List of Abstracts

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are promising soft actuator materials because they combine rubber elasticity with anisotropic liquid-crystalline order. Their molecular alignment can be reversibly altered by thermal stimulation, resulting in macroscopic deformation near the nematic–isotropic transition temperature. In this study, thermally responsive LCE/carbon nanotube (CNT) composite films were fabricated by laminating CNT sheets onto uniaxially aligned LCE films. The LCE films were prepared through a two-step crosslinking process consisting of partial thermal curing, mechanical stretching, and subsequent UV curing to stabilize the aligned structure. The CNT sheets served as a functional surface layer to improve heat transfer and facilitate thermally driven deformation of the LCE matrix. The actuation performance of the composite films was characterized by optical imaging, while their surface temperature evolution was monitored using infrared thermal imaging. The LCE/CNT composite films demonstrated stable and reversible shape changes during repeated heating and cooling cycles, confirming the effective coupling between the aligned LCE matrix and the CNT layer. These findings highlight the potential of LCE/CNT composite films as lightweight, thermally driven soft actuators for adaptive structures, artificial muscles, and next-generation soft robotic systems.

Programmable, stimuli-responsive materials are of significant interest for soft robotics, adaptive electronics, and wearable or implantable biomedical devices as promising alternatives to conventional rigid mechanical and electronic systems. Among them, liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) offer unique advantages by converting external stimuli into large, reversible, and programmable deformations through the coupling of molecular anisotropy and rubber elasticity. This presentation highlights our recent advances in functional LCE materials, spanning molecular patterning, semicrystalline network engineering, composite architectures, and intelligent device integration. Topics focus on semicrystalline network engineering in LCEs, enabling reversible two-order-of-magnitude changes in mechanical modulus. The incorporation of crystalline domains in LCEs further enables electrically driven LCE composite fibers for reconfigurable artificial muscles and photochemically driven LCE springs for underwater robotic actuators. Collectively, these advances illustrate how molecular order programming, anisotropic network design, and advanced processing strategies can be integrated to expand the role of functional stimuli-responsive polymeric materials in next-generation intelligent robotics, adaptive electronics, and sustainable technologies.

The host–guest interactions involving cyclodextrins (CDs) have gained significant interest due to the distinctive selectivity of these cyclic oligosaccharides, such as α-cyclodextrin (α-CD), β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), and γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD). As CDs are characterized by a hydrophilic exterior and a relatively hydrophobic interior cavity ability to encapsulate different guest molecules through non-covalent interactions. Therefore, CDs have been investigated extensively in applications such as pharmaceuticals, environmental science, catalysis, and energy. Recently, the advantage of CDs in terms of cavity size and ion transport properties has sparked growing interest in their use as lithium-ion (Li⁺) diffusion channels within Li⁺-ion battery systems. Therefore, the research focuses on the potential use of CD-based crosslinked superporous cryogel adsorbents, specifically poly(CD) based cryogels. The adsorption capabilities of the developed cryogels for Li⁺ ions will be thoroughly assessed through the analysis of adsorption kinetics and equilibrium isotherms. Additionally, the influence of the competing ions that are typically present in both natural and industrial water, such as Na⁺, K⁺, and Ca²⁺, on the adsorption process of Li⁺ will be examined. The distribution coefficients, selectivity coefficients, and relative selectivity coefficients of the synthesized cryogel systems will be compared to clarify how cyclodextrin cavity size and polymeric structure affect affinity for Li⁺ ions. To further improve Li⁺ selectivity, the cryogel that exhibits the most effective adsorption performance will be chemically modified with 2-hydroxymethyl-12-crown-ether (12-CE), a well-established Li+-selective ligand known for forming stable complexes with Li⁺ ions. The proposed materials offer a promising, reusable, and efficient solution for the selective adsorption and recovery of Li⁺ ions, thereby contributing to sustainable management for Li⁺ resources and engineering of multifunctional materials and structures for the advancement of new sustainable material technologies.

New catalytic and initiating systems for ATRP were developed to prepare various well-defined polymers with precisely controlled macromolecular architecture under environmentally benign conditions, with ppm amounts of catalysts, in an aqueous environment, and in open air with temporal control by light, electrical current, mechanical forces, or benign chemicals such as ascorbic acid.  The dynamic exchange between active radicals and dormant species catalyzed by ppm amounts of copper catalyst in atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) enabled access to uniform star, comb, bottlebrush, or cyclic polymers with controlled chain composition, such as block, gradient, or periodic structures. Macromolecular engineering provided access to designed bioconjugates by covalently linking synthetic polymers with proteins or nucleic acids and attaching polymers to inorganic surfaces. Such well-defined polymers and hybrid materials outperform conventional commercial products; they can self-assemble, self-repair, depolymerize back to monomers and respond to external stimuli.

