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State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in France (2022, 2023)

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2023) | Viewed by 12810

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Prof. Dr. Olga Klinkova

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Laboratoire QUARTZ (EA7393), ISAE-Supméca, 3 rue Fernand Hainaut, Saint Ouen, CEDEX, 93407 Paris, France
Interests: damage mechanics; solid mechanics; composites; bio-compoistes; polymers; bonding; durability
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Prof. Dr. Antonio Pizzi

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LERMAB, Laboratoire d’Etude et de Recherche sur le MAteriau Bois, Université de Lorraine, 27 rue Philippe Seguin, CS60036, 88021 Epinal, France
Interests: polycondensation; resins; adhesives; thermosetting polymers for adhesives; natural polymers for industrial use; fibrous and wood composites; polymeric wood constituents (cellulose, lignin, tannins)
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Prof. Dr. Sofiane Guessasma

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INRAE, UR1268 Biopolymères Interactions Assemblages, F-44300 Nantes, France
Interests: bio-sourced materials; additive manufacturing; numerical modeling; material characterization; image analysis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is possibly superfluous to stress the dominant position of polymer science in all its facets, such as chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, engineering and many other application fields, and the progresses achieved since the concept of the “polymer” was competitively advanced by both Herman Staudinger and Herman Mark. Who of the general public has not heard of polyethylene and polypropylene? Who has not heard that in planes, medicine, dentistry and furniture—“to compare apples and oranges”—polymeric adhesives are extensively used? Many other polymer applications could be mentioned, but there are now so many. This is said to show how vast and extremely varied the polymers field has now become. Intense research in many research and industrial laboratories in today’s world are focusing on the formulation and testing of new polymer materials, both synthetic and biosourced, such as fibers, rubber, coatings, adhesive, foams and plastics, as well as in understanding their functioning mechanisms and developing their engineering applications. We are literally surrounded by polymers in every aspect of our life, often without even realizing it. In France, a flurry of research is conducted by scientists and engineers active in both academia and industry in all sort of polymer materials, such as in electricity, electronics, information, biotechnology, medicine, dentistry, automotive and transportation, building, wood, energy, bio and biosourced materials, the environment, and in aviation and space applications. The further developments in this science continue on a daily basis and will contribute to even more innovative materials and technologies continuing to change the world for the better and to change the way we all live. We hope that this Special Issue will be representative of some of the cutting-edge, innovative research in polymer science and technology in France.

The topics of this special issue will include, but are not limited to:

Polymers chemistry and physics;
Polymers micro- and nano-composites;
Biopolymers and bio-based polymers;
Polymers processing and engineering;
Polymers sustainability;
Polymer characterization.

Prof. Dr. Olga Klinkova
Prof. Dr. Antonio Pizzi
Prof. Dr. Sofiane Guessasma
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

polymers chemistry and physics
polymers micro- and nano-composites
biopolymers and bio-based polymers
polymers processing and engineering
polymers sustainability
polymer characterization

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2672 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring Novel Applications for Hydrogels Derived from Modified Celluloses

by Feiyang Wang, Aldo Borjas, Aldrin Bonto, Alina Violeta Ursu, Maxime Dupont, Jane Roche and Cédric Delattre

Polymers 2024, 16(4), 530; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16040530 - 16 Feb 2024

Viewed by 794

Abstract

The valorization of lignocellulosic biomass by-products holds significant economic and ecological potential, considering their global overproduction. This paper introduces the fabrication of a novel wheat-straw-based hydrogel and a new microcellulose-based hydrogel through 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-1-oxy (TEMPO) oxidation. In this study, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis was employed for the detection of carboxyl groups, neutralization titration was conducted using a conductivity meter, viscosity analysis was performed using a rheometer, and transmittance analysis was carried out using a spectrophotometer. Two novel hydrogels based on TEMPO oxidation have been developed. Among them, the bio-based hydrogel derived from oxidized wheat straw exhibited exceptional printability and injectability. We found that the oxidation degree of microcellulose reached 56–69%, and the oxidation degree of wheat straw reached 56–63%. The cross-linking of 4% oxidized wheat straw and calcium chloride was completed in 400 seconds, and the viscosity exceeded 100,000 Pa·s. In summary, we have successfully created low-cost hydrogels through the modification of wheat straw and microcellulose, transforming lignocellulosic biomass by-products into a sustainable source of polymers. This paper verifies the future applicability of biomass materials in 3D printing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in France (2022, 2023))

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15 pages, 3892 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical Recycling and Its Effects on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Polyamides

by Ichrak Ben Amor, Olga Klinkova, Mouna Baklouti, Riadh Elleuch and Imad Tawfiq

Polymers 2023, 15(23), 4561; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15234561 - 28 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1482

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of mechanical recycling on the physical and mechanical properties of recycled polyamide 6 (PA6) and polyamide 66 (PA66) in relation to their microstructures. Both PA6 and PA66 raw materials were reprocessed six times, and the changes in their properties were investigated as a function of recycling number. Until the sixth round of recycling, slight changes in the mechanical properties were detected, except for the percentage of elongation. For the physical properties, the change in both flexural strength and Young’s modulus followed a decreasing trend, while the trend in terms of elongation showed an increase. Microscopic analysis was performed on virgin and recycled specimens, showing that imperfections in the crystalline regions of polyamide 6 increased as the number of cycles increased. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in France (2022, 2023))

