Wen-Zhen Wang

This study tackles the poor flame retardancy of CO ₂ ‐based poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) by synthesizing a known biobased phosphorus‐containing monomer, DOPO‐ITA, and for the first time, incorporating it as a flame‐retardant functional third monomer into the copolymerization of CO ₂ and propylene oxide, yielding flame‐retardant PPCD. Structural characterization confirmed the successful synthesis. PPCD exhibited outstanding flame retardancy, with a limiting oxygen index of 32.2%, a V‐0 rating, and no melt dripping. SEM analysis provided insights into the flame‐retardant mechanism. Thermal analysis showed a 51% increase in initial decomposition temperature and a 36% rise in glass transition temperature, indicating significantly improved thermal stability. Mechanically, tensile strength and Young's modulus increased by 143% and 420%, respectively. This work presents an efficient, eco‐friendly strategy for enhancing the flame retardancy of CO ₂ ‐based polycarbonates and highlights the promise of biobased phosphorus‐containing flame retardants in sustainable materials.

To address the issues of “white pollution” and soil ecological damage caused by the nonbiodegradable nature of traditional polyethylene mulch films, this study employs a ZnGA/DMC composite catalyst and sorbitol (E420) as the third monomer through a one‐pot terpolymerization reaction of CO ₂ and PO, successfully prepared a sorbitol‐modified polycarbonate (PPC‐E420). Compared with unmodified PPC, PPC‐E420 was significantly optimized in terms of thermal stability and mechanical properties, with an increase of 107°C in the 5% heat loss temperature ( T _{d, ‐5%} ), 170°C in total heat loss temperature ( T _{d, max} ) and 22°C in the glass transition temperature ( T _g ). The tensile strength was increased from 15.7 to 32.7 MPa, the elongation at break was decreased from 320.3% to 14.2%, and the thermal elongation was reduced from 312.5% to 51%. Meanwhile, the hydroxyl group of E420 endowed the material with excellent hydrophilicity and degradability, the water vapor transmission rate increased to 566.78 g/(m ² ·24 h), with mass retention rate decreasing to 48.14% after 10 weeks of degradation. This study provides a new strategy for the development of high‐performance PPC‐based biodegradable mulch film, which has the dual value of CO ₂ resource utilization and environmental pollution control.

To address the flammability issue of CO ₂ ‐based polycarbonate (PPC), this study synthesized a phosphorus‐containing flame retardant via the addition reaction of maleic anhydride (MA) and lowly oxidized diphenyl phosphine oxide (DPO), and further prepared a high‐phosphorus‐content flame‐retardant functional CO ₂ ‐based polycarbonate material (PPCO) by incorporating this monomer as the third component in ternary copolymerization of CO ₂ and propylene oxide (PO). Performance testing revealed that the thermal properties of PPCO significantly improved with increasing content of the phosphorus‐containing monomer. Compared to PPC, its 5% weight‐loss degradation temperature ( T _d,−5% ) and maximum weight‐loss degradation temperature ( T _d,max ) increased by 96°C and 93°C, respectively, while the glass transition temperature ( T _g ) reached 46°C. In terms of mechanical properties, the tensile strength of PPCO increased by 15.9 MPa and Young's modulus improved by 4.3‐fold relative to PPC. Most importantly, PPCO exhibited outstanding flame retardancy, achieving a limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 33.9% and meeting the UL‐94 V‐0 rating (no dripping). This research provides new insights for developing high‐performance flame‐retardant polycarbonate materials, and PPCO shows potential applications in flame‐retardant materials for building exteriors and the electronics industry.

While organogel adsorbent resins demonstrate excellent performance in organic pollutant separation, their limited reusability and high carbon footprint significantly restrict further development and application. Addressing the urgent environmental challenge of CO ₂ emissions, we leveraged the inherent biodegradability and eco‐compatibility of CO ₂ ‐derived poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) to synthesize a series of highly crosslinked PPCG materials by incorporating glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)—a monomer featuring carbon–carbon double bonds, ester groups, and epoxy functionalities—during terpolymerization. The introduced ester groups facilitate chemisorption and enhanced diffusion of lipophilic organics. Studies confirmed PPCG's exceptional adsorption capacity for chloroform, benzene, toluene, and tetrahydrofuran (THF), achieving a remarkable 977% swelling ratio for chloroform. After 8 adsorption–desorption cycles, all PPCG variants (PPCG1–PPCG5) retained > 95% adsorption efficiency. Thermal and mechanical analyses further validated that increased crosslinking density improved material stability. This green, reusable organogel adsorbent addresses the critical gap in applying CO ₂ ‐based polycarbonates to separation technologies, establishing a novel functionalization strategy for next‐generation adsorbent design.

Excessive Mn(VII) and Cr(VI) ions threaten environmental safety and public health. As a result, effective environmental water quality monitoring is required, and the development of materials for rapid and precise detection of hazardous ions in aqueous solutions is imperative. In this study, carbon dioxide‐based polycarbonates containing tetraphenylethylene skeletons‐based groups (herein referred to as PPCTs) were synthesized in an unprecedented one‐pot method using 4‐(1,2,2‐triphenylethenyl) phenol (T) as the monomer with carbon dioxide and propylene oxide. Fluorescence characterization indicated that modified PPCT retained the aggregation‐induced luminescence properties of T. A significant overlap was observed between the ultraviolet absorption bands of the polymer and the MnO₄ ²⁻, and Cr₂O₇ ²⁻ ions, inducing an internal filter effect that resulted in fluorescence quenching of the PPCT solution. The probe demonstrated specific selectivity against interference, as well as high sensitivity toward these anions, with limits of detection as low as 47.8 nM, 0.438 μM, and 1.12 μM, respectively. Furthermore, the modified PPCT demonstrated enhanced thermal properties compared with those of conventional PPC materials, which are crucial for its application in harsh environments. This innovative material synthesized using CO₂ offers a new approach to ion detection in real samples and broadens the scope of poly(propylene carbonate) in fluorescence sensing applications.

Pressure‐sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are widely used in daily life, but their poor degradability poses significant challenges to sustainable development. To address this, we synthesized a polycarbonate, PPCB, using carbon dioxide and propylene oxide as raw materials, incorporating rigid benzene rings and ester functional groups. PPCB exhibited a T _d,−5%, and T _d,max that were 58.5% and 30.7% higher than those of polypropylene carbonate (PPC), respectively. Its highest tensile strength was 55% higher than PPC, while its elongation at break decreased from 421% to 165%. The 180° peel strength of PPCB reached 5.2 ± 0.56 N/cm, surpassing that of some commercial products such as Duct‐tape. PPCB demonstrated high and stable adhesion strength (~52 N) on various substrates. Its adhesion strength to skin tissue was 26.6 ± 1.6 kPa, significantly higher than that of commercially available fibrin glue. Rheological studies indicated that PPCB maintained high viscosity throughout the testing process, with a lap shear strength close to 4.56 MPa. Additionally, PPCB showed excellent degradability, with a high water absorption rate and significant weight loss. PPCB also exhibited good biocompatibility, with a cell viability rate greater than 90%. PPCB has the potential to become a novel degradable PSA, providing a new solution for environmental sustainability.