VISCOMETRIC STUDY OF POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE) AND POLYSTYRENE BLENDS IN DIFFERENT SOLVENTS

The intermolecular interaction between poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene (PS) intetrahydrofuran (THF) and N,N'-dimethyl formamide (DMF) solvents was studied at 28℃ using a dilute solution viscometrymethod. Solvent is believed to play a key role in characterizing the viscosity behavior of the polymer solution. The intrinsicviscosity and viscosity interaction parameter were experimentally measured for the binary (solvent/polymer) and for theternary systems in two solvents. The compatibility of the polymer mixture was discussed in terms of the sign of △b_m. Theresults show that the compatibility of PMMA/PS blend in DMF is larger than that in THF.     

Conformational changes of a polyelectrolyte in mixtures of water and acetone

Samples of a polyelectrolyte poly(methacryloylethyl trimethylammonium methylsulfate), PMETMMS, with molar masses M_w = 22−25 × 10⁶ were examined with viscosity, static light scattering, and conductivity measurements in a water–acetone solvent. Because acetone is a nonsolvent for this polymer the measurements were performed to determine the influence of the solvent composition, the polymer concentration, and the presence of added ions on the conformation of the polyelectrolyte in mixed solvents. The possible influence of a hydrodynamic field on the polymer conformation was also studied. The viscosity of the polymer solutions as a function of polymer concentration, as well as of the solvent composition, was studied using a broad range of shear rates. When the mass fraction of acetone in the solvent, γ, is below 0.5, the solutions show a usual polyelectrolyte behavior. When γ ≥ 0.80, the polymer adopts a compact conformation. This is observed as a decrease of the radius of gyration, R_g, second virial coefficient, A₂, the viscosity, and also as a change in the conductivity of the solution. The change in the polymer conformation may be induced also by dilution. When 0.60 ≤ γ < 0.80, a gradual decrease in the polymer concentration leads to a sudden decrease of the reduced viscosity, which indicates a decrease in the particle size. The values of M_w measured by static light scattering were constant in all experiments. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 1107–1114, 1998     

Condensation and structure of silicic acid in tetrahydrofuran

Silicic acid (SA) was extracted with THF from aqueous sodium metasilicate (SMS) solutions neutralized with hydrochloric acid, followed by silylation to give silylated SA from which the condensation and structure of SA in tetrahydrofuran (THF) were investigated. The degree of extraction markedly depends on SA and HCl concentrations. The condensation of 0.86 and 3.5 mol/L SA-THF solutions was followed by measuring the viscosity of the solutions at 0 and 20°C. The silylated SA was isolated as a distillate (LS) and a residue (HS) with low and high M?_ns (ca. 1300 and 3800) by vacuum distillation. The ratio of LS against HS decreased as a SA concentration in THF increased. In an aqueous solution, SA exists as lower molecular weight SAs compared with those in THF. SAs such as monomer, dimer, cyclic tri- and tetramer were the main components in a 0.1 mol/L aqueous solution. On the extraction with THF from an aqueous solution, SA was found to undergo condensations to form more polymerized SAs. From the THF solutions of SA concentration above 0.5 mol/L, the HS was obtained as a main component (73%) which was expected to have ladder-like structures. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis,structural characterization,and olefin polymerization behavior of vanadium(III) complexes bearing bidentate phenoxy‐phosphine ligands

Vanadium(III) complexes bearing phenoxy‐phosphine ligands ( 2a–g ) (2‐R₁‐4‐R₂‐6‐PPh₂‐C₆H₂O)VCl₂(THF)₂ ( 2a : R₁ = R₂ = H; 2b : R₁ = F, R₂ = H; 2c : R₁ = Ph, R₂ = H; 2d : R₁ = tBu, R₂ = H; 2e : R₁ = R₂ = Me; 2f : R₁ = R₂ = tBu; 2g : R₁ = R₂ = CMe₂Ph) were prepared from VCl₃(THF)₃ by treating with 1.0 equiv of the ligand in tetrahydrofuran (THF) in the presence of excess triethylamine (TEA). The reaction of VCl₃(THF)₃ with 2.0 equiv of the ligand in THF in the presence of excess TEA afforded vanadium(III) complexes bearing two phenoxy‐phosphine ligands ( 3c–f ). These complexes were characterized by FTIR and mass spectrum as well as elemental analyses. Structures of 2f and 3c were further confirmed by X‐ray crystallographic analyses. Complexes 2a–g and 3c–f were employed as the catalysts for ethylene polymerization under various reaction conditions. On activation with Et₂AlCl, these complexes exhibited high catalytic activities (up to 41.3 kg PE/mmol_V·h·bar) even at high temperature (70°C), and produced high molecular weight polymer with unimodal molecular weight distributions, indicating the polymerization took place in a single‐site nature. Complexes 3c–f displayed better thermal stability than the corresponding complexes 2a–g under similar conditions. In addition, copolymerizations of ethylene and 1‐hexene with precatalysts 2a–g were also explored in the presence of Et₂AlCl. Catalytic activity, comonomer incorporation, and properties of the resultant polymers can be controlled over a wide range by tuning catalyst structures and reaction parameters.© 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Solution characterization of the novel organometallic polymer poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane)

