Synthesis and photochemical properties of novel multifunctional photopolymers with both pendant epoxy groups and phenacyl ester groups

Novel multifunctional photopolymers with both pendant epoxy groups and phenacyl ester groups were synthesized by the one‐pot method for the reaction of poly(methacrylic acid) with epibromohydrin; this was followed by a reaction with phenacylbromide with 1,8‐diazabicyclo‐[5.4.0]undecene‐7 as a condensation reagent. These esterification reactions proceeded smoothly and quantitatively under mild conditions. Moreover, the photochemical reactions of the resulting polymers were evaluated by UV and IR spectroscopy. The pendant phenacyl ester groups were photocleaved to give corresponding carboxyl groups, and then the produced carboxyl groups reacted with pendant epoxy groups. Furthermore, the baking process promoted a crosslinking reaction because of the addition reaction of epoxy groups with carboxyl groups after irradiation. It was also proven that the photochemical reactivity of the resulting polymers was affected by the structure of the phenacyl ester group. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 530–538, 2001     

Mechanical and Morphological Properties of Bio-Phenolic/Epoxy Polymer Blends

Polymer blends is a well-established and suitable method to produced new polymeric materials as compared to synthesis of a new polymer. The combination of two different types of polymers will produce a new and unique material, which has the attribute of both polymers. The aim of this work is to analyze mechanical and morphological properties of bio-phenolic/epoxy polymer blends to find the best formulation for future study. Bio-phenolic/epoxy polymer blends were fabricated using the hand lay-up method at different loading of bio-phenolic (5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%, and 25 wt%) in the epoxy matrix whereas neat bio-phenolic and epoxy samples were also fabricated for comparison. Results indicated that mechanical properties were improved for bio-phenolic/epoxy polymer blends compared to neat epoxy and phenolic. In addition, there is no sign of phase separation in polymer blends. The highest tensile, flexural, and impact strength was shown by P-20(biophenolic-20 wt% and Epoxy-80 wt%) whereas P-25 (biophenolic-25 wt% and Epoxy-75 wt%) has the highest tensile and flexural modulus. Based on the finding, it is concluded that P-20 shows better overall mechanical properties among the polymer blends. Based on this finding, the bio-phenolic/epoxy blend with 20 wt% will be used for further study on flax-reinforced bio-phenolic/epoxy polymer blends.     

Metallation of unsaturated polymers and formation of graft copolymers

The use of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) is known to enhance the metallation of capability of butyllithium. It has been found that this TMEDA–BuLi reagent smoothly metallates olefins in high yields at 50°C in less than 4 hr by replacement of allylic hydrogen. This reaction has been applied to unsaturated polymers such as polybutadiene and polyisoprene. The resulting products have lithium atoms scattered along the chain. The amount of lithium on the chain can be varied over wide limits. Each lithium atom on the chain can act as a site for grafting or adding functional groups to the base polymer. Thus, this method allows the preparation of polymers having controlled amounts of branching as well as the introduction of functional groups into the polymer. Through the use of this metallation technique, polymers containing styrene and butadience grafts are specifically reported. In addition, polymers containing hydroxyl or carboxyl groups along the backbone are prepared by using this technique.     

STUDY ON PHOTODYNAMIC AND PHOTORESPONSIVE AZO POLYELECTROLYTES*

Several kinds of novel azobenzene-containing polyelectrolytes with special molecular design have been developedfrom acryloyl chloride or epoxy based precursor polymers. The acryloyl chloride based precursor polymer, poly(acryloylchloride), was prepared by free radical polymerization of acryloyl chloride. The azo polyelectrolytes were prepared by anesterification reaction between the precursor polymer and corresponding azo chromophores containing a reactive hydroxylgroup, followed by hydrolysis of the unreacted acyl chloride groups. The epoxy based precursor polymer was prepared by thereaction between 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol diglycidyl ether and aniline, and postfunctionalized by azo coupling reaction toform azo polymers containing chromophores with ionizable groups. The polyelectrolytes were characterized by elementalanalysis, ~1H-NMR, IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The photodynamic and photoresponsive properties, as well as self-assemblyof these azo polyelectrolytes are reported in this paperp.     

