Hydration and ion-pairing in concentrated aqueous Mn(NO3)2 solutions. An X-ray and raman spectroscopy study

Ionic hydration and ion-pairing have been investigated by X-ray and Raman spectroscopy in concentrated aqueous Mn(NO₃)₂ solutions. The correlation function calculated from experimental diffraction data shows peaks at ≈ 2.2, 2.75, 3.1, 3.45, 3.9, 4.25 and 4.7 Å which can be attributed to cationic and anionic hydration phenomena and to cation-anion pairing. The two peaks at ≈ 2.75 and 4.25 Å show the existence of a second coordination shell of the Mn²⁺ ion directly H-bonded with water molecules. Complex formation between cation and anion is confirmed by using Raman spectroscopy.     

Atomistic insights on the LCST behavior of PMEO2MA in water by molecular dynamics simulations

Fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of poly(2‐[2‐methoxyethoxy]ethyl methacrylate) (PMEO₂MA) in water at temperatures below and above its lower critical solution temperature (LCST) were performed to improve the understanding of its LCST behavior. Atomic trajectories were used to calculate various structural and dynamic properties. Simulation results show that PMEO₂MA undergo a distinct coil‐to‐globule transition above LCST. Detailed analyses of the number of first hydration shell water molecules around various atomic regions are revealed that the water solubility of PMEO₂MA below LCST is mainly provided by the hydrophobic hydration around the side chain carbon atoms. This is achieved by the cage‐like water network formations which are disrupted when the temperature is increased above LCST, accompanied by significant amount of water molecule release and local water‐ordering reduction, which leads to the LCST phase transition. Furthermore, other analyses such as the number of hydrogen bonds and hydrogen bond lifetimes suggest that intermolecular hydrogen bondings between polymer and water molecules have little effect on the phase transition. Our results will contribute to a better understanding on the LCST phase transition of oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA)‐based homopolymers at atomistic level that will be useful when designing homo‐ and co‐polymers of OEGMAs with desired properties. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018 , 56, 429–441     

Raman spectroscopic study of the hydration of short-chain poly(oxyethylene)s C <Subscript>1</Subscript>E<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Subscript>C <Subscript>1</Subscript> (<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>=1−4)

The hypothesis that the degree of hydration of poly(oxyethylene) (POE) in aqueous solution depends on the mole ratio of water molecules to ether oxygen atoms in the molecule has been verified by studying the isotropic Raman spectra in the O−H stretching region for four short-chain POEs (C ₁E _n C ₁ withn=1−4). Excellent coincidence of the O−H stretching Raman band for all four POEs studied in the range of mole ratio H₂O/O _ether from 25 to 0.6 was observed, thus confirming the assumption stated above. A conclusion that all ether oxygen atoms in the POE molecule participate in hydrogen bonding with water molecules has been made.     

Microscopically-viewed structural changes in solvent-induced phase transitions of synthetic polymers

Structural changes occurring in the solvent-induced phase transition have been investigated by carrying out the time-resolved measurements of X-ray diffraction, infrared spectra and Raman spectra. First example is about the solvent-induced crystallization of syndiotactic polystyrene glass. By comparing the time evolution of the various infrared and Raman bands and the X-ray reflections, the process of nucleation, growth, and aggregation of regular helical sequences in the crystalline lattice could be traced concretely. It was also found experimentally that the amorphous chain segments started an active motion immediately after absorbing solvent molecules and became a trigger to induce the local regularization of random coils into regular helical segments. The second example is the reversible solid-state phase transition of poly(ethylene imine) between the anhydrate of doubly-stranded helices and the hydrates of planar zigzag chains. By carrying out the time-resolved infrared spectral measurements in water vapor atmosphere (H₂O or D₂O), the characteristic bands could be identified for these crystalline phases and the structural transformation in the hydration process could be clarified in detail.     

The role of water in structural changes of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) studied by FTIR, Raman spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations

Temperature-induced phase transition in water solutions of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) (PNIPMAM) have been studied by ATR FTIR and Raman spectroscopy in combination with quantum chemical calculations. The presence or absence of the α-methyl group has a strong effect on the physical structure of water solutions. Although the hydrophobic interactions for PNIPMAM and PNIPAM are very similar, PNIPMAM with additional methyl group exhibits significantly weaker intermolecular interactions between the amide groups. That effect is the cause of the higher transition temperature T_t by about 8 °C for PNIPMAM compared to PNIPAM due to the formation of larger compact structures. The presence of the methyl group is significant for the reversibility of the temperature transition during the backward cooling as the dissolution of more stable compact PNIPMAM requires overcoming of a higher energy barrier and shows a strong hysteresis.     

