A solid-state 13C-NMR study of crosslinking in polybutadiene by γ radiation: Effect of microstructure and dose

Solid-state ¹³C NMR spectroscopy has been used to determine the decrease in C?C bonds, formation of crosslinks and cis to trans isomerization during the γ irradiation of (a) > 99% cis, 1,4-polybutadiene, (b) 54% trans, 41% cis, 1,4-polybutadiene, and (c) 86% 1,2-polybutadiene. G(-cis C?C) and G(-trans C?C), were similar and decreased with dose from ≈ 40 for 0-1 MGy to 5 for 5-10 MGy. G(-double bonds) and G(crosslink) were comparable, indicating that crosslinking occurred through the double bonds. G(crosslink) was much higher than values derived from physical properties, confirming that NMR measures the total of inter- and intramolecular crosslinking (cyclization). The 1,2 polybutadiene was much more sensitive to crosslinking, and a value of G(-C?C) = 240 was obtained at low doses. Crosslinking evidently proceeds by a kinetic chain reaction in all three types of polybutadiene.     

Structural characterization of polybutadiene synthesized via cationic mechanism

The microstructure of polybutadiene synthesized via cationic polymerization using TiCl₄‐based initiating systems has been investigated using 1D (¹Н, ²Н, and ¹³С) and 2D (HSQC and HMBC) NMR spectroscopy. It was found that trans‐1,4‐unit is predominant structure of unsaturated part of polymer chain. Besides, the small amount of 1,2‐structures was also detected, while cis‐1,4‐units were totally absent. The signals of carbon atoms of three types of head groups (trans‐1,4‐, 1,2‐, and tert‐butyl) and two types of end groups (trans‐1,4‐Cl and 1,2‐Cl) were identified for the first time in macromolecules of cationic polybutadiene. It was showed that tert‐butyl head groups were formed due to the presence in monomer of admixtures of isobutylene. The new methodology for calculation of the content of different structural units in polybutadiene chain as well as the head and end groups was proposed. It was established that main part of 1,2‐units distributed randomly along the polybutadiene chain as separate units between trans‐1,4‐structures. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 387–398     

NMR and DSC investigations of the miscibility of blends of cis-1,4-polyisoprene with polybutadienes of different microstructures

Differential scanning calorimetry and torsional braid analysis investigations of the phase diagram of cis-1,4-polyisoprene/polybutadiene blends as a function of the polybutadiene microstructure were reported by several authors. Polybutadienes containing a high vinyl content were shown to be miscible with cis-1,4-polyisoprene on the DSC spatial scale, whereas polybutadienes containing a low vinyl content were immiscible. In this article, we used variable-temperature determinations of ¹H NMR free induction decays and low-temperature, high-resolution solid-state ¹³C NMR measurements of proton spin-lattice relaxation times in the rotating frame to probe the phase behavior of the cis-1,4-polyisoprene/polybutadiene blends at the smaller spatial scale of the NMR technique. Blends of cis-1,4-polyisoprene with a polybutadiene having a large number of vinyl 1,2 linkages appeared to be miscible on the molecular scale, in spite of small regions in which the polybutadiene component is not uniformily dispersed in the other polymer. On the contrary, blends in which the polybutadiene has a low content of vinyl 1,2 sequences were phase separated over the whole temperature range considered and no intermixed regions could be detected. The limiting case was observed with the polybutadiene containing 33 wt % vinyl 1,2 units, for which miscibility on a molecular scale is highly dependent on the blend composition. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Epoxide networks as model networks

Summary The equilibrium mechanical behaviour of weak diepoxide-monoepoxide-diamine networks, prepared with an excess of diamine and measured in the rubbery state, was compared with theoretical predictions obtained by using the theory of branching processes. The experimental equilibrium moduli fit well the shape of theoretical curves over a broad range of crosslinking density regardless of whether the contribution by trapped entanglements is considered or not. The data fit equally well the theoretical dependence for the front factor A = 1 without entanglement contribution and forA = (f _e - 2)/f _e , (f _e is the average effective functionality of a junction) with an entanglement contribution based on the contact probability between any two units within elastically active network chains (Langley).Dedicated to Prof. Dr.G. Rehage on the occasion of his 60th birthday.With 5 figures     

