Polymer Nanocomposites and Bionanocomposites

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Biomolecules biomolecules	4.8	9.4	2011	16.3 Days	CHF 2700
International Journal of Molecular Sciences ijms	4.9	8.1	2000	18.1 Days	CHF 2900
Materials materials	3.1	5.8	2008	15.5 Days	CHF 2600
Nanomaterials nanomaterials	4.4	8.5	2010	13.8 Days	CHF 2900
Polymers polymers	4.7	8.0	2009	14.5 Days	CHF 2700

18 pages, 4554 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Electromagnetic-Wave-Shielding Polyvinylidene Fluoride–Ti₃C₂T_x MXene–Carbon Nanotube Composites by Improving Impedance Matching and Conductivity

by Qimei Zhang, Jian Cui, Shuai Zhao, Guangfa Zhang, Ailin Gao and Yehai Yan

Nanomaterials 2023, 13(3), 417; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13030417 - 19 Jan 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2243

Abstract

Absorption-dominated electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding is attained by improving impedance matching and conductivity through structural design. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)–Ti₃C₂T_x MXene–single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) composites with layered heterogeneous conductive fillers and segregated structures were prepared through electrostatic flocculation and [...] Read more.

Absorption-dominated electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding is attained by improving impedance matching and conductivity through structural design. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)–Ti₃C₂T_x MXene–single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) composites with layered heterogeneous conductive fillers and segregated structures were prepared through electrostatic flocculation and hot pressing of the PVDF composite microsphere-coated MXene and SWCNTs in a layer-by-layer fashion. Results suggest that the heterogeneous fillers improve impedance matching and layered coating, and hot compression allows the MXene and SWCNTs to form a continuous conducting network at the PVDF interface, thereby conferring excellent conductivity to the composite. The PVDF-MXene-SWCNTs composite showed a conductivity of 2.75 S cm⁻¹ at 2.5% MXene and 1% SWCNTs. The EMI shielding efficiency (SE) and contribution from absorption loss to the total EMI SE of PVDF-MXene-SWCNTs were 46.1 dB and 85.7%, respectively. Furthermore, the PVDF-MXene-SWCNTs composite exhibited excellent dielectric losses and impedance matching. Therefore, the layered heteroconductive fillers in a segregated structure optimize impedance matching, provide excellent conductivity, and improve absorption-dominated electromagnetic shielding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Polymer Nanocomposites and Bionanocomposites)

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11 pages, 1697 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical and Water Absorption Properties of Waterborne Polyurethane/Graphene Oxide Composites

by Sergey A. Baskakov, Yulia V. Baskakova, Elizaveta V. Dvoretskaya, Svetlana S. Krasnikova, Valentina A. Lesnichaya, Yury M. Shulga and Gennady L. Gutsev

Materials 2023, 16(1), 178; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16010178 - 25 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1858

Abstract

Nanocomposites based on waterborne polyurethane (WPU) and graphene oxide (GO) have been synthesized and characterized. It was found that after the incorporation of GO, WPU films became mechanically more rigid, and the Young’s modulus increased by almost six times. It is shown that [...] Read more.

Nanocomposites based on waterborne polyurethane (WPU) and graphene oxide (GO) have been synthesized and characterized. It was found that after the incorporation of GO, WPU films became mechanically more rigid, and the Young’s modulus increased by almost six times. It is shown that the lateral size of GO sheets influences the mechanical properties of WPU/GO composites. In particular, composites with larger lateral size of GO sheets have higher values of Young’s modulus. Additionally, if the mechanical properties are improved with the addition of GO additive, then water absorption decreases for WPU modified with small GO sheets whereas it increases for WPU modified with large GO sheets. Possible reasons for this behavior are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Polymer Nanocomposites and Bionanocomposites)

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9 pages, 4057 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide as an In Situ Assistant in the Nucleation and Growth of Gold Nanoparticles

by Nery M. Aguilar, Jose Manuel Perez-Aguilar, Valeria J. González-Coronel, Hugo Martínez-Gutiérrez, Teresa Zayas Pérez, Guillermo Soriano-Moro and Brenda L. Sanchez-Gaytan

Materials 2022, 15(23), 8557; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15238557 - 1 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1744

Abstract

The modulation of nanoparticles’ size, shape, and dispersion by polymers has attracted particular attention in different fields. Nevertheless, there is a lack of information regarding the use of charged macromolecules as assistants in the nanostructures’ nucleation and growth processes. Prompted by this, the [...] Read more.

