Phosphorescence studies of relaxation effects in bulk polymers. I. Depolarization measurements of segmental relaxation in poly(methyl acrylate)

This paper reports the first measurements of macromolecular segmental relaxation times by phosphorescence depolarization. Steady-state phosphorescence polarization experiments were performed on samples of poly(methyl acrylate) incorporating 0.5 wt % copolymerized acenaphthylene or 1-vinyl naphthalene as phosphorescent probes over the temperature range 77 to 310°K. Depolarization of phosphorescence occurs with the onset of segmental motion of the polymer at ca. 278°K. Motion of either probe is characterized by an activation energy of 195 (±5) kJ mole^?1, which is in fair agreement with the mean value of 230 kJ mole^?1 estimated for the segmental relaxation of poly(methyl acrylate) by dielectric and mechanical relaxation techniques. Transient depolarization measurements confirm the absence of probe motion below the glass transition temperature. Phosphorescence intensity and triplet state lifetime data are capable of detection of a second transition in the polymer in accord with observations using more conventional techniques.     

A dielectric study of chain motions in poly(vinyl methyl ether)

The dielectric permittivity and loss of poly(vinyl methyl ether) (mol. wt. 30,000) have been measured from 12 Hz to 100 kHz at temperatures from 77 K to 320 K. Two relaxation processes, γ and β, are observed at T < T_g (245 K), and one above T_g. The Arrhenius plots of the γ and β processes have activation energies of 20 and 41 kJ mole^?1 respectively. The relaxation rate of the α process is described by the Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman equation or the William-Landel-Ferry equation. The relaxation rates of γ and β processes evaluated from the isochrones differ from those evaluated from the isothermal spectrum. The features of chain motions observed are similar to those in other polymer and rigid molecular glasses.     

Composite spectral density functions for the interpretation of the 13C NMR relaxation behavior of polymers containing hydrocarbon side chains. Free and restricted side chain motion

¹³C NMR NT₁ and NOE have been calculated by using composite spectral density functions describing polymer chain segmental motion and internal rotation of a hydrocarbon side chain attached to the polymer backbone. Numerical results at two magnetic fields are presented as a function of the various motional parameters characterizing the various models. NT₁ and NOE relaxation parameters are well behaved and appear to have practical value for describing the dynamics of these systems. The models have been applied to the relaxation data of poly(n-butyl methacrylate) and poly(n-hexyl methacrylate) in toluene solutions. The dynamics of the two polymers are characterized by a very localized backbone motion and restricted internal rotation about successive C? C bonds of the side chains. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Molecular motions of tactic poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) in solutions studied by 13C-NMR relaxation measurement

The spin-lattice relaxation time and the nuclear Overhauser enhancement were measured using Bruker AM 300 spectrometer operating at 75.5 MHz for ¹³C to investigate the molecular motional characteristics and its tacticity effect for tactic poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) as a function of temperature in dimethyl sulfoxide and methanol solvents. The observed relaxation data have been analyzed for both backbone motion and methyl internal rotation according to the log-χ² distribution model and the diamond-lattice model. The correlation times thus obtained for the molecular motions show that isotactic PHEMA is more flexible than syndiotactic counterpart. The syndiotactic PHEMA seems to have intramolecular hydrogen bonding which restricts the motion of C-2 carbon at temperatures below 35°C, whereas the isotactic one indicated no hydrogen bonding at all temperatures examined in this study. The methyl group of isotactic PHEMA shows a greater degree of freedom for the internal rotation than that of syndiotactic one. From the temperature dependence of correlation times, the activation energies for both backbone segmental motion and methyl internal rotation are obtained. The activation energies, 20 kJ/mol for backbone motion and 19 kJ/mol for methyl internal rotation, for isotactic PHEMA are substantially lower than the corresponding activation energies of 30 and 32 kJ/mol obtained for syndiotactic one. An examination of these energies indicates that methyl side group and backbone motions in tactic PHEMA are linked together.     

Vinyl polymerization. 364. Polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated with benzaldehyde

Benzaldehyde (PhCHO) is found to be able to initiate the radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA). The rate of polymerization is expressed by the following equation: R_p = const[PhCHO]^0.5[MMA]^1.5. The overall activation energy is estimated to be 56.3 kJ mole^?1. The mechanism of polymerization is discussed.     

