Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106584
Jhu-Lin You , Kai-Yen Chin , Yan-Ting Lai , Kuei-Ting Hsu , Shu-Mei Chang
Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) has attracted attention as an environmentally sustainable material for various applications. In this study, a high-solid-content WPU emulsion was successfully developed as an ink for direct ink writing (DIW) three-dimensional (3D) printing. Its viscosity was controlled in the range of 102 to 106 mPa·s through surfactants and crosslinkers. A polyethylene glycol (PEG) surfactant content of 4 wt% resulted in the most stable low-viscosity emulsion (102 mPa·s). Additionally, the viscosity of the WPU emulsion was adjusted by introducing the cross-linking agent 2,2-Bis[4-(glycidyloxy)phenyl]propane, 4,4′-isopropylidenediphenol diglycidyl ether (BADGE). At a crosslinker content of 7 wt%, the WPU dispersion became highly viscous (106 mPa·s). Its rheological properties included shear thinning behavior, high yield stress (1.7 kPa), a rheological phase angle of 46.80°, and a storage modulus of 104 Pa; these all meet the requirements for DIW 3D printing. Finally, DIW 3D printing was performed using various movement speeds and nozzle flow rates, to evaluate the printing performance and determine the optimal parameters for DIW 3D printing with WPU materials. The high-solid-content WPU system developed in this work can be effectively applied to create 3D structures without generating air pollution or toxic wastewater, ensuring ecological sustainability and environmental safety.
{"title":"Feasibility of an eco-friendly high-solids waterborne polyurethane ink for DIW 3D printing","authors":"Jhu-Lin You , Kai-Yen Chin , Yan-Ting Lai , Kuei-Ting Hsu , Shu-Mei Chang","doi":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106584","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106584","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) has attracted attention as an environmentally sustainable material for various applications. In this study, a high-solid-content WPU emulsion was successfully developed as an ink for direct ink writing (DIW) three-dimensional (3D) printing. Its viscosity was controlled in the range of 10<sup>2</sup> to 10<sup>6</sup> mPa·s through surfactants and crosslinkers. A polyethylene glycol (PEG) surfactant content of 4 wt% resulted in the most stable low-viscosity emulsion (10<sup>2</sup> mPa·s). Additionally, the viscosity of the WPU emulsion was adjusted by introducing the cross-linking agent 2,2-Bis[4-(glycidyloxy)phenyl]propane, 4,4′-isopropylidenediphenol diglycidyl ether (BADGE). At a crosslinker content of 7 wt%, the WPU dispersion became highly viscous (10<sup>6</sup> mPa·s). Its rheological properties included shear thinning behavior, high yield stress (1.7 kPa), a rheological phase angle of 46.80°, and a storage modulus of 10<sup>4</sup> Pa; these all meet the requirements for DIW 3D printing. Finally, DIW 3D printing was performed using various movement speeds and nozzle flow rates, to evaluate the printing performance and determine the optimal parameters for DIW 3D printing with WPU materials. The high-solid-content WPU system developed in this work can be effectively applied to create 3D structures without generating air pollution or toxic wastewater, ensuring ecological sustainability and environmental safety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20916,"journal":{"name":"Reactive & Functional Polymers","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106584"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-11-29DOI: 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106583
Arya S. Raj, M. Loganathan, A. Murugesan
Post-consumed Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is a challenge tasks in the waste management system and discharge of synthetic dyes into water contributes severely to environment degradation. The motive of this research is to develop a sustainable and low-cost adsorbent by chemical functionalization of Recycled Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (RABS) with pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and eggshell (ES) yielding ABS-PMDA-ES composite for effective removal of Malachite green (MG) dye from aqueous solution. The incorporation of PMDA (-COOH and -C=O) and ES (-OH, -NH2, -CaO, -CO-NH-, -NO2, -COOH and -C=O) significantly enhanced porosity and adsorption capacity of MG molecules. The surface and structural and thermal properties of the ABS-PMDA-ES were characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM, BET, HRTEM-SEM and DSC analytic techniques. The adsorption parameters such as initial dye concentration (100 ppm), adsorbent dosage (60 mg), pH (6), contact time (120 min) and temperature (315 K) via batch adsorption process. The adsorption kinetics followed pseudo-second-order model with an R2 value of 0.993, suggesting chemisorption mechanism. The adsorption isotherm was best fitted Freundlich model (R2 = 0.997) confirming multilayer adsorption of MG onto ABS-PMDA-ES. Thermodynamic evaluations demonstrated that the adsorption process was both endothermic and spontaneous. The maximum adsorption capacity (qe = 80.15 mg/g) for the adsorption of MG onto ABS-PMDA-ES was high compared to carbon nanotube/polyaniline composite (qe = 13.95 mg/g), ferromagnetic gum grafted poly (n-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide/magnetic nanocomposite (qe = 19.77 mg/g), and polysaccharide based magnetic gel (qe = 17.46 mg/g). Overall, the research demonstrated ABS-PMDA-ES composite not only provides a sustainable solution for plastic waste valorization but also serves as an efficient, reusable and eco-friendly adsorbent for the removal of MG dye from wastewater.
