Copolymers of methyl methacrylate with N‐trifluorophenyl maleimides: High glass transition temperature and low birefringence polymers

Copolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with 2,3,4‐ and 2,4,6‐trifluorophenyl maleimides (TFPMIs) were synthesized by a free radical initiator, azobisisobutyronitrile, in 1,4‐dioxane and also in bulk. The refractive indexes of the copolymers were in the range of 1.49–1.52 at 532 nm. The T_gs were 133–195 °C depending on copolymer compositions. In addition, the copolymers were thermally stable, T_d > 350 °C. The orientational and photoelastic birefringence of the copolymers were also investigated. As both of the orientational and photoelastic birefringences of PMMA are negative, whereas those of poly(TFPMI)s are positive, we could obtain nearly zero orientational and photoelastic birefringence polymers when the ratios of 2,3,4‐TFPMI/MMA were 15/85 and 5/95 mol %, respectively. For 2,4,6‐TFPMI, zero orientational and photoelastic birefringences could be obtained when the ratios of 2,4,6‐TFPMI/MMA were 12/88 and 3/97 mol %, respectively. The T_gs of those copolymers with zero birefringences were in the range of 135–140 °C. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Effect of trifluoromethyl substituents on birefringence of polystyrene

Transparent thermoplastic polymers that exhibit no birefringence are ideal for optical components such as optical films for liquid crystal displays and various lenses. Copolymerization of a positive birefringent monomer with a negative monomer is an effective technique for obtaining low birefringent polymers, especially zero‐photoelastic birefringence polymers that exhibit no photoelastic birefringence even during elastic deformation. We prepared four types of trifluoromethyl‐substituted polystyrenes. By substituting hydrogens at the ortho or meta positions of the benzene ring of polystyrene, we demonstrated that poly(2‐(trifluoromethyl)styrene), poly(3‐(trifluoromethyl)styrene), and poly(3,5‐bis(trifluoromethyl)styrene) had negative photoelastic coefficients. However, poly(4‐(trifluoromethyl)styrene) had a positive photoelastic coefficient similar to that of polystyrene. Based on these results, we synthesized a zero‐photoelastic birefringence polymer of poly(2‐(trifluoromethyl)styrene‐co‐4‐(trifluoromethyl)styrene) (55/45 wt.) exhibiting no photoelastic birefringence in elastic deformation, in which the positive photoelastic birefringence of the poly(4‐(trifluoromethyl)styrene) unit was compensated for by the negative photoelastic birefringence of the poly(2‐(trifluoromethyl)styrene) unit. The discovery of polymers having negative photoelastic coefficients is valuable for the design and synthesis of zero‐photoelastic birefringence polymers. The four types of trifluoromethyl‐substituted polystyrenes are promising optical materials because they have high transparency (transmittance > 89–92% for 27–34‐µm thickness films) in the visible and near‐infrared regions and a high decomposition temperature of approximately 400°C. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Molecular orientation of aromatic polycarbonates containing fluorene side chains by polarized infrared spectroscopy and birefringence analysis

The molecular orientation of an aromatic polycarbonate containing fluorene side chains was investigated by polarized infrared spectroscopy and birefringence analyses. The copolymers were synthesized from 2,2‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)propane (BPA), 9,9‐bis(4‐hydroxy‐3‐methylpheny)fluorene (BMPF), and phosgene by interfacial polycondensation. The 1449‐cm^?1 band of the uniaxially oriented films, stretched at the glass‐transition temperature (T_g) plus 5 °C, was assigned to various combinations of CC stretching and CH in‐plane bending vibrations in the fluorene ring, and the transition moment angle was estimated to be 90°. The intrinsic birefringence of aromatic polycarbonate films with BMPF molar ratios ranging from 0.5 to 1 was obtained with the 1449‐cm^?1 band. The copolymer was estimated to show zero intrinsic birefringence at the BMPF molar ratio of 0.75, and the BMPF homopolymer showed negative intrinsic birefringence. A linear relationship between the volume fraction of BMPF units and the intrinsic birefringence indicated that the two monomer units of BPA and BMPF in each copolymer were not independent, and an intrinsic birefringence could be defined even in the copolymer. The sign of the photoelastic coefficient in the homopolymer with BMPF units was positive. The different signs of the photoelastic coefficient and the intrinsic birefringence suggest that the fluorene side‐chain orientation induced by stress in the glass state is quite different from the orientation of the uniaxially oriented films stretched at T_g + 5 °C. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 1554–1562, 2003     