Vat photopolymerization, particularly Digital Light Processing (DLP), has emerged as a powerful additive manufacturing technology for producing complex three-dimensional polymer architectures with high resolution and precise geometric control.[1} Beyond conventional 3D printing, this technology enables the design of photocurable materials at the molecular level and the establishment of relationships among chemical structure, photopolymerization behavior, processing conditions, and resulting functional properties.

In this presentation, we will discuss on the development of functional polymeric materials for vat photopolymerization, focusing on the design and formulation of photocurable systems and their transformation into functional 3D architectures by DLP. Different approaches to incorporating chemical functionality into printable materials will be presented, including modifications to polymer backbones and the integration of functional components into photocurable formulations.{2,3} Particular attention will be given to the relationships among material composition, photopolymerization, printability, and the structure–property relationships that develop after 3D printing.

Examples of our work involving polyhydroxyurethane-based materials, functionalized poly(vinyl alcohol) systems, acrylic monomers, and photoluminescent polymer networks{4} will be discussed to illustrate how molecular and formulation design can be used to tailor the optical, mechanical, and interfacial properties of printed architectures. The possibility of controlling functionality through printing parameters and multilayer architectures will also be highlighted.

Overall, these studies demonstrate that vat photopolymerization can be considered not only a manufacturing technique but also a materials engineering platform in which molecular design, photochemistry, formulation, and three-dimensional architecture can be integrated simultaneously to produce advanced functional materials.

Vat photopolymerization, particularly Digital Light Processing (DLP), has emerged as a powerful additive manufacturing technology for producing complex three-dimensional polymer architectures with high resolution and precise geometric control.[1] Beyond conventional 3D printing, this technology enables the design of photocurable materials at the molecular level and the establishment of relationships among chemical structure, photopolymerization behavior, processing conditions, and resulting functional properties.

In this presentation, we will discuss on the development of functional polymeric materials for vat photopolymerization, focusing on the design and formulation of photocurable systems and their transformation into functional 3D architectures by DLP. Different approaches to incorporating chemical functionality into printable materials will be presented, including modifying polymer backbones and integrating functional components into photocurable formulations.[2,3] Particular attention will be given to the relationships among material composition, photopolymerization, printability, and the structure–property relationships that develop after 3D printing.

Examples of our work involving polyhydroxyurethane-based materials, functionalized poly(vinyl alcohol) systems, acrylic monomers, and photoluminescent polymer networks will be discussed[4] to illustrate how molecular and formulation design can be used to tailor the optical, mechanical, and interfacial properties of printed architectures. The possibility of controlling functionality through printing parameters and multilayer architectures will also be highlighted.

Overall, these studies demonstrate that vat photopolymerization can be considered not only a manufacturing technique but also a materials engineering platform in which molecular design, photochemistry, formulation, and three-dimensional architecture can be integrated simultaneously to produce advanced functional materials.

Although natural polymers such as silk were used for millennia, synthetic polymers got significant attention less than 100 years ago. Despite this short history, polymers are now broadly used in many technologies. However, the enormous volume of polymers produced in recent decades, and their low recyclability creates enormous ecological problems, and microplastics pollution even affects human health. This lecture focuses on polymers and networks that incorporate dynamic (reversible) bonds, such as hydrogen, ionic or dynamic covalent bonds. This makes polymer-based materials not only recyclable, but also enables unique properties such as self-healing, shape memory, time programmable behavior and extreme toughness [1,2]. The talk will overview studies of dynamics and viscoelastic properties of model polymers and polymer composites with dynamic bonds. Based on a broad range of experimental data, we reveal the major mechanisms controlling viscoelastic properties of polymers with dynamic bonds and propose a general model describing their unique properties [3,4]. We also demonstrate good recyclability of materials with dynamic bonds [5,6]. At the end, we describe a way to sustainable polymers based on bio-derived chemicals with dynamic bonds that provide materials recyclable by design.

