Search results for: modification by polymers
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Polymer Modified Bitumen
PublicationIn this paper we present the benefits of using polymers as an asphalt modifiers, especially the low molecular weight reactive compounds, which are capable of forming an polymer network with bitumen "in situ" in the process of its modification.
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Reactive extrusion of biodegradable aliphatic polyesters in the presence of free-radical-initiators: A review
PublicationNowadays, growing attention is being paid to the environment and sustainability, what fully justified research works focused on modification of biodegradable polymers and their composites. In this field of research reactive extrusion seems to be the most promising approach, which fits well to sustainable development strategy. In In the present work, the in-situ modification of biodegradable aliphatic polyesters and the compatibilization...
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Functional properties of edible films for food applications - a review
PublicationApplication of natural polymers to forming edible films for food applications has been reviewed. Due to the hydrophilic nature of proteins and polysaccharides, films prepared from these polymers are too susceptible to moisture. Modification of them with critically selected a suitable compounds can result in their improved functional properties and making them useful for food packaging.
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Polyurethanes modified with natural polymers for medical application. I. Polyurethanes/ Chitosan and polyurethane/collagen.
PublicationFor over three decades polyurethanes (PUR or PU) have been reported for application in a variety of medical devices. These polymers consist of hard and soft segments, which allow for more subtle control of their structure and properties. By varying the composition of the different segments, properties of PURcan be tuned up for use in many areas of medicine. Recently there is a great interest in modification of biomedical PUR with...
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Gelatin-Modified Polyurethanes for Soft Tissue Scaffold
PublicationRecently, in the field of biomaterials, which are being designed for soft tissue scaffolding, is growing the interest of their modification with natural polymers. Synthetic polymers are often hard, not easy to process and they do not possess fine biodegradable profile. From the other hand natural polymers are biocompatible, but weak when used alone. The combination of natural and synthetic polymers gives the suitable properties...
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Chemical surface etching methods for ground tire rubber as sustainable approach for environmentally-friendly composites development– a review
PublicationGround tire rubber (GTR) has been used as a sustainable low-cost modifier in various composites. However, due to the hydrophobic nature of GTR, it is in compatible with most matrices and results in deterioration in both mechanical and physical properties of composites. This necessitates pre-modification of the powdered rubber to improve the interfacial bonding at the rubber-matric interface. The most common GTR modification research...
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Planetary roller extruders in the sustainable development of polymer blends and composites – Past, present and future
PublicationScrew extruders as continuous flow reactors allow the synthesis of new polymers, preparation of polymer blends and composites, and modification or functionalization of commercially available polymers. Literature data shows that the twin screw extrusion is the most popular solution used for this purpose. In contrast, the number of scientific papers on alternative methods, such as multi-screw extruders, is somewhat limited. This...
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Susceptibility to Degradation in Soil of Branched Polyesterurethane Blends with Polylactide and Starch
PublicationA very important method of reducing the amount of polymer waste in the environment is the introduction to the market of polymers susceptible to degradation under the influence of environmental factors. This paper presents the results of testing the susceptibility to degradation in soil of branched polyesterurethane (PUR) based on poly([R,S]-3-hydroxybutyrate) (R,S-PHB), modified with poly([D,L]-lactide) (PLA) and starch (St). Weight...
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Selected biotrends in development of epoxy resins and their composites
PublicationEpoxy resins and their fibre or particulate composites are widely used in various industries, including building, naval, aircraft, automotive and aerospace. Modern polymer science and technology focus on the development of green polymers and composites. There are two major areas of interest in the case of epoxy resins: the development of bio-based resins and the production of composites with natural fibers. One of the most interesting...
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Recycled Polyurethane as a Second Phase in Thermoset Blends and Its Effect on Thermal Degradation Kinetics Studies
PublicationA new approach is introduced in the modification of thermosetting polymer by using different amount of polyurethane of waste origin. The post consumer polyurethane foam coatings are degraded using glycolysis process and the recycled product is further converted into new polyurethane. The blending of recycled polyurethane with epoxy exhibits transparency and produces nanostructures. The effective interaction between two polymers...
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Interactions of fish gelatin and chitosan in uncrosslinked and crosslinked with EDC films: FT-IR study
PublicationFilms based on fish gelatin, chitosan and blend of fish gelatin and chitosan before and after cross-linking with EDC have been characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy. The FT-IR spectrum of fish gelatin film showed the characteristic amide I, amide II and amide III bands, and the FT-IR spectrum of chitosan film confirmed that the polymer was only a partially deacetylated product, and included CH3-C=O and NH2 groups, the latter both...
