SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF COPOLYMER OF 2,5-BIS[（4-METHOXYPHENYL）OXYCARBONYL]STYRENE AND STYRENE WITH HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT

The random copolymers of styrene and 2,5-bis[(4-methoxyphenyloxycarbonyl)styrene] (MPCS) with different copolymerization ratio were synthesized by conventional free radical polymerization. The copolymer having high molecular weight was experimentally elucidated using a combination of proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography. The liquid crystalline behavior of the copolymer was studied using differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffractometry and polarized optical microscopy. It was found that the liquid crystalline behavior was dependent on the content of styrene. Experimental results show that the copolymer could turn into a liquid crystalline phase at about 180℃ when the content of styrene was less than 20%. The mechanical properties of the copolymer were also studied. Preliminary results indicate that the tensile strength decreases while the tensile modulus increases as the content of MPCS is increased.     

Synthesis and characterization of H-type amphiphilic liquid crystalline block copolymers by ATRP

H-type amphiphilic liquid crystalline block copolymers containing azobenzene were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization （ATRP）. Macroinitiators prepared by the esterification between poly（ethylene oxide） （PEG） and 2,2-dichloroacetyl chloride were utilized to initiate the polymerization of 6-[4-（4-ethoxyphenylazo）phenoxy]hexyl rnethacrylate （M6C）. The resulting macroinitiators and block copolymers were characterized by ^1H NMR, gel permeation chromatography （GPC）. Polarizing optical microscopy （POM） and differential scanning calorimetry （DSC） preliminarily revealed the liquid crystalline property of these block copolymers. This series of liquid crystalline block copolymers are promising in some areas, such as optical data storage, optical switch, and molecular devices.     

PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF ETHYL-CYANOETHYL CELLULOSE/POLYACRYLIC ACID COMPOSITE FILMS WITH REFLECTION COLORS*

Ethyl-cyanoethyl cellulose [(E-CE)C]/acrylic acid (AA) becomes a cholesteric liquid crystalline solution withvivid colors when the (E-CE)C concentration is 42 wt%～52 wt%. (E-CE)C/polyacrylic acid (PAA) composites withcholesteric structure were prepared by polymerzing AA in (E-CE)C/AA liquid crystalline solutions. The layers of orderedpolymer chains in the cholesteric phase were inclined during polymerization and the degree of the inclination depended onthe polymerization temperature and the concentration of the solution before polymerization. The cholesteric structure in thecomposites could not be changed when temperature was lower than 100℃. Cross-linking of the PAA in compositesimproved their water-resistance. The cholesteric order of the composites without cross-linking was destroyed when theywhere immersed in water. The color derived from the selective reflection of the cholesteric phase of the cross-linkedcomposites turned from blue to red after the composites absorbed water. The color of the composites could be returned to theoriginal one when the absorbed water was removed from the swollen composites.     

阻聚剂对MMA原子转移自由基聚合的影响

Effect of a series of inhibitors as additives on atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with FeCl2/PPh3 as catalyst system was studied, including 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP), 4-methoxyphenol (4-MP), hydroquinone (HQ) and nitrobenzene (NB). It was found that TNP was the only. efficient additive for ATRP among these inhibitors. In the presence of small amounts of TNP, the polymerization proceeded rapidly after induction period to yield the polymers with controlled molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions (MWD). The initiating efficiency of the modified catalyst system with TNP was increased. The mechanism was proposed and confirmed by the end group analysis of the polymer.     

STUDY ON LIQUID CRYSTALLINITY OF POLY(N-VINYLCARBAZOLE)

The liquid crystallinity of poly(N-vinylcarbazole) was studied by using powder X-ray diffraction, polarized opticalmicroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The results show that the lower molecular weight fractions of this polymerdo not form a liquid crystalline phase, while the samples of sufficiently high molecular weight do form a mesophase attemperatures above the glass transition. The lowest value of the degree of polymerization for PVK to form a stable liquidcrystalline phase was found to be in the range of 150 to 200, significantly higher than the value of 50 for most conventionalside chain liquid crystaline polymers.     

Synthesis of Liquid Crystalline Polymers with Side Chains

The present paper covers the synthesis and characterization of several intermediate products, monomer, and polymers. 3-{ 2-[ 4-( 4-Nitrophenylazo ) phenoxy] ethyloxycarbonyl} propanoyloxy (2-hydroxy) propyl acrylate (4) was prepared by the ring-opening reaction of glycidyl acrylate with the monoester of succinic acid (3). The polymers (5) with different molecular weights were prepared by the free-radical polymerization. The polymers (5) had liquid crystalline behavior without decomposition as revealed by DSC, optical microscope.     

