Miscibility of cellulose acetate with vinyl polymers

Binary blend films of cellulose acetate (CA) with flexible syntheticpolymers including poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc), poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP),and poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) [P(VP-co-VAc)] were preparedfrommixed polymer solutions by solvent evaporation. Thermal analysis by DSC showedthat CA of any degree of substitution (DS) was not miscible with PVAc, but CAwith DS less than 2.8 was miscible with PVP to form homogeneous blends. Thestate of mixing in CA/P(VP-co-VAc) blends was affected not only by the DS of CAbut also by the VP/VAc copolymer composition. As far as CAs of DS<2.8 andP(VP-co-VAc)s with VP contents more than ca. 25 mol% were used,theCA/copolymer blends mostly showed a miscible behaviour irrespective of themixing ratio. FT-IR measurements for the miscible blends of CA/PVP andCA/P(VP-co-VAc) revealed the presence of hydrogen-bonding interactions betweenresidual hydroxyls of CA and carbonyls of N-vinyl pyrrolidone units, which maybe assumed to largely contribute to the good miscibility.     

Thermodynamic study of poly(N-vinyl caprolactam) hydration at temperatures close to lower critical solution temperature

The lower critical solution temperature of aqueous solutions of poly(N-vinyl caprolactam) falls in the 305–307 K range and depends on the molecular weight of the polymer. The thermodynamic functions of mixing at 298 K have been calculated from measurements of vapor pressures and heats of dissolution and dilution. Partial Gibbs energy, partial enthalpy, and partial entropy of mixing were negative over the entire range of composition. Increasing temperature resulted in a decrease in the exothermal character of mixing. Excessive heat capacity values, calculated from the dependencies of enthalpy of mixing on temperature, were positive over the entire composition range. Heat capacity of dilute solutions was measured at 298 K and partial heat capacity of poly(N-vinyl caprolactam) at infinite dilution was shown to be positive. The data obtained point out the hydrophilic and hydrophobic hydration of poly(N-vinyl caprolactam) in aqueous solutions. Hydrophobic hydration dominates at temperatures close to binodal curve. As a result, the mutual mixing of the polymer with water is decreased and phase separation takes place.     

Nonlinear depression of the lower critical solution temperatures in aqueous solutions of thermo-sensitive random copolymers

We develop a theoretical model of cooperative hydration to clarify the molecular origin of the observed nonlinear depression of the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in the aqueous solutions of thermosensitive random copolymers and find the monomer composition at which LCST shows a minimum. Phase diagrams of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N,N-diethylacrylamide) copolymer solutions are theoretically derived on the basis of the theory of cooperative hydration by introducing the microscopic structure parameter η which characterizes the distribution of the monomer sequences along the chains. We compared them with the experimental data of LCST of random copolymers with various monomer compositions and also of the diblock copolymers with equimolar monomer composition. The transition temperature shifts to lower than those of homopolymer counterparts when the monomer sequence of the chains has an alternative tendency. On the contrary, for the blocky polymers such as diblock copolymers, the transition temperature remains almost the same as those of the homopolymers. Thus, the nonlinear effect in phase separation appears when the average block length of the copolymers is shorter than the average sequence length of the cooperative hydration. The degree of hydration is calculated as a function of the temperature and polymer concentration for varied distribution of the copolymer compositions. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51, 1112–1123     

可光交联的共聚物肉桂酰化的聚(N-乙烯基吡咯烷酮-丙烯酸-2-羟基乙酯)的合成及其水溶液的温敏性

可光交联的共聚物肉桂酰化的聚(N-乙烯基吡咯烷酮-丙烯酸-2-羟基乙酯)的合成及其水溶液的温敏性     

Unified model of association-induced lower critical solution temperature phase separation and its application to solutions of telechelic poly(ethylene oxide) and of telechelic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) in water

The authors present a model describing the coexistence of hydrophobic association and phase separation with lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in aqueous solutions of polymers carrying short hydrophobic chains at both chain ends (telechelic associating polymers). The LCST of these solutions is found to decrease along the sol/gel transition curve as a result of both end-chain association (association-induced phase separation) and direct hydrophobic interaction of the end chains with water. The authors relate the magnitude of the LCST decrease to a hydration cooperativity parameter sigma. The LCST decreases substantially (approximately 100 K) in the case of random hydration (sigma=1), whereas only a small shift (approximately 5-10 K) occurs in the case of cooperative hydration (sigma=0.3). The molecular weight dependence of the LCST drop is studied in detail in each case. The results are compared with experimental observations of the cloud points of telechelic poly(ethylene oxide) solutions, in which random hydration predominates, and of telechelic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) solutions, in which cooperative hydration prevails.     

