Effect of syndiotacticity on the aqueous poly(vinyl alcohol) gel 2. Syneresis of gel

Summary The mechanism of syneresis of an aqueous gel of syndiotacticity-rich poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with the rise of temperature was studied using the PVA having the content of syndiotacticity in diad from 58.4 to 66.2%. The extent of syneresis was estimated by gravimetry. Syneresis of gel with the rise of temperature depends upon the syndiotacticity and gelling temperature. The gel chilled at lower temperature of PVA having the content of syndiotacticity in diad above 60.9% showed remarkable syneresis with the rise of temperature. The maximum of the extent of syneresis appeared between the content of syndiotacticity in diad of 60.9% and that of 64.2%. The phenomena of syneresis was not thermally reversible. Syneresis occurs accompanying the breakdown of the unstable junction and further growth of the crystallite.

---

Zusammenfassung Der Mechanismus der Synärese an wäßrigen Gelen von Polyvinylalkohol, reich an syndiotaktischem Anteil, wurde mit steigender Temperatur untersucht, wobei der Polyvinylalkohol in Bezug auf seinen Gehalt an syndiotaktischen Diaden zwischen 58,4 und 66,2% variiert. Die Synärese wurde gewichtsmäßig verfolgt. Die Synärese hängt von der Syndiotaktizität und der Gelierungstemperatur ab. Gele, erstarrt bei tieferen Temperaturen mit einer Syndiotaktizität von 60,9%, zeigten beträchtliche Synärese mit steigender Temperatur. Das Maximum an Synärese wurde zwischen 60,9 und 64,2% Syndiotaktizität beobachtet. Das Phänomen der Synärese ist nicht thermisch reversibel. Die Synärese läuft ab unter Zusammenbruch von unstabilen Bindungen und weiterem Wachstum der Kristallite.

---

---

Part 1. cf. reference 4.     

Effect of syndiotacticity on the aqueous poly(vinyl alcohol) gel 4. X-ray diffraction analysis of gel

Summary The structure of syndiotacticity-rich poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-water gel was investigated by the X-ray diffraction analysis. Diffuse haloes appeared in the gel prepared from lower aqueous solution of PVA (5 wt%) but diffraction pattern became sharper with increasing concentration of PVA. Thed-spacings of gels and films are agreed with each other. The half height width of value of peak position of (101) obtained by photodensitometer decreased with increasing syndiotacticity of PVA. The radius of gyration of gel obtained from theGuinier's plots by the small angle X-ray diffraction increases with increasing syndiotacticity. These results suggest that the syndiotactic sequence length increases with increasing content of syndiotacticity and the crystallites in gel networks become also larger with increasing syndiotacticity. The average size of gel junction is 73–89 Å (s-(diad)% = 49.₄-66.₂).

---

Zusammenfassung Es wurden mit Röntgeninterferenzen die Strukturen von einem Polyvinylalkohol-Wasser-Gel mit syndiotaktisch angereichertem Polyvinylalkohol untersucht. Es erscheinen diffuse Halos in dem Gel, das aus niedrigeren wäßrigen Lösungen (5% PVA) präpariert wurde. Doch wurden die Beugungsinterferenzen schärfer mit steigender Konzentration an PVA. Died-Abstände in Gelen und Filmen stimmten miteinander überein. Die Halbwertsbreite der 101-Interferenzen, gemessen mit einem Photodensitometer, nahm mit steigender Syndiotaktizitat des PVA ab. Der Trägheitsradius des Gels aus Guinier-Auftragungen für die Kleinwinkelstreuung nimmt mit steigender Syndiotaktizitat zu. Diese Ergebnisse legen nahe, daß die syndiotaktische Segmentläange mit steigendem Gehalt an Syndiotaktizitat zunimmt und daß die Kristallite in den Gelnetzwerken mit zunehmender Syndiotaktizität gröBer wurden. Die mittlere Größe des Netzwerkabstandes ist 73–89 Å (s-(diad)% = 49.₄-66.₂).

