Radiation-induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid onto fluorinated polymers. II. Graft copolymer–metal complexes obtained by radiation grafting onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene) copolymer

A study has been made on the graft copolymers obtained by radiation-induced grafting of acrylic acid onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene) (ET) films. The conversion of the graft copolymer into metal acrylate copolymer complex was carried out by treatment with different metal salts. Such a prepared graft copolymer–metal complex was confirmed by different methods: IR, UV spectrometry, degree of coloration, and x-ray fluorescence. Some selected properties of the graft copolymer–metal complexes such as electrical conductivity, swelling behavior, and mechanical properties were investigated. The influence of metal complexes in the graft copolymers was determined and compared with the grafted films. The possibility of the practical uses for such prepared graft copolymer–metal complexes was discussed and determined. It was assumed that such materials may be of great interest in the field of semiconducting materials in addition to their applicability as cation-exchange membranes. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Kinetic study of preirradiation grafting of acrylic acid onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene–perfluorovinyl ether) copolymer

A kinetic study has been made on the preirradiation grafting of acrylic acid (AAc) onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene–perfluorovinyl ether) (PFA) film. The effect of grafting conditions was investigated. The dependences of the grafting rate on preirradiation dose and monomer concentration was found to be of the order of 0.5 and 1.3, respectively. The final degree of grafting was found to increase with dose and monomer concentration. However, it decreases as the grafting temperature increase. The overall activation energy for the graft polymerization was calculated from Arrhenius plots to be 5.6 kcal/mol. The activation energy for this grafting system was found to be independent of preirradiation dose used in the range from 10 to 100 kGy. The relationship between the grafting rate and film thickness gave a negative first-order dependence. The results suggest that the grafting proceeds by radical mechanism with bimolecular termination of growing chain radicals. It was reasonable concluded that this grafting proceeds from the surface to the center of film with progressive monomer diffusion through the grafted layer which swells in the monomer solution.     

Chemically initiated graft copolymerization of acrylic acid onto acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) terpolymer and its constituent polymers

The graft copolymerization of acrylic acid onto acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer (ABS), has been initiated by the use of both benzoyl peroxide and azobisisobutyronitrile. Addition occurs in the butadiene region of the polymer, either by the loss of a vinylic hydrogen and subsequent radical formation and addition of monomer or by addition to the double bond. The amount of acrylic acid which may be added is dependent upon the time and temperature of the reaction and the concentration of monomer and initiator. Thermal analysis of the grafted samples show that the residue is less than that expected based upon the composition of the copolymer; similar results have been previously obtained for acrylic acid grafted by another technique. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis of perfluorinated cation exchange membranes by preirradiation grafting of acrylic acid onto ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene films

Hydrophilic carboxyl-containing fluoromembranes were obtained by preirradiation grafting of acrylic acid onto ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene film. The dependence of the grafting reaction on temperature, monomer concentration, nature and concentration of inhibitor, crosslinking agent, solvent, and on the preirradiation dose was investigated. The grafting rates increase with temperature, whereas the saturation degree of grafting (SDG) decreases. Addition of inhibitor minimizes homopolymerization and at the same time hinders the grafting reaction. The SDG increases markedly with monomer concentration until it reaches a maximum and thereafter decreases. The grafting rates increase with preirradiation dose. Addition of crosslinking agent initially decreases the SDG, and thereafter increases. The highest grafting rates are obtained using water as solvent followed by methanol and ethanol. The results are discussed on the basis of various parameters: interaction between monomer diffusibility and the viscosity of the monomer bath, the mutual reactivity of monomer, and the crosslinking agent. An agreement is observed between the values of the electrical resistance and the saturation degree of grafting. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

pH-effects in the complex formation of polymers I. Interaction of poly(acrylic acid) with poly(acrylamide)

The effects of polymer concentration, molecular weight of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), addition of sodium, potassium, ammonium and copper (II) chlorides on the complex formation ability of the system PAA-poly(acrylamide) (PAAM) have been studied in aqueous solutions. The critical pH values of the complexation were determined in different conditions. The complex formation ability of PAAM is compared with other non-ionic polymers. It was shown that an increase in polymers concentration, molecular weight of PAA and ionic strength favours the complexation and shifts the critical pH values to the higher pH region. An addition of CuCl₂ to the mixture of two polymers enhances the complexation drastically due to the formation of triple complexes.     

