Damage and Failure Monitoring of Aerospace Insulation Layers Based on Embedded Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors.

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are widely used in aviation thermal insulation layers due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and excellent high-temperature performance. However, challenges remain regarding their structural integrity and durability under extreme conditions. This study first employed finite element simulation to model the damage evolution of CFRP laminated plates under axial tensile loads and their thermal decomposition behavior in high-temperature environments, providing a theoretical reference.

Magnetic Composite Carbon from Microcrystalline Cellulose to Tackle Paracetamol Contamination: Kinetics, Mass Transfer, Equilibrium, and Thermodynamic Studies.

This study reported a one-spot preparation of magnetic composite carbon (MCC@Fe) from microcrystalline cellulose (MC). The pure cellulose was impregnated in iron (III) chloride solution and carbonized at 650 °C. The MCC@Fe composite adsorbent underwent various characterization techniques.

The Network Construction of a New Byproduct-Free XLPE-Based Insulation Using a Click Chemistry-Type Reaction and a Theoretical Study of the Reaction Mechanism.

Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) is applied in most advanced high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) power cable insulations, which are produced via dicumyl peroxide (DCP) technology. The electrical conductivity of insulation material can be increased by cross-linking byproducts from the DCP process. Hence, currently much attention is being paid to a new process to produce cross-linking byproduct-free XLPE.

Recent Advances in Polyurethane for Artificial Vascular Application.

Artificial blood vessels made from polyurethane (PU) have been researched for many years but are not yet in clinical use. The main reason was that the PU materials are prone to degradation after contact with blood and will also cause inflammation after long-term implantation. At present, PU has made progress in biostability and biocompatibility, respectively.

Applying Resin Radial Injection for Manufacturing Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composite: Advanced Mathematical Modeling and Simulation.

Recently, the liquid composite molding technique (LCM) has been used for producing fiber-reinforced polymer composites, since it allows the molding of complex parts, presenting good surface finishing and control of the mechanical properties of the product at the end of the process. Studies in this area have been focused on resin transfer molding (RTM), specifically on the resin rectilinear infiltration through the porous preform inserted in the closed cavity neglecting the sorption effect of the polymeric fluid by the reinforcement. Thus, the objective of this work is to predict resin radial flow in porous media (fibrous preform), including the effect of resin sorption by fibers considering a one-dimensional approach.

Light-Powered Self-Translation of an Asymmetric Friction Slider Using a Liquid Crystal Elastomer String Oscillator.

In recent years, there have been many studies focused on improving the performance of active materials; however, applying these materials to active machines still presents significant challenges. In this study, we introduce a light-powered self-translation system for an asymmetric friction slider using a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) string oscillator. The self-translation system was composed of a hollow slide, two LCE fibers, and a mass ball.

Modification and Use of Naturally Renewable Cardanol-Type Prepolymers in One-Component Silyl-Terminated Prepolymer Sealant Systems.

The current research is devoted to integrating naturally renewable cardanol derivatives into one-component silyl-terminated-polyether-based prepolymer systems to improve climatic resistance and obtain materials with versatile mechanical properties that could be significant to various sectors of the economy. Various cardanol-type products are used in industries that require high climatic resistance, and thus combining cardanol with commercially available silyl-terminated polyether prepolymers would improve its material climatic resistance, maintaining its market and application value as well as improving material sustainability. The results obtained in this work show that depending on how the cardanol prepolymer Ultra Lite 513 is modified, it is possible to increase the elasticity (670%) or tensile strength (104%) of the material as well as significantly increase the climatic resistance of the material, thus improving the quality and sustainability of the adhesive compared to existing silyl-terminated-prepolymer-based adhesives on the market.

Connecting Dynamics and Thermodynamics in Polymer-Resin Cured Systems.

This work connects the calorimetric responses of different rubber-resin blends with varying resin contents with their alpha relaxation dynamics. We used differential scanning calorimetry and broadband dielectric spectroscopy to characterize the calorimetric and dielectric responses of styrene-butadiene, polybutadiene, and polyisoprene with different resin contents. To model the results, we used the Gordon-Taylor equation combined with an extension of the Adam-Gibbs approach.

Synthesis of Novel Zwitterionic Surfactants: Achieving Enhanced Water Resistance and Adhesion in Emulsion Polymer Adhesives.

