Small-angle x-ray scattering of isotactic polystyrene

Isothermal crystallization process of isotactic polystyrene at 167°C has been studied by smallangle x-ray scattering. The observed SAXS intensities consist of the twophase lamellar structure component, the density fluctuation, and the foreign particle components. The profile of lamellar structure component remains unchanged during crystallization while its intensity increases with crystallization. The lamellar structure of isotactic polystyrene is investigated on the basis of the interface distribution function. An interface distribution function is obtained from the lamellar structure component after correcting the effect of the finite thickness of boundary regions between crystalline and amorphous phases. In order to obtain the structure parameters, the Gaussian correlation model is used, in which the correlation between the distributions of neighboring crystal and amorphous thicknesses is taken into account. Agreement is satisfactory between the experimental results and the calculations. The structure parameters of isotactic polystyrene are determined for isothermal crystallization at 167°C as follows: the average and the standard deviation of crystal thickness are 40 A and 10 A, respectively, those of amorphous thickness are 70 A and 23 A, and the standard deviation of long period is 31 A.     

Structure of a spin-crossover Fe(II)–1,2,4-triazole polymer complex dispersed in an isotactic polystyrene matrix

Isotactic polystyrene (i-PS) was employed as a matrix to disperse a metallo-organic polymer of [Fe(II) (4-octadecyl-1,2,4-triazole)₃(ClO₄)₂] in order to obtain novel functional materials exhibiting thermal spin-crossover transition. A detailed investigation of the structure of the metallo-organic polymer and metallo-organic polymer/iPS blends has been carried out by DSC, WAXD and SAXS techniques as a function of temperature and metallo-organic polymer/iPS proportion.The results obtained confirm on the one hand that a structural transition associated with a change in the magnetic susceptibility of the metallo-organic polymer is preserved in the presence of i-PS. This transition was found to be associated to both, an inter-conversion of lamellar structures into hexagonal structures and to an increase of inter-sheet distances within the lamellar structures in metallo-organic polymer films prepared by casting from toluene solutions. On the other hand, an increase of the degree of crystallinity of the iPS is observed in the presence of the metallo-organic polymer which suggests some nucleating effect of the metallo-organic polymer in the crystallization of isotactic polystyrene.     

Capillary electrophoresis in N,N-dimethylformamide

N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) is a dipolar protophilic solvent with physicochemical properties that makes it suitable as solvent for capillary electrophoresis (CE). It is prerequisite for the proper application of CE to adjust and to change the pH of the background electrolyte (BGE) in a defined manner. This was done in the present work using benzoic acid-benzoate by selecting different concentration ratios of acid and salt, and calculating the theoretical pH from the activity-corrected Henderson-Hasselbalch equation. The mobilities of the analytes (chloro- and nitro-substituted phenolates) were found to follow reasonably well the typical sigmoid mobility versus pH curve as predicted by theory. The actual mobilities and pK(a) values (at 25 degrees C) of the analytes were derived from these curves. pK(a) values were in the range of 11.1-11.7, being thus 3-4.4 units higher than in water. This pK(a) shift is caused by the destabilization of the analyte anion and the better stability (solubility) of the molecular analyte acid in DMF, which overcome the higher basicity of DMF compared to water. Absolute mobilities were calculated from the actual mobilities; they were between 32x10(-9) and 42x10(-9) m(2)/Vxs. Slight deviations of the measured mobilities from the theoretical mobility versus pH curve were discussed on the bases of ion pairing and heteroconjugation and homoconjugation of either buffer components or buffer components and analytes. Heteroconjugation was used as a mechanism for the electrically driven separation of neutral analyte molecules in a BGE where salicylate acted as complex forming ion. Rough estimation of the complexation constants for the phenolic analytes gave values in the range of 100-200 L/mol. Addition of water to the solvent decreased the effect of heteroconjugation, but it was still present up to the surprisingly high concentration of 20% water. Electrophoretically relevant parameters like ionic mobilities and pK(a) values, and conjugation and ion pairing are dependent on the water content of the solvent. The water uptake of DMF was measured when exposed to humidity of ambient air. The resulted behavior of the water uptake was found rather similar to that for acetonitrile and methanol.     

