TOF-SIMS analysis of polystyrene/polybutadiene blend using chemical derivatization and multivariate analysis

Chemical imaging with high spatial resolution is one of the features of TOF-SIMS. However, degradation of the sample due to primary ion bombardment becomes problematic when the analysis area is small. Although polystyrene (PS) and polybutadiene (PB) separately show relatively distinct spectra, observation of their phase separation in PS/PB blends is difficult when the analysis area is small because degradation of both polymers and especially PS leads to disappearance of their characteristic peaks, resulting in low chemical image contrast. We therefore investigated the application of various forms of multivariate analysis (MVA) to the TOF-SIMS image data to improve the chemical image contrast. PCA, MCR, and the other forms of MVA provided improvement in contrast, but the images were still obscure and observation of phase separation remained difficult. Chemical derivatization using osmium tetroxide was also investigated, and found to give clear images of phase separation in the PS/PB blend. In quantitative determinations with MVA and chemical derivatization, PLS demonstrated the best predictive capability and chemical derivatization resulted in large deviations from both the bulk chemical composition and the determinations with MVA, particularly in regions of low PB content.     

裂解色谱法测定环化顺1,4聚丁二烯的环化度

用裂解色谱法研究了不同环化度的环化顺１，４聚丁二烯，建立了测定ＣＰＢｄ环化度方法，分析了不同实验条件下生成的ＣＰＢｄ的环化度，结果与ＮＭＲ测定值一致。     

Ostwald ripening in an immiscible hydrogenated polybutadiene and high-density polyethylene blend

The long-time regime coarsening in a phase-segregated blend of hydrogenated polybutadiene (HPB) with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) was studied. The blend consisted of 10 wt% of HPB in a HDPE matrix. The morphology of the system was studied by etching the HPB particles from the HDPE matrix and observing the etched specimens in a scanning electron microscope. The average volume of the HPB particles was found to increase with storage time in the melt, and to follow a temporal exponent of 1 in agreement with the predictions of the Ostwald ripening theory. This indicated that the particles coarsen by the evaporation-condensation mechanism on which the Ostwald ripening theory is based. The rate constant from the Ostwald ripening theory was calculated and compared to the rate constant determined from the experimental data. The theoretical rate constant, K, calculated from Ostwald ripening theory, was 3.6 × 10^?18 cm³/s compared to an experimentally determined rate constant of 4.8 × 10^?18 cm³/s. The agreement between the theoretical and experimental rate constants was quite good. The significance attached to the good agreement between the theoretical and experimental rate constants might be mollified to some extent by the uncertainty involved in the parameters used to calculate the theoretical rate constant; viz. the interfacial tension, mutual-diffusion coefficient, and equilibrium concentration of the HPB in the matrix phase that are not known to high accuracy. In reality, because other theories were used to determine the interfacial tension, mutual-diffusion coefficient, and equilibrium phase compositions, this study was a test of several theories simultaneously. However, the agreement of the experimental temporal exponent and rate constant with the predictions of Ostwald ripening theory strongly indicates that the HPB/HDPE system coarsens by the evaporation-condensation mechanism upon which the Ostwald ripening theory is based. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The relaxation time spectrum of nearly monodisperse polybutadiene melts

The relaxation behavior of polymers with long linear flexible chains of uniform length has been investigated by means of dynamic mechanical analysis. The relaxation time spectrum (H()) follows a scaling relationship with two self-similar regions, one for the entanglement and terminal zone, and a second one for the transition to the glass. This can be described in its most general form (termed BSW spectrum) as H() = H _e ^ne + H _g ^– n _g for < _max and H() = 0 for _max < , where H _e , H _g , n _e , n _g are material constants and _max is the molecular weight dependent cut-off of the self-similar behavior. In this study, the dynamic mechanical response has been measured and analyzed for four highly entangled, nearly monodisperse polybutadienes with molecular weights from 20000 to 200000. The data are well represented by the BSW spectrum with scaling exponents of n _e = 0.23 and n _g = 0.67. The values of the exponents obtained in this work are about the same as those found for polystyrene samples in a previous study. This suggests that the two types of polymers have a similar relaxation pattern. However, at this point further refinement of the experiments is needed before being able to draw definite conclusions about the universality of the exponents.Dedicated to Professor Arthur S. Lodge on the occasion of his 70th birthday and his retirement from the University of Wisconsin.     

Relaxation and viscoelastic properties of complex polymer systems

Dynamic behavior of various polymer melts is studied on the basis of a comparison of viscoelastic properties with the information obtained from dielectric spectroscopy. The experimental observations are compared with results of computer simulation of corresponding systems. The studies include simple melts of linear chains, block copolymer systems of miscible components, as well as the behavior of melts with molecular objects of complex topology-like stars or microgels. In the case of polyisoprene linear chain melts an equivalence of terminal relaxation times determined from mechanical and dielectric measurements is demonstrated. Using linear block copolymers of isoprene and butadiene, relaxation times of chain fragments (isoprene blocks) in relation to relaxation times of whole copolymer chains are determined and compared with theory and simulation. Both the experimentally determined block relaxation times and relaxation times of chain fragments in simulated linear chain melts show a disagreement with predictions of the reptation theory. In the case of multiarm star polymers and microgel melts, the slow relaxation modes observed in viscoelastic spectra are assigned to cooperative translational motions detected in corresponding simulated systems in which an ordering of such molecules is demonstrated. This suggests that the terminal relaxation in multiarm star or microgel melts is governed by another relaxation mechanism than in linear chain melts. High efficiency of the Cooperative Motion Algorithm in simulation of dense systems of complex molecules is demonstrated.Dedicated to the memory of Professor Tasos C. Papanastasiou     

