In many advanced and sophisticated applications, both polymer stabilization and aging monitoring are required simultaneously. While strategies for stabilization and characterization have advanced, they typically evolve independently, leading to compromises between cost, functionality, and sensitive monitoring capability. Here, we report a dual-functional agent that simultaneously enhances radiation resistance and enables ultrasensitive, in situ monitoring of early-stage radiation aging in silicone rubber (SR). We incorporate a profluorescent nitroxide (PQ) into SR, where its nitroxide radical efficiently scavenges alkyl radicals generated during gamma-irradiation, thereby imparting radiation resistance—as evidenced by suppressed gas evolution and retained mechanical properties. Concurrently, PQ reacts with alkyl radicals to form strong fluorescence structures, allowing for the visualization and quantitative assessment of aging at remarkably low doses (from 500 Gy). We establish a precise power-law relationship between fluorescence intensity and absorbed dose (R² = 0.9999), facilitating accurate lifetime prediction. Furthermore, kinetic analysis reveals that radiolysis and cross-linking, the two competing processes during irradiation, follow distinct reaction orders in the early stages. This work provides a paradigm for designing multifunctional additives that integrate material stabilization with real-time aging sensing, advancing the development of reliable and smart polymer materials.
{"title":"Simultaneously achieving sensitive aging monitoring and radiation resistance enhancement of polymer using a profluorescent nitroxide","authors":"Zhendong Huang, Xiangling Chen, Qiang Liu, Ruiyang Dou, Yiren Song, Wei Huang, Hongbing Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111925","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111925","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In many advanced and sophisticated applications, both polymer stabilization and aging monitoring are required simultaneously. While strategies for stabilization and characterization have advanced, they typically evolve independently, leading to compromises between cost, functionality, and sensitive monitoring capability. Here, we report a dual-functional agent that simultaneously enhances radiation resistance and enables ultrasensitive, <em>in situ</em> monitoring of early-stage radiation aging in silicone rubber (SR). We incorporate a profluorescent nitroxide (P<sub>Q</sub>) into SR, where its nitroxide radical efficiently scavenges alkyl radicals generated during gamma-irradiation, thereby imparting radiation resistance—as evidenced by suppressed gas evolution and retained mechanical properties. Concurrently, P<sub>Q</sub> reacts with alkyl radicals to form strong fluorescence structures, allowing for the visualization and quantitative assessment of aging at remarkably low doses (from 500 Gy). We establish a precise power-law relationship between fluorescence intensity and absorbed dose (R² = 0.9999), facilitating accurate lifetime prediction. Furthermore, kinetic analysis reveals that radiolysis and cross-linking, the two competing processes during irradiation, follow distinct reaction orders in the early stages. This work provides a paradigm for designing multifunctional additives that integrate material stabilization with real-time aging sensing, advancing the development of reliable and smart polymer materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":406,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Degradation and Stability","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 111925"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145941234","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 : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-12-27DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2025.111882
Xuan Wang , Miaomiao Tian , Xiaoyu Gu , Yunxian Yang , Jun Sun , Sheng Zhang
The incorporation of flame retardants and pigments into polypropylene (PP) is essential for meeting fire safety and aesthetic requirements in commercial applications. However, their incompatibility often results in color deviations in the final PP products. In this study, the effect of two representative flame retardants, decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP), on the coloration performance of phthalocyanine blue (PiB) and the thermal degradation behavior of PP were systematically investigated. Color performance was evaluated using reflectance spectra and colorimetric parameters (L*, a*, b*), while thermal stability was assessed by thermogravimetric analysis. The results show that PiB enhance the thermal stability of PP by promoting char formation through a catalytic pathway. In contrast to PP, DBDPE-based BrFP flame retardant exhibits a pronounced antagonistic interaction with PiB, resulting in a significant reduction in the initial decomposition temperature (T5% decreased by approximately 60 oC). APP shows a clear synergistic effect with PiB, leading to an increase in the maximum decomposition temperature. In addition, the intrinsic reflectivity and whiteness of flame retardants, as well as their effect on the crystalline form of PP are not the primary factors governing the color performance of PiB-colored samples. Instead, reflectance variations mainly originate from differences in the microscopic dispersion state of flame retardants, which significantly affect the overall light scattering (S) and absorption (K) behavior in accordance with the Kubelka–Munk theory. while additional effects on pigment dispersion and conjugation length resulted in changes in color saturation and hue. The findings provide valuable insights into the industrial application of pigments and flame retardants in polymers.
