2,6‐Diaminopyridine and Acrylamide‐Based Copolymers with Upper Critical Solution Temperature‐type Behavior in Aqueous Solution

A novel copolymer based on supramolecular motif 2,6‐diaminopyridine and water‐soluble acrylamide, poly[N‐(6‐acetamidopyridin‐2‐yl) acrylamide‐co‐acrylamide], was synthesized via reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization with various monomer compositions. The thermoresponsive behavior of the copolymers was studied by turbidimetry and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The obtained copolymers showed an upper critical solution temperature (UCST)‐type phase transition behavior in water and electrolyte solution. The phase transition temperature was found to increase with decreasing amount of acrylamide in the copolymer and increasing concentration of the solution. Furthermore, the phase transition temperature varied in aqueous solutions of electrolytes according to the nature and concentration of the electrolyte in accordance with the Hoffmeister series. A dramatic solvent isotope effect on the transition temperature was observed in this study, as the transition temperature was almost 10–12 °C higher in D₂O than in H₂O at the same concentration and acrylamide composition. The size of the aggregates below the transition temperature was larger in D₂O compared to that in H₂O that can be explained by deuterium isotope effect. The thermoresponsive behavior of the copolymers was also investigated in different cell medium and found to be exhibited UCST‐type phase transition behavior in different cell medium. Such behavior of the copolymers can be useful in many applications including biomedical, microfluidics, optical materials, and in drug delivery. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 2064–2073     

Role of the deuterium isotope in the formation of the behavior of thermosensitive poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline)

Thermosensitive star-shaped poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline) is studied via light scattering in D₂O solutions in a ten-fold concentration range at the temperatures from 21 to 60°С. The data are compared to the results of investigations on this polymer in Н₂O at close concentration values. A qualitative similarity in behavior of the polymer in the compared solvents is established; the changes that occur after the change from Н₂O to D₂O are quantitative. After changing to the deuterated solvent, the initial temperature of phase separation decreases by 0.5–1.0°С. The lower the solution concentration, the greater the width of the phase-separation interval.     

Poly(pentamethylcyclopentasiloxane). I. Synthesis and characterization

We have discovered that pentamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D₅H) can be readily polymerized into poly(pentmethylcyclopentasiloxane) (PD₅) with a Pt (Karstedt) catalyst in the presence of water in bulk or in solution at 100 °C and that the product is a solid with extraordinary properties. The polymerization starts with the oxidation of the SiH groups by water into an intermediate containing SiOH groups (SiH + H₂O → SiOH + H₂), which is followed immediately by the condensation (2SiO → Si? O? Si) of D₅H rings into complex aggregates of cyclosiloxane moieties. According to Raman spectroscopy, an average of three of the five SiH functionalities are converted, and the final product contains only a negligible number of SiOH groups. The melting and glass‐transition temperatures of the monomer are exceptionally low: T_m,D5H = ?137.6 ± 1 and T_g,D5H = ?152 ± 2 °C. The polymer exhibits an unprecedented combination of properties: it is a stiff and brittle solid, is insoluble in common solvents, does not exhibit a melting endotherm but has an extremely low glass transition (T_g,PD5 = ?151 ± 0.5 °C), and is thermally stable up to at least 700 °C. Brillouin scattering indicates very slow variation of the relaxation time with temperature, a property characteristic of strong glass‐forming systems such as silica glass. This characteristic may account for the unique combination of properties of the new polymer: an extremely low glass‐transition temperature combined with solidlike properties even at ambient temperature (more than twice its glass‐transition temperature). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1285–1292, 2002     

Aqueous solution behavior of comb‐shaped poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline)

