Chemistry and Materials Science

Abstract: This investigation evaluated the artificial aging dynamics of two acrylic artist's yellow paints: a Cd₀.₆₆Zn₀.₃₄S alloy (Cadmium Lemon) and a CdS (Cadmium Yellow Medium). By combining colorimetry, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), ATR-FTIR, micro-Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence micros-copy-spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, and chemometrics, this study provides several key insights into heritage mate-rial preservation. The CdS paint demonstrated color stability ΔE*= 1.1, whereas the al-loyed Cd₀.₆₆Zn₀.₃₄S paint underwent severe alteration ΔE*= 15.52. Microscopy and pho-toluminescence mapping revealed pigment agglomerates throughout the paint layers. Photochemical activity and spectral properties varied significantly between regions of uniform pigment distribution and those surrounding these coarse clusters. ATR-FTIR and micro-Raman spectroscopy paired with chemometrics showed that while binder oxidation profiles are nearly identical for both paints, macroscopic color change is dic-tated by the photocorrosion of the inorganic pigment. This degradation of pigments is accompanied by lattice distortion and alterations in luminescence and absorption spec-tra. Electron-mediated photocorrosion leading to the reduction of Cd2+ to Cd0 likely in-duces the darkening of the paint film. Binder degradation is driven by photocatalysis rather than direct photolysis. Visible light with energies above the semiconductor bandgap λ< λedge ≈ 500 nm photoexcites the semiconductor pigment, thereby acceler-ating polymer oxidation.

Abstract: Mechanical recycling of polypropylene (PP)-based plastics from end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) is a key route to increase circularity in the automotive sector, but the practical use of ELV recyclates is limited by compositional variability and contamination, especially paint residues. In this study, a PP-based ELV bumper recyclate was compared to a virgin mineral-reinforced and elastomer-modified automotive PP compound and incorporated as a drop-in component at up to 50 wt.-%. Composition was assessed by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry, and CRYSTEX analysis, while contamination was quantified by computed tomography and related to tensile, impact, and instrumented puncture properties. Mineral and elastomer contents of the ELV recyclate were comparable to the virgin reference, enabling blends with limited stiffness loss. However, ductility and toughness decreased with increasing recyclate content, especially at low temperature, due to the combined effects of reduced elastomer quality and rigid contaminant inclusions. Melt filtration of the recyclate substantially reduced the volume fraction of inclusions, removing particularly the largest particles greater than 100 µm, and thereby improved strain at break and puncture performance. Double filtration at 35 wt.-% recyclate loading achieved 50–85% of the virgin-reference ductility and toughness levels and nearly retained the stiffness. These results demonstrate that PP-based ELV recyclates can be used in high-impact automotive formulations at contents exceeding current long-term regulatory targets without additional recipe modification, provided that contaminant control and elastomer-phase quality are adequately managed.

Abstract: This research presents an effective method for dilute aqueous guar gum (guaran) for specific applications. The Guaran solution (0.01 g.cm^-3) was subjected to a range of atmospheric ultra-low-dose (ULD) X-ray irradiations, and changes in its molar mass were measured by viscometry. Kinetic analysis shows the process follows the first-order scission law with a high degradation rate constant of 0.243 kGy^-1. The large radiation chemical yield (2.92X10^-9 mol.J^-1)) indicates the galactomannan backbone is very sensitive to indirect effects of water radiolysis. The temperature study reveals the activation energy for viscous flow falls from 4.20 to 2.13 kJ.mol^-1 as the molar mass decreases from 4.20 to 2.13 kJ.mol^-1. A consistently negative activation entropy points to a highly ordered transition state. Analysis using scaling laws gives a Mark-Houwink exponent (α) of 0.83 and a Flory exponent (ν) of 0.62, confirming the molecule has a self-avoiding random coil conformation during treatment. Moreover, the stable persistence length (l_p ≈ 25-30 nm) suggests a reduction in hydrodynamic volume without changing the semi-flexible backbone. This clean, chemistry-free method, based on physical principles, offers an efficient way to produce functional, low-molecular-weight guaran for targeted drug delivery and as a prebiotic.

