High-performance cyanate ester (CE) resins are of significant interest in the domains of information and communication technology due to exceptional dielectric properties and thermal stability. Herein, we propose an efficient strategy for the preparation of low-k and wave-transparent CE resins modified with a novel furfuryl-based diglycidyl-containing hollow polymer microspheres (PDG-HPPs). The high density of epoxy and imide groups on the surface of PDG-HPPs have been demonstrated to participate in and promote the curing reaction of bisphenol A dicyanate ester (BADCy) resin, resulting in a significantly reduced the curing temperature and enhanced interfacial compatibility. Owing to functional groups, unique hollow structure and nanoconfinement effect, PDG-HPPs efficiently reduced dielectric constant (D-k) of BADCy/PDG-HPPs composite, concurrently enhancing their toughness and stiffness. BADCy/PDG-HPPs composite with 5 phr PDG-HPPs exhibited extremely low D-k (2.52) at 10(6) Hz (remarkably lower than BADCy polymer, 3.01), highly enhanced wave transmission at 1-18 GHz (>83%), maximum impact strength of 32.0 kJ/m(2) (129% higher than BADCy polymer), and maximum storage modulus of 2432 MPa (33% higher than BADCy polymer). Moreover, BADCy/PDG-HPPs composite exhibited improved specific strength, as well as high heat resistance. Due to their optimal comprehensive performance, BADCy/PDG-HPPs composite possess significant potential for application in the fields of microelectronics and aerospace.

Macromolecular architecture control of fluorescent polymers presents an important approach to diverse self-assembled nanostructures and tailored functions.

Abstract Introducing siloxane components into polymer molecular chains can impart materials with unique properties such as low surface energy, antifouling, and wear resistance. In this work, we synthesized cross-linked polymeric microspheres via a self-stabilized precipitation polymerization (2SP) strategy involving vinyl chloride (VC), vinyl polydimethylsiloxane (VPDMS), and diallyl maleate (DAM), followed by an investigation of their (CL-P[(VC)-co-(VPDMS)]) effects within the PVC matrix. Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (SS 13C NMR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the successful synthesis of cross-linked copolymers. By adjusting the feed ratio of DAM, the copolymer microspheres with controllable gel content (GC, 20–95%), tunable number-average diameter (Dn, 400–1400 nm), and uniform particle size distribution (PSD, ∼1.02) could be obtained. By employing CL-P[(VC)-co-(PDMS)] as a polymeric filler in a rigid PVC system, it exhibited polymeric lubricant features during the processing, where the plasticizing time increased and the melt temperature has a slight decrease with the filler content. Simultaneously, CL-P[(VC)-co-(VPDMS)] also demonstrates good wear resistance. For instance, by adding 3 phr CL5-P[(VC)80-co-(VPDMS)20] in PVC matrix, the specific wear rate of the composite was reduced to 5.1 × 10–5 mm3/Nm, about one-quarter of that of rigid PVC. Uniaxial tensile tests and impact tests showed that the addition of cross-linked microspheres had little effect on the mechanical properties of PVC.

Vegetable oils (VOs) are regarded as important bio-based raw materials due to their wide availability, low cost, renewable nature, and flexible functionalization and modification. In this work, a series of VO-based furfurylamine-derived monomers were synthesized via a solvent-free aminolysis reaction with 2-furfurylamine (FA), which involved a rigid furan ring and fatty amide with a flexible aliphatic chain. These monomers retain favourable renewability, degradability, and processability of bio-based feedstocks, while obtaining enhanced reactivity and rigidity from the furan moiety. As a proof of concept, the uncatalyzed aminolysis reaction between soybean oil (SO) and FA was performed at 90 °C and reached equilibrium after 72 h, giving soybean oil-based furan amide (SO-FA) with an ester group conversion of 61%. As an organocatalyst, 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD, 1.5 wt%) could dramatically accelerate the aminolysis process, achieving 87% conversion within 3 h at 80 °C. Subsequently, a bio-based poly(soybean oil-based furan amide-co-maleic anhydride) (PSOFM) was prepared by copolymerization of SO-FA and MAH, and PSOFM1 with 56% yield and number average molecular weight (M n) of 9200 g mol-1 was obtained under optimized reaction conditions. Due to the participation of double bonds within the fatty acid chain during copolymerization, PSOFM copolymer with branched structure was formed, and higher unsaturation content led to increased molecular weight and broader molecular weight distribution. This work presents a facile and efficient strategy for synthesis of VO-based monomers and corresponding functional polymers from readily available biomass.

