Chromocene-based catalysts for ethylene polymerization: Kinetic parameters

The chromocene catalyst for ethylene polymerization shows a high response to hydrogen which leads directly to highly saturated polyethylenes containing methyl groups as the major terminal functionality in the polymers. At a polymerization temperature of 90°C the ratio of termination rate constants for hydrogen (k_H) and ethylene (k_M) is k_H/k_M = 3.60 × 10³. The ratio of k_H to the chain propagation constant (k_p) is k_H/k_p = 4.65 × 10^?1 A simple relation that can be derived from polymerization kinetics and the Quackenbos equation exists between melt index and hydrogen–ethylene ratio. A deuterium isotope effect (k_H/k_D) = 1.2 was calculated for the termination reaction. The overall polymerization process has an apparent activation energy of 10.1 kcal/mole. Oxygen addition studies show catalyst activity is proportional to initial divalent chromium content.     

Water sorption/desorption kinetics in poly(ethylene naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylate) and poly(ethylene terephthalate)

Water sorption/desorption experiments were carried out on films (～ 220 μm thick) of amorphous poly(ethylene naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylate) (PEN) stored in ambient conditions for different periods of time (0.5-4 years) and of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with different degrees of crystalinity levels (0-29%) by means of FTIR spectroscopy. Water sorption/desorption kinetics follows Fick's law for all samples investigated. Water sorption isotherms, obtained from gravimetric methods, indicate a larger sorption capacity in the case of PEN materials. The apparent diffusion coefficients (D) are larger in the case of PET samples. The observed D values decrease with storage time (physical aging) of PEN samples and with the crystallinity of PET samples. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Interval kinetic gravimetric sorption of acetone in random copolymers of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate)

Interval sorption kinetics of acetone in solvent cast films of random poly(ethylene terephthalate)-co-(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate) (PET-co-PEN) are reported at 35°C and at acetone pressures ranging from 0 to 7.3 cm Hg. Polymer composition is varied systematically from 0% to 50% poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate). Equilibrium sorption is well described by the dual-mode sorption model. Interval sorption kinetics are described using a two-stage model that incorporates both Fickian diffusion and protracted polymer structural relaxation. The incorporation of low levels of PEN into PET significantly reduces the excess free volume associated with the glassy state and, for these interval acetone sorption experiments in ∼ 5 μm-thick films, decreases the fraction of acetone uptake controlled by penetrant-induced polymer structural relaxation. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 2973–2984, 1999     

Antimicrobial loading into and release from poly(ethylene glycol)/poly(acrylic acid) semi‐interpenetrating hydrogels

Electrostatic interactions within a semi‐interpenetrating network (semi‐IPN) gel can control the postsynthesis loading, long‐term retention, and subsequent release of small‐molecule cationic antibiotics. Here, electrostatic charge is introduced into an otherwise neutral gel [poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)] by physically entrapping high‐molecular‐weight poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). The network structure is characterized by small‐angle neutron scattering. PEG/PAA semi‐IPN gels absorb over 40 times more antibiotic than PAA‐free PEG gels. Subsequent soaking in physiological buffer (pH 7.4; 0.15 M NaCl) releases the loaded antibiotics for periods as long as 30 days. The loaded gels elute antibiotics with diffusivities of 4.46 × 10^?8 cm²/s (amikacin) and 2.08 × 10^?8 cm²/s (colistin), which are two orders of magnitude less than those in pure PEG gels where diffusion is controlled purely by gel tortuosity. The release and hindered diffusion can be understood based on the partial shielding of the charged groups within the loaded gel, and they have a significant effect on the antimicrobial properties of these gels. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 64–72     

Solid polymer electrolytes I,preparation, characterization,and ionic conductivity of gelled polymer electrolytes based on novel crosslinked siloxane/poly(ethylene glycol) polymers

A series of crosslinked siloxane/poly(ethylene glycol) (Si–PEG) copolymers were synthesized from the reactive methoxy‐functional silicone resin (Si resin) and PEGs with different molecular weights via two kinds of crosslinking reactions during an in situ curing stage. One of the crosslinking reactions is the self‐condensation between two methoxy groups in the Si resin, and another one is an alkoxy‐exchange reaction between the methoxy group in the Si resin and the OH group in PEG. The synthesized crosslinked copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, DSC, and ¹³C NMR. The crosslinked copolymers were stable in a moisture‐free environment, but the Si? O? C linkages were hydrolyzed in humid conditions. The gel‐like solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) were prepared by impregnating these crosslinked Si–PEG copolymers in a propylene carbonate (LiClO₄/PC) solution. The highest conductivity reached 2.4 × 10^?4 S cm^?1 at 25 °C and increased to 8.7 × 10^?4 S cm^?1 at 85 °C. The conductivities of these gel‐type SPEs were affected by the content of LiClO₄/PC, the molecular weights of PEGs, and the weight fraction of the Si resin. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2051–2059, 2004     

