Review
Polymer Science
Serena Coiai, Maria Laura Di Lorenzo, Patrizia Cinelli, Maria Cristina Righetti, Elisa Passaglia
Summary: Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is a widely produced biobased, biodegradable and biocompatible polyester. Although it shares similarities with petroleum-based polymers, its high brittleness and low toughness limit its utilization, prompting the blending with other biobased and biodegradable polymers. By incorporating appropriate additives and solid nanoparticles, the toughness and ductility of PLA can be improved, enhancing its mechanical performance, thermal stability and gas/vapor barrier properties.
Article
Polymer Science
Ye Zhang, Lijuan Wang, Changyu Han
Summary: The miscibility, phase morphology, thermal properties, rheological properties and mechanical properties of PBAT/PVAc blends were studied. The addition of PVAc improved the thermal, rheological and mechanical properties of PBAT.
JOURNAL OF POLYMER RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Chih-Jen Chang, Manikandan Venkatesan, Chia-Jung Cho, Ping-Yu Chung, Jayashree Chandrasekar, Chen-Hung Lee, Hsin-Ta Wang, Chang-Ming Wong, Chi-Ching Kuo
Summary: Starch-based biodegradable foams were synthesized using industrial starch and supercritical CO2. The foam properties were improved by modifying the surface of thermoplastic starch and optimizing the foam-forming process. The resulting composite foam with PBAT exhibited good flexibility and low foam density.
Article
Polymer Science
Nomvuyo Nomadolo, Omotola Esther Dada, Andri Swanepoel, Teboho Mokhena, Sudhakar Muniyasamy
Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate and mechanisms of aerobic biodegradation of biopolymer blends under controlled composting conditions. The results showed that the biopolymer blends degraded faster under industrial composting conditions and underwent changes in structural, chemical, thermal and morphological characteristics.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Peter Zytner, Akhilesh Kumar Pal, Feng Wu, Arturo Rodriguez-Uribe, Amar K. Mohanty, Manjusri Misra
Summary: This study investigates the structure-property relationship in biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) blends. It is found that adding 50 wt% PBAT can modify the brittleness of PHBV and create a co-continuous structure, significantly improving the toughness of the blends. The blending of the two polymers with different composition ratios allows for tailoring the properties for different processing methods and applications.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chenyang Li, Kuichen Liu, Chun Li, Xin Meng, Weiguang Gong, Wei Wen, Shiyuan Chen, Zhong Xin
Summary: The study aimed to explore the compatibilization of PGA/PBAT blend in the presence of TPP to prepare the ductile blend. The increased TPP content led to an enhancement of melt strength and the generation of PGA-g-PBAT copolymer. The modified blend showed increased mechanical properties and reduced particle size due to interfacial debonding and fibrillation.
MATERIALS TODAY COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Shuang Yin, PeiJia Chen, ZhiCong Zhan, WeiJie Liang, Xin Ge, WeiYue Yu, HongJi Liu, Ji AnFang Ge
Summary: Replacing traditional non-biodegradable plastics with fully biodegradable plastics is an effective long-term solution for reducing the environmental impact of persistent plastic pollution. In this study, chemically reactive biophenolic polysiloxanes were synthesized and used to modify Poly(butylene adipate-co-butylene terephthalate) (PBAT). The addition of an appropriate amount of these biophenolic polysiloxanes improved the performance of PBAT, enhancing its crystallinity and mechanical properties.
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Alessandra Ruyz Medeiros, Fabiana da Silva Lima, Andressa Giombelli Rosenberger, Douglas Cardoso Dragunski, Edvani Curti Muniz, Eduardo Radovanovic, Josiane Caetano
Summary: This study aimed to use electrospinning to obtain PBAT/PLA polymer fibers with semiconductors TiO2-R and Fe3O4 to enhance the photocatalytic degradation of environmental contaminants. The parameters used in electrospinning were a needle to target distance of 12 cm, a flow rate of 1 mL h(-1), and a voltage of 14 kV. The best mass ratio of semiconductors in the fibers was determined to be 10% TiO2-R and 1% Fe3O4 at pH 7.0. Characterization techniques such as SEM, DSC, XRD, TGA, and FTIR confirmed the presence of TiO2-R and Fe3O4 in the fibers and their interaction with the polymers, leading to changes in crystallinity and degradation temperature. The fibers exhibited a 64.0% efficiency in degrading Reactive Red 195 dye within 24 hours, indicating potential for photocatalytic degradation of environmental contaminants.
