Structure-Properties Relationships in Polymers

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Analysis and Characterization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 1988

Special Issue Editors

Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninskii pr. 29, 119991 Moscow, Russia
Interests: rheology; polymer; melts and solutions; colloid systems; multicomponent systems; crude oil; oil emulsions; polysaccharides; gelling; gels
A. V. Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis, Russian Academy of Sciences (TIPS RAS), 29 Leninsky Prospekt, 119991 Moscow, Russia
Interests: rheology; polymers; polyesters; polymer fibers; oil; EOR; pigments; carbon materials; organic synthesis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As old as world is the statement: material’s properties depend on its nature and structure. Nonetheless, let us take a closer look into that phrase.

The search for new materials with a valuable set of properties has never stopped, provoking the synthesis of new materials and/or the addition of the substances new or never used for that purpose to the composed materials.

The structure study is the first and necessary step in the characterization of the synthesized material. The methods used are, for example, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), NMR-spectroscopy, electron microscopy, neutron scattering, chromatography, thermal methods, etc. Furthermore, all the methods are constantly upgrading to become more precise, convenient, and applicable.

The situation is a bit more complex in studying multicomponent and reinforced materials since the direct investigation by the above mentioned methods can be challenging. For these materials, the methods of indirect structure estimation play the leading role; for example, rheological, mechanical, optical (especially for crystallizing and liquid crystal materials), various types of conductivity measurements, etc. The determination of relationships between polymer structure and its processing is also worth mentioning.

I truly hope that the Special Issue devoted to the establishing relationships between the structure and properties of polymeric materials will highlight new aspects in polymer science and arouse great interest among scientists.

Dr. Marianna P. Arinina
Dr. Kirill Zuev
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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.

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Keywords

  • polymers
  • structure
  • new materials
  • synthesis
  • composites
  • polymer processing
  • rheology
  • X-ray diffraction analysis
  • Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy
  • NMR-spectroscopy
  • electron microscopy

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3594 KiB  
Article
Microcanonical Analysis of Helical Homopolymers: Exploring the Density of States and Structural Characteristics
by Matthew J. Williams
Polymers 2023, 15(19), 3870; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15193870 - 24 Sep 2023
Viewed by 695
Abstract
This study investigates the density of states and structural characteristics of helical homopolymers. Comprising repeating identical units, the model enables the exploration of complex behaviors arising from a simple, yet generalized, set of potentials. Utilizing microcanonical analysis, transitions between helical structures are identified [...] Read more.
This study investigates the density of states and structural characteristics of helical homopolymers. Comprising repeating identical units, the model enables the exploration of complex behaviors arising from a simple, yet generalized, set of potentials. Utilizing microcanonical analysis, transitions between helical structures are identified and categorized. Through a systematic comparison of results under varying conditions, we develop a nuanced understanding of the system’s general behavior. A two-dimensional plot illustrates the relative distribution of different structural types, effectively showcasing their prevalence. The findings of this study substantially advance our understanding of the density of states and structural transformations of helical homopolymers across a range of conditions. Additionally, the prevalence plot offers valuable insights into the occurrence of suppressed intermediate states, particularly in models featuring stiff helix segments. This research significantly enhances our understanding of the complex interactions governing helix bundling phenomena within the context of helical homopolymers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure-Properties Relationships in Polymers)
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16 pages, 7276 KiB  
Article
Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Wholly Aromatic Copolyesters Based on 4′-Hydroxybiphenyl-3-Carboxylic and 3-Hydroxybenzoic Acids
by Pavel A. Mikhailov, Kirill V. Zuev and Valery G. Kulichikhin
Polymers 2023, 15(9), 2133; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15092133 - 29 Apr 2023
Viewed by 999
Abstract
A series of new wholly aromatic (co)polyesters based on m-substituted bifunctional comonomers—4′-hydroxybiphenyl-3-carboxylic (3HBCA) and 3-hydroxybenzoic (3HBA) acids with molar ratios of 3HBCA:3HBA from 0:100 to 60:40, respectively—was synthesized. NMR and FTIR spectroscopy methods proved the full compliance of the copolymer composition with [...] Read more.
A series of new wholly aromatic (co)polyesters based on m-substituted bifunctional comonomers—4′-hydroxybiphenyl-3-carboxylic (3HBCA) and 3-hydroxybenzoic (3HBA) acids with molar ratios of 3HBCA:3HBA from 0:100 to 60:40, respectively—was synthesized. NMR and FTIR spectroscopy methods proved the full compliance of the copolymer composition with the target ratio of comonomers, as well as high compositional homogeneity (absence of block sequences). The resulting copolyesters have a sufficiently high molecular weight and their intrinsic viscosity values are in the range of 0.6–0.8 dL/g. Thermal analysis showed that all 3HBCA-3HBA copolyesters are amorphous, and with an increase in the content of biphenyl units (3HBCA), the glass transition temperature increases significantly (up to 190 °C). The onset of the intense thermal decomposition of the synthesized polyesters occurs above 450 °C. Thus, this indicates a sufficiently high thermal stability of these polyesters. Rheological measurements have shown that melts of copolyesters with a high content of 3HBCA units exhibit anisotropic properties. At the same time, the method of polarization optical microscopy did not confirm the transition to the liquid crystal state for these polyesters. These results confirm that it is possible to obtain high-performance polyesters based on 3HBCA, but not a mesogenic comonomer. Thus, 3HBCA is a promising comonomer for the synthesis of new thermotropic copolyesters with controlled anisotropic properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Structure-Properties Relationships in Polymers)
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