Phase-Separation Phenomena of Copolymer Solutions and Fractionation of Copolymers by Chemical Composition

Precipitation temperature-total polymer concentration diagrams for toluene solutions of two styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers different in chemical composition and their mixtures were determined and then triangular phase diagrams of this system were constructed from these diagrams. It is speculated from the triangular phase diagrams and experimentally shown that the copolymer may be effectively fractionated by chemical composition in this system.     

Thermal behaviour of binary and ternary copolymers containing acrylonitrile

Three types of acrylonitrile copolymers (acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene copolymer (ABS¹), acrylonitrile-styrene random copolymer (SAN²) and acrylonitrile-butadiene random copolymer (BAN³) were studied by thermogravimetry (TG/DTG⁴) and by pyrolysis in a semi-batch process at 450 °C in order to find structure–thermal behaviour relationships. The overlapped thermo-oxidative degradation processes were separated and the corresponding kinetic parameters were calculated. The TG/DTG studies have evidenced that the styrene-acrylonitrile interactions stabilize the nitrile groups reacting by chain scission rather than cyclization and destabilize the styrene units. Also, the cyclization of the acrylonitrile units in ABS is favoured by interactions with the styrene and butadiene units. The pyrolysis behaviour evidenced that the styrene-acrylonitrile interactions in SAN and ABS lead to the formation of 4-phenylbutyronitrile as the most important decomposition compound. ABS shows similar composition of the degradation oil with SAN copolymer therefore in the ABS the styrene-butadiene interactions are less important than those between styrene and acrylonitrile units.     

Cross Fractionation of Styrene-Butadiene Copolymer

A sample of styrene-butadiene copolymer was fractionated by successive precipitation (one-direction fractionation) in cyclohexane/isooctane and benzene/methyl ethyl ketone systems. The chemical composition and molecular weight distributions of the sample were constructed from the fractionation data. The results obtained in both systems were nearly identical for the chemical composition distribution, but were different for the molecular weight distribution. The same sample was fractionated by cross fractionation using both solvent/nonsolvent systems. Comparing the results of cross fractionation with the results of one-direction fractionation, the first gave broader molecular weight and chemical composition distribution curves than the second. However, only cross fractionation showed that the chemical composition distribution curve has a long tail not only at the right side but also at the left side of the distribution maximum.

The superiority of cross fractionation over one-direction fractionation seems clear from the present work. It is also clear that even if the chemical composition distribution curves obtained by one-direction fractionation in different systems are identical with one another, the curves do not always show the true distribution.     

含无规共聚物三元共混体系SMMA-PMMA-SAN相行为

含无规共聚物共混体系的相容性研究正在成为近年来的研究热点 ,因为相容的驱动力来自共聚物分子内不同单体链段间的排斥性相互作用 [1～ 3] .目前研究这类体系还主要采用过份简化的 F- H平均场理论 ,用旨在克服平均场理论缺陷的 Flory状态方程 ( EOS)理论仅局限于研究二元共聚物共混体系[4～ 8] .与三元共混体系相比 ,用 EOS理论预测含两个无规共聚物三元体系相行为尚需确定共聚物 -共聚物间的二元参数 sj/si,Xij和 Qij.若用 Ax B1- x和 Cy D1- y分别代表共聚物 1和 2 ,则 A,B,C,D代表相应共聚物中的单体单元 ,x,y分别是 1和 2的共…     

Séparation d'un copolymère greffé de l'homopolymère correspondant par formation de gels réversibles perfectionnements et applications aux résines abs

From a mixture containing a graft copolymer A-B in the presence of homopolymers A and B, it is possible to separate for instance the homopolymer B, corresponding to the grafts, by the reversible gel technique. The reversible crosslinking is achieved by fixing selectively COONa groups on polymer A. Improvements of this separation method are proposed in the case of ABS resins, obtained by grafting styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) copolymers on polybutadiene. Carboxylation of the polybutadiene part can be achieved, after grafting, by treatment with thioglycolic acid. The separation is performed for two different carboxy contents of the polybutadiene. The high efficiency of the separation is shown. It is also confirmed that there is no fractionation in composition of the graft copolymer during this separation.     

