PEG Crystallization Research Articles

Cyclodextrin-Induced Suppression of PEG Crystallization from the Melt in a PEG-Peptide Conjugate.

The influence of alpha-cyclodextrin (αCD) on PEG crystallization is examined for a peptide-PEG conjugate, YYKLVFF-PEG3k comprising an amyloid peptide YYKLVFF linked to PEG with molar mass 3 kg mol-1. Remarkably, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and simultaneous synchrotron small-angle/wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) show that crystallization of PEG is suppressed by αCD, provided that the cyclodextrin content is sufficient. A hexagonal mesophase is formed instead. The αCD threading reduces the conformational flexibility of PEG, and hence suppresses crystallization. These results show that addition of cyclodextrins can be used to tune the crystallization of peptide-polymer conjugates and potentially other polymer/biomolecular hybrids.

Cyclodextrin-Induced Suppression of the Crystallization of Low-Molar-Mass Poly(ethylene glycol).

We examine the effect of alpha-cyclodextrin (αCD) on the crystallization of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) [poly(ethylene oxide), PEO] in low-molar-mass polymers, with M w = 1000, 3000, or 6000 g mol-1. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and simultaneous synchrotron small-/wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) show that crystallization of PEG is suppressed by αCD, provided that the cyclodextrin content is sufficient. The PEG crystal structure is replaced by a hexagonal mesophase of αCD-threaded polymer chains. The αCD threading reduces the conformational flexibility of PEG and, hence, suppresses crystallization. These findings point to the use of cyclodextrin additives as a powerful means to tune the crystallization of PEG (PEO), which, in turn, will impact bulk properties including biodegradability.

Double-lamella phenomenon of once-folding polymer crystallization raised by chain-end hydrogen-bonding interactions

Poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) holding molecular weights around 7000 Da exhibits a double-lamella phenomenon on the surface replicas of bulk once-folding crystallization, whose mechanism is still unclear. Concerning to its specific hydrogen-bonding interactions at chain-ends, we performed dynamic Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the effects of specific chain-end interactions on once-folding crystallization of 16-mers. The results showed that the chain-end hydrogen-bonding interactions bring little effects to both kinetics of primary nucleation and lateral growth of chain-folded lamellar crystals but make a more significant terrace at the lateral growth front with a step of metastable once-folding towards the next step of stable chain-extending, raising the double-lamella phenomenon of their surface replicas. We found that the chain-end hydrogen-bonding interactions are rich at the surfaces of once-folded lamellar crystals, which thus enhance their metastability and retard their thickening into the chain-extended crystals. In addition, intra- and inter-molecular secondary nucleation at corresponding chain-folded and extended growth fronts show different growth rate dependences on the specific interaction strengths. Our results revealed the role of specific chain-end interactions in PEG crystallization.

Quadruple H‐Bonding and Polyrotaxanes Dual Cross‐linking Supramolecular Elastomer for High Toughness and Self‐healing Conductors

AbstractTough and self‐healable substrates can enable stretchable electronics long service life. However, for substrates, it still remains a challenge to achieve both high toughness and autonomous self‐healing ability at room temperature. Herein, a strategy by using the combined effects between quadruple H‐bonding and slidable cross‐links is proposed to solve the above issues in the elastomer. The elastomer exhibits high toughness (77.3 MJ m−3), fracture energy (≈127.2 kJ m−2), and good healing efficiency (91 %) at room temperature. The superior performance is ascribed to the inter and intra crosslinking structures of quadruple H‐bonding and polyrotaxanes in the dual crosslinking system. Strain‐induced crystallization of PEG in polyrotaxanes also contributes to the high fracture energy of the elastomers. Furthermore, based on the dual cross‐linked supramolecular elastomer, a highly stretchable and self‐healable electrode containing liquid metal is also fabricated, retaining resistance stability (0.16–0.26 Ω) even at the strain of 1600 %.

Quadruple H-Bonding and Polyrotaxanes Dual Cross-linking Supramolecular Elastomer for High Toughness and Self-healing Conductors.

