Preparation and properties of alkylated poly(styrene-graft-ethylene oxide)

Poly(styrene-graft-ethylene oxide), having alkyl chains (C₁₂ or C₁₈) on the polystyrene main chain or on the poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) side chains, were synthesized. The main chain was alkylated by first ionizing amide groups in a styrene/acrylamide copolymer with tert-butoxide, and then using the amide anions as sites for reactions with 1-bromoalkanes. An excess of amide anions was used in the reaction, and the remaining anions were subsequently utilized as initiator sites for the anionic polymerization of ethylene oxide (EO). Synthesis of poly(styrene-graft-ethylene oxide) with alkylated side chains was accomplished by polymerization of EO onto the ionized styrene/acrylamide copolymer, followed by an alkylation of the terminal alkoxide anions with 1-bromoalkanes. The alkylated graft copolymers were structurally characterized by using elemental analysis, ¹H NMR, GPC, and IR spectroscopy. DSC analysis showed that only graft copolymers with PEO contents exceeding about 50 wt % and side chain crystallinities comparable to those of homo-PEO. Main chain alkylated graft copolymers generally had higher crystalinities, as compared to nonalkylated and side chain alkylated samples. The graft copolymers absorbed water corresponding to one water molecule per EO unit at low PEO contents. The water absorption increased progressively at PEO contents above 30 wt % for main chain alkylated samples and above 50 wt % for non-alkylated samples. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Preparation of Hybrid Nanocapsules

Hybrid nanoparticles with a polystyrene core and a hybrid copolymer shell were used to produce hybrid nanocapsules by dissolving the polystyrene core from the previously elaborated core-shell particles. Following previous works, the core-shell particles were prepared by emulsion polymerization of styrene and subsequent addition of γ-methacryloxy propyl trimethoxy silane (MPS) to produce the shell by copolymerization reaction of MPS with the residual styrene. Core extraction was performed by diluting the core-shell particles in an excess of tetrahydrofuran (THF). Two procedures were investigated to separate the dissolved polymer chains from the nanocapsules. In the first procedure, the polymer was isolated by successive centrifugation and redispersion in THF, whereas in the second procedure, the free polymer chains were removed by dialysis. The polymer molecular weight was optimized in order to promote dissolution of the polymer chains and allow them to diffuse through the shell.     

Friedel–crafts crosslinking methods for polystyrene modification. IV. Macromolecular structure of crosslinked particles

Crosslinked polystyrene particles were prepared by Friedel–Crafts suspension crosslinking of polystyrene using 2,4-dichloromethyl-2,5-dimethyl benzene as crosslinking agent. The polymer was dissolved in nitrobenzene and reaction occurred in a 70 wt % aqueous solution of ZnCl₂ with poly(vinyl alcohol) as a suspending agent. The spherical particles produced were swollen in toluene, chloroform, and tetrahydrofuran to determine their equilbrium polystyrene volume fraction. Analysis of the crosslinked macromolecular structure gave values of number-average molecular weight between crosslinks of M?_c = 900–5900 increasing as the nominal crosslinking ratio X decreased from 0.75 to 0.0625 mol of crosslinking agent per mole of polystyrene repeating unit. Porosimetric analysis contributed to the understanding of the importance of the pore structure for swelling behavior.     

“Grafting through” approach for synthesis of polystyrene/silica aerogel nanocomposites by in situ reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization

Aerogel/polystyrene nanocomposites with mixed free and aerogel-attached polystyrene chains were synthesized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. 3-methacryloxypropyldimethylchlorosilane containing a double bond, which could be incorporated into polystyrene chains by a “grafting through” approach, was used as an aerogel modifier. Kinetics of RAFT polymerization of styrene in the presence of modified silica aerogel was studied by monitoring conversion and molar mass values. To further study, attached polymers were detached and their molecular characteristics were compared to free chains. According to results, the presence of silica aerogel particles has a sensible influence on polymerization kinetic and more aerogels result in decreased polymerization rate and conversion. The dispersity (Ð) of polymer chains increased by the addition of silica aerogel. In the case of aerogel-attached polystyrene chains, number-averaged molar mass values were slightly lower than that of free chains. Also, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques were used to observe the effect of loading on thermal properties of synthesized nanocomposites.     

