A superior comprehensive performance is essential for the extensive utilization of polymers. Current flame-retardant strategies for polycarbonates (PCs) usually realize satisfied fire resistance at the cost of thermostability, toughness, and/or mechanical robustness. Thus, we report a rare-earth-based P, Ncontaining complex with a lamellar aggregated structure [Ce-(DPA) 3 ] by a coordination reaction between a tailored ligand and cerium(III) nitrate. The results indicate that incorporating 3 wt % Ce(DPA) 3 enables the resultant PC composite to achieve UL-94 V-0 rating, with a 55% reduction in the peak heat release rate. Besides, the initial (T 5 ) and maximum (T max1 and T max2 ) decomposition temperatures are significantly increased by 21, 19, and 27 °C, respectively, in an air atmosphere. Moreover, the impact strength and elongation at break of the PC composite containing 3 wt % Ce(DPA) 3 are greatly increased by 20 and 59%, respectively, relative to pristine PC, while its tensile strength (57 MPa) is still close to that of bulk PC (60 MPa). Notably, this work provides a novel methodology for revealing the evolution mechanisms of chemical structures of vapor and residual products during thermal decomposition, which is conducive to guiding fire and heat resistance modification of PC in the future.

Water-degradable polyvinyl ketals with high glass transition temperatures (78–127 °C) were made via ketalization of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with sustainable ketones.

For the purpose of promoting mechanical properties of bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC) reinforced by rigid organic styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) particles, styrene/acrylonitrile/glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer (SAG) was synthesized and applied as compatibilizer for PC/SAN blends. It is found that the phase morphology of PC/SAN/SAG blends is closely related with their mechanical properties. Large continuously distributed SAN phase or spherical dispersed SAN particles with average diameter over 2 μm tend to trigger premature tensile failure of blends due to stress concentration. The incorporation of SAG can simultaneously reinforce and toughen PC/SAN blends by controlling the size and distribution of the dispersed SAN particles. For the blends with fixed PC/SAN ratio, the elongation at break and fracture energy are markedly improved when SAN domain size is reduced by adding appropriate amount of SAG. Typically, for blends with a PC/SAN ratio of 75/25, adding 3 wt% SAG will cause the average diameter of SAN particles to reduce from 2.35 ± 1.20 to 0.74 ± 0.25 μm, meanwhile up to 95% increment in elongation at break and 115% increment in fracture energy is achieved.

No abstract

No abstract

Polyimide-esters derived from sustainable citric acid and glycine exhibit commercially-relevant glass transition temperatures and environmentally-relevant water-degradability.