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Polymers
Special Issues
Synthesis–Processing–Structure–Property Interrelationship of Multifunctional Polymer Nanocomposites III
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Synthesis–Processing–Structure–Property Interrelationship of Multifunctional Polymer Nanocomposites III

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2022) | Viewed by 14902

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mohammad Arjmand

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
Interests: nanomaterials synthesis; carbon nanotube; graphene; metal-organic framework; MXene; polymer processing; multifunctional polymer nanocomposites; gas sensors; additive manufacturing/3D printing; wastewater treatment; electromagnetic interference shielding
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Amir Ameli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Plastics Engineering, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 1 University Avenue, Ball Hall, Room 202A Lowell, MA 01854, USA
Interests: multifunctional polymer nanocomposites; additive manufacturing/3D Printing; bioproducts; smart materials and structures; advanced polymer-based foams; mechanics of materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymers offer remarkable physical properties such as their light weight, low cost, easy processability, corrosion resistance, improved design options, etc. These properties distinguish polymers from their traditional rivals such as ceramics and metals. Nonetheless, in order to employ polymers as the next generation of advanced materials, their physical properties must be significantly improved. This can be carried out via incorporating multifunctional nanomaterials into the polymer matrices.

Despite the outstanding physical properties of different types of nanomaterials, the full exploitation of their physical properties toward the development of multifunctional polymer nanocomposites is still a challenge, due to their synthesis challenges, agglomeration, poor affinity toward polymers, nanofiller-polymer processing challenges, etc. This Special Issue aims to address partial or full coverage of the diamond of Synthesis–Processing–Structure–Property toward the development of multifunctional polymer nanocomposites containing various types of nanomaterials. Covering the diamond will generate a platform to achieve a better understanding of the physical properties of polymer nanocomposites and their relationship with nanofiller synthesis, nanofiller structure, nanofiller–polymer processing, and nanocomposite morphology.

In this regard, this Special Issue aims to create an interdisciplinary forum of discussion on applications and advancements in the area of the development of multifunctional polymer nanocomposites holding various types of nanomaterials. This Issue accepts high-quality research articles as well as review articles that will illustrate and stimulate the continuing effort to understand the area of multifunctional nanomaterial/polymer nanocomposites.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

  • Design and Engineering of Various Types of Multifunctional Nanomaterials
  • Synthesis;
  • Surface modification and functionalization;
  • Characterization of physical and structural properties.
  • Fabrication of Nanocomposites
  • Melt mixing and solution mixing;
  • Injection molding;
  • Extrusion;
  • Compression molding;
  • Electrospinning;
  • Foaming;
  • 3D Printing.
  • Structure of Nanocomposites
  • Characterization (microscopy, spectroscopy, etc.);
  • Hybrid nanocomposites and blends;
  • Nanofiller localization.
  • Properties of Nanocomposites
  • Electrical conductivity;
  • Electromagnetic interference shielding;
  • Dielectric;
  • Thermoelectric;
  • Piezoresistive and piezoelectric;
  • Thermal;
  • Mechanical;
  • Rheological;
  • Tribological;
  • Barrier.

Dr. Mohammad Arjmand
Dr. Amir Ameli
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

  • Multifunctional nanomaterials
  • Synthesis
  • Polymer processing
  • Structure
  • Polymer nanocomposites
  • Electrical conductivity
  • Electromagnetic interference shielding
  • Mechanical properties
  • Thermal properties
  • Dielectric properties
  • Thermoelectric
  • Piezoelectric
  • Piezoresistive
  • Tribological properties
  • Barrier

