Effect of temperature on the radiation-induced polymerization of ethylene in various media

The effects of temperature on the radiation-induced polymerization of ethylene in bulk and in the presence of ethyl alcohol, n-butyl alcohol, tert-butyl alcohol, cyclohexane, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, and 2,2,5-trimethylhexane were studied. The changes of the amounts of polymerized monomer with the reaction temperature were different from each other in these reaction systems, especially in the range lower than 60–80°C. At temperatures lower than 60–80°C, as the reaction temperature increases, the amount of polymerized monomer decreased in bulk and in the presence of tert-butyl alcohol. The amount was almost constant in the presence of ethyl alcohol and 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, and it increased in the presence of n-butyl alcohol, cyclohexane, and 2,2,5-trimethylhexane. However, in the temperature range higher than 60–80°C, the amount of polymerized monomer increased with increasing temperature in every reaction system except for bulk polymerization. The molecular weight of polymer decreased with increasing temperature in every reaction system except at temperatures lower than 25°C. The molecular weight of polymer formed in bulk, in tert-butyl alcohol, and also in 2,2,4-trimethylpentane were relatively higher than that in other reaction systems. A bimodal molecular weight distribution was observed for the polymer formed in bulk and in tert-butyl alcohol at 40–60°C. These results are discussed in connection with the heterogeneity of the reaction system. The differences due to temperature in each reaction system are explained as due to the difference in affinity of the reaction system for the propagating chain and in the facility of chain transfer to the medium.     

The morphology of polyethylene prepared by γ-ray-induced polymerization in various solvents

Polyethylenes were prepared by γ-ray-induced polymerization in ethyl and n-butyl alcohols, tert-butyl alcohol containing 5 vol-% of water, 2,2,5-trimethylhexane, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, and cyclohexane in the temperature range 25–90°C. The morphology of the polymers as-polymerized and studied by electron microscopy depends on three factors through the degree of undercooling: the affinity of the solvent, polymerization temperature, and the polymer molecular weight. Large lamellar crystals are formed even in the alcohols when at least two of them are chosen properly.     

A novel scheme of heterogeneous polymerization of ethylene

The heterogeneous polymerization of ethylene initiated by radiation in tert-butyl alcohol was studied. The polymerization was carried out in a 100-ml reactor at 25–100°C and pressures of 200–300 kg/cm² in the presence of 50 ml of tert-butyl alcohol containing 7 wt-% water. The amounts of polymerized monomer, the average molecular weight of polymer formed, and the molecular weight distribution of polymer were measured at various stages of reaction and at various temperatures. The molecular weight distribution was found to be very much dependent on the reaction time and temperature. For the polymer formed at 50–60°C in the very early stages of reaction, the molecular weight distribution is unimodal, and in the intermediate stage a shoulder appears at a molecular weight higher than the first peak which increases as the polymerization proceeds; eventually a bimodal curve is formed. The bimodal distribution curves were analyzed to determine the fractions and average molecular weights of the each peak. On the basis of these data for the molecular weight distribution and kinetic behavior, a new scheme for the heterogeneous polymerization is proposed which indicates that the polymerization proceeds via propagating radicals in two different physical states, namely, loose and rigid states.     

Anionic polymerization of N,N‐dialkyl‐2‐methylenebut‐3‐enamide: Effect of alkyl substituents on polymerization behavior

Anionic polymerizations of three 1,3‐butadiene derivatives containing different N,N‐dialkyl amide functions, N,N‐diisopropylamide (DiPA), piperidineamide (PiA), and cis‐2,6‐dimethylpiperidineamide (DMPA) were performed under various conditions, and their polymerization behavior was compared with that of N,N‐diethylamide analogue (DEA), which was previously reported. When polymerization of DiPA was performed at ?78 °C with potassium counter ion, only trace amounts of oligomers were formed, whereas polymers with a narrow molecular weight distribution were obtained in moderate yield when DiPA was polymerized at 0 °C in the presence of LiCl. Decrease in molecular weight and broadening of molecular weight distribution were observed when polymerization was performed at a higher temperature of 20 °C, presumably because of the effect of ceiling temperature. In the case of DMPA, no polymer was formed at 0 °C and polymers with relatively broad molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n = 1.2) were obtained at 20 °C. The polymerization rate of PiA was much faster than that of the other monomers, and poly(PiA) was obtained in high yield even at ?78 °C in 24 h. The microstructure of the resulting polymers were exclusively 1,4‐ for poly(DMPA), whereas 20–30% of the 1,2‐structure was contained in poly(DiPA) and poly(PiA). © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3714–3721, 2010     

