Addition Polymerization Research Articles

Experimental evaluation and simulation of myoblast cell alignment on the UV-irradiated liquid crystalline elastomers as a versatile tissue-engineered Scaffolding material

Efforts to develop versatile tissue-engineered scaffolds mimicking the functions of extracellular matrices (ECMs) have led to the emergence of liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) as promising materials. Here, thiol-acrylate-based LCEs forming a nematic phase upon UV irradiation were synthesized, and their biological compatibility was evaluated using C2C12 myoblast cells. Prior to UV exposure, some characteristics, e.g., phase transition temperature (TNI), order parameter, and reaction time, of the as-synthesized LCEs are characterized for property optimization. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that thiol-acrylate Michael addition polymerization was successful, judged by the disappearance of the characteristic peaks of thiol and acrylate groups. Differential scanning calorimetry thermograms and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis curves showed TNI values at ca. 49 °C, at which point the nematic phase is the dominant morphology. Moreover, the cross-linking density, the fixing, and the recovery ratios for the sample with optimal properties (i.e., LCE3) were determined to be 10.3 mol/cm3, 97.2 % and 91 %, respectively. Assessment of mesomorphism and roughness demonstrated the suitability of LCE3 for cell culture. Subsequent studies on adhesion, viability, differentiation, and proliferation of cultured myoblast cells, coupled with particle image velocimetry simulation, highlighted the potential of UV-irradiated LCE3 as a promising scaffold material for inducing surface morphology-induced cellular alignment and interactions.

Solvent-free synthesis of bio-based non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) with robust adhesive property and resistance to low temperature

Non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) adhesives represent a cutting-edge advancement in adhesive technology, poised to significantly diminish the dependency on isocyanate-based PU within the industry. In the context of the increasing scarcity of petroleum-based resources and the growing imperative for sustainable environmental practices, the pursuit of a comprehensively sustainable, bio-derived non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) adhesive has swiftly become a pivotal area of interest within the scientific research community. In this study, the cashew phenol cyclic carbonate (CPCC) was synthesized through the addition polymerization process involving cashew phenol glycidyl ether (602A) with carbon dioxide (CO2), followed by a curing step utilizing a diamine extracted from biomass-derived oil to produce bio-based NIPU at ambient temperature. The synthesized NIPU adhesive demonstrated remarkable thermal stability and exceptional adhesion to a variety of substrate materials. Notably, the adhesive showcased superior bonding efficacy at ultra-low temperatures, with steel bonding strength reaching up to 7.78 MPa at −37 °C. This study presents an efficient and accelerated synthesis approach for the preparation of bio-based NIPU, offering a significant contribution to the field. Moreover, it provides a valuable reference for future advancements in NIPU adhesive technology, particularly for the applications requiring robust bonding at low-temperature environments.

Design, In Silico, and In vitro Evaluation of Polymer-Based Drug Conjugates Incorporated with Derivative of Cinnamic Acid, Zidovudine, and 4-Aminosalicylic Acid against Pseudo-HIV-1.

The incorporation of anti-HIV drugs into polymer to form polymer-drug conjugates has been reported to result in improved therapeutic activity. Zidovudine, an anti-HIV drug, was explored alone and in combination with known drug molecules using polyamidoaminebased carriers. Polymer-drug conjugates incorporated with zidovudine, cinnamic acid, and 4-aminosalicylic acid were prepared and evaluated for their potential efficacy in vitro against pseudo- HIV-1. Aqueous Michael addition polymerization reaction was employed to prepare the conjugates. The conjugates were incorporated with zidovudine, cinnamic acid, and 4-aminosalicylic acid. They were characterized by SEM/EDX, XRD, FTIR, NMR, LC-MS, particle size analysis, in vitro analysis, computational studies, and in silico toxicity predictions. The conjugates displayed spherically shaped morphology. The in vitro findings showed that polymer-drug conjugates, T15 and T16, with a single drug were effective against pseudo- HIV-1 at high concentrations of 111.11 and 333.33 μg/mL, respectively. The molecular docking studies confirmed the in vitro results. The Swiss ADME, ProTox-II, and GUSAR (General Unrestricted Structure-Activity Relationships) revealed that these compounds are promising antiviral compounds. The prepared polymer-drug conjugates with a single drug showed promising effects against the Pseudo-HIV-1, and the conjugates displayed features that make them potential anti- HIV therapeutics that require further studies.