Electron spin resonance studies of spin-labelled polymers—I segmental relaxation of polystyrene in solution

From an analysis of the widths of the hyperfine lines in the ESR spectrum of a nitroxidelabelled polystyrene in toluene solution, the correlation times for rotational diffusion at three temperatures have been measured. The values agree well with published data from NMR studies of polystyrene in solution. The value of the activation energy for the relaxation process, 4·3 kcal. mole⁻¹, is close to published values for dielectric relaxation of para-substituted polystyrenes. These comparisons provide strong evidence for associating the ESR correlation times with some form of segmental motion of the polymer backbone.     

Proton magnetic resonance investigation of solid polyamino acids

A proton magnetic resonance and relaxation investigation has been carried out on solid poly-L-alanine, poly-L-leucine, poly-L-valine and polyglycine, between 110 and 350 K. For the first three the relaxation is attributed to methyl group reorientation characterized by activation energies of 7 to 9 kJ mole^?1. Significant non-exponential recovery of magnetization was encountered and ascribed to correlated motion of three-spin systems. Relaxation in polyglycine was two orders of magnitude longer.     

Comparative study of the mechanical relaxation behavior of polymethacrylates containing different bulky side groups

The syntheses of poly(1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl methacrylate), poly(cis‐2‐phenyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl methacrylate), poly(trans‐2‐phenyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl methacrylate), poly(cis‐2‐cyclohexyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl methacrylate), and poly(trans‐2‐cyclohexyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl methacrylate) are reported. The mechanical relaxation spectrum of the simplest polymer, poly(1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl methacrylate), exhibits a prominent β relaxation centered at ?98 °C, at 1 Hz, followed in increasing order of temperature by an ostensible glass–rubber relaxation process. In addition to the β relaxation, the loss curves of poly(trans‐2‐phenyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl methacrylate) and poly(trans‐2‐cyclohexyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl methacrylate) display in the glassy state a high activation energy relaxation, named the β* process, that seems to be a precursor of the glass–rubber relaxation of these polymers. The mechanical spectra of poly(trans‐2‐cyclohexyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl methacrylate) and poly(cis‐2‐cyclohexyl‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl methacrylate) exhibit a low activation energy process in the low‐temperature side of the spectra, which is absent in the other polymers. The molecular origin of the mechanical activity of these polymers in the glassy state is discussed in qualitative terms. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 1154–1162, 2002     

Electron spin resonance studies of spin-labelled polymers—VIII: Relaxation processes in low density polyethylene

Low density polyethylene was spin-labelled with an oxazolidine-N-oxyl group. Correlation times for the motion of the label were calculated both in the slow-motion region and in the motionally-narrowed region. In the latter situation, the central line shape was successfully simulated. A correlation map revealed the α- and β-relaxation processes in solid polyethylene, with activation energies of 48 and 28 kJ mol^?1, respectively. The segmental reorientation processes of polyethylene in the melt and in solution had activation energies of 15·2 and 22·9 kJ mol^?1, respectively. Taking into account the effect of viscous drag of the solvent, the two activation energies were almost the same suggesting that the same relaxation process occurs in the bulk molten polymer and in the isolated molecule. The model compound 2,2′,5,5′-tetramethyl-3-oxazolidinyloxy was synthesized and used as a spin-probe in the polymer. The spin-probe experiments gave a transition temperature attributed to the γ-relaxation.     

A study of molecular motion in solid cyclopropane and cyclopropane clathrate deuterate by nuclear magnetic resonance absorption and relaxation methods

Proton magnetic resonance absorption and spin-lattice relaxation measurements have been carried out for cyclopropane clathrate deuterate from 77 to 290 K together with spin—lattice relaxation measurements on solid cyclopropane from 90 to 146 K. The absorption measurement for the type I structure deuterate indicates the presence of an isotropic rotation of the cyclopropane molecule from about 230 K, while in the type II structure deuterate isotropic rotation of the enclathrated cyclopropane is present over all of the range of stability of the clathrate (~250 to 278 K). The spin-lattice relaxation measurements give an activation energy of 0.83 ± 0.03 kcal mole^?1 for the barrier to reorientation (not assigned) of the cyclopropane molecules inside the clathrate deuterate cavities. In solid cyclopropane the barrier associated with the threefold axis rotation is found to be 4.8 ± 0.2 kcal mole^?1.     

