Syntheses and radical polymerizations of optically active (meth)acrylamides having amino acid moieties

Syntheses and radical polymerizations of several (meth)acrylamides having L -amino acid moieties were examined. The monomers were prepared by the reactions of L -amino acid ester hydrochlorides with (meth)acryloyl chloride in the presence of triethylamine in satisfactory yields. Radical polymerizations of the monomers were carried out in the presence of AIBN (1 mol %) in bulk and in several solvents to afford the corresponding polymers in satisfactory yield. The glass transition temperatures and specific rotations of the polymers depended on the substituents of the L -amino acid moieties. Nearly the same specific rotations were observed for the monomers and the model compounds of the polymer units, N-pivaloyl amino acid methyl esters. On the contrary, the specific rotations of the polymers shifted to the negative direction in ca. 30°. The interaction between the polymer side chains might affect the changes in the specific rotations from monomers to polymers. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 2619–2629, 1997     

Crosslinking of hyaluronic acid with glutaraldehyde

Hyaluronic acid (HA) was chemically crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (GA) to produce water-insoluble films having low water contents when brought into contact with water. The crosslinking reaction was performed using uncrosslinked HA films in acetone–water mixtures. This method could produce water-insoluble HA films with water contents as low as 60 wt % when subjected to swelling with phosphate-buffered saline of pH 7.4 at 37°C. This 60 wt % water content was lower than any values for HA ever reported. There was an optimal HCl concentration around 0.01N for the HA crosslinking with GA in acetone—water mixtures. To get information on the crosslinking mechanism, alginic acid, which possesses hydroxyl and carboxyl groups in one molecule, similar to HA, and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and amylopectin, which possess only hydroxyl groups, were subjected to crosslinking with GA. PVA and amylopectin were also found to become water-insoluble after reaction with GA. On the basis of the infrared spectra of these crosslinked films, it was concluded that intermolecular formation of hemiacetal bonds with GA between the hydroxyl groups belonging to different HA molecules led to crosslinking. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 3553–3559, 1997     

Physicochemical characterization of chemical hydrogels based on PVA

In this paper, we report on the physicochemical characterization of hydrogels recently obtained by crosslinking poly (vinylalcohol), PVA, with telechelic PVA (telPVA, bearing terminal aldehydic groups) via acetalization in aqueous solution. These gels were studied by equilibrium swelling, compression modulus measurements, and proton relaxometry experiments. Swelling and compression modulus data allow to estimate the average molecular weight of PVA chain between crosslinks, the average mesh size of the networks, and the polymer–solvent interaction parameter χ₁. The average mesh size of PVA‐telPVA compares well with domain dimensions of diffusionally confined water as detected by NMR relaxometry. Proton relaxometry also showed different network domains in which water is compartmentalized, indicating a complex heterogeneity. The study of the temperature behavior of the nuclear spin–spin relaxation times of the confined water was also considered. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 1225–1233, 1999     

Dynamic mechanical and dielectrical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(vinyl alcohol)‐based nanocomposites

In this article we report on the investigation of the dynamics of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and PVA‐based composite films by means of dielectric spectroscopy and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. Once the characterization of pure PVA was done, we studied the effect of a nanostructured magnetic filler (nanosized CoFe₂O₄ particles homogeneously dispersed within a sulfonated polystyrene matrix) on the dynamics of PVA. Our results suggest that the α‐relaxation process, corresponding to the glass transition of PVA, is affected by the filler. The glass‐transition temperature of PVA increases with filler content up to compositions of around 10 wt %, probably as a result of polymer–filler interactions that reduce the polymer chain mobility. For filler contents higher than 10 wt %, the glass‐transition temperature of PVA decreases as a result of the absorption of water that causes a plasticizing effect. The β‐ and γ‐relaxation processes of PVA are not affected by the filler as stated from both dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and dielectric spectroscopy. Nevertheless, both relaxation processes are greatly affected by the moisture content. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 1968–1975, 2001     

Synthesis and characterization of biodegradable network hydrogels having both hydrophobic and hydrophilic components with controlled swelling behavior

