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Polymer Materials: Research, Development and Application
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Polymer Materials: Research, Development and Application

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymeric Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2024) | Viewed by 7199

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sergey Ilyin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
A.V. Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Interests: development of polymer-based functional materials, rheology and physicochemistry of polymer colloids, blends, and composites
Dr. Anna Kostyuk

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
A.V. Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
Interests: research and development of polymer adhesives, including pressure-sensitive adhesives, hot-melts, smart adhesives, and thermosets

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The prerequisites for the discovery of polymer materials date back to the late 19th to early 20th centuries, whereas the full development of the polymer industry can be attributed to the second half of the 20th century. Currently, about 0.5 billion tons of polymers are produced per year in the world, and their range is extremely wide. Polymers belong to the class of macromolecular compounds, and their chemical structure is characterized according to the identity of the main chain and side groups, molecular weight and distribution, polarity and chain conformational flexibility, chain architecture, and ability to form supramolecular structures, among other features. The widespread use of polymers is due to their unique properties, including low density, high plasticity and elasticity, low electrical and thermal conductivity, thermal, chemical, radiation, crack, and wear resistance, which are dependent on their macromolecular structure. Polymers comprise materials (plastics) that are complex in composition, and each component within them is responsible for one or another required quality of the material and the product. When creating such materials, it is necessary to take into account the complex contribution of each component, its properties, and the properties of the resulting mixture. This Special Issue is devoted to polymer materials and their research, development, and application.