A series of comb polymers consisting of a methacrylate backbone and poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) (PEtOx) side chains was synthesized by a combination of cationic ring‐opening polymerization and reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. Small‐angle neutron scattering (SANS) studies revealed a transition from an ellipsoidal to a cylindrical conformation in D₂O around a backbone degree of polymerization of 30. Comb‐shaped PEtOx has lowered T_g values but a similar elution behavior in liquid chromatography under critical conditions in comparison to its linear analog was observed. The lower critical solution temperature behavior of the polymers was investigated by turbidimetry, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and SANS revealing decreasing T_cp in aqueous solution with increasing molar mass, the presence of very few aggregated structures below T_cp, a contraction of the macromolecules at temperatures 5 °C above T_cp but no severe conformational change of the cylindrical structure. In addition, the phase diagram including cloud point and coexistence curve was developed showing an LCST of 75 °C of the binary mixture poly[oligo(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline)methacrylate]/water. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Regulatory Aspects in Development of Stability-Indicating Methods: A Review

Poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PVCL) connected to aminopropyl silica is a new stationary phase for temperature responsive liquid chromatography (TR-LC). PVCL shows a transition from hydrophilic to hydrophobic interaction between 30 and 40 °C. The synthesis is described in detail. The temperature responsive characteristic of the phase is illustrated with a mixture of steroids using pure water as mobile phase. An increase in retention is observed when raising the temperature. H–u plots at different temperatures were constructed. Below the lower critical solution temperature (LCST), no optimal velocity could be measured because of substantial resistance to mass transfer. Above the LCST, u _opt was ca. 0.3 mm s^?1 with reduced plate heights from 4 at 45 °C to 3 at 65 °C. The temperature responsive nature of the polymer is lost in green chromatography with ethanol as modifier in concentrations above 5%.     

Polymer‐solvent interactions during phase transition in poly(vinyl methyl eiher)/D2O solutions as studied by NMR methods

The structural‐dynamic changes and polymer‐solvent interactions during temperature‐induced phase transition in poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME)/D₂O solutions in a broad range of concentrations (0.1‐30 wt.‐%) were studied by ¹H NMR methods. In the whole concentration range the phase transition is manifested by line broadening (linewidth 350‐500 Hz) of a major part of PVME units, evidently due to the formation of globular‐like structures. Above the LCST transition, the fraction of phase‐separated PVME segments is equal to 0.8±0.1, independent of polymer concentration. While at low concentrations the transition is virtually discontinuous, at high concentrations the transition region is ∼ 3 K broad. Measurements of nonselective and selective ¹H spin‐lattice relaxation times T₁ of solvent (HDO) molecules evidenced that at elevated temperatures, where most PVME forms globular structures, a part of solvent molecules is bound to PVME forming a complex; the lifetime of the bound water (HDO) molecules is ≤2 s.     

Dual entropic and enthalpic processes in the lower critical solution temperature phase separation of poly(vinyl methyl ether) aqueous solutions

In the lower critical solution temperature phase separation of poly(vinyl methyl ether) aqueous solutions, the process corresponding to the weakening of the hydrogen bond interaction with increasing temperature is dominant and occurs over the entire concentration region of solutions and over a broad temperature range from 30 to 41°C, giving rise to the energetic enthalpic effect during phase separation, while the conformational change, that is, collapse of the swollen polymer coils, occurs only in the swelling polymer solution when the water concentration is above 38.3 wt %, giving rise to the entropic effect during phase separation. In addition, the entropic process corresponding to the collapse of the polymer coils occurs in a much narrow theta temperature range from 35.5 to 37°C. If the solution is held at a constant temperature for a sufficiently long time, 90% collapse of the polymer coils occurs in only the 0.5 °C temperature region between 35.5 and 36°C. Accordingly, in the enthalpic process, the most dramatic blueshift of the νC‐O bond peak occurs in the temperature range between 35 and 41°C, while this blueshift is only approximately 2 cm^?1 in the temperature range from 30 to 35°C, prior to the collapse of the polymer coils due to the entropic effect. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 323–330     

Strukturen und thermische Zersetzung von enH2(H3O)[AlF6] und enH2[AlF5(H2O)]

