Four-center-type photopolymerization in the crystalline state. IX. Characteristic features of topochemical process and polymer properties thus obtained

Changes in TG-DSC diagrams and X-ray diffraction patterns in the course of four-center-type photopolymerization of 2,5-distyrylpyrazine (DSP) and thermal depolymerization of poly-DSP were investigated. It has been found that as-polymerized poly-DSP crystal with high molecular weight does not melt but depolymerizes into the oligomer in the crystalline state. The crystal change found in the depolymerization was just the reverse of that in the polymerization. From the results a reversible topochemical process, which comprises monomer lattice-controlled photopolymerization and polymer lattice-controlled thermal depolymerization, has been established between DSP and poly-DSP. Quantitative thermal analysis reveals that both of the two endotherms of poly-DSP crystal include the heat of crystallization as well as that of depolymerization. Several specific properties of a topochemical product of as-polymerized poly-DSP crystal, such as nonreproducibility of the original crystal structure by recrystallization and superior stabilities to thermal depolymerization and photooxidation, are discussed in comparison with natural cellulose.     

Four-center type photopolymerization in the solid state. IV. Polymerization of α,α′-dicyano-p-benzenediacrylic acid its derivatives

The solid-state photopolymerization of α,α′-dicyano-p-benzene diacrylic acid (p-CBA) series has been studied. p-CBA, its esters, amide, and a few other cyano derivatives were prepared and new polymers were obtained from p-CBA alkyl esters on irradiation of ultraviolet or visible light. Though the polymerization behavior differs with each monomer, polymerization proceeds in essentially the same manner as in the 2,5-distyrylpyrazine (DSP) and p-benzenediacrylic acid (BDA) series: the reaction proceeds topochemically forming polymer with a cyclobutane ring in the main chain. Properties of high polymer are typical of cyclobutane-containing polymer. That is, they are highly crystalline with high melting temperature and a limited solubility. The study on this series of compounds, as well as the DSP and p-BDA series, supports the generalization that solid-state dimerization can be extended to solid-state photopolymerization of compound having two dimerizable units in a molecule.     

Topotactic Solid-State Polymerization of Acenaphtylene by Radiation

ABSTRACT

The radiation-induced solid-state polymerization of acenaphthylene was carried out under vacuum at room temperature. The monomer and obtained polymer samples were investigated by UV, FTIR, DSC, TG, and powder X-ray diffraction methods to characterize the polymer and elucidate the polymerization mechanism. The polymer samples were crystalline with melting points ranging in 380-390°C interval. Polymerization takes place through vinyl groups by a radical mechanism and crystal structure of monomer and polymer studied by powder X-ray diffraction were quite similar. The space group for both were P22 ₁ 2 and cell parameters: a = 784.2 (6), b = 798.1(6), c = 1417.0(1) pm for monomer, and a = 791.7(8), b = 803.8(7), c =1431.0(1) pm for polymer. The similarity of crystal structures shows a topotactic polymerization of monomer.     

手性丙烯酸酯液晶原位光聚合反应

手性丙烯酸酯液晶原位光聚合反应何流，张树范，金顺子，漆宗能，王佛松（中国科学院化学研究所北京１０００８０）关键词手性丙烯酸酯，原位光聚合，双折射，近晶相手性侧链液晶高分子显示近晶Ｓ！相，具有铁电性，在光电功能材料和非线性光学材料方面有潜在的应用前景’...     

Copolymerizable initiator for improved polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

Abstract

The problems of photoinitiator contamination are addressed for the liquid crystal phase in polymer dispersed liquid crystal films formed by photopolymerization induced phase separation of liquid crystal from monomer solutions. Initiator contamination lowers the clearing point of the liquid crystal phase, and decreases the photostability and resistivity of the polymer dispersed liquid crystal. These problems are minimized by replacing the conventional photoinitiators with copolymerizable initiators which become incorporated in the polymer phase as it separates. Copolymerizable photoinitiators are studied and used to form polymer dispersed liquid crystals with higher clearing point liquid crystal phases, higher resistivity, and better photostability than polymer dispersed liquid crystals formed with conventional photoinitiators. These improvements provide very significant advantages for many polymer dispersed liquid crystal applications.     

