Structural developments in synthetic rubbers during uniaxial deformation by in situ synchrotron X‐ray diffraction

The molecular orientation and strain‐induced crystallization of synthetic rubbers—polyisoprene rubber, polybutadiene rubber, and butyl rubber [poly(isobutylene isoprene)]—during uniaxial deformation were studied with in situ synchrotron wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. The high intensity of the synchrotron X‐rays and the new data analysis method made it possible to estimate the mass fractions of the strain‐induced crystals and amorphous chain segments in both the oriented and unoriented states. Contrary to the conventional concept, the majority of the molecules (50–75%) remained in an unoriented amorphous state at high strains. Each synthetic rubber showed a different behavior of strain‐induced crystallization and molecular orientation during extension and retraction. Our results confirmed the occurence of strain‐induced networks in the synthetic rubbers due to the inhomogeneity of the crosslink distribution. The strain‐induced networks containing microfibrillar crystals and oriented amorphous tie chains were responsible for the ultimate mechanical properties. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 956–964, 2004     

Establishment of hybrid-derived offspring populations in the Ohomopterus ground beetles through unidirectional hybridization

An approach to deduce the mechanism of stabilization of the hybrid-derived populations in the Ohomopterus ground beetles has been made by comparative studies on the phylogenetic trees of the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. A phylogenetic tree based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal gene roughly reflects the relations of morphological species group, while mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5) gene shows a considerable different topology on the tree; there exist several geographically-linked lineages, most of which consist of more than one species. These results suggest that the replacement of mitochondria has occurred widely in the Ohomopterus species. In most cases, hybridization is unidirectional, i.e., the species A (♂) hybridized with another species B (♀) and not vice versa, with accompanied replacement of mitochondria of A by those of B. The results also suggest that partial or complete occupation of the distribution territory by a hybrid-derived morphological species. The morphological appearance of the resultant hybrid-derivatives are recognized as that of the original species A. Emergence of a morphological new species from a hybrid-derived population has been exemplified.     

Duality relation for n-layered potts model

The duality relations are derived for the n-layered q-state Potts model (symmetrically coupled Potts model on an n-layered lattice). The self-duality conditions for general n are obtained on the square lattice and it is found that the model is self-dual under those conditions. As special cases, the self-duality conditions are examined in detail for n = 3 and 4.     

Evolving genetic code

In 1985, we reported that a bacterium, Mycoplasma capricolum, used a deviant genetic code, namely UGA, a "universal" stop codon, was read as tryptophan. This finding, together with the deviant nuclear genetic codes in not a few organisms and a number of mitochondria, shows that the genetic code is not universal, and is in a state of evolution. To account for the changes in codon meanings, we proposed the codon capture theory stating that all the code changes are non-disruptive without accompanied changes of amino acid sequences of proteins. Supporting evidence for the theory is presented in this review. A possible evolutionary process from the ancient to the present-day genetic code is also discussed.     

Phase Development Mechanism during Drawing from Highly Entangled Polyethylene Melts

Summary: The phase development mechanism during drawing from a highly entangled melt of ultra‐high‐molecular‐weight polyethylene is analyzed by simultaneous measurements of in situ X‐ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation and stress/strain behavior. The stress/strain curve exhibits a plateau region at the initial stage of the draw, and no crystalline reflections appear on a series of in situ X‐ray diffraction patterns. However, as the sample draw proceeds above a critical strain, a metastable hexagonal reflection appears and becomes predominant, where the stress/strain curve still shows a plateau deformation. With a further increase of the strain, the intensity of the hexagonal reflection peak begins to decrease and subsequently that of the usual orthorhombic ones increase. Correspondingly, a rapid increase of draw stress, because of the strain‐hardening behavior, is recorded.

Stacked line profiles extracted from in situ WAXD patterns along the equatorial direction. The red profile was obtained at the critical time of 162.5 s.     

Epitaxial growth of isotactic polypropylene on oriented polyethylene from solution

Oriented polyethylene (PE) films with surfaces bounded by the (100) plane were prepared. On the film surfaces, isotactic polypropylene (iPP) was crystallized epitaxially from solution as quadrits with their sides parallel and perpendicular to the polyethylene chain axis. In the through wide-angle x-ray diffraction pattern (taken with incident x-rays normal to the polyethylene film surface), the 111 iPP reflections was observed on the meridian (Parallel to the polyethylene chain axis). In the edge patterns (taken with x-rays incident on the edge of the polyethylene film), 040 and 060 reflections were observed on the equator. From the diffraction patterns, the following lattice coincidence was observed between polyethylene and isotactic polypropylene: (010)iPP//(100) PE, [101]iPP//[001] PE. The Small-angle x-ray scattering patterns showed that edge-on isotactic polypropylene lamellae 9 nm thick were arranged with their long axes inclined at an angle of 40° from the polyethylene axis. Molecular chains were oriented within the lamellae normal to the surfaces.     

