Development of non-reactive fluorine-rich biphenyl molecules and their incorporation into a PDLC system

Novel highly fluorinated molecules containing biphenyl moieties were synthesized via N,N ′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide esterification reactions. Chemical structures were confirmed by FTIR, NMR and elemental analysis. These non-reactive fluorinated molecules were added in increasing concentrations to a pentaacrylate-based polymer dispersed liquid crystal formulation and thin films were made by homogeneous illumination with a white light source. Refractive index and dynamic scattering measurements, in addition to direct polymerization attempts, indicate that the fluorinated compounds are non-reactive in the photopolymerization process. Electro-optic measurements suggest that the fluorinated molecules preferentially occupy the interface between the crosslinked polymer matrix and the liquid crystal domains. As a consequence, threshold voltages are lowered and relaxation times increased.     

Development of non-reactive fluorine-rich biphenyl molecules and their incorporation into a PDLC system

Novel highly fluorinated molecules containing biphenyl moieties were synthesized via N , N '-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide esterification reactions. Chemical structures were confirmed by FTIR, NMR and elemental analysis. These non-reactive fluorinated molecules were added in increasing concentrations to a pentaacrylate-based polymer dispersed liquid crystal formulation and thin films were made by homogeneous illumination with a white light source. Refractive index and dynamic scattering measurements, in addition to direct polymerization attempts, indicate that the fluorinated compounds are non-reactive in the photopolymerization process. Electro-optic measurements suggest that the fluorinated molecules preferentially occupy the interface between the crosslinked polymer matrix and the liquid crystal domains. As a consequence, threshold voltages are lowered and relaxation times increased.     

乳液互穿网络型丙烯酸酯类热塑性弹性体的研究

以xPEA/xPSt和xPEA/xPSAN体系为例,考察多步种子乳液聚合法合成乳液互穿网络聚合物(LIPN)的合成条件,通过TEM观察了乳粒形态结构.xPEA在较低的交联度下,xPEA/xPSt(质量比75/25)和xPEA/xPSAN乳粒为一壳多核的反核壳结构,但是xPEA在较高的交联度下则生成核壳结构乳粒.DSC分析结果表明,在反核壳的乳粒中两种聚合物之间形成互穿网络(IPN)结构.考察了xPEA/xPSt体系LIPN型热塑性弹性体(TPE)的力学性能与互穿网络之间的关系及微相重组在材料力学性能中的作用.xPEA中TEGDA的质量分数为0.5%,xPSt中DVB的质量分数为0.15%时,材料性能最佳.     

Preparation and applications of novel fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomers/calcium carbonate nanocomposites

Calcium chloride reacted with sodium carbonate in the presence of a variety of self-assembled molecular aggregates formed by fluoroalkyl end-capped acrylic acid, 2-methacryloyloxyethane sulfonic acid, dimethylacrylamide, and acryloylmorpholine oligomers in aqueous solutions to afford the corresponding fluorinated oligomers/calcium carbonate composites in excellent to moderate isolated yields. These fluorinated calcium carbonate composites thus obtained were shown to have a good dispersibility not only in water but also in traditional organic media including fluorinated solvents. Dynamic light scattering measurements (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that these fluorinated composites are nanometer-size-controlled particles and well dispersed in these media. Cross-linked fluoroalkyl end-capped acrylic acid co-oligomer containing poly(oxyethylene) units was also applied to the preparation of new cross-linked fluorinated calcium carbonate nanocomposites under similar conditions. The obtained cross-linked fluorinated calcium carbonate nanocomposites were found to have an extremely higher dispersibility in aqueous and organic media including fluorinated solvents, compared to that of the corresponding fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomer nanocomposites. In particular, it was verified that these fluorinated calcium carbonate nanocomposites are applicable to the dispersion above poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) film surface. Interestingly, field-emission SEM (FE-SEM) images of the cross-section of the modified PMMA films showed that calcium carbonate particles dispersed into these PMMA films could be arranged regularly above the modified film surface. More interestingly, cross-linked fluorinated oligomeric aggregates were able to provide suitable host moieties for the crystallization of calcium carbonate.     