The modulation of nanoparticles’ size, shape, and dispersion by polymers has attracted particular attention in different fields. Nevertheless, there is a lack of information regarding the use of charged macromolecules as assistants in the nanostructures’ nucleation and growth processes. Prompted by this, the in situ synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) aided by hydrolyzed polyacrylamides (HPAM), with different chemical structures, was developed. In contrast to the conventional synthesis of nanostructures assisted by polyacrylamide, here, the polymerization, hydrolysis, and nanostructure formation processes were carried out simultaneously in the same milieu. Likewise, the growing chains acted as a template for the nanoparticles’ growth, so their conformations and chemical structure, especially the amount of charges along the chain, played an important role in the AuNPs’ morphology, size, and some of the final composite features. The nanocomposite was thoroughly characterized with appropriate techniques, including ATR–FTIR, GPC, UV–Vis, and SEM. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Polymer Nanocomposites and Bionanocomposites)

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14 pages, 2514 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Surface Characteristics of Clays on the Properties of Starch Nanocomposites

by Erika Fekete, Lilla Angyal and Emília Csiszár

Materials 2022, 15(21), 7627; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15217627 - 30 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1474

Abstract

In this research, different clays such as laponite and montmorillonite (NaMMT) are used as fillers in the preparation of thermoplastic starch/clay nanocomposites. Thin films are produced by casting and evaporation in a wide composition range, using glycerol as the plasticizer at two different [...] Read more.

In this research, different clays such as laponite and montmorillonite (NaMMT) are used as fillers in the preparation of thermoplastic starch/clay nanocomposites. Thin films are produced by casting and evaporation in a wide composition range, using glycerol as the plasticizer at two different concentrations. The surface energy of clay fillers is measured by inverse gas chromatography (IGC); X-ray diffraction (XRD) and light transmission measurements (UV-VIS) are carried out to characterize the structure of nanocomposites; and mechanical properties and water vapor permeability are also studied. While all the starch/montmorillonite nanocomposites possess intercalated structures, significant exfoliation can be noted in the starch/laponite nanocomposites, mainly at low clay contents. Due to the larger surface energy of montmorillonite, stronger polymer/clay interactions and better mechanical properties can be assumed in starch/NaMMT composites. The smaller surface energy of laponite, however, can facilitate the delamination of laponite layers. Thus, the specific surface area of laponite can be further increased by exfoliation. Based on the results, the better exfoliation and the much larger specific surface area of laponite lead to higher reinforcement in starch/laponite nanocomposites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Polymer Nanocomposites and Bionanocomposites)

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20 pages, 6043 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Crystallisation Kinetics and Associated Electrical Conductivity Dynamics of Poly(Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) Nanocomposites in the Melt State

by Gertrud Stalmann, Aleksandar Matic, Per Jacobsson, Davide Tranchida, Antonis Gitsas and Thomas Gkourmpis

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(20), 3602; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12203602 - 14 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1389

Abstract

Nanocomposite systems comprised of a poly(ethylene vinyl acetate) (EVA) matrix and carbon black (CB) or graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were used to investigate conductivity and crystallisation dynamics using a commercially relevant melt-state mixing process. Crystallisation kinetics and morphology, as investigated by DSC and SEM, [...] Read more.

Nanocomposite systems comprised of a poly(ethylene vinyl acetate) (EVA) matrix and carbon black (CB) or graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were used to investigate conductivity and crystallisation dynamics using a commercially relevant melt-state mixing process. Crystallisation kinetics and morphology, as investigated by DSC and SEM, turn out to depend on the interplay of (i) the interphase interactions between matrix and filler, and (ii) the degree of filler agglomeration. For the GNP-based systems, an almost constant conductivity value was observed for all compositions upon cooling, something not observed for the CB-based compositions. These conductivity changes reflect structural and morphological changes that can be associated with positive and negative thermal expansion coefficients. GNP-based systems were observed to exhibit a percolation threshold of approximately 2.2 vol%, lower than the 4.4 vol% observed for the CB-based systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Polymer Nanocomposites and Bionanocomposites)

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22 pages, 4681 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Glycol-Chitosan-Based Technetium-99m-Loaded Multifunctional Nanomicelles: Synthesis, Evaluation, and In Vivo Biodistribution

by Nashmia Zia, Zafar Iqbal, Abida Raza, Aadarash Zia, Rabia Shafique, Saiqa Andleeb and Gilbert C. Walker

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(13), 2198; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12132198 - 27 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2841

Abstract

We hereby propose the use of stable, biocompatible, and uniformly sized polymeric micelles as high-radiotracer-payload carriers at region-of-interest with negligible background activity due to no or low offsite radiolysis. We modified glycol chitosan (GC) polymer with varying levels of palmitoylation (P) and quaternization [...] Read more.

