Molecular weight characterization of soluble high performance polyimides. 1. Polymer-solvent-stationary phase interactions in size exclusion chromatography

Soluble, fully cyclized m-amino phenyl acetylene terminated polyimides based on several anhydride/diamine monomers were prepared in N-methylpyrrolidine (NMP) and cyclized by solution imidization to controlled molecular weight. The polyimides and a polyamic acid precursor were successfully analyzed by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) utilizing online parallel coupled refractive index and differential viscometer detectors. The calculated M _nvalues were varied from 3,000 to 20,000 daltons. N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), tetrahydrofuran (THF), and chloroform served as mobile phases for the cross-linked polystyrene gel packings. Normal retention behavior of the polyimides was observed in chloroform, THF, and NMP containing LiBr, or in NMP stirred over P₂O₅ before use. Values of Mark-Houwink-Sakurada exponents for narrow distribution linear polystyrene indicate that pure NMP and NMP with 0.06 M LiBr are good solvents for polystyrene standards at 60°C. In contrast, SEC behavior of polyimides in pure NMP leads to splitting of the peaks with the major portion observed to pass through the columns at the exclusion limit. In contrast to strong polymeric chain expansion of the polyamic acid in dilute solution, presumably due to a polyelectrolyte effect, no increase of intrinsic viscosity of polyimide samples in pure NMP was observed. This exclusion effect of polyimides analyzed in NMP is discussed in terms of possible ion-exclusion from pores of the stationary phase. Differences in polystyrene calibration in NMP with or without additives and the temperature dependence of calibration curves in these mobile phases is discussed as well. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

体积排阻色谱法测定低分子量肝素抗凝血因子Xa的活性

发展了一种基于体积排阻色谱测定低分子量肝素(LMWH)抗凝血活性的方法。利用肝素与抗凝血酶Ⅲ(ATⅢ)结合后可增强ATⅢ对凝血因子Xa(FXa)抑制作用的原理,通过测定加入LMWH后FXa水解其生色底物产生对硝基苯胺(pNA)这一反应的抑制程度确定LMWH的活性。首先将含有一定浓度LMWH的缓冲溶液与ATⅢ溶液混合,然后依次加入FXa和生色底物,分别孵育一段时间。底物被FXa水解,产生游离的pNA。体积排阻色谱可将小分子产物pNA与其他大分子分离开,因而可以在pNA的最大吸收波长下得到高灵敏度的测定,并且不再受其他成分的干扰。该方法重复性好,灵敏度高,极大地减少了样品的消耗量,降低了成本,并且还可进行各种复杂样品(如血浆)中LMWH抗FXa活性的监测。     

低分子量硫酸化多糖的体积排阻色谱法分离及其组成定量分析

建立了用于分离并定量测定低分子量硫酸化多糖中不同糖链数的各个组分分布比例的体积排阻色谱方法。系统考察了流动相的组成、离子强度和pH值、流速、柱温等因素对分离的影响。最佳分离条件: 两支TSK-GEL G2000 SWxl色谱柱(300 mm×7.8 mm)串联,流动相100 mmol/L Na2HPO4-NaH2PO4 (pH 7.0),流速0.5 mL/min,柱温35 ℃,进样量5 μL,样品质量浓度10 g/L。在最佳的分离条件下,可以将低分子量硫酸化多糖样品中不同糖链数的各个组分分离并对各个组分的分布进行了定量分析。用该方法对美国药典标准品(USP)、商品和实验室制备的低分子量硫酸化多糖糖链数分布进行了定量化比较,证明该方法可用于低分子量硫酸化多糖类药物的组成成分的质量控制。     

Control of macromolecular architecture of polyamides by poly-functional agents. 2. Use of oligomerization in polycondensation study

In the first paper of the series, a statistical model for star-branched polycondenzation of AB type monomers in the presence of a polyfunctional agent RA_f was completely developed. The analytical expressions obtained for the number-average (D̄P̄_n̄) and weight-average (D̄P̄_w̄) degree of polymerization, and the dispersion index (D) for whole polymer species, linear and star macromolecular chains, are now derived as function of the feed and of end-group analysis. Also the important molecular parameter, mole fraction of star-branched polymer, can be evaluated. Some numerical examples are presented. It is illustrated that the molecular weight properties of the linear and star-branched polymers in the mixture of the products, very important factors for the application of this kind of polymeric materials, can be determined starting from the feed and terminal group analysis. Polymerization and oligomerization of 6-aminocaproic acid were carried out in the presence of trimesic (T3) acid and 2,2,6,6-tetra(β-carboxyethyl)cyclohexanone (T4) and EDTA as tri- and terra-functional agents. The molecular weights calculated are in good agreement with those obtained by Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC), end group analysis and NMR spectra.     

