Boron nitride nanosheet enabled damping enhancement in carbon fiber epoxy composites through interfacial and matrix mechanisms

The rigid amorphous fraction and glass transition temperature in isotactic polypropylene and fibers using Flash DSC

Structurally similar, functionally different: Impact of coformer positional isomerism on co-amorphous enzalutamide.

Glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine as a novel co-former in co-amorphous systems: Enhanced aqueous solubility and physical stability.

• Thermomechanical properties are engineered with immiscible PHBV copolymer blends. • Blending can be made using non-halogenated solvents as part of PHBV recovery. • Blends of PHBVs that are distinct in crystallinity form biphasic microstructures. • Biphasic PHBV microstructures can have thermoplastic elastomeric like properties. • Solution blending is a means to masterbatch PHBV properties with quality control. Plastic waste motivates the development of products and services from renewable, biodegradable polymers, like polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs). Approaches for quality control and engineering of PHA property specifications (i.e. crystallinity, crystallization rate, mechanical properties, processability, etc.) are going to be needed for industrial scale production. Methods of PHBV, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate -co- 3-hydroxyvalerate), extraction from biomass with non-halogenated solvents were applied to formulate immiscible PHBV copolymer blends. The goal was to test, in principle, if material properties could be controlled as part of the step of PHBV extraction since solution blending is anyway inherent to the biomass extraction process. Homogenous solution blends with average 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) content from 0 to 38 wt% were formulated in dimethyl carbonate with proportions of the more crystalline polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) mixed with a less crystalliine, miscible, pre-eutectic PHBV copolymer blend. Respective PHBV grade properties and microstructures were characterized using Pyrolysis GC/MS, solution rheology, DSC, DMTA, AFM, and melt rheology. Blends exhibited immiscibility (two distinct glass transition temperatures) and phase-separated microstructure morphologies (dispersed or layered-network) of interpenetrating harder and softer phases, as evidenced using Peak Force QNM. Blending systematically modulated elongation at break (from 3% to > 100%) and stiffness (from 1500 to 250 MPa). The more crystalline PHB component progressively effected melt stiffening temperature and rate, which are important to melt processing. Blending reproduced properties of an independently recovered PHBV grade with 37 wt% 3HV that was similarly independently extracted from a dried mixed microbial culture. Thus, solution blending of especially immiscible PHBV grades during PHA recovery is proposed as a novel and practical scalable route for effective property quality control and application-specific PHBV bioplastic masterbatch production.

Future Li-based batteries require electrolytes with high safety, thermal stability, and performance, yet poly(ethylene oxide)-based solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) remain limited by crystallinity-induced low ionic conductivity and stability at room temperature (RT). In this study, a UV-crosslinked poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(ethylene carbonate) (PEO-PEC) salt-in-polymer matrix is developed through dry melt compounding by a mini twin-screw extruder, followed by hot-pressing and UV-induced photopolymerization(crosslinking). The solvent-free manufacturing is designed to mitigate crystallinity and improve mechanical robustness. Resulting SPEs are further modified with cyclic carbonate plasticizers, namely ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), and 1,2-butylene carbonate (BC), to enhance ionic mobility and electrochemical stability, thereby addressing the challenge of fabricating next-generation lithium metal batteries (LMBs) with sufficient ion transport at RT. The influence of these additives, individually and in combination, is investigated through a comprehensive set of electrochemical, thermal, and mechanical characterizations. BC-containing SPEs exhibit reduced glass transition temperatures and stable compatibility with lithium metal for over 2300 h at a capacity of 0.2 mAh cm −2 . In addition, laboratory-scale solid-state Li metal cells with LFP show remarkable performance, delivering almost full practical specific capacity even at RT, despite the presence of immobilized carbonate plasticizers within the crosslinked polymer matrix. This work presents an effective strategy to tailor SPEs for ambient temperature operation through rational additive design, offering insights into the structure-property relationships critical for practical LMB development. • Solvent-free UV-crosslinked PEO–PEC room-temperature solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs). • Cyclic carbonates unlock high ionic transport and suppress crystallinity. • Butylene carbonate delivers enhanced Li-metal interfacial stability. • Dendrite-free Li|SPE|Li cycling sustained for >2300 h at 25 °C. • Solid-state Li|SPE|LFP cells reach near-theoretical capacity at room temperature.

Tannin-phenolic hybrid biomacromolecular resins for extrusion-based biocomposite manufacturing.

Incorporation of hydrogen bonding interactions with physical crosslinking to endow applicable mechanical property for microcrystalline cellulose-graft bottlebrush copolymer elastomers.

