Polymer Phase Research Articles

Thermal properties and shape-stabilization of poly(propylene-graft-maleic anhydride)-g-alkyl alcohol comb-like polymeric phase change thermal energy storage materials

In this study, a series of polypropylene-g-maleic anhydride-g-CnH2n+1OH (PMCn, n = 18, 22, 26) comb-like polymeric phase change materials (CPCMs) are fabricated through the solvent-free esterification reaction between polypropylene-g-maleic anhydride(PP-g-MAH)and n-alkyl alcohol with side-chain lengths varying from n = 18, 22 to 26. The pendant side alkyl groups along PP-g-MAH exhibit obvious side-chain crystallization behavior, and phase transition temperature and heat enthalpy of PMCn increase from 60.0 to 82.2 °C and from 53.6 to 118.4 J/g with increasing the side-chain length, respectively. PMCn series CPCMs demonstrate excellent shape stabilization and thermal performance owing to the protection and anchoring role of the PP backbone, and the form-stabilized temperature at 135 °C and 300-time thermal cycles further verify their excellent structural stability and reliability. PMC18 shows a longer thermal buffering time of 362 s and the maximum ΔT at 11.3 °C, and the coated fabric by PMC18 gives a 110 s thermal buffering time during the heat storage process, proving its outstanding thermoregulated ability. The presented PMCn series CPCMs with excellent structural-stabilized performance demonstrate a prospective thermal management application.

Polyolefin elastomer/cyclic olefin copolymer/multi‐walled carbon nanotubes nanocomposites: Rheological, morphological, electrical and mechanical study

AbstractThe subject of this research is a relatively detailed investigation of the rheological, morphological and electrical properties of nanocomposites based on polyolefin elastomer (POE), cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). To formulate a mixture of two polymers (COC and POE), the melt mixing method was used and their morphology was studied by SEM technique and it was found that the morphology is of co‐continuous type. When the weight percentage ratio of COC was between 40 and 60, the desired morphology (co‐continuous) appeared. Interfacial tension calculations and TEM images proved that the nanotube particles were stabilized both within the phase of POE as well as at the interface of the two polymer phases. The rheological behavior was analyzed for composite samples containing 0–3 wt % MWCNT. The electrical and rheological percolation thresholds appeared at 1 and a 0.5 percent by weight of nanotube particles, respectively, which may be better to consider as related to the phenomenon of dual percolation. The highest conductivity was obtained for the nanocomposite containing 3% MWCNT. The results of mechanical tests also showed a strong upward trend of properties due to the addition of nanotube.Highlights The effect of COC content on the morphology of POE/COC blend was investigated. The Morphology for the POE/COC blend at low COC content was droplet‐matrix type. MWCNT has a greater tendency to be in the POE phase than COC. Rheological behavior strongly depended on the amount of nanotube particles. The highest conductivity was obtained for the sample containing 3% MWCNT.

Gas self-diffusion in different local environments of mixed-matrix membranes as a function of UiO-66-NH2 metal–organic framework loading

This work focuses on quantification of microscopic self-diffusion of gas molecules in mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) formed by dispersing UiO-66-NH2 metal–organic framework (MOF) crystals in 6FDA-Durene polyimide. Self-diffusion measurements were performed by 13C pulsed field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance (PFG NMR) for pure CO2 and CH4 with the spatial resolution in the range of 0.5–24 μm and for different MOF loadings between 12.5 and 50 weight percent. Diffusion measurements performed for each gas in the MMM with the lowest MOF loading of 12.5 weight percent yielded a single diffusivity for all measured diffusion times corresponding to a diffusion under the condition of a fast exchange between the UiO-66-NH2 crystals and the surrounding polymer phase. However, as the UiO-66-NH2 loading was increased, two molecular ensembles were observed for both CO2 and CH4: 1) an ensemble corresponding to diffusion inside UiO-66-NH2 crystals and through the MOF–polymer interfaces, and 2) an ensemble corresponding to diffusion mainly in the polymer phase of the MMMs. This behavior can be explained by the formation of MOF clusters at higher MOF loadings. Quantification of the intra-cluster diffusivity, average cluster size, and the dependence of these properties on the MOF loading are presented and discussed. The reported measurements can serve as a framework to quantify discrete microscopic diffusion characteristics and sizes of interconnected MOF clusters in MMMs as MOF loading increases to reach the desired outcome of gas percolation over a spanning MOF cluster, viz a cluster of interconnected MOF crystals spanning an entire MMM.

