Polymer/Laponite Composite Latexes: Particle Morphology,Film Microstructure,and Properties

Transparent film materials with excellent mechanical and thermal properties were elaborated by drying a latex suspension of armored polymer/Laponite composite particles. Low‐temperature TEM observation of ultrathin cross‐sections of the films indicated a unique network morphology characterized by a “honeycomb” distribution of the Laponite platelets remindful of the original particles morphology.

     

A Novel Route for Fabricating Metal‐Polymer Composite Nanoparticles with Phase‐Separated Structures

Au nanoparticles (NPs) and polymer composite particles with phase‐separation structures were prepared based on phase separation structures. Au NPs were successfully synthesized in amphiphilic block‐copolymer micelles, and then composite particles were formed by a simple solvent evaporation process from Au NPs and polymer solution. The phase separated structures (Janus and Core‐shell) were controlled by changing the combination of polymers having differing hydrophobicity.

     

Solvent Controlled Multi‐Morphological Self‐Assembly of Amphiphilic Graft Copolymers

Summary: Amphiphilic graft polyphosphazenes (EtTrp/PNIPAm‐PPP) with different mole ratios of hydrophobic groups to hydrophilic segments were synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization and subsequent substitution reactions. The self‐assembly behavior of these graft copolymers was studied in detail by TEM, SEM, CLSM, and AFM. Depending on the copolymer composition and common organic solvent employed in dialysis process, supramolecular aggregates ranging from network, nanospheres, high‐genus particles to macrophage‐like aggregates were produced with graft copolymers.

     

Magnetic Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Particles Synthesized by Suspension Polymerization in Silicone Oil

Summary: Magnetic nanoparticles have been prepared by a co‐precipitation method and modified with methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane. Magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer particles have been prepared by suspension polymerization in silicone oil. The particles possess a high affinity to the template molecules and are rapidly separated under a magnetic field.

SEM photograph of magnetic MIP particles.     

Poly(ethylene glycol) Surface Coated Magnetic Particles

Summary: A methacrylate‐functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) macromonomer was copolymerized at the surface of methacrylate‐derivatized maghemite nanoparticles. After silylation of the magnetic core with methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, two grafting procedures based on either a direct copolymerization reaction in water or an inverse emulsion polymerization were compared. A direct copolymerization led to low polymer surface amounts, whereas an inverse emulsion process allowed nanocomposite particles containing up to 90 wt.‐% polymer to be obtained.

TEM picture of maghemite‐PEG hybrid particles.     

Temperature/pH‐Sensitive Hydrogels Prepared from Pluronic Copolymers End‐Capped with Carboxylic Acid Groups via an Oligolactide Spacer

The Pluronic F127 triblock copolymer was end‐capped by carboxyl groups using a degradable oligolactide as a spacer to confer pH‐ and thermo‐sensitive properties. With increasing chain length of the oligolactide, the temperature‐dependent sol‐gel transition curve was significantly shifted to higher concentration with concomitant narrowing of the gelation temperature range. Carboxylic acid end‐capped Pluronic also exhibited a peculiar pH‐dependent sol‐gel transition behavior. At 37 °C, sharp gel‐to‐sol and sol‐to‐gel transitions were observed around pH = 4.8 and 8.2, respectively. The pH‐dependent phase transition was caused by introduction of carboxylic acid groups at the ends of Pluronic F127.

     

A New Class of Blue‐Emitting Materials for LED Applications: Triarylamine N‐Functionalised 2,7‐Linked Carbazole Polymers

Attachment of triarylamino‐functional groups at the 9‐position of 2,7‐linked carbazole polymers results in blue‐emitting materials with two independent redox processes that were attributed to the triarylamino groups and the polymer backbone, respectively. This new class of blue‐emitting conjugated polymers was prepared via a Suzuki cross‐coupling reaction and showed low turn‐on voltages in electroluminescent devices as a result of their low ionisation potentials. The photophysical, electrochemical and electroluminescent properties of these materials are discussed.

