Permeation of nitrogen and water vapor through sulfonated polyetherethersulfone membrane

The novel polyetherethersulfone (PES-C) prepared from phenol-phthalein in our institute is an amorphous, rigid, tough material with good mechanical properties over a wide temperature range. To improve its water vapor permeability for the application of gas drying, the PES-C was sulfonated with concentrated sulfuric acid and transferred in sodium, cupric, and ferric salt forms. The sulfonation degree can be regulated by controlling the temperature and reaction time. Characterization of sulfonated PES-C in sodium form was made by IR. Some properties of the sulfonated PES-C, such as solubility, glass transition temperature, thermal stability, mechanical properties, and transport properties to nitrogen and water vapor have also been discussed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 2133–2140, 1997     

Reversible strain-induced order in the amorphous phase of a low-density ethylene/butene copolymer

This article deals with the characterization of the structural changes induced by uniaxial extension in the amorphous phase of an ethylene/butene copolymer. Volume change measurements indicate a reversible densification relevant to a strain-induced organization in the amorphous phase. The dynamic mechanical behavior shows an improvement of the β relaxation that reveals an important immobilization of the amorphous chains. The vibrational behavior investigated by means of Raman spectroscopy suggests that the strained amorphous chains are structurally analogous to the mesomorphic interfacial component. A discussion is made about the mechanism of the transformation of the amorphous phase into a mesomorphic structure compared to the more common strain-induced crystallization phenomenon. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 2151–2159, 1997     

Synthesis and characterization of a novel carbazole cyclic oligomer and main-chain polymer

The efficient synthesis of a novel cyclic carbazole tetramer and carbazole main-chain polymer via the Knoevenagel condensation has been developed. The carbazole cyclic tetramer could be obtained in a high yield by a one-stage Knoevenagel condensation of 3,6-diformyl-9-heptylcarbazole and 3,6-bis(cyanoacetoxymethyl)-9-heptylcarbazole in tetrahydrofuran (THF) without the use of the high-dilution principle. The corresponding carbazole main-chain polymer could also be obtained as a main product by a two-stage Knoevenagel polycondensation. Detailed structural characterization of this novel oligomer by spectroscopy and elemental analysis confirmed the cyclic structure. The corresponding main-chain polymer with large molecular weight was found to be amorphous by differential scanning calorimetry. Studies on the nonlinear optical and photorefractive properties of these materials are in progress. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 2041–2047, 1997     

Structure–properties relationship in spun fibers of poly(ethylene terephthalate): Comparisons between samples obtained by terephthalic acid or dimethyl terephthalate processes

Some properties and structural aspects of fibers obtained by spinning, in a wide range of take-up speed (2,800–4,400 m/min), of commercial samples of PET, produced by dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) and the terephthalic acid (TPA) processes, are compared. For a same take-up speed, the considered fibers from TPA are spun at lower pack pressures and always show higher tenacity and lower ductility than fibers from DMT. X-ray diffraction, density, and birefringence measurements indicate that, for the fibers from the DMT process, an earlier crystallization occurs which prevents the progress of the orientation of the amorphous phase. The lower molecular orientation in the amorphous phase of the fibers from DMT, in turn, accounts for their lower tenacity. The earlier crystallization of the fibers from DMT would be related to their slightly higher melting temperatures and melt viscosities, which could be due to the lower amount of constitutional defects (diethylene glycol content) in the considered PET samples from DMT compared with those from TPA. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 889–896, 1997     

Gas transport properties of substituted PEEKs

Tert-butyl and di-tert-butyl were added as pendant groups to the ether-ether phenyl ring of poly(ether ether ketone), PEEK. tert-butyl PEEK, TBPEEK, was amorphous and di-tert-butyl PEEK, DBPEEK, was semicrystalline. However, a 2 : 1 random copolymer of TBPEEK and DBPEEK, TBDBPEEK, was amorphous. Gas transport of N₂, O₂, CH₄, and CO₂ through amorphous films of PEEK, TBPEEK, TBDBPEEK, and tetramethylbiphenyl PEEK were determined at 35°C and at pressures to about 15 atm. The results support previous observations that tert-butyl and tetramethylbiphenyl groups are very effective in disrupting chain packing in the polymer. For the present polymers, these substitutions led to a 5–18-fold increase in permeability, and, in some cases, at no loss in permselectivity. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 2355–2362, 1997     

