanofibrous membrane prepared with 20 wt% BPU solution exhibited optimal fiber morphology and mechanical properties, with a tensile strength of 15.6 MPa and an elongation at break of 440.8%. In contrast, lower concentrations (12 wt% and 16 wt%) resulted in insufficient fiber formation, leading to poorer performance, while higher concentrations (24 wt%) significantly reduced fiber uniformity, negatively impacting the overall performance. Additionally, the nanofibrous membrane produced from the 20 wt% BPU solution demonstrated significant hydrophobicity and breathability, with a water contact angle of 133.2°, hydrostatic pressure of 48.2 kPa, and breathability of 12.6 kg·m²·d⁻¹. These findings suggest that BPU nanofibrous membranes produced via electrospinning hold great potential for application in functional textiles. Full article

Poly(butylene sebacate-co-terephthalate) (PBSeT) copolyesters are prepared by melt polymerization via two-step transesterification and polycondensation using pentaerythritol (PE) as a branching agent. The effects of the incorporated PE on its chemical, thermal, mechanical, and degradation properties, along with the rheological properties of its melt, are investigated. The highest molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity along with the lowest melt flow index were achieved at a PE content of 0.2 mol%, with minimal reduction in the tensile strength and the highest tear strength. The addition of PE did not significantly influence the thermal behavior and stability of the PBSeT copolyesters; however, the elongation at break decreased with increasing PE content. The sample with 0.2 mol% PE exhibited a higher storage modulus and loss modulus as well as a lower loss angle tangent than the other samples, indicating improved melt elasticity. The incorporation of more than 0.2 mol% PE enhanced the enzymatic degradation of copolyesters. In summary, including within 0.2 mol%, PE effectively improved both the processability-related characteristics and degradation properties of PBSeT copolyesters, suggesting their potential suitability for use in agricultural and packaging materials. Full article

Poly(butylene sebacate-co-terephthalate) (PBSeT) has generated attention as a promising biopolymer for preparing bioplastics. However, there are limited studies on the synthesis of PBSeT, impeding its commercialization. Herein, with a view to addressing this challenge, biodegradable PBSeT was modified using solid state polymerization (SSP) with various ranges of time and temperature. The SSP used three different temperatures below the melting temperature of PBSeT. The polymerization degree of SSP was investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The changes in the rheological properties of PBSeT after SSP were investigated using a rheometer and an Ubbelodhe viscometer. Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction showed that the crystallinity of PBSeT was higher after SSP. The investigation revealed that after SSP for 40 min at 90 °C, PBSeT exhibited higher intrinsic viscosity (increased from 0.47 to 0.53 dL/g), crystallinity, and complex viscosity than PBSeT polymerized at other temperatures. However, a high SSP processing time resulted in a decrease in these values. In this experiment, SSP was most effectively performed in the temperature range closest to the melting temperature of PBSeT. This indicates that SSP could be a facile and rapid method for improving the crystallinity and thermal stability of synthesized PBSeT. Full article

To prepare nonwoven mats constituted by submicrometric fibers of thermally responsive biopolyurethanes (TPU) modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), solution blow spinning (SBS) was used. The TPU was the product of synthesis using poly(butylene sebacate)diol, PBSD, ethyl ester L-lysine diisocyanate (LDI), and 1,3-propanediol (PD) (PBSe:LDI:PD) as reactants. TPU was modified by adding different amounts of MWCNT (0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 wt.%). The effect of the presence and amount of MWCNT on the morphology and structure of the materials was studied using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), respectively, while their influence on the thermal and electric behaviors was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and capacitance measurements, respectively. The addition of MWCNT by SBS induced morphological changes in the fibrous materials, affecting the relative amount and size of submicrometric fibers and, therefore, the porosity. As the MWCNT content increased, the diameter of the fibers increased and their relative amount with respect to all morphological microfeatures increased, leading to a more compact microstructure with lower porosity. The highly porous fibrous morphology of TPU-based materials achieved by SBS allowed turning a hydrophilic material to a highly hydrophobic one. Percolation of MWCNT was attained between 2 and 3 wt.%, affecting not only the electric properties of the materials but also their thermal behavior. Full article