Preparation and surface properties of latexes with fluorine enriched in the shell by silicon monomer crosslinking

A series of core-shell acrylic copolymer latexes containing fluorine enriched in the shell have been prepared by emulsion polymerization of a variety of hydrocarbon monomers with (perfluoroalkyl)methyl methacrylate and vinyltriethoxysilicone. In the presence of a reactive anionic and a long chain anionic-nonionic emulsifier, the core-shell latexes were prepared and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (AFM). From AFM and contact angle measurements, it was observed that the resulting fluorine and silicon-containing acrylic copolymers with surface energy as low as 15.5 mN/m formed a dense and gradient film containing a surface layer with high a fluorine content, and that the fluorinated particles can be fixed on the surface due to the crosslinking reaction of multi-functional silicon monomer even though the fluorinated carbon number was not enough to crystallize.     

Preparation and applications of a variety of fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomer/hydroxyapatite composites

A variety of fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomers were applied to the preparation of fluorinated oligomer/hydroxyapatite (HAp) composites (particle size: 38-356 nm), which exhibit a good dispersibility in water and traditional organic solvents. These fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomer/HAp composites were easily prepared by the reactions of disodium hydrogen phosphate and calcium chloride in the presence of self-assembled molecular aggregates formed by fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomers in aqueous solutions. In these fluorinated HAp composites thus obtained, fluoroalkyl end-capped acrylic acid oligomers and 2-methacryloyloxyethanesulfonic acid oligomer/HAp nanocomposites afforded transparent colorless solutions toward water; however, fluoroalkyl end-capped N,N-dimethylacrylamide oligomer and acryloylmorpholine oligomer were found to afford transparent colorless solutions with trace amounts of white-colored HAp precipitants under similar conditions. HAp could be encapsulated more effectively into fluorinated 2-methacryloyloxyethanesulfonic acid oligomeric aggregate cores to afford colloidal stable fluorinated oligomer/HAp composites, compared to that of fluorinated acrylic acid oligomers. These fluorinated oligomer/HAp composites were applied to the surface modification of glass and PVA to exhibit a good oleophobicity imparted by fluorine. HAp formation was newly observed on the modified polyethylene terephthalate film surface treated with fluorinated 2-methacryloyloxyethanesulfonic acid oligomers and acrylic acid oligomer/HAp composites by soaking these films into the simulated body fluid.     

The formation and properties of acrylic‐polyurea interpenetrating networks formed by reaction injection moulding (RIM)

Interpenetrating networks (IPNs), comprising a crosslinked acrylic as one component and either a rubbery copoly(ether‐urea) or a glassy copoly(urea‐isocyanurate) as the other component, have been formed by reaction injection moulding (RIM). Reaction kinetics during RIM processing of the IPNs were studied using adiabatic temperature rise (ATR) measurements. The effects of (i) crosslinker concentration in the acrylic component and (ii) the weight fraction of acrylic, on the formation of the IPNs during RIM and on the dynamic mechanical properties of finally‐formed IPNS, were evaluated. The results are interpreted in terms of differences in the rates of polymerisation and in the solubilities of the acrylic‐ and polyurea‐forming components, and of the phase‐separated structures of the IPNs.     

Adsorption of uranium ions by crosslinked polyester resin functionalized with acrylic acid from aqueous solutions

In this paper, the crosslinked polyester resin containing acrylic acid functional groups was used for the adsorption of uranium ions from aqueous solutions. For this purpose, the crosslinked polyester resin of unsaturated polyester in styrene monomer (Polipol 353, Poliya) and acrylic acid as weight percentage at 80 and 20%, respectively was synthesized by using methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEK_p, Butanox M60, Azo Nobel)-cobalt octoate initiator system. The adsorption of uranium ions on the sample (0.05 g copolymer and 5 mL of U(VI) solution were mixed) of the crosslinked polyester resin functionalized with acrylic acid was carried out in a batch reactor. The effects of adsorption parameters of the contact time, temperature, pH of solution and initial uranium(VI) concentration for U(VI) adsorption on the crosslinked polyester resin functionalized with acrylic acid were investigated. The adsorption data obtained from experimental results depending on the initial U(VI) concentration were analyzed by the Freundlich, Langmuir and Dubinin–Radushkevich (D–R) adsorption isotherms. The adsorption capacity and free energy change were determined by using D–R isotherm. The obtained experimental adsorption data depending on temperature were evaluated to calculate the thermodynamic parameters of enthalpy (ΔH°), entropy (ΔS°) and free energy change (ΔG°) for the U(VI) adsorption on the crosslinked polyester resin functionalized with acrylic acid from aqueous solutions. The obtained adsorption data depending on contact time were analyzed by using adsorption models such as the modified Freundlich, Elovich, pseudo-first order and pseudo-second-order kinetic models.     