Structures and Thermal Decomposition of enH₂(H₃O)[AlF₆] and enH₂[AlF₅(H₂O)] By precipitation with ethylene diamine (en) from a hydrofluoric acid solution of aluminium enH₂(H₃O)[AlF₆] is formed. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnma, a = 1084.9(1), b = 1079.4(1), c = 682.0(1) pm, R = 0.032. H₃O⁺ cations and [AlF₆]^3– anions are connected via strong H bonds to layers which are further linked to a 3 D network by H bonds from the enH₂²⁺ cations. By recrystallization from water or precipitation from a less acid solution enH₂[AlF₅(H₂O)] is formed, which crystallizes monoclinic in the space group P2₁ (a = 660.0(1), b = 563.5(1), c = 994.4(2) pm, β = 98.44(3)°, R = 0.029). The [AlF₅(H₂O)]^2– anions are linked by strong O–H…F bonding to form ‘einer-double chains' interconnected again via the enH₂²⁺ cations to a 3 D framework. Thermoanalytical investigations show that enH₂[AlF₅(H₂O)], by loss of water above 150 °C, as well as enH₂(H₃O)[AlF₆], by loss of water and HF above 120 °C, transform to enH₂AlF₅. The subsequent decomposition goes over NH₄⁺ containing intermediates towards β-AlF₃. Before decomposition the oxonium fluoroaluminate reveals a reversible phase transition at 99 °C.     

Matched ring diblock and linear triblock copolymers in dilute solution

A unique diblock copolymer ring and its linear triblock copolymer precursor composed of polystyrene and polydimethylsiloxane have been characterized by static and dynamic light scattering in dilute solution. The measurements were carried out with cyclohexane as the solvent over a temperature range of 12–35°C. Cyclohexane has the useful property that it is nearly isorefractive with the PDMS so that the PDMS block segments are invisible to the light-scattering technique and it is a theta solvent for polystyrene at 34.5°C. The block polymers in this work contain 35.1 wt % of styrene as determined by proton NMR. In the linear triblock polymer, the polystyrene is the center block with PDMS blocks on each side. Static light scattering measurements give 4.31 × 10⁴ for the average molecular weight of the whole polymer. Light scattering also shows that the apparent theta temperature for the linear triblock is shifted by 15°C to a value of 20°C at which point the second virial coefficient drops sharply and phase separation begins to induce aggregation. The diblock ring, however, shows a strongly positive second virial coefficient and no aggregation even at 12°C which is the limit of these experiments. The diffusion coefficients of cyclic diblock (D_c) and linear triblock copolymer (D₁) are measured by dynamic light scattering. The ratio of diffusion coefficients of cyclic and linear copolymers at 14.9°C and 30°C are D_c/D_l = 1.13 and 1.107 respectively. These compare well with prediction of 1.18 for this ratio from consideration of the hydrodynamics of matched linear and cyclic polymer chains. Dynamic light scattering quantitatively confirms that the linear copolymer experiences a solvent quality change near 20°C but the cyclic polymer remains in good solvent over the entire experimental temperature range. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Phase formation and transition in a xanthan gum/H2O/H3PO4 tertiary system