Partial Molar Volumes of Some of α-Amino Acids in Binary Aqueous Solutions of MgSO4·7H2O at 298.15 K

The apparent molar volume, V ^o _{φ, 2}, of glycine, alanine, α-amino-n-butyric acid, valine and leucine have been determined in aqueous solutions of 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mol⋅dm⁻³ magnesium sulfate, and the partial specific volume from density measurements at 298.15 K. These data have been used to calculate the infinite dilution apparent molar volume, V ^o _2,m , group contribution of amino acids and partial molar volume of transfer, Δ_tr V _2,m ^o, from water to aqueous magnesium sulfate solutions. The linear correlation of V _2,m ^o for a homologous series of amino acids has been utilized to calculate the contributions of charged end groups (NH₃ ⁺, COO⁻), CH₂ - groups and other alkyl chains of amino acids to V _2,m ^o. The results for Δ_tr V _2,m ^o of amino acids from water to aqueous magnesium sulfate solutions have been interpreted in terms of ion-ion, ion-polar, hydrophilic-hydrophilic and hydrophobic-hydrophobic group interactions. The values of the standard partial molar volume of transfer for the amino acids with different hydrophobic contents, from water to aqueous MgSO₄ are in general positive, indicating the predominance of the interactions of zwitterionic/hydrophilic groups of amino acids with ions of the salt. The hydration number decreases with increasing concentration of salt. The number of water molecules hydrated to amino acids decreases, further strengthening the predominance of ionic/hydrophilic interactions in this system.     

Thermosensitivity of poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-vinylpyrrolidone): Effect of transition-metal halides

The effect of the halides of a series of transition metals on the properties of aqueous solutions of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) is studied. It is shown that the introduction of ZnCl₂ into solutions of poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) causes phase separation with an increase in temperature. In the presence of halides of other transition metals (CdCl₂, CuCl₂), this phenomenon is not observed. However, the addition of HCl and/or alkali-metal halides to these systems likewise gives rise to phase separation, and in the ZnCl₂-based systems, the cloud point of solution substantially decreases with the introduction of alkali-metal salts. The same situation is observed in the case of polyvinylcaprolactam. Thus, it is concluded that the observed phenomena are associated with the formation of MtCl₄²⁻ complex anions in solutions that promote the globulization of polymer chains with participation of water molecules surrounding polymer chains and cations of transition-metal salts bound to complexes with C=O groups of lactam rings of the polymers.     

The investigation on the relative stability of different clusters of thiourea dioxide in water using gas phase quantum chemical calculations

The relative stability of different clusters of thiourea dioxide (TDO) in water is examined using gas phase quantum chemical calculations at the MP2 and B3LYP level with 6‐311++G(d,p) basis set. The possible equilibrium structures and other energetic and geometrical data of the thiourea dioxide clusters, TDO‐(H₂O)_n (n is the number of water molecules), are obtained. The calculation results show that a strong interaction exists between thiourea dioxide and water molecules, as indicated by the binding energies of the TDO clusters progressively increased by adding water molecules. PCM model is used to investigate solvent effect of TDO. We obtained a negative hydration energy of ?20.6 kcal mol^?1 and free‐energy change of ?21.0 kcal mol^?1 in hydration process. On the basis of increasing binding energies with adding water molecules and a negative hydration energy by PCM calculation, we conclude thiourea dioxide can dissolve in water molecules. Furthermore, the increases of the C? S bond distance by the addition of water molecules show that the strength of the C? S bonds is attenuated. We find that when the number of water molecules was up to 5, the C? S bonds of the clusters, TDO‐(H₂O)₅ and TDO‐(H₂O)₆ were ruptured. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009     

