Abstract In food industries, especially in factories producing potato chips, large quantities of wastes can be generated that can harm aqueous environments. Before the potato chips are produced, at stages such as cutting and slicing the potato, the potato starches from the blade pass into the aqueous medium. The starch in this aqueous medium can be recycled by centrifuging or decanting before discharging

Abstract Poly(urethane-malonic-esteramide) (PUMEA), a novel resin synthesized from corn oil-based fatty amide, malonic acid, and isophorone diisocynate, was modified by introducing different amounts of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into the polymer matrix and cured at room temperature. The chemical structure and surface morphology were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy

Abstract The films of poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-based blended polymer electrolyte films complexed with sodium perchlorate (NaClO4) salt were prepared using the solution casting method. The complexation of NaClO4 salt with the blend of polymers PEO and PVDF was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The melting

Abstract Poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA) polymer is widely used in biomedical applications. To control the degradation of PDLLA, as well as to ensure effective quality control of the polymer raw material, it is essential to have analytical methods capable of analyzing the PDLLA oligomer species content quantitatively. In this study, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based analytical methods

Abstract Zinc oxide-silver (ZnO–Ag) particles and ZnO–Ag/poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene)[P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE)] composites were synthesized by a reflux method and a solution route, respectively. The functions of ZnO and Ag particles on the dielectric properties of the composites were investigated. The effect of the molar ratio of ZnO to Ag on the composites was also studied

Abstract Hydroxyl value is a fundamental characterization number that is extensively applicable in polymer science. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has described several methods to determine the hydroxyl value. However, the routinely practiced ASTM method requires noxious chemicals and involves laborious procedure to determine the hydroxyl value. The described method in this study

Abstract Triblock copolymers display, in water, a rich phase behavior with changes in temperature and concentration that makes them particularly attractive for many industrial and biomedical applications. In an attempt to develop smart carriers with improved properties, additives such as polysaccharides are often included in the poloxamer formulations. In the present work, we examine and compare the

Abstract Polyindole (PIn) nanocomposites (PNCs) at different wt % of tungsten carbide (WC) were prepared and characterized through various spectral, thermal and electrical methods. Formation of PNCs was ascertained through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectra and simultaneous thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA-DTG). PNCs with 15 wt % of WC has shown improved

Abstract In this investigation, a sample of epoxy resin was modified with different weight ratios (2, 5, 10, 15, and 20%) of a benzoxazine and thermally cured to form films; EB02, EB05, EB10, EB15, and EB20, respectively. The curing reaction of the benzoxazine molecules and epoxy prepolymer was monitored by the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis. The examination of anticorrosion

Abstract Poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLLA) polymer is widely used in biomedical applications. To control the degradation of PDLLA, as well as to ensure effective quality control of the polymer raw material, it is essential to have analytical methods capable of analyzing the PDLLA oligomer species content quantitatively. In this study, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) based analytical methods

Abstract Zinc oxide-silver (ZnO–Ag) particles and ZnO–Ag/poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene)[P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE)] composites were synthesized by a reflux method and a solution route, respectively. The functions of ZnO and Ag particles on the dielectric properties of the composites were investigated. The effect of the molar ratio of ZnO to Ag on the composites was also studied

Abstract Poly(urethane-malonic-esteramide) (PUMEA), a novel resin synthesized from corn oil-based fatty amide, malonic acid, and isophorone diisocynate, was modified by introducing different amounts of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into the polymer matrix and cured at room temperature. The chemical structure and surface morphology were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy

Abstract In this work, binary poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/nanoclay (NC), PLA/nano calcium carbonate (NCC) nanocomposites and ternary PLA/NC/NCC samples were prepared via melt mixing. The morphology, rheology, crystallinity and mechanical properties of neat PLA and prepared nanocomposites were studied. The results of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed an increase in distance between NC platelets in both

