Synergistic Pathways in PLA Breakdown and PTMC Formation: A One-Pot Eutectic-Driven Recycling Mechanism.

This study introduces a novel one-pot strategy for the chemical valorization of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), coupling its base-catalyzed depolymerization with the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of trimethylene carbonate (TMC). The process exploits an eutectic mixture of lactide (LA) and TMC, which lowers the thermal input required for PLA degradation. Using potassium aryloxide (KOArtBu) as a bifunctional catalyst, the PLA is first quickly hydrolyzed into oligomers or lactic acid, which subsequently initiate the slower polymerization of TMC.

Long-term immersion of compostable plastics in marine aquarium: Microbial biofilm evolution and polymer degradation.

The best-selling compostable plastics, polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT), can accidentally end up in the marine environment due to plastic waste mismanagement. Their degradation and colonization by microbial communities are poorly documented in marine conditions. To better understand their degradation, as well as the dynamics of bacterial colonization after a long immersion time (99, 160, and 260 days), PBAT, semicrystalline, and amorphous PLA films were immersed in a marine aquarium.

Microbial biofilm composition and polymer degradation of compostable and non-compostable plastics immersed in the marine environment.

Different plastic types considered as compostable are found on the market such as petro-based (e.g., polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT)) or bio-based plastics (e.

Assessing the Structural Heterogeneity of Isomeric Homo and Copolymers: an Approach Combining Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

Synthetic polymers occupy a unique place in the field of ion mobility mass spectrometry (IMS-MS). Indeed, due to their intrinsic dispersity, they have the asset to offer a broad range of homologous ions with different lengths that can be detected in several charge states. In addition, the gas-phase structure of polymer ions mostly depends on their ability to screen the adducted charges.

Development of Inherently Flame-Retardant Phosphorylated PLA by Combination of Ring-Opening Polymerization and Reactive Extrusion.

In this study, a highly efficient flame-retardant bioplastic poly(lactide) was developed by covalently incorporating flame-retardant DOPO, that is, 9,10-dihydro-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide. To that end, a three-step strategy that combines the catalyzed ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of L,L-lactide (L,L-LA) in bulk from a pre-synthesized DOPO-diamine initiator, followed by bulk chain-coupling reaction by reactive extrusion of the so-obtained phosphorylated polylactide (PLA) oligomers (DOPO-PLA) with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), is described. The flame retardancy of the phosphorylated PLA (DOPO-PLA-PU) was investigated by mass loss cone calorimetry and UL-94 tests.

One Step Further in the Characterization of Synthetic Polymers by Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry: Evaluating the Contribution of End-groups.

Several families of polymers possessing various end-groups are characterized by ion mobility mass spectrometry (IMMS). A significant contribution of the end-groups to the ion collision cross section (CCS) is observed, although their role is neglected in current fitting models described in literature. Comparing polymers prepared from different synthetic procedures might thus, be misleading with the current theoretical treatments.

Capillary rise of polydimethylsiloxane around a poly(ethylene terephthalate) fiber versus viscosity: Existence of a sharp transition in the dynamic wetting behavior.

Hypothesis: Since the emergence of the molecular-kinetic theory and the hydrodynamic approach, it is generally accepted that the displacement of the contact line is controlled by the viscous or frictional channel of energy dissipation for respectively high-viscosity and low-viscosity liquids. However, how the dissipation switches from one channel to another is still unknown. We therefore hypothesized that, by progressively changing the viscosity of a liquid, a better understanding of the underlying mechanism driving this wetting dynamic transition would be obtained.

Linear polyethylenimine as (multi) functional initiator for organocatalytic l-lactide polymerization.

The preparation of polyethylenimine (PEI)-polylactide (PLA) copolymer structures is promising as these materials may find use in gene and/or drug delivery applications. In the current work we have explored the utilization of linear polyethylenimine (L-PEI) as multifunctional initiator for the organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization of lactide. Evaluation of the effect of the amount of catalyst revealed that with high catalyst loadings mixtures of unmodified L-PEI and PEI-PLA were obtained while low catalyst loadings leads to efficient preparation of PEI-PLA graft copolymers.

Solvent-free synthesis and purification of poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] by atom transfer radical polymerization.

Solvent-free synthesis of well-defined poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDMAEMA) (co)polymers was performed by atom transfer radical polymerization conducted under very mild conditions (in bulk at 25 degrees C). The pH-dependence and the thermo-responsive behaviour of PDMAEMA in aqueous solution were operated to isolate and purify the (co)polymers without using any organic solvent or further catalyst extraction. The viscosity in aqueous solution of so-purified PDMAEMA homopolymers and their block copolymers with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was studied as a function of molar mass and concentration and a typical polyelectrolyte behaviour was observed, these catalyst-deprived polycations are able to form stable and non toxic complexes with DNA, showing good transfection efficacies in gene therapy.