Sulfonated acrylamide copolymers as pseudo-stationary phases in electrokinetic chromatography

Sulfonated copolymers were synthesized, characterized and used as separation media in electrokinetic chromatography. The polymers used were synthesized from AMPS (2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid) and LMAm (lauryl methacrylamide) in different mole ratios (from 100:0 to 60:40). Electrophoretic mobilities and methylene selectivities were calculated, which showed the expected correlation with the monomer ratios. The chemical selectivities for the separation of nine solutes by the copolymers were compared with that of sodium lauryl sulfate micelles, showing significant differences. No significant difference in chemical selectivities was observed for copolymers with different monomer ratios. No significant change of hydrophobic microdomain of copolymers was found in background buffers with different ionic strength values, based on the investigation of the retention factors, methylene selectivities and polymer effective mobilities. No change of hydrophobic microdomain of the copolymer solutions was found at copolymer concentrations from 0.17 to 3% (w/v), however, plots of k' versus polymer concentration suggested a different copolymer phase at lower concentrations (from 0 to 0.1%, w/v) from that at higher concentrations (from 0.17 to 3%, w/v). The copolymer with AMPS-LMAm (80:20) could be chosen as optimum copolymer as far as the methylene selectivity, peak symmetry and polymer mobility were concerned.     

A novel thermogelling matrix for microchannel DNA sequencing based on poly-N-alkoxyalkylacrylamide copolymers

We have developed a novel class of thermogelling polymer networks based on poly-N-alkoxyalkylacrylamides, and demonstrated their use as DNA sequencing matrices for high-throughput microchannel electrophoresis in capillary arrays. Polymers and copolymers of N-ethoxyethylacrylamide (NEEA) and N-methoxyethylacrylamide (NMEA) were synthesized by aqueous-phase free-radical polymerization and characterized by tandem gel permeation chromatography-multi-angle laser light scattering. These copolymer matrices exhibit "re-entrant"-type volume phase transitions, forming entangled networks with high shear viscosity at low (< 20 degrees C) and high (> 35 degrees C) temperatures, and undergoing a "coil-to-globular", lower critical solution temperature (LCST)-like phase transition over an intermediate temperature range (20-35 degrees C). Hence, matrix viscosity is relatively low at room temperature (25 degrees C), and increases rapidly above 35 degrees C. The material properties and phase behavior of these thermogelling polymer networks were studied by steady-shear rheometry. These matrices are easily loaded into capillary arrays at room temperature while existing as viscous fluids, but thermogel above 35 degrees C to form transparent hydrogels via a thermo-associative phase transition. The extent of the intermediate viscosity drop and the final viscosity increase depends on the composition of the copolymers. DNA sequencing by capillary array electrophoresis with four-color laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection shows that these thermogelling networks provide enhanced resolution of both small and large DNA sequencing fragments and longer sequencing read lengths, in comparison to appropriate control (closely related, nonthermogelling) polymer networks. In particular, a copolymer comprised of 90% w/w NMEA and 10% w/w NEEA, with a molecular mass of approximately 2 MDa, delivers around 600 bases at 98.5% base-calling accuracy in 100 min of electrophoresis.     

Preparation and Evaluation of Some Terpolymers as Lube Oil Additives

In the present work, some polymeric additives were prepared to use as viscosity index improvers and pour point depressants for lube oil via copolymerization of hexadecylacrylate and dodecylacrylate with styrene. Structure of the prepared compounds was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. The molecular weights of the prepared copolymers were determined by using gel permeation chromatograph. The efficiency of the prepared terpolymers as viscosity index improvers and pour point depressants for lube oil was investigation. It was found that all the prepared terpolymers are effective as viscosity index improvers and pour point depressants. The viscosity index of the prepared terpolymers increases with increasing the concentration of the additives and increases by increasing the percentage of hexadecylacrylate until 70%. The best result for viscosity index of the prepared terpolymers is when the percentage of styrene is 10%. The pour point of the prepared compound decreases with decreasing concentration of additive used.     

