High strain thermomechanical properties of IBMA-functionalized poly(butyl acrylate) films

Batch emulsion polymerization was used in order to obtain latexes from a mixture of butyl acrylate (ca. 90% mole), and a hydrophobic crosslinkable functional monomer called N-isobutoxymethyl acrylamide (ca. 10% mole). Films were then cast from these latexes, and their thermomechanical properties were studied before and after a heat treatment intended to provoke crosslinking of the functional groups. The differential thermal analysis and the dynamic mechanical analysis of the film samples proved that the functional monomer copolymerized with butyl acrylate; the dynamic mechanical analysis revealed also that crosslinking took place after the heat treatment. Different kinds of high strain experiments (among which there were stress relaxation tests) were carried out in a tensile testing machine Important differences were thus shown to appear between the “as-dried” and “annealed” samples. In the case of stress relaxation experiments, simple mechanical models were used in order to fit the experimental data, both during the stretching experiment and the stress relaxation following it. The analysis of the high-strain experiments and their simulation led to the conclusion that the films contained high molecular weight polymers having a broad molecular weight distribution, and that their crosslinking enhanced the entropic elastic behavior, even though a viscoelastic, large relaxation time contribution was kept; the hypothesis of its coming from a trapped-entanglement effect was proposed.     

Coalescence of polystyrene nodules in soft poly(butyl acrylate)-based films

A two-stage emulsion polymerization procedure was used in order to obtain core–shell polymer particles having a core of polystyrene (PS), covered by a shell of either pure poly(butyl acrylate) (PBA) or a methacrylic acid-functionalized PBA. Films were then cast from these latexes, and their properties were studied without further treatments (“as-dried” films), as well as after a 3 hr heat treatment intended to provoke the coalescence of PS domains (“annealed” films). “As-dried” and “annealed” film samples were studied by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and small angle neutron scattering (SANS). DMA and SEM results, as described in previous works, showed that for unfunctionalized films, the percolated PS domains coalesced under the annealing treatment, while for the functionalized films, they did not. On the other hand, SANS results presented here showed that even in the case of functionalized films, the presence of coalescence could be detected. It was concluded that while DMA and SEM reveal large-scale modifications provoked by the heat treatment, SANS is capable of detecting very smallscale changes which do not have a direct effect on the bulk physical properties of the samples.     

Degradation thermique des copolymeres methacrylate de methyle-chlorure de vinylidene

The thermal degradation, under inert atmosphere, of a set of methyl-methacrylate-vinylidene chloride copolymers prepared by free radical copolymerization with constant composition conditions, is studied by thermogravimetry coupled with titration of HCl evolved and with gas chromatographic analysis of volatile products (monomers, methyl chloride). Only the formation of methyl methacrylate can be related to the sequence distribution.     

Investigation of vapor-deposited amorphous ice and irradiated ice by molecular dynamics simulation

With the purpose of clarifying a number of points raised in the experimental literature, we investigate by molecular dynamics simulation the thermodynamics, the structure and the vibrational properties of vapor-deposited amorphous ice (ASW) as well as the phase transformations experienced by crystalline and vitreous ice under ion bombardment. Concerning ASW, we have shown that by changing the conditions of the deposition process, it is possible to form either a nonmicroporous amorphous deposit whose density (approximately 1.0 g/cm3) is essentially invariant with the temperature of deposition, or a microporous sample whose density varies drastically upon temperature annealing. We find that ASW is energetically different from glassy water except at the glass transition temperature and above. Moreover, the molecular dynamics simulation shows no evidence for the formation of a high-density phase when depositing water molecules at very low temperature. In order to model the processing of interstellar ices by cosmic ray protons and heavy ions coming from the magnetospheric radiation environment around the giant planets, we bombarded samples of vitreous ice and cubic ice with 35 eV water molecules. After irradiation the recovered samples were found to be densified, the lower the temperature, the higher the density of the recovered sample. The analysis of the structure and vibrational properties of this new high-density phase of amorphous ice shows a close relationship with those of high-density amorphous ice obtained by pressure-induced amorphization.     

Characterization of particle surface and morphology in vinyl acetate-butyl acrylate emulsion copolymers — Influence of the copolymerization pathway

Surface characterization was investigated in vinyl acetate (VAc) butyl acrylate (BuA) copolymer latexes of various compositions and prepared with four different emulsion polymerization processes: conventionnal batch, composition-controlled batch, core-shell, emulsifier-free semi-continuous. Surface end-groups (sulfate or carboxylic) titration results were first compared and discussed according to the type of process and as a function of conversion. As previously shown [1], it was confirmed that batch latex particles present a heterogeneous structure with a rich VAc outlayer, as in core-shell particles. As expected, semi-continuous and composition-controlled batch particles exhibit surface end-group characteristics revealing a more homogeneous distribution of both monomers within the particles. These differences in particle morphology were corroborated by analyzing water-polymer interface in these latexes using the soap titration method, with the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or sodium hexadecyl sulfate (SHS) as emulsifier probes. When the BuA was batch-polymerized onto PVAc seed particles, the estimated surface composition seemed to show that probably phase rearrangement occurs in the particle during the synthesis or upon aging. It was also confirmed that SDS displays an abnormal adsorption due to complexation and solubilization in the rich-VAc shell of the particles.     

