Thermal oxidation of blends of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(methyl methacrylate)

Thermal oxidation of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and its blends with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were studied using oxygen uptake measurements. The rates of oxidation and maximum oxygen uptake contents were reduced as the content of PMMA was increased in the blends. The results were indicative of a stabilizing effect by PMMA on the oxidation of PEO. The oxidation reaction at 140°C was stopped at various stages and PMMA was separated from PEO and its molecular weights were measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The decrease in the number-average molecular weight of PMMA was larger as the content of PEO increased in the blends. The visual appearance of the films suggested that phase separation did not occur after thermal oxidation. The activation energy for the rates of oxidation in the blends was slightly increased compared to pure PEO. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Miscibility of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate) blends by transesterification

The effects of transesterification on the miscibility of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate) were studied. Blends were obtained by solution precipitation at room temperature to avoid transesterification during blend preparation. The physical blends and transesterified products were analyzed by wide-angle x-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. It was found that the physical blends are immiscible and when the extent of transesterification reaches 50% of the completely randomized state, independent of blend composition, the blends are not crystallizable and show a single glass transition temperature between those of starting polymers. The interchange reactions were significantly influenced by annealing temperature and time but negligibly by blend composition. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Observations of crystallization and melting in poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends by hot-stage atomic-force microscopy

The binary blend of poly(ethylene oxide)/atactic poly(methyl methacrylate) is examined using hot-stage atomic-force microscopy (AFM) in conjunction with differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy. It was found possible to follow in real time the melting process, which reveals itself to be nonuniform. This effect is ascribed to the presence of lamellae having different thicknesses. The crystallization process of poly(ethylene oxide) from the miscible melt is also followed in real time by AFM, affording detailed images of the impingement of adjacent spherulites and direct observation of lamellar growth and subsequent polymer solidification in the interlamellar space.© 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J. Polym. Sci. B Polym. Phys. 36: 2643–2651, 1998     

聚谷氨酸苄酯-聚乙二醇-聚谷氨酸苄酯嵌段共聚物的圆二色光谱分析

用三乙胺和双端氨基聚乙二醇分别引发经酯化、环化等处理的谷氨酸开环聚合制备聚谷氨酸苄酯（PBLG）和聚谷氨酸苄酯-聚乙二醇-聚谷氨酸苄酯嵌段共聚物（PBLG-PEG-PBLG,GEG）。采用圆二色光谱对聚合物溶液的旋光性进行分析,以确定共聚物中PBLG嵌段的构型和含量。结果表明,均聚物和共聚物中的PBLG嵌段都以α-螺旋构型存在,中间的PEG不扰乱其构型,通过聚合物的圆二色性（circular dichroism,CD）计算出的PBLG嵌段含量与核磁共振（nuclear magnetic resonance,NMR）所得结果基本一致。     

Poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (semi-)interpenetrating polymer networks: Synthesis and phase diagrams

Interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were prepared by simultaneous network formation. The PEO network was produced by acid-catlayzed self-condensation of α,ω-bis(triethoxysilane)-terminated PEO in the presence of small amounts of water. The PMMA network was formed by free radical polymerization of MAA in the presence of divinylbenzene as crosslinker. The reaction conditions were adjusted to obtain similar crosslinking kinetics for both reactions. An attempt was made to construct a phase diagram of the IPNs by measuring the composition of the IPNs at the moment of the appearance of the phase separation, as indicated by the onset of turbidity. This composition could be determined because the siloxane crosslinks of the PEO network could be hydrolyzed in aqueous NaOH with the formation of linear, soluble PEO chains. The phase diagram was compared with phase diagrams of blends of linear polymers and of semi-IPNs (crosslinked PMMA and linear PEO), obtained under similar conditions, i.e. polymerization of MMA in the presence of varying amounts of PEO. It was observed that the form of the phase diagrams of the linear polymers is similar to that of the IPNs, but is quite different from that of the semi-IPNs. Thus, homogeneous transparent materials containing up to 60% of PEO could be prepared in the blends and the IPNs, but in the semi-IPNs, phase separation occurred with PEO contents as low as 10%.     

