The increased need for pure and safe water has motivated many researchers and scientists to pay more attention for clearing the colored water from the toxic dyes. This study is based on the production of a novel hydrogel by the free radical‐induced polymerization of acrylamide (AAm) and acrylic acid (AA) with 3‐Allyloxy‐2‐hydroxy‐1‐propanesulfonic acid sodium salt (AHPS) using the radical initiator, benzoyl peroxide, and the multifunctional cross‐linker, Pentaerythritol Tetraallyl Ether(PTE). Confirmation of synthesis was done by aid of the Fourier transform infrared spectra, energy‐dispersive X‐ray, and the scanning electron microscope (SEM). SEM micrographs indicated the three‐dimensional cross‐linked structure of the hydrogels. The thermal properties were evaluated via the thermal gravimetric analysis. The swelling percentage and swelling kinetic parameters were determined. It was found that swelling of P(AAm‐AA‐AHPS) hydrogels was reached to 7,071% in distilled water, while P(AAm‐AA) hydrogels swelled 1,055%. And the swelling percentage was found to be affected by pH of the surrounding medium. The AHPS‐based hydrogel giving the greatest swelling % was tested as a methylene blue remover from the aqueous solution by the batch adsorption method. Studying the adsorption kinetics and isotherm showed that the pseudo‐second‐order and the Freundlich model described well the adsorption process, and the highest adsorption capacity reached 79.42 mg/g.

Series of ethylene/1‐alkene and ethylene‐propylene‐diene copolymers are separated with size exclusion chromatography (SEC) at 150°C using 1,2,4‐trichlorobenzene as the mobile phase. Methyl (CH3–) and methylene (–CH2–) groups in the separated polymer samples are monitored at specific wavelengths via a filter‐based infrared detector (IR5). It is found that the ratio of CH3/CH2 may increase, be constant, decrease or change irregularly along the molar mass axis, depending on the sample under investigation. Because the CH3/CH2 profiles may be very different even for a given series of copolymers synthesized with the same catalyst, it is supposed that one or more experimental parameters, which are not strictly controlled throughout synthesis, are responsible for these substantial differences in the chemical composition along the molar mass axis. The correlation between the ratio of CH3– to –CH2– groups and the average chemical composition of the investigated series of polymer samples as well as the reproducibility of the measurements and the limit of detection of the SEC‐IR5 measurements are evaluated. Coupling of SEC with the advanced IR5‐detector enables the convenient and reliable characterization of the chemical composition of many polyolefin materials along their molar mass axis. The monitoring of the chemical composition may help to improve quality of synthesized copolymers.

This article presents the possibility of strength improvement and energy absorption of carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites by matrix modification. In this study, the mechanical properties of bisphenol-A epoxy matrix and carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites were modified with four different wt.% of star-shaped polymer n-butyl methacrylate (P n-BMA) block glycidyl methacrylate (PGMA). The tensile strength of the epoxy with 1 wt.% star-shaped polymer showed 128% increase in comparison to unmodified epoxy samples. Two different wt.% were then used for the modification of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer composite samples. Tensile tests and low-velocity impact tests were conducted for characterising modified samples. Tensile test results performed showed a slight improvement in the tensile strength and modulus of the composite. Low-velocity impact tests showed that addition of 1 wt.% star-shaped polymer additives increase composite energy absorption by 53.85%, compared to pure epoxy composite specimens. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of post-impact specimens displays fracture modes and bonding between the matrix and fibre in the composites. These results demonstrate the potential of a novel star-shaped polymer as an additive material for automotive composite parts, where energy absorption is significant.