Polymers

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13 pages, 2454 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of 3D Printing in the Development of a Catalytic System for the Heterogeneous Fenton Process

by Lucia D’Accolti, Alessia De Cataldo, Francesco Montagna, Carola Esposito Corcione and Alfonso Maffezzoli

Polymers 2023, 15(3), 580; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15030580 - 22 Jan 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2375

Abstract

Recycling of catalysts is often performed. Additive manufacturing (AM) received increasing attention in recent years in various fields such as engineering and medicine, among others. More recently, the fabrication of three-dimensional objects used as scaffolds in heterogeneous catalysis has shown innumerable advantages, such [...] Read more.

Recycling of catalysts is often performed. Additive manufacturing (AM) received increasing attention in recent years in various fields such as engineering and medicine, among others. More recently, the fabrication of three-dimensional objects used as scaffolds in heterogeneous catalysis has shown innumerable advantages, such as easier handling and waste reduction, both leading to a reduction in times and costs. In this work, the fabrication and use of 3D-printed recyclable polylactic acid (PLA) scaffolds coated with an iron oxide active catalyst for Fenton reactions applied to aromatic model molecules, is presented. These molecules are representative of a wider class of intractable organic compounds, often present in industrial wastewater. The 3D-printed PLA-coated scaffolds were also tested using an industrial wastewater, determining the chemical oxygen demand (COD). The catalyst is characterized using electron microscopy coupled to elemental analysis (SEM/EDX) and thermogravimetry, demonstrating that coating leach is very limited, and it can be easily recovered and reused many times. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Research in INSTM−National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology)

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16 pages, 7898 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microstructured Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor Based on Inkjet 3D Printing Using Photocurable Resins with Tailored Refractive Index

by Nunzio Cennamo, Lorena Saitta, Claudio Tosto, Francesco Arcadio, Luigi Zeni, Maria Elena Fragalá and Gianluca Cicala

Polymers 2021, 13(15), 2518; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13152518 - 30 Jul 2021

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 3335

Abstract

In this work, a novel approach to realize a plasmonic sensor is presented. The proposed optical sensor device is designed, manufactured, and experimentally tested. Two photo-curable resins are used to 3D print a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor. Both numerical and experimental analyses [...] Read more.

In this work, a novel approach to realize a plasmonic sensor is presented. The proposed optical sensor device is designed, manufactured, and experimentally tested. Two photo-curable resins are used to 3D print a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor. Both numerical and experimental analyses are presented in the paper. The numerical and experimental results confirm that the 3D printed SPR sensor presents performances, in term of figure of merit (FOM), very similar to other SPR sensors made using plastic optical fibers (POFs). For the 3D printed sensor, the measured FOM is 13.6 versus 13.4 for the SPR-POF configuration. The cost analysis shows that the 3D printed SPR sensor can be manufactured at low cost (∼15 €) that is competitive with traditional sensors. The approach presented here allows to realize an innovative SPR sensor showing low-cost, 3D-printing manufacturing free design and the feasibility to be integrated with other optical devices on the same plastic planar support, thus opening undisclosed future for the optical sensor systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Research in INSTM−National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology)

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22 pages, 75504 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermo-Mechanical and Morphological Properties of Polymer Composites Reinforced by Natural Fibers Derived from Wet Blue Leather Wastes: A Comparative Study

by Alessandro Nanni, Mariafederica Parisi, Martino Colonna and Massimo Messori

Polymers 2021, 13(11), 1837; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13111837 - 1 Jun 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3476

Abstract

The present work investigated the possibility to use wet blue (WB) leather wastes as natural reinforcing fibers within different polymer matrices. After their preparation and characterization, WB fibers were melt-mixed at 10 wt.% with poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polyamide 12 (PA12), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), [...] Read more.