Article
Polymer Science
Lei Hua, Xiaodong Wang
Summary: New biodegradable aliphatic PLLA-PBA-PLLA copolymers with different PLLA block lengths showed different structures and crystallization behaviors of PBA-mid, which were studied using various analytical techniques.
Article
Polymer Science
Jingxuan Wu, Xiaolei Zhang, Zhanghua Xie, Qiaoqing Zhang, Chen Wang, Gangzhen Jiao, Jinjun Yang
Summary: The research found that 3,4-dihydroxy hydrocinnamic acid (HCA) interacts with poly(1,4-butylene adipate) (PBA) through hydrogen bonding, resulting in a decrease in the crystallization temperature, rate, and degree of crystallinity. The content of HCA can be used to control the polymorphism and phase transition of PBA, as well as enhance its biodegradability.
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhenguo Wang, Jiannan Ding, Xiaojun Song, Lixing Zheng, Jichao Huang, Hua Zou, Zhenyu Wang
Summary: This study investigated the aging behavior of poly(lactic acid)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PLA/PBAT) films, which are biodegradable plastics (BPs), under different conditions. Results showed that the aging process was significant only in the water with UV irradiation group. The combination of hydrolysis and photolysis increased the contact area of the films and accelerated the aging process. Free radicals generated in water with UV irradiation also contributed to the accelerated aging. This study provides insights into the environmental behavior and potential risks of BPs.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Zhen Wang, Tong Liu, Jintao Yang, Feng Chen, Yanpei Fei, Mingqiang Zhong, Tairong Kuang
Summary: Ultrastrong and super-tough PLA/PBAT blends with a mussel nacre-like hierarchical structure were successfully prepared using a biomimetic approach. These high-performance polymeric materials may serve as a viable alternative to engineering plastics for structural applications.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Marina Fernandes Cosate de Andrade, Hugo Campos Loureiro, Claire Isabel Grigoli de Luca Sarantopoulos, Ana Rita Morales
Summary: This study evaluated the influence of polyethylene glycol on the compatibility of PBAT and WPIT blends, showing partial miscibility between the materials. The addition of WPIT affected the crystallinity and mechanical properties of PBAT in the blends. Additionally, barrier properties were also impacted with WPIT reducing oxygen permeability but increasing vapor water permeability in the blends.
JOURNAL OF POLYMERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Niki Poulopoulou, Nathanael Guigo, Nicolas Sbirrazzuoli, Dimitrios G. Papageorgiou, Dimitrios N. Bikiaris, George N. Nikolaidis, George Z. Papageorgiou
Summary: Eco-friendly engineering polyesters derived from biomass-based monomers, such as 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (2,5-FDCA), have attracted significant attention from industry and academia. Poly(butylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PBF) was synthesized and blended with its terephthalate counterpart, poly (butylene terephthalate) (PBT), with a detailed study on thermal properties, crystallization behavior, and miscibility. Reactive blending was investigated to improve the compatibility of the blends.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Si-Yao Wang, Cheng Jiang, Hai-Hang Xie, Jian-Bing Zeng, Yi-Dong Li
Summary: The study investigates the effectiveness of using epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) to improve the compatibility of polylactide (PLA) and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) blend. The results show that blending PLA with ENR first, followed by blending with PBAT, leads to improved compatibility and increased toughness of the blends. The mechanism for the toughening effect is interfacial bonding cavitation-initiated matrix plastic deformation.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Li Wang, Jie Hu, Yunxiao Liu, Jie Shu, Hao Wu, Zhaozhao Wang, Xiaolong Pan, Ning Zhang, Lijuan Zhou, Jianming Zhang
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2020)
Review
Polymer Science
Long Chen, Jianming Zhang
