Pub Date : 2026-04-09Epub Date: 2026-03-06DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129791
Baochen Gu , Shuxiao Wang , Anqi Zhou , Xiang Wu , Qijun Zhang , Bai Huang , Baofeng Lin , Chuanhui Xu , Yen Wei , Lihua Fu
Conductive hydrogels have recently been developed as potential materials for smart wearable devices. However, the low stabilities of conventional hydrogels significantly limit their lifespans in smart wearable electronics. Herein, we report a novel ion-conducting hydrogel that maintains excellent mechanical, electrical, and adhesive properties even after exposure to 25 °C and 76% relative humidity for 90 days or approximately 20 000 loading–unloading cycles. The introduction of LiCl and glycerol imparts PGLAG hydrogel with outstanding weather resistance. Furthermore, we found that during continuous loading–unloading cycles, the interactions of gelatin with polyacrylamide (PAM), and of acrylic acid bentonite (AABT) with the polymer matrix are progressively enhanced, gradually forming a robust “skeletal muscle” structure. This structure enables PGLAG hydrogel to undergo continuous loading-unloading cycles, resulting in a material that is not only intact but also exhibits progressively enhanced tensile strength (increasing from 154 to 220.22 kPa) and electrical conductivity (increasing from 0.30 to 0.45 S/m). Benefiting from its excellent weather resistance and durability, PGLAG hydrogel, as multifunctional sensors, exhibit real-time, fast, and stable signal response in detection of human motion, facial expression recognition and handwriting. These findings provide valuable insights into the design of enduring ion-conducting hydrogels for diverse applications.
{"title":"A polyacrylamide/gelatin hydrogel with superior durability and weather resistance for sustainable wearable electronics","authors":"Baochen Gu , Shuxiao Wang , Anqi Zhou , Xiang Wu , Qijun Zhang , Bai Huang , Baofeng Lin , Chuanhui Xu , Yen Wei , Lihua Fu","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129791","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129791","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Conductive hydrogels have recently been developed as potential materials for smart wearable devices. However, the low stabilities of conventional hydrogels significantly limit their lifespans in smart wearable electronics. Herein, we report a novel ion-conducting hydrogel that maintains excellent mechanical, electrical, and adhesive properties even after exposure to 25 °C and 76% relative humidity for 90 days or approximately 20 000 loading–unloading cycles. The introduction of LiCl and glycerol imparts PGLAG hydrogel with outstanding weather resistance. Furthermore, we found that during continuous loading–unloading cycles, the interactions of gelatin with polyacrylamide (PAM), and of acrylic acid bentonite (AABT) with the polymer matrix are progressively enhanced, gradually forming a robust “skeletal muscle” structure. This structure enables PGLAG hydrogel to undergo continuous loading-unloading cycles, resulting in a material that is not only intact but also exhibits progressively enhanced tensile strength (increasing from 154 to 220.22 kPa) and electrical conductivity (increasing from 0.30 to 0.45 S/m). Benefiting from its excellent weather resistance and durability, PGLAG hydrogel, as multifunctional sensors, exhibit real-time, fast, and stable signal response in detection of human motion, facial expression recognition and handwriting. These findings provide valuable insights into the design of enduring ion-conducting hydrogels for diverse applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"351 ","pages":"Article 129791"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147368064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-09Epub Date: 2026-03-06DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129825
Martina Cozzani , Alessandro Fortunato , Giacomo Damonte , Alessandro Pellis , Donatella Di Lisa , Laura Pastorino , Orietta Monticelli
The main goal of this work was to develop an environmentally friendly method for upcycling poly (lactic acid) (PLA) into functionalized oligomers, as well as to propose an innovative strategy enabling their direct use within the reaction environment. To this end, the investigated reaction—an alcoholysis based on the use of reagents derived from renewable sources—was carried out in the green solvent dihydrolevoglucosenone (Cyrene®, Cy). Indeed, upon the addition of virgin polymer, a PLA/oligomer mixture was obtained, providing a suitable system for the direct preparation of porous films. Specifically, the alcoholysis process, carried out using pentaerythritol (PE) as the polyalcohol and zinc stearate as the catalyst was optimized by monitoring the viscosity of the reaction mixture over time. 1H NMR analysis of the resulting oligomers confirmed a decrease in molecular weight and the formation of a branched structure, attributed to the multifunctionality of the polyalcohol and dependent on the amount of PE added. These structural characteristics significantly affected the thermal behaviour of the oligomers, as demonstrated by DSC and TGA analyses.