Tough and self-healable substrates can enable stretchable electronics long service life. However, for substrates, it still remains a challenge to achieve both high toughness and autonomous self-healing ability at room temperature. Herein, a strategy by using the combined effects between quadruple H-bonding and slidable cross-links is proposed to solve the above issues in the elastomer. The elastomer exhibits high toughness (77.3 MJ m-3 ), fracture energy (≈127.2 kJ m-2 ), and good healing efficiency (91 %) at room temperature. The superior performance is ascribed to the inter and intra crosslinking structures of quadruple H-bonding and polyrotaxanes in the dual crosslinking system. Strain-induced crystallization of PEG in polyrotaxanes also contributes to the high fracture energy of the elastomers. Furthermore, based on the dual cross-linked supramolecular elastomer, a highly stretchable and self-healable electrode containing liquid metal is also fabricated, retaining resistance stability (0.16-0.26 Ω) even at the strain of 1600 %.

Ternary segmented polyurethanes: morphology and kinetics of the crystallization

Segmented polyurethanes based on poly(l-lactide)diol - PLLA, poly(ethylene-glycol) - PEG, poly(trimethylene-carbonate)diol - PTMC and hexamethylene diisocyanate were synthesized by a two-step polyaddition. Polyurethanes with variable compositions and molar mass were semi-crystalline and presented PLLA or PLLA + PEG crystalline phases and a heterogeneous amorphous phase. Sequential crystallization of PLLA and PEG resulted in a confined PEG crystallization into the PLLA crystalline phase. The random distribution of the segments in the polymer chains and the partial miscibility of the segments in the amorphous phase strongly influenced the morphology of the crystalline phase, and the kinetics of the crystallization. Morphology changed from not well-defined spherulites with Maltese cross to ring banded spherulites and axialites as the PLLA mass fraction decreased. PLLA nucleation and crystal growth rates varied with crystallization temperature similarly to homopolymers, presenting a bell-shaped curve, and the temperature for the maximum growth rate dependent on the polyurethanes composition.

Confined Crystallization in the Self-Assembled Nanostructures of Cellulose Nanocrystals and Polyethylene Glycol

Thin layers of semicrystallized polymers covered on nanoparticles significantly influence the multiple properties of their nanocomposites because of the confined crystallization of polymers. Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) nanorods have a hydroxy-rich surface that favors the hydrogen-bonding interaction with polymers and a twisted nanostructure, which can construct a chiral nematic liquid-crystal phase scaffold for the filling of polymers. All these make CNCs’ self-assembled nanostructure a unique confined condition for polymers. Understanding the crystallization of polymers in the coassembled CNC/polymer composites presents a challenge in this regard. In this study, we focus on the confinement crystallization in the coassembled composites of CNCs and poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG). The composition-dependent changes in composite morphology and crystallization have been extensively characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, synchrotronic powder X-ray diffraction, synchrotronic grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry. At low PEG content (10 wt.%), strong confinement has been identified, showing an extremely low crystallinity with tiny PEG crystallites. As the PEG reached 30 wt.%, the PEG (120) plane with the flat-on orientation of the crystal lamella appeared. As the PEG content increased continuously (40 wt.% to 50 wt.%), the intensity of the (120) plane of the PEG crystal became larger, accompanied by an increasing flat-on orientation degree. When the PEG weight percentage was up to 60 wt.%, the crystals grew randomly, losing their preferential orientation. The free growth of PEG crystals also induced a significantly decreased orientation degree of CNCs. The CNC/PEG system presents a mutual influence from two components, which enriches our understanding of the coassembly and confined crystallization of polymer composites. It will benefit the further modulation of CNC-based nanocomposites, both in their structures and properties.

Effects of biochar pyrolysis temperature on thermal properties of polyethylene glycol/biochar composites as shape-stable biocomposite phase change materials.

The characteristics of biochar are of great significance to its application in the field of phase change energy storage. The objective of this research was to explore the effects of pyrolysis temperature on the characteristics of a biochar matrix and further on the heat energy storage properties of the promising green biochar-supported shape-stable biocomposite PCMs (ss-BCPCMs). Corn straw biochars (CSBCs) obtained under different pyrolysis conditions were loaded with polyethylene glycol (PEG) by an ultrasound-assisted vacuum impregnation method. The micro-morphology, specific surface area, pore structure and surface properties of biochar have been characterized and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The thermal properties (chemical stability, latent heat storage, thermal conductivity, thermal stability, and thermal insulation) of PEG/CSBC composites have been characterized by FTIR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and laser flash analysis (LFA). The study revealed that both pore structure and surface activity of biochar are key factors affecting the energy storage performance of biochar-based ss-BCPCMs. The obtained PEG/CSBC composite showed a high latent heat storage up to 100.2 J g−1, good shape stability and leakage resistance, suggesting its high thermal storage stability that is beneficial for thermal energy storage applications. In addition, its excellent photothermal conversion efficiency (68.95%) provides application potential in photothermal energy storage.

