Nematogenic aromatic block copolymers of rigid and flexible units. II. Phase equilibria

The solubility and mesophase behavior are investigated for block copolymers of poly(p-benzamide) (PBA), the polyterephthalamide of p-aminobenzhydrazide (PABH-T), and PBA and poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) (MPD-I) dissolved in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) containing 3% LiCl. The block copolymers, whose synthesis and characterization were described in the previous paper in this series, included samples prepared by the two-step and multistep copolycondensations. The first of these methods yields a considerable amount of the flexible homopolymer (PABH-T) and also some of the rigid homopolymer. The flexible homopolymer can be removed from the block copolymer by extraction with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), whereas precipitation may offer a way to remove the rigid homopolymer. The results observed for the block copolymers are compared with those for the homopolymers and mixtures of homopolymers. The apparent solubility of the PBA/PABH-T block copolymers obtained by the two-step method is unusually large but decreases toward the value observed for mixtures after the flexible homopolymer had been extracted with DMSO. Labile adducts involving PABH-T and/or the block copolymer appear to be capable of forming a single mesophase. This offers a most interesting approach to the preparation of composite materials involving rigid and flexible polymers.     

Nematogenic block copolymers via the yamazaki reaction

A novel extension of the Yamazaki reaction is used to prepare block copolymers having rigid blocks of poly-(p-benzamide) (PBA) and semiflexible blocks of polyamide-hydrazide. A PBA prepolymer having M ? 10,000 was synthesized by the usual Yamazaki reaction using triphenylphosphite. As previously reported, higher-molecular-weight PBA could be obtained using 4-N-(4′-aminobenzamido)benzoic acid containing a preformed amide linkage. Addition of p-aminobenzhydrazide and terephthalic acid then led to formation of the polyamide-hydrazide blocks using as the active reactant the diphenylphosphite formed as a by-product in the first polymerization. Evidence that a block copolymer is produced includes an increase in inherent viscosity during the second step, differences in the solubility of the copolymer compared to the homopolymers, and comparison of the phase diagram of the block copolymer in N-methylpyrrolidone having 4% added LiCl with those of a random copolymer, and of mixtures of the two homopolymers. The critical concentration required to form a nematic phase in solutions of the block copolymers is correlated with the length (or axial ratio) of the rigid block, and with its proportion in the copolymer.     

Molecular composite. I. Novel block copolymers of liquid-crystalline polyamide and amorphous polyimide: Synthesis and characterization

Two series of PA/PI block copolymers have been prepared from a two-pot polycondensation reaction. Acid-terminated poly-p-benzamide (PBA) prepolymer, composed of a rigid-rod structure and lyotropic character, was synthesized by applying the phosphorylation reaction of Yamazaki. On the other hand, two amine-terminated polyimide prepolymers with an amorphous structure were prepared by a typical low-temperature condensation reaction from 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)-bis(phthalic anhydride) (6FDA)/2,2′-bis-(4-aminophenyl)-hexafluoropropane (BAAF) and 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA)/2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-p-phenylene diamine (TMPD). The molecular weight of these prepolymers was determined by intrinsic viscosity or GPC. The copolymerization was carried out by mixing two prepolymer solutions. The products were analyzed by extraction, IR, and η_inh so as to confirm that the copolymerization reaction was precisely accomplished. Thermal analysis and lyotropic behavior were studied for these block copolymers and the critical concentration in NMP–LiCl was found to be 6.0% for one among those block copolymers. The copolymers were observed to form anisotropic liquid-crystalline domains under polarized light once the solutions had been prepared at (and beyond) the critical concentration. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole)/Poly(pyridobisimidazole) Block Copolymers

Poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole)/poly(pyridobisimidazole) block copolymers (PBO-b-PIPD) were prepared by introducing poly(pyridobisimidazole) (PIPD) moieties into the main chains of poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO) in order to enhance its photostability. PBO and copolymer fibers were directly prepared from the polymerization solutions by dry-jet wet-spinning. Chemical structures and molecular chains arrangement of the block copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, solid-state ¹³C-NMR and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). Thermal stability of the copolymers was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in nitrogen. Thin films of PBO and copolymers were cast from methanesulfonic acid (MSA) solutions. Both the films and fibers were exposed to UV light to determine their photostability. Changes in the chemical structures and surface morphologies of the films were characterized by FTIR spectra and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), respectively. After UV light exposure, the retention of strength for copolymer fibers is improved compared to PBO fibers. The results revealed that copolymers suffered less photodegradation in comparison with homopolymer. The mechanism for the improved photostability of the copolymers was discussed.     

