Hyperbranched Polyester Research Articles

Preparation and properties of recycled polypropylene‐based wood–plastic composites reinforced with a bio‐based compatibilizer

AbstractWood‐plastic composites are green composites made of plastic as the matrix and wood as the filler; however, the incompatibility between these two leads to the degradation of the composites. This paper reports the synthesis of a novel bio‐based compatibilizer, annotated as OA‐g‐H20, by grafting oleic acid (OA) on a hyperbranched polyester (Boltorn H20). The effect of modifying recycled polypropylene‐based wood–plastic composites with this compatibilizer was then assessed. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and gel permeation chromatography techniques were employed to characterize the fabricated OA‐g‐H20, while its modification effect was assessed by differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic thermomechanical analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and mechanical property tests. The experimental results revealed that the optimal addition amount of OA‐g‐H20 was 2.0 wt.%.Highlights A new bio‐based compatibilizer, OA‐g‐H20, for wood–plastic composites is reported. OA‐g‐H20 was obtained by grafting oleic acid on a hyperbranched polyester (H20). OA‐g‐H20 provided good mechanical reinforcement for the wood–plastic composites. OA‐g‐H20 improved the crystallinity of the composites. The reinforcement mechanism of OA‐g‐H20 in wood–plastic composites is elucidated.

An A2 + CB2 approach to the synthesis of hyperbranched polyester polyol and application in PU coatings

An A2 + CB2 approach to the synthesis of hyperbranched polyester polyol and application in PU coatings

Hybrid Nanostructures of Hyperbranched Polyester Loaded with Gd(III) and Dy(III) Ions

Hybrid Nanostructures of Hyperbranched Polyester Loaded with Gd(III) and Dy(III) Ions

Genesis of an ecofriendly An + B3 hyperbranched polyester from Poly (ethylene glycol) and aconitic acid for application as flocculant

Genesis of an ecofriendly An + B3 hyperbranched polyester from Poly (ethylene glycol) and aconitic acid for application as flocculant

Stable nanoscale sea-island structure of biobased polyamide 56/poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) blends compatibilized by interfacial hyperbranched structure: Toward biobased polymer blends with ultrahigh toughness

Developing biobased materials is a considerably effective approach to save fossil resources and reduce emissions. Biobased polyamide 56 (PA56) is an excellent engineering material, but it has low toughness. Herein, to enhance the toughness of PA56, an ultra-tough biodegradable material, i.e., poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) was introduced into PA56. Moreover, a self-synthesized epoxy-terminated hyperbranched polyester (EHBP) was used to improve the compatibility of the blended materials. The results of differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that the epoxide group of EHBP could react with PA56 and PBAT to form a block-like polymer structure and limit the crystallization behavior of the blends. The scanning electron microscopy results show that the addition of EHBP considerably reduced the dispersed-phase size in the blends, forming a nanoscale island structure. Moreover, the hydrogen bonds formed between EHBP and PA56/PBAT enhanced the intermolecular interaction between the two materials. Thus, PA56 blends with ultrahigh toughness were successfully prepared. The prepared PA56/PBAT/EHBP blend exhibited a notch impact strength of 20.71 kJ/m2 and a breaking elongation of 38.3 %, which represent increases of 427.3 % and 252.8 %, respectively, compared with those of pure PA56. Thus, the proposed method is suitable for toughening PA56 and broadening its applications.

Development of a novel hyperbranched unsaturated polyester resin: Synthesis, characterization, and potential applications in car body putty

This work presents a comprehensive synthesis method for the development of a new hyperbranched unsaturated polyester resin (HUPR). The resin is synthesized by modifying dehydrated castor oil fatty acid (DCOFA) with methyl methacrylate (MMA) and styrene, dicyclopentadiene-maleate (DCPD-M), and trimethylol propane diallyl ether (TMPDE). The synthesis process involves the radical addition reaction of DCOFA with MMA and styrene, followed by the addition of DCPD-M and TMPDE to form a HUPR. The resulting resin exhibits enhanced properties, making it a promising candidate for car body putty in the polymer industry.