We hereby propose the use of stable, biocompatible, and uniformly sized polymeric micelles as high-radiotracer-payload carriers at region-of-interest with negligible background activity due to no or low offsite radiolysis. We modified glycol chitosan (GC) polymer with varying levels of palmitoylation (P) and quaternization (Q). Quaternary ammonium palmitoyl glycol chitosan (GCPQ) with a Q:P ratio of 9:35 (Q9P35GC) offers >99% biocompatibility at 10 mg mL⁻¹. Q9P35GC micelles exhibit >99% ^99mTechnetium (^99mTc) radiolabeling via the stannous chloride reduction method without heat. The ^99mTc-Q9P35GC micelles (65 ± 3 nm) exhibit >98% 6 h serum stability at 37 °C and 7 day of radiochemical stability at 25 °C. HepG2 cells show a higher uptake of FITC-Q9P35GC than Q13P15GC and Q20P15GC. The in vivo 24 h organ cumulated activity (MBq h) order follows: liver (234.4) > kidneys (60.95) > GIT (0.73) > spleen (88.84). The liver to organ ratio remains higher than 2.4, rendering a better contrast in the liver. The radiotracer uptake decreases significantly in fibrotic vs. normal liver, whereas a blocking study with excess Q9P35GC significantly decreases the radiotracer uptake in a healthy vs. fibrotic liver. FITC-Q9P35GC shows in vivo hepato-specific uptake. Radiotracer liver uptake profile follows reversible binding kinetics with data fitting to two-tissue compartmental (2T), and graphical Ichise multilinear analysis (MA2) with lower AIC and higher R² values, respectively. The study concludes that ^99mTc-Q9P35GC can be a robust radiotracer for noninvasive hepatocyte function assessment and diagnosis of liver fibrosis. Furthermore, its multifunctional properties enable it to be a promising platform for nanotheranostic applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Polymer Nanocomposites and Bionanocomposites)

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16 pages, 3667 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nanocarrier-Loaded Imidaclothiz Promotes Plant Uptake and Decreases Pesticide Residue

by Qinhong Jiang, Min Peng, Meizhen Yin, Jie Shen and Shuo Yan

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(12), 6651; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23126651 - 14 Jun 2022

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3027

Abstract

There is a great demand for improving the effective utilization of pesticides and reducing their application for sustainable agriculture, and polymeric nanoparticles have provided strong technical support for the efficient delivery of pesticides. To this context, we tried to construct a relatively safe [...] Read more.

There is a great demand for improving the effective utilization of pesticides and reducing their application for sustainable agriculture, and polymeric nanoparticles have provided strong technical support for the efficient delivery of pesticides. To this context, we tried to construct a relatively safe imidaclothiz nano-delivery system for enhanced plant uptake, reduced pesticide residue and improved bioactivity toward green peach aphids. The imidaclothiz could be assembled with the hydrophobic core of SPc through hydrophobic association, which led to the self-assembly of nanoscale imidaclothiz/SPc complex consisting of nearly spherical particles. The SPc decreased the contact angle of imidaclothiz drops and remarkably increased the plant uptake. Furthermore, the bioactivity and control efficacy of imidaclothiz were significantly improved with the help of SPc in both laboratory and field. Excitingly, the residue of imidaclothiz decreased with the help of SPc 7 d after the treatment due to the faster degradation of nanoscale imidaclothiz/SPc complex, which exhibited no negative effects on agronomic traits of tobacco plants. The current study successfully constructed a nano-delivery system for imidaclothiz, which can not only increase the effective utilization of pesticides, but also decrease the pesticide residue. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Polymer Nanocomposites and Bionanocomposites)

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17 pages, 8033 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nano-MIL-88A(Fe) Enabled Clear Cellulose Films with Excellent UV-Shielding Performance and Robust Environment Resistance

by Lijian Sun, Xianhui An and Xueren Qian

Nanomaterials 2022, 12(11), 1891; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano12111891 - 31 May 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2504

Abstract

While tremendous efforts have been dedicated to developing cellulose-based ultraviolet (UV)-blocking films, challenges still remain in simultaneously achieving high transparency, low haze and excellent UV shielding properties via simple and green strategy. Here, we present a facile and eco-friendly route to fabricate flexible, [...] Read more.

