Achiral Polydialkylsilane Aggregates That Record Stirring Direction

Achiral polysilane aggregates can recognize the chirality of low‐molecular‐weight compounds. It was found that they can also record the stirring direction. Poly(n‐decyl‐2‐methylpropylsilane), poly(n‐nonyl‐2‐methylpropylsilane), poly(n‐decyl‐2‐ethylbutylsilane), and poly(n‐decyl‐(S)‐2‐methylbutylsilane) aggregates were prepared in a mixture of tetrahydrofuran/isopropanol. Although the optical activity of the aggregates of the polysilane with chiral side chains was not tunable by changing the direction of the vortex flow, that of the aggregates of the optically inactive polysilane had a strong relationship to the direction, time, and rate of the vortex flow. The chiral stacked polysilanes were proposed to exist at the surfaces of the aggregates. The optically inactive polysilanes also exhibited optical activity under shear force with a distinct signal in the linear dichroism (LD) spectra of the achiral aggregates in vortex flows. However, the LD signals did not have a significant influence on the circular dichroism signals.     

On a nonexponential transformation equation for spherulitic crystallization

An equation has been derived for the development of crystallinity from heterogeneously nucleated spherulites which impinge with a small number of neighboring but randomly centered spherulites. The crystallization-time dependence calculated from the equation conforms to an Avrami equation with initial fractional values for the n exponent, and the equation appears to be a better fit of the initial time dependence of the crystallization of polyethylene than the Avrami equation itself. It appears to account satisfactorily for the observation of fractional n values in the analysis of the crystallization curves of this polymer. The derivation of the equation only accounts for the impingement of spherulites in pairs and does not allow for multiple impingements. This limits its fit to less than the total primary crystallization. The effect on nonrandom centering of spherulites is discussed.     

Poly[methyl(phenyl)silanediyl] modified with dansyl fluorophore: Synthesis and photophysics

The syntheses and photophysical properties of novel luminescent polysilanes modified with dansyl fluorophores on various spacer (PMPSi‐n‐DNS) are reported. The modified polysilanes were prepared by condensation reaction of dansyl amines, such as 5‐(dimethylamino)naphthalene‐1‐sulfonohydrazide or N‐(ω‐aminoalkyl)‐5‐(dimethylamino)naphthalene‐1‐sulfonamides with formylated poly[methyl(phenyl)silanediyl], yielding Schiff bases. The aldehyde groups were incorporated into the parent polymer by a one‐step reaction with dichloromethyl methyl ether in the presence of Lewis acid. Influence of the alkyl chain length (n) on the photophysical properties was investigated using absorption, steady‐state, and time‐resolved photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The excitation energy transfer from the polysilane backbone to dansyl fluorophore was proved. PL decay dynamics revealed the existence of more than one excited species. In solution, the decay curves of PMPSi‐DNS (no spacer) were double exponential, whereas for PMPSi‐n‐DNS (with spacer), and, in thin films, the decays were three‐exponential. Polymer light‐emitting devices (LEDs) were prepared from the blends of modified polysilane with electroluminescent polymer poly[2,5‐dimethoxy‐1,4‐phenylene‐1,2‐ethenylene‐2‐methoxy‐5‐(2‐ethylhexyloxy)‐(1,4‐phenylene‐1,2‐ethenylene)] (M3EH‐PPV). Compared with LED made of neat electroluminescent polymer, a significant performance improvement of blend LEDs was demonstrated. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Heterogeneous nucleation of crystallization of high polymers from the melt. II. Aspects of transcrystallinity and nucleation density

In the initial stage of the development of transcrystallinity, nuclei appear sporadically on the substrate. The growth rate and melting temperature of the transcrystalline region are found to be the same as those of spherulites nucleated in the bulk of the polymer. Nucleation densities n_s at the interface, and n_b in bulk, for the crystallization of isotactic polypropylene, poly(ethylene oxide), and poly(butene-1) in contact with various substrates, have been measured by counting the number of spherulites generated. Despite variations in the results from various causes, the quantities n_s and n_s/n_b are useful parameters for characterizing the nucleating ability of various substrates.     