A new class of biodegradable hydrogels, consisting of hydrophobic poly(D ,L )lactic acid (PDLLA) and hydrophilic dextran segments with a polymer network structure, was synthesized with UV photopolymerization. Unsaturated vinyl groups first were introduced onto the PDLLA and dextran polymer backbones, then followed by a crosslinking reaction of diacrylate-terminated PDLLA and dextran acrylate. The chemical crosslinking forced the hydrophobic PDLLA and hydrophilic dextran segments to mix with each other in the network hydrogels. The new polymers were characterized by standard polymer characterization methods such as NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and gel permeation chromatography. The effects of reaction time, temperature, and molar ratio of the reactants on the incorporation of acrylate onto the polymer backbone were examined. A series of hydrogels with different dextran/PDLLA composition ratios was prepared, and their swelling behaviors were studied. These new bicomponent network hydrogels had a wide range of hydrophilicity to hydrophobicity that was difficult to achieve in totally hydrophilic hydrogels. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 4554–4569, 1999     

Photocrosslinked methacrylated poly(vinyl alcohol)/hydroxyapatite nanocomposite hydrogels with enhanced mechanical strength and cell adhesion

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels with high water content, good load‐bearing property, low frictional behavior as well as excellent biocompatibility have been considered as promising cartilage replacement materials. However, the lack of sufficient mechanical properties and cell adhesion are two critical barriers for their application as cartilage substitutes. To address these problems, herein, methacrylated PVA with low degree of substitution of methacryloyl group has been synthesized first. Then, methacrylated PVA‐glycidyl methacrylate/hydroxyapatite (PVA‐GMA/Hap) nanocomposite hydrogels have been developed by the photopolymerization approach subsequently. Markedly, both pure PVA‐GMA hydrogel and PVA‐GMA/Hap nanocomposite hydrogels exhibit excellent performance in compressive tests, and they are undamaged during compressive stress–strain tests. Moreover, compared to pure PVA‐GMA hydrogels, 8.5‐fold, 7.4‐fold, and 14.2‐fold increase in fracture stress, Young's modulus and toughness, respectively, can be obtained for PVA‐GMA/Hap nanocomposite hydrogels with 10 wt % Hap nanoparticles. These enhancements can be ascribed to the intrinsic property of PVA‐GMA and strong hydrogen bonding interactions between PVA‐GMA chain and Hap nanoparticles. More interestingly, significant improvement in the cell adhesion can also be successfully achieved by incorporation of Hap nanoparticles. These biocompatible nanocomposite hydrogels have great potential to be used as cartilage substitutes. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1882–1889     

High water content clay–nanocomposite hydrogels incorporating guanidinium‐pendant methacrylamide: Tuning of mechanical and swelling properties by supramolecular approach

Novel clay–polymer composite hydrogels with high water content (up to 98 wt %) are developed, in which mechanical properties are reinforced by the formation of multiple ion‐pairs between the polymer chains and clay nanosheets (CNS). When a small amount of guanidinium‐pendant methacrylamide (0.1–0.2 wt %) is copolymerized with a neutral monomer (0.5–2.0 wt %) in an aqueous dispersion of CNS (1.0–3.0 wt %), a self‐standing hydrogel with satisfactory mechanical toughness and elasticity results, despite its high water content (95–98 wt %). The mechanical properties and swelling behaviors of the hydrogels can be tuned by the amount of the guanidinium‐pendant acrylamide. A systematic study indicates that the ion pairs, formed between the guanidinium groups in the polymer chains and the oxyanions on the surfaces of the CNS, serve as crosslinking points in the three‐dimensional network developed in these hydrogels. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 839–847     

Understanding the effect of skin formation on the removal of solvents from semicrystalline polymers