Preparation and characterization of MPEG–PCL diblock copolymers with thermo‐responsive sol–gel–sol phase transition

MPEG–PCL diblock copolymers consisting of methoxy polyethylene glycol (MPEG, 750 g/mol) and poly(?‐caprolactone) (PCL) were synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization. Aqueous solutions of the synthesized diblock copolymers were prepared by dissolving the MPEG–PCL diblock copolymers at concentrations in the range of 0–20 wt %. When the PCL molecular weight was 3000 or greater, the polymer was only partially soluble in water. As the temperature was increased from room temperature, the diblock copolymer solutions showed two phase transitions: a sol‐to‐gel transition and a gel‐to‐sol transition. The sol‐to‐gel phase transition temperature decreased substantially with increasing PCL length. The sol–gel–sol transition with the increase in temperature was confirmed by monitoring the viscosity as a function of temperature. The temperature ranges of the phase transitions measured by the tilting method were in full agreement with those determined from the viscosity measurements. The maximum viscosity of the copolymer solution increased with increasing hydrophobicity of the diblock copolymer and with increasing copolymer concentration. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses revealed that the diblock copolymers exhibited crystalline domains that favored the formation of an aggregated gel because of the tight aggregation and strong packing interactions between PCL blocks. Scanning electron micrographs of the diblock copolymer solutions in the sol state showed interconnected polyhedral pore structures, whereas those of the gel state revealed a fibrillar‐like morphology. Atomic force microscope (AFM) studies of the sol and gel surfaces showed that the sol surface was covered with fine globular particles, whereas the gel surface was covered with particles in micron‐scale irregular islets. These findings are consistent with uniform mixing of the diblock copolymer and water in the sol state, and aggregation of PCL blocks in the gel state. In conclusion, we confirm that the MPEG–PCL diblock copolymer solution exhibited a sol–gel–sol transition as a function of temperature. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5413–5423, 2006     

Epoxidation of partially hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymers using peracetic acid in a cyclohexane/water heterogeneous system

The preparation of partially saturated lightly functionalized styrene-butadiene block copolymers of polyA-block-polyB-block-polyA type (SBS) is described. The work involves epoxidizing partially hydrogenated SBS block copolymers using peracetic acid in a cyclohexane/water heterogeneous system. Five partially hydrogenated model polymers containing low levels of unsaturated aliphatic double bonds were used to study the epoxidation reaction and kinetics. The existence of the epoxide functional group on the product polymer was evidenced by IR and ¹H-NMR spectra and the epoxide concentration was determined by direct titration. The partially hydrogenated SBS copolymers were more difficult to epoxidize than the unhydrogenated ones. The temperature dependence of the epoxidation rate was studied and the activation energy was determined as 8.8 kcal/mole of double bonds. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Order within order: Studies of semifluorinated block copolymers

Several new semifluorinated compounds and polymers modified with these groups were synthesized and investigated. The polymer supports for these mesomorphic groups were styrene-diene block copolymers in which the semifluorinated groups were attached to a hydroxy-modified diene block. The characteristics of the smectic phase formed and its effect on the self-ordering behavior of the block copolymers were examined.     

丙烯酰胺-苯乙烯双亲嵌段共聚物水溶液的粘度性能

通过改变丙烯酰胺 (AM)与苯乙烯 (St)两单体的投料比 ,在微乳液介质中制备了分子组成系列变化的丙烯酰胺 苯乙烯双亲嵌段共聚物 (PAM b PSt) ,使用旋转粘度计测定了共聚物水溶液的表观粘度 ,详细考察了共聚物浓度、共聚物链结构、剪切速率、盐度及温度等因素对共聚物水溶液表观粘度的影响规律 .研究结果表明 ,由于PAM b PSt分子链中的PSt疏水嵌段链段之间具有强的疏水缔合作用 ,导致其具有独特的流变性能 .当共聚物水溶液的浓度高于某一临界值后 ,疏水缔合作用以分子间的缔合为主 ,大分子链之间会形成动态物理交联网络 ,增大了流体力学体积 ,使PAM b PSt水溶液可产生良好的增稠性能 ;疏水缔合作用是一吸热过程 ,升高温度有利于分子间的缔合 ,因此PAM b PSt水溶液具有良好的耐温性 ;聚合物水溶液中盐类物质的存在 ,会增强溶剂的极性 ,有利于分子间的缔合 ,使PAM b PSt水溶液具有良好的耐盐性 .     

Synthesis and Characterization of Surfactant PEG Macromonomers with Fluorocarbon End‐capped Groups and its Copolymers

Fluorocarbon (R_F) or hydrocarbon (R_H) end‐capped PEG macromonomers were prepared by coupling method. Several factors mat affect the synthesis were studied and optimum condition was obtained. The critical micelle concentrations (CMC) of these macromonomers were determined by fluorescence method. A new type of fluorocarbon‐containing hydrophobically modified alkali swellable/soluble copolymers were obtained by copolymerization of R_F or R_H alkyl endcapped PEG macromonomers with acrylic acid in organic solvent The preliminary researches on viscosity property of these copolymer solutions were conducted under different conditions, such as various macromonomer content in the copolymer, polymer concentration, shear rate, pH value and temperature. All the results proved that there existed a very strong hydrophobic association among hydrophobes in these copolymer solutions.     