含环氧基团的聚合物微球固载2,2,6,6-四甲基哌啶氮氧自由基催化剂的制备及其催化分子氧氧化苯甲醇

以甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯(GMA)为单体, 以乙二醇二甲基丙烯酸酯(EGDMA)为交联剂, 采用悬浮聚合法制得交联聚甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯(CPGMA)微球, 然后以4-羟基-2,2,6,6-四甲基哌啶氮氧自由基(4-OH-TEMPO)为试剂, 使CPGMA微球表面的环氧基团发生开环反应, 从而制得了TEMPO固载化微球TEMPO/CPGMA, 考察了制备条件对固载化反应的影响, 并采用多种方法对微球TEMPO/CPGMA进行了表征. 将微球TEMPO/CPGMA与CuCl组成共催化体系, 用于分子氧氧化苯甲醇, 考察了反应条件对催化体系性能的影响. 结果表明, 以含环氧基团的聚合物微球CPGMA为载体, 通过开环反应, 可成功地实现TEMPO的固载化, 开环反应属S_N2亲核取代反应, 适宜采用溶剂N,N''-二甲基甲酰胺和反应温度85℃. 非均相催化剂TEMPO/CPGMA与助催化剂CuCl构成共催化体系, 在室温、常压O₂条件下可高效地将苯甲醇氧化为苯甲醛, 产物选择性和产率分别为100%和90%. 主催化剂TEMPO与助催化剂CuCl适宜的摩尔比为1:1.2; 主催化剂适宜用量为0.90 g. 此外, TEMPO/CPGMA固体催化剂具有良好的循环使用性能.     

掺杂光敏分子对环氧树脂光定向材料的性能影响

分别将肉桂酸和对正辛氧基肉桂酸进行酰氯化,与环氧树脂先驱聚合物(BP-AN)发生官能化反应,合成以肉桂酸酯和对正辛氧基肉桂酸酯为侧基的两种感光高分子(BP-AN-H和BP-AN-C8),然后合成了两种感光分子,对苯二酚双肉桂酸酯和对苯二酚双对正辛氧基肉桂酸酯,利用1H-NMR、FTIR进行了表征.最后将对应感光高分子与感光分子按不同比例掺杂,利用线性偏振光聚合(LPP)技术制备光定向层,组装成液晶盒.在偏光显微镜下观察液晶盒的定向效果,并测定其透过率-旋转角曲线.发现在一定的掺杂比例以下,增大掺杂感光分子的比例能够提高体系的定向效果,而且掺杂对苯二酚双对正辛氧基肉桂酸酯对定向能力的提高效果更为明显.     

三维骨架聚合物的孔径调控及其滤光效应

利用二阶段相分离控制方法制备不同孔径的三维骨架聚合物及配位聚合物材料.在第一阶段的反应诱导相分离中,通过加入十二烷基苯磺酸作为相分离抑制剂,控制了环氧树脂在聚乙二醇介质中固化反应的相分离速率和程度;在第二阶段,将处于亚稳状态的聚合物用ZnSO4或CdSO4水溶液处理,在配合作用的推动下发生二次相分离,并稳定三维骨架结构,最终实现了在1~2μm范围内调节孔径大小.研究了三维连续孔道在充满二乙烯基苯高折射液体后的滤光特性,通过引入金属离子改变固体材料折射率的方法,验证了光在高折射液相中的全反射效应,并从定性角度建立三维骨架材料的孔径及分布与透射光波长范围之间的关系,对新光学现象给出了初步解释.     

Dendronized polymers via Diels–Alder “click” reaction

A modular approach toward the synthesis of polymers containing dendron groups as side chains is developed using the Diels–Alder “click” reaction. For this purpose, a styrene‐based polymer appended with anthracene groups as reactive side chains was synthesized. First through third‐generation polyester dendrons containing furan‐protected maleimide groups at their focal point were synthesized. Facile, reagent‐free, thermal Diels–Alder cycloaddition between the anthracene‐containing polymer and latent‐reactive dendrons leads to quantitative functionalization of the polymer chains to afford dendronized polymers. The efficiency of this functionalization step was monitored using ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and FTIR and UV–vis spectrometry. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 410–416, 2010     

Screening of matrix suitable for immobilization of microbial cells

To find a suitable matrix for immobilization of microbial cells, synthetic and natural polymers were screened. As a result,kappa-carrageenan,iota-carrageenan, furcellaran, sodium alginate, ethyl succinylated cellulose, succinylated zein, and 2-methyl-5-vinyl-pyridine-methylacrylate-methacrylic acid copolymer were studied. These polymers were induced to gel under mild conditions.Streptomyces phaeochromogenes cells having glucose isomerase activity were successfully immobilized in these polymer matrices. If a gelinducing reagent were added to a substrate solution, these gel matrices could be stabilized. The microbial cells did not leak out from the gel lattice. When these immobilized cells were treated with hardening reagents such as glutaraldehyde or tannins, the gel matrices were strengthened, and the glucose isomerase activity became stable for a long period even in the absence of gel-inducing reagents. Among these polymer matrices tested,kappa -carrageenan was most suitable for immobilization of microbial cells.     

