Cure kinetics modeling and thermomechanical properties of cycloaliphatic epoxy‐anhydride thermosets modified with hyperstar polymers

Hyperstar polymers (HSPs) with hyperbranched aromatic polyester core and arms consisting of block copolymers of poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) have been used as polymeric modifiers in cycloaliphatic epoxy‐anhydride formulations catalyzed with tertiary amines, with the purpose of enhancing the impact strength of the resulting materials without compromising other thermal and mechanical properties.> In this work, the effect of these polymeric modifiers on the curing kinetics, processing, thermal‐mechanical properties and thermal stability has been studied using thermal analysis techniques such as DSC, TMA, DMA, and TGA. The morphology of the cured materials has been analyzed with SEM. The curing kinetics has been analyzed by isoconversional procedures and phenomenological kinetic models taking into account the vitrification during curing, and the degradation kinetics has been analyzed by means of isoconversional procedures, summarizing the results in a time‐temperature‐transformation (TTT) diagram. The results show that HSPs participate in the crosslinking process due to the presence of reactive groups, without compromising significantly their thermal‐mechanical properties. The modified materials show a potential toughness enhancement produced by the formation of a nano‐grained morphology. The TTT diagram is shown to be a useful tool for the optimization of the curing schedule in terms of curing completion and safe processing window, as well as for defining storage stability conditions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 1227–1242     

Stiffness quantification of conductive polymers for bioelectrodes

Conductive polymer (CP) coatings can improve the performance of metallic bioelectrodes in implantable devices, a benefit which is partially attributed to the “softer” material interface. However, due to the nature of CP fabrication on metallic substrates, accurate quantification of mechanical properties has been difficult to achieve. This study demonstrates that peak‐force quantitative nanomechanical mapping (PF‐QNM) is a robust technique for determining the modulus of CP coatings. The effect of dopant size, chemistry, and film hydration on the mechanical properties of poly(3,4‐ethylene dioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is also examined. Analysis of PEDOT doped with poly(styrene sulfonate) produced across five different thicknesses confirms the utility of PF‐QNM in yielding quantitative, repeatable moduli in both the dry and hydrated state. By doping PEDOT with paratoluene sulfonate and perchlorate (ClO₄) it is shown that the hydrophilicity and the size of the dopant are both critical factors influencing CP mechanical properties in the hydrated environment. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 666–675     

Plasticization of a polymer layer harnessed to a silicon microcantilever as a highly sensitive and selective means to detect nitroaromatic derivatives

A new approach to the chemo‐mechanical detection of trace amounts of nitroaromatics, even in the presence of high concentrations of background materials, is presented. The detection scheme is based on the plasticization of an aminopropyl silane layer that is harnessed to a silicon beam following its reaction with nitroaromatic systems. The reaction‐induced plasticization attenuates the temperature induced bending of the polymer‐beam sandwich, offering a simple and very sensitive tool for the detection of nitroaromatic systems. Using this approach, it was possible to detect a sample of 100 pg TNT even in the presence of a ～10⁹ fold excess of a background material such as acetonitrile. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 2124–2130     

Morphology and bridging properties of (AB)n multiblock copolymers

Motivated by recent experiments (Spontak, R. J.; Smith, S. D. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 2001, 39, 947) on morphological and mechanical properties of multiblock copolymers (AB)_n, we theoretically elucidate the links between microscopically determined properties, such as the bridging fraction of chains, and mechanical properties of these materials. We do this by applying self‐consistent mean‐field theory to determine morphological aspects such as period and interfacial width and calculate the bridging fractions. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 104–111, 2003     

One‐Pot synthesis of functional poly(methacrylate) by ATRP and 1,8‐Diazacyclo‐[5,4,0]undec‐7‐ene catalyzed transesterification

A facile one‐pot 1,8‐diazacyclo‐[5,4,0]undec‐7‐ene (DBU) catalyzed transesterification/atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) strategy has been successfully developed through the combination of copper/DBU‐catalyzed ATRP and DBU‐catalyzed transesterification reactions. Well‐defined poly(methacrylate)s with various side ester groups have been synthesized by ATRP and transesterification of acyl donor 2,2,2‐trifluoethyl methacrylate with various alcohols, such as benzyl alcohol, n‐butanol, iso‐propyl alcohol, methanol, triethylene glycol monomethyl ether, propargyl alcohol, and 6‐azido‐1‐hexanol by the one‐pot process. Kinetic studies indicate that the ATRP process proceeded in a controllable manner without the interference of the transesterification reactions. Expansion of the binary system to a higher level ternary system has been successfully achieved by the combination of copper(I)‐catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition, transesterification, and ATRP reactions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 2998–3003     

