A series of copolyimides were prepared by thermal imidization of polyamide acids derived from 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride, 2,3′,3,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride, pyromellitic dianhydride, p-phenylenediamine and 4,4′-oxydialinine commonly used for the production of commercial polyimides. The flexible copolyimide films characterized by ultra-low coefficient of thermal expansion were obtained and characterized by FTIR, WAXD, TG, DMA, TMA, FE-SEM and tensile properties measurement. The results showed that three copolyimides remained semi-crystalline and exhibited high glass transition temperature, high thermal stability, and great ultimate strength.

It is shown that, during the IR heating of polyphenoxazine in the presence of copper acetate monohydrate Cu(OOCCH3)2 · H2O in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of 250–450°C, the dehydration of phenyleneamine structures accompanied by the formation of conjugated bonds C=N and the reduction of Cu2+ to Cu0 by the evolving hydrogen followed by the formation of copper nanoparticles occur simultaneously. As a result, a nanostructured hybrid composite material, in which Cu nanoparticles are dispersed in the polymer matrix, is formed. The material shows thermal stability, and Cu nanoparticles have diameters of 5–40 nm.

A kind of novel bioinspired polymeric material based on poly(D,L-lactic acid) was prepared. Firstly, the maleic anhydride (MA) grafted to PDLLA (PDLLA-g-MA) was synthesized, then PDLLA-g-MA reacted with Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Tyr (GRGDY) pentapeptide, which can give the biocompatibility and bioactivity to polymer. Then nano-hydroxyapatite (HAP) was added to enhance the hydrophilicity and cell adhesion of composite obtained. According to spectroscopy (FTIR, 13C NMR) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, PDLLA-g-MA and PDLLA-g-MA-g-GRGDY were synthesized successfully. Static water contact angle test, thermogravimetry, methylthiazolyl tetrazolium assay and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the properties of materials. The results show that the new composite material had better hydrophilicity and cell affinity than pure PDLLA, so it can be used as a potential composite membrane for tissue engineering application.

Dimethyl and diethyl 2-(methacryloyloxyethyl) phosphonates were synthesized using the Michaelis-Becker reaction. This method of phosphonate preparation is advantageous over the acid chloride route in terms of mild reaction condition and by employing non-corrosive, moisture insensitive reagents. These phosphonates were characterized by mass spectrometry, Fourier Transform Infrared and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopic methods. The kinetics for the bulk polymerization of dialkylmethacryloyloxyethyl phosphonates were followed by Differential Scanning Calorimetry. Activation energy was calculated using Ozawa and Kissinger methods and was found to be in the range of 60–75 kJ/mol. Thermogravimetric analysis of polymerized samples showed two-step degradation in nitrogen atmosphere.

The bulk polymerization of e-caprolactone at 110 and 155°C initiated by the tin complexes SnCl2 · 2H2O, SnCl4 · 5H2O, and SnCl2 · C4H8O2 (1,4-dioxane) has been compared to that initiated by tin(II) 2-ethyl hexanoate (octanoate). With 1H NMR spectroscopy, the monomer conversion and numberaverage degree of polymerization of poly(e-caprolactone) samples have been determined and the effective rate constants of reaction have been calculated. All the studied initiators provide a conversion of 98.0–99.5%. The polymers with the highest molecular masses were obtained in the presence of SnCl4 · 5H2O at 155°C and in the presence of the tin(II) chloride complex with dioxane at 110°C.

The peroxyoxalate chemiluminescent reaction of bis(4-nitrophenyl) oxalate or bis(pentachlorophenyl) oxalate with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of hematoporhyrin IX water-insoluble derivative in micelles or associates of Pluronics F68, L64, L61 and the alternating copolymer dimethyl siloxane-ethylene oxide is investigated. Pluronic L61, which forms large clusters in solution, has the greatest impact on the reaction quantum yield. The micelles influence on the efficiency of the reaction with bis(pentachlorophenyl) oxalate is stronger in comparison to that with bis(4-nitrophenyl) oxalate. The chemiluminescence quantum yield increases with the concentrations of fluorophore and hydrogen peroxide. If the polymer content is being varied, quantum yield passes through the maximum, which corresponds to the largest amount of particles containing both oxalate and porphyrin.

The influence of the pH of the medium on the actuator properties of a polyaniline film deposited on an electroconductive substrate is studied. The maximum amplitude of the actuator displacement is observed at pH 0–2.5. This is the effect of hysteresis, which consists in the fact that the mechanical displacement of the actuator during the anodic polarization of the substrate occurs quickly, while, during the cathodic polarization, it is slower. On the basis of the performed investigations, a design for an electrochemical voltmeter with direct reading and a memory effect is elaborated.

The kinetics of carbon dioxide and propylene oxide copolymerization was investigated in order to obtain Arrhenius parameters for the reaction in the presence of the efficient binary catalytic system (salen)Co(DNP)/[PPN]Cl. The reaction rate was followed by measuring the uptake of carbon dioxide during copolymerization. The steady-state rate of the reaction reaches a maximum value at carbon dioxide pressure of 0.6–0.7 MPa. At the reaction conditions, the dependences of the reaction rate on the concentrations of reagents follow the first-order kinetic low. The value of effective activation energy is equal to 45.7 ± 2.0 kJ/mol, and pre-exponential factor in the Arrhenius equation is equal to (5.1 ± 0.1) × 105 L2/(mol2 s). The poly(propylene carbonate) produced was shown to be a regio-regular copolymer with a bimodal molecular weight distribution.

The effect of a nanodiamond soot on the conditions and mechanism of cure of epoxy binders is studied for the systems Epikote 828-isomethyltetrahydrophthalic anhydride and Epikote 828-Epikote 154-isomethyltetrahydrophthalic anhydride-endic anhydride-undecylimidazole with the use of a combination of physicochemical methods. The distribution of nanosized particles in the cured epoxy matrixes containing various amounts of the filler is investigated via small-angle X-ray scattering. High-temperature FTIR spectroscopy studies show that the nanodiamond soot catalyzes the curing of the epoxy binders and gives rise to polyester as a reaction product. For the mixture of epoxy resins cured by anhydrides, addition of the nanodiamond soot entails an increase in the conversion of anhydride groups of the binder. In this case, the amount of polyester as a reaction product does not change. This circumstance may be explained by the interaction of the curing agent (isomethyltetrahydrophthalic anhydride and endic anhydride) with the active surface of the soot and epoxy groups of the binder and by the accompanying formation of transition complexes. As a result of this interaction, the rheological characteristics of the composite change: During long-term storage of the epoxy binder without any filler, its viscosity increases and the addition of the diamond charge stabilizes the system.

A simple hydrothermal treatment of chitin in dilute nitric acid (0.5–2.0 wt %) at 180°C for up to 3 h, which provides the dissolution of up to 50% of the polysaccharide and the formation of nanosized carbon quantum dots (C-dots), is proposed. Aqueous solutions of C-dot dispersions have high dispersion stability. Under illumination with a luminescent lamp, the solutions exhibit bright luminescence, the characteristic feature of which is a change in color with variation in the excitation wavelength. According to high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, the C-dots have a crystalline structure. It is specified that the proposed mechanisms of the hydrothermal carbonization of carbohydrates assume the formation of only an amorphous coal-like product. The example of the hydrothermal treatment of a sucrose solution shows that, along with the formation of a solid precipitate of spherical carbon microparticles that is described in the literature, the formation of a luminescent crystalline product occurs. This fact suggests that the carbonization mechanism is more complicated than what has been assumed.