Melting behavior of isotactic polystyrene revealed by differential scanning calorimetry and transmission electron microscopy

The triple melting behavior and lamellar morphologies of isotactic polystyrene isothermally crystallized from the glassy state have been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), temperature-modulated DSC and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The combination of thermal analysis measurements and morphological observations indicates that: (1) The lowest endothermic peak, the so-called “annealing peak” (T_a), is not associated with the melting of the subsidiary crystals formed by secondary crystallization as often suggested in the literature, but probably with a constrained interphase between the amorphous and crystalline regions; (2) Within spherulites two lamellar populations with different degrees of perfection (or thermal stability) are confirmed by direct TEM observations following partial melting experiments, which are responsible for the so-called double melting peaks (T_m,1 and T_m,2) at higher temperatures observed in DSC curves; (3) The highest endothermic peak (T_m,2) is partially originated from the melting of the recrystallized lamellae formed during heating process in DSC.     

NaNO3和NaClO4在N,N-二甲基甲酰胺中的离子溶剂化

利用红外光谱研究了NaNO₃和NaClO₄在N,N-二甲基甲酰胺(DMF)溶剂中发生离子-溶剂和离子-离子的相互作用, 分析结果表明, DMF的OC-N谱带发生了明显的变化. 定量计算了在Na⁺浓度为0.22~1.24 mol/kg范围内的溶剂化数为1~4. 对谱图中酰胺基上C-N和CO的特征峰强度随Na⁺浓度变化的对比, 推测离子溶剂化作用导致DMF的酰胺基内部形成共轭键. 利用量子化学方法进行优化及热力学性质计算, 得到C-N键伸缩振动频率及红外光谱强度变化规律. 优化结构与实验结论相符合. 由NaNO₃的ν₂谱带及NaClO₄的ν₁谱带的解析得到溶液中阴离子缔合效应的一般规律, 并通过阴离子缔合特征峰与酰胺基上的N-C-N面外振动峰(865 cm^-1)的变化情况, 讨论了溶液中的离子溶剂化作用.     

Single-Molecule single crystals of isotactic polystyrene

Single-molecule single crystals were grown from amorphous droplets of fractionated isotactic polystyrene. The crystals were analyzed by electron microscopy and electron diffraction. The molecular mass distribution could be matched with a statistical analysis of single-molecule particles (amorphous and crystals). Proof was brought that single molecules of isotactic polystyrene do not reach equilibrium dimensions on crystallization, rather assume the lamellar morphology with chain-folded macroconformation, also known from crystallization of polymolecular crystals. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

1 This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America. US Government contract No. DE-AC05-840R-21400.

     

Thermodynamics of solution of proto- and mezoporphyrins in N,N-dimethylformamide

This paper describes the results of thermodynamic study of dissolution of proto- and mesoporphyrins in liquid N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) at different temperatures. Enthalpies of solution and solubility of protoporphyrin dimethylester (PDE) and mesoporphyrin dimethylester (MDE) in DMF have been obtained from T = (298 to 318) K. Free energies, enthalpies, entropies and heat capacities of solution have been computed from the combination of enthalpic and solubility data via the Gibbs–Helmholtz equation. We have shown that for all blood porphyrins this approach reproduces both free energies of solution and solubility values for the physiological temperature range.     