A series of four well‐defined poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane) (PFS) samples spanning a molecular weight range of approximately 10,000–100,000 g mol⁻¹ was synthesized by the living anionic polymerization of dimethyl[1]silaferrocenophane initiated with n‐BuLi. The polymers possessed narrow polydispersities and were used to characterize the solution behavior of PFS in tetrahydrofuran (THF). The weight‐average molecular weights (M_w ) of the polymers were determined by low‐angle laser light scattering (LALLS), conventional gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and GPC equipped with a triple detector (refractive index, light scattering, and viscosity). The molecular weight calculated by conventional GPC, with polystyrene standards, underestimated the true value in comparison with LALLS and GPC with the triple detection system. The Mark–Houwink parameter a for PFS in THF was 0.62 (k = 2.5 × 10⁻⁴), which is indicative of fairly marginal polymer–solvent interactions. The scaling exponent between the radius of gyration and M_w was 0.54, also consistent with marginal polymer–solvent interactions for PFS in THF. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 3032–3041, 2000     

Solution properties of NR/PU block copolymers by size‐exclusion chromatography and viscometry

Soluble block copolymers based on natural rubber and polyurethane oligomers derived from 1,3 butane diol and toluene diisocyanate were synthesized for the first time. The dilute solution properties of these block copolymers dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (THF) were studied by viscometry and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The Mark–Houwink constants K and a of the block copolymer system were determined by the molecular weight data from GPC combined with the viscosity data. Both the values were found to be in the range usually given by flexible elastomers. The intrinsic viscosity values were found to decrease successively with a decrease in the NCO/OH ratio from 1.12 to 1.05. The unperturbed chain parameters, K_θ and B were determined from the viscosity data. The K_θ calculated was used to get the unperturbed end‐to‐end distance and radius of gyration of the block copolymer systems in THF. The viscosity data were also used to study the chain conformation in dilute solutions. It was found that the molecules adopt a compressed core and shell conformation in which the higher molecular weight component, NR, forms the shell, which compresses the PU core. All the block copolymers assume a compressed segregated core and shell model which changes to a partially segregated core and shell conformation, or partially Gaussian conformation, at the transition temperature located at 70 °C. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2104–2111, 2006     

Flow properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) solutions

Viscosity and normal stress behavior were measured for poly(methyl methacrylate) samples of various average molecular weights in diethyl phthalate solution at 30 and 60°C. All samples conformed approximately to the most probable distriution (M?_w/M?_n = 2). Concentrations ranged from 0.113 to 0.38 g/ml, and M?_w from 53,800 to 1,620,000. Despite considerable evidence in the literature of unusual linear viscoelastic behavior for this polymer, its nonlinear properties appear to be rather conventional. The viscosity–shear rate master curve was similar to that found earlier for concentrated solutions of polystyrene and poly(vinyl acetate) of comparable molecular-weight distribution. The viscosity time constant τ_o parallels τ_R, the characteristic time of the Rouse model, although the residual dependence of τ_o/τ_R on concentration and molecular weight appears to be slightly different from that for polystyrene and poly(vinyl acetate). Similar conclusions apply to the recoverable compliance J_e,^o estimated from the normal stress behavior of each solution, and its relationship to the Rouse model compliance J_R.     