MUC1 aptamer-tethered H40-TEPA-PEG nanoconjugates for targeted siRNA-delivery and gene silencing in breast cancer cells.

With a prevalence of 12.5% of all new cancer cases annually, breast cancer stands as the most common form of cancer worldwide. The current therapies utilized for breast cancer are constrained and ineffective in addressing the condition. siRNA-based gene silencing is a promising method for treating breast cancer. We have developed an aptamer-conjugated dendritic multilayered nanoconjugate to treat breast cancer. Initially, we transformed the hydroxyl groups of the hyperbranched bis-MPA polyester dendrimer into carboxylic groups. Subsequently, we linked these carboxylic groups to tetraethylenepentamine to form a positively charged dendrimer. In addition, the mucin-1 (MUC1) aptamer was attached to the dendrimer using a heterobifunctional polyethylene glycol. Characterizing dendrimers involved 1H NMR and dynamic light scattering techniques at every production stage. A gel retardation experiment was conducted to evaluate the successful binding of siRNA with targeted and non-targeted dendrimers. The targeted dendrimers exhibited no harmful effects on the NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells and RBCs, indicating their biocompatible characteristics. Confocal microscopy demonstrated significant higher uptake of targeted dendrimers than non-targeted dendrimers in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The real-time PCR results demonstrated that the targeted dendrimers exhibited the most pronounced inhibition of the target gene expression compared to the non-targeted dendrimers and lipofectamine-2000. The caspase activation study confirmed the functional effect of survivin silencing by dendrimer, which led to the induction of apoptosis in breast cancer cells. The findings indicated that Mucin-1 targeted hyperbranched bis-MPA polyester dendrimer carrying siRNA could successfully suppress the expression of the target gene in breast cancer cells.

Advancements in polyurethane coating: Synthesis and characterization of a novel hyper branched polyester polyol

Hyperbranched polyester polyols have emerged as a promising candidate for polyurethane coatings due to their unique structure and properties. In this context, this paper aims to synthesize a new hyperbranched polyester polyol and evaluate its potential as a polyol for polyurethane coating applications. In this study, the synthesis of hyperbranched polyester polyol involves the reaction between a multifunctional alcohol and a multifunctional carboxylic acid or anhydride. It is further modified by incorporating 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and styrene. The properties of the polyester polyol were characterized using various analytical techniques, including FTIR, NMR, SEM and TGA. This paper also provides a discussion on the potential applications of the synthesized hyperbranched polyester polyol in several industries such as automotive, aerospace and construction.

Simultaneously Strengthening and Toughening Biodegradable Polylactic Acid/Thermoplastic Starch Blends by Compatibilizing with Epoxy-Terminated Hyperbranched Polyester

Simultaneously Strengthening and Toughening Biodegradable Polylactic Acid/Thermoplastic Starch Blends by Compatibilizing with Epoxy-Terminated Hyperbranched Polyester

Electrospun PVDF/aromatic HBP of 4th gen based flexible and self-powered TENG for wearable energy harvesting and health monitoring