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Hydrogels Based on Natural Polymers for Cardiac Applications
PublicationIn this work agar- and borax-based hydrogels with and without the addition of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) at different concentrations were synthesized. Hydrogels were modified by the same amount of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) which exhibits antithrombotic properties. The effect of modification by ASA on the properties of hydrogels was analyzed.
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How to make membrane distillation greener? A review on environmentally friendly and sustainable aspects
PublicationThere is an urgent need for the development of new water resources in order to solve the problem of the world’s growing demand for clean water. Membrane distillation (MD) is a promising alternative to conventional seawater desalination. Although MD itself is often defined as sustainable desalination technology, there are many aspects within the membrane manufacture and process operation that make it far from being green. For instance,...
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In-Situ Processing of Biocomposites via Reactive Extrusion
PublicationLaw regulations, economic and environmental factors are the main causes for the rapidly growing interests in biocomposites’ research, conducted currently in a number of academic and industrial scientific centers. However, weak polymer matrix/filler interactions, common in biocomposites, result in unsatisfactory mechanical properties, which limit their practical applications. From many attempts performed to solve this problem, in-situ...
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Cytocompatibility of stabilized black phosphorus nanosheets tailored by directly conjugated polymeric micelles for human breast cancer therapy
PublicationThe novel procedure of few-layer black phosphorus (FLBP) stabilization and functionalisation was here proposed. The cationic polymer PLL and non-ionic PEG have been involved into encapsulation of FLBP to allow sufficient time for further nanofabrication process and overcome environmental degradation. Two different spacer chemistry was designed to bind polymers to tumor-homing peptides. The efficiency of functionalisation was examined...
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Sustainable chemically modified poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)/thermoplastic starch/poly(ε-caprolactone)/cellulose biocomposites: looking at the bulk through the surface
PublicationSustainable polymer composites (or biocomposites) based on renewable and green polymers are progressively under development in a technological paradigm shift from “just use more and more” to “convert into value-added products”. Therefore, significant efforts should focus not only on their reduced environmental impact but also on maximizing their performance and broadening their application range. Herein, the bio-based blends based...
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Bulk-Surface Modification of Nanoparticles for Developing Highly-Crosslinked Polymer Nanocomposites
PublicationSurface modification of nanoparticles with functional molecules has become a routine method to compensate for diffusion-controlled crosslinking of thermoset polymer composites at late stages of crosslinking, while bulk modification has not carefully been discussed. In this work, a highly-crosslinked model polymer nanocomposite based on epoxy and surface-bulk functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) was developed. MNPs were...
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Reactive extrusion of bio-based polymer blends and composites – Current trends and future developments
PublicationReactive extrusion is a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly method to produce new materials with enhanced performance properties. At present, reactive extrusion allows in-situ polymerization, modification/functionalization of polymers or chemical bonding of two (or more) immiscible phases, which can be carried out on commonly used extrusion lines. Although reactive extrusion has been known for many years, its application...
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POM/EVA Blends with Future Utility in Fused Deposition Modeling
PublicationPolyoxymethylene (POM) is one of the most popular thermoplastic polymers used in the industry. Therefore, the interest in its potential applications in rapid prototyping is understandable. Nevertheless, its low dimensional stability causes the warping of 3D prints, limiting its applications. This research aimed to evaluate the effects of POM modification with ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) (2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 wt.%) on its processing...
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Toughness augmentation by fibrillation and yielding in nanostructured blends with recycled polyurethane as a modifier
PublicationIn the present paper, we have carefully investigated the morphology and fracture mechanism of the recycled polyurethane (RPU) /epoxy blend system. The second phase (RPU) added to the epoxy resin has a positive effect on the overall mechanical properties. Interestingly, the recycled polymer has a remarkable effect on the fracture toughness of epoxy resin. The mechanism behind the fracture toughness improvement up on the addition...
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Thermomechanical and Fire Properties of Polyethylene-Composite-Filled Ammonium Polyphosphate and Inorganic Fillers: An Evaluation of Their Modification Efficiency
PublicationThe development of new polymer compositions characterized by a reduced environmental impact while lowering the price for applications in large-scale production requires the search for solutions based on the reduction in the polymer content in composites’ structure, as well as the use of fillers from sustainable sources. The study aimed to comprehensively evaluate introducing low-cost inorganic fillers, such as copper slag (CS),...
