Convectional, sedimentary, and drying dissipative patterns of colloidal suspensions of polymer complexes of poly(acrylic acid) with poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)

Convectional, sedimentary, and drying dissipative patterns were observed at room temperature on a cover glass, a watch glass, and a Petri dish during the course of dryness of aqueous suspensions of colloidal polymer complexes of poly(acrylic acid) (HPAA) with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP). With increase in the molecular weight of the polymer component, the complexes showed from transparent solution stable colloidal dispersion and the sticky aggregates. HPAA25K + PVP25K complex showed bluish colors and the colloidal crystal suspension. Size of the macroscopic broad rings of HPAA25K + PEG decreased as molecular weight of PEG increased. Furthermore, the size increased sharply as the polymer concentration increased in the complex systems HPAA25K + PVP25K. Characteristic microscopic patterns appeared for HPAA + PEG and HPAA + PVP complexes.     

Drying dissipative patterns of aqueous solutions of poly (4-vinyl-N-alkyl-pyridinium halide)

Drying dissipative structural patterns of aqueous solutions of poly (4-vinyl-N-alkyl-pyridinium halide) were studied on a cover glass. The broad rings were observed at the outside edge of the dried film. The broad ring size (or the area of the dried film, S) increased as polymer concentration increased. The broad ring size decreased and then turned to increase when the hydrophobicity of the polymers increased. The drying time from the initial liquid (T) was insensitive to the polymer concentration. But, T was sensitive to the kind of polymers, i.e., hydrophobicity of polycations, and roughly in the opposite order to that of S. Spoke-like macroscopic patterns appeared clearly for poly (4-vinyl-N-n-butylpyridinium bromide) (C4PVP), but were not observed clearly for the other polymers. Cross-like microscopic patterns appeared from which the polymers with the extended conformation are deduced to be crystallized during the course of dryness. The cooperative crystallization took place between the polymer and the salt in the C4PVP + KCl mixtures. When two different polymers were mixed, segregation and then independent crystallization of each single component polymers were observed. The dissipative effect is important for determining of the polymer crystal structure during the course of crystallization.     

Drying dissipative structure of sodium salts of hyaluronic acid

Macroscopic and microscopic patterns during the course of dryness of aqueous solution in sodium salts of hyaluronic acid (NaHLA) were observed on a cover glass, a watch glass, and a Petri glass dish. Dendritic and rod-like microscopic patterns, which are similar to those of sodium salts of carboxymethyl cellulose, were observed for NaHLA especially on a cover glass and a watch glass. The microscopic patterns of NaHLA are supported to be originated from the hexose groups of polysaccharides, though the similar dendritic patterns are also observed for some of polynucleotides, sodium salts of deoxyribonucleic acid, and potassium salts of poly (riboadenylic acid), for example. Macroscopic broad ring size decreased substantially from the initial size of liquid and decreased slightly as polymer concentration decreased. These observations are consistent with existence of the rather strong interpolymer affinitive forces during the course of dryness. In the coexistence of sodium chloride, microscopic dendritic patterns grew large especially on a cover glass and a watch glass, which was so often observed for polysaccharides examined hitherto. Drying patterns are clarified to be formed by the successive and cooperative processes of evaporation, convection, sedimentation, and solidification.     

Drying dissipative structures of aqueous solution of poly(ethylene glycol) on a cover glass, a watch glass, and a glass dish

Drying dissipative structures of aqueous solution of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) of molecular weights ranging from 200 to 3,500,000 were studied on a cover glass, a watch glass, and a glass dish on macroscopic and microscopic scales. Any convectional and sedimentation patterns did not appear during the course of drying the PEG solutions. Several important findings on the drying patterns are reported. Firstly, the crystalline structures of the dried film changed from hedrites to spherulites as the molecular weight and/or concentration of PEG increased. Secondly, lamellae were formed along the ring patterns especially at high concentrations and high molecular weights. The coupled crystalline patterns of the spherulites and the lamellae were observed in a watch glass along the ring structures, supporting the important role of the convection by the gravity during the course of dryness. The coupled patterns were difficult to be formed on a cover glass and a glass dish, except at the outside edge of the dried film. Thirdly, the size of the broad ring at the outside edge of the dried film especially on a cover glass and a watch glass increased sharply as the molecular weight increased and also as the polymer concentration increased. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Drying dissipative structures of the thermosensitive gels of poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) on a cover glass