{"title":"Impact of decabromodiphenyl ethane and ammonium polyphosphate on the coloration and thermal stability of polypropylene","authors":"Xuan Wang , Miaomiao Tian , Xiaoyu Gu , Yunxian Yang , Jun Sun , Sheng Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2025.111882","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2025.111882","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The incorporation of flame retardants and pigments into polypropylene (PP) is essential for meeting fire safety and aesthetic requirements in commercial applications. However, their incompatibility often results in color deviations in the final PP products. In this study, the effect of two representative flame retardants, decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP), on the coloration performance of phthalocyanine blue (PiB) and the thermal degradation behavior of PP were systematically investigated. Color performance was evaluated using reflectance spectra and colorimetric parameters (L*, a*, b*), while thermal stability was assessed by thermogravimetric analysis. The results show that PiB enhance the thermal stability of PP by promoting char formation through a catalytic pathway. In contrast to PP, DBDPE-based BrFP flame retardant exhibits a pronounced antagonistic interaction with PiB, resulting in a significant reduction in the initial decomposition temperature (T<sub>5%</sub> decreased by approximately 60 <sup>o</sup>C). APP shows a clear synergistic effect with PiB, leading to an increase in the maximum decomposition temperature. In addition, the intrinsic reflectivity and whiteness of flame retardants, as well as their effect on the crystalline form of PP are not the primary factors governing the color performance of PiB-colored samples. Instead, reflectance variations mainly originate from differences in the microscopic dispersion state of flame retardants, which significantly affect the overall light scattering (S) and absorption (K) behavior in accordance with the Kubelka–Munk theory. while additional effects on pigment dispersion and conjugation length resulted in changes in color saturation and hue. The findings provide valuable insights into the industrial application of pigments and flame retardants in polymers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":406,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Degradation and Stability","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 111882"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145975024","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 : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-10DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111935
Lu Bai , Wei Tan , Yin Tian , Lei Tan , Ying Chang , Guixiang Song , Ping Li , Yuanlin Ren , Xiaohui Liu
To improve the flame retardancy of lyocell fabrics, in this paper, an eco-friendly flame retardant and antibacterial lyocell fabric (FR@Si-lyocell) was fabricated by surface grafting modification. The surface morphology, combustion properties and antibacterial rate of FR@Si-lyocell were investigated. FR@Si-lyocell exhibited excellent char-forming ability with residual char of up to 40.24 wt% and 11.78 wt% at 800oC in N2 and air, respectively. Its limiting oxygen index (LOI) value increased from 17.6% to 32.3%, and the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release (THR) decreased significantly by 94.4% and 74.5% compared to the control sample. The synergistic flame retardant mechanism of gas and condensed phases was proposed by analyzing the volatile pyrolysis products and char residue generated during the combustion process. In addition, FR@Si-lyocell showed excellent antibacterial properties, with inhibition efficiencies as high as 99.9% and 99.7% against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). This work provided an efficient and eco-friendly method to prepare multifunctional lyocell fabrics with potential application fields.
{"title":"Preparation of flame retardant and antibacterial multifunctional lyocell fabric based on bio-based taurine-chitosan derivative","authors":"Lu Bai , Wei Tan , Yin Tian , Lei Tan , Ying Chang , Guixiang Song , Ping Li , Yuanlin Ren , Xiaohui Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111935","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111935","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To improve the flame retardancy of lyocell fabrics, in this paper, an eco-friendly flame retardant and antibacterial lyocell fabric (FR@Si-lyocell) was fabricated by surface grafting modification. The surface morphology, combustion properties and antibacterial rate of FR@Si-lyocell were investigated. FR@Si-lyocell exhibited excellent char-forming ability with residual char of up to 40.24 wt% and 11.78 wt% at 800<sup>o</sup>C in N<sub>2</sub> and air, respectively. Its limiting oxygen index (LOI) value increased from 17.6% to 32.3%, and the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release (THR) decreased significantly by 94.4% and 74.5% compared to the control sample. The synergistic flame retardant mechanism of gas and condensed phases was proposed by analyzing the volatile pyrolysis products and char residue generated during the combustion process. In addition, FR@Si-lyocell showed excellent antibacterial properties, with inhibition efficiencies as high as 99.9% and 99.7% against Escherichia coli (<em>E. coli</em>) and Staphylococcus aureus (<em>S. aureus</em>). This work provided an efficient and eco-friendly method to prepare multifunctional lyocell fabrics with potential application fields.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":406,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Degradation and Stability","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 111935"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145975010","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 : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111931
Julia Głowacka , Bogna Sztorch , Miłosz Frydrych , Roksana Konieczna , Anna Łapińska , Malwina Liszewska , Robert Edward Przekop
This study investigates how the molecular architecture of functional tetracyclotetrasiloxane derivatives (CS) influences the mechanical and physicochemical properties of polylactide (PLA) under accelerated aging conditions (UV radiation at 313 nm, elevated temperature, and water mist), aiming at durable applications. Two novel tetracyclotetrasiloxane-derived modifiers, CS-MA-3HEX and CS-2MA-2HEX were synthesized to enhance PLA impact toughness.
