Synthesis and characterization of polythiophene block copolymer and fullerene derivative capable of “three‐point” complementary hydrogen bonding interactions and their application in bulk‐heterojunction solar cells

We report the synthesis and characterization of a polythiophene block copolymer (P4) selectively functionalized with diaminopyrimidine moieties and a thymine tethered fullerene derivative (F1). Self‐assembly between P4 and F1 through “three‐point” complementary hydrogen bonding is studied by ¹H NMR spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. A large Stern‐Volmer constant (K_SV) of 1.2 × 10⁵ M^?1 is observed from fluorescence quenching experiments, revealing strong complexation between these two components. Solar cells employing P4 and F1 at different weight ratios as active layers are fabricated and tested; corresponding thin film morphologies are studied in detail by optical imaging and atomic force microscopy. Correlations between polymer complex structures, film morphologies, and device performance are discussed. Thermal stability of benchmark poly(3‐hexylthiophene) bulk heterojunction solar cells is found to be improved by the addition of a few weight percent of P4/F1 complexes as compatibilizers. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 3339–3350     

氢化丁苯共聚物结构的核磁共振波谱表征Ⅰ.13C谱带的归属

本文分别用JEOL FX-90Q和Bruker AM-300波谱仪测定了氢化聚丁二烯和氢化丁苯共聚物的¹H,¹³C-NMR谱,得到了分辨率较高的谱图和新的结构信息。借助DEPT技术确定了各谱带的CH或CH₂类型。利用Grant-Paul和Lindeman-Adams介绍的化学位移经验计算公式,考虑苯基对α、β和γ碳原子的影响,计算了各种三单元序列中有关碳原子的化学位移。对脂肪碳部分的28组谱带重新进行了归属。化学位移计算值与实测值基本相符,并得到了不同组成的模型聚合物¹³C-NMR谱的各谱带强度变化规律的验证。     

AB/CD嵌段共聚物共混体系多尺度结构的自洽场模拟

本文采用自洽场理论模拟了AB/CD嵌段共聚物共混体系的自组装. 改变组分B与D间的相互作用, 得到了不同空间尺度上的两种层状结构和只能在非对称组成情况才能得到的核壳结构. 结果表明, 这种多尺度结构的形成是因为BD间排斥作用的减弱或者吸引 作用的增强导致二者间相互融合程度的增加. 当BD间的相互融合程度与AB和CD间的相互融合程度相当时, 体系会发生宏观层状与微观层状结构间的转变. 此外, 本文还从能量角度揭示了体系发生这种结构转变的深层次原因. 关键词： 嵌段共聚物 共混 多尺度结构 自洽场     

Preparation and Characterization of Electroactive Anion‐Exchange Acrylic Polymer–Gold Composites

The characteristics and performance of an ionic polymer–metal composite (IPMC), prepared with an anion‐exchange acrylic copolymer, was examined. The acrylic copolymer was synthesized by the radical copolymerization of fluoroalkyl methacrylate and 2‐(dimethyl amino)ethyl methacrylate(AMA). Effects of the AMA repeating unit's content in the copolymer and effects of the anion type present on the actuation of the IPMC were observed. The optimal content of 19.4 wt% AMA in the IPMC copolymer yielded the best actuation. The actuation also improved according to the type of anion present in the composite, in the following order: Br^???4 ^?.     

Effect of Injection Parameters and Addition of Nanoscale Materials on the Shrinkage of Polypropylene Copolymer

The effect of variation of injection conditions and addition of nano-calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), nano-silicon dioxide (SiO₂) and full-vulcanized nano-powdered styrene butadiene rubber (PSBR) on the shrinkage of injection-molded polypropylene-ethylene copolymer (90/10, co-PP) were investigated. The results showed that the shrinkage was different for different locations along the flow path. The shrinkage in the length direction of the injection-molded sample varied with the adjustment of the processing parameters, while the shrinkage in the width and thickness direction was almost unchanged. The addition of nano-CaCO₃ and PSBR decreased the shrinkage of co-PP, while the shrinkage of co-PP/ SiO₂ composite was almost unchanged.     

