Drought is a major environmental constraint that negatively affects crop germination, seedling establishment, and overall yield. This study presents a sustainable approach to improving wheat productivity under water-deficit conditions through the application of a gellan gum-based hydrogel enriched with the growth stimulant. The hydrogel was synthesized by inducing ionic gelation of gellan gum using potassium chloride and ammonium sulfate, forming a robust, cross-linked polymer network. Wheat seeds were coated with one to eight layers of the hydrogel using a sequential dipping and drying process. Optimal seedling performance was achieved with a two-layer coating, balancing sufficient water retention with adequate gas exchange. FTIR spectroscopy and pH analysis confirmed ionic interactions between Kaz-6 and the carboxyl groups of gellan, supporting its stable incorporation within the polymer matrix. Mechanical characterization showed that ammonium sulfate significantly enhanced gel strength and cross-linking density compared to potassium chloride. Laboratory germination assays and greenhouse trials demonstrated that seeds coated with gellan hydrogel containing Kaz-6 showed enhanced germination rates, greater biomass accumulation, and significantly improved drought tolerance—surviving up to 10 days longer than controls under water-limited conditions. These findings highlight the potential of biopolymer-based hydrogels as eco-friendly seed coating materials that can improve crop resilience and productivity in arid environments. The proposed formulation aligns with sustainable agriculture goals and represents a promising direction for future field-scale applications in climate-adaptive farming systems.

Although chitosan (CS) is used in many industries because of its low cost, biodegradability, nontoxic, antibacterial, and antioxidant qualities, it lacks sufficient mechanical and barrier properties. Biodegradable polymers based on CS, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and starch (S) were prepared at various ratios (1/3/6 and 1/5/4) via a blending polymerization process in the presence of water as the solvent and glacial acetic acid as the catalyst. The obtained biodegradable polymers were characterized via FTIR, TGA, SEM, and mechanical tests. The biodegradable polymers were mixed with rice straw and carbon black to study the effects of rice straw and carbon black on the physicomechanical properties of the biodegradable polymer films, including viscosity, tensile strength, elongation, and contact angle. The incorporation of rice straw and carbon black into a polymer blend significantly enhanced the physical and mechanical properties while also boosting their biodegradability by 36% and 15%, respectively, due to their biological activity. Notably, the CS/PVA/S blend with a ratio of 1/5/4, combined with rice straw, emerged as the standout performer. It exhibited superior mechanical strength and the shortest degradation time, outperforming the CS/PVA/S blended with a ratio of 1/3/6 mixed with carbon black. According to these findings, the biodegradable polymers became more soluble as the temperature increased from 30 to 45 °C.

Despite its broad application due to its affordability, biodegradability, and natural antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, chitosan (CS) still exhibits limitations in mechanical strength and barrier effectiveness. Owing to its unique chemical characteristics, itaconic acid (IT) presents potential as a compatibilizing agent in polymeric blend formulations. Biodegradable polymers composed of chitosan (CS), itaconic acid (IT), and starch (S) were synthesized using two polymerization methods. The first method involved grafting IT onto CS at varying ratios of IT (4%, 6%, and 8% wt.), using 1% v/v acetic acid/water as the solvent and potassium persulfate as the initiator. In the second approach, starch (S) was blended with the copolymer P(CS-g-IT) at concentrations of 1%, 3%, and 5%, utilizing water as the solvent and glacial acetic acid as a catalyst. The resulting biodegradable films underwent characterization through FTIR, TGA, SEM, and mechanical property analysis. To further explore the effects of combining IT, starch, and carbon black, the blends, referred to as P[(CS-g-IT)-b-S], were also loaded with carbon black. This allowed for the evaluation of the materials’ physicomechanical properties, such as viscosity, tensile strength, elongation, and contact angle. The findings demonstrated that the presence of IT, starch, and carbon black collectively improved the films’ mechanical performance, physical traits, and biodegradability. Among the samples, the blended copolymer with 1% starch exhibited the highest mechanical properties, followed by the grafted copolymer with 8% IT and the blended copolymer mixed with carbon black at 7%. In contrast, the blended copolymer with 5% starch showed the highest hydrophilicity and the shortest degradation time compared to the grafted copolymer with 8% IT and the blended copolymer mixed with 7% carbon black.

An advanced methodology of phase transition determination in aqueous solutions of thermo-sensitive polymers by using of the phase portraits method has been suggested. The methodology allows highly accurate determining the temperature when exactly a half of molecules loses solubility (from the maximum number that can go to another phase state under given conditions). It is shown that since phase transition passes usually in a wide enough temperature interval this indicator should be used as a quantitative parameter that characterizes phase transition process. Additionally the suggested methodology allows introducing one more quantitative parameter that reflects a sharpness of phase transition. The methodology is verified by an example of phase transitions study in aqueous solutions of thermo-sensitive copolymers based on N-vinylpyrrolidone and vinyl propyl ether.

This study examined the effect of partially replacing semi-reinforcing carbon black grade N550 (up to 10 pts. wt.) and fully replacing industrial chalk with natural shungite mineral in industrial formulations of elastomer compositions intended for manufacturing various rubber technical products. It has been shown that due to the high content of carbon and silicon components in the composition of shungite mineral micropowders, their use as a filler in elastomer formulations significantly improves the physical and mechanical properties of rubber technical products (RTPs) manufactured using such compositions. It was determined that the use of SM as a partial replacement for carbon black in rubbers intended for molded rubber technical products contributes to a reduction in Mooney viscosity (up to 26.8%) and optimal vulcanization time (up to 23.7%), achieving rubbers with the required set of physical–mechanical properties and with an enhancing sealing capability (up to 19.7%). It has been established that the use of shungite mineral micropowders as a complete replacement for industrial chalk increases the strength of rubber products (RTPs) by up to 18.5% and enhances their resistance to liquid aggressive environments.

Mixtures containing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and methylcellulose (MC) were obtained and used to synthesize hydrogels in various ratios of components. The swelling kinetics of the resulting hydrogels were studied, revealing that the equilibrium swelling degree in artificial saliva is nearly twice as high as in water. It was found that increasing the volumetric content of PVA in the mixture leads to a higher swelling degree. The kinetics of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) sorption and release from the hydrogels were also investigated. It was demonstrated that hydrogels with a higher PVA content exhibit greater sorption capacity; however, the release of the API from such samples occurs at a slower rate. For the first time, the mucoadhesive properties of PVA-MC-based hydrogels were studied. It was established that the PVA-MC hydrogel with a ratio of 6:4 vol.% remained on the surface of the porcine cheek mucosa for two days, the 5.5:4.5 vol.% sample detached after 24 h, and the 5:5 vol.% sample adhered for approximately 10 h. These findings confirm the mucoadhesive potential of the hydrogels and their suitability for buccal drug delivery forms. The synthesized PVA-MC hydrogels are promising for applications in medicine and pharmacology.