Branching kinetics of epoxy polymerization of 1, 4-butanediol diglycidyl ether with cis-1, 2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic anhydride

The copolymerization of an epoxy resin [1, 4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (DGEB) (Note a)] with an anhydride [cis-1, 2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic anhydride (CH)] in the presence of N, N-benzyldimethylamine (CA) as a catalyst produces a branched epoxy polymer. We show that the branching kinetics of the copolymerization reaction and the molecular weight distribution of the branched polymers can be approximated by using Smoluchowski's coagulation equation. In the simplest relevant application of this equation to our problem, the overall rate kernel w(u, v) that describes the branching probability in the equation turns out to be proportional to the sum of active sites on the two polymers with a time dependent coefficient. The molecular weight distribution (MWD) and the weight average molecular weight of the branched copolymers at different reaction stages before the gelation threshold are calculated theoretically. The calculated values are then compared with the experimental results obtained by using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), laser light scattering (LLS), and chemical analysis. Satisfactory agreement between experimental results and the use of the coagulation equation is attained when it is assumed that the distribution of epoxy polymer molecules is exponential in the number of branching points or, equivalently, active sites, at an early stage of the polymerization reaction.     

Synthesis of thermally degradable epoxy adhesives

We have developed a new strategy for the synthesis of epoxide‐containing polymers where the pendant reactive groups are connected to the main backbone via thermally labile oxonorbornene groups. The polymers were synthesized by radical 1,4‐polymerization of the appropriate bicyclic diene monomer. The produced polymers can be crosslinked in the presence of a diamine and de‐crosslinked by thermal treatment at 160 °C, which induces retro‐Diels–Alder reaction and cleaves pendant groups from the polymer backbone, as confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry. The potential for the utilization of this polymer as a thermally removable adhesive was demonstrated by a simple adhesion test. This method provides access to thermally cleavable epoxy networks that can be quickly and irreversibly disintegrated into nonvolatile components upon heating to a specified temperature. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 4992–4997     

Preparation and properties of aniline chain-extended thermoplastic epoxy resin using triphenylphosphine as catalyst

Thermoplastic resins have been widely used in fiber reinforced polymer composites because of its recyclability and short cycle times. However, the high viscosity after heating and melting restricts its infiltration on the surface of fiber. In this study, a series of thermoplastic epoxy resins were prepared via the chain extension reaction of epoxy groups with liquid aniline using triphenylphosphine (TPP) as catalyst. The relationship between polymer network structure and performance was comprehensively investigated. The solubility tests indicated that excessive aniline or TPP facilitated the crosslinking of resins. Besides, on the premise of thermoplasticity, appropriate TPP could increase the degree of chain extension, molecular weight, and glass transition temperature of resins. Furthermore, the in-situ polymerization process facilitated infiltration between epoxy resin and the fibers before chain extension reaction. The bending test showed that the flexural performance of the sample with 2 phr of TPP was improved by 38.8%. Therefore, this work provides a feasible method to prepare the thermoplastic epoxy resins and its fiber-reinforced composites with good mechanical properties.     

Performance of R-N(R')-R' functionalised poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) monolithic sorbent for plasmid DNA adsorption

