Radical‐cured block copolymer‐modified thermosets

Poly(ethylene‐alt‐propylene)‐b‐poly(ethylene oxide) (PEP‐PEO) diblock copolymers were synthesized and added at 4 wt % to 2,2‐bis[4‐(2‐hydroxy‐3‐methacryloxypropoxy)phenyl]propane (BisGMA), a monomer that cures using free radical chemistry. In separate experiments, poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) was combined as a secondary monomer with BisGMA and the monomers were loaded with 4 wt % PEP‐PEO. The diblock copolymers self‐assembled into well‐dispersed spherical micelles with PEP cores and PEO coronas. No appreciable change in the final extent of cure of the thermosets was caused by the addition of diblock copolymer, except in the case of BisGMA, where the addition of the block copolymer increased extent of cure by 12%. Furthermore, the extent of cure was increased by 29% and 37% with the addition of 25 and 50 wt % PEGDMA, respectively. Elastic modulus and fracture resistance were also determined, and the values indicate that the addition of block copolymers does not significantly toughen the thermoset materials. This finding is surprising when compared with the large increase in fracture resistance seen in block copolymer‐modified epoxies, and an explanation is proposed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2011     

Evaluation of free-volume theories for solvent self-diffusion in polymer–solvent systems

An evaluation of free-volume theories for solvent self-diffusion is carried out using recent comprehensive data sets for penetrant self-diffusion in polymer solutions. Different theories are compared, and free-volume theories in the prediction of penetrant self-diffusion coefficients in glassy polymer systems is also evaluated. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Solubility prediction of paracetamol in binary and ternary solvent mixtures using Jouyban-Acree model

The Jouyban-Acree model has been used to predict the solubility of paracetamol in water-ethanol-propylene glycol binary and ternary mixtures based on model constants computed using a minimum number of solubility data of the solute in water-ethanol, water-propylene glycol and ethanol-propylene glycol binary mixtures. Three data points from each binary solvent system and solubilities in neat solvents were used to calculate the binary interaction parameters of the model. Then the solubility at other binary solvent compositions as well as in a number of ternary solvents were predicted, and the mean percentage deviation (+/-S.D.) of predicted values from experimental solubilities was 7.4(+/-6.1)%.     

二元及三元离子交换体系的统计热力学

本文用统计热力学方法对二元及三元离子交换体系进行了研究,得到了修正选择系数与交换剂组成关系的理论表达式,并得到二元交换体系的交换剂组分活度系数与组成的关系式,即Kielland公式。     

Determination of hydrogen ion activity in various binary dimethylformamide/water and ternary dimethylformamide/dioxane/water solvent systems

The practical pH values in dimethylformamide/water and dimethylformamide/dioxane/water solvent mixtures measured by a pH meter standardized against aqueous buffer solutions do not lie on the conventional scale of hydrogen ion activity referred to the standard state in the corresponding medium (pa^*_H). The values can be converted to pa^*_H by introducing a correction term δ. Values of δ were determined at 25°C. Simple interpolation equations are derived to express the variation of δ with solvent composition. In the ternary mixtures, the results show that the composite medium effect, described by a parameter b=dδ/du, (where u depends on the solvent composition), depends on the ratio of the organic solvent concentrations.     

The entropy of inhomogeneous polymer–solvent systems

The entropy of inhomogeneous polymer solutions has been evaluated using a lattice model. Previous models for polymer solutions considered only the enthalpic contributions, and a more complete expression for the free energy is obtained by adding the entropic term. The resulting expression is used to predict the characteristics of spinodal decomposition of polymer solutions and the interfacial tension between demixed polymer solutions. There is general improvement in the agreement between theory and experiment when the entropic effects are included.     

Electrical conductivity of aqueous acids in binary and ternary water-electrolyte systems

We analyze electrical conductivity data for aqueous solutions of strong and weak acids over a wide range of concentrations at various temperatures. Electrical conductivity isotherms in these solutions are characterized by peaks, whose parameters correlate with the molecular structure of solutions. On the basis of the concentration dependence of the activation energy of electrical conductivity, the acid solutions are divided into two groups. One includes HIO₃, H₂SO₄, and H₃PO₄; the other includes HCl, HBr, HI, HClO₄, HNO₃, and carboxylic acids. We show that anomalous proton migration is operative only in low-concentration solutions until their concentration reaches the peak on conductivity isotherms. The effect of extrinsic ions on proton mobility and on conductivity in acid-salt-water systems is considered.     

