Polymer最新文献

{"title":"Onionskin-inspired construction of dual-continuous Ag/CNT networks in cellulose nanofiber films toward Janus multifuncitonal composites","authors":"Weiguang Zhou ,&nbsp;Mingqi Sun ,&nbsp;Yankai Mao ,&nbsp;Xinze Mao ,&nbsp;Zijian Wu ,&nbsp;Pengcheng Che","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129628","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129628","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Multifunctional cellulose nanofibers (CNF)-based composites have great promise for applications in advanced electronics. In this work, an onionskin-cell-like biomimetic structure was developed within the CNF matrix based on the volume repulsion mechanism, which can construct dual-continuous conductive networks of nanosilver flowers (AgNFs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The resulting composite films with 4.18 vol% AgNF and 20 vol% CNTs exhibit a through-plane thermal conductivity (TC) of 3.13 W/mK and a remarkable thermal conductivity enhancement coefficient (TCE) of 821 %. This exceptional performance is attributed to the high interconnectivity (25.9 %) of the Ag–Ag pathways within the primary thermally conductive channel. The superior thermal behavior of these composite films with such bionic structure has also been demonstrated through infrared thermography analysis. Temperature distributions of the CNF-based films with different structures is simulated by transient finite element method to investigate the reinforcement mechanism of such onionskin-cell-like bionic structure. Meanwhile, the composite film (150 μm) with such a dual-channel structure can achieve an impressive electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) up to 43.7 dB due to the reflection of electromagnetic waves through the densely interconnected conductive network, which means a shielding efficiency exceeding 99.99 %. Building on this foundation, these films were introduced into a Janus composite as the conductive A-layer, which present multifunctional properties, including an out-of-plane TC of 2.86 W/mK, electrical insulation (1.32 × 10⁹ Ω cm), and a specific shielding effectiveness (SSE) of 233 dB/mm. Overall, this research contributes a novel structural design concept to meet the multifunctional requirements of electronic device applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"346 ","pages":"Article 129628"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146005677","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}

{"title":"Process design and direct writing of flexible multilayered ceramic-magneto-polymer composites for humidity-sensitive devices","authors":"Anasheh Khecho,&nbsp;Dylan Burke,&nbsp;Erina Baynojir Joyee,&nbsp;Prabhtej Singh Sahni","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129630","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129630","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Direct Writing (DW) has emerged as a versatile additive manufacturing (AM) technique for fabricating multi-material structures in various fields, particularly in sensors and wearable devices. These devices typically consist of multiple functional elements that must be integrated within a single platform. DW enables the fabrication of such devices within one build area in a single process. However, multi-material and composite printing using different inks remains challenging due to difficulties in controlling the ink flow behavior, printing parameters, and ink-substrate compatibility. Especially, multi-material DW is limited by mismatched ink rheology, differing drying behaviors, and poor ink-substrate interactions, often resulting in unstable deposition and interfacial defects. Also, the wettability between the polymer substrates and ceramic-filled ink is critical to achieving uniform deposition, defect-free interfaces, and reliable performance in flexible electronic systems. This interfacial spreading and adhesion are especially important for printed devices, such as humidity sensors, where reliable response depends on how the active layer interacts with moisture and transduces changes into measurable electrical signals. As a result, understanding and controlling the ink-substrate wettability are critical for ensuring consisting printing quality and functional reliability in multi-material DW.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;In this study, we address these challenges by developing a process-design framework for DW of SiC–Fe&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt;–PVA composites, with a focus on substrate wetting behavior, drying kinetics, and ink spreading dynamics. And finally, the mechanical behavior of the printed structure under different humidity conditions were studied to evaluate the stability of the printed structure under different humidity conditions. The influence of deposition speed and build platform temperature on the morphology of printed PVA substrates and SiC–Fe&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;O&lt;sub&gt;4&lt;/sub&gt; composite lines were evaluated. Printed lines exhibited defects such as surface cracks, delamination from the substrate, and irregular line edges under non-optimal conditions. It was found that build platform temperature of 70 °C created a uniform and defect-free PVA substrates. Surface analysis of printed composite lines demonstrated that dispensing speed and substrate temperature influence the surface roughness and line morphology, with higher substrate temperatures suppressing instabilities and yielding improved surface properties. Contact angle measurements further revealed that substrate type and thermal conditions dictate droplet shape and surface wettability, enabling precise control over adhesion, line resolution, and layer uniformity. Furthermore, mechanical characterization under controlled humidity conditions revealed tunable tensile behavior of the composites, with decreased strength and increased elongation at higher relative humidity due to PVA plasticizatio","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"346 ","pages":"Article 129630"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014731","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}