Well‐defined PE‐b‐PDMS diblock copolymers via the combination of thiol‐ene click and esterification reactions: Facile synthesis and compatibilization for HDPE/silicone oil blends

Well‐defined diblock copolymers of linear polyethylene (PE) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) have been synthesized through a facile route combining the thiol‐ene click chemistry of vinyl‐terminated polyethylene (PE‐ene) and the sequential esterification reaction. The resulting diblock copolymers are characterized by ¹H NMR, FT‐IR, DSC, TGA, and TEM. In addition, the PE‐b‐PDMS diblock copolymers have been evaluated as compatibilizers in the blends of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) and silicone oil. The morphological analysis and mechanical properties demonstrate that the compatibilized blends with low loading concentration of PE‐b‐PDMS display significant improvements in modulus of elasticity and elongation at break as compared to the uncompatibilized binary blends. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 3205–3212     

First principle studies of charge transport in PPV polymer under conformational deformation

We consider the inclusion of torsional deformations in the structure of an infinite chain of poly‐p‐phenylene vinylene and study the consequences on charge transport along the polymer length. Calculations of the electronic transport are performed with density functional theory combined with Keldysh nonequilibrium Green's function method. Deformations are modeled either as a sharp rotation of the polymer backbone about a single chemical bond or as a continuous twist extending along various monomer units. We study current‐voltage (I‐V) characteristics in a two probe configuration as a function of angle and degree of torsional sharpness and demonstrate that when the backbone torsion is abrupt a barrier to electron transport builds up that becomes maximum at an angle of 100°. The outcome of our calculations is that the abrupt twist of the polymer backbone creates two virtually disconnected segments, which validates models that treat a real polymer as distribution of chains of different sizes and conjugation lengths. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 578–586     

Time‐dependent deformation of structurally chiral polymer networks in stabilized cholesteric liquid crystals

Polymerization of crosslinkable liquid crystal monomers in chiral liquid crystalline media stabilizes the phase and enables distinct electro‐optic properties relative to small‐molecule analogs. Particularly interesting are cases where the polymerization forms a crosslinked polymer network that maintains a “structural” chirality. Recent reports have employed this methodology to realize a diverse set of electro‐optic responses in polymer stabilized cholesteric liquid crystals (PSCLCs) including reflection bandwidth broadening, reflection wavelength tuning, and dynamic scattering modes. It has been proposed that the mechanism at the root of these electro‐optic responses is an ion‐mediated, electromechanical deformation of the stabilizing and structurally chiral polymer network. In an effort to better understand the nature of these deformations, here we have characterized the electro‐optic response of PSCLCs with different polymer concentrations and crosslink densities. The dynamic response of PSCLCs to electric fields exhibits a time‐dependent behavior reminiscent of the creep of polymeric materials to mechanical deformations. The electro‐optic response can be described as the superposition of two contributions: the fast deformation of a relatively soft component of the polymer network (1–2 s) and the slower (10–20 s) deformation of a harder component. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018 , 56, 1087–1093     

Photomechanical effects in liquid crystalline polymer networks and elastomers

Liquid crystals are widely employed as stimuli‐responsive materials. Liquid crystallinity can be retained in polymeric form. Photoinduced mechanical effects in liquid crystalline polymer networks and elastomers have been a topic of considerable recent research. This review details the historical underpinnings and recent advances in the synthesis and the corresponding photomechanical response of these materials. In nearly all cases, the conversion of light into mechanical work has employed azobenzene as either a guest additive or covalently attached to the network. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018 , 56, 695–705     

Photo‐induced thiol‐ene polysulfide‐crosslinked materials with tunable thermal and mechanical properties

Photo‐induced thiol‐ene crosslinked polymeric networks have been extensively explored in constructing a variety of new materials with enhanced mechanical properties for optical, biomedical, and sensing applications. Toward the broad applications, however, tunable mechanical properties are greatly desired. Here, an effective approach utilizing high‐molecular‐weight methacrylate copolymers having pendant thiol and vinyl groups (MCPsh and MCPenes) to modulate thermal and mechanical properties of photo‐induced thiol‐ene crosslinked materials is reported. The MCP copolymers are synthesized by an industrially friendly polymerization method, followed by post‐modification including either a facile coupling reaction or reductive cleavage. Upon UV irradiation, thiol‐ene reactive blends of MCPsh and MCPenes yield highly crosslinked materials through the formation of flexible sulfide linkages. These polysulfide‐crosslinked materials based on rigid MCP backbones exhibit enhanced mechanical properties. Further, their thermal and mechanical properties are tuned by modulating monomer compositions of MCPs as well as varying numbers of pendant SH or vinyl groups (i.e., extent of crosslinking densities). This approach is versatile and effective for development of high performance polymeric materials. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 3060–3068     

