Interaction and Scale of Mixing in Cellulose Acetate/Poly(<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-vinyl Pyrrolidone-co-vinyl Acetate) Blends

Binary blends and pseudo complexes of cellulose acetate (CA) with vinyl polymers containing N-vinyl pyrrolidone (VP) units, poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone-co-vinyl acetate) [P(VP-co-VAc)], were prepared, respectively, by casting from mixed polymer solutions in N,N-dimethylformamide as good solvent and by spontaneous co-precipitation from solutions in tetrahydrofuran as comparatively poor solvent. The scale of miscibility and intermolecular interaction were examined for the blends and complexes by solid-state ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy. It was revealed that the formation of complexes was due to a higher frequency of hydrogen-bonding interactions between the residual hydroxyl groups of CA and the carbonyl groups of VP residues in the vinyl polymer component. From measurements of CP/MAS spectra and proton spin-lattice relaxation times (T_1ρ^H) in the NMR study, the existence of the hydrogen-bonding interaction was also confirmed for the miscible blends and the homogeneity of the mixing was estimated to be substantially on a scale within a few nanometers.     

Electrooptics of β-FeOOH Particles in Aqueous Media: 1. Reversing-Pulse Electric Birefringence in the Low Field Region

Reversing-pulse electric birefringence (RPEB) of a nearly monodisperse iron(III) hydroxide oxide sample in the β-form (β-FeOOH) was measured at 25°C and at a wavelength of 633 nm in aqueous media in the presence of NaCl. The concentrations of β-FeOOH and added NaCl varied between 0.00111 and 0.0555 g/L and 0.03 and 2.0 mM, respectively. Except for the suspensions with high salt concentrations, each RPEB signal showed a dip or minimum in the reverse process upon electric field reversal, together with a smooth rise in the buildup and a fall in the decay process. The observed signals were analyzed with a new RPEB theory, which takes into account not only the permanent electric dipole moment (μ) but also the root-mean-square ionic dipole moment (m^21/2) due to the ion fluctuation in ion atmosphere, in addition to the field-induced electronic (covalent) dipole moment Δα′ E. The results showed that the slowly fluctuating moment of m^21/2 is by far the most predominant one for the field orientation of the β-FeOOH particle, though the permanent dipole moment μ may not be completely excluded. The rotational relaxation time of the whole particle was evaluated from the decay signal, while the relaxation time for fluctuating ions was estimated from RPEB signal fitting. The sign of the steady-state birefringence for β-FeOOH suspensions was positive without exception under the present conditions. The birefringence signals in the steady state (δ/d) were proportional to the second power of the applied field strength (E) in the low field region; thus, the Kerr law was verified to hold for β-FeOOH suspensions. The specific Kerr constant was evaluated for each suspension by extrapolating the values of δ/d to zero field (E→0).     

Silylating Agents Grafted onto Silica Derived from Leached Chrysotile

Silica from leached chrysotile fibers (SILO) was silanized with trialkoxyaminosilanes to yield inorganic–organic hybrids designated SILx (x=1–3). The greatest amounts of the immobilized agents were quantified as 2.14, 1.90, and 2.18 mmol g⁻¹ on SIL1, SIL2, and SIL3 for –(CH₂)₃NH₂,–(CH₂)₃NH(CH₂)₂NH₂, and –(CH₂)₃NH(CH₂)₂NH(CH₂)₂NH₂ groups attached to the inorganic support. The infrared spectra for all modified silicas showed the absence of the Si–OH deformation mode, originally found at 950 cm⁻¹, and the appearance of asymmetric and symmetric C–H stretching bands at 2950 and 2840 cm⁻¹. Other important bands associated with the organic moieties were assigned to ν_as(NH) at 3478 and ν_sym(NH) at 3418 cm⁻¹. The NMR spectrum of the solid precursor material suggested two different kinds of silicon atoms: silanol and siloxane groups, between −90 and 110 ppm; however, additional species of silicon that contain the organic moieties bonded to silicon at −58 and −66 ppm appeared after chemical modification. These modified silicas showed a high adsorption capacity for cobalt and copper cations in aqueous solution, in contrast to the original SILO matrix, confirming the unequivocal anchoring of silylating agents on the silica surface.     