{"title":"Synthesis and characterization of effective ABS-PMDA-ES composites for the removal of malachite green from aqueous media","authors":"Arya S. Raj, M. Loganathan, A. Murugesan","doi":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106583","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106583","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Post-consumed Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is a challenge tasks in the waste management system and discharge of synthetic dyes into water contributes severely to environment degradation. The motive of this research is to develop a sustainable and low-cost adsorbent by chemical functionalization of Recycled Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (RABS) with pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and eggshell (ES) yielding ABS-PMDA-ES composite for effective removal of Malachite green (MG) dye from aqueous solution. The incorporation of PMDA (-COOH and -C=O) and ES (-OH, -NH<sub>2</sub>, -CaO, -CO-NH-, -NO<sub>2</sub>, -COOH and -C=O) significantly enhanced porosity and adsorption capacity of MG molecules. The surface and structural and thermal properties of the ABS-PMDA-ES were characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM, BET, HRTEM-SEM and DSC analytic techniques. The adsorption parameters such as initial dye concentration (100 ppm), adsorbent dosage (60 mg), pH (6), contact time (120 min) and temperature (315 K) via batch adsorption process. The adsorption kinetics followed pseudo-second-order model with an R<sup>2</sup> value of 0.993, suggesting chemisorption mechanism. The adsorption isotherm was best fitted Freundlich model (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.997) confirming multilayer adsorption of MG onto ABS-PMDA-ES. Thermodynamic evaluations demonstrated that the adsorption process was both endothermic and spontaneous. The maximum adsorption capacity (q<sub>e</sub> = 80.15 mg/g) for the adsorption of MG onto ABS-PMDA-ES was high compared to carbon nanotube/polyaniline composite (q<sub>e</sub> = 13.95 mg/g), ferromagnetic gum grafted poly (n-isopropylacrylamide-<em>co</em>-acrylamide/magnetic nanocomposite (q<sub>e</sub> = 19.77 mg/g), and polysaccharide based magnetic gel (q<sub>e</sub> = 17.46 mg/g). Overall, the research demonstrated ABS-PMDA-ES composite not only provides a sustainable solution for plastic waste valorization but also serves as an efficient, reusable and eco-friendly adsorbent for the removal of MG dye from wastewater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20916,"journal":{"name":"Reactive & Functional Polymers","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106583"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Herein, we demonstrate an eco-friendly sustainable synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and silver-carrageenan nanocomposites (Ag-Carr NCs) by a green approach, using leaf extract of Argemone mexicana. The ubiquitous presence of pharmaceutical pollutants, especially antibiotic e.g. Ciprofloxacin (CIP), in water environment is now a serious environmental issue, because the ability of long persistence and the detrimental effects on the living organism and human health in the aquatic system. In this study, we report a green photocatalyst for efficient CIP decomposing in the contaminated water. Carrageenan, biodegradable and biocompatible biomaterial, has been employed as a capping layer for silver nanoparticles to improve their stability, dispersibility, and photocatalytic activity. The prepared NPs and NPs-C composites were analysed systematically with UV–Visible, XRD, FTIR, HRTEM, EDS, and XPS. Photocatalytic tests revealed that the as-prepared carrageenan-contained Ag nanocomposite presented excellent photocatalytic performance and removed 86.26 % CIP within 60 min under optimal conditions. Kinetic study suggested the effectiveness of the photocatalytic process; LC-MS was used to analyse the degradation intermediates before and after the reaction, which revealed the potential degradation pathway. This green nanocomposite not only provides an efficient support for removal of antibiotics, but also promotes the development of sustainable materials used for environmental remediation.