Polyvinyl acetate wood adhesive stabilized with hydroxyethyl cellulose: synthesis and characterizations

Specifically, the conventional wood adhesive uses polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as colloid to stabilise the polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) emulsion. Green materials are being used as a result of recent study on chemicals and alternative sources. This factor has made the substitution of sustainable biopolymers for petrochemicals considerably more important. An emulsifier, sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), was used during the addition polymerization process to produce a hydroxyethyl cellulose-grafted-poly (vinyl acetate) (HEC-g-P(VAc)) emulsion from HEC and VAc. The purpose of the study was to increase the content of renewable materials in the emulsion. The adhesive films glass transition temperatures (Tg) have been identified via Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The performance of the PVAc emulsion-based adhesive in accordance with EN 204 and EN 205 standards was evaluated by measuring the tensile shear strength of wood joints under both dry and wet conditions. The viscosity of the adhesives significantly increased along with the addition of HEC. The application of HEC led to an increase in PVAc film hardness, which was confirmed by the film’s glass transition temperature. In an environment that was wet, after 24 h, the tensile strength of the sample containing HEC increased by 54% compared to a pristine sample, as per EN 204 and EN 205. Water resistance significantly increased in sample with HEC, as was found by measuring the water contact angle which is in line with wet strength. The overall study conclusion emphasises the superior water resistance and increased adhesion capabilities of PVAc emulsion-based wood adhesives stabilised by HEC.

PEDOT:PSS Wire: A Two-Terminal Synaptic Device for Operation in Electrolyte and Saline Solutions.

Synaptic devices, which are designed to emulate the synaptic functions of neurons, have recently gained attention as key elements in the development of neuromorphic hardware. To date, most synaptic devices utilizing conductive polymer materials, particularly poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), have been designed as three-terminal devices. Nevertheless, a recent study revealed that a single PEDOT:PSS wire can function as a two-terminal synaptic device through additional polymerization, which creates asymmetry in the wire diameter between the anode and cathode. Owing to its high biocompatibility, PEDOT is considered a promising candidate for use in clinical information-processing devices. However, previous studies examined the synaptic function of PEDOT:PSS only in PSS solutions. Therefore, the performance of PEDOT:PSS wires in other solutions, such as physiological saline solutions, remains unknown. Herein, we investigated the effects of operating environmental conditions (including phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)) on the synaptic functions of the asymmetric PEDOT:PSS wire. Our results indicate that the synaptic conductance change in the PEDOT:PSS wire occurred in all investigated aqueous electrolyte solutions. Moreover, we revealed the relationship between the synaptic conductance change behavior and the molecular properties of the electrolyte ions. Furthermore, the waveform of the conductance change can be controlled by adjusting the conditions for wire asymmetrization. These results demonstrate that the PEDOT:PSS wire exhibits a synaptic conductance change, yielding a waveform suitable for machine learning, even under wet conditions (i.e., in any electrolyte solution, including PBS). Therefore, PEDOT:PSS wire is a promising material for two-terminal synaptic devices applicable in clinical studies.

A Stochastic FRET Study on the Core Dimension of Polystyrene-block-Poly(Polyethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether Acrylate) Micelles.

