Polymer organic–inorganic hybrids, where the high‐aspect ratio inorganic filler can be delaminated at the nanometer scale, are able to increase their enhancement very significantly at very low‐filler volume. Necessary requirement for the use of materials in packaging and storage applications are presented by gas barrier properties. Modified type of montmorillonite (MMT) 30B, 25A, 93A and natural type of MMT Na+ were used as the inorganic phase. Fillers were incorporated to the linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE) and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) matrix. The nanofiller particles were generated via melt compounding in KO‐kneader. In case of PVC, the plasticizers act as the intercalation agents. The ion–dipole method was used for intercalation process. Prepared samples were tested for water vapor transmission (WVT), O2, and CO2 permeability. Next, the PVC samples were tested for the migration behavior of plasticizers. The structure was determined using X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the high level of exfoliation could positively affect tested properties. POLYM. COMPOS., 34:1418–1424, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers

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Biodegradable polymers are promising materials for use in medical applications such as stents. Their properties are comparable to commercially available resistant metal and polymeric stents, which have several major problems, such as stent migration and stent clogging due to microbial biofilm. Consequently, conventional stents have to be removed operatively from the patient’s body, which presents a number of complications and can also endanger the patient’s life. Biodegradable stents disintegrate into basic substances that decompose in the human body, and no surgery is required. This review focuses on the specific use of stents in the human body, the problems of microbial biofilm, and possibilities of preventing microbial growth by modifying polymers with antimicrobial agents.

ABSTRACT:The study is focused on windshield recycling process resulting in poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) sheets with very low amout of remain glass particles. PVB sheets were obtained from worldwide manufacturer DuPont and then they were laminated by standard autoclaving process. One sample of PVB sheet was modified by multi-functional organic acid in order to compare various levels of adhesion. Three-stage technology was proposed for recycling PVB sheets. In the first-stage laminated safety glass was mechanically cracked. In the second-stage the adhesion reduction to minimal degree was followed by chemical-physical assisted separation. It causes self-release of the glass out of the PVB sheet. The third-stage was mechanical peeling of the remaining glass from the PVB sheet which completed the recycling process. The optimal process conditions for the most effective delamination process were found. Delamination technology produces PVB sheet with minimal residual glass content (up to 300 ppm) and minimal change in PVB sheet properties. Described recycling technology is ecologically friendly (the effluent is fully recyclable as well) and could reduce the worldwide problem with windshield waste disposal.

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