Polymerization of pyromellitic dianhydride with 3,3′-diaminobenzidine in aprotic solvents I. Reaction variables

The solution polymerization of pyromellitic dianhydride with 3,3′-diaminobenzidine to form poly(amide acid amine) was investigated under a variety of reaction conditions. Polymer viscosity and gel formation were highly affected by changes in the order of monomer addition, the type of process (powder or solution), monomer concentration, monomer stoichiometry, and type of solvent. Minor effects were noted with changes in polymerization temperature and the presence of small amounts of water. A limiting intrinsic viscosity of 1.2–1.5 dl/g was observed, regardless of polymerization conditions. The polymerization had a strong tendency to gel at high concentrations and when monomer molar ratios approached 1:1. The conditions which retarded or promoted the formation of macrogel were well-defined, and macrogel but not microgel could be prevented. The polymerization was conducted successfully only in aprotic solvents. No imidazopyrrol-one units were detected in polymer made in polyphosphoric acid at elevated temperatures.     

Thermal degradation of bromine-containing polymers. Part 2—Characteristics and products of degradation of copolymers of 2-bromoethyl methacrylate and methyl acrylate

Reactivity ratios for the system 2-bromoethyl methacrylate (M₁)/methyl acrylate (M₂) have been obtained as follows using a nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic technique: r₁ = 2·77 ± 0·03, r₂ = 0·19 ± 0·02. The principal characteristics of the thermal degradation of this copolymer system have been established by the application of Thermal Gravimetry, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Thermal Volatilisation Analysis and Sub-ambient Thermal Volatilisation Analysis, the products being identified principally by infra-red and NMR spectroscopic analysis. A quantitative analysis of the products of degradation is presented.     

Chiral discrimination within disordered adlayers on metal surfaces

Using a novel non-linear optical technique enantiomeric excess within a translationally disordered overlayer on a metal surface has been monitored for the first time.     

Magnetic penetration depth in V3Si and LiTi2O4 measured by μSR

Muon spin relaxation (SR) studies have been performed in the normal spinel LiTi₂O₄ and the A-15 superconductor V₃Si to measure the magnetic penetration depth . The relaxation rate(T) 1/² in field-cooled measurements shows a sharp increase belowT _c followed by saturation at low temperatures in both systems. This feature implies an isotropic energy gap without anomalous zeros, and most likelys-wave pairing. The low temperature penetration depth (T 0) is determined to be 2100Å for LiTi₂O₄ and 1300Å for V₃Si respectively. Assuming a clean limit relation ^–2 n _s /m ^*, we derive the Fermi temperatureT _F n _s/ ^2/3 m ^* from the relaxation rate and the Sommerfeld constant asT _F ^3/4–1/4. Unlike conventional superconductors, both LiTi₂O₄ and V₃Si have a large ratio ofT _c /T _F 0.01, only slightly smaller than those ratios in more exotic superconductors.We thank C. Ballard and K. Hoyle for technical assistance. Work at Columbia University is supported by NSF Grant No. DMR-89-13784 and Packard Foundation (YJU). Ames Laboratory is operated for the U. S. Department of Energy by Iowa State University under Contract No. W-7405-Eng-82. Work at Ames was supported by the Director for Energy Research, Office of Basic Energy Sciences.     

Steric Stabilization of Colloids by Poly(dimethylsiloxane) in Carbon Dioxide: Effect of Cosolvents

Steric stabilization and flocculation of colloids with surface-grafted poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) chains are examined in liquid and supercritical carbon dioxide with and without hexane as a cosolvent. Neither poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nor silica particles with grafted 10,000 g/mol PDMS could be stabilized in pure CO(2) at pressures up to 345 bar at 25 degrees C and 517 bar at 65 degrees C without stirring. The addition of 15 wt% hexane to CO(2) led to stable dispersions with sedimentation velocities of 0.2 mm/min for 1-2 μm PMMA particles. The critical flocculation pressure of the colloids in the hexane/CO(2) mixture, determined from turbidity versus time measurements, was found to be the same for silica and PMMA particles and was well above the upper critical solution pressure for the PDMS-CO(2) system. The addition of a nonreactive cosolvent, hexane, eliminates flocculation of PMMA particles synthesized through dispersion polymerization in CO(2) with PDMS-based surfactants. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.