Thermoresponsive N,N-dialkylacrylamide copolymer blends as DNA sieving matrices with a thermally tunable mesh size

In an earlier study we showed that a blend of thermoresponsive and nonthermoresponsive hydroxyalkylcelluloses could be used to create a thermally tunable polymer network for double-stranded (ds) DNA separation. Here, we show the generality of this approach using a family of polymers suited to a wider range of DNA separations: a blended mixture of N,N-dialkylacrylamide copolymers with different thermoresponsive behaviors. A mixture of 47% w/w N,N-diethylacrylamide (DEA)/53% w/w N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA) (DEA47; thermoresponsive, transition temperature = 55 degrees C in water) and 30% w/w DEA/70% w/w DMA (DEA30; nonthermoresponsive, transition temperature > 85 degrees C in water) copolymers in the ratio of 1:5 w/w DEA47:DEA30 was used to separate a dsDNA restriction digest (PhiX174-HaeIII). We investigated the effects of changing mesh size on dsDNA separation, as controlled by temperature. We observed good DNA separation performance with the copolymer blend at temperatures ranging from 25 degrees C to 48 degrees C. The separation selectivity was evaluated quantitatively for certain DNA fragment pairs as a function of temperature. The results were compared with those obtained with a control matrix consisting only of the nonthermoresponsive DEA30. Different DNA fragment pairs of various sizes show distinct temperature-dependent selectivities. Over the same temperature range, no significant temperature dependence of selectivity is observed for these DNA fragment pairs in the nonthermoresponsive control matrix. Overall, the results show similar trends in the temperature dependency of separation selectivity to what was previously observed in hydroxyalkylcellulose blends, for the same DNA fragment pairs. Finally, we showed that a ramped temperature scheme enables improved separation in the blended copolymer matrix for both small and large DNA fragments, simultaneously in a single capillary electrophoresis (CE) run.     

Rheological properties of functionalised thermosensitive copolymers for injectable applications in medicine

Functionalised triblock copolymers based on poly((lactic acid)-co-(glycolic acid)) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PLGA-PEG-PLGA) further modified with 3-methylenetetrahydrofuran-2,5-dione (itaconic anhydride; ITA) exhibited sol-gel transition induced by increasing temperature. Rheological properties of a series of ITA/PLGA-PEG-PLGA/ITA copolymer concentrations (6?C24 mass %) in deionised Milli-Q water were studied by both the test tube inverting method (TTIM) and rheometer. The gel stiffness increased with the polymer concentration shifting the gel point of the copolymer to the lower temperature. The present study demonstrates that each method describes a sol-gel transition, but the combined method gives comprehensive information about changes in colour, viscosity, elastic and loss moduli. Characterisation of such a gel is necessary for its further use, in order to determine whether the material is appropriate as an injectable biomedical hydrogel.     

Characterization of ethylene/propylene copolymers by means of a GPC-4D technique

Copolymer composition and comonomer distribution are important magnitudes in polymer material that have a big effect on different kind of properties and consequently there are several ways to study.In this work several ethylene/propylene copolymers synthesized with two different metallocene catalysts and a Ziegler–Natta catalyst and covering a wide composition range were studied. Characterization was carried out by nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C NMR) and by gel permeation chromatography with 4 detectors (GPC-4D): refractive index, viscosity, multi-angle light scattering and infrared detectors.Different behaviour in the comonomer distribution along the molecular weight was obtained for metallocene and for ZN copolymers as expected due to the differences between these catalytic systems. Nevertheless, Ziegler–Natta copolymers present more homogeneous comonomer distribution due to the synthesis method. Study of conformation of chains in solution was improved by defining the scaling law of R_g against the number of repeat units because it avoids the effect of the repetitive unit size. Both metallocene copolymer sets show similar dependence of q value with the copolymer composition, however Ziegler–Natta copolymers show different behaviour with q values independent on copolymer composition. This different behaviour has been related with the effects of the heterogeneity of the ethylene distribution and of the molecular weight of the samples.     