The effect of glassy skin formation on the drying of semicrystalline polymers was investigated with a comprehensive mathematical model developed for multicomponent systems. Polymers with high glass‐transition temperatures can become rubbery at room temperature under the influence of solvents. As the solvents are removed from the polymer, a glassy skin can form and continue to develop. The model takes into account the effects of diffusion‐induced polymer crystallization as well as glassy–rubbery transitions on the overall solvent content and polymer crystallinity. A Vrentas–Duda free‐volume‐based diffusion scheme and crystallization kinetics were used in our model. The polymer–solvent system chosen was a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)–water–methanol system. The drying kinetics of PVA films were obtained by gravimetric methods with swollen films with known water/methanol concentrations. The overall drying behaviors of the polymer system determined by our model and experimental methods were compared and found to match well. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 3191–3204, 2005     

A simple FTIR spectroscopic method for the determination of the lower critical solution temperature of N‐isopropylacrylamide copolymers and related hydrogels

Linear and crosslinked polymers based on N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) exhibit unusual thermal properties. Aqueous solutions of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) phase‐separate upon heating above a lower critical solution temperature (LCST), whereas related hydrogels undergo a swelling–shrinking transition at an LCST. A linear copolymer made of NIPAAm/acryloxysuccinimide (98/2 mol/mol) and two hydrogels with different hydrophilicities were prepared. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was employed to determine the transition temperature and provide insights into the molecular details of the transition via probing of characteristic bands as a function of temperature. The FTIR spectroscopy method described here allowed the determination of the transition temperature for both the linear and crosslinked polymers. The transition temperatures for PNIPAAm and the gel resulting from the crosslinking with polylysine or N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) were in the same range, 30–35 °C. For the gels, the transition temperature increased with the hydrophilicity of the polymer matrix. The spectral changes observed at the LCST were similar for the free chains and the hydrogels, implying a similar molecular reorganization during the transition. The C H stretching region suggests that the N‐isopropyl groups and the backbone both underwent conformational changes and became more ordered upon heating above the LCST. An analysis of the amide I band suggests that the amide groups of the linear polymer were mainly involved in hydrogen bonding with water molecules below the LCST, the chain being flexible and disordered in a water solution. During the transition, around 20% of these intermolecular hydrogen bonds between the polymer and water were broken and replaced by intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Similar changes were also observed at the LCST of a gel crosslinked with MBA. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 907–915, 2000     

NMR study of the structure and properties of poly(MMA-co-VP) crosslinked hydrogels

¹H- and ¹³C-NMR techniques were used to study the microscopic structure of NMA/VP copolymer hydrogels. Evidence was obtained for a plasticization effect of MMA chains by VP. An original ¹H-NMR approach revealed the existence of several types of water with various degree of bounding to the polymer network, a conclusion that is corroborated by a complementary ¹³C-NMR study. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3619–3625, 1997     

Understanding isothermal semicrystalline polymer drying: Mathematical models and experimental characterization

The drying mechanism of semicrystalline poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was investigated. PVA samples of various molecular weights were crystallized by annealing at temperatures slightly above the glass transition temperature of PVA, and swollen in water for different time periods. The water volume fraction in the sample was measured using a buoyancy technique. The samples were dried in air at constant temperatures, and the drying kinetics were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis. The change in degree of crystallinity of the swollen polymer during drying was measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as well as by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The degree of crystallinity of the samples increased during drying, which in turn was found to alter the drying rate. The drying kinetics were faster at higher temperatures, for lower molecular weights, and for lower degrees of crystallinity. A mathematical model was developed to predict drying rates of semicrystalline polymers by considering the crystallization kinetics during drying. The model predictions included the thickness of the polymer sample, the degree of crystallinity of the polymer, and the water weight loss as functions of drying time. Model predictions were found to agree reasonably well with the experimental results. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 2771–2780, 1998     

Thermosensitive lactitol-based polyether polyol (LPEP) hydrogels

A series of new thermosensitive polymer hydrogels were prepared by reacting acylated poly(ethylene glycol) bis(carboxymethyl) ether (PEGBCOCl) with lactitol-based polyether polyols (LPEP). The polyether polyols were generated from propoxylation of lactitol and have molecular weights ranging from 1337 to 4055 g/mol. The hydrogels absorb water up to 1000% of their dry weight and expel free water at temperatures at and above 30°C. The wide ranging swelling behavior and excellent thermosensitivity depend closely on the degree of crosslinking and the propylene oxide lengths in the polyols. Differential scanning calorimetry of the hydrogels showed two endotherms associated with the phase transitions of PO and EO segments in the hydrogel structures. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 979–984, 1998     