Novel thermo‐responsive self‐assembly micelles from a double brush‐shaped PNIPAM‐g‐(PA‐b‐PEG‐b‐PA)‐g‐PNIPAM block copolymer with PNIPAM polymers as side chains

A novel double brush‐shaped copolymer with amphiphilic polyacrylate‐b‐poly(ethylene glycol)‐b‐poly acrylate copolymer (PA‐b‐PEG‐b‐PA) as a backbone and thermosensitive poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) long side chains at both ends of the PEG was synthesized via an atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) route, and the structure was confirmed by FTIR, ¹H NMR, and SEC. The thermosensitive self‐assembly behavior was examined via UV‐vis, TEM, DLS, and surface tension measurements, etc. The self‐assembled micelles, with low critical solution temperatures (LCST) of 34–38 ^°C, form irregular fusiform and/or spherical morphologies with single, double, and petaling cores in aqueous solution at room temperature, while above the LCST the micelles took on more regular and smooth spherical shapes with diameter ranges from 45 to 100 nm. The micelle exhibits high stabilities even in simulated physiological media, with low critical micellization concentration (CMC) up to 5.50, 4.89, and 5.05 mg L^?1 in aqueous solution, pH 1.4 and 7.4 PBS solutions, respectively. The TEM and DLS determination reveled that the copolymer micelle had broad size distribution below its LCST while it produces narrow and homogeneous size above the LCST. The cytotoxicity was investigated by MTT assays to elucidate the application potential of the as‐prepared block polymer brushes as drug controlled release vehicles. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Morphological change of thermosensitive imidazolium‐based poly(ionic liquid)/poly(phenylethylmethacrylate) composite particles

Composite particles comprising poly(2‐phenylethyl methacrylate) (PPhEMA) and imidazolium‐based poly(ionic liquid)s were prepared by suspension polymerization of 1‐vinyl‐3‐ethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide as an ionic liquid monomer with dissolved PPhEMA. Not only PPhEMA exhibits lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior in 1‐vinyl‐3‐ethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide but also the polymer blend in the bulk state exhibited LCST behavior. However, the composite polymer particles obtained after polymerization at 70°C maintained a homogeneous inner structure after heat treatment as the polymerization temperature was greater than the LCST in this system due to the formation of a cross‐linked structure during polymerization. When the composite particles were prepared by suspension polymerization at 30°C, their inner morphology changed from homogeneous to phase separated during the subsequent heat treatment. Moreover, the morphology transformation of the composite particles was dependent on the PPhEMA molecular weight. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Copolymer of poly(4-vinylpyridine)-g-poly(ethylene oxide) respond sharply to temperature, pH and ionic strength

The stimuli-responsive copolymers with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) as side chain were prepared by free-radical copolymerization of methacrylamide end-capped PEO macromonomer and 4-vinylpyridine (4VP). Phase transition behavior of these copolymers of poly(4-vinylpyridine)-g-poly(ethylene oxide) (P4VP-g-PEO) was investigated as a function of polymer concentration, temperature, pH and ionic strength by monitoring the turbidity of the polymer solutions. The copolymers displayed sharp response to temperature and pH. The LCST of P4VP-g-PEO copolymer increased with the increase of PEO content and decreased with increasing pH due to the deprotonation of the pyridine ring, indicating well-tunable LCST. In addition, the LCST of P4VP-g-PEO9 presented a unique phase transition behavior with varying salt concentration, showing a minimum with 1 M NaCl solution at pH 6.0.     

Radiation synthesis of a water-soluble temperature sensitive polymer, activated copolymer and applications in immobilization of proteins

In this work the radiation polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAM) in aqueous solutions has been carried out and a water-soluble, temperature sensitive polymer and copolymer were obtained by using γ-rays from Co-60 source at room temperature. We have gained the optimum dose and dose—rate of radiation synthesis of linear polyNIPAAM through determining conversion yield and viscosity. In order to immobilize protein (BSA) and enzyme (HRP) into this water-soluble polymer, we prepared an activated copolymer, poly ( N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-acryloxysuccinimide). The BSA and HRP has been immobilized onto the activated copolymer. The BSA (HRP) / copolymer conjugates still kept the original thermally sensitive properties of the linear polyNIPAAM. The conjugation yield of BSA to the activated copolymer decreased with increasing of dose. The thermal stability of the immobilized HRP was stable at 0 °C for a long time and has, at least, 4 days stability at room temperature. Immobilized HRP activity was lowered when the temperature was raised above its LCST. This phenomenon was reversible and the immobilized HRP regained activity below its LCST. The optimum pH of the immobilized HRP shifted from ca.5 upward to ca.7.     