Complementarity of universal calibration SEC and 13C NMR in determining the branching state of polyethylene

The quantitation of long‐chain branching (LCB) and short‐chain branching (SCB) in polyethylene (PE) was accomplished with a combination of carbon nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C NMR) spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) with universal calibration. We demonstrate how the spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques can supplement each other, as neither is capable individually of completely describing the molecular architecture imparted by the various types of branching. The essential lack of impact of SCB on the hydrodynamic volume imposes a limit on SEC for determining this type of branching, whereas highly effective LCB in the PE molecule may not offer a statistically large enough amount of long chains for accurate determination by NMR. A variety of examples are given for PE, showcasing the advantages and shortcomings of each analytical method and their complementarity. Additionally, the importance of choosing an appropriate linear standard and viscosity shielding ratio (ϵ) for the Zimm–Stockmayer branching calculations employed for analyzing SEC data is emphasized with an examination of the effect on the results of using a branched standard and various ϵ values. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 3120–3135, 2000     

pH‐Responsive ampholytic terpolymers of acrylamide,sodium 3‐acrylamido‐3‐methylbutanoate,and (3‐acrylamidopropyl)trimethylammonium chloride. I. Synthesis and characterization

Low-charge-density ampholytic terpolymers composed of acrylamide, sodium 3-acrylamido-3-methylbutanoate (NaAMB), and (3-acrylamidopropyl)trimethylammonium chloride were prepared via free-radical polymerization in 0.5 M NaCl to yield terpolymers with random charge distributions. NaOOCH was used as a chain-transfer agent during the polymerization to eliminate the effects of the monomer feed composition on the degree of polymerization (DP) and to suppress gel effects and broadening of the molecular weight distribution. The terpolymer compositions were obtained via ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, and the residual counterion content was determined via elemental analysis for Na⁺ and Cl⁻. The molecular weights (MWs) and polydispersity indices (PDIs) were determined via size exclusion chromatography/multi-angle laser light scattering (SEC–MALLS); the terpolymer MWs ranged from 1.3–1.6 × 10⁶ g/mol, corresponding to DPs of 1.6–1.9 × 10⁴ repeat units, with all terpolymers exhibiting PDIs of less than 2.0. Intrinsic viscosities determined from SEC–MALLS data and the Flory–Fox relationship were compared to intrinsic viscosities determined via low-shear dilute-solution viscometry and were found to agree rather well. Data from the SEC–MALLS analysis were used to analyze the radius of gyration/molecular weight (R_g–M) relationships and the Mark–Houwink–Sakurada intrinsic viscosity/molecular weight ([η]–M) relationships for the terpolymers. The R_g–M and [η]–M relationships revealed that most of the terpolymers exhibited little or no excluded volume effects under size exclusion chromatography conditions. Potentiometric titration of terpolymer solutions in deionized water showed that the apparent pK_a value of the poly[acrylamide-co-sodium 3-acrylamido-3-methylbutanoate-co-(3-acrylamidopropyl)trimethylammonium chloride] terpolymers increased with increasing NaAMB content in the terpolymers and increasing ratios of anionic monomer to cationic monomer at a constant terpolymer charge density. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3236–3251, 2004     

Quenched Instationary Polymerization Systems, 6. The Direct Determination of Axial Dispersion in Size Exclusion Chromatography by Comparison of Theoretical and Ideal Peak Widths

For the direct determination of axial dispersion in size exclusion chromatography a simple method is presented which makes use of the measured and ideal peak widths. The peak width can be defined in two ways: either absolute as the difference of successive points of inflection or relative as the ratio of these points. If the absolute peak width is invariant for the number, molar mass and hyper distribution then this distribution can unambiguously be classified as Poissonian. The relative peak width for such distributions is strictly determined by the experimental parameters. It is demonstrated that axial dispersion only leads to an additive increase in the peak variances for peaks with a relative peak width smaller than 1.25. Thus, it is possible to determine directly the axial dispersion of an experimental size exclusion chromatography set‐up by the use of Poisson distributions prepared by quenched instationary polymerization techniques or any other technique leading to ideal Poisson distributions.     