---

---

With 7 figures in 15 details and 3 tables     

Ion-specific swelling behavior of poly(vinyl alcohol) gel in aqueous solutions containing some divalent ions

Swelling behaviors of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) gel were investigated in solutions of salts containing certain divalent ions, namely, alkaline-earth-metal halides and sulfates of alkali-metals, alkaline-earth-metals, and transition metals. The gel deswelled in the solutions of the alkaline-earth-metal chlorides but swelled in those of the bromides. However, the cation specificities of the swelling for both of the halides were roughly the same: the degrees of swelling are Sr²⁺2+2+. The gel deswelled for all sulfate solutions with specificities for alkali-metal and alkaline-earth-metal cations: the swelling degrees are K⁺;Na⁺2++. There was no order for transition metals.     

Preparation of poly(vinyl pivalate) microspheres by dispersion polymerization in an ionic liquid and saponification for the preparation of poly(vinyl alcohol) with high syndiotacticity

We report here a successful free-radical dispersion polymerization of vinyl pivalate (VPi) in an ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([bmim][TFSI]) using poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) as a stabilizer. Morphological analysis by FE-SEM revealed that poly(vinyl pivalate) (PVPi) obtained from dispersion polymerizations were in the form of spherical particles. Micron-sized, PVPi particles with a number-average molecular weight (M_n) of 166,400 g/mol could be obtained using 5% stabilizer (w/w to monomer) at 65 °C for 20 h. The effects of varying concentration of stabilizer, initiator and monomer upon polymer yield, molecular weight, and morphology of PVPi were also investigated. Analogous polymerizations in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and bulk served as references. In addition, the preparation of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) by saponification of the resultant PVPi was described.     

Effect of pullulan/poly(vinyl alcohol) blend system on the montmorillonite structure with property characterization of electrospun pullulan/poly(vinyl alcohol)/montmorillonite nanofibers

Nanofibers of the composite of pullulan (PULL), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and montmorillonite clay (MMT) were prepared using electrospinning method in aqueous solutions. Pullulan is an interesting natural polymer for many of its merits and good properties. Because of biocompatibility and non-toxicity of PVA, it could be used in numerous fields. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) were done to characterize the PULL/PVA/MMT nanofibers morphology and properties. XRD patterns and FTIR data demonstrated that there were good interactions between PULL and PVA caused by possibly hydrogen bonds. Moreover, XRD data and TEM images indicated that intercalated and exfoliated MMT nanoplatelets can be obtained within the PULL/PVA/MMT nanofibers depending on the PULL/PVA blend ratios. Furthermore, the thermal stability and mechanical property (tensile strength) of PULL/PVA/MMT nanofibers could be enhanced more by exfoliated MMT nanoplatelets than intercalated structures of that nanoplatelets.     

Structure–property relationships of poly(vinyl alcohol). I. Influence of polymerization solvents and temperature on the structure and properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) derived from poly(vinyl acetate)

The solubility properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) vary with the method of preparation of the poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) from which it is derived. PVAc was prepared with free-radical catalysts over a range of temperatures from ?78 to 90°C. with solvents of varying chain-transfer ability. The corresponding PVA samples varied in their resistance to dissolution in water. Their high-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra showed on differences in tacticity. Data on 1,2-diol content showed only minor differences. Hence, the increase in resistance of PVA to dissolution in water arising from changes in chain-transfer activity of the solvent used in vinyl acetate polymerization is largely attributable to a decrease in molecular weight, and the increase in resistance of PVA to dissolution in water arising from a decrease in the temperature of the vinyl acetate polymerization is largely attributable to a decrease in both long and short branches. Evidently, with polar polymers having small side groups, tacticity is not the only factor influencing property variation; that is, variations in stereoregularity influence more the crystallinity of the sample as measured by density or x-ray methods than the ultimate crystallizability under conditions of mechanical and thermal treatment. In this regard polar polymers having small side groups differ from nonpolar polymers.     