The present work investigated the possibility to use wet blue (WB) leather wastes as natural reinforcing fibers within different polymer matrices. After their preparation and characterization, WB fibers were melt-mixed at 10 wt.% with poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polyamide 12 (PA12), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), and the obtained samples were subjected to rheological, thermal, thermo-mechanical, and viscoelastic analyses. In parallel, morphological properties such as fiber distribution and dispersion, fiber–matrix adhesion, and fiber exfoliation phenomena were analyzed through a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) to evaluate the relationship between the compounding process, mechanical responses, and morphological parameters. The PLA-based composite exhibited the best results since the Young modulus (+18%), tensile strength (+1.5%), impact (+10%), and creep (+5%) resistance were simultaneously enhanced by the addition of WB fibers, which were well dispersed and distributed in and significantly branched and interlocked with the polymer matrix. PA12- and TPU-based formulations showed a positive behavior (around +47% of the Young modulus and +40% of creep resistance) even if the not-optimal fiber–matrix adhesion and/or the poor de-fibration of WB slightly lowered the tensile strength and elongation at break. Finally, the TPE-based sample exhibited the worst performance because of the poor affinity between hydrophilic WB fibers and the hydrophobic polymer matrix. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Research in INSTM−National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology)

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20 pages, 6775 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Thermophysical Properties of Multifunctional Syntactic Foams Containing Phase Change Microcapsules for Thermal Energy Storage

by Francesco Galvagnini, Andrea Dorigato, Luca Fambri, Giulia Fredi and Alessandro Pegoretti

Polymers 2021, 13(11), 1790; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13111790 - 28 May 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3232

Abstract

Syntactic foams (SFs) combining an epoxy resin and hollow glass microspheres (HGM) feature a unique combination of low density, high mechanical properties, and low thermal conductivity which can be tuned according to specific applications. In this work, the versatility of epoxy/HGM SFs was [...] Read more.

Syntactic foams (SFs) combining an epoxy resin and hollow glass microspheres (HGM) feature a unique combination of low density, high mechanical properties, and low thermal conductivity which can be tuned according to specific applications. In this work, the versatility of epoxy/HGM SFs was further expanded by adding a microencapsulated phase change material (PCM) providing thermal energy storage (TES) ability at a phase change temperature of 43 °C. At this aim, fifteen epoxy (HGM/PCM) compositions with a total filler content (HGM + PCM) of up to 40 vol% were prepared and characterized. The experimental results were fitted with statistical models, which resulted in ternary diagrams that visually represented the properties of the ternary systems and simplified trend identification. Dynamic rheological tests showed that the PCM increased the viscosity of the epoxy resin more than HGM due to the smaller average size (20 µm vs. 60 µm) and that the systems containing both HGM and PCM showed lower viscosity than those containing only one filler type, due to the higher packing efficiency of bimodal filler distributions. HGM strongly reduced the gravimetric density and the thermal insulation properties. In fact, the sample with 40 vol% of HGM showed a density of 0.735 g/cm³ (−35% than neat epoxy) and a thermal conductivity of 0.12 W/(m∙K) (−40% than neat epoxy). Moreover, the increase in the PCM content increased the specific phase change enthalpy, which was up to 68 J/g for the sample with 40 vol% of PCM, with a consequent improvement in the thermal management ability that was also evidenced by temperature profiling tests in transient heating and cooling regimes. Finally, dynamical mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) showed that both fillers decreased the storage modulus but generally increased the storage modulus normalized by density (E′/ρ) up to 2440 MPa/(g/cm³) at 25 °C with 40 vol% of HGM (+48% than neat epoxy). These results confirmed that the main asset of these ternary multifunctional syntactic foams is their versatility, as the composition can be tuned to reach the property set that best matches the application requirements in terms of TES ability, thermal insulation, and low density. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Research in INSTM−National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology)

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11 pages, 1826 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Chitosan/Zeolite Composite Aerogels for a Fast and Effective Removal of Both Anionic and Cationic Dyes from Water

by Angela Marotta, Enrica Luzzi, Martina Salzano de Luna, Paolo Aprea, Veronica Ambrogi and Giovanni Filippone

Polymers 2021, 13(11), 1691; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13111691 - 22 May 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3655

Abstract

Organic dyes are extensively used in many industrial sectors, and their uncontrolled disposal into wastewaters raises serious concerns for environmental and human health. Due to the large variety of such pollutants, an effective remediation strategy should be characterized by a broad-spectrum efficacy. A [...] Read more.