In recent times, high-performance wearable electronic devices that can transform mechanical force into electrical energy for biomedical monitoring applications are receiving an increasing amount of attention. In the present study, we focused on a flexible, self-powered and wearable triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) based on electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/aromatic hyperbranched polyester of 4th generation (Ar.HBP-G4, 0–40 wt.-% w.r.t. PVDF content) blend nanoweb as tribo-negative layer and melt-blown thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) as tribo-positive layer for energy harvesting and human health monitoring applications. Among the varying Ar.HBP-G4 content used, incorporation of Ar.HBP-G4 (10 wt.-%) in PVDF (P-Ar.HBP-G4-10) showed higher increase in the triboelectric output voltage when compared to pristine PVDF and other Ar.HBP-G4 weight ratios. The optimized P-Ar.HBP-G4-10/TPU based TENG exhibited a peak-to-peak voltage (Vp-p) of 124.4 V under an applied load of 9.8 N and frequency 1 Hz which is superior to many other TENGs reported elsewhere. Higher triboelectric performance of P-Ar.HBP-G4 blend based TENG compared to that of neat PVDF is attributed to the effect of Ar.HBP-G4-10 in enhancing the degree of crystallinity and polar β-crystalline phase content (98.3%) in PVDF. The ability of the TENG to power up portable electronic devices is demonstrated when it is powered for 750 s while connected through a capacitor and a rectifier, and the TENG was able to operate 45 light-emitting diodes directly. Evaluation of the triboelectric output of the TENG device attached to different parts of the human body reveal significantly better output voltage and sensitivity for human health monitoring. The results of this work pave a new way to develop TENG based on P-Ar.HBP-G4 nanowebs for sustainable energy generation and wearable healthcare monitoring systems.

The influence of polycaprolactone content on the surface properties of polyurethane networks

AbstractThe aim of this work was to examine the influence of polycaprolactone (PCL) as a soft segment (SS) on the surface properties of polyurethane networks (PUNs). Five PUNs with different SS content (from 10 to 50 wt%) were prepared using Boltorn® aliphatic hyperbranched polyester of the second pseudo generation and isophorone diisocyanate as components of hard segments. The structure, hydrophobicity, wettability, and swelling behavior of these PUNs were investigated. Primarily, the obtained results showed that properties of prepared PUNs strongly depend on the content of SS that is, PCL. It has been established that the increase of SS content reduced the degree of hydrogen bonding in PUNs. Also, the increase of the SS content in PUNs induced appearance of more pronounced microphase separated morphology, better hydrophobicity and non‐wetting with diiodomethane. Simultaneously, the increase of the SS content led to the decrease of contact angles with formamide, and surface free energy of the prepared PUNs. These PUNs show good surface properties that are required for their potential application such as coatings.

Unveiling the Role of Key Parameters during Molecular Growth for Optimal Poly(glycerol sebacate) Synthesis

AbstractPoly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) belongs to the hyperbranched polyesters family (HBP), which possesses an extensive variety of applications due to its tunable chemical and mechanical properties, together with its biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, the understanding of PGS synthesis becomes a challenge due to the lack of consistency when determining its synthesis parameters. Understanding these parameters is fundamental to control PGS synthesis and obtain a scalable and reproducible final product for biomedical applications. To unveil their effect on diverging PGS properties, diols are used as glycerol analogs and the reaction is chemically and thermally monitored, suggesting a heterogeneous reactivity of the exposed hydroxyl groups. Also, confinement of the prepolymerization is proven to be fundamental In order to maintain the equimolar ratio of initial monomers during synthesis. Early stages of the polycondensation (first 4 h) tend to linear and less branched oligomers by consuming primary hydroxyls rather than secondary hydroxyls. However, physicochemical characterization determines that a high degree of conversion (40%) is reached during these early stages. Afterward, the oligomers tend to condense through the secondary hydroxyls into a more crosslinked elastomer. This study demonstrates how hydroxyl affinity, water presence, and glycerol loss are crucial for the scalability and reproducibility of its final product.

Impact-dynamic properties of aromatic hyperbranched polyester/RTM6 epoxy nanocomposites

Present study investigates the influence of aromatic hyperbranched polyester (AHBP) nanofillers on the impact-dynamic properties of RTM6 epoxy. The strain rate dependence of the energy absorption capacity of neat RTM6 epoxy and RTM6 nanocomposites with filler weight ratios of 0.1%, 1%, and 5% was determined through compression testing. Additionally, static and dynamic tensile tests were performed on these materials. Universal testing machines were used for the quasi-static tests, split Hopkinson bar setups for the high-strain rate experiments. Furthermore, dynamic single-edge notch bending (SENB) tests were conducted to measure fracture toughness using an adapted split Hopkinson compression bar setup. In addition to global deformation measurements, full-field deformation measurements were also performed in all experiments using the digital image correlation (DIC) technique. The results indicate that the energy absorption capacity, tensile strength, fracture strain, and toughness are significantly influenced by both strain rate and filler content of the RTM6 epoxy.

