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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomacromolecules, Biobased and Biodegradable Polymers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 69137

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Dr. Sunghyun Nam

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Cotton Chemistry and Utilization. USDA-ARS Southern Regional Research Center, New Orleans, LA 70124, USA
Interests: cellulose; cotton–nanoparticle hybrid; antimicrobials; flame retardants; green processes
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue on “Polymers and Fibers” is dedicated to recent advances in fundamentals and applications of polymeric and fibrous materials, including, but not limited to, synthesis and fabrication from agricultural residues and other renewable sources, cellulose and derivatives, nanocellulose, nanofibers, morphology, structure, physical properties, chemical modification, blends and composites, nanofabrication, biodegradation, analytical and characterization techniques, processing technologies, and traditional and non-traditional applications in textiles, adhesives, flame retardants, antimicrobials, reinforcements, packaging, personal care products, nano applications, etc. We would like to invite scientists from academia, industry, and government to submit research articles or reviews on the latest research work in these fields, with emphasis of applications in a view of public health and environment.

Dr. Sunghyun Nam
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Polymer synthesis and processing
Cellulose and derivatives
Fiber structure and property
Nanofabrication
Composites
Functional textiles
Analysis and characterization
Green technology

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 7232 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Strength Enhancement of Regenerated Cellulose Fibers by Adjustment of Hydrogen Bond Distribution in Ionic Liquid

by Yu Xue, Weidong Li, Guihua Yang, Zhaoyun Lin, Letian Qi, Peihua Zhu, Jinghua Yu and Jiachuan Chen

Polymers 2022, 14(10), 2030; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14102030 - 16 May 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2465

Abstract

To improve the physical strength of regenerated cellulose fibers, cellulose dissolution was analyzed with a conductor-like screening model for real solvents in which 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (AMIMCl) worked only as a hydrogen bond acceptor while dissolving the cellulose. This process could be promoted by the addition of urea, glycerol, and choline chloride. The dissolution and regeneration of cellulose was achieved through dry-jet and wet-spinning. The results demonstrated that the addition of hydrogen bond donors and acceptors either on their own or in combination can enhance the tensile strength, but their effects on the crystallinity of the regenerated fibers were quite limited. Compared with the regenerated fibers without any additives, the tensile strength was improved from 54.43 MPa to 139.62 MPa after introducing the choline chloride and glycerol, while related the crystallinity was only changed from 60.06% to 62.97%. By contrast, a more compact structure and fewer pores on the fiber surface were identified in samples with additives along with well-preserved cellulose frameworks. Besides, it should be noted that an optimization in the overall thermal stability was obtained in samples with additives. The significant effect of regenerated cellulose with the addition of glycerol was attributed to the reduction of cellulose damage by slowing down the dissolution and cross-linking in the cellulose viscose. The enhancement of the physical strength of regenerated cellulose fiber can be realized by the appropriate adjustment of the hydrogen bond distribution in the ionic liquid system with additives. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Fibers)

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15 pages, 6396 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Simulation of the Mechanical Behavior of a Weft-Knitted Carbon Fiber Composite under Tensile Loading

by Mohammad Ravandi, Amirreza Moradi, Sean Ahlquist and Mihaela Banu

Polymers 2022, 14(3), 451; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14030451 - 23 Jan 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4021

Abstract

Knitted textiles are a popular reinforcement in polymer composites for their high drape properties and superior impact energy absorption, making them suitable for specific composite components. Nevertheless, limited attention has been paid to modeling the mechanical behavior of knitted fabric composites since knitted textiles generally offer lower stiffness and strength. This study presents a 3D finite element (FE) modeling of a precise geometrical model of weft-knitted carbon fiber thermoplastic composite to better understand its nonlinear mechanical behavior and interface damage mechanisms under tension. Toward this end, a representative volume element (RVE) of the weft-knitted fabric composite with periodic boundary conditions (PBCs) is generated based on actual dimensions. The validity of the textile RVE to represent the macroscopic behavior was evaluated prior to analyzing the composite. The effect of fiber tow/matrix debonding during tension on the mechanical behavior of the composite is investigated using the cohesive zone model (CZM). Finally, the predicted results of the mechanical behavior of the composite with and without considering the interface failure are compared with the experimental measurements. It is found that the fiber tow/matrix interfacial strength has a significant effect on the tensile performance of the knitted fabric composites, particularly when they are subjected to a large strain. According to the simulation results, the highest tensile performance of the composite is achieved when the interfacial debonding is prevented. However, considering the fiber/matrix debonding in the modeling is essential to achieve a good agreement with the experimental results. In addition, it is concluded that stretching the fabric before composite manufacturing can substantially increase the tensile stiffness of the knitted composite. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Fibers)

