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Topic Review
Conductive Polymer-Based Interlayer Modified Separators in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) are considered a promising candidate for next-generation energy storage devices due to the advantages of high theoretical specific capacity, abundant resources and being environmentally friendly. However, the severe shuttle effect of polysulfides causes the low utilization of active substances and rapid capacity fading, thus seriously limiting their practical application. The introduction of conductive polymer-based interlayers between cathodes and separators is considered to be an effective method to solve this problem because they can largely confine, anchor and convert the soluble polysulfides.
  • 614
  • 22 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Proton-Conducting Membranes Based on 1-Vinyl-1,2,4-Triazole Homopolymers
Poly-1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole is a unique polymer with a wide range of valuable, practically significant properties.
  • 601
  • 19 May 2023
Topic Review
Exploring Bioinspired Polymer Actuators via Electrospinning
Nature has always been a source of inspiration for the development of novel materials and devices. In particular, polymer actuators that mimic the movements and functions of natural organisms have been of great interest due to their potential applications in various fields, such as biomedical engineering, soft robotics, and energy harvesting. The development and actuation performance of electrospun fibrous meshes with the advantages of high permeability, surface area, and easy functional modification, has received extensive attention from researchers. 
  • 584
  • 23 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Block Copolymers as Proficient Templates in Drug Delivery
Polymeric-based nanomaterials have exhibited wonderful properties due to their fabrication ability using various technologies. These have been of immense interest as nanocarriers in the design of pharmaceuticals and in the refining of drug delivery systems; therefore, they offer a suitable tool for the release of hydrophobic drugs and bioactive agents.
  • 573
  • 04 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogels for Protein Delivery
Proteins and peptides are potential therapeutic agents, but their physiochemical properties make their use as drug substances challenging. Hydrogels are hydrophilic polymeric networks that can swell and retain high amounts of water or biological fluids without being dissolved. Due to their biocompatibility, their porous structure, which enables the transport of various peptides and proteins, and their protective effect against degradation, hydrogels have gained prominence as ideal carriers for these molecules’ delivery. Particularly, stimuli-responsive hydrogels exhibit physicochemical transitions in response to subtle modifications in the surrounding environment, leading to the controlled release of entrapped proteins or peptides. 
  • 559
  • 18 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Natural Polymeric Composites Derived from Animals
The special property of polymeric-based systems is that they serve as adjuvants, may trigger an antigen-mediated immune response, and also substantially deliver the antigen or vaccine to the desired anatomical or physiological location. Moreover, the benefit of polymeric-based delivery methods is that they may be made using natural polymers, which reduces the risk of tissue cytotoxicity.
  • 539
  • 23 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Solid-State Modification for Thermoplastic Polymers
Solid-state modification of post-synthetic thermoplastic polymers is a rapidly evolving technique with numerous advantages and potential applications. This approach is particularly attractive because it allows adding new functionalities to existing polymer matrices, thereby extending their utility or assigning new purposes.
  • 539
  • 19 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Biodegradable Microplastics and Plants
Microplastics (MPs) pollution has emerged as one of the world’s most serious environmental issues, with harmful consequences for ecosystems and human health. One proposed solution to their accumulation in the environment is the replacement of nondegradable plastics with biodegradable ones. However, due to the lack of true biodegradability in some ecosystems, they also give rise to biodegradable microplastics (BioMPs) that negatively impact different ecosystems and living organisms. 
  • 529
  • 14 Dec 2023
Topic Review
Fireproof Nanocomposite Polyurethane Foams
First introduced in 1954, polyurethane foams rapidly became popular because of light weight, high chemical stability, and outstanding sound and thermal insulation properties. Currently, polyurethane foam is widely applied in industrial and household products. Despite tremendous progress in the development of various formulations of versatile foams, their use is hindered due to high flammability. Fire retardant additives can be introduced into polyurethane foams to enhance their fireproof properties. Nanoscale materials employed as fire-retardant components of polyurethane foams have the potential to overcome this problem.
  • 514
  • 24 May 2023
Topic Review
The Alphabet of Nanostructured Polypyrrole
Polypyrrole is a significantly useful material derived from an inconspicuous pyrrole ring. The available synthetic procedures allow for the precise sculpturing of both the chemical composition and morphology of the forming polymer. Multiple variations shall be taken into consideration to take advantage of the synergy effect coming from the sophisticated nanostructuring of the material at the stage of choosing the polymer procedure (proper solvent, doping ion, substrate choice), during the polymerization (conditions like temperature, stirring, enhanced impulses, like ultrasounds) or at the post-synthetic functionalization stage.