{"title":"Biogenic carrageenan-silver nanocomposite based on Argemone maxicana for efficient photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin in contaminated water","authors":"Shilpa Kumari , Seema Kumari , Asha Kumari , Neha Kondal , Rahul Sharma","doi":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106587","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106587","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Herein, we demonstrate an eco-friendly sustainable synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and silver-carrageenan nanocomposites (Ag-Carr NCs) by a green approach, using leaf extract of <em>Argemone mexicana</em>. The ubiquitous presence of pharmaceutical pollutants, especially antibiotic e.g. Ciprofloxacin (CIP), in water environment is now a serious environmental issue, because the ability of long persistence and the detrimental effects on the living organism and human health in the aquatic system. In this study, we report a green photocatalyst for efficient CIP decomposing in the contaminated water. Carrageenan, biodegradable and biocompatible biomaterial, has been employed as a capping layer for silver nanoparticles to improve their stability, dispersibility, and photocatalytic activity. The prepared NPs and NPs-C composites were analysed systematically with UV–Visible, XRD, FTIR, HRTEM, EDS, and XPS. Photocatalytic tests revealed that the as-prepared carrageenan-contained Ag nanocomposite presented excellent photocatalytic performance and removed 86.26 % CIP within 60 min under optimal conditions. Kinetic study suggested the effectiveness of the photocatalytic process; LC-MS was used to analyse the degradation intermediates before and after the reaction, which revealed the potential degradation pathway. This green nanocomposite not only provides an efficient support for removal of antibiotics, but also promotes the development of sustainable materials used for environmental remediation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20916,"journal":{"name":"Reactive & Functional Polymers","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106587"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681843","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hydrogels, after the rational design of their structure, can exhibit the properties (such as stiffness, pore size, viscoelasticity, degradability, presence of ligands, etc.) required for specific intended functions, making them versatile platforms for a variety of applications. This study evaluated the potential for the multidirectional use of hydrogels obtained from biocompatible polymers: poly(2-isopropenyl-2-oxazoline) (PiPOx) and selected polyesters (polylactide-PLA and polycaprolactone-PCL) as drug carriers, sorbents, antimicrobial hydrogels and plant growth supports. Hydrogels containing covalently attached drugs (probenecid, valproic acid, or ibuprofen) were synthesized through the cross-linking of suitably modified PiPOx with dicarboxyl PLA. The release of probenecid was subsequently monitored at 37 °C and pH 8.3 using UV/Vis spectroscopy. To evaluate the potential of these hydrogels for water purification, we conducted sorption tests using selected metal cations (Fe3+ and Cu2+) and dyes (crystal violet, acidic fuchsin) from aqueous solutions. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of the quercetin-loaded hydrogels was assessed using the agar diffusion method. Finally, we investigated the feasibility of employing these hydrogels as substrates for plant cultivation. The results obtained demonstrate that hydrogels composed of poly(2-isopropenyl-2-oxazoline) and aliphatic polyesters are functional materials with a wide range of potential applications.