Thermosetting polymer blends of unsaturated polyester resin and poly(ethylene oxide). I. Miscibility and thermal properties

The miscibility and thermal properties of polyethylene oxide(PEO)/oligoester resin (OER) blends and PEO/crosslinked polyester (PER) blends were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The effect of quenching process on the crystallization behavior of PEO for these two systems were investigated and discussed in details. It has been found that a single, composition dependent glass transition temperature (T_g) was observed for all the blends, indicating that the two systems are miscible in the amorphous state at overall compositions. From the melting point depression of PEO, the interaction parameter χ₁₂ for PEO/OER blends and that for PEO/PER blends were found to be −1.29 and −2.01, respectively. The negative values of χ₁₂ confirmed that both PEO/OER blends and PEO/PER blends are miscible in the molten state. Quenching process has a greater hindrance on the crystallization of PEO/OER blends than on that of PEO/PER blends. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3161–3168, 1997     

羧化聚苯醚／聚（苯乙烯—乙烯吡啶）共混相容性

用ＤＳＣ、ＤＭＡ研究了羧化聚苯醚（ＣＰＰＯ）／聚（苯乙烯－乙烯吡啶）（ＰＳＶＰ）共混体系的相容性，结果表明，与ＣＰＰＯ／ＰＳ体系相比，乙烯吡啶基的引入大大提高了共混相容性．这主要是由于ＣＰＰＯ中的羧基与ＰＳＶＰ中的吡啶基之间通过质子转移形成的正负离子间的相互作用，推动了两组分分子的均匀混合．     

Crystallization and melting behavior of poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(n-butyl methacrylate) blends

The phase diagram, crystallization and melting behavior of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PnBMA) blends have been investigated using differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy. The results show that the blends are miscible up to 85 °C and show an lower critical solution temperature-type demixing at a higher temperature. The isothermal crystallization studies of the blends indicate a reduction in the overall rate of crystallization. Analysis of isothermal crystallization data by means of Avrami equation leads to average values of the Avrami index of 2.5 for pure PEO and 3.0 for the different blend compositions. The melting behavior of the blends reveals double endotherms, which is ascribed to both secondary crystallization and recrystallization. The melting point depression study yielded χ₁₂=0, indicating a relatively low interaction strength.     

Investigation at the chain segmental level of the miscibility of poly(vinyl chloride)/atactic poly(methyl methacrylate) blends

We employed high‐resolution ¹³C cross‐polarization/magic‐angle‐spinning/dipolar‐decoupling NMR spectroscopy to investigate the miscibility and phase behavior of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blends. The spin–lattice relaxation times of protons in both the laboratory and rotating frames [T₁(H) and T_1ρ(H), respectively] were indirectly measured through ¹³C resonances. The T₁(H) results indicate that the blends are homogeneous, at least on a scale of 200–300 Å, confirming the miscibility of the system from a differential scanning calorimetry study in terms of the replacement of the glass‐transition‐temperature feature. The single decay and composition‐dependent T_1ρ(H) values for each blend further demonstrate that the spin diffusion among all protons in the blends averages out the whole relaxation process; therefore, the blends are homogeneous on a scale of 18–20 Å. The microcrystallinity of PVC disappears upon blending with PMMA, indicating intimate mixing of the two polymers. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 2390–2396, 2001     

Miscibility and phase structure of binary blends of polylactide and poly(methyl methacrylate)

Blends of amorphous poly(DL‐lactide) (DL‐PLA) and crystalline poly(L‐lactide) (PLLA) with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were prepared by both solution/precipitation and solution‐casting film methods. The miscibility, crystallization behavior, and component interaction of these blends were examined by differential scanning calorimetry. Only one glass‐transition temperature (T_g) was found in the DL‐PLA/PMMA solution/precipitation blends, indicating miscibility in this system. Two isolated T_g's appeared in the DL‐PLA/PMMA solution‐casting film blends, suggesting two segregated phases in the blend system, but evidence showed that two components were partially miscible. In the PLLA/PMMA blend, the crystallization of PLLA was greatly restricted by amorphous PMMA. Once the thermal history of the blend was destroyed, PLLA and PMMA were miscible. The T_g composition relationship for both DL‐PLA/PMMA and PLLA/PMMA miscible systems obeyed the Gordon–Taylor equation. Experiment results indicated that there is no more favorable trend of DL‐PLA to form miscible blends with PMMA than PLLA when PLLA is in the amorphous state. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 23–30, 2003     

聚氧乙烯／聚酚氧共混体系的结晶行为及相容性研究

对聚氧化乙烯/聚酚氧(PEO/PH)共混体系的研究表明,随共混体系中非晶组份PH含量的增加,Avrami指数n值由2.0～2.3变为1.5～2.0,体系的结晶由盘状生长转化为纤维状生长;成核方式由方式Ⅰ转化为方式Ⅱ.PEO/PH共混体系的平衡熔点随PH含量的增加而降低,相互作用能量密度B=-1.46cal/mol,说明体系是互容的。     

Thermal,crystallization, mechanical,and rheological characteristics of poly(trimethylene terephthalate)/poly(ethylene terephthalate) blends