Preparation of poly(ε-caprolactone)-co-poly(acrylic acid) by radiation-induced grafting

Acrylic acid was grafted onto poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) films by using electron beam (EB) preirradiation technique. The effect of reaction time, monomer concentration, radiation dose, time between irradiation and grafting, radiation atmosphere, and polymer crystallinity on the extent of grafting were studied. Silver and tin ions were attached to the grafted chains in order to study the grafting process. The irradiation in air was initially more rapid, but the final extent of grafting was the same when irradiated in nitrogen atmosphere. Maximum grafting extents exceeding 400% could be obtained. The optimal grafting was obtained at an acrylic acid to water ratio of 30 : 70. The grafting process could be initiated at a dose as low as 12 kGy. The grafting process proved to start at the surface and was extended into the bulk with time. The ability to form crystals was reduced as the grafting extent increased. The water uptake of the poly(ε-caprolactone)-graft-poly(acrylic acid) was increasing with increasing grafting extent, but reached a maximum of ca 100% for all grafting extents above 85%. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 1805–1812, 1998     

Radiation‐grafted solid polymer electrolyte membrane: thermal and mechanical properties of sulfonated fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer (FEP)‐graft‐acrylic acid membranes

Acrylic acid was grafted onto fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer (FEP) using a simultaneous radiation technique and the resulting membranes were subsequently sulfonated. Thermal and mechanical properties of these membranes were investigated and were found to be strongly influenced by the degree of grafting. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of these membranes showed that these membranes undergo multistep degradation unlike virgin FEP which degrades in a single step. Glass transition temperature and degree of crystallinity were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Glass transition temperature increased while crystallinity decreased with increase in degree of grafting. Tensile strength and elongation at break were found to decrease on grafting and further on sulfonation. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Grafting of poly(acrylic acid) onto nonporous glass bead surfaces

The surface of glass beads were modified with covalently bonded poly(acrylic acid). The optimum reaction conditions were determined to graft poly(acrylic acid) effectively onto the glass surface. The dependence of the graft polymer molecular weight, grafting percentage and monomer weight conversion based on these reaction conditions were consistent with free radical kinetics. Grafting efficiency for azobisisobutyronitrile was more complex compared with the benzyl peroxide initiator system © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Radiation synthesis of acrylic acid onto poly(tetraflouroethylene-perflourovinyl ether) film: Chemical modifications and electrical conductivity

Graft-polymerization of acrylic acid (AAc) monomer onto poly(tetraflouroethylene-perflouro vinyl ether) (PFA) copolymer film was carried out using gamma irradiation technique to synthesize grafted copolymer film PFA-g-PAAc (PFA-COOH). The effect of the dose on the degree of grafting of AAc onto PFA film was investigated. The results showed that the degree of grafting increases with increasing the irradiation dose. The grafted [PFA-COOH] film was chemically modified by reaction with aniline to produce modified [PFA-CO-NH-ph] film, followed by sulphonation reaction to introduce sulfonic acid (SO₃H) groups to get other modified [PFA-CO-NH-ph-SO₃H] film. The chemical structures of the grafted and modified films were identified by FT-IR, XRD, and SEM. It is of particular interest to measure the electrical conductivity of grafted and modified membranes as a function of degree of grafting. It was found that the conductivity of the grafted films increases with increasing the degree of grafting, however a slightly increase in conductivity was observed in [PFA-CO-NH-ph-SO₃H] sample. The electrical conductivity property of the modified PFA membranes suggests their possible use for fuel cell applications.     

Modification of porous silica particles with poly(acrylic acid)

The surface of porous silica particles was modified with poly(acrylic acid) by reacting the carboxyl groups on poly(acrylic acid) with the amino groups of pregrafted aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS). The chemical modifications by APS and polymer were characterized by infrared spectroscopy and the amount of APS and poly(acrylic acid) grafted to the surface were determined by thermal gravimetric analyses. The wettability of the modified silica particles, based on the rate of water penetration, was pH‐dependent with PAA; at pH 1.5 the wettability increased but at pH 5.5 it decreased dramatically. The pore size and size distribution of the silica particles decreased with APS and polymer grafting. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Grafting of functionalized silica particles with poly(acrylic acid)

Two different methods to graft silica particles with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) were studied. In the first method PAA was reacted with 1,1′‐carbonyldiimidazole to give functionalized PAA. The resulting activated carbonyl group reacted easily with 3‐aminopropyl‐functionalized silica at low temperatures. In the second method 3‐glycidoxypropyl‐functionalized silica particles were reacted directly with PAA by using magnesium chloride as a catalyst. Different molecular weights of PAAs were used in order to investigate the effect of molecular weight on grafting yields in both methods. The grafting yields were determined with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). All products were also investigated with IR. The results showed that the yields of reactions performed at ambient temperature by using 1,1′‐carbonyldiimidazole‐functionalized PAA were the same as with a direct reaction of unfunctionalized PAA and 3‐aminopropyl‐functionalized silica performed at 153°C. Also in reactions between 3‐glycidoxypropyl‐functionalized silica and PAA the yields were satisfactory. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Method for grafting poly(acrylic acid) onto nylon 6,6 using amine end groups on nylon surface

