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In this study, CuO nanoparticles are pre-modified with styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers (SMAs) of different molecular weights and MAH contents. Then the pre-modified CuO nanoparticles (CuO-SMAs) are added to the PA6/SEBS (Styrene Ethylene Butylene Styrene copolymer) (40/60 ​wt/wt) polymer blends with a co-continuous morphology. When SMA3 (MAH ​= ​8 ​wt%, Mn ​= ​250000 ​g/mol) is used to modify CuO nanoparticles, and the grafting degree of SMA3 on the surface of CuO reaches 2.74 ​wt%, 90.71% of the added mCuO-SMA3 nanoparticles can be located at the interface of PA6 and SEBS. A porous PA6 membrane with CuO nanoparticles located at the pore walls can be obtained after the SEBS phase is etched with xylene. The catalytic reaction velocity constant (k) for the reduction of p-nitrophenol in NaBH4 solutions with the PA6/mCuO-SMA3 porous membrane can reach 1.0040 min-1. This work provides a feasible and straightforward method for the preparation of porous polymer membranes with functional nanoparticles located at the wall of the pores.

Enhancing the water permeation while maintaining high salt rejection of existing reverse osmosis (RO) membranes remains a considerable challenge. Herein, we proposed to introduce polymer of intrinsic microporosity, PIM-1, into the selective layer of reverse osmosis membranes to break the trade-off effect between permeability and selectivity. A water-soluble a-LPIM-1 of low-molecular-weight and hydroxyl terminals was synthesized. These designed characteristics endowed it with high solubility and reactivity. Then it was mixed with m-phenylenediamine and together served as aqueous monomer to react with organic monomer of trimesoyl chloride via interfacial polymerization. The characterization results exhibited that more “nodule” rather than “leaf” structure formed on RO membrane surface, which indicated that the introduction of the high free-volume of a-LPIM-1 with three dimensional twisted and folded structure into the selective layer effectively caused the frustrated packing between polymer chains. In virtue of this effect, even with reduced surface roughness and unchanged layer thickness, the water permeability of prepared reverse osmosis membranes increased 2.1 times to 62.8 L∙m–2∙h–1 with acceptable NaCl rejection of 97.6%. This attempt developed a new strategy to break the trade-off effect faced by traditional polyamide reverse osmosis membranes.

Graphene oxide (GO)-based adsorbents have received attention in the removal of heavy metal ions in wastewater due to its large specific surface area and oxygen-containing functional groups, which can enhance the interaction between GO and heavy metal ions. Many researchers are seeking economical and effective strategies to further improve the adsorption capacity of GO. In this study, hyperbranched polymers and cellulose were used to surface functionalize GO for the efficient adsorption of heavy metal ions. First, hyperbranched polyamide-amine (HPAMAM) functionalized GO was fabricated by the formation of an amide bond between the carboxyl group of GO and the amino group of HPAMAM, increasing the active groups on the GO surface and enhancing the affinity with heavy metal ions. Then, dialdehyde cellulose (DAC) obtained through the oxidation of microcrystalline cellulose was grafted onto GO/HPAMAM by forming a Schiff-based structure between the amino group of HPAMAM and aldehyde group of DAC. Interestingly, DAC formed micro/nano bumps on GO, which was beneficial to increase the hydroxyl number and contact area with heavy metal ions. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results confirmed the successful synthesis of GO/HPAMAM/DAC. The obtained GO/HPAMAM/DAC adsorbent exhibited strong adsorption capacity and good cycle stability for heavy metal ions. The maximum adsorption capacities of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cu(II) were 680.3, 418.4, and 280.1 mg/g at 298 K, which were better than those of most adsorbents reported. A pseudo-second-order kinetic model could well-describe the Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cu(II) adsorption onto GO/HPAMAM/DAC, and the equilibrium data fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model. The adsorption of Pb(II), Cd(II), and Cu(II) was mainly attributed to the chelation or complexation of nitrogen- and oxygen-containing groups on the GO/HAPAMAM/DAC adsorbent. This study may provide a novel strategy for improving the adsorption performance of GO with hyperbranched polymers and cellulose.

Solvent resistant nanofiltration (SRNF) is now a powerful tool for addressing environmental issues. Hence, we report the fabrication of a thin film composite (TFC) membrane comprised of a novel HDPE support, a polydopamine (PDA)/Tannic acid-Fe(III) interlayer and a polyamide (PA) skin layer. In this respect, high density polyethylene(HDPE)-polystyrene(PS)-styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene(SEBS) blends were formed with different compositions by mixing via a Brabender machine and making films by using a hot press instrument. Next, a solvent extraction technique was employed for extracting the dispersed phase and making the HDPE membranes. The support membrane with optimum properties was coated with a PDA interlayer. A tannic acid-Fe(III) interlayer was also formed on the as-prepared PDA layer so that the hydrophilicity of the support surface was enhanced to form a defect-free PA layer. The modified support was utilized for the fabrication of the PA top layer by using m-phenylene diamine (MPD) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) monomers. The prepared TFC membrane provided a significant dye rejection ability (99.9% Direct Yellow, 99.7% Methyl Green, 99.2% Rhodamine B, and 96.1% Methyl Orange), extraordinary solvent resistance ability in harsh solvents, and good methanol (MeOH) Flux (2.25 L/m2.h.bar) in SRNF applications. The skin-substrate adhesion strength of the top layer was also evaluated by a back-ward flush operation. It was demonstrated that the interlayer and the skin layer had an excellent adhesion with the support membrane.