Mechanism of generation of photoelastic birefringence in methacrylate polymers for optical devices

We clarified the birefringence properties of poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl methacrylate), poly(isobutyl methacrylate), poly(cyclohexyl methacrylate), poly(isopropyl methacrylate), and poly(tert‐butyl methacrylate). We demonstrated that the conformational change in polymer molecules that causes orientational birefringence differs from that causing photoelastic birefringence. Orientational birefringence depends mainly on the orientation of the main chains of the methacrylate polymers above T_g. On the other hand, photoelastic birefringence in elastic deformation below T_g depends mainly on the orientation of the side chains while the main chains are scarcely oriented. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 2029–2037, 2010     

Photoelasticity of textured heterogeneous polymer materials

The photoelastic properties of textured polymer composites are considered for the high deformation limit. Photoelasticity equations for incompressible polymers are derived in the correlation function theory approximation. It is shown that the birefringence may be zero for critical stretching across the texture axis. This effect can be used to measure the dispersion of shear moduli of polymer composites. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Biobased Polymers via Radical Homopolymerization and Copolymerization of a Series of Terpenoid-Derived Conjugated Dienes with exo-Methylene and 6-Membered Ring

A series of exo-methylene 6-membered ring conjugated dienes, which are directly or indirectly obtained from terpenoids, such as β-phellandrene, carvone, piperitone, and verbenone, were radically polymerized. Although their radical homopolymerizations were very slow, radical copolymerizations proceeded well with various common vinyl monomers, such as methyl acrylate (MA), acrylonitrile (AN), methyl methacrylate (MMA), and styrene (St), resulting in copolymers with comparable incorporation ratios of bio-based cyclic conjugated monomer units ranging from 40 to 60 mol% at a 1:1 feed ratio. The monomer reactivity ratios when using AN as a comonomer were close to 0, whereas those with St were approximately 0.5 to 1, indicating that these diene monomers can be considered electron-rich monomers. Reversible addition fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) copolymerizations with MA, AN, MMA, and St were all successful when using S-cumyl-S’-butyl trithiocarbonate (CBTC) as the RAFT agent resulting in copolymers with controlled molecular weights. The copolymers obtained with AN, MMA, or St showed glass transition temperatures (T_g) similar to those of common vinyl polymers (T_g ~ 100 °C), indicating that biobased cyclic structures were successfully incorporated into commodity polymers without losing good thermal properties.     

Free-Radical Copolymerizations of N-Phenyl Maleimide

Free radical-initiated copolymerization of N-phenyl maleimide (NPMI) with styrene (St), vinyl acetate (VAc) and methyl meth-acrylate (MMA) at 35°C in benzene solution initiated by AIBN was studied. The copolymerization of NPMI and St yields a “nearly equimolecular” alternating copolymer, irrespective of monomer feed. Reactivity ratios of NPMI with St, VAc, and MMA were determined by a curve-fitting method which has the advantage of delivering values not involving personal judgement. Q₁ and e₁ values of NPMI were also calculated. Tentative explanations have been proposed to Interpret the “nearly alternating” copolymerization between NPMI and St. In addition, thermal stabilities of copolymers were studied by using a programmed thermo-gravimetric analysis technique. Copolymers of St, VAc, and MMA show a considerable increase in thermal stability with increasing content of NPMI. The glass transition temperatures of copolymers of NPMI with MMA and St were measured by differential scanning calorimetry. In both series of copolymers the glass transition temperature increases markedly with increasing in NPMI content. In the case of NPMI-St copolymers, the relative thermal stability as well as glass transition temperature also corroborated the nearly alternating behavior observed.     