Alkoxyamine‐mediated “living” radical polymerization: MS investigation of the early stages of styrene polymerization initiated by cumyl‐TEISO

A new series of 1,1,3,3‐tetraethylisoindoline‐2‐oxyl (TEISO)‐based alkoxyamines was prepared. The half‐lives for thermal dissociation indicated that the most sterically congested cumyl‐TEISO alkoxymine had the greatest potential as an initiator for the polymerization of monomers at lower temperatures. The polymerization of styrene at 110 °C gave a linear evolution of M_n with conversion in the early stages. Further evidence for the “living” nature was given by the polydispersities of the polymers that remained low (M_w/M_n = 1.13–1.27) throughout the polymerization (up to 80% conversion). No polymer was formed for the styrene system in a reasonable time below 100 °C. High‐performance liquid chromatographic/mass spectrometric investigations of the distribution of trapped oligomers containing one to nine monomer units formed at 60 °C revealed that the trapping of oligomeric cumyl–styryl radicals by TEISO is irreversible at this temperature. Methyl methacrylate polymerized with cumyl‐TEISO at 60–70 °C, although the initial high rates of polymerization soon decreased to zero at low conversions (10–15%), and the high polydispersities (M_w/M_n = 1.42–1.73) indicated significant side reactions. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1232–1241, 2001     

Analysis of DSC curve of dodecyl methacrylate polymerization by two-peak deconvolution method

Free radical polymerization of n-dodecyl methacrylate (DDMA) in bulk has been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Autoacceleration of reaction was observed at the temperatures 70, 80, and 90 °C, with 0.25, 0.5, and 1 wt% of initiator, and was absent at 100 °C. DSC curves obtained at the temperatures below 100 °C were characterized by two maxima. Two-peak deconvolution was used to separate DSC curve into two constitutive unimodal curves, i.e., to calculate the contribution of polydodecyl methacrylate formed before (first maximum) and after (second maximum) the onset of autoacceleration. The share of second maximum decreases as the polymerization temperature and initiator concentration are increased. As the organization of monomer is known to decrease with increasing temperature, it can be expected that the fraction of polymerized disordered phase of monomer (first maximum in DSC curve) is the highest at 90 °C. Our results confirm this prediction and are in good agreement with those observed from conversion versus time curves of DDMA polymerization.     

Effects of polymerization method on structure and properties of thermoplastic polyurethanes

The effects of the dynamic polymerization method and temperature on the molecular aggregation structure and the mechanical and melting properties of thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) were successfully clarified. TPUs were prepared from poly (ethylene adipate) glycol (M_n = 2074), 4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate and 1,4‐butanediol by the one‐shot (OS) and the prepolymer (PP) methods in bulk at dynamic polymerization temperatures ranging from 140 to 230 °C. Glass‐transition temperatures (T_gs) of the soft segment and melting points (T_ms) of the hard segment domains of OS‐TPUs increased and decreased, respectively, with increasing polymerization temperatures, but those of PP‐TPUs were almost independent of the polymerization temperature. T_gs of the soft segment and T_ms of the hard segment domains of these TPUs polymerized above 190 °C were almost the same regardless of the polymerization method. Solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) analyses of OS‐ and PP‐TPUs showed that the relative proton content of fast decay components, which corresponds to the hard segment domains, in these TPUs decreased with increasing polymerization temperatures. These results clearly show that the degree of microphase separation becomes weaker with increasing polymerization temperatures. The temperature dependence of dynamic storage modulus and loss tangent of OS‐TPUs coincided with those of PP‐TPUs at polymerization temperature above 190 °C. The apparent shear viscosity for OS‐ and PP‐TPUs polymerized above 190 °C approached a Newtonian behavior at low shear rates regardless of the polymerization method. These results indicate that TPUs polymerized at higher temperatures form almost the same molecular aggregation structures irrespective of the dynamic polymerization method. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 800–814, 2007     

