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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2019) | Viewed by 61970

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Prof. Dr. Youhong Tang

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Institute for NanoScale Science and Technology, Medical Device Research Institute, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia
Interests: biomaterials; chemosensors/biosensors and their associated portable devices; especially with novel aggregation-induced emission features
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. David A. Lewis

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Flinders Institute for NanoScale Science and Technology, Flinders University, South Australia 5042, Australia
Interests: nanotechnology; polymer science (including polymer electronics, polymerization mechanisms, morphology and grafting from surfaces); functional nanoparticles; materials engineering; physical chemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Polymers is dedicated to the elevation of the Flinders Institute for NanoScale Science and Technology, from Centre to Institute, in June, 2018, recognizing the breadth, quality, and impact of research being carried out.

The Flinders Centre for NanoScale Science and Technology was established in 2010 to increase the visibility and external perception of nanotechnology research at Flinders University. From an initial membership of 35 people, the Centre has grown consistently over the following years, now numbering over 120 members, with a publication rate of more than 100 peer-reviewed papers per year. Along with a high publication rate, Centre members maintain a high level of quality in their research outputs, with an average impact factor of 6.9 for publications in 2017. The high quality of our research output has also been recognized in both the 2012 and 2015 Excellence in Research for Australia rankings, where the Centre has achieved the highest possible ranking of 5 (“well above world standard”) on every occasion.

We hope that you enjoy this Special Issue, and its focus on the nanotechnology of polymers and biomaterials, which is one part of our research capability.

Associate Prof. David A. Lewis
Prof. Youhong Tang
Guest Editors

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

Nanotechnology
Polymer
Biomaterials
Nanomaterials
Functional materials

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1825 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Low-Temperature Processed TiO_x/Zn_1−xCd_xS Nanocomposite for Efficient MAPbI_xCl_1−x Perovskite and PCDTBT:PC₇₀BM Polymer Solar Cells

by Binh Duong, Khathawut Lohawet, Tanyakorn Muangnapoh, Hideki Nakajima, Narong Chanlek, Anirudh Sharma, David A. Lewis and Pisist Kumnorkaew

Polymers 2019, 11(6), 980; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11060980 - 03 Jun 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3525

Abstract

The majority of high-performance perovskite and polymer solar cells consist of a TiO₂ electron transport layer (ETL) processed at a high temperature (>450 °C). Here, we demonstrate that low-temperature (80 °C) ETL thin film of TiO_x:Zn_1−xCd_xS can be used as an effective ETL and its band energy can be tuned by varying the TiO_x:Zn_1−xCd_xS ratio. At the optimal ratio of 50:50 (vol%), the MAPbI_xCl_1−x perovskite and PCBTBT:PC₇₀BM polymer solar cells achieved 9.79% and 4.95%, respectively. Morphological and optoelectronic analyses showed that tailoring band edges and homogeneous distribution of the local surface charges could improve the solar cells efficiency by more than 2%. We proposed a plausible mechanism to rationalize the variation in morphology and band energy of the ETL. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology of Polymers and Biomaterials)

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11 pages, 2056 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing Polymer Solar Cells Using Non-Halogenated Solvent Blends

by Guler Kocak, Desta Gedefaw and Mats R. Andersson

Polymers 2019, 11(3), 544; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11030544 - 22 Mar 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3816

