Graft copolymers having hydrophobic backbone and hydrophilic branches. III. Synthesis of graft copolymers having oligovinylpyrrolidone as hydrophilic branch

Graft copolymers were synthesized by the esterification reaction between acrylic copolymers and carboxyl group terminated vinylpyrrolidone oligomer using phase transfer catalysts. Acrylic copolymers were obtained by the radical copolymerization of β-bromoethyl methacrylate, chloromethylstyrene or glycidyl methacrylate with methyl methacrylate. Hydrophilic oligomers were prepared by the radical oligomerization of vinylpyrrolidone using β-mercaptopropionic acid as chain transfer agent. The degree of esterification increased with decreasing the molecular weight of oligomer and with increasing the number of potential grafting sites on polymer backbones. The water dispersibility of graft copolymers increased with increasing the nitrogen content and was therefore dependent on the branch oligomer content.     

羧酸型接枝共聚物的合成及其络合物做化学阀

用大单体技术合成了带规整聚苯乙烯支链的聚丙烯酸接枝共聚物 .研究了各种聚合条件包括温度、时间、单体浓度、大单体分子量及大单体与小单体的投料比等对接枝效率、共聚物分子量的影响 .纯化的共聚物表现出良好的乳化性质及高吸水率 ,在稀溶液中的行为如同聚电解质 .此接枝共聚物与含规整聚氧乙烯支链的聚丙烯酸乙酯络合生成的大分子间络合物膜呈现化学阀的作用 ,水通过它的渗透速率能通过调节pH加以可逆地控制 .     

Synthesis of well‐defined macromonomers and comb copolymers from polymers made by atom transfer radical polymerization

Poly(n‐butyl acrylate) macromonomers with predetermined molecular weights (1300 < number‐average molecular weight < 23,000) and low polydispersity indices (<1.2) were synthesized from bromine‐terminated atom transfer radical polymerization polymers via end‐group substitution with acrylic acid and methacrylic acid. These macromonomers, having a high degree of end‐group functionalization (>90%), were radically homopolymerized to obtain comb polymers. A high macromonomer concentration, combined with a low radical flux, was needed to obtain a high conversion of the macromonomers and a reasonable degree of polymerization. By the traditional radical copolymerization of the hydrophobic macromonomers with the hydrophilic monomer N,N‐dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), amphiphilic comb copolymers were obtained. The conversions of the macromonomers and comonomer were almost quantitative under optimized reaction conditions. The molecular weights were high (number‐average molecular weight ≈70,000), and the molecular weight distribution was broad (polydispersity index ≈ 3.5). Kinetic measurements showed simultaneous decreases in the macromonomer and DMAEMA concentrations, indicating a relatively homogeneous composition of the comb copolymers over the whole molecular weight range. This was supported by preparative size exclusion chromatography. The copolymerization of poly(n‐butyl acrylate) macromonomers with other hydrophilic monomers such as acrylic acid or N,N‐dimethylacrylamide gave comb copolymers with multimodal molecular weight distributions in size exclusion chromatography and extremely high apparent molecular weights. Dynamic light scattering showed a heterogeneous composition consisting of small (6–9 nm) and large (23–143 nm) particles, probably micelles or other type of aggregates. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3425–3439, 2003     

Imide-aryl ether ketone block copolymers

Imide-aryl ether ketone block copolymers were prepared and their morphology and thermal and mechanical properties investigated. Two aryl ether ketone blocks were incorporated; the first was an amorphous block derived from bisphenol–A and the second block was a semi-crystalline poly(aryl ether ether ketone) prepared from a soluble and amorphous ketimine precursor. Bis(amino) aryl ether ketone and aryl ether ketimine oligomers were prepared via a nucleophilic aromaic substitution reaction with molecular weights ranging from 6,000 to 12,000 g/mol. The oligomers were co-reacted with 4,4′-oxydianiline (ODA) and pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) diethyl ester diacyl chloride in N-methyl–2-pyrrolidone (NMP) in the presence of N-methylmorpholine. The copolymer compositions, determined by H-NMR, of the resulting amic ester based copolymers ranged from 8 to 50 wt % aryl ether ketone or ketimine content. Prior to imide formation, the ketimine moiety of the aryl ether ketimine block was hydrolyzed (p-toluene sulfonic acid) to the ketone form producing the aryl ether ether ketone block. Compositions of this block were maintained low to retain solubility. Solutions of the copolymers were cast and cured to effect imidization, producing clear films with high moduli (ca. 2200 MPa) and elongations (33–100%). The copolymers displayed good thermal stability with decomposition temperatures in excess of 450°C. Multiphase morphologies were observed irrespective of the co-block type, block length or composition. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

