PEGDA‐based luminescent polymers prepared by frontal polymerization

Frontal polymerization (FP) of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) was carried out using benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as radical initiator. In addition, a pyrene containing monomer, 1‐pyrenebutyl acrylate (PyBuAc), was incorporated as a fluorescent probe in order to obtain luminescent materials with different chromophore contents. The resulting polymers were characterized by FT‐IR spectroscopy in the solid state and their thermal properties were determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Moreover, the optical properties of these materials were studied by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The maximum amount of the incorporated pyrene‐containing monomer into the polymer matrix was limited to 1 wt % by the polymerization process. The obtained labeled polymers poly(PEGDA‐co‐PyBuAc) exhibited a broad absorption band at 345 nm. The fluorescence spectra of these polymers exhibited mainly “monomer emission” so that no excimer emission was observed. It is possible to tune the color of the emitted light by varying the pyrene content in the samples. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015 , 53, 2890–2897     

Synthesis of a dibenzylchitin-type polysaccharide by acid-catalyzed polymerization

This paper describes the polymerization of 2-methyl-(3,6-di-O-benzyl- 1,2-dideoxy-α-D -glucopyrano)-[2,1-d]-2-oxazoline ( 1 ) with an acid catalyst. The polymerization proceeds involving stereoregular glycosylation to give polysaccharide 2 . The polymer structure, 2-acetamido-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-(l→4)-β-D -glucopyranan was determined by means of ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and IR spectra as well as elemental analysis. The molecular weight was at most 4900 (degree of polymerization ≈ 13).     

Synthesis of branched aminopolysaccharides by acid-catalyzed polymerization of sugar oxazoline monomer

Acid-catalyzed polymerization of a sugar oxazoline monomer 1b having two free hydroxy groups was carried out to produce a branched aminopolysaccharide 2b. The reaction proceeded via the stereoregular glycosylation through oxazoline ring-opening process, giving rise to 2b consisting of β-glycosidic linkages. The structure of 2b was determined by the ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and IR spectra. The molecular weights determined by GPC measurements were 4200-6100. The degrees of branching were estimated by the ¹H NMR spectra of the products by the reaction of 2b with 3,5-dinitrobenzoyl chloride. Deprotection of 2b was carried out by the catalytic hydrogenation in the presence of 10% Pd-C to produce a free branched aminopolysaccharide.     

Branched polymers by cationic ring-opening polymerization

Two methods for the synthesis of branched (co)polymers by cationic ring-opening polymerization are presented. The first method is based on the spontaneous intermolecular termination that is observed in the polymerization of the four-membered cyclic sulfides (thietanes). The branching points in these polymers are sulfonium ions. This method has been extended to polyether - polysulfide block copolymers obtained by sequential polymerization of THF and a thietane. In the thus obtained AB block polymers, the branching points are concentrated in the sulfide segments only. By similar techniques, ABA types of block copolymer networks have been obtained making use of bifunctional initiators. The second method consists of copolymerizing a cyclic acetal such as 1,3-dioxolane (DXL), with a “monofer”, which is a monomer that contains also a chain-transfer function. As monofers for the DXL polymerization glycidol and glycerol formal were used. The end products are polyacetal-polyols which contain a hydroxyl group at each of the chain ends. Reaction of these polyols with di-isocyanates leads to the corresponding polyacetal polyurethanes.     

Functional polymers by living anionic polymerization

The application of living anionic polymerization techniques for the functionalization of polymers and block copolymers is reviewed. The attachment of functional groups to polymeric chains of predetermined lengths and narrow molecular weight distributions is described. Carboxyls, hydroxyls, amines, halogens, double bonds, and many other functional groups can be placed at one or two ends in the center or evenly spaced along polymeric chains. Subsequent transformations of the functional groups further contribute to the versatility of such treatments. General methods based on the use, as terminators, of substituted haloalkanes, as well as the addition of living polymers or their initiators to diphenylethylenes, substituted with appropriate functional groups or molecules, are discussed. Another approach, based on the living polymerization of monomers with protected functional groups, is also discussed. It has been used for the preparation of polymers and copolymers with evenly spaced functional groups. The combination of living anionic polymerization techniques with controlled radical and cationic polymerizations is also described. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2116–2133, 2002     