Phase formation and transition in a xanthan gum (XG)/H₂O/H₃PO₄ tertiary system were characterized by polarized optical microscopy, light transmission detection and rheological methods. Three distinct phases and a transition region—the completely separated (S) phase, the liquid crystalline (LC) miscible phase, the isotropically (I) miscible phase and the S plus LC region—were identified. The presence of H₃PO₄ in the XG/H₂O system inhibited the evolution of both the S and LC phases. The S and LC phases contained less than 73 and 62 wt% of H₃PO₄, respectively. As the temperature increased over 65 °C, the LC phase in the H₃PO₄-rich and H₂O-poor region seriously shrunk owing to the breakup of hydrogen bonds among the XG helical structure. At the same XG loading, the viscosity of the XG solutions in LC phase was found to be much higher than that in I phase. It indicated the existence of numerous XG intermolecular interactions in the LC phase that suppress the movement of liquid. A study of the kinetics demonstrated that the shrinkage relaxation time (τ) depended strongly on temperature and was fitted by the Volgel-Fulcher-Tammann (VFT) expression. The potential energy barrier of this liquid was quite low at approximately 3.0 kJ mol^?1, falling in the range of hydrogen-bond disassociation. The light absorbance test in heating mode revealed a biphasic transitional region between the LC phase and I phase. The contour of this region depended on the heating rate, and this fact was explained again by the relaxation behavior of XG helices at temperatures higher than 65 °C.     

Influence of arm length and number on star-shaped poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline) aggregation in aqueous solutions near cloud point

Four-arm star-shaped poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazolines) (PiPrOx₄) are synthesized by cationic polymerization on t-butylcalix[4]arene macroinitiator. The obtained samples differ by polymerization degree of arms N_PiPrOx = 9 and 25 and are characterized in chloroform. The behavior in aqueous solutions is studied by light scattering methods and compared with the results of investigation of eight-arm star with similar structure. Three types of particles are observed in solution of short-arm PiPrOx₄ at room temperature, whereas only two particle types are present in long-arm star solution. Arm shortening leads to widening of the phase transition interval. The arm number decreasing reduces the phase transition temperature by 1°C.     

Influence of a Second Cation (M = Ca2+, Mg2+) on the Phase Evolution of (BaxM1–x)F2 Starting from Amorphous Deposits

A second type of cation (Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺) was introduced into BaF₂ by low‐temperature atomic beam deposition. The structure evolution from low‐temperature (–150 °C) amorphous deposits to high‐temperature (< 1000 °C) annealed crystalline phases was studied by in‐situ transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction. Amorphous (Ba_0.5, Ca_0.5)F₂ crystallizes in a first step to metastable solid solution phase (fluorite‐type), which then decomposes into the pure phases of CaF₂ and BaF₂ at higher temperature. The crystallization behavior of amorphous (Ba_xMg_1–x)F₂ is completely different. When the Mg/Ba atomic ratio is around 1:1, the mixture transforms to the ternary compound BaMgF₄ at annealing, and no decomposition occurs by further heating up to 1000 °C. When the Ba concentration is below 15 % in atomic ratio (x < 0.15), the mixture forms a solid solution phase (rutile type) with the lattice expanded by +1 % compared to rutile type MgF₂. The difference between the phase evolutions of the two mixture systems is discussed.     

Aqueous Phase Behavior of Diglycerol Fatty Acid Esters

We have studied the phase behavior of homologous series of diglycerol fatty acid esters (Qn‐D, for n=10, 12, 14, and 16, where n represents the carbon number in the alkyl chain length of amphiphile) in aqueous solution as a function of temperature and surfactant concentration. The different equilibrium phases present over a wide range of composition and temperature studied were characterized by means of visual observation under normal and polarized light, and x‐ray scattering techniques at small (SAXS) and wide angle (WAXS) regions. In diglycerol monocaprate (Q10‐D) and diglycerol monolaurate (Q12‐D)/H₂O systems, lamellar liquid crystal (L_α) phase is present in the surfactant rich region and it swallows an appreciable amount of water. The amount of water swallowed by the L_α phase was determined by plotting the interlayer spacing, d, as a function of reciprocal of the surfactant weight fraction W_s . In the dilute regions, dispersion of L_α phase in water is observed over a wide range of temperature. At higher temperatures, the L_α phase melts to isotropic two‐liquid phases in water rich region whereas to isotropic reverse micellar solution (O_m) in surfactant rich region. The L_α‐O_m transition temperature is increased on increasing the hydrocarbon chain length of the surfactant from Q10‐D to Q12‐D. There is surfactant solid phase in equilibrium with water up to 25°C in diglycerol monomyristate (Q14‐D)/H₂O system and the solid phase could solubilize 25 wt% water. The melting temperature of solid phase is practically constant in a wide range of compositions. Both the solid present region and the extent of water solubilization are increased in diglycerol monopalmitate (Q16‐D)/H₂O system. At lower surfactant concentrations, excess water appears and dispersion of solid in water is formed. The structure of the solid is identified by WAXS measurement and it is confirmed to α‐solid. Normal vesicular aggregates are formed in L_α+W regions in the Q14‐D/H₂O system at 25°C.     