Electrical conductivity of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/expanded graphite nanocomposites prepared by in situ polymerization

Nanocomposites based on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and expanded graphite (EG) have been prepared by in situ polymerization. Morphology of the nanocomposites has been examined by electronic microscopy. The relationship between the preparation method, morphology, and electrical conductivity was studied. Electronic microscopy images reveal that the nanocomposites exhibit well dispersed graphene platelets. The incorporation of EG to the PET results in a sharp insulator‐to‐conductor transition with a percolation threshold (?_c) as low as 0.05 wt %. An electrical conductivity of 10^?3 S/cm was achieved for 0.4 wt % of EG. The low percolation threshold and relatively high electrical conductivity are attributed to the high aspect ratio, large surface area, and uniform dispersion of the EG sheets in PET matrix. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012     

Sorption and pervaporation properties of crosslinked membranes of poly(ethylene oxide imide) segmented copolymer to aromatic/nonaromatic hydrocarbon mixtures

Poly(ethylene oxide imide) segmented copolymer (PEO‐PI) membranes were crosslinked by the chemical reaction between ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether and benzylalcohol groups of diamine moieties in polyimide segments at high temperatures. Sorption and diffusion of penetrants took place in poly(ethylene oxide) segment microdomains. Sorption and desorption behavior of pure vapors such as benzene (Bz), cyclohexane (Cx) and n‐hexane (Hx) was classified as the Fickian diffusion. Sorption isotherms of binary liquid mixtures could be represented by the Flory–Rehner model, but the model overpredicted the sorption amounts of Cx and Hx, leading to small predictions of sorption selectivity α_S for Bz/Cx and Bz/Hx systems. UNIFAC‐FV model fairly well predicted the sorption amounts of aromatic hydrocarbons, but significantly overestimated those of nonaromatic ones, leading to too small predictions of α_S. Pervaporation (PV) behavior of PEO‐PI membranes was governed by sorption behavior followed by membrane swelling. Diffusion coefficient weakly depended on the minimum cross section of a penetrant. The diffusivity selectivity α_D hardly depended on the feed composition and was about 1.4 and 0.75 for Bz/Cx and Bz/Hx, respectively. PV selectivity α_PV was larger for Bz/Hx than for Bz/Cx because of larger α_S. PEO‐PI membranes displayed high specific permeation flux Ql and reasonably high α_PV for aromatic/nonaromatic hydrocarbons; for example, Ql = 60 Kg μm/(m² h) and α_PV = 8 for a feed mixture containing Bz, Tol, Hx, n‐Ot and i‐Ot of 20 wt % at 353 K. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1800–1811, 2000     

Unique morphological and thermal behaviors of reorganized poly(ethylene terephthalates)

Bulk poly(ethylene terephthalate) PET has been reorganized both morphologically and conformationally by processing from its inclusion complex (IC) formed with γ‐cyclodextrin (CD). In the narrow channels of its γ‐CD‐IC crystals the included guest PET chains are isolated from neighboring PET chains and the ethylene glycol (EG) units adopt the highly extended g±tg? kink conformations, whose cross‐sectional diameters are ～80% of the diameter of the fully extended, all‐trans crystalline PET conformer, though they are nearly (～95%) as extended. When the highly extended, unentangled guest PET chains are coalesced from their γ‐CD‐IC crystals by exposure to hot water, host γ‐CDs are removed and the PET chains are presumably consolidated into a bulk sample with a morphology and constituent chain conformations not normally found in PET samples solidified from their randomly coiling, possibly entangled, disordered melts and solutions. Observations by polarized light and atomic force microscopies provide visual evidence for widely different semicrystalline morphologies developed in coalesced and as‐received PETs when crystallized from their melts, with possibly chain extended, small crystals and spherulitic, chain‐folded, large crystals, respectively. DSC observations reveal that coalesced PET is rapidly crystallizable from the melt, while as‐received PET is slow to crystallize and is easily quenched into a totally amorphous sample. Analyses of ¹³C‐NMR data strongly indicate that the PET chains in the noncrystalline regions of the coalesced sample remain predominantly in the highly extended kink conformations, with g±tg? EG units, which are required by their inclusion into PET‐γ‐CD‐IC crystals, while the predominantly amorphous PET chains in the as‐received sample have high concentrations of gauche± ? CH₂? CH₂? and trans ? O? CH₂? ,? CH₂? O? EG bond conformations. ¹³C‐NMR T₁(¹³C) and T_1ρ(¹H) relaxation studies show no evidence of a glass transition for coalesced PET, while the as‐received sample shows abrupt changes in both the MHz [T₁(¹³C)] and kHz [T_1ρ(¹H)] motions at T ～ T_g. Preliminary observations of differences in their macroscopic properties are attributed to the very different morphologies and conformations of the constituent chains in these PET samples. Apparently the kink conformers in the noncrystalline regions of coalesced PET are at least partially retained for extended periods even in the melt and are rapidly crystallized upon cooling. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 386–394, 2004     

