Poly(ammonioalkanesulfonate) Blends with Polar Organic Species and Alkali Metal Salts: Structure,Glass Transition and Ionic Conductivity

Because the dipole moment of its zwitterionic side group is very high (μ∼23 D), poly[3-(N,N-diethyl-N-(5-methacryloyoxy-3-oxopentyl)-ammonio) propanesulfonate] affords a unique polar host matrix possessing a strong solvation power towards a variety of polar or ionic guest species. Water, glycerol, liquid ethylammonium nitrate, triethylammoniopropanesulfonate are all good plasticizers with a fairly similar efficiency of ΔT_g∼−2°C/mol% of additive, while a dizwitterion behaves as a weak antiplasticizer. The stoichiometric blends of the polyzwitterion with alkali metal salts of low enough lattice energy such as thiocyanates, trifuoromethanesulfonates, iodides, perchlorates, tetrafluoro or tetraphenylborates, are amorphous systems showing a single glass transition, with plasticization or antiplasticization effects depending on the salt nature. Microphase separation systematically occurs in these binary systems but long-range order is observed only in some cases, with development of lamellar (I⁻) or hexagonal (SCN⁻) structures. Conductivity increases and the dielectric constant of the material decreases as salt is added. The activation energies of the conductivity are not strongly affected either by the state of the material, glassy or viscoelastic, or by the salt nature. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Water sorption in poly(zwitterions) of the ammonioalkoxydicyanoethenolate type

Water sorption by amorphous (meth)acrylic poly(zwitterions)-bearing quaternary ammonioalkoxydicyanoethenolate side groups , dipole moment μ(D) = 25.9 and 30.8 for p = 2 and 3, respectively was studied at 23°C over a broad range of water activity a (0.14–0.98). Water diffusion is nearly Fickian (D_s = 5.9 10^?7 cm².s^?1 for a = 0.63) and the sorption isotherms may be quantitatively analyzed according to the Guggenheim-Anderson-De Boer equation for a multilayer process characterized by a number of site-bound water molecules per monomeric unit, n_m ? 0.7. The Flory χ interaction parameter is a strongly increasing function of the water content in the glassy hydrated systems and it always remains higher than 0.75. Clustering of water molecules (Zimm-Lundberg theory) is never observed. Differential scanning calorimetry allows to quantify nonfreezable bound water (type I) of strong plasticization efficiency, n(I) = 2.8 mol. of water per monomeric unit, and it points out the quasisimultaneous emergence of low amounts of freezable bound water (type II) crystallizing at ?40°C and melting at ?1°C and of bulkfree water (type III, n(II)/n(III) ? 0.1). All these typical features distinguish these rather hydrophobic poly(zwitterions) from their hydrophilic homologues of the quaternary ammoniopropanesulfonate type . © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Conductance studies of some ammonium and alkali metal salts in propylene carbonate

Conductance data are reported for NaI, KI, RbI, CsI, NH₄I, NaClO₄, and KClO₄ in propylene carbonate at 25°C in the concentration range 1×10^–4 –8.3×10^–3M. Analysis of the data with the current conductance theories indicates negligible ion-association, strong cation-solvent and weak anion-solvent interactions.     

Thermal and photochemical stability of poly(methyl methacrylate) and its blends with poly(vinyl acetate)

An investigation of the thermal stability of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blends with poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) revealed that PVAc acts as a stabilizer as concerns thermal and photochemical degradation when the processes take place in air. The temperatures of decomposition of these blends are higher than that of pure PMMA. The efficiency of photodegradation and photooxidation in the blends is lower than that of pure PMMA.     

Melt‐processable blends of ionic poly(p‐phenylene terephthalamide) and poly(4‐vinylpyridine): Relaxation behavior

Melt‐processable blends were prepared from rigid molecules of an ionically modified poly(p‐phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA) and flexible‐coil molecules of poly(4‐vinylpyridine) (PVP). Dynamic mechanical analyses of blends with 50% or more of the ionic PPTA component revealed the presence of two distinct phases. The glass‐transition temperature of the more stable, ionic PPTA‐rich phase increased linearly with the ionic PPTA content. The second phase present in these blends was an ionic PPTA‐poor, or a PVP‐rich, phase. For this phase, a reasonably good fit of the data, showing the glass‐transition temperature as a function of the ionic PPTA content, was achieved between the results of this study and the reported results of previous investigation of molecular composites of the same two components with ionic PPTA contents of 15 wt % or less. The possible influence of annealing on the blend structure of a 90/10 blend of ionic PPTA and PVP was examined. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 1468–1475, 2003     

