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Elastic Behavior of Polymer Chains
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Teng Lu; Tao Chen; Hao-jun Liang
The elastic behavior of the polymer chain was investigated in a three-dimensional off-lattice model. We sample more than 109 conformations of each kind of polymer chain by using a Monte Carlo algorithm, then analyze them with the non-Gaussian theory of rubberlike elasticity, and end with a statistical study. Through observing the effect of the chain flexibility and the stretching ratio on the mean-square end-to-end distance,the average energy, the average Helmholtz free energy, the elastic force, the contribution of energy to the elastic force, and the entropy contribution to elastic force of the polymer chain, we find that a rigid polymer chain is much easier to stretch than a flexible polymer chain. Also, a rigid polymer chain will become difficult to stretch only at a quite high stretching ratio because of the effect of the entropy contribution.These results of our simulation calculation may explain some of the macroscopic phenomena of polymer and biomacromolecular elasticity.
Structure of polymer chains under confinement
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Jyotsana Lal
We observe by SANS the structure of neutral polystyrene and charged polystyrene sulphonate chains in semi-dilute solutions confined in a model nanoporous glass, Vycor. The size of the free chains in solution is always larger than the pore diameter, 70. The use of a suitable mixture of hydrogenated and deuterated solvents and polymers enables us to measure directly the form factor of one single chain among the others. Single chain form factor was observed both for bulk and confined chains using the condition of zero average contrast. Our measurements on neutral polymer chains are in agreement with the theoretical predictions established by Daoud and de Gennes for chains confined in a cylindrical pore when the chains are entangled and laterally squeezed but remain ideal at large scale along the cylinder axis because of the screening of the excluded volume interactions (so-called regime of ``semi-dilute cigars"). For confined charged polymers, a peak is observed whose intensity increases with molecular weight and the asymptotic 1/ scattering region is extended compared to the bulk. We infer that the chains are sufficiently extended, under the influence of confinement, to highlight the large scale disordered structure of Vycor even under contrast matched conditions. The asymptotic behaviour of the observed interchain structure factor is ≈ 1/2 and ≈ 1/ for free and confined chains respectively.
Molecular dynamics studies of entangled polymer chains
Bulacu, Monica Iulia
The thesis presents three molecular dynamics studies of polymeric ensembles in which the chain entanglement plays the major role in the internal dynamics of the system. A coarse-grained model is used for representing the polymer chains as strings of beads connected by finite-extensible springs. In a
Exciton Transfer Integrals Between Polymer Chains
Barford, W
The line-dipole approximation for the evaluation of the exciton transfer integral, $J$, between conjugated polymer chains is rigorously justified. Using this approximation, as well as the plane-wave approximation for the exciton center-of-mass wavefunction, it is shown analytically that $J \\sim L$ when the chain lengths are smaller than the separation between them, or $J\\sim L^{-1}$ when the chain lengths are larger than their separation, where $L$ is the polymer length. Scaling relations are also obtained numerically for the more realistic standing-wave approximation for the exciton center-of-mass wavefunction, where it is found that for chain lengths larger than their separation $J \\sim L^{-1.8}$ or $J \\sim L^{-2}$, for parallel or collinear chains, respectively. These results have important implications for the photo-physics of conjugated polymers and self-assembled molecular systems, as the Davydov splitting in aggregates and the F\\"orster transfer rate for exciton migration decreases with chain lengths l...
Macromolecular recognition: Recognition of polymer side chains by cyclodextrin
Hashidzume, Akihito; Harada, Akira
The interaction of cyclodextrins (CD) with water soluble polymers possessing guest residues has been investigated as model systems in biological molecular recognition. The selectivity of interaction of CD with polymer-carrying guest residues is controlled by polymer chains, i.e., the steric effect of polymer main chain, the conformational effect of polymer main chain, and multi-site interaction. Macroscopic assemblies have been also realized based on molecular recognition using polyacrylamide-based gels possessing CD and guest residues.
Hybrid Monte Carlo simulation of polymer chains
Irbäck, A
We develop the hybrid Monte Carlo method for simulations of single off-lattice polymer chains. We discuss implementation and choice of simulation parameters in some detail. The performance of the algorithm is tested on models for homopolymers with short- or long-range self-repulsion, using chains with $16\\le N\\le 512$ monomers. Without excessive fine tuning, we find that the computational cost grows as $N^{2+z^\\prime}$ with $0.64
Monotonicity of a Key Function Arised in Studies of Nematic Liquid Crystal Polymers
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Hongyun Wang
Full Text Available We revisit a key function arised in studies of nematic liquid crystal polymers. Previously, it was conjectured that the function is strictly decreasing and the conjecture was numerically confirmed. Here we prove the conjecture analytically. More specifically, we write the derivative of the function into two parts and prove that each part is strictly negative.
Side Chain Engineering in Solution-Processable Conjugated Polymers
Mei, Jianguo
Side chains in conjugated polymers have been primarily utilized as solubilizing groups. However, these side chains have roles that are far beyond. We advocate using side chain engineering to tune a polymer\\'s physical properties, including absorption, emission, energy level, molecular packing, and charge transport. To date, numerous flexible substituents suitable for constructing side chains have been reported. In this Perspective article, we advocate that the side chain engineering approach can advance better designs for next-generation conjugated polymers. © 2013 American Chemical Society.
Spiropyran main-chain conjugated polymers.
Sommer, Michael; Komber, Hartmut
The first main-chain conjugated copolymers based on alternating spiropyran (SP) and 9,9-dioctylfluorene (F8) units synthesized via Suzuki polycondensation (SPC) are presented. The reaction conditions of SPC are optimized to obtain materials of type P(para-SP-F8) with appreciably high molecular weights up to M(w) ≈ 100 kg mol(-1). (13)C NMR is used to identify the random orientation of the non-symmetric SP unit in P(p-SP-F8). Ultrasound-induced isomerization of P(p-SP-F8) to the corresponding merocyanine form P(p-MC-F8) yields a deep-red solution. This isomerization reaction is followed by (1)H NMR in solution using sonication, whereby the color increasingly changes to deep red. The possibility to incorporate multiple SP units into main-chain polymers significantly broadens existing SP-based polymeric architectures.
Structure of Polymer Chains Confined in Vycor
Lal, Jyotsana; Sinha, Sunil K.; Auvray, Loïc
We observe by Small Angle Neutron Scattering the structure of polystyrene chains in semi-dilute solutions confined in a model porous medium, Vycor. The size of the free chains in solution is always larger than the pore diameter, 70 Å. The use of a suitable mixture of hydrogenated and deuterated solvents and polymers enables us to measure directly the form factor of one single chain among the others. The penetration of the chains in the porous medium is almost complete for the concentration (Φ = 20%) and the range of molecular weight (35 000 coefficient of the chains between the porous medium and the free solution and the asymptotic behavior of the structure factors indicate that polystyrene adsorbs onto the bare surface of Vycor. We show that silanizing Vycor suppresses this adsorption. Nous observons par diffusion de neutrons aux petits angles la structure de chaînes de polystyrène en solution semi-diluée confinées dans un milieu poreux modèle, le Vycor. La taille des chaînes en solution à l'état libre est toujours supérieure au diamètre des pores, 70 Å. L'utilisation d'un mélange adéquat de solvants et de polymères hydrogénés et deutérés nous permet de mesurer directement le facteur de forme d'une seule chaîne au milieu des autres. La pénétration des chaînes dans le milieu poreux est presque totale pour la concentration (Φ = 20%) et la gamme de poids moléculaire (35 000 coefficients de partage des chaînes entre le milieu poreux et la solution libre ainsi que le comportement asymptotique des facteurs de structure montrent que le polystyrène s'adsorbe sur la surface nue du Vycor. Nous montrons que la silanisation du Vycor supprime cette adsorption.
Dynamics in Blends of Long Polymers with Unentangled Short Chains
Colby, Ralph
Scaling ideas for dynamics of polymer solutions are extended to the case of a solution of long chains (of N monomers) in unentangled short chains (of P monomers). The P chains can be sufficiently short to make the long chains partially swell (P < N1/2). While the configurational statistics of the partially swollen long chains are perfectly analogous to the case of a long chain in marginal solvent, the dynamics are qualitatively different because of differences in the screening of hydrodynamic...
Nonaffine chain and primitive path deformation in crosslinked polymers
Davidson, J. D.; Goulbourne, N. C.
Chains in a polymer network deform nonaffinely at small length scales due to the ability for extensive microscopic rearrangement. Classically, the conformations of an individual chain can be described solely by an end-to-end length. This picture neglects interchain interactions and therefore does not represent the behavior of a real polymer network. The primitive path concept provides the additional detail to represent interchain entanglements, and techniques have recently been developed to identify the network of primitive paths in a polymer simulation. We use coarse-grained molecular dynamics (MD) to track both chain end-to-end and primitive path deformation in crosslinked polymer networks. The range of simulated materials includes short chain unentangled networks to long, entangled chain networks. Both chain end-to-end and primitive path length are found to be linear functions of the applied deformation, and a simple relationship describes the behavior of a network in response to large stretch uniaxial, pure shear, and equi-biaxial deformations. As expected, end-to-end chain length deformation is nonaffine for short chain networks, and becomes closer to affine for networks of long, entangled chains. However, primitive path deformation is found to always be nonaffine, even for long, entangled chains. We demonstrate how the microscopic constraints of crosslinks and entanglements affect nonaffine chain deformation as well as the simulated elastic behavior of the different networks.
Microscopic Chain Motion in Polymer Nanocomposites with Dynamically Asymmetric Interphases.
Senses, Erkan; Faraone, Antonio; Akcora, Pinar
Dynamics of the interphase region between matrix and bound polymers on nanoparticles is important to understand the macroscopic rheological properties of nanocomposites. Here, we present neutron scattering investigations on nanocomposites with dynamically asymmetric interphases formed by a high-glass transition temperature polymer, poly(methyl methacrylate), adsorbed on nanoparticles and a low-glass transition temperature miscible matrix, poly(ethylene oxide). By taking advantage of selective isotope labeling of the chains, we studied the role of interfacial polymer on segmental and collective dynamics of the matrix chains from subnanoseconds to 100 nanoseconds. Our results show that the Rouse relaxation remains unchanged in a weakly attractive composite system while the dynamics significantly slows down in a strongly attractive composite. More importantly, the chains disentangle with a remarkable increase of the reptation tube size when the bound polymer is vitreous. The glassy and rubbery states of the bound polymer as temperature changes underpin the macroscopic stiffening of nanocomposites. PMID:27457056
Non-Markovian effects in the growth of a polymer chain
Sokolovski D.; Rusconi S.; Akhmatskaya E.; Asua J.M.
Using simple exactly solvable models, we show that event-dependent time delays may lead to significant non-Poisson effects in the statistics of polymer chain growth. The results are confirmed by stochastic simulation of various growth scenarios. Our interest in mathematical aspects of non-Markovian growth arises from recent successful application of delayed probability density functions in stochastic modelling of controlled radical polymerization.
Touching polymer chains by organic field-effect transistors
Wei Shao; Huanli Dong; Zhigang Wang; Wenping Hu
Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) are used to directly "touch" the movement and dynamics of polymer chains, and then determine Tg. As a molecular-level probe, the conducting channel of OFETs exhibits several unique advantages: 1) it directly detects the motion and dynamics of polymer chain at T g ; 2) it allows the measurement of size effects in ultrathin polymer films (even down to 6 nm), which bridges the gap in understanding effects between surface and interface. This facile and rel...
Ideal linear-chain polymers with fixed angular momentum.
Brunner, Matthew; Deutsch, J M
The statistical mechanics of a linear noninteracting polymer chain with a large number of monomers is considered with fixed angular momentum. The radius of gyration for a linear polymer is derived exactly by functional integration. This result is then compared to simulations done with a large number of noninteracting rigid links at fixed angular momentum. The simulation agrees with the theory up to finite-size corrections. The simulations are also used to investigate the anisotropic nature of a spinning polymer. We find universal scaling of the polymer size along the direction of the angular momentum, as a function of rescaled angular momentum.
Generalized conservation law for main-chain polymer nematics
Svenšek, Daniel; Podgornik, Rudolf
We explore the implications of the conservation law(s) and the corresponding so-called continuity equation(s), resulting from the coupling between the positional and the orientational order in main-chain polymer nematics, by showing that the vectorial and tensorial forms of these equations are in general not equivalent and cannot be reduced to one another, but neither are they disjoint alternatives. We analyze the relation between them and elucidate the fundamental role that the chain backfolding plays in the determination of their relative strength and importance. Finally, we show that the correct penalty potential in the effective free energy, implementing these conservation laws, should actually connect both the tensorial and the vectorial constraints. We show that the consequences of the polymer chains' connectivity for their consistent mesoscopic description are thus not only highly nontrivial but that its proper implementation is absolutely crucial for a consistent coarse-grained description of the main-chain polymer nematics.
Wear of conveyor chains with polymer rolls
Kerremans, Vincent; Rolly, Tom; DE BAETS, PATRICK; De Pauw, Jan; Sukumaran, Jacob; Perez Delgado, Yeczain
Roller conveyor chains are common used to transport goods in production lines or assembly lines, such as pallets, cars or steel coils. They are sometimes used in severe environments, soiled with water, foreign particles, chemicals or other contaminants. Normal use will result in wear of the components of the chain which can lead to unexpected failure and costly production downtime. Today, few literature on the wear of conveyor chain is available and there are almost no reliable test-rigs to g...
Relaxation Dynamics of Nanoparticle-Tethered Polymer Chains
Kim, Sung A
© 2015 American Chemical Society. Relaxation dynamics of nanoparticle-tethered cis-1,4-polyisoprene (PI) are investigated using dielectric spectroscopy and rheometry. A model system composed of polymer chains densely grafted to spherical SiO
Polymer-like Behavior of Inorganic Nanoparticle Chain Aggregates
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Studies of the behavior of nanoparticle chain aggregates (NCA) have shown properties similar to those of molecular polymers. Like polymer chains, NCA tend to gather up and become more compact when heated. Under tensile stress, folded chain segments pull out and the NCA elongates. When the tension is relaxed, the chains contract. The stretching of NCA may contribute to the ductility of compacts made from nanoparticles, a subject of current research interest. In a well established technological application, carbon black and pyrogenic silica NCA produce remarkable increases in elastic modulus and tensile strength when added to commercial rubber. This may be due to the mechanical interaction between the polymer chains and NCA. However, basic mechanisms of NCA elasticity differ from those of molecular polymers. The alignment of chain segments when the NCA are subjected to tension probably results from rotation and translation at grain boundaries between neighboring nanocrystals. The elastic properties depend on the van der Waals forces between segments of the chain that fold to minimize surface free energy. Under tension, these segments pull out, but tend to reform when the tension is relaxed. The processes that lead to NCA formation and control the strength of interparticle bonds are briefly reviewed
Anionic synthesis of in-chain and chain-end functionalized polymers
Roy Chowdhury, Sumana
The objective of this work was to anionically synthesize well-defined polymers having functional groups either at the chain-end or along the polymer chain. General functionalization methods (GFM) were used for synthesizing both kinds of polymers. Chain-end functionalized polymers were synthesized by terminating the anionically synthesized, living polymer chains using chlorodimethylsilane. Hydrosilation reactions were then done between the silyl-hydride groups at the chain-ends and the double bonds of commercially available substituted alkenes. This produced a range of well-defined polymers having the desired functional groups at the chain-ends. In-chain functionalized polymers were synthesized by anionically polymerizing a silylhydride functionalized styrene monomer: (4-vinylphenyl)dimethysilane. Polymerizations were done at room temperature in hydrocarbon solvents to produce well-defined polymers. Functional groups were then introduced into the polymer chains by use of hydrosilation reactions done post-polymerization. The functionalized polymers produced were characterized using SEC, 1H and 13C NMR, FTIR, MALDI TOF mass spectrometry and DSC. The monomer reactivity ratios in the copolymerization of styrene with (4-vinylphenyl)dimethylsilane were also measured. A series of copolymerizaions was done with different molar ratios of styrene(S) and (4-vinylphenyl)dimethylsilane(Si). Three different methods were used to determine the values of the monomer reactivity ratios: Fineman-Ross, Kelen-Tudos and Error-In-Variable (EVM) methods. The average values of the two monomer reactivity ratios obtained were: r Si = 0.16 and rS = 1.74. From these values it was observed that in the copolymerization of styrene with (4-vinylphenyl)dimethylsilane, the second monomer was preferentially incorporated into the copolymer chain. Also, rSirS = 0.27, which shows that the copolymer has a tendency to have an alternating structure. Amino acid-functionalized polymers (biohybrids) were
Single chain stochastic polymer modeling at high strain rates.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Harstad, E. N. (Eric N.); Harlow, Francis Harvey,; Schreyer, H. L.
Our goal is to develop constitutive relations for the behavior of a solid polymer during high-strain-rate deformations. In contrast to the classic thermodynamic techniques for deriving stress-strain response in static (equilibrium) circumstances, we employ a statistical-mechanics approach, in which we evolve a probability distribution function (PDF) for the velocity fluctuations of the repeating units of the chain. We use a Langevin description for the dynamics of a single repeating unit and a Lioville equation to describe the variations of the PDF. Moments of the PDF give the conservation equations for a single polymer chain embedded in other similar chains. To extract single-chain analytical constitutive relations these equations have been solved for representative loading paths. By this process we discover that a measure of nonuniform chain link displacement serves this purpose very well. We then derive an evolution equation for the descriptor function, with the result being a history-dependent constitutive relation.
Polymer chain organization in tensile-stretched poly(ethylene oxide)-based polymer electrolytes
Burba, Christopher M.; Woods, Lauren; Millar, Sarah Y.; Pallie, Jonathan
Polymer chain orientation in tensile-stretched poly(ethylene oxide)-lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate polymer electrolytes are investigated with polarized infrared spectroscopy as a function of the degree of strain and salt composition (ether oxygen atom to lithium ion ratios of 20:1, 15:1, and 10:1). The 1359 and 1352 cm-1 bands are used to probe the crystalline PEO and P(EO)3LiCF3SO3 domains, respectively, allowing a direct comparison of chain orientation for the two phases. Two-dimensional correlation FT-IR spectroscopy indicates that the two crystalline domains align at the same rate as the polymer electrolytes are stretched. Quantitative measurements of polymer chain orientation obtained through dichroic infrared spectroscopy show that chain orientation predominantly occurs between strain values of 150% and 250%, regardless of salt composition investigated. There are few changes in chain orientation for either phase when the films are further elongated to a strain of 300%; however, the PEO domains are slightly more oriented at the high strain values. The spectroscopic data are consistent with stretching-induced melt-recrystallization of the unoriented crystalline domains in the solution-cast polymer films. Stretching the films pulls polymer chains from the crystalline domains, which subsequently recrystallize with the polymer helices parallel to the stretch direction. If lithium ion conduction in crystalline polymer electrolytes is viewed as consisting of two major components (facile intra-chain lithium ion conduction and slow helix-to-helix inter-grain hopping), then alignment of the polymer helices will affect the ion conduction pathways for these materials by reducing the number of inter-grain hops required to migrate through the polymer electrolyte. PMID:22184475
Polymer chain organization in tensile-stretched poly(ethylene oxide)-based polymer electrolytes.
Burba, Christopher M; Woods, Lauren; Millar, Sarah Y; Pallie, Jonathan
Polymer chain orientation in tensile-stretched poly(ethylene oxide)-lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate polymer electrolytes are investigated with polarized infrared spectroscopy as a function of the degree of strain and salt composition (ether oxygen atom to lithium ion ratios of 20:1, 15:1, and 10:1). The 1359 and 1352 cm(-1) bands are used to probe the crystalline PEO and P(EO)(3)LiCF(3)SO(3) domains, respectively, allowing a direct comparison of chain orientation for the two phases. Two-dimensional correlation FT-IR spectroscopy indicates that the two crystalline domains align at the same rate as the polymer electrolytes are stretched. Quantitative measurements of polymer chain orientation obtained through dichroic infrared spectroscopy show that chain orientation predominantly occurs between strain values of 150% and 250%, regardless of salt composition investigated. There are few changes in chain orientation for either phase when the films are further elongated to a strain of 300%; however, the PEO domains are slightly more oriented at the high strain values. The spectroscopic data are consistent with stretching-induced melt-recrystallization of the unoriented crystalline domains in the solution-cast polymer films. Stretching the films pulls polymer chains from the crystalline domains, which subsequently recrystallize with the polymer helices parallel to the stretch direction. If lithium ion conduction in crystalline polymer electrolytes is viewed as consisting of two major components (facile intra-chain lithium ion conduction and slow helix-to-helix inter-grain hopping), then alignment of the polymer helices will affect the ion conduction pathways for these materials by reducing the number of inter-grain hops required to migrate through the polymer electrolyte.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Mikiharu Kamachi
The inclusion complex formation of α-CD, β-CD, and γ-CD with various water-soluble polymers has been investigated, and the relationship between the chain cross-sectional areas of the polymers and the diameters of the cavities of cyclodextrins (molecular recognition) was found. Polyrotaxanes and tubular polymers were prepared on the basis of molecular recognition. Several kinds of polymers having tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) and paramagnetic metallotetraphenylporphyrin (AgTPP, CuTPP, VOTPP or ZnTPP) have been prepared by radical polymerization of the corresponding monomers. Visible spectra of these polymers show hypochromism in the Soret bands of TPP moieties as compared with those of monomers. Polymer effects were observed in the magnetic behavior and oxygen adsorption of paramagnetic metallotetraphenylporphyrin moieties. Moreover, polymer effects on photophysical and photochemical behavior were found in the amphiphilic polymers covalently tethered with small amounts of zinc(Ⅱ)-tetraphenylporphyrin (ZnTPP).
Grafted polymers layers: neutral chains to charged chains
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
This work concerns an experimental study, by small angle neutrons scattering, of neutral or charged grafted polymers layers structures. The method consisted in exploiting the acknowledges got on neutral brushes, to reach the problem of grafted polyelectrolyte layers. The difficulty of charged layers making has been, until this day, an important obstacle to the experimental study of these systems. It has been partially resolved in the case of sodium sulfonate polystyrene layers, and allowed to study their structure. (N.C.). 72 refs., 74 figs., 24 tabs
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Qing Shen; Jian-feng Hu; Qing-feng Gu
A constitutive model of quasi-Newtonian fluid based on the type of flow is used in abrupt planar contraction flow.The numerical results from finite element analysis are consistent with experimental data for stress patterns and velocity profiles in the flow field. The chain conformations of polymer melts are then investigated in such a planar contraction by using the phenomenological model with internal parameters proposed by the author. That is, the shape and orientation of polymer chain coils are predicted and discussed in different flow regions of the contraction flow field that possess simple shear flow, extensional flow, vortical flow, and mixed flow respectively.
Single-chain folding of polymers for catalytic systems in water.
Terashima, Takaya; Mes, Tristan; De Greef, Tom F A; Gillissen, Martijn A J; Besenius, Pol; Palmans, Anja R A; Meijer, E W
Enzymes are a source of inspiration for chemists attempting to create versatile synthetic catalysts. In order to arrive at a polymeric chain carrying catalytic units separated spatially, it is a prerequisite to fold these polymers in water into well-defined compartmentalized architectures thus creating a catalytic core. Herein, we report the synthesis, physical properties, and catalytic activity of a water-soluble segmented terpolymer in which a helical structure in the apolar core is created around a ruthenium-based catalyst. The supramolecular chirality of this catalytic system is the result of the self-assembly of benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide side chains, while the catalyst arises from the sequential ruthenium-catalyzed living radical polymerization of the different monomers followed by ligand exchange. The polymers exhibit a two-state folding process and show transfer hydrogenation in water. PMID:21405022
Hyperbranched polymer stars with Gaussian chain statistics revisited.
Polińska, P; Gillig, C; Wittmer, J P; Baschnagel, J
Conformational properties of regular dendrimers and more general hyperbranched polymer stars with Gaussian statistics for the spacer chains between branching points are revisited numerically. We investigate the scaling for asymptotically long chains especially for fractal dimensions df = 3 (marginally compact) and df = 2.5 (diffusion limited aggregation). Power-law stars obtained by imposing the number of additional arms per generation are compared to truly self-similar stars. We discuss effects of weak excluded-volume interactions and sketch the regime where the Gaussian approximation should hold in dense solutions and melts for sufficiently large spacer chains. PMID:24574057
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Zhou-ting Jiang; Peng Xu; Ting-ting Sun
The structural transition of a single polymer chain with chain length of 100,200 and 300 beads was investigated by parallel tempering MD simulation.Our simulation results can capture the structural change from random coil to orientationally ordered structure with decreasing temperature.The clear transition was observed on the curves of radius of gyration and global orientational order parameter P as the function of temperature,which demonstrated structural formation of a single polymer chain.The linear relationships between three components of square radius of gyration R2gx,R2gv,R2gz andglobal orientational order P can be obtained under the structurally transformational process.The slope of the linear relationship between x (or y-axis) component R2gx (or R2gy ) and P is negative,while that of R2gx as the function of P is positive.The absolute value of slope is proportional to the chain length.Once the single polymer chain takes the random coil or ordered configuration,the linear relationship is invalid.The conformational change was also analyzed on microscopic scale.The polymer chain can be treated as the construction of rigid stems connecting by flexible loops.The deviation from exponentially decreased behavior of stem length distribution becomes prominent,indicating a stiffening of the chain arises leading to more and more segments ending up in the trans state with decreasing temperature.The stem length Ntr is about 21 bonds indicating the polymer chain is ordered with the specific fold length.So,the simulation results,which show the prototype of a liquid-crystalline polymer chain,are helpful to understand the crystallization process of crystalline polymers.
Anomalous chain diffusion in polymer nanocomposites for varying polymer-filler interaction strengths
Goswami, Monojoy; Sumpter, Bobby G.
Anomalous diffusion of polymer chains in a polymer nanocomposite melt is investigated for different polymer-nanoparticle interaction strengths using stochastic molecular dynamics simulations. For spherical nanoparticles dispersed in a polymer matrix the results indicate that the chain motion exhibits three distinct regions of diffusion, the Rouse-like motion, an intermediate subdiffusive regime followed by a normal Fickian diffusion. The motion of the chain end monomers shows a scaling that can be attributed to the formation of strong "networklike" structures, which have been seen in a variety of polymer nanocomposite systems. Irrespective of the polymer-particle interaction strengths, these three regimes seem to be present with small deviations. Further investigation on dynamic structure factor shows that the deviations simply exist due to the presence of strong enthalpic interactions between the monomers with the nanoparticles, albeit preserving the anomaly in the chain diffusion. The time-temperature superposition principle is also tested for this system and shows a striking resemblance with systems near glass transition and biological systems with molecular crowding. The universality class of the problem can be enormously important in understanding materials with strong affinity to form either a glass, a gel or networklike structures.
Self-Assembly of Emulsion Droplets into Polymer Chains
Bargteil, Dylan; McMullen, Angus; Brujic, Jasna
We experimentally investigate `beads-on-a-string' models of polymers using the spontaneous assembly of emulsion droplets into linear chains. Droplets functionalized with surface-mobile DNA allow for programmable 'monomers' through which we can influence the three-dimensional structure of the assembled 'polymer'. Such model polymers can be used to study conformational changes of polypeptides and the principles governing protein folding. In our system, we find that droplets bind via complementary DNA strands that are recruited into adhesion patches. Recruitment is driven by the DNA hybridization energy, and is limited by the energy cost of surface deformation and the entropy loss of the mobile linkers, yielding adhesion patches of a characteristic size with a given number of linkers. By tuning the initial surface coverage of linkers, we control valency between the droplets to create linear or branched polymer chains. We additionally control the flexibility of the model polymers by varying the salt concentration and study their dynamics between extended and collapsed states. This system opens the possibility of programming stable three-dimensional structures, such as those found within folded proteins.
Communication: Polarizable polymer chain under external electric field in a dilute polymer solution
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We study the conformational behavior of polarizable polymer chain under an external homogeneous electric field within the Flory type self-consistent field theory. We consider the influence of electric field on the polymer coil as well as on the polymer globule. We show that when the polymer chain conformation is a coil, application of external electric field leads to its additional swelling. However, when the polymer conformation is a globule, a sufficiently strong field can induce a globule-coil transition. We show that such "field-induced" globule-coil transition at the sufficiently small monomer polarizabilities goes quite smoothly. On the contrary, when the monomer polarizability exceeds a certain threshold value, the globule-coil transition occurs as a dramatic expansion in the regime of first-order phase transition. The developed theoretical model can be applied to predicting polymer globule density change under external electric field in order to provide more efficient processes of polymer functionalization, such as sorption, dyeing, and chemical modification
Communication: Polarizable polymer chain under external electric field in a dilute polymer solution
Budkov, Yu. A.; Kolesnikov, A. L.; Kiselev, M. G.
We study the conformational behavior of polarizable polymer chain under an external homogeneous electric field within the Flory type self-consistent field theory. We consider the influence of electric field on the polymer coil as well as on the polymer globule. We show that when the polymer chain conformation is a coil, application of external electric field leads to its additional swelling. However, when the polymer conformation is a globule, a sufficiently strong field can induce a globule-coil transition. We show that such "field-induced" globule-coil transition at the sufficiently small monomer polarizabilities goes quite smoothly. On the contrary, when the monomer polarizability exceeds a certain threshold value, the globule-coil transition occurs as a dramatic expansion in the regime of first-order phase transition. The developed theoretical model can be applied to predicting polymer globule density change under external electric field in order to provide more efficient processes of polymer functionalization, such as sorption, dyeing, and chemical modification
Nucleobase-templated polymerization: copying the chain length and polydispersity of living polymers into conjugated polymers.
Lo, Pik Kwan; Sleiman, Hanadi F
Conjugated polymers synthesized by step polymerization mechanisms typically suffer from poor molecular weight control and broad molecular weight distributions. We report a new method which uses nucleobase recognition to read out and efficiently copy the controlled chain length and narrow molecular weight distribution of a polymer template generated by living polymerization, into a daughter conjugated polymer. Aligning nucleobase-containing monomers on their complementary parent template using hydrogen-bonding interactions, and subsequently carrying out a Sonogashira polymerization, leads to the templated synthesis of a conjugated polymer. Remarkably, this daughter strand is found to possess a narrow molecular weight distribution and a chain length nearly equivalent to that of the parent template. On the other hand, nontemplated polymerization or polymerization with the incorrect template generates a short conjugated oligomer with a significantly broader molecular weight distribution. Hence, nucleobase-templated polymerization is a useful tool in polymer synthesis, in this case allowing the use of a large number of polymers generated by living methods, such as anionic polymerization, controlled radical polymerizations (NMP, ATRP, and RAFT) and other mechanisms to program the structure, length, and molecular weight distribution of polymers normally generated by step polymerization methods and significantly enhance their properties.
Charge photogeneration and transport in side-chain carbazole polymers and co-polymers
Li, Huawei
The photoconductivity, hole mobility and charge photogeneration efficiency of a series of side-chain carbazole homopolymers and copolymers (with azo side-chains) have been investigated. Cyclic voltammetry measurement of frontier orbitals energies show that the HOMO energy is determined by the nature and the position of attachment of the linker between the main chain and the carbazole, the azo-moiety being not relevant in this respect. Hole mobility is not influenced by the HOMO energy but seems to depend on the degree of conformational mobility of the side-chains, reaching values of the order of 10-3cm2V-1s-1 in the best cases. The HOMO energy is instead extremely important when considering photogeneration efficiency, that can change by 10 orders of magnitude depending on the density of the carbazole side-chains in co-polymers and on the linker nature and attachment position. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Synthesis and Characterization of a New Network Polymer Electrolyte Containing Polyether in the Main Chains and Side Chains
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Wang; Cheng-chien; Chen; Chuh-yung
1 Results A new network polymer electrolyte matrix with polyether in the side chains and main chains was synthesized by the azo-macroinitiator method and urethane reaction.The macroinitiator,polymer and network polymer were confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and 1H NMR.FT-IR was also used to study the environment of lithium ions doped in these network polymer electrolytes.Three important groups are considered: N-H,carbonyl,and ether groups.The thermal properties of the polymer ...
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Chi-bing Tan; Quan-ling Zhang; Shu-fan Zhang; Xia-yu Wang; Mao Xu
The morphological features of a side-chain liquid crystalline polymer during the mesophase transitions were investigated by using the DSC technique. The polymer used was polyacrylate with mesogens of three benzene rings attached to the main chain through a flexible spacer. A special two-phase texture was observed in the transition temperature range. Similar to main-chain liquid crystalline polymers the transition process of the side-chain liquid crystalline polymer was composed of an initiation of the new phase at local places of the old phase matrix and a growth process of the new phase domains.
Diketopyrrolopyrrole-based Conjugated Polymers Bearing Branched Oligo(Ethylene Glycol) Side Chains for Photovoltaic Devices.
Chen, Xingxing; Zhang, Zijian; Ding, Zicheng; Liu, Jun; Wang, Lixiang
Conjugated polymers are essential for solution-processable organic opto-electronic devices. In contrast to the great efforts on developing new conjugated polymer backbones, research on developing side chains is rare. Herein, we report branched oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) as side chains of conjugated polymers. Compared with typical alkyl side chains, branched OEG side chains endowed the resulting conjugated polymers with a smaller π-π stacking distance, higher hole mobility, smaller optical band gap, higher dielectric constant, and larger surface energy. Moreover, the conjugated polymers with branched OEG side chains exhibited outstanding photovoltaic performance in polymer solar cells. A power conversion efficiency of 5.37 % with near-infrared photoresponse was demonstrated and the device performance could be insensitive to the active layer thickness.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Yue-li Zheng; Rong Chen; De-lu Zhao; Da-cheng Wu
In the present paper, the behavior of a single polymer chain under various solvent conditions was modeled by self-avoiding walks (SAW) with nearest neighbors attraction △ε on a simple cubic lattice. Determination of the θ-condition was based on the numerical results of the mean square radius of gyration and end-to-end distance. It was found that at the θtemperature △ε/kT equals -0.27. The exponents α in the Mark-Houwink equation with different interaction parameters are consistent with the results of experiments: under θ-condition, α= 0.5, and for a good solvent α = 0.74-0.84, respectively.
High Performance All-Polymer Solar Cell via Polymer Side-Chain Engineering
Zhou, Yan
An average PCE of 4.2% for all-polymer solar cells from 20 devices with an average J SC of 8.8 mA cm-2 are obtained with a donor-acceptor pair despite a low LUMO-LUMO energy offset of less than 0.1 eV. Incorporation of polystyrene side chains into the donor polymer is found to assist in reducing the phase separation domain length scale, and results in more than 20% enhancement of PCE. We observe a direct correlation between the short circuit current (J SC) and the length scale of BHJ phase separation, which is obtained by resonance soft X-ray scattering. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Equivalence of chain conformations in the surface region of a polymer melt and a single Gaussian chain nder critical conditions
Skvortsov, A.M.; Leermakers, F.A.M.; Fleer, G.J.
In the melt polymer conformations are nearly ideal according to Flory's ideality hypothesis. Silberberg generalized this statement for chains in the interfacial region. We check the Silberberg argument by analyzing the conformations of a probe chain end-grafted at a solid surface in a sea of floatin
Improved power conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells using side chain liquid crystal polymer embedded in polymer electrolytes
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Cho, Woosum [Department of Chemistry Education, and Department of Frontier Materials Chemistry, and Institute for Plastic Information and Energy Materials, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jae Wook, E-mail: email@example.com [Department of Chemistry, Dong-A University, Busan 604-714 (Korea, Republic of); Gal, Yeong-Soon [Polymer Chemistry Lab, College of General Education, Kyungil University, Hayang 712-701 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Mi-Ra, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Jin, Sung Ho, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Department of Chemistry Education, and Department of Frontier Materials Chemistry, and Institute for Plastic Information and Energy Materials, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of)
Side chain liquid crystal polymer (SCLCP) embedded in poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-co-HFP)-based polymer electrolytes (PVdF-co-HFP:side chain liquid crystal polymer (SCLCP)) was prepared for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) application. The polymer electrolytes contained tetrabutylammonium iodide (TBAI), iodine (I{sub 2}), and 8 wt% PVdF-co-HFP in acetonitrile. DSSCs comprised of PVdF-co-HFP:SCLCP-based polymer electrolytes displayed enhanced redox couple reduction and reduced charge recombination in comparison to those of the conventional PVdF-co-HFP-based polymer electrolyte. The significantly increased short-circuit current density (J{sub sc}, 10.75 mA cm{sup −2}) of the DSSCs with PVdF-co-HFP:SCLCP-based polymer electrolytes afforded a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.32% and a fill factor (FF) of 0.64 under standard light intensity of 100 mW cm{sup −2} irradiation of AM 1.5 sunlight. - Highlights: • We developed the liquid crystal polymer embedded on polymer electrolyte for DSSCs. • We fabricated the highly efficient DSSCs using polymer electrolyte. • The best PCE achieved for P1 is 5.32% using polymer electrolyte.
Effects of nanostructure geometry on polymer chain alignment and device performance in nanoimprinted polymer solar cell
Yang, Yi; Mielczarek, Kamil; Zakhidov, Anvar; Hu, Walter
Among the various organic photovoltaic devices, the conjugated polymer/fullerene approach has drawn the most research interest. The performance of these types of solar cells is greatly determined by the nanoscale morphology of the two components (donor/acceptor) and the molecular orientation/crystallinity in the photoactive layer. This article demonstrates our recent studies on the nanostructure geometry effects on the nanoimprint induced poly(3 hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) chain alignment and photovoltaic performance. Out-of-plane and in-plane grazing incident X-ray diffractions are employed to characterize the chain orientations in P3HT nanogratings with different widths and heights. It is found that nanoimprint procedure changes the initial edge-on alignment in non-imprinted P3HT thin film to a vertical orientation which favors the hole transport, with an organization height H≥ 170 nm and width in the range of 60 nmcells show an increase in power conversion efficiency (PCE) with the decrease of nanostructure width, and with the increase of height and junction area. Devices with the highest PCE are made by the fully aligned and highest P3HT nanostructures (width w= 60 nm, height h= 170 nm), allowing for the most efficient charge separation, transport and light absorption. We believe this work will contribute to the optimal geometry design of nanoimprinted polymer solar cells.
Molecular dynamics simulations of the adsorption of polymer chains on graphyne and its family
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the adsorption of polypropylene chains on the graphene, graphyne and its family. The effects of nanosheet side length, aspect ratio, temperature and number of repeat units are studied. It is shown that the nanosheets with more acetylene bonds have weaker bonding with polymer chains. Besides, the effects of side length and aspect ratio variation on the polymer/graphene interactions are lower than that of polymer/other studied nanosheet. Investigating the effect of temperature on the polypropylene/nanosheet interactions, it is shown that adsorption of polymer chain on the graphyne and its family is approximately independent of temperature. Moreover, it is seen that due to uniform structure of graphene, polymer chains with different repeat units are adsorbed on its surface by uniform shapes
Shear Flow Induced Transition from Liquid-Crystalline to Polymer Behavior in Side-Chain Liquid Crystal Polymers
Noirez, L.; Lapp, A.
We determine the structure and conformation of side-chain liquid-crystalline polymers subjected to shear flow in the vicinity of the smectic phase by neutron scattering on the velocity gradient plane. Below the nematic-smectic transition we observe a typical liquid-crystal behavior; the smectic layers slide, leading to a main-chain elongation parallel to the velocity direction. In contrast, a shear applied above the transition induces a tilted main-chain conformation which is typical for polymer behavior.
The Influence of Conjugated Polymer Side Chain Manipulation on the Efficiency and Stability of Polymer Solar Cells
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Heckler, Ilona Maria; Kesters, Jurgen; Defour, Maxime;
The stability of polymer solar cells (PSCs) can be influenced by the introduction of particular moieties on the conjugated polymer side chains. In this study, two series of donor-acceptor copolymers, based on bis(thienyl)dialkoxybenzene donor and benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (BT) or thiazolo[5,4-d......, a decrease in solar cell efficiency was observed for the BT-based series, whereas the efficiencies for the devices based on the TzTz polymers remained approximately the same.The photochemical degradation rate for PSCs based on the TzTz polymers decreased with an increasing 2-phenylethoxy ratio. Lifetime...
Single-molecule study on polymer diffusion in a melt state: Effect of chain topology
Habuchi, Satoshi
We report a new methodology for studying diffusion of individual polymer chains in a melt state, with special emphasis on the effect of chain topology. A perylene diimide fluorophore was incorporated into the linear and cyclic poly(THF)s, and real-time diffusion behavior of individual chains in a melt of linear poly(THF) was measured by means of a single-molecule fluorescence imaging technique. The combination of mean squared displacement (MSD) and cumulative distribution function (CDF) analysis demonstrated the broad distribution of diffusion coefficient of both the linear and cyclic polymer chains in the melt state. This indicates the presence of spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the polymer diffusion which occurs at much larger time and length scales than those expected from the current polymer physics theory. We further demonstrated that the cyclic chains showed marginally slower diffusion in comparison with the linear counterparts, to suggest the effective suppression of the translocation through the threading-entanglement with the linear matrix chains. This coincides with the higher activation energy for the diffusion of the cyclic chains than of the linear chains. These results suggest that the single-molecule imaging technique provides a powerful tool to analyze complicated polymer dynamics and contributes to the molecular level understanding of the chain interaction. © 2013 American Chemical Society.
Grafted polymers layers: neutral chains to charged chains; Couches de polymeres greffes: des chaines neutres aux chaines chargees
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Mir, Y.
This work concerns an experimental study, by small angle neutrons scattering, of neutral or charged grafted polymers layers structures. The method consisted in exploiting the acknowledges got on neutral brushes, to reach the problem of grafted polyelectrolyte layers. The difficulty of charged layers making has been, until this day, an important obstacle to the experimental study of these systems. It has been partially resolved in the case of sodium sulfonate polystyrene layers, and allowed to study their structure. (N.C.). 72 refs., 74 figs., 24 tabs.
Optimal target search on a fast-folding polymer chain with volume exchange
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Lomholt, Michael Andersen; Ambjörnsson, T.; Metzler, R.
We study the search process of a target on a rapidly folding polymer ("DNA") by an ensemble of particles ("proteins"), whose search combines 1D diffusion along the chain, Lévy type diffusion mediated by chain looping, and volume exchange. A rich behavior of the search process is obtained with res......We study the search process of a target on a rapidly folding polymer ("DNA") by an ensemble of particles ("proteins"), whose search combines 1D diffusion along the chain, Lévy type diffusion mediated by chain looping, and volume exchange. A rich behavior of the search process is obtained...
ARTICLES: Effect of Interaction upon Translocation of Confined Polymer Chain Through Nanopore
Wang, Yao; Xie, Yong-jun; Yang, Hai-yang; Zhang, Xing-yuan
The effect of the interaction between nanopore and chain monomer on the translocation of a single polymer chain confined in a finite size square through an interacting nanopore to a large space has been studied by two-dimensional bond fluctuation model with Monte Carlo simulation. Results indicate that the free energy barrier before the successful translocation of the chain depends linearly on the chain length as well as the nanopore length for different pore-polymer interaction, and the attractive interaction reduces the free energy barrier, leading to the reduction of the average trapping time.
Molecularly imprinted polymers with assistant recognition polymer chains for bovine serum albumin
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
A new protein molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was prepared with grafting polyvinyl alcohol as assistant recognition polymer chains (ARPCs). The ARPCs and acrylamide monomers were interpenetrated and then polymerized on the surface of macroporous acrylate adsorbent spheres. The template BSA was removed by treatment with 2.00 mol L-1 potassium chloride (KCl) solution and the adsorbed proteins were detected with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). 0.150, 0.500, and 2.00 mol L-1 KCl solutions were used as eluent to wash the adsorbed proteins. The SDS-PAGE results show that proteins washed out with 2.00 mol L-1KCl solution were from nonspecific adsorption of macroporous acrylate adsorbent spheres, and proteins washed out with 0.500 mol L-1KC1 solution were specific proteins imprinted by MIP resins. MIP resins with ARPCs had better recognition to the target proteins than that without ARPCs. The adsorption capacity of MIP resins immobilized ARPCs to the template BSA was about 80-100 μg g-1 when it was used for the adsorption of proteins mixture, and the specific adsorption of the target protein was obviously increased.
Record high hole mobility in polymer semiconductors via side-chain engineering.
Kang, Il; Yun, Hui-Jun; Chung, Dae Sung; Kwon, Soon-Ki; Kim, Yun-Hi
Charge carrier mobility is still the most challenging issue that should be overcome to realize everyday organic electronics in the near future. In this Communication, we show that introducing smart side-chain engineering to polymer semiconductors can facilitate intermolecular electronic communication. Two new polymers, P-29-DPPDBTE and P-29-DPPDTSE, which consist of a highly conductive diketopyrrolopyrrole backbone and an extended branching-position-adjusted side chain, showed unprecedented record high hole mobility of 12 cm(2)/(V·s). From photophysical and structural studies, we found that moving the branching position of the side chain away from the backbone of these polymers resulted in increased intermolecular interactions with extremely short π-π stacking distances, without compromising solubility of the polymers. As a result, high hole mobility could be achieved even in devices fabricated using the polymers at room temperature. PMID:24053786
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
The curing process of chemical reacton between flexible unsaturated polymer resin and diphenylmethane bismaleimides which have been chain-prolonged by diaminodiphenylmethane is presented, also the kinetics parameters and curing technology are investigated.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Chi-xing Zhou; Hong Zheng; Wei Yu; Ji-feng Yao; Yu-cheng Li
Polymer chain coils with entanglement is a crucial scale of structures in polymer materials since their relaxation times are matching practical processing times. Based on the phenomenological model of polymer chain coils and a new finite element approach, we have designed a computer software including solver, pre- and post-processing modules, and developed a digital analysis technology for the morphology of polymer chain coils in flow fields (DAMPC). Using this technology we may simulate the morphology development of chain coils in various flow fields, such as simple shear flow, elongational flow,and any complex flow at transient or steady state. The applications made up to now show that the software predictions are comparable with experimental results.
Influence of backbone rigidness on single chain conformation of thiophene-based conjugated polymers.
Hu, Zhongjian; Liu, Jianhua; Simón-Bower, Lauren; Zhai, Lei; Gesquiere, Andre J
Structural order of conjugated polymers at different length scales directs the optoelectronic properties of the corresponding materials; thus it is of critical importance to understand and control conjugated polymer morphology for successful application of these materials in organic optoelectronics. Herein, with the aim of probing the dependence of single chain folding properties on the chemical structure and rigidness of the polymer backbones, single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy was applied to four thiophene-based conjugated polymers. These include regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (RR-P3HT), poly(2,5-bis(3-tetradecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene) (PBTTT-14), poly(2,5-bis(3-tetradecylthiophen-2-yl)thiophene-2-yl)thiophen-2-ylthiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole) (PTzQT-12), and poly(3,3-didodecylquaterthiophene)] (PQT-12). Our previous work has shown that RR-P3HT and PBTTT-14 polymer chains fold in their nanostructures, whereas PQT-12 and PTzQT-12 do not fold in their nanostructures. At the single molecule level, it was found that RR-P3HT single chains almost exclusively fold into loosely and strongly aggregated conformations, analogous to the folding properties in nanostructures. PQT-12 displays significant chain folding as well, but only into loosely aggregated conformations, showing an absence of strongly aggregated polymer chains. PBTTT-14 exhibits a significant fraction of rigid polymer chain. The findings made for single molecules of PQT-12 and PBTTT-14 are thus in contrast with the observations made in their corresponding nanostructures. PTzQT-12 appears to be the most rigid and planar conjugated polymer of these four polymers. However, although the presumably nonfolding polymers PQT-12 and PTzQT-12 exhibit less folding than RR-P3HT, there is still a significant occurrence of chain folding for these polymers at the single molecule level. These results suggest that the folding properties of conjugated polymers can be influenced by the architecture of the
Surface functionalization of quantum dots with fine-structured pH-sensitive phospholipid polymer chains.
Liu, Yihua; Inoue, Yuuki; Ishihara, Kazuhiko
To add novel functionality to quantum dots (QDs), we synthesized water-soluble and pH-responsive block-type polymers by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The polymers were composed of cytocompatible 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) polymer segments, which contain a small fraction of active ester groups and can be used to conjugate biologically active compounds to the polymer, and pH-responsive poly(2-(N,N-diethylamino) ethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA)) segments. One terminal of the polymer chain had a hydrophobic alkyl group that originated from the RAFT initiator. This hydrophobic group can bind to the hydrophobic layer on the QD surface. A fluorescent dye was conjugated to the polymer chains via the active ester group. The block-type polymers have an amphiphilic nature in aqueous medium. The polymers were thus easily bound to the QD surface upon evaporation of the solvent from a solution containing the block-type polymer and QDs, yielding QD/fluorescence dye-conjugated polymer hybrid nanoparticles. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the QDs (donors) and the fluorescent dye molecules (acceptors) was used to obtain information on the conformational dynamics of the immobilized polymers. Higher FRET efficiency of the QD/fluorescent dye-conjugated polymer hybrid nanoparticles was observed at pH 7.4 as compared to pH 5.0 due to a stretching-shrinking conformational motion of the poly(DEAEMA) segments in response to changes in pH. We concluded that the block-type MPC polymer-modified nanoparticles could be used to evaluate the pH of cells via FRET fluorescence based on the cytocompatibility of the MPC polymer.
Local and chain dynamics in miscible polymer blends: A Monte Carlo simulation study
Luettmer-Strathmann, Jutta; Mantina, Manjeera
Local chain structure and local environment play an important role in the dynamics of polymer chains in miscible blends. In general, the friction coefficients that describe the segmental dynamics of the two components in a blend differ from each other and from those of the pure melts. In this work, we investigate polymer blend dynamics with Monte Carlo simulations of a generalized bond-fluctuation model, where differences in the interaction energies between non-bonded nearest neighbors distin...
Synthesis of Main-Chain Chiral Quaternary Ammonium Polymers for Asymmetric Catalysis Using Quaternization Polymerization
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Md. Masud Parvez
Full Text Available Main-chain chiral quaternary ammonium polymers were successfully synthesized by the quaternization polymerization of cinchonidine dimer with dihalides. The polymerization occurred smoothly under optimized conditions to give novel type of main-chain chiral quaternary ammonium polymers. The catalytic activity of the polymeric chiral organocatalysts was investigated on the asymmetric benzylation of N-(diphenylmethylideneglycine tert-butyl ester.
Synthesis of π-conjugated polymers containing aminoquinoline-borafluorene complexes in the main-chain.
Tokoro, Yuichiro; Nagai, Atsushi; Tanaka, Kazuo; Chujo, Yoshiki
The regulation of electron transfer between a conjugated polymer and ligands orthogonally connected to the main-chain is reported. Poly(arylene-ethynylene)s containing aminoquinoline-borafluorene complexes in the main-chain are synthesized in good yields by a Sonogashira-Hagihara coupling. Single crystal X-ray analysis of a model compound has elucidated the complex's structure in which the aminoquinolate moiety and the borafluorene ring are connected directly and orthogonally. Moreover, the optical properties of the polymers are characterized by UV-vis absorption and photoluminescence spectra. Perfluorinated alkyl chain-containing polymers show strong emission, while hydrocarbon chain-containing ones exhibit only a slight emission. DFT calculation suggests that an electron transfer from the excited main-chain to the aminoquinolate ligand is suppressed because of the lowered LUMO level by introducing the electron withdrawing groups, resulting in the significant emission.
Prediction of Solution Properties of Flexible-Chain Polymers: A Computer Simulation Undergraduate Experiment
de la Torre, Jose Garcia; Cifre, Jose G. Hernandez; Martinez, M. Carmen Lopez
This paper describes a computational exercise at undergraduate level that demonstrates the employment of Monte Carlo simulation to study the conformational statistics of flexible polymer chains, and to predict solution properties. Three simple chain models, including excluded volume interactions, have been implemented in a public-domain computer…
Exactly solvable model with stable and metalstable states for a polymer chain near an adsorbing surface
Klushin, L.I.; Skvortsov, A.M.; Leermakers, F.A.M.
We report on the conformational properties and transitions of an ideal polymer chain near a solid surface. The chain is tethered with one of its ends at distance z0 from an adsorbing surface. The surface is characterized by an adsorption parameter c. The exact expression for the partition function i
Lattice model of linear telechelic polymer melts. II. Influence of chain stiffness on basic thermodynamic properties
Xu, Wen-Sheng; Freed, Karl F.
The lattice cluster theory (LCT) for semiflexible linear telechelic melts, developed in Paper I, is applied to examine the influence of chain stiffness on the average degree of self-assembly and the basic thermodynamic properties of linear telechelic polymer melts. Our calculations imply that chain stiffness promotes self-assembly of linear telechelic polymer melts that assemble on cooling when either polymer volume fraction ϕ or temperature T is high, but opposes self-assembly when both ϕ and T are sufficiently low. This allows us to identify a boundary line in the ϕ-T plane that separates two regions of qualitatively different influence of chain stiffness on self-assembly. The enthalpy and entropy of self-assembly are usually treated as adjustable parameters in classical Flory-Huggins type theories for the equilibrium self-assembly of polymers, but they are demonstrated here to strongly depend on chain stiffness. Moreover, illustrative calculations for the dependence of the entropy density of linear telechelic polymer melts on chain stiffness demonstrate the importance of including semiflexibility within the LCT when exploring the nature of glass formation in models of linear telechelic polymer melts.
Lattice model of linear telechelic polymer melts. II. Influence of chain stiffness on basic thermodynamic properties
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Xu, Wen-Sheng, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637 (United States); Freed, Karl F., E-mail: email@example.com [James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637 (United States); Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637 (United States)
The lattice cluster theory (LCT) for semiflexible linear telechelic melts, developed in Paper I, is applied to examine the influence of chain stiffness on the average degree of self-assembly and the basic thermodynamic properties of linear telechelic polymer melts. Our calculations imply that chain stiffness promotes self-assembly of linear telechelic polymer melts that assemble on cooling when either polymer volume fraction ϕ or temperature T is high, but opposes self-assembly when both ϕ and T are sufficiently low. This allows us to identify a boundary line in the ϕ-T plane that separates two regions of qualitatively different influence of chain stiffness on self-assembly. The enthalpy and entropy of self-assembly are usually treated as adjustable parameters in classical Flory-Huggins type theories for the equilibrium self-assembly of polymers, but they are demonstrated here to strongly depend on chain stiffness. Moreover, illustrative calculations for the dependence of the entropy density of linear telechelic polymer melts on chain stiffness demonstrate the importance of including semiflexibility within the LCT when exploring the nature of glass formation in models of linear telechelic polymer melts.
Tailoring Thermal Conductivity of Single-stranded Carbon-chain Polymers through Atomic Mass Modification
Liao, Quanwen; Liu, Zhichun; Liu, Wei
Tailoring the thermal conductivity of polymers is central to enlarge their applications in the thermal management of flexible integrated circuits. Progress has been made over the past decade by fabricating materials with various nanostructures, but a clear relationship between various functional groups and thermal properties of polymers remains to be established. Here, we numerically study the thermal conductivity of single-stranded carbon-chain polymers with multiple substituents of hydrogen atoms through atomic mass modification. We find that their thermal conductivity can be tuned by atomic mass modifications as revealed through molecular dynamics simulations. The simulation results suggest that heavy homogeneous substituents do not assist heat transport and trace amounts of heavy substituents can in fact hinder heat transport substantially. Our analysis indicates that carbon chain has the biggest contribution (over 80%) to the thermal conduction in single-stranded carbon-chain polymers. We further demonst...
When does TMAO fold a polymer chain and urea unfold it?
Mondal, Jagannath; Berne, B J
Longstanding mechanistic questions about the role of protecting osmolyte trimethylamine N- oxide (TMAO) which favors protein folding and the denaturing osmolyte urea are addressed by studying their effects on the folding of uncharged polymer chains. Using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we show that 1-M TMAO and 7-M urea solutions act dramatically differently on these model polymer chains. Their behaviors are sensitive to the strength of the attractive dispersion interactions of the chain with its environment: when these dispersion interactions are high enough, TMAO suppresses the formation of extended conformations of the hydrophobic polymer as compared to water, while urea promotes formation of extended conformations. Similar trends are observed experimentally on real protein systems. Quite surprisingly, we find that both protecting and denaturing osmolytes strongly interact with the polymer, seemingly in contrast with existing explanations of the osmolyte effect on proteins. We show that what rea...
Mean span dimensions of ideal polymer chains containing branches and rings
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Wang, Yanwei; Teraoka, Iwao; Hansen, Flemming Yssing;
We present a general method for calculating the mean span dimension of various branched and ringed polymers under the assumption of Gaussian chain statistics. The method allows a routine construction of an integral expression of the mean span dimension based on three base functions, determined...... for a connector, an arm and a loop, respectively. Applications of our method are shown to a variety of polymer architectures including star, two-branch-point, comb and various cyclic chains (eight-shaped, θ-shaped and several semicyclic chains). Comparing the mean span dimension with other commonly used molecular...
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
HE Tianbai
It has been shown that the free volume fraction at Tg is not a universal parameter for linear polymers of different molecular structure[2]. The reason is that the volume expansion at Tg is partially contributed from the change of the numbers of conformations of isolated molecular chains due to internal rotation. In this paper, glassy transformation was connected with internal rotation of isolated molecular chains, and the relationship between free volume fraction of polymers at Tg those published in the literatures. Thus, the method described in this paper can be used to estimate a parameter for the flexibility of isolated molecular chains.7
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Yong Zhang; Ze-da Xu; Xing-he Fan; Xiao-fang Chen; Xin-hua Wan; Qi-feng Zhou
To allow anisotropies of optical properties in a magnetic field, nitroxide radical is introduced into the ortho-position of the phenylene ring in the side chain. A new azobenzene side-chain polymer (TEMPO-PAZ) containing TEMPOradical was synthesized. The polymer has a good solubility in organic solvents. The ESR spectrum of the polymer indicatedthree absorption lines characteristic of TEMPO radical. The optical phase conjugated responses (I4) of the polymer filmswere investigated by degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM). The experimental results showed that optical phase conjugatedresponse of the TEMPO-PAZ could be easily controlled by choosing the appropriate direction of magnetic field presumablydue to the nitroxide radical in the TEMPO-PAZ molecular structure. For the polymer investigated here, the nitroxide radicalwas introduced to increase optical phase conjugated response intensity in a magnetic field, aiming originally at searching fora new photo-active organic magnetic multifunctional materials.
Restrictions in Model Reduction for Polymer Chain Models in Dissipative Particle Dynamics
Moreno, Nicolas
We model high molecular weight homopolymers in semidilute concentration via Dissipative Particle Dynamics (DPD). We show that in model reduction methodologies for polymers it is not enough to preserve system properties (i.e., density ρ, pressure p, temperature T, radial distribution function g(r)) but preserving also the characteristic shape and length scale of the polymer chain model is necessary. In this work we apply a DPD-model-reduction methodology for linear polymers recently proposed; and demonstrate why the applicability of this methodology is limited upto certain maximum polymer length, and not suitable for solvent coarse graining.