Synthesis of a novel centipede-like copolymer of styrene and methyl methacrylate

A well-defined,A2B-type,centipede-like copolymer of styrene and methyl methacrylate(PS-PS-PMMA) was synthesized by the combination of living anionic polymerization and atom transfer radical polym-erization(ATRP) . The synthetic approach involves the coupling reaction of polystyrene(PS) backbone bearing 1,1-diphenylethene(DPE) pendant groups,produced by ATRP and Wittig reaction,with living polystyryllithium(PSLi) ,and subsequent polymerization of the resulting 1,1-diphenylmethyl anions with methy methacrylate. The centipede-like copolymer was characterized by 1H NMR,IR,SEC,SLS,and DSC measurements.     

“LIVING”/CONTROLLED RADICAL POLYMERIZATION OF ETHYL METHYLACRYLATE WITH 2,2’-AZOBISISOBUTYRONITRILE/FERRIC CHLORIDE/TRIPHENYLPHOSPHINE INITIATION SYSTEM

"Living"/controlled radical polymerization of ethyl methacrylate (EMA) was carried out with a 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN)/ferric chloride (FeCl_3)/triphenylphosphine (PPh_3) initiation system at 85℃. Thc numberaverage molecular weight (M_n) increases linearly with monomer conversion and the rate of polymerization is first order withrespect to monomer concentration. The M_w of PEMA ranges from 3900 to 17600 and the polydispersity indices are quitenarrow (1.09～1.22). The conversion can reach up to～100% and M_w of the polymers obtained is close to that designed. Thepolymerization mechanism belongs to the reverse atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The polymer was end-functionalized by chlorine atom, which acts as a macroinitiator to proceed extension polymerization in the presence ofCuBr/bipy catalyst system via an ATRP process. The presence of ω-chlorine in the PEMA obtained was identified by ~1H-NMR spectrum.     

Synthesis of α-Bromine- Terminated Polystyrene Macroinitiator and Its Initiation of MMA Polymerization by ATRP

In the present paper the synthesis of block copolymers via the transformation from living anionic polymerization (LAP) to atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was described. Α-Bromine-terminated polystyrenes(PStBr) in the LAP step was prepared by using n-BuLi as initiator, tetrahydrofuran (THF) as the activator, α-methylstyrene (α-MeSt) as the capping group and liquid bromine (Br2) as the bromating agent. The effects of reaction conditions such as the amounts of α-MeSt, THF, and Br2 as well as molecular weight of polystyrene on the bromating efficiency (BE) and coupling extent (CE) were examined. The present results show that the yield of PStBr obtained was more than 93.8% and the coupling reaction was substantially absent. PStBr was further used as the macroinitiator in the polymerization of methyl-methacrylate(MMA) in the presence of copper(Ⅰ) halogen and 2,2-bipyridine(bpy) complexes. It was found that the molecular weight of the resulted PSt-b-PMMA increased linearly with the increase of the conversion of MMA and the polydispersity was 1.2-1.6. The structures of PStBr and P(St-b-MMA) were characterized by 1H NMR spectra.     

STUDY ON THE BLENDS OF NYLON 66 AND LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYESTERS

Blends of polyamide (Nylon 66) with two different kinds of liquid crystalline polyesters were studied in all the composition range. Homogeneous samples were obtained by coprccipitation from 2 wt%. solution of blends. The thermal properties, crystallinity and morphology of these blends were studied by using DSC, polarizing microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The phase transition and morphology of the blends are markedly-influenced by the composition of liquid crystalline polyesters. The mechanical behaviour of PHB/HNA-Nylon 66 blend was improved. although polyamidc (Nylon 66)with the liquid crystalline polyesters were incompatible, but a rather strong interaction between the polymers did exist.     

Synthesis of novel multi-arm star azobenzene side-chain liquid crystalline copolymers with a hyperbranched core

A series of novel multi-arm star side-chain liquid crystalline (LC) copolymers with hyperbranched core moieties were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using a multi-functional hyperbranched polyether as the initiator and chlorobenzene as the solvent. The multi-functional hyperbranched polyether initiator was prepared from poly(3-ethyl-3-(hydroxymethyl)oxetane) (PEHO) and 2-bromo-2-methylpropionyl bromide. The azobenzene side-chain liquid crystalline arms were designed to have an LC conformation of poly[6-(4-methoxy-4^′-oxy-azobenzene)hexyl methacrylate] with different molecular weights. Their characterization was performed with ¹H NMR, size exclusion chromatograph (SEC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal polarized optical microscopy (POM). The multi-arm star side-chain liquid crystalline copolymers exhibited a smectic and a nematic phase, and the phase transition temperatures from the smectic to the nematic phase and from the nematic to isotropic phase increased with increasing the molecular weight of the multi-arm star side-chain liquid crystalline copolymers from 1.78 × 10⁴ to 9.07 × 10⁴.     

