Synthesis and Characterization of Composite Materials HDPE/HA and PMMA/HA Prepared by Sonochemistry

Summary : In the present work, the synthesis and characterization of composite materials based on HDPE, and PMMA with nanometric hydroxyapatite, are studied. Composites preparation was carried out by dilutions of the commercial polymers, using decaline as solvent for the polyolefin and 2-butanone for PMMA. In the synthesis of Hydroxyapatite (HA), ammonium phosphate [(NH₄)₂HPO₄] and calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)₂] were used as precursors. Composites with 20, 30 and 40 wt% of HA were prepared. The polymer dilutions and the precursors of the HA were placed simultaneously in a reactor under ultrasonic radiation at 20 kHz, for periods of 15, 25 and 35 min. The products obtained were characterized by FTIR, TGA, TEM, XRD and biocompatibility studies were also carried out. The results showed the presence of nanometric HA and clear interactions between HA and PMMA polymers were observed by FTIR. These results were corroborated by TEM showing that nanometric HA particles are encapsulated into the polymeric PMMA matrix. For the composites of HDPE, these interactions were not observed.     

PMMA-AES Blends Prepared by in situ Polymerization

Blends of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(acrylonitrile-g-(ethylene-co-propylene-co-diene)-g-styrene) (AES) were prepared by in situ polymerization. AES, a commercial elastomer obtained by radical copolymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile in the presence of ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM), was dissolved in methyl methacrylate and the in situ polymerization was conducted at 60 °C. The blends were characterized by CHN analysis, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C NMR), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These blends are immiscible and present complex phase behavior. Selective extraction of the blends’ components showed that a fraction of the material is crosslinked and grafting reactions on EPDM chains take place during MMA polymerization. Syndiotactic PMMA was obtained in the presence of AES and this syndiotactic-specificity increased with increasing amount of AES. The morphology of polymerized specimens showed irregular domains of elastomeric phase and in some cases inclusions of PMMA could be observed.     

Preparation and properties investigation of PMMA/silica composites derived from silicic acid

Hybrid materials based on silicic acid and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were prepared by in situ bulk polymerization of a silicic acid sol and MMA mixture. Silicic acid sol was obtained by tetrahydrofuran (THF) extraction of silicic acid from water. Silicic acid was prepared by hydrolysis and condensation of sodium silicate in the presence of 3.6 M HCl. As a comparative study, PMMA composites filled by silica particles, which were derived from calcining the silicic acid gel, were prepared by a comparable in situ polymerization. Each set of PMMA/silica composites was subjected to thermal and mechanical studies. Residual THF in PMMA/silicic acid composites impacted the properties of the polymer composites. With increase in silica content, the PMMA composites filled with silica particles showed improved thermal and mechanical properties, whereas a decrease in thermal stability and mechanical strength was found for PMMA composites filled with silicic acid dissolved in THF. With a better compatibility with polymer matrix, silicic acid sol shows better reinforcement than silica particles in PMMA films prepared via blending of the corresponding THF solutions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study of the gamma irradiation effects on the PMMA/HA and PMMA/SW

The behavior of the poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) under the action of gamma radiation has been sufficiently studied. In this work, we present results from melt flow index (MFI), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) of PMMA composites with hydroxyapatite (HA) and seaweed residues (SW) irradiated with gamma rays at 1.08 kGy/h. Composites of PMMA/HA and PMMA/SW with 10%, 20% and 30% of the filler were prepared. The results show an increase in the MFI values with the integral dose of radiation, being consistent with chain-scission reactions. No EPR signal was observed in pure PMMA, while in the composites, the typical EPR signal of the PMMA radicals was observed, which increased with the amount of HA or SW. When comparing the relative intensities of the EPR signals for both types of composites, a slight increase in the concentration of free radicals generated in the sample with SW respect to that of PMMA/HA composite was obtained. A decay of the total free radical concentration was observed as time elapsed.     