Small molecular plasticizers, widely used in flexible poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), suffer from drawbacks including high migration rate and safety concerns. Low molecular weight polyesters are developed to address the challenges. In this contribution, adipic acid and 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol are used as monomers, and different monohydric alcohols are applied as capping agents to prepare symmetrically capped poly(2-methyl-1,3-propanediyl adipate) (PMPA) and asymmetrically capped poly(2-methyl-1,3-propanediyl adipate) (APMPA). The prepared PMPA and APMPA with different molecular weights are evaluated as PVC plasticizers. The results demonstrate that both PMPA and APMPA exhibit better plasticizing efficiency than that of common dioctyl phthalate (DOP). For instance, with 70 phr APMPA, PVC-APMPA3 (Using MPEG 600 g/mol as a capping agent) shows an elongation at break of 460% and a glass transition temperature (T-g) of -19.1 degrees C, along with significantly reduced migration loss (mass loss < 2% after 7-day immersed in petroleum ether). Furthermore, it presents an excellent hydrophilic durability, from about 24 degrees decreases to 22 degrees after immersed in water for 28 days. Notably, APMPA3, featuring asymmetrical alpha- and omega-end groups, not only demonstrates better plasticizing performance and low migration than that of DOP, but also offers the plasticized PVC an excellent and long-term hydrophilicity.

Developing advanced strategies that are easy to implement and highly energy-efficient to prepare high-performance polymer foams is of paramount importance for practical applications. Here, we report a method that can transform low-value styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer into high-value polymer foam through a simple and low-energy-consuming process. SMA was prepared via self-stabilized precipitation polymerization (2SP), followed by partial ammonolysis, mechanical foaming, and chemical cross-linking to obtain hydrogel foams. The hydrogel foams were then converted into ultralight and high-performance polymer foams using low-energy ambient pressure drying and imidization at 180 degrees C. The obtained polymer foams have ultralow density (0.028 +/- 0.003-0.049 +/- 0.004 g/cm3), high porosity (93.38-95.28%), low thermal conductivity (0.030 +/- 0.001-0.034 +/- 0.002 W/m K), excellent cyclic compressibility, and strong oil absorption capacity (up to 20.3 +/- 1.0 g/g). Owing to the simplicity and efficiency of the present strategy, as well as the structural diversity and superior performance of maleic anhydride copolymer-based foams, widespread application in diverse fields such as building insulation materials can be expected.

Enhancing the mechanical properties of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a crucial research direction for broader application and upgrading. Current chemical crosslinking strategies eg., peroxide and silane crosslinking are two industrially used techniques. However, these methods rely on crosslinking between molecular chains suffer from drawbacks such as poor controllability, high operational complexity, and elevated costs. Herein, a novel strategy to enhance the mechanical properties of PVC products by using silane-grafted crosslinked PVC microspheres (P-K-M) as functional fillers was developed. Briefly, crosslinked PVC microsphere was firstly synthesized via self-stable precipitation polymerization (2SP). Subsequently, the copolymer of γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane and methyl methacrylate was grafted through radical copolymerization with the residual double bonds on the microsphere surface. Finally, PVC based blends were prepared by utilizing the P-K-M microsphere as multifunctional filler and using PVC as matrix. The impressive results showed that P-K-M microspheres can significantly reduce the plasticization time of rigid PVC, with the effect being particularly pronounced for P-K15-M microspheres. Adding 5 phr P-K15-M reduces the plasticization time from 38 to 20 s, while also lowering the material temperature from 186.2 °C to 183.1 °C. Additionally, the hydrolysis/condensation PVC blend with 7 phr PK22.5-M can achieve a high tensile strength about 63.0 MPa, which is increased 30.1% in comparison to that of the pure PVC (48.4 MPa). Meanwhile, the impact strength and vicat softening temperature were also increased by 29% and 41%, respectively. More notably, this technology by constructing a three-dimensional network through crosslinking between the P-K-M microspheres can endow the rigid PVC blend with highly efficient separation and recyclability, achieving separation yield of up to 95% for both the base PVC matrix and the crosslinked PVC microspheres.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) exhibits outstanding chemical and thermal stability, but its strong hydrophobicity and poor adhesion property limit its potential applications. To address these limitations, we developed a facile two-step photografting method for effectively modifying the surface of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The PTFE surface was firstly activated under UV irradiation in the presence of an amide compound. Then, UV-induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid was performed on the activated PTFE substrate using benzophenone as photosensitizer. Under optimal conditions (1 wt% BP, 30 wt% AA, 10 min of UV irradiation), the modified PTFE surface exhibited high hydrophilicity, with a water contact angle of 15 degrees and a graft density of 407.8 nmol/ cm2. Patterned modification of the PTFE was achieved by using a photomask to enable the controlled immobilization of proteins. Furthermore, the peel strength between the modified PTFE and stainless steel increased to 10.3 N/cm.

