Butterfly Wing Microstructure Inspired Solid/Porous Alternating Layered Structures: In Situ Visualization of Confined Foaming.

This study explores confined foaming in micro-/nano-layered (MNL) solid/porous alternating structures inspired by the hierarchical architecture of Ulysses butterfly wings. Biomimetic MNL films composed of alternating polycarbonate (PC) and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) layers (17-513 layers) are fabricated via advanced coextrusion and foaming techniques. In situ visualization reveals confinement effects dependent on layer thickness; while nucleation primarily occurrs at PC/PMMA interfaces due to reduced energy barriers, a strong confinement zone within 10 µm of the interfaces significantly restricts cell growth, most notably in the 129-layer and 513-layer samples, where single-cell rows are observed.

Mechanical property enhancement of poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate)-based composites via filling with cellulose-rich biofiber from kimchi cabbage byproducts.

Despite their promise as industrial materials, kimchi cabbage byproducts (KCBs) are typically disposed of through landfilling or incineration. Previous research on KCB recycling has primarily focused on low-value applications, which do not fully exploit the potential of these byproducts as sources of cellulose-rich biofiber (CRB). To bridge this gap, this study investigated the ability of CRB extracted from KCBs to enhance the mechanical properties of poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) composites.

Controlling stereocomplex crystal morphology in poly(lactide) through chain alignment.

The incorporation of poly(d-lactide) (PDLA) to form stereocomplex crystallites (SCs) within a poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) matrix is among the most effective strategies in overcoming PLLA's numerous drawbacks. However, high concentrations of PDLA (>3 wt%) are required to improve PLLA's crystallization kinetics and melt strength, which is undesirable owing to PDLA's high cost. In this study, we use chain alignment as a levier to tune stereocomplex superstructure morphology to overcome these limitations.