High-Resolution Solid-State NMR Characterization of Morphology in Annealed Polylactic Acid

Single-pulse ¹³C NMR spectra and spin-lattice relaxation times T₁(¹H), detected indirectly via ¹³C carbons, and T₁(¹³C) were measured at 31°C for virgin pelletized and annealed polylactic acid (PLA) samples using the magic-angle spinning technique. The structural relaxation resulting in more regular crystals with narrower conformation distribution and increase in the lamellae thickness and crystallinity brought about by annealing at 100°C was deduced from the narrowing of the ¹³C NMR lines and proton spin-lattice relaxation times T₁(¹H). The spin-lattice relaxation times T₁(¹³C) related to the respective carbons of the α-polymorph of PLA are also discussed in the study.     

Molecular Interactions in Mixed Monolayers of Octadecanoic Acid and Three Related Amphiphiles

Binary mixed monolayers of octadecanoic acid and three related amphiphilic compounds (octadecanamide, octadecylamine, octadecylurea) have been investigated at the air/water interface by surface pressure–area (Π–Â) isotherms and their resistances to water evaporation (r). In addition, the excess free energies of mixing (ΔG^E) were calculated using the Goodrich method. Both the ln r vs x and ΔG^E vs x plots exhibit marked deviations from linearity, indicating a high degree of miscibility and nonideal behavior of the components in the mixed films. For all of these binary systems the excess free energies of mixing have been found to be minimum for a certain composition corresponding almost to a maximum in evaporation resistances. Weak interactions were detected in octadecanoic acid/octadecanamide monolayers, whereas significant condensation effects were observed in 1 : 1 mixed films containing octadecanoic acid and octadecylamine. This is attributed to an acid–base equilibrium followed by the formation of a well-ordered arrangement of COO⁻ and NH₃⁺ head groups bound to each other by electrostatic forces. The unusual polymorphism of octadecylurea monolayers could be influenced by adding small amounts of octadecanoic acid. The formation of the low-temperature phase (β-phase) is completely suppressed, if the acid content exceeds 8 mol%. The octadecanoic acid seems to induce the formation of the high-temperature phase (α-phase), which is characterized by a vertical orientation of the hydrocarbon chains.     

1H NMR relaxation study of polymer-solvent interactions during thermotropic phase transition in aqueous solutions

The dynamic-structural changes and polymer - solvent interactions during the thermotropic phase transition in poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME)/D₂O solutions in a broad range of polymer concentrations (c = 0.1-60 wt.-%) were studied combining the measurements of ¹H NMR spectra, spin-spin (T₂) and spin-lattice (T₁) relaxation times. Phase separation in solutions results in a marked line broadening of a major part of polymer segments, evidently due to the formation of compact globular-like structures. The minority (∼15%) mobile component, which does not participate in the phase separation, consists of low-molecular-weight fractions of PVME, as shown by GPC. Measurements of spin-spin relaxation times T₂ of PVME methylene protons have shown that globular structures are more compact in dilute solutions in comparison with semidilute solutions where globules probably contain a certain amount of water. A certain portion of water molecules bound at elevated temperatures to (in) PVME globular structures in semidilute and concentrated solutions was revealed from measurements of spin-spin and spin-lattice relaxation times of residual HDO molecules.     

Effects of Nonionic and Mixed Cationic-Nonionic Micelles on the Rate of Alkaline Hydrolysis of 4-Nitrophthalimide

Pseudo-first-order rate constants (k_obs) for alkaline hydrolysis of 4-nitrophthalimide show a monotonic decrease with increase in [C₁₂E₂₃]_T (total concentration of Brij 35) at constant [CH₃CN] and [NaOH]. This micellar effect is explained in terms of a pseudophase micelle model. The rate of hydrolysis becomes too slow to monitor at [C₁₂E₂₃]_T≥0.03 M in the absence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr) and at [C₁₂E₂₃]_T≥0.04 M in the presence of 0.006–0.02 M CTABr at 0.01 M NaOH. The plots of k_obs versus [C₁₂E₂₃]_T show minima at 0.006 and 0.01 M CTABr, while such a minimum is not visible at 0.02 M CTABr.     

Highly Dispersed X/SiO(2) and C/X/SiO(2) (X=Alumina, Titania, Alumina/Titania) in the Gas and Liquid Media

Fumed oxides, such as silica, alumina, titania, and mixed X/silicas (X=Al₂O₃ (AS), TiO₂ (TS), CVD-TiO₂, Al₂O₃/TiO₂ (AST)), pristine or covered by carbon deposits formed due to pyrolysis of cyclohexene, were studied using nitrogen adsorption–desorption, photon correlation spectroscopy particle sizing, and electrophoresis. A significant influence of the nature of surface-active sites and structural features of oxides (individual silica, mixed fumed, or prepared using chemical vapor deposition (CVD)) on the pyrolysis of cyclohexene is observed with respect to the pore size distributions due to differences between primary particles in aggregates and on their outer surfaces in the filling of channels by pyrocarbon, resulting also in a decrease in fractal dimension. Structural characteristics and dependences of the particle size distribution and electrokinetic potential of X/SiO₂ and C/X/SiO₂ on the pH of aqueous suspensions suggest that the carbon deposit covers mainly acidic sites at the X/SiO₂ interfaces and X phase patches possessing catalytic activity in pyrolysis, as the negative charge of particles is reduced by pyrocarbon grafting.     

