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Polymers
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Surfaces and Interfaces of Polymer Composites
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Surfaces and Interfaces of Polymer Composites

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 July 2024) | Viewed by 24579

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Inge Mühlbacher

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Polymer Competence Center Leoben (PCCL) Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials, University of Technology Graz Stremayrgasse 9/5, 8010 Graz, Austria
Interests: surface characterization; surface potential measurements (plane surfaces; particles; fabrics and fibres); contact angle measurements; colloid science; particle size and charge; nanomaterials; rheology; polymer chemistry
Dr. Matej Bracic

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Institute of Engineering Materials and Design, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Interests: surface interactions; surface charge; coatings; biopolymers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Thomas Luxbacher

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
2. Anton Paar GmbH, Anton Paar Str. 20, 8054 Graz, Austria
Interests: material surface characterization; zeta potential; surface charge; solid–water interface
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues

Polymer composites are one of industry's most important and vital classes of high-performance materials. Their surface and interface characteristics play an important role in numerous application areas, including the microelectronic, automotive and aircraft industries as well as (bio)medical, diagnostic and sensor technologies. Thus, it is crucial to control, tailor, characterize and understand surfaces and interfaces of polymer composites in detail.

In this Special Issue of MDPI’s Polymers, experts will report on new developments to modify the surfaces and interfaces of polymer composites in a controlled manner. Along with new trends in surface science, a second focus will be on analytical techniques to describe and obtain a knowledge base on the surface-related properties of polymer composites.

Interfaces are the key to engineering composites, alloys, and hybrid materials. Fracture and corrosion produce new interfaces, and controlling these phenomena is relevant for improving the lifetime of technically relevant composites.

Readers from a huge variety of relevant fields will thus benefit from an application-oriented Special Issue that helps them to find solutions to both fundamental and technical problems.

Dr. Inge Mühlbacher
Dr. Matej Bracic
Dr. Thomas Luxbacher
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

  • surface modification
  • tailoring
  • characterize interfaces
  • microelectronic
  • automotive
  • aircraft
  • (bio)medicine
  • diagnostic
  • sensor technologies
  • nanomaterials
  • colloids

