Search

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.

A novel proton exchange membrane composed of the sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone ketone) (SPEEKK) with butane-1,4-diylbis(oxy) spacers in the backbone and sulfopropyloxy pendants is synthesized through the Friedel-Crafts polyacylation of 1,4-diphenoxybutane (DPB), diethyl-3,3’-([1,1′-biphenyl]-2,2′-diylbis(oxy))bis(propane-1-sulfonate) (SBP–OEt), and terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) under mild conditions. The monomer DPB can introduce the flexible aliphatic butane-1,4-diylbis(oxy) spacers into the polymeric backbone and thus promote the formation of proton transport channels. The as-synthesized SPEEKK exhibits a high proton conductivity of 152.5 mS cm−1 at 95 °C and 90% relative humidity (RH), a moderate water uptake of 53.2% at 100 °C and also a high ion exchange capacity of 1.74 mmol g−1. These characteristics are attributed to the enhanced nanophase separation induced by the flexible butane-1,4-diylbis(oxy) spacers and hydrophilic sulfopropyloxy sidechains.

A series of polyarylates (PARs) containing pendent biphenyl moiety was synthesized via interfacial polycondensation polymerization from a mixture of three aromatic diols (4,4′-[1-(4-biphenylyl)ethylidene] bisphenol (BBP), 4,4′-[1-(4-biphenylyl)ethylidene]-bis,3-methyphenol (oBBP) and 4,4′-[1-(4-biphenylyl)ethylidene]bis,3,5-dimethylphenol (dmBBP)) with molar equivalent of terephthaloyl chloride (TC). The synthesized PARs (coded as BBP-TC, oBBP-TC, and dmBBP-TC) showed excellent thermal properties and solubility in common organic solvents as the incorporation of pendent biphenyl moiety. The inherent viscosity of PARs was in the range of 0.50–0.71 dl/g, while the number average molecular weights (Mn) were found in the range of 30,213–35,112 g/mol. All the PARs showed glass transition temperatures (Tgs) between 201 °C to 278 °C. The oBBP-TC observed low Tg as containing asymmetric dimethyl substitution, while other BBP-TC and dmBBP-TC were found normal Tgs due to symmetrical structure with and without methyl substitution. The 10 % weight loss degradation temperatures of PARs were found to be in the range of 395–423 °C. X-ray diffraction studies of polyesters showed that all the PARs were amorphous. The mechanical and optical properties of films were also analyzed to understand the desirability of PARs in further applicability. With regards to its solubility, thermal stability, mechanical properties, and optical properties, these PARs may be considered as a promising material in the field of processable high-performance engineering.

The fluorine-containing polyhydroxyamide (F-75-PHA) was synthesized by using low-temperature solution polycondensation of 2,2-bis(3-amino-4-hydroxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane (BAHHFP, 75 mol%) and 3,3′-dihydroxybenzidine (DHB, 25 mol%) with terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) without metal salts. The F-75-PBO (polybenzoxazole)/GO (graphene oxide) composite films with different GO contents (0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 wt%, respectively) were prepared by heat-treatment of their precursors (F-75-PHA/GO composite films), and the effects of reinforcing material (GO) on the structural, thermal, and mechanical properties of them were studied systemically. FE-SEM images that the F-75-PBO matrix and GO sheets had a superior hydrogen bonding interaction and formed a three-dimensional (3D) network structure in composite films having a great bendability. FT-IR spectra indicated that the incorporation of GO in composite films could be reacting hydroxyl (−OH) groups on F-75-PHA matrix to carboxyl (−COOH) and/or −OH groups in GO sheets, and thus the O-H stretching peak (23.8 %) for F-75-PHA/GO-0.1 composite film mostly disappeared in comparison with that (100 %) of F-75-PHA film. DSC heating curves revealed that the thermal cyclization temperature (Tc) of the F-75-PHA/GO composite films decreased with an increment of GO content. Interestingly, for F-75-PHA/GO-0.1 composite film, the Tc decreased by up to 254 °C. However, despite the outstanding reinforcing effect of GO sheets, an interesting phenomenon was confirmed that 3D network structure including an excellent hydrogen bonding interaction did not largely influence the mechanical properties of F-75-PBO/GO composite films.