Drying dissipative structural patterns of the thermosensitive gels of poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) were studied on a cover glass. As the temperature of suspension and room rose from 25 to 50 °C, the small size of drying pattern area extended to the beautiful flickering spoke-like ones transitionally at the critical temperature ca. 35 °C. The principal patterns at 25 °C were the single or multiple broad rings of the hill accumulated with the gels. At 50 °C, on the other hand, the flickering spoke-like patterns were observed at the inner area of the broad ring especially at the gel concentrations higher than 1 × 10⁻³ g/ml. These observations support that the extended gels at low temperatures apt to associate weakly to each other, whereas the gels at high temperatures shrink and move rather freely with the convectional flow of water, though the very weak intergel attractions still remain. In the presence of sodium chloride at high temperatures, the cooperative patterns formed between the gel spheres and the salt. The gravitational and Marangoni convectional flow of the gels and the very weak interactions between the gels and substrate (cover glass) are important for the flickering spoke-like pattern formation.     

Dissipative crystallization of sodium salts of carboxymethyl cellulose

Drying dissipative patterns were observed at room temperature on a cover glass, a watch glass, and a Petri glass dish during the course of dryness of aqueous solution of sodium salts of carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) having different molecular weights in the presence of sodium chloride and in their absence. Without salt, the polymers were slightly hygroscopic and did not dry up completely on the substrates. Single crystals of the NaCMC without salt were short rodlike and quite similar to those of the other polysaccharides studied hitherto, i.e., hydroxypropyl cellulose and sodium dextran sulfate. Morphology of the polymer crystals were short rods, long dendritic rods, and/or hedrite assemblies depending on location in the dried film and in the presence of sodium chloride. Spoke-like orientation of the long dendritic rods appeared on a cover glass and a watch glass especially for NaCMC of low molecular weights.     

Drying dissipative patterns of biological polyelectrolyte solutions

Drying dissipative structural patterns of aqueous solutions of biological polyelectrolytes, sodium poly (α, L-glutamate; NaPGA) and poly (-L-lysine hydrobromide; PLL.HBr), were studied on a cover glass. Below the critical polymer concentration, m* (ca. 0.003 and ca. 0.01 monoM for NaPGA and PLL.HBr, respectively), the dried patterns shrank only around the center of the initial solution area wetted on a cover glass. Above the m* values, on the other hand, the drying pattern extended throughout the initial solution area. The m* values agreed excellently with the critical polymer concentrations, where the surface tensions started to decrease sharply as the polymer concentrations increased. The broad rings were always observed in the drying patterns of any solutions examined. The spoke-like cracks appeared at the polymer concentrations above the m* values and only in the area of the broad rings. Microscopic structures such as cross-like, rod-like, and block-like patterns formed irrespective of polymer concentrations. Especially, the city-road-like microscopic pattern was observed for PLL.HBr solutions, which strongly supports the formation of crystal structures of PLL.HBr that remain in the whole processes of dryness. These patterns were correlated deeply with the crystal-like orientation of the biological polyelectrolytes at the air–solution interfaces.     

Dissipative crystallization of aqueous solution of sodium polymethacrylate

Drying dissipative structures of aqueous solution of sodium polymethacrylate (NaPMA) were studied on a cover glass, a watch glass, and a glass dish. Any convectional and sedimentation patterns did not appear during the course of dryness. Several important findings on the drying patterns are reported. Firstly, spherulite and hedrite dissipative crystals were observed when the polymer solutions were dried. The crystalline structures changed from hedrites to spherulites as polymer concentration increased. Secondary, the coupled structures of the spherulites and the broad rings were observed for NaPMA at the outside edge of the broad ring. However, the coupled crystalline structures of the lamellaes from the broad ring and the spherulites, which were observed for poly(ethylene glycol) (Okubo et al. 2009), were not observed clearly for NaPMA system. Thirdly, size of the broad ring at the outside edge of the dried film increased sharply as polymer concentration increased.     