{"title":"Research progress on the characteristics of PPLP materials for high-temperature superconducting cable insulation","authors":"Xin Pan ,&nbsp;Gang Wang ,&nbsp;Li Zhou ,&nbsp;Xiangning Zhang ,&nbsp;Meiling Du ,&nbsp;Mengyao Dong ,&nbsp;Renbo Wei ,&nbsp;Juanna Ren ,&nbsp;Hassan Algadi ,&nbsp;Hanhui Lei ,&nbsp;Terence Xiaoteng Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129631","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129631","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the rapid development of high-temperature superconducting technology, high-temperature superconducting cables have demonstrated significant potential in the field of power transmission due to their high efficiency and low loss characteristics. This paper reviews the research progress of PPLP materials in the application of high-temperature superconducting cable insulation. The electrical, space charge and thermodynamic characteristics of PPLP used for HTS cable insulation are analyzed. The adaptability of PPLP materials in power transmission, rail transit, extreme environment and other fields is prospected. Findings support HTS cable design and engineering, promoting superconducting transmission industrialization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"346 ","pages":"Article 129631"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014721","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}

{"title":"Development of highly transparent cross-linked networked waterborne polyurethane films with improved mechanical strength and hydrophobicity by thiol click reaction","authors":"Yiyi Xu ,&nbsp;Hua Xin ,&nbsp;Xinjian Wang ,&nbsp;Yue Chen ,&nbsp;Xinqi Li ,&nbsp;Bo Gao ,&nbsp;Xiaojuan Lai","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129617","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129617","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Conventional waterborne polyurethanes characteristically possess a linear structure, a property that invariably leads to deficiencies in both water resistance and mechanical strength. In this study, two novel functional monomer crosslinkers, eugenol-based polyol (EUMP) and bis(mercapto)fluorine-containing binary chain extender (PTFA), were synthesised through a thiol-ene click reaction. Crosslinked network waterborne polyurethane (EUMP WPU) with different dosage of crosslinking agent EUMP was prepared by self emulsification method. The test results showed that when the amount of EUMP was 4 wt%, the contact angle of EUMP-WPU reached a maximum of 85.6° and the tensile strength reached a maximum of 23.61 MPa. Therefore, the optimum amount of cross-linking agent EUMP was selected as 4 wt%, and different amounts of dimercapto fluorinated binary chain extender PTFA were introduced into the system using the thiol-isocyanate click reaction to obtain fluorinated waterborne polyurethane (EUMP-FWPU). The EUMP-FWPU samples were characterised through a series of tests and the results showed that the mechanical strength, adhesion and hydrophobicity of the latex film were significantly improved. It was observed that when the PTFA dosage was 8 wt%, the tensile strength was 30.34 MPa, and the contact angle was 117°. The film transmittance rate is above 92 %, which can be applied to mobile phone screen protector in hydrophobic and can protect the screen without affecting the sensitivity of normal operation of the mobile phone screen.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"346 ","pages":"Article 129617"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014726","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}

