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Polymers
Special Issues
Polymer Materials for Energy, Environment and Radiation Shielding
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Polymer Materials for Energy, Environment and Radiation Shielding

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 April 2024) | Viewed by 3485

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ruishi Xie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Materials and Chemistry, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China
Interests: nanomaterials and nanostructures; physics and chemistry of functional materials; new energy materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Among the most essential functional materials, polymers include a wide range of natural and artificial materials, such as polymer blends, films, fibers, porous materials, nanocomposites, and hybrid materials. With the fine-tuning of polymer structures, a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between their structure and physicochemical properties, as well as the development of appropriate predictive models, polymer materials will be designed more effectively, leading to the discovery of new polymer materials that can meet the needs of applications in the future.

This Special Issue aims to present a collection of articles describing new developments in the synthesis and applications in the fields of energy, environment, and radiation shielding of polymer materials. It also aims to explore emerging applications for these fascinating materials.

Dr. Ruishi Xie
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • nanomaterials and nanostructures
  • radiation shielding
  • photocatalysis
  • electrocatalysis
  • energy storage and conversion
  • carbon dioxide reduction
  • adsorption
  • separation and purification
  • photocatalytic degradation

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 1869 KiB  
Article
Fabrication, Structural Characterization, and Photon Attenuation Efficiency Investigation of Polymer-Based Composites
by Sitah F. Alanazi, Norah M. Alotaibi, Mohammed Alsuhybani, Nassar Alnassar, Fahad I. Almasoud and Mansour Almurayshid
Polymers 2024, 16(9), 1212; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16091212 - 26 Apr 2024
Viewed by 360
Abstract
Experiments have assessed various polymer composites for radiation shielding in diverse applications. These composites are lighter and non-toxic when compared to lead (Pb), making them particularly effective in diagnostic imaging for shielding against low-energy photons. This study demonstrates the fabrication of four composites [...] Read more.
Experiments have assessed various polymer composites for radiation shielding in diverse applications. These composites are lighter and non-toxic when compared to lead (Pb), making them particularly effective in diagnostic imaging for shielding against low-energy photons. This study demonstrates the fabrication of four composites by combining a base material, specifically a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) polymer, with 10% and 20% silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (SiC), respectively. Additionally, 5% molybdenum (Mo) was incorporated into the composites as a heavy metal element. The composites obtained were fabricated into 20 disks with a uniform thickness of 2 mm each. Discs were exposed to radiation from a low-energy X-ray source (32.5–64.5 keV). The chemical and physical properties of composites were assessed. The shielding ability of samples was evaluated by determining the linear and mass attenuation coefficients (μ and μm), radiation protection efficiency (RPE), half-value layer (HVL), and mean free path (MFP). According to our findings, supplementing HDPE with additives improved the attenuation of beams. The μm values showed that composite X-ray shielding characteristics were enhanced with filler concentration for both Si and SiC. Polymer composites with micro-molecule fillers shelter X-rays better than polymers, especially at low energy. The HVL and MFB values of the filler are lower than those of the pure HDPE sample, indicating that less thickness is needed to shield at the appropriate energy. HC-20 blocked 92% of the incident beam at 32.5 keV. This study found that increasing the composite sample thickness or polymer filler percentage could shield against low-energy radiation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Materials for Energy, Environment and Radiation Shielding)
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12 pages, 3848 KiB  
Article
Mechanical Properties, Radiation Resistance Performances, and Mechanism Insights of Nitrile Butadiene Rubber Irradiated with High-Dose Gamma Rays
by Rongrong Luo, Daoan Kang, Chao Huang, Tengfei Yan, Pengyuan Li, Hongxi Ren and Zhiyuan Zhang
Polymers 2023, 15(18), 3723; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15183723 - 11 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1299
Abstract
The radiation effect of materials is very important and directly related to the safety and reliability of nuclear reactors. Polymer materials, one of the indispensable materials in nuclear power equipment, must withstand the ordeal of high-energy ionizing rays. In this work, through screening [...] Read more.
The radiation effect of materials is very important and directly related to the safety and reliability of nuclear reactors. Polymer materials, one of the indispensable materials in nuclear power equipment, must withstand the ordeal of high-energy ionizing rays. In this work, through screening different γ-ray dose irradiation conditions, we systematically and comprehensively study the changes in the structure and properties of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) before and after γ-ray static irradiation at a high dose rate, and master the rule and mechanism of the γ-ray static irradiation effect of these polymer materials. The mapping relationship between the macroscopic properties, microstructure, and irradiation dose of NBR is accurately characterized. With an increase in total irradiation dose, the C=C double bond reaction occurs, and the C≡N bond, C=C, and C=O participate in the hyper crosslinking reaction. The glass transition temperature (Tg) increases with the cumulative irradiation amount. With the increased total irradiation amount, the degree of rubber cross-linking increases, causing an increased crystallinity and decomposition temperature. A growing amount of gamma irradiation causes the mechanical properties of the rubber to degrade simultaneously, increasing the shore hardness while decreasing the tensile strength and ultimate elongation at break. When the cumulative amount reaches 1 MGy, the ultimate elongation at break decreases significantly. A cumulative dose of radiation resistance of 4 MGy can be achieved by the samples. This work can provide theoretical and experimental support for the long-term stability of nitrile butadiene rubber and its derivatives in nuclear radiation fields and space radiation conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Materials for Energy, Environment and Radiation Shielding)
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Review

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16 pages, 3493 KiB  
Review
COF-Based Photocatalysts for Enhanced Synthesis of Hydrogen Peroxide
by Deming Tan and Xuelin Fan
Polymers 2024, 16(5), 659; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16050659 - 29 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1143
Abstract
Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs), with their intrinsic structural regularity and modifiable chemical functionality, have burgeoned as a pivotal material in the realm of photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) synthesis. This article reviews the recent advancements and multifaceted approaches employed in [...] Read more.
Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs), with their intrinsic structural regularity and modifiable chemical functionality, have burgeoned as a pivotal material in the realm of photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) synthesis. This article reviews the recent advancements and multifaceted approaches employed in using the unique properties of COFs for high-efficient photocatalytic H2O2 production. We first introduced COFs and their advantages in the photocatalytic synthesis of H2O2. Subsequently, we spotlight the principles and evaluation of photocatalytic H2O2 generation, followed by various strategies for the incorporation of active sites aiming to optimize the separation and transfer of photoinduced charge carriers. Finally, we explore the challenges and future prospects, emphasizing the necessity for a deeper mechanistic understanding and the development of scalable and economically viable COF-based photocatalysts for sustainable H2O2 production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Materials for Energy, Environment and Radiation Shielding)
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