Article
Polymer Science
Simeng Liu, Guoqiang Han, Mengmeng Zhang, Bijin Xiong, Jiangping Xu, Jintao Zhu
Summary: Grafting polymer ligands onto gold nanoparticles through gold-sulfur bonds is a common and easy way to produce gold-polymer hybrid nanoparticles. The bonding effects of sulfur-containing end groups on gold nanoparticles were investigated, and it was found that weak bonding between thiolactone-terminated polymers and gold nanoparticles resulted in unstable conjugates. By optimizing the assembly parameters, a superlattice film of gold-polymer conjugates could be constructed.
Article
Polymer Science
Norma A. Cortez-Lemus, Eduardo Hermosillo-Ochoa, Angel Licea-Claverie
Summary: Six-arm star-shaped PNVCL polymers prepared by RAFT polymerization were subjected to aminolysis to obtain gels or star polymers. The choice of solvent during the reaction determines the final product, showing the potential for easy access to environment-sensitive star polymers with different end-groups.
Article
Polymer Science
Joanna Wolska, Nasim Jalilnejad Falizi
Summary: The study successfully prepared a spherical and monodisperse thermoresponsive molecularly imprinted polymer (TSMIP) using the membrane emulsification process (ME), for the recognition and determination of trace bisphenol A (BPA) in aqueous media. It was found that under the conditions of 35 degrees C, MIP-2 exhibited the highest adsorption capacity of about 0.5 mmol g(-1), which was approximately 20% higher than MIP-1 and NIP.
Article
Thermodynamics
Ariane Regina de S. Rossin, Josiane Caetano, Heloisa Georgia Zanella, Reinaldo Aparecido Bariccatti, Luciana Gaffo, Edvani Curti Muniz, Wilker Caetano, Sandro Fernando Stolf, Douglas Cardoso Dragunski
Summary: Blends based on PBAT and polylactic acid incorporating different concentrations of zinc phthalocyanine were fabricated using the electrospinning method. Characterization of the prepared fibers showed a reduction in mean fiber diameter with increased ZnPc concentration, indicating the optical properties of phthalocyanine remained in the solid carrier and the formation of reactive species under intense electric field. Thermal analysis also revealed greater interaction between phthalocyanine and the PBAT group in the polymeric matrix.
JOURNAL OF THERMAL ANALYSIS AND CALORIMETRY
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Suyan He, Li Xiao, Luminita Marin, Yike Bai, Xinjian Cheng
Summary: The study developed water-soluble polymer sensors by modifying the structure of BODIPY to create polymerizable fluorescent monomers, which were copolymerized with MAA to form highly sensitive sensors for Fe3+ recognition. Even with low BODIPY content, the sensors exhibited a low detection limit, with those containing two recognition groups per BODIPY unit showing higher sensitivity.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Jingjing Mai, Clement Matthew Chan, John Colwell, Steven Pratt, Bronwyn Laycock
Summary: Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable polyesters with potential applications in various fields. This study focuses on the transesterification and end-group characterization of hydroxy-terminated PHAs for the synthesis of PHA-based block copolymers. The results reveal limited knowledge of the relative amounts of different end-groups in the produced materials, and the incomplete characterization of hydroxy-terminated PHAs with intermediate molecular weights for industrial applications.
POLYMER DEGRADATION AND STABILITY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Tian Gao, Anil Kumar Nalini Chandran, Puneet Paul, Harkamal Walia, Hongfeng Yu
Summary: A novel seed hyperspectral measurement platform named HyperSeed was developed to provide high-throughput, nondestructive, and precise measurement of seeds for seed quality evaluation and agricultural production improvement. Experimental results demonstrated that the proposed 3D convolutional neural network model achieved high accuracy in both seed-based and pixel-based classification, outperforming the support vector machine model. Additionally, the pipeline allows systematic analysis of spectral curves and identification of biological interest wavelengths.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Maede Ramezanpour, Abbas Rezaee Shirin-Abadi
Summary: By using different structures of stabilizers and varying monomer ratios, a better understanding of the stabilizers' behavior during polymerization can be achieved. PDMAEMA-b-PMMA shows more stability in varying monomer compositions, leading to the production of uniform polymer particles in emulsion polymerization.