Porous films, prepared via the Non-solvent Induced Phase Separation (NIPS) technique using the reaction mixture directly as the casting solution, exhibited a leaf-like structure that was unaffected by the presence of oligomers in the mixture, as observed by FE-SEM analysis.
The enzymatic hydrolysability and retention capacity were evaluated using Humicola insolens cutinase (HiC) as the enzyme and pararosaniline hydrochloride (PARA) as a cationic organic dye, selected to mimic the behavior of amino-terminated drugs. The results indicated that, compared to neat PLA films, those incorporating the developed oligomers exhibited enhanced dye retention capacity and faster degradation rate. These phenomena were attributed to the high functionality of the branched additives obtained through the alcoholysis process. Finally, a closed-loop process for Cy recovery through distillation was established, enabling its reuse and improving the overall sustainability of the process.
{"title":"On the production and application of functional branched oligomers by PLA upcycling using a green solvent-based approach","authors":"Martina Cozzani , Alessandro Fortunato , Giacomo Damonte , Alessandro Pellis , Donatella Di Lisa , Laura Pastorino , Orietta Monticelli","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129825","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129825","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The main goal of this work was to develop an environmentally friendly method for upcycling poly (lactic acid) (PLA) into functionalized oligomers, as well as to propose an innovative strategy enabling their direct use within the reaction environment. To this end, the investigated reaction—an alcoholysis based on the use of reagents derived from renewable sources—was carried out in the green solvent dihydrolevoglucosenone (Cyrene®, Cy). Indeed, upon the addition of virgin polymer, a PLA/oligomer mixture was obtained, providing a suitable system for the direct preparation of porous films. Specifically, the alcoholysis process, carried out using pentaerythritol (PE) as the polyalcohol and zinc stearate as the catalyst was optimized by monitoring the viscosity of the reaction mixture over time. <sup>1</sup>H NMR analysis of the resulting oligomers confirmed a decrease in molecular weight and the formation of a branched structure, attributed to the multifunctionality of the polyalcohol and dependent on the amount of PE added. These structural characteristics significantly affected the thermal behaviour of the oligomers, as demonstrated by DSC and TGA analyses.</div><div>Porous films, prepared via the Non-solvent Induced Phase Separation (NIPS) technique using the reaction mixture directly as the casting solution, exhibited a leaf-like structure that was unaffected by the presence of oligomers in the mixture, as observed by FE-SEM analysis.</div><div>The enzymatic hydrolysability and retention capacity were evaluated using <em>Humicola insolens</em> cutinase (HiC) as the enzyme and pararosaniline hydrochloride (PARA) as a cationic organic dye, selected to mimic the behavior of amino-terminated drugs. The results indicated that, compared to neat PLA films, those incorporating the developed oligomers exhibited enhanced dye retention capacity and faster degradation rate. These phenomena were attributed to the high functionality of the branched additives obtained through the alcoholysis process. Finally, a closed-loop process for Cy recovery through distillation was established, enabling its reuse and improving the overall sustainability of the process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"351 ","pages":"Article 129825"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147381077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-09Epub Date: 2026-03-04DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129816
Huaming Wang , Zixian Li , Jianglu Teng, Yawei Zhang, Xibin Shen, Guohua Hang, Lei Li, Tao Zhang, Sixun Zheng
In this contribution, we revealed the impact of POSS R groups on the thermomechanical properties of the organic inorganic polyurethanes. Toward this end, two well-defined POSS diols were synthesized through a multi-step reaction approach. Starting from heptaisobutyl (i-Bu) and heptaphenyl (Ph) POSS trisilanols, a multi-step reaction strategy was adopted, allowing a precise control over the functionality of POSS macromers. Serving as the chain extenders, the POSS diols were exploited to gain the organic-inorganic polyurethanes (PUs), featuring the POSS cages in the main chains. For the organic-inorganic PUs, the self-assembled morphologies were displayed, relying on the types of POSS R groups. For PU-POSS(i-Bu)s, the spherical POSS microdomains were generated with the size of 30 ∼ 50 nm in diameter. In contrast, the much smaller POSS microdomains were formed in PU-POSS(Ph)s with the sizes of 10 ∼ 30 nm in diameter. In both of the cases, the POSS microdomains can behave as the additional physical crosslinking sites through the POSS-POSS interactions. Nonetheless, the different POSS R groups led to the different inter-chain interactions; the interactions in PU-POSS(Ph)s were much stronger than those in PU-POSS(i-Bu)s. Therefore, the organic-inorganic PUs displayed the different thermomechanical properties. In terms of Young's moduli and tensile strengths, it is judged that PU-POSS(Ph)s displayed the mechanical properties much stronger than PU-POSS(i-Bu)s. For the organic-inorganic PUs, the thermally-induced shape memory properties were likewise displayed as control PU. However, this behavior was quite dependent on the POSS R groups. Judged from the response rates, fixity and recovery of shapes, PU-POSS(Ph)s displayed the shape memory properties much stronger than PU-POSS(i-Bu)s. It is demonstrated that the difference in POSS R groups led to the difference in the morphologies and intermolecular interactions. As a result, the different thermomechanical and shape memory properties were displayed.
