Crystallization and morphology of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) blends. I. Spherulitic morphology and growth by polarized microscopy

The development of the poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) morphology in the presence of already existent poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) spherulites was studied by two‐stage solidification with two separate crystallization temperatures. PVDF formed irregular dendrites at lower temperatures and regular, banded spherulites at elevated temperatures. The transition temperature of the spherulitic morphology from dendrites to regular, banded spherulites increased with increasing PVDF content. A remarkable amount of PHB was included in the PVDF dendrites, whereas PHB was rejected into the remaining melt from the banded spherulites. When PVDF crystallized as banded spherulites, PHB could consequently crystallize only around them, if at all. In contrast, PHB crystallized with a common growth front, starting from a defined site in the interfibrillar regions of volume‐filling PVDF dendrites. It formed by itself dendritic spherulites that included a large number of PVDF spherulites. For blends with a PHB content of more than 80 wt %, for which the PVDF dendrites were not volume‐filling, PHB first formed regular spherulites. Their growth started from outside the PVDF dendrites but could later interpenetrate them, and this made their own morphology dendritic. These PHB spherulites melted stepwise because the lamellae inside the PVDF dendrites melted at a lower temperature than those from outside. This reflected the regularity of the two fractions of the lamellae because that of those inside the dendrites of PVDF was controlled by the intraspherulitic order of PVDF, whereas that from outside was only controlled by the temperature and the melt composition. The described morphologies developed without mutual nucleating efficiency of the components. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 873–882, 2003     

2-乙酰氨基-3,4,6-三乙酰葡萄糖的合成

细菌内毒素(ＬＰＳ)是革兰氏阳性阴性菌细胞外膜层的主要成分,由其引起的革兰氏阴性杆菌脓度症和休克是导致战创伤病人死亡的主要原因之一。而从类脂Ａ(ＬｉｐｉｄＡ)的结构出发,以非肽类物质拮抗内毒素受体ＣＤ-14为治疗手段的研究在国外刚刚起步。2-乙酰氨基-3,4,6-三乙酰葡萄糖是合成ＬｉｐｉｄＡ结构类似物的重要中间体[1,2]。它的合成一般是通过氨基葡萄糖五乙酸酯的选择性水解[3-6]脱去一个乙酰基得到。氨基葡萄糖五乙酸酯是通过氨基葡萄糖的乙酰化反应得到的,由于氨基葡萄糖不稳定,一般是用氨基葡萄糖的盐酸盐作为起始原料。由于…     

A novel tridentate nitrogen donor as ligand in copper catalyzed ATRP of methyl methacrylate

A tridentate ligand, BPIEP: 2,6‐bis[1‐(2,6‐diisopropyl phenylimino) ethyl] pyridine, having central pyridine unit and two peripheral imine coordination sites was effectively employed in controlled/“living” radical polymerization of MMA at 90°C in toluene as solvent, Cu^IBr as catalyst, and ethyl‐2‐bromoisobutyrate (EBiB) as initiator resulting in well‐defined polymers with polydispersities M_w/M_n ≤ 1.23. The rate of polymerization follows first‐order kinetics, k_app = 3.4 × 10^?5 s^?1, indicating the presence of low radical concentration ([P*] ≤ 10^?8) throughout the reaction. The polymerization rate attains a maximum at a ligand‐to‐metal ratio of 2:1 in toluene at 90°C. The solvent concentration (v/v, with respect to monomer) has a significant effect on the polymerization kinetics. The polymerization is faster in polar solvents like, diphenylether, and anisole, as compared to toluene. Increasing the monomer concentration in toluene resulted in a better control of polymerization. The molecular weights (M_n,SEC) increased linearly with conversion and were found to be higher than predicted molecular (M_n,Cal). However, the polydispersity remained narrow, i.e., ≤1.23. The initiator efficiency at lower monomer concentration approaches a value of 0.7 in 110 min as compared to 0.5 in 330 min at higher monomer concentration. The aging of the copper salt complexed with BPIEP had a beneficial effect and resulted in polymers with narrow polydispersitities and higher conversion. PMMA obtained at room temperature in toluene (33%, v/v) gave PDI of 1.22 (M_n = 8500) in 48 h whereas, at 50°C the PDI is 1.18 (M_n = 10,300), which is achieved in 23 h. The plot of lnk_app versus 1/T gave an apparent activation energy of polymerization as (ΔE^≠_app) 58.29 KJ/mol and enthalpy of equilibrium (ΔH⁰_eq) to 28.8 KJ/mol. Reverse ATRP of MMA was successfully performed using AIBN in bulk as well as solution. The controlled nature of the polymerization reaction was established through kinetic studies and chain extension experiments. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 4996–5008, 2005     

Fiber-Optic Chemical Sensor for Detection of NO2 Using Poly (3-Octylthiophene)

A fiber-optic chemical sensor (FOCS) for detection of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) molecules is reported. The FOCS presents an optropode structure because of the transmission properties of the sensitive material. The NO₂ FOCS is activated by using the semiconductor polymer: regioregular head-to-tail poly(3-octylthiophene-2,5-diyl). The operation wavelength of the sensor is 543.5 nm such that a simple LED and detector can be used for the design of this device. The sensor response decreases after each exposure, demonstrating the reduction in sensitivity as well as irreversibility lower than 5%. However, its properties such as rapid response, high selectivity, high sensitivity (0.43 ± 0.01 muW/ppm), hygroscopic properties, and its operation at room temperature make this kind of FOCS a good alternative for NO₂ toxic gas detection.     