Rational Design of Coordination Polymers with Flexible Oxyethylene Side Chains
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Choi, Eun Young; Gao, Chunji; Lee, Suck Hyun; Kwon, O Pil [Ajou University, Suwon (Korea, Republic of)
We rationally designed and synthesized metallopolymers with organic 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (BDC) linkers with different lengths of oxyethylene side chains in order to examine the influence of side chains on the coordination characteristics. While in a previous report the BDC linkers with alkyl side chains were found to form three-dimensional (3D) isoreticular metal-organic framework (IRMOF) structures or one-dimensional (1D) coordination polymeric structures with short -O(CH{sub 2}){sub 6}CH{sub 3} or long -O(CH{sub 2}){sub 9}CH{sub 3} side chains, respectively, new BDC linkers with oxyethylene side chains of the same lengths, -(OCH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}){sub 2}CH{sub 3} and -(OCH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}){sub 3}CH{sub 3}, form only 3D IRMOF structures. This result is attributed to the higher flexibility and smaller volume of oxyethylene side chains compared to alkyl side chains
The Influence of Conjugated Polymer Side Chain Manipulation on the Efficiency and Stability of Polymer Solar Cells
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ilona M. Heckler
Full Text Available The stability of polymer solar cells (PSCs can be influenced by the introduction of particular moieties on the conjugated polymer side chains. In this study, two series of donor-acceptor copolymers, based on bis(thienyldialkoxybenzene donor and benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (BT or thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole (TzTz acceptor units, were selected toward effective device scalability by roll-coating. The influence of the partial exchange (5% or 10% of the solubilizing 2-hexyldecyloxy by alternative 2-phenylethoxy groups on efficiency and stability was investigated. With an increasing 2-phenylethoxy ratio, a decrease in solar cell efficiency was observed for the BT-based series, whereas the efficiencies for the devices based on the TzTz polymers remained approximately the same. The photochemical degradation rate for PSCs based on the TzTz polymers decreased with an increasing 2-phenylethoxy ratio. Lifetime studies under constant sun irradiance showed a diminishing initial degradation rate for the BT-based devices upon including the alternative side chains, whereas the (more stable TzTz-based devices degraded at a faster rate from the start of the experiment upon partly exchanging the side chains. No clear trends in the degradation behavior, linked to the copolymer structural changes, could be established at this point, evidencing the complex interplay of events determining PSCs' lifetime.
Mechanisms of chain adsorption on porous substrates and critical conditions of polymer chromatography.
Cimino, Richard T; Rasmussen, Christopher J; Brun, Yefim; Neimark, Alexander V
Polymer adsorption is a ubiquitous phenomenon with numerous technological and healthcare applications. The mechanisms of polymer adsorption on surfaces and in pores are complex owing to a competition between various entropic and enthalpic factors. Due to adsorption of monomers to the surface, the chain gains in enthalpy yet loses in entropy because of confining effects. This competition leads to the existence of critical conditions of adsorption when enthalpy gain and entropy loss are in balance. The critical conditions are controlled by the confining geometry and effective adsorption energy, which depends on the solvent composition and temperature. This phenomenon has important implications in polymer chromatography, since the retention at the critical point of adsorption (CPA) is chain length independent. However, the mechanisms of polymer adsorption in pores are poorly understood and there is an ongoing discussion in the theoretical literature about the very existence of CPA for polymer adsorption on porous substrates. In this work, we examine the mechanisms of chain adsorption on a model porous substrate using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. We distinguish three adsorption mechanisms depending on the chain location: on external surface, completely confined in pores, and also partially confined in pores in so-called "flower" conformations. The free energies of different conformations of adsorbed chains are calculated by the incremental gauge cell MC method that allows one to determine the partition coefficient as a function of the adsorption potential, pore size, and chain length. We confirm the existence of the CPA for chain length independent separation on porous substrates, which is explained by the dominant contributions of the chain adsorption at the external surface, in particular in flower conformations. Moreover, we show that the critical conditions for porous and nonporous substrates are identical and depend only on the surface chemistry. The theoretical
Mechanisms of chain adsorption on porous substrates and critical conditions of polymer chromatography.
Cimino, Richard T; Rasmussen, Christopher J; Brun, Yefim; Neimark, Alexander V
Polymer adsorption is a ubiquitous phenomenon with numerous technological and healthcare applications. The mechanisms of polymer adsorption on surfaces and in pores are complex owing to a competition between various entropic and enthalpic factors. Due to adsorption of monomers to the surface, the chain gains in enthalpy yet loses in entropy because of confining effects. This competition leads to the existence of critical conditions of adsorption when enthalpy gain and entropy loss are in balance. The critical conditions are controlled by the confining geometry and effective adsorption energy, which depends on the solvent composition and temperature. This phenomenon has important implications in polymer chromatography, since the retention at the critical point of adsorption (CPA) is chain length independent. However, the mechanisms of polymer adsorption in pores are poorly understood and there is an ongoing discussion in the theoretical literature about the very existence of CPA for polymer adsorption on porous substrates. In this work, we examine the mechanisms of chain adsorption on a model porous substrate using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. We distinguish three adsorption mechanisms depending on the chain location: on external surface, completely confined in pores, and also partially confined in pores in so-called "flower" conformations. The free energies of different conformations of adsorbed chains are calculated by the incremental gauge cell MC method that allows one to determine the partition coefficient as a function of the adsorption potential, pore size, and chain length. We confirm the existence of the CPA for chain length independent separation on porous substrates, which is explained by the dominant contributions of the chain adsorption at the external surface, in particular in flower conformations. Moreover, we show that the critical conditions for porous and nonporous substrates are identical and depend only on the surface chemistry. The theoretical
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Hong Zheng; Wei Yu; Hong-bin Zhang; Chi-xing Zhou
Finite element method is used to simulate the high-speed melt spinning process, based on the equation system proposed by Doufas et al. Calculation predicts a neck-like deformation, as well as the related profiles of velocity, diameter, temperature, chain orientation, and crystallinity in the fiber spinning process. Considering combined effects on the process such as flow-induced crystallization, viscoelasticity, filament cooling, air drag, inertia, surface tension and gravity, the simulated material flow behaviors are consistent with those observed for semi-crystalline polymers under various spinning conditions. The structure change of polymer coils in the necking region described by the evolution of conformation tensor is also investigated. Based on the relaxation mechanism of macromolecules in flow field different types of morphology change of polymer chains before and in the neck are proposed, giving a complete prospect of structure evolution and crystallization of semi-crystalline polymer in the high speed fiber spinning process.
Experimental studies of the dynamic mechanical response of a single polymer chain
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Thormann, Esben; Evans, Drew R.; Craig, Vincent S. J.
mechanical response from poly(vinyl alcohol) does not differ from its static response. This result is not unexpected as poly(vinyl alcohol) is a highly flexible polymer with intramolecular relaxation processes taking place on a short time scale. The choice of a polymer with a fast relaxation allows its......The high-frequency and low-amplitude dynamic mechanical response from a single poly(vinyl alcohol) chain was investigated. Modification of a commercial atomic force microscope enabled high-frequency and low-amplitude periodic deformations of polymer chains during extension to be performed...... static properties to be recovered from the dynamic measurements and enables the method suggested in this paper for decoupling the polymer response from the hydrodynamic response to be validated....
Dependence of polymer thin film adhesion energy on cohesive interactions between chains
Xia, Wenjie; Hsu, David; Keten, Sinan
The adhesion of supported polymer thin films is predominantly influenced by the substrate-film interfacial properties. Utilizing steered molecular dynamics simulations, here we uncover that the cohesive noncovalent forces between polymer chains in the film also have a significant effect on the adhesive properties of supported film. We demonstrate that weaker interchain interactions, all else being the same, can induce higher adhesion energy within the interface. Three different adhesion regim...
Ultrafast photogeneration of charged polarons on conjugated polymer chains in dilute solution
Miranda, Paulo B.; Moses, Daniel; Heeger, Alan J.
Ultrafast photoinduced absorption by infrared-active vibrational modes is used to study the photogeneration of polarons on semiconducting polymer chains in dilute solutions and in solid films of a soluble derivative of poly(para-phenylene vinylene). In dilute solutions, polaron pairs are photogenerated on the conjugated polymer within less than 250fs with quantum efficiencies ϕch˜3% , about one-third of that for solid films of the same polymer. The excitation spectra of ϕch for both solutions and films show that ϕch is weakly dependent on photon energy between 2.2eV (the onset of absorption) and 4.7eV . The recombination dynamics of polarons is very fast and highly dependent on the excitation density for polymer films, but it is significantly slower and less sensitive to pump intensity for the semiconducting polymer in dilute solution. We conclude that the positive and negative polarons on a single chain in solution are typically separated by hundreds of monomer repeat units and that their one-dimensional diffusion along the chain is inhibited by the intervening excitons. This, together with the suppression of interchain recombination, explains the surprisingly slower polaron recombination in isolated chains.
Synthesis and characterisation of new types of side chain cholesteryl polymers.
Wang, Bin; Du, Haiyan; Zhang, Junhua
A series of cholesterol derivatives have been synthesised via the alkylation reaction of the 3-hydroxyl group with the aliphatic bromide compounds with different chain lengths, namely 3β-alkyloxy-cholesterol. The double bond between the C5 and C6 positions in these cholesterol derivatives was oxidised into epoxy, followed by an epoxy-ring-opening reaction with the treatment with acrylic acid, resulting in a series of 3β-alkyloxy-5α-hydroxy-6β-acryloyloxycholesterol, C(n)OCh (n=1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12), The acrylate group is connected to the C6 position, which is confirmed by the single crystal structure analysis. The corresponding polymers, PC(n)OCh, were prepared via free radical polymerisation. The structure of monomers and the resulting polymers were characterised with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The thermal properties of PC(n)OCh were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). To determine the secondary structure of polymers, circular dichroism (CD) spectra were performed. It was found that not all monomers produce high-molecular-weight polymers because of steric hindrance. However, all polymers have a helical structure, which can be enhanced by increasing the alkoxy chain length. In addition, increasing the alkoxy chain length decreases the glass transition temperature and increases the decomposition temperature of the polymers.
Dependence of crystallite formation and preferential backbone orientations on the side chain pattern in PBDTTPD polymers
El Labban, Abdulrahman
(Figure Presented) Alkyl substituents appended to the π-conjugated main chain account for the solution-processability and film-forming properties of most π-conjugated polymers for organic electronic device applications, including field-effect transistors (FETs) and bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells. Beyond film-forming properties, recent work has emphasized the determining role that side-chain substituents play on polymer self-assembly and thin-film nanostructural order, and, in turn, on device performance. However, the factors that determine polymer crystallite orientation in thin-films, implying preferential backbone orientation relative to the device substrate, are a matter of some debate, and these structural changes remain difficult to anticipate. In this report, we show how systematic changes in the side-chain pattern of poly(benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-alt-thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione) (PBDTTPD) polymers can (i) influence the propensity of the polymer to order in the π-stacking direction, and (ii) direct the preferential orientation of the polymer crystallites in thin films (e.g., "face-on" vs "edge-on"). Oriented crystallites, specifically crystallites that are well-ordered in the π-stacking direction, are believed to be a key contributor to improved thin-film device performance in both FETs and BHJ solar cells.
Synthesis and characterisation of new types of side chain cholesteryl polymers.
Wang, Bin; Du, Haiyan; Zhang, Junhua
A series of cholesterol derivatives have been synthesised via the alkylation reaction of the 3-hydroxyl group with the aliphatic bromide compounds with different chain lengths, namely 3β-alkyloxy-cholesterol. The double bond between the C5 and C6 positions in these cholesterol derivatives was oxidised into epoxy, followed by an epoxy-ring-opening reaction with the treatment with acrylic acid, resulting in a series of 3β-alkyloxy-5α-hydroxy-6β-acryloyloxycholesterol, C(n)OCh (n=1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12), The acrylate group is connected to the C6 position, which is confirmed by the single crystal structure analysis. The corresponding polymers, PC(n)OCh, were prepared via free radical polymerisation. The structure of monomers and the resulting polymers were characterised with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The thermal properties of PC(n)OCh were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). To determine the secondary structure of polymers, circular dichroism (CD) spectra were performed. It was found that not all monomers produce high-molecular-weight polymers because of steric hindrance. However, all polymers have a helical structure, which can be enhanced by increasing the alkoxy chain length. In addition, increasing the alkoxy chain length decreases the glass transition temperature and increases the decomposition temperature of the polymers. PMID:21070795
Equilibrium and shear-induced conformations of a side-chain liquid crystal polymer
Castelletto, V.; Noirez, L.; Vigoureux, P.
These studies delineate the conformations adopted by a side-chain liquid-crystalline polymer subjected to a steady-state shear flow as well as the corresponding me so pha se director orientations. Two distinct director orientations are identified in the nematic phase, giving evidence of a shear-induced transition from a flow-aligning to a non flow-aligning behavior. This transition coincides, at rest, with a subtle change from prolate to oblate polymer main-chain conformation. In the smectic phase, the layers form multilayer cylinders oriented along the velocity axis.
Effects of alkyl chain positioning on conjugated polymer microstructure and field-effect mobilities
Schroeder, Bob C.
Solubilizing alkyl chains play a crucial role in the design of semiconducting polymers because they define the materials solubility and processability as well as both the crystallinity and solid-state microstructure. In this paper, we present a scarcely explored design approach by attaching the alkyl side chains on one side (cis-) or on both sides (trans-) of the conjugated backbone. We further investigate the effects of this structural modification on the solid-state properties of the polymers and on the charge-carrier mobilities in organic thin-film transistors. Copyright © Materials Research Society 2015
Naphthalene Tetracarboxydiimide-Based n-Type Polymers with Removable Solubility via Thermally Cleavable Side Chains.
Hillebrandt, Sabina; Adermann, Torben; Alt, Milan; Schinke, Janusz; Glaser, Tobias; Mankel, Eric; Hernandez-Sosa, Gerardo; Jaegermann, Wolfram; Lemmer, Uli; Pucci, Annemarie; Kowalsky, Wolfgang; Müllen, Klaus; Lovrincic, Robert; Hamburger, Manuel
Multilayer solution-processed devices in organic electronics show the tendency of intermixing of subsequently deposited layers. Here, we synthesize naphthalene tetracarboxydiimide (NDI)-based n-type semiconducting polymers with thermally cleavable side chains which upon removal render the polymer insoluble. Infrared and photoelectron spectroscopy were performed to investigate the pyrolysis process. Characterization of organic field-effect transistors provides insight into charge transport. After the pyrolysis homogeneous films could be produced which are insoluble in the primary solvent. By varying curing temperature and time we show that these process parameters govern the amount of side chains in the film and influence the device performance. PMID:26829619
Single-Molecule Imaging Reveals Topology Dependent Mutual Relaxation of Polymer Chains
Abadi, Maram
The motion and relaxation of linear and cyclic polymers under entangled conditions are investigated by means of a newly developed single-molecule tracking technique, cumulative-area (CA) tracking. CA tracking enables simultaneous quantitative characterization of the diffusion mode, diffusion rate, and relaxation time that have been impossible with a widely used conventional single-molecule localization and tracking method, by analyzing cumulative areas occupied by the moving molecule. Using the novel approach, we investigate the motion and relaxation of entangled cyclic polymers, which have been an important but poorly understood question. Fluorescently labeled 42 kbp linear or cyclic tracer dsDNAs in concentrated solutions of unlabeled linear or cyclic DNAs are used as model systems. We show that CA tracking can explicitly distinguish topology-dependent diffusion mode, rate, and relaxation time, demonstrating that the method provides an invaluable tool for characterizing topological interaction between the entangled chains. We further demonstrate that the current models proposed for the entanglement between cyclic polymers which are based on cyclic chains moving through an array of fixed obstacles cannot correctly describe the motion of the cyclic chain under the entangled conditions. Our results rather suggest the mutual relaxation of the cyclic chains, which underscore the necessity of developing a new model to describe the motion of cyclic polymer under the entangled conditions based on the mutual interaction of the chains.
Non-Stoichiometric Polymer-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Compounds: Constraints Placed on Un-Included Chain Portions Tethered at Both Ends and Their Relation to Polymer Brushes
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Alan E. Tonelli
Full Text Available When non-covalently bonded crystalline inclusion compounds (ICs are formed by threading the host cyclic starches, cyclodextrins (CDs, onto guest polymer chains, and excess polymer is employed, non-stoichiometric (n-s-polymer-CD-ICs, with partially uncovered and "dangling" chains result. The crystalline host CD lattice is stable to ~300 °C, and the uncovered, yet constrained, portions of the guest chains emanating from the CD-IC crystal surfaces behave very distinctly from their neat bulk samples. In CD-IC crystals formed with α- and γ-CD hosts, each containing, respectively, six and eight 1,4-α-linked glucose units, the channels constraining the threaded portions of the guest polymer chains are ~0.5 and 1.0 nm in diameter and are separated by ~1.4 and 1.7 nm. This results in dense brushes with ~0.6 and 0.4 chains/nm2 (or 0.8 if two guest chains are included in each γ-CD channel of the un-included portions of guest polymers emanating from the host CD-IC crystal surfaces. In addition, at least some of the guest chains leaving from a crystalline CD-IC surface re-enter another CD-IC crystal creating a network structure that leads to shape-memory behavior for (n-s-polymer-CD-ICs. To some extent, (n-s-polymer-CD-ICs can be considered as dense polymer brushes with chains that are tethered on both ends. Not surprisingly, the behavior of the un-included portions of the guest polymer chains in (n-s-polymer-CD-ICs are quite different from those of their neat bulk samples, with higher glass-transition and melt crystallization temperatures and crystallinities. Here we additionally compare their behaviors to samples coalesced from their stoichiometric ICs, and more importantly to dense polymer brushes formed by polymer chains chemically bonded to surfaces at only one end. Judging on the basis of their glass-transition, crystallization and melting temperatures, and crystallinities, we generally find the un-included portions of chains in (n-s-polymer
The Frozen State in the Liquid Phase of Side-Chain Liquid-Crystal Polymers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Quenched isotropic melts of side-chain liquid-crystal polymers reveal surprisingly an anisotropic polymer conformation. This small-angle neutron-scattering (SANS) result is consistent with the identification of a macroscopic, solidlike response in the isotropic phase. Both experiments (rheology and SANS) indicate that the polymer system appears frozen on millimeter length scales and at the time scales of the observation. This result implies that the flow behavior is not the terminal behavior and that cross-links or entanglements are not a necessary condition to provide elasticity in melts
Recent advances in metathesis-derived polymers containing transition metals in the side chain
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ileana Dragutan
Full Text Available This account critically surveys the field of side-chain transition metal-containing polymers as prepared by controlled living ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP of the respective metal-incorporating monomers. Ferrocene- and other metallocene-modified polymers, macromolecules including metal-carbonyl complexes, polymers tethering early or late transition metal complexes, etc. are herein discussed. Recent advances in the design and syntheses reported mainly during the last three years are highlighted, with special emphasis on new trends for superior applications of these hybrid materials.
Single polymer chains in poor solvent: using the bond fluctuation method with explicit solvent.
Jentzsch, Christoph; Werner, Marco; Sommer, Jens-Uwe
We use the bond fluctuation model with explicit solvent to study single polymer chains under poor solvent conditions. Static and dynamic properties of the bond fluctuation model with explicit solvent are compared with the implicit solvent model, and the Θ-temperatures are determined for both solvent models. We show that even in the very poor solvent regime, dynamics is not frozen for the explicit solvent model. We investigate some aspects of the structure of a single collapsed globule and show that rather large chain lengths are necessary to reach the scaling regime of a dense sphere. The force-extension curve of a single polymer chain under poor solvent conditions in the fixed end-to-end distance ensemble is analyzed. We find that the transition of the tadpole conformation to the stretched chain conformation is rather smooth because of fluctuation effects, which is in agreement with recent experimental results. PMID:23485321
Synthesis and property characterization of two novel side-chain isoindigo copolymers for polymer solar cells
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
X. Liu
Full Text Available Two novel side-chain conjugated polymers, PTBT-TID and PTBT-TTID, based on the new synthetic thiophene-benzne-thiophene (TBT unit, side-chain isoindigo (ID unit, and the introduced thiophene π-bridge, have been designed and synthesized. The photophysical, electrochemical and photovoltaic properties of the two polymers have been systematically investigated. The two polymers possess relatively good solubility as well as excellent thermal stability up to 380°C, and all of the polymer solar cell (PSC devices based on the two polymers obtain high open circuit voltage (Voc of about 0.8 V. The polymer solar cells based on the polymer PTBT-TID show relatively higher efficiencies than the PTBT-TTID-based ones, due to the broader absorption spectrum, a relatively higher hole mobility, a lower HOMO (the highest occupied molecular orbital energy level, a stronger IPCE (the incident photon to current conversion efficiency response and a better microphase separation, Consequently, the device based on PTBT-TID:PC61BM (1:2, by weight gives the best power conversion efficiency (PCE of 2.04%, with a short-circuit current density (Jsc of 5.39 mA·cm–2, an open-circuit voltage (Voc of 0.83 V, and a fill factor (FF of 0.45.
Unlocking Chain Exchange in Highly Amphiphilic Block Polymer Micellar Systems: Influence of Agitation
Murphy, Ryan P.; Kelley, Elizabeth G.; Rogers, Simon A.; Sullivan, Millicent O.; Epps, Thomas H.
Chain exchange between block polymer micelles in highly selective solvents, such as water, is well-known to be arrested under quiescent conditions, yet this work demonstrates that simple agitation methods can induce rapid chain exchange in these solvents. Aqueous solutions containing either pure poly(butadiene-b-ethylene oxide) or pure poly(butadiene-b-ethylene oxide-d 4) micelles were combined and then subjected to agitation by vortex mixing, concentric cylinder Couette flow, or nitrogen gas...
Single Chain Dynamic Structure Factor of Linear Polymers in an All-Polymer Nano-Composite
Arbe, Arantxa; Pomposo, José A.; Asenjo-Sanz, Isabel; Bhowmik, Debsindhu; Ivanova, Oxana; Kohlbrecher, Joachim; Colmenero, Juan
We present neutron spin echo (NSE) experiments on the single chain dynamic structure factor of long poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) linear chains in the presence of poly(methyl methacrylate)-based single-chain nanoparticles (SCNPs). A complementary structural characterization of the system discards a significant interpenetration of the components and reveals a close to globular conformation of the SCNPs when surrounded by PEO chains. Analogous NSE measurements on blends of PEO with the linear prec...
Causal Chains Arising from Climate Change in Mountain Regions: the Core Program of the Mountain Research Initiative
Greenwood, G. B.
Mountains are a widespread terrestrial feature, covering from 12 to 24 percent of the world's terrestrial surface, depending of the definition. Topographic relief is central to the definition of mountains, to the benefits and costs accruing to society and to the cascade of changes expected from climate change. Mountains capture and store water, particularly important in arid regions and in all areas for energy production. In temperate and boreal regions, mountains have a great range in population densities, from empty to urban, while tropical mountains are often densely settled and farmed. Mountain regions contain a wide range of habitats, important for biodiversity, and for primary, secondary and tertiary sectors of the economy. Climate change interacts with this relief and consequent diversity. Elevation itself may accentuate warming (elevationi dependent warming) in some mountain regions. Even average warming starts complex chains of causality that reverberate through the diverse social ecological mountain systems affecting both the highlands and adjacent lowlands. A single feature of climate change such as higher snow lines affect the climate through albedo, the water cycle through changes in timing of release , water quality through the weathering of newly exposed material, geomorphology through enhanced erosion, plant communities through changes in climatic water balance, and animal and human communities through changes in habitat conditions and resource availabilities. Understanding these causal changes presents a particular interdisciplinary challenge to researchers, from assessing the existence and magnitude of elevation dependent warming and monitoring the full suite of changes within the social ecological system to climate change, to understanding how social ecological systems respond through individual and institutional behavior with repercussions on the long-term sustainability of these systems.
Role of Chain Morphology and Stiffness in Thermal Conductivity of Amorphous Polymers.
Zhang, Teng; Luo, Tengfei
Designing thermally conductive polymer is of scientific interest and practical importance for applications like thermal interface materials, electronics packing, and plastic heat exchangers. In this work, we study the fundamental relationship between the molecular morphology and thermal conductivity in bulk amorphous polymers. We use polyethylene as a model system and performed systematic parametric study in molecular dynamics simulations. We find that the thermal conductivity is a strong function of the radius of gyration of the molecular chains, which is further correlated to persistence length, an intrinsic property of the molecule that characterizes molecular stiffness. Larger persistence length can lead to more extended chain morphology and thus higher thermal conductivity. Further thermal conductivity decomposition analysis shows that thermal transport through covalent bonds dominates the effective thermal conductivity over other contributions from nonbonded interactions (van der Waals) and translation of molecules disregarding the morphology. As a result, the more extended chains due to larger persistence length provide longer spatial paths for heat to transfer efficiently and thus lead to higher thermal conductivity. In addition, rigid rod-like polymers with very large persistence length tend to spontaneously crystallize and form orientated chains, leading to a thermal conductivity increase by more than 1 order of magnitude. Our results will provide important insights into the design of thermally conductive amorphous polymers.
Influence of structures of polymer backbones on cooperative photoreorientation behavior of p-cyanoazobenzene side chains
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Han, Mina; Kidowaki, Masatoshi; Ichimura, Kunihiro;
Photoinduced orientational behavior of a polymethacrylate (CN6) and a polyester (p6a12) with p-cyanoazobenzene side chains was studied to reveal the structural effect of the liquid crystalline polymer backbones. Irradiation with linearly polarized W light resulted in the reorientation of the azob...
Novel Fluorinated Polymers Containing Short Perfluorobutyl Side Chains and Their Super Wetting Performance on Diverse Substrates.
Jiang, Jingxian; Zhang, Guangfa; Wang, Qiongyan; Zhang, Qinghua; Zhan, Xiaoli; Chen, Fengqiu
Because the emission of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was completely prohibited in 2015, the widely used poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances with long perfluoroalkyl groups must be substituted by environmentally friendly alternatives. In this study, one kind of potential alternative (i.e., fluorinated polymers with short perfluorobutyl side chains) has been synthesized from the prepared monomers {i.e., (perfluorobutyl)ethyl acrylate (C4A), (perfluorobutyl)ethyl methacrylate (C4MA), 2-[[[[2-(perfluorobutyl)]sulfonyl]methyl]amino]ethyl acrylate (C4SA), and methacrylate (C4SMA)}, and the microstructure, super wetting performance, and applications of the synthesized fluorinated polymers were systematically investigated. The thermal and crystallization behaviors of the fluoropolymer films were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry and wide-angle X-ray diffraction analysis, respectively. Dynamic water-repellent models were constructed. The stable low surface energy and dynamic water- and oil-repellent properties of these synthesized fluorinated polymers with short perfluorobutyl side chains were attributed to the synergetic effect of amorphous fluorinated side chains in perfluoroalkyl acrylate and crystalline hydrocarbon pendant groups in stearyl acrylate. Outstanding water- and oil-repellent properties of fabrics and any other substrates could be achieved by a facile dip-coating treatment using a fluorinated copolymer dispersion. As a result, we believe that our prepared fluorinated copolymers are potential candidates to replace the fluoroalkylated polymers with long perfluorinated chains in nonstick and self-cleaning applications in our daily life. PMID:27052113
How does the scaling for the polymer chain in the dissipative particle dynamics hold?
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Full Text Available We performed a series of simulations for a linear polymer chain in a solvent using dissipative particle dynamics to check the scaling relations for the end-to-end distance, radius of gyration and hydrodynamic radius in three dimensions. The polymer chains of up to 80 beads in explicit solvent of various quality are studied. To extract the scaling exponent ν, the data are analyzed using linear fits, correction-to-scaling forms and analytical fits to the histograms of radius of gyration distribution. For certain combinations of the polymer characteristics and solvent quality, the correction-to-scaling terms are found to be essential while for the others these are negligibly small. In each particular case the final value for the exponent ν was chosen according to the best least-squares fit. The values of ν obtained in this way are found within the interval ν=0.55/0.61 but are concentrated mostly around 0.59, which is very close to the best known theoretical result ν=0.588. The existence of this interval is attributed both to the peculiarities of the method and to the moderate chain lengths being simulated. Within this shortcoming, the polymer chain in this kind of modeling is found to satisfy the scaling relations for all three radii being considered.
Interrogation of Single Synthetic Polymer Chains and Polysaccharides by AFM-Based Force Spectroscopy
Giannotti, Marina I.; Vancso, G. Julius
This contribution reviews selected mechanical experiments on individual flexible macromolecules using single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) based on atomic force microscopy. Focus is placed on the analysis of elasticity and conformational changes in single polymer chains upon variation of the ex
Role of Chain Morphology and Stiffness in Thermal Conductivity of Amorphous Polymers.
Zhang, Teng; Luo, Tengfei
Designing thermally conductive polymer is of scientific interest and practical importance for applications like thermal interface materials, electronics packing, and plastic heat exchangers. In this work, we study the fundamental relationship between the molecular morphology and thermal conductivity in bulk amorphous polymers. We use polyethylene as a model system and performed systematic parametric study in molecular dynamics simulations. We find that the thermal conductivity is a strong function of the radius of gyration of the molecular chains, which is further correlated to persistence length, an intrinsic property of the molecule that characterizes molecular stiffness. Larger persistence length can lead to more extended chain morphology and thus higher thermal conductivity. Further thermal conductivity decomposition analysis shows that thermal transport through covalent bonds dominates the effective thermal conductivity over other contributions from nonbonded interactions (van der Waals) and translation of molecules disregarding the morphology. As a result, the more extended chains due to larger persistence length provide longer spatial paths for heat to transfer efficiently and thus lead to higher thermal conductivity. In addition, rigid rod-like polymers with very large persistence length tend to spontaneously crystallize and form orientated chains, leading to a thermal conductivity increase by more than 1 order of magnitude. Our results will provide important insights into the design of thermally conductive amorphous polymers. PMID:26751002
A lattice Monte Carlo study of long chain conformations at solid-polymer melt interfaces
Bitsanis, Ioannis A.; Brinke, Gerrit ten
In this paper we present a comprehensive lattice Monte Carlo study of long chain conformations at solid-polymer melt interfaces. Segmental scale interfacial features, like the bond orientational distribution were found to be independent of surface-segment energetics, and statistically identical with
Main chain acid-degradable polymers for the delivery of bioactive materials
Frechet, Jean M. J.; Standley, Stephany M.; Jain, Rachna; Lee, Cameron C.
Novel main chain acid degradable polymer backbones and drug delivery systems comprised of materials capable of delivering bioactive materials to cells for use as vaccines or other therapeutic agents are described. The polymers are synthesized using monomers that contain acid-degradable linkages cleavable under mild acidic conditions. The main chain of the resulting polymers readily degrade into many small molecules at low pH, but remain relatively stable and intact at physiological pH. The new materials have the common characteristic of being able to degrade by acid hydrolysis under conditions commonly found within the endosomal or lysosomal compartments of cells thereby releasing their payload within the cell. The materials can also be used for the delivery of therapeutics to the acidic regions of tumors and other sites of inflammation.
Intra-chain organisation of hydrophobic residues controls inter-chain aggregation rates of amphiphilic polymers
Varilly, Patrick; Kirkegaard, Julius B; Knowles, Tuomas P J; Chandler, David
Aggregation of amphiphiles through the action of hydrophobic interactions is a common feature in soft condensed matter systems and is of particular importance in the context of biophysics as it underlies both the generation of functional biological machinery as well as the formation of pathological misassembled states of proteins. Here we explore the aggregation behaviour of amphiphilic polymers using lattice Monte-Carlo calculations and show that the distribution of hydrophobic residues within the polymer sequence determines the facility with which dry/wet interfaces can be created and that such interfaces drive the aggregation process.
Single-chain crosslinked star polymers via intramolecular crosslinking of self-folding amphiphilic copolymers in water
Terashima, Takaya; Sugita, Takanori; Sawamoto, Mitsuo
Single-chain crosslinked star polymers with multiple hydrophilic short arms and a hydrophobic core were created as novel microgel star polymers of single polymer chains. The synthetic process involves the intramolecular crosslinking of self-folding amphiphilic random copolymers in water. For this process, amphiphilic random copolymers bearing hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and hydrophobic olefin pendants were synthesized by ruthenium-catalyzed living radical copolymerization of PEG m...
Thermal reactions of polymer chains with coal structures
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
P. Straka; J. Nahunkova [Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague (Czech Republic). Institute of Rock Structure and Mechanics
The thermal decompositions of polyethylene, polystyrene and polyamide 6 in the presence of coal was studied by DSC and TGA methods and reactions of these polymers with coal were described. Tars and cokes obtained were characterized and mass balance of the process expressed. Polyethylene decomposes by a free radical mechanism and the major products are 1-alkenes, {alpha},{omega}-alkadienes and n-alkanes. In the presence of coal, formed unsaturated products are adsorbed on the inner surface of coal and semicoke. Maximum weight losses of the coal-polyethylene mixture occur at higher temperature in comparison with that from the decomposition of polyethylene alone. Further, thermal reactions of coal with polystyrene were studied. In the range of 410 490{sup o}C a thermal degradation of coal proceeded, simultaneously, with decomposition of polystyrene. Because coal is a strong H-donor, unsaturated products of polystyrene decomposition (mainly styrene) was hydrogenated by coal. Some aromatic products of polystyrene decomposition reacted with the coal tar structures and new aromatics were formed. That is why the conversion time of polystyrene decomposition was much higher in the presence of coal. The yields of tar from copyrolysis with styrene polymers are higher in comparison with pyrolysis of coal alone. Also composition of tar is changed. Finally, reactions of coal with polyamide 6 were investigated. During the thermal degradation of coal the decomposition of polyamide 6 occurs and {epsilon}-caprolactam and the cyclic dimer are formed. The {epsilon}-caprolactam formation is promoted by water and hydrogen from coal degradation as due to high content of hydrogen coal acts as a strong H- and water donor. Under high-temperature conditions of copyrolysis beside a-caprolactam mainly carbon oxides, methane, aliphatic hydrocarbons, simple aromatics and stable oil are formed. 8 refs., 3 figs., 7 tabs.
Thermochromism of a poly(phenylene vinylene): untangling the roles of polymer aggregate and chain conformation.
Wang, Chun-Chih; Gao, Yuan; Shreve, Andrew P; Zhong, Chang; Wang, Leeyih; Mudalige, Kumara; Wang, Hsing-Lin; Cotlet, Mircea
We report reversible thermochromism of a conjugated polymer, poly{2,5-bis[3-(N,N-diethylamino)-1-oxapropyl]-1,4-phenylenevinylene} (DAO-PPV), in diluted solutions of toluene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene. By means of temperature- and solvent-dependent steady-state spectroscopy, picosecond time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering, we provide new insights into the role of polymer aggregates in defining the thermochromic behavior of PPVs. We find DAO-PPV to exhibit a low temperature state with vibronically structured red visible absorption and emission spectra. Structurally, this low temperature state is a densely packed and disordered polymer aggregate, which contains a fraction of well-ordered, packed polymer chains. These ordered regions serve as low energy trap sites for the more disordered regions in the aggregate, thus regulating the final emission of the aggregate and imposing a vibronically resolved emission spectrum, which is usually associated with emission from one or a few chromophores. The high temperature state of DAO-PPV is a loose aggregate, with structureless absorption and emission spectra in the green visible range. Structurally, the loose aggregate is a well-solvated aggregate retaining the physical dimension of the dense aggregate but for which interchain interactions are diminished with the increase of temperature. As a result, the spectroscopic behavior of the loose aggregate is very similar if not identical to that of the single polymer chain. Increased solubility untangles polymer aggregates into single, dispersed, polymer chains, as we demonstrate here for DAO-PPV in 1,2-dichlorobenzene and at high temperature. PMID:19928846
Thermochromism of a Poly(phenylene vinylene): Untangling the Roles of Polymer Aggregate and Chain Conformation
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Cotlet, M.; Wang, C.-C.; Gao, Y.; Shreve, A.P.; Zhong, C.; Wang, L.; Mudalige, K.; Wang, H.-L.
We report reversible thermochromism of a conjugated polymer, poly{l_brace}2,5-bis[3-(N,N-diethylamino)-1-oxapropyl]-1,4-phenylenevinylene{r_brace} (DAO-PPV), in diluted solutions of toluene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene. By means of temperature- and solvent-dependent steady-state spectroscopy, picosecond time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering, we provide new insights into the role of polymer aggregates in defining the thermochromic behavior of PPVs. We find DAO-PPV to exhibit a low temperature state with vibronically structured red visible absorption and emission spectra. Structurally, this low temperature state is a densely packed and disordered polymer aggregate, which contains a fraction of well-ordered, packed polymer chains. These ordered regions serve as low energy trap sites for the more disordered regions in the aggregate, thus regulating the final emission of the aggregate and imposing a vibronically resolved emission spectrum, which is usually associated with emission from one or a few chromophores. The high temperature state of DAO-PPV is a loose aggregate, with structureless absorption and emission spectra in the green visible range. Structurally, the loose aggregate is a well-solvated aggregate retaining the physical dimension of the dense aggregate but for which interchain interactions are diminished with the increase of temperature. As a result, the spectroscopic behavior of the loose aggregate is very similar if not identical to that of the single polymer chain. Increased solubility untangles polymer aggregates into single, dispersed, polymer chains, as we demonstrate here for DAO-PPV in 1,2-dichlorobenzene and at high temperature.
Translocation of Polymer Chains Through a Channel with Complex Geometries
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Zhi-yong Yang; Lin-xi Zhang; Jun Cheng
The elastic behavior of a single chain transporting through complex channel which can be seen as the combination of three different channels (left channel, middle channel, and right channel, respectively) is investigated using the new pruned-enriched Rosenbluth method with importance sampling. The elastic force during the translocation process is calculated. At the entrance into the middle channel, there is the first plateau in the curve of the elastic force f (f0) versus x, here x represents the position of the first monomer along the x-axis direction. When the first monomer moves to a certain position, a second plateau is observed with the elastic force f<0, which represents spontaneous translocation. The free energy difference between the subchain in the right channel and the subchain in the left channel may drive the trauslocation. The influence of chain length and width of the left and right channels on the translocation process are also investigated. From the simulation results, more detailed explanations for the reason why the component translocation time is not the same for different channels can be presented.
Vitrification of thin polymer films: from linear chain to soft-colloid like behavior
Glynos, Emmanouil; Frieberg, Bradley; Sakellariou, Georgios; Chremos, Alexandros; Green, Peter
The glass transition temperature Tg of sufficiently thin, supported, polymer films is dependent on the film thickness. Based on the nature of the polymer substrate interactions Tg may increase, ΔTg >0, or decrease, ΔTg polymer films supported by the same substrate. Specifically in the case of polystyrene (PS) macromolecules, with arms of molecular weight Marm= 32, where the polymer exhibits soft-colloid like behavior ΔTg ~ 0. For values of 40. The transition from the linear-chain to the soft-colloid behavior is gradual and occurs with increasing f and/or decreasing Marm. With the help of molecular dynamics simulations we rationalize this behavior in terms of competing entropic effects, associated with changes in f and Marm, which drives the ability of these molecules to efficiently pack at interfaces.
DNA Polymer Brush Patterning through Photocontrollable Surface-Initiated DNA Hybridization Chain Reaction.
Huang, Fujian; Zhou, Xiang; Yao, Dongbao; Xiao, Shiyan; Liang, Haojun
The fabrication of DNA polymer brushes with spatial resolution onto a solid surface is a crucial step for biochip research and related applications, cell-free gene expression study, and even artificial cell fabrication. Here, for the first time, a DNA polymer brush patterning method is reported based on the photoactivation of an ortho-nitrobenzyl linker-embedded DNA hairpin structure and a subsequent surface-initiated DNA hybridization chain reaction (HCR). Inert DNA hairpins are exposed to ultraviolet light irradiation to generate DNA duplexes with two active sticky ends (toeholds) in a programmable manner. These activated DNA duplexes can initiate DNA HCR to generate multifunctional patterned DNA polymer brushes with complex geometrical shapes. Different multifunctional DNA polymer brush patterns can be fabricated on certain areas of the same solid surface using this method. Moreover, the patterned DNA brush surface can be used to capture target molecules in a desired manner.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Cui-liu Fu; Zhao-yan Sun; Li-jia An
A single polymer chain in solvent confined in a slit formed by two parallel plates is studied by using molecular dynamics simulation method.The square radii of gyration and diffusion behaviors of polymers are greatly affected by the distance between the two plates,but they do not follow the same way.The chain size decays drastically with increasing h (h is the distance between two plates),until a basin occurs,and a universal h/〈Rg〉0 dependence for polymer chains with different degrees of polymerization can be obtained.While,for the chain's diffusion coefficient,it decays monotonously and there is no such basin-like behavior.Furthermore,we studied the radial distribution function of confined polymer chains to explain the reason why there is a difference for the decay behaviors between dynamic properties and static properties.Besides,we also give the degree of confinement dependence of the static scaling exponent for a single polymer chain.Our work provides an efficient way to estimate the dynamics and static properties of confined polymer chains,and also helps us to understand the behavior of polymer chains under confinement.
Molecular imprinted polymer with positively charged, assistant recognition polymer chains for adsorption/enrichment of low content target protein
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
LONG Yi; SUN Yang; WANG Ying; XING XiaoCui; ZHAO Zhuo; WANG ChunHong; FAN YunGe; MI HuaiFeng
Here, we introduce a new type of molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) with immobilized assistant recog-nition polymer chains (ARPCs) to create effective recognition sites and with bacterial cloned protein as template for adsorbing the low content target protein from cell extract. In this work, cloned pig cyclo-philin 18 (pCyP18), a peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans-isomerase, was used as template. The template protein was selectively assembled with ARPCs from their library, which consists of numerous limited length polymer chains with randomly distributed recognition sites of positively charged amino groups and immobilizing sites. These assemblies were adsorbed by porous microsphers and immobilized on them.After removing the template, binding sites complementary to the target protein in size, shape and the position of recognition groups were exposed, and their confirmation was preserved by the cross-linked structure. The synthesized MIP was used to adsorb the cellular pCyP18, and its proportional content was enriched more than hundred times. The extended experiment on imprinting bovine serum albumin (BSA) with ARPCs shows that this method is also suitable for large protein.
ZnO hybrid photovoltaics with variable side-chain lengths of thienothiophene polymer
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The effect of the side-chain length of poly(3,6-dialkylthieno[3,2-b]thiophene-co-bithiophene) (pATBT) on the performance of hybrid polymer-metal oxide photovoltaics (PVs) utilizing zinc oxide (ZnO) acceptor is investigated. The pATBT attached with a dodecyl side chain (pATBT-C12) in hybrid photovoltaics with ZnO was compared to pATBT with a hexadecyl side chain (pATBT-C16). Atomic force microscopic analysis reveals a smoother surface for the pATBT-C16 photoactive layer compared to the pATBT-C12. For hybrid PVs using pATBT-C16, the relative intensity of the external quantum efficiency (EQE) increased particularly in wavelength region associated with the ZnO. Furthermore, the EQE spectrum shows a red shift for pATBT-C16 indicating better structural ordering compared to hybrid PVs with pATBT-C12. As a result, the hybrid PV utilizing pATBT-C16:ZnO blend layer is observed to display a better performance with a power conversion efficiency of 1.02% compared to 0.672% of pATBT-C12:ZnO PV. - Highlights: • The effect of polymer side-chain length on hybrid photovoltaics is investigated. • Longer side chains positively influence structural and optical properties of hybrid films. • Longer side-chain length leads to better photovoltaic performance
Searching for low percolation thresholds within amphiphilic polymer membranes: The effect of side chain branching
Dorenbos, G.
Percolation thresholds for solvent diffusion within hydrated model polymeric membranes are derived from dissipative particle dynamics in combination with Monte Carlo (MC) tracer diffusion calculations. The polymer backbones are composed of hydrophobic A beads to which at regular intervals Y-shaped side chains are attached. Each side chain is composed of eight A beads and contains two identical branches that are each terminated with a pendant hydrophilic C bead. Four types of side chains are considered for which the two branches (each represented as [C], [AC], [AAC], or [AAAC]) are splitting off from the 8th, 6th, 4th, or 2nd A bead, respectively. Water diffusion through the phase separated water containing pore networks is deduced from MC tracer diffusion calculations. The percolation threshold for the architectures containing the [C] and [AC] branches is at a water volume fraction of ˜0.07 and 0.08, respectively. These are much lower than those derived earlier for linear architectures of various side chain length and side chain distributions. Control of side chain architecture is thus a very interesting design parameter to decrease the percolation threshold for solvent and proton transports within flexible amphiphilic polymer membranes.
Searching for low percolation thresholds within amphiphilic polymer membranes: The effect of side chain branching
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Dorenbos, G., E-mail: email@example.com [Sano 1107-2, Belle Crea 502, Susono 410-1118 (Japan)
Percolation thresholds for solvent diffusion within hydrated model polymeric membranes are derived from dissipative particle dynamics in combination with Monte Carlo (MC) tracer diffusion calculations. The polymer backbones are composed of hydrophobic A beads to which at regular intervals Y-shaped side chains are attached. Each side chain is composed of eight A beads and contains two identical branches that are each terminated with a pendant hydrophilic C bead. Four types of side chains are considered for which the two branches (each represented as [C], [AC], [AAC], or [AAAC]) are splitting off from the 8th, 6th, 4th, or 2nd A bead, respectively. Water diffusion through the phase separated water containing pore networks is deduced from MC tracer diffusion calculations. The percolation threshold for the architectures containing the [C] and [AC] branches is at a water volume fraction of ∼0.07 and 0.08, respectively. These are much lower than those derived earlier for linear architectures of various side chain length and side chain distributions. Control of side chain architecture is thus a very interesting design parameter to decrease the percolation threshold for solvent and proton transports within flexible amphiphilic polymer membranes.
Communication: Role of short chain branching in polymer structure and dynamics
Kim, Jun Mo; Baig, Chunggi
A comprehensive understanding of chain-branching effects, essential for establishing general knowledge of the structure-property-phenomenon relationship in polymer science, has not yet been found, due to a critical lack of knowledge on the role of short-chain branches, the effects of which have mostly been neglected in favor of the standard entropic-based concepts of long polymers. Here, we show a significant effect of short-chain branching on the structural and dynamical properties of polymeric materials, and reveal the molecular origins behind the fundamental role of short branches, via atomistic nonequilibrium molecular dynamics and mesoscopic Brownian dynamics by systematically varying the strength of the mobility of short branches. We demonstrate that the fast random Brownian kinetics inherent to short branches plays a key role in governing the overall structure and dynamics of polymers, leading to a compact molecular structure and, under external fields, to a lesser degree of structural deformation of polymer, to a reduced shear-thinning behavior, and to a smaller elastic stress, compared with their linear analogues. Their fast dynamical nature being unaffected by practical flow fields owing to their very short characteristic time scale, short branches would substantially influence (i.e., facilitate) the overall relaxation behavior of polymeric materials under various flowing conditions.
Conformation space renormalization of polymers. I. Single chain equilibrium properties using Wilson-type renormalization
Oono, Y.; Freed, Karl F.
A conformation space renormalization group is developed to describe polymer excluded volume in single polymer chains. The theory proceeds in ordinary space in terms of position variables and the contour variable along the chain, and it considers polymers of fixed chain length. The theory is motivated along two lines. The first presents the renormalization group transformation as the means for extracting the macroscopic long wavelength quantities from the theory. An alternative viewpoint shows how the renormalization group transformation follows as a natural consequence of an attempt to correctly treat the presence of a cut-off length scale. It is demonstrated that the current configuration space renormalization method has a one-to-one correspondence with the Wilson-Fisher field theory formulation, so our method is valid to all orders in ɛ = 4-d where d is the spatial dimensionality. This stands in contrast to previous attempts at a configuration space renormalization approach which are limited to first order in ɛ because they arbitrarily assign monomers to renormalized ''blobs.'' In the current theory the real space chain conformations dictate the coarse graining transformation. The calculations are presented to lowest order in ɛ to enable the development of techniques necessary for the treatment of dynamics in Part II. The theory is presented both in terms of the simple delta function interaction as well as using realistic-type interaction potentials. This illustrates the renormalization of the interactions, the emergence of renormalized many-body interactions, and the complexity of the theta point.
Cylindrical polymer brushes with dendritic side chains by iterative anionic reactions
Zhang, Hefeng
We report in this paper an easy method for the synthesis of cylindrical polymer brushes with dendritic side chains through anionic reaction. The synthesis is accomplished by iteratively grafting a living block copolymer, polyisoprene-. b-polystyrenyllithium (PI-. b-PSLi), to the main chain and subsequently to the branches in a divergent way. PI segment is short and serves as a precursor for multifunctional branching unit. The grafting reaction involves two successive steps: i) epoxidation of internal double bonds of PI segments, either in main chain or side chains; ii) ring-opening addition to the resulting epoxy group by the living PI-. b-PSLi. Repeating the two steps affords a series of cylindrical polymer brushes with up to 3rd generation and extremely high molecular weight. The branching multiplicity depends on the average number of oxirane groups per PI segment, usually ca. 8 in the present work. The high branching multiplicity leads to tremendous increase in molecular weights of the cylindrical products with generation growth. Several series of cylindrical polymer brushes with tunable aspect ratios are prepared using backbones and branches with controlled lengths. Shape anisotropy is investigated in dilute solution using light scattering technique. Worm-like single molecular morphology with large persistence length is observed on different substrates by atomic force microscopy.
Lattice model of linear telechelic polymer melts. I. Inclusion of chain semiflexibility in the lattice cluster theory
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The lattice cluster theory (LCT) for the thermodynamics of polymer systems has recently been reformulated to treat strongly interacting self-assembling polymers composed of fully flexible linear telechelic chains [J. Dudowicz and K. F. Freed, J. Chem. Phys. 136, 064902 (2012)]. Here, we further extend the LCT for linear telechelic polymer melts to include a description of chain semiflexibility, which is treated by introducing a bending energy penalty whenever a pair of consecutive bonds from a single chain lies along orthogonal directions. An analytical expression for the Helmholtz free energy is derived for the model of semiflexible linear telechelic polymer melts. The extension provides a theoretical tool for investigating the influence of chain stiffness on the thermodynamics of self-assembling telechelic polymers, and for further exploring the influence of self-assembly on glass formation in such systems
Consistent model reduction of polymer chains in solution in dissipative particle dynamics: Model description
Moreno, Nicolas; Nunes, Suzana P.; Calo, Victor M.
We introduce a framework for model reduction of polymer chain models for dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations, where the properties governing the phase equilibria such as the characteristic size of the chain, compressibility, density, and temperature are preserved. The proposed methodology reduces the number of degrees of freedom required in traditional DPD representations to model equilibrium properties of systems with complex molecules (e.g., linear polymers). Based on geometrical considerations we explicitly account for the correlation between beads in fine-grained DPD models and consistently represent the effect of these correlations in a reduced model, in a practical and simple fashion via power laws and the consistent scaling of the simulation parameters. In order to satisfy the geometrical constraints in the reduced model we introduce bond-angle potentials that account for the changes in the chain free energy after the model reduction. Following this coarse-graining process we represent high molecular weight DPD chains (i.e., ≥ 200 beads per chain) with a significant reduction in the number of particles required (i.e., ≥ 20 times the original system). We show that our methodology has potential applications modeling systems of high molecular weight molecules at large scales, such as diblock copolymer and DNA.
Consistent model reduction of polymer chains in solution in dissipative particle dynamics: Model description
Moreno, Nicolas
We introduce a framework for model reduction of polymer chain models for dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations, where the properties governing the phase equilibria such as the characteristic size of the chain, compressibility, density, and temperature are preserved. The proposed methodology reduces the number of degrees of freedom required in traditional DPD representations to model equilibrium properties of systems with complex molecules (e.g., linear polymers). Based on geometrical considerations we explicitly account for the correlation between beads in fine-grained DPD models and consistently represent the effect of these correlations in a reduced model, in a practical and simple fashion via power laws and the consistent scaling of the simulation parameters. In order to satisfy the geometrical constraints in the reduced model we introduce bond-angle potentials that account for the changes in the chain free energy after the model reduction. Following this coarse-graining process we represent high molecular weight DPD chains (i.e., ≥200≥200 beads per chain) with a significant reduction in the number of particles required (i.e., ≥20≥20 times the original system). We show that our methodology has potential applications modeling systems of high molecular weight molecules at large scales, such as diblock copolymer and DNA.
Fluctuation-induced forces between rings threaded around a polymer chain under tension
Gilles, F M; Pastorino, C
We characterize the fluctuation properties of a polymer chain under external tension and the fluctuation-induced forces between two ring molecules threaded around the chain. The problem is relevant in the context of fluctuation-induced forces in soft matter systems, features of liquid interfaces and to describe properties of polyrotaxanes and slide-ring materials. We perform molecular dynamics simulations of the Kremer-Grest bead-spring model for the polymer and a simple ring-molecule model, in the canonical ensemble. We study transverse fluctuations of the stretched chain, as a function of chain stretching and in the presence of ring-shaped threaded molecules. The fluctuation spectra of the chains are analyzed in equilibrium at constant temperature and the differences in presence of two ring molecules are compared. For the rings located at fixed distances, we find an attractive fluctuation-induced force between the rings, proportional to the temperature and decaying with the ring distance. We characterize th...
Interplay between polymer chain conformation and nanoparticle assembly in model industrial silica/rubber nanocomposites.
Bouty, Adrien; Petitjean, Laurent; Chatard, Julien; Matmour, Rachid; Degrandcourt, Christophe; Schweins, Ralf; Meneau, Florian; Kwasńiewski, Paweł; Boué, François; Couty, Marc; Jestin, Jacques
The question of the influence of nanoparticles (NPs) on chain dimensions in polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) has been treated mainly through the fundamental way using theoretical or simulation tools and experiments on well-defined model PNCs. Here we present the first experimental study on the influence of NPs on the polymer chain conformation for PNCs designed to be as close as possible to industrial systems employed in the tire industry. PNCs are silica nanoparticles dispersed in a styrene-butadiene-rubber (SBR) matrix whose NP dispersion can be managed by NP loading with interfacial coatings or coupling additives usually employed in the manufacturing mixing process. We associated specific chain (d) labeling, and the so-called zero average contrast (ZAC) method, with SANS, in situ SANS and SAXS/TEM experiments to extract the polymer chain scattering signal at rest for non-cross linked and under stretching for cross-linked PNCs. NP loading, individual clusters or connected networks, as well as the influence of the type, the quantity of interfacial agent and the influence of the elongation rate have been evaluated on the chain conformation and on its related deformation. We clearly distinguish the situations where the silica is perfectly matched from those with unperfected matching by direct comparison of SANS and SAXS structure factors. Whatever the silica matching situation, the additive type and quantity and the filler content, there is no significant change in the polymer dimension for NP loading up to 15% v/v within a range of 5%. One can see an extra scattering contribution at low Q, as often encountered, enhanced for non-perfect silica matching but also visible for perfect filler matching. This contribution can be qualitatively attributed to specific h or d chain adsorption on the NP surface inside the NP cluster that modifies the average scattering neutron contrast of the silica cluster. Under elongation, NPs act as additional cross-linking junctions
Inverse Relaxation of Photoinduced Birefringence in a Liquid-Crystalline Azobenzene Side-Chain Polymer
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
PAN Xu; WANG Chang-Shun; ZHANG Xiao-Qiang
Photoinduced birefringence in a liquid-crystalline azobenzene side-chain polymer is investigated. It is observed that the birefringence does not show any decay but increases after switching off the pump light at room temperature. The magnitude of the birefringence relaxation is found to depend on the exposure dose of the pump light.A discussion about the mechanism of the inverse relaxation of birefringence is presented.
Exploiting the tetrazine-norbornene reaction for single polymer chain collapse.
Hansell, Claire F; Lu, Annhelen; Patterson, Joseph P; O'Reilly, Rachel K
Single chain polymer nanoparticles (SCNPs) have been formed using polystyrenes decorated with pendent norbornenes and a bifunctional tetrazine crosslinker. Characterisation by size exclusion chromatography and (1)H NMR gives evidence for the formation of SCNPs by the tetrazine-norbornene reaction, whilst light scattering, neutron scattering, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy show that discrete well-defined nanoparticles are formed and their size in solution calculated.
Endowing Single-Chain Polymer Nanoparticles with Enzyme-Mimetic Activity
Perez-Baena, Irma; Barroso-Bujans, Fabienne; Gasser, Urs; Arbe, Arantxa; Moreno Segurado, Ángel J.; Colmenero de León, Juan; Pomposo, José A.
The development of simple, efficient, and robust strategies affording the facile construction of biomimetic organocatalytic nano-objects is currently a subject of great interest. Herein, a new pathway to artificial organocatalysts based on partially collapsed individual soft nano-objects displaying useful and diverse biomimetic catalytic functions is reported. Single-chain polymer nanoparticles endowed with enzyme-mimetic activity synthesized following this new route display (i) a relatively ...
Anomalous Molecular Weight Dependence of Chain Dynamics in Unentangled Polymer Blends with Strong Dynamic Asymmetry
Arrese-Igor, Silvia; Alegría, Ángel; Moreno Segurado, Ángel J.; Colmenero de León, Juan
We address the general question of how the molecular weight dependence of chain dynamics in unentangled polymers is modified by blending. By dielectric spectroscopy we measure the normal mode relaxation of polyisoprene in blends with a slower component of poly(ter-butylstyrene). Unentangled polyisoprene in the blend exhibits strong deviations from Rouse scaling, approaching 'entangled-like' behavior at low temperatures in concomitance with the increase of the dynamic asymmetry in the blend. T...
Miscibility behavior and single chain properties in polymer blends: a bond fluctuation model study
Mueller, Marcus
Computer simulation studies on the miscibility behavior and single chain properties in binary polymer blends are reviewed. We consider blends of various architectures in order to identify important architectural parameters on a coarse grained level and study their qualitative consequences for the miscibility behavior. The phase diagram, the relation between the exchange chemical potential and the composition, and the intermolecular paircorrelation functions for symmetric blends of linear chai...
Translocation of Single Polymer Chain from Nanopore on a Membrane: Solvent Effect
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
GU Fang; WANG Hai-Jun
@@ We investigate the translocation of single polymer chain through a nanopore located on a membrane with different solvents in the two sides of the membrane. For the case under study, the effect of solvents on the translocation dynamics is significant, and as a result, the mean first passage time shortens remarkably compared with that calculated in the case of good solvents on both the sides of the membrane. In addition, we also discuss the condition such that the present result holds true.
Microscopic theory of light-induced deformation in amorphous side-chain azobenzene polymers.