Abstract The influence of 3-hydroxyhexanoate (HHx) comonomer molar fraction on the morphology and lamellar packing of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHBHx) thin film under spatial confinement were carefully investigated by scanning probe microscope (SPM) and synchrotron radiation grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) measurements. It was found that the HHx comonomer

Abstract An environmentally friendly method has been proposed to synthesize silver nanoparticles using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-cinnamaldehyde (CIN) microemulsion. Ternary composite films with different concentration of Ag-NPs were prepared by solution casting method. The formation of Ag-NPs was confirmed by measuring surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak. The SPR peak of Ag-NPs did not change after

Abstract We report the synthesis and characterization of Ag/Au-MnO2 nanoparticles dispersed PVDF nanocomposites having high dielectric properties. The Ag/Au-MnO2 nanoparticles are synthesized by hydrothermal method, and were characterized by XRD, SEM and EDAX spectroscopic techniques. The prepared nanocomposites of Ag-MnO2 nanoparticles and Au-MnO2 nanoparticles dispersed PVDF are characterized using

Abstract State-of-the-art liquid interaction chromatography (IC) allows separation of macromolecules according to chemical composition (CC), functionality or molecular topology in contrast to size-based approaches such as size exclusion chromatography (SEC), which has its limitations in distinguishing chemical structures. Yet, for macromolecules with multivariate molecular distributions, online identification

Abstract In order to decrease the usage of formaldehyde and petroleum-derived raw materials, there has been a lot of interest in using protein-based wood adhesives as more eco-friendly and less hazardous alternatives. Fish proteins can be extracted from fish and are known to have good adhesive properties. In this work, we extracted the protein from catfish skin and characterized its effectiveness as

Abstract Composites of polyvinylchloride (PVC) embedded with different ratios of graphene nano-platelets (GnP) were prepared by the casting method. Some techniques as X-ray diffraction technique (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were investigated. The crystalline structure of GnP dominated by increasing its ratio to 2.5 wt.% in the

Abstract The blends of synthetic and natural polymers are extensively investigated as materials for medical applications. Synthetic component usually ensures appropriate mechanical and physical properties while biopolymer improves biocompatibility of the material. In our work, we decided to use poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)—water-soluble, chemically stable, elastic polymer and elastin—a fibrous protein

Abstract Blends of chitosan/natural rubber latex (CS/NRL) with different ratios of CS have been prepared by solution casting technique followed by exposure to different doses (10, 25, 50, and 100 kGy) of gamma radiation. The blends were characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, mechanical properties, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The

Abstract High-impact copolymers of propylene and ethylene are complex materials with several components and at least two different phases, a crystalline polypropylene (PP) matrix and a predominantly amorphous ethylene–propylene copolymer (EPC) normally present as disperse particles. Next to overall composition analysis and morphology studies, fractionation into crystalline and amorphous components

Abstract New polymer electrolytes have been prepared from room temperature ionic liquid (IL) and poly(vinylidene fluoride)-hexafluoropropylene copolymer [PVdF-HFP]. The variation of thermal and electrical properties with varying polymer to IL concentration was investigated. The electrolytes had high thermal stabilities. The IL-PVdF-HFP electrolytes were freestanding, flexible films with room temperature

Abstract Mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) with cloisite® 15A clay in polyimide (PI) matrix were matured for gas separation applications. The inorganic cations of clay were replaced with cloisite® 15A as modifier. The altered cloisite® 15A clay showed excellent dispersion in the polymer matrix as evident from TEM micrographs. Uniform dispersion of cloisite® 15A clay improved the thermal properties of MMMs

Abstract The chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) content in vinylidene fluoride (VDF)-CTFE copolymers greatly influences the chemical and physical properties and ultimately determines the application. The copolymer known as FK-800 has a VDF:CTFE ratio of ∼1:3 and is used almost exclusively as the binder in the insensitive high explosive (HE) formulation PBX 9502. Due to the dangerous nature of HE work and