Synthesis and characterization of liquid crystalline side‐chain block copolymers containing luminescent 4,4′‐bis(biphenyl)fluorene pendants

A series of new liquid crystalline homopolymers, copolymers, and block copolymers were polymerized from styrene‐macroinitiator ( SMi ) and methacrylates with pendent 4,4′‐bis(biphenyl)fluorene ( M1 ) and biphenyl‐4‐ylfluorene ( M2 ) groups through atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The number‐average molecular weights (Mn) of polymers P1 ‐ P4 were 10,007, 14,852, 6,275, and 10,463 g mol^?1 with polydispersity indices values of 1.21, 1.15, 1.31, and 1.22, respectively. All polymers exhibit the nematic phase. The thermal, mesogenic, and photoluminescent properties of all polymers were investigated. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 4564–4572, 2007     

Design,synthesis, and characterization of a combined main‐chain/side‐chain liquid crystalline polymer based on mesogen‐jacketed liquid crystal polymer via atom transfer radical polymerization

A novel combined main‐chain/side‐chain liquid crystalline polymer based on mesogen‐jacketed liquid crystal polymers (MJLCPs) containing two biphenyls per mesogenic core of MJLCPs main chain, poly(2,5‐bis{[6‐(4‐butoxy‐4′‐oxy‐biphenyl)hexyl]oxycarbonyl}styrene) (P1–P8) was successfully synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The chemical structure of the monomer was confirmed by elemental analysis, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR. The molecular characterizations of the polymer with different molecular weights (P1–P8) were performed with ¹H NMR, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Their phase transitions and liquid‐crystalline behaviors of the polymers were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized optical microscope (POM). We found that the polymers P1–P8 exhibited similar behavior with three different liquid crystalline phases upon heating to or cooling in addition to isotropic state, which should be related to the complex liquid crystal property of the side‐chain and the main‐chain. Moreover, the transition temperatures of liquid crystalline phases of P1–P8 are found to be dependent on the molecular weight. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 7310–7320, 2008     

AB_2型星形杂臂偶氮液晶聚合物的合成及表征

通过原子转移自由基聚合(ATRP)与ATRP衍生物化学修饰结合的方法,合成了一系列AB2型星形杂臂偶氮液晶聚合物.其中,A为聚苯乙烯,B为聚6-[4-(4′-甲氧基苯基)偶氮苯氧基己酯](PMMAZO).合成分三步进行.首先,以ATRP方法得到ω-溴聚苯乙烯活性链PS(Br).然后对PS(Br)进行化学改性,得到带两个末端溴原子的聚苯乙烯活性链PS(Br)2·最后,以PS(Br)2作为双官能团大分子引发剂,引发6-[4-(4′-甲氧基苯基)偶氮苯氧基]己酯(MMAZO)发生ATRP聚合,得到星形杂臂PS(PMMAZO)2聚合物.进一步对聚合产物进行了GPC和1H-NMR分析.结果表明合成产物是预期的星形杂臂聚合物,产物分子量可控且分子量分布狭窄.同时,以DSC和POM表征了星形杂臂聚合物的液晶性.     

一种含乙氧羰基偶氮苯液晶三嵌段共聚物的合成与表征

利用原子转移自由基聚合(ATRP),合成了一种含有乙氧羰基偶氮苯的液晶三嵌段共聚物,并合成了一种同样偶氮生色团的均聚物进行对比.均聚物(PC6ET)由偶氮单体甲基丙烯酸{6-[4-(4-乙氧羰基苯基偶氮)苯氧基]己酯}(C6ET)的ATRP反应制备.嵌段共聚物的合成,先通过聚环氧乙烷(PEO)和过量的2-溴异丁酰溴、三乙胺反应,得到双端大分子引发剂(Br-PEO-Br);再进一步通过C6ET的ATRP反应,得到了三嵌段共聚物(PC6ET-PEO-PC6ET).热分析、偏光显微镜观察和X射线衍射实验证实,合成的均聚物和嵌段共聚物均为近晶型液晶聚合物.三嵌段共聚物的液晶清亮点比均聚物的稍低.     