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 and ring‐opening polymerization of macrocyclic aryl ketone oligomers

A series of macrocyclic aryl ketone oligomers were prepared by the reaction of phthaloyl dichloride or isophthaloyl dichloride with various bridge‐linking electron‐rich aromatic hydrocarbons 3a–d under pseudo‐high dilution conditions in the presence of Lewis base via Friedel–Crafts acylation reaction. Detailed structural characterization of these oligomers confirmed the cyclic nature by a combination of MALDI‐TOF‐MS, GPC, and ¹H NMR analyses. These cyclic ketone oligomers have high solubility in organic solvents and the cyclic oligomers derived from phthaloyl dichloride are amorphous. The cyclic ketone oligomers readily undergo anionic ring‐opening polymerization in the melt by using potassium 4,4′‐biphenoxide as the initiator, producing linear, high molecular weight poly(ether ketone)s. Moreover, the isothermal chemorheology of the ring‐opening polymerization of cyclic oligomers 4a and 4b was also investigated. The results show that the shear viscosity of the molten reactive mixture is lower than 10 Pa · S at a constant shear rate of 0.05 rad/sec and increases slowly in the initial stage of ring‐opening polymerization. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

丙烯腈的悬浮聚合

<正> 适用于普通溶液纺丝加工成形的聚丙烯腈(PAN)的分子量一般在5—8万范围内,近年来发展起来的冻胶纺丝方法使得(?)>4.0×10~5的超高分子量PAN也可以纺丝成形,成为制备高强高模PAN纤缎的有效方法之一。随着PAN材料应用领域的开拓,合成超高分子量的PAN是一个首要解决的问题。     

Cyclic and linear liquid crystalline functionalized polyesters with main-chain ortho-linked units. synthesis and characterization of cyclic lc unimers and dimers with “u”-shaped rigid mesogenic units with alkyl side chains

Although ortho-diphenols had not been extensively used in the synthesis of LC esters, a great variety of molecular structures of low and high molecular weight LC esters containing high proportions of these units can be synthesized. In this paper we describe the synthesis and characterization of new series of low and high molecular weight cyclic and linear LC esters with mesogenic “U”-shaped rigid units with terminal groups which are alkyl chains. Cyclic oligoesters and linear polyesters were formed by the polycondensation of 4,4'-[1,10-decamethylenebis(oxy)]bis(cinnamic acid) with monosubstituted catechols which are the alkyl esters of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid. Although the great importance that concomitant cyclization reactions have in polyesterifications involving high proportions of ortho-diphenols does not seem to have been considered until now, we have found mat these polyesterifications produced linear polyesters along with high proportions of cyclic oligoesters even when reaction conditions disfavored cyclization. Copolymerization with p-hydroxybenzoic acid decreased the amount of cyclic oligomers, however it was necessary to copolymerize with proportions of PB higher than 50 mol-% to get copolyesters with low proportions of cyclic oligomers. As far as we know we describe the first examples of cyclic LC oligoesters and cyclic LC unimers and dimers which display enantiotropic LC mesophases stable over broad ranges of temperature. Cyclic dimers display mesophases whose isotropization temperatures ( > 300°C) are much higher than that of their linear high molecular mass homologues. Cyclic LC unimers and dimers, linear LC polyesters and model compounds were characterized by FAB-MS, GPC, ¹H NMR, DSC and hot-stage polarized microscopy. All these compounds contain reactive C=C double bonds and can be crosslinked thermally and photochemically. Cyclic unimers and dimers can be polymerized termally to produce high molecular mass polymers.     

