Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xue-Wei Wei, Cong Chen, Tian-Yu Wu, Li-Hai Cai, Hai-Mu Ye
Summary: Co-crystallization is crucial for integrating and regulating thermal and mechanical properties in polymer blends. However, poor compatibility between components in the crystal phase has hindered co-crystallization. In this study, we propose a method using 2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidinone (UPy)-functionalized polymers to connect different chain ends, promoting co-crystallization and inhibiting phase separation. This work enhances our understanding of co-crystallization in crystalline/crystalline polymer blends.
Article
Polymer Science
Bo Liu, Tonghui Guan, Gang Wu, Ye Fu, Yunxuan Weng
Summary: PBAT and PBS, polyester materials with excellent biodegradability under soil and compost conditions, have scarce research on their degradation process in the marine environment. This study developed a realistic simulation marine environment and investigated the biodegradation behavior of PBAT and PBS mulch in it. The research found that the aliphatic polyester structure, lower molecular weight, higher carboxyl end group content, and the involvement of inorganic fillers facilitate the degradation of polyester in the marine environment.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Melissa A. Maurer-Jones, Ellen M. Monzo
Summary: This study quantified the photochemically induced molecular transformations of PBAT polymer by analyzing reaction rate constants and yields of primary photochemical pathways. Various analytical techniques were used to identify molecular moieties and quantify reactions, leading to a better understanding of environmental transformations of polymers and guiding the design and use of such technologies.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Carlos Perez-Valdez, Guillermina Burillo, Rodrigo Navarro, Angel Marcos-Fernandez
Summary: PBS and PBSA were irradiated with gamma radiation up to a dose of 400 kGy, resulting in the formation of gel content. PBSA exhibited higher gel content compared to PBS. Analysis revealed that chain scission predominated over crosslinking. Branching and chain scission increased the dispersity and affected the molecular weight. NMR analysis showed the appearance of new species and changes in species with increasing dose. The thermal properties, especially crystallization temperature, were significantly affected by irradiation. Mechanical properties of both polymers were greatly reduced, making them fragile even at low doses.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alastair Little, Shiyue Ma, David M. Haddleton, Bowen Tan, Zhaoyang Sun, Chaoying Wan
Summary: This study successfully enhanced the flexibility of poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) by introducing minor amounts of low-cost diols and diacids into its synthesis, while maintaining its barrier properties and hydrolytic degradability. PGA-based copolymers with different properties can be obtained by adjusting the content of glycolic acid in PGA. Annealing treatment significantly improved the mechanical properties of copolymers with high glycolic acid content.
Article
Polymer Science
Wen Lin, Yujin Zhao, Tingting Su, Zhanyong Wang
Summary: The degradation behavior of PBAT films by different concentrations of Fusarium solani cutinase (FsC) was investigated. It was found that FsC could degrade both the amorphous region and the crystalline region of PBAT films, and its degradation activity was concentration-dependent. High concentration of FsC resulted in significant degradation of PBAT films, while low concentration had less apparent effect. FsC concentration and degradation time did not significantly affect the molecular weight of degraded PBAT.
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xianbo Jia, Ke Zhao, Jie Zhao, Chenqiang Lin, Hui Zhang, Longjun Chen, Jichen Chen, Yu Fang
Summary: In this study, a thermophilic actinomycete FXJ-1 capable of efficiently degrading Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) films was discovered. The degradation rates of different types of PBAT films were determined and the degradation pathway involving ester bond cleavage was analyzed. The role of amylase produced by FXJ-1 in the degradation process was also investigated.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Bingxue Jiang, Yisong Wang, Zhengqi Peng, Khak Ho Lim, Qingyue Wang, Shengbin Shi, Jieyuan Zheng, Xuan Yang, Pingwei Liu, Wen-Jun Wang
Summary: In this study, PBAT-co-PGA copolyesters were synthesized by tailoring the chain structure of PBAT with the introduction of poly(glycolic acid) (PGA). The PBAT-co-PGAs exhibited improved crystallization ability, mechanical properties, degradation properties, and aging resistance compared to PBAT.