Changes in row structure of extruded polyethylene film in grafting with styrene. II. Copolymer morphology

The morphology of extruded high-density polyethylene film grafted with styrene was studied by transmission electron microscopy of thin stained sections. Near the film surface grafted polystyrene was confined to amorphous layers between lamellar crystals of polyethylene. In the film interior separate polystyrene domains were also formed and became predominant in grafting in diluted styrene. The deciding factor for the location of grafted polystyrene is the chain length because only long chains can coalesce in large separate zones. The polystyrene zones expand by cracking the stacks of lamellae along the lamellar normals. Straightening of the twisted crystalline lamellae of polyethylene occurred in grafting. “Bubbles” of styrene homopolymer were formed under conditions of high monomer concentration. The effect of staining the graft by the Kanig method² was also discussed.     

Synthesis of Telechelic Polystyrene by Radical Polymerization Using 1,4-Bis(p-tert-Butylphenylseleno-Methyl)benzene as a Photoiniferter

Abstract

1,4-Bis(p-tert-butylphenylselenomethyl) benzene was synthesized, and used as a bifunctional photoiniferter for the polymerization of styrene. Both the polymer yields and the number average of molecular weights (_n) of polymers increased with the polymerization. The polymerization of styrene by this iniferter permitted telechelic polystyrene containing arylseleno groups at both chain ends, and the degree of functionality was 1.9. The seleno groups of both chain ends of polystyrene were reduced quantitatively by tri-n-butyltin hydride. These seleno groups in polystyrene were also eliminated by treatment with hydrogen peroxide to give telechelic polystyrene with carbon-carbon double bond at both chain ends. Further, polystyrene with double bonds was converted to telechelic polystyrene carrying terminal functional groups as epoxy, hydroxy, and iodide group, respectively.

     

用新型茂钛催化剂制备的苯乙烯/丁二烯嵌段共聚物的结构表征

用CpTi(OBz)3/MAO催化体系合成的苯乙烯／丁二烯嵌段共聚合产物经丁酮、甲苯、四氢呋喃、氯仿连续抽提,并用已烷对丁酮的可溶级分进行再抽提;不同级分分别用GPC、^13C -NMR、DSC和WAXD等手段进行分析和表征。发现嵌段共聚物主要存在于氯仿可溶级分中,丁酮可溶级分基本上是无规聚苯乙烯和聚丁二烯组成的混合物（己烷可溶级分为聚丁二烯,不溶级分为无规模聚乙烯）。GPS谱图表明该嵌段共聚反应具有单催化活性中心的聚合特征,^13C-NMR谱图显示该嵌段共聚物分子链由间规聚苯乙链段和聚丁二烯链段组成,WAXD图谱显示嵌段共聚物有较高的结晶度。     

Orientation of amorphous polymers

Orientation of amorphous polymers stretched at a temperature above their glass-transition temperature, is involved in thermoforming processing. The molecular processes controlling the orientation and chain relaxation of polymers have been investigated by infrared dichroism in a large series of materials: polystyrene, polymethylmethacrylate of various tacticity and its copolymers with styrene and acrylonitrile. Polystyrene with hydrogenated and deuterated blocks leads to information on the behavior of each block (central part, chain ends) and allows a quantitative comparison with the Doi-Edwards model for chain relaxation. In order to analyse the effect of polydispersity, blends of hydrogenated and deuerated polystyrene chains with various molecular weights have been studied. Short chains with molecular weights smaller than the molecular weight between entanglements, enhance the relaxation of long chains. Furthermore an anisotropic orientational coupling effect exists between a chain segment and its oriented surrounding. By comparing the orientation of polymers with different chemical structures, it results that they behave differently under temperature conditions where T - T_g = const, but they undergo identical relaxations when the experiments are performed at temperatures chosen in such a way that the monomer friction coefficients are identical. In copolymers of styrene and methylmethacrylate, the two monomer units have different orientations due to local conformational constraints. This effect also accounts for the difference observed between an alternated and a random copolymer.     