Development of novel sustainable hyperbranched polyester wood adhesives from glycerol and maleic anhydride by solvent free method

Tri-formaldehyde glue is a widely used type of wood glue, but the formaldehyde that it releases is extremely harmful to human health. In this paper, a new biomass adhesive is proposed to replace the triple-formaldehyde adhesive. A hyperbranched polyester was prepared using two cheap biomass materials, glycerol and maleic anhydride, using a solvent-free method. The hyperbranched polyester has good thermal properties. As an adhesive, it has better bonding and water resistance properties than tri-formaldehyde adhesives. In particular, after 3 h of boiling water immersion, the plywood still had a shear strength of about 1.12 MPa, which still satisfied the requirements of Chinese national standard (≥0.7 MPa). What's more, this synthesis is simple to perform, does not require solvents, and leaves a clean by-product which is water. Therefore, the method is expected to be replicated in industry.

A Hyperbranched Polyol Process for Designing and Manufacturing Nontoxic Cobalt Nanocomposite.

A method for the design and synthesis of a metallopolymer composite (CoNP) based on cobalt nanoparticles using the hyperbranched polyol process was developed. It was shown that hyperbranched polyester polyols in a melted state can be both a reducing agent and a stabilizer of metal nanoparticles at the same time. The mechanism of oxidation of hyperbranched polyol was studied using diffuse reflectance IR spectroscopy. The process of oxidation of OH groups in G4-OH started from 90 °C and finished with the oxidation of aldehyde groups. The composition and properties of nanomaterials were determined with FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), NMR relaxation, and in vitro biological tests. The cobalt-containing nanocomposite (CoNP) had a high colloidal stability and contained spheroid polymer aggregates with a diameter of 35-50 nm with immobilized cobalt nanoparticles of 5-7 nm. The values of R2 and R1 according to the NMR relaxation method for CoNPs were 6.77 mM·ms-1 × 10-5 and 4.14 mM·ms-1 × 10-5 for, respectively. The ratio R2/R1 = 0.61 defines the cobalt-containing nanocomposite as a T1 contrast agent. The synthesized CoNPs were nonhemotoxic (HC50 > 8 g/mL) multifunctional reagents and exhibited the properties of synthetic modulators of the enzymatic activity of chymosin aspartic proteinase and exhibited antimycotic activity against Aspergillus fumigatus. The results of the study show the unique prospects of the developed two-component method of the hyperbranched polyol process for the creation of colloidal multifunctional metal-polymer nanocomposites for theranostics.

Fabrication of 1st generation aromatic hyperbranched polyester/ polyvinylidene fluoride blended electrospun composites to enrich the piezoelectric performance

Fabrication of 1st generation aromatic hyperbranched polyester/ polyvinylidene fluoride blended electrospun composites to enrich the piezoelectric performance

A new strategy for improvement of interface and mechanical properties of carbon fiber/epoxy composites by grafting graphene oxide onto carbon fiber with hyperbranched polymers via thiol‐ene click chemistry

AbstractFor the purpose of improving the interface and mechanical properties of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites, a new strategy was proposed to graft the graphene oxide (GO) onto carbon fiber (CF) surface fast and effectively via thiol‐ene click chemistry reaction using vinyl‐terminated hyperbranched polyester (VHBP) as bridging agent. The successful synthesis of the CF‐VHBP‐GO hybrid reinforcement was verified through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), x‐ray photoelectron spectroscope, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The simultaneous introduction of GO and hyperbranched polymers changed the fiber surface morphology and improved the wettability and surface energy of CF. Judging from the results of the micro‐droplet test, the interfacial shear strength for epoxy (EP) based composite reinforced with CF‐VHBP‐GO was significantly increased by 137.8% compared to untreated CF/EP composite owing to the synergistic effect of VHBP and GO. In addition, the tensile and flexural strength for CF‐VHBP‐GO/EP composite were improved by 47.6% and 65.8%, respectively, compared to untreated CF/EP composite, respectively. This work offers a promising technique for developing high‐performance CF composites with excellent interface properties.