New prospects for “living” anionic polymerization of (meth) acrylic esters

The living low temperature polymerization in polar solvents of most methacrylates, even functional ones, can now be performed by direct and experimentally convenient anionic methods, thanks to the use of α-methylstyrene and of complex-purified monomers. A diversified family of block copolymers has thus been generated, that are used as compatibilizing agents in the designing of interesting heterophase materials: i.e. blends of polymers and inorganic fillers, and liquid-solid dispersions. The living polymerization of acrylates (or of methacrylates under more drastic conditions) raises additional requirements: they have been met to a large extent by the use of specific ligands of the growing ion-pair. Resulting structures such as f.i. block copolymers and end-functionalized oligomers of a low dispersity, should have a great interest in the molecular engineering of (meth)acrylate-based products. Finally, these new initiators lend themselves to structural and mechanistic studies which should shed some light on the critical features of these living propagation processes.     

Polymers from a levopimaric acid–acrylic acid Diels–Alder adduct: Synthesis and characterization

The Diels–Alder adduct of levopimaric acid with acrylic acid was efficiently prepared from resin acids. When the adduct was subjected to a dehydrodecarboxylation reaction, a ketone diacid derivative was obtained. New ketone type linear polymers were synthesized by the advanced dehyrodecarboxylation, a nonconventional polycondensation reaction, of both the above in presence of sulfonic catalysts. The polyketones turned out to be excellent tackifiers in adhesive formulae. The ketone polymers were condensed with diamines to give crosslinked polyazomethines. The structures of the monomers and polymers were established by means of elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopy, and molecular weight determinations. Both the polyketones and polyazomethines were low‐molecular‐weight polymers, soluble in some polar and nonpolar solvents. The thermal behavior of the monomers and polymers was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis. The thermal studies showed that the polymers were substances with good thermal stability, except the polyazomethine synthesized by the condensation of polyketone with an aromatic diamine, which appeared to be a substance with high thermal stability. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 5979–5990, 2007     

Polysulfone–polydimethylsiloxane block copolymers

Alternating block copolymers have been synthesized from dihydroxyl-terminated polysulfone and bis(dimethylamine)-terminated polydimethylsiloxane oligomers. The products are soluble, amorphous, and transparent, and display excellent thermal and hydrolytic stability. Elastomeric and rigid compositions can be prepared by varying oligomer molecular weight. Copolymers made with oligomers of ≥ 5000 molecular weight are two-microphase systems which display glass transition temperatures at ?120°C and at +160°C, and therefore have a wide useful temperature range.     

Synthesis and characterization of phthalazinone‐based poly(aryl ether ketone) derived from 4,4′‐dichlorobenzophenone

As distinguished from the conventional preparation of poly(aryl ether ketone)s utilizing 4,4′‐difluorobenzophenone, a novel synthetic method of high molecular weight poly(phthalazinone ether ketone) derived from 4,4′‐dichlorobenzophenone was studied. Reaction conditions to get high molecular weight polymer were investigated in details. Experimentally, sulfolane was chosen as the reaction media and high molecular weight polymer could be obtained in 7–8 hr at 210°C. The cyclic oligomers in the polymer product reduced to below 3.0% when the concentration of the reactant is 1.6–1.7 g/ml. Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR), ¹H NMR, and elemental analysis were used to confirm the structure of the obtained polymer. The amorphous polymer showed reasonable solubility in selective solvent, such as chloroform and N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, and tough, flexible, and transparent thin film can be readily prepared from their N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone solution. The obtained polymer showed high glass transition temperature (T_g) up to 261°C detected by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the temperature of 5% weight loss under nitrogen higher than 500°C detected by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), indicating its excellent thermal stability. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Segmented sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)‐b‐polyimide copolymers for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. I. Copolymer synthesis and fundamental properties