Long branching in poly(vinyl acetate) and poly(vinyl alcohol). II. Polymerization of vinyl acetate in the presence of crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol)

It is a common view that poly(vinyl acetate) has many branches at the acetyl side group, but that the corresponding poly(vinyl alcohol) has little branching. In order to study the branching in poly(vinyl acetate) and poly(vinyl alcohol) which is formed by chain transfer to polymer, the polymerization of ¹⁴C-labeled vinyl acetate in the presence of crosslinked poly(vinyl acetate), which was able to be decrosslinked to give soluble polymers, was investigated at 60°C and 0°C. This system made it possible to separate as well as to distinguish the graft polymer from the newly polymerized homopolymer. Furthermore, the degree of grafting onto the acetoxymethyl group and onto the main chain were estimated. It became clear that, in the polymerization of vinyl acetate, chain transfer to the polymer main chain takes place about 2.4 times as frequently at 60°C as that to the acetoxy group and about 4.8 times as frequently at 0°C.     

Heterotactic poly(vinyl alcohol)

Bulky substituents in vinyl trialkylsilyl ethers and vinyl trialkylcarbinyl ethers led to heterotactic polymers (H = 66%). The polymers were converted into poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and further to poly(vinyl acetate), and tacticity was determined as poly(vinyl acetate). Vinyl triisopropylsilyl ether in nonpolar solvents yielded a heterotactic polymer with a higher percentage of isotactic triads than syndiotactic triads (Hetero-I). Vinyl trialkylcarbinyl ethers in polar solvents gave a heterotactic polymer with more syndiotactic triads than isotactic (Hetero-II). Heterotactic PVA was soluble in water and showed characteristics infrared absorptions. Interestingly, Hetero-I PVA showed no iodine color reaction, but Hetero-II showed a much more intense color reaction than a commercial PVA. The mechanism of heterotactic propagation was discussed in terms of the Markóv chain model.     

Effect of poly(ethylene oxide) on the structure and properties of poly(vinyl alcohol)

To improve the drawability of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) thermal products, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), a special resin with good flexibility, excellent lubricity, and compatibility with many resins, was applied, and the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WXRD) were adopted to study the hydrogen bonds, water states, thermal properties, crystal structure, and nonisothermal crystallization of modified PVA. It was found that PEO formed strong hydrogen bonds with water and PVA, thus weakened the intra‐ and inter‐hydrogen bonds of PVA, changed the aggregation states of PVA chains, and decreased its melting point and crystallinity. Moreover, the interactions among PVA, water, and PEO retarded the water evaporation and made more water remain in the system to plasticize PVA. The existence of PEO also slowed down the melt crystallization process of PVA, however, increased the nucleation points of system, thus made more and smaller spherulites formed. The weakened crystallization capability of PVA and the lubrication of PEO made PVA chains to have more mobility under the outside force and obtain high mechanical properties. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 1946–1954, 2010     

Fractionation of poly(vinyl alcohol) derived from poly(vinyl acetate) from its aqueous solution induced by shearing force-IV

Summary In order to clarify the mechanism of crystallization under molecular orientation, the fractionation for poly(vinyl alcohol) (VAc-PVA) derived from vinyl acetate from its aqueous solution was carried out under shearing force. The fibrillar crystals grown by shearing force from solutions were produced on the stirrer and in solution simultaneously. The fibrillar crystals had a diameter of approximately 1 mm and a length of 1 cm in the case of the initial polymer concentration of 2.0%, and approximately 1 mm and 5 cm in the case of 0.5%. The initial rate of precipitation (Rs) for the precipitates produced in solution was higher than that (Rr) on the stirrer. The difference betweenRs andRr increased with an increase in initial polymer concentration. The difference in the percentages of syndiotactic diads of precipitates grown on the stirrer and those in solution was not found, and the percentages of syndiotactic diads of each fraction decreased in the order of fractionation. Furthermore, the difference in the molecular weight of precipitates grown on the stirrer and those in solution was not found in the case of the higher polymer concentration, whereas it was found clearly in the case of lower one.

