Search

For several decades, forming blend and composite of polyaniline (PANI) with insulating polymers has been a widely studied research area because of the potential applications of such blends, which have a unique combination of mechanical properties, the processability of conventional polymers and the electrical property of conducting polymers. The current review paper will emphasize PANI composites or blends with thermosetting polymer matrices. The enhanced electro-mechanical properties of the blends and composites depend on the uniform dispersion of the PANI particle in polymer matrix. Therefore, considerable studies have focused on improving the distribution of PANI particles within the thermoset matrices. In this review paper, all the parameters and conditions that influence the surface morphology and application of PANI thermoset blends and composites will be described systematically. Recent progress on PANI based thermoset system with multifunctional ternary composites research will be highlighted in this paper. Furthermore, encouraging applications of different PANI thermoset composites and blends are discussed, such as flame-retardant materials, lightning damage suppression, metal ion removal, anticorrosive coating, electromagnetic shielding, conductive adhesives, and sensing materials.Other Information Published in: Journal of Polymer Research License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0See article on publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10965-020-02052-1

In recent years, the use of polyethylene (PE) for asphalt modification has been gaining increased attention due to the environmental sustainability and cost-saving benefits. To optimize the performance of the PE-asphalt blends, it is necessary to understand the polymer-binder interactions and their impact on the properties of the modified asphalt binder. In this study, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) with low and high melt flow index (MFI), i.e., LDPE4 and LDPE70, were blended with Pen 60-70 asphalt binder in dosages ranging from 1 to 5 wt.%. PE Wax was also added to the binder or the PE-binder blend to enhance dispersion. The dispersion of PE in the binder and the phase stability of the modified binder were investigated by optical microscope. The equivalent diameter of PE domains increased with time and the polymer dosage level. The addition of PE wax improved the polymer dispersity in the LDPE4 blends. The polymer dispersity in LDPE70 blends was good without adding PE Wax, attributed to the higher MFI value (low molecular weight) of LDPE70. In addition, to understand the stability of polymer modified binder, the steady shear viscosity-temperature profile of these binders was studied using a rotational viscometer. The dynamic rheological properties and performance of the PE-binder blends were evaluated using the dynamic shear rheometer. Based on the microstructure, all other rheological and performance properties, it was concluded that the 3% LDPE70 binder has better polymer dispersity, better low and high temperature performance characteristics.Other Information Published in: Materials and Structures License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0See article on publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1617/s11527-021-01683-0

To control Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4 NPs) size, different molar ratio of Fe2+ and Fe3+ as well as ammonium hydroxide (pH) was used to synthesize Fe3O4 NPs through co-precipitation method. The Box–Behnken design was selected to explore the interaction between process parameters (factors) such as Fe2+ molar ion, Fe3+ molar ion and pH on the final size. The interactive effect between the process variables was evaluated by analysis of variance (ANOVA). The quadratic model predicted by the Box–Behnken design was significant with a P value of 2+ ion with 3.00 mol Fe3+ ion with pH at 12.00. From the experiment, the particle size was 10 ± 2 nm at optimum conditions, while the model predicted a particle size of 6.80 nm. The magnetic properties of Fe3O4 NPs were displayed typical ferromagnetic behavior with saturation magnetization value to be 49.729 emu/g. Finally, the optimized Fe3O4 NPs showed about 80% removal of Congo red (CR) dye, which confirms their applicability in adsorption process for future applications.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have been the root cause for anthropogenic climate change. Decarbonisation strategies, particularly carbon capture and storage (CCS) are crucial for mitigating the risk of global warming. Among all current CO2 separation technologies, membrane separation has the biggest potential for CCS as it is inexpensive, highly efficient, and simple to operate. Polymeric membranes are the preferred choice for the gas separation industry due to simpler methods of fabrication and lower costs compared to inorganic or mixed matrix membranes (MMMs). However, plasticisation and upper-bound trade-off between selectivity and permeability has limited the gas separation performance of polymeric membranes. Recently, researchers have found that the blending of glassy and rubbery polymers can effectively minimise trade-off between selectivity and permeability. Glassy poly(ethersulfone) (PES) and rubbery poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG) are polymers that are known to have a high affinity towards CO2. In this paper, PEG and PES are reviewed as potential polymer blend that can yield a final membrane with high CO2 permeance and CO2/nitrogen (N2) selectivity. Gas separation properties can be enhanced by using different solvents in the phase-inversion process. N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone (NMP) and Dimethylformamide (DMF) are common industrial solvents used for membrane fabrication. Both NMP and DMF are reviewed as prospective solvent blend that can improve the morphology and separation properties of PES/PEG blend membranes due to their effects on the membrane structure which increases permeation as well as selectivity. Thus, a PES/PEG blend polymeric membrane fabricated using NMP and DMF solvents is believed to be a major prospect for CO2/N2 gas separation.Other Information Published in: Journal of Polymer Research License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0See article on publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10965-021-02500-6

Gas sensing properties at room temperature and energy harvesting performances are realized for the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposites containing titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanotubes grown in the presence of carbon nanotubes (CNT). While hydrothermal reaction is practiced for the development of TiO2/CNT hybrid nanotubes, spin coating is done for the nanocomposite films to be deposited on sensing electrodes. Influence of various filler concentrations and the synergistic combination of fillers on the sensing characteristics are studied by recording the response times and the stability of the results. Upon exposure to liquefied petroleum gas, the PVDF/TiO2-CNT (2.5 wt.%) gas sensor shows a sensing response of 0.45 s (400 ppm LPG), approximately nine times higher than the composite containing 2.5 wt.% of TiO2 or 2.5 wt.% CNT. The piezoelectric response of the samples is also recorded and correlated with the synergistic influence of the filler materials. The current study can stimulate a good trend in fabricating self-powered gas sensors from PVDF nanocomposites.Other Information Published in: Journal of Electronic Materials License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0See article on publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11664-019-07915-y

A key challenge in producing superhydrophobic coatings (SHC) is to tailor the surface morphology on the micro-nanometer scale. In this work, a feasible and straightforward route was employed to manufacture polystyrene/nickel oxide (PSN) nanocomposite superhydrophobic coatings on aluminum alloys to mitigate their corrosion in a saline environment. Different techniques were employed to explore the influence of the addition of NiO nanoparticles to the as-prepared coatings. PSN-2 composite with ~ 4.3 wt% of NiO exhibited the highest water contact angle (WCA) of 155° ± 2 and contact angle hysteresis (CAH) of 5°. Graphic abstract EIS Nyquist plots of 3 g of electrospun polystyrene coatings (a) without and with (b) 0.1, (c) 0.15, and (d) 0.2 g of NiO.Other Information Published in: Journal of Applied Electrochemistry License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0See article on publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10800-021-01603-8