COLLOID AND POLYMER SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Maede Ramezanpour, Abbas Rezaee Shirin-Abadi
Summary: CO2-responsive latexes were successfully synthesized through RAFT solution polymerization, allowing for coagulation and redispersion of the latexes under CO2 atmosphere. The pK(a) values played a significant role in the final conversion rate of the polymerization process.
JOURNAL OF POLYMER RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Maximilian Scherger, Yannick A. Pilger, Patric Komforth, Hans-Joachim Raeder, Lutz Nuhn
Summary: This study explores the reversible conjugation of proteins using responsive disulfide linkages, allowing controlled release and preservation of bioactivity. The synthesis of a reductive-responsive polymer was achieved by introducing disulfide structures into the polymer chains. The strategy has the potential to be applied with various functional polymers.
ACS BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Siyuan Zhang, Xinjian Cheng
Summary: Water-soluble fluorescent probes were developed through a series of reactions, including the Knoevenagel reaction, Williamson ether formation, and esterification. These probes were successfully prepared using the Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) polymerization method. The resulting macromolecular probes had high molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions, and they could be easily dissolved in water. Furthermore, these probes exhibited high sensitivity and selectivity in recognizing Fe3+/Fe2+ and Cu2+ ions. This study presents a promising technique for producing water-soluble fluorescent macromolecular probes.
MATERIALS TODAY COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhenchuan Tian, Dukjoon Kim
Summary: Functional groups have a significant impact on the properties of PAES-g-PEG membranes, affecting lithium-ion conductivity and Li-ion transference number. Among them, the membrane with -CN end group shows the best performance, with high conductivity and Li-ion transference number.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Ying Cheng, Shuyi Yang, E. Tao
Summary: The study focuses on the synthesis of magnetic graphene oxide composite to effectively adsorb chromium in wastewater, with up to 90% of Cr3+ being adsorbed within 140 minutes. The removal of chromium is mainly through chemical adsorption, and the external magnetic field enables the efficient recovery of the adsorbents.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Derek H. H. Chan, Saul J. Hunter, Thomas J. Neal, Christopher Lindsay, Philip Taylor, Steven P. Armes
Summary: The RAFT aqueous emulsion polymerization is used to produce sterically-stabilized diblock copolymer nanoparticles with desired charges. The interfacial tension and elastic modulus at the interface are influenced by the charge of the nanoparticles.
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Bingrui Chen, Huiyuan Guan
Summary: A novel method is proposed to determine the optimal interference fit of mortise-and-tenon (M&T). Compression tests were conducted to validate the method and consider the effects of wood species, tenon widths, and grain orientations. The results showed that these factors significantly affected the behavior and contact force of the tenon, and the optimal fits were derived based on regression equations. Additionally, the mounting force and withdrawal force capacity of T-shaped M&T joints were evaluated and found to be significantly influenced by the evaluated factors and proportional to the tenon fit.
WOOD MATERIAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Stefan Frech, Edgar Molle, Cornelius Hub, Patrick Theato
Summary: This study reports on the decarboxylation of poly[N-(acryloyloxy)phthalimide] (PAP) for the synthesis of functionalized polymers. PAP homopolymer and block copolymers are used as precursor polymers for direct functionalization through decarboxylation and subsequent Michael-type addition or nitroxide radical coupling (NRC).
