Polymers, Volume 8, Issue 7 (July 2016) – 29 articles

Although a number of tactics towards the fabrication and biomedical exploration of stimuli-responsive polymeric assemblies being responsive and adaptive to various factors have appeared, the controlled preparation of assemblies with well-defined physicochemical properties and tailor-made functions are still challenges. These responsive polymeric assemblies, which are triggered by stimuli, always exhibited reversible or irreversible changes in chemical structures and physical properties. However, simple drug/polymer nanocomplexes cannot deliver or release drugs into the diseased sites and cells on-demand due to the inevitable biological barriers. Hence, utilizing therapeutic or imaging agents-loaded stimuli-responsive block copolymer assemblies that are responsive to tumor internal microenvironments (pH, redox, enzyme, and temperature, etc.) or external stimuli (light and electromagnetic field, etc.) have emerged to be an important solution to improve therapeutic efficacy and imaging sensitivity through rationally designing as well as self-assembling approaches. In this review, we summarize a portion of recent progress in tumor and intracellular microenvironment responsive block copolymer assemblies and their applications in anticancer drug delivery and triggered release and enhanced imaging sensitivity. The outlook on future developments is also discussed. We hope that this review can stimulate more revolutionary ideas and novel concepts and meet the significant interest to diverse readers. Full article

A microencapsulated flame retardant was used in order to produce a flame retardant nonwoven substrate. Melamine-formaldehyde polymer-shell microcapsules, containing Afflamit^® PLF 280 (resorcinol bis(diphenyl phosphate)) as the core substance, were coated by an outer thermoplastic wall (polystyrene (PS) or poly(methyl methacrylate)), before being applied to a core/sheet-type bi-component PET/co-PET spunbond nonwoven substrate using impregnation. The outer wall of the microcapsules was heated to the softening temperature of the thermoplastic shell in order to be bonded onto the textile fibres. The thermal stability of the microcapsules was examined using thermogravimetric analysis. The textile samples were observed with a scanning electron microscope, and the flame retardancy performance was evaluated using the NF P92-504 standard. The results show that the composition of the outer polymeric shell affected the thermal stability of the microcapsules, since the particles with a PS shell are more stable. Furthermore, the microcapsules were more located at the nonwoven surface without affecting the thickness of the samples. Based on the results of the NF P92-504 test, the flame spread rate was relatively low for all of the tested formulations. Only the formulation with a low content of PS was classified M2 while the others were M3. Full article

Electrospinning was performed with a blend of commercially available poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and a sulfur-rich copolymer based on poly(sulfur-statistical-diisopropenylbenzene), which was synthesized via inverse vulcanization. The polysulfide backbone of sulfur-containing polymers is known to bind mercury from aqueous solutions and can be utilized for recycling water. Increasing the surface area by electrospinning can maximize the effect of binding mercury regarding the rate and maximum uptake. These fibers showed a mercury decrease of more than 98% after a few seconds and a maximum uptake of 440 mg of mercury per gram of electrospun fibers. These polymeric fibers represent a new class of efficient water filtering systems that show one of the highest and fastest mercury uptakes for electrospun fibers reported. Full article

This study investigates the flexural behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened through the combined externally bonded and near-surface mounted (CEBNSM) technique. The externally bonded reinforcement (EBR) and near-surface mounted (NSM) techniques are popular strengthening solutions, although these methods often demonstrate premature debonding failure. The proposed CEBNSM technique increases the bond area of the concrete–carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) interface, which can delay the debonding failure. This technique is appropriate when any structure has a narrow cross-sectional width or is in need of additional flexural capacity that an individual technique or material cannot attain. An experimental test matrix was designed with one control and five strengthened RC beams to verify the performance of the proposed technique. The strengthening materials were CFRP bar as NSM reinforcement combined with CFRP fabric as EBR material. The test variables were the diameter of the NSM bars (8 and 10 mm), the thickness of the CFRP fabrics (one and two layers) and the U-wrap anchorage. The strengthened beams showed enhancement of ultimate load capacity, stiffness, cracking behaviour, and strain compatibility. The ultimate capacity of the CEBNSM-strengthened beams increased from 71% to 105% compared to that of the control beam. A simulation method based on the moment-rotation approach was also presented to predict the behaviour of CEBNSM-strengthened RC beams. Full article