Abstract

More environmentally friendly polymer solar cells were constructed using a conjugated polymer, poly (2,5-thiophene-alt-4,9-bis(2-hexyldecyl)-4,9-dihydrodithieno[3,2-c:3′,2′h][1,5] naphthyridine-5,10-dione, PTNT, as a donor material in combination with PC₇₁BM as an acceptor in a bulk heterojunction device structure. A non-halogenated processing solvent (o-xylene) and solvent additives that are less harmful to the environment such as 1-methoxynaphthalene (MN) and 1-phenylnaphthalene (PN) were used throughout the study as processing solvents. The most widely used halogenated solvent additives (1,8-diiodooctane (DIO) and 1-chloronaphthalene (CN)) were also used for comparison and to understand the effect of the type of solvent additives on the photovoltaic performances. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was employed to investigate the surface morphology of the films prepared in the presence of the various additives. The best-performing polymer solar cells provided a high open-circuit voltage of 0.9 V, an efficient fill factor of around 70%, and a highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of over 6% with the use of the eco-friendlier o-xylene/MN solvent systems. Interestingly, the solvent blend which is less harmful and with low environmental impact gave a 20% rise in PCE as compared to an earlier reported device efficiency that was processed from the chlorinated solvent o-dichlorobenzene (o-DCB). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology of Polymers and Biomaterials)

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12 pages, 2483 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Morphology Control in a Dual-Cure System for Potential Applications in Additive Manufacturing

by Jonathan A. Campbell, Harrison Inglis, Elson Ng WeiLong, Cheylan McKinley and David A. Lewis

Polymers 2019, 11(3), 420; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11030420 - 05 Mar 2019

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3158

Abstract

The polymerisation, morphology and mechanical properties of a two-component in-situ reacting system consisting of a rubbery dimethacrylate and a rigid epoxy polymer were investigated. The methacrylate component of the mixture was photocured using UV light exposure and, in a second curing process, the mixture was thermally postcured. The polymers formed a partially miscible system with two glass transition temperature (T_g) peaks measured using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The composition and relative rate of reaction of the two orthogonal polymerisations influenced the extent of miscibility of the two polymer-rich phases and the samples were transparent, indicating that the two phases were finely dispersed. The addition of a glycidyl methacrylate compatibiliser further increased the miscibility of the two polymers. The utility of this polymer system for additive manufacturing was investigated and simulated through layer-by-layer processing of the mixture in two steps. Firstly, the methacrylate component was photocured to solidify the material into its final shape, whilst the second step of thermal curing was used to polymerise the epoxy component. With the use of a simulated photomask, a simple shape was formed using the two orthogonal polymerisation stages to produce a solid object. The mechanical properties of this two-phase system were superior to a control sample made only of the methacrylate component, indicating that some reinforcing due to polymerisation of the epoxy across the interfaces had occurred in the postcuring stage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology of Polymers and Biomaterials)

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10 pages, 1346 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Physisorption and Chemisorption in the Oscillatory Adsorption of Organosilanes on Aluminium Oxide

by Ruby A. Sims, Sarah L. Harmer and Jamie S. Quinton

Polymers 2019, 11(3), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11030410 - 04 Mar 2019

Cited by 48 | Viewed by 5906

Abstract

The effect of physisorbed and chemisorbed species on the time-dependent self-assembly mechanism of organosilane films has been investigated on aluminium oxide using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The role of physisorbed species was determined through their removal using a simple rinsing procedure while monitoring film substrate coverage. Removing physisorbed species from Propyldimethylmethoxysilane films, shown to follow a Langmuir-type adsorption profile, reduces the substrate coverage initially but quickly results in coverages equivalent to films that did not undergo a rinsing procedure. This indicates that all Propyldimethylmethoxysilane molecules are covalently bound to the substrate following 15 s of film growth. Removing physisorbed species from films, which have been shown to follow an oscillatory adsorption profile, Propyltrimethoxysilane and Propylmethyldimethoxysilane, reveal the persistence of these oscillations despite a reduction in silane substrate coverage. These results not only confirm the presence of two thermodynamically favourable phases in the condensation equilibrium reaction as physisorbed and chemisorbed species, but also indicate that the desorption of species during film growth involves both states of chemical binding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology of Polymers and Biomaterials)

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10 pages, 3041 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Scanning Auger Microscopy Studies of Silane Films Grown on Plasma-Modified HOPG Surfaces

by Jade K. Taylor, Jasmine R. Wiese, Sarah L. Harmer and Jamie S. Quinton

Polymers 2019, 11(2), 307; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11020307 - 12 Feb 2019