Article
Polymer Science
Eri Oishi, Masumi Takamura, Tatsuhiro Takahashi
Summary: The study focused on the influence of a long alkyl end group on the thermal and structural properties of RAFT-polymerized PSA, revealing that the long alkyl group from TTC decreases the melting point and semi-crystalline structure in the case of low molecular weight PSA.
Article
Polymer Science
Mario Ivan Penas, Miryam Criado-Gonzalez, Antxon Martinez de Ilarduya, Araceli Flores, Jean-Marie Raquez, Rosica Mincheva, Alejandro J. Mueller, Rebeca Hernandez
Summary: This study presents two strategies to regulate the enzymatic degradation of PBS films. One is to add multilayer coats of polysaccharide alginate and chitosan to the PBS films, and the other is to embed lipase-filled alginate particles in the PBS films. The results show that the number of protective coating layers and the amount of encapsulated enzyme affect the degradation extent of PBS films.
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Apisata Holt, Yutian Ke, Jessica A. Bramhall, Grant Crane, Joe B. Grubbs, Evan M. White, Jessica Horn, Jason Locklin
Summary: Blends of poly(lactide) with poly(butylene glutarate) were studied to enhance PLA brittleness and accelerate degradation under composting conditions. The addition of PBG decreased T-g and tensile strength but increased % elongation at break. PLA/PBG blends showed higher ductility compared to PLA blends with poly(butylene succinate). Compatibility of PBG in a PLA matrix depended on concentration, with phase separation above 3 wt %.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Xuedong Lv, Faliang Luo, Liuchun Zheng, Ruixue Niu, Yi Liu, Qiqi Xie, DanQing Song, YunChuan Zhang, Tianbo Zhou, Shifan Zhu
Summary: Biobased co-polyesters poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene furandicarboxylate) (PBSF) with high molecular weight and excellent thermal stability were prepared. These polymers exhibited semi-crystalline structure and high tensile strength, with elongation at break significantly higher than commercial poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and most biodegradable packaging materials. Increasing the BF unit content improved the UV shielding properties of the polyester materials. Moreover, PBSF showed a significantly faster biodegradation rate when the BF unit content was 5%. These bio-based polymers have great potential to be applied as environmentally friendly and sustainable plastic packaging.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Boran Zhao, Charles J. McCutcheon, Kailong Jin, Illya Lyadov, Aristotle J. Zervoudakis, Frank S. Bates, Christopher J. Ellison
Summary: This study reports a method for producing polymer blend films with enhanced toughness in both the machine extrusion direction and transverse direction. The dominant deformation mechanism of the films varies with the stretching ratio. As the films age, the deformation mechanism in the machine extrusion direction changes, but the toughness is not compromised. This work provides a feasible route for the development of high-toughness films as sustainable alternatives to plastics.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Boran Zhao, Charles J. McCutcheon, Kailong Jin, Illya Lyadov, Aristotle J. Zervoudakis, Frank S. Bates, Christopher J. Ellison
Summary: By mixing PEO-PBO with PLA, blend films with enhanced toughness in both MD and TD directions can be produced. As the stretching ratio increases, the dominant deformation mechanism in MD shifts from crazing to shear yielding.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Alessandro Nanni, Umberto Cancelli, Giuseppe Montevecchi, Francesca Masino, Massimo Messori, Andrea Antonelli
Summary: The study evaluated the potential use of grape stalks as fillers in bio-composites, showing that the bio-composites were stiffer than the control polymer with a higher Young's modulus. This provides a potentially new method to recover raw materials by utilizing by-products of the wine industry like grape stalks.