A series of poly(butylene sebacate) (PBSe) aliphatic polyesters were successfully synthesized by the melt polycondensation of sebacic acid (Se) and 1,4-butanediol (BDO), two monomers manufactured on an industrial scale from biomass. The number average molecular weight (M_n) in the range from 6116 to 10,779 g/mol and the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the PBSe polyesters were tuned by adjusting the feed ratio between the two monomers. Polylactic acid (PLA)/PBSe blends with PBSe concentrations between 2.5 to 20 wt% were obtained by melt compounding. For the first time, PBSe’s effect on the flexibility and toughness of PLA was studied. As shown by the torque and melt flow index (MFI) values, the addition of PBSe endowed PLA with both enhanced melt processability and flexibility. The tensile tests and thermogravimetric analysis showed that PLA/PBSe blends containing 20 wt% PBSe obtained using a BDO molar excess of 50% reached an increase in elongation at break from 2.9 to 108%, with a negligible decrease in Young’s modulus from 2186 MPa to 1843 MPa, and a slight decrease in thermal performances. These results demonstrated the plasticizing efficiency of the synthesized bio-derived polyesters in overcoming PLA’s brittleness. Moreover, the tunable properties of the resulting PBSe can be of great industrial interest in the context of circular bioeconomy. Full article

Poly(butylene sebacate-co-terephthalate) (PBSeT) is a biodegradable flexible polymer suitable for melt blending with other biodegradable polymers. Melt blending with a compatibilizer is a common strategy for increasing miscibility between polymers. In this study, PBSeT polyester was synthesized, and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was blended with 25 wt% PBSeT by melt processing with 3–6 phr PLA-grafted maleic anhydride (PLA-g-MAH) compatibilizers. PLA-g-MAH enhanced the interfacial adhesion of the PLA/PBSeT blend, and their mechanical and morphological properties confirmed that the miscibility also increased. Adding more than 6 phr of PLA-g-MAH significantly improved the mechanical properties and accelerated the cold crystallization of the PLA/PBSeT blends. Furthermore, the thermal stabilities of the blends with PLA-g-MAH were slightly enhanced. PLA/PBSeT blends with and without PLA-g-MAH were not significantly different after 120 h, whereas all blends showed a more facilitated hydrolytic degradation rate than neat PLA. These findings indicate that PLA-g-MAH effectively improves PLA/PBSeT compatibility and can be applied in the packaging industry. Full article

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is the most widely available commercial bioplastic that is used in various medical and packaging applications and three-dimensional filaments. However, because neat PLA is brittle, it conventionally has been blended with ductile polymers and plasticizers. In this study, PLA was blended with the high-ductility biopolymer poly (butylene-sebacate–co–terephthalate) (PBSeT), and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) was applied as a crosslinking compatibilizer to increase the miscibility between the two polymers. PLA (80%) and PBSeT (20%) were combined with various HDI contents in the range 0.1–1.0 parts-per-hundred rubber (phr) to prepare blends, and the resulting physical, thermal, and hydrolysis properties were analyzed. Fourier-transform infrared analysis confirmed that –NH–C=OO⁻ bonds had formed between the HDI and the other polymers and that the chemical bonding had influenced the thermal behavior. All the HDI-treated specimens showed tensile strengths and elongations higher than those of the control. In particular, the 0.3-phr-HDI specimen showed the highest elongation (exceeding 150%) and tensile strength. In addition, all the specimens were hydrolyzed under alkaline conditions, and all the HDI-treated specimens degraded faster than the neat PLA one. Full article

In this study, poly(butylene sebacate-co-terephthalate) (PBSeT) was successfully synthesized using various ratios of sebacic acid (Se) and dimethyl terephthalate (DMT). The synthesized PBSeT showed a high molecular weight (M_w, 88,700–154,900 g/mol) and good elastomeric properties. In particular, the PBSeT64 (6:4 sebacic acid/dimethyl terephthalate mole ratio) sample showed an elongation at break value of over 1600%. However, further increasing the DMT content decreased the elongation properties but increased the tensile strength due to the inherent strength of the aromatic unit. The melting point and crystallization temperature were difficult to observe in PBSeT64, indicating that an amorphous copolyester was formed at this mole ratio. Interestingly, wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) curves was shown in the cases of PBSeT46 and PBSeT64, neither the crystal peaks of PBSe nor those of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) are observed, that is, PBSeT64 showed an amorphous form with low crystallinity. The Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum showed C–H peaks at around 2900 cm⁻¹ that reduced as the DMT ratio was increased. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) showed well-resolved peaks split by coupling with the sebacate and DMT moieties. These results highlight that elastomeric PBSeT with high molecular weight could be synthesized by applying DMT monomer and showed promising mechanical properties. Full article