Polystyrene-b-poly(polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether acrylate) (PSt-b-PPEGA) copolymers featuring pyrene and perylene as the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) donor (denoted as D-BCP) and acceptor (denoted as A-BCP), respectively, were synthesized via the reversible addition and fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. These copolymers were then used to form DA-mixed micelles via a dialysis method. The micelles consisted of D-BCP (mole fraction fD = 0.04), A-BCP (fA = 0.04), and label-free PSt-b-PPEGA (fN = 0.92). The decrease in fluorescence intensity of pyrene in the micelles confirmed the occurrence of FRET, with an observed efficiency of 0.32. A Monte Carlo approach was employed to estimate the expected FRET efficiency, assuming the random fractional distribution of D-BCP and A-BCP, along with the random spatial distribution of pyrene and perylene within the micellar core. The observed FRET efficiency suggested a core radius (Rc) of 0.95R0, where R0 was the Förster critical distance. With R0 calculated to be 3.2 nm based on Förster theory, Rc was determined to be approximately 3.0 nm, aligning closely with the dried-out core radius estimated from aggregation number and polystyrene density. This stochastic FRET methodology was further applied to investigate the swelling behavior of the polymer micelles in a mixture of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and water. Dynamic light scattering analysis revealed minimal change in core dimension below 60 vol % DMF content. However, FRET analysis provided a deeper insight, showing an increase in core radius with DMF content up to 20 vol %, followed by saturation up to 50 vol %, offering a more comprehensive understanding of the micelle swelling behavior.

Fabrication of solar cells from polymer composite (3-Hexylthiophene-co-Thiophene) with Ag nanoparticles and study of electrical properties and efficiency

This study aims to prepare nano-polymer materials that contribute to improving the electrical properties and improving the properties and efficiency of solar cells. Also, the prepared materials are inexpensive compared to solar cells prepared from inorganic materials such as silicon and germanium. This study deals with the effect of a polymer layer containing pure polymer of 3-Hexylthiophene and Thiophenein combination with silver nanoparticles on the electrical properties relevant to solar cell applications. The polymer of 3-Hexylthiophene and Thiophene was prepared individually, then a polymer composite (3-Hexylthiophene-co-Thiophene) was made. after that then a Core-Shell of (3-hexylthiophene - CO-Thiophene) @ Ag Nanoparticles was made, after which two-layer and three-layer solar cells were made from the prepared samples. The polymers were manufactured using the additive polymerization method using chloroform (CHCl3) solvent and were subsequently characterized. The research focused on the electrical properties of the pure polymer (P3HT@Thio) doped with silver nanoparticles and its efficiency, with special attention to its application in solar cells. We found the best results in the two-layer structure. Current-voltage (I-V) measurements were conducted under illumination at room temperature with varying incident light intensities over a small area. Key parameters such as electrical conductivity, activation energy, open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current density (Jsc), maximum power point parameters (JP, VP), fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (η) were calculated for all samples under standard laboratory conditions. The results demonstrate that the highest electrical conductivity (2.39x10⁻³ s.cm⁻¹) was achieved with the polymer blend of 70% P3HT-CO-30% PTH doped with 25% silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). The activation energy, ranging from 0.1448 eV to 0.8537 eV, showed the lowest value at the same polymer blend, likely due to the proximity of the conduction and valence band levels induced by nanoparticle doping. Additionally, the efficiency of the solar cells was assessed, revealing significant improvements in device performance. The optimal efficiency, measured at 10.488%, was observed in the (PEDOT)/ (PCPM+Active Layer) structure. All relevant parameters, including Jsc, Voc, FF, and power conversion efficiency (PCE).