{"title":"Mechanical strengths and shape recovery of organic-inorganic hybrid polyurethanes with POSS in the main chains: Do R groups of POSS matter?","authors":"Huaming Wang , Zixian Li , Jianglu Teng, Yawei Zhang, Xibin Shen, Guohua Hang, Lei Li, Tao Zhang, Sixun Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129816","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129816","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this contribution, we revealed the impact of POSS R groups on the thermomechanical properties of the organic inorganic polyurethanes. Toward this end, two well-defined POSS diols were synthesized through a multi-step reaction approach. Starting from heptaisobutyl (<em>i</em>-Bu) and heptaphenyl (Ph) POSS trisilanols, a multi-step reaction strategy was adopted, allowing a precise control over the functionality of POSS macromers. Serving as the chain extenders, the POSS diols were exploited to gain the organic-inorganic polyurethanes (PUs), featuring the POSS cages in the main chains. For the organic-inorganic PUs, the self-assembled morphologies were displayed, relying on the types of POSS R groups. For PU-POSS(<em>i</em>-Bu)s, the spherical POSS microdomains were generated with the size of 30 ∼ 50 nm in diameter. In contrast, the much smaller POSS microdomains were formed in PU-POSS(Ph)s with the sizes of 10 ∼ 30 nm in diameter. In both of the cases, the POSS microdomains can behave as the additional physical crosslinking sites through the POSS-POSS interactions. Nonetheless, the different POSS R groups led to the different inter-chain interactions; the interactions in PU-POSS(Ph)s were much stronger than those in PU-POSS(<em>i</em>-Bu)s. Therefore, the organic-inorganic PUs displayed the different thermomechanical properties. In terms of Young's moduli and tensile strengths, it is judged that PU-POSS(Ph)s displayed the mechanical properties much stronger than PU-POSS(<em>i</em>-Bu)s. For the organic-inorganic PUs, the thermally-induced shape memory properties were likewise displayed as control PU. However, this behavior was quite dependent on the POSS R groups. Judged from the response rates, fixity and recovery of shapes, PU-POSS(Ph)s displayed the shape memory properties much stronger than PU-POSS(<em>i</em>-Bu)s. It is demonstrated that the difference in POSS R groups led to the difference in the morphologies and intermolecular interactions. As a result, the different thermomechanical and shape memory properties were displayed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"351 ","pages":"Article 129816"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147359971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-09Epub Date: 2026-03-06DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129823
Xiangbu Zeng , Tuanhui Jiang , Shengnan Li , Jinfu Xing , Xiaodie Zhang , Chun Zhang , Li He , Wei Gong
The study of nucleation laws and mechanisms has long been a fundamental topic in both technological development and theoretical research on foamed polymers. Many existing models were established on the basis of classical thermodynamic nucleation theory (CNT) or through its various extensions and modifications. However, current nucleation theories generally describe subcritical bubble nuclei and the distribution of surrounding particles only through qualitative concepts of thermal fluctuations and lack quantitative characterization of the spatial distribution and clustering behavior of gas solutes in the polymer prior to nucleus formation. In the present study, based on the fundamental principles governing polymer injection molding foaming, high-speed in situ imaging at 2000 fps was employed to observe the formation of a large number of bubbles within an extremely short time interval. Three physical assumptions were proposed, from which a physically meaningful quantitative mathematical framework, the nucleation model (N-t model), was developed. The formation and growth of bubbles were governed by the continuous diffusion of gas molecules into the bubble nucleus; therefore, the local state of gas molecules surrounding the nucleus exerted a dominant influence on both nucleation and growth behavior. Based on the core physical assumption that fluctuation-induced aggregation of gas molecules followed a logistic function statistical law and the probability of a bubble nucleus overcoming the energy barrier follows the classical Boltzmann statistical law, the N-t model accurately described the evolution of bubble density with time during polymer injection molding, foaming, and quantitatively determined the corresponding nucleation rate. Unlike the steady-state nucleation rate predicted by CNT, the nucleation rate (exponential decay function) obtained here decreased progressively with time. The quantitative reliability of the proposed model was further confirmed for multiple polymer systems and under different processing conditions. The present work provided new insight into the physical essence of bubble nucleation and introduced an effective theoretical tool for quantitative analysis of nucleation behavior and process optimization in polymer foaming.