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2664

Abstract

The growth of silane films on plasma oxidized highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) surfaces has been studied using wet chemical deposition of propyltrimethoxysilane (PTMS) and propyldimethylmethoxysilane (PDMMS). Scanning Auger microscopy (SAM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to investigate the chemical composition and morphology of the silane films. The effects of several deposition parameters were examined, including the necessity of oxidation of the HOPG surface, addition of water with the silane, and rinsing before curing. The optimal conditions needed to create a complete uniform film differ for the two silanes due to differences in their structures. Both silanes require an oxidized HOPG surface for a film to grow, the addition of water with PTMS results in a thicker film, while the addition of water with PDMMS decreases the film growth. Rinsing of both samples before curing removes physisorbed species, leaving only the covalently bonded film on the surface. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology of Polymers and Biomaterials)

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10 pages, 2919 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of Chitosan Nanoparticles Loaded with Protocatechuic Acid (PCA) for the Resistance of Pyricularia oryzae Fungus against Rice Blast

by The Trinh Pham, Thi Hiep Nguyen, Thuan Vo Thi, Thanh-Truc Nguyen, Tien Dung Le, Do Minh Hoang Vo, Dai Hai Nguyen, Cuu Khoa Nguyen, Duy Chinh Nguyen, Trong Tuan Nguyen and Long Giang Bach

Polymers 2019, 11(1), 177; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11010177 - 21 Jan 2019

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4810

Abstract

In this study, chitosan nanoparticles were used as a carrier for Protocatechuic acid (PCA) to resist Pyricularia oryzae against rice blast. The final compound was characterized using zeta potentials for its surface electricity, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were conducted for functional groups and for particle sizes and shape, respectively. The zeta potential results showed that loading PCA causes chitosan nanoparticle (CSNP) to decrease in surface electrons. The TEM images revealed that the particle size of chitosan (CS), although increasing in size when carrying PCA molecules, showed sufficient size for reasonable penetration into fungal cells. The FT-IR analysis showed that all functional group in CSNP carried PCA matched with previous studies. The antifungal test showed that diameters of inhibition zone of CS increases significantly after loading PCA, exhibiting the strongest antimicrobial effect on the Pyricularia oryzae fungus compared with weaker effects exhibited by CSNP alone or PCA. Our results suggested that CSNP loaded with PCA could be a potential compound for eradication of Pyricularia oryzae and that further testing on in vitro rice plants is recommended to reaffirm this possibility. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology of Polymers and Biomaterials)

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12 pages, 3197 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Role of Molecular Weight in Polymer Wrapping and Dispersion of MWNT in a PVDF Matrix

by Muthuraman Namasivayam, Mats R. Andersson and Joseph Shapter

Polymers 2019, 11(1), 162; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11010162 - 17 Jan 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5277

Abstract

The thermal and electrical properties of a polymer nanocomposite are highly dependent on the dispersion of the CNT filler in the polymer matrix. Non-covalent functionalisation with a PVP polymer is an excellent driving force towards an effective dispersion of MWNTs in the polymer matrix. It is shown that the PVP molecular weight plays a key role in the non-covalent functionalisation of MWNT and its effect on the thermal and electrical properties of the polymer nanocomposite is reported herein. The dispersion and crystallisation behaviour of the composite are also evaluated by a combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology of Polymers and Biomaterials)

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11 pages, 2098 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Copper Metallopolymer Catalyst for the Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (HER)

by Sait Elmas, Thomas J. Macdonald, William Skinner, Mats Andersson and Thomas Nann

Polymers 2019, 11(1), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11010110 - 10 Jan 2019