Dr. Sergey Ilyin
Dr. Anna Kostyuk
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 4880 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Solar Ageing on the Compositions of Epoxy Resin with Natural Polyphenol Quercetin
by Malgorzata Latos-Brozio, Leszek Czechowski and Anna Masek
Materials 2024, 17(7), 1592; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17071592 - 30 Mar 2024
Viewed by 482
Abstract
Epoxy resin compositions are used in modern railways, replacing other materials. However, epoxy composites in public transport are subject to many requirements, including that they should be flame retardant and resistant to weather conditions. The aim of the research was to analyse the [...] Read more.
Epoxy resin compositions are used in modern railways, replacing other materials. However, epoxy composites in public transport are subject to many requirements, including that they should be flame retardant and resistant to weather conditions. The aim of the research was to analyse the resistance to solar ageing of epoxy resin composites containing flame retardants and the addition of the natural stabilising substance—quercetin. The homogeneity of the samples (optical microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy) and their thermal stability (TGA thermogravimetry) were analysed. The T5 temperature, which is the initial temperature of thermal decomposition of the samples, was 7 °C higher for the epoxy resin containing quercetin, so the material with polyphenol was characterised by better thermal resistance. Changes in material properties (hardness, surface energy, carbonyl index, colour) after 800 h solar ageing were investigated. The tensile tests on materials were executed for three different directions before and after ageing effect. The samples showed good resistance to degradation factors, i.e., they retained the functional properties (hardness and mechanical properties). However, analysis of carbonyl indices and surface energies showed that changes appeared in the composites after solar ageing, suggesting the beginning of material degradation. An approximately 3-fold increase in the polar component in epoxy resin compositions (from approximately 3 mN/m to approximately 11 mN/m) is associated with an increase in their hydrophilicity and the progress of ageing of the materials’ surface. The obtained results are an introduction to further research on the long-term degradation processes of epoxy resins with plant stabilisers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Materials: Research, Development and Application)
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15 pages, 6071 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Hydrolytic Degradation Kinetics of 3D-Printed PLA Structures under a Thermally Accelerated Regime
by Bartłomiej Klimczuk, Aleksandra Rudnicka, Oliwia Owczarek, Adam K. Puszkarz, Grzegorz Szparaga and Michał Puchalski
Materials 2024, 17(5), 1043; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17051043 - 24 Feb 2024
Viewed by 608
Abstract
The application of biobased and biodegradable polymers, such as polylactide (PLA), in fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D-printing technology creates a new prospect for rapid prototyping and other applications in the context of ecology. The popularity of the FDM method and its significance in [...] Read more.
The application of biobased and biodegradable polymers, such as polylactide (PLA), in fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D-printing technology creates a new prospect for rapid prototyping and other applications in the context of ecology. The popularity of the FDM method and its significance in material engineering not only creates new prospects for the development of technical sciences on an industrial scale, but also introduces new technologies into households. In this study, the kinetics of the hydrolytic degradation of samples obtained by the FDM method from commercially available PLA filaments under a thermally accelerated regime were analyzed. The investigation was conducted at the microstructural, supramolecular, and molecular levels by using methods such as micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), viscosimetry, and mass erosion measurements. The obtained results clearly present the rapid structural changes in 3D-printed materials during degradation due to their amorphous initial structure. The complementary studies carried out at different scale levels allowed us to demonstrate the relationship between the observed structural changes in the samples and the hydrolytic decomposition of the polymer chains, which made it possible to scientifically understand the process and expand the knowledge on biodegradation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Materials: Research, Development and Application)
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18 pages, 2014 KiB  
Article
Morphology and Mechanics of Star Copolymer Ultrathin Films Probed by Atomic Force Microscopy in the Air and in Liquid
by Cristiano Albonetti, Lorella Izzo, Giovanni Vigliotta, Matilde Sublimi Saponetti, Fabiola Liscio and Fabrizio Bobba
Materials 2024, 17(3), 592; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17030592 - 25 Jan 2024
Viewed by 486
Abstract
Star copolymer films were produced by using spin-coating, drop-casting, and casting deposition techniques, thus obtaining ultrathin and thick films, respectively. The morphology is generally flat, but it becomes substrate-dependent for ultrathin films where the planarization effect of films is not efficient. The indentation [...] Read more.
Star copolymer films were produced by using spin-coating, drop-casting, and casting deposition techniques, thus obtaining ultrathin and thick films, respectively. The morphology is generally flat, but it becomes substrate-dependent for ultrathin films where the planarization effect of films is not efficient. The indentation hardness of films was investigated by Force Volume Maps in both the air and liquid. In the air, ultrathin films are in the substrate-dominated zone and, thus, the elastic modulus E is overestimated, while E reaches its bulk value for drop-casted ultrathin and thick films. In liquid (water), E follows an exponential decay for all films with a minimum soaked time t0 of 0.37 and 2.65 h for ultrathin and drop-casted ultrathin and thick films, respectively. After this time, E saturates to a value on average 92% smaller than that measured in the air due to film swelling. Such results support the role of film morphology in the antimicrobial activity envisaged in the literature, suggesting also an additional role of film hardness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Materials: Research, Development and Application)
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14 pages, 4546 KiB  
Article
Synthesis, Photo- and Electroluminescence of New Polyfluorene Copolymers Containing Dicyanostilbene and 9,10-Dicyanophenanthrene in the Main Chain
by Anton A. Yakimanskiy, Ksenia I. Kaskevich, Elena V. Zhukova, Ivan A. Berezin, Larisa S. Litvinova, Tatiana G. Chulkova, Dmitriy A. Lypenko, Artem V. Dmitriev, Sergey I. Pozin, Natalia V. Nekrasova, Felix N. Tomilin, Daria A. Ivanova and Alexander V. Yakimansky
Materials 2023, 16(16), 5592; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165592 - 12 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 818
Abstract
Using palladium-catalyzed Suzuki polycondensation, we synthesized new light-emitting fluorene copolymers containing the dicyano derivatives of stilbene and phenanthrene and characterized them by gel permeation chromatography, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, spectrofluorimetry, and cyclic voltammetry. The photoluminescence spectra of the synthesized polymers show significant energy transfer [...] Read more.
