Temperature dependence of the activation volume in a nonlinear optical polymer: Evidence for chromophore reorientation induced by sub-Tg relaxations

Second harmonic generation (SHG) was used to measure the temperature dependence of the reorientation activation volume of 4-(diethylamino)-4′-nitrotolane (DEANT) in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The decay of the SHG signal from films of DEANT/PMMA was recorded at hydrostatic pressures up to 3060 atm and at different temperatures between 25°C below the glass transition temperature to 35°C above it. The activation volume, ΔV*_αβ associated with the long range α-type motion of the polymer remained constant at 213 ± 10 ų between T_g − 25°C and T_g + 10°C. At higher temperatures, ΔV*_αβ decreased linearly with increasing temperature. The activation volume, ΔV*_αβ, associated with short range secondary relaxations was constant over the entire temperature range with a value of 77 ± 10 ų. The data suggest that above T_g chromophore reorientation is coupled to both the long range and local motions of the polymer; whereas, well below T_g chromophore reorientation is closely coupled to the local relaxations of the polymer. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 901–911, 1998     

Activation volumes associated with chromophore reorientation in corona poled guest–host and side-chain polymers

The decay of the second-order optical susceptibility χ⁽²⁾ as a function of temperature and pressure has been studied in a variety of corona poled guest–host and side-chain polymeric materials using second harmonic generation (SHG). The specific systems studied include the side-chain copolymer poly(disperse red 1 methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) (DR1-MMA) as well as the series of guest–host materials formed by individually dissolving the dyes Disperse Red 1 (DR1), Disperse Orange 3 (DO3), and N,N dimethyl-p-nitroaniline (DpNA) in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), and polystyrene (PS). In each of these systems, the observed relaxation of χ⁽²⁾ can be represented by a Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts stretched exponential, from which the decay time τ and decay distribution width β are determined. For pressures up to approximately 1000 atm, the natural log of the pressure shift factor is seen to vary linearly with applied pressure, yielding the activation volume for rotational reorientation of the chromophores in each system. The activation volumes are loosely correlated with dopant size in a given polymer host, but are not the same for a given dopant in different hosts. Modeling the chromophores as rotating cylinders, we show that the measured activation volumes do not correspond to the average volume swept out by the dye molecules as they reorient. On the other hand, the activation volumes for each of the three dyes dissolved in PS are seen to be in agreement with the measured activation volumes for the molecular motions associated with volume recovery in neat PS. Moreover, the activation volumes for DR1 and DpNA dissolved in PS are seen to correlate with the proposed couplings between the rotational reorientation of DR1 and the α-relaxation dynamics of PS and the slight decoupling of DpNA from the α-transition motion of PS. This correlation suggests a possible relationship between the activation volumes for chromophore reorientation and the size of the components of the host polymer or the volume swept through by the polymer components during structural reconfiguration. We demonstrate that assuming activation volumes for chromophore reorientation to be related to the size or motion of the polymer host constituents yields a consistent interpretation of the observed trends in the measured activation volumes. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Block copolymer mediated synthesis of amphiphilic gold nanoparticles in water and an aqueous tetrahydrofuran medium: An approach for the preparation of polymer–gold nanocomposites

The synthesis of polymer‐matrix‐compatible amphiphilic gold (Au) nanoparticles with well‐defined triblock polymer poly[2‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]‐b‐poly(methyl methacrylate)‐b‐poly[2‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] and diblock polymers poly(methyl methacrylate)‐b‐poly[2‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate], polystyrene‐b‐poly[2‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate], and poly(t‐butyl methacrylate)‐b‐poly[2‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] in water and in aqueous tetrahydrofuran (tetrahydrofuran/H₂O = 20:1 v/v) at room temperature is reported. All these amphiphilic block copolymers were synthesized with atom transfer radical polymerization. The variations of the position of the plasmon resonance band and the core diameter of such block copolymer functionalized Au particles with the variation of the surface functionality, solvent, and molecular weight of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts of the block copolymers were systematically studied. Different types of polymer–Au nanocomposite films [poly(methyl methacrylate)–Au, poly(t‐butyl methacrylate)–Au, polystyrene–Au, poly(vinyl alcohol)–Au, and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)–Au] were prepared through the blending of appropriate functionalized Au nanoparticles with the respective polymer matrices {e.g., blending poly[2‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]‐b‐poly(methyl methacrylate)‐b‐poly[2‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate‐stabilized Au with the poly(methyl methacrylate)matrix only}. The compatibility of specific block copolymer modified Au nanoparticles with a specific homopolymer matrix was determined by a combination of ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry analyses. The facile formation of polymer–Au nanocomposites with a specific block copolymer stabilized Au particle was attributed to the good compatibility of block copolymer coated Au particles with a specific polymer matrix. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1841–1854, 2006     