Toshchevikov, V; Saphiannikova, M; Heinrich, G
We propose a microscopic theory of light-induced deformation of side-chain azobenzene polymers taking into account the internal structure of polymer chains. Our theory is based on the fact that interaction of chromophores with the polarized light leads to the orientation anisotropy of azobenzene macromolecules which is accompanied by the appearance of mechanical stress. It is the first microscopic theory which provides the value of the light-induced stress larger than the yield stress. This result explains a possibility for the inscription of surface relief gratings in glassy side-chain azobenzene polymers. For some chemical architectures, elongation of a sample demonstrates a nonmonotonic behavior with the light intensity and can change its sign (a stretched sample starts to be uniaxially compressed), in agreement with experiments. Using a viscoplastic approach, we show that the irreversible strain of a sample, which remains after the light is switched off, decreases with increasing temperature and can disappear at certain temperature below the glass transition temperature. This theoretical prediction is also confirmed by recent experiments.
Graftpolyrotaxane: Graft polymer possessing movable graft chains on cyclodextrins as the polyrotaxane wheels
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Takashima, T; Hinoue, K; Kihara, N; Hayashi, M; Koyama, Y; Takata, T, E-mail: email@example.com [Department of Organic and Polymeric Materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ookayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8552 (Japan)
Graftpolyrotaxanes having graft chains on the wheel components were prepared from main chain-type polyrotaxane having monofunctional cyclodextrin wheels and terminal end-reactive poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The well-defined polyrotaxane having mono(6-hydroxyl) permethyl-{alpha}-CD (monoOH-{alpha}-CD) as the wheel components and a polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF) axle with bulky end-capping groups was synthesized by the two pathways; (i) synthesis by solid-state end-capping of pseudopolyrotaxane consisting of monoOAc-{alpha}-CD and hydroxy-terminated PTHF and (ii) one-pot synthesis using monoOH-{alpha}-CD and amine-terminated PTHF in water. The grafting reaction on the wheel moieties of the resulting polyrotaxane was carried out by acylation reaction with PEG-mono-carboxylic acid derivatives in high conversion yields. To estimate the relative rotary movement of CDs and the axle polymer in the polyrotaxane and graftpolyrotaxane, the rotational correlation time ({tau}{sub c}) of polyrotaxanes was estimated from the longitudinal relaxation time (T{sub 1}) of {sup 13}C NMR. The results clearly indicate that the graftpolyrotaxane described here is a new type of graft polymer in terms of the special circumrotation behavior such as the independent rotary movement of CDs with the graft chain and the axle polymer.
Water Sorption and Hindered Diffusion with Different Chain Stiffness of Superabsorbent Polymer
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Chun, Myung-Suk; Lee, Dae-Young [Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)
Water sorption and diffusion are essential physicochemical properties of a high-performance superabsorbent polymer (SAP). We combine the Park model with the obstruction-scaling model and the water clustering in confined spaces of the polymer hydrogel. Special attention is focused on elucidating the effect of chain stiffness by considering the conformation of the polymer chain. Theoretical model parameters are determined from the best fits by simultaneous nonlinear regressions for both sorption and corrected diffusion data based on previous experiments with poly(acrylamide-co-sodium acrylate) hydrogel. Predictions show that the hindered water diffusivity leads to a sigmoid curve with relative humidity a{sub w}, where it increases monotonically up to aw{sub ≅} 0.6 due to the swelling but decreases at higher a{sub w} caused by water clustering. Water diffusion decreases with increasing chain stiffness, and the larger persistence length provides a smaller opening radius in void spaces regarding the weak elastic deformation of hydrogel under the applied stress.
Synthesis and characterization of associating polymers which contain siloxanes chains; Synthese et caracterisation de polymeres associatifs porteurs de groupes siloxanes
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Meyer, V.
Polymers that associate via physical interactions in solutions have received much attention as viscosifiers. Such associating polymers are now used in variety of applications due to their unique theological properties coating, food thickeners, paints, enhanced oil recovery, water treatment). They contain a hydrophilic main chain with hydrophobic side chain that is generally constituted of hydrocarbon or fluorocarbon groups. Novel copolymers with sites of association in aqueous solution were prepared by co-polymerizing acrylamide with an hydrophobic monomer containing siloxane parts. Rheological properties were studied as a function of polymer concentration, microstructure, shear rate and frequency in order to show intra intermolecular associations between the hydrophobic parts. The polymer solution viscosity increases as a function of the hydrophobic group content. Tests of adsorption show a high affinity of these copolymers with clay and the amount absorbed increase with the quantity of hydrophobic entities containing in the chain. These properties are enhanced compared to copolymers containing hydrocarbon chains. (authors) 456 refs.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Jun-fang Li; Yi-jie Lu; Guang-zhao Zhang; Wei Li; Chi Wu
Dust-free semidilute and concentrated polystyrene (PS) solutions in different solvents were prepared by slow evaporation and in situ anionic polymerization, which removes the effects of troublesome artifacts such as dust contamination and concentration gradient. The dynamics was reexamined by a combination of static and dynamic laser light scattering. In benzene and toluene (good solvents for PS), only one fast diffusive mode of polymer chains can be observed when the concentration (c) is up to 20%, which is attributed to thermally agitated fluctuation of "blobs" or chain segments.Static and dynamic correlation lengths (ξS and ξD) are scaled with c as ξSS(or ξD)~c-0.72±0.02. In cyclohexane, whose quality decreases with temperature in the range 32-50℃, an additional slow mode of polymer chains can be observed. Such a slow mode is viewed more obviously at a large scattering angle even in a concentrated solution with high chain entanglement. The present study indicates that the slow mode is due to the solvent quality.
Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET Polymerization for Precise Synthesis of Defect-Free Conjugated Polymers with Well-Defined Chain Ends
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Tahmina Haque
Full Text Available This accounts introduces unique characteristics by adopting the acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET polymerization for synthesis of conjugated polymers, poly(arylene vinylenes, known as promising molecular electronics. The method is more suitable than the other methods in terms of atom efficiency affording defect-free, stereo-regular (exclusive trans polymers with well-defined chain ends; the resultant polymers possess better property than those prepared by the conventional methods. The chain ends (vinyl group in the resultant polymer prepared by ruthenium-carbene catalyst(s can be modified by treating with molybdenum-alkylidene complex (olefin metathesis followed by addition of various aldehyde (Wittig type cleavage, affording the end-functionalized polymers exclusively. An introduction of initiating fragment, the other conjugated segment, and one-pot synthesis of end-functionalized block copolymers, star shape polymers can be achieved by adopting this methodology.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
SUN Zhengmin; WANG Huaqin; WANG Xinjiu
The experimental investigation on the conformation of a thermotropic main-chain nematic polymer by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) has been carried out. The average radius of gyration of the polymer has been determined in nematic and isotropic state respectively. The experiment shows that the boundary between domains is not sharp but diffuse, and the diffuse - boundary thickness of the polymer as a function of temperature has been given.
Topological Constraints on Chain-Folding Structure of Semicrystalline Polymer as Studied by 13C-13C Double Quantum NMR
Hong, Youlee; Miyoshi, Toshikazu
Chain-folding process is a prominent feature of long polymer chains during crystallization. Over the last half century, much effort has been paid to reveal the chain trajectory. Even though various chain-folding models as well as theories of crystallization at molecule levels have been proposed, they could be not reconciled due to the limited experimental evidences. Recent development of double quantum NMR with selective isotope labeling identified the chain-trajectory of 13C labeled isotactic poly(1-butene). The systematic experiments covered a wide range of parameters, i.e. kinetics, concentration, and molecular weight (Mw) . It was demonstrated that i) adjacent re-entry site was invariant as a function of crystallization temperature (Tc) , concentration, andMw, ii) long-range order of adjacent re-entry sequence is independence of kinetics at a given concentration while it decreased with increasing the polymer concentration at a given Tc due to the increased interruption between the chains, and iii) high Mw chains led to the multilayer folded structures in single crystals, but the melt state induced the identical short adjacent sequences of long and short polymer over a wide range of Tc due to the entanglements. The behaviors indicated that the topological restriction plays significant roles in the chain-folding process rather than the kinetics. The proposed framework to control the chain-folding structure presents a new perspective into the chain organization by either the intra- or inter-chain interaction. National Science Foundation Grants DMR-1105829 and 1408855.
The chain sucker: translocation dynamics of a polymer chain into a long narrow channel driven by longitudinal flow.
Luo, Kaifu; Metzler, Ralf
Using analytical techniques and Langevin dynamics simulations, we investigate the dynamics of polymer translocation into a narrow channel of width R embedded in two dimensions, driven by a force proportional to the number of monomers in the channel. Such a setup mimics typical experimental situations in nano/microfluidics. During the translocation process if the monomers in the channel can sufficiently quickly assume steady state motion, we observe the scaling τ ∼ N∕F of the translocation time τ with the driving force F per bead and the number N of monomers per chain. With smaller channel width R, steady state motion cannot be achieved, effecting a nonuniversal dependence of τ on N and F. From the simulations we also deduce the waiting time distributions under various conditions for the single segment passage through the channel entrance. For different chain lengths but the same driving force, the curves of the waiting time as a function of the translocation coordinate s feature a maximum located at identical s(max), while with increasing the driving force or the channel width the value of s(max) decreases. PMID:21476775
Side Chain Engineering of Naphthalenediimide-Based N-type Polymer for High-Performance All-Polymer Solar Cell near 6% Efficiency
Lee, Changyeon; Kang, Hyunbum; Lee, Wonho; Kim, Taesu; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Woo, Han Young; Wang, Cheng; Kim, Bumjoon; Pusan National University (PNU) Collaboration; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Collaboration
Despite the attractive features of all-polymer solar cells (all-PSCs), i.e., enhanced absorption coefficients, the tunability of their energetic and chemical properties and their thermal and mechanical stabilities, they still face the great challenge of having significantly low power conversion efficiency (PCE) values of only 3-5%. The prominent origins of the poor efficiency of all-PSCs are the undesirable features of the bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) blend morphology including the phase-separated large-scale domain size, reduced ordering of the polymer chains. Tuning side alkyl chains of conjugated polymers is an effective route for manipulating the blend morphology in BHJ type solar cells. However, the role of side chains in all-PSCs is poorly understood. Herein, we report high-performing all-PSCs with 5.96% efficiency by developing a series of naphthalenediimide (NDI)-based polymer acceptors with different alkyl side chains. We demonstrated that the use of the PNDIT with hexyldecyl side chains produced highly-ordered polymer stackings with strong face-on geometry and at the same time, forming the optimal BHJ morphology with finely separated phase domains, all of which contributed together to induce well-balanced μe/ μh ratio and generate efficient all-PSCs with PCEs near 6%.
Entanglement of conjugated polymer chains influences molecular self-assembly and carrier transport
Zhao, Kui
The influence of polymer entanglement on the self-assembly, molecular packing structure, and microstructure of low-Mw (lightly entangled) and high-Mw (highly entangled) poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), and the carrier transport in thin-film transistors, are investigated. The polymer chains are gradually disentangled in a marginal solvent via ultrasonication of the polymer solution, and demonstrate improved diffusivity of precursor species (coils, aggregates, and microcrystallites), enhanced nucleation and crystallization of P3HT in solution, and self-assembly of well-ordered and highly textured fibrils at the solid-liquid interface. In low-Mw P3HT, reducing chain entanglement enhances interchain and intrachain ordering, but reduces the interconnectivity of ordered domains (tie molecules) due to the presence of short chains, thus deteriorating carrier transport even in the face of improving crystallinity. Reducing chain entanglement in high-Mw P3HT solutions increases carrier mobility up to ≈20-fold, by enhancing interchain and intrachain ordering while maintaining a sufficiently large number of tie molecules between ordered domains. These results indicate that charge carrier mobility is strongly governed by the balancing of intrachain and interchain ordering, on the one hand, and interconnectivity of ordered domains, on the other hand. In high-Mw P3HT, intrachain and interchain ordering appear to be the key bottlenecks to charge transport, whereas in low-Mw P3HT, the limited interconnectivity of the ordered domains acts as the primary bottleneck to charge transport. Conjugated polymer chains of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) are gradually disentangled in solution and trends in carrier transport mechanisms in organic thin film transistors for low- and high-molecular weight P3HT are investigated. While intrachain and interchain ordering within ordered domains are the key bottlenecks to charge transport in high-Mw P3HT films, the limited interconnectivity of ordered
Chain Dynamics in Solid Polymers and Polymerizing Systems as Revealed by Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy
Williams, Graham
A number of techniques are used to study the chain-dynamics of solid polymers, including those of dielectric relaxation [1-4], dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) [1, 5], multinuclear NMR relaxations [6], quasi-elastic dynamic light scattering [7] and neutron scattering [8] (QELS & QENS) and transient fluorescence depolarization (TFD) [9]. Each technique has its own particular probe of the dynamics in a material. e.g. dielectric relaxation gives information on the angular motions of molecular chain-dipoles (for dipole relaxation) and the translational motions of ions (for f-dependent electrical conduction); NMR relaxations relate to the angular motions of chemical bonds; QELS relates to fluctuations in local refractive index; QENS to the time-dependent van Hove correlation function (suitably-defined) for proton-containing groups; TFD to the angular motions of fluorescent groups in a chain. Due to its relevance to practical applications of materials, DMTA is pre-eminent among the many physical techniques applied to solid polymers, but interpretations of behaviour in terms of molecular properties remain difficult since the direct link between an applied macroscopic stress and the molecular response of polymer chains in a bulk material remains an unsolved problem. Of the above techniques, Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy (BDS) offers several advantages. (a) Materials may be studied in the frequency range 10-6 to 1010 Hz, over wide ranges of temperature and applied pressure, using commercially-available instrumentation. (b) Since the electrical capacitance of a film is inversely proportional its thickness, free-standing and supported films may be studied down to nm-thicknesses, giving e.g. information on the behaviour of the dynamic Tg as sample thickness approaches molecular dimensions. (c) Theoretical interpretations of dielectric relaxation and a.c. conduction are well-established in terms of Fourier transforms of molecular time correlation functions (TCFs
Grafting of a functionalized side-chain liquid crystal polymer on carbon fiber surfaces: Novel coupling agents for fiber/polymer matrix composites
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Le Bonheur, V.; Stupp, S.I. (Univ. of Illinois, Urbana, IL (United States))
The authors studied covalent grafting to functionalized carbon fibers of a specially designed liquid crystalline monomer and its corresponding side-chain liquid crystalline polymer containing pendant chemical functions on their mesogenic groups. From a materials point of view these liquid crystalline compounds could act as coupling agents at fiber/polymer matrix interfaces, offering a mechanism to control composite properties not only through bonding but also through their [open quotes]spontaneous[close quotes] molecular orientation in interfacial regions. The grafting methodology for both monomer and polymer to fiber surfaces involved esterification through carbodiimide chemistry in solution. Carboxylic acid groups found on functionalized carbon fiber surfaces were esterified to phenolic functions in the side chains of the experimental polymer. Following grafting procedures the fibers were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and by contact angle measurements. SEM micrographs of fibers grafted with polymer revealed the presence of strongly attached polymeric material on the graphitic surface after rigorous extraction with polymer solvent. Contact angle measurements and polar/dispersive free energy analysis indicated also a smaller polar component of the surface free energy of fibers possibly due to the hydrophobic polymer backbone grafted on the carbon surfaces. On the basis of results, it is concluded that the esterification reaction grafted the polyphenolic liquid-crystal polymer on graphite fiber surfaces. 24 refs., 8 figs., 4 tabs.
The Role of Chain Length in Nonergodicity Factor and Fragility of Polymers
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Dalle-Ferrie, Cecile; Niss, Kristine; Sokolov, Alexei;
the fragility and the nonergodicity parameter. Even after a recently suggested correction for a possible contribution of the β relaxation, the correlation is not restored. We discuss possible causes for the failure of the "fragility−nonergodicity factor" correlation, emphasizing the features that are specific...... between the fragility of glass-formers and their nonergodicity factor, determined by inelastic X-ray scattering (IXS) in the glass. We extend this molecular liquid study to two model polymers— polystyrene (PS) and polyisobutylene (PIB)—for which we change the molecular weight. Polymers offer...... the opportunity to change the fragility without altering the chemical structure, just by changing the chain length. Thus, we specifically chose PS and PIB because they exhibit opposite dependences of fragility with molecular weight. Our analysis for these two polymers reveals no unique correlation between...
Ordering and dewetting in spin-coated films of a liquid crystalline main chain polymer
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The ordering of spin-coated films of a main-chain smectic liquid crystalline polymer with an azobenzene group connected by flexible spacers to a phenyl malonate unit has been studied as a function of film thickness using scanning force microscopy and UV/Vis spectroscopy. Already the as-prepared films are characterized by a significant out-of-plane orientation of the azobenzene groups. Annealing of films thicker than 7 nm results in aggregation and homeotropical alignment of azobenzene groups forming smectic layers parallel to the substrate. An optically isotropic mesophase was found upon annealing in the temperature range of smectic mesophase. Films thinner than the bilayer thickness of 7 nm exhibit a completely different behavior, whereby spin-coating results in a spontaneously homeotropic alignment of the azobenzene units. A subsequent annealing generates a structure of holes and rims. Within the holes a polymer monolayer remains, planarly aligned to substrate
Introduction of fluorin into PBO polymer chains:Toward higher thermal stability and lower dielectric constant
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
A series of novel fluorinated benzoxazole polymers (6FPBO's) with high thermal stability and low dielectric constant were synthesized by copolymerization of 1,3-diamino-4, 6-dihydroxybenzene dihy-drochloride (DAR), 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (PTA) and various amount of 4'4- (hexafluoroisopro-pylidene) bis (benzoic acid) (BIS-B-AF) in the medium of polyphosphoric acid (PPA). 6FPBO fibers were then obtained via dry-jet wet-spinning technique and characterized by means of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), single fiber tensile testing machine and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). FTIR spectrum of 6FPBO fibers indicated that the fluorine groups had been incorporated into PBO molecular chains successfully. TGA curves revealed that 6FPBO fibers possessed high thermal stability just as pure PBO fibers. Moreover, dielectric constant spectrum of 6FPBO exhibited that the polymers had low dielectric constant, especially in the range of high- frequency.
Controlled and selective placement of boron subphthalocyanines on either chain end of polymers synthesized by nitroxide mediated polymerization
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Benoît H. Lessard
Full Text Available In previous studies, we synthesized the first organic light emitting diode (OLED using boron subphthalocyanines (BsubPcs based polymers. When designing new polymer materials for organic electronic applications such as OLEDs or organic photovoltaic (OPV devices it is important to consider not only the contribution of each monomer but also the polymer chain ends. In this paper we establish a post-polymerization strategy to couple BsubPcs onto either the α- or the ω-chain end using chemically selective BsubPc derivatives. We outline how the chain ends of two representative polymers, poly(styrene (PS and poly(n-butylacrylate (BA, synthesized by nitroxide mediated polymerization (NMP, using BlocBuilder-MA as the initiating species, can be chemically modified by the incorporation of BsubPc chromophores. The addition of the BsubPc chromophore was confirmed through the use of a photodiode array detector (PDA connected in-line with a gel permeation chromatography (GPC setup. These findings represent the first reported method for the controlled and selective placement of a BsubPc chromophores on either end of a polymer produced by NMP. This strategy will therefore be utilized to make next generation BsubPc polymers for OLEDs and OPV devices. The extremely high molar extinction coefficient of BsubPc also make these polymers ideally suited for dye-labelling of polymers.
Impact of glucose polymer chain length on heat and physical stability of milk protein-carbohydrate nutritional beverages.
Chen, Biye; O'Mahony, James A
This study investigated the impact of glucose polymer chain length on heat and physical stability of milk protein isolate (MPI)-carbohydrate nutritional beverages containing 8.5% w/w total protein and 5% w/w carbohydrate. The maltodextrin and corn syrup solids glucose polymers used had dextrose equivalent (DE) values of 17 or 38, respectively. Increasing DE value of the glucose polymers resulted in a greater increase in brown colour development, ionic calcium, protein particle size, apparent viscosity and pseudoplastic rheological behaviour, and greater reduction in pH, hydration and heat stability on sterilisation at 120°C. Incorporation of glucose polymers with MPI retarded sedimentation of protein during accelerated physical stability testing, with maltodextrin DE17 causing a greater reduction in sedimentation velocity and compressibility of sediment formed than corn syrup solids DE38. The results demonstrate that chain length of the glucose polymer used strongly impacts heat and physical stability of MPI-carbohydrate nutritional beverages.
Siloxane-Terminated Solubilizing Side Chains: Bringing Conjugated Polymer Backbones Closer and Boosting Hole Mobilities in Thin-Film Transistors
Mei, Jianguo
We introduce a novel siloxane-terminated solubilizing group and demonstrate its effectiveness as a side chain in an isoindigo-based conjugated polymer. An average hole mobility of 2.00 cm 2 V -1 s -1 (with a maximum mobility of 2.48 cm 2 V -1 s -1), was obtained from solution-processed thin-film transistors, one of the highest mobilities reported to date. In contrast, the reference polymer with a branched alkyl side chain gave an average hole mobility of 0.30 cm 2 V -1 s -1 and a maximum mobility of 0.57 cm 2 V -1 s -1. This is largely explained by the polymer packing: our new polymer exhibited a π-π stacking distance of 3.58 Å, while the reference polymer showed a distance of 3.76 Å. © 2011 American Chemical Society.
In situ x-ray scattering study of a main-chain thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer under oscillatory shear flow
Vaish, Nitin; Burghardt, Wesley R.; Zhou, Weijun; Kornfield, Julia A.
Liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) have been the subject of extensive studies because of potential commercial applications and scientific challenges. The excellent mechanical properties of LCPs arise from highly anisotropic molecular structure, which develops as a complex interplay between molecular dynamics and the applied flow field. We study the behavior of model thermotropic main-chain LCP (DHMS-7,9) under oscillatory shear flow using in situ X-ray scattering techniques. Experiments were done in nematic (140^o C) and x-phase (110^o C) to study the effects of frequency (0.5 - 50 rps) and strain amplitude (50 200In nematic phase, strong alignment in the flow direction ('parallel') was observed. The steady state was reached quickly either at high strain amplitudes or high frequencies. In x-phase, molecules aligned in flow direction at high strain levels or oscillation frequency, while alignment in vorticity ('perpendicular') direction was observed at low strain amplitude or frequency. In addition, we present the flipping of orientation from parallel to perpendicular alignment as a result of step change in temperature from 140^o C to 110^o C and oscillatory motion from a pre-aligned parallel state in x-phase.
Combined main-chain/side-chain ionic liquid crystalline polymer based on 'jacketing' effect: Design, synthesis, supra-molecular self-assembly and photophysical properties
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
L. Weng
Full Text Available Reasonably fabricating ordered structures of ionic polymers is very important for the development of novel functional materials. By combining the ions and liquid cry stalline polymer, we successfully designed and synthesized a series of novel combined main-chain/side-chain ionic liquid crystalline polymer (MCSC-ILCPs containing imidazolium groups and different counter-anions, poly (2,5-bis{[6-(4-butoxy-4'-imidazolium biphenylhexyl]oxycarbonyl}styrene salts poly(BImBHCS-X with the following types of counter-anions (Br¯, BF4¯, PF6¯ and TFSI¯. Combined technologies confirmed the chemical structures of the monomers and polymers with imidazolium cation and different counter-anions. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, polarized light microscopy (PLM and one- and two-dimensional wide-angle X-ray diffraction (1D and 2D WAXD results illustrated that the LC structures and the transitions of ordered structures depended on the nature of the counter-anion employed. The polymers with Br¯ and BF4¯ counter-anions exhibited smectic A (SmA LC behavior below the isotropic temperature. The another one, poly(BImBHCS–TFSI with the large volume of the TFSI¯ anion destroyed the packing of the LC ordered structure resulting in an amorphous structure. The photophysical properties of the polymers prepared can be adjusted by tuning the ionic interaction of the polymers by switching the counter-anion.
Understanding entangled polymers: What we can learn from athermal chain packings
Karayiannis, Nikos
The study of random and ordered packings (from atoms and colloidal particles to sand grains) has been the focus of extensive research. This is not surprising since an understanding of the mechanisms that control morphology and packing is the key to the design and synthesis of novel ``smart'' materials and functionalities. In particular, the study of packings of chain molecules presents challenges but also insights which are absent in monatomic systems and further allows for a direction comparison with them. In this contribution we give an overview of our work on very dense and nearly jammed packings of athermal polymers. We show that chain molecules can be as efficiently and as densely packed as monatomic analogs up to the same maximally random jammed state. We also show that an exact correspondence can be established between the statistical-mechanical ensembles of packings of monatomic, and chain systems, which yields insights on the universality of jamming. By studying the effect of concentration on polymer size and on the underlying network of topological hindrances we precisely identify the distinct universal scaling regimes and the corresponding exponents. An unsuspected connection, valid from dilute up to very dense assemblies, is established between knots (of intermolecular origin) and entanglements (intermolecular constraints). We finally show that, against expectations, entropy-driven crystallization can occur in dense systems of athermal polymers once a critical volume fraction is reached. Such phase transition is driven by the increase in translational entropy: ordered sites exhibit enhanced mobility as their local free volume becomes more spherical and symmetric. Incipient nuclei develop well defined, stack-faulted layered crystal morphologies with a single stacking direction. The ordering transition and the resulting complex morphologies are analyzed, highlighting similarities and differences with respect to monatomic crystallization.
An atomic finite element model for biodegradable polymers. Part 2. A model for change in Young's modulus due to polymer chain scission.
Gleadall, Andrew; Pan, Jingzhe; Kruft, Marc-Anton
Atomic simulations were undertaken to analyse the effect of polymer chain scission on amorphous poly(lactide) during degradation. Many experimental studies have analysed mechanical properties degradation but relatively few computation studies have been conducted. Such studies are valuable for supporting the design of bioresorbable medical devices. Hence in this paper, an Effective Cavity Theory for the degradation of Young's modulus was developed. Atomic simulations indicated that a volume of reduced-stiffness polymer may exist around chain scissions. In the Effective Cavity Theory, each chain scission is considered to instantiate an effective cavity. Finite Element Analysis simulations were conducted to model the effect of the cavities on Young's modulus. Since polymer crystallinity affects mechanical properties, the effect of increases in crystallinity during degradation on Young's modulus is also considered. To demonstrate the ability of the Effective Cavity Theory, it was fitted to several sets of experimental data for Young's modulus in the literature.
高分子单链的研究进展%Research Advances of Single Polymer Chain
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
洪晓东; 梁兵
With the development of nano-technology in the field of polymer, researchers pay attention to the condensed state of single polymer chain. Single polymer chains were existed in micro- particles with nanometer scale, and geometric entanglements were not founded between polymer chains. This article reviews the progress of single polymer chain in recent years. The preparation methods of single polymer chain are introduced, such as atomizer spraying, freeze-drying, microemulsion polymerization, reverse precipitation and surface film spreading, meanwhile the characterization methods of single polymer chain and computer simulation technique for the conformation of polymer chains are reviewed; in the last section, the application of single polymer chain and unimolecular micelles in preparation of metal nano-particles are represented and the coming research fields of single polymer chain are prospected.%随着纳米科技在高分子领域的不断升温,高分子单链凝聚态的研究引起了人们的广泛重视。高分子单链以纳米尺度的微粒孤立存在,不存在分子链之间的几何缠结。本文综述了近年来国内外高分子单链的研究进展。首先介绍了高分子单链的主要制备方法如喷雾法、冷冻干燥法、微乳液聚合法、反向沉淀法以及表面扩展膜法,接着详细介绍了高分子单链的表征技术及高分子链构象的计算机模拟技术,最后介绍了高分子单链及单分子胶柬在制备金属纳米粒子领域的应用,并展望了高分子单链的研究领域和方向。
Mean-field theory of photoinduced formation of surface reliefs in side-chain azobenzene polymers
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Pedersen, Thomas Garm; Johansen, Per Michael; Holme, N.C.R.;
A mean-field model of photoinduced surface reliefs in dye containing side-chain polymers is presented. It is demonstrated that photoinduced ordering of dye molecules subject to anisotropic intermolecular interactions leads to mass transport even when the intensity of the incident light is spatially...... uniform. Theoretical profiles are obtained using a simple variational method and excellent agreement with experimental surface reliefs recorded under various polarization configurations is found. The polarization dependence of both period and shape of the profiles is correctly reproduced by the model....
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Hong Zheng; Wei Yu; Chi-xing Zhou
A new coupled finite element formulation is proposed to calculate a conformation tensor model in two complex flows: a planar contraction flow and a planar flow around a symmetrically placed cylinder. The components of conformation tensor are first computed together with the velocity and pressure to describe the change of morphology of polymer chain coils in flow fields. Macroscopic quantities of viscoelastic flow are then calculated based on the conformation tensor. Comparisons between the numerical simulations and experiments for stress patterns and velocity profiles are carried out to prove the validity of the method.
Charge Injection and Transport in Metal/Polymer Chains/Metal Sandwich Structure
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
LI Hai-Hong; LI Dong-Mei; LI Yuan; GAO Kun; LIU De-Sheng; XIE Shi-Jie
@@ Using the tight-binding Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model and a nonadiabatic dynamic evolution method, we study the dynamic processes of the charge injection and transport in a metal/two coupled conjugated polymer chains/metal structure. It is found that the charge interchain transport is determined by the strength of the electric field and the magnitude of the voltage bias applied on the metal electrode. The stronger electric field and the larger voltage bias are both in favour of the charge interchain transport.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
CHENYuanyin; MENGLingzhi; 等
Network crown ether polymer with pendant sulfide side chain in the network structure units has been synthesized via ring-opening copolymerization of β-ethylthioethyl glycidyl ether and diethylene glycol bisglycidyl ether.A kind of active catalyst suitable for this reaction was suggested.The title polymer was found to be a good ligand for platinous chloride,and the platinous complex could catalyze the hydrosilylation of ole fins with triethoxysilane efficiently.
Slow knot formation by suppressed self-reptation in a collapsed polymer chain
Nakata, Mitsuo; Nakamura, Yoshiki; Sasaki, Naoki; Maki, Yasuyuki
Chain-expansion processes from knotted globules have been measured for poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in the mixed solvent tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) + water (2.5 vol %) by static light scattering. The solution was quenched from the Θ temperature of 41.5 ∘C to 37.0 ∘C, aged there for a time period tp, and then returned rapidly to the Θ temperature. The chain-expansion process was determined as a time evolution of the expansion factor α2 after the temperature increase. The measurement was carried out by changing the aging time tp from 240 to 7200 min, and the molecular weight from Mw = 4.0 × 106 to 1.5 × 107, by taking advantage of the extremely slow chain aggregation in the solution. The chain-expansion process obtained for Mw = 1.22 × 107 became slow with increasing tp, which revealed the knot formation in single globules. The characteristic time of the chain expansion from globules aged for tp = 7200 min was found to depend on the molecular weight as Mw2.7. This exponent, which is close to 3, demonstrated a disentanglement process due to self-reptation. The present data were compared with the previous data of the chain expansion from compact globules aged at 25.0 ∘C. The comparison made at Mw = 1.22 × 107 and at the same values of tp revealed that the chain expansion from the globules aged at 25.0 ∘C was much faster than that from the globules at 37.0 ∘C, indicating a lower knot density in the more compact globules. It was conjectured that the knot formation due to self-reptation would be suppressed in a compact globule because an entire conformational change required by knot formation would become difficult to occur in the confined space of high segment concentration, particularly for a long polymer chain. The chain collapse of PMMA in the mixed solvent has been observed to occur extremely slowly at the later stage. This slow process was explained by the suppressed self-reptation.
Polymer-grafted lignin surfactants prepared via reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization.
Gupta, Chetali; Washburn, Newell R
Kraft lignin grafted with hydrophilic polymers has been prepared using reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization and investigated for use as a surfactant. In this preliminary study, polyacrylamide and poly(acrylic acid) were grafted from a lignin RAFT macroinitiator at average initiator site densities estimated to be 2 per particle and 17 per particle. The target degrees of polymerization were 50 and 100, but analysis of cleaved polyacrylamide was consistent with a higher average molecular weight, suggesting not all sites were able to participate in the polymerization. All materials were readily soluble in water, and dynamic light scattering data indicate polymer-grafted lignin coexisted in isolated and aggregated forms in aqueous media. The characteristic size was 15-20 nm at low concentrations, and aggregation appeared to be a stronger function of degree of polymerization than graft density. These species were surface active, reducing the surface tension to as low as 60 dyn/cm at 1 mg/mL, and a greater decrease was observed than for polymer-grafted silica nanoparticles, suggesting that the lignin core was also surface active. While these lignin surfactants were soluble in water, they were not soluble in hexanes. Thus, it was unexpected that water-in-oil emulsions formed in all surfactant compositions and solvent ratios tested, with average droplet sizes of 10-20 μm. However, although polymer-grafted lignin has structural features similar to nanoparticles used in Pickering emulsions, its interfacial behavior was qualitatively different. While at air-water interfaces, the hydrophilic grafts promote effective reductions in surface tension, we hypothesize that the low grafting density in these lignin surfactants favors partitioning into the hexanes side of the oil-water interface because collapsed conformations of the polymer grafts improve interfacial coverage and reduce water-hexanes interactions. We propose that polymer-grafted lignin
Free-radical-induced chain scission and cross-linking of polymers in aqueous solution - an overview
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
In the radiolysis of N2O-saturated aqueous solutions the ·OH radicals in their reactions with polymers give rise to polymer-derived radicals. The kinetics of the formation and decay of these radicals are reviewed. Once a larger number of radicals are formed on one polymer molecule, e.g. upon pulse radiolysis, close-by radicals recombine more rapidly while the more distant ones survive for much longer times. Intermolecular cross-linking (between two polymer chains, increase in molecular weight) and intramolecular cross-linking (formation of small loops, no increase in polymer weight) are competing processes, and their relative yields thus depend on the dose rate and polymer concentration. Hydrogen-transfer reactions within the polymer, e.g. transformation of a secondary radical into a tertiary one, are common and facilitated by the high local density of reactive sites. Due to repulsive forces, the lifetime of radicals of charged polymers is substantially increased. This enables even relatively slow β-fragmentation reactions to become of importance. In the case of poly(methacrylic acid) this even leads to an unzipping, and the situation of equilibrium polymerisation is approached. Heterolytic β-fragmentation is possible when adequate leaving groups are available, e.g. in polynucleotides and DNA. In the presence of O2, chain scission occurs via oxyl radicals as intermediates
Detachment of semiflexible polymer chains from a substrate: A molecular dynamics investigation
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Paturej, J. [Leibniz-Institut of Poslymer Research Dresden, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Institute of Physics, University of Szczecin, Wielkopolska 15, 70451 Szczecin (Poland); Erbas, A. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208 (United States); Milchev, A. [Institute for Physical Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Rostiashvili, V. G. [Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz (Germany)
Using Molecular Dynamics simulations, we study the force-induced detachment of a coarse-grained model polymer chain from an adhesive substrate. One of the chain ends is thereby pulled at constant speed off the attractive substrate and the resulting saw-tooth profile of the measured mean force 〈f〉 vs height D of the end-segment over the plane is analyzed for a broad variety of parameters. It is shown that the observed characteristic oscillations in the 〈f〉-D profile depend on the bending and not on the torsional stiffness of the detached chains. Allowing for the presence of hydrodynamic interactions (HI) in a setup with explicit solvent and dissipative particle dynamics-thermostat, rather than the case of Langevin thermostat, one finds that HI have little effect on the 〈f〉-D profile. Also the change of substrate affinity with respect to the solvent from solvophilic to solvophobic is found to play negligible role in the desorption process. In contrast, a changing ratio ε{sub s}{sup B}/ε{sub s}{sup A} of the binding energies of A- and B-segments in the detachment of an AB-copolymer from adhesive surface strongly changes the 〈f〉-D profile whereby the B-spikes vanish when ε{sub s}{sup B}/ε{sub s}{sup A}<0.15. Eventually, performing an atomistic simulation of (bio)-polymers, we demonstrate that the simulation results, derived from our coarse-grained model, comply favorably with those from the all-atom simulation.
Kumada chain-growth polycondensation as a universal method for synthesis of well-defined conjugated polymers
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Kumada chain-growth polycondensation (KCGP) is a novel method for the synthesis of well-defined conjugated polymers.Because the Ni-catalyst can transfer in an intramolecular process to the propagating chain end,the polymerization follows chain-growth mechanism.With this newly developed method,various conjugated polymers,such as polythiophenes,poly(p-phenylene) (PPP),polypyrrole (PPy),and polyfluorene with controlled molecular weights and relatively narrow polydispersities (PDIs),have been prepared.Especially,the polymerizations for poly(3-alkylthiophene)s (P3ATs),PPP,and PPy exhibited quasi-living characteristics,which allows preparing polymer brushes,fully-conjugated block copolymers,and macroinitiators and macro-reactants for the synthesis of rod-coil block copolymers.In the current review,the progress in this new area is summarized.
Polymer gels with associating side chains and their interaction with surfactants
Gordievskaya, Yulia D.; Rumyantsev, Artem M.; Kramarenko, Elena Yu.
Conformational behaviour of hydrophobically modified (HM) polymer gels in solutions of nonionic surfactants is studied theoretically. A HM gel contains hydrophobic side chains (stickers) grafted to its subchains. Hydrophobic stickers are capable to aggregate into joint micelles with surfactant molecules. Micelles containing more than one sticker serve as additional physical cross-links of the network, and their formation causes gel shrinking. In the proposed theoretical model, the interior of the gel/surfactant complex is treated as an array of densely packed spherical polymer brushes consisting of gel subchains tethered to the surface of the spherical sticker/surfactant micelles. Effect of stickers length and grafting density, surfactant concentration and hydrophobicity on gel swelling as well as on hydrophobic association inside it is analyzed. It is shown that increasing surfactant concentration can result in a gel collapse, which is caused by surfactant-induced hydrophobic aggregation of stickers, and a successive gel reswelling. The latter should be attributed to a growing fraction of surfactants in joint aggregates and, hence, increasing number of micelles containing only one sticker and not participating in gel physical cross-linking. In polyelectrolyte (PE) gels hydrophobic aggregation is opposed by osmotic pressure of mobile counterions, so that at some critical ionization degree hydrophobic association is completely suppressed. Hydrophobic modification of polymers is shown to open new ways for controlling gel responsiveness. In particular, it is discussed that incorporation of photosensitive groups into gel subchains and/or surfactant tail could give a possibility to vary the gel volume by light. Since hydrophobic aggregation regularities in gels and solutions are common, we hope our findings will be useful for design of polymer based self-healing materials as well.
Interplay Between Side Chain Pattern, Polymer Aggregation, and Charge Carrier Dynamics in PBDTTPD:PCBM Bulk-Heterojunction Solar Cells
Dyer-Smith, Clare
Poly(benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene–alt–thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione) (PBDTTPD) polymer donors with linear side-chains yield bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of about 4% with phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) as the acceptor, while a PBDTTPD polymer with a combination of branched and linear substituents yields a doubling of the PCE to 8%. Using transient optical spectroscopy it is shown that while the exciton dissociation and ultrafast charge generation steps are not strongly affected by the side chain modifications, the polymer with branched side chains exhibits a decreased rate of nongeminate recombination and a lower fraction of sub-nanosecond geminate recombination. In turn the yield of long-lived charge carriers increases, resulting in a 33% increase in short circuit current (J sc). In parallel, the two polymers show distinct grazing incidence X-ray scattering spectra indicative of the presence of stacks with different orientation patterns in optimized thin-film BHJ devices. Independent of the packing pattern the spectroscopic data also reveals the existence of polymer aggregates in the pristine polymer films as well as in both blends which trap excitons and hinder their dissociation.
Factors Governing Intercalation of Fullerenes and Other Small Molecules Between the Side Chains of Semiconducting Polymers Used in Solar Cells
Miller, Nichole Cates
While recent reports have established signifi cant miscibility in polymer:fullerene blends used in organic solar cells, little is actually known about why polymers and fullerenes mix and how their mixing can be controlled. Here, X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and molecular simulations are used to study mixing in a variety of polymer:molecule blends by systematically varying the polymer and smallmolecule properties. It is found that a variety of polymer:fullerene blends mix by forming bimolecular crystals provided there is suffi cient space between the polymer side chains to accommodate a fullerene. Polymer:tetrafl uoro-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4-TCNQ) bimolecular crystals were also observed, although bimolecular crystals did not form in the other studied polymer:nonfullerene blends, including those with both conjugated and non-conjugated small molecules. DSC and molecular simulations demonstrate that strong polymer-fullerene interactions can exist, and the calculations point to van der Waals interactions as a signifi cant driving force for molecular mixing. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Factors governing intercalation of fullerenes and other small molecules between the side chains of semiconducting polymers used in solar cells
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Miller, Nichole Cates; Gysel, Roman; Miller, Chad E.; Sweetnam, Sean; Sellinger, Alan; McGehee, Michael D. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA (United States); Cho, Eunkyung [School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Risko, Chad; Coropceanu, Veaceslav; Bredas, Jean-Luc [School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Heeney, Martin; McCulloch, Iain [Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London (United Kingdom); Toney, Michael F. [Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA (United States)
While recent reports have established significant miscibility in polymer:fullerene blends used in organic solar cells, little is actually known about why polymers and fullerenes mix and how their mixing can be controlled. Here, X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and molecular simulations are used to study mixing in a variety of polymer:molecule blends by systematically varying the polymer and small-molecule properties. It is found that a variety of polymer:fullerene blends mix by forming bimolecular crystals provided there is sufficient space between the polymer side chains to accommodate a fullerene. Polymer:tetrafluoro-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4-TCNQ) bimolecular crystals were also observed, although bimolecular crystals did not form in the other studied polymer:non-fullerene blends, including those with both conjugated and non-conjugated small molecules. DSC and molecular simulations demonstrate that strong polymer-fullerene interactions can exist, and the calculations point to van der Waals interactions as a significant driving force for molecular mixing. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Tunable Crystal-to-Crystal Phase Transition in a Cadmium Halide Chain Polymer
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ulli Englert
Full Text Available The chain polymer [{Cd(μ-X2py2}1∞] (X = Cl, Br; py = pyridine undergoes a fully reversible phase transition between a monoclinic low-temperature and an orthorhombic high-temperature phase. The transformation can be directly monitored in single crystals and can be confirmed for the bulk by powder diffraction. The transition temperature can be adjusted by tuning the composition of the mixed-halide phase: Transition temperatures between 175 K up to the decomposition of the material at ca. 350 K are accessible. Elemental analysis, ion chromatography and site occupancy refinements from single-crystal X-ray diffraction agree with respect to the stoichiometric composition of the samples.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Peng-jun Wan; Dong-sheng Tan; Zheng-sheng Li; Xiao-qing Zhang; Jie-hua Li; Hong Tan
To explore construction of novel mimicking biomembrane on biomaterials surfaces,a new polymerizable phosphatidylcholine containing a long monoalkyl chain ended with acryl group (AASOPC) was designed and synthesized,which was easily derived from the terminal amino group of 9-(2-amino-ethylcarbamoyl)-nonyl-l-phosphatidyl-choline (ASOPC) reacting with acryloyl chloride.The obtained AASOPC was grafted on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) via surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) to form mimicking biomembrane.These modified surface structures of PET were investigated using water contact angle (WAC),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM).The results indicated that the new mimicking phosphatidylcholine biomembrane could be prepared on inert polymer surfaces by using the acryloyl phosphatidylcholine (AASOPC) via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP).
Magnetic hydrophilic methacrylate-based polymer microspheres designed for polymerase chain reactions applications.
Spanová, Alena; Horák, Daniel; Soudková, Eva; Rittich, Bohuslav
Magnetic hydrophilic non-porous P(HEMA-co-EDMA), P(HEMA-co-GMA) and PGMA microspheres were prepared by dispersion (co)polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) or glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) in the presence of several kinds of magnetite. It was found that some components used in the preparation of magnetic carriers interfered with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Influence of non-magnetic and magnetic microspheres, including magnetite nanoparticles and various components used in their synthesis, on the PCR course was thus investigated. DNA isolated from bacterial cells of Bifidobacterium longum was used in PCR evaluation of non-interfering magnetic microspheres. The method enabled verification of the incorporation of magnetite nanoparticles in the particular methacrylate-based polymer microspheres and evaluation of suitability of their application in PCR. Preferably, electrostatically stabilized colloidal magnetite (ferrofluid) should be used in the design of new magnetic methacrylate-based microspheres by dispersion polymerization. PMID:14698232
Impact of charge carrier injection on single-chain photophysics of conjugated polymers
Hofmann, Felix J; Lupton, John M
Charges in conjugated polymer materials have a strong impact on the photophysics and their interaction with the primary excited state species has to be taken into account in understanding device properties. Here, we employ single-molecule spectroscopy to unravel the influence of charges on several photoluminescence (PL) observables. The charges are injected either stochastically by a photochemical process, or deterministically in a hole-injection sandwich device configuration. We find that upon charge injection, besides a blue-shift of the PL emission and a shortening of the PL lifetime due to quenching and blocking of the lowest-energy chromophores, the non-classical photon arrival time distribution of the multichromophoric chain is modified towards a more classical distribution. Surprisingly, the fidelity of photon antibunching deteriorates upon charging, whereas one would actually expect the number of chromophores to be reduced. A qualitative model is presented to explain the observed PL changes. The resul...
Nondriven Polymer Translocation Through a Nanopore:Scaling for Translocation Time with Chain Length
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
LI Hui; ZHANG Jing; LIU Hong; SUN Chia-chung
We investigated the dynamics of the passage for a polymer chain through a nanopore in the absence of any external driving force with Weeks-Chandler-Andersen potential in two-dimensional simulations,in particular,focused our attention on the scaling law of the mean translocation time.We found that the effect of hydrodynamic interactions is the major factor in determining the scaling exponents with increasing pore size.The scaling close to N1+2v was observed when the hydrodynamic interactions were screened in the cases of small pore sizes,while the scaling close to N3v was obtained when the hydrodynamic interactions were present in the cases of large pore sizes.
Introduction of fluorin into PBO polymer chains:Toward higher thermal stability and lower dielectric constant
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
ZHANG Tao; HU DaYong; JIN JunHong; YANG ShengLin; LI Guang; JIANG JianMing
A series of novel fluorinated benzoxazole polymers (6FPBO's) with high thermal stability and low di-electric constant were synthesized by copolymerization of 1,3-diamino-4, 6-dihydroxybenzene dihy-drochloride (DAR), 1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid (PTA) and various amount of 4'4- (hexafluoroisopro-pylidene) bis (benzoic acid) (BIS-B-AF) in the medium of polyphosphoric acid (PPA). 6FPBO fibers were then obtained via dry-jet wet-spinning technique and characterized by means of Fourier transform in-flared (FTIR) spectra, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), single fiber tensile testing machine and scan-ning electron microscopy (SEe). FTIR spectrum of 6FPBO fibers indicated that the fluorine groups had been incorporated into PBO molecular chains successfully. TGA curves revealed that 6FPBO fibers possessed high thermal stability just as pure PBO fibers. Moreover, dielectric constant spectrum of 6FPBO exhibited that the polymers had low dielectric constant, especially in the range of high-fre-quency.
Biogenesis and the growth of DNA-like polymer chains: a computer simulation
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We study, through computer simulation, a crucial step of Biogenesis, namely the growth of self-replicating codified DNA-like polymers starting from a mixture of oligomers. We have adopted the growth scheme that has been recently proposed by Ferreira and Tsallis which incorporates usual ideas of autocatalysis through complementary pairs and within which a central role is played by the hydrogen-like links (characterized by the probabilities pAT and pCG of chemical bonding of the A-T and C-G pairs respectively) between the two chains of the growing polymer. We find that the average equilibrium polymeric length ξ diverges, for any fixed ratio (1-pAT)/(1-p sub (CG)), as ξ ∝ 1/r1-pAT. Selection of patterns may happen at all stages and in particular at chemical equilibrium. Selection occurs via two different mechanisms: (i) away from the critical point pAT = pCG = 1 if pAT ≠ pCG; (ii) both on and away from the critical point if the initial concentrations of nucleotides (A, T, C and G or their precursors) are different. (author)
DMFC Performance of Polymer Electrolyte Membranes Prepared from a Graft-Copolymer Consisting of a Polysulfone Main Chain and Styrene Sulfonic Acid Side Chains
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Nobutaka Endo
Full Text Available Polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC applications were prepared from a graft-copolymer (PSF-g-PSSA consisting of a polysulfone (PSF main chain and poly(styrene sulfonic acid (PSSA side chains with various average distances between side chains (Lav and side chain lengths (Lsc. The polymers were synthesized by grafting ethyl p-styrenesulfonate (EtSS on macro-initiators of chloromethylated polysulfone with different contents of chloromethyl (CM groups, and by changing EtSS content in the copolymers by using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP. The DMFC performance tests using membrane electrode assemblis (MEAs with the three types of the PEMs revealed that: a PSF-g-PSSA PEM (SF-6 prepared from a graft copolymer with short average distances between side chains (Lav and medium Lsc had higher DMFC performance than PEMs with long Lav and long Lsc or with short Lav and short Lsc. SF-6 had about two times higher PDmax (68.4 mW/cm2 than Nafion® 112 at 30 wt % of methanol concentration. Furthermore, it had 58.2 mW/cm2 of PDmax at 50 wt % of methanol concentration because of it has the highest proton selectivity during DMFC operation of all the PSF-g-PSSA PEMs and Nafion® 112.
Free-radical-induced chain scission and cross-linking of polymers in aqueous solution. An overview
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Complete text of publication follows. In the radiolysis of N2O-saturated aqueous solutions OH are generated. In their reactions with polymers, they give rise to polymer-derived radicals. The kinetics of the formation and decay of these radicals are reviewed. The rate of reaction of a polymer with a reactive free radical is noticeably lower than that of an equivalent concentration of monomer due to the non-random distribution of the reaction sites. Once a larger number of radicals are formed on one polymer molecule, e.g. upon pulse radiolysis, close-by radicals recombine more rapidly while the more distant ones survive for much longer times than an equivalent concentration of freely diffusing radicals. Intermolecular cross-linking (between two polymer chains, increase in molecular weight) and intramolecular cross-linking (formation of small loops, no increase in polymer weight) are competing processes, and their relative yields thus depend on the dose rate and polymer concentration. Hydrogen-transfer reactions within the polymer, e.g. transformation of a secondary radical into a tertiary one, are common and facilitated by the high local density of reactive sites. Due to repulsive forces, the lifetime of radicals of charged polymers is substantially increased. This enables even relatively slow b-fragmentation reactions to become of importance. In the case of poly(methacrylic acid), where β-fragmentation is comparatively fast, this even leads to an unzipping, and as a consequence of the efficient release of methacrylic acid the situation of equilibrium polymerization is approached. Heterolytic β-fragmentation is possible when adequate leaving groups are available, e.g. in polynucleotides and DNA. In the presence of O2, chain scission occurs via oxyl radicals as intermediates. Some implications for technical applications are discussed
Theoretical modeling of the effect of polymer chain immobilization rates on holographic recording in photopolymers.
Mackey, Dana; O'Reilly, Paul; Naydenova, Izabela
This paper introduces an improved mathematical model for holographic grating formation in an acrylamide-based photopolymer, which consists of partial differential equations derived from physical laws. The model is based on the two-way diffusion theory of [Appl. Opt.43, 2900 (2004)10.1364/AO.43.002900APOPAI1559-128X], which assumes short polymer chains are free to diffuse, and generalizes a similar model presented in [J. Opt. Soc. Am. B27, 197 (2010)10.1364/JOSAB.27.000197JOBPDE0740-3224] by introducing an immobilization rate governed by chain growth and cross-linking. Numerical simulations were carried out in order to investigate the behavior of the photopolymer system for short and long exposures, with particular emphasis on the effect of recording parameters (such as illumination frequency and intensity), as well as material permeability, on refractive index modulation, refractive index profile, and grating distortion. The model reproduces many well-known experimental observations, such as the decrease of refractive index modulation at high spatial frequencies and appearance of higher harmonics in the refractive index profile when the diffusion rate is much slower than the polymerization rate. These properties are supported by a theoretical investigation which uses perturbation techniques to approximate the solution over various time scales. PMID:27140889
Control of the anchoring behavior of polymer-dispersed liquid crystals: effect of branching in the side chains of polyacrylates.
Zhou, Jian; Collard, David M; Park, Jung O; Srinivasarao, Mohan
A temperature-driven anchoring transition in a polymer/nematic fluid composite that is far from the bulk nematic-isotropic transition temperature is reported. A series of poly(methylheptyl acrylates) were studied to probe the subtle effects of the side chain structure of the polymer on control of the anchoring. A polymer-dispersed liquid crystal film made from TL205 and 1-methylheptyl acrylate shows only planar anchoring over the temperature range studied, while the films made from TL205 and each of the other methylheptyl acrylates or n-heptyl acrylate show the homeotropic-to-planar anchoring transition at temperatures between 70 and 78 degrees C. An interfacial model is proposed in which the different conformation of the side chains is suggested as the cause for the dramatic difference in the observed anchoring behavior. PMID:12188649
Investigation of side chain liquid crystal polymers bearing cholesterol and bile acid derivatives
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Zhang Junhua; Stephen Freiberg; Francois Brisse; C.Géraldine Bazuin; Zhu Xiaoxia
Cholic acid (or 3a,7a,12a-trihydoxyl-5a-cholan-24-oic acid) and lithocholic acid (or 3a-hydroxyl-5a-cholanic-24-oic acid) are commonly occurring bile acids synthesized from cholesterol in the liver in mammals. They all possess a steroid skeleton containing four rings, three with six carbons and one with five carbons. The transformation of cholesterol to cholic acid results in two major structural changes that affect the steroid skeleton. The first is the hydrogenation of the double bond between C5 and C6 and the second is a conformational flip of ring A from the 5a-position to the 5a-position. In addition, one or more hydroxyl groups are added to the steroid skeleton. Outside of the ring system, C24 is converted from a saturated alkyl to a carboxylic acid group.Side chain polymers based on cholesterol moiety have been made as reported in the literature.Since bile acids and cholesterol are all in the family of steroid molecules, it is of interest to investigate whether bile acids may also act as mesogenic groups.Therefore, flexible spacer groups with 10 carbons are introduced between bile acid skeleton and the poymerizable double bonds. The monomers and polymers are compared with cholesterol and dihydrocholesterol monomers and polymers with the same spacers. Dihydrocholesterol is chosen to investigate the influence of the double bond in the formation of LC, given that both cholesterol and dihydrocholesterol have a planar structure but there is no double bond in the latter. These monomers and their corresponding polymers were characterized for their liquid crystalline (LC) properties by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing optical microscopy (POM) and X-ray diffraction.It was found that only the compounds bearing the planar cholesterol moieties possess LC phases. It is concluded that the 5a-configuration between the first and second cycles on the steroid skeleton of bile acids does not favor proper alignment of the rigid part of the bile acid moieties
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
DING Liming
A comb polymer with oligo-oxyethylene side chains of the type -(CH2CH2O)12CH3 was prepared from methyl vinyl ether/maleic anhydride copolymer and poly (ethylene glycol) methyl ether. The polymer can dissolve LiClO4 salt to form homogeneous amorphous polymer electrolyte. The ac ion conduction was measured using the complex impedance method, and conductivities were investigated as functions of temperatures and salt concentration. The complexes were first found to have two classes of glass transition which increase with increasing salt content. The optimum conductivity attained at 25℃ is in the order of 5.50 × 10-6Scm-1. IR spectroscopy was used to study the cation-polymer interaction.
Dissipative particle dynamics study of translational diffusion of rigid-chain rodlike polymer in nematic phase
Zhao, Tongyang; Wang, Xiaogong
In this study, dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) method was employed to investigate the translational diffusion of rodlike polymer in its nematic phase. The polymer chain was modeled by a rigid rod composed of consecutive DPD particles and solvent was represented by independent DPD particles. To fully understand the translational motion of the rods in the anisotropic phase, four diffusion coefficients, D_{||}u, D_ bot u, D_{||}n, D_ bot n were obtained from the DPD simulation. By definition, D_{||}n and D_ bot n denote the diffusion coefficients parallel and perpendicular to the nematic director, while D_{||}u and D_ bot u denote the diffusion coefficients parallel and perpendicular to the long axis of a rigid rod u. In the simulation, the velocity auto-correlation functions were used to calculate the corresponding diffusion coefficients from the simulated velocity of the rods. Simulation results show that the variation of orientational order caused by concentration and temperature changes has substantial influences on D_{||}u and D_ bot u. In the nematic phase, the changes of concentration and temperature will result in a change of local environment of rods, which directly influence D_{||}u and D_ bot u. Both D_{||}n and D_ bot n can be represented as averages of D_{||}u and D_ bot u, and the weighted factors are functions of the orientational order parameter S2. The effect of concentration and temperature on D_{||}n and D_ bot n demonstrated by the DPD simulation can be rationally interpreted by considering their influences on D_{||}u, D_ bot u and the order parameter S2.
Pruned-enriched Rosenbluth method: Simulations of θ polymers of chain length up to 1 000 000
Grassberger, Peter
We present an algorithm for simulating flexible chain polymers. It combines the Rosenbluth-Rosenbluth method with recursive enrichment. Although it can be applied also in more general situations, it is most efficient for three-dimensional θ polymers on the simple-cubic lattice. There it allows high statistics simulations of chains of length up to N=106. For storage reasons, this is feasable only for polymers in a finite volume. For free θ polymers in infinite volume, we present very high statistics runs with N=10 000. These simulations fully agree with previous simulations made by Hegger and Grassberger [J. Chem. Phys. 102, 6681 (1995)] with a similar but less efficient algorithm, showing that logarithmic corrections to mean field behavior are much stronger than predicted by field theory. But the finite volume simulations show that the density inside a collapsed globule scales with the distance from the θ point as predicted by mean field theory, in contrast to claims in the work mentioned above. In addition to the simple-cubic lattice, we also studied two versions of the bond fluctuation model, but with much shorter chains. Finally, we show that our method can be applied also to off-lattice models, and illustrate this with simulations of a model studied in detail by Freire et al. [Macromolecules 19, 452 (1986) and later work].
Structure and Electronic Properties of Polymer Chains and Graphene Nanoribbon Formed by Molecular Self-Assembly on Au(111)
Ma, Chuanxu; Fuentes-Cabrera, Miguel A.; Sumpter, Bobby G.; Hong, Kunlun; Li, An-Ping; Xiao, Zhongcan; Lu, Wenchang; Bernholc, J.
Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with bandgaps are promising building blocks for ultra-fast electronics. Bottom-up synthesis of GNRs from aromatic hydrocarbon molecules has been proven to be an effective way to control GNR's width with atomically precise edge structures. Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), we study the formation of both linear polymer chains and narrow GNRs in the bottom-up self-assembly process with the DBBA molecules as the precursor on Au(111). The linear polymer chains are formed after the deposition of DBBA and 200 °C annealing for 30 min. The polymers can be converted to 7-AGNRs (seven-carbon wide armchair GNRs) after 400 °C annealing. Interestingly, second-layer polymer is seen to survive on the GNRs during the annealing process. This result indicates that the Au(111) substrate plays an important role in the dehydrogenation process and the formation of GNRs, which is confirmed by our DFT calculations. Electronically, the polymers show a bandgap of 3.4 eV, much larger than that of GNRs. After annealing at 500 °C for 30 min, wider GNRs can form: 14-AGNR, 21-AGNR. The 7-AGNR shows a typical edge state at -1.1 eV, while for 14-AGNR it is at -1.35 eV. Moreover, junctions of GNRs with different widths can be formed with pronounced boundary states.