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17 pages, 1486 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Use of Pyrolysis–Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry as a Tool to Study the Natural Variation in Biopolymers in Different Tissues of Economically Important European Softwood Species

by David Hentges, Philippe Gérardin, Pierre Vinchelin and Stéphane Dumarçay

Polymers 2023, 15(21), 4270; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15214270 - 30 Oct 2023

Viewed by 707

Abstract

Intraspecific macromolecule variation in stemwood, knotwood, and branchwood was studied using analytical pyrolysis with the intention of introducing a rapid working method to assess the variance in lignin content using analytical pyrolysis and highlight variability markers. The study was performed on Picea abies, Abies alba, and Pseudotsuga menziesii. Lignin determined via analytical pyrolysis–GC/MS (Py-lignin) can be used to identify variations in lignin content, compared to using classical Klason lignin values as a reference method for lignin determination, which requires a correction factor. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to identify biopolymer pyrolysis product markers for different species, tissues, or heights that could help highlight structural differences. Douglas fir was differentiated from spruce and silver fir in the levoglucosan amount. Guaiacol was more present in spruce wood, and creosol was more present in Douglas fir. Knotwood was structurally close to stemwood in spruce and silver fir, but there was a clear transition between stemwood and branchwood tissue in Douglas fir. Knotwood was differentiated by higher furan compounds. Branchwood was clearly separate from stemwood and knotwood and presented the same markers as compression wood in the form of phenylpropanoid lignins (H-lignin) as well as isoeugenol and vinyl guaiacol, the two most produced lignin pyrolysis products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in France (2022, 2023))

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22 pages, 6837 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Viscoelastic Properties of Polypropylene during Crystallization and Melting: Experimental and Phenomenological Modeling

by Noëlle Billon, Romain Castellani, Jean-Luc Bouvard and Guilhem Rival

Polymers 2023, 15(18), 3846; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15183846 - 21 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 857

Abstract

This paper deals with the viscoelastic behavior during crystallization and melting of semicrystalline polymers, with the aim of later modeling the residual stresses after processing in cases where crystallization occurs in quasi-static conditions (in additive manufacturing for example). Despite an abundant literature on polymer crystallization, the current state of scientific knowledge does not yet allow ab initio modeling. Therefore, an alternative and pragmatic way has been explored to propose a first approximation of the impact of crystallization and melting on the storage and loss moduli during crystallization–melting–crystallization cycles. An experimental approach, combining DSC, optical microscopy and oscillatory shear rheology, was used to define macroscopic parameters related to the microstructure. These parameters have been integrated into a phenomenological model. Isothermal measurements were used to describe the general framework, and crystallization at a constant cooling rate was used to evaluate the feasibility of a general approach. It can be concluded that relying solely on the crystalline fraction is inadequate to model the rheology. Instead, accounting for the microstructure at the spherulitic level could be more useful. Additionally, the results obtained from the experiments help to enhance our understanding of the correlations between crystallization kinetics and its mechanical effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in France (2022, 2023))

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10 pages, 1778 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Tannins Addition on Thermal Stability of Furfurylated Wood

by Mahdi Mubarok, Elham Azadeh, Firmin Obounou Akong, Stéphane Dumarçay, Philippe Gérardin and Christine Gérardin-Charbonnier

Polymers 2023, 15(9), 2044; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15092044 - 25 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 984

Abstract

This article presents the effect of the addition of condensed tannins, used as a reticulation agent, on the polymerization of furfuryl alcohol during wood furfurylation, as well as the effect of these condensed tannins on the thermal stability of modified wood. Three kinds of dicarboxylic acids (adipic acid, succinic acid, and tartaric acid), as well as glyoxal, used as model of a wood reticulation agent, were used to catalyze the polymerization of furfuryl alcohol or tannin-furfuryl alcohol solutions. Impregnation of furfuryl alcohol or tannin-furfuryl alcohol solution into the wood, followed by curing at 103 °C for a specific duration, was performed for the wood modification. The thermal stability of the obtained tannin-furfuryl alcohol polymers and their corresponding modified woods was investigated. The leaching resistance and dimensional stability of the modified woods were also evaluated. Results indicated that the partial substitution of furfuryl alcohol by the tannins improved the polymerization reactivity in conditions where furfuryl alcohol alone did not lead to the formation of a solid polymeric material. The thermal stability and leaching resistance of the furfurylated wood in the presence of tannins were improved. Dimensional stability was also improved for furfurylated samples, but the effect of tannin addition was not so obvious, depending on the acidic catalyst used. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in France (2022, 2023))

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18 pages, 8309 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Structural Variations in Biobased Polyfurfuryl Alcohol Induced by Polymerization in Water

by Pierre Delliere, Antonio Pizzi and Nathanael Guigo

Polymers 2023, 15(7), 1745; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15071745 - 31 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1795

