Performance of various activators in ethylene polymerization based on an iron(II) catalyst system

Ethylisobutylaluminoxane (EBAO) and its analogues were synthesized by a reaction between an triethylaluminum (Et₃Al)/triisobutylaluminum (i‐Bu₃Al) mixture and 4‐fluorobenzeneboronic acid, phenylboronic acid, or n‐butaneboronic acid and subsequent hydrolysis with water. They were used as cocatalysts in ethylene polymerization catalyzed by an iron complex {[(ArN?C(Me))₂C₅H₃N]FeCl₂, where Ar is 2,6‐diisopropylphenyl}. Polyethylene with a high molecular weight and a narrow molecular weight distribution was prepared with modified EBAOs, and the performance of the iron complex at high polymerization temperatures was greatly improved. The activators for the iron complex also affected the polymerization activity and the molecular weight of the resultant polyethylene. It was suggested that the stereo and electronic effects of the substitute groups of aluminoxane contributed to the improved performance of the new activators. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 1093–1099, 2004     

Thermoplastic poly(ester‐imide)s derived from anhydride‐terminated polyester prepolymer and diisocyanate

The phase‐separation behavior of thermoplastic poly(ester‐imide) [P(E‐I)] multiblock copolymers, (A‐B)_n, was investigated by a stepwise variation of the imide content. All the multiblock copolymers were synthesized by solution polycondensation with dimethylformamide as a solvent. P(E‐I)s were prepared with anhydride‐terminated polyester prepolymer and diisocyanates. Polyester prepolymers were prepared by the reaction of pyromellitic dianhydride and two different polyols [poly(tetramethylene oxide glycol) (PTMG) and polycaprolactone diol (PCL)]. Structural determination was done with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Fourier transform NMR, and the molecular weight was determined by gel permeation chromatography. The effect of the imide content on the thermal properties of the synthesized P(E‐I)s was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. The polymers were also characterized for static and dynamic mechanical properties. Thermal analysis data indicated that the polymers based on PTMG were stable up to 330 °C in nitrogen atmosphere and exhibited phase‐separated morphology. Polymers based on PCL showed multistage decomposition, and the films derived from them were too fragile to be characterized for static and dynamic mechanical properties. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 341–350, 2004     

Extension of the chain‐end,free‐volume theory for predicting glass temperature as a function of conversion in hyperbranched polymers obtained through one‐pot approaches

Compared with linear polymers, more factors may affect the glass‐transition temperature (T_g) of a hyperbranched structure, for instance, the contents of end groups, the chemical properties of end groups, branching junctions, and the compactness of a hyperbranched structure. T_g's decrease with increasing content of end‐group free volumes, whereas they increase with increasing polarity of end groups, junction density, or compactness of a hyperbranched structure. However, end‐group free volumes are often a prevailing factor according to the literature. In this work, chain‐end, free‐volume theory was extended for predicting the relations of T_g to conversion (X) and molecular weight (M) in hyperbranched polymers obtained through one‐pot approaches of either polycondensation or self‐condensing vinyl polymerization. The theoretical relations of polymerization degrees to monomer conversions in developing processes of hyperbranched structures reported in the literature were applied in the extended model, and some interesting results were obtained. T_g's of hyperbranched polymers showed a nonlinear relation to reciprocal molecular weight, which differed from the linear relation observed in linear polymers. T_g values decreased with increasing molecular weight in the low‐molecular‐weight range; however, they increased with increasing molecular weight in the high‐molecular‐weight range. T_g values decreased with increasing log M and then turned to a constant value in the high‐molecular‐weight range. The plot of T_g versus 1/M or log M for hyperbranched polymers may exhibit intersecting straight‐line behaviors. The intersection or transition does not result from entanglements that account for such intersections in linear polymers but from a nonlinear feature in hyperbranched polymers according to chain‐end, free‐volume theory. However, the conclusions obtained in this work cannot be extended to dendrimers because after the third generation, the end‐group extents of a dendrimer decrease with molecular weight. Thus, it is very possible for a dendrimer that T_g increases with 1/M before the third generation; however, it decreases with 1/M after the third generation. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1235–1242, 2004     

Thermal behavior of metallodendrimers possessing bis(terpyridinyl)Ru(II) connectivity and different surface functionality

A series of metallodendrimers, assembled by means of bis(terpyridinyl)Ru^(II) connectivity on poly(propylene imine) dendrimer scaffolds, with homogeneous or heterogeneous surfaces, were prepared. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis were used to determine their thermal behavior, glass‐transition temperatures, and the decomposition kinetics and temperatures; no synergy effects for these properties were observed for the heterogeneously surfaced constructs in contrast to the corresponding homogeneously coated materials, which exhibited different values depending on their surface functionalities. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1487–1495, 2004     

Segmental and secondary dynamics in hydrogen‐bonded poly(4‐vinylphenol)/poly(methyl methacrylate) blends