Nafion, a perfluoro-sulfonic acid (PFSA)-based polymer, is a promising material that will help realize the commercialization of proton exchange membrane-based fuel cells (PEMFCs) and proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs). However, Nafion also exhibits reduced mechanical and dimensional stability and increased hydrogen crossover under cell operating conditions in real operational settings, that is, in a hydrated state or in water at 60–80 °C. These factors may negatively affect cell efficiency and durability and thus must be addressed. To overcome these limitations, polyamide-coated Nafion composite membranes were developed for the first time via interfacial polymerization. 3,5-Diaminobenzoic acid (DABA), which contains carboxyl functional groups, was used as a monomer to add hydrophilicity to the membrane, and the coating layer thickness was controlled by adjusting the DABA content. A nanoscale polyamide (PA) layer was coated on the surface of Nafion-212 to fabricate a membrane, PA-c3-Nafion. PA-c3-Nafion was found to show ion conductivity 13.6% higher than that of a pristine Nafion-212 membrane at 80 °C, while providing improved mechanical performance and dimensional stability. In particular, at 95% RH, the hydrogen permeability of PA-c3-Nafion was 16.4% lower than that of Nafion-212 while, in a fully hydrated state, the hydrogen permeability of PA-c3-Nafion was 21.2% lower than that of Nafion-212. The LSV test results also showed that the degree of hydrogen crossover was significantly lower in PA-c3-Nafion than in Nafion-212.

We explored a unique concept in this study to develop a membrane containing a hierarchical porous architecture derived by etching a specific component from a demixed UCST blend as the support layer and a free-standing GO and a polyamide (PA) layer as functional surfaces. To selectively sieve ions and improve chlorine tolerance performance, three different strategies were proposed here. In the first case, the free-standing GO membrane was used as the active layer. In the second case, the free-standing GO was positioned in tandem with the PA layer formed

High-performance polymeric membrane technology is rapidly developing worldwide with the introduction of new materials and processes. Considerable research efforts are being made to establish a polymer membrane that can be used for ultrafiltration (UF) or nanofiltration (NF) applications. The development of modified polyamide-66 polymer and its compatibility in wastewater are essential elements in the quest for advances and improvements in membrane technology. The optimized conditions for membrane synthesis are critical in making it commercially viable. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to find the optimum dissolution of polyamide-66 in formic acid. A model was developed and validated with experimental data, and it showed good agreement with R2 0.9984. The optimized condition for minimizing viscosity was determined. For minimum viscosity (3.64 cp), the optimum temperature and wt.% were 20 ?C and 0.6, respectively.

Using waste leather collagen, collagen microspheres with “–CH═CH2” (CMAs) were prepared using the emulsification cross-linking method and then incorporated into a nonwoven polyamide fiber material ...

A multilayer packaging technique in the food industry typically employs separate layers with unique mechanical and barrier properties to help preservation of food nutrition and flavors. Tie layers ...

The present study highlights the influence of support and monomer properties on the performance of thin-film composite (TFC) membranes. For this purpose, a series of polyamide-cellulose acetate thin-film composite nanofiltration (TFC-NF) membranes were prepared by interfacial polymerization technique using cellulose acetate (CA) membrane as support and the monomer of cyclohexane-1,3,5 tricarbonylchloride (HTC) as an organic phase. The effect of the cellulose acetate concentration on the pore size of the membrane support was investigated using 15%, 16.5%, 18%, 19.5%, and 21.5% of cellulose acetate. m-phenylenediamine (MPD), piperazidine (PIP), and 1,3- cyclohexanebis (methylamine) (CHMA) were studied as monomers. Results displayed that PIP/HTC membrane is more hydrophilic and has more intense granular and convex structure with rougher surface compared to the other prepared membranes. The water flow and the porosity depended on the cellulose acetate concentration. The decrease in porosity complied well with permeability, contact angle, and SEM analysis. The membrane performances were evaluated for the retention of NaCl, CaCl, and NaSO retention. Comparing the NaSO rejection with CaCl and NaCl, the former is higher than the latter.

Using polylactic acid (PLA), polyamide (PA) and glass fiber–reinforced polyamide (GF/PA) as raw materials, samples with different printing temperature and speed were prepared. PLA samples were prepared by fused deposition modeling, and PA and PA/GF samples were prepared by selective laser sintering. The fracture toughness of 3D printed engineering plastics was characterized by three-point bending test. The results show that the process parameters have little effect on the fracture toughness of the specimen. With the change of printing temperature or speed, the fracture toughness of the specimen decreases by 4.9%. The raw materials have great influence on the fracture toughness of the specimens. The fracture toughness of PLA increases by 27.95% compared with PA and 58.71% with GF/PA. The results show that the fracture toughness of PLA is the highest among the three materials. Finally, the fracture surface of the specimen was scanned by scanning electron microscope, and the fracture microstructure was analyzed to reveal the influence of process parameters and raw materials on the fracture toughness of 3D printed engineering plastics.

A new kind of bio-based polyamide 5,6 (PA56) fiber has been synthesized from adipic acid and 1,5-pentanediamine. In this report, the characterization, antistatic treatment, mechanical properties, m...