Free poly(l‐lactic acid) spherulites grown from thermally induced phase separation and crystallization kinetics

Free poly(L‐lactic acid) (PLLA) sheaves and spherulites were prepared by thermally induced phase separation method from its tetrahydrofuran solution without the assistance of other additives. The effects of variables such as polymer concentration, quenching temperature and time on the morphology of PLLA spherulites were studied. The morphology, size, degree of crystallinity, and crystal structure of spherulites were characterized by SEM, DSC and XRD, and so forth. No obvious sheaves or spherulites were observed at quenching temperature of 8 and 0 °C, whereas sheaves composed of fluffy nanofibers with diameter of about 250 nm were formed at quenching temperature range of ?10 to ?40 °C. With increasing quenching time, the PLLA morphology changed from small sheaves to big sheaves (cauliflower‐like) to spherulites. Low concentration (3 and 5 wt %) solutions were favorable for the formation of sheaves, whereas high concentration (7 wt %) solution as good for the formation of spherulites. The mechanism for the formation of PLLA sheaves or spherulites was examined by the isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization of PLLA/tetrahydrofuran solutions using DSC. The Avrami equation was used to analyze the data and good linear double‐logarithmic plots were obtained. The Avrami exponent n and rate constant K indicated the crystal growth mechanism was intermediate between completely instantaneous and completely sporadic types of nucleation and growth, and the spherulites were there dimensional. Compared to the spherulites embedded in the bulky film obtained from the melt processing, this study provided a feasible technique for the fabrication of free PLLA spherulites. The PLLA spherulites composed of fluffy nanofibers with a high porosity (≥90%) may be potentially applied as functional materials such as catalyst support, adsorption and biomedical materials, and so forth. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 1476–1489     

Functionalization and further crosslinking of the nicalon polycarbosilane based on its metalation with the n-butyllithium—postassium t-butoxide reagent

Reaction of the Nicalon polycarbosilane with the n-BuLi/Me₃COK reagent resulted in metalation of approximately one CH₂ group in four. Reaction of the metalated polymer with Me₂ (CH₂ = CH)SiCl gave a Me₂(CH₂ = CH)Si-substitued Nicalon polycarbosilane. The polymer was heated with different amounts of the [(MeSiH)_～0.8(MeSi)_～0.2]_n polysilane in the presence of azobisisobutyronitrile in refluxing benezene. Hydrosilylation by the Si? H-containing polysilane of the CH₂?CH groups of the Me₂(CH₂?CH) Si-substituted Nicalon polycarbosilane gave a new hybrid polymer (when appropriate quantities of reactant polymers were used) whose pyrolyis in a stream of argon to 1000°C left a ceramic residue in 77% yield whose elemental analysis indicated a nominal composition of 91% by weight SiC and 9% C.     

Quantum‐chemical approach to the solvatochromic transition in polysilane derivatives

We approached the solvatochromic transition observed in polysilane derivatives (poly[bis(4‐propoxybutyl)silylene] (PPBS)) from the standpoint of various quantum chemical treatments. It was found from conventional geometry optimizations at the levels of semiempirical and ab initio molecular orbital methods that a protonation to polysilane oligomers with side chain R = ? OCH₃ results in the conformational change of Si‐backbone to a trans‐zigzag structure. Using the Elongation method, which was developed for efficient calculations of huge systems, it was demonstrated that a protonation could change the conformation of Si‐backbone to a trans‐zigzag structure over 10–14 Si atoms. In addition, ab initio calculations showed that the positive charge of a proton can delocalize into the Si‐backbone through a long side chain in PPBS. Positively charged polysilane oligomers provide a rotational barrier that prefers a trans‐zigzag structure, whereas neutral oligomers have a barrier that results to a random structure. This unique behavior of the charged polysilane oligomers should not be disregarded in understanding the mechanism of the solvatochromic transition in PPBS. In ab initio configuration interaction/Mφller‐Plesset through‐space/bond interaction analysis, it was found that such a unique behavior of the rotational barrier in polysilane oligomers could be explained by the effect of orbital delocalization through σ‐conjugation on the Si‐backbone. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 119–133, 2006     