Summary: The reproducibility of PTC composites is crucial for their safety and utility, but current challenges stem from irreversible self-aggregation of conductive fillers and random reconstruction of conductive networks. Efforts have been made to address these issues through strategies such as filler modification, polymer matrix cross-linking, filler hybrids, and binary polymer matrix application.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chengshun Liu, Shasha Huang, Jiarui Hou, Wei Zhang, Jinheng Wang, Hongsheng Yang, Jianming Zhang
Summary: The introduction of graphene oxide/zwitterionic chitin nanocrystals hybrids to reinforce unvulcanized natural rubber has successfully improved the mechanical properties of nanocomposites, showing performance comparable to sulfur-vulcanized rubber. This new type of nanocomposite material has excellent application prospects, especially demonstrating great potential in the preparation of products such as medical gloves.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jinli Qin, Zhaolu Wang, Jie Hu, Yuan Yuan, Ping Liu, Li Cheng, Zhengqing Kong, Ke Liu, Shouke Yan, Jianming Zhang
Summary: The study investigates the impact of ionic liquids (IL) on the liquid crystal self-assembly behavior of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). Results demonstrate that CNCs modified with positively charged IL (CNC-IL) can form chiral nematic structures at lower concentrations, showing distinct assembly behavior compared to original CNCs.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Xiao Wu, Yunxiao Liu, Haipeng Wu, Yongxin Duan, Jianming Zhang
Summary: This study successfully achieved the homogeneous dispersion of CNCs in PLLA by using PVAc modified CNCs, which improved the material's melt processibility and adhesion properties, resulting in significantly enhanced mechanical performance and dimensional stability.
COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Jin Yin, Jian Hu, Yanchun Han, Yuwei Chen, Jiawei Hu, Zejun Zhang, Shasha Huang, Yongxin Duan, Hao Wu, Jianming Zhang
Summary: Reversible Plasticity Shape Memory (RPSM) polymers based on crosslinked natural rubber (NR) composites were fabricated in this study. The results showed that with the increase of nanofiller content, the elastomer deformation turned to plasticity deformation. The plasticity deformation of composites with high nanofiller loading could be rapidly recovered in hot water. Moreover, the stretch-induced crystals persisted in the stretched high-content composites even when the stress was unloaded.
COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Gang Wei, Jianming Zhang, Mattia Usuelli, Xiaofang Zhang, Bin Liu, Raffaele Mezzenga
Summary: Studies have shown that biomass-based aerogels have great potential in sustainable materials research. Through structural design and functional adjustment, these aerogels have a wide range of applications in fields such as biomedical engineering, energy materials, nanodevices, chemical engineering, and environmental science.
PROGRESS IN MATERIALS SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Quan Wang, Xueqing Liu, Zhe Qiang, Zhendong Hu, Xin Cui, Huaixiao Wei, Jinjin Hu, Yuming Xia, Shuohan Huang, Jianming Zhang, Kun (Kelvin) Fu, Yuwei Chen
Summary: In this study, a scalable and simple approach was proposed to prepare ultraviolet curable resin composites with high dielectric constants, by introducing cellulose nanocrystals into methacrylate malate photocurable resins. The prepared resin composites can be used in conventional 3D printing technologies and demonstrated promising potential for energy storage applications.
COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Composites
Ning Zhang, Yong Pang, Zhaohui Li, Chuanhui Yang, Lu Zong, Hongsheng Yang, Hao Wu, Yongxin Duan, Jianming Zhang
Summary: In this study, biodegradable PVA-based elastomers with excellent solvent barrier property and high elasticity were fabricated. The water-soluble resin PAE was used as a crosslinker to effectively crosslink carboxyl PVA chains. The collaborative triple networks in the prepared PVA composites contribute to their excellent elastomer behavior. Furthermore, these materials demonstrated highly efficient barrier performance against chemical solvents permeation as chemical protective gloves, and showed a high degradation rate.