Preparation and thermal behavior of poly-p-phenylene diacrylic acid dimethyl ester

The photopolymerization behavior of p-phenylene diacrylic acid dimethyl ester (p-PDA Me) crystal and the thermal behavior of the resultant poly-p-PDA Me were investigated. From the kinetic study of polymerization at various temperatures a topochemical process via a stepwise mechanism was observed. Continuous change from monomer to polymer crystals was demonstrated by x-ray diffraction pattern and DSC analysis. Crystallinity of the reacting phase was maintained at an extremely high degree during the polymerization process in support of monomer crystal lattice control. Thermal study on as-polymerized poly-p-PDA Me crystal confirmed that the thermal reaction was a polymer crystal lattice-controlled depolymerization, which was followed by miscellaneous processes that involved vaporization, sublimation, and deterioration of the oligomeric or monomeric units of p-PDA Me. Thermal stability was dependent on the molecular weight. All the results are compared with those of four-center-type photopolymerization in the crystalline state.     

Thermal properties and ionic conductivity of a polymer prepared by the in situ photopolymerization of a vinylimidazole monomer containing a mesogenic group

We have synthesized liquid crystalline polymers containing an imidazolium salt moiety and a mesogenic group by the in situ photopolymerization of a liquid crystalline vinylimidazole monomer in order to investigate the relationship between their thermal properties and ionic conductivity. A smectic phase was shown by the vinylimidazole monomer. The in situ photopolymerization of the monomer was carried out in the temperature range of the smectic phase. The polymer thus prepared displayed a highly ordered smectic phase in the temperature range between room temperature and about 200°C. The ionic conductivity of the polymer increased with increasing temperature. Anisotropic ionic conductivity behavior was observed for the polymer. The ionic conductivity of the polymer aligned homogeneously is larger than when homeotropically aligned.     

Four-center photopolymerization in the crystalline state. VIII. X-ray crystallographic study of the polymerization of some diolefinic compounds

The four-center photopolymerization of five diolefinic compounds has been investigated by x-ray crystal analysis. A common packing feature is found for the photopolymerizable crystals and all polymers are three-dimensionally oriented. Topotaxies observed are classified according to the coincidence of space group and the three crystal axes, between monomer and polymer. The polymerization mechanism is discussed on the basis of the topotaxies and it is concluded that the polymerization is lattice controlled over the whole reaction process.     

Copolymerizable initiator for improved polymer dispersed liquid crystal films

The problems of photoinitiator contamination are addressed for the liquid crystal phase in polymer dispersed liquid crystal films formed by photopolymerization induced phase separation of liquid crystal from monomer solutions. Initiator contamination lowers the clearing point of the liquid crystal phase, and decreases the photostability and resistivity of the polymer dispersed liquid crystal. These problems are minimized by replacing the conventional photoinitiators with copolymerizable initiators which become incorporated in the polymer phase as it separates. Copolymerizable photoinitiators are studied and used to form polymer dispersed liquid crystals with higher clearing point liquid crystal phases, higher resistivity, and better photostability than polymer dispersed liquid crystals formed with conventional photoinitiators. These improvements provide very significant advantages for many polymer dispersed liquid crystal applications.     

Molecular imprinting using monomers with solid-state polymerization

Molecular imprinting of two diolefinic compounds with solid-state photopolymerization, 2,5-distyrylpyrazine (DSP) and diethyl p-phenylenediacrylate (EPA), was demonstrated. Solid nanoscale particles of the monomer were produced and deposited onto the surface of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) transducer using the technique known as rapid expansion of supercritical solutions (RESS). The particles were polymerized by UV light in the presence of an alkane template vapor. Both imprinted and non-imprinted devices were tested upon exposure to a variety of alkane vapors in the gas phase. The results demonstrate an enhanced sensitivity to vapors at or below the size of the template. A size exclusion mechanism of recognition is proposed.     

