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Research on Properties of Polymers and Their Engineering Applications
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Research on Properties of Polymers and Their Engineering Applications

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymeric Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2025 | Viewed by 4961

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jintang Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
Interests: functional polymers; oil field chemicals
Dr. Miaomiao Hu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Associate Professor, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
Interests: functional materials; cementing engineering; construction materials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There is a long history of people using polymers. Thousands of years ago, cotton, hemp, silk, and wool were applied as fabric materials, while bamboo and wood were used as building materials. The advent and development of polymerization technology has made a wealth of materials available across various industries. New methods of polymerization, new polymers and new structures, and new properties and their applications continue to emerge. Functional polymers with good properties significantly help to resolve some of the problems which are arising in the development of engineering materials. At the same time, there are new requirements for the use of materials under the goal of carbon neutrality. The aim of this Special Issue is to publish the preparation and characterization of functional polymers as well as their engineering applications, including infrastructure construction, oil and gas exploration, clean energy, and sewage treatment. This Special Issue will provide the newest research on engineering polymers and serve as a platform for researchers to exchange scientific findings, thereby accelerating the development of polymerization and promoting the engineering application of new polymers. In this Special Issue, original research article and reviews are welcomed. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: disinfection and sterilization, infrastructures construction, oil and gas prospecting, mineral mining, clean energy and sewage treatment.

Prof. Dr. Jintang Guo
Dr. Miaomiao Hu
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. Materials 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 2600 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
  • polymerization
  • anti-corrosion
  • cementing engineering
  • drilling
  • construction materials
  • disinfection
  • sterilization
  • sewage treatment