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Physical Effects of Radiation Modification of Biodegradable Xylitol-Based Materials Synthesized Using a Combination of Different Monomers
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Modification of thermal and rheological characteristics of bitumen by waste PET/GTR blends
PublicationWaste poly(ethylene terephthalate) (wPET)/ground tire rubber (GTR) blends with variable compositions were applied as low-cost modifiers into bitumen and their performance has been evaluated via morphological, thermal and rheological analyses. Depending on the weight ratio of wPET/GTR, dispersion of single/composite domains of waste polymers in the bitumen has promoted the interaction between bitumen and blend components. Fourier...
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Waste tire rubber as low-cost and environmentally-friendly modifier in thermoset polymers – a review
PublicationNowadays, waste tire rubber (WTR) management is a growing and serious problem. Therefore, research works focused on the development of cost-effective and environmentally-friendly methods of WTR recycling are fully justified. Incorporation of WTR into polymer matrices and composite materials attracts much attention, because this approach allows sustainable development of industrially applicable waste tires recycling technologies....
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Antibacterial properties of laser-encapsulated titanium oxide nanotubes decorated with nanosilver and covered with chitosan/Eudragit polymers
PublicationTo provide antibacterial properties, the titanium samples were subjected to electrochemical oxidation in the fluoride-containing diethylene glycol-based electrolyte to create a titanium oxide nanotubular surface. Afterward, the surface was covered by sputtering with silver 5 nm film, and the tops of the nanotubes were capped using laser treatment, resulting in an appearance of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of around 30 nm in diameter...
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Structural and Thermo-Mechanical Properties of Poly(ε-caprolactone) Modified by Various Peroxide Initiators
PublicationThe modification of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) was successfully conducted during reactive processing in the presence of dicumyl peroxide (DCP) or di-(2-tert-butyl-peroxyisopropyl)-benzene (BIB). The peroxide initiators were applied in the various amounts of 0.5 or 1.0 pbw (part by weight) into the PCL matrix. The effects of the initiator type and its concentration on the structure and mechanical and thermal properties of PCL were...
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Insights into the Thermo-Mechanical Treatment of Brewers’ Spent Grain as a Potential Filler for Polymer Composites
PublicationThis paper investigated the impact of twin-screw extrusion parameters on the properties of brewers’ spent grain. The chemical structure, antioxidant activity, particle size, and color properties, as well as the emission of volatile organic compounds during extrusion, were investigated. The main compounds detected in the air during modifications were terpenes and terpenoids, such as α-pinene, camphene, 3-carene, limonene, or terpinene....
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The Effect of Surface Treatment with Isocyanate and Aromatic Carbodiimide of Thermally Expanded Vermiculite Used as a Functional Filler for Polylactide-Based Composites
PublicationIn this work, thermally expanded vermiculite (TE-VMT) was surface modified and used as a filler for composites with a polylactide (PLA) matrix. Modification of vermiculite was realized by simultaneous ball milling with the presence of two PLA chain extenders, aromatic carbodiimide (KI), and 4,4’-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate) (MDI). In addition to analyzing the particle size of the filler subjected to processing, the efficiency...
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Processing, Performance Properties, and Storage Stability of Ground Tire Rubber Modified by Dicumyl Peroxide and Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Copolymers
PublicationIn this paper, ground tire rubber was modified with dicumyl peroxide and a variable content (in the range of 0–15 phr) of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers characterized by different vinyl acetate contents (in the range of 18–39 wt.%). Modification of ground tire rubber was performed via an auto-thermal extrusion process in which heat was generated during internal shearing of the material inside the extruder barrel. The processing,...
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Injectable poloxamer/graphene oxide hydrogels with well‐controlled mechanical and rheological properties
PublicationAlthough significant progress has been made in the design and application of injectable hydrogels for biomedical applications, concurrent control of rheological and mechanical properties of injectable hydrogels has remained as an open challenge to the researchers. In this work, we introduce and put into practice a photo‐curable poloxamer (also known as Pluronic)/graphene oxide (Plu/GO) injectable hydrogel with well‐controlled rheological...
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Degradation of polycaprolactone modified with TPS or CaCO3 in biotic/abiotic seawater
PublicationThis paper is an investigation of the polymer degradation process in two types of seawater (with and without microorganisms) sourced from the Baltic Sea. The chosen polymeric materials were polycaprolactone modified with either thermoplastic starch (PCL/TPS>85%) or calcium carbonate (60% PCL/40% CaCO3) compared directly against unmodified polycaprolactone. All samples were incubated for 28 weeks in seawater with and without microorganisms...