Gel processing of electrically conductive blends of poly(3-octylthiophene) and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene

The mechanical and electrical properties of solution-processed [or gel-spun] blends of poly(3-octylthiophene) and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene are discussed. Tensile drawing at elevated temperatures of the phase-separated blends resulted in significant improvements of the mechanical properties, in comparison with those of the neat conducting polymer, with values of the Young's modulus reaching > 40 GPa and tensile strengths in excess of 2 GPa. Doping of the undrawn polyblend fibers with iodine vapor or FeCl₃ resulted in materials of useful levels of electrical conductivity covering the full range of 10^?15 to 10 S/cm. A distinct percolation threshold for electrical conductivity was not observed, even at poly(3-octylthiophene) concentrations as low as 0.5 w/w %; the electrical conductivity of the latter blend, after doping with iodine vapor, was 8 × 10^?8 S/cm.     

Miscibility window for the blends of poly(styrene-co-4-vinylphenymethylphenylsilanol) with poly(n-butyl methacrylate)

Polymer blends consisting of poly(styrene-co-4-vinylphenylmethylphenylsilanol) (ST-VPMPS) and poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) have been investigated. The experimental results showed that miscible blends were formed when ST-VPMPS copolymers contained 9–56 mol % silanol functional groups. Comparison of the results with poly(styrene-co-4-vinylphenyldimethylsilanol) (ST-VPDMS)/PBMA blends revealed that the miscibility window was shifted to a higher silanol composition in the present system in which a stronger hetero-associated hydrogen bonding interaction was present. The results were discussed in terms of steric shielding and electron-withdrawing effects of the phenyl substituent bound directly to the silicon atom. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis,characterization, and blends of high temperature poly(arylether sulfone)s

The preparation of poly(4-oxy-1,4-phenylenesulfonyl-4,4′-biphenylene-4-sulfonylphenylene) (PBP) has been accomplished by the base mediated, polycondensation reaction between two biphenyl containing monomers. The bisphenol, 4,4′-bis[(4-hydroxyphenyl) sulfonyl]biphenyl (HSB), was reacted with 4,4′-bis[(4-chlorophenyl)sulfonyl]-biphenyl (CSB) in tetramethylene sulfone solvent. The highest mechanical properties and glass transition temperature was observed for polymer PBP with a reduced viscosity around 1.0 dL/g. Consequently, the current synthesis route provides polymer with higher properties than other historical preparative routes. Blends of PBP with a different poly(ether sulfone) were miscible based on the observance of a single glass transition temperature. The T_gs of the polymer blends exhibited an unusual positive deviation from the weighted linear averages of the components.     

Thermal and mechanical behavior of amorphous and semi-crystalline poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends

Various PVDF/PMMA (poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(methyl methacrylate)) blends were selected for mechanical testing in compression. At low PVDF content (less than 50/50 w/w), the blends remain amorphous and PVDF and PMMA are fully miscible. In PVDF-richer blends, PVDF crystallizes in part, leading to a PMMA-enriched homogeneous amorphous phase. In this study, the degree of crystallinity was set at equilibrium by appropriate annealing of the samples before testing. Mechanical analysis was focused on the low deformation range, and especially on the yield region. Depending on the test temperature and blend composition, three types of response were identified, depending on whether plastic deformation is influenced: 1) by the PMMA secondary relaxation motions, 2) by the PVDF/PMMA glass transition motions, or 3) by the crystallite-constrained PVDF chains.     

