Preparation and liquid-crystalline properties of toluene-4-sulphonyl urethane of hydroxypropylcellulose

A novel liquid-crystalline polymer, the toluene-4-sulphonyl urethane of hydroxypropylcellulose (TSUHPC), was prepared through chemical modification of hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) of M_w = 60000 g mol^-1. The resulting polymer was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarizing microscopy. It was found that thermotropic liquid crystal phases are formed between about 60°C and 110°C. Concentrated solutions of TSUHPC in acetone and N,N-dimethylacetamide exhibit cholesteric behaviour, at room temperature. When approaching the lyotropic mesophase to solid transition, either by cooling or by solvent evaporation, very interesting arborescent structures of a seemingly fractal nature may be observed, depending on the kinetics of the transition. A banded texture can be observed when the polymer is sheared near the transition to the isotropic phase.     

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.     

Synthesis and nonlinear optical properties of novel Y‐type polyester containing tricyanovinylthiazolylazoresorcinoxy group with enhanced thermal stability of dipole alignment

Novel Y‐type polyester 4 containing 5‐methyl‐4‐{5‐(1,2,2‐tricyanovinyl)‐2‐thiazolylazo}resorcinoxy groups as nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores, which are parts of the polymer backbone, was prepared, and its NLO properties were investigated. Polyester 4 is soluble in common organic solvents such as N,N‐dimethylformamide and dimethylsulfoxide. Polymer 4 shows a thermal stability up to 250 °C from thermogravimetric analysis with glass‐transition temperature obtained from differential scanning calorimetry of approximately 94 °C. The second harmonic generation (SHG) coefficient (d₃₃) of poled polymer film at 1560‐nm fundamental wavelength is 8.12 × 10^?9 esu. The dipole alignment exhibits a thermal stability even at 6 °C higher than glass‐transition temperature (T_g), and no significant SHG decay is observed below 100 °C due to the partial main‐chain character of polymer structure, which is acceptable for NLO device applications. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(2,2-Dipropargyl-1,3-Propylene Benzaldehyde Acetal) Containing a Bulky Acetal Structure

Abstract

Poly(2,2-dipropargyl-1,3-propylene benzaldehyde acetal) (PDPBA), a cyclopolymer containing a bulky acetal functional group, was prepared with transition metal catalysts. MoCl₅ was found to be the most effective catalyst, and any cocatalyst effect was hardly observed. Polymerization was quantitatively carried out under mild conditions (30°C, M₀ = 0.125) with MoCl₅-based catalysts. The structure and physical properties of the resulting polymer were investigated. The spectral data indicated that the polymer contains alternating double and single bonds along the polymer backbone and a cyclic recurring unit with spiro acetal group. The polymer was completely soluble in common organic solvents. The M _n value of the polymer was in the 70,000 to 80,000 range relative to polystyrene standards by GPC. In addition, the polymer possessed good thermal and oxidative stability. The electrical conductivity of the undoped polymer was 10^?12 S/cm.     

Novel Crosslinked Guest-Host System with Stable Second-Order Nonlinearity

Abstract

An epoxy-based nonlinear optical (NLO) polymeric material incorporating 4-(4′-nitrophenylazo) phenylamine has been synthesized and subsequently functionalized with acryloyl groups. A glass transition temperature (T ₈)of 108°C and a degradation temperature (air) of 251°C were recorded. After crosslinking at 160°C for 2 hours, the T ₈ of the polymer increased to 146°C. In order to increase the nonlinear optical chromophore concentration and the crosslinking density, the crosslink-able NLO dye, 2,4-acryloyloxy (4′-phenylazo nitrobenzene), was processed and poled in this epoxy-based NLO material matrix in a manner similar to a typical guest-host system, and thermally crosslinked under the above condition in the poled phase. The crosslinked guest-host material was found to be amorphous with a T ₈ of approximately 132°C. It also exhibits a second-order nonlinear optical coefficient d ₃₃ of 14.14 pm/V at a maximum doping level of 33% by weight of the NLO dye, and retains 93% of its original d ₃₃ value after being subjected to thermal treatment at 100°C for 168 hours. The behavior of the crosslinked polymer and the crosslinked guest-host polymer is discussed.     