Synthesis and degradation of intelligent hydrogels containing polyacetal segments

Intelligent hydrogels were first obtained by copolymerization of telechelic poly(1,3-dioxolane) (pDXL) with acrylic acid, acrylamide, N-isopropylacrylamide respectively. The synthesis and characterization of the networks were discussed. The swelling behavior of the hydrogel was dependent on the solubility parameter of the solvents and hydrogels. The networks containing polyacetal segments (pDXL) can degrade by acid in different solvents. DXL and few other cycle molecules measured by GC-MS analysis were formed after degradation. According to the degradation products, the polymerization mechanism can be testified.     

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     

Acrylic polymer/silica hybrids prepared by emulsifier‐free emulsion polymerization and the sol–gel process

Acrylic polymer/silica hybrids were prepared by emulsifier‐free emulsion polymerization and the sol–gel process. Acrylic polymer emulsions containing triethoxysilyl groups were synthesized by emulsifier‐free batch emulsion polymerization. The acrylic polymer/silica hybrid films prepared from the acrylic polymer emulsions and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) were transparent and solvent‐resistant. Atomic force microscopy studies of the hybrid film surface suggested that the hybrid films did not contain large (e.g., micrometer‐size) silica particles, which could be formed because of the organic–inorganic phase separation. The Si? O? Si bond formed by the cocondensation of TEOS and the triethoxysilyl groups on the acrylic polymer increased the miscibility between the acrylic polymer component and the silica component in the hybrid films, in which the nanometer‐size silica domains (particles) were dispersed homogeneously in the acrylic polymer component. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 273–280, 2006     

Fabrication of new conductive gels by tuning the macromolecular architectures using fluorinated acrylates

New semi-inter-penetrating network (SIPN) gels based on methylmethacrylate (MMA) and fluorinated acrylates were synthesized by thermal free radical polymerization. These SIPN gels had two major parts. First part was the linear chain composed of fluorostyrene (FS) and Lithium salt of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulphonic acid (LiAMPS) which was embedded in the second part, a cross linked network of MMA and fluorinated acrylates. In the first series of gels, LiAMPS was polymerized with FS to form linear chains which were then embedded in a crosslinked network of MMA and 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoroisopropylacrylate (HFIPA). Gel containing equal concentration of MMA and HFIPA showed maximum conductivity with good strength. In another series, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl acrylate (TFEA) was used instead of HFIPA in the crosslinked network. The gels based on TFEA demonstrated better conductivity and strength. In this latter series, the gel containing an almost equal amount of MMA and TFEA in the crosslinked network showed maximum conductivity with appreciable strength. The gels prepared by using only FS with no fluorinating acrylates showed good conductivity but no strength. Ionic conductivity-temperature relationship follows Arrhenius type nature. Thermal activation process was evident in all these gel series. Thus, by selecting an appropriate combination of fluorinated acrylates it is possible to prepare gel with high conductivity and appreciable strength for potential applications in lithium ion battery.     

Preparation and Characterization of Interpenetrating Polymer Hydrogels Based on Poly(acrylic acid) and Poly(vinyl alcohol)

Interpenetrating polymer hydrogels (IPHs) of Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and Poly (acrylic acid) (PAAc) have been prepared by a sequential method: crosslinked PAAc chains were formed in aqueous solution by crosslinking copolymerization of acrylic acid and N, N′-methylenebisacrylamide in the presence of PVA. The application of freezing-thawing cycles (F-T cycles) leads to the formation of a PVA hydrogel within the synthesized PAAc hydrogel. The swelling and the viscoelastic properties of the prepared IPHs were evaluated on the basis of the structural features obtained from solid state ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy.     

室温固化蓖麻油聚氨酯/乙烯基聚合物互穿网络材料的一些规律及其性能

研究了蓖麻油与甲苯二异氰酸酯及丙烯酸酯或苯乙烯等乙烯基单体在室温下生成的互穿网络聚合物(IPN)的一些规律及其性能.用红外光谱追踪表明,聚氨酯的生成快于甲基丙烯酸甲酯的聚合.研究IPN凝胶点指出.凝胶点时间随聚氨酯含量增加及聚苯乙烯含量减少而缩短.丙烯酸甲酯在生成IPN过程中凝胶的生成速度要比苯乙烯的场合快.丙烯酸丁酯、丙烯腈或丙烯酸甲酯与蓖麻油聚氨酯生成的IPN的抗张强度在聚氨酯占一半时呈现最大值.透射电镜观察表明,生成速率较快的聚氨酯的微区存在于聚丙烯酸甲酯中.聚丙烯酸甲酯与蓖麻油聚氨酯形成的IPN在tanδ-T,曲线上呈现一个宽的玻璃化转变温度.     