Recent advancements in polymer materials have enabled the synthesis of bio-based monomers from renewable resources, promoting sustainable alternatives to fossil-based materials. This study presents a novel zwitterionic surfactant, SF, derived from 10-undecenoic acid obtained from castor oil through a four-step reaction, achieving a yield of 78%. SF has a critical micelle concentration (CMC) of 1235 mg/L, slightly higher than the commercial anionic surfactant Rhodacal DS-4 (sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate), and effectively stabilizes monomer droplets, leading to excellent conversion and stable latex formation.

Overcoming Challenges in the Commercialization of Biopolymers: From Research to Applications-A Review.

Biopolymers are promising sustainable alternatives to petrochemical polymers, but the recent increase in published research articles has not translated into marketable products. Here, we discuss barriers to market entry by exploring application-specific, ecological, and economic aspects, such as the utilization of biodegradable polymers to mitigate the accumulation of microplastics. We summarize previous studies revealing how fiber surface properties and the dwell time during fiber spinning affect degradability.

Anionic Oligo(ethylene glycol)-Based Molecular Brushes: Thermo- and pH-Responsive Properties.

Anionic thermo- and pH-responsive copolymers were synthesized by photoiniferter reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (PI-RAFT). The thermo-responsive properties were provided by oligo(ethylene glycol)-based macromonomer units containing hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties. The pH-responsive properties were enabled by the addition of 5-20 mol% of strong (2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic) and weak (methacrylic) acids.

Modification of Processability and Shear-Induced Crystallization of Poly(lactic acid).

We studied the rheological properties under both shear and elongational flow and crystallization behaviors after shear history for binary blends of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) with a slightly lower shear viscosity. EVA was immiscible with PLA and dispersed in droplets in the blend. The addition of EVA significantly reduced the shear viscosity, which is attributed to the interfacial slippage between PLA and EVA.

Failure Behavior of Nano-Metakaolin Concrete Under Splitting Tension Based on Digital Image Correlation Method.

Nano metakaolin (NMK) has attracted considerable interest for its potential to improve the durability of cementitious materials. However, the effect of NMK on the splitting tensile performance of concrete has not been systematically investigated. This study investigates the splitting tensile performance of NMK concrete and analyzes its failure behavior under splitting load.

The Design of Hyperbranched Polymer Biguanide Molecules with a Four-Arm Branched Core Structure Enhances Antibacterial Properties.

Amide-amine (PAMAM) dendrimers are biodegradable, non-immunogenic, genotoxic, and biocompatibible, which make them excellent materials for biological applications. In order to reduce the cytotoxicity of the designed branched molecules, a four-armed branched nucleus (B4) of PAMAM dendrimers as hyperbranched molecules was fused with polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB) (A2); hyperbranched polymeric biguanides (PAPBs) with a four-arm central core PAMAM structure were synthesized. The bactericidal and cell toxicity tests showed that PAPB had excellent bactericidal activity against both Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative, and the chemical binding of PHMB and PAMAM had synergistic effects.

Cellulose Acetate Butyrate-Based In Situ Gel Comprising Doxycycline Hyclate and Metronidazole.

Cellulose acetate butyrate is a biodegradable cellulose ester bioplastic produced from plentiful natural plant-based resources. Solvent-exchange-induced in situ gels are particularly promising for periodontitis therapy, as this dosage form allows for the direct delivery of high concentrations of antimicrobial agents to the localized periodontal pocket. This study developed an in situ gel for periodontitis treatment, incorporating a combination of metronidazole and doxycycline hyclate, with cellulose acetate butyrate serving as the matrix-forming agent.

In Vitro Hydroxyapatite Nucleation in Cationically Cured Epoxy Composites with Pulverized Date Seed.

Recently, driven by a growing focus on environmental sustainability and cost-effectiveness, researchers have shown a keen interest in creating useful materials from bio-wastes, particularly for their potential applications in the biomedical field. Current research has been conducted on the impact of date seed powder (DSP) on hydroxyapatite (HA) formation, specifically in relation to the promotion of bone health and regeneration. HA is an essential component of bone tissue and plays a crucial role in maintaining bone strength and structure.

Preparation and Characterization of a Novel Self-Healing Transparent Polyimide Film Based on Dynamic Disulfide Bonds.

Self-healing optically transparent polyimides have potential applications in optoelectronic device fabrication. In this study, for the first time, we successfully prepared a novel self-healing polyimide film containing reversible disulfide bonds through chemical imidization by introducing cystamine as a self-healing functional monomer into the molecular structure of conventional polyimides. The incorporation of cystamine enabled the films to maintain high transmittance (>87%) and tensile strength (>99 MPa).