High-throughput plasmid DNA (pDNA) manufacture is obstructed predominantly by the performance of conventional stationary phases. For this reason, the search for new materials for fast chromatographic separation of pDNA is ongoing. A poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (GMA-EGDMA) monolithic material was synthesised via a thermal-free radical reaction, functionalised with different amino groups from urea, 2-chloro-N,N-diethylethylamine hydrochloride (DEAE-Cl) and ammonia in order to investigate their plasmid adsorption capacities. Physical characterisation of the monolithic polymer showed a macroporous polymer having a unimodal pore size distribution pivoted at 600 nm. Chromatographic characterisation of the functionalised polymers using pUC19 plasmid isolated from E. coli DH5alpha-pUC19 showed a maximum plasmid adsorption capacity of 18.73 mg pDNA/mL with a dissociation constant (KD) of 0.11 mg/mL for GMA-EGDMA/DEAE-Cl polymer. Studies on ligand leaching and degradation demonstrated the stability of GMA-EGDMA/DEAE-Cl after the functionalised polymers were contacted with 1.0 M NaOH, which is a model reagent for most 'cleaning in place' (CIP) systems. However, it is the economic advantage of an adsorbent material that makes it so attractive for commercial purification purposes. Economic evaluation of the performance of the functionalised polymers on the grounds of polymer cost (PC)/mg pDNA retained endorsed the suitability of GMA-EGDMA/DEAE-Cl polymer.     

Use of p,p′-Phenolphthalein-bis(trimellitic) Dianhydride for Hardening Low Molecular Weight Epoxy Resins

Hardening of a low molecular epoxy resin with p,p′-phenol-phthalein-bis(trimellitic) dianhydride has been studied by using differential scanning calorimetry. The relationships of glass transition temperature of the systems being examined versus time, temperature of hardening, and dianhydride content in the compositions have been determined. The activation energy of crosslinking reactions in systems containing 50% of the stoichiometric amount of dianhydride has been evaluated. The value of activation energy obtained indicates a high reactivity of dianhydride in the examined reactions. The hardened epoxy composition exhibits excellent thermal stability, good hardness, and good resistance to acid solutions.

During research on soluble, regularly alternating polyesterimides, a synthesis of p,p′-phenolphthalein-bis(trimellitic) dianhydride was carried out and thus a new compound obtained [1]. The presence in the molecule of this new compound of four functional groups capable of reacting with epoxy groups and good solubility in organic solvents and low molecular epoxy resins suggested the use of this compound as a hardening agent for liquid resins. Examinations of the hardening process were conducted by using a low molecular epoxy resin (Beckopox 37–140) which is equivalent to Epidiane 5 and Epikotc 828.     

Preparation of new microgel polymers and their application as supports in organic synthesis

A series of soluble microgel polymers have been synthesized using solution-phase polymerization reactions. In a systematic manner, several variables such as monomer concentration, cross-linker content, reaction solvent and reaction time were examined, and this provided an optimal polymer with both solubility and precipitation characteristics suitable for synthetic applications. Thus, a chemically functionalized microgel polymer was synthesized, and the utility of this polymer in the synthesis of a small array of oxazole compounds has been demonstrated. The advantage of the microgel polymers produced was that they exhibited solution viscosities lower than those of conventional linear polymers even at higher concentrations, and this was found to be beneficial for their precipitation properties. Compounds prepared using the described microgel polymer supports were obtained in similar yields and purity when compared with insoluble resins, and more importantly, the soluble polymer bound intermediates could be analyzed at each step using standard NMR techniques.     

A novel insertion reaction of epoxy compounds into phenyl ester linkages in polymer chains

The insertion reaction of various epoxy compounds such as phenyl glycidyl ether (PGE), methyl glycidyl ether, butyl glycidyl ether (BGE), and styrene oxide into the phenyl ester linkage in the polymer chain was investigated using quaternary ammonium salts as catalysts in diglyme, anisole, sulfolane, o-dichlorobenzene, or DMSO at 100–150°C. The reaction of PGE with poly[4-(4-nitrobenzoyloxy)styrene] (polymer 1a ) proceeded almost quantitatively to give the corresponding polymer using tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) as catalyst in diglyme at 100°C for 24 h. The reactions of BGE with poly(4-nitrophenyl methacrylate), and copolyarylate derived from 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane and iso- and terephthaloyl chlorides also produced the corresponding polymers with 86 and 89 mol% new structural units, respectively, using TBAB in sulfolane at 150°C for 24 h. Furthermore, it was found that the degree of insertion of the epoxy compound into the ester linkage in the polymer chain was affected by the kind of epoxy compound, reaction solvent, catalyst concentration, substituent group on the phenyl ester, and structure of the polymer. Chiral polymers were also synthesized with high degrees of insertion by the reaction of chiral epoxides such as (R)-1,2-epoxyhexane, (R)-1,2-epoxyheptane, and (R)-1,2-epoxydecane with polymer 1a and poly(2,4-dichlorophenyl methacrylate) using TBAB in diglyme at 120°C for 24 h.     