Dynamics of Hydration of Alkylsulfonate Anions in Aqueous Solutions

The ¹⁷O-NMR spin-lattice relaxation times (T ₁) of water molecules in aqueous solutions of n-alkylsulfonate (C₁ to C₆) and arylsulfonic anions were determined as a function of concentration at 298 K. Values of the dynamic hydration number, (S^-) = n_h ^- (t_c^- /t_c⁰ - 1)(\mathrm{S}^{-}) = n_{\mathrm{h}}^{ -} (\tau_{\mathrm{c}}^{-} /\tau_{\mathrm{c}}^{0} - 1), were determined from the concentration dependence of T ₁. The ratios (t_c ^-/t_c⁰\tau_{\mathrm{c}}^{ -}/\tau_{\mathrm{c}}^{0}) of the rotational correlation times (t_c ^-\tau_{\mathrm{c}}^{ -} ) of the water molecules around each sulfonate anion in the aqueous solutions to the rotational correlation time of pure water (t_c⁰\tau_{\mathrm{c}}^{0}) were obtained from the n _DHN(S⁻) and the hydration number (n_h ^-n_{\mathrm{h}}^{ -} ) results, which was calculated from the water accessible surface area (ASA) of the solute molecule. The t_c ^-/t_c⁰\tau_{\mathrm{c}}^{ -}/\tau_{\mathrm{c}}^{0} values for alkylsulfonate anions increase with increasing ASA in the homologous-series range of C₁ to C₄, but then become approximately constant. This result shows that the water structures of hydrophobic hydration near large size alkyl groups are less ordered. The rotational motions of water molecules around an aromatic group are faster than those around an n-alkyl group with the same ASA. That is, the number of water–water hydrogen bonds in the hydration water of aromatic groups is smaller in comparison with the hydration water of an n-alkyl group having the same ASA. Hydrophobic hydration is strongly disturbed by a sulfonate group, which acts as a water structure breaker. The disturbance effect decreases in the following order: $\mbox{--} \mathrm{SO}_{3}^{-} > \mbox{--} \mathrm{NH}_{3}^{ +} > \mathrm{OH}> \mathrm{NH}_{2}$\mbox{--} \mathrm{SO}_{3}^{-} > \mbox{--} \mathrm{NH}_{3}^{ +} > \mathrm{OH}> \mathrm{NH}_{2}. The partial molar volumes and viscosity B _V coefficients for alkylsulfonate anions are linearly dependent on their n _DHN(S⁻) values.     

Hydration characterization of N-vinylcaprolactam polymers by absorption millimeter-wave measurements

Water molecules in the polymer hydration shell known as bound water lose their mobility in comparison with unperturbed water. This effect was quantified by absorption measurements in the millimeter-wave range of microwaves (1–10 mm, 30–300 GHz). Hydration measurements were performed for poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PNVCL) and copolymers of N-vinylcaprolactam (NVCL) and N-vinylimidazol (NVIA). The association of hydrophobic groups in PNVCL upon coil-to-globule transition was found to cause a decrease in the relative hydration number, which is the relative amount of bound water per solute molecule as measured by microwave method at 31 GHz. Millimeter-wave hydration measurements were confirmed by the determinations of specific heat capacity (c _p) with differential scanning calorimetry. Hydration determinations of NVCL/NVIA copolymers revealed that they associate via hydrophobic clustering with a decrease in hydration of hydrophobic groups.     

1H NMR relaxation study of polymer-solvent interactions during thermotropic phase transition in aqueous solutions

The dynamic-structural changes and polymer - solvent interactions during the thermotropic phase transition in poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME)/D₂O solutions in a broad range of polymer concentrations (c = 0.1-60 wt.-%) were studied combining the measurements of ¹H NMR spectra, spin-spin (T₂) and spin-lattice (T₁) relaxation times. Phase separation in solutions results in a marked line broadening of a major part of polymer segments, evidently due to the formation of compact globular-like structures. The minority (∼15%) mobile component, which does not participate in the phase separation, consists of low-molecular-weight fractions of PVME, as shown by GPC. Measurements of spin-spin relaxation times T₂ of PVME methylene protons have shown that globular structures are more compact in dilute solutions in comparison with semidilute solutions where globules probably contain a certain amount of water. A certain portion of water molecules bound at elevated temperatures to (in) PVME globular structures in semidilute and concentrated solutions was revealed from measurements of spin-spin and spin-lattice relaxation times of residual HDO molecules.     