High molecular weight poly(amide-imide)s containing cardo structures were readily prepared by a supported palladium-catalyzed carbonylation polymerization of diiodo imide monomers, aromatic diamines containing cardo groups, and carbon monoxide. Polycondensation reaction proceeded effectively in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) at 100 °C in the presence of a bidentate phosphino-modified magnetic nanoparticles-anchored palladium complex [2P-Fe3O4@SiO2-PdCl2] as catalyst and 1,8-diazabicyclo[5,4,0]-7-undecene (DBU) as base under 1 atm of CO, yielding a series of new poly(amide-imide)s with inherent viscosities up to 0.95 dL/g. All the polymers obtained were easily soluble in some strong polar aprotic organic solvents and could be cast into transparent, flexible and tough films from their DMAc solutions. These cardo poly(amide-imide)s displayed high thermal stability with the glass transition temperatures ranging from 237 to 265 °C, the temperatures at 5% weight loss ranging from 433 to 475 °C in nitrogen. These PAI films also exhibited good mechanical behavior and high optical transparency. The present method provides the flexibility of incorporating different ratios of imide and amide groups in the polymer backbone in a controlled manner and eliminates the possibility of postpolymerization curing due to the imide moiety being preformed. Importantly, the supported palladium catalyst can be conveniently separated from the polymer by simply using an external magnetic field and recycled at least 8 times without apparent loss of catalytic efficiency.

Water recycling is one of the most sustainable solutions to growing water scarcity challenges. However, wastewaters usually contain organic pollutants and often are at extreme pH, which complicates the treatment of these streams with conventional membranes. In this work, we report the synthesis of a robust membrane material that can withstand prolonged exposure to extreme pH (of 1 or 13 for 2 months). Polyamine thin film composite (TFC) membranes are prepared in situ by interfacial polymerization between 1,3,5-tris(bromomethyl)benzene (tBrMeB) and p-phenylenediamine (PPD). Contrary to conventional polyamide TFC membranes, enhanced pH stability is achieved by eliminating the carbonyl groups from the polymer network. The membranes showed pure water permeance and molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) of 0.28 ± 0.09 L m-2 h-2 bar-1 and 820 ± 132 g mol-1, respectively. The membrane performance is further enhanced by manipulating the monomer structures and replacing p-phenylenediamine with m-phenylenediamine, resulting in a higher permeance of 1.3 ± 0.3 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 and a lower MWCO of 566 ± 43 g mol-1. Given the ease of fabrication and excellent stability, this chemistry represents a step forward in the fabrication of robust membranes for industrial wastewater recycling.

Self-pumping wound dressings with directional water transport ability have been widely studied for their function of directional extraction of excessive biofluid from wounds while keeping the wound in a moderately humid environment to realize rapid wound healing. However, the existing solutions have not paid close attention to the fabrication of a nonirritating hydrophobic layer facing the wounds, which may cause irritation to wounds and thereby further worsen inflammation. Herein, a flexible and elastic thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) hydrophobic microfiber mesh (TPU-HMM) produced by melt electrospinning (MES) is reported. The TPU-HMM was compounded to a hydrophilic nanofiber membrane, which was fabricated by blending with polyamide 6 and poly(ethylene glycol) (PA6-PEG) to form a composite self-pumping dressing, for which the breakthrough pressure in a reverse direction was 12.8 times than that in a positive direction and the forward water transmission rate was increased by 700%. It shows good directional water transport ability and is expected to absorb excessive biofluid of the wounds. This solvent-free and easy-process TPU-HMM provides a new strategy for the development of functional self-pumping textiles, and the solvent-free fabrication method for fibers, which eliminates the potential toxicity brought by solvent residues, offers more possibilities for its applications in biomedicine.

A new intrinsically and molecularly porous highly dense hyper-cross-linked polyamide thin film composite nanofiltration membrane was fabricated by incorporating graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets in the polyamide (PA) active layer through interfacial polymerization on the surface of ultrafiltration PSf/PET support (fabricated by phase inversion). The g-C3N4 nanosheets were fabricated through thermal pyrolysis and homogenously dispersed in an aqueous solution of a linear aliphatic tetra-amine prior to interfacial polymerization with non-aqueous solution of terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) and the fabricated membrane was named as g-C3N4/PA@PSf/PET membrane. The g-C3N4 nanosheets and g-C3N4/PA@PSf/PET membrane were thoroughly characterized by TEM, FE-SEM, FT-IR, Water contact angle (WCA), elemental mapping and EDX analysis. The FE-SEM of the g-C3N4/PA@PSf/PET membrane showed uniform and equal distribution of the g-C3N4 nanosheets in the polyamide active layer. In the crossflow nanofiltration performance test, the membrane showed a water flux of 55.71 L m-2h-1 and % rejection of >85 % of MgSO4 while the % rejection of Eriochrome Black T reached to > 99.5 % leading to clean and potable water as a permeate. The membrane followed the following trend of % rejection as MgSO4 > MgCl2 > Na2SO4 > CaCl2 > NaCl. This study shows that the incorporation of g-C3N4 nanosheets is an excellent option for enhancing the nanofiltration performance of the membranes.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising for realizing ultrafast membranes with implications to molecular separations and beyond. However, it is a big challenge to harness the potential of CNTs for designing scalable yet high-performance membranes. Here we systematically explore the role of loading and vacuum-assisted alignment of CNTs for improving the desalination performance of polyamide (PA) based thin-film composites. To rule out the dispersion instability issues, we focused on carboxylated single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) commercially available in the market. After applying a pre-treatment for cleaning, we deposited SWCNTs on porous polysulfone supports by vacuum filtration and coated a PA layer on top via interfacial polymerization. Morphological assessments supported by polarized Raman microspectroscopy allowed the quantification of SWCNT alignment. At an optimum SWCNT loading, which we found critical for alignment, the water permeability of resulting membranes significantly improved without compromising NaCl selectivity. Also, we achieved an improved boric acid selectivity, arguably owing to the hydrophobic nature of nanotube channels. Moreover, nanotubes promoted resistance against chlorine degradation and improved mechanical strength. Vacuum deposition is instrumental for infiltrating SWCNTs into the support layer, but a mat layer forms between the support and PA layers when SWCNT loading exceeds the limit that the support pores can accommodate. Given that we use ordinary SWCNTs and a scalable methodology (vacuum-assisted infiltration), the developed membranes are promising for practical applications. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd

Effective control of monomer diffusion and reaction rate is the key to achieving a controlled interfacial polymerization (IP) and a high-performance nanofiltration (NF) membrane. Herein, an integration of multirole regulations was synchronously realized using poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) as an active additive in a piperazine (PIP) aqueous phase. Thanks to synergistic interactions, including hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interaction, and covalent bonding between PAA and PIP molecules, together with the increased viscosity of the solution, PIP diffusion was rationally controlled. Moreover, interfacial polycondensation was also restrained via the modestly reduced pH of the aqueous solution. These contribute to the formation of a thinner, looser, more hydrophilic, and higher negatively charged PAA-decorated polyamide selective layer with a unique nanostrand-nodule morphology. The harvested NF-PAA/PIP membrane showed an ∼70% rise in water permeability (up to 23.5 L·m-2·h-1·bar-1) while retaining high Na2SO4 and dye rejections. Furthermore, the optimized NF-PAA/PIP membrane presented a superior fouling resistance capability for typical pollutants, as well as long-term stability during successive filtration. Thus, this work offers a straightforward and impactful approach to regulating IP and promoting NF membrane properties.

Nanocomposite has received more and more attention since it is an effective and convenient method to enhance the electrical properties of ferroelectric polymers. Compared with other nanocomposites, all-organic nanocomposites are more attractive due to better mechanical flexibility compared with composites with inorganic fillers. In this paper, PA11 (polyamide 11)/P(VDF–TrFE) [P(vinylidene fluoride–trifluoroethylene)] all-organic nanocomposites with low content (below 3 wt%) of PA11 nanoparticles were fabricated via a simple and efficient solution method. The PA11 nanoparticles in nanocomposites are small in size and are evenly distributed. The dielectric performance of nanocomposite films shows obvious enhancement with respect to the P(VDF–TrFE) matrix. The microstructure characterization results show that the structure of the copolymer slightly changed after the incorporation of PA11 nanoparticles. We propose that the improved dielectric performance in nanocomposites could be attributed to the interfacial effect between PA11 and P(VDF–TrFE) matrix. This research provides a simple and cost-effective approach to produce all-organic nanocomposites with good flexibility and improved electrical performance.

Formaldehyde-based resins are widely used in the field of wood adhesives. However, high formaldehyde emission is still a serious problem. Therefore, a low-toxic wood adhesive was successfully synth...

Due to the poor compatibility caused by the large difference in hydrophilicity and interface between polylactic acid (PLA) and cellulose acetate (CA), the blending of the two materials is difficult and the application is limited. To solve this problem, a type of polyamide amine (PAMAM) dendrimer was introduced to modify PLA/CA blends in this work. The results showed that PAMAM could improve the compatibility of PLA/CA blends, promote the distribution of CA and crystallization of PLA. At the same time, adding PAMAM could enhance the mechanical properties of the blend material, and the toughness and tear strength were increased by 551% and 141%, respectively. In addition, the incorporation of PAMAM increased hydrophobicity and oxygen permeability of PLA/CA blends, and the oxygen permeability could be increased by up to three orders of magnitude. Degradation test results showed that the blend exhibited good biodegradability. The overall performance of the PLA/CA blend film was optimal when the content of PAMAM was 3 phr. The biodegradable blend films with excellent performance provided wide application prospect in the food green packaging fields.

Over the years, various types of techniques have been used for the synthesis of nanocomposites. In this work, melamine-based polyamide (PA) was synthesized using a one-pot polycondensation method under mild conditions. carboxyl graphene (CG)/PA nanocomposites (CGMPA) were prepared by CG nanofiller loadings of 1, 3, and 5 wt.% via delamination/adsorption approach. The prepared CGMPA nanocomposites were characterized using different analyses, such as Fourier transform infrared techniques (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetric (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effects of the CG on the thermal properties of the CGMPA nanocomposites were significant. The results showed that the melting temperature (Tm) of neat PA and CGMPA were increased from 378°C to 393°C suggested better dispersion of CG in PA matrix. The decomposition temperature of PA was increased from 451°C to 463°C in CGMPA nanocomposites indicates the better thermal stability of PA matrix by addition of CG.

Magnetic nanoparticles were creatively selected as stable, inexpensive, biodegradable, facile recoverable, and functionalizable supports for a variety of synthetic and natural polymers. Herein, for the first time, aromatic polyamide was synthesized on the magnetic core of zinc iron oxide (ZnFe2O4). Terephthaloyl chloride and derivations of phenylenediamine were employed as monomers in this polymerization process. The toxicity of the synthesized hybrid at the highest concentration (1000 μg/ml) is 13.65% and on the other hand, the cell viability percentage is 86.35%. So, the prepared hybrid is biocompatible and non-toxic to Hu02 cells. Also, it has antibacterial ability against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Because the results show that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the synthesized polymer for bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 is in the range of 500–1000 µg/ml. Moreover, the hemolytic effect of ZnFe2O4 based hybrid was below 9% at the concentration of 1000 μg/ml. Therefore, it is compatible with red blood cells.

Thermally stable and organo-soluble polyamides synthesized by polycondensation reaction of diacid monomer, 2, 5-bis (4-carboxymethylene phenyl) 3, 4-diphenyl furan (BCMPDF) with various commerciall...