嵌段共聚物PDMAEMA-b-PCL的合成、修饰及其水溶液性质研究

通过甲基丙烯酸N,N-二甲氨基乙酯(dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate)和环己内酯(ε-caprolactone)之间的连续阴离子聚合, 合成了末端含有氨基的聚甲基丙烯酸N,N-二甲氨基乙酯-嵌段-聚己内酯的双亲性嵌段共聚物(PDMAEMA-b-PCL). 为了增强生物相容性, 通过末端氨基与D-葡萄糖酸内酯(D-gluconolactone)的酰胺化反应对该共聚物进行糖基修饰. 合成的共聚物的化学结构用氢核磁共振光谱(¹H NMR)和红外光谱(IR)进行表征, 聚合物的分子量分布采用凝胶色谱(GPC)测定, 该嵌段共聚物在水溶液中的自组装行为则借助于动态光散射(DLS)进行了研究.     

Crystal-amorphous interphases in binary semicrystalline/amorphous polymer blends

Crystal-amorphous interphases in binary polymer blends that are miscible in the melts but phase separate due to crystallization of one polymer have been investigated theoretically by employing lattice models and experimentally by dielectric spectroscopy measurements. Theory predicts the extent of tight adjacent re-entry to depend strongly on the energy E_q disfavoring the tight-fold conformations and to increase slightly with favorable interaction energy - χ_AB in the blends. The interfacial region of varying composition is predicted to depend strongly on χ_AB, with the interfacial thickness varying with the reciprocal of |χ_AB|^1/2. Therefore, in the limit χ_AB → 0 the amorphous polymer, which is miscible in the melt, is predicted to be completely excluded from the interlamellar region, in agreement with experimental results. Dielectric relaxation experiments on semicrystalline blends of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) show the existence of nearly pure PVDF interphase which is not penetrated by PMMA or PVP, despite their strongly favorable interactions with PVDF. These experimental results are discussed and compared with theoretical predictions.     

Effect of pressure and temperature on chromophore reorientation in a side-chain nonlinear optical polymer

Second harmonic generation (SHG) was used to measure the temperature dependence of the reorientation activation volume of the side-chain copolymer poly(disperse red 1 methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) (DR1-MMA). The decay of the SHG signal from poled films of DR1-MMA was recorded at hydrostatic pressures up to 3060 atm and at different temperatures between 25°C below the glass transition temperature (T_g) to 35°C above it. The activation volume, ΔV^*, decreased with increasing temperature. The data suggests that the coupling between chromophore reorientation and the long-range motion of the polymer is stronger for the DR1-MMA side-chain system than in previously measured guest–host systems. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 2793–2803, 1998     

Helix-sense-selective polymerization of phenyl[bis(2-pyridyl)]methyl methacrylate and chiral recognition ability of the polymer