While tremendous efforts have been dedicated to developing cellulose-based ultraviolet (UV)-blocking films, challenges still remain in simultaneously achieving high transparency, low haze and excellent UV shielding properties via simple and green strategy. Here, we present a facile and eco-friendly route to fabricate flexible, biodegradable and clear UV-shielding nano-MIL-88A(Fe)@carboxymethylated cellulose films (M(Fe)CCFs) via in situ synthesis of nano-MIL-88A(Fe) in carboxymethylated cellulose hydrogel followed by natural drying. The carboxymethylated cellulose film has high transmittance (93.2%) and low haze (1.8%). The introduction of nano-MIL-88A(Fe) endowed M(Fe)CCFs superior UV-shielding ability, while retaining high transmittance (81.5–85.3%) and low haze (2.5–4.9%). Moreover, M(Fe)CCFs showed stable UV blocking performance under UV irradiation, high temperature, acidic or alkaline conditions. Quite encouragingly, the UV-shielding ability of M(Fe)CCFs did not deteriorate, even after 30 days of immersion in aqueous solution, providing films with a long-term use capacity. Thus, M(Fe)CCFs show high potential in the UV protection field. Overall, these UV-blocking films with outstanding performances are a promising candidate to replace conventional film materials made from synthetic polymers in fields such as packaging and flexible electronics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Polymer Nanocomposites and Bionanocomposites)

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13 pages, 14332 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrocarbon Resin-Based Composites with Low Thermal Expansion Coefficient and Dielectric Loss for High-Frequency Copper Clad Laminates

by Jiaojiao Dong, Hao Wang, Qilong Zhang, Hui Yang, Jianlin Cheng and Zhaoyue Xia

Polymers 2022, 14(11), 2200; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14112200 - 28 May 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3906

Abstract

The rapid development of the 5G communication technology requires the improvement of the thermal stability and dielectric performance of high-frequency copper clad laminates (CCL). A cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) resin was added to the original 1,2-polybutadienes (PB)/styrene ethylene butylene styrene (SEBS) binary resin [...] Read more.

The rapid development of the 5G communication technology requires the improvement of the thermal stability and dielectric performance of high-frequency copper clad laminates (CCL). A cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) resin was added to the original 1,2-polybutadienes (PB)/styrene ethylene butylene styrene (SEBS) binary resin system to construct a PB/SEBS/COC ternary polyolefin system with optimized dielectric properties, mechanical properties, and water absorption. Glass fiber cloths (GFCs) and SiO₂ were used to fill the resin matrix so to reduce the thermal expansion coefficient (CTE) and enhance the mechanical strength of the composites. It was found that the CTE of polyolefin/GFCs/SiO₂ composite laminates decreased with the increase of SiO₂ loading at first, which was attributed to the strong interfacial interaction restricting the segmental motion of polymer chains between filler and matrix. It was obvious that the addition of COC and SiO₂ had an effect on the porosity, as shown in the SEM graph, which influenced the dielectric loss (D_f) of the composites directly. When the weight of SiO₂ accounted for 40% of the total mass of the composites, the laminates exhibited the best comprehensive performance. Their CTE and D_f were reduced by 63.3% and 22.0%, respectively, and their bending strength increased by 2136.1% compared with that of the substrates without COC and SiO₂. These substrates have a great application prospect in the field of hydrocarbon resin-based CCL. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Polymer Nanocomposites and Bionanocomposites)

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21 pages, 4321 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation and Characterization of 3D-Printed Biobased Composites Containing Micro- or Nanocrystalline Cellulose

by Raphael Palucci Rosa, Giuseppe Rosace, Rossella Arrigo and Giulio Malucelli

Polymers 2022, 14(9), 1886; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14091886 - 5 May 2022

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3724

Abstract

Stereolithography (SLA), one of the seven different 3D printing technologies, uses photosensitive resins to create high-resolution parts. Although SLA offers many advantages for medical applications, the lack of biocompatible and biobased resins limits its utilization. Thus, the development of new materials is essential. [...] Read more.

Stereolithography (SLA), one of the seven different 3D printing technologies, uses photosensitive resins to create high-resolution parts. Although SLA offers many advantages for medical applications, the lack of biocompatible and biobased resins limits its utilization. Thus, the development of new materials is essential. This work aims at designing, developing, and fully characterizing a bio-resin system (made of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) and acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO)), filled with micro- or nanocellulose crystals (MCC and CNC), suitable for 3D printing. The unfilled resin system containing 80 wt.% AESO was identified as the best resin mixture, having a biobased content of 68.8%, while ensuring viscosity values suitable for the 3D printing process (>1.5 Pa s). The printed samples showed a 93% swelling decrease in water, as well as increased tensile strength (4.4 ± 0.2 MPa) and elongation at break (25% ± 2.3%). Furthermore, the incorporation of MCC and CNC remarkably increased the tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the cured network, thus indicating a strong reinforcing effect exerted by the fillers. Lastly, the presence of the fillers did not affect the UV-light penetration, and the printed parts showed a high quality, thus proving their potential for precise applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Polymer Nanocomposites and Bionanocomposites)

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