Themed collection Emerging horizons in polymer applications

Bridging the gap between academia and industry in plastic recycling will accelerate innovation and deployment toward solving the global challenge of plastic waste management and establishing net zero carbon society.

This minireview focuses on potential catalytic recycling processes for the production of styrene and other valuable aromatics from polystyrene (PS) waste, and it aims to lay the ground for PS recyclability and long-term sustainable PS production.

This review summarizes recent interfacial strategies for DLP 3D printing process optimization from the view of interfacial interactions between solid and liquid phases which are influenced by resin formation, curing surfaces and light sources.

The processing of conjugated organic materials into films, nanoparticles, and nanofibers, presents significant opportunities to increase their activity for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and for scaled-up systems for real world applications.

Classification of H-bonding-based SHPs and their electronic applications.

This review summarizes the development of PCN, i.e., synthesis, morphology, modification, and application in recent years. This review can provide a comprehensive view of PCN and lay a foundation for the design of ideal photocatalysts in the future.

The review focuses on recent developments in the synthetic methodologies of COFs and their applications in the field of organocatalysis, electrocatalysis and photocatalysis. Future scope of COFs in the field are also described.

A review on the recent developments in controlling the structural, photophysical and electronic properties of conjugated porous polymer (CPP) photocatalysts is presented.

Electron–hole separation efficiency and catalytic site activity can be simultaneously enhanced by tuning the charge flow direction.

This work shows a strategy for the preparation of uniform and high stability sp²C-CPP-based aerogels to simultaneously enhance their photothermal and photocatalytic performance.

Herein, printing a wide-meshed methacrylate matrix-assisted epoxide network utilizing alcohol chain transfer in a semi-orthogonal curing leads to tough interpenetrating networks much faster, at lower intensities and without layer artefacts.

Photocurable dynamic cross-linkers based on β-amino esters have been successfully synthesized. The direct restoration of such cross-linkers, enabled by a catalyst- and solvent-free protocol, is established for repeated DLP 3D printing.

An optimal strategy to enhance high-strain stress wave damping capabilities is proposed by using poly(disulfide)s with self-healing and chemical recycling capabilities.

Conductive materials obtained from blends of polyurethane, PEDOT:PSS and PEG show exceptional stretchability, toughness, and self-healing properties. Moreover, these materials can be recycled, retaining their mechanical and electrical properties.

A diagnostic wound dressing was fabricated, which could record the diabetic wounds healing and monitor electrophysiological signals. The flexible substrate of dressings shows excellent tissue adhesive, self-healing, and antibacterial properties.

Elastomers are widely used in traditional industries and new intelligent fields.

UV-curable 3D printing compositions for the fabrication of stretchable and compressible porous structures for soft robotics are presented.

Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) and PEDOT:PSS have been combined to create a superior class of supramolecular and conductive ionic-electronic material that present attractive application in the field of bioelectronics.

Physical dynamic side-chain interlocking is developed to endow bottlebrush polymers with excellent self-healing performance even under harsh aqueous conditions. This work opens a brand-new avenue for the molecular design of self-healing materials.

A biotic/abiotic biohybrid system that combines a microalgal bioenzyme with an inorganic nanoenzyme was developed for anti-inflammation therapy through executing a cascade catalysis to eliminate O₂˙⁻ and H₂O₂.

A pneumatic actuator based on variable-stiffness and self-healing polymers shows high load capacity at room temperature but can be actuated pneumatically upon heating. And it can be thermally healed after damaging, thus can prolong its service time.

Hybrid flavin–polydopamine nanoparticles combine the activity of an enzyme cofactor with the stabilising and electron-transfering properties of nanostructured poly-dopamine to afford a green and biocompatible catalytic system tuneable by visible light.

MOF-based heterogeneous catalysts with enhanced dispersibility and photocatalytic property are realized via introducing pollen pivots.