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 5827 KiB  
Article
A Simple Approach to Control the Physical and Chemical Features of Custom-Synthesized N-Doped Carbon Nanotubes and the Extent of Their Network Formation in Polymers: The Importance of Catalyst to Substrate Ratio
by Elnaz Erfanian, Milad Kamkar, Shital Patangrao Pawar, Yalda Zamani Keteklahijani, Mohammad Arjmand and Uttandaraman Sundararaj
Polymers 2021, 13(23), 4156; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13234156 - 27 Nov 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2172
Abstract
This study intends to reveal the significance of the catalyst to substrate ratio (C/S) on the structural and electrical features of the carbon nanotubes and their polymeric nanocomposites. Here, nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube (N-MWNT) was synthesized via a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method using [...] Read more.
This study intends to reveal the significance of the catalyst to substrate ratio (C/S) on the structural and electrical features of the carbon nanotubes and their polymeric nanocomposites. Here, nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube (N-MWNT) was synthesized via a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method using three ratios (by weight) of iron (Fe) catalyst to aluminum oxide (Al2O3) substrate, i.e.,1/9, 1/4, and 2/3, by changing the Fe concentration, i.e., 10, 20, and 40 wt.% Fe. Therefore, the synthesized N-MWNT are labelled as (N-MWNTs)10, (N-MWNTs)20, and (N-MWNTs)40. TEM, XPS, Raman spectroscopy, and TGA characterizations revealed that C/S ratio has a significant impact on the physical and chemical properties of the nanotubes. For instance, by increasing the Fe catalyst from 10 to 40 wt.%, carbon purity increased from 60 to 90 wt.% and the length of the nanotubes increased from 1.2 to 2.6 µm. Interestingly, regarding nanotube morphology, at the highest C/S ratio, the N-MWNTs displayed an open-channel structure, while at the lowest catalyst concentration the nanotubes featured a bamboo-like structure. Afterwards, the network characteristics of the N-MWNTs in a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrix were studied using imaging techniques, AC electrical conductivity, and linear and nonlinear rheological measurements. The nanocomposites were prepared via a melt-mixing method at various loadings of the synthesized N-MWNTs. The rheological results confirmed that (N-MWNTs)10, at 0.5–2.0 wt.%, did not form any substantial network through the PVDF matrix, thereby exhibiting an electrically insulative behavior, even at a higher concentration of 3.0 wt.%. Although the optical microscopy, TEM, and rheological results confirmed that both (N-MWNTs)20 and (N-MWNTs)40 established a continuous 3D network within the PVDF matrix, (N-MWNTs)40/PVDF nanocomposites exhibited approximately one order of magnitude higher electrical conductivity. The higher electrical conductivity of (N-MWNTs)40/PVDF nanocomposites is attributed to the intrinsic chemical features of (N-MWNTs)40, such as nitrogen content and nitrogen bonding types. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis–Processing–Structure–Property Interrelationship of Multifunctional Polymer Nanocomposites III)
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15 pages, 4473 KiB  
Article
Waste to Value-Added Product: Developing Electrically Conductive Nanocomposites Using a Non-Recyclable Plastic Waste Containing Vulcanized Rubber
by Amir Hosein Ahmadian Hoseini, Elnaz Erfanian, Milad Kamkar, Uttandaraman Sundararaj, Jian Liu and Mohammad Arjmand
Polymers 2021, 13(15), 2427; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13152427 - 23 Jul 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3454
Abstract
This study intends to show the potential application of a non-recyclable plastic waste towards the development of electrically conductive nanocomposites. Herein, the conductive nanofiller and binding matrix are carbon nanotubes (CNT) and polystyrene (PS), respectively, and the waste material is a plastic foam [...] Read more.
This study intends to show the potential application of a non-recyclable plastic waste towards the development of electrically conductive nanocomposites. Herein, the conductive nanofiller and binding matrix are carbon nanotubes (CNT) and polystyrene (PS), respectively, and the waste material is a plastic foam consisting of mainly vulcanized nitrile butadiene rubber and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Two nanocomposite systems, i.e., PS/Waste/CNT and PS/CNT, with different compositions were melt-blended in a mixer and characterized for electrical properties. Higher electrical conduction and improved electromagnetic interference shielding performance in PS/Waste/CNT system indicated better conductive network of CNTs. For instance, at 1.0 wt.% CNT loading, the PS/Waste/CNT nanocomposites with the plastic waste content of 30 and 50 wt.% conducted electricity 3 and 4 orders of magnitude higher than the PS/CNT nanocomposite, respectively. More importantly, incorporation of the plastic waste (50 wt.%) reduced the electrical percolation threshold by 30% in comparison with the PS/CNT nanocomposite. The enhanced network of CNTs in PS/Waste/CNT samples was attributed to double percolation morphology, evidenced by optical images and rheological tests, caused by the excluded volume effect of the plastic waste. Indeed, due to its high content of vulcanized rubber, the plastic waste did not melt during the blending process. As a result, CNTs concentrated in the PS phase, forming a denser interconnected network in PS/Waste/CNT samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis–Processing–Structure–Property Interrelationship of Multifunctional Polymer Nanocomposites III)
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9 pages, 1486 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Nano CaCO3 on Nucleation and Interface of PP Nano Composite: Matrix Processability and Impact Resistance
by Meshal Al-Samhan, Fatema Al-Attar, Jamal Al-Fadhli and Mustafa Al-Shamali
Polymers 2021, 13(9), 1389; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13091389 - 25 Apr 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2229
Abstract
Polypropylene (PP) is a commodity material that has been increasingly used in different industries in the past two decades due to its versatile properties when enhanced with additives. Homo polypropylene, in general, has weak mechanical properties and limited chemical resistance; thus, using a [...] Read more.
