Styrene-maleic Anhydride Copolymer Research Articles

Cray Valley sells styrenic copolymers

Total’s Cray Valley unit, a maker of additives, has completed the sale of its styrene maleic anhydride copolymers business to Dutch competitor Polyscope Polymers. The two reached a deal on the transfer in December 2018. Cray Valley’s copolymers are used in inks and coatings and in photoresist materials for printed circuit boards. Polyscope says the addition of Cray Valley’s low-molecular-weight copolymers strengthens its position in engineering plastics and specialty polymers.

Structural Modification of Styrene Maleic Anhydride Copolymers for Plant Bioactive Compound Extraction

Ability of poly (styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) (PSMA) to undergo a conformational transition into an amphipathic α-helix coil offers one possible mechanism by which PSMA surface activity can be switched on or off in response to the pH change. This behaviour allows it to be useful in membrane solubilization for extraction technology. Bioactive compounds are recovered from plant tissues for different reasons. One of the most important reasons is due to the increased demand in nutraceuticals market and modern therapeutics. Despite this, aqueous-based extraction of these compounds has been reported to give low extraction yield. A development of new green extraction protocol is still a challenging task for all researchers nowadays. This study demonstrated, for the first time, possible use of PSMA as a lysis agent for plant bioactive compound extraction. To enhance its membrane affinity at physiological pH, the polymer was esterified with methanol. Both PSMA and its derivative (ePSMA) were characterized in terms of their membrane binding affinity through a combined use of both surface characterization and physical techniques. Analysis of the ternary phase diagrams suggested that ePSMA could facilitate stronger hydrophobically-driven interactions with the lipid. This was convinced by the reduced critical PSMA/lipid mass ratio from 7:1 (PSMA) to 1:1 (ePSMA), as observed in the ternary phase diagrams. Last but not the least, the crude extracts of Coffea robusta leaves obtained from ePSMA-based extraction showed a total phenolic content of 20.32±0.75 mg/g sample, significantly higher than that from the PSMA- (14.24±1.27 mg/g sample) and aqueous-based (16.33±1.03 mg/g sample) extractions. A structural manipulation of PSMA is thus a key to tailor its membrane solubilization and so, the extraction efficacy of bioactive compounds from plant cells.

Finite Element Analysis of Heat Treated Wood Filled Styrene Maleic Anhydride (SMA) Copolymer Composites

The computer aided three dimensional static analyses of the specimens was done by using the Finite Element Method (FEM) and obtained data was compared with actual test data. The aim of this study is to compare the deformation/stress analyses with FEM analysis results of styrene maleic anhydride (SMA) copolymer composites. The heat treated wood/SMA copolymer composites were produced from different loadings (from 10 to 30 wt. %) of heat treated and untreated eastern white pine wood flours (Pinus strobus L.). All formulations of wood flour/SMA copolymer composites were produced by melt compounding through injection molding. The deformation/stress results obtained from the experimental solutions are very close to the results obtained from the numerical solutions (SAP2000 V17). As a result, it can be said that it is beneficial to use the FEM in the engineering design approach after the data obtained by the experimental solutions as meaningful values after application of the FEM.

Temperature adjusting performance of thermoregulated woven fabric finished with phase-change microcapsule in low-temperature environment

This study deals with the temperature adjusting performance of thermoregulated woven fabric based on phase-change microcapsules in low-temperature environment. Phase-change microcapsules containing n-octadecane (MicroC18) with melamine–urea–formaldehyde as shell were synthesized by an in situ polymerization using styrene maleic anhydride copolymer as emulsifying agent. Surface morphology, chemical structure, and thermal properties of MicroC18 were, respectively, characterized using field emission scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermal gravimetric analysis. The results indicate that a series of microcapsules with spherical shapes were fabricated with about 20.6-μm weight-average particle size. Latent heat is about 188.2 J/g and encapsulation efficiency of n-octadecane (C18) is 85.2%. Phase-change microcapsule composite fabric was prepared through foaming method with plain weave, twill weave, and satin weave as substrates. Thermal insulation property, low-temperature resistance, air permeability, and mechanical property of the finished fabric were investigated. The results show that the cooling rate of finished fabric is significantly slower, and low-temperature resistance time increases. Finished satin fabric has the best thermal resistance performance. The air permeability of finished fabrics is lightly reduced, and final elongation in warp and weft are increased by 16.5% and 15.2%, respectively.