Organic dyes are extensively used in many industrial sectors, and their uncontrolled disposal into wastewaters raises serious concerns for environmental and human health. Due to the large variety of such pollutants, an effective remediation strategy should be characterized by a broad-spectrum efficacy. A promising strategy is represented by the combination of different adsorbent materials with complementary functionalities to develop composite materials that are expected to remove different contaminants. In the present work, a broad-spectrum adsorbent was developed by embedding zeolite 13X powder (ZX) in a chitosan (CS) aerogel (1:1 by weight). The CS–ZX composite adsorbent removes both anionic (indigo carmine, IC) and cationic (methylene blue, MB) dyes effectively, with a maximum uptake capacity of 221 mg/g and 108 mg/g, respectively. In addition, the adsorption kinetics are rather fast, with equilibrium conditions attained in less than 2 h. The composite exhibits good mechanical properties in both dry and wet state, which enables its handling for reusability purposes. In this regard, preliminary tests show that the full restoration of the IC removal ability over three adsorption–desorption cycles is achieved using a 0.1 M NaOH aqueous solution, while a 1 M NaCl aqueous solution allows one to preserve >60% of the MB removal ability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Research in INSTM−National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology)

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19 pages, 3782 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of the Active Layer Structure on the Photovoltaic Performance of Water-Soluble Polythiophene-Based Solar Cells

by Massimiliano Lanzi, Debora Quadretti, Martina Marinelli, Yasamin Ziai, Elisabetta Salatelli and Filippo Pierini

Polymers 2021, 13(10), 1640; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13101640 - 18 May 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2650

Abstract

A new side-chain C₆₀-fullerene functionalized thiophene copolymer bearing tributylphosphine-substituted hexylic lateral groups was successfully synthesized by means of a fast and effective post-polymerization reaction on a regioregular ω-alkylbrominated polymeric precursor. The growth of the polymeric intermediate was followed by NMR spectrometry [...] Read more.

A new side-chain C₆₀-fullerene functionalized thiophene copolymer bearing tributylphosphine-substituted hexylic lateral groups was successfully synthesized by means of a fast and effective post-polymerization reaction on a regioregular ω-alkylbrominated polymeric precursor. The growth of the polymeric intermediate was followed by NMR spectrometry in order to determine the most convenient reaction time. The obtained copolymer was soluble in water and polar solvents and was used as a photoactive layer in single-material organic photovoltaic (OPV) solar cells. The copolymer photovoltaic efficiency was compared with that of an OPV cell containing a water-soluble polythiophenic homopolymer, functionalized with the same tributylphosphine-substituted hexylic side chains, in a blend with a water-soluble C₆₀-fullerene derivative. The use of a water-soluble double-cable copolymer made it possible to enhance the control on the nanomorphology of the active blend, thus reducing phase-segregation phenomena, as well as the macroscale separation between the electron acceptor and donor components. Indeed, the power conversion efficiency of OPV cells based on a single material was higher than that obtained with the classical architecture, involving the presence of two distinct ED and EA materials (PCE: 3.11% vs. 2.29%, respectively). Moreover, the synthetic procedure adopted to obtain single material-based cells is more straightforward and easier than that used for the preparation of the homopolymer-based BHJ solar cell, thus making it possible to completely avoid the long synthetic pathway which is required to prepare water-soluble fullerene derivatives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Research in INSTM−National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology)

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9 pages, 2038 KiB

Open AccessArticle

c-Perpendicular Orientation of Poly(ʟ-lactide) Films

by Baku Nagendra, Paola Rizzo, Christophe Daniel, Lucia Baldino and Gaetano Guerra

Polymers 2021, 13(10), 1572; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13101572 - 13 May 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1690

Abstract

Poly(ʟ-lactide) (PLLA) films, even of high thickness, exhibiting co-crystalline and crystalline α phases with their chain axes preferentially perpendicular to the film plane (c_⊥ orientation) have been obtained. This c_⊥ orientation, unprecedented for PLLA films, can be achieved by the crystallization [...] Read more.