Conventional shape memory polymers suffer the drawbacks of low thermal stability, low strength, and low shape recovery speed. In this study, main-chain liquid crystalline polyurethane (LCPU) that contains polar groups was synthesized. Graphene oxide (GO)/LCPU composite was fabricated using the solution casting method. The tensile strength of GO/LCPU was 1.78 times that of neat LCPU. In addition, shape recovery speed was extensively improved. The average recovery rate of sample with 20 wt % GO loading was 9.2°/s, much faster than that of LCPU of 2.6°/s. The enhancement in mechanical property and shape memory behavior could be attributed to the structure of LCPU and GO, which enhanced the interfacial interactions between GO and LCPU. Full article

This paper describes the processing conditions needed to produce low density nanocellular polymers based on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) with relative densities between 0.45 and 0.25, cell sizes between 200 and 250 nm and cell densities higher than 10¹⁴ cells/cm³. To produce these nanocellular polymers, the foaming parameters of the gas dissolution foaming technique using CO₂ as blowing agent have been optimized. Taking into account previous works, the amount of CO₂ uptake was maintained constant (31% by weight) for all the materials. Foaming parameters were modified between 40 °C and 110 °C for the foaming temperature and from 1 to 5 min for the foaming time. Foaming temperatures in the range of 80 to 100 °C and foaming times of 2 min allow for production of nanocellular polymers with relative densities as low as 0.25. Cellular structure has been studied in-depth to obtain the processing-cellular structure relationship. In addition, it has been proved that the glass transition temperature depends on the cellular structure. This effect is associated with a confinement of the polymer in the cell walls, and is one of the key reasons for the improved properties of nanocellular polymers. Full article

We develop an analytical model to predict the collapse conformation for a single semiflexible polymer chain in solution, given its length, diameter, stiffness, and self-attractiveness. We construct conformational phase diagrams containing three collapsed states, namely torus, bundle, and globule over a range of dimensionless ratios of the three energy parameters, namely solvent-water surface energy ( ${\mathsf{\gamma }}_{\mathrm{s}}$ ), energy of bundle end folds ( ${\mathsf{\gamma }}_{\mathrm{e}}$ ), and bending energy per unit length in a torus ( ${\mathsf{\gamma }}_{\mathrm{b}}$ ). Our phase diagram captures the general phase behavior of a single long chain (>10 Kuhn lengths) at moderately high (order unity) dimensionless temperature, which is the ratio of thermal energy to the attractive interaction between neighboring monomers. We find that the phase behavior approaches an asymptotic limit when the dimensionless chain length to diameter ratio (L*) exceeds 300. We successfully validate our analytical results with Brownian Dynamics (BD) simulations, using a mapping of the simulation parameters to those used in the phase diagram. We evaluate the effect of three different bending potentials in the range of moderately high dimensionless temperature, a regime not been previously explored by simulations, and find qualitative agreement between the model and simulation results. We, thus, demonstrate that a rather simplified analytical model can be used to qualitatively predict the final collapsed state of a given polymer chain. Full article

We study the dynamics of semiflexible hyperbranched macromolecules having only dendritic units and no linear spacers, while the structure of these macromolecules is modeled through T-fractals. We construct a full set of eigenmodes of the dynamical matrix, which couples the set of Langevin equations. Based on the ensuing relaxation spectra, we analyze the mechanical relaxation moduli. The fractal character of the macromolecules reveals itself in the storage and loss moduli in the intermediate region of frequencies through scaling, whereas at higher frequencies, we observe the locally-dendritic structure that is more pronounced for higher stiffness. Full article