Tetraalkoxyphenanthrene: a new precursor for luminescent conjugated polymers

[reaction: see text] We have developed a convenient synthesis of tetraalkoxyphenanthrene derivatives and demonstrated their use to form luminescent conjugated oligomers and polymers. Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of 2,7-diiodo-3,6-dimethoxy-9,10-di(2-ethylhexyloxy)phenanthrene produced high molecular weight poly(p-phenylene ethynylene)s and low molecular weight poly(p-phenylene vinylene)s. These new polymers, which are luminescent in the solid state and in solution, may be useful for developing LED or solar cell devices, or in chemical sensors.     

New luminescent polymers for leds and LECS

Statistical copolymers 5 containing poly(2-dimethyloctylsilyl-1,4-phenylenevinylene) (DMOS-PPV) and poly[2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV) have been synthesized using the dehydrohalogenation condensation route. The copolymers show a shift of photoluminescence maxima to longer wavelengths as the proportion of the MEH-PV unit increases. This trend is accompanied by reduced efficiencies and lower turn-on voltages in single layer electroluminescent devices. Light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) have been prepared using a blend of DMOS-PPV 1 with poly(ethylene oxide)/lithium triflate and the homopolymer poly[2-methoxy-5-(triethoxymethoxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MTEM-PPV) 9 with lithium triflate. In comparison with single-layer devices which were fabricated using the homopolymers 1 and poly[2,5-bis(triethoxymethoxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (BTEM-PPV) 10 , the LEC devices showed lower turn-on voltages.     

Thermoresponsive super water absorbent hydrogels prepared by frontal polymerization

Frontal polymerization was used as an alternative technique for the preparation of super water absorbent hydrogels obtained from acrylamide and 3‐sulfopropyl acrylate, potassium salt (SPAK) in the presence of N,N′‐methylene‐bisacrylamide as a crosslinker. All samples were synthesized in dimethyl sulfoxide, and their swelling behavior in water was investigated. It was found that their features are dependent on the monomer ratio used, which influenced the porous morphology, and consequently, the swelling capability. The swelling ratio ranges from about 1000% for the acrylamide homopolymer up to 14,000% for the sample containing 87.5 mol % of SPAK, thus indicating that this parameter can be easily tuned by using the appropriate monomer ratio. The affinity towards water was eventually confirmed by contact angle analysis. Polymer hydrogels made from at least 62.5 mol % SPAK exhibit a thermoresponsive behavior, with a lower critical solution temperature of ～30 °C. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 2486–2490, 2010     

Novel nanocomposite super absorbent polymers reinforced by clay nanosheets

Super absorbent polymers (SAPs) are of great significance in industry and personal care, etc. The study aims to introduce novel nanocomposite SAPs that are able to uptake very high water content while maintaining excellent strength. The polymers are synthesized by in situ polymerization with the presence of exfoliated montmorillonite (MMT) and trace amount of crosslinkers. SEM images show macroporous structures of these nanocomposites, while TEM images demonstrate excellent distribution of the MMT nanosheets in the polymer matrix. The effect of clay content on the equilibrium water uptake has been systematically investigated. More importantly, the highly swollen nanocomposite SAPs show very high tensile strength (up to 550 kPa), which is much higher than those reported in literature and used in the market. These SAPs with high water uptake and strength may find applications in agriculture and oil fields.     

Three-component photopolymer based on a novel mechanism: acid-catalyzed polymerization and decoupling of crosslinks

Three-component photopolymers comprising a photoacid generator, a bifunctional vinyl ether monomer and an aqueous base-soluble polymer as matrix were developed. These photopolymers exhibit either positive- or negative-working character, depending on the prebake temperature and the concentration of the photoacid generator. When the prebake temperature is high, the photo-polymer film is made insoluble in aqueous base and organic solvents by the formation of crosslinks. However, on exposure to light, the crosslinks are decoupled by the photogenerated acid and the photopolymer layer becomes again soluble in aqueous base, resulting in a positive-working character. When the concentration of the photoacid generator is low enough, the photopolymer has a negative-working character due to the cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers. The mechanism of the photochemical reaction of the photopolymers was investigated to elucidate the complicated behavior.     