{"title":"Multifunctional hydrogels from poly(2-isopropenyl-2-oxazoline) and aliphatic polyesters: Assessment of their potential for application as drug carriers, sorbents for water purification, antimicrobial hydrogels and plant growth substrates","authors":"Bartosz Kopka , Bartłomiej Kost , Agnieszka Kobylińska , Zuzanna Świniarska , Agnieszka Tyfa , Alina Kunicka-Styczyńska , Malgorzata Basko","doi":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106558","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106558","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydrogels, after the rational design of their structure, can exhibit the properties (such as stiffness, pore size, viscoelasticity, degradability, presence of ligands, etc.) required for specific intended functions, making them versatile platforms for a variety of applications. This study evaluated the potential for the multidirectional use of hydrogels obtained from biocompatible polymers: poly(2-isopropenyl-2-oxazoline) (PiPOx) and selected polyesters (polylactide-PLA and polycaprolactone-PCL) as drug carriers, sorbents, antimicrobial hydrogels and plant growth supports. Hydrogels containing covalently attached drugs (probenecid, valproic acid, or ibuprofen) were synthesized through the cross-linking of suitably modified PiPOx with dicarboxyl PLA. The release of probenecid was subsequently monitored at 37 °C and pH 8.3 using UV/Vis spectroscopy. To evaluate the potential of these hydrogels for water purification, we conducted sorption tests using selected metal cations (Fe<sup>3+</sup> and Cu<sup>2+</sup>) and dyes (crystal violet, acidic fuchsin) from aqueous solutions. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of the quercetin-loaded hydrogels was assessed using the agar diffusion method. Finally, we investigated the feasibility of employing these hydrogels as substrates for plant cultivation. The results obtained demonstrate that hydrogels composed of poly(2-isopropenyl-2-oxazoline) and aliphatic polyesters are functional materials with a wide range of potential applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20916,"journal":{"name":"Reactive & Functional Polymers","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106558"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616316","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-11-27DOI: 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106580
Selvi M , Devaraju S , Alagar M
In pursuit of environmentally friendly materials for next-generation micro-electronics insulation applications, thermosetting hybrid networks were developed by integrating imidazole-cored benzoxazine (IMP-BZ) with fossil-based bisphenol-F epoxy (BFE) and bio-derived card-bisphenol epoxy (CBE) resins, reinforced with GPTMS-functionalized bio-silica (BS). The IMP-BZ monomer, containing a rigid, nitrogen-rich heterocyclic core, enhanced thermal stability and reduced dielectric response by increasing cross-link density and restricting molecular mobility. The incorporation of 20 wt% bio-silica further improved thermal endurance, flame retardant behaviour, and dielectric characteristics. The BFE-based hybrid (IMP-BZ/BFE) exhibited a decomposition temperature above 370 °C and a limiting oxygen index (LOI) exceeding 40 %, reflecting the influence of its aromatic backbone, whereas the CBE-based system offered a sustainable alternative with greater flexibility and improved char retention. Dielectric measurements indicated a decrease in dielectric constant to 2.80 and 2.63 for the IMP-BZ/BFE and IMP-BZ/CBE hybrids, respectively, while dielectric losses decreased from 0.0524 to 0.0135 and from 0.0415 to 0.0069 upon incorporation of bio-silica. These changes were attributed to the synergistic effects of the imidazole–benzoxazine core, low-polar silica domains, and the formation of a Si–O–Si network that limits dipole orientation and segmental motion. This study demonstrates the development of phosphorus- and halogen-free hybrid composites combining flame resistance, thermal stability, and low dielectric behaviour, suitable for advanced microelectronics insulation, and structural applications emphasizing both performance and sustainability.
{"title":"Halogen and phosphorus-free sustainable bio-silica reinforced imidazole-based Polybenzoxazine/epoxy hybrid composites for low-dielectric and flame-retardant applications","authors":"Selvi M , Devaraju S , Alagar M","doi":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106580","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106580","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In pursuit of environmentally friendly materials for next-generation micro-electronics insulation applications, thermosetting hybrid networks were developed by integrating imidazole-cored benzoxazine (IMP-BZ) with fossil-based bisphenol-F epoxy (BFE) and bio-derived card-bisphenol epoxy (CBE) resins, reinforced with GPTMS-functionalized bio-silica (BS). The IMP-BZ monomer, containing a rigid, nitrogen-rich heterocyclic core, enhanced thermal stability and reduced dielectric response by increasing cross-link density and restricting molecular mobility. The incorporation of 20 wt% bio-silica further improved thermal endurance, flame retardant behaviour, and dielectric characteristics. The BFE-based hybrid (IMP-BZ/BFE) exhibited a decomposition temperature above 370 °C and a limiting oxygen index (LOI) exceeding 40 %, reflecting the influence of its aromatic backbone, whereas the CBE-based system offered a sustainable alternative with greater flexibility and improved char retention. Dielectric measurements indicated a decrease in dielectric constant to 2.80 and 2.63 for the IMP-BZ/BFE and IMP-BZ/CBE hybrids, respectively, while dielectric losses decreased from 0.0524 to 0.0135 and from 0.0415 to 0.0069 upon incorporation of bio-silica. These changes were attributed to the synergistic effects of the imidazole–benzoxazine core, low-polar silica domains, and the formation of a Si–O–Si network that limits dipole orientation and segmental motion. This study demonstrates the development of phosphorus- and halogen-free hybrid composites combining flame resistance, thermal stability, and low dielectric behaviour, suitable for advanced microelectronics insulation, and structural applications emphasizing both performance and sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20916,"journal":{"name":"Reactive & Functional Polymers","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106580"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681771","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-11-30DOI: 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106586