High-pressure calorimetric study of plasticization of poly(methyl methacrylate) by methane,ethylene, and carbon dioxide

Glass transition in the system poly(methyl methacrylate)/compressed gas was studied as a function of the gas pressure p using a high-pressure Tian-Calvet heat flow calorimeter. Measurements were made on PMMA-CH₄-C₂H₄, and ;-CO₂ at pressures to 200 atm. All three gases plasticize the polymer leading to depression of the glass transition temperature T_g. Trends in the T_g depression were the same as those reported for the solubility of these gases in PMMA; the higher the solubility the larger the depression in T_g. CO₂ was found to be the most effective plasticizer producing a depression of about 40°C at a pressure of about 37 atm. In the low-pressure limit, the pressure coefficient of the glass transition temperature (dT_g/dp) was found to be about −0.2°C atm^-1 for PMMA-CH₄, the same as that observed for polystyrene-CH₄. For PMMA-C₂H₄, the pressure coefficient was −0.7°C atm^-1, which is lower than the value of −0.9°C atm^-1 observed for PS-C₂H₄. The pressure coefficient for PMMA-CO₂ was found to be about −1.2°C atm^-1, which is larger than the value of −0.9°C atm^-1 observed for PS-CO₂. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and characterization of aromatic poly(ether ketone)s containing cyclotriphosphazene units

Bis(4-oxybenzoic acid) tetrakis(phenoxy) cyclotriphosphazene (IUPAC name: 4-[4-(carboxyphenoxy)-2,4,6,6-tetraphenoxy-1,3,5,2λ⁵,4λ⁵,6λ⁵-triazatriphosphinin-2-yl]oxy-benzoic acid) was synthesized and direct polycondensed with diphenylether or 1,4-diphenoxybenzene in Eaton's reagent at the temperature range of 80–120°C for 3 hours to give aromatic poly(ether ketone)s. Polycondensations at 120°C gave polymer of high molecular weight. Incorporation of cyclotriphosphazene groups in the aromatic poly(ether ketone) backbone greatly enhanced the solubility of these polymers in common organic polar solvents. Thermal stabilities by TGA for two polymer samples of polymer series ranged from 390 to 354°C in nitrogen at 10% weight loss and glass transition temperatures (T_g) ranged from 81.4 to 89.6°C by DSC. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1227–1232, 1998     

Deuterium Isotope Effect on Solution Behavior of Thermoresponsive Star-Shaped Poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline)

Thermosensitive star-shaped poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline) (molar mass M≈21000 g mol^?1) in D₂O solution was studied by the static and dynamic light scattering methods. The behavior of the polymer investigated in deuterated water is similar qualitatively to that observed previously in undeuterated water. At the same time, the considerable quantitative changes of polymer behavior in D₂O were seen. Deuterium substitution of solvent affects the phase transition temperature by decreasing its value by 1°C. The temperature interval of phase transition in D₂O solution expands (by about 1°C) in comparison with that in H₂O solution.     

Unperturbed dimensions of poly(9-vinyladenine)

The effect of base stacking interactions on the conformation of poly(9-vinyladenine) (PVAd) was investigated by osmometry, intrinsic viscosity, and light-scattering measurements. At neutral pH, ideal solution behavior (θ conditions) for this polymer was observed at 26 and 40°C. Intrinsic viscosity measurements revealed a conformational transition on heating from 26 to 40°C, while the ultraviolet absorbance of the solution was insensitive to the change. The transition was accompanied by an inversion in sign of the entropy parameter from negative to positive and an increase in the partial specific volume. At 40°, the variation of intrinsic viscosity with molecular weight corresponded to a random coil conformation, but the characteristic ratio, r?₀²/nl² = 8.6 ± 0.2 indicated that the unperturbed dimensions were smaller than usually observed for comparable vinyl polymers. At 26°, a rare macromolecular phenomenon was found, the intrinsic viscosity–molecular weight relation and the estimated r?₀²/nl² of 6.0–6.8 suggested that the PVAd was in a very highly compacted coil conformation, approaching a semirigid sphere. It is proposed that this effect be named the introversion phenomenon. Unlike polyadenylic acid, whose unperturbed dimensions increase with decreasing temperature due to nearest-neighbor base stacking, the results reported here suggest that both nearest-neighbor and long-range intramolecular base stacking occur in PVAd. The different stereochemical arrangements of bases in PVAd and Poly A are probably responsible for the opposite behavior observed.     