Vinyl ester resins (VERs) are widely used in various industries owing to their excellent mechanical properties and chemical resistance. However, their inherent flammability severely restricts further application, and conventional flame retardants often enhance fire safety at the cost of mechanical and thermal performance. Herein, a reactive ammonium polyphosphate (APP) derivative (MDO) with abundant C=C bonds was synthesized by grafting maleic anhydride onto the surface of an amine-modified APP (DO). The resulting MDO not only acts as an efficient flame retardant but also participates in the curing of VER through radical copolymerization. With the addition of only 22 wt% MDO, the 22% MDO/VER composite achieves a vertical burning (UL-94) V-0 rating and a high limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 28.5%, accompanied by remarkable reductions in peak heat release rate (PHRR), total heat release (THR), peak smoke production rate (PSPR) and total smoke production (TSP) compared to the neat VER. More importantly, introducing MDO enhances the tensile strength (49% improvement), flexural strength (56% improvement), and impact strength (19% improvement) of VER while effectively maintaining the glass transition temperature ( T g , 115 °C). The dual enhancement originates from the reactive crosslink sites of MDO that improve the interfacial compatibility and promote condensed-phase charring. This work provides a rational strategy to fabricate high-performance VER composites with superior fire retardancy, outstanding mechanical properties and well-preserved thermal performance.

ABSTRACT Adhesive bonding of timber – concrete composites (TCC) offers improved structural performance compared to mechanical connectors but is often limited by slow curing under ambient conditions. This study investigates the suitability of the two-component epoxy adhesive SikaPower®-880 for temperature-assisted bonding using integrated conductive heating. Curing behavior was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and rheology, while tensile tests on bulk adhesive specimens and compressive-shear tests on TCC specimens evaluated mechanical performance. The results demonstrate a strong temperature dependence of curing kinetics. Increasing the curing temperature from 60°C to 80°C reduces the time to reach a degree of cure of α = 0.7 from approximately 26 min to 12 min. Compared to ambient curing (23 °C), where similar conversion requires hours to days, this represents a substantial acceleration. The glass-transition temperature (Tg) increases with curing temperature up to 80°C, consistent with increased cross-link density. At higher temperatures, thermally induced degradation occurs, indicated by reduced Tg, decreased tensile strength, and porosity formation. At the structural level, curing at 80°C improves characteristic shear strength and reduces scatter. The results indicate that curing at approximately 80°C provides an effective balance between accelerated curing and avoidance of thermal degradation.

Molecular granular materials (MGMs) assembled from subnanometer clusters exhibit unique viscoelasticity but are often limited by complex covalent synthesis. Here, we report a supramolecular strategy to construct MGMs via ionic functionalization of monosubstituted polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) derivatives. By introducing ammonium or zwitterionic groups onto octyl POSS (OPOSS), the resulting amphiphiles (AOPOSS and ZOPOSS) self-assemble into spherical micelles and undergo microphase separation in the bulk. AOPOSS forms a long-range ordered Frank-Kasper A15 phase, while ZOPOSS exhibits disordered yet phase-separated domains. Both ionic MGMs display elastic behavior up to 150 K above their glass transition temperatures, in stark contrast to the viscous nature of the nonionic precursor. Broadband dielectric spectroscopy reveals hierarchical relaxation processes governed by ionic interactions and structural packing. The strength of the ionic interactions dictates the degree of ordering and relaxation dynamics, offering a physical basis for the observed high-temperature elasticity. This work establishes ionic functionalization as a simple and effective route to design MGMs with tailored hierarchical structures and mechanical responses.

ABSTRACT In this study, a fully biobased poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composite with excellent toughness was prepared by reactive blending, in which biodegradable poly(4‐hydroxybutyrate) (P4HB) served as the flexible toughening phase and the environmentally friendly epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) served as the compatibilizer. FTIR and 1 HNMR results indicated that the epoxy groups in ESO have reacted with the hydroxyl/carboxyl groups in PLLA/P4HB. Effects of the composition ratio on the mechanical, thermal and rheological properties of the composite were investigated. Dynamic mechanical analyses showed that the glass transition temperatures of PLLA and P4HB in the mixture decreased after the addition of ESO, indicating that ESO acted as the plasticizer to a certain extent. Tensile experiments showed that the elongation at break of PLLA composites increased significantly with the increase of P4HB content in the presence of ESO, and the notched impact strength also increased significantly. The blends with the PLLA/P4HB ratio fixed at 40/10 exhibited excellent elongation and impact strength, the elongation at break and the notched impact strength nearly reached 219.7% and 38.3 kJ/m 2 , which were 52 times and 11 times that of neat PLLA, respectively. The synergistic effect of P4HB and ESO contributed to the improvement of the mechanical performance.

ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of graphene oxide (GO) and silanized graphene oxide (SiGO) on the mechanical as well as thermal properties of glass fiber/epoxy (GFRP) laminated composites. GO was functionalized with 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) to yield SiGO, which led to improved dispersion in the epoxy along with interfacial bonding. Laminates were manufactured via hand lay‐up and by integrating 0.1–1.0 wt.% of GO and SiGO using ultrasonic dual mode mixing (UDMM) technique in GFRP. Mechanical testing unveiled pronounced enhancements, with 0.7 wt.% SiGO composites exhibiting ~45% higher tensile strength, 98% higher tensile modulus, 76.8% higher flexural strength, and 89.9% higher flexural modulus relative to neat laminate, credited to improved filler dispersion as well as matrix–filler adhesion. Thermal assessment implied elevated decomposition temperatures, higher char residue, and increased glass transition temperatures, affirming improved thermal stability. SEM fractography backed these outcomes. The results exhibit that silanized GO efficiently improves mechanical strength and thermal stability in GFRP laminates, providing a potential for high‐performance composites in state‐of‐the‐art engineering applications.

This work reports the basalt fiber (BF) recycling process via 50 wt.% hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) assisted by solvolysis at low temperature (∼75°C) from a virgin basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) laminate and the remanufacturing of recycled BFRP composites by the vacuum assisted resin infusion. To evaluate the surface state of the recycled BF, morphological analysis and elemental composition were performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). SEM imaging demonstrated that the surface of recycled BF exhibits morphological changes, EDS analysis confirms an increase in oxygen content compared with virgin fibers and no change in fiber orientation was observed after the solvolysis process. After that, beam-type specimens were obtained from recycled BFRP laminates to evaluate their fiber volume fraction, thermo-mechanical, and flexural properties. The experimental results were compared with the virgin BFRP composites and showed that the fiber volume fraction and flexural modulus suffered an 11% and 13% decrease, respectively. However, the recycled BFRP composite had an increase of 28% in flexural strength due to the surface modification of basalt fibers during the solvolysis process with H 2 O 2, which increased surface roughness and mechanical interlocking, and no significant change in the glass transition temperature was observed. The recycling process results showed that the recovered BF from the virgin BFRP composites maintain their original woven configuration and can be reused to manufacture new composite laminates, thus promoting the circular economy.

This study employs molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the effects of composition and temperature on the structural properties, phase transitions, and glass transition temperature of Ga 1-x N x compounds (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8). For GaN at 300 K, the Ga–N bond length is 2.05 Å, and this value remains constant across temperatures from 300 K to 4 K and doping concentrations from 20% to 80%, despite the simulated system size increasing from 5,324 to 27,436 atoms. Cooling reduces the system’s total energy, whereas higher doping concentrations increase it. Significant variations are observed in the populations of FCC, HCP, BCC, and amorphous structural units, with GaN exhibiting both amorphous and crystalline states. Cooling also decreases the total binding energy and enhances structural smoothness, while the amorphous-to-crystalline phase transition is identified at approximately 250 K. These results advance the understanding of GaN structural behavior under varying conditions and provide guidance for the design and optimization of GaNbased materials in advanced semiconductor applications.

ABSTRACT The development of glassy organic–inorganic hybrid material has attracted great interest, yet remains significantly challenging due to issues such as unstable melting, poor crystallization resistance, and limited environmental stability. In this study, we report a rational ligand engineering strategy for designing novel copper iodide cluster glasses. By using phosphine ligands with varying aromatic phenyl (Ph‐) and aliphatic cyclohexyl (Cy‐) groups, a series of zero‐dimensional Cu 4 I 4 (L) 4 (L = Ph 3 P, CyPh 2 P, and Cy 2 PhP) cubic clusters was synthesized. Variable‐temperature X‐ray absorption fine structure analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that melting proceeds through disruption of intermolecular electrostatic interactions rather than ligand dissociation. Density functional theory and rheological analyses further rationalize how ligand engineering regulates the thermodynamic behavior of the clusters. Systematic substitution of phenyl with cyclohexyl groups modulates intermolecular forces, effectively suppressing crystallization and enabling successful vitrification for the CyPh 2 P and Cy 2 PhP analogues. The resulting low‐melting Cu 4 I 4 (Cy 2 PhP) 4 glass exhibits a high glass transition temperature (352.3 K), excellent optical transparency (> 80%, 450–800 nm), and remarkable stability. These properties allow its application in high‐resolution, underwater, and high‐temperature X‐ray imaging. This work establishes a feasible design principle for organic–inorganic hybrid glasses and underscores their potential for advanced photonic applications.