Liang Yan , Bin Wang , Rongxu Zhao , Ze Yang , Xiaolu Wu , Lin Shi
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a widely used medical plastic, yet surface biofouling remains a critical limiting factor that affecting its application performance. Currently, immobilizing copolymers containing hydrophilic and fluorinated segments onto material surfaces via grafting or coating techniques has proven effective for constructing high-performance antifouling interfaces. However, the antifouling behavior of such copolymers in polymer blend, especially in PVC plastics, remains insufficiently elucidated. Herein, we designed and synthesized a series of novel branched copolymers with well-defined architectures comprising fluorinated cores and poly(ethylene glycol) peripheral segments, along with control polymers including poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(hexafluorobutyl acrylate). These polymers were blended with PVC to prepare composite films. UV–vis, DSC, TGA, SEM, tensile testing revealed that although the fluorinated core exhibits poor compatibility with PVC, the polyether segments can enhance the copolymer's compatibility with PVC. The composite films exhibited decent transparency, low Tg, good thermal stability, and superior mechanical properties. Antifouling characterization revealed that the synergistic effect between the fouling-resistant property of polyether segments and the fouling-release capability of fluorinated segments in the composite films lead to significantly enhanced antifouling performance. The optimal film exhibited 98 % inhibition of E. coli adhesion and platelet attachment, and minimal BSA adsorption.
{"title":"Branched Fluoro-polyether copolymer for constructing polyvinyl chloride composites with reinforced antibiofouling performance","authors":"Liang Yan , Bin Wang , Rongxu Zhao , Ze Yang , Xiaolu Wu , Lin Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106586","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106586","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a widely used medical plastic, yet surface biofouling remains a critical limiting factor that affecting its application performance. Currently, immobilizing copolymers containing hydrophilic and fluorinated segments onto material surfaces via grafting or coating techniques has proven effective for constructing high-performance antifouling interfaces. However, the antifouling behavior of such copolymers in polymer blend, especially in PVC plastics, remains insufficiently elucidated. Herein, we designed and synthesized a series of novel branched copolymers with well-defined architectures comprising fluorinated cores and poly(ethylene glycol) peripheral segments, along with control polymers including poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(hexafluorobutyl acrylate). These polymers were blended with PVC to prepare composite films. UV–vis, DSC, TGA, SEM, tensile testing revealed that although the fluorinated core exhibits poor compatibility with PVC, the polyether segments can enhance the copolymer's compatibility with PVC. The composite films exhibited decent transparency, low <em>T</em><sub><em>g</em></sub>, good thermal stability, and superior mechanical properties. Antifouling characterization revealed that the synergistic effect between the fouling-resistant property of polyether segments and the fouling-release capability of fluorinated segments in the composite films lead to significantly enhanced antifouling performance. The optimal film exhibited 98 % inhibition of <em>E. coli</em> adhesion and platelet attachment, and minimal BSA adsorption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20916,"journal":{"name":"Reactive & Functional Polymers","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106586"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-11-30DOI: 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106585
Yuri Jeon, Joonmyung Choi
Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) is a thermoresponsive hydrogel suitable for biomedical actuators because of its reversible behavior near body temperature. Fibrillation of PNIPAM hydrogels enhances design flexibility by enabling programmable deformation. In this study, we employ molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the mechanism by which the initial molecular orientation and water-induced microstructural evolution govern the macroscopic deformation behavior of PNIPAM hydrogels. The results reveal that the degree of the initial chain alignment plays a critical role in determining both the magnitude and direction of water-induced swelling. Water molecules preferentially diffuse between the aligned, pre-extended chains, causing amplified expansion perpendicular to the alignment. Interestingly, oriented PNIPAM exhibits sustained shrinkage along the alignment direction during initial hydration–dehydration cycles, leading to irreversible deformation hysteresis. According to dynamic structural analysis, this result can be attributed to the spatial constraints of the densely aligned polymer chains that restrict the free conformational transition of the chains. Repeated water absorption–release cycles promote microstructural reorganization, causing the deformation response to gradually converge from a hysteretic to a reversible form. These findings offer molecular insights into the shape-memory behavior of fibrillated PNIPAM hydrogels and establish a theoretical framework for designing actuators with tunable and reliable actuation performance.
