Ionic polymer–metal composites (IPMC)—constructed using an ionic polymer sandwiched between metal electrodes—have shown great potential for the fabrication of soft actuators. IPMC architectures have many advantages including low actuation voltage, fast response, basic control, and relatively light weight. Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)-based ion exchange membranes are particular interest devices due ...

Waterborne fluoropolymer emulsions were synthesized using the one-step semi-continuous seed emulsion polymerization of chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE), vinyl acetate (VAc), n-butyl acrylate (BA), Veova 10, and acrylic acid (AA). The main physical parameters of the polymer emulsions were tested and analyzed. Characteristics of the polymer films such as thermal stability, glass transition temperat...

Ž . Hydroxyapatite HA -reinforced polyethylene was developed as a bone replacement material. In order to improve bonding between HA and polyethylene, and hence to increase mechanical properties of the composite, chemical treatments of HA and polyethylene were investigated and new composites manufactured. Two approaches were employed in this investigation: the use of silane-treated HA as the fil...

Expanding the useful lifespan of materials is becoming highly desirable, and self-healing and self-repairing materials may become valuable commodities. The formation of supramolecular materials through host-guest interactions is a powerful method to create non-conventional materials. Here we report the formation of supramolecular hydrogels and their redox-responsive and self-healing properties ...

This paper characterizes the fracture toughness of layer-by-layer (LBL) manufactured thin films with elastic polyurethane, a tough polymer, and poly(acrylic acid) as a stiffening agent. A single-edge-notch tension (SENT) specimen is used to study mode I crack propagation as a function of applied loading. Experimental results for the full-field time histories of the strain maps in the fracturing...

There is a clear clinical need for a bioactive bone graft substitute. Poly(vinyl phosphonic acid-co-acrylic acid) (PVPA-co-AA) has been identified as a promising candidate for bone regeneration but there is little evidence to show its direct osteogenic effect on progenitor or mature cells. In this study mature osteoblast-like cells (SaOS-2) and human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (...

Films cast from multiphase polymer particles have the potential to combine the properties of their components synergistically. The properties of the film depend on the hybrid polymer architecture and the film morphology. However, how the polymer microstructure and particle morphology are transformed during film formation to determine the film morphology is not well understood. Here, using water...