Journal of Research Updates in Polymer Science

Compositional Study of Polymer Blend PVA, Pectin, Sodium Alginate, and Gelatin Electrospun Nanofiber for Wound Dressing Application

2025-01-21T10:59:56+00:00

Electrospun nanofibers are a biomaterial effective for wound healing due to their high surface area, tunable properties, and resemblance to the extracellular matrix. Nanofibers from the mixture of polymeric materials like gelatin, sodium alginate, pectin, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were investigated in this study. Pectin, sodium alginate, and gelatin are selected for their nature of being applied as tissue carriers, and they have the properties of being biocompatible and biodegradable while inducing cell proliferation. Unfortunately, these polymers have some drawbacks: most of them have poor mechanical strength or poor processing ability through electrospinning. To enhance these properties, PVA was incorporated. The result showed that an optimal blend ratio of 20% PVA, 40% pectin, 25% sodium alginate, and 15% gelatin yielded a fibrous structure with an average diameter of the fibers equal to 174.82 ± 13 nm, surface tension of 33.29 mN/m, and viscosity at 7,378 cP, which facilitated the uniform fiber formation and a porous structure for enhanced gas exchange and moisture retention, significantly aiding wound healing.

Synergistic Effect of Zinc Oxide and Magnesium Oxide Co-Cure Activators on Polybutadiene Rubber Vulcanization: Mechanical Properties and Thermal Characteristics

2025-03-25T11:41:14+00:00

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is widely recognized as an effective cure activator in the sulphur vulcanization of polybutadiene rubber (PBR). However, its high toxicity to aquatic organisms has raised environmental concerns, prompting the search for non-toxic alternatives. Despite this, no industrially viable substitute has been identified. This study explores the potential of using a combination of ZnO and magnesium oxide (MgO) to reduce ZnO levels while enhancing vulcanization performance. The crosslinking density and thermal stability of the vulcanized PBR were assessed to evaluate the efficacy of MgO. The results demonstrate that the inclusion of MgO as a co-activator significantly accelerates the vulcanization rate. Specifically, formulations with 60% MgO exhibited a tensile strength of 1.1 MPa, elongation at break of 111%, and hardness of 46 Shore A. When using MgO exclusively, the material achieved a tensile strength of 1.4 MPa, elongation at break of 212%, and hardness of 43 Shore A, with an abrasion loss of 64.82 mm³. Swelling studies revealed that crosslink density was highest in the PBR formulation with 3 phr MgO and 2 phr ZnO, exhibiting the lowest swelling index (3.10). As MgO content increased, the swelling index also rose, indicating reduced crosslink density. The highest swelling index (4.24) was observed in the formulation with 5 phr MgO, confirming weaker crosslink formation. These results highlight that MgO alone lacks the ability to form an effective sulfurating complex, but when combined with ZnO, it enhances crosslinking efficiency and vulcanization performance. The use of MgO, either alone or in combination with ZnO, presents a viable approach for developing environmentally friendly PBR compounds with potential applications in high-performance elastomers such as tires.

Synthesis, Purification and Modification of Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) Microspheres for Prosthetic Dental Applications

2025-03-25T11:41:12+00:00

A large number of polymers are used for various applications in prosthodontics. Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microspheres are commonly used for prosthetic dental applications, including the fabrication of artiﬁcial teeth, dentures, denture bases, obturators, orthodontic retainers, temporary or provisional crowns, and for the repair of dental prostheses. Obviously, one can find a lot of articles dedicated to PMMA synthesis. On the other hand, the materials used in prosthodontics are subject to very specific requirements. Thus, in this work, influence of all the stages of PMMA microspheres production (including synthesis and, especially, purification) on the polymers characteristics is detected.