Preparation and Characterization of Linear and Miktoarm Star Side-Chain Liquid Crystalline block Copolymers with p-Methoxyazobenzene Moieties via a Combination of ATRP and ROP

One linear and two miktoarm star side-chain liquid crystalline (LC) block copolymers with p-methoxyazobenzene moieties were prepared by a combination of ring-opening polymerization (ROP) and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) techniques. First, ROPs of ε -caprolactone (ε -CL) were carried out catalyzed by Sn(Oct)₂ using three multifunctional initiators, hydroxyethyl 2-bromoisobutyrate (AB type), 3-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methylpropyl 2-bromo-2-methylpropanoate (A₂B type) and 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diyl bis(2-bromo-2-methylpropanoate) (A₂B₂ type), at 110°C in toluene, respectively. Second, the previously obtained poly(ε -caprolactone)s (PCLs) with bromines functionalities were used as the macroinitiators to conduct ATRP of 6-(4-methoxy-4-oxy-azobenzene) hexyl methacrylate (MMAZO) with CuBr/PMDETA as the catalyst systems at 85°C in anisole to prepare the linear and miktoarm side-chain LC block copolymers (PCL-b-PMMAZO, (PCL)₂-(PMMAZO) and (PCL)₂-(PMMAZO)₂). The produced polymers were well-controlled with the controlled molecular weights and the relatively narrow molecular weight distributions (M _w/M _n ≤ 1.35). The structures of the obtained polymers were all characterized by NMR, FT-IR and GPC analysis. Furthermore, the LC properties of the linear and miktoarm star block copolymers were also investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal polarized optical microscopy (POM).     

Synthesis of a novel liquid crystal rod–coil star block copolymer consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly{2,5‐bis[(4‐methoxy‐phenyl)oxycarbonyl] styrene} via atom transfer radical polymerization

A bromine capped star‐shaped poly(methyl methacrylate) (S‐PMMA‐Br) was synthesized with CuBr/sparteine/PT‐Br as a catalyst and initiator to polymerize methyl methacrylate (MMA) according to atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Then, with S‐PMMA‐Br as a macroinitiator, a series of new liquid crystal rod–coil star block copolymers with different molecular weights and low polydispersity were obtained by this method. The block architecture {coil‐conformation of the MMA segment and rigid‐rod conformation of 2,5‐bis[(4‐methoxyphenyl)oxycarbonyl] styrene segment} of the four‐armed rod–coil star block copolymers were characterized by ¹H NMR. The liquid‐crystalline behavior of these copolymers was studied by differential scanning calorimetry and polarized optical microscopy. We found that the liquid‐crystalline behavior depends on the molecular weight of the rigid segment; only the four‐armed rod–coil star block copolymers with each arm's M_n,_GPC of the rigid block beyond 0.91 × 10⁴ g/mol could form liquid‐crystalline phases above the glass‐transition temperature of the rigid block. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 733–741, 2005     

Synthesis and characterization of side‐chain liquid crystalline ABC triblock copolymers with p‐methoxyazobenzene moieties by atom transfer radical polymerization

A series of novel side‐chain liquid crystalline ABC triblock copolymers composed of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), polystyrene (PS), and poly[6‐(4‐methoxy‐4′‐oxy‐azobenzene) hexyl methacrylate] (PMMAZO) were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using CuBr/1,1,4,7,7‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) as a catalyst system. First, the bromine‐terminated diblock copolymer poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐polystyrene (PEO‐PS‐Br) was prepared by the ATRP of styrene initiated with the macro‐initiator PEO‐Br, which was obtained from the esterification of PEO and 2‐bromo‐2‐methylpropionyl bromide. An azobenzene‐containing block of PMMAZO with different molecular weights was then introduced into the diblock copolymer by a second ATRP to synthesize the novel side‐chain liquid crystalline ABC triblock copolymer poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐polystyrene‐block‐poly[6‐(4‐methoxy‐4′‐oxy‐azobenzene) hexyl methacrylate] (PEO‐PS‐PMMAZO). These block copolymers were characterized using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) and gel permeation chromatograph (GPC). Their thermotropic phase behaviors were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized optical microscope (POM). These triblock copolymers exhibited a smectic phase and a nematic phase over a relatively wide temperature range. At the same time, the photoresponsive properties of these triblock copolymers in chloroform solution were preliminarily studied. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 4442–4450, 2008     

Synthesis of liquid crystalline–amorphous block copolymers by the combination of atom transfer and photoinduced radical polymerization mechanisms

The synthesis of ABA‐type block copolymers, involving liquid‐crystalline 6‐(4‐cyanobiphenyl‐4′‐oxy)hexyl acrylate (LC6) and styrene (St) monomer with copper‐based atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and photoinduced radical polymerization (PIRP), was studied. First, photoactive α‐methylol benzoin methyl ether was esterified with 2‐bromopropionyl bromide, and it was subsequently used for ATRP of LC6 in diphenylether in conjunction with CuBr/N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine as a catalyst. The obtained photoactive functional liquid‐crystalline polymer, poly[6‐(4‐cyanobiphenyl‐4′‐oxy)hexyl acrylate] (PLC6), was used as an initiator in PIRP of St. Similarly, photoactive polystyrenes were also synthesized and employed for the block copolymerization of LC6 in the second stage. The spectral, thermal, and optical measurements confirmed a full combination of ATRP and PIRP, which resulted in the formation of ABA‐type block copolymers with very narrow polydispersities. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1892–1903, 2003