Small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering studies on confined crystallization of Poly(ethylene glycol) in Poly(L-lactic acid) spherulite in a PLLA/PEG blend

Confined crystallization of the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) spherulite in a PLLA/PEG (50/50) blend specimen was studied by simultaneous small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) measurements, where the blend specimen was subjected to the isothermal crystallization at 45.0 °C for PEG crystallization in the presence of preformed PLLA crystalline lamellae formed during the previous isothermal crystallization at 127.0 °C for 5–20 min. The WAXS results showed much suppression of the (124¯)/(1¯24) crystalline reflection peak for the blend as compared to the neat PEG, as well as much wider peak width for the same reflection. These results clearly indicate the suppression of the growth of the PEG lamellae in the thickness direction due to the space confinement by the preformed PLLA lamellae. The SAXS results also confirm the confined crystallization of PEG in the amorphous layer sandwiched by the preformed PLLA crystalline lamellae. Nevertheless, more regular stacking was formed due to the PEG crystallization as the neat PEG has the ability of forming very regular stacking of the crystalline lamellae, as evidenced by observing second-order peak in the SAXS profile for the blend specimen.

Confined crystallization of Poly(ethylene glycol) in spherulites of Poly(L-lactic acid) in a PLLA/PEG blend

The intriguing crystallization behavior of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in a blend specimen of PEG with poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) was studied by polarized optical microscopy (POM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The PLLA/PEG (50/50) blend specimen was heated up to 180.0 °C and kept at this temperature for 5 min to obtain a complete melt without liquid-liquid phase separation. Then, a two-step temperature-jump was conducted as 180.0 °C→ 127.0 °C→ 45.0 °C. For this particular condition, it was found that PEG can crystallize only in the preformed spherulites of PLLA, as no crystallization of PEG was found in the matrix of the mixed PLLA/PEG amorphous phase. This is because of the depression of the freezing temperature (Tf) of PEG in the complete mixture of the PLLA/PEG (50/50) blend specimen by noting that Tf for the neat PEG specimen is 52.0 °C. Upon the PLLA crystallization at 127.0 °C, the PEG content in the amorphous region inside the PLLA spherulite was increased because of the formation of the pure solid phase of PLLA (crystalline phase). Namely, the PLLA content was decreased in the amorphous phase of the PLLA/PEG mixture. Then, Tf of PEG increased so that PEG could crystallize but this crystallization was only allowed inside the PLLA spherulite. Thus, the confined crystallization of PEG can be accounted for. It was further found that the ultimate degree of crystallinity (ϕ∞) of PEG was increased and the induction period of the confined crystallization of PEG was decreased with an increase in the PLLA crystallization time at 127.0 °C. This is simply because the PEG content in the amorphous phase was increased due to the increase in the PLLA amount crystallized, which was more clearly recognized as a function of the size of the preformed PLLA spherulite. The direct evidence of the PEG crystallization was obtained by the wide-angle X-ray scattering. The kinetics was also studied for the confined crystallization of PEG. Based on the results of the kinetic study, the effect of the space confinement will be discussed.