Abstract

Poly(furfuryl alcohol) is a thermostable biobased thermoset. The polymerization of furfuryl alcohol (FA) is sensitive to a number of side reactions, mainly the opening of the furan ring into carbonyl species. Such carbonyls can be used to introduce new properties into the PFA materials through derivatization. Hence, better understanding of the furan ring opening is required to develop new applications for PFA. This article studies the structural discrepancies between a PFA prepared in neat conditions versus a PFA prepared in aqueous conditions, i.e., with more carbonyls, through NMR and MALDI ToF. Overall, the PFA prepared in water exhibited a structure more heterogeneous than the PFA prepared in neat conditions. The presence of ketonic derivatives such as enols and ketals were highlighted in the case of the aqueous PFA. In this line, the addition of water at the beginning of the polymerization stimulated the production of aldehydes by a factor two. Finally, the PFA prepared in neat conditions showed terminal lactones instead of aldehydes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in France (2022, 2023))

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17 pages, 3271 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical Behaviour and Induced Microstructural Development upon Simultaneous and Balanced Biaxial Stretching of Poly(ethylene furandicarboxylate), PEF

by Emilie Forestier, Christelle Combeaud, Nathanaël Guigo and Nicolas Sbirrazzuoli

Polymers 2023, 15(3), 661; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15030661 - 28 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1422

Abstract

The biaxial behavior of PEF has been analyzed for equilibrated and simultaneous biaxial stretching. The ability of PEF to develop an organized microstructure through strain induced crystallization (SIC) has been described. Upon biaxial stretching, SIC can be difficult to perform because the stretching is performed in two perpendicular directions. However, thanks to the time/temperature superposition principle and an accurate heating protocol, relevant stretching settings have been chosen to stretch the material in its rubbery-like state and to reach high levels of deformation. By the protocol applied, the mechanical behavior is easily transposable to the industry. This work has shown that PEF can, as in uniaxial stretching, develop well-organized crystals and a defined microstructure upon biaxial stretching. This microstructure allows the obtention of improved mechanical properties and thermal stability of the biaxially stretched samples. The crystals induced upon biaxial stretching are similar to the one that has been developed and observed after uniaxial stretching and upon static crystallization. Moreover, the furan cycles seem to appear in a state similar to the one of a sample crystallized upon quiescent condition. The rigidity is increased, and the α-relaxation temperature is increased by 15 °C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in France (2022, 2023))

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14 pages, 5357 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Thermomechanical Behavior of the Tubular Braided Fabrics with Flax/Polyamide Commingled Yarns

by Jinlei Li, Gildas L’Hostis, Nahiène Hamila and Peng Wang

Polymers 2023, 15(3), 637; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15030637 - 26 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1583

Abstract

Flax fibers are widely used as the strongest natural fibers in composite parts with advanced structures. Due to their excellent mechanical properties and recyclability, they have attracted more attention from the aviation and automotive industries, etc. These composite parts are usually obtained by preforming reinforcements or prepregs at high temperatures, and their mechanical behaviors are greatly affected by temperature variations. To improve the understanding of the mechanical properties of flax fiber materials, especially for the braided fabric with non-orthogonal structures, uniaxial tensile tests at different temperatures and tensile speeds were conducted on hollow tubular braided fabrics. The thermomechanical properties of Flax/Polyamide12 (PA12) prepregs were analyzed. The results show that temperature and tensile speed have obvious effects on the strength and shear stiffness of tubular fabrics. The strength and shear stiffness of the fabric decreases as the ambient temperature increases. Meanwhile, the strength of the fabric can also be improved by appropriately increasing the tensile speed. In addition, according to the experimental results, a theoretical model is established to describe the shear angle on the smallest circumference of the fabric, which provides a theoretical basis for the subsequent simulation process. The test results can provide a reference for the manufacture of flax fiber-reinforced composites with tubular structures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in France (2022, 2023))

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17 pages, 5096 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Sustainable High Performance Epoxy Thermosets for Aerospace and Space Applications

by Roxana Dinu, Ugo Lafont, Olivier Damiano and Alice Mija

Polymers 2022, 14(24), 5473; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14245473 - 14 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1813

Abstract

There is an imperative need to find sustainable ways to produce bisphenol A free, high performance thermosets for specific applications such as the space or aerospace areas. In this study, an aromatic tris epoxide, the tris(4-hydroxyphenyl)methane triglycidyl ether (THPMTGE), was selected to generate high crosslinked networks by its copolymerization with anhydrides. Indeed, the prepared thermosets show a gel content (GC) ~99.9% and glass transition values ranged between 167–196 °C. The thermo-mechanical properties examined by DMA analyses reveal the development of very hard materials with E′ ~3–3.5 GPa. The thermosets’ rigidity was confirmed by Young’s moduli values which ranged between 1.25–1.31 GPa, an elongation at break of about 4–5%, and a tensile stress of ~35–45 MPa. The TGA analyses highlight a very good thermal stability, superior to 340 °C. The Limit Oxygen Index (LOI) parameter was also evaluated, showing the development of new materials with good flame retardancy properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Polymer Science and Technology in France (2022, 2023))

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