Antimicrobial polypropylene with ε-poly(lysine): Effectiveness under UV-A light and food storage applications

Polypropylene (PP) was mixed with polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PP-g-MA) to obtain a reactive blend (PP/PP-g-MA) and render it antimicrobial by the application of ε-poly(lysine) and styrene maleic anhydride copolymer (SMA) onto its surface through reactive blending. Infrared spectroscopy confirmed covalent attachment through imide ring coupling between ε-poly(lysine), SMA, and PP/PP-g-MA. The resulting antimicrobial plastic (PP-SMA-PL) was effective in aqueous suspensions against Escherichia coli K12 ATCC 47009 with or without UV-A light irradiation providing > 99.99% reduction, and against the same bacterium in apple juice providing ∼ 90% reduction under UV-A light. Fluorometric assays suggested that this enhanced effect may be caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. In addition, PP-SMA-PL showed effectiveness against Listeria innocua L2 inoculated in milk in a storage study under refrigeration for 21 days, providing ∼90% reduction as compared to the starting level of inoculum and 99.99%–99.999% lower microbial load as compared to the control inoculated milk at the end of the storage study. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and colorimetric analyses confirmed no deposition of bacteria or organic matter onto PP-SMA-PL during the storage period with milk, as well as no release of ε-poly(lysine) from the surface of PP-SMA-PL.

Removal of Heavy Metal Ions from Aqueous Solutions Using Modified Poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) Copolymer as a Chelating Resin

the work, 3-(4-hydroxy phenyl)cyclopropane-1,1,2,2-tetramethyleneamine (HPCA) was synthesized. Poly(styrene-maleic anhydride) (SMA) copolymer was modified with HPCA and subsequently the product (SMA–HPCA) reacted with 1,2-diaminoethane (DAE) for preparation of tridimensional chelating resin (CSMA–HPCA) as a new copolymer with multiprimary amines cyclopropane functionalities in the pendant group and applied to remove heavy metal ions such as Cu(II), Pb(II), Zn(II) from aqueous solution. The adsorption behavior of selected metal ions was investigated by synthesized resins in various experimental conditions, under change in pH, metal ion concentration, and contact time. The CSMA–HPCA showed a high tendency for removing the selected metal ions compared to SMA–HPCA and the affinity order was: Cu(II) > Zn(II) > Pb(II). Kinetics studies revealed that the adsorption process onto CSMA–HPCA followed the pseudo-second order kinetics and adsorption experimental data were well fitted to Langmuir isotherm. The synthesized resins and their metal chelates were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), gravimetry, UV- Vis spectroscopy, and atomic absorption techniques (AAS).

Reactive Extrusion of Polyamide 6 Using a Novel Chain Extender

Polyamide 6 (PA6) is an important engineering thermoplastic, very widely used but prone to thermal degradation during extrusion at temperature not far from its melt temperature (220°C). Typically, and as measured in this study, PA6 extruded at temperature of 300°C shows a 40% decrease in tensile modulus compared with non‐extruded PA6. To rebuild PA6 molecular weight, the easiest and cheapest method is to use an appropriate chain extender. Many chain extenders have been used in the past but they are essentially suited to nucleophile induced degradation, targeting split PA6 chains carboxyl COOH and amine NH2 end groups. What have been lacking are effective chain extenders for thermally only induced degradation, i.e. for the practical cases where the PA6 is thoroughly dried before extrusion. For such a case, the degradation reaction mechanism dictates that the solution is to develop chain extenders that target the split PA6 chains amide CONH2 groups not the carboxyl COOH and amine NH2 end groups. As amide groups strongly react with anhydride functionalities, we test the effectiveness of a novel chain extender, Joncryl® ADR 3400, a styrene maleic anhydride copolymer with multiple, repeating anhydride functionality. Assessment of chain extension in this study is done as with previous work, using rheology, mechanical and thermal properties of PA6 extruded on its own and with the chain extender. The viscoelastic data conclusively show the efficacy of such chain extender with more than 10‐fold changes in the comparative values of the extruded sample storage modulus G’ and as much as an 85% increase in the tensile modulus. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 59:E25–E31, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers

Isıl işlem odun dolgulu stiren maleik anhidrit kopolimer kompozitleri

Aim of study: In this study, it was aimed to establish and optimize a production process for engineering thermoplastic composites based on heat treated wood fillers and SMA copolymer.Material and Methods: As wood material, pine wood (Pinus strobus L.), and as a thermoplastic copolymer material, Styrene Maleic Anhydride (SMA) copolymer were used in this study. Heat treatment was conducted at 212°C for 8 h in an attempt to improve the durability of the wood furnish and the wood flour and SMA compounds were extruded and granulated using a lab-scale grinder. Physical test, mechanical test and morphological tests were calculated.Main results: The results showed that the highest tensile strength was in the 30 wt.% wood flour/SMA and it has been seen that the positive effect on FMOE,TMOE of heat treated wood flour/SMA. Weak interfacial bonding was observed between the polymer and wood filler from the SEM images of the fractured surfaces of wood flour/SMA composites.Research highlights: The results from this research indicated the compatibility of the SMA copolymer with the wood flour and the changes in the mechanical strength of the material. Due to limited heat treated wood thermoplastic composite usage in the field of wood engineering, there is a need for more extensive work in the future.

Impact of styrene maleic anhydride (SMA) based hydrogel on rat fallopian tube as contraceptive implant with selective antimicrobial property

Development of non-hormonal female contraception is a need to combat against increasing population growth. The presently available short term or long term female contraceptives and sterilization methods have their own restrictions and side effects. With this objective, herein, we describe an innovative insight about the use of hydrogel formulation consisting of Styrene Maleic Anhydride (SMA) dissolved in Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) as non-hormonal fallopian tube contraceptive implant. Firstly, in vitro behavior of SMA hydrogel was evaluated by in vitro swelling and rheological properties to comprehend the polymeric hydrogel property post implantation inside the fallopian tube. Simulated Uterine Fluid (SUF) was used to simulate female reproductive tract environment in this study. Mechanical strength of the hydrogel when subjected to dynamic environment post implantation in the fallopian tube was estimated by the G′ values demonstrated. SMA hydrogel expressed selective antimicrobial activity against opportunistic pathogens (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus) while having limited consequence over the growth of Lactobacillus spp. After confirmation of cytocompatibility against primary rat endometrial cell lines, the polymeric hydrogel was implanted inside the uterine horns of Sprague-Dawley rats. In vivo biocompatibility of the hydrogel was confirmed by histological and immunohistochemical evaluation of uterine tissue sections. Hematology, blood biochemistry and organ toxicity (kidney, liver, spleen, lungs and heart) also revealed biocompatibility of SMA hydrogel. The results of the current study indicated that the SMA copolymer dissolved in DMSO to form hydrogel has excellent biocompatibility for application as female contraceptive gel which can be implanted in the fallopian tube.