A variety of renewable starting materials, such as sugars and polysaccharides, vegetable oils, lignin, pine resin derivatives, and proteins, have so far been investigated for the preparation of bio-based polymers. Among the various sources of bio-based feedstock, vegetable oils are one of the most widely used starting materials in the polymer industry due to their easy availability, low toxicity, and relative low cost. Another bio-based plastic of great interest is poly(lactic acid) (PLA), widely used in multiple commercial applications nowadays. There is an intrinsic expectation that bio-based polymers are also biodegradable, but in reality there is no guarantee that polymers prepared from biorenewable feedstock exhibit significant or relevant biodegradability. Biodegradability studies are therefore crucial in order to assess the long-term environmental impact of such materials. This review presents a brief overview of the different classes of bio-based polymers, with a strong focus on vegetable oil-derived resins and PLA. An entire section is dedicated to a discussion of the literature addressing the biodegradability of bio-based polymers. Full article

Materials used in high voltage applications have to meet a lot of regulations for their safety and functional usage during their lifetime. For high voltage applications the electrical properties are the most relevant designing criteria. However, the mechanical properties of such materials have rarely been considered for application dimensioning over the last decades. This article gives an overview of composite materials used in high voltage applications and some basic mechanical and thermo-mechanical characterization methods of such materials, including a discussion of influences on practically used epoxy based thermosets. Full article

Natural cork stopper manufacturing produces a significant amount of cork waste, which is granulated and combined with synthetic glues for use in a wide range of applications. There is a high demand for using biosourced polymers in these composite materials. In this study, xanthan gum (XG) and chitosan (CS) were investigated as possible natural binders for cork. Xanthan gum was oxidized at two different aldehyde contents as a strategy to improve its water resistance. This modification was studied in detail by ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and the degree of oxidation was determined by the hydroxylamine hydrochloride titration method. The performance of the adhesives was studied by tensile tests and total soluble matter (TSM) determinations. Xanthan gum showed no water resistance, contrary to oxidized xanthan gum and chitosan. It is hypothesized that the good performance of oxidized xanthan gum is due to the reaction of aldehyde groups—formed in the oxidation process—with hydroxyl groups on the cork surface during the high temperature drying. Combining oxidized xanthan gum with chitosan did not yield significant improvements. Full article

The purpose of this work was to study the effects of three green plasticizers H₂O, glycerol, and soybean oil, on the properties of bio-based BDIS polyamides. The BDIS polyamides synthesized from the following biomass monomers: 1,4-butanediamine (BD), 1,10-decanediamine (DD), itaconic acid (IA), and sebacic acid (SA). It is interesting to note that the amorphous BDIS (IA-80%) polyamide was changed from the glassy state to the rubbery state after water soaking and induced crystallization at the same time. The H₂O-plasticized non-crosslinked BDIS (IA-80%) polyamides can be very useful for the preparation of physical water gel. The glycerol- and soybean oil-plasticized BDIS (IA-80%) polyamides displayed excellent toughness. The plasticized BDIS (IA-80%) polyamides were characterized by Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), mechanical testing, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Full article

To evaluate the effect of electrical conductivity of biomaterials on osteogenesis, polypyrrole (PPy) was fabricated by oxidative chemical polymerization as substrates for cell culture. Through adjusting the concentrations of monomer and initiator, polypyrrole films with different electrical conductivities were fabricated. These fabricated polypyrrole films are transparent enough for easy optical microscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray spectroscopy and four-point probe were used to assess the microstructures, surface chemical compositions and electrical sheet resistance of films, respectively. Results indicate that higher monomer and initiator concentration leads to highly-branched PPy chains and thus promotes the electron mobility and electrical conductivity. Selected polypyrrole films then were applied for culturing rat bone marrow stromal cells. Cell viability and mineralization assays reveal that not only these films are biocompatible, but also capable of enhancing the calcium deposition into the extra cellular matrix by the differentiated cells. Full article