Dissipative crystallization of aqueous solutions of hydroxypropyl cellulose

Drying dissipative structures of aqueous solutions of hydroxypropyl cellulose, their viscosities of 2 wt.% solutions ranging from 2 to 2,000 mPa.s were studied on a cover glass, a watch glass, and a Petri glass dish. The thickness profile of the dried film shows the coexistence of a low round hill and a high broad ring on a cover glass. The broad ring size increased as molecular weight and/or concentration of the polymers increased on a cover glass and a watch glass. Microscopic drying crystal patterns of HPC changed as a function of the distance from the film center, which is one of the typical results of the dissipative crystallization. Rod-like microscopic drying patterns originated in the cholesteric liquid crystalline structures were observed. The rods oriented mainly parallel and in some case perpendicularly to the radial direction of the dried film except the central area, where the rods distributed at random. These orientation effects were significant for low molecular weight samples and in a watch glass.     

Dissipative structures formed in the course of drying an aqueous solution of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) on a cover glass

Macroscopic and microscopic dissipative structural patterns formed in the course of drying a deionized aqueous solution of cationic polyelectrolyte, poly(allylamine hydrochloride) on a cover glass have been observed. Drying times range from 40 min at 45 °C to 450 min at 5 °C, and are insensitive to the polymer concentration. Pattern area shrinks toward the center at the low polymer concentrations, and increases as the concentration increases. A macroscopic broad ring pattern, where the polymer accumulates densely, forms in many cases. Beautiful fractal patterns are observed at the microscopic scale. The fractal dimension increases from 1.2 to 1.6 as polymer concentration increases from 10^-6 monoM to 10^-2 monoM. The relative rates between the water flow at the drying front and the convection flow of water accompanying the movement of polymer are important for the macroscopic and microscopic pattern formation.     

Dissipative crystallization of sodium salt of deoxyribonucleic acid

Drying patterns of aqueous solutions of sodium salt of deoxyribonucleic acid (NaDNA) were studied on a cover glass, a watch glass, and a Petri glass dish at room temperature. Orientation of the rod-like single crystals of NaDNA molecules in the radial direction was observed especially at low polymer concentrations. The ratios of the size of the broad ring against initial size of the liquid on a cover glass and a watch glass were very small between 0.05 and 0.1 compared with those of the typical polyelectrolytes. Main cause is the compact conformation of NaDNA forming single or double stranded helix structures in the dried film. Microscopic drying patterns were long rods accompanied with the many short rods especially on a cover glass. Thick and short rods and dendritic crystals were fogrmed at the inward and outward areas of the dried films, respectively, on a watch glass and a Petri glass dish. Rod-like and dendritic crystals resembled the distorted hedrite and/or spherulite structures. Dissipative crystallization such as the orientation and accumulation of the single crystals of NaDNA were observed and the importance of the convectional and sedimentation processes was demonstrated during the course of crystallization.     

Dissipative crystallization of sodium salts of poly (d-glutamic acid), poly (l-glutamic acid), and their low molecular weight analogs

Drying dissipative patterns were observed at room temperature on a cover glass, a watch glass, and a Petri glass dish during the course of dryness of aqueous solution of sodium salts of poly (d-glutamic acid), poly (l-glutamic acid), and their low molecular weight analogs, monosodium d-glutamate, monosodium l-glutamate, and monosodium dl-glutamate. The low molecular weight analogs were hygroscopic and their drying patterns were observed in a dry box coexisted with the bags of desiccant. The broad rings, which are the typical macroscopic drying patterns, were observed for all the samples. Optical isomeric effects on the drying patterns were not recognized. Spherulite (or hedrite) and rod-like crystals from the assemblies of helical main chains of the polymers are formed mainly at the inner area from the broad ring (except central area) and the broad ring area, respectively. Coexistence of sodium chloride enhanced the crystal structures by the cooperative interactions between the polymers and the salts. The typical dissipative crystallization such as accumulation, segregation, and orientation effects of crystals were observed in the drying patterns.     