     

Exploring Actuation and Mechanotransduction Properties of Polymer Brushes

Soft nanotechnology requires new approaches and materials to efficiently convert chemical energy into mechanical motion and vice versa. A number of key design parameters, such as responsiveness to external stimuli, directionality of response through alignment, transduction via surface stresses or changes in ionic conductivity can be found in polymer brushes and several recent examples of actuation and transduction in polymer brushes will be explored.

     

Synthesis of Poly(lactide)s with Modified Thermal and Mechanical Properties

The use of poly(lactide)‐based materials is, in part, limited by their physical and mechanical properties. This article reviews the methods that have been employed to enable enhancement of the materials properties through synthetic manipulation of the polymer structure including block copolymer synthesis and modification of the lactide monomer structure, focusing on the application of ring‐opening polymerization. In turn the effect of these structural modifications on the properties of the resultant materials are reported.

     

A Nanotechnology Pathway to Arresting Phase Separation in Soft Nanocomposites

Direct observation of the miscibility improving effect of ultra‐small polymeric nanoparticles (radius ≈4 nm) in model systems of soft nanocomposites is reported. We have found thermodynamically arrested phase separation in classical poly(styrene) (PS)/poly(vinyl methyl ether) blends when PS linear chains were totally replaced by ultra‐small, single chain PS nanoparticles, as determined by thermo‐optical microscopy measurements. Partial arrested phase splitting on heating was observed when only some of the PS chains were replaced by unimolecular PS nanoparticles, leading to a significant increase of the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the system (up to 40 °C at 15 vol.‐% nanoparticle content). Atomic force microscopy and rheological experiments supported these findings. Thermodynamic arrest of the phase separation process induced by replacement of linear polymer chains by unimolecular polymer nanoparticles could have significant implications for industrial applications requiring soft nanocomposite materials with excellent nanoparticle dispersion in a broad temperature range.

     

Enzymatic Polymerization towards Biodegradable Polyester Nanoparticles

The direct enzymatic polymerization of miniemulsions consisting of lactone nanodroplets represents a new and convenient pathway for the synthesis of biodegradable polymer nanoparticles, where the chemical composition and molecular weight can be varied in a certain range. Oligoesters completely end‐capped with an alkene or diene group can also be prepared by this technique. These building blocks extend polyester application as they allow to impart improved biodegradability to both siloxane and resin chemistry.

TEM image of the polyester particles obtained by enzymatic polymerization in miniemulsion.     

Characterization of Defined Metal‐Containing Supramolecular Block Copolymers

The characterization of metal‐containing supramolecular polymers by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) or matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionisation time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) is complicated because of the interaction of the charged materials with the GPC column material in the first case and fragmentation due to the applied laser energy in the latter case. In this contribution we report recent advances made for the characterization of supramolecular polymers based on terpyridine metal complexes utilizing GPC and MALDI‐TOF MS. In particular for GPC analysis, the choice of solvent and additive was found to be crucial for a successful characterization. Furthermore, MALDI‐TOF MS spectra of these compounds are not straightforward to interpret. Both aspects are discussed in detail with the result of a better understanding and improved analysis possibilities of the mentioned supramolecular polymers.

A GPC‐coupled in‐line diode array spectrum of one of the complexes investigated here.     

Molecularly Imprinted Nanospheres by Nonaqueous Emulsion Polymerization

The preparation of nanosized, molecularly imprinted polymer particles by nonaqueous emulsion polymerization is presented. Monodisperse cross‐linked polymer nanospheres with a diameter of around 100 nm were synthesized using a standard monomer mixture of methacrylic acid and ethylene dimethacrylate, containing (±)‐propranolol as a template. The rebinding efficiency of the resulting particles was determined by batch rebinding tests and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The results indicate that the proposed imprinting process under nonaqueous conditions lead to particles with an enhanced capacity of template rebinding compared to both nonimprinted ones and to particles obtained by more conventional emulsion polymerization in water.