Chemical and structural modification of polymers by matrix polymerization

The condensation polymerization of urea and formaldehyde in water in the presence of a macromolecular matrix, polyacrylic acid, as well as properties of composites obtained by the matrix polymerization, have been studied. The chemical structure of the urea-formaldehyde polymer was changed by the presence of the matrix. The products of matrix polymerization are composites consisting of a stoichiometric polycomplex of polyacrylic acid with the urea-formaldehyde polymer and an excess of one of the components, depending on the initial composition of the system. Introduction of matrix macromolecules into the reacting system leads to a fibrillized structure of the urea-formaldehyde polymer. The polycomplex, as well as composites with high content of polyacrylic acid, are glasses characterized by high compressive strength and ability to forced elastic deformation. They swell in water. The highly cooperative character of potentiometric titration curves for swollen gels and the quantitative yield in intermolecular amidation indicate an ideal structure of the polycomplex stabilized by hydrogen and ionic-type bonds.     

Hyperfluorescent polymers enabled by through-space charge transfer polystyrene sensitizers for high-efficiency and full-color electroluminescence

Fluorescent polymers are suffering from low electroluminescence efficiency because triplet excitons formed by electrical excitation are wasted through nonradiative pathways. Here we demonstrate the design of hyperfluorescent polymers by employing through-space charge transfer (TSCT) polystyrenes as sensitizers for triplet exciton utilization and classic fluorescent chromophores as emitters for light emission. The TSCT polystyrene sensitizers not only have high reverse intersystem crossing rates for rapid conversion of triplet excitons into singlet ones, but also possess tunable emission bands to overlap the absorption spectra of fluorescent emitters with different bandgaps, allowing efficient energy transfer from the sensitizers to emitters. The resultant hyperfluorescent polymers exhibit full-color electroluminescence with peaks expanding from 466 to 640 nm, and maximum external quantum efficiencies of 10.3–19.2%, much higher than those of control fluorescent polymers (2.0–3.6%). These findings shed light on the potential of hyperfluorescent polymers in developing high-efficiency solution-processed organic light-emitting diodes and provide new insights to overcome the electroluminescence efficiency limitation for fluorescent polymers.

Hyperfluorescent polymers with high efficiency and full-color electroluminescence are developed by using through-space charge transfer polystyrenes as sensitizers for exciton utilization and fluorescent chromophores as emitters for light emission.     

Synthesis and electroluminescence properties of carbazole-containing 2,6-naphthalene-based conjugated polymers

Three types of carbazole containing 1,5-disubstituted poly(2,6-naphthalene) derivatives, i.e., 2,6-naphthalene homopolymer that has a carbazolyl side chain at 1,5-positions, random copolymers and alternating copolymers consisting of 1,5-dialkoxynaphthalene-2,6-diyl and N-phenylcarbazole-2,7-diyl were newly synthesized by Ni-mediated Yamamoto polycondensation and Pd-catalyzed Suzuki coupling reaction. The number-average molecular weights (M_n) of the polymers and their polydispersity indices (M_w/M_n) were 5.4-8.2 × 10³ and 1.4-1.7, respectively. These polymers exhibited blue photoluminescence in the film states and high fluorescence quantum efficiencies in CHCl₃ (?_fl = 0.70-1.00). The electroluminescence properties of these polymers were investigated by fabricating a PLED device that has a configuration of ITO/PEDOT(PSS)/polymer/CsF/Al. The device fabricated with the random copolymer exhibited highest performances showing a maximum brightness of 8370 cd/m² at 13 V and a maximum efficiency of 2.16 cd/A at 7 V.     

Controlled synthesis of luminescent polymers using a bis-dithiobenzoate RAFT agent

A higher efficiency of excitation energy transfer occurs to a luminescent diphenylanthracenyl acceptor incorporated at the centre, rather than the end, of an acenaphthylene polymer chain.     