In this work, a series of isovanillin-or syringaldehyde-based new Schiff base monomers were synthesized and polymerized using terephthaloyl chloride by solution condensation polymerization technique. Both the monomers and polymers were characterized by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR. The thermal and molecular weight properties were determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The antimicrobial activities of the polyesters were evaluated based on minimum inhibition concentration against bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and staphylococcus aureus as well as fungi such as Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. The results of inhibition zones showed that new Schiff base polyesters had good antimicrobial activity.

Two series of partially bio-based colorless and transparent poly(amide-imide)s (CPAIs) derived from bio-based 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) were synthesized by a two-step condensation reaction. 4,4′-(Hexafluoroisopropylidene) diphthalic anhydride, 2,2′-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzidine, and terephthaloyl chloride were used as basic monomers for the CPAIs. The highest bio-based content of the CPAIs was 11.32%. With increasing contents of FDCA units in the CPAIs, their glass transition temperatures and mechanical properties decreased gradually due to the decreased intermolecular interactions, whereas their transparency and yellowness indices were not significantly affected. The overall properties of the CPAIs are believed to be suitable for applications in optoelectronic device industries.

Design of stable adsorbents for selective gold recovery with large capacity and fast adsorption kinetics is of great challenge, but significant for the economy and the environment. Herein, we show the design and preparation of an irreversible amide-linked covalent organic framework (COF) JNU-1 via a building block exchange strategy for efficient recovery of gold. JNU-1 was synthesized through the exchange of 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxaldehyde (BA) in mother COF TzBA consisting of 4,4',4''-(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyl)trianiline (Tz) and BA with terephthaloyl chloride. The irreversible amide linked JNU-1 gave good stability, unprecedented fast kinetics, excellent selectivity and outstanding adsorption capacity for gold recovery. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy along with thermodynamic study and quantum mechanics calculation reveals that the excellent performance of JNU-1 for gold recovery results from the formation of hydrogen bonds C(N)-H⋅⋅⋅Cl and coordinate interaction of O and Au. The rational design of irreversible bonds as both inherent linkage and functional groups in COFs is a promising way to prepare stable COFs for diverse applications.

Polyamides (PAs) based on terephthaloyl chloride and a series of aromatic diamines were synthesized; PA films were prepared by solution casting without mechanical stretching to produce high-performance films with good optical transparency and dimensional stability. The PA films displayed high heat resistance with glass transition temperatures ( Tg) of 342–399°C. Good mechanical properties were obtained with tensile modulus and strength up to 5.38 GPa and 195.4 MPa, respectively. Coefficient of thermal expansion of the as-cast PA films achieved to an ultralow value of 8.3 ppm °C−1 and could be tailored in a wide range as a function of the macromolecular composition. The series of PA films showed a transparent and colorless feature, with the cutoff wavelength in the range of 355–365 nm. The data were discussed from the perspective of structure–property relationship, may give helpful knowledge for the topic of PA chemistry, and this method could provide an alternative for the production of high-performance colorless polymer films.

New series of aromatic poly(ether ether ketone amide)s were synthesized by low-temperature solution polymerization of novel aromatic diamine, namely 1,3-bis-4′-(4″-aminophenoxy benzoyl)benzene (XIV), and aromatic diacid chlorides, viz. isophthaloyl chloride (IPC) and terephthaloyl chloride (TPC). Co-poly(ether ether ketone amide)s were also synthesized by employing various mole proportions of IPC and TPC with diamine (XIV). These poly(ether ether ketone amide)s were characterized by FTIR, solubility, inherent viscosity, TGA, DSC, and XRD. Inherent viscosities of these poly(ether ether ketone amide)s were in the range of 0.41–0.52 dL/g in DMAc, indicating the formation of moderate to high molecular weight of polymers. Poly(ether ether ketone amide)s showed good solubility in polar aprotic solvents such as N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAc), N-methyl 2-pyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylformamide, and dimethyl sulfoxide. These poly(ether ether ketone amide)s had glass transition temperatures, as determined by DSC, in the range of 252–302 °C. These polymers showed similar decomposition patterns and had no weight loss below 335 °C, and temperatures for 10% weight loss (T10) were in the range of 397–406 °C, indicating that these polymers showed good thermal stability.