{"title":"Molecular-scale investigation of anisotropic actuation and hysteretic behavior in oriented PNIPAM hydrogels","authors":"Yuri Jeon, Joonmyung Choi","doi":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106585","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106585","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) is a thermoresponsive hydrogel suitable for biomedical actuators because of its reversible behavior near body temperature. Fibrillation of PNIPAM hydrogels enhances design flexibility by enabling programmable deformation. In this study, we employ molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the mechanism by which the initial molecular orientation and water-induced microstructural evolution govern the macroscopic deformation behavior of PNIPAM hydrogels. The results reveal that the degree of the initial chain alignment plays a critical role in determining both the magnitude and direction of water-induced swelling. Water molecules preferentially diffuse between the aligned, pre-extended chains, causing amplified expansion perpendicular to the alignment. Interestingly, oriented PNIPAM exhibits sustained shrinkage along the alignment direction during initial hydration–dehydration cycles, leading to irreversible deformation hysteresis. According to dynamic structural analysis, this result can be attributed to the spatial constraints of the densely aligned polymer chains that restrict the free conformational transition of the chains. Repeated water absorption–release cycles promote microstructural reorganization, causing the deformation response to gradually converge from a hysteretic to a reversible form. These findings offer molecular insights into the shape-memory behavior of fibrillated PNIPAM hydrogels and establish a theoretical framework for designing actuators with tunable and reliable actuation performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20916,"journal":{"name":"Reactive & Functional Polymers","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106585"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Following myocardial infarction (MI), excessive death of cardiomyocytes that cannot be appropriately replaced leads to considerable decreases in the reparative ability of the myocardium, thereby impairing cardiac performance. Developing electroconductive and durable cardiac patches as stem cell carrier substrates could provide functional therapeutic ability for MI hearts, including restraining the infarcted region to prevent ventricular dilatation and thinning, reforming the internal electrical connection to boost cell-cell communication, and delivering exogenous repair cells to the infarcted tissue to induce angiogenesis, release cytokines, and improve native cell survival, consequently promoting new myocardium formation. In this study, polyaniline (PANi) was doped with camphorsulfonic acid to form dPANi. Poly (sorbitol sebacate) (PSS) prepolymers were then synthesized and blended with different proportions of dPANi to fabricate electrically conductive thin films via the solvent casting method. Several experiments were conducted to determine the mechanical, physical, and biological properties of these composites. Our findings indicate that a film fabricated by uniform distribution of dPANi at a ratio of 3 % w/v into PSS networks (PP3%) exhibited durable tensile properties, acceptable conductivity, ideal wettability, gradual degradation behavior, and good interaction with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HUC-MSCs). Additionally, the individual and combined effects of scaffold material composition on the cardiomyogenic differentiation of HUC-MSCs in response to electrical stimulation were investigated by evaluating the expression levels of cardiac-related markers. PP3% alone could not induce cardiomyogenic differentiation; however, in response to electrical stimulation, cardiac-related markers were overexpressed at the transcriptional and protein levels compared to those cultured on PSS. These results suggest a potential conductive cardiac patch for MI repair.
