POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
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2026
·
IF 3.6
Dajie Zhang,Qin Qi,Jinheng Zhao,Qingting Liu,Xudong Fu,Rong Zhang,Shengfei Hu,Xiangliang Ning
Styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR) is widely used in conveyor belts and cable sheaths, but readily releases combustible volatiles when exposed to heat or flame. Flame retardants must therefore improve fire safety without compromising mechanical properties, a challenge often caused by high loadings or poor dispersion. Herein, an inorganic nanohybrid flame retardant (LDH@SEP) was prepared by in situ growth of Ni–Fe layered double hydroxide (LDH) on sepiolite nanorods (SEP) and subsequently incorporated into SBR. The one-dimensional SEP scaffold suppressed the restacking of LDH nanosheets and promoted their dispersion, whereas the sepiolite framework supported char formation and Ni/Fe species catalyzed carbonization. The SBR/LDH@SEP composite achieved a limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 21.8%, a UL-94 V-1 rating, and a tensile strength of approximately 11.2 MPa. SEM, Raman spectroscopy, and TG-FTIR analyses indicated that LDH@SEP promoted a denser and more continuous protective char layer and reduced the release of combustible pyrolysis volatiles. This halogen-free nanohybrid provides a route to SBR composites with improved flame retardancy and mechanical strength. Highlights LDH@SEP was prepared by in situ growth of Ni–Fe LDH on SEP. SBR/LDH@SEP achieves an LOI of 21.8% and a UL-94 V-1 rating. LDH@SEP increases tensile strength while maintaining high elongation at break. A dense char layer and reduced volatile release improve fire safety.
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
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2026
·
IF 3.6
Bihai Su,Yao Wang,Paipai Jia,Zhouxun Lu,Lingwei Li,Yue Wang,Yuxin Wang
The inherent incompatibility of perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA)—stemming from its rigid fluorinated backbone and elevated dipole moment—is overcome by the synergistic integration of hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles into a polyurethane (PU)-modified PFSA matrix, enabling unprecedented interfacial proton transport pathways. The optimized membrane with 4 wt% HA loading demonstrates remarkable improvements over the PFSA&PU membrane: a tensile strength of 11.89 MPa, an elongation at break of 224.46%, a proton conductivity of 0.235 S/cm at 80°C, and a H 2 /air fuel cell power density of 191 mW/cm 2 . After 100 h OCV hold, the PFSA&PU + 4wt%HA membrane retained an OCV of 0.757 V, with 4.5% less degradation than the baseline PFSA&PU membrane. Notably, the membrane exhibits exceptional elastic recovery, with only 14% residual strain after 150% stretching and a mere 7.65% reduction in mechanical strength after deformation. The test results indicate that this composite membrane has excellent potential for fuel cell applications. Highlights HA induces porous PFSA + PU, boosting PEM elasticity and conductivity. Adding HA increases elongation by 156.73% and conductivity by 45.96%. PFSA&PU + HA membrane achieves 191 mW/cm 2 power density under H 2 /air conditions.
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
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2026
·
IF 3.6
Yuchen Wang,Yingtao Sun,Shaobin Zhuo,Dachuang Shi,Shiji Lin,Zhigang Li
Membrane distillation (MD) is a promising desalination technique. However, commercial membranes usually suffer from wetting and fouling issues, which hinder their wide applications. In this study, we coat a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane with a hydrophilic polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and a citric acid (CA) mixed layer to fabricate PVA-CA/PVDF Janus membranes. A polydopamine (PDA) layer is used to enhance the adhesion between the PVA-CA layer and the PVDF membrane. Compared with the pristine PVDF membrane, the PVA-CA/PVDF Janus membrane shows excellent anti-wetting and anti-fouling performance without sacrificing water flux, significantly enhancing the efficiency of MD processes. The anti-wetting capacity of the Janus membrane stems from the rejection of surfactants through size exclusion and high liquid entry pressure by the PVA-CA layer. Its anti-fouling property is attributed to underwater superoleophobicity of the PVA-CA layer. Furthermore, the PVA-CA/PVDF Janus membrane exhibits superior performance in desalinating natural seawater and treating artificial industrial wastewater, demonstrating its remarkable versatility. The Janus membrane developed in this work shows great potential for applications in MD and wastewater treatment. Highlights Fabrication of robust PVA-CA/PVDF Janus membranes featuring a hydrophilic PVA-CA layer and a hydrophobic PVDF layer. PVA-CA/PVDF Janus membranes show strong resistance to wetting and fouling for membrane distillation. PVA-CA/PVDF Janus membranes enable long-term and efficient treatment of seawater and artificial industrial wastewater.