Fractionated crystallization and fractionated melting behaviors of poly(ethylene glycol) induced by poly(lactide) stereocomplex in their block copolymers and blends

Stereocomplexation has been an effective way to improve the physical properties of block copolymers or blends. However, the effect of stereocomplexation on the confined and fractionated crystallization of other crystallizable block has not been comprehensively investigated so far. In this work, we used poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) and poly(d-lactide) (PDLA) as stereocomplexable higher melting component and studied the confined crystallization and melting behaviors of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in their block copolymers and blends. Unexpectedly, marked fractionated crystallization and fractionated melting behaviors of PEG component occurred during the two-step crystallization process, because of the constrained effect of the early formed stereocomplex (SC) crystals. The fractionated crystallization and melting behaviors were further facilitated with decreasing the isothermal crystallization temperatures of PLLA and PDLA (Tic,PLA). As revealed by polarized optical microscopy (POM), the increase of Tic,PLA favors the transformation of PEG component from the interlamellar to interspherulitic regions due to the reduced nucleation density of PLA. We proposed that fractionated crystallization and fractionated melting behaviors of PEG impacted by SC crystals were attributed to PEG component dispersed in and out interlamellar regions of PLA matrix. Moreover, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) results indicated that two scattering peaks were identified for copolymers after two-step crystallization process, one consisted of mixed PEG and PLA lamellae and the other contained almost pure PEG lamellae originated from the crystallization of PEG dispersed in interfibriller/interspherulitic regions. This study has shed light on the unique fractionated crystallization and fractionated melting behaviors of the lower melting component in polymer systems with the higher melting component preferentially co-crystallized into SC crystals.

Confined crystallization, melting behavior and morphology in PEG‐b‐PLA diblock copolymers: Amorphous versus crystalline PLA

ABSTRACTIn diblock copolymers, the constraining effects of different stereochemical structure of high‐Tm block on crystallization and melting behaviors of other constituent are supposed to be different. In this work, PEG‐b‐PDLLA and PEG‐b‐PLLA were synthesized, and crystallization kinetics, crystalline structure, melting behaviors of PEG blocks and morphology development in these systems were evaluated. Compared to those connected to PLLA, PEG‐b‐PDLLA exhibited lower crystallization rates, implying that connectivity of amorphous chain exerted more pronounced effect on crystallization rate of PEG than that of steric hindrance of PLLA crystallites. While all PEG‐b‐PDLLA samples showed a single endothermic peak during heating process, multiple melting peaks were observed in PEG‐b‐PLLA associated with composition, crystallization temperature and cooling rate of PLLA. A lamellar structure was formed by the crystallization of PEG in all PEG‐b‐PDLLA, however, when PEG‐b‐PLLA crystallized at room temperature directly, unexpected results occurred: lamellar for diblock copolymers with 31.5 and 48.0 wt% PLA or cylindrical structure for the diblock copolymers with 56.1 and 63.8 wt% PLA. Depending on composition, PEG‐b‐PLLA created one or two types of lamellar stacks after sequential crystallization of PLLA and PEG. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. 2020, 58, 455–465

Bio-based poly(butylene furandicarboxylate)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) copolymers: The effect of poly(ethylene glycol) molecular weight on thermal properties and hydrolysis degradation behavior

Abstract Poly (butylene furandicarboxylate) based poly (ether ester), with poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) molecular weight from 600 to 20 K g mol−1 and mass fraction of hard segments fixed at 50%, are synthesized through transesterification and melt polycondensation. When Mn (PEG) is less than 1500 g mol−1, the copolymers tend to be homogeneous. The tendency of microphase separation is facilitated by the increasing Mn (PEG). The mechanical properties and water swelling are influenced by Mn (PEG), equilibrium water-uptake and PEG crystals. Elastic modulus of samples with no PEG crystals vary from 34 to 64 MPa, with elongation at break exceeding 1000%. The hydrolytic degradation is strongly affected by Mn (PEG), degradation medium and alkalinity. The degradation of copolymers with short PEG (

Globular/semiglobular Poly(ethylene glycol) nanostructures enveloped between polythiophenes with/without side chains via Y-Shaped copolymers