The thermal oxidative stabilization and carbonization processes of poly(hexamethylene adipamide) or (polyamide 66) fibers were accomplished to transform into carbon fibers. Polyamide 66 fibers were pretreated with a ethanol solution of cupric chloride followed by a stabilization process in the air atmosphere. Carbonization experiments were executed at temperatures of 500, 700, 900, and 1100°C utilizing heating rate of 2.5 °C/min. Carbonization experiments were performed at temperatures between 500 and 1100°C employing the rises of 100°C. X-ray diffraction analysis of the carbon fibers shown a highly disordered carbon structure developed during the carbonization process. The values of fiber diameter, linear density, volume density, carbon fiber yield, elemental analysis, and electrical properties revealed a strong dependence on the carbonization temperature. As an insulating material, the polyamide 66 or PA66 precursor was transformed to a semiconducting stage after the thermal stabilization and carbonization processes. The current study demonstrated how processing parameters influence the structure and characteristics of carbon fibers produced from poly(hexamethylene adipamide) fibers.

HIPS-g-MAH compatibilizer and the other three compatibilizers were prepared and added to the polyamide 66/polyphenylene oxide (PA66/PPO) alloy. The FT-IR spectra showed that the maleic anhydride (MAH) had successfully undergone grafting on the high impact polystyrene (HIPS). The effect of the MAH ratio in the HIPS-g-MAH compatibilizer, the HIPS-g-MAH compatibilizer weight ratio, and the PA66/PPO ratio on the mechanical properties of PA66/PPO alloy was systematically studied. The results showed that the PA66/PPO alloy possessed the optimal mechanical properties when the HIPS-g-MAH compatibilizer weight ratio was 7% and the MAH ratio in HIPS-g-MAH compatibilizer ranged 4% ~ 8%. The fracture morphologies of PA66/PPO alloy with different HIPS-g-MAH compatibilizer weight ratios were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The PA66/PPO alloy without HIPS-g-MAH compatibilizer showed a typical brittle fracture. The mechanical properties of PA66/PPO alloys with the HIPS-g-MAH compatibilizer were improved. In addition, the crystallization temperature of PA66/PPO alloy decreased with the increase in the HIPS-g-MAH compatibilizer weight ratio. The PA66/PPO ratio also played an essential role in the PA66/PPO alloy properties. The coefficient of friction and wear rate both increased with the increase in the PPO ratio.

Here, we report the introduction of internally catalyzed amide bonds to obtain covalent adaptable polyamide networks that rely on the dissociation equilibrium between dicarboxamides and imides. While amide bonds are usually considered to be robust and thermally stable, the present study shows that their dynamic character can be activated by a smart choice of available building blocks without the addition of any external catalyst or other additives. Hence, a range of polyamide-based dynamic networks with variable mechanical and viscoelastic properties have been obtained in a systematic study, using a straightforward curing process of dibasic ester and amine compounds. Since the dissociation process involves a cyclic imide formation, the correlation between ring size and the thermomechanical viscosity profile was studied for five- to seven-membered ring intermediates, depending on the chosen dibasic ester monomer. This resulted in a marked temperature response with activation energies in the range of 116-197 kJ mol-1, yielding a sharp transition between elastic and viscous behavior. Moreover, the ease and versatility of this chemistry platform were demonstrated by selecting a variety of amines, resulting in densely cross-linked dynamic networks with Tg values ranging from -20 to 110 °C. With this approach, it is possible to design amorphous polyamide networks with an acute temperature response, allowing for good reprocessability and, simultaneously, high resistance to irreversible deformation at elevated temperatures.

Photoresponsive materials with high photoresponse sensitivity and photofatigue resistance are indispensable for applications, such as textiles and sensors fields. Herein, we synthesized photoresponsive polyamide 6 (PA6) with spiropyran (SP) as molecular component, by incorporating spiropyran-containing diisocyanate activator into anionic ring-opening polymerization of e-caprolactam. To improve photosensitivity and reduce response time, the corresponding nanofibrous membranes were obtained by electrospinning. The reversibility of the isomerization of SP resulted in colored nanofibrous membrane patterns, which can be written, erased, and rewritten, using UV light and visible light. It revealed that photosensitivity of nanofibrous membranes were further improved, when appropriate polyethylene glycol was covalently embedded into PA6 segments to increase the chain flexibility. Photoresponse reversibility and photofatigue resistance displayed that UV–vis absorbance intensity of SP-embedded PA6 nanofibrous membrane decreased just 13% after 10 cycles of UV light irradiation, while its absorbance intensity in UV–vis spectra after visible light irradiation has negligible decrease. For better understanding the structure, electronic characteristics and UV–vis absorbance peak of SP-embedded PA6, theoretical calculations were also carried out. Finally, UV absorption of transparent and flexible poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS)/photoresponsive nanofibers composite film was assessed. The composite film was photochromic, and possessed excellent property for blocking ultraviolet radiation. This work explores a strategy for synthesizing photoresponsive SP-embedded polyamide 6 by incorporating spiropyran-containing activator into anionic ring-opening polymerization of e-caprolactam. SP-embedded PA6 nanofibrous membrane with excellent photosensitivity and photofatigue resistance was electrospun. The isomerization reversibility of spiropyran-merocyanine (SP-MC) resulted in colored patterns which can be written, erased, and rewritten using UV light and visible light. Transparent photochromic composite film for UV absorption and protection was also developed.

Zero-dimensional carbon dots have emerged as important nanofillers for the separation membrane due to their small specific size and rich surface functional groups. This study proposed a strategy based on hydrophobic carbon dots (HCDs) to regulate water channels for an efficient forward osmosis (FO) membrane. Thin-film composite (TFC) membranes with superior FO performance are fabricated by introducing HCDs as the nanofiller in the polyacrylonitrile support layer. The introduction of HCDs promotes the formation of the support layer with coherent finger-like hierarchical channels and micro-convex structure and an integrated polyamide active layer. Compared to the original membrane, TFC-FO membrane with 10 wt% HCDs exhibits high water flux (15.47 L m−2 h−1) and low reverse salt flux (2.9 g m−2 h−1) using 1 mol/L NaCl as the draw solution. This improved FO performance is attributed to the lower structural parameters of HCDs-induced water channels and alleviated internal concentration polarization. Thus, this paper provides a feasible strategy to design the membrane structure and boost FO performance.