Synthesis and electro‐optic properties of novel X‐type polyurethane containing nitrophenylazonitroresorcinoxy group with highly enhanced thermal stability of dipole alignment

Novel X‐type polyurethane 4 containing 4‐(4‐nitrophenylazo)‐6‐nitroresorcinoxy groups as nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores, which are parts of the polymer main chains, was prepared and characterized. Polyurethane 4 is soluble in common organic solvents such as acetone and N,N‐dimethylformamide. It shows thermal stabilities up to 270 °C from thermogravimetric analysis with glass transition temperature obtained from differential scanning calorimetry of about 134 °C. The second harmonic generation (SHG) coefficient (d₃₃) of poled polymer film at 1064 nm fundamental wavelength is 5.37 × 10^?9 esu. Polymer 4 exhibits a thermal stability up to T_g, and no significant SHG decay is observed below 135 °C, which is acceptable for NLO device applications. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 760–766     

The design,synthesis, and nonlinear optical properties of novel X‐type polyurethane containing dicyanovinylnitroresorcinoxy group with enhanced SHG thermal stability

Novel X‐type polyurethane 5 containing 4‐(2′,2′‐dicyanovinyl)‐6‐nitroresorcinoxy groups as nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores, which constitute parts of the polymer backbone, was prepared and characterized. Polyurethane 5 is soluble in common organic solvents such as acetone and N,N‐dimethylformamide. It shows thermal stability up to 280 °C from thermogravimetric analysis with a glass transition temperature (T_g) obtained from differential scanning calorimetry thermogram of around 120 °C. The second harmonic generation (SHG) coefficient (d₃₃) of poled polymer film at 1064‐nm fundamental wavelength is around 6.12 × 10^?9 esu. The dipole alignment exhibits a thermal stability even at 5 °C higher than T_g, and there was no SHG decay below 125 °C due to the partial main chain character of the polymer structure, which is acceptable for NLO device applications. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Optically transparent,organosoluble poly(ether-amide)s bearing triptycene unit; synthesis and characterization

Abstract

Aromatic polyamides are famous high performance polymeric materials for their excellent thermal, mechanical, electrical properties, which now a days became a dominant platform for modern polymer chemistry area. Triptycene unit like structures in polymer directly affects the physiochemical properties of polymer, thus polyamides especially with triptycene unit in their backbone with aryl ether linkage imparts combination of properties such as better solubility, melts processing characteristics, and better thermal stability in contrast with those of polymers without an aryl-ether linkageNew triptycene-containing bis(ether amine), 1,4-bis(4-aminophenoxy), 2, 3-benzotriptycene (4a) was synthesized from nucleophilic displacement reactions of P-fluoronitrobenzene with 1,4-dihydroxytriptycene, followed by reduction, and elucidated by FTIR, ^1?H, ^13?C NMR spectroscopy and HRMS. A series of new polyamides containing pendant triptycene group and flexibilizing ether linkages was synthesized by polycondensation of diamine with commercially available aromatic diacischlorides viz., terephthalylchloride (TPC), isophthalylchloride (IPC) and varying molar mixture of TPC and IPC accordingly. Synthesized Poly(ether-amide)s were found soluble in common organic solvents such as chloroform, dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran, DMF, DMAc, DMSO also could be cast into excellent transperent thin films. Inherent viscosities of polyamides were in the range 0.44–0.57 dL/g. Polyamides exhibited initial decomposition temperature (T_i), glass transition temperatures (T_g) and temperature at 10% wt loss (t₁₀), which was determined by TGA were noted in the range 212?°C–305?°C, 295?°C –309?°C and 587?°C–631?°C respectively with 24%–54% char yeild at 900?°C under nitrogen atmosphere, indicating its better thermal stability and moderate glass transition temperature.     

Synthesis of transition‐metal‐ion‐selective poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels by the incorporation of an Aza crown ether

A functionalized cyclam was synthesized by the attachment of a polymerizable acryloyl group to one of the four nitrogens on the cyclam molecule. The polymerization of the functionalized cyclam was performed with N‐isopropylacrylamide and N,N′‐methylene bisacrylamide, and the gels obtained were studied in the presence of different transition‐metal‐ion solutions. There was a drastic difference in the phase‐transition temperature (T_c) of the poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm)/cyclam gel in comparison with the pure PNIPAAm gel. For the described system, a T_c shift of 15 °C was obtained. The presence of functionalized cyclam increased the hydrophilicity and T_c of the aforementioned polymer gels in deionized water (at pH 6) because of the presence of protonated amino moieties. The PNIPAAm/cyclam gels showed a dependence of the swelling behavior on pH. T_c of the pure PNIPAAm gel was weakly influenced by the presence of any transition‐metal ions, such as Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Mn²⁺. The addition of Cu²⁺ or Ni²⁺ to the PNIPAAm/cyclam gel reduced T_c of the polymer gel, and a shift of approximately 12 °C was observed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1594–1602, 2003     

