Dependence of the glass transition temperature of poly[N-(n-alkyloxy-carbonyl-methyl) Maleimides] and poly[N-(5-n-alkyloxycarbonyl-n-pentyl) Maleimides] on n-alkyl side-chain length

The glass transition temperature has been determined by a refractometric technique for two homologous series of poly[N-(n-alkyloxycarbonyl-methyl) maleimides] (PEMIS 1) and poly[N-(5-n-alkyloxycarbonyl-n-pentyl) maleimides] (PEMIS 5) with the outer part of the n-alkyl side-chain ranging in length from ethyl to decosyl for PEMIS 1 and from ethyl to decyl for PEMIS 5 and including only the even members of the series. The glass transition temperature is directly related to the number of methylene groups in the outer part of the n-alkyl side-chain (including terminal methyl) of the repeating unit. A semiempirical equation is presented that affords estimates of T_g that are in good agreement with the experimental data.     

Dielectric study of relaxations and polymorphism in poly(diethyl siloxane)

The dielectric behavior of poly(diethyl siloxane) supports the adiabatic calorimetric findings of Beatty and Karasz. In particular, a sub-T_g transition is observed near ?180°C at 100 Hz, the glass transition near ?135°C at 100 Hz, and a first-order transition near ?70°C (crystal–crystal transformation). This glass-transition temperature is the lowest reported polymeric glass transition for polymers.     

Positronium annihilation in amine-cured epoxy polymers

Positronium annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) has been used to study the microstructural properties of amine-cured epoxy polymers. We have determined the free-volume “hole” sizes in these polymers by comparing the observed ortho-positronium lifetimes with the known lifetime–free volume correlation for low-molecular-weight systems. The free volumes for four epoxies with different crosslink densities are found to vary significantly over the temperature range between ?78° and 250°C. The free-volume holes for these polymers are found to range from 0.025 to 0.220 nm³. Two important transition temperatures were found: one corresponds to the glass transition temperature T_g determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the other occurs about 80–130°C below T_g. The sub-T_g transition temperature is interpreted tentatively as being where hole size reaches dimensions adequate for positronium trapping or else the onset temperature for local mode or side-chain motions. These two transition temperatures plus two additional onset temperatures are found to be correlated with crosslink densities calculated from stoichiometry.     

Viscoelastic properties of bis(phenyl)fluorene‐based cardo polymers with different chemical structure

Viscoelastic properties of urethane and ester conjugation cardo polymers that contain fluorene group, 9,9‐bis(4‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy)phenyl)fluorene (BPEF), were investigated. As for the urethane‐type cardo polymers containing BPEF in the main chain, it had a high glass‐transition temperature (T_g), which was observed as the α dispersion on viscoelastic measurement, and its temperature depended on the chemical structure of the spacing unit, such as toluene diisocyanate (TDI), 4,4′‐methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), methylene dicycloexyl diisocyanate (CMDI), and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI). Moreover, the T_g of urethane‐type cardo copolymers with various cardo contents increased with an increase of cardo content. Owing to the increase of T_g of cardo polymers, another molecular motion can be measured at the temperature between the α and β dispersion that was assigned to the molecular motion of urethane conjugation unit around 200 K, and it was referred to as the α_sub dispersion. The peak temperature of the α_sub dispersion was influenced by the chemical structure of the spacing unit, but it did not change for the cardo polymer containing the same spacing unit. Consequently, it was deduced that the α_sub dispersion was originated in the subsegmental molecular motions of the cardo polymers. Ester‐type cardo polymer had higher T_g in comparison with noncardo polymer that consisted of dimethyl groups (BPEP) instead of BPEF as well. The α_sub dispersion was also measured at the temperature between the α and β dispersion, which was assigned to the molecular motion of ester conjugation unit, around 220 K. For ester cardo polymer, the γ dispersion was measured in a low‐temperature region around 140 K, and it was due to a small unit motion in the ester‐type cardo polymers, such as ethoxyl unit, ? C₂H₄O? . Moreover, the intensity of the γ dispersion of noncardo polymer was higher than that of cardo polymer, which means the molecular motion was much restricted by the cardo structure of BPEF. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 2259–2268, 2005     

Dielectric studies of the effects of thermal history on secondary relaxation in bisphenol-a-polycarbonate

The dielectric permittivity and loss of Bisphenol-A-polycarbonate (PC) was measured over the frequency range 100 Hz to 200 kHz and temperature range 77–383 K. One sub-T_g relaxation peak is observed which rapidly broadens with a decrease in temperature. This is attributed to a progressive separation of the γ and β peaks, which at high temperatures are merged to form one peak of high strength. The strength of the sub-T_g relaxations decreases on physical aging of PC but is increased if the sample is quenched from a temperature above its T_g. Slowly cooled PC has a lower strength of its sub-T_g relaxation than a quenched specimen. The thermal history of PC affects the magnitude of its sub-T_g relaxation.     