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14 pages, 2214 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Screen Printing of pH-Responsive Dye to Textile

by Marija Gorjanc, Ana Gerl and Mateja Kert

Polymers 2022, 14(3), 447; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14030447 - 22 Jan 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2659

Abstract

The development of pH-responsive textile sensors has attracted much interest in recent decades. Therefore, the aim of this study was to show that screen printing could be one of the possible techniques for development of pH-responsive textile. Several parameters that could influence the pH sensitivity and responsivity of a screen-printed textile with bromocresol green dye were studied, such as textile substrate (cotton, polyamide), printing paste composition, and type of fixation (heat and steaming). The change in mechanical and physical properties of the printed fabrics was tested according to the valid ISO, EN, or ASTM standards. The responsiveness of the printed samples to different pH values with the change in colour was evaluated spectrophotometrically. In addition, the colour fastness of the printed textiles to rubbing, washing, and light was also investigated. The results show that the textile responsiveness to pH change was successfully developed by flat screen-printing technique, which proves that the printing process could be one of the methods for the application of indicator dye to textiles. The application of the printing paste to cotton and polyamide fabrics resulted in an expected change in the mechanical and physical properties of the fabrics studied. The responsiveness of printed fabrics to the change of pH value depends on the type of fibres, the strength of dye–fibre interactions, and the wettability of the fabric with buffer solutions. The colour fastness of the printed fabrics to dry and wet rubbing is excellent. Printed polyamide fabric is more resistant to washing than printed cotton fabric. Both printed fabrics have poor colour fastness to light. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Fibers)

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18 pages, 1793 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Study on Extraction of Cellulose Fiber from Rice Straw Waste from Chemo-Mechanical and Pulping Method

by Nur Amirah Mamat Razali, Risby Mohd Sohaimi, Raja Nor Izawati Raja Othman, Norli Abdullah, Siti Zulaikha Ngah Demon, Latifah Jasmani, Wan Mohd Zain Wan Yunus, Wan Mohd Hanif Wan Ya’acob, Emee Marina Salleh, Mohd Nurazzi Norizan and Norhana Abdul Halim

Polymers 2022, 14(3), 387; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14030387 - 19 Jan 2022

Cited by 34 | Viewed by 7108

Abstract

Inspired by nature, cellulose extracted from plant wastes has been explored, due to its great potential as an alternative for synthetic fiber and filler that contributes to structural performance. The drive of this study was to extract, treat, and evaluate the characteristics of rice straw (RS) (Oryza sativa L.) cellulose as a biodegradable reinforcement to be utilized in polymer base materials. Two routes of extraction and treatment were performed via the pulping (Route 1) and chemo-mechanical methods (Route 2), in order to discover comparative characteristics of the synthesized cellulose fiber. Comprehensive characterization of RS cellulose was carried out to determine crystallinity, surface morphology, and chemical bonding properties, using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR), respectively. The XRD test results showed that the crystallinity index (CI) of cellulose powder (CP) decreased after the surface modification treatment, Route 2, from 64.50 to 50.10% CI for modified cellulose powder (MCP), due to the surface alteration of cellulose structure. From Route 1, the crystallinity of the fibers decreased up to 33.5% (dissolve cellulose, DC) after the pulp went through the surface modification and dissolution processes, resulting from the transformation of cellulose phase into para-crystalline structure. FESEM micrographs displayed a significant reduction of raw RS diameter from 7.78 µm to 3.34 µm (treated by Route 1) and 1.06 µm (treated by Route 2). The extracted and treated cellulose via both routes, which was considerably dominated by cellulose II because of the high percentage of alkaline used, include the dissolve cellulose (DC). The dissolution process, using NMMO solvent, was performed on the pulp fiber produced by Route 1. The fiber change from cellulose I to cellulose II after undergoes the process. Thus, the dissolution process maintains cellulose II but turned the pulp to the cellulose solution. The acquired characteristics of cellulose from RS waste, extracted by the employed methods, have a considerably greater potential for further application in numerous industries. It was concluded that the great achievement of extracted RS is obtained the nanosized fibers after surface modification treatment, which is very useful for filler in structural composite applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Fibers)