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 6508 KiB  
Article
Surface Treatment Effect on the Mechanical and Thermal Behavior of the Glass Fabric Reinforced Polysulfone
by Galal Sherif, Dilyus I. Chukov, Victor V. Tcherdyntsev, Andrey A. Stepashkin, Mikhail Y. Zadorozhnyy, Yury M. Shulga and Eugene N. Kabachkov
Polymers 2024, 16(6), 864; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym16060864 - 21 Mar 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1372
Abstract
The chemical structure of the surface of glass fibers, including silanized fibers, was studied. Highly efficient heat-resistant composites were obtained by impregnating silanized glass fiber with a polysulfone solution, and the effect of modification of the surface of glass fibers on the physical, [...] Read more.
The chemical structure of the surface of glass fibers, including silanized fibers, was studied. Highly efficient heat-resistant composites were obtained by impregnating silanized glass fiber with a polysulfone solution, and the effect of modification of the surface of glass fibers on the physical, mechanical and thermophysical properties of the composite materials was studied. As a result of the study, it was found that the fiber-to-polymer ratio of 70/30 wt.% showed the best mechanical properties for composites reinforced with pre-heat-treated and silanized glass fibers. It has been established that the chemical treatment of the glass fibers with silanes makes it possible to increase the mechanical properties by 1.5 times compared to composites reinforced with initial fibers. It was found that the use of silane coupling agents made it possible to increase the thermal stability of the composites. Mechanisms that improve the interfacial interaction between the glass fibers and the polymer matrix have been identified. It has been shown that an increase in adhesion occurs both due to the uniform distribution of the polymer on the surface of the glass fibers and due to the improved wettability of the fibers by the polymer. An interpenetrating network was formed in the interfacial region, providing a chemical bond between the functional groups on the surface of the glass fiber and the polymer matrix, which was formed as a result of treating the glass fiber surface with silanes, It has been shown that when treated with aminopropyltriethoxysilane, significant functional unprotonated amino groups NH+/NH2+ are formed on the surface of the fibers; such free amino groups, oriented in the direction from the fiber surface, form strong bonds with the matrix polymer. Based on experimental data, the chemical structure of the polymer/glass fiber interface was identified. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surfaces and Interfaces of Polymer Composites)
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20 pages, 5610 KiB  
Article
Atomic Force Microscopy of Hydrolysed Polyacrylamide Adsorption onto Calcium Carbonate
by Jin Hau Lew, Omar K. Matar, Erich A. Müller, Paul F. Luckham, Adrielle Sousa Santos and Maung Maung Myo Thant
Polymers 2023, 15(20), 4037; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15204037 - 10 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1430
Abstract
In this work, the interaction of hydrolysed polyacrylamide (HPAM) of two molecular weights (F3330, 11–13 MDa; F3530, 15–17 MDa) with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) was studied via atomic force microscopy (AFM). In the absence of polymers at 1.7 mM and 1 M [...] Read more.
In this work, the interaction of hydrolysed polyacrylamide (HPAM) of two molecular weights (F3330, 11–13 MDa; F3530, 15–17 MDa) with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) was studied via atomic force microscopy (AFM). In the absence of polymers at 1.7 mM and 1 M NaCl, good agreement with DLVO theory was observed. At 1.7 mM NaCl, repulsive interaction during approach at approximately 20 nm and attractive adhesion of approximately 400 pN during retraction was measured, whilst, at 1 M NaCl, no repulsion during approach was found. Still, a significantly larger adhesion of approximately 1400 pN during retraction was observed. In the presence of polymers, results indicated that F3330 displayed higher average adhesion (450–625 pN) and interaction energy (43–145 aJ) with CaCO3 than F3530’s average adhesion (85–88 pN) and interaction energy (8.4–11 aJ). On the other hand, F3530 exerted a longer steric repulsion distance (70–100 nm) than F3330 (30–70 nm). This was likely due to the lower molecular weight. F3330 adopted a flatter configuration on the calcite surface, creating more anchor points with the surface in the form of train segments. The adhesion and interaction energy of both HPAM with CaCO3 can be decreased by increasing the salt concentration. At 3% NaCl, the average adhesion and interaction energy of F3330 was 72–120 pN and 5.6–17 aJ, respectively, while the average adhesion and interaction energy of F3530 was 11.4–48 pN and 0.3–2.98 aJ, respectively. The reduction of adhesion and interaction energy was likely due to the screening of the COO− charged group of HPAM by salt cations, leading to a reduction of electrostatic attraction between the negatively charged HPAM and the positively charged CaCO3. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surfaces and Interfaces of Polymer Composites)
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12 pages, 3437 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Interfacial Properties of Carbon Fiber/Maleic Anhydride-Grafted Polypropylene Composites via Two-Step Surface Treatment: Electrochemical Oxidation and Silane Treatment
by Dong-Kyu Kim, Woong Han, Kwan-Woo Kim and Byung-Joo Kim
Polymers 2023, 15(18), 3784; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15183784 - 16 Sep 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1721
Abstract
The interfacial adhesion between carbon fibers (CFs) and a thermoplastic matrix is an important aspect that should be improved in manufacturing CF-reinforced thermoplastics with high strength and rigidity. In this study, the effects of a two-step surface treatment comprising electrochemical oxidation and silane [...] Read more.
The interfacial adhesion between carbon fibers (CFs) and a thermoplastic matrix is an important aspect that should be improved in manufacturing CF-reinforced thermoplastics with high strength and rigidity. In this study, the effects of a two-step surface treatment comprising electrochemical oxidation and silane treatment of the CF surface on the mechanical properties of CF/maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (MAPP) composites were confirmed. The surface characteristics of the treated CFs were analyzed via scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The tensile testing of a single CF and interfacial adhesion of the samples before and after the surface treatment were analyzed using a single-fiber testing machine and a universal testing machine. After the silane treatment, the roughness of the CF surface increased due to the formation of a siloxane network. In addition, the interfacial shear strength increased by ∼450% compared to that of the untreated CFs due to the covalent bond between the -NH2 end group of siloxane and MAPP. This two-step surface treatment, which can be performed continuously, is considered an effective method for improving the mechanical interface strength between the CF and polymer matrix. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surfaces and Interfaces of Polymer Composites)
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12 pages, 2595 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of Transparent PEGylated Antifouling Coatings via One-Step Pyrogallol Deposition
by Shang-Lin Yeh, Piyush Deval and Wei-Bor Tsai
Polymers 2023, 15(12), 2731; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15122731 - 19 Jun 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1501
Abstract
Antifouling coatings are critical for many biomedical devices. A simple and universal technique used to anchor antifouling polymers is important in order to expand its applications. In this study, we introduced the pyrogallol (PG)-assisted immobilization of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to deposit a thin [...] Read more.
Antifouling coatings are critical for many biomedical devices. A simple and universal technique used to anchor antifouling polymers is important in order to expand its applications. In this study, we introduced the pyrogallol (PG)-assisted immobilization of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to deposit a thin antifouling layer on biomaterials. Briefly, biomaterials were soaked in a PG/PEG solution and PEG was immobilized onto the biomaterial surfaces via PG polymerization and deposition. The kinetics of PG/PEG deposition started with the deposition of PG on the substrates, followed by the addition of a PEG-rich adlayer. However, prolonged coating added a top-most PG-rich layer, which deteriorated the antifouling efficacy. By controlling the amounts of PG and PEG and the coating time, the PG/PEG coating was able to reduce more than 99% of the adhesion of L929 cells and the adsorption of fibrinogen. The ultrathin (tens of nanometers) and smooth PG/PEG coating was easily deposited onto a wide variety of biomaterials, and the deposition was robust enough to survive harsh sterilization conditions. Furthermore, the coating was highly transparent and allowed most of the UV and Vis light to pass through. The technique has great potential to be applied to biomedical devices that need a transparent antifouling coating, such as intraocular lenses and biosensors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surfaces and Interfaces of Polymer Composites)
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15 pages, 3627 KiB  
Article
Alkaline Treatment Variables to Characterize Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)/Poly(Vinyl Butyral/Vinyl Alcohol) Blend Films
by Seong Baek Yang, Mohammad Rezaul Karim, Jungeon Lee, Jeong Hyun Yeum and Sabina Yeasmin
Polymers 2022, 14(18), 3916; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14183916 - 19 Sep 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2489
Abstract
Novel poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/poly(vinyl butyral–vinyl alcohol) (P(VB-VA)) films with improved hydrophobicity were prepared from poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc)/poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) blend films with various mass ratios by saponification in a heterogeneous medium. The successful conversion of PVAc to PVA and PVAc/PVB to PVA/P(VB-VA) films [...] Read more.
Novel poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/poly(vinyl butyral–vinyl alcohol) (P(VB-VA)) films with improved hydrophobicity were prepared from poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc)/poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) blend films with various mass ratios by saponification in a heterogeneous medium. The successful conversion of PVAc to PVA and PVAc/PVB to PVA/P(VB-VA) films was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and proton nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. This study also shows that the degree of saponification (DS) depends on the saponification time. The maximum DS of 99.99% was obtained at 96 h of saponification for all films, and the presence of PVB did not affect the DS at saponification times of 48–96 h. The effects of the PVAc/PVB blend ratio before and after saponification were determined by contact angle measurement, and the hydrophobicity was found to increase in both cases with increasing PVB content. Additionally, all the films exhibited improved mechanical properties after saponification, and the treated films possessed an unusual porous and uneven surface, in contrast with the untreated films. The prepared films with improved hydrophobicity can be used for various applications, such as biomaterials, filters, and medical devices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surfaces and Interfaces of Polymer Composites)
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15 pages, 5851 KiB  
Article
Mechanical and Tribological Properties of 3D Printed Polyamide 12 and SiC/PA12 Composite by Selective Laser Sintering
by Guoyan Yu, Jingdong Ma, Jun Li, Jingquan Wu, Jiang Yu and Xianzhang Wang
Polymers 2022, 14(11), 2167; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14112167 - 27 May 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3067
Abstract
Polymeric matrix composites are important to the advancement of industries such as the automobile and medicine industries. In this study, the silicon carbide (SiC) particle-reinforced polyamide12 (PA12) matrix composites were fabricated by selective laser sintering system as well as the pure PA12. The [...] Read more.
Polymeric matrix composites are important to the advancement of industries such as the automobile and medicine industries. In this study, the silicon carbide (SiC) particle-reinforced polyamide12 (PA12) matrix composites were fabricated by selective laser sintering system as well as the pure PA12. The surface topographies, mechanical, and tribological properties were further examined. The results indicated that the friction and wear resistance of the composite were improved compared with the PA12 matrix. The compressive strength increased about 8.5%, shore D hardness increased about 6%. The friction coefficient decreased about 10%, the specific wear rate decreased 20% after adding silicon carbide 10% weight to PA12. The wear mechanisms were also discussed. The deformed asperities on the worn surface can withstand more tangential load, and therefore resulted in lower specific wear rate. It was found that the content of SiC particles on the surface were reduced after friction tests. According to the analysis of SEM, EDS, and FTIR results, the wear mechanisms were considered to be the abrasive and fatigue mode. This type of PA12 matrix composite might be a promising potential in marine and energy applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surfaces and Interfaces of Polymer Composites)
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Review