Developing chemically accessible strategies to regulate microphase separation in thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) is important for producing high-performance elastomers with balanced load-bearing, energy-dissipation, and recovery properties. Herein, two carbamate-containing chain extenders, N,N'-(decane-1,10-diyl)bis(2-hydroxyethyl carbamate) (EDE) and N,N'-[methylenebis(cyclohexane-4,1-diyl)]bis(2-hydroxyethyl carbamate) (EPE), are synthesized through ammonolysis ring-opening of ethylene carbonate, a CO2-derived building block, with diamines. A Hard-Segment Preconstruction Route is further developed, in which a portion of EDE or EPE is first reacted with 4,4'-methylenebis(cyclohexyl isocyanate) (HMDI) to form NCO-terminated oligomeric hard-segment precursors before poly(tetramethylene glycol) (PTMG) incorporation and final chain extension, enabling hard-segment microdomains to be tuned at nearly constant overall hard-segment content. EDE- and EPE-extended TPUs exhibit higher hydrogen-bonded carbonyl fractions of 70.9% and 72.5%, respectively, than the ethylene glycol-extended TPU (58.1%). Representatively, TPU-EPE-H1.6 synthesized via the Hard-Segment Preconstruction Route shows a more pronounced microphase-separated morphology and reaches a tensile strength of 62.1 MPa, exceeding 59.2 MPa of TPU-EPE-P2.3 synthesized via the Two-Step Route at similar hard-segment content. Under 100% cyclic loading, TPU-EPE-H1.6 also shows a higher fixed-strain stress (12.2 MPa) and hysteresis area (7.95 MJ/m3) than TPU-EPE-P2.3 (10.8 MPa and 7.03 MJ/m3), while maintaining comparable stress recovery. This work demonstrates an alternative strategy for tailoring hard-segment assembly and microphase separation in TPUs toward high-strength elastomers with balanced mechanical performance.

Oil-contaminated wastewater poses a serious threat to environment and human health, and efficient separation of oil–water mixtures, especially surfactant-stabilized emulsions, remains a critical challenge. Herein, a superhydrophilic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nonwoven membrane (PET@HPFM) is fabricated via a facile and scalable surface modification strategy using amino-functionalized microspheres (HPFMs) synthesized by self-stabilized precipitation polymerization (2SP) process. Through the introduction of HPFMs containing both amino and carboxyl groups, the PET membrane surface is grafted with abundant hydrophilic groups and tailored micro/nanostructures, leading to dramatically enhanced wettability. The resulting PET@HPFM membrane exhibits instantaneous water spreading (water contact angle ≈ 0°), robust underwater oil repellence (underwater oil contact angle up to 152°), and ultralow oil adhesion, enabling rapid water transport while effectively preventing oil fouling. Benefiting from these features, the PET@HPFM achieves ultrahigh permeation flux (up to 7.8 × 104 kg·m−2·h−1) together with water recovery (> 97%) for a wide range of light oil–water mixtures. Notably, it also demonstrates excellent separation performance for surfactant-stabilized emulsions, with rejection exceeding 99.5%. Moreover, the PET@HPFM membrane maintains excellent separation performance under repeated operation and harsh chemical environments, highlighting its robustness and reusability. The superior performance is attributed to the synergistic effect of surface hydrophilicity and hierarchical structure, which facilitates the formation of a dense and stable hydration layer and minimizes oil adhesion. This work provides a simple yet effective strategy for designing high-performance PET-based membranes, offering promising potential for practical oil–water separation applications.

The Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis is widely used to convert syngas into liquid hydrocarbons containing approximately 50% long-chain alpha-olefins of varying carbon numbers. In this study, the untreated FT heavy oil was directly copolymerized with vinyl acetate (VAc) via free radical polymerization without pretreatments, yielding FT heavy oil-VAc (HVA) copolymers. After polymerization, liquid-liquid phase separation occurred, with the lower polymer-enriched phase containing over 95% of the HVA copolymer products. The unreacted alpha-olefins of heavy oil in the supernatant can be used by supplementing VAc or directly recovered from the supernatant. The resulting copolymers are light-yellow viscous liquids with number-average molar mass (Mn ) tunable from 3700 g/mol to 12,900 g/mol, and exhibit low glass transition temperatures (T g) between -2 degrees C and 19 degrees C. The copolymers were explored as a macromolecular plasticizer for poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), and the HVA20 (containing 20 mol % alpha-olefins) plasticized PVC films are highly transparent (up to 90% light transmittance). At 10 phr, HVA20 copolymer lowers PVC T g by 10 degrees C and shows low migration in water, ethanol, and n-hexane (i.e., weight loss below 4%). Overall, this work converted FT products into a functional high-value polymeric material, offering a promising utilization route for all syngas-derived resources (coal, agricultural waste, and municipal solid waste).

Developing a formaldehyde-free adhesive with a wide range of raw material sources and excellent bonding performance in the wood-based panel industry remained a challenge for decades. In this work, styrene-maleamic acid copolymer (SMAA) and unmodified lignin are directly blended to prepare a formaldehyde-free wood adhesive. Effects of SMAA/lignin mass ratio and hot-pressing conditions on the bonding strength of plywood are systematically evaluated. The addition of lignin effectively enhanced the bonding strength. At an adhesive amount of 30 g/m2, the optimal mass fraction of lignin was 50 wt %. The adhesive met the plywood standard for grade II panel under processing conditions of 170 degrees C for 20 min, 180 degrees C for 10 min, or 200 degrees C for 5 min while satisfying grade I panel requirements at 180 degrees C for 30 min, 190 degrees C for 20 min, or 200 degrees C for 10 min. The filling of lignin at the interface and the formation of chemical bonds are proposed to be the reasons for achieving effective bonding. With advantages of easy preparation, no need for lignin modification, and high lignin content, this work provides an idea for the valorization of industrial lignin and the formaldehyde-free production of wood adhesive.

Epoxy resins (EP) have been commonly used as versatile matrixes for high-performance composites. However, the inherent high flammability of EP resin poses significant fire hazards. Moreover, it is challenging to simultaneously meet the stringent requirements of high-temperature mechanical stability and high-frequency dielectric properties for application in the electronics industry and aerospace field. To address these limitations, we propose a synergistic strategy of "Molecular Functionalization-Microsphere Engineering": a biobased furfuryl alcohol-derived DOPO flame-retardant monomer (FA-DOPO) was specially designed and synthesized. Subsequently, FA-DOPO was copolymerized with maleic anhydride to prepare monodisperse and size-controllable flame-retardant microspheres (DFDMs) via self-stabilized precipitation polymerization. DFDMs can serve as a highly efficient flame retardant through a synergistic mechanism involving the formation of a physical barrier via FA-derived charring and radical quenching by DOPO. Therefore, the modified EP/DFDM composites achieved exceptional flame retardancy (LOI = 32.7) at an ultralow DFDM loading of 5 wt %. Remarkably, the EP/DFDM composites simultaneously exhibited a 103% enhancement in impact strength and an extremely low dielectric constant of 3.0 at 107 Hz. Considering the highly enhanced comprehensive properties, the EP/DFDM composites in our present work possess great potential for safety-critical applications, such as aerospace components, printed circuit boards, and advanced electronic packaging for 5G and high-frequency devices.

Abstract Epoxy resin is confronted with the trade-off among high heat resistance, high modulus, and good toughness. In order to address the challenge, a series of poly(ether sulfone)-polyetheretherketone multi-block copolymers (PEbPK) are synthesized with hydroxyl-terminated poly(ether sulfone) and fluorine-terminated polyetheretherketone oligomers with different molecular weights as build-blocks. As a proof-of-concept, the PEbPKs are applied as modifiers to toughen bisphenol A epoxy (E51) with 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfones as a hardener. Introducing rigid PEEK segments into flexible PES improves the thermal resistance and modulus of the epoxy composites and without at expanse of toughness. It is due to the inherent rigidity of the PEEK segments and the molecular-level microphase separation of the composites. Apart from PEbPK-5k/10k (PEbPK-xk/yk indicates that in a multiblock copolymer, the Mn of PES is x and the Mn of PEEK is y, with units in thousand Daltons), other variants gain prominently enhanced modulus and toughness. This PEbPK modification offers a strategy for developing high-performance epoxy composites.

