Variation of free volume size and content of shape memory polymer — Polyurethane — Upon temperature studied by positron annihilation lifetime techniques and infrared spectroscopy

Positron annihilation lifetime measurement and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry were applied to the study of temperature dependencies of free volume parameters and hydrogen bonds in segmented polyurethane, specially fabricated as a shape memory polymer. The variation of free volumes in amorphous region were correlated to that of hydrogen bonding and the shape memory mechanism of polyurethane is elucidated from a microscopic point of view. The relationship between free volume contents and the formation of hydrogen bonds significantly suggests that the shape memory occurs due to the configurational recovery of the microscopic regulation around urethane bundles of hard segment and consequent restoration of soft-segment in polyurethane.     

Thermal cis–trans isomerization and decomposition of polyacetylene

Thermal cis-trans isomerization and decomposition of polyacetylene film prepared with a Ti(OC₄H₉)₄–Al(C₂H₅)₃ (Al/Ti = 4) system were investigated under inert gas or in vacuum by means of thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopy. Thermograms of differential thermal analysis of cis-polyacetylene revealed the existence of two exothermic peaks at 145 and 325°C and one endothermic peak at 420°C which were assigned to cis-trans isomerization, hydrogen migration accompanied with crosslinking reaction, and thermal decomposition, respectively. The isomerization was followed by infrared spectroscopy over the temperature range 75–115°C. The reaction did not obey simple kinetics. The apparent activation energy for the cis-trans isomerization was 17.0 kcal/mole for the polymer containing 88% cis configuration and increased with increasing trans content up to 38.8 kcal/mole for 80% trans content.     

Formation of an η-allyl and a cyclic γ-hydroxyalkyl complex of molybdenum from reaction of MoH2(η-cyclopentadienyl)2 with homoallyl alcohol

The reaction of Cp₂MoH₂ (Cp=η⁵-C₅H₅) with homoallyl alcohol in the presence of a protonic acid afforded a cationic η³-crotyl molybdenum complex and a cyclic α-methyl-γ-hydroxypropyl molybdenum complex. This reaction proceeds via the stepwise formation of the cyclic complex, followed by formation of the η³-crotyl complex.     

Recent advances in counter-current chromatography

During the past several years, counter-current chromatography (CCC) technology has been advanced to cover a broad spectrum of applications, from large-scale preparative to analytical-scale separations. These advances include liquid-liquid dual CCC, foam CCC and partition of macromolecules with aqueous-aqueous polymer phase systems. For these developments the synchronous coil planet centrifuge scheme has been used, which relies on a relatively simple mechanical design. Future developments in CCC may be focused on the improvement of the more intricate non-synchronous coil planet centrifuge scheme which has a greater potential for the separation of biopolymers and cell particles.     

Preparation of Pd(II) enolate complexes and their reactions

Palladium(II) enolate complexes have been prepared by the reaction of Pd(II)Cl₂-(PhCN)₂ with trimethylsilyl enol ethers and reacted with CO and ethylene.     

Membrane-controlled transdermal therapeutic system containing clonazepam and anticonvulsant activity after its application

A trial transdermal dosage form designed to sustain a suitable plasma concentration of clonazepam (CZP) was produced using a porous membrane (Hipore 2100 or 4050) and applied to rabbits and rats for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluations. The release rate constants for the drug through the porous membranes were significantly smaller than that without any membrane. The transdermal system (Hipore 4050 system, ointment 0.25 g, 2.25 cm2) provided a well sustained plasma concentration of CZP and the therapeutic plasma concentration range was maintained for about 26 h. When the Hipore 4050 system with an increased amount of ointment and enlarged absorption area (0.5 g, 4.0 cm2) was applied, the therapeutic range was sustained for about 40 h, and slightly higher plasma levels over the whole application period and much higher bioavailability (37%) were obtained compared with those after the 2.25 cm2-Hipore 4050 system. The transdermal system exerted an excellent anticonvulsant activity in rats, with the best (3+ or 4+) protective score. The plasma concentrations of CZP when the activity was estimated were in the therapeutic range. Thus, the transdermal system has the potential to be an efficient drug delivery system.     