Comprehensive Characterization of Raw and Oxalic Acid Treated Ripen Cellulosic Biofiber from Areca Catechu Inflorescence as Substitute for Harmful Synthetic Products

2025-06-09T16:12:41+00:00

The inherent characteristics of natural fibers include a low density and a high strength-to-weight ratio, making them promising candidates for lightweight applications. The mechanical features of these strands are prejudiced by their chemical compositions and the cross-sectional area being the most variable factor affecting strength. In this research, strands were obtained by processing the ripen inflorescence of Areca tree and subjected to treatment with an oxalic acid (C₂H₂O₄) solution to enhance their properties. The extracted fibers underwent examination for chemical, physical, mechanical, and morphological properties. The study findings indicate that fibers treated with a 4 wt.% C₂H₂O₄ solution for 60 min exhibit superior properties. The strands segregated from the ripen inflorescence of areca tree treated with 4 wt.% C₂H₂O₄ solution for 60 min exhibited a rise in cellulose proportion by 26.7%, tensile strength by 13.5%, crystallinity index by 16.6%, thermal endurance by 6.3% and appreciable surface roughness compared to the untreated fibers as viewed through Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis endorsed the observations of chemical analysis. The characterization of areca inflorescence fibers in this study highlights significant advantages for the advancement of composite materials.

Mechanical, Thermal, and Morphological Analysis of 3D-Printed Polylactic Acid–Polyester Urethane Blends with Varied Infill and Material Compositions

2025-06-14T07:07:50+00:00

Multimaterial 3D printing allows for the production of intricate parts with customized mechanical properties, enhancing the versatility of material extrusion additive manufacturing. Typically, 3D printing machines are fed with commercially available filament feedstock, which limits the 3D printing of multiple materials. Hence, this study introduces in-house prepared filaments for creating polymer blend structures with improved properties. In this study, polylactic acid and thermoplastic poly ester urethane (PEU) blends with different composition ratios were processed by varying the infill densities to evaluate their impacts on their thermal, mechanical and morphological properties. The effects of infill percentage on the mechanical, thermal and morphological behaviour were investigated. The results indicate that increasing the infill percentage tends to significantly increase the elastic modulus and tensile strength. The maximum strain increased as the infill percentage increased. Overall, the mechanical results indicated that, without sacrificing any tensile strength, the composite with 25% PEU exhibited better toughness than did the neat PLA and could be printed similarly to that of PLA. Furthermore, scanning electron images revealed that the blends had a homogeneous structure with a fibrillar morphology. These results indicate that 3D printing is an effective technique for creating next generation 4D materials.

Multifunctional Characterization of Fucoidan: Structural Insights and Efficient Removal of Toxic Metal Ions

2025-06-14T07:07:49+00:00

In this study, commercial fucoidan was subjected to comprehensive physicochemical and structural characterization to evaluate its potential for removing heavy metal ions from aqueous media. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) confirmed the presence of sulfated heterofucans, with distinct signals corresponding to carboxyl, sulfate, and sugar ring functionalities. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed notable thermal stability, with major degradation occurring above 240 °C. Interaction mechanisms have been proposed on the basis of functional groups, particularly sulfates and carboxylates. Finally, the efficacy of fucoidan for Ni(II), Pb(II), and Cu(II) removal was validated via inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectroscopy, which revealed removal rates of up to 99.89% for Cu and 99.84% for Pb. These findings highlight the dual role of fucoidan as both a bioactive polymer and a promising biopolymer for wastewater remediation.

Crosslinking of Hardwood Lignin with Citric Acid for Sustainable Wood Adhesives

2025-06-28T12:06:16+00:00

The toxicity of petroleum-based crosslinkers raises health and environmental concerns, prompting interest in bio-based alternatives. This study reports the facile crosslinking of hardwood lignin (HWL) with citric acid (CA) as a bio-crosslinker for application as a lignin-based wood adhesive. HWL is characterized by GPC and DSC to determine its molecular weight and glass transition temperature, respectively. The successful crosslinking and esterification reactions of the HWL-CA-based resin are confirmed by the exothermic peaks observed in the DSC thermogram and by FT-IR analysis. The HWL-based adhesives with various proportions of CA meet the Korean standard shear strength requirement of 0.60 MPa, with 12% CA (HWL-CA12) giving the maximum value of 1.07 MPa. The successful surface modification of the veneer pre-treatment with CA is also confirmed by FT-IR analysis. Although the adhesive strength of the HWL-CA12 is decreased on the pre-treated veneer relative to the untreated veneer, it remains above the standard requirement on the veneers that were treated with 10% and 15% of CA. These findings demonstrate the potential of CA-crosslinked lignin as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based wood adhesives.