高分子表面活性剂P(AM-co-OPMA)的合成与表征

辛基酚聚氧乙烯醚(10)(OP-10)与马来酸酐在95℃下反应,合成了辛基酚聚氧乙烯醚马来酸单酯(OPMA);并在水溶液中与丙烯酰胺(AM)单体进行共聚合,获得了高分子表面活性剂P(AM-co-OPMA);考察了引发剂用量、单体组成、单体总浓度及反应温度对共聚物特性粘数与阴离子度的影响.通过红外光谱、紫外光谱、荧光发射光谱和电导滴定对共聚物结构和组成进行了表征;利用视频光学接触角测量仪分别测定了共聚物表面和界面张力.结果表明,在聚丙烯酰胺分子主链上引入OPMA链节后,不仅保持了PAM优良的增稠能力(特性粘数达764.31 mL/g),且赋予了共聚物较高的表面活性(浓度为1.5 g/L共聚物水溶液的表面和界面张力分别可达53.94 mN/m和5.41 mN/m).     

Thermal properties of some hydrogenated poly(α-methyl styrenes)

The Synthesis of poly(isopropenyl cyclohexane) via the hydrogenation of poly(α-methyl styrene) is described. Depending on the reaction time and catalyst system a homopolymer or a copolymer is obtained. Under the conditions of synthesis both materials are highly syndiotactic. For the pure hydrogenated homopolymer (>99.9%) the glass transition temperature was found to be 185.4°C, about 20°C above T_g of poly(α-ethyl styrene). Contrary to expectations, the glass transitions of the 92/8, 33/67 poly(isopropenyl cyclohexane-co-methyl styrene) and poly(α-methyl styrene) are almost identical, as are the decomposition temperature ranges. Thermal data indicate that the decomposition mechanism of the copolymers and hydrogenated homopolymer is random scission. The thermogravimetric curves also indicate that the copolymers are random. Thus, chain stiffness appears not to increase rapidly with hydrogenation of this highly syndiotactic polymer.     

Simultaneous determination of the styrene unit content and assessment of molecular weight of triblock copolymers in adhesives by a size exclusion chromatography method

The content of styrene units in nonhydrogenated and hydrogenated styrene‐butadiene‐styrene and styrene‐isoprene‐styrene triblock copolymers significantly influences product performance. A size exclusion chromatography method was developed to determine the average styrene content of triblock copolymers blended with tackifier in adhesives. A complete separation of the triblock copolymer from the other additives was realized with size exclusion chromatography. The peak area ratio of the UV and refraction index signals of the copolymers at the same effective elution volume was correlated to the average styrene unit content using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy with commercial copolymers as standards. The obtained calibration curves showed good linearity for both the hydrogenated and nonhydrogenated styrene‐butadiene‐styrene and styrene‐isoprene‐styrene triblock copolymers (r  = 0.974 for styrene contents of 19.3–46.3% for nonhydrogenated ones and r  = 0.970 for the styrene contents of 23–58.2% for hydrogenated ones). For copolymer blends, the developed method provided more accurate average styrene unit contents than nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy provided. These results were validated using two known copolymer blends consisting of either styrene‐isoprene‐styrene or hydrogenated styrene‐butadiene‐styrene and a hydrocarbon tackifying resin as well as an unknown adhesive with styrene‐butadiene‐styrene and an aromatic tackifying resin. The methodology can be readily applied to styrene‐containing polymers in blends such as poly(acrylonitrile‐butadiene styrene).     

Reactively and physically compatibilized immiscible polymer blends: stability of the copolymer at the interface

This paper reports on the interfacial behaviour of block and graft copolymers used as compatibilizers in immiscible polymer blends. A limited residence time of the copolymer at the interface has been shown in both reactive blending and blend compatibilization by preformed copolymers. Polystyrene (PS)/polyamide6 (PA6), polyphenylene oxide (PPO)/PA6 and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)/PA6 blends have been reactively compatibilized by a styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer SMA. The extent of miscibility of SMA with PS, PPO and PMMA is a key criterion for the stability of the graft copolymer at the interface. For the first 10 to 15 minutes of mixing, the in situ formed copolymer is able to decrease the particle size of the dispersed phase and to prevent it from coalescencing. However, upon increasing mixing time, the copolymer leaves the interface which results in phase coalescence. In PS/LDPE blends compatibilized by preformed PS/hydrogenated polybutadiene (hPB) block copolymers, a tapered diblock stabilizes efficiently a co-continuous two-phase morphology, in contrast to a triblock copolymer that was unable to prevent phase coarsening during annealing at 180°C for 150 minutes.     