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5994

Abstract

Conjugated polymers with stabilizing coordination units for single-site catalytic centers are excellent candidates to minimize the use of expensive noble metal electrode materials. In this study, conjugated metallopolymer, P_OS[Cu], was synthesized and fully characterized by means of spectroscopical, electrochemical, and photophysical methods. The copper metallopolymer was found to be highly active for the electrocatalytic hydrogen generation (HER) in an aqueous solution at pH 7.4 and overpotentials at 300 mV vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). Compared to the platinum electrode, the obtained overpotential is only 100 mV higher. The photoelectrochemical tests revealed that the complexation of the conjugated polymer P_OS turned its intrinsically electron-accepting (p-type) properties into an electron-donor (n-type) with photocurrent responses ten times higher than the organic photoelectrode. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology of Polymers and Biomaterials)

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12 pages, 1890 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chemical Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate)-Grafted CdTe Nanocrystals via RAFT Polymerization for Covalent Immobilization of Adenosine

by Trinh Duy Nguyen, Hieu Vu-Quang, Thanh Sang Vo, Duy Chinh Nguyen, Dai-Viet N. Vo, Dai Hai Nguyen, Kwon Taek Lim, Dai Lam Tran and Long Giang Bach

Polymers 2019, 11(1), 77; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11010077 - 06 Jan 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4574

Abstract

This paper describes the functionalization of poly(poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) (PPEGMA)-grafted CdTe (PPEGMA-g-CdTe) quantum dots (QDs) via surface-initiated reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (SI-RAFT) polymerization for immobilization of adenosine. Initially, the hydroxyl-coated CdTe QDs, synthesized using 2-mercaptoethanol (ME) as a capping agent, were coupled with a RAFT agent, S-benzyl S′-trimethoxysilylpropyltrithiocarbonate (BTPT), through a condensation reaction. Then, 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) was used to successfully initiate in situ RAFT polymerization to generate PPEGMA-g-CdTe nanocomposites. Adenosine-above-PPEGMA-grafted CdTe (Ado-i-PPEGMA-g-CdTe) hybrids were formed by the polymer shell, which had successfully undergone bioconjugation and postfunctionalization by adenosine (as a nucleoside). Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometry, energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy results indicated that a robust covalent bond was created between the organic PPEGMA part, cadmium telluride (CdTe) QDs, and the adenosine conjugate. The optical properties of the PPEGMA-g-CdTe and Ado-i-PPEGMA-g-CdTe hybrids were investigated by photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and the results suggest that they have a great potential for application as optimal materials in biomedicine. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology of Polymers and Biomaterials)

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14 pages, 2200 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Electrospun Polycaprolactone Nanofibers as a Reaction Membrane for Lateral Flow Assay

by Chee Hong Takahiro Yew, Pedram Azari, Jane Ru Choi, Farina Muhamad and Belinda Pingguan-Murphy

Polymers 2018, 10(12), 1387; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10121387 - 14 Dec 2018

Cited by 58 | Viewed by 6953

Abstract

Electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers have emerged as a promising material in diverse biomedical applications due to their various favorable features. However, their application in the field of biosensors such as point-of-care lateral flow assays (LFA) has not been investigated. The present study demonstrates the use of electrospun PCL nanofibers as a reaction membrane for LFA. Electrospun PCL nanofibers were treated with NaOH solution for different concentrations and durations to achieve a desirable flow rate and optimum detection sensitivity in nucleic acid-based LFA. It was observed that the concentration of NaOH does not affect the physical properties of nanofibers, including average fiber diameter, average pore size and porosity. However, interestingly, a significant reduction of the water contact angle was observed due to the generation of hydroxyl and carboxyl groups on the nanofibers, which increased their hydrophilicity. The optimally treated nanofibers were able to detect synthetic Zika viral DNA (as a model analyte) sensitively with a detection limit of 0.5 nM. Collectively, the benefits such as low-cost of fabrication, ease of modification, porous nanofibrous structures and tunability of flow rate make PCL nanofibers a versatile alternative to nitrocellulose membrane in LFA applications. This material offers tremendous potential for a broad range of point-of-care applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology of Polymers and Biomaterials)