To explain the reason why using phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin improves the water resistance of soy-based adhesive, the performance of soy-based adhesive cross-linked with hydroxymethyl phenol (HPF) and the reaction between HPF and a common dipeptide N-(2)-l-alanyl-l-glutamine (AG) being used as a model compound were studied in this paper. The DSC and DMA results indicated the reaction between HPF and soy-based adhesive. The soy-based adhesive cross-linked with HPF cured at a lower temperature than the adhesive without HPF. The former showed better mechanical performance and heat resistance than the latter. The ESI-MS, FT-IR and 13C-NMR results proved the reaction between HPF and AG. Because of the existence of branched ether groups in the ¹³C-NMR results of HPF/AG, the reaction between HPF and AG might mainly happened between hydroxymethyl groups and amino groups under a basic condition. Full article

The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes within the physicochemical properties of gelatine (2%; 4%; 8%), carrageenan (1.5%; 2%; 2.5%) and sodium alginate (0.75%; 1%; 1.25%) hydrogels with different sodium chloride concentrations that were triggered by applying direct current (DC) of 400 mA for a duration of five minutes. There were three types of gels prepared for the purpose of the study: C, control; H, gels on the basis of hydrosols that were treated with DC; and G, gels treated with DC. In the course of the study, the authors carried out the following analyses: Texture Profile Analysis (TPA), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Swelling Ratio (SR). Furthermore, the color and pH of hydrogels were measured. The FTIR spectra showed that the structures of gelatine, carrageenan and sodium alginate do not significantly change upon applying DC. The results of TPA, SR, color and pH measurement indicate that hydrogels’ properties are significantly dependent on the type of polymer, its concentration and the type of the gel. By changing those parameters, the characteristics of such gels can be additionally tuned, which extends their applicability, e.g., in the food industry. Moreover, the analysis revealed that SR of H gel gelatine after 72 h of storage was 1.84-times higher than SR of the control sample, which indicated that this gel may be considered as a possible component for wound dressing materials. Full article

A new route towards embedding fibrillated cellulose in a non-polar thermoset matrix without any use of organic solvent or chemical surface modification is presented. It is shown that microfibrillated lignocellulose made from cellulose with high residual lignin content is capable of stabilising an emulsion of unsaturated polyester resin in water due to its amphiphilic surface-chemical character. Upon polymerisation of the resin, thermoset microspheres embedded in a microfibrillated cellulose network are formed. The porous network structure persists after conventional drying in an oven, yielding a mechanically stable porous material. In an application experiment, the porous material was milled into a fine powder and added to the polyester matrix of a glass fibre-reinforced composite. This resulted in a significant improvement in fracture toughness of the composite, whereas a reduction of bending strength and stiffness was observed in parallel. Full article

We have performed coarse-grained molecular-dynamics simulations on both flexible and semiflexible multi-bead-spring model polymer brushes in the presence of explicit solvent particles, to explore their tribological and structural behaviors. The effect of stiffness and tethering density on equilibrium-brush height is seen to be well reproduced within a Flory-type theory. After discussing the equilibrium behavior of the model brushes, we first study the shearing behavior of flexible chains at different grafting densities covering brush and mushroom regimes. Next, we focus on the effect of chain stiffness on the tribological behavior of polymer brushes. The tribological properties are interpreted by means of the simultaneously recorded density profiles. We find that the friction coefficient decreases with increasing persistence length, both in velocity and separation-dependency studies, over the stiffness range explored in this work. Full article

