Showing papers in "Progress in Polymer Science in 2016"

TL;DR: In this article, the fundamental design principles of highly thermally conductive composites were discussed and the key factors influencing the thermal conductivity of polymers, such as chain structure, crystallinity, crystal form, orientation of polymer chains, and orientation of ordered domains in both thermoplastics and thermosets were addressed.

TL;DR: In this paper, theoretical and experimental aspects of thermal conductivity in composites, from thermal energy generation to heat transfers, are reviewed, and the fundamental mechanism of thermal conduction, its mathematical aspects, and certain essential parameters to be considered in this study, such as crystallinity, phonon scattering, or filler/matrix interfaces are discussed in detail.

TL;DR: An exploration of the structural, mechanical, biochemical and biological information present in native human tissue for bioengineering applications is focused on to provide inspiration for the design of future biomaterials.

TL;DR: In this paper, the widely used non-derivatizing cellulose solvents are summarized, including their dissolution mechanisms, with emphasis on the neat regenerated cellulose materials and the composite materials.

TL;DR: There is considerable current interest in polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization as a versatile and efficient route to various types of block copolymer nano-objects.

TL;DR: A comprehensive overview of the fundamentals and applications of various photomediated CRP techniques, including atom transfer radical polymerization, reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT), nitroxide mediated polymerization (NMP), and other procedures are discussed in this article.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors reviewed the research and development of polymeric pervaporation membranes from the perspective of membrane fabrication procedures and materials, and showed that the membrane is one of the crucial factors in determining the overall efficiency of separation process.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors review the significant advancements in theoretic modeling of the underlying physical principles, coupled with experimental validation using a variety of technical devices and designs that allow well-controlled fiber formation using optimized material and operating parameters.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reviewed recent advances in different polymer-based reverse osmosis (RO) and forward osmotic (FO) desalination membranes in terms of materials and strategies developed for improving properties and performances.

TL;DR: In this article, a review summarizes progress toward programming two-dimensional (2D) polymer sheets which respond to a variety of external stimuli to form 3D shapes or topographical features on macroscopically planar sheets.

TL;DR: Aromatic polyimides (PIs) are high-performance polymers with rigid heterocyclic imide rings and aromatic benzene rings in their macromolecular backbones as mentioned in this paper.

TL;DR: In this article, a review highlights the controlled synthesis of PNVCL in different architectures, including block copolymers, graft copolymer, nanogels and their applications in the biomedical field, e.g., drug delivery, cell detachment, entrapment of enzymes, tissue engineering, among others.

TL;DR: In this article, the background into the production of sulfur via petroleum refining and the challenges associated with utilizing S 8 as a chemical reagent for materials synthesis is discussed, and the use of S 8 was developed to prepare chemically stable and processable sulfur copolymers.

TL;DR: In this paper, a change in nucleation mechanism, from heterogeneous nucleation to surface nucleation (or in extreme cases, homogeneous nucleations), was proposed, which reflected that nucleation is the rate determining step in the overall crystallization of ideally confined polymers.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors focus on advances of the past four years in polymerization reactions utilizing small organic molecules either as direct initiators or as true catalysts, with a special emphasis on monomer activation modes, as well as polymerization mechanism aspects.

TL;DR: In this article, a review of the growth, branching and twisting of spherulite is presented, while maintaining an appreciation for the historical context of the field gradient and the crucial role of self-generated fields ahead of the crystal-melt interface.

TL;DR: An overview of the chemistry that is used in interfacial polymerization, discusses the (dis)advantages of derived material types, and assesses the future prospects for synthesis of ultrathin functional materials via interfacial polymers.

TL;DR: Proton-conducting mixed matrix membranes (PC-MMMs) have received considerable interest as promising materials that combine the properties of, and create synergism from interactions between, polymeric and inorganic components.

TL;DR: A comprehensive overview on the various types of polymeric nanostructured materials, their fabrication methods and biomedical applications, as well as the challenges in research and development of future PNMs are presented.

TL;DR: In this paper, a review of the chemistry of epoxy resins, an almost century-old chemistry, is also involved in the movement of macromolecular chemistry and how this type of control affects the structure of the growing network.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present recent advancements in the synthesis of PLA-based block/graft copolymers having complex architectures, with emphasis on the enhanced material performances induced by PLA stereocomplex formation.

TL;DR: Directed self-assembly of block copolymers (BCPs) on chemically nanopatterned surfaces (or chemical patterns) combines advantages of conventional photolithography and polymeric materials and shows promise for meeting a sufficiently inclusive set of manufacturing constraints for applications in semiconductors and data storage.

TL;DR: In this article, the strength of multi-scale modeling to support the fundamental understanding and design of radical polymerization processes is illustrated, considering both controlled and free-radical polymerization (CRP/FRP) in non-dispersed (bulk/solution) and dispersed (suspension/emulsion) media.

TL;DR: Healing-on-demand materials exhibit the capability to close cracks and heal the closed/narrowed cracks when needed and to recover functionality using intrinsic or extrinsic resources.

TL;DR: Application in polysaccharide modification of six groups of click reactions are reviewed, including CuAAC, metal-free [3+2] cycloaddition, Diels–Alder reaction, oxime click, Thiol-Michael reaction, and thiol-ene reaction, as well as one click-like reaction that is the subject of the authors' own research, olefin cross-metathesis.

TL;DR: In this article, the glass transition temperature (T g ) of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSSs) is investigated and the dependence of T g on the composition of POSS nanomaterials can be discussed and considered in terms similar to those used for polymer blends and copolymers.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors present new insights in the fabrication methods of polymer nanostructures from hard porous AAO templates, with emphasis on the study of polymer structure/property relationships on the nanometric length scale, stressing potential interests in relevant applications.

TL;DR: In this paper, a review highlights trends in the chemistry, characterization and application of polymers with redox properties, which are electroactive macromolecules containing localized sites or groups that can be oxidized (loss of electrons) and reduced (gain of electrons).

TL;DR: In this paper, the benefits, challenges and potential utility of polymers for use in DSSCs are assessed, with a special focus on the role that polymers play in photovoltaic (PV) and widely accepted reports of PV performance.

TL;DR: The purpose of this review is to compile the biomedical applications that have been considered in the literature for these chitosan nanoparticles prepared by ionic gelation using tripolyphosphate as ionic agent.