Article
Polymer Science
Mengyan Qi, Liuchun Zheng, Chuncheng Li, Yaonan Xiao, Jiajian Liu, Shaohua Wu, Bo Zhang
Summary: The yellowing mechanism of polyesteramide based on PET-PA6 has been studied, with the color generation mainly attributed to the reaction between the terminal primary amine group of PA6 and acetaldehyde to form Schiff bases and further condensed into conjugated imine structures. The degradation of PA6 segments during use may lead to the formation of new primary amino groups, increasing the yellowness of the material.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Zi-Yun Shen, Qi-Yong Mei, Yi Liu, Liu-Chun Zheng, Chun-Cheng Li, Jia-Jian Liu, Yao-Nan Xiao, Shao-Hua Wu, Bo Zhang
Summary: A series of non-isocyanate linear high molecular weight poly(ester urethane)s (PETUs) were prepared through an environmentally-friendly route, and their properties were characterized. The results showed that PETUs have high molecular weights and tensile strength, with the degree of phase separation being affected by crystallization and hydrogen bonding interaction.
CHINESE JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Ziyun Shen, Liuchun Zheng, Danqing Song, Yi Liu, Chuncheng Li, Jiajian Liu, Yaonan Xiao, Shaohua Wu, Tianbo Zhou, Bo Zhang, Xuedong Lv, Qiyong Mei
Summary: This study focuses on the preparation of a series of non-isocyanate poly(ether urethane) (PEU) through an environmentally friendly route. The researchers investigated the effect of the chemical structure of polyurethane hard segments on the properties of the PEU. The results showed that the urea groups generated by side reactions influenced the crystallization of hard segments, which in turn affected the thermal and mechanical properties of the polymer.
Article
Polymer Science
Xuedong Lv, Faliang Luo, Liuchun Zheng, Ruixue Niu, Yi Liu, Qiqi Xie, DanQing Song, YunChuan Zhang, Tianbo Zhou, Shifan Zhu
Summary: Biobased co-polyesters poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene furandicarboxylate) (PBSF) with high molecular weight and excellent thermal stability were prepared. These polymers exhibited semi-crystalline structure and high tensile strength, with elongation at break significantly higher than commercial poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and most biodegradable packaging materials. Increasing the BF unit content improved the UV shielding properties of the polyester materials. Moreover, PBSF showed a significantly faster biodegradation rate when the BF unit content was 5%. These bio-based polymers have great potential to be applied as environmentally friendly and sustainable plastic packaging.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Xuedong Lv, Haitao Lin, Zhengxiang Wang, Ruixue Niu, Yi Liu, Yen Wei, Liuchun Zheng
Summary: A novel polymer, PBSF-PEG, was synthesized using a two-step transesterification and polycondensation method. It exhibited high molecular weight and good mechanical properties, with the introduction of PEG enhancing toughness and water degradation performance. These new polymers have great potential for application as environmentally friendly and sustainable plastic packaging materials.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Tianbo Zhou, Xueshuai Wang, Yi Liu, Liuchun Zheng
Summary: The preparation of PBS ionomers with high molecular weight and high ion group content was successfully achieved using transesterification method. The increase in ion group content significantly improved the mechanical properties and hydrophilicity of the PBS ionomers. The introduction of ions also improved the processing properties of the ionomers. The results showed a reversed trend compared to previous research.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Ruixue Niu, Zhening Zheng, Xuedong Lv, Benqiao He, Sheng Chen, Jiaying Zhang, Yanhong Ji, Yi Liu, Liuchun Zheng
Summary: The introduction of pentaerythritol as a branching agent in the synthesis of poly(butylene dodecanedioate) (PBD) can improve the melt strength and blow-molding properties of the polymer. The introduction of a small amount of pentaerythritol generates branching and crosslinking structures, leading to improved impact strength and tensile modulus. The PER-branched PBDs also exhibited enhanced crystallization ability and shear-thickening behavior.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tianbo Zhou, Bing Wang, Xueshuai Wang, Haoran Sun, Yi Liu, Liuchun Zheng
Summary: In this study, a diatom-like structure poly-(butylene succinate)-b-polydimethylsiloxane (PBSP) was synthesized using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and the effect of molecular weight on the structure and properties of PBSP was systematically investigated for the first time. PBSP exhibited a unique layered structure and excellent combined performance, with improved mechanical properties and additional functionalities. The inclusion of PDMS blocks also resulted in hydrophobicity and self-healing properties, expanding the application range of PBS materials.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tianbo Zhou, Guoming Liu, Ming Wang, Yi Liu, Liuchun Zheng
Summary: PDMS-modified poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) was successfully synthesized, resulting in high-performance and functional PBS-b-PDMS copolymers. The copolymers exhibited excellent combined properties, thermal properties, and impact strength, as well as good antismudge, self-cleaning, and solvent resistance.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jilei Chen, Wenrong Fu, Jiaqiang Xiong, Wei Zhang, Feng-Lei Jiang, Liuchun Zheng, Yi Liu, Peng Jiang
Summary: A universal and facile self-assembly method of copper indium selenium (CISe) QD aerogels based on coordination interaction between Zn2+ and carboxyl was proposed, which has been successfully applied in green pollution-free environment-friendly anti-counterfeiting and encryption systems.
