The imperative for composite materials possessing high thermal conductivity and electrical insulation has recently come to the forefront to address the heat dissipation challenges in high-integration and high-power systems. Notably, while carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have garnered attention for their outstanding physical properties, they are inherently limited by aggregation and non-uniform dispersion due to van der Waals forces. To overcome these aforementioned drawbacks and achieve multifunctionality, a hybrid filler strategy utilizing CNTs in conjunction with two-dimensional materials, ceramic fillers, and other components is attracting significant interest. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the theoretical background of the hybrid filler strategy, its principal components, manufacturing processes, and the resulting changes in the thermal conductivity, electrical insulation, and mechanical properties of the composites. Furthermore, it comprehensively presents recent research trends and highlights the potential value of these materials in diverse applications such as electronic devices and batteries. Through this, we aim to propose a directional framework for the development of next-generation, high-performance composite materials.
Tocopherol-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) were incorporated into hydrogels formulated with various polymeric thickeners. The stability, rheological properties, and texture of the hydrogel formulations were compared according to the type of polymeric thickener, and the effects of interactions between polymers and NLCs on the final hydrogel properties were investigated. The Herschel-Bulkley model was applied to the shear rate-shear stress curves of the hydrogel formulations to calculate rheological parameters such as the shear-thinning index and yield stress. In formulations based on alkyl acrylate crosspolymers, nonpolar van der Waals interactions between the alkyl chains of the polymer and the fatty acid chains of the phospholipids constituting the NLC strengthened the network structure, leading to increased viscosity and hardness of the formulations. In contrast, the cationic polymer chitosan induced aggregation and complex formation through electrostatic interactions with the anionic surfactants contained in the NLCs, resulting in decreased formulation stability.
In this study, an antibacterial polymer was successfully synthesized by copolymerization using poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and 2,2',6,6'-tetra-tert-butyl-4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyl (BP-264). Covalent incorporation was supported by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-Vis spectroscopy (appearance of a BP-264 absorption band near 295 nm in PVC-BP-264), and H-1/C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra with corrected chemical-shift assignments for tertbutyl, aromatic, and phenolic signals. GPC showed a modest change in molecular-weight distribution after modification (M-n 4.60 & times;10(4) g mol(-1), M-w 9.40 & times;10(4) g mol(-1)). Mechanical testing demonstrated improved ductility while maintaining strength: PVC-BP-264 reached a tensile strength of about 19 MPa and elongation at break of about 270%, accompanied by a slight decrease in modulus to about 1.9 GPa. Preliminary antibacterial screening by agar disk diffusion against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus revealed clear growth-inhibition zones for PVC-BP-264 compared with PVC. Overall, this study provides a chemistry-driven route to antibacterial PVC with a favorable balance of mechanical performance.
This study explores the optimization of organomodified montmorillonites (OMMT)-Cloisite 20A (20A), MAX CT 4260 (CT), and Cloisite SE 3000 (SE)-in combination with alumina trihydrate (ATH) for enhancing natural rubber (NR) formulations used in conveyor belt cover applications. The combined effects of OMMT and ATH on the mechanical, thermal, and flame-retardant properties of NR compounds were systematically evaluated. Morphological characteristics were examined using wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Polymer-filler and filler-filler interactions were assessed via rubber process analyzer (RPA), Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and standard mechanical testing. Flame retardancy and thermal stability were analyzed through limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL-94 horizontal flammability tests, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Additionally, thermal degradation kinetics were investigated using iso-conversional models-Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS), Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO), and Friedman's method. The results reveal a synergistic enhancement in both flame retardancy and thermal stability with the OMMT-ATH hybrid system, demonstrating its potential as a high-performance filler combination for NR-based conveyor belt cover compounds.