{"title":"A novel conductive poly (sorbitol sebacate)/polyaniline film to promote cardiomyogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells under electrical stimulation","authors":"Maryam Moghadam , Mohammad-Mehdi Khani , Fattah Sotoodehnejadnematalahi , Mohammad Tafazzoli-Shadpour","doi":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106582","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106582","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Following myocardial infarction (MI), excessive death of cardiomyocytes that cannot be appropriately replaced leads to considerable decreases in the reparative ability of the myocardium, thereby impairing cardiac performance. Developing electroconductive and durable cardiac patches as stem cell carrier substrates could provide functional therapeutic ability for MI hearts, including restraining the infarcted region to prevent ventricular dilatation and thinning, reforming the internal electrical connection to boost cell-cell communication, and delivering exogenous repair cells to the infarcted tissue to induce angiogenesis, release cytokines, and improve native cell survival, consequently promoting new myocardium formation. In this study, polyaniline (PANi) was doped with camphorsulfonic acid to form dPANi. Poly (sorbitol sebacate) (PSS) prepolymers were then synthesized and blended with different proportions of dPANi to fabricate electrically conductive thin films via the solvent casting method. Several experiments were conducted to determine the mechanical, physical, and biological properties of these composites. Our findings indicate that a film fabricated by uniform distribution of dPANi at a ratio of 3 % <em>w</em>/<em>v</em> into PSS networks (PP3%) exhibited durable tensile properties, acceptable conductivity, ideal wettability, gradual degradation behavior, and good interaction with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HUC-MSCs). Additionally, the individual and combined effects of scaffold material composition on the cardiomyogenic differentiation of HUC-MSCs in response to electrical stimulation were investigated by evaluating the expression levels of cardiac-related markers. PP3% alone could not induce cardiomyogenic differentiation; however, in response to electrical stimulation, cardiac-related markers were overexpressed at the transcriptional and protein levels compared to those cultured on PSS. These results suggest a potential conductive cardiac patch for MI repair.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20916,"journal":{"name":"Reactive & Functional Polymers","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106582"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-11-22DOI: 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106571
Qiuyan Ye , Liangdong Jiang , Yao Yuan , Yukun Liu , Lemin Chen , Menglin Lu , Yanling Zhou , Junyan Zhan , Linbin Jiang
Herein, an innovative hydrogel system (QOPC) is presented that combats bacterial infections through a synergistic photothermal approach, eliminating the need for antibiotics. The hydrogel was synthesized via Schiff base cross-linking between quaternized chitosan (QCS), polyethyleneimine (PEI), and oxidized dextran (ODex), incorporating copper sulfide nanoparticles (CuS NPs) for enhanced photothermal properties. The resulting material exhibited exceptional mechanical strength, favorable biocompatibility, swelling capacity, and dynamic viscoelastic properties, along with self-healing and injectable characteristics. Notably, the composite demonstrated remarkable antibacterial efficacy, achieving complete eradication of E. coli and over 93 % elimination of S. aureus under near-infrared irradiation. The hydrogel also successfully encapsulated methylene blue (MB), showing pH-responsive release kinetics ranging from 49 to 99 h across physiological pH conditions. Leveraging the collaborative therapeutic benefits of QOP and CuS NPs, the MB-encapsulated QOPC hydrogels demonstrated enhanced antimicrobial potency, yielding 100 % inhibition rates against both bacterial strains, presenting a promising alternative to conventional antibiotic treatments.
{"title":"Construction of quaternized chitosan/oxidized dextran photothermal antibacterial self-healing hydrogels and their application in local drug delivery","authors":"Qiuyan Ye , Liangdong Jiang , Yao Yuan , Yukun Liu , Lemin Chen , Menglin Lu , Yanling Zhou , Junyan Zhan , Linbin Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106571","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106571","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Herein, an innovative hydrogel system (QOPC) is presented that combats bacterial infections through a synergistic photothermal approach, eliminating the need for antibiotics. The hydrogel was synthesized via Schiff base cross-linking between quaternized chitosan (QCS), polyethyleneimine (PEI), and oxidized dextran (ODex), incorporating copper sulfide nanoparticles (CuS NPs) for enhanced photothermal properties. The resulting material exhibited exceptional mechanical strength, favorable biocompatibility, swelling capacity, and dynamic viscoelastic properties, along with self-healing and injectable characteristics. Notably, the composite demonstrated remarkable antibacterial efficacy, achieving complete eradication of <em>E. coli</em> and over 93 % elimination of <em>S. aureus</em> under near-infrared irradiation. The hydrogel also successfully encapsulated methylene blue (MB), showing pH-responsive release kinetics ranging from 49 to 99 h across physiological pH conditions. Leveraging the collaborative therapeutic benefits of QOP and CuS NPs, the MB-encapsulated QOPC hydrogels demonstrated enhanced antimicrobial potency, yielding 100 % inhibition rates against both bacterial strains, presenting a promising alternative to conventional antibiotic treatments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20916,"journal":{"name":"Reactive & Functional Polymers","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106571"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106597