{"title":"Quantitative mathematical modeling, experimental validation, and fitting analysis of bubble nucleation in polymer injection molding foaming","authors":"Xiangbu Zeng , Tuanhui Jiang , Shengnan Li , Jinfu Xing , Xiaodie Zhang , Chun Zhang , Li He , Wei Gong","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129823","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129823","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The study of nucleation laws and mechanisms has long been a fundamental topic in both technological development and theoretical research on foamed polymers. Many existing models were established on the basis of classical thermodynamic nucleation theory (CNT) or through its various extensions and modifications. However, current nucleation theories generally describe subcritical bubble nuclei and the distribution of surrounding particles only through qualitative concepts of thermal fluctuations and lack quantitative characterization of the spatial distribution and clustering behavior of gas solutes in the polymer prior to nucleus formation. In the present study, based on the fundamental principles governing polymer injection molding foaming, high-speed in situ imaging at 2000 fps was employed to observe the formation of a large number of bubbles within an extremely short time interval. Three physical assumptions were proposed, from which a physically meaningful quantitative mathematical framework, the nucleation model (N-t model), was developed. The formation and growth of bubbles were governed by the continuous diffusion of gas molecules into the bubble nucleus; therefore, the local state of gas molecules surrounding the nucleus exerted a dominant influence on both nucleation and growth behavior. Based on the core physical assumption that fluctuation-induced aggregation of gas molecules followed a logistic function statistical law and the probability of a bubble nucleus overcoming the energy barrier follows the classical Boltzmann statistical law, the N-t model accurately described the evolution of bubble density with time during polymer injection molding, foaming, and quantitatively determined the corresponding nucleation rate. Unlike the steady-state nucleation rate predicted by CNT, the nucleation rate (exponential decay function) obtained here decreased progressively with time. The quantitative reliability of the proposed model was further confirmed for multiple polymer systems and under different processing conditions. The present work provided new insight into the physical essence of bubble nucleation and introduced an effective theoretical tool for quantitative analysis of nucleation behavior and process optimization in polymer foaming.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"351 ","pages":"Article 129823"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147388218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-04-09Epub Date: 2026-03-06DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129810
Dongseong Seo , Jisu Kim , Wonyong Seong , MinHee Park , Kangwon Lee , Daekyung Sung
This study presents a surface modification strategy for ion-selective membranes (ISMs) using ferrocene-based acrylate copolymers to simultaneously enhance potential stability, signal reproducibility, and biofouling resistance. By incorporating redox-active ferrocene moieties, the modified membranes transformed into efficient electron-transfer interfaces. Kinetic analysis confirmed that the improved performance arises from a surface-controlled redox process (R2 > 0.99), ensuring high signal reproducibility and stability. Furthermore, the integration of polyethylene glycol and polyvinyl chloride provided structural reinforcement and superior anti-biofouling properties. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that the modified surface reduced bacterial adhesion by approximately 99% against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, preventing biofilm formation in biological environments. This work highlights the dual-functionality of the proposed coating—serving as both a redox mediator and an antifouling shield— offering a practical route to durable sensors.