Phase transitions and molecular motions in [Cd(H2O)6](BF4)2 studied by DSC, H and F NMR and FT-MIR

Two solid phase transitions of [Cd(H₂O)₆](BF₄)₂ occurring on heating at T_C2=183.3 K and T_C1=325.3 K, with 2 K and 5 K hysteresis, respectively, were detected by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). High value of entropy changes indicated large orientational disorder of the high temperature and intermediate phase. Nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR and ¹⁹F NMR) relaxation measurements revealed that the phase transitions at T_C1 and T_C2 were associated with a drastic and small change, respectively, of the both spin-lattice relaxation times: T₁(¹H) and T₁(¹⁹F). These relaxation processes were connected with the “tumbling” motions of the [Cd(H₂O)₆]²⁺, reorientational motions of the H₂O ligands, and with the iso- and anisotropic reorientation of the BF₄⁻ anions. The cross-relaxation effect was observed in phase III. The line width and the second moment of the ¹H and ¹⁹F NMR line measurements revealed that the H₂O reorientate in all three phases of the title compound. On heating the onset of the reorientation of 3 H₂O in the [Cd(H₂O)₆]⁺², around the three-fold symmetry axis of these octahedron, causes the isotropic reorientation of the whole cation. The BF₄⁻ reorientate isotropically in the phases I and II, but in the phase III they perform slow reorientation only about three- or two-fold axes. A small distortion in the structure of BF₄⁻ as well as of [Cd(H₂O)₆]²⁺ is postulated. The temperature dependence of the bandwidth of the O-H stretching mode measured by Fourier transform middle infrared spectroscopy (FT-MIR) indicated that the activation energy for the reorientation of the H₂O did not change much at the T_C2 phase transition.     

Fluorescence Quenching of Anthracene by N,N-Diethylaniline in the Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate/Benzyl Alcohol/Water System

Photoinduced electron-transfer reaction of anthracene with N,N-diethylaniline (DEA) was studied in the SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate)/BA (benzyl alcohol)/H₂O system. In an oil/water microemulsion, only the excited anthracene located at the interface can be quenched by DEA. In a water/oil microemulsion, this quenching reaction occurs in the BA continuous phase. Besides being the quencher of the excited anthracene, DEA could also change the system's structure.     

Thermal characterization and solid‐state 13C‐NMR investigation of blends of poly(N‐phenyl‐2‐hydroxytrimethylene amine) and poly(N‐vinyl pyrrolidone)

The miscibility and thermal properties of poly(N‐phenyl‐2‐hydroxytrimethylene amine)/poly(N‐vinyl pyrrolidone) (PHA/PVP) blends were examined by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), high‐resolution solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). It was found that PHA is miscible with PVP, as shown by the existence of a single composition‐dependent glass transition temperature (T_g) in the whole composition range. The DSC results, together with the ¹³C crosspolarization (CP)/magic angle spinning (MAS)/high‐power dipolar decoupling (DD) spectra of the blends, revealed that there exist rather strong intermolecular interactions between PHA and PVP. The increase in hydrogen bonding and in T_g of the blends was found to broaden the line width of CH—OH carbon resonance of PHA. The measurement of the relaxation time showed that the PHA/PVP blends are homogeneous at least on the scale of 1–2 nm. The proton spin‐lattice relaxation in both the laboratory frame and the rotating frame were studied as a function of the blend composition, and it was found that blending did not appreciably affect the spectral densities of motion (sub‐T_g relaxation) in the mid‐MHz and mid‐KHz frequency ranges. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that PHA has rather good thermal stability, and the thermal stability of the blend can be further improved with increasing PVP content. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 237–245, 1999     

Volume phase transition and structure of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) microgels studied with 1H-NMR spectroscopy in D2O