Hydrogen bonding interactions between ethylene glycol and water: density,excess molar volume,and spectral study

Studies of the density and the excess molar volume of ethylene glycol (EG)-water mixtures were carried out to illustrate the hydrogen bonding interactions of EG with water at different temperatures. The re-sults suggest that a likely complex of 3 ethylene glycol molecules bonding with 4 water molecules in an ethylene glycol-water mixture (EGW) is formed at the maximal excess molar volume,which displays stronger absorption capabilities for SO2 when the concentration of SO2 reaches 400×10?6 (volume ratio) in the gas phase. Meanwhile,FTIR and UV spectra of EGWs were recorded at various EG concentra-tions to display the hydrogen bonding interactions of EG with water. The FTIR spectra show that the stretching vibrational band of hydroxyl in the EGWs shifts to a lower frequency and the bending vibra-tional band of water shifts to a higher frequency with increasing the EG concentration,respectively. Furthermore,the UV spectra show that the electron transferring band of the hydroxyl oxygen in EG shows red shift with increasing the EG concentration. The frequency shifts in FTIR spectra and the shifts of absorption bands in UV absorption spectra of EGWs are interpreted as the strong hydrogen bonding interactions of the hydrogen atoms in water with the hydroxyl oxygen atoms of EG.     

Ion conductive poly(ethylene oxide-dimethyl siloxane) copolymers

A series of poly(ethylene oxide-dimethyl siloxane) copolymers, — [SiMe₂O(CH₂CH₂O)_n]_m — (n = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.4, 8.7, 13.3), were synthesised by the reaction of polyethylene glycol with dimethyl dimethoxy/diethoxysilane. Corresponding ion-conductive polymers were prepared by complexing these copolymers with salts (sodium tetrafluoroborate or ammonium adipate). The highest conductivity of these systems at room temperature was 3 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ and 6 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹, respectively. The glass transition temperature of these copolymers is reported and is seen to be dependent on the length of the ether units. The effects of siloxane content, salt concentration, and temperature on the conductivity are discussed. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Oxygen‐barrier properties of oriented and heat‐set poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The improvement in the oxygen‐barrier properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) by orientation and heat setting was examined. Orientation was carried out at 65 °C by constrained uniaxial stretching to a draw ratio of about 4. Heat setting was performed at temperatures from 90 to 160 °C with the specimen taut. Orientation decreased the permeability of PET to almost one‐third that of the unoriented, amorphous polymer because of decreases in both the diffusion coefficient and the solubility coefficient. The proposed two‐phase model for oriented PET consisted of a permeable isotropic amorphous phase (density = 1.335 g/cm³) with ethylene linkages predominately in the gauche conformation and an impermeable oriented phase (density = 1.38 g/cm³) with ethylene linkages that had transformed from the gauche conformation to the trans conformation during stretching. Chain segments in the trans conformation did not possess crystalline order; instead, they were viewed as forming an ordered amorphous phase. Crystallization by heat setting above the glass‐transition temperature did not dramatically affect the permeability. However, a decrease in the diffusion coefficient, offset by an increase in the solubility coefficient, indicated that crystallization affected the barrier properties of the permeable amorphous phase. Analysis of the barrier data, assuming a two‐phase model with variable density for both the permeable and impermeable phases, revealed that the impermeable phase density increased during crystallization, approaching a value of 1.476 g/cm³. This value is consistent with previous measurements of the density of the defective crystalline phase in PET. The density of the permeable amorphous phase decreased concurrently to about 1.325 g/cm³, indicating the appearance of additional free volume. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1679–1686, 2000     