Elasticity and structure of crosslinked polymers

Summary The subject of this work is to determine the dynamic and static elastic properties of polymer networks and to compare the experimental results with theoretical predictions.It is found that poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) networks on the one hand and polyisoprene (IR) and natural rubber (NR) networks on the other hand show different behaviour in frequency dependence of the storage modulusG is observed in the range 10^–3 – 1 Hz, contrary to IR or NR. The reason for this is the absence of entanglements in PDMS.Comparing the measured static moduli with those calculated by rubber elasticity theory, we found that the front factorA· <r ²>/<r ²>₀ is near to 0.5 in case of PDMS, but near to I for IR/NR networks. Both parts of the front factor may possibly cause this difference. As the PDMS chains possess a relatively high mobility we can assume that fluctuations of the junction points are less restricted than in IR/NR. This causes a structure factor A smaller than 1 in agreement with Flory's recent theory.According to James and Guth, the network chains tend to contract during the crosslinking process. This will be more likely in the networks of entanglement-free, highly mobile PDMS chains than in IR or NR rubbers. Hence the memory term <r ²>/<r ²>₀ is smaller for PDMS than for IR/NR.Both alternative explanations are based on the different mobility of the chains considered. It may be assumed that the front factor is influenced by both effects and not only by the fluctuations of crosslinks.Dedicated to Professor Dr. K. Ueberreiter on his 70th birthday     

Bromination of single crystals of trans-1,4-polybutadiene. Thermal behavior

It is demonstrated by several methods (DSC, infrared spectroscopy, and small-angle and wideangle x-ray diffraction) that bromination of suspensions of single crystals of trans-1,4-polybutadiene is selective at the fold surface. As the thickness of the single crystals is increased, a larger number of double bonds per fold are brominated, i.e. a larger number of repeat units become accessible to bromine. This is consistent with an increase in the thickness of disordered surface layers with the crystallization temperature. A reduction of 40–60% in overall apparent enthalpies of transition and of melting and reduced ability of brominated single crystals to refold following annealing are also observed. Crystallization from the melt of trans-1,4-PBD with [ CH₂? CHB_r? CHB_r? CH₂ ] units along the chain is interpreted by assuming that some of these units are incorporated in the crystal lattice as defects.     

A new attempt to reconcile the statistical and phenomenological theories of rubber elasticity

The statistical and phenomenological theories of rubber elasticity are reviewed briefly. Combining recent concepts proposed by Yeoh and Gent, a new theory is proposed. The proposed constitutive model for rubber vulcanizates invokes two mechanisms; one influences behavior at small strains while the other dominates behavior at large strains. Network flaws, such as entanglements, are suspected to be responsible for the first mechanism. Finite extensibility of network chains is identified as the cause of the second. Thus, macroscopic behavior is directly linked to molecular concepts. The proposed theory allows prediction of the stress–strain behavior of a family of four rubber vulcanizates in different modes of deformation (simple extension, compression, and simple shear) from regression analysis of tensile data alone from just one member. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 1919–1931, 1997     

Stereoselective Complex Formation between Polybutadiene and Cyclodextrins in Bulk

Polybutadienes (PBs) are found to form inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins (CDs) stereoselectively to give crystalline compounds in bulk. These complexes have been isolated and characterized by means of ¹H NMR and ¹³C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. Although α‐CD did not form inclusion complexes with any kinds of PBs in aqueous solutions, α‐CD did form inclusion complexes with PBs having 1,4‐cis‐ and 1,4‐trans‐butadiene units in bulk by heating at 100 °C. On the other hand, PB having 79% of a 1,2‐structure did not form inclusion complexes with α‐CD. The yield of the inclusion complexes increases with an increase in the content of the 1,4‐cis‐structure of PB and decreases with the molecular weights of the PBs.

     

Effects of copolymer composition on the formation of ionic species,hydrogen evolution,and free-radical reaction in γ-irradiated styrene-butadiene random and block copolymers

Block and random copolymers of butadiene and styrene as well as polybutadiene and polystyrene homopolymers have been investigated with respect to formation of trapped electrons, contribution of ionic species to crosslinking, and hydrogen gas evolution due to γ radiation. The decay kinetics of the disubstituted benzyl radical has also been studied. The yields of electron trapping G(e^?) are measured. The G(e^?) increase linearly with increased polystyrene content in block polymers, while in random copolymer a deviation from a linear relation is observed. The contribution of ionic reactions to crosslinking is about 25–35% of the total crosslinking yield. Hydrogen production in block copolymers is approximately a linear function of the weight-fraction additivity of the yield of hydrogen formation in polystyrene and polybutadiene homopolymers. Energy transfer from butadiene units to styrene units in random copolymers resulted in a deviation from such an additivity relation. The decay of the disubstituted benzyl free radical in block copolymers is a second-order reaction. In random copolymer, the decay is best interpreted in terms of equation based on a second-order decay mechanism of a fraction of the free radicals decaying in the presence of other nondecaying free radicals.     