Synthesis of polyallene‐based graft copolymer via 6‐methyl‐1,2‐heptadien‐4‐ol and styrene

A series of well‐defined graft copolymers with a polyallene‐based backbone and polystyrene side chains were synthesized by the combination of living coordination polymerization of 6‐methyl‐1,2‐heptadien‐4‐ol and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene. Poly(alcohol) with polyallene repeating units were prepared via 6‐methyl‐1,2‐heptadien‐4‐ol by living coordination polymerization initiated by [(η³‐allyl)NiOCOCF₃]₂ firstly, followed by transforming the pendant hydroxyl groups into halogen‐containing ATRP initiation groups. Grafting‐from route was employed in the following step for the synthesis of the well‐defined graft copolymer: polystyrene was grafted to the backbone via ATRP of styrene. The cleaved polystyrene side chains show a narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n = 1.06). This kind of graft copolymer is the first example of graft copolymer via allene derivative and styrenic monomer. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5509–5517, 2007     

Structure and stability of halogenated polymers: Part 2—Chain-chlorinated polystyrene

Chain-chlorinated polystyrene samples have been prepared and characterised, containing from 2·5 to 34·3% chlorine by weight (from 0·1 to 1·3 chlorine atoms per styrene unit). Chlorination has been found to involve mainly substitution of the tertiary hydrogen atoms, followed by methylene substitution at reactant concentrations of more than 1 mole Cl₂ per styrene unit. Reaction with chlorine is quantitative in CCl₄ in the absence of air and the amount of ring-chlorination as a side reaction is very small.Chlorination in the backbone destabilises the polymer, which first loses hydrogen chloride on heating. The double bonds formed provide points of weakness for chain scission, which occurs at lower temperatures than for PS. Under programmed heating, the dehydrochlorination and chain scission reactions overlap to some extent in temperature range, but highly conjugated partially degraded polymer can be made from extensively chain-chlorinated PS. At more than 1 Cl per styrene unit, HCl is almost the sole volatile product, although the conjugated polymer breaks up to chain fragments above 300°C.     

Degradation of crosslinked unsaturated polyesters in sub-critical water

The degradation of unsaturated polyesters crosslinked with styrene was performed in sub-critical water (SCW) in the absence and presence of organic additives. The unsaturated polyesters were de-crosslinked by hydrolysis of ester chains to form polystyrene derivatives on SCW treatment at 300 °C. With an increase in treating time, carboxylic acid groups in the polystyrene derivatives were turned into carboxylic anhydride groups in SCW. The de-crosslinking rate was much enhanced on SCW treatment in the presence of hydroxy compounds with a long alkyl chain and alkylamines, while carboxylic acids, benzenesulfonate salts, and quaternary ammonium salts were ineffective even though they had a long alkyl chain. The degree of de-crosslinking was reduced in the presence of diamines and amino acids because re-crosslinking at both ends of the additive molecules proceeded.     

Syntheses and characterizations of polypropene,polystyrene and their block copolymers with titanocene catalysts

Pentamethylcyclopentadienyltitanium tribenzyloxide, Cp^*Ti(OBz)₃, was used as the catalyst precursor for polymerizations of propene and styrene. The titanocene catalyst affords atactic polypropene and syndiotactic polystyrene with high activities in the presence of methylalumimoxane (MAO). Block copolymerization of propene and styrene was carried out in the presence of Cp^*Ti(OBz)₃/MAO catalyst system by the means of external addition of triisobutylaluminum (TIBA) and sequential monomer feed. The copolymerization product is mainly a mixture of atactic polypropene(aPP) and syndiotactic polystyrene(sPS) homopolymers and aPP-b-sPS block copolymers, which can be separated into fractions with successive extraction with boiling methylethyl ketone(MEK), heptane, tetrahydrofuran(THF), and chloroform. Studies on thermal properties showed that rubbery phases and crystalline regions both appear in the block copolymer at the room temperature and that aPP-b-sPS block copolymer has better toughness than sPS.     

