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Special Issue "State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in Greece II"

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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2023 | Viewed by 6583

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. George Z. Papageorgiou

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Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, P.O. Box 1186, GR-45110 Ioannina, Greece
Interests: sustainable and green industrial chemistry; polymer nanocomposites; materials characterization
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Prof. Dr. Nektaria-Marianthi Barkoula

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Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece
Interests: structure-property relationships in materials; durability of polymers/polymer composites and cement-based composites; tribological behavior of polymers; metals and composites; biodegradable/biobased polymers; recyclability; eco-composites, nanocomposites/multi-functional materials/hierarchical composites
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Prof. Dr. Marinos Pitsikalis

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Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771 Zografou, Greece
Interests: polymer synthesis; polymer characterization; self-assembly of copolymers in selective solvents
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Prof. Dr. Kostas Karatasos

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Physical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: molecular simulations; structure/property relationship; physical chemistry of soft matter systems; polymer-based composites; biomedical applications of polymers

Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Bikiaris

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Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: synthesis and characterization of polyesters; development of biobased polymers; biodegradable polymers; polymer composites and nanocomposites; synthesis and characterization of copolymers; polymer blends; recycling of polymers with various techniques; enzymatic hydrolysis studies; modification of natural polymers; polymer for wastewater treatment pollutant removal; polymers for tissue engineering and drug delivery applications; drug–polymer solid dispersions; drug targeting; drug nanoencapsulation and microencapsulation
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Prof. Dr. Georgios Bokias

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Department of Chemistry, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
Interests: polymer synthesis and characterization; stimuli-responsive and functional polymeric materials; synthetic and reversible hydrogels; optically-labelled polymers; hybrid inorganic/organic soft materials
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The use of polymeric materials has contributed to the improvement of everyday life. Polymer production has shown an exponential increase over the last decades, reaching 400 million tons in 2018, and it is expected to exceed 1,200 million tons in 2050, with 750 million tons of plastics being recycled. Polymer science is a continuously growing field, and it is expected to play a key role in the bioeconomy and circular economy. In Greece, the field of polymer science and technology is served by numerous researchers from various groups, working on polymer synthesis, polymer characterization, polymer physics, polymer theory, polymer physical chemistry, polymer engineering/technology, and polymer composites/nanocomposites, as well as in the design/development of added-value functional polymeric materials for emerging applications in all technological fields. After the success of the first Special Issue, "State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in Greece", this second Special Issue aspires to collect high-quality papers by Greek Scientists, covering all the subfields of polymer science and technology.

Prof. Dr. George Z. Papageorgiou
Prof. Dr. Nektaria-Marianthi Barkoula
Prof. Dr. Marinos Pitsikalis
Prof. Dr. Kostas Karatasos
Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Bikiaris
Prof. Dr. Georgios Bokias
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. Polymers 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 2700 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.

Keywords

polymer synthesis
polymer characterization
polymer physics
polymer physical chemistry
polymer rheology
polymer technology
polymer theory
self-assembly of polymers in selective solvents
self-assembly of polymers in bulk
polymer properties
applications of polymers
polymer composites
biopolymers
functional/responsive polymers
recycling of polymers
polymers in industry

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

Open AccessArticle

End-Of-Use Fly Ash as an Effective Reinforcing Filler in Green Polymer Composites

Anastasios C. Patsidis

and

Manolis Souliotis

Polymers 2023, 15(16), 3418; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15163418 - 16 Aug 2023

Viewed by 344

Abstract

The aim of this study is to use fly ash powder in an environmentally friendly matrix, in a novel way, addressing environmental and disposal problems. Fly ash/epoxy composites were prepared and studied varying the filler content. An investigation of structural and morphological characteristics was conducted using of X-ray diffraction patterns and scanning electron microscopy images, which revealed the successful fabrication of composites. Thermomechanical properties were studied via dynamic mechanical analysis and static mechanical tests. The composites exhibited an improved mechanical response. Broadband dielectric spectroscopy was used to investigate the dielectric response of the composite systems over the frequency range from 10⁻¹ to 10⁷ Hz and the temperature range from 30 to 160 °C. The analysis revealed the presence of three relaxation processes in the spectra of the tested systems. Interfacial polarization, the glass-to-rubber transition of the polymer matrix, and the rearrangement of polar side groups along the polymer chain are the processes that occur under a descending relaxation time. It was found that dielectric permittivity increases with filler content. Finally, the influence of filler content and the applied voltage under dc conditions was analyzed to determine the ability of the composites to store and retrieve electric energy. Fly ash improved the efficiency of the storing/retrieving energy of the composites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in Greece II)

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Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution of Pentafluorophenyl-Substituted Quinoline with a Functional Perylene: A Route to the Modification of Semiconducting Polymers

Stefania Aivali

Konstantinos C. Andrikopoulos

and

Aikaterini K. Andreopoulou

Polymers 2023, 15(12), 2721; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15122721 - 18 Jun 2023