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9 pages, 3299 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Polyelectrolyte-Coated Gold Nanoparticles: The Effect of Salt and Polyelectrolyte Concentration on Colloidal Stability

by Melanie Fuller and Ingo Kӧper

Polymers 2018, 10(12), 1336; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10121336 - 03 Dec 2018

Cited by 38 | Viewed by 5051

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles are widely used in biomedical applications. Their ease of surface modification, biocompatibility and the presence of surface plasmons makes them ideal tools for a variety of investigations. Polyelectrolyte-coated gold nanoparticles are employed in areas such as imaging, drug delivery and gene therapy; however, it is not well understood how different factors such as the polyelectrolyte and salt concentration affect the coating on the nanoparticles and hence their performance. Here, these parameters were systematically varied and their effect on the stability of the colloidal nanoparticle suspension was monitored. An increase in the polyelectrolyte concentration from 0 to 30 mg/mL led to a red shift of the surface plasmon peak and an increase in the zeta potential. Concentrations between 5 mg/mL and 30 mg/mL resulted in the most stable systems, with 1 mg/mL being the most unstable. Stable nanoparticle suspensions were formed in salt concentrations below 50 mM, while higher concentrations caused colloidal instability and irreversible aggregation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology of Polymers and Biomaterials)

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10 pages, 4528 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Novel Bacterial Cellulose-Poly (Acrylic Acid) Hybrid Hydrogels with Controllable Antimicrobial Ability as Dressings for Chronic Wounds

by Clarence Chuah, Jing Wang, Javad Tavakoli and Youhong Tang

Polymers 2018, 10(12), 1323; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10121323 - 29 Nov 2018

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 5402

Abstract

This investigation examines the combination of poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) and bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibers to synthesize hydrogel hybrid composites used for wound dressing application. Amoxicillin (AM) was also grafted onto the composites for drug release. Fourier transform infrared analysis and scanning electron microscopy conducted revealed the structure and porosity of the composite being developed, as well as the successful fabrication of BC-PAA composites. The results of mechanical testing and hygroscopicity revealed that the composite shows higher stability than hydrogels which are currently used worldwide, albeit with a slight reduction in swelling capabilities. However, the composite was revealed to be responsive to a rise in pH values with an increase in composite swelling and drug release. These results together with their morphological characteristics suggest that BC-PAA hydrogel hybrid composite is a promising candidate for wound dressing application. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology of Polymers and Biomaterials)

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8 pages, 3406 KiB

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Luminescent and UV-Shielding ZnO Quantum Dots/Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium Nanocomposite Polymer Films

by Tianyi Li, Bin Li, Yali Ji and Lili Wang

Polymers 2018, 10(10), 1112; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10101112 - 08 Oct 2018

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3718

Abstract

Luminescent and UV-shielding bio-polymers have seldom been reported. Zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnOQD) (~3.2 nm) was synthesized by a short-term sol-gel method. ZnOQD possessed a crystal lattice spacing of 0.28 nm and a hexagonal wurtzite structure. Luminescent and UV-shielding ZnOQD/carboxymethylcellulose sodium (CMC) nanocomposite polymer films were successfully fabricated by incorporating ZnOQD into a CMC matrix through a solution casting method. Thermal analysis demonstrated that the ZnOQD reduce the thermal decomposition rate of CMC, and a large number of ZnOQD can promote the catalytic degradation of ZnOQD/CMC nanocomposites. Furthermore, ZnOQD/CMC hybrid polymer films exhibited photoluminescence with maximum emission wavelength at 525 nm. More significantly, ZnOQD/CMC showed prominent UV-absorbing capability. Such ZnOQD/CMC nanocomposite polymer films are promising in UV-shielding and optical applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanotechnology of Polymers and Biomaterials)

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