Synthesis of well-defined poly(p-benzamide) from chain-growth polycondensation and its application to block copolymers

Poly(p-benzamide) with a defined molecular weight and a low polydispersity and block copolymers containing this well-defined aramide was synthesized. Phenyl 4-(4-octyloxybenzylamino)benzoate ( 1b ) polymerized at room temperature in the presence of base and phenyl 4-nitrobenzoate ( 2a ) as an initiator in a chain-growth polycondensation manner to give well-defined aromatic polyamides having the 4-octyloxybenzyl groups as a protecting group on nitrogen in an amide. It was confirmed by a model reaction that deprotection of this protecting group proceeded completely with trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) without breaking the amide linkage. The utility of this approach to poly(p-benzamide) with a low polydispersity was demonstrated by the synthesis of block copolymers of poly(p-benzamide) and poly(N-octyl-p-benzamide) or poly(ethylene glycol). The SEM images of the supramolecular assemblies of the former block copolymer showed μm-sized bundles and aggregates of flake structures.     

Synthesis of rod-coil block copolymers via end-functionalized poly(p-phenylene)s

This paper describes a new way to synthesize rod-coil block copolymers consisting of poly(p-phenylene) (PPP) as rigid rod and either polystyrene (PS) or poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) as flexible coil. The Suzuki-coupling of the AB-type monomer 4-bromo-2,5-diheptylbenzeneboronic acid (1) under strictly proton-free conditions leads to the control of PPP endgroups and hence allows the synthesis of a variety of differently end-functionalized poly(p-phenylene)s. The poly(2,5-diheptyl-p-phenylene)-block-polystyrene (7) is then prepared via condensation via condensation of anionically polymerized living polystyrene ( 6 ) with α-(4-formylphenyl)-ω-phenyl-poly(2,5diheptyl-p-phenylene) ( 4 ). Toluenesulfonic acid catalyzed condensation of α-methyl-ω-amino-poly(oxyethylene) ( 8 ) with PPP 4 yields poly(2,5-diheptyl-p-phenylene)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) ( 9 ).     

Preparation of aromatic copolyamides containing regularly placed 1,6-hexamethylenediamine units

Copolyamides based on poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) and poly-(p-phenylene terephthalamide), to which 1,6-diaminohexane units were regularly inserted every 3 or 5 phenylene monomer units, were synthesized. The copolymers were obtained by condensation of individually prepared diamino- and dicarboxylic-building blocks via the Yamazaki–;Higashi reaction. Solubility of the copolyamides are discussed in relation with the structure. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2379–2386, 1997     

Photoluminescent properties of poly(p‐phenylene vinylene thiophene‐co‐siloxane)

A new p‐phenylene–vinylene–thiophene‐based siloxane block copolymer has been synthesized. The copolymer consists of alternating rigid and flexible blocks. The rigid blocks are composed of phenylene–vinylene–thiophene‐based units, and the flexible blocks are derived from 1,3‐dialkyldisiloxane units. The former component acts as the chromophore, and allows fine tuning of band gap for blue‐light emission, while the latter imparts good solubility of the copolymer in organic solvents, and thus, should enhance processibility of the resulting copolymer. The thermal properties of the copolymer have been characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The photoluminescence (PL) of the copolymer in solution and in cast film has been studied. The effects of concentration on the PL intensity of the new copolymer in polymer blends with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(vinyl carbazole) (PVK) have also been described. Efficient energy transfer from PVK to the new block copolymer in the blended film was observed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1450–1456, 2000     

Hydrophilic–hydrophobic AB diblock copolymers containing poly(trimethylene carbonate) and poly(ethylene oxide) blocks

AB‐type block copolymers with poly(trimethylene carbonate) [poly(TMC); A] and poly(ethylene oxide) [PEO; B; number‐average molecular weight (M_n) = 5000] blocks [poly(TMC)‐b‐PEO] were synthesized via the ring‐opening polymerization of trimethylene carbonate (TMC) in the presence of monohydroxy PEO with stannous octoate as a catalyst. M_n of the resulting copolymers increased with increasing TMC content in the feed at a constant molar ratio of the monomer to the catalyst (monomer/catalyst = 125). The thermal properties of the AB diblock copolymers were investigated with differential scanning calorimetry. The melting temperature of the PEO blocks was lower than that of the homopolymer, and the crystallinity of the PEO block decreased as the length of the poly(TMC) blocks increased. The glass‐transition temperature of the poly(TMC) blocks was dependent on the diblock copolymer composition upon first heating. The static contact angle decreased sharply with increasing PEO content in the diblock copolymers. Compared with poly(TMC), poly(TMC)‐b‐PEO had a higher Young's modulus and lower elongation at break. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 4819–4827, 2005     