Synthesis and characterization of mesogen‐jacketed liquid‐crystal polymers based on 2,5‐bis(4′‐alkoxyphenyl)styrene

A series of novel mesogen‐jacketed liquid‐crystal polymers, poly[2,5‐bis(4′‐alkoxyphenyl)‐styrene] (P‐n, n = 1–11), were prepared via free‐radical polymerization of newly synthesized monomers, 2,5‐bis(4′‐alkoxyphenyl)styrene (M‐n, n = 1–11). The influence of the alkoxy tail length on the liquid‐crystalline behaviors of the monomers and the polymers was investigated with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry, polarized optical microscopy (POM), and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD). The monomers with n = 1–4, 9, and 11 were monotropic nematic liquid crystals. All other monomers exhibited enantiotropic nematic properties. Their melting points (T_m's) decreased first as n increased to 6, after which T_m increased slightly at longer spacer lengths. The isotropic–nematic transition temperatures decreased regularly with increasing n values in an odd–even way. The glass‐transition temperatures (T_g's) of the polymers first decreased as the tail lengths increased and then leveled off when n ≥ 7. All polymers were thermally stable and entered the mesophase at a temperature above T_g. Upon further heating, no mesophase‐to‐isotropic melt transition was observed before the polymers decomposed. WAXD studies indicated that an irreversible order–order transition for the polymers with short tails (n ≤ 5) and a reversible order–order transition for those with elongated tails (n ≥ 6) occurred at a temperature much higher than T_g. However, such a transition could not be identified by POM and could be detected by DSC only on heating scans for the polymers with long tails (n ≥ 7). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1454–1464, 2003     

Thermotropic liquid‐crystalline poly(oxadiazole)s with poly(methylene) spacers: Preparation and extraordinary odd–even effect

A novel synthetic procedure for the preparation of poly(oxadiazole)s was developed with nucleophilic substitution of α,ω-alkanediols with oxadiazole-activated bisfluoride. Seven poly(oxadiazole)s were successfully prepared by the solution polymerization of 2,5-bis(4-fluorophenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole and various α,ω-alkanediols [HO (CH₂)_n OH, n = 5–10 or 12] in diphenyl sulfone at temperature greater than 230 °C with K₂CO₃ as a catalyst. The reduced viscosities of the poly(oxadiazole)s were 0.14–0.51 dL/g, and the decomposition temperatures were greater than 350 °C and decreased from 436 to 379 °C with increasing spacer length (n). Corresponding model compounds, consisting of two terminal mesogenic 2,5-bisphenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole units and central poly(methylene) spacers, were also prepared for comparison. Both the polymers and model compounds exhibited an extraordinary odd–even effect: odd ones showed higher transition temperatures (melting and clearing temperatures). With differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy (POM), and X-ray diffraction, we found that the nematic mesophase was the only texture in the melts except for the polymers with longer methylene units (n = 9), in which smectic mesophases were observed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 293–301, 2002     

Structure–property relationships of ring-containing nylon 66 copolyamides

Several series of nylon 66 copolyamides were prepared with up to 30 mole-% substitution of ringed comonomers of the type X-(CH₂)_n-R-(CH₂)_n-X, where n = 0, 1, or 2; X = ?NH₂ or ? CO₂H; and R = phenylene, cyclohexylene, or naphthyle. The ring structure was correlated with glass transition temperature and melting point. The important features of ring structure fall into the following categories: ring isomerism, aromaticity, diamine vs. diacid substitution, chain length, and ring substitution. Proper “fit” (isomorphism) of the comonomer into the nylon 66 chain appears to be the main criterion for ringed copolymers of high T_g and high melting point.     

