Mimicking “nascent” Cu(0) mediated SET‐LRP of methyl acrylate in DMSO leads to complete conversion in several minutes

Cu(0) was prepared via disproportionation of Cu(I)Br in the presence of Me₆‐TREN in various solvents in a glove box. The resulting nanopowders were used as mimics of “nascent” Cu(0) catalyst in the single‐electron transfer living radical polymerization (SET‐LRP) of methyl acrylate (MA), providing faster polymerization than any commercial Cu(0) powder, Cu(0) wire, or Cu(I)Br and achieving 80% conversion in only 5 min reaction time. Despite the high rate, a living polymerization was observed with linear evolution of molecular weight, narrow polydispersity, no induction period, and high retention of chain‐end functionality. In addition to providing an unprecedentedly fast, yet controlled LRP of MA, these studies suggest that the very small “nascent” Cu(0) species formed via disproportionation in SET‐LRP are the most active catalysts. Thus, when bulk Cu(0) powder or wire may be the most abundant catalyst and dictates the overall kinetics, any Cu(0) produced via disproportionation will be rapidly consumed and contributes to the overall catalytic cycle. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 403–409, 2010     

Pressure–volume–temperature data and surface tension of blends of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(methyl acrylate) in the melt

The pressure–volume–temperature behavior of miscible blends of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) was studied over extended ranges of temperature and pressure. From pressure–volume–temperature data, the reduction parameters for the Flory‐Orwoll‐Vrij equation‐of‐state were determined. It was found that reduction parameters as well as density, thermal expansion coefficient, and isothermal compressibility vary with composition in a nonlinear manner. The surface tension of the blends in the molten state was measured over the whole composition range using the sessile drop method. The surface tension was found to display negative deviation from additivity pointing toward a remarkable surface excess of PMA. Moreover, surface tension displays a minimum in the range of low PEO content at weight fraction of ～0.19. In addition, the temperature coefficient of surface tension shows negative deviation from linearity. It stays constant when PMA is in excess. Results are discussed in terms of equation‐of‐state thermodynamics. The minimum of surface tension can be well explained by weak self‐association of PEO in the bulk. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 1893–1900, 2010     

Transformation of macromonomers into ring‐opening polymerization macroinitiators: A detailed initiation efficiency study

In the present study, n‐butyl acrylate macromonomer (BAMM) (M_n = 1900 g mol^?1; PDI = 1.96) has been synthesized via a high‐temperature polymerization process. Subsequently, the olefinic termini of the BAMM have been transformed into a diol via a dihydroxylation process using KMnO₄ as an oxidizing agent. The OH‐terminated macroinitiator pBA(OH)₂ has subsequently been employed for the ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) of ε‐caprolactone via various catalytic systems, that is, organo‐(1,5,7‐triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec‐5‐ene), metal (tin(II) 2‐ethylhexanoate), and enzymatic catalysis (Novozym® 435). The obtained pBA‐b‐pCL block copolymers and the initiation efficiency of the BAMM macroinitiator have been investigated via size exclusion chromatography (SEC), electrospray ionization–mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) hyphenated with SEC and liquid chromatography at the critical conditions of both poly(ε‐caprolactone) (pCL) and pBA. The in vitro enzyme catalysis (eROP) approach proved to be the most efficient catalysis system due to minor transesterification side reactions during the polymerization process. However, side reactions such as transesterifications occur in each catalytic system and—while they cannot be suppressed—they can be minimized. The species generated during the eROP process include the desired block copolymer pBA‐b‐pCL as main species as well as pCL homopolymer and residual macroinitiator pBA(OH)₂. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Studies on the Graft Copolymerization of Methyl Acrylate and Ethyl Acrylate onto Corn Starch Using Potassium Persulfate-Sodium Thiosulphatc as Initiation System

Grafting copolymerizations of methyl acrylate(MA) and ethyl acrylate(EA) onto corn starch, respectively, initiated by potassium persulfate-sodium thiosulphate (KPS-STS) redox system, were studied. The structures of poly(MA)-g-starch and poly(EA)-g-starch were characterized by IR, SEM and X-ray diffraction. Experimental results show that KPS-STS is an efficient initiation system for grafting of MA and EA onto corn starch. The maximum percent grafting was obtained at [KPS] of 6.0× 10~3 mol/L, [STS] of 1.8× 10 5 mol/L, [M] of 6. 0× 101 mol/L, S:L=4:100 at 40℃ for 6 h. The reactivity order is MA>EA.     