Y-type block copolymers were synthesized based on the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), polythiophene (PTh), and poly(3-dodecyl thiophene) (PDDTh) precursors including PEG-b-(PTh)2 and PEG-b-(PDDTh)2. Polymers were applied in designing the semiglobular (semiglob(PEG-star-PTh)) and globular (glob(PEG-star-PDDTh)) nanostructures, in which the PEG lamellar crystals were confined between the PTh and PDDTh chains without and with alkyl side chains, respectively. The designed scrolled configurations were comprehensively investigated from the perspectives of curvature, crystal dimension, side chain effect, etc. Thanks to a low enough crystallization temperature (Tc = 10 °C), the PEG blocks were capable of being assembled into the ordered lamellar structures, which was verified by the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns. According to (120) growth prisms in grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS), the average d-spacing values of 4.70 and 4.75 Å were acquired for the sandwiched PEG crystals between PTh and PDDTh chains, respectively, demonstrating the higher ordering in alkyl side chain-less systems. The molecular weights of PDDTh and PTh arms were to some extent the same and this was the role of alkyl side chains in PDDTh chains which provided a higher surface stress on the PEG arrangements. The narrower PEG crystals (16–22 nm versus 45–50 nm) as well as a higher degree of curvature were reached in the glob(PEG-star-PDDTh) nanostructures.

Creating Aligned Nanopores by Magnetic Field Processing of Block Copolymer/Homopolymer Blends.

We describe the phase behavior of a cylinder-forming block copolymer(BCP)/homopolymer blend and the generation of aligned nanopores by a combination of magnetic field alignment and selective removal of the minority-block-miscible homopolymer. Alignment is achieved by cooling through the order-disorder transition temperature (Todt) in a 6 T field. The system is a blend of poly(styrene-block-4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). PEG is miscible with P4VP and partitions preferentially into the cylindrical microdomains. Calorimetry and X-ray scattering show that Todt decreases linearly with PEG concentration until the onset of macrophase separation, inferred by PEG crystallization. Beyond this point, Todt is invariant with PEG content. Increasing PEG molar mass decreases the concentration at which macrophase separation is observed. Nanopore formation is confirmed by dye uptake experiments that show a clear dependence of dye uptake on PEG content before removal. We anticipate that this strategy can be extended to other BCP/homopolymer blends to produce nanoporous materials with reliable control of pore alignment and effective pore dimensions.

Nanostructured polymers with embedded self-assembled networks: reversibly tunable phase behaviors and physical properties.

1,3:2,4-Dibenzylidene sorbitol (DBS) can self-assemble into nanofibrillar networks to form organogels in a variety of organic solvents and liquid polymers. In this study, we induced the formation of organogels in solid poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) polymers. The DBS gels appeared at temperatures above the melting point of PEG. When the DBS/PEG systems were heated at higher temperatures, they exhibited transparent, clear solution states due to the collapse of the DBS networks. Upon cooling to room temperature, the DBS self-assembled nanostructures appeared again, followed by the solidification (crystallization) of PEG. These DBS/PEG systems possess three different phases (solid, gel and liquid) and can be tuned by changes in the composition and temperature. Using polarized optical microscopy, all the gel systems were found to exhibit spherulite-like morphologies. Small-angle X-ray scattering results revealed lamellar packing in these spherulite-like morphologies. Transmission electron microscopy verified that these features were formed due to the presence of DBS nanofibrillar networks consisting of fibrils that were approximately 10-20 nm in diameter. In addition, the crystallization of PEG was strongly templated by the existing DBS nanofibrils. Moreover, there were no significant distortions in the PEG crystal structures due to the confinement of PEG between the DBS nanofibrils.

Amyloid-Like Fibrillary Morphology Originated by Tyrosine-Containing Aromatic Hexapeptides.

Phenylalanine-based nanostructures have attracted the attention of the material science community for their functional properties. These properties strongly depend on the hierarchic organization of the nanostructure that in turn can be finely tuned by punctual chemical modifications of the building blocks. Herein, we investigate how the partial or the complete replacement of the Phe residues in PEG8 -(Phe)6 (PEG8 -F6) with tyrosines to generate PEG8 -(Phe-Tyr)3 (PEG8 -(FY)3) or PEG8 -(Tyr)6 (PEG8 -Y6) affects the structural/functional properties of the nanomaterial formed by the parental compound. Moreover, the effect of the PEG derivatization was evaluated through the characterization of the peptides without the PEG moiety (Tyr)6 (Y6) and (Phe-Tyr)3 ((FY)3). Both PEG8 -Y6 and PEG8 -(FY)3 can self-assemble in water at micromolar concentrations in β-sheet-rich nanostructures. However, WAXS diffraction patterns of these compounds present significant differences. PEG8 -(FY)3 shows a 2D WAXS oriented fiber diffraction profile characterized by the concomitant presence of a 4.7 Å meridional and a 12.5 Å equatorial reflection that are generally associated with cross-β structure. On the other hand, the pattern of PEG8 -Y6 is characterized by the presence of circles typically observed in the presence of PEG crystallization. Molecular modeling and dynamics provide an atomic structural model of the peptide spine of these compounds that is in good agreement with WAXS experimental data. Gelation phenomenon was only detected for PEG8 -(FY)3 above a concentration of 1.0 wt % as confirmed by storage (G'≈100 Pa) and loss (G''≈28 Pa) moduli in rheological studies. The cell viability on CHO cells of this soft hydrogel was certified to be 90 % after 24 hours of incubation.