Preparation of amino group-containing polymers by plasma polymerization

Plasma polymerizations of bis(dimethylamino)methylsilane (BDMAMVS), bis(dimethylamino) methylvinylsilane (BDMAMVS), and trimethylsilyldimethylamine (TMSDMA) were investigated by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, and ESCA. Polymer deposition was fairly faster in the BDMAMVS and TMSDMA systems than in the BDMAMS system, indicating that vinyl and methyl substituents contribute to polymer formation, whereas hydrogen substituents disturb the polymer formation. IR and ESCA spectra for these polymers showed that some dependence of the polymers formed in the chemical composition on the nature of the monomers. A part of methylamino groups in these monomers were oxidized to give amido and amine oxide groups. BDMAMVS and TMSDMA yielded polymers with few fragmentations of methylamino groups, whereas the polymers formed from BDMAMS had no methylamino groups.     

Tertiary amine-functionalized polymers by atom transfer radical polymerization

The quantitative synthesis of tertiary amine-functionalized polymers by atom transfer radical polymerization is reported. Tertiary amine-functionalized polystyrene was prepared with the adduct of 1-(bromoethyl)benzene with 1-(4-dimethyl-aminophenyl)-1-phenylethylene as an initiator in the atom transfer radical polymerization of styrene in the presence of a copper (I) bromide/2,2′-bipyridyl catalyst system. The polymerization proceeded via a controlled free-radical polymerization process to afford quantitative yields of the corresponding tertiary amine-functionalized polystyrene with predictable number-average molecular weights (1600–4400), narrow molecular weight distributions (1.09–1.31), and an initiator efficiency of 0.95. The polymerization process was monitored by gas chromatographic analysis. The tertiary amine-functionalized polymers were characterized by thin-layer chromatography, size exclusion chromatography, potentiometry, and spectroscopy. All experimental evidence was consistent with quantitative functionalization via the 1,1-diphenylethylene derivative. Polymerization kinetic measurements showed that the polymerization reaction followed first-order-rate kinetics with respect to monomer consumption and that the number-average molecular weight increased linearly with monomer conversion. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A Part A: Polym Chem 39: 2058–2067, 2001     

Synthetic strategies to well-defined polymers by ionic polymerization

The living cationic polymerization and sequential copolymerization of isobutylene and styrene has been achieved. Polymethylmethacrylate-g-polyisobutylene graft copolymers have been prepared by the combination of living cationic and group transfer polymerization.     

Surface modification of polymers by photoinitiated graft polymerization

Two methods for modification of polymer surfaces by photoinitiated grafting have been developed and applied to films and fibers of synthetic polymers, e.g. polyethylene and polypropylene with acrylic monomers. In the batch process the substrate is enclosed in a cell containing initiator and monomer vapor. UV light through a quartz window initiates the grafting reaction by exciting the initiator (e.g. benzophenone). The grafting reaction is slow (1 to 3 min) due to the inefficient transfer of initiator and monomer through vapor phase. In the continuous process the substrate is presoaked in a solution of initiator and monomer and then drawn into a reactor “on line” where the substrate is irradiated by UV light through a quartz window. The grafting takes place in the very thin surface layer of solution on the substrate. The grafting efficiency is high (70–80% of the polymer formed is grafted) and the process is rapid (5–15 s due to the efficient transfer of initiator and monomer through the liquid phase. The continuous surface grafting process is promising for industrial applications.     

Charge transport in luminescent polymers studied by in situ fluorescence spectroscopy

Modulation of the photoluminescence of poly-[2,7-(fluorene)-1,4-(phenylene)] can be attained by reversible electrochemical modification of the conjugated chain (p- or n-doping). Controlled injection of charge quenches the fluorescent emission of the conjugated polymer. The injection of holes completely eliminates the emission, while the electrons only quench up to one-third of the initial fluorescence of the polymer. Analogous quenching effects have been previously reported for solid-state organoelectronic devices. Electrochemical Stern-Volmer plots permit the estimation of the relative mobility of charge carriers in the polymer layer. The mobility of holes is 1 order of magnitude higher that the mobility of electrons, as determined by this method.