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editorial

editorial

editorial

With the increasing demand for liquid manipulation and microfluidic techniques, surfaces with external stimuli induced real-time tunable wetting properties are getting into the focus of materials science research. In this study, we present poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) copolymer-based composite coatings with thermally adjustable wetting and visible-light photoreactivity. To give thermal responsivity to the spray-coated or doctor blade-casted PDMS surfaces, they were grafted with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm), applying the Activators Regenerated by Electron Transfer – Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ARGET-ATRP) method. As the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the grafted PNIPAAm chains appeared to be 34°C, the copolymer films showed thermoresponsive, and PNIPAAm surface concentration-dependent wetting characteristics. The addition of 15 wt% visible light-active plasmonic Ag-TiO2 photocatalyst nanoparticles (dprimary ~50 nm) enriched the coatings with photocatalytic activity, which was also proven to be temperature-dependent during methylene-blue (MB; c0 = 6.25 mM) photodegradation tests (blue LED-light, λ = 405 nm) at the S/L-interface. Thanks to the real-time tunable wetting and photocatalytic properties, the presented coatings may offer a novel route towards sophisticated liquid manipulation. more...

editorial

editorial

Express Polymer Letters has been published by the Department of Polymer Engineering at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) for 15 years. Under the guidance and dedicated work of Prof. József Karger-Kocsis and Prof. Tibor Czigány, it quickly developed into a prestigious journal and still holds its position as one of the leading journals in its field (JCR IF(2020) 4.161; Q1 in 'Polymer Science'). Since then, the world has changed a lot, both in science and computing, and Prof. Karger-Kocsis is no longer with us. In the last 15 years, the focus of polymer science research has also changed dramatically: e.g. the rise of graphene, functional and smart polymers, biopolymers like polylactic acid, and recycling and environmental issues. Readers' needs have also changed. A significant proportion of articles are being read on smartphones and tablets rather than at a computer desk or in a library. more...