Hierarchical Design of Functional, Fibrous, and Microporous Polymer Monoliths for the Molecular Recognition of Diethylstilbestrol.

This paper demonstrates the hierarchical design of functional, fibrous polymer monoliths. The monoliths are composed of conjugated microporous polymers that not only are embedded with heteroatoms but also feature fibrous yet compressible structures due to the in situ self-assembly process that occurs during the polymerization process. Therefore, the doped nitrogen atoms can allow the growth of zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) nanocrystals, which causes the homogeneous encapsulation of individual fibers. The resulting hybrid monoliths exhibit enhanced physical properties as well as catalytic activity, allowing the formation of an additional coating layer via a thiol-epoxy reaction. The deliberate inclusion of template molecules during the reaction forms molecularly imprinted sites on the fibers to afford functional monoliths. As a proof of concept, the hierarchically designed materials are able to show effective recognition properties toward diethylstilbestrol, an endocrine disruptor, taking advantage of the binding sites that selectively capture the analyte molecules and the fibrous morphology that increases the accessibility of these binding sites. We envisage that the incorporation of various heteroatoms or nanocrystals will bring about the bespoke design of advanced monoliths with autonomous functions, leading to smart textile systems.

Sustainable, Naringenin-Based Thermosets Show Reversible Macroscopic Shape Changes and Enable Modular Recycling.

A sustainable biobased thermoset exhibiting shape-memory behavior and modular recycling capabilities has been developed herein. The prepared thermoset consists of naringenin and biocompatible polymer components. Naringenin, which has three phenolic moieties, has been converted to a multifunctional monomer containing glycidyl groups and readily formed a thermosetting network via epoxide ring opening reaction with a poly(ethylene glycol) diacid under solvent-free conditions. The resulting material is malleable yet as strong as articular cartilage and selectively absorbs water when compared with n-dodecane oil. Moreover, the thermoset can be physically reused. After being crumpled, stretched, or coiled, the initial shape of the material is restored in response to heat or water. Furthermore, the material is amenable to chemical recycling in a bulk state via transesterification, and its components can be recovered on a molecular level after degradation under benign conditions, as was confirmed using a model compound.