Mechano‐reversible physical aging of elastic oriented syndiotactic polypropylene

Syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP), obtained at 0 °C in the trans‐planar mesophase, was drawn at room temperature up to λ = 6, and left at room temperature for 1 year with fixed or relaxed ends. Data analysis allowed the clarification of the structure of the crystalline phases and their transformations during the aging. In both oriented samples similar structural changes were observed, although they were due to different aging mechanisms. The physical aging led to the crystallization in both samples of an oriented helical form, due to a partial transformation of the mesophase and of the amorphous phase. In the oriented sample aged with fixed ends, a small fraction of the crystalline trans‐planar form III became stable even by releasing the tension after 1 year. This last sample did not undergo the large shrinkage, always observed by unloaded sPP after drawing, and therefore was no more elastic. Also, the sample aged with free ends for 1 year showed a reduced elasticity in terms of both dissipated energy and permanent set. However, after a new deformation up to λ = 6, the fiber recovered its previous elasticity. Indeed a mechano‐reversibility was apparent for the oriented elastic sample of sPP aged at room temperature with free ends, leading to a renewed elasticity. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 599–606, 2008     

拉伸和退火诱导间同立构聚丙烯的构象转变

90年代以来,随着锆和铪茂金属催化剂的出现,人们已能得到高立构度的sPP^[1].由于sPP具有无毒,软硬适中,尤其是在高度结晶时仍具有很好的透明性等优点,越来越受到人们的广泛注意.     

Elastic Behaviour of Oriented Syndiotactic Poly(propylene)

A syndiotactic poly(propylene) film (sPP), quenched from the melt at 0°C, was drawn at room temperature up to a draw ratio of λ = 6. The fibre was analysed under tension by X‐ray analysis and FTIR spectroscopy, showing the presence of the oriented crystalline form III described by Chatani, with the chains in trans‐planar conformation. Then it was unhooked, undergoing a large shrinkage, and reaching a length corresponding to a draw ratio of λ = 3.8. X‐ray and FTIR analysis showed that in the relaxed fibre, a conformational transition from the trans‐planar to the helical form occurred. The relaxed fibre was again submitted to increasing extensions up to λ = 6, step by step, and the elastic behaviour was analysed through the Mullins' curve and hysteresis cycles. It showed good elastic properties, which appear to be closely correlated to the conformational transition between helical and trans‐planar forms.     

Conformation orientation of syndiotactic polypropylene induced by deformation at different temperatures

Two syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP) sample films (S0 and S90) with different initial structures were prepared in this paper by isothermal crystallization from the melt at 0 and 90 degrees C, respectively. The polymorphic transitions of the two samples induced by deformation at different temperatures (20, 40, and 60 degrees C) were investigated by rheo-optical FTIR spectroscopy. The results indicated that stretching leads to the transition from the helical to trans-planar conformation and improves the orientation of both helical and trans-planar conformations for the sPP films. With increasing stretching temperature, the conformational transitions for the two sPP samples are all suppressed, and the orientation behavior of the two samples appears completely different. The orientation degree of S0 decreases with increasing stretching temperature, while that of S90 increases. These results suggest that the stretching temperature and initial structure have great influence on the conformation transition and orientation behavior of the sPP sample. On the basis of the experimental results, the schematic illustration of the conformation transition and orientation behavior of sPP during stretching has been proposed.     

The Role of the trans-Planar Mesophase in the Polymorphic Behavior of Syndiotactic Polypropylene

The transformations of the trans-planar mesophase of syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP) subjected to thermal, mechanical and solvent treatments, were investigated. The unoriented trans-planar mesophase, obtained by quenching the melt at 0°C, was annealed at 80°C and the thermal transformation was investigated by X-rays, infrared and dynamic-mechanical analysis. The presence of the helical form II was recognized in the annealed sample. The oriented trans-planar mesophase, obtained by drawing at room temperature and releasing the tension, was immersed in liquid dichloromethane for 24 hours. After drying the sample showed the presence of the oriented form II, although it was not possible to exclude a partial transition into form IV. On the basis of the present and literature results we suggested a scheme of the polymorphic transitions of sPP, in which the central role of the trans-planar mesophase is enlightened.     