Abstract: Micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) contamination is a global health issue, with growing concerns regarding human exposure and potential health impacts. Understanding their biodistribution, cellular uptake, and toxicological effects in biological systems requires sensitive analytical tools capable of detecting and localizing particles across multiple scales and matrix compositions. Techniques such as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and mass spectroscopy provide valuable chemical information but face limitations in nanoscale detection, sensitivity, tissue penetration, and spatial localization within biological matrices. Fluorescent labeling techniques have emerged as a powerful complementary approach, offering high sensitivity, real-time imaging capability, and broad compatibility with in vitro and in vivo platforms. This review summarizes the principle fluorescent labeling strategies used for MNPs, including adsorption-based staining, swelling-diffusion methods, covalent conjugation, and polymerization-based incorporation of fluorescent probes. We also examine the imaging modalities used to visualize and quantify fluorescent MNPs in biological contexts, including fluorescence microscopy, confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, and whole-body optical imaging. Applications in cellular uptake studies, biodistribution in animal models, transport across biological barriers, and cumulative accumulation measurements are highlighted. Persistent challenges such as dye leaching, biological autofluorescence, photobleaching, and polymer-dependent labeling efficiency are addressed, alongside emerging opportunities in near-infrared fluorescence imaging and multimodal detection strategies. Continued development of fluorescent labeling approaches will enhance our ability to track MNPs across biological systems and inform our understanding of their toxicological consequences.

Abstract: While flame-retardant additives are critical for improving fire safety, they often compromise the recyclability of thermoplastics. This study investigates how flame-retardants affect the recycling of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and its subsequent production into 3D printing filament. 2019 model ABS both with the flame-retardant additive (ABS-FR) and without (ABS) were taken from an old printer, crushed into uniform flakes, and subjected to chemical, thermal, and mechanical characterization. Although the FTIR profile of the sample were preserved, the incorporation of flame retardants markedly altered its thermal behavior. Compared to unmodified ABS (degradation onset: 350 °C; Tg: 107 °C), ABS-FR demonstrated a lower thermal stability, with an earlier degradation onset at 325 °C, alongside a modestly reduced glass transition temperature of 103°C. Material processing was significantly affected, as evidenced by the lower melt flow rate of ABS-FR (30 ± 0.1 g/10 min) compared to ABS (41 ± 0.3 g/10 min). The extruded ABS-FR filament exhibits a considerably lower diameter (1.52 ± 0.03 mm) compared to ABS (1.80 ± 0.03 mm), thereby restricting its suitability for 3D printing applications. As anticipated, the compression-molded ABS-FR plates exhibited superior flame resistance. Crucially, the incorporation of flame retardants significantly modified the mechanical behavior of the material: ABS-FR demonstrated a higher tensile modulus (2574 ± 84.12 MPa) and lower tensile strength (31 ± 0.70 MPa), reflecting enhanced stiffness and lower load-bearing capacity. These findings underscore the critical trade-offs that flame retardants impose on recycled ABS, affecting fire safety, end-of-life processing, application viability, and mechanical performance.

Abstract: Thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) has found widespread application across various fields—including transportation, electronics, and construction—owing to its exceptional mechanical properties, abrasion resistance, and flexibility. However, TPU's inherent flammability, coupled with the copious smoke generation and molten dripping observed during combustion, severely restricts its deployment in high-risk environments. Sodium antimonate, an environmentally friendly inorganic flame retardant, is characterized by excellent thermal stability and high flame-retardant efficiency, making it an ideal candidate for the flame-retardant modification of TPU. In this study, a series of sodium antimonate/TPU composite systems were prepared via melt blending, utilizing TPU as the matrix and sodium antimonate (SA) as the flame retardant. The SA content was systematically varied across six distinct formulations (designated TPU-SA0 to TPU-SA10). Through a comprehensive suite of analytical techniques—including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), universal testing, and cone calorimetry—the effects of SA on the thermal stability, mechanical properties, and combustion behavior of TPU were systematically investigated. Furthermore, by examining the microscopic morphology of the char residue, the underlying flame-retardant mechanism of SA within the TPU matrix was elucidated. The results demonstrate that the incorporation of SA significantly enhances both the thermal stability and flame-retardant performance of TPU, while the addition of an appropriate amount ensures the retention of TPU's favorable mechanical properties. This study provides crucial experimental data and theoretical insights regarding the application of inorganic flame retardants in the flame-retardant modification of TPU, thereby holding significant implications for expanding the scope of TPU material applications.