Subglass-transition-temperature annealing of poly(ethylene terephthalate) studied by FTIR

Using FTIR spectroscopy we have examined conformational changes in the quenched and slowly cooled amorphous PET films during physical aging process. It was observed that the amount of trans conformers for quenched sample decreased upon sub-T_g annealing. For the slowly cooled sample that corresponds to a state closer to equilibrium, the amount of trans conformers hardly decreased, but increased gradually during sub-T_g annealing process. The conformational populations of these two samples tend to be identical with annealing time. These results demonstrate that sub-T_g annealing will lead to closer interchain packing and result in the formation of new cohesional entanglements along the chains. In situ FTIR studies on the conformational changes of these samples were also carried out during heating up of the sample through the glass transition region. The results showed that incremental changes of the amount of trans conformers in Samples Q and SC were gradual, while an abrupt change of trans conformers occurred in the sub-T_g annealed samples. These results were in agreement with the formation of the interchain cohesional entanglement due to sub-T_g annealing. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 783–788, 1998     

Rapid mechanical deformation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers at temperatures above the glass transition

The mechanical properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers at temperatures above the glass transition are investigated by means of a specially constructed device. Measurements of the deformation rate and of the “dynamic” stress-strain curves of the fibers are performed in nearly isothermal regime (after initial rapid heating) in a temperature interval 100–200°C. The results reported in the present work demonstrate that the high-temperature mechanical characteristics of rapidly crystallizing polymers can be deduced to a satisfactory precision, while keeping the crystallinity development at low level. Our investigations indicate that if the high-temperature deformation is sufficiently fast, the polymer behavior is similar to the deformation at sub-T_g temperatures. Based on this similarity, a qualitative model of the deformation in the high-temperature region is proposed. The proposed model is fundamentally equivalent to the models describing mechanical deformation of glassy polymers at temperatures below the glass transition. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Living/controlled cationic cyclopolymerization of divinyl ether with a cyclic acetal moiety: Synthesis of poly(vinyl ether)s with high glass transition temperature based on incorporation of cyclized main chain and cyclic side chains

Cationic cyclopolymerization of 2‐methyl‐5,5‐bis(vinyloxymethyl)‐1,3‐dioxane ( 1 ), a divinyl ether with a cyclic acetal group, was investigated with the HCl/ZnCl₂ initiating system in toluene and methylene chloride at ?30 °C. The reaction proceeded quantitatively to give gel‐free, soluble polymers in organic solvents. The number‐average molecular weight (M_n) of the polymers increased in direct proportion to monomer conversion, and further increased on addition of a fresh monomer feed to the almost completely polymerized reaction mixture, indicating that the polymerization proceeded in living/controlled manner. The contents of the unreacted vinyl groups in the produced soluble polymers were less than ～3 mol %, and therefore, the degree of cyclization was determined to be ～97%. In contrast, the pendant cyclic acetal groups remained intact in the polymers under the present cationic polymerization conditions. These facts show that cyclopolymerization of 1 almost exclusively occurred and the poly(vinyl ether)s with the cyclized repeating units and cyclic pendant acetal rings were obtained. Glass transition temperature (T_g) and thermal decomposition temperature (T_d) of poly( 1 ) (M_n = 7870, M_w/M_n = 1.57) were found to be 166 and 338 °C, respectively, indicating that poly( 1 ) had high T_g and high thermal stability. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 952–958, 2010     

Nanostructuration Effect on the Thermal Behavior of Ionic Liquids

This work shows how the nanostructuration of ionic liquids (ILs) governs the glass and melting transitions of the bistriflimide imidazolium‐based [C_nC₁im][NTf₂] and [C_nC_nim][NTf₂] series, which highlights the trend shift that occurs at the critical alkyl size (CAS) of n=6. An initial increase in the glass temperature (T_g) with an increase in the alkyl side chain was observed due to the intensification of the dispersive interactions (van der Waals). Above the CAS, the ?CH₂? increment has the same effect in both glass and liquid states, which leads to a plateau in the glass transition after nanostructuration. The melting temperature (T_m) of the [C_nC₁im][NTf₂] and [C_nC_nim][NTf₂] series presents a V‐shaped profile. For the short‐alkyl ILs, the ?CH₂? increment affects the electrostatic ion pair interactions, which leads to an increase in the conformational entropy. The ?CH₂? increment disturbs the packing ability of the ILs and leads to a higher entropy value ( ) and consequently a decrease in T_m. Above the CAS, the ?CH₂? contribution to the melting temperature becomes more regular, as a consequence of the nanostructuration of the IL into polar and nonpolar domains. The dependence of the alkyl chain on the temperature, enthalpy, and entropy of melting in the ILs above the CAS is very similar to the one observed for the alkane series, which highlights the importance of the nonpolar alkyl domains on the ILs thermal behavior.     