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Tiechen Yu, Patrick Theato, Hongyan Yao, Huiling Liu, Yizeng Di, Zhonghui Sun, Shaowei Guan
Summary: Electrochromic/electrofluorescence (EC/EFC) bifunctional polymer materials with electrochemically switchable colors and fluorescence intensities were designed and synthesized in this study. The introduction of tetraphenylethylene (TPE) structure effectively reduced the absorption in the ground state and induced aggregation-induced emission (AIE) by changing the conjugation type. The structure-property relationships of the six designed polyimides were investigated, showing good EC/EFC dual-switching properties and cyclic stability.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Editorial Material
Polymer Science
Amitav Sanyal, Patrick Theato, Hui Zhao, Priyadarsi De
JOURNAL OF MACROMOLECULAR SCIENCE PART A-PURE AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Meryem S. Akdemir, Marina Simian, Patrick Theato, Hatice Mutlu
Summary: Nitrogen-rich functional groups like tetrazole and its derivatives have gained increasing interest in the chemistry of small molecules. Nitrogen-decorated polymers have attracted attention for potential biomedical applications due to their diverse biological properties. A new synthesis route combining Ugi-azide four-multicomponent reaction and thiol-ene polymerization has been reported for the synthesis of nitrogen-decorated polymers. The synthesized polymers demonstrate high apparent number average molecular mass and have been characterized for their chemical, thermal, and optical properties.
MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Yunji Xie, Di Liu, Anna Ringuette, Patrick Theato
Summary: Branched sulfonated polymers with ultradensely sulfonated branched centers, called B-x-SPAEKS, show reduced water affinity compared to analogous polymers with sulfonated branched arms, resulting in lower swelling and proton conductivity. However, further analysis reveals that B-x-SPAEKS exhibit significantly better proton conduction due to the formation of larger hydrophilic clusters that promote efficient proton transportation.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yosuke Akae, Patrick Theato
Summary: The aggregation behavior of a cyclodextrin-based [3]rotaxane was observed and analyzed in this study. By using XRD and SEM measurements, it was found that [3]rotaxane species containing native CD rings showed hexagonal packing signals, indicating their aggregation capability. Hydrogen bond formation among CD units was suggested as the driving force for this aggregation.
CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Yunji Xie, Anna Ringuette, Di Liu, Jinhui Pang, Hatice Mutlu, Dominik Voll, Patrick Theato
Summary: The effects of degree of branching and ion exchange capacity on the properties of sulfonated branched polymer proton exchange membranes (PEMs) were systematically compared. Increasing the degree of branching and ion exchange capacity improved water absorption, proton conductivity, single-cell performance, and distribution of hydrophilic phase, but reduced mechanical properties. Increasing the degree of branching also enhanced dimensional stability and oxidative stability, while the impact of ion exchange capacity was the opposite. The optimal polymer membrane had a degree of branching of 7.5% and ion exchange capacity of 1.94 meq g-1, exhibiting the highest proton conductivity and maximum power density, satisfactory dimensional change, and sufficient thermal, oxidative, and mechanical stability. This work serves as a guide for designing and synthesizing sulfonated branched polymer PEMs.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Alexander Mayer, Alessandro Mariani, Xu Dong, Gregoire Vansse, Patrick Theato, Cristina Iojoiu, Stefano Passerini, Dominic Bresser
Summary: Poly(arylene ether sulfone)-derived single-ion conducting (SIC) block copolymers with bisphenol-derived monomers have shown high ionic conductivities as (solid) electrolytes for lithium-metal batteries. The introduction of small organic molecules, such as ethylene carbonate (EC), further enhances the ionic conductivity at ambient temperatures. However, the electrochemical stability towards oxidation slightly decreases with an increasing size of the substituent at the central carbon atom of the bisphenol monomer, while the overpotential for lithium stripping and plating decreases. This emphasizes the need for careful design of the polymer backbone for high-performance lithium battery electrolytes.
