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Li S, Scheiger JM, Wang Z, Huber B, Hoffmann M, Wilhelm M, Levkin PA. Diapers to Thickeners and Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives: Recycling of Superabsorbers via UV Degradation. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:44186-44193. [PMID: 37676916 PMCID: PMC10521733 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c06999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Superabsorbers based on crosslinked sodium polyacrylate polymers cannot be easily recycled, resulting in 2 million tons of superabsorbers being landfilled or burned every year. A fast and efficient strategy to recycle superabsorbers would significantly alleviate environmental pollution and promote a sustainable use of these polymers. Herein, the rapid recycling of crosslinked sodium polyacrylate hydrogels based on their inherent UV degradation is demonstrated without the need for chemicals besides water. A quantitative conversion of crosslinked sodium polyacrylate into soluble sodium polyacrylate is achieved in minutes, almost 200 times faster than a previous approach based on de-esterification. The obtained soluble sodium polyacrylate can be used, for example, as a thickener for aqueous dyes or can be esterified with n-butanol or 2-ethylhexanol to serve as a pressure-sensitive adhesive. The UV photodegradation and esterification of superabsorbers is fast, scalable, safe, and economical and yields polymers with controllable molecular weight in the range of 100-400 kg/mol. It thus offers distinct advantages over the chemical de-crosslinking strategies presented previously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Li
- Institute
of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Department
of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Medical School of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Johannes M. Scheiger
- Institute
of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Zhenwu Wang
- Institute
of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Birgit Huber
- Soft
Matter Synthesis Laboratory (SML), Institute for Biological Interfaces
3 (IBG-3), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
(KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Maxi Hoffmann
- Institute
for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry (ITCP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Engesserstraße 18, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Manfred Wilhelm
- Institute
for Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry (ITCP), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Engesserstraße 18, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Pavel A. Levkin
- Institute
of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry (IOC), Karlsruhe Institute
of Technology (KIT), Kaiserstraße 12, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
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Kunwar P, Andrada BL, Poudel A, Xiong Z, Aryal U, Geffert ZJ, Poudel S, Fougnier D, Gitsov I, Soman P. Printing Double-Network Tough Hydrogels Using Temperature-Controlled Projection Stereolithography (TOPS). ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023. [PMID: 37319377 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c04661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
We report a new method to shape double-network (DN) hydrogels into customized 3D structures that exhibit superior mechanical properties in both tension and compression. A one-pot prepolymer formulation containing photo-cross-linkable acrylamide and thermoreversible sol-gel κ-carrageenan with a suitable cross-linker and photoinitiators/absorbers is optimized. A new TOPS system is utilized to photopolymerize the primary acrylamide network into a 3D structure above the sol-gel transition of κ-carrageenan (80 °C), while cooling down generates the secondary physical κ-carrageenan network to realize tough DN hydrogel structures. 3D structures, printed with high lateral (37 μm) and vertical (180 μm) resolutions and superior 3D design freedoms (internal voids), exhibit ultimate stress and strain of 200 kPa and 2400%, respectively, under tension and simultaneously exhibit a high compression stress of 15 MPa with a strain of 95%, both with high recovery rates. The roles of swelling, necking, self-healing, cyclic loading, dehydration, and rehydration on the mechanical properties of printed structures are also investigated. To demonstrate the potential of this technology to make mechanically reconfigurable flexible devices, we print an axicon lens and show that a Bessel beam can be dynamically tuned via user-defined tensile stretching of the device. This technique can be broadly applied to other hydrogels to make novel smart multifunctional devices for a range of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puskal Kunwar
- Biomedical and Chemical Engineering Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Bianca Louise Andrada
- Biomedical and Chemical Engineering Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Arun Poudel
- Biomedical and Chemical Engineering Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Zheng Xiong
- Biomedical and Chemical Engineering Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Ujjwal Aryal
- Biomedical and Chemical Engineering Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Zachary J Geffert
- Biomedical and Chemical Engineering Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Sajag Poudel
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Daniel Fougnier