Viscosity enhancement of complexed solutions formed through the complexation of nonionic water‐soluble polymers with chemically complementary structures in aqueous media

The intermacromolecular complexation of polymers with chemically complementary structures in aqueous media is a new approach to modifying polymer solutions, especially to enhance solution viscosity. In this study, complexed solutions formed through the hydrogen‐bonding complexation of several nonionic water‐soluble polymer pairs—poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) with polyacrylamide (PAM), PAM with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), PAA with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and PEO with PVA—were prepared, and the viscosity enhancement of the complexed solutions were studied with vision spectrophotometry and viscometry. The effects of the polymer concentration, polymer molecular weight, and pH value of the polymer solution on the intermacromolecular interactions were investigated through a comparison of the viscosity enhancement factor R of different complexed solutions. The results show that the viscosity of the PAA/PAM complexed solution is much higher than that of its constituents, whereas that of the PAM/PEO and the PAA/PVA complexed solutions are between the viscosities of their constituents but are higher than the theory values calculated from the blending rule of two polymer solutions. These results indicate that in the complexed solutions there exist interactions between the macromolecules with chemically complementary structures, although the interactions are quite different for the different complexed systems. It is the interactions that lead to an association of the polymers and, hence, an obvious enhancement in the solution viscosity and the resistance of the polymer solutions to shearing. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1069–1077, 2000     

Graft copolymerization of styrene on rubber containing halogen by chromous acetate

Graft copolymerization of styrene on rubber containing chlorine, e.g., chloroprene rubber (CR) and chlorosulfonated polyethylene (Hypalon), with chromous acetate (Cr²⁺) was carried out in DMF–THF mixed solvent at 50°C. From the kinetic study, the normal kinetic orders with respect to the concentration of initiator and monomer were obtained at low concentrations of CR, but the deviation from conventional first-order to second-order kinetics with respect to the monomer concentration was observed at high CR concentrations: R_p ∝ [CR]^1/2 [Cr₂₊]^1/2[styrene]¹ (at low CR concentration); R_p ∝ [CR]^1/2 [Cr₂₊]^1/2[styrene]¹ (at high CR concentration). This result was explained in terms of the high viscosity of the reaction medium due to the rubber contained in solution. An initiation site along the polymer chain was assumed from the graft copolymerization with three kinds of CR having different microstructures. The results of fractionation of obtained polymer showed that the graft efficiency was high but a large amount of gel was formed.     

Rheological properties of ionic and nonionic polyacrylamide solutions

Non-Newtonian shear viscosities were measured over six decades of strain rate k for 13 solutions of both the ionic and nonionic forms of polyacrylamide. By using the Weissenberg rheogoniometer with both the cone-and-plate and the parallel-plate attachments, the normal stress functions σ₁ (k²) and σ₂(k²) were obtained for four of the solutions. From the measurements of the shear viscosity and the normal stresses at low rates of strain, characteristic times τ and τ_N, respectively, were determined for each solution. The quantity τ was then used to nondimensionalize the strain rate τk, and when plotted versus the reduced shear viscosity, found successfully to correlate the experimental data for all the polyelectrolyte solutions over the entire range of τk and the data for the concentrated solutions of the nonionic polymer over a smaller range of τk. However, in order to correlate the normal stress data for the polyelectrolyte solutions, a second reduced strain rate (τ_Nk) was used. Thus, two different times were required to correlate all the observed data. The shear viscosity data for the dilute solutions of the nonionic polymer were well represented by the two-parameter, non-Newtonian intrinsic viscosity function that has been computed by Fixman.     

“Experimentation and modeling for the apparent elongation viscosity of polymer melts with the White–Metzner model”

The measurement of the apparent elongation viscosity (η_e) of several polyolefin melts was conducted in this study by using the isothermal fiber‐spinning method. The White–Metzner (W–M) model was used to analyze the spinning flow of the polymer melts and, thus, the elongation viscosity was predicted at elongation strain rates ranging from 0 to approximately 5 s^?1. The values of the model parameters required in the W–M model were obtained by curve fitting the experimental data obtained from the shear measurements. The elongation viscosity predicted using the W–M model was in good agreement with the experimental results of fiber spinning. In addition, η_e could also be estimated directly from the measured shear viscosity (η_S) with a formulation using the W–M model; the subsequently obtained elongation viscosity and Trouton ratio (T_R) were reasonable within a wide range of strain rates. Based on the experimental and theoretical results, the polyolefin with a high molecular weight was observed to have high elongation viscosity, and the polymer with a broad molecular weight distribution also possessed high η_e. The T_R value of the commercial polypropylene (PP‐1040) began to increase from 3 at a deformation rate of 0.1 s^?1 and grew up asymptotically to 10, whereas the T_R of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE‐606) remained nearly at 3 within the entire range of strain rates. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Viscosity behavior of polyelectrolyte copolymers containing sulfonate groups in mixed organic solvents