---

Zusammenfassung Um den Mechanismus der Kristallisation unter molekularer Orientierung zu klären, wurde die Fraktionierung von Polyvinylalkohol (VAc-PVA), der aus Vinylacetat hergestellt war, in wäßriger Lösung unter Scherkräften durchgeführt. Die von Lösung unter Scherung gewachsenen flbrillären Kristalle erscheinen gleichzeitig in Lösung und auf dem Rührer. Die aus Lösung gewonnenen Faserkristalle hatten einen Durchmesser von etwa 1 mm und eine Länge von etwa 1 cm bei einer anfänglichen Konzentration des Polymeren von 2.0%, etwa 1 mm und 5 cm resp. für 0.5%. Die anfängliche Fällungsgeschwindigkeit (Rs) der in Lösung wachsenden Niederschläge war höher als diejenige (Rr) auf dem Rührer. Ein Unterschied im Gehalt an syndiotaktischen Diaden zwischen den vom Rührer und aus der Lösung entnommenen Faserkristallen ließ sich nicht feststellen, und die syndiotaktischen Diaden nahmen in beiden Proben mit der Ordnung der Fraktionierung ab. Darüber hinaus ließ sich ein Unterschied im Molekulargewicht zwischen den auf dem Rührer und in der Lösung gewachsenen faserigen Kristallen bei der höheren Anfangskonzentration des Polymeren nicht feststellen, aber bei der niedrigeren Anfangskonzentration des Polymeren war die Auswirkung des Molekulargewichtes deutlich.

---

---

Mechanical Denaturation of High Polymers in Solutions, XXV.     

Rheological investigation of aqueous solutions of poly(vinyl alcohol) during ageing

The changes in viscosity and normal stress difference during the ageing of concentrated aqueous solutions of poly(vinyl alcohol) prepared at 80 °C and the effect of the procedure used in the preparation of solutions on the course of these changes are described. The results are interpreted by means of shear complianceJ _e and relaxation time ₀.     

Characterization of poly(vinyl alcohol) during the emulsion polymerization of vinyl acetate using poly(vinyl alcohol) as emulsifier

During the emulsion polymerization of vinyl acetate (VAc) using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as stabilizer and potassium persulfate as initiator, the VAc reacts with PVA forming PVA-graft-PVAc. When the grafted polymer reaches a critical size it becomes water-insoluble and precipitates from the aqueous phase contributing to the formation of polymer particles. Since particle formation and therefore the properties of the final latex will depend on the degree of grafting, it is important to quantify and to characterize the grafted PVA. In this work, the quantitative separation and characterization of the grafted water-insoluble PVA was carried out by a two-step selective solubilization of the PVAc latex, first with acetonitrile to separate PVAc homopolymer, followed by water to separate the water-soluble PVA from the remaining acetonitrile-insoluble material. After the separation, the water-soluble and water-insoluble PVA were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and ¹H and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses, from which the details of the PVA-graft-PVAc structure were obtained. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Stabilization of electrospun poly(vinyl alcohol) nanofibrous mats in aqueous solutions

<正>The stability ofpoly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA) nanofibrous mats in water media was improved by post-electrospinning treatments.Bifunctional glutaraldehyde(GA) in methanol was used as a crosslinking agent to stabilize PVA nanofiber,but fiber twinning was observed frequently,and the highly porous structure of PVA nanofibrous mats was destroyed when the crosslinked fiber was soaked in water.To overcome this shortcoming,chitosan(CS) was introduced into the PVA spinning solution to prepare PVA/CS composite nanofibers.Their treatment in GA/methanol solution could retain the fiber morphology of PVA/CS nanofibers and porous structure of PVA/CS nanofibrous mats even if they were soaked in aqueous solutions for 1 month.Scanning electron microscopy(SEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),thermal gravimetric analysis(TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) were applied to characterize the physicochemical structure and thermal properties of PVA nanofibers.It was found that the water resistance of PVA nanofibrous mats was enhanced because of the improvement of the degree of crosslinking and crystallinity in the electrospun PVA fibers after soaking in GA/methanol solution.     