Polyelectrolyte multilayers prepared on hydrogel surfaces

Poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels were alternately immersed in aqueous solutions of oppositely charged polymers. The adsorption of the cationic dye methylene blue to the immersed hydrogels suggested the presence of a coating on the hydrogel surfaces. Static contact angles with an air bubble in water showed layer‐by‐layer growth of the films. The films could be transferred onto solid substrates for mechanical strength after the hydrogels were placed on the solid substrates, and this resulted in an estimation of the film thickness. The number of assembly steps could regulate the film thickness. We present here coatings of hydrogels with thin polymer films prepared by layer‐by‐layer assembly. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 1062–1067, 2005     

Blends of polyester having amino sulfonic acid moieties with poly(vinyl alcohol) and their metal complex formation

Polyester having amino sulfonic acid moieties (TBES) was prepared by a liquid/solid biphase polycondensation of terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) and N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (BES) in trimethyl phosphate (TMP) using triethylamine (TEA) as an acid acceptor. Blends of TBES with PVA and their metal complexes with Ni²⁺ and Co²⁺ ions were prepared. A strong interaction was observed between TBES and PVA. An electric conductivity of 10⁻⁶ S cm⁻¹ was attained for the blend films containing about 5 wt % water. A coordination structure with two chelate rings is proposed for the metal complex with Ni²⁺ and Co²⁺ ions when the molar ratio of amino sulfonic acid groups in TBES to metal ions is larger than 2. Polymer blends complexed with Ni²⁺ or Co²⁺ ions result in semi-interpenetrating polymer networks from chelate formation. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 3561–3569, 1997     

Synthesis of water‐soluble perylenediimide‐functionalized polymer through esterification with poly(vinyl alcohol)

A new material has been prepared by covalent attachment of a perylene derivative, N‐(carboxyphenyl)‐N′‐(8‐pentadecyl)perylene‐3,4:9,10‐bis(dicarboximide) (PDI‐COOH), to poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) by esterification. The perylenediimide (PDI)‐modified PVA polymers are soluble in water and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). This solubility is conferred to the insoluble perylene derivative by the water‐soluble polymer. The materials have been characterized by hydrogen‐nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectra, X‐ray diffraction, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirming the covalent attachment of the PDI to the polymer chains. The significant changes in the crystalline parameters and the thermal stability observed for the polymer after the esterification also confirm the covalent linkage with PDI. In addition, the PDI‐modified PVA shows good fluorescence both in solution (quantum yield ～0.2–0.25) and in solid suggesting that the PDI retains largely its photochemical and photophysical properties after immobilization. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3613–3622, 2010     

Relationships between nanostructure and thermomechanical properties in poly(vinyl alcohol)/montmorillonite nanocomposite with an entrapped polyelectrolyte

Poly(vinyl alcohol)/montmorillonite (PVA/MOM) hydrogels containing coacervated microparticles of sulfonated polyester (PES) were prepared by direct mixture of the components in water. The system was characterized by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA). The influence of PES and MOM on the microstructure of the nanocomposite hydrogels was established. The presence of PES causes a significant change on the crystallinity of PVA. Furthermore, the presence of MOM leads to a hierarchical nanostructure that also contributes to change the crystallinity of PVA. The results of structural investigation are correlated with the mechanical properties of the composites obtained by DMA. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 2618–2629, 2008     

Synthesis of thermosensitive hydrogels from acryloyloxyethyl trialkyl phosphonium chloride–N‐isopropylacrylamide–N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide terpolymers and their temperature dependence of water absorption

