Probing the effects of external species on poly(acrylate acid) chain dynamics by using cationic AIE-active fluorophore

We report here our results on the investigation of the chain dynamics of poly(acrylic acid) in aqueous solution. The concentration of poly(acrylic acid) was approximately 3.8×10~(-4) mol/L, two orders of magnitude higher than that reported in the literature. The p H value of the solution was 3.9, and the hydrogen bonds between the intrinsic and ionized carboxylic acid groups formed dynamic networks, which captured aggregation-induced emission-active molecules(a tetra-quaternary ammonium modified tetraphenylethene derivative) inside the polymer coils and induced fluorescence emission. The hydrogen bonds can be classified as intra- or intermolecular; both can be probed based on the emission change of the tetra-quaternary ammonium modified tetraphenylethene probes. The effects of different external stimuli on the polymer chain dynamics were investigated using different metal cations(including Na~+, Li~+, Zn~(2+), Ni~(2+), Ca~(2+), and Co~(2+)), different cation concentrations(1×10~(-6) to 4×10~(-4) mol/L), different poly(acrylic acid) molecular weights(5, 240, and 450 k Da), and different copolymers. The experimental results indicate that the long poly(acrylic acid) chains(high molecular weight) tend to form dense globular coils and exclude the probe molecules outside, which are robust and unsusceptible to water-soluble metal cations. However, the shorter poly(acrylic acid) chains tend to form intermolecular hydrogen bonds, which are helpful in capturing more probe molecules inside the networks, thus inducing stronger emission. Because of the dual functions of forming hydrogen bonds with carboxylic groups and acting as an acceptor of protons from the carboxylic acid group to form cationic species, copolymerization with acrylate amide [poly(acrylic acid)-co-poly(acrylamide)] can greatly affect the chain dynamics of poly(acrylic acid) segments, which is reflected by the drastically decreased emission intensity from the fluorescent probes.     

Polymeric flocculants processing by accelerated electron beams and microwave heating

Results obtained by accelerated electron beam, microwave and simultaneous microwave and electron beam application in the chemistry of acrylamide and acrylic acid copolymers (polymeric flocculants used for wastewater treatment) are presented. Comparative results concerning the molecular weight and Huggins’ constant for the acrylamide and acrylic acid copolymers obtained by classical heating, microwave heating, electron beam irradiation and simultaneous microwave and electron beam treatment are reported. Microwave heating produces high water solubility of the polymeric flocculants but median molecular weight values. Electron beam irradiation gives high molecular weight values but associated with a cross-linked structure (poor water solubility) while microwave energy addition to electron beam energy gives simultaneously high molecular weight values and high water solubility.     

Synthesis,characterization and metal ion sorption studies of graft copolymers of cellulose with glycidyl methacrylate and some comonomers

To develop low-cost and environmentally friendly polymeric materials for enrichment, separation and remediation of metal ions from water, novel reactive graft copolymers based on cellulose extracted from pine needles were synthesized by grafting of poly(glycidyl methacrylate) alone and with comonomers acrylic acid, acrylamide and acrylonitrile by benzoyl peroxide initiation. Structural aspects of graft copolymers have been characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, and solvent uptake behaviour. An attempt has been made to study sorption of Fe²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Cr⁶⁺ ions on candidate graft copolymers by an equilibration method and to investigate the structural aspects of graft copolymers and establish a relationship between the structural aspects of graft copolymers and metal ion uptake efficiency and selectivity.     

Copolymerization of N-vinylpyrrolidone with acrylic monomers in vitrifying solutions

The low-temperature copolymerization of N-vinylpyrrolidone with acrylic monomers (acrylic acid, acrylamide, and methyl acrylate) in vitrifying solutions in ethanol and DMF has been studied. It has been shown that the copolymerization proceeds after transition of preliminarily γ-irradiated at 77 K samples from the solid glassy state to a supercooled liquid. Experimental conditions that ensure formation of alternating and random block copolymers have been established. The composition of copolymers is determined by the relative mobility and initial ratio of comonomers in solution.     

Sorption of Metal Ions by Chitosan Copolymers with Vinyl Monomers

Russian Journal of Applied Chemistry - Chitosan copolymers with vinyl monomers: 4-N-vinylpyridine, acrylamide, and acrylic acid, were synthesized and these sorption properties were investigated....     