Copolymerizations of alkyl methacrylates with vinyltriacetoxysilane

Copolymerizations of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and butyl methacrylate (BMA) with vinyltriacetoxysilane (VTAS) have been carried out in bulk at 70°. The compositions of the copolymers were determined from their silicon contents; the reactivity ratios were calculated by the Kelen-Tüdős method. For MMA/VTAS, r₁ = 7.75 ± 0.31 and for BMA/VTAS, r₁ = 4.62 ± 0.15; in both systems, r₂ is zero, indicating that VTAS does not homopolymerize under the experimental conditions. The influence of the silicon comonomer on properties of the copolymers, such as solubility annd thermal behaviour, was studied.     

Formation of hybrid wormlike micelles upon mixing cetyl trimethylammonium bromide with poly(methyl methacrylate-co-sodium styrene sulfonate) copolymers in aqueous solution

The association of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTAB, with a series of P(MMAx-co-SSNa) random copolymers of sodium styrene sulfonate (SSNa) with methyl methacrylate (MMA) was explored in aqueous solution as a function of the MMA molar content, x, of the copolymers. The polyelectrolyte/surfactant complexation in aqueous solution was verified through pyrene fluorescence probing. In addition, turbidimetry studies in dilute or more concentrated aqueous solutions elucidated the phase separation behavior of the P(MMAx-co-SSNa)/CTAB systems as a function of the copolymer composition x and the surfactant to polyelectrolyte mixing charge ratio. It is found that practically phase separation is completely suppressed within the studied mixing range when the MMA content of the copolymers is ～30-40 mol%. For lower MMA contents the polyelectrolyte/surfactant complex separates out from water, while for higher x values the solubility limits of the copolymers in water are attained. For the intermediate MMA contents, viscoelastic systems are obtained in more concentrated polymer/surfactant solutions provided that the polyelectrolyte is fully complexed with the cationic surfactant ((1)H NMR results). Moreover, the (1)H NMR studies indicate that hybrid P(MMAx-co-SSNa)/CTAB wormlike micelles are formed in water under these conditions. Finally, it is shown that addition of salt prevents syneresis problems and facilitates the rheological investigation.     

Copolymers from Castor Oil Prepolymers (COP). 4. Copolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate with COP

The copolymerization of castor oil prepolymer (COP) with methyl methacrylate (MMA) has been accomplished at 75°C using a free radical initiator. The monomer reactivity ratios of MMA (r₁) and COP (r₂) were determined to be r₁ = 3.04 and r₂ = 0.605. With an increasing concentration of COP in the binary mixture, copolymers with decreasing molecular weight were obtained. The copolymers obtained were powdery substances soluble in many organic solvents.     

Synthesis and characterization of poly (1‐vinyl‐3‐butylimidazolium‐co‐methyl methacrylate) gel polymer electrolytes for dye‐sensitized solar cells: Effect of structure and composition

Herein, three ionic liquid random copolymers (P) containing 1‐vinyl‐3‐butylimidazolium bromide (VBImBr) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) with various molar ratios were prepared using conventional free radical polymerization. Afterward, their corresponding chemically cross‐linked copolymers (XP) were formed similarly in the presence of polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate (PEGDMA). The synthesized copolymers were characterized using FT‐IR, ¹H NMR, and GPC. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) results showed that the rigidity and thermal stability of the copolymers depended on the ionic liquid content as well as the degree of cross‐linking. Gel polymer electrolytes were then prepared via obtained copolymers in the presence of a constant amount of synthesized imidazolium‐based ionic liquid. Among the copolymers, the P3 with in feed VBImBr:MMA molar ratio of 70:30 and the cross‐linked 1%‐XP3 copolymer prepared with 1 mol% of PEGDMA exhibited the highest conductivity and diffusion coefficients for I₃^¯ and I^¯. The power conversion efficiency of the optimized linear and cross‐linked copolymers (P3 and 1%‐XP3) under the simulated AM 1.5 solar spectrum irradiation at 100 mW cm^?2 were 3.49 and 4.13% in the fabricated dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), respectively. The superior long‐term stability and high performance of the gel electrolyte containing 1%‐XP3 suggested it as commercial gel electrolyte for future DSSCs.     