     

Synthesis,Optical, and Electrochemical Properties of the High‐Molecular‐Weight Conjugated Polycarbazoles

Summary: A kind of novel dibromocarbazole monomer bearing three alkyl chains was prepared. Two strategies were developed to improve the solubility and molecular weight of carbazole polymers. One was the polymerization of N‐octyl‐2,7‐bis(4,4,5,5‐tetramethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaborolan‐2‐yl)carbazole with the alkylated dibromocarbazole. Another one was the polymerization of N‐octyl‐2,7‐bis(4,4,5,5‐tetramethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaborolan‐2‐yl)carbazole with N‐octyl‐3,6‐dibromocarbazole. All the polymerizations were carried out under palladium‐catalyzed Suzuki polycondensation (SPC) conditions. Through using carbazole monomer bearing three alkyl chains to polymerize, we have successfully boosted the number‐average molecular weight of 2,7‐linked carbazole polymers from not more than 5 to 67 kDa. The high‐molecular‐weight polymers were obtained in high yields and displayed good solubility in common organic solvents. Their optical, electrochemical, and thermal properties were also reported.

Preparation of carbazole polymers by Suzuki polycondensation.     

Spontaneous Birefringence in Layer‐by‐Layer Films of Chitosan and Azo Dye Sunset Yellow

Layer‐by‐layer (LBL) films consisting of layers of the azo dye Sunset Yellow alternated with chitosan display spontaneous birefringence, which is attributed to the film anisotropy imparted by the LBL method. This is unusual for azobenzene‐containing materials as they normally form films with randomly oriented molecules, presenting birefringence only due to photoinduced isomerization cycles. Spontaneous birefringence does not appear in cast films, but occurs for LBL films obtained under various experimental conditions.

Chemical structures of (a) Sunset Yellow and (b) chitosan.     

New Star‐Shaped Metallo‐Polymeric Chromophores

The synthesis of new star‐shaped polymers, prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate with tris(dialkylaminostyryl‐2,2′‐bipyridine) zinc(II) and iron(II) metalloinitiators, is reported. Their thermal and optical (absorption and emission) properties are discussed.

Structure of the star‐shaped polymers.     

Effect of Molecular Weight on Photoinduced Birefringence in a Chiral Liquid Crystalline Azodye Polymer

Summary: The evolution of the photoinduced birefringence in thin films of narrow polymer fractions is studied and compared with the behavior of the non‐fractionated polymer. The Δn_ind value decreases by increasing the degree of polymerization ( ) within the oligomeric range but becomes independent of molecular weight starting from a of ≈70. Thermal pretreatment of the films results in higher photoinduced birefringence. The films show good stability of the photorecording.

Birefringence induced after 10 min, Δn_ind(600) and its growth rate at the same moment versus molecular weight.     

Synthesis of Polyaniline Nanobelts

Summary: Polyaniline nanobelts have been synthesized by a self‐assembly process using the chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline in a surfactant gel. The morphologies of polyaniline nanostructures were characterized by field‐emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The effects of the concentrations of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide on the morphologies of polyaniline nanostructures have also been investigated.

A scanning electron microscopy image of polyaniline nanobelts synthesized with 0.12 M cetyltrimethylammonium bromide at −7 °C.     

A Lipase‐Responsive Vehicle Using Amphipathic Polymer Synthesized with the Lipase as Catalyst

We describe an enzyme‐responsive polymeric vehicle, which is of great interest in controlled drug delivery, biosensing, and other related areas. The polymer synthesized using lipase as catalyst in DMSO has a favorable molecular structure that is quickly hydrolyzed by lipase in aqueous phase, and allows a fast release of encapsulated molecules.

     

Plasma‐Initiated Controlled/Living Radical Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate in the Presence of 2‐Cyanoprop‐2‐yl 1‐dithionaphthalate (CPDN)

Summary: Plasma‐initiated controlled/living radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was carried out in the presence of 2‐cyanoprop‐2‐yl 1‐dithionaphthalate. Well‐defined poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), with a narrow polydispersity, could be synthesized. The polymerization is proposed to occur via a RAFT mechanism. Chain‐extension reactions were also successfully carried out to obtain higher molecular weight PMMA and PMMA‐block‐PSt copolymer.

Dependence of ln([M]₀/[M]) on post‐polymerization time (above), and \overline M _{\rm n} and PDI against conversion (below) for plasma initiated RAFT polymerization of MMA at 25 °C.