Synthesis and characterization of polyoctenamer with WCl6?e−?Al?CH2Cl2 catalyst system via ring‐opening metathesis polymerization

A typical low‐strain monomer, cyclooctene, was polymerized via ring‐opening metathesis polymerization with electrochemically produced active species. The structural properties of the polyoctenamer were determined by NMR, gel‐permeation chromatography and differential scanning calorimetry. Analysis of the polyoctenamer microstructure by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy indicates that the polymer contains a highly cis stereoconfiguration of the double bonds (σ_c = 0.75). The resulting polymer is of low molecular weight and has a reasonably broad molecular weight distribution (M_w = 18 000, PDI = 1.9). The glass transition temperature and melting point of the polyoctenamer are ?11.3 °C and 36.5 °C respectively. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The influence of annealing on thermal transitions in a nematic copolyester

Thermal transitions of a glassy, main chain, liquid crystalline, random copolyester, HIQ‐40, have been characterized. HIQ‐40 is made from 40 mol percent p‐hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) and 30 mol % each of p‐hydroquinone (HQ) and isophthalic acid (IA). This polymer is soluble in organic solvents, permitting the preparation of thin, solution‐cast films that are in a glassy, metastable, optically isotropic state. On first heating of an isotropic HIQ‐40 film in a calorimeter, one glass transition is observed at low temperature (approximately 42°C), and is ascribed to the glass/rubber transition of the isotropic polymer. A cold crystallization exotherm centered near 150°C is observed. This is associated with the development of low levels of crystalline order. A broad melting endotherm is centered at about 310°C; this endotherm marks the melting of crystallites and the transformation to a nematic fluid. A nematic to isotropic transition was not observed by calorimetry. After quenching from the nematic melt, a T_g is observed in the range of 110–115°C and is associated with the glass/rubber transition of the nematically ordered polymer. Annealing optically isotropic films at temperatures above the isotropic glass transition results in the systematic development of axial order. In these annealed samples, T_g increases rapidly until it is near the annealing temperature, then T_g increases more slowly at longer annealing times. In as‐cast films annealed at 120–135°C, the light intensity transmitted through a sample held between crossed polarizers in an optical microscope (a qualitative measure of birefringence and, in turn, axial order) initially increases rapidly and uniformly throughout the sample and, at longer annealing times, approaches asymptotic values that are higher at higher annealing temperatures. The increase in transmitted intensity is ascribed to the development of axial order. The uniform increase in transmitted intensity suggests that ordering occurs by a rather global process and not via a nucleation and growth mechanism. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 505–522, 1999     

Synthesis,characterization and properties of a soluble polymer with a poly(phenylenevinylene) structure

Soluble poly(2,5-dialkoxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene) has been prepared via Stille coupling reaction between 2,5-dialkoxy-1,4-diiodobenzene and E-1,2-bis(tributylstannyl)-ethene in the presence of palladium complexes. Characterization of this material by means of ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), ultraviolet/visible (UV/VIS) and infrared (IR) spectra is described. Molecular weights, determined by means of gelpermeation chromatography (GPC) analysis and referred to standard polystyrene, were in the range number-average molecular weights M _n = 2061–2544 and weight-average molecular weights M _w = 3347–3878. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the polymer showed semicrystalline structure. T_g = 57°C, transition to a stable smectic mesophase at 115°C and clearing point at 210°C were revealed by differential scanning calorimetry analysis, optical microscopy observation and XRD of the annealed polymer.     

