Structure of 9,10-di(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl)anthracene in the solid and in solution

A new example of magnetic nonequivalence of chemically equivalent atoms is identified from the proton and carbon resonance spectra of 9,10-di(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl)anthracene with the aid of its conformation in the crystalline state. Molecular modeling suggests that it has a similar conformation in solution.     

Tailoring the flow of soft glasses by soft additives

We examine the vitrification and melting of asymmetric star polymer mixtures by combining rheological measurements with mode coupling theory. We identify two types of glassy states, a single glass, in which the small component is fluid in the glassy matrix of the big one, and a double glass, in which both components are vitrified. Addition of small-star polymers leads to melting of both glasses, and the melting curve has a nonmonotonic dependence on the star-star size ratio. The phenomenon opens new ways for externally steering the rheological behavior of soft matter systems.     

Compressed‐gas‐induced crystallization in tert‐butyl poly(ether ether ketone)

tert‐Butyl‐substituted poly(ether ether ketone) (tBuPEEK), which does not undergo crystallization with thermal annealing, crystallizes readily when treated with compressed CO₂. The dissolved CO₂ causes a reduction in the glass‐transition temperature of the polymer–gas system and enhances the chain mobility of the macromolecules, thereby bringing about crystallization. In the presence of CO₂, crystallization is increasingly favored with increasing CO₂ pressure and treatment temperature. The melting point of tBuPEEK crystals increases linearly with the CO₂ pressure applied in the treatment, indicating an increase in the order and/or size of the crystals. The extent of crystallinity increases when small amounts of methanol or dichloromethane are used as a cosolute with CO₂. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 1505–1512, 2001     

Self-diffusion of multiarm star polymers in solution far from and near the ordering transition

The self-diffusion of three 128-arm polybutadiene star solutions in toluene was investigated over a broad concentration range from dilute to the ordering region with pulsed field gradient NMR (PFG-NMR). The strong concentration dependence of the self-diffusion coefficient in the fluid state is distinguished clearly from that of linear chains and can be described by a non-Arrhenius VFT-like equation with the concentration playing the role of inverse temperature. In the concentrated regime, the observation of two dynamic phases reflects the coexistence of crystalline and liquid phases over a limited concentration region. The concentration dependences of both the ordinary (fluid-like) diffusion and the completely restricted in-cage motion of these hyper stars are in agreement with the behavior of concentrated colloidal suspensions.     

The hard-sphere model for linear and regular star polybutadienes

The dilute solution properties of linear, 18-arm, and 270-arm star polybutadienes have been studied in a theta solvent and in a good solvent. Values of the radius of gyration R_G, the second virial coefficient A₂, the intrinsic viscosity [η], and the diffusion coefficient D₀ have been measured for each polymer. The ratios R_T/R_G, R_V/R_G, and R_H/R_G for each type of polymer are used to compare the four dilute solution properties. R_T is termed the “thermodynamic radius.” It is the radius of the hard sphere with the same excluded volume as the polymer coil. R_T is calculated from A₂ by R_T = (3A₂M₂/16ηN_A)^1/3. R_V and R_H are equivalent hard spheres defined for the intrinsic viscosity and translational diffusion coefficient, respectively. R_T/R_G, R_V/R_G, and R_H/R_G increase from about 0.7 for linear polymer coils as the number of arms in the star increases. Values of the ratios for the 18-arm stars are less than the value for the hard-sphere, but the values of the ratios of the 270-arm stars are equal to the hard-sphere limit within experimental error.     

A continuous-time /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ ADC with increased immunity to interferers

Receivers are being digitized in a quest for flexibility. Analog filters and programmable gain stages are being exchanged for digital processing at the price of a very challenging ADC. This paper presents an alternative solution where the filter and programmable gain functionality is integrated into a /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ ADC. The novel filtering ADC is realized by adding a high-pass feedback path to a conventional /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ ADC while a compensating low-pass filter in the forward path maintains stability. As such, the ADC becomes highly immune to interferers even if they exceed the maximum allowable input level for the wanted channel. As a consequence, the ADC input range can be programmed dynamically to the level of the wanted signal only. This results in an input-referred dynamic range of 89 dB in 1-MHz bandwidth and an intentionally moderate output signal-to-noise-and-distortion ratio of 46-59 dB (depending on the programmed gain). The merged functionality enables a better overall power/performance balance for the receiver baseband. The design consumes less than 2 mW and active area is 0.14 mm/sup 2/ in a 0.18-/spl mu/m digital CMOS technology.     