A novel monomer, phenyl[bis(2-pyridyl)]methyl methacrylate (PB2PyMA), was synthesized. The solvolysis rate of PB2PyMA measured in CDCl₃–CD₃ OD [1/1 (v/v)] by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy at 35°C was much smaller than those of triphenylmethyl methacrylate (TrMA) and diphenyl-2-pyridylmethyl methacrylate (D2PyMA). PB2PyMA was anionically polymerized with the complexes of organolithiums with (?)-sparteine (Sp), (S,S)-(+)-and (R,R)?(-)-2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-bis(dimethylamino)butanes[(+)-and (?) -DDB], and (S)-(+)-1-(2-pyrrolidinylmethyl) pyrrolidine (PMP) in toluene at low temperature. The polymers obtained with Sp and DDB complexes showed low optical activity. PMP complexes, particularly that with N,N′-diphenylethylenediamine monolithium amide, were effective in synthesizing a polymer of high optical rotation ([α]²⁵₃₆₅ ～ +1350°) which was comparable to those of poly(TrMA) and poly(D2PyMA) with one-handed helical structure. The optical rotation of poly(PB2PyMA) in a mixture of CHCl₃ and 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (9/1, v/v) slowly decreased with time. Optically active poly(PB2PyMA) coated on macroporous silica gel was able to resolve racemic compounds as a chiral stationary phase for high-performance liquid chromatography. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Amphiphilic conetworks. II. Novel two‐step synthesis of poly[2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]–polyisobutylene,poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)–polyisobutylene,and poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide)–polyisobutylene hydrogels

Amphiphilic polymer conetworks consisting of hydrophilic poly[2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate], poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide), or poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide) and hydrophobic polyisobutylene chains were synthesized with a novel two‐step procedure. In the first step, a methacrylate‐multifunctional polyisobutylene crosslinker was prepared by the cationic copolymerization of isobutylene with 3‐isopropenyl‐α,α‐dimethylbenzyl isocyanate. In the second step, the methacrylate‐multifunctional polyisobutylene crosslinker, with a number‐average molecular weight of 8200 and an average functionality of approximately 4 per chain, was copolymerized radically with 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate, N‐isopropylacrylamide, or N,N‐dimethylacrylamide into transparent amphiphilic conetworks containing 42–47 mol % hydrophilic monomer. The synthesized conetworks were characterized with solid‐state ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The amphiphilic nature of the conetworks was proved by swelling in both water and n‐heptane. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6378–6384, 2006     

Peculiarities of electric field alignment of nonlinear optical chromophores incorporated into thin film polymer matrix

The electric field poling process of free-standing films of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix doped with the nonlinear optical compound 4-(dimethylamino)-4'-nitrostilbene (DMANS) was investigated by molecular simulation methods. The influence of the vacuum/bulk interfacial regions on static and dynamic properties, including the glass transition temperature T_g and the field-induced chromophore reorientation, was studied by employing films of three different thicknesses and by comparison with previous work on the bulk system. The interfacial region, defined as the region, where the local density increases from zero to the bulk density, is about 2 nm wide, independent of the film thickness. T_g decreases with decreasing film thickness, in accord with previous experimental work and theoretical predictions. The resistance against field-induced chromophore reorientation in the liquid state is found to increase strongly with the film thickness.     

Polar anchoring strengths of nematic liquid crystal on high-density polymer brush surfaces

ABSTRACT

Herein, the polar anchoring energy coefficient (A_θ) of nematic liquid crystal (NLC) was examined for high-density polymer brushes via capacitance measurements. The A_θ is 10^?4 J m^?2 for the brushes of poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate) and poly(styrene). The value decreases to 10^?5 J m^?2 for poly(n-butyl methacrylate) and poly(hexyl methacrylate) with lower glass transition temperatures. However, each polymer brush displays a constant A_θ value over a temperature range of ?15°C to 90°C, which is hardly affected by the graft density and brush thickness. At 25°C, A_θ is 10 times greater than the corresponding azimuthal anchoring energy coefficient (A_φ); therefore, NLCs on polymer brushes can be preferentially aligned along the in-plane component of the applied field.     

