Summary: We propose and demonstrate the utility of an interfacial living/controlled (reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer, RAFT) radical miniemulsion polymerization in nano‐encapsulation. The principles and methodology behind this technique are readily scalable and highly efficient. The living/controlled nature of the system offers great opportunities to tune the properties of the polymer shell‐like thickness, surface functionality, molecular weight, and inner‐wall functionality by simply using a semi‐continuous polymerization technique.
Illustration of encapsulation principles by RAFT interfacial miniemulsion polymerization. 相似文献
A novel model describes copolymerization of isobutylene and inimer (initiator‐monomer) via living carbocationic polymerization. Six different propagation rate constants and two types of equilibrium reactions are considered. Simplifying assumptions are made to enable implementation in PREDICI, so that the molecular weight distribution (MWD) could be predicted for molecules with different branching levels. Four apparent rate constants were estimated from experimental data with <5 branches per molecule. Model predictions provide a good fit to data, and simulation results show that polymers with high‐branching levels and ≥15 inimer units contribute significantly to the MWD, even though their concentrations are very low.
The catalytic behavior of three bis(phenoxy‐imine) group‐4 transition‐metal complexes (M = Ti, Zr, Hf), with iBu3Al/Ph3CB(C6F5)4 cocatalyst systems towards propylene polymerization was investigated under atmospheric pressure at 25 °C. The Ti complex produced ultrahigh‐molecular‐weight atactic poly(propylene), whereas Zr and Hf complexes formed high‐molecular‐weight isotactic poly(propylene)s via a site‐control mechanism. The isotactic poly(propylene) obtained with the Hf complex displayed a high melting temperature of 123.8 °C.
A facile one‐step method has been developed to prepare both superhydrophobic and superoleophilic surfaces of polystyrene (PS) without any chemical modification. A rough film consisting of micro‐bead and nano‐fiber mixed structures is formed by spraying a PS solution onto a large area and any type of substrate. The mixed structures with such unique wettability properties can be used in oil/water separation and as oil sorbents.
The metal catalyzed polymerization of methyl methacrylate using Cu(0) as the catalyst source has been investigated in toluene. This work looks at polymerizations in a non‐polar medium allowing control over the molecular weight and polydispersity with a 4‐fold reduction in catalyst concentration versus conventional ATRP, while the use of an active ligand allows the reaction to proceed at room temperature. The use of an excess of PMDETA ligand allows for high conversions, and the addition of a small amount of CuBr2 enhances living characteristics, enabling efficient chain extension.
Conformational analysis of macromolecular structures reveals interesting higher‐order spatial arrangements. Analyzing these features as a function of time provides insights into the dynamical behavior of these systems and the identification of relevant subdomains. We present some visual‐analytic methods that we devised to explore the spatial‐temporal properties from molecular dynamics simulation data. These methods automatically detect common features and connect them to properties of interest. These methods yield physical insights that are not easily obtainable with existing methods for particle simulation data, as illustrated for polyacetylene interacting with a carbon nanotube.
π‐Conjugated microporous networks have been prepared from the tetraarylated diketopyrrolo[3,4‐c]pyrrole unit as a tetrafunctional building block. The reactions are carried out using microwave‐assisted Yamamoto or Sonogashira cross‐coupling. Red insoluble powders are obtained, showing intense fluorescence. The polymer networks exhibit a high gas storage capability, with BET surface areas up to about 500 m2 · g−1.
Herein, a convenient and general method to simultaneously fix and functionalize polymeric vesicles with sulphydryl groups by the co‐self‐assembly of poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐poly[3‐(triethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate] (PEO‐b‐PTESPMA) and 3‐mercaptopropyltrialkoxysilane in an aqueous solution is reported. The presence of sulphydryl groups across the vesicle membrane has been confirmed by using an energy‐filtered technique during TEM analysis and by capturing Au nanoparticles.