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19 pages, 21055 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Vapor Barrier on Moisture Content of Fiberboard Insulation in Log Structure

by Stanislav Jochim, Róbert Uhrín, Jarmila Schmidtová, Pavol Sedlák, Dominika Búryová and Katarína Střelcová

Polymers 2021, 13(24), 4282; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13244282 - 07 Dec 2021

Viewed by 2035

Abstract

The paper is focused on a verification of the moisture content of fiberboard insulations in the multilayer loadbearing log wall designed with and without the vapor barrier. Experimental verification was done using a sample of the multilayer loadbearing log wall built in a research timber structure building under in-situ conditions. Indoor properties of the building met conditions for human occupancy. The experiment was performed for 2 years and 3 months. Aims of the fiberboard insulations moisture content verification in the walls were to verify the effect of vapor barrier in various periods of the year and verify excessive moisture in the fiberboard insulations, which is undesirable in terms of biodegradation. The results of measuring the moisture content showed that after a certain period, the difference of insulation moisture content in the wall including and excluding vapor barrier is negligible, as well as other results and conclusions for designing the composition of multilayer loadbearing log walls. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Fibers)

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14 pages, 3413 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dyeing Property Improvement of Madder with Polycarboxylic Acid for Cotton

by Xiaoyu Cai, Hong Li, Li Zhang and Jun Yan

Polymers 2021, 13(19), 3289; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13193289 - 26 Sep 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1896

Abstract

Cotton fabrics were dyed with the madder and compounds of citric acid (CA) and dicarboxylic acids [tartaric acid (TTA), malic acid (MLA), succinic acid (SUA)] as cross-linking agents and sodium hypophosphite (SHP) as the catalyst. The molecular structures and crystal structures of the dyed cotton fabrics were analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD), respectively. The results showed that the polycarboxylic acids esterified with the hydroxyl groups in the dye and cellulose, respectively, and the reaction mainly occurred in the amorphous region of the cotton fabric. Compared with the direct dyed cotton fabric, the surface color depth (K/S) values of the CA, CA+TTA, CA+MLA, CA+SUA cross-linked dyed cotton fabrics increased by approximately 160%, 190%, 240%, 270%, respectively. The CA+SUA cross-linked dyed cotton fabric achieved the biggest K/S value due to the elimination of the negative effect by α-hydroxyl in TTA and MLA on esterification reaction, and the cross-linked dyed cotton fabrics had great levelness property. The washing and rubbing fastness of the cross-linked cotton fabrics were above four levels. The light resistance stability and the antibacterial property of the cross-linked dyed cotton fabrics was obviously improved. The sum of warp and weft wrinkle recovery angle (WRA) of the CA+SUA cross-linked dyed cotton fabric was 55° higher than that of raw cotton fabric, and its average UV transmittance for UVA was less than 5% and its UPF value was 50+, showing a great anti-wrinkle and anti-ultraviolet properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Fibers)

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14 pages, 4730 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combined Treatment (Alkali + Thermal) of Calotropis procera Fiber for Removal of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Cases of Oil Spill

by Raoni Batista dos Anjos, Larissa Sobral Hilário, Aécia Seleide Dantas dos Anjos, Emily Cintia Tossi de Araújo Costa, Tarcila Maria Pinheiro Frota, Amanda Duarte Gondim and Djalma Ribeiro da Silva