Structure and properties of the smectic phase in a mesogenic complex of copper with a schiff base

The structural arrangement and the structure of the mesogenic copper compound {C₇H₁₅O-C₆H₃(O)CH-C₆H₄OC₈H₁₇}₂Cu(II) were investigated in the dilute solution, the isotropic melt, the mesophase, and the crystalline state by ESR in conjunction with calorimetry and polarization microscopy. The complex exhibits smectic polymorphism with the following transitions: K 415 S_C 430 S_A 438 I. It was found by ESR that the complexes in the solution and in the isotropic melt have a square-planar trans configuration. In the mesophase part the planar molecules undergo tetrahedral distortion; the planar molecules form the smectic phase, while the distorted molecules are concentrated into microscopic isotropic drops, i.e., the system becomes heterogeneous in the mesophase. In the S_A S_C transition the mesophase is oriented anomalously in the magnetic field (compared with the diamagnetic analogs) with the director orthogonal to the direction of the field.Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Éksperimental'naya Khimiya, Vol. 24, No. 3, pp. 370–375, May–June, 1988.     

Annealing induced variation of crystalline structure and mechanical properties of syndiotactic polypropylene fibers

<正>Syndiotactic polypropylene(sPP) as-spun fiber(sPP1) and drawn fiber(sPP2) were prepared by melt-spinning and melt-spinning/hot-drawing,respectively.The structure transition of the two fibers induced by annealing at different temperatures and the corresponding mechanical properties were subsequently investigated by the combination of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),wide-angle X-ray diffraction(WAXD) and tensile testing.The results indicate that the chain conformation and crystal forms of the two sPP fibers are not obviously changed at low annealing temperature (40℃).With increasing the annealing temperature,the trans-planar conformation and mesophase in sPP1 and sPP2 fibers can be completely transformed to helical conformation and crystal form I under tension.Upon removing the tension,a small amount of mesophase and trans-planar conformation will be regained.The mechanical properties of the annealed fibers are manifestly dependent on their initial structure and the annealing temperature.     

Conformational changes of poly(ethylene oxide) in poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends by supercritical carbon dioxide

The effects of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO₂) fluids on the morphology and/or conformation of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in PEO/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blends were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). According to DSC data for a given blend, the melting enthalpy and, therefore, degree of crystallinity of PEO were increased, whereas the melting temperature of PEO was decreased, with SC CO₂ treatment. The enhancement of PEO crystallization with SC CO₂ treatment, as demonstrated by DSC data, was supported by WAXD data. According to FTIR quantitative analyses, before SC CO₂ treatments, the conformation of PEO was transformed from helix to trans planar zigzag via blending with PMMA. This helix‐to‐trans transformation of PEO increased proportionally with increasing PMMA content, with around 0.7% helix‐to‐trans transformation per 1% PMMA incorporation into the blend. For a given blend upon SC CO₂ treatments, the conformation of PEO was transformed from trans to helix. This trans‐to‐helix transformation of PEO decreased with increasing PMMA contents in the blends because of the presence of interactions between the two polymers. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 2479–2489, 2004     

Stretching temperature and direction dependency of uniaxial deformation mechanism in overstretched polyethylene

In order to elucidate microscopic deformation behavior at different locations in isotropic semicrystalline polymers, the structural evolution of a preoriented high‐density polyethylene sample during tensile deformation at different temperatures and along different directions with respect to the preorientation was investigated by means of combined in situ synchrotron small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) techniques. For samples stretched along preorientation, two situations were found: (1) at 30 °C, the sample broke after a moderate deformation, which is accomplished by the slippage of the microfibrils; (2) at 80 and 100 °C, fragmentation of original lamellae followed by recrystallization process was observed resulting in new lamellar crystals of different thickness depending on stretching temperature. For samples stretched perpendicular or 45° with respect to the preorientation, the samples always end up with a new oriented lamellar structure with the normal along the stretching direction via a stress‐induced fragmentation and recrystallization route. The thickness of the final achieved lamellae depends only on stretching temperature in this case. Compared to samples stretched along the preorientation direction, samples stretched perpendicular and 45° with respect to the preorientation direction showed at least several times of maxima achievable stress before macroscopic failure possibly due to the favorable occurrence and development of microdefects in those lamellar stacks with their normal parallel to the stretching direction. This result might have significant consequence in designing optimal procedure to produce high performance polyethylene products from solid state. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 716–726     

A square‐planar hydrated cationic tetrakis(methimazole)gold(III) complex

The cationic pseudo‐square‐planar complex tetrakis(1‐methyl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐imidazole‐2‐thione‐κS)gold(III) trichloride sesquihydrate, [Au(C₄H₆N₂S)₄]Cl₃·1.5H₂O, was isolated as dark‐red crystals from the reaction of chloroauric acid trihydrate (HAuCl₄·3H₂O) with four equivalents of methimazole in methanol. The Au^III atoms reside at the corners of the unit cell on an inversion center and are bound by the S atoms of four methimazole ligands in a planar arrangement, with S—Au—S bond angles of approximately 90°.     

