RSC - RSC Appl. Polym. latest articles

Tailored surface modification of cellulose nanofibers enables enhanced co-adsorption of nanoplastics and mercury ions

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00158K, Paper

Open Access

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Zhichun Liu, Haijun Yu, Lu Bai, Zhicheng Liu
A bifunctional cellulose membrane achieves simultaneous efficient adsorption of nanoplastics and Hg²⁺ via a synergistic bridging mechanism, where Hg²⁺ induces layered stacking of NPs and NPs serve as a platform to promote Hg²⁺ adsorption.
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Advances in Self-Healing Polymeric Lubricating Materials: Development and Multidisciplinary Applications

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00163G, Review Article

Open Access

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Lixin Dai, Xianqiang Pei, Qihua Wang, Meizhe Yu, Yan Wang, Yaoming Zhang, Zhancheng Zhang
Friction and wear induced energy dissipation and equipment failure represent pervasive challenges in engineering. Conventional lubricating materials, constrained by limited functionality, susceptibility to degradation, and poor maintainability, are often inadequate...
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Dual-crosslinked poly(γ-glutamic acid)/chitosan nanofiber composite films with enhanced wet mechanical stability

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00162A, Paper

Open Access

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Meng Wei, Ying Yao, Yingbu Liu, Madhurangika Panchabashini Horathal Pedige, Xuke Li, Yu-I Hsu, Hiroshi Uyama, Wei Lu, Tao Chen
Poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PGA) is a biodegradable microbial polypeptide with potential for sustainable film materials, but its strong hydrophilicity and swelling tendency limit its mechanical stability under wet conditions. Herein, we...
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Degradable polyester ternary blends: composition and hybrid compatibilization for flexible packaging

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00109B, Paper

Open Access

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Matias Menossi, Manushri Gunasekaran, Ehsan Pesaranhajiabbas, Amar K. Mohanty, Manjusri Misra
Degradable BioPBS/PBAT/PHBV ternary blends with compatibilizers enhances phase dispersion and interfacial adhesion, producing degradable materials with balanced tensile, flexural, and impact properties.
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Anion exchange beads for PFAS capture using a polymerization-induced microphase separation approach

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00075D, Paper

Open Access

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Ali Arshad, Jongho Back, Katharine A. Faber, William A. Arnold, Philippe Bühlmann, Marc A. Hillmyer
Polymerization-induced microphase separation (PIMS) was used to synthesize PFAS-capturing anion exchange beads that showed favorable kinetics and capacities compared to a commercial resin.
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Tunable enhancement of polyester biocomposites via extrusion with fungi-derived chitin

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D5LP00403A, Paper

Open Access

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported Licence.

Adam T. Caridi, Amelia Kurowska, Erlantz Lizundia, Joshua C. Worch
Chitin nanofibrils isolated from mushrooms are formulated into polyester biocomposites via melt-extrusion. The fungal-derived chitin materials show enhanced stiffness and degradability compared to shrimp-derived chitin counterparts.
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Ageing of inverse vulcanised polymers

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00159A, Paper

Open Access

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Christian W. Schmitt, Andy Mach, Valeria Berner, Eric Pohl, Joseph J. Dale, Birgit Huber, Dominik Voll, Emmanuel Richaud, Ute Schepers, Carl-Christoph Höhne, Patrick Théato
The ageing behaviour of inverse vulcanised polymers, synthesised from fossil and renewable comonomers is investigated under thermal and radiative stress, aqueous environments and biological attack. Graphical abstract partly generated with NotebookLM.
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Redox-responsive photo-polymerizable PEG-based hydrogels: diverse functionalization, 3D-printing, and on-demand degradation for protein release

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00058D, Paper

Open Access

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Meltem Alkis, Altan Gumuskaya, Salli Kocak, Ismail Altinbasak, Rana Sanyal, Amitav Sanyal
Recent years have seen an ever-increasing utilization of redox-responsive polymeric materials for various biomedical applications.
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Tailoring fully biobased optical adhesives via hydrogen-bonding modulation

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00120C, Paper

Open Access

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Benjamin R. Nelson, Vincent Scholiers, Audrey H. Sakamoto, John F. Rynk, Paula A. Pranda, Filip E. Du Prez, Kristi S. Anseth, Christopher N. Bowman
Biobased dithiolane optical adhesives with variable hydrogen bond strength were prepared via photopolymerization and mechanical, optical, and adhesive properties characterized.
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Reinforced saloplastic anion exchange membranes: balancing ionic transport and mechanical stability