Effect of crosslinking on the photoinduced orientation of azo groups in thin polymer films

A series of amorphous copolymers containing disperse red 1 and crosslinkable acrylic groups were prepared. The crosslinked polymers were prepared in thin films by thermal polymerization of the acrylic groups in the copolymers. The orientation induced by irradiation with a linearly polarized laser was measured as birefringence at several temperatures, and the effect of crosslinking on the photoinduced orientation was investigated. Crosslinking enhanced the stability of the photoinduced birefringence. In particular, crosslinking helped to maintain the birefringence both at high temperatures and after the linearly polarized laser was turned off. The birefringence dynamics was analyzed with biexponential curve fitting. Crosslinking influenced not only the birefringence levels but also its rate of growth. The growth rate of the photoinduced birefringence decreased by crosslinking, whereas the relaxation was not significantly affected. Although crosslinking restrained the mobility of the azo chromophores, a certain fraction could orient or move randomly even in highly crosslinked polymer networks. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 1686–1696, 2001     

The thermal stability of copolymers of allyl alcohol with acrylonitrile and methyl methacrylate

Homopolymerization of allyl alcohol (AA) initiated by gamma rays and copolymerization of AA with methyl methacrylate (MMA) and acrylonitrile (AN) were investigated. The thermal stabilities of the homopolymers and copolymers were determined and their degradation activation energies calculated. The copolymers, P(AA/AN), obtained from AA + AN monomers were more stable thermally than those copolymers, P(AA/MMA), formed from AA + MMA monomer mixtures.     

Reactivity ratios and sequence structures of the copolymers prepared using photo‐induced copolymerization of MMA with MTMP

4‐Methacryloyl‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐piperidine (MTMP) was applied as reactive hindered amine piperidine. Photo‐induced copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA, M₁) with MTMP (M₂) was carried out in benzene solution at ambient temperature. The reactivity ratios for these monomers were measured by running a series of reactions at various feed ratios of initial monomers, and the monomer incorporation into copolymer was determined using ¹H NMR. Reactivity ratios of the MMA/MTMP system were measured to be r₁ = 0.37 and r₂ = 1.14 from extended Kelen‐Tüdos method. The results show that monomer MTMP prefers homopolymerization to copolymerization in the system, whereas monomer MMA prefers copolymerization to homopolymerization. Sequence structures of the MMA/MTMP copolymers were characterized using ¹H NMR. The results show that the sequence structure for the main chain of the MMA/MTMP copolymers is mainly composed of a syndiotactic configuration, only with a little heterotactic configuration. Three kinds of the sequences of rr, rr′, and lr′ in the syndiotactic configuration are found. The sequence‐length distribution in the MMA/MTMP copolymers is also obtained. For f₁ = 0.2, the monomer unit of MMA is mostly separated by MTMP units, and for f₁ = 0.6, the alternating tendency prevails and a large number of mono‐sequences are formed; further up to f₁ = 0.8, the monomer unit of MTMP with the sequence of one unit is interspersed among the chain of MMA. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Light-Induced Anisotropy in Azobenzene Doped Copolymer Films

In this study, an azobenzene dye, Dispersion Red 1 (DR1) was doped into the copolymers of methyl methacrylate(MMA) and butyl acrylate(BA) to obtain five bulk composites with varied ratios of methyl methacrylate to butyl acrylate. An experimental setup, in which the He-Ne laser produced signal beams and Ar⁺ laser, the pump beams was employed to investigate the photoinduced anisotropic properties of these samples. The results show that, the lower rigidity of the copolymers chains caused by the increased BA content would lead to a lower extent of birefringence for the samples. With the increased pump beam power, the extent of birefringence first slightly increased, reached a maximum value, and then decreased. These increases and then decreases would be caused by the co-effects of both orientation and saturation mechanism. On the other hand, the optical dichroism properties can be detected in the bulk samples with photoinduced anisotropic property. The birefringence and dichroism properties exhibited by the dye-doped bulk composites have great potential in optical devices and optical communication systems; in particular, these bulk polymeric materials are very important for three-dimensional optical applications.     