Synthesis and properties of eighteen-arm polybutadienes

A series of eighteen-arm regular star polybutadienes with molecular weights between 9.9 × 10⁴ and 1.9 × 10⁶ were prepared and characterized. Evidence is presented for the expanded configuration of the large eighteen-arm stars in a θ solvent. The intrinsic viscosities of the eighteen-arm stars gave g′ = [η]/[η]_l = 0.28₄ in dioxane at 27°C (θ solvent) and 0.22₅ in toluene at 35°C (good solvent). The linear viscoelastic properties of the melts were also determined. The plateau modulus, G_N°, is the same as for linear polybutadiene. The zero-shear viscosities (η₀) and the longest relaxation times (T_max) increase exponentially with the arm molecular weight M_a and are identical to those of four-arm polybutadienes with the same M_a. The zero-shear recoverable compliance (J_e°) increases linearly with molecular weight. v′ in J_e°G_N° = v′N_a, where N_a is the number of entanglements per arm, is 0.95 slightly larger than 0.66 for four-arm polybutadienes. Similarly, g₂ is higher than calculated from the Rouse–Ham theory.     

Hydrodynamic properties of model 3-miktoarm star copolymers

The synthesis of well-defined, nearly monodispersed, 3-miktoarm (from the greek word μlkτós meaning mixed) star copolymer of the A₂B type is described. A and B is either polystyrene (PS), polybutadiene (PBd), or polyisoprene (PI). The sequential controlled addition of living anionic B and A chains to methyltrichlorosilane leads to narrow molecular weight distribution miktoarm star copolymers with homogeneous composition. Characterization was carried out by size exclusion chromatography, low-angle laser light scattering, laser differential refractometry, membrane and vapor pressure osmometry, nuclear magnetic resonance and ultraviolet spectroscopy. Analysis of [η], R_H and R_v of the A₂B and one A₂B₂ miktoarm copolymers, suggests that a small expansion of the copolymer occurs either in a good solvent for both species or in a Θ solvent for one of them, as compared with the corresponding star homopolymers. This is in contrast to results obtained on linear block copolymers, and is due to the increased occurrence of heterocontacts in the miktoarm starshaped architecture. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Hydrodynamic studies on model branched polystyrenes

The measurement of the sedimentation velocity coefficient of narrow distribution linear, four-arm and six-arm star and comb polystyrenes in a theta solvent permits the experimental determination of h, i.e., the ratio of the translational friction coefficients of the branched polymer to that of its linear homolog. A comparison of experimental h/g^1/2 values with theoretical predictions can then be made. It was observed that the equivalent hydrodynamic radii derived from sedimentation and intrinsic viscosity measurements are identical within experimental error.     

Gas transport properties of substituted PEEKs

Tert-butyl and di-tert-butyl were added as pendant groups to the ether-ether phenyl ring of poly(ether ether ketone), PEEK. tert-butyl PEEK, TBPEEK, was amorphous and di-tert-butyl PEEK, DBPEEK, was semicrystalline. However, a 2 : 1 random copolymer of TBPEEK and DBPEEK, TBDBPEEK, was amorphous. Gas transport of N₂, O₂, CH₄, and CO₂ through amorphous films of PEEK, TBPEEK, TBDBPEEK, and tetramethylbiphenyl PEEK were determined at 35°C and at pressures to about 15 atm. The results support previous observations that tert-butyl and tetramethylbiphenyl groups are very effective in disrupting chain packing in the polymer. For the present polymers, these substitutions led to a 5–18-fold increase in permeability, and, in some cases, at no loss in permselectivity. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 2355–2362, 1997