Aqueous solution properties of pH‐responsive AB diblock acrylamido–styrenic copolymers synthesized via aqueous reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer

Here we report the synthesis and solution characterization of a novel series of AB diblock copolymers with neutral, water‐soluble A blocks consisting of N,N‐dimethylacrylamide and pH‐responsive B blocks of N,N‐dimethylvinylbenzylamine. To our knowledge, this represents the first example of an acrylamido–styrenic block copolymer prepared directly in a homogeneous aqueous solution. The best blocking order [with poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide) as a macro‐chain‐transfer agent] yielded well‐defined block copolymers with minimal homopolymer impurities. The reversible aggregation of these block copolymers in aqueous media was studied with ¹H NMR spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. Finally, an example of core‐crosslinked micelles was demonstrated by the addition of a difunctional crosslinking agent to a micellar solution of the parent block copolymer. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1724–1734, 2004     

Melting behavior of ethylene oxide–propylene oxide (sym-PEP) block copolymers

Melting points and lamellar thicknesses have been measured for ethylene oxide–propylene oxide block copolymers (sym-PEP) with central poly(ethylene oxide) block lengths of 70–100 chain units and end poly(propylene oxide) block lengths of 0–30 chain units. Melting points of the block copolymers are lower than those of the corresponding poly(ethylene oxide) homopolymer by an amount (up to 15°C) which increases as the poly(propylene oxide) block length increases. Most samples have more than one melting transition, which can be assigned to variously folded chain crystals. End interfacial free energies σ_e for the various crystals have been estimated by use of Flory's theory of melting of block copolymers. For a given crystal type (e.g., once-folded-chain) σ_e is higher the longer the chain length of the end poly(propylene oxide) blocks. For a given copolymer σ_e is lower, the more highly folded the poly(ethylene oxide) chain.     

Synthesis of chiral amphiphilic diblock copolymers via consecutive RAFT polymerizations and their aggregation behavior in aqueous solution

Two chiral amphiphilic diblock copolymers with different relative lengths of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic blocks, poly(6‐O‐p‐vinylbenzyl‐1,2:3,4‐Di‐O‐isopropylidene‐D ‐galactopyranose)‐b‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) or poly(VBCPG)‐b‐poly(NIPAAM) and poly(20‐(hydroxymethyl)‐pregna‐1,4‐dien‐3‐one methacrylate)‐b‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) or poly(MAC‐HPD)‐b‐poly(NIPAAM) were synthesized via consecutive reversible addition‐fragmentation chain‐transfer polymerizations of VBCPG or MAC‐HPD and NIPAAM. The chemical structures of these diblock copolymers were characterized by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These amphiphilic diblock copolymers could self‐assemble into micelles in aqueous solution, and the morphologies of micelles were investigated by transmission electron microscopy. By comparison with the lower critical solution temperatures (LCST) of poly(NIPAAM) homopolymer in deionized water (32 °C), a higher LCST of the chiral amphiphilic diblock copolymer (poly(VBCPG)‐b‐poly(NIPAAM)) was observed and the LCST increased with the relative length of the poly(VBCPG) block in the copolymer from 35 to 47 °C, respectively. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 7690–7701, 2008     

Poly(3‐hexyl thiophene)‐b‐poly(N‐isopropyl acrylamide): Synthesis and its composition dependent structural,solubility, thermoresponsive,electrochemical, and electronic properties

Conjugated block copolymers consisting of poly(3‐hexyl thiophene) (P3HT) and a thermoresponsive polymer poly(N‐isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) with varying composition have been synthesized by facile click reaction between alkyne terminated P3HT and azide terminated PNIPAM. The composition‐dependent solubility, thermoresponsive property in water, phase behavior, electrochemical, optical, and electronic properties of the block copolymers were systematically investigated. The block copolymers with higher volume fraction of PNIPAM form thermoresponsive spherical micelles with P3HT‐rich crystalline cores and PNIPAM coronas. Both X‐ray and atomic force microscopic studies indicated that the blocks copolymers showed well‐defined microphase separated nanostructures and the structure depended on the composition of the blocks. The electrochemical study of the block copolymers clearly demonstrated that the extent of charge transport through the block copolymer thin film was similar to P3HT homopolymer without any significant change in the band gap. The block copolymers showed improved or similar charge carrier mobility compared with the pure P3HT depending on the composition of the block copolymer. These P3HT‐b‐PNIPAM copolymers were interesting for fabrication of optoelectronic devices capable of thermal and moisture sensing as well as for studying the thermoresponsive colloidal structures of semiconductor amphiphilic systems. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 1785–1794     