Several methods have been developed for grafting materials to the surface of polymers to alter their surface characteristics. This article reports a procedure for grafting poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) onto nylon 6,6 films via the naturally occurring amine end groups of nylon 6,6 using N‐hydroxy‐succinimide in conjunction with 1‐ethyl‐3‐ (3‐dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) facilitated amidazation. Reaction conditions were investigated with respect to PAA molecular weight, activator concentrations, reaction temperature, and time. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that surface coverage of more than 50% was consistently achieved for 250 kD PAA. The maximum grafting occurred at room temperature with a large excess of EDC with a reaction time of 30 min. The same level of grafting can be achieved using smaller amounts of EDC at 60 °C. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 719–728, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10149     

Radiation-induced graft polymerization of maleic acid and maleic anhydride onto ultra-fine powdered styrene–butadiene rubber (UFSBR)

The functionalization of ultra-fine powdered styrene–butadiene rubber (UFSBR) was carried out using gamma radiation-induced graft polymerization of maleic acid (MA) and maleic anhydride (MAH), respectively. It was found that the graft yield of MA onto UFSBR increased rapidly up to the peak and then decreased with increasing MA content. Moreover, the peak shifted to the direction of lower MA content with increasing absorbed dose. Similarly, there was the peak of graft yield with increasing MAH content for grafting of MAH onto UFSBR, whereas the peak of graft yield was achieved at 10 wt% MAH content at different absorbed doses. On the other hand, increasing absorbed dose and decreasing monomer contents are useful to improve the graft efficiency of MA and MAH. At high dose and low monomer content, the graft yield of MAH onto UFSBR is higher than that of MA. FTIR spectra confirmed that both MA and MAH can be grafted successfully onto the UFSBR under gamma irradiation, respectively. Comparing with maleation of rubber by melt grafting, the graft yield of MAH on UFSBR is higher, which can be attributed to the network structure and nanometer size of UFSBR as well as high energy provided by radiation.     

Molecular modeling of polymers. 10. Characterization of conformational transitions of poly(acrylic acid) and poly(methacrylic acid) using dyad structures

The conformational profiles of nearest side-chain neighbors, methylene-dyad structures, of poly(acrylic acid), PAA, and poly(methacrylic acid), PMA, were determined as a function of tacticity, extent of ionization, and presence of counterion. The dominant backbone conformer states are quite similar for both isotactic and syndiotactic diads in a common charge state. Thus, the overall dimensional properties of isotactic syndiotactic and atactic chains of PAA or PMA, based upon dyad interactions, are predicted to be alike for a given charge state. Significant deviations from precise t, g⁺, and g^? states are found for the dyad minimum energy conformations. The rod-to-coil and coil-to-rod transitions observed in PAA and PMA, respectively, as a function of increasing counterion concentration can be explained, to a large extent, by the conformational profiles of the corresponding dyad model structures. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Changes in the properties of HDPE fibers upon radiation grafting with acrylic acid

The morphology and the physical and mechanical properties of graft-modified polyethylene fibers have been studied. Two types of fibers, with the diameters of 10 μm (1.1 dtex) and 40 μm (7.5 dtex), were modified by radiation-induced grafting with acrylic acid. The extent of grafting was determined gravimetrically. Confirmation of gravimetrically obtained values was achieved using conductometric titration. The fibers were hydrated at pH 2 and pH 7. The degree of swelling was 120% at pH 2 and 200% at pH 7. The transversal distribution of polyacrylic acid in the fibers was determined. Fibers were stained and observed with an optical microscope. The diffusion of the monomer into the bulk was found to be rather fast. The changes in the total crystalline content and the lamellar thickness distributions in consequence of irradiation and grafting were determined by differential scanning calorimetry analysis. The measurements showed no effects of irradiation on the crystallinity in either type of fiber, whereas a decreasing crystallinity caused by grafting was noticed in the 40 μm fibers. The lamellar thickness distributions narrowed upon irradiation, indicating recrystallization as a result of chain scission. Wide angle x-ray scattering and Raman analysis of dry and hydrated fibers were conducted to study the behavior of the fibers in an aqueous environment. These results both showed a decreasing crystalline content caused by fiber hydration. Tensile tests were carried out to evaluate how grafting, hydration and Ca²⁺-crosslinking of grafts affected the fiber strength. Grafting and Ca²⁺-crosslinking, as well as hydration, resulted in a decreasing E-modulus for the 40 μm fibers, whereas no significant change could be noticed in the 10 μm fibers. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Frontal polymerization synthesis and characterization of Konjac glucomannan‐graft‐acrylic acid polymers