Novel Highly Hydrophilic Resins with Attached Polymer Layers for Liquid Chromatography

The aim of this work was to the obtaining novel mixed-mode stationary phases with increased hydrophilicity and applying them in ion and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography. The resins were obtained by the sequential covalent attachment of branched polyethylenimine and polyelectrolytes synthesized from diepoxide and a secondary amine on the surface of epoxidized polystyrene–divinylbenzene. To increase the shielding degree of the polymer substrate, an additional polymerization of glycidol was carried out in the functional layer of the sorbent at an increased pH of the reaction medium. The synthesized phases possessed increased hydrophilicity compared to most resins based on a styrene–divinylbenzene copolymer with covalently attached layers. This was evidenced in the ion chromatography mode by a decrease in the relative retention of polarizable anions, weakly hydrated oxyhalides (up to a change in the elution order of the bromate), and haloacetic acids. In the hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography mode, an increased hydrophilicity of the phases was confirmed by an increase in the retention factors of polar analytes, as well as by the reversal of the elution order of ascorbic and nicotinic acids as compared to the phases based on polystyrene–divinylbenzene presented in the literature. The low efficiency of the obtained stationary phases in the ion chromatography mode was noted, which is associated with slow mass transfer in the bulk polymer functional layer. The negative impact of the polymer layer on efficiency in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography is less pronounced due to the presumably smaller thickness of the part of the functional layer involved in this mode. The proposed method for the synthesis of resins ensures an increase in the efficiency, selectivity, and separation ability of sorbents in the hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography mode as compared to phases based on a styrene–divinylbenzene copolymer described previously in the literature. The resulting highly hydrophilic resins makes it possible to separate a mixture of 9 nitrogenous bases and nucleosides in 18 min, 6 vitamins in 24 min, and 8 sugars in 11 min. Thus, the method of substrate hydrophilization proposed in this work is promising for improving the chromatographic characteristics of phases in the hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography mode and can be used to create sorbents with increased selectivity and efficiency.

Synthesis and Photochemical Uncaging of Alkene-Protected, Polymer-Bound Vicinal Frustrated Lewis Pairs.

Polymeric materials bearing Frustrated Lewis Pair (FLP) functionality are promising candidates for use as heterogeneous catalysts and adaptive materials, but synthetic access to FLP-functional polymers remains limited due to the incompatibility of FLPs with standard polymerization chemistries. Herein, we describe a synthetic approach that "cages" highly reactive vicinal phosphine-borane FLPs as covalent alkene adducts, which are stable to Ni-mediated vinyl addition polymerization. We discovered that the caged FLP adducts can be photochemically activated to liberate vicinal FLPs, enabling spatiotemporally controlled release of FLPs from polymeric precursors.

Engineering of Silane-Pyrrolidone Nano/Microparticles and Anti-Fogging Thin Coatings.

Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) exhibits remarkable qualities; owing to the strong affinity for water of its pyrrolidone group, which enhances compatibility with aqueous systems, it is effective for stabilizing, binding, or carrying food, drugs, and cosmetics. However, coating the surface of polymeric films with PVP is not practical, as the coatings dissolve easily in water and ethanol. Poly(silane-pyrrolidone) nano/microparticles were prepared by combining addition polymerization of methacryloxypropyltriethoxysilane and N-vinylpyrrolidone, followed by step-growth Stöber polymerization of the formed silane-pyrrolidone monomer. The silane-pyrrolidone monomeric solution was spread on oxidized polyethylene films with a Mayer rod and polymerized to form siloxane (Si-O-Si) self-cross-linked durable anti-fog thin coatings with pyrrolidone groups exposed on the outer surface. The coatings exhibited similar wetting properties to PVP with significantly greater stability. The particles and coatings were characterized by microscopy, contact angle measurements, and spectroscopy, and tested using hot fog. Excellent anti-fogging activity was found.

Mini review polyurethane hybrids: preparation, characterization and applications

Polyurethane hybrids (PUHs) are a type of versatile materials with a broad variety of possible applications. Considering the connections between their structure and characteristics, this is especially true. Because of its special mechanical stability, toughness, stickiness, sustainability of the finished product, biological properties, and chemical properties, PUHs are the subject of extensive research and development for use in a wide range of applications. Polyurethane /acrylic hybrids are important type of binders in coating industries due to their exceptional properties. This mini review aims to provide an overview of different types of polyurethane/acrylic hybrids, including waterborne, blending, and UV curable hybrids. The synthesis of these hybrids through addition and emulsion polymerization techniques is discussed, emphasizing the importance of achieving intimately homogenous latex. The hybrids (PUHs) enhanced the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of the final products including coatings, paints, adhesives, and performance of other products. In addition, the anticorrosion coatings based on PUHs exhibits the properties of polyurethane and acrylic to reduce or prevent the corrosion.