Dilute Solution Properties of Styrene-N-Butyl Methacrylate (65:35) Copolymer: Short- and Long-Range Interaction of the Polymer Chain

Abstract

Viscosity and light-scattering data on styrene-n-butyl methacrylate (65:35) in chloroform are presented and tested by the two-parameter theoretical relations. The short-range interactions K and A and the long-range interaction parameter B have been calculated by different equations, using intrinsic viscosity and second virial coefficient data. These are then compared to the values of the homopolymer polystyrene. The conformation or the steric factor for the polymer chain has also been calculated. The excluded volume parameter Z, which is related to both the short- and long-range parameters, has been evaluated along with the expansion factor α _n . The higher value of the short-range parameters and the conformation factor compared to the parent styrene homopolymer is attributed to the effect of unlike monomer interactions causing extension of the polymer chain. An increase in the restriction of the internal rotation of side chains about the C-C bonds is also suggested. The excess interaction parameter has a negative value. The expansion factor α _n has been related to the excluded volume factor Z and the coefficient C is in close agreement with the theoretically calculated value of Yamakawa and Tanaka.     

Kinetics of two-phase bulk polymerization. II. The influence of dissolved polymer

The effect of dissolved polybutadiene on the initial rate of polymerization of styrene was investigated by using high-precision dilatometric techniques. The dissolved polymer reduced the rate of polymerization by amounts greater than can be accounted for by a reduction in monomer concentration. Rate reductions increased with the amount of dissolved polybutadiene and with its molecular weight and were greater for benzoyl peroxide initiator than for equal concentrations of azobisisobutyronitrile. Surprisingly, analogous rate reductions were observed when polystyrene were substituted for the polybutadienes, except that at high polystyrene concentrations, the expected autoacceleration was observed. These rate reductions showed no correlation with the viscosity of the reaction mass, nor did the dissolved polymer affect initiator efficiency. At a given level of a particular dissolved polybutadiene, rate reductions were diminished by increasing levels of each initiator, and by adding a chain-transfer agent. Good quantitative agreement was obtained with the number-average length of the growing polymer chains, whether varied by using different initiators, changing initiator level, or adding chain-transfer agent. These results are inconsistent with a chemical mechanism, but they are explained by a proposal originated by North and Reed whereby the dissolved polymer makes the reaction mass a “poorer” solvent for the growing polymer chains, reducing their overall coil dimensions and enhancing their rate of diffusion together for termination.     

The rôle of chain ends in the thermal degradation of anionic polystyrene

Direct evidence is given of the initiating rôle played in the thermal degradation of anionic polystyrene by chain ends, either present originally or formed during the degradation. In the early stages of degradation, the most likely bond scission in polystyrenes with benzylic type units (CH₂(C₆H₅)) at both chain ends involves the formation of toluene and an unsaturated terminal unit (CH₂C(C₆H₅)CH₂). The depolymerisation of polystyrene to a mixture of monomer and dimeric, trimeric, etc., fragments is then initiated by further scission at such unsaturated chain ends, giving α-methyl styrene and a depolymerising macroradical.After the early stage of degradation, a further overwhelming contribution to the formation of unsaturated chain ends is derived from chain transfer which occurs during depolymerisation. The concentration of unsaturated chain ends increases throughout the degradation process, thus accelerating the formation of the volatile products of depolymerisation. According to this mechanism of initiation, a constant ratio is found between rates of weight loss and of α-methyl styrene evolution throughout the degradation, independently of the original molecular weight of the polymer.     

Effect of nitrobenzene in the styrene–cellulose acetate graft polymerization system

The effect of nitrobenzene, a polymerization retarder, upon the direct γ-ray-induced graft polymerization of styrene onto pyridine-swollen cellulose acetate film was studied. When the films were not highly swollen, small nitrobenzene additions caused an increase in the amount of grafted polystyrene and grafted cellulose acetate. However, when the substrate was highly swollen, nitrobenzene additions reduced the amount of grafted polystyrene without pronounced changes in the amount of grafted cellulose acetate. The number-average molecular weights of the grafted side chains were always two to three times those of the homopolystyrene formed in the bulk monomer solution, which is indicative of hindered chain termination within the substrate film under all reaction conditions. Nitrobenzene additions prevented polystyrene crosslinking reactions, probably because the termination reactions in the presence of nitrobenzene occur by disproportionation rather than by coupling of chain ends. Viscometric results indicated that the polystyrene side chains were branched.     