Konjac glucomannan‐graft‐acrylic acid polymers, used as superabsorbent polymers (SAPs), were synthesized by frontal polymerization (FP). The features of front propagation including front velocity and maximum temperature (T_max) were influenced by the amount of glucomannan, initiator, and environment temperature. The graft copolymer was characterized by FTIR, DSC, and SEM. The amount of crosslinking agent mainly determined the crosslinking degree of SAPs that would affect the water absorbency and microstructure. Water absorbency of SAP was also investigated and most of them displayed high water absorption rate. The aforementioned results allow us to conclude that FP can be considered as a promising method to fabricate SAP for its excellent advantages. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 3391–3398, 2009     

The synthesis and characterization of monodisperse poly(acrylic acid) and poly(methacrylic acid)

A number of polyacrylic (PAA) and polymethacrylic (PMAA) acids have been synthesized by living anionic polymerization of the monomeric tert-butyl esters followed by subsequent hydrolysis of the corresponding polyesters. The necessary precautions were taken in order to assure good molecular weight control, as well as high yields in the polymerization reactions. The intermediate and final polymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography and NMR-H¹ spectrometry.     

Preparation and characterization of poly(acrylic acid)-based nanoparticles

The present investigation describes the synthesis and characterization of nanoparticles based on poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) intramolecularly cross-linked with diamine, 2,2′-(ethylenedioxy)bis(ethylamine), using water-soluble carbodiimide. The aqueous colloid dispersions of nanoparticles were clear or mildly opalescent depending on the ratio of cross-linking, pH of the solution, and the molecular weight of PAA, finding consistent with values of transmittance between 3% and 99%. The structure was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and the particle size was identified by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements. It was found that particle size depends on the pH, and at a given pH, it was caused by the ratio of cross-linking and the molecular weight of PAA. Particle size measured by TEM varied in the range of 20 and 80 nm. In the swollen state, the average size of the particles measured by DLS was in the range of 35–160 nm.     

Well‐defined amphiphilic graft copolymer consisting of hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid) backbone and hydrophobic poly(vinyl acetate) side chains

A series of well‐defined amphiphilic graft copolymers containing hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) backbone and hydrophobic poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) side chains were synthesized via sequential reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization followed by selective hydrolysis of poly(tert‐butyl acrylate) backbone. A new Br‐containing acrylate monomer, tert‐butyl 2‐((2‐bromopropanoyloxy)methyl) acrylate, was first prepared, which can be polymerized via RAFT in a controlled way to obtain a well‐defined homopolymer with narrow molecular weight distribution (M_w/M_n = 1.08). This homopolymer was transformed into xanthate‐functionalized macromolecular chain transfer agent by reacting with o‐ethyl xanthic acid potassium salt. Grafting‐from strategy was employed to synthesize PtBA‐g‐PVAc well‐defined graft copolymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (M_w/M_n < 1.40) via RAFT of vinyl acetate using macromolecular chain transfer agent. The final PAA‐g‐PVAc amphiphilic graft copolymers were obtained by selective acidic hydrolysis of PtBA backbone in acidic environment without affecting the side chains. The critical micelle concentrations in aqueous media were determined by fluorescence probe technique. The micelle morphologies were found to be spheres. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6032–6043, 2009     

Binding of a surfactant counterion to low-charge-density poly(acrylic acid) and poly(methacrylic acid)

The binding of a cationic surfactant, dodecylpyridinium (C12Py) chloride, with a low-charge-density poly (methacrylic acid) (PMA) was investigated in buffer solutions under the condition of constant pH. The binding isotherms with PMA consisted of two and three steps at a pH lower and higher than 3.2, respectively. Bindings in the first step were independent of pH and this step was considered to correspond to the solubilization of the hydrocarbon chains of C12Py into the nonpolar region of the compact form of PMA. This is the indication of the compact form from the binding isotherm. At pH higher than 3.2, the second step was discriminated and it depended on the pH. In the third step, a sharp rise in the degree of binding (β) was observed accompanying the solubilization of the precipitates of the PMA–C12Py complex. The binding with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and PMA in conventional unbuffered NaCl solutions was also examined and the pH profile of the solution during the binding process was determined. In the case of unbuffered NaCl solutions, the binding with PAA took place cooperatively at the critical association concentration (cac). The binding isotherm consisted of two steps and the pH decreased with the increase in β. The binding isotherm of PMA, on the other hand, consisted of three steps: the pH decreased slightly in the first step and considerably in the second step with the increase in β but it increased with β in the third step, exhibiting a pH minimum around 3.2. The binding in the first step coincided with that obtained in the buffered solutions. Linear relationships between β and the pH were found for both polymers. In the case of PMA, no cac was observed in both buffered and unbuffered NaCl solutions. Received: 24 January 2001 Accepted: 23 May 2001