Topotactic solid-state polymerization of 3-aminocrotonamide by radiation

Radiation-induced solid-state polymerization of 3-aminocrotonamide (3-amino-2-butenamide) was carried out at room temperature, in open air atmosphere and under vacuum condition. The polymer obtained was white powder, soluble in methanol, but insoluble in water. The nature of polymers were investigated by IR, UV, x-ray, DP-MS, and elemental analysis to elucidate the mechanism of the polymerization. The polymer was crystalline with melting point in the range of 245–255°C. The cell parameters and space group of monomer and polymers were determined from powder x-ray diffraction patterns. The similarity of crystal structures of monomer and polymer indicated a topotactic polymerization. It was shown by spectroscopic investigations and elemental analyses that the polymerization proceeds by condensation reaction with evolution of one mole ammonia per two combined moles of monomer through a free radical mechanism. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

RADIATION INDUCED SOLID-STATE POLYMERIZATION OF ACETYLENEDICARBOXYLIC ACID

ABSTRACT

Radiation induced solid-state polymerization of acetylenedicarboxylic acid was carried out at room temperature in open atmosphere and under vacuum conditions. The gray colored powder polymer obtained was insoluble in most common solvents but only partially soluble in DMSO and THF. The limiting conversion to polymer was about 5%. The polymer was characterized by IR, UV, DP-MS, DSC, TGA, and XRD. The mechanism of polymerization was elucidated from the available data. Polymerization followed a free radical mechanism. However, before the addition of monomer molecules to the growing chain, at least one of the carboxylic groups of the monomer breaks away as CO or CO₂. The formation of side group cyclization takes place. At least one of the bonds in the side cyclic group is an etheric bond. The DSC, TGA, and XRD results showed that the polymer was partially crystalline and showed no melting up to 1200°C. The mechanism of polymerization and assigned chain structure was studied by the direct pyrolysis mass spectrometric method.

The crystal structure of monomer and polymer was investigated by the XRD method. Both monomer and crystalline polymer were monoclinic with similar cell parameters. Thus, the polymerization follows a topotactic mechanism. The unpolymerized monomer retains its crystal structure and, therefore, CO or CO₂ in the monomer molecule has to be eliminated before polymerization could take place.     

Fixation of a cholesteric helical structure by the photopolymerization of a cholesteryl derived monomer

A cholesteryl derived monomer was synthesized according to a conventional synthetic route; it exhibits a cholesteric phase above 129°C, and shows a red colour due to selective reflection in the cholesteric phase. Photopolymerization of the monomer was carried out at 135°C in the cholesteric phase. The helical structure of the cholesteric phase of the monomer was frozen by photopolymerization. A peak based on the selective reflection of the cholesteric phase was detected at 615 nm in the transmittance UV-Vis spectrum. Mixtures of the monomer with a binaphthyl derivative were prepared to control the selective reflection wavelength; they all also exhibited a cholesteric phase. The selective reflection wavelength of the mixture was dependent upon the ratio of the binaphthyl derivative in the mixture. This wavelength became shorter with increasing ratio of the binaphthyl derivative. The polymer films obtained by photopolymerization displayed almost the same selective reflection wavelength as the corresponding mixtures before photopolymerization. The selective reflection wavelength of the polymer films did not change up to about 250°C.     

Fixation of a cholesteric helical structure by the photopolymerization of a cholesteryl derived monomer

A cholesteryl derived monomer was synthesized according to a conventional synthetic route; it exhibits a cholesteric phase above 129°C, and shows a red colour due to selective reflection in the cholesteric phase. Photopolymerization of the monomer was carried out at 135°C in the cholesteric phase. The helical structure of the cholesteric phase of the monomer was frozen by photopolymerization. A peak based on the selective reflection of the cholesteric phase was detected at 615 nm in the transmittance UV-Vis spectrum. Mixtures of the monomer with a binaphthyl derivative were prepared to control the selective reflection wavelength; they all also exhibited a cholesteric phase. The selective reflection wavelength of the mixture was dependent upon the ratio of the binaphthyl derivative in the mixture. This wavelength became shorter with increasing ratio of the binaphthyl derivative. The polymer films obtained by photopolymerization displayed almost the same selective reflection wavelength as the corresponding mixtures before photopolymerization. The selective reflection wavelength of the polymer films did not change up to about 250°C.     