Abstract: Polymers enable countless modern technologies, yet vast regions of their chemical space remain unexplored. Traditional polymer discovery relies on chemical intuition, ingenuity, and experience (with a healthy dose of serendipity), yet it fails to leverage millions of potentially accessible and synthesizable polymer structures. Here, we present RxnChainer, a digital methodology integrating virtual polymer generation, retrosynthetic analysis, and post-polymerization modification to systematically explore reaction-guided polymer space. Using molecular entries from the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and ChEMBL databases and RxnChainer, we generated over 289 million hypothetical polymers across 44 reaction chains spanning 30 polymer classes, including polyamides, polyimides, polyesters, and polyethers. Comparison with known polymers from PolyInfo indicates that many sampled reaction-guided structures are structurally distinct from the known-polymer comparison set. We demonstrate the methodology’s versatility through automated retrosynthetic planning for 30,000 polyesters and targeted functionalization via four post-polymerization modification pathways incorporating vinyl and nitrile pendant groups. The resulting datasets enable downstream tasks such as property-driven screening, application-specific design, and training of generative models.

Abstract: Advanced engineering applications increasingly demand high-performance polymers with exceptional mechanical and thermal properties; however, predicting their processing behavior remains challenging due to complex rheological responses and the lack of integrated experimental-simulation frameworks. This study introduces a novel integrated experimental-computational methodology that combines comprehensive rheological characterization, multi-model fitting, injection molding simulation, and multiphysics finite element analysis (FEA) to investigate the processing capabilities of Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK) for aircraft bearing applications. Unlike conventional approaches that treat rheological analysis, processing simulation, and structural assessment separately, our framework establishes a coupled material-process-performance relationship through: (i) systematic thermal and mechanical characterization establishing PEEK's high melting temperature (343 °C), degradation temperature (575 °C), and tensile strength (95 MPa); (ii) comparative rheological model fitting demonstrating that the Carreau-Yasuda model accurately predicts non-linear flow behavior with R² = 0.97, outperforming simpler Power Law and Cross models; (iii) CAD-based injection molding simulation revealing homogeneous flow distribution and optimized pressure profiles; and (iv) thermo-mechanical FEA coupling thermal expansion with structural stress analysis to evaluate bearing integrity under operational conditions. The key novelty lies in the seamless integration of experimental rheology with multiphysics simulation, validated through rigorous statistical analysis achieving low RMSE (0.6854 MPa for stress, 0.003220 mm for deformation) and high correlation coefficients (R² = 0.97). Results confirm uniform flow distribution, stable structural performance, and reliable thermo-mechanical response, establishing PEEK's suitability for high-performance aerospace components. This work contributes a comprehensive, scalable, and transferable framework that bridges experimental analysis and advanced simulation, enabling predictive optimization of polymer processing parameters and significantly enhancing manufacturing reliability for industrial applications.

Abstract: The utilization of naturally derived sustainable components is an increasing trend in polymer and materials science and technology. This paper reports on the synthesis of superabsorbent hydrogels (SAHs) containing acrylic acid (AA), styrene (St, 10 wt.% of AA) and poly(ethylene glycol diacrylate), PEGDA using one-pot radical suspension copolymerization. Cassava starch (CS, 1 wt.% of AA) was added to the copolymerization mixture as natural hydrophilic gel modifier. Cardanol acrylate (CA) was used as natural alternative to PEGDA and its effect on SAHs properties (gel content, swelling rate, swelling capacity, morphology, thermal stability, rheology and dye absorption) was investigated. The swelling capacity reached its maximum at 63,000% for the gel containing 50% of CA. CA also significantly increased SAH rigidity as revealed by rheology tests that confirmed the gel-like behavior of all networks, as well. The amphiphilic gels showed remarkable binding capacity for selected dyes: 47.95 mg/g for Crystal Violet, 46.37 mg/g for Acridine Orange, 42.50 mg/g for Methylene Blue and 23.48 mg/g for Auramine Orange, indicating a promising application potential for environmental cleanup of aqueous waste.