Broadband dielectric spectroscopy was used to study the segmental (α) and secondary (β) relaxations in hydrogen‐bonded poly(4‐vinylphenol)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PVPh/PMMA) blends with PVPh concentrations of 20–80% and at temperatures from ?30 to approximately glass‐transition temperature (T_g) + 80 °C. Miscible blends were obtained by solution casting from methyl ethyl ketone solution, as confirmed by single differential scanning calorimetry T_g and single segmental relaxation process for each blend. The β relaxation of PMMA maintains similar characteristics in blends with PVPh, compared with neat PMMA. Its relaxation time and activation energy are nearly the same in all blends. Furthermore, the dielectric relaxation strength of PMMA β process in the blends is proportional to the concentration of PMMA, suggesting that blending and intermolecular hydrogen bonding do not modify the local intramolecular motion. The α process, however, represents the segmental motions of both components and becomes slower with increasing PVPh concentration because of the higher T_g. This leads to well‐defined α and β relaxations in the blends above the corresponding T_g, which cannot be reliably resolved in neat PMMA without ambiguous curve deconvolution. The PMMA β process still follows an Arrhenius temperature dependence above T_g, but with an activation energy larger than that observed below T_g because of increased relaxation amplitude. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3405–3415, 2004     

Diffraction grating in noncrosslinked polymers

The diffraction efficiency and morphology of the transmission modes of holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystals were studied with respect to the molecular structure of poly(urethane acrylate) (PUA), the film (polymer/liquid crystal) and resin (oligomer/monomer) compositions, and the cell thickness. PUA, based on N‐vinylpyrrolidone and ethyl hexyl acrylate, with low‐molecular‐weight poly(propylene glycol) at a low oligomer content, showed high diffraction efficiency. The results were interpreted in terms of the monomer reactivity and polymer elasticity. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 613–620, 2004     

Relationship between the dynamic softening transition and wet sliding friction of elastomer compounds

For properly chosen elastomer compounds, thermorheological characterization is combined with an examination of the variation of the wet sliding friction with temperature. A conceptual argument leads to the assumption that the wet sliding friction should maximize at the energy dissipation peak associated with the dynamic softening transition at a characteristic frequency determined by the sliding speed and the effective smallest surface asperity scale. The dynamic softening transition is characterized with the peak in tan δ/G′ⁿ, where tan δ is the loss tangent, G′ is the elastic modulus, and n is a constant between 0 and 1. The William–Landel–Ferry transform is uncritically applied for extrapolating the position of the peak in tan δ/G′ⁿ at high frequencies. Even based on the criterion of tan δ, the results obtained on a concrete surface indicate that the effective smallest asperity scale is of order of 100 μm. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 2467–2478, 2004     

Statistical thermodynamics evaluation of polymer–polymer miscibility

The Simha and Somcynsky (S–S) statistical thermodynamics theory was used to compute the solubility parameters as a function of temperature and pressure [δ = δ(T, P)], for a series of polymer melts. The characteristic scaling parameters required for this task, P*, T*, and V*, were extracted from the pressure–temperature–volume (PVT) data. To determine the potential polymer–polymer miscibility, the dependence of δ versus T (at ambient pressure) was computed for 17 polymers. Close proximity of the δ versus T curves for four miscible polymer pairs: PPE/PS, PS/PVME, and PC/PMMA signaled the usefulness of this approach. It is noteworthy, that the tabulated solubility parameters (derived from the solution data under ambient conditions) propounded the immiscibility of the PVC/PVAc pair. The computed values of δ also suggested miscibility for polymer pairs of unknown miscibility, namely PPE/PVC, PPE/PVAc, and PET/PSF. In recognizing the limitations of the solubility parameter approach (the omission of several thermodynamic contributions), these preliminary results are auspicious because they indicate a new route for estimating the miscibility of any polymeric material at a given temperature and pressure. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 2909–2915, 2004     

RuH2和RuN2电子组态与光谱性质的从头计算

用量子化学从头算方法在B3LYP/6 311G 的水平上 ,研究了RuH2 和RuN2 可能的电子组态和光谱性质 .结果表明 ,RuH2 的3 B2 和5Σ-态对应于静电作用的物理吸附态 .RuN2 的一重态和三重态的计算结果跟钌单晶面上的实验值相接近 .而RuN2 在C∞v对称性时 ,五重态5Σ-的计算频率比实验值稍低 .在C2v对称性时 ,五重态的计算频率值则更低 ,3 B2 和5A1态不能稳定存在     

(Nd_(1-x)Er_x)_2Co_(15.5)V_(1.5)的结构转变与磁性

利用电弧熔炼制备了 (Nd1 xErx) 2 Co1 5 5V1 5(x=0— 1 0 )化合物样品 .通过x射线衍射分析和磁性测量研究了Er替代Nd2 Co1 5 5V1 5中的Nd时对化合物结构和磁性的影响 .研究结果表明 ,低Er含量 (x <0 4 ) ,化合物为Th2 Zn1 7型结构 ;高Er含量时 (x >0 5 ) ,化合物转变为Th2 Ni1 7结构 ;Er含量为x =0 4和 0 5时 ,两种结构共存 .两种结构的晶胞参数a ,c和晶胞体积V随着Er含量的增加都呈现递减的趋势 .随着Er含量的增加 ,(Nd1 xErx) 2 Co1 5 5V1 5化合物的居里温度和饱和磁化强度都单调下降 .(Nd1 xErx) 2 Co1 5 5V1 5化合物的室温各向异性由低Er含量时的易锥型转变为高Er含量时的易轴型 .x =0— 0 5的化合物在温度升高时发生自旋重取向转变 ,自旋重取向温度Tsr随Er含量的增加而减小