Improved rapid gas decompression of novel NBR-CTS polymer blends

Nitrile rubber (NBR) and polysulfides are two classes of polymers known for their resistance against swelling when in direct contact with hydrocarbon-based oils and non-polar solvents. In this study nitrile rubber (NBR) and a cyclic tetrasulfide (CTS) are combined with a goal of achieving a rubber blend that has superior properties than of each component. The role of CTS in the blend is discussed, as it presents several functions. This study represents a fundamental analysis of NBR-CTS blends, starting with polymeric phase analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Thermodynamic compatibility studies are deployed in this study to illustrate the materials’ compatibility. Mechanical properties with an emphasis on Payne effect were also studied for blends of NBR-CTS. The synergistic effect found between NBR and CTS can be further expanded in a practical application of rapid gas decompression test as a side-by-side comparison for NBR and NBR-CTS blend compounds. This type of polymer blend represents a potential replacement of fluoroelastomers.

Polymer colloidal motors with photodynamic-regulated propulsion

Artificial colloidal motors capable of converting various external energy into mechanical motion, have emerged as attractive photosensitizer (PS) nanocarriers with good deliverability for photodynamic therapy. However, photoactivated 3O2-to-1O2 transformation as the most crucial energy transfer of the photodynamic process itself is still challenging to convert into autonomous transport. Herein, we report on PS-loaded thiophane-containing semiconducting conjugated polymer (SCP)-based polymer colloidal motors with asymmetric geometry for photodynamic-regulated propulsion in the liquid. The asymmetrical presence of the SCP phases within the colloidal motors would lead to significant differences in the 3O2-to-1O2 transformation and 1O2 release manners between asymmetrical polymer phases, spontaneously creating asymmetrical osmotic pressure gradients across the nanoparticles for powering the self-propelled motion under photodynamic regulation. This photoactivated energy-converting behavior can be also combined with the photothermal conversion of the SCP phases to create two energy gradients exerting diffusiophoretic/thermophoretic force on the colloidal motors for achieving multimode synergistic propulsion. This unique motile feature endows the light-driven PS nanocarriers with good permeability against various physiological barriers in the tumor microenvironment for enhancing antitumor efficacy, showing great potential in phototherapy.

Single‐step preparation of intrinsic solid–solid phase change materials with excellent anti‐leakage and form‐stable performance

AbstractPhase change materials (PCM) often encounter severe problems of leakage and shape collapse concerns. Chemical modification methods, utilizing chemical bonds to bind phase change molecular chains, have the potential to address the above‐mentioned problems radically. However, this approach often entails the use of expensive raw materials and complex processes. Therefore, a simple one‐pot preparation method had been reported using earth‐abundant and inexpensive octadecyl methacrylate (OMA) and 1,6‐hexanediol diacrylate (HD) as raw materials to prepare PCM with a molecular structure of cross‐linked polymer main chains and phase change side chains through free radical polymerization. Owing to the three‐dimensional polymer main chain structure, it exhibited excellent leakage‐proof performance, maintaining its form‐stable nature at 70°C with no obvious leakage observed during the phase change process, confirming it to be an excellent intrinsic solid–solid PCM (SSPCM). Additionally, the introduction of the cross linking segment significantly improves its thermal stability, and the 50% degradation temperature increased significantly from 228.8 to 355.9°C. Moreover, the latent heat increased with the decrease of the crosslinking density until the molar ratio of HD/OMA was reduced to 1/40 and then tended to reach constant. At the optimal ratio the latent heat of SSPCM can reach 88.23 J g−1. Excessive crosslinking density will affect the stacking tightness of molecular chains during the crystallization process, thereby reducing the latent heat.

Using the Quartz Crystal Microbalance to Monitor the Curing of Drying Oils.

Drying oils such as linseed oil form a polymer network through a complex free-radical polymerization process. We have studied polymerization in this challenging class of polymers using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The QCM is able to measure the evolution of polymer mass and mechanical properties as the oil transitions from a liquid-like to a solid-like state. Measurements using bulk materials and thin films provide information about the initial polymerization phase as well as the evolution of the mass and mechanical properties over the first two years of cure. The temperature-dependent response of the cured linseed oil films was also measured. These results were combined with previously published results obtained from traditional dynamic mechanical analysis to give a unified picture of the properties of these materials across a very broad temperature range.