Multifunctional Silicon‐Based Composite Electrolyte Additive Enhances the Stability of the Lithium Metal Anode/Electrolyte Interface

AbstractThe high energy density of lithium metal batteries (LMBs) makes them a promising battery research target. However, the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) instability causes dendrite formation/growth and short circuits. Electrolyte engineering can regulate the intrinsic properties of the SEI due to the composition and properties of the SEI strongly depend on the electrolyte component. In this work, 2,4,6,8‐tetramethyl‐2,4,6,8‐tetravinylcyclotetra‐siloxane (V4) is paired with vinyl‐triethoxy‐silane (VTEO) to obtain a novel ester‐based electrolyte additive. Decomposition of V4 molecules into silicon‐based polymer‐rich SEI on the Li metal anode surface has been predicted theoretically and verified experimentally. Through ─CH═CH2 addition polymerization on the preformed silicon‐based polymer layers which originates from the decomposition of V4, VTEO molecules can be integrated into SEI films due to their “molecular bridge” structure. The organic functional group (─OCH2CH3) on VTEO molecules promotes Li+ transport kinetics and forms Si─O─Li bonds under the presence of OH−, improving anode interface stability. The experimental results show that the cycle life of the LFP‐Li full batteries is over 1000 and 500 cycles at 5 C and 10 C, respectively. This research elucidates a reliable strategy for constructing SEI film with high adhesion and long‐term viability on the Li metal anode.

Silver Coated Multifunctional Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Polymeric Composites as Electro-Responsive and Piezo-Resistive Artificial Muscles.

Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) are a class of shape-changing polymers with exceptional mechanical properties and potential as artificial muscles/polymer actuators. In this study, multifunctional LCE actuators with strain sensing and joule heating responsivity are developed. LCEs are successfully synthesized using the thiol-ene two-staged michael addition polymerization (TMAP) method. The LCE films are further functionalized via sequential polydopamine (PDA) and silver electroless coating. It is found that the PDA coating enabled the anchoring of the Ag particles to the LCE, thereby enabling the electrical conductivity of the Ag-LCEs (<0.1 Ω cm-1). The studies confirm that the Ag/PDA coated LCEs can sense up to ≈30% strain, sense their own actuation strokes, and actuate at a rate of 1.83% s-1 while lifting a weight ≈50 times its mass in response to a 12V 2A DC current.

Flexible Anti‐Counterfeiting Circularly Polarized Luminescent Elastomer from Supramolecular Polyurethanes

AbstractSupramolecular polymers with circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) have promoted future intelligence development of polymer‐based materials for flexible display. However, preparing polymer‐based CPL materials with simultaneous enhanced luminescence dissymmetry factor (|glum|) and mechanical performance for industrial applications remains challenging. This work develops an eco‐friendly preparation method for preparing CPL elastomers from supramolecular polyurethanes bearing chiral fluorescent S (or R)‐1,1′‐Bi(2‐naphthol) (BINOL) groups in a solvent‐free system. Surprisingly, a polymer system containing 0.0028 mol% of chiral BINOL unit is sufficient to emit the significant CPL‐activity with a |glum| value of 2.30 × 10−2, appear a good mechanical toughness of 56.28 ± 3.9 MJ·m−3, thereby exhibit multiple flexible anti‐counterfeiting behaviors. The long‐range ordered microphase arrangement in polyurethanes is the key to improving both mechanical properties and |glum|. This is attributed to in‐situ additive polymerization of BINOL‐based isocyanate prepolymer and macromolecular polyols induced helical supramolecular structure, afforded solid‐state films with flexibility and chiral amplification. Furthermore, these results from Circular dichroism, CPL, Fourier transform infrared, X‐ray diffraction analyses, and atomic force microscope confirm the formation of long‐range ordered microphase arrangement through the synergistic effect of hydrogen bonding and π–π interactions. This work offers significant insights into the construction of CPL elastomers for developing novel flexible display materials.