Copolymerization of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS, monomer 1) with 2-hydropropyl methacrylate (HPM, monomer 2) was conducted in ethylene glycol/water (1 : 1 in weight) at 70°C. The reactivity ratios estimated from the copolymer composition at low conversion are r₁ = 2.31 ± 0.25 and r₂ = 11.70 ± 1.05. The azeotropic composition was found at the monomer mole ratio AMPS/HPM equal to 8/2. Viscosity of these copolymers was measured in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and DMSO/tetrahydrofuran (THF) mixed solvent at 25 ± 0.05°C. Polyelectrolyte behavior was observed for all the copolymers, even in the mixed solvent containing 65 wt % of THF. The reduced viscosity at constant polymer concentration decreased with increasing THF content in the mixed solvent. The copolymers having AMPS repeat units more than 42 mol % precipitated in the mixed solvent when the THF was beyond 68 wt %. The viscosity reduction and precipitation in the copolymer solutions with increasing THF can be attributed to the dipole–dipole attraction between ion-pairs formed in less-polar medium. This is helpful in understanding the volume phase transition in highly charged hydrogels caused by mixing solvents. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 1433–1438, 1997     

The hard-sphere model for linear and regular star polybutadienes

The dilute solution properties of linear, 18-arm, and 270-arm star polybutadienes have been studied in a theta solvent and in a good solvent. Values of the radius of gyration R_G, the second virial coefficient A₂, the intrinsic viscosity [η], and the diffusion coefficient D₀ have been measured for each polymer. The ratios R_T/R_G, R_V/R_G, and R_H/R_G for each type of polymer are used to compare the four dilute solution properties. R_T is termed the “thermodynamic radius.” It is the radius of the hard sphere with the same excluded volume as the polymer coil. R_T is calculated from A₂ by R_T = (3A₂M₂/16ηN_A)^1/3. R_V and R_H are equivalent hard spheres defined for the intrinsic viscosity and translational diffusion coefficient, respectively. R_T/R_G, R_V/R_G, and R_H/R_G increase from about 0.7 for linear polymer coils as the number of arms in the star increases. Values of the ratios for the 18-arm stars are less than the value for the hard-sphere, but the values of the ratios of the 270-arm stars are equal to the hard-sphere limit within experimental error.     

Rheological Behavior and Scattering Studies of Acrylamide-Based Copolymer Solutions

Summary: In this paper the chemical structure of an acrylamide-N,N-dihexylacrylamide copolymer was established by IR and NMR. Static and dynamic light scattering in formamide were used in order to evaluate the polymer structural parameters, such as weight-average molecular weight (M_w), second virial coefficient (A₂), radius of gyration (R_G), the form factor P(q) and the hydrodynamic radius (R_H). Additionally to the classical characterization, those results indicated the presence of aggregation, showing that formamide is not a very good solvent, as stated in earlier investigations. The rheological behavior in aqueous solutions was evaluated as a function of the salt concentration. The solutions presented an important viscosity increase in the presence of NaCl and did not show any sensitivity to the presence of CaCl₂. This result is in favor of the oil recovery especially in high salinity reservoirs.     

Conformational behavior of nylon 6 in mixed solvents

The intrinsic viscosity [η], Huggins constant (K_H), laser light scattering, UV and IR measurements of Nylon 6 are made in m‐cresol and its mixture with 1,4‐dioxane at 20–60 °C. The intrinsic viscosity, R_g, A₂, (<S>²)^1/2 (calculated from viscosity data), R_H, and UV absorbance initially increase and then decrease with the rise in 1,4‐dioxane contents. The K_H and the transmittance of ? OH group in IR spectra show an opposite trend to that of [η]. The dielectric constant calculated from the refractive index of the solvent (m‐cresol with 1,4‐dioxane) and polymer solution shows a continuous decrease with the amount of 1,4‐dioxane. Activation energy shows a minimum while linear expansion coefficient (α³) maximum with the addition of 1,4‐dioxane. Change in [η], K_H, and other characteristics of the polymer solutions with alterations in solvent composition and temperature are the result of variation in the thermodynamic quality of the solvent, its selective adsorption, hydrogen bonding, and conformational transitions. It has been concluded that the addition of 1,4‐dioxane first enhances the quality of the solvent, encourages hydrogen bonding, and specific adsorption, and then deteriorates, bringing conformational transitions in the polymer molecules. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 534–541, 2005     

Tricarbonylchromium-complexed phenylsiloxane polymers as stereoselective hydrogenation catalysts: Preparation and properties

Soluble tricarbonylchromium complexes were made by reacting Cr(CO)₆ with a ladder polyphenylsilsesquioxane and a linear polydiphenylsiloxane. These new polymer Cr(CO)₃ complexes were characterized by elemental Cr, infrared (IR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), viscosity, and thermal analyses and were evaluated as stereoselective hydrogenation catalysts. Thermogravimetry studies demonstrated that the new complexes were more stable at 180–200°C in N₂ than the corresponding complex from crosslinked polystyrene. These silicone polymer complexes catalyzed stereoselective hydrogenation of methyl sorbate to cis-3-hexenoate in cyclohexane and tetrahydrofuran (THF) and could be recovered from THF for recycling by precipitation-fiItration. Catalytic activity and recyclability, however, were highly influenced by the solvent. Loss of catalytic activity associated with loss of Cr(CO)₃ was observed on recycling. These results support a mechanisim that involves dissociation of Cr(CO)₃, a significant portion of which cannot become reassociated with the polymer phenyl groups.     