Influence of copolymer configuration on the phase behavior of ternary blends

The influence of copolymer configuration on the phase behavior of various ternary polymer blends containing a crystallizable polyester, a noncrystallizable polyether, and an acrylic random copolymer of different chain configuration was investigated. In these ternary blends, the acrylic random copolymer is typically added to control rheological properties at elevated temperatures. In fact, the acrylic random copolymers composed of various compositions of MMA and nBMA were found to have different miscibility with polyester as well as polyether, leading to substantially different phase behavior of ternary blends. Remarkable temperature dependence was also found. The mean-field Flory-Huggins theory for the free energy of mixing, extended to ternary polymer blends, was adopted for predicting phase diagrams where the exact spinodal and binodal boundaries could be calculated. Phase diagrams of ternary blends, predicted by the Flory-Huggins formulations and related calculations, were in good agreement with experimental phase diagrams. The differences observed in the rheological processes of various ternary blends with different acrylic copolymers were directly related to changes in miscibility, associated phase behavior, and chain configuration.     

Styrene-methyl acrylate copolymers and acrylate homopolymers in solution

Molecular weight determinations by light scattering and osmometry and intrinsic viscosity measurements were made in various solvents on fractions of styrene–methyl acrylate copolymers with different compositions and on acrylate homopolymers prepared by free-radical reaction. Relations between intrinsic viscosity [η] and molecular weight M thus established are compared with those reported by other authors. 2-Methylcyclohexanol was found to be a theta solvent for the copolymers and both parent homopolymers, and isoamyl acetate was a theta solvent for poly(methyl acrylate). From theta point viscosity data obtained with these solvents, unperturbed chain dimensions were estimated. The results are compared with the unperturbed dimensions estimated from the [η]–M relations obtained in good solvents. On the basis of the experimental data it was found that the unperturbed dimension depends linearly on the copolymer composition, in contrast to the case of styrene–methyl methacrylate copolymers. Composition dependences of the theta temperature and of the parameter describing the long-range interactions between nonadjacent segments in polymer chains were investigated. The result implies that long-range interactions between monomeric units never disappear even when those between the same monomeric units vanish. The Huggins constant for copolymer is discussed in terms of the excluded volume variable.     

New three-arm amphiphilic and biodegradable block copolymers composed of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone). Synthesis, characterization and self-assembly in aqueous solution

The synthesis, characterization and the self-assembly process of a novel biodegradable block copolymer containing a poly(epsilon-caprolactone), PCL, central block and three poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone), PVP, arms are reported. Three samples with different amounts of PVP were investigated. The copolymers were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, (1)H NMR and viscosity measurements. The composition and the molecular weights of the block copolymers were established using size exclusion chromatography SEC and (1)H NMR. Micelle formation by these copolymers was monitored by using the vibrational fine structure of pyrene monomer fluorescence and the critical aggregation concentrations, cac, of the copolymers in aqueous solution were determined using sigmoid Boltzmann-type fitting of the fluorescence data. Dynamic light scattering measurements showed a bimodal size distribution for the copolymers in solution, indicating that the micellization is an intermolecular process. Partitioning coefficients of pyrene between copolymer micelles and water were also determined and increase in magnitude with increasing epsilon-caprolactone content of the copolymer.     

包覆Fe2O3超微粒的苯乙烯/丙烯酸/丙烯酸丁酯核-壳型复合共聚物的性能研究

对采用种子乳液聚合法合成的包覆Fe₂O₃超微粒的苯乙烯/丙烯酸/丙烯酸丁酯(St/AA/BA)核-壳型复合共聚物材料进行玻璃化温度测试,结果表明,加入Fe₂O₃超微粒,使复合共聚物的玻璃化温度显著降低.对复合共聚物的流变行为研究表明,复合共聚物的非牛顿指数均小于1,且随着Fe₂O₃含量增加,非牛顿性增强,表观粘度下降,粘流活化能降低.     

新型疏水缔合丙烯酰胺/2-苯氧乙基丙烯酸酯共聚物的合成与性质

采用胶束共聚方法合成了一种新型的疏水缔合共聚物 ,它由丙烯酰胺 (AM)和少量的 2 苯氧乙基丙烯酸酯 (POEA) (<1 0mol% )组成 ,具有良好的水溶性 .当溶液浓度超过一定值c 后 ,由于分子间的疏水缔合 ,产生很大的增粘作用 .研究了不同聚合条件下包括单体浓度、投料比和SMR值对聚合物的结构和性能的影响 .实验结果表明 ,聚合物的粘度性质和缔合行为取决于其分子量的大小、疏水单体含量及其嵌段的长度和分布 .