Stereospecific bulk polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by its tactic polymers

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) was polymerized by radical initiation at 90°C by its own preformed tactic polymers, i.e., conventional (c-PMMA), isotactic (i-PMMA), and syndiotactic (s-PMMA) PMMA, and also by a preformed 1:1 stereocomplex of i-PMMA and s-PMMA. The collected polymers were separated into two fractions by extraction with boiling acetone and characterized by 60 MHz NMR spectra and viscometry. Higher polymerization rates were obtained in the presence of stereo-regular PMMA than in the presence of c-PMMA. Moreover, it appeared that i-PMMA promoted the formation of s-PMMA, and conversely s-PMMA the formation of i-PMMA, especially in the initial stages of the reaction. A higher M?_v of the preformed polymer yielded a higher rate and a higher stereospecificity of the polymerization. No polymerization took place in the absence of performed PMMA. The results support a replica mechanism proposed by Szwarc, in which polymerization is preceded by a specific arrangement of monomeric units along the polymeric chain into a distinctive pattern. Such arrangement coupled with a strong tendency of the isotactic and syndiotactic species to associate may lead to the present stereospecific replica polymerization. This association is demonstrated by rapid gelation during polymerization and by lowering of reduced viscosity in very dilute mixtures of i-PMMA and s-PMMA in MMA.     

Synthesis and kinetics of graft polymerization of methyl methacrylate from the RAFT coordinated surface of nano‐TiO2

Polymer chains of PMMA were grown from nano titania (n‐TiO₂) by the reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization process. The mechanism and kinetics of MMA polymerization from both solution and “grafted from” n‐TiO₂ were studied. The RAFT agent, 4‐cyano‐4‐(dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonyl) sulfanyl pentanoic acid, with an available carboxyl group was used to anchor onto the n‐TiO₂ surface, with the S?C(SC₁₂H₂₅) moiety used for subsequent RAFT polymerization of MMA to form n‐TiO₂/PMMA nanocomposites. The functionalization of n‐TiO₂ was determined by FTIR, XPS, partitioning studies, and thermal analysis. The livingness of the polymerization was verified using NMR and GPC, while the dispersion of the inorganic filler in the polymer was studied using electron microscopy, FTIR, and thermal analysis. The monomer conversion and molecular weight kinetics were explored for the living RAFT polymerization, both in solution and grafted from n‐TiO₂, with first‐order kinetics being observed in both cases. Increased graft density on n‐TiO₂ led to a lower rate of polymerization. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 3926–3937, 2008     

Synthesis and characterization of polymer/clay nanocomposites by intercalated chain transfer agent

In situ synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) nanocomposites by free radical polymerization using intercalated chain transfer agent (I-CTA) in the layers of montmorillonite (MMT) clay is reported. MMT clay was ion-exchanged with diethyl octyl ammonium ethylmercaptan bromide, which acts both as suitable intercalant and as chain transfer agent. These modified clays were then dispersed in methyl methacrylate (MMA) or styrene (St) monomers in different loading degrees to carry out the in situ free radical polymerization. The intercalation ability of the chain transfer agent and exfoliated nanocomposite structure were evidenced by both X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Thermal properties and morphologies of the resultant nanocomposites were also studied.     

“Living” radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate with diethyl 2,3-dicyano-2,3-diphenylsuccinate as a thermal iniferter

The bulk polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) initiated with diethyl 2,3-dicyano-2,3-diphenylsuccinate (DCDPS) was studied. This polymerization showed some “living” characteristics; that is, both the yield and the molecular weight of the resulting polymers increased with reaction time, and the resultant polymer can be extended by adding MMA. The molecular weight distribution of PMMA obtained at high conversion is fairly narrow (M_w/M_n = 1.24≈1.34). It was confirmed that DCDPS can serve as a thermal iniferter for MMA polymerization by a “living” radical mechanism. Furthermore, the PMMA obtained can act as a macroinitiator for radical polymerization of styrene (St) to give a block copolymer. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 4610–4615, 1999     

Syntheses of graft and star copolymers possessing polyolefin branches by using polyolefin macromonomer