Bioinspired water-retaining and strong soybean flour-based adhesive for efficient preparation of plywood

The development of a water-retaining and high-bond-strength soybean flour (SF) adhesive is important to improve the efficient and clean preparation of plywood, promoting the substitution of aldehyde resin adhesives in the wood-based panel industry. Soybean protein isolate (SPI) was enriched on boron nitride (BN) to form protein-functionalized BN nanosheets (BS) with dense hydrogen bonds. Drawing inspiration from the strength and toughness of muscles, bionic structures based on BS and SF were designed to enhance adhesive bonding strength and toughness. A water-retaining agent epoxy hyperbranched polyester (EHP) was also synthesized to improve water retention and further enhance the bond strength of adhesives. Results show that the prepared adhesive with BS and EHP exhibits better initial viscosity and coating performance compared with unmodified SF adhesives. The prepressing intensity and wet shear strength of the prepared plywood increased by 227% and 400% to 0.72 and 1.05 MPa. In addition, EHP significantly improved the water retention of the adhesive from 0.5 h to 2 h. After 2 h, the wet shear strength decreased by 30.5% to 0.73 MPa, still meeting the interior use plywood requirement. Notably, this study provides a simple technique of water spraying to recover the dried adhesive layer, and the wet shear strength increased from 0.73 MPa to 0.87 MPa. This preparation strategy of biomass adhesive with water retention and low environmental load bear guiding significance for the efficient and clean production of the wood-based panel.

Polyvinylidene fluoride/aromatic hyperbranched polyester 2nd generation based triboelectric sensor for polysomnographic and health monitoring applications

Polyvinylidene fluoride/aromatic hyperbranched polyester 2nd generation based triboelectric sensor for polysomnographic and health monitoring applications

Nanofibers with an Adjustable Core-Sheath Structure Constructed from Hyperbranched Polyester for Efficient Loading of ZnO Nanoparticles

Loading nanoparticles is a valuable way to construct functional fiber materials, yet the lack of homogeneity and easy agglomeration hinder its functional effect. Hyper-branched polyester (HBPE) has been identified as the ideal delivery vehicle for nanoparticles. Its application in nanofibers can be a promising approach to enhancing the loading efficiency. In this study, adjustable core-sheath structured polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/HBPE nanofibers were fabricated owing to the phase separation of two components during centrifugal spinning, and zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were further introduced into the sheath. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and so forth were utilized to characterize the morphology of the obtained nanofibers. Results indicated that the thickness of sheath in PAN/HBPE nanofibers could expand from 33.33 to 57.14% as the mass ratio of PAN/HBPE decreased from 8:2 to 5:5. Additionally, the ZnO NPs were encapsulated and dispersed by HBPE and successfully delivered to the sheath layer of the nanofibers. Therefore, the Zn content on the surface of PAN/HBPE/ZnO NP nanofibers can reach 17.86 wt % with only 6 wt % ZnO NPs doped, representing a 90% increase compared with HBPE-free nanofibers. Besides, the PAN/HBPE/ZnO NP nanofibers exhibited excellent air permeability and qualified biocompatibility, as well as outstanding functional release. The antibacterial rates against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus reached 96.62 ± 0.34 and 99.55 ± 0.78%, respectively. This facile processing strategy subtly combines the advantages of material and structure, providing insights to better achieve efficient loading of nanoparticles on nanofibers, enabling more researchers to customize functional materials.