Polypropylene (PP) is a commodity material that has been increasingly used in different industries in the past two decades due to its versatile properties when enhanced with additives. Homo polypropylene, in general, has weak mechanical properties and limited chemical resistance; thus, using a different type of fillers to adjust such properties to fit the required applications opened a large market for this commodity. Understanding the interface constituent between the polymer matrix and the added filler and the nucleation behavior is a key to fine control of the enhancement of PP properties. In this study, PP was incorporated with nano calcium carbonate (CaCO3) at 2 and 5 wt% in the presence of maleic anhydride (MAH) to overcome the weak interface due to low polymer polarity. The mix was compounded in a twin screws extruder at a temperature range of 180–200 °C ; then, the prepared samples were left to dry for 24 h at 25 °C. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) was used to study the interface adhesion of the nanofiller and the curved revealed that at 2% of nano CaCO3 PP structure remained the same and the nano experienced good adhesion to the polymer matrix. The mechanical impact resistance results showed a real enhancement to the polymer matrix of the nanocomposite by 37%. Moreover, DSC results showed a faster crystallinity rate due to the nanofiller acting as a nucleating agent and rheology tests indicated that low content of nano additive (2%) has better processability behavior, with suitable viscosity complex values at high frequencies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis–Processing–Structure–Property Interrelationship of Multifunctional Polymer Nanocomposites III)
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24 pages, 53442 KiB  
Article
Morphology Evolution, Molecular Simulation, Electrical Properties, and Rheology of Carbon Nanotube/Polypropylene/Polystyrene Blend Nanocomposites: Effect of Molecular Interaction between Styrene-Butadiene Block Copolymer and Carbon Nanotube
by Ivonne Otero Navas, Milad Kamkar, Mohammad Arjmand and Uttandaraman Sundararaj
Polymers 2021, 13(2), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13020230 - 11 Jan 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4345
Abstract
This work studied the impact of three types of styrene-butadiene (SB and SBS) block copolymers on the morphology, electrical, and rheological properties of immiscible blends of polypropylene:polystyrene (PP:PS)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) with a fixed blend ratio of 70:30 vol.%. The addition of block [...] Read more.
This work studied the impact of three types of styrene-butadiene (SB and SBS) block copolymers on the morphology, electrical, and rheological properties of immiscible blends of polypropylene:polystyrene (PP:PS)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) with a fixed blend ratio of 70:30 vol.%. The addition of block copolymers to PP:PS/MWCNT blend nanocomposites produced a decrease in the droplet size. MWCNTs, known to induce co-continuity in PP:PS blends, did not interfere with the copolymer migration to the interface and, thus, there was morphology refinement upon addition of the copolymers. Interestingly, the addition of the block copolymers decreased the electrical resistivity of the PP:PS/1.0 vol.% MWCNT system by 5 orders of magnitude (i.e., increase in electrical conductivity). This improvement was attributed to PS Droplets-PP-Copolymer-Micelle assemblies, which accumulated MWCNTs, and formed an integrated network for electrical conduction. Molecular simulation and solubility parameters were used to predict the MWCNT localization in the immiscible blend. The simulation results showed that diblock copolymers favorably interact with the nanotubes in comparison to the triblock copolymer, PP, and PS. However, the interaction between the copolymers and PP or PS is stronger than the interaction of the copolymers and MWCNTs. Hence, the addition of copolymer also changed the localization of MWCNT from PS to PS–PP–Micelles–Interface, as observed by TEM images. In addition, in the last step of this work, we investigated the effect of the addition of copolymers on inter- and intra-cycle viscoelastic behavior of the MWCNT incorporated polymer blends. It was found that addition of the copolymers not only affects the linear viscoelasticity (e.g., increase in the value of the storage modulus) but also dramatically impacts the nonlinear viscoelastic behavior under large deformations (e.g., higher distortion of Lissajous–Bowditch plots).] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis–Processing–Structure–Property Interrelationship of Multifunctional Polymer Nanocomposites III)
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19 pages, 5118 KiB  
Article
Polyaspartate-Ionene/Na+-Montmorillonite Nanocomposites as Novel Adsorbent for Anionic Dye; Effect of Ionene Structure
by Hany El-Hamshary, Abeer S. Elsherbiny, Mohamed H. El-Newehy and Mohamed E. EL-Hefnawy
Polymers 2020, 12(12), 2843; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12122843 - 29 Nov 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1941
Abstract
Surface modification of sodium montmorillonite (Na+-Mt) was performed using antimicrobial agents to produce an ecofriendly nanocomposite. The adsorption performance of the nanocomposite has been evaluated for the removal of Acid Blue 25 dye (AB25) as a model organic pollutant from wastewater. [...] Read more.
Surface modification of sodium montmorillonite (Na+-Mt) was performed using antimicrobial agents to produce an ecofriendly nanocomposite. The adsorption performance of the nanocomposite has been evaluated for the removal of Acid Blue 25 dye (AB25) as a model organic pollutant from wastewater. Sodium montmorillonite (Na+-Mt) was modified with three different ionene compounds through ion exchange, and further modified through reaction with polyaspartate to provide three ecofriendly nanocomposites (denoted ICP-1–3). The nanocomposites were characterized using FTIR, PXRD, TEM, SEM, and BET surface area. The adsorption isotherm of AB25 onto ICP-1, ICP-2 and ICP-3 was analyzed using the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) models. The adsorption isotherm was found to be best fitted by a Freundlich model. The thermodynamic parameters were calculated. The kinetics of the adsorption data were analyzed and the adsorption behavior was found to obey pseudo-second-order kinetics, and the intraparticle diffusion model. The adsorption mechanism was studied by FTIR. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis–Processing–Structure–Property Interrelationship of Multifunctional Polymer Nanocomposites III)
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