Graft and star copolymers having poly(methacrylate) backbone and ethylene–propylene random copolymer (EPR) branches were successfully synthesized by radical copolymerization of an EPR macromonomer with methyl methacrylate (MMA). EPR macromonomers were prepared by sequential functionalization of vinylidene chain‐end group in EPR via hydroalumination, oxidation, and esterification reactions. Their copolymerizations with MMA were carried out with monofunctional and tetrafunctional initiators by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Gel‐permeation chromatography and NMR analyses confirmed that poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)‐g‐EPR graft copolymers and four‐arm (PMMA‐g‐EPR) star copolymers could be synthesized by controlling EPR contents in a range of 8.6–38.1 wt % and EPR branch numbers in a range of 1–14 branches. Transmission electron microscopy of these copolymers demonstrated well‐dispersed morphologies between PMMA and EPR, which could be controlled by the dispersion of both segments in the range between 10 nm and less than 1 nm. Moreover, the differentiated thermal properties of these copolymers were demonstrated by differential scanning calorimetry analysis. On the other hand, the copolymerization of EPR macromonomer with MMA by conventional free radical polymerization with 2,2′‐azobis(isobutyronitrile) also gave PMMA‐g‐EPR graft copolymers. However, their morphology and thermal property remarkably differed from those of the graft copolymers obtained by ATRP. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 5103–5118, 2005     

Evaluation of the (Allyl alcohol 1,2‐butoxylate‐block‐etoxylate)‐b‐PMMA Copolymers Composition by the Dielectric Measurements

Redox initiated free‐radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with allyl alcohol 1,2‐butoxylate‐block‐etoxylate (AABE) was carried out to yield AABE‐b‐PMMA copolymers at elevated temperatures. The composition of the copolymers depending on the polymerization temperature was qualitatively estimated by the dielectric measurements. It has been seen that AABE segment quantity decreased and PMMA segment quantity increased with increasing the polymerization temperature. The dielectric constant and the dissipation factor of the copolymers were investigated as a function of frequency and temperature. The dielectric constant and the dissipation factor were found to be strongly affected by the polymerization temperature. The highest dielectric constant in all studied temperatures and frequencies was obtained in the case of the copolymer which was prepared at 313 K. The dipolar C‐O and OH groups of the AABE segment have the primary effect on the dielectric constant. The copolymer which was prepared at 323 K, showed the highest dissipation factor near the relaxation temperature of PMMA.     

Methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate oligomers adsorbed to porous isotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) ultrathin films and mechanistic studies of living template polymerization

Methacrylic acid (MAA), methyl methacrylate (MMA), methacrylamide, and oligomers of MAA and MMA were selected as a model of active radical species in living template polymerization using stereocomplex formation. The adsorption behaviors of the aforementioned model compounds were examined toward porous isotactic‐(it‐) poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) ultrathin films on a quartz crystal microbalance, which was prepared by the extracting of syndiotactic‐(st‐) poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) from it‐PMMA/st‐PMAA stereocomplexes. The apparent predominant adsorption of oligomers to monomers was observed in both PMAA and PMMA oligomers, suggesting that the mechanism of template polymerization follows the pick up mechanism. Although vinyl monomers were not incorporated into the porous it‐PMMA ultrathin film, both PMMA and PMAA oligomers were adsorbed at the initial stages. However, adsorbed amounts were limited to about 5 and 15% at 0.1 mol L^?1, respectively, which are much smaller values than corresponding st‐polymers. The results imply that radical coupling reaction is prevented during template polymerization to support the resulting living polymerization. ATR‐IR spectral patterns of oligomer complexes and it‐PMMA slightly changed in both cases, suggesting complex formation. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 5879–5886, 2008     

Cyclodextrins in polymer synthesis: polymerization of methyl methacrylate under atom‐transfer conditions (ATRP) in aqueous solution

Host guest complexes of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and randomly methylated β‐cyclodextrin (m‐β‐CD, 1 a ) were polymerized in aqueous medium using atom‐transfer radical polymerization. Ethyl 2‐bromoisobutyrate (EBIB) was used as an initiator, copper(I) bromide as the catalyst, and bipyridine (bipy) or 4,4′‐di‐(5‐nonyl)‐2,2´‐bipyridine (dNbipy) as ligands. The unthreading of m‐β‐CD during the polymerization led to water‐insoluble poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). It was found that using dNbipy resulted in higher monomer conversion than using bipy as the ligand under similar conditions. Furthermore, it is shown that the polymerization of MMA under these conditions has a living character. The polymers obtained have a much lower polydispersity than those obtained from conventional free‐radical polymerization. Also, the block copolymerization of PMMA bearing a bromoester end group with CD‐complexed styrene ( 2 a ) was carried out under ATRP conditions in aqueous medium.     

