Copolymer Poly Research Articles

Aluminum and titanium complexes bearing 2,6-Bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)pyridines for ring-opening polymerization of lactide, ε-caprolactone and their copolymerization: Effect of a ligand on coordination chemistry and reactivity

In ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of cyclic esters, the rational design of the catalyst is generally applied to solve the task of providing polyester biocompatibility (non-toxicity) and the problem of copolymer homogeneity when using comonomers of different nature (e. g. lactones and lactides). In the present work, we report the synthesis of aluminum and titanium complexes, based on substituted 2,6-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)pyridine pro-ligands 1 and 2. It was found that the structure of the pro-ligand drastically affect the structure of the reaction product. Pro-ligand 2 with a bulky tert‑butyl group leads to the monomeric complexes 6 (LAlMe) and 7 (LTi(OiPr)2), while the ligands with less bulky groups lead to the oligomeric Al-containing compounds 3 and 4, and in the case of Ti bis-ligand complex 5 is formed. Complexes 6 (in presence of BnOH) and 7 turned out to be active in the ROP of ε-caprolactone and l-lactide and gave PCL and PLA with high molecular masses. Compound 6 was an effective initiator of copolymerization of ε-caprolactone and l-lactide which led to statistical copolymer poly(LA-stat-CL) with comonomer subunits ratio of 1:1.

Towards personalized drug delivery via semi-solid extrusion: Exploring poly(vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate) copolymers for hydrochlorothiazide-loaded films

The increasing need for personalized drug delivery requires developing systems with tailorable properties. The copolymer poly(vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate) (PVA/PVAc) allows for adjusting the monomer ratio. This study explored the effect of vinyl alcohol (VA) and vinyl acetate (VAc) monomer ratio on the properties of hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) films. Five copolymers with different VA/VAc ratios were selected and characterized. Semi-solid extrusion was employed as a method for the preparation of HCT-PVA/PVAc films to address the challenges of HCT´s low water solubility, high melting point, and low permeability. All copolymers were suitable for semi-solid extrusion, however, the mechanical properties of films with higher VA proportions were more suitable. The drug was found to be homogeneously distributed on a micrometer level throughout the prepared films. It was found that using different monomer ratios in the copolymer allows for drug release tuning – higher VA proportions showed an increased rate of drug release. Experiments through HT29-MTX cell monolayers revealed differences in HCT permeability between the different formulations. In addition, no cytotoxicity was observed for the tested formulations. The results highlight the effect of monomer ratio on film properties, providing valuable guidance for formulators in selecting PVA/PVAc copolymers for achieving desired high-quality films. In addition, varying the monomer ratio allows tuning of the film properties, and can be applied for personalization, with flexible-dose adjustment and design of appealing shapes of the pharmaceutics, not least attractive for pediatric drug delivery.

Self-assembly of PEG-PPS polymers and LL-37 peptide nanomicelles improves the oxidative microenvironment and promotes angiogenesis to facilitate chronic wound healing.

Refractory diabetic wounds are associated with high incidence, mortality, and recurrence rates and are a devastating and rapidly growing clinical problem. However, treating these wounds is difficult owing to uncontrolled inflammatory microenvironments and defective angiogenesis in the affected areas, with no established effective treatment to the best of our knowledge. Herein, we optimized a dual functional therapeutic agent based on the assembly of LL-37 peptides and diblock copolymer poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(propylene sulfide) (PEG-PPS). The incorporation of PEG-PPS enabled responsive or controlled LL-37 peptide release in the presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS). LL-37@PEG-PPS nanomicelles not only scavenged excessive ROS to improve the microenvironment for angiogenesis but also released LL-37 peptides and protected them from degradation, thereby robustly increasing angiogenesis. Diabetic wounds treated with LL-37@PEG-PPS exhibited accelerated and high-quality wound healing in vivo. This study shows that LL-37@PEG-PPS can restore beneficial angiogenesis in the wound microenvironment by continuously providing angiogenesis-promoting signals. Thus, it may be a promising drug for improving chronic refractory wound healing.

Magnetically Recyclable Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron-Mediated PhotoRDRP in Ionic Liquid toward Smart, Functional Polymers.