Impact of glucose polymer chain length on heat and physical stability of milk protein-carbohydrate nutritional beverages.
Chen, Biye; O'Mahony, James A
This study investigated the impact of glucose polymer chain length on heat and physical stability of milk protein isolate (MPI)-carbohydrate nutritional beverages containing 8.5% w/w total protein and 5% w/w carbohydrate. The maltodextrin and corn syrup solids glucose polymers used had dextrose equivalent (DE) values of 17 or 38, respectively. Increasing DE value of the glucose polymers resulted in a greater increase in brown colour development, ionic calcium, protein particle size, apparent viscosity and pseudoplastic rheological behaviour, and greater reduction in pH, hydration and heat stability on sterilisation at 120°C. Incorporation of glucose polymers with MPI retarded sedimentation of protein during accelerated physical stability testing, with maltodextrin DE17 causing a greater reduction in sedimentation velocity and compressibility of sediment formed than corn syrup solids DE38. The results demonstrate that chain length of the glucose polymer used strongly impacts heat and physical stability of MPI-carbohydrate nutritional beverages. PMID:27283657
Influence of chain topology and bond potential on the glass transition of polymer chains simulated with the bond fluctuation model
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Freire, J J [Departamento de Ciencias y Tecnicas FisicoquImicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia (UNED), Senda del Rey 9, 28040 Madrid (Spain)], E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
The bond fluctuation model with a bond potential has been applied to investigation of the glass transition of linear chains and chains with a regular disposition of small branches. Cooling and subsequent heating curves are obtained for the chain energies and also for the mean acceptance probability of a bead jump. In order to mimic different trends to vitrification, a factor B gauging the strength of the bond potential with respect to the long-range potential (i.e. the intramolecular or intermolecular potential between indirectly bonded beads) has been introduced. (A higher value of B leads to a preference for the highest bond lengths and a higher total energy, implying a greater tendency to vitrify.) Different cases have been considered for linear chains: no long-range potential, no bond potential and several choices for B. Furthermore, two distinct values of B have been considered for alternate bonds in linear chains. In the case of the branched chains, mixed models with different values of B for bonds in the main chain and in the branches have also been investigated. The possible presence of ordering or crystallization has been characterized by calculating the collective light scattering function of the different samples after annealing at a convenient temperature below the onset of the abrupt change in the curves associated with a thermodynamic transition. It is concluded that ordering is inherited more efficiently in the systems with branched chains and also for higher values of B. The branched molecules with the highest B values in the main chain bonds exhibit two distinct transitions in the heating curves, which may be associated with two glass transitions. This behavior has been detected experimentally for chains with relatively long flexible branches.
Side chain engineering of fused aromatic thienopyrazine based low band-gap polymers for enhanced charge carrier mobility
Mondal, Rajib
A strategic side-chain engineering approach leads to the two orders of magnitude enhancement of charge carrier mobility in phenanthrene based fused aromatic thienopyrazine polymers. Hole carrier mobility up to 0.012 cm 2/Vs can be obtained in thin film transistor devices. Polymers were also utilized to fabricate bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices and the maximum PCE obtained in these OPV\\'s was 1.15%. Most importantly, performances of the devices were correlated with thin morphological analysis performed by atomic force microscopy and grazing incidence X-ray scattering. © 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
Conjugated Polymer Chains Confined in Vertical Nanocylinders of a Block-Copolymer Film: Preparation, Characterization, and Optoelectronic Function
Dong, Ban Xuan
Hybrid materials composed of phase-separated block copolymer films and conjugated polymers of the phenylenevinylene family (PPV) are prepared. The PPV chains are embedded in vertical cylinders of nanometer diameter in the block-copolymer films. The cylinders span continuously the whole film thickness of 70 nm. Incorporation of the PPV chains into the one-dimensional cylinders leads to modified photoluminescence spectra and to large absorption anisotropy. The hybrid films show electroluminescence from the PPV chains in a simple light-emitting device at minute doping concentrations, and also exhibit a factor of 19 increase in electron transport efficiency along the single PPV chains. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Impact of charge carrier injection on single-chain photophysics of conjugated polymers
Hofmann, Felix J.; Vogelsang, Jan; Lupton, John M.
Charges in conjugated polymer materials have a strong impact on the photophysics and their interaction with the primary excited state species has to be taken into account in understanding device properties. Here, we employ single-molecule spectroscopy to unravel the influence of charges on several photoluminescence (PL) observables. The charges are injected either stochastically by a photochemical process or deterministically in a hole-injection sandwich device configuration. We find that upon charge injection, besides a blue-shift of the PL emission and a shortening of the PL lifetime due to quenching and blocking of the lowest-energy chromophores, the non-classical photon arrival time distribution of the multichromophoric chain is modified towards a more classical distribution. Surprisingly, the fidelity of photon antibunching deteriorates upon charging, whereas one would actually expect the opposite: the number of chromophores to be reduced. A qualitative model is presented to explain the observed PL changes. The results are of interest to developing a microscopic understanding of the intrinsic charge-exciton quenching interaction in devices.
The effect of intermolecular interactions on photoluminescence of a porphyrin side-chain polymer
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Wang Hui; Zhang Wei; Yu Han-Cheng; Huang Jin-Wang; Lin Wei-Zhu; Ji Liang-Nian
Photoluminescence properties and exciton decay dynamics in a porphyrin side-chain polymer, poly[porphyrin acrylate- acrylonitrile (abbreviated p[(por)A-AN]), have been investigated by femtosecond time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. All the luminescences of p[(por)A-AN] films are due to the emissive decay of the photoexcited singlet excitons in the porphyrins. The luminescence efficiencies and lifetimes are increased for samples from pure films to dilute blend films. However, they are increased as the intrachain concentration of the porphyrin sidechain groups is decreased. The intrachain rotation motions of porphyrin sidechain groups result in the initial ultrafast luminescence decays, which are much faster than those due to the interchain interactions. All the samples show no significant red-shift and broadening of the transient luminescence spectra. The interchain and intrachain nonradiative exciton relaxation processes may play an important role in the luminescence dynamics in the p[(por)A-AN] films. The possible origin of different intrachain and interchain dynamic behaviours in p[(por)A-AN] films is discussed.
Crystal structures and thermodynamics/kinetics of Zn(II) coordination polymers with helical chains
He, Tian; Yue, Ke-Fen; Zhao, Yi-xing; Chen, San-Ping; Zhou, Chun-sheng; Yan, Ni
Solvothermal reactions of Zn(II) acetates and four V-shaped carboxylates ligands in the presence of 1,4-Bis(2-methyl-imidazol-1-yl)butane afforded four interesting Zn(II) coordination polymers with helical chains, namely, {[Zn(bib)(atibdc)]·2H2O}n (1), {[Zn(bib)(atbip)]·H2O}n (2), [Zn(bib)(2,2‧-tda)]}n (3) and {[Zn(bib)(5-tbipa)]·EtOH}n (4), (H2atibdc=5-amino-2,4,6-triiodoisophthalic acid, H2atbip=5-amino-2,4,6-tribromoisophthalic acid, 2,2‧-H2tad=2,2‧-thiodiacetic acid, 5-H2tbipa=5-tert-butyl-isophthalic acid). 1 reveals a 3D chiral framework with three kinds of helical chains along a, b and c axis. 2 shows a 2D step-type chiral framework with right-handed helical chains. 3 displays a wavelike 2D layer network possessing alternate left- and right-handed helical chains. 4 presents a four-connected 3D framework with zigzag and meso-helical chains. The different spacers and substituent group of carboxylic acid ligands may lead to the diverse network structures of 1-4. The fluorescent properties of complexes 1-4 were studied. In addition, the thermal decompositions properties of 1-4 were investigated by simultaneous TG/DTG-DSC technique. The apparent activation energy E and the pre-exponential factor (A) of skeleton collapse for the complexes 1-4 are calculated by the integral Kissinger's method and Ozawa-Doyle's method. The activation energy E (E1=209.658 kJ·mol-1, E2=250.037 kJ mol-1, E3=225.300 kJ mol-1, E4=186.529 kJ·mol-1) demonstrates that the reaction rate of the melting decomposition is slow. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔH‡, ΔG‡ and ΔS‡) at the peak temperatures of the DTG curves were also calculated. ΔG‡>0 indicates that the skeleton collapse is not spontaneous. ΔHd>0 suggests that the skeleton collapse is endothermic, corresponding to the intense endothermic peak of the DSC curve. The structural stability could be illustrated from the point of thermodynamics and kinetics. Their thermal decompositions properties of 1-4 were
Multifunctional conjugated polymers with main-chain donors and side-chain acceptors for dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs).
Chang, Dong Wook; Ko, Seo-Jin; Kim, Jin Young; Park, Su-Moon; Lee, Hyo Joong; Dai, Liming; Baek, Jong-Beom
A novel multifunctional conjugated polymer (RCP-1) composed of an electron-donating backbone (carbazole) and an electron-accepting side chain (cyanoacetic acid) connected through conjugated vinylene and terthiophene has been synthesized and tested as a photosensitizer in two major molecule-based solar cells, namely dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs). Promising initial results on overall power conversion efficiencies of 4.11% and 1.04% are obtained from the basic structure of DSSCs and OPVs based on RCP-1, respectively. The well-defined donor (D)-acceptor (A) structure of RCP-1 has made it possible, for the first time, to reach over 4% of power conversion efficiency in DSSCs with an organic polymer sensitizer and good operation stability.
Dielectric properties of liquid-crystal azomethine polymer with a side alkyl-substituted chain, doped with fullerene C60
Kovalev, D. S.; Kostromin, S. V.; Musteaţa, V.; Cozan, V.; Bronnikov, S. V.
We studied the actual and imaginary components of the dielectric constant of liquid-crystal azomethine polymer with a side chain, doped with 0.5 wt % of fullerene C60, over a wide range of temperatures and frequencies; measurements were made by means of dielectric spectroscopy. By analyzing the frequency dependence of the dielectric constant, we detected the relaxation processes (α, β1, and β2) in the nanocomposite, corresponding to certain modes of molecular motion and described them by the Arrhenius equations (β1- and β2-processes) and the Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman equation (α-process). An antiplasticization effect is discovered after doping the polymer with fullerene C60, which manifests itself in increasing the glass transition temperature of the nanocomposite compared to this parameter typical of pure polymer.
Influence of Side Chain Position on the Electrical Properties of Organic Solar Cells Based on Dithienylbenzothiadiazole-alt-phenylene Conjugated Polymers
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Livi, Francesco; Zawacka, Natalia Klaudia; Angmo, Dechan;
backbone for polymer solar cells. All the polymers were roll slot die coated under ambient conditions on flexible ITO-free plastic substrates to give inverted polymer solar cell devices with an upscaled active area of 1 cm2. The best characteristics were found for the polymer carrying alkoxy side chains...... showed excellent performance under constant illumination and high temperature (exhibiting stable photovoltaic properties even after 670 h under conditions similar to ISOS-L-2 lifetime protocol). This makes P7 a good candidate for further upscaling and device optimization. The photovoltaic performance......-scale fabrication of polymer solar cells....
The chain sucker: translocation dynamics of a polymer chain into a long narrow channel driven by longitudinal flow
Luo, Kaifu; Metzler, Ralf
Using analytical techniques and Langevin dynamics simulations, we investigate the dynamics of polymer translocation into a narrow channel of width $R$ embedded in two dimensions, driven by a force proportional to the number of monomers in the channel. Such a setup mimics typical experimental situations in nano/micro-fluidics. During the the translocation process if the monomers in the channel can sufficiently quickly assume steady state motion, we observe the scaling $\\tau\\sim N/F$ of the tra...
A novel temperature control method for shortening thermal cycling time to achieve rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a disposable polymer microfluidic device
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Bu, Minqiang; R. Perch-Nielsen, Ivan; Sørensen, Karen Skotte;
We present a new temperature control method capable of effectively shortening the thermal cycling time of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a disposable polymer microfluidic device with external heater and temperature sensor. The method employs optimized temperature overshooting and undershooting...
Dynamics of a self-avoiding polymer chain in slit, tube, and cube confinements.
Cui, Ting; Ding, Jiandong; Chen, Jeff Z Y
Monte Carlo simulations are presented for the observation of the dynamics of a self-avoiding polymer in three types of confinement: slit, tube, and cube. We pay special attention to the parameter regime where the characteristic confinement dimension is smaller than the radius of gyration of the unconfined polymer. On the basis of the bond-fluctuation model, we measured the rotation time of the end-to-end vector of the polymer, the diffusion time for the center of the polymer to move a distance comparable to the root mean square end-to-end distance, and the looping time for the ends of the polymer to approach each other from an open position. As functions of the confinement width and polymer length, these three time scales are discussed in light of scaling theories. PMID:19256859
Highly grafted polystyrene/polyvinylpyridine polymer gold nanoparticles in a good solvent: effects of chain length and composition.
Posel, Zbyšek; Posocco, Paola; Lísal, Martin; Fermeglia, Maurizio; Pricl, Sabrina
In this work, the structural features of spherical gold nanoparticles (NPs) decorated with highly grafted poly(styrene) (PS), poly(vinylpyridine) (PVP) and PS-PVP diblock copolymer brushes immersed in a good solvent are investigated by means of Dissipative Particle Dynamics (DPD) simulations as a function of grafted chain length and of homopolymer and copolymer chain composition. For NPs grafted either by PS or PVP homopolymer brushes (selected as a proof of concept), good agreement between the Daoud-Cotton theory, experimental evidence, and our DPD simulations is observed in the scaling behavior of single chain properties, especially for longer grafted chains, and in brush thickness prediction. On the other hand, for grafted chain lengths comparable to NP dimensions parabolic-like profiles of the end-monomer distributions are obtained. Furthermore, a region of high concentration of polymer segments is observed in the monomer density distribution for long homopolymers. In the case of copolymer-decorated NPs, the repulsion between PS and PVP blocks is found to substantially influence the radius of gyration and the shape of the end-monomer distribution of the relevant polymer shell. Moreover, for diblock chains, the un-swollen region is observed to be thinner (and, correspondingly, the swollen layer thicker) than that of a NP modified with a homopolymer of the same length. Finally, the lateral segregation of PS and PVP blocks is evidenced by our calculations and a detailed analysis of the corona behavior is reported, thus revealing the key parameters in controlling the surface properties and the response of diblock copolymer modified nanoparticles. PMID:26980360
Effect of cationic side-chains on intracellular delivery and cytotoxicity of pH sensitive polymer-doxorubicin nanocarriers
Fang, Chen; Kievit, Forrest M.; Cho, Yong-Chan; Mok, Hyejung; Press, Oliver W.; Zhang, Miqin
Fine-tuning the design of polymer-doxorubicin conjugates permits optimization of an efficient nanocarrier to greatly increase intracellular uptake and cytotoxicity. Here, we report synthesis of a family of self-assembled polymer-doxorubicin nanoparticles and an evaluation of the effects of various types of side-chains on intracellular uptake and cytotoxicity of the nanocarriers for lymphoma cells. Monomers with three different cationic side-chains (CA) and pKa's, i.e., a guanidinium group (Ag), an imidazole group (Im), and a tertiary amine group (Dm), were comparatively investigated. The cationic monomer, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and doxorubicin (Dox) were reacted with 1,4-(butanediol) diacrylate (BUDA) to prepare a poly(β-amino ester) (PBAE) polymer via Michael addition. All three polymer-Dox conjugates spontaneously formed nanoparticles (NP) through hydrophobic interactions between doxorubicin in aqueous solution, resulting in NP-Im/Dox, NP-Ag/Dox, and NP-Dm/Dox, with hydrodynamic sizes below 80 nm. Doxorubicin was linked to all 3 types of NPs with a hydrazone bond to assure selective release of doxorubicin only at acidic pH, as it occurs in the tumor microenvironment. Both NP-Im/Dox and NP-Ag/Dox exhibited much higher intracellular uptake by Ramos cells (Burkitt's lymphoma) than NP-Dm/Dox, suggesting that the type of side chain in the NPs determines the extent of intracellular uptake. As a result, NP-Im/Dox and NP-Ag/Dox showed cytotoxicity that was comparable to free Dox in vitro. Our findings suggest that the nature of surface cationic group on nanocarriers may profoundly influence their intracellular trafficking and resulting therapeutic efficacy. Thus, it is a crucial factor to be considered in the design of novel carriers for intracellular drug delivery.
Reversible Addition Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) Polymerization in Undergraduate Polymer Science Lab
Nguyen, T. L. U.; Bennet, Francesca; Stenzel, Martina H.; Barner-Kowollik, Christopher
This 8-hour experiment (spread over two 4-hour sessions) is designed to equip students with essential skills in polymer synthesis, particularly in synthesizing polymers of well-defined molecular weight. The experiment involves the synthesis and characterization of poly(vinyl neodecanoate) via living free radical polymerization, specifically the…
Migration insertion polymerization (MIP) of cyclopentadienyldicarbonyldiphenylphosphinopropyliron (FpP): a new concept for main chain metal-containing polymers (MCPs).
Wang, Xiaosong; Cao, Kai; Liu, Yibo; Tsang, Brian; Liew, Sean
We report a conceptually new polymerization technique termed migration insertion polymerization (MIP) for main chain metal-containing polymer (MCP) synthesis. Cyclopentadienyldicarbonyldiphenylphosphinopropyliron (FpP) is synthesized and polymerized via MIP, resulting in air stable poly(cyclopentadienylcarbonyldiphenylphosphinobutanoyliron) (PFpP) displaying narrow molecular weight distribution. The backbone of PFpP contains asymmetric iron units connected by both phosphine coordination and Fe-acyl bonds, which is representative of a new type of polymer. Furthermore, PFpP is tested to be soluble in a wide range of organic solvents and shown to possess reactive Fp end groups. PFpP amphiphiles have therefore been prepared via an end group migration insertion reaction in the presence of oligoethylene phosphine. PMID:23425192
Phase behaviors, molecular and supramolecular structures in polymers containing rigid-rod backbones with cyanobiphenyl side chains
Ruan, Jrjeng
One of the most important and challenging topics in materials chemistry involves designing nano-structures in synthetic materials via self-assembly for various highly technical applications. A specially designed combined liquid crystalline polymer containing a polyester backbone with cyanobiphenyl side chains has been studied in aspects of phase behaviors and crystal structures. The triclinic crystal phases identified in this series of polymer are all found to be constricted by 4-monomer unit cells. This discovery of 4-monomer triclinic unit cells motivates a search for the existence of supramolecular phases and understanding the possible molecular packing. A series of newly designed polyimides, which are composed of aromatic polyimide backbones with 4-cyanobiphenyl mesogens on the side chains has been synthesized. This series of polymers possesses a lesser degree of coupling between the backbones and side chains, which indicates the possibility of microphase separation between them. The representative polyimides of BPDA-7CBBP and BPDA-11CBBP in this series, in which 4-cyanobiphenyl side chains are connected onto the backbones through seven and eleven methylene units respectively have systematically studied in this research. Two crystal forms were recognized in BPDA-11CBBA, and one of them possesses six repeating units in one monoclinic unit cell. Moreover, the existence of a supramolecular phase has been proposed based on 2D WAXD fiber patterns. In the case of BPDA-7CBBP, three crystal forms were identified: two of them are constructed by triclinic lattices with large unit cells. The numbers of repeating units in those unit cells are seven and eight, respectively. Complicated phase behaviors including a second-order transition between the supramolecular phase and a high-order liquid crystal phase have been explored. The fact that large unit cells in both polymers with the numbers of repeating units in unit cells being 6, 7, and 8 leads to an important issue for
A statistical theory of coil-to-globule-to-coil transition of a polymer chain in a mixture of good solvents
Budkov, Yu. A.; Kolesnikov, A. L.; Kalikin, N. N.; Kiselev, M. G.
We present an off-lattice statistical model of a single polymer chain in mixed-solvent media. Taking into account the polymer conformational entropy, renormalization of solvent composition near the polymer backbone, the universal intermolecular excluded-volume and van der Waals interactions within the self-consistent field theory, the reentrant coil-to-globule-to-coil transition (co-nonsolvency) has been described in this paper. For convenience we split the system volume in two parts: the volume occupied by the polymer chain and the volume of bulk solution. Considering the equilibrium between two sub-volumes, the polymer solvation free energy as a function of radius of gyration and co-solvent mole fraction within internal polymer volume has been obtained. Minimizing the free energy of solvation with respect to its arguments, we show two qulitatively different regimes of co-nonsolvency. Namely, at sufficiently high temperature the reentrant coil-to-globule-to-coil transition proceeds smoothly. On the contrary, when the temperature drops below a certain threshold value a coil-globule transition occurs in the regime of first-order phase transition, i.e., discontinuous changes of the radius of gyration and the local co-solvent mole fraction near the polymer backbone. We show that, when the collapse of the polymer chain takes place, the entropy and enthalpy contributions to the solvation free energy of the globule strongly grow. From the first principles of statistical thermodynamics we confirm earlier speculations based on the MD simulations results that the co-nonsolvency is the essentially enthalpic-entropic effect and is caused by enthalpy-entropy compensation. We show that the temperature dependences of the solution heat capacity change due to the solvation of the polymer chain are in qualitative agreement with the differential scanning calorimetry data for PNIPAM in aqueous methanol.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
The present invention relates to a silicone chain extender, more particularly a chain extender for silicone polymers and copolymers, to a chain extended silicone polymer or copolymer and to a functionalized chain extended silicone polymer or copolymer, to a method for the preparation thereof and...
Existence of global weak solutions to compressible isentropic finitely extensible nonlinear bead-spring chain models for dilute polymers: The two-dimensional case
Barrett, John W.; Süli, Endre
We prove the existence of global-in-time weak solutions to a general class of models that arise from the kinetic theory of dilute solutions of nonhomogeneous polymeric liquids, where the polymer molecules are idealized as bead-spring chains with finitely extensible nonlinear elastic (FENE) type spring potentials. The class of models under consideration involves the unsteady, compressible, isentropic, isothermal Navier-Stokes system in a bounded domain Ω in Rd, d = 2, for the density ρ, the velocity u ˜ and the pressure p of the fluid, with an equation of state of the form p (ρ) =cpργ, where cp is a positive constant and γ > 1. The right-hand side of the Navier-Stokes momentum equation includes an elastic extra-stress tensor, which is the classical Kramers expression. The elastic extra-stress tensor stems from the random movement of the polymer chains and is defined through the associated probability density function that satisfies a Fokker-Planck-type parabolic equation, a crucial feature of which is the presence of a centre-of-mass diffusion term. This extends the result in our paper J.W. Barrett and E. Süli (2016) [9], which established the existence of global-in-time weak solutions to the system for d ∈ { 2 , 3 } and γ >3/2, but the elastic extra-stress tensor required there the addition of a quadratic interaction term to the classical Kramers expression to complete the compactness argument on which the proof was based. We show here that in the case of d = 2 and γ > 1 the existence of global-in-time weak solutions can be proved in the absence of the quadratic interaction term. Our results require no structural assumptions on the drag term in the Fokker-Planck equation; in particular, the drag term need not be corotational. With a nonnegative initial density ρ0 ∈L∞ (Ω) for the continuity equation; a square-integrable initial velocity datum u˜0 for the Navier-Stokes momentum equation; and a nonnegative initial probability density function ψ0
Current Advances in the Carbon Nanotube/Thermotropic Main-Chain Liquid Crystalline Polymer Nanocomposites and Their Blends
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Lin Li
Full Text Available Because of their extraordinary properties, such as high thermal stability, flame retardant, high chemical resistance and high mechanical strength, thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers (TLCPs have recently gained more attention while being useful for many applications which require chemical inertness and high strength. Due to the recent advance in nanotechnology, TLCPs are usually compounded with nanoparticles to form particulate composites to enhance their properties, such as barrier properties, electrical properties, mechanical properties and thermal properties. Carbon-based nanofillers such as carbon nanotube (CNT, graphene and graphene oxide are the most common fillers used for the TLCP matrices. In this review, we focus on recent advances in thermotropic main-chain liquid crystalline polymer nanocomposites incorporated with CNTs. However, the biggest challenges in the preparation of CNT/TLCP nanocomposites have been shown to be inherent in the dispersion of CNTs into the TLCP matrix, the alignment and control of CNTs in the TLCP matrix and the load-transfer between the TLCP matrix and CNTs. As a result, this paper reviews recent advances in CNT/TLCP nanocomposites through enhanced dispersion of CNTs in TLCPs as well as their improved interfacial adhesion with the TLCP matrices. Case studies on the important role of chemically modified CNTs in the TLCP/thermoplastic polymer blends are also included.
Novel polymer electrolytes based on cationic polyurethane with different alkyl chain length
Liu, Libin; Wu, Xiwen; Li, Tianduo
A series of comb-like cationic polyurethanes (PUs) were synthesized by quaternizing different bromoalkane (C2H5Br, C8H17Br, and C14H29Br) with polyurethane. Solid polymer electrolytes were prepared by complexes cationic PUs with different content of LiClO4. All the solid polymer electrolytes had sufficient thermal stability as confirmed by TGA and exhibited a single-phase behavior evidenced by DSC results. For these electrolytes, FT-IR spectra indicated the formation of polymer-ion complexes. The ac impedance spectra show that the conductivity of the electrolytes follow the Arrhenius behavior, and ionic conductivity is associated with both the charge migration of ions between coordination sites and transmission between aggregates, as confirmed by FT-IR and SEM. Alkyl quaternary ammonium salts in the polymer backbone are recognized as inherent plasticizers, which make the electrolytes exhibit liquid-like behavior. The plasticizing effect of PU-C8 and PU-C14 electrolytes are more effective than that of PU-C2 electrolyte. Maximum ionic conductivity at room temperature for PU-C8 electrolytes containing 50 wt% LiClO4 reached 1.1 × 10-4 S cm-1. This work provides a new research clue that alkyl quaternary ammonium salts could be used as inherent plasticizers and hence make the system behave like a liquid with high ionic conductivity, while preserving the dimensional stability of the solids.
Self-consistent field theoretic simulations of amphiphilic triblock copolymer solutions: Polymer concentration and chain length effects
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
X.-G. Han
Full Text Available Using the self-consistent field lattice model, polymer concentration φP and chain length N (keeping the length ratio of hydrophobic to hydrophilic blocks constant the effects on temperature-dependent behavior of micelles are studied, in amphiphilic symmetric ABA triblock copolymer solutions. When chain length is increased, at fixed φP, micelles occur at higher temperature. The variations of average volume fraction of stickers φcos and the lattice site numbers Ncols at the micellar cores with temperature are dependent on N and φP, which demonstrates that the aggregation of micelles depends on N and φP. Moreover, when φP is increased, firstly a peak appears on the curve of specific heat CV for unimer-micelle transition, and then in addition a primary peak, the secondary peak, which results from the remicellization, is observed on the curve of CV. For a long chain, in intermediate and high concentration regimes, the shape of specific heat peak markedly changes, and the peak tends to be a more broad peak. Finally, the aggregation behavior of micelles is explained by the aggregation way of amphiphilic triblock copolymer. The obtained results are helpful in understanding the micellar aggregation process.
Synthesis and photovoltaic properties of the polymers base on thiophene derivatives with electron-deficient 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole side chains
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Three soluble alternating conjugated copolymers PT-TZN, PF-TZN, and PBDT-TZN, composed of thiophene, fluorene, benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene and thiophene derivatives with 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole side chains, were synthesized via the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki coupling reaction and Stille coupling reaction. The effects of 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole on the thermal, photophysical, electrochemical and photovoltaic properties were investigated. The introduction of the 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole side chains is beneficial for lowering the bandgaps of the polymers. The bulk-heterojunction polymer solar cells were fabricated based on the blend of the as-synthesized polymers and the fullerene acceptor [6, 6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester. The maximum power conversion efficiency (1.13%) was obtained with PBDT-TZN as the electron donor under the illumination of Air Mass 1.5, 100 mW/cm2. - Highlights: • Three conjugated polymers with 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole side chains were synthesized. • The introduction of the side chains favors lowering the bandgaps of the polymers. • The strong electron-withdrawing nitro group likely promotes excimer quenching
Influence of annealing on chain entanglement and molecular dynamics in weak dynamic asymmetry polymer blends.
Lin, Yu; Tan, Yeqiang; Qiu, Biwei; Shangguan, Yonggang; Harkin-Jones, Eileen; Zheng, Qiang
The influence of annealing above the glass transition temperature (T(g)) on chain entanglement and molecular dynamics of solution-cast poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (PMMA/SMA) blends was investigated via a combination of dynamic rheological measurement and broadband dielectric spectroscopy. Chain entanglement density increases when the annealing temperature and/or time increases, resulting from the increased efficiency of chain packing and entanglement recovery. The results of the annealing treatment without cooling revealed that the increase of the entanglement density occurred during the annealing process instead of the subsequent cooling procedure. Annealing above T(g) exerts a profound effect on segmental motion, including the transition temperature and dynamics. Namely, T(g) shifts to higher temperatures and the relaxation time (τ(max)) increases due to the increased entanglement density and decreased molecular mobility. Either T(g) or τ(max) approaches an equilibrium value gradually, corresponding to the equilibrium entanglement density that might be obtained through the theoretical predictions. However, no obvious distribution broadening is observed due to the unchanged heterogeneous dynamics. Furthermore, side group rotational motion could be freely achieved without overcoming the chain entanglement resistance. Hence, neither the dynamics nor the distribution width of the subglass relaxation (β- and γ-relaxation) processes is affected by chain entanglement resulting from annealing, indicating that the local environment of the segments is unchanged.
Two Zn coordination polymers with meso-helical chains based on mononuclear or dinuclear cluster units
Qin, Ling; Qiao, Wen-Cheng; Zuo, Wei-Juan; Zeng, Si-Ying; Mei, Cao; Liu, Chang-Jiang
Two zinc coordination polymers {[Zn2(TPPBDA)(oba)2]·DMF·1.5H2O}n (1), {[Zn(TPPBDA)1/2(tpdc)]·DMF}n (2) have been synthesized by zinc metal salt, nanosized tetradentate pyridine ligand with flexible or rigid V-shaped carboxylate co-ligands. These complexes were characterized by elemental analyses and X-ray single-crystal diffraction analyses. Compound 1 is a 2-fold interpenetrated 3D framework with [Zn2(CO2)4] clusters. Compound 2 can be defined as a five folded interpenetrating bbf topology with mononuclear Zn2+. These mononuclear or dinuclear cluster units are linked by mix-ligands, resulting in various degrees of interpenetration. In addition, the photoluminescent properties for TPPBDA ligand under different state and coordination polymers have been investigated in detail.
Self-assembly of azobenzene based side-chain liquid crystalline polymer and -alkyloxybenzoic acids
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Kumarasamy Gayathri; Subramanian Balamurugan; Palaninathan Kannan
Liquid crystalline pendant polymeric complexes have been obtained by supramolecular assembly of two mesogenic components namely, poly[4-(10-acryloyloxydecyloxy)-4'- phenylazobenzonitrile] (P10) and 4-alkyloxybenzoic acids (A7-A12). Hydrogen bond formed between carboxylic acid and cyano moiety served as molecular bridge. The polymeric complexes acquitted as undivided liquid crystalline properties exhibited stable and enantiotropic mesophases. The precursor, monomer and polymer were analysed by 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. The hydrogen bonding interaction in polymer complexes (P10-A7 to P10-A12) was investigated by FT-IR spectroscopy. The thermal behaviours and textural analysis were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and polarized optical microscopy respectively.
SYNTHESIS OF HETEROARM STAR-SHAPED POLYMER BY THE USE OF POLYFUNCTIONAL CHAIN-TRANSFER AGENT via CONVENTIONAL FREE RADICAL POLYMERIZATION
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Zhi-hua Luo; Zhi-feng Fu; Yan Shi
Heteroarm star-shaped polymers were synthesized by conventional free radical polymerization in two steps by the use of polyfunctional chain transfer agent. In the first step, free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate was carried out in the presence of a polyfunctional chain transfer agent, pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropinate). At appropriate monomer conversions, two-arm PMMA having two residual thiol groups at the chain center or three-arm PMMA having one residual thiol group at the core were obtained. In the second step, free radical polymerization of styrene was carried out using PMMAs obtained above as macro-chain transfer agent. When styrene conversion was lower than 30%, heteroarm star-shaped polymers, (PMMA)2(PS)a and (PMMA)3(PS), were obtained successfully.
Chain Confinement in Electrospun Nanocomposites: using Thermal Analysis to Investigate Polymer-Filler Interactions
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Q Ma; B Mao; P Cebe
We investigate the interaction of the polymer matrix and filler in electrospun nanofibers using advanced thermal analysis methods. In particular, we study the ability of silicon dioxide nanoparticles to affect the phase structure of poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET. SiO{sub 2} nanoparticles (either unmodified or modified with silane) ranging from 0 to 2.0 wt% in PET were electrospun from hexafluoro-2-propanol solutions. The morphologies of both the electrospun (ES) nanofibers and the SiO{sub 2} powders were observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, while the amorphous or crystalline nature of the fibers was determined by real-time wide-angle X-ray scattering. The fractions of the crystal, mobile amorphous, and rigid amorphous phases of the non-woven, nanofibrous composite mats were quantified by using heat capacity measurements. The amount of the immobilized polymer layer, the rigid amorphous fraction, was obtained from the specific reversing heat capacity for both as-spun amorphous fibers and isothermally crystallized fibers. Existence of the rigid amorphous phase in the absence of crystallinity was verified in nanocomposite fibers, and two origins for confinement of the rigid amorphous fraction are proposed. Thermal analysis of electrospun fibers, including quasi-isothermal methods, provides new insights to quantitatively characterize the polymer matrix phase structure and thermal transitions, such as devitrification of the rigid amorphous fraction.
Synthesis and Characterization of Carbazole-Benzothiadiazole-Based Conjugated Polymers for Organic Photovoltaic Cells with Triazole in the Main Chain
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Eunhee Lim
Full Text Available We have synthesized a series of carbazole-benzothiadiazole-triazole based copolymers, poly[(N-9′-heptadecanyl-2,7-carbazole-co-(5,5-(4′,7′-di-2-thienyl-2′,1′,3′-benzothiadiazole-co-((4-(4-butylphenyl-3,5-diphenyl-4H-1,2,4]triazole] (PCz3TBTz by Suzuki coupling polymerization. The optical and electrochemical properties of the copolymers could be tuned by changing the comonomer unit of triazole from 0% to 80%. Organic photovoltaic (OPV cells were fabricated by blending the synthesized polymers as a donor and PCBM as an acceptor. The material solubility and film morphology were improved by introducing the triazole unit in the main chain. Improved OPV device performance of 1.74% was achieved in the presence of an optimal amount of triazole moieties.
Ultrafast Energy Transfer and Enhanced Two-Photon Absorption in a Novel Porphyrin Side-Chain Polymer
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
WANG Hui; HUANG Ya-Ping; DENG Li; ZHAO Fu-Li; LIN Wei-Zhu; WANG Jian; LIANG Zhao-Xi
@@ Ultrafast relaxation processes and transient two-photon absorption are studied in a novel porphyrin side-chain polymer, 5-hydroxy-10, 15,20-triphenyl-porphyrin-poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (HTPP-PGMA), by using picosecond luminescence spectroscopy and femtosecond pump-probe techniques. HTPP-PGMA exhibits the ultrafast initial luminescence decay (~300ps), which is absent in the conventional porphyrin monomer such as TPP. Enhanced two-photon absorption was observed in HTPP-PGMA; the corresponding Im x(a) is about 2.8× 10-11 esu, which is almost one order of magnitude larger than that of the conventional porphyrin monomer (TPP) (~1.3 × 10-12 esu).The ultrafast energy transfer plays an important role in the excited-state relaxation dynamics observed in HTPPPGMA. The potential application of HTPP-PGMA in optical switching is discussed.
New manufacturing routes for micro polymer manufacturing for the next decades – Process chains to strengthen EC economic power
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Bolt, Pieter; Azcarate, Sabino; Khan Malek, Chantal;
such as interconnect and interfaces in components in order to reduce the number of parts and/or assembly costs. A consequence of this integration on the design level is a new value chain. Hence another trend is to look for integration of the functionalisation process (local surface finishing, application of bio......-reagents, local (nano-)surface structuring) into the component manufacturing process. This document deals with state-of-the-art and trend in manufacturing of polymer components and devices by means of replication processes. This report includes information on the tooling or manufacturing of moulds, on replication...... processes and materials, on process simulation, on quality control and on applying of conductive tracks for electronic or electric applications....
Fabrication of chain-like Mn2O3 nanostructures via thermal decomposition of manganese phthalate coordination polymers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A novel manganese coordination polymer [Mn(Pht)(H2O)]n as a precursor was obtained by chemical precipitation involving an aqueous solution of anhydrous manganese acetate and phthalate anion as a potential O-banded ligand. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) results proved that phthalate anions coordinate to metal cations as a chelating bidentate ligand, making polymeric structure. The Mn2O3 nanostructures have been prepared via thermal decomposition of as-prepared manganese phthalate polymers as precursor in the presence of oleic acid (OA) and triphenylphosphine (TPP) as a stabilizer and capping. Different approaches such as FT-IR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were applied to characterize the products. TEM images and XRD analysis indicated that the as-synthesized chain-like Mn2O3 has a crystal phase of cubic syngony with a mean size of ∼40 nm.
A novel chain-extended urea containing hyperbranched polymer used as toughening modifier for epoxy resin
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
LU Shao-rong; WEI Chun; YANG Xiao-wang
A new kind of reactive toughening accelerator for epoxy resin,amine-teminated hyperbranched polymer (H2O-NMe2) was synthesized and characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was used to study the glass transition temperature (Tg),loss factor (tanδ) and activation energy (Ea) by using multiplexing frequency. The results show that the Ea at glassy relaxation process of modified system is about 70-80 kJ/mol higher than that of unmodified system,and the high modulus and good thermal properties are still maintained.
Silica-filled elastomers polymer chain and filler characterization by a SANS-SAXS approach
Botti, A; Richter, D; Urban, V; Ipns, A 6 4; Kohlbrecher, J; Straube, E
A study of composites based upon commercially available silica fillers and networks of blends of protonated and deuterated anionically prepared polyisoprene is presented. The extraction of the single chain structure factor for SANS in the polymeric soft phase in isotropic and deformed state has been performed for the first time. The quasi three-component system could not be compositionally matched due to the internal structures of the activated fillers. For this, a parallel SAXS investigation provided the neccessary information on the filler structure which was lacking in the SANS analysis. Whereas mechanically clear reinforcement at low strains and filler-networking can be observed, the microscopic characterization of the chain deformation in the framework of the network tube model agrees with the estimates for hydrodynamic reinforcement of fractal fillers. (orig.)
Polystyrene chains orientation: A rubbed and non-rubbed polymer comparative study
Ghorbal, Achraf; Arfi, Rim Ben; Bistac, Sophie; Brogly, Maurice
Polarization-modulation infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PMIRRAS) measurements have been carried out so as to analyze atactic polystyrene layers transferred (nano-wear) onto hydroxylated silicon substrates. This technique has been used to determine the three-dimensional orientation geometry of aliphatic part and phenyl rings of rubbed polystyrene on hydroxyl-terminated wafers. The PMIRRAS analysis of PS bulk and transfer film showed an orientation of chains under different mechanical stresses.
Dynamical Process of Dissociation of Excitons in Polymer Chains with Impurities
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
ZHAO Hong-Xia; ZHAO Hui; CHEN Yu-Guang
@@ Within an extended Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model including impurity interactions,the dynamical process of exciton dissociation in the presence of an external electric field is investigated by using a non-adiabatic evolution method Under the action of impurities,the stability as well as the effective mass of the exciton is reduced.Our results show that the field required to dissociate the excitons depends sensitively on the strength of the impurity potential.As the impurity potential strength increases,the dissociation field decreases effectively.The theoretical results are expected to provide useful predictions concerning which polymers with properly impurity-assisted interactions are likely to be more suitable for use in organic solar cells.%Within an extended Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model including impurity interactions, the dynamical process ofexciton dissociation in the presence of an external electric field is investigated by using a non-adiabatic evolution method. Under the action of impurities, the stability as well as the effective mass of the exciton is reduced. Our results show that the field required to dissociate the excitons depends sensitively on the strength of the impurity potential. As the impurity potential strength increases, the dissociation field decreases effectively. The theoretical results are expected to provide useful predictions concerning which polymers with properly impurity-assisted interactions are likely to be more suitable for use in organic solar cells.
Preparation and Chemical Properties of π-Conjugated Polymers Containing Indigo Unit in the Main Chain
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Hiroki Fukumoto
Full Text Available π-Conjugated polymers based on indigo unit were prepared. Dehalogenative polycondensation of N-hexyl-6,6'-dibromoindigo with a zerovalent nickel complex gave a homopolymer, P(HexI, in 77% yield. Copolymer of N-hexyl-indigo and pyridine, P(HexI-Py, was also prepared in 50% yield. P(HexI showed good solubility in organic solvents, whereas P(HexI-Py was only soluble in acids such as HCOOH. The weight-average molecular weights (Mw of P(HexI and P(HexI-Py were determined to be 10,000 and 40,000, respectively, by a light scattering method. Pd-catalyzed polycondensation between 6,6'-dibromoindigo with N-BOC (BOC = t-butoxycarbonyl substituents and a diboronic compound of 9,9-dioctylfluorene afforded the corresponding alternating copolymer, P(BOCI-Flu, as a deep red solid in 98% yield. P(BOCI-Flu was soluble in N-methyl-2-pyrroridone and showed an Mw of 29,000 in GPC analysis. Treatment of P(BOCI-Flu with CF3COOH smoothly led to a BOC-deprotection reaction to give an insoluble deep green polymer, P(I-Flu, in a quantitative yield. Diffuse reflectance spectra of powdery P(BOCI-Flu and P(I-Flu showed peaks at about 580 nm and 630 nm, respectively, which are thought to originate from the indigo unit.
A temperature control method for shortening thermal cycling time to achieve rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a disposable polymer microfluidic device
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Bu, Minqiang; Perch-Nielsen, Ivan R.; Sørensen, Karen Skotte;
We present a temperature control method capable of effectively shortening the thermal cycling time of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a disposable polymer microfluidic device with an external heater and a temperature sensor. The method employs optimized temperature overshooting and undershooting...
One-dimensional Zigzag Chain Coordination Polymer [Zn(μ-phth)(imi)2]∞ Bridged by o-Phthalato
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
The reaction of zinc carbonate with o-phthalic acid and imidazole in an aqueous-alcohol solution led to the formation of colorless crystals of [Znμ-phthimi2]∞. Single-crystal X-ray analysis has revealed that the complex crystallizes in a monoclinic system, space group Pn with a = 8.394(2), b = 9.976(3), c = 9.959(3)A, β = 104.409(4)°, V = 807.6(4)A3, Z = 2, C14H12N4O4Zn, Mr = 365.6(5), Dc = 1.504 g/cm3, μ = 1.544 mm-1, F000 = 372, the final R = 0.0466 and wR = 0.1171 for 1834 reflections with I>2σ(I). The complex displays a zigzag infinite chain structure in which each zinc(Ⅱ)center is coordinated by two oxygen atoms and two nitrogen atoms to generate a ZnN2O2 distorted tetrahedral geometry. The neighboring zinc atoms are bridged by the o-phthalate ligand. Each chain is linked by hydrogen bonds with its neighbors to form a three-dimensional coordination polymer.
Extending framework based on the linear coordination polymers: Alternative chains containing lanthanum ion and acrylic acid ligand
Li, Hui; Guo, Ming; Tian, Hong; He, Fei-Yue; Lee, Gene-Hsiang; Peng, Shie-Ming
One-dimensional alternative chains of two lanthanum complexes: [La( L1) 3(CH 3OH)(H 2O) 2]·5H 2O ( L1=anion of α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid ) 1 and [La( L2) 3(H 2O) 2]·3H 2O ( L2=anion of trans-3-(4-methyl-benzoyl)-acrylic acid) 2 were synthesized and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, element analysis, IR and thermogravimetric analysis. The crystal structure data are as follows for 1: C 31H 36LaN 3O 17, triclinic, P-1, a=9.8279(4) Å, b=11.8278(5) Å, c=17.8730(7) Å, α=72.7960(10)°, β=83.3820(10)°, γ=67.1650(10)º, Z=2, R1=0.0377, wR2=0.0746; for 2: C 33H 37LaO 14, triclinic, P-1, a=8.7174(5) Å, b=9.9377(5) Å, c=21.153(2) Å, α=81.145(2)°, β=87.591(2)°, γ=67.345(5)°, Z=2, R1=0.0869, wR2=0.220. 1 is a rare example of the alternative chain constructed by syn-syn and anti-syn coordination mode of carboxylato ligand arranged along the chain alternatively. La(III) ions in 2 are linked by two η3-O bridges and four bridges (two η2-O and two η3-O) alternatively. Both of the linear coordination polymers grow into two- and three-dimensional networks by packing through extending hydrogen-bond network directed by ligands.
Synthesis and application of phenolic resin internally toughened by chain extension polymer of epoxidized soybean oil
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
A novel epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) internally toughened phenolic resin(ESO-IT-PR) with both good toughness and excellent thermal stability was prepared as the matrix resin of copper clad laminate (CCL).FTIR was adopted to investigate the molecular structure of modified phenolic resins and SEM was used to observe the micro morphology of their impacted intersections.The properties of CCLs prepared with these modified phenolic resins were studied to determine the optimal process and investigate the toughening mechanism.The main modifying mechanism is the etherification reaction between phenol hydroxyl and ESO catalyzed by triethanolamine and the chain extension polymerization between ESO and multi-amine gives the long-chain ESO epoxy grafting on the phenolic resin prepolymer,when the ESO content is 30% and the curing agent content is 7%,the ESO toughened phenolic resin possesses optimal performance.The flexible ESO epoxy shows significant toughening effect and it crosslinks with the phenolic resin to form an internally toughened network,which is the key factor for improving the solderleaching resistance of CCL prepared with this modified phenolic resin.
Chondroblastoma arising from acromion
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
WANG Min; ZHOU Yue; REN Xian-jun; ZHANG Xia; WANG Jian
@@ Chondroblastoma is an uncommon benign tumor arising in the epiphysis of long bones such as humerus, tibia and femur while the skeletal or extraskeletal presentations are mostly unusual. The chondroblastoma arising from acromion process of scapulus has been extremely rare and only two cases can be screened out in the English literature[1,2]. Here, we reported another case of chondroblastoma that developed on the acromion of scapulus.
Micro tooling technologies for polymer micro replication: direct, indirect and hybrid process chains
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Tosello, Guido; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard
is based on replication technologies such as injection moulding, micro injection moulding, hot embossing, injection compression moulding. Mass fabrication processes pose the highest challenges in terms of the realization of high quality and high performance micro parts, which depend mainly on the quality...... and performance of the corresponding micro mould. Traditional methods of micro tooling, such as various machining processes (e.g. micro milling, micro electrical discharge machining) have already reached their limitations with decreasing dimensions of mould inserts and cavities. To this respect, tooling process...... chains based on combination of micro manufacturing processes (defined as hybrid tooling) have been established in order to obtain further features miniaturization and increased accuracy. In this paper, examples and performance of different hybrid tooling approaches as well as challenges, opportunities...
Thermal aging of interfacial polymer chains in ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer/aluminum hydroxide composites: solid-state NMR study.
Gabrielle, Brice; Lorthioir, Cédric; Lauprêtre, Françoise
The possible influence of micrometric-size filler particles on the thermo-oxidative degradation behavior of the polymer chains at polymer/filler interfaces is still an open question. In this study, a cross-linked ethylene-propylene-diene (EPDM) terpolymer filled by aluminum trihydrate (ATH) particles is investigated using (1)H solid-state NMR. The time evolution of the EPDM network microstructure under thermal aging at 80 °C is monitored as a function of the exposure time and compared to that of an unfilled EPDM network displaying a similar initial structure. While nearly no variations of the topology are observed on the neat EPDM network over 5 days at 80 °C, a significant amount of chain scission phenomena are evidenced in EPDM/ATH. A specific surface effect induced by ATH on the thermodegradative properties of the polymer chains located in their vicinity is thus pointed out. Close to the filler particles, a higher amount of chain scissions are detected, and the characteristic length scale related to these interfacial regions displaying a significant thermo-oxidation process is determined as a function of the aging time.
Effects of molecular structure on microscopic heat transport in chain polymer liquids
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Matsubara, Hiroki, E-mail: email@example.com; Kikugawa, Gota; Ohara, Taku [Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Bessho, Takeshi; Yamashita, Seiji [Higashifuji Technical Center, Toyota Motor Corporation, 1200 Mishuku, Susono, Shizuoka 410-1193 (Japan)
In this paper, we discuss the molecular mechanism of the heat conduction in a liquid, based on nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of a systematic series of linear- and branched alkane liquids, as a continuation of our previous study on linear alkane [T. Ohara et al., J. Chem. Phys. 135, 034507 (2011)]. The thermal conductivities for these alkanes in a saturated liquid state at the same reduced temperature (0.7T{sub c}) obtained from the simulations are compared in relation to the structural difference of the liquids. In order to connect the thermal energy transport characteristics with molecular structures, we introduce the new concept of the interatomic path of heat transfer (atomistic heat path, AHP), which is defined for each type of inter- and intramolecular interaction. It is found that the efficiency of intermolecular AHP is sensitive to the structure of the first neighbor shell, whereas that of intramolecular AHP is similar for different alkane species. The dependence of thermal conductivity on different lengths of the main and side chain can be understood from the natures of these inter- and intramolecular AHPs.
Effects of molecular structure on microscopic heat transport in chain polymer liquids.
Matsubara, Hiroki; Kikugawa, Gota; Bessho, Takeshi; Yamashita, Seiji; Ohara, Taku
In this paper, we discuss the molecular mechanism of the heat conduction in a liquid, based on nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of a systematic series of linear- and branched alkane liquids, as a continuation of our previous study on linear alkane [T. Ohara et al., J. Chem. Phys. 135, 034507 (2011)]. The thermal conductivities for these alkanes in a saturated liquid state at the same reduced temperature (0.7Tc) obtained from the simulations are compared in relation to the structural difference of the liquids. In order to connect the thermal energy transport characteristics with molecular structures, we introduce the new concept of the interatomic path of heat transfer (atomistic heat path, AHP), which is defined for each type of inter- and intramolecular interaction. It is found that the efficiency of intermolecular AHP is sensitive to the structure of the first neighbor shell, whereas that of intramolecular AHP is similar for different alkane species. The dependence of thermal conductivity on different lengths of the main and side chain can be understood from the natures of these inter- and intramolecular AHPs. PMID:25933776
Fragmentation pathways of polymer ions.
Wesdemiotis, Chrys; Solak, Nilüfer; Polce, Michael J; Dabney, David E; Chaicharoen, Kittisak; Katzenmeyer, Bryan C
Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is increasingly applied to synthetic polymers to characterize chain-end or in-chain substituents, distinguish isobaric and isomeric species, and determine macromolecular connectivities and architectures. For confident structural assignments, the fragmentation mechanisms of polymer ions must be understood, as they provide guidelines on how to deduce the desired information from the fragments observed in MS/MS spectra. This article reviews the fragmentation pathways of synthetic polymer ions that have been energized to decompose via collisionally activated dissociation (CAD), the most widely used activation method in polymer analysis. The compounds discussed encompass polystyrenes, poly(2-vinyl pyridine), polyacrylates, poly(vinyl acetate), aliphatic polyester copolymers, polyethers, and poly(dimethylsiloxane). For a number of these polymers, several substitution patterns and architectures are considered, and questions regarding the ionization agent and internal energy of the dissociating precursor ions are also addressed. Competing and consecutive dissociations are evaluated in terms of the structural insight they provide about the macromolecular structure. The fragmentation pathways of the diverse array of polymer ions examined fall into three categories, viz. (1) charge-directed fragmentations, (2) charge-remote rearrangements, and (3) charge-remote fragmentations via radical intermediates. Charge-remote processes predominate. Depending on the ionizing agent and the functional groups in the polymer, the incipient fragments arising by pathways (1)-(3) may form ion-molecule complexes that survive long enough to permit inter-fragment hydrogen atom, proton, or hydride transfers. PMID:20623599
Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a 1-D Chain Zinc(Ⅱ) Coordinated Polymer with N-p-Tolysulfonyl-glutamine
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
MA Lu-Fang; HUO Xian-Kuan; WANG Li-Ya; FAN Yao-Ting; ZHANG Su-Yun
A novel coordination polymer {[Zn(ts-gln)(bipy)]·3H2O}n (ts-glnH2 = N-p-tolysulfonyl-glutamine, bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine) has been prepared and structuraily characterized by X-ray diffraction method. It crystallizes in orthorhombic, space group P212121 with a = 8.2622(5), b = 16.6244(10), c = 18.2807(10)(A), V = 2510.9(3)(A)3, C22H28N4O8SZn, Mr = 573.91, Z = 4, Dc =1.518 g/cm3, μ(MoKa) = 1.115 mm-1, F(000) = 1192, the final R = 0.0262 and wR = 0.0662 for 5691 independent reflections with Rint = 0.0240. The zinc(Ⅱ) atom is coordinated by N(3) and N(4)atoms of a bipy molecule, two carboxylate O(1) and O(2A) and amino N(1 ) atoms of ts-gln ligands,resulting in a square-pyramidal geometry. The title complex consists of an infinite zigzag chain of zinc(Ⅱ) ions linked by the carboxylate of N-p-tolysulfonyl-glutamine.
Tuning backbones and side-chains of cationic conjugated polymers for optical signal amplification of fluorescent DNA detection.
Huang, Yan-Qin; Liu, Xing-Fen; Fan, Qu-Li; Wang, Lihua; Song, Shiping; Wang, Lian-Hui; Fan, Chunhai; Huang, Wei
Three cationic conjugated polymers (CCPs) exhibiting different backbone geometries and charge densities were used to investigate how their conjugated backbone and side chain properties, together with the transitions of DNA amphiphilic properties, interplay in the CCP/DNA-C* (DNA-C*: fluorophore-labeled DNA) complexes to influence the optical signal amplification of fluorescent DNA detection based on Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). By examining the FRET efficiencies to dsDNA-C* (dsDNA: double-stranded DNA) and ssDNA-C* (ssDNA: single-stranded DNA) for each CCP, twisted conjugated backbones and higher charge densities were proved to facilitate electrostatic attraction in CCP/dsDNA-C* complexes, and induced improved sensitivity to DNA hybridization. Especially, by using the CCP with twisted conjugated backbone and the highest charge density, a more than 7-fold higher efficiency of FRET to dsDNA-C* was found than to ssDNA-C*, indicating a high signal amplification for discriminating between dsDNA and ssDNA. By contrast, linear conjugated backbones and lower charge density were demonstrated to favor hydrophobic interactions in CCP/ssDNA-C* complexes. These findings provided guidelines for the design of novel sensitive CCP, which can be useful to recognize many other important DNA activities involving transitions of DNA amphiphilic properties like DNA hybridization, such as specific DNA binding with ions, some secondary or tertiary structural changes of DNA, and so forth.
Rod like attapulgite/poly(ethylene terephthalate nanocomposites with chemical bonding between the polymer chain and the filler
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Q. Fu
Full Text Available Poly(ethylene terephthalate (PET nanocomposites containing rod-like silicate attapulgite (AT were prepared via in situ polymerization. It is presented that PET chains identical to the matrix have been successfully grafted onto simple organically pre-modified AT nanorods (MAT surface during the in situ polymerization process. The covalent bonding at the interface was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA. The content of grafted PET polymer on the surface of MAT was about 26 wt%. This high grafting density greatly improved the dispersion of fillers, interfacial adhesion as well as the significant confinement of the segmental motion of PET, as compared to the nanocomposites of PET/pristine AT (PET/AT. Owing to the unique interfacial structure in PET/MAT composites, their thermal and mechanical properties have been greatly improved. Compared with neat PET, the elastic modulus and the yield strength of PET/MAT were significantly improved by about 39.5 and 36.8%, respectively, by incorporating only 2 wt % MAT. Our work provides a novel route to fabricate advanced PET nanocomposites using rod-like attapulgite as fillers, which has great potential for industrial applications.
Low half-wave voltage Y-branch electro-optic polymer modulator based on side-chain polyurethane-imide
Tang, Jie; Wang, Long-De; Li, Ruo-Zhou; Zhang, Qiang; Zhang, Tong
A Y-branch electro-optic (EO) polymer modulator has been designed and fabricated. High performance side-chain polyurethane-imide (PUI) with a high EO coefficient of larger than 50 pm/V and a moderate glass-transition temperature (Tg) of 206∘C is used as EO polymer core layer of the modulator. The fabricated phase modulator exhibits a low half-wave voltage of 1.94 V at 1550 nm in single arm modulation with 1 cm EO interaction length and 2 cm total length. The results show that the modulator fabricated by side-chain PUI EO materials possesses potential applications in low driving voltage and low cost optical systems.
Comparison of the Photovoltaic Characteristics and Nanostructure of Fullerenes Blended with Conjugated Polymers with Siloxane-Terminated and Branched Aliphatic Side Chains
Kim, Do Hwan
All-organic bulk heterojunction solar cells based on blends of conjugated polymers with fullerenes have recently surpassed the 8% efficiency mark and are well on their way to the industrially relevant ∼15% threshold. Using a low band-gap conjugated polymer, we have recently shown that polymer side chain engineering can lead to dramatic improvement in the in-plane charge carrier mobility. In this article, we investigate the effectiveness of siloxy side chain derivatization in controlling the photovoltaic performance of polymer:[6,6]-phenyl-C[71]-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) blends and hence its influence on charge transport in the out-of-plane direction relevant for organic solar cells. We find that, in neat blends, the photocurrent of the polymer with siloxy side chains (PII2T-Si) is 4 times greater than that in blends using the polymer with branched aliphatic side chains (PII2T-ref). This difference is due to a larger out-of-plane hole mobility for PII2T-Si brought about by a largely face-on crystallite orientation as well as more optimal nanoscale polymer:PC71BM mixing. However, upon incorporating a common processing additive, 1,8-diiodooctane (DIO), into the spin-casting blend solution and following optimization, the PII2T-ref:PC71BM OPV device performance undergoes a large improvement and becomes the better-performing device, almost independent of DIO concentration (>1%). We find that the precise amount of DIO plays a larger role in determining the efficiency of PII2T-Si:PC71BM, and even at its maximum, the device performance lags behind optimized PII2T-ref:PC71BM blends. Using a combination of atomic force microscopy and small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering, we are able to elucidate the morphological modifications associated with the DIO-induced changes in both the nanoscale morphology and the molecular packing in blend films. © 2012 American Chemical Society.