  • 506
  • 20 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Interpolymer Complexes Based on Cellulose Ethers
Interpolymer complexes based on cellulose ethers are formed by combining different polymers through non-covalent interactions, resulting in stable structures.
  • 500
  • 08 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Smart Applications of Self-Healing Polysiloxanes
Organosilicon polymers (silicones) are of enduring interest both as an established branch of polymer chemistry and as a segment of commercial products. Their unique properties were exploited in a wide range of everyday applications. The research attention polysiloxanes attracted as the materials of choice for various emerging technologies was tremendous. A rapid improvement in bulk modification strategies can be observed as well as the design of a new generation of PDMS-based smart materials, including flexible wearable electronics, sensors, coatings or e-skin. 
  • 494
  • 21 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Heterogeneous Catalysts Based on Hypercrosslinked Polystyreneand
Platform chemicals, also known as chemical building blocks, are substances that serve as starting materials for the synthesis of various value-added products, which find a wide range of applications. These chemicals are the key ingredients for many fine and specialty chemicals. Most of the transformations of platform chemicals are catalytic processes, which should meet the requirements of sustainable chemistry: to be not toxic for humans, to be safe for the environment, and to allow multiple reuses of catalytic materials. Hypercrosslinked polymers are already widely applied in industry as excellent (ad)sorbents. Their use for the synthesis of heterogeneous catalysts is a relatively new but dynamically developing area. A new class of heterogeneous catalysts based on nanoparticles of catalytically active metals stabilized in a polymer matrix of hypercrosslinked polystyrene (HPS) are provided, their synthesis, properties, and application to produce several platform chemicals from renewable raw materials. Some transformations of platform chemicals into compounds with high added value are addressed and multiple perspectives are discussed.
  • 473
  • 03 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Covalent Adaptable Networks in Recycling of Polyurethane Plastics
The global plastic waste problem has created an urgent need for the development of more sustainable materials and recycling processes. Polyurethane (PU) plastics, which represent 5.5% of globally produced plastics, are particularly challenging to recycle owing to their crosslinked structure. Covalent adaptable networks (CANs) based on dynamic covalent bonds have emerged as a promising solution for recycling PU waste. CANs enable the production of thermoset polymers that can be recycled using methods that are traditionally reserved for thermoplastic polymers. Reprocessing using hot-pressing techniques, in particular, proved to be more suited for the class of polyurethanes, allowing for the efficient recycling of PU materials. 
  • 402
  • 21 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Design Kinetics of Sub-50 nm Polystyrene Seed Latexes
This article explains how polystyrene seed latex particles smaller than 50 nm are designed and controlled during emulsion polymerization. It describes how surfactants, initiator concentration, and temperature influence particle formation, reaction kinetics, and size uniformity, and why these factors matter for industrial latex systems.
  • 126
  • 29 Dec 2025
Topic Review
From Tiny Seeds to Better Polymers
What if the key to better polymers lies in particles thousands of times smaller than a hair? We share how we designed tiny, uniform seeds that bring precision to emulsion polymerization.
  • 30
  • 29 Dec 2025
Topic Review
The Surprising Science of Sulfosuccinates in Emulsion Polymerization
Explore how sulfosuccinates enable stable, efficient emulsion polymerization in modern water-based polymer systems!
  • 24
  • 09 Feb 2026
Topic Review
Turning Polybutadiene into Shape Memory Polymers
A semi-crystalline, shape memory polymer (SMP) is fabricated by free radical cross-linking, polymerization, and grafting in a blend of n-octadecyl acrylate and polybutadiene (PB). Poly(n-octadecyl acrylate) (PODA) is a side-chain crystalline polymer, which serves as the structure-fixing network counterbalancing the elastically deformed, cross-linked polymer network. At a constant 50/50 ratio of monomer and polymer the amount of free radical initiator, dicumyl peroxide (DCP) is varied from 1% to 5% w/w PB. From swelling measurements and calculation of the cross-link density it is determined that DCP produces greater than one cross-link per DCP molecule. It is found that lower cross-linking efficiency is favorable for higher shape fixity. This lower efficiency is found to produce a higher degree of crystallinity of the PODA in the 2–5% DCP samples, which is determined to be the main driver of higher shape fixity of the polymer. A SMP with >90% fixity and 100% recovery at uniaxial strains from 34–79% is achieved. This material should be useful for mold processing of shape memory articles. This approach provides a method to decouple the elastomeric and thermoplastic portions of a SMP to convert commodity elastomers into SMPs and tailor the shape memory response.
  • 19
  • 31 Dec 2025
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