Grafting of polymers onto and/or from silica surface during the polymerization of vinyl monomers in the presence of γ‐ray‐irradiated silica

The effects of radicals on silica surface, which were formed by γ‐ray irradiation, on the polymerization of vinyl monomers were investigated. It was found that the polymerization of styrene was remarkably retarded in the presence of γ‐ray‐irradiated silica above 60 °C, at which thermal polymerization of styrene is readily initiated. During the polymerization, a part of polystyrene formed was grafted onto the silica surface but percentage of grafting was very small. On the other hand, no retardation of the polymerization of styrene was observed in the presence of γ‐ray‐irradiated silica below 50 °C; the polymerization tends to accelerate and polystyrene was grafted onto the silica surface. Poly(vinyl acetate) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (MMA) were also grafted onto the surface during the polymerization in the presence of γ‐ray‐irradiated silica. The grafting of polymers onto the silica surface was confirmed by thermal decomposition GC‐MS. It was considered that at lower temperature, the grafting based on the propagation of polystyrene from surface radical (“grafting from” mechanism) preferentially proceeded. On the contrary, at higher temperature, the coupling reaction of propagating polymer radicals with surface radicals (“grafting onto” mechanism) proceeded to give relatively higher molecular weight polymer‐grafted silica. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2972–2979, 2006     

Radiation-induced,solid-state polymerization of derivatives of methacrylic acid. I. Postirradiation polymerization of zinc methacrylate

The postirradiation polymerization of the crystalline, anhydrous, monohydrate, and dihydrate forms of zinc methacrylate was studied. The anhydrous salt polymerized readily in the temperature range 50–150°C., the monohydrate did not polymerize at all, and the dihydrate polymerized at about 100°C. Aging of the anhydrous salts greatly affected the rate of polymerization; this was shown to be due mainly to the formation of peroxides by reaction with air. Polymerization could be initiated thermally, without irradiation, in monomer which had been aged in contact with air, apparently by decomposition of the peroxides. The rate of the postirradiation polymerization was increased when air was present during irradiation and decreased when air was present during polymerization. The rate of polymerization increased with temperature, corresponding to an apparent activation energy of 10 kcal./mole. The dihydrate lost one molecule of water rapidly under vacuum at 20°C. and slowly on heating at 50°C. in a sealed vessel, forming a crystalline monohydrate. Slow thermal polymerization and rapid postirradiation polymerization occurred at 100°C. without the formation of any monohydrate, indicating that the polymerization was concurrent with the phase change.     

Chromocene catalysts for ethylene polymerization: Scope of the polymerization

Chromocene deposited on silica supports of high surface area forms a highly active catalyst for polymerization of ethylene. Polymerization is believed to occur by a coordinated anionic mechanism previously outlined. The catalyst formation step liberates cyclopentadiene and leads to a new divalent chromium species containing a cyclopentadienyl ligand. The catalyst has a very high chain-transfer response to hydrogen which permits facile preparation of a full range of molecular weights. Catalyst activity increases with an increase in silica dehydration temperature, chromium content on silica, and ethylene reaction pressure. The temperature-activity profile is characterized by a maximum near 60°C, presumably caused by a deactivation mechanism involving silica hydroxyl groups. A value of 72 was estimated for the ethylene–propylene reactivity ratio (r₁). Linear, highly saturated polymers are normally prepared below 100°C. By contrast with other commercial polyethylenes, the chromocene catalyst produces polyethylenes of relatively narrow molecular weight distribution. Above 100°C, unsaturated, branched polymers or oligomers are formed by a simultaneous polymerization–isomerization process.     