Richness of Side-Chain Liquid-Crystal Polymers: From Isotropic Phase towards the Identification of Neglected Solid-Like Properties in Liquids
Wendorff, Joachim H; Patrick Baroni; Hakima Mendil-Jakani; Laurence Noirez
Very few studies concern the isotropic phase of Side-Chain Liquid-Crystalline Polymers (SCLCPs). However, the interest for the isotropic phase appears particularly obvious in flow experiments. Unforeseen shear-induced nematic phases are revealed away from the N-I transition temperature. The non-equilibrium nematic phase in the isotropic phase of SCLCP melts challenges the conventional timescales described in theoretical approaches and reveal very long timescales, neglected until now. This spe...
Exact solution of the thermodynamics and size parameters of a polymer confined to a lattice of finite size: Large chain limit
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Snyder, Chad R., E-mail: email@example.com; Guttman, Charles M., E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 (United States); Di Marzio, Edmund A., E-mail: email@example.com [Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899 (United States); Bio-Poly-Phase, 14205 Parkvale Road, Rockville, Maryland 20853 (United States)
We extend the exact solutions of the Di Marzio-Rubin matrix method for the thermodynamic properties, including chain density, of a linear polymer molecule confined to walk on a lattice of finite size. Our extensions enable (a) the use of higher dimensions (explicit 2D and 3D lattices), (b) lattice boundaries of arbitrary shape, and (c) the flexibility to allow each monomer to have its own energy of attraction for each lattice site. In the case of the large chain limit, we demonstrate how periodic boundary conditions can also be employed to reduce computation time. Advantages to this method include easy definition of chemical and physical structure (or surface roughness) of the lattice and site-specific monomer-specific energetics, and straightforward relatively fast computations. We show the usefulness and ease of implementation of this extension by examining the effect of energy variation along the lattice walls of an infinite rectangular cylinder with the idea of studying the changes in properties caused by chemical inhomogeneities on the surface of the box. Herein, we look particularly at the polymer density profile as a function of temperature in the confined region for very long polymers. One particularly striking result is the shift in the critical condition for adsorption due to surface energy inhomogeneities and the length scale of the inhomogeneities; an observation that could have important implications for polymer chromatography. Our method should have applications to both copolymers and biopolymers of arbitrary molar mass.
Exact solution of the thermodynamics and size parameters of a polymer confined to a lattice of finite size: Large chain limit
Snyder, Chad R.; Guttman, Charles M.; Di Marzio, Edmund A.
We extend the exact solutions of the Di Marzio-Rubin matrix method for the thermodynamic properties, including chain density, of a linear polymer molecule confined to walk on a lattice of finite size. Our extensions enable (a) the use of higher dimensions (explicit 2D and 3D lattices), (b) lattice boundaries of arbitrary shape, and (c) the flexibility to allow each monomer to have its own energy of attraction for each lattice site. In the case of the large chain limit, we demonstrate how periodic boundary conditions can also be employed to reduce computation time. Advantages to this method include easy definition of chemical and physical structure (or surface roughness) of the lattice and site-specific monomer-specific energetics, and straightforward relatively fast computations. We show the usefulness and ease of implementation of this extension by examining the effect of energy variation along the lattice walls of an infinite rectangular cylinder with the idea of studying the changes in properties caused by chemical inhomogeneities on the surface of the box. Herein, we look particularly at the polymer density profile as a function of temperature in the confined region for very long polymers. One particularly striking result is the shift in the critical condition for adsorption due to surface energy inhomogeneities and the length scale of the inhomogeneities; an observation that could have important implications for polymer chromatography. Our method should have applications to both copolymers and biopolymers of arbitrary molar mass.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Full Text Available Theoretical evidence is presented in this review that architectural aspects can play an important role, not only in the bulk but also in confined geometries by using our recursive lattice theory, which is equally applicable to fixed architectures (regularly branched polymers, stars, dendrimers, brushes, linear chains, etc. and variable architectures, i.e. randomly branched structures. Linear chains possess an inversion symmetry (IS of a magnetic system (see text, whose presence or absence determines the bulk phase diagram. Fixed architectures possess the IS and yield a standard bulk phase diagram in which there exists a theta point at which two critical lines C and C' meet and the second virial coefficient A2 vanishes. The critical line C appears only for infinitely large polymers, and an order parameter is identified for this criticality. The critical line C' exists for polymers of all sizes and represents phase separation criticality. Variable architectures, which do not possess the IS, give rise to a topologically different phase diagram with no theta point in general. In confined regions next to surfaces, it is not the IS but branching and monodispersity, which becomes important in the surface regions. We show that branching plays no important role for polydisperse systems, but become important for monodisperse systems. Stars and linear chains behave differently near a surface.
Side-chain tunability of furan-containing low-band-gap polymers provides control of structural order in efficient solar cells
Yiu, Alan T.
The solution-processability of conjugated polymers in organic solvents has classically been achieved by modulating the size and branching of alkyl substituents appended to the backbone. However, these substituents impact structural order and charge transport properties in thin-film devices. As a result, a trade-off must be found between material solubility and insulating alkyl content. It was recently shown that the substitution of furan for thiophene in the backbone of the polymer PDPP2FT significantly improves polymer solubility, allowing for the use of shorter branched side chains while maintaining high device efficiency. In this report, we use PDPP2FT to demonstrate that linear alkyl side chains can be used to promote thin-film nanostructural order. In particular, linear side chains are shown to shorten π-π stacking distances between backbones and increase the correlation lengths of both π-π stacking and lamellar spacing, leading to a substantial increase in the efficiency of bulk heterojunction solar cells. © 2011 American Chemical Society.
The Dependence of Strength in Plastics upon Polymer Chain Length and Chain Orientation: An Experiment Emphasizing the Statistical Handling and Evaluation of Data.
Spencer, R. Donald
Describes an experiment (using plastic bags) designed to give students practical understanding on using statistics to evaluate data and how statistical treatment of experimental results can enhance their value in solving scientific problems. Students also gain insight into the orientation and structure of polymers by examining the plastic bags.…
Significant Improvement of Semiconducting Performance of the Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Quaterthiophene Conjugated Polymer through Side-Chain Engineering via Hydrogen-Bonding.
Yao, Jingjing; Yu, Chenmin; Liu, Zitong; Luo, Hewei; Yang, Yang; Zhang, Guanxin; Zhang, Deqing
Three diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-quaterthiophene conjugated polymers, pDPP4T-1, pDPP4T-2, and pDPP4T-3, in which the molar ratios of the urea-containing alkyl chains vs branching alkyl chains are 1:30, 1:20, and 1:10, respectively, were prepared and investigated. In comparison with pDPP4T without urea groups in the alkyl side chains and pDPP4T-A, pDPP4T-B, and pDPP4T-C containing both linear and branched alkyl chains, thin films of pDPP4T-1, pDPP4T-2, and pDPP4T-3 exhibit higher hole mobilities; thin-film mobility increases in the order pDPP4T-1 polymers after blending with PC71BM. Blended thin films of pDPP4T-1:PC71BM, pDPP4T-2:PC71BM, and pDPP4T-3:PC71BM exhibit higher power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) than pDPP4T:PC71BM, pDPP4T-A:PC71BM, pDPP4T-B:PC71BM, and pDPP4T-C:PC71BM. The PCE of pDPP4T-1:PC71BM reaches 6.8%. Thin films of pDPP4T-1, pDPP4T-2, and pDPP4T-3 and corresponding thin films with PC71BM were characterized with AFM, GIXRD, and STEM. The results reveal that the lamellar packing order of the alkyl chains is obviously enhanced for thin films of pDPP4T-1, pDPP4T-2, and pDPP4T-3; after thermal annealing, slight inter-chain π-π stacking emerges for pDPP4T-2 and pDPP4T-3. Blends of pDPP4T-1, pDPP4T-2, and pDPP4T-3 with PC71BM show a more pronounced micro-phase separation. These observations suggest that the presence of urea groups may further facilitate the assemblies of these conjugated polymers into nanofibers and ordered aggregation of PC71BM. PMID:26669732
Photoconductive properties of conjugated polymers
Halls, J J M
The research described in my dissertation has involved the fabrication and characterisation of photovoltaic cells based on conjugated polymers, including the widely studied polymer poly(p-phenylenevinylene). These materials have semiconducting properties which arise from the delocalisation of electrons along the pi-electron systems of the polymer chains. Research into these materials is motivated both by their novel electronic properties, and also their potential for use in a wide range of applications including light-emitting diodes (LEDs), thin-film transistors, and photovoltaic cells (solar cells and light detectors). Light absorbed in a photovoltaic cell generates opposite charges which are collected at two different electrodes, giving rise to an electric current
Influence of the ordered structure of short-chain polymer molecule all-trans-β-carotene on Raman scattering cross section in liquid
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Qu Guan-Nan; OuYang Shun-Li; Wang Wei-Wei; Li Zuo-Wei; Sun Cheng-Lin; Men Zhi-Wei
We measured the resonant Raman spectra of all-trans-β-carotene in solvents with different densities and concentrations at different temperatures. The results demonstrated that the Raman scattering cross section (RSCS) of short-chain polymer all-trans-β-carotene is extremely high in liquid. Resonance and strong coherent weakly damped CC bond vibrating properties play important roles under these conditions. Coherent weakly damped CC bond vibration strength is associated with molecular ordered structure. All-trans-β-carotene has highly ordered structure and strong coherent weakly damped CC bond vibrating properties, which lead to large RSCS in the solvent with large density and low concentration at low temperature.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
YANG Xiaozhen; LU Qun; FENG Liwen; ZHU Shannong
13C-NMR chemical shifts of model compound of a novel side chain liquid crystalline polymer,poly 2,5-bis (4-alkoxybenzoyloxy) styrene,have been assigned in this study.Moreover,by using high-resolution solid-state CP/MAS (cross polarization/magic angle spinning) technique,the spectrum shows that in the crystalline state the ester linkage has a conformation nearly perpendicular to the either side of ring planes,and that the alkoxy groups are not fully in zigzag form.The possible conformational changes around the mesogens from the solid state to the mesophase are discussed.
平面壁附近高分子链的尺寸和形状%Size and Shape of Polymer Chain near a Flat Surface
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
黄建花; 胡慧俊; 蒋文华; 韩世钧
The size and the shape of non-reversal random-walking polymer chains near an impenetrable, non-interacting flat surface are investigated by means of Monte Carlo simulation on the simple cubic lattice. It wasfound that both size and shape are dependent on the normal-to-surface distance z0 of the first segment of chain. Wefind that the size and shape of chains, characterized by mean square radius of gyration and mean asphericityparameter respectively, show similar dependence on distance z0. Both and reach the maximum atz0 = 0, then decrease with the increase of z0 and soon reach the minimum values, afterwards they go up continuouslyand approach to the limit values of free chain. The similar dependence of and on z0 can be explained by apositive correlation between A and S2. However, the dependence of the correlation coefficient CA,S2 on z0 is verycomplicated and deserves further study. The overall density probability of segments is also investigated. Resultsshow that segments near the surface are relatively less, and the symmetrical distribution disappears when the chainlocates near the surface.
Liquid crystalline polymers IX Main chain thermotropic poly (azomethine – ethers containing thiazole moiety linked with polymethylene spacers
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Full Text Available A new homologous series of thermally stable thermotropic liquid crystalline poly(azomethine-ethers based on thiazole moiety were synthesized by solution polycondensation of 4,4`-diformyl-α,ω-diphenoxyalkanes, I–IV or 4,4`-diformyl-2,2`-dimethoxy-α,ω-diphenoxyalkanes V–VIII with the new bis(2-aminothiazole monomer X. A model compound XI was synthesized from X with benzaldehyde and characterized by elemental and spectral analyses. The inherent viscosities of the resulting polymers were in the range 0.43–1.34 dI/g. All the poly(azomethine-ethers were insoluble in common organic solvents but dissolved completely in concentrated H2SO4 and formic acid. The mesomorphic properties of these polymers were studied as a function of the diphenoxyalkane space length. Their thermotropic liquid crystalline properties were examined by DSC and optical polarizing microscopy and demonstrated that the resulting polymers form nematic mesophases over wide temperature ranges. The thermogravimetric analyses of those polymers were evaluated by TGA and DSC measurements and correlated to their structural units. X-ray analysis showed that polymers having some degree of crystallinity in the region 2θ = 5–60°. In addition, the morphological properties of selected examples were tested by scanning electron microscopy.
A Reaction-Diffusion System Arising from Food-Chain in an Unstirred Chemostat%未搅拌恒化器中单食物链模型的反应扩散方程组
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
刘婧; 郑斯宁
A reaction-diffusion system modelling single food-chain in an unstirred chemostat is considered. The existence of positive steady state solutions is obtained by using the bifurcation theory. Some extinction conditions and persistence conditions are established as well.%本文研究一类描写未搅拌恒化器中单食物链模型的反应扩散方程组,用分支定理证明正稳态解的存在性,并给出种群绝灭及持续生存的条件.
Göpferich, Achim; Langer, Robert S.
The erosion of bioerodible polymers depends on many factors including the polymer chain length, bond cleavage velocity, swellability, crystallinity, and water diffusivity in the polymer matrix. This multitude of parameters makes modeling of erosion difficult. Only a few models exist that describe morphological changes of polymers during erosion qualitatively. In the present approach the polymer matrix was represented as the sum of small individual polymer matrix parts. The factors that determ...
Decades-Scale Degradation of Commercial, Side-Chain, Fluorotelomer-Based Polymers in Soils and Water
Fluorotelomer-based polymers (FTPs) are a primary product of the jluorotelomer industry, yet the role of commercial FTPs in degrading to form perjluorocarboxylic acids (P FCAs), including perjluorooctanoic acid, and P FCA precursors, remains ill-defined. Here we report on a 376-d...
Richness of Side-Chain Liquid-Crystal Polymers: From Isotropic Phase towards the Identification of Neglected Solid-Like Properties in Liquids
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Joachim H. Wendorff
Full Text Available Very few studies concern the isotropic phase of Side-Chain Liquid-Crystalline Polymers (SCLCPs. However, the interest for the isotropic phase appears particularly obvious in flow experiments. Unforeseen shear-induced nematic phases are revealed away from the N-I transition temperature. The non-equilibrium nematic phase in the isotropic phase of SCLCP melts challenges the conventional timescales described in theoretical approaches and reveal very long timescales, neglected until now. This spectacular behavior is the starter of the present survey that reveals long range solid-like interactions up to the sub-millimetre scale. We address the question of the origin of this solid-like property by probing more particularly the non-equilibrium behavior of a polyacrylate substituted by a nitrobiphenyl group (PANO2. The comparison with a polybutylacrylate chain of the same degree of polymerization evidences that the solid-like response is exacerbated in SCLCPs. We conclude that the liquid crystal moieties interplay as efficient elastic connectors. Finally, we show that the "solid" character can be evidenced away from the glass transition temperature in glass formers and for the first time, in purely alkane chains above their crystallization temperature. We thus have probed collective elastic effects contained not only in the isotropic phase of SCLCPs, but also more generically in the liquid state of ordinary melts and of ordinary liquids.
First-order coil-to-flower transition of a polymer chain pinned near a stepwise external potential: Numerical, analytical, and scaling analysis
Skvortsov, A. M.; Klushin, L. I.; van Male, J.; Leermakers, F. A. M.
A polymer chain near a penetrable interface is studied in the Gaussian model, in the lattice random walk model and by a scaling analysis. The interface is modeled as an external potential u of a Heaviside step-function form. One end of the chain is fixed at a distance z0 away from this interface. When the end point is fixed in the high potential region, a first-order coil-to-flower transition takes place upon variation of the distance z0. Here, the flower has a strongly stretched stem from the grafting point towards the interface and, on top of it, a crown composed of the remaining segments in a (perturbed) coil conformation. The coil-to-flower transition is analyzed in terms of the Landau free energy. The order parameter is taken to be related to the fraction of segments residing in the energetically favorable region. Exact analytical expressions for the Landau function are obtained in the Gaussian model for any distances z0 and potential strength u. A phase diagram in the z0 versus u coordinates is constructed. It contains a line of the first-order phase transitions (binodal line) ending at a critical point z0=u=0, and two spinodal lines. Numerical results are obtained for several chain lengths in the lattice random walk model demonstrating the effects of finite extensibility on the position of the transition point. Excluded volume effects are analyzed within the scaling approach.
Linear side chains in benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-thieno[3,4-c] pyrrole-4,6-dione polymers direct self-assembly and solar cell performance
Cabanetos, Clement
While varying the size and branching of solubilizing side chains in π-conjugated polymers impacts their self-assembling properties in thin-film devices, these structural changes remain difficult to anticipate. This report emphasizes the determining role that linear side-chain substituents play in poly(benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione) (PBDTTPD) polymers for bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell applications. We show that replacing branched side chains by linear ones in the BDT motifs induces a critical change in polymer self-assembly and backbone orientation in thin films that correlates with a dramatic drop in solar cell efficiency. In contrast, we show that for polymers with branched alkyl-substituted BDT motifs, controlling the number of aliphatic carbons in the linear N-alkyl-substituted TPD motifs is a major contributor to improved material performance. With this approach, PBDTTPD polymers were found to reach power conversion efficiencies of 8.5% and open-circuit voltages of 0.97 V in BHJ devices with PC71BM, making PBDTTPD one of the best polymer donors for use in the high-band-gap cell of tandem solar cells. © 2013 American Chemical Society.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Qi-ding Mi; Qi-feng Zhou
New liquid crystalline monomer, 2,5-bis[(4'-methoxyphenoxy)carbonyl]phenyl acrylate was successfully synthesized. Polyacrylate with laterally attached mesogens via ester linkage was also derived.This polymer forms an enantiotropic liquid crystal phase while its monomer exhibits a metastable nematic phase with respect to the crystalline state. However, its liquid crystallinity is very low as compared to that of poly { 2,5-bis[(4'-methoxyphenoxy)carbonyl] -styrene }.
Hydrothermal synthesis, crystal structure and properties of a novel chain coordination polymer constructed by tetrafunctional phosphonate anions and cobalt ions
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
A novel cobalt phosphonate, [Co(HL)(H2O)3]n (1) (L=N(CH2PO3H)33−) has been synthesized by hydrothermal reaction at 150 °C and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, elemental and thermogravimetric analysis. Complex 1 features a 1D chain structure with double-channel built from CoO6 octahedra bridged together by the phosphonate groups. Each cobalt ion is octahedrally coordinated by three phosphonate oxygen atoms and three water molecules. The coordinated water molecules can form the hydrogen bonds with the phosphonate oxygen atoms to link the 1D chains, building a 2D layered structure, further resulting in a 3D network. The luminescence spectrum indicates an emission maximum at 435 nm. The magnetic susceptibility curve exhibits a dominant antiferromagnetic behavior with a weakly ferromagnetic component at low temperatures. - Graphical abstract: The connectivity between cobalt ions and the ligands results in a chain structure with a 1D double-channel structure, which is constructed by A-type subrings and B-type subrings. - Highlights: • The tetrafunctional phosphonate ligand was used as the ligand. • A novel chain structure can be formed by A-type rings and B-type rings. • Two types of rings can form a 1D double-channel structure, along the c-axis
Hydrothermal synthesis and crystal structure of copper (Ⅱ)coordination polymer composed of helix-like chains:[Cu(NIPH)(bpy)
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
YE Junwei; ZHANG Ping; YE Kaiqi; YE Ling; YANG Guangdi; WANG Yue
Hydrothermal reactions of Cu (Ⅱ) acetate, 2,2'-bipyridyl (bpy) with 5-nitroisophthalic acid (H2NIPH) resulted in a new coordination polymer [Cu(NIPH)(bpy)] 1. Single crystal X-ray diffraction experiment indicates that 1 possesses a single helixlike chains, of which Cu atoms are coordinated by NIPH ligands and bpy ligands. Compound 1 crystallizes in the space group P2(1)/c, a = 0.955(19) nm, b = 1.259(3) nm, c= 1.3737(3) nm, β= 95.13(3)°, V=1.6455(6) nm3 and Z = 4. The TGA analysis shows that 1 has no remarkable weight loss up to 284℃, as a result of its high thermal stability. Magnetic measurements indicate an antiferromagnetic behavior of compound 1.
A temperature control method for shortening thermal cycling time to achieve rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a disposable polymer microfluidic device
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We present a temperature control method capable of effectively shortening the thermal cycling time of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a disposable polymer microfluidic device with an external heater and a temperature sensor. The method employs optimized temperature overshooting and undershooting steps to achieve a rapid ramping between the temperature steps for DNA denaturation, annealing and extension. The temperature dynamics within the microfluidic PCR chamber was characterized and the overshooting and undershooting parameters were optimized using the temperature-dependent fluorescence signal from Rhodamine B. The method was validated with the PCR amplification of mecA gene (162 bp) from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacterium (MRSA), where the time for 30 cycles was reduced from 50 min (without over- and undershooting) to 20 min. (paper)
A simple strategy to the side chain functionalization on the quinoxaline unit for efficient polymer solar cells.
Yuan, Jun; Qiu, Lixia; Zhang, Zhiguo; Li, Yongfang; He, Yuehui; Jiang, Lihui; Zou, Yingping
A new tetrafluoridequinoxaline electron accepting block from a quinoxaline core, which is substituted with a fluorine atom onto its backbone and side chains, was designed. A new copolymer (PBDTT-ffQx) was synthesized from tetrafluoridequinoxaline and benzodithiophene. The copolymer was characterized in detail. The photovoltaic properties were well investigated. A high PCE of 8.6% based on the single junction device was obtained.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Electrochemical Properties of a One-dimensional Chain Coordination Polymer [Mn(phen)(2,4,6-TMBA)2(H2O)]n
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
A one-dimensional chain-like coordination polymer [Mn(phen)(2,4,6-TMBA)2(H2O)]n has been synthesized from 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoic acid, 1,10-phenanthioline and anhydrous manganese(Ⅱ) sulfate and then characterized. Crystal data for this complex: tetragonal, space group I41, a = 2.05643(16), b = 2.05643(16), c = 1.3939(2) nm, V= 5.8946(11) nm3, Mr = 579.54, Z = 8, Dc = 1.306 g/cm3, λ(MoKα) = 0.490 mm-1, F(000) = 2424, S = 0.985, the final R = 0.0411 and wR = 0.0950. The Flack factor is -0.01(2). The crystal structure shows that two neighboring man-ganese(Ⅱ) ions are linked together by one bridge-chelating 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoic group, forming a one-dimensional chain structure. The manganese(Ⅱ) ion is coordinated with two nitrogen atoms of one 1,10-phenanthroline, three oxygen atoms from three 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoic acids and one water oxygen atom, giving a distorted octahedral coordination geometry. The cyclic voltametric behavior of the complex was also investigated.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Electrochemical Properties of a One-dimensional Chain Coordination Polymer [Mn(NAA)2(4,4'-bipy)(H2O)4]n
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
YANG Ying-Qun; LI Chang-Hong; LI Wei; KUANG Yun-Fei
A novel one-dimensional chain coordination polymer [Mn(NAA)2(4,4'-bipy)(H2O)4]n has been synthesized with α-naphthaleneacetic acid, 4,4'-bipy and manganese(Ⅱ) sulfate as raw materials. Crystal data for this complex: monoclinic, space group P21/c, a = 1.1421(2), b=1.6337(3), c=0.94177(19) nm, β = 112.15(3)°, V= 1.6275(6) nm3, Dc = 1.407 g/cm3, Z = 2,μ(MoKα) = 0.467 mm-1, F(000) = 722, S = 1.007, R= 0.0412 and wR = 0.1022. The crystal structure shows that two neighboring manganese(Ⅱ) ions are linked together by one 4,4'-bipy molecule, and the whole complex molecule forms a one-dimensional chain structure. Each manganese(Ⅱ) ion is coordinated with two oxygen atoms of two α-naphthaleneacetic acid molecules, two nitrogen atoms of two 4,4'-bipy molecules and two oxygen atoms from two water molecules, giving a distorted octahedral coordination geometry. The electrochemical properties were also analyzed.
Polymer friction Molecular Dynamics
Sivebæk, Ion Marius; Samoilov, Vladimir N.; Persson, Bo N. J.
We present molecular dynamics friction calculations for confined hydrocarbon solids with molecular lengths from 20 to 1400 carbon atoms. Two cases are considered: a) polymer sliding against a hard substrate, and b) polymer sliding on polymer. In the first setup the shear stresses are relatively independent of molecular length. For polymer sliding on polymer the friction is significantly larger, and dependent on the molecular chain length. In both cases, the shear stresses are proportional to ...
Polymer composites containing nanotubes
Bley, Richard A. (Inventor)
The present invention relates to polymer composite materials containing carbon nanotubes, particularly to those containing singled-walled nanotubes. The invention provides a polymer composite comprising one or more base polymers, one or more functionalized m-phenylenevinylene-2,5-disubstituted-p-phenylenevinylene polymers and carbon nanotubes. The invention also relates to functionalized m-phenylenevinylene-2,5-disubstituted-p-phenylenevinylene polymers, particularly to m-phenylenevinylene-2,5-disubstituted-p-phenylenevinylene polymers having side chain functionalization, and more particularly to m-phenylenevinylene-2,5-disubstituted-p-phenylenevinylene polymers having olefin side chains and alkyl epoxy side chains. The invention further relates to methods of making polymer composites comprising carbon nanotubes.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Zulfiye (I)lter; Ferhat Alhanl(ι); Fatih Do(g)an; (I)smet Kaya
Poly[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-l,3-dioxolan-4-yl]methyl acrylate,poly(CPhDMA),was synthesized with radical polymerization process using 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile as radical initiator in 1,4-dioxane at 60℃.The structure of poly(CPhDMA) was confirmed by means of UV-Vis,FT-IR,1H-NMR,and 13C-NMR spectral techniques.The molecular weight distribution values of the polymer were determined with gel permeation chromatography (GPC).The number-average molecular weight (Mn),weight-average molecular weight (Mw) and polydispersity index (PDI) values of poly(CPhDMA) were determined to be 10300,21600 and 2.097,respectively.The thermal degradation kinetics of the polymer was investigated by using TG/DTG-DTA and DSC analyses at different heating rates in dynamic nitrogen atmosphere.The apparent activation energy values obtained by Flynn-Wall-Ozawa and Friedman methods were found to be 91.68 and 85.23 kJ mol-1,respectively,for thermal decomposition of poly(CPhDMA).Also,the thermal degradation activation energy value of poly(CPhDMA) was calculated by using the Kissinger method based on the DTG,DTA and DSC data.Then the mechanism function of it was determined by master plots method.Finally,electrical and optical properties of poly(CPhDMA) were determined by four-point probe and UV-Vis techniques,respectively.
Application of the Charlesby model to the radiation-induced chain reaction cross-linking of oxirane functionalised polymers
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Murphy, Julian J. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com; Jones, Richard G
A range of copolymers containing styrene and epoxystyrene, when formulated with a photo-acid generator, undergo a cross-linking reaction by a chain reaction mechanism when exposed to high-energy radiation in an electron beam lithographic writing machine. The sensitivities of the formulations are shown to correlate with a simple kinetic model for the radiation chemistry of the system. Deductions about the nature of the cross-linking species have been made by comparing the behaviour of the epoxystyrene system with that observed for an epoxy novolac. (author)
Conjunctival lymphoma arising from reactive lymphoid hyperplasia
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Fukuhara Junichi
Full Text Available Abstract Extra nodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (EMZL of the conjunctiva typically arises in the marginal zone of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. The pathogenesis of conjunctival EMZL remains unknown. We describe an unusual case of EMZL arising from reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH of the conjunctiva. A 35-year-old woman had fleshy salmon-pink conjunctival tumors in both eyes, oculus uterque (OU. Specimens from conjunctival tumors in the right eye, oculus dexter (OD, revealed a collection of small lymphoid cells in the stroma. Immunohistochemically, immunoglobulin (Ig light chain restriction was not detected. In contrast, diffuse atypical lymphoid cell infiltration was noted in the left eye, oculus sinister (OS, and positive for CD20, a marker for B cells OS. The tumors were histologically diagnosed as RLH OD, and EMZL OS. PCR analysis detected IgH gene rearrangement in the joining region (JH region OU. After 11 months, a re-biopsy specimen demonstrated EMZL based on compatible pathological and genetic findings OD, arising from RLH. This case suggests that even if the diagnosis of the conjunctival lymphoproliferative lesions is histologically benign, confirmation of the B-cell clonality by checking IgH gene rearrangement should be useful to predict the incidence of malignancy.
In-situ ultrasonic compatibilization of binary blends of flexible chain polyesters and aromatic liquid crystalline polymers
Gunes, Kaan
The objective of this research was to improve the properties of immiscible polymer blends by developing a new ultrasonic extrusion process. The ability of ultrasonic treatment to induce recombination reactions in polymer blends was anticipated to result in fast in-situ compatibilization of immiscible blends. In order to test this hypothesis, a new ultrasonic extruder operating at a frequency of 20 kHz at amplitudes of 5, 7.5, and 10 mum was developed. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and wholly aromatic liquid crystalline copolyesters (LCPs) were selected to illustrate the effect of ultrasonic treatment on copolymerization of components through transesterification reactions in blends. The LCPs studied were a copolymer of hydroxybenzoic and hydroxynaphthoic acid (LCP1) and a copolymer of dioxydiphenyl, terephthalic and isophthalic acid (LCP2). PET/PEN, PET/LCP1, PEN/LCP1, and LCP1/LCP2 blends and their components were subsequently injection molded and spun into fibers. PET underwent homopolymerization and degradation, respectively, at ultrasonic amplitudes of 7.5 mum and 10 mum, while PEN underwent degradation at all amplitudes. MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy revealed greater amounts of hydroxyl and carboxyl terminated oligomers in ultrasonically treated PET and PEN. Transesterification (copolymer formation) was observed in PET/PEN blends, which was enhanced with ultrasonic treatment, as indicated by 1H NMR and MALDI-TOF. Oxygen permeability of compression molded films of untreated and ultrasonically treated PET/PEN blends followed theoretical predictions for miscible blends. Ultrasonic treatment of LCP1 at amplitudes of 7.5 and 10 mum led to improved mechanical properties of its injection moldings. On the other hand, LCP2 underwent degradation with treatment, leading to a reduction of mechanical properties of LCP2 and LCP1/LCP2 blends. However, due to enhanced fibrillation, these blends retained synergism such that moldings exhibited
Electric current arising from unpolarized polyvinyl formal
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
P K Khare; P L Jain; R K Pandey
An appreciable electric current is observed in a system consisting of a polyvinyl formal (PVF) film in a sandwich configuration, in the temperature range 30–110°C. The maximum value of the current during first heating is found to be of the order of 10–10 A and its thermograms exhibit one transition (i.e. current peak) at around 60°C. The position of the current peak in thermal spectrum shifts with the heating rate. A temperature dependence of the open circuit voltage is also observed. The activation energy of the process responsible for the current is determined. The magnitude of the current is more in the case of dissimilar electrode systems. It is proposed that the electric current arising from unpolarized metal–polymer–metal system is a water activated phenomenon, which is influenced by the transitional changes of the polymer.
Self-assembly of the hydrogel polymer chain consisting of chitosan and chondroitin sulphate in the presence of theophylline;Propriedades de higrogeis constituidos de quitosana e sulfato decondroitina na presenca de teofilina intumescidos em diferentes pHs
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Lopes, Lais C.; Piai, Juliana F.; Fajardo, Andre R.; Rubira, Adley F.; Muniz, Edvani C., E-mail: email@example.com [Universidade Estadual de Maringa (GMPC/UEM), PR (Brazil). Grupo de Materiais Polimericos e Compositos
In this work, polyelectronic complex (PEC) consisting of two polysaccharides were developed. One is chitosan (QT), cationic polymer, produced by the chitin deacetylation and the other is chondroitin sulphate (CS), anionic polymer, extracted from bovine or porcine aorta. The PECs were prepared in the presence of theophylline (TEO) for evaluating the influence of this drug in the polymer chains reorganization, as well as, studying the mechanical properties and release of SC and TEO in aqueous solutions on different pH conditions. By the obtained results, it was observed that the 84QT/15SC/TEO (% in weight) hydrogel is pH responsive because the CS releasing is more effective at pH 8, while the release of the TEO is higher at pH 2. The hydrogel showed mechanical properties more resistant to pH 2, 8 and 10 and this was attributed to interactions between the polymer chains. Finally, the X-rays profile showed the presence of peaks associated to reorganization of the chains in the hydrogel is at times larger than the hydrogel in the absence of solute. (author)
Electrospun regenerated cellulose nanofibrous membranes surface-grafted with polymer chains/brushes via the atom transfer radical polymerization method for catalase immobilization.
Feng, Quan; Hou, Dayin; Zhao, Yong; Xu, Tao; Menkhaus, Todd J; Fong, Hao
In this study, an electrospun regenerated cellulose (RC) nanofibrous membrane with fiber diameters of ∼200-400 nm was prepared first; subsequently, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), 2-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), and acrylic acid (AA) were selected as the monomers for surface grafting of polymer chains/brushes via the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) method. Thereafter, four nanofibrous membranes (i.e., RC, RC-poly(HEMA), RC-poly(DMAEMA), and RC-poly(AA)) were explored as innovative supports for immobilization of an enzyme of bovine liver catalase (CAT). The amount/capacity, activity, stability, and reusability of immobilized catalase were evaluated, and the kinetic parameters (Vmax and Km) for immobilized and free catalase were determined. The results indicated that the respective amounts/capacities of immobilized catalase on RC-poly(HEMA) and RC-poly(DMAEMA) nanofibrous membranes reached 78 ± 3.5 and 67 ± 2.7 mg g(-1), which were considerably higher than the previously reported values. Meanwhile, compared to that of free CAT (i.e., 18 days), the half-life periods of RC-CAT, RC-poly(HEMA)-CAT, RC-poly(DMAEMA)-CAT, and RC-poly(AA)-CAT were 49, 58, 56, and 60 days, respectively, indicating that the storage stability of immobilized catalase was also significantly improved. Furthermore, the immobilized catalase exhibited substantially higher resistance to temperature variation (tested from 5 to 70 °C) and lower degree of sensitivity to pH value (tested from 4.0 and 10.0) than the free catalase. In particular, according to the kinetic parameters of Vmax and Km, the nanofibrous membranes of RC-poly(HEMA) (i.e., 5102 μmol mg(-1) min(-1) and 44.89 mM) and RC-poly(DMAEMA) (i.e., 4651 μmol mg(-1) min(-1) and 46.98 mM) had the most satisfactory biocompatibility with immobilized catalase. It was therefore concluded that the electrospun RC nanofibrous membranes surface-grafted with 3-dimensional nanolayers of polymer chains/brushes would be
One step grafting of iron phthalocyanine containing flexible chains on Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles towards high performance polymer magnetic composites
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Pu, Zejun; Zhou, Xuefei; Yang, Xulin; Jia, Kun, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com; Liu, Xiaobo, E-mail: email@example.com
To develop high-performance inorganic particles/polymer composites, the interfacial interaction and dispersion of inorganic particles are the two essential issues to be considered. Herein, we report an effective approach to graft iron phthalocyanine containing flexible chains (NP-ph) on Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles (NP-ph@Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}). The hybrids were monodispersed solid nanoparticles with the average diameter of about 250 nm. About 16.8% of the phthalocyanine oligomer was incorporated into the resulting NP-ph@Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles. The NP-ph@Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles were subsequently used as the novel filler for preparation of high performance poly(arylene ether nitrile)s (PAEN) composites. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigation showed that the NP-ph@Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles present better dispersion and interfacial compatibility with PAEN matrix than that of raw Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}, which was further confirmed by rheological study. Consequently, the improved thermal stability and enhanced mechanical properties were obtained from composites using NP-ph@Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}. Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) results showed that the prepared PAEN composites exhibited higher saturation magnetization and soft magnetic properties. Meanwhile, the saturation magnetization (Ms) of the PAEN/NP-ph@Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} composite films increased with the increase of the hybrid nanoparticles loading. Thus, the PAEN/NP-ph@Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} composite would find potential applications in organic magnetic films fields due to their high thermal stability, excellent flexibility and tunable magnetic properties. - Highlights: • An effective approach to graft CuPc containing flexible chains on Fe. • Effect on the mechanical, thermal and interfacial properties were investigated. • The dispersion state was characterized using parallel-plate rheometry. • The mechanism of interfacial compatibility was clarified.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
McDonald, William F. (Utica, OH); Huang, Zhi-Heng (Walnut Creek, CA); Wright, Stacy C. (Columbus, GA)
A polymeric composition having antimicrobial properties and a process for rendering the surface of a substrate antimicrobial are disclosed. The composition comprises a crosslinked chemical combination of (i) a polymer having amino group-containing side chains along a backbone forming the polymer, (ii) an antimicrobial agent selected from quaternary ammonium compounds, gentian violet compounds, substituted or unsubstituted phenols, biguanide compounds, iodine compounds, and mixtures thereof, and (iii) a crosslinking agent containing functional groups capable of reacting with the amino groups. In one embodiment, the polymer is a polyamide formed from a maleic anhydride or maleic acid ester monomer and alkylamines thereby producing a polyamide having amino substituted alkyl chains on one side of the polyamide backbone; the crosslinking agent is a phosphine having the general formula (A)3P wherein A is hydroxyalkyl; and the antimicrobial agent is chlorhexidine, dimethylchlorophenol, cetyl pyridinium chloride, gentian violet, triclosan, thymol, iodine, and mixtures thereof.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
McDonald, William F. (Utica, OH); Wright, Stacy C. (Flint, MI); Taylor, Andrew C. (Ann Arbor, MI)
A polymeric composition having antimicrobial properties and a process for rendering the surface of a substrate antimicrobial are disclosed. The polymeric composition comprises a crosslinked chemical combination of (i) a polymer having amino group-containing side chains along a backbone forming the polymer, (ii) an antimicrobial agent selected from metals, metal alloys, metal salts, metal complexes and mixtures thereof, and (iii) a crosslinking agent containing functional groups capable of reacting with the amino groups. In one example embodiment, the polymer is a polyamide formed from a maleic anhydride or maleic acid ester monomer and alkylamines thereby producing a polyamide having amino substituted alkyl chains on one side of the polyamide backbone; the crosslinking agent is a phosphine having the general formula (A).sub.3 P wherein A is hydroxyalkyl; and the metallic antimicrobial agent is selected from chelated silver ions, silver metal, chelated copper ions, copper metal, chelated zinc ions, zinc metal and mixtures thereof.
Chain-length-dependent impact of band broadening on the molar-mass determination of synthetic polymers via size-exclusion chromatography.
Wolpers, Arne; Vana, Philipp
The impact of band-broadening (BB) on the molar-mass determination of synthetic polymers via size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) is systematically studied. BB is simulated using the exponentially modified Gaussian (EMG) model, which combines the two inherent and distinct characteristics contributing to BB in SEC: symmetric Gaussian broadening and asymmetric skewing. It is demonstrated that BB both during the measurement of the analyte itself and during the calibration process has an individual impact on molar-mass determination. In this context, particularly skewing leads to a chain-length-dependent underestimation of molar masses, with deviations of the apparent from the true ones of only a few percent for low molar masses to up to 20% for high ones for reasonable extents of BB. The impact is shown to be independent of the shape of the analyte⬢s molar-mass distribution (MMD) and affects broad and multimodal MMDs similarly to narrow and unimodal ones. As a consequence, strategies are presented for a comprehensive quantitative correction of the observed effects, which may find their application in refined SEC software packages. The potential impact of the findings on general conceptions of repeatability and reproducibility within SEC experiments is discussed. PMID:27393628
Hydrothermal Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a Cadmium(Ⅱ) Polymer with One-dimensional Chain Structure: [Cd(bpy)(BDC)]n·nbpy
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
LI Xiu-Mei; NIU Yan-Ling; WANG Qing-Wei; CUI Yun-Cheng; LIU Bo
A metal-organic coordination polymer [Cd(bpy)(BDC)]n·nbpy (bpy = 2,2'-bipyri- dine, H2BDC = terephthalic acid) has been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characteri- zed by elemental analysis, IR spectrum, TG and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex crystallizes in monoclinic, space group C2/c with a = 15.723(5), b = 21.695(5), c = 7.576(5)(A), β = 116.171(7)o, V = 2319.3(18)(A)3, C28H20CdN4O4, Mr = 588.88, Dc = 1.686 g/cm3, μ(MoKα) = 0.987 mm(1, F(000) = 1184, Z = 4, the final R = 0.0464 and wR = 0.0831 for 1882 observed reflections (Ⅰ > 2σI)). It exhibits a three-dimensional network with channels constructed from one-dimensional coordination chains via C-H…O hydrogen bonds and significant aromatic π-π stacking interactions.
Self-assembly of silver(I) coordination polymers from aminopyrimidyl derivatives and malonate acid: From 1D chain to 2D layer
Sun, Di; Zhang, Na; Xu, Qin-Juan; Luo, Geng-Geng; Huang, Rong-Bin; Zheng, Lan-Sun
Two new silver(I) coordination polymers (CPs) of the formula [Ag 2(dmapym) 4(mal)·H 2O] n ( 1) and [Ag 3(apym) 3(mal)NO 3] n ( 2) (dmapym = 2-amino-4,6-dimethylprimidine, apym = 2-aminopyrimidine, H 2mal = malonate) have been synthesized by reactions of AgNO 3 and 2-aminopyrimidyl ligands with malonate under the ammoniacal condition. Both complexes have been characterized by element analysis, IR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The monodentate dmapym and tridentate mal ligands link Ag(I) ions to give complex 1 a one-dimensional (1D) H-shaped chain structure. The complex 2 is a two-dimensional (2D) double sheet structure constructed by (4, 4) single sheet. Additionally, the hydrogen-bonding and C-H⋯π interactions also direct the self-assembly of supramolecular architectures. The photoluminescence properties of the 1 and 2 were investigated in the solid state at room temperature.
o-, m-, and p-Pyridyl isomer effects on construction of 1D loop-and-chains: Silver(I) coordination polymers with Y-type tridentate ligands
Kim, Jeong Gyun; Cho, Yoonjung; Lee, Haeri; Lee, Young-A.; Jung, Ok-Sang
Self-assembly of silver(I) hexafluorophosphate with unique Y-type tridentate ligands (2,6-bis[(2-picolinoyloxy-5-methylphenyl)methyl]-p-tolylpicolinate (o-L), 2-nicotinoyloxy- (m-L), and 2-isonicotinoyloxy- (p-L)) produces single crystals consisting of 1D loop-and-chain coordination polymers of [Ag(o-L)](PF6)·Me2CO·CHCl3, [Ag(m-L)](PF6)·Me2CO, and [Ag3(p-L)2](PF6)3·2H2O·2C2H5OH·4CH2Cl2 with quite different trigonal prismatic, trigonal, and linear silver(I) coordination geometry, respectively. Coordinating ability of the three ligands for AgPF6 is in the order of p-L > o-L > m-L. The solvate molecules of [Ag(o-L)](PF6)·Me2CO·CHCl3 can be removed, and be replaced reversibly in the order of acetone ≫ chloroform ≈ dichloromethane ≫ benzene, without destruction of its skeleton.
Wilson, Thomas S.; Bearinger, Jane P.
New shape memory polymer compositions, methods for synthesizing new shape memory polymers, and apparatus comprising an actuator and a shape memory polymer wherein the shape memory polymer comprises at least a portion of the actuator. A shape memory polymer comprising a polymer composition which physically forms a network structure wherein the polymer composition has shape-memory behavior and can be formed into a permanent primary shape, re-formed into a stable secondary shape, and controllably actuated to recover the permanent primary shape. Polymers have optimal aliphatic network structures due to minimization of dangling chains by using monomers that are symmetrical and that have matching amine and hydroxyl groups providing polymers and polymer foams with clarity, tight (narrow temperature range) single transitions, and high shape recovery and recovery force that are especially useful for implanting in the human body.
Toxicology of Biomedical Polymers
P. V. Vedanarayanan; A. C. Fernandez
This paper deals with the various types of polymers, used in the fabrication of medical devices, their diversity of applications and toxic hazards which may arise out of their application. The potential toxicity of monomers and the various additives used in the manufacture of biomedical polymers have been discussed along with hazards which may arise out of processing of devices such as sterilization. The importance of quality control and stringent toxicity evaluation methods have been emphasi...
Polymer nanocomposites: polymer and particle dynamics
Kim, Daniel
Polymer nanocomposites containing nanoparticles smaller than the random coil size of their host polymer chains are known to exhibit unique properties, such as lower viscosity and glass transition temperature relative to the neat polymer melt. It has been hypothesized that these unusual properties result from fast diffusion of the nanostructures in the host polymer, which facilitates polymer chain relaxation by constraint release and other processes. In this study, the effects of addition of sterically stabilized inorganic nanoparticles to entangled cis-1,4-polyisoprene and polydimethylsiloxane on the overall rheology of nanocomposites are discussed. In addition, insights about the relaxation of the host polymer chains and transport properties of nanoparticles in entangled polymer nanocomposites are presented. The nanoparticles are found to act as effective plasticizers for their entangled linear hosts, and below a critical, chemistry and molecular-weight dependent particle volume fraction, lead to reduced viscosity, glass transition temperature, number of entanglements, and polymer relaxation time. We also find that the particle motions in the polymer host are hyperdiffusive and at the nanoparticle length scale, the polymer host acts like a simple, ideal fluid and the composites\\' viscosity rises with increasing particle concentration. © 2012 The Royal Society of Chemistry.
Side-chain functionalized poly(3-hexylthiophene)-based copolymers: synsthesis and characterization of derivatives for application in polymer solar cells
CAMPO, Bert
Conjugated polymers combine semi-conductive electrical properties with desirable mechanical properties such as light weight and high mechanical strength and flexibility. This enables the development of new technologies and applications based on these materials. Poly(3-hexylthiophene) is a conjugated polymer that has been extensively investigated in polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells. ...
Loop polymer brushes from polymer single crystals
Zhou, Tian; Li, Christopher
Loop polymer brushes represent a category of polymer brushes with both chain ends being tethered to a surface or interface with sufficiently high density. Due to this morphological difference, loop brushes exhibit distinct properties compared with traditional polymer brushes with single chain end being tethered. In our study, α, ω-functionalized polycaprolactone (PCL) single crystals were prepared as templates for polymer brush synthesis. By carefully controlling crystallization condition and immobilization, looped polymer brushes were successfully prepared. Comprehensive studies on the morphology and physical properties of these polymer brushes were carried out using Atomic Force Microscopy and FTIR. Advantages of using this method include exclusive loop morphology, high grafting density, controlled tethering sites and tunable loop size.
Gurau, Razvan
Melonic graphs constitute the family of graphs arising at leading order in the 1/N expansion of tensor models. They were shown to lead to a continuum phase, reminiscent of branched polymers. We show here that they are in fact precisely branched polymers, that is, they possess Hausdorff dimension 2 and spectral dimension 4/3.
Construction of copper-based coordination polymers with 1D chain, 2D plane and wavy networks: Syntheses, structures, thermal behaviors and photoluminescence properties
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
Jianghua Li; Chi Zhang
Three Cu-based coordination polymers (CPs), including [CuII ( -1 -NCS)2 (O-1 -DMF)2 (2 -3,3'-bptz)] (1), [CuI (1,3-2-NCS)(2-3,3'-bptz)] (2) and [(CuI (1,3-μ2- NCS))(2-4,4'-bptz)] (3) (DMF = , -dimethyl formamide, 3,3'-bptz = 3,6-bis(3-pyridyl)tetrazine and 4,4'-bptz = 3,6-bis(4-pyridyl)tetrazine) have been successfully constructed by solution diffusion reactions by using Cu(NO3)2 ·3H2O or CuNCS and KNCS with 3,3'-bptz / 4,4'-bptz ligands, respectively. The resulting crystalline materials have been characterized by the single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses, elemental analyses, FT-IR spectra, thermogravimetric analyses and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). Single crystal X-ray analyses revealed that CP 1 is organized in one-dimensional (1D) chain in which the Cu(II) ions are coordinated by 1 -NCS− anions and 1-DMF molecules, and linked by 2-3,3'-bptz bridging ligands. CPs ,2 and 3 are structural isomers. CP 2 exhibits two-dimensional (2D) (4,4)-plane-like network in which Cu(I) ions are linked by 2-NCS − and 2-3,3'-bptz ligands. In CP 3, Cu(I) ions are connected by 2 -NCS − and 2-4,4'-bptz ligands to form 2D saw-tooth wavy network. In addition, the photoluminescence properties of CPs 1-3 were also investigated in the solid state at room temperature.
Dust arising during steelmaking processes
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
P. Popielska-Ostrowska
Full Text Available Purpose: This paper describes the dust arising during steelmaking processes.Design/methodology/approach: Steelmaking dusts may be a viable alternative for obtaining valuable and widely used metal which is zinc. On the other hand, heavy metals, it was as dangerous to the environment, and this in turn means that development of steelmaking dusts in the best possible way.Findings: The analysis of the formation of steelmaking dust.Research limitations/implications: Understanding the mechanism of steelmaking dusts will help to increase the participation of zinc recycling from wastes.Practical implications: Contained zinc in the dust can be recovered from the positive economic effect, and neutralization of hazardous waste to the desired environmental effect.Originality/value: Description of the mechanism of steelmaking dust, with particular emphasis on the distribution of zinc. The information is very important in the development of metal recovery technology from waste.
Longitudinal relaxation of initially straight flexible and stiff polymers
Dimitrakopoulos, Panagiotis; Dissanayake, Inuka
The present talk considers the relaxation of a single flexible or stiff polymer chain from an initial straight configuration in a viscous solvent. This problem commonly arises when strong flows are turned off in both industrial and biological applications. The problem is also motivated by recent experiments with single biopolymer molecules relaxing after being fully extended by applied forces as well as by the recent development of micro-devices involving stretched tethered biopolymers. Our results are applicable to a wide array of synthetic polymers such as polyacrylamides, Kevlar and polyesters as well as biopolymers such as DNA, actin filaments, microtubules and MTV. In this talk we discuss the mechanism of the polymer relaxation as was revealed through Brownian Dynamics simulations covering a broad range of time scales and chain stiffness. After the short-time free diffusion, the chain's longitudinal reduction at early intermediate times is shown to constitute a universal behavior for any chain stiffness caused by a quasi-steady relaxation of tensions associated with the deforming action of the Brownian forces. Stiff chains are shown to exhibit a late intermediate-time longitudinal reduction associated with a relaxation of tensions affected by the deforming Brownian and the restoring bending forces. The longitudinal and transverse relaxations are shown to obey different laws, i.e. the chain relaxation is anisotropic at all times. In the talk, we show how from the knowledge of the relaxation mechanism, we can predict and explain the polymer properties including the polymer stress and the solution birefringence. In addition, a generalized stress-optic law is derived valid for any time and chain stiffness. All polymer properties which depend on the polymer length are shown to exhibit two intermediate-time behaviors with the early one to constitute a universal behavior for any chain stiffness. This work was supported in part by the Minta Martin Research Fund. The
Polymer friction Molecular Dynamics
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Sivebæk, Ion Marius; Samoilov, Vladimir N.; Persson, Bo N. J.
We present molecular dynamics friction calculations for confined hydrocarbon solids with molecular lengths from 20 to 1400 carbon atoms. Two cases are considered: a) polymer sliding against a hard substrate, and b) polymer sliding on polymer. In the first setup the shear stresses are relatively...... independent of molecular length. For polymer sliding on polymer the friction is significantly larger, and dependent on the molecular chain length. In both cases, the shear stresses are proportional to the squeezing pressure and finite at zero load, indicating an adhesional contribution to the friction force....
Synthesis, crystal structure and properties of two 1D nano-chain coordination polymers constructed by lanthanide with pyridine-3,4-dicarboxylic acid and 1,10-phenanthroline
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
The hydrothermal reactions of LnCl3.6H2O (Ln=Eu, Tb), pyridine-3,4-dicarboxylic acid (3,4-pydaH2), 1,10-phenthroline (phen) and NaOH in aqueous medium yield two metal-organic hybrid materials, [Eu2(3,4-pyda)3(phen)(H2O).H2O]n (1) and [Tb2(3,4-pyda)3(phen)(H2O).H2O]n (2), respectively. Both compounds have similar topology structure containing one-dimensional nano-chain, which is further assembled into a three-dimensional supramolecular network via π-π stacking interactions and hydrogen bonds. To the best of our knowledge, they represent the first example of nano-chain coordination polymers constructed by 3,4-pydaH2 and chelate heterocylic ligand. Interestingly, the 3,4-pyda anion exhibits three kinds of coordination modes in these complexes. The coordination modes of 3,4-pyda in complexes 1 and 2 have not been observed in other coordination polymers containing 3,4-pyda ligands. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibit strong fluorescent emission bands in the solid state at room temperature. Their magnetic analyses show that they exhibit different magnetic interactions. - Graphical abstract: Two novel lanthanide coordination polymers [M2(pydc)3(phen)(H2O).H2O]n (M=Eu(1) and Tb(2), pydc=pyridine-3,4-dicarboxylate, phen=1,10-phenthroline) have been synthesized and characterized. Both compounds reveal a one-dimensional nano-chain, which is further assembled into a three-dimensional supramolecular network via π-π stacking interactions and hydrogen bonds. Their luminescent and magnetic properties have been investigated
Syntheses and Characterization of New Nickel Coordination Polymers with 4,4'-Dipyridylsulfide. Dynamic Rearrangements of One-Dimensional Chains Responding to External Stimuli: Temperature Variation and Guest Releases/Re-Inclusions
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Hiroyuki Kawaguchi
Full Text Available Crystal structures and dynamic rearrangements of one-dimensional coordination polymers with 4,4'-dipyridylsulfide (dps have been studied. Reaction of Ni(NO32·6H2O with dps in EtOH yielded [Ni(dps2(NO32]·EtOH (1, which had channels filled with guest EtOH molecules among the four Ni(dps2 chains. This coordination polymer reversibly transformed the channel structure responding to temperature variations. Immersion of 1 in m-xylene released guest EtOH molecules to yield a guest-free coordination polymer [Ni(dps2(NO32] (2a, which was also obtained by treatment of Ni(NO32·6H2O with dps in MeOH. On the other hand, removal of the guest molecules from 1 upon heating at 130 °C under reduced pressure produced a guest-free coordination polymer [Ni(dps2(NO32] (2b. Although the 2a and 2b guest-free coordination polymers have the same formula, they showed differences in the assembled structures of the one-dimensional chains. Exposure of 2b to EtOH vapor reproduced 1, while 2a did not convert to 1 in a similar reaction. Reaction of Ni(NO32·6H2O with dps in acetone provided [Ni(dps(NO32(H2O]·Me2CO (4 with no channel structure. When MeOH or acetone was used as a reaction solvent, the [Ni(dps2(NO32]·(guest molecule type coordination polymer ,which was observed in 1, was not formed. Nevertheless, the reaction of Ni(NO32·6H2O with dps in MeOH/acetone mixed solution produced [Ni(dps2(NO32]·0.5(MeOH·acetone (5, which has an isostructural Ni-dps framework to 1.
Adsorption theory for polydisperse polymers.
Roefs, S.P.F.M.; Scheutjens, J.M.H.M.; Leermakers, F.A.M.
Most polymers are polydisperse. We extend the self-consistent field polymer adsorption theory due to Scheutjens and Fleer to account for an arbitrary polymer molecular weight distribution with a cutoff chain length Nmax. In this paper, the treatment is restricted to homopolymers. For this case a ver
Virus Adsorption Optimization Algorithm of Intrusion Tolerance System Based on Polymer Chain%基于高分子链的入侵容忍系统病毒吸附算法
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
The maximum adsorption of virus can effectively guarantee the network security, and improve the safety perfor-mance of intrusion tolerance system. The traditional method takes random motion chain growth model, when an intrusion vi-rus shows in non uniform growth condition, and the adsorption capacity of the virus is not good. A optimization method of vi-rus adsorption of intrusion tolerance system is proposed based on polymer chain, the data fusion is obtained with linear pro-gramming technique, the intrusion tolerance system is described as five states of Markov chain, the security attributes analy-sis of intrusion tolerance system is obtained, the overlapping detection and vector operation are taken for simulating chain adsorption properties of polymer, the strong adsorption of virus is obtained. Simulation results show that, the algorithm can absorb 4 kinds of virus data on the polymer chain model surface effectively, clustering effect is nice, it has better real-time and robustness property.%对入侵病毒的最大化吸附可以有效保证网络安全,提高入侵容忍系统的安全防护性能。传统的入侵容忍系统检测和吸附病毒的方法采用链节点的随机运动生长模型,当入侵病毒为非均匀增长状态时,对病毒的吸附能力不好。提出一种基于高分子链的病毒优化吸附方法,采用线性规划技术进行入侵容忍系统状态数据融合,把入侵容忍系统描述为马尔科夫链的5个状态,进行入侵容忍系统安全属性分析,采用链重叠检测和向量化运算模拟高分子链吸附性能,实现对入侵病毒的强力吸附。仿真实验表明,采用该算法能把4类病毒入侵数据有效吸附在高分子链模型表面,聚类效果较好,具有较好的实时性和鲁棒性。
A Modified Polymer from Polyacrylonitrile
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Indra Bajaj
Full Text Available Polyacrylonitrile has been modified by introducing thioamide groups (-CSNH/sub 2/ in place of nitride groups (-CN in the chain by passing dry H/sub 2/ S gas through a 5% solution of the polymer in N-N dimethylformamide. The modified polymer is soluble in acetone. X-ray study revealed the complete loss of crystallinity in the modified polymer. Infra-red spectrum of the polymer film shows strong absorption bands at 3390 cm/sup 1/, 2273 cm/sup 1/ and 1667 cm/sup 1/ indicating the presence of both thioamide and nitride groups in the polymer chain.
Quinacridone-Diketopyrrolopyrrole-Based Polymers for Organic Field-Effect Transistors
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Kazuo Takimiya
Full Text Available Incorporation of pigment or dye molecules as building units is of great interest in the development of semiconducting polymers, due to their strong intermolecular interactions arising from the strong local dipoles in the unit structure, which would facilitate the charge transport property. In this paper, semiconducting polymers based on well-known pigments, namely, quinacridone and diketopyrrolopyrrole, are synthesized and characterized. The π-stacking distances are found to be 3.5–3.8 Å, which is fairly narrow for semiconducting polymers, indicating that they possess strong intermolecular interactions. Interestingly, polymer orientation is influenced by the composition of alkyl side chains. While the edge-on orientation is observed when the linear alkyl groups are introduced for all the side chains, the face-on orientation is observed when the branched alkyl groups are introduced either in the quinacridone or diketopyrrolopyrrole unit. It is found that the electronic structure of the present polymers is mostly affected by that of the diketopyrrolopyrrole unit, as evidenced by the absorption spectra and computation. Although the field-effect mobility of the polymers is modest, i.e., in the order of 10−4–10−3 cm2/Vs, these findings could be important information for the development of semiconducting polymers.
