Polymer Chemistry

Polymeric materials are essential for the performance of plastics and functional ingredients in consumer and industrial products. However, there is a recognized need to shift toward more sustainable production and consumption of materials to address societal concerns on climate change and pollution while improving economic and environmental resilience. Natural polymers can provide sustainability benefits due to their inherent renewability and degradability.

The development of biodegradable polymers derived from renewable resources has been motivated by the environmental impact of plastic waste. The objective of our research is to improve
the degradation rate of spiro-polyacetals by integrating linear acetal units into their structure while preserving their desirable thermomechanical properties. The polymer, VPA-CDVE, was produced by reacting vanillin-based spiro-acetal monomer (VPA) with cyclohexanedimethanol vinyl ether (CDVE). The polyacetal that resulted was characterized using NMR spectroscopy, which

In this study, we present a novel multifunctional coating that enhances the adhesion, surface stability, water repellency, and corrosion resistance of electrodeposited polythiophene (PTH) coatings. By incorporating a thienyl-substituted silane coupling agent as a surface modifier, we significantly improve adhesion to steel substrates. The addition of a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) topcoat further increases water repellency.

Among the numerous issues confronting our world today, two significant challenges stand out: waste management and freshwater contamination. This study addresses these issues by developing innovative recycling and circular economy techniques. For the first time, steel slag waste was converted into slag nanocomposites using a solvothermal preparation technique for wastewater treatment in an advanced oxidation process.

Peptoids, or N-substituted glycine polymers, are an important platform for the development of new materials for therapeutic, cryopreservation, and biosensing applications. The stepwise solid-phase synthesis of peptoids uses iterative acylation and displacement reactions to grow the peptoid chain but relies on hazardous solvents, N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), which are used in large quantities for resin swelling, washing, and solubilizing the required chemical reagents.

The low bioavailability of widely used drugs, such as metformin (MFH), makes it necessary to administer constant doses to achieve the desired therapeutic effect, which leads to an increase in adverse effects and toxicity. In addition, their disposal also causes an environmental impact on both the ecosystem and organisms [1,2]. The development of materials based on biocompatible polymers is one of the most promising alternatives to reduce the dosage of active ingredients. Besides, these materials can function as adsorbents of micropollutants in the wastewater treatment [3].

Glycans are a class of carbohydrate oligomers that densely coat many cell surface proteins and lipids, acting as the first point of contact between a cell and its microenvironment. A network of over 700 glycan-processing enzymes, 10 monosaccharides, and architectural complexity give rise to diverse glycan structures with specific biological functions. Cell-surface proteins can act as receptors for glycans, initiating binding events which influence myriad biological processes within the cell.

The development of sustainable and environmentally friendly materials is a key component of the green chemistry concept. In this context, cellulose tosylate (MCC-Tos) serves as a versatile precursor for the functionalization of cellulose. By substituting tosyl groups with alkyne groups, the potential of cellulose is enhanced, making it compatible with click chemistry reactions such as thiol-yne and copper-catalyzed alkyne-azide cycloaddition (CuAAC), which promotes greener processes.