Micellar structure and mechanical properties of block copolymer‐modified epoxies

Amphiphilic block copolymers provide a unique means for toughening epoxy resins because they can self‐assemble into different inclusion shapes before epoxy curing. The two examples reported here are spherical micelles and vesicles, which form in blends containing epoxy and symmetric or asymmetric poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(ethylene‐alt‐propylene) (PEO–PEP) block copolymer with PEO volume fractions of 0.5 and 0.26, respectively. The vesicles and spherical micelles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS), respectively. SAXS data from the spherical micelles were fit to the Percus–Yevick model for a liquid‐like packing of spheres with hard‐core interactions. Mechanical properties of spherical‐micelle‐modified and vesicle‐modified epoxies in the dilute limit are compared. The glass‐transition temperature and Young's (storage) modulus were tested with dynamic mechanical spectroscopy, and compact‐tension experiments were performed to determine the critical plane‐strain energy release rate for fracture. Vesicles were most effective in improving the epoxy fracture resistance. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 2996–3010, 2001     

Retention prediction in ternary solvent reversed-phase liquid chromatography systems based on the variation of retention with binary mobile phase composition

An extension of the treatment adopted in a recent paper [P. Nikitas, A. Pappa-Louisi, P. Agrafiotou, J. Chromatogr. A 946 (2002) 33] was used to derive expressions describing the variation of solute retention k with composition in ternary reversed phase liquid chromatography, RP-LC, solvent systems. The equation of the partition model obtained in this way for a ternary mobile phase was identical to that previously derived using the solubility parameter concept. This equation as well as two new expressions of In k versus organic modifiers content were tested in a variety of ternary solvent systems in order to examine the possibility of predicting retention behavior of solutes under ternary solvent mixture elution conditions from known retention characteristics in binary mobile phases. It was demonstrated the superiority of both new equations derived in this paper to that previously proposed and applied to date in ternary solvent mixtures.     

Solvent diffusion in amorphous polymers: Polystyrene–solvent systems

The inverse gas chromatography (IGC) technique was used to obtain the partition and diffusion coefficients of solvents in polystyrene over a wide range of temperatures. Infinite dilution experiments were performed with three solvents: toluene, benzene, and hexane. Finite concentration data were measured for the polystyrene–toluene system at various concentrations from 110 to 180 °C. For the finite concentration region, the modified capillary column model used by Tihminlioglu and Danner (J Chromatogr A 1999, 845, 93–101) was used to calculate diffusion and thermodynamic data. Finite concentration thermodynamic data were also calculated with the retention theory approach and compared with the capillary column model. The experimental IGC results are in good agreement with data from other experimental techniques. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1965–1974, 2000     

Enhanced dielectric performance of a block copolymer‐polythiophene nanocomposite

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) transform electrical energy into mechanical work. However, despite displaying exceptional features, the low permittivity of elastomers restricts their application. Hence, to overcome this limitation, DEAs are fabricated by dispersing poly(3‐methylthiophene acetate) (P3TMA), a polarizable conducting polymer, into poly[styrene‐b‐(ethylene‐co‐butylene)‐b‐styrene] (SEBS), a thermoplastic elastomer with excellent mechanical properties. Although high‐quality SEBS:P3TMA films are obtained for all compositions (between 0.5 and 20 wt % P3TMA), their thickness and surface roughness increase with the nano‐sized filler content. Moreover, the conducting particles are well integrated into the SEBS network with no evidence of aggregation or significant change in the mechanical properties of the composites. P3TMA, which forms encapsulated conductive domains within the polymeric matrix, improves the dielectric behavior of SEBS:P3TMA by increasing their dielectric constant with low dielectric losses and no current leakage. Thus, indicating the potential future application of these nanocomposites as elastomer actuators or high energy density capacitors. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 1896–1905     

Evaluation of theories for diffusion in polymer–solvent systems

A method is proposed for examining differences in the predictive capabilities of three versions of the free-volume theory of polymer—solvent diffusion using only a small amount of diffusivity data. The utility of the method is illustrated using a limited diffusivity data set for the methanol-poly(vinyl acetate) system.     