Use of FT-IR Spectrometry for On-Line Detection in Temperature Rising Elution Fractionation

Summary: Temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF) has become a popular analytical technique that is able to determine the chemical composition distribution (CCD) of an ethylene/α-olefin copolymer. An infrared (IR) detector is commonly used in TREF detection to measure the concentration of the polymer solution exiting the column as a function of elution temperature. The chemical composition of the eluting polymer at a given elution temperature can be predicted from the relationship between comonomer content and TREF elution temperature pre-established through ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis of TREF fractions. In this article, a Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer has been coupled with a TREF instrument to provide a more powerful tool for characterizing complex olefin copolymers. The Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique is used when analyzing the FT-IR spectra of the eluting polymer solutions. The power of on-line FT-IR detection in TREF is demonstrated using a few complex copolymer systems, such as ethylene-octene copolymer, polystyrene grafted ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and ethylene-methyl acrylate copolymer.     

Fractionation of styrene–acrylonitrile copolymers

Three types of commercial styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer were fractionated by coacervate extraction and by column-elution techniques. Both methods were studied with two different solvent–nonsolvent pairs. Glass wool was used as the support material in the column. Fractionation by the coacervate extraction method was studied with benzene–triethylene glycol as a solvent–nonsolvent system at 60°C and with dichloromethane–triethylene glycol at 25°C. Column elution was carried out with acetone–methanol as the solvent–nonsolvent system at 30°C, and with dichloromethane–methanol at 20°C. Results of excellent reproducibility were obtained by these two methods. Characterization of fractions involved determination of both the molecular weight and chemical composition. It was established that the fractionation of the samples tested was dependent upon molecular weight only. The two methods described above are compared. Each gives an efficient procedure for fractionation of styrene–acrylonitrile copolymers.     

Characterization of Ethylene methyl methacrylate and Ethylene butylacrylate Copolymers with Interactive Liquid Chromatography

Summary: Copolymers of ethylene with methyl methacrylate (EMMA) and butyl acrylate (EBA), which are of different average chemical composition and block lengths according to NMR analysis, were analyzed by size exclusion chromatography (SEC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Crystallization Analysis Fractionation (CRYSTAF), and high performance liquid chromatography at high temperature (HT-HPLC). With CRYSTAF and DSC crystallizing fractions were detected only in some samples. HT-HPLC fractionated all the samples irrespective of their crystallinity. Homopolymers, PMMA and PE were also found in the copolymer samples of EMMA. EMMA and EBA were separated in HPLC according to the content of polar comonomer. A linear correlation between the MMA content and elution volume could not be established due to the presence of homopolymers as admixtures. In such a case the average chemical composition obtained by NMR does not correspond to the real chemical composition of the copolymers. Unlike EMMA the EBA samples eluted in single peaks, which was used for evaluation of their chemical composition distribution. The comparison of results obtained by fractionation via CRYSTAF and HT-HPLC clearly demonstrates the advantages of the chromatographic approach to study the chemical heterogeneity of olefin based copolymers.     

Synthesis and properties of ABA propylene-ethylene block copolymers

Experimental data, which includes catalyst lifetimes, thermal analyses, fractionation by urea complexation, x-ray diffraction, and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy, are presented to confirm the successful synthesis of ABA propylene-ethylene block copolymers. A dry catalyst system of DEAC-TiCl₃(AA) and a gas-phase polymerization technique was used to prepare the copolymers. PRP-and ERE-type copolymers (P-isotactic polypropylene, E-polyethylene, and R-random propylene-ethylene copolymer block) were prepared. Some preliminary physical property data are given which indicate that PRP-type copolymers can behave as elastomeric fibers. The stress-strain behavior also indicates block copolymer formation.     

Terminal and Penultimate Reactivity Ratios in the Styrene-Acrylonitrile Free-Radical Copolymerization System in Bulk

ABSTRACT

The terminal and penultimate model reactivity ratios for the styrene-acrylonitrile monomer system in bulk have been investigated by the simplex and scanning method. It has been shown that Mayo-Lewis equation has an unique solution when determining the reactivity ratios according to the terminal model while for the penultimate model the non-uniqueness in determination of the reactivity ratios has been found. The numerical values of the penultimate r-parameters calculated with the simplex method depend on the initial guess for r-parameters.

