Polymer Research Institute

The development of high-performance biocomposites is crucial for advancing sustainability, in the context of fossil resource shortages and environmental pollution. In this study, bamboo fiber (BF) was incorporated into poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and the interface was modified via the strategy of chemical anchoring and in situ construction to overcome the limitations of PLA in toughness and weather resistance. By this means, chemically reactive anchor points were established on the BF surface to enable the in situ growth of ZnO nanoparticle arrays. Consequently, the BF acquired a hierarchical surface featuring ZnO nanoparticle arrays, leading to a nanoscale interlocking interface with the PLA matrix. This interlocked interface was reinforced by firm interfacial interactions with significantly boosted anchoring points, facilitating the stress transfer and energy dissipation. Therefore, the resultant BF/PLA composites demonstrated significantly enhanced impact strength, which was 151.3% higher than neat PLA and 64.4% higher than the unmodified BF/PLA composite. Moreover, the ZnO nanoparticles endowed the composite effective shielding across the entire UVA and UVB spectrum. This work provides a feasible strategy for designing high-performance, functionalized, and environmentally friendly composites.

For the development of environmentally sustainable and cost-effective manufacturing processes in the lithium-ion battery industry, the adoption of aqueous-based binders holds significant promise. To date, the combination of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) emulsion and carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMC) remains the most widely utilized binder system in anode fabrication owing to its strong adhesion and excellent mechanical properties. However, the concentrated and entangled SBR chains fail to provide sufficient space for the embedding of adjacent CMC molecules, resulting in high isolating characteristics and heterogeneous dispersion between the two components. Herein, a coupling reaction for SBR (SBRS) is conducted using dichlorodimethoxysilane as the coupling reagent to optimize the chain distribution. This reaction promotes the ordered arrangement of SBR chains and CMC molecules, while the formed coupling network further enhances the uniformity and structural integrity of the binder. Leveraging these advantages, the graphite-Li half-cell prepared with SBRS+CMC delivers discharge capacities of 351 and 226 mAh g–1 at current rates of 0.1 and 0.6C, respectively, along with a capacity retention rate of ∼60% after 90 cycles and a decent rate capability. The performance of the SBRS+CMC half-cell is superior to that of the SBR+CMC half-cell. This work thus presents an efficient strategy for designing high-performance aqueous-based binders for lithium-ion batteries.

Flexible thermal protection materials are an important component of thermal protection systems. In order to obtain flexible thermal protection materials with excellent mechanical strength, adhesive strength, and ablation resistance, a novel bifunctional biphenyl-type epoxy (MNE) monomer with two epoxy groups and vinyl groups was synthesized and utilized to construct interconnected C–Si hybrid interpenetrating networks in silicone rubber. Benefiting from the formation of C–Si hybrid IPNs and the incorporation of polar groups and biphenyl units, when the content of MNE was 20% (MNE-20), the tensile strength, elongation at break, and bonding strength of MNE-20 were 2.44 MPa, 179%, and 1.98 MPa, respectively, which were 510% improved, 56% improved, and 519% improved compared to those of the pure PDMS. Meanwhile, the mass ablation rate of MNE-20 decreased to 0.019 g/s, 53.66% improved compared to that of pure PDMS, because pyrolysis gases were released across a broad temperature range and the quality of the pyrolysis carbon layer was significantly improved. This work provided a new strategy to design high-performance ablation-resistant elastomers, and the prepared materials have broad applications in fields such as aerospace sealing materials and high-temperature protective coatings.

This paper reviews the results of research in the field of photopolymerization of cyanoacrylate monomers and compositions based on them. Various methods and mechanisms of photopolymerization are considered. Examples are provided to illustrate the use of photopolymerization processes in various fields of engineering and medicine.

Poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-(R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate] (PHBH) is a semicrystalline thermoplastic with biodegradable and biocompatible properties. In this study, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) imaging measurements were performed on PHBH banded spherulites as a model material to quantitatively evaluate the relationship between crystal orientation and enzymatic degradation rate. In a spherulite, lamellar crystals are cooperatively twisted in the radial direction, resulting in periodic changes in crystal orientation. Taking advantage of this structural feature, 25,600 data sets of crystal orientation and degradation rate, corresponding to the number of pixels in FT-IR image, were obtained in a single measurement to cover all various orientation states. Based on numerous data sets, a clear correlation between crystal orientation and degradation rate was confirmed, indicating that the degradation rate of flat-on lamellar crystals was approximately three times greater than that of edge-on lamellar crystals. The proposed method could be applied to predict the degradation rate of oriented materials in various degradation systems.