不同初始结构间规聚丙烯纤维熔融过程中的结晶转变行为

通过熔融纺丝及随后的热处理制备了具有不同初始结构的间规聚丙烯纤维(sPP).采用差示扫描量热仪(DSC)和变温广角X-射线衍射仪详细研究了sPP纤维在升温过程中的结构转变和熔融行为.结果表明,不同初始结构sPP纤维的晶型不同,卷绕纤维和退火处理纤维以Ⅰ型和Ⅱ型晶型为主,牵伸纤维介晶相占优;升高温度导致Ⅰ型和Ⅱ型两种晶型直接熔融,没有出现Ⅱ型向Ⅰ型的晶型转变;初始结构为介晶相的纤维在升温过程中部分介晶相直接转变为Ⅱ型晶型,还有一部分介晶相直接熔融,并在随后的升温过程中,形成Ⅰ型晶型.sPP纤维的多重熔融行为与其初始结构和纤维制备条件密切相关.     

Mechanical properties and enzymatic degradation of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] fibers stretched after isothermal crystallization near Tg

Poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (P(3HB)) fibers with high tensile strength were prepared by stretching the fibers after isothermal crystallization near the glass transition temperature. Two samples with different molecular weights (M_w = 0.7 × 10⁶ and 4.3 × 10⁶) were used to investigate the effect on tensile strength. Increasing the time for isothermal crystallization of P(3HB) fibers resulted in a decrease in the maximum draw ratio. But, the tensile strength of P(3HB) fibers increased remarkably when the isothermal crystallization time was prolonged to more than 24 h. The tensile strength of low-molecular-weight drawn fibers was higher than that of high-molecular-weight fibers. Therefore, it can be concluded that this procedure does not increase the tensile strength of the high-molecular-weight drawn fibers. This is because, in this drawing method, small crystal nuclei grow initially during the isothermal crystallization process. Then, the molecular chains between the small crystal nuclei that acted as the entanglement points are oriented by stretching. In the case of the high-molecular-weight fibers, because the molecular length between the entanglement points of the small crystal nuclei is too long, the molecular chains are not sufficiently oriented by the stretching process. However, in the case of the low-molecular-weight fibers, the molecular length is suitable for generating the extended chains. Based on the result of X-ray analysis of P(3HB) fibers stretched after isothermal crystallization, fibers have the oriented α-form crystal with 2₁ helix conformation and β-form with planar zigzag conformation. The enzymatic degradation of the stretched P(3HB) fibers was performed by using an extracellular PHB depolymerase purified from Ralstonia pickettii T1. The enzymatic erosion rate of β-form was faster than that of α-form in the P(3HB) fibers stretched after isothermal crystallization.     

Competitive influence of atactic polystyrene and supercritical carbon dioxide on the conformation of syndiotactic polystyrene

The crystallization behavior of miscible syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS) and atactic polystyrene (aPS) blends with different sPS/aPS weight ratios was investigated in supercritical CO₂ by using Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. Supercritical CO₂ and aPS exhibited different effects on the conformational change of sPS and competed with each other. Increasing the content of amorphous aPS in the blends made its effect on the conformational change of sPS gradually surpass that of supercritical CO₂. Supercritical CO₂ favored the formation of the helical conformation of sPS in lower temperature range and the all trans planar conformation in higher temperature range, instead of forming the latter one only in higher temperature range in ambient atmosphere. However, increasing aPS content in the blends pushed the range for forming the helical conformation to lower temperature and made the all trans planar conformation dominant in aPS/sPS 25/75 blend after treating in supercritical CO₂ above 60 °C. The all trans planar zigzag conformation was more favorable than the helical conformation after mixing aPS in sPS in supercritical CO₂. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 1755–1764, 2007     