Sequence dependence of critical properties for two-letter chains.

Histogram-reweighting grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations are used to obtain the critical properties of lattice chains composed of solvophilic and solvophobic monomers. The model is a modification of one proposed by Larson et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 83, 2411 (1985)], lowering the "contrast" between beads of different types to prevent aggregation into finite-size micelles that would mask true phase separation between bulk high- and low-density phases. Oligomeric chains of lengths between 5 and 24 beads are studied. Mixed-field finite-size scaling methods are used to obtain the critical properties with typical relative accuracies of better than 10-4 for the critical temperature and 10-3 for the critical volume fraction. Diblock chains are found to have lower critical temperatures and volume fractions relative to the corresponding homopolymers. The addition of solvophilic blocks of increasing length to a fixed-length solvophobic segment results in a decrease of both the critical temperature and the critical volume fraction, with an eventual slow asymptotic approach to the long-chain limiting behavior. Moving a single solvophobic or solvophilic bead along a chain leads to a minimum or maximum in the critical temperature, with no change in the critical volume fraction. Chains of identical length and composition have a significant spread in their critical properties, depending on their precise sequence. The present study has implications for understanding biomolecular phase separation and for developing design rules for synthetic polymers with specific phase separation properties. It also provides data potentially useful for the further development of theoretical models for polymer and surfactant phase behavior.

High-temperature semicrystalline/amorphous polymer blends exhibiting enhanced dielectric constant with high breakdown strength

High-temperature polymers with high dielectric constant (K) and breakdown strength are of great interest in many electronic and electric devices and systems. Blending different polymers is a general and highly scalable strategy to improve polymer performance. We investigate two types of semicrystalline polyimide (PI) with different chemical structures blended with amorphous polymer poly (1,4-phenylene ether sulfone) (PES). They formed immiscible polymer blends and exhibited distinctively semicrystalline/amorphous behaviors. The blends of 4,4’-biphthalic anhydride (BPDA)-typed PI with PES form semicrystalline polymer phases and the blend at 50/50 wt% composition exhibits an increased dielectric constant while maintaining the high breakdown field of the neat PI(BPDA) at Eb of 600 MV/m. In contrast, blends of pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA)-typed PI and PES, which form amorphous phases, show a dielectric increase but a large reduction in Eb. Computational simulations indicate that PI(BPDA) assumes a preferred orientation on PES, which expedites crystallization, while overlaying PI(PMDA) on PES results in more disorder and larger voids. Our finding that the PI(BPDA)/PES blends at 50/50 wt% composition generates enhancement in K without negatively affecting Eb is the first in polymer blends. The results suggest that strategically designing high-temperature polymer blends and exploiting the crystallites within the polymer matrix can achieve an enhanced dielectric constant while maintaining a high breakdown strength. This approach is highly scalable and low cost, thus paving the way for developing practical and high-performance dielectric polymers with high energy density and broad operating temperatures.

A multiphysics model for predicting spatiotemporal temperature profiles in microwave-heated carbon capture processes

Due to alarming rise in atmospheric CO2 ppm levels, the direct air capture process has been engineered to capture low concentrations of CO2 directly from the atmosphere using chemisorbents. However, the regeneration of chemisorbents can be energy-intensive and may not always be efficient. To potentially enhance this, microwave is employed for selective and targeted heating of the chemisorbent. Existing measurement techniques struggle to accurately capture the spatiotemporal temperature profile of solvent impregnated polymer (SIP) under microwave heating. Therefore, it becomes crucial to determine the spatiotemporal temperature distribution inside the polymer phase to expedite CO2 desorption, improve energy efficiency, and prevent material degradation. Motivated by these considerations, we propose a 3D-multiphysics model to study the spatiotemporal distribution of temperature inside a hybrid nanoscale multi-functional material. We focus on the microwave heating of a novel heterogeneous system comprising a SIP with a ferromagnetic additive (Fe3O4), further solving the heat diffusion and Maxwell’s electromagnetic equations to analyze the temperature variation inside the SIP system. By coupling the physics of electromagnetism and heat transfer, our model allows for a comprehensive analysis of the temperature distribution and heating effects inside the chemisorbent. Additionally, we conduct sensitivity analysis of spatiotemporal temperature profile on various thermal and dielectric parameters, as well as the size and location of the Fe3O4 layer. These results can help to optimize desorption rates and make the regeneration process more energy-efficient in future studies.