Poly(ʟ-lactide) (PLLA) films, even of high thickness, exhibiting co-crystalline and crystalline α phases with their chain axes preferentially perpendicular to the film plane (c_⊥ orientation) have been obtained. This c_⊥ orientation, unprecedented for PLLA films, can be achieved by the crystallization of amorphous films as induced by low-temperature sorption of molecules being suitable as guests of PLLA co-crystalline forms, such as N,N-dimethylformamide, cyclopentanone or 1,3-dioxolane. This kind of orientation is shown and quantified by two-dimensional wide-angle X-ray diffraction (2D-WAXD) patterns, as taken with the X-ray beam parallel to the film plane (EDGE patterns), which present all the hk0 arcs centered on the meridian. PLLA α-form films, as obtained by low-temperature guest-induced crystallization, also exhibit high transparency, being not far from those of the starting amorphous films. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Research in INSTM−National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology)

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19 pages, 2480 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Polyacrylamide Grafted Xanthan: Microwave-Assisted Synthesis and Rheological Behavior for Polymer Flooding

by Souheyla Chami, Nicolas Joly, Patrizia Bocchetta, Patrick Martin and Djamel Aliouche

Polymers 2021, 13(9), 1484; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13091484 - 5 May 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2434

Abstract

Application of polymer-flooding systems in secondary and tertiary oil recovery represents a real challenge for oil industry. In this work, our main objective is to explore possibilities of making use of xanthan-g-polyacrylamide for polymer flooding in a particular Devonian oilfield of [...] Read more.

Application of polymer-flooding systems in secondary and tertiary oil recovery represents a real challenge for oil industry. In this work, our main objective is to explore possibilities of making use of xanthan-g-polyacrylamide for polymer flooding in a particular Devonian oilfield of medium salinity. The graft polymer was synthesized by using microwave-assisted graft copolymerization reaction of acrylamide on xanthan. The synthesized copolymer with optimized grafting parameters has been characterized by Infrared Spectroscopy and Thermal Analysis (DSC). Rheological analysis by steady shear and oscillatory flow experiments have been subsequently performed for xanthan and grafted xanthan under reservoir conditions. In steady shear, as expected the grafted polymer solutions flow as shear-thinning materials and apparent viscosity showed good fits with Cross’s model. The viscosity losses due to salinity or temperature are more controlled for the grafted xanthan compared to pristine xanthan. When the grafted polymer concentration is increased to 2000 ppm the losses were halved. In oscillatory shear, the copolymer solutions followed a global behavior of semi-dilute entangled systems; furthermore, all dynamic properties were influenced by the brine salinity. Compared to xanthan, the elastic properties of xanthan-g-polyacrylamide solutions have been significantly improved in saline media and the losses in elasticity of grafted polymer solutions are lower. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Research in INSTM−National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology)

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17 pages, 4890 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Green Composites Based on PLA and Agricultural or Marine Waste Prepared by FDM

by Roberto Scaffaro, Andrea Maio, Emmanuel Fortunato Gulino, Giuseppe Alaimo and Marco Morreale

Polymers 2021, 13(9), 1361; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13091361 - 21 Apr 2021

Cited by 51 | Viewed by 4744

Abstract

Three dimensional-printability of green composites is recently growing in importance and interest, especially in the view of feasibility to valorize agricultural and marine waste to attain green fillers capable of reducing bioplastic costs, without compromising their processability and performance from an environmental and [...] Read more.

Three dimensional-printability of green composites is recently growing in importance and interest, especially in the view of feasibility to valorize agricultural and marine waste to attain green fillers capable of reducing bioplastic costs, without compromising their processability and performance from an environmental and mechanical standpoint. In this work, two lignocellulosic fillers, obtained from Opuntia ficus indica and Posidonia oceanica, were added to PLA and processed by FDM. Among the 3D printed biocomposites investigated, slight differences could be found in terms of PLA molecular weight and filler aspect ratio. It was shown that it is possible to replace up to 20% of bioplastic with low cost and ecofriendly natural fillers, without significantly modifying the processability and the mechanical performance of the neat matrix; at the same time, an increase of surface hydrophilicity was found, with possible positive influence on the biodegradability of such materials after disposal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Research in INSTM−National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology)

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14 pages, 24618 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of Different Types of Biochar on the Thermal Stability and Fire Retardance of Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Copolymers

by Samuele Matta, Mattia Bartoli, Alberto Frache and Giulio Malucelli

Polymers 2021, 13(8), 1256; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13081256 - 13 Apr 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2769

Abstract

In this work, three biochars, deriving from soft wood, oil seed rape, and rice husk and differing as far as the ash content is considered (2.3, 23.4, and 47.8 wt.%, respectively), were compounded in an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (vinyl acetate content: 19 [...] Read more.