Thickness-dependent Orientation Structure in Poly（ethylene oxide） Multi-layer Crystals

Poly(ethylene oxide) multi-layer crystals were obtained and the re-crystallization behavior was studied to give insight into how melt thickness and temperature affect the lamellar orientation. For a special re-crystallization temperature, there exists a critical transition thickness range for the occurrence of edge-on lamellar orientation. Below the critical thickness, only flat-on lamellae were observed. While above the critical thickness, both flat-on and edge-on lamellae were found and the proportion of the edge-on lamellae increases with thickness. At low re-crystallization temperatures(below 30 °C), the critical transition thickness gradually increases from about 15 nm to 35 nm when the re-crystallization temperature was increased from 20 °C to 30 °C. However, when the re-crystallization temperature is above 30 °C, the critical transition thickness becomes constant. Our results demonstrated that the lamellar orientation could be specially modified by changing the melt thickness and re-crystallization temperature.     

Polymerization of α-amino acid N-carboxy anhydrides. III. Mechanism of polymerization of L- and DL-alanine NCA in acetonitrile

The polymerization of L - and DL -alanine NCA initiated with n-butylamine was carried out in acetonitrile which is a nonsolvent for polypeptide. The initiation reaction was completed within 60 min.; there was about 10% of conversion of monomer. The number-average degree of polymerization of the polymer obtained increased with the reaction period, and it was found to agree with value of W/I, where W is the weight of the monomer consumed by the polymerization and I is the weight of the initiator used. The initiation reaction of the polymerization was concluded as an attack of n-butylamine on the C₅ carbonyl carbon of NCA. The initiation, was followed by a propagation reaction, in which there was attack by an amino endgroup of the polymer on the C₅ carbonyl carbon of NCA. The rate of polymerization was observed by measuring the CO₂ evolved, and the activation energy was estimated as follows: 6.66 kcal./mole above 30°C. and 1.83 kcal./mole below 30°C. for L -alanine NCA; 15.43 kcal./mole above 30°C., 2.77 kcal./mole below 30°C. for DL -alanine NCA. The activation entropy was about ?43 cal./mole-°K. above 30°C. and ?59 cal./mole-°K. below 30°C. for L -alanine NCA; it was about ?14 cal./mole-°K. above 30°C. and ?56 cal./mole-°K. below 30°C. for DL -alanine NCA. From the polymerization parameters, x-ray diffraction diagrams, infrared spectra, and solubility in water of the polymer, the poly-DL -alanine obtained here at a low temperature was assumed to have a block copolymer structure rather than being a random copolymer of D - and L -alanine.     

Studies on metathetical and thermal polymerization of 5-norbornene 2,3-dicarboximide end-capped resins Pt-II

The article deals with synthesis, characterization, and polymerization of 5-norbornene-2,3-dicarboximide end-capped resins (bisnadimides) based on 4,4′-diaminodiphenylether, 1,4/1,3-bis(4′-aminophenoxy) benzene, 2,2′-bis[4-(4′-aminophenoxy)phenyl]propane, and bis[4-(4′-aminophenoxy)phenyl]sulphone. Both exo and endo bisnadimides were prepared by reacting the aromatic diamines with exo or endo nadic anhydride in glacial acetic acid at 120°C. The exo or endo bisnadimides could be distinguished on the basis of differences observed in IR or ¹H-NMR spectra. Both thermal (in solid state) and metathetical polymerization (using WCl₆/tetramethyltin catalyst and chlorobenzene solvent) of bisnadimides was carried out. Only exo bisnadimides could be polymerized using metathesis reaction whereas thermal polymerization of both endo and exo bisnadimide could be successfully carried out at 300°C in static air atmosphere. The polymers were highly crosslinked and insoluble in common organic solvents. The polymers obtained by metathesis polymerization were light brown in color whereas those obtained by thermal polymerization were dark brown in color. Thermal stability of the thermally polymerized exo or endo bisnadimides was comparable. These polymers were stable up to 400°C and decomposed in a single step above this temperature. The char yield at 800°C depended on the structure of the polymer and was in the 39–56% range. The polymers formed by metathesis polymerization showed a 1–3% weight loss in the temperature range 226–371°C and decomposed in a single step above 440°C. The char yields were higher in these polymers (53–71%) compared to those obtained by thermal polymerization. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2323–2331, 1997     