Self-association of water-soluble fluorinated diblock copolymers in solutions

The self-association of the fluorinated diblock copolymer, poly(methacrylic acid)-block-poly(perfluorooctylethyl methacrylate) (PMAA-b-PFMA), in water has been investigated by light scattering, potentiometry, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The size of the polymer micelles increases, as the degree of dissociation of the PMAA blocks increases. Since the charged PMAA block takes the stretched structure, PMAA-b-PFMA can easily form large micelles due to the low steric hindrance of PMAA blocks. Addition of NaCl shielded electrostatic repulsion in the PMAA chain and induced the formation of smaller micelles than water without NaCl did because of the bulky structure of the PMAA chain in the shell of the micelles. The micelle of PMAA-b-PFMA in ethanol is larger than that of poly(t-butyl methacrylate)-block-poly(perfluorooctylethyl methacrylate) (PtBMA-b-PFMA) in ethanol as a result of the higher steric hindrance of the PtBMA block. The dimensions of the core and shell of the micelles were estimated. The micelle of PMAA-b-PFMA in water possesses a rather thick shell and a large volume per molecule, consistent with the extended PMAA chain. On the other hand, the shell of the micelle in an ethanol solution of PtBMA-b-PFMA is thin but has a large surface area. Facts are consistent with the shrunk structure of the PtBMA block in poor solvent.     

Spin dynamic study on the electric field dependence of carrier generation

Using an acceptor-doped poly(N-vinylcarbazole) film, the magnetic field effect (MFE) on the generation efficiency of photoinduced charge was measured under various electric fields in order to clarify how the applied electric field affects the elementary processes in the photocarrier generation in photoconductive polymeric molecular solids. The external magnetic field influenced the electron spin dynamics among the geminate electron-hole pairs within a scale of a few nanometers and decreased the photocarrier generation efficiency. The observed MFE due to a hyperfine mechanism was almost independent of the electric field. By employing the stochastic Liouville equations based on a one-dimensional lattice model, we performed some model calculations for the dissociation, hopping, and recombination rate dependence of MFE on the generation efficiency. From a comparison between the observed and calculated MFE, it was concluded that the electric field affects the dissociation more than the hopping and the recombination. This coincides with the concepts in the Onsager model that is used to analyze the electric field dependence of carrier generation efficiency so far. The one-dimensional lattice model is a proper model for the carrier generation in polymeric molecular solids, which is qualitatively consistent with the Onsager model except for the long-range hole jump.     

DSC of as-deposited thin films dip-coated on the substrate

The formation process of a ceramic (indium oxide) thin film (thickness: approximately 20 nm to several microns) was investigated by thermal analyses. Thermal changes of an organic precursor, indium(III) 2-ethylhexanoate, dip-coated on a glass substrate was successfully detected by DSC in air. Exothermic phenomena were observed at marked lower temperatures for the thin films than for the bulk material; thinner films had slightly lower peak temperatures. The reaction mechanism is discussed with reference to mass spectra of the evolved gases.     

Effect of the excluded volume on specific rate of combination reactions between polymer radicals

The specific rate k_D for reaction between polymer radicals is formulated when the potential of average force on the basis of the excluded volume affects the motion of the polymer radicals. This rate is given by \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$ k_D = Fk_S \left( {{\rm with}\ {F} = \sum\limits_{s = 0}^\infty {{{[ ‐ 2(\alpha ^2 ‐ 1)]} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{[ ‐ 2(\alpha ^2 ‐ 1)]} {(s + 1)^{{3 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {3 2}} \right. \kern‐\nulldelimiterspace} 2}} }}} \right. \kern‐\nulldelimiterspace} {(s + 1)^{{3 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {3 2}} \right. \kern‐\nulldelimiterspace} 2}} }}} } \right) $\end{document} where k_S is specific rate of reaction between radical chain ends and α is the average expansion of the polymer arising from the long-range effects. The effect of the excluded volume reduces k_D. F depends on the degree of polymerization of the polymer radical when α ≠ 1. These results are discussed in terms of the experimental data for very low polymer concentrations.