publications

2025

1. Recycling

   

   Room-temperature material recycling/upcycling of polyamide waste enabled by cosolvent-tunable dissolution kinetics

   J. Tanks^*† and K. Tamura^*

   Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2025

   Abs DOI

   Polyamides (PAs, nylons) are a ubiquitous class of high-performance plastics used extensively in a wide range of applications. Their high resistance to many common solvents and tendency to hydrolyze in strong acids or bases creates a major hurdle to low-emissions material recycling (i.e., resource separation and recovery). In the present study, the first detailed investigation into the molecular mechanisms of polyamide dissolution, we show that introducing a weakly hydrogen-bonding cosolvent into formic acid can effectively tune the solvent–solvent and solvent–polymer interactions, drastically accelerates the room-temperature dissolution kinetics of common (short-chain) polyamides such as PA6 and PA66, as well as long-chain and semi-aromatic varieties. The recovered polymers show no change in their chemical structures or properties, and sufficient selectivity allows for fillers such as short and long fibers, inorganic nanoparticles, metals, and other mixed polymer phases to be recovered at high efficiency (>95%) along with recirculation of all solvents (>98%). This cosolvent-enabled approach has the potential to make polyamide recycling more sustainable and economical by reducing the energy input and CO2 emissions required to separate and recover the various constituent materials from automotive and electrical components, textiles, and beyond.

2. Biomass

   

   Enhancing the thermo-oxidative stability of polyamide 6 by scalable melt-blending with PEG-grafted glycol lignin

   J. Tanks^*, T. Akagawa, K. Tamura^*, Y. Nemoto, and 3 more authors

   Polymer, 2025

   DOI
3. Degradation

   

   Rapid thermal degradation of polyamide 6 microdroplets and its effect on interfacial shear strength to simulate thermal welding conditions of CFRTP

   S. Kawasaki^*, K. Naito, and J. Tanks

   Composites Science and Technology, 2025

   DOI
4. Nanomaterials

   

   Large-area high thermal conductivity graphite film easily produced by mechanical exfoliation of natural graphite using a three-roll mill

   J. Wang, H. Lin, J. Tanks, and Y. Arao^*

   Composites Part C, 2025

   DOI
5. Nanomaterials

   

   Heavy metal ion adsorption mechanism of polysulfide-modified layered double hydroxide

   K. Tamura^*, J. Tanks, D. Niizeki, Y. Watanabe, and 3 more authors

   Applied Clay Science, 2025

   DOI
6. Nanomaterials

   Fillers for improving functionality and performance in polymeric materials

   J. Tanks^* and K. Tamura

   Reinforced Plastics (in Japanese), 2025

   PDF
7. Recycling

   Development of novel biomass-polymer composite materials and plastic recycling technology

   K. Tamura^* and J. Tanks

   Bulletin of Japan Electronic Materials Society (in Japanese), 2025

   PDF

2024

1. Biomass

   

   Durable and recyclable biomimetic glycol lignin/polyolefin compounds for a circular economy

   J. Tanks^*, K. Tamura, K. Naito, T.T. Nge, and 1 more author

   Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 2024

   DOI
2. Fracture

   Mode I-governed fracture energy and maximum normal traction of a CFRP rod

   Y. Tobata^*, K. Naito, and J. Tanks

   Journal of Composite Materials, 2024

   DOI

2023

1. Biomass

   

   Glycol lignin/MAH-g-PP blends and composites with exceptional mechanical properties for automotive applications

   J. Tanks^*, K. Tamura, K. Naito, T.T. Nge, and 1 more author

   Composites Science and Technology, 2023

   DOI
2. Fracture

   

   Rigid epoxy networks with very high intrinsic fracture toughness using a piperazine-based in-situ polymerization strategy

   J. Tanks^*, K. Naito, and K. Tamura

   Materials Letters, 2023

   DOI
3. Nanomaterials

   

   Tethering organic disulfides to layered silicates: A versatile strategy for photo-controllable dynamic chemistry and functionalization

   J. Tanks^*, T. Hiroi, K. Tamura, and K. Naito

   Bulletin of the Chemical Society of Japan, 2023

   Selected Paper Abs DOI

   “Selected Paper”, frontispiece

   By intercalating layered silicates with ammonium-terminated disulfides, photo-induced disulfide exchange reactions could be localized to the interlayer space, providing unique functionality.

4. Fracture

   Direct measurement and verification of cohesive zone model for basalt/PP rods using the transverse tensile test and virtual double cantilever beam test

   Y. Tobata^*, K. Naito, and J. Tanks

   Polymer Composites, 2023

   DOI

2022

1. Degradation

   Network-level analysis of damage in amine-crosslinked diglycidyl ether resins degraded by acid

   J. Tanks^*, Y. Arao, and M. Kubouchi

   Express Polymer Letters, 2022

   DOI

2019

1. Nanomaterials

   Mechanochemical reaction using weak acid salts enables dispersion and exfoliation of nanomaterials in polar solvents

   Y. Arao^*, J. Tanks, K. Aida, and M. Kubouchi

   Journal of Materials Science, 2019

   DOI
2. Nanomaterials

   Direct exfoliation of layered materials in low-boiling point solvents using weak acid salts

   Y. Arao^*, J. Tanks, M. Kubouchi, A. Ito, and 2 more authors

   Carbon, 2019

   DOI
3. Nanomaterials

   Mass production of low-boiling point solvent- and water-soluble graphene by simple salt-assisted ball milling

   Y. Arao^*, R. Kuwahara, K. Ohno, J. Tanks, and 3 more authors

   Nanoscale Advances, 2019

   DOI

2018

1. Degradation

   Influence of network structure on the degradation of poly(ether)amine-cured epoxy resins by inorganic acid

   J. Tanks^*, M. Kubouchi, and Y. Arao

   Polymer Degradation Stability, 2018

   DOI
2. Degradation

   Diffusion kinetics, swelling, and degradation of corrosion-resistant C-glass/epoxy woven composites in harsh environments

   J. Tanks^*, Y. Arao, and M. Kubouchi

   Composite Structures, 2018

   DOI

2017

1. Degradation

   Kinetics of in-plane shear degradation in carbon/epoxy rods from exposure to alkaline and saline environments

   J. Tanks^*, S. Sharp, and D. Harris

   Composites Part B, 2017

   DOI
2. Fracture

   Accelerated creep and creep-rupture testing of transverse unidirectional carbon/epoxy lamina based on the stepped isostress method

   J. Tanks^*, K. Rader, S. Sharp, and T. Sakai

   Composite Structures, 2017

   DOI

2016

1. Fracture

   Mechanical response of unidirectional composite bars loaded in transverse compression

   J. Tanks^*, D. Harris, and S. Sharp

   Composites Part B, 2016

   DOI