Phase transition of aqueous solutions of poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) by differential scanning calorimetric and spectrophotometric methods

 The phase transition of aqueous solutions of poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (DEAAm–AA) is studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and UV–vis spectrophotometry. The copolymer aqueous solutions are shown to have well-defined lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs). The LCST values obtained from the maximum of the first derivatives of the DSC and optical transition curves agree well. DSC can be used to measure the phase-transition temperature of more dilute polymer solutions. On increasing the AA composition in the copolymers, the LCST values of the copolymer increase, then decrease at higher AA composition. For the aqueous solution of the copolymers, the transition curve obtained by the spectrophotometric method is highly wavelength dependent. The LCST values are found to be concentration-dependent. The changes in the heat of the phase transition of the copolymer solutions measured from DSC are lower than that of the homopolymer PDEAAm solution. This is consistent with the suggestion that the polymer chains of the copolymers collapsed only partially at temperatures above the LCST. The added salt (sodium chloride) decreases the transition temperature of the polymer solution. Received: 14 November 2000 Accepted: 15 January 2001     

Cellulose alkyl ester/vinyl polymer blends: effects of butyryl substitution and intramolecular copolymer composition on the miscibility

The blend miscibility of cellulose alkyl esters, mainly butyrate (CB) and acetate butyrate (CAB), with synthetic homo- and copolymers comprising N-vinyl pyrrolidone (VP) and/or vinyl acetate (VAc) units, i.e., PVP, PVAc, and P(VP-co-VAc), was examined by differential scanning calorimetry. A miscibility map for the CB/vinyl polymer systems was constructed as a function of the degree of substitution (DS) of CB and the VP fraction of the mixing component. CBs were immiscible with PVAc regardless of the DS used (2.11–2.94), but miscible or immiscible with PVP depending on whether the butyryl DS was <2.5 or >2.5. The critical value of DS≈2.5 is lower than the corresponding one (DS≈2.8) evaluated formally for cellulose acetate (CA)/PVP blend series. This lowering is ascribable to an effect of steric hindrance of the bulky butyryl substituents, leading to suppression of the hydrogen-bonding interactions, as a driving factor for miscibility attainment, between residual hydroxyls of CB and carbonyl groups of PVP. The CB/vinyl copolymer system imparted a ‘miscibility window’ in which the VP/VAc composition participated; viz., CBs of DS≈2.54–2.94 were miscible with some P(VP-co-VAc)s of 30–70Â mol% VP fractions, in spite of the immiscibility with both PVP and PVAc homopolymers. The result was interpreted in terms of another inter-component attraction derived from repulsion between the monomer ingredients constituting the vinyl copolymer component. For CAB/P(VP-co-VAc) blends, it was observed that the VP/VAc range forming such a miscibility window became further expanded, compared with the corresponding series of CB blends. Fourier transform infrared and solid-state ¹³C NMR spectroscopy revealed not only the presence or absence of the intermolecular hydrogen-bonding formation, determined according to the lower or higher DS of the cellulose ester component in the blends considered, but also a difference in the mixing scale between the polymer pairs regarded as miscible by the thermal analysis.     

A new thermo‐responsive block copolymer with tunable upper critical solution temperature and lower critical solution temperature in the alcohol/water mixture

The multi‐thermo‐responsive block copolymer of poly[2‐(2‐methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate]‐block‐poly[N‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)‐N,N‐diethylamine] (PMEO₂MA‐b‐PVEA) displaying phase transition at both the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and the upper critical solution temperature (UCST) in the alcohol/water mixture is synthesized by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. The poly[2‐(2‐methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate] (PMEO₂MA) block exhibits the UCST phase transition in alcohol and the LCST phase transition in water, while the poly[N‐(4‐vinylbenzyl)‐N,N‐diethylamine] (PVEA) block shows the UCST phase transition in isopropanol and the LCST phase transition in the alcohol/water mixture. Both the polymer molecular weight and the co‐solvent/nonsolvent exert great influence on the LCST or UCST of the block copolymer. By adjusting the solvent character including the water content and the temperature, the block copolymer undergoes multiphase transition at LCST or UCST, and various block copolymer morphologies including inverted micelles, core‐corona micelles, and corona‐collapsed micelles are prepared. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 4399–4412     

