Study of the chemical copolymerization of 2-aminoterephthalic acid and aniline.: Synthesis and copolymer properties

Aniline (ANI) and 2-aminoterephthalic acid (2ATA) copolymers, with different compositions, were prepared by chemical oxidative polymerization varying the feed ratio. The new materials have been characterized by techniques such as XPS, FTIR, Raman spectroscopies and thermal analysis. It has been checked that 2ATA units are included in the polymer backbone. Different properties have been studied as solubility, conductivity, optical absorption, fluorescence and electroactivity. The copolymers are soluble in aqueous alkaline medium and show clear electroactivity in aqueous acid medium.     

Polyethylene like polymers. Aliphatic polyesters of dodecanedioic acid: 1. Synthesis and properties

A series of aliphatic polyesters has been synthesized starting from 1,12-dodecanedioic acid and aliphatic diols, bearing from 2 to 12 carbon atoms. These polymers, which were fully characterized in terms of chemical structure, molecular weight and thermal behaviour, were obtained as crystalline materials with melting points ranging from 70 to 90 °C and with a relatively high molecular weight. All the monomers used can be obtained from biomasses, as a consequence these materials can be an interesting alternative to synthetic polymers produced from petrochemical processes based on nonrenewable resources.     

Study of photocrosslinkable polysiloxanes bearing gem di-styrenyl groups: Synthesis and thermal properties

The synthesis of photocrosslinkable polysiloxanes containing gem di-oxaalkylene styrenyl groups and gem di-urethane-α-methyl styrenyl groups has been performed by copolycondensation of α,ω-dihydroxy polydimethyl siloxanes and dichlorosilanes bearing either cyclic acetal groups or Si-H groups (onto which the cyclic acetal groups are further added) and dichlorosilanes bearing alkyl groups. The introduction of styrenyl groups was then achieved by hydrolysis of the acetal groups into the corresponding alcohols followed by reaction with chloromethyl styrene or with 3-isopropenyl-α,α- dimethylbenzyl isocyanate.The structure of the different products synthesized was determined by IR, ¹H, ¹³C and ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopies. The thermal properties of the polysiloxanes bearing gem di-styrenyl groups have been studied at low and high temperatures.These products have been crosslinked under UV, in the presence of a cationic photoinitiator, and showed very good release paper properties.     

Microcellular foams from polyethersulfone and polyphenylsulfone: Preparation and mechanical properties

Polymeric foams having microcellular structures were successfully prepared from some high-performance thermoplastics, specifically polyethersulfone and polyphenylsulfone. A two-stage batch foaming process was used and the resulting materials had average cell sizes in the range 2-13 μm, and cell densities the order of 10¹⁰-10¹¹ cells/cm³. The foam densities (relative to those of the unfoamed polymers) were in the range 0.90-0.35. Average cell sizes increased with foaming temperature and foaming time; on the other hand, cell densities and relative foam densities decreased slightly with foaming temperature but remained almost constant with foaming time. Experimental values of Young’s modulus in compression and the elastic collapse strength were higher than theoretically predicated at high relative densities, but the discrepancies became small at lower densities. In contrast, Young’s moduli in tension were in very good agreement with theory, but the relative strengths were somewhat lower than predicated.     

Trimethylsilyl-substituted diazoalkanes : I. Trimethylsilyldiazomethane

Trimethylsilyldiazomethane was prepared by the action of aqueous KOH on nitroso-N-(trimethylsilylmethyl)urea. The spectroscopic properties of this stable, greenish-yellow liquid which can be isolated by gas chromatography are discussed. Its reaction with acetic acid gives the expected CH₃CO₂CH₂SiMe₃ in addition to SiC cleavage products, CH₃CO₂CH₃ and CH₃CO₂SiMe₃. Products of the 1,3-dipolar addition of Me₃SiCHN₂ to activated olefins were not very stable, and only the adduct with acrylonitrile was isolated as a pure material Trimethylsilyldiazomethane undergoes Me₃SiCH transfer to olefins, giving trimethylsilyl-substituted cyclopropanes, in the presence of CuCI in benzene, but other products are formed as well. Thus such a reaction with cyciohexenegave anti-7-trimethylsilylnorcarane (65%), syn-7-trimethylsilylnorcarane (7%), cis- and trans-l,2-bis(trimethylsilyl)ethylene (9% and 13%, respectively), and an unidentified Me₃SiCH trimer (2.3%).     