Comprehensive, multifactorial analytical methods were employed to characterize the modifiers and their impact on PLA performance. Experimental results demonstrate that applied modifiers act as effective macromolecular plasticizers, significantly improving the initial ductility of PLA (ɛb ∼535% increase) and impact toughness (∼180%). However, the beneficial effects of the modification were not permanent. Aging resulted in significant embrittlement and mechanical deterioration of both PLA and PLA/CS samples, indicating limited long-term stability of the plasticized PLA, attributed to chain scission and increased crystallinity. Nevertheless, the Tg of PLA/CS remained stable during aging, indicating preserved thermal stability despite mechanical degradation. These findings underline that functionalized tetracyclosiloxanes enhance the initial mechanical performance of PLA and enable moderation of the degradation rate by adjusting the methacrylate group content in the modifier particle, supporting the design of materials with tunable service lifetimes for specific applications.
{"title":"Beyond brittleness: Functional tetracyclosiloxanes for mechanical tough and aging-stable polylactide","authors":"Julia Głowacka , Bogna Sztorch , Miłosz Frydrych , Roksana Konieczna , Anna Łapińska , Malwina Liszewska , Robert Edward Przekop","doi":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111931","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111931","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates how the molecular architecture of functional tetracyclotetrasiloxane derivatives (CS) influences the mechanical and physicochemical properties of polylactide (PLA) under accelerated aging conditions (UV radiation at 313 nm, elevated temperature, and water mist), aiming at durable applications. Two novel tetracyclotetrasiloxane-derived modifiers, CS-MA-3HEX and CS-2MA-2HEX were synthesized to enhance PLA impact toughness.</div><div>Comprehensive, multifactorial analytical methods were employed to characterize the modifiers and their impact on PLA performance. Experimental results demonstrate that applied modifiers act as effective macromolecular plasticizers, significantly improving the initial ductility of PLA (ɛ<sub>b</sub> ∼535% increase) and impact toughness (∼180%). However, the beneficial effects of the modification were not permanent. Aging resulted in significant embrittlement and mechanical deterioration of both PLA and PLA/CS samples, indicating limited long-term stability of the plasticized PLA, attributed to chain scission and increased crystallinity. Nevertheless, the Tg of PLA/CS remained stable during aging, indicating preserved thermal stability despite mechanical degradation. These findings underline that functionalized tetracyclosiloxanes enhance the initial mechanical performance of PLA and enable moderation of the degradation rate by adjusting the methacrylate group content in the modifier particle, supporting the design of materials with tunable service lifetimes for specific applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":406,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Degradation and Stability","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 111931"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146035623","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 : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111942
Lingxin He , Jiaqing Zhang , Yi Guo , Yubiao Huang , Junling Wang , Changhao Li , Shuping Wang , Minghao Fan , Tao Sun , Rui Liu
Against the backdrop of widespread utilization of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), safety concerns have become increasingly prominent. Preventing thermal runaway propagation (TRP) is crucial to improving the fire safety of battery systems. However, existing barrier materials show limited effectiveness in suppressing TRP due to weak interfacial compatibility and poor structural integrity under high temperatures. Herein, we design ceramicized sodium alginate (SA) aerogels with interfacially engineered components via freeze-drying and sol-gel methods. The incorporation of hollow glass microspheres (HGM) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP) establishes robust interfacial interactions within the SA network, promoting uniform ceramic phase formation and enhancing structural stability during combustion. The interfacially reinforced aerogel (SA@HGM-APP-2) exhibits remarkable fire safety performance, with the peak heat release rate (PHRR) reduced by 68.3% compared to pure SA. Thermogravimetric-Infrared (TG-IR) analysis reveals significant suppression of toxic gas emissions, with CO and CO₂ reductions of 92.2% and 89.2%, respectively. Meanwhile, the char residue increases from 35.7% for SA to 48.1% for SA@HGM-APP-2, confirming improved thermal stability through interfacial ceramicization.When applied as a barrier material for LIBs, the interfacially engineered aerogels effectively inhibit TRP. Specifically, for 2 and 3 mm SA aerogels, the Δt between the thermal runaway (TR) of two cells are 312 and 619 s, respectively. In sharp contrast, 2 and 3 mm SA@HGM-APP aerogels completely prevent TRP, with the second cell exhibiting maximum temperatures of only 127.6 and 109.0 °C. Microscopic and structural analyses demonstrate that the cathode of the surviving cell undergoes only minor morphological and compositional changes, further validating the interface-induced thermal barrier mechanism. This work provides new insights into interfacial engineering of biomass-derived aerogels for the rational design of high-performance, fire-safe barriers to ensure the thermal safety of LIBs systems.