Studies on Polymerization of Vinyl Compounds Initiated by Metal Chelate III. Accelerating Effect of Aniline on the Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate Initiated by Nickel Chelate of β-Diketone

Aniline markedly accelerated polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by metal chelates of β-diketones. The kinetic studies of the polymerizaion of methyl methacrylate initiated by Ni (II) acetyl acetonate in the presence of aniline yielded R_p=[I]^0.55 [A]^0.66 [M]^1.87. The polymerization was of free radical in character. The accelerating effect of aniline was attributed to its reduction activation of the chelate. The activation energy for the overall polymerization was 21.3Kcal/mole, which yielded 33.4Kcal/mole for the activation energy for the initiation.     

Effect of sub-Tg relaxations on chromophore reorientation in corona-poled polymers

Activation volumes for chromophore reorientation were measured for a series of guest–host polymeric materials, indicating a significant coupling between chromophore motion and the glassy α and β relaxation dynamics of the polymer host. The specific systems studied were formed by individually dissolving N,N-dimethyl-p-nitroaniline (DpNA), 4-(dimethylamino)-4′-nitrotolane (DMANT), 4-(diethylamino)-4′-nitrotolane (DEANT), and 1-((4-(dimethylamino)phenyl)ethynyl)-4-((4-nitrophenyl)ethynyl)benzene (DMAPEANT) in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA), and poly(isobutyl methacrylate) (PiBMA). In each of these systems, the isothermal, sub-T_g decay of the second-order optical susceptibility χ⁽²⁾ was monitored as a function of pressure using second harmonic generation. In each system, the observed decay of χ⁽²⁾ was represented by a stretched exponential equation from which the decay time τ₀ and decay distribution width β_KWW were determined. For each dopant molecule, the decrease in activation volume with the increasing size of the polymer host's alkyl side group and the pressure dependence of β_KWW were indicative of partial coupling between chromophore rotation and the glassy β relaxation dynamics of the polymer host. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 1013–1024, 1998     

Study of the side-chain relaxation of methacrylate homopolymers and copolymers by the dielectric method

Dielectric constant and dielectric loss of copolymers of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with n-butyl methacrylate (nBMA) and isobutyl methacrylate (iBMA) have been measured in the frequency range 30 cps to 1 Mcps at temperatures from 70°K to 370°K. Results lead, together with those of previously published investigations on copolymers of MMA, to the following conclusions. (1) The loss-peak temperature attributed to side-chain relaxation (β peak) of PMMA varies with the comonomer ratio when the comonomer does not have an α-methyl group, but remains almost unchanged for comonomers having an α-methyl group. (2) In both cases, the β peak height of PMMA decreases with increasing ratio of comonomer B and completely vanishes for poly-B, and the loss peak temperature plotted against the fraction of B does not extrapolate to the β peak of poly-B. It is suggested on the basis of the above facts that the moving unit in the side-chain relaxation consists of a single side chain with a segment of the backbone chain and that the change in mobility of the side chain upon copolymerization results from the distortion of the helical structure of the backbone chain due to random distribution of α-methyl groups. Dielectric studies of the low-temperature side-chain relaxation (β₂ peak) in PnBMA, poly(n-octyl methacrylate), and poly(n-dodecyl methacrylate) (130°K at 1 kcps) have been made and an interpretation is offered for the molecular nature of this relaxation.     

Enthalpy relaxation in a partially cured epoxy resin

The enthalpy relaxation of a partially cured (70%) epoxy resin, derived from diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A cured by methyl-tetrahydrophthalic anhydride with accelerator, has been investigated. The key parameters of the structural relaxation (the apparent activation energy Δh*, the nonlinearity parameter x, and the nonexponentiality parameter β) are compared with those of the fully cured epoxy resin. The aging rates, characterized by the dependences of the enthalpy loss and peak temperature on log(annealing time), are greater in the partially cured epoxy than they are in the fully cured resin at an equivalent aging temperature (T_a = T_g − 20°C). There is a significant reduction in Δh*, from 1100 kJ mol⁻¹ for the fully cured system to 615 kJ mol⁻¹, as the degree of cure is reduced. The parameter x determined by the peak-shift method appears essentially independent of the degree of cure (x = 0.41 ± 0.03 for the partially cured resin compared with 0.42 ± 0.03 obtained previously for the fully cured resin), and does not follow the usually observed correlation of increasing x as Δh* decreases. This invariability of the parameter x seems to indicate that it is determined essentially by the local chemical structure of the backbone chain, and rather little by the supramolecular structure. On the other hand, the estimated nonexponentiality parameter β lies between 0.3 and 0.456, which is significantly lower than in the fully cured epoxy (β ≅ 0.5), indicative of a broadening of the distribution of relaxation times as the degree of cross-linking is reduced. Like the parameter x, this also does not follow the usual correlation with Δh*. These results are discussed in the framework of strong and fragile behavior of glass-forming systems, but it is difficult to reconcile these results in any simple way with the concept of strength and fragility. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Nuclear magnetic relaxation in aqueous solutions of vinylpyrrolidone and polyvinylpyrrolidone