The synthesis of diene – alkyl methacrylate diblock and heteroarm star copolymers

The synthesis of A₂B₂ heteroarm stars, where A is either polyisoprene (PI) or polybutadiene (PB) and B is either poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) has been achieved using living anionic polymerization. Following polymerization of the diene in hexane by sec‐BuLi, the solvent was changed to THF and the living chains were linked in pairs – without loss of anionic reactivity – using 1,2‐bis[4‐(1‐phenylethenyl)]ethane (EPEB). Star synthesis was completed by the addition of MMA or BMA monomer at −78°C. The diblocks were prepared by sequential polymerization. The resulting stereochemistries were those of greatest interest from a practical standpoint, i.e., PI or PB with a high 1,4‐content (which is highly elastic) and syndiotactic PMMA (which has a high T_g).     

Reverse atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate with a new catalytic system,FeCl3/isophthalic acid

A new catalytic system, FeCl₃/isophthalic acid, was successfully used in the reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (RATRP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of a conventional radical initiator, 2,2′‐azo‐bis‐isobutyrontrile. Well‐defined poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was synthesized in an N,N‐dimethylformamide solvent at 90–120 °C. The polymerization was controlled up to a molecular weight of 50,000, and the polydispersity index was 1.4. Chain extension was performed to confirm the living nature of the polymer. The kinetics of the RATRP of MMA with FeCl₃/isophthalic acid as the catalyst system was investigated. The apparent activation energy was 10.47 kcal/mol. The presence of the end chloride atom on the resulting PMMA was demonstrated by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 765–774, 2001     

Solid matrix polymerization and stereoisomeric complexes of poly(methyl methacrylate)

The polymerization of methyl methacrylate within solid matrices of stereoregular poly(methyl methacrylate) has been studied by proton NMR and wide angle X-ray diffraction. The semi-crystalline isotactic (i-) PMMA matrix was synthesized in the laboratory by anionic polymerization initiated by phenylmagnesium bromide, and the syndiotactic (s-) PMMA matrix was synthesized through a Ziegler–Natta reaction. Matrix polymerization of the monomer was initiated through the redox activation of benzoyl peroxide with N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine. NMR measurements of triad distributions in matrix-polymerized chains suggest that the well-known stereospecific replica polymerization in PMMA (syndiotactic sequences promote isotactic sequences and vice versa) plays only a limited role in the systems studied. Experimental results indicate that chains grown within the i-PMMA or s-PMMA solid matrices have greater degrees of configurational disorder. The greater concentration of atactic triads in these chains could be the result of limited free volume or steric effects during polymerization in a highly condensed environment. X-ray diffraction studies of solution cast blends of isotactic PMMA and PMMA with conventional tacticity reveal some crystallinity with a structure characteristic of the stereocomplex formed by isotactic and syndiotactic PMMA from suitable solvents. Evidence was obtained for the presence of this complex in solidified mixtures of the i-PMMA solid matrix and liquid monomer. This observation is an example of special intermolecular structures that can form under conditions of in situ growth of chains within a pre-polymerized matrix.     

苯氧铜/正丁基锂体系引发MMA负离子聚合及其活性特征的研究

采用苯氧铜/正丁基锂(PhOCu/n-BuLi)体系引发MMA聚合, 通过GPC, ¹H NMR对聚合物进行了表征. 实验结果表明, 该体系聚合反应速度较快, 温度、引发体系组成是影响聚合物分子量及其分布、单体转化率、引发剂引发效率、聚合物的立构规整性的主要因素; －40 ℃时分子量分布比较窄, 但引发效率也比较低(大约15%). 低引发效率、宽分子量分布与引发剂的聚集状态有关. 分子量与单体浓度、引发剂浓度的关系说明, 该体系具有一定程度的活性聚合特点.     