Blends of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) in the amorphous state were miscible in all of the blend compositions studied, as evidenced by a single, composition‐dependent glass‐transition temperature observed for each blend composition. The variation in the glass‐transition temperature with the blend composition was well predicted by the Gordon–Taylor equation, with the fitting parameter being 0.91. The cold‐crystallization (peak) temperature decreased with an increasing PTT content, whereas the melt‐crystallization (peak) temperature decreased with an increasing amount of the minor component. The subsequent melting behavior after both cold and melt crystallizations exhibited melting point depression behavior in which the observed melting temperatures decreased with an increasing amount of the minor component of the blends. During crystallization, the pure components crystallized simultaneously just to form their own crystals. The blend having 50 wt % of PTT showed the lowest apparent degree of crystallinity and the lowest tensile‐strength values. The steady shear viscosity values for the pure components and the blends decreased slightly with an increasing shear rate (within the shear rate range of 0.25–25 s^?1); those of the blends were lower than those of the pure components. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 676–686, 2004     

Effect of aging on fractional crystallization of poly(ethylene oxide) component in poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) blends

The effect of aging on the fractional crystallization of the poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) component in the PEO/poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) blend has been investigated. The partial miscibility of the PEO/PHB blends with high PEO molecular weight (M_v = 2.0 × 10⁵ g/mol) was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. The fractional crystallization behavior of the PEO component in the PEO/PHB blends with low PEO content (not more than 30 wt% of PEO), before and after aging under vacuum at 25 °C for 6 months, were compared by DSC, fourier transform infrared microscopic spectroscopy, small angle X‐ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. It was confirmed that nearly all the PEO components remain trapped within interlamellar regions of PHB for the PEO/PHB blends before aging. Under this condition, the crystallization of PEO is basically induced by much less active heterogeneities or homogeneous nucleation at high supercoolings. While, after the same PEO/PHB samples were stored at 25 °C in vacuum for 6 months, a part of the PEO component was expelled from the interlamellar region of PHB. Under this condition, the expelled PEO forms many separate domains with bigger size and crystallizes at low supercoolings by active heterogeneous nucleation, whereas the crystallization of PEO in the interlamellar region is still mainly induced by less active heterogeneities or homogeneous nucleation at extreme supercoolings. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 2665–2676, 2005     

Poly(hydroxyether of phenolphthalein) and its blends with poly(ethylene oxide)

Poly(hydroxyether of phenolphthalein) (PPH) was synthesized through the polycondensation of phenolphthalein with epichlorohydrin. It was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The miscibility of the blends of PPH with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was established on the basis of the thermal analysis results. DSC showed that the PPH/PEO blends prepared via casting from N,N‐dimethylformamide possessed single, composition‐dependent glass‐transition temperatures. Therefore, the blends were miscible in the amorphous state for all compositions. FTIR studies indicated that there were competitive hydrogen‐bonding interactions with the addition of PEO to the system, which were involved with OH…O?C〈, ? OH…? OH, and ? OH vs ether oxygen atoms of PEO hydrogen bonding, that is both intramolecular and intermolecular, between PPH and PEO). Some of the hydroxyl stretching vibration bands significantly shifted to higher frequencies, whereas others shifted to lower frequencies, and this suggested the formation of hydrogen bonds between the pendant hydroxyls of PPH and ether oxygen atoms of PEO, which were stronger than the intramolecular hydrogen bonding between hydroxyls and carbonyls of PPH. The FTIR spectra in the range of carbonyl stretching vibrations showed that the hydroxyl‐associated carbonyl groups were partially set free because of the presence of the competitive hydrogen‐bonding interactions. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 466–475, 2003     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(ethylene oxide)/polylactide/poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer

Poly(ethylene oxide/polylactide/poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO/PL/PEO) triblock copolymers, in which each block is connected by an ester bond, were synthesized by a coupling reaction between PL and PEO. Hydroxyl‐terminated PLs with various molecular weights were synthesized and used as hard segments. Hydroxyl‐terminated PEOs were converted to the corresponding acid halides via their acid group and used as a soft segment. Triblock copolymers were identified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ¹H NMR, and gel permeation chromatography. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X‐ray diffractometry of PEO/PL/PEO triblock copolymers suggested that PL and PEO blocks were phase‐separated and that the crystallization behavior of the PL block was markedly affected by the presence of the PEO block. PEO/PL/PEO triblock copolymers with PEO 0.75k had two exothermic peaks (by DSC), and both peaks were related to the crystallization of PL. According to thermogravimetric analysis, PEO/PL/PEO triblock copolymer showed a higher thermal stability than PL or PEO. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2545–2555, 2002     

Studies of photooxidative degradation of poly(vinyl chloride)/poly(ethylene oxide) blends