Synthesis of isotactic polystyrene with a rare-earth catalyst

Polymerization of styrene with the neodymium phosphonate Nd(P₅₀₇)/H₂O/Al(i-Bu)₃ catalytic system has been examined. The polymer obtained was separated into a soluble and an insoluble fraction by 2-butanone extraction. ¹³C-NMR spectra indicate that the insoluble fraction is isotactic polystyrene and the soluble one is syndiotactic-rich atactic polystyrene. The polymerization features are described and discussed. The optimum conditions for the polymerization are as follows: [Nd] = (3.5–5.0) × 10⁻² mol/L; [styrene] = 5 mol/L; [Al]/[Nd] = 6–8 mol/mol; [H₂O]/[Al] = 0.05–0.08 mol/mol; polymerization temperature around 70°C. The percent yield of isotactic polystyrene (IY) is markedly affected by catalyst aging temperature. With increase of the aging temperature from 40 to 70°C, IY increases from 9% to 48%. Using AlEt₃ and Al(i-Bu)₂H instead of Al(i-Bu)₃ decreases the yield of isotactic polystyrene. Different neodymium compounds give the following activity order: Nd(P₅₀₇)₃ > Nd(P₂₀₄)₃ > Nd(OPrⁱ)₃ > NdCl₃ + C₂H₅OH > Nd(naph)₃. With Nd(naph)₃ as catalyst, only atactic polystyrene is obtained. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1773–1778, 1998     

Thermophysical contribution of N,N-dimethylformamide in the molecular interactions with other solvents

This review delineates on molecular interactions of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) with some solvents reported by various thermodynamic and thermophysical measurements. Several topics and examples of thermodynamic studies are depicted on the basis of the present author's experience focusing on the structural behavior for binary and ternary mixtures of DMF with different non-electrolytes. Valuable information on the behavior and factors governing of the liquid structure of the strongly associated solvents are also reviewed. A discussion is presented and deviations are interpreted in terms of size, shape, the position of ketone group, the chain length of alkanol and hydrogen bond effects in the liquid mixtures to explain about chemical and thermophysical behavior. Our goal in this review is to provide the structural and thermophysical contribution of the literature related to DMF with other solvents. Eventually, we reviewed what has been learned about the excess volumes and ultrasonic studies of ternary mixtures containing DMF with other solvents from experimental studies and also summarized the important contributions of DMF in the molecular interactions with other solvents.     

Structure formation during isothermal crystallization of oriented isotactic polystyrene

Isothermal crystallization from the glassy state of oriented isotactic polystyrene (iPS) was studied using in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and in situ wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) studies. The oriented amorphous films of iPS were prepared by rolling the amorphous iPS film to a draw ratio of 3 or 4. In situ FTIR was used to investigate the ordering process of polymer chains prior to crystallization by measuring the change in the dichroic ratio with time, while in situ WAXD studies were used to investigate the development of the crystalline structure. The studies showed that the orientation process and the conformation change preceded crystallization. This observation suggests that polystyrene chains undergo an ordering process during the induction period of crystallization. The degree of orientation markedly increases with time in the induction period, suggesting that heat treatment of oriented amorphous materials under constraint provides a useful method for processing highly oriented materials. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 2912–2921, 2000     

IR spectroscopic study of ion-molecular interactions in the methanesulfonic acid—N,N-dimethylformamide system

Complex formation in the methanesulfonic acid (MSA)-DMF system was studied by Multiple Attenuated Total Reflectance (MATR) IR spectroscopy at 30°C within the composition range from neat MSA up to neat DMF. Depending on the ratio of components, two types of complexes with a strong quasi-symmetrical H bond (1 and2) are formed. The uncharged complex1 is a quasi-ion pair with the (O…H…O) bridge. Complex2 is formed by a protonated DMF molecule and the (A…H…A)⁻ anion bound as an ion pair. It is established that complexes1 are solvated by DMF molecules in an excess of a base. Solvation or2 in an excess of an acid corresponds to a change from contact to contact-separated ion pairs. Continuous absorption spectra of charged and uncharged complexes1 and2 were obtained. The schemes of acid-base interactions in the MSA-DMF and HCl-DMF systems were compared. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 12, pp. 2484–2489, December, 1998.     