Osama Younis , Aya Harby , Esam A. Orabi , Adel M. Kamal El-Dean , Marwa M. Sayed , Mahmoud S. Tolba
Two novel polyamides, Poly(Oxa) and Poly(Pip), were successfully synthesized through the polycondensation of 1,4-bis(2-chloroacetamido)benzene with either 5,5′-(1,4-phenylene)bis(1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-thiol) or piperazine, respectively. Comprehensive computational, structural, morphological, thermal, and photophysical analyses revealed distinct structure–property relationships governed by the nature of the polymer backbone. Poly(Oxa), containing a heteroaromatic framework, exhibited pronounced conjugation and semi-crystallinity, confirmed by FT-IR and XRD analyses. This architecture imparted exceptional thermal stability (char yield: 42.4 %), high flame retardancy (LOI = 34.5 %), and a heterogeneous morphology with strong π–π stacking interactions, which enhanced methylene blue adsorption. Remarkably, Poly(Oxa) displayed excitation-dependent photoluminescence, shifting from deep-blue to white-light emission, suggesting the contribution of both local excited and charge-transfer states. In contrast, Poly(Pip), comprising aliphatic piperazine units, exhibited a highly crystalline, densely packed morphology, superior initial thermal stability, and red-shifted excimeric emission. However, its lower char yield and reduced dye adsorption efficiency reflected the limited π-conjugation of its structure. Density functional theory calculations provided molecular-level validation, revealing significantly stronger intermolecular interactions in Poly(Oxa) compared to Poly(Pip) and larger affinity of Poly(Oxa) for the methylene blue dye. Overall, this study demonstrates that molecular rigidity and backbone design play pivotal roles in dictating the thermal, morphological, and optical properties of polyamides. The contrasting behaviors of Poly(Oxa) and Poly(Pip) establish a rational framework for tailoring advanced polymeric materials with tunable luminescence, enhanced stability, and multifunctional potential for optoelectronic and environmental applications.
{"title":"Multifunctional polyamides: Designing rigid and flexible architectures for flame retardant, dye adsorbent, single-material white-light emitting, and color-tunable photoluminescent systems","authors":"Osama Younis , Aya Harby , Esam A. Orabi , Adel M. Kamal El-Dean , Marwa M. Sayed , Mahmoud S. Tolba","doi":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106597","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2025.106597","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Two novel polyamides, <strong>Poly(Oxa)</strong> and <strong>Poly(Pip)</strong>, were successfully synthesized through the polycondensation of 1,4-bis(2-chloroacetamido)benzene with either 5,5′-(1,4-phenylene)bis(1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-thiol) or piperazine, respectively. Comprehensive computational, structural, morphological, thermal, and photophysical analyses revealed distinct structure–property relationships governed by the nature of the polymer backbone. <strong>Poly(Oxa)</strong>, containing a heteroaromatic framework, exhibited pronounced conjugation and semi-crystallinity, confirmed by FT-IR and XRD analyses. This architecture imparted exceptional thermal stability (char yield: 42.4 %), high flame retardancy (LOI = 34.5 %), and a heterogeneous morphology with strong π–π stacking interactions, which enhanced methylene blue adsorption. Remarkably, <strong>Poly(Oxa)</strong> displayed excitation-dependent photoluminescence, shifting from deep-blue to white-light emission, suggesting the contribution of both local excited and charge-transfer states. In contrast, <strong>Poly(Pip)</strong>, comprising aliphatic piperazine units, exhibited a highly crystalline, densely packed morphology, superior initial thermal stability, and red-shifted excimeric emission. However, its lower char yield and reduced dye adsorption efficiency reflected the limited π-conjugation of its structure. Density functional theory calculations provided molecular-level validation, revealing significantly stronger intermolecular interactions in <strong>Poly(Oxa)</strong> compared to <strong>Poly(Pip)</strong> and larger affinity of <strong>Poly(Oxa)</strong> for the methylene blue dye. Overall, this study demonstrates that molecular rigidity and backbone design play pivotal roles in dictating the thermal, morphological, and optical properties of polyamides. The contrasting behaviors of <strong>Poly(Oxa)</strong> and <strong>Poly(Pip)</strong> establish a rational framework for tailoring advanced polymeric materials with tunable luminescence, enhanced stability, and multifunctional potential for optoelectronic and environmental applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20916,"journal":{"name":"Reactive & Functional Polymers","volume":"219 ","pages":"Article 106597"},"PeriodicalIF":5.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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