Van der Waals (vdW) interactions have opened a new path for polymers enabling autonomous self-healing by forming key-and-lock,[1] ring-and-lock,[2]and σ-σ-lock [3] interactions in commodity aliphatic and aromatic copolymers. Driven by through-space inter- and intra-chain vdW forces, new mechanisms leading to self-healing utilizing non-covalent rebonding were discovered Taking advantage of the placement of dipolar and polar side groups along macromolecular chains, disrupted vdW interactions between neighboring copolymer segments return to their initial equilibrium conformations.[3] Since ubiquitous dipole-dipole, dipole-induced dipole, and induced-dipole/induced-dipole interactions can be significantly affected by the presence of ionic liquids (IL) copolymerized into a single poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) macromolecule, applying an electric field accelerates self-healing.[4,5] These inter- and/or intrachain interactions will also modulate electric storage and multi-value logic (MVL) states through molecular engineering of chain length, copolymer architecture, and topology. Aside from the opportunity to advance limited knowledge of polar-dipolar interactions, under non-equilibrium conditions, polar-dipolar interactions facilitate ion-lock energy storage by emplacing cation-anion pairs along aliphatic side groups, thereby maintaining their locations for extended times. The degree of cation-anion pair polarization governs the energy storage beyond classical approximations, whereas ion-dipole, dipole-induced dipole, and dipole-dipole coupling facilitate multi-logic circuitry.[6]

Hydrocolloids and bio-inks based on nanocellulose gels have been subject of growing research interest from both industrial and academic field, since various advantages are inherent when use biopolymers for this goal such as biocompatibility, renewability, biodegradability, low toxicity and biosorption capacities among others.¹ Direct Ink Writing (DIW) is classified as extrusion modeling method and is a great tool for 3D printing of several highly viscous solutions having the advantage of doing any design with high accuracy compared with the CAD model used. The obtention of nanocellulose derived from Mexican biomass has been of interest in our research group.² Herein, we report the design of hydrocolloids and bio-inks based on nanocellulose gels obtained from Nopal (Opuntia Ficus Indica) for the 3D printing of structures. The final 3D printed aerogels were based on nanocellulose/sodium alginate NCel-AS, or adding a small amount of GO, and nanocellulose and guar gum NCel-Guar in order to use them for the design of bio-inks to be printable by DIW. The printability of the bio-inks was demonstrated by rheology studies and correlated with the accuracy in the 3D printed models, showing that the bio-inks have the necessary thixotropic behavior in order to promotes the self-construction during the layer-by-layer 3D printing process. SEM characterization showed a continuous porous material formed of randomly oriented platelets-like morphology. By XRD was possible to identify the characteristic crystalline structure of cellulose type I and type II depending of the used mercerized methodology of the nopal fibers. These lightweight aerogels-type were used as adsorbents for lead (II) ion uptake from water, and for the capture of particulate matter in air as an excellent bio-filter to trap PM 2.5 and PM 10. Furthermore, in this talk will be possible to offer an overview on the use of lignocellulosic native Mexican biomass as novel eco-friendly materials for the obtention of nanocellulose based nanocomposites which drive the valorization of cellulose-rich wastes. 

Radiodermatitis is a skin reaction caused by exposure to ionizing radiation from radiotherapy in cancer patients, causing radiolysis [1]. The main treatment method used is corticosteroid-based ointments; however, prolonged use leads to loss of effectiveness and adverse effects, making it necessary to seek new treatment methods [2]. Therefore, this work aims to develop and characterize a nanotechnology formulation with frankincense essential oil diluted in sea buckthorn oil (SEO), for application to the skin for the treatment of radiodermatitis. For the development of the nanocapsules, the nanoprecipitation method was used, with the organic phase consisting of 0.4 g of polycaprolactone in 100 mL of acetone and the aqueous phase consisting of 0.4 g of Pluronic-127 in 200 mL of distilled water. After complete solubilization of the PCL, 0.068 g of the active ingredient diluted in SEO was added. The resulting suspension was kept under magnetic stirring at room temperature for seven days until complete solvent evaporation. After this period, part of the suspension was preserved for dynamic light scattering (DLS) characterization, and another part was lyophilized for Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and antioxidant activity analysis. According to the DLS data, the nanocapsule had an average size of 132.9 nm and a polydispersity of 0.3. The FT-IR assay confirmed that the essential oil structure was mainly composed of terpenes. According to TGA data, it was observed that the nanocapsule protects the active ingredients from degradation, and a quantitative analysis of antioxidant action was performed using different concentrations of the bioactive ingredient in order to obtain maximum inhibitory concentration values ​​of 50% (IC50). From this assay, it was observed that the essential oil presented an IC50 of 57%, confirming the antioxidant action of the bioactive ingredient. Therefore, the produced nanocapsules can be used for the treatment of radiodermatitis, as they exhibit good antioxidant action, and according to Assunção et al. [2], the reduced particle size (between 100 and 200 nm) allows for better penetration and permeation of the bioactive ingredients into deeper layers of the skin.