Thermal oxidation of blends of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(methyl methacrylate)

Thermal oxidation of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and its blends with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were studied using oxygen uptake measurements. The rates of oxidation and maximum oxygen uptake contents were reduced as the content of PMMA was increased in the blends. The results were indicative of a stabilizing effect by PMMA on the oxidation of PEO. The oxidation reaction at 140°C was stopped at various stages and PMMA was separated from PEO and its molecular weights were measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The decrease in the number-average molecular weight of PMMA was larger as the content of PEO increased in the blends. The visual appearance of the films suggested that phase separation did not occur after thermal oxidation. The activation energy for the rates of oxidation in the blends was slightly increased compared to pure PEO. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Miscible blends of poly(vinyl phenyl ketone) and poly(4‐vinyl phenol)

An analysis by differential scanning calorimetry, modulated differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicates that blends of poly(vinyl phenyl ketone) (PVPhK) and poly(4‐vinyl phenol) (P4VPh) are miscible at ambient temperature. Miscibility, ascertained, is supported by the existence of a single glass transition for each composition of the PVPhK/P4VPh blends. The FTIR spectroscopy analysis demonstrates the formation of hydrogen bonds between carbonyl groups of PVPhK and hydroxyl groups of P4VPh. This specific interaction has a crucial role on the miscibility behavior of PVPhK/P4VPh blends. The evolution of the glass transition of the PVPhK, P4VPh, and its blends as a function of mixture composition shows negative deviations with to respect to the ideal mixing rule, and both Fox and Gordon–Taylor equations predict this behavior successfully. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2404–2411, 2006     

Solid polymers doped with rare earth metal salts. II. Thermal behavior and morphology of the neodymium acetate–poly(ethylene oxide) system

Samples of poly(ethylene oxide), PEO, doped with neodymium acetate, Nd (Act)₃, were prepared and found to be microphase separated. At an EO/Nd (Act)₃ molar ratio no less than 4, wide-angle x-ray diffraction (WAXD) patterns and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) data suggest that bulk Nd (Act)₃ and ionic clusters are both absent. It is inferred from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms that in the presence of PEO, Nd (Act)₃ forms an amorphous phase which is different from the amorphous phase formed by Nd (Act)₃ alone. The tighter binding of CH₃COO^- to Nd³⁺, in comparison to Cl^-, appears to be responsible for the lack of true dissolution of Nd (Act)₃ in PEO, a behavior clearly distinct from a number of polymer-metal salt complexes reported in the literature. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

A study of phase separation of crystalline and miscible polymer blends. Poly(ε-caprolactone)/poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile)

The phase separation of a crystalline and miscible polymer blend, poly(ε-caprolactone) /poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (PCL/SAN), has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), using a SAN containing 28.3% of acrylonitrile units. Several phenomena can be associated with the occurrence of phase separation depending upon the composition of the mixture. Following annealing at high temperatures, below and above the phase separation temperature T_c, three cases can be distinguished. In Case I, there is no sign of crystallization during quenching and DSC scanning, but a melting peak is observed at T_c, and above. In Case II, there is no crystallization on quenching but it does occur during the DSC run; the shift of the crystallization peak can then be related to T_c. In Case III, there is crystallization on quenching, and additional crystallization during the DSC run; the change of area of the crystallization peak is indicative of T_c. From these observations, the phase diagram of the system was determined. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Fracture behavior of amorphous and semicrystalline blends of poly(vinylidene fluoride) and poly(methyl methacrylate)

The fracture behavior of blends of poly(vinylidene fluoride) and poly(methyl methacrylate) was investigated all over the composition range. A detailed analysis of the net stress versus crack opening displacement curves was performed. Fracture surface observations allowed statements on the process zone characteristics ahead of the crack tip. For the amorphous blends, the crack initiation energy is well related to the glass transition temperature. For the semicrystalline blends, the fracture energy is correlated with the degree of crystallinity. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012     

Effect of smectogenicity of the ionic groups on the thermotropic liquid crystalline behavior of pyridinium and poly(4-vinylpyridinium) salts quaternized with mesogenic groups

In order to demonstrate the important smectic power of the ionic functions present in mesogenic molecules, a series of N-alkylpyridinium bromides ω-substituted with (4-cyanobiphenylyl)oxy or [4-(2-methyl-1-butoxy)biphenylyl]oxy mesogenic group and their analogous 4-vinylpyridinium polymers were synthesized and characterized. The liquid crystalline behavior was studied by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Smectic mesophases, namely A, B, and E, were identified for the low molecular weight compounds, whereas smectic A and E mesophases were identified for the analogous polymers. Both structures were found to be very similar. They consist of single layers of upright molecules laterally arranged head-to-tail; the polymer backbone is inserted in between the layers. The monolayer smectic ordering observed in spite of the presence of the interacting cyano and chiral groups demonstrates the prevailing effect of the electrical interactions upon the structural organization. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 2569–2577, 1997     