New amorphous perfluoro polymers: perfluorodioxolane polymers for use as plastic optical fibers and gas separation membranes

To address the need for perfluoro polymers with higher T_g, we have prepared and characterized various perfluorodioxolane monomers via direct fluorination of the hydrocarbon precursors. These monomers were readily polymerized in bulk or in solution initiated by perfluorodibenzoyl peroxide. The polymers obtained have relatively high T_g(~160°C) and exhibited low material dispersion. These polymers are completely amorphous and soluble in fluorinated solvents. The polymers are also chemically and thermally stable (T_g > 300°C). Thus, these perfluorodioxolane polymers may be used as plastic optical fiber material where high T_g is required, such as in automobile and aircraft application. These perfluorodioxolane polymers were also investigated for use as gas separation membrane. Among these polymers, the copolymer of perfluoro (2‐methylene‐1,3‐dioxolane) and perfluoro (2‐methylene‐4,5‐dimethyl dioxolane) showed superior gas separation performance compared with the commercial perfluoro polymers for a number of gas pair, including CO₂/CH₄, H_e/CH₄, H₂/CH₄, and N₂/CH₄. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(L‐lactic acid)–poly(ε‐caprolactone) multiblock copolymers by melt polycondensation

An Erratum has been published for this article in J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem. (2004) 42(22) 5845 New multiblock copolymers derived from poly(L‐lactic acid) (PLLA) and poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) were prepared with the coupling reaction between PLLA and PCL oligomers with ? NCO terminals. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ¹³C NMR, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to characterize the copolymers and the results showed that PLLA and PCL were coupled by the reaction between ? NCO groups at the end of the PCL and ? OH (or ? COOH) groups at the end of the PLLA. DSC data indicated that the different compositions of PLLA and PCL had an influence on the thermal and crystallization properties including the glass‐transition temperature (T_g), melting temperature (T_M), crystallizing temperature (T_c), melting enthalpy (ΔH_m), crystallizing enthalpy (ΔH_c), and crystallinity. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) was employed to study the effect of the composition of PLLA and PCL and reaction time on the molecular weight and the molecular weight distribution of the copolymers. The weight‐average molecular weight of PLLA–PCL multiblock copolymers was up to 180,000 at a composition of 60% PLLA and 40% PCL, whereas that of the homopolymer of PLLA was only 14,000. A polarized optical microscope was used to observe the crystalline morphology of copolymers; the results showed that all polymers exhibited a spherulitic morphology. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5045–5053, 2004     

Polyterephthalates of 2,3-disubstituted butanediols-1,4: Effect of aliphatic substituents on Tg and Tm of the polyesters

Poly(2,3-dialkylbutanediol-1,4 terephthalates) with the alkyl substituents CH₃, C₂H₅, n-C₃H₇, iso-C₃H₇, n-C₄H₉, and n-C₁₀H₂₁, andn-C₁₆H₃₃ were synthesized from the corresponding 2,3-dialkylbutanediols-1,4 and dimethyl terephthalate or terephthaloyl chloride. The substituents of the butanediol-1,4 portion of the polyterephthalates influence the ¹³C NMR chemical shifts of the carbon atoms near the branching site, the glass transition (T_g), and the crystallizability. Small alkyl substituents do not change the T_g of the polymers, whereas bulky substituents such as the isopropyl group increase the T_g and long normal alkyl groups as substituents decrease the T_g of the polymers. Crystallinity in these polyterephthalates was found only with CH₃ and C₁₆H₃₃ as the 2,3-dialkyl substituents in the butanediol-1,4 portion of the polyester. This crystallinity of polyterephthalate of 2,3-di-C₁₆H₃₃ substituted butanediol-1,4 could be assigned to side-chain crystallization of the paraffinic groups.     