New efficient reaction media for SET‐LRP produced from binary mixtures of organic solvents and H2O

SET‐LRP is mediated by a combination of solvent and ligand that promotes disproportionation of Cu(I)X into Cu(0) and Cu(II)X₂. Therefore, the diversity of solvents suitable for SET‐LRP is limited. SET‐LRP of MA in a library of solvents with different equilibrium constants for disproportionation of Cu(I)X such as DMSO, DMF, DMAC, EC, PC, EtOH, MeOH, methoxyethanol, NMP, acetone and in their binary mixtures with H₂O was examined. H₂O exhibits the highest equilibrium constant for disproportionation of Cu(I)X. The apparent rate constant of the polymerization exhibits a linear increase with the addition of H₂O. This is consistent with higher equilibrium constants for disproportionation generated by addition of H₂O to organic solvents. Furthermore, with the exception of alcohols and carbonates, the rate constant of polymerization in binary mixtures could be correlated with the Dimroth‐Reichardt solvent polarity parameter. This is consistent with the single‐electron transfer mechanism proposed for SET‐LRP that involves a polar transition state. These experiments demonstrate that the use of binary mixtures of solvents with H₂O provides a new, simple and efficient method for the elaboration of a large diversity of reaction media that are suitable for SET‐LRP even when one of the two solvents does not mediate disproportionation of Cu(I)X. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 5577–5590, 2009     

Copper catalyzed atom transfer radical copolymerization of glycidyl methacrylate and 2‐ethylhexyl acrylate

This investigation reports the atom transfer radical copolymerization (ATRcP) of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and 2‐ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA). Poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) has easily transformable pendant oxirane group and poly(2‐ethylhexyl acrylate) (PEHA) has very low T_g. They are the important components of coating and adhesive materials. Copolymerization of GMA and EHA was carried out in bulk and in toluene at 70 °C at different molar feed ratios using CuCl as catalyst in combination with 2,2′‐bypyridine (bpy) as well as N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyl diethylenetriamine (PMDETA) as ligand. The molecular weight (M_n) and the polydispersity index (PDI) of the polymers were determined by GPC analysis. The molar composition of the copolymers was determined by ¹H NMR analysis. The reactivity ratios of GMA (r₁) and EHA (r₂) were determined using Finemann‐Ross and Kelen‐Tudos linearization methods and those had been compared with the literature values for conventional free radical copolymerization. The thermal properties of the copolymers were studied by DSC and TGA analysis. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6526–6533, 2009     

氨酯丙烯酸酯树脂的合成及其固化反应动力学研究

用不同分子量的聚氧化丙烯二元醇合成了一系列氨酯丙烯酸酯齐聚物（ＵＡＯ）以及含硬段／软段结构的ＵＡＯ，并用ＦＴ－ＩＲ跟踪了这类ＵＡＯ的合成过程。通过ＵＡＯ的链端双键测定，以及ＧＰＣ、ＶＰＯ测定的分子量，表征了ＵＡＯ的数均官能团度。进一步通过ＦＴ－ＩＲ研究了由ＵＡＯ与甲基丙烯酸甲酯形成的氨酯丙烯酸酯树脂（ＵＡＲ）固化时的共聚反应动力学，发现其共聚反应速率与体系中的扩散效应密切相关。在这类ＵＡＯ中引入硬段后，共聚合体系呈现出反常的动力学行为，与网络结构形成过程中材料的形态发展有关。     

Polymerization of Blending Cholesteryl Acrylate and Methyl Phenyl Benzoyl Acrylate

Liquid crystal is a material which is between solid and liquid phase and commonly called mesophase. Blends of liquid crystal are of great interest because of their unique optical properties. Blending in this study using two monomers of liquid crystal were cholesteryl acrylate and methyl phenyl benzoyl acrylate. The polymerization process using uv curing techniques by irradiation UV ray and without irradiation UV ray. Polymerization of blending liquid crystal acrylate using initiator 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-phenylpropane. Based on peak at GPC curve of polymerization by irradiation UV ray, type of that polymer is copolymer. Therefore the polymerization without UV ray, type of that polymer is homopolymer. SEM images of liquid crystal acrylate polymer showed lamella chain models that are characteristic of a polymer chains. Type of polymer liquid crystal acrylate was the type of Side Chain Liquid Crystalline Polymers (SCLCPs). Therefore acrylate polymer liquid crystal in this research has semi-crystalline phase, which contained crystalline phase and amorphous phase on the XRD pattern. The results of FT-IR spectroscopic characterization of the two monomers showed a peak at the wave number of 1600.43 cm ^-1 and 1622.86 cm^-1 which indicates a double bond (C=C) were obtained from acrylation. While the spectroscopy on the product blending the wave number of the peak regions is reduced that shows that carbon double bonds (C=C) in the acrylate group has polymerized. It also strengthened with a very sharp peak for CC functional groups on the wave number of 2855.15 cm^-1. The results of this study indicate that the liquid crystal polymer acrylic polymerization results with radiation UV ray and without UV ray, respectively absorb light in the UV wavelength region 363 nm and 351 nm.     

碳纳米管-聚丙烯酸乙酯复合乳液的制备及其润滑性能研究

采用乳液聚合方法合成了碳纳米管一聚丙烯酸乙酯(CNTs—PEA)复合乳液;采用JEM100XI型透射电子显微镜(TEM)观察了复合乳液的微观形貌;采用MQ-800型四球摩擦磨损试验机和MM-200型环一块摩擦磨损试验机考察了CNTs—PEA复合乳液作为水基润滑添加剂的摩擦学性能;并采用JSM-35型扫描电子显微镜(SEM)分析了磨斑表面．结果表明,CNTs—PEA复合乳液在极低浓度下即可有效地提高水基液的承载能力和抗磨性能．