Formation of interpenetrated spherulites based on miscible crystalline polymer blends

The morphology and formation process of interpenetrated spherulites of poly(butylene succinate)/poly(vinylidene choloride‐co‐vinyl chloride) (PBSU/PVDCVC) blends were investigated by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). CLSM images showed that the dense fibrils of PBSU spherulites penetrated into the sparse PVDCVC spherulites. For a blend with PBSU content 50% and crystallization temperature T_c = 368 K, the simultaneous growth of PBSU and PVDCVC spherulites was observed. After PBSU fibrils collided with PVDCVC spherulites, they kept growing through PVDCVC spherulites. For a blend with PBSU content 30% and T_c = 363 K, PBSU started to nucleate after PVDCVC spherulites filled the whole space.     

A novel synthetic strategy to develop second‐order nonlinear optical polysilanes for potential photorefractive effects

A novel strategy to develop polysilanes functionalized with a high density of nonlinear optical chromophores has been explored. Thus a polysilane with phenyl and N,N‐dialkylsubstituted aniline as pendant groups was synthesized under standard conditions for the Wurtz reductive coupling, and the post azo coupling of p‐nitrobenzenediazonium fluoroborate towards the aniline groups afforded a dispersed red (DR) chromophore‐functionalized polysilane (P2). The poled film of P2 reveals a resonant d₃₃ value of 19 pm/V by second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements.     

The effect of spherulitic truncation on small-angle light scattering

The effects of spherulitic truncation on the H_v small-angle light-scattering (SALS) patterns are determined by computer simulation of spherulite nucleation and growth. The simulation is carried out for simultaneous and sporadic nucleation of two-dimensional spherulites and simultaneous nucleation of three-dimensional spherulites. The scattered intensity differences between truncated spherulites and round spherulites are determined as functions of the type of growth and the volume (or area) fraction of spherulites. Methods for the determination of certain geometrical characteristics of spherulites systems by SALS are developed. These characteristics include the volume (or area). fraction of spherulites, the average spherulite radius, and the average spherulite volume (or area). The results of this study are essential in the quantitative analysis of H_v SALS from spherulitic systems. The simulation process is readily extendable to the examination of other morphological phenomena by SALS.     

Determination of ab initio polarizabilities of polymers: Application to polyethylene and polysilane

An ab initio method for calculating the longitudinal linear polarizability of polymeric chains is described. This method is equivalent to an uncoupled Hartree–Fock scheme. It is applied to polyethylene and polysilane in minimal STO-3G and extended 4-31G basis sets. The study describes important techniques for solving the difficulties met in actual calculations: band reordering of the band structures, calculation of analytical derivatives of the energy bands ?_n(k) and LCAO coefficients c_np(k), and errors caused by the improper lattice sum truncations of the Hartree–Fock matrix.     

The effect of molecular weight on the crystallization kinetics and equilibrium melting temperature of poly(tetramethylene ether glycol)

Isothermal crystallization of poly(tetramethylene ether glycol) (PTMEG) with relatively low molecular weight (M_n = 991, 2004 and 2864, respectively) was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, and the equilibrium melting temperature (T) determined using the Hoffman–Weeks analysis. The crystallization kinetics of PTMEG were characterized using an Avrami analysis. Mechanistic n values ranged from 2.2 to 2.9 for the primary crystallization process for three molecular weight grades, indicating heterogeneous nucleation of spherulites. Polarized light microscopy confirmed that PTMEG crystallized by the growth of spherulites from heterogeneous nuclei. The half–life for crystallization (t_1/2) and the composite rate constant were found to be dependent on the degree of supercooling (ΔT) and the molecular weight. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of poly(butylene succinate) crystals on spherulitic growth of poly(ethylene oxide) in binary blends of the two substances