A facile method based on recyclable nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI)-mediated photoinduced reversible deactivation radical polymerization in ionic liquid (IL) leads to the synthesis of narrow disperse poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) (PTBMA), amphiphilic PTBMA-block-poly(poly(ethylene glycol)methacrylate) diblock copolymer and double hydrophilic poly(methacrylic acid)-block-poly(poly(ethylene glycol)methacrylate) (PMAA-b-PPEGMA) diblock copolymers thereof. Stimuli response of the synthesized PMAA-b-PPEGMA diblock copolymer against variation in pH and temperature is assessed. Recyclability of the nZVI (catalyst) and IL (solvent) is established. Polymerization may be switched ON or OFF, simply by turning the UVA light irradiation ON or OFF, offering temporal control. The diblock copolymer self-aggregates into spherical nanoaggregates which are employed for encapsulation of coumarin 102 (C102, a typical hydrophobic dye), describing their potential application in drug delivery applications. The facile synthesis strategy may open up new avenues for the preparation of intelligent functional polymers for engineering and biomedical applications.

Controlling plasmonic suprastructures through self-assembly of gold nanoparticles with hybrid copolymer-lipid vesicles

Hybrid lipid membranes incorporating amphiphilic copolymers have gained significant attention due to their potential applications in various fields, including drug delivery and sensing. By combining the properties of copolymers and lipid membranes, such as enhanced chemical tunability and stability, environmental responsiveness, and multidomain nature, novel membrane architectures have been proposed. In this study, we investigated the potentialities of hybrid membranes made of two distinct components: the rigid fully saturated phospholipid 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and the soft copolymer poly(butadiene-b-ethyleneoxide) (PBD-b-PEO). The objective was to explore the interaction of citrate-coated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and the hybrid membrane, aiming at constructing AuNPs-hybrid vesicles suprastructures with controlled and adjustable plasmonic properties. A series of experimental techniques were employed to investigate hybrid free-standing and supported membranes. The results revealed that the incorporation of the copolymer into the lipid membrane promotes AuNPs clustering, demonstrating a distinctive aggregative phenomenon of citrate-coated AuNPs on multidomain membranes. Importantly, we show that the size and morphology of AuNPs clusters can be precisely controlled in non-homogeneous membranes, enabling the formation of hybrid suprastructures with controlled patch properties. These results highlight the potential of lipid-copolymer hybrid membranes for designing functional materials with tailored plasmonic properties, with potential applications in nanomedicine and sensing.

Deposition and water repelling of temperature-responsive nanopesticides on leaves

Pesticides are widely used to increase agricultural productivity, however, weak adhesion and deposition lead to low efficient utilization. Herein, we prepare a nanopesticide formulation (tebuconazole nanopesticides) which is leaf-adhesive, and water-dispersed via a rapid nanoparticle precipitation method, flash nanoprecipitation, using temperature-responsive copolymers poly-(2-(dimethylamino)ethylmethylacrylate)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) as the carrier. Compared with commercial suspensions, the encapsulation by the polymer improves the deposition of TEB, and the contact angle on foliage is lowered by 40.0°. Due to the small size and strong van der Waals interactions, the anti-washing efficiency of TEB NPs is increased by 37% in contrast to commercial ones. Finally, the acute toxicity of TEB NPs to zebrafish shows a more than 25-fold reduction as compared to commercial formulation indicating good biocompatibility of the nanopesticides. This work is expected to enhance pesticide droplet deposition and adhesion, maximize the use of pesticides, tackling one of the application challenges of pesticides.

Synthesis and Self-assembly of a Novel Amphiphilic Tri-arm Star-shaped Copolymer Poly(ethylene oxide)-b-Poly(ε-caprolactone)

Abstract:Amphiphilic tri-arm star-shaped copolymers, poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone) PEO3-b-PCL3, with different poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) molecular weights were successfully synthesized by ring-opening polymerization (ROP). Firstly, the tri-arm star-shaped PEO3 was prepared by ROP of trimethylolpropane and ethylene oxide (EO). The ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ε- caprolactone (CL) was initiated using the tri-arm star-shaped PEO3 with the hydroxyl group as macroinitiator and Sn(Oct)2 as a catalyst. Amphiphilic tri-arm star-shaped copolymers PEO3-b-PCL3 were obtained. By changing the ratio of monomer and macroinitiator, a series of PEO3-b-PCL3 were prepared with a well-defined structure, molecular weight control, and narrow molecular weight distribution. The expected intermediates and final products were confirmed by 1H NMR and Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) analyses. In addition, the sizes and morphologies of the obtained micelles with different PCL segment lengths were investigated with dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. It was found that the self-assembly morphologies were spherical micelle in aqueous solution.