Sequential synthesis of multiblock copolymers by atom transfer radical and cationic polymerization

ABCBA‐type pentablock copolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA), styrene (S), and isobutylene (IB) were prepared by a three‐step synthesis, which included atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and cationic polymerization: (1) poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with terminal chlorine atoms was prepared by ATRP initiated with an aromatic difunctional initiator bearing two trichloromethyl groups under CuCl/2,2′‐bipyridine catalysis; (2) PMMA with the same catalyst was used for ATRP of styrene, which produced a poly(S‐b‐MMA‐b‐S) triblock copolymer; and (3) IB was polymerized cationically in the presence of the aforementioned triblock copolymer and BCl₃, and this produced a poly(IB‐b‐S‐b‐MMA‐b‐S‐b‐IB) pentablock copolymer. The reaction temperature, varied from ?78 to ?25 °C, significantly affected the IB content in the product; the highest was obtained at ?25 °C. The formation of a pentablock copolymer with a narrow molecular weight distribution provided direct evidence of the presence of active chlorine at the ends of the poly(S‐b‐MMA‐b‐S) triblock copolymer, capable of the initiation of the cationic polymerization of IB in the presence of BCl₃. A differential scanning calorimetry trace of the pentablock copolymer (20.1 mol % IB) showed the glass‐transition temperatures of three segregated domains, that is, polyisobutylene (?87.4 °C), polystyrene (95.6 °C), and PMMA (103.7 °C) blocks. One glass‐transition temperature (104.5 °C) was observed for the aforementioned triblock copolymer. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 6098–6108, 2004     

不同结构颗粒对PMMA基复合材料性能影响

采用原位本体聚合法制备PMMA/MCM-41(with template),PMMA/SBA-15(with template),PMMA/SiO2三种复合材料.研究了介孔分子筛MCM-41,SBA-15和SiO2对PMMA复合材料拉伸强度,冲击强度,热稳定性的影响.由于合成介孔分子筛MCM-41,SBA-15时所用的模板剂CTAB和P123分布于孔口处和颗粒表面上,分别与PMMA基体产生物理缠结作用,增加了两者的相容性;且P123(EO20PO70EO20)表面有较大的PO/EO比率,与小分子量的CTAB相比有较强的疏水性,使得PMMA/SBA-15(with template)复合材料的性能要优于PMMA/MCM-41(with template).     

Synthesis and characterization of linear ABC triblock copolymer of ethylene oxide,methyl methacrylate,and styrene

A well‐defined linear ABC triblock copolymer of ethylene oxide (EO), methyl methacrylate (MMA), and styrene (St) was prepared by sequential living anionic and photo‐induced charge transfer polymerization (CTP) using p‐aminophenol as parent compound. In the first step, the diblock copolymer of PEO‐b‐PMMA with a protected aniline end group at PEO end was prepared by initiating of phenoxo‐anion the polymerization of EO and MMA successively, then the diblock copolymer of PEO‐b‐PMMA via deprotection of aniline at PEO end constituted a binary initiation system with benzophenone (BP) by charge transfer complex mechanism to initiate the polymerization of St under UV‐irradiation. The GPC and NMR measurements support that in copolymerization, either in the first or second step, neither homopolymer nor side reactions, such as chain transfer or chain termination, was found. The effect of the concentration of PEO_a‐b‐PMMA and St, and the polarity of solvent on the polymerization rate (R_p) of CTP is discussed. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 825–833, 1999     

Synthesis of i‐PP‐based functional block copolymer by a facile combination of styryl‐capped i‐PP and ATRP

This article demonstrates a facile and efficient method to combine olefin coordination polymerization with atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) for the synthesis of isotactic polypropylene (i‐PP)‐based functional diblock copolymers. The chemistry involves a styryl‐capped i‐PP precursor prepared through the controlled consecutive chain transfer reaction, first to 1,2‐bis(4‐vinylphenyl)ethane and then to hydrogen in propylene polymerization mediated by an isospecific metallocene catalyst. The i‐PP precursor can be quantitatively transformed into i‐PP terminated with a 1‐chloroethylbezene group (i‐PP‐t‐Cl) by a straightforward hydrochlorination process using hydrogen chloride. With the resultant i‐PP‐t‐Cl as a macroinitiator of ATRP, methyl methacrylate (MMA) polymerization was exemplified in the presence of CuBr/pentamethyldiethylenetriamine, preparing i‐PP‐b‐PMMA copolymers of different PMMA contents. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010