The photooxidative degradation of blends (in a full range of compositions) of amorphous poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with semicrystalline poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in the form of thin films is investigated using absorption spectroscopy (UV–visible and Fourier transform infrared) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The amount of insoluble gel formed as a result of photocrosslinking is estimated gravimetrically. It is found that the PVC/PEO blendsí susceptibility to photooxidative degradation differs from that pure of the components and depends on the blend composition and morphology. Photoreactions such as degradation and oxidation are accelerated whereas dehydrochlorination is retarded in blends. The photocrosslinking efficiency in PVC/PEO blends is higher than in PVC; moreover, PEO is also involved in this process. AFM images showing the lamellar structure of semicrystalline PEO in the blend lead to the conclusion that the presence of PVC does not disturb the crystallization process of PEO. The changes induced by UV irradiation allow the observation of more of the distinct PEO crystallites. This is probably caused by recrystallization of short, more mobile chains in degraded PEO or by partial removal of the less stable amorphous phase from the film surface. These results confirm previous information on the miscibility of PVC with PEO. The mechanism of the interactions between the components and the blend photodegradation are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 585–602, 2004     

Effects of lithium salt and poly(4‐vinyl phenol) on crystalline and amorphous phases in poly(ethylene oxide)

Effects of a strong‐interacting amorphous polymer, poly(4‐vinyl phenol) (PVPh), and an alkali metal salt, lithium perchlorate (LiClO₄), on the amorphous and crystalline domains in poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) were probed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), optical microscopy (OM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Addition of lithium perchlorate (LiClO₄, up to 10% of the total mass) led to enhanced T_g's, but did not disturb the miscibility state in the amorphous phase of PEO/PVPh blends, where the salt in the form of lithium cation and ClO anion was well dispersed in the matrix. Competitive interactions between PEO, PVPh, and Li⁺ and ClO ions were evidenced by the elevation of glass transition temperatures and shifting of IR peaks observed for LiClO₄‐doped PEO/PVPh blend system. However, the doping distinctly influenced the crystalline domains of LiClO₄‐doped PEO or LiClO₄‐doped PEO/PVPh blend system. LiClO₄ doping in PEO exerted significant retardation on PEO crystal growth. The growth rates for LiClO₄‐doped PEO were order‐of‐magnitude slower than those for the salt‐free neat PEO. Dramatic changes in spherulitic patterns were also seen, in that feather‐like dendritic spherulites are resulted, indicating strong interactions. Introduction of both miscible amorphous PVPh polymer and LiClO₄ salt in PEO can potentially be a new approach of designing PEO as matrix materials for electrolytes. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 3357–3368, 2006     

Effect of poly(butylene succinate) crystals on spherulitic growth of poly(ethylene oxide) in binary blends of the two substances

The effects of the lamellar growth direction, extinction rings, and spherulitic boundaries of poly(butylene succinate) (PBSU) on the spherulitic growth of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) were investigated in miscible blends of the two crystalline polymers. In the crystallization process from a homogeneous melt, PBSU first developed volume‐filling spherulites, and then PEO spherulites nucleated and grew inside the PBSU spherulites. The lamellar growth direction of PEO was identical with that of PBSU even when the PBSU content was about 5 wt %. PEO, which intrinsically does not exhibit banded spherulites, showed apparent extinction rings inside the banded spherulites of PBSU. The growth rate of a PEO spherulite, G_PEO, was influenced not only by the blend composition and the crystallization temperature of PEO, but also by the growth direction with respect to PBSU lamellae, the boundaries of PBSU spherulites, and the crystallization temperature of PBSU, T_PBSU. The value of G_PEO first increased with decreasing T_PBSU when a PEO spherulite grew inside a single PBSU spherulite. Then, G_PEO decreased when T_PBSU was further decreased and a PEO spherulite grew through many tiny PBSU spherulites. This behavior was discussed based on the aforementioned factors affecting G_PEO. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 539–547, 2009     

Effects of the conductivity of sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) lithium by the complexation of poly(ethylene oxide)

In the present paper, the structure and conductivity for the complex of sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) lithium (SPPOLi) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEG) were studied. Glass transition temperature change determined by differential scanning calorimeter analysis desmonstrated that the two components had some compatibility. X-ray diffraction showed that PEG could decrease the regularity of SPPOLi to some extent. The compatibility and PEG's effect on the regularity may be due to the interaction between the lithium ions of SPPOLi and the oxygen atoms of PEG. Under polarization by electric field, the bands between lithium ions and sulfonation groups relaxed. Meanwhile, the complexation of oxygen atoms could enhance the dissociation of the polymeric lithium salts. Then lithium ions were transported in the process of alternate complexing and decomplexing. The action between lithium ions and oxygen atoms could explain the improvement on the conductivity of SPPOLi.     

Clustering of poly(ethylene oxide) in water revisited

The dynamic light scattering results presented in this letter demonstrate that the clustering of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) can be observed even in ultrapure, freshly double‐distilled and filtered deionized water. It is confirmed that the filtration of solutions removes the clustering structure and that a steady‐state amount of PEO in clusters is reformed in filtered solutions within 24 h. Adding a drop of chloroform to unfiltered aqueous solutions of PEO temporarily alters the clustering structure, but it prevents the clustering of PEO in filtered solutions. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 135–138, 2003