Article
Polymer Science
Daniel T. Krause, Susanna Kraemer, Vassilios Siozios, Andreas J. Butzelaar, Martin Dulle, Beate Foerster, Patrick Theato, Joachim Mayer, Martin Winter, Stephan Foerster, Hans-Dieter Wiemhoefer, Mariano Gruenebaum
Summary: Poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymers (PEOz BCP) have been found to have high lithium ion (Li+) conductivity and can be used in Li+ batteries. A synthetic method has been developed to independently vary the block lengths of the polymer while keeping the PEOz block length constant, allowing for a systematic exploration of the influence of block lengths on ion conductivity.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
David A. Sundermann, Bumjun Park, Valerian Hirschberg, Jennifer L. Schaefer, Patrick Theato
Summary: Magnesium electrolytes based on polycarbonate and Mg(B(HFIP)(4))(2) or Mg(TFSI)(2) were prepared and characterized. The polymer electrolyte with 40 mol% Mg(B(HFIP)(4))(2) showed the characteristics of polymer-in-salt electrolytes, while the one with 40 mol% Mg(TFSI)(2) exhibited classical behavior of salt-in-polymer electrolytes.
Article
Polymer Science
Vaishali Pruthi, Yosuke Akae, Patrick Theato
Summary: In this study, novel photoresponsive spiropyran (SP)-based P(DEGMA-co-SpMA) copolymers with variable percentages of SP fractions were synthesized. The SP groups exhibited reversible photoisomerism. The photoresponsive, structural, and thermal properties of these copolymers were investigated, showing photoswitchable glass transition temperature (Tg), high thermal stability (Td > 250°C), instant photochromism, and fluorescence upon UV light exposure. It was found that the Tg of the synthesized polymers increased when irradiated with UV light (λ=365 nm), resulting from the photoisomerization of incorporated SP groups. This unique feature of phototunable Tg provides the possibility to integrate these polymers into functional materials for various photoresponsive applications.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Meryem S. S. Akdemir, Birgit Huber, Marina Simian, Hatice Mutlu, Patrick Theato
Summary: The unique molecular structure of tetrazoles, consisting of a five-membered ring with four nitrogen atoms, has great potential in polymer chemistry. While research on tetrazole-containing polymers with pendant chains has been extensively studied, the synthesis of main chain tetrazole-based polymers has not been widely explored. This study demonstrates the possibility of polymer formation using the Ugi-azide-four-multicomponent polymerization strategy for main chain 1,5-disubstituted-1H-tetrazole-based compounds. The synthesized polymers displayed interesting properties such as adjustable glass-transition temperature and thermal stability.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Electrochemistry
Anna D. Khudyshkina, Ulf-Christian Rauska, Andreas J. Butzelaar, Maxi Hoffmann, Manfred Wilhelm, Patrick Theato, Fabian Jeschull
Summary: This study investigates the impact of inorganic fillers on the mechanical, thermal, and ionic transport properties of PEO:KTFSI polymer electrolytes for potassium-ion batteries. The introduction of fillers improves the rheological, thermal, and cation transport properties of the composite electrolytes, resulting in higher capacity retention and longer cycle life in cell configurations.
BATTERIES & SUPERCAPS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xia Huang, Hatice Mutlu, Wenyuan Dong, Patrick Theato
Summary: We introduce a novel approach to fabricate polymeric Janus nanorods by sequentially polymerizing from anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates. This method allows for the incorporation of dual compositions into individual nanorods, enabling versatile potential applications. The fabrication strategy opens up possibilities for constructing multifunctional nanostructures and integrating different materials within a single entity.
Article
Polymer Science
Alexander Mayer, Alessandro Mariani, Xu Dong, Gregoire Vansse, Patrick Theato, Cristina Iojoiu, Stefano Passerini, Dominic Bresser
Summary: Poly(arylene ether sulfone)-derived single-ion conducting (SIC) block copolymers show high ionic conductivities and have potential as electrolytes for lithium-metal batteries. The incorporation of small organic molecules, such as ethylene carbonate (EC), further enhances the ionic conductivities at ambient temperatures. However, the electrochemical stability and overpotential for lithium stripping and plating are affected by the size of the substituent at the central carbon atom of the bisphenol monomer, highlighting the importance of careful polymer backbone design for high-performance lithium battery electrolytes.