Tannic acid strengthen adhesion of poly(AAm-co-GG) hydrogels for multiple solid surfaces repairing

This study aims to develop bio-compatible mechanically robust, adhesive hydrogels using acrylamide and gellan gum. Tannic acid (TA) and N, N-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) were used as physical and chemical crosslinkers respectively. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis verified the successful synthesis of hydrogels through free radical addition polymerization. The rheological tests, such as frequency sweep, creep recovery, and amplitude sweep were performed to evaluate the effect of TA on the adhesive behavior and viscoelastic properties of hydrogels. Results highlighted the pivotal role of polymer chain interactions in regulating the adhesive behavior. The tannic acid concentration was varied to assess the adhesive performance, higher tannic acid concentration resulted in improved adherence. The adhesion strength order was received as 33.6 > 18 > 7.56 > 6.7 > 6.23 kPa. The prepared adhesive hydrogels performed exceptionally well on wood, cloth, rubber, glass, and ceramics-like materials. Furthermore, the hydrogels were practically found efficient at low as well as at high temperatures. The low price, high efficiency, easy to synthesize, and bio-friendly. etc. characteristics can make these hydrogels to be applied convincingly as adhesives in the future.

Remarkable impact of chain backbone on the performance of Poly(norbornene derivatives)-based anion exchange membranes

Chemical stability and the trade-off between ion conductivity and dimensional stability are two primary challenges for the development of suitable anion exchange membranes (AEMs). Herein, a series of non-crosslinked poly(norbornene derivatives)-based AEMs containing a bulky steric hindrance hydrophobic arylene substituent were prepared by vinyl addition polymerization (VAP), ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP), and ROMP followed post-hydrogenation, respectively. Compared with ROMP and hydrogenated type membranes, VAP-type membranes, especially the VAP-N-50, exhibited excellent dimensional stability with limited swelling ratio (SR = 27.9 %) while higher water uptake (WU = 213.8 %) at 80 °C, which is attributed to its rigid VAP-type cyclic chain backbone. Microtopography study demonstrated the existence of nanoscale phase separation in VAP-type AEMs and its association with water uptake and swelling behavior. VAP-N-60 showed excellent hydroxide conductivity up to 105.5 mS cm−1 at 80 °C, while exhibited superior alkaline stability that was not found in ROMP-type membrane ROMP-N-50 and the hydrogenated-type membrane H-ROMP-N-50. After being immersed in 2 M NaOH solution at 80 °C for 1200 h, the hydroxide conductivity loss of VAP-N-60 was only 3.0 %. Furthermore, a H2/O2 single cell using VAP-N-50 membrane achieved the highest peak power density of 722 mW cm−2 at 60 °C without back pressure.

Polymer-dispersed liquid crystal with low driving voltage utilising reaction selectivity of two-stage polymerisation

ABSTRACT An optimised approach is presented in this study for the fabrication of a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) device with a low driving voltage and high contrast ratio (CR). This method involves a two-step process utilising Michael addition and radical polymerisation, employing a reaction-selective orthogonal photoinitiated system. The impact of incorporating low surface energy monomers on PDLC performance is thoroughly investigated, and the driving voltage is further reduced through selective reaction-induced interface modification. The polymer morphology can be finely tuned by adjusting the thiol content, leading to various PDLC properties. This paper introduces a novel surface modification technique within the polymer-liquid crystal system, presenting a fresh perspective on regulating PDLC performance. By choosing monomer structures, the sequence of reactions can be precisely controlled, allowing for the introduction of structural units with distinct functionalities at the polymer interface. This approach facilitates interfacial functionalization and enables the design of multi-layer structures for synthetic polymers, realising innovative functionalities.