Microstructural model for prediction of stress–strain curves of amorphous and semicrystalline elastomers

A fundamental microstructural model was developed to calculate the stress–strain curves of rubbery amorphous polymers and of semicrystalline polymers with a rubbery amorphous phase by numerical simulations. The rubbery amorphous phase was treated by using a version of the theory of rubber elasticity with finite extensibility. Physical entanglements and chemical crosslinks were both allowed. Slippage was implemented by a Monte Carlo algorithm controlled by kinetic parameters such as the activation energy and activation volume for slippage. The crystalline phase was treated in a very idealized manner, including a crude representation of tie chains but not taking the internal structure of the crystallites into account. A two-dimensional embodiment of the model was implemented into software. For amorphous polymers, while lacking truly quantitative accuracy, the model showed sufficiently good agreement with the experimental trends to be used as a qualitative or semiquantitative predictive tool, and it is currently being used in this manner. The more complex semicrystalline version was less accurate and will need to be improved in future work. Most of the limitations of the semicrystalline version could be ascribed unambiguously to specific simplifications made in the software implementation to reduce the amount of computer time required for the calculations. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 2715–2739, 1997     

A.C. dielectric and TSC studies of constrained amorphous motions in flexible polymers including poly(oxymethylene) and miscible blends

Poly(OxyMethylene) (POM) and its miscible blends were studied by multifrequency A.C. dielectric and thermally stimulated currents (TSC). The blends contained small amounts of either poly(vinyl phenol), which is a high glass transition (T_g) diluent, or a styrene-co-hydroxy styrene oligomeric low T_g diluent. The variation of the 10°C “β” transition with blend composition proves that it is the glass transition, and that the −70°C “γ” transition is a local motion. Dielectrically the β transition is very weak in pure POM even in fast-quenched samples. The TSC thermal sampling method also detected two cooperative transitions, γ and β, in POM and its blends, and was used to directly resolve the γ transition into low and high activation energy components. If one considers the contribution of exclusion of the diluents from the crystal lamellae, it is shown that the blends behave like typical amorphous blends as a function of concentration. The effect of crystals on amorphous motions is examined in light of comparison with van Krevelen's³⁷ predictions of an “amorphous” T_g, and the transitions in POM are contrasted with those for other semicrystalline polymers. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 2121–2132, 1997     

Poly(4-methylpentene-1)/hydrogenated oligo (cyclopentadiene) blends: Miscibility,tensile stress–strain,and dynamic mechanical behaviors

This article discusses the influence of the oligomeric resin, hydrogenated oligo(cyclopentadiene) (HOCP), on the morphology, and thermal and tensile mechanical properties of its blends with isotactic poly(4-methylpentene-1) (P4MP1). The P4MP1 and HOCP are found not miscible in the melt state. P4MP1/HOCP blends after solidification contain three phases: the crystalline phase of P4MP1, an amorphous phase of P4MP1, and an amorphous phase of HOCP. From optical micrographs obtained at 150°C, it is found that the solidified blends show a morphology constituted by P4MP1 microspherulites and small HOCP domains homogeneously distributed in intraspherulitic regions. DSC and DMTA results show that the blends present two glass transition temperatures (T_g) equal to the T_gs of the pure components. The tensile mechanical properties have been investigated at 20, 60, and 120°C. At 20°C both the HOCP oligomer and the amorphous P4MP1 are glassy, and it is found that all the blends are brittle and the stress–strain curves have equal trends. At 60°C the HOCP oligomer is glassy, whereas the amorphous P4MP1 is rubbery. The tensile mechanical properties at 60°C are found to depend on blend composition. It is found that the Young's modulus, the stresses at yielding and break points slightly decrease with HOCP content in the blends and these results are related to the decrease of blend crystallinity. The decrease of the elongation at break is accounted for by the presence of glassy HOCP domains that act as defects in the P4MP1 matrix, hampering the drawing. At 120°C both the amorphous phases are rubbery. It is found decreases of Young's modulus, stresses at yielding and break points. These results have been related to the decrease of blend crystallinity and to the increase of the total rubbery amorphous phase. Moreover, it is found that the blends present elongations at break equal to that of pure P4MP1. This constancy is attributed to: (a) at 120°C the HOCP domains are rubbery and their presence seems not to disturb the drawing of the samples; (b) a sufficient number of the tie-molecules and entanglements of P4MP1 present in the blends. In fact, although the numbers of tie-molecules and entanglements decrease in the blends, increasing the HOCP oligomer, they seem to be enough to keep the material interlaced and avoid earlier rupture. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 1269–1277, 1997     

