Morphological effect on spectral property of poly(9,9-dihexylfluorene-alt-2,5-dihexyloxybenzene) films

In this study the optical property and film morphology of a conjugated polymer, poly(9,9-dihexylfluorene-alt-2,5-dihexyloxybenzene) (PF6OC6), are investigated. It is found that the intensity of the 0-1 emission relative to the 0-0 emission in the PL spectra and the full width at the half-maximum (fwhm) of PL spectra of the PF6OC6 films decrease firstly and then increase with increasing the annealing temperature. The polymer films also exhibit different morphological features after annealing at different temperatures. The optical and morphological results suggest that the vibronic structure of PF6OC6 is closely related to the film morphology, and its formation is enhanced in the amorphous (or less ordered) films and inhibited in the ordered films.     

Structure and properties of poly(2,5-dimethylterephthalamides)

Six methyl-substituted wholly aromatic polyamides were synthesized from the reaction of 2,5-dimethylterephthaloyl chloride with p-phenylenediamine, its 2,5-dimethyl and 2-methyl derivatives, m-phenylenediamine, or its 2-methyl and 4-methyl derivatives by solution polycondensation at low temperature. The x-ray diffraction diagrams of the polyamides obtained exhibit crystal patterns. Density values range from 1.26 to 1.37 g/cm³. NMR spectra determined in concentrated H₂SO₄ solution are reported. Poly(2,5-dimethylterephthalamides) have lower thermal stability than the corresponding polyterephthalamides. The increase in solubility of polyamide by the introduction of the 2,5-dimethylterephthaloyl linkage is accompanied by a decrease in thermal stability. The effect of methyl substituents on thermal properties and solubility is discussed in terms of the packing of polymeric molecules and the extent of hydrogen bonding of the amide groups.     

Synthesis and properties of poly(2,5-ethylene benzimidazole)

Methyl β-(3,4-diaminophenyl)propionate, its hydrochloride, and β-(3,4-diaminophenyl)propionic acid were prepared and their structures were established. The effect of temperature, time, and pressure on the polymerization of these compounds and the molecular weight and structure of the resulting polymers were examined. Thin films of different polymer samples were prepared by compression molding, and their infrared spectra were used to study their structures. Samples of poly(2,5-ethylene benzimidazole) formed under typical polymerization conditions were shown by differential scanning calorimetry and x-ray techniques to be amorphous, and the glass transition temperature ranged between 201 and 240°C. The polymers were shown by thermogravimetric analysis to have good thermal stability, and 29–34% of the original weights remained after heating to 1000°C in nitrogen.     

Effects of packing structure on the optoelectronic and charge transport properties in poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole)

Spin-coated poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole) (F8BT) films of different molecular weights (Mn= 9-255 kg/mol), both in the pristine and annealed state, were studied in an effort to elucidate changes in the polymer packing structure and the effects this structure has on the optoelectronic and charge transport properties of these films. A model based on quantum chemical calculations, wide-angle X-ray scattering, atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and electron mobility measurements was developed to describe the restructuring of the polymer film as a function of polymer chain length and annealing. In pristine high molecular weight films, the polymer chains exhibit a significant torsion angle between the F8 and BT units, and the BT units in neighboring chains are close to one another. Annealing films to sufficiently high transition temperatures allows the polymers to adopt a lower energy configuration in which the BT units in one polymer chain are adjacent to F8 units in a neighboring chain ("alternating structure"), and the torsion angle between F8 and BT units is reduced. This restructuring, dictated by the strong dipole on the BT unit, subsequently affects the efficiencies of interchain electron transfer and exciton migration. Films exhibiting the alternating structure show significantly lower electron mobilities than those of the pristine high molecular weight films, due to a decrease in the efficiency of interchain electron transport in this structure. In addition, interchain exciton migration to low energy weakly emissive states is also reduced for these alternating structure films, as observed in their photoluminescence spectra and efficiencies.     