Citric acid-modified pH-sensitive bone-targeted delivery of estrogen for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Bone targeted delivery of estrogen offers great promise for the clinical application of estrogen in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP). However, the current bone-targeted drug delivery system still has several issues that need to be solved, such as the side effects of bone-targeted modifier molecules and the failure of the delivery system to release rapidly in the bone tissue. It is important to aggressively search for new bone-targeted modifier molecules and bone microenvironment-responsive delivery vehicles. Inspired by the distribution of citric acid (CA) mainly in bone tissue and the acidic bone resorption microenvironment, we constructed a CA-modified diblock copolymer poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (CA-PEOz) drug delivery system. In our study, we found that the CA modification significantly increased the bone targeting of this drug delivery system, and the delivery system was able to achieve rapid drug release under bone acidic conditions. The delivery system significantly reduced bone loss in postmenopausal osteoporotic mice with a significant reduction in estrogenic side effects on the uterus. In summary, our study shows that CA can act as an effective bone targeting modifier molecule and provides a new option for bone targeting modifications. Our study also provides a new approach for bone-targeted delivery of estrogen for the treatment of PMOP.

Block copolymer-derived recessed nanodisk-array electrodes for electrochemical detection of β-lactam antibiotics

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the major socio-economic factors contributing to public health. β-lactams are most commonly prescribed drugs for variety of bacterial infections. Frequent use of antibiotics leads to AMR in humans and animals. The present work is focused on developing an electro-immunosensor to control and regulate the excessive use of antibiotics in animal-based food products. An amphiphilic block co-polymer poly(ethylene oxide-block-methyl methacrylate)(PEO-b-PMMA) was used to fabricate recessed nano-disk array electrode (RNE) and immobilized with Pen-Ab and Cef-Ab antibodies. The Limit of detection (LOD) of RNE working electrode was found to be 14.8 pM for penicillin and 13.8 pM for cefalexin with good selectivity in presence of non-specific antibiotics. Fabricated RNE electrode could detect trace amounts of spiked antigen in real samples of milk, egg and meat extract. Further, mesoporous thin film and microarrays can eventually be used to develop point-of-care diagnosis of antibiotics in animal-based food products.

Chemical, Electrochemical and Plasma Polymerization of Pyrrole-Aniline Copolymers and Their Characterization

Pyrrole-aniline copolymers (poly(Py-co-Ani)) were synthesized using both three chemical, electrochemical and plasma polymerization methods. Comparison of the copolymers synthesized with three methods was investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravymetric analysis (TG-DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and conductivity results confirmed that the poly(Py-co-Ani) copolymers were successfully obtained in all cases with some differences according to synthesis methods. It was found that plasma method enhanced the thermal stability of the poly(Py-co-Ani) copolymer. The first thermal decomposition temperatures of chemically, electrochemically and plasma polymerized copolymers are 210, 190 and 250 °C, respectively. However, the conductivity value of plasma polymerized copolymer (1,97x10-4 S.cm-1) is lower than that of chemical (4,40x10-4 S.cm-1) and electrochemical (3,14x10-4 S.cm-1) synthesized copolymers. According to findings chemical and electrochemical polymerization methods provides nearly the same properties to the copolymers. Plasma polymerization method provides better thermal properties to copolymer. The both three methods can be used for preparing the pyrrole and aniline copolymers.

Surface-Modified Piezoelectric Copolymer Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) Supporting Physiological Extracellular Matrixes to Enhance Mesenchymal Stem Cell Adhesion for Nanoscale Mechanical Stimulation.

There is an unmet clinical need to provide viable bone grafts for clinical use. Autologous bone, one of the most commonly transplanted tissues, is often used but is associated with donor site morbidity. Tissue engineering strategies to differentiate an autologous cell source, such as mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), into a potential bone-graft material could help to fulfill clinical demand. However, osteogenesis of MSCs can typically require long culture periods that are impractical in a clinical setting and can lead to significant cost. Investigation into strategies that optimize cell production is essential. Here, we use the piezoelectric copolymer poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) (PVDF-TrFE), functionalized with a poly(ethyl acrylate) (PEA) coating that drives fibronectin network formation, to enhance MSC adhesion and to present growth factors in the solid phase. Dynamic electrical cues are then incorporated, via a nanovibrational bioreactor, and the MSC response to electromechanical stimulation is investigated.