The polyhydroxyamide copolymers (F-PHAs) were synthesized by low-temperature solution polycondensation of 2,2-bis(3-amino-4-hydroxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane (BAHHFP) and/or 3,3′-dihydroxybenzidine (DHB) with terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) with the aid of lithium chloride (LiCl). A series of polybenzoxazole copolymer (F-PBO) films were fabricated via an efficient solution-casting and thermal-treatment technique, using their precursors (F-PHA films) with different BAHHFP fractions (25-100 mol%). The solubility results show that F-PHAs with higher BAHHFP content (≥75 mol%) are readily soluble in anhydrous DMAc and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) without LiCl at room temperature. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicates that the thermal cyclization temperature of the F-PHA films decreases with increasing BAHHFP content. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) reveals that the F-PHA and F-PBO films are well prepared and completely converted. The UV-visible spectra indicate that the F-75-PBO film (BAHHFP content: 75 mol%) has reasonable transparency, with 84.9 % transmittance at 600 nm and 397-nm UV cut-off wavelength. It also has lower coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) (48 ppm/°C) and water absorption (WA) values (0.14%). The BAHHFP as diamine component provides the final F-PBO film with desirable properties, e.g., flexibility, thermal stability, transparency, and WA values.

This report deals with the simple development of a method for the uptake of cadmium ions by polymer adsorbent from the main sources of cadmium like water. The monomer is synthesized by reacting 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine with N(4-aminophenyl)acetamide. The adsorbents synthesis is completed by reacting a synthesized monomer with 1,3,5-tribenzoylchloride, terephthaloyl chloride, and isophthaloyl chloride. The as-synthesized polymer exhibits high molecular mass with narrow molecular weight distribution and good thermal stability. The metal ion adsorption study is established by using atomic absorption spectroscopy at optimized parameters, showing excellent adsorption capacity of polymer adsorbent. Further, the isothermal equilibrium adsorption study reveals the monolayer adoption of the metal ion by the Langmuir model with experimental and theoretical parameters, optimized by the linear regression analysis using the curve fitting tool in MATLAB software.

The present study deals with the synthesis and characterization of Kevlar fibers produced by a condensation reaction of para-phenylenediamine with terephthaloyl chloride. The composites were fabricatedusing a 5 % KFs fiber loading for groundnut/epoxy at varied filler loadings by means of hand lay-up. We have evaluated dynamic mechanical properties such as the tensile, flexural and impact strength ofgroundnut/epoxy composites reinforced with Kevlar fibers. All the dynamic mechanical properties were performed as per the essential American Society of Testing and Methods standards. The Groundnut/epoxy hybrid composite reinforced with synthesized Kevlar fibers has a high tensile, flexural and impact strength. A composite treated in this manner has high dynamic mechanical properties which make it suitable for a number of applications in engineering industries.

Dichloroanhydrides of isophthalic (isophthaloyl chloride) and terephthalic (terephthaloyl chloride) acids are, undoubtedly, strategically important compounds. Among their main application areas is synthesis of Aramid fibers to be used for manufacturing dual use materials including synthesis of Terlon®, Phenylon®, Armos®, Tegelen®, SVM®, and Rusar® fibers. Specific requirements for quality of the target anhydrides and feedstock determine the choice of the synthetic methods. In the review paper, various methods, including catalytic methods, for the synthesis of iso- and terephthaloyl chlorides based on the use of different types of feedstock are discussed. Main methods for analysis of these compounds are described in detail.