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 1557 KiB  
Article
Reprocessible, Reusable, and Self-Healing Polymeric Adsorbent for Removing Perfluorinated Pollutants
by Sun Ju Kim, Minjoon Baek, Jihye Choe and Jaeman J. Shin
Materials 2024, 17(21), 5170; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17215170 - 23 Oct 2024
Viewed by 690
Abstract
Here, we report a reprocessible, reusable, self-healing, and form-switching polymeric adsorbent for remediating fluorinated pollutants in water. The copolymer hydrogel is designed to contain fluorophilic segments and cationic segments to induce strong binding with perfluorinated pollutants. The sorption performance reveals rapid and quantitative [...] Read more.
Here, we report a reprocessible, reusable, self-healing, and form-switching polymeric adsorbent for remediating fluorinated pollutants in water. The copolymer hydrogel is designed to contain fluorophilic segments and cationic segments to induce strong binding with perfluorinated pollutants. The sorption performance reveals rapid and quantitative removal of these pollutants, driven by the synergistic effect of fluorophilic and electrostatic interaction. Importantly, a disulfide-containing dynamic crosslinker plays a crucial role in imparting multifunctionality. This enables self-healing by the restoration of crosslinks at the cut surfaces by disulfide exchange reactions and allows for the repeated use of the adsorbent via multiple adsorption–desorption cycles. Furthermore, the adsorbent is reprocessible by cleaving the crosslinks to afford linear copolymers, which can be repolymerized into a hydrogel network on demand. Also, form-switching capability is showcased through the aqueous self-assembly of linear copolymers into a fluorinated micelle, serving as another form of adsorbent for pollutant removal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Properties of Polymers and Their Engineering Applications)
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16 pages, 2337 KiB  
Article
Advancing Food Packaging: Exploring Cyto-Toxicity of Shape Memory Polyurethanes
by Antonio Veloso-Fernández, José Manuel Laza, Leire Ruiz-Rubio, Ane Martín, Asier Benito-Vicente, Cesar Martín and José Luis Vilas-Vilela
Materials 2024, 17(19), 4770; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17194770 - 28 Sep 2024
Viewed by 656
Abstract
Cytotoxicity is a critical parameter for materials intended for biological applications, such as food packaging. Shape-memory polyurethanes (SMPUs) have garnered significant interest due to their versatile properties and adaptability in synthesis. However, their suitability for biological applications is limited by the use of [...] Read more.
Cytotoxicity is a critical parameter for materials intended for biological applications, such as food packaging. Shape-memory polyurethanes (SMPUs) have garnered significant interest due to their versatile properties and adaptability in synthesis. However, their suitability for biological applications is limited by the use of aromatic isocyanates, such as methylene diphenyl 4,4′-diisocyanate (MDI) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI), which are commonly used in SMPU synthesis but can generate carcinogenic compounds upon degradation. In this study, thermo-responsive shape-memory polyurethanes (SMPUs) were synthesized using poly(tetramethylene ether) glycol (PTMG) and castor oil (CO) as a chain extender with four different isocyanates—aromatic (MDI and TDI), aliphatic (hexamethylene diisocyanate [HDI] and isophorone diisocyanate [IPDI])—to evaluate their impact on polyurethane cytotoxicity. Cytotoxicity assays were conducted on the synthesized SMPU samples before and after exposure to light-induced degradation. The results showed that prior to degradation, all samples exhibited cell proliferation rates above 90%. However, after degradation, the SMPUs containing aromatic isocyanates demonstrated a drastic reduction in cell proliferation to values below 10%, whereas the samples with aliphatic isocyanates maintained cell proliferation above 70%. Subsequently, the influence of polyol chain length was assessed using PTMG, with molecular weights of 1000, 650, and 250 g·mol−1. The results indicated that the SMPUs with longer chain lengths exhibited higher cell proliferation rates both before and after degradation. The thermal and mechanical properties of the SMPUs were further characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and thermomechanical analysis (TMA), providing comprehensive insights into the behavior of these materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Properties of Polymers and Their Engineering Applications)
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18 pages, 8597 KiB  
Article
Defoaming and Toughening Effects of Highly Dispersed Graphene Oxide Modified by Amphoteric Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer on Oil Well Cement
by Min Zeng, Yubing Xing, Yongxu Xie, Dawei Xu, Xia Miao and Jintang Guo
Materials 2024, 17(11), 2523; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17112523 - 23 May 2024
Viewed by 848
Abstract
The aggregation of graphene oxide (GO) during the hydration process limits its wide application. Polymer superplasticizers have been used to improve the dispersion state of GO due to their adsorption and site-blocking effects, though the formation of a large amount of foam during [...] Read more.
The aggregation of graphene oxide (GO) during the hydration process limits its wide application. Polymer superplasticizers have been used to improve the dispersion state of GO due to their adsorption and site-blocking effects, though the formation of a large amount of foam during the mixing process weakens the mechanical properties of cement. A highly dispersed amphoteric polycarboxylate superplasticizer-stabilized graphene oxide (APC/GO) toughening agent was prepared by electrostatic self-assembly. Results demonstrate that the APC/GO composite dispersed well in a cement pore solution due to the steric effect offered by the APC. Additionally, the well-dispersed GO acted as an antifoaming agent in the cement since GO nanosheets can be absorbed at the air–liquid interface of APC foam via electrostatic interactions and eliminate the air-entraining effect. The well-dispersed APC/GO sheets promoted cement hydration and further refined its pore structure owing to the nucleation effect. The flexural and compressive strength of the cement containing the APC/GO composite were enhanced by 21.51% and 18.58%, respectively, after a 7-day hydration process compared with a blank sample. The improved hydration degree, highly polymerized C-S-H gel, and refined pore structure provided enhanced mechanical properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Properties of Polymers and Their Engineering Applications)
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20 pages, 4467 KiB  
Article
Solidification/Stabilization of Chromium-Contaminated Soils by Polyurethane during Freeze–Thaw Cycles: Mechanical, Leaching and Microstructure Characterization
by Qiang Ma, Pangkun Zheng, Junjie Chen and Xuesong Lu
Materials 2024, 17(6), 1347; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17061347 - 15 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1080
Abstract
The treatment of chromium-contaminated soil in seasonal frozen soil areas has been the subject of recent interest. Polyurethane (PU), as a polymer material with excellent freeze–thaw resistance and abrasion resistance, has the potential to solidify Chromium-Contaminated soil in seasonal frozen soil areas. However, [...] Read more.
The treatment of chromium-contaminated soil in seasonal frozen soil areas has been the subject of recent interest. Polyurethane (PU), as a polymer material with excellent freeze–thaw resistance and abrasion resistance, has the potential to solidify Chromium-Contaminated soil in seasonal frozen soil areas. However, there is a lack of research on the mechanism of PU involved in solidifying/stabilizing chromium-contaminated soil in seasonal frozen regions from the perspective of pore structure and functional group coordination bonds. In this study, the leaching behavior of PU with different contents under different freeze–thaw cycles was analyzed, and the mechanism of PU in seasonal frozen regions was explored from the perspective of pores and functional groups by combining various microscopic characterization methods. The results show that PU can effectively resist the deterioration of chromium-contaminated soil after freeze–thaw cycles and can better prevent the harm of secondary leaching. The leaching concentration of chromium ion is only 1.09 mg/L, which is below China’s regulatory limits. PU is beneficial for inhibiting the expansion of ice crystals in chromium-contaminated soil in seasonal frozen soil areas. PU solidifies chromium by physical encapsulation and complexation reactions. The amide functional groups, methyl-CH3 and isocyanate groups in PU play a leading role in the complexation with chromium. Although the freeze–thaw cycle will destroy the coordination bond between the PU functional group and chromium, chromium cannot break through the bond of PU film. This study confirmed the feasibility of using PU to solidify Chromium-Contaminated soil in seasonal frozen soil areas, which can provide research support and reference for in situ engineering in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Properties of Polymers and Their Engineering Applications)
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14 pages, 7018 KiB  
Article
Three-Point Safety Polymeric Belt Webbing versus Four-Point Belt for a Race Car in Frontal Crashes
by Calin Itu and Sorin Vlase
Materials 2023, 16(24), 7640; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16247640 - 14 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1055
Abstract
Polyester is currently the main material used for the manufacture of safety belts used in car transport for the protection of passengers and the driver. The seat belt is the main passive safety element used in vehicle engineering. In this work, the behavior [...] Read more.
Polyester is currently the main material used for the manufacture of safety belts used in car transport for the protection of passengers and the driver. The seat belt is the main passive safety element used in vehicle engineering. In this work, the behavior of two safety belts, one with three-point fastening and the other with four-point fastening, which equip the seat of a racing car used in Formula Student for use in a frontal impact with a vertical wall. A model with finite elements is used to describe the entire car–driver shock-absorber assembly. The von Mises stresses calculated for both cases under consideration are below the tensile strength. The tensions arising in the belt and the accelerations required at various points of the driver’s body are determined by both the properties of the utilized polyester and the chosen construction variant. The obtained results justify the use of the three-point and four-point belt in the cases of both common and race cars. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Properties of Polymers and Their Engineering Applications)
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