Thermoresponsive colloidal microgels were prepared by polymerisation of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) with varying concentration of a cross-linking monomer, N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA), in water with either 0.4 or 6.7 mM concentration of an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecylsulphate (SDS). Volume phase transitions of the prepared microgels were studied in D₂O by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy including the measurements of spin–lattice (T1) and spin–spin (T2) relaxation times for the protons of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) at temperature range 22–50 °C. In addition, microcalorimetry, turbidometry, dynamic light scattering and electrophoretic mobility measurements were used to characterise the aqueous microgels. The results from the different characterisation methods indicated that PNIPAM microgels prepared in 6.7 mM SDS concentration are structurally different compared to their correspondences prepared in 0.4 mM concentration. Increasing MBA concentration in the microgel synthesis appears to increase the structural heterogeneity in both cases of SDS concentration. PNIPAM structures with significantly higher molecular mobilities at temperatures above 35 °C were observed in the microgels prepared in 0.4 mM SDS concentration, as indicated by the ¹H NMR relaxation times of different PNIPAM protons. We conclude that the high mobilities measured with NMR at elevated temperatures and also the clearly negative values of zeta potential are in connection to a fairly mobile surface layer with polyelectrolyte nature and a consequent high local lower critical solution temperature.     

Disposition of copper(II) inβ-cyclodextrin

Distances of glucose protons in-cyclodextrin (BCD) from copper(II) in copper(II)--cyclodextrin have been determined from¹H NMR spin-lattice relaxation time (T ₁) measurements for the first time. Very lowT _1p /T _2p values indicated the dipolar mechanism to be the most dominant one in determining the paramagnetic contribution to relaxation. The distances of copper(II) from BCD glucose protons indicated copper(II) to be present almost in the centre, inside the cavity in the same plane as H-1 and H-4. An average distance of about 5.0–5.9 Å was obtained for copper(II) from the H-2, H-3, H-1, H-4 and H-6 a and b protons in BCD.     

The States,Diffusion, and Concentration Distribution of Water in Radiation‐Formed PVA/PVP Hydrogels

Abstract

Hydrogels with various compositions of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and poly(1‐vinyl‐2‐ pyrrolidinone) (PVP) were prepared by irradiating mixtures of PVA and PVP in aqueous solutions with gamma‐rays from ⁶⁰Co sources at room temperature. The states of water in the hydrogels were characterized using DSC and NMR T₂ relaxation measurements and the kinetics of water diffusion in the hydrogels were studied by sorption experiments and NMR imaging. The DSC endothermic peaks in the temperature range ?10 to +10°C implied that there are at least two kinds of freezable water present in the matrix. The difference between the total water content and the freezable water content was referred to as bound water, which is not freezable. The weight fraction of water at which only nonfreezable water is present in a hydrogel with F_VP=0.19 has been estimated to be g_H2O/g_Polymer=0.375. From water sorption experiments, it was demonstrated that the early stage of the diffusion of water into the hydrogels was Fickian. A curve‐fit of the early‐stage experimental data to the Fickian model allowed determination of the water diffusion coefficient, which was found to lie between 1.5×10^?11 m² s^?1 and 4.5×10^?11 m² s^?1, depending on the polymer composition, the cross‐link density, and the temperature. It was also found that the energy barrier for diffusion of water molecules into PVA/PVP hydrogels was ≈24 kJ mol^?1. Additionally, the diffusion coefficients determined from NMR imaging of the volumetric swelling of the gels agreed well with the results obtained by the mass sorption method.     

NMR relaxation study of the phase transitions and relaxation mechanisms of the alums MCr(SO4)2·12H2O (M=Rb and Cs) single crystals

The physical properties and phase transition mechanisms of MCr(SO₄)₂·12H₂O (M=Rb and Cs) single crystals have been investigated. The phase transition temperatures, NMR spectra, and the spin-lattice relaxation times T₁ of the ⁸⁷Rb and ¹³³Cs nuclei in the two crystals were determined using DSC and FT NMR spectroscopy. The resonance lines and relaxation times of the ⁸⁷Rb and ¹³³Cs nuclei undergo significant changes at the phase transition temperatures. The sudden changes in the splitting of the Rb and Cs resonance lines are attributed to changes in the local symmetry of their sites, and the changes in the temperature dependences of T₁ are related to variations in the symmetry of the octahedra of water molecules surrounding Rb⁺ and Cs⁺. We also compared these ⁸⁷Rb and ¹³³Cs NMR results with those obtained for the trivalent cations Cr and Al in MCr(SO₄)₂·12H₂O and MAl(SO₄)₂·12H₂O crystals.     