The behavior of colloidal silicon dioxide in a composition with a styrene/butyl acrylate oligomer grafted onto a thermoplastic polyamide adhesive to obtain a branched binder structure with penetration of branches into a capillary-pore system of a reinforcing fiber component is studied. The modifications of disaggregation of SiO2 using ultrasonic treatment and mechanical activation with the impact of high shear stresses, ultrasound, and cavitation are compared. The methods of dynamic light scattering, IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and the textile material science are used in experiments to evaluate the elastic-deformation characteristics of fused packets. The set of complementary results confirms that the combined mechanical activation of an aqueous dispersion of oligoacrylate and silica causes destruction of silica nanospheres and the formation of a hybrid oligolymer-inorganic adduct. In contrast to the short-term effects of ultrasonic dispersion of SiO2, consolidated mechanical activation of components solves the problems of preventing aggregation of nanoparticles and providing a uniform distribution of the reinforcing filler in the composite. The efficiency of using the method for regulating the characteristics of the forming units and parts of sewing products has been shown. By selecting oligoacrylate, the separation of the stages of preliminary bonding of the material packets specific to sewing production using a thermoplastic adhesive, the design of a form of a finished product, and its fixing during wet-heat treatment is taken into account. The preparation of a hybrid adduct of mechanical activation provides an optimal ratio of the particle size for the efficient distribution of fractions in interfacial, interfiber, and intrafiber spaces of the textile web. The shift of the peaks of the phase transitions and chemical transformations in a system with nanodispersed SiO2 controlled on the DSC thermograms is consistent with the temperature conditions of successive stages of the engineering process. The possibilities of a controlled change in the characteristics of the forming composite materials and a decrease in the material consumption of sewing products due to grafting modified oligoacrylate with a variable content of silicon dioxide are demonstrated.

This study revealed that the synthesis of effective flow modifiers using diamine monomers and fatty acid reduces the melt viscosity of polyamide 66 (PA66) composites. Moreover, the study provided insights into the rheological and mechanical properties of these reinforced polymers. In particular, the oligomers hexamethylenediamide, dodecamethylene diamide, 4,4′-methylenebis(cyclohexylamide) (i.e., HMDA, DMDA, MCHA) to modify the PA66 were prepared from hexamethylenediamine, dodecamethylene diamine, 4,4′-methylenebis(cyclohexylamine). The synthesized modifiers showed thermal stability in the PA66 processing temperature. Further, the chemical similarity increased due to amide bonds in the backbone of the flow modifiers, showing good compatibility with PA66. Additionally, PA66/glass fiber (GF) composites containing the flow modifier showed enhanced rheological and mechanical properties. The flow modifiers significantly improved the tensile strength and flexural modulus of the PA66/GF composites. The proposed synthetic method is straightforward, opening up a new strategy for reducing the melt viscosity of PA66 without degradation of the mechanical properties. The method improves the compatibility of the PA66/GF composites even in high amounts of GF, achieving effective polymer processing for practical applications.

Aiming the sustainability of 3D-printed objects, in this study, pine bark particles were used as filler reinforcement for polyamide 6 (PA). In order to enhance the performance of the produced composites, the biomass was chemically modified via a two-step procedure. In the first step, the OH groups present on the particles surface were reacted with ethylenediamine, which were subsequently reacted with a polyol. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), 13C solid-state cross polarization–magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (13C CPMAS NMR) and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis confirmed the chemical modification of biomass. The masterbatch was prepared from modified pine bark particles and polymeric matrix (PA) being processed into test specimens. The ensuing composites revealed a significant increase in Young's modulus and maximum stress. Thus, the introduction of 10% modified biomass increases the Young's modulus by 87% and the maximum stress by 15%. Furthermore, analyzing the glass transition temperature (Tg), melting flow index and thermogravimetric analysis results, the modified biomass ensuing composites proved to be suitable for 3D printing. This was attributed to better compatibility between chemically modified biomass and matrix and, further, easier processing.

The urgency of improving the performance properties of concrete, as the most common building materials, is noted. The reasons for the increased demand for products made of high-strength gas-filled concrete are stated. It is shown that the current volume of polymer fibers production makes it possible to predict the possibility of their widespread use in construction. The information on the physical and mechanical properties of synthetic fiber, which is important for its successful use as dispersed reinforcement of foam concrete mixtures, is presented. The technology of manufacturing experimental samples and methods of their testing are described. It has been established that the introduction of any synthetic fiber into the foam mixture formulation improves the structural properties of foam concrete, however, the measure of efficiency depends on the ratio between the concrete moduli of elasticity and fiber. The greater the value of the elastic modulus of the fiber used, the higher the technical effect of its use in fiber-reinforced concrete for structural purposes can be.

In this research, bio-based polyamide (bio-PA) was synthesized from dimethyl furan-2,5-dicarboxylate and 1,3-cyclohexanedimethanamine by melt polymerization. The properties of bio-PA were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. The results show that this bio-PA presents high glass transition temperature (Tg) from 150°C to 180°C and poor crystallization due to the asymmetric rigid structure of cyclohexane and furan. Its molecular weight is low, ascribing to the large steric hindrance from cyclohexane and furan, and the side reaction of N-methylation and decarboxylation. Besides, the results of solubility reveal that this bio-PA can be dissolved in DMSO, DMF and DMAC.

