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Polymers
Special Issues
Advanced Polymer Materials: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties
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Advanced Polymer Materials: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 5869

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Edina Rusen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, University of Bucharest, 1–7 Gh. Polizu Street, 011061 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: polymers; nanoparticles
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The present collection proposes to cover a large domain regarding the synthesis of polymer materials and the structure–properties correlation. The synthesis strategy could involve controlled radical polymerizations (CRP), ionic polymerization, polycondensation, radical polymerization, etc. The type of synthesis strategy influences the structure of the final polymers, which dictates the properties of the material. It is important to highlight the relationship between the synthesis strategy, structure, morphology, and properties. Obviously, the correlation could be made starting from the final properties of the polymers. Thus, considering these aspects, the structure can be deduced and associated with the synthesis strategy. Another important factor is the polymer synthesis technology, respectively, the processability, in attaining the desired applicability areas.

Reviews and research papers covering aspects of current trends in the development of polymer-based materials are desired.

Dr. Edina Rusen
Guest Editor

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

  • controlled radical polymerizations (CRP)
  • ionic polymerization
  • polycondensation
  • radical polymerization
  • Polymer structure and properties

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 3502 KiB  
Article
Study on the Characterization of Physical, Mechanical, and Creep Properties of Masson Pine and Chinese Fir Wood Flour-Reinforced High-Density Polyethylene Composites
by Hailong Xu, Xueshan Hua, Yan Cao, Lifen Li, Baoyu Liu, Xiaohui Yang and Hua Gao
Polymers 2024, 16(24), 3507; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16243507 - 17 Dec 2024
Viewed by 536
Abstract
Improving the physical, mechanical, and creep properties of wood fiber-reinforced polymer composites is crucial for broadening their application prospect. In this research, seven types of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites reinforced with different mass ratios of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) and Chinese [...] Read more.
Improving the physical, mechanical, and creep properties of wood fiber-reinforced polymer composites is crucial for broadening their application prospect. In this research, seven types of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites reinforced with different mass ratios of Masson pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) and Chinese fir [Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.] were prepared by a two-step extrusion molding method. The mass ratios of the two fibers were 60:0, 50:10, 40:20, 30:30, 20:40, 10:50, and 0:60, respectively. The surface color, density, dimension stability, bending, tensile, impact properties, dynamic mechanical properties, and 24 h creep properties at a 10% stress level of the seven composites were investigated. Additionally, the Rule of Mixtures (ROM), the Inverse Rule of Mixtures (IROM), the Hirsch models, and the improved model were employed to simulate the mechanical properties, while the Findley index model, the two-parameter index model, and the modified ExpAssoc model were employed to simulate the creep performance of the composites. This study revealed that as the proportion of Chinese fir wood flour increased, the mechanical properties of the composites gradually improved, the storage modulus showed an increasing trend, while the loss modulus decreased, and the overall creep strain of the composites increased. Among the various models, the modified model simulated the mechanical properties of the composites the best, while the modified ExpAssoc model simulated the creep behavior most effectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymer Materials: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties)
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16 pages, 2512 KiB  
Article
The Design of a Controlled-Release Polymer of a Phytopharmaceutical Agent: A Study on the Release in Different PH Environments Using the Ultrafiltration Technique
by Oscar G. Marambio, Alejandro Muñoz, Rudy Martin-Trasancos, Julio Sánchez and Guadalupe del C. Pizarro
Polymers 2024, 16(24), 3492; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16243492 - 14 Dec 2024
Viewed by 679
Abstract
A series of hydrophilic copolymers were prepared using 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and itaconic acid (IA) from free radical polymerization at different feed monomer ratios using ammonium persulfate (APS) initiators in water at 70 °C. The herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) was grafted to [...] Read more.
A series of hydrophilic copolymers were prepared using 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and itaconic acid (IA) from free radical polymerization at different feed monomer ratios using ammonium persulfate (APS) initiators in water at 70 °C. The herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) was grafted to Poly(HEMA-co-IA) by a condensation reaction. The hydrolysis of the polymeric release system, Poly(HEMA-co-IA)-2,4-D, demonstrated that the release of the herbicide in an aqueous phase depends on the polymeric system’s pH value and hydrophilic character. In addition, the swelling behavior (Wt%) was studied at different pH values using Liquid-phase Polymer Retention (LPR) in an ultrafiltration system. The acid hydrolysis of the herbicide from the conjugates follows a first-order kinetic, showing higher kinetic constants as the pH increases. The base-catalyzed hydrolysis reaction of the herbicide follows a zero-order kinetic, where the basic medium acts as a catalyst, accelerating the release rate of the herbicide and showing higher kinetic constants as the pH increases. The differences in the release rates found for the hydrogel herbicide at different pH values can be correlated with the difference in their swelling capacity, where the release rate generally increases with an increase in the swelling capacity from water solution at higher pH values. The study of the release process revealed that all samples in distilled water at a pH of 10 are representative of agricultural systems. It showed first-order swelling kinetics and an absorption capacity that conforms to the parameters for hydrogels for agricultural applications, which supports their potential for these purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymer Materials: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties)
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22 pages, 19199 KiB  
Article
Impact of Hexyl Branch Content on the Mechanical Properties and Deformation Mechanisms of Amorphous Ethylene/1-Octene Copolymers: A Molecular Dynamics Study