Progressive transition from resonant to diffuse reflection in anisotropic colloidal films

The synthesis and characterization of highly ordered three‐dimensional photonic crystals have been the subjects of intense study over the past two decades due to the unique ability of these structures to control light at the nanoscale. Building on that work in recent years, increasing interest is now focused on the unique optical properties of disordered and quasi‐ordered photonic structures. We present a study of the effects of shape anisotropy and disorder on the specular reflection properties of polymer‐based colloidal films comprised of rod‐shaped subunits of varying aspect ratio. We characterize the specular reflectance properties of these films as a function of their increasing levels of disorder, demonstrating progressive transition from resonant reflection to diffuse reflection. The onset of the diffuse reflection is governed by particle size. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys. 2014 , 52, 611–617     

Well‐defined copolymers based on poly(vinylidene fluoride): From preparation and phase separation to application

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) has reached the second largest production volume of fluoropolymers in recent years, and its popularity can be ascribed to high thermal stability and chemical inertness combined with its ferroelectric behavior. Copolymerization of vinylidene fluoride with other monomers leads to a wide variety of products with modified or improved properties. Besides commercially available fluorinated random copolymers, well‐defined block‐, graft, and alternating copolymers based on PVDF received more attention in recent years. PVDF‐containing block copolymers that may self‐assemble into well‐ordered morphologies are of particular interest, being potential precursors for functional nanostructured materials applicable in membranes and electronics. This Highlight provides an overview of the routes developed towards these materials via conventional and controlled polymerization techniques. In addition, it discusses their nanoscopic phase behavior and current and potential applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 2861–2877     

Nanocomposites based on crosslinked polyacrylic latex/silver nanoparticles for waterborne high‐performance antibacterial coatings

Functional polymer/AgNPs nanocomposites have been prepared. Silver nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized to which polyacrylamide, PAAm, was covalently bound. PAAm was synthesized via a RAFT reaction and carried thiol and carboxylic acid end groups. Thiol was used to bind the polymer to the metal surface and carboxyl for further reactions. The AgNPs were used in a post‐crosslinking reaction with a separately synthesized poly(butyl acrylate‐co‐methyl methacrylate)/polyglycidyl methacrylate core/shell latex bearing epoxy functional groups. Dynamic mechanical analysis showed that the functional AgNPs effectively crosslinked the latex polymer, and that the final product had excellent mechanical strength. Antibacterial tests revealed that the nanocomposite films had strong antibacterial activity against all types of the bacteria and the immobilization of silver NPs by crosslinking retarded the release of silver in comparison to the uncrosslinked ones. With the presented method, it is possible to obtain ductile antibacterial nanocomposites to be used as waterborne functional coatings. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1435–1447     

Synthesis of self‐healing polyurethane urea‐based supramolecular materials

Supramolecular polyurethane ureas are expected to have superior mechanical properties primarily due to the reversible, noncovalent interactions such as hydrogen bonding interactions. We synthesized polyurethane prepolymers from small molecular weight of poly(tetramethylene ether)glycol and isophorone diisocyanates, which were end capped with propylamine to synthesize polyurethane ureas with high contents of urea and urethane groups for hydrogen‐bonding formations to facilitate self‐healing. The effects of polyurethane urea molecular weight (3000 ≤ M_n ≤ 9000), crosslinking, and cutting direction were studied in terms of thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties with an emphasis on the self‐healing efficiency. It was found that the thermal self‐healability was more pronounced as the molecular weight of polyurethane urea decreased, showing a maximum of more than 96% with 3000 M_n when the sample was cut along the stretch direction. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015 , 53, 468–474     

Building up polymer architectures on graphene oxide sheet surfaces through sequential atom transfer radical polymerization

The reactivity between the active species of atom transfer radical addition and the unsaturated groups of graphene oxides (GOs) has been demonstrated in this work. The reaction and the sequential surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization provide a convenient approach to anchor various polymer chains and to buildup various polymer architectures, such as linear polymer, V‐shape block polymer, multibonded polymer layer, and hierarchical brush‐on‐layer polymer, on GO sheet surfaces. The chemical structures and morphology of the polymer‐modified GOs have been characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. After organomodification, the GOs exhibit a good dispersion ability in organic solvent over 80 days, amphiphilic characteristics, and temperature‐responsive properties. Reduction of the GOs has been performed to result in graphene‐like materials showing certain extent of electron conductivities. An effective approach to synthesize GO/polymer hybrid materials possessing various polymer architectures and attractive properties has been developed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 1588–1596     

