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Special Issue "Polyester-Based Materials II"

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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomacromolecules, Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 29 February 2024 | Viewed by 6346

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria Râpă

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Material Sciences and Engineering, Politehnica University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
Interests: biodegradable polymers; polymer processing technologies; characterization; applications of bio-based materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Raluca Nicoleta Darie-Nita

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Guest Editor

Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Grigore Ghica Voda Alley 41A, 700487 Iasi, Romania
Interests: reactive processing (natural and synthetic polymers); physico-chemical characterization of polymers and composites (rheological, mechanical, thermal, surface properties)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polyesters represent one of the most important classes of polymers with an increased demand for them in the current market. In addition to the more well-known materials of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polycaprolactone (PCL), which are petroleum-derived polyesters, the versatility of ester linkage has increased the development of novel biobased polyesters and co-polyesters from renewable resources, polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) being the most competitive biodegradable polymers commercialized among them to date. Novel approaches are constantly being proposed to develop new sources for biobased polyesters for diverse applications, as well as to improve the properties of known polyesters and their resulting materials.

The current Special Issue invites original papers and reviews that report on the most valuable discoveries concerning polyester-based materials. Insights into polyester functionalization, copolymerization, surface modification, or the use of a variety of additives or fillers in order to increase the development and performance of polyester-based materials in various industries, such as packaging, automotive, constructions, electronics, textile, or the medical field, are also welcome. Studies regarding environmental impacts and, in particular, the recyclability or (bio)degradation of the polyester-based materials can also be included in this Special Issue.

Dr. Maria Râpă
Dr. Raluca Nicoleta Darie-Niță
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

bio-based polyesters
synthetic polyesters
additives
bio(degradation)
materials
characterization
applications

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

Open AccessArticle

Photocured Poly(Mannitol Sebacate) with Functional Methacrylic Monomer: Analysis of Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties

Víctor Hevilla

Águeda Sonseca

Coro Echeverría

Alexandra Muñoz-Bonilla

and

Marta Fernández-García

Polymers 2023, 15(6), 1561; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15061561 - 21 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1076

Abstract

In this work, we described the formation of polymeric networks with potential antimicrobial character based on an acrylate oligomer, poly(mannitol sebacate) (PMS), and an enzymatically synthesized methacrylic monomer with thiazole groups (MTA). Networks with different content of MTA were prepared, and further physico-chemically characterized by microhardness, water contact angle measurements, and differential scanning calorimetry. Monomer incorporation into the networks and subsequent quaternization to provide thiazolium moieties affected the mechanical behavior and the surface wettability of the networks. Moreover, the introduction of permanent cationic charges in the network surface could give antimicrobial activity to them. Therefore, the antibacterial behavior and the hemotoxicity were analyzed against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and red blood cells, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyester-Based Materials II)

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Open AccessArticle

Thiophene End-Functionalized Oligo-(D,L-Lactide) as a New Electroactive Macromonomer for the “Hairy-Rod” Type Conjugated Polymers Synthesis

and

Polymers 2023, 15(5), 1094; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15051094 - 22 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1123

Abstract

The development of the modern society imposes a fast-growing demand for new advanced functional polymer materials. To this aim, one of the most plausible current methodologies is the end-group functionalization of existing conventional polymers. If the end functional group is able to polymerize, this method enables the synthesis of a molecularly complex, grafted architecture that opens the access to a wider range of material properties, as well as tailoring the special functions required for certain applications. In this context, the present paper reports on α-thienyl-ω-hydroxyl-end-groups functionalized oligo-(D,L-lactide) (Th-PDLLA), which was designed to combine the polymerizability and photophysical properties of thiophene with the biocompatibility and biodegradability of poly-(D,L-lactide). Th-PDLLA was synthesized using the path of “functional initiator” in the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of (D,L)-lactide, assisted by stannous 2-ethyl hexanoate (Sn(oct)₂). The results of NMR and FT-IR spectroscopic methods confirmed the Th-PDLLA’s expected structure, while the oligomeric nature of Th-PDLLA, as resulting from the calculations based on ¹H-NMR data, is supported by the findings from gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and by the results of the thermal analyses. The behavior of Th-PDLLA in different organic solvents, evaluated by UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, but also by dynamic light scattering (DLS), suggested the presence of colloidal supramolecular structures, underlining the nature of the macromonomer Th-PDLLA as an “shape amphiphile”. To test its functionality, the ability of Th-PDLLA to work as a building block for the synthesis of molecular composites was demonstrated by photoinduced oxidative homopolymerization in the presence of diphenyliodonium salt (DPI). The occurrence of a polymerization process, with the formation of a thiophene-conjugated oligomeric main chain grafted with oligomeric PDLLA, was proven, in addition to the visual changes, by the results of GPC, ¹H-NMR, FT-IR, UV–vis and fluorescence measurements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyester-Based Materials II)