Self-assembly and solid-state photo polymerization of acrylamide crystal film

Solid-state polymerization has many advantages such as solvent-free, environmental friendly, less cost, and high purity of product. In this study, a crystal film of polyacrylamide was synthesized by solid-state polymerization. Firstly, gelatin was used for inducing acrylamide to form monomer crystal film through self-assembly in an aqueous solution. Then, the monomer crystal film underwent a photo-initiating polymerization to give the corresponding polymer crystal film. The structure of the crystal film was confirmed by Fourier-transformed infrared spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, microscopic melting point detector, and differential scanning calorimeter. The morphology was observed with scanning electron microscopy. The molecular weight was measured by gel permeation chromatography. It was found that a well-organized polyacrylamide crystal film was formed by controlling the synthetic conditions. The lattice size of the crystal changed very little before and after polymerization. The crystal film displayed a fibrous shape and was well-organized.     

Polymer Architectures Consisting of Rotating Fibers Prepared by Photopolymerization in a Cholesteric Phase

Summary: Hydrogen‐bonded polymer films consisting of fine, extended fibers were prepared by photopolymerization of an acrylate monomer containing a benzoic acid group in the fingerprint or Grandjean textures of a cholesteric liquid‐crystalline mixture. Scanning electron microscopy and circular dichroism spectroscopy revealed that the fibers, measuring about 400 nm in diameter, formed helical superstructures and that their helical axes corresponded to the cholesteric helical axes that existed in the LC mixture before photopolymerization.

SEM image of a polymer film.     

Polymer nanostructure development of fluorinated and aliphatic monoacrylates in smectic liquid crystals via photopolymerization

To develop viable polymer stabilized liquid crystal systems, it is crucial to understand the factors that affect polymer nanostructure evolution. This work examines the influence of the photopolymerization of aliphatic and fluorinated monoacrylate monomer within a room temperature smectic liquid crystal (LC). Additionally, the effect of LC order on polymerization kinetics, monomer and polymer organization, and the effect of the polymer on LC properties have been examined. Through this work, insight has been gained regarding the impact that the introduction of a fluorinated monoacrylate monomer has on polymerization kinetics, LC organization, and monomer/polymer segregation and organization within a polymer/LC system. Fluorinated moieties lower the surface energy of the monomer to enhance segregation between the smectic layers of the LC as compared with an analogous aliphatic monomer. Additionally, the enhanced segregation significantly increases the polymerization rate in the smectic phase and drives the continued segregation of the fluorinated polymer during and after polymerization. Fluorination also leads to the formation of an ordered polymer nanostructure if polymerized in ordered LC phases. This ordering is particularly evident when the fluorinated monomer is polymerized in the smectic phase in which the monomer is organized between the smectic layers of the LC. In addition, the ordered polymer structure found with the fluorinated monomer in the smectic phase leads to continued birefringence above the clearing point of the LC due to surface interactions between the LC and the ordered fluorinated polymer. The continued birefringence offers an exceptional opportunity to examine how factors such as polymer molecular mass and UV light intensity affect the overall polymer morphology of these polymer/LC systems. As the initiator concentration and UV light intensity are decreased, longer polymer chains form lattice-type morphologies; whereas, shorter polymer chains form smoother morphologies that more closely mirror the texture of the LC smectic phase.     