Cationic dyeable polyamide 6 (CD-PA6) fiber, as a novel functional polyamide 6 (PA6) fiber, conforms to people's requirements for fashion clothing. However, due to the limitation of the hetero-end groups after caprolactam hydrolysis, it is difficult to introduce comonomers into the PA6 molecular chain to prepare PA6-based polymers with a certain molecular weight and maintain the original physical properties and spinnability. In this paper, through molecular design of PA6 segments, 5-sulfoisophthalic acid monosodium salt (5-SSIPA) was introduced into PA6 by copolymerization, and a CD-PA6 masterbatch with an addition amount of 10 wt% was prepared. CD-PA6 were prepared by blending with pure PA6 with masterbatch technology. The melt-spinning method was used to prepare CD-PA6 filaments, and they were woven into fabrics. The results show that the CD-PA6 masterbatch and PA6 have good blending compatibility. CD-PA6 filaments and fabrics maintain the excellent physical properties of PA6. When the addition amount of 5-SSIPA is 3%, the dye uptake rate of the cationic pigment exceeds 90%, and it has color affinity and excellent color fastness.

Polyamide (PA) Thin-Film Composite (TFC) membranes are widely used for large-scale water and wastewater treatment processes worldwide owing to their good balance between water permeability and dissolved solutes separation rate. The physicochemical properties of the cross-linked PA layer are the main criteria determining the filtration performance of the resultant TFC membrane, and this selective layer can be created through Interfacial Polymerization (IP) between two immiscible active monomers, i.e., amine monomer in aqueous solution and acyl chloride monomer in organic solution. This patent review article intends to provide insights to researchers in fabricating improved properties of TFC membranes through the utilization of secondary monomers during IP process. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review that gives a state-of-the-art account of the subject matter by emphasizing the impacts of secondary monomers (both amine and acyl chloride monomers) on the properties of conventional TFC membranes for nanofiltration and reverse osmosis applications. Our review indicated that the introduction of secondary monomers into either aqueous or organic solution could alter the physical and chemical properties of PA layer, which led to variations in membrane filtration performance. Nevertheless, more research is still required, as most of the secondary monomers reported in the literature did not overcome the membrane trade-off effect between permeability and selectivity. The subject of improved PA layer development is a multi-disciplinary study that requires researchers with different backgrounds (e.g., materials science, chemistry, physics and engineering) to work together.

Thin-film composite (TFC) membranes with a polyamide (PA) active layer are the industry standard in desalination applications. The layer-by-layer (LbL) approach provides more precise control over t...

The present research studied the production process and performance of biobased PA56 (polyamide 56) and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) composite fibers through melt side-by-side spinning. The results showed that biobased PA56 and PET composites with strength of 4.0–4.3 CN/dtex were prepared by applying a spinning speed of 4,000–4,050 m/min, draw ratio of 2.50–2.70, first heat roll temperature of 80–90 °C, second heat roll temperature of 160–165 °C, and the addition of 5% compatibilizer between the two components. The fibers and fabric showed high moisture absorption, good air permeability, and excellent antistatic properties. The saturated moisture absorption rate was 11.2%, the air permeability was 9680 g/(m2·d), and the specific resistance was 1080*1010 Ω·m.

This work investigated the redispersion and setting behavior of highly loaded (~ 18 wt.% solids in water) pastes of cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). A single-screw extruder was used to continuously process CNF + CMC pastes into cord. The adsorption of CMC onto the CNFs was assessed through zeta potential and titration which revealed a surface charge change of ~ 61% from − 36.8 mV and 0.094 mmol/g COOH for pure CNF to -58.1 mV and 0.166 mmol/g COOH for CNF + CMC with a CMC degree of substitution of 0.9. Dried CNFs with adsorbed CMC was found to be fully redispersible in water and re-extruded back into a cord without any difficulties. On the other hand, chemical treatment with hydrochloric acid, a carbodiimide crosslinker, or two wet strength enhancers (polyamide epichlorohydrin and polyamine epichlorohydrin) completely suppressed the dispersibility previously observed for dried-untreated CNF + CMC. Turbidity was used to quantify the level of redispersion or setting achieved by the untreated and chemically treated CNF + CMC in both water and a strong alkaline solution (0.1 M NaOH). Depending on the chemical treatment used, FTIR analysis revealed the presence of ester, N-acyl urea, and anhydride absorption bands which were attributed to newly formed linkages between CNFs, possibly explaining the suppressed redispersion behavior. Water uptake of the differently treated and dried CNF + CMC materials agreed with both turbidity and FTIR results.

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-based composites attract tremendous attention as dielectric materials. However, their development has been limited due to the raised problem in the in-homogeneous polymer composites. In this work, a novel PVDF-based film incorporated with polyamide-1, containing the highest density of dipole among all polyamides, was prepared to improve the crystallization behaviors and dielectric properties. The results showed that the optimal concentration of polyamide-1 in PVDF was 6 wt.%. The crystallization rate of PVDF was improved in the presence of polyamide-1. Interestingly, the polyamide-1 was conductive to the formation of β form crystal of PVDF, which exhibited great electric performance. The dielectric constant of PVDF increased sharply and loss tangent still kept at a low level of 0.03@100 Hz when the concentration of polyamide-1 was 6 wt.%. This work may provide a new direction to design dielectric materials for PVDF blends.