Photodegradation of O-methacryloyl ketone oxime-methyl mechacrylate copolymers in the solid phase

Several kinds of copolymers bearing O-acyloxyimino groups were prepared and their photodegradabilities were examined. Copolymers of O-methacryloyl ketone (acetophenone, benzophenone, or 2-acetonaphthone) oxime and methyl methacrylate (or styrene) were photodegradable even in the solid phase but in the case of copolymers of O-acryloyl acetophenone oxime and methyl methacrylate (or styrene) both photodegradation and photocrosslinking were observed. From these results it was found that the photodegradability of the copolymers was not dependent on the comonomer (methyl methacrylate or styrene) but dependent on the structure of the monomer bearing O-acyloxyimino groups. From detailed analysis of photodegradation of the copolymer of O-methacyloyl acetophenone oxime and methyl methacrylate in the presence of benzophenone it was found that the benzophenone worked not only as a sensitizer for the decomposition of O-acyloxyimino groups but also as a plasticizer to assist segment motions of polymer chains and the diffusion of oxygen in the film.     

Phase transitions during heating of melt-drawn ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylenes having different molecular characteristics

Changes in the crystalline structure during heating of melt-drawn ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylenes (UHMW-PEs) having different molecular characteristics were analyzed by in situ wide-angle X-ray diffraction measurements. A phase transition from the orthorhombic into the hexagonal phase was observed for all samples, but the perfection was enhanced and the possible temperature window for the hexagonal phase was greater for the sample containing only a higher molecular weight component. In contrast, an increase in retractive stress during heating was confirmed for the sample containing a lower molecular weight component, reflecting melting of the folded-chain crystal (FCC). Differential scanning calorimetry and transmission electron microscopy revealed the dependency of the molecular characteristics of the sample on the resultant morphologies. These results demonstrate that the existence of FCC determines both the quality and the width of the temperature window for the hexagonal phase during heating of melt-drawn UHMW-PEs.     

Structural studies on polymer whiskers by transmission electron microscopy. II. Unit cell of poly(p‐hydroxybenzoic acid) whisker crystal at room temperature

A set of conspicuous reflections, which are not indexed using the cell constants reported so far for poly(p‐hydroxybenzoic acid), were found in the electron diffraction (ED) patterns of its whisker crystal. A new unit cell [a = 1.487 nm, b = 0.572 nm, and c (chain axis) = 1.258 nm, α = β = γ = 90°] was proposed to explain the reflections in question, based on a set of the ED patterns viewed along the different zone axes, which were obtained by tilting the whisker around its long axis. The density of the whisker was experimentally measured to be 1.500 g/cm³, showing that four molecular stems are running through the new unit cell. From the extinction rule, the highest space group was assumed to be Pbca. In this case, the projection of the new unit cell onto the ab‐plane gives a two‐dimensional unit cell with pgm and is basically in agreement with those proposed so far. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 2456–2462, 1999     

Effects of molecular characteristics and processing conditions on melt‐drawing behavior of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene

The effects of molecular characteristics and processing conditions on melt‐drawing behavior of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW‐PE) are discussed, based on a combination of in situ X‐ray measurement and stress–strain behavior. The sample films of metallocene‐ and Ziegler‐catalyzed UHMW‐PEs with a similar viscosity average MW of ～10⁷ were prepared by compression molding at 180 °C. Stress profiles recorded at 160 °C above the melting temperature of 135 °C exhibited a plateau stress region for both films. The relative change in the intensities of the amorphous scattering recorded on the equator and on the meridian indicated the orientation of amorphous chains along the draw axis with increasing strain. However, there was a substantial difference in the subsequent crystallization into the hexagonal phase, reflecting the molecular characteristics, that is, MW distribution of each sample film. Rapid crystallization into the hexagonal phase occurred at the beginning point of the plateau stress region in melt‐drawing for metallocene‐catalyzed UHMW‐PE film. In contrast, gradual crystallization into the hexagonal phase occurred at the middle point of the plateau stress region for the Ziegler‐catalyzed film, suggesting an ease of chain slippage during drawing. These results demonstrate that the difference in the MW distribution due to the polymerization catalyst system dominates the phase development mechanism during melt‐drawing. The effect of the processing conditions, that is, the including strain rate and drawing temperature, on the melt‐drawing behavior is also discussed. The obtained results indicate that the traditional temperature–strain rate relationship is effective for transient crystallization in to the hexagonal phase during melt‐drawing, as well as for typically oriented crystallization during ultradrawing in the solid state. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2455–2467, 2006