COMPOSITES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yunxiao Liu, Hongze Xu, Lijuan Zhou, Jianming Zhang
Summary: By adding a small amount of sodium citrate to an aqueous medium, a highly efficient grafting of bio-derived polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) onto the surface of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) was achieved through classical free radical polymerization initiated by cerium ammonium nitrate (CAN). With the increase of SC concentration from 0 to 0.45 mmol L-1, the grafting yields of PVAc on the CNC surface increased from 29.2% to 241.9%. The resulting CNC-PVAc can be fully degraded by soil burial for about 180 days and can be used as a new biodegradable nanofiller or polymer nanocomposite. Moreover, this strategy is applicable to various monomers and different surface groups of CNCs.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jinghua Wu, Jin Yin, Jian Hu, Qiran Wang, Hao Zhang, Rui Xin, Shaojuan Wang, Shouke Yan, Jianming Zhang
Summary: Natural rubber (NR) composites with bio-based chitin nanofibers (ChNFs) demonstrate a wide range of mechanical properties, transitioning from rubber to plastic behavior with increasing chitin levels. Mixing NR latex and a modified zwitterionic rigid chitin counterpart can create a constrained 3-dimensional network. When highly anisotropic ChNFs (30 wt%) are incorporated, strain-induced NR crystallization occurs at a lower strain and 3-dimensionally oriented crystallite formations resembling 3D-single crystals are observed for ChNFs content over 5 wt%. This study investigates the structure and morphology of the NR/ChNFs30 composite after strain-induced crystallization, paving the way for the development of novel multifunctional NR/ChNFs composites with shape memory abilities.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Guohui Yang, Xiaofang Zhang, Ruijia Wang, Xu Liu, Jianming Zhang, Lu Zong, Hongsheng Yang
Summary: An ultra-stretchable and elastic graphene aerogel was achieved by constructing a highly crimped and crosslinked graphene network using a microbubble-filled precursor. This conductive aerogel exhibited rubber-like elasticity with near zero Poisson's ratio, as well as temperature-invariant properties from -196.5 degrees C to 300 degrees C. It can function as a highly stretchable but strain-insensitive conductor under extreme environments, which is not possible with polymer-based materials. This work also provides new ideas for constructing inorganic ultra-stretchable materials.
MATERIALS HORIZONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaofang Zhang, Lu Zong, Mingjie Li, Jianming Zhang, Chaoxu Li
Summary: This study demonstrates that graphene patterning can be triggered using a thermal needle and controlled by pre-infiltrating certain materials. Under specific conditions, cascade reduction reaction can be initiated by a low-temperature thermal needle and propagate at high speed. The thermal reduction mechanism also provides insights for high-precision laser writing on graphene substrates.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yunxiao Liu, Hongxiu Wei, Ziwei Liu, Xinran Liu, Yijie Fang, Min Jiang, Mingjie Li, Lijuan Zhou, Jianming Zhang
Summary: Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have great potential in various industrial applications, but their green synthesis in an energy-efficient way remains challenging. In this study, a green, energy-saving, and high-efficiency method for extracting CNCs is proposed using NaOH granule-activated ammonium persulfate (APS) oxidation. By utilizing the synergistic effects of APS, NaOH, and cellulose raw materials, the decomposition of APS is promoted, resulting in the release of the crystalline part of cellulose sources. The addition of NaOH solid granules enables efficient utilization of the dissolution heat, reducing energy consumption in the CNC isolation process.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yunxiao Liu, Yunjie Lu, Hui Zhang, Xinran Liu, Zhengqing Kong, Lijuan Zhou, Heng Liu, Jianming Zhang
Summary: An acid-free polymer grafting modification method for carboxylated CNCs has been developed, allowing for high monomer conversion rate and grafting yield under neutral conditions. This method not only eliminates the need for time-consuming dialysis before the grafting reaction, but also reduces the consumption of initiator compared to previous methods. This work provides a new pathway for the industrial production of environmentally friendly polymer-grafted CNCs by overcoming the limitations of strong acidic conditions.