Polymers 2021, 13(19), 3285; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13193285 - 26 Sep 2021

Viewed by 1381

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the Calotropis procera fiber treated with NaOH combined with heat treatment as sorbent material for removal of petroleum and derivatives in cases of oil spill. The effects of oil viscosity, fiber/oil contact time, and the type of sorption system (oil and oil/water) were evaluated by experimental planning. The fiber obtained was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM-FEG), thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTG), contact angle, and wettability. The fiber treated by combining NaOH and heat treatment (CPNaOHT) exhibited a large structure with an internal diameter of 42.99 ± 3.98 μm, roughness, and hydrophobicity on the surface with a contact angle of 101 ± 2°. The sorption capacity of oil ranged from 190.32 g/g to 98.9 g/g. After five cycles of recycling, the fiber still maintains about 70% of its initial sorption capacity and presented low liquid desorption (0.25 g). In this way, it can be used as an efficient sorbent to clean up spills of oil and oil products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Fibers)

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14 pages, 2534 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predictions of Moisture Diffusion Behavior of Cellulose-Fiber-Reinforced Plain Weave Epoxy Composites

by Hang Yu and Jie Yang

Polymers 2021, 13(14), 2347; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13142347 - 17 Jul 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2152

Abstract

Cellulose-fiber-reinforced plain weave composites absorb lots of water from humid environments because of their inherent susceptibility to moisture. Moisture absorption experiments with cellulose fiber plain weave composites have been reported by some researchers; however, few theoretical studies have been performed to date to predict their moisture diffusion behavior. In this paper, the moisture diffusion behavior of cellulose-fiber-reinforced plain weave composite is predicted using a novel superposition method considering its microweave pattern. The overall moisture uptake of the composite is treated as moisture absorption superposition of the fiber bundles part, resin part, undulated fiber bundles and resin-rich part in the unit cell. The moisture diffusion of the undulated fiber bundles and resin-rich part is more complicated than the other parts; thus, a solution for a unique three-phase diffusion problem is used to solve this special moisture diffusion issue. Both finite element analysis and experiments are carried out to validate the proposed approach, with the results showing that the predictions can effectively characterize the moisture diffusion behavior of cellulose-fiber-reinforced plain weave composites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Fibers)

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12 pages, 5635 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation and Performance Evaluation of Antibacterial Melt-Spun Polyurethane Fiber Loaded with Berberine Hydrochloride

by Ruifang Zhao, Pengfei Tan, Yanting Han, Feng Yang, Yidong Shi, Puxin Zhu and Lin Tan

Polymers 2021, 13(14), 2336; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13142336 - 16 Jul 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2405

Abstract

(1) Background: Bacterial infections have long threatened global public safety; hence, it is significant to continuously develop antibacterial fibers that are closely related to people’s daily lives. Berberine hydrochloride is a natural antibacterial agent that has application prospects in the preparation of antibacterial fibers. (2) Methods: This study firstly verified the antibacterial properties of berberine hydrochloride and its possible antibacterial mechanism. Thereafter, berberine hydrochloride was introduced into the self-made melt-spun polyurethane fiber through optimized coating technology. The performance of coating modified polyurethane fiber has been systematically evaluated, including its antibacterial properties, mechanical properties, and surface wettability. (3) Results: Results show that the antibacterial polyurethane fiber with desirable comprehensive properties is expected to be used in the biomedical fields. (4) Conclusions: The research also provides a reference for the development and application of other natural antibacterial ingredients in fiber fields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Fibers)

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15 pages, 21406 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Surface and Thermal Characterization of Cotton Fibers of Phenotypes Differing in Fiber Length

by Zhongqi He, Sunghyun Nam, David D. Fang, Huai N. Cheng and Jibao He

Polymers 2021, 13(7), 994; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13070994 - 24 Mar 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2694