Photocatalytic degradation of poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)

Poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) copolymers of different compositions were synthesized and characterized. The copolymers were statistical with a relatively high percentage of acrylamide units, as determined by (13)C NMR. Reactivity ratios calculated by the Finemann-Ross and Kelen-Tudos methods showed that the copolymers were random with a reactivity ratio of r AM = 3.76 and r AA = 0.28. The photolytic and photocatalytic degradation of the copolymers and the homopolymers was conducted in the presence of combustion-synthesized nano anatase titania. The degradation of the copolymer in the presence of combustion-synthesized titania was significantly higher than that observed in the presence of commercial titania, Degussa P-25. The degradation was modeled by using continuous distribution kinetics by following the time evolution of molecular weight distribution. The degradation follows a two step mechanism, wherein the rapid first step comprises the scission of weak acrylic acid units along the chain which is followed by the breakage of relatively strong acrylamide units. The rate constants for the weak and strong links follow a linear trend with the percentage of acrylic acid and acrylamide in the copolymer, respectively. This linear variation can be correlated with a similar trend observed for the activation energies obtained for the pyrolytic degradation of the polymers.     

Formation of polymer–colloid complexes of aluminoxane particles with poly(acrylic acid) and its copolymers with acrylamide

Formation of polymer–colloid complexes formed by positively charged aluminoxane particles with a size of ~4.6 nm, which constitute the main part of the dispersed phase in aluminum polyhydroxychloride sols with poly(acrylic acid) and acrylic acid copolymers with acrylamide, is studied. Conditions of preparing water-soluble polymer–colloid complexes are determined. It is shown that water-soluble polycomplexes are obtained through the interaction of aluminoxane particles with acrylic acid–acrylamide copolymers containing no more than 0.8 mol% acrylic acid units. In the polymer–colloid complex, aluminoxane particles are uniformly distributed over polyelectrolyte macromolecules and the optimum composition is attained at the molar ratio of components Z equal to 1:1. In semidilute solutions, the addition of aluminoxane particles to the copolymer brings about formation of the gel featuring viscoelastic properties. For all copolymers, the maximally elastic properties of the gels are attained at Z ≈ 1.     

Direct Synthesis of Double Hydrophilic Statistical Di‐ and Triblock Copolymers Comprised of Acrylamide and Acrylic Acid Units via the MADIX Process

Double hydrophilic statistical, diblock and triblock copolymers comprised of acrylamide and acrylic acid units have been synthesized in aqueous medium using the MADIX process. Starting from an either monofunctional or difunctional xanthate, the resulting AB and ABA‐type double hydrophilic block copolymers (DHBC) exhibited molar masses predetermined by the initial monomer/xanthate precursor molar ratio and polydispersity indices in the range 1.2–1.5. Batch copolymerizations yielded well‐defined statistical copolymers that were chain‐extended for the synthesis of novel poly‐ (acrylic acid‐stat‐acrylamide)‐block‐polyacrylamide DHBC.     

部分水解法制备高分子量水溶性(丙烯酰胺/丙烯酸/2-丙烯酰胺-2-甲基丙磺酸)三元共聚物

系列的高分子量水溶性丙烯酰胺 /丙烯酸 /2 丙烯酰胺 2 甲基丙磺酸 (AM/AA/AMPS)三元共聚物(P3A)由相应的 (AM/AMPS)二元共聚物通过部分水解方法制得 .聚合物的结构和组成使用电位滴定和13 C NMR谱测定 ,得到的结果指出 ,在设定的试验条件下 ,水解过程中 ,高分子链上AMPS单元具有充分的稳定性 ,而丙烯酰胺基平稳地转变为丙烯酸 .在所有不同聚合物 (P2A)情况下 ,由于阴离子基团和OH-离子的静电相斥作用 ,酰胺基的水解反应均遵循自动减缓动力学的模式 ,同时 ,最后反应转化率趋向极限 ,AM剩余值位于 3 0mol%左右 ,另外对各种三元共聚物 (P3A)的溶液特性粘数和组成的关系亦作了详细的研究 .     

Synthesis and Properties of Hydrophilic Copolymers Containing 5-Fluorouracil,Thymine, or Adenine

Hydrophilic copolymers containing 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), thymine, or adenine were prepared by the free-radical copolymerization of methacryloyl-type monomers containing them with water-soluble vinyl monomers such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, vinylpyrroli-done, acrylamide, and 4(5)-vinylimidazole with AIBN as initiator. Complex formation between the copolymers and RNA and between the copolymers having complementary nucleic acid bases in aqueous solution and a DMSO-ethylene glycol was studied by means of UV spectroscopy. These copolymers were found to release the N-hydroxyethyl derivatives of 5-FU, thymine, or adenine by hydrolysis of the ester of the polymer side chain under mild conditions. The effects of the kind of water-soluble comonomer, temperature, pH, and the imidazole group as catalyst on the hydrolysis of the ester are discussed.     