Thermosensitive polymer hydrogels were prepared by the copolymerization of three kinds of acryloyloxyethyl trialkyl phosphonium chlorides (AETRs) with alkyl chains of different lengths, with N‐isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAAm) and N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBAAm). The water content of the AETR–NIPAAm–MBAAm terpolymers obtained at molar ratios of the crosslinking agent greater than 2 decreased with increasing temperature and decreased sharply around 35 °C. However, the water contents of the AETR–NIPAAm–MBAAm (X/100/1) terpolymers obtained at a molar ratio of 1 of the crosslinking agent increased once with increasing temperature and then decreased from 3 to around 40 °C. The water contents of the AETR–NIPAAm–MBAAm (3/100/1 or 2) terpolymers decreased with the increasing length of alkyl chains in phosphonium groups in the terpolymers. The water contents of the AETR–NIPAAm–MBAAm terpolymers increased by the addition of a small amount of urea and then decreased with increasing urea concentration. However, the water contents decreased abruptly with the addition of NaCl. The AETR–NIPAAm–MBAAm terpolymers exhibited high adsorption for sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate but no adsorption for sodium benzene sulfonate. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 1505–1514, 2001     

Viscosity enhancement of complexed solutions formed through the complexation of nonionic water‐soluble polymers with chemically complementary structures in aqueous media

The intermacromolecular complexation of polymers with chemically complementary structures in aqueous media is a new approach to modifying polymer solutions, especially to enhance solution viscosity. In this study, complexed solutions formed through the hydrogen‐bonding complexation of several nonionic water‐soluble polymer pairs—poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) with polyacrylamide (PAM), PAM with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), PAA with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and PEO with PVA—were prepared, and the viscosity enhancement of the complexed solutions were studied with vision spectrophotometry and viscometry. The effects of the polymer concentration, polymer molecular weight, and pH value of the polymer solution on the intermacromolecular interactions were investigated through a comparison of the viscosity enhancement factor R of different complexed solutions. The results show that the viscosity of the PAA/PAM complexed solution is much higher than that of its constituents, whereas that of the PAM/PEO and the PAA/PVA complexed solutions are between the viscosities of their constituents but are higher than the theory values calculated from the blending rule of two polymer solutions. These results indicate that in the complexed solutions there exist interactions between the macromolecules with chemically complementary structures, although the interactions are quite different for the different complexed systems. It is the interactions that lead to an association of the polymers and, hence, an obvious enhancement in the solution viscosity and the resistance of the polymer solutions to shearing. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1069–1077, 2000     

Multidimensional benzobisoxazole rigid-rod polymers. I. Preparation and characterization

Two- and three-dimensional rigid-rod polymers containing benzobisoxazole structures were prepared through the polycondensation in polyphosphoric acid of 4-[5-amino-6-hydroxybenzoxazol-2-yl]benzoic acid (ABA) with trimesic acid and 1,3,5,7-tetrakis(4-carboxylatophenyl)adamantane, respectively. Thermal properties of the polymers were determined by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric/mass spectral analysis, and isothermal aging studies. The multidimensional polymers exhibited lower solution viscosities and lower thermooxidative stabilities than the one-dimensional polymer generated by the homopolymerization of ABA under identical reaction conditions. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 3451–3456, 1997     

Properties of low temperature swelling hydrogels prepared with partially saponified PVA and drug release using the hydrogels

The hydrogels prepared by the crosslinking of partially saponified poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) which has low critical solution temperature (LCST) in water showed characteristics of swelling at low temperature and shrinkage at high temperature. The hydrogels showed repeatable swelling–shrinking behavior. The hydrogels containing release substances such as cyanocobalamin, p‐acetamidophenol, insulin and ovalbumin were prepared by dipping these aqueous solutions and the release substances were studied. Insulin and ovalbumin were not absorbed by the hydrogels when the use of partially PVA with the degrees of polymerization (DPs) of 540 were prepared, but absorbed by the hydrogels with DPs of 1860. The size of the polymer network prepared with a higher DP was suitable for the absorption of insulin and ovalbumin. In accordance with release substances, the release patterns were different. In this way, the polymer network sizes and their swelling behaviors of partially saponified PVAs were estimated. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.