Mesomorphic phases of poly(DI-n-alkylsiloxane)s

The phase behavior of poly(dialkylsiloxane)s which are symmetrically substituted with ethyl, n-propyl, and n-butyl side groups has been investigated by solid state NMR and differential scanning calorimetry. All polymers exhibit disordering transitions before isotropization. The observation of conformational and motional changes is correlated to the different thermal transitions. Diffusive rotation of the chain segments around the molecule long axis is indicated by ²⁹Si-NMR below the isotropization transition. The remarkably fluid character is explained in part by the coexistence of anisotropic and isotropic motional states of the -OSiEt₂- segments. Molecular motion below the upper disordering transition is restricted but still fast with respect to the ²⁹Si-NMR time scale. Long range reorganization processes have to be considered to explain the difference between α₂-PDES and β₂-PDES. The stepwise disordering at the onset of different motional processes, which results in the formation of a columnar liquid crystalline phase of these highly flexible chain molecules, is discussed with respect to the amphiphilic constitution of the molecules having an inorganic backbone substituted by organic side groups.     

Tetraalkylammonium Ions in Aqueous and Non-aqueous Solutions

Property data for tetraalkylammonium cations, [H(CH₂) _n ]₄N⁺, are reviewed. They pertain to the isolated cations and their transfer from the gas phase into aqueous solutions. Various properties of these cations in aqueous and non-aqueous solutions and data for their transfer between these are also reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the dependence of data on the length n of the alkyl chains rather than on the absolute values. Most of the data are available only for the first four members of the series. The properties of the isolated ions increase linearly with the chain length. Molar enthalpies of formation of the gaseous and aqueous cations, and absolute standard molar enthalpies of hydration, are derived. Standard molar entropies of dissolution of several salts in water are obtained from their solubilities and enthalpies of solution. The molar entropies of the crystalline iodides of the first four members of the series then give the standard partial molar entropies of the aqueous cations and their molar entropies of hydration. The standard partial molar volumes in aqueous and non-aqueous solutions are quite linear with n and in non-aqueous solutions the molar volume hardly depends on the nature of the solvent. On transfer from water to non-aqueous solvents the volume of Me₄N⁺ suffers some shrinkage, that of Et₄N⁺ appears to be unaffected, but from Pr₄N⁺ onwards an increasing expansion takes place. This unexpected result is tentatively explained by hydrophobic intra-molecular association of pairs of alkyl chains in aqueous solutions, resulting in a tightening of the structure. The transfer of the R₄N⁺ cations from water into non-aqueous solvents is governed by a large positive entropy change, outweighing the smaller positive enthalpy change. The transport properties of the aqueous R₄N⁺ cations are non-linear with n. A major impediment to movement is thus the sticking of the water molecules to the ice-like hydrophobic hydration sheaths of the larger cations. The number of water molecules affected by the hydrophobic cations is open to widely differing estimates resulting from various approaches, and constitute an open issue.     

Solubility of amino acids in aqueous poly (ethylene glycol) solutions

The solubilities of amino acids have been measured in water and aqueous poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) solutions as a function of temperature and PEG concentration. The free energies of transfer from water to aqueous PEG solutions forl-alanine,l-valine,l-isoleucine andl-leucine were positive, while those forl-phenylalanine andl-tryptophan were negative. The corresponding enthalpies of transfer were almost zero for all amino acids. The equilibrium constants of the binding of amino acids to PEG chain were estimated from the solubility data. Amino acids with larger hydrophobicity are bound more strongly to the PEG chain due to the hydrophobic interaction between the methylene groups of PEG and the side chain of amino acid. The equilibrium constants showed a correlation with the dynamic hydration number (n _DHN) which expresses the hydration properties of amino acids in aqueous solution.     

Understanding properties of copoly(arylene ether nitrile)s high-performance polymer electrolyte membranes for fuel cells from molecular dynamics simulations

Sulfonated poly(arylene ether ether nitrile) (m-SPAEEN) copolymers are reported to have the property of reduced water uptake compared with other hydrocarbon membranes, such as sulfonated polysulfones or polyketones, with similar ion exchange capacity. It is believed that this difference is largely due to the nitrile group. In this study, to investigate the effect of the nitrile group on properties of polymer electrolyte membranes for fuel cell applications, we carried out a series of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We compared the results of MD simulations for m-SPAEEN and sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)s (BPSH). We found that water molecules hydrate not only the sulfonate (SO₃ ^?) groups of m-SPAEEN but also other hydrophilic functional groups in the copolymers. Results showed that hydration around the nitrile group in m-SPAEEN and around the sulfone (SO₂) group in BPSH differs in features related to water uptake: The former exhibits uptake of fewer water molecules than does the latter. This difference in hydration features causes m-SPAEEN to have a relatively low water-uptake level compared with BPSH.     