Mixing behavior of fluorinated and hydrogenated gemini surfactants at the air-water interface

Mixing behavior of hydrogenated and fluorinated cationic gemini surfactants was studied at the air-water interface by Brewster angle microscopy and pi-A isotherm curves. In the bulk, these two molecules did not mix and showed phase separation. At the air-water interface, if a monolayer was formed by separate deposition of the two solutions, they formed separate domains, and the compression occurred in two steps: first the domains with hydrogenated gemini surfactant were compressed until they showed collapse; then the domains with fluorinated gemini surfactant were compressed. If the two solutions were mixed before the deposition, they remained mixed upon compression; on the other hand, separate domains under separate deposition were shown to mix if the subphase was heated.     

Layer structure estimation of three‐dimensional crystal and two‐dimensional molecular film for fluorinated comb copolymers

Comb copolymers containing both hydrogenated and fluorinated side‐chains were prepared by copolymerization using acrylic or methacrylic monomers in several ratios. The crystal structures of these copolymers and layer structures of their organized molecular films were investigated by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS), and out‐of plane X‐ray diffraction. Further, to selectively estimate the regularity of shorter fluorocarbon side‐chains, organized molecular films of copolymers were investigated by polarized near‐edge X‐ray adsorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. From the results of these measurements, it was inferred that these copolymers formed highly ordered layer structures, and a long spacing was predominantly determined by the arrangement of hydrogenated side‐chains, except in copolymers having extremely high fluorocarbon contents. In the case of the organized molecular films, the fluorinated side‐chains of methacrylate copolymers cannot form a highly ordered arrangement, whereas those of acrylate copolymers were oriented on monolayers. However, in both cases, the hydrogenated side‐chains predominantly formed layer structures in the organized films, and the fluorinated side‐chains did not contribute to the formation of the layer structures. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 534–546, 2008     

Conductivity of crosslinked low surface energy epoxy coatings

A new and straightforward method has been studied to prepare crosslinked low surface energy semiconductive epoxy coatings. The low surface energy is obtained by adding a small amount of partially fluorinated bifunctional primary amine Jeffamine D230 crosslinker and the conductivity is achieved by adding a small amount of semiconductive nanosized Cobalt(III) phthalocyanine particles. The use of partially fluorinated crosslinker strongly influences the conductivity, the conductive particle network structure, and the network distribution in the coatings. Compared to coatings that are free of fluorine, variations in fractal dimension, percolation threshold, particle‐containing layer thickness, and conductivity level are observed as the amount of fluorinated species is varied. These differences can be explained by (local) differences in effective Hamaker constant, viscosity, curing rate, evaporation of the solvent, and presence or absence of polymer matrix between the particles in the network. Our results suggest that other crosslinked semiconductive low surface energy epoxy coatings can be realized in a similar manner, but careful optimization of processing conditions is required to obtain the desired conductivity levels at low filler concentration. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Chem 47: 366–380, 2009     

Complexation of poly(acrylic acid)s with uranyl ion

The complexation of uranyl ion (UO₂²⁺) in aqueous solution with polymers containing carboxylic acid groups was studied potentiometrically. Overall formation constants of the uranyl complexes with poly(methacrylic acid) and crosslinked poly(acrylic acid) were much larger than those with the corresponding low molecular carboxylic acids. Decrease in the viscosity of the polymer solution on adding uranyl ion indicated that poly(acrylic acid) forms intra-polymer chelates with uranyl ion. The crosslinked poly(acrylic acid) adsorbed uranyl ions at higher efficiency than transition metal ions.     

Fluorinated networks through photopolymerisation processes: synthesis, characterisation and properties

The study concerns the UV curing of systems containing fluorinated products. New difunctional and monofunctional monomers and oligomers bearing either radical or cationic photopolymerisable functionalities were synthesised. They were UV cured and the properties of the films obtained were investigated. In some cases biphasic structures were obtained, showing the separation between the fluorinated and hydrogenated domains at nanometric level. By copolymerising a low amount of the fluorinated additive with hydrogenated resins, the bulk properties of the films were not changed, but a deep modification of the surface was obtained. In all cases a selective enrichment of the fluorinated monomer at the film surface was observed. The dependence of the surface properties on the monomer structure, on its concentration and on the type of substrate was studied.     

一步法合成大孔丙烯酸交联树脂

悬浮聚合;二乙烯苯;一步法合成大孔丙烯酸交联树脂