Novel Polymer Modifications Lead to Next-Generation Pour-Point Depressants

This article, written by Special Publications Editor Adam Wilson, contains highlights of paper SPE 187386, “Next-Generation Pour-Point Depressants Based on Novel Polymer Modifications,” by Sabine Scherf and Albert Boddien, Sasol Germany, prepared for the 2017 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, San Antonio, Texas, USA, 9–11 October. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Current logistics and pipeline-infrastructure limitations make transportation and production of waxy crude oil challenging, necessitating a step change in the chemistry required to mitigate crude-oil-composition issues. For wax prevention, pour-point depressants (PPDs) or wax inhibitors usually are used. A new approach makes use of a special hydrophobe modification in typical polymer systems that significantly broadens the systems’ applicability. Introduction Several wax-control strategies are available in the oil industry. Waxy crude oils are sometimes mixed with a diluent to avoid deposits. The diluent can be a gas condensate, natural-gas liquid, or a lighter crude with a lower wax-appearance temperature. Other possibilities include heating pipelines and isolations, mechanical removal by pigging and wireline cutters, ultrasonic techniques or magnets, microbial treatments or wax dissolvers, wax inhibitors, PPDs, and dispersions. Many polymer compounds are described as PPDs; the ones most extensively used for crude oils are ethylene-vinyl-acetate (EVA) copolymers, poly-n-alkyl acrylates, methacrylate copolymers, and styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer esters. PPD polymer systems incorporate into the wax crystal and alter or even disrupt the crystal structures. Polystyrene-maleic anhydride (PSMA) copolymers can be modified easily with alcohols, amines, or other materials, which render them suitable to adjust the PPD performance for crude oil. However, until recently, research has focused on the effect of the polymer additives on the crystal structure of treated waxes in the crude oil and not on the applicability of the PPD itself. The PSMA PPD polymer systems are solids and must be solubilized by suitable solvents in order to be applied under field conditions. Equipment and Processes Synthesis. The polymeric backbone of styrene-maleic anhydride was synthesized by radical polymerization of styrene and maleic anhydride. In a second step, the respective copolymer was esterified with a fatty alcohol or mixtures thereof. The final product contained approximately 40% alcohol copolymer ester in xylene. The copolymer ester is characterized by complete saturation (92%) of the carboxylic groups with heavy alcohol molecules. The general structure of such a PSMA copolymer esterified with different alcohol mixtures is outlined in Fig. 1. Model Oils. Two model oils were prepared to mimic waxy crude oils with high paraffinic content and different carbon number distributions of the n-alkanes. The model oils were prepared by mixing 14 wt% synthetic paraffin waxes in n-decane. Alcohols. The styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer was reacted with behenyl al-cohol, C24+ alcohol, and mixtures of behenyl alcohol or C24+ alcohol with 2- tetradecyl octadecanol. Equipment and Methods The pour point (no-flow point) is the lowest temperature at which a crude oil stays fluid when it has been cooled under static conditions. The determination of the pour point was made by use of ASTM D5985, Standard Test Method for Pour Point of Petroleum Products (Rotational Method).

Fabrication and characterization of poly(melamine-formaldehyde)/silicon carbide hybrid microencapsulated phase change materials with enhanced thermal conductivity and light-heat performance

A new type of microcapsule based on n-octadecane core and poly(melamine-formaldehyde)/silicon carbide (PMF/SiC) shell was designed for near-infrared light harvesting, light-heat conversion, thermal energy storage and heat-transfer enhancement. A series of hybrid microcapsules were successfully synthesized through in situ polymerization in an oil-in-water emulsion stabilized by sodium salt of styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer and SiC synergistically. The scanning electron microscopic investigation revealed that the microcapsules presented regular spherical morphology. The chemical compositions and crystalline structures of the resultant microcapsules were characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction, confirming that SiC nanoparticles have been embedded in the PMF shell. Thermogravimetric analysis and a temperature-regulated test indicated that the prepared microcapsules possessed high thermal stability and good thermoregulating ability. Differential scanning calorimetry examination showed that the resulting hybrid microcapsules can maintain high effective core content and high encapsulation efficiency, and the supercooling crystallization was obviously suppressed after the incorporation of nano-SiC. Compared with PMF microcapsules, thermal transfer properties of the PMF/SiC microcapsules were significantly improved, and the thermal conductivity increased by 60.34% after the addition of 7% nano-SiC. Furthermore, the synthesized hybrid microcapsules effectively absorbed near-infrared light and demonstrated good photothermal conversion performance under light radiation.

Uranium Preconcentration with a Chelating Sorbent Based on Maleic Anhydride–Styrene Copolymer

The ability of a chelating sorbent based on maleic anhydride–styrene copolymer to take up uranium was studied. The sorbent was prepared by modification of the copolymer with Norsulfazolum in the presence of formaldehyde. The dependence of the sorption capacity on the solution acidity was studied. At pH 5, the degree of sorption passes through a maximum. As the uranium concentration in the solution is increased, the amount of the sorbed metal increases, reaching a maximum at a concentration of 8 × 10–3 M (SC = 1253 mg g–1). The influence of the solution ionic strength on the uranium sorption was examined. The ionic strength of up to 0.4 M does not affect the sorption, but as the ionic strength is increased further, the sorption decreases, first gradually and then sharply. The desorption of the sorbed uranium ions was studied. The effect of mineral and organic acids on the uranium desorption was examined. The desorption is maximal with HClO4.