Composite 2D Material-Based Pervaporation Membranes for Liquid Separation: A Review.

Today, chemistry and nanotechnology cover molecular separations in liquid and gas states by aiding in the design of new nano-sized materials. In this regard, the synthesis and application of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials are current fields of research in which structurally defined 2D materials are being used in membrane separation either in self-standing membranes or composites with polymer phases. For instance, pervaporation (PV), as a highly selective technology for liquid separation, benefits from using 2D materials to selectively transport water or other solvent molecules. Therefore, this review paper offers an interesting update in revising the ongoing progress of PV membranes using 2D materials in several applications, including solvent purification (the removal of water from organic systems), organics removal (the removal of organic molecules diluted in water systems), and desalination (selective water transport from seawater). In general, recent reports from the past 3 years have been discussed and analyzed. Attention has been devoted to the proposed strategies and fabrication of membranes for the inclusion of 2D materials into polymer phases. Finally, the future trends and current research gaps are declared for the scientists in the field.

Adsorption characteristics of Janus tadpole polymers

The shape of Janus particles is directly connected to their adsorption behavior. Janus tadpole polymers offer a unique topological architecture that includes competition between entropic, enthalpic, and topological terms in the adsorption free energy; accordingly, non-trivial adsorption behavior patterns are expected. We study the surface adsorption of Janus tadpole polymers by means of Monte Carlo simulations, finding that, depending on which part of the tadpole polymers is preferentially adsorbing on the surface, very different types of behavior for both the adsorbed polymeric phase and of the brush arise. The adsorbed phase and the brush mutually influence each other, leading to a variety of phenomena such as nematic ordering of the adsorbed stiff tadpole tails and intriguing changes in the territoriality of adsorbed ring polymers on the surface. We analyze in detail our findings, revealing the mechanisms behind the organization and ordering, and opening up new possibilities to tune and control the structure of such systems.

Development of In-Needle SPME Devices for Microextraction Applied to the Quantification of Pesticides in Agricultural Water.

The chemical industry explosion in the 20th century has led to increased environmental pollution, affecting fauna, flora, and waterways. These substances alter water's taste, color, and smell, making it unfit for consumption or toxic. Agricultural water networks face threats from pollution before and after treatment. Some chemical contaminants, like pesticides, are embedded in natural biogeochemical cycles. In this study, we developed a simple and low-cost procedure for the fabrication of needles coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as an efficient sorbent for the microextraction of organic pollutant traces from water. The prepared needles were used as an alternative for commercial solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) devices in analytical chemistry. The PDMS polymeric phase was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetry (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The PDMS-coated needles were used for extraction of thirteen pesticides by direct-immersion solid-phase microextraction (DI-SPME) from contaminated waters, followed by determination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The developed analytical method showed limits of detection (LODs) between 0.3 and 2.5 ng mL-1 and RSDs in the range of 0.8-12.2%. The homemade needles were applied for the extraction of pesticides in surface and ground aqueous samples collected from an agricultural area. Several target pesticides were identified and quantified in the investigated water samples.

Investigations of the carbonization process of hybrid polymer microspheres using the TGA-EGA method: assessment of the impact of sulphanilic acid on the process

The TGA-EGA technique was used to study the influence of sulphanilic acid (SA) on the carbonisation process of the hybrid terpolymeric precursors composed of methacrylamide, divinylbenzene, and trimethoxyvinylsilane. The pristine polymers were impregnated with saturated solution of SA, dried, and carbonized at 600 °C under N2 atmosphere. The characteristic properties of both the pristine hybrid polymers and the resulting carbons were based on FTIR, Raman, and PXRD analyses, which revealed the materials were composed of amorphous polymeric or carbon phase interpenetrated by silica/silicate disordered network. The porosimetric analysis showed the resulted carbons possessed homogeneous supermicropores with the average pore width of 0.7 nm and reduced number of mesopores compared to pristine precursors. From the TGA results, it was followed that impregnated polymers decomposed in two stages, instead of one like pristine precursors did. Moreover, IDT of impregnated polymers was reduced by about 100 °C, and their Tmax was increased by 2–5.5 °C. Their decomposition proceeded slower by 22–37% that caused increase in efficiency of the process by 10–48%. The EGA showed the decomposition of the impregnated precursors started from the degradation of the amide groups, then SA destruction took place, followed by further decomposition of the polymer. The studies led to the conclusion that SA had the protective effect on the surface of the carbonized polymers. During impregnation and thermal treatment, SA produced a deposit in pores of the precursors. This resulted in narrowing of the pore width, delaying and slowing down the polymer thermal decomposition process, as well as increasing its efficiency.