In this work, three biochars, deriving from soft wood, oil seed rape, and rice husk and differing as far as the ash content is considered (2.3, 23.4, and 47.8 wt.%, respectively), were compounded in an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (vinyl acetate content: 19 wt.%), using a co-rotating twin-screw extruder; three loadings for each biochar were selected, namely 15, 20, and 40 wt.%. The thermal and mechanical properties were thoroughly investigated, as well as the flame retardance of the resulting compounds. In particular, biochar, irrespective of the type, slowed down the crystallization of the copolymer: this effect increased with increasing the filler loading. Besides, despite a very limited effect in flammability tests, the incorporation of biochar at increasing loadings turned out to enhance the forced-combustion behavior of the compounds, as revealed by the remarkable decrease of peak of heat release rate and of total heat release, notwithstanding a significant increase of the residues at the end of the tests. Finally, increasing the biochar loadings promoted an increase of the stiffness of the resulting compounds, as well as a decrease of their ductility with respect to unfilled ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), without impacting too much on the overall mechanical behavior of the copolymer. The obtained results seem to indicate that biochar may represent a possible low environmental impact alternative to the already used flame retardants for EVA, providing a good compromise between enhanced fire resistance and acceptable mechanical properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Research in INSTM−National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology)

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13 pages, 2000 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bionanocomposite Blown Films: Insights on the Rheological and Mechanical Behavior

by Maria Chiara Mistretta, Luigi Botta, Rossella Arrigo, Francesco Leto, Giulio Malucelli and Francesco Paolo La Mantia

Polymers 2021, 13(7), 1167; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13071167 - 5 Apr 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 2802

Abstract

In this work, bionanocomposites based on two different types of biopolymers belonging to the MaterBi^® family and containing two kinds of modified nanoclays were compounded in a twin-screw extruder and then subjected to a film blowing process, aiming at obtaining sustainable films [...] Read more.

In this work, bionanocomposites based on two different types of biopolymers belonging to the MaterBi^® family and containing two kinds of modified nanoclays were compounded in a twin-screw extruder and then subjected to a film blowing process, aiming at obtaining sustainable films potentially suitable for packaging applications. The preliminary characterization of the extruded bionanocomposites allowed establishing some correlations between the obtained morphology and the material rheological and mechanical behavior. More specifically, the morphological analysis showed that, regardless of the type of biopolymeric matrix, a homogeneous nanofiller dispersion was achieved; furthermore, the established biopolymer/nanofiller interactions caused a restrain of the dynamics of the biopolymer chains, thus inducing a significant modification of the material rheological response, which involves the appearance of an apparent yield stress and the amplification of the elastic feature of the viscoelastic behavior. Besides, the rheological characterization under non-isothermal elongational flow revealed a marginal effect of the embedded nanofillers on the biopolymers behavior, thus indicating their suitability for film blowing processing. Additionally, the processing behavior of the bionanocomposites was evaluated and compared to that of similar systems based on a low-density polyethylene matrix: this way, it was possible to identify the most suitable materials for film blowing operations. Finally, the assessment of the mechanical properties of the produced blown films documented the potential exploitation of the selected materials for packaging applications, also at an industrial level. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Research in INSTM−National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology)

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17 pages, 1136 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modelling Sorption Thermodynamics and Mass Transport of n-Hexane in a Propylene-Ethylene Elastomer

by Daniele Tammaro, Lorenzo Lombardi, Giuseppe Scherillo, Ernesto Di Maio, Navanshu Ahuja and Giuseppe Mensitieri

Polymers 2021, 13(7), 1157; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13071157 - 4 Apr 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3720

Abstract

Optimization of post polymerization processes of polyolefin elastomers (POE) involving solvents is of considerable industrial interest. To this aim, experimental determination and theoretical interpretation of the thermodynamics and mass transport properties of POE-solvent mixtures is relevant. Sorption behavior of n-hexane vapor in a [...] Read more.