Bulk to interphase transition in polyamide 6 compounds with high filler content

The influence of aluminum borate whiskers upon the morphology of polyamide 6 was studied by wide-angle X-ray scattering and by differential scanning calorimetry. The whiskers did not promote the formation of either the hexagonal γ or the monoclinic β crystalline phase. A new experimental procedure has been devised for the production of very thin polymer layers on the whiskers. In the procedure, styrene co-acrylonitrile polymer is used as a processing aid and is later extracted. The procedure allows for the generation of polyamide layers less than 30 nm thick. Crystallinity in these thin layers was suppressed. An expression has been developed to characterize the crystallinity gradient in the interphase of the whisker surface. The equation shows that the initial 1.4 nm of polymer is fully amorphous and produces excellent evaluations of the crystallinity gradient to layer thicknesses of 70 nm. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 2457–2464, 1997     

FTIR spectroscopic study on crystallization process of poly(ethylene-2,6-naphthalate)

In situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) measurements were carried out to elucidate conformation changes occurring during the isothermal melt crystallization of poly(ethylene-2,6-naphthalate) (PEN). Based on the band assignments for the components of the amorphous, α-crystal form, and β-crystal form of PEN in film samples, the in situ data was analyzed in terms of the amorphous- and crystal-trans conformations. It was observed at a higher isothermal crystallization temperature that the formation of amorphous-trans conformations precedes the growth of crystals. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 2741–2747, 1997     

More about the stereodependence of DD and LL pair linkages during the ring-opening polymerization of racemic lactide

For the last two decades, mixtures of D - and L-lactides, the DD and LL cyclic dimers of lactic acid enantiomers, were polymerized under various conditions of temperature, time, and initiators. Consequences of the dimeric structure of lactide molecules on the distribution of chiral units and on the properties of resulting PLAs were discussed occasionally. In the meantime, NMR techniques have grown up and are now powerful tools to investigate configurational structures from stereosensitive resonances. Thus far, correlation between experimental data and theoretical n-ades were based on Bernoullian-type enchainments of DD and LL pairs of lactyl units present in PLA stereocopolymer chains obtained by ring-opening polymerization. Analysis of NMR spectra of racemic PLAs of different origins, including literature data, was reconsidered on the basis of the probabilities to form iso- and hetero-dyads during chain propagation. Consideration of equireactivity and stereodependent reactivity between the DD and LL pairs generated from a racemic mixture of D - and L -lactide diastereoisomers led us to the conclusion that DD /LL and LL /DD heterotactic junctions are preferentially formed when one uses Sn octoate and Zn metal as initiator systems, even though completed macromolecules remain predominantly isotactic because of the isodyads inherently present in lactide diastereoisomers. A simple method is proposed to determine whether homo- or cross-addition of DD and LL pairs is favorized in any poly(racemic lactide) in the absence of transesterification rearrangements. This method is based on the comparison of experimental relative weights of the three distinct groups of resonances due to carbonyl carbon atoms with relative weights calculated according to the Bernoullian statistics. It allows the determination of a coefficient of stereoselectivity P_i from which one can easily evaluate the average length of isotactic blocks L_i without any computation approximations. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 1651–1658, 1997     