Effect of pH on the reactivity ratios in the copolymerization of acrylic acid and acrylamide

The content of acrylic acid and acrylamide in their copolymers can be controlled by changing pH. The reactivity ratio of acrylic acid decreases with increasing pH, while the reactivity ratio of acrylamide increases with increasing pH. At low pH values, acrylamide is present in its protonated form which causes its reactivity to be low whereas at high pH values the reactivity of acrylic acid is decreased owing to its dissociation. When the monomer and radical approach each other, the acrylate anion becomes the least reactive species because of its symmetrical charge distribution, like charge repulsion and barium ion screening effect. HMO calculations were performed for models of all monomers and polymer radicals involved in copolymerizations. The experimental results concerning the reactivity of acrylic acid and acrylamide in copolymerization and the observed reactivity ratios were discussed on the basis of HMO calculations and resonance and Coulomb electrostatic effects. The observed reactivity ratios were correlated with the calculated differences in resonance energies computed for the models of transition states involved in copolymerizations.     

Synthesis,characterization and coating applications of liquid crystalline acrylic copolymers

The synthesis and characterization of the coating properties of liquid crystalline acrylic copolymers containing p -hydroxybenzoic acid as mesogenic group are described. The synthetic method involves the grafting of p-hydroxybenzoic acid onto acrylic copolymers, confirmed by characterization with IR and ¹H NMR techniques. The presence of liquid crystal was assessed by observing optical textures under the polarizing microscope and by DSC and TGA. The coating properties such as flexibility, hardness, adhesion, drying time, viscosity, etc. of acrylic copolymers as well as of liquid crystalline acrylic copolymers were studied. The results showed that LC polymers have potential for coating applications.     

Direct two-step synthesis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-butyl acrylate–acrylic acid block copolymer by RAFT polymerization

A series of narrow-MMD polymers with the molecular mass from 33 × 10³ to 123 × 10³ (polydispersity coefficient 1.08–1.16) were synthesized by bulk polymerization of n-butyl acrylate [2,2′-azobis(isobutyronitrile), 60°C] in the presence of a low-molecular-mass RAFT agent, dibenzyl trithiocarbonate. Then, polymerization of acrylic acid was performed in aqueous-alcoholic solution (ammonium persulfate, 70°C) in the presence of the obtained polymers, and a series of n-butyl acrylate–acrylic acid block copolymers with the molecular masses from 22 × 10³ to 81 × 10³ (polydispersity coefficient 1.07–1.13) were prepared. In aqueous-alcoholic solutions of the synthesized copolymers, there are nanoparticles whose size varies from 5 tо 65 nm and increases with an increase in the molecular mass of the copolymer and in the concentration of water in the solvent.     

Polyacrylamide–graft–poly(ethylene oxide)

Water-soluble graft copolymers were synthesized by copolymerization of acrylamide with mono-methoxy-poly(ethylene oxide)-methacrylates (Me-PEO-MA). The Me-PEO-MA macromers were synthesized by a catalytic esterification of methacrylic acid with mono-methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)s with different molecular weights. The graft copolymers obtained were characterized by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and Ubbelohde viscosimetry. The rheological behaviour of aqueous polymer solutions, which are expected to show hydrophobic association at elevated temperatures, was studied with a cone and plate-rheometer.     

Preparation and characterization of fluorine-containing acrylate copolymers by Co γ-ray radiation co-polymerization

A series of fluorine-containing acrylate copolymers were prepared by ⁶⁰Co γ-ray radiation co-polymerization in a mixed acrylate system, including butyl acrylate, acrylic acid, acrylonitrile, N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide and perfluoroalkylethyl methacrylate (FMA). The yield of the copolymers reached 96% when they were radiated for 34 h with the radiation dose of 1 kGy/h. Moreover, the surface structure and properties of the copolymers were determined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle (CA) analysis. And the glass-transition temperature was measured by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). It was found that the fluoropolymer was of large water static contact angle and fluorine was enriched at the polymer-air interface. The relationship between the copolymer composition, annealed temperature and static contact angle was also discussed in detail. Furthermore, when the FMA content reached 3%, the cotton treated with our products exhibited better oil repellency.     