Antiproliferative and Pro-Apoptotic Activity and Tubulin Dynamics Modulation of 1H-Benzimidazol-2-yl Hydrazones in Human Breast Cancer Cell Line MDA-MB-231.

(1) Background: The aim of the work is the evaluation of in vitro antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic activity of four benzimidazole derivatives containing colchicine-like and catechol-like moieties with methyl group substitution in the benzimidazole ring against highly invasive breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and their related impairment of tubulin dynamics. (2) Methods: The antiproliferative activity was assessed with the MTT assay. Alterations in tubulin polymerization were evaluated with an in vitro tubulin polymerization assay and a docking analysis. (3) Results: All derivatives showed time-dependent cytotoxicity with IC50 varying from 40 to 60 μM after 48 h and between 13 and 20 μM after 72 h. Immunofluorescent and DAPI staining revealed the pro-apoptotic potential of benzimidazole derivatives and their effect on tubulin dynamics in living cells. Compound 5d prevented tubulin aggregation and blocked mitosis, highlighting the importance of the methyl group and the colchicine-like fragment. (4) Conclusions: The benzimidazole derivatives demonstrated moderate cytotoxicity towards MDA-MB-231 by retarding the initial phase of tubulin polymerization. The derivative 5d containing a colchicine-like moiety and methyl group substitution in the benzimidazole ring showed potential as an antiproliferative agent and microtubule destabilizer by facilitating faster microtubule aggregation and disrupting cellular and nuclear integrity.

Implications of Defect Density and Polymer Interactions for CO2 Capture on Amine-Functionalized MIL-101(Cr).

Rising anthropogenic carbon emissions have dire environmental consequences, necessitating remediative approaches, which includes use of solid sorbents. Here, aminopolymers (poly(ethylene imine) (PEI) and poly(propylene imine) (PPI)) are supported within solid mesoporous MIL-101(Cr) to examine effects of support defect density on aminopolymer-MOF interactions for CO2 uptake and stability during uptake-regeneration cycles. Using simulated flue gas (10 % CO2 in He), MIL-101(Cr)-ρhigh (higher defect density) shows 33 % higher uptake capacity per gram adsorbent than MIL-101(Cr)-ρlow (lower defect density) at 308 K, consistent with increased availability of undercoordinated Cr adsorption sites at missing linker defects. Increasing aminopolymer weight loadings (10-50 wt.%) within MIL-101(Cr)-ρlow and MIL-101(Cr)-ρhigh increases amine efficiencies and CO2 uptake capacities relative to bare MOFs, though both incur CO2 diffusion limitations through confined, viscous polymer phases at higher (40-50 wt.%) loadings. Benchmarked against SBA-15, lower polymer packing densities (PPI>PEI), weaker and less abundant van der Waals interactions between aminopolymers and pore walls, and open framework topology increase amine efficiencies. Interactions between amines and Cr defect sites incur amine efficiency losses but grant higher thermal and oxidative stability during uptake-regeneration cycling. Finally, >25 % higher CO2 uptake capacities are achieved for aminopolymer/MIL-101(Cr)-ρhigh under humid conditions, demonstrating promise for realistic applications.

Physical-Entanglements-Supported Polymeric Form Stable Phase Change Materials with Ultrahigh Melting Enthalpy.

With the rapid development of new energy and the upgrading of electronic devices, structurally stable phase change materials (PCMs) have attracted widespread attentions from both academia and industries. Traditional cross-linking, composites, or microencapsulation methods for preparation of form stable PCMs usually sacrifice part of the phase change enthalpy and recyclability. Based on the basic polymer viscoelasticity and crystallization theories, here, a kind of novel recyclable polymeric PCM is developed by simple solution mixing ultrahigh molecular weight of polyethylene oxide (UHMWPEO) with its chemical identical oligomer polyethylene glycol (PEG). Rheological and leakage-proof experiments confirm that, even containing 90% of phase change fraction PEG oligomers, long-term of structure stability of PCMs can be achieved when the molecular weight of UHMWPEO is higher than 7000kg mol-1 due to their ultralong terminal relaxation time and large number of entanglements per chain. Furthermore, because of the reduced overall entanglement concentration, phase change enthalpy of PCMs can be greatly promoted, even reaching to ≈185 J g-1, which is larger than any PEG-based form stable PCMs in literatures. This work provides a new strategy and mechanism for designing physical-entanglements-supported form stable PCMs with ultrahigh phase change enthalpies.