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69 pages, 19912 KiB  
Review
A Review of Multi-Material 3D Printing of Functional Materials via Vat Photopolymerization
by Usman Shaukat, Elisabeth Rossegger and Sandra Schlögl
Polymers 2022, 14(12), 2449; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14122449 - 16 Jun 2022
Cited by 90 | Viewed by 11803
Abstract
Additive manufacturing or 3D printing of materials is a prominent process technology which involves the fabrication of materials layer-by-layer or point-by-point in a subsequent manner. With recent advancements in additive manufacturing, the technology has excited a great potential for extension of simple designs [...] Read more.
Additive manufacturing or 3D printing of materials is a prominent process technology which involves the fabrication of materials layer-by-layer or point-by-point in a subsequent manner. With recent advancements in additive manufacturing, the technology has excited a great potential for extension of simple designs to complex multi-material geometries. Vat photopolymerization is a subdivision of additive manufacturing which possesses many attractive features, including excellent printing resolution, high dimensional accuracy, low-cost manufacturing, and the ability to spatially control the material properties. However, the technology is currently limited by design strategies, material chemistries, and equipment limitations. This review aims to provide readers with a comprehensive comparison of different additive manufacturing technologies along with detailed knowledge on advances in multi-material vat photopolymerization technologies. Furthermore, we describe popular material chemistries both from the past and more recently, along with future prospects to address the material-related limitations of vat photopolymerization. Examples of the impressive multi-material capabilities inspired by nature which are applicable today in multiple areas of life are briefly presented in the applications section. Finally, we describe our point of view on the future prospects of 3D printed multi-material structures as well as on the way forward towards promising further advancements in vat photopolymerization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surfaces and Interfaces of Polymer Composites)
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