Polymer nanostructure development of fluorinated and aliphatic monoacrylates in smectic liquid crystals via photopolymerization

To develop viable polymer stabilized liquid crystal systems, it is crucial to understand the factors that affect polymer nanostructure evolution. This work examines the influence of the photopolymerization of aliphatic and fluorinated monoacrylate monomer within a room temperature smectic liquid crystal (LC). Additionally, the effect of LC order on polymerization kinetics, monomer and polymer organization, and the effect of the polymer on LC properties have been examined. Through this work, insight has been gained regarding the impact that the introduction of a fluorinated monoacrylate monomer has on polymerization kinetics, LC organization, and monomer/polymer segregation and organization within a polymer/LC system. Fluorinated moieties lower the surface energy of the monomer to enhance segregation between the smectic layers of the LC as compared with an analogous aliphatic monomer. Additionally, the enhanced segregation significantly increases the polymerization rate in the smectic phase and drives the continued segregation of the fluorinated polymer during and after polymerization. Fluorination also leads to the formation of an ordered polymer nanostructure if polymerized in ordered LC phases. This ordering is particularly evident when the fluorinated monomer is polymerized in the smectic phase in which the monomer is organized between the smectic layers of the LC. In addition, the ordered polymer structure found with the fluorinated monomer in the smectic phase leads to continued birefringence above the clearing point of the LC due to surface interactions between the LC and the ordered fluorinated polymer. The continued birefringence offers an exceptional opportunity to examine how factors such as polymer molecular mass and UV light intensity affect the overall polymer morphology of these polymer/LC systems. As the initiator concentration and UV light intensity are decreased, longer polymer chains form lattice-type morphologies; whereas, shorter polymer chains form smoother morphologies that more closely mirror the texture of the LC smectic phase.     

Four-center type photopolymerization in the solid state. III. Polymerization of phenylene diacrylic acid and its derivatives

The solid-state photopolymerization of phenylene diacrylic acid (PDA) and its derivatives was studied as an application of solid-state photodimerization of cinnamic acid to photopolymerization of corresponding bifunctional molecule which has two cinnamic units in a single molecule. p- and m-PDA, and their esters and amides were prepared and investigated with respect to their photopolymerizability. Many of them have been found to polymerize into linear high polymers with the cyclobutane rings in the main chain on irradiation by ultraviolet or visible light. The polymerization process, the structure of the polymers, and their general properties were investigated in several ways. All the polymers are very similar to poly-2,5-distyrylpyrazine and poly-1,4-bis(β-pyridyl-2-vinyl) benzene with respect to their polymerization behavior, polymer structure, and some polymer properties: these polymers are soluble in a limited number of solvents, they have a high melting point and an extremely high crystallinity. On the basis of chemical behavior of poly-PDA and its phenyl ester the possible steric configurations of these polymers are discussed. It is demonstrated for the PDA series that solid-state dimerization can be generally extended to solid-state photopolymerization of the compound having two dimerizable units in a single molecule, although the crystal structure renders polymerization impossible in certain cases.     

Morphological studies of a hydrogen-bonded LC polymer obtained by photopolymerization in LC solvents

Anisotropic morphologies and the phase behaviour of a hydrogen-bonded LC polymer obtained by photopolymerization in two kinds of LC solvent are discussed. The hydrogen-bonded LC monomer, 4-(6-acryloyloxyhexyloxy) benzoic acid (A6OBA), was photopolymerized in 4-cyano-4′-hexyloxybiphenyl (6OCB) and in 4-cyano-4′-undecyloxybiphenyl (11OCB), which show a nematic phase and a smectic A phase, respectively. After photo-polymerization, the LC media were removed by extraction and the pure polymer was observed by scanning electron microscopy. SEM images showed that the polymer possessed fibrous morphology with a fibre diameter of a few micrometers, based on polymerization-induced phase separation. The overall geometries reflected typical LC characteristics such as schlieren and focal-conic fan textures. It was found that the hydrogen bond between benzoic acid groups in the monomer was rigid enough to fix the anisotropic phase-separated structure forming during the early stage of phase separation; however, it could not permanently maintain the fibre structure due to dissociation at elevated temperature. X-ray measurements revealed that a well developed layer structure of the hydrogen-bonded mesogen existed in the polymer obtained from the smectic phase of 11OCB, whereas a polymer layer structure could develop only partially from the nematic phase of 6OCB.