Copolyesters derived from 1,4-butanediol and constituted also of aliphatic and aromatic dicarboxylate units in a molar ratio of 3:7 were synthesized by a two-step polycondensation procedure. Succinic, adipic, and sebacic acids were specifically selected as the aliphatic component whereas terephthalic acid was chosen as the aromatic moiety. The second synthesis step was a thermal transesterification between the corresponding homopolymers, always attaining a random distribution as verified by NMR spectroscopy. Hybrid polymer composites containing 2.5 wt % of hydroxyapatite (HAp) were also prepared by in situ polymerization. Hydroxyl groups on the nanoparticle surface allowed the grafting of polymer chains in such a way that composites were mostly insoluble in the typical solvents of the parent copolyesters. HAp had some influence on crystallization from the melt, thermal stability, and mechanical properties. HAp also improved the biocompatibility of samples due to the presence of Ca²⁺ cations and the damping effect of phosphate groups. Interestingly, HAp resulted in a significant increase in the hydrophilicity of samples, which considerably affected both enzymatic and hydrolytic degradability. Slight differences were also found in the function of the dicarboxylic component, as the lowest degradation rates was found for the sample constituted of the most hydrophobic sebacic acid units. Full article

Waterborne polyurethane (PU) based on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) diol and an amphiphilic polylactide-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA-PEG) diblock copolymer was synthesized. The molar ratio of PCL/PLA-PEG was 9:1 with different PLA chain lengths. The PU nanoparticles were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and rheological analysis. The water contact angle measurement, infrared spectroscopy, wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), thermal and mechanical analyses were conducted on PU films. Significant changes in physio-chemical properties were observed for PUs containing 10 mol % of amphiphilic blocks. The water contact angle was reduced to 12°–13°, and the degree of crystallinity was 5%–10%. The PU dispersions underwent sol-gel transition upon the temperature rise to 37 °C. The gelation time increased as the PLA chain length increased. In addition, the fractal dimension of each gel was close to that of a percolation cluster. Moreover, PU4 with a solid content of 26% could support the proliferation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Therefore, thermo-responsive hydrogels with tunable properties are promising injectable materials for cell or drug delivery. Full article

The polymer matrix with introduced carbon-based nanofiber displays fascinating properties. They have inspired extensive research on the synthesis of polymer composites, which have been applied in catalysis, electronics, and energy storage. In this report, we reported a facile and efficient method to prepare poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO)/nanographene (PNG) composites fibers via in-situ polymerization, accompanied by the reduction from (nanographene oxide) NGO to (nanographene) NG. By tuning the ratio of feeding PBO monomer to NGO, various composites fibers with 0.1–1 wt % contents of NG were obtained. The efficient PBO chains grafting made NG uniformly disperse in the PBO matrix, and it also increased the uniformity of the packing orientation of PBO chains. Consequently, the tensile strength, tensile modulus, and thermal stability of the obtained PNG composites fibers had been improved significantly. In addition, the composites fibers with 0.5 wt % NG exhibited a 25% increment in tensile strength, and a 41% enhancement in tensile modulus compared with neat PBO fibers. It reveals an excellent reinforcement to PBO composites fibers with NG. Full article

This study evaluated the physical and mechanical properties of resin matrices in dental adhesives with two photoinitiator systems. Resin matrix specimens were made with five different kinds of photoinitiators. Neat resin consisted of 60% 2,2-bis[4-2(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloxypropoxy)phenyl]propane (Bis-GMA) and 40% hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) by weight, along with camphorquinone (CQ, 1 mol %) and additional components (1 mol % each) as follows: Group 1, 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA); Group 2, ethyl-4-(dimethylamino) benzoate (EDMAB); Group 3, diphenyliodonium hexafluorphosphate (DPIHFP); Group 4, DMAEMA+DPIHFP; Group 5, EDMAB+DPIHFP. The degree of conversion (DC), flexural strength, flexural modulus, microhardness, and ultimate tensile strength were tested. The contribution of each photoinitiator to the DC in a selected group was analyzed with contour plots. One-way ANOVA and Tukey tests (p < 0.05) were used for statistical analyses. The DC of Groups 2, 4, and 5 was similar. The flexural strength was similar in all groups, but flexural modulus was significantly different. Group 3 had the lowest values for all physical and mechanical properties. Among all methods, the microhardness test revealed the greatest degree of difference among the five specimens. CQ, EDMAB, and DPIHFP were the most effective photoinitiators and CQ was the most influential factor for the DC rate. Full article