The effects of the lamellar growth direction, extinction rings, and spherulitic boundaries of poly(butylene succinate) (PBSU) on the spherulitic growth of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) were investigated in miscible blends of the two crystalline polymers. In the crystallization process from a homogeneous melt, PBSU first developed volume‐filling spherulites, and then PEO spherulites nucleated and grew inside the PBSU spherulites. The lamellar growth direction of PEO was identical with that of PBSU even when the PBSU content was about 5 wt %. PEO, which intrinsically does not exhibit banded spherulites, showed apparent extinction rings inside the banded spherulites of PBSU. The growth rate of a PEO spherulite, G_PEO, was influenced not only by the blend composition and the crystallization temperature of PEO, but also by the growth direction with respect to PBSU lamellae, the boundaries of PBSU spherulites, and the crystallization temperature of PBSU, T_PBSU. The value of G_PEO first increased with decreasing T_PBSU when a PEO spherulite grew inside a single PBSU spherulite. Then, G_PEO decreased when T_PBSU was further decreased and a PEO spherulite grew through many tiny PBSU spherulites. This behavior was discussed based on the aforementioned factors affecting G_PEO. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 539–547, 2009     

Synthesis of poly(γ-methoxypropylmethylsilylene) and poly(γ-methoxypropylmethylsilylene-co-di-n-hexylsilylene)

The synthesis of γ;-methoxypropylmethyldichlorosilane, and its subsequent polymerization and copolymerization with di;-n;-hexyldichlorosilane through the reductive coupling with sodium has been accomplished. The resulting polymers contain methyl ether side groups that allow further synthetic transformations on the polysilane backbone. For poly (γ;-methoxypropylmethylsilylene) these groups impart solubility characteristics different than typical alkyl and aryl substituted polysilanes. These new polymers and copolymers have been characterized by GPC and ¹H-, ¹³C-, and ²⁹Si-NMR. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Effect of poly(butylene succinate) on the morphology evolution of poly(vinylidene fluoride) in their blends

The effect of PBS on the morphological features of PVDF has been investigated by optical and atomic force microscopies under various conditions.It was found that neat PVDF forms largeγform spherulites with extraordinarily weak birefringence at 170℃.Adding 30%PBS makes PVDF exhibit intrigued flower-like spherulitic morphology.The growth mechanism was explained by the decrease of the supercooling and the materials dissipation.Increasing the PBS content to 70%favors the formation of ring banded spherulites.Temperature dependent experiments verify theα→γphase transition occurs from the junction sites of theαandγcrystals,while starts from the centers ofαspherulites in the blends.Ring banded structures could be observed in neat PVDF,70/30 blend and 30/70 blend when crystallized at 155℃,withoutγcrystals.The band period of PVDFαspherulites increases with crystallization temperature as well as the amount of PBS content.At 140℃,spherulites in neat PVDF lose their ring banded feature,while coarse spherulites consisting of evident lamellar bundles could be found in 30/70 blend.     

Miscibility enhancement and formation of interpenetrating spherulites in ternary blends of crystalline polymers

Miscible blends of three crystalline polymers, namely poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), poly(ethylene succinate) (PES), and poly(oxyethylene) (POE), exhibited interpenetrating spherulites, where a spherulite of one component grows inside the spherulites of other components. PBS and PES were immiscible above the melting points, T_m, of these substances, while ternary blends with POE showed miscibility, which depended on the molecular weight of POE. PBS and PES exhibited the same spherulitic growth process as in a miscible binary blend when they were crystallized from a homogeneous ternary melt. Spherulites of PBS, which is the highest‐T_m component, filled the whole volume first when a miscible ternary blend was quenched below T_m of POE, the lowest‐T_m component. Then, the blends showed either two types of crystallization processes. One was successive nucleation and growth of PES and POE spherulites, that is, PES nucleated and developed spherulites inside the PBS spherulites and then POE spherulites grew inside the interlocked spherulites of PBS and PES. The other was simultaneous growth and the formation of interpenetrating spherulites of PES and POE inside the PBS spherulites. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 706–711, 2010     