在锂离子电池广泛应用的背景下，安全性问题日益突出。防止热失控传播（TRP）是提高电池系统防火安全性的关键。然而，现有的势垒材料由于界面相容性弱，高温下结构完整性差，抑制TRP的效果有限。在此，我们通过冷冻干燥和溶胶-凝胶方法设计了具有界面工程成分的海藻酸钠（SA）陶瓷气凝胶。中空玻璃微球（HGM）和聚磷酸铵（APP）的掺入在SA网络中建立了强大的界面相互作用，促进了均匀的陶瓷相形成，增强了燃烧过程中的结构稳定性。界面增强气凝胶（SA@HGM-APP-2）表现出显著的防火性能，峰值放热率（PHRR）比纯SA降低了68.3%。热重红外（TG-IR）分析显示，有毒气体的排放得到显著抑制，CO和CO 2的排放量分别减少了92.2%和89.2%。同时，焦炭残渣由SA的35.7%增加到SA@HGM-APP-2的48.1%，证实了界面陶瓷化提高了热稳定性。当用作lib的屏障材料时，界面工程气凝胶可以有效地抑制TRP。具体而言，对于2和3 mm SA气凝胶，两个细胞的热失控（TR）之间的Δt分别为312和619 s。与之形成鲜明对比的是，2和3 mm SA@HGM-APP气凝胶完全阻止了TRP，第二个电池的最高温度仅为127.6和109.0°C。显微和结构分析表明，存活电池的阴极只发生了微小的形态和成分变化，进一步验证了界面诱导的热障机制。这项工作为生物质气凝胶的界面工程提供了新的见解，为合理设计高性能，防火屏障以确保lib系统的热安全提供了新的思路。
{"title":"Interfacially engineered ceramicized sodium alginate aerogels with enhanced thermal insulation and fire safety for suppressing thermal runaway propagation in lithium-ion batteries","authors":"Lingxin He , Jiaqing Zhang , Yi Guo , Yubiao Huang , Junling Wang , Changhao Li , Shuping Wang , Minghao Fan , Tao Sun , Rui Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111942","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111942","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Against the backdrop of widespread utilization of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), safety concerns have become increasingly prominent. Preventing thermal runaway propagation (TRP) is crucial to improving the fire safety of battery systems. However, existing barrier materials show limited effectiveness in suppressing TRP due to weak interfacial compatibility and poor structural integrity under high temperatures. Herein, we design ceramicized sodium alginate (SA) aerogels with interfacially engineered components via freeze-drying and sol-gel methods. The incorporation of hollow glass microspheres (HGM) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP) establishes robust interfacial interactions within the SA network, promoting uniform ceramic phase formation and enhancing structural stability during combustion. The interfacially reinforced aerogel (SA@HGM-APP-2) exhibits remarkable fire safety performance, with the peak heat release rate (PHRR) reduced by 68.3% compared to pure SA. Thermogravimetric-Infrared (TG-IR) analysis reveals significant suppression of toxic gas emissions, with CO and CO₂ reductions of 92.2% and 89.2%, respectively. Meanwhile, the char residue increases from 35.7% for SA to 48.1% for SA@HGM-APP-2, confirming improved thermal stability through interfacial ceramicization.When applied as a barrier material for LIBs, the interfacially engineered aerogels effectively inhibit TRP. Specifically, for 2 and 3 mm SA aerogels, the Δt between the thermal runaway (TR) of two cells are 312 and 619 s, respectively. In sharp contrast, 2 and 3 mm SA@HGM-APP aerogels completely prevent TRP, with the second cell exhibiting maximum temperatures of only 127.6 and 109.0 °C. Microscopic and structural analyses demonstrate that the cathode of the surviving cell undergoes only minor morphological and compositional changes, further validating the interface-induced thermal barrier mechanism. This work provides new insights into interfacial engineering of biomass-derived aerogels for the rational design of high-performance, fire-safe barriers to ensure the thermal safety of LIBs systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":406,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Degradation and Stability","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 111942"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145975014","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 : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-05DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111924
Ruiqi Liu , Bin Tao , Suliang Gao , Miaojun Xu , Siqi Huo , Xiaoli Li , Bin Li
The rapid advancement of modern industries has placed higher demands on the comprehensive performance of nylon 6 (PA6) and addressing its flammability issue has also received significant attention. Therefore, developing flame-retardant PA6 with superior overall performance has become a key research objective. In this work, a novel and highly efficient triazine-based flame retardant, phthalimidoxy-1,3,5-triazine (TPT), was successfully synthesized, and it was found to have a radical quenching mechanism analogous to that of hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS). Incorporating only 1.5 wt% TPT significantly improved the limiting oxygen index (LOI) of PA6/1.5TPT to 28% and increased both tensile strength and flexural strength to 80.49 and 93.25 MPa, respectively. Compared to pure PA6, the time to ignition (TTI) of PA6/1.5TPT was extended by 46.7%, and the total smoke production (TSP) was reduced by 42%. The hygrothermal aging results demonstrated that the PA6 composites maintained outstanding flame-retardant performance and mechanical integrity even after aging. Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) calculations and gas-phase mechanism analysis indicated that TPT generated stable radicals during thermal decomposition, which effectively captured hydrogen (H·) and carbon (C·) radicals produced in the initial degradation stage of PA6, thereby suppressing the combustion. This work presents a promising strategy for creating high-efficiency, multifunctional flame retardants for PA6, thus broadening its application potential.
{"title":"A nitrogen-oxygen triazine flame retardant for simultaneously improving flame retardancy and mechanical performance of nylon 6","authors":"Ruiqi Liu , Bin Tao , Suliang Gao , Miaojun Xu , Siqi Huo , Xiaoli Li , Bin Li","doi":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111924","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111924","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid advancement of modern industries has placed higher demands on the comprehensive performance of nylon 6 (PA6) and addressing its flammability issue has also received significant attention. Therefore, developing flame-retardant PA6 with superior overall performance has become a key research objective. In this work, a novel and highly efficient triazine-based flame retardant, phthalimidoxy-1,3,5-triazine (TPT), was successfully synthesized, and it was found to have a radical quenching mechanism analogous to that of hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS). Incorporating only 1.5 wt% TPT significantly improved the limiting oxygen index (LOI) of PA6/1.5TPT to 28% and increased both tensile strength and flexural strength to 80.49 and 93.25 MPa, respectively. Compared to pure PA6, the time to ignition (TTI) of PA6/1.5TPT was extended by 46.7%, and the total smoke production (TSP) was reduced by 42%. The hygrothermal aging results demonstrated that the PA6 composites maintained outstanding flame-retardant performance and mechanical integrity even after aging. Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) calculations and gas-phase mechanism analysis indicated that TPT generated stable radicals during thermal decomposition, which effectively captured hydrogen (H·) and carbon (C·) radicals produced in the initial degradation stage of PA6, thereby suppressing the combustion. This work presents a promising strategy for creating high-efficiency, multifunctional flame retardants for PA6, thus broadening its application potential.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":406,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Degradation and Stability","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 111924"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145908896","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 : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-25DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111960
Huiyang Zhao , Wenhao Shen , Weinan Zhang , Dandan Ju , Songtao Lu , Yiyong Wu
The degradation of polymer materials in the atomic oxygen (AO) environment of low Earth orbit (LEO) significantly limits their application in lightweight spacecraft power systems. In this work, we investigate self-defending pseudomorphic glass (PMG) designed for flexible photovoltaic encapsulation. PMG exhibits an erosion rate only 13% of that of Kapton® after 2 × 1021 atoms /cm2 of AO exposure. PMG encapsulation effectively maintained the critical photovoltaic cell parameters, with negligible degradation in open-circuit voltage (Voc, 0.10%) and short-circuit current (Isc, 0.21%), as well as a stable external quantum efficiency over the entire measured spectral range. During AO exposure, PMG forms a protective SiOX layer that functions as a self-defending barrier through continuous oxidative cross-linking, thereby minimizing optical degradation and preserving the power-generation performance of encapsulated solar cells. The inclusion of glass beads further enhances AO resistance by acting both as a reinforcing phase and as sites for energy dissipation. This study provides a viable strategy for fabricating high-performance, AO-resistant polymer composites for space photovoltaic encapsulation applications.