Polymer research by neutron scattering
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Polymer physics aims on an understanding of the macroscopic behavior of polymer systems on the basis of their molecular structure and dynamics. For this purpose neutrons serve as a unique probe, allowing a simultaneous investigation of polymer structure and dynamics on a molecular scale. Furthermore, hydrogen deuterium exchange facilitates molecular labeling and offers the possibility to observe selected chains or chain parts in dense systems. Neutron small angle scattering reveals information on the conformation and possible aggregation of polymer chains. Data on linear and star like molecules are shown as examples. High resolution neutron spin-echospectroscopy observes the molecular dynamics of long chain molecules. Results on the large scale motion of chins in polymer melts are presented. finally, experiments on chain relaxation close to the glass transition are displayed. Three distinctly different relaxation processes are revealed. (author)
Synthetic Metal-Containing Polymers
Manners, Ian
The development of the field of synthetic metal-containing polymers - where metal atoms form an integral part of the main chain or side group structure of a polymer - aims to create new materials which combine the processability of organic polymers with the physical or chemical characteristics associated with the metallic element or complex. This book covers the major developments in the synthesis, properties, and applications of synthetic metal-containing macromolecules, and includes chapters on the preparation and characterization of metal-containing polymers, metallocene-based polymers, rigid-rod organometallic polymers, coordination polymers, polymers containing main group metals, and also covers dendritic and supramolecular systems. The book describes both polymeric materials with metals in the main chain or side group structure and covers the literature up to the end of 2002.
A multiconfigurational time-dependent Hartree-Fock method for excited electronic states. II. Coulomb interaction effects in single conjugated polymer chains
Miranda, R. P.; Fisher, A. J.; Stella, L.; Horsfield, A. P.
Conjugated polymers have attracted considerable attention in the last few decades due to their potential for optoelectronic applications. A key step that needs optimisation is charge carrier separation following photoexcitation. To understand better the dynamics of the exciton prior to charge separation, we have performed simulations of the formation and dynamics of localised excitations in single conjugated polymer strands. We use a nonadiabatic molecular dynamics method which allows for the coupled evolution of the nuclear degrees of freedom and of multiconfigurational electronic wavefunctions. We show the relaxation of electron-hole pairs to form excitons and oppositely charged polaron pairs and discuss the modifications to the relaxation process predicted by the inclusion of the Coulomb interaction between the carriers. The issue of charge photogeneration in conjugated polymers in dilute solution is also addressed.
Time-dependent Diffusion Coefficient and Conventional Diffusion Constant of Nanoparticles in Polymer Melts by Mode-coupling Theory
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Xin-yu Lai; Nan-rong Zhao
Time-dependent diffusion coefficient and conventional diffusion constant are calculated and analyzed to study diffusion of nanoparticles in polymer melts.A generalized Langevin equation is adopted to describe the diffusion dynamics.Mode-coupling theory is employed to calculate the memory kernel of friction.For simplicity,only microscopic terms arising from binary collision and coupling to the solvent density fluctuation are included in the formalism.The equilibrium structural information functions of the polymer nanocomposites required by mode-coupling theory are calculated on the basis of polymer reference interaction site model with Percus-Yevick closure.The effect of nanoparticle size and that of the polymer size are clarified explicitly.The structural functions,the friction kernel,as well as the diffusion coefficient show a rich variety with varying nanoparticle radius and polymer chain length.We find that for small nanoparticles or short chain polymers,the characteristic short time non-Markov diffusion dynamics becomes more prominent,and the diffusion coefficient takes longer time to approach asymptotically the conventional diffusion constant.This constant due to the microscopic contributions will decrease with the increase of nanoparticle size,while increase with polymer size.Furthermore,our result of diffusion constant from modecoupling theory is compared with the value predicted from the Stokes-Einstein relation.It shows that the microscopic contributions to the diffusion constant are dominant for small nanoparticles or long chain polymers.Inversely,when nanonparticle is big,or polymer chain is short,the hydrodynamic contribution might play a significant role.
Mesomorphic structure of poly(styrene)-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) with oligo(ethylene oxide)sulfonic acid side chains as a model for molecularly reinforced polymer electrolyte
Kosonen, H; Valkama, S; Hartikainen, J; Eerikainen, H; Torkkeli, M; Jokela, K; Serimaa, R; Sundholm, F; ten Brinke, G; Ikkala, O; Eerikäinen, Hannele
We report self-organized polymer electrolytes based on poly(styrene)-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-block-P4VP). Liquidlike ethylene oxide (EO) oligomers with sulfonic acid end groups are bonded to the P4VP block, leading to comb-shaped supramolecules with the PS-block-P4VP backbone. Lithium perchl
Primary extradural meningioma arising from the calvarium
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
N Ravi
Full Text Available Meningiomas are the most common intracranial tumours. Meningiomas arising at other locations are termed primary extradural meningiomas (EDM and are rare. Here we report a case of EDM arising from the calvarium – a primary calvarial meningioma (PCM.
Morphogenesis and Chain Behaviors Related to Crystallization in Ultrathin Polymer Films%聚合物超薄膜结晶相关的形貌形成及链行为
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
王命泰; Hans-Georg Braun; Evelyn Meyer; 朱俊
聚合物超薄膜结晶是高分子物理领域的一个新研究课题,近来已引起人们的关注,其为人们在真实时空下研究聚合物结晶及相关链行为提供了可能.聚合物超薄膜结晶与膜厚(D)有很强的相关性,尤其是D<20nm的薄膜在结晶形貌和结晶动力学方面与本体结晶差别很大.已有的结果主要集中在结晶形貌、晶体尺寸、晶体生长速度和习性、晶体的熔融和结晶度等方面,涉及温度、膜厚、基片性质和膜的组成和结构对结晶的影响;然而,有些实验结果和解释彼此不完全一致,甚至有时相互矛盾.本文综述和讨论了近年来在超薄膜结晶方面的研究,重点在于结晶形貌的形成和相关的聚合物链行为.%As a new and intriguing topic in polymer physics, the crystallization in ultrathin films has received a considerable attention in recent years, and it has provided opportunities for studying polymer crystallization and related chain behaviors in real space and time. The crystallization in ultrathin polymer films depends strongly on film thickness (D), particularly those with D<20 nm exhibit a great deviation from bulk crystallization both in crystalline morphology and crystallization kinetics. The accumulated studies mainly focus on the morphology, crystal dimensions, crystal growth rate and habit,crystal melting and crystallinity etc., involving the influences of temperature, film thickness, chemical property of substrate, and film composition and structure on the crystallization; however, some experimental results and interpretations are not completely consistent with each other, and even contradictory sometimes. In the present paper, the recent activities related to the crystallization in ultrathin polymer films are reviewed and discussed, with emphasis upon the morphogenesis of crystallization and related chain behaviors.
Small angle scattering and polymers
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Cotton, J.P. [Laboratoire Leon Brillouin (LLB) - Centre d`Etudes de Saclay, 91 - Gif-sur-Yvette (France)
The determination of polymer structure is a problem of interest for both statistical physics and industrial applications. The average polymer structure is defined. Then, it is shown why small angle scattering, associated with isotopic substitution, is very well suited to the measurement of the chain conformation. The corresponding example is the old, but pedagogic, measurement of the chain form factor in the polymer melt. The powerful contrast variation method is illustrated by a recent determination of the concentration profile of a polymer interface. (author) 12 figs., 48 refs.
Molecular and supramolecular orientation in conducting polymers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Intrinsic anisotropy in electrical and optical properties of conducting polymers constitutes a unique aspect that derives π-electron delocalization along the polymer backbone and from the weak inter-chain interaction. To acquire such an intrinsic property, conducting polymers have to be oriented macroscopically and microscopically (at the chain level). A review of the various techniques, including stretch-alignment of the polymer and of precursor polymers, polymerization in ordered media, i.e., in a liquid crystal solvent, and synthesis of liquid crystalline conducting polymers will be given. 29 refs
Highly Sensitive Thin-Film Field-Effect Transistor Sensor for Ammonia with the DPP-Bithiophene Conjugated Polymer Entailing Thermally Cleavable tert-Butoxy Groups in the Side Chains.
Yang, Yang; Zhang, Guanxin; Luo, Hewei; Yao, Jingjing; Liu, Zitong; Zhang, Deqing
The sensing and detection of ammonia have received increasing attention in recent years because of the growing emphasis on environmental and health issues. In this paper, we report a thin-film field-effect transistor (FET)-based sensor for ammonia and other amines with remarkable high sensitivity and satisfactory selectivity by employing the DPP-bithiophene conjugated polymer pDPPBu-BT in which tert-butoxycarboxyl groups are incorporated in the side chains. This polymer thin film shows p-type semiconducting property. On the basis of TGA and FT-IR analysis, tert-butoxycarboxyl groups can be transformed into the -COOH ones by eliminating gaseous isobutylene after thermal annealing of pDPPBu-BT thin film at 240 °C. The FET with the thermally treated thin film of pDPPBu-BT displays remarkably sensitive and selective response toward ammonia and volatile amines. This can be attributed to the fact that the elimination of gaseous isobutylene accompanies the formation of nanopores with the thin film, which will facilitate the diffusion and interaction of ammonia and other amines with the semiconducting layer, leading to high sensitivity and fast response for this FET sensor. This FET sensor can detect ammonia down to 10 ppb and the interferences from other volatile analytes except amines can be negligible. PMID:26883723
Toxicology of Biomedical Polymers
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
P. V. Vedanarayanan
Full Text Available This paper deals with the various types of polymers, used in the fabrication of medical devices, their diversity of applications and toxic hazards which may arise out of their application. The potential toxicity of monomers and the various additives used in the manufacture of biomedical polymers have been discussed along with hazards which may arise out of processing of devices such as sterilization. The importance of quality control and stringent toxicity evaluation methods have been emphasised since in our country, at present, there are no regulations covering the manufacturing and marketing of medical devices. Finally the question of the general and subtle long term systemic toxicity of biomedical polymers have been brought to attention with the suggestion that this question needs to be resolved permanently by appropriate studies.
Measuring distances within unfolded biopolymers using fluorescence resonance energy transfer: The effect of polymer chain dynamics on the observed fluorescence resonance energy transfer efficiency
Makarov, Dmitrii E.; Plaxco, Kevin W.
Recent years have seen a number of investigations in which distances within unfolded proteins, polypeptides, and other biopolymers are probed via fluorescence resonance energy transfer, a method that relies on the strong distance dependence of energy transfer between a pair of dyes attached to the molecule of interest. In order to interpret the results of such experiments it is commonly assumed that intramolecular diffusion is negligible during the excited state lifetime. Here we explore the conditions under which this "frozen chain" approximation fails, leading to significantly underestimated donor-acceptor distances, and describe a means of correcting for polymer dynamics in order to estimate these distances more accurately. PMID:19725638
Triclosan antimicrobial polymers
Petersen, Richard C.
Triclosan antimicrobial molecular fluctuating energies of nonbonding electron pairs for the oxygen atom by ether bond rotations are reviewed with conformational computational chemistry analyses. Subsequent understanding of triclosan alternating ether bond rotations is able to help explain several material properties in Polymer Science. Unique bond rotation entanglements between triclosan and the polymer chains increase both the mechanical properties of polymer toughness and strength that are enhanced even better through secondary bonding relationships. Further, polymer blend compatibilization is considered due to similar molecular relationships and polarities. With compatibilization of triclosan in polymers a more uniform stability for nonpolar triclosan in the polymer solid state is retained by the antimicrobial for extremely low release with minimum solubility into aqueous solution. As a result, triclosan is projected for long extended lifetimes as an antimicrobial polymer additive. Further, triclosan rapid alternating ether bond rotations disrupt secondary bonding between chain monomers in the resin state to reduce viscosity and enhance polymer blending. Thus, triclosan is considered for a polymer additive with multiple properties to be an antimicrobial with additional benefits as a nonpolar toughening agent and a hydrophobic wetting agent. The triclosan material relationships with alternating ether bond rotations are described through a complete different form of medium by comparisons with known antimicrobial properties that upset bacterial cell membranes through rapid fluctuating mechanomolecular energies. Also, triclosan bond entanglements with secondary bonding can produce structural defects in weak bacterial lipid membranes requiring pliability that can then interfere with cell division. Regarding applications with polymers, triclosan can be incorporated by mixing into a resin system before cure, melt mixed with thermoplastic polymers that set on cooling
Granick, Steve; Sukhishvili, Svetlana A.
A film contains a first polymer having a plurality of hydrogen bond donating moieties, and a second polymer having a plurality of hydrogen bond accepting moieties. The second polymer is hydrogen bonded to the first polymer.
Polymer Protected Gold Nanoparticles
Shan, Jun
Polymer protected gold nanoparticles have successfully been synthesized by both "grafting-from" and "grafting-to" techniques. The synthesis methods of the gold particles were systematically studied. Two chemically different homopolymers were used to protect gold particles: thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), PNIPAM, and polystyrene, PS. Both polymers were synthesized by using a controlled/living radical polymerization process, reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT)...
Inulin crystal initiation via a glucose-fructose cross-link of adjacent polymer chains: atomic force microscopy and static molecular modelling.
Cooper, Peter D; Rajapaksha, K Harinda; Barclay, Thomas G; Ginic-Markovic, Milena; Gerson, Andrea R; Petrovsky, Nikolai
Semi-crystalline microparticles of inulin (MPI) have clinical utility as potent human vaccine adjuvants but their relevant surface structure and crystal assembly remain undefined. We show inulin crystal surfaces to resemble multi-layered, discoid radial spherulites resulting from very rapid formation of complex tertiary structures, implying directed crystal initiation. Physical and in silico molecular modelling of unit cells confirm steric feasibility of initiation by hydrogen-bonded cross-linking of terminal glucose to a fructose of another chain, mimicking bonding in sucrose crystals. A strong, chelate-like dual H-bond is proposed to compel the known antiparallel alignment of inulin chains. Such cross-linking would require one extra fructose per chain in the native inulin crystal, as observed. Completion of five H-bonded internal ring-domains would 'lock in' each new 6-fructose structural unit of each antiparallel helix pair to create a new isoform. All known properties of inulin isoforms follow readily from these concepts.
Frictional properties of confined polymers
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Sivebæk, Ion Marius; Samoilov, Vladimir N; Persson, Bo N J
We present molecular dynamics friction calculations for confined hydrocarbon solids with molecular lengths from 20 to 1400 carbon atoms. Two cases are considered: a) polymer sliding against a hard substrate, and b) polymer sliding on polymer. In the first setup the shear stresses are relatively...... independent of molecular length. For polymer sliding on polymer the friction is significantly larger, and dependent on the molecular chain length. In both cases, the shear stresses are proportional to the squeezing pressure and finite at zero load, indicating an adhesional contribution to the friction force...
Synthesis,Crystal Structure and Electrochemical Properties of a One-dimensional Chain Coordination Polymer[Cu(phen)(2,4,6-TMBA)2(H2O)]n
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
LI Wei; LI Chang-Hong; YANG Ying-Qun; KUANG Yun-Fei
A one-dimensional chain coordination polymer[Cu(phen)(2,4,6-TMBA)2(H2O)]n has been synthesized by reacting 2,4,6-trimethyl-benzoic acid,1,10-phenanthroline and Cu(Ⅱ)per-chlorate and its structure Was characterized.Crystal data for this complex:tetragonal,space group I41,a=2.0293(3),b=2.0293(3),c=113758(2)nm,a=β=γ=90°,V=5.6657(13)nm3,Dc=1.379g/cm3,Z=8,μ(MoKa)=0.815mm-1,Mr=588.14,F(000)=2456,S=1.047,R=0.0459 and wR=O.1053.The crystal structure shows that two neighboring Cu(Ⅱ)ions are linked together by one bridging-chelating 2,4,6-trimethyl-benzoic group,forming a one-dimensional chain structure.Each Cu(Ⅱ)ion is coordinated with two nitrogen atoms from one 1,10-phenanthroline molecule,three oxygen atoms from three 2,4,6-trimethyl-benzoic acid molecules and one oxygen atom from one water molecule,giving a six-coordinate distorted octahedral coordination geometry.The cyclic voltamrnetry behavior of the complex was also investigated.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Electrochemical Properties of One-dimensional Chain Coordination Polymer [Co(Ⅱ)(C6H5CH=CHCOOH)2(4,4'-bipy)(H2O)5]n
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
A one-dimensional chain coordination polymer [Co(Ⅱ)(C6H5CH=CHCOOH)2(4,4'-bipy)(H2O)5]n has been synthesized with cinnamylic acid, 4,4'-bipy and cobaltous chloride as raw materials. Crystal data for this complex: monoclinic, space group P21/c, a - 1.1481(3), b =1.1230(2), c = 1.1759(3) nm, β = 97.054(4)°, V = 1.5046(6) nm3, Mr= 617.50, Dc = 1.363 g/cm3, Z= 2, μ(MoKα) = 0.627 mm-1, F(000) = 646, S = 1.062, R 0.0443 and wR = 0.1178. The crystal structure shows that two neighboring cobalt(Ⅱ) ions are linked together by one 4,4'-bipy, and the whole complex molecule adopts a one-dimensional chain structure. Each cobalt(Ⅱ) ion is coordinated with two nitrogen atoms from two 4,4'-bipy molecules and four oxygen atoms from four water molecules, giving a distorted octahedral coordination geometry. The electrochemical properties were analyzed by combining with the crystal structure.
Grafted polymer under shear flow
Kumar, Sanjiv; Foster, Damien P.; Giri, Debaprasad; Kumar, Sanjay
A self-attracting-self-avoiding walk model of polymer chain on a square lattice has been used to gain an insight into the behaviour of a polymer chain under shear flow in a slit of width L. Using exact enumeration technique, we show that at high temperature, the polymer acquires the extended state continuously increasing with shear stress. However, at low temperature the polymer exhibits two transitions: a transition from the coiled to the globule state and a transition to a stem-flower like state. For a chain of finite length, we obtained the exact monomer density distributions across the layers at different temperatures. The change in density profile with shear stress suggests that the polymer under shear flow can be used as a molecular gate with potential application as a sensor.
Caravenna, Francesco; Pétrélis, Nicolas
These lecture notes are a guided tour through the fascinating world of polymer chains interacting with themselves and/or with their environment. The focus is on the mathematical description of a number of physical and chemical phenomena, with particular emphasis on phase transitions and space-time scaling. The topics covered, though only a selection, are typical for the area. Sections 1-3 describe models of polymers without disorder, Sections 4-6 models of polymers with disorder. Appendices A-E contain tutorials in which a number of key techniques are explained in more detail.
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
We have recently developed a new theoretical approach to the study of polymer liquids. The theory is based on the ''reference interaction site model'' (RISM theory) of Chandler and Andersen, which has been successful in describing the structure of small molecule liquids. We have recently extended our polymer RISM theory to the case of polymer blends. In the present investigation we have applied this theory to two special binary blends: (1) the athermal mixture where we isolate structural effects, and (2) the isotopic mixture in which structurally identical polymer chains interact with dissimilar attractive interactions. By studying these two special cases we are able to obtain insights into the molecular factors which control the miscibility in polymer mixtures. 18 refs., 2 figs
Antiviral Polymer Therapeutics
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Smith, Anton Allen Abbotsford
and the drug which increased the potency of the conjugates significantly. A different approach to drug delivery is that of surface mediated drug delivery. Hydrogels of poly(vinyl alcohol) has shown great promise in this regard. The chemical opportunities of this polymer are explored through the virtues...... of reversible-addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization, which not only controls the size of polymer, but also allows the introduction of a terminal amine on the polymer which can be used for further conjugation. This has allowed for not only fluorescent labeling of the polymer, but also protein......The field of drug delivery is in essence an exercise in engineered pharmacokinetics. Methods of doing so have been developed through the introduction of a vehicle carrying the drug, either by encapsulation or covalent attachment. The emergence of polymer therapeutics in anticancer therapy has...
Time-resolved EPR investigation of potential model systems for acrylate polymer main chain radicals based on esters of Kemp's tri-acid.
Lebedeva, Natalia V; Gorelik, Elena V; Magnus-Aryitey, Damaris; Hill, Terence E; Forbes, Malcolm D E
Methyl esters of Kemp's tri-acid and cyclohexanetricarboxylic acid are structurally similar to acrylate polymers, having the same functionalities and stereoregularities as poly(methylmethacrylate) and poly(methylacrylate), respectively. The photochemistry and free radicals from these model systems have been studied using time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy with laser flash photolysis at 248 nm. Chemically induced electron spin polarization from the triplet mechanism (net emission) is observed. Well-resolved spectra are obtained at all temperatures for the model system radicals, which are determined to be in the slow motion condition, that is, there is no interconversion of chair conformations. The temperature dependence of the spectra is minimal; some hyperfine lines shift as the temperature increases, but without much broadening. Density functional theory calculations are presented and discussed in support of the experimental data.
Effect of functionality on unentangled star polymers at equilibrium and under shear flow
Xu, Xiaolei; Chen, Jizhong
The properties of unentangled star polymers with arm length Nf = 20 beads and functionality f (3 ≤ f ≤ 60) are investigated at equilibrium and under shear flow by coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. At equilibrium, the star polymer shows a crossover from a linear, freely penetrable, extremely soft object to a spherical, slightly hard object with an impenetrable center with increasing f. The results confirm that the arm relaxation is essentially independent of f and stars of large f form a liquid-like structure. In shear flow, the polymer deformation and alignment are calculated as well as the shear-induced rotational dynamics as function of shear rate. These properties are found to exhibit qualitative changes at an f-independent shear rate, γ p ˙ , which is a consequence of competition between chain relaxation and imposed flow. Shear thinning is characterized by shear viscosity and normal stress differences. With increasing f, the critical shear rate for the onset of shear thinning decreases from γ p ˙ for f = 3 to a smaller value. Our results also show that shear thinning of stars of large f arise from the collapse of liquid-like structures at low shear rates ( γ ˙ ≪ γ p ˙), where chains have no deformation; at high shear rates ( γ ˙ ≫ γ p ˙), shear thinning is mainly attributed to the chain stretching and orientation as linear polymers.
Effect of entanglements on mechanical properties of glassy polymers
Hoy, Robert Scott
Glass forming polymers are of great industrial importance and scientific interest because of their unique mechanical properties, which arise from the connectivity and random-walk-like structure of the constituent chains. In this thesis I study the relation of entanglements to the mechanical properties of model polymer glasses and brushes using molecular dynamics simulations. We perform extensive studies of glassy strain hardening, which stabilizes polymers against strain localization and fracture. Fundamental inconsistencies in existing entropic models of strain hardening imply that our understanding of its microscopic origins is far from complete. The dependence of stress on strain and entanglement density is consistent with experiment and entropic models. However, many of the assumptions of these models are totally inconsistent with our simulation results. The dependence on temperature, rate and interaction strength can be understood as reflecting changes in the plastic flow stress rather than a network entropy. A substantial energetic contribution to the stress rises rapidly as segments between entanglements are pulled taut. The thermal component of stress is less sensitive to entanglements, mostly irreversible, and directly related to the rate of local plastic arrangements. The deformation of the entanglement network is not affine to the macroscopic stretch. Entangled and unentangled chains show the same strain hardening when plotted against the microscopic chain orientation rather than the macroscopic strain. The entropic back stress responsible for shape recovery arises from chain orientation rather than entanglement. We also present some other results unrelated to strain hardening. We analyze the entanglement of polymer brushes embedded in long-chain melts and in implicit good and theta solvents. The melt-embedded brushes are more self-entangled than those in the solvents. The degree of self-entanglement of the brushes in the solvents follows a simple
Controlled Synthesis of Polymer Brushes via Polymer Single Crystal Templates
Zhou, Tian
A novel synthetic method of polymer brushes using polymer single crystals (PSCs) as solid-state templates is introduced in this study. PSC has a quasi-2D lamellae structure with polymer chains fold back-and-forth perpendicular to the lamellae surfaces. During crystallization, the chain ends are excluded from the unit cell onto the lamellae surfaces, which makes the material extremely versatile in its functionality. Such structure holds the unique capability to harvest nanoparticles, or being immobilized onto macroscopic flat surfaces. After dissolving PSCs in good solvent, polymer brushes are chemically tethered on either nanoparticles or flat macroscopic surfaces. Because the chain-folding structure can be conveniently tailored by changing the molecular weight of polymer and the crystallization temperature, the thickness, grafting density and morphology of resulted polymer brushes can be precisely controlled. As a model system, poly(?-caprolactone) with thiol or alkoxysilane terminal groups was used, and polymer brushes were successfully prepared on both nanoparticles and glass/Au flat surfaces. The structure-property relationships of the as-prepared polymer brushes were studied in detail using multiple characterization techniques. First of all, when functionalizing nanoparticles, by engineering the chain-folding structure of the PSCs, interesting complex nanostructures can be formed by nanoparticles including Janus nanoparticles and nanoparticle dimers. These unique structures render hybrid nanoparticles very interesting responsive behavior which have been studied in detail in this dissertation. When grafted onto a flat surface on the other hand, not only the molecular weight and grafting density can be precisely controlled, the tethering points of a single polymer chain can also be conveniently tailored, resulting polymer brushes with either tail or loop structures. Such difference in brush structure can significantly alter the properties of functional surface
Increasing the Thermal Conductivity of Graphene-Polyamide-6,6 Nanocomposites by Surface-Grafted Polymer Chains: Calculation with Molecular Dynamics and Effective-Medium Approximation.
Gao, Yangyang; Müller-Plathe, Florian
By employing reverse nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations in a full atomistic resolution, the effect of surface-grafted chains on the thermal conductivity of graphene-polyamide-6.6 (PA) nanocomposites has been investigated. The interfacial thermal conductivity perpendicular to the graphene plane is proportional to the grafting density, while it first increases and then saturates with the grafting length. Meanwhile, the intrinsic in-plane thermal conductivity of graphene drops sharply as the grafting density increases. The maximum overall thermal conductivity of nanocomposites appears at an intermediate grafting density because of these two competing effects. The thermal conductivity of the composite parallel to the graphene plane increases with the grafting density and grafting length which is attributed to better interfacial coupling between graphene and PA. There exists an optimal balance between grafting density and grafting length to obtain the highest interfacial and parallel thermal conductivity. Two empirical formulas are suggested, which quantitatively account for the effects of grafting length and density on the interfacial and parallel thermal conductivity. Combined with effective medium approximation, for ungrafted graphene in random orientation, the model overestimates the thermal conductivity at low graphene volume fraction (f 10%). For unoriented grafted graphene, the model matches the experimental results well. In short, this work provides some valuable guides to obtain the nanocomposites with high thermal conductivity by grafting chain on the surface of graphene.
Increasing the Thermal Conductivity of Graphene-Polyamide-6,6 Nanocomposites by Surface-Grafted Polymer Chains: Calculation with Molecular Dynamics and Effective-Medium Approximation.
Gao, Yangyang; Müller-Plathe, Florian
By employing reverse nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations in a full atomistic resolution, the effect of surface-grafted chains on the thermal conductivity of graphene-polyamide-6.6 (PA) nanocomposites has been investigated. The interfacial thermal conductivity perpendicular to the graphene plane is proportional to the grafting density, while it first increases and then saturates with the grafting length. Meanwhile, the intrinsic in-plane thermal conductivity of graphene drops sharply as the grafting density increases. The maximum overall thermal conductivity of nanocomposites appears at an intermediate grafting density because of these two competing effects. The thermal conductivity of the composite parallel to the graphene plane increases with the grafting density and grafting length which is attributed to better interfacial coupling between graphene and PA. There exists an optimal balance between grafting density and grafting length to obtain the highest interfacial and parallel thermal conductivity. Two empirical formulas are suggested, which quantitatively account for the effects of grafting length and density on the interfacial and parallel thermal conductivity. Combined with effective medium approximation, for ungrafted graphene in random orientation, the model overestimates the thermal conductivity at low graphene volume fraction (f 10%). For unoriented grafted graphene, the model matches the experimental results well. In short, this work provides some valuable guides to obtain the nanocomposites with high thermal conductivity by grafting chain on the surface of graphene. PMID:26800434
Development of water-repellent organic–inorganic hybrid sol–gel coatings on aluminum using short chain perfluoro polymer emulsion
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Wankhede, Ruchi Grover, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [IITB-Monash Research Academy, Mumbai 400076 (India); Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076 (India); Morey, Shantaram [Dow Chemicals (India); Khanna, A.S. [Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076 (India); Birbilis, N. [Department of Materials Engineering, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia)
The development of an organic–inorganic sol–gel coating system (thickness ∼ 2 μm) on aluminum is reported. The coating uses glycidoxytrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) as silane precursors, crosslinked with hexamethylmethoxymelamine (HMMM) and followed by hydrophobic modification using a water base short chain per-fluoro emulsion (FE). Such coating resulted in enhanced hydrophobicity with a contact angle of about 120° and sliding angle of 25° for a 20 μL water droplet. Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements showed reduced corrosion upon coated substrates than the bare; correlated with both a higher degree of water repellency and formation of low permeable crosslinked sol–gel network. The structure of the coatings deposited was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopy, revealing replacement of hydrophillic surface hydroxyls groups with low energy per-fluoro groups.
Extended linear chain compounds
Linear chain substances span a large cross section of contemporary chemistry ranging from covalent polymers, to organic charge transfer com plexes to nonstoichiometric transition metal coordination complexes. Their commonality, which coalesced intense interest in the theoretical and exper imental solid state physics/chemistry communities, was based on the obser vation that these inorganic and organic polymeric substrates exhibit striking metal-like electrical and optical properties. Exploitation and extension of these systems has led to the systematic study of both the chemistry and physics of highly and poorly conducting linear chain substances. To gain a salient understanding of these complex materials rich in anomalous aniso tropic electrical, optical, magnetic, and mechanical properties, the conver gence of diverse skills and talents was required. The constructive blending of traditionally segregated disciplines such as synthetic and physical organic, inorganic, and polymer chemistry, crystallog...
Communication: When does a branched polymer become a particle?
Chremos, Alexandros; Douglas, Jack F
Polymer melts with topologically distinct molecular structures, namely, linear chain, ring, and star polymers, are investigated by molecular dynamics simulation. In particular, we determine the mean polymer size and shape, and glass transition temperature for each molecular topology. Both in terms of structure and dynamics, unknotted ring polymers behave similarly to star polymers with f ≈ 5-6 star arms, close to a configurational transition point between anisotropic chains to spherically symmetric particle-like structures. These counter-intuitive findings raise fundamental questions regarding the importance of free chain-ends and chain topology in the packing and dynamics of polymeric materials. PMID:26395679
Technology arising from High-Energy Physics
An exibition was held as a part of the Meeting on Technology arising from High- Energy Physics (24-26 April 1974). The Proceedings (including a list of stands) were published as Yellow Report, CERN 74-9, vol. 1-2.
ARISE: American renaissance in science education
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
The national standards and state derivatives must be reinforced by models of curricular reform. In this paper, ARISE presents one model based on a set of principles--coherence, integration of the sciences, movement from concrete ideas to abstract ones, inquiry, connection and application, sequencing that is responsive to how people learn.
Novel cathode interlayers based on neutral alcohol-soluble small molecules with a triphenylamine core featuring polar phosphonate side chains for high-performance polymer light-emitting and photovoltaic devices.
Chen, Dongcheng; Zhou, Hu; Liu, Ming; Zhao, Wei-Ming; Su, Shi-Jian; Cao, Yong
A new family of neutral alcohol-soluble small molecular materials comprised of electron-rich triphenylamine (TPA) and fluorene featuring phosphonate side chains (FEP) is reported, namely 3TPA-FEP, 2TPA-2FEP and TPA-3FEP, which have different TPA and FEP contents. Due to their good solubility in polar solvents like alcohol, multilayer devices can be fabricated by a wet process from orthogonal solvents. Polymer light-emitting devices with these materials as a cathode interlayer and Al as the cathode show greatly enhanced efficiencies in contrast to control devices without such a cathode interlayer, and their efficiencies are comparable with or even higher than devices with the low work-function metal Ba/Al as the cathode. In addition, high-performance polymer solar cells based on the poly[N-9''-hepta-decanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4',7'-di-2-thienyl-2',1',3'-benzothiadiazole)] (PCDTBT):[6,6]-phenyl C71 -butyric acid methyl ester (PC71 BM) system are also achieved with power conversion efficiencies of 7.21%, 6.90% and 6.89%, by utilizing 3TPA-FEP, 2TPA-2FEP and TPA-3FEP as the cathode interlayer, respectively. These efficiencies are also much higher than those for control devices without the cathode interlayer. Although TPA is well-known as a hole-transport unit, the current findings indicate that alcohol-soluble TPA-based small molecules are also a promising cathode interlayer for both electron injection and extraction. PMID:23386362
Fire-safe polymers and polymer composites
Zhang, Huiqing
The intrinsic relationships between polymer structure, composition and fire behavior have been explored to develop new fire-safe polymeric materials. Different experimental techniques, especially three milligram-scale methods---pyrolysis-combustion flow calorimetry (PCFC), simultaneous thermal analysis (STA) and pyrolysis GC/MS---have been combined to fully characterize the thermal decomposition and flammability of polymers and polymer composites. Thermal stability, mass loss rate, char yield and properties of decomposition volatiles were found to be the most important parameters in determining polymer flammability. Most polymers decompose by either an unzipping or a random chain scission mechanism with an endothermic decomposition of 100--900 J/g. Aromatic or heteroaromatic rings, conjugated double or triple bonds and heteroatoms such as halogens, N, O, S, P and Si are the basic structural units for fire-resistant polymers. The flammability of polymers can also be successfully estimated by combining pyrolysis GC/MS results or chemical structures with TGA results. The thermal decomposition and flammability of two groups of inherently fire-resistant polymers---poly(hydroxyamide) (PHA) and its derivatives, and bisphenol C (BPC II) polyarylates---have been systematically studied. PHA and most of its derivatives have extremely low heat release rates and very high char yields upon combustion. PHA and its halogen derivatives can completely cyclize into quasi-polybenzoxazole (PBO) structures at low temperatures. However, the methoxy and phosphate derivatives show a very different behavior during decomposition and combustion. Molecular modeling shows that the formation of an enol intermediate is the rate-determining step in the thermal cyclization of PHA. BPC II-polyarylate is another extremely flame-resistant polymer. It can be used as an efficient flame-retardant agent in copolymers and blends. From PCFC results, the total heat of combustion of these copolymers or blends
Thiophene in Conducting Polymers: Synthesis of Poly(thiophene)s and Other Conjugated Polymers Containing Thiophenes, for Application in Polymer Solar Cells
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Livi, Francesco; Carlé, Jon Eggert; Bundgaard, Eva
Conducting polymers based on thiophene are described. The polymers include poly(thiophene) with and without side-chains and other conjugated polymers in general, based on thiophene. The synthesis and characteristics of the polymers are described along with the application of these as light-absorb...
Antithrombogenic Polymer Coating.
Huang, Zhi Heng; McDonald, William F.; Wright, Stacy C.; Taylor, Andrew C.
An article having a non-thrombogenic surface and a process for making the article are disclosed. The article is formed by (i) coating a polymeric substrate with a crosslinked chemical combination of a polymer having at least two amino substituted side chains, a crosslinking agent containing at least two crosslinking functional groups which react with amino groups on the polymer, and a linking agent containing a first functional group which reacts with a third functional group of the crosslinking agent, and (ii) contacting the coating on the substrate with an antithrombogenic agent which covalently bonds to a second functional group of the linking agent. In one example embodiment, the polymer is a polyamide having amino substituted alkyl chains on one side of the polyamide backbone, the crosslinking agent is a phosphine having the general formula (A).sub.3 P wherein A is hydroxyalkyl, the linking agent is a polyhydrazide and the antithrombogenic agent is heparin.
Nanoscale Study of Polymer Dynamics.
Keshavarz, Masoumeh; Engelkamp, Hans; Xu, Jialiang; Braeken, Els; Otten, Matthijs B J; Uji-I, Hiroshi; Schwartz, Erik; Koepf, Matthieu; Vananroye, Anja; Vermant, Jan; Nolte, Roeland J M; De Schryver, Frans; Maan, Jan C; Hofkens, Johan; Christianen, Peter C M; Rowan, Alan E
The thermal motion of polymer chains in a crowded environment is anisotropic and highly confined. Whereas theoretical and experimental progress has been made, typically only indirect evidence of polymer dynamics is obtained either from scattering or mechanical response. Toward a complete understanding of the complicated polymer dynamics in crowded media such as biological cells, it is of great importance to unravel the role of heterogeneity and molecular individualism. In the present work, we investigate the dynamics of synthetic polymers and the tube-like motion of individual chains using time-resolved fluorescence microscopy. A single fluorescently labeled polymer molecule is observed in a sea of unlabeled polymers, giving access to not only the dynamics of the probe chain itself but also to that of the surrounding network. We demonstrate that it is possible to extract the characteristic time constants and length scales in one experiment, providing a detailed understanding of polymer dynamics at the single chain level. The quantitative agreement with bulk rheology measurements is promising for using local probes to study heterogeneity in complex, crowded systems. PMID:26688072
Cyclodextrin Inclusion Polymers Forming Hydrogels
Li, Jun
This chapter reviews the advances in the developments of supramolecular hydrogels based on the polypseudorotaxanes and polyrotaxanes formed by inclusion complexes of cyclodextrins threading onto polymer chains. Both physical and chemical supramolecular hydrogels of many different types are discussed with respect to their preparation, structure, property, and gelation mechanism. A large number of physical supramolecular hydrogels were formed induced by self-assembly of densely packed cyclodextrin rings threaded on polymer or copolymer chains acting as physical crosslinking points. The thermo-reversible and thixotropic properties of these physical supramolecular hydrogels have inspired their applications as injectable drug delivery systems. Chemical supramolecular hydrogels synthesized from polypseudorotaxanes and polyrotaxanes were based on the chemical crosslinking of either the cyclodextrin molecules or the included polymer chains. The chemical supramolecular hydrogels were often made biodegradable through incorporation of hydrolyzable threading polymers, end caps, or crosslinkers, for their potential applications as biomaterials.
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Hadermann, A. F.
Soluble polymers are fractionated according to molecular weight by cryogenically comminuting the polymer and introducing the polymer particles, while still in the active state induced by cryogenic grinding, into a liquid having a solvent power selected to produce a coacervate fraction containing high molecular weight polymer species and a dilute polymer solution containing lower molecular weight polymer species. The coacervate may be physically separated from the solution and finds use in the production of antimisting jet fuels and the like.
An organism arises from every nucleus.
Nurullah Keklikoglu
The fact that, cloning using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) method has been performed, opened new horizons for cloning, and changed the way of our understanding and approach to cell and nucleus. The progress in cloning technology, brought the anticipation of the ability to clone an organism from each somatic cell nucleus. Therefore, the 'Cell Theory' is about to take the additional statement as "An organism arises from every nucleus". The development of gene targeting procedures which c...
Synthesis, Crystal Structure and Thermal Stability of a One-dimensional Chain Cobalt Coordination Polymer [ Co( 4,4 '-bipy)( 2,4,6- TMBA)2( CH3CH2OH)2]n
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
LI Wei; LI Chang-Hong; YANG Ying-Qun; CHEN Zhi-Min; KUANG Dai-Zhi; ZHANG Chun-Hua; KANG Yun-Fei
A one-dimensional chain cobalt(Ⅱ) coordination polymer with 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoic acid, 4,4'-bipyridine and cobalt perchlorate anhydrous has been synthesized and characterized in the mixture solvent of water and alcohol. Crystal data for this complex: monoclinic, space group C2/c, a = 2.3805(8), b = 1.1464(4), c = 1.5807(5) nm, γ = 128.435(4)°, V= 3.3791(18) nm3,Dc = 1.246 g/cm3, Z = 4, F(000) = 1340, final GooF = 1.009, R = 0.0504 and wR = 0.1287.Structural analysis shows that the cobalt ion is coordinated with two nitrogen atoms of one 4,4'-bipyridine molecule and four oxygen atoms from two 2,4,6-trimethylbenzoic acid molecules and two alcohol molecules, giving a distorted octahedral coordination geometry. The result of TG analysis indicates that the title complex is stable till 200 ℃.
Poly(arlyene ether sulfone) based semi-interpenetrating polymer network membranes containing cross-linked poly(vinyl phosphonic acid) chains for fuel cell applications at high temperature and low humidity conditions
Kim, Kihyun; Heo, Pilwon; Ko, Taeyun; Kim, Ki-hyun; Kim, Sung-Kon; Pak, Chanho; Lee, Jong-Chan
Semi-interpenetrating polymer network (semi-IPN) membranes are prepared by in-situ casting and thermal-initiated radical polymerization of vinyl phosphonic acid (VPA) and bis(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl) phosphate (BMAEP) in N,N-dimethylacetamide solutions of sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (SPAES). The incorporation of VPA units into the SPAES membranes improves proton conductivity especially at high temperature and low humidity conditions. In addition the cross-linker, BMAEP, prevents the decrease of the mechanical and chemical stabilities by the aliphatic linear poly(vinyl phosphonic acid) chains in the semi-IPN membranes, and furthermore the phosphonic acid group in BMAEP can prevent the decrease of the proton conductivity by the formation of cross-linked structures. Therefore, the resulting semi-IPN membranes show high proton conductivities up to 15 mS cm-1 at 120 °C and 40% RH. The fuel cell performance (187 mW cm-2 at 120 °C and 40% RH) of membrane-electrode assembly (MEA) from the semi-IPN membrane is found to be superior to that (145 mW cm-2 at 120 °C and 40% RH) of MEA from the SPAES membrane. The durability test result at the operating conditions indicates that the semi-IPN membrane is electrochemically very stable maintaining the low hydrogen cross-over and high power densities.
Interfacial Slip in Sheared Polymer Blends
Lo, Tak Shing; Mihajlovic, Maja; Shnidman, Yitzhak; Li, Wentao; Gersappe, Dilip
We have developed a dynamic self-consistent field theory, without any adjustable parameters, for unentangled polymer blends under shear. Our model accounts for the interaction between polymers, and enables one to compute the evolution of the local rheology, microstructure and the conformations of the polymer chains under shear self-consistently. We use this model to study the interfacial dynamics in sheared polymer blends and make a quantitative comparison between this model and Molecular Dyn...
Free radical transfer in polymers
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
For the present study of free-radical transfer in polymers pulse radiolysis and product studies have been carried out in aqueous solutions using thus far only the water-soluble polymers polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid and polyvinyl alcohol. When OH radicals, generated in the radiolysis of N2O-saturated aqueous solutions, react with polymers the lifetime of the polymer radical thus created very much depends on the number of radicals per polymer chain. When there are a large number of radicals per chain their bimolecular decay may be faster than the corresponding (diffusion controlled) decay of monomeric radicals, but when the macromolecule contains only few or even just one radical their lifetime is considerably prolonged. Highly charged polymers such as polyacrylic acid at high pH attain a rod-like conformation which again favors a long lifetime of the radicals. Under such conditions, radical transfer reactions can occur. For example, in polyacrylic acid OH radicals generate two kinds of radicals side by side. The radical in β-position to the carboxylate group converts into the thermodynamically more stable α-radicals by an H-transfer reaction as can be followed by spectrophotometry. Besides radical transfer reactions β-fragmentation reactions occur causing chain scission. Such reactions can be followed in a pulse radiolysis experiment by conductometry, because counter ions are released upon chain scission. Such a process is especially effective in the case of polymethacrylic acid, where it results in a chain depolymerization. An intramolecular H-abstraction is also observed in the γ-radiolysis of polyacrylic acid with the corresponding peroxyl radicals. This causes a chain reaction to occur. The resulting hydroperoxides are unstable and decarboxylate given rise to acetylacetone-like products. In polyvinyl alcohol the peroxyl radicals in α-position to the alcohol function undergo HO2-elimination. This prevents a scission of the polymer chain in the
Heterotrimetallic coordination polymers: {Cu(II)Ln(III)Fe(III)} chains and {Ni(II)Ln(III)Fe(III)} layers: synthesis, crystal structures, and magnetic properties.
Alexandru, Maria-Gabriela; Visinescu, Diana; Andruh, Marius; Marino, Nadia; Armentano, Donatella; Cano, Joan; Lloret, Francesc; Julve, Miguel
The use of the [Fe(III) (AA)(CN)4](-) complex anion as metalloligand towards the preformed [Cu(II) (valpn)Ln(III)](3+) or [Ni(II) (valpn)Ln(III) ](3+) heterometallic complex cations (AA=2,2'-bipyridine (bipy) and 1,10-phenathroline (phen); H2 valpn=1,3-propanediyl-bis(2-iminomethylene-6-methoxyphenol)) allowed the preparation of two families of heterotrimetallic complexes: three isostructural 1D coordination polymers of general formula {[Cu(II) (valpn)Ln(III) (H2O)3 (μ-NC)2 Fe(III) (phen)(CN)2 {(μ-NC)Fe(III) (phen)(CN)3}]NO3 ⋅7 H2O}n (Ln=Gd (1), Tb (2), and Dy (3)) and the trinuclear complex [Cu(II) (valpn)La(III) (OH2 )3 (O2 NO)(μ-NC)Fe(III) (phen)(CN)3 ]⋅NO3 ⋅H2O⋅CH3 CN (4) were obtained with the [Cu(II) (valpn)Ln(III)](3+) assembling unit, whereas three isostructural heterotrimetallic 2D networks, {[Ni(II) (valpn)Ln(III) (ONO2 )2 (H2 O)(μ-NC)3 Fe(III) (bipy)(CN)]⋅2 H2 O⋅2 CH3 CN}n (Ln=Gd (5), Tb (6), and Dy (7)) resulted with the related [Ni(II) (valpn)Ln(III) ](3+) precursor. The crystal structure of compound 4 consists of discrete heterotrimetallic complex cations, [Cu(II) (valpn)La(III) (OH2)3 (O2 NO)(μ-NC)Fe(III) (phen)(CN)3 ](+), nitrate counterions, and non-coordinate water and acetonitrile molecules. The heteroleptic {Fe(III) (bipy)(CN)4} moiety in 5-7 acts as a tris-monodentate ligand towards three {Ni(II) (valpn)Ln(III)} binuclear nodes leading to heterotrimetallic 2D networks. The ferromagnetic interaction through the diphenoxo bridge in the Cu(II)-Ln(III) (1-3) and Ni(II)-Ln(III) (5-7) units, as well as through the single cyanide bridge between the Fe(III) and either Ni(II) (5-7) or Cu(II) (4) account for the overall ferromagnetic behavior observed in 1-7. DFT-type calculations were performed to substantiate the magnetic interactions in 1, 4, and 5. Interestingly, compound 6 exhibits slow relaxation of the magnetization with maxima of the out-of-phase ac signals below 4.0 K in the lack of a dc field, the values of the pre
Wintersgill, M. C.
An introductory overview will be given of the effects of ion implantation on polymers, and certain areas will be examined in more detail. Radiation effects in general and ion implantation in particular, in the field of polymers, present a number of contrasts with those in ionic crystals, the most obvious difference being that the chemical effects of both the implanted species and the energy transfer to the host may profoundly change the nature of the target material. Common effects include crosslinking and scission of polymer chains, gas evolution, double bond formation and the formation of additional free radicals. Research has spanned the chemical processes involved, including polymerization reactions achievable only with the use of radiation, to applied research dealing both with the effects of radiation on polymers already in commercial use and the tailoring of new materials to specific applications. Polymers are commonly divided into two groups, in describing their behavior under irradiation. Group I includes materials which form crosslinks between molecules, whereas Group II materials tend to degrade. In basic research, interest has centered on Group I materials and of these polyethylene has been studied most intensively. Applied materials research has investigated a variety of polymers, particularly those used in cable insulation, and those utilized in ion beam lithography of etch masks. Currently there is also great interest in enhancing the conducting properties of polymers, and these uses would tend to involve the doping capabilities of ion implantation, rather than the energy deposition.
Evidence for a jacketed nematic polymer
Hardouin, F.; Mery, S.; Achard, M.; Noirez, L.; Keller, P.
The evidence for a "jacketed" structure at the scale of the chain dimensions in the nematic phase of a "side-on fixed" liquid crystal polysiloxane is reported by using small angle neutron scattering. We relate this anisotropy of chain conformation to the first measurements of the rotational viscosity coefficient in this new type of liquid crystal side-chain polymer.
Eccrine Poroma Arising within Nevus Sebaceous
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Natnicha Girdwichai
Full Text Available Nevus sebaceous is a congenital, benign hamartomatous lesion, characterized by a yellowish to skin-colored, hairless, verrucous plaque on the head and neck region. In later life, a secondary tumor, either benign or malignant, can develop within nevus sebaceous. Eccrine poroma developing on nevus sebaceous is extremely rare. There are few case reports of eccrine poroma developing within nevus sebaceous. We report a case of a 30-year-old female who presented with a congenital, hairless, verrucous, yellowish lesion on the scalp and an erythematous nodule arising within the yellowish lesion for 8 months. Her clinical presentation and histopathological findings were compatible with nevus sebaceous and eccrine poroma.
Angiomyolipoma arising in the gluteal region
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Emmanouil Pikoulis; Constantine Bramis; Othon Mich; George Liapis; Evangelos Felekourasx; Vassiliki Kyriakou; John Griniatsos
@@ Angiomyolipoma (AML) is a tumour of uncertain histogenesis originally believed to be a hamartomatous lesion, but recently recognized as a usually benign clonal mesenchymal neoplasm.1 Along with lymphagiomyomatosis (LAM), clear cell "sugar"tumour (CCST) and clear cell myelomelanocytic tumour (CCMMT), AML was classified in the so called perivascular epithelioid cell (PEComa) neoplasm family.1 Kidney constitutes the principal site of its development.Extrarenal AMLs are rare and to the best of our knowledge, only two cases of AML development in the soft tissues have been reported so far.2,3 We presented a 23 years old female patient with an AML arising in the left gluteal region.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Isabelle Vroman
Full Text Available Biodegradable materials are used in packaging, agriculture, medicine and other areas. In recent years there has been an increase in interest in biodegradable polymers. Two classes of biodegradable polymers can be distinguished: synthetic or natural polymers. There are polymers produced from feedstocks derived either from petroleum resources (non renewable resources or from biological resources (renewable resources. In general natural polymers offer fewer advantages than synthetic polymers. The following review presents an overview of the different biodegradable polymers that are currently being used and their properties, as well as new developments in their synthesis and applications.
Hsin-Fei, Meng
Polymer semiconductor is the only semiconductor that can be processed in solution. Electronics made by these flexible materials have many advantages such as large-area solution process, low cost, and high performance. Researchers and companies are increasingly dedicating time and money in polymer electronics. This book focuses on the fundamental materials and device physics of polymer electronics. It describes polymer light-emitting diodes, polymer field-effect transistors, organic vertical transistors, polymer solar cells, and many applications based on polymer electronics. The book also disc
Malignant Insulinoma Arising from Intrasplenic Heterotopic Pancreas
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ismael Domínguez
Full Text Available Context Heterotopic pancreas is defined as ectopic pancreatic tissue without vascular or anatomic continuity with the normal pancreas. The spleen is a rare site of origin. This case report describes a patient with a malignant insulinoma which originated from an intrasplenic heterotopic pancreas. Case report A 46-year-old man with three previous episodes of neuroglucopenic and adrenergic symptoms was referred to our hospital. A fasting test was performed and discontinued due to hypoglycemic symptoms. Preoperative studies failed to demonstrate any pancreatic lesions. However, a heterogeneous encapsulated tumor in the spleen was found on MRI. During surgery, only the splenic tumor was found, with neither vascular nor anatomical connections to the normal pancreas. Pathology reported a malignant insulinoma. Insulin and proinsulin were documented by immunohistochemistry. After one year of follow up, the patient is free of symptoms and no recurrent disease has been documented. Discussion Only seven cases of splenic heterotopic pancreas have been reported, six with cystic mucinous neoplasms. In addition, only one case of a malignant insulinoma arising from heterotopic pancreas has previously been described. This is the second case reported of an insulinoma arising from heterotopic pancreas and the first to originate from intrasplenic heterotopia.
Wong, Chun Wa; Yasui, Kosuke
The one-dimensional fall of a folded chain with one end suspended from a rigid support and a chain falling from a resting heap on a table is studied. Because their Lagrangians contain no explicit time dependence, the falling chains are conservative systems. Their equations of motion are shown to contain a term that enforces energy conservation when masses are transferred between subchains. We show that Cayley's 1857 energy nonconserving solution for a chain falling from a resting heap is incorrect because it neglects the energy gained when a link leaves a subchain. The maximum chain tension measured by Calkin and March for the falling folded chain is given a simple if rough interpretation. Other aspects of the falling folded chain are briefly discussed.
Ratchet rectification effect on the translocation of a flexible polyelectrolyte chain
Mondal, Debasish; Muthukumar, M.
We report a three dimensional Langevin dynamics simulation of a uniformly charged flexible polyelectrolyte chain, translocating through an asymmetric narrow channel with periodically varying cross sections under the influence of a periodic external electric field. When reflection symmetry of the channel is broken, a rectification effect is observed with a favored direction for the chain translocation. For a given volume of the channel unit and polymer length, the rectification occurs below a threshold frequency of the external periodic driving force. We have also observed that the extent of the rectification varies non-monotonically with increasing molecular weight and the strength of geometric asymmetry of the channel. Observed non-monotonicity of the rectification performance has been interpreted in terms of a competition between two effects arising from the channel asymmetry and change in conformational entropy. An analytical model is presented with predictions consistent with the simulation results.
Ratchet rectification effect on the translocation of a flexible polyelectrolyte chain.
Mondal, Debasish; Muthukumar, M
We report a three dimensional Langevin dynamics simulation of a uniformly charged flexible polyelectrolyte chain, translocating through an asymmetric narrow channel with periodically varying cross sections under the influence of a periodic external electric field. When reflection symmetry of the channel is broken, a rectification effect is observed with a favored direction for the chain translocation. For a given volume of the channel unit and polymer length, the rectification occurs below a threshold frequency of the external periodic driving force. We have also observed that the extent of the rectification varies non-monotonically with increasing molecular weight and the strength of geometric asymmetry of the channel. Observed non-monotonicity of the rectification performance has been interpreted in terms of a competition between two effects arising from the channel asymmetry and change in conformational entropy. An analytical model is presented with predictions consistent with the simulation results.
Ending Aging in Super Glassy Polymer Membranes
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Lau, CH; Nguyen, PT; Hill, MR; Thornton, AW; Konstas, K; Doherty, CM; Mulder, RJ; Bourgeois, L; Liu, ACY; Sprouster, DJ; Sullivan, JP; Bastow, TJ; Hill, AJ; Gin, DL; Noble, RD
Aging in super glassy polymers such as poly(trimethylsilylpropyne) (PTMSP), poly(4-methyl-2-pentyne) (PMP), and polymers with intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) reduces gas permeabilities and limits their application as gas-separation membranes. While super glassy polymers are initially very porous, and ultra-permeable, they quickly pack into a denser phase becoming less porous and permeable. This age-old problem has been solved by adding an ultraporous additive that maintains the low density, porous, initial stage of super glassy polymers through absorbing a portion of the polymer chains within its pores thereby holding the chains in their open position. This result is the first time that aging in super glassy polymers is inhibited whilst maintaining enhanced CO2 permeability for one year and improving CO2/N-2 selectivity. This approach could allow super glassy polymers to be revisited for commercial application in gas separations.
El Yazid Boudaren, Mohamed; Monfrini, Emmanuel; Pieczynski, Wojciech; Aïssani, Amar
Hidden Markov chains have been shown to be inadequate for data modeling under some complex conditions. In this work, we address the problem of statistical modeling of phenomena involving two heterogeneous system states. Such phenomena may arise in biology or communications, among other fields. Namely, we consider that a sequence of meaningful words is to be searched within a whole observation that also contains arbitrary one-by-one symbols. Moreover, a word may be interrupted at some site to be carried on later. Applying plain hidden Markov chains to such data, while ignoring their specificity, yields unsatisfactory results. The Phasic triplet Markov chain, proposed in this paper, overcomes this difficulty by means of an auxiliary underlying process in accordance with the triplet Markov chains theory. Related Bayesian restoration techniques and parameters estimation procedures according to the new model are then described. Finally, to assess the performance of the proposed model against the conventional hidden Markov chain model, experiments are conducted on synthetic and real data. PMID:26353069
Juxtacortical chondromyxoid fibroma arising in an apophysis
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Park, Seong Ho; Kong, Keun Young; Chung, Hye Won; Kang, Heung Sik [Dept. of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine (Korea); Kim, Chong Jai [Dept. of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea); Lee, Sang Hoon [Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea)
We present a rare case of juxtacortical chondromyxoid fibroma arising in the lesser trochanter of the right femur which corresponds to an apophysis. Radiography showed a well-defined expansive lesion with a sclerotic margin measuring 5 x 3.5 cm in diameter in the lesser trochanter. On spin echo T1-weighted images, the lesion revealed low signal intensity similar to muscle. On spin echo T2-weighted images, the lesion revealed high heterogeneous signal intensity, which after gadolinium injection showed heterogeneous enhancement. The inner margin of the cortex was intact and adjacent bone marrow was of normal signal intensity. The outer margin of the lesion was also clearly defined and extension into adjacent soft tissue beyond the exophytic cortical outgrowth was not evident. (orig.)
Radioisotopes: problems of responsibility arising from medicine
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Radioisotopes have brought about great progress in the battle against illnesses of mainly tumoral origin, whether in diagnosis (nuclear medicine) or in treatment (medical radiotherapy). They are important enough therefore to warrant investigation. Such a study is attempted here, with special emphasis, at a time when medical responsibility proceedings are being taken more and more often on the medicolegal problems arising from their medical use. It is hoped that this study on medical responsibility in the use of radioisotopes will have shown: that the use of radioisotopes for either diagnosis or therapy constitutes a major banch of medicine; that this importance implies an awareness by the practitioner of a vast responsibility, especially in law where legislation to ensure protection as strict as in the field of ionizing radiations is lacking. The civil responsibility of doctors who use radioisotopes remains to be defined, since for want of adequate jurisprudence we are reduced to hypotheses based on general principles
Optimization problems arising in robust stability theory
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Polyak, B.
Robustness is one of the main topics in modern control theory. We consider one aspect of the theme - robust stability analysis under parametric uncertainty. It deals with stability problems for linear time-invariant differential or difference equations with uncertainties in their coefficients. Various optimization problems concerning {open_quotes}the largest{close_quotes} admissible uncertainty naturally arise. Examples: (1) Find the largest cube inscribed in stability domain; (2) Find the box with the largest volume preserving stability; (3) Describe a boundary of a two-dimensional image of a box under linear or nonlinear transformation; (4) Find a sum or a project of sets on a complex plane, e.g., find a product of n discs. These problems require new duality results and new necessary conditions of optimality.
QCM-D studies on polymer behavior at interfaces
Liu, Guangming
QCM-D Studies on Polymer Behavior at Interfaces reviews the applications of quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) in polymer research, including the conformational change of grafted polymer chains, the grafting kinetics of polymer chains, the growth mechanism of polyelectrolyte multilayers, and the interactions between polymers and phospholipid membranes. It focuses on how QCM-D can be applied to the study of polymer behavior at various solid-liquid interfaces. Moreover, it clearly reveals the physical significance of the changes in frequency and dissipation associated with the
Phase stability and dynamics of entangled polymer-nanoparticle composites.