Chemo-, regio- and stereoselective 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of C-aryl-N-phenylnitrones over 3,5-bis(arylidene)-1-methylpiperidin-4-ones: synthesis of highly substituted novel spiro-isoxazolidines

1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of C-aryl-N-phenylnitrones to 3,5-bis-(arylidene)-1-methylpiperidin-4-ones affords novel mono- and bis-spiroisoxazolidines in moderate yields. In general, this reaction predominantly yields mono-spiroisoxazolidine, wherein the oxygen of the nitrone is linked to the β-carbon of the benzylidene moiety, while 3,5-bis-(2-chloro- and 3-nitro-benzylidene)-1-methylpiperidin-4-ones afford predominantly bis-spiroisoxazolidines. The cycloaddition of mono-spiroisoxazolidines occurs with facial diastereoselectivity to furnish bis-spiroisoxazolidines. The nitrogen in the heterocyclic ring of the 3,5-bis-(arylidene)-1-methylpiperidin-4-ones facilitates the cycloaddition through transannular (NCO) and/or homoconjugative (NCC) interactions.     

2,2‐Dimethyl‐5‐nitroso‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl benzoate, 2,2‐dimethyl‐5‐nitroso‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl 4‐chlorobenzoate and 5‐nitroso‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl 4‐chlorobenzoate

The crystal structures of 2,2‐dimethyl‐5‐nitroso‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl benzoate, C₁₃H₁₅NO₅, (I), 2,2‐dimethyl‐5‐nitroso‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl 4‐chlorobenzoate, C₁₃H₁₄ClNO₅, (II), and 5‐nitroso‐1,3‐dioxan‐5‐yl 4‐chlorobenzoate, C₁₁H₁₁NO₅, (III), have been determined in order to gain insight into the conformational preference of α‐benzoyloxynitroso. Unfavourable 1,3‐diaxial interactions force (I) and (II) to crystallize in the 2,5 twist‐boat conformation, whereas compound (III), lacking this destabilizing interaction, crystallizes in the chair conformation.     

Rheology of concentrated multi-sized poly(St/BA/MMA) latices

 Four monodisperse latices with particle size of 75, 135, 340 and 477 nm were synthesized. The rheo-logical properties of mixture of the monodisperse latices were inves-tigated as a function of blending ratio, and compared with those of multi-modal latices, in a range of shear rate from 0.2 to 100 s^-1. The maximum packing (highest solid contents) was observed at a weight fraction 80% of large particles with respect to total solids contents for both bimodal and trimodal latices, and the lowest viscosity was obtained when the ratio of large to medium to small particles was approximately 80/10/10 (by wt.). It was also demonstrated that this minimum in the viscosity is not strongly dependent on the actual size of each kind of particles present in the multimodal latices. Received: 22 November 1996 Accepted: 26 November 1997     

Emulsifier-free emulsion copolymerization of styrene and butyl acrylate. II. Kinetic studies in the presence of ionogenic comonomers

Batch emulsifier-free copolymerizations of styrene (S) and butyl acrylate (BuA) have been performed for a S/BuA weight ratio = 50/50 in the presence of two types of functional comonomers [methacrylic acid (MAA) at different pHs] or potassium sulfopropylmethacrylate (SPM) and two initiators [potassium persulfate or 4–4′azobiscyanopentanoic acid (AZO)]. The use of AZO/MAA system results in the formation of polymer particles with only surface carboxylic end groups. The particle size of the final latexes can be adjusted with the MAA concentration, provided the polymerization is carried out at pH > 6.5. However, the higher the MAA concentration, the sooner the polymerization levels off in conversion. With the K₂S₂O₈/SPM system, particles bearing only sulfate and sulfonate groups are produced and the polymerization is complete. In that case, the particle size of the final latexes is smaller than with the previous system and 30% of the SPM is fixed on the particle surface, instead of 10% with MAA. Using SPM, a too high functional monomer concentration results in the latex destabilization caused by the formation of a large amount of polyelectrolytes. Kinetic studies indicate that most of the functional monomer is incorporated onto the particle surface during the last 30% conversion of the polymerization. A tentative explanation of such a behavior is discussed, based on the existence of two polymerization loci in the latex system.     

Copolymerisation radicalaire du méthacrylate de méthyle et du chlorure de vinylidène avec ou sans dérive de composition

Two sets of methylmethacrylate-vinylidene chloride copolymers were prepared via radical copolymerization in dimethylformamide. The first set is carried out in batches. Gas-chromatographic analysis of samples allows a kinetic study from which the reactivity ratios r_M - 2.73 and r_C - 0.24 are derived. For the second set a new apparatus, briefly described, has been used. It permits to keep constant the composition of the monomer mixture, through addition of methyl methacrylate, monitored by a chromatographic analysis. The two sets of copolymers are analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (60 MHz) leading to the triad distribution, from which the reactivity ratios are derived. Owing to the composition drift, the method cannot be applied to the first set of copolymers; but in that case, it is possible to calculate the triad distribution, the knowledge of the reactivity ratios, and the calculation fits quite well the experimental results.