Synthesis and endosomolytic properties of poly(amidoamine) block copolymers

The poly(amidoamine)s (PAAs) ISA 1 and ISA 23 display pH-dependent conformational change and pH-dependent membrane perturbation. These properties confer potential for use as endosomolytic polymers for intracytoplasmic delivery of toxins and genes. Both polymers are relatively non-toxic, and moreover ISA 23 has the beneficial property in vivo, of being non hepatotropic when administered intravenously. Although ISA 23 and ISA 1 demonstrate ability to transfect cells, ISA 1 is also able to promote intracellular delivery of non-permeant toxins. The aim of this study was to synthesise random and block copolymers of ISA 1 and ISA 23 and investigate whether these second generation hybrids would allow optimisation of PAA biological characteristics. Random and block copolymers of ISA 1 and ISA 23 were synthesised by hydrogen transfer polyaddition to generate a library of PAAs with an ISA 23:ISA 1 molar ratios of 2:1 to 4:1. The resultant polymers have a pI slightly below 7.4 and a M(w) of 19,900-49,000 g/mol and a M(n) of 13,100-24,100 g/mol. Whereas none of the random or block copolymers were haemolytic at pH 7.4 all demonstrated pH-dependent membrane activity. At pH 5.5 they caused 50-60% haemoglobin (Hb) release over 1 h. This was slightly less than that seen for ISA 23 (80% Hb release). None of the copolymers were cytotoxic against B16F10 cells during a 72 h incubation (IC(50) > 2 mg/ml; MTT assay). The ability of the random and block copolymer PAAs to deliver the toxin gelonin was also examined, but only ISA 1 and the block copolymer B2 (ISA 23:ISA 1 at a 2:1 molar ratio) were able to promote intracellular delivery, as measured by cytotoxic activity. It would be interesting to study the body distribution of B2 and determine whether this toxin-delivering PAA is able to escape liver capture.     

Surface and adhesion properties of poly(imide-siloxane) block copolymers

Poly(imide-siloxane) (PIS) block copolymers were studied with respect to their structure surface and adhesive properties relationship. The study of the morphology of PIS copolymers characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) shows a growth of the surface roughness by increase of the content of siloxane. With an increase of siloxane content Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infra Red (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy detected a growth of the absorption bands near 1100 cm⁻¹ characteristic for siloxane group, and a decrease at 1700-1800 cm⁻¹ corresponding to carbonyl groups of polyimide moieties. The X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Time-of-Flight-Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS) analysis showed an excessive increase of Si on surface of the copolymer. The relatively small amount of siloxane in PIS block copolymer, 10-20 wt.%, increased significantly the contact angle of water due to the surface hydrophobization of the copolymer and the significant decrease of the surface energy of the PIS copolymer has been observed. The polar component of surface energy shows an intense decrease, whereas its dispersive component increases. The increase of the surface hydrophobicity reduced the peel as well as shear strengths of epoxy adhesive joints. The relationship between peel strength of adhesive joint to epoxy and polar fraction of PIS copolymer can be described by exponential decay dependence.     

Side-chain relaxation in stereoregular poly(isobutyl methacrylate)

The effects of stereoregularity on the low-temperature relaxation processes were studied by dynamic mechanical measurements on isotactic and syndiotactic polyisobutyl methacrylates (iso-PiBMA and syn-PiBMA). The α, β, and γ relaxation processes were observed in both stereoregular forms. Both the α, and β loss peaks were at lower temperatures for iso-PiBMA than for syn-PiBMA. The γ loss peak was observed at about ?155°C at 30 Hz for both forms, and the apparent activation energy of this process was same for both samples within experimental error (6.7 ± 0.5 kcal/mole). It was reduced from these results that the α and β processes are both considerably influenced by the isotactic configuration but the γ process is not.     

Synthesis and properties of poly(sulfone‐arylate) copolymers

Poly(sulfone‐arylate) was synthesized in a reaction between dihydroxy polysulfone prepolymers and either diphenyl terephthalate or terephthaloyl chloride. The dihydroxy polysulfone prepolymers had molecular weights of 2000 and 4000 g/mol. The polymerization with diphenyl terephthalate was carried out at high temperature (280 °C) in the presence of a catalyst, whereas the polymerization with terephthalic chloride was conducted in solution at low temperature in the presence of an acid acceptor. High‐molecular weight copolymers (η_inh ～ 0.60 dL/g) could be obtained through both methods. The copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, DMA, and differential scanning calorimetry measurements and were found to exhibit high T_g values. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 3904–3913, 2009     

Mechanical properties of glass continuous poly(cyclohexylethylene) block copolymers