Benzyl ether polymers: Crystallinity and pendant adamantyl effects

A series of benzyl ether polymers with and without pendant adamantyl groups has been synthesized. A–B homopolymers with dibenzylether and thioether connecting units were made by phase transfer reaction of 2-(4-bromomethylphenyl)-6-bromomethylbenzoxazole with KOH or Na₂S. The ether-linked material was soluble only in conc. H₂SO₄ while the thioether polymer was only soluble in a mixture of trifluoroethanol and chloroform. The parent AA–BB polyether from resorcinol and α,α′-dichloro-p-xylene (or the dibromo analog) was obtained as a very high molecular weight product which showed multiple crystalline forms depending on sample history. Solid-state ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction patterns were obtained on two samples [each with a single (different) type of crystalline domain], a high molecular weight sample displaying both types, and on amorphous material. Incorporation of pendent adamantyl groups was also examined because of their ability to enormously modify polymer properties. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 1743–1751, 1997     

Thermosetting polymer blends of unsaturated polyester resin and poly(ethylene oxide). I. Miscibility and thermal properties

The miscibility and thermal properties of polyethylene oxide(PEO)/oligoester resin (OER) blends and PEO/crosslinked polyester (PER) blends were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The effect of quenching process on the crystallization behavior of PEO for these two systems were investigated and discussed in details. It has been found that a single, composition dependent glass transition temperature (T_g) was observed for all the blends, indicating that the two systems are miscible in the amorphous state at overall compositions. From the melting point depression of PEO, the interaction parameter χ₁₂ for PEO/OER blends and that for PEO/PER blends were found to be −1.29 and −2.01, respectively. The negative values of χ₁₂ confirmed that both PEO/OER blends and PEO/PER blends are miscible in the molten state. Quenching process has a greater hindrance on the crystallization of PEO/OER blends than on that of PEO/PER blends. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3161–3168, 1997     

Nanoheterogeneity in PEO/PMMA blends probed by 129Xe-NMR

Xenon has been used as a structural probe of solid poly(ethylene oxide)/atactic poly(methyl methacrylate) (PEO/PMMA) blends of concentrations 10/90 to 75/25. ¹²⁹Xe-NMR spectra at 293 K show significant changes in line width and chemical shift as the blend composition is varied. The ¹²⁹Xe spectra are interpreted in terms of exchange between amorphous single-phase PEO and PMMA domains. It is shown that a simple two-site exchange model can be used to calculate spectra which fit the experimental data over the whole concentration range. Xe exchange between blend subregions is demonstrated also by a two-dimensional NMR experiment. The PEO/PMMA results are compared to previously published poly(vinylidene fluoride)/PMMA ¹²⁹Xe spectra. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 2681–2688, 1997     

Poly(methylphenyl) silane: Structural properties

The physical structure of poly(methylphenyl) silane (PMPS) has been investigated using wide-angle x-ray scattering at various temperatures and optical polarizing microscopy. The results obtained by these techniques clearly show the existence of an ordered phase in PMPS. The crystallinity of our sample was estimated to be about 10% at room temperature. Below 190°C, the atactic chains pack into a monoclinic crystalline lattice of near hexagonal symmetry, with two types of disorder existing in the packing. At about 190°C, a phase transition to a liquid crystalline columnar hexagonal packing (D_ho) occurs. Finally, the sample melts into an isotropic amorphous phase. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 1727–1736, 1997     

Molecular deformation mechanisms of isotactic polypropylene in α‐ and β‐crystal forms by FTIR spectroscopy