{"title":"Dynamic Monte Carlo simulations of strain-induced crystallization in multiblock copolymers: the influence of crystallizable block length on dilution effects","authors":"Yaqian Guo,&nbsp;Zhaolei Li,&nbsp;Chao Yan","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129625","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129625","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Commonly employed thermoplastic elastomers such as polyether-<em>b</em>-polyamides (or -polyesters), polyurethanes (or with -urea) and olefin block copolymers, are typically processed via a stretching process to confer high elasticity and toughness on their end products, wherein a critical determinant is the size diversity of hard crystalline microdomains. In previous dynamic Monte Carlo simulations about the dilution effects of noncrystallizable blocks in diblock and tetrablock copolymers with alternately linked crystallizable and noncrystallizable blocks, we have elucidated that strain-induced crystallization of locally concentrated and diluted crystallizable blocks contributes to the large and small crystalline microdomains, respectively, and thus enhances the size diversity of crystalline microdomains. And the dilution effects remain robust from diblock to tetrablock copolymers. In the present work, we continued to study the effects of crystallizable block length on strain-induced crystallization of concentrated and diluted crystallizable blocks in diblock copolymers. The results show that shortening the crystallizable blocks makes the lamellar crystalline microdomains shrink both in concentrated and diluted cases, and thus enhances the size diversity of crystalline microdomains further. Moreover, shortening the crystallizable blocks has little effect on both onset crystallization strains and the chain-folding probability of crystallites in the concentrated cases; however, it raises the onset crystallization strains while reduces the chain-folding probability of crystallites a lot in the diluted cases. Our observations imply that low chain-folding-probability crystallites in diluted lamellar crystalline microdomains will store potential deformations for initiating a short melting-recrystallization process at lower strains; meanwhile, high chain-folding-probability crystallites mainly in concentrated lamellar crystalline microdomains will hold the resistance to the loading stress and store more potential deformations for higher strains. Therefore, similar to those diverse nano-size beta-sheets in spider silks, the diverse chain-folding-probability crystallites in diverse size of lamellar crystalline microdomains endow excellent toughness to semicrystalline multiblock copolymers. Our simulation results presented herein enable a deeper insight into how the crystallizable block length governs toughness in semicrystalline thermoplastic elastomers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"346 ","pages":"Article 129625"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146001757","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}

{"title":"Structures and dynamics of polymer nanocomposites: filler-polymer interaction and desorption-mediated agglomeration","authors":"Yadong Lu ,&nbsp;Shuo Qi ,&nbsp;Hao Zhang ,&nbsp;Yiming Wang ,&nbsp;Wei You ,&nbsp;Fenggang Bian ,&nbsp;Wei Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129627","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129627","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The delicate balance between filler-filler and filler-polymer interactions primarily determines the thermodynamics governing nanofiller dispersion in polymer matrices. While it is well established that the relative strength of these interactions significantly influences dispersion quality, a critical gap remains in our understanding of how dynamic changes in these interactions affect multiscale structures and material properties. In this work, we employ polymer matrices and fillers with varying polarities to elucidate the influence of interfacial energy on filler dispersion and mechanical reinforcement. A detailed analysis of the hierarchical filler structures demonstrates that enhanced attractive filler-polymer interactions promote nanofiller dispersion. Notably, particles with lower surface hydroxyl density impose stronger topological constraints on the polymer matrix, thereby producing a greater enhancement of the rubbery modulus at the same specific area. This phenomenon can be attributed to the distinct loop conformation of adsorbed polymer chains according to the adsorption-induced entanglement mechanism. Through quantitative analysis of the failure of time-temperature superposition, we uncover temperature-dependent variations in the adsorption state, which are further corroborated by thermodynamic analysis of desorption using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Our results reveal that interfacial adhesion energy and the conformational state of adsorbed chains govern the desorption process. Desorption of chains exhibiting loop conformations triggers further nanofiller agglomeration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"346 ","pages":"Article 129627"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014722","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}