Several sets of penultimate reactivity ratios for the styrene-acrylonitrile system in bulk have been found to be equal from mathematical point of view. The reactivity ratios with comparable standard deviation have an equivalent graphical representation on the copolymerization diagragm. It has been also confirmed that the penultimate model is a more appropriate of the models considered to describe the variation of the copolymer composition with the monomer feed. Taking into account previous results for the styrene-methyl methacrylate system in bulk it is thereby assumed that the occurrence non-uniqueness in determination of the penultimate model reactivity ratios does not depend on the monomer system.     

The effect of copolymerization on transition temperatures of polymeric materials

The relationship between transition temperatures and copolymer composition was studied by DSC. Three types of copolymers were studied: styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN), vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate (VC-VA), and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA). SAN's and VC-VA's are amorphous copolymers, whereas EVA's are semi-crystalline copolymers. The variation of the glass transitions and the crystalline melting are discussed in this study.     

Advanced Characterization of Propylene-Based Copolymers and Olefin Block Copolymers

Summary: The newly developed interactive separation of polyolefins by high temperature liquid chromatography (HTLC) provides new information about the chemical composition distribution of polyolefin elastomers. The technique has the advantage of being quantitative in its separation, and has high resolution for the separation of polyolefins by their chemical composition without influence by cocrystallization. Chemical composition distributions can be determined for individual polymers and blends which contain the full range of comonomer typically present in polyethylene and poylypropylene homopolymers, semi-crystalline copolymers, and amorphous copolymers. HTLC analysis in combination with the other fractionation techniques, such as DSC, TREF, NMR, and xylene fractionation, can be used to estimate the amount of olefin block copolymer present in a block composite produced by chain shuttling catalysis.     

Continuous spin fractionation and characterization by size-exclusion chromatography for styrene-butadiene block copolymers

Linear and star-shaped styrene-butadiene block copolymers synthesized by anionic polymerization of butadiene and styrene were fractionated by applying a newly developed large-scale fractionation technique, named continuous spin fractionation (CSF). Their molecular weight and polydispersity index (d=M(w)/M(n)) were measured with size-exclusion chromatography and static light scattering. For the linear triblock copolymer a fractionation via temperature variation turned out to be better suited than the usual isothermal procedure. The star-shaped polymer with the d value of 1.33 was fractionated in two CSF steps to get the targeted sample, which has a considerably more uniform structure and a narrower molecular weight distribution (d=1.11). The corresponding starting linear diblock copolymer was fractionated in one step reducing d from 1.68 to 1.17. With one set of simple laboratory equipment, 1kg polymer can be fractionated per day. Utilizing CSF, for the first time, we fractionated successfully the block copolymers.     

Rheological and mechanical properties of ABS plastics prepared by bulk polymerization

A series of ABS plastics prepared by bulk polymerization was studied. The test samples contained almost equal amounts of PB but mostly differed in the molecular mass of a styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer. It was shown that the molecular mass of the copolymer strongly affects the rheological and mechanical properties of ABS plastics. An increase in molecular mass leads to a rise not only in the non-Newtonian viscosity of plastics but also in their yield point, storage modulus under periodic steady-state shear flow in the low-frequency plateau region, and impact strength. Quantitative correlations between these rheological and mechanical characteristics of the copolymers and their M _w values were established. As opposed to homophase polymer systems, a marked increase in the shear stress has no effect on viscosity in relation to the molecular mass of ABS plastics. In the case of melts, the influence of the M _w of the styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer on the rheological behavior of ABS plastics is apparently related to a change in the interaction of PB particles with the copolymer that controls the structural framework of the system. The relationship between the impact strength of the copolymer and its M _W may be explained by the fact that the latter parameter influences orientational effects in crazes that arise during steady-state shear flow of ABS plastics in the solid state.     

Solution properties of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers

High-pressure ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymers of four different chemical compositions(9%, 15%, 45%, and 70% VA) were characterized to determine molecular weight and distribution. The four samples were fractionated by solvent–nonsolvent precipitation methods. Light-scattering, osmometry, and viscosity measurements were made on these fractionated copolymers to determine weight-average molecular weight \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \overline {M_w } $\end{document}, number-average molecular weight \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ \overline {M_n } $\end{document}, molecular size in solution, and interaction constants. Dilute solution viscosity was measured on the fractions to determine intrinsic viscosity and Huggins' constant k′. Viscosity–molecular weight equations were established for the four copolymer compositions. The log intrinsic viscosity versus log molecular weight diagrams were analyzed and the average length of branches calculated. The composition of the polymer fractions, determined by C and H combustion analysis, was found not to vary significantly with molecular weight. The uniformly random character of the E/VA copolymers was thereby confirmed. The density of the fractions was determined by density-gradient column method. Chain sequence distribution of monomer units for the four copolymers was calculated by using IBM 704 computations involving the actual monomer reactivity ratios. Long sequences of either ethylene or vinyl acetate are improbable, except at the extremes of copolymer composition.     

