Control of pore size and pore uniformity in films based on self‐assembling block copolymers

Blends of self‐assembling polystyrene‐block‐poly(4‐vinyl pyridine) (PS‐b‐P4VP) diblock‐copolymers and poly(4‐vinyl pyridine) (P4VP) homopolymers were used to fabricate isoporous and nanoporous films. Block copolymers (BCP) self‐assembled into a structure where the minority component forms very uniform cylinders, while homopolymers, resided in the core of the cylinders. Selective removal of the homopolymers by ethanol immersion led to the formation of well‐ordered pores. In films without added homopolymer, just immersion in ethanol and subsequent swelling of the P4VP blocks was found to be sufficient to create pores. Pore sizes were tuned between 10 and 50 nm by simply varying the homopolymer content and the molecular weight of the block‐copolymer. Uniformity was lost when the average pore size exceeded 30 nm because of macrophase separation. However, preparation of films from low M_W diblock copolymers showed that it is possible to have excellent pore size control and a high porosity, while retaining a low pore size distribution. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 1568–1579     

Novel amphiphilic homopolymers containing meta‐ and para‐pyridine moieties with living characteristics and their self‐assembly

Amphiphilic monomers containing the isomeric pyridine moieties 3‐(4‐vinylphenyl)pyridine (3VPPy) and 4‐(4‐vinylphenyl)pyridine (4VPPy) were synthesized using the Suzuki coupling reaction. A living anionic polymerization of 3VPPy and 4VPPy was successfully performed under various conditions to overcome the limitations of anionic polymerization and to compare their properties with those of poly(2‐(4‐vinylphenyl)pyridine) as reported previously. Several characteristics of the resulting isomeric P3VPPy and P4VPPy were studied, such as thermal stability, solubility, and the living nature. The block copolymerization of 4VPPy with 2‐vinylpyridine and MMA was carried out without additive to estimate the nucleophilicity of P4VPPy and to confirm its living nature. Additionally, each amphiphilic homopolymer of P3VPPy and P4VPPy containing both a hydrophilic pyridine unit and a hydrophobic styrene unit was tested for self‐assembly behavior in a mixed solvent (THF/water) and monitored with TEM and SEM. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 3458–3469     

Defining donor and acceptor strength in conjugated copolymers

ABSTRACT

The progress in efficiency of organic photovoltaic devices is largely driven by the development of new donor–acceptor (D–A) copolymers. The number of possible D–A combinations escalates rapidly with the ever-increasing number of donor and acceptor units, and the design process often involves a trial-and-error approach. We here present a computationally efficient methodology for the prediction of optical and electronic properties of D–A copolymers based on density functional theory calculations of donor- and acceptor-only homopolymers. Ten donors and eight acceptors are studied, as well as all of their 80 D–A copolymer combinations, showing absorption energies of 1.3–2.3 eV, and absorption strengths varying by up to a factor of 2.5. Focus lies on exhibited trends in frontier orbital energies, optical band gaps, and absorption intensities, as well as their relation to the molecular structure. Based on the results, we define the concept of donor and acceptor strength, and calculate this quantity for all investigated units. The light-harvesting capabilities of the 80 D–A copolymers were also assessed. This gives a valuable theoretical guideline to the design of D–A copolymers with the potential to reduce the synthesis efforts in the development of new polymers.     

Controlled synthesis of poly(dimethylsiloxane) homopolymers using high‐vacuum anionic polymerization techniques

The controlled synthesis of poly(dimethylsiloxane) homopolymers (PDMS) using hexamethyl(cyclotrisiloxane) monomer (D₃), a mixture of ciclohexane/tetrahydrofuran 50/50 v/v and sec‐Bu^–Li⁺ as initiator was studied using different experimental conditions, and whole‐sealed glass reactors according to standards procedures in high‐vacuum anionic polymerization. It was observed that polydispersity indexes (PD) and conversions strongly depend on temperature and reaction times. For PDMS homopolymers with molar masses below 100,000 g/mol, high conversion (>90%) and PD < 1.1 can be achieved at long reaction times (24 h) and mild temperature conditions (below or up to 30 °C). On the other hand, to synthesize PDMS homopolymers with molar masses higher than 100,000 g/mol and PD < 1.1 it is necessary to increase the temperature up to 50 °C and decrease the reaction time (8 h). However, under these reaction conditions, it was observed that the conversion decreases (about 65–70% conversion is achieved). Apparently, the competition between propagation and secondary reactions (redistribution, backbiting, and reshuffling) depends on the molar masses desired. According to the results obtained in this study—which were compared with others found in the scientific literature—propagation is favored when M_n < 100,000 g/mol, whereas secondary reactions seem to become important for higher molar masses. Nevertheless, model PDMS homopolymers with high molar masses can still be obtained increasing the reaction temperature and shortening the total reaction time. It seems that the combined effect of these two facts favors propagation against secondary reactions, and provides model PDMS homopolymers with molar masses quite close to the expected ones. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4774–4783, 2009     

Synthesis of amphiphilic homopolymers and their self‐assembly into acid‐responsive polymeric micelles