Crystalline morphology of a thermotropic aromatic polyester crystallized from nematic melt

The crystalline morphology of a thermotropic aromatic polyester crystallized from a nematic melt was investigtated by means of polarized optical microscopy (POM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Due to POM measurements it was found that spherulites of two different types are formed within the two different temperature regions. When T_c was exceeding 170°C, spherulites of type‐1 showing a negative birefringence grew with a radial fibrillar morphology and exhibited a clear Maltese‐cross pattern. The radius growth rate of type‐1 spherulites was about 2.2 μm/min at 185°C. When T_c was smaller than 160°C, spherulites of type‐2 were formed and exhibited a radially outward growing structure but no evident Maltese‐cross pattern. These spherulites could be seen by the naked eyes due to their size reaching several millimeters. SEM observations revealed that the spherulites of type‐1 exhibited a ripple‐like homocentric morphology with periodical compact fibrils having a diameter of about 150 nm perpendicular to the radial direction. In contrast, the spherulites of type‐2 exhibited, as apparent from performed SEM images, radially growing crystallites of about 500 nm in size with no periodicity in the radial direction.     

Correlation of crack patterns and ring bands in spherulites of low molecular weight poly(<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-lactic acid)

Only a single type of circular circumferential crack is conventionally reported for poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA). In this study, PLLA samples were found to exhibit as many as four crack types of different directions and patterns, which cannot be feasibly explained simply by the directional difference in coefficients of thermal expansion. Depending on crystallization temperature (T _c), PLLA crystallizes into ringless or ring-banded spherulites, whereas the crack patterns are dramatically different in these two types of spherulites. In ring-banded spherulites of PLLA crystallized at intermediate T _c, two uniquely different crack types are present: (1) twin circumferential cracks coinciding with the dark–bright and bright–dark boundary and (2) radial short-segmental voids coinciding on the bright bands in spherulites. The radial short-segmental cracks on the bright band of ring-banded spherulites may be caused by PLLA crystals of radial direction with various twisting that contract laterally upon cooling. Only circumferential cracks are present in PLLA crystallized into ringless spherulites, where concentric continuous circumferential cracks are present in the ringless spherulites at low T _c with finer lamellae, but discontinuous and irregular circumferential cracks are present in the ringless spherulites at high T _c with coarse lamellae. Although all cracks are triggered by cooling from T _c, all evidences indicate that the crack patterns and types are highly associated with the lamellar orientation, patterns, and coarseness in spherulites.     

长链分子超极化率的单元平均值和差分值的不同渐近性质

由于电子离域, 长链体系的轴向超极化率随链长增长而增加, 直到达到饱和. 由于不能计算无限长体系的超极化率, 需要对有限的数据用函数拟合, 再根据拟合函数外推求得饱和值. 每单元超极化率有两种表示方法, 于是有两个拟合函数γ(n)/n＝a＋b/n＋c/n²和γ(n)－γ(n－1)＝a＋b/n＋c/n². 用聚乙烯、氢分子链、聚乙炔和长链硅烷为例, 表明后者在链增长时没有正确的渐近行为. 其原因是后者与γ(n)的一个含有对数项的拟合函数等价, 而这个对数项是不需要的.     

Molecular architecture and conformation of macromolecules of novel polysilanes

Molecular-weight parameters of new silane homo- and copolymers were analyzed. For all polymers, theM _w values are close ((6.0–8.6)·10⁴), the curves of molecular weight distribution are unimodal, andM _w/M _n=2−2.5. Cyclic fragments or those containing the −C=C− groups make the major contribution to the polysilane chain rigidity. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 12, pp. 2430–2433, December, 1998.