Surface-induced film structure for enhanced carrier transport of the conjugated/insulating polymer blends at a low semiconductor content

In this work, a donor-acceptor copolymer poly[(5,6-difluoro-2,1,3-benzothiadiazol-4,7-diyl)- alt(3,3‴-di(2-decyltetradecyl)-2,2'; 5′,2''; 5″,2‴-quaterthiophene-5,5‴-diyl)] (PffBT4T-2DT) has been blended with the insulating polystyrene (PS) to fabricate the field-effect transistors (FETs). The blend films deposited on the SiO2 dielectric by the octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) modification, exhibit the FET mobility 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than those on the unmodified dielectric, as well as a 10–100 folds enhancement of mobility with decreasing the PffBT4T-2DT ratios at the concentration range of 30 wt. %-5 wt. %. Detailed microstructural characterizations reveal that the OTS modification induces the change of phase-separation structure in the blend film, in which more aggregates of the PffBT4T-2DT are enriched near the semiconductor/dielectric interface. Furthermore, the OTS modification of substrate and the addition of PS facilitate the conversion from face-on to edge-on stacking orientation so that the edge-on packing structure dominates in the films with a semiconductor content of 5–10 wt. %. Based on these results, we propose that the remarkably elevated mobility at low PffBT4T-2DT contents is attributed to the enhanced edge-on arrangement of PffBT4T-2DT as well as the favorable interconnect network of chain aggregates formed at the semiconductor/dielectric interface for efficient carrier transport pathway.

Development of ionic polymer metal composite actuator by EB graft-polymerization

Ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMC) actuators were fabricated by applying ionic exchange groups such as sulfonic acids and carboxylic acids using EB graft-polymerization to two types of fluorine-based copolymers (Poly (tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene): FEP and Poly (ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene): ETFE) as base materials, and then forming electrodes with Pt-Pd by sputtering. The physical properties of the obtained graft membrane and the evaluation as an actuator were performed. It was suggested that the acrylic acid graft membrane is preferable for PEM as components of IPMC actuator, because the ion conduction mechanism is a vehicle mechanism in which oxonium ions pass through formed hydrated clusters in PEM. In the case of operation at 10 V, IPMC actuator based on the acrylic acid-grafted FEP and ETFE showed similar or larger displacement than that based on conventional membrane. The grafted ETFE, which has high mechanical properties, is superior to the grafted FEP used in the actuators. Therefore, it was found that the ETFE grafted with acrylic acid is preferable for the IPMC actuator.

Toluene‐Mediated Morphology Tuning of Diblock Copolymer‐Templated Porous Si/Ge/K/C Thin Films for Li‐Ion Batteries

Amphiphilic diblock copolymer poly(styrene‐b‐ethylene oxide) templating in combination with sol–gel chemistry is utilized to synthesize porous mixed silicon/germanium/potassium/carbon (Si/Ge/K/C) thin films. As a Si/Ge source, the dissolvable Zintl phase K12Si12Ge5 is used. The toluene‐mediated morphological changes in the porous mixed Si/Ge/K/C thin films are studied with scanning electron microscopy and grazing incidence small/wide‐angle X‐Ray scattering. A dichloromethane solvent vapor annealing step is applied to study the additional morphological transformation inside the films. Since Ge and Si are promising anode materials in Li‐ion batteries, CR2032 half‐cells are manufactured with the porous mixed Si/Ge/K/C thin films and characterized by cyclic voltammograms, cycling, and impedance spectroscopy.

Design of Self-Assembled Nanoparticles as a Potent Inhibitor and Fluorescent Probe for β-Amyloid Fibrillization.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains incurable due to its complex pathogenesis. The deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ) in the brain appears much earlier than any clinical symptoms and plays an essential role in the occurrence and development of AD neuropathology, which implies the importance of early theranostics. Herein, we designed a self-assembled bifunctional nanoparticle (LC8-pCG-fLC8) for Aβ fluorescent diagnosis and inhibition. The nanoparticle was synthesized by click chemistry from Aβ-targeting peptide Ac-LVFFARKC-NH2 (LC8) and an Aβ fluorescent probe f with the zwitterionic copolymer poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate-glycidyl methacrylate) (p(CBMA-GMA), pCG). Owing to the high reactivity of epoxy groups, the peptide concentration of LC8-pCG-fLC8 nanoparticles reached about 4 times higher than that of the existing inhibitor LVFFARK@poly(carboxybetaine) (LK7@pCB). LC8-pCG-fLC8 exhibited remarkable inhibitory capability (suppression efficiency of 83.0% at 20 μM), altered the aggregation pathway of Aβ, and increased the survival rate of amyloid-induced cultured cells from 76.5% to 98.0% at 20 μM. Notably, LC8-pCG-fLC8 possessed excellent binding affinity, good biostability, and high fluorescence responsivity to β-sheet-rich Aβ oligomers and fibrils, which could be used for the early diagnosis of Aβ aggregation. More importantly, in vivo tests using transgenic C. elegans CL2006 stain showed that LC8-pCG-fLC8 could specifically image Aβ plaques, prolong the lifespan (from 13 to 17 days), and attenuate the AD-like symptoms (reducing paralysis and Aβ deposition). Therefore, self-assembled nanoparticles hold great potential in AD theranostics.