D2-m-carborane siloxanes. V. Structure–property relationships

D₂-m-decacarborane dimethylsiloxane has unusual thermal stability and resistance towards reversion, however, this material exhibits a crystalline phase, T_m at 68°C. To obtain an elastomeric material, this crystallinity is disrupted by replacing 30 to 50% of the m-carborane with p-carborane moieties or by the incorporation of phenyl moieties on the polymer backbone. The latter approach is preferred since improved thermo-oxidative stability accompanies this modification. Correlation of the glass transition temperature and thermo-oxidative stability with the polymer structure are presented.     

Synthesis,Crystal Structure and Thermal Behavior of GZTO·H2O

Guanidimium‐4,4‐azo‐1‐hydro‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐one (GZTO·H₂O) was synthesized from 4‐amino‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐one as a starting material by two‐step including oxidation coupling using acid KMnO₄ and reaction with (NH₂)₂CNH·HNO₃ (GN) in KOH solution. The single crystal of the title compound was obtained by slow evaporation method at room temperature, and its structure was firstly determined with X‐ray single‐crystal diffractometer. It is a orthorhombic crystal, space group Pbca with cell dimensions of a=1.0459(2) nm, b=1.3584(3) nm, c=1.6103(3) nm, α=90.00(10)°, β=90.00(11)°, γ=90.00(11)°, V=2.2878(8) nm³, Z=8, D_c=1.587 g·cm⁻³, F(000)=1136, µ=0.132 mm⁻¹, R₁=0.0455, wR₂=0.1397. The thermal behavior of GZTO·H₂O was studied under a non‐isothermal condition by DSC‐TGA method, and its thermal decomposition process can be divided into three stages, and the first stage is an intense exothermic decomposition process. The second stage and the third stage are slow exothermic decomposition processes. The critical temperature of thermal explosion is 237.74°C.     

The solution and transport of gases in poly(N-butyl methacrylate) in the glass transition region. I. Absorption-desorption measurements

Solubility coefficients, S, and diffusion coefficients, D, have been determined for ethane and n-butane in poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PnBMA) by the microbalance technique in the temperature range from ?14 to 50°C, which encompasses the glass transition of the polymer (22–35°C). S and D for ethane were found to be independent of penetrant pressure and concentration at all temperatures studied No transition to “dual-mode” sorption behavior, as reported for a number of penetrants in glassy polymers, was observed with ethane, even at the lowest experimental temperature. Plots of log S and log D versus 1-T, the reciprocal absolute temperature, were linear for the ethane-PnBMA system and did not exhibit discontinuities in the glass transition region. The above results suggest that the same mechanism of solution and transport of ethane in PnBMA is operative both above and below the glass transition of the polymer under the experimental conditions. This behavior is attributed to the low “excess” free volume of glassy PnBMA, as indicated by the small difference between the coefficients of thermal expansion of this polymer in its rubbery and glassy states. Possible conditions for the appearance of dual-mode gas sorption are discussed. A similar study with the n-butane-PnBMA system showed that the polymer was plasticized by the penetrant below 20°C, due to the higher solubility of n-butane compared with that of ethane in PnBMA.     