Viewed by 559

Abstract

A systematic study of the influence of the chemical substitution pattern of semiconducting polymers carrying side chain perylene diimide (PDI) groups is presented. Semiconducting polymers based on perflurophenyl quinoline (5FQ) were modified via a readily accessible nucleophilic substitution reaction. The perfluorophenyl group was studied as an electron-withdrawing reactive functionality on semiconducting polymers that can undergo fast nucleophilic aromatic substitution. A PDI molecule, functionalized with one phenol group on the bay area, was used for the substitution of the fluorine atom at the para position in 6-vinylphenyl-(2-perfluorophenyl)-4-phenyl quinoline. The final product was polymerized under free radical polymerization providing polymers of 5FQ incorporated with PDI side groups. Alternatively, the post-polymerization modification of the fluorine atoms at the para position of the 5FQ homopolymer with the PhOH-di-EH-PDI was also successfully tested. In this case, the PDI units were partially introduced to the perflurophenyl quinoline moieties of the homopolymer. The para-fluoro aromatic nucleophilic substitution reaction was confirmed and estimated via ¹H and ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopies. The two different polymer architectures, namely, fully or partially modified with PDI units, were studied in terms of their optical and electrochemical properties, while their morphology was evaluated using TEM analysis, revealing polymers of tailor-made optoelectronic and morphological properties. This work provides a novel molecule-designing method for semiconducting materials of controlled properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in Greece II)

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Open AccessArticle

Triple Hydrophilic Statistical Terpolymers via RAFT Polymerization: Synthesis and Properties in Aqueous Solutions

Dimitrios Vagenas

and

Stergios Pispas

Polymers 2023, 15(11), 2492; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15112492 - 29 May 2023

Viewed by 1022

Abstract

In this work, we report the synthesis of novel triple hydrophilic statistical terpolymers consisting of three different methacrylate monomers with varying degrees of responsivity to solution conditions. Terpolymers of the type poly(di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate-co-2-(dimethylamino)ethylmethacrylate-co-oligoethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate), P(DEGMA-co-DMAEMA-co-OEGMA), and of different compositions, were prepared by using the RAFT methodology. Their molecular characterization was carried out using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and spectroscopic techniques, including ¹H-NMR and ATR-FTIR. Studies in dilute aqueous media by dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering (DLS and ELS) show their potential responsiveness regarding changes in temperature, pH, and kosmotropic salt concentration. Finally, the change in hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance of the formed terpolymer nanoparticles during heating and cooling was studied using fluorescence spectroscopy (FS) in conjunction with pyrene giving additional information on the responsiveness and internal structure of the self-assembled nanoaggregates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in Greece II)

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Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Statistical Copolymers of N–Vinylpyrrolidone and 2–Chloroethyl Vinyl Ether via Radical RAFT Polymerization: Monomer Reactivity Ratios, Thermal Properties, and Kinetics of Thermal Decomposition of the Statistical Copolymers

Nikolaos V. Plachouras

and

Marinos Pitsikalis

Polymers 2023, 15(8), 1970; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15081970 - 21 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1753

Abstract

The radical statistical copolymerization of N–vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP) and 2–chloroethyl vinyl ether (CEVE) was conducted using the Reversible Addition–Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT) polymerization technique, employing [(O–ethylxanthyl)methyl]benzene (CTA-1) and O–ethyl S–(phthalimidylmethyl) xanthate (CTA-2) as the Chain Transfer Agents (CTAs), leading to P(NVP–stat–CEVE) products. After optimizing copolymerization conditions, monomer reactivity ratios were estimated using various linear graphical methods, as well as the COPOINT program, which was applied in the framework of the terminal model. Structural parameters of the copolymers were obtained by calculating the dyad sequence fractions and the monomers’ mean sequence lengths. Thermal properties of the copolymers were studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and kinetics of their thermal degradation by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Thermogravimetry (DTG), applying the isoconversional methodologies of Ozawa–Flynn–Wall (OFW) and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in Greece II)

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Open AccessArticle

Effect of Micro- and Nano-Lignin on the Thermal, Mechanical, and Antioxidant Properties of Biobased PLA–Lignin Composite Films

Sofia P. Makri

Eleftheria Xanthopoulou

Panagiotis A. Klonos

Alexios Grigoropoulos

Apostolos Kyritsis

Konstantinos Tsachouridis

Antonios Anastasiou

Ioanna Deligkiozi

Nikolaos Nikolaidis

and

Dimitrios N. Bikiaris

Polymers 2022, 14(23), 5274; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14235274 - 02 Dec 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2064

Abstract

Bio-based poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composite films were produced using unmodified soda micro- or nano-lignin as a green filler at four different contents, between 0.5 wt% and 5 wt%. The PLA–lignin composite polymers were synthesized by solvent casting to prepare a masterbatch, followed by melt mixing. The composites were then converted into films, to evaluate the effect of lignin content and size on their physicochemical and mechanical properties. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), supported by polarized light microscopy (PLM), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed to investigate the PLA crystallization and the interactions with Lignin (L) and Nanolignin (NL). The presence of both fillers (L and NL) had a negligible effect on the glass transition temperature (chain diffusion). However, it resulted in suppression of the corresponding change in heat capacity. This was indicative of a partial immobilization of the PLA chains on the lignin entities, due to interfacial interactions, which was slightly stronger in the case of NL. Lignin was also found to facilitate crystallization, in terms of nucleation; whereas, this was not clear in the crystalline fraction. The addition of L and NL led to systematically larger crystallites compared with neat PLA, which, combined with the higher melting temperature, provided indications of a denser crystal structure in the composites. The mechanical, optical, antioxidant, and surface properties of the composite films were also investigated. The tensile strength and Young’s modulus were improved by the addition of L and especially NL. The UV-blocking and antioxidant properties of the composite films were also enhanced, especially at higher filler contents. Importantly, the PLA–NL composite films constantly outperformed their PLA–L counterparts, due to the finer dispersion of NL in the PLA matrix, as verified by the TEM micrographs. These results suggest that bio-based and biodegradable PLA films filled with L, and particularly NL, can be employed as competitive and green alternatives in the food packaging industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in Greece II)

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