Segmented disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)‐b‐polyimide copolymers based on hydrophilic and hydrophobic oligomers were synthesized and evaluated for use as proton exchange membranes (PEMs). Amine terminated sulfonated poly (arylene ether sulfone) hydrophilic oligomers and anhydride terminated naphthalene based polyimide hydrophobic oligomers were synthesized via step growth polymerization including high temperature one‐pot imidization. Synthesis of the multiblock copolymers was achieved by an imidization coupling reaction of hydrophilic and hydrophobic oligomers oligomers in a m‐cresol/NMP mixed solvent system, producing high molecular weight tough and ductile membranes. Proton conductivities and water uptake increased with increasing ion exchange capacities (IECs) of the copolymers as expected. The morphologies of the multiblock copolymers were investigated by tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TM‐AFM) and their measurements revealed that the multiblock copolymers had well‐defined nano‐phase separated morphologies which were clearly a function of block lengths. Hydrolytic stability test at 80 °C water for 1000 h showed that multiblock copolymer membranes retained intrinsic viscosities of about 80% of the original values and maintained flexibility which was much improved over polyimide random copolymers. The synthesis and fundamental properties of the multiblock copolymers are reported here and the systematic fuel cell properties will be provided in a separate article. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4879–4890, 2007     

Improving mechanical properties and chemical resistance of ink‐jet printer color filter by using diblock polymeric dispersants

The diblock copolymers of polystyrene and poly(tert‐butyl acrylate) (PSt‐b‐PtBA) with various molecular weights and hydrophobic/hydrophilic (styrene/acrylic acid) chain length were prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Selective hydrolysis of the diblock copolymers (PSt‐b‐PtBA) resulted in amphiphilic block copolymers of polystyrene and poly(acrylic acid) (PSt‐b‐PAA). The amphiphilic block copolymers of PSt‐b‐PAA with average molecular weight (M_n) <7500 were proved to be critical in dispersing the pigments of UV curable ink‐jet inks for manufacturing the color filter. Incorporating DB2 diblock copolymer dispersants with styrene/acrylic acid ratio at 1.5 allowed more UV curable compositions in the red and blue inks without deteriorating pigment dispersing stability and jetting properties of the ink‐jet inks. The ink drops can be precisely ejected into the tiny color area. Better properties of the cured red stripe such as nanoindentation hardness and chemical resistance were found. The competing absorption of UV light by the blue pigment hindered the through cure of monomers near the interface between glass substrate and the blue stripe. This leads to lower hardness and poor chemical resistance of the UV cured blue stripe. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 3337–3353, 2005     

Structures of “crew-cut” aggregates of polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid) diblock copolymers

“Crew-cut” aggregates of polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid) block copolymers can be prepared by dissolving the copolymers in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and adding water to the solution to induce aggregation of the styrene segments of the copolymer chains. The aggregates are formed at near-equilibrium conditions, and their structures are subsequently frozen by isolating them into aqueous solution by dialysis. Aggregates of a number of different morphologies have been prepared. The morphologies, identified by transmission electron microscopy, consist of spheres, rods, vesicles, lamellae, large compound vesicles, large compound micelles, etc. The formation of aggregates of different morphologies can be controlled by varying the copolymer composition, by changing the initial copolymer concentration in DMF, by adding ions (e.g. NaCl, CaCl₂, HCl and NaOH, etc), or by adding homopolystyrene.     

Polyimide–polyformal block copolymers

In an effort to combine and tailor the properties of thermoplastic resins we have investigated the synthesis of polyimide–polyformal block copolymers prepared by the condensation reaction of α,ω-diamino functionalized polyformal oligomers with α,ω-dianhydride terminated polyimide oligomers. Amino functionalized polyformal oligomers were synthesized by displacement condensation reactions of various bisphenols with methylene dihalides in the presence of base and aminophenols. Oligomeric aromatic polyformals having weight average molecular weights (MW_w) of 7500 to 40,000 were obtained. Anhydride terminated polyimide oligomers with molecular weights (MW_w) ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 were obtained by the condensation of bisphenol-A–dianhydride and aromatic amines. Combining the polyimide oligomers with the polyformal oligomers in dipolar aprotic or nonpolar solvents afforded the desired block copolymers. The polyimide–polyformal block copolymers generally display two distinct glass transition temperatures by differential scanning calorimetry. The (AB)_n block copolymers were evaluated by TGA in both air and N₂ for thermal/oxidative stability.     