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
·
2026
·
IF 3.6
Jiaxu He,Zhihao Zhang,Senlong Yu,Liping Zhu,Hengxue Xiang,Meifang Zhu
The escalating environmental burden caused by nondegradable polymers in disposable nonwoven products has driven the exploration of sustainable, biodegradable alternatives. This study synthesizes a series of aliphatic–aromatic copolyesters (PBA/PBT/PBAT) by varying the molar ratio of terephthalic acid (PTA) to adipic acid (AA) (1:9/3:7/5:5/7:3/9:1), systematically investigating the effect of composition on chemical structure, molecular weight, thermal behavior, and rheological properties. By controlling polycondensation end-points, virgin PBAT copolyesters with high-melt flowability (MFR > 40 g/10 min) and appropriate melting temperatures (123.1°C–205.1°C) were directly obtained without post-polymerization chain scission. Copolyesters with PTA/AA ratios of 5:5, 7:3, and 9:1 were processed on a pilot melt-blowing line. The resulting nonwovens were characterized for fiber morphology, pore structure, tensile properties, wettability, air permeability, and baseline filtration performance. The results indicate that increasing the PTA content enhances chain rigidity and thermal stability while shifting the melt from viscous- to elastic-dominated behavior. PBAT 7:3 achieved the optimal viscoelastic balance, yielding uniform fibers (22.31 μm) and cohesive web architecture, delivering favorable tensile strength (MD: 8.35 N), air permeability (3786 mm/s), and PM0.3 filtration efficiency (28.78% at 10 L/min). This work provides a practical synthesis-tuning strategy for developing biodegradable melt-blown nonwovens tailored for prefiltration, wipe, and sorbent applications. Highlights Direct synthesis yielded high-flowability PBAT copolyesters. PTA/AA ratio governed structure, rheology, and spinnability. Fiber architecture determined nonwoven transport and filtration performance.
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
·
2026
·
IF 3.6
Pengcheng Yang,Jiliang Zhou,Daohong Zhang,Junheng Zhang
To address the issues of low fracture toughness and poor impact resistance of epoxy thermosets, this study synthesized a vanillin-based hyperbranched epoxy resin (VHER) via constructing a sacrificial multiple network. The sacrificial multiple network promotes the stress distribution and effective energy dissipation through bond breaking and recombination, thereby simultaneously enhancing the strength and toughness of epoxy thermosets. The hyperbranched topology regulates crosslinking density, increases free volume, and induces microphase separation. As a result, the epoxy thermosets containing 9% VHER exhibit outstanding overall performance with a tensile strength of 126.26 MPa and toughness of 10.41 MJ·m −3 . This work provides new design strategies and theoretical insights for the development of epoxy thermosets with superior mechanical properties. Highlights Constructing a sacrificial multiple network with hyperbranched epoxy resin for epoxy thermosets. The epoxy network dissipates energy via sacrificial cleavage under external stress. Epoxy thermosets exhibit excellent high strength and toughness without loss in T g .
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
·
2026
·
IF 3.6
Yunfeng Zhu,Lang Feng,Jiaqi Lai,Guangyao Hu,Jingjing Yang,Juan Zhang
The versatile polyurethane (PU) has been widely used in industrial and civil products due to the diversity of structure composition and adjustable mechanical properties. However, PU is prone to aging under UV light and thermal exposure due to its molecular structure, which includes UV-sensitive carbonyl and urethane groups as well as oxygen-susceptible ether bonds. Thus, this study proposes to modify rutile titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles with 2,2′-methylenebis(6-tert-butyl-4-methyl-phenol) (antioxidant 2246) by using toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) as a molecular bridge to form a nanoscaled titanium dioxide-immobilized antioxidant, M-TiO 2 composites, and then incorporate M-TiO 2 composites into PU adhesives to achieve synergistic effects in improving their photo- and thermo-oxidative aging resistance. The results indicate that the antioxidant 2246 molecules are chemically anchoring onto the surface of the TiO 2 particles and the modified TiO 2 particles show better dispersibility in PU matrix and are more efficient in improving the lap shear strength of PU adhesives than pure TiO 2 . PU adhesives containing M-TiO 2 composites exhibits superior aging resistance during the long-time accelerated photo- and thermo-oxidative aging, because of the synergistic effects of the UV-shielding properties of titanium dioxide particles and the neutralizing free radical capacity of antioxidant 2246. Highlights Antioxidant 2246 was chemically immobilized onto TiO 2 nanoparticles. TDI functioned as a molecular bridge between TiO 2 and antioxidant 2246. Surface modification improved TiO 2 dispersibility in the PU matrix. M-TiO 2 enhanced lap shear strength of PU adhesives. M-TiO 2 improved photo- and thermo-oxidative aging resistance of PU adhesives.