The bulk mechanical properties of linear triblock and pentablock copolymers that self‐assemble into hexagonally packed cylinders with glassy, unentangled matrices of poly(cyclohexylethylene) (PCHE for a homopolymer, C for a block copolymer) with rubbery poly(ethylene‐alt‐propylene) (P) and semicrystalline polyethylene (E) minority components are examined. The tensile properties of high C content CEC triblock copolymer could not be quantified; however, CPC can plastically deform under uniaxial strain, unlike brittle PCHE. Both CECEC and CPCPC pentablock copolymers exhibited ductile tensile behavior, but the tensile properties of blends of these two pentablock copolymers show that the addition of crystallinity in the minority phase prevents strain softening after yielding and necking, which indicates that these samples deform only via crazing. On the other hand, the white gage region of CPCPC and the ability of CPCPC to neck indicate that high C content materials deform via shear yielding and crazing when the minority component is a rubbery material. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012     

Synthesis and electrochemical properties of polypyrrole-coated poly(2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole)

A new composite cathode active material, conductive polypyrrole (PPy)-coated poly(2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole) (PDMcT) was prepared as a thin film via the surfactant template (TFST) technique. The formation of the uniform and well-connected film on the surface of PDMcT particles was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) and transmission electron micrographs (TEM). By cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge–discharge tests, the coated composite showed a better electrochemical performance than PDMcT, such as enhanced redox processes and improved coulumbic efficiency, etc. The electrical conductivity of the material reached to 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ and an initial discharge capacity of 250 mAhg⁻¹ was obtained. Moreover, it showed a slower fading of discharge capacity than PDMcT when used as cathode material in secondary lithium batteries with liquid electrolyte solution.     

Effect on structural relaxation of the poly(methyl‐methacrylate) copolymers chain flexibility

The structural relaxation of poly(methyl‐methacrylate) (PMMA)‐based copolymers with different chain flexibility has been studied by DSC with the classical procedure of the isothermal and dynamical approach. Modified PMMA with different chain flexibility have been prepared by free radical polymerization in solution using a mixture of monomers containing 10 mol % of alkyl methacrylate (i.e., ethyl, buthyl, and hexyl methacrylate). The molecular characteristics of all the prepared copolymers have been performed by a multiangle laser light scattering (MALS) photometer on‐line to a size exclusion chromatography (SEC) system (SEC‐MALS) after and before the thermal treatments, NMR (¹H and ¹³C) and MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry. A comparison of the apparent relaxation rate (R_H) was appraised from the enthalpy loss by annealing the different samples at the same level of undercooling (T_a = T_g ? 18 °C). It was found an increase of R_H increasing the chain flexibility in the copolymers. Dynamical tests, performed at different cooling rates, have been used to estimate the apparent activation energy of the relaxation process. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 596–607, 2009     

Synthesis and properties of graft copolymers based on poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) macromonomers

Graft copolymers of poly(methyl methacrylate) with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), PHB, segments as long side chains were prepared by the macromonomer method. PHB macromonomers were prepared from the esterification of oligomers with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate at their carboxylic acid end. Esterification products displayed low polydispersity indices (ca. 1.2) and a functionality of over 83%, with a Mn of 2,020. Using free radical polymerization methods, the macromonomers were copolymerized with methyl methacrylate to yield graft (comb type) copolymers at different comonomer feed ratios. The graft copolymers contained from 0.5 to 14 mol-% of PHB blocks, with a glass transition temperature decreasing from 100 to 3 degrees C.     

Synthesis and properties of segmented aromatic poly(ether sulfone)-amide and poly(ether sulfone)-imide copolymers

New segmented aromatic poly(ether sulfone)-amide and poly(ether sulfone)-imide copolymers were synthesized by the chain extension of α,w-diamine-terminated poly(ether sulfone) oligomer with both aromatic dicarboxylic acid chlorides and tetracarboxylic dianhydrides, respectively. Crystallization of the poly(ether sulfone)unit was suppressed by the introduction of amide or imide linkage along the polymer backbone, giving amorphous copolymers that were +eadily soluble in various organic solvents. The copolymers had somewhat higher glass transition temperatures than the parent poly(ether sulfone). They afforded transparent and tough films by solution casting. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and dynamic mechanical properties of cross-linked multiblock poly(urethane-imide) copolymers

Russian Chemical Bulletin - Poly(urethane-imide) copolymers (PUICs) containing reactive carboxyl groups in hard imide segment were synthesized from poly(propylene glycol) with isocyanate end...     