by Ruijun Zhang, Qiqi He, Hongbo Yu, Junhua Li, Yuexin Hu and Jianhua Qian
Polymers 2024, 16(23), 3236; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16233236 - 21 Nov 2024
Viewed by 712
Abstract
Ethylene/1-octene copolymers exhibit enhanced flexibility and impact resistance compared to polyethylene, which makes them well suited for applications in advanced plastics and elastomers. United-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted to explore the mechanical behavior and deformation mechanisms of ethylene/1-octene copolymers under uniaxial [...] Read more.
Ethylene/1-octene copolymers exhibit enhanced flexibility and impact resistance compared to polyethylene, which makes them well suited for applications in advanced plastics and elastomers. United-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted to explore the mechanical behavior and deformation mechanisms of ethylene/1-octene copolymers under uniaxial tensile loading. This study systematically examined the influence of temperature, polymer chain length, chain quantity, and strain rate, with a specific focus on how hexyl branch content impacts the mechanical properties of amorphous ethylene/1-octene copolymers. The simulation results indicate that as the branch content increases, the yield strength and elastic modulus decrease, suggesting a trade-off between flexibility and mechanical strength. Energy decomposition analysis reveals that copolymers with more branched chains undergo greater changes in van der Waals energy. Additionally, as the branch content increases, the reduction in dihedral angle energy in the strain hardening region becomes more gradual, and the rate and the extent of the transition of dihedral angles from gauche to trans conformation decrease under deformation. Ethylene/1-octene copolymers exhibit higher chain entanglement parameters compared to linear polyethylene, with these parameters increasing as the branch content rises. Moreover, increasing the branch content results in a less pronounced increase in chain orientation along the loading direction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymer Materials: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties)
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21 pages, 6481 KiB  
Article
In Situ Formation of Acidic Comonomer during Thermal Treatment of Copolymers of Acrylonitrile and Its Influence on the Cyclization Reaction
by Roman V. Toms, Daniil A. Ismaylov, Alexander Yu. Gervald, Nickolay I. Prokopov, Anna V. Plutalova and Elena V. Chernikova
Polymers 2024, 16(19), 2833; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16192833 - 7 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1025
Abstract
Binary and ternary copolymers of acrylonitrile (AN), tert-butyl acrylate (TBA), and n-butyl acrylate (BA) are synthesized through conventional radical polymerization in DMSO in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. The thermal behavior of binary and ternary copolymers is studied under argon atmosphere and [...] Read more.
Binary and ternary copolymers of acrylonitrile (AN), tert-butyl acrylate (TBA), and n-butyl acrylate (BA) are synthesized through conventional radical polymerization in DMSO in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. The thermal behavior of binary and ternary copolymers is studied under argon atmosphere and in air. It is demonstrated that the copolymers of AN contain 1–10 mol.% of TBA split isobutylene upon heating above 160 °C, resulting in the formation of the units of acrylic acid in the chain. The carboxylic groups formed in situ are responsible for the ionic mechanism of cyclization, which starts at lower temperatures compared with pure polyacrylonitrile (PAN) or AN copolymer with BA. The activation energy of cyclization through ionic and radical mechanisms depends on copolymer composition. For the ionic mechanism, the activation energy lies in the range ca. 100–130 kJ/mole, while for the radical mechanism, it lies in the range ca. 150–190 kJ/mole. The increase in the TBA molar part in the copolymer is followed by faster consumption of nitrile groups and the evolution of a ladder structure in both binary and ternary copolymers. Thus, the incorporation of a certain amount of TBA in PAN or its copolymer with BA allows tuning the temperature range of cyclization. This feature seems attractive for applications in the production of melt-spun PAN by choosing the appropriate copolymer composition and heating mode. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymer Materials: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties)
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23 pages, 16371 KiB  
Article
Experimental Investigations on Shear Thickening Fluids as “Liquid Body Armors”: Non-Conventional Formulations for Ballistic Protection
by Florentina Alexe, Ciprian Sau, Ovidiu Iorga, Gabriela Toader, Aurel Diacon, Edina Rusen, Claudiu Lazaroaie, Raluca Elena Ginghina, Tudor Viorel Tiganescu, Mircea Teodorescu and Arcadie Sobetkii
Polymers 2024, 16(16), 2305; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16162305 - 15 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1804
Abstract
Shear thickening fluids (STFs) have garnered attention as potential enhancers of protective capabilities and for the optimization of Kevlar® armor design. To assess the possible shear thickening properties and potential application in ballistic protection, ten formulations were developed by employing polyethylene glycol [...] Read more.
Shear thickening fluids (STFs) have garnered attention as potential enhancers of protective capabilities and for the optimization of Kevlar® armor design. To assess the possible shear thickening properties and potential application in ballistic protection, ten formulations were developed by employing polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polypropylene glycol (PPG), along with fumed silica or Aerosil HDK®. Rheological characterization facilitated the identification of formulations displaying shear thickening behavior. The potential integration of the selected shear thickening fluids (STFs) into Kevlar®-based composites was investigated by studying the impact resistance of Kevlar® soft armor structures. Also, high-velocity impact testing revealed that the distance between aramid layers plays a crucial role in the impact resistance effectiveness of Kevlar®–STF composite structures and that there is a very narrow domain between optimal and undesired scenarios in which STF could facilitate the penetration of Kevlar. The introduction of STF between the Kevlar sheets disrupted this packing and the energy absorption capacity of the material was not improved. Only one formulation (PEG400, Aerosil 27 wt.%) led to a less profound traumatic imprint and stopped the bullet when it was placed between layers no.1 and no.2 from a total of 11 layers of Kevlar XP. These experimental findings align with the modeling and simulation of Kevlar®–STF composites using Ansys simulation software (Ansys® AutoDyn 2022 R2). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Polymer Materials: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties)
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