Dissipative crystallization of aqueous mixtures of potassium salts of poly(riboguanylic acid) and poly(ribocytidylic acid)

Drying patterns of aqueous solutions of potassium salts of poly(riboguanylic acid) (KPolyG), poly(ribocytidylic acid) (KPolyC), and their mixtures KPolyG + KPolyC were studied on a cover glass, a watch glass, and a glass dish at room temperature. Accumulation of the polymers forming the broad rings near the outside edge and also in the inner area of the dried film was observed. The fine multiple ring structures formed, which supports the fact that the affinity of the polymer with the substrate is strong. Typical microscopic drying patterns of KPolyG, KPolyC, and KPolyG + KPolyC were spherulites, dendritic long rods, and sword (harberd)-like rods, respectively. The patterns changed depending on the location in the dried film. The dendritic long rods and sword-like rods were assigned to the crystals of double-stranded and/or triple-stranded helices of the G:C and 2G:C complexes. Cross-like drying patterns that originated from the salt-polymer interaction are also observed. The relationship between the polymer complexation of KPolyG + KPolyC systems and the drying patterns is similar to that of KPolyA (potassium salt of poly(adenylic acid)) + KPolyU (potassium salt of poly(uridylic acid)).     

Drying dissipative structures of thermo-sensitive gel spheres of poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-isopropylacrylamide)

Drying dissipative patterns were observed at 25 °C, 33 °C, and 45 °C on a cover glass, a watch glass, and a Petri glass dish during the course of dryness of colloidal crystals of the thermo-sensitive gels of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA). Two kinds of broad rings, i.e., transparent ring at the outside edge and the ring in the inner area from the edge, were observed. Sizes of the former were the same as those of the initial liquids irrespective of gel concentration, whereas sizes of the latter decreased as gel concentration decreased. These broad rings were composed mainly of the monomeric and the agglomerated gel particles, respectively. Formation of the monodispersed agglomerated particles and their ordered arrays in the inner area of the dried film were observed especially on a Petri glass dish and a watch glass. The important role of the electrical double layers formed around the agglomerated particles is supported for the ordering of the agglomerated particles. The essential differences in the drying patterns between PNIPA gel spheres and the typical colloidal particles did not appear.     

Sedimentation and drying dissipative patterns of binary suspensions of colloidal silica spheres having different sizes

The sedimentation and drying dissipative structural patterns were formed during the course of drying binary mixtures among colloidal silica spheres of 183 nm, 305 nm, and 1.205 μm in diameter in aqueous suspension on a watch glass, a glass dish, and a cover glass, respectively. The broad ring-like sedimentation patterns were formed within several hours in suspension state for all the substrates used. Colorful macroscopic broad ring-like drying patterns were formed for the three substrates. In a watch glass, macroscopic drying patterns were composed of the outer and inner layers of small and large spheres, respectively. The two colored layers were ascribed to the Bragg diffractions of light by the dried colloidal crystals of the corresponding spheres. The width ratio of the layers changed in proportion to the mixing ratio of each spheres. In a glass dish, wave-like macroscopic drying patterns were observed in the intermediate areas between the outside edges of the broad ring and the inner wall of the cell. On a cover glass, the sphere mixing ratios were analyzed from the widths of the drying broad rings of the small spheres at the outside edge. High and distinct broad rings of small spheres and the low and vague broad one formed at the outer edges and in the inner area, respectively. Drying dissipative pattern was clarified to be one of the novel analysis techniques of colloidal size in binary colloidal mixtures.     

Dissipative crystallization of poly-d-lysine hydrobromide, poly-l-lysine hydrobromide, and their low-molecular-weight analogs

Drying dissipative structures of aqueous solutions of poly-d-lysine hydrobromide, poly-l-lysine hydrobromide, and their low-molecular-weight analogs were studied on a cover glass, a watch glass, and a Petri glass dish. Size of the broad rings, one of the typical macroscopic patterns, decreased as the solute concentration decreased. Microscopic drying crystal patterns of polylysine hydrobromides and their low-molecular-weight analogs, i.e., d-, l-, and dl-lysine hydrochloride changed as a function of the distance from the film center, which is one of the typical features of dissipative crystallization. Macroscopic and microscopic drying patterns were quite similar to each other irrespective of their stereospecificity. The crystal patterns of the mixtures of poly-d-lysine hydrobromide and poly-l-lysine hydrobromide were also similar to those of the corresponding single-component polymers. The stereospecific effects were not observed in this work.     