NMR relaxation study of crosslinked cis-1,4-polybutadiene

Proton relaxation measurements have been used to investigate the effects of crosslinking on the segmental motion in cis-1,4-polybutadiene samples. The temperature dependence of proton spin–lattice relaxation time T₁ and spin–spin relaxation time T₂ at 60 and 24.3 MHz are reported in cis-1,4-polybutadiene (PB) samples with different crosslink density including uncrosslinked PB and samples with 140, 40, and 14 repeat units between crosslinks. In addition, spin-lattice relaxation times in rotating coordinate frame, T_1p, have also been determined. The relaxation data are interpreted in terms of the effects of crosslinks on segmental chain motions. Because of their sensitivity to low-frequency motion, T₂ data are of major interest. At temperatures well above the T₁ minimum the small T₂ temperature dependence resembles solidlike behavior reflecting the nonzero averaging of dipolar interactions due to anisotropic motion of the chain segments between crosslinks. The magnitude of T₂ at 60°C is found to be proportional to the average mass between crosslinks.     

Polybutadiene model networks —synthesis,mechanical characterization and comparison with rubber elasticity models

Model networks of defined crosslink density are prepared via nonradical statistical crosslinking of polybutadiene in bulk and concentrated solution using a masked bistriazolinedione as crosslinker. The kinetics of crosslinking is monitored by FT-IR-spectroscopy. The reaction follows pseudo-1st-order reaction kinetics. The activation parameter of the crosslinking reaction is estimated from crosslinking at various temperatures. Networks of deuterated polybutadiene are prepared by this reaction in a wide range of crosslink densities. The stress strain behavior is analyzed according to the Junction Constraint-Theory of rubber elasticity (JCT) and to the approach introduced by Graessley accounting for trapped topological constraints. The analysis clearly demonstrates that trapped entanglements contribute to the mechanically effective cycle rank, i.e., to the modulus in this system in the small and large strain limit.     

Synthesis and characterization of high molecular weight carboxylated polybutadiene

High molecular weight carboxylated polybutadienes (cPBDs) with number-average molecular weight (M_n) from 98,000 to 200,000 and carboxylic acid (COOH) contents of 0.5–10 mol % were successfully synthesized through hydrocarboxylation of polybutadienes (PBDs) at temperatures of 140–150°C using PdCl₂(PPh₃)₂ and SnCl₂ · 2H₂O catalysts. At low extents of hydrocarboxylation (COOH < 6 mol %), glass transition temperatures (T_g's) of the resulting cPBDs did not change considerably (<10°C). Significant chain scission and crosslinking was not detected during the chemical modification process. Characterization of the microstructures of cPBDs by FTIR, ¹³C-NMR, and Raman spectroscopy showed that the carboxylic groups were incorporated on the pendant (1,2) PBD double bonds as well as the backbone (1,4) double bonds, indicating the hydrocarboxylation reaction did not solely occur at the terminal carbons of the pendant double bonds. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 3129–3138, 1999     

Entanglements and elasticity in polybutadiene networks

Polybutadiene networks were prepared by peroxide crosslinking of monodisperse 1,4-polybutadienes both in solution and in bulk. The effect of the entangled sol fraction on the elastic modulus of high-molecular-weight polybutadiene was observed in stress relaxation measurements. Sol fraction was shown to make a large contribution to the Mooney–Rivlin 2C₂ term. This effect was also observed on the molecular level in NMR spin-spin relaxation measurements. For networks crosslinked in bulk the stress relaxation measurements suggest the presence of trapped entanglements. The 2C₂ term is insensitive to sol extraction in these networks. NMR spin-lattice relaxation measurements in the rotating frame at 4.68 kHz verify the presence of additional effective crosslinks in these networks.     

