Rheological properties of electrode slurries have been intensively studied for manifold different combinations of active materials and binders. Standardly, solvent-based systems are under use, but a trend towards water-based electrode manufacturing is becoming more and more important. The different solvent is beneficial in terms of sustainability and process safety but is also accompanied by some disadvantages such as extraction of residual humidity and a higher complexity concerning slurry stability. Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) active material provides good long-term stability and can be processed in aqueous solutions. Combining the LTO active material with sodium alginate (SA) as a promising biobased polymer binder reveals good electrochemical properties but suffers from bad slurry stability. In this work, we present a comprehensive rheological study on material interactions in anode slurries consisting of LTO and SA, based on a complex interaction of differentially sized materials. The use of two different surfactants—namely, an anionic and non-ionic one, to enhance slurry stability, compared with surfactant-free slurry.

Ten different hydrogels were prepared and analyzed from the point of view of their use in soil. FT-IR spectra, morphology, swelling ability, and rheological properties were determined for their characterization and appraisal of their stability. The aim was to characterize prepared materials containing different amounts of NPK as mineral fertilizer, lignohumate as a source of organic carbon, and its combination. This study of stability was focused on utility properties in their application in soil—repeated drying/re-swelling cycles and possible freezing in winter. Lignohumate supported the water absorbency, while the addition of NPK caused a negative effect. Pore sizes decreased with NPK addition. Lignohumate incorporated into polymers resulted in a much miscellaneous structure, rich in different pores and voids of with a wide range of sizes. NPK fertilizer supported the elastic character of prepared materials, while the addition of lignohumate shifted their rheological behavior to more liquid. Both dynamic moduli decreased in time. The most stable samples appeared to contain only one fertilizer constituent (NPK or lignohumate). Repeated re-swelling resulted in an increase in elastic character, which was connected with the gradual release of fertilizers. A similar effect was observed with samples that were frozen and defrosted, except samples containing a higher amount of NPK without lignohumate. A positive effect of acrylamide on superabsorbent properties was not confirmed.

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanocomposites with different layered organoclays (variation in the surface treatment of silicate) and one special nanofiller (mixed mineral thixotrope) were melt-compounded using a semi-industrial co-rotating twin-screw extruder. Effects of the silicate surface treatment and shape on the structure as well on processing and utility properties in PLA matrix were investigated. The structural changes in polymer matrix were evaluated from dynamic experiments in the shear flow using low-amplitude oscillatory measurements. Moreover, new approach for morphological investigation of nanocomposites using small-angle X-ray scattering was presented. Concerning utility properties, tests of mechanical and barrier properties were performed to compare enhancement of PLA matrix due to incorporation of different nanoparticles. Surprisingly, filling the PLA matrix with mixed mineral thixotrope resulted into very high material performance (in particular, significant improvement in barrier properties) compared to filling with commercial layered silicates. In this way, new type of nanofiller for PLA applications has been successfully tested.

Dynamic covalent polymer networks (DCPNs) have been developed in recent years to offer distinctive mechanical properties and shape responsiveness in covalently cured polymer materials, thereby bestowing them with desirable characteristics such as self‐healing and recyclability. To achieve these desirable properties, dynamic polymers incorporate reversible covalent bonds that enable shape morphing without causing irreversible chemical degradation of the network structure. Lewis pairs (LP), forming coordinate covalent bonds, sometimes referred to as dative covalent bonds, exhibit a broad range of bond dissociation rates and energies, making them inherently interesting for designing DCPNs. However, LPs have been relatively unexplored as polymer building blocks. Here, we present a straightforward approach to prepare LP‐based polymers based on archetypical nitrogen‐borane adducts with an organoborane‐functionalized polydimethylsiloxane combined with commercially available Lewis base (LB) polymers. The dynamic behavior of the organoborane‐functionalized system and LB polymers is investigated, demonstrating tunable reversibility in cured elastomers. The excess of LB facilitates rapid recapture and reformation of the covalent network, contributing to the system's reversible and self‐healing nature. Notably, the system allows easy mixing of different LB polymers, enabling the creation of tuning the system, and hence organoborane‐based LPs are demonstrated to be a promising building block for tunable DCPNs.

Bending is one of the dominant material deformation mechanisms that occurs during the forming process of unidirectional (UD) thermoplastic tapes. Experimental characterization of the bending behavior at processing temperatures is crucial to obtaining close-to-reality data sets for process analysis or material modeling for process simulation. The main purpose of this study is to characterize to a high degree of accuracy the temperature-dependent bending behavior of single and multi-ply specimens of carbon fiber-reinforced polycarbonate (PC/CF) UD tapes at processing temperatures, which implies a molten state of the thermoplastic matrix. The application of the rotation bending test using a customized fixture may come with systematic deviations in the measured moment that result from a pivot offset or an effective clearance that is unknown under realistic test conditions. The present research analyzes these effects with analytical methods, experimental investigations, and simulations using a finite element model. In this context, a compensation method for the toe-in effect is evaluated. With this approach, we were able to obtain reliable data and characterize the bending resistance within the desired processing window. The data reveal a major drop in bending resistance between 200 °C and 250 °C and a less significant decrease between 250 °C and 300 °C. Analysis of the thickness-normalized bending resistances indicates a non-linear relationship between specimen thickness and measured moment but an increasing shear-dominated characteristic at higher temperatures.