Starch is a polysaccharide biopolymer whose structure-rheology relationships influence its functional behavior, including in vitro digestibility; however, small datasets often limit the accuracy of quantitative predictions. Here, the in vitro digestibility (0-1) of ten starch samples was modeled using molecular features (A-and B1-chain fractions and amylose content) and pasting/rheological features. Four tabular data-augmentation methods (FastML preset, Gaussian copula, tabular variational autoencoder, and conditional tabular generative adversarial network) were benchmarked using quality metrics, and the optimal approach generated 200 synthetic samples for model training. random forest, support vector regression, XGBoost, lightGBM, and neural network were optimized through grid search. Among these, the neural network demonstrated the best predictive performance (R-2 = 0.907). SNAP (Shapley Additive Explanations) analysis was then applied to interpret the trained model, identifying consistency index, setback viscosity, and peak viscosity as dominant contributors, highlighting the roles of gel strength and viscosity recovery. This frame-work offers a data-driven tool for the rapid screening and design of starch-based materials through small-sample exper-iments.
The rational design of chemically modified biopolymer supports is critical for tailoring metal coordination environments in functional materials. Chitosan was selectively quaternized with benzyl chloride to form a polymeric matrix that facilitates nickel complex formation. The modified biopolymer was coordinated with Ni(2+)ions from NiCl2 & centerdot;6H(2)O, yielding a benzyl-quaternized chitosan-nickel composite. Structural changes were investigated using FTIR and XRD. FTIR confirmed successful incorporation of benzyl quaternary ammonium and revealed spectral shifts indicative of coordination interactions between nickel ions and chitosan. XRD patterns showed new diffraction features in the nickel-loaded composite compared to pristine chitosan, indicating the formation of nickel-containing domains and polymer microstructure rearrangement upon quaternization and metal coordination. These findings demonstrate that benzyl chloride quaternization effectively modulates chitosan's structure, creating a favorable coordination environment for nickel complexes. This strategy offers a versatile platform for designing functional metal-biopolymer hybrid materials with potential applications in advanced materials.
The transition from petrochemical plastics to renewable bio-based polyesters is central to reducing carbon emissions, mitigating plastic pollution, and advancing circular economy goals in the packaging and printing sectors. This review summarizes recent progress in bio-based polyester systems derived from carbohydrate-, lignin-, and oil-based monomer platforms, with particular emphasis on polybutylene succinate (PBS), polyethylene furanoate (PEF), thiophenebased aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters, and related materials tailored for functional packaging applications. We first outline the main bio-based monomer classes and synthetic strategies, including melt polycondensation, transesterification, and ring-opening polymerization, highlighting how monomer structure and processing routes control molecular architecture. We then discuss structure-property relationships, focusing on thermal stability, mechanical performance, barrier properties, and biodegradability, and provide quantitative comparisons between polyethylene terephthalate (PET), PEF, and representative thiophene-containing copolyesters in the context of packaging performance requirements such as gas barrier thresholds, heat resistance, and mechanical robustness. Particular attention is given to the design of copolyesters that balance rigidity and flexibility, enabling tunable stiffness and elongation while maintaining compostability or enzyme-mediated degradability. Finally, we examine established and emerging applications in food and cosmetic packaging, printing substrates, and 3D-printed packaging prototypes, and identify key challenges related to feedstock sustainability, cost, regulatory compliance, and end-of-life management. By linking monomer and molecular design to functional performance and application demands, this review aims to guide the development of next-generation bio-based polyesters for sustainable packaging and printing.
Effective removal of toluene (C6H5CH3) is essential for protecting both the environment and human health. Although Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have been widely studied as porous adsorbents for toluene removal, powder form of MOFs has limitations in handling, and mechanical stability, which restrict their industrial application. To overcome these drawbacks, an X-Zeolite@HKUST-1 core-shell composite was fabricated by the direct growth of HKUST-1 on the surface of X-Zeolite without a binder. In the toluene gas detector tube tests, X-Zeolite@HKUST-1 exhibited significantly enhanced toluene removal performance compared with X-Zeolite, achieving 100.0% removal after 1 h, whereas X-Zeolite achieved only 14.4%. In the structural stability evaluation, the sample that maintained its particle morphology retained 71.07% of its initial mass, showing significantly improved durability compared to Zeolite X, which retained only 16.87%. Despite containing only 1.80 wt% HKUST-1, the composite demonstrated excellent adsorption performance and mechanical durability, indicating its strong potential for environmental purification applications.