Hydration and phase separation of temperature-sensitive water-soluble polymers

Collapse of a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)(PNIPAM) chain upon heating and phase diagrams of aqueous PNIPAM solutions with very flat LCST phase separation line are theoretically studied on the basis of cooperative dehydration(simultaneous dissociation of bound water molecules in a group of correlated sequence),and compared with the experimental observation of temperature-induced coil-globule transition by light scattering methods.The transition becomes sharper with the cooperativity parameterσof hydration.Reentrant coil-globule-coil transition in mixed solvent of water and methanol is also studied from the viewpoint of competitive hydrogen bonds between polymer-water and polymer-methanol. The downward shift of the cloud-point curves(LCST cononsolvency) with the mole fraction of methanol due to the competition is calculated and compared with the experimental data.Aqueous solutions of hydophobically-modified PNIPAM carrying short alkyl chains at both chain ends(telechelic PNIPAM) are theoretically and experimentally studied.The LCST of these solutions is found to shift downward along the sol-gel transition curve as a result of end-chain association (association-induced phase separation),and separate from the coil-globule transition line.Associated structures in the solution,such as flower micelles,mesoglobules and higher fractal assembly,are studied by USANS with theoretical modeling of the scattering function.     

Electron Transport Properties of Ions in Aqueous Solutions of Sodium Selenite

Ion diffusion kinetics has been studied using the data of conductivity measurements for aqueous solutions of sodium selenite with different concentrations and at different temperatures. Molecular and ionic self-diffusion coefficients have been determined for infinitely dilute solutions in the temperature range 288 K-313 K. The limiting values of ion mobility and changes in the energies of translation of water molecules from ions’ hydration shell have been found. At elevated temperatures, ΔE _tr ⁰ increases for both ions in direct proportion to the crystallographic radius of the latter. Ion hydration numbers at 298 K have been calculated. The results of this study are interpreted in the light of Samoilov’s theory on positive and negative hydration of ions.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by L. T. Vlaev and S. D. Genieva__________Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 45, No. 5, pp. 870–876, September–October, 2004.     

Intradiffusion coefficients for perchlorate ions in zinc perchlorate and zinc chloride solutions at 25°C: Comparing transport properties of zinc chloride and zinc perchlorate systems

Intradiffusion coefficients for³⁶ClO ₄ ^– have been measured in solutions of zinc perchlorate of concentration 0.1 to 3 mol dm^–3 at 25°C by the diaphragm cell technique. In addition, intradiffusion coefficients for perchlorate ions in zinc chloride solutions have been measured over a concentration range at 25°C. The results confirm previous work on the effect of complexation on diffusion in zinc chloride solutions above a salt concentration of 0.1M. The present data, together with literature data for diffusion coefficients of the other species present in the zinc perchlorate electrolyte system, have enabled a simple analysis of the hydration around the zinc ions to be carried out. This indicates that the water diffusion data are consistent with the zinc ions having an effective hydration sphere of 11 (±2) water molecules. This is in keeping with values obtained for other simple divalent electrolytes using the same model. The model is extended here to allow analysis of water diffusion in zinc chloride solutions taking into account the presence of complexed chloro-zinc species. The experimental data are consistent with the effective hydration of the chloro-zinc complexes being independent of the number of chloride ligands and equal to 18±3 over a concentration range of 0 tol mol-dm^–3. This postulate is discussed in terms of its consequences on the water ligand dynamics for the complex equilibria.     

Stimuli-Responsive Polymers in Solution Investigated by NMR and Infrared Spectroscopy

Summary: Temperature-induced and solvent composition-induced phase separation in solutions of poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) (PIPMAm) and other thermoresponsive polymers as studied by NMR and infrared (IR) spectroscopy is discussed. The fraction p of phase-separated units (units with significantly reduced mobility) and subsequently, e.g., thermodynamic parameters characterizing the coil-globule phase transition induced by temperature, were determined from reduced integrated intensities in high-resolution ¹H NMR spectra. This approach can be especially useful in investigations of phase separation in solutions of binary polymer systems. Information on behaviour of water during temperature-induced phase transition was obtained from measurements of ¹H NMR relaxation times of HDO molecules. NMR and IR spectroscopy were used to investigate PIPMAm solutions in water/ethanol (D₂O/EtOH) mixtures where the phase separation can be induced by solvent composition (cononsolvency). Some differences in globular-like structures induced by temperature and solvent composition were revealed by these methods.