Polymer International最新文献

With the increasing demand for portable electronic devices, it is urgent to develop a flexible energy storage system with high performance and good stability. In this paper, a new kind of poly(vinyl alcohol)–polypyrrole–acidified carbon nanotube (PVA–PPy–CNT-COOH) conductive composite hydrogel was prepared using a freezing–thawing method for fabricating flexible symmetric solid-state supercapacitors. The PVA–PPy–CNT-COOH conductive composite hydrogel has a unique three-dimensional interpenetrating network structure and functional components, endowing the prepared hydrogel with softness, elasticity, compressibility and formability. Furthermore, the influence of feed mode and feeding ratio on hydrogel preparation was explored. According to the optimal experimental process, a flexible symmetric solid-state supercapacitor with high energy storage capacity and stability was fabricated using PVA–PPy–CNT-COOH as the electrode. The capacitance change of the supercapacitor was almost negligible when subjected to 50% strain. Even at 70% strain, the retention rate of volume specific capacitance was still about 88%. This study not only provides a preparation method for a new electrode material but also develops a new type of high-performance and stable flexible symmetric solid-state supercapacitor, which has potential application prospects in flexible energy devices. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Acquiring freshwater from seawater, the solar interfacial vapor generator (SIVG) offers a passive and decentralized approach to addressing water shortage problems. However, the performance of current SIVGs is greatly restricted by the disadvantages of poor controllability and manipulation of seawater transport porous structure and the evaporation interface. To realize rapid seawater replenishment and highly efficient vaporization, we developed a novel polyethylene terephthalate (PET) SIVG with small-sized oriented pores and an ultrathin photothermal conversion layer that exhibited a highly efficient water evaporation rate under both simulated solar and outdoor sunlight illumination. The well-arranged and highly oriented pores with controllable size in PET acted as a confined mass transfer fluid pump to spontaneously transport seawater to the evaporation layer, in which a maximum height of 68 mm via the capillary rise mechanism was reached. The resultant PET layer possessed a low density of 0.08 g cm⁻³ that exhibited an ideal floating performance to steady the interfacial evaporation. Moreover, due to the superior dispersion structure in the photothermal conversion layer, the surface temperature of the SIVG greatly increased to 101.2 °C within 45 s, and the evaporation rate reached 1.26 kg m⁻² h⁻¹. This work provides a novel strategy for preparing a high performance SIVG and also paves an innovative way for obtaining fresh water. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Well-defined poly[(methyl acrylate)-co-(hydroxyethyl acrylate)]-graft-poly(ε-caprolactone) copolymers were synthesized using a completely metal-free strategy by combining atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and ring-opening polymerization (ROP) at ambient temperature. These two orthogonal, metal-free, controlled/living processes, tested in both simultaneous and sequential approaches, were employed to fine-tune grafting density and efficiency by systematically varying monomer concentration and polymerization time. Spectroscopic and chromatographic characterizations confirmed that both ATRP and ROP proceeded in a controlled fashion, yielding graft copolymers with narrowly distributed molecular weights. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing cellulose membranes derived from wastepaper to remove Fe(II) ions from mine wastewater. In this context, the recycled material cellulose was employed in the membrane synthesis process to produce an environmentally friendly membrane that efficiently removes Fe(II) ions. Furthermore, the study proposes a cost-effective and sustainable solution for removing heavy metals, with comprehensive analysis and experimentation on the potential application of cellulose membranes in the treatment of mine wastewater. The membranes were fabricated from polyvinylidene fluoride (C₂H₂F₂)_n (PVDF) and cellulose nanoparticles (CNs) produced from wastepaper by a common phase inversion method. Water filtration and Fe(II) rejection tests were operated on a batch scale. The fabricated CNs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and SEM–energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses. Water permeability, contact angle, SEM–EDX analysis and FTIR were used to analyze PVDF/CN membranes. The water flux for PVDF and PVDF + CN membranes increased from 164.5 to 2241 L m⁻² h⁻¹ on the addition of CNs from 1% to 3%. The experimental results demonstrate the best cellulose membrane containing 11% PVDF + 2% CN effectively removed approximately 58% of Fe(II). The findings of this research emphasize the importance of environmentally friendly approaches in addressing clean water challenges and highlight the reuse potential of waste materials for innovative applications. Consequently, this study provides an alternative to the development of sustainable and cost-effective solutions for wastewater treatment in accordance with the principles of circular economy and environmental sustainability. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

PolyHIPEs are porous polymer monoliths synthesized within high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) with >74% dispersed phase. Biodegradable polyester-based poly(urethane urea) (PUU) monoliths have been synthesized within water-in-oil emulsions via simultaneous diisocyanate–polyol urethane reactions (predominant) and diisocyanate–water urea reactions (CO₂ byproduct) and then used for cell culture and soft tissue engineering. Here, in contrast, an innovative sequential reaction route was used. The polycaprolactone and polylactide polyols were end-capped with diisocyanates, generating urethane groups, prior to emulsion formation. The novel monolith-forming reaction used here was the isocyanate–water urea reaction. Different diisocyanates, from relatively flexible to relatively stiff, highlighted the effects of diisocyanate stiffness on macromolecular stiffness, crystallinity and modulus. Similarly, different polyesters highlighted the effects of polyester stiffness. In addition, the novel isocyanate–water monolith formation reaction was investigated using a lysine-derived diisocyanate. The hierarchical porosity of the resulting CO₂-foamed polyHIPEs contained millimeter-scale bubbles and micrometer-scale emulsion-templated porous structures. The crystalline polycaprolactone-based PUUs exhibited melting points between 50 and 80 °C, reflecting the unique macromolecular uniformity generated by the sequential urethane–urea reactions compared to the simultaneous urethane–urea reactions that produced amorphous PUUs. Cell growth within the resulting elastomeric polyHIPEs demonstrated potential for soft tissue engineering, with mouse skeletal muscle cells adhering, spreading, proliferating, organizing and filling the entire space. © 2025 The Author(s). Polymer International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

