This work presents the preparation of novel solid polymer electrolytes based on flexible microporous aramids filled with photopolymerized ionic liquids and lithium salt. The materials combined a high ionic conductivity with the mechanical and thermal characteristics of the aramids, including also good flexibility and handleability. First, a simple casting process was followed to obtain microporous aramids with an interconnected channel morphology. In a second step, this channel structure was filled with a solution of non-commercial photopolymerizable ionic liquid, commercial ionic liquids and the lithium salt, followed by UV irradiation to obtain the conducting aramids. Ionic conductivity of the materials was studied at 25 °C, and also in the temperature range between −50 to 90 °C, together with SEM analyses of the filled porous structure and thermal properties, to fully characterize the photopolymerization process of the ionic liquids inside the porous structure. The materials showed high ionic conductivity values together with excellent thermal and mechanical properties, indicating their viability as flexible and thermally stable solid electrolytes., We gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by FEDER
(Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional) and both the Spanish Ministerio
de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (MAT2017-84501-R and
MAT2017-88923-P), the Consejería de Educación-Junta de Castilla y
León (BU306P18) and the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
(PID2019-108583RJ-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033)

This work presents the preparation of novel solid polymer electrolytes based on flexible microporous aramids filled with photopolymerized ionic liquids and lithium salt. The materials combined a high ionic conductivity with the mechanical and thermal characteristics of the aramids, including also good flexibility and handleability. First, a simple casting process was followed to obtain microporous aramids with an interconnected channel morphology. In a second step, this channel structure was filled with a solution of non-commercial photopolymerizable ionic liquid, commercial ionic liquids and the lithium salt, followed by UV irradiation to obtain the conducting aramids. Ionic conductivity of the materials was studied at 25 °C, and also in the temperature range between −50 to 90 °C, together with SEM analyses of the filled porous structure and thermal properties, to fully characterize the photopolymerization process of the ionic liquids inside the porous structure. The materials showed high ionic conductivity values together with excellent thermal and mechanical properties, indicating their viability as flexible and thermally stable solid electrolytes., FEDER
(Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional) and both the Spanish Ministerio
de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (MAT2017-84501-R and
MAT2017-88923-P), the Consejería de Educacion-Junta ´ de Castilla y
Leon ´ (BU306P18) and the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion ´
(PID2019-108583RJ-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033).

Low-density porous aramid films using inexpensive and widely available polymers as porosity promoters, that is, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PEOx), and cellulose polyacetate (CA) were fabricated. Porous poly (m-phenylene isophthalamide) films were obtained by the standard casting procedure using mixtures of the aramid with either PVA, PEOx, or CA, followed by the removal of the porosity promoter polymers by immersing them in water or acetone. As a result, films with up to a 65% density reduction with pore sizes ranging from 0.02 to 10 μm and up to 30% increment in Young's modulus were obtained. In addition, the morphology of the films was homogeneous and was controlled by the proportion and nature of the porosity promoter polymer. The density reduction of materials plays a significant role in energy crises and the need for fuel reduction. This study revealed that it is possible to prepare low-density porous aramid films inexpensively without impairing their outstanding performance by using PVA in the casting procedure as a porosity promoter polymer., Regional Government of Castilla y León (Junta de Castilla y León), the Ministry of Science and Innovation MICIN and the European Union NextGenerationEU / PRTR, and the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (State Research Agency), Grant/Award Number: PID2019-108583RJ-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033

We focused on developing polyurethane (PU) adhesives with superior ambient thermal and hydrolytic stability, a crucial factor for industrial productivity. Our approach involved creating PU prepolymers that can withstand varying temperatures in ambient conditions. These prepolymers consist of conventional isocyanate-terminated polyurethane and metal-free acid:base organic catalysts, with the stability of the adhesive relying on the organocatalyst employed. We tested a series of 11 latent organocatalysts derived from the reaction between 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) and various acids. Among these, the catalyst based on 1-naphthoic acid exhibited exceptional stability, lasting at least 3 h at 60 ◦C and an average relative humidity of 65% under vigorous stirring. We assessed this stability using a fan-based stirrer and analyzed the curing conditions kinetically through DSC. Furthermore, our adhesive formulation is environmentally friendly as it is free of metals, specifically tin (typically present in catalysts such as dibutyltin dilaurate). This quality enhances its sustainability. To validate the practical applicability of the adhesives, we conducted tests using decorative facade models composed of siliciclastic sandstone extracted from a quarry in Vilviestre del Pinar (Burgos, Spain. Latitude: 41.951024◦N, longitude: 3.078283◦W) and extruded polystyrene (XPS). The results demonstrated the excellent hydrolytic and thermal stability of the adhesives, highlighting their significant potential for panel manufacturing in this context., This work was supported by the Regional Government of Castilla y León (Junta de Castilla y León) and by the Ministry of Science and Innovation MICIN and the European Union NextGeneration EU PRTR. Author José Miguel García received grant PID2020-113264RB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033 and by “ERDF A way of making Europe”. Author Miriam Trigo-López received grant PID2019-108583RJ-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. Author Saul Vallejos received grant BG22/00086 funded by Spanish Ministerio de Universidades.

This study aimed to enhance the mechanical properties of m-aramids by incorporating varying percentages of p-aramid side chains through copolymerization while ensuring solubility for practical applications. The mechanical performance of the resulting copolymers was compared with the commercial m-aramid, MPIA (poly(m-phenylene terephthalamide)). Notably, even with a 20% incorporation of p-aramid side chains, there was a substantial increase of 48% in Young’s modulus and 7% in tensile strength compared to MPIA. Additionally, the nitro group capping the p-aramid side chains demonstrated significant efficacy in enhancing the mechanical performance of the materials upon exposure to hydrogen. Specifically, there was an increase of more than 11% in Young’s modulus upon initial contact with hydrogen. This finding suggests potential applications in protective coatings for stainless steel used in high-pressure hydrogen storage environments. In such applications, exposure to hydrogen can accelerate embrittlement and limit operational lifespan, and coating with these materials can mitigate embrittlement and improve operational lifespan., This work was supported by the Regional Government of Castilla y León (Junta de Castilla y León), the Ministry of Science and Innovation MICIN and the European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR, and the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (State Research Agency). Author M. Trigo-López received grant PID2019-108583RJ-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033. Álvaro Miguel-Ortega received funding from Ministerio de Universidades-European Union in the frame of NextGenerationEU RD 289/2021 (CA1/RSUE/2021-00409) by the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.