Ion conductivity studies of blends of poly(methyl methacrylate)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(ethylene glycol) complexed with LiCF3 SO3

Polymer electrolytes which are adhesive, transparent, and stable to atmospheric moisture have been prepared by blending poly(methyl methacrylate)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) with poly(ethylene glycol)/LiCF₃ SO₃ complexes. The maximum ionic conductivities at room temperature were measured to be in the range of 10⁻⁴ to 10⁻⁵ s cm⁻¹. The clarity of the sample was improved as the graft degree increased for all the samples studied. The graft degree of poly(methyl methacrylate)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) was found to be important for the compatibility between the poly(methyl methacrylate) segments in poly(methyl methacrylate)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) and the added poly(ethylene glycol), and consequently, for the ion conductivity of the polymer electrolyte. These properties make them promising candidates for polymer electrolytes in electrochromic devices. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Mechanism of thermal decolorization of benzospirans in some amorphous polymeric matrices

The photochromic effect has been investigated for three compounds of the benzospiran group dissolved in amorphous polymers: poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(n-butyl methacrylate), poly(vinyl acetate), and poly(vinyl n-butyrate). The kinetics of the thermal bleaching reaction above T_g of the matrix follow a first-order equation due to the averaging of free volume distribution related to the diffusion of segments in viscoelastic state. A more complex mechanism of decolorization below T_g has been considered from the point of view of unequal, discrete distribution of environments in which the photochromic molecules exist in the glassy matrix. A change of the activation energy and the mechanism of color decay on passing through T_g is not a rule (PVB), which shows, that for a polymer having long, flexible chains, secondary glass transition phenomena play a decisive role. In the case of glassy polymers (PMMA), the photochromic effect of benzospirans may be employed to determine T_β. It seems, that in addition to steric restrictions for trans–cis isomerization in the decolorization process one must consider the interactions of photochromic molecules with the matrix as well as their chemical nature.     

Bound fractions of methacrylate polymers adsorbed on silica using FTIR

The H‐bonding of carbonyl groups on a series of methacrylate polymers with silanols on fumed silica was studied with transmission FTIR. The set included poly(alkyl methacrylates) with alkyl groups, (n‐C_nH_2n+1) of n = 1, 2, 4, and 12 and poly(benzyl methacrylate). Shifts in the vibrational frequencies for bound carbonyl groups (of ～20 cm^?1 lower than those found in the bulk) were observed in the adsorbed polymer samples. A series of samples with different adsorbed amounts (varying from 0.5 to 2.0 mg m^?2) of each polymer was prepared to determine the effect of the side chain on the H‐bonding. The fractions of bound carbonyls, p, for each of the methacrylate polymers studied, were calculated from a model based on the ratios of the absorption coefficients of the bound to free carbonyl resonances, X (= α_b/α_f). The X values were determined from linear regressions of the ratios of the free to bound carbonyl intensities as a function of the amounts of adsorbed polymer, M_t. The bound fractions, p, were observed to decrease with increase in adsorbed amounts and with increase in the lengths of the side chains of the methacrylate polymers, except for poly(lauryl methacrylate) (PLMA). PLMA has a very low glass transition temperature (T_g) and is likely rubbery on the surface, whereas the other polymers are likely glassy at ambient temperature. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 1911–1918, 2010     

Well‐defined poly[(dimethylamimo)ethyl methacrylate]‐b‐poly(fluoroalkyl methacrylate) diblock copolymers: Effects of different fluoroalkyl groups on the solution properties

A series of well‐defined, fluorinated diblock copolymers, poly[2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]‐b‐poly(2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl methacrylate) (PDMA‐b‐PTFMA), poly[2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]‐b‐poly(2,2,3,4,4,4‐hexafluorobutyl methacrylate) (PDMA‐b‐PHFMA), and poly[2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]‐b‐poly(2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5‐octafluoropentyl methacrylate) (PDMA‐b‐POFMA), have been synthesized successfully via oxyanion‐initiated polymerization. Potassium benzyl alcoholate (BzO^?K⁺) was used to initiate DMA monomer to yield the first block PDMA. If not quenched, the first living chain could be subsequently used to initiate a feed F‐monomer (such as TFMA, HFMA, or OFMA) to produce diblock copolymers containing different poly(fluoroalkyl methacrylate) moieties. The composition and chemical structure of these fluorinated copolymers were confirmed by ¹H NMR, ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) techniques. The solution behaviors of these copolymers containing (tri‐, hexa‐, or octa‐ F‐atom)FMA were investigated by the measurements of surface tension, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and UV spectrophotometer. The results indicate that these fluorinated copolymers possess relatively high surface activity, especially at neutral media. Moreover, the DLS and UV measurements showed that these fluorinated diblock copolymers possess distinct pH/temperature‐responsive properties, depending not only on the PDMA segment but also on the fluoroalkyl structure of the FMA units. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 2702–2712, 2009     