The poor wettability and thermal dimensional stability of conventional polyolefin lithium-ion battery separators has led to the widespread adoption of physical coating with hydrophilic inorganic nanoparticles as a modification method. Adhesives are crucial in this process. Nevertheless, commonly used adhesives exhibit limited thermal stability, and often require organic solvents or excessive amounts of water as slurry solvents. Therefore, we proposed an approach utilizing hydrophilic polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) as the binder for nanosilica (SiO2) and small amount of deionized water as the coating slurry solvent. Through rapid UV curing, this method forms a robust and durable three-dimensional cross-linked network structure in the modified layer. As a result, the modified separator demonstrates excellent thermal stability and mechanical properties. Compared with the PE separator, the PE@SiO2 separator exhibits negligible shrinkage at 145 °C, with a notable improvement in tensile strength in both the MD and TD directions. Additionally, its puncture strength increased from 336 to 387 N. The electrochemical performance of the separator is also significantly enhanced. Batteries assembled with the PE@SiO2 separator demonstrate excellent discharge rate capacity and cycle stability. After 1000 charge–discharge cycles at 0.5 C, it retains 76.1% of its initial discharge capacity, significantly higher than the 49.1% retention observed with the PE separator. These results suggest that the environmentally friendly and efficient method of preparing PE@SiO2 separators using PEGDA as a binder represents a promising strategy for enhancing the safety and electrochemical performance of lithium-ion batteries.

Abstract Biomass-derived recyclable materials that can replace petrochemical-derived plastics are highly sought for a sustainable future. However, incumbent materials often face performance deterioration challenges owing to the aging issues after use in the environment. We present a self-reinforcing, recyclable, unprecedented polyester material derived entirely from biomass lignin and soybeans, mimicking the self-reinforcement mechanism of biological systems. Our material leverages a [2+2]-cycloaddition reaction mediated by aromatic π-conjugated vinylidene structures, enhancing performance under ultraviolet light, hygrothermal conditions, and external electric fields. Specifically, the tensile strength, elongation at break, and anti-ultraviolet efficiency can be enhanced to 103 MPa, 560%, and 73%, respectively, far surpassing those of known biomass-derived materials and engineered plastics. Additionally, the material demonstrates outstanding insulativity, barrier properties, flame retardancy, solvent resistance, and recyclability, meeting the demands of sustainable green new energy material. Our strategy for this self-reinforcing biomass recyclable material provides rich possibilities for designing next-generation sustainable materials.

Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) have garnered growing interest in large-scale energy storage devices for the high safety, high theoretical capacity and low electrochemical potential. Nevertheless, their widespread applications are significantly impeded by dendrite formation, hydrogen evolution and corrosion reactions of Zn anodes. Herein, a bi-functional polyacrylic acid (PAA) modified-Zn anode (Zn-PAA) is designed to concurrently inhibit Zn dendrite formation and alleviate side reactions for durable ZIBs. The bi-functional PAA coating not only selectively acid-etches the active Zn crystal facets to guide the planar deposition along the highly-exposed Zn(002) crystal facet, but also facilitate uniform Zn deposition through coordination between the polymer functional groups and Zn2+. Meanwhile, the electrically-insulated PAA protective layer effectively separates Zn anodes from the electrolyte and modulates the solvation structure of Zn2+.6H2O, significantly suppressing side reactions. Consequently, the assembled Zn-PAA//Zn-PAA symmetrical cell delivers an outstanding cycling stability of 1600 h at 1 mA cm-2 and 1 mAh cm-2. The assembled KVO//Zn-PAA full cell shows exceptional cycling stability over 1500 cycles at 2.0 A g-1 with a high Coulombic efficiency approaching 100 %. The facile bi-functional surface modification strategy, which enables to finely tune the crystal facet texture and ion distribution manner, opens up a groundbreaking path towards safe and durable ZIBs.

Abstract Sensors have become more versatile and sophisticated in recent years to fulfill the increasing demands for human health applications. Physiological information such as electrocardiogram, pulse rate, and respiration are essential indications of personal health, often collected as vitals, which are typically collected from medical‐grade electrocardiogram (ECG) machines. In‐textile sensors are a fast‐growing sub‐category of wearable sensors embedded in smart textiles to acquire physiological information and movement index and provide harmful chemical warnings without compromising the comfortable nature of clothing. Recent literature has shown that integrating new materials has greatly improved the stability, specificity, and selectivity of in‐textile sensors. For example, polyvinylidene fluoride nanofiber produced a highly stretchable sensor to measure ECG readings during movement without losing data quality. This review discusses a group of nanomaterial‐based in‐textile sensors for consumer use in the home, workplace, and healthcare environments. This review will focus on exploring and analyzing the latest developments in these nanomaterial‐based e‐textiles due to their ability to be more easily integrated for daily use and their great potential for medical applications. Future work will be necessary to incorporate recycled materials, improve the method of powering these sensors, and ultimately refine the designs to be appropriate for more sustainable use.

Based on a comprehensive review of literatures concerning polymer microspheres for enhanced oil recovery over the past five years, this paper centers on profile control agents composed of acrylamide, providing a detailed overview of the preparation methods of functionalized polymer microspheres. According to the functional characteristics, the research progress of fluorescent polymer microspheres, smart polymer microspheres, and organic-inorganic nanocomposite microspheres is highlighted. Additionally, the characterization parameters and methods of polymer microspheres are summarized. The challenges and issues associated with the application of polymer microspheres in deep profile control and oil displacement technologies are discussed, which holds significant implications for the development of heterogeneous and low-permeability oil reservoirs.