Kinetics of styrene homogeneous polymerization to atactic polypropylene

The rate of polymerization of styrene initiated by hydroperoxidized atactic polypropylene in a homogeneous toluene solution has been measured at 60 and 70°C. The reaction is first-order with respect to styrene concentration and independent of the polymeric hydroperoxide concentration above 2 × 10^?5N hydroperoxide. The individual rate constants, length and frequency of the grafted polystyrene chains along the polypropylene backbone have been calculated and their significance discussed. The initiation rate constant compares closely with values reported for the analogous tert-butyl hydroperoxide-initiated polymerization. The rate constant for the chain transfer termination elementary step at 70°C., however, is 18 times the value reported for the tert-butyl hydroperoxide-initiated polymerization of styrene. This high constant accounts for the relatively low rates of polymerization observed and high termination rates. Chain deactivation is presumably accelerated by increased collisions between growing styrene chains and inactive propylene hydroperoxide and polystyrene molecules. Distribution of polystyrene grafts on polypropylene is estimated from knowledge of effects of styrene concentration, polymeric hydroperoxide concentration, and temperature upon the rate of polymerization.     

Synthesis of graft copolymer from copolymerization of styrene‐terminated poly(ethylene oxide) macromonomer and styrene with CpTiCl3/methylaluminoxane catalyst

Copolymerization of styrene (St) and St‐terminated poly(ethylene oxide) macromonomer (SEOM) with CpTiCl₃/methylaluminoxane (MAO) catalyst in toluene was investigated. The copolymerization of St and SEOM proceeded easily to give a graft copolymer consisting of syndiotactic polystyrene as the main chain and hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) as the side chain. A number of side chains in the graft copolymer could be controlled by the amount of SEOM in the feed. The reactivity of SEOM was determined from copolymerization of St and SEOM with the CpTiCl₃/MAO catalyst, and the reactivity of SEOM depended on the molecular weight of SEOM. The thermal properties of the graft copolymer such as the melting temperature were influenced by the introduction of SEOM. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2904–2910, 2004     

Mesomorphic phase formation of poly (macromonomer)s of polystyrene macromonomers

The liquid crystalline phase formation of poly(macromonomer)s associated with the specific multibranched architecture of high branch density was investigated. The poly(macromonomer)s were prepared by radical chain polymerizations of ω‐methacryloyloxyethyl polystyrene macromonomers. It was confirmed that the mesomorphic phase formation depended on the branching architecture, where sufficient length of the branch chains as well as the backbone chain is crucial for the formation of the mesomorphic phase. Formation of the optically anisotropic mesophase also depended on the nature of solvent. The mesophase was observed in the cast films prepared from p‐xylene, toluene, tetrahydrofuran, carbon disulfide and chloroform but not observed for cyclohexane. The effects of the branched structure and the solvent nature were explained by repulsive interaction between the polystyrene branch chains of high branch density. The repulsive interaction increases the chain stiffness of the central backbone and also prevents the interpenetration of the polystyrene branches of different molecules in solution, which allow poly(macromonomer) molecules to arrange with the orientational order. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Polyelectrolyte-like behavior of polyethylene oxide/LiClO4 mixture in chloroform or chloroform/dimethylformamide mixed solvent

Lithium perchlorate (LiClO₄) was dissolved in dehydrated chloroform with polyethylene oxides (PEO) having different molecular weights. The mixing ratio of ether oxygen unit (? O? ) of PEO to cation (Li⁺) was set to 20:1. The solution viscosity of the PEO/LiClO₄ mixtures was measured using an Ubbelohde viscometer at 30.0°C. The concentration dependence of the reduced viscosity was analyzed by diluting the initial PEO/LiClO₄ mixed solution with pure chloroform to keep the ratio of ? O? to Li⁺ constant. The increase in the reduced viscosity for a dilute solution was found in every mixture system, but not in the PEO solution without salt. Similar experiments were also carried out in chloroform/dimethylformamide (DMF) mixed solvent (4:1 by volume). These results were analyzed using the Fuoss equation, which was applied for the analysis of a polyelectrolyte aqueous solution. Linear relations are depicted in the Fuoss plots, suggesting that the PEO/LiClO₄ mixture shows polyelectrolyte-like behavior in chloroform or in chloroform/DMF mixed solvent. This is attributed to the intramolecular electrostatic repulsion of lithium cations which are trapped by the PEO chains through ion–dipole interaction.