Concern about the polymer life cycle has shifted from focusing on their recalcitrant nature to replacing them with bio-based options. However, this dual perspective is still incomplete. A broader, integrated model requires two specific changes. First, polymer-rich waste and agro-industrial byproducts should no longer be considered simply as materials for recycling, but as redesignable raw materials that can be transformed into high-value products. Second, substituting bio-based materials must not create another polluting pathway that, without proper polymer treatment, becomes a source of contamination once the polymers have served their purpose. Even so, it must be accompanied by strategies for recovery, safe degradation, dismantling, or chemical conversion. Therefore, the sustainable design of polymers must consider not only how a material is produced and how long it lasts, but also its subsequent transformation, converting the waste from its final state into a molecular resource.

At the raw material level, our research has valorized green banana peel, chicken bones, blackberry waste, and eggshells as sources of starch, bioactive compounds, and mineral nanophases for the preparation of films useful for the food industry, antioxidant extracts, and scaffolds for biomedical applications, with very promising results, showing greater preservation of food shelf life and shorter lifespan in tissue regeneration. Using techniques such as electrospinning, freeze-drying, ionotropic gelation, and drop-casting, researchers have transformed these materials into matrices that enable more sustainable applications in food preservation and tissue regeneration. This approach has generated biodegradable films and active coatings for food packaging and post-harvest preservation, polymeric adsorbents for water treatment, and multifunctional nanocomposites and porous scaffolds for regenerative medicine [1–4]. The central contribution is not simply to replace petroleum-derived materials, but to transform residual raw materials into functional phases that provide barrier, antimicrobial, antioxidant, adsorbent, mechanical, and bioactive performance.

Regarding the second axis, our research has addressed the fate of polymers after use, shifting from degradation as the endpoint to conversion as the design objective. We have analyzed photoreforming as a solar-powered chemical recycling route that couples the oxidative transformation of plastic waste with the production of hydrogen and value-added chemicals [5]. These studies have demonstrated that both catalyst and polymer design are essential for transformation, as are polarity, crystallinity, bond accessibility, surface chemistry, pretreatment, catalyst-substrate contact, and the reaction environment. These structure-surface-reactivity relationships are fundamental for designing and converting polymers into higher-value products, as well as ensuring durability and performance in conventional applications.

These findings show that the circular economy of polymers integrates bio-based and synthetic polymers in a complementary, rather than substitutive, way. Circularity is strengthened when residual carbon is converted into functional materials, recovered components are transformed into high-value products, and the polymer's next transformation is anticipated from the design stage. Therefore, polymer circularity should not be evaluated solely based on renewable content or recyclability claims, but also on its capacity to preserve, recover, and enhance molecular value across successive life cycles.

Physical crosslinking of sodium alginate with multivalent cations metal ions is a common method for the synthesis of alginate beads offering wide range of applications including biomedical engineering, food technology, and environmental fields. Ca(II) is a renowned physical crosslinker agent with capability of combining both guluronate-guluronate (GG) guluronate-mannuronate (GM) blocks along in alginic acid (Alg), a natural polysaccharide. The metal ions size and valency effect mechanical stiffness obtained hydrogel material with different sizes and formulations [1,2]. Here, three Fe(III) salts, Iron (III) Sulfate, Iron (III) Nitrate, and Iron (III) Chloride) were used in Alg-Fe(III) bead preparation to assess the effect of Fe(III) salts on the alginate beads. The properties such as the nature of the anion and its identity on crosslinking speed, mechanical properties, beads stability, optical and magnetic behavior, as well as toxicity on fibroblast cell were investigated.  To determine the crosslinking speed, Alg-Fe(III) beads were collected at different times during the synthesis, and the Fe(III) amounts were determined via atomic absorption mass spectroscopy (AAMS). Fluorescence properties were evaluated through florescence spectroscopy, investigating light absorption features of Fe(III)- carboxylate complexes [3,4]. Furthermore, Antibacterial activity of the Alg-Fe(III) beads was assessed against gram-negative E.coli, and gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, bacteria strains.