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Open AccessArticle

Synthesis, Thermal Behavior, and Mechanical Properties of Fully Biobased Poly(Hexamethylene 2,5-Furandicarboxylate-Co-Sebacate) Copolyesters

Shiwei Feng

Zhiguo Jiang

and

Zhaobin Qiu

Polymers 2023, 15(1), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15010085 - 25 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1085

Abstract

In this research, three fully biobased poly(hexamethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate-co-sebacate) (PHFSe) copolyesters with low contents of hexamethylene sebacate (HSe) unit (10 mol%, 20 mol%, and 30 mol%) were successfully synthesized through a two-step transesterification/esterification and polycondensation method. The chemical structure and actual composition of PHFSe copolyesters were confirmed by hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance. The thermal behavior and mechanical property of PHFSe copolyesters were investigated and compared with those of the poly(hexamethylene 2,5-furandicarboxylate) (PHF) homopolymer. Both PHFSe copolyesters and PHF showed the high thermal stability. The basic thermal parameters, including glass transition temperature, melting temperature, and equilibrium melting temperature, gradually decreased with increasing the HSe unit content. PHFSe copolyesters crystallized more slowly than PHF under both the nonisothermal and isothermal melt crystallization conditions; however, they crystallized through the same crystallization mechanism and crystal structure. In addition, the mechanical property, especially the elongation at break of PHFSe copolyesters, was obviously improved when the HSe unit content was greater than 10 mol%. In brief, the thermal and mechanical properties of PHF may be easily tuned by changing the HSe unit content to meet various practical end-use requirements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyester-Based Materials II)

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Open AccessArticle

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (P(3HB-co-3HV))/Bacterial Cellulose (BC) Biocomposites for Potential Use in Biomedical Applications

Maria Râpă

Laura Mihaela Stefan

Ana-Maria Seciu-Grama

Alexandra Gaspar-Pintiliescu

Ecaterina Matei

Cătălin Zaharia

Paul Octavian Stănescu

and

Cristian Predescu

Polymers 2022, 14(24), 5544; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14245544 - 18 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1339

Abstract

The aim of this study was to obtain biocomposites consisting of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), bacterial cellulose (BC) and α-tocopherol by a melt processing technique for potential use in biomedical applications. The melt processing and roughness of biocomposites were evaluated and compared to sample without BC. The degradation rate of PHBV/BC biocomposites was measured in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) by determining the mass variation and evidencing of thermal and structural changes by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transformed infrared spectrometry (ATR-FTIR). The cell viability, cell morphology, cell cycle distribution and total collagen content were investigated on murine NCTC fibroblasts. Overall, the adding of BC to polyester matrix led to an adequate melt processing of biocomposites and increased surface roughness and cytocompatibility, allowing the cells to secrete the extracellular matrix (collagen) and stimulate cell proliferation. Results showed that the PHBV/BC biocomposites were favorable for long-term degradation and could be used for the design of medical devices with controlled degradability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyester-Based Materials II)

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Open AccessArticle

Formation and Characterization of Oregano Essential Oil Nanocapsules Applied onto Polyester Textile

and

Polymers 2022, 14(23), 5188; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14235188 - 29 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1131

Abstract

Oregano essential oil was encapsulated in poly-ϵ-caprolactone nanoparticles by a nanoprecipitation method using glycerin as a moisturizer. Nanocapsule characterization was performed by measuring the particle size, colloidal stability and encapsulation efficiency using dynamic light scattering, UV–Vis spectrophotometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The nanoparticles had a mean particle size of 235 nm with a monomodal distribution. In addition, a low polydispersity index was obtained, as well as a negative zeta potential of −36.3 mV and an encapsulation efficiency of 75.54%. Nanocapsules were applied to polyester textiles through bath exhaustion and foulard processing. Citric acid and a resin were applied as crosslinking agents to improve the nanocapsules’ adhesion to the fabric. The adsorption, desorption, moisture content and essential oil extraction were evaluated to determine the affinity between the nanocapsules and the polyester. The adsorption was higher when the citric acid and the resin were applied. When standard oregano nanocapsules were used, almost all of the impregnated nanoparticles were removed when washed with water. The moisture content was evaluated for treated and non-treated textiles. There was a significant increase in the moisture content of the treated polyester compared to the non-treated polyester, which indicates that the polyester hydrophilicity increased with an important absorption of the essential oil nanocapsules; this can improve fabric comfort and probably promote antibacterial properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyester-Based Materials II)

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