Polymer/montmorillonite nanocomposites with improved thermal properties: Part I. Factors influencing thermal stability and mechanisms of thermal stability improvement

The results of recent research indicate that the introduction of layered silicate - montmorillonite - into polymer matrix results in increase of thermal stability of a number of polymer nanocomposites. Due to characteristic structure of layers in polymer matrix and nanoscopic dimensions of filler particles, several effects have been observed that can explain the changes in thermal properties. The level of surface activity may be directly influenced by the mechanical interfacial adhesion or thermal stability of organic compound used to modify montmorillonite. Thus, increasing the thermal stability of montmorillonite and resultant nanocomposites is one of the key points in the successful technical application of polymer-clay nanocomposites on the industrial scale. Basing on most recent research, this work presents a detailed examination of factors influencing thermal stability, including the role of chemical constitution of organic modifier, composition and structure of nanocomposites, and mechanisms of improvement of thermal stability in polymer/montmorillonite nanocomposites.     

Liquid crystalline polymers: 14. Synthesis and thermal behaviour of some polyethers containing azo-mesogens

The paper presents a study on the relationship between the structure of macromolecular chain and its capacity to generate a mesophase, when mesogens with an azobenzene structure are implied. The polymers have been synthesized by phase transfer catalysis starting from 1,9-dichlorononane and different bisphenols: diphenyl-4,4^′-bis[(azo-4-)phenol], 4,4^′-dihydroxyazobenzene, 4,4^′-dihydroxydiphenyl, bisphenol A and 4,4^′-dihydroxybenzophenone. The polymers have been characterized by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, DSC calorimetry, optical microscopy in polarized light and thermogravimetrical analysis. Theoretical conformational studies, using molecular simulations have also been performed. Due to their particular geometry, bis-(azobenzene) units are better mesogenic groups as compared with the azobenzene ones. The highly aromatic structure makes impossible the samples isotropisation, as the degradation processes starting advance. For these polymers, under UV irradiation, due to the presence of two azo groups in each mesogen unit, strong conformational modifications are expected. The replacement of the bis-(azobenzene) moieties with azobenzene ones reduces the transition temperatures, making possible the samples isotropisation.     

Plasma modified polymers as a support for enzyme immobilization 1.: Allyl alcohol plasma

The paper describes deposition of plasma polymerized allyl alcohol on polysulfone film. It is shown that film surface becomes more hydrophilic after plasma treatment independently on presence of argon in a reaction mixture. The chemistry of the new surface layer was established by FTIR-ATR and ESCA spectroscopy. The substrate placed close to the plasma edge was the most hydrophilic but the amount of hydoxyl groups was not the highest there. Presence of argon stabilized the plasma but the deposited layer contained relatively less oxygen-bearing functionalities. The plasma treated polymer was subjected to xylose isomerase immobilization. For this purpose the divinylsulfone method was adapted. The studies revealed no correlation between the surface hydrophilicity and efficiency of immobilization.     

Superabsorbant hydrogels based on xanthan and poly(vinyl alcohol): 1. The study of the swelling properties

The swelling properties of some superabsorbant composite hydrogels, based on xanthan and poly(vinyl alcohol) and crosslinked with epichlorohydrin, were studied. The maximum swelling degree of the hydrogels and the swelling rate constant were determined as a function of the hydrogel's composition (the % of poly(vinyl alcohol) in the polymer mixture and the amount of crosslinking agent), the crosslinking reaction conditions (the time and the temperature of the crosslinking reaction), and the composition of the swelling solutions (the glycerin/water ratio and the concentration of the electrolyte).     

Direct synthesis of polymacrocyclic boron compounds.: A convenient method for the synthesis of hemicarcerands

Six new hemicarcerand-like compounds have been synthesized via condensation reaction of 3-aminophenylboronic acid with 5,5′-methylene-bis(2-hydroxybenzencarbonyl) derivatives. The one-pot reaction constitutes an interesting approach to design molecular containers by direct synthesis in moderate yields. The strategy involves a self-assembly process through the formation of N-B coordinative bonds. The X-ray structural analysis for one derivative illustrates the inclusion of two benzene molecules within the cavity, showing in a first approximation the capability of the polymacrocyclic compounds to function as molecular receptors.     