Abstract: Impact polypropylene copolymers (ICPs) are promising thermoplastics for recyclable high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) cable insulation, yet the links among molecular sequence, crystalline framework, multiphase topology, and charge transport remain unclear. A homopolymer-matrix (HICP), a random-copolymer-matrix (RICP), and a commercial high-phase-continuity (CICP) ICP were compared across molecular, crystalline, morphological, rheological, electrical, and mechanical scales. Relative to HICP, matrix randomization in RICP raised the soluble fraction at ≤35 °C from 18.92 to 27.21 wt%, lowered crystallinity from 51.1% to 32.1%, and reduced the effective crystalline-layer contribution from 7.84 to 4.05 nm. Concurrently, the characteristic trap depth increased from 0.92 to 1.05 eV, the maximum local space-charge density decreased from 65.5 to approximately 28.4 C m−3, and the characteristic DC breakdown strength rose from 226.2 to 310.8 kV mm−1, while the tensile modulus fell from 1000 to 612 MPa. CICP combined the lowest modulus (89.4 MPa, without fracture at the 630% instrument limit) with the lowest space-charge density (below 12.5 C m−3) and the highest breakdown strength (384.4 kV mm−1). Matrix-sequence regulation and multiphase topology thus provide a structural route to reconcile flexibility with high-field stability in recyclable PP cable insulation.

Abstract: The rapid advancement of information technology and pervasive use of electronic devices has exacerbated electromagnetic radiation pollution and interference, driving the demand for lightweight, flexible, and high-efficiency electromagnetic shielding materials in materials research. As a high-performance elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) possesses excellent elasticity, wear resistance, oil resistance and processability, making it promising for flexible electronics and wearable devices. However, pure TPU is electrically insulating and exhibits nearly no electromagnetic shielding capability, which requires conductive filler incorporation for functional modification. Herein, ternary TPU/MWCNT/BiFeO₃ composites were fabricated via solution blending and hot pressing, using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and bismuth ferrite (BiFeO₃) as conductive and dielectric fillers within the TPU matrix. The effects of filler content on the microstructure, thermal stability, mechanical properties and electromagnetic shielding performance of composites, together with the relevant mechanisms, were systematically studied. Furthermore, supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂) microcellular foaming was applied to treat the composites, and its regulatory mechanism on material performances was explored. For the ternary TPU/MWCNT/BiFeO₃ system, the introduction of BiFeO₃ continuously increases the char residue rate of the composites to 16.01%, while accelerating the reaction process during the main thermal decomposition stage. The mechanical properties gradually deteriorate with the increase in BiFeO₃ content, and the composite with 5 wt% BiFeO₃ almost loses its elastomeric characteristics. The electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (SE) presents a trend of initial increase and subsequent decrease. The composite with 3 wt% BiFeO₃ exhibits the optimal shielding performance, with a 24.7% enhancement in total SE compared with the reference TPU/MWCNT composite containing 1% MWCNT. This improvement is attributed to the interfacial polarization and dipole polarization induced by the appropriate amount of BiFeO₃, which effectively strengthen the electromagnetic wave absorption loss capacity of the composites.

Abstract: In recycling of plastic packaging, the deinking of post-consumer waste (PCW) is a key technology to achieve high-quality recyclates that can be used in demanding applica-tions. Removing printing inks minimises the contamination in the mechanical recy-cling process, enabling the production of (semi)-transparent recycled films with low odour and fewer defects. While the deinking of uniformly printed model films is thor-oughly researched and the general mechanism well-understood, these findings are not readily transferable to industrial implementation on household PCW. This study pre-sents the systematic investigation of the deinking on household PCW flakes using in-dustrially available surfactants. Deinking parameters (water temperature, washing time, lye concentration) are varied with no surfactant added as well as for four indus-trially available surfactant formulations. The deinking efficiency is determined via an image-based statistical analysis. Via a multiple linear regression, median grey values of the experiments allow insights into the deinking mechanism of PCW flakes. Depending on the surfactant and deinking parameters, either the hydrolysis of the binding agent by sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or the surfactant-based decrease of interfacial energy on the printed surface proved dominant for the overall deinking mechanism.