Controlling of free radical copolymerization of styrene and maleic anhydride via RAFT process for the preparation of acetaminophen drug conjugates

The presence of maleic anhydride moiety in styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA) copolymer makes it a versatile substrate for conjugation of drugs. In this study biocompatible styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA) copolymer with alternating structure was synthesized by gamma irradiation at room temperature in the presence of 2-phenyl-2-propyl benzodithioate (PPB). The poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride) (poly(St-alt-MA)) with narrow molecular weight distribution (Đ: 1.1–1.3) was prepared by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The synthesized poly(St-alt-MA) structure was characterized by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and 1H NMR spectroscopy and molecular weight and dispersity were determined by size exclusion chromatography (SEC). SMA copolymers were further conjugated with acetaminophen via ester linkage and FT-IR, 1H NMR investigation indicated that the acetaminophen was attached to poly(St-alt-MA). Drug release profile of the polymer-drug conjugate was followed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The drug-conjugate system was found to follow first order release kinetics with Hixson-Crowell model while drug release mechanism was found as non-Fickian diffusion after testing various kinetic models.

Simultaneous enhancements in electrical conductivity and toughness of selectively foamed polycarbonate/polystyrene/carbon nanotube microcellular foams

Abstract Electrically conductive polycarbonate/polystyrene/carbon nanotube (PC/PS/CNT) ternary nanocomposites are prepared by blending with styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer as their compatibilizer. Interestingly, CNTs are selectively distributed in PC phase in the PC/PS/CNT nanocomposites. After foaming with supercritical carbon dioxide as the foaming agent, most cells preferentially localize in the readily foamed PS phase; whereas, few cells appear in the PC matrix. Therefore, a selectively foamed morphology consisting of electrically conductive PC/CNT continuous phase and the foamed PS dispersed phase is well constructed. Due to the selective localization of CNTs, the PC70/PS30/CNT nanocomposite foams with PC as the matrix exhibits a much lower conducting percolation threshold of 0.35 vol% than the PC30/PS70/CNT nanocomposite foams with foamed PS as the matrix (0.94 vol%). The high electrical properties of the PC70/PS30/CNT foams are attributed to the conducting network of CNTs within the continuous PC matrix and the volume-exclusion effect of the preferentially foamed PS dispersed phase. More interestingly, PC70/PS30/1%CNT nanocomposite foam also exhibits much higher mechanical properties than PC30/PS70/1%CNT nanocomposite foam and a significant increase of 245% in notched Izod impact strength is achieved in relative to its bulk counterpart due to the toughening effect of the foamed PS particles.

High heat resistant blends of poly(methyl methacrylate) and styrenic copolymers via post reactor modification

ABSTRACTThis work focuses on the methodology to obtain high heat resistant grades of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) without affecting any of the enabling properties of PMMA through the post reactor modification approach. The post reactor modification approach has been employed to obtain high heat resistant grades of PMMA through blending of PMMA with the high heat copolymers namely, styrene maleic anhydride copolymers (SMA) which have a higher glass transition temperature (Tg) than that of PMMA. The optimum levels of maleic anhydride content (MA %) in the SMA and the preferred composition range of PMMA and SMA blends have been identified wherein the heat properties of PMMA improve substantially without affecting the key properties of PMMA such as optical clarity, mechanical, flow, scratch, and weatherability. There are various analytical tools that are being employed to characterize the resulting blends of PMMA and SMA to gain deeper understanding from the fundamental behavior of these blends for the key applications of interest. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46220.

Synthesis of styrene maleic anhydride copolymer grafted graphene and its dispersion in aqueous solution.