{"title":"Structural evolution of P(GA-co-LA) fibers during the multi-stage stretching","authors":"Yiru Shan ,&nbsp;Huashuai Cui ,&nbsp;Jin Guo ,&nbsp;Weijun Miao ,&nbsp;Yiguo Li ,&nbsp;Jintang Zhu ,&nbsp;Qing Huang ,&nbsp;Zongbao Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129622","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129622","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As an important class of biodegradable polymers, poly(glycolide-co-lactide) (P(GA-<em>co</em>-LA)) has attracted significant attention due to its excellent biocompatibility, controllable degradation behavior, and favorable mechanical properties. It demonstrates considerable research value and application potential, particularly in biomedical fields such as absorbable surgical sutures. However, the dynamic evolution mechanism of the aggregation structure of P(GA-<em>co</em>-LA) fibers during processing remains unclear, which hinders further improvement of product performance. To address this, the study prepares as-spun P(GA-<em>co</em>-LA) fibers with an LA content of 8 mol% via melt spinning, and systematically investigates the structural evolution during single-stage low-temperature stretching and multi-stage hot stretching using in-situ synchrotron radiation wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD)/small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques. The results indicate that during low-temperature stretching, the fibers undergo three stages: stretching of the amorphous regions, stress-induced crystallization, and stretching of the crystalline regions. The stress-induced crystallization stage promotes the formation of a large number of crystals, significantly increasing both crystallinity and orientation. During the high-temperature stretching stage, the coupled stress-temperature field drives further evolution of the crystalline structure: at 100 °C, fragmentation-recrystallization dominates, leading to the formation of fibrous crystals along with the generation of small-sized crystals; at 120–130 °C, molecular chain mobility reaches an optimal level, where lamellae perfection and the transformation into fibrous crystals occur synergistically, resulting in the highest crystallinity and crystallite size; at 140 °C, thermal relaxation and partial melting cause a decrease in crystallinity, and the structure is dominated by well-defined, thick lamellae.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"346 ","pages":"Article 129622"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014723","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}

{"title":"Effects of repeat unit sequences on physical and gas transport properties of soluble copolyimides","authors":"Yuxin Song ,&nbsp;Rong Guo ,&nbsp;Jianming Zhong ,&nbsp;Xu Zhang ,&nbsp;Fuchang Shu ,&nbsp;Yongbing Zhuang","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129619","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129619","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polyimides are widely utilized in functional applications such as gas separation membranes, owing to their outstanding properties. However, the influence of repeat unit sequences on physical and gas transport properties remains insufficiently explored. In this work, three imide-containing diamines, Diamine 1, Diamine N, and Diamine B, were synthesized by reacting 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine (DPD) with 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (NTCDA), 4,4′-(4,4′-isopropylidenediphenoxy) bis (phthalic anhydride) (BPADA), and 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene) diphthalic anhydride (6FDA), respectively. Subsequently, alternating copolymers NT6F-A and BP6F-A were prepared from Diamine N or Diamine B with 6FDA, while BPBT-A and 6FBT-A were obtained from Diamine B or Diamine 1 with 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA). For comparative evaluation, four corresponding random copolymers (NT6F–R, BP6F–R, BPBT-R, and 6FBT-R) were also synthesized under identical conditions. The effects of repeat unit sequencing on the copolyimides’ physical and gas transport properties were systematically investigated. Compared to their random analogs, alternating copolymers exhibited more ordered and dense chain packing that imparts higher diffusion selectivity, thereby substantially enhancing membrane gas separation selectivity. And the alternating copolymer 6FBT-A in particular demonstrated superior solubility, mechanical properties and thermal conductivity relative to its random counterpart 6FBT-R. Specifically, 6FBT-A exhibited tensile strength and modulus of 98.9 MPa and 2.80 GPa, representing increases of 23.9 % and 12.0 %, respectively. Its thermal conductivity reached 0.1640 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹, a 138 % improvement over 6FBT-R. Furthermore, the O₂/N₂ selectivity increased by 26 %, from 5.8 to 7.3. This study provides valuable insights into the rational design of advanced polyimides with optimal physical and gas separation performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"346 ","pages":"Article 129619"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146001092","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}