The manipulation of nanobuilding blocks into a 3D macroscopic monolith with ordered hierarchical structures has been much desired for broad and large-scale practical applications of nanoarchitectures. In this paper, we demonstrate a fully bottom-up strategy for the preparation of aramid aerogel monoliths. The process starts from the synthesis of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA) through the polycondensation of p-phenylenediamine and terephthaloyl chloride, with the assistance of a nonreactive dispersing agent (polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether), which helps the dispersal of the as-synthesized PPTA in an aqueous medium for the formation of p-aramid nanofibers (ANF). Then the vacuum-assisted self-assembly (Vas) technique is skillfully connected with the ice-templated directional solidification (I) technique, and the combined VasI method successfully tailors the self-assembly of ANF to transform the 1D nanofibers into a 3D aerogel monolith with a specific long-range aligned, lasagna-like, multilaminated internal structure. The study of the aerogel microstructure revealed the dependence of the lamina orientation on the direction of the freezing front of ice crystals. This direction should be parallel to the deposition plane of the Vas process if a long-range aligned lamellar structure is desired. The anisotropy of the multilaminated aerogel was proven by the different results in the radial and axial directions in the compression and thermal conductivity tests. As a kind of organic aerogel, the ANF monolith has typical low density, high porosity, and low thermal conductivity. Additionally, the ANF monolith exhibits high compressive stress and excellent thermal stability. Considering its high performance and facile preparation process, potential applications of the ANF aerogel monolith can be expected.

A partially bio-based bisphenol containing pendant azido group viz., 4,4′-(5-azidopentane-2,2-diyl) diphenol (AZBPA) was synthesized starting from 4,4′-bis (4-hydroxyphenyl) pentanoic acid. AZBPA was reacted with isophthaloyl chloride (IPC), terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) and a mixture of IPC/TPC (50:50 mol%) by phase transfer-catalyzed interfacial polycondensation route to obtain aromatic polyesters containing pendant azido groups. Copolyesters containing pendant azido groups were also synthesized by polycondensation of different molar proportions of AZBPA and commercially available 4,4′-(1-phenylethane-1,1-diyl) diphenol (BPA-AP) with IPC. Inherent viscosities and number average molecular weights of (co)polyesters were in the range 0.85–1.64 dL/g and 58,900–190,400, respectively, indicating the formation of reasonably high molecular weight polymers. Tough, transparent, and flexible films could be cast from chloroform solutions of these polyesters. X-Ray diffraction analysis showed that (co)polyesters were amorphous in nature. (Co)polyesters were characterized using FT-IR, 1H NMR spectroscopy, XRD, TGA and DSC analysis. The chemical modification of a representative copolyester containing pendant azido groups was carried out quantitatively using copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) with two alkynes viz., phenyl acetylene (PA) and ethynyl-4-nitrobenzene (ENB). Additionally, (co)polyesters containing pendant azido groups were thermally cross-linked (170 °C/12 h) leading to the formation of network structures based on azide to nitrene decomposition and subsequent reactions on polyester backbone. The selected cross-linked polyesters were characterized by stress-strain measurements. The cross-linked polymers exhibited higher tensile strength and Young’s modulus and lower % elongation at break compared to corresponding pristine polyesters containing pendant azido groups.

A mesoporous metal-organic-framework with amino group, PCN-100, was modified with terephthaloyl chloride (TC). The adsorption/delivery of vitamin E were carried out with pristine PCN-100, TC-modified PCN-100 (TC-PCN-100) and activated carbon (AC). The adsorbed quantity was in the order: AC

The complete hydrolysis of poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEOX) produces poly(ethylene imide) (PEI). While PEOX and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) can form hydrogen-bonded polymer complexes that are precipitated from solution at low pH values, PEI and PAA can form polyelectrolyte complexes in the solutions with neutral pH values. In this work, partially hydrolyzed PEOX (PEOX-EI, hydrolysis degree 60%) and PAA are selected to prepare nanofiltration (NF) membranes. In order to obtain homogenous mixed solutions that are suitable for the membrane preparation, alkaline (NaOH) is precisely added into the system to tune the hydrogen bonding and electrostatic force between the PEOX-EI and PAA chains. FT-IR spectroscopy is applied to investigate the interactions between the PEOX-EI and PAA chains. The rheological behaviors of the homogenous mixed solutions of PEOX-EI and PAA are studied in order to optimize the membrane casting conditions. By taking the advantage of the reaction between the imine groups in PEI chains and terephthaloyl chloride, the cast membranes are further cross-linked to enhance the membrane stability. The NF performance of the complex membrane is then evaluated using methyl blue (MYB) solutions, resulting in a MYB rejection rate of 99.2% and a flux of 55.8 L/m2·h under the pressure of 6 bar.

In order to synthesize the high temperature solid lubricating film by gas-phase polymerization at 500 °C with two kinds of gasified monomers for use in airplane and rocket engines, the polymerizing...