Characterization, Solution Behavior, and Microstructure of a Hydrophobically Associating Nonionic Copolymer

To obtain an oil-displacement polymer with good thermal stability and solution properties, self-assembling acrylamide (AM)/4-butylstyrene (BST) copolymers (PSA) were synthesized by the micellar copolymerization technique. The resulting polymer was characterized by elemental analysis and UV and FT-IR spectroscopy. Conventional DSC measurement was used successfully to characterize the hydrophobic microblock structure of PSA, and two glass transition temperatures were found in the polymer: at 203 °C for the AM segments and at 106 °C for the hydrophobic BST segments. The initial decomposition temperature (234 °C) of the polymer is higher than that of polyacrylamide (210 °C). The DSC and TG results suggest that incorporation of BST into PSA enhances the molecular rigidity and thermal stability of the polymer. The apparent viscosity of a PSA solution greatly depends on the amount of BST in the polymer, and the polymer exhibits salt-thickening, temperature-thickening, thixotropy, pseudo-plastic behavior, anti shearing, and good anti-aging properties at 80 °C. In addition, the apparent viscosities of PSA solutions are increased remarkably by the addition of a small amount of surfactant. AFM measurements show that large block-like aggregates and small compact aggregates are formed in aqueous solutions of 0.4 g⋅dL⁻¹ PSA because of strong intermolecular hydrophobic associations, despite the low molecular weight, and their sizes increase upon addition of a small amount of salt.     

Drying dissipative patterns of the colloidal crystals of silica spheres in an dc-electric field

Drying dissipative structural patterns of the colloidal crystals of silica spheres were studied under an dc-electric field. Platinum plate electrodes of anode and cathode were set on a cover glass. The broad hills accumulated with the spheres were observed at the outer edges of the dried film without and also with the electric fields. The column-like structures were formed by the electric flux, and movement of the spheres took place toward anode. The dried film kept colloidal crystal structure, where the nearest-neighbored spheres contact each other more compactly in the areas closer to the anode. Drying times needed for the complete dryness of the suspensions decreased as the strength of the electric field increased. Addition of sodium chloride to the suspensions retarded the movement of spheres toward the anode substantially.     

Drying dissipative structures of lightly cross-linked poly(2-vinyl pyridine) cationic gel spheres stabilized with poly(ethylene glycol) in the deionized aqueous suspension

Drying dissipative patterns of deionized and colloidal crystal-state suspensions of the cationic gel spheres of lightly cross-linked poly(2-vinyl pyridine) stabilized with poly(ethylene glycol) were observed on a cover glass, a watch glass, and a Petri glass dish. Convectional patterns were recognized with the naked eyes. The broad rings were observed in the drying pattern and their size and width decreased as gel concentration decreased. Formation of the monodispersed agglomerated particles and their ordered arrays were observed. This work clarified the formation of the drying microscopic structures of (a) ordered rings, (b) flickering ordered spoke-lines, (c) net structure, and (d) lattice-like ordered structures of the agglomerated particles. The ordering of the agglomerated particles of the cationic gel spheres is similar to that of the anionic thermo-sensitive gel spheres of poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide). The role of the electrical double layers around the agglomerated particles and the interaction of the particles with the substrates during dryness are important for the ordering. The microscopic drying patterns of gel spheres were different from those of linear-type polymers and also from typical colloidal hard spheres, though the macroscopic patterns such as broad ring formation at the edges were similar to each other. The addition of sodium chloride shifted the microscopic patterns from lattice to net structures.     

Dissolution behaviour of model alkali-soluble emulsion polymers: effects of molecular weights and ionic strength

The dissolution behaviour of model alkali-soluble polymer emulsions with different molecular weights was studied using conductometric and potentiometric titration and laser light scattering techniques. The behaviour of the copolymer was studied as a function of the degree of neutralisation, α = [NaOH]/[COOH]. The polymer latex swells with increasing α values up to α = 0.5–0.7, after which the dissociation of polymer chains commences. At α = 1.0, all the polymer latexes dissociate into individual polymer chains. By combining the results of static and dynamic laser light scattering, we observed that the polymers have a compact conformation at α = 0. This compact conformation changes to a random coil at around α = 0.5, which then becomes a fully extended coiled conformation at α = 1.0, when all the COOH polymer groups are hydrolysed. The dissolution of low-molecular-weight polymers is faster than that of high-molecular-weight polymers. Received: 15 February 1999 Accepted in revised form: 13 July 1999