Multifunctionality of Iodinated Halogen-Bonded Polymer: Biodegradability, Radiopacity, Elasticity, Ductility, and Self-Healing Ability.

A polymer with high contents of ester bonds and iodine atoms was synthesized, exhibiting sufficient biodegradability and radioactivity for biomedical applications. The iodine moieties of the synthesized polyester can generate halogen bonding between molecules, which may develop additional functional properties through the bonding. In this study, poly(glycerol adipate) (PGA) was selected and synthesized as a polyester, which was then adequately conjugated with three different types of iodine compounds via the hydroxy groups of PGA.

Compensation for Orientation Birefringence of PMMA by Blending Bottlebrush Polymers Composed of Well-Controlled Graft Chains.

The birefringence of optical polymers is a great issue in optical devices, inhibiting major applications of polymers to optical lenses and films. In this study, we have synthesized effective bottlebrush polymers with which we could attain almost zero birefringence when mixed with optical poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). In detail, the PMMA bottlebrush polymers (PMMA-BBP) were synthesized by the ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of norbornene-terminated PMMA macromonomers prepared via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP).

Fabrication of Gd-DOTA-functionalized carboxylated nanodiamonds for selective MR imaging (MRI) of the lymphatic system.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents with the particle diameter of around 3-10 nm hold the potential to be selectively uptaken by lymphatic vessels and be filtered in the kidney for final excretion. However, there are no existing MRI contrast agents based on gadolinium (Gd) complexes within the size of this range, and thus the selective imaging of the lymphatic system has not yet been achieved. In our previous report, we succeeded in fabricating nano-scale MRI contrast agents by complexing ordinary contrast agents (Gd-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)) with carboxylated nanodiamond (CND) particles to conquer this problem.

Thermophysical Property Measurements of Tetrabutylphosphonium Oxalate (TBPOx) Ionic Semiclathrate Hydrate as a Media for the Thermal Energy Storage System.

With increasing global power demand, thermal energy storage technology could play a role ensuring a sustainable energy supply in power generation from renewable energy sources and power demand concentration. Hydrates have high potential as phase change materials (PCMs) for the use as a thermal energy storage medium. To develop thermal energy storage technology using a hydrate-based material, further investigation of thermophysical properties and the selection of a suitable hydrate are required.

SANS study on the nano-crystalline network structure of elastic physical gels made of syndiotactic polypropylene.

The structure-property relationship of an elastic physical gel, obtained by simply quenching syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP)/decahydronaphthalene solution with liquid nitrogen, was investigated based on small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) analysis. The SANS analysis revealed that sPP nanocrystals with a constant radius of 4-5 nm existed in the sPP gels regardless of the sPP concentration, whereas the correlation length of the nanocrystals drastically decreased from ∼130 to ∼20 nm upon increasing the sPP concentration from 2 to 12 wt%. The volume fraction and the number density of the sPP nanocrystals increased monotonously with the increase in the sPP concentration.

Strong, Resilient, and Sustainable Aliphatic Polyester Thermoplastic Elastomers.

Thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) composed of ABA block polymers exhibit a wide variety of properties and are easily processable as they contain physical, rather than chemical, cross-links. Poly(γ-methyl-ε-caprolactone) (PγMCL) is an amorphous polymer with a low entanglement molar mass (M = 2.9 kg mol), making it a suitable choice for tough elastomers.