Fast-Swelling Tamarind Xyloglucan/PVA Hydrogels with Interconnected Macroporous Structures for Biomedical Applications.

This work demonstrates the preparation of fast-swelling hydrogels based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and tamarind xyloglucan (XG), utilizing freeze-drying to achieve an interconnected macroporous structure. Although XG is non-toxic and abundant, it has poor mechanical properties. Therefore, XG was mixed with PVA and crosslinked with citric acid (CA).

Sustained Release of Curcumin from Cur-LPs Loaded Adaptive Injectable Self-Healing Hydrogels.

Biological tissue defects are typically characterized by various shaped defects, and they are prone to inflammation and the excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species. Therefore, it is still urgent to develop functional materials which can fully occupy and adhere to irregularly shaped defects by injection and promote the tissue repair process using antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Herein, in this work, phenylboronic acid modified oxidized hyaluronic acid (OHAPBA) was synthesized and dynamically crosslinked with catechol group modified glycol chitosan (GCHCA) and guar gum (GG) into a hydrogel loaded with curcumin liposomes (Cur-LPs) which were relatively uniformly distributed around 180 nm.

High-Performance Porous Supports Based on Hydroxyl-Terminated Polysulfone and CO/CO-Selective Composite Membranes.

The scope of this work was to develop a thin-film composite (TFC) membrane for the separation of CO/CO mixtures, which are relevant for many processes of gas processing and gasification of carbon-based feedstock. Special attention was given to the development of highly permeable porous polysulfone (PSF) supports (more than 26,000 GPU for CO) since both the selective and support layers contribute significantly to the overall performance of the TFC membrane. The PSF porous support is widely used in commercial and lab-scale TFC membranes, and its porous structure and other exploitation parameters are set during the non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) process.

Response of to Flooding with Physical Flow.

Flooding causes severe yield losses worldwide, making it urgent to enhance crop tolerance to this stress. Since natural flooding often involves physical flow, we hypothesized that the effects of submergence on plants could change when combined with physical flow. In this study, we analyzed the growth and transcriptome of exposed to submergence or flooding with physical flow.

Effect of Selenium, Copper and Manganese Nanocomposites in Arabinogalactan Matrix on Potato Colonization by Phytopathogens and .

The effect of chemically synthesized nanocomposites (NCs) of selenium (Se/AG NC), copper oxide (Cu/AG NC) and manganese hydroxide (Mn/AG NC), based on the natural polymer arabinogalactan (AG), on the processes of growth, development and colonization of potato plants in vitro was studied upon infection with the causative agent of potato blackleg-the Gram-negative bacterium -and the causative agent of ring rot-the Gram-positive bacterium (). It was shown that the infection of potatoes with reduced the root formation of plants and the concentration of pigments in leaf tissues. The treatment of plants with Cu/AG NC before infection with stimulated leaf formation and increased the concentration of pigments in them.

Density Functional Theory Insight in Photocatalytic Degradation of Dichlorvos Using Covalent Triazine Frameworks Modified by Various Oxygen-Containing Acid Groups.

Dichlorvos (2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate, DDVP) is a highly toxic organophosphorus insecticide, and its persistence in air, water, and soil poses potential threats to human health and ecosystems. Covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs), with their sufficient visible-light harvesting capacity, ameliorated charge separation, and exceptional redox ability, have emerged as promising candidates for the photocatalytic degradation of DDVP. Nevertheless, pure CTFs lack effective oxidative active sites, resulting in elevated reaction energy barriers during the photodegradation of DDVP.

A Comprehensive Review of Multifunctional Nanozymes for Degradation and Detection of Organophosphorus Pesticides in the Environment.

Organophosphorus pesticides are the most extensively utilized agrichemicals in the world. They play a crucial role in regulating crop growth, immunizing against pests, and improving yields, while their unregulated residues exert serious detrimental effects on both the environment and human health. Many efforts have been made in the world to monitor organophosphorus pesticides and solve the issues caused by them.

Assessing Environmental Risks of Local Contamination of Garden Urban Soils with Heavy Metals Using Ecotoxicological Tests.

Heavy metal soil contamination in urban areas poses a significant environmental hazard, particularly in regions with historical or ongoing industrial activities. These areas are often polluted with metals such as Pb, Cu, Cd, and Zn, which can be absorbed by plants and pose risks to both ecosystems and human health. This study investigates soil contamination in urban gardens in Wroclaw, Poland, where elevated levels of trace elements were detected.