Deuteron magnetic spin-lattice relaxation times have been measured in D₂O solutions of vinylpyrrolidone and polyvinylpyrrolidone as a function of concentration and temperature. For the monomer the results are interpreted in terms of a hydrophobic hydrations effect in which 42 D₂O molecules per solute molecule have a correlation time of 3.2 psec at 298°K. Application of the transition state theory to the temperature dependence gave H^*=21 kJ mole^–1 for the relaxation process. In the case of the polymer it is argued that a hydrophilic hydration effect dominates the observed relaxation. These activation enthalpy at 298°K is 24 kJ-mole^–1. Assuming a hydration number of one D₂O per polymer unit, the correlation time for the bound water is 77 psec at 298°K. Polymer proton spin-lattice relaxation times were measured as a function of frequency, and the results are analyzed in terms of a log normal distribution of correlation times. The median value at 296°K is 1.2 nsec.     

Kinetics of the dissociation and cis-trans isomerization of o,o'-azodioxytoluene (dimeric o-nitrosotoluene)

The dimer-monomer reactions were investigated for the system cis and transo,o'-azodioxytoluene-o-nitrosotoluene in acetonitrile solvent. For the reaction cis dimer-monomer the following thermodynamic and activation parameters have been derived: ΔH°=58.5±2.5 kJ mole^?1, ΔS°=206.2±3.8 J mole^?1 K^?1, ΔH^≠=63.6±3.3 kJ mole^?1, ΔS^≠=6.3±0.3 J mole^?1 K^?1. The corresponding values for the reaction trans dimer-monomer are: ΔH°=45.6±2.1 kJ mole^?1, ΔS°=162.7±7.1 J mole^?1 K^?1, ΔH^≠=80.8±2.9 kj mole^?1, ΔS^≠=-13.4±0.8 mole^?1 K^?1. There is no evidence of a direct cis-trans isomerization (i.e. a reaction not proceeding via the monomer). NMR and various perturbation techniques monitoring the visible absorption of the monomer were employed.     

Dielectric relaxation of ball-like labels in polyisoprene

Ball-like molecules with strong dipoles (labels) were mixed with synthetic polyisoprene (IR305) in low concentrations (<1%) and measured dielectrically in the frequency range 10^–2–10⁷ Hz and the temperature range –70–0°C (glass relaxation region). Calorimetric measurements showed that this type of label has a plasticizing effect on the polymeric matrix. The dielectric measurements showed that these ball-like molecules relax through cooperative rotations with the polymeric segments and at the same relaxation frequency. In addition, the label molecules showed a high-frequency local relaxation process. The relaxation strength ratio of the local process (X _local) to the total relaxation strength of the label was found to be dependent on the volume as well as on the shape of the label. A comparison between the relaxation behaviors of the ball-and rod-like molecules, having the same volume, showed that the length of the label is also an important parameter for the determination of the local contribution as well as of the cooperative relaxation mechanism of the label. The label relaxation process is discussed in relation to the molecular packing of the host polymer.     

Solid-state relaxations in poly(ethylene oxide). II. Study using the spin-labeling technique

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was spin-labeled with 3-chlorocarbonyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrroline-1-oxyl. Correlation times were calculated from 173 to 375°K. For estimating slow-motion rotational correlation times three models were used: Brownian diffusion, “moderate jump” diffusion, and “large jump” diffusion. Analysis of the changes in the extrema separation and spectra shape with temperature strongly suggests the presence of β and γ processes in solid poly(ethylene oxide). The Brownian diffusion model gives, for the γ relaxation, an activation energy of 8 kcal mole^?1 which is in good agreement with that found using dielectric relaxation measurements.