Studies of relationship between polymer structure and hydration environment in amphiphilic polytartaramides

The relationships between the chemical structures and hydration environment of the polymers can provide significant insight into the water‐amphiphilic polymer interactions. Here, the hydrophobicity of amphiphilic block copolymers poly(ethylene tartaramide‐b‐alkyl isocyanate) is gradually tuned by using of a series of pendant alkyl (isopropyl, n‐butyl, cyclopentyl, and cyclohexyl) groups. Dynamics of hydration probed by low‐field NMR relaxometry exhibits a heterogeneous environment of water molecules, corresponding to tightly bound water with slow re‐orientational mobility and loosely bound water with fast re‐orientational mobility. Progressively larger amounts of bound water are present in the copolymers, ongoing from pendant isopropyl, n‐butyl, cyclopentyl, and finally to cyclohexyl group. Water in the copolymer bearing the cyclohexyl group has a significantly high partial specific heat capacity. Therefore, hydrophobic interaction between the polymer and water is enhanced when the hydrophobicity of the polymer is increased, resulting in considerable hydrophobic hydration with decreased mobility of the bound water. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2017 , 55, 138–145     

不同苯乙烯含量的甲基丙烯酸甲酯-苯乙烯无规共聚物与聚偏氟乙烯共混体系的相容性研究

用DSC、扫描电镜、雾点测量仪等手段,对不同组成的甲基丙烯酸甲酯-苯乙烯无规共聚物(MS)与聚偏氟乙烯(PVF_2)共混体系的相容性进行了研完。结果表明,随着苯乙烯在MS共聚物中含量的增多,PVF_2/MS共混体系在无定形态时由相容逐渐转变为半相容体系。测定了该体系的最低临界相容温度曲线。     

Saccharide‐structure effects on poly N‐isopropylacrylamide phase transition in aqueous media; Reflections on protein stability

Protein stability in aqueous solutions is important in numerous fields, particularly biotechnology and food‐science. To shed new light on the protective effect of carbohydrates on proteins, we studied saccharide‐structure effects in aqueous solutions on the coil‐to‐globule transition occurring at the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of poly‐N‐isopropylacrylamide (PNIPA), an isomer of polyleucine, as a simple model representing certain key behaviors of proteins (e.g., denaturation/renaturation). We systematically selected sugars and polyols to relate structural and physical characteristics of these carbohydrates to their effect on PNIPA solutions. Using isothermal titration‐microcalorimetry, we showed that no significant binding of saccharides to the polymer occurs. Using micro‐DSC, we studied the decreasing polymer LCST temperature with rising carbohydrate concentration. Beyond the expected observation that steric exclusion is important, we observed previously‐unreported significant differences among the effects of isomeric aldohexoses and also among the effects of isomeric diglucoses on PNIPA LCST. We found good correlation between the sugar hydration number and its effect on LCST. We conclude that the larger and denser the hydrated cluster a carbohydrate forms, the worse a cosolvent is for the polymer, and the stronger it's lowering effect of the coil‐to‐globule transition. Such favoring of the compact globule state provides a protective effect against denaturation of globular proteins. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 2307–2318, 2008     

Protein resistance of polyurethane with hydrophilic and hydrophobic soft segments

Polyurethane (PU) containing poly(propylene glycol) (PPG) or poly(tetramethylene oxide) (PTMG) soft segments have been prepared by two‐step condensation polymerization. The former (PPG‐PU) with a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at ～21 °C can change from hydrophilic to hydrophobic, whereas the latter (PTMG‐PU) is hydrophobic at a temperature above 0 °C. The adsorption of fibrinogen, bovine serum albumin, or lysozyme on such a PU surface in aqueous solution has been investigated by use of quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM‐D) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in real time. PPG‐PU surface exhibits protein resistance at a temperature below the LCST of PPG, but it significantly adsorbs proteins at a temperature above the LCST. On the other hand, the hydrophobic PTMG‐PU surface adsorb the proteins at any temperatures investigated, in contrast with the hydrated poly(ethylene glycol) exhibiting excellent protein resistance. The hydration and dehydration of the polymers at different temperatures were confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Our study demonstrates that the protein resistance of polymers is determined by their hydration. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 1987–1993, 2010     