A novel binuclear titanium FI catalyst bearing bulky tert-butyl substituents was synthesized from a bisphenol A backbone and applied to ethylene polymerization. When activated with methylaluminoxane (MAO), the catalyst exhibited extremely high activity of 9.8 & times;10(6) g PE mol(-1) Ti h(-1), producing genuinely bimodal high-density polyethylene with a weight-average molecular weight of 4.8 & times;10(5) g mol(-1), a polydispersity index of 2.5, and a melting point of 134.2 degrees C. Composite films (18-40 mu m thick) were prepared by melt-compounding the bimodal polyethylene with 10 parts by mass of diamond micropowders (average particle size 1.75-3.75 mu m) followed by blown-film extrusion. The resulting diamond-filled composites displayed outstanding dielectric performance (breakdown strength 285-312 kV mm-1, dielectric constant 2.68-2.86 at 1 kHz), high in-plane thermal conductivity (6.1-6.6 Wm(-1)K(-1)), and excellent dimensional stability (thermal shrinkage <= 0.42% at 150 degrees C). These properties surpass those of commercial biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) capacitor films and meet the stringent requirements for next-generation marine power-cable insulation and high-voltage capacitor films. This work highlights the unique combination of a rigid bisphenol-A-bridged binuclear FI catalyst and diamond-filled bimodal polyethylene, providing a new route to advanced insulating materials for demanding electrical applications.
To explore the feasibility and potential advantages of utilizing inexpensive and readily available calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the preparation of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) matting films, a polypropylene (PP)/ CaCO3 composite cast film was prepared and then stretched using a biaxial tensile testing machine. The impact of CaCO3 content on crystallinity, matting, and mechanical properties of the composite films was investigated. When CaCO3 was added at 35 wt%, the haze reached as high as 89.6%, showing excellent matting properties. Moreover, it was observed that either excessive or insufficient CaCO3 leads to a reduction in crystallinity. The surface morphology of the composite films was investigated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The film's roughness was improved by the CaCO3 dispersion on the surface. This study provides an effective reference for the advancement of the plastic film industry in regard to superior packaging materials.
Polymer-assisted drug delivery systems (DDS) are advancing therapeutics by offering precise spatial and temporal drug release. Unlike conventional formulations that produce fluctuating plasma levels and systemic side effects, polymeric DDS maintain steadier concentrations and improve pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic performance. Key developments include biodegradable polymers, hydrogels, and polymeric micelles for controlled and targeted delivery. "Smart" DDS that respond to pH, temperature, or enzyme activity, along with nanocarriers that accumulate in diseased tissues, are increasingly significant. Polymeric micelles are especially effective at solubilizing hydrophobic drugs and enabling sustained, site-specific delivery. Despite challenges in large-scale manufacturing, reproducibility, and in vivo stability, progress in polymer chemistry and AI-driven design is accelerating next-generation, multi-responsive DDS suited for personalized therapies.
Selective oligomerization of ethylene has attracted significant attention in recent years. However, studies on the effects of co-catalysts and solvents remain limited. In this work, a chromium complex bearing a two-carbon-bridged diphosphine (PCCP) ligand, known for its high activity and selectivity in ethylene tri-/tetramerization, was investigated. Triisobutylaluminum (TIBAL) and dry methylaluminoxane (DMAO) were employed as co-catalysts, and the influence of solvent conditions on catalytic activity and linear alpha olefin selectivity was examined. The synthesized catalyst was characterized by elemental analysis, and product distributions were determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This study provides fundamental insights and reference data on the effects of co-catalysts and solvents in PCCP-Cr catalyzed selective ethylene oligomerization.