Preparation and Surface Properties of Fluorinated Acrylates Copolymers

Copolymerization of acrylates and styrene (St) with perfluorooctylacyloxyethyl methacrylate (FA) monomer, prepared from the reaction of perfluorooctanoic acid and hydroxymethyl methacrylate, was carried out by solution polymerization. The fluorinated acrylate and St copolymers (PFA) were examined by GPC, FT-IR, and ¹H NMR. The surface tension of the PFA solution in N-methyl pyrrolidone was tested by the drop volume method. The results showed that the surface tension of the PFA solution decreased in exponential decay with increase of the PFA concentration, and the surface tension of the solution also decreased with increased addition of the FA monomer in the copolymer at the same concentration. Meanwhile, the adsorption of the PFA macromolecules in the air–solution interface increased and enrichment of the fluorinated segments on the solution surface occurred. The studies of the surface free energy, polarity, fluorine content, and morphology of the PFA films illustrated that the surface free energy and polarity of the PFA films were decreased with the augment of the FA monomer in the copolymers, and that the fluorine content and the surface roughness were increased. The surface free energy of the PFA film was as small as 16.6 mN·m^?1. The surface properties of the PFA copolymers obtained by one shot feed during polymerization were superior to those obtained by continuing feed procedure. More fluorine segregation occurred and induced the formation of a fluorine-enriched surface if the PFA copolymer was postheated. The posttreatment was thus beneficial to the improvement of the surface properties of the PFA film.     

Acoustic behaviour and equation of state of amorphous ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer studied by means of high-pressure Brillouin scattering spectroscopy

The determination of the equation of state (EOS) of amorphous materials is very important for fundamental understanding of the glass transition and applications as well. Simultaneous observation of both longitudinal and transverse acoustic modes by Brillouin scattering spectroscopy has been one of the major methods to obtain EOS of amorphous materials. However, the transverse acoustic mode is hardly seen from some of the amorphous polymers, which makes it difficult to derive EOS. The temperature and pressure dependences of the acoustic properties of amorphous ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer were measured by using high-pressure Brillouin scattering spectroscopy. The temperature variation induced large changes in the frequency shift and linewidth of the longitudinal acoustic mode due to strong coupling between the structural relaxation process and the propagating density fluctuations. The residual linewidth in the glassy state was attributed to the remnant intramolecular motions of EVA, the activation energy of which was estimated to be ～3.30 ± 0.27 kcal/mol. The pressure–density relationship of EVA could be obtained for the first time by measuring the refractive index and using the Lorentz–Lorenz equation. The density and the refractive index exhibited monotonic increase up to approximately 12 GPa. The strong reduction of the acoustic damping at low pressures below ～3 GPa was attributed to the collapsing free volume in EVA. The present study clearly shows that measuring the refractive index by high-pressure Brillouin spectroscopy may be an alternative method to get the EOS of polymeric materials whose transverse acoustic mode is too weak to be observed.     

Surface and interfacial properties of PVDF/acrylic copolymer blends before and after UV exposure

Morphological and chemical properties of both the surface and interface of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(methyl methacrylate)-co-poly(ethyl acrylate) (PVDF/PMMA-co-PEA) blend films have been investigated before and after the samples were exposed to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation using a xenon arc lamp at 50 °C and 9% relative humidity (RH) for 7 months. Surface and interfacial morphologies were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Chemical composition information was obtained by confocal Raman microscopy, attenuated total reflection-FTIR spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and contact angle measurements. Results show an enrichment of the PVDF material at the air surface, while the acrylic copolymer enriches the interface. Blends having greater than 50% mass fraction of PVDF show little change in the surface morphology after UV exposure for 7 months. However, for a lower PVDF content, blends exhibit significant degradation of PMMA-co-PEA copolymer and a much rougher surface after UV exposure. Microstructural changes in the PVDF spherulites are also observed after UV degradation. It is found that the surface and interfacial morphologies are correlated with the chemical properties.     

MPD掺杂的共聚合物薄膜的发光特性

研究了由噻吩乙烯发色团单元和惰性寡甲撑单元组成的交替嵌段合物与小分子量染料[2-methyl-6[(2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-1H,5H-benxo[ij]quinolixin-q-yl)ethenyl]-4H－pylidenes]－丙烷二腈（MPD）共混物薄膜的光致发光。这种共混物在645nm处产生增强的红光发射。发射增强的部分原因是来源于晶化共聚合物与染料之间有效的能量传递。     

Surface modification of poly(styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene) elastomer via photo-initiated graft polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol)

Poly(styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene) (SEBS) copolymer biomedical elastomer was covalently grafted with poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) via a photo-initiated graft polymerization technique. The surface graft polymerization of SEBS with PEGMA was verified by ATR-FTIR and XPS. Effect of graft polymerization parameters, i.e., monomer concentration, UV irradiation time and initiator concentration on the grafting density was investigated. Comparing with the virgin SEBS film, the PEGMA-modified SEBS film presented an enhanced wettability and a larger surface energy. Besides, the surface grafting of PEGMA imparted excellent anti-platelet adhesion and anti-protein adsorption to the SEBS surface.