Analysis of branched polymers by high resolution multidetector size exclusion chromatography: Separation of the effects of branching and molecular weight distribution

This article presents the SEC analysis of branched polyisobutylene PIB and polystyrene PS with high molecular weight and broad multimodal molecular weight distribution. Both polymers were synthesized using an inimer technique, which results in long‐chain branched polymers with statistical branching and broad multimodal distributions. Using high resolution multidetector Size Exclusion Chromatography SEC the polymers were analyzed based on three branching factors: g = (R_z,br/R_z,lin)_Mw; h = (〈R_h〉_z,br/〈R_h〉_z,lin)_{Mw ;} and ρ = (R ^1/2/〈R_h〉_z). It is generally accepted that for monodisperse branched polymers g and h < 1. In the case of our polydisperse PIB and PS, it was seen that g and h > 1, and ρ increases with molar mass and the number of chain ends as predicted earlier. The multidetector SEC system allowed for the separation of branching and polydispersity, reported here for the first time experimentally. The g parameter as a function of DP_i was compared to the theory developed by Zimm and Stockmayer. The plots followed a similar trend, but were shifted by a factor related to the average chain length between branching points. The ρ parameter decreased with increasing DP_i, as predicted theoretically by Kajiwara. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

On-line measurement of the RMS radius of gyration and molecular weight of polyimide precursor fractions eluting from a size-exclusion chromatograph

The recent introduction of multiangle light-scattering detectors for size-exclusion chromatography has made possible the measurement of the root mean square radius of gyration (R_g) and molecular weight (M) of polymer fractions eluting from a size-exclusion chromatography column. The characterization of the dimensions of a polymer may be accomplished with only a few milligrams. The dimensions of a polyimide precursor prepared by the condensation of the meta-diethyl ester of pyromellitic dianhydride with para-phenylene diamine have been measured with this technique. The dependence of R_g on M across the distribution is compared with that predicted for a freely rotating chain, and with other similar polymers measured with hydrodynamic techniques.     

Effect of the molecular weight and architecture on the size and glass transition of arborescent polyisobutylenes

This article discusses the characterization of arborescent (hyperbranched) polyisobutylenes (arb‐PIBs) by size exclusion chromatography and differential scanning calorimetry, in comparison with linear PIB standards. The radius of gyration (〈r〉^1/2 = R_z), measured from the angle dependence of light scattering of high‐molecular‐weight arb‐PIBs, was significantly larger than the hydrodynamic radius (R_h) from size exclusion chromatography/viscometry, and the R_h values were significantly smaller than R_h of linear PIBs. The glass‐transition temperature of arb‐PIBs having a branch molecular weight higher than the critical entanglement molecular weight was dependent on both the total number‐average molecular weight and BR up to BR ～ 15. A modified Fox–Flory equation is proposed to describe the effect of architecture on the thermal transition. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1770–1776, 2006     

Propagation rate coefficients of isobornyl acrylate,tert‐butyl acrylate and 1‐ethoxyethyl acrylate: A high frequency PLP‐SEC study

Pulsed laser polymerization (PLP) coupled to size exclusion chromatography (SEC) is considered to be the most accurate and reliable technique for the determination of absolute propagation rate coefficients, k_p. Herein, k_p data as a function of temperature were determined via PLP‐SEC for three acrylate monomers that are of particular synthetic interest (e.g., for the generation of amphiphilic block copolymers). The high‐T_g monomer isobornyl acrylate (iBoA) as well as the precursor monomers for the synthesis of hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid), tert‐butyl acrylate (tBuA), and 1‐ethoxyethyl acrylate (EEA) were investigated with respect to their propagation rate coefficient in a wide temperature range. By application of a 500 Hz laser repetition rate, data could be obtained up to a temperature of 80 °C. To arrive at absolute values for k_p, the Mark‐Houwink parameters of the polymers have been determined via on‐line light scattering and viscosimetry measurements. These read: K = 5.00 × 10⁵ dL g⁻¹, a = 0.75 (piBoA), K = 19.7 × 10⁵ dL g⁻¹, a = 0.66 (ptBA) and K = 1.53 × 10⁵ dL g⁻¹, a = 0.85 (pEEA). The bulky iBoA monomer shows the lowest propagation rate coefficient among the three monomers, while EEA is the fastest. The activation energies and Arrhenius factors read: (iBoA): log(A/L mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) = 7.05 and E_A = 17.0 kJ mol⁻¹; (tBuA): log(A/L mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) = 7.28 and E_A = 17.5 kJ mol⁻¹ and (EEA): log(A/L mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) = 6.80 and E_A = 13.8 kJ mol⁻¹. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6641–6654, 2009     

Thermal diffusion and molecular weight calibration of poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate)s by thermal field-flow fractionation