This study reports the successful synthesis of bio-based polymer electrolytes (BBPEs) based on sodium alginate, incorporating varying content of lithium nitrate (LiNO₃), prepared using the solution casting method. The abundant functional groups in alginate enable effective salt complexation, while LiNO₃ provides mobile charge carriers, supporting the development of sustainable BBPE materials. Electrical performance, assessed via electrical impedance spectroscopy, showed an increasing trend in AC conductivity with higher salt content, peaking at ~ 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ at room temperature. Frequency-dependent analysis followed Jonscher's universal power law, indicating a hopping mechanism. UV–visible spectroscopy revealed a redshift in the absorption spectra and a decrease in the optical band gap from 5.41 to 5.32 eV, reflecting increased structural disorder and electronic delocalization. These results underline a strong link between ionic and optical properties, reinforcing the potential of LiNO₃-doped alginate BBPEs for sustainable and transparent electrochemical systems. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Wound infections are a serious public health issue in today's world due to the growing number of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens that can create challenges in treatment. Polymeric nanocomposite hydrogels have been proven to be effective for drug targeting, antimicrobial capabilities and skin bioactivity for wound healing. The review herein targets the design of polymeric nanoparticles for wound healing based on several factors, including molecular weight, shape and zeta potential, and discusses how they influence the physical properties of hydrogels. Synthesis and fabrication methods of polymeric nanocomposite hydrogels, like electrospinning and 3D printing, with some scrutiny of cell proliferation and neovascularization, and inflammatory response modulation, are also discussed. We elaborate on novel smart polymeric nanoparticles with bio-responsive, electroactive and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven mechanisms that can interact with a wound environment to facilitate active, dynamic therapeutic modification. Paradoxically, infection-fighting strategies involve those that are capable of effectively killing bacteria while preserving the microbiome and minimizing resistance emergence mechanisms. Polymeric nanocomposite hydrogels possess great prospects as therapeutic tools; nevertheless, widespread use is hindered by limitations such as large-scale manufacture, regulatory clearance, clinical biocompatibility and an effective transition to actual clinical settings. AI-driven predictive modeling, personalized 3D-printed wound dressings and hydrogels with integrated biosensors could be at the forefront of precision-based, next-generation wound therapy. This review also concentrates on the challenges and further development of polymeric nanocomposite hydrogels in advanced wound care. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

3D printing technology is widely used in several fields due to its design flexibility in the preparation of complex geometries. However, conventional 3D printing techniques make it difficult to directly construct polymeric materials with nanoscale structures, which are critical for areas such as adsorption, separation and tissue engineering. In this study, a method combining digital light processing 3D printing with polymerization-induced phase separation is proposed for the preparation of 3D objects with nanoporous structures. Without designing macroscopic pores, the porosity of 3D objects prepared by this method can reach 20%–30%, and efficient processing of complex structures can be achieved. Moreover, the controllability of nanopores was systematically investigated from both molecular weight and concentration dimensions by adding polyethylene oxide (PEO) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as synergistic porogens in the ink. The results showed that low molecular weight PVP is able to significantly increase the pore number and distribution uniformity with increasing concentration. Among the products, ZK/PVP_6wt% showed the best effect. High molecular weight PEO can effectively enlarge pores under low concentration conditions (ZK/PEO_2wt%), but, as the concentration increases, its solubility in water limits further optimization of pore structure. The above methods enable flexible regulation of the application scope of 3D printing in structural features ranging from nanometer to centimeter scales, demonstrating broad application potential in fields such as adsorption and separation. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Small particle size is an important parameter for minimized aggregation, improved cellular uptake and biocompatibility. Nanoparticle size can be controlled by the method used during synthesis. Cationic chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) are advantageous for endosomal escape; however, obtaining micrometer-sized nanoparticles and formation of aggregates during the gelation process reduce cellular uptake. Probe sonication is a technique used to reduce the nanoparticle size, which is determined by various factors, the most important one being the amplitude. In this study, two amplitudes were used to synthesize and characterize CNPs in terms of their size, release, toxicity and cellular internalization successes. The one with superior characteristics was chosen to produce CNPs to be loaded with methotrexate (MTX), an anticancer agent. The endosomal escape and effectiveness of CNPs was tested in cervical cancer cells (HeLa). The size of nanoparticles was below 200 nm. The release was slower, and cellular internalization was higher in CNPs synthesized with lower amplitude. The encapsulation efficiency was 82% and MTX was released for 5 days. CNPs significantly increased the efficacy of MTX which was attributed to efficient internalization and successful endosomal escape. These findings reveal that synthesized MTX-loaded CNPs may be used as an alternative treatment strategy for cervical cancer with possible lower side effects. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.