High molecular weight syndiotacticity-rich poly(vinyl alcohol) gel in aging process

The properties of the aged gels of high molecular weight syndiotacticity-rich poly(vinyl alcohol)s (HMW S-PVAs) with different syndiotactic diad (s-diad) contents were investigated. HMW S-PVA gels with s-diad content of 61.5% and 58.2% showed the rapid increases of the syneresis and the turbidity from the early stage of aging time, which is ascribable to the phase separation, while that with s-diad content of 55.7% did not. From the morphological study, it was confirmed that the phase separation in HMW S-PVA gel with s-diad content of 61.5% occurred without the liquid-liquid phase separation in sol state, whereas both the liquid-liquid phase separation in sol state and the subsequent phase separation in gel state occurred in the case of HMW S-PVA gel with s-diad content of 58.2%. On the other hand, HMW S-PVA gel with s-diad content of 55.7% showed neither the liquid-liquid phase separation in sol state nor the phase separation in gel state in the long period of time. It was also confirmed from wide angle X-ray diffractogram that the crystallization was accompanied by the phase separation in gel state in the aging process of PVA gel. However, the crystallization was hindered by the fast network formation at the initial stage of time. Later the syndiotacticity promoted the crystallization. The tensile modulus of HMW S-PVA gel with higher syndiotacticity increased more significantly with time. Received: 2 December 1999/Accepted: 12 July 2000     

Mechanical and thermal properties of cryogels and foamed cryogels produced from aqueous solutions of poly(vinyl alcohol)

The effect of sodium chloride and technical-grade carbon (carbon black) on the mechanical and thermal properties of cryogels and foamed cryogels produced from homogeneous and heterogeneous (foamed) solutions of poly(vinyl alcohol) was studied.     

Effect of solvent for vinyl acetate polymerization on microstructure of poly(vinyl alcohol)

The solution polymerization of vinyl acetate was carried out in several solvents at 0 to 100°C, using 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator. For the resulting poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), iodinecoloration, 1,2-glycol structure and tacticity were observed. The pentad tacticity of PVA was estimated from its methine carbon spectra by means of ¹³C-FTNMR spectrometer. Iodine-coloration ability of PVA varied markedly with the type of polymerization solvent and decreased in the following order: phenol > aq. phenol > methyl alcohol > ethyl acetate > DMSO, ethylene carbonate. The syndiotactic fraction in PVA also decreased with polymerization solvent in the same order as that of iodine coloration, while 1,2-glycol content of PVA was not almost affected by polymerization solvent except for phenol and aq. phenol. In solution polymerization performed, effect of polymerization temperature on tacticity was less than that of solvent.     

Chromatography of inorganic anions on poly(vinyl alcohol) gel columns with acidic eluents

Summary Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) gel shows ionic retention properties for common inorganic anions when an acidic eluent is used. The ionic property of the PVA gel is due to the proton-acceptable nitrogen atoms of the cross-linking agent and the carboxylic residues being comprised in the gel matrix. The extent of the net charge on the gel surface depends on the pH of the eluent. At a pH ranging from 2.3 to 5.3, the PVA gel behaves as a weak anion exchanger with very low ion-exchange capacity. At these conditions four UV-absorbing inorganic anions (bromate, bromide, nitrate, and nitrite) are separated by eluting with aqueous sulfuric acid. Alkyl groups introduced on the gel surface hinder the ionized solute molecules from accessing to the positively charged functional groups on the gel surface. A neutral solute (HNO₂) is retained with non-ionic interactions.     

Radiation effects on the thermal degradation of poly(vinyl chloride) and poly(vinyl alcohol)

Radiation effects on the formation of conjugated double bonds in the thermal degradation of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were investigated. Thin films of PVC and PVA were either irradiated with γ-rays at ambient temperature (pre-irradiation) and then subjected to thermal treatment, or irradiated at elevated temperatures (in situ irradiation). An extensive enhancement of the thermal degradation was observed for the pre-irradiation of the PVC films, which was more effective than the effect of the in situ irradiation at the same absorption dose. For the PVA degradation, however, the effect of the in situ irradiation was larger than that of the pre-irradiation. The results were explained and related mechanisms were discussed based on radiation-induced chemical reactions and their individual contributions to the thermal degradation behaviors of the two polymers. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 3089–3095, 1998