Determining the cross-linking time resulting in the best achievable properties in elastomers is a very important factor when considering their mass production. In this paper, five biodegradable polymers were synthesized—poly(xylitol-dicarboxylate-co-butylene dicarboxylate) polymers, based on xylitol obtained from renewable sources. Five different dicarboxylic acids with even numbers of carbon atoms in the aliphatic chain were used: succinic acid, adipic acid, suberic acid, sebacic acid, and dodecanedioic acid. Samples were taken directly after polycondensation (prepolymer samples) and at different stages of the cross-linking process. Physiochemical properties were determined by a gel fraction test, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), quasi-static tensile tests, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR), and an in vitro biodegradation test. The best cross-linking time was determined to be 288h. Properties and degradation time can be tailored for specific applications by adjusting the dicarboxylic acid chain length. Full article

The aim of this work was to investigate the thermal and mechanical properties of novel, electron beam-modified ester elastomers containing multifunctional alcohols. Polymers tested in this work consist of two blocks: sebacic acid–butylene glycol block and sebacic acid–sugar alcohol block. Different sugar alcohols were utilized in the polymer synthesis: glycerol, sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, and mannitol. The polymers have undergone an irradiation procedure. The materials were irradiated with doses of 50 kGy, 100 kGy, and 150 kGy. The expected effect of using ionizing radiation was crosslinking process and improvement of the mechanical properties. Additionally, a beneficial side effect of the irradiation process is sterilization of the affected materials. It is also worth noting that the materials described in this paper do not require either sensitizers or cross-linking agent in order to perform radiation modification. Radiation-modified poly(polyol sebacate-co-butylene sebacate) elastomers have been characterized in respect to the mechanical properties (quasi-static tensile tests), cross-link density, thermal properties (Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)), chemical properties: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and wettability (water contact angle). Poly(polyol sebacate-co-butylene sebacate) preopolymers were characterized with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Thermal stability of cross-linked materials (directly after synthesis process) was tested with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Full article

In this work, a bio-based copolyester with good mechanical properties was synthesized and characterized in terms of structure, main properties and biodegradability Determining the chemical structure of such materials is important to understand their behavior and properties. Performing an extraction of insoluble cross-linked polymer using different solvents allowed us to analyze how the polymer behaves when subjected to different chemical environments, and to obtain soluble samples suitable for more in-depth analysis. Chemical structure of poly (xylitol sebacate-co-butylene sebacate) was determined by a ¹H NMR and FTIR analysis of both prepolymer gel sample and samples obtained by extraction of cross-linked polymer using different solvents. Block structure of the copolymer was confirmed by both NMR and DSC. Gel fraction, swelling value, water contact angle, and mechanical properties were also analyzed. Biodegradability of this material was confirmed by performing enzymatic and hydrolytic degradation. Synthesizing sugar-alcohol based copolyester using three monomers leads to obtaining a material with interesting chemical structure and desirable mechanical properties comparable to conventional elastomers. Full article

The aim of this work was synthesizing ester elastomers, using sorbitol as a monomer obtainable from renewable sources. Three polymers were synthesized, utilizing three different polycondensation times. Their mechanical and thermal properties were examined and compared. Poly(sorbitol sebacate-co-butylene sebacate) elastomers were synthesized as a result of polycondensation reaction, using sebacic acid, butylene glycol and sorbitol as monomers. Resulting materials had good mechanical properties and a cross-linked structure. Such elastomers are susceptible to hydrolytic degradation which has been confirmed in earlier studies. This paper shows that the material synthesized utilizing a 3.5 h polycondensation time has the most desirable mechanical and thermal properties, and the reaction is characterized by the highest degree of conversion of substrates. Full article