{"title":"Performance enhancement of ion-selective membranes through surface modification with ferrocene-based acrylate copolymers with anti-biofouling and electrochemical redox properties","authors":"Dongseong Seo , Jisu Kim , Wonyong Seong , MinHee Park , Kangwon Lee , Daekyung Sung","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129810","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129810","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents a surface modification strategy for ion-selective membranes (ISMs) using ferrocene-based acrylate copolymers to simultaneously enhance potential stability, signal reproducibility, and biofouling resistance. By incorporating redox-active ferrocene moieties, the modified membranes transformed into efficient electron-transfer interfaces. Kinetic analysis confirmed that the improved performance arises from a surface-controlled redox process (R<sup>2</sup> > 0.99), ensuring high signal reproducibility and stability. Furthermore, the integration of polyethylene glycol and polyvinyl chloride provided structural reinforcement and superior anti-biofouling properties. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that the modified surface reduced bacterial adhesion by approximately 99% against both <em>Escherichia coli</em> and <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, preventing biofilm formation in biological environments. This work highlights the dual-functionality of the proposed coating—serving as both a redox mediator and an antifouling shield— offering a practical route to durable sensors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"351 ","pages":"Article 129810"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147381078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The development of solid–solid phase change materials (SSPCMs) that combine high latent heat, mechanical robustness, and full recyclability remains a significant challenge for advanced thermal energy storage. Traditional cross-linking approaches using covalent bonds would affect recyclability or overall storage capacity. Here, we report an ecologically efficient design of SSPCMs using chiral recognition interactions to construct physically cross-linked network. A polyurethane containing poly (ethylene glycol) segments for energy storage and poly(L-lactic acid) blocks is blended with multi-arm poly(D-lactic acid). Through chiral recognition, stereocomplex crystals form in situ and act as reversible physical crosslinks, constructing a robust yet dynamic physical stereocomplex network. The obtained SSPCMs exhibit a remarkable set of properties, including a good enthalpy of 91.1 J g-1, a high tensile strength of 22.3 MPa, excellent elongation at break of more than 1000 %, and impressive toughness of 147.5 MJ m-3, and perfect shape stability at 80°C. Due to the reversibility of the network, the SSPCMs can be completely recycled by hot-pressing with high retention of the original performance. Furthermore, the incorporation of graphene nanoplatelets can significantly enhance the thermal conductivity and enables efficient solar-thermal energy conversion and storage under simulated sunlight. This work provides a versatile and eco-friendly strategy for designing next-generation multifunctional phase change materials that integrate high energy storage, mechanical durability, and circularity.
{"title":"Recyclable, Mechanically Robust Solid–Solid Phase Change Materials Enabled by Stereocomplex Physical Crosslinking Network for Thermal Energy Storage","authors":"Mengjie Sheng, Haohua Rong, Qi Shi, Xiang Lu, Jinping Qu","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129917","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129917","url":null,"abstract":"The development of solid–solid phase change materials (SSPCMs) that combine high latent heat, mechanical robustness, and full recyclability remains a significant challenge for advanced thermal energy storage. Traditional cross-linking approaches using covalent bonds would affect recyclability or overall storage capacity. Here, we report an ecologically efficient design of SSPCMs using chiral recognition interactions to construct physically cross-linked network. A polyurethane containing poly (ethylene glycol) segments for energy storage and poly(L-lactic acid) blocks is blended with multi-arm poly(D-lactic acid). Through chiral recognition, stereocomplex crystals form in situ and act as reversible physical crosslinks, constructing a robust yet dynamic physical stereocomplex network. The obtained SSPCMs exhibit a remarkable set of properties, including a good enthalpy of 91.1 J g<sup>-1</sup>, a high tensile strength of 22.3 MPa, excellent elongation at break of more than 1000 %, and impressive toughness of 147.5 MJ m<sup>-3</sup>, and perfect shape stability at 80°C. Due to the reversibility of the network, the SSPCMs can be completely recycled by hot-pressing with high retention of the original performance. Furthermore, the incorporation of graphene nanoplatelets can significantly enhance the thermal conductivity and enables efficient solar-thermal energy conversion and storage under simulated sunlight. This work provides a versatile and eco-friendly strategy for designing next-generation multifunctional phase change materials that integrate high energy storage, mechanical durability, and circularity.","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147507708","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-25DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129901