A thermodynamic approach to study hydrogen-bonding interactions in solvent/solvent/polymer ternary systems

A thermodynamic approach based on both the classical Flory-Huggins (FH) formalism and the association equilibria (AE) theory has been developed to study the solubility properties of a system formed by a proton-donor solvent (A), a proton-acceptor solvent (B) and a proton-acceptor polymer (C). The miscibility of this ternary system is attained by competitive specific interactions via hydrogen-bonding established between the hydroxyl and carbonyl interacting groups of either solvent-solvent (AB) or solvent-polymer (AC) system components. The binary AB and AC specific interactions and their dependence with the system composition as well as with the extent of the association equilibrium have been quantified by means of two new parameters, Δg_AB and Δg_AC. These excess functions have appeared to be equivalent to the combinatorial or entropic term of the Gibbs free energy of the complex formation process, which accounts for the entropy of mixing plus the intermolecular specific interactions. The theoretical predictions have reasonablely agreed with experimental data on preferential solvation of two systems taken from literature: methanol(A)/1,4-dioxane(B)/poly(alkyl methacrylate)(C) and n-alcohol(A)/heptan-3-one(B)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)(C).     

Segregation of Sn in the binary CuSn and ternary CuSnSb alloy systems

Progression studies have been followed from Cu(111)‐ and Cu(100)Sn binaries to Cu(111)‐ and Cu(100)SnSb ternary‐alloy systems under the same experimental conditions. The segregation behaviour of Sn in the two orientations are explained. It is found that the kinetic segregation profiles of Sn in the ternary alloys shift to lower temperatures as compared to that in the binary. The Sn profile shift is mainly due to the decrease in the activation energy of Sn in the ternary systems. For a particular Cu orientation, the other segregation parameters that the Sn profiles depend on, like the pre‐exponential factor, segregation energy and the interaction coefficient, are found to be the same in the two systems. There is also a change in the equilibrium segregation profiles of Sn. In the ternary system, site competition between Sn and Sb causes the Sn to suffer exponential desegregation and eventual displacement from the surface. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Isothermal vapour–liquid equilibria in the binary and ternary systems composed of 2-propanol, diisopropyl ether and 1-methoxy-2-propanol

Vapour pressures for 1-methoxy-2-propanol are reported as well as the vapour–liquid equilibrium data in the two binary 2-propanol + 1-methoxy-2-propanol, and diisopropyl ether + 1-methoxy-2-propanol systems, and in the ternary 2-propanol + diisopropyl ether + 1-methoxy-2-propanol system. The data were measured isothermally at 330.00 and 340.00 K covering the pressure range 5–98 kPa. The binary vapour–liquid equilibrium data were correlated using the Wilson, NRTL, and Redlich–Kister equations; resulting parameters were then used for calculation of phase behaviour in the ternary system and for subsequent comparison with experimental data.     

Polymer-polymer interaction parameters in solvent/polymer/polymer ternary systems

Empirical equations defining the relationships between b₂₃ and χ₂₃ interaction parameters for the ternary systems toluene (1)/poly(dimethylsiloxane), PDMS, (2)/polystyrene, PS, (3) and benzene (1)/PDMS(2)/PS(3) have been determined. The dependences of both interaction parameters on the mean molecular weights of the macromolecular components have also been studied. A single dependence of b₂₃ (or χ₂₃) upon the mean molecular weight is found when both polymeric components have intermediate to high molecular weights. However, that single dependence is not found when the molecular size of polymer (2) is low.     

Study of copolymer–copolymer interactions and formation of intermacromolecular complexes

Interpolymer complex formation has been studied between methacrylic acid-methacrylamide copolymer and acrylic acid–acrylamide copolymer. The respective co-monomer units of the two copolymers enter into complex formation through H-bonding and ion dipole interactions. The unreacted units in the copolymer complex also interact with homopolymers such as PEO and PVP to form ternary complex. Formation of complexes and replacement reactions could be shown through several experimental techniques, e.g., viscometry, conductometry, and potentiometry.     

On the heat of solution of polymer with solvent: Polydimethylsiloxane–solvent systems

Heats of mixing and excess volumes at infinite dilution have been obtained at 25°C. for polydimethylsiloxane or its lower oligomers in various solvents by using a twin conduction microcalorimeter and from the pycnometric specific volumes. From those values, excess energies ΔE^M_v at constant volume have been determined. The prediction on intramolecular conformation contributions to the heat of solution as proposed by Bianchi has been evaluated by the values of ΔE^M_v. The heat of solution in the polymer–solvent systems was interpreted by the expression for ΔE^M_v derived from the Van Laar-Hildebrand work on simple liquid mixtures with the solubility parameters of polymers obtained from indirect measurements. The values of conformational intramolecular energy change calculated from dilute solution properties were difficult to rationalize with our results. Our present results suggest that systems in a nonideal state can not be distinguished for certain from those in the ideal state. This conclusion based on apparent values does not deny the possible effect of the conformational energy change.