The main challenge of modern polymer science is to search for ways of further development of polymer civilization, which obviously includes living organisms on the Earth, without harmful consequences for civilization and the planet in its entirety. The review considers approaches to handle the problem of environmental accumulation of plastic waste. Promising trends in the development of polymer technologies, which can significantly reduce the amount of waste produced, are highlighted. Separate Sections address original methods of additive manufacturing technologies, such as the extrusion printing technique to produce multilayer films, 3D printing by using high-temperature polyimide materials, new functional siloxane oligomers and hydrogels for medical uses. Much attention is paid to the development and applications of biodegradable materials in medicine, packaging industry and agriculture. An analysis of the European strategy for plastics and plastic disposal demonstrates that it has a number of limitations due to high energy requirements and changes in Earth's carbon balance. The modern approach to plastic waste management free from these shortcomings is briefly outlined. Bibliography — 1233 references.

For the first time, a study of the influence of the molecular weight of the thermoplastic partially crystalline polyimide R-BAPB on the thermophysical and mechanical properties of carbon plastics was presented. The molecular weight of polyimide was determined using the method of light scattering and the study of the intrinsic viscosity of polyamic acid solutions. To obtain CFRPs, the uniform distribution of polyimide powder on continuous carbon fibers via electrostatic spraying and further hot calendering and pressing were applied. The study of the structure of the obtained carbon plastics via scanning electron microscopy has shown that the growth of the molecular weight of polyimide prevents the impregnation of carbon fiber with the introduced polyimide. Moreover, an increase in the molecular weight of polyimide leads to a rise in glass transition and thermal decomposition temperatures up to 590 °C, while the degree of crystallinity of CFRP falls. Nonetheless, raising the molecular weight from 22,000 to 70,000 g/mol of a binder polymer improves the interlayer fracture toughness G_1C by more than five times.

The synthesis of a composite coating with an (R–OOO)FT polyimide matrix is described and results of studying the tribological behavior of this coating are presented. Spherical 40-nm tungsten disulfide nanoparticles produced using gas-phase synthesis are used as a filler.

The effects of additives of single-walled carbon nanotubes prepared via electric-arc synthesis and carbon nanofibers produced via gas-phase synthesis on the crystallization capacities and mechanical and electric properties of composite films of a thermoplastic polyimide (PI) matrix based on 1,3-bis-(3,3′, 4,4′-dicarboxyphenoxy)benzene and 4,4′-bis-(4-aminophenoxy)biphenyl after their uniaxial drawing and additional annealing are studied. The use of these fillers induces the heterogeneous nucleation of a crystalline phase of PI on the nanoparticle surface. A higher specific interface area in the case of addition of carbon nanotubes relative to that of carbon nanofibers leads to the formation of the crystalline structure of PI with a small crystallite size and high imperfection. Uniaxial drawing leads to the formation of a supermolecular structure that is optimum for crystallization during additional annealing and removes the kinetic hindrances to crystal growth. The properties of these fillers have a significant effect on the orientation of the nanoparticles and the matrix macromolecules during the uniaxial drawing of the films, which is accompanied by an increase in the elastic modulus with an increase in the draw ratio and the ability of the composite films to undergo orientational crystallization during additional annealing.

The present work evaluates the transport properties of thermoplastic R-BAPB polyimide based on 1,3-bis(3,3′,4,4′-dicarboxyphenoxy)benzene (dianhydride R) and 4,4′-bis(4-aminophenoxy)biphenyl (diamine BAPB). Both experimental studies and molecular dynamics simulations were applied to estimate the diffusion coefficients and solubilities of various gases, such as helium (He), oxygen (O₂), nitrogen (N₂), and methane (CH₄). The validity of the results obtained was confirmed by studying the correlation of the experimental solubilities and diffusion coefficients of He, O₂, and N₂ in R-BAPB, with their critical temperatures and the effective sizes of the gas molecules, respectively. The solubilities obtained in the molecular dynamics simulations are in good quantitative agreement with the experimental data. A good qualitative relationship between the simulation results and the experimental data is also observed when comparing the diffusion coefficients of the gases. Analysis of the Robeson plots shows that R-BAPB has high selectivity for He, N₂, and CO₂ separation from CH₄, which makes it a promising polymer for developing gas-separation membranes. From this point of view, the simulation models developed and validated in the present work may be put to effective use for further investigations into the transport properties of R-BAPB polyimide and nanocomposites based on it.