{"title":"Self-Defending Pseudomorphic Glass Against Atomic Oxygen for LEO Flexible Photovoltaic Encapsulation","authors":"Huiyang Zhao , Wenhao Shen , Weinan Zhang , Dandan Ju , Songtao Lu , Yiyong Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111960","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111960","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The degradation of polymer materials in the atomic oxygen (AO) environment of low Earth orbit (LEO) significantly limits their application in lightweight spacecraft power systems. In this work, we investigate self-defending pseudomorphic glass (PMG) designed for flexible photovoltaic encapsulation. PMG exhibits an erosion rate only 13% of that of Kapton® after 2 × 10<sup>21</sup> atoms /cm<sup>2</sup> of AO exposure. PMG encapsulation effectively maintained the critical photovoltaic cell parameters, with negligible degradation in open-circuit voltage (Voc, 0.10%) and short-circuit current (Isc, 0.21%), as well as a stable external quantum efficiency over the entire measured spectral range. During AO exposure, PMG forms a protective SiO<sub>X</sub> layer that functions as a self-defending barrier through continuous oxidative cross-linking, thereby minimizing optical degradation and preserving the power-generation performance of encapsulated solar cells. The inclusion of glass beads further enhances AO resistance by acting both as a reinforcing phase and as sites for energy dissipation. This study provides a viable strategy for fabricating high-performance, AO-resistant polymer composites for space photovoltaic encapsulation applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":406,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Degradation and Stability","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 111960"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146074291","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}
3D printed carbon fiber reinforced polyether ether ketone (CF/PEEK) composites have the potential for a wide range of applications, including in the electrical and electronic appliances, automotive, and aerospace industries. Understanding how to enhance the interlayer bonding strength and the combustion behavior of carbon fiber composites are prerequisites for these applications. In this study, a high-performance anti-static CF/PEEK ESD composite for material extrusion (ME) 3D printing was prepared using recycled carbon fibers (rCF), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (T7-POSS). The interlayer adhesion and combustion of 3D printed CF/PEEK ESD at a high chamber temperature (255 °C) were enhanced in situ by the combined action of gas-phase and condensed-phase materials obtained by pyrolyzing POSS and aligned CF. The interlayer adhesion of CF/PEEK ESD reaches 46 MPa, and its time to ignition (TTI) is extended to 606 s, while the peak heat release rate (pHRR) is as low as 93 kW/m². Furthermore, during the printing process, POSS decomposes to produce substances with a large number of benzene rings and -OH groups. These substances are π-π conjugated and hydrogen-bonded to the PEEK molecular chain, promoting the ordering of the PEEK molecular chains and enhancing the interlayer bonding and combustion properties. This meets the needs of the aerospace and electrical and electronic industries for materials that are high-strength, flame-retardant, and anti-static. It also provides technical support for the development of high-performance 3D printing materials.