Effect of miscible polymer diluents on the development of lamellar morphology in poly(oxymethylene) blends

The development of lamellar morphology in poly(oxymethylene) (POM) and its miscible blends was studied by synchrotron time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), during primary and secondary crystallization at temperatures near 150°C. The blends contained two different diluents: poly(vinyl 4-hydroxy styrene) [common name poly(vinyl phenol), (PVP)], which had a high glass temperature (T_g = 150°C), and styrene-co-hydroxy styrene oligomer (PhSO), which had a low glass temperature (T_g = −37°C). The SAXS data were analyzed by correlation function analysis to extract several lamellar parameters: long period (L), lamellar crystalline thickness (lc), amorphous layer thickness (la), and invariant (Q). The variation in Q defined the region where spherulites quickly grew and filled the entire space, and was referred to as the primary crystallization dominant regime. A rapid drop in L and lc was observed at early times, and this can be explained by defective lamellar stacks filling in space between primary stacks, as secondary crystals form during the nominal primary crystallization dominant regime. Lamellar thickening with time in the long-time secondary crystallization region was observed in neat POM and the blend with 10 % low T_g diluent, while this process was inhibited with the high T_g diluent due to the higher T_g of the interlamellar species. A decrease in la at long times confirmed the lamellar thickening. We refer to the lamellar thickening process as a type of secondary crystallization. Interlamellar inclusion or trapping was detected to different degrees with the high T_g diluent, while exclusion was found for the low T_g diluent. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 3115–3122, 1999     

Miscibility study in the blends of novel poly (styrene-co-4-vinylphenyldimethylsilanol) and poly (n-butyl methacrylate)

The miscibility of poly (styrene-co-4-vinylphenyldimethylsilanol) (ST-VPDMS) and poly (n-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) blends has been investigated by means of DSC and FT-IR spectroscopy. It was found that miscible blends were formed only for the copolymers containing 9–34 mol % 4-vinylphenyldimethylsilanol (VPDMS). The glass transition behavior of the miscible blends was analyzed by recently proposed equations in terms of the physical meaning of the fitting parameters. The results of FT-IR study were found to be fully consistent with the observation of the miscibility window obtained from glass transition temperature measurements. Quantitative information concerning intermolecular hydrogen bond interaction in the carbonyl stretching vibration region of the miscible blends was obtained by curve-fitting method. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Monolayers of hydrogen-bonded polymer blends at the air–water interface: poly(vinylacetate)+poly (4-hydroxystyrene)

 The surface pressure (Π) vs surface concentration (Γ_s) curves of the hydrogen-bonded polymer blend poly(vinylacetate)+ poly(4-hydro-xystyrene) (PVAc+P4HS) have been measured at 25 °C onto a water subphase at pH=2.0. While PVAc forms extended monolayers, and the free surface of water is found to be a good solvent for it, P4HS forms compressed monolayers, and the surface is a near Θ-type solvent for it. PVAc and P4HS form miscible non-ideal monolayers until near the collapse pressure through the whole concentration range. The composition dependence of the Π–Γ_s curves is rather complex. Contrary to what might be expected, the addition of PVAc to the blend does not reduce the rigidity of the monolayer until its weight fraction is larger than 0.5. The compressibility data of the P4HS-rich monolayers suggest the existence of a second maximum at high surface coverages, a result already observed in some polysiloxanes. Received: 11 March 1998 Accepted: 7 May 1998     

Ion conductivity studies of blends of poly(methyl methacrylate)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(ethylene glycol) complexed with LiCF3 SO3

Polymer electrolytes which are adhesive, transparent, and stable to atmospheric moisture have been prepared by blending poly(methyl methacrylate)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) with poly(ethylene glycol)/LiCF₃ SO₃ complexes. The maximum ionic conductivities at room temperature were measured to be in the range of 10⁻⁴ to 10⁻⁵ s cm⁻¹. The clarity of the sample was improved as the graft degree increased for all the samples studied. The graft degree of poly(methyl methacrylate)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) was found to be important for the compatibility between the poly(methyl methacrylate) segments in poly(methyl methacrylate)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) and the added poly(ethylene glycol), and consequently, for the ion conductivity of the polymer electrolyte. These properties make them promising candidates for polymer electrolytes in electrochromic devices. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.