Abstract

Cotton is one of the most important and widely grown crops in the world. Understanding the synthesis mechanism of cotton fiber elongation can provide valuable tools to the cotton industry for improving cotton fiber yield and quality at the molecular level. In this work, the surface and thermal characteristics of cotton fiber samples collected from a wild type (WT) and three mutant lines (Li₁, Li₂-short, Li₂-long, Li₂-mix, and li_y) were comparatively investigated. Microimaging revealed a general similarity trend of WT ≥ Li₂-long ≈ Li₂-mix > Li₁ > Li₂ short ≈ li_y with Ca detected on the surface of the last two. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric measurements also showed that Li₂-short and li_y were more similar to each other, and Li₂-long and Li₂-mix closer to WT while Li₁ was quite independent. FT-IR results further demonstrated that wax and amorphous cellulose were co-present in fiber structures during the fiber formation processes. The correlation analysis found that the FT-IR-based maturity parameter was well correlated (p ≤ 0.05) to the onset decomposition temperature and all three weight-loss parameters at onset, peak, and end decomposition stages, suggesting that the maturity degree is a better parameter than crystallinity index (CI) and other FT-IR parameters that reflect the thermal stability of the cotton fiber. In summary, this work demonstrated that genetic mutation altered the surface and thermal characteristics in the same way for Li₂-short and li_y, but with different mechanisms for the other three mutant cotton fiber samples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Fibers)

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Review

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16 pages, 2669 KiB

Open AccessReview

Preparations and Properties of Ionic Liquid-Assisted Electrospun Biodegradable Polymer Fibers

by Ahmad Adlie Shamsuri, Khalina Abdan and Siti Nurul Ain Md. Jamil

Polymers 2022, 14(12), 2308; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym14122308 - 07 Jun 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1671

Abstract

Enhanced awareness of the environment and environmental conservation has inspired researchers to search for replacements for the use of volatile organic compounds in the processing of polymers. Recently, ionic liquids have been utilized as solvents for solvating natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers since they are non-volatile, recyclable, and non-flammable. They have also been utilized to prepare electrospun fibers from biodegradable polymers. In this concise review, examples of natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers that are generally employed as materials for the preparation of electrospun fibers are shown. In addition, examples of ionic liquids that are utilized in the electrospinning of biodegradable polymers are also displayed. Furthermore, the preparations of biodegradable polymer electrospinning solutions utilizing ionic liquids are demonstrated. Additionally, the properties of electrospun biodegradable polymer fibers assisted by different ionic liquids are also concisely reviewed. Besides this, the information acquired from this review provides a much deeper understanding of the preparation of electrospinning solutions and the essential properties of electrospun biodegradable polymer fibers. In summary, this concise review discovered that different functions (solvent or additive) of ionic liquids could provide distinct properties to electrospun fibers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Fibers)

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48 pages, 5071 KiB

Open AccessReview

Recent Developments of Carboxymethyl Cellulose

by Md. Saifur Rahman, Md. Saif Hasan, Ashis Sutradhar Nitai, Sunghyun Nam, Aneek Krishna Karmakar, Md. Shameem Ahsan, Muhammad J. A. Shiddiky and Mohammad Boshir Ahmed

Polymers 2021, 13(8), 1345; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/polym13081345 - 20 Apr 2021

Cited by 264 | Viewed by 36967

Abstract

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is one of the most promising cellulose derivatives. Due to its characteristic surface properties, mechanical strength, tunable hydrophilicity, viscous properties, availability and abundance of raw materials, low-cost synthesis process, and likewise many contrasting aspects, it is now widely used in various advanced application fields, for example, food, paper, textile, and pharmaceutical industries, biomedical engineering, wastewater treatment, energy production, and storage energy production, and storage and so on. Many research articles have been reported on CMC, depending on their sources and application fields. Thus, a comprehensive and well-organized review is in great demand that can provide an up-to-date and in-depth review on CMC. Herein, this review aims to provide compact information of the synthesis to the advanced applications of this material in various fields. Finally, this article covers the insights of future CMC research that could guide researchers working in this prominent field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymers and Fibers)

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