Properties of solutions of methyl cellulose blends with poly(N-methyl-N-vinylacetamide) in water and dimethylacetamide and of the related composite films

The rheological properties of dilute and moderately concentrated solutions of methyl cellulose blends with poly(N-methyl-N-vinylacetamide) in water and dimethylacetamide are studied, and the stressstrain characteristics of the composite films based on these blends are estimated. DSC, X-ray diffraction, and thermomechanical analysis are used to investigate the structural organization of composite films, to estimate the temperatures of relaxation transitions, and to determine the composition ranges in which the polymers are compatible and form mixed structures.     

Iridium metal–polymer complexes based on bipyridyl ligands

Novel polymer macroligands—copolyamides containing different quantity of bipyridyl groups—were obtained from 4,4′-diamino-2,2′-bipyridine, 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether and terephthaloyl-bis(3-methoxy-4-hydroxybenzoic) acid dichloroanhydride by low-temperature polycondensation. Metal–polymer complexes with different content of Ir(ppy)2 were obtained by the interaction between polymer ligand and [Ir(ppy)2Cl]₂ (ppy–2-phenylpyridine). The properties of films and coatings based on these materials were studied.     

Carbon nanocones/discs – a new type of filler to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of polymer films

The mechanical characteristics and thermal properties of composite films based on the thermally stable aromatic polyimide (PI) (PMDA‐ODA) and carbon nanocones/discs (CNC) were studied. The introduction of CNC to PMDA‐ODA leads to the substantial increase of film stiffness. The Young's modulus values of the composite films are somewhat higher than those of the previously characterized composite films of this PI filled with nanoclay, carbon nanofibers, and asbestos‐like hydrosilicate nanotubes. The introduction of CNC into PMDA‐ODA (concentrations of CNC were up to 15 vol%) does not cause any marked aggregation of nanoparticles. The presence of CNC in the PI matrix does not affect the glass transition temperature of the polymer but hinders chain mobility at temperatures above T_g. This behavior makes it possible to increase the working temperature range of the composite films containing more than 5 vol% of CNCs, up to the temperature of thermal decomposition. The introduction of CNC into PMDA‐ODA leads to dramatic (～12 orders of magnitude) increase of active electrical conductivity of the material. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Light-sensitive chalcone-containing poly(amido imides)

Soluble poly(amido imides) and copoly(amido imides) containing main-and side-chain chromophore chalcone groups have been synthesized. Thermo-and photocrosslinking of polymer chains in films under UV irradiation have been studied. The mechanical properties, dielectric behavior, and photosensitivity and photoconductivity characteristics of the polymers have been investigated.     

Aliphatic polyurethane-silica nanocomposites prepared by the parallel synthesis: Morphology and mechanical characteristics

Films of aliphatic polyurethane-silica composites containing up to 27.3 mol % of SiO₂ nanoparticles have been prepared by the parallel synthesis using the sol-gel technology. It has been revealed that the variations in the mechanical properties of these materials with increasing concentration of nanoparticles exhibit a nontrivial behavior: the ultimate strain gradually increases, whereas the elastic modulus and the yield stress decrease. A correlation of the changes observed in the mechanical characteristics with an increase in the free volume of the material with increasing silica concentration has been established. Atomic-force microscopy has confirmed the existence of a developed system of nanopores with characteristic sizes from 15 to 100 nm in the materials under investigation.     

Mechanical characteristics of films based on comb-shaped poly(amidoimides) with different contents of side chromophoric groups

For films based on poly(amidoimide) with a comb-shaped structure and long side chains, the specific features of the mechanical and thermomechanical behavior and their dependence on the concentration of the above chains are studied. With variation of the composition of the material, changes in the mechanical characteristics show a nonmonotonic character. Comparison of the results of mechanical tests and densimetric measurements allows certain conclusions to be drawn about the character of variations in the structural organization of films with an increase in the concentration of side fragments in macrochains. The role of plasticization in the behavior of the above materials during heating is demonstrated. The advantages of the practical use of the above phenomena for the optimization of the regimes of thermally stimulated polarization of films are discussed.     

Films of polyamides with phenylpyridine units in the backbone

New polyamides derived from 2-(4-aminophenyl)-5-aminopyridine, 4,4-diaminodiphenyl ether, and 4,4′-terephthaloyloxybis(3-methoxybenzoic) acid dichloride were prepared. These polyamides are of interest as macromolecular ligands. The deformation-strength, thermomechanical, and thermal properties of films of polyamides with various content of phenylpyridine fragments were studied.     

Polyamidoimides with side chromophoric groups

A new method was elaborated for the introduction of chromophores into the side chains of polymers by esterification of polyamidoimides containing side carboxy groups with glycidyl ethers of dyes, 4-(4-nitrophenylazo)phenol and 4-(6-nitrobenzothiazol-2-ylazo)phenol. The optimum modification conditions were found that made it possible to esterify 15, 30, 50, and 90% of the carboxy groups. The synthesized polymers possess valuable physicomechanical properties (E = 2.8–3.3 GPa, σ_u = 69–90 MPa, ε_u = 38–77%) and glass transition temperatures of 115–125 °C, depending on the degree of esterification. After chromophore orientation in the corona discharge, all the polymers demonstrate nonlinear optical properties of the second order. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1438–1444, June, 2005.     

Effect of carbon nanoparticles of different shapes on mechanical properties of aromatic polyimide-based composite films

Nanocomposite films based on thermally stable polypyromellitimide are prepared via the introduction of cylindrical and laminar carbon nanoparticles—nanofibers and nanocones/disks—into the prepolymer solution. An increase in the filler concentration increases the elastic modulus and yield stress of the material. Moreover, in composites filled with nanofibers, both characteristics increase much less intensely than those of films containing nanocones/disks. Rigidity increases in composites filled with nanofibers when their concentration is below ～7 vol %. A further increase in concentration is accompanied by the aggregation of nanofibers. The introduction of the nanoparticles of both types into the polymer matrix stabilizes the behavior of the material under prolonged mechanical loading: both the creep strain and the relaxation intensity decline with an increase in the filler concentration. The introduction of nanocones/disks into the polyimide matrix results in a more pronounced stabilization of creep characteristics of films than that in the case of nanofibers.     

Mechanical and thermal properties of nanocomposite films based on an aromatic polyimide and carbon nanocones

The mechanical properties of nanocomposite films prepared by incorporating new type nanoparticles, namely, carbon nanocones (CNCs), into thermally stable polypyromellitimide (PMDA-ODA), have been investigated. As the nanocones concentration in the film increases, the Young’s modulus and yield stress increase systematically. No manifestations of particle aggregation have been observed for nanoparticle concentrations up to 15 vol %. The creep has been studied in the nanocomposite films with different nanocones concentrations over wide ranges of tensile stresses and temperatures. The incorporation of these nanoparticles into the polypyromellitimide matrix stabilizes the behavior of the materials under long-term mechanical loading: as the nanocones concentration increases, a systematic decrease has been observed both in strain level during creep and in relaxation intensity in the material. Nanoparticles incorporation expands the temperature range of performance of the films.