Kinetics of the reactions of fluorine and chlorine atoms with ethylene oxide (oxirane)

The kinetics of the reactions of F and C1 atoms with ethylene oxide have been studied using relative rate techniques in 10–700 Torr of either nitrogen or air diluent at 295 ± 2 K; k(F + C₂H₄O) = (9.4 ± 1.6) × 10^?11 and k(C1 + C₂H₄O) = (5.0 ± 0.9) × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. The result for k(F + C₂H₄O) is in good agreement with the literature data. The result for k(C1 + C₂H₄O) is a factor of 5.6 lower than that reported previously. It seems likely that in the previous study most of the loss of C₂H₄O attributed to reaction with C1 atoms was actually caused by unwanted secondary reactions leading to an overestimate of k(C1 + C₂H₄O). © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 34: 122–125, 2002     

Diffusion and reaction in polyester melts

An understanding of the physical and chemical processes involved in the melt polymerization of polyesters in the higher inherent viscosity ranges is of fundamental importance in polyester preparation. For example, the volatile condensation product must diffuse to a polymer–vapor interface before polymerization can take place. Thus, the rate of polymerization of a polyester may be dependent not only upon the chemical kinetics of the polymerization reaction but also upon the diffusion of the condensation product through the polymer melt. The objective of the work presented in this paper was to determine to what degree diffusion or reaction kinetics, or both, limit the melt polycondensation of poly(ethylene terephthalate). Degrees of polymerization in melts between 0.0285 and 0.228 cm in depth at 270°C were measured for various reaction times and were compared with the predictions of mathematical models. The polycondensation rates under these conditions depend upon both the polycondensation rate constant k₁ and the diffusivity D of ethylene glycol through the melt. Estimates of the values to these parameters are: k₁ = 0.0500 (moles/mole of repeat unit)^?1 sec^?1; D = 1.66 × 10^?4 cm²/sec.     

Permeation,diffusion, and solution of cyclopropane in silicone rubber

Permeability, solubility, and diffusion coefficients have been determined for cyclopropane (c-C₃H₆) in silicone rubber at temperatures between ?8 and 70°C at relative pressures from 0.04 to 0.30. The permeability coefficients, , are of the order of 10^?6 cm³ (STP) · cm/(s · cm² · cmHg). increases slightly with increasing penetrant pressure and decreases with increasing temperature, the energy of activation for permeation being ?1.27 kcal/gmol at zero pressure. The solubility of cyclopropane in silicone rubber can be represented over the experimental concentration range by the Flory-Huggins equation. The solubility decreases with increasing temperature and the partial molar heat of solution is ?4.95 kcal/gmol. The solubility coefficient in the Henry's law limit, S(0), for cyclopropane and many other gases and vapors can be correlated with (T_c/T)², where T and T_c are the experimental and critical temperatures, respectively. The mutual diffusion coefficients, D, increase with increasing concentration and temperature, the energy of activation for diffusion being 3.68 kcal/gmol. The pressure dependence of &\[\bar P\] is described satisfactorily by a free-volume model proposed by Fujita and extended by Stern, Frisch, and coworkers. The permeability, diffusion, and solubility behavior of cyclopropane in silicone rubber is similar to that of propane (C₃H₈).     

Glycolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) using basic ionic liquids as catalysts

The glycolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) was studied using several ionic liquids and basic ionic liquids as catalysts. The basic ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydroxyl ([Bmim]OH), exhibits higher catalytic activity for the glycolysis of PET, compared with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bicarbonate ([Bmim]HCO₃), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim]Cl) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([Bmim]Br). FT-IR, ¹H NMR and DSC were used to confirm the main product of glycolysis was bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) monomer. The influences of experimental parameters, such as the amount of catalyst, glycolysis time, reaction temperature, and dosages of ethylene glycol on the conversion of PET, yield of BHET were investigated. The results showed a strong influence of the mixture evolution of temperature and reaction time on depolymerization of PET. Under the optimum conditions of m(PET):m(EG): 1:10, dosage of [Bmim]OH at 0.1 g (5 wt%), reaction temperature 190 °C and time 2 h, the conversion of PET and the yield of BHET were 100% and 71.2% respectively. Balance between the polymerization of BHET and depolymerization of PET could be changed when the reaction time was more than 2 h and contents of catalyst and EG were changed.     