The crystalline character of atactic poly(p-biphenyl acrylate) and poly(p-cyclohexylphenyl acrylate) in their dynamic mechanical response

Dynamic mechanical properties have been determined in atactic poly(p-biphenyl acrylate) (PPBA) and poly(p-cyclohexylphenyl acrylate) (PPCPA) in the temperature range from 80 to 540°K at frequencies in the range 10³–10⁴ Hz. The general behavior of the dynamic elastic modulus as a function of temperature shows a transition region from the glassy state at about 390°K for both polymers, a plastic region extending over a temperature interval of about 100°K, and another transition to the melt situated at 540 and 480°K for PPBA and PPCPA, respectively. The experimental data show that the mechanical behavior of both polymers strongly resembles that of crystalline polymers. The loss spectrum of PPBA shows the presence of several important maxima: one corresponding to the melting point, characterized by a very rapid increase of losses with increasing temperature (α′ relaxation), one in the glass-temperature range, characterized by a rather broad peak (α′ relaxation), and others below T_g, associated with secondary relaxation effects. The analysis of the different transitions and relaxations indicates that some of these processes can be ascribed to motions taking place in the ordered regions of the polymer. PPCPA shows a similar loss pattern; however, owing to the lower melting point the α maximum is partially submerged in the α′ relaxation associated with the melting process. Of particular interest is the γ process in the glassy state of this polymer, caused by the chair–chair transition of the cyclohexyl rings. The limited intensity of this relaxation as compared with that of most polymers containing cyclohexyl side groups, has been interpreted as due to the high ΔF associated with such a transition for cyclohexyl rings linked to phenylene groups. This leads to some interesting conclusions about the conformation of the side groups in PPCPA.     

Linear polyesters containing isocyanurate rings

Two series of linear polyesters containing isocyanurate rings have been prepared to determine the effect of structural variations on thermal and solubility properties. The polyesters were prepared by the polycondensation reaction of isocyanurate containing difunctional acid and ester monomers with linear diols. The substituent on the isocyanurate ring and the length of the acid side chain have been shown to have considerable effect on the glass transition temperature T_g. Different solubility properties were observed for the series of polyesters in which the pendant substituent was ? C₆H₅ and the acid side-chain was ? CH₂CO₂H. These polymers were insoluble in THF, and the polyester prepared from 1,6-hexanediol was also insoluble in chloroform. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated that structural differences had no significant effect on the thermal stability of these linear polyesters.     

Influence of microstructure and semi-crystalline morphology on the β and γ mechanical relaxations of the metallocene isotactic polypropylene

In this work, the characteristics of the β and γ mechanical relaxations, i.e., temperature and relative intensity, of a series of metallocene iPP samples (MPP) are analysed. The hypothesis that the temperature and the intensity of the glass transition (β relaxation) and local sub-T_g motions (γ relaxation) are related mainly to chain parameters and morphology has been corroborated. On the one hand, it has been found a critical average isotactic length (n₁) around 30 propylene units, under which the β and γ dynamics are promoted with respect to the α relaxation. On the other hand, it is apparent that the features which determine the degree of constraint within the inter-lamellar region, i.e., the fraction of low-T_m crystals, drive the relative intensities of the α, β and γ relaxation processes.     

Thermophysical properties of azomethine ether main-chain liquid crystalline polymers at pressures to 200 MPa

This article reports on an experimental investigation of the equation of state and the transition behavior of main-chain thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers over a wide temperature range, and at pressures to 200 MPa. The materials studied were a series of azomethine ether polymers. A varying number n (= 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11) of methylene spacer units in the backbone provided systematic variation of the structure. Experimental techniques used included high-pressure dilatometry (PVT measurements) to 200 MPa, high-pressure differential thermal analysis, also to 200 MPa, and conventional (atmospheric-pressure) differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The equation of state of the materials can be well represented by the Tait equation in distinct regions, separated by a glass transition, T_g(P), a first-order transition to a nematic state, T_k-n(P), and a first-order transition to an isotropic melt state T_c(P). The atmospheric pressure values of T_k-n and T_c decreased with increasing number of spacer units and showed a clear odd-even effect. T_g and T_k-n both increased with pressure. The pressure dependence of T_c could not be observed due to the onset of degradation in the same temperature region. On isobaric cooling at 3°C/min, the crystallization from the nematic state occurred a few tens of degrees below T_k-n. This supercooling was independent of pressure for some materials, while for others it increased with increasing pressure. The values of the enthalpy and entropy associated with the first-order transition into the nematic state were lower than those of typical isotropic polymers at their melting transitions. The transition enthalpy did not have any systematic variation with increasing number of spacer units. Values of the transition enthalpy calculated from the Ciapeyron equation did not always agree with the values measured by DSC. This may be due to the two-phase nature of the low-temperature state. At the transition to the isotropic state, the transition enthalpy at P = 0 decreased with n and showed an odd-even effect. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.