Crystalline structure and morphology of biaxially oriented polyamide‐11 films

The effect of the uniaxial and biaxial stretching and subsequent solution annealing of extrusion‐cast polyamide‐11 films on the crystalline structure and morphology was investigated with differential scanning calorimetry, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS). The extrusion‐cast polyamide‐11 films exhibited elevations in the glass‐transition and cold‐crystallization temperatures with a constant crystallinity and a constant melting point during aging under room conditions (20–26 °C and 20–31% relative humidity). WAXD and SAXS suggested that chain‐folded lamellae of coexisting α‐ and β‐crystals existed in all the stretched polyamide‐11 films. WAXD pole figures indicated that hydrogen bonds in the hydrogen‐bonded sheets of these two crystalline forms apparently formed between antiparallel chain molecules. The unit cell parameters [a = 9.52 Å, b = 5.35 Å, c = 14.90 Å (chain axis), α = 48.5°, β = 90°, and γ = 74.7° for a triclinic α form and a = 9.52 Å, b = 14.90 Å (chain axis), c = 4.00 Å, α = 90°, β = 67.5°, and γ = 90° for a monoclinic β form] for polyamide‐11 crystals were proposed according to the results of this study and the results of previous investigators. The unit cell parameters of the stretched extrusion‐cast polyamide‐11 films varied, depending on the stretching conditions (the stretch temperature and stretch ratio). As the stretch temperature and stretch ratio were increased, the crystal became more similar to the form described previously and was accompanied by an increase in the long spacing of crystalline lamellae. Annealing the stretched films in a boiling 20% formic acid solution made slightly more perfected crystals. The hydrogen‐bonding α(010) + β(002) planes, which are nearly parallel to both amide group planes and zigzag methylene sequence planes of the biaxially stretched films were found to be parallel to the film surface. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 2624–2640, 2002     

Coordination and hydrogen bond-coadjusted highly stretchable wet-spun poly(acrylic acid) fiber and its stable activity as Fenton catalyst

High stretching is an effective route to attain high performance fiber. Therefore, the stretchability of wet-spun poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) fiber is important for the preparation of high performance PAA fiber by stretching. A combination of coordination and hydrogen bonding was synergistically used to prepare highly stretchable wet-spun PAA fibers, and high stretching was subsequently carried out to induce the production of molecular orientation and fibrillar crystals, which can remarkably enhance the strength of resulting fiber. The breaking strength of stretched fiber reached up to 1.631cN/dtex, increasing by 2813% compared to that of unstretched fiber. Moreover, high stretching was used to thin the resulting fiber and promote the transformation of PAA chains from coiled to extensional conformation, so that the carboxyl groups wrapped by coiled PAA chains were exposed to the environment. When the highly stretched fiber was used to decolorize methylene blue (MB) aqueous solution, the exposed carboxyl groups can quickly re-coordinate with the iron ions eluted by MB aqueous solution to minimize the loss of iron ions. The measurement results showed that the average concentration of eluted iron ions was only 3.20 mg/L during 40 operation cycles for the highly stretched fiber, decreasing by 64.0% compared to that of unstretched fiber. Due to low iron ion leaching-out, the highly stretched fiber showed superstable activity in catalyzing H₂O₂ to oxidatively decolorize MB. The research results revealed that the obtained fiber can decolorize more than 90% MB within 3 min during 40 cycles without showing any obvious attenuation in decolorization efficiency and decolorization rate. In this case, the Fenton catalysts reported by literature are scarcely comparable to the prepared fiber in many aspects. Therefore, the fiber prepared in this work can be expected to show great potential for application in the field of dye wastewater treatment.     

Dithioether ligands containing a 2,6‐disubstituted pyridine linker with two thioether‐heterocycle arms

The structure of 2,6‐bis(2‐pyridyltsulfanylmethyl)pyridine (pytmp), (I), C₁₇H₁₅N₃S₂, presents a twisted conformation, with the three planar moieties almost perpendicular to each other. The structures of two related derivatives, namely 2,6‐bis(6‐methyl‐2‐pyridylsulfanylmethyl)pyridine (mpytmp), (II), C₁₉H₁₉N₃S₂, and 2,6‐bis(4‐methyl‐2‐pyrimidylsulfanylmethyl)pyridine (mprtmp) n‐pentane hemisolvate, (III), C₁₇H₁₇N₅S₂·0.5C₅H₁₂, present extended planar fragments with just one quasi‐perpendicular arylsulfanylmethyl side arm, such that the molecules are folded in an L‐shaped conformation. All three conformations appear different from those adopted by similar compounds, demonstrating the great flexibility of such species, although such differences in conformational behaviour might drive specific coordination modes.     