From fatty acid and lactone biobased monomers toward fully renewable polymer latexes

Novel waterborne polymeric materials based on renewable resource monomers have been prepared by the environmentally friendly miniemulsion polymerization of an oleic acid‐derivative monomer (MOA) and the α‐methylene‐γ‐butyrolactone (α‐MBL). The effect of the incorporation of different amounts of α‐MBL on kinetics and polymer microstructure is investigated. The estimation of the monomer reactivity ratios (r_α‐MBL = 0.49 and r_MOA = 1.26) shows the slight lower reactivity of the α‐MBL, resulting in a random copolymer moderately enriched with MOA at the beginning of the reaction. The thermal and mechanical properties of the polymers demonstrate that by incorporating the lactone it is possible to produce copolymers in a broad range of glass transition temperatures, with high thermal stability and improved mechanical properties. This study provides a new green route toward the bio‐sourced preparation of polymer latexes with tuneable properties, which can range from coatings to adhesives. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 3543–3549     

Polymer physics inspired approaches for the study of the mechanical properties of amyloid fibrils

Amyloid structures constitute a class of highly ordered nanomaterials formed by insoluble protein aggregates. These aggregates are characterized by a cross‐β structural motif in which β‐sheets are oriented perpendicular to the fibril axis and bound together by a dense hydrogen bonding network. Although they have been associated with several neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, amyloid fibrils have also been found in many physiologically beneficial roles, for instance in adhesives and hormone storage. Inspired by this natural occurrence of functional amyloid, the hierarchal self‐assembly of these structures has recently been used to develop artificial biomaterials for applications in medicine and nanotechnology. In order to realize the full potential of amyloids as functional materials, it is important to understand their fundamental mechanical properties. This review explores a range of experimental strategies to determine the mechanical properties of amyloid fibrils and discusses the results in the context of polymer physics concepts. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 281–292     

Apparent depth‐dependent modulus and hardness of polymers by nanoindentation: Investigation of surface detection error and pressure effects

Nanoindentation is a widely used technique to characterize the mechanical properties of polymeric materials at the nanoscale. Extreme surface stiffening has been reported for soft polymers such as poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) rubber. Our recent work [J. Polym. Sci. Part B Polym. Phys. 2017 , 55, 30–38] provided a quantitative model which demonstrates such extreme stiffening can be associated with experimental artifacts, for example, error in surface detection. In this work, we have further investigated the effect of surface detection error on the determination of mechanical properties by varying the sample modulus, instrument surface detection criterion, and probe geometry. We have examined materials having Young's moduli from ∼2 MPa (PDMS) to 3 GPa (polystyrene) using two different nanoindentation instruments (G200 and TI 950) which implement different surface detection methods. The results show that surface detection error can lead to apparent large stiffening. The errors are lower for the stiffer materials, but can still be significant if care is not taken to establish the range of the surface detection error in a particular experimental situation. We have also examined the effect of pressure beneath the probe on the nanoindentation‐determined modulus of polystyrene with different probe geometries. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018 , 56, 414–428     

Flexible triboelectric generator and pressure sensor based on poly[(R)‐3‐hydroxybutyric acid] biopolymer

The utilization of poly[(R)‐3‐hydroxybutyric acid] (PHB) biopolymer for a device that uses charging process in friction to convert mechanical energy into electric power is reported. The triboelectric generator (TEG) is fabricated by stacking a drop cast PHB film between indium tin oxide coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and PET sheet. The charge transfer takes place through an established general rule according to which the material with higher dielectric constant becomes positively charged. Furthermore, the utilization of such TEG as pressure sensor is illustrated. TEGs have the potential of harvesting energy from touch screen, mechanical vibration, and more, with great applications in self‐powered sensors for heat and environmental monitoring and even large‐scale applications. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 859–863     

Conjugated polymer with rigid donor poly(para‐divinylphenylamino) backbone and pendant cyanoacetic acid acceptor for dye sensitized solar cells

A donor backbone [poly(para‐divinylphenylamino)]‐acceptor (cyanoacetic acid side group) type conjugated polymer ( P2 ) has been synthesized and used as the active material for dye‐sensitized solar cells. DFT calculation shows that the insertion of vinyl link in the polymer backbone leads to a planar structure in P2 and changes the excited state significantly. Photoelectrochemical cells based on the DSSC format were fabricated using the polymers as sensitizers. The cell constructed using P2 exhibits a considerably high peak IPCE and J‐V response, with an overall power conversion efficiency of 3.67%. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 2958–2965