Studies on segmented polyurethane—urea elastomers: Structure of segmented polyurethane—urea based on poly(tetramethylene glycol), 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate,and 4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane

Structure studies on the segmented polyurethane-urea based on poly(tetramethylene glycol), 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, and 4,4'-diaminodiphenylmethane have been made using wide- and small-angle x-ray diffraction. It was found that the hard segments have a well-defined crystal structure indexed by a monoclinic unit cell with dimensions a = 4.72 Å, b = 11.33 Å, c (chain axis) = 11.64 Å, and γ = 116.5°. Further, the hard segments have an anisotropic supermolecular structure, that is, a spherulitic crystalline texture. The microdomain structure depends on the molecular weight of the soft segments, with phase separation becoming distinct with an increase in the molecular weight of the soft segment. Based on the long period observed in small-angle x-ray patterns of heat-set specimens, the thickness of lamellae was estimated to be about 93 Å. This corresponds to an average hard segment sequence length of 8. On deformation, the hard segment orients preferably transverse to the stretch direction up to high elongations, and it shows a hysteresis of orientation. This phenomenon can be explained in terms of the anisotropic supermolecular structure. Further, deviation from ideal rubber elasticity observed in the stress-strain relationships of the segmented polyure-thane-urea elastomers might also be caused by the anisotropic structure.     

Radical/Cation Transformation Polymerization and Its Application to the Preparation of Block Copolymers

Propagating radicals could be transformed into corresponding cations in the radical polymerization process of vinyl monomers in the presence of an electron acceptor. The electron transfer reaction from the propagating radicals to the acceptor was confirmed by an electron spin resonance study and by the model compound reaction. The radical/cation transformation polymerization was effectively applied to the preparation of a new type of block copolymer compound of radically polymerized segments and cationically polymerized segments by the one shot method. Thus, a block copolymer of p-methoxystyrene (MOS) and cyclohexene oxide (CHO) was prepared by the radical polymerization of MOS in the presence of Ph₂I⁺PF⁻₆ and CHO. The formation of the block copolymer was confirmed by extraction separation, ¹H-NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance), thin layer chromatography and turbidimetric titration. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Radical/cation transformation polymerization and its application to the preparation of block copolymers

p-Methoxystyrene (MOS), butyl vinyl ether (BVE), and N-vinylcarbazole (VCZ) were polymerized in high yield by azoinitiators such as 2, 2'-azodiisobutyronitrile (AIBN) in the presence of electron acceptors such as Ph₂I⁺PF₆⁻. An electron paramagnetic resonance (ESR) study of the model radicals of the propagating radical showed the transformation of the radical to the corresponding cation in the presence of the electron acceptors. In the case of BVE, the polymer formation was caused by cationic species produced by the transformation of the initiating radical. The polymerizations of MOS and VCZ were ascribed to the transformation of the growing radical to the corresponding cation during the propagation step which was classified as the radical/cation transformation polymerization. Block copolymers of MOS/cyclohexene oxide (1, 2-epoxycyclohexane) (CHO) and VCZ/CHO were effectively prepared by the radical/cation transformation polymerization of the appropriate monomers in the presence of AIBN, electron acceptor and CHO. The formation of block copolymers was characterized by turbidimetry, thin-layer chromatography, and solubility tests.     

Gelation and its relevance to the function of polysaccharides

(1→4)-α- and (1→4)-β-D-linked glucosidic oligosaccharide chains were generated by the Monte Carlo method, and the scattering from the systems composed of simulated chains was calculated to compare with the results of small-angle X-ray scattering from the oligosaccharides in aqueous solution. By extending the simulation to a longer chain, a single chain conformation of (1→4)-α- and (1→4)-β-D-linked polysaccharides was evaluated. On the basis of the simulation, the suprastructure of (1→4)-α- and (1→4)-β-D-linked polysaccharides and their gel formation mechanism were discussed in some detail by analyzing the small-angle X-ray scattering from the aqueous solutions of (1→4)-α- and (1→4)-β-D-linked polysaccharides.     

General description of orientation factors in terms of expansion of orientation distribution function in a series of spherical harmonics

A mathematical representation of orientation distribution of structural units within the bulk polymer is given in terms of an expansion of the distribution function in a series of spherical harmonics. Each coefficient of the expanded series is discussed in general relation to the orientation factors, average degrees of orientation distribution, defined by several different authors independently. Several optical techniques to evaluate the orientation factors, the second and fourth moments of orientation distribution of crystalline and noncrystalline structural units from optical dichroic quantities, are discussed. Some graphical representations of the state of orientation are proposed, and the estimation of orientation distribution from the orientation factors of different orders is discussed quantitatively.     

Analysis of AlGaAs/GaAs superlattices by means of sputter-assisted AES,SEM and TEM

This paper reports the developments of evaluation methods on epitaxially grown superlattices by means of sputterassisted Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). AlGaAs/GaAs semiconductor superlattics were grown epitaxially by metal–organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD). The layer thickness of the superlattices ranged from a few to ten nanometers. Firstly, developments of Auger depth profiling were tried by using: (1) a differential pumping-type ion gun instead of a static pressure type to reduce the oxygen adsorbates on the AlGaAs layer; (2) low-energy Auger signals instead of high-energy ones to shorten the escape depth; and (3) the lowest ion etching energy of 0.2 keV instead of 1 keV to reduce the surface roughening effects. It is shown that the depth resolution of sputter-assisted AES is attainable to 1.5 nm. Secondly, high-resolution SEM can be used as an easy evaluation method by observing the cleaved surface of superlattices, since the layers can be distinguished by signal contrast. Also, TEM can be used as an evaluation method by observing the (110) cross-section thinned sample. The dark field image has a high contrast between AlGaAs and GaAs using the (002) diffraction. It is confirmed from these AES, SEM and TEM evaluations that the hetero-interface abruptness of AlGaAs/GaAs superlattices grown by MOCVD is of the order of one monoatomic layer.     

Studies of the polymerization of diallyl compounds. XXVIII. Copolymerization of monoallyl phthalate with allyl benzoate and diallyl phthalate

The bulk copolymerizations of monoallyl phthalate (MAP) with allyl benzoate (ABz) and diallyl phthalate (DAP) were conducted in the presence of benzoyl peroxide as an initiator at 70°C; copolymers containing allyl alcohol unit were obtained. The copolymer composition was reasonably interpreted in terms of polymerization kinetics, including the partial elimination of phthalic anhydride (PhA) from the MAP growing chain end in its propagation reaction with another monomer. Kinetics of the copolymerization of DAP with MAP were also discussed in detail, and the gel point was additionally evaluated. DAP–MAP copolymer was homogeneously reacted with zinc acetate to produce the polymer gel carrying ionic crosslinkages.