Chain extenders, usually small aliphatic diols, play a great role in thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) by forming hard segments and increasing the molecular weight. In this study, two chain extenders, N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)urea (MEA-DMC, containing a urea group) and N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-O-(2-hydroxyethyl)carbamate (MEA-EC, containing a single carbamate group), are synthesized to examine their effects on the resulting TPUs with the chain extender 1,4-butanediol (BDO) as a control. Specifically, the TPUs are prepared by reacting the extenders with a prepolymer composed of poly(tetramethylene glycol) (PTMG, Mn = 2000) and methylene-bis(4-cyclohexylisocyanate) (HMDI). The results show that the tensile strength and elongation at break of TPU-MEA-DMC-1, TPU-MEA-EC-1 and TPU-BDO-1 are 22.7 MPa, 12.0 MPa, and 8.2 MPa and 1400%, 1600% and 1200%, respectively. The influences of chain extender content, the molar ratio of NCO/OH (R-value), and prepolymer molecular weight on the properties of the as-prepared TPUs are also studied. The tensile strength of TPU-MEA-DMC is in the range of 22.7 MPa to 50.5 MPa, and that of TPU-MEA-EC is in the range of 12.0 MPa to 34.7 MPa, respectively. These improvements are primarily attributed to the presence of urea/urethane in the chain extenders or the hard segment density. Urea groups (two hydrogen-bond donors (-NH-)) or carbamate groups (one hydrogen-bond donor (-NH-)) enhance hydrogen-bonding density within the polymer, thus reinforcing its mechanical properties. Moreover, DSC analysis shows that TPU-MEA-DMC exhibits a PTMG cold crystallization exotherm near -25 degrees C, which weakens and shifts to higher temperatures with more hard segments or lower prepolymer molecular weight.

Currently, mercury contamination has attracted intensive concerns, and the techniques for detection and separation of mercury are crucial for its remediation. Herein, we designed and developed dual-functional hollow microspheres (R-FMAc) for simultaneous removal and detection of Hg2+. The R-FMAc microspheres were fabricated via self-stabilized precipitation polymerization of maleic anhydride and bio-based furfuryl alcohol, followed by targeted functionalization. Benefiting from the unique hollow/porous structure and hydrophilic functional groups (-COOH, -OH, -CONHNH2), the R-FMAc microspheres demonstrate exceptional Hg2+ adsorption and detection performance: (a) Remarkable and selective adsorption capacity of 420 mg/g, and the adsorption isotherm was well-fitted by Langmuir model. (b) Rapid adsorption rate with adsorption saturation achieved within 5 min following pseudo-first order kinetics, and fluorescence signal stabilized in 10 min. (c) The detection mechanism involves Hg2+-induced spirocyclic ring-opening through competitive coordination with rhodamine hydrazide, affording a practical detection limit of 0.23 mu M (46 ppb) with excellent selectivity against eight interfering cations. (d) Superior recyclability, maintaining over 90 % initial adsorption capacity and sensing efficiency after five adsorption-desorption cycles. This bio-derived dual-functional platform overcomes the limitations of single-purpose materials for mercury management, offering new insights for designing sustainable environmental remediation systems through rational integration of biomass-derived polymers and smart molecular probes.

Biomass resources represent a sustainable alternative to fossil-based feedstocks for energy and value-added chemical production, and their utilization hinges largely on cellulase-catalyzed glucose conversion. Various immobilization strategies have been developed with the aim of cellulase recyclability. However, these strategies suffer from inadequate interactions between the substrate and immobilized cellulases, as well as poor recyclability. To overcome these drawbacks, we developed a hierarchical polymer brush architecture on polypropylene fibers through sequential photoinduced grafting and surface-initiated atomic transfer radical polymerization. This platform features hydrophilic polymer segments followed by reactive epoxy-functionalized brushes for covalent cellulase immobilization, enhancing substrate-enzyme interactions and cellulase stability against environmental alternations (especially harsh conditions). Importantly, the immobilized biocatalyst maintained 60