Relationship between the crystallization behavior of poly(ethylene glycol) and stereocomplex crystallization of poly(L‐lactic acid)/poly(D‐lactic acid)

AbstractPoly(l‐lactic acid) (PLLA) is a good biomedical polymer material with wide applications. The addition of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as a plasticizer and the formation of stereocomplex crystals (SCs) have been proved to be effective methods for improving the crystallization of PLLA, which will promote its heat resistance. In this work, the crystallization behavior of PEG and PLLA/poly(d‐lactic acid) (PDLA) in PLLA/PDLA/PEG and PEG‐b‐PLLA/PEG‐b‐PDLA blends has been investigated using differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy and X‐ray diffraction. Both SCs and homocrystals (HCs) were observed in blends with asymmetric mass ratio of PLLA/PDLA, while exclusively SCs were observed in blends with approximately equal mass ratio of PLLA/PDLA. The crystallization of PEG was only observed for the symmetric blends of PLLA39k/PDLA35k/PEG2k, PLLA39k/PDLA35k/PEG5k, PLLA69k/PDLA96k/PEG5k and PEG‐b‐PLLA31k/PEG‐b‐PDLA27k, where the mass ratio of PLLA/PDLA was approximately 1/1. The results demonstrated that the formation of exclusively SCs would facilitate the crystallization of PEG, while the existence of both HCs and SCs could restrict the crystallization of PEG. The crystallization of PEG is related to the crystallinity of PLLA and PDLA, which will be promoted by the formation of SCs. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry

Solid polymer electrolyte based on crosslinked polyrotaxane

In this work, we introduce a new “mobile crosslink” concept for the fabrication of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) through the crosslinking of α-cyclodextrins (α-CDs) in a poly(ethylene glycol)-based (PEG-based) polyrotaxane. The PEG axis facilitates the conduction of lithium ions, while the crosslinked CDs that are not chemically bound to the PEG form mobile crosslinks that suppress the crystallization of PEG, maintaining its segmental mobility even after crosslinking. To weaken the strong hydrogen bonds between the abundant hydroxyl groups on the CDs, which restrict the segmental motion of PEG resulting in lower ionic conductivity, an appropriate amount of propyl isocyanate is added to effectively enhance the ionic conductivity and robustness of the SPE.

Effects of PVP incorporation on the properties of injection-molded high-performance ceramics with PEG-based binders

PEG/PMMA binder systems are among the most widely used water-soluble binders for ceramic injection molding. Binder-induced binder segregation in PEG/PMMA systems is mainly caused by the difference between crystallization temperature of PEG (below 50°C) and glass transition temperature of PMMA (~120°C). In this study, we have adopted the method of introduction of appropriate amount of PVP to reduce the binder-induced defects. A principle model was thus established for the suppression of PEG crystallization by PVP molecules. It was revealed that the mechanism by which PVP suppresses PEG crystallization is hydrogen-bonded formation between the carbonyl group of PVP and the hydroxyl groups of PEG molecules. This compresses the crystallization space of PEG molecules, and suppresses their crystallization. It was determined that the range of PVP content that can be safely removed via water debinding is 0–30wt/wt% PEGS. The incorporation of PVP could effectively enhance the homogeneity of the compact, reduce the size of pores formed after thermal debinding in the compact, promote densification, reduce defects after sintering and enhance the mechanical performance of the sintered bodies. Furthermore, the performance of the molded product was optimal when 20wt/wt% PEGS of PVP was added to the binder; the flexural strength and density of the resulting sintered body were 811MPa and 98.7%, respectively.