Quantification in MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry of modified polymers

MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry quantification is hampered by the poor reproducibility of the signal intensity and by molecular-mass and compositional discrimination. The addition of a suitable compound as an internal standard increases reproducibility and allows a calibration curve to be constructed. The concept was also verified with synthetic polymers but no instructions for practical implementation were given [H. Chen, M. He, J. Pei, H. He, Anal. Chem. 75 (2003) 6531-6535.], even though synthetic polymers are generally non-uniform with respect to molecular mass and composition and access to the polymer of the same molecular mass distribution and composition as that of the quantified one is thus the exception rather than rule. On the other hand, relative quantification of polymers e.g., the content of the precursor polymer in a batch of a modified polymer, is usually sought. In this particular case, the pure precursor is usually available and the modified polymer can serve as an internal standard. However, the calibration curve still cannot be constructed and the use of the internal standard has to be combined with the method of standard addition in which the precursor polymer is added directly to the analyzed sample. The experiments with simulated modified polymers, mixtures of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether (MPEG) of similar molecular-mass distribution, revealed a power dependence of the PEG/MPEG signal-intensity ratio (MS ratio) on the PEG/MPEG concentrations ratio in the mixture (gravimetric ratio). The result was obtained using standard procedures and instrumentation, which means that the basic assumption of the standard-addition method, i.e., the proportionality of the MS and gravimetric ratios, generally cannot be taken for granted. Therefore, the multi-point combined internal-standard standard-addition method was developed and experimentally verified for the quantification of the precursor in modified polymers. In this method, the two parameters of the power-type calibration curve - the proportionality constant and the exponent-are assumed. If the exponent strongly deviates from unity the minority component can be significantly underrepresented in the spectrum. Therefore, the absence of the precursor polymer signals in the MALDI-TOF mass spectrum of a modified polymer sample does not prove the absence of the precursor in the sample. Such a conclusion has to be corroborated by the standard-addition method.     

Fabrication of mesoporous silica/polymer composites through solvent evaporation process and investigation of their excellent low thermal expansion property

We fabricate mesoporous silica/epoxy polymer composites through a solvent evaporation process. The easy penetration of the epoxy polymers into mesopores is achieved by using a diluted polymer solution including a volatile organic solvent. After the complete solvent evaporation, around 90% of the mesopores are estimated to be filled with the epoxy polymer chains. Here we carefully investigate the thermal expansion behavior of the obtained mesoporous silica/polymer composites. Thermal mechanical analysis (TMA) charts revealed that coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CTE) gradually decreases, as the amount of the doped mesoporous silica increases. Compared with spherical silica particle without mesopores, mesoporous silica particles show a greater effect on lowering the CTE values. Interestingly, it is found that the CTE values are proportionally decreased with the decrease of the total amount of the polymers outside the mesopores. These data demonstrate that polymers embedded inside the mesopores become thermally stable, and do not greatly contribute to the thermal expansion behavior of the composites.     

甲基丙烯酸甲酯自由基聚合反应的统计理论研究

在自由基聚合反应中,每个聚合物分子都是经历成百上千次加成聚合形成。由于聚合次数不完全相同造成实际链长的不等性,故由稳态近似法所获得的结果只是一个平均的概念,对反应未达平衡态时不适用。本文运用统计的方法,克服了非稳态方法的限制。通过从任意时间微元扩展至反应结束,获得了甲基丙烯酸甲酯聚合反应相应的统计关系式,如聚合物的数量、重量分布及聚合物的平均分子量等,对深入了解高分子化学反应的本质具有重要的价值和意义。     

Functionalization of polymers prepared by ATRP using radical addition reactions

Low molecular weight linear poly(methyl acrylate), star and hyperbranched polymers were synthesized using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and end‐functionalized using radical addition reactions. By adding allyltri‐n‐butylstannane at the end of the polymerization of poly(methyl acrylate), the polymer was terminated by allyl groups. When at high conversions of the acrylate monomer, allyl alcohol or 1,2‐epoxy‐5‐hexene, monomers which are not polymerizable by ATRP, were added, alcohol and epoxy functionalities respectively were incorporated at the polymer chain end. Functionalization by radical addition reactions was demonstrated to be applicable to multi‐functional polymers such as hyperbranched and star polymers.