A highly sensitive ammonia gas sensor based on non-covalent functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes with Schiff Base polyphenylene polymer

Accurately detecting the NH3 gas is an important task in different fields. For this demand, high-purity of semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (sc-SWCNTs) are ideal for gas sensing, but the cost of their preparation could limit the application of this material. In this paper, a copolymer of poly [9, 9-dioctylfluorene-N, N′ - (1, 4-phenyl dimethyl) bis (4-iodoaniline)] (FO-N-PA) was reported, which was used to separate and non-covalently functionalize the sc-SWCNTs by simple ultrasonication and centrifugation with over 99 % purity. Then, the sorted FO-N-PA@SWCNTs were used as a sensing material for the detection of ammonia vapors at room temperature. Eventually, the FO-N-PA@SWCNTs complex-based sensor demonstrates high sensitivity, fast response, and high selectivity for low concentrations of ammonia vapors in the natural air. The response of the FO-N-PA@SWCNTs complex-based sensor is improved by 14 times than that of the raw SWCNTs-based sensor. In particular, the FO-N-PA@SWCNTs complex-based sensor showed response values of 21.3 % and 73.3 % for 1 ppm and 35 ppm ammonia vapors, respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) of the FO-N-PA@SWCNTs complex-based sensor was calculated to be 75.78 ppb. The test results showed that sensors have high sensitivity at both low and high ammonia concentrations.

Effect of film thickness on laser induced surface structures formation on optically transparent polymer films

Laser-induced periodic surface structures can be prepared on polymer thin films, despite the absence of light absorption at the wavelength of the irradiating laser, by using a bilayer approach. Nanostructuring of a poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) layer, by laser irradiation at 532 nm, covered by a thin layer of a non-absorbing polymer, in this case, the ferroelectric copolymer poly(vinylidene fluoride - trifluoro ethylene),P(VDF-TrFE), allows the development of a grating-like structure on the surface. The range of thicknesses of the upper layer, which leads to the formation of LIPSS, has been determined. It is verified that for a thickness larger than 40 nm, no periodic structures are formed, neither in the upper layer nor in the bottom P3HT one. This can be explained considering a mechanical restriction which prevents P3HT rearrangement. The upper nanostructured surface layer exhibits ferroelectric properties as proven by piezoresponse force microscopy measurements.

In Situ and Ex Situ Studies of Ring-Like Assembly of Silica Nanoparticles in the Presence of Poly(propylene oxide)-Poly(ethylene oxide) Block Copolymers.

Block copolymer-mediated self-assembly of colloidal nanoparticles has attracted great attention for fabricating various nanoparticle arrays. We have previously shown that silica nanoparticles (SNPs) assemble into ring-like nanostructures in the presence of temperature-responsive block copolymers poly[(2-ethoxyethyl vinyl ether)-block-(2-methoxyethyl vinyl ether)] (PEOVE-PMOVE) in an aqueous phase. The ring-like nanostructures formed within an aggregate of PEOVE-PMOVE when the temperature was increased to 45 °C, at which the polymer is amphiphilic. Herein, we report that SNPs assemble into ring-like nanostructures even with a different temperature-responsive, amphiphilic block copolymer poly(propylene oxide)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PPO-PEO) at 45 °C. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy for SNP assemblies that were spin-coated on a substrate indicated that SNP first assembled into chain-like nanostructures and then bent into closed loops over several days. In contrast, in situ small-angle X-ray diffraction measurements revealed the formation of SNP nanorings within 75 s at 45 °C in the liquid phase. These results indicated that ring-like assembly of SNPs occurs quickly in the liquid phase, but the slow formation of Si-O-Si bonds between SNPs leads to their structure being destroyed by spin-coating. Intriguingly, SNPs with a diameter of 15 nm form a well-defined nanoring structure, with five SNPs located at the vertex points of a regular pentagon. Additionally, small-angle neutron scattering, where the contrast of the solvent (a mixture of H2O and D2O) matches that of SNPs, clarified that SNPs are contained within the spherical micelle formed from PPO-PEO. This work offers a facile and versatile approach to preparing ring-like arrays from inorganic colloidal nanoparticles, leading to applications including sensing, catalysis, and nanoelectronics.

