Polymer Networks Containing Cholesteryl Compounds of Different Functionality

Abstract

The synthesis of densely crosslinked polymer networks with a helicoidal structure from various cholesteryl compounds is described. By mixing nematic diacrylates with cholesteryl compounds of different functionality, cholesteric phases are obtained. The reflection wavelength can be varied by the composition of the mixture. Isothermal photopolymerization leads to crosslinked networks with different fixation of the cholesteryl compounds to the network depending on their functionality. The influence of temperature and organic solvents on the reflection wavelength as well as the angular dependence of the reflection wave length have been investigated.     

Properties and Polymerization of Biodegradable Thermoplastic Poly(Ester-urethane)

Abstract

Aliphatic polyesters, such as poly(lactic acids), need high molecular weight for acceptable mechanical properties. This can be achieved through ring-opening polymerization of lactides. The lactide route is, however, relatively complicated, and alternative polymerization routes are of interest. In this paper we report the properties of a polymer made by a two-step process: first a condensation polymerization of lactic acid and then an increase of the molecular weight with diisocyanate. The end product is then a thermoplastic poly(ester-urethane). The hydroxylterminated prepolymer was made with condensation polymerization of L–lactic acid and a small amount of 1,4-butanediol. The polymerization was performed in the melt under nitrogen and reduced pressure. The preparation of poly(ester-urethane) was done in the melt using aliphatic diisocyanates as the chain extenders reacting with the end groups of the prepolymer. The polymer samples were carefully characterized, including preliminary degradation studies. The results indicate that this route to convert lactic acid into thermoplastic biodegradable polymer has high potential. Lactic acid is converted into a mechanically attractive polymer with high yield, which could make the polymer suitable for high volume applications. The mechanical properties of the poly(ester-urethane) are comparable with those of poly(lactides). Capillary rheometer measurements indicate that the polymer is processible both by injection molding and extrusion.     

用负载型钛催化剂合成带端羟基的低分子量乙丙共聚物

<正> 合成带端羟基的反应性低聚物是目前令人感兴趣的研究课题之一。因为这种低分子量的预聚物((?)n<10~4),可作为大分子单体进行接枝或嵌段共聚合,获得一系列具有特殊性能的新型高分子材料。本文用高效负载型钛催化剂(TiCl_4/MgCl_2-Al(i-Bu)_3),以ZnEt_2为链转移剂,进行乙烯丙烯共聚,再通O_2氧化,首次从配位聚合途径合成了带端羟基的乙丙低聚物。这为乙丙弹性体的功能化增添了应用前景。     

Functional Characterization of Hydroxy-Polybutadienes

Abstract

Analysis of hydroxyl functionalized polymers requires accurate knowledge of both molecular weight and functionality distributions. Usual average characterization such as viscosity (Brookfield and hydroxyl equivalent of the whole polymer, are not sufficient to represent product quality. Size exclusion chromatography, even with dual detection, is also limited in its capacity to characterize this type of macromolecules consequently their mechanical behaviour. Separation according to functionally has been achieved using stepwise elution from silica gel. the various problems encountered during analysis and the data finally obtained on HTPB using infrared spectroscopy are discussed.     

Preparation and characterization of biodegradable poly(lactic acid)‐ block‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) multiblock copolymer

Biodegradable copolymers of poly(lactic acid)‐block‐poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PLA‐b‐PCL) were successfully prepared by two steps. In the first step, lactic acid monomer is oligomerized to low molecular weight prepolymer and copolymerized with the (ε‐caprolactone) diol to prepolymer, and then the molecular weight is raised by joining prepolymer chains together using 1,6‐hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) as the chain extender. The polymer was carefully characterized by using ¹H‐NMR analysis, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results of ¹H‐NMR and TGA indicate PLA‐b‐PCL prepolymer with number average molecular weights (M_n) of 4000–6000 were obtained. When PCL‐diols are 10 wt%, copolymer is better for chain extension reaction to obtain the polymer with high molecular weight. After chain extension, the weight average molecular weight can reach 250,000 g/mol, as determined by GPC, when the molar ratio of –NCO to –OH was 3:1. DSC curve showed that the degree of crystallization of PLA–PCL copolymer was low, even became amorphous after chain extended reaction. The product exhibits superior mechanical properties with elongation at break above 297% that is much higher than that of PLA chain extended products. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and properties of high‐molecular‐weight stereo di‐block polylactides with nonequivalent D/L ratios