This contribution presents a strategy for preparing amphiphilic homopolymers as building blocks for self‐assembly into supramolecular nanostructures. The synthesis begins with norbornene monomers containing oligoethylene glycols on the side chains. Ring‐opening metathesis polymerization of the monomers and subsequent dihydroxylation afford water‐soluble dihydroxylated poly(norbornene)s (PNBs). Amphiphilic modifications of the hydrophilic PNBs can be achieved by reacting 1,2‐diols on the backbones with hydrophobic dodecanals to form acetal linkages. The self‐assembly of the resulting amphiphilic PNB homopolymers affords polymeric micelles whose morphologies can be tuned by breaking the acetal linkages under acidic conditions. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 3804–3808     

Core-Corona Micelles Formed by Self-Assembly of Random Copolymer and Homopolymer Mixtures: Dissipative Particle Dynamics Simulations

Dissipative particle dynamics simulation was applied to investigate the cooperative aggregation of amphiphilic random copolymer and homopolymer mixtures in selective solvents. The amphiphilic random copolymers were set to contain more hydrophilic segments. The effects of the contents of homopolymers, the chain length of amphiphilic random copolymers, the interaction parameters, as well as the simulation time, on the cooperative aggregation were systematically studied with dissipative particle dynamics simulation method. The results showed that core-corona micelles could be formed with the addition of homopolymers, where the homopolymers accumulate at the core and the amphiphilic random copolymers as the corona. This work demonstrated that the morphology and the size of the micelles could be tuned by the controlled addition of homopolymers in the process of self-assembly.     

Syntheses and Characterization of Conjugates of Nucleic Acid Probes and 6-Aminoglucose-based Polymers

Homopolymers based on 6-deoxy-6-methacryloylamido-d -glucopyranose (6-aminoglucose), obtained by radical-initiated polymerization, were used as reactive polymeric supports to tether oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs) in order to make oligonucleotide–polymer conjugates of potential applications in diagnostics. The reducing ends of the homopolymers, used as self-protected groups during the radical polymerizations, served as reactive groups for the covalent attachment of 5′-amino-modified oligodeoxyribonucleotides via reductive amination, with sodium borohydride as a reducing agent. The best coupling conditions used dimethylformamide/20 mm sodium tetraborate as a 90/10 (v/v) mixture at 50°C. The main factors controlling the course of the reaction are electrostatic repulsive interactions and polymer chain complexation. A low ionic strength was essential for the reaction to occur in a pH range of 7.3 to 9.3. The polymer–ODN conjugates could be aggregated depending on the extent of polymer chain interactions. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of hybrid fluorinated silicones. I. Influence of the spacer between the silicon atom and the fluorinated chain in the preparation and the thermal properties of hybrid homopolymers

The synthesis of fluorinated hybrid silicones prepared in three steps from H₂C CH—C₆F₁₂ CH CH₂(I) and H₂C CHCH₂—C₆F₁₂—CH₂CH CH₂(II) is presented. First, both hydrosilylations of chlorodimethylsilane with these nonconjugated dienes were carried out in the presence of the Speier's catalyst leading to the expected bis-chlorosilane in excellent yield from (II) but giving a rearranged by-product from (I). However, a similar reaction from (I) initiated by a peroxide produced the expected bis-chlorosilane selectively. Second, these chlorosilanes were quantitatively hydrolyzed into the corresponding α,ω-bis silanols, whatever the spacer between the fluorinated group and the silicon atom. Finally, the polycondensations of these bis silanols were performed in the presence of an amine/acid adduct catalyst. Interestingly, the dihydroxysilane produced from (I) reacts much quicker than the other one. Moreover, thermal properties (T_g, T_dec) were investigated and compared to those of commercially available fluorosilicones or mentioned in the literature and show improvement of the behavior of these fluorosilicones at low and high temperatures. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Organoborazines. III. Homo- and copolymerization of p-vinylphenylcyclotriborazines

The polymerization and copolymerization with styrene of a series of unsymmetrically B-p-vinylphenyl-N-methyl and N-phenyl borazines [R³(R²)₂B₃N₃(R¹)₃; R¹ = methyl, phenyl, R² = methyl phenyl, R³ = p-vinylphenyl] has been studied. The polymerization of these monomers yielded both tractable and crosslinked materials. The polymers obtained were characterized by ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, gel permeation chromatography, and thermogravimeteric analysis. The reactivity ratios for the copolymerization reaction were calculated by the Mortimer-Tidwell method.     

Carbosilane/carbosiloxane‐based ADMET homopolymers and copolymers possessing latent reactivity

Reactive methoxy‐functionalized carbosilane and carbosiloxane dienes can be either homopolymerized or copolymerized via acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polycondensation chemistry to produce reactive materials with mechanical behavior dependent on the molar ratios of the comonomers. The methoxy‐functional group within the polycarbosilane repeat unit remains inert during the metathesis polymerization and can be triggered subsequently with water to generate crosslinks between polymer chains. In this way, linear, thermoplastic copolymers can be prepared with ADMET chemistry and converted into crosslinked, thermoset copolymers upon exposure to moisture. Crosslinked films containing 5–10% of the crosslinked hard segment are soft and flexible materials. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 1544–1550, 2000