Phase behavior of poly(9,9-di-n-hexyl-2,7-fluorene)

Here we report the phase behavior of poly(9,9-di-n-hexyl-2,7-fluorene) (PFH), which previously received little attention as compared to its homologues poly(9,9-di-n-octyl-2,7-fluorene) (PFO) and poly(9,9-di-(2'-ethylhexyl)-2,7-fluorene) (PFEH). By means of differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy, we show that there exist four different phases in PFH. The as-cast film is mainly composed of a mesomorphic beta phase with layer spacing of ca. 1.4 nm. This beta phase is inherently metastable and, upon heating above 175 degrees C, transforms into a crystalline (alpha) form that melts into a nematic (N) liquid above 250 degrees C. Upon stepwise cooling, the nematic melt crystallizes into the alpha phase first, followed by solid-solid transformation into another crystalline (alpha') form. Unit cell structure of the alpha form is monoclinic whereas that of the alpha' form is triclinic, but departures from strict orthogonality are slight (by ca. 6 degrees). These observations not only support our previous assignment of two crystalline forms (both orthorhombic in structure) in PFO but also provide insights to the crystalline nature of the polyfluorene series.     

Synthesis and properties of segmented block copolymers based on mixtures of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(tetramethylene oxide) segments

The synthesis and characterisation of segmented block copolymers based on mixtures of hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) and hydrophobic poly(tetramethylene oxide) polyether segments and monodisperse crystallisable bisester tetra-amide segments are reported. The PEO length was varied from 600 to 8000 g/mol and the PTMO length was varied from 650 to 2900 g/mol. The influence of the polyether phase composition on the thermal mechanical and the elastic properties of the resulting copolymers was studied.The use of high melting monodisperse tetra-amide segments resulted in a fast and almost complete crystallisation of the rigid segment. The copolymers had only one polyether glass transition temperature, which suggests that the amorphous polyether segments were homogenously mixed. Thermal analysis of the copolymers showed one polyether melting temperature that was lower than in the case of ideal co-crystallisation between the two polyether segments. However, at PEO or PTMO lengths larger than 2000 g/mol two polyether melting temperatures were observed. The copolymer with the best low temperature properties was based on a mixture of PEO and PTMO segments, both having a molecular weight of 1000 g/mol, at a weight ratio of 30/70.     

Fluorine-containing poly(carbonate-block-siloxane) copolymers

On the basis of carbofunctional oligo(??,??-bisphenoxy-trifluoropropyl(methyl)siloxanes, bisphenols, and bisphenol A bis(chloroformate), novel fluorine-containing poly(carbonate-block-siloxanes) are synthesized and characterized. The presence of trifluoropropyl groups in siloxane blocks of the copolymers decreases the sorption of hydrocarbons by 4 to 6 wt % instead of the 60 wt % for usual poly(carbonate-block-dimethylsiloxanes). Films based on fluorine-containing poly(carbonate-block-siloxanes) retain their high strength characteristics in the swollen state (??_b = 20 MPa).     

Synthesis and properties of new block copolymers based on poly(ether sulfone) and aramids

New poly(ether sulfone)–aramid block copolymers were synthesized from an α, ω-diamineterminated poly(ether sulfone) oligomer, aromatic diamines, and aromatic dicarboxylic acid chlorides by the low-temperature solution polycondensation in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. By the introduction of aramid into the poly(ether sulfone), the glass transition temperatures of the block copolymers rose and the mechanical properties were significantly improved. Microphase separation, which often takes place in many block copolymers, did not occur in the present block copolymers. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and properties of new block copolymers based on poly(ether sulfone) and polyimides

New poly(ether sulfone)-polyimide block copolymers were synthesized from α,ω-diamineterminated poly(ether sulfone) oligomer, aromatic diamines, and aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydrides by low-temperature solution polymerization and subsequent thermal imidization. The block copolymers were insoluble in organic solvents. The multiblock copolymers obtained by the two-pot method showed microphase separation, while the random block copolymers by the one-pot method had single phase morphology. The mechanical properties of the block copolymers were greatly improved by the introduction of polyimide into the poly(ether sulfone). © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.