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产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
·
2026
·
IF 3.6
Qinglong Zhang,Wen Zheng,Wangyang Lu,Wenxing Chen
In traditional polyphosphoric acid (PPA) systems, polybenzoxazole (PBO) synthesis suffers from long reaction times and high energy consumption. To address this, a rapid model-reaction–based screening protocol using the terephthalic acid (TPA)/o-aminophenol (OAP) system was developed to qualitatively rank catalyst activity. Fourteen imidazole-based derivatives were evaluated, revealing structure–activity trends and enabling selection of two optimal catalysts, 4,5-dimethyl-2-phenyl-1 H -imidazole (Cat-2) and 2-methyl-1 H -benzimidazole (Cat-3). Both accelerated polymerization of aromatic AB-type monomers (3,4-AHBA, 4,3-AHBA, 3,4-AHPA·HCl, ACBP), yielding polymers with higher intrinsic viscosities within the same reaction times. The resulting PBOs maintained intact benzoxazole backbones and exhibited excellent thermal stability under nitrogen ( T 5% = 598°C–654°C; char yield 67%–72%). Solid-state 13 C NMR, FT-IR, XPS, and TGA, together with viscosity measurements, support a plausible mechanism in which imidazole catalysts may form N-acyl-imidazole intermediates, facilitating acyl transfer and lowering the early condensation barrier. Overall, this work proposes an efficient catalytic strategy and mechanistic insights for the investigated aromatic AB-type PBO monomers, providing guidance for catalyst design in related PBO and heterocyclic polymer systems. Highlights TPA/OAP model enables qualitative catalyst screening. Cat-2 and Cat-3 boost AB-type PBO polymerization. A plausible N-acyl-imidazole pathway is proposed. Polymers show high thermal stability under N 2 .
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
·
2026
·
IF 3.6
Yapeng Zhang,Jiutao Hu,Zhenpeng Wang,Yalu Liu,Yihao Zhang,Jixiang Xue,Xiaobo Huang
Diluents play a critical role in dual-cured polyurethane systems that incorporate both photo and thermal curing mechanisms. Currently, the diluents employed in such systems are predominantly acrylate monomers, with limited exploration of non-acrylate alternatives. Based on this, we selected three diluents for deep study: 4-acryloylmorpholine (ACMO), isodecyl acrylate (IDA), and vinyl ethylene carbonate (VEC) used in Non-isocyanate Polyurethane (NIPU) synthesis. The key factor influencing viscosity was identified as the electrostatic interaction energy between diluent and prepolymer molecules. Compared with ACMO and IDA, the dilution efficiency of VEC was improved by 38.6% and 15.6%, respectively, owing to its higher polarity. VEC remains a small molecule within the system and functions as a plasticizer, leading to improved plasticity of the final material. In contrast, both IDA and ACMO participate in polymerization, forming a secondary network. The distinction lies in their structural contribution: the rigid morpholine ring in ACMO improves the toughness of the material, whereas the flexible chain of IDA imparts notable resilience to the dual-cured polyurethane. These findings advance the understanding of the relationship between diluent structure and the viscosity of the prepolymer and the performance of dual-cured polyurethanes, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for the developing 3D-printable polyurethane materials. Highlights VEC, a monomer from NIPU synthesis, is introduced as an efficient plasticizing diluent. Electrostatic interaction, rather than van der Waals forces, governs diluent efficiency in polyurethane resins. Diluent structure dictates properties: rigid rings boost toughness, flexible chains impart resilience.
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
·
2026
·
IF 3.6
Shihao Guo,Jiang Wang,Tengfei Shao,Weijun Zhen
This study reports a sandwich-structured composite with polypyrrole (PPy)/modified polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) outer layers and MXene/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) intermediate layer. The PDMS matrix contains carboxylated carbon nanotubes with Fe 3 O 4 (MWCNT@Fe 3 O 4 ), liquid metal-copper alloy (LM@Cu), carbon fibers, and expanded microspheres. PPy polymerized on PDMS enhances conductivity, while MXene/PVA acts as a reflective layer. Structural, morphological analyses, and simulation confirm the uniform dispersion of fillers, successful Fe 3 O 4 and Cu modifications, and interfacial bonding within the sandwich architecture. The composite shows 2.21 Ω cm resistivity through conductive filler interactions. EMI shielding in X-band reveals 80.57 dB total shielding effectiveness, exceeding individual components (PPy/PDMS: 43.54 dB; MXene/PVA: 5.62 dB). This results from multi-phase shielding: porous PPy/PDMS enables impedance matching and wave absorption, while MXene creates internal reflection cycles. The design achieves 93% wave absorption through gradient conductivity and magnetic-electric synergy, offering a scalable approach for flexible, lightweight shielding materials. Highlights Sandwich composite achieves high EMI shielding of 80.57 dB in X-band. PDMS matrix enhanced by MWCNT@Fe 3 O 4 , LM@Cu, and expanded microspheres. In situ polymerized PPy and MXene/PVA layer enables multi-stage shielding. Innovative design yields 93% EMI absorption and low resistivity of 2.21 Ω cm. Provides a flexible, scalable EMI shielding solution for advanced electronics.