Light-Responsive Actuator of Azobenzene-Containing Main-Chain Liquid Crystal Elastomers with Allyl Sulfide Dynamic Exchangeable Linkages.

Herein, a light-responsive and light-induced bond-exchange-reaction (BER)-capable actuator of the monodomain liquid crystal elastomer (xMLCEazo), developed using main-chain mesogenic oligomers containing azobenzene and allyl sulfide linkages, is investigated. Large quantities of the azobenzene and allyl dithiol linkages are incorporated into the main-chain mesogenic oligomer prepared via thiol-acrylate Michael addition polymerization (TAMAP). The xMLCEazo film is generated via visible-light-induced BER of the drawn polydomain xLCEazo (xPLCEazo) film prepared via TAMAP of tetrathiol cross-linkers and diacrylate-terminated mesogenic oligomers. The xMLCEazo film exhibits large length actuation (38%) through the photothermal effect, along with excellent self-healing and reprogramming properties, under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. UV light induced BER of the xMLCEazo film is used to develop complex-shaped actuators with a bilayer film, containing the xMLCEazo and xPLCEazo films, which are bonded by the UV light induced BER without glue. The individual arm of the complex eight-arm flower is remotely actuated under UV light irradiation, and a circular band is rolled under blue laser light irradiation, demonstrating the local remote-controlled actuation and fuel-free motion of the motile soft robot using light irradiation, respectively. Thus, the xMLCEazo film can be expanded to other interesting applications requiring reprogrammable, self-healing, reprocessable, patternable, and remote-controlled light-triggered elastic, rubber-like actuators.

Aryl ether-free polymer electrolytes for electrochemical and energy devices.

Anion exchange polymers (AEPs) play a crucial role in green hydrogen production through anion exchange membrane water electrolysis. The chemical stability of AEPs is paramount for stable system operation in electrolysers and other electrochemical devices. Given the instability of aryl ether-containing AEPs under high pH conditions, recent research has focused on quaternized aryl ether-free variants. The primary goal of this review is to provide a greater depth of knowledge on the synthesis of aryl ether-free AEPs targeted for electrochemical devices. Synthetic pathways that yield polyaromatic AEPs include acid-catalysed polyhydroxyalkylation, metal-promoted coupling reactions, ionene synthesis via nucleophilic substitution, alkylation of polybenzimidazole, and Diels-Alder polymerization. Polyolefinic AEPs are prepared through addition polymerization, ring-opening metathesis, radiation grafting reactions, and anionic polymerization. Discussions cover structure-property-performance relationships of AEPs in fuel cells, redox flow batteries, and water and CO2 electrolysers, along with the current status of scale-up synthesis and commercialization.

Designing a green poly(β-amino ester) for the delivery of nicotinamide drugs with biological activities and conducting a DFT investigation.

The environmentally friendly polymerization process was carried out using microwave irradiation without additional solvents or catalysts to produce poly(β-amino ester) (PβAE) which served as a drug delivery system. PβAE was synthesized through Michael addition polymerization of 1,4-butane diol diacrylate and piperazine. Swelling and biodegradation studies were conducted in various solvents and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4) at 37 °C to evaluate the properties of the polymeric gel. The PβAE matrix demonstrated solubility enhancement for hydrophobic antimicrobial and antitumor-active nicotinamide derivatives (TEINH, APTAT, and MOAPM), controlling their release over 10 days in (PBS). The successful formation of free and loaded PβAE with nicotinamide active materials was confirmed by spectroscopic analysis including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Optimization and physical descriptor determination via the DFT/B3LYP-631(G) basis set were performed to aid in the biological evaluation of these compounds with elucidation of their physical and chemical interaction between poly(β-amino ester) and nicotinamide drugs.