{"title":"In-situ synergistic enhancement of interlayer bonding strength and flame retardancy in 3D printed CF/PEEK composites via Nano-POSS under elevated chamber temperature","authors":"Shouao Zhu , Zhe Peng , Ruoqi Guo , Wei Zhao , Binling Chen , Bo Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111952","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111952","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>3D printed carbon fiber reinforced polyether ether ketone (CF/PEEK) composites have the potential for a wide range of applications, including in the electrical and electronic appliances, automotive, and aerospace industries. Understanding how to enhance the interlayer bonding strength and the combustion behavior of carbon fiber composites are prerequisites for these applications. In this study, a high-performance anti-static CF/PEEK ESD composite for material extrusion (ME) 3D printing was prepared using recycled carbon fibers (rCF), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (T<sub>7</sub>-POSS). The interlayer adhesion and combustion of 3D printed CF/PEEK ESD at a high chamber temperature (255 °C) were enhanced in situ by the combined action of gas-phase and condensed-phase materials obtained by pyrolyzing POSS and aligned CF. The interlayer adhesion of CF/PEEK ESD reaches 46 MPa, and its time to ignition (<em>TTI</em>) is extended to 606 s, while the peak heat release rate (<em>pHRR</em>) is as low as 93 kW/m². Furthermore, during the printing process, POSS decomposes to produce substances with a large number of benzene rings and -OH groups. These substances are π-π conjugated and hydrogen-bonded to the PEEK molecular chain, promoting the ordering of the PEEK molecular chains and enhancing the interlayer bonding and combustion properties. This meets the needs of the aerospace and electrical and electronic industries for materials that are high-strength, flame-retardant, and anti-static. It also provides technical support for the development of high-performance 3D printing materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":406,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Degradation and Stability","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 111952"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146073698","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 : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111954
Zehua Zhuo , Rui Wang , Shaoyun Chen , Jianhong Gao , Cuifang Cai , Yanyu Zheng , Xiaoying Liu , Bo Qu , Qinghui Chen , Dongxian Zhuo
Stereolithography (SLA) is highly valued in high-end manufacturing for its exceptional design flexibility. However, the inherent flammability of photosensitive resins significantly limits their safe application. This study designed and synthesized an intrinsically flame-retardant photosensitive resin (TPH) containing phosphorus and sulfur elements. The TPH resin was blended with a phosphorus-containing reactive diluent and an ionic liquid (TFS) to prepare a photosensitive resin (TPHP) suitable for SLA technology. An innovative approach was employed where macroscopic pore structures were constructed through 3D printing, and due to phase separation between the ionic liquid and the 3D-printed samples, microscopic pores were incorporated within the SLA-printed specimens, a porous framework was formed. These pores served as reaction sites for in-situ growth of a nano-zirconium phosphate (α-ZrP) layer on the surface. Thermogravimetric and flame retardancy tests demonstrated that the incorporation of α-ZrP significantly enhanced the material's thermal stability, flame retardancy, and smoke suppression properties. Compared with unmodified samples, the char residue was increased to 47.3%, the limiting oxygen index reached 29.0%, and the UL-94 rating achieved V-0. Cone calorimetry tests showed reductions in peak heat release rate, total heat release, and total smoke production by 42.1%, 65.4%, and 75.1%, respectively. The results indicate that this work provides a new strategy for flame-retardant 3D printing. It resolves the intrinsic conflict between flame retardancy and printability by combining surface pore engineering with in situ growth to achieve surface functionalization without sacrificing printability.
{"title":"A multi-scale porous design enabling in-situ α-ZrP growth for high flame-retardant SLA-printed photopolymers","authors":"Zehua Zhuo , Rui Wang , Shaoyun Chen , Jianhong Gao , Cuifang Cai , Yanyu Zheng , Xiaoying Liu , Bo Qu , Qinghui Chen , Dongxian Zhuo","doi":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111954","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111954","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Stereolithography (SLA) is highly valued in high-end manufacturing for its exceptional design flexibility. However, the inherent flammability of photosensitive resins significantly limits their safe application. This study designed and synthesized an intrinsically flame-retardant photosensitive resin (TPH) containing phosphorus and sulfur elements. The TPH resin was blended with a phosphorus-containing reactive diluent and an ionic liquid (TFS) to prepare a photosensitive resin (TPHP) suitable for SLA technology. An innovative approach was employed where macroscopic pore structures were constructed through 3D printing, and due to phase separation between the ionic liquid and the 3D-printed samples, microscopic pores were incorporated within the SLA-printed specimens, a porous framework was formed. These pores served as reaction sites for in-situ growth of a nano-zirconium phosphate (α-ZrP) layer on the surface. Thermogravimetric and flame retardancy tests demonstrated that the incorporation of α-ZrP significantly enhanced the material's thermal stability, flame retardancy, and smoke suppression