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Jiaxu Li, Liuchun Zheng, Chuncheng Li, Yaonan Xiao, Jiajian Liu, Shaohua Wu, Bo Zhang
Summary: The newly developed mannose-modified zwitterionic nanoparticles loading IR1048 dye exhibit excellent targeting properties and photothermal conversion efficiency in vitro experiments, showing no cytotoxicity to normal cells and significant photothermal toxicity to drug-resistant cancer cells, demonstrating potential application prospects.
BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Qing Ouyang, Jiajian Liu, Chuncheng Li, Liuchun Zheng, Yaonan Xiao, Shaohua Wu, Bo Zhang
Article
Polymer Science
Jiaxu Li, Liuchun Zheng, Haihua Xiao, Chuncheng Li, Shaohua Wu, Yaonan Xiao, Jiajian Liu, Bo Zhang
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Guyu Zhang, Yimin Zhu, Yushu Wang, Dengshuai Wei, Yixin Wu, Liuchun Zheng, Huimin Bai, Haihua Xiao, Zhenyu Zhang
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Yufei Bian, Zhiyong Wei, Zefeng Wang, Zhu Tu, Liuchun Zheng, Wenhuan Wang, Xuefei Leng, Yang Li
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2019)
Article
Polymer Science
Tetsu Sato, Mariko Takahashi, Takeshi Saito, Masahito Toyonaga, Itsuo Tanuma, Rie Yamada, Satoru Hosoda
Summary: An automatic evaluation system for photooxidation has been developed and successfully applied to assess the photo-OIT of LDPE samples containing photooxidation stabilizers. The system allows independent setting of various measurement conditions and provides detailed information on the photooxidation process.
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Zongzheng Zuo, Shuxue Zhou
Summary: In this study, three fluoroalkyl trimethoxysilane (FATMS) additives with different chain lengths were incorporated into a two-component polyurethane clearcoat to improve its hydrophobic durability. The coatings modified with FATMS maintained their surface hydrophobicity under various conditions, but quickly lost it when exposed to both UV irradiation and/or high temperature with water. The results suggest that the FATMS route is more suitable for indoor applications at room temperature.
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
(2024)
Article
Polymer Science
Song Li, Feng Zhao, Xueya Wang, Zhihua Liu, Jingze Guo, Yutong Li, Shuangmei Tan, Zhenxiang Xin, Shuai Zhao, Lin Li
Summary: Green flame retardants have garnered attention for their environmental friendliness, but current options fall short in achieving high flame retardancy for flammable polymers and maintaining environmental protection. This study takes a two-pronged approach to address flame retardants and the flame-retardant process. An eco-friendly bio-based synergistic flame retardant (PAU), synthesized using phytic acid (PA) and urea (U), is used to create a flame retardant coating that can be directly applied to any surface shape using polydopamine as an adhesive. The resulting EPS-PAU exhibits excellent flame retardancy, smoke suppression, and light weight while only slightly increasing the density.
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
(2024)