Using palladium-catalyzed Suzuki polycondensation, we synthesized new light-emitting fluorene copolymers containing the dicyano derivatives of stilbene and phenanthrene and characterized them by gel permeation chromatography, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, spectrofluorimetry, and cyclic voltammetry. The photoluminescence spectra of the synthesized polymers show significant energy transfer from the fluorene segments to the dicyanostilbene and 9,10-dicyanophenanthrene units, which is in agreement with the data of theoretical calculations. OLEDs based on these polymers were fabricated with an ITO/PEDOT-PSS (35 nm)/p-TPD (30 nm)/PVK (5 nm)/light emitting layer (70–75 nm)/PF-PO (20 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (80 nm) configuration. Examination of their electroluminescence revealed that copolymers of fluorene with dicyanostilbene show yellow-green luminescence, while polymers with 9,10-dicyanophenanthrene have a greenish-blue emission. The 9,10-dicyanophenanthrene units have a more rigid structure compared to dicyanostilbene and, in OLEDs based on them, an increase in maximum brightness is observed with an increase in the content of the additive to the polymer chain. In particular, the device using fluorene copolymer with 9,10-dicyanophenanthrene (2.5 mol%) exhibited a maximum brightness of 9230 cd/m2 and a maximum current efficiency of 3.33 cd/A. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Materials: Research, Development and Application)
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10 pages, 1815 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of a Room-Temperature Curable Acrylic-Urethane Polymer Binder for Road Markings with High Transmittance
by Won-Bin Lim, Ju-Won Kim, Ju-Hong Lee, Ji-Hong Bae, Jin-Gyu Min and PilHo Huh
Materials 2023, 16(3), 1322; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16031322 - 03 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1740
Abstract
Triol acrylic-urethane (t-AU) was synthesized from an addition reaction using trimethylolpropane, hexamethylene diisocyanate, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. The novel acrylic-urethane polymer was applied to a high-performance binder to prepare a reliable road marking paint. Acrylic-urethane polymer binder formulations were designed to optimize the effect [...] Read more.
Triol acrylic-urethane (t-AU) was synthesized from an addition reaction using trimethylolpropane, hexamethylene diisocyanate, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. The novel acrylic-urethane polymer was applied to a high-performance binder to prepare a reliable road marking paint. Acrylic-urethane polymer binder formulations were designed to optimize the effect of t-AU on the physical properties. The t-AU content in the formulation affected the adhesion and optical properties. The improvement in the adhesive performance and transparency ability for road markings was attributed to the optimal chemical structure or design of the acrylic-urethane polymer. The synthesis of t-AU was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and molecular weight and polydispersity index (PDI; PDI = Mw/Mn) measurements. The tensile and shear strength, hardness, gel fraction, crosslink density, contact angle, and transmittance of the acrylic-urethane polymer binder (AUP) were evaluated by curing at room temperature using a redox initiator system. An optimized AUP by adding 5 wt.% t-AU provides a viable alternative to high-performance binders in road marking paints. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Materials: Research, Development and Application)
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17 pages, 6019 KiB  
Article
Asphaltene-Stabilized Polyisobutylene Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives for Ultraviolet Protection and Surface Bonding
by Viktoria Y. Melekhina, Anna V. Kostyuk, Nina M. Smirnova and Sergey O. Ilyin
Materials 2023, 16(3), 1209; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16031209 - 31 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1440
Abstract
The usual way to protect indoor areas from solar UV radiation is to use UV-absorbing materials, which are applied as a thin film on the surface of the windowpane. Asphaltenes are useless wastes from crude oil refining that absorb UV radiation well, which [...] Read more.
The usual way to protect indoor areas from solar UV radiation is to use UV-absorbing materials, which are applied as a thin film on the surface of the windowpane. Asphaltenes are useless wastes from crude oil refining that absorb UV radiation well, which gave the idea of their use in protective coatings. Pressure-sensitive adhesives based on polyisobutylene containing from 5 to 30 wt% of asphaltenes were obtained. Deterioration of the adhesive properties with the introduction of 5–20 wt% of asphaltenes was shown by adhesion tests, which can be associated with the plasticization of the polymer matrix. At the same time, the use of 30 wt% of asphaltenes leads to the polymer matrix reinforcement with the restoration of adhesive properties to the original level or even slightly higher. The rheological study of adhesives at 25 °C and 120 °C showed the structural network formation by asphaltenes at a content of 30 wt%, explaining the increase in adhesion performance. According to microscopy, asphaltenes are flat brown glass shards in a polymer matrix. They absorb electromagnetic radiation, predominantly in the UV range, while maintaining relative translucency in the visible range. This makes it possible to obtain thin films from the asphaltene-filled adhesive for bonding glass sheets to produce UV-blocked and tinted windowpanes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Materials: Research, Development and Application)
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14 pages, 6081 KiB  
Article
Surface and Structural Characterization of PVTMS Films Treated by Elemental Fluorine in Liquid Perfluorodecalin
by Nikolay A. Belov, Aleksandr Y. Alentiev, Dmitrii S. Pashkevich, Fedor A. Voroshilov, Edgar S. Dvilis, Igor P. Asanov, Roman Y. Nikiforov, Sergey V. Chirkov, Daria A. Syrtsova, Julia V. Kostina and Yulia G. Bogdanova
Materials 2023, 16(3), 913; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16030913 - 18 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1143
Abstract
Poly(vinyl trimethylsilane) (PVTMS) films were subjected to direct surface fluorination in liquid medium (perfluorodecalin). The samples were investigated using several techniques: SEM-XEDS, XPS, ATR-IR, and contact angle measurement. The methods used allowed us to estimate chemical changes occurring because of the treatment. ATR-IR [...] Read more.
Poly(vinyl trimethylsilane) (PVTMS) films were subjected to direct surface fluorination in liquid medium (perfluorodecalin). The samples were investigated using several techniques: SEM-XEDS, XPS, ATR-IR, and contact angle measurement. The methods used allowed us to estimate chemical changes occurring because of the treatment. ATR-IR showed that most of the changes occurred in the Si(CH3)3 group. Monofluorinated Si(CH3)3 groups formed in the near-surface layer (Ge crystal, 0.66 µm penetration) after 30 min of fluorination, and then di- and trifluorinated groups appeared. Oxidation of the film with oxygen was also shown with the use of ZnSe crystal (2 µm penetration). The XPS method allowed an assessment of the ratio of the main elements at the surface of the fluorinated film. Two different exponential models were proposed to fit the experimental data of SEM-XEDS. Based on the model with the intercept, the depth of fluorination was estimated to be ≤1.1 µm, which is consistent with the result from the literature for the gas-phase fluorination. Contact angle measurements showed that oxidation of the PVTMS surface prevailed for the first 45 min of fluorination (surface hydrophilization) with a subsequent fluorine content increase and hydrophobization of the surface upon 60 min of fluorination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Materials: Research, Development and Application)
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