✓ 已验证
产品关联
DOI
高影响因子
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
·
2026
·
IF 3.6
Xinlu Guo,Lingling Sun,Yutong Zhai,Shouhua Feng,Ming Yang,Ming Yang
Hydrogels derived from biomacromolecules offer excellent biocompatibility for biomedical applications, yet their limited mechanical strength often restricts broader use. Aramid nanofibers (ANFs) have emerged as high-performance building blocks for nanocomposites, but the influence of their surface states on nodal connectivity and reinforcement efficiency remains insufficiently understood. In this work, we utilize ANFs as a fibrous scaffold to construct composite hydrogels with gelatin. Gelatin coats ANF surfaces through interfacial hydrogen bonding, promoting inter-fiber connections, as confirmed by graph-theoretical analysis of average nodal connectivity. The resulting composite hydrogels can be further cross-linked with tannic acid to form a hierarchical network with markedly enhanced strength and modulus. The incorporation of tannic acid also enables in situ formation of monodisperse silver nanoparticles, imparting antimicrobial functionality. Moreover, the hydrogels exhibit sustained tannic-acid release while maintaining mechanical integrity. This synergistic integration of synthetic ANFs with natural biomolecules provides a robust platform for developing multifunctional hydrogels for biomedical applications. Highlights Exceptional mechanical performance due to strengthened fibrous network. Surface-controlled connectivity elucidated through graph theory analysis. Multifunctionality with strong potential for biomedical applications.
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
·
2026
·
IF 3.6
Caibo Zhao,Fan Mo,Rongrong Ji,Cheng Li,Jianian Wan,Ling Zhou,Xipo Zhao
Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAP) composites show broad potential for biomedical applications; however, poor interfacial compatibility between the two phases remains a key bottleneck limiting their performance. In this work, PLA prepared via melt polycondensation using l -lactic acid as the feedstock was employed as the matrix. Epoxy-functionalized nano-hydroxyapatite (cnHAP) was obtained through surface modification of nHAP, and PLA/cnHAP composites with different mass ratios were fabricated by melt blending. XPS results indicate an epoxy grafting degree of 17.46% for cnHAP, which effectively suppresses particle agglomeration. The PLA/cnHAP composites achieved an impact strength of 710 J/m 2 , representing a 68.65% increase relative to neat PLA. Mechanistic analysis suggests that the covalently bonded interface promotes efficient stress transfer across the phases, induces pronounced plastic deformation of the matrix, and dissipates impact energy synergistically via crack deflection and matrix yielding. In addition, the thermal stability and thermal properties of the composites are also improved synergistically, providing insights for interfacial engineering design of PLA-based composites. Summary Epoxy-cnHAP (17.46% grafting) forms an interlayer and limits agglomeration. PLA/cnHAP impact strength: 710 J/m 2 , +68.65% versus neat PLA. Toughening via crack deflection and matrix yielding; rough fracture surface. Improved thermal and thermophysical properties via interfacial design.
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
·
2026
·
IF 3.6
Zhikang Deng,Zhang Peng,Haijuan Kong,Muhuo Yu,Yufang Ma,Qiang Zhou,Yufeng Wang
Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) modified by titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), which was treated by γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (KH570), was used to coat the aramid fiber (AF), improving the interfacial bonding with AF and thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU). The effects of KH570-modified TiO 2 on the surface characteristics of AF, interfacial bonding, and the mechanical properties of the AF and TPU composites were investigated. The results of Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the TiO 2 was grafted by KH570 and better dispersed on the AF surface. When the content of KH570 was 2 wt%, TiO 2 can be uniformly distributed on the AF surface, and the tensile strength of the fiber was significantly increased by 28.76% compared with that of the AF only coated with the WPU sizing agent. The improvement of fiber wettability was confirmed by water contact angle and surface energy measurements. The tensile strength, interlaminar shear strength, and flexural strength of the composites with fiber treated by adding KH570-modified TiO 2 to WPU were increased by 19.37%, 104.48%, and 47.94% more than the composites with untreated AF, respectively, and 4.11%, 20.23%, and 13.93% more than the composites where the AF was treated by adding unmodified TiO 2 to WPU. The improved dispersion and strengthened interfacial bonding imparted by the KH570 modification of TiO 2 are identified as the primary factors contributing to the enhanced performance of the composite. Highlights The modified titanium dioxide is applied in composite materials. The dispersibility of titanium dioxide has been improved. The mechanical properties of the composite materials have been improved. The interface bonding performance of the composite materials has been improved. The coating enhanced the strength of the fibers.
✓ 已验证
DOI
高影响因子
危险品化学品经营许可证（带存储）