Di‐stereoblock polylactides (di‐sb‐PLA: PLLA‐b‐PDLA) having high molecular weight (M_n > 100 kDa) were successfully synthesized by two‐step ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of L ‐ and D ‐lactides using tin(2‐ethylhexanoate) as a catalyst. By optimizing the polymerization conditions, the block sequences were well regulated at non‐equivalent feed ratios of PLLA and PDLA. This synthetic method consisted of three stages: (1) polymerization of either L ‐ or D ‐lactide to obtain a PLLA or PDLA prepolymer with a molecular weight less than 50 kDa, (2) purification of the obtained prepolymer to remove residual lactide, and (3) polymerization of the enantiomeric lactide in the presence of the purified prepolymer. Their ¹³C and ³¹P NMR spectra of the resultant di‐sb‐PLAs strongly supported their di‐stereo block structure. These di‐sb‐PLAs, having weight‐average molecular weights higher than 150 kDa, were fabricated into polymer films by solution casting and showed exclusive stereocomplexation. The thermomechanical analysis of the films revealed that their heat deformation temperature was limited probably because of their low crystallinity owing to the non‐equivalent PLLA/PDLA ratio. The blend systems of the di‐sb‐PLAs having complementary stereo‐sequences (the one with a long PLLA block and the other with long PDLA block) were also prepared and characterized to enhance the sc crystallinity. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 794–801, 2010     

Crosslinking Index,Molecular Weight Distribution and Rubber Equilibrium Shear Modulus During Polyfunctional Crosslinking of Existing Polymer, 6. Primary Polymer with a Schulz–Zimm Distribution of Molecular Weights

A network model for the crosslinking of already existing polymer molecules with a so‐called Schulz–Zimm distribution of their molecular weights is presented. It is an extension of previously developed statistical network models applied to the crosslinking of primary polymers with several other molecular weight distributions and with crosslinks of any functionality. The model results in the possibility to obtain more insight into the structure of polymers, especially those with narrow distributions of the molecular weight. In more detail, the model can give a perspective on structural network parameters such as the weight fractions of ideal network, of dangling polymer ends, and of those molecules not connected to the network, i. e., the sol fraction, the number of crosslinks in which a polymer molecule is bound, the functionality of the crosslinks, or the average molar mass of the polymer molecules in between the crosslinks M̄_c. Results of calculations are shown for a hypothetical crosslinking process of polymers with various molecular weight distributions. Moreover, the dependency of the network parameters on the polydispersity index and the type of molecular weight distribution is shown. Finally the increase of the functionality of the crosslinks during the ageing process of a 9.9% poly(vinyl chloride) gel as a function of the polydispersity index of the molecular weight distribution is presented.     

聚(丙烯酸钠-4-乙烯基吡啶)的生物降解性和功能性研究

用自由基共聚法制备了一系列可生物降解的功能聚合物聚(丙烯酸钠-4-乙烯基吡啶)[P(SA-co-4VP)],研究了其组成和分子量与生物降解性、资合性及分散性间的关系.结果表明:聚合物中小乙烯基吡啶含量越大,P(SA-co-4VP)的生物降解越显著.分子是一定时,少量的个乙烯基吡啶引入聚丙烯酸钠主链是增强聚合物生物降解性和保持原有功能特性的有效途径.     

Aqueous Dispersion of Polyurethane Anionomer from Aliphatic Diisocyanates and Poly(Hexamethylene Carbonate) Diol

Abstract

Water dispersible polyurethanes (PUs) were prepared from poly(hexamethylene carbonate) (PHC) diol, isophorone diisocyanates (IPDI), hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), and dimethylolpropionic acid (DMPA) as latent anionic sites. After neutralization of the carboxyl group from the DMPA unit with triethylamine (TEA), the PU anionomers were dispersed by adding water, following by crosslinking using triethylenetetramine (TETA). The particle size of the dispersion decreased with the content of DMPA and increased with HDI in the HDI-IPDI system, and it exhibited a minimum when the number-average molecular weight (M _n) of the prepolymer was 3000 and 4500, respectively. PUs with a higher content of hard segments from DMPA or TETA, or with a higher content of IPDI rather than HDI, had higher tensile moduli and storage moduli at room temperature. Ultimate tensile properties increased with an increase of the prepolymer molecular weight and the DMPA and HDI content.     