The synthesis and thermal polymerization of 4,4′-diethynylphenyl ether

Diethynylphenyl ether (DEPE) was synthesized and its thermal polymerization studied by NMR, IR, and DSC techniques. DEPE is a crystalline solid that melts at 72–73°C and undergoes polymerization beginning at about 150°C. The heat of polymerization measured by DSC was 53 ± 2 kcal/mole. Thermomechanical analysis (TMA) of the fully cured resin showed softening behavior at temperatures in excess of 400°C. Weight loss up to 720°C was only 21%. A mechanism of polymerization based on the analysis of IR and NMR data for party polymerized material below 300°C is proposed.     

Acceleration of the cationic polymerization of an epoxy with hexanediol

Thin films of 3,4-epoxycyclohexylmethyl 3',4'-epoxycyclohexane carboxylate were UV irradiated (1.1 J cm^-2) under isothermal conditions ranging from 0 to 50°C. Under these conditions the polymerization advanced quickly but only to a conversion level of less than 10% before the reaction rate slowed by more than an order of magnitude. This drop off in rate was not caused by the glass transition temperature, T _g, reaching or exceeding the reaction temperature, T _rxn, since the epoxide's T _g remained at least 40°C below T _rxn. Raising the sample temperature above 60°C caused a sharp increase in the conversion level. At 100°C conversion exceeds 80% and the ultimate T _g approaches 190°C. The addition of 10 mass% 1,6-hexanediol, HD, to the epoxy caused the conversion at room temperature to quintuple over the level obtained without the alcohol present. The heat liberated from this alcohol epoxy blend during cure on a UV conveyor belt system caused the sample's temperature to increase by about 100°C above ambient whereas the epoxy alone under these conditions only experienced a modest temperature rise of about 26°C. If the amount of HD in the blend is increased above 10% the heat of reaction at 23°C decreases due to HD being trapped in a nonreactive crystalline phase. Boosting reaction temperatures above 50°C melts the HD crystals and yields significantly improved conversion ratios. As the level of alcohol blended with the epoxy is raised its ultimate T _g is lowered and when the concentration of alcohol in the blend nears 30 mass%T _g drops below room temperature. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Phase behaviour of the dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide-water system

The phase behaviour of the twin-tailed surfactant dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide with water was studied by DSC, FT-IR, X-ray and polarizing microscope. The phase diagram of DODAB-water system is very similar to that of DODAC-water. The dihydrate is in equilibrium with isotropic solution below 55°C. Above this temperature there is a lamellar liquid crystalline region, in equilibrium with isotropic liquid and solid crystals of DODAB·2H₂O, up to 69°C. From 69 to 86°C, the lamellar mesophase is in equilibrium with ‘waxy’ anhydrous DODAB. From 86 to 116°C and very high DODAB content, there is a very narrow region of existence of inverse hexagonal mesophase, in equilibrium via a narrow biphase region with lamellar mesophase. AtT > 116°C an isotropic liquid appears. There seems to exist two different lamellar mesophases, one of them between 10 and 40 wt.% DODAB and the other between 60 and about 97 wt.% DODAB, with a biphase zone between them.     