Yanmiao Fan, Maria Samara, Ziyu Song, Cheng Fang, Zixuan Ding, Amene Ayane, Georgios A. Sotiriou, Wanjun Liu, Michael Malkoch
Cationic dendritic hydrogels have shown great promise for the treatment of drug-resistant bacteria. In this study, spontaneously crosslinked dendritic hydrogels were prepared through an off-stoichiometric reaction between 5th generation amino-functional linear–dendritic copolymers and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS)-activated PEG crosslinkers. Two types of crosslinkers were investigated: NHS-activated PEG containing either ester linkages (PEG-NHS-est) or amide linkages (PEG-NHS-ami). This subtle structural difference enabled control over hydrogel stability and consequently had a significant impact on antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity. Hydrogels formed with PEG-NHS-ami exhibited higher stability due to the greater resistance of amide bonds to hydrolysis. By adjusting the ratio of PEG-NHS-ami and PEG-NHS-est crosslinkers, the hydrogel networks could be tuned to achieve excellent antibacterial activity, good biocompatibility, and prolonged antibacterial efficacy. After screening different formulations, the most promising dendritic hydrogel, prepared with a 1:1 ratio of both crosslinkers, reduced the MRSA burden by 99.12% in an ex vivo porcine skin model. In an in vivo mouse wound infection model, hydrogel-treated wounds showed a bacterial survival rate of 0.47%. In addition, the cationic hydrogels adhered well to porcine skin and commercial wound dressings, with shear adhesive strengths ranging from 9.65 to 23.68 kPa. These results demonstrate that stability-controlled dendritic hydrogels are promising candidates for the treatment of bacterial skin infections.
{"title":"Nonlinear Cationic Dendritic Hydrogels as Advanced Wound Dressings Against Drug-Resistant Infections","authors":"Yanmiao Fan, Maria Samara, Ziyu Song, Cheng Fang, Zixuan Ding, Amene Ayane, Georgios A. Sotiriou, Wanjun Liu, Michael Malkoch","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129901","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129901","url":null,"abstract":"Cationic dendritic hydrogels have shown great promise for the treatment of drug-resistant bacteria. In this study, spontaneously crosslinked dendritic hydrogels were prepared through an off-stoichiometric reaction between 5th generation amino-functional linear–dendritic copolymers and N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS)-activated PEG crosslinkers. Two types of crosslinkers were investigated: NHS-activated PEG containing either ester linkages (PEG-NHS-est) or amide linkages (PEG-NHS-ami). This subtle structural difference enabled control over hydrogel stability and consequently had a significant impact on antibacterial activity and cytotoxicity. Hydrogels formed with PEG-NHS-ami exhibited higher stability due to the greater resistance of amide bonds to hydrolysis. By adjusting the ratio of PEG-NHS-ami and PEG-NHS-est crosslinkers, the hydrogel networks could be tuned to achieve excellent antibacterial activity, good biocompatibility, and prolonged antibacterial efficacy. After screening different formulations, the most promising dendritic hydrogel, prepared with a 1:1 ratio of both crosslinkers, reduced the MRSA burden by 99.12% in an ex vivo porcine skin model. In an in vivo mouse wound infection model, hydrogel-treated wounds showed a bacterial survival rate of 0.47%. In addition, the cationic hydrogels adhered well to porcine skin and commercial wound dressings, with shear adhesive strengths ranging from 9.65 to 23.68 kPa. These results demonstrate that stability-controlled dendritic hydrogels are promising candidates for the treatment of bacterial skin infections.","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147506956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-03-24DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129894
Sara Zanchi, Sami Zeliouche, Vincent Ladmiral, Gilles Silly, Fabrice Domingues Dos Santos, Béatrice Allard-Breton, Sylvie Tencé-Girault, Sébastien Roland
{"title":"Crystal to Condis-Crystal Transition in poly(VDF-co-TrFE) copolymers studied by NMR and SAXS-WAXS","authors":"Sara Zanchi, Sami Zeliouche, Vincent Ladmiral, Gilles Silly, Fabrice Domingues Dos Santos, Béatrice Allard-Breton, Sylvie Tencé-Girault, Sébastien Roland","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129894","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129894","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"28 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.6,"publicationDate":"2026-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147501941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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