This work investigated the influence of deposition orientation and post-process salt annealing on the thermal and mechanical performance of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and glycol-modified PET parts produced by Material Extrusion. The aim was to appraise the mechanical performance of salt-annealed specimens, evaluating the correct temperature window and its interaction with the build orientation. Dog-bone and flexural specimens were realized with the XY and XZ orientations, respectively, in accordance with ISO 527 and ISO 178. The parts were then placed in a bed of dried sodium chloride powder after fabrication and annealed for 120min at 100-190°C. Differential Scanning Calorimetry confirmed that the feedstocks were amorphous, with glass transition temperatures, and that no crystallization peaks were observed within the processing window. Infrared spectroscopy revealed temperature-dependent band shifts and salt-induced surface effects. A mild 100°C anneal maximized the properties of both materials, whereas higher temperatures led to degradation relative to room-temperature baselines (reductions exceeding 20%). Orientation effects were also significant, with XZ specimens exhibiting lower properties than XY. Salt embedding improved thermal homogeneity but roughened and opacified surfaces, particularly in PET.

ABSTRACT This research investigated an environmentally improved MF resin formulation achieved by incorporating sodium chloride for use in highly transparent decorative paper in building and construction applications. Herein, for the first time, a novel eco‐friendly MF composite was designed through the use of sodium chloride. The results indicated that sodium chloride increased the viscosity and solid content of the resin while reducing its storage stability and formaldehyde emission. The modified resins exhibited shorter curing times and enhanced laminated surfaces' glossiness and abrasion resistance. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed that sodium chloride altered the chemical structure of the resin, which was further supported by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showing changes in the thermal degradation process. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirmed an increase in the glass transition temperature ( T g ) of the resin, suggesting altered curing dynamics. Sodium chloride is not only harmless and cost‐effective, but it has also improved the surface properties of melamine paper, including surface gloss and abrasion resistance. The results indicated that sodium chloride‐modified MF resin had considerable potential as a cost‐effective reinforcing filler. This makes it a viable option for industrial applications in decorative paper impregnation and lamination, where surface quality is prioritized.

ABSTRACT The low thermal conductivity (TC) of epoxy resin limits its application in thermal management. Introducing liquid crystal units into the polymer can improve the TC. The significant restriction of molecular chain mobility, in the cross‐linked system, combined with the weak π‐π interactions between liquid crystal units and the large interlayer spacing of molecular chains, leads to severe phonon scattering, making it difficult to achieve a substantial increase in TC (through‐plane TC<0.4 W m −1 K −1 ). Herein, we employed an aromatic ring induction‐proximity strategy by bonding naphthalene into the resin cross‐linked network. This approach leverages the π – π interaction between naphthalene rings and liquid crystals to reduce layer spacing between molecular chains, further enhancing TC. The introduction of naphthalene rings can also reduce phonon scattering along the molecular chains. Simultaneously, dynamic ester bonds were introduced to improve the degradability. The resulting resin exhibits high intrinsic thermal conductivity (in‐plane TC 1.05 and through‐plane TC 0.45 W m −1 K −1 ), high glass transition temperature (T g >220 °C), excellent thermal stability (T 5% = 342.7 °C), and good water degradability. Molecular dynamics simulations confirmed that naphthalene ring embedding reduces both interlayer spacing and phonon scattering. This work presents a novel strategy for developing epoxy resins with intrinsically high TC and degradability.

Abstract Here we report the synthesis and characterization of a set of four unsaturated prepolymers made from polycondensation of two (−)‐α‐pinene‐derived bulky diols, trans ‐hydroxy nopol (HN) and trans ‐hydroxy myrtenol (HM), with dimethyl itaconate and dimethyl maleate as renewable acyl donors. Structure verification by 1 H and 13 C NMR in concert with Fourier transform infrared analyses confirmed intact backbone C=C groups and ester formation in these prepolymers, showing number‐average molar masses between 1.4 and 6.3 kg mol −1 and dispersity in the range 1.3–2.2. The intact pinene core concomitant with the chiral arms protruding from it results in elevated thermal stability, manifested by 5% weight‐loss temperatures ( T ₅) above 220 °C and decomposition maxima reaching 315 °C, concomitant with an elevated glass transition temperature for one of the materials ( T g of 45 °C). Finally, to investigate end‐of‐life options, subjecting the four polymers to depolymerization studies using the leaf‐branch compost cutinase resulted in partial depolymerization for the less flexible maleate‐containing polyesters, liberating the corresponding diol monomers (8% HN and 13.5% HM). Biodegradation was further supported by shifted SEC traces toward lower molar mass. Complementary in silico docking and metadynamics studies were used to identify near‐attack conformations in which the ester carbonyl in the cis ‐alkene‐containing, maleate‐based bulky backbones is ready for hydrolysis. Overall, this study highlights the untapped potential to generate biobased unsaturated polyesters by capitalizing on rigid bicyclic terpene‐based diols, resulting in elevated thermal performance while retaining enzymatic degradability. © 2026 The Author(s). Polymer International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.