Metal carbonyl-trifluorophosphine systems : X. Mono-and triruthenium carbonyls

Triruthenium dodecacarbonyl reacts with high pressure PF₃ or with PF₃/CO mixtures to yield two series of compounds. At high PF₃ pressures, the mononuclear species Ru(PF₃)_x(CO)_5−x (x = 5, 4 and 3) are the main products with only traces of Ru(PF₃)₂(CO)₃ and Ru(PF₃)(CO)₄ being found. With high carbon monoxide pressure and less PF₃, the species Ru₃(PF₃)_y(CO)_12−y (y = 0–6) are the main products. It is seen that Ru₃(CO)₁₂ can have up to six CO groups replaced sequentially before the cluster is broken followed by the formation of the mononuclear species. The evidence shows that the Ru(PF₃)_x(CO)_5−x species are stereochemically non-rigid.     

An unsteady state method for the measurement of polymer thermal diffusivity: I. Development of a cell

In this work the development of a cell able to determine the thermal diffusivity of polymers in their fused or solid state, using an unsteady state technique, is presented. In this case a step down perturbation method was used because of its easy experimental setup. For each experimental run a temperature step down perturbation of 10 °C was applied, and the temperature evolution with time and position were registered and saved. Thermal diffusivities were then determined by regression using those data and a simple analytical model. The polymers used to test the cell were high density polyethylene and polypropylene (PP). For the first polymer, the thermal diffusivity was found to be 2.05×10⁻⁷ m²/s, which compare satisfactorily with a value of 1.97×10⁻⁷ m²/s calculated from reported values of density, heat capacity and heat conductivity. For the PP the value was found to be 7.08×10⁻⁷ m²/s with a positive deviation of 5.05% when compared with a computed value of 6.74×10⁻⁷ m²/s. Taking into account experimental errors, and the natural variations between different stocks of materials, the observed differences are acceptable.     

Etudes photochimiques—XIV : Photoreactions des methylisothiazoles

Photorearrangement of methylisothiazoles proceeds via a zwitterion and the amount of rearranged products increases with solvent polarity. When irradiated in the presence of primary amines, 3-methylisothiazole which is the less isomerised, and 5 methylisothiazole give charge transfer complexes. The amine cation radical is hydrolysed to an aldehyde. 4-Methyl isothiazole does not lead to a charge transfer complex.     

Synthesis and characterization of optically active polymers containing azo groups and (l)-α-amino acid moieties

The paper discusses the synthesis of new optically active azo diacids starting from two activated azo diesters (diethyl azodicarboxylate and ethyl phenylazocarboxylate) and various (l)-α-amino acids as: (l)-alanine, (l)-leucine, (l)-cysteic acid monohydrate and (l)-cystine. New chiral polymers derived from some of synthesized monomers were obtained under mild reaction conditions by unconventional polycondensation methods. The structure of synthesized compounds has been spectroscopically confirmed and the solubility, optical activity and thermal properties of the obtained materials are reported. To estimate the molecular weights of new polymers the ¹H-NMR and viscometric data were used and obtained values were compared with those of the polymers with alike chain structure synthesized by similar procedures.     

Thermodynamics of organic mixtures containing amines: V. Systems with pyridines

Binary mixtures containing pyridine (PY), or 2-methylpyridine (2MPY) or 3-methylpyridine (3MPY) or 4-methylpyridine (4MPY) and an organic solvent as benzene, toluene, alkane, or 1-alkanol are investigated in the framework of DISQUAC. The corresponding interaction parameters are reported. The model describes accurately a whole set of thermodynamic properties: vapor-liquid equilibria (VLE), liquid-liquid equilibria (LLE), solid-liquid equilibria (SLE), molar excess Gibbs energies (G^E), molar excess enthalpies, (H^E), molar excess heat capacities at constant pressure () and the concentration-concentration structure factor (S_CC(0)). It is remarkable that DISQUAC correctly predicts the W-shaped curve of the of the pyridine + n-hexadecane system. The model can be applied successfully to mixtures with strong positive or negative deviations from the Raoult's law. DISQUAC improves the theoretical results from UNIFAC (Dortmund version). The replacement of pyridine by a methylpyridine leads to a weakening of the amine-amine interactions, ascribed to the steric effect caused by the methyl group attached to the aromatic ring. This explains that for a given solvent (alkane, 1-alkanol) H^E(pyridine) > H^E(methylpyridine).