Supramolecular modification of sustainable high-molar-mass polymers for improved processing and performance
Abstract The plastic waste crisis is among humanity’s most urgent challenges. However, widespread adoption of sustainable plastics is hindered by their often inadequate processing characteristics and performance. Here, we introduce a bio-inspired strategy for the modification of a representative hig...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55166-1 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841559228138913792 |
|---|---|
| author | Daniel Görl Shuichi Haraguchi Yevhen Hryshunin Sophia Thiele Giorgia Scetta Alexandre Simula Matthieu Wendling Oguzhan Oguz Nicolas Candau Torne Tänzer Marianne Liebi Christopher J. G. Plummer Holger Frauenrath |
| author_facet | Daniel Görl Shuichi Haraguchi Yevhen Hryshunin Sophia Thiele Giorgia Scetta Alexandre Simula Matthieu Wendling Oguzhan Oguz Nicolas Candau Torne Tänzer Marianne Liebi Christopher J. G. Plummer Holger Frauenrath |
| author_sort | Daniel Görl |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The plastic waste crisis is among humanity’s most urgent challenges. However, widespread adoption of sustainable plastics is hindered by their often inadequate processing characteristics and performance. Here, we introduce a bio-inspired strategy for the modification of a representative high molar mass, biodegradable aliphatic polyester that helps overcome these limitations and remains effective at molar masses far greater than the entanglement molar mass. We use co-assembly of oligopeptide-based polymer end groups and a low molar mass additive to create a hierarchical structure characterized by regularly spaced nanofibrils interconnected by entangled polymer segments. The modified materials show a rubbery plateau at temperatures above their melting point, associated with strongly increased melt strength, extraordinary melt extensibility, improved dimensional stability, and accelerated crystallization. These thermomechanical property changes open up otherwise inaccessible processing routes and offer considerable scope for improving solid-state properties, thereby addressing typical shortcomings of sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-94fc8e6f469c40879a5fbf7dc12f6930 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-94fc8e6f469c40879a5fbf7dc12f69302025-01-05T12:39:38ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-0116111310.1038/s41467-024-55166-1Supramolecular modification of sustainable high-molar-mass polymers for improved processing and performanceDaniel Görl0Shuichi Haraguchi1Yevhen Hryshunin2Sophia Thiele3Giorgia Scetta4Alexandre Simula5Matthieu Wendling6Oguzhan Oguz7Nicolas Candau8Torne Tänzer9Marianne Liebi10Christopher J. G. Plummer11Holger Frauenrath12Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute of Materials, Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic MaterialsEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute of Materials, Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic MaterialsEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute of Materials, Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic MaterialsEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute of Materials, Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic MaterialsEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute of Materials, Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic MaterialsEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute of Materials, Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic MaterialsEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute of Materials, Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic MaterialsEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute of Materials, Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic MaterialsEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute of Materials, Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic MaterialsPaul Scherrer Institute Photon Science Division 5232 Villigen PSIPaul Scherrer Institute Photon Science Division 5232 Villigen PSIEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute of Materials, Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic MaterialsEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute of Materials, Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic MaterialsAbstract The plastic waste crisis is among humanity’s most urgent challenges. However, widespread adoption of sustainable plastics is hindered by their often inadequate processing characteristics and performance. Here, we introduce a bio-inspired strategy for the modification of a representative high molar mass, biodegradable aliphatic polyester that helps overcome these limitations and remains effective at molar masses far greater than the entanglement molar mass. We use co-assembly of oligopeptide-based polymer end groups and a low molar mass additive to create a hierarchical structure characterized by regularly spaced nanofibrils interconnected by entangled polymer segments. The modified materials show a rubbery plateau at temperatures above their melting point, associated with strongly increased melt strength, extraordinary melt extensibility, improved dimensional stability, and accelerated crystallization. These thermomechanical property changes open up otherwise inaccessible processing routes and offer considerable scope for improving solid-state properties, thereby addressing typical shortcomings of sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55166-1 |
| spellingShingle | Daniel Görl Shuichi Haraguchi Yevhen Hryshunin Sophia Thiele Giorgia Scetta Alexandre Simula Matthieu Wendling Oguzhan Oguz Nicolas Candau Torne Tänzer Marianne Liebi Christopher J. G. Plummer Holger Frauenrath Supramolecular modification of sustainable high-molar-mass polymers for improved processing and performance Nature Communications |
| title | Supramolecular modification of sustainable high-molar-mass polymers for improved processing and performance |
| title_full | Supramolecular modification of sustainable high-molar-mass polymers for improved processing and performance |
| title_fullStr | Supramolecular modification of sustainable high-molar-mass polymers for improved processing and performance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Supramolecular modification of sustainable high-molar-mass polymers for improved processing and performance |
| title_short | Supramolecular modification of sustainable high-molar-mass polymers for improved processing and performance |
| title_sort | supramolecular modification of sustainable high molar mass polymers for improved processing and performance |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55166-1 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT danielgorl supramolecularmodificationofsustainablehighmolarmasspolymersforimprovedprocessingandperformance AT shuichiharaguchi supramolecularmodificationofsustainablehighmolarmasspolymersforimprovedprocessingandperformance AT yevhenhryshunin supramolecularmodificationofsustainablehighmolarmasspolymersforimprovedprocessingandperformance AT sophiathiele supramolecularmodificationofsustainablehighmolarmasspolymersforimprovedprocessingandperformance AT giorgiascetta supramolecularmodificationofsustainablehighmolarmasspolymersforimprovedprocessingandperformance AT alexandresimula supramolecularmodificationofsustainablehighmolarmasspolymersforimprovedprocessingandperformance AT matthieuwendling supramolecularmodificationofsustainablehighmolarmasspolymersforimprovedprocessingandperformance AT oguzhanoguz supramolecularmodificationofsustainablehighmolarmasspolymersforimprovedprocessingandperformance AT nicolascandau supramolecularmodificationofsustainablehighmolarmasspolymersforimprovedprocessingandperformance AT tornetanzer supramolecularmodificationofsustainablehighmolarmasspolymersforimprovedprocessingandperformance AT marianneliebi supramolecularmodificationofsustainablehighmolarmasspolymersforimprovedprocessingandperformance AT christopherjgplummer supramolecularmodificationofsustainablehighmolarmasspolymersforimprovedprocessingandperformance AT holgerfrauenrath supramolecularmodificationofsustainablehighmolarmasspolymersforimprovedprocessingandperformance |