STUDIES ON THE ~(13)C-NMR SPECTRA OF ALTERNATING COPOLYMERS OF CONJUGATED DIENES WITH METHYL ACRYLATE

The ~(13)C-NMR spectra of alternating copolymers of conjugated dienes, butadiene (BD), isoprene(IP) and chloroprene (CP), with methyl acrylate (MA) were studied. It is proved that they are allalternating copolymers. The BD units in Poly (BD-alt-MA) are joined to MA mainly in the formof trans 1,4-structure. The contents of trans 1,4-, cis 1,4-and 1,2-structure are 88, 7 and 5%, res-pectively. The IP and CP units in Poly(IP-alt-MA) and Poly(CP-alt-MA) exist essentially as trans1,4-configuration and connect with MA units in "head to head" arrangement predominantly, whileCP-CP units present in Poly(CP-alt-MA) in a small quantity.     

Entanglement properties of cellulose and amylose in an ionic liquid

Concentrated solutions of cellulose and amylose were prepared with an ionic liquid 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride (BmimCl), which was chosen as a good solvent for these polysaccharides. Dynamic viscoelasticity of the concentrated solutions was examined to obtain the molecular weight between entanglements, M_e. The value of M_e in the molten state (M_e,melt), a material constant that reflecting the entanglement properties, was determined for cellulose and amylose by extrapolating M_e to the “melt.” A marked difference in M_e,melt was found: 3.2 × 10³ for cellulose and 2.5 × 10⁴ for amylose. The value of M_e,melt for cellulose, which is composed of β‐(1,4) bonding of D ‐glucose units, is very close to those for polysaccharides with a random‐coil conformation such as agarose and gellan in BmimCl. The much larger M_e,melt for amylose can be attributed to the helical nature of the amylose chain, α‐(1,4)‐linked D ‐glucose units. The effect of concentration on the zero‐shear viscosity for the solutions of cellulose and amylose was also examined. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2011     

Characterization of diene polymers. I. Infrared and NMR studies: Nonadditive behavior of characteristic infrared bands

Extinction coefficients of the characteristic infrared bands due to isomeric structural units were measured for polybutadiene and polyisoprene in CS₂ or CCl₄ solutions and were compared with the isomer composition determined by NMR. The NMR signal assignments were made on the basis of the spectra of deutero derivatives of the polymers. In the case of polyisoprene, linear relations were obtained between the extinction coefficients and the isomer contents determined by NMR for the absorption bands at 1385 cm^?1 (characteristic of trans-1,4 units), 1376 cm^?1 (cis-1,4 units), and 889 cm^?1 (3,4 units). However, for the absorption bands at 840 cm^?1 (characteristic of cis-1,4 and trans-1,4 units), isomerized polyisoprenes did not give such a linear relationship. In polybutadiene, the extinction coefficient for the atactic 1,2 units was found to be lower than that of the syndiotactic 1,2 unit. These experimental facts lead to the conclusion that additivity of the extinction coefficients does not always hold for diene polymers. The deviation from the linear relation may be associated with regular sequences of one isomeric conformation in the chain.     

Initiator‐fragment incorporation radical copolymerization of vinyl acetate and 1,2‐polybutadiene as a multivinyl monomer

The copolymerization of vinyl acetate (VAc) with 1,2‐polybutadiene (1,2‐PB; 85.5% 1,2‐units and 14.5% 1,4‐units) as a multivinyl monomer was carried out at 80 °C in dioxane with dimethyl 2,2′‐azobisisobutyrate (MAIB) at high concentrations (0.10–0.50 mol/L) as an initiator. The copolymerization of 1,2‐PB [0.80 mol/L (monomer unit)] and VAc (1.20 mol/L) with MAIB (0.30 mol/L) for 4 h proceeded homogeneously without gelation to yield a soluble copolymer. The resulting copolymer was divided into methanol‐ and n‐hexane‐insoluble parts, of which the yields based on the total weight of the comonomers and initiator were 46 and 20%, respectively. The methanol‐insoluble part consisted of the fractions of the 1,2‐PB units with (9 mol %) and without (39 mol %) an intact double bond, the 1,4‐PB unit (8 mol %), the VAc unit (32 mol %), and the methoxycarbonylpropyl group (12 mol %) as the MAIB fragment, whereas the hexane‐insoluble one was composed of the fraction of the 1,2‐PB units with (4 mol %) and without (17 mol %) a double bond, the 1,4‐PB unit (4 mol %), the VAc unit (60 mol %), and the methoxycarbonylpropyl group (15 mol %). The use of higher concentrations of 1,2‐PB and VAc and lower concentrations of MAIB resulted in gelation. The cast film from a chloroform solution of the methanol‐insoluble part contained spherical pores organized in a hexagonal way with a monodisperse pore size of 3 μm. The copolymer molecules seemed to be arranged in an ordered way on the surface layer of the pores, as shown by an optical microscopy image under crossed polarizers. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2328–2337, 2006     