Influence of topographical features on mechanical properties of 0.1 wt % Multi-Layer Graphene (MLG)/clay-epoxy nanocomposites has been studied. Three different compositions were made: (1) 0.1 wt % MLG-EP; (2) 0.1 wt % clay-EP and (3) 0.05 wt % MLG-0.05 wt % clay-EP. The objective of making hybrid nanocomposites was to determine whether synergistic effects are prominent at low weight fraction of 0.1 wt % causing an improvement in mechanical properties. The topographical features studied include waviness (W_a), roughness average (R_a), root mean square value (R_q) and maximum roughness height (R_max or R_z). The R_z of as-cast 0.1 wt % MLG-EP, clay-EP and 0.05 wt % MLG-0.05 wt % clay-EP nanocomposites were 43.52, 48.43 and 41.8 µm respectively. A decrease in R_z values was observed by treating the samples with velvet cloth and abrasive paper 1200P while increased by treating with abrasive papers 320P and 60P. A weight loss of up to 16% was observed in samples after the treatment with the abrasive papers. It was observed that MLG is more effective in improving the mechanical properties of epoxy than nanoclay. In addition, no significant improvement in mechanical properties was observed in hybrid nanocomposites indicating that 0.1 wt % is not sufficient to generate conspicuous synergistic effects. Full article

In recent years, conducting polymer (CP) nanomaterials have been used in a variety of fields, such as in energy, environmental, and biomedical applications, owing to their outstanding chemical and physical properties compared to conventional metal materials. In particular, nanobiosensors based on CP nanomaterials exhibit excellent performance sensing target molecules. The performance of CP nanobiosensors varies based on their size, shape, conductivity, and morphology, among other characteristics. Therefore, in this review, we provide an overview of the techniques commonly used to fabricate novel CP nanomaterials and their biosensor applications, including aptasensors, field-effect transistor (FET) biosensors, human sense mimicking biosensors, and immunoassays. We also discuss prospects for state-of-the-art nanobiosensors using CP nanomaterials by focusing on strategies to overcome the current limitations. Full article

With the rising tide of antibiotic resistant bacteria, extending the longevity of the current antibiotic arsenal is becoming a necessity. Developing local, controlled release antibiotic strategies, particularly for difficult to penetrate tissues such as bone, may prove to be a better alternative. Previous efforts to develop an osteoconductive local antibiotic release device for bone were created as solid molded composites; however, intimate contact with host bone was found to be critical to support host bone regrowth; thus, an osteocondconductive antibiotic releasing bone void filling putty was developed. Furthermore, a controlled releasing polymer matrix was refined using pendant-functionalized diols to provide tailorable pharmacokinetics. In vitro pharmacokinetic and bioactivity profiles were compared for a putty formulation with an analogous composition as its molded counterpart as well as four new pendant-functionalized polymers. A best-fit analysis of polymer composition in either small cylindrical disks or larger spheres revealed that the new pendant-functionalized polymers appear to release vancomycin via both diffusion and erosion regardless of the geometry of the putty. In silico simulations, a valuable technique for diffusion mediated controlled release models, will be used to confirm and optimize this property. Full article

The properties of a composite material depend on its constituent materials such as natural biopolymers or synthetic biodegradable polymers and inorganic or organic nanomaterials or nano-scale minerals. The significance of bio-based and synthetic polymers and their drawbacks on coating film application is currently being discussed in research papers and articles. Properties and applications vary for each novel synthetic bio-based material, and a number of such materials have been fabricated in recent years. This review provides an in-depth discussion on the properties and applications of biopolymer-based nanocomposite coating films. Recent works and articles are cited in this paper. These citations are ubiquitous in the development of novel bionanocomposites and their applications. Full article