In order to enhance the properties of poly(1,4-cyclohexylene dimethylene terephthalate) (PCTG), organic muscovite (O-Mus) which was prepared by intercalating benzyl triphenyl phosphorus chloride (BTPPC) into muscovite (Mus) was used as a functional filler for PCTG , and a series of PCTG/O-Mus composites were prepared. The properties of the PCTG composites were analyzed by FTIR, XRD, SEM and DMA. The results showed that BTPPC could successfully intercalated into Mus layers. When the addition amount of O-Mus was 2%, 4%, and 6%, the O-Mus was mainly in a delaminated state and well dispersed in PCTG.The dimensional stability, hot deformation temperature (HDT), vicat softening temperature (VST), thermal decomposition temperature and flexural modulus of PCTG/O-Mus increased with increasing the content of O-Mus. The post-moulding shrinkage of PMD and NMD of PCTG/O-Mus-6 were 0.63% and 0.49%, respectively, which were 38.2% and 42.4% lower than those of PCTG. The HDT, VST, initial decomposition temperature (T-5%) and the temperature at the maximum mass loss rate (T-max) of PCTG/O-Mus-6 were 94 degrees C, 103 degrees C, 423.8 degrees C, and 460.1 degrees C, respectively, which were 12 degrees C, 12 degrees C, 22.6 degrees C, and 37.8 degrees C greater than those of PCTG. The flexural and tensile strengths of PCTG/O-Mus increased at first, and then decreased. Adding O-Mus could increase the glass transition temperature of PCTG, and with the increase of O-Mus addition, the glass transition temperature of PCTG/O-Mus is higher.
This study presents an efficient closed-loop chemical recycling strategy designed to convert end-of-life poly(lactic acid) (PLA) waste into high value bioplastics, thereby addressing the critical limitations of mechanical recycling, such as molecular weight reduction and property deterioration. To achieve material circularity with restored performance, recycled PLA was depolymerized via hydrolysis and subsequently repolymerized through melt ring-opening polymerization. Initially, PLA waste was subjected to hydrolysis pretreatment at 100 degrees C to control molecular weight, facilitating efficient catalytic depolymerization into crude lactide using tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate [Sn(Oct)2]. The collected L-lactide was subsequently purified via a green recrystallization method using ethanol, achieving a stereochemical purity exceeding 98.5%, which is comparable to that of commercial virgin lactide (approximately 99%). The purified monomer was then converted into high-molecular-weight PLA (M-w > 70000 g/mol) through melt ring-opening polymerization (ROP) followed by solid-state polymerization (SSP). In this case, SSP was employed as a polymerization method to address the limitations of melt polymerization, particularly the broad molecular weight distribution. Comprehensive structural and thermal characterization, including size exclusion chromatography (SEC), H-1 nuclear magnetic resonance (H-1 NMR) spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), confirmed that the chemically recycled PLA (CR-PLA) exhibits structural integrity, molecular weight distribution, and thermal stability comparable to those of virgin PLA. This work demonstrates a practical pathway for the circular economy of PLA, offering a sustainable solution for plastic waste management while successfully recovering high-performance polymeric materials.
For the improvement of energy efficiency of electric vehicles, the metal-coating heated glass as a windshield has been widely adopted. However, it has been known that the visibility of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) film, a polymeric interlayer material for laminated glass, drastically deteriorates because of the yellowing effect after reliability test. In this work, using high power UV-LED with central wavelength of 365 nm, the accelerated testing of photochemical degradation of PVB in a heated glass was demonstrated. After UV-irradiation for 72 h, the yellowness index of PVB increased to 12.5 and 13.6 at surface temperature of 55 degrees C and 68 degrees C, respectively. According to FTIR and thermogravimetric analysis, the chemical structure of PVB was altered via crosslinking reaction by the absorbed UV-radiation.
Polyester, as eco-friendly polymers, have received increasing attention in various industrial fields. However, conventional synthetic methods often face limitations in controlling molecular weight distribution and achieving structural diversity. To overcome these challenges, we studied ring-opening copolymerization (ROCOP) of cyclic anhydrides and epoxides catalyzed by (salcy)AlCl complex or aminotriphenolate-based Cr complexes. The effects of four different co-catalysts and the presence or absence of solvent were investigated in conversion and ester selectivity. The structures of the synthesized polyesters were confirmed by 1H NMR spectroscopy, and the molecular weights and dispersity were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). This work provides fundamental insights for the synthesis of functional polyesters and the optimization of catalyst systems.