Nonlinear optical polymers. Second harmonic generation in corona-poled thin films

The synthesis and second harmonic coefficients, d_3,1 and d_3,3 as well as the related susceptibilities χ⁽²⁾_zzz of five series of (NLO-dye methacrylate)-(methyl methacrylate) copolymers were investigated. The NLO-chromophores bound covalently to the polymer backbone were 5-(2,2-dicyanovinyl)-or 4-(2-cyano-2-methoxycarbonyl)vinyl-1-piperidino-2-thiophene (P₁ and P₂), 4-nitro-4′-alkoxy-stilbene (P₃), 4-nitro-3′-methoxy-4′-alkoxystilbene (P₄) and 4-nitro-4′-alkoxy-α-cyano stilbene (P₅). The second order nonlinear optical properties of corona-poled aligned thin polymer films, using a needle electrode in order to induce noncentrosymmetry, were evaluated. Nonlinear susceptibilities, χ⁽²⁾_zzz, of the films were derived from the analysis of full-angle Maker fringe patterns at 1064 nm, χ⁽²⁾_zzz values as high as 1.98×10⁻⁷ esu for P₂ copolymers and of 1.19×10⁻⁷ esu for P₃ copolymers could be achieved.     

Polymers of α- and β-substituted acrylates with controlled structures

Isotactic and syndiotactic living polymerizations of methacrylates with t-C₄H₉MgBr and t-C₄H₉Li-R₃Al (Al/Li≥2), respectively, were utilized to prepare highly stereoregular block and random copolymers, stereoblock PMMAs, highly branched star polymers with stereoregular arms, stereoregular PMMA macromonomers with methacryloyl functions and stereoregular comblike and graft polymers derived therefrom. A combination of t-C₄H₉Li and bis(2,6-di-t-butylphenoxy) methylaluminum was found to be an efficient initiator for heterotactic living polymerization of methacrylates in toluene at −78°C; e.g. ethyl methacrylate gave a polymer with mr content of 87%. Polymerization of triphenylmefhyl crotonate (TrC) with fluorenyllithium (FILi)/N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine in toluene at −78°C gave a threodiisotactic polymer with narrow MWD, whose stereochemistry was confirmed from the x-ray analysis of the pentamer of methyl crotonate (MeC) derived from the TrC pentamer and ¹H NMR spectral comparison of the pentamer and the poly(MeC). The poly(TrC) prepared with FILi/(S,S)-(+)-2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-bis(dimethylamino) butane also gave a threodiisotactic polymer which showed optical activity due to the one-handed helix. Polymerization of t-butyl crotonate was also discussed in some detail.     

Synthesis of amphiphilic block copolymer consisting of glycopolymer and poly(l‐lactide) and preparation of sugar‐coated polymer aggregates

The block glycopolymer, poly(2‐(α‐d ‐mannopyranosyloxy)ethyl methacrylate)‐b‐poly(l ‐lactide) (PManEMA‐b‐PLLA), was synthesized via a coupling approach. PLLA having an ethynyl group was successfully synthesized via ring‐opening polymerization using 2‐propyn‐1‐ol as an initiator. The ethynyl functionality of the resulting polymer was confirmed by MALDI‐TOF mass spectroscopy. In contrast, PManEMA having an azide group was prepared via AGET ATRP using 2‐azidopropyl 2‐bromo‐2‐methylpropanoate as an initiator. The azide functionality of the resulting polymer was confirmed by IR spectroscopy. The Cu(I)‐catalyzed 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition between PLLA and PManEMA was performed to afford PManEMA‐b‐PLLA. The block structure was confirmed by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography. The aggregating properties of the block glycopolymer, PManEMA_16k‐b‐PLLA_6.4k (M _n,PManEMA = 16,000, M _n,PLLA = 6400) was examined by ¹H NMR spectroscopy, fluorometry using pyrene, and dynamic light scattering. The block glycopolymer formed complicated aggregates at concentrations above 21 mg·L^?1 in water. The d ‐mannose presenting property of the aggregates was also characterized by turbidimetric assay using concanavalin A. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55 , 395–403     