The First Fully Planar C5‐Conformation of Homooligopeptides Prepared from a Chiral α‐Ethylated α,α‐Disubstituted Amino Acid: (S)‐Butylethylglycine (=(2S)‐2‐Amino‐2‐ethylhexanoic Acid)

An optically active α‐ethylated α,α‐disubstituted amino acid, (S)‐butylethylglycine (=(2S)‐2‐amino‐2‐ethylhexanoic acid; (S)‐Beg; (S)‐ 2 ), was prepared starting from butyl ethyl ketone ( 1 ) by the Strecker method and enzymatic kinetic resolution of the racemic amino acid. Homooligopeptides containing (S)‐Beg (up to hexapeptide) were synthesized by conventional solution methods. An ethyl ester was used for the protection at the C‐terminus, and a trifluoroacetyl group was used for the N‐terminus of the peptides. The structures of tri‐ and tetrapeptides 5 and 6 in the solid state were solved by X‐ray crystallographic analysis, and were shown to have a bent planar C₅‐conformation (tripeptide) and a fully planar C₅‐conformation (tetrapeptide) (see Figs. 1 and 2, resp.). The IR and ¹H‐NMR spectra of hexapeptide 8 revealed that the dominant conformation in CDCl₃ solution was also a fully planar C₅‐conformation. These results show for the first time that the preferred conformation of homopeptides containing a chiral α‐ethylated α,α‐disubstituted amino acid is a planar C₅‐conformation.     

New Fluorescence Domain “Excited Multimer” Formed upon Photoexcitation of Continuously Stacked Diaroylmethanatoboron Difluoride Molecules with Fused π‐Orbitals in Crystals

The crystal‐packing structures of seven derivatives of diaroylmethanatoboron difluoride ( 1 a – gBF₂ ) are characterized by no overlap of the π‐conjugated main units of two adjacent molecules (type I), overlap of the benzene ring π‐orbitals of two adjacent molecules (type II), and overlap of the benzene and dihydrodioxaborinine rings π‐orbitals of adjacent molecules (type III). The crystal‐packing structures govern the fluorescence (FL) properties in the crystalline states. The FL domain that is present in type I crystals, in which intermolecular orbital interactions are absent, leads to excited monomer‐like FL properties. In the case of the type II crystals, the presence of intermolecular overlap of the benzene rings π‐orbitals generates new FL domains, referred to as “excited multimers”, which possess allowed S₀–S₁ electronic transitions and, as a result, similar FL lifetimes at longer wavelengths than the FL of the type I crystals. Finally, intermolecular overlap of the benzene and dihydrodioxaborinine ring π‐orbitals in the type III crystals leads to “excited multimer” domains with forbidden S₀–S₁ electronic transitions and longer FL lifetimes at similar wavelengths as that in type I crystals.     

Elasticity of syndiotactic polypropylene: Insights from temperature and time dependence

The origin of the unusual and puzzling elasticity of drawn sPP samples was investigated. The mechanism responsible of the elasticity was studied for drawn samples characterized by a very simple structural organization, where there are no involvements of crystallographic modifications with different chain conformation. The elastic behavior of the drawn samples, valued through the hysteresis cycles, was determined at different temperatures. At room temperature the samples show remarkable elastic properties, whereas decreasing the temperature the elastic behavior becomes worse and worse, disappearing at temperatures lower than 0 °C. The elasticity also disappears in drawn samples after a long aging under tension. Thermomechanical and structural investigations, as well as shrinkage as a function of temperature and aging at room temperature of the fixed drawn samples, support the idea that the elastic behavior of sPP can be explained by the model of the plastic deformation of semicrystalline polymers. The interpretation is based on the presence of “tie” molecules axially connecting the crystals in the oriented samples, whose extension, chain conformation and/or crystallization determine the retractive stress of the oriented sample, as well as other mechanical properties. We show that many experiments on the drawn samples, either fixed or relaxed, are strictly connected to the morphology of the drawn sample, derived by the transition between the lamellar initial and the fibrillar final structure. By applying the model we can answer the questions derived from the experimental facts not yet well clarified, giving a new insight into the interesting elasticity of sPP.     

Electronic states of 1,4-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene: A synchrotron radiation linear dichroism investigation

The electronic transitions of 1,4-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene (BPEB) were investigated by UV synchrotron radiation linear dichroism (SRLD) spectroscopy in the range 25,000-58,000 cm⁻¹ (400-170 nm) on molecular samples aligned in stretched polyethylene. The investigation was supported by variable temperature spectroscopy and by quantum chemical calculations in the LCOAO and TD-DFT models. The molecular alignment of BPEB in stretched polyethylene was found to be remarkably efficient, leading to an orientation factor equal to 0.95 for the long molecular axis. The observed band shape depended strongly on the degree of stretching and on temperature. The combined experimental and theoretical evidence leads to the characterization of several previously unobserved transitions and supports the assumption that BPEB adopts a nearly planar conformation in stretched polyethylene.