Synthesis of poly[N‐isopropylacrylamide‐g‐poly(ethylene glycol)] with a reactive group at the poly(ethylene glycol) end and its thermosensitive self‐assembling character

Poly[N‐isopropylacrylamide‐g‐poly(ethylene glycol)]s with a reactive group at the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) end were synthesized by the radical copolymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide with a PEG macromonomer having an acetal group at one end and a methacryloyl group at the other chain end. The temperature dependence of the aqueous solutions of the obtained graft copolymers was estimated by light scattering measurements. The intensity of the light scattering from aqueous polymer solutions increased with increasing temperature. In particular, at temperatures above 40°C, the intensity abruptly increased, indicating a phase separation of the graft copolymer due to the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) segment. No turbidity was observed even above the LCST, and this suggested a nanoscale self‐assembling structure of the graft copolymer. The dynamic light scattering measurements confirmed that the size of the aggregate was in the range of several tens of nanometers. The acetal group at the end of the PEG graft chain was easily converted to the aldehyde group by an acid treatment, which was analyzed by ¹H NMR. Such a temperature‐induced nanosphere possessing reactive PEG tethered chains on the surface is promising for new nanobased biomedical materials. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1457–1469, 2006     

Surfactant effect on the lower critical solution temperature of poly(organophosphazenes) with methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) and amino acid esters as side groups

 The surfactant effect on the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of thermosensitive poly(organophosphazenes) with methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) and amino acid esters as side groups was examined in terms of molecular interactions between the polyphosphazenes and surfactants including various anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactants in aqueous solution. Most of the anionic and cationic surfactants increased the LCST of the polymers: the LCST increased more sharply with increasing length and hydrophobicity of the hydrophobic part of the surfactant molecule. The ΔLCSTs (T _0.03M− T _0M), the change in the LCST by addition of 0 and 0.03 M sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), were found to be 7.0 and 14.5 °C for the polymers bearing ethyl esters of glycine and aspartic acid, respectively. The LCST increase of poly(organophosphazene) having a more hydrophobic aspartic acid ethyl ester was 2 times larger compared with that of the polymer having glycine ethyl ester as a side group. The binding behavior of SDS to the polymer bearing glycine ethyl ester as a hydrophobic group was explained from the results of titration of the polymer solutions containing SDS with tetrapropylammonium bromide. Graphic models for the molecular interactions of polymer/surfactant and polymer/surfactant/salt in aqueous solutions were proposed. Received: 17 February 2000/Accepted: 25 April 2000     

丙烯酸β-羟丙酯/乙烯基吡咯烷酮水凝胶的合成和热敏行为的研究

用自由基共聚法合成了一系列 β -羟丙酯 ( β -HPAT)和乙烯基吡咯烷酮 (NVP)的共聚物及其水凝胶。发现共聚物的水溶液有敏锐的温敏行为 ,最低汇溶温度 (LCST)随NVP含量的增加而升高 ,随着反应单体总浓度的增加 ,相变敏锐性下降且LCST也随之下降。通过考察水凝胶的溶胀率 (SR) ,发现共聚凝胶在适当的单体浓度 ,交联剂浓度和较宽的单体浓度配比范围内 ,有较灵敏的温敏行为。     

C60接枝聚(N-乙烯基咔唑)的合成、表征及光电导性能

自从Ｃ６０被发现和被制备出来以后,其特殊的结构和独特的物理和化学性质受到各研究领域学者的广泛青睐．聚（Ｎ－乙烯基咔唑）（ＰＶＫ）体系经 Ｃ６０掺杂后光电导性能有很大幅度提高．但掺杂体系不稳定,因而限制了对该类材料的应用．为了克服这种缺点,我们尝试用各种简单的方法把Ｃ６０化学键合到高分子链中,制备具有光电导性能的Ｃ６０高分子衍生物． 最近,唐本忠［１］和 Ｐａｔｉｌ［２］等分别用常规的自由基聚合方法,将Ｃ６０接枝到聚合物分子主链上,我们已研究了不含导电高分子的Ｃ６０共聚物的光电导性能［３］,本文采用…