The development of multifunctional nanopesticides poses considerable challenges, primarily due to issues such as weak adhesion and off-target losses, which typically lead to inefficient utilization. In this study, a novel cationic amphiphilic emulsifier, designated as PEI-PA, was synthesized through an efficient Michael addition reaction between polyethyleneimine and phenyl acrylate, followed by neutralization with acetic acid. Stabilized by PEI-PA, a positively charged avermectin nanoemulsion was fabricated via a phase inversion emulsification process. The resulting optimal avermectin nanoemulsion, referred to as AVM@PEI-PA, exhibited desired properties including small particle size (93.1 +/- 2.2 nm), high encapsulation efficiency (82.55 +/- 0.56 %), and robust stability against shearing, storage, and UV irradiation. In comparison to the avermectin emulsifiable concentrate, AVM@PEI-PA demonstrated superior spreadability, reduced splash and bounce on hydrophobic cabbage leaves attributed to its lower surface tension, smaller contact angle, and enhanced thixotropy. Notably, the particles of AVM@PEI-PA were effective in bidirectional translocation between cabbage leaves and roots, especially from leaves to roots. More crucially, the stability of the nanoparticles was compromised under various stimuli, such as pH, temperature, esterase, glutathione, and ursolic acid, either individually or in combination, facilitating the release of avermectin molecules. Interestingly, the nanoparticles exhibited obvious esterase/glutathione dual-responsiveness due to the hydrolysis and thiolysis of the phenyl ester in PEI-PA, and this responsiveness could be regulated by the other stimuli (pH, temperature, and ursolic acid). This work highlights the significance of advanced polymer emulsifiers tailored to specific application requirements, presenting a key step forward in the development of intelligent, multifunctional delivery systems for agricultural applications.

This contribution investigates the toughness efficiency of poly(aryl ether sulfone)s (PSFs) with different number average molecular weights (Mn, PSF2.4K: 2400 g/mol, PSF7.3K: 7300 g/mol, and PSF18K: 18000 g/mol) on the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A epoxy resin (E51) with 4,4 '-diamino diphenyl sulfone (DDS) as curing agent. Compared to the pure E51/DDS epoxy resin (16.3 kJ/m2), the impact strengths of the E51/DDS/PSF resins containing 10 wt% PSF2.4K, 5 wt% PSF7.3K and 10 wt% PSF18K increase up to 27.2 kJ/m2, 37.3 kJ/m2, and 39.7 kJ/m2, respectively, indicating that PSFs are very effective in toughening E51. The higher the Mn of PSF, the higher the impact strength of the E51/DDS/PSF composites, meanwhile, the tensile modulus of the composites reduced slightly. For example, the tensile modulus of the E51/DDS/PSF composite with 5 wt% PSF18K decreases slightly from 1.75 GPa (pure E51/DDS) to 1.64 GPa. The effect of PSF18K on the toughness of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol F epoxy resin (HS170), diglycidyl-4,5-epoxy-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate epoxy resin (TDE85), and 4,4 '-diaminodiphenylmethane epoxy resin (AG80), has also been examined. With the addition of 5 wt% PSF18K, the impact strength of HS170/DDS/PSF composite increases from 19.5 kJ/m2 to 31.9 kJ/m2. However, PSF18K has no significant effect on the toughness of TDE85 and AG80. The results demonstrate that PSF is an effective toughening agent for bifunctional epoxy resins (E51 and HS170) but not for tri- and tetra-functional epoxy resins (TDE85 and AG80).

Emulsion polymerization conducted in the presence of polymeric emulsifiers is a new strategy to reduce the possible environmental pollution and product performance degradation caused by small molecular emulsifier residue. However, rare literature has reported on the research field of vinyl chloride (VC). This study constructed a facile and efficient VC emulsion polymerization system by utilizing a modified poly(maleic anhydride-co-vinyl pivalate) (PMVP) copolymer as a polymeric emulsifier. Concretely, PMVP copolymer microspheres are synthesized first via self-stabilized precipitation polymerization (2SP) between maleic anhydride (MAH) and vinyl pivalate (VPi). The effects of key reaction parameters, including solvent composition, monomer feed ratios, reaction temperature, and monomer/initiator dosages on the present 2SP polymerization are investigated systematically. As a result, monodisperse PMVP microspheres with tunable particle sizes (D n, 800-1300 nm), low number-average molecular weight (M n similar to 2300 g/mol), and high yield (>90%) are successfully prepared in the methyl tert-butyl ether/n-hexane (m/m = 3:2) mixture solvent, which is screened as the optimal reaction medium. Subsequently, PMVP microspheres are ammonia-hydrolyzed and further applied as effective polymeric emulsifiers for VC emulsion polymerization. Gratifyingly, poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) emulsion is synthesized successfully with high monomer conversion. The size of PVC latex can be tuned depending on the emulsifier concentration. More importantly, the final emulsion exhibits outstanding colloidal stability against thermal, mechanical force, freeze-thaw, and Ca2+ ions. In summary, this work has successfully constructed a PVC emulsion polymerization by employing PMVP-based copolymers as functional polymeric emulsifiers, offering a promising platform for emulsion polymerization applications.