Understanding the Impact of Chain Mobility on Conformational Evolution and Kinetics of Mesophase Formation in Poly(ʟ-lactide) under Low-Pressure CO2.

Although the mesomorphic phase as an intermediate state has been introduced to understand polymer crystallization, the understanding of the mesomorphic phase is far from complete. Here, the effect of chain mobility on the mesophase structuring in melt-quenched poly(ʟ-lactide) (PLLA) treated in low-pressure CO2 at 1.6-2.0 MPa and 0 °C was investigated using infrared (IR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The IR and AFM results demonstrated that the final degree of order and the kinetics of structural evolution during the CO2-induced mesophase formation were critically dependent on the CO2 pressure. This was attributed to the distinct dynamics of conformational evolution (gg to gt conformer transition) due to the different CO2 pressures. The thermal behavior from the DSC results showed that CO2 pressure dominated both the scale and dynamics of the chain motion of PLLA. At a lower CO2 pressure of 1.6 MPa, smaller-scale segmental motion was not replaced by the larger-scale cooperative motion that occurred at a relatively higher CO2 pressure of 2 MPa, which was favorable for faster mesophase formation. Consequently, by inhibiting direct crystallization under limited mobility conditions, it was demonstrated that different chain mobility controlled by CO2 pressure and thus CO2 solubility impacted the dynamics of the mesophase formation of PLLA. The present results have implications for understanding the role of chain mobility in determining the intermediate structural phases in semicrystalline polymers.

Ion transport in composites of binary electrolyte and single ion conductor—A chronoamperometry study

Composite electrolytes for lithium batteries typically combine materials with very different mechanical properties and ionic transport mechanisms and the degree to which these two phases affect each other is not well understood. In this work we used numerical simulations and experiments to investigate the transport in composite electrolytes consisting of polyethylene oxide (PEO) with lithium bis-trifluoromethanesulfonimide (LiTFSI) and Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 (LATP) lithium ion conducting glass-ceramic particles. In particular we are interested in how the introduction of a single ion conductor (SIC) changes the salt concentration gradients in the polymer electrolyte (PE) under applied potential. To study this, we performed numerical simulations and chronoamperometry experiments in electrolytes with different arrangements of the SIC and PE phases, i.e. layers and particulate composites. The results show that the particulate composites have the highest concentration gradients and take the longest time to reach steady state current. The best arrangement appears to have a layer of SIC impenetrable to anions in the polymer phase within the electrolyte membrane.

Bioinspired soft-hard interfaces fabricated by multi-material additive manufacturing: A fracture mechanics investigation using essential work of fracture

This study employs the Essential Work of Fracture (EWF) concept to evaluate the interfacial fracture toughness of bioinspired interfaces between soft and hard polymer phases. The experimental framework utilizes a model material system with Polylactic Acid (PLA) as the hard phase and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) as the soft phase. Employing the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) technique, bioinspired sutural interfaces are created, characterized by interpenetrating soft and hard protrusions. The modulation of a critical parameter in the FFF process enables the variation of interpenetration length of protrusions at the interface, thereby achieving a spectrum of interfacial strength and toughness. The determination of essential work of fracture from double edge notch tension samples, with varied ligament sizes, allows for the specific EWF measurement. This specific EWF is found to align with the initiation value of plane strain interfacial fracture toughness obtained through the Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) test. Therefore, the proposed approach asserts the elimination of the need for complex interfacial fracture tests, such as DCB. A noteworthy discovery is the establishment of a correlation between specific plastic energy dissipation and protrusion length. This correlation suggests an increased plastic dissipation with longer protrusions within the investigated bioinspired interface. Due to this heightened plastic energy dissipation, the shape of the interfacial nominal stress-displacement curves demonstrates substantial dependence on interface morphology, shifting from a triangular to a trapezoidal shape as protrusion length increases. These findings offer valuable insights into the mechanics of bioinspired interfaces, presenting a more efficient and nuanced approach to characterizing their fracture properties.