Transitions and relaxations in poly(1,4-phenylene ether)

Transitions and relaxation phenomena in poly(1,4-phenylene ether) were studied over temperature range from 100 to 800°K by applying a combination of calorimetric, dilatometric, dynamic mechanical, and dielectric techniques. Amorphous polymer, exhibiting no x-ray crystallinity, is obtained only by quenching molten samples at extremely fast cooling rates (ca. 1000°C/sec) and by minimizing thermal gradients within specimens. A weakly active mechanical relaxation region with a loss maximum at 155°K of unknown origin was observed. The glass transition interval of completely amorphous polymer is characterized by a discontinuous jump in heat capacity of 2.76 cal/deg per chain segment occurring at 363°K (corrected for kinetic effects), and a fourfold increase in the coefficient of linear thermal expansion. Strongly active, dynamic mechanical relaxations occur in the T_g interval with a loss maximum at 371°K (f = 110 cps) and resulting in a drop in the dynamic storage modulus from 10¹¹ to 10⁹ dyne/cm². Cold crystallization takes place just above T_g, to yield a polymer with an x-ray crystallinity of 0.7 and a heat of crystallization of 270 cal/mole. The crystalline polymer shows a complex melt structure. Depending upon the thermal history, multiple endothermic peaks indicative of structural reorganizations occur just prior to fusion. Very high dielectric losses with a wide distribution of relaxation times were observed in the melt interval. The mechanical relaxation spectrum in this region is typical of viscous flow behavior.     

Synthesis and nonlinear optical properties of novel Y‐type polyurethane containing tricyanovinylthiazole with enhanced thermal stability of second harmonic generation

A novel Y‐type poly[iminocarbonyloxyethyl‐5‐methyl‐4‐{2‐thiazolylazo‐4‐(1,2,2‐tricyanovinyl)}resorcinoxyethyloxycarbonylimino‐(3,3′‐dimethoxy‐4,4′‐biphenylene)] 4 containing 5‐methyl‐4‐{5‐(1,2,2‐tricyanovinyl)‐2‐thiazolylazo}resorcinoxy groups as nonlinear optical (NLO) chromophores, which constitute part of the polymer backbone, was prepared and characterized. Polyurethane 4 is soluble in common organic solvents such as acetone and N,N‐dimethylformamide. It showed a thermal stability up to 250 °C in thermogravimetric analysis thermogram and the glass‐transition temperature (T_g) obtained from differential scanning calorimetry thermogram was around 118 °C. The second harmonic generation coefficient (d₃₃) of poled polymer films at 1560 nm fundamental wavelength was around 8.43 × 10^?9 esu. The dipole alignment exhibited a thermal stability even at 12 °C higher than T_g, and there was no SHG decay below 130 °C due to the partial main‐chain character of the polymer structure, which is acceptable for NLO device applications. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1166–1172, 2010     

Novel Photosensitive Polymer: Synthesis,Characterization and Thermal Properties of Polymer having Pendant Photocrosslinkable Group

New methacrylic monomer having free radical polymerizable methacryloyl group and photocrosslinkable functional group was synthesized by reacting hydroxyl chalcone with methacryloyl chloride. The monomer was homopolymerized in methyl ethyl ketone solvent using benzoyl peroxide as an initiator at 70°C. The prepared homopolymer was characterized by UV, FT‐IR, ¹H‐NMR and ¹³C‐NMR spectra. The molecular weights (M_w and M_n) were estimated by gel permeation chromatography. The thermal stability of the polymer was measured by thermogravimetric analysis. The glass transition temperature of the polymer was determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The photocrosslinking property of the polymer was also studied.     

A new technique for measuring retrograde vitrification in polymer–gas systems and for making ultramicrocellular foams from the retrograde phase

A stepwise temperature‐ and pressure‐scanning thermal analysis method was developed to measure glass‐transition temperature T_g in the two‐phase polymer–gas systems as a function of gas pressure p, and was used to confirm recent theoretical predictions that certain polymer–gas systems exhibit retrograde vitrification, that is, they undergo rubber‐to‐glass transition on heating. A complete T_g‐p profile delineating the glass–rubber phase envelope was established for the PMMA‐CO₂ system. The retrograde vitrification behavior observed, where at certain gas pressures the polymer exists in the rubbery state at low and high temperatures and in the glassy state at intermediate temperatures, was similar to that reported previously based on the creep‐compliance measurements. The existence of the rubbery state at low temperatures was used to generate foams by saturating the polymer with CO₂ at 34 atm and at temperatures in the range −0.2 to 24 °C followed by foaming at temperatures in the range 24 to 90 °C. Foams with very fine cell structure never reported before could be prepared by this technique. For example, PMMA foams with average cell size of 0.35 μm and cell density of 4.4 × 10¹³ cells/g were prepared by processing the low temperature rubbery phase. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 716–725, 2000