In this study, we exploited the addition of reclaimed natural rubber waste (NRr) in acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) to develop a cost-effective rubber blend based on 92 phr NBR and 8 phr NRr. The mechanical properties of the blend were enhanced by using new reinforcement nanofiller synthesized by condensation reaction between terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) with bis(4-aminophenyl) sulfone (BAPS) and bisphenol S. Polyesteramidesulfone (PEAS) was produced and well characterized using different analytical tools such as; FTIR, H NMR, DSC, TGA, TEM, and GPC. The TEM image of PEAS showed nano irregular-shaped particles. PEAS was mixed with NBR and NBR/NRr blend in different loading levels, (1.5, 3 and 6 pphr) to prepare NBR/PEAS and NBR/NRr/PEAS vulcanizates. The tensile strength, elongation at break, equilibrium swelling, crosslinking density, thermo-oxidative aging test, FTIR, TGA, and SEM of the rubber vulcanizates were measured. Fractured morphology was detected in SEM images by the partial replacement of NBR with NRr leading to a decrease in the tensile strength and elongation at break of NBR/NRr vulcanizate than neat NBR. However, the addition of PEAS improved the compatibility between NBR and NRr and increased the cross-linked structure of NBR chains through physical links leading to increase the tensile strength and decrease the elongation of the vulcanizates. The low molecular weight of NRr and the degradation of amide and ester groups of PEAS lowered the thermal stability of their vulcanizates up to 420 °C than neat NBR. Loading of PEAS in NBR and NBR/NRr caused an increase in their glass transition temperature. The rate of reduction in tensile strength up to 7 days is much lower in vulcanizates loaded with PEAS than those without. It was concluded that PEAS played dual function in NBR and rubber blends as an antioxidant and reinforcement nanofiller.

Poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA), as the raw polymer material of Aramid fiber-1414, has high modulus and high strength which is commonly used in the reinforced composites. However, the general blending often accompany the microphase incompatibility in polymer matrix. In this study, PPTA molecules were incorporated into poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane matrix through in situ polycondensation of p-phenylene diamine (PPD) and terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) in PVDF solution and PPTA/PVDF molecular composite membranes were prepared via the subsequent nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS) process. The anti-compaction properties of resulted PPTA/PVDF molecular composite membranes were systematically investigated including the variations of bursting pressure and membrane thickness, porosity, pure water flux under different pressures. The results suggested that membrane comprehensive anticompaction properties were improved with the increasing of PPTA content in PVDF membrane matrix. Combining the variation trends of membrane anti-compaction properties with morphologies, the compaction-deformation evolution processes of two membrane pore types (sponge-like and finger-like pores) were proposed at the end.

Two series of flexible ketone-bridged nanoporous organic polymers (NOPs) are readily prepared through one-pot Friedel-Crafts acylation polymerization using pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and terephthaloyl chloride (TC) as acylation reagents, respectively. The carboxyl-appended samples (termed NOP-52@COOH and NOP-53@COOH), derived from PMDA, feature a stable spherical morphology. Unexpectedly, our NOP-52@COOH and NOP-53@COOH deliver much higher surface areas (eg. 738 m2 g−1 for NOP-52@COOH) and pore volumes (eg. 0.53 cm3 g−1 for NOP-52@COOH) than the carboxyl-free samples (i.e. NOP-52 and NOP-53). This is significantly different from the reported trend that the introduction of appended group always leads to inferior surface area and pore volume. The enhancement in porosity originates from the hydrogen-bonding effect between carboxyl and the ketone linkage that effectively prevents the networks from collapsing. More importantly, the as-made carboxyl group-containing networks exhibit stronger affinity towards guest CO2 molecules after comparing to those carboxyl-free ones, and have a competitive CO2 capture capacity under ambient conditions (159 mg g−1, 273 K/1 bar). This provides a feasible pathway for both developing high-surface-area organic polymers with flexible linkages and engineering pore surface properties.