Abstract: This study reports on a new one-pot copolymerization process by simultaneous oxidative disulfide and β-thioester formation by reacting bifunctional monomers, 3,6-dioxa-1,8-octane-dithiol (DODT) with diacrylates, poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) and 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDODA), in the presence of N,N,N’,N’’,N’’-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA), as the same base catalyst for both reactions, in air at room temperature with short reaction times. The resulting random copolymers consist off disulfide linkages between DODTs and β-thioester units formed by thiol-ene Michael addition click reaction. With stoichiometric DODT/diacrylate feed ratio, diacrylate-telechelic copolymers are obtained. The T_gs of the P(DODT-co-PEGDA) copolymers are nearly constant at around -53 °C, while it decreases with increasing HDODA content in the P(DODT-co-HDODA) copolymers. Reductive degradation with thiols, such as 2-mercaptoethanol and dithiothreitol, led to chain scission via the disulfide-thiol exchange reaction. Treatment with NaOH solution resulted in further degradation by hydrolysis of the β-thioester units. These results indicate that these novel copolymers are fully degradable under mild conditions. This new process, applying simultaneous thiol oxidation and thiol-ene reactions, enables to prepare a large variety of sulfur-containing endfunctional degradable copolymers useful for a broad range of advanced application possibilities.

Abstract: Vitrimeric non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) incorporating dynamic imine linkages were developed via UV-induced photopolymerization of methacrylated monomers. The system combines a non-isocyanate urethane (NIU) precursor derived from cyclic carbonate chemistry with an imine-containing (Vit) monomer obtained via Schiff base formation, enabling compositionally tunable networks with a high gel content (90–97 wt%) and thermal stability up to &gt;190 °C. The increase in NIU content enhances network rigidity, varying the glass transition temperatures from 29.3 °C to 73.4 °C. The dynamic imine chemistry imparts outstanding multifunctionality, including efficient shape-memory behavior, thermally triggered reprogrammability, and rapid self-healing, even at a low content of imine-containing precursor (30 wt%). The optimized composition further provides a proof-of-concept of selective chemical depolymerization for monomer recovery. These results establish NIU-Vit networks as a versatile, recyclable, and multi-functional platform for sustainable polymers as replacements for the traditional isocyanate-based polyurethanes.

Abstract: A novel multifunctional isocyanate curing agent, denoted as TCI, was facilely synthesized via a one-step reaction involving 1,3,5-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)cyanuric acid and hexamethylene diisocyanate. The structural design of TCI incorporates a rigid triazine ring core and three additional urethane linkages, enabling the construction of high-performance crosslinked networks within glycidyl azide polymer (GAP)-based energetic elastomers. By systematically comparing TCI with the commercially available curing agent N100, the structure–property relationships were elucidated through a combination of curing kinetics, spectroscopic characterization, mechanical testing, and thermal analysis. TCI exhibits superior reactivity toward GAP, effectively compensating for the low reactivity of secondary hydroxyl groups. Structural characterization via XRD, SAXS, and FTIR demonstrated that TCI facilitates the formation of dense and stable hydrogen-bonding networks, which reduce the intermolecular chain spacing (0.424 nm for TCI–GAP vs. 0.436 nm for N100–GAP) and optimize the microphase separation behavior of the elastomer networks.Mechanical testing demonstrated that the tensile strength and elongation at break of TCI–GAP reach 1.74 MPa and 297.7%, respectively, representing increases of 95.5% and 163% over N100–GAP (0.85 MPa and 105.8%). Morphological analysis confirmed the presence of uniformly distributed crosslinking junctions and ductile fracture features in TCI–GAP, which are responsible for the improved load-bearing capacity and energy dissipation efficiency. Dynamic hydrogen-bonding interactions were identified as the key mechanism governing the mechanical and thermal performance of TCI-GAP. DMA and LF-NMR results indicated that TCI–GAP possesses higher storage modulus and more restricted segmental motion, leading to excellent thermomechanical stability. The novel TCI curing agent offers a facile and effective approach to simultaneously improve the mechanical strength, toughness, and thermal stability of GAP-based networks, showing great promise for applications in advanced solid propellants and energetic materials.