Characterization of a 4-miktoarm star copolymer of the (PS-b-PI)3 PS type by temperature gradient interaction chromatography

Temperature gradient interaction chromatography (TGIC) was applied for the separation of a complex miktoarm star copolymer which has one polystyrene (PS) arm and three polystyrene-b-polyisoprene (PS-b-PI) diblock copolymer arms. Such miktoarm star polymers are much more difficult to characterize than branched homopolymers since the byproduct, typically polymers with missing arm(s) or coupled products, have not only different molecular weights but also different compositions. TGIC was able to fully separate the byproducts, and the composition of the molecular species corresponding to the different separated elution peaks was determined by two methods, fractionation/NMR and multiple detection (UV and RI). A reasonable agreement between the results of the two methods was obtained. By using the composition found, the corresponding molecular weights were determined by multi-angle light scattering detection. Based on the composition and the molecular weight we were able to identify the structure of the different molecular species.     

Resistivity－temperature characteristics of sol gel YBa2Cu3Oy samples synthesized in flowing oxygen atmosphere

The relationship of resistivity versus synthesizing temperature of sol gel YBa_2Cu_3O_y samples was studied when prepared under flowing oxygen conditions. A set of high-temperature ρ－T curves was obtained for the whole process. After the sample finished the test measuring, its resistivity was ρ_{300}=9.83×10^{-3 }Ω·cm at room temperature. The ρ－T curve also showed that the orthorhombic－tetragonal phase transformation of sol-gel YBa_2Cu_3O_y sample occurred at 581℃ for the sample in the rising temperature process, but at 613℃ in the cooling process, lower than that of the samples made by using the conventional powder metallurgy methods.     

Synthesis of 2-pyrone-4-carboxaldehydes from acetylene dicarboxaldehyde monoacetal

Reaction of acetylene dicarboxaldehyde monoacetal with substituted Meldrum’s acid leads good yields in 2-pyranones-4-carboxaldehydes substituted in position 3.     

Estimation of growth rate in unidirectionally solidified multicrystalline silicon by the growth-induced striation method

Multicrystalline silicon was grown by unidirectional solidification method using the accelerated crucible rotation technique. The application of the accelerated crucible rotation technique in unidirectional solidification method induced growth striations across the axial direction of the grown crystal. This striation pattern was observed from carbon concentration distribution, obtained by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The generated striation pattern was found to be weak and discontinuous. Some striations were absent, probably due to back melting, caused during each crucible rotation. From the growth striations and applied time period in crucible rotation, the growth rate was estimated by using Fourier transformation analysis.     

Effects of diamines and their fluorinated groups on the color lightness and preparation of organosoluble aromatic polyimides from 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐amino‐2‐trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenyl]‐hexafluoropropane

To investigate the position and amount of the CF₃ group affecting the coloration of polyimides (PIs), we prepared 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐amino‐2‐trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane ( 2 ) with four CF₃ groups with 2‐chloro‐5‐nitrobenzotrifluoride and 2,2‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenol)hexafluoropropane. A series of soluble and light‐colored fluorinated PIs ( 5 ) were synthesized from 2 and various aromatic dianhydrides ( 3a – 3f ). 5a – 5f had inherent viscosities ranging from 0.80 to 1.19 dL/g and were soluble in amide polar solvents and even in less polar solvents. The glass‐transition temperatures of 5 were 221–265 °C, and the 10% weight‐loss temperatures were above 493 °C. Their films had cutoff wavelengths between 343 and 390 nm, b* values (a yellowness index) ranging from 5 to 41, dielectric constants of 2.68–3.01 (1 MHz), and moisture absorptions of 0.03–0.29 wt %. In a comparison of the PI series 6 – 8 based on 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]hexafluoropropane, 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐amino‐2‐trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenyl]propane, and 2,2‐bis[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]propane, we found that the CF₃ group close to the imide group was more effective in lowering the color; this means that CF₃ of 5 , 7 , and 8f was more effective than that of 6c . The color intensity of the four PI series was lowered in the following order: 5 > 7 > 6 > 8 . The PI 5f , synthesized from diamine 2 and 4,4′‐hexafluoroisopropylidenediphthalic anhydride, had six CF₃ groups in a repeated segment, so it exhibited the lightest color among the four series. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 922–938, 2003