Copolymer characterization is accomplished with respect to measurement of thermal diffusion coefficient (D_T) and molecular weight determination by thermal field-flow fractionation. The examined copolymers are the eight poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate)s [P(E-V)] having different compositions of vinyl acetate ranging from 25 to 70% and the molecular weight from 110,000 to 285,000, and three polyvinyl acetate standards as component homopolymer. The carrier solvents are tetrahydrofuran, toluene, and chlorobenzene which have different viscosities and thermal conductivities. Measured D_T values vary from 1.36 × 10^?8 to 5.97 × 10_?8 cm²/(s . K) which are dependent on the composition of copolymers and types of carriers. These values increase linearly with the increase of weight percent of vinyl acetate. It is possible to estimate D_T values of polyethylene from the extrapolated intercept in the plots of D_T vs. vinyl acetate wt % of copolymer. Tetrahydrofuran is found to be the appropriate carrier solvent for the separation of P(E-V) copolymers since D_T varies greatly with the increase of wt % in THF. Attempts are made to correlate the measured retention data with molecular sizes of copolymers for the construction of the molecular weight calibration curve. Good correlations (r² ≥ 0.931) are found in which D/D_T values of polymers vary inversely with the product of hydrodynamic volume by weight ratio of vinyl acetate. Based on this relationship, the unknown molecular weight of copolymer sample can be determined from component homopolymers for which standards are readily available. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Molecular weight control of polyacrylamide with sodium formate as a chain‐transfer agent: Characterization via size exclusion chromatography/multi‐angle laser light scattering and determination of chain‐transfer constant

We discuss the synthesis and characterization of polyacrylamide (PAM) homopolymers with carefully controlled molecular weights (MWs). PAM was synthesized via free‐radical solution polymerization under conditions that yield highly linear polymer with minimal levels of hydrolysis. The MW of the PAM homopolymers was controlled by the addition of sodium formate (NaOOCH) to the polymerization medium as a conventional chain‐transfer agent. MWs and polydispersity indices (PDIs) were determined via size exclusion chromatography/multi‐angle laser light scattering analysis; for polymerizations carried out to high conversion, PAM MWs ranged from 0.23 to 6.19 × 10⁶ g/mol, with most samples having PDI ≈2.0. Zero‐shear intrinsic viscosities of the polymers were determined via low‐shear viscometry in 0.514 M NaCl at 25 °C. Data derived from the polymer characterization were used to determine the chain‐transfer constant to NaOOCH under the given polymerization conditions and to calculate Mark–Houwink–Sakurada K and a values for PAM in 0.514 M NaCl at 25 °C. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 560–568, 2003     

Potentiometric study of Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexation with two high molecular weight poly(acrylic acids)

The copper (II) or nickel (II) complex formation with two poly(acrylic acids) of high molecular weight (Mw=2.5×10⁵ and 3×10⁶) was investigated in aqueous dilute solution (NaNO₃ 0.1 mol l⁻¹; 25°C). Potentiometric titrations were carried out, first to precise the acid-base properties of the two polymers, and secondly to determine the stability constants of the MA and MA₂ complex species formed. The Bjerrum's method, modified by Gregor et al. (J. Phys. Chem., 59 (1955) 34–39), for the study of polymeric acids was used. The results obtained showed that both polymers present very similar properties. As expected, copper (II) is more readily bound to poly(acrylic acids). CuA₂ was the predominant observed species; the global stability constant log β₁₀₂ was found to be close to 6.6. With nickel (II), none of the complex species MA or MA₂ becomes predominant (log β₁₀₂=5.5). Finally, the PAA complexes present a greater stability compared with that of monomeric analogs.     

Rapid determination of molecular parameters of synthetic polymers by precipitation/redissolution high‐performance liquid chromatography using “molded” monolithic column

Rapid high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of polystyrenes, poly(methyl methacrylates), poly(vinyl acetates), and polybutadienes using a monolithic 50 × 4.6 mm i.d. poly(styrene‐co‐divinylbenzene) column have been carried out. The separation process involves precipitation of the macromolecules on the macroporous monolithic column followed by progressive elution utilizing a gradient of the mobile phase. Depending on the character of the separated polymer, solvent gradients were composed of a poor solvent such as water, methanol, or hexane and increasing amounts of a good solvent such as THF or dichloromethane. Monolithic columns are ideally suited for this technique because convection through the large pores of the monolith enhances the mass transport of large polymer molecules and accelerates the separation process. Separation conditions including the selection of a specific pair of solvent and precipitant, flow rate, and gradient steepness were optimized for the rapid HPLC separations of various polymers that differed broadly in their molecular weights. Excellent separations were obtained demonstrating that the precipitation‐redissolution technique is a suitable alternative to size‐exclusion chromatography (SEC). The molecular weight parameters calculated from the HPLC data match well those obtained by SEC. However, compared to SEC, the determination of molecular parameters using gradient elution could be achieved at comparable flow rates in a much shorter period of time, typically in about 1 min. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2767–2778, 2000     