Abstract: Phenolphthalein poly (aryl ether ketone) (PEK-C) is highly compatible with the epoxy resin, which is applied in epoxy resin-based composites to improve its strength. Solu-tion spinning and electrospinning techniques are often used to produce the PEK-C fi-bers, but these techniques are polluting the environment and are not productive. To address the above challenges, melt spinning may be employed but since the high de-gree of molecular chain entanglement and poor melt fluidity of PEK-C, melt spinning remains difficult. Herein, this study presents a continuous melt spinning of PEK-C fi-bers through rheology modulation and melt strength enhancement. A series of PEK-C samples with different molecular weights were prepared by adjusting the molar ratio of monomers. The influence of molecular weights on rheological properties was inves-tigated by capillary rheology tests. The PEK-C with molecular weight (2.01×104 g/mol) was chosen and the optimal spinning temperature was determined to be 370 °C. The as-polymerized PEK-C powder was compounded into pellets, subsequently, the PEK-C pellets with the enhanced melt strength were continuously processed into fiber by melt spinning. The obtained PEK-C fibers possess high tensile strength 0.56 cN/dtex and breaking strength 1.06 cN/dtex, respectively. The mechanical properties and molecular chain orientation of PEK-C fibers were also optimized by spinning process parameters. This work presents continuous melt spinning of PEK-C fibers by rheology modulation and melt strength enhancement which resolve the environmental and low productive issues.

Abstract: Optical spectroscopy provides several useful information about polymeric ultrathin films by combining interferometric and optical absorption data contained in the UV-Vis-NIR spectra. In particular, the UV-Vis-NIR spectrum of an ultrathin polymeric film contains information about the film thickness, structural disorder, bandgap energy, type of electron transition model (direct/indirect, allowed/forbidden), cutoff wavelength (i.e., the opaque/transparent switching wavelength), etc. Here, these properties have been determined for a model semi-crystalline polymer (polyethylene terephthalate, PET) in form of ultrathin film before and after a mild mechanical deformation treatment (manual stretching). It has been found that E_U and E_g parameters are not strictly depending on mechanical deformation due to their main dependence on chemical composition/constitution of the polymer; consequently E_g can be used for polymer identification in the case it has a dielectric nature.