{"title":"Effect of iPP on the crystallization kinetics of PB-1: Transition from promotion to inhibition with increasing isothermal crystallization temperature","authors":"Yidu Zhang ,&nbsp;Chenyang Dong ,&nbsp;Yingchao Wang ,&nbsp;Maoqing Yuan ,&nbsp;Hailong Niu ,&nbsp;Qian Li ,&nbsp;Chunguang Shao ,&nbsp;Zhen Wang ,&nbsp;Yanping Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129624","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129624","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The isothermal crystallization behavior of polybutene-1 (PB-1) and its blends with isotactic polypropylene (iPP) was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The experiments were carried out within the temperature range from 91 °C to 101 °C. At lower crystallization temperatures, iPP phase was found to enhance the crystallization kinetics of PB-1 through heterogeneous nucleation. As the crystallization temperature increased, the effect of iPP phase on the crystallization rate of PB-1 shifted from promotion to inhibition, with an inversion point at 97 °C. This inhibitory effect was further confirmed by in-situ wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) measurements, without any detectable changes in the crystalline structure of PB-1. Complementary in-situ crystallization studies performed with a polarized optical microscope (POM) revealed a distinct morphological transition in PB-1 crystals at a higher temperature (105 °C), characterized by an evolution from classical spherulite to hedrite, which is considered to be related with variations in crystallization kinetics. The crystal growth mode depends on the gradient of mass transport, determining the crystal morphology further. Elevated temperature enhances molecular mobility, thereby promoting the growth of single crystals with increased lamellar width, manifested as hedrite. However, the presence of iPP crystals might impede crystal growth of hedrite by changing the gradient of mass transport, ultimately reducing the crystallization kinetics of PB-1. The inhibitory effect can be counteracted by lowering the crystallization temperature or applying a flow field.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"346 ","pages":"Article 129624"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146001091","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}

{"title":"Interphase anchoring mechanism for enhanced environmental stress cracking resistance in recycled high-density polyethylene","authors":"Amir Khaki ,&nbsp;Lívia Mesquita Dias Loiola ,&nbsp;Maryam Safari ,&nbsp;Christian Gerlach ,&nbsp;Charmayne Siebers ,&nbsp;Ali Gooneie ,&nbsp;Jules A.W. Harings ,&nbsp;Kim Ragaert ,&nbsp;Rudinei Fiorio","doi":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129623","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymer.2026.129623","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Low environmental stress cracking resistance (ESCR) of recycled HDPE (rHDPE) is a primary barrier to increase the recycled content in rigid packaging. This study introduces a novel interphase-driven mechanism based on styrene-b-ethylene-b-ethylene/propylene-b-styrene block copolymer (SEEPS) to enhance ESCR across multiple virgin and recycled HDPE systems. Multiscale characterization techniques show that SEEPS forms an interdiffused EEP (ethylene–ethylene/propylene)/HDPE interphase in which the olefinic midblock entangles with amorphous HDPE segments, while polystyrene nanodomains act as thermoreversible physical crosslinks below the PS glass transition. This interphase suppresses chain mobility in the polymer matrix and increases resistance to tie-chain pullout and disentanglement, refining the “anchoring ties” concept into an interphase-driven mechanism. In-situ SAXS/WAXD during tensile deformation corroborates this by showing extended intermediate patterns over a wider strain window in the blend before fibrillar scattering develops. Applied to rHDPE, adding SEEPS (2.5–10.0 wt%) promoted a steady increase in ESCR by up to 130 % relative to the unmodified material. ESCR improvements scaled with the matrix tie-chain concentration estimated by using the Huang–Brown approach. The interphase-anchoring mechanism enabled by adding tailor-made block copolymers offers a promising route for enhancing the performance of recycled HDPE.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":405,"journal":{"name":"Polymer","volume":"346 ","pages":"Article 129623"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146001097","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}