Structure and stability of hydrogen fluoride complexes with N,N-dimethylformamide

The structure, stability, and paths of formation of 11 (HF)_m(DMF)_n heterocomplexes (m = 1–4, n = 1, 2) were studied in terms of the B3LYP/6-31++G(d, p) density functional calculation. The results of this calculation suggest that: a) addition of hydrogen fluoride molecules to the (HF)_mDMF cyclic fragment is the basic tendency in complex formation in the HF-DMF system; b) data about the structure and properties of stable molecular forms that prevail in N,N-dimethylformamide solutions of hydrogen fluoride can be obtained by quantum chemical calculations for (HF)_mDMF complexes (m = 5–10).     

In situ FTIR spectroscopic study on crystallization process of isotactic polystyrene

The melt crystallization process of isotactic polystyrene (i-PS) was studied by means of in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, with a focus on the conformational changes during the induction period. The spectra obtained during the induction period suggested the occurrence of some ordered structure that is characterized by higher regularity and packing of the helical moieties than observed in the melt. This ordered structure was clearly different from the amorphous structure, and close to the crystal structure. The Avrami analysis indicated that the formation process of the ordered structure at the late stage of the induction period is similar to the growth process of the crystallites after the induction period. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 1227–1233, 1998     

Crystallization behavior of single or pauci chain aggregates of isotactic polystyrene

Single and pauci chain aggregates of isotactic polystyrene (i-PS) were prepared by the freeze-drying process from dilute solutions with the concentration from 1×10⁻³ to 2×10⁻⁵ g/mL. It was found by DSC measurements that the melting point of samples gradually shifted to lower temperatures with the decrease of the solution concentration used for sample preparation. As a result, the lamella thickness of bulk samples and the samples prepared by the freeze-drying process from a solution of 2×10⁻⁵ g/mL was 19.3 and 12.6 nm, respectively. At 468.3 K the half crystallization time (t _1/2) of samples freeze-dried from a solution of 1×10⁻⁴ g/mL was about 36 s, which was merely one tenth of that of the bulk sample. In addition, the growth rate of spherulite (dr/dt) of samples prepared from a solution of 2×10⁻⁵ g/mL was faster than that of the bulk sample annealed at 478.3 K. All these results should be attributed to the fewer entanglements in samples prepared by freeze-drying process from dilute solutions, and presented clear evidence for the influence of chain entanglements on the crystallization behavior of polymers. __________ Translated from Chemical Journal of Chinese Universities, 2005, 26(10) (in Chinese)     

盐-N,N-二甲基甲酰胺/乙醇双溶剂体系的荧光光谱分析

利用荧光光谱和量子化学计算方法研究了LiCl和MgCl2对N,N-二甲基甲酰胺(DMF)/乙醇双溶剂体系的微观结构变化的影响。通过对DMF的N—C O键以及盐与DMF和乙醇相互作用的研究发现,离子溶剂化作用导致溶剂体系结构变化,生成多种具有荧光属性的团簇,且随浓度的变化而变化。结合具有荧光属性的团簇分子跃迁能和可能的配位构型的优化以及热力学性质计算得到,共轭体系越大的团簇分子受盐的影响越小且其跃迁能越小的规律。比较Li+和Mg2+形成配位构型离子簇的稳定性和荧光强度,说明了离子极化对溶剂化的影响。     

环境响应性嵌段共聚物的合成、自组装及应用研究进展

近年来具有环境响应性的嵌段共聚物的研发受到了人们的广泛关注。该类型共聚物可以对外界环境刺激产生相应的结构、物理及化学性能的变化。根据外界环境刺激响应机理及类型的不同,可将其分为单一因素、双重因素以及三重因素刺激响应性嵌段共聚物三大类。针对每一类体系,本文重点综述了嵌段共聚物的设计合成、自组装以及应用等研究现状,并概括总结了各种有序聚集体(如胶束、囊泡等)随外界环境刺激(如pH、温度、光、CO_2、氧化还原剂等)所作出的响应性变化。最后,对智能型嵌段共聚物在药物控释、纳米容器制备、生物功能材料等方面潜在的应用价值和今后可能的发展方向进行了展望。