Abstract: This research study will provide methodical scientific explanations for color-mismatches in compounded plastics and identify the dispersion characteristics of the pigments used. Related issues will also be addressed to develop better formulations that enhance color coordination, color stability, and the uniformity of compounded plastic materials, while minimizing waste. In previous research, the focus was on transparent grades, whereas in this paper, opaque polycarbonate (PC) grades were the focus, with data collected through data mining of archived records from an industrial plant. Also, data mining methods were used to identify relationships between particular processing factors and color variations. In addition, Grade B was considered due to its identical pigmentation but different polycarbonate resin percentages, with R1/R2 equal to 90/10% which yields 101 associated color adjustments in total. The number of lots without adjustment is 60, and 41 with adjustment. Interactions among three parameters of the processing (PPs) in order to maintain the same color mixture under various conditions were studied using both experimental and numerical methods. Using General Trends (GT) methods, PPs were controlled at five different levels independently, while keeping all other variables constant. Moreover, the impact effects of PPs on color output and the effect of tristimulus color (l*, a*,b*, L*, and dE*) were also analyzed. From the above and from an engineering perspective, it is crucial to understand how these parameters affect color consistency. A comparison, using a spectrophotometer, between standard target values (CIE L* - 63.36, a* - -0.34, b* - 0.20) and the measured color values was conducted, identifying the significant PPs that contribute to the minimum color deviation. The distribution of the particle (PSD) size (2 µm) is dominated by small particles at all temperatures (T). Similar peak percentages (60–63%) are shown when Temp reaches 230 °C and 280 °C, and slightly lower percentages (60%) when Temp reaches 255 °C. This suggests is rising in temperature (from 230 to 280 degrees Celsius) slightly shifts the distribution toward smaller particles, but a more balanced mix of small and medium particles appears at 255°C, suggesting Temp, which influences particle breakage and agglomeration behavior. When most particles stay in the range of 1-3 µm for all Temps, consistent fine dispersion is demonstrated. Using Design of Experiments (DOE), impending research will expand GT analysis to include interactions between several parameters. Furthermore, processing temperature will be the subject of an ANOVA to determine its statistical significance, with the results being confirmed at a confidence level of p < 0.05. In order to back up the creation of prediction models for industrial-scale applications, the study will also evaluate the diagnostic procedure's robustness across different polymer grades and colorants. The improved color matching performance for opaque grades was a direct outcome of the high-quality mixing that occurred during the polycarbonate compounding process, which also minimized color streaking and guaranteed uniform distribution of pigments. By means of a particle size analyzer on the Microtrac S3500, it examined the distribution of primary particle sizes for four different colors. Black channel (13-20 µm), red iron oxide (0.8-1.6 µm), titanium dioxide (1.7-8.0 µm), and organic yellow (0.8-1.8 µm)were the ranges of measurements. Improved dispersion and less aggregation were achieved by employing increased ultrasonic power and duration. Similar to the reference pigment, the main pigment displays ranging from 1 to 2 µm in size. Mean particle size and particle count are positively correlated; rising temperatures result in smaller pigments and more particles, which affect colour response. Particle sizes were nearly identical when PSA and SEM were compared to PSD. The improved color matching performance for opaque grades was a direct outcome of the high-quality mixing that occurred during the polycarbonate compounding process, which also minimized color streaking and guaranteed uniform pigment dispersion.To finish, the influence of processing temperature on viscosity, dispersion of pigment size at three different temperatures, and color superiority was investigated by analyzing the effects of viscosity, Digital Optical Microscopy (DOM),Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM) ,and pigment size distribution(PSA) at various processing levels. The samples were characterized for viscosity, DOM, and Particle size distribution at (230°C, 255°C, and 280 °C) temperatures. The overall mixing of PC compounding ingredients ensures uniform pigment dispersion, minimizes color-mismatching and results in minimal color difference (dE*), which improves color-matching significantly.

Abstract: Sustainable soft sensors are increasingly integral to wearable systems and human–machine interfaces; however, many current implementations depend on petroleum-derived elastomers and complex microfabrication. In this context, biopolymer-based conductive composites provide a complementary pathway toward low-cost, water-based processing and more environmentally responsible sensing architectures. This work reports a proof-of-concept pressure sensor based on a starch-derived biopolymer film doped with electrographite powder. The sensing layer, fabricated by spin coating, is integrated into an aluminum/biopolymer/aluminum sandwich configuration supported on an acetate substrate. Electrical resistance measurements under compressive loading (10–1000 g applied over 5.06 cm²; 0.2–20 kPa) show that the neat starch film remains electrically insulating, whereas the electrographite-doped film exhibits a clear piezoresistive response, with resistance decreasing as load increases. Compared with graphite-doped films, electrographite provides a more consistent response and a low hysteresis (<5%) in representative loading–unloading curves under the reported protocol. These results support the feasibility of using a biobased, starch-based sensing layer for low-cost flexible sensing concepts.

Abstract: Monodisperse porous polymer spheres are functional materials with attractive properties such as high cohesive strength, strong adsorptivity, and a high degree of surface functionalization due to their large specific surface area. They are widely used in various fields, including biomedicine, instrumental analytics as stationary phases in HPLC columns, and sensor technology. In this work, the formation mechanism of porous poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) (p(GMA-co-EDMA)) particles was investigated in a time-resolved experiment using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and two-dimensional confocal Raman spectroscopy. Data analysis revealed that the particles are formed via rapidly reacting anisotropic Janus-like intermediates that assemble into large agglomerates of different morphologies. Spectral unmixing of the Raman data enabled to determine relative concentration changes of the reactants over time. This study uncovers a pool of previously unknown anisotropic particle species that offer new opportunities for subsequent functionalization and material design.