Mangal, Rahul
Nanoparticle-polymer composites, or polymer-nanoparticle composites (PNCs), exhibit unusual mechanical and dynamical features when the particle size approaches the random coil dimensions of the host polymer. Here, we harness favourable enthalpic interactions between particle-tethered and free, host polymer chains to create model PNCs, in which spherical nanoparticles are uniformly dispersed in high molecular weight entangled polymers. Investigation of the mechanical properties of these model PNCs reveals that the nanoparticles have profound effects on the host polymer motions on all timescales. On short timescales, nanoparticles slow-down local dynamics of the host polymer segments and lower the glass transition temperature. On intermediate timescales, where polymer chain motion is typically constrained by entanglements with surrounding molecules, nanoparticles provide additional constraints, which lead to an early onset of entangled polymer dynamics. Finally, on long timescales, nanoparticles produce an apparent speeding up of relaxation of their polymer host.
Simulation Study on Translocation of Confined Chain Through Interacting Nanopore
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Zi-bin Zhou; Hua-yu Li; Yong-jun Xie
The translocation of a confined polymer chain through an interacting nanopore has been studied using two-dimensional bond fluctuation model with Monte Carlo dynamics.For different pore-polymer interaction,the average escaping time 〈Tesc〉 of the polymer chain through the nanopore,increases roughly linearly with the chain length and the nanopore length,respectively.However,the large repulsive and attractive pore-polymer interaction adds the difficulty of the monomers of the chain entering and leaving the nanopore,respectively,leading to the nonmonotonical dependence of 〈Tesc〉 on the pore-polymer interaction.The detailed translocation dynamics of the chain through the interacting nanopore is investigated too.
Cambou, A D; Hamm, E; Hanna, J A; Menon, N; Santangelo, C D; Walsh, L
A loop of chain can move along its own tangents, maintaining a steady shape. An open-ended chain undergoing a nontrivial motion must change its shape. One consequence is that chains pulled around objects will fail to follow the contours of the objects, unwrapping themselves instead. This short note accompanies a fluid dynamics video submission (83068) to the APS DFD Gallery of Fluid Motion 2012.
Chain reconfiguration in active noise
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
In a typical single molecule experiment, the dynamics of an unfolded protein is studied by determining the reconfiguration time using long-range Förster resonance energy transfer, where the reconfiguration time is the characteristic decay time of the position correlation between two residues of the protein. In this paper we theoretically calculate the reconfiguration time for a single flexible polymer in the presence of active noise. The study suggests that though the mean square displacement grows faster, the chain reconfiguration is always slower in the presence of long-lived active noise with exponential temporal correlation. Similar behavior is observed for a worm-like semi-flexible chain and a Zimm chain. However it is primarily the characteristic correlation time of the active noise and not the strength that controls the increase in the reconfiguration time. In brief, such active noise makes the polymer move faster but the correlation loss between the monomers becomes slow. (paper)
Wong, C W; Wong, Chun Wa; Yasui, Kosuke
The one-dimensional falling motion of a bungee chain suspended from a rigid support and of a chain falling from a resting heap on a table is studied. Their Lagrangians are found to contain no explicit time dependence. As a result, these falling chains are conservative systems. Each of their Lagrange's equations of motion is shown to contain a term that enforces energy conservation when masses are transferred between subchains. We show in particular that Cayley's 1857 energy nonconserving solution for a chain falling from a resting heap is incorrect because it neglects the energy gained when the transferred link is emitted by the emitting subchain. The maximum chain tension measured by Calkin and March for the falling bungee chain is given a simple if rough interpretation. In the simplified one-dimensional treatment, the kinetic energy of the center of mass of the falling bungee chain is found to be converted by the chain tension at the rigid support into the internal kinetic energy of the chain. However, as t...
Conductive polymer-based material
McDonald, William F.; Koren, Amy B.; Dourado, Sunil K.; Dulebohn, Joel I.; Hanchar, Robert J.
Disclosed are polymer-based coatings and materials comprising (i) a polymeric composition including a polymer having side chains along a backbone forming the polymer, at least two of the side chains being substituted with a heteroatom selected from oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus and combinations thereof; and (ii) a plurality of metal species distributed within the polymer. At least a portion of the heteroatoms may form part of a chelation complex with some or all of the metal species. In many embodiments, the metal species are present in a sufficient concentration to provide a conductive material, e.g., as a conductive coating on a substrate. The conductive materials may be useful as the thin film conducting or semi-conducting layers in organic electronic devices such as organic electroluminescent devices and organic thin film transistors.
Nanoimprint lithography for functional polymer patterning
Cui, Dehu
Organic semiconductors have generated huge interested in recent years for low-cost and flexible electronics. Current and future device applications for semiconducting polymers include light-emitting diodes, thin-film transistors, photovoltaic cells, photodetectors, lasers, and memories. The performance of conjugated polymer devices depends on two major factors: the chain conformation in polymer film and the device architecture. Highly ordered chain structure usually leads to much improved performance by enhancing interchain interaction to facilitate carrier transport. The goal of this research is to improve the performance of organic devices with the nanoimprint lithography. The work begins with the controlling of polymer chain orientation in patterned nanostructures through nanoimprint mold design and process parameter manipulation, and studying the effect of chain ordering on material properties. Then, step-and-repeat thermal nanoimprint technique for large-scale continuous manufacturing of conjugated polymer nanostructures is developed. After that, Systematic investigation of polymer chain configuration by Raman spectroscopy is carried out to understand how nanoimprint process parameters, such as mold pattern size, temperature, and polymer molecular weight, affects polymer chain configuration. The results indicate that chain orientation in nanoimprinted polymer micro- and nanostructures is highly related to the nanoimprint temperature and the dimensions of the mold structures. The ability to create nanoscale polymer micro- and nanostructures and manipulate their internal chain conformation establishes an original experimental platform that enables studying the properties of functional polymers at the micro- and nanoscale and understanding their fundamental structure-property relationships. In addition to the impact on basic research, the techniques developed in this work are important in applied research and development. Large-area conjugated polymer micro- and
Lyu, Suping
Materials derived from agricultural products such as cellulose, starch, polylactide, etc. are more sustainable and environmentally benign than those derived from petroleum. However, applications of these polymers are limited by their processing properties, chemical and thermal stabilities. For example, polyethylene terephthalate fabrics last for many years under normal use conditions, but polylactide fabrics cannot due to chemical degradation. There are two primary mechanisms through which these polymers degrade: via hydrolysis and via oxidation. Both of these two mechanisms are related to combined factors such as monomer chemistry, chain configuration, chain mobility, crystallinity, and permeation to water and oxygen, and product geometry. In this talk, we will discuss how these materials degrade and how the degradation depends on these factors under application conditions. Both experimental studies and mathematical modeling will be presented.
High cation transport polymer electrolyte
Gerald, II, Rex E.; Rathke, Jerome W.; Klingler, Robert J.
A solid state ion conducting electrolyte and a battery incorporating same. The electrolyte includes a polymer matrix with an alkali metal salt dissolved therein, the salt having an anion with a long or branched chain having not less than 5 carbon or silicon atoms therein. The polymer is preferably a polyether and the salt anion is preferably an alkyl or silyl moiety of from 5 to about 150 carbon/silicon atoms.
Chemodectomas arising in temporal bone structures
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Dickens, W.J.; Million, R.R.; Cassisi, N.J.; Singleton, G.T.
Eighteen patients with chemodectomas arising in temporal bone structures were evaluated and treated at the University of Florida. Seventeen patients have each been followed a minimum of 3 years. Patients were retrospectively staged as having ''local'' or ''advanced'' disease, depending on the presence or absence of bone destruction and/or cranial nerve involvement. Fourteen of the patients received radiation therapy as all or part of their therapy; 6 patients were treated with radiation therapy alone, 3 patients were irradiated immediately postoperatively for residual disease, and 5 patients had radiation therapy for recurrence after operation. They were treated with cobalt-60 radiation with doses ranging from 3760 to 5640 rad. All irradiated patients demonstrated evidence of tumor regression, and none have had tumor recurrence with followup of 3-12 years. Of the 8 patients with cranial nerve paralysis prior to therapy, 5 had return of function of 1 or more cranial nerves. One of 6 patients treated initially with radiation therapy had a complication, while 6 of 8 patients irradiated postoperatively had complications. None of the complications were fatal. Three patients treated by operation for early disease limited to the hypotympanum had the disease controlled for 11-12 years. Guidelines for the selection of initial therapy are discussed.
An organism arises from every nucleus.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Nurullah Keklikoglu
Full Text Available The fact that, cloning using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT method has been performed, opened new horizons for cloning, and changed the way of our understanding and approach to cell and nucleus. The progress in cloning technology, brought the anticipation of the ability to clone an organism from each somatic cell nucleus. Therefore, the 'Cell Theory' is about to take the additional statement as "An organism arises from every nucleus". The development of gene targeting procedures which can be applied with SCNT, showed us that it may be possible to obtain different versions of the original genetic constitution of a cell. Because of this opportunity which is provided by SCNT, in reproductive cloning, it would be possible to clone enhanced organisms which can adapt to different environmental conditions and survive. Furthermore, regaining the genetic characteristics of ancestors or reverse herediter variations would be possible. On the other hand, in therapeutic cloning, more precise and easily obtainable alternatives for cell replacement therapy could be presented. However, while producing healthier or different organisms from a nucleus, it is hard to foresee the side effects influencing natural processes in long term is rather difficult.
Thick Brane Worlds Arising From Pure Geometry
Cardenas, R; Cardenas, Rolando; Quiros, Israel
We study a non-Riemannian modification of 5-dimensional Kaluza-Klein theory. In our proposal the Riemannian structure of the five-dimensional manifold is replaced by a Weyl-integrable one. In this context a 4-dimensional Poincar$\\grave{e}$ invariant solution is studied. A spacetime structure with two thick (smooth) branes separated in the extra dimension arises. The massless graviton is located in one of the thick branes at the origin, meanwhile the matter degrees of freedom are confined to the other brane. Due to the small overlap of the graviton's wave-function with the second thick brane, the model accounts for a resolution of the mass hierarchy problem a la Randall-Sundrum. Although, initially, no assumptions are made about the topology of the extra dimension, the solution found yields an extra space that is effectivelly compact and respects $Z_2$ symmetry. Unlike other models with branes, the spectrum of massive Kaluza-Klein states is quantized and free of tachyonic modes.
Chemical hazards arising from shale gas extraction
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Daria Pakulska
Full Text Available The development of the shale industry is gaining momentum and hence the analysis of chemical hazards to the environment and health of the local population is extremely timely and important. Chemical hazards are created during the exploitation of all minerals, but in the case of shale gas production, there is much more uncertainty as regards to the effects of new technologies application. American experience suggests the increasing risk of environmental contamination, mainly groundwater. The greatest concern is the incomplete knowledge of the composition of fluids used for fracturing shale rock and unpredictability of long-term effects of hydraulic fracturing for the environment and health of residents. High population density in the old continent causes the problem of chemical hazards which is much larger than in the USA. Despite the growing public discontent data on this subject are limited. First of all, there is no epidemiological studies to assess the relationship between risk factors, such as air and water pollution, and health effects in populations living in close proximity to gas wells. The aim of this article is to identify and discuss existing concepts on the sources of environmental contamination, an indication of the environment elements under pressure and potential health risks arising from shale gas extraction. Med Pr 2015;66(1:99–117
Ratios of partition fucntions for the log-gamma polymer
Yılmaz, Atilla; Georgiou, Nicos; Rassoul-Agha, Firas; Seppaelaeinen, Timo
We introduce a random walk in random environment associated to an underlying directed polymer model in 1 + 1 dimensions. This walk is the positive temperature counterpart of the competition interface of percolation and arises as the limit of quenched polymer measures. We prove this limit for the exactly solvable log-gamma polymer, as a consequence of almost sure limits of ratios of partition functions. These limits of ratios give the Busemann functions of the log-gamma polymer, and furnish ce...
Physical properties of polymers handbook
This book offers concise information on the properties of polymeric materials, particularly those most relevant to physical chemistry and chemical physics. Extensive updates and revisions to each chapter include eleven new chapters on novel polymeric structures, reinforcing phases in polymers, and experiments on single polymer chains. The study of complex materials is highly interdisciplinary, and new findings are scattered among a large selection of scientific and engineering journals. This book brings together data from experts in the different disciplines contributing to the rapidly growing area of polymers and complex materials.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Full Text Available ABSTRACT: The renal vasculature was always a subject of varia tions both in the number and pattern of portal of entry into kidney and Perihilar placement of the artery, vein and pelvis. Good anatomical insight is an essential prerequisite besides the surgical expertise. The cadaveric dissection at Shadan Institute of Medical Sciences, Teaching Hospital and Research Centre, revealed superior / upper polar artery arising from the lateral aspect of the aorta just proximal to the origin of Main Renal Artery (MRA. T he main renal artery and the accessory renal artery had almost a common point of origin. Th e peri-hilar segmentation of the main renal artery was a fork like pattern. One of the segmental arteries was long and had its portal of entry into the kidney by perforating the capsule of the ant erior substance of the kidney. The remaining segmental branches had their portal of ent ry through the hilum. The lower two segmental branches were placed anterior to the main renal vein causing altered hilar anatomy. A thorough knowledge of the frequently to the rarel y occurring wide range of variations of renal vasculature has significance in exploration and trea tment of renal trauma, renal transplantation, renal artery embolization, surgery for abdominal ao rtic aneurysm and conservative or radical renal surgery. Such a rare variation including the combination of extra renal peri-hilar segmentation of MRA with superior polar artery is wor thy of concern to the urologists harvesting kidneys from the live donors for performi ng transplantation procedures, partial nephrectomies for the hilar tumors and for Radiologi sts during interpretation of the angiograms
Risk analysis for renewable energy projects due to constraints arising
Prostean, G.; Vasar, C.; Prostean, O.; Vartosu, A.
Starting from the target of the European Union (EU) to use renewable energy in the area that aims a binding target of 20% renewable energy in final energy consumption by 2020, this article illustrates the identification of risks for implementation of wind energy projects in Romania, which could lead to complex technical implications, social and administrative. In specific projects analyzed in this paper were identified critical bottlenecks in the future wind power supply chain and reasonable time periods that may arise. Renewable energy technologies have to face a number of constraints that delayed scaling-up their production process, their transport process, the equipment reliability, etc. so implementing these types of projects requiring complex specialized team, the coordination of which also involve specific risks. The research team applied an analytical risk approach to identify major risks encountered within a wind farm project developed in Romania in isolated regions with different particularities, configured for different geographical areas (hill and mountain locations in Romania). Identification of major risks was based on the conceptual model set up for the entire project implementation process. Throughout this conceptual model there were identified specific constraints of such process. Integration risks were examined by an empirical study based on the method HAZOP (Hazard and Operability). The discussion describes the analysis of our results implementation context of renewable energy projects in Romania and creates a framework for assessing energy supply to any entity from renewable sources.
Restructuring polymers via nanoconfinement and subsequent release
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Alan E. Tonelli
Full Text Available During the past several years my students and I have been utilizing certain small-molecule hosts to create nanostructured polymers. This is accomplished by first forming noncovalently bonded inclusion complexes (ICs between these small-molecule hosts and guest polymers, followed by the careful removal of the host crystalline lattice to obtain a coalesced bulk polymer. We have repeatedly observed that such coalesced polymer samples behave distinctly from those produced from their solutions or melts. Coalesced amorphous homopolymers exhibit higher glass-transition temperatures, while crystallizable homopolymers coalesced from their ICs display higher melting and crystallization temperatures, and sometimes different crystalline polymorphs. When ICs are formed with block copolymers or with two or more different homopolymers, the resulting coalesced samples can exhibit intimate mixing between the copolymer blocks, or between entire homopolymer chains. Each of the distinct behaviors observed for polymers coalesced from their ICs is a consequence of the structural organization of the polymer–host-ICs. Polymer chains in host-IC crystals are confined to occupy narrow channels (diameter ~0.5–1.0 nm formed by the small-molecule hosts around the included guest polymers during IC crystallization. This results in the separation and high extension of the included guest polymer chains, which leads, following the careful removal of the host molecule lattice, to unique behaviors for the bulk coalesced polymer samples. Apparently, substantial degrees of the extended and unentangled natures of the IC-included chains are retained upon coalescence. In this review we summarize the behaviors and uses of coalesced polymers, and attempt to draw conclusions on the relationship between their behavior and the organization/structures/conformations of the constituent polymer chains achieved upon coalescence from their ICs.
The Shape of a Stretched Polymer
Sassi, Alberto S.; Assenza, Salvatore; Rios, Paolo De Los
The shape of a polymer plays an important role in determining its interactions with other molecules and with the environment, and is in turn affected by both of them. As a consequence, in the literature the shape properties of a chain in many different conditions have been investigated. Here, we characterize the shape and orientational properties of a polymer chain under tension, a physical condition typically realized both in single-molecule experiments and in vivo. By means of analytical ca...
Bieringer, T.
Polymers are the perfect materials for a variety of applications in almost every field of technical as well as human life. Because of their macromolecular architecture there are a lot of degrees of freedom in the synthesis of polymers. Owing to the change of their functional composition, they can be tailored even for quite difficult demands. Since a whole industry deals with the processing of polymers, cheap production lines have been developed for almost every polymer. This is the reason why not only the molecular composition but even the price of polymers has been optimized. Therefore these materials can be considered as encouraging components even in highly sophisticated areas of applications.
Stochastic resonance during a polymer translocation process.
Mondal, Debasish; Muthukumar, M
We have studied the occurrence of stochastic resonance when a flexible polymer chain undergoes a single-file translocation through a nano-pore separating two spherical cavities, under a time-periodic external driving force. The translocation of the chain is controlled by a free energy barrier determined by chain length, pore length, pore-polymer interaction, and confinement inside the donor and receiver cavities. The external driving force is characterized by a frequency and amplitude. By combining the Fokker-Planck formalism for polymer translocation and a two-state model for stochastic resonance, we have derived analytical formulas for criteria for emergence of stochastic resonance during polymer translocation. We show that no stochastic resonance is possible if the free energy barrier for polymer translocation is purely entropic in nature. The polymer chain exhibits stochastic resonance only in the presence of an energy threshold in terms of polymer-pore interactions. Once stochastic resonance is feasible, the chain entropy controls the optimal synchronization conditions significantly. PMID:27083746
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
M.Ya. Mel'nikov
The data referring to the mechanism and efficiency of electronically excited macroradical and radical anion reactions, the important role of photochemical chain reactions in polymers are presented. It was found that by varying photon energy, temperature, photolysis time and competition between thermal and photochemical reactions, it is possible to change the functional composition and molecular weight distribution of polymers.
A multichain polymer slip-spring model with fluctuating number of entanglements for linear and nonlinear rheology
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Ramírez-Hernández, Abelardo, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com; Pablo, Juan J. de, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439 (United States); Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637 (United States); Peters, Brandon L.; Andreev, Marat; Schieber, Jay D., E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637 (United States)
A theoretically informed entangled polymer simulation approach is presented for description of the linear and non-linear rheology of entangled polymer melts. The approach relies on a many-chain representation and introduces the topological effects that arise from the non-crossability of molecules through effective fluctuating interactions, mediated by slip-springs, between neighboring pairs of macromolecules. The total number of slip-springs is not preserved but, instead, it is controlled through a chemical potential that determines the average molecular weight between entanglements. The behavior of the model is discussed in the context of a recent theory for description of homogeneous materials, and its relevance is established by comparing its predictions to experimental linear and non-linear rheology data for a series of well-characterized linear polyisoprene melts. The results are shown to be in quantitative agreement with experiment and suggest that the proposed formalism may also be used to describe the dynamics of inhomogeneous systems, such as composites and copolymers. Importantly, the fundamental connection made here between our many-chain model and the well-established, thermodynamically consistent single-chain mean-field models provides a path to systematic coarse-graining for prediction of polymer rheology in structurally homogeneous and heterogeneous materials.
Fluoroalkylation of aryl ether perfluorocyclobutyl polymers
Ligon, Clark; Ameduri, Bruno; Boutevin, Bernard; Smith, Dennis
Post functionalization of aryl ether perfluorocyclobutyl (PFCB) polymers with fluoroalkyl side chains was accomplished with Umemoto's FITS reagents. The fluoroalkylated PFCB polymers (20 % functionalized) showed increases in both hydrophobicity and oleophobicity. Static contact angle for hexadecane was increased after fluoroalkylation from 0° to greater than 30° for the two PFCB polymers tested. Increased oil repellency makes these materials potential candidates for various coatings applicati...
Thermally activated solvent bonding of polymers
Ng, S H; Tjeung, R. T.; Z. F. Wang; Lu, A. C. W.; Rodriguez, I.; de Rooij, Nicolaas F.
We present a thermally activated solvent bonding technique for the formation of embedded microstructures in polymer. It is based on the temperature dependent solubility of polymer in a liquid that is not a solvent at room temperature. With thermal activation, the liquid is transformed into a solvent of the polymer, creating a bonding capability through segmental or chain interdiffusion at the bonding interface. The technique has advantages over the more commonly used thermal bonding due to it...
Polymer Bose–Einstein condensates
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Castellanos, E., E-mail: email@example.com [Departamento de Física, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, A.P. 14-740, México D.F. 07000 (Mexico); Chacón-Acosta, G., E-mail: email@example.com [Departamento de Matemáticas Aplicadas y Sistemas, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Artificios 40, México D.F. 01120 (Mexico)
In this work we analyze a non-interacting one-dimensional polymer Bose–Einstein condensate in a harmonic trap within the semiclassical approximation. We use an effective Hamiltonian coming from the polymer quantization that arises in loop quantum gravity. We calculate the number of particles in order to obtain the critical temperature. The Bose–Einstein functions are replaced by series, whose high order terms are related to powers of the polymer length. It is shown that the condensation temperature presents a shift respect to the standard case, for small values of the polymer scale. In typical experimental conditions, it is possible to establish a bound for λ{sup 2} up to ≲10{sup −16} m{sup 2}. To improve this bound we should decrease the frequency of the trap and also decrease the number of particles.
Squamous cell carcinoma arising in an odontogenic cyst
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Yu, Jae Jung; Hwang, Eui Hwan; Lee, Sang Rae [Kyunghee University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Jeong Hee [Chonnam National University College of Medicine, Kwangju (Korea, Republic of)
Squamous cell carcinoma arising in an odontogenic cyst is uncommon. The diagnosis of carcinoma arising in a cyst requires that there must be an area of microscopic transition from the benign epithelial cyst lining to the invasive squamous cell carcinoma. We report a histopathologically proven case of squamous cell carcinoma arising in a residual mandibular cyst in a 54-year-old woman.
Thermo-adjustable mechanical properties of polymer, lipid-based complex fluids
Firestone, Millicent; Lee, Sungwon
Combined rheology (oscillatory and steady shear) and SAXS studies reveal details on the temperature-dependent, reversible mechanical properties of nonionic polymer, lipid-based complex fluids. Compositions prepared by introduction of the polymer as either a lipid conjugate or a triblock copolymer form an elastic gel as the temperature is increased to 18 C. The network is produced from PEO chain entanglement and physical crosslinks confined within the intervening aqueous layers of a multilamellar structured lyotropic mesophase. Although the complex fluids are weak gels, tuning of the gel strength can be achieved by temperature adjustment. The sol state formed at reduced temperature arises as a consequence of the well-solvated PEO chains adopting a non-interacting, conformational state. Complex fluids prepared with the triblock copolymers exhibit greater tunability in viscoelasticity than those containing the PEGylated-lipid conjugate because of the temperature-dependent water solubility of the central PPO block. The water solubility of PPO at reduced temperatures results in the polymer being expelled from the self-assembled amphiphilic bilayer, causing collapse of the swollen lamellar structure and loss of the PEO network. At elevated temperatures, the triblock reinserts into the bilayer producing an elastic gel. These studies identify macromolecular architectures for the facile preparation of dynamic soft materials possessing a range of mechanical properties that can be tuned by modest temperature control.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
I. I. Karpunin
Full Text Available The executed investigations have made it possible to ascertain that a morphological structure of starch granules mainly determine technological peculiarities of starch isolation from raw material, its modification and its later use. Morphological structure of starch granules primarily depends on type of plant starch-containing raw material which has been used for its isolation. Class of raw material exerts a strong impact on the shape and size of the granules. Linear "light" amylose chains and "heavy" amylopectin branch chains form a starch granule ultrastructure. X-ray research has proved that starch granules are characterized by presence of interlacing amorphous and crystalline regions. In this case polymer orientation using stretching of the obtained end product influences on its physical and mechanical indices which are increasing due to polymer orientation. For the purpose of packaging orientation of polymer films can solve such important problems as significant improvement of operational properties, creation of thermosetting film materials, improvement of qualitative indices of the recycled film.Results of the conducted research have proved the fact that it is necessary to make changes in technology in order to increase biological degradability of the recycled packaging made from polymers and improve physical and mechanical indices. In this regard film production technology presupposes usage of such substances as stark and others which are characterized by rather large presence of branch chains of molecules and interlacing amorphous and crystalline regions. Such approach makes it possible to obtain after-use package which is strong and quickly degradable by micro-organisms.
Thermoresponsive Polymers for Nuclear Medicine: Which Polymer Is the Best?
Sedláček, Ondřej; Černoch, Peter; Kučka, Jan; Konefal, Rafał; Štěpánek, Petr; Vetrík, Miroslav; Lodge, Timothy P; Hrubý, Martin
Thermoresponsive polymers showing cloud point temperatures (CPT) in aqueous solutions are very promising for the construction of various systems in biomedical field. In many of these applications these polymers get in contact with ionizing radiation, e.g., if they are used as carriers for radiopharmaceuticals or during radiation sterilization. Despite this fact, radiosensitivity of these polymers is largely overlooked to date. In this work, we describe the effect of electron beam ionizing radiation on the physicochemical and phase separation properties of selected thermoresponsive polymers with CPT between room and body temperature. Stability of the polymers to radiation (doses 0-20 kGy) in aqueous solutions increased in the order poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PVCL, the least stable) ≪ poly[N-(2,2-difluoroethyl)acrylamide] (DFP) polymer radiotherapeutics and sterilization of biomedical systems, cause significant increase in molecular weight due to cross-linking (except for POX, where this effect is weak). In the case of PVCL irradiated with low doses, the increase in molecular weight induced an increase in the CPT of the polymer. For PNIPAM and DFP, there is strong chain hydrophilization leading to an increase in CPT. From this perspective, POX is the most suitable polymer for the construction of delivery systems that experience exposure to radiation, while PVCL is the least suitable and PNIPAM and DFP are suitable only for low radiation demands.
Thermoresponsive Polymers for Nuclear Medicine: Which Polymer Is the Best?
Sedláček, Ondřej; Černoch, Peter; Kučka, Jan; Konefal, Rafał; Štěpánek, Petr; Vetrík, Miroslav; Lodge, Timothy P; Hrubý, Martin
Thermoresponsive polymers showing cloud point temperatures (CPT) in aqueous solutions are very promising for the construction of various systems in biomedical field. In many of these applications these polymers get in contact with ionizing radiation, e.g., if they are used as carriers for radiopharmaceuticals or during radiation sterilization. Despite this fact, radiosensitivity of these polymers is largely overlooked to date. In this work, we describe the effect of electron beam ionizing radiation on the physicochemical and phase separation properties of selected thermoresponsive polymers with CPT between room and body temperature. Stability of the polymers to radiation (doses 0-20 kGy) in aqueous solutions increased in the order poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PVCL, the least stable) ≪ poly[N-(2,2-difluoroethyl)acrylamide] (DFP) polymer radiotherapeutics and sterilization of biomedical systems, cause significant increase in molecular weight due to cross-linking (except for POX, where this effect is weak). In the case of PVCL irradiated with low doses, the increase in molecular weight induced an increase in the CPT of the polymer. For PNIPAM and DFP, there is strong chain hydrophilization leading to an increase in CPT. From this perspective, POX is the most suitable polymer for the construction of delivery systems that experience exposure to radiation, while PVCL is the least suitable and PNIPAM and DFP are suitable only for low radiation demands. PMID:27238593
Flow-induced phase separation in polymer solutions
Moel, K. de; Flikkema, E.; Szleifer, I.; Brinke, G. ten
A correct description of phase behaviour in polymer solutions requires a coupling between configurational statistics and thermodynamics. The effect of flow-induced chain deformation on the polymer-solvent interaction energy depends on the concentration and on the polymer architecture. It will be dem
Thermo-cleavable polymers: Materials with enhanced photochemical stability
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Manceau, Matthieu; Petersen, Martin Helgesen; Krebs, Frederik C
Photochemical stability of three thermo-cleavable polymers was investigated as thin films under atmospheric conditions. A significant increase in lifetime was observed once the side-chain was cleaved emphasizing the detrimental effect of solubilizing groups on the photochemical stability of...... conjugated polymers. In addition to their ease of processing, thermo-cleavable polymers thus also offer a greater intrinsic stability under illumination....
New mechanisms for phase separation in polymer-surfactant mixtures
Currie, E.P.K.; Cohen Stuart, M.A.; Borisov, O.V.
The cooperative association of ionic surfactants with polymer chains leads to quite novel features in the phase behaviour of polymer solutions. Using an analytic mean-field model, we analyze phase equilibria in solutions of neutral polymers mixed with ionic surfactants. We predict the possibilities
Synthesis and photocurrent response of porphyrin-containing conjugated polymers
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
ZHAO Jinling; LI Binsong; BO Zhishan
Porphyrin-containing conjugated polymers with fluorene or carbazole as spacer groups were prepared by Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions. The polymers were of high molecular weight and the flexible alkyl chains on fluorene or carbazole units made the conjugated polymers soluble in common organic solvents, such as THF and methylene chloride. The polymers could form high quality durable films from solution casting. Their optical and photocurrent responsive properties were investigated. It was found that the photocurrent response was directly proportional to the content of porphyrin. The incorporation of carbazole units into the polymer chains also gave positive contribution to the photocurrent generation in some extent.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
The statistical counting method for the computer simulation of the thermodynamic quantities of polymer solution has been reviewed. The calculating results for a single athermal chain confirm the theory of the renormalization group. The results for the athermal solution are consistent with the scaling law of the osmotic pressure with the exponent 2.25. The results for a single chain with the segmental interaction are in a good agreement with the exact results obtained by the direct counting method. The results for the polymer solution show us that the Flory-Huggins parameter is strongly dependent on both the polymer concentration and the interaction energy between segments.
Williams, Martha; Roberson, Luke; Caraccio, Anne
This viewgraph presentation describes new technologies in polymer and material chemistry that benefits NASA programs and missions. The topics include: 1) What are Polymers?; 2) History of Polymer Chemistry; 3) Composites/Materials Development at KSC; 4) Why Wiring; 5) Next Generation Wiring Materials; 6) Wire System Materials and Integration; 7) Self-Healing Wire Repair; 8) Smart Wiring Summary; 9) Fire and Polymers; 10) Aerogel Technology; 11) Aerogel Composites; 12) Aerogels for Oil Remediation; 13) KSC's Solution; 14) Chemochromic Hydrogen Sensors; 15) STS-130 and 131 Operations; 16) HyperPigment; 17) Antimicrobial Materials; 18) Conductive Inks Formulations for Multiple Applications; and 19) Testing and Processing Equipment.
Stress Relaxation in Entangled Polymer Melts
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Hou, Ji-Xuan; Svaneborg, Carsten; Everaers, Ralf;
We present an extensive set of simulation results for the stress relaxation in equilibrium and step-strained bead-spring polymer melts. The data allow us to explore the chain dynamics and the shear relaxation modulus, G(t), into the plateau regime for chains with Z=40 entanglements and into the t...
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
WAN Meixiang
A physical model of series of the conductivity on chain and the interchain conductivity between chains is proposed to explain enhanced conductivity of stretched conducting polymers.This model suggests that the enhanced conductivity for stretched conducting polymers might be due to increasing of the interchain conductivity between chains along the elongation direction after drawing processes if the conductivity on chain is assumed much larger than that of the interchain conductivity between chains. According to this model, it is expected that the temperature dependence of conductivity measured by four-probe method for stretched conducting polymers is controlled by a variation of the interchain conductivity between chains with temperature, which can be used to explain that a metallic temperature dependence of conductivity for stretched conducting polymers is not observed although the conductivity along the elongation direction is enhanced by two or three orders of magnitude.
Communication: Thermodynamic analysis of critical conditions of polymer adsorption
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Cimino, R.; Neimark, A. V., E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 98 Brett Road, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854 (United States); Rasmussen, C. J. [DuPont Central Research and Development, Corporate Center for Analytical Sciences, Macromolecular Characterization, Route 141 and Henry Clay, Wilmington, Delaware 19803 (United States)
Polymer adsorption to solid surfaces is a ubiquitous phenomenon, which has attracted long-lasting attention. Dependent on the competition between the polymer-solid adsorption and polymer-solvent solvation interactions, a chain may assume either 3d solvated conformation when adsorption is weak or 2d adsorbed conformation when adsorption is strong. The transition between these conformations occurring upon variation of adsorption strength is quite sharp, and in the limit of "infinite" chain length, can be treated as a critical phenomenon. We suggest a novel thermodynamic definition of the critical conditions of polymer adsorption from the equality of incremental chemical potentials of adsorbed and free chains. We show with the example of freely jointed Lennard-Jones chains tethered to an adsorbing surface that this new definition provides a link between thermodynamic and geometrical features of adsorbed chains and is in line with classical scaling relationships for the fraction of adsorbed monomers, chain radii of gyration, and free energy.
Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma Arising Adjacent to a Breast Implant.
Ryan, Ciara; Ged, Yasser; Quinn, Fiona; Walker, Jan; Kennedy, John; Gillham, Charles; Pittaluga, Stefania; McDermott, Ronan; Vandenberghe, Elisabeth; Grant, Cliona; Flavin, Richard
Breast implant-associated lymphoma has recently gained wide recognition. Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is the most frequently diagnosed subtype in this setting but the spectrum is broadening. A 66-year-old woman developed swelling and itch around her saline implant 6 years after its insertion. Imaging revealed a fluid collection surrounding the implant with an adjacent mass. Microscopy showed sclerotic tissue punctuated by discrete cellular nodules comprising small lymphocytes, eosinophils and interspersed large atypical Hodgkin Reed-Sternberg (HRS)-like cells. The HRS-like cells stained positively for CD30 and CD15 by immunohistochemistry. Small T-lymphocytes formed rosettes around HRS-like cells. Appearances were consistent with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Multiplex polymerase chain reaction demonstrated no clonal rearrangements of immunoglobulin or T-cell receptor genes, however, a t(14;18)(q32;q21)BCL2-JH translocation involving the major breakpoint region of the bcl2 gene was present. Staging positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan revealed FDG-avid masses in the right axilla and pelvis. Subsequent pathological examination identified low-grade follicular lymphoma (FL) with a t(14;18) translocation at these sites. To our knowledge, this is the first case of HL arising adjacent to a breast implant. An awareness of this diagnosis is important as classical HL, with its prominent mixed inflammatory background, may be overlooked as a reactive process when histologically assessing capsulectomy specimens. It is also important in the differential diagnosis for implant-associated ALCL as both contain large atypical CD30-positive cells highlighting the need for full immunohistochemical and molecular workup in such cases. This case also adds to the large body of literature regarding the association between HL and FL. PMID:26888955
6 August 2006 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a chain of clustered and battered craters. These were formed by secondary impact. That is, somewhere to the south (beyond the bottom of this image), a large impact crater formed. When this occurred, material ejected from the crater was thrown tens to hundreds of kilometers away. This material then impacted the martian surface, forming clusters and chains of smaller craters. Location near: 15.8oN, 35.6oW Image width: 3 km (1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Northern Spring
Phase transitions of a polymer threading a membrane coupled to coil-globule transitions
Matsuyama, Akihiko
We theoretically study phase transitions of a polymer threading through a pore imbedded in a membrane. We focus on the coupling between a partition of the polymer segments through the membrane and a coil-globule transition of the single polymer chain. Based on the Flory model for collapse transitions of a polymer chain, we calculate the fraction of polymer segments and the expansion factor of a polymer coil on each side of the membrane. We predict a first-order phase transition of a polymer t...
Polymer flexibility and turbulent drag reduction.
Gillissen, J J J
Polymer-induced drag reduction is the phenomenon by which the friction factor of a turbulent flow is reduced by the addition of small amounts of high-molecular-weight linear polymers, which conformation in solution at rest can vary between randomly coiled and rodlike. It is well known that drag reduction is positively correlated to viscous stresses, which are generated by extended polymers. Rodlike polymers always assume this favorable conformation, while randomly coiling chains need to be unraveled by fluid strain rate in order to become effective. The coiling and stretching of flexible polymers in turbulent flow produce an additional elastic component in the polymer stress. The effect of the elastic stresses on drag reduction is unclear. To study this issue, we compare direct numerical simulations of turbulent drag reduction in channel flow using constitutive equations describing solutions of rigid and flexible polymers. When compared at constant phi r2, both simulations predict the same amount of drag reduction. Here phi is the polymer volume fraction and r is the polymer aspect ratio, which for flexible polymers is based on average polymer extension at the channel wall. This demonstrates that polymer elasticity plays a marginal role in the mechanism for drag reduction.
Backward Charge Transfer in Conjugated Polymers
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
CHENG Meng-Xing; LI Guang-Qi; Thomas F. George; SUN Xin
It has been known that the static polarizability of a polymer chain with a biexciton is negative. In order to understand this peculiar fact, this paper studies the dynamical process of the charge transfer in the polymer chain induced by an external electric field E during forming the biexciton. The time dependence of the charge distribution in the chain reveals that the charge transfer is backward: the positive charge shifts in the opposite direction of the external electric field. Such a backward charge transfer (BCT) produces an opposite dipole, which makes the polarization negative. The effect of electron interaction on the BCT is illustrated.
Polymer/mesoporous metal oxide composites
Ver Meer, Melissa Ann
Understanding the nature of the interfacial region between an organic polymer matrix and an inorganic filler component is essential in determining how this region impacts the overall bulk properties of the organic/inorganic hybrid composite material. In this work, polystyrene was used as the model polymer matrix coupled with silica-based filler materials to investigate the nature of structure-property relationships in polymer composites. Initial work was conducted on synthesis and characterization of colloidal and mesoporous silica particles melt blended into the polystyrene matrix. Modification of the interface was accomplished by chemically bonding the silica particles with the polystyrene chains through polymerization from the particle surface via atom transfer radical polymerization. High molecular weight polystyrene chains were formed and bulk test samples were evaluated with increased thermal stability of the grafted polymer composite system versus equivalent melt blended polymer composites. Polymer grafting was also conducted from the internal pores of mesoporous silica, further improving the thermal stability of the composite system without degrading dynamic mechanical properties. Characterization of the polymer composites was conducted with gel permeation chromatography, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and dynamic mechanical analysis. It was also discovered during the polystyrene-silica composite studies that amorphous polystyrene can possess a less mobile phase, evident in a second peak of the loss tangent (tan delta). The long annealing times necessitated by the mesoporous silica composites were replicated in as received polystyrene. This new, less mobile phase is of particular interest in determining the mobility of polymer chains in the interfacial region.
Lee, Chien-er
By means of the idea of measurements on the crossed space-time nonlocal observables, we extend the mechanism for the two-way quantum teleportation to the chain teleportation among N spatially separated spin-1/2 systems. Since in the process only the local interactions are used, the microcausality is automatically satisfied.
Lentz, Linda; Robinson, Thomas; Martin, Elizabeth; Miller, Mary; Ashburn, Norma
Each Tuesday during the fall of 2002, teams of high school students from three South Carolina counties conducted a four-hour polymer institute for their peers. In less than two months, over 300 students visited the Charleston County Public Library in Charleston, South Carolina, to explore DNA, nylon, rubber, gluep, and other polymers. Teams of…
Adams, Nico
Polymers are arguably the most important set of materials in common use. The increasing adoption of both combinatorial as well as high-throughput approaches, coupled with an increasing amount of interdisciplinarity, has wrought tremendous change in the field of polymer science. Yet the informatics tools required to support and further enhance these changes are almost completely absent. In the first part of the chapter, a critical analysis of the challenges facing modern polymer informatics is provided. It is argued, that most of the problems facing the field today are rooted in the current scholarly communication process and the way in which chemists and polymer scientists handle and publish data. Furthermore, the chapter reviews existing modes of representing and communicating polymer information and discusses the impact, which the emergence of semantic technologies will have on the way in which scientific and polymer data is published and transmitted. In the second part, a review of the use of informatics tools for the prediction of polymer properties and in silico design of polymers is offered.
Indian Academy of Sciences (India)
G Padmanaban; S Ramakrishnan
Segmented conjugated polymers, wherein the conjugation is randomly truncated by varying lengths of non-conjugated segments, form an interesting class of polymers as they not only represent systems of varying stiffness, but also ones where the backbone can be construed as being made up of chromophores of varying excitation energies. The latter feature, especially when the chromophores are fluorescent, like in MEHPPV, makes these systems particularly interesting from the photophysics point of view. Segmented MEHPPV- samples, where x represents the mole fraction of conjugated segments, were prepared by a novel approach that utilizes a suitable precursor wherein selective elimination of one of the two eliminatable groups is affected; the uneliminated units serve as conjugation truncations. Control of the composition x of the precursor therefore permits one to prepare segmented MEHPPV- samples with varying levels of conjugation (elimination). Using fluorescence spectroscopy, we have seen that even in single isolated polymer chains, energy migration from the shorter (higher energy) chromophores to longer (lower energy) ones occurs – the extent of which depends on the level of conjugation. Further, by varying the solvent composition, it is seen that the extent of energy transfer and the formation of poorly emissive inter-chromophore excitons are greatly enhanced with increasing amounts of non-solvent. A typical S-shaped curve represents the variation of emission yields as a function of composition suggestive of a cooperative collapse of the polymer coil, reminiscent of conformational transitions seen in biological macromolecules.
Roland, Christopher D.; Li, Hong; Abboud, Khalil A.; Wagener, Kenneth B.; Veige, Adam S.
Cyclic polymers have dramatically different physical properties compared with those of their equivalent linear counterparts. However, the exploration of cyclic polymers is limited because of the inherent challenges associated with their synthesis. Conjugated linear polyacetylenes are important materials for electrical conductivity, paramagnetic susceptibility, optical nonlinearity, photoconductivity, gas permeability, liquid crystallinity and chain helicity. However, their cyclic analogues are unknown, and therefore the ability to examine how a cyclic topology influences their properties is currently not possible. We have solved this challenge and now report a tungsten catalyst supported by a tetraanionic pincer ligand that can rapidly polymerize alkynes to form conjugated macrocycles in high yield. The catalyst works by tethering the ends of the polymer to the metal centre to overcome the inherent entropic penalty of cyclization. Gel-permeation chromatography, dynamic and static light scattering, viscometry and chemical tests are all consistent with theoretical predictions and provide unambiguous confirmation of a cyclic topology. Access to a wide variety of new cyclic polymers is now possible by simply choosing the appropriate alkyne monomer.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Lin-ping Ke; Mei-li Guo; De-lu Zhao
For a system of flexible polymer molecules, the concepts of two concentrations, namely the segmental and the molecular concentrations, have been proposed in this paper. The former is equivalent to the volume fraction. The latter can be defined as the number of the gravity centers of macromolecules in a unit volume. The two concentrations should be correlated with each other by the conformational function of the polymer chain and should be discussed in different thermodynamic equations. On the basis of these concepts it has been proved that the Flory-Huggins entropy of mixing should be the result of the mixing "ideal gases of the gravity centers of macromolecules". The general correlation between the free energy of mixing and the scattering function (structural factor) of polymer blends has been studied based on the general fluctuation theory. When the Flory-Huggins free energy of mixing is adopted, the de Gennes scattering function of a polymer blend can be derived.
Conjugated Polymers for Energy Production
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Livi, Francesco
This dissertation is aimed at developing materials for flexible, large area, ITO-free polymer solar cells (PSCs) fully printed under ambient conditions. A large screening of conjugated polymers, both novel and well-known materials, has been carried out in order to find suitable candidates...... for scalable PSCs fully printed under ambient conditions [Adv. Energy Mater. 2015, 5, 1402186]. PPDTBT resulted to be the conjugated polymer with the best photovoltaic performance within the 104 synthesized macromolecules. Therefore, further studies have been done on such material. The impact of side chain...... arylation (DAr) and direct arylation polymerization (DArP) have been applied to the preparation of PPDTBT, making this polymer readily available in only 4 synthetic steps and thus easily transferable to a large scale-production setup. DArP avoids organometallic species and therefore is an appealing...
Polyphosphazine-based polymer materials
Fox, Robert V.; Avci, Recep; Groenewold, Gary S.
Methods of removing contaminant matter from porous materials include applying a polymer material to a contaminated surface, irradiating the contaminated surface to cause redistribution of contaminant matter, and removing at least a portion of the polymer material from the surface. Systems for decontaminating a contaminated structure comprising porous material include a radiation device configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a surface of a structure, and at least one spray device configured to apply a capture material onto the surface of the structure. Polymer materials that can be used in such methods and systems include polyphosphazine-based polymer materials having polyphosphazine backbone segments and side chain groups that include selected functional groups. The selected functional groups may include iminos, oximes, carboxylates, sulfonates, .beta.-diketones, phosphine sulfides, phosphates, phosphites, phosphonates, phosphinates, phosphine oxides, monothio phosphinic acids, and dithio phosphinic acids.
Cyclic Polymer with Alternating Monomer Sequence.
Zhu, Wen; Li, Zi; Zhao, Youliang; Zhang, Ke
Cyclic polymers with alternating monomer sequence are synthesized for the first time based on the ring-closure strategy. Well-defined telechelic alternating polymers are synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization by copolymerizing the electron acceptor monomer of N-benzylmaleimide and donor monomer of styrene with a feed ratio of 1 between them. The corresponding cyclic alternating polymers are then produced by the UV-induced Diels-Alder click reaction to ring-close the linear alternating polymer precursors under highly diluted reaction solution.
Miscibility Phase Diagram of Ring Polymer Blends: A Topological Effect
Sakaue, Takahiro; Nakajima, Chihiro H.
The miscibility of polymer blends, a classical problem in polymer science, may be altered, if one or both of the component do not have chain ends. Based on the idea of {\\it topological volume}, we propose a mean-field theory to clarify how the topological constraints in ring polymers affect the phase behavior of the blends. While the large enhancement of the miscibility is expected for ring-linear polymer blends, the opposite trend toward demixing, albeit comparatively weak, is predicted for ...
On the embedding problem for discrete-time Markov chains
Guerry, Marie-Anne
When a discrete-time homogenous Markov chain is observed at time intervals that correspond to its time unit, then the transition probabilities of the chain can be estimated using known maximum likelihood estimators. In this paper we consider a situation when a Markov chain is observed on time intervals with length equal to twice the time unit of the Markov chain. The issue then arises of characterizing probability matrices whose square root(s) are also probability matrices. ...
Adenocarcinoma arising from the tailgut cyst: a case report
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Jung, Kyung Jae; Lee, Young Rae [Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)
Tailgut cyst is a rare congenital anomaly arising in the retrorectal space. Malignancy arising from the tailgut cyst is very rare. We experienced a case of adenocarcinoma arising from the tailgut cyst. The findings of this rare tumor are bony destruction of the sacrum on plain radiograph, a cystic mass on ultrasound, a low attenuation mass with calcification and enhancement on CT, and a multiseptated cystic mass containing solid component on MRI.
Wilms tumor arising in extracoelomic paravertebral soft tissues.
LENUS (Irish Health Repository)
Mulligan, Linda
Extrarenal Wilms tumor (ERWT) is a well-established entity which most commonly arises within the genitourinary tract, including intracoelomic paranephric soft tissue. Rarely, ERWT arises within teratoma, and it tends to occur predominantly in distinct settings, such as females with spinal defects and males with testicular teratomas. We report a unique ERWT arising within an extracoelomic teratoma of the paraspinal musculature, thereby expanding the range of reported locations for this unusual tumor.
Plasmonic polymers unraveled through single particle spectroscopy
Slaughter, Liane S.; Wang, Lin-Yung; Willingham, Britain A.; Olson, Jana M.; Swanglap, Pattanawit; Dominguez-Medina, Sergio; Link, Stephan
Plasmonic polymers are quasi one-dimensional assemblies of nanoparticles whose optical responses are governed by near-field coupling of localized surface plasmons. Through single particle extinction spectroscopy correlated with electron microscopy, we reveal the effect of the composition of the repeat unit, the chain length, and extent of disorder on the energies, intensities, and line shapes of the collective resonances of individual plasmonic polymers constructed from three different sizes of gold nanoparticles. Our combined experimental and theoretical analysis focuses on the superradiant plasmon mode, which results from the most attractive interactions along the nanoparticle chain and yields the lowest energy resonance in the spectrum. This superradiant mode redshifts with increasing chain length until an infinite chain limit, where additional increases in chain length cause negligible change in the energy of the superradiant mode. We find that, among plasmonic polymers of equal width comprising nanoparticles with different sizes, the onset of the infinite chain limit and its associated energy are dictated by the number of repeat units and not the overall length of the polymer. The intensities and linewidths of the superradiant mode relative to higher energy resonances, however, differ as the size and number of nanoparticles are varied in the plasmonic polymers studied here. These findings provide general guidelines for engineering the energies, intensities, and line shapes of the collective optical response of plasmonic polymers constructed from nanoparticles with sizes ranging from a few tens to one hundred nanometers.Plasmonic polymers are quasi one-dimensional assemblies of nanoparticles whose optical responses are governed by near-field coupling of localized surface plasmons. Through single particle extinction spectroscopy correlated with electron microscopy, we reveal the effect of the composition of the repeat unit, the chain length, and extent of
Origin of the red sites and energy transfer rates in single MEH-PPV chains at low temperature.
Feist, Florian A; Zickler, Martin F; Basché, Thomas
Single poly[2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] (MEH-PPV) molecules dispersed in thin poly(methylmethacrylate) films have been investigated by fluorescence emission, excitation and time-resolved spectroscopy at 1.2 K. For the molecular weight studied (∼200 kDa) a bimodal distribution of emission maxima is observed. Based on a comparison of the spectroscopic properties of blue and red sites and on polarisation-resolved measurements, we argue in agreement with recent quantum-chemical calculations that the red subpopulation most probably does not arise from interchromophoric excitation delocalisation but is to be attributed to longer chromophoric units originating from ordered regions of a polymer chain, where due to constraints on the chain conformation larger conjugation lengths can be realised. In excitation spectra within the red spectral region we can identify multiple chromophoric units, among them chromophores without correspondence in the emission spectrum-donors of the intramolecular energy transfer. Zero-phonon lines of donor chromophores proved to be significantly broadened, indicating fast excited-state population decay due to energy transfer. Thus, a distribution of energy transfer times within MEH-PPV chains could be determined from donor zero-phonon line widths, with an average value of 3.9 ps. Our study represents the first direct measurement of energy transfer times in conjugated polymers, parameters that are crucial for the performance of many technical applications based on this class of material. PMID:21472962
Molecular engineering of polymer actuators for biomedical and industrial use
Banister, Mark; Eichorst, Rebecca; Gurr, Amy; Schweitzer, Georgette; Geronov, Yordan; Rao, Pavalli; McGrath, Dominic
Five key materials engineering components and how each component impacted the working performance of a polymer actuator material are investigated. In our research we investigated the change of actuation performance that occurred with each change we made to the material. We investigated polymer crosslink density, polymer chain length, polymer gelation, type and density of reactive units, as well as the addition of binders to the polymer matrix. All five play a significant role and need to be addressed at the molecular level to optimize a polymer gel for use as a practical actuator material for biomedical and industrial use.
Nanohelices from planar polymer self-assembled in carbon nanotubes
Fu, Hongjin; Xu, Shuqiong; Li, Yunfang
The polymer possessing with planar structure can be activated and guided to encapsulate the inner space of SWNT and form a helix through van der Waals interaction and the π-π stacking effect between the polymer and the inner surface of SWNT. The SWNT size, the nanostructure and flexibility of polymer chain are all determine the final structures. The basic interaction between the polymer and the nanotubes is investigated, and the condition and mechanism of the helix-forming are explained particularly. Hybrid polymers improve the ability of the helix formation. This study provides scientific basis for fabricating helical polymers encapsulated in SWNTs and eventually on their applications in various areas.
Nanoparticles of conjugated polymers prepared from phase-separated films of phospholipids and polymers for biomedical applications.
Yoon, Jungju; Kwag, Jungheon; Shin, Tae Joo; Park, Joonhyuck; Lee, Yong Man; Lee, Yebin; Park, Jonghyup; Heo, Jung; Joo, Chulmin; Park, Tae Jung; Yoo, Pil J; Kim, Sungjee; Park, Juhyun
Phase separation in films of phospholipids and conjugated polymers results in nanoassemblies because of a difference in the physicochemical properties between the hydrophobic polymers and the polar lipid heads, together with the comparable polymer side-chain lengths to lipid tail lengths, thus producing nanoparticles of conjugated polymers upon disassembly in aqueous media by the penetration of water into polar regions of the lipid heads.
Talbert, Robert
Catch Chain is a book of poems that traces the journey of a Corrections Officer who attempts to combat issues of isolation, inhumane treatment of inmates and societal rejection in jails by embarking upon a cross-country road trip. However, the same issues the officer initially wrestled with begin cropping up in different cities, on various highways and in a multitude of states. The excitement and adventure of the open road runs parallel to the recurring imprisonment of the guard's mind.
Three-way switching in a cyanide-bridged [CoFe] chain
Hoshino, Norihisa; Iijima, Fumichika; Newton, Graham N.; Yoshida, Norifumi; Shiga, Takuya; Nojiri, Hiroyuki; Nakao, Akiko; Kumai, Reiji; Murakami, Youichi; Oshio, Hiroki
Bistable compounds that exist in two interchangeable phases under identical conditions can act as switches under external stimuli. Among such switchable materials, coordination complexes have energy levels (or phases) that are determined by the electronic states of their constituent metal ions and ligands. They can exhibit multiple bistabilities and hold promise in the search for multifaceted materials that display different properties in different phases, accessible through the application of contrasting external stimuli. Molecular systems that exhibit both thermo- and photoinduced magnetic bistabilities are excellent candidates for such systems. Here we describe a cyanide-bridged [CoFe] one-dimensional chiral coordination polymer that displays both magnetic and electric bistabilities in the same temperature range. Both the electric and magnetic switching probably arise from the same electron-transfer coupled spin-transition phenomenon, which enables the reversible conversion between an insulating diamagnetic phase and either a semiconducting paramagnetic (thermoinduced) or a type of ferromagnetic single-chain magnet (photoinduced) state.
Ring polymers in confined geometries
Usatenko, Z; Kuterba, P
The investigation of a dilute solution of phantom ideal ring polymers and ring polymers with excluded volume interactions (EVI) in a good solvent confined in a slit geometry of two parallel repulsive walls and in a solution of colloidal particles of big size were performed. Taking into account the correspondence between the field theoretical $\\phi^4$ $O(n)$-vector model in the limit $n\\to 0$ and the behavior of long-flexible polymer chains in a good solvent the correspondent depletion interaction potentials, depletion forces and the forces which exert phantom ideal ring and ring polymer chains with EVI on the walls were obtained in the framework of the massive field theory approach at fixed space dimensions d=3 up to one-loop order. Additionally, the investigation of a dilute solution of phantom ideal ring polymers in a slit geometry of two inert walls and mixed walls with one repulsive and other one inert wall were performed and correspondent depletion interaction potentials and the depletion forces were cal...
Processing polymers with cyclodextrins
Williamson, Brandon Robert
Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic starch molecules that have the unique ability to include a variety of small molecules and polymers inside their cavities, forming "Inclusion Complexes" (ICs). While much work has been done to understand the formation and behavior of these ICs, far less is known about the fundamental property changes that can occur when CD is used to alter polymer chain morphology. The goal of my graduate research has been to discover different ways to improve upon existing polymer properties through CD processing, as well as explore the possibility of creating a novel type of IC using non-traditional forms of cyclodextrin. Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) was processed with alpha-CD to form an IC. The cyclodextrin was then stripped away to yield a PCL with elongated, unentangled, and constrained polymer chains, a process referred to as coalescence. The physical and rheological property changes resulting from this coalescence were then examined. It was found that reorganizing PCL in this manner resulted in an increase in the melt crystallization temperature of up to 25°C. Coalescence also decreased the tan delta of the material and increased the average hardness and Young's modulus by 33 and 53%, respectively. Non-stoichiometric ICs (NS-ICs), or ICs with at least parts of some polymer chains uncovered, were formed between poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and gamma-CD as well as a synthesized poly(ε-caprolactone)-poly(propylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL-PPG-PCL) triblock copolymer and beta-CD. The property changes of the non-complexed polymer chains were then studied. The PMMA/gamma-CD NS-IC samples were determined to be extremely heterogeneous, however glass transition temperature increases of up to 27°C above that of as-received PMMA were observed. Diffraction data for the PMMA NS-ICs suggests slight crystallinity at partial coverage, with a similar crystal structure to that of the fully covered IC. XRD, DSC and FTIR data revealed an almost
Physical gelation in polymer-nanofiller systems
Xu, Di; Gersappe, Dilip
Polymer gelation by physically crosslinking to sheet-like nanofillers was studied by Molecular Dynamics simulation. Nanofillers were modeled as rigid bodies of disk-like shapes and crosslinks were simulated by introducing a short-range attraction between the nanofillers and polymer chain ends. The structure, dynamics and mechanics of this polymer gel was studied as function of nanofiller volume fraction. Micelle like clusters were formed by polymers wrapping around nanofillers as its cores. These structures grow, with increased filler fraction, into fibrous structures. We observe the formation of a percolated nework of these fibrous structures, with ordered local structure but disordered globally, as we increase the filler fraction. The dynamics of polymers showed significant caging at intermediate time, in gel state, while the polymers move heterogeneously. Stress autocorrelation and elongation results were analyzed as a function of the nano-filler concentration.
Reversible Thermal Stiffening in Polymer Nanocomposites.
Senses, Erkan; Isherwood, Andrew; Akcora, Pinar
Miscible polymer blends with different glass transition temperatures (Tg) are known to create confined interphases between glassy and mobile chains. Here, we show that nanoparticles adsorbed with a high-Tg polymer, poly(methyl methacrylate), and dispersed in a low-Tg matrix polymer, poly(ethylene oxide), exhibit a liquid-to-solid transition at temperatures above Tg's of both polymers. The mechanical adaptivity of nanocomposites to temperature underlies the existence of dynamically asymmetric bound layers on nanoparticles and more importantly reveals their impact on macroscopic mechanical response of composites. The unusual reversible stiffening behavior sets these materials apart from conventional polymer composites that soften upon heating. The presented stiffening mechanism in polymer nanocomposites can be used in applications for flexible electronics or mechanically induced actuators responding to environmental changes like temperature or magnetic fields.