Charge–transfer-induced spin transition in K0.28Co1.36[Fe(CN)6] · XH2O with different annealing temperatures

The Prussian blue analog K_0.28Co_1.36[Fe(CN)₆]?·?XH₂O was prepared by standard chemical co-precipitation. The precipitate was filtered and dried in a vacuum oven at room temperature, 80°C, and 120°C. The powder X-ray diffraction measurement indicates a typical face-centered cubic pattern. The diffraction peaks show a slight shift to higher angle with increasing annealing temperatures, a signature of lattice contraction, which is mainly related to the inner charge transfer from Fe^III to Co^II. The value of χ?·?T is variable and dependent on temperature. The temperature dependence of χ ^?1 shows a large deviation from the Curie–Weiss law. The behavior could result from a charge-transfer-induced spin transition. Isothermal magnetization curves also suggest that the inner charge-transfer spin transition depends on the annealing temperature.     

Electrical Behavior of the Insulator Class-E around Glass Transition: Experimental and Numerical Analyses

Currents flowing through semicrystalline polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film were measured over the temperature range 60°–100°C in electric fields from 24 × 10⁶ to 72 × 10⁶ V/m. A study of the influence of these external stresses on the electrical behavior of PET, at glass transition phase, permitted interpreting its response in terms of dipolar relaxation and movements of free charges. The simulation of the charging current around the glass transition temperature using a model consisting of the presence of bipolar carriers and one kind of permanent dipole with relaxation time τ allowed reproducing the experimental behavior. From this numerical calculation, space dependence of charge densities and field can be determined in order to explain the electrical behavior of current, which depends on parameters such as injection coefficient A _i , relaxation time τ, and mobility μ.     

Stimuli-Responsive Polymers in Solution Investigated by NMR and Infrared Spectroscopy

Summary: Temperature-induced and solvent composition-induced phase separation in solutions of poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) (PIPMAm) and other thermoresponsive polymers as studied by NMR and infrared (IR) spectroscopy is discussed. The fraction p of phase-separated units (units with significantly reduced mobility) and subsequently, e.g., thermodynamic parameters characterizing the coil-globule phase transition induced by temperature, were determined from reduced integrated intensities in high-resolution ¹H NMR spectra. This approach can be especially useful in investigations of phase separation in solutions of binary polymer systems. Information on behaviour of water during temperature-induced phase transition was obtained from measurements of ¹H NMR relaxation times of HDO molecules. NMR and IR spectroscopy were used to investigate PIPMAm solutions in water/ethanol (D₂O/EtOH) mixtures where the phase separation can be induced by solvent composition (cononsolvency). Some differences in globular-like structures induced by temperature and solvent composition were revealed by these methods.     

Preparation and methane adsorption of two-dimensional carbide Ti<Subscript>2</Subscript>C

Here a novel material for methane adsorption was synthesized and studied, which is a graphene-like two-dimensional (2D) carbide (Ti₂C, a member of MXenes), formed by exfoliating Ti₂AlC powders in a solution of lithium fluoride (LiF) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) at 40 °C for 48 h. Based on first-principles calculation, theoretically perfect Ti₂C with O termination has a specific surface area (SSA) of 671 m² g^?1 and methane storage capacity is 22.9 wt%. Experimentally, 2.85 % exfoliated Ti₂C with mesopores shown methane capacity of 11.58 cm³ (STP: 0 °C, 1 bar) g^?1 (0.82 wt%) under 5 MPa and the SSA was 19.1 m² g^?1. For Ti₂C sample intercalated with NH₃·H₂O, the adsorbed amount was increased to 16.81 cm³ (STP) g^?1 at same temperature. At the temperature of 323 K, the adsorbed amount of as-prepared Ti₂C was increased to 52.76 cm³ (STP) g^?1. For fully exfoliated Ti₂C, the methane capacity was supposed to be 28.8 wt% or 1148 V (STP)v^?1. Ti₂C theoretically has much larger volume methane capacity than current methane storage materials, though its SSA is not very high.