Synthesis,liquid crystalline mesophases and morphologies of diblock copolymers composed of a poly(dimethylsiloxane) block and a nematic liquid crystalline block

In this study, a series of liquid crystalline diblock copolymers, composed of a soft poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) block with a de?ned length and a side-on liquid crystalline poly(3??-acryloyloxypropyl 2,5-di(4?-butyloxybenzoyloxy) benzoate) (P3ADBB) block with different lengths, are synthesised by the atom transfer radical polymerisation. The macromolecular structures, liquid crystalline properties and the microphase-separated morphologies of the diblock copolymer are investigated by ¹H NMR, FT-IR, GPC, POM, DSC and TEM. The results show that the well-de?ned diblock copolymers (PDMS_n-b-P3ADBB_m) possess four different soft/rigid ratios (n = 58, m = 10, 25, 42, 66) and relatively narrow molecular distributions (PDI ≤ 1.30). P3ADBB blocks of the copolymers show nematic sub-phases, which are identical to the mesomorphic behaviour of the homopolymer P3ADBB. After being annealed at 90°C in a vacuum oven for 48 h, the copolymers form a lamellar morphology when m = 10 and morphologies of PDMS spheres embedded in P3ADBB matrix when m = 25, 42 and 66.     

Poly(styrene/pentafluorostyrene)-block-poly(vinyl alcohol/vinylpyrrolidone) amphiphilic block copolymers for kinetic gas hydrate inhibitors: Synthesis,micellization behavior,and methane hydrate kinetic inhibition

Amphiphilic block copolymers of short poly(styrene) (PS) or poly(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorostyrene) (PPFS) segments with comparatively longer poly(vinyl acetate) or poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) segments are synthesized using a 2-cyanopropan-2-yl N-methyl-N-(pyridin-4-yl)dithiocarbamate switchable reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent toward application as kinetic gas hydrate inhibitors (KHIs). Polymerization conditions are optimized to provide water-soluble block copolymers by first polymerizing more activated monomers such as S and PFS to form a defined macro chain-transfer agent (linear degree of polymerization with conversion, comparatively low dispersity) followed by chain extensions with less activated monomers VAc or VP by switching to the deprotonated form of the RAFT agent. The critical micelle concentrations of these amphiphilic block copolymers (after VAc unit hydrolysis to vinyl alcohol units) are measured using zeta surface potential measurements to estimate physical behavior once mixed with the hydrates. A PS-poly(vinyl alcohol) block copolymer improved inhibition to 49% compared to the pure methane–water system with no KHIs. This inhibition was further reduced by 27% by substituting the PS with a more hydrophobic PPFS. A block copolymer of PS–PVP exhibited 20% greater inhibition than the PVP homopolymer and substituting PS with a more hydrophobic PPFS resulted in a 35% further decreased in methane KHI. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56, 2445–2457, 56, 2445–2457     

Preparation of polyamides via the phosphorylation reaction. X. A study of higashi reaction conditions

We report a study of the conditions of the phosphorylation reaction for the preparation of aromatic polyamides using the Higashi reaction medium. For poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPD-T), the optimum conditions are: reaction temperature, 115°C; monomer concentration, C = 0.083 mol/L; and ratio of triphenyl phosphite (TPP) to monomer, 2.0. These optimum conditions produce PPD-T having η_inh = 6.2 dL/g. At temperatures of 120°C and above PPD-T precipitates from the reaction mixture, leading to lower molecular weights. At lower temperatures the reaction mixture gels, and the gel time decreases with increasing reaction temperature. However, polycondensation continues in the gel state. Monomer concentrations C = 0.10 mol/L and above produce precipitation and yield polyamides of lower molecular weight. For the preparation of poly(p-benzamide) (PBA), the optimum ratio of TPP to monomer is 0.6 for either p- aminobenzoic acid or N-4-(4′-aminobenzamido)benzoic acid. In the former case the inherent viscosity of polymer prepared at 115°C showed little dependence upon the concentration of the monomer. The highest value, η_inh = 1.8 dL/g, was obtained with C = 0.40 mol/L and a TPP/monomer ratio of 0.6. However, for the same TPP/monomer ratio, the monomer containing a preformed amide linkage, N-4-(4′-aminobenzamido)benzoic acid, gave PBA with η_inh = 4.6 dL/g when the monomer concentration is 0.33 mol/L. This is the highest value reported for PBA using the phosphorylation reaction. In A?A + B?B polycondensation, examples in which one of the monomers contained one or two preformed amide linkages produced polyamides having η_inh = 7.8 and 8.9 dL/g, respectively.     