Pervaporation for separating benzene/cyclohexane mixture by P(AA-MA) copolymer membranes

P(AA-MA)copolymers composed of acrylic acid and methyl acrylate with different molecular weights and sequence structures were synthesized by combination of ATRP and selective hydrolysis.These copolymers were used as membrane materials to separate benzene/cyclohexane mixture by pervaporation.The effects of molecular weight and sequence structure of the copolymers on the pervaporation performance were investigated in detail.For the random copolymers,the permeate flux decreased rapidly with the increasing of molecular weight.The separation factor was also influenced by the molecular weight,which was changed from no selectivity to cyclohexane selectivity with increasing the molecular weight.Contrarily,the block copolymer membrane showed good benzene selectivity with separation factor of 4.3 and permeate flux of 157 g/(m~2h)to 50 wt%benzene/cyclohexane mixture.     

Synthesis and properties of water‐soluble azlactone copolymers

Preparation and study of a series of copolymers incorporating 2‐vinyl‐4,4‐dimethylazlactone (VDMA) is reported. The reactivity ratios for photo‐initiated free radical copolymerization of VDMA with methacrylic acid (MAA), acrylic acid (AA), acrylamide (AAm), dimethylacrylamide (DMAA), hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (MPEG₃₀₀MA), and 2‐methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC), were determined by fitting comonomer conversion data obtained by in situ ¹H NMR to a terminal copolymerization equation. Semi‐batch photo‐copolymerizations were then used to synthesize the corresponding VDMA copolymers with constant composition. Their solubility and dissolution behavior, as well as their hydrolysis half‐lives under physiological conditions, were determined. P(VDMA‐co‐MAA) copolymers with 52 to 93 mol % VDMA showed decreasing initial solubility and increasing hydrolysis half‐lives with increasing VDMA content. VDMA copolymers with nonionic monomers AAm and DMAA were water soluble only at VDMA contents of 41 and 22 mol % or less, respectively, and showed longer hydrolysis half‐lives than comparable MAA copolymers. VDMA copolymers with HEMA and MPEG₃₀₀MA were found to crosslink during storage, so their hydrolysis half‐lives were not determined. VDMA copolymers with 18% zwitterionic MPC showed a much longer half‐life and superior initial solubility compared to analogous p(VDMA‐co‐MAA), identifying this copolymer as a promising candidate for macromolecular crosslinkers in, for example, aqueous layer‐by‐layer co‐depositions with polyamines. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Dynamics of water absorption by copolymers of acrylic acid and its derivatives

Water absorption by copolymers of acrylic acid, sodium acrylate, and sodium 1,3-diallyl isocyanurate and of acrylic acid, sodium acrylate, acrylamide, and sodium 1,3-diallyl isocyanurate was studied in relation to their composition and the concentration of cross-linking agent.     

Effect of the composition of polyacrylimide-forming copolymers on their processing

Thermomechanical studies of thermosetting copolymers of acrylonitrile with methacrylic acid and acrylamide with acrylic acid that form similar polyacrylimide foam plastics during curing have been performed. The dependence of the glass-transition temperatures of the copolymers on the degrees of intramolecular imidization has been calculated and confirmed experimentally. Procedures to control the curing rate have been proposed. The influence of plasticizing additives on the glass-transition temperatures, imidization, and foaming of foam-forming compositions has been studied. Plasticized powdered foam-forming compositions with delayed imidization have been developed, and temperature conditions for their processing have been determined.     

Synthesis of chiral micelles and nanoparticles from amino acid based monomers using RAFT polymerization

Homopolymers of ^tbutyl acrylate (P^tBuA) and a monosubstituted acrylamide (PAM) having an amino acid moiety in the side chain, N‐acryloyl‐(L )‐phenylalanine methyl ester 1 , have been synthesized by Reversible Addition‐Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Diblock copolymers of these homopolymers were also synthesized by chain extending P^tBuA with monomer 1 and after modification, using simple acid deprotection chemistries of the acrylate block to afford a poly (acrylic acid) block, an optically active amphiphilic diblock copolymer was isolated. The optically active amphiphilic diblock copolymers, which contain chiral amino acid moieties within the hydrophobic segment, were then self‐assembled to afford spherical micelles which were subsequently crosslinked throughout the shell layer to afford robust chiral nanoparticles. The hydrodynamic diameters (D_h) of the block copolymer micelles and nanoparticles were measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and the dimensions of the nanoparticles were determined using tapping‐mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 3690–3702, 2008