Effect of prepolymer molecular weight on solid state polymerization of poly(bisphenol a carbonate) with nitrogen as a sweep fluid

The effect of prepolymer molecular weight on the solid‐state polymerization (SSP) of poly(bisphenol A carbonate) was investigated using nitrogen (N₂) as a sweep fluid. Prepolymers with different number–average molecular weights, 3800 and 2400 g/mol, were synthesized using melt transesterification. SSP of the two prepolymers then was carried out at reaction temperatures in the range 120–190 °C, with a prepolymer particle size in the range 20–45 μm and a N₂ flow rate of 1600 mL/min. The glass transition temperature (T_g), number–average molecular weight (M_n), and percent crystallinity were measured at various times during each SSP. The phenyl‐to‐phenolic end‐group ratio of the prepolymers and the solid‐state synthesized polymers was determined using 125.76 MHz ¹³C and 500.13 MHz ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. At each reaction temperature, SSP of the higher‐molecular‐weight prepolymer (M_n = 3800 g/mol) always resulted in higher‐molecular‐weight polymers, compared with the polymers synthesized using the lower molecular weight prepolymer (M_n = 2400 g/mol). Both the crystallinity and the lamellar thickness of the polymers synthesized from the lower‐molecular‐weight prepolymer were significantly higher than for those synthesized from the higher‐molecular‐weight prepolymer. Higher crystallinity and lamellar thickness may lower the reaction rate by reducing chain‐end mobility, effectively reducing the rate constant for the reaction of end groups. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 4959–4969, 2008     

Theoretical Derivation of the Molecular Weight Distribution of End‐Capped Linear Condensation Polymers

End‐capped, low molecular weight polymers have found numerous practical applications. By providing the end‐capper molecules with specific chemical functionality, the polymer material can be equipped with a desired chemical behavior for product application or polymer processing. Using probabilistic methods, formulas are derived for calculating the target molecular weight distribution and its averages for the case of linear condensation polymerization. The formulas are generally applicable, allowing for arbitrary amounts of monofunctional monomers or end‐capper molecules affecting either one or both functional groups involved in the polymerization process.

     

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BLOCK POLYMER OF ALTERNATING COPOLYMERS

Block polymer of alternating copolymers, poly[(ST-a-MA)-b(IP-a-MMA)-b-(ST-a-MA)](I), has been synthesized in the presence of AlEt_(1.5)Cl_(1.5),by using Mn_2(CO)_(10)/CBr_4. initiation system.The GPC results indicate that there is no unreacted prepolymer in I purified by precipitation andfractionation. The study of NMR shows that every block of polymer I has alternating structure. The dynamicmechanical properties of I measured by torsional braid method indicate that the polymer has two T_g s,being 38 and 75℃, respectively. The transmission electron micrographs of I show they have two phasestructure and the domain size increases with increasing molecular weight of hard block.     

Functionality and Observed Versus Predicted Gel Points

An ambiguity in use of the term functionality is pointed out. The two most widely used relations (Flory, and Stockmayer and Kahn) connecting extent of reaction at the gel point and functionality are examined. The relations are shown mathematically to lead to the same result when all assumptions and definitions are considered. Measured gel points of polyesters are compared with those predicted by the equation. Deviations were less than 10% of the predicted values.

An ambiguity in definition has been observed for the word functionality which has led to unnecessary confusion of thought. It is believed that this confusion has often occurred and has been seen in the literature quite recently [1,2]. On the one hand, functionality has been used to mean the number of chain ends united at the branch points in a polymer network. Since branch points can unite no fewer than three chain ends, functionality in this sense can take on values of three or greater. Networks are most often three or four functional. If more than one type of branch point is present, the average functionality can be calculated as a fraction with a value above three.     

Room-temperature polycondensation of β-amino acid derivatives. V. Synthesis of hydrophilic polyamide by the polycondensation of β-amino acid derivatives

N-(Hydroxyalkyl) β-alanine ester which was obtained from amino alcohol and acrylate yielded polyamide at room temperature in the presence of a basic catalyst. Alkali and alkali earth metal alkoxides had a strong catalytic effect on the room-temperature polycondensation of N-(hydroxyethyl)-β-alanine esters. The catalytic activity of metal alkoxides decreased in the order: Li > Na > K > Cs and Ca > Zn > Mg. Aluminum and titanium alkoxide had a weak catalytic effect, while boron (III), tin (IV), antimony (V), and tellurium (VI) alkoxides did not show any catalytic activity for the polycondensation. It was also found that solvent had an effect on the course of the polycondensation of N-(hydroxyethyl)-β-alanine esters, and the highest molecular weight polymer was formed only in methanol solution. The solid-phase polycondensation of the low molecular weight prepolymer resulted in a high molecular weight polymer with an inherent viscosity of 1.0 in the presence of a catalytic amount of phosphoric acid. The polymer obtained is hydrophilic and its moisture absorption is more than twice that of nylon 6.     