Quinone copolymerization. I. Reactions of p-chloranil,p-benzoquinone,and 2,5-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone with vinyl monomers under free-radical initiation

The free-radical copolymerization reactions of p-chloranil, p-benzoquinone, and 2,5-di-methyl-p-benzoquinone with vinyl monomers were studied. Reactions of p-chloranil with styrene yielded copolymers of approximately 1:1 composition under a variety of reaction conditions. A copolymer containing a block of 1:1 of styrene:p-chloranil and a block of polystyrene was prepared. Several styrene-like monomers copolymerized with p-chloranil to yield copolymrs possessing considerable amounts of incorporated quinone. p-Benzoquinone copolymerized with 1,3-butadiene and 2-vinyl-pyridine to yield copolymers of significant molecular weights. Reactions of 2,5-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone with vinyl monomers did not yield any isolable polymeric products.     

Phase behavior in copolymer blends of poly (p-chlorostyrene-co-o-chlorostyrene) and phenylsulfonylated poly (2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)

The miscibility of random copolymers of o-chlorostyrene and p-chlorostyrene [P (oClSt-co-pClSt)] with partially phenylsulfonylated poly (2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (SPPO) copolymers has been studied, using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to establish T_g behavior. It already has been established that the isomeric effect of the chlorine substitution on miscibility is large. Thus the para-chloro-substituted styrenic homopolymer is miscible with all SPPOs containing more than ～ 5 mol % phenylsulfonylation, whereas the ortho-chloro-substituted homopolymer is immiscible with the entire range of SPPO copolymer compositions (and also with the respective homopolymers). As a result of this asymmetric behavior of the homopolymers, the width of the window of miscibility in blends now investigated containing copolymers with high pClSt content and SPPO is much greater than in the corresponding blends containing copolymers with large mole fraction of oClSt. These differences are reflected in the corresponding χ parameters calculated from analysis of the data. It was also found that the miscibility is temperature dependent and that the regime in the copolymer-copolymer composition plane shrank as the equilibrium temperature increased, results indicative of LCST behavior. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and dielectric properties of novel liquid crystalline triblock copolymers with cyanobiphenyl moieties and poly(n‐butyl acrylate) segments

In this work, self‐assembly method was used to improve the dielectric constant of triblock copolymers. A series of ABA triblock copolymers with a defined length of poly(n‐butyl acrylate) (PBA, B block) segment and different lengths of liquid crystalline (LC) poly[11‐(4‐cyano‐4′‐biphenoxy)undecyl methacrylate] (P11CBMA, A block) segments were synthesized by using the atom transfer radical polymerization method. The well‐defined triblock copolymers P11CBMA_m‐b‐PBA_n‐b‐P11CBMA_m possess three different B/A ratios (n = 50, m = 17, 43, 53). Due to the supramolecular cooperative motion effect, the copolymers can form worm‐like microstructure (W_LC = 52.8%), cylinder‐like nanostructure with P11CBMA phase embedded in PBA matrix (W_LC = 73.9%), and wide stripe structure with LC domains distributed unevenly in a continuous PBA matrix (W_LC = 77.7%) after annealed at 160°C (above T_i) under N₂ for 24 h, respectively. In order to study the influence of microphase separated morphology of triblock copolymer on the dielectric properties, solvent annealing was also used to develop various nanostructures. After thermal or solvent annealing, the dielectric constants of block copolymers increased dramatically while their loss factors remained the same. For different block copolymers, the dielectric constants increased with the increase of the LC block length. For diverse treatments, dielectric permittivities of samples varied widely with different nanostructures. The results show that the dielectric constants of block copolymers could be tuned by the block ratios and the self‐assembled microstructures. These findings will inspire researchers using self‐assembly method to design and develop novel flexible materials with high dielectric permittivity. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of vinyl graft copolymers of poly(hexamethylene adipamide) and poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide)

Nylon 66 [poly(hexamethylene adipamide)] and Nomex [poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide)] were metalated by using solutions of sodium in liquid ammonia. Metalation of the Nomex polymer was also carried out by using sodium naphthalene in tetrahydrofuran. The metalated polymers were then reacted with acrylonitrile monomer to yield the corresponding anionic graft copolymers. The heterogeneous nature of these reactions is discussed in relation to the structure of the graft copolymers.