properties. Compared with unmodified samples, the char residue was increased to 47.3%, the limiting oxygen index reached 29.0%, and the UL-94 rating achieved V-0. Cone calorimetry tests showed reductions in peak heat release rate, total heat release, and total smoke production by 42.1%, 65.4%, and 75.1%, respectively. The results indicate that this work provides a new strategy for flame-retardant 3D printing. It resolves the intrinsic conflict between flame retardancy and printability by combining surface pore engineering with in situ growth to achieve surface functionalization without sacrificing printability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":406,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Degradation and Stability","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 111954"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146073697","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 : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-11DOI: 10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111940
Zheyao Lu , Mengyao Pan , Ying Mao , Leyuan WU , Wenbin Jiang , Wangyang Lu , Wenxing Chen
Traditional mulberry leaf silkworm rearing is influenced by various factors, which limit the development of the sericulture industry. To overcome this problem, factory-based all-age artificial diet silkworm rearing has emerged as a viable alternative. As this is a new technology, studies on the aging properties of fabrics produced by this method are limited. In this work, degummed silk fabrics obtained from factory-based all-age artificial diet-rearing silkworms (referred to as artificial diet-reared fabrics) were compared with degummed silk fabrics obtained from traditional mulberry leaf-reared silkworms (referred to as mulberry leaf-reared fabrics). Both categories of fabrics underwent separate treatments of outdoor exposure, ultraviolet irradiation, and thermal aging. The findings showed that, in terms of surface morphology, no marked distinction was observed between the artificial diet-reared and mulberry leaf-reared fabrics either before or after aging. However, the aged artificial diet-reared fabrics exhibited a more pronounced color change, characterized by stronger yellowing compared with the aged mulberry leaf-reared fabrics. Furthermore, the β-sheet structural content and crystallinity were consistently lower in the artificial diet-reared fabrics than in the mulberry leaf-reared fabrics under comparable conditions, both prior to and following the aging treatments. Owing to the influence of the β-sheet structure content and crystallinity, the bursting strength and thermal stability of the artificial diet-reared fabrics were also lower than those of the corresponding mulberry leaf-reared fabrics. Although differences in these properties were observed between the two types of fabrics, the differences were relatively limited. With continued advances in factory-based all-age artificial diet rearing, silk fabrics produced from artificial diet-reared silkworms show the potential to gradually replace traditional mulberry leaf-reared silk fabrics.
{"title":"Aging properties of silk fabrics produced by factory-based all-age artificial diet-rearing silkworms","authors":"Zheyao Lu , Mengyao Pan , Ying Mao , Leyuan WU , Wenbin Jiang , Wangyang Lu , Wenxing Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111940","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2026.111940","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Traditional mulberry leaf silkworm rearing is influenced by various factors, which limit the development of the sericulture industry. To overcome this problem, factory-based all-age artificial diet silkworm rearing has emerged as a viable alternative. As this is a new technology, studies on the aging properties of fabrics produced by this method are limited. In this work, degummed silk fabrics obtained from factory-based all-age artificial diet-rearing silkworms (referred to as artificial diet-reared fabrics) were compared with degummed silk fabrics obtained from traditional mulberry leaf-reared silkworms (referred to as mulberry leaf-reared fabrics). Both categories of fabrics underwent separate treatments of outdoor exposure, ultraviolet irradiation, and thermal aging. The findings showed that, in terms of surface morphology, no marked distinction was observed between the artificial diet-reared and mulberry leaf-reared fabrics either before or after aging. However, the aged artificial diet-reared fabrics exhibited a more pronounced color change, characterized by stronger yellowing compared with the aged mulberry leaf-reared fabrics. Furthermore, the β-sheet structural content and crystallinity were consistently lower in the artificial diet-reared fabrics than in the mulberry leaf-reared fabrics under comparable conditions, both prior to and following the aging treatments. Owing to the influence of the β-sheet structure content and crystallinity, the bursting strength and thermal stability of the artificial diet-reared fabrics were also lower than those of the corresponding mulberry leaf-reared fabrics. Although differences in these properties were observed between the two types of fabrics, the differences were relatively limited. With continued advances in factory-based all-age artificial diet rearing, silk fabrics produced from artificial diet-reared silkworms show the potential to gradually replace traditional mulberry leaf-reared silk fabrics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":406,"journal":{"name":"Polymer Degradation and Stability","volume":"246 ","pages":"Article 111940"},"PeriodicalIF":7.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145975009","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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