A novel pH‐responsive polymer vesicle obtained by the aqueous self‐assembly of carboxy‐terminated hyperbranched polyesters is reported. The synthesis is very simple, just a one‐step esterification of the commercially available hydroxy‐terminated hyperbranched polyester of Boltorn Hx (x = 20, 30, 40) with succinic anhydride. The vesicle size can be controlled from 200 nm to 10 µm by simply adjusting the solution pH as well as the degrees of branching (or generation).
The ability to control the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in polymers is key to most applications of nanotube‐polymer composites. This feature article describes recent advances in methods used to disperse carbon nanotubes and considers how these methods affect dispersion on different length scales. It is becoming increasing clear that perfect dispersion is not desired for many applications, in particular for electrical conductivity, and controlling the dispersion is key for proper function of the composite in its intended application.
Water‐soluble single‐ and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared by grafting polyacrylamide chains from the graphitic surface via ceric ion‐induced redox radical polymerization. The reducing functionalities were covalently attached to the tubes by peroxide‐assisted radical reaction. The results showed that polymer chains were grafted onto CNTs by the redox process. The redox radical polymerization initiated by carbon nanotube‐bearing functionalities not only provides a powerful strategy for modifying the carbon nanostructures but also gives us the knowledge of their sidewall chemistry.
Summary: Organisation behaviours of spherical particles suspended in sheared, lyotropic, liquid‐crystalline polymer solutions have been investigated using polarizing optical microscopy. We find that in a nematic phase the particles phase separate and adopt anisotropic chain‐like structures along the director. An earring defect is observed around a single particle whereas a cross or strings defect between neighbouring particles is found to serve as a repulsive barrier to prevent the particles from contacting each other. A theoretical analysis is presented to explain this new phenomenon.
An optical micrograph of 0.01 wt.‐% glass spheres suspended in a nematic solution of 40 wt.‐% ethyl cellulose in chloroform under an external shear force. 相似文献
Summary: The performances of ethylene polymerization catalysts based on III and commercial methylaluminoxane were investigated by reducing the content of free trimethylaluminum in methylaluminoxane by its reaction with 2,6‐di‐tert‐butylphenol. This allowed optimization of the formulation of the catalyst, affording a high‐molecular‐weight linear polyethylene (PE) with a productivity [(1 900 kg of PE/(mol of Ni × h)], ten‐fold higher than that previously achieved for the same system adopting commercial methylaluminoxane not pre‐treated with the above phenol derivative.
Summary: Bisphenol A solid epoxy serves as an effective reaction compatibilizer to the bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC)/PMMA bilayer systems. Addition of epoxy to the bottom PMMA layer can retard or even prevent the dewetting of PC films by introducing crosslinking between both components at the interface. This is the first investigation of polymer bilayers stabilized by chemical reactions.
AFM topographic image of a representative dewetting hole. 相似文献
Blue emission of oxygen‐doped tertiary amine (triethylamine), a key unit of fluorescent poly(amido amine) dendrimer, was demonstrated. It was found that the fluorescence intensity could be further enhanced if the tertiary amines locate densely in the dendrimer interior as the branching sites. Moreover, a solvatochromic phenol blue, instead of oxygen, is able to induce the blue fluorescence of the tertiary amino‐branching sites based on a guaranteed host‐guest complexation of phenol blue molecules and dendrimer interior.
A facile approach to prepare poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/cadmium selenide quantum dot (CdSe QD) hybrid coaxial nanowires by a stepwise self‐assembly process is reported. P3HT nanowires of ≈20 nm diameter are first prepared by self‐assembly in a poor solvent such as cyclohexanone, and then as‐prepared CdSe QDs are deposited compactly onto the P3HT nanowires by non‐covalent interactions between P3HT and CdSe. When illuminated with white light, the hybrid nanowires show enhanced photoconductivity compared with the pristine P3HT nanowires and the blended nanocomposites.
Binary reactive/inert antifouling polymer brushes were grafted via a two step surface initiated polymerization from printed initiator monolayer and provided robust, effective polymeric surfaces for bioattachment with distinguishably reduced non‐specific adsorption. This synthetic strategy can be harnessed to build complex binary polymeric structures on substrate surfaces and the polymer brush surfaces reported in the present paper can be widely used for versatile biological study.