Preparation of water‐soluble,syndiotacticity‐rich,low molecular weight poly(vinyl alcohol) microfibrils in high yields with the low‐temperature polymerization of vinyl pivalate in tetrahydrofuran and saponification

To prepare water‐soluble, syndiotacticity‐rich poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) microfibrils for various industrial applications, we synthesized syndiotacticity‐rich, low molecular weight PVA by the solution polymerization of vinyl pivalate (VPi) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at low temperatures with 2,2′‐azobis(2,4‐dimethylvaleronitrile) (ADMVN) as an initiator and successive saponification of poly(vinyl pivalate) (PVPi). Effects of the initiator and monomer concentrations and the polymerization temperature were investigated in terms of the polymerization behaviors and molecular structures of PVPi and the corresponding syndiotacticity‐rich PVA. The polymerization rate of VPi in THF was proportional to the 0.91 power of the ADMVN concentration, indicating the heterogeneous nature of THF polymerization. The low‐temperature solution polymerization of VPi in THF with ADMVN proved to be successful in obtaining water‐soluble PVA with a number‐average degree of polymerization (P_n) of 300–900, a syndiotactic dyad content of 60–63%, and an ultimate conversion of VPi into PVPi of over 75%. Despite the low molecular weight of PVA with P_n = 800, water‐soluble PVA microfibrillar fibers were prepared because of the high level of syndiotacticity. In contrast, for PVA with P_n = 330, shapeless and globular morphologies were observed, indicating that molecular weight has an important role in the in situ fibrillation of syndiotacticity‐rich PVA. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1103–1111, 2002     

Oxidation of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) part 3: Decomposition of hydroperoxides with SO2 and its effect on the chemiluminescence signal

Samples of slightly oxidised UHMWPE were treated with SO₂ to decompose hydroperoxides prior to chemiluminescence measurements. It was found that the effect was quite substantial, but it was not just due to the elimination of hydroperoxides; a stabilising effect was also manifested. This effect increased with an increasing concentration of hydroperoxides in the samples. The stabilising effect could not be seen in fresh samples or when the hydroperoxides were decomposed by heating the sample in nitrogen. In addition, a stabilising effect was also observed for samples in which the hydroperoxides were reduced by DMS. It was concluded that the stabilisation was due to the formation of H₂SO₄ in the case of SO₂ and DMSO in the case of DMS. Both these substances can act as stabilisers against oxidative degradation of polymers and were evenly distributed in the sample films after the reaction with the hydroperoxides.     

Effect of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici on the degradation of humic acid associated with Cu, Pb, and Ni: an in vitro study

The intent of this work was to gain further insight on the fungus-assisted degradation/solubilization of humic acid and the related changes in metal-binding profiles. In the experimental design, Aldrich reagent humic acid (HA) or HA enriched with Cu, Pb, and Ni (HA(Me)) was added to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici cultures in vitro. The cultures were supplied by different carbon- and nitrogen-containing nutrients (glucose, Glc, or glutamate, Glu and ammonium, NH₄⁺, or nitrate, NO₃⁻, ions, respectively) in order to examine their possible effect on HA and HA(Me) decomposition. During the first 48 h of fungus growth, gradual acidification to pH 2 was observed in medium containing Glc + NH₄⁺, while for other cultures, alkalinization to pH 9 occurred and then, the above conditions were stable up to at least 200 h. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) with UV/Vis detection showed progressive degradation and solubilization of both HA and HA(Me) with the increasing time of fungus growth. However, the molecular mass distributions of HA-related soluble species were different in the presence of metals (HA(Me)) as referred to HA and were also influenced by the composition of growth medium. The solubilization of Pb, Cu, and Ni and their association with HA molecular mass fractions were studied using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection. Under acidic conditions, relatively high concentrations of low-molecular-mass metallic species were found in culture supernatants, while in alkaline media, metal solubilization was generally poorer. In contrast to low pH culture, SEC-ICP-MS results obtained in alkaline supernatants indicated metal binding to degradation products of humic substances of MM > 5 kDa. In summary, the results of this study suggest that fungus-assisted degradation of HA and HA(Me) might be controlled using appropriate N- and C- sources required for fungus growth, which in turn would affect molecular mass distribution of soluble metallic species thus potentially influencing their actual bioaccessibility. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.