Abstract Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is an important biomaterial with its easy availability and wide spread acceptability in biomedical field. The most appreciable characteristic nature of PLA is its versatility itself, even though certain drawbacks of PLA like hydrophobicity, lack of reactive functional groups, poor toughness and slow biodegradation rates limits its uses in various sectors. Therefore

Abstract The alteration in lifetime relevant material characteristics, such as slow crack growth (SCG) resistance, of a virgin PE-HD pipe grade (PE80) with successively increasing amounts of a virgin PP block copolymer (PP-B) was studied in frame of this research. For this purpose, Cyclic Crack Round Bar (CRB) tests were performed, demonstrating the high negative impact of an already small amount of

Abstract A hybrid nanocomposite based on ethylene propylene diene monomer/carboxylated styrene-butadiene rubber (EPDM/XSBR) blend with different concentrations (0–7 phr) of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) was prepared on a two-roll mill. The role of grafted maleic anhydride (EPDM-g-MA) as compatibilizer and the effect of different concentrations of MWCNT on mechanical properties, morphology, rheological

Abstract Flexible polyurethane foams (FPUFs) have been modified to contain layered double hydroxides (LDHs) by dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4 −). The thermal stability of the prepared foams has been characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) at 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 °C/min heating rates. The experimental data indicate that the temperature range for the two pyrolysis stages of FPUF is about 212–350 °C

Abstract Recent regulations restricting the use of one-use-plastics open the possibility to develop starch-based edible packaging material. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of three different modified starches on starch and dextrin composite edible films by a mixture design approach on edible films’ mechanical properties. The amylose content of chemically modified starches influenced

Abstract Artemisia vulgaris hydrogel (AVH) was acetylated (AAVH) and characterized by FTIR, CP/MAS 13C-NMR spectroscopic techniques and thermogravimetric analysis. Flynn–Waal–Ozawa model was used to investigate thermal degradation kinetics. Energy of activation (Ea) values of first and major thermal degradation steps were found to be 128.14 and 116.85 kJmol−1 for AVH and AAVH, respectively. Thermodynamic

Abstract The primary objective of this study is to improve the properties of NR/PVA blend which is cured using glutaraldehyde at low temperature. PMMA grafted on to NR with different grafting levels has been prepared and confirmed the grafting reaction by TEM, FT-IR and 1H-NMR. The effect of PMMA contents on NR with 1 phr of nano-clay on the mechanical properties and thermal stability has also been

Abstract The structure and composition of polycarbonate polydimethylsiloxane copolymer (PC-co-PDMS) was investigated by applying various analytical approaches including chromatographic separation methods, spectrometric, and spectroscopic detection techniques. In particular, size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and liquid adsorption chromatography operating at different conditions (e.g. using gradient

Two series of benzoxazines were synthesized from o-, m-, and p-methoxyphenols, two polyetheramines with different molecular weights, and formaldehyde. The glass transition temperatures (T gs) of m-methoxyphenol-based polybenzoxazines are respectively higher than those of o- and p-methoxyphenol-based counterparts. The polybenzoxazines exhibit thermally induced one-way dual-shape memory behavior based

The high-frequency dielectric relaxation of aqueous solutions of protonated diallylammonium polyelectrolyte, namely poly(diallylmethylammonium trifluoroacetate) has been studied at the maximum water dispersion frequencies, 7.5–25 GHz, and temperatures of 288, 298, and 308 K. Dielectric relaxation parameters have been calculated and compared with similar characteristics of aqueous solutions of monomer

The present study involves the fabrication of CH and CH-Ag hydrogel beads and the investigation of the antimicrobial properties. The beads were fabricated using a simple coacervation method. The successfully synthesized beads were characterized by UV-Vis and FTIR. The surface morphology, shape and diameter of the samples were determined by optical microscopy and SEM. The antimicrobial activities were

The influence of tungsten oxide on thermal and mechanical properties of Isophthalic polyester was studied in detail. Ultrasonication technique was successful in dispersing WO3 filler particles upto 40 wt% into the polymer matrix and was confirmed through the Scanning Electron Microscopy technique. The mechanical strength of the composites was found to increase with increase in the WO3 content and is