The growing need for solid waste management and the depletion of fossil resources have driven the transition toward circular economy models. In this context, the production of polymer composites from waste materials has emerged as a promising strategy to mitigate environmental impacts while adding economic value to residues. The development of sustainable composites obtained from the combination of post-consumer polypropylene (PP) coffee capsules reinforced with micro/nanocellulose derived from eucalyptus lignocellulosic residues not only improves the dimensional stability of the composites but also represents a low-impact approach to reducing waste while valorizing agro-industrial and urban residues.Thus, this study proposes the development of green polymer composites by incorporating micro- and nanofibrillated cellulose derived from eucalyptus residues into an upcycled polymer matrix derived from post-consumer coffee capsules. Also, a thermal decomposition kinetics study was carried out for these same green composites. Three isoconversional methods were applied to evaluate the kinetic parameters: Friedman, Ozawa–Flynn–Wall, and Vyazovkin. The resulting fibers were incorporated into the recycled coffee capsule polymer matrix at concentrations of 5, 10, and 20% w/w, and the composites were evaluated for their oil adsorption performance. Thermal analysis (TG/DTG) revealed that the combined alkaline and steam explosion treatment improved the thermal stability of eucalyptus bark fibers, while decreasing the thermal stability of wood chip fibers, likely due to differences in their lignocellulosic structure and composition. Microscopy images showed improved adhesion between the polymer matrix and nanofibers derived from both bark and wood chips when compared to microfibers. In addition, the treatments increased the crystallinity of all cellulose samples. Among the tested composites, those reinforced with 20% w/w micro- and nanofiber cellulose achieved the highest oil adsorption efficiency, highlighting their potential as a novel, effective material for environmental remediation. The isoconversional methods exhibit similar trends, such as good agreement among themselves regarding activation energy values and pre-exponential factors. However, the Friedman method showed the best fit, with values ​​ranging from 0.9998 to 0.9999. This indicates that the differential method best describes the thermal decomposition kinetics for the polypropylene and micro/nanocellulose system. The application of these composites as crude oil adsorbents represents a promising strategy to promote the circular economy and address environmental challenges associated with plastic pollution, forest residues, and oil spill remediation.

Lignin is the richest source of renewable aromatic polymer and has immense potential to replace synthetic aromatics. It is currently produced commercially in North America and Europe. However, it does not have sufficient high-value end-use applications due to its heterogeneity affecting the quality of end-used products when incorporated. One way to address this challenge is to convert the lignin into lignin nanoparticles (LNP). In this presentation, we will discuss how nanoparticles can be produced from lignin in different systems. Also, this presentation will cover how lignin type and lignin fractionation can impact its nanoparticle formation. Furthermore, the strategies for fabricating functional lignin nano particles with different physicochemical characteristics, e.g., sizes, surface charges, surface hairiness, porosity, and softness will be discussed fundamentally. Moreover, we will discuss how these LNPs can be used in fabricating oil/water emulsions for different applications. We will also elaborate on how altered functionalization strategies can improve their properties and performance in altered applications on the one hand and how such systems can offer economic and environmental advantages on the other hand. Another topic of discussion will include how such LNPs can be applied in coating, adhesive, cosmetic, and bioplastic material productions.

Lignin has been regarded as an underutilized by-product of the chemical pulping and cellulosic ethanol industries. To improve the financial profit of these processes and prevent a major loss of resources, value-added products could be produced from lignin. Recently, different methods were developed to generate lignin at commercial scales in an effort to facilitate the production of value-added products from lignin. For example, the LignoBoost and LignoForce technologies are commercial processes for producing kraft lignin, while TMPBio technology is employed for producing hydrolysis lignin in a cellulosic enzymatic process. Due to the commercial availability of lignin, extensive research has been conducted on producing altered lignin-based value-added products. 

Dispersants, emulsifiers, and flocculants are water-soluble chemicals with significant worldwide applications. Dispersants are widely used in the mining, oil, textile, and construction industries. Emulsifiers are widely used to improve the homogeneity of oil and water in oil-water mixtures, and they have a wide application in cosmetics, for instance. Flocculants are commonly used in the mining industry for density control in thickeners or as rheology modifiers in concentrate thickeners, for example. They are also used in municipal and industrial wastewater systems. However, commercial dispersants, emulsifiers, and flocculants are mainly oil-based, ineffective, expensive, and/or non-biodegradable. 

Lignin can be tailored to have diverse charge densities, molecular weights, and degrees of hydrophilicity, all of which are of significant importance for dispersants/emulsifiers/flocculants. After tailoring lignin to such valuable products, lignin-based polymers will inherit some unique features from lignin (e.g., hydrophobicity and three-dimensional structure) that are unavailable in the currently used commercial flocculants/dispersants/emulsifiers. In this presentation, Dr. Fatehi will elucidate 1) recent development in the production of lignin-based water-soluble products, 2) fundamental challenges and opportunities associated with the generation, characterization, and use of such products, and 3) the future trend in the use of sustainable water-soluble lignin-derived materials.