- Biomedical and Chemical Engineering Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Ivan Gitsov
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York ESF, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
- The Michael M. Szwarc Polymer Research Institute, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
| | - Pranav Soman
- Biomedical and Chemical Engineering Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
- BioInspired Institute, Syracuse, New York 13210, United States
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Wang W, Zhang C, Huang H, Xue B, Yang S. Ambient Environment Adaptive Elastomer Constructed by Microphase Separation and Segment Complexation of Triblock Copolymers. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:22426-22434. [PMID: 37126649 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c02931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Elastomers with environmental adaption have attracted considerable attention for advanced applications in various areas. Here, we fabricate an ambient environment adaptive elastomer by assembling triblock copolymers polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid)-b-polystyrene (SAS) and polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-polystyrene (SES). Owing to the microphase separation of triblock polymers and hydrogen-bonding complexation of their middle segments, the SAS/SES complex presents dichotomy of vitrified hard PS domains and soft PAA/PEO domains, which presents major relaxation transition in the temperature zone 10-30 °C and relative humidity (RH) 40-60%. The SAS/SES elastomer presents quick adaption to the ambient environment change with temperature and humidity coupling. Moreover, after a loading-unloading cycle training, the SAS/SES elastomer exhibits domain orientation, low energy dissipation, high recovery ratio, and distinct strain stiffening compared with the pristine complex. The SAS/SES elastomer has potential to be used as a sensing and adaption component for complicated intelligent systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijie Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, P. R. China
| | - Caihong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, P. R. China
| | - Hao Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, P. R. China
| | - Bing Xue
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, P. R. China
| | - Shuguang Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Center for Advanced Low-dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, P. R. China
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Henschel C, Schanzenbach D, Laschewsky A, Ko CH, Papadakis CM, Müller-Buschbaum P. Thermoresponsive and co-nonsolvency behavior of poly(N-vinyl isobutyramide) and poly(N-isopropyl methacrylamide) as poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) analogs in aqueous media. Colloid Polym Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s00396-023-05083-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Sets of the nonionic polymers poly(N-vinyl isobutyramide) (pNVIBAm) and poly(N-isopropyl methacrylamide) (pNIPMAm) are synthesized by radical polymerization covering the molar mass range from about 20,000 to 150,000 kg mol−1, and their thermoresponsive and solvent-responsive behaviors in aqueous solution are studied. Both polymers feature a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) apparently of the rare so-called type II, as characteristic for their well-studied analogue poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (pNIPAm). Moreover, in analogy to pNIPAm, both polymers exhibit co-nonsolvency behavior in mixtures of water with several co-solvents, including short-chain alcohols as well as a range of polar aprotic solvents. While the cloud points of the aqueous solutions are a few degrees higher than those for pNIPAm and increase in the order pNIPAm < pNVIBAm < pNIPMAm, the co-nonsolvency behavior becomes less pronounced in the order pNIPAm > pNVIBAm > pNIPMAm. Exceptionally, pNIPMAm does not show co-nonsolvency in mixtures of water and N,N-dimethylformamide.
Graphical Abstract
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Reitenbach J, Geiger C, Wang P, Vagias A, Cubitt R, Schanzenbach D, Laschewsky A, Papadakis CM, Müller-Buschbaum P. Effect of Magnesium Salts with Chaotropic Anions on the Swelling Behavior of PNIPMAM Thin Films. Macromolecules 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c02282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Julija Reitenbach
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Christina Geiger
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Peixi Wang
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Apostolos Vagias
- Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstr. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Robert Cubitt
- Institut Laue-Langevin, 6 rue Jules Horowitz, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Dirk Schanzenbach
- Institut für Chemie, Universität Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - André Laschewsky
- Institut für Chemie, Universität Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institut für Angewandte Polymerforschung, Geiselbergstr. 69, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Christine M. Papadakis
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Fachgebiet Physik weicher Materie, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Peter Müller-Buschbaum
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstr. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
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