In this work, three epoxy resins including diglycidyl ethers of N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)pyromellitimide (DIDGE), bisphenol-A (BADGE), and polyethylene glycol (PEDGE) were isothermally cured by an amine curing agent possessing N,N′-disubstituted pyromellitimide units (denoted by DIDAM). DIDGE resin was synthesized from the reaction of N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)pyromellitimide with an excess of epichlorohydrin

The chlorometylated styrene–divinylbenzene copolymer with different percent of divinylbenzene (code: S-6.7 DVB, S-12DVB, and S-15DVB) was functionalized with 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde for obtaining intermediated polymers. The aminotrimethoxysilanphosphonate groups were grafted by one-pot reactions in tetrahydrofuran using three components: polymers grafted with aldehyde groups (code: CHO-6.7, CHO-12, and

Time–temperature superposition is a well-established principle used in the constitutive description of viscoelastic polymers. To expand the description to moisture-induced plasticization effects, two epoxide-based molding compounds used in microelectronics packaging were characterized by dynamic mechanical analysis under varying temperature and moisture controlled environments in their glassy regime

In this work, three epoxy resins including diglycidyl ethers of N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)pyromellitimide (DIDGE), bisphenol-A (BADGE), and polyethylene glycol (PEDGE) were isothermally cured by an amine curing agent possessing N,N′-disubstituted pyromellitimide units (denoted by DIDAM). DIDGE resin was synthesized from the reaction of N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)pyromellitimide with an excess of epichlorohydrin

The chlorometylated styrene–divinylbenzene copolymer with different percent of divinylbenzene (code: S-6.7 DVB, S-12DVB, and S-15DVB) was functionalized with 3-hydroxybenzaldehyde for obtaining intermediated polymers. The aminotrimethoxysilanphosphonate groups were grafted by one-pot reactions in tetrahydrofuran using three components: polymers grafted with aldehyde groups (code: CHO-6.7, CHO-12, and

The high-frequency dielectric relaxation of aqueous solutions of protonated diallylammonium polyelectrolyte, namely poly(diallylmethylammonium trifluoroacetate) has been studied at the maximum water dispersion frequencies, 7.5–25 GHz, and temperatures of 288, 298, and 308 K. Dielectric relaxation parameters have been calculated and compared with similar characteristics of aqueous solutions of monomer

A biocompatible zinc (II) complex based on a tetradentate N,N,O,O-type salen ligand was synthesized, characterized and used for the solvent-free ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of L-lactide in bulk at 180 °C to prepare high molecular weight poly(L-lactide) (Mn : 82,600 Da; Mw : 140,000 Da; PDI: 1.70). Poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) was characterized using FTIR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, GPC, TGA, DSC, WAXD, and MALDI-ToF

A novel hydrolysis-resistant superabsorbent composite was prepared via the solution polymerization based on acrylic acid (AA) and sodium bentonite (SBT) as monomers, tetraallylammonium bromine (TAAB) as crosslinker and ammonium persulfate (APS) as initiator. The mechanism of polymerization and the structure of the superabsorbent polymer (SAP) were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

In this paper, a series of porous nanohydroxyapatite/silk fibroin/chitosan (nHA/SF/CTS) scaffolds were successfully prepared using the freeze-drying method. The biomaterials were characterized by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and mechanical testing and thermogravimetric analysis. Moreover, studies of porosity, pore size, swelling properties and in vitro degradation

A triazine-based macromolecular hybrid charring agent containing zinc borate (MCA-K-ZB) was synthesized and combined with ammonium polyphosphate (APP) to improve the flame retardancy of polypropylene (PP). The flame retardancy and thermal properties of PP composites were investigated using limited oxygen index, vertical burning test, and thermogravimetric analysis. The results showed APP/MCA-K-ZB can

pH-sensitive eight-arm star-shaped polymer with calix[8]arene core and block copolymer of poly(2-methoxycarbonylethyl-2-oxazoline) and poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline) arms was synthesized for the first time. The block composition was 1:1 and molar mass was 24000 g⋅mol−1. The behavior of synthesized star in aqueous solutions was analyzed by turbidity and light scattering at the pH values from 2 to 12