Cotton, wool, polyester, and polyamide fabrics have been dyed with the aqueous extract of curcumin, attempting to replace synthetic colorants with natural ones. All dyeing processes were carried out without mordants in aqueous baths in the presence of dispersing agent. It was found that curcumin has high coloristic power on both natural and synthetic substrates offering dark yellow shades. The wash fastness tolerance on all substrates was excellent classifying curcumin as a universal natural dye being able to effectively dye both natural and synthetic fibers, and thus possibly replacing the synthetic and sometimes toxic and allergenic synthetic dyes. It was also found that its antioxidant and antibacterial behavior is considerable, providing useful characteristics to the substrates applied.

Particulate matter of 0.3 μm in diameter (PM0.3) poses a serious threat to the environment and human beings. Ultrathin and -light nanofibrous filters with excellent filtration properties can significantly prevent the detrimental effects of these particles. Here, we develop free-standing polyamide PA-66 ultrafine nanofiber papers for PM0.3 filtration using effective and scalable blow and electro-blow spinning techniques. The smallest average fiber diameter is 61.7 nm, which is 2-3 orders of magnitude smaller than that of conventional textiles. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) nonwovens are selected to fabricate free-standing nanofiber papers of various polymers, including polyamide, poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(vinylpyrrolidone), and poly(ethylene oxide) owing to the smooth surfaces of the nonwovens. This underlying principle can be used to create similar free-standing nanofiber papers from other commodity polymers in the future. Mechanisms of capturing particulate matter with different nanofiber morphologies are discussed. Salt and oil particulates are used to characterize the filtration properties. PA-66 papers are promising reusable filters owing to their mechanical particle-capture mechanism. The blow-spun PA-66 papers show filtration performance of 98.75% efficiency and a pressure drop of 125.44 Pa owing to the "slip" effect caused by the ultrasmall diameter. In the electro-blow spinning process, a supplementary voltage supply is conducive to separating nanofiber bundles into random-oriented nanofibers. Electro-blown spun papers possess an ultrahigh efficiency of 99.99% with a reduced areal density of 0.9 g m-2. These PA-66 papers can be used in a variety of applications, such as reusable personal protective equipment, industrial waste gas treatment, and central ventilation purification systems.

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the mechanical and thermal behavior, i.e. tensile strength, hardness, impact strength and glass transition temperatures of water-treated polyamide6/boric oxide (PA) composites. Design/methodology/approach The PA6 and PA6/boric oxide composites were exposed to an open environment and immersed in water for 15 days to analyze the effect of environmental humidity and frequent water immersion conditions on the composite’s mechanical and thermal properties. The tensile strength, elastic modulus, hardness and impact strength of materials were measured to identify the mechanical properties. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) characterizations were used to see the effect of humidity/water absorption on microstructure, crystallinity and glass transition temperatures. Findings The testing results revealed the loss in strength, elastic modulus and hardness, while the impact resistance was improved after exposure of materials to humidity/water. SEM images clearly show the formation of voids and XRD graphs revealed the loss in crystallinity after water immersion. The DSC plots of water immersed materials revealed the loss of glass transition temperatures up to 15°C. Originality/value The mechanical and thermal behavior of PA composites varies according to the surrounding atmosphere. Experiments were performed to investigate the influence of water treatment on the PA6/B2O3 composite’s mechanical and thermal properties. Water treatment resulted in the bonding between PA and water molecules, which generated voids in the materials. These voids generations are found the main reason for the low strength and hardness of water-treated materials.

Membrane separation has been widely used for various applications including microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), and nanofiltration (NF) processes in the fields of biomedicine, food, and water purification. In this work, a facile synthesis of new polyamide thin-film composite nanofiltration membranes (NF-TFC) for water purification was described. The polyamide thin film was deposed over a synthetic cellulose acetate (CA) support by interfacial polymerization method. 1,3 cyclohexane bis (methylamine) (CHMA) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) were used as monomers. The membranes were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), water uptake, porosity, contact angle, water permeability and rejection towards specific salt and dye molecules. The effect of the variation of the CHMA concentration (0.2–2 wt.%) on the morphology, porosity, water permeation and rejection properties of the prepared membranes was studied. SEM results displayed the growth of the membrane thickness when the CHMA concentration increased from 0.2 to 2 wt.%. The strong adhesion between the cellulose acetate substrate and the polyamide layer explained by the formation of the polyamide film in the substrate surface and inside the pores. The water permeability varied from 36.02 to 17.09 L h−1 m−2 bar−1. The salt rejection of Na2SO4 and NaCl increased from 9 to 68% and from 38.41% to 89.4%, respectively, when the CHMA concentration was changed from 0.2 to 2 wt.%. The prepared membranes were further applied successfully for the removal of malachite green and congo red. The results indicated that the maximum rejection reached 89% and 85% for malachite green and congo red, respectively.

Three new thermally responsive self-healing cross-linked polyamides(cPA-FU-DAs) with good tensile strength and toughness were synthesized through bulk Michael addition, polycondensation, and Diels-Alder reaction. Unlike common stable polymers, cPA-FU-DAs can seal cracks by mere heating. First, the Michael addition of methyl acrylate and furfurylamine was conducted, and a furfurylamine-diester(FU-DE) was prepared. FU-DE was transformed into polyamide prepolymers that contained furfuryl pendant groups(PA-FUs) through bulk polycondensation with a poly(propylene glycol)(PPG) diamine and a PPG triamine. PA-FUs were crosslinked by bismaleimide, and cPA-FU-DAs were prepared. The Michael addition was monitored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy. The reverse DA reaction of the cPA-FU-DAs was demonstrated by differential scanning calorimetry and dissolution property. Their thermally self-healing properties were verified by polarizing optical microscopy and tensile test. The cPA-FU-DAs exhibited good mechanical properties and high self-healing efficiency. They self-healed at 130 °C. The tensile strength after repairing was up to 19 MPa with self-healing efficiency reaching 92%.