Optimization of post polymerization processes of polyolefin elastomers (POE) involving solvents is of considerable industrial interest. To this aim, experimental determination and theoretical interpretation of the thermodynamics and mass transport properties of POE-solvent mixtures is relevant. Sorption behavior of n-hexane vapor in a commercial propylene-ethylene elastomer (V8880 Vistamaxx^TM from ExxonMobil, Machelen, Belgium) is addressed here, determining experimentally the sorption isotherms at temperatures ranging from 115 to 140 °C and pressure values of n-hexane vapor up to 1 atm. Sorption isotherms have been interpreted using a Non Random Lattice Fluid (NRLF) Equation of State model retrieving, from data fitting, the value of the binary interaction parameter for the n-hexane/V8880 system. Both the cases of temperature-independent and of temperature-dependent binary interaction parameter have been considered. Sorption kinetics was also investigated at different pressures and has been interpreted using a Fick’s model determining values of the mutual diffusivity as a function of temperature and of n-hexane/V8880 mixture composition. From these values, n-hexane intra-diffusion coefficient has been calculated interpreting its dependence on mixture concentration and temperature by a semi-empiric model based on free volume arguments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Research in INSTM−National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology)

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13 pages, 11242 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Structure–Property Relationships in Bionanocomposites for Pipe Extrusion Applications

by Luigi Botta, Francesco Paolo La Mantia, Maria Chiara Mistretta, Antonino Oliveri, Rossella Arrigo and Giulio Malucelli

Polymers 2021, 13(5), 782; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13050782 - 4 Mar 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2287

Abstract

In this work, bionanocomposites based on different biodegradable polymers and two types of nanofillers, namely a nanosized calcium carbonate and an organomodified nanoclay, were produced through melt extrusion, with the aim to evaluate the possible applications of these materials as a potential alternative [...] Read more.

In this work, bionanocomposites based on different biodegradable polymers and two types of nanofillers, namely a nanosized calcium carbonate and an organomodified nanoclay, were produced through melt extrusion, with the aim to evaluate the possible applications of these materials as a potential alternative to traditional fossil fuel-derived polyolefins, for the production of irrigation pipes. The rheological behavior of the formulated systems was thoroughly evaluated by exploiting different flow regimes, and the obtained results indicated a remarkable effect of the introduced nanofillers on the low-frequency rheological response, especially in nanoclay-based bionanocomposites. Conversely, the shear viscosity at a high shear rate was almost unaffected by the presence of both types of nanofillers, as well as the rheological response under nonisothermal elongational flow. In addition, the analysis of the mechanical properties of the formulated materials indicated that the embedded nanofillers increased the elastic modulus when compared to the unfilled counterparts, notwithstanding a slight decrease of the material ductility. Finally, the processing behavior of unfilled biopolymers and bionanocomposites was evaluated, allowing for selecting the most suitable material and thus fulfilling the processability requirements for pipe extrusion applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Research in INSTM−National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology)

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Review

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16 pages, 4331 KiB

Open AccessReview

Photoinduced Processes as a Way to Sustainable Polymers and Innovation in Polymeric Materials

by Roberta Bongiovanni, Sara Dalle Vacche and Alessandra Vitale

Polymers 2021, 13(14), 2293; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13142293 - 13 Jul 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3393

Abstract

Photoinduced processes have gained considerable attention in polymer science and have greatly implemented the technological developments of new products. Therefore, a large amount of research work is currently developed in this area: in this paper we illustrate the advantages of a chemistry driven [...] Read more.

Photoinduced processes have gained considerable attention in polymer science and have greatly implemented the technological developments of new products. Therefore, a large amount of research work is currently developed in this area: in this paper we illustrate the advantages of a chemistry driven by light, the present perspectives of the technology, and summarize some of our recent research works, honoring the memory of Prof. Aldo Priola who passed away in March 2021 and was one of the first scientists in Italy to contribute to the field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Research in INSTM−National Interuniversity Consortium of Materials Science and Technology)

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