Cell theory and equation‐of‐state of chain molecular systems: Application to polymer solids

We use the Lennard‐Jones and Devonshire cell theory without any ad hoc simplification of the cell potential to obtain the equation‐of‐state (EOS) for chain molecular systems. The interactions of the central segment with second and third shells of neighbors are taken into account. Numerical values of the cell integrals are given in tabular form along with interpolation expressions that cover the range of PVT variables appropriate to polymers. Results of comparison with EOS based on square‐well form are also discussed. Application of the theory to polymer glasses of diverse structures is found to be quite successful in explaining the PVT behavior over a wide range of temperatures both at atmospheric and elevated pressures. Further, scaled volume at the glass‐transition temperature is discovered to be a corresponding state property. Turning to crystals, the theory is generally in good accordance with the PVT data of three well‐studied polymers both at atmospheric and elevated pressures. For linear polyethylene the agreement is good up to 42 kbar for the room‐temperature isotherm. On the other hand, at higher temperatures where the data are limited to 5 kbar, the agreement is determined to be satisfactory for the three polymers. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 39: 515–530, 2001     

Synthesis and characterization of polyurethane–polyvinylbenzyl chloride multiblock copolymers and their cationomers using a polyurethane macroiniferter

Polyurethane iniferter prepared from isocyanate end capped prepolymer and 1,1,2,2-tetraphenyl-1,2-ethanediol, has been used to polymerize vinylbenzyl chloride to obtain polyurethane-polyvinylbenzyl chloride multiblock copolymers. Formation of the block copolymers proceeds with increase in both molecular weight and conversion with increasing polymerization time showing that the polymerization proceeds via a “living” radical mechanism. The block copolymers so obtained were converted into their cationomers by the treatment of triethylamine. The block copolymers and their cationomers have been characterized by FTIR, FTNMR, TGA, and DSC studies. The effect of thermal energy on the molecular weight of the macroiniferter in the absence of monomer has been studied in order to understand the mechanism of formation of the block copolymers. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 1237–1244, 1997     

Block copolymers by transformation of “living” carbocationic into “living” radical polymerization. II. ABA-type block copolymers comprising rubbery polyisobutene middle segment

A general method for the transformation of “living” carbocationic into “living” radical polymerization, without any modification of chain ends, is reported for the preparation of ABA block copolymers. For example, α,ω-difunctional polyisobutene, capped with several units of styrene, Cl-St-PIB-St-Cl, prepared cationically (M_n = 7800, M_w/M_n = 1.31) was used as an efficient difunctional macroinitiator for homogeneous “living” atom transfer radical polymerization to prepare triblock copolymers with styrene, PSt-PIB-PSt (M_n = 28,800, M_w/M_n = 1.14), methyl acrylate, PMA-PIB-PMA (M_n = 31,810, M_w/M_n = 1.42), isobornyl acrylate, PIBA-PIB-PIBA (M_n = 33,500, M_w/M_n = 1.21), and methyl methacrylate, PMMA-PIB-PMMA (M_n = 33,500, M_w/M_n = 1.47). © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 3595–3601, 1997     

Tetraphenylethane iniferters. II. Toluene diisocyanate-based polyurethane iniferter for “living” radical polymerization of acrylonitrile

A novel polyurethane iniferter, synthesized from equal moles of toluene diisocyanate and 1,1,2,2-tetraphenyl-1,2-ethanediol, was used to polymerize acrylonitrile to assess whether it proceeded via a “living” radical polymerization mechanism. From the kinetic results, the rate of polymerization could be expressed as R_pα[BPT]^0.96[AN]^1.64. The increase of number-average molecular weight with increase of both conversion and polymerization time, the bimodal molecular weight distribution in gel permeation chromatography and the increase of molecular weight in the post-polymerization of polyacrylonitrile confirm that the present tetraphenylethane-based polyurethane iniferter follows a “living” radical polymerization mechanism. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis of Novel Core Cross‐Linked Star‐Based Polyrotaxane End‐Capped via “CuAAC” Click Chemistry

The first example of core cross‐linked star (CCS) polyrotaxane was prepared using the poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) (PCL) CCS three‐dimensional (3D) scaffold. The 3D CCS polymer was firstly prepared through the “arm‐first” approach. Then, the “arms” of the resultant PCL CCS polymer were threaded with α‐cyclodextrins (α‐CDs). The threaded α‐CDs were permanently locked by the “click” reaction of terminal alkyne functionalities of the star polymers with the azide‐functionalized end caps to afford the CCS polyrotaxanes. All analytical results confirm the formation of the CCS polyrotaxanes and reveal their characteristics, including fluorescence under UV, a channel‐type crystalline structure, a two‐step thermal decomposition, and a unique core‐shell structure in great contrast to the polymer precursors.