The flame-retardant material - 1. Studies on thermal characteristics and flame retardance behavior of phosphorus-containing copolymer of methyl methacrylate with 2-methacryloxyethyl phenyl phosphate

2-Methacryloxyethyl phenyl phosphate/methyl methacrylate (MEPP/MMA) copolymers were synthesized by the bulk polymerization of MMA in the presence of various amounts of MEPP. MEPP was prepared by the esterification of phenyl dichlorophosphate with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, followed by hydrolysis. Structural and compositional details of MEPP were obtained by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance, ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance, ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometer, as well as by elemental analysis. The monomer reactivity ratios of MEPP/MMA system were calculated by the methods of Fineman-Ross, Kelen-Tüdös, and Joshi-Joshi. The thermal degradation temperature of the MEPP/MMA copolymers was considerably enhanced by only a slight decrease in T_g, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis experiments. The fire-retardant properties of MEPP/MMA copolymers were also studied by LOI and UL-94 tests, indicating that an MEPP/MMA copolymer with only 2.17 wt% phosphorus can effectively inhibit burning.     

Copolymerization and Copolymers of 2,4,5-Tribromostyrene with Methyl Acrylate and Methyl Methacrylate

Abstract

2,4,5-Tribromostyrene (TBSt) was copolymerized with methyl acrylate (MA) or methyl methacrylate (MMA) in a toluene solution using 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as free radical initiator. The copolymerization reactivity ratios were found to be for the system TBSt / MA r₁= 7.4 ± 1.2 (TBSt) and r₂= 0.1 ± 1.4 (MA) and for the system TBSt / MMA r₁ = 1.8 ± 0.2 (TBSt) and r₂ = 0.1 ± 0.2 (MMA). The e and Q values were also calculated. The initial rate of copolymerization, as well as molecular weight of the obtained copolymers for both system linearly increase as the content of TBSt in the monomer mixture increases. Similar behavior has also been established for the course of the copolymerization reactions to high conversions. The resulting copolymers rapidly decompose at temperatures 20–800°C above the decomposition of corresponding (metha)crylate hompolymers. However, the glass transition temperature increases markedly with increasing TBS content.     

Synthesis and monomer reactivity ratios of methyl methacrylate and 2‐vinyl‐4,4′‐dimethylazlactone copolymers

We report the monomer reactivity ratios for copolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and a reactive monomer, 2‐vinyl‐4,4′‐dimethylazlactone (VDMA), using the Fineman–Ross, inverted Fineman–Ross, Kelen–Tudos, extended Kelen–Tudos, and Tidwell–Mortimer methods at low and high polymer conversions. Copolymers were obtained by radical polymerization initiated by 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile in methyl ethyl ketone solutions and were analyzed by NMR, gas chromatography (GC), and gel permeation chromatography. ¹H NMR analysis was used to determine the molar fractions of MMA and VDMA in the copolymers at both low and high conversions. GC analysis determined the molar fractions of the monomers at conversions of less than 27% and greater than 65% for the low‐ and high‐conversion copolymers, respectively. The reactivity ratios indicated a tendency toward random copolymerization, with a higher rate of consumption of VDMA at high conversions. For both low‐ and high‐conversion copolymers, the molecular weights increased with increasing molar fractions of VDMA, and this was consistent with the faster consumption of VDMA (compared with that of MMA). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3027–3037, 2003     

N-对溴苯基甲基丙烯酰胺的合成及其与甲基丙烯酸甲酯共聚合的研究

<正> 我们曾报道过甲基丙烯酸甲酯(MMA)与N-PhMA共聚合研究,指出共聚体与PMMA相比具有较高的耐热性和更好的耐水性。本文探讨了在N-苯基取代甲基丙烯酰胺中当本基上引入取代基时对单体反应活性的影响。实验结果表明,苯基上引入溴对单体的反应活性与共聚体性能有明显影响。 仅器与药品 甲基丙烯酸、苯甲酰氯、氯化亚砜、苯胺、三氯甲烷等均是化学纯,对溴     

Orientational and electro-optical properties of liquid crystal aligned with a directly spinnable carbon nanotube web

We investigated the orientational and electro-optical properties of a nematic liquid crystal (LC) aligned with a directly spinnable carbon nanotube (CNT) web functioning both as an electrode and as an alignment layer. The LC molecules were uniformly oriented along the drawing direction of the CNT web and the spatially averaged birefringence was comparable to a rubbed polyimide sample. The CNT web sample also showed smaller residual DC and hysteresis compared to the polyimide sample.