Versatile CO2-responsive Sponges Decorated with ZIF-8 for Bidirectional Separation of Oil/Water and Controllable Removal of Dyes.

The complex wastewater containing water-soluble dyes and water-insoluble oils has given rise to significant environmental concerns that demand urgent remediation. Herein, a novel "smart" multifunctional sponge (ZIF-8@PMS) stepwise decorated with ZIF-8 nanoparticles and CO2-responsive copolymer (poly(2-(diethylamino) ethyl methacrylate-co-3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl acrylate-co-stearyl methacrylate) was successfully prepared for CO2 controllable oil/water separation and dyes removal. The results revealed that the sponge coated with CO2-responsive copolymer for three cycles (ZIF-8@PMS-3) exhibited optimal comprehensive properties. The ZIF-8@PMS-3 had excellent compressive-resilient characteristics and chemical stability. As expected, it displayed tunable wettability and charged state under the regulation of CO2. Based on these features, ZIF-8@PMS-3 presented highly efficient removal of oil and dyes, even for the dye-containing oil/water emulsions, via a synergistic combination of adsorption and separation methods. The adsorption capacity for oil and various organic solvents ranged from 21.3 to 50 g g-1. The maximum adsorption capacities toward anionic dyes: methyl orange with 1205.89 mg g-1 and methyl blue with 880.00 mg g-1 in the presence of CO2 through electrostatic interaction. In the absence of CO2, it achieved maximum adsorption capacities for cationic dyes, including malachite green with 1246.15 mg g-1 and rhodamine B with 203 mg g-1, primarily driven by π-π interactions. According to distinct adsorption mechanisms, ZIF-8@PMS-3 could selectively adsorb either anionic or cationic dyes by exploiting CO2 as a trigger. Furthermore, the separation efficiencies for both types of oil/water emulsions surpassed 99.9%, with respective fluxes of 1566.99 L m-2 h-1 (water-in-oil emulsion) and 310.37 L m-2 h-1 (oil-in-water emulsion). Additionally, the as-prepared sponges exhibited remarkable antibacterial properties and exceptional recyclability. Therefore, the ZIF-8@PMS-3 holds substantial promise for potential applications in practical industrial wastewater treatment.

Copolymers of poly(aryl ether ketone)/poly(ether ether amide) containing different numbers of methylene in the main chain: Synthesis and properties

Abstract“One‐step polymerization method” was used to improve the thermal property of semi‐aromatic poly(ether ether amide) (PEEA). Firstly, a series of difluorobenzamide monomers containing different numbers of methylene were synthesized by the reaction of diamine and 4‐fluorobenzoic chloride using a facile interfacial reaction method. Then, these syntheses were conducted to react with bisphenol AP and 4,4′‐difluorobenzophenon to synthesize the novel poly(aryl ether ketone)/semi‐aromatic poly(ether ether amide) copolymers (PAEK/PEEA) with different chain lengths in the chain through nucleophilic substitution by a one‐step method. The obtained copolymers were amorphous with inherent viscosities of 0.373–0.433 dLg−1. They were found to have high glass transition temperatures (Tg) of 160–191°C, good thermal stability with 5% weight‐loss temperature (T5%) of 409–437°C. The tensile strengths of the copolymers were 65.0–75.8 MPa. The storage modulus were over 0.9 GPa at 120°C. At room temperature, the copolymers were soluble in NMP, slightly soluble in DMF, CH2Cl2, CH3Cl, indicating that the synthesized copolymers could be processed by solution method. The results of optical performance showed that the copolymers had good optical transmittance with the optical transmittance of 75.7%–86.1% at 450 nm. They have the potential to be applied as the novel heat‐resistance optical films as the novel copolymers.