Calculation of phase diagrams not requiring the derivatives of the Gibbs energy demonstrated for a mixture of two homopolymers with the corresponding copolymer

A method is presented which allows the calculation of phase diagrams (spinodal, binodal and tie lines) on the basis of the Gibbs energy of mixing ΔG. No derivatives of ΔG with respect to the composition variables are required. This method is particularly useful in cases where the composition dependence of ΔG is very complex and no analytical representation of the derivatives can be given. The method is applied to a ternary mixture of two homopolymers with a copolymer consisting of the same monomers. The sequence distribution of the copolymer is kept constant between random and purely alternating, and phase diagrams are calculated for different chemical compositions of the copolymer. The complex phase separation behavior resulting for a 1 : 1 copolymer becomes much simpler as one monomeric unit starts to predominate in the copolymer.     

Column fractionation of acrylonitrile-styrene copolymers

An acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer having 51.4 wt % acrylonitrile content was fractionated using dimethylformamide and a toluene–n-propanol mixture as solvent and nonsolvent, respectively. From characterization of the fractions, it is shown that the copolymer was fractionated principally in accordance with composition. The weight distribution curve of the copolymer was expressed as a function of both molecular weight and chemical composition on a two-dimensional contour map. The same plotting technique was applied to a copolymer having nearly the azeotropic composition.     

Polymerization in liquid crystals—IX: Structural investigations of copolymers containing p-methyl-p′-acryloyloxy azoxybenzene and cholesterylvinyl succinate

Structure of copolymers of p-methyl-p′-acryloyloxy azoxybenzene (MAAB) with cholesterylvinyl succinate (CVS) was studied by small- and wide-angle X-ray diffractometry, DSC, polarizing microscopy, and thermomechanical methods. The copolymers were found to be anisotropic non-crystalline substances in which the radial distribution of the radius of gyration of inhomogeneities corresponds to that of the diameter of the molecules determined by GPC. Both phase transition temperatures and clearing points of copolymers show a minimum as functions of the composition. On both sides of this minimum, the copolymers have different structures. At higher MAAB contents, the copolymer structure is similar to that of polyMAAB; at lower MAAB concentrations, alternating copolymer is formed similar in structure to polyCVS. For identification of the structures, copolymer/comonomer phase diagrams were also investigated.     

Dilute solution properties of poly(styrene acrylonitrile) alternating copolymer

Kuhn-Mark-Houwink-Sakurada relations were obtained in methyl ethyl ketone N,N-di-methylformamide and dichlorethane at 30 for (styrene acrylonitrile) alternating copolymer. The values of the unperturbed dimensions. [K₀ or (r_o^?2/M)^1/2] and conformational parameter σ have been determined, using several graphical and semiempirical methods, and the results were compared with the direct determinations in a θ solvent. The best values for K_θ were obtained using the methods of Stockmayer-Fixman and Inagaki-Suzuki-Kurata. By comparing the values of σ for polystyrene, polyacrylonitrile, random and alternating (styrene-acrylonitrile) copolymers, it is to be concluded that the short-range interactions do not markedly influence the chain dimensions in solutions for random and alternating (styrene-acrylonitrile) copolymers.     

Characterization of impact polypropylene copolymers by solvent fractionation

The compositional heterogeneity of two impact polypropylene copolymers(IPCs) was studied by a combinatory investigation of temperature rising elution fractionation(TREF) and solvent fractionation.The chain structures and composition of fractions obtained from solvent fractionation were examined in detail.The TREF results shows that there are much more E-P segmented copolymer and more uniform distribution of ethylene sequence in IPC-1,which is responsible for its better comprehensive mechanical performance.The fractions from hexane and heptane are ethylene-propylene rubber phase and E-P block copolymers respectively.The result of solvent fractionation method also shows that custom hexane or heptane extractions can not extract the E-P copolymer completely.