Copolymerization of dienes with neodymium tricarboxylate-based catalysts and cis-polymerization mechanism of dienes

It was found that poly(butadiene), poly(isoprene), and poly(2,3-dimethylbutadiene) with high cis-1,4 content were obtained with Nd(OCOR)₃–(i-Bu)₃Al–Et₂AlCl catalysts (R = CF₃, CCl₃, CHCl₂, CH₂Cl, CH₃) in hexane at 50°C [cis-1,4 content: poly(BD), > 98%; poly(IP), ≥ 96%; poly(DMBD), ≥ 94%]. Copolymerization of IP and styrene (St) was carried out at various monomer feed ratios to evaluate the monomer reactivity ratio and cis-1,4 content of the diene unit and then to elucidate the cis-1,4 polymerization mechanism of IP. The cis-1,4 content of the IP unit in the copolymers decreased with increasing St content in the copolymers. The cis-1,4 polymerization was disturbed by incorporating St unit in the copolymers, since the penultimate St unit hardly coordinates to the neodymium metal, resulting in a decrease of the cis-1,4 content in the copolymers. That is, the cis-1,4 polymerization of IP is suggested to be controlled by a back-biting coordination of the penultimate diene unit. On the other hand, in the case of poly(BD-co-IP) and poly(BD-co-DMBD), the cis-1,4 content of the BD, IP, and DMBD units in the copolymers was almost constant (cis: 94–98%), irrespective of the monomer feed ratios and polymerization temperature. Consequently, the penultimate IP and DMBD units favorably control the terminal BD, IP, or DMBD unit to the cis-1,4 configuration through the back-biting coordination. For the monomer reactivity ratios, a clear difference was observed in each system: r_BD = 1.22, r_IP = 1.14; r_BD = 40.9, r_DMBD = 0.15. Low polymerizability of DMBD was mainly ascribed to the steric effect of the methyl substituents. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1707–1716, 1998     

Polymérisation radicalaire du pentadiène-1,3. II. Microstructure des résidus pentadiéniques dans les homo- et copolymères des cis et trans pentadiènes-1,3 avec l'acrylonitrile

The microstructure of diene units was investigated in radical homopolymers of the cis and trans isomers of 1,3-pentadiene and copolymers with acrylonitrile, synthetized in bulk and emulsion. Experiments were carried out by infrared spectroscopy, 100 MHz ¹H-NMR, and 25 MHz ¹³C-NMR studies. No difference between the bulk and emulsion samples was noted. The microstructure of poly(1,3-pentadiene) is practically independent of the cis or trans configuration of the diene monomer and is as follows: 56–59% trans-1,4, 15–17% cis-1,4, 16–20% trans-1,2 7–10% cis-1,2 and 0% 3,4. On the other hand, up to about 30% of incorporated acrylonitrile (10% in the feed), the microstructure of the pentadiene fraction in the copolymers is not affected. This finding suggests that the penultimate unit has very little influence on the polymerization process involving the terminal pentadienly unit. Beyond 10% of acrylonitrile in the feed, the proportions of the structural units were linearly dependent upon the acrylonitrile content: trans-1,4 content increased whereas the amounts of cis-1,4 trans-1,2 and cis-1,2 decreased (except the cis-1,2 fraction, constant in the copolymers from the cis-diene). These results are discussed on the assumption that the microstructure of pentadiene residues is strongly associated with the acrylonitrile comonomer in the feed.     

Carbon-13 NMR of polybutadiene

By using the carbon-13 NMR technique, it is shown that there are no cis-1,4–trans-1,4 linkages in a n-BuLi-catalyzed polybutadiene. The polymer consists of “blocks” of cis-1,4 units and trans-1,4 units separated by isolated vinyl units. Preliminary evidence suggests this might also be true for other types of 1,3-diene polymerization. Some of the implications of this finding on the mechanism of polymerization are discussed. Tacticity triad distributions are readily determined in polybutadienes with high 1,2 addition contents.