Synthesis and X-ray Molecular Structure Analysis of Some Au-Co,Au-Mn,and Hg-Co Bonded Compounds

The reaction of NaCo(CO)_4-x (PR₃) _x (x = 0, 1) with Au(PR₃)Cl was examined in THF. The products were characterized by single crystal X-ray analysis and/or XPS spectroscopy. When the THF solution of NaCo(CO)_4-x (PR₃) _x which was in situ prepared by the reduction of the corresponding cobalt carbonyl dimer with Na amalgam was filtered, the main product was (R₃P)Au-Co(CO)₄ and (R₃P)Au-Co(CO)_4-x (PR₃) _x (x = 1,2); phosphine migration from the Au to the Co site was observed for bulky phosphines during the recrystallization process. When the THF solution of NaCo(CO)_4-x (PR₃) _x was not filtered, the main product had the composition of M[Co(CO)₃(PR₃)]₂. The element M was clearly determined to be Hg by XPS spectroscopy. The reaction of NaMn(CO)₅ with Au(PR₃)Cl, however, afforded R₃PAu-Mn(CO)₅. The bonding parameters such as Au-M and Hg-Co bond-lengths were interpreted in terms of the electronic nature of the R group of the monodentate PR₃ ligand.     

Molecular chain properties of poly (N-isopropyl acrylamide)

A series of poly( N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) samples with molecular weight ranging from 2.23×10~4 to 130×10~4 and molecular weight distribution M_w/M_n≤1.28 were obtained by free radical polymerization and repeat precipitation fractionation. The molecular weight M_w, second virial coefficient A_2 as well as the mean-square-root radius of gyration 〈S~2〉 for PNIPAM samples in tetrahydrofuran (THF) were determined by light scattering, and the relations were estimated at A_2 ∞ M_w~0.25) and 〈S~2〉~(1/2)=1.56×10~(-9) M_w~(0.56). The intrinsic viscosity for THF solution and methanol solution of PNIPAM samples was measured and the Mark-Houwink equations were obtained as [η]=6.90×10~(-5) M~(0/73) (THF solution) and [η]=1.07×10~(-4) M~(0.71) (methanol solution). The above results indicate that both THF and methanol are good solvents for PNIPAM. The limit characteristic ratio C_∞ for PNIPAM in the two solutions was determined to be 10.6 by using Kurata-Stockmayer equation, indicating that the f     

Morphological characteristics of selenium-containing nanostructures based on rigid-chain molecules

Selenium-containing nanostructures of rigid-chain polymers with close molecular masses were studied by flow birefringence (FB) and static and dynamic light scattering at a fixed selenium to polymer mass ratio ν = 0.1 in solution. The group of polymers under study included the cationic polyelectrolyte poly-N,N,N,N-trimethylmethacryloyloxyethylammonium methyl sulfate, anionic polyelectrolyte carboxymethylcellulose, and nonionogen polymer oxyethylcellulose. High-molecular selenium-containing polymer nanostructures were found in all cases. Nanostructures with a maximum molecular mass and the largest number of constituent macromolecules were obtained using oxyethylcellulose. At ν = 0.1 the mean square radii of inertia of the nanostructures were almost independent of the nature of the polymer matrix. The thermodynamic state of the solutions of nanostructures was close to the ideal one in all cases. For the region where stable dispersions formed, the Gibbs energies of macromolecule-selenium nanoparticle interactions were calculated and shown to be almost independent of the nature of the polymer matrix at ν = 0.1. The close mean square radii of inertia R _g^* of the nanostructures, the Gibbs energies of interaction, and the equivalence of the thermodynamic state of the solutions of nanostructures obtained for all polymer matrices at ν = 0.1 suggest that ν = 0.1 corresponds to the ultimate adsorption capacity of selenium nanoparticles; the considerable differences between the molecular masses (for close R _g ^* values), mean densities, and structural conformation parameters ρ* point to different packings of macromolecules in the nanostructures under study.