Synthesis and properties of polyetheretherketone–polydimethylsiloxane block copolymers

Polyetheretherketone-polydimethylsiloxane (PEEK–PDMS) block copolymers were synthesized from the condensation of dimethylamino terminated PDMS and hydroxy terminated PEEK oligomers in 1-chloronapthalene. Yields for block copolymers synthesised from low molecular weight PDMS oligomers were good but yields were significantly reduced when higher molecular weight PDMS oligomers were used. This was related to the limited solubility of higher molecular weight PDMS in the reaction solvent. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies indicated that phase separation of the block copolymers occurred at very short segment length (M?_n < 4000). A depression in the crystallinity of both the PEEK and PDMS phases in the block copolymer was observed. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) studies indicated that the PEEK–PDMS block copolymers displayed insufficient thermo-oxidative stability to be melt-processed successfully in PEEK based blends.     

Synthesis of macromonomers of acrylic acid by telomerization: Application to the synthesis of polystyrene‐g‐poly(acrylic acid) copolymers

The synthesis of macromonomers of acrylic acid was performed by telomerization in a three‐step process. The first step was the telomerization of tert‐butyl acrylate in the presence of thioglycolic acid. Different molecular weights were obtained with different ratios of the monomer to the transfer agent. Good control of the molecular weights and architectures of the oligomers (e.g., the presence of an acid function on the chain end) was observed. The transfer constant of tert‐butyl acrylate with thioglycolic acid was assessed (chain‐transfer constant = 0.6). In the second step, the terminal unsaturation of the oligomers was obtained by the reaction of the terminal acid groups with 2‐isocyanatoethyl methacrylate to yield the macromonomers of tert‐butyl acrylate. In the last step, the tert‐butyl acrylate groups were hydrolyzed in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid at room temperature. The macromonomers were copolymerized with styrene to obtain graft copolymers, and the reactivity ratios were evaluated. Finally, the copolymers were characterized with surface electron microscopy and atom force microscopy. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 395–415, 2007     

“Living” radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate with diethyl 2,3-dicyano-2,3-diphenylsuccinate as a thermal iniferter

The bulk polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) initiated with diethyl 2,3-dicyano-2,3-diphenylsuccinate (DCDPS) was studied. This polymerization showed some “living” characteristics; that is, both the yield and the molecular weight of the resulting polymers increased with reaction time, and the resultant polymer can be extended by adding MMA. The molecular weight distribution of PMMA obtained at high conversion is fairly narrow (M_w/M_n = 1.24≈1.34). It was confirmed that DCDPS can serve as a thermal iniferter for MMA polymerization by a “living” radical mechanism. Furthermore, the PMMA obtained can act as a macroinitiator for radical polymerization of styrene (St) to give a block copolymer. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 4610–4615, 1999     

Amphiphilic copolymers with poly(meth)acrylic acid chains “grafted from” caprolactone 2‐(methacryloyloxy)ethyl ester‐based backbone

Well‐defined amphiphilic graft copolymers containing hydrophilic poly((meth)acrylic acid) (PMAA) or poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) side chains with gradient and statistical distributions were synthesized. For this purpose, the hydroxy‐functionalized copolymers with various gradient degrees, in which 2‐(6‐hydroxyhexanoyloxy)ethyl (meth)acrylate units (caprolactone 2‐[methacryloyloxy]ethyl ester, CLMA) formed strong gradient with tert‐butyl acrylate (tBA), slight gradient copolymers with tert‐butyl (meth)acrylate (tBMA), and statistical copolymers with methyl (meth)acrylate (MMA) were modified to bromoester multifunctional macroinitiators, P(tBMA‐grad‐BrCLMA), P(BrCLMA‐grad‐tBA), and P(BrCLMA‐co‐MMA). In the next step, they were applied in controlled radical polymerization of tBMA and tBA yielding graft copolymers with various lengths of side chains as well as graft densities. Further, the tert‐butyl groups in copolymers were successfully removed via acidolysis in the presence of trifluoracetic acid, which caused transformation of the hydrophobic graft copolymers into amphiphilic ones with ability of self‐assembly for the future biomedical applications. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.