Living cationic polymerization of n‐butyl propenyl ether

Cationic polymerization of n‐butyl propenyl ether (BuPE; CH₃CH CHOBu, cis/trans = 64/36) was examined with the HCl–IBVE (isobutyl vinyl ether) adduct/ZnCl₂ initiating system at −15 ∼ −78 °C in nonpolar (hexane, toluene) and polar (dichloromethane) solvents, specifically focusing on the feasibility of its living polymerization. In contrast to alkyl vinyl ethers, the living nature of the growing species in the BuPE polymerization was sensitive to polymerization temperature and solvent. For example, living cationic polymerization of IBVE can be achieved even at 0 °C with HCl–IBVE/ZnCl₂, whereas for BuPE whose β‐methyl group may cause steric hindrance ideal living polymerization occurred only at −78 °C. Another interesting feature of this polymerization is that the polymerization rate in hexane is as large as in dichloromethane, much larger than in toluene. A new method in determining the ratio of the living growing ends to the deactivated ones was developed with a devised monomer‐addition experiments, in which IBVE that can be polymerized in a living fashion below 0 °C was added to the almost completely polymerized solution of BuPE. The amount of the deactivated chain ends became small in hexane even at −40 °C in contrast to other solvents. Thus hexane turned out an excellent solvent for living cationic polymerization of BuPE. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 229–236, 2000     

Preparation of functional polymers by living anionic polymerization: Polymerization of allyl methacrylate

The anionic polymerization of allyl methacrylate was carried out in tetrahydrofuran, both in the presence and in the absence of LiCl, with a variety of initiators, at various temperatures. It was found that (1,1-diphenylhexyl)lithium and the living oligomers of methyl methacrylate and tert-butyl methacrylate are suitable initiators for the anionic polymerization of this monomer. The temperature should be below −30°C, even in the presence of LiCl, for the living polymerization to occur. When the polymerization proceeded at −60°C, in the presence of LiCl, with (1,1-diphenylhexyl)-lithium as initiator, the number-average molecular weight of the polymer was directly proportional to the monomer conversion and monodisperse poly(allyl methacrylate)s with high molecular weights were obtained. ¹H-NMR and FT-IR indicated that the α CC double bond of the monomer was selectively polymerized and that the allyl group remained unreacted. The prepared poly(allyl methacrylate) is a functional polymer since it contains a reactive CC double bond on each repeating unit. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2901–2906, 1997     

Molecular weight distributions in radiation-induced polymerization. VI. γ-ray-induced polymerization of “dry” styrene in the solid state

The γ-ray-initiated polymerization of styrene in the solid state has been studied over the temperature range ?35°C to ?55°C for samples exhaustively purified and dried to remove residual water (“dry” samples). Comparison with kinetic results previously reported for dry samples in the liquid state indicates a sharp decrease in the rate of polymerization resulting from the liquid to solid state transition. The molecular weight distributions for in-source polymerization at ?35°C and ?40°C are bimodal in nature, and the appearance of a third peak is noticeable at ?47°C and ?55°C. In the case of postpolymerization at ?35°C the molecular weight distribution is bimodal as in the case of in-source samples. In the former case, however, the high molecular weight peak is predominant whereas the low molecular weight peak predominates in the latter. These results have been tentatively attributed to the postulated coexistence of two distinct propagating species which are radical and cationic in nature.     

Core-shell emulsion copolymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile on polystyrene seed particles

Seeded emulsion copolymerization of an azeotropic composition of styrene (St) and an acrylinitrile (AN) comonomer mixture in polystyrene (PS) seed at different polymerization temperature of 55–75°C were investigated. The kinetic data showed a transition temperature at 65°C, above which the activation energy of polymerization is low, 6.1 Kcal/mol, compared with 9.8 Kcal/mol below it. The particle-size results and thin layer chromatographic (TLC) data showed two types of particle of different composition and morphology in the final latex system: a smaller size of (St–AN) copolymer and a larger size of core-PS and (St–AN) copolymer shell, with a zone of PS grafted (St–AN) copolymer in between. Various polymerization parameters, that is emulsifier concentration, type of seed particle and its size, and monomer/polymer ratio, were studied and their effects on particle size and particle morphology were examined. The percent of grafted core-PS was 10% below a polymerization temperature of 65°C and 40% above that temperature. By adjusting the size and number of the seed particles, monomer-polymer ratio, and emulsifier concentration conditions were established in which a final copolymer latex with “perfect” core-shell morphology was achieved.