In this study, three simple methods were described to synthesize covalently functionalized graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) with poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (SMA) via ester linkages. Furthermore, the dispersibility of modified GNPs in aqueous solution was characterized by several techniques. Anchoring of SMA long-chains on GNPs via chemical bonds was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Furthermore, field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis indicated that the SMA unevenly covered the surface and edges of the GNPs. Solubility measurements showed that the modified GNPs prepared by the designed method had excellent dispersibility in aqueous solution, and the grafting rate of modified GNPs showed an obvious positive correlation with the concentration in aqueous solution as revealed by ultraviolet absorbency and thermogravimetric analysis results. Markedly, the modified GNPs during ultrasonic treatment exhibited better dispersibility and grafting rate compared to others. Moreover, the experimental results confirmed that GNP concentration reached up to 0.32 mg mL−1 in aqueous solution and the grafting rate was 18.02%. The content of SMA had little effect on grafting rate; however, the ultrasonic duration significantly affected the process.

A simple potentiometric titration method for estimation of maleic anhydride in high molecular weight styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer

A potentiometric titration method for estimation of maleic anhydride content in high molecular weight styrene maleic anhydride copolymer was developed. The method involves reaction of maleic anhydride with aniline to convert anhydride to monoacid, which was then titrated with an organic base namely alcoholic tetra-butylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH). The misperception over end-point detection by color indicators was circumvented in this method by potentiometric end-point detection. The method is accurate, repeatable and easy to implement.

Adsorption–photometric determination of lead in cattle liver

A styrene–maleic anhydride copolymer is synthesized, modified in the presence of p-sulfoaniline and formaldehyde, and a new polymer adsorbent is obtained and identified by IR spectroscopy. The ionization constants of ionogenic groups in the adsorbent are determined by the potentiometric method. The adsorption and desorption of lead(II) on the obtained adsorbent are investigated, and optimal conditions of preconcentration are determined. An adsorption–photometric procedure for the determination of lead is proposed, including the adsorption preconcentration of lead(II) from a buffer solution with pH 6 and desorption with a solution of HCl (with the desorption rate of up to 99%). The procedure was used to determine lead in the cattle liver.

Study of the morphological and thermal properties of polystyrene nanocomposites based on modified halloysite nanotubes with styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers

In this study, the melt blending method was used to prepare the polystyrene/halloysite nanotubes (PS/HNTs) nanocomposites instead of in-situ bulk polymerization of styrene monomer in the presence of HNTs. Surface modification of HNTs with styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers (SMA) was performed in THF medium to improve the HNTs distribution and compatibility in the PS matrix. PS/HNTs nanocomposites were prepared in a twin-screw micro compounder containing 5, 10, and 15wt.% of nanoclays. The influences of the surface modification of HNTs on the properties of the nanocomposites were studied by XRD, SEM, DSC, TGA, and tensile test. The SEM images showed that the modified HNTs samples were uniformly distributed in the PS matrix compared to the pristine HNTs. The thermal stability of nanocomposites was also improved by increasing of modified HNTs content. Consequently, the surface modification increased the dispersion of HNTs in the PS nanocomposites prepared by melt blending method.

PH Tunable and Divalent Metal Ion Tolerant Polymer Lipid Nanodiscs.

The development and applications of detergent-free membrane mimetics have been the focus for the high-resolution structural and functional studies on membrane proteins. The introduction of lipid nanodiscs has attracted new attention toward the structural biology of membrane proteins and also enabled biomedical applications. Lipid nanodiscs provide a native lipid bilayer environment similar to the cell membrane surrounded by a belt made up of proteins or peptides. Recent studies have shown that the hydrolyzed form of styrene maleic anhydride copolymer (SMA) has the ability to form lipid nanodiscs and has several advantages over protein or peptide based nanodiscs. SMA polymer lipid nanodiscs have become very important for structural biology and nanobiotechnological applications. However, applications of the presently available polymer nanodiscs are limited by their instability toward divalent metal ions and acidic conditions. To overcome the limitations of SMA nanodiscs and to broaden the potential applications of polymer nanodiscs, the present study investigates the tunability of SMA polymer nanodiscs by systematically modifying the maleic acid functional group. The two newly developed polymers and subsequent lipid nanodiscs were characterized using solid-state NMR, FT-IR, TEM, and DLS experiments. The pH dependence and metal ion stability of these nanodiscs were studied using static light scattering and FTIR. The reported polymer nanodiscs exhibit unique pH dependent stability based on the modified functional group and show a high tolerance toward divalent metal ions. We also show these tunable nanodiscs can be used to encapsulate and stabilize a polyphenolic natural product curcumin.