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00113K, Paper

Open Access

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Hestie A. Brink, Jeffery A. Wood, Saskia Lindhoud, Wiebe M. de Vos
Developing anion exchange membranes (AEMs) that combine affordability, high conductivity, chemical stability and durability is critical to the practical implementation of many electrochemical processes.
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Hydrophobically modified poly(acrylic acid) coatings on silicone hydrogel contact lenses

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00094K, Paper

Open Access

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Jimin Yoo, Minjoong Shin, Si Chul Rho, Minho Jung, Myungeun Seo
Hydrophobically modified poly(acrylic acid) coatings improve the wettability and lubricity of silicone hydrogel contact lenses.
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Convergence of high throughput experimentation and machine learning to rapidly advance application-specific polymer development

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D5LP00380F, Review Article

Open Access

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Mashrafee Aryan, Daniel Struble, Felix Campbell, Saroj Upreti, S. M. Ashik Abedin, Aahil Khambawla, Jeetain Mittal, Michael S. Dimitriyev, Emily B. Pentzer, Svetlana A. Sukhishvili, Xiaodan Gu, Boran Ma
Machine learning and high throughput experimentation have heavily influenced the way scientific study is done with demonstrated successes in nearly every field.
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Mechanical properties of individual conductive protein nanowires and their percolation behavior in elastomer nanocomposites

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00122J, Paper

Open Access

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Eric Chia, Jayesh M. Sonawane, Trevor L. Woodard, Meng-Chen Chiang, Jessica D. Schiffman, Stephen S. Nonnenmann
The first experimental elastic modulus for individual conductive protein nanowires (1.3 GPa) is established, with rheological and electrical percolation thresholds of 0.8 and 6.7 wt% demonstrated in CPN/PDMS nanocomposites.
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Honeycomb-patterning in soft polymer networks: using geometry to manipulate toughness and failure

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00046K, Paper

Open Access

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Alyssa VanZanten, Emily England, Aditya Ketkar, Cooper Priest, Surbhi Punhani-Schillinger, Hongwei Wu, Giuseppe Buscarnera, Michelle M. Driscoll, Caroline R. Szczepanski
Hexagonal (i.e. honeycomb) patterning in soft polymer networks increases material toughness as a function pattern geometry.
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The rise of polymeric hydrogels, sponges, and electrospun fibers as adsorbents for microplastic removal: prospects for a sustainable future

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00029K, Review Article

Open Access

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Ankita Dhiman, Amit Kumar Sharma, Bartholomew Richard, Priyanka Bharti, Garima Agrawal
Microplastics are significant environmental contaminants affecting human health. Various polymeric adsorbents can play a major role in the effective removal of microplastics.
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Retraction: Flexible PVDF/ZnFe2O4 nanofibers-based magneto-mechano-electrical generator for energy harvesting and sensing applications

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP90010K, Retraction

Open Access

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Durga Prasad Pabba, Nayak Ram, J. Kaarthik, Vijayabhaskara Rao Bhaviripudi, Sandeep Kumar Yadav, M. Satthiyaraju, R. V. Mangalaraja, Radhamanohar Aepuru, Annapureddy Venkateswarlu
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Perspective: ion transport mechanisms and the significance of glass transition temperature in PEO-based polymer blend electrolytes for next-generation Li-batteries

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00078A, Perspective

Open Access

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Marissa Gallmeyer, Thorfinnur A. H. Baldvinsson, Whitney S. Loo
In PEO-based electrolytes, both polymer segmental motion and specific salt chemistry are vital for ion transport. Electrolytes incorporating multiple polymers enable optimization of the ion solvation environment to enhance ion transport.
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3D printable polylactone/2-hydroxylethyl acrylate networks with adjustable post-printing mechanical properties

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP00051G, Paper

Open Access

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Bo Li, Gianluca Bartolini Torres, Na Zhao, Jonathan J. P. Peters, Guonan Ji, Quinten Thijssen, Andreas Heise
2-Hydroxyethyl acrylate containing tetra-cinnamic-acid-functionalised copolyester is photo-crosslinked and 3D printed. UV post-curing triggers [2 + 2] cycloaddition, forming a secondary network that tunes mechanical properties via crosslink density.
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Correction: Effective and sustainable removal of a model fluorescent brightener using bicarbonate-loaded polyelectrolytes in a closed-loop CO2 cycle

RSC Appl. Polym., 2026, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/D6LP90009G, Correction

Open Access

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence.

Eri Yoshida
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