Enhancement of mechanical properties of natural rubber with maleic anhydride grafted liquid polybutadiene functionalized graphene oxide

An effective procedure has been developed to synthesize the functionalized graphene oxide grafted by maleic anhydride grafted liquid polybutadiene(MLPB-GO). Fourier transform spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicate the successful functionalization of GO. The NR/MLPB-GO composites were then prepared by the co-coagulation process. The results show that the mechanical properties of NR/MLPB-GO composites are obviously superior to those of NR/GO composites and neat NR. Compared with neat NR, the tensile strength, modulus at 300% strain and tear strength of NR composite containing 2.12 phr MLPB-GO are significantly increased by 40.5%, 109.1% and 85.0%, respectively. Dynamic mechanical analysis results show that 84% increase in storage modulus and 2.9 K enhancement in the glass transition temperature of the composite have been achieved with the incorporation of 2.12 phr MLPB-GO into NR. The good dispersion of GO and the strong interface interaction in the composites are responsible for the unprecedented reinforcing efficiency of MLPB-GO towards NR.     

Transition‐metal compatibilization of poly(4‐bromostyrene) and polybutadiene via palladium(0) catalyzed reactions

Immiscible blends of 1,2‐polybutadiene and poly(4‐bromostyrene) can be compatibilized by rather low concentrations of Pd⁽⁰⁾[P(C₆H₅)₃]₄ at ambient temperature and 60 °C under argon. Two distinct glass‐transition temperatures merge into a single glass‐transition temperature at high enough concentrations of Pd⁽⁰⁾ (i.e., 2 or 3 mol %). Compatibilization does not occur if Pd⁽⁰⁾ is absent, triphenylphosphine is added without Pd⁽⁰⁾, or polystyrene is not functionalized. The methodology described herein is also useful for inducing melting‐point depression of 2,7‐dibromofluorene in ternary complexes with 1,2‐polybutadiene and Pd⁽⁰⁾. A 72/28 complex of poly(4‐bromostyrene) and 1,2‐polybutadiene with 5.5 mol % Pd⁽⁰⁾ exhibits a reinforced rubbery response with a modulus of 1.2 × 10⁷ N/m², a fracture strain of 235%, and a single glass‐transition temperature. Mechanical properties of these compatibilized ternary systems compare well with those of styrene–butadiene block copolymers, particularly above 100% strain. A five‐step mechanism that includes oxidative addition, olefin coordination, migratory insertion, β‐hydride elimination, and reductive elimination in the coordination sphere of the transition metal is proposed to illustrate how either poly(4‐bromostyrene) or 2,7‐dibromofluorene is linked covalently to alkene side groups in the diene polymer via the Heck reaction. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 39: 677–688, 2001     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(vinyl ferrocene) grafted hydroxyl-terminated poly(butadiene): A propellant binder with a built-in burn-rate catalyst

The graft copolymer hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene-g-polyvinyl ferrocene (HTPB-g-PVF) was synthesized free radically from HTPB and vinyl ferrocene (VF) in benzene, using azobisisobutyronitrile as the radical initiator at 75°. The graft copolymer was analysed for its structural and thermal characteristics. The chemically bound ferrocene in HTPB-g-PVF, catalysis the oxygen up-take and oxidative degradation reactions of HTPB, and the mechanisms of the catalysis are discussed. The most probable grafting sites on HTPB and the mechanism of grafting also are discussed. The extent of the grafting, which was a function of VF concentration, was low. The graft copolymer also was tried as a propellant-binder-cum-burn-rate (BR) catalyst in a composite solid propellant, using toluene diisocyanate and trimethylol propane as curatives with dibutyl tin dilaurate as the curing catalyst, and the BRs of the propellants were evaluated at 3.9 MPa. The BRs increased with the extent of VF grafting but not proportionally. The BRs also were compared with those of reference HTPB propellants containing VF, Fe₂O₃, copper chromite, and so forth as BR catalysts. Chemically linked ferrocene in the binder augmented the propellant BR, probably because of the presence of catalytically active sites in the binder for its degradation. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 4090–4099, 1999     

Rapid determination of molecular parameters of synthetic polymers by precipitation/redissolution high‐performance liquid chromatography using “molded” monolithic column

Rapid high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of polystyrenes, poly(methyl methacrylates), poly(vinyl acetates), and polybutadienes using a monolithic 50 × 4.6 mm i.d. poly(styrene‐co‐divinylbenzene) column have been carried out. The separation process involves precipitation of the macromolecules on the macroporous monolithic column followed by progressive elution utilizing a gradient of the mobile phase. Depending on the character of the separated polymer, solvent gradients were composed of a poor solvent such as water, methanol, or hexane and increasing amounts of a good solvent such as THF or dichloromethane. Monolithic columns are ideally suited for this technique because convection through the large pores of the monolith enhances the mass transport of large polymer molecules and accelerates the separation process. Separation conditions including the selection of a specific pair of solvent and precipitant, flow rate, and gradient steepness were optimized for the rapid HPLC separations of various polymers that differed broadly in their molecular weights. Excellent separations were obtained demonstrating that the precipitation‐redissolution technique is a suitable alternative to size‐exclusion chromatography (SEC). The molecular weight parameters calculated from the HPLC data match well those obtained by SEC. However, compared to SEC, the determination of molecular parameters using gradient elution could be achieved at comparable flow rates in a much shorter period of time, typically in about 1 min. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 2767–2778, 2000