Stress Relaxation in Entangled Polymer Melts
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Hou, Ji-Xuan; Svaneborg, Carsten; Everaers, Ralf;
We present an extensive set of simulation results for the stress relaxation in equilibrium and step-strained bead-spring polymer melts. The data allow us to explore the chain dynamics and the shear relaxation modulus, G(t), into the plateau regime for chains with Z=40 entanglements and into the t......We present an extensive set of simulation results for the stress relaxation in equilibrium and step-strained bead-spring polymer melts. The data allow us to explore the chain dynamics and the shear relaxation modulus, G(t), into the plateau regime for chains with Z=40 entanglements...... excellent agreement for the Likhtman-McLeish theory using the double reptation approximation for constraint release, if we remove the contribution of high-frequency modes to contour length fluctuations of the primitive chain....
Liquid crystalline order in polymers
Blumstein, Alexandre
Liquid Crystalline Order in Polymers examines the topic of liquid crystalline order in systems containing rigid synthetic macromolecular chains. Each chapter of the book provides a review of one important area of the field. Chapter 1 discusses scattering in polymer systems with liquid crystalline order. It also introduces the field of liquid crystals. Chapter 2 treats the origin of liquid crystalline order in macromolecules by describing the in-depth study of conformation of such macromolecules in their unassociated state. The chapters that follow describe successively the liquid crystalli
Precise Analysis of Polymer Rotational Dynamics
Kim, Jun Mo; Baig, Chunggi
Through the analysis of individual chain dynamics alongside the corresponding molecular structures under shear via nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of C178H358 linear and short-chain branched polyethylene melts under shear flow, we observed that the conventional method based on the chain end-to-end vector (and/or the gyration tensor of chain) is susceptible to quantitatively inaccurate measurements and often misleading information in describing the rotational dynamics of polymers. Identifying the flaw as attributed to strong irregular Brownian fluctuations inherent to the chain ends associated with their large free volume and strong molecular collisions, we propose a simple, robust way based on the chain center-to-center vector connecting the two centers of mass of the bisected chain, which is shown to adequately describe polymer rotational dynamics without such shortcomings. We present further consideration that the proposed method can be useful in accurately measuring the overall chain structure and dynamics of polymeric materials with various molecular architectures, including branched and ring polymers.
Synthesis of Fluorinated Polymers and Evaluation of Wettability.
Kimura, Tamami; Kasuya, Maria Carmelita; Hatanaka, Kenichi; Matsuoka, Koji
Two kinds of fluorinated polymers were synthesized: an acrylate polymer having a fluorinated triethylene glycol as a pendant group (2a) and a fluoroalkyl acrylate polymer (2b). The contact angle of these fluorinated polymers against water, non-fluorinated alcohols and fluorinated alcohols were evaluated. As compared with the fluoroalkyl polymer (2b), fluoroethylene glycol polymer (2a) showed smaller contact angle against water and non-fluorinated alcohols. This supports the proposition that changing the alkyl chain into the ethylene glycol-type chain gave some interaction between etheric oxygen and water or non-fluorinated alcohols. In addition, fluoroalkyl acrylate polymer (2b) showed remarkably low values of critical surface tension.
Synthesis of Fluorinated Polymers and Evaluation of Wettability
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Tamami Kimura
Full Text Available Two kinds of fluorinated polymers were synthesized: an acrylate polymer having a fluorinated triethylene glycol as a pendant group (2a and a fluoroalkyl acrylate polymer (2b. The contact angle of these fluorinated polymers against water, non-fluorinated alcohols and fluorinated alcohols were evaluated. As compared with the fluoroalkyl polymer (2b, fluoroethylene glycol polymer (2a showed smaller contact angle against water and non-fluorinated alcohols. This supports the proposition that changing the alkyl chain into the ethylene glycol-type chain gave some interaction between etheric oxygen and water or non-fluorinated alcohols. In addition, fluoroalkyl acrylate polymer (2b showed remarkably low values of critical surface tension.
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
WANG Xinjiu
Semi-rigid liquid crystal polymer is a class of liquid crystal polymers different from long rigid rod liquid crystal polymer to which the well-known Onsager and Flory theories are applied. In this paper, three statistical models for the semi-rigid nematic polymer were addressed. They are the elastically jointed rod model, worm-like chain model, and non-homogeneous chain model.The nematic-isotropic transition temperature was examined. The pseudo-second transition temperature is expressed analytically. Comparisons with the experiments were made and the agreements were found.
Effect of nanoconfinement on polymer dynamics: surface layers and interphases.
Krutyeva, M; Wischnewski, A; Monkenbusch, M; Willner, L; Maiz, J; Mijangos, C; Arbe, A; Colmenero, J; Radulescu, A; Holderer, O; Ohl, M; Richter, D
We present neutron spin echo experiments that address the much debated topic of dynamic phenomena in polymer melts that are induced by interacting with a confining surface. We find an anchored surface layer that internally is highly mobile and not glassy as heavily promoted in the literature. The polymer dynamics in confinement is, rather, determined by two phases, one fully equal to the bulk polymer and another that is partly anchored at the surface. By strong topological interaction, this phase confines further chains with no direct contact to the surface. These form the often invoked interphase, where the full chain relaxation is impeded through the interaction with the anchored chains. PMID:23521308
What's Wrong with the Wormlike Chain
Wiggins, Paul
DNA bending on length scales shorter than a persistence length (50 nm) plays an essential role in the translation of genetic information from DNA to cellular function. Although the Wormlike Chain model successfully describes the bending of DNA on length scales longer than a persistence length, recent DNA cyclization experiments reveal that this model underestimates the probability of spontaneous sharp bending. Indeed, at the scales most relevant for biological processes, recent experiments give cyclization rates three orders of magnitude greater than that predicted by the Wormlike Chain model.In this talk, we reconcile the successes of the Wormlike Chain model in describing the long-length-scale mechanics of DNA, with its failure to describe bending on biologically relevant length scales. We present an exact statistical mechanics model for a polymer which can undergo a kinking transition and explicitly show that this high-curvature softening of the polymer constitutive relation can dramatically increase the probability of high curvature configurations while leaving the long-length-scale mechanics of the polymer virtually unchanged [P. Wiggins, R. Phillips, & P. Nelson: cond- mat/0409003, Phys Rev E in press]. Next, we present a new technique for describing stiff polymers which can be exploited to compute near-exact result for many polymer observables. We use these techniques and short-length-scale AFM measurements to construct a quantitative model for DNA bending mechanics applicable on the length scales relevant for many biological processes. This new model predicts the softening observed in short-contour-length cyclization measurements.
Bannai-Ito polynomials and dressing chains
Derevyagin, Maxim; Tsujimoto, Satoshi; Vinet, Luc; Zhedanov, Alexei
Schur-Delsarte-Genin (SDG) maps and Bannai-Ito polynomials are studied. SDG maps are related to dressing chains determined by quadratic algebras. The Bannai-Ito polynomials and their kernel polynomials -- the complementary Bannai-Ito polynomials -- are shown to arise in the framework of the SDG maps.
Rheology of cross-linked polymers and polymer foams: Theory and experimental results
Herman, John N.
Typical polymers have a time-dependent response to loading which results in stress relaxation or creep. Models using springs/dashpots or Volterra integrals are capable of predicting the material response, but place little or no emphasis on the reasoning behind the response. This research proposes a microscopic reasoning behind polymer chain movement, while developing a model to predict the creep and stress relaxation of a polymer foam. Based on the theorized slip/stick of polymer chains as they slide past each other, this model successfully predicts the behavior of a PMI polymer foam under tensile loads. This model lends insights into polymer microscopic behavior, which may be used for the development of future polymer materials. When possible, industry standard test methods are used to obtain tensile creep and stress relaxation results from rectangular specimens of Rohacell 31 IG foam. A common set of material parameters is fitted to the data, validating the micromechanic reasoning to polymer chain movement. To gain insight into observed test result variability, an investigation of the elastic modulus and material density relationship is performed using nominal foam densities of 31 kg/m3, 51 kg/m3,, 71 kg/m3. Additional testing and modeling is performed to validate the model under load/partial-unload/ hold, load/unload/recovery, and load/instantaneous-unload test cycles. The model successfully captures the observed material nuances during these more complex loading cycles.
Thin Films Formed from Conjugated Polymers with Ionic, Water-Soluble Backbones.
Voortman, Thomas P; Chiechi, Ryan C
This paper compares the morphologies of films of conjugated polymers in which the backbone (main chain) and pendant groups are varied between ionic/hydrophilic and aliphatic/hydrophobic. We observe that conjugated polymers in which the pendant groups and backbone are matched, either ionic-ionic or hydrophobic-hydrophobic, form smooth, structured, homogeneous films from water (ionic) or tetrahydrofuran (hydrophobic). Mismatched conjugated polymers, by contrast, form inhomogeneous films with rough topologies. The polymers with ionic backbone chains are conjugated polyions (conjugated polymers with closed-shell charges in the backbone), which are semiconducting materials with tunable bad-gaps, not unlike uncharged conjugated polymers.
Ideal-Chain Collapse in Biopolymers
Neumann, R M
A conceptual difficulty in the Hooke's-law description of ideal Gaussian polymer-chain elasticity is sometimes apparent in analyses of experimental data or in physical models designed to simulate the behavior of biopolymers. The problem, the tendency of a chain to collapse in the absence of external forces, is examined in the following examples: DNA-stretching experiments, gel electrophoresis, and protein folding. We demonstrate that the application of a statistical-mechanically derived repulsive force, acting between the chain ends, whose magnitude is proportional to the absolute temperature and inversely proportional to the scalar end separation removes this difficulty.
A constitutive law for degrading bioresorbable polymers.
Samami, Hassan; Pan, Jingzhe
This paper presents a constitutive law that predicts the changes in elastic moduli, Poisson's ratio and ultimate tensile strength of bioresorbable polymers due to biodegradation. During biodegradation, long polymer chains are cleaved by hydrolysis reaction. For semi-crystalline polymers, the chain scissions also lead to crystallisation. Treating each scission as a cavity and each new crystal as a solid inclusion, a degrading semi-crystalline polymer can be modelled as a continuum solid containing randomly distributed cavities and crystal inclusions. The effective elastic properties of a degrading polymer are calculated using existing theories for such solid and the tensile strength of the degrading polymer is predicted using scaling relations that were developed for porous materials. The theoretical model for elastic properties and the scaling law for strength form a complete constitutive relation for the degrading polymers. It is shown that the constitutive law can capture the trend of the experimental data in the literature for a range of biodegradable polymers fairly well. PMID:26971070
Adsorption of poly(ethylene succinate) chain onto graphene nanosheets: A molecular simulation.
Kelich, Payam; Asadinezhad, Ahmad
Understanding the interaction between single polymer chain and graphene nanosheets at local and global length scales is essential for it underlies the mesoscopic properties of polymer nanocomposites. A computational attempt was then performed using atomistic molecular dynamics simulation to gain physical insights into behavior of a model aliphatic polyester, poly(ethylene succinate), single chain near graphene nanosheets, where the effects of the polymer chain length, graphene functionalization, and temperature on conformational properties of the polymer were studied comparatively. Graphene functionalization was carried out through extending the parameters set of an all-atom force field. The results showed a significant conformational transition of the polymer chain from three-dimensional statistical coil, in initial state, to two-dimensional fold, in final state, during adsorption on graphene. The conformational order, overall shape, end-to-end separation statistics, and mobility of the polymer chain were found to be influenced by the graphene functionalization, temperature, and polymer chain length. Furthermore, the polymer chain dynamics mode during adsorption on graphene was observed to transit from normal diffusive to slow subdiffusive mode. The findings from this computational study could shed light on the physics of the early stages of aliphatic polyester chain organization induced by graphene. PMID:27560653
Density Functional Theory of Polymer Structure and Conformations
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Zhaoyang Wei
Full Text Available We present a density functional approach to quantitatively evaluate the microscopic conformations of polymer chains with consideration of the effects of chain stiffness, polymer concentration, and short chain molecules. For polystyrene (PS, poly(ethylene oxide (PEO, and poly(methyl methacrylate (PMMA melts with low-polymerization degree, as chain length increases, they display different stretching ratios and show non-universal scaling exponents due to their different chain stiffnesses. In good solvent, increase of PS concentration induces the decline of gyration radius. For PS blends containing short (m1 = 1 − 100 and long (m = 100 chains, the expansion of long chains becomes unobvious once m 1 is larger than 40, which is also different to the scaling properties of ideal chain blends.
A thermodynamic study of shear banding in polymer solutions
Hooshyar, Soroush; Germann, Natalie
Although shear banding is a ubiquitous phenomenon observed in soft materials, the mechanisms that give rise to shear-band formation are not always the same. In this work, we develop a new two-fluid model for semi-dilute entangled polymer solutions using the generalized bracket approach of nonequilibrium thermodynamics. The model is based on the hypothesis that the direct coupling between polymer stress and concentration is the driving mechanism of steady shear-band formation. To obtain smooth banded profiles in the two-fluid framework, a new stress-diffusive term is added to the time evolution equation for the conformation tensor. The advantage of the new model is that the differential velocity is treated as a state variable. This allows a straightforward implementation of the additional boundary conditions arising from the derivative diffusive terms with respect to this new state variable. To capture the overshoot of the shear stress during the start of a simple shear flow, we utilize a nonlinear Giesekus relaxation. Moreover, we include an additional relaxation term that resembles the term used in the Rouse linear entangled polymer model to account for convective constraint release and chain stretch to generate the upturn of the flow curve at large shear rates. Numerical calculations performed for cylindrical Couette flow confirm the independency of the solution from the deformation history and initial conditions. Furthermore, we find that stress-induced migration is the responsible diffusive term for steady-state shear banding. Because of its simplicity, the new model is an ideal candidate for the use in the simulation of more complex flows.
Phase behaviour of polyethylene knotted ring chains
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Wen Xiao-Hui; Zhang Lin-Xi; Xia A-Gen; Chen Hong-Ping
The phase behaviour of polyethylene knotted ring chains is investigated by using molecular dynamics simulations.In this paper, we focus on the collapse of the polyethylene knotted ring chain, and also present the results of linear and ring chains for comparison. At high temperatures, a fully extensive knot structure is observed. The mean-square radius of gyration per bond〈S2〉/(Nb2)and the shape factor(δ*)depend on not only the chain length but also the knot type.With temperature decreasing, chain collapse is observed, and the collapse temperature decreases with the chain length increasing. The actual collapse transition can be determined by the specific heat capacity Cv, and the knotted ring chain undergoes gas-liquid-solid-like transition directly. The phase transition of a knotted ring chain is only one-stage collapse, which is different from the polyethylene linear and ring chains. This investigation can provide some insights into the statistical properties of knotted polymer chains.
Localised fibrous mesothelioma arising in an intralobar pulmonary sequestration.
Paksoy, N.; Demircan, A.; Altiner, M; Artvinli, M
A localised fibrous mesothelioma arising from an intralobar lung sequestration occurred in a 64 year old Turkish woman. This appears to be the first report of a mesothelioma occurring within a pulmonary sequestration.
Identities involving Bessel polynomials arising from linear differential equations
Kim, Taekyun; Kim, Dae San
In this paper, we study linear di?erential equations arising from Bessel polynomials and their applications. From these linear differential equations, we give some new and explicit identities for Bessel polynomials.
Malignant melanoma arising in mature cystic teratoma of the ovary
Heidi E Godoy; Kesterson, Joshua P.; Kasznica, John M.; Lele, Shashikant
► Teratomas are composed of elements of all three germ layers, all potentially capable of undergoing malignant transformation. ► A case of malignant melanoma arising in a mature teratoma is presented.
Expression of poly-3-(R)-hydroxyalkanoate (PHA) polymerase and acyl-CoA-transacylase in plastids of transgenic potato leads to the synthesis of a hydrophobic polymer, presumably medium-chain-length PHAs
Romano, A.; Plas, van der L.H.W.; Witholt, B.; Eggink, G.; Mooibroek, A.
Medium-chain-length poly-3-(R)-hydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHAs) belong to the group of microbial polyesters. The minimum gene-set for the accumulation of mcl-PHAs from de novo fatty acid biosynthesis has been identified in prokaryotes [B. Rehm et al. (1998) J. Biol Chem 273:24044–24051] as consisting of
Multiple Ectopic Hepatocellular Carcinomas Arising in the Abdominal Cavity
Miyake, Toru; Hoshino, Seiichiro; Yoshida, Yoichiro; AISU, NAOYA; Tanimura, Syu; Hisano, Satoshi; Kuno, Nobuaki; Sohda, Tetsuro; Sakisaka, Shotaro; Yamashita, Yuichi
Ectopic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a very rare clinical entity that is defined as HCC arising from extrahepatic liver tissue. This report presents a case of ectopic multiple HCC arising in the abdominal cavity. A 42-year-old otherwise healthy male presented with liver dysfunction at a general health checkup. Both HCV antibody and hepatitis B surface antigen were negative. Laboratory examination showed elevations in serum alpha-fetoprotein and PIVKA-II. Ultrasonography and computed tomo...
Number theory arising from finite fields analytic and probabilistic theory
Knopfmacher, John
""Number Theory Arising from Finite Fields: Analytic and Probabilistic Theory"" offers a discussion of the advances and developments in the field of number theory arising from finite fields. It emphasizes mean-value theorems of multiplicative functions, the theory of additive formulations, and the normal distribution of values from additive functions. The work explores calculations from classical stages to emerging discoveries in alternative abstract prime number theorems.
Secondary osteosarcoma arising after treatment for childhood hematologic malignancies
Okada, Atsushi; Hatori, Masahito; Hosaka, Masami; Watanuki, Munenori; Itoi, Eiji
Secondary osteosarcoma arising after the treatment of hematologic malignancies other than Hodgkin's lymphoma is rare. We report two cases of secondary osteosarcoma arising after treatment for childhood hematologic malignancies (non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and lymphoblastic leukemia). A 10-year-old boy, at the age of 3, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He received chemotherapy, radiation, and bone-marrow transplantation and then was in complete remission. At 6 years, he complained of incr...
MYC Amplification in Angiosarcoma Arising from an Arteriovenous Graft Site
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Kristen M. Paral
Full Text Available Angiosarcoma arising in association with an arteriovenous graft (AVG or fistula is a unique clinicopathologic scenario that appears to be gaining recognition in the literature. Among reported cases, none has described high-level MYC gene amplification, a genetic aberration that is increasingly unifying the various clinicopathologic subdivisions of angiosarcoma. We therefore report the MYC gene status in a case of angiosarcoma arising at an AVG site.
Polymer Brush Grafted Nanoparticles and Their Impact on the Morphology Evolution of Polymer Blend Films
Chung, Hyun-Joong; Ohno, Kohji; Composto, Russell
We present an novel pathway to control the location of nanoparticles (NPs) in phase-separating polymer blend films containing poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(styrene-ran-acrylonitrile) (SAN). Because hydrophobic polymer phases have a small interfacial energy, ~1 mJ/m2, subtle changes in the NP surface functionality can be used to guide NPs to either the interface between immiscible polymers or into one of the phases. Based on this idea, we designed a class of NPs grafted with PMMA brushes. These PMMA brushes were grown from the NP surface by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), which results in chains terminated with chlorine atoms. The chain end can be substituted with protons (H) by dehalogenation. As a result, the NPs are strongly segregated at the interface when grafted PMMA chains are short (Mn =1.8K) and the end group is Cl, whereas NPs partition into PMMA-rich phase when chains are long (Mn =160K) and/or when chains are terminated with hydrogen. The Cl end groups and shorter chain length cause an increase in surface energy for the NPs. The increase in surface energy of short-chained NPs can be attributed to (i) an extended brush conformation (entropic) and/or (ii) a high density of ``unfavorable'' end groups (enthalpic). Finally, the impact of NPs on the morphological evolution of the polymer blend films will be discussed. Ref: H.-J.Chung et al., ACS Macro Lett. 1(1), 252-256 (2012).
Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization in microemulsion.
O'Donnell, Jennifer M
This tutorial review first details the uncontrolled microemulsion polymerization mechanism, and the RAFT polymerization mechanism to provide the necessary background for examining the RAFT microemulsion polymerization mechanism. The effect of the chain transfer agent per micelle ratio and the chain transfer agent aqueous solubility on the RAFT microemulsion polymerization kinetics, polymer molecular weight and polydispersity, and polymer nanoparticle size are discussed with a focus on oil-in-water microemulsions. Modeling of RAFT microemulsion polymerization kinetics and the resulting final polymer molecular weight are presented to assist with the analysis of observed experimental trends. Lastly, the current significance of RAFT microemulsion polymerization and the future directions are discussed. PMID:22246214
Internal dissipation of a polymer.
Deutsch, J M
The dynamics of flexible polymer molecules are often assumed to be governed by hydrodynamics of the solvent. However there is considerable evidence that internal dissipation of a polymer contributes as well. Here we investigate the dynamics of a single chain in the absence of solvent to characterize the nature of this internal friction. We model the chains as freely hinged but with localized bond angles and threefold symmetric dihedral angles. We show that the damping is close but not identical to Kelvin damping, which depends on the first temporal and second spatial derivative of monomer position. With no internal potential between monomers, the magnitude of the damping is small for long wavelengths and weakly damped oscillatory time dependent behavior is seen for a large range of spatial modes. When the size of the internal potential is increased, such oscillations persist, but the damping becomes larger. However underdamped motion is present even with quite strong dihedral barriers for long enough wavelengths. PMID:20866433
Polymer Parametrised Field Theory
Laddha, Alok
Free scalar field theory on 2 dimensional flat spacetime, cast in diffeomorphism invariant guise by treating the inertial coordinates of the spacetime as dynamical variables, is quantized using LQG type `polymer' representations for the matter field and the inertial variables. The quantum constraints are solved via group averaging techniques and, analogous to the case of spatial geometry in LQG, the smooth (flat) spacetime geometry is replaced by a discrete quantum structure. An overcomplete set of Dirac observables, consisting of (a) (exponentials of) the standard free scalar field creation- annihilation modes and (b) canonical transformations corresponding to conformal isometries, are represented as operators on the physical Hilbert space. None of these constructions suffer from any of the `triangulation' dependent choices which arise in treatments of LQG. In contrast to the standard Fock quantization, the non- Fock nature of the representation ensures that the algebra of conformal isometries as well as tha...
Subdiffraction-Resolution Optical Measurements of Molecular Transport in Thin Polymer Films.
Pahal, Suman; Raichur, Ashok M; Varma, Manoj M
The measurement of molecular transport within polymer films yields information about the internal structural organization of the films and is useful in applications such as the design of polymeric capsules for drug delivery. Layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolyte multilayer films has been widely used in such applications where the multilayer structure often exhibits anisotropic transport resulting in different diffusivities in the lateral (parallel to the film) and transverse (normal to the film) directions. Although lateral transport can be probed using techniques such as fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), it cannot be applied to probing transverse diffusivity in polymer films smaller than the diffraction limit of light. Here we present a technique to probe the transport of molecules tagged with fluorphores in polymer films thinner than the optical diffraction limit using the modulation of fluorescence emission depending on the distance of the tagged molecules from a metal surface. We have used this technique to probe the diffusion of proteins biotin and bovine serum albumin (BSA) in polyelectrolyte multilayer films. We also studied the interdiffusion of chains in multilayer films using this technique. We observed a 3 order of magnitude increase in interdiffusion as a function of the ionic strength of the medium. This technique, along with FRAP, will be useful in studying anisotropic transport in polymer films, even those thinner than the diffraction limit, because the signal in this technique arises only from transverse and not lateral transport. Finally, this technique is also applicable to studying the diffusion of chromophore-labeled species within a polymer film. We demonstrate this aspect by measuring the transverse diffusion of methylene blue in the PAH-PAA multilayer system. PMID:27175850
New method for preparing a liquid crystal polymer that exhibits linearly polarized white fluorescence
Zheng, Shi-jun; Kun, Wang; Kobayashi, Takaomi
With the aim of developing a single-chain white-light-emitting polymer, liquid crystal (LC) polymers with a shish-kebab-type moiety on their cross-conjugated (p-phenylene)s-poly(p-phenylenevinylene)s main chain were synthesized by Gilch polymerization. They were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and polarizing optical microscopy (POM). 1H-NMR indicated that the polymers had a shish-kebab structure, which strongly suppressed the formation of structural defects in the polymers. DSC revealed that the polymers had thermotropic LC properties, indicating that the LC polymers were enantiotropic. XRD showed that the polymers had a mesophase, which implies that they were in a smectic LC phase. A polymer with "kebabs" of 2,5-bis(4'-alkoxyphenyl)benzene was combined with an aligned polyimide film with orientated microgrooves. The polymer main chain was aligned due to the orientation of the "kebabs" of the uniform cross-conjugated structure. It lay between the kebabs and the "shish" of the polymer main chains. The aligned polymer main chain emitted yellow light while and the oriented LC side chains emitted blue light emission. These two emissions resulted in linearly polarized white fluorescence.
Packing of charged chains on toroidal geometries
Yao, Zhenwei; de la Cruz, Monica Olvera
We study a strongly adsorbed flexible polyelectrolyte chain on tori. In this generalized Thomson problem, the patterns of the adsorbed chain are analyzed in the space of the toroidal coordinates and in terms of the orientation of each chain segment. Various patterns are found, including double spirals, disclination-like structures, Janus tori, and uniform wrappings, arising from the long-range electrostatic interaction and the toroidal geometry. Their broken mirror symmetry is quantitatively characterized by introducing an order parameter, an integral of the torsion. The uniform packing, which breaks the mirror symmetry the least, has the lowest value of the order parameter. In addition, it is found that the electrostatic energy of confined chains on tori conforms to a power law regardless of the screening effect in some typical cases studied. Furthermore, we study random walks on tori that generate chain configurations in the large screening limit or at large thermal fluctuation; some features associated with the toroidal geometry are discussed.
Engineering Polymer Informatics
Adams, Nico; Ryder, Jennifer; Jessop, David M; Corbett, Peter; Murray-Rust, Peter
The poster describes a strategy of for the development of polymer informatics. In particular, the development of polymer markup language, a polymer ontology and natural language processing tools for polymer literature.
Brownian particles in supramolecular polymer solutions
Gucht, van der, J.; Besseling, N.A.M.; Knoben, W.; Bouteiller, L; Cohen Stuart, M. A.
The Brownian motion of colloidal particles embedded in solutions of hydrogen-bonded supramolecular polymers has been studied using dynamic light scattering. At short times, the motion of the probe particles is diffusive with a diffusion coefficient equal to that in pure solvent. At intermediate time scales the particles are slowed down as a result of trapping in elastic cages formed by the polymer chains, while at longer times the motion is diffusive again, but with a much smaller diffusion c...
Cylindrical microemulsions: a polymer-like phase ?
Safran, S. A.; Turkevich, L.A.; Pincus, P
The regions of stability of spherical, cylindrical, and lamellar phases of microemulsions are calculated within mean-field theory. In the cylindrical phase, thermal fluctuations determine a temperature dependent persistence length below which the cylinders are rigid (rod-like) and above which the cylinders are flexible (polymer-like). The length of the polymer-like chains depends on concentration and temperature. The radii of gyration of these flexible microemulsions are also calculated.
Rheology and morphology of no-slip sheared polymer nanocomposite under creep condition
Mortezapour, Saba; Eslami, Hossein; Nedaaee Oskoee, Ehsan
Dissipative particle dynamics simulations are performed on wet polymer nanocomposite blends under the discrete imposed velocity profile and no-slip boundary conditions. To be able to study the chain length dependency of the rheological properties, a number of blends of mono-disperse polymer chains of lengths varying from 10 to 100 repeat units and nanoparticles of diameters 2.5 and 5 have been simulated. The wall velocity was imposed on a thin polymer layer (the no-slip layer). Linear velocity profiles for polymer confined in the pore were observed at the steady state. We found that the flow has a shear thinning effect on the chains with a radius of gyration less than the filler radius. Long chains (with a radius of gyration longer than the filler's radius), however, obey the Newtonian behavior over a much wider shear rate than that which causes shear thinning in short chains. The effect of particle-monomer interactions, polymer entanglements, chain morphology, and link formation on the shear rate dependency of the viscosity coefficient has been studied. Our results show that the particle-polymer interactions have no effect on shear thinning behavior of the blend. In contrast, the long range polymer-polymer interactions and the chain length have considerable effects on the rheological behavior of the blend. Finally, the phase diagram of the rheological properties of polymer nanocomposite as a function of strain rate and the chain length is extracted.
Approaches for Making High Performance Polymer Materials from Commodity Polymers
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Xu Xi
A brief surrey of ongoing research work done for improving and enhancing the properties of commodity polymers by the author and author's colleagues is given in this paper. A series of high performance polymers and polymer nanomaterials were successfully prepared through irradiation and stress-induced reactions of polymers and hydrogen bonding. The methods proposed are viable, easy in operation, clean and efficient.1. The effect of irradiation source (UV light, electron beam, γ -ray and microwave), irradiation dose, irradiation time and atmosphere etc. on molecular structure of polyolefine during irradiation was studied. The basic rules of dominating oxidation, degradation and cross-linking reactions were mastered. Under the controlled conditions, cross-linking reactions are prevented, some oxygen containing groups are introduced on the molecular chain of polyolefine to facilitate the interface compatibility of their blends. A series of high performance polymer materials: u-HDPE/PA6,u-HDPE/CaCO3, u-iPP/STC, γ-HDPE/STC, γ-LLDPE/ATH, e-HDPE, e-LLDPE and m-HDPEfilled system were prepared (u- ultraviolet light irradiated, γ- γ-ray irradiated, e- electron beam irradiated, m- microwave irradiated)2. The effect of ultrasonic irradiation, jet and pan-milling on structure and changes in properties of polymers were studied. Imposition of critical stress on polymer chain can cause the scission of bonds to form macroradicals. The macroradicals formed in this way may recombine or react with monomer or other radicals to form linear, branched or cross-linked polymers or copolymers. About 20 kinds of block/graft copolymers have been synthesized from polymer-polymer or polymer-monomer through ultrasonic irradiation.Through jet-milling, the molecular weight of PVC is decreased somewhat, the intensity of its crystalline absorption bonds becomes indistinct. The processability, the yield strength, strength at break and elongation at break of PVC get increased quite a lot after
Hydrogen Bonds in Polymer Folding
Borg, J; Jensen, M. H.; K. Sneppen; Tiana, G.
The thermodynamics of a homopolymeric chain with both Van der Waals and highly-directional hydrogen bond interaction is studied. The effect of hydrogen bonds is to reduce dramatically the entropy of low-lying states and to give raise to long-range order and to conformations displaying secondary structures. For compact polymers a transition is found between helix-rich states and low-entropy sheet-dominated states. The consequences of this transition for protein folding and, in particular, for ...
Wetting of polymer covered surfaces
Halperin, A.; De Gennes, P.G.
We consider solid surfaces, partly covered with flexible, neutral, linear polymers (by adsorption or by grafting), wetted by a liquid which is a good solvent of the poymer. We give formulae for the spreading coefficient S as a function of chain length, solvent quality and adsorption strength. We also discuss the wetting films obtained in spreading a droplet of (non volatile) solvent : the equilibrium thickness e of the film is a compromise between S (favouring thin films) and the coil entropi...
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
Charles C. Han; DONG Jinyong; NIU Hui; CHENG He; HUANG Ye; ZHENG Jianfen; XU Shanshan
@@ Since the second half of the 20th century, polymer materials have already become an essential part of our daily life.The use of polymeric materials has already exceeded that of metals and ceramics in terms of volume and is intimately connected to our clothing, food, household use, transportation, and medical needs.Meanwhile it also brought some recycle and environmental problems.In the 21 st century, human beings are facing ever increasing challenges on environmental protection, energy shortage, and health-medical problems, which have made even higher demand on polymer materials due to its light weight, flexibility and high functionality.
Geoghegan, Mark
Polymer electronics is the science behind many important new developments in technology, such as the flexible electronic display (e-ink) and many new developments in transistor technology. Solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and transistors are all areas where plastic electronics is likely to, or is already having, a serious impact on our daily lives. With polymer transistors and light-emitting diodes now being commercialised, there is a clear need for a pedagogic text thatdiscusses the subject in a clear and concise fashion suitable for senior undergraduate and graduate students. The content
Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)
DUAN Youlu; YU Xiuying; XUE Ying; ZENG Miaoying; JI Shanrong
The relations between polymerization conditions of vinylidene fluorideand contents of head-to-head chain in the polymer have been studied. It shows that the contents of head-to-head chain of the polymer are related to its polymerization temperature, but are not related with the kinds of initiators used. Therefore, poly(vinylidene fluoride) with low contents of head-to-head chain (ca. 3%)can be prepared under lower polymerization temperature. Plot of the contents of A chains against melting points of the polymer is linear, which can be expressed by an equation:A = 24.8 + 0.362 Tm(%).
Entangled polymer complexes as Higgs phenomena.
Kim, Ki-Seok; Dutta, Sandipan; Jho, YongSeok
We derive an effective Maxwell-London equation for entangled polymer complexes under topological constraints, borrowing the theoretical framework from topological field theory. We find that the transverse current flux of a test polymer chain, surrounded by entangled chains, decays exponentially from its centerline position with a finite penetration depth, which is analogous to the magnetic-field decay in a superconductor (SC), referred to as the Meissner effect. Just as the mass acquirement of photons in a SC is the origin of the magnetic-field decay, the polymer obtains uncrossable intersections along the chain due to the preservation of the linking number, which restricts the deviation of the transverse polymer current in the normal direction. The underlying physics is as follows: less flexible polymers have stronger current-current correlations, giving rise to a heavier effective mass of the gauge fields and resulting in a shorter decay length. Interestingly, this picture is well incorporated within the most successful phenomenological theory of the, so called, tube model, the microscopic origins of which researchers have long pursued. The correspondence of our equation of motion to the tube model claims that the confining tube potential is a consequence of the topological constraint (linking number). The tube radius is attributed to the decay length. On increasing the effective mass (by strengthening the interaction at an uncrossable intersection or a number of intersections), the tube becomes narrower. Using this argument, the exponential decay of the chain leakage out of the tube is well understood. PMID:26324955
Water-soluble conductive polymers
Aldissi, Mahmoud
Polymers which are soluble in water and are electrically conductive. The monomer repeat unit is a thiophene or pyrrole molecule having an alkyl group substituted for the hydrogen atom located in the beta position of the thiophene or pyrrole ring and having a surfactant molecule at the end of the alkyl chain. Polymers of this class having 8 or more carbon atoms in the alkyl chain exhibit liquid crystalline behavior, resulting in high electrical anisotropy. The monomer-to-monomer bonds are located between the carbon atoms which are adjacent to the sulfur or nitrogen atoms. The number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group may vary from 1 to 20 carbon atoms. The surfactant molecule consists of a sulfonate group, or a sulfate group, or a carboxylate group, and hydrogen or an alkali metal. Negative ions from a supporting electrolyte which may be used in the electrochemical synthesis of a polymer may be incorporated into the polymer during the synthesis and serve as a dopant to increase the conductivity.
Parallel Synthesis of photoluminescent π-conjugated polymers by polymer reactions of an organotitanium polymer with a titanacyclopentadiene unit.
Matsumura, Yoshimasa; Fukuda, Katsura; Inagi, Shinsuke; Tomita, Ikuyoshi
A regioregular organometallic polymer with titanacyclopentadiene unit, obtained by the reaction of a 2,7-diethynylfluorene derivative and a low-valent titanium complex, is subjected to the reaction with three kinds of electrophiles (i.e., sulfur monochloride, hydrochloric acid, and dichlorophenylphosphine) to give π-conjugated polymers possessing both fluorene and building blocks originated from the transformation of the titanacycles in the main chain. For example, a phosphole-containing polymer whose number-average molecular weight is estimated as 5000 is obtained in 50% yield. The obtained thiophene, butadiene, and phosphole-containing polymers exhibit efficient photoluminescence (PL) with emission colors of blue, green, and yellow, respectively. For example, the phosphole-containing polymer exhibits yellow PL with an emission maximum (Emax ) of 533 nm and a quantum yield (Φ) of 0.37.
Role of block copolymer adsorption versus bimodal grafting on nanoparticle self-assembly in polymer nanocomposites.
Zhao, Dan; Di Nicola, Matteo; Khani, Mohammad M; Jestin, Jacques; Benicewicz, Brian C; Kumar, Sanat K
We compare the self-assembly of silica nanoparticles (NPs) with physically adsorbed polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) copolymers (BCP) against NPs with grafted bimodal (BM) brushes comprised of long, sparsely grafted PS chains and a short dense carpet of P2VP chains. As with grafted NPs, the dispersion state of the BCP NPs can be facilely tuned in PS matrices by varying the PS coverage on the NP surface or by changes in the ratio of the PS graft to matrix chain lengths. Surprisingly, the BCP NPs are remarkably better dispersed than the NPs tethered with bimodal brushes at comparable PS grafting densities. We postulate that this difference arises because of two factors inherent in the synthesis of the NPs: In the case of the BCP NPs the adsorption process is analogous to the chains being "grafted to" the NP surface, while the BM case corresponds to "grafting from" the surface. We have shown that the "grafted from" protocol yields patchy NPs even if the graft points are uniformly placed on each particle. This phenomenon, which is caused by chain conformation fluctuations, is exacerbated by the distribution function associated with the (small) number of grafts per particle. In contrast, in the case of BCP adsorption, each NP is more uniformly coated by a P2VP monolayer driven by the strongly favorable P2VP-silica interactions. Since each P2VP block is connected to a PS chain we conjecture that these adsorbed systems are closer to the limit of spatially uniform sparse brush coverage than the chemically grafted case. We finally show that the better NP dispersion resulting from BCP adsorption leads to larger mechanical reinforcement than those achieved with BM particles. These results emphasize that physical adsorption of BCPs is a simple, effective and practically promising strategy to direct NP dispersion in a chemically unfavorable polymer matrix. PMID:27502154
Selective Template Wetting Routes to Hierarchical Polymer Films: Polymer Nanotubes from Phase-Separated Films via Solvent Annealing.
Ko, Hao-Wen; Cheng, Ming-Hsiang; Chi, Mu-Huan; Chang, Chun-Wei; Chen, Jiun-Tai
We demonstrate a novel wetting method to prepare hierarchical polymer films with polymer nanotubes on selective regions. This strategy is based on the selective wetting abilities of polymer chains, annealed in different solvent vapors, into the nanopores of porous templates. Phase-separated films of polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), two commonly used polymers, are prepared as a model system. After anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates are placed on the films, the samples are annealed in vapors of acetic acid, in which the PMMA chains are swollen and wet the nanopores of the AAO templates selectively. As a result, hierarchical polymer films containing PMMA nanotubes can be obtained after the AAO templates are removed. The distribution of the PMMA nanotubes of the hierarchical polymer films can also be controlled by changing the compositions of the polymer blends. This work not only presents a novel method to fabricate hierarchical polymer films with polymer nanotubes on selective regions, but also gives a deeper understanding in the selective wetting ability of polymer chains in solvent vapors. PMID:26831764
Predicting the Flory-Huggins χ Parameter for Polymers with Stiffness Mismatch from Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Daniel J. Kozuch; Wenlin Zhang; Milner, Scott T.
The Flory–Huggins χ parameter describes the excess free energy of mixing and governs phase behavior for polymer blends and block copolymers. For chemically-distinct nonpolar polymers, the value of χ is dominated by the mismatch in cohesive energy densities of the monomers. For blends of chemically-similar polymers, the entropic portion of χ, arising from non-ideal local packing, becomes more significant. Using polymer field theory, Fredrickson et al. predicted that a difference in backbone st...
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Chain Reaction is a work of recent American political history. It seeks to explain how and why America came to depend so heavily on its experts after World War II, how those experts translated that authority into political clout, and why that authority and political discretion declined in the 1970s. The author's research into the internal memoranda of the Atomic Energy Commission substantiates his argument in historical detail. It was not the ravages of American anti-intellectualism, as so many scholars have argued, that brought the experts back down to earth. Rather, their decline can be traced to the very roots of their success after World War II. The need to over-state anticipated results in order to garner public support, incessant professional and bureaucratic specialization, and the sheer proliferation of expertise pushed arcane and insulated debates between experts into public forums at the same time that a broad cross section of political participants found it easier to gain access to their own expertise. These tendencies ultimately undermined the political influence of all experts. (author)
Electrospun Polymer Fibers for Electronic Applications
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Alessandro Luzio
Full Text Available Nano- and micro- fibers of conjugated polymer semiconductors are particularly interesting both for applications and for fundamental research. They allow an investigation into how electronic properties are influenced by size confinement and chain orientation within microstructures that are not readily accessible within thin films. Moreover, they open the way to many applications in organic electronics, optoelectronics and sensing. Electro-spinning, the technique subject of this review, is a simple method to effectively form and control conjugated polymer fibers. We provide the basics of the technique and its recent advancements for the formation of highly conducting and high mobility polymer fibers towards their adoption in electronic applications.
Responsive gelation of hydrophobized linear polymer
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Madsen, Claus Greve; Toeth, Joachim; Jørgensen, Lene;
In this study we present the rheological properties of a physically linked polymer network, composed of linear hydrophilic chains, modified with hydrophobic moieties in each end. Solutions of the polymer in ethanol-water mixtures showed Newtonian behaviour up to about 99 % ethanol, with the highest...... viscosity observed in a 1:1 mixture of ethanol and water. In pure ethanol, the polymer forms a thermo-responsive, non-Newtonian gel, which collapses upon addition of as little as 1 % water or heating to about 40 °C....
Randomly charged polymers in porous environment
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
V. Blavatska
Full Text Available We study the conformational properties of charged polymers in a solvent in the presence of structural obstacles correlated according to a power law ~x-a. We work within the continuous representation of a model of linear chain considered as a random sequence of charges qi=±q0. Such a model captures the properties of polyampholytes~-- heteropolymers comprising both positively and negatively charged monomers. We apply the direct polymer renormalization scheme and analyze the scaling behavior of charged polymers up to the first order of an ε=6-d, δ=4-a-expansion.
Frank, Curtis W.
Described is a series of four graduate level courses in polymer science, offered or currently in preparation, at Stanford University. Course descriptions and a list of required and recommended texts are included. Detailed course outlines for two of the courses are presented. (BT)
Gedde, Ulf W
This book is the result of my teaching efforts during the last ten years at the Royal Institute of Technology. The purpose is to present the subject of polymer physics for undergraduate and graduate students, to focus the fundamental aspects of the subject and to show the link between experiments and theory. The intention is not to present a compilation of the currently available literature on the subject. Very few reference citations have thus been made. Each chapter has essentially the same structure: starling with an introduction, continuing with the actual subject, summarizing the chapter in 30D-500 words, and finally presenting problems and a list of relevant references for the reader. The solutions to the problems presented in Chapters 1-12 are given in Chapter 13. The theme of the book is essentially polymer science, with the exclusion of that part dealing directly with chemical reactions. The fundamentals in polymer science, including some basic polymer chemistry, are presented as an introduction in t...
Wittmer, J. P.; Beckrich, P.; Crevel, F.; Huang, C. C.; Cavallo, A.; Kreer, T.; Meyer, H.
It is commonly accepted that in concentrated solutions or melts high-molecular weight polymers display random-walk conformational properties without long-range correlations between subsequent bonds. This absence of memory means, for instance, that the bond-bond correlation function, P(s), of two bonds separated by s monomers along the chain should exponentially decay with s. Presenting numerical results and theoretical arguments for both monodisperse chains and self-assembled (essentially Flory size-distributed) equilibrium polymers we demonstrate that some long-range correlations remain due to self-interactions of the chains caused by the chain connectivity and the incompressibility of the melt. Suggesting a profound analogy with the well-known long-range velocity correlations in liquids we find, for instance, P(s) to decay algebraically as s. Our study suggests a precise method for obtaining the statistical segment length b in a computer experiment.
Coordination Polymer Gels by Electron Beam
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Lee, Ji Ha; Cho, Young Je; Jung, Jong Hwa [Gyeongsang National Univ., Jinju (Korea, Republic of)
Hydrogenation of a pyridine derivative possessing tetrazole moieties as end groups, without long alkyl chain groups, results in the formation of a Mg(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} coordination polymer gel. The polymer exhibits a strong fluorescence enhancement upon gel formation. 1 can also be gloated with a variety of magnesium anions such as SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}, NO{sub 3}{sup -}, Cl{sup -}, Br{sup -} and I{sup -}, indicating that the coordination polymer gel formation of 1 does not strongly depends on anions. The Seam and ABM images of Mg{sup 2+} coordination polymer gel 1 display a flabbier network with several micrometers long, widths in the range 60-70 nm and thicknesses of about 3 nm. In addition, photophysical studies show that the hydrogel exhibits a typical {pi}-{pi} transition and gives rise to high fluorescence behavior. The coordination polymer hydrogel exhibits viscoelastic behavior as evidenced from the rheological studies.
Non-Markovian polymer reaction kinetics
Guérin, Thomas; Voituriez, Raphaël; 10.1038/NCHEM.1378
Describing the kinetics of polymer reactions, such as the formation of loops and hairpins in nucleic acids or polypeptides, is complicated by the structural dynamics of their chains. Although both intramolecular reactions, such as cyclization, and intermolecular reactions have been studied extensively, both experimentally and theoretically, there is to date no exact explicit analytical treatment of transport-limited polymer reaction kinetics, even in the case of the simplest (Rouse) model of monomers connected by linear springs. We introduce a new analytical approach to calculate the mean reaction time of polymer reactions that encompasses the non-Markovian dynamics of monomer motion. This requires that the conformational statistics of the polymer at the very instant of reaction be determined, which provides, as a by-product, new information on the reaction path. We show that the typical reactive conformation of the polymer is more extended than the equilibrium conformation, which leads to reaction times sign...
Interfaces in polymer nanocomposites - An NMR study
Böhme, Ute; Scheler, Ulrich
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is applied for the investigation of polymer nanocomposites. Solid-state NMR is applied to study the modification steps to compatibilize layered double hydroxides with non-polar polymers. 1H relaxation NMR gives insight on the polymer dynamics over a wide range of correlation times. For the polymer chain dynamics the transverse relaxation time T2 is most suited. In this presentation we report on two applications of T2 measurements under external mechanical stress. In a low-field system relaxation NMR studies are performed in-situ under uniaxial stress. High-temperature experiments in a Couette cell permit the investigation of the polymer dynamics in the melt under shear flow.
Polymer escape from a confining potential
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Mökkönen, Harri, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Department of Applied Physics and COMP CoE, Aalto University School of Science, P.O. Box 11100, FIN-00076 Aalto, Espoo (Finland); Faculty of Physical Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík (Iceland); Ikonen, Timo [Department of Applied Physics and COMP CoE, Aalto University School of Science, P.O. Box 11100, FIN-00076 Aalto, Espoo (Finland); VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 VTT (Finland); Jónsson, Hannes [Department of Applied Physics and COMP CoE, Aalto University School of Science, P.O. Box 11100, FIN-00076 Aalto, Espoo (Finland); Faculty of Physical Sciences, University of Iceland, Reykjavík (Iceland); Department of Physics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912-1843 (United States); Ala-Nissila, Tapio [Department of Applied Physics and COMP CoE, Aalto University School of Science, P.O. Box 11100, FIN-00076 Aalto, Espoo (Finland); Department of Physics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912-1843 (United States)
The rate of escape of polymers from a two-dimensionally confining potential well has been evaluated using self-avoiding as well as ideal chain representations of varying length, up to 80 beads. Long timescale Langevin trajectories were calculated using the path integral hyperdynamics method to evaluate the escape rate. A minimum is found in the rate for self-avoiding polymers of intermediate length while the escape rate decreases monotonically with polymer length for ideal polymers. The increase in the rate for long, self-avoiding polymers is ascribed to crowding in the potential well which reduces the free energy escape barrier. An effective potential curve obtained using the centroid as an independent variable was evaluated by thermodynamic averaging and Kramers rate theory then applied to estimate the escape rate. While the qualitative features are well reproduced by this approach, it significantly overestimates the rate, especially for the longer polymers. The reason for this is illustrated by constructing a two-dimensional effective energy surface using the radius of gyration as well as the centroid as controlled variables. This shows that the description of a transition state dividing surface using only the centroid fails to confine the system to the region corresponding to the free energy barrier and this problem becomes more pronounced the longer the polymer is. A proper definition of a transition state for polymer escape needs to take into account the shape as well as the location of the polymer.
Dynamics of Hyperbranched Polymers under Confinement
Androulaki, Krystallenia; Chrissopoulou, Kiriaki; Anastasiadis, Spiros H.; Prevosto, Daniele; Labardi, Massimiliano
The effect of severe confinement on the dynamics of three different generations of hyperbranched polyesters (Boltorns) is investigated by Dielectric Spectroscopy. The polymers are intercalated within the galleries of natural Na+-MMT, thus, forming 1nm polymer films confined between solid walls. The Tg's of the polymers determined by DSC show a clear dependence on the generation whereas the transition is completely suppressed when all the polymer chains are intercalated. The dynamic investigation of the bulk polymers reveals two sub-Tg processes, with similar behavior for the three polymers with the segmental relaxation observed above the Tg of each. For the nanocomposites, where all polymers are severely confined, the dynamics show significant differences compared to that of the bulk polymers. The sub-Tg processes are similar for the three generations but significantly faster and with weaker temperature dependence than those in the bulk. The segmental process appears at temperatures below the bulk polymer Tg, it exhibits an Arrhenius temperature dependence and shows differences for the three generations. A slow process that appears at higher temperatures is due to interfacial polarization. Co-financed by the EU and Greek funds through the Operational Program ``Education and Lifelong Learning'' of the NSRF-Research Funding Program: THALES-Investing in knowledge society through the Eur. Social Fund (MIS 377278) and COST Action MP0902-COINAPO.
Modeling of ionic transport in solid polymer electrolytes
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Cheang, P L; Teo, L L; Lim, T L, E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com [Centre for Foundation Studies and Extension Education, Multimedia University, Jln Ayer Keroh Lama, 75450 Melaka (Malaysia)
A Monte Carlo model describing the ionic trans port in solid polyme relectrolyte is developed. Single cation simulation is carried out using hopping rate to study the transport mechanism of a thermally activated ion in solid polymer electrolyte. In our model, the ion is able to hop along a polymer chain and to jump between different chains, surmounting energy barriers that consist of polymer's activation energy and the externally applied electric field. The model is able to trace the motion of ion across polymer electrolyte. The mean hopping distance is calculated based on the available open bond in the next nearest side. Random numbers are used to determine the hopping distances, free flight times, final energy and direction of the cation after successful hop. Drift velocity and energy of cation are simulated in our work. The model is expected to be able to simulate the lithium-polymer battery in future.
Modelling and Risk Management in the Offshore and Marine Industry Supply Chain
Carman Lee; K.C. Liew
Supply chain risk management is primarily a process that involves the identification, assessment and mitigation of risks that arise in a particular supply chain system. Pertaining to that, the offshore and marine industry is one of the many industries that have seldom received much consideration when it comes to management of the supply chain system. The rig building facet of the offshore and marine industry was thus chosen as the main focus of the project to manage the risks that arise in a ...
Translocation of a stiff polymer in a microchannel
Ten Bosch, Alexandra; Cheyssac, Pierre
International audience The voltage-driven dynamics of a stiff polymer through a nanopore are treated with a bend elastic model. In contrast to flexible polymers described by a stretch elasticity, bend elastic chains can be oriented in an external field, here the anchoring field created by the pore atoms. The trajectory of the chain is calculated using the Langevin equation of motion. The dynamical equation is solved by a normal mode analysis of the elastic curve with free ends. Interaction...
Spreading Dynamics of Polymer Nanodroplets in Cylindrical Geometries
Heine, David R.; Grest, Gary S.; Webb III, Edmund B.
The spreading of one- and two-component polymer nanodroplets is studied using molecular dynamics simulation in a cylindrical geometry. The droplets consist of polymer chains of length 10, 40, and 100 monomers per chain described by the bead-spring model spreading on a flat surface with a surface-coupled Langevin thermostat. Each droplet contains ~350,000 monomers. The dynamics of the individual components of each droplet are analyzed and compared to the dynamics of single component droplets f...
Four Different Tumors Arising in a Nevus Sebaceous
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Takeshi Namiki
Full Text Available Nevus sebaceous is known by its association with one or more secondary tumors, but more than three multiple tumors arising from a nevus sebaceous is extremely rare. A 67-year-old female presented with a light brown plaque on the back of her head that contained a dome-shaped black node and an erosive lesion. Histopathological examination showed atypical basaloid cells in the black node. At the periphery of that node, structures resembling follicular germs extruded from interlacing cords in the upper portion and tumor nests with sebocytes were in the lower portion. In the erosive lesion, papillated structures with an apocrine epithelium were observed. In the light brown plaque, enlargement of sebaceous lobules was noted. From those histopathological features, a diagnosis of syringocystadenoma papilliferum, sebaceoma, trichoblastoma and basal cell carcinoma arising from a nevus sebaceous was made. We discuss the rarity of multiple tumors arising from a nevus sebaceous.
Four Different Tumors Arising in a Nevus Sebaceous.
Namiki, Takeshi; Miura, Keiko; Ueno, Makiko; Arima, Yumi; Nishizawa, Aya; Yokozeki, Hiroo
Nevus sebaceous is known by its association with one or more secondary tumors, but more than three multiple tumors arising from a nevus sebaceous is extremely rare. A 67-year-old female presented with a light brown plaque on the back of her head that contained a dome-shaped black node and an erosive lesion. Histopathological examination showed atypical basaloid cells in the black node. At the periphery of that node, structures resembling follicular germs extruded from interlacing cords in the upper portion and tumor nests with sebocytes were in the lower portion. In the erosive lesion, papillated structures with an apocrine epithelium were observed. In the light brown plaque, enlargement of sebaceous lobules was noted. From those histopathological features, a diagnosis of syringocystadenoma papilliferum, sebaceoma, trichoblastoma and basal cell carcinoma arising from a nevus sebaceous was made. We discuss the rarity of multiple tumors arising from a nevus sebaceous. PMID:27194974
Crazing of nanocomposites with polymer-tethered nanoparticles.
Meng, Dong; Kumar, Sanat K; Ge, Ting; Robbins, Mark O; Grest, Gary S
The crazing behavior of polymer nanocomposites formed by blending polymer grafted nanoparticles with an entangled polymer melt is studied by molecular dynamics simulations. We focus on the three key differences in the crazing behavior of a composite relative to the pure homopolymer matrix, namely, a lower yield stress, a smaller extension ratio, and a grafted chain length dependent failure stress. The yield behavior is found to be mostly controlled by the local nanoparticle-grafted polymer interfacial energy, with the grafted polymer-polymer matrix interfacial structure being of little to no relevance. Increasing the attraction between nanoparticle core and the grafted polymer inhibits void nucleation and leads to a higher yield stress. In the craze growth regime, the presence of "grafted chain" sections of ≈100 monomers alters the mechanical response of composite samples, giving rise to smaller extension ratios and higher drawing stresses than for the homopolymer matrix. The dominant failure mechanism of composite samples depends strongly on the length of the grafted chains, with disentanglement being the dominant mechanism for short chains, while bond breaking is the failure mode for chain lengths >10Ne, where Ne is the entanglement length. PMID:27609009
Surface enrichment driven by polymer topology
Pellicane, Giuseppe; Megnidio-Tchoukouegno, Mireille; Mola, Genene T.; Tsige, Mesfin
We report a molecular dynamics simulation study of free-standing films of a blend of linear and cyclic polymer chains. We find that the composition of linear chains at the interface is enhanced relative to their bulk value for short chains but is depleted for long chains. Our findings are in agreement with recent experimental evidence reported for blends of short linear and cyclic polystyrene chains and highlight the genuine surface behavior in the short chain-length regime where theoretical predictions are more difficult. We highlight surface enrichment at low-energy surfaces as the result of competition between different entropic and enthalpic contributions to the interfacial free energy of the system.
Laparoscopic resection of a retroperitoneal hemangioma arising from ovarian vessels.
Choi, Youn Seok; Oh, Hoon Kyu
Hemangiomas are known to be common benign tumors. However, hemangiomas of female genital organs are very rare. Furthermore, a retroperitoneal hemangioma arising from ovarian vessels has never been reported. Here we report a case of a 29-year-old woman with a retroperitoneal cavernous hemangioma arising from the ovarian vessels of infundibulopelvic ligament, which was treated with laparoscopic resection. The operating time was 30 minutes, and resection was carried out with minimal blood loss. The postoperative period was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 3. Laparoscopic resection of this type of hemangioma is feasible. PMID:19896610
Papillary Carcinoma Arising from the Pyramidal Lobe of the Thyroid
Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)
Kim, Hyun Gi; Lee, Sarah; Kim, Eun Kyung; Moon, Hee Jung; Kwak, Jin Young [Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)
The authors present a rare case of papillary carcinoma arising from the pyramidal lobe of the thyroid in a 54-year-old woman, who presented with a right submental palpable mass. An ultrasound evaluation depicted a 3 cm mixed echoic mass from the thyroid cartilage level without a focal lesion in the thyroid gland. Surgical specimens obtained during bilateral thyroidectomy confirmed papillary carcinoma of the pyramidal lobe. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first case report to describe papillary carcinoma arising from the pyramidal lobe of the thyroid gland
Optically induced surface relief phenomena in azobenzene polymers
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Holme, NCR; Nikolova, Ludmila; Hvilsted, Søren;
Azobenzene polymers and oligomers show intriguing surface relief features when irradiated with polarized laser light. We show through atomic force microscopic investigation of side-chain azobenzene polymers after irradiation through an amplitude mask that large peaks or trenches result depending ...... Institute of Physics....
Energy and charge control in mass spectrometry of synthetic polymers
Nasioudis, A.
Synthetic polymers are the products of humans' attempts to imitate nature's gigantic molecular chain architectures. The extended variety of building blocks and reaction mechanisms resulted in a plethora of different polymeric architectures. The biggest challenge for polymer chemists is to develop an
Glass Transition Behavior of Polymer Films of Nanoscopic Dimensions
Baljon, Arlette R. C.; van Weert, Maarten. H. M.; DeGraaff, Regina Barber; Khare, Rajesh
Glass transition behavior of nanoscopically thin polymer films is investigated by means of molecular dynamics simulations. A thin polymer film that is composed of bead-spring model chains and supported on an idealized, fcc lattice substrate surface is studied in this work.
Disorder-induced neutral solitons in degenerate ground state polymers
Figge, M. T.; Mostovoy, M. V.; Knöster, J.
Submitted to: Synth. Met. Abstract: In this letter, we study the effects of weak off-diagonal disorder on conjugated polymers with a doubly degenerate ground-state. We find that disorder induces a finite density of neutral solitons in the lattice dimerization of a polymer chain. Interchain interacti
Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) of branched polymers and polysaccharides
Gaborieau, Marianne; Castignolles, Patrice
Branched polymers are among the most important polymers, ranging from polyolefins to polysaccharides. Branching plays a key role in the chain dynamics. It is thus very important for application properties such as mechanical and adhesive properties and digestibility. It also plays a key role in viscous properties, and thus in the mechanism of the separation of these polymers in size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). Critically reviewing the literature, particularly on SEC of polyolefins, polyacr...