Polymerization of Dioxolane by Triethyloxonium Hexafluorophosphate

Abstract

The polymerization of dioxolane by triethyloxonium hexafluorophosphate in methylene chloride has been studied with a view to determine the nature of the active center. NMR studies of solutions of the initiator with low ratios of monomer led to little reaction of the initiator over long times. Analysis of normal reaction mixtures showed that only a small amount of the initiator was consumed during the reaction. The polymer was studied by GPC, UV spectroscopy, and NMR. The polymer appears to consist largely of high molecular weight material with M_w/M_n less than 2, and also low molecular weight material perhaps formed by a different mechanism. The high molecular weight material appears not to have been formed by a simple linear trialkyloxonium ion, from end-group studies, and it is suggested the active center is a secondary oxonium ion on a large cyclic polymer.     

A Thermal Decomposition and Glass Transition Temperature Study of Poly(p-chlorostyrene)

Abstract

The thermal decomposition and the glass transition temperature of poly(p-chlorostyrene) (PpCIS) were studied with a Model 2 differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The undecom-posed and decomposed polymers were analyzed by gel permeation chromatography for molecular weight distributions and by DSC for changes in the polymer glass transition temperature. The decomposition of PpCIS under isothermal conditions during 50 min intervals at various temperatures or at a fixed temperature (320°C) but for different periods is characterized by the disappearance of increasing quantities of high molecular weight polymer and the appearance of low molecular weight products. Random scissions have been shown to break down the polymer chains which depolymerize into volatile products. Activation energy (72 kcal/mole) for the decomposition of PpCIS is lower than that (103 kcal/mole) for the decomposition of polystyrene.     

High on-state clarity polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

Abstract

Results are presented which show that the on-state clarity of a UV cured polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) film depends on the refractive index of the final polymer in the PDLC film, the ordinary refractive index of the liquid crystal, the solubility of the liquid crystal in the prepolymer and the rate at which the film is cured. Liquid crystal mixtures for use in PDLC films are chosen such that the ordinary refractive index of the liquid crystal is equal to the refractive index of the polymer matrix. It has been shown previously that a large quantity of liquid crystal remains dissolved in the polymer matrix, thus increasing the mismatch between the refractive index of the polymer and the ordinary refractive index of the liquid crystal and therefore reducing the on-state clarity. For liquid crystal mixtures which have high solubility in the prepolymer (>60 per cent) the mismatch in the refractive indices can be very large and the on-state clarity of the resulting film can be very poor (T _on<70 per cent). Results are presented which show that it is possible to increase the on-state clarity of such films by increasing the rate at which these films cure. If the liquid crystal is less soluble in the prepolymer (<45 per cent), a PDLC film formed from such a liquid crystal/ prepolymer system often has very good on-state clarity (T _on>75 per cent) be it cured slowly or quickly. Results are also presented which show that in order to achieve a true measure of on-state clarity it is necessary to use a small collection angle (<3°) in the detecting optics. If larger collection angles are used, the photodetector collects light which is scattered out of the specular beam, thus leading to a false measure of on-state clarity.     

Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) of Complex Polymers - Generalized Analytical Corrections for Imperfect Resolution

Abstract

Herein is reported generalized analytical solutions which permit correction for imperfect resolution when the molecular weight calibration curve is nonlinear and the variance of single-species chromatograms changes significantly with molecular size of the polymer solute. Two kinds of generalized analytical solutions have been obtained. One is a solution of Tung's integral equation for the corrected chromatogram or the molecular weight distribution and the other is a solution for the corrected molecular weight averages of the whole polymer. Also discussed is the use of local corrections for imperfect resolution across the chromatogram with detectors such as the low angle laser light scattering spectrophotometer (LALLS) when used with micro and macropackings.     

Synthesis and crosslinking behavior of a novel linear polymer bearing 1,2,3‐triazol and benzoxazine groups in the main chain by a step‐growth click‐coupling reaction

The click‐coupling reaction was applied to polycondensation, to synthesize a high‐molecular weight prepolymer having benzoxazine moieties in the main chain. For the polycondensation, a bifunctional N‐propargyl benzoxazine was synthesized from bisphenol A, propargylamine, and formaldehyde. The propargyl group was efficiently used for the copper(I)‐catalyzed alkyne‐azide “click” reaction with p‐xylene‐α,α′‐diazide, to give the corresponding linear polycondensate having 1,2,3‐triazole junctions. The polycondensation proceeded in N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) at room temperature. By this highly efficient “click‐” polycondensation reaction, the benzoxazine ring in the monomer was successfully introduced into the polymer main chain without any side reaction. The obtained polymer (=prepolymer) underwent thermal crosslinking to afford the corresponding product, which was insoluble in a wide range of organic solvents and exhibited higher thermal stability than the polymer before crosslinking. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 2316–2325, 2008