Synthesis of a well‐defined polyallene‐based amphiphilic graft copolymer via sequential living coordination polymerization and SET‐LRP

A well‐defined amphiphilic graft copolymer, poly(6‐methyl‐1,2‐heptadien‐4‐ol)‐g‐poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PMHDO‐g‐PDMAEMA), has been synthesized by the combination of living coordination polymerization, single electron transfer‐living radical polymerization (SET‐LRP), and the grafting‐from strategy. PMHDO backbone containing double bonds and pendant hydroxyls was first prepared by [(η³‐allyl)NiOCOCF₃]₂‐initiated living coordination polymerization of 6‐methyl‐1,2‐heptadien‐4‐ol (MHDO) followed by treating the pendant hydroxyls with 2‐chloropropionyl chloride to give PMHDO‐Cl macroinitiator. SET‐LRP of 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) was performed in THF/H₂O using PMHDO‐Cl as macroinitiator and CuCl/Me₆TREN as catalytic system to afford the well‐defined PMHDO‐g‐PDMAEMA graft copolymer with a narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n = 1.28). The grafting density was as high as 92%. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) in water was determined by fluorescence probe technique and the micellar morphology was preliminarily explored by transmission electron microscopy. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Synthesis and properties of mesogen‐jacketed liquid crystalline polymers containing bistolane mesogen

On the basis of the concept of mesogen‐jacketed liquid crystalline polymers, a series of new methacrylate monomers, (2,5‐bis[2‐(4′‐alkoxyphenyl) ethynyl] benzyl methacrylate (MACn, n = 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12) and 2,5‐bis[2‐(6′‐decanoxynaphthyl) ethynyl] benzyl methacrylate (MANC10), and their polymers, PMACn (n = 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12) and PMANC10 were synthesized. The bistolane mesogen with large π‐electron conjugation were side‐attached to the polymer backbone via short linkages. Various characterization techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, and polarized light microscopy were used to study their mesomorphic phase behavior. The polymer PMACn with shorter flexible substituents (n = 4) forms the columnar nematic (?_N) phase, but other polymers with longer flexible tails (n = 6, 8, 10, and 12) can develop into a smetic A (S_A) phase instead of a ?_N phase. The PMANC10 containing naphthyl can also form a well‐defined S_A phase. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Synthesis of Thermo‐Responsive Polymers With Both Tunable UCST and LCST

New water‐soluble block copolymers of 2‐(2‐methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate (MEO₂MA), oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (OEGMA), and N‐(3‐(dimethylamino) propyl) methacrylamide (DMAPMA) (poly(OEGMA‐co‐MEO₂MA)‐b‐poly(DMAPMA)) were prepared via sequential reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Selective quaternization of poly(DMAPMA) block gives poly(OEGMA‐co‐MEO₂MA)‐b‐poly((3‐[N‐(3‐methacrylamidopropyl)‐N,N‐dimethyl]ammoniopropane sulfonate)‐co‐N‐(3‐(dimethylamino) propyl) methacrylamide), such block copolymer exhibits double thermo‐responsive behavior in water, poly(MEO₂MA‐co‐OEGMA) block shows a lower critical solution temperature (LCST), and poly((3‐[N‐(3‐methacrylamidopropyl)‐N,N‐dimethyl]ammoniopropane sulfonate)‐co‐N‐(3‐(dimethylamino) propyl) methacrylamide) block shows a upper critical solution temperature (UCST). Both of LCST and UCST can be controlled: LCST could be tuned by the fraction of OEGMA units in poly(OEGMA‐co‐MEO₂MA), and UCST was found to be dependent on the degree of quaternization (DQ).