Hydrogel composites from polyvinyl alcohol and chitosan have been developed by various researchers as a function of their composition for various medical applications. Although, the solubility of chitosan in acidic solvents may limit its wide bioengineering applications. In this article, we demonstrate that polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan oligosaccharide (water soluble) to develop cross-linked hydrogel

An injectable composite hydrogel composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and bioactive glass (BG) particles were synthesized by a physical crosslinking approach. The morphology, mechanical properties, and viscoelasticity of the PVA/BG composite hydrogel were characterized. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) showed uniform and homogeneous distribution of BG particles throughout the composite hydrogel

Poly(propylene imine) dendrimers from first and third generation modified with 1,8-naphthalimide units and their Cu(II) complexes have been characterized by fluorescence and EPR spectroscopy. Cotton fabric has been modified with these dendrimers and their color characteristics were determined. The antimicrobial activity of dendrimer ligands and their Cu(II) complexes in solution and after their deposition

A series of waterborne polyurethane-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (WBPU-POSS) dispersions were synthesized. Different POSS contents were used to evaluate the effect of POSS content on silicone enrichment under both nonimmersed and immersed conditions. The impact of silicone enrichment under immersed conditions on antifouling properties was also evaluated. The structure of the WBPU-POSS coating

The linearized evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) allows the evaluation of molecular weight distributions (MWD) of a range of polymers using conventional gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and is a suitable replacement for the differential refractive index (DRI) detector in applications which will benefit from fast equilibration, solvent gradients or when working with low polymer concentrations

The polymer composite of electrically conducting polyaniline with polyvinylidene fluoride is prepared to study the electrical conductivity and structural modifications. The electrical conductivity studies were made by varying frequency from 100 Hz to 5 MHz at room temperature. The AC conductivity remained almost constant at lower frequencies and for higher frequencies the conductivity increased. The

Copolymers of styrene (STY) and methylmetacrylate (MMA) are widely employed due to the low price of the starting monomers coupled with their synthetic versatility. A chromatographic method was developed for the simultaneous determination of the conversion degree of the single components of the polymer during the copolymerization reaction and the composition of the produced copolymer. The crude reaction

Dual functional photosensitive epoxy resins were synthesized by solution polycondensation of 1,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propenone (BHPP) and 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propenone (HMPHPP) with epichlorohydrin. The characterization of synthesized epoxy resins comprised Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR spectroscopic techniques. The thermal properties

The current research attempts on the development of hybrid polymer composites with the natural fibres basalt and kenaf using hand layup technique. The composites were made at four different sequence combination to realize the hybrid composite with three stack layers, and it was compared with the individual three-stack layered basalt and kenaf composite. The mechanical behavior of the developed natural

In this investigation, nano basalt reinforced neat epoxy nanocomposites have been fabricated. Neat epoxy along with five various compositions of the nano basalt fillers from 1 to 5 wt.% in steps of 1 wt.% were used in this investigation. Density, tensile strength, microhardness, and thermal stability examination were performed as per ASTM standards. The morphology studies reveal that the basalt nanofillers

Hybrid composites have two or more reinforcement materials with tailored properties. This work deals with the development and investigation of mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural and impact behaviors of five layered carbon-jute-banana fiber reinforced composite which is a novel epoxy hybrid composite. Six different hybrid composites in a woven mat with varying stacking sequences of symmetrical

The effects of ultraviolet (UV)-induced chemical bond formation on the dispersion/aggregation state of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in poly(4-chloromethyl)styrene/MWCNT composites and their electrical conductivity were examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and fractal dimensional analysis of the TEM images. The composites prepared with UV irradiation exhibited lower electrical