Helical polymer bundles are an important fixture in biomolecular systems. The particular structural geometry of helix bundles is dependent on many factors including the length of the polymer chain. In this study, we performed Monte Carlo simulations of a coarse-grained model for helical polymers to determine the influence of polymer length on tertiary structure formation. Helical structures of semiflexible polymers are analyzed for several chain lengths under thermal conditions. Structural hyperphase diagrams, parametrized by torsion strength and temperature, are constructed and compared. Full article

Nowadays, “green” is a hot topic almost everywhere, from retailers to universities to industries; and achieving a green status has become a universal aim. However, polymers are commonly considered not to be “green”, being associated with massive energy consumption and severe pollution problems (for example, the “Plastic Soup”) as a public stereotype. To achieve green polymers, three elements should be entailed: (1) green raw materials, catalysts and solvents; (2) eco-friendly synthesis processes; and (3) sustainable polymers with a low carbon footprint, for example, (bio)degradable polymers or polymers which can be recycled or disposed with a gentle environmental impact. By utilizing biobased monomers in enzymatic polymerizations, many advantageous green aspects can be fulfilled. For example, biobased monomers and enzyme catalysts are renewable materials that are derived from biomass feedstocks; enzymatic polymerizations are clean and energy saving processes; and no toxic residuals contaminate the final products. Therefore, synthesis of renewable polymers via enzymatic polymerizations of biobased monomers provides an opportunity for achieving green polymers and a future sustainable polymer industry, which will eventually play an essential role for realizing and maintaining a biobased and sustainable society. Full article

Thin films of human serum albumin (HSA) were immobilized on polystyrene (PS) substrates previously functionalized either with polar or nonpolar functional groups. The functionalization was performed by treatment with cold gaseous plasma created in pure oxygen and tetrafluoromethane (CF₄) plasmas, respectively. Samples were examined with soft X-rays in the photon energy range of 520 to 710 eV in the ANTARES beam line at SOLEIL Synchrotron. NEXAFS spectra of O K-edge and F K-edge were collected at different spots of the sample, and measurements at each spot were repeated many times. A strong degradation of the HSA protein was observed. The weakly irradiated samples exhibited strong absorption at 531.5 eV associated with the O 1s→π*_amide transitions, and a broad non distinctive peak at 540 eV was attributed to the O 1s→σ*_C–O transitions. Both peaks decreased with increasing irradiation time until they were completely replaced by a broad non-distinctive peak at around 532 eV, indicating the destruction of the original protein conformation. The shortage of the amide groups indicated breakage of the peptide bonds. Full article

A series of poly(trimethylene terephthalate)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PTT-b-PEOT) copolymers with different compositions of rigid PTT and flexible PEOT segments were synthesized via condensation in the melt. The influence of the block length and the block ratio on the micro-separated phase structure and elastic properties of the synthesized multiblock copolymers was studied. The PEOT segments in these copolymers were kept constant at 1130, 2130 or 3130 g/mol, whereas the PTT content varied from 30 up to 50 wt %. The phase separation was assessed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The crystal structure of the synthesised block copolymers and their microstructure on the manometer scale was evaluated by using WAXS and SAXS analysis. Depending on the PTT/PEOT ratio, but also on the rigid and flexible segment length in PTT-b-PEO copolymers, four different domains were observed i.e.,: a crystalline PTT phase, a crystalline PEO phase (which exists for the whole series based on three types of PEOT segments), an amorphous PTT phase (only at 50 wt % content of PTT rigid segments) and an amorphous PEO phase. Moreover, the elastic deformability and reversibility of PTT-b-PEOT block copolymers were studied during a cyclic tensile test. Determined values of permanent set resultant from maximum attained stain (100% and 200%) for copolymers were used to evaluate their elastic properties. Full article