Lamellar thickness of crystallizable ethene runs in ethene-propene copolymers by solid state NMR

Crystallizable runs of ethene in ethene-propene copolymers can be identified in ¹³C CPMAS NMR spectra as a resonance at 33 ppm. In the absence of spin diffusion, the variation in intensity of this resonance with a ¹H spin lock will reflect the intrinsic T^H_1ρ. Spin diffusion leads to a more complex relaxation decay, which reflects the local polymer morphology. Simulations of the spin diffusion process have been carried out for a simplified two-phase model for the morphology with the aim of determining whether the lamellar thickness of the crystalline and amorphous regions can be found from the T^H_1ρ observed via the ¹³C NMR spectrum. Calculations covering the expected range of the input parameters, namely the spin diffusion coefficients, domain lengths, and intrinsic relaxation times, show that, providing the intrinsic relaxation time in the amorphous phase is known, an accurate estimate of the crystalline and amorphous lamellar thicknesses can be made. Analysis of simulated T^H_1ρ decays indicate that, in general, the time constant of the fastest decaying component can be identified with the intrinsic relaxation time of the amorphous phase. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Characterization of Titania/Silica Gel by Means of Low-Pressure Nitrogen Adsorption

Adsorbents synthesized by grafting of titania onto mesoporous silica gel surfaces at different temperatures were studied by means of nitrogen adsorption–desorption and water desorption. The pore size distribution f(R_p) of titania/silica gel depends on the titania concentration (C_TiO2) and the temperature of titania synthesis. Nonuniformity of TiO₂ phase is maximal at a low C_TiO2 value (3.2 wt.% anatase deposited at 473 K), and two peaks of the fractal dimension distribution f(D) are observed at such a concentration of titania, but at larger C_TiO2 values, only one f(D) peak is seen. More ordered filling of pores and adsorption sites by nitrogen, reflecting in the shape of adsorption energy distributions f(E) at different pressures of adsorbate, is observed for adsorbent with titania (rutile+anatase) grafted on silica gel at a higher temperature (673 K).     

Characterization of blends of poly(vinyl chloride) and poly(N‐vinyl pyrrolidone) by FTIR and 13C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy

Blends of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with Poly(N‐vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) were investigated by Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and high‐resolution solid‐state ¹³C cross‐polarization/magic angle spinning (CP/MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The intermolecular interactions between PVP and PVC are weaker than the self‐association of PVP and the inclusion of the miscible PVC results in the decreased self‐association of PVP chains, which was evidenced by the observation of high‐frequency shift of amide stretching vibration bands of PVP with inclusion of PVC. This result was further substantiated by the study of ¹³C CP/MAS spectra, in which the chemical shift of carbonyl resonance of PVP was observed to shift to a high field with inclusion of PVC, indicating that the magnetic shielding of the carbonyl carbon nucleus is increased. The proton spin‐lattice relaxation time in the laboratory frame (T₁ (H)) and the proton spin‐lattice relaxation time in the rotating frame (T_1ρ(H)) were measured as a function of the blend composition to give the information about phase structure. It is concluded that the PVC and PVP chains are intimately mixed on the scale of 20–30Å. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 2412–2419, 1999     

Studies of solution dynamics of poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) and its iodine adduct

Carbon-13 NMR spin-lattice relaxation times T₁ of poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and PVP-iodine have been studied in several solvents and at different temperatures. Three kinds of motion can be identified from the T₁ data: segmental motion, ring rotation, and ring puckering. The effective correlation time for segmental motion is calculated to be 1 × 10^?9s, in good agreement with published proton NMR data. Another solvent, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, behaves like D₂O, the segmental correlation time being 3 × 10^?9s. In benzene, however, the linewidths are very broad and tend to narrow with increasing temperature, but the T₁s are not very different from those of PVP in D₂O. The results suggest association of pyrrolidone rings in benzene that reduces chain dimensions and also restricts chain mobility. As for PVP-iodine in water, again broad resonances are observed which sharpen considerably at higher temperatures. The result agrees with previous suggestions of specific interactions between the pyrrolidone group and iodine.     

Chain behavior of an amphoteric cellulose derivative: O-carboxymethyl-O-2-hydroxy-3-(trimethylammonio) propylcellulose

The ¹³C NMR spin-lattice relaxation times (T₁) of anhydroglucose units vary with the number of substituents, and the T₁ values of unsubstituted anhydroglucose units of O-carboxymethylcellulose are longer than those of amylose. Those results indicate that in water, the rotational motions of anhydroglucose units of cellulose derivative are quite important local motions contributing to the ¹³C NMR spin-lattice relaxation, and within a cellulose chain, anhydroglucose units rotate with different degrees of freedom depending on their environment. Moreover, the ¹³C NMR spin-lattice relaxation data indicate that the mobilities of ionic substituents are dependent on substitution positions as well as their ionic interaction. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.