An FTIR spectroscopic study of the kinetics and mechanism for the NO2-initiated oxidation of tetramethyl ethylene at 298 K

The kinetics and mechansim for the NO₂-initiated oxidation of tetramethyl ethylene (TME) have been studied using the FTIR spectroscopic method in mixtures containing NO₂ and TME (0.1?1.0 Torr) and N₂? O₂ (700 Torr) at 298 ± 2 K. While TME decayed according to -d[TME]/dt = k_obs[NO₂][TME], NO₂ exhibited a complex kinetic behavior. Furthermore, values of k_obs were dependent on [O₂]. Among the products were (CH₃)₂CO and at least three NO₂-containing compounds. These results indicate the formation of a nitro-alkylperoxy radical via reactions (1), (?1), and (2), and its subsequent reactions leading to the observed products. The [O₂]-dependence of k_obs yielded k₁ = (1.07 ± 0.15) × 10^?20 cm³ molecule^?1 S^?1 and k_?1/k₂ = (3.54 ± 0.61) × 10¹⁸ molecule cm^?3.     

Rate constants of the reactions of OH radicals with cyclopropane and cyclobutane

The kinetics of the reactions of hydroxy radicals with cyclopropane and cyclobutane has been investigated in the temperature range of 298–492 K with laser flash photolysis/resonance fluorescence technique. The temperature dependence of the rate constants is given by k₁ = (1.17 ± 0.15) × 10^?16 T^3/2 exp[?(1037 ± 87) kcal mol^?1/RT] cm³ molecule^?1 s¹ and k₂ = (5.06 ± 0.57) × 10^?16 T^3/2 exp[?(228 ± 78) kcal mol^?1/RT] cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 for the reactions OH + cyclopropane → products (1) and OH + cyclobutane → products (2), respectively. Kinetic data available for OH + cycloalkane reactions were analyzed in terms of structure-reactivity correlations involving kinetic and energetic parameters.     

Isolation and identification of cyclic oligomers of the poly(ethylene terephthalate)–poly(ethylene isophthalate) copolymer

New cyclic oligomers of the copolymer of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(ethylene isophthalate) (PEI) were isolated and identified. A condensation polymerization was carried out at a high temperature, and the solid‐state polymerization that followed yielded the high molecular weight polymer. The oligomers were extracted from the high molecular weight PET–PEI copolymer and separated with preparative high performance liquid chromatography techniques. Their chemical structures and properties were analyzed and determined by ¹H NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, and mass spectroscopy. The oligomers observed at early retention times were a cyclic dimer and cyclic trimers and consisted of [GT]₃, [GI]₂, [GI]₃, [GT]₂[GI]₁, and [GT]₁[GI]₂. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 881–889, 2003     

Kinetic study of the reactions Br + IBr→I + Br2 and I + Br2→Br + IBr

The kinetics of the title reactions have been studied using the discharge-flow mass spectrometic method at 296 K and 1 torr of helium. The rate constant obtained for the forward reaction Br+IBr→I+Br₂ (1), using three different experimental approaches (kinetics of Br consumption in excess of IBr, IBr consumption in excess of Br, and I formation), is: k₁=(2.7±0.4)×10⁻¹¹ cm³ molecule⁻¹s⁻¹. The rate constant of the reverse reaction: I+Br₂→Br+IBr (−1) has been obtained from the Br₂ consumption rate (with an excess of I atoms) and the IBr formation rate: k₋₁=(1.65±0.2)×10⁻¹³ cm³molecule⁻¹s⁻¹. The equilibrium constant for the reactions (1,−1), resulting from these direct determinations of k₁ and k₋₁ and, also, from the measurements of the equilibrium concentrations of Br, IBr, I, and Br₂, is: K₁=k₁/k₋₁=161.2±19.7. These data have been used to determine the enthalpy of reaction (1), ΔH₂₉₈°=−(3.6±0.1) kcal mol⁻¹ and the heat of formation of the IBr molecule, ΔH_f,298°(IBr)=(9.8±0.1) kcal mol⁻¹. © 1998 John Wiley & sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 30: 933–940, 1998     

Segmented block copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(ethylene terephthalate)

A new series of segmented copolymers were synthesized from poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) oligomers and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) by a two‐step solution polymerization reaction. PET oligomers were obtained by glycolysis depolymerization. Structural features were defined by infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The copolymer composition was calculated via ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The content of soft PEG segments was higher than that of hard PET segments. A single glass‐transition temperature was detected for all the synthesized segmented copolymers. This observation was found to be independent of the initial PET‐to‐PEG molar ratio. The molar masses of the copolymers were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4448–4457, 2004