This study presents shape-stable phase change material (PCM) composites by chemically grafting lauric acid (LA) and myristic acid (MA) into an epoxy-terminated dimethylsiloxane matrix and coating onto nylon fabric for thermal regulation textiles. The chemically integrated LA-MA epoxy composite (LMEP) exhibited broad phase transition from 22-40 degrees C with substantial latent heat of 82.1 J/g. Mechanical properties were significantly enhanced with 9-fold increase in tensile strength and 40-fold increase in elongation compared to pristine PCMs. The composite showed excellent shape stability and negligible PCM leakage due to robust covalent bonding. The LMEP-coated nylon fabric (NF/LMEP) maintained 41.2 J/g latent heat and demonstrated excellent thermal cycling stability with only 3.4% decrease after 150 cycles. IR thermography confirmed superior thermal regulation performance, effectively delaying temperature transmission compared to bare nylon fabric. These findings demonstrate that chemical integration of PCMs into epoxy matrices offers a promising approach for next-generation wearable thermal regulation applications.
In this study, the hydrophobicity and oleophobicity of particle surfaces were controlled by introducing hydrophilic functional groups onto polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-coated silica hybrid particles using UV/O3 treatment. Silica hybrid particles were synthesized using spherical silica particle cores and PDMS shells with various chain lengths (6, 10, 50, 100, and 350 cSt). Due to the hydrophobic nature of PDMS, the hybrid particles exhibited high hydrophobicity, and it was confirmed that their oleophobicity increased with longer UV/O3 treatment times. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the method for controlling the hydrophobicity and oleophobicity of hybrid particles via UV/O3 treatment could be equally applied to hybrid particles synthesized with silica cores of various morphologies. As a result, this study is expected to contribute to the development of effective techniques for controlling hydrophobicity and oleophobicity, demonstrating high applicability to various silica hybrid particles.
The structural analysis, thermal and mechanical properties, and morphology of outdoor silicone rubber-modified epoxy/clay nanocomposites with various nanoclays were investigated using XRD, TEM, TGA, DMA, UTM, impact tester, and SEM. Nanocomposites were prepared by reacting cycloaliphatic epoxy resin with silicone rubber containing an amine group and an anhydrous curing agent, and then mixing them with nanoclay. All properties increased when a small amount of nanoclay was added to the epoxy resin. The results of structural analysis showed that the nanocomposite using 20A (hereafter C20A) had the best exfoliation state, and the ash content and thermal stability (IPDT) in TGA were excellent in the order of C30B > C20A. In dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), the storage modulus (E') was the highest for C20A = C10A below Tg. The flexural strength and elastic modulus were the highest for C30B, whereas the flexural elongation at break and impact strength were the highest for C20A. There was no significant difference in mechanical and thermal properties according to the type of nanoclay, but among them, C20A showed excellent balance in heat resistance, mechanical flexibility, and impact strength. The morphology observation results showed that a rough surface was created when the nanocomposite was fractured, which absorbed the impact energy. Therefore, it is thought that by adding a small amount of 20A nanoclay to an outdoor silicone rubber-modified alicyclic epoxy resin, an epoxy composite with excellent weather resistance as well as improved thermal and mechanical properties can be manufactured.
This study proposes a Hot Melt Extrusion method-based solid dispersion using HPMC to improve the solubility and achieve sustained release of rebamipide. The rebamipide solid dispersions show a 19-fold increase in water solubility compared with the pure rebamipide by combining pH adjustment and various surfactants. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses confirmed the amorphous transformation of rebamipide and its stable dispersion in the polymer matrix. Sustained-release tablet, prepared with rebamipide solid dispersion, showed first-order dissolution pattern over 14 hours, consistently with a diffusion-controlled mechanism. As a result, this study demonstrates the potential of combining solid dispersion and sustained-release technologies based on hot-melt extrusion method as an effective formulation platform for simultaneous solubility enhancement and controlled drug release.