The orientation behavior of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) in α‐ and β‐crystal form was investigated by rheo‐optical Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. This method enabled quantification of the degree of orientation as a feature of structural changes during uniaxial elongation in not only the crystalline phase but also the amorphous one. Molecular orientation mechanisms can be successfully derived from experimental results. Generally, three mechanisms were detected for iPP: (1) interlamellar separation in the amorphous phase, (2) interlamellar slip and lamellar twisting at small elongations, and (3) intralamellar slip at high elongations. The third mechanism was favored by α‐PP, whereas β‐PP favored the second mechanism, which, in fact, was responsible for the different mechanical properties of both materials at the macroscopic level. On the other hand, crystallization conditions may have significantly affected the amorphous orientation. Nevertheless, for both iPP types the chains in the amorphous phase always oriented less than did those in the crystalline phase. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 4478–4488, 2004     

Structural developments in synthetic rubbers during uniaxial deformation by in situ synchrotron X‐ray diffraction

The molecular orientation and strain‐induced crystallization of synthetic rubbers—polyisoprene rubber, polybutadiene rubber, and butyl rubber [poly(isobutylene isoprene)]—during uniaxial deformation were studied with in situ synchrotron wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. The high intensity of the synchrotron X‐rays and the new data analysis method made it possible to estimate the mass fractions of the strain‐induced crystals and amorphous chain segments in both the oriented and unoriented states. Contrary to the conventional concept, the majority of the molecules (50–75%) remained in an unoriented amorphous state at high strains. Each synthetic rubber showed a different behavior of strain‐induced crystallization and molecular orientation during extension and retraction. Our results confirmed the occurence of strain‐induced networks in the synthetic rubbers due to the inhomogeneity of the crosslink distribution. The strain‐induced networks containing microfibrillar crystals and oriented amorphous tie chains were responsible for the ultimate mechanical properties. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 956–964, 2004     

Quantitative analysis of three phases of high-density polyethylene with 2D time-domain proton NMR

With two-dimensional time-domain NMR analysis in the proton spin rotating frame, three phases are identifiable in the solid polyethylene. The major proton magnetization fraction is due to the polymer's crystalline region, where the motion is least isotropic and slowest. A magnetization fraction with intermediate relaxation rate is also intermediate in magnitude. This component is proposed to comprise chain loops on the surfaces of crystallites and effectively entangled chain segments. The most mobile fraction, which is most liquid-like with a T₂ of near 1 ms at 120°C, is also the smallest. It is proposed that it is due to polymer chains in the amorphous phase. In the crystalline phase the chain motion is an unexpectedly effective relaxation mechanism at ∼50 KHz. This process, which involves propagation of a twisted region along the crystallite, as has been suggested before, is either not present in the other two phases of the HDPE or is less efficient because of the lower polymer density. The activation energies for the crystalline, intermediate and amorphous phases are estimated to be 34 ± 3, 13 ± 3, and 8 ± 2 Kcal/mol, respectively. The frequencies of the relaxation process at 120°C are 43 KHz, 350 KHz, and 1.5 MHz, respectively. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 2551–2558, 1997     

Dynamic mechanical investigations on drawn samples of isotactic polypropylene/EPM–Rubber blend

The physical behavior of isotropic and oriented samples of an isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/ethylene–propylene–copolymer (EPM) reactor blend was studied by performance of dynamic mechanical measurements over a wide temperature range (DMTA). The influence of thermal history and drawing procedure was examined. The results showed that with increasing draw ratio the uniaxial elastic modulus of the material was considerably enhanced, whereas the intensity and strength of the amorphous relaxations of both components were reduced. At a certain draw ratio, the glass transtions of iPP and EPM phenomenologically merged and appeared as a single relaxation. The crystalline relaxation of iPP emerged with increased draw ratio at higher temperatures and was better seperated and easier to detect. The effects observed were attributed to the orientation of the crystallites in a fibrillar structure and to the restricted molecular mobility in amorphous regions. Measurements by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and x-ray diffraction of several drawn samples were performed to determine the effects of drawing on the melting behavior and the crystal orientation in the semicrystalline polymer. For comparison, some results of analogous studies on neat isotactic PP are presented and discussed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 1439–1448, 1997