A new terephthaloyl bis(isonicotinoylhydrazone) (TPBI) bis-ligand has been synthesized by reacting isoniazid with terephthaloyl chloride. The chelating bis-ligand has been characterized using elemental analyses, ESI mass spectra, FTIR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic techniques. The new Cu(II) and Zn(II) coordination polymers were prepared from terephthaloyl bis(isonicotinoylhydrazone) (TPBI) bis-ligand and characterized using elemental analyses, FTIR, UV-Visible spectra, magnetic moment values, XRD, SEM and thermogravimetric analyses. The results indicated formation of 1:2 metal chelates. The FTIR spectral data suggest that the synthesized TPBI ligand is an octadentate chelating ligand. On account of the analytical data, Cu(II) polychelate has an octahedral geometry whereas Zn(II) polychelate has tetrahedral geometry. The thermal degradation behaviour of the synthesized bis-ligand and the coordination polymers has been investigated by applying TG/DTA techniques.

Co-poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (co-PPTA) fibers containing 4,4′-oxidianiline (4,4′-ODA) and 2-(4-aminophenyl)-5-aminobenzimidazole (BIA) in terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) and p-phenylene diamine (p-PDA) were prepared via a wet spinning method, followed by water washing and drawing at a high temperature. With the addition of a new acid-binding agent, imidazole, the solution prepared by low-temperature polycondensation had suitable viscosity for spinning. Herein, the properties of six co-PPTA fibers with different contents of BIA and 4,4′-ODA segments were studied. The mechanical properties of the co-PPTA fibers were improved with the addition of BIA and ODA; they reached the optimum tensile strength of 2.45 GPa at a p-PDA/ODA/BIA molar ratio of 2/4/4, which showed a higher degree of orientation and the highest crystallinity, and the strength further increased on increasing the thermal drawing ratio. X-ray diffraction indicated that the fibers exhibited highly ordered structures, while two-dimensional wide angle X-ray diffraction showed that molecular packing regions with highly oriented structures were formed. In addition, the co-PPTA fibers exhibited excellent thermal stability when the 5% weight loss temperature was above 492 °C under nitrogen, and glass transition occurred at about 290 °C.

We prepared dimethyl and diaryl 2,5-dialkoxytere-phthalates from dimethyl 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalate in good-to-high yields via alkylation or a sequence of alkylation, hydrolysis, chlorination, and condensation. The absorption spectra of the dialkoxyterephthalates contain a small band at 332-355 nm, which could be assigned to intramolecular charge-transfer transition from the alkoxy to alkoxycarbonyl groups on the basis of theoretical calculations using density functional theory. The dialkoxyterephthalates exhibited blue fluorescence with moderate-to-excellent quantum yields not only in solution but also in the solid state, such as a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film and a powder. The solid-state quantum yields of the diisopropoxy-substituted terephthalates were similar or considerably higher than those of the dimethoxy-substituted counterparts. Copolymerization of 2,5-diisopropoxyterephthaloyl chloride and 1,4-butanediol with or without terephthaloyl chloride gave brilliantly blue fluorescent polymers, whose quantum yields were 0.72 and 0.71 in toluene and 0.46 and 0.40 in the neat film, respectively. Furthermore, white emission was achieved when a fluorescent yellow 2,5-diaminoterephthalate was doped into the thin film of the blue fluorescent polymer at 0.4 wt %.

In this work, a novel thin-film composite membrane composed of a polyester film on a cellulose support was successfully synthesised. The polyester film was formed from the interfacial reaction between catechin, a bio-derived poly-phenol, and terephthaloyl chloride (TPC). The cellulose support was prepared by non-solvent induced phase separation from a 12.5 wt% cellulose dope solution in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ionic liquid. The composite membrane was characterised by Fourier Transform Infrared and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy to confirm the success of the interfacial reaction. Scanning electron and atomic force microscopy were used to study the surface morphology and roughness of the membranes produced. The performance of the composite membranes in terms of solvent permeance and solute rejection was investigated by studying the rejection of a broad range of different molecular weight dyes in dimethylformamide (DMF) solution. The membranes showed an average DMF permeance of 1.2 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 with a molecular weight cut-off of around 500 g mol−1. The membrane was stable in DMF over 30 days with no significant change in performance. The membrane has potential application in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

By varying the amount of AlCl3 catalyst, highly interconnected lamella-shaped (IPOP) and spherically structured porous organic polymers (SPOP) were synthesized from terephthaloyl chloride and p-quaterphenyl via the Friedel–Crafts benzoylation reaction. The newly prepared materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and tested for Hg2+ removal in water after functionalization with 2-aminoethanethiol (NS). The stability under different pH and temperature conditions was confirmed, and the equilibrium and kinetics of Hg2+ adsorption were examined by varying the contact time, adsorbate concentration, and pH. The maximum adsorption capacities for Hg2+ by IPOP-NS and SPOP-NS were 769 and 526 mg g−1, respectively, at 25 °C and pH 5, and the adsorption isotherm data conformed well to the Langmuir model. Adsorption equilibrium for IPOP-NS was reached within 10 min and exhibited a remarkable distribution coefficient of 1.06 × 108 mL g−1. The kinetics of Hg2+ adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order model. The influence of co-existing ions such as Na+, K+, Ca2+, Pb2+, Mg2+, and Fe3+ was also examined. IPOP-NS was superior in overall performance when compared to SPOP-NS and most of the other reported materials. IPOP-NS could be reused for a minimum of 10 consecutive runs without any detectable loss in adsorption capacity.

In recent years, functional materials using cyclodextrin (CD)-based polyrotaxanes have attracted considerable attention, and derivatization reactions are often performed to develop them because of the insolubility of the parent polyrotaxane in water. Recently, we prepared CD-based radial polycatenanes in one-pot through polypseudorotaxane formation between β-CD and thiolated pluronic and subsequent cyclization via disulfide bonds. However, no reports are available on syntheses of CD polycatenane derivatives. The disulfide bonds are not stable enough to synthesize CD polycatenane derivatives; therefore, we herein prepared a chemically stable β-CD polycatenane via amide bond through cyclization of β-CD/aminated pluronic polypseudorotaxane with terephthaloyl chloride. This allowed the derivatization of the polycatenane owing to its stable chemical structure, and resulted in the syntheses of three different water soluble polycatenane derivatives: aminated, succinylated, and hydroxypropylated polycatenanes. These findings may provide useful information for the fabrication of polycatenane-based materials such as slide-ring materials, drug carriers, and biomaterials.

Grape marc is an underutilised waste material that poses significant environmental issues. This study offers the first proof-of-concept investigation into the polymerisation of both crude and purified Sauvignon blanc grape marc extracts using the diacyl chlorides terephthaloyl chloride, succinyl chloride, adipoyl chloride, sebacoyl chloride, and the tartaric acid derivative (4R,5R)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4,5-dicarbonyl dichloride to obtain new materials, in what to the best of our knowledge is the first reported example of a direct polymerisation of an agricultural waste extract. A total of 26 novel materials were prepared. It has also shown that quercetin, a phenolic monomer found in grape marc extracts, can be polymerised with (4R,5R)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4,5-dicarbonyl dichloride to give a polymer that shows activity towards S. aureus.

With fine pore structures and abundant surface charge, polyamide nanofiltration membranes have been widely deployed for separating small active organic molecules and multi-valent ions. However, lack of highly permeable membranes with excellent rejection towards target molecules hampers the widespread application of the polyamide (PA) nanofiltration membranes on a large scale. In current study, we conceive a facile strategy to regulate the molecular structure of polyamide selective layer through introducing piperazine (PIP) or terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) as a structural regulator during the interfacial polymerization between polyethyleneimine (PEI) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC). On the one hand, adding PIP to aqueous solution enlarges the length between the crosslinked networks, thereby enhancing the pure water permeance by 97.3% (to 23.70 L m−2 h−1 bar−1). Interestingly, the membranes exhibit excellent performance for dyes separation (rejection greater than 98%) and molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) about 554.34 Da under the optimum separation conditions. On the other hand, the introduction of TPC could assist the formation of crosslinked structures, thereby narrowing the pore size distribution of the membranes. The well-designed membranes reject above 98% PbCl2 with permeance about 6.36 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 and MWCO below 150 Da under the optimum operation conditions, which is preferable to the state-of-art PA membranes. Excitingly, all of the well-designed membranes